THE NEW FASCIST INTERNATIONALE

Ex-PM Stephen Harper seeks closer ties with Hungary's Viktor Orbán

The Canadian Press
Thu, July 6, 2023 



OTTAWA — Former prime minister Stephen Harper says he wants closer ties between right-leaning political parties including the Conservative Party of Canada and the Hungarian government, which has been accused of democratic backsliding.

Harper chairs the International Democrat Union, a global alliance of right-leaning political parties that includes Canada's Conservatives as well as the Fidesz Party led by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.

The two met Thursday in Budapest, and Harper said on Twitter that they discussed "the importance of centre-right parties strengthening their collaboration."

Human Rights Watch says Orbán's government has delivered sustained "attacks on rule of law and public institutions" such as undermining judicial independence and surveilling journalists.

The European Court of Justice repeatedly ruled that Orbán is violating EU migration laws with policies hostile to asylum claimants, whom he has referred to at various points as "a poison" and "Muslim invaders."

The Canadian Press has asked the Conservative Party of Canada and the office of current leader Pierre Poilievre whether Ottawa ought to have stronger ties with Orbán's government.

Harper also met this week with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in Rome, as she leads a bloc of conservative European parties.

Trudeau chided Meloni at a May meeting for "some of the positions Italy is taking on in terms of LGBT rights" which Meloni later dismissed as inaccurate information.

Meloni's government has required same-sex couples to register for shared parental rights, forbidding cities from automatically recognizing them.

Also Thursday, Harper tweeted that he discussed "the IDU's strong support for Ukraine" with Orbán, who has opposed multiple moves by the European Union to punish Russia for its invasion.

Orbán has called on Ukraine to concede to Russia, saying Kyiv cannot win against Moscow. He recently said that Russian President Vladimir Putin's handling of a mutiny last month shows his strength as a leader.

Harper faced criticism from international-relations experts and the Liberal government in 2018 when he congratulated Orbán for his re-election.

This spring in Washington, a bipartisan group in the United States Congress started working on a bill to implement U.S. sanctions on those close to Orbán accused of corruption, on top of existing sanctions in place since 2014.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 6, 2023.

Dylan Robertson, The Canadian Press

Quebec only outlier on Ottawa health deal as Nunavut, Yukon and N.W.T. sign on

The Canadian Press
Thu, July 6, 2023 



OTTAWA — Northwest Territories, Yukon and Nunavut all signed on to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's health funding offer Thursday, leaving Quebec the only holdout on the new accords.

Trudeau presented his offer to provincial and territorial premiers in February as local politicians, doctors, nurses and health advocates raised concerns about a national health-care crisis.

The agreement would see the federal government shift $196 billion to the provinces and territories over the next 10 years in exchange for commitments to massively upgrade health-care data collection and digital medical records.

The offer includes $17 billion in new spending over and above existing federal health transfers and $25 billion for agreements tailed to the specific needs of individual provinces.

At the time, premiers signalled that they would agree, though the prime minister's offer fell well short of what they had hoped for.

Territorial leaders suggested they were disappointed with the offer and called on the federal government to put more money toward the Territorial Health Investment Fund, which helps pay for medical travel and other costs of delivering health care in the North.

Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos said there was a breakthrough in negotiations with the territories after the federal government agreed to put $350 million toward that fund over the next 10 years.

"The health-care needs in the territories are significant," Duclos said at an online press conference Thursday. "The cost of serving these needs is also very significant for all sorts of obvious reasons."

The cost of hiring workers can be higher and many communities in the North are more remote, he said. There are also many First Nations and Indigenous communities that have been underserved by public health care over the years.

The latest agreements leave Quebec the last province standing up to the new conditions the federal government has put on the cash.

Each province that signs on to the deal has been tasked with coming up with an "action plan" that includes measurable targets and timelines to improve health care in their respective jurisdictions.

Quebec Premier François Legault was one of the most vocal provincial leaders calling for a deal with Ottawa, but bristled at being accountable to Ottawa for those set targets.

Duclos said his office is still negotiating with Quebec.

"There have been back and forths," Duclos said of the talks. "We know how important it is for Quebecers to benefit from the additional federal investment in supporting patients and workers in the province."

Ottawa has yet to receive any targets or timelines from the provinces, and the additional funding will not flow before that happens.

The federal government hopes to have the plans in hand before the end of the fiscal year in March, so that money put aside in the 2023 budget can be doled out quickly.

In the meantime, the federal government divided $2 billion between the provinces, including Quebec, to address urgent needs.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 6, 2023.

Laura Osman, The Canadian Press

Ontario to pay 1/3 of incentives for both Stellantis, VW battery plants

The Canadian Press
Thu, July 6, 2023 



TORONTO — Ontario has agreed to an auto pact with the federal government, to pay not just one-third of the production incentives in a deal with Stellantis and LG Energy Solution but also for a Volkswagen battery plant.

Stellantis and LG stopped construction in May on a $5-billion electric vehicle battery facility in Windsor, Ont., as they pressed the federal government to match what the United States would offer under its new Inflation Reduction Act.

They announced Wednesday that they had reached a deal with Canada and Ontario, and those two governments say the agreement will see the companies receive performance incentives of up to $15 billion over about 10 years.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced in June that the province would agree to cover one-third of the production incentives, in addition to a $500-million capital commitment.

Today, the governments say that the cost-sharing agreement now also extends to production incentives for a Volkswagen electric vehicle battery facility in St. Thomas, Ont.

Volkswagen could receive up to $13 billion in incentives under its deal.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 6, 2023.

The Canadian Press

Maritime Electric activates contingency plan as union votes to strike


CBC
Thu, July 6, 2023 

Members of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 1928 voted 89 per cent in favour of a strike mandate after rejecting Maritime Electric's latest contract offer. (Kirk Pennell/CBC - image credit)

The 140 members of a union that represents Maritime Electric workers are now in a legal position to strike.

Members of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 1928 voted 89 per cent in favour of a strike mandate after rejecting the P.E.I. utility company's latest contract offer.

Both parties had been negotiating a new collective agreement for the past six months.

Business manager Jim Sponagle said Thursday a strike would send more than half of the company's workers to the picket line, including line technicians, meter readers and customer service reps.

He said he's still hopeful it won't come to that.

"Do we want to go on strike? No, certainly not. But will we go on strike? Well, if we can't make make good headway from where we are today, it could happen," Sponagle said.

"The union is optimistic that the employer will reach out and get back to the table and get back to bargaining, so we minimize the impact to Maritime Electric employees, to Prince Edward Islanders. Again, this is a position that nobody wants to be in, but here we are. So we're looking to get back to the table."

Sponagle said wages are the sticking point that ultimately lead to the impasse, particularly as Islanders continue to experience high inflation.

Jason Roberts, president and CEO of Maritime Electric released a statement Thursday saying the company is open to further discussions with the union.

Power crews working on Sherwood Rd. in Charlottetown in the days after post-tropical storm Fiona.

Power crews working on Sherwood Rd. in Charlottetown in the days after post-tropical storm Fiona. (Alexandre Silberman/CBC)

Roberts said the company feels it has presented its IBEW-represented employees with a "fair and reasonable offer that balances the interests of employees, our customers and the company."

He said Maritime Electric has activated its operational contingency plans in the event of a work disruption and that it continues to focus on operating its electrical system safely across the province for customers.

Maritime Electric says it currently has 219 full-time employees.

The UN chief issues a rare condemnation of excessive force by Israel in its Jenin raid

Thu, July 6, 2023 

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — In a rare condemnation of Israel, the U.N. chief on Thursday denounced the country's excessive use of force in its largest military operation in two decades targeting a refugee camp in the West Bank.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, clearly angered by the impact of the Israeli attack on the Jenin refugee camp, said the operation had left over 100 civilians injured, forced thousands to flee, damaged schools and hospitals and disrupted water and electricity networks.

He also criticized Israel for preventing the injured from getting medical care and humanitarian workers from reaching everyone in need.

“I strongly condemn all acts of violence against civilians, including acts of terror,” Guterres told reporters.

Asked whether this condemnation applied to Israel, he replied: “It applies to all use of excessive force, and obviously in this situation, there was an excessive force used by Israeli forces.”

The U.N. chief again called on Israel “to abide by its obligations under international law," and to exercise restraint and use only proportional force.

“The use of airstrikes is inconsistent with the conduct of law enforcement operations,” he stressed.

Guterres reminded Israel that “as the occupying power, it has a responsibility to ensure that the civilian population is protected against all acts of violence.”

The secretary-general's condemnation followed a statement by three U.N. independent human rights experts on Wednesday saying that the Israeli airstrikes and ground actions “amount to egregious violations of international law and standards on the use of force and may constitute a war crime.”

The experts on human right in the Palestinian territory, on the rights of the internally displaced, and on violence against women and girls called for Israel to be held accountable for its illegal occupation and violent acts to perpetuate it.

Israel’s two-day offensive meant to crack down on Palestinian militants destroyed the Jenin camp’s narrow roads and alleyways, forced thousands of people to flee their homes and killed 12 Palestinians. One Israeli soldier also was killed.

The Israeli army claimed to have inflicted heavy damage on militant groups in the operation at the camp which ended Wednesday.

Ahead of the Israeli withdrawal, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to carry out similar operations if needed.

This comes after more than a year of Israeli-Palestinian violence. The Jenin camp and an adjacent town of the same name have been a flashpoint since the violence began escalating in spring 2022.

The offensive also further weakened the Palestinian Authority, Israel’s erstwhile partner in battling militants, which already had little control in the camp to begin with.

Guterres said he understands Israel’s legitimate concerns with its security. “But escalation is not the answer,” he said, "it simply bolsters radicalization and leads to a deepening cycle of violence and bloodshed.”

“Restoring the hope of the Palestinian people in a meaningful political process, leading to a two-state solution and the end of the occupation, is an essential contribution by Israel to its own security,” the secretary-general stressed.

Israel captured the West Bank, east Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip in the 1967 Mideast war. The Palestinians seek those territories for their hoped-for independent state, a goal supported by the United Nations and many countries around the world.

Edith M. Lederer, The Associated Press

Temperatures reached a deadly 48.8 °C during the Hoover Dam construction

Randi Mann
Fri, July 7, 2023 





HooverDamJumboRig
"Workers on a "Jumbo Rig"; used for drilling the Hoover Dam's tunnels." 

Courtesy of Wikipedia

This Day In Weather History is a daily podcast by Chris Mei from The Weather Network, featuring stories about people, communities and events and how weather impacted them.

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On Monday, July 7, 1930, the construction of the Hoover Dam commenced. More than 21,000 men worked on the project, which is considered the eighth wonder of the world. The dam is located in the Black Canyon of the Colorado River, between Nevada and Arizona.

1920px-Ansel Adams - National Archives 79-AAB-01

"Photograph of the Hoover Dam (formerly Boulder Dam) from Across the Colorado River." Courtesy of Wikipedia

The dam was constructed in response to the Mississippi River flood in 1927. The flood, which is one of the worst in Unites States history, inundated 70,000 km2 with up to 9 m in water. The flood caused around 500 deaths. President Herbert Hoover was committed to creating the infrastructure to prevent future flooding.

The Hoover Dam was built during the Great Depression; unemployment was high in the area. Six Companies, Inc. was contracted to be the structural architect.

Six Companies hired thousands of people, with 3,000 on the payroll by 1932. Peak employment reached 5,251 in July 1934. The company was contracted to house the employees. Six Companies built bunkhouses that were attached to the canyon wall. The homes were able to accommodate 480 single men, so those with families needed to find their own accommodations.

The Hoover Dam site experiences extremely hot weather, especially in the summer. During the summer of 1931, the heat reached 48.8 °C. Just between June 25 and July 26, 1931, 16 Dam employees died from heat prostration.

Even with all the extreme heat, Six Companies completed the Dam and turned it over to the federal government on March 1, 1936, over two years ahead of schedule.

The Hoover Dam generators provide power for utilities in Nevada, Arizona, and California. It's a tourist attraction and around a million people tour the dam each year.

To learn more about the Hoover Dam construction, listen to today's episode of "This Day in Weather History."

Subscribe to 'This Day in Weather History': Apple Podcasts | Amazon Alexa | Google Assistant | Spotify | Google Podcasts | iHeartRadio | Overcast'

Thumbnail: Courtesy of Department of Interior Bureau of Reclamation

Record-breaking wildfire season will continue to burn hot for months: officials

The Canadian Press
Thu, July 6, 2023 



OTTAWA — Canada's record-breaking wildfire season will continue to be abnormally intense throughout July and into August, Natural Resources Canada projected Thursday, posing a greater threat to the safety and health of communities across the country.

The wildfire season has been unusually severe this year, breaking historical records on the amount of land burned and affecting communities that are unaccustomed to dealing with the flames and smoke.

"The risk of forest fires is going to remain very high," Michael Norton, director general with the Canadian Forestry Service, said at a briefing Thursday.

Atlantic provinces and eastern Quebec are expected to see more normal conditions in August, but other parts of the country can expect the severity forecast to be well above average, projections show.

The forecasts are based on anticipated high temperatures, dry conditions and historical comparisons, Norton said.

The flames have threatened critical infrastructure and forced evacuations while the prolonged exposure to smoke has created potentially dangerous conditions, particularly for people with pre-existing health concerns.

The months of intense fires spread out between British Columbia and the Atlantic provinces has also stretched Canada's firefighting capacity, and the government has called in 3,258 international firefighters to help over the course of the season.

Despite the ongoing challenge, Norton said the government is confident they'll be able to sustain the number of firefighters needed until the flames die down.

Canada surpassed the known historic record for total area burned by wildfires in one season on June 27, with months of hot weather still to come.

The number of fires has more than doubled since that month, from 323 active fires at the beginning of June to 656 this week.

Some 88,000 square kilometres have burned as of July 5. Put together the burned land is be larger than the size of Lake Superior, and nearly 11 times the average amount burned by that date over the past 10 years.

More Canadians have been evacuated from their homes this year than in the last four decades, with more than 155,000 forced to leave due to fire and smoke.

Earlier in the season, the majority of fires were thought to have been caused by human activity, but since June 1 almost three in four fires are confirmed to have been started by lightning.

Emergency Preparedness Minister Bill Blair said he expected this season would be difficult when it began months earlier than typically anticipated, calling the weather projections at that time "sobering and concerning."

Long and intense fire seasons have become more common in Canada, however, and the minister said climate change is to blame.

"I would not want to suggest that this is the new normal," he said at an online press conference Thursday.

"Given the difficult conditions, the concerning conditions that persist right across many parts of the country, I think it's very important that Canadians be aware of their risk, that they take the steps that are necessary to prepare."

The risk isn't only to communities threatened by nearby fires, but also from the smoke that can travel great distances and settle over communities for days at a time.

The smoke can be particularly dangerous for people with heart and lung conditions, and Health Canada recommends people stay indoors in well-ventilated areas when the air quality is poor.

For most people, though, overheating can be worse than breathing smoke, said chief public health officer Dr. Theresa Tam.

"If you did not have air conditioning and it's too warm to stay inside with the windows closed, seek out a local cooling or clean air space," she advised.

"If you must spend time outside, consider using a well-fitted respirator type mask, like an N95, to reduce exposure to the fine particles from wildfire smoke."

Provincial and federal governments haven't tallied up the costs associated with this fire season yet, but expect the final figure will be considerable, given the record-breaking conditions.

"I believe the cost of this one will be as high as this event has been extreme in its impact across the country," Blair said.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 6, 2023.

— With files from Mia Rabson.

Laura Osman, The Canadian Press

Métis Nation of Alberta marks 'historic' birth of two bison calves

The Canadian Press
Thu, July 6, 2023 a



SMOKY LAKE, Alta. — The Métis Nation of Alberta is celebrating the birth of two bison calves at a cultural park northeast of Edmonton.

The new additions at Métis Crossing come after 20 wood bison were transferred to the traditional lands last year from Elk Island National Park.

It had been around 160 years since the animals lived there before they were reintroduced to the area in 2021.

Métis Nation president Audrey Poitras says the return of bison to the region marks a milestone in reconciliation.

She says the animals were nearly driven to extinction by settlers, forcing bison hunts to stop.

The calves will live among a herd of wood and plains bison, as well as 25 elk and 20 horses that roam the grounds.

“The birth of these calves is historic for Métis citizens in Alberta,” Poitras said.

Métis Nation of Alberta co-ordinated the transfer of the bison to help conserve the animals and for cultural revitalization.

Juanita Marois, the CEO of Métis Crossing, says bison play a significant role in Métis culture.

“Bison were a vital food source for Métis peoples and communal bison hunts were Métis tradition and formed the bedrock of Métis society,” said Marois in a news release Thursday.

“It was at these gatherings that Métis democratic and judicial systems developed through ‘Laws of the Buffalo Hunt.’ The loss of the bison was felt deeply by Métis peoples, so to play a role in their reintroduction to these traditional lands is significant.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 6, 2023.

The Canadian Press

Former national chief calls for investigation into potential federal interference

Thu, July 6, 2023 

RoseAnne Archibald has called for an independent investigation into potential government interference into the Assembly of First Nations a week after she was ousted as national chief.

“The AFN has become a tool for the government,” Archibald said during a Facebook Live video on Thursday evening.

Archibald was voted out during a special chiefs assembly that also dealt with a human resources investigation related to complaints AFN staff filed against her. The resolution passed last Wednesday with support from about 70 per cent of those who took part in the virtual meeting.

The human resources report by Emond Harnden LLP reviewed five complaints against Archibald and found her behaviour amounted to harassment in more than one instance. It found Archibald failed to maintain confidentiality and breached AFN policy, including by retaliating against complainants.

Archibald has consistently denied all the allegations against her. She said chiefs did not receive the full report.

The former national chief alleged the investigation was a coverup for what is really happening within the national advocacy organization that represents more than 600 First Nations.

Archibald alluded to interference during Thursday's video, including allegations that there were connections between assembly staff, chiefs, former national chiefs and the federal Liberal government.

“We need an investigation into potential government interference at AFN,” she said.

She called for supporters to write to Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre and NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh to ask for an investigation into interference.

Archibald became the first woman to serve in the national chief role in 2021. But her ousting followed more than a year of turmoil involving her leadership. She was suspended as national chief last June but was reinstated at a general assembly the following month.

Archibald said she’s been targeted for fighting corruption at the AFN. She questioned why the federal government has not helped fund a forensic audit of the assembly. Chiefs have endorsed the financial review but have cited finances for the reason it hasn’t moved forward.

Archibald alleged the AFN's 10 regional chiefs – which are selected by local political groups – have run amok and instigated a coup against her leadership.

“It was a form of lateral violence,” she said. “It was inhumane.”

Hundreds of First Nations chiefs and leaders will be gathering in Halifax next week for this year’s annual general assembly.

Archibald said she intends to send a memo to all chiefs before deciding whether she will attend. She has called to be reinstated and said she will come back if chiefs push for that move during the meeting next week.

“I’m no longer the national chief unless chiefs ask me to come back at the AGA next week,” she said. “And I accept that.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 6, 2023.

Kelly Geraldine Malone, The Canadian Press

'I love my ice cream political': Ben and Jerry’s Canada Day 'stolen land' tweet sparks praise, calls for boycott

The company posted a similar call-to-action on Independence Day, July 4, pushing for the return of 'stolen' Indigenous land

Elianna Lev
Thu, July 6, 2023 

Ben and Jerry's post on Canada Day drew attention to Indigenous rights

Ben & Jerry’s, the Vermont-based ice cream company known for its political activism, used Canada Day to tweet a call to action to stop violence against land defenders. The petition included in the tweet directly targets a controversial arm of the RCMP.

The tweet, which was published on July 1, read: “Another day to talk about #LandBack and how we can support communities defending their land.”

It includes a link to a petition for parliament to disband C-IRG, which stands for The Community-Industry Response Group. Started in 2017, the RCMP describes C-IRG, as providing “strategic oversight addressing energy industry incidents and related public order, national security and crime issues.”

C-IRG is currently only based in British Columbia.

“When Indigenous activists and community leaders stand up and protest, companies regularly bring in police to silence them and even force them from their own land. In fact, a secretive special unit of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) was created in British Columbia with the sole purpose of suppressing protests,” it reads.

The call to action also includes a point-form list of what it describes as "a pattern of racism and violence" by C-IRG.

The Ben & Jerry petition, which includes a form letter directed at parliament, goes on to describe the generations of exploitation of Indigenous communities by mining, drilling and logging corporations, which are "enabled by the government and unjust laws."

The ice cream company also posted a similar call to action on July 4, which is Independence Day in the U.S. "This 4th of July, it's high time we recognize that the US exists on stolen Indigenous land and commit to returning it," the tweet reads, along with a link to learn more.

Some on social media were in favour of the ice cream company taking a political stance on the issue.

Although Ben & Jerry's has always made social issues part of their brand, many people voiced their anger that an ice cream company would choose to get political.

Some wondered if the campaign was a PR move.

On its website, Ben & Jerry's say that the company supports the Grassy Narrows First Nation in northern Ontario, in their fight to get compensation for mercury poisoning and to protect their land from mining and clearcut logging,

Ben & Jerry’s parent company Unilever did not respond to Yahoo News Canada’s request for comment.