I enjoyed the scenery, the tours, and learned that Blakeney wasn’t just a wise political master, but an even wiser and craftier cribbage player.
But fifty years later, it’s all very different. It’s high-stakes diplomacy, and the question is “How did Carney do?” on his trip? Here’s how Steven Chase of The Globe and Mail wrapped up his coverage of Carney’s days of meetings:
🔒 Canada reaches tariff deal with China on electric vehicles, canola
So how will the Americans react to what Carney pulled off in China? That’s something Mark Wiseman is likely to find out pretty quickly.
Wiseman is a name you probably should get used to. He’s Canada’s new ambassador to the United States. A close friend of Mark Carney’s, those who know him say he carries many of the same traits as the PM: he doesn’t suffer fools, he demands attention, and he expects results. Here’s how The Logic describes him
Mark Wiseman is out to land the biggest deal of his life
How closely have you been following the Greenland story? Or just checking the headlines?
It really is hard to believe that we have found ourselves seriously talking about Donald Trump’s bizarre demand that Denmark crater and hand over Greenland to him so he can rape and pillage the land’s mineral resources. He calls it a national security issue. Most analysts see it as just another Trump real estate ploy.
Maybe it's time we all read a good piece that gives us the real story about what’s going on in Greenland. I’m a big fan of UBC’s Michael Byers, who teaches global politics and international law. He has this in the Globe:
🔒 Greenland may be our first, best, and last chance to stand up to Donald Trump
Is the Canada–US relationship getting better or worse?
Okay, stop laughing. If you said “better” you’ve clearly been on another planet. But either way, you’ll be smarter if you read this piece from Roland Paris from Chatham House:
As Carney visits China to diversify Canada’s trade, the ‘Donroe Doctrine’ further strains US relations
It’s been a busy week on the national political front, given the China mission and the Greenland discussion. A little more on both of our podcasts this week. Yesterday’s Good Talk with Bruce and Chantal is available in its YouTube version right here. And Tuesday’s Reporter’s Notebook with Rob Russo and Althia Raj is available in its audio version here.
Donald Trump hates offshore wind turbines.
Says they cause cancer, strokes, or heart attacks. You pick; he’s claimed them all. He really hates them if they get in the way of his view, especially his view from his Scottish courses. Too bad, Donnie. There are about to be a lot more:
UK secures record supply of offshore wind projects
Do you find yourself confused at times about the “tanker ban” on Canada’s west coast?
What’s safe, what’s allowed, what’s not? Don’t be concerned, because even the experts at times seem to be confused. The CBC’s Lyndsay Duncombe went out to try and find out what’s real and what’s not:
What politicians get wrong about the B.C. oil tanker ban
Depending on how you feel about Donald Trump, the world is on the verge of tumbling into an abyss, or things look pretty good and are getting better.
At the moment, most seem to be siding with the former vision, not the latter. One of those is Shellen Drakes-Tull, a contributing columnist at the Toronto Star. She’s not shy about her view:
🔒 Opinion | Will the U.S. crumble and bring the rest of us with it?
How should Canada deal with Elon Musk?
Andrew MacDougall, a London-based analyst and strategist and former Harper senior communications advisor, has this advice:
🔒 Opinion | Canada does not need to lie down and accept Elon Musk’s giant mess
The never-ending debate about the future of the CBC is about to reach another talking point.
The government is expected to launch another “mandate review”. What should the CBC be, what do Canadians want it to be, what should Parliament do about the public broadcaster? Are you ready for yet another CBC discussion? The Hill Times has an overview:
🔒 Opposition MPs, media veterans call for ‘long overdue’ CBC mandate review
Tony Dokoupil likes black.
He almost always wears a black shirt, or a black jacket, or a black suit. It may be the correct colour for him because things look bleak in his latest career move. He sees himself as the new Walter Cronkite, maybe even a little bit better. But his debut last week as the latest CBS nightly news anchor, trying to recover the #1 audience the great Cronkite registered, has got off to a disastrous start. Check this in the Daily Beast:
