That’s why our lead item today is so useful, and if you read only one piece in today’s Buzz, read this one. It’s from The Walrus:
Eight Experts on What You’re Not Being Told about the War in Iran
Canada’s former ambassador to the UN, Bob Rae, captures the helicopter view of what's happening in a piece worthy of your time in Policy.
Here it is:
Trump’s Consequential War
Back to the war now. And Canada’s position on it.
Mark Carney was out of the gate fast on this one. He basically sided with Donald Trump in his first statement and, as a result, found himself at odds with some of his own MPs and some former party heavyweights who felt he should have been a little more cautious. By mid-week, he’d toned down his position a bit, not a lot, but a bit. The Globe’s Lawrence Martin had these thoughts:
🔒 Opinion | After shackling Canada to Trump’s war in Iran, Carney’s course correction is wise
OK, now to that list of countries that have been touched by the war.
It keeps changing, but USA Today compiled this list:
🔒 Opinion | After shackling Canada to Trump’s war in Iran, Carney’s course correction is wise
OK, now to that list of countries that have been touched by the war.
It keeps changing, but USA Today compiled this list:
Which countries are involved in the Iran-US war? What to know.
Meanwhile, while all this was going on, the prime minister was away from home, on the other side of the world, looking for new markets in India and Australia.
This weekend he’s in Japan. He’s racking up the deals, which is a plus, but he’s also racking up some controversy. That’s what opinion columnist Tasha Kheiriddin had in mind when she wrote this:
Opinion | Tasha Kheiriddin: In India, Carney might be being pragmatic, but principled?
The prime minister wasn’t the only major Canadian politician travelling the world this week.
So was Pierre Poilievre. Our old friend, former Stephen Harper senior advisor Andrew MacDougall, had an interesting piece this week, which might be worth reading for both men. It's about a byelection underway in Andrew’s home these days in the U.K. There could be lessons in this story for both leaders:
🔒 Opinion | There are lessons for Poilievre and Carney in U.K. byelection
Time to give you the connections to our three podcasts this week that were broadcast on our YouTube channel.
Yesterday’s Good Talk with Chantal Hebert and Bruce Anderson can be found right here.
The Moore Butts Conversation with James Moore and Gerald Butts is available here.
And our much-talked-about interview with Pierre Poilievre that aired on Monday can be accessed by going right here.
Now, as we all know, whenever there’s a conflict in the Middle East, it tends to affect the price of oil.
This one is, and it took only a few days before the price of gas at our pumps was heading north. Even though you would assume the White House knew that would happen, the resulting pop in prices has sent shudders around the offices next to the President, who is, when he’s not pushing bomb buttons, supposed to be fixated on affordability. Politico has this on that:
Susie Wiles sounds the alarm on gas prices
Of course, one side’s problem can be another’s opportunity.
Rising gas prices allow some to pounce with an alternative, one where Canada is perfectly positioned. This trio of writers zeroes in on an area where we have a strategic advantage. Their piece is in National Newswatch:
The path to energy security now runs through electrification
Alright, here it is. Our AI story of the week.
And for many journalists, this has always been the big fear. The day when they would be replaced by AI, stories written by computers, not by people. Not a good sign:
An Ohio newspaper has a new star writer. It isn’t human.
It’s been a while since we had a Royals story in The Buzz. So, let’s fix that now.
Nothing like the King tossing his brother to the sharks... again. Take his title. Take his house. What’s next?
🔒 King Charles Has Renounced His Brother. Is It Enough to Save His Own Approval Rating?
Okay, let's close this out for the week by going from a real King to a wannabe King.
You’ve heard, I’m sure, how Donald Trump had the East Wing of the White House torn down so he could build a ballroom? It’s going to be, I’m sure you’ll be surprised, the “best ballroom in the world”. Apparently, someone told him you have to get public consultation on this, so they invited letters. They got thousands, tens of thousands. And guess what?
