Ottawa's Zexi Li should receive a key to the city. I'm serious. She subjected herself to vitriol and threats to uphold the legal rights of this city's residents to live in peace. Decent, civic-minded, and incredibly brave. Thank you. cbc.ca/news/canada/ot
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Roland Paris
@rolandparis
Professor and director, . Associate fellow, . Former foreign policy advisor to PM Trudeau. Speaking only for myself.
Roland Paris’s Tweets
At his press conference today, PM Trudeau had a special message for kids. Let’s not underestimate the effects of this emergency on them. Yes, they’re off school, but children absorb anxiety from their environment. They need reassurance.
Thank you police for finally ending the lawlessness occupation of our city.
Thank you journalists for reporting on events, despite the vitriol you faced.
And thank you occupiers for live-streaming the faces of those who thought they were above the law.
Must watch. Canada's ambassador to the UN rejects China and Syria's claims that other countries can't criticize their horrendous human rights records. What a contrast from the prebaked remarks one often hears at the UN.
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Watch @CanadaUN's Ambassador, @BobRae48 calling out the Syrian and Chinese Ambassadors at the @UN General Assembly
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Canada #elxn43
Votes cast for parties opposing carbon tax:
*Conservative 6,155,662
*People's Party 292,703
TOTAL 6,448,365
Votes cast for parties supporting carbon tax:
*Liberal 5,915,950
*NDP 2,849,214
*Bloc Québécois 1,376,135
*Green 1,162,361
TOTAL 11,303,660
Between Kamala Harris' recent foreign-leader calls (Trudeau, Macron) and reports that she will have weekly lunches with Tony Blinken, it's becoming apparent that the White House is planning a significant foreign-policy role for the new VP.
Everyone in this country understood the meaning of those 21 seconds of silence.
Canadian foreign minister: Canada has "forcefully" communicated to Washington that deploying US troops to Canadian border would "damage our relationship." That's strong language in diplo-speak.
Bureaucrats are notoriously unloved, but that might not be true if most Canadians could see the thousands of committed public servants in Ottawa right now working their hearts out to help to their compatriots at home and abroad. Thank you.
Canada's lost bid for a Security Council seat is a real disappointment. Our UN ambassador Marc-André Blanchard and his team worked tirelessly for years on the campaign. They deserve a load of thanks. I'm sure Canada's important work at the UN will continue.
I’ve never understood this “originalist” conceit. It’s a uniquely American way of wrapping radical conservative jurisprudence in the guise of nonpartisan faithfulness to the Constitution - as though Scalia and his acolytes are not actually ideologues.
Macron’s visit to China was a great success - for Xi Jinping.
Macron is an embarrassment.
One of the silver-lining stories of 2020 was the remarkable work behind the scenes by hundreds of Global Affairs Canada officials who managed the largest peacetime repatriation of Canadians in our history. Thank you.
It's worth taking a moment to appreciate Justin Trudeau's management of US relations over the last four years. He maintained a good working relationship with Trump while defending Canada's interests against unprecedented threats. The ''Team Canada" approach paid off, thankfully.
Ottawa residents are used to protests. It’s part of life in the capital, and we’re privileged to live here. But this one is different—invasive, menacing—and it’s produced anger and desperation I’ve never seen in this city. That too is dangerous. gets it.
As expected, Russia just vetoed a UN Security Council resolution demanding that Russia withdraw from Ukraine.
China abstained.
US ambassador: “You cannot veto the truth.”
Banning non-essential travelers from the United States into Canada was urgently needed. The US is becoming a hot zone of this global pandemic, including NY and WA, states bordering Canada. Achieving this closure through a bilateral agreement was by far the best outcome.
With today's cabinet shuffle, Canada has had 11 foreign ministers in 15 years—a revolving door doesn't serve Canada's international interests.
Columnist writes a diatribe about how Trudeau went "off script" on Russia. Really?
Here's what Biden said: "“This is an internal matter for the Russian system.”
Here's what Trudeau said: "It is obviously an internal issue for Russia to work through."
Credit to the US embassy in Ottawa for issuing this statement after Peter Navarro's cretinous and insulting remarks about Canada's troops in Afghanistan.
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Statement by Chargé d’Affaires Richard Mills: The United States deeply values the service and sacrifice of our Canadian allies in support of the defense of freedom and global security.
#FriendsPartnersAllies
Trudeau has his flaws, but he is fundamentally a decent person. That’s what I learned when I met him in 2014 and subsequently worked for him. This clip is worth watching.
Please do not move Mélanie Joly out of her current role as foreign minister. The position requires a measure of continuity, and she’s been doing a better job at it than most of her “just visiting” predecessors.
Twitter says it's cracking down on people who advocate political violence. These tweets from Calgary entrepreneur W. Brett Wilson are still up.
I'm very sad to announce that my mother, author Erna Paris, passed away peacefully in Toronto yesterday.
Ontario public health officials just demonstrated how to present complex, troubling data clearly and forthrightly, all framed by a strong message about slowing the virus' spread. A model of public communication. Thank you.
Although the Meng-Michaels situation would have never happened if not for the US extradition request, President Biden was clearly looking out for Canada when his administration negotiated the deferred prosecution agreement with Meng. Thank you.
Bone saw.
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Winner of today’s moronic comment award: MP Derek Sloan, for asking if Canada’s chief health officer, Dr. Theresa Tam, is “working for Canada or for China.” Congratulations, sir. Your award will be delivered to your cave.
If Putin launches a further invasion of Ukraine, as seems likely now, it will likely be a milestone in modern European and world history - an event that future historians will use to symbolize the end of Europe’s post-Cold War security order and the start of something else.
The people staffing grocery stores, pharmacies and other shops that remain open will face greater risk as the virus spreads. Please remember to thank them for what they’re doing.
And some of the same people wanted Trudeau to cave into US pressure to eliminate NAFTA's dispute-settlement system. Instead he held firm - and won.
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PS. Very, very many people on the right in 
dismissed the Canadian negotiating positions on labour and environment as frivolous distractions. Those positions just made it easy/possible for House Democrats to support the deal. #NAFTA twitter.com/politico/statu…
dismissed the Canadian negotiating positions on labour and environment as frivolous distractions. Those positions just made it easy/possible for House Democrats to support the deal. #NAFTA twitter.com/politico/statu…
The Ottawa protests have featured all the loopy alt-right conspiracy theories you can imagine. Today, MP Colin Carrie repeated one of the nuttiest—about the World Economic Forum—in the Commons itself. MP Charlie Angus then rightly called him out for spreading “disinformation”.
Few leaders ever face this kind of test. Zelensky could have fled. He didn't.
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"The president is here." President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine posted a video on social media showing him standing alongside other government officials, saying that the country’s leaders had not fled Kyiv as Russian forces entered the city. nyti.ms/3hkAVxK
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Trump can be blamed for many things. He's a menace. A threat to international peace. A liar. An inconstant and untrustworthy ally. But I'm sorry, he can't be blamed for the crash of the Ukrainian jetliner.
Kudos to Germany’s UN ambassador Christoph Heusgen for urging China to release Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor. China thinks it sent a message of strength by throwing them in prison. Instead, it has drawn international attention to its own brutality. reut.rs/37HoQ1F
Canada considers declaring Proud Boys a terrorist organization in wake of U.S. rioting: report. ctv.news/04hdJPT
Honoured to accept position as senior advisor to PM Justin Trudeau at this exciting moment of renewal in Canada’s international engagement.
New measures under Emergencies Act appear to be quite targeted. A momentous step, but apparently a carefully considered one. Financial measures particularly important. Impact on local policing unclear. Results will speak for themselves. Current lawlessness can’t continue.
Ten reporters on the byline of this article. The truth outs, sooner or later. nytimes.com/interactive/20
Great to see Canada’s flag returned to our embassy in Kyiv and our excellent ambassador back at her post.
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8/5/22 
77th anniversary of the end of WW2. A few minutes ago, PM Trudeau and Amb Galadza with Ministers Freeland and Joly, have raised the flag to mark the reopening of the embassy in 
. I applaud/salute the powerful message and courage of my colleagues.
77th anniversary of the end of WW2. A few minutes ago, PM Trudeau and Amb Galadza with Ministers Freeland and Joly, have raised the flag to mark the reopening of the embassy in . I applaud/salute the powerful message and courage of my colleagues.
Putin’s full speech with English subtitles. Whatever happens next – a successful or crushed coup – this is a historic speech.
From
Mario Nawfal
Another interesting slide, this one from , from a poll that asked Canadians if they believe Russia has committed war crimes in Ukraine. Responses depended on how many Covid vaccines the respondents have received.
As we watch our two closest allies politically self-destruct, the profound dullness of Canada's election is downright reassuring. May it ever be so.
Kudos to for rejecting Trump's request to stop selling masks to Canada: "There are...significant humanitarian implications of ceasing respirator supplies to healthcare workers in Canada and Latin America, where we are a critical supplier of respirators...." 1/
Parliament and presumably the courts will decide whether the Emergencies Act was warranted. That’s how our system works. People criticizing for launching this action need to get a grip—the organization’s job is to question such actions. It plays a very important role.
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Today, we filed an application for judicial review in federal court requesting an order quashing the Emergency Proclamation and the Emergency Measures Regulations and the Emergency Economic Measures Order.
You can read it here: ccla.org/major-cases-re
Citizen participation, including signing parliamentary petitions, is good for our democracy. But nearly 80% of Canadians (~32m) “support” or “strongly support” complete ban on civilian possession of assault weapons, including majorities in every province: angusreid.org/assault-weapon
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The largest Parliamentary petition in Cdn history, e-2574, has closed and been certified with 230,905 signatures. Thank you to the Canadians who stood up in support of safer communities and against the confiscation of legally owned property. I can’t wait to officially table it!
Poll finds 81% of Canadians say the Canada-U.S. border should remain closed - The Globe and Mail theglobeandmail.com/politics/artic
I was as happy as anyone to see Trump turfed from office – he was a menace – and there's much to like about Biden's policy priorities. But Ottawa can't treat Biden's election like the Second Coming. He is an economic nationalist. We will need to defend our interests vigorously.
“Canada” in this case refers to neither the government of Canada nor any actual Canadians. ctvnews.ca/politics/trump
Lots of people in the US and around the world are hoping that US institutions will be robust enough to withstand the next few months. Those institutions are made up of people – and one of the best just died.
A bad idea, quickly abandoned. Among other things, deploying US troops to the Canadian border would have been a waste of resources. Canadians aren't exactly clambering to get into the US at this time. wsj.com/articles/canad via
Excellent news: Canada just announced a five-year pilot project to support up to 11,000 college and university undergraduate students to study or work abroad. international.gc.ca/education/stra
Canadian public servants are getting a lot of well-deserved appreciation today. The emergency is far from over, but it's amazing what they've managed to accomplish to date. Talk about 'change management'!
Replying to
Sorry, correction: Canada's deputy prime minister said that, not the foreign minister.
Prediction: Putin will go, he won’t be arrested, and he’ll use the trip to make that point. And the South African gov’t will slip further into the pit that it’s digging for itself.
I hope I’m wrong.
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Putin is scheduled to attend the BRICS summit in South Africa in August. South Africa, as a member of ICC and a signatory of the Treaty of Rome, will have a legal obligation to enforce the ICC arrest warrant against him. (Note: SA refused to arrest Omar al-Bashir in 2015.) twitter.com/LotteLeicht1/s…
It’s one thing for someone to work within the ethics office with a conflict of interest screen, but another for that person to be appointed to head the whole office, even in an acting capacity. Not a good look.
The per capita Covid infection rate in the USA is 21 times higher than in Canada – and growing. If this situation were reversed, I suspect the Northern Border Caucus would be calling for the border to be sealed like tupperware.
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Leading a bipartisan push calling on the U.S. and Canada to begin preparing guidance for the reopening of the Northern Border higgins.house.gov/media-center/p
Ottawa police and other police agencies supporting them will be cordoning off the entire downtown with 100 access checkpoints, according to the interim chief. He warns protesters: "If you want to leave on your own terms, now is the time to do it."
Bob Rae is the right man in the right place at the right time. He has spoken so forcefully and clearly for Canada and for everyone who believes in upholding international rules.
There are reasons to maintain diplomatic relations even with unfriendly countries, including to deal with consular emergencies. Yet in 2012 the Canadian government ended relations with Iran. It was a shortsighted decision.
I haven’t watched a minute of the Olympics. Too disgusted by the hosts.
Driving along the Ottawa River, had to stop the car to enjoy this view.
Let's be clear about something: If NATO were to impose a no-fly zone over Ukraine, NATO forces would go into combat with Russian aircraft and Russian air defence forces on the ground. A no-fly zone would be a decision to go to war against Russia. twitter.com/edwardlucas/st
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More than 1,000 troops from non-US NATO countries (including 158 Canadians) sacrificed their lives in Afghanistan in response to Al-Qaeda's attack on the United States. That's more than 1,000 families that lost a parent, spouse, child or sibling forever.
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Joe Biden is inching towards 270. But even if he wins, a terrible question looms: How could tens of millions of Americas reward this lying demagogue after everything he's done? People knew exactly what they were voting for. How deep are America's democratic convictions, really?
The rule of law applies to everyone, Mr. Moe. Not just to indigenous protesters.
Francois-Philippe Champagne has been doing a very good job so far as foreign minister. The guy is energy incarnate, and he's managed crises well. Dividing the job between Freeland (US) and Champagne (rest of the world) seems to have been a good idea.
The most charitable interpretation of this tweet is that Kerry-Lynne Findlay, a Conservative MP, is unaware that she's amplifying a paranoid conspiracy theory about Soros that has antisemitic elements. The less charitable interpretation is that she knows exactly what she's doing. twitter.com/KerryLynneFind
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Washington should register this message. Canada is not the only NATO country concerned by Trump’s reckless actions. Lack of advanced warning of Soleimani attack endangered all allied troops in Iraq. Allies will not follow blindly, or be treated as fodder. cbc.ca/news/politics/
“We were not aware that civilization was a thin and precarious crust erected by the personality and the will of a very few, and only maintained by rules and conventions skilfully put across and guilefully preserved.”
—John Maynard Keynes
A clear statement by president Jacques Fremont: "Let me be clear. The University of Ottawa will have no part of the BDS movement nor any movement that boycotts academic institutions."
I’ve never flown a flag in front of my house before, but was inspired to buy a pole and fly this one. And there are others on our little Ottawa block. #StandWithUkraine️️
We’re already doing too little. So the solution is to do even less?
History is a continuous flow of incremental changes, punctuated by moments of startling transformation.
Putin is producing what he feared most: a democratic world that is reuniting with new determination.
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#Germany is a different country tonight. 
has learned more in 48 h than in last 33 yrs. Almost every pillar of German foreign policy has been shattered: Ostpolitik, Wandel durch Handel, restrict. arms export, softpower only, pacifism as ideology. What’s next? #StandWithUkraine twitter.com/Bundeskanzler/…
has learned more in 48 h than in last 33 yrs. Almost every pillar of German foreign policy has been shattered: Ostpolitik, Wandel durch Handel, restrict. arms export, softpower only, pacifism as ideology. What’s next? #StandWithUkraine twitter.com/Bundeskanzler/…Russia will be weakened as a result of its invasion of Ukraine. It will be more isolated and therefore even more dependent on China, which will exploit Russia’s weakness to its own advantage. This may be Putin’s geopolitical legacy.
I support the idea of a leaders' debate on foreign policy and think Trudeau should do it. That said, the Munk Debates organization needs to get a grip. Canada's democracy doesn't depend on your debate.
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Replying to @munkdebate
If true, this is unacceptable and should prompt every Canadian to ask what kind of democracy we want.
Retail Council of Canada is reassuring people that supply chains remain strong, and grocery stores and pharmacies will remain open. Panic shopping is clearing shelves for the moment, but: “We have plenty of food, plenty of goods.” So no need to panic shop! nationalnewswatch.com/2020/03/15/res
That Biden’s first foreign-leader calls have been with long-standing democratic allies of the US itself sends a strong signal.
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Ottawa's Zexi Li should receive a key to the city. I'm serious. She subjected herself to vitriol and threats to uphold the legal rights of this city's residents to live in peace. Decent, civic-minded, and incredibly brave. Thank you. cbc.ca/news/canada/ot
There’s a special place in hell for people who have bought up supplies of hand sanitizer in order to sell them at a premium during an epidemic. nytimes.com/2020/03/14/tec
Biden says of Putin: “He’s a killer.” I used precisely those words when briefing PM Trudeau before his first encounter with the Russian leader in 2015.
“The US has tested fewer than 6,000 people out of a population of 327m. By contrast, the Netherlands, with 17m people, is testing that many every day. South Korea, with 51m people, is testing 10,000 a day.”
I’m sad and angry at Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor’s ordeal in Chinese detention, and I feel terrible for their families. Yet it’s not in Canada’s interest to cave into Beijing’s bullying. Let the BC court have its say on Meng’s case. That’s our way.
This is not a population that intends to quietly submit.
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Day 14. Good morning. Video: Kherson - the only regional capital that has fallen. Ukrainian crowd of protestors gets angry after Russian troop start beating up a protestor. Russians open fire (in the air) and that does not stop but mobilize protestors. Pure anger and no fear
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FT's tracking chart for today, March 19.
Look at the US trend line. Alarming.
Canada has fewer cases and therefore more time to flatten curve, but trend remains worrisome.
Let's spend a second imagining the time after these protests end. I'd like to think that nerves will be less frayed as the pandemic eases, and that we will be able to appreciate what we accomplished together during these terrible years, rather than what divided us.
Gov of Canada is building a national roster of volunteers to help with:
1. Case tracking and contact tracing
2. Health system surge capacity
3. Case data collection and reporting
Sign up below. emploisfp-psjobs.cfp-psc.gc.ca/psrs-srfp/appl
I didn’t expect to be moved to tears watching last night’s endless series of Biden testimonials, but this boy’s courage was genuine and remarkable.
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WATCH: "I'm just a regular kid and in a short amount of time Joe Biden made me more confident about something that has bothered me my whole life," Brayden Harrington, 13, tells the story of how Joe Biden helped him with his stutter.
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Article accepted in - woot! - after the toughest but most beneficial peer-review process I've ever experienced. Stay tuned.
Joe Clark as Governor General is not a bad idea. He's got the temperament and knowledge, and he's integrity personified.
Turning the WHO into a scapegoat will just end up killing lots more people.
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US to halt funding to World Health Organization which 'failed in its basic duty' over coronavirus, Donald Trump says bbc.com/news/world-us-
Trudeau rejects Trump suggestion to readmit Russia to G7, citing Crimea invasion ctv.news/CPN7VEP