[kEiThZ]

We actually might have fallen backwards into a win on this one. The early generation F-35s had a lot of unresolved (and some say unresolvable) problems.

Not quite. The Harper government proposed buying Lot 10 aircraft in 2016. All aircraft from Lot 10 or later are being upgraded to the Block 4 standard that Canada is getting. So we would have got in 2016, what we'll be getting anyway in 2026.

Also, in 2016, the F-35 moved to Block 2 which is where a lot of issues with the type dropped substantially. As did costs. Moreover, the majority of problems with the F-35 have always been with the B model (vertical takeoff version) and C model (carrier version). Canada had considered the C model (longer range for the Arctic) but the PBO review suggested sticking to the A model and getting new tankers. In summary, we had already picked the lower cost and lowest risk approach and were buying at the point where the platform had substantially matured.

If the Liberals had real (not political) doubts, they could have simply delayed the acquisition and launched a full review. It would have revealed all what I said above. And none of this would have been a huge deal if the Liberals didn't end up blowing a billion dollars on Aussie Hornets nearly as old as ours, because of a made up capability gap.

 

[lenaitch]

Kind of like Mike Harris filling in the Eglinton Subway--was anyone really clamouring for that project to be cancelled?

New governments have done that from the beginning of time with either major acquisitions or policy positions. Some are ideological, some seem 'jus cuz' or vindictive. It seems any concerns regarding cost and disruption are easily dismissed, especially early in a mandate. We have short memories.

 

[kEiThZ]

New governments have done that from the beginning of time with either major acquisitions or policy positions. Some are ideological, some seem 'jus cuz' or vindictive. It seems any concerns regarding cost and disruption are easily dismissed, especially early in a mandate. We have short memories.

Circle of life in politics unfortunately.

I'm just no fan of the partisans who pretend that what their party is doing is somehow unique.

In this particular case the Liberals ran on transparency and non-ideological competence. Heck, I voted for them on this basis. Watching them strike a drug deal with Boeing for purely political reasons, while muzzling hundreds of military officers and bureaucrats under threat of prison (something even Harper didn't do to climate scientists), snapped me out of any illusion that is lot is any less corruptible and contemptuous as the Haperites. What's sad for me is how quickly they went from clean to dirty and cynical. Like one term.

The sad part after all this? We could just spiral down and have PP as PM. And if that comes to pass, a lot of Liberal partisans will still not understand their role in making that happen.

 

[Admiral Beez]

National defence procurements should be bipartisan, with politicians from all three leading parties in the room. A pipe dream? Likely. But it’s the best means to keep a project going.

As for local matters, there’s good chance that the OPCs will lose power in 2026. By then the OLP may have a credible team, and we may be sick of Ford. If that happens, is the Ontario Line disrupted?

 

[DirectionNorth]

National defence procurements should be bipartisan, with politicians from all three leading parties in the room. A pipe dream? Likely. But it’s the best means to keep a project going.

As for local matters, there’s good chance that the OPCs will lose power in 2026. By then the OLP may have a credible team, and we may be sick of Ford. If that happens, is the Ontario Line disrupted?

By 2026, the Ontario Line will be too far into construction to cancel - I bet the P3 contract will have some provision. And both the ONDP and OLP explicitly promised not to cancel it last year.

 

[Admiral Beez]

By 2026, the Ontario Line will be too far into construction to cancel

IDK. It's taken us over twelve years now to build the crosstown LRT line and it will likely be 2024-25 before it's fully operational from Renforth to Kennedy.

If we build the Ontario Line at that pace it won't be fully operational until 2028-2030 or so. That leaves plenty of time for the next Premier to interfere.

 

[Northern Light]

I see our immigration story has reached a wider U.S. audience.

NBC News pushing our pro-immigration take as a country on the U.S. as a clearly a lesson for them.

I'm broadly pro immigration, but with the caveats I'd offered in the past concerning the details on the housing market and educational implications and my concern about it stifling wage growth and productivity investments as currently structured.

The U.S. piece was almost entirely one-sided propaganda and didn't discuss any of those issues.

 

[lenaitch]

National defence procurements should be bipartisan, with politicians from all three leading parties in the room. A pipe dream? Likely. But it’s the best means to keep a project going.

As for local matters, there’s good chance that the OPCs will lose power in 2026. By then the OLP may have a credible team, and we may be sick of Ford. If that happens, is the Ontario Line disrupted?

Would that make it tripartisan? In Canada, all that would mean is three parties in agreement not to spend on defence. They do that separately now.

 

[W. K. Lis]

The European Commission has approved the move which will abolish flights between cities that are linked by a train journey of less than 2.5 hours.

It's official: France bans short haul domestic flights in favour of train travel ​

From link.

The European Commission has approved the move which will abolish flights between cities that are linked by a train journey of less than 2.5 hours.

The decision was announced on Friday. The changes are part of the country’s 2021 Climate Law and were first proposed by France's Citizens' Convention on Climate - a citizens' assembly tasked with finding ways to reduce the country's carbon emissions.

France is also cracking down on the use of private jets for short journeys in a bid to make transport greener and fairer for the population.

Transport minister Clément Beaune said the country could no longer tolerate the super rich using private planes while the public are making cutbacks to deal with the energy crisis and climate change.

France given green light to abolish internal flights​

France has officially been given the go-ahead to halt environmentally-damaging domestic flights.

When the measures were first announced, they were contested by the Union of French Airports (UAF) as well as the European branch of the Airports Council International (ACI Europe).

This prompted an in-depth investigation by the European Commission into whether the plan could go ahead or not.

A European Air Services Regulation article states that a member state may, "where there are serious environmental problems […] limit or refuse the exercise of traffic rights, in particular where other modes of transport provide a satisfactory service”.

To Trudeau (and Poilievre & Singh), what are Canada's plans to improve VIA to get high speed electric trains? So we can stop environmentally-damaging short-haul domestic flights?
Or just the sound of crickets...

 

[PinkLucy]

So apparently Justin Trudeau neglected to inform Scott Moe that he (Trudeau) was visiting Saskatchewan. Deliberate snub? Big oops? They have each other's phone numbers blocked?

https://twitter.com/x/status/1615010932635144193

LILLEY: Saskatchewan's Scott Moe blasts PM over surprise visit to province

Prime Minister Trudeau visited Saskatchewan Monday but didn't tell Premier Scott Moe. Moe also wasn't invited to the event causing tension.

torontosun.com

 

[picard102]

The European Commission has approved the move which will abolish flights between cities that are linked by a train journey of less than 2.5 hours.

Only in France, and only for 3 routes.

 

[Northern Light]

As many regulars here will know, the minimum wage is one policy tool in which I take a keen interest, when looking at where it sets it peer jurisdictions, I will periodically post that, usually to this thread.

In saying as much, Quebec has just announced its minimum wage will rise by $1 per hour to $15.25 per hour, effective May 1st. An increase of ~7%. In general the increase is being criticized by media, advocates and political opponents as inadequate, with a strong coalition of interests lobbying for $18 per hour in Quebec.

****

Of course what interests me most here is what impact, if any, this will have on Ontario's choices in the next many months.

I'm betting on something similar in scale to the Quebec increase.

Which one can imagine as a either a $1 hike to $16.50 per hour or a 7% hike, which would be $16.60 per hour. I'd frankly like to see a more aggressive increase, but I'm somewhat hopeful will get an increase of at least the order I have just noted.

If Ontaro holds to form, an increase here will be announced in April, for implementation in October.

 

[Admiral Beez]

Is Jacinda Ardern’s sudden resignation a preview of coming attractions for Trudeau?

The New Zealand PM was driven out by many of the same problems now facing Canada's Justin Trudeau.

nationalpost.com

The problem for Trudeau is his successor as leader of the LPC must be a Quebecer. They can try another non-Quebecer like Martin (PM for 28 months), Ignatieff or Turner (PM for 11 weeks), but not since Pearson has a non-Quebecer had much success. So that kicks Freeland and Carney to the curb. Who else is there? Garneau is too old. Maybe Champagne? LeBlanc is a NB francophone, so may be considered sufficiently pure laine. There's Joly, but I don't see the fighting spirit needed to crush Pollieve.

Trudeau has done a poor job of succession planning. If you don't want to run the place forever and you want it to survive once you're gone, you need to plan ahead. And Trudeau's successor must be a Quebecer. Unless a loser like Dion in 2008 is chosen (the rare Quebecer to lose to the Cons in ON), Ontarians will vote Liberal no matter what, so forget about us. The Libs need someone who will appeal to Quebec while dragging ON, Atlantic Canada and some BC and Prairie folk along.

 

[Towered]

Is Jacinda Ardern’s sudden resignation a preview of coming attractions for Trudeau?

The New Zealand PM was driven out by many of the same problems now facing Canada's Justin Trudeau.

nationalpost.com

Trudeau has done a poor job of succession planning. If you don't want to run the place forever and you want it to survive once you're gone, you need to plan ahead. And Trudeau's successor must be a Quebecer. Unless a loser like Dion in 2008 is chosen (the rare Quebecer to lose to the Cons in ON), Ontarians will vote Liberal no matter what, so forget about us. The Libs need someone who will appeal to Quebec while dragging ON, Atlantic Canada and some BC and Prairie folk along.

Didn't Trudeau already confirm last year that he intends to lead the party into the next election in 2025? I think he's probably pushing it if he sticks to that. He'll have been PM for 10 years at that point. Looks like he's trying to emulate the longevity of Chretien and his daddy. I'm not convinced that Canadians will feel the same way, but it depends. A lot can happen in 2 years.

 

[Richard White]

Didn't Trudeau already confirm last year that he intends to lead the party into the next election in 2025? I think he's probably pushing it if he sticks to that. He'll have been PM for 10 years at that point. Looks like he's trying to emulate the longevity of Chretien and his daddy. I'm not convinced that Canadians will feel the same way, but it depends. A lot can happen in 2 years.

Honestly I can see this ending up like the last Ontario Election.

Pollievre is not very popular outside the CPC, Jagmeet and the NDP have little to show for their efforts this past while and the Trudeau is the best of the worst.

I can see Trudeau getting back in simply because he is the only palatable option.