Parliamentary opposition

• One might presume this confers some obligation on the government to inform Canadians if their relations living abroad are threatened by a foreign state.
• Two years ago, Ottawa had intelligence indicating that relatives of Conservative MP Michael Chong, who were living in Hong Kong, might be targeted for reprisal by the Chinese government.
• This was in retaliation for Chong sponsoring a parliamentary motion condemning Beijing for its treatment of the Uighur minority.

CSIS admonished

• As a result, Chong was unaware of the threat to his family until the intelligence was leaked last week.
• Trudeau has admonished CSIS for failing to inform the government properly.
• He says he has now instructed Canada’s spy agency to bring any intelligence on threats to MPs to his attention.
• How should this matter have been handled if the government did take its national security obligations seriously?

Regular meetings with CSIS director

• The solicitor general was responsible for and accountable to Parliament for CSIS.
• In those days, the CSIS director met regularly, if not weekly when the House of Commons was sitting, with the solicitor general, who was Liberal Herb Gray at the time.
• These are the types of meetings in which intelligence like the alleged targeting of Chong should have been clearly shared with the minister — not buried in a memo circulating among national security officials, but rather in a verbal briefing between CSIS and its minister.

Oath of secrecy

• He is the foreign affairs critic for the Official Opposition, a former minister of the Crown and a Privy Councillor.
• Chong’s Privy Council oath of secrecy could have been invoked to ensure confidentiality.
• Vincent Rigby, Trudeau’s national security adviser, retired in June 2021 and was not replaced until January 2022.

Too easy to blame CSIS

• That means the position of National Security and Intelligence Advisor to the prime minister was a part-time gig for seven months.
• It’s easy to blame CSIS in this episode.
• But a serious national security culture comes from the top down, not from the intelligence agencies under the control of the federal government.

• OTTAWA, ON, Aug. 8, 2022 /CNW/ - The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today issued the following statement on the death of the Honourable Bill Graham:
  "It was with sadness that I learned of the passing of William 'Bill' Graham, an accomplished lawyer, academic, philanthropist, and former federal Cabinet minister and Leader of the Official Opposition.
• "Mr. Graham dedicated his life to the service of others and to our country.
• "During his studies, Mr. Graham proudly served as a Sub-Lieutenant within the Naval Reserve of the Royal Canadian Navy.
• He also created, endowed, and served as Chair of the Bill Graham Centre for Contemporary and International History at the University of Toronto.

• Fords playbook of buddying up to big businesses and backtracking on bad decisions isnt going to cut it this time around, said Patty Coates, Ontario Federation of Labour President.
• We know what workers need, and we will continue to fight for it.
• Fords re-election also comes at a time of unprecedented strike action in the province , according to the Ontario Federation of Labour.
• The Ontario Federation of Labour will hold a virtual election debrief on Wednesday, June 8 at 6:00 p.m. For more information visit ofl.ca/election-debrief-2022 .

• TORONTO, May 19, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Ontario Federation of Labour applauds the Ontario NDP announcement that, if elected, they will introduce card check certification and make it easier to join a union.
• As the Official Opposition, Andrea Horwath and the Ontario NDP have proven their commitment to unions and working people in Ontario, said Patty Coates, Ontario Federation of Labour President.
• The Ontario Federation of Labour, Ontarios umbrella organization for working people and their unions, has endorsed the Ontario NDP and is supporting NDP candidates across ridings including Michele McCleave-Kennedy who is running Sault Ste.
• Right now, people need jobs that pay the bills, said Coates, An NDP government that implements easier access to a union and introduces first contract arbitration will mean better access to decent work in this province.