We Still Have a Government, Right?: Canadian Politics 2020

http://www.cp24.com/news/ford-announces-mandatory-closure-of-all-non-essential-businesses-1.4864007

I assume that leaves grocery stores and pharmacies? This is easier for me to say as a non-drinker, but I really hope he doesn't exempt LCBOs and beer stores.

And this, which was a foregone conclusion.

http://www.680news.com/2020/03/23/children-wont-be-returning-to-ontario-classrooms-april-6-due-to-coronavirus/

I never, ever thought I would say this, but initial stumbles aside, Ford appears to be handling this pretty well. He’s trying to be firm without being draconian, his actions are rational, and was even going out of his way to effusively praise the media for “doing a great job getting the message out there“. Upside down days!

'Shitty head of state does decent job after days/weeks of conspiracist dithering' is a thing now.

Tory has joined other cities.

http://globalnews.ca/news/6718926/coronavirus-mayor-tory-state-of-emergency-toronto/?fbclid=IwAR1O4B-9XfxLRuiq3G2EpOPPN2mOFgZKyt2SxNTS8zHcLx2vUaf5l2JdN48

I agree about Ford (and normally I'm as harsh on him as you can be). I'm not sure why--smart enough to listen, seeing the Trump debacle on TV every day, actually understanding the gravity of the situation, or what.

(Maybe "scared enough to listen" makes more sense.)

Having said all that, major misstep.

http://toronto.ctvnews.ca/lcbo-beer-store-to-remain-open-amid-closure-of-all-non-essential-businesses-1.4864781

Posted in haste. I guess the consequences of not keeping liquor stores would be disastrous for anyone living with alcoholism. Everything's complicated.

"open"

ford still somehow better than Horgan:

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/covid-19-bc-premier-john-horgan-update-march-23-1.5506942

"Missing from the action plan was a universal moratorium on rent payments during the crisis.

"A $1,000, conditional, one-time payment is not going to keep renters in their homes. They are at a risk of eviction and they are panicking," read a statement from the Vancouver Tenants' Union."

"Help for renters" is coming Wednesday?

Our national cases were almost three times our previous high today (after a drop on Sunday).

I'm sure that number will go up and up for the next two or three weeks at least. But I'm hopeful that, right now, today, the spread is invisibly slowing down because of measures taken (which won't show up for a while, plus throw in the increased testing that will ensure numbers go up).

But for all I know, that previous post will look tragically naive in three weeks.

initial stumbles aside, Ford appears to be handling this pretty well.

I said the same thing earlier today!

Wow, is this really true?:

In his press conference today, Premier Horgan made it clear that evictions already in progress will continue.

https://www.vancouvertenantsunion.ca/covidpress

I don't think he did make that clear...but he certainly didn't say that wasn't the case, so. They should probably make up their mind by April 1st!

Various models specific to Canada:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/technology/science/article-when-does-social-distancing-end-these-graphs-show-where-were-heading/

Up early for some reason...Just heard a long interview with Jenica Atwin, New Brunswick's Green Party MP. She was great--reading up on her, she was a sixth-place finisher at 2010's World Series of Poker!

She and others (I think I heard the number 32) are voting on a relief package today. (She just drove in from NB.) Sounded like there was some glitches to work out, but that that would't be nearly as much of an ordeal as what's going on next door.

She also said that she supports invoking the Emergencies Act, and that she thinks it'll be seriously considered in approximately a week. That's a tough one for any PM at any time, but, I would think, especially when your father's most infamous moment lurks in the background.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DeTsQQ22Uwc

"Glitches" is not meant as a diminutive--I'm sure the points of contention affect many. I just mean that it sounded like they were negotiable, not immovable road blocks.

Or maybe not--passage now held up until at least tomorrow.

Watching the full clip of that legendary PET interview, one striking aspect is the way that both the PM and the CBC journalists actually engaged in intelligent protracted debate with each other on the issue, not something I feel like we see anymore.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7_a2wa2dd4

It's an amazing six minutes. I have to laugh when the reporter says, "My choice is to live in a society that is free and democratic, which means you don't have people with guns running around in it. And one of the things I have to give up for that choice is the fact that people like you may be kidnapped." I mean, I know what he means, but if I'm Trudeau I'm thinking, "Gee, thanks."

1000+ cases in QC now.

Wait, this says 221 confirmed cases in QC, 1646 in the whole country: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/2019-novel-coronavirus-infection.html?topic=tilelink

It's not up to date, I'm afraid.

See: https://www.lapresse.ca/covid-19/202003/24/01-5266218-le-quebec-franchit-la-barre-des-1000-cas.php

Only four dead so far, all from the same retirement home I think.

Omg: https://www.quebec.ca/en/health/health-issues/a-z/2019-coronavirus/situation-coronavirus-in-quebec/
xp

Is testing more extensive in Quebec? I highly doubt it but I'd love to see actual data on this, nation-wide.

"The significant increase in confirmed cases is explained by the fact that on March 22, 2020, cases tested positive by hospital laboratories are now considered confirmed. They no longer need validation by the Laboratoire de santé publique du Québec (LSPQ)."

Mayors of Ottawa and Gatineau request that no one cross the river unless absolutely necessary: https://www.journaldemontreal.com/2020/03/24/les-maires-dottawa-et-de-gatineau-ne-veulent-plus-de-deplacements-interprovinciaux

(This is a very common crossing; I e.g. regularly jog across it when the weather permits.)

I just picked up a bunch of things at Long & McQuade since they will probably be indefinitely closed as of tomorrow. I called ahead of time and paid. When I got there, the store looked completely black. I had to call and stay in the car and open my trunk. The guy dropped the items in, shut it, and gave a thumbs-up indicating I could drive off.

Aid package stalled in Commons. Tories and NDP both say they agree with the income support measures but don't support the govt shoehorning additional powers for itself over Parliament, which sounds probably OTM: https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/parliament-covid19-emergency-funds-legislation-1.5507797

Wow, didn't know about this situation (15K Cdn citizens stranded in India): https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/india-lockdown-canadians-stranded-1.5508697

Trudeau simplifies the income support plan to a $2000/mo cheque for anyone who is missing work because of the crisis: https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/coronavirus/trudeau-combines-emergency-covid-19-aid-benefit-for-canadians-1.4867539

https://www.politico.com/news/2020/03/25/canada-coronavirus-emergency-trudeau-148362

"But the drawn-out process was a strange hiccup in the frenetic pace of announcements from a government trying to navigate a crisis it never anticipated..."

As you can see from my posts yesterday, I didn't think it would take an extra day either. But still, compared to what you saw in the States, I'd say "hiccup" is more accurate that "drawn-out."

Yeah, seems decent.

At least one of our banks looks not to be much different than American banks circa 2008. (I'm with the CIBC.)

http://business.financialpost.com/news/fp-street/royal-bank-of-canada-sued-by-reit-over-cmbs-margin-calls

Will freely admit that I don't understand most of the terms in that article very well. Finance not a strong suit. I will look them up, though.

I don't either. I'm just assuming that "margin calls" and "rock bottom prices" and "lawsuit" are a bad combination.

Just going to throw this out there in case it’s helpful to you guys too - M&M meats was a very low stress source for getting some frozen food today. They had what looked like normal stock, and if you do a click and collect order online before you go, they usually have it all ready in a box for pickup, so you can be in and out in just a couple of minutes. Beats lining up outside the big stores.

Not sure if there's one in Stratford or not, I'll check--thanks.

I rarely give Ford credit for anything, but here goes:

http://www.blogto.com/city/2020/03/doug-ford-tenants-toronto-dont-have-pay-rent-if-cant-afford-it/?fbclid=IwAR0sUemRuvo00DlayDPhcD_KlUyU2ioyTE9jOXggbY2t7Lhnig8L1S-vYK0

No surprise--and glad he's not pushing back against reality.

http://www.iheartradio.ca/newstalk-1010/news/reality-you-re-likely-locked-down-until-summer-1.11184525

Yeah, good to announce it early enough.

We are seeking clarification on the details of the government’s plan.

Yeah, I'm curious about how this will work as well. It's a step in the right direction but idk how you would justify allowing someone to not pay rent at all and requiring someone who is slightly better off to pay their rent in full, or what grounds would be used to decide who gets away without paying. Either a simple freeze on rents/mortgages/property taxes or scaled income supports would seem to be simple and fair.

I'm guessing that station is Tory-leaning but this article also suggests a promising move: https://www.iheartradio.ca/newstalk-1010/news/disgusting-premier-announces-anti-price-gouging-order-1.11192211

This crisis may yet make a socialist out of Ford.

The explosion of American cases the past few days is stunning. It's so hard to compare us with them...where their testing is compared to ours, 1/10th the population, etc. If you look at the two daily bar graphs on worldometer, they're not the same, but they're not all that dissimilar.

anyone understand why they're militarizing the canada-US border?

I was joking with my wife yesterday about building a wall at the ON/NY border after the COVID explosion. The US sending troops to its border might actually be funnier.

I'm unclear on what the situation is. This, from 13h ago, says the troops are already there:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3hn9pEvQqw

This, from 11h ago, says the admin decided against it: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/article-us-wont-post-troops-at-canadian-border-ottawa-says-it-strongly/

Most daily cases yet. We've sort of stabilized within a range the past few days (600-700), but if you just stay there, that doesn't seem like flattening the curve.

There's talk of quarantining all of Montreal.

Nice.

http://www.blogto.com/real-estate-toronto/2020/03/toronto-apartment-company-puts-other-landlords-shame-incredible-covid-19-supports/