Highlights from Crestview Strategy’s weekly newsletters:
Alberta
Danielle Smith continues to release minister mandate letters
Premier Danielle Smith is setting the direction for her new cabinet as more mandate letters were released throughout last week. Since Monday, July 10, the Premier issued mandate letters to the Ministers of Environment and Protected Areas (Rebecca Schulz), Energy and Minerals (Brian Jean), Treasury Board and Finance (Nate Horner), Transportation and Economic Corridors (Devin Dreeshen), Technology and Innovation (Nate Glubish), and Tourism and Sport (Joseph Schow). These are Smith’s second round of mandate letters, which include several key differences compared to her letters released in November. Smith has also chosen to instead release the letters in small batches over several weeks – with some of the most prominent portfolios made public last week. There are still multiple Ministers’ letters still to be released, which are expected over the next couple of weeks.
Atlantic Canada
The Prime Minister is in Halifax for the 2023 North American Indigenous Games. More than 4,800 Indigenous athletes, coaches, and team staff from more than 750 Nations from all over North America are competing in 16 sports throughout the week.
Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston is now the Chair of the Council of the Federation. In a statement he announced he would be welcoming premiers to the province next year for a health summit.
British Columbia
Tentative agreement reached in BC port strike, shutdown ends
The International Longshore and Warehouse Union Canada (ILWU) and the B.C. Maritime Employers Association agreed to a tentative four-year deal on Thursday morning to end the shutdown, and about 7,400 workers are expected to be back at work as of Saturday. The details of that agreement haven’t been made public yet.
The workers had been on strike since July 1 over wages, contracting and automation, halting shipments in and out of about 30 ports in B.C. The Greater Vancouver Board of Trade has said there are 63,000 shipping containers stuck on vessels waiting at B.C. ports to be unloaded.
Ontario
Byelections to be held in Scarborough and Kanata-Carleton on July 27th.
Byelections will be held on July 27th in Scarborough–Guildwood and Kanata–Carleton. In Scarborough, Toronto Councillor Gary Crawford is running as the Conservative candidate against Liberal candidate Andrea Hazell. In Kanata-Carleton, Sean Webster is running for the PCs against Ontario Liberal candidate and former MP Karen McCrimmon, as well as Melissa Coenraad for the Ontario NDP. Following NDP MPP Laura Mae Lindo’s resignation, Councillor Debbie Chapman is running as the NDP candidate against Aislinn Clancy for the Greens, and Kelly Steiss for the Liberals. The Progressive Conservatives have yet to announce their candidate for the riding.
Ottawa
Canada to launch new permanent residency program for Ukrainians fleeing war – July 15, 2023
The federal government has launched a new immigration program for Ukrainians fleeing their embattled country. Eligibility will be extended to Ukrainians living in Canada with temporary status and with one or more family members in Canada. The government said more details will be released closer to when the program launches on Oct. 23, 2023. The program will have no cost attached to it and will be in place for one year.
Toronto
Olivia Chow wants Toronto to declare gender-based violence an epidemic – July 14, 2023
New Mayor Olivia Chow is calling for Toronto City Council to declare gender-based and intimate-partner violence an epidemic. The appeal comes after the Star reported a dramatic increase in applicants to Toronto’s subsidized housing wait list fleeing abuse. Chow’s council agenda item, a largely symbolic declaration, urges the provincial and federal government to implement the 86 recommendations from the 2022 Renfrew County inquest into the 2015 murders of three women in rural eastern Ontario.
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