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OTTAWA NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh is slamming the federal Liberals for giving nearly $26 million to Costco and Loblaw for energy-efficient appliances.

In 2019, the Liberals faced heat from Conservatives after the government announced it was giving $12 million to Loblaw for energy-efficient refrigerators and freezers.

Newly released data from Environment and Climate Change Canada shows Costco was also given more than $15 million for fridges and to reduce emissions.

Loblaw was given more than $10 million.

The payments were made to the two grocery chains between 2019 and 2023.

Singh says while people are deciding what they can afford in grocery aisles, the Liberals are deciding how many millions of dollars to hand out to grocery giants.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 8, 2024.

The Canadian Press

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NDP leader slams Liberals for giving nearly $26M to Costco, Loblaw in recent years - Yahoo News Canada

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh is slamming the federal Liberals for giving nearly $26 million to Costco COST-Q and Loblaw L-T for energy-efficient appliances.

The money came from the Liberal governments low-carbon economy fund, which is meant to support projects that will reduce greenhouse-gas emissions.

In 2019, the Liberals faced heat from Conservatives after the government announced it was giving up to $12 million to Loblaw for energy-efficient refrigerators and freezers at 370 of its stores.

Newly released data from Environment and Climate Change Canada show Costco was also given more than $15 million for efforts to reduce emissions, including new fridges.

Loblaw was ultimately given more than $10 million.

The payments were made to the two grocery chains between 2019 and 2023.

While people are deciding what they can afford in grocery aisles the Liberals are deciding how many millions of dollars to hand out to grocery giants, Singh said Wednesday.

Just stop giving millions of dollars of our public money to highly profitable companies, he said.

Stop giving million of dollars to a for-profit corporation instead of helping people who are struggling to afford food.

The Opposition Conservatives accused Singh of faking outrage over the issue.

The party argued that New Democrats are supporting subsidies going to corporations because they continue to prop up the minority Liberal government through a political pact.

Its shocking albeit unsurprising that Jagmeet Singh, the junior coalition partner in Justin Trudeaus costly Liberal-NDP majority government, provided tens of millions of taxpayer dollars to massive grocery chains that are making billions off Canadians while they are struggling to put food on the table, said Sebastian Skamski, a spokesperson for Tory Leader Pierre Poilievre.

Facing questions in the House of Commons over the issue, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau lauded government initiatives that he said will help Canadians with affordability, including the national food lunch program announced in this years federal budget.

He also pointed to what the Liberals branded a grocery rebate, a doubling of the GST tax credit for low-income families delivered last year.

Excerpt from:
NDP leader slams Liberals for giving nearly $26-million to Costco, Loblaw in recent years - The Globe and Mail

Good evening, lets start with todays top stories:

Federal legislation aimed at combatting foreign interference in Canada includes a new a registry of foreign agents and proposes giving Canadas spy agency more authority to combat threats.

Long-awaited legislation unveiled by the Liberal government today would create a Foreign Influence Transparency Commissioner, who would be appointed after consultation with House of Commons and Senate leadership.

The individual would hold investigative powers and oversee a new mandatory registry of names for people conducting influence activity for foreign entities in provincial and federal politics and governments, as well as in Indigenous governments or councils.

The Countering Foreign Interference Act follows a federal inquiry into the issue that found foreign interference may have impeded the last two federal elections in Canada, though it didnt change the overall outcome. Commissioner Marie-Jose Hogue in a report last week called in foreign meddling a threat to Canadian democracy, and called for measures to tackle it.

Its unlikely the foreign registry announced Monday will be in place for the next federal election in 2025, the government said.

Israel appeared poised to launch a long-threatened invasion of Rafah in southern Gaza, against the urging of humanitarian aid groups and allies, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus government rejected the terms of a ceasefire accepted by the Hamas leadership.

Videos and photos show long lines of Palestinians departing the city that had previous been declared a safe zone after the Israeli military used text messages and leaflets to warn residents in eastern Rafah to leave the area.

Hours after Israel sent the evacuation warning, Ismail Haniyeh, the Qatar-based political leader of Hamas, said he had accepted a ceasefire brokered by Egypt and Qatar. Any deal would involve the release of some of the 100 hostages Hamas has been holding in Gaza since Oct. 7. Netanyahus office said it would carry out the military operation in Rafah in parallel with negotiations.

Humanitarian groups have reacted with alarm to the evacuation order. Meanwhile, families some of the Israeli hostages are calling on their government to explain why the ceasefire negotiations fell apart.

Displaced Palestinians who fled Rafah after the Israeli military began evacuating civilians from the eastern parts of the southern Gazan city travel on a vehicle in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip on May 6, 2024.Ramadan Abed/Reuters

The Winnipeg trial of a man accused of killing four First Nations women and dumping their bodies in a landfill will hinge on his mental state and the intention behind the killings.

Jeremy Skibickis lawyers told a Manitoba superior court today that their client killed the women in 2022, and they intend to argue he was not criminally responsible because of mental illness. The defences legal strategy means the trial will be heard in front of a judge alone, rather than a jury, when arguments get under way on Wednesday. The 12-person jury selected to hear the case will be dismissed.

Police have alleged that Skibicki is a serial killer who murdered 26-year-old Marcedes Myran, 39-year-old Morgan Harris, 24-year-old Rebecca Contois, and an unidentified woman whom Indigenous elders have named Mashkode Bizhikiikwe, or Buffalo Woman. Skibicki was arrested in 2022 for the killings.

The development in the high-profile case comes a day after Red Dress Day, marked annually to bring awareness to the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls in Canada.

The federal government set a record high for fines related to non-compliance with Canadas temporary foreign worker rules in 2023 and this year is shaping up to be even worse, according to a Globe analysis of government figures.

Infractions include wage theft and workplace abuse. Ottawa handed out $2.7-million in penalties against non-compliant employers last year, with an average fine of $13,800 per decision.

So far in 2024, the average fine is nearly $29,000, according to data reviewed by The Globe as of late April. Thats significantly higher than the roughly $3,200 average fine from 2019.

Canadian companies have been hiring temporary foreign workers in greater numbers in recent years, aided by policy changes aimed at addressing labour shortages. But the trend has sparked concerns about the potential for worker exploitation.

Campus protests: Columbia University is cancelling its main graduation ceremony after weeks of protests over the war in Gaza. The Ivy League school, one of several postsecondary campuses across Canada and the United States where pro-Palestinian protests have popped up, says it will hold smaller, school-based graduation events. Meanwhile, Ontarios premier says universities should start clearing protest encampments.

Government procurement: Ottawa went years without launching after-the-fact audits of companies that received contracts from an Indigenous procurement program.

Mining: Panama elected a pro-business president over the weekend and the outcome is raising hopes for Canadian mining company First Quantum. The companys financial situation has deteriorated after its Cobre Panama copper mine which used to account for half its revenue was ordered closed by the countrys departing president last year.

Fish farms: Canadas Public Sector Integrity Commissioner is launching an investigation into allegations that federal fisheries officials tried to silence scientists who were researching environmental threats related to open-net fish farms in the Pacific Ocean.

Keffiyeh ban: The Speaker of the Ontario legislature has partially eased a ban on the keffiyeh, allowing it to be worn inside Queens Park, but not in the legislative chamber. The Speaker banned the checkered scarf this year, arguing it is being worn to make a political statement about the Israel-Gaza war. Independent member Sarah Jama was asked to leave Question Period today after putting on the scarf inside the chamber.

MARKET WATCH

North American stock markets rise on renewed U.S. rate cut bets

Markets in Canada and the U.S. closed higher on Monday on fresh hopes of a potential U.S. rate cut.

Canadas main stock index closed its highest in over three weeks, boosted by energy stocks and renewed bets from investors on U.S. rate cuts some time this year.

U.S. stock indexes also ended higher on their third straight session of advances, though they underperformed the S&P/TSX composite index, which closed up 312.06 points, or 1.42 per cent, at 22,259.47.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 176.59 points or 0.46 per cent to 38,852.27, the S&P 500 gained 52.95 points or 1.03 per cent to 5,180.74 and the Nasdaq Composite gained 192.92 points or 1.19 per cent to 16,349.25.

The Canadian dollar was trading at 73.18 US cents.

Got a news tip that youd like us to look into? E-mail us at tips@globeandmail.com. Need to share documents securely? Reach out via SecureDrop.

TALKING POINTS

In the beef between Drake and Kendrick Lamar, no ones a winner

This beef is no longer about whos at the top of the rap game. Its about who can race to the bottom fastest. - Adrian Lee

Ontarios keffiyeh ban dares to define the scarfs meaning for everyone

Asking a Palestinian to remove the keffiyeh is like asking a Muslim woman to remove her hijab or an Indigenous person to remove their headdress. It is an article of clothing deeply embedded with ones culture and identity. - Sheema Khan

Putting migrants in federal prisons is unjustified and unjust

Rather than using more humane (and less expensive) alternatives to detention that allow for people to live in the community, the CBSA opted to detain thousands of migrants, even though every year, the agency monitors thousands of people in the community, and it is rare that any of them abscond. - Lloyd Axworthy and Allan Rock

In Canada, we bank where we buy

Participating in slick marketing programs that allow you to engage in lite banking activity seems contradictory and foolish. Its a little bit silly, just like Canadian Tire money was. - Vass Bednar

Ukraines push to conscript men abroad wont do much to win the war

Ukrainians living abroad who are opposed to fighting are unlikely to be lured back, in particular those who were already in other countries before the war started and children who are coming of age abroad. Instead, many may choose to cut ties with Ukraine entirely. - Lidiia Karpenko

LIVING BETTER

Need more fibre? Add these six high-fibre foods to your diet

There are two types of fibre: soluble and insoluble. Both are present in varying proportions in different foods, but some foods can be rich in one or the other.Ted Johns/Getty Images/iStockphoto

Fibre is an oft overlooked nutrient that comes with a whole host of health benefits. A diet high in fibre is associated with a lower risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, colorectal cancer, breast cancer and diverticulitis. Research suggests that eating fibre-rich food can help you live a longer life in good health. Read more here on how to up the fibre in your daily meals.

TODAYS LONG READ

At war with the censors

Late at night on Sept. 3, 1939, crowds of Torontonians waited outside the Globe and Mail building to read the latest news about Britains declaration of war on Nazi Germany. Canada followed suit a week later, with a war proclamation from Ottawa that appeared in the Sept. 11 Globe.The Globe and Mail

In the Second World War, the first global war of a truly mass-media era, The Globe and Mail took some of the first steps in defying the federal governments censorship machinery. The Globes publisher at the time, George McCullagh, even risked a prison sentence in the papers fight for the right to report on military blunders. Read more about the chapter of history here.

This is an excerpt from A Nations Paper: The Globe and Mail in the Life of Canada, a collection of history essays from Globe writers past and present, coming this fall from Signal/McClelland & Stewart.

Evening Update is written by Holly McKenzie-Sutter and Maryam Shah. If youd like to receive this newsletter by e-mail every weekday evening, go here to sign up. If you have any feedback, send us a note.

Continued here:
Evening Update: Liberals unveil foreign interference registry - The Globe and Mail

Sen. John Fetterman is being hosted by the Florida Democratic Party this weekend, but a group of Sunshine State progressives arent happy about it.

Fetterman (D., Pa.) will deliver the keynote speech for a Saturday gala at Disneys Contemporary Resort in Lake Buena Vista as part of the Florida partys weekend-long Leadership Blue conference its most important fundraiser of the year.

The Pennsylvania senator has been unflinching in his support of Israel since Hamas militants raided the country, killing around 1,200 people and abducting about 250 hostages. But his support has drawn ire from activists angered by Israels war in Gaza, which has killed more than 34,000 Palestinians and displaced about 80% of Gazas population.

The Florida Democratic Progressive Caucus, a group within the states Democratic Party, called for Fettermans speech to be cancelled because of his unwavering support for Israels actions, according to a Wednesday letter shared on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, by The Bulwark reporter Marc Caputo.

Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried said Fettermans 2022 victory against Republican Mehmet Oz, a celebrity doctor, can serve as a blueprint for the Senate race in Florida this year, in a Tuesday announcement about his speech.

Senator John Fetterman is not your traditional politician, Fried said. He is a powerful voice for the Democratic Party and embodies the spirit of Florida Democrats never backing down from a fight.

In their letter, members of the progressive caucus argued that it would be a direct affront to the principles of democracy and justice to platform Fetterman, who they accuse of abandoning progressive values and using divisive rhetoric.

John Fetterman, once touted as a progressive champion, has betrayed the trust of his constituents by swiftly pivoting away from the platform he was elected on, the letter said. His recent statements and actions, particularly regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, stand in stark contrast to the values of equality, justice, and peace that his supporters stand for.

Fetterman has been viewed as casting aside his progressivism through his support of Israel, but he said in an interview earlier this year that he has been open about not being a progressive. He called himself a progressive prior to his 2022 swing-state Senate bid, but described himself as just a Democrat on the campaign trail.

READ MORE: Progressives say John Fetterman has abandoned them. But he says he hasnt changed.

Like the Florida party chair, Fetterman views his visit in context of the election this year.

I fully embrace a diversity of views within the Democratic party but were 6 months out from the presidential race, and weve got to be united on reelecting Joe Biden, he said in a statement this week regarding the letter. The stakes are too high. Just this week in Florida, weve got an abortion ban going into effect. We cant let these disagreements lead to a second Trump term.

The Inquirer reached out to the Florida Democratic Party for comment about the letter and is awaiting a response.

The rest is here:
John Fetterman will speak at Florida Democratic Party gala. Progressives want it cancelled. - The Philadelphia Inquirer

A bunch of California liberals invaded Alabama on Thursday.

Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, announced during a ceremony at Montgomerys white water park that it would be building an $800 million data center in Alabamas capitol city. They will bring at least 100 permanent jobs and thousands of construction jobs.

The announcement was celebrated by city and state leaders. Gov. Kay Ivey said she was proud to accept Metas friend request.

Get it? Haha. Friend request.

This is Metas second data center in Alabama. Theres also a $750 million data center in Huntsville. Ivey mentioned it as well, as she raved about the relationship between the company and the state of Alabama.

Which raises one question: Was the hypocrisy of an entire legislative session, or two, apparent to anyone else who watched this press conference?

Im sorry, did we not just spend an entire session bemoaning and demeaning DEI? Did we not just spend two sessions barring the state from doing business with companies that believe in ESG?

Did we not have a secretary of state throw a phony hissy fit over the CEO of Meta, Mark Zuckerberg, offering up money to cover the costs of conducting safe and fair elections during the pandemic?

Did I dream these things?

Or are we once again witnessing the hypocritical results of Alabama political theater the same play thats been running for 200 years, in which the elected elites pit the poor whites against the minorities by conjuring up a make-believe advantage thats going to the minorities.

This year, it was DEI.

Oh, the unfairness of diversity, equity and inclusion. How dare companies, governments, universities or anyone seek to create a diverse workforce by setting racial hiring quotas, said the people who have benefited since the beginning of time from racial hiring practices.

So, the state of Alabama went on the attack over the last few months. The legislature passed a bill banning DEI programs at state universities. Lawmakers have kicked around the idea of banning state dollars going to recruit companies that have DEI programs.

And yet, right there on the Meta website is a whole lengthy page praising the companys DEI program and discussing the importance of diversity, equity and inclusion.

But it gets even worse.

Another page on the Meta website talks up the companys devotion to gasp! environmental, social and governance standards. ESG!

Essentially, ESG is a scorecard for how well companies do at maintaining good environmental practices. It encourages companies to invest in sustainability by being more selective with who they do business with specifically, prioritizing companies that are more environmentally conscious.

Just last June, Ivey signed into law and praised a bill barring the state from doing business with companies that practice ESG.

No matter how much Corporate America and the national media want to push their social issue of the day on folks, the state of Alabama will continue protecting both our values and our businesses, Ivey said after signing the bill.

But on Thursday, Iveys office put out a press release praising the Meta data center, and it, oddly, noted this: Once operational, the facility will be LEED Gold certified by the U.S. Green Building Council.

It will be supported by 100 percent renewable energy and reach net zero emissions. Metas sustainability practices have generated investments in renewable energy projects, and it has also supported Huntsville area schools and educational organizations with over 85 grants and sponsorships exceeding $4.2 million since 2019.

The Meta website also lists a variety of reports on its ESG efforts.

Im so confused. I thought DEI and ESG were awful, discriminatory practices that unfairly limited the job opportunities of white people and unfairly prevented companies who are destroying natural resources from doing business?

Did I miss a news conference where we decided all of that was OK? Or was Ivey holding that shovel to beat those California libs back to ESG-land?

Or and hear me out here are Alabama conservative lawmakers nothing more than play actors bouncing from phony outrage to phony outrage in an effort to hide the fact that they have zero actual policy ideas, no plans for economic development in todays world and hope desperately that youre dumb enough to always fall for these race-based, ignorant schemes?

Thank God this state has a few decent, progressive mayors like Montgomerys Steven Reed. Its no wonder that his town is No. 1 in economic development in the state, or that the top five cities are all increasingly progressive outliers in this bastion of MAGA-dom.

The fact is global companies, like Meta, dont want to be associated with backwards, regressive bigoted governments. They know that the pathway to success in todays business world is to embrace diversity and seek to leave the planet better than you found it. Its what investors want. Its what top employees want.

And I know for a fact thats exactly what Reed and the folks in Montgomery pitched. It has become a standard for them, showing would-be relocating companies that Montgomery is different, carries different values, believes in different things and is far more progressive than much of the rest of Alabama. It worked again.

The Meta announcement on Thursday was wonderful news for the state, and particularly for the folks in Montgomery. If it goes the way of the Huntsville location, it will grow and benefit the entire region for years to come.

Thankfully, there were enough progressives around to make it happen.

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Opinion | The progressives won again - Alabama Political Reporter