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The biggest announcement out of Ottawa today is expected to be the Liberals unveiling of their plan for a national carbon-pricing scheme. The draft will be out around noon (local Ottawa time), with legislation in the fall following plenty of consultation from industry and environmentalists. The Liberal proposal will be the default option across the country when/if its enacted, with provinces given the option to come up with their own policies if they can prove there would be comparable emissions reduction. Sources tell The Globe to expect a federal plan that is similar to the one created by the Alberta NDP, which has won support from some oil companies.

This is the daily Politics Briefing newsletter, written by Chris Hannay in Ottawa. If you're reading this on the web or someone forwarded this email newsletter to you, you can sign up for Politics Briefing and all Globe newsletters here. Let us know what you think.

CANADIAN HEADLINES

The Liberals are pledging their support for a Magnitsky-style bill that targets Russian human rights abusers with sanctions. The legislation is modelled on a law passed in the U.S. in 2012 and named after an anti-Putin campaigner who was murdered in 2009. The Russian Embassy is denouncing the policy as unfriendly.

Opposition parties are up in arms over the appointment of Madeleine Meilleur as Official Languages Commissioner. The Conservatives and NDP say they werent consulted for the appointment, which, as an Officer of Parliament, is expected to operate independently of the government. Ms. Meilleur was a long-time Ontario Liberal politician and cabinet minister.

And just when you thought youd seen the last of Kevin OLeary: he could play a role in a Maxime-Bernier-led Conservative party, the pair say.

Lesley Bikos (Globe and Mail) on the culture of policing: While some in the public may see these reports as earth-shattering revelations about the workplace culture of Canadian police forces, their content should not surprise many of the officers who serve. The culture of policing was originally built on white, traditionally masculine, conservative norms, and is based on hyper-masculinity, loyalty and, above all, silence.

ric Grenier (CBC) on Conservative leadership rules: The party gives equal weight to each of Canada's 338 ridings regardless of how many members that riding has. Each riding will be worth 100 points, distributed proportionately according to each candidate's share of the vote. This will make members in some parts of the country far more valuable than others.

Chantal Hbert (Toronto Star) on NDP leadership contender Jagmeet Singhs appeal in Quebec: Based on the niqab episode of the 2015 election, there are those who would readily answer that going into the 2019 campaign in Quebec under a leader whose religious identity is a distinguishing feature could be a recipe for disaster. But that may amount to selling Quebecers short.

B.C. UPDATE by James Keller

As the B.C. Green Party prepares for negotiations with the Liberals and NDP for its support in a possible minority legislature, Leader Andrew Weaver has launched a bitter attack on the Liberal government. Mr. Weaver has gone out of his way since last week's election to say he's open to working with both parties, but yesterday he held a news conference in which he pointed out large gaps with the Liberals, notably on energy projects such as the Kinder Morgan pipeline expansion and the Site C hydroelectric dam. And he also noted that on those issues, his party has far more in common with the NDP. Mr. Weaver's negotiating team includes Brian Mulroney's former chief of staff Norman Spector, who just last week said he believed the Greens would end up supporting the NDP.

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INTERNATIONAL HEADLINES

The White House is expected to send a letter to Congress today that will kick off the process for North American free-trade negotiations. Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland is headed to Mexico next week.

The U.S. Justice Department has appointed a special counsel to look into the web of allegations that Russia interfered with last years election and some of the Donald Trump campaign team could have been complicit. (The New York Times reports that the Trump team knew about Michael Flynns legal troubles for weeks before he was brought into the White House.) The special counsel is Robert Mueller, a former director of the FBI who served under both George W. Bush and Barack Obama. The Washington Post explains just what a special counsel can and cant do. Mr. Trump, apparently, took the news calmly.

Impeachment is still unlikely for Mr. Trump, but even some Republicans are starting to imagine a President Mike Pence.

And: No politician in history and I say this with great surety has been treated worse or more unfairly, Mr. Trump told Coast Guard graduates yesterday. There are a few politicians who might disagree.

Lawrence Martin (Globe and Mail) on the possible existence of taped conversation with Comey: It may, in fact, be the only way to prevent the onset of an obstruction of justice investigation against him and the threat of possible impeachment. Of course, Mr. Trump, knowing what is on the tapes, may not want them divulged. And if he fights their release, its a dead giveaway of his guilt. What a fix to be in.

Ben Shapiro (National Review) on Trumps political strategy: There is no 8-D underwater quantum chess. There is only Trump. And as the so-called law of the lid states in business, the upper limit of a presidents competence can never be superseded by that of his subordinates. And Trumps competence is tied directly to his character defects.

Anthony Furey (Toronto Sun) on Trumps troubles: The truth is, there is no urgency right now. When youre dealing with, say, a potential government shutdown over a looming spending deal (exactly what happened last month) then sure theres a rush to get all the moving parts to fit together. A touch of mania would be defensible. Not in this case though. This is a slower moving story, with more journalism required and likely committee hearings.

Globe and Mail editorial board on the stakes: But regardless of the outcomes of any investigations, its unlikely that they would lead to Mr. Trumps impeachment.

John Moody (Fox News) on whether Trump will serve all four years: Trump is slowly accomplishing his mission. If he plans to walk away from Washington once he feels he has fulfilled his promise to the American people, he should say so. Both his supporters and his growing list of opponents would probably respect his candor, and might work together to give him what he wants, so he will go away.

Follow Chris Hannay on Twitter: @channay

Original post:
Politics Briefing newsletter: Liberals to unveil carbon-pricing plan - The Globe and Mail

Rep. Tim Ryan was worked up, telling reporters thatthe Trump administrations promise to start renegotiating NAFTA was too flimsy to trust.

Our workers unbolted the machines from the factory floor and put them in a box to ship them to China! said Ryan (D-Ohio) at a midday news conference with fellow Rust Belt Democrats. Weve got to get off the dime here! Im ready to be part of fixing this problem, but we need a little more seriousness from the executive branch.

But despite booking a studio underneath the Capitol, Ryan and the rest of his trade-skeptical Democrats had attracted almost no media interest. A podium for TV cameras was empty; a couple of staffers, with iPhones trained on Facebook Live, were recording the remarks for posterity.

Trade, the issue that Trump used to cleave reliably Democratic voters away from Hillary Clinton last year, could be a weakness for his administration. A president who told Midwestern voters that he would start tearing up the single worst trade deal in the history of economics had taken until Thursdayto start doing so.

Even then, the White Houses first move as required by the treaty was to start a 90-day clock, a period for Congress to consult the administration. According to U.S. Trade Representative Robert E. Lighthizer, whose landslide confirmation vote attracted most Rust Belt Democrats, the goal was to build on what has worked in NAFTA but change and improve what has not, hardly the sledgehammer approach suggested during the campaign.

In that campaign, Democrats gritted their teeth as Trump rounded on Clinton for backing the Trans-Pacific Partnership and even for NAFTA, signed by her husband. Butthe partys leadership and potential 2020 leaders have no such trade baggage, which allowed them to spend Thursday predicting a Republican sellout.

Simply saying youre going to renegotiate NAFTA doesnt get us where we need to go, said Rep. Dan Kildee (D-Mich.), who represents the city of Flint.

So far all weve seen are tepid talking points, said Rep. Marc Pocan (D-Wis.).

Trumps objective is to change as little as possible while saying he changed as much as possible, snarked Rep. Brad Sherman (D-Calif.). He will seek something visual that he can go visit.

Comments such as those reflected not just the long-term preferences of the Democratic Party but months of hand-wringing about how Trump absconded with one of the partys issues and how Clinton lost blue-collar white voters. But as the Trump administration announced its new NAFTA position, Democrats were gasping for airtime. Democrats in swing states often responded like Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.), who said the announcement is a welcome step before asking for real details. Democrats in safer seats quickly predicted a sellout.

Instead of being clear that Mexico will be required to change their laws and bring their practices into compliance with internationally recognized labor standards, they have stated that these are sensitive issues, said Rep. Sander Levin (D-Mich.). There will be no change in NAFTA, and there will be no stemming the loss of the U.S. jobs, unless this issue of labor costs is fully addressed. It must be front and center in any renegotiation.

The rest is here:
Democrats predict a Trump sellout on NAFTA - Washington Post

Common Dreams

For Democrats, Resistance Trumps Ideas Common Dreams Democratic Party luminaries and 2020 presidential mentionables gathered this week for an ideas conference organized by the Center for American Progress, the Democratic establishment's premier think tank. Its stated purpose was to focus not on what ... At D.C. conference, Democrats look towards 2020, but can't get past TrumpPBS NewsHour all 3 news articles »

Original post:
For Democrats, Resistance Trumps Ideas - Common Dreams

New York Times

Democratic Leaders Try to Slow Calls to Impeach Trump New York Times WASHINGTON When House Democratic leaders hastily called a news conference Wednesday to demonstrate their outrage at President Trump's latest dramatics, they took great pains to show they were not seeking to railroad him out of the White House. Democrats, GOP show little appetite for Trump impeachmentWashington Examiner Democratic leaders seek to stifle impeachment talkPolitico It's the Beginning of the End for Trump. Even Elected Democrats Can Feel It.Slate Magazine New York Daily News -McClatchy Washington Bureau -VICE News all 346 news articles »

Read the rest here:
Democratic Leaders Try to Slow Calls to Impeach Trump - New York Times

RICHMOND Virginia Democrats Tom Perriello and Ralph Northam are battling in a very close contest for the partys gubernatorial primary, with divisions reemerging from last years Democratic presidential race, according to a new Washington Post-Schar School poll.

Democratic likely voters say Perriellos endorsements by Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), icons of the national progressive movement, carry at least as much weight as Northams support from Gov. Terry McAuliffe and nearly all other Virginia Democrats in Congress and the state legislature.

With less than one month before the June 13 primary, 40 percent of likely Democratic voters support Perriello, while 38 percent support Northam, a difference that is well within the surveys range of sampling error. Perriello is a former congressman, and Northam is the states lieutenant governor.

More than 2 in 10 Democratic voters are undecided or have no current preference, a sign of fluidity leading into the final weeks before the June 13 primary, according to the poll co-sponsored by The Post and George Mason Universitys Schar School of Policy and Government.

I like both the guys, said Shantanu Sharma, 46, of Sterling. Im torn between the guy with the establishment backing versus the guy with Bernie Sanderss backing.

Among the broader group of Democratic-leaning registered voters, Perriello holds a slight edge over Northam, with 35 percent support to Northams 29 percent.

Northams supporters are more apt to fit the profile of likely voters, though a factor that could prove decisive given that fewer than 10 percent of voters have participated in nonpresidential primaries in the past decade.

Age is a clear dividing line in support, with Perriello, 42, leading Northam by 20 percentage points among Democratic-leaning registered voters ages 18 to 39, while Northam, 57, leads by 16 points among those ages 65 and older. The two run more evenly among voters in between.

As one of only two gubernatorial races nationwide this year (the other is in New Jersey, which is less competitive), Virginia has drawn national attention as a proving ground for how Democrats move forward after Hillary Clintons defeat in November.

Perriellos upstart candidacy has attracted national money and national media as he bashes President Trump at every opportunity, while Northam has patiently built support within the state and has campaigned on his ability to work with the Republican-controlled legislature.

[Shades of blue: Northam, Perriello may clash mostly on style]

Opposition to Trump clearly resonates with Virginia voters, only 36 percent of whom approve of his performance, according to the poll.

Bridget Hewlett, 48, of Richmond, said she has been distraught and disillusioned with politics after watching how Trumps administration is playing out.

I am not that type of Democrat who is hateful. I want him to succeed, she said. But he is getting on my nerves, and he is acting too childish. I want a governor who will come in and help the country calm down. I want the country to feel better again. I dont feel happy.

Hewlett said she is leaning toward Perriello but hasnt made up her mind.

Perriello leads by 18 points among Democratic-leaning registered voters who wanted Sanders to win the partys presidential nomination last year, while Clinton voters split 35 percent for Northam and 34 percent for Perriello.

Judging from last years outcome, a Sanders strategy would seem risky in Virginia. Clinton beat Sanders by nearly 30 percentage points in the states primary, though voters then were also split along generational lines. Exit polling showed Sanders won nearly 7 in 10 voters under age 30, while Clinton won clear majorities of older voters.

But the poll suggests that Perriellos Sanders-like approach is finding traction. A 57 percent majority of Democratic likely voters say the Sanders and Warren endorsements make them more inclined to back Perriello. Thats slightly higher than the 50 percent who say the support from McAuliffe and other Virginia Democratic officials makes them more likely to back Northam.

That might suggest a shift in the state party.

In the past, the Democratic Party of Virginia has always proudly bucked against the more progressive trends on the national party side, said Mark Rozell, dean of the Schar School. Theyve always had their success when they projected a more moderate image than the national party. I think things have flipped in some respects. Were seeing a much more progressive wing of the Democratic Party active in Virginia.

Lucas Atkins, a 19-year-old college student from Roanoke, said he was drawn to Perriello after reading about his plans to increase taxes on the wealthy to expand social programs and learning he had the endorsements of Sanders and Warren.

That means a lot to me personally because Bernie and Elizabeth Warren arent the average Democrat. They are not the same old centrist Democrat, said Atkins, who said the election of Trump should send a signal for Democrats to embrace the partys progressive wing. Id like to be optimistic and say some people might have learned the lesson that centrist establishment Democratic policies are not necessarily what the American people want.

Northam and Perriello agree on most major issues and are seen by voters to possess similar attributes. But Perriello has a slight edge in the perception that he could stand up to Trump (38 percent to 30 percent), while Northam has a similar edge in perception that he could work with state Republicans (38 percent to 31 percent). Still, those results are within the polls range of sampling error.

There are a couple of key regional differences. Perriello enjoys a massive advantage in the southwest part of the state, where 58 percent of Democratic-leaning registered voters say they support him compared with 20 percent for Northam. Perriello is from Charlottesville and represented the rural 5th District during his single term in Congress.

Northam, who represented Norfolk in the state Senate, holds a smaller edge in the Hampton Roads region, with 40 percent support compared with 28 percent for Perriello.

Between his career in the legislature and heavy TV advertising in Hampton Roads, Northam is a far more familiar figure in that part of the state. I havent had much knowledge of Mr. Perriello, no advertisements, nothing that would make me kind of think maybe I would prefer him, said Sandra Wilson, 58, of Norfolk, who said she supports Northam.

The two are running virtually even in Northern Virginia, with 28percent favoring Perriello and 26 percent for Northam. But more than one-third of those voters remain undecided, making the vote-rich area a major opportunity in the final weeks before the primary.

One part of the national story line that doesnt hold up: Perriello has been claiming the progressive mantle, but registered voters who identify as very liberal are about equally split between the two.

Similarly, Northam has been portrayed as the more conservative of the two, but Perriello has a statistically insignificant lead among moderate and conservative Democrats, 35 percent to 27percent.

The two are vying to take on one of the three Republicans running for that partys nomination in the primary. Those candidates are former Republican National Committee chairman Ed Gillespie, state Sen. Frank W. Wagner (Virginia Beach) and Prince William County supervisor Corey Stewart. The poll found Gillespie with a commanding lead in that primary battle.

[Post-Schar poll finds Ed Gillespie with big lead for GOP nomination]

The Post-Schar School poll was conducted May 9 to 14 among a random sample of 1,602 Virginia adults reached on cellular and landline phones. The margin of sampling error for individual percentage results is plus or minus 4.5points among the sample of 654 Democratic-leaning registered voters and six points among the sample of 351 likely primary voters. The range of sampling error for the difference between candidates support is 10 points among likely voters.

Emily Guskin, Fenit Nirappil and Laura Vozzella contributed to this report.

Continued here:
Race between Democrats running for Virginia governor is neck-and-neck - Washington Post