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After weeks of tumult, what’s future for Trudeau? His choices, explained
This year, Chrystia Freeland’s resignation from the finance ministry revived calls for Justin Trudeau to step over or hold an election. With 2025 set to be an election year and no indications of a Democratic healing ahead, Trudeau is in a crucial position where he must decide whether to stay or leave. A former top Progressive employee, Carlene Variyan of Summa Strategies, who was a former top Democratic employee, said a lot depends on what the prime minister does “in the next 24 days” and that he may step up to strengthen his case as soon as possible and strengthen Canada-U. S. relations staff by showing he’s reorienting toward focusing on the Trump marriage. She added that Trudeau may also change the ministers who previously announced they would not find reelection.” He needs to sign to his cabinet, conference, and to the country that he continues to be firmly in charge of his government,” she said. After Freeland abruptly resigned from the government on Monday, the behind-the-scenes talk in Ottawa social circles started to fade. 2: 21
In light of the political unrest, Trudeau anticipated a government change. Sources: The Progressives may be waiting for the temperature to subside before making the decision to move their top chair and install new ministers to deal with the incoming Trump administration, which threatens to impose 25 % tariffs on Canada. Variyan argued that Trudeau shouldn’t wait. She said,” If he can bring that renewed sense of stability and being in charge of his government, he has a real chance of holding the government together until the spring.” Otherwise, members of the caucus and cabinet could begin “peeling off much earlier than that,” and parliament could fall apart” not long after they come back at the end of January.” The House of Commons has downed tools for the holidays and won’t be back until January 27— after Donald Trump’s inauguration. If Trudeau decides to step down, that gives him until mid-to-late January to consider taking his proverbial “walk in the snow” as his father famously did. According to former Conservative House Leader Peter Van Loan, Trudeau’s decision-making is entirely up to him. ” I firmly believe that one of the reasons he’s hanging on is because he is so far behind in the polls and doesn’t want to be perceived as having been chased out,” he said. Van Loan sees Trudeau’s resignation in January as the most likely outcome, though not one that is guaranteed. All it does is, however, fuelling this environment where he appears to be being chased out. 3: 03
Trudeau likens Freeland’s departure to a family spat, calls Poilievre the’ Grinch’” He’ll stay around as leader until his successor is chosen and the party goes about selecting his successor in, I don’t know, late May, June”, Van Loan suggested, then “nothing happens until there’s a new leader in place “.The party’s national board of directors would name an interim leader until the party grassroots elects a new one, and set a date for the race. In this case, the Liberals would have to really hustle. The party would likely look to reserve a spot and conduct a race in much less time than previous leadership contests permitted. Under significant rule changes introduced under Trudeau that radically expanded the Liberal party base to anyone who wanted to formally enrol and become a member, making it more than just an exclusive club of paying, card-carrying members, party officials would also have to deal with running the race. If the cost of living and other affordability issues improve, Trudeau might make an effort to carry on as usual and try to hold the door shut until the anticipated fall election date, when the Liberals might have a better chance of winning. Since his party did not implement a formal process for ousting its leader, as the Conservative party did when it passed the Reform Act, which ultimately resulted in the Tory caucus removing former leader ErinO’Toole, Trudeau can remain in charge. If a sizable portion of his own caucus called on him to resign, he would have a much harder time retaining control of the position. In this scenario, the ruling party is hoping that voters will become less unimpressed with the Trudeau brand. 2: 23
What led to Freeland’s sudden resignation? The New Democrats would need to keep supporting the government for the duration of the current minority Parliament in order for that to succeed. NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh and House Leader Peter Julian threatened in an interview on CBC’s Power and Politics to bring down the government in a confidence vote in February or March if Trudeau continues to be in power. That could bring an election around March, if the party follows through. House Leader Karina Gould made the point that the NDP has supported the Liberals in every confidence vote of the fall session on Tuesday, even as recently as last week. Trending Now3 men from the United Kingdom are accused of beating the owner of an Ontario restaurant.
Police ID officer from Toronto who died while on duty from a medical condition
Late October is the country’s most likely election day, but the Trudeau administration’s House of Commons confidence vote could cause one to fall and trigger one sooner. The government has a lot of influence over when those votes take place, including the budget and fall economic statement, and those spending decisions are made on budgetary matters. However, the government has some flexibility in terms of scheduling, allowing the opposition to cast its own confidence votes on special calendar days known as opposition days or supply days. According to the House of Commons standing orders, up to seven of those must be completed by the end of March. They don’t need to be motions for confidence. If the Conservatives, Bloc, and NDP vote down the government on any of these votes, a winter, spring, or summer election could take place, but they all need to assemble at once to do it. Once that happens, the campaign period must be at least 37 days but no more than 51 days, according to an Elections Canada backgrounder. Election day must always fall on a Monday. In any of the circumstances that Trudeau is faced with, he could choose to press the pause button or to prorogue in Parliament. He may ask the governor general to do so while the House is in session or after recess. A prorogation would prevent the government from winning early elections and from winning in confidence. And if Trudeau steps down, it would give enough time for a leadership race, which would have to be brief. Thomas Hall, a former House of Commons procedural clerk, said there’s a time limit that comes with that move. After a few months, Parliament would have to go back to providing the government with funds to keep the lights on. 1: 15
Trudeau government turmoil’ embarrassing’ for Canada: PoilievreThat’s because once in the past, the late former prime minister Brian Mulroney had prorogued Parliament before it was supposed to return in February in 1989, leaving it shuttered from December through April, and leaving routine spending approvals to the governor general through signing special warrants. Former Liberal MP Peter Milliken pushed for a private members ‘ bill that would force parliament to return to vote on whether to approve the government’s funding request. Due to Milliken’s successful attempt to alter the laws back in 1996, Trudeau is unable to go against the clock and win the election for the entire spring session. The House of Commons has been stymied for the majority of the fall due to a privilege debate and a filibuster over the release of documents in an ethics /spending scandal. ” If they prorogue now, any new session they start, there would be no privilege filibuster debate. That would be over with”, said Hall. The opposition might also try to bring that discussion to a head. Hall believes that if Speaker Greg Fergus had handled this debate differently, he might have recently brought it to a close discussion. He said,” Unless they change the rules, then they’re going to be back in the same position pretty quickly,” which would mean the spring sitting could end up just as gridlocked as the fall. ” In order to not have more opposition days where ( the government ) will be defeated, and where they will still face the privilege motion, I think they have no alternative but to prorogue” .6: 21
‘ Not an easy day’: Trudeau speaks for the 1st time since Freeland resignationBank of England holds important level in response to “heightened uncertainty” warning.
Interest rates were kept on hold as the U.K.’s central banks warned on Thursday of “heightened uncertainty” as inflation approached a deeper above-target low. The Bank of England’s nine-member Monetary Policy Committee kept its main interest rate unchanged at 4.75 % with new data showing inflation rising to 2.6 %, further above the bank’s 2 % target. The rate-setting board is acting cautiously because lower saving costs have the potential to increase inflation even further. Financial markets were eager to hear the decision, but unexpectedly, as many as three of the people voted for a quarter-point reduce. If there aren’t any significant inflation surprises at the next policy meeting in February, that may indicate a more reduction. We must ensure that we maintain our 2 % inflation target, according to Bank Governor. Andrew Bailey, who voted to keep prices on hold. We believe a progressive reduction in interest rates is appropriate, but with the economy’s lessened doubt, we can’t say when or how much.” Struggling sectors in the U.K. market and homeowners are hoping for more cuts next time that would ease some of the burden.” The American economy has now experienced two weeks of contraction. 1: 48
Bank of Canada lowers interest rates by half a point, suggesting a “more steady” pace.” While anticipated, the bank’s decision to hold rates will still be a slam dunk for households struggling with costly mortgage bills and businesses experiencing a rise in costs following the fall finances,” said Suren Thiru, director of economics at the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales. The Fed made the decision the day after the U.S. Federal Reserve cut interest rates, but Chair Jerome Powell indicated that the Fed may be easing its price reductions once prices projections were revised higher. Trending Then3 people from the United Kingdom are accused of beating the owner of an Ontario restaurant.
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According to the Bank of England’s determination, rate-setters were cautious about the perspective of the economy in the midst of the new Labour government’s first budget and the result of the U.S. presidential vote. According to critics, the October resources both lowers growth and raises inflation pressures. Companies may find ways to offset higher costs by raising rates or reducing getting as a result of a significant increase in business income. The government claims that to boost public income and fund cash-strapped public companies, it was necessary to raise taxes. And with Donald Trump resuming his presidency in January, there is doubt about whether the incoming U.S. administration may impose levies on imports, a policy that could lead to a tit-for-trade comment that stokes inflation and slows growth. In the U.K. and around the world, inflation is still much lower than it was a few years ago, primarily as a result of central banks ‘ dramatic increases in saving fees from near zero during the coronavirus pandemic, first as a result of supply chain issues, then as a result of Russia’s massive invasion of Ukraine, which increased energy prices. The main banks have started cutting interest rates as inflation rates have dropped from multidecade peaks, but few, if any, economists believe that prices will return to the super-low degrees that persisted in the centuries following the global financial crisis of 2008-2009. &, backup 2024 The Canadian Press
Alberta NDP’s Rob Miyashiro wins Lethbridge-West byelection: illegal benefits
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In a byelection in the Alberta using of Lethbridge-West, the New Democrats emerged victorious. After 100 % of the voting stations reported their counts, unofficial results released on the Elections Alberta website reveal that there were 7, 239 votes for the NDP’s Rob Miyashiro and 6, 089 for the United Conservatives ‘ John Middleton-Hope. Layton Veverka, the applicant for the Alberta Party, received 233 vote. Miyashiro and United Conservative Conservative Nathan Neudorf lost to each other in the 2023 public vote for the second time in as many times in a legislative contest. Miyashiro, the present executive director of the Lethbridge Senior Citizens Organization, says he will be resigning from his place now that he will have a seat in the government. Miyashiro praised his rival, saying that anyone who engages in elections deserves a pat on the back. ” It’s a tough thing to do”, he said. You’re taking the photos, and you’re in the open attention, congratulations on Naheed Nenshi and his team running a successful campaign. He claimed that the success of his party sends a message to the state that people want alter. ” Evidently, this is a wonderful, wonderful effect”, he said. ” The UCP tried everything to gain this poll. They spent untold amounts of money on bad advertisements. They really selected a great member. They” sent the top and cabinet ministers down to fulfill their empty promises.”
Nenshi aims to transform Alberta NDP, faces issue in divided CalgaryMiyashiro said he will never let his citizens down. ” The citizens of Lethbridge-West truly are sending a message to our state that what they’re doing isn’t good enough”, he said. After New Democrat MLA Shannon Phillips resigned on July 1, the senate seat was unoccupied. On December 2nd, the standard byelection results may be released.
Lethbridge-West byelection ‘ too close to call ‘ heading into champion’s last day&, copy 2024 Global News, a section of Corus Entertainment Inc.Putin boasts of Ukraine’s successes, and says Russia is prepared for a weapon “duel” with the West.
Vladimir Putin, president of Russia, bragged about how his military operation in Ukraine has bolstered Russia and how Bashar Assad’s resignation has honed Moscow’s standing at his yearly press conference and call-in show on Thursday. He benefited from the meticulously choreographed event, which spanned more than four hours, to strengthen his expert and demonstrate a mastery of everything, from consumer charges to military equipment. He claimed that Russia’s military and economic strength have increased since sending troops into Ukraine in 2022. He claimed that” Russia has become much stronger over the past two or three times because it has become a really royal land.” We are holding our ground in terms of business, strengthening our defense, and expanding our global defense capabilities are all at the top.
Putin says Russia’s ‘ Oreshnik ‘ weapon would turn all ‘ intodust’Putin, who has held power for almost a quarter-century and was reelected to another six-year term in February, said the military was “advancing toward achieving our goals” in what he calls the special military operation in Ukraine. Putin blasted claims made by some European experts that it could be intercepted by NATO’s air defenses in response to a query about a brand-new fast ballistic missile that Russia used for the first period previous month to attack Ukraine. He sarcastically posed a “high-tech duel” challenge to Ukraine’s allies, suggesting that Moscow might give the West a chance to defend Kyiv if it was attacked with the Oreshnik weapon. ” Let them choose a destination, perhaps in Kyiv, put their air military assets it and we shall reach it with the Oreshnik”, he said with a clean smile. ” Let’s see what happens “.Russia is making steady, if slow, advances in Ukraine, but has also suffered embarrassing setbacks. Lt. Gen. Igor Kirillov was killed on Tuesday when a bomb was planted outside his Moscow apartment building, a brutal assassination claimed by Ukraine that rekindled the conflict and took the streets of the Russian capital once more. Putin described Kirillov’s killing as a “major blunder” of Russia’s security agencies, noting they should learn from it and improve their efficiency. 4: 56
Tension escalates between Ukraine and RussiaMoscow’s troops are also battling Ukrainian forces in the Russian region of Kursk, where they have launched an incursion. When asked when they would drive the Ukrainians out, Putin said,” We will definitely kick them out,” but he wouldn’t say how long it would take. The show, which is broadcast live by state-controlled TV across Russia’s 11 time zones, usually is dominated by domestic issues, with journalists and ordinary people calling in to ask about soaring consumer prices and mortgages, paltry pensions and shortage of doctors. However, the Russian leader’s responses to foreign affairs are particularly watched. He asked audience members to unfurl a banner presented to him by marines fighting in Kursk in a way that typifies marathon news conferences. Putin said he was open to possible talks with U. S. President-elect Donald Trump, who has pledged to negotiate a deal to end the conflict in Ukraine. ” If we meet with Mr. Trump, we will have things to discuss”, he said, without elaborating. Putin stated that Russia is open to compromise in potential peace negotiations with Ukraine. ” Politics is the art of compromise”, he said. We’ve always said we’re willing to go to a compromise point, not the other way around. Putin added that the discussions should be based on” the situation on the ground,” making reference to some of the conditions he had previously stated. Putin has previously demanded that Ukraine acknowledge the benefits of Russia and renounce its bid to join NATO. Both Kyiv and the West have rejected those demands. In his first comments on Assad’s downfall, Putin said that he hadn’t yet met the former Syrian ruler, whom he has given asylum in Moscow, but plans to. He said he would inquire about American journalist Austin Tice, who went missing in Syria 12 years ago. Trending NowTrump upends U. S. government spending deal days before shutdown deadline
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In response to a question from NBC’s Keir Simmons, who cited a letter he claimed Tice’s mother wrote to the Russian leader asking for assistance, Putin said,” We also can pose the question to people who control the situation on the ground in Syria.” To secure its diplomatic and military personnel in the nation and to try to extend the lease on its air and naval bases there, Moscow has contacted the rebels who ousted Assad. 1: 45
Putin says Russia fired hypersonic ballistic missile at Ukraine as warning to the WestBut it’s unclear how much influence Russia will have in Syria. Since Russia has fought for nine years to defend him from the country’s civil war, Assad’s fall has dealt him a painful blow. Putin continued, denying that the events had diminished Moscow and that an airstrike against Assad in support of it had helped it defeat the terrorist organizations in Syria. He claimed that the rebel groups that were battling Assad have changed and that the West is now prepared to form ties with them. ” That means that our goals have been achieved”, Putin said. He described Israel as the “main beneficiary” of Assad’s downfall, noting the deployment of Israeli troops in southern Syria. He expressed hope that Israel would eventually withdraw those forces, but he also noted that it is still constructing them. He stated that Moscow would talk about possible ways to expand Russian bases ‘ presence in Syria with the new government. He continued,” If we stay there, we will need to do something in the interests of the host country,” adding that Moscow offered to use its Hemeimeen air base and a naval base in Tartus for humanitarian aid deliveries. He said the Syrian army’s ability to withstand the opposition offensive and that Russia flew 4, 000 Iranian troops from its Hemeimeem air base to Tehran is an issue that needs to be thoroughly examined by both parties. Putin stated that Russia’s economy is on track to grow by almost 4 % this year as the session kicked off. Putin dodged a question about abortion and pornography in Russia, as well as burying the body of Soviet Union founder Vladmir Lenin, which has been buried in a mausoleum on Red Square for almost a century. He acknowledged that consumer prices are high, with inflation at 9.3 %. The annual event is more of a spectacle than a press conference. Newspapers hurl brightly colored signs and placards in the hall next to the Kremlin to elicit Putin’s attention. More than 2 million questions were submitted by regular people before the show, according to Russian state media.On Thursday, there were route and school closures in Manitoba.
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Below is a list of Manitoba closures and cancellations that were caused by adverse conditions on Thursday, December 19, 2024. Highway cutbacks: Nothing. School cutbacks: Prairie Spirit School DivisionTurtle Mountain School DivisionSouthwest Horizon School DivisionGarden Valley School DivisionBrandon School Division-Alexander ,O’Kelly and Spring Valley SchoolsPrairie Rose School Division-Region A schoolsDSFM- École Notre-Dame-de-Lourdes, École La Cause, and Gilbert-RossetBus delays: Brandon School Division-buses outside the cityRolling River School Division-all busesTrending Then
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This account will be updated as more information becomes available. You can also tune in to 680 CJOB for the latest.
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In the midst of the increase in online streaming, Montrealer is trying to save the DVD.
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Leo Bartels on Films
RELATED: After 15 ages, Leo Bartels, the owner of Leo’s Videos, has suddenly decided to put his business up for sale. The final Video rental business in Kelowna is Lee’s, as of Jul 16, 2019.Discuss this product on Twitter
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One Montrealer is attempting to keep a aging technology known as the D-V-D. Jean-François Hall claims to have sold more than 50 D-V-Ds on craigslist and Facebook Marketplace in the last three years. Hall describes himself as a dragon without having ever watched on Crave or Netflix. He favors to have his own movies, and he’s trying to appeal to online movie enthusiasts who share his sentiments. Hall purchases D=V-Ds in large quantities from slave stores and thrift shops and sells them to buyers all over the nation, some of whom are enthusiasts and others who are just looking for movies they can’t get online. Trending Then
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He uses special written signs to advertise his online business on streetlights and signposts in Montreal, encouraging people to visit his eBay site. Although D-V-D sales have declined in recent years, Hall claims that his company is profitable and that he believes memories did keep customers coming back for good.
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&, version 2024 The Canadian PressGisèle Pelicot’s ex-husband gets 20 years after criminal conviction in murder trial
Gisèle Pelicot said the struggle had been “very hard” and that she had praised the other victims of sexual assault after 51 people were all found guilty on Thursday in the drugging-and-rape test that made her a female warrior. In her first words, she remarked,” We share the similar fight,” after a court in the southern French city of Avignon sentenced a shocking event that shocked France and sparked a national discussion about the bleak of murder culture. After more than three months of court hearings that dealt with her almost ten years of murders and other forms of abuse inflicted on her by her now-ex-husband and his partners, Pelicot, whose courage and stoicism have made her a household name and an image for some people, said she was thinking about her grandkids. ” It’s likewise for them that I led this battle”, she said of her children. The judge sentenced her ex-husband, Dominique Pelicot, to 20 years in prison for drugging and raping her and allowing different men to murder her while she was incapacitated. The greatest statement permitted by French law was used. He was found guilty of every charge against him. It could mean that he spends the rest of his life in jail at the age of 72. He won’t be able to request an earlier discharge until at least the two-thirds of his word has been served. Roger Arata, the guide judge of the court in the southern European town Avignon, told Pelicot to have for the punishment. After it was delivered, he sat back down and cried. One verdict after the other was read out by Arata for Pelicot and the other 50 people who had been tried in the case. You are so found guilty of aggravating murder against Mme. Gisèle Pelicot”, the prosecutor said as he worked his way through titles on the lengthy list of defendants. As judgements were announced, Gisèle Pelicot was seated on one side of the court, facing the accused, and occasionally nodding her head. Arata spent just over an hour delivering the innocent decisions and words. Dominique Pelicot’s attorney, Béatrice Zavarro, said that she would consider a possible elegance, but also expressed desire that Gisèle Pelicot may find relief in the judge’s decisions. ” I wanted Mrs. Pelicot to be able to come from these trials in harmony, and I think that the verdicts may contribute to this pleasure for Mrs. Pelicot”, she said. Only one of the 50 assault suspects was found guilty of aggravated sexual assault, while the other was found not guilty. Another person was also found guilty of the sexual assault charge he was facing, which means that all 51 accused were found guilty in some way or another. Some accused ‘ families cried and gasped as the words were read out in a part room where they had watched the proceedings on television. The proceedings were viewed on their phones by activists gathered outside the courtroom. Some praised the decisions as they were read out and applauded outside. Fruits were carried by some as metaphorical presents for the plaintiffs entering prison. The defendants had requested that Dominique Pelicot receive the greatest sentence of 20 years and sentencing for the others convicted of murder. Although many people received less than a century in prison, the jury was more liberal than prosecutors had hoped. Different than Dominique Pelicot, the defendants received words that ranged from three to fifteen years in prison, with some of them receiving suspended sentences. Arata’s statement that six defendants were now completely precludes the detention of those who have already been held without trial. Domesticique Pelicot acknowledged that he and other virtual strangers he had recruited from the past to misuse his then wife of 50 times while filming the attack. Gisèle Pelicot, 72, is now a 72-year-old mother after what she thought was a loving marriage. Her bravery in the gruesome trial has made her a female warrior of the country as a result of her suffering. The test sparked calling for tougher measures to combat murder culture and sparked calls for more stringent laws to be put in place to combat sexual violence over the course of more than three months. All of the defendants were charged with participating in Dominique Pelicot’s vile murder and mistreatment fantasies that were spewed throughout the couple’s retirement home in Mazan, a little Provence town, and abroad. Dominique Pelicot testified that he secreted sedatives from his then wife in food and drink, which had the power to knock her out for hours. Trending Then
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One of the people was found guilty and given a 12-year prison sentence, not for assaulting Gisèle Pelicot, but for raping his own family with the aid and medications of Dominique Pelicot, who was also found guilty of raping that man’s wife as well. The five courts made their decisions by secret vote, with the majority of the seats going to the convictions and sentences. The trial represented a potential turning point in the fight against sexual assault and the use of drugs to conquer victims, according to activists who opposed sexual violence who hoped for excellent prison sentences. The confidence of Gisèle Pelicot, who has survived sexual abuse, to waive her straight to secrecy and properly pushes for the hearings and surprising information, including videos, to be heard in open judge has sparked discussions on a federal level in France and among families, couples, and friends about how to better protect women and the role that men can enjoy in achieving that goal. Before the verdict, Fanny Foures, 48, joined other women from the feminist group Les Amazones in gluing messages of support for Gisèle Pelicot on walls around Avignon.” Men are starting to talk to women — their girlfriends, mothers, and friends in ways that they hadn’t before,” said Foures, 48. ” It was awkward at first, but now real dialogues are happening”, she said. ” Some women are realizing, maybe for the first time, that their ex-husbands violated them, or that someone close to them committed abuse”, Foures added. Men are beginning to blame their own actions or complicity for things they have done or neglected. It’s heavy, but it’s creating change “.A large banner that campaigners hung on a city wall opposite the courthouse read,” MERC I GISELE” — thank you Gisèle. In September of this year, Dominique Pelicot was first caught by a supermarket security guard filming up women’s skirts. After that, police discovered his library of homemade images, which included more than 20, 000 photos and videos, all recorded on computer drives and kept in folders marked “abuse”, “her rapists,” “night alone,” and other titles, that contained years of abuse inflicted on his wife. Police were drawn to the other defendants by the abundance of evidence. In the videos, investigators counted 72 different abusers, but weren’t able to identify them all. Many of the accused, including Dominique Pelicot, acknowledged that they were guilty of rape, even in the face of video evidence. In France, after the hearings, there was a greater debate about whether the country’s legal definition of rape should include a specific mention of consent. Some defendants argued that Dominique Pelicot’s consent covered his wife, too. Some responded to the husband’s invitations to visit their home by claiming that they hadn’t intended to rape anyone and making an excuse for their behavior. Some attributed the blame to him, saying that he had misled them into believing they were engaging in consensual kink.
After weeks of tumult, what’s following for Trudeau? His choices, explained
This year, Chrystia Freeland’s resignation from the finance ministry revived calling for Justin Trudeau to step over or hold an election. With 2025 set to be an election year and no indications of a Democratic healing ahead, Trudeau is in a crucial position where he must decide whether to stay or leave. A former top Progressive employee, Carlene Variyan of Summa Strategies, who was a former top Democratic employee, said a lot depends on what the prime minister does “in the next 24 days” and that he may step up to strengthen his case as soon as possible and strengthen Canada-U. S. relations staff by showing he’s reorienting toward focusing on the Trump marriage. She added that Trudeau may also change the ministers who previously announced they would not seek reelection.” He needs to sign to his cabinet, conference, and to the country that he continues to be firmly in charge of his government,” she said. After Freeland immediately resigned from the government on Monday, the behind-the-scenes talk in Ottawa social circles started to fade as soon as Wednesday. 2: 21
In light of the political unrest, Trudeau anticipated a government change. Sources: The Progressives may be waiting for the temperature to subside before making the decision to move their top chair and install new ministers to deal with the incoming Trump administration, which threatens to impose 25 % tariffs on Canada. Variyan argued that Trudeau should not wait. She said,” He has a real chance of holding the government together until spring if he can bring that renewed sense of stability and being in charge of his government.” Otherwise, members of the caucus and cabinet could begin “peeling off much earlier than that,” and parliament could fall apart” not long after they come back at the end of January.” The House of Commons has downed tools for the holidays and won’t be back until January 27— after Donald Trump’s inauguration. If Trudeau decides to step down, that gives him until mid-to-late January to consider taking his proverbial “walk in the snow” as his father famously did. According to former Conservative House Leader Peter Van Loan, Trudeau’s decision-making is entirely up to him. ” I firmly believe that one of the reasons he’s hanging on is because he is so far behind in the polls and doesn’t want to be perceived as having been chased out,” he said. Van Loan sees Trudeau’s resignation in January as the most likely outcome, though not one that is guaranteed. All it does is fuelling this environment where he appears to be being chased out. 3: 03
Trudeau likens Freeland’s departure to a family spat, calls Poilievre the’ Grinch’” He’ll stay around as leader until his successor is chosen and the party goes about selecting his successor in, I don’t know, late May, June”, Van Loan suggested, then “nothing happens until there’s a new leader in place “.The party’s national board of directors would name an interim leader until the party grassroots elects a new one, and set a date for the race. In this case, the Liberals would have to really hustle. In contrast to previous leadership contests, the party would likely seek to reserve a spot and organize a race. Under significant rule changes introduced under Trudeau that radically expanded the Liberal party base to anyone who wanted to formally enlist to become a member, making it more than just an exclusive club of paying, card-carrying members, party brass would also have to deal with running the race. If the cost of living and other affordability issues improve, Trudeau might make an effort to carry on as usual and try to hold the door shut until the anticipated fall election date, when the Liberals might have a better chance of winning. Since his party did not implement a formal process for removing its leader, as the Conservative party did when it passed the Reform Act, which ultimately resulted in the removal of former Tory caucus leader ErinO’Toole, Trudeau can remain in power. If a sizable portion of his own caucus called on him to resign, he would have a much harder time retaining control of the position. In this scenario, the ruling party is hoping that voters will become less unimpressed with the Trudeau brand. 2: 23
What led to Freeland’s sudden resignation? The New Democrats would have to continue supporting the government for the duration of the current minority Parliament to succeed. In an interview on CBC’s Power and Politics, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh demanded that Trudeau step down as president, and his House Leader Peter Julian threatened to do so in a confidence vote in February or March if Trudeau stays in office. That could bring an election around March, if the party follows through. House Leader Karina Gould made a point on Tuesday during the inquiry period that the NDP had already endorsed the Liberals in every fall sitting confidence vote. Trending Now3 British men have been charged with beating the restaurant owner in Ontario’s death.
Officer of the Toronto Police ID who had a medical emergency died while on duty.
Late October is the country’s most likely election day, but the Trudeau administration’s House of Commons confidence vote could cause one to fall and trigger one sooner. The government has a lot of control over when those votes take place, and those spending matters, such as the budget and the fall economic statement, are affected by those votes. However, the government has some flexibility in scheduling when putting forward its own confidence votes on special calendar days known as opposition days or supply days. According to the House of Commons standing orders, up to seven of those must be completed by the end of March. They don’t need to be motions of confidence. If the Conservatives, Bloc, and NDP turn down any of these votes, a winter, spring, or summer election could take place, but all of them must assemble in one big one. Once that happens, the campaign period must be at least 37 days but no more than 51 days, according to an Elections Canada backgrounder. Election day must always fall on a Monday. Trudeau could choose to press the pause button on Parliament by proroguing in any of the circumstances. He may make the request to the governor general while the House is in session or after recess. A prorogation would prevent the government from winning early elections and from winning in confidence. And if Trudeau leaves, it would be in a short leadership race. Thomas Hall, a former House of Commons procedural clerk, said there’s a time limit that comes with that move. After a few months, Parliament would have to go back to providing the government with funds to keep the lights on. 1: 15
Trudeau government turmoil’ embarrassing’ for Canada: PoilievreThat’s because once in the past, the late former prime minister Brian Mulroney had prorogued Parliament before it was supposed to return in February in 1989, leaving it shuttered from December through April, and leaving routine spending approvals to the governor general through signing special warrants. Peter Milliken, a former liberal MP, pushed for a private members ‘ bill that would require parliament to vote again on whether to approve the government’s funding request. Due to Milliken’s successful attempt to alter the rules in 1996, Trudeau is unable to go awry throughout the spring session. The House of Commons has been stymied for the majority of the fall due to a privilege debate and a filibuster over the release of documents in an ethics /spending scandal. ” If they prorogue now, any new session they start, there would be no privilege filibuster debate. That would be over with”, said Hall. The opposition might also try to bring that discussion to a head. Hall believes that if Speaker Greg Fergus had handled this debate differently, he might have recently brought it to a close discussion. He predicted that unless the rules are changed, they would be back in place pretty quickly, which would mean that the spring session could be just as sluggish as the fall. ” In order to not have more opposition days where ( the government ) will be defeated, and where they will still face the privilege motion, I think they have no alternative but to prorogue” .6: 21
‘ Not an easy day’: Trudeau speaks for the 1st time since Freeland resignationAfrica’s cities are growing chaotically fast, but there’s still time to get things right – insights from experts
Cities are vital engines of economic growth, innovation and social progress. They shape the futures of nations and the lives of millions.
In Africa, urbanisation is accelerating at an unprecedented pace. Cities are expanding rapidly to accommodate a booming population and a surging demand for jobs, housing and infrastructure. This can make life in many African cities very challenging due to high unemployment rates, limited infrastructure, and issues like housing shortages and inadequate public services.
The good news is that most of Africa’s urbanisation is yet to come, so there is still time to get things right. There’s the opportunity to learn from the successes and challenges faced by cities in other parts of the world.
Over the years we’ve published several articles that offer lessons for Africa’s cities. With this knowledge, African urban centres can build more sustainable, inclusive and resilient spaces that truly meet the needs of their communities.
Urban economist Astrid R.N. Haas writes that Africa is undergoing the fastest urban transition the world has experienced to date. It’s projected that nearly 1 billion more people will live in Africa’s cities by 2050. Earlier, China was in the top spot: between 1978 and 2010, over 700 million people moved to China’s cities.
There are some lessons that African countries can take from China.
As urbanisation progresses, Haas explains, demand for land will rise and therefore so will prices. But the beneficiaries of higher land prices will be property owners, unless there are mechanisms in place to recoup the value. City governments need to try to capture this value, boost revenue and reinvest in public goods and services.
Hong Kong is a prime example of effective land value management. Land revenue has funded high quality public transport, as well as social infrastructure like schools and hospitals.
Hong Kong uses multiple instruments to do this. In this article, Haas unpacks one of these – the land lease system.
Read more:
Raising revenue from land: what African cities might learn from Hong Kong’s unique land-lease system
Cities have historically been the drivers of productivity and engines of economic growth. Astrid R.N. Haas argues, however, that one factor preventing this potential from being unlocked in African cities is how the cities are governed: it matters who makes the decisions and how they do it.
In this article, Haas highlights what it takes to run a city effectively.
First, cities must have institutions with clearly defined mandates. This can be done by creating a single agency responsible for a service or policy decision. In Lagos, Nigeria, for example, an agency was created which coordinates the work of all transport-related entities.
Second, municipal governments need the capacity to implement decisions. For example, in 2013 Baghdad’s deputy mayor created a steering committee to improve the city’s sewerage system. The committee brought together various senior city staff and helped improve the timeliness and overall streamlining of decision making. This contributed towards significant improvements to the city’s sewerage network.
Third, making and implementing decisions requires sufficient legitimacy. This can be done, for instance, through elections, improving public communication or participatory budgeting – a mechanism which creates an established channel for identifying priority projects for people.
Read more:
Getting the right institutions in place to run Africa’s cities efficiently
The need for effective governance is highlighted in this article by urbanisation expert Patricia Jones. She argues that, done right, urbanisation has the potential to raise productivity and living standards across Africa.
Jones writes that successful cities serve two functions: they provide liveable environments for workers and their families; and they provide productive environments for businesses.
To do this, there needs to be a focus on co-ordination and planning.
Read more:
Done right, urbanisation can boost living standards in Africa
One of the challenges to Africa’s cities that needs to be highlighted is unsustainable urbanisation. It creates a situation where infrastructure development and service delivery aren’t keeping pace with the city’s growth, creating an unsafe and unhealthy environment. One approach to dealing with this is through family planning.
Demographer Sunday Adedini explored how family planning policies and urban development programmes in Nigeria were linked between 2000 and 2020. His study found that family planning and urban development actors mostly worked in silos. This was a result of systemic barriers like the lack of a policy framework and support for sectors to work together.
This suggests that there’s a need to integrate family planning and health more effectively into urban and territorial planning. This will contribute to preventing unsustainable urbanisation and urban poverty.
Read more:
Nigeria’s cities are growing fast: family planning must be part of urban development plans
Kenya’s Hustler Fund is a flop. Why president Ruto’s plan to loan money to entrepreneurs hasn’t worked
It’s two years since Kenyan president William Ruto, in what seemed like a political gamble, rolled out a government-run microcredit scheme popularised as the Hustler Fund. Worth 50 billion shillings (US$409 million) a year over a five-year period, the low-interest loans were touted as the “magic formula” to start or grow micro, small and medium businesses. Now the fund faces an uncertain future owing to a high default rate. Eric Magale, who studies the complex relationship between finance, livelihoods and development, explains what went wrong.
What is the Hustler Fund?
Kenya’s 2022 general election campaigns were held amid a severe cost of living crisis and deepening poverty levels. The two leading candidates proposed two distinct economic strategies.
The Azimio coalition led by Raila Odinga proposed a monthly cash transfer for 2 million poor families.
But it was the proposal of the winning Kenya Kwanza coalition led by Ruto that saw the light of day. The coalition campaign self-identified as the “hustler movement” to appeal to people who were struggling economically. Ruto pledged a Hustlers’ Fund which would dispense microloans straight to mobile phones “at single-digit interest”. The intention was that the loans would be used to start businesses and help “hustlers” make their way out of poverty. They were primarily aimed at women and young people.
To qualify for a loan, all the applicant requires is a valid national identity document and a registered mobile number. A person can borrow a small amount (500-50,000 shillings or roughly US$4-400) for 14 days. The loans are given and repaid through the M-Pesa platform.
Unlike traditional loans offered by banks, loans offered under the scheme don’t require collateral. Instead, it makes use of credit scores to assess potential borrowers. The hope is that access to financial services will lift people out of poverty.
The significance of the Hustler Fund was that the government became a micro-lender. This controversial new role was applauded by the financial inclusion lobby as a way to correct failures in the credit market.
What was the background to the fund?
Digital lending entails offering loans though digital channels such as mobile applications or websites. These are integrated with a borrower’s mobile money account, through which they receive and repay their loan. As opposed to the traditional, in-person way of giving secured loans, digital lending is impersonal, given that it uses credit scores to instantaneously assess a loan application. Digital loans are also unsecured – they dispense with the need for collateral. They are often used for short-term purposes because they are small amounts with a short loan tenure.
Digital lending in Kenya started in 2012 with the launch of M-shwari. The digital lending industry grew fast while remaining unregulated. At the time of my doctoral research on the digital lending industry in 2021 and 2022, there were a few hundred digital lenders in the market. But the industry was dogged by high interest rates, stiff penalties for default and hidden fees.
Ruto’s initiative came at a time when the digital credit industry was at its peak and when the Central Bank of Kenya started to regulate it in a bid to root out unethical practices. By October 2024, regulation efforts had seen the number of licensed digital lenders reduce to 85.
Digital loans are more expensive than other formal sources of credit in Kenya. A 2020 study found that many lenders charged annual interest upwards of 300%. In some cases it was impossible to tell what the credit cost amounted to. High interest was intertwined with overly aggressive debt collection strategies and misuse of personal data. Lenders sometimes threatened to shame defaulters by revealing how much they owed.
The key difference between the loan offered under Ruto’s scheme and other digital loans was the low interest rate, set at 8%. Other digital loans charge interest of between 20% and 30% for a 30-day loan.
After its launch in November 2022, Kenyans took up the hustler loan in large numbers. As at August 2024, there were roughly 21 million borrowers. The Hustler Fund has the most active loans in the market, taking a 45% share of the active loans in the digital lending industry. M-Shwari has 28% of all active loans.
What’s gone wrong?
Most borrowers haven’t repaid their loans. The government reported that 19 million of the 21 million Kenyans who took the hustler loan have defaulted. This has left only 2 million borrowers who continue to borrow regularly.
In absolute terms, the loan defaulted amount as at October 2023 stood at 10 billion shillings, representing roughly 27% of all disbursements. This represents a significantly higher default rate than that of other formal credit providers, which stood at roughly 15%. This is high. Other non-bank digital lenders such as Tala report default rates of as low as 5%.
The government has ramped up debt tracing measures, including a proposal to raid the M-Pesa accounts of defaulters. This is a last-gasp attempt to sustain the fund, which was designed to operate as a revolving fund. In other words, repaying the loan would make money available to lend to someone else.
There is one chief reason why the fund faces a sustainability crisis. The loans dispensed are largely used for day-to-day household consumption rather than income-generating purposes. Nearly 70% of small business owners who tapped the fund’s microloans in 2023 used it for household expenses. Only 18.1% applied it to their businesses.
As I found in my research, most of the 21 million loan applicants would only qualify for the minimum amount, between 500 and 1,000 shillings. This is hardly enough to start up or working capital even for small enterprise.
Far from building up capital, the loans just get people into worse debt. This was evidenced in my previous research as well as the work of several other scholars. Its dangers and extent have recently been documented in the media.
What lessons can be drawn, and what next?
Proponents of financial inclusion assert that digital loans can be used as a springboard to entrepreneurship. This narrative has been carried by the powerful financial inclusion lobby and has been bought up by the political class. However, it simply does not work in practice.
As I argued on the basis of my research in Kenya, financial inclusion doesn’t mean borrowing for convenience. It must be designed so it doesn’t worsen poverty and inequality.
The challenges are not unique to Kenya. The microcredit model has permeated the global south since the 1990s with the backing of the international development community. They say extending credit alleviates poverty, in spite of evidence to the contrary.
The moral justification to refuse to pay debt has been highlighted by anthropologists Jean-Pierre Olivier de Sardan and David Graeber, who argue that refusing to pay a loan can be considered legitimate action in an immoral, corrupt or unjust society. In his book Weapons of the Weak, American political scientist and anthropologist
James C Scott views this as a new form of peasant resistance. That is, the ability of people to redefine and subvert policies and strategies of the elite.It is unclear what the Hustler Fund’s failure and imminent collapse will mean for politics of the day. But the time is ripe for a rethink of the fund.