Round-up: Tumbler Ridge Vigil; commentaries from Coyne & Smith; observations about US-Canada relations; Olympic Catch-up

First, some posts about the Tumbler Ridge Vigil

CARNEY: "When you wake up tomorrow, and the world feels impossible, know that millions of Canadians are with you ... Because Canada is a community that relies on each other's grace. And may that grace bless us all."

- Scott Robertson

Read on Substack

Pierre Poilievre reads a short poem for the victims of Tumbler Ridge.

- Scott Robertson

Read on Substack

EBY: "Things are going to be different but there are going to be things that are familiar and one of those things is the courage and the bravery and the amazing kids, the students, the young adults, the people of Tumbler Ridge."

- Scott Robertson

Read on Substack

An amazing photo:

A once in a lifetime photo🇨🇦.

- #Francesk🇨🇦

Read on Substack

The beautiful poem (pdf) that Poilievre read made me cry, ending "So when tomorrow starts without me, Don’t think we’re far apart. For every time you think of me, I’m right here in your heart."

This is the grace that PM Carney was talking about:

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And this is the bravery that Premier Eby was talking about:

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Next, here are some good commentaries on recent events

Lions in winter- Andrew Coyne
In The Globe and Mail, Andrew Coyne writes There is power in the roar of Canada’s lions in winter (gift link)

...They are the lions in winter: former political leaders who, with their country in danger, have returned to a sort of quasi-public life, offering their advice, their encouragement and their example to help steady a nervous nation.
In recent months, a parade of former leaders – Stephen Harper, Stéphane Dion, Bob Rae, Jean Chrétien, as well as some of more recent vintage, like Jason Kenney – have entered the fray, roaring their defiance of Donald Trump, taking the battle to the separatists in our midst, and calling for steadfastness and unity in the face of these multiple threats to the country’s existence...
There have been few more startling interventions in Canadian political debate than Mr. Harper’s declaration, in the panicky aftermath of Mr. Trump’s first musings about forcing Canada into 51st statehood, that he would be prepared to “accept any level of damage” if he were still prime minister, even “to impoverish the country,” rather than see it be annexed by the United States.
It was stark, it was bracing, and it helped stiffen a lot of spines that were in danger of going wobbly, especially on the Conservative side – as have Mr. Harper’s more recent statements. It is heartening, in the same vein, to see Mr. Dion suiting up to do battle against a new generation of separatists, this time in Alberta, with the same mix of rigorous logic and close questioning.
Mr. Rae’s recent writings and public statements have helped us understand the severity of the threat posed by the United States under Mr. Trump, and what we can do to survive it. Mr. Kenney is all over social media and elsewhere, pouring scorn on the lunacies of Mr. Trump, the MAGA movement generally, and their northern acolytes.
They no longer have the power to shape events directly. But their experience as veterans of the political wars – often against each other – gives their voices a special resonance. They remind us that we are not so divided as all that, that we have triumphed together over past dangers, that in this moment of national peril we are not lost or alone. The past is still with us. And so is our future.

Well, I'm glad THAT'S settled- Dale Smith

The Supreme Court ruled that provincial restrictions during a public health emergency, like COVID, are constitutional. Thanks heavens!

For the late/west coast crowd, my latest for @cba-nationalmag.bsky.social on today's #SCC decision, where the Court ruled that Newfoundland and Labrador's COVID travel restrictions were constitutional, but they couldn't agree on just which mobility rights were violated. #cdnlaw

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— Dale Smith (@journodale.bsky.social) February 13, 2026 at 11:00 PM

Dale Smith writes:

....Joshua Shaw, a law professor at the University of Saskatchewan, says the decision is an affirmation that there are proper limits to liberty in medical emergencies, and that we have collective responsibilities to one another. The majority was clear that public health is an integral value in a free and democratic society, and that it constitutes a pressing and substantial objective for government action.
“It’s a positive decision for those very reasons, recognizing that there are exceptional situations like a pandemic of the scale of COVID that require limitations on our liberties and freedoms,” he says. ...

Next, some random posts on the US-Canada relations these days:

RAJ: "If you read the National Security policy, they view Canada as a client state and that is that is how the White House wants Canada to exist. And so everything that Canada does to suggest that it's pulling away from the orbit of the US is a threat to Donald Trump."

- Scott Robertson

Read on Substack

Andrew Coyne on Trump's Gordie Howe bridge threats: "This is coming at a moment when there's a whole bunch of things happening that are going against Trump's direction. He is rapidly losing altitude ... This may be another marker of his declining power."

- Scott Robertson

Read on Substack

Hey CANADA! Please help us out with tourism after we threatened repeatedly to invade your country and tariff the f*ck out of your exports. WTH 🤦 I say, keep staying away from us. We’re like an abusive ex who constantly gaslights and hits you, then is like, “Hey baby, I didn’t mean it. You know I’m just dealing with some stuff.”

- Wes O'Donnell

Read on Substack

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My latest: With his new auto sector strategy and a plan to double grid capacity, Mark Carney isn't just talking a good game on diversifying our trade relationships away from America. He's also building a roadmap to Canada's low-carbon future. #cdnpoli www.nationalobserver.com/2026/02/13/o...

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— Max Fawcett (@maxfawcett.bsky.social) February 13, 2026 at 9:30 AM

Several companies, including at least one Canadian energy giant, are “kicking the tires” on a long-touted vision to export oil, gas, minerals and agricultural products through Churchill, bringing the dream of a trade corridor to the Hudson Bay coast closer to reality, Premier Wab Kinew says.

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— Winnipeg Free Press (@winnipegfreepress.com) February 11, 2026 at 2:01 PM

Olympic Catch-up
Click here for Canada's Day 7 results and click here for what is coming on Day 9.

Canada won no medals today but this is an outstanding skate to enjoy from Gogolev:

Canadian figure skater Stephen Gogolev had the second-best free program of the night. He finishes 5th in his first Olympics. Less than a point and a half away from the podium. With so much pressure in this venue today, Gogolev skated freely, confidently, beautifully.

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— Devin Heroux (@devinheroux.bsky.social) February 13, 2026 at 4:15 PM

I thought this was fun too:

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Things got a little testy on social media today as a batch of newly-minted self-proclaimed curling rules experts swung into action to debate the Canada-Sweden game and as another batch of self-proclaimed figure-skating experts were shocked at Malinin's results.
First, the curling controversy:

CURLING BEEF! CURLING BEEF! CURLING BEEF! CURLING BEEF! (I never post Olympic videos bc the IOC will hunt you down but I am taking that risk so that you can hear the Canadian curling cursing)

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— Rodger Sherman (@rodger.bsky.social) February 13, 2026 at 3:44 PM

it's even funnier bc the Canadian 100% did the thing the Swede was accusing him of bsky.app/profile/suss...

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— Rodger Sherman (@rodger.bsky.social) February 13, 2026 at 3:51 PM

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Next, the Malinin skate:


I do think marking Malinin down to an 8th place finish was a little harsh - I wonder if the judges were basically penalizing him for their own disappointment, because everyone had anticipated such a great performance and seeing him fall twice was such a letdown.
Here are two worthwhile comments:

This shouldn’t get lost in all of tonight. Within seconds of learning his 8th place fate — a nightmare unfolding for him — Ilia Malinin congratulated Mikhail Shaidorov. He’s had to grow up fast in the spotlight. And showed immense class in a crushing moment for him.

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— Devin Heroux (@devinheroux.bsky.social) February 13, 2026 at 4:59 PM

we did the same thing to ilia malinin that we did to simone biles. there’s a serious problem with how we talk about these athletes. we act like the gold medal already belongs to them before the competition starts. it fucks with their heads

— andy (@iamandyholt.bsky.social) February 14, 2026 at 1:37 AM

Yes, very true.
And Simone Biles was actually at the arena today.

It’s now past midnight here in Milan. And I’m on the subway to the hotel. Canadian fans from the hockey game are spilling onto the subway, jubilant and cheery after another victory. This has been one of the more chaotic days I’ve covered in my five Olympics.

— Devin Heroux (@devinheroux.bsky.social) February 13, 2026 at 5:20 PM