Carla came close

So NDP leader Carla Beck came close, but it doesn't look like she will be Saskatchewan's new premier:

Latest update from Saskatchewan election website
44.53% so far

270,000 advance
100,000 election day ? pic.twitter.com/a6mqROe2i7

— 🇨🇦🩸Jennifer vaxxed, masking (opt luvhkng cal) (@Iluvhikingjen) October 29, 2024

There are some very close seats, and the mail-in ballots still remain to be counted:

Elections SK issued 32K mail ballots. Returned ballots will be counted in the final count on November 9th. pic.twitter.com/O3GGTYmwqA

— Wilbur Turner 🇨🇦🌈 (@queergranddad) October 29, 2024

Sask Party's Greatest Screw-Up Hits!

I just saw this amazing thread from Regina Poster Boy about the Sask Party's parade of screw-ups and I had to share it tonight -- our Saskatchewan election is Monday!  Its very long, but I'll break it on Monday night when I post another tweet. The latest polls show Carla Beck and the NDP maybe winning a majority of the Sask seats, and this can't come too soon for me!

Today's News: Pre-emptive surrender from the gutless Washington Post and LA Times

Can't really describe how terrified I am about the US election -- I hope and pray that Harris can close the deal with the American people. 

Her rally last night in Houston was epic, as was the Kalamazoo rally today.

But talking earlier tonight with our son, we agreed how dark the situation is today compared to 2016. Then, people could say they didn't know what to expect with Trump, but now they know exactly what he will do, yet millions of Americans still want to vote for him.  

We are seeing both cowardice and courage in the United States now, and I just don't know whether the courage will be enough. 

Cowardice: 

The news that the billionaires who own the LA Times and the Washington Post are just too gutless to endorse Harris is discouraging -- can America demand more courage from its ordinary people than it is getting from its richest?

Billionaires spent all week making the best arguments I've ever seen for why they should be globally taxed out of existence.

— Patrick Spooky Tomlinson (@stealthygeek) October 25, 2024

Jeff Bezos being too afraid of Trump to allow the Post to endorse Kamala is probably a better argument for how dangerous Trump is than anything the Post's editorial board would've written.

— Daily Trix (@DailyTrix) October 25, 2024

The billionaire class in America is making a very good case for its own demise. People, Americans in particular, don’t tend to begrudge someone for making a lot of money, especially if they did it making a product people find useful. But when they start buying elections, and… https://t.co/YhgtHh1hRg

— Andrew Coyne 🇺🇦🇮🇱 (@acoyne) October 26, 2024

It turns out “democracy dies in darkness” was not a motto but a prophecy.

— David Rothkopf (@djrothkopf) October 25, 2024

Wrapping up the week with some great news for the Sask NDP and Carla Beck

Carla Beck may well be Saskatchewan's new premier, according to today's Mainstreet poll:

This is such great news:

Final Mainstreet poll predicts Sask NDP will win the popular vote in a close race to the finish. https://t.co/TKJNkMwQkg

— Sask Votes 🌾 🗳️ (@SaskVotes2024) October 26, 2024

I have been reading news snippets over the last week or so about how Carla Beck and the NDP are moving ahead of Scott Moe's tired old Saskatchewan Party but I couldn't really believe it. 

The Mainstreet poll highlighted above finally puts Beck ahead by more than the margin of error, from surveys completed two days ago.

Not only that, but hey...Carla Beck will make a great premier!

Today's News: "Get the clearance, take the briefing, protect the country"

A week ago, when Poilievre's lack of a security clearance first hit the fan, because of Trudeau's testimony to the foreign interference inquiry, reporter Stephen Chase tweeted a statement from Poilievre's office -- they tried very very hard to perish the thought that a security clearance is important, saying our boy doesn't really need one anyway, not really....:

Pierre Poilievre received a briefing Monday from the PM's national security adviser on the allegations against India, his office said Tuesday. "If the government believes that there is further information that Mr. Poilievre needs to know, they can, through CSIS, utilize 'threat reduction measures' under section 12.1 of the CSIS Act, to make further information available in a manner that would not limit Mr. Poilievre’s ability to speak to Canadians," his office said Tuesday.

Hmmm -- but that wasn't good enough:

Worth noting, every level of law enforcement, leaders of every party and all three levels of government are now basically saying Pierre Poilievre is hiding from his NatSc background check for obvious reasons. pic.twitter.com/1QaVBTkxY3

— Dean Blundell🇨🇦 (@ItsDeanBlundell) October 22, 2024

Hmmm -- so now Poilievre is getting Liberal zingers, with Trudeau leading off:

“Get the clearance

Take the briefing

Protect the country”

Priceless.⬇️ https://t.co/cEwkWwSp0F

— Ana Lia Pauchulo She/Her (@Ana_Pauchulo) October 23, 2024

Today's News: Afternoon of the Rubber Knives, Liberal Caucus Edition

You could almost hear Ottawa deflate this afternoon as the Liberal caucus "let's get rid of Trudeau!" frenzy squiffed out. Night of the Long Knives turned into the Fish-Slapping sketch.

CBC gives us the (un)exciting play-by-play:

...Sources speaking to Radio-Canada said that 24 MPs signed an agreement to call on Trudeau to step down as Liberal leader.

Two sources told CBC News that B.C. MP Patrick Weiler read out a separate document — which laid out an argument for Trudeau's resignation — during the meeting. MPs were given two minutes each to address the room during the three-hour-long meeting. About 20 — none of them cabinet ministers — stood up to urge Trudeau to step aside before the next election, sources said. But a number of MPs also stood to voice support for the prime minister.

The dissident MPs gave Trudeau until Oct. 28 to decide on his future, sources said.

Boy, sounds like they really drew a line in the sand for Trudeau, eh? 

Well, maybe not so much. 

The story continues:

But no consequences attached to that deadline were mentioned in the document read to caucus Wednesday.

The prime minister himself addressed the meeting and two MPs told CBC News that he became emotional when he talked about his children having to see "F--- Trudeau" signs in public.

At the end of the meeting, Trudeau said he would reflect on what he heard but didn't indicate that he would resign.

Several MPs left Wednesday's meeting indicating that they'd had an open conversation on which caucus members needed to reflect. Others said that the party is "united" in fighting the Conservatives and their leader Pierre Poilievre.

So, not exactly drawing another line in the sand either.  

In fact, apparently everybody is singing Kumbaya together now:

"It was a great discussion, the type of discussion that Canadians would be proud to see," Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne said.

"What really matters in the end is that we come out of that caucus meeting united, resolved and delivering for Canadians."

"One thing that we're united on — everybody — is beating Poilievre," Tourism Minister Soraya Martinez Ferrada said.

Immigration Minister Marc Miller acknowledged the frustrations of some MPs and said he respects those who voiced those frustrations directly to the prime minister.

"Fundamentally, this is something that has been simmering for some time and it's important for people to get it out," he said.

"This isn't a code red situation. The prime minister can sure as hell handle the truth."

Ontario MP Nathaniel Erskine-Smith said it was a "healthy conversation" but argued that Trudeau needs to take the message from disaffected MPs to heart.

"The prime minister has to listen to the frustrations — and in some cases the really valid frustrations — of his caucus colleagues and incorporate that into changes moving forward," he told reporters as he left the caucus meeting.

It's not clear what changes Liberal MPs are asking for, or if Trudeau promised anything. Erskine-Smith indicated that he thinks the Liberals need to focus on advertising

Aha! So what is really pissing off the back bench is those repetative Conservative "Mountain Pierre common man of the people" ads  Well, yeah, I can understand that -- they're driving us all around the bend.

Today in the Stupid: Trump

That's it. 

That's the title. 

Two weeks to go but I think America has already reached its gag limit. 

The McDonald's stunt may have been the last.

Tim Walz has ZERO f*cks to give:

“At McDonald's, he looks more like Ronald McDonald and Ronald wears less makeup. Everything about this guy is fake - next he's going to tell you he's a cop or construction worker because he dances to the Village People."

pic.twitter.com/b4wSFal9o5

— CALL TO ACTIVISM (@CalltoActivism) October 22, 2024

Post by @craig_anthony99

Today's News: Provincial elections; and another friendly sausage-maker moment

We've had two provincial elections in the last week -- BC was a squeaker for its progressive party, but New Brunswick was a resounding progressive success.

Canadian Media today: BC elections reflect the political state of Canada, and it doesn't look good for Trudeau.

Canadian Media tomorrow: NB elections reflect 100% local issues and do not reflect the political status of Canada.

— Antonio Foix 🇮🇹🇨🇦🏳️‍🌈 (@Aho2ToMan) October 21, 2024

Funnies and Long Threads: from King Charles to airplane seats; from hurricane stories to Bob Dylan

Let's start with some funnies:

Post by @patricknessbooks

View on Threads

Post by @ogginblog

View on Threads

Post by @the.language.nerds

View on Threads

Did anybody have "Big Dick Envy" on their Trump Bingo Card?

Trump just can't hold it back anymore:

A nonzero number of Americans are voting for Trump so they can call stuff “gay” again and meanwhile their guy’s out here lost in a reverie about the late Arnold Palmer’s literal penis pic.twitter.com/2mHtuZqnwT

— Pablo Torre 🕳️ (@PabloTorre) October 19, 2024

Big dick envy:

(📢) This is real. There is something wrong with Donald Trump. Even Republicans are saying so now.

From THE NEW YORK TIMES: pic.twitter.com/3vrHW1t8rS

— Seth Abramson (@SethAbramson) October 20, 2024

Arnold Palmer was “appalled” by Trump, his daughter Peg said (in 2020):

“My dad didn’t like people who act like they’re better than other people. He had no patience for people who are dishonest and cheat. My dad was disciplined. He wanted to be a good role model. He was appalled… pic.twitter.com/khpr88QIOE

— Republicans against Trump (@RpsAgainstTrump) October 20, 2024

Comedy tonight: Poilievre lettuce-watch, plus some funny stuff about Trump, Harris, birds, art, dogs, dope, and being old

The Poilievre lettice watch begins:

Start the countdown. Pierre Poilievre or this head of lettuce. pic.twitter.com/zUHF4u7XPS

— Roddy 🇨🇦 (@RodKahx) October 16, 2024

POILIEVRE'S CAT pic.twitter.com/5NfqfCGl9z

— Brittlestar (@brittlestar) October 17, 2024

Hey, really folks, it was only a little light treason...

Elizabeth May isn’t the hero we asked for, but she may be the one we need. https://t.co/nGz2HrkjVW

— Jason P. (@JasonPYYC) October 18, 2024

Starting a sentence off with “Listen you lunatics” is a great way to show people a valid point.

The coping that is happening right now with the slogan fuckalopes is just hilarious. pic.twitter.com/EfJpL9DCBg

— JB | Polisci (@cdnpoli101) October 17, 2024

Having some fun now! Trudeau at the PIFI hearing, and Harris on Fox News

First, Trudeau testified at the Public Inquiry into Foreign Interference hearings today. 

Trudeau was supposed to be embarassed, bumbling, and exposed by this inquiry - but instead, it was Poilievre who found himself stumbling -- unfit to lead because he won't, or can't, get a high-enough security clearance for CSIS briefings. 

Reminded me a lot of this old skiing cartoo - stunned Poilievre doesn't know what hit him, while competent Trudeau continues on his merry way:

PIERRE POILIEVRE IS NOT A SERIOUS PERSON.
Watch and listen (clip from the PM's testimony at the Public Inquiry into Foreign Interference – October 16, 2024 ~11:50am). pic.twitter.com/oRFtwpf7HK

— AMC 🇨🇦 (@AMCinHogtown) October 16, 2024

Trudeau calls it “bewildering” and “inexplicable” that Pierre Poilievre will not get the necessary top secret clearance to protect the integrity of the Conservative Party of Canada.

— Judy Trinh (@judyatrinh) October 16, 2024

Two former CSIS directors have just said that there isn’t a justification for briefing Poilievre’s chief of staff when Poilievre himself won’t get the clearance. #PnPCBC

— Dale Smith (@journo_dale) October 16, 2024

Also an excellent summary tonight from Wesley Wark A National Security PM? One more word on the PM’s testimony before PIFI

...He was forthright in stating that he was astonished to learn, for the first time through CSIS evidence presented to the Inquiry, about a liberal Parliamentarian who had been targeted by FI. He said he should have been alerted but also claimed that the changes that have made to the dissemination of intelligence would guarantee that if these events had happened in the present he would have been informed.

But then the PM turned to how best to ensure that all political parties were aware of foreign interference. He expressed some reservations about a policy of briefing Parliamentarians using intelligence information. But he extolled the value of bringing all opposition party leaders into the secret tent so that they could be made aware of intelligence on foreign interference threats targeting Canadians and their parties. This requires opposition leaders to be security cleared to a high level so that they can receive classified briefings. Jagmeet Singh for the NDP and Elizabeth May for the Greens have taken this step. Yves-Francois Blanchet for the Bloc said he would, but appears not to have followed through. The PM said he regarded this approach as non-partisan in nature. Knowledge raises all boats.

But then the PM went on to unleash a fierce attack on the Conservative Party leader, Pierre Poilievre, for his refusal to obtain a security clearance. He called this decision by Poilievre “bewildering,” “lacking in common sense,” and “irresponsible.” He stated later in cross-examination that Poilievre lacked seriousness about national security and appeared unconcerned that his own leadership race may have been impacted by foreign interference. There was a to and fro with the counsel for the Conservative Party on this. It got juicy. I think Trudeau won that one on points.

This was both an electioneering moment and a legacy moment. The PM positioning himself as best placed to defend the country’s national security and deliver policies and actions in the national interest. ...

Today's News: Quick Takes on Trudeau, Poilievre, the House of Commons, Harris, Trump, the US Election, and Brexit

Just a few Quick Takes - some stuff  worth reading tonight:

Trudeau

My latest: This is not a diplomatic spat — it’s state terrorism, and Canada is right to call it out https://t.co/GZGbDh6kNU pic.twitter.com/jOYXwM6RyM

— Andrew Coyne 🇺🇦🇮🇱 (@acoyne) October 15, 2024

WAKE UP
Seriously, the future depends on these two people. The alternatives are unthinkable. There are very dark days ahead if demented Trump & sociopathic Poilievre are running the show and driving our democracies into the dirt. #IStandWithTrudeau2025 #HarrisWalz2024 pic.twitter.com/YY5oe0tYGW

— IslandMan (@LaBeaujardine) October 13, 2024

I’m posting this slow-motion clip of Justin Trudeau running his fingers through his hair just to watch Maple MAGA heads explode. pic.twitter.com/smG1yRATss

— cαηα∂α нαтεs тя☭мρ (@Trump_Detester) September 26, 2024

Today's News: Extraordinary warning about threats from India

Well, I was going to put up a light-hearted post tonight about Thanksgiving - cartoons, nice stories, etc. 

But then this happened:

RCMP Commissioner Michael Duheme told a news conference in Ottawa that the force decided to take the “extraordinary” step of warning the public after Indian government officials refused to co-operate in an investigation into the threats #cdnpoli #ParlCA https://t.co/P0CxbKjJL3

— iPolitics (@iPoliticsCA) October 15, 2024

The Toronto Star article gives us a blow-by-blow of how Canada tried to inform India about its findings: Inside Canada’s struggle to engage with the Modi government — and why it ended with the expulsion of six Indian diplomats RCMP alleges that Indian diplomats and consular officials in Canada are tied to murders, violence, intimidation and threats against Canadians.

...The two countries each expelled six diplomats as the Mounties disclosed their suspicions in a news conference after efforts by top Canadian officials, in Washington and Singapore, failed over the past week to resolve an impasse in their investigations.

RCMP Commissioner Mike Duheme told reporters that the situation required immediate public disclosure in an effort to disrupt what is going on.

...So far, Duheme said, eight people have been charged in Canada with homicides — although he refused to specify the number of Canadian deaths or the time frame involved.

And 22 individuals stand charged with extortion, or acts of intimidation, coercion, threats and harassment that Canadian authorities now see as likely connected to agents acting at the Indian government’s direction. Police have given warnings to 13 Canadians since last September that they are potential targets of Indian agents. Some have received multiple threats, and they have been on the rise in recent weeks, police say.

More explosive is the allegation that Indian government officials posted in Canada are “directly” linked to the violence.

...things ramped up in earnest about six weeks ago.

The RCMP had by then determined a pattern in a series of investigations in a number of cities across Canada, the sources said: it appeared Indian diplomats and consular officials in Canada were conveying information about the movements and activities of certain Canadians back to Indian intelligence officials in India’s external intelligence agency, the Research and Analysis Wing, known as RAW.

According to the sources, speaking confidentially in order to discuss Canada’s findings, that information appeared to be then conveyed to a criminal gang in India, whose leader Lawrence Bishnoi is in Indian prison custody but uncharged, and in turn passed on to individuals in Canada who police allege are “agents of India” acting to intimidate, threaten and even kill Canadians.

The prime minister, Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly and Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc told reporters on Monday that the primary targets of the interference have been Sikh Canadians, but said the threats went beyond that community to include other South Asian Canadians. All three said they have shared the information with counterparts in the “Five Eyes” intelligence alliance that includes the U.S., U.K., Australia and New Zealand....

Today's News: Freaking Out about the Presidential Polls

 

https://www.270towin.com/mp

Three weeks to go and the Presidential polls are freaking everyone out:

If you are noticing that the only national polls Trump is leading in are the ones taken by a single far-right polling outfit known to be run by a Trumpist you are reading this image correctly pic.twitter.com/Y810f4z1rv

— Seth Abramson (@SethAbramson) October 13, 2024

Cannot stress enough that Rs would not be dropping dozens of polls into the battlegrounds to move the polling averages if they thought they were winning.

Harris leads by 4 in PA in new NYT poll. More red wave polls there than any other state. https://t.co/YruOCllTBx

— Simon Rosenberg (@SimonWDC) October 12, 2024

With three weeks to go we should note that Rs have dropped more than 60 polls into the polling averages over the last few weeks to red wave 2024.

The only reason they would be doing that is that if they though they were losing. https://t.co/p0AwV6wH6v

— Simon Rosenberg (@SimonWDC) October 14, 2024

More desperate, losing candidate vibes from Trump: 6/https://t.co/tgZXEWHH4z

— Simon Rosenberg (@SimonWDC) October 12, 2024