China’s new climate change goals HOH p.2 virtually guarantee the world will also miss the never-exceed goal of well below two degrees, and that’s very bad news Michael Harris p.11 Gwynne Dyer p. 12 Hill Climbers p.21 THIRTY-FIRST YEAR, NO. 1766 CANADA’S POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT NEWSPAPER MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2020 $5.00 News News News ‘It’s much Liberal fall lonelier’: MPs Lapse in early pandemic agenda takes talk about warning system ‘a colossal shape: what’s doing politics new, and in the age of failure,’ says former federal what has to the pandemic go through BY ABBAS RANA Liberal health minister the House ackbench MPs say the global ‘We would have been far better prepared, we would have BY PETER MAZEREEUW Bpandemic has turned doing retail politics on its head, that had far more robust tools at our disposal, had we not put concrete legislative agenda legislative job is much lonelier A for the government is finally without all the human interaction GPHIN to sleep,’ said former health minister Ujjal Dosanjh. beginning to take shape for the on the Hill and in the ridings, and first time since last fall’s elec- some even say pressing the flesh tion, after the Sept. 23 Throne could be off bounds forever. Speech highlighted at least 20 Liberal MP Judy Sgro (Hum- commitments that will have to ber River-Black Creek, Ont.) and go through the House of Com- other MPs told The Hill Times that, mons in the new session of as a result of the pandemic, the Parliament. Continued on page 6 Continued on page 18 News News ‘We have to put Conservative the safety of riding presidents, Canadians first,’ 2019 candidates says NDP MP want O’Toole Jenny Kwan, as to deliver on Parliamentarians promise to return to work return election Canada’s federal Health Minister Patty Hajdu, pictured May 26, 2020, arriving on the Hill for a media availability in West Publications Mail Agreement #40068926 in-person and Block to update Canadians on the response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade rebates virtually BY ABBAS RANA BY MIKE LAPOINTE under this government’s watch was Former health minister Ujjal BY MIKE LAPOINTE “a colossal failure,” with the Bloc Dosanjh, who was in the role ith Erin O’Toole now in ollowing the abrupt resignation Québécois’ health critic saying the from 2004 to 2006 under former Wplace as the Conservative Ps on all sides of the aisle Fof the Public Health Agency of new president of PHAC will have prime minister Paul Martin, told Party leader, riding association Mwho represent ridings far Canada’s (PHAC) president Tina to work hard to rebuild the agency The Hill Times that “the Public presidents and former candidates from Ottawa are adjusting to the Namiesniowski on Sept. 18, a for- “so that it can be more efficient in Health Agency isn’t an agency are eagerly waiting for him to challenges of politics in the mer federal health minister says the carrying out its duties [of] preven- that’s supposed to sleep, ever. deliver on his promise to return lapse in the Global Public Health In- tion, detection and management of Continued on page 4 telligence Network (GPHIN)’s role public health crises.” Continued on page 16 Continued on page 7 2 MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2020 | THE HILL TIMES for its “historic Emmy’s sweep.” “Con- Tributes continue to pour gratulations … for bringing such joy and in for the late PM Turner humour to all our lives these past six years. The late And to all Canadians who were nominated former prime this year, we’re so proud of your great Heard on the Hill minister John work too.” Satirical outlet The Beaverton, Turner will always on top of these things, quickly continue to joked with its own headline: “Emmy sweep by Palak Mangat be the subject inspires Canadian government to add an- of tribute on other nickel to arts funding jar.” Wednesday, Sept. 30, when the Pearson Controversy hits former NDP O’Toole describes himself Centre hosts a webinar MP Cullen as British Columbia to honour to hit polls on Oct. 24 Canada’s 17th Former as a ‘smartass’ kid, talks prime minister well-regarded who spent 23 NDP MP years as an The House paid tribute to Nathan Cul- MP. Turner, the late and former prime len, who was about how his mother’s who died minister John Turner, pictured an MP for 15 peacefully in in this undated photograph, years before Toronto on last week. The Hill Times file he opted not Sept. 19 at photograph by Kate Malloy to run in last death when he was a young the age of 91, fall’s federal held the key cabinet posts of finance and election, was justice under the governments of Lester B. appointed the Then-NDP MP Nathan Cullen, Pearson and Pierre Trudeau. “John Turner B.C. NDP pro- pictured in February 2019, boy ‘became a driving force was responsible for many key policies on vincial party’s was appointed NDP candidate consumer protections, LGBTQ2+ rights, of- candidate last for Stikine in the upcoming ficial languages, and many more. In his life week in place B.C. election. The Hill Times after politics, Turner spoke strongly about of an Indig- photograph by Andrew Meade in my life’ in his first ‘get- the need to defend and respect democratic enous woman institutions,” reads a note from the centre who was also seeking the nomination in the that promotes the event. Stikine provincial riding. Annita McPhee, a Irwin Cotler, former Liberal justice min- former president of the Tahltan Central Gov- to-know-me’ video ister and a former adviser to Turner; Sheila ernment, pointed to the party’s equity policy Copps, former deputy prime minister and and tweeted that she was disappointed it did Getting to know you: columnist with The Hill Times; Marc Ke- Conservative Leader not make way for more diverse voices. aley, another former adviser to Turner; and Such a policy “exists to support people Erin O’Toole, pictured Sandra Pupatello, a former Ontario minis- Sept. 9, 2020, with who have historically faced barriers to ter and chairperson with the centre will be these opportunities,” she said in a note, his national campaign taking part in the webinar. It is scheduled manager, Fred DeLorey, calling on Mr. Cullen to respect the policy. for 2 p.m. to 3 p.m., and follows a week of The party said Ms. McPhee’s applica- and chief of staff, tributes from Hillites, past and present, Tausha Michaud, is tion had invalid signatures, and when it including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. reached out to her to address it, the “issues being commended for During a Sept. 24 tribute to Turner in the sharing a ‘powerful’ were ultimately resolved … [but] there was House, Mr. Trudeau recalled him as a simply not enough time to process the ap- series of videos “House of Commons man” and “champion detailing his childhood plication.” of our democracy.” An invitation-only state B.C. NDP and his path to funeral with limited numbers and CO- becoming leader. The Premier John VID-19 precautions will be held on Oct. 6 Horgan, who Hill Times photograph by in Toronto. Andrew Meade called an early elec- tion last week Hillites weigh in on Schitt’s for Oct. 24, amid weeks of Creek’s Emmy’s sweep, and for speculation, ew Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole dying, he spoke about his feelings of shock ‘bringing such joy and humour told reporters and his team pushed out a number of and that he felt like he was “growing up N to all our lives’ that the party Former Tahltan Central “get-to-know-me” videos last week in an almost instantly.” Global News chief politi- “talked to a Government president effort to define him before the Liberals cal correspondent David Akin, a seasoned dozen or more Annita McPhee is upset do, detailing how he went from a self- Hill journalist, described the ad as “power- people who with the B.C. NDP’s described “smartass” kid, to becoming a ful.” “And all done in less than 90 seconds. would have decision to appoint Nathan federal party leader of a 121-member cau- From a craft standpoint, strong writing and complied with Cullen as a candidate over cus hoping to defeat Prime Minister Justin editing here,” Mr. Akin tweeted. our equity her. Photograph courtesy of Trudeau in the next election. Sharan Kaur, who served as director of mandate, and Annita McPhee’s Twitter The O’Toole camp’s series of bite-sized operations to former Liberal finance min- none of them ads, which ran about a minute each and in- ister Bill Morneau, also praised the video. were prepared to seek election.” cluded him talking about how his mother’s “Will always give credit where it is due,” she But the incident sparked outrage from death when he was young boy “became a tweeted. “This is human, real and a message fellow NDPers and female politicians. driving force in my life,” was praised by a lot can probably relate with.” The political Former NDP MP Romeo Saganash, upon Liberal politicos and Hill journalists alike. ads were released last week as Mr. O’Toole Canadian heavyweight actor Eugene Levy, left, is hearing the news, tweeted, “And we wonder “I wasn’t a troubled kid, I was a smartass, was hunkering down in his basement home pictured with his Schitt’s Creek co-stars Catherine why not more women run!!” Noting Mr.