Hello, welcome to Politics Insider, returning to cover politics after a vacation break last week. <\/p>\n
Allegations that China had recruited a former Canadian government employee as a spy could worsen relations between Ottawa and Beijing that had been gradually improving since Mark Carney became prime minister.<\/p>\n
James Griffiths and Paul Waldie report that the Chinese authorities did not respond to requests for comment today<\/a> about a Canadian NATO intern accused by Belgian prosecutors<\/a> of spying on behalf of Beijing.<\/p>\n Last Saturday, Brussels said a \u201cCanadian national of Chinese origin\u201d working at the European headquarters of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization had been arrested on espionage charges. The Globe and Mail has since identified the woman as Biwei Zhang. <\/p>\n Prosecutors said only that Zhang was suspected of \u201cspying on behalf of a third country and of being a member of a criminal organization.\u201d On Thursday, national security sources told The Globe that the country in question was China<\/a>.<\/p>\n China\u2019s Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not respond to a faxed request for comment today. The country\u2019s embassies in Canada and Belgium also did not respond.<\/p>\n In other news today, WestJet says it has begun parking aircraft ahead of a possible strike by flight attendants<\/a> and says passengers are advised to check the status of their flight before leaving for the airport.<\/p>\n Airlines typically begin cancelling flights ahead of a potential work stoppage because it prevents crew and passengers from being stranded.<\/p>\n WestJet says it is continuing to bargain with the Canadian Union of Public Employees, which represents 4,400 flight attendants in the hope of reaching agreement on a new contract.<\/p>\n If a deal is not reached by Sunday morning, either side could begin a work stoppage that would see hundreds of flights cancelled during a long weekend in much of the country.<\/p>\n A shutdown would cost the carrier millions of dollars during the height of summer travel, according to experts.<\/p>\n Open this photo in gallery:<\/a><\/p>\n Two men walk past the NATO logo during the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, on July 7.Hussein Malla\/The Associated Press<\/p>\n This is the daily Politics Insider newsletter, curated by Ian Bailey<\/a>. It is available exclusively to our digital subscribers. You can sign up for more than 20 other newsletters on our signup page<\/a>.What else is going on<\/p>\n Ottawa formally approves Canada Nickel\u2019s Crawford mine<\/a> in major projects push: The federal support comes soon after the project was selected for federal fast-tracking through Prime Minister Mark Carney\u2019s Major Projects Office.<\/p>\n Academic recruitment program renamed to honour Liberal stalwart Eddie Goldenberg:<\/a> An announcement of the newly renamed Eddie Goldenberg Research Chairs of Canada was expected today from Industry Minister M\u00e9lanie Joly.<\/p>\n Conservative MP, Poilievre call for new framework for public alerts<\/a> after Calgary boy\u2019s death: Mike Lake<\/a> from Alberta and Pierre Poilievre, both fathers of children with autism, say there should be a Canada-wide framework for public alerts when vulnerable children go missing, even when abduction or foul play is not suspected.<\/p>\n Supreme Court clears way for challenge of ethics ruling<\/a> on Trudeau and WE Charity: The Supreme Court of Canada says a section of the federal Conflict of Interest Act that doesn\u2019t allow courts to review ethics commissioner findings is unconstitutional.<\/p>\n On our radar<\/p>\n Prime Minister\u2019s Week: Mark Carney did not have any public events today, but his office confirmed he spoke with King Abdullah II of Jordan about issues including the rapidly evolving situation in the Middle East. Carney was earlier on the road this week, announcing $510-million for local infrastructure in Alberta during an appearance with Premier Danielle Smith. During a news conference in Red Deer, Carney ruled out restricting Canada\u2019s oil and gas supply to the U.S<\/a>. in the face of President Donald Trump\u2019s expanding trade war. He also appeared with Braeden Caley, the Liberal party\u2019s candidate in the pending byelection in North Vancouver-Lonsdale, at a gathering of party members in the riding. On Thursday, Carney toured the Port of Vancouver. <\/a><\/p>\n Party Leaders: Today, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre held a news conference in Moncton, New Brunswick. On Wednesday, the Official Opposition Leader was at a hearing of the House of Commons government operations and estimates committee to encourage members of his caucus raising concerns about a revenue sharing from the Gordie Howe International Bridge.<\/a> This week, Green Party Leader Elizabeth May was in her B.C. riding of Saanich-Gulf Islands. Today, she attended a a fundraising reception in support of Shelley Luce, her party\u2019s candidate in the North Vancouver\u2013Capilano by-election. No schedules released for other party leaders.<\/p>\n Twenty-Four Sussex Drive Fundraising: As of July 27, the Rideau Hall Foundation says there have been $735,000 in donations from the public to renovate the official residence of the Prime Minister. A total 3,336 Canadians made donations, averaging $220, according to a statement from foundation spokesperson Allison MacLachlan. <\/p>\n Suggested Reading, Garnett Genuis:<\/a> The Conservative MP and Official Opposition employment critic, offered his reading list for the summer.<\/p>\n – The Dignity of Dependence: A Feminist Manifesto by Leah Libresco Sargeant. Genuis interviewed Libresco for his podcast in February.<\/a> \u201cThere\u2019s an important emerging discussion in conservative circles about family policy and about how policymakers can help people realize their familial goals in a time of high house prices, high youth unemployment, increasing credentialism, and dropping fertility rates. This book proposes an interesting framework for thinking about family policy, gender, and many other issues.\u201d<\/p>\n – The Long Loneliness by Dorothy Day. \u201cI discovered Day\u2019s work on \u201cphilosophy of work\u201d shortly after getting appointed shadow minister for employment, and it has provoked a broader interest in her life and writing. Many great things have been written about Dorothy Day and a lot of her written work is easily accessible in back issues of The Catholic Worker online, but nothing can replace reading her autobiography.”<\/p>\n – A History of Iran: Empire of the Mind by Michael Axworthy. Genuis said it was read by a history book club he belongs to, along with a number of political people. \u201cIt\u2019s a great resource for understanding the breadth of Iran\u2019s history and for seeing how past events have shaped the conflicts of today.\u201d<\/p>\n – Two Close People Two Distant Neighbours by Hrant Dink. \u201cDink was a prominent Turkish-Armenian journalist and proponent of reconciliation, assassinated in 2007. I had the honour of visiting a memorial to him during a recent visit to Istanbul and picked up the book there.\u201d<\/p>\n Ministers on the Road: <\/p>\n In Vancouver, Veterans Affairs Minister Jill McKnight, on behalf of Energy Minister Tim Hodgson, made an announcement on Wednesday on international energy exports. <\/p>\n In Markham, north of Toronto, Evan Solomon, Artificial Intelligence Minister and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario, announced $3.5-million to complete key infrastructure upgrades and initiatives to help the region host major international events. The announcement came as Markham is preparing to host the Ontario Dealers Indy this month. <\/p>\n In Washington, Canada-U.S. Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc and Janice Charette, Canada\u2019s chief trade negotiator to the United States, met with Ambassador Jamieson Greer, the United States Trade Representative. LeBlanc and Mark Wiseman, Canada\u2019s ambassador to the U.S., also attended a Canada-U.S. Friendship Day event at the Washington Nationals-Toronto Blue Jays baseball game in the American capital. <\/p>\n In Whitehorse, Environment Minister Julie Dabrusin, on Wednesday, announced new funding for electric vehicle infrastructure and education across Canada. <\/p>\n In Brampton, Ontario on Wednesday, International Trade Minister Maninder Sidhu announced the creation of Canada\u2019s Strategic Exports Office<\/a>.<\/p>\n In Montreal, Transport Minister Steven MacKinnon announced a $1.6-billion plan<\/a> to replace 45 of Via Rail\u2019s aging locomotives, during a Wednesday news conference, and $357-million to build a new assembly plant and maintenance facility.<\/p>\n Diplomatic Appointments: Ryan Ward<\/a> is the new consul general in the southern India city of Bengaluru, replacing Benoit Pr\u00e9fontaine.<\/p>\n GG in Quebec City: Governor General Louise Arbour is visiting Quebec City for her first stay at her official residence at the Citadelle of Qu\u00e9bec from Aug. 4 to 10. Commitments include receiving military honours from the Royal 22e R\u00e9giment, visiting Canadian Forces Base Valcartier and attending such cultural and tourist activities as the Grands Feux Loto-Qu\u00e9bec and Les F\u00eates de la Nouvelle-France. <\/p>\n Question period<\/p>\n The new Gordie Howe International Bridge between Windsor and Detroit cost $6.4-billion. How much did it cost to build the Ambassador Bridge, built between 1927 and 1929, which stood as the previous sole bridge between the two cities.<\/p>\n Scroll to the bottom of this newsletter for the answer.<\/p>\n Perspectives<\/p>\n One person, one vote is basic democratic principle. We should try it some time<\/a><\/p>\n Turnout in Canadian elections is now among the lowest in the democratic world. We think of this as inevitable, or certainly not easily fixable. But in fact other countries have succeeded in raising turnout by the simplest remedy imaginable: by making it mandatory.<\/p>\n \u2014 Andrew Coyne, Columnist <\/p>\n Mark Carney\u2019s rhetorical fog over the Gordie Howe bridge<\/a><\/p>\n It\u2019s not hard to see why Mr. Carney does not want to say that plain truth out loud; Canadians might be angered by so blatant a shakedown. The only thing that might make them even angrier is a Prime Minister who refuses to speak plainly to the country about that deal.<\/p>\n \u2014 The Globe and Mail Editorial Board<\/p>\n What Canada can learn from the already shaky trade deal<\/a> between the U.S. and the EU<\/p>\n If Mr. Trump has no compunction about antagonizing the EU after sealing a milestone pact, then any interim deal he reaches with Canada will only guarantee more trade chaos ahead.<\/p>\n \u2014 Rita Trichur, Senior Business Writer and Columnist Go deeper<\/p>\n Got a news tip that you\u2019d like us to look into? E-mail us at tips@globeandmail.com<\/a>. Need to share documents securely? Reach out via SecureDrop<\/a>. <\/p>\n The answer to today\u2019s question: The bridge cost US$23.5-million, primarily raised by financier Joseph Bower. According to Windsor Life Magazine, the average worker on the project made $2.50 per day for an eight-hour shift.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Hello, welcome to Politics Insider, returning to cover politics after a vacation break last week. 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