Category Archives: Liberal

We will find out shortly whether government can fix whats wrong with your finances.

The Liberals won the 2019 campaign with a platform focused on helping ease the financial strain of everyday life. We used to rely on economic growth for that, didnt we? Now, politicians of all parties compete to find ways to cut taxes and increase government benefits and services.

Before we look at what the winning Liberals promised, lets get some context. A decade of slow global economic growth has shaken our sense of prosperity. Weve had low interest rates that encouraged people to buy things their slow-rising incomes wouldnt let them afford. Weve been left with a lot of household (and government) debt, and a sense of unease about money.

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Each of the federal parties offered a package of measures to help people feel more in control of their finances, as if its in the federal governments power to fix the problem. Thats not the case, unfortunately.

The global economy not just Canada is sluggish and could lapse into recession at some point. The personal-finance-related promises made by the Liberals will help some, but theyre limited in scale compared with global economic trends. Lets zero in on six Liberal promises:

The basic personal amount, which is what you can earn without paying taxes, will rise by close to $2,000 over the next four years to $15,000. The average family will ultimately save $600 from this tax cut, while high-earning families save nothing. You fully benefit from this measure if you make less than $150,605 and it gets eliminated entirely at $214,557. While the overall level of tax relief from this measure sounds modest, H&R Block tax expert Lisa Gittens believes it will have an impact. When youre filing your taxes, savings of even $100 means a difference, Ms. Gittens said. Every dollar that goes back into your pocket as a taxpayer means less that youre giving to the government.

Heres something that will help grads who have struggled to land continuing well-paid work. They wont have to start repaying their loans until they make at least $35,000 in income, and payments can be put on hold if income falls below this level. Also, new parents will be able to pause student-loan payments interest-free until their youngest child reaches age 5. For middle- and lower-income students, the Liberals will increase the amount available through the Canada Student Loans program by up to $1,200 a year.

The Canada Child Benefit was one of the previous Liberal governments success stories. Federal-government numbers show that families benefiting from this program are receiving an average $6,800 in tax-free payments annually. The Liberals say they will boost this amount by up to $1,000 a year for parents with children under the age of 1. Also, maternity and parental benefits will be made tax-free.

Not much help, but something. Look for an expansion of the First-Time Home Buyer Incentive, which provides an interest-free loan to lower- and middle-income buyers to bulk up their down payment and thereby reduce mortgage costs. The proposed changes target pricey Toronto, Vancouver and Victoria by setting the maximum eligible home price in those markets at $789,000. It remains a complex program that will help a small group. Thats kind of the point dont do anything to turn up the heat in the housing market.

If you spend more than $100,000 on a car, boat or personal aircraft, youll have to pay a 10 per cent luxury-goods tax.

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Theres a small increase in Old Age Security payments for people aged 75 and older a maximum of $729 per year. As well, the Canada Pension Plan Survivors Benefit will be increased by up to $2,080 per year. The survivors benefit goes to the spouse of a CPP contributor who has died. The benefit has long been criticized for being too small, an issue that affects women especially because they often live longer than men. Ms. Gittens said her firms experience with clients suggests the extra OAS money will be useful for covering the cost of medication. Yes, they have their [provincial] health plans, but more and more things we see are not covered.

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Six ways the Liberal election win will change your family finances - The Globe and Mail

So much for CBC being fair and balanced.

The state broadcaster often criticized for being too friendly to Justin Trudeaus Liberal government is giving the party a pass once again.

Its the fourth time in a week.

Presented with more examples of the Liberals using CBC material for partisan videos online, CBCs top spokesman still says they will not launch a lawsuit similar to the one they launched against the Conservatives last week.

As I said earlier in the week, whenever something is brought to our attention where a candidate is using our content inappropriately, we take steps to have the video taken down. Thats what happened with Melanie Joly and thats what will happen with Navdeep Bains, Chuck Thompson said via email.

Liberal cabinet ministers like Bains and Joly were sharing edited CBC clips on the weekend to criticize Andrew Scheer and promote the Liberal Party.

The videos were seen by tens of thousands of people.

Same with a CBC clip of Peter Mansbridge interviewing Andrew Scheer posted by Catherine McKenna.

As I write, the clips by Bains and McKenna are still up.

While CBC considers this an abuse of their material worthy of a lawsuit when Conservatives do the same, with Liberals, all appears to be forgiven.

The Bains, Joly and McKenna videos come just days after Nirmala Naidoo, the Liberal candidate in Calgary Skyview, was forced to take down online videos that promoted herself using CBC material.

Naidoo is a former CBC on-air personality and the clips she used were of herself.

They were posted and circulated online starting at the beginning of the election campaign and only taken down last week when Conservatives complained of a double standard.

Well what a double standard it is.

In a statement from Jennifer McGuire, the head of CBC News explaining why they were suing the Conservatives, McGuire said it was to protect our journalistic content and brands from unauthorized use in all circumstances.

We do this at all times including during past election campaigns when political parties have threatened the independence of our work and journalists, McGuire said.

This is especially important during an election campaign.

Or at least it is if the Conservatives are ones using CBC material.

Ive been clear, I think CBCs case in on shaky legal ground.

So do legal experts like University of Ottawa law professor Michael Geist and the folks at Elections Canada who claim that what the parties are doing is legal.

Yet CBC has only launched a lawsuit against one party the Conservatives.

The Conservatives took down the video clips they were using even before CBC launched their lawsuit but the state broadcaster said that they had to go ahead with it, effectively to teach the Conservatives a lesson.

CBC/Radio Canada was given no assurance that such misuse would not be repeated, McGuire said.

Well the Liberals keep abusing this process and CBC does nothing.

Both parties are guilty of the same crime, or what CBC thinks is a crime, but there is no lawsuit against the Liberals.

Meanwhile the Liberals, who did similar things in 2015, once decried Conservatives using clips the last time CBC complained about this.

Taking a clip from a news organization is theft of intellectual property, said Liberal MP Adam Vaughan in 2014.

Its stealing, said Liberal MP Judy Sgro.

And Liberal MP Dominic Leblanc said that actions such as this were nothing but a rat race and the Liberals wouldnt act like the Conservatives.

So much for that.

And so much for the independence of CBC.

The organization has long been accused by Conservatives of being too Liberal friendly, now the actions of their executives are supporting that claim.

Isnt it time CBC just admitted their bias for the Liberals?

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LILLEY: CBC still won't sue Liberals, time they admit their bias - Toronto Sun

On Thursday, the campaign office of prominent Liberal Catherine McKenna was defaced by perhaps the most derogatory word one can level at a woman.

That McKenna was the target was hardly surprising. In a barrage of unveiled sexism, McKenna has long been derided as climate Barbie, presumably because she happens to be a blonde woman who is also the countrys environment minister.

So the graffiti was saddening, but hardly shocking. At a time when any signage linked to politicians is subject to hateful vandalism, McKenna is perhaps the most targeted. But the news also made me think about a heartening moment three days prior.

On Monday, supporters of local Conservative Ed Fast sat in a meeting room at the Sandman Hotel watching results come in. By 8:30 or so, there were probably around 75 people in the room and, as they waited for Fast to appear, chatter was minimal with the TV providing the bulk of the rooms noise.

The broadcasters after the host noted that McKennas Twitter had been subject to some of the worst abuse hurled at politicians shifted to McKennas victory speech.

Things got a little awkward at Fasts celebration. Here was a Liberal cabinet minister celebrating her personal victory and her partys projected minority government all at the expense of the Conservatives. The sound of Liberal jubilation rang through the room.

Turn the volume off, one person said, a little understandably.

Nobody did, though, and so dozens of Conservatives sat in their chairs and listened to McKenna speak. She talked for a couple minutes, about her campaign. Behind her was a sea of Liberal red.

It was great to run a race with strong women representing all the major parties, McKenna said. She talked about a tough campaign both locally for her and as a country. And then she said:

I think one of the lessons that is emerging from todays result is the need for a more positive political culture in our country. We all have work to do to bring people together and remember the value of being open to different ideas from coast to coast to coast.

McKennas Liberal supporters in Ottawa applauded on the TV. And across the country, at the Sandman Hotel in Abbotsford, Conservatives clapped.

It wasnt a huge round of applause. But it was definitely more than just a couple people.

The moment was notable, I think, not because Conservatives want a more humane political culture thats an obvious and constant theme across this country but because of the message that the applause sends.

Its one thing to applaud that speech in a mixed room. Its another when youre flanked by people who came to a party to celebrate the defeat of McKenna and her colleagues.

If we want decency in our politics, we need our leaders to lead. And our leaders arent just politicians. We need to use our voices and social capital to persuade people with whom we have credibility that sexism, racism and other hatreds arent permissible, no matter the targets affiliation.

And if we can do that, maybe our politicians will follow suit. Its probably not a coincidence that Fasts supporters applauded McKenna and an hour later Fast spoke about the need for politicians of all stripes to work together. (Strangely, or not, the leader of Fasts party didnt make such a declaration.)

Leadership goes both ways. And it also goes for all parties.

If youre a Liberal, your friends will expect you to applaud other Liberals. But when you applaud a Conservative or NDPer or Green, whether for an action or idea that you care about, your friends and colleagues take notice. You have credibility with those people; when you publicly applaud something, your endorsement means something.

The same, unfortunately, goes for the reverse. When we throw abuse at others, our friends and colleagues and the political leaders we support will be more inclined to follow suit. That doesnt mean we cant disagree: if anything, its the opposite. But it means that our ability to persuade is at its highest not when were clashing with our political foes, but when we vocally disagree with the policies or behaviour of our allies.

Leadership isnt a one-way street. Our politicians have to do better. But so do we.

Tyler Olsen is a reporter at the Abbotsford News.

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COLUMN: When a room of Conservatives applauded Liberal Catherine McKennas speech - Abbotsford News

Britain has seen dramatic shifts in attitudes towards the socially liberal end of the spectrum in just 30 years on issues ranging from drugs and abortionto gay relationships, a survey suggests.

Remain backers are much more supportive of gay rights than Leavers, the findings show. But the public is much more cynical about politicians today, with only half as many people having positive views of them.

Researchers at the Policy Institute at Kings College London compared a survey on moral beliefs in 1989 with results to the same questions now and found huge changes, including:

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Capital punishment is the only issue to see an increase in disapproval 22 per cent said it was morally wrong in 1989, while now 37 per cent do.

Thirty-nine bodies have been found in a lorry container in Essex, police have said.The discovery of 38 adults and one teenager was made at an industrial estate in Thurrock.Police said they believed the lorry had come from Bulgaria and entered the UK at Holyhead, in Wales, on Saturday.Essex Police said it had launched a murder investigation after its officers were called to Waterglade Industrial Park, in Grays, in the early hours of Wednesday morning.A 25-year-old-man from Northern Ireland has been arrested on suspicion of murder

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Ships out at sea before the sun rises off the coast of Whitley Bay, Northumberland

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Hundreds of students take part in the traditional Raisin Monday foam fight on St Salvator's Lower College Lawn at the University of St Andrews in Fife. The messy display is the culmination of a weekend of festivities where first years say thank you to their more senior student "parents" for mentoring them

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Wales players celebrate after beating France in their Rugby World Cup quarter-final in Japan. Warren Gatlands side had to battle after Frances fast start but capitalised on their rivals ill discipline to squeeze into the semi-finals, 20-19

Reuters

People gather in London to join the Final Say march for a people's vote

Angela Christofilou/The Independent

Protesters on Whitehall in London during an Extinction Rebellion climate change protest

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European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson shake hands during a news conference after agreeing on a Brexit deal, in Brussels

Reuters

A man walks his dog through the fallen leaves in Clarkes Gardens, Allerton in Liverpool

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Police officers carry away an activist as Extinction Rebellion protesters block a road with a caravan in central London

Reuters

Queen Elizabeth II sits with Prince Charles on the Sovereign's throne ahead of delivering the Queen's Speech at the State Opening of Parliament

AFP

Great Britain's Joe Fraser competes on Parallel Bars during the World Gymnastics Championships in Stuttgart, Germany. He claimed GB's second gold with his victory. The 20-year-old from Birmingham nailed his routine to score 15.0 then watched as a series of rivals failed to live up to his total

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St Helens players celebrate with the trophy after they won the Super League Grand Final at Old Trafford in Manchester. They beat Salford Red Devils 23-6

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Richard Ratcliffe, husband of British-Iranian aid worker Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe jailed in Tehran since 2016, holds his daughter Gabriella during a news conference in London. Their five-year-old daughter has arrived back in Britain, after making the "bittersweet" decision to bring her home

AFP via Getty

Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson at Thornton Manor. Their meeting focused on further Brexit proposals

EPA/Noel Mullen

Wales survived an almighty scare against Fiji to secure quarter-final spot at the rugby world cup. Warren Gatlands side recovered from a 10-0 deficit thanks to a hat-trick from Josh Adams

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Protesters dubbed the Red Rebels at Millbank at the junction with Great College Street, during an Extinction Rebellion protest in Westminster

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Final preparations are made in front of a reproduction of Michelangelo's 'The Last Judgement', ahead of the opening of for the 'Michelangelo: A Different View' exhibition at Hull Minister

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A car drives through a flooded street in Whitley Bay in Northumberland

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Thousands took to the streets of Edinburgh today to march in support of a second Scottish independence referendum

EPA

A 12ft sculpture of a gorilla, entitled 'Gorilla Apocalypse', created by Luke Kite entirely from scrap car bumpers and panels discarded in the last decade is on display at the British Ironwork Centre in Oswestry, Shropshire

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Police stands in front of the Treasury building during an Extinction Rebellion protest in London

Reuters

Ex-Thomas Cook employees demonstrate in London after delivering a petition calling for a full inquiry into Thomas Cook's collapse and for the company's directors to pay back their bonuses

AFP/Getty

A road in Alum Rock, Birmingham is flooded after persistent heavy rain

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Two tourists pose for pictures in front of Union and EU flags outside the Houses of Parliament in London

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A sheep on London Bridge as Freemen of the City of London took up their historic entitlement to drive sheep over the bridge, which was once London's only river crossing

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An Aldabra giant tortoise is fed watermelon as a treat at the Malvern Autumn Show, at the Three Counties Showground near Malvern in Worcestershire

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Gallery assistants pose with an artwork entitled 'Devolved Parliament' by British artist Banksy, during a press view in London ahead of Sotheby's contemporary art sale, as part of the Frieze Art Fair

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England's Jonathan Joseph is tackled by United State's Marcel Brache during their group match at the Rugby World Cup in Japan. England scored seven tries on their way to winning 45-7

Reuters

Tributes for former Rangers player Fernando Ricksen at Ibrox Stadium. Today, the funeral procession will pass Ibrox Stadium before making the journey to Wellington Church

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A person dressed as a caricature of Prime Minister Boris Johnson in a prison uniform stands outside the Supreme Court after it ruled that his decision to suspend Parliament was illegal

AFP/Getty

Thomas Cook aircraft are parked up at Manchester Airport on the day they collapsed after rescue talks failed. A total of 22,000 jobs - including 9,000 in UK - are to be lost following administration. More than 150,000 British holidaymakers need to be brought home, with the government and CAA hiring dozens of charter planes to fly customers home free of charge

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Fire performer Penella Bee performs before people take part in the North East Skinny Dip at Druridge Bay in Nothumberland, an annual event that marks the Autumn Equinox and raises money for MIND - the Mental Health Charity

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Protesters gather for a march and rally organised by "The People's Vote" in Brighton, to call for politicians to give the public a final say referendum on Brexit

AFP/Getty

Protesters in London joined millions across world to demand urgent action to save planet in the largest environmental protest in history

Angela Christofilou/The Independent

Rapper Dave poses with the Mercury Prize: Albums of the Year Award at Apollo

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A surfer in action during sunrise at Tynemouth on the north east coast

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Protesters dressed as the Incredible Hulk and Robocop outside the Supreme Court in London where judges are due to consider legal challenges to Prime Minister Boris Johnson's decision to suspend Parliament. The Supreme Court will hear appeals over three days from two separate challenges to the prorogation of Parliament brought in England and Scotland

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Farmer Tom Hoggard harvests pumpkins at Howe Bridge Farm in Yorkshire, ahead of Halloween

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Team Europe celebrate winning the Solheim Cup at Gleneagles in Auchterarder, Scotland. Europe won the last three singles matches to claim victory 14-13

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Sunset at St Mary's Lighthouse in Whitley Bay

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Activists from PETA stage a demonstration outside a venue during London Fashion Week in London, Britain

Reuters

Australia's Marnus Labuschagne attempts to stop a boundary in the fifth Test

Action Images via Reuters

Storm clouds gather over the pier just off the North East coast at South Shields

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The peloton rides past the Angel of the North during stage four of the Tour of Britain from Gateshead to Kendal

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A penny farthing cyclist rides past St. John's, Smith Square, Westminster, London

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Australia celebrate the wicket of England's Craig Overton, which meant they won the fourth test and retained the Ashes

Action Images via Reuters

Manchester City celebrate after Caroline Weir scored during their Women's Super League match against Manchester United at Etihad Stadium. The WSL attendance record was smashed with 31,213 people watching the first Manchester derby of Womens Super League era nearly six times the previous WSL record

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A bull bumps into a plain clothes police officer (left) while being walked by Prime Minister Boris Johnson during his visit to Darnford Farm in Banchory near Aberdeen. It coincided with the publication of Lord Bew's review and an announcement of extra funding for Scottish farmers

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UK has become socially liberal on drugs, abortion and LGBT+ rights over past 30 years, study shows - The Independent

However, keep in mind that, because the Liberals are now managing a minority government, the implementation of potential tax changes is less certain, says Debbie Pearl-Weinberg, executive director, tax and estate planning at CIBC Financial Planning and Advice.

Regarding corporations, she highlights the Liberals broad-based proposed changes. These include a promise to crack down on tax loopholes that allow companies to deduct debt from earnings to reduce tax.

Well have to wait and see what those changes actually are, she says.

She also notes the promise to cut corporate taxes by 50% for clean-tech companies, specifically those that develop and manufacture zero-emissions technology.

For personal taxes, several changes are in the works.

What will impact the most Canadians is changes to the basic personal amount the amount of income that any individual can earn that is not subject to tax, Pearl-Weinberg says.

That amount is currently $12,069 in 2019 and rises annually with inflation. The Liberals have promised to increase it by 15% over four years. By 2023, it will reach $15,000, she says.

The increase isnt universal. It will not apply for those individuals who are described as being Canadas wealthiest 1%, she says.

The amount will be reduced for those earning more than $147,667 those in the second-highest federal tax bracket and completely eliminated for those in the top bracket, which is $210,371 in 2019.

Those in the top bracket will continue to receive the current basic personal amount, which will continue to be adjusted for inflation, Pearl-Weinberg says.

The Liberals also promised to boost Old Age Security (OAS) by 10% for seniors over age 75 who earn less than $77,580, and to raise the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) survivors benefits by 25%.

The change to OAS could mean an increase of $729 a year, according to the Liberals platform. It will start in July 2020, Pearl-Weinberg says.

With CPP, a spouse or common-law partner currently receives about 60% of what their deceased spouse or common-law partner received in benefits, she says. The promised increase could mean an additional $2,080 per year.

Parents have been promised that their maternity and parental benefits, received through employment insurance, will be tax-exempt at source, starting in 2020. The result would be about $1,800 more annually for someone receiving EI benefits who earns about $45,000 annually, Pearl-Weinberg says.

Adoptive parents could also see a change in their EI benefits, with the Liberals proposing a 15-week leave the same length as for maternity leave.

The tax-free Canada Child Benefit is also slated for an increase for those with kids under one year old. The promise is to boost the benefit by 15%, resulting in an increase of up to $1,000. Starting in July 2020, the base benefit should be $7,750 for these children, Pearl-Weinberg said.

The Liberals proposed to immediately double the tax-free Child Disability Benefit. The benefit applies to families caring for a child with a disability who is under age 18 and eligible for the disability tax credit. The Liberal platform said the increase could result in more than $2,800, to $5,664 annually.

A new vacancy tax would limit the housing speculation that can drive up home prices, the Liberal platform said. The residential tax would apply to vacant properties owned by non-resident non-Canadians.

Finally, the Liberals might move forward with two tax credits originally announced in the federal budget, Pearl-Weinberg says.

The Canada Training Credit was proposed to start in 2020, to help cover up to half of eligible tuition and fees associated with training. The credit could accumulate a balance up to a lifetime limit of $5,000.

The second is a non-refundable 15% credit for eligible digital news subscriptions. The credit is for a limited time, for amounts paid after 2019 and before 2025, and is a maximum tax credit of $75 annually, to start in 2020, she says.

This article is part of the AdvisorToGo program, powered by CIBC. It was written without input from the sponsor.

Original post:

Tax implications of the Liberal win - Advisor.ca

The Canadian oilpatch had a lot on the line heading in the federal election.

Many industry players saw it as a decisive moment to regain some momentum for a sector thats been stuck in neutral this year, frustrated by a lack of pipeline capacity and largely ignored by investors.

Company executives spoke out, penned an open letter to Canadians, created advertisements to profile their workers, and raised concerns about the sectors future.

The Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP) even registered as a third party advertiser, trying to promote its issues and push for more LNG projects and pipelines to be built.

The victory of the Liberal party in Mondays election returning with a minority government means many of the biggest issues for the sector havent really changed.

And frustration in the oil and gas industry is building.

For the energy sector, this is a massive impact. There will be discussion upon discussions. Many are not only disenchanted with our current federal (Liberal) government and not trusting them, but understandably frustrated and outright angry, said Grant Fagerheim, CEO of Whitecap Resources.

Companies have to be more cautious and pull back and be more restrictive on spending We have to make sure that we get our products to market.

Bob Geddes, president of Ensign Energy Services Inc., said the election outcome will continue the diminishment of the Canadian oil and gas sector and likely lead to less spending and drilling activity going forward if pipelines arent built and the sector cant grow.

There is an oilfield service company going bankrupt every week, so I dont think its going to change, he said.

Anger in the sector has been bubbling as the industry has grappled with multiple issues in recent years, particularly problems getting new pipelines built.

Its been a tough period since oil prices collapsed in 2014, and many fear the future could be even more difficult in the years ahead, depending if the Trans Mountain expansion is built and how much help a Liberal minority government needs from the NDP, Bloc Quebecois or Green party to govern in the months ahead as the project is being built.

While the Liberals have vowed to continue with the expansion, some in the industry and the Alberta government are concerned about its fate, as well as Bill C-69, which overhauls how major pipeline projects will be environmentally assessed in the future.

For the Canadian oil and gas sector, and the Alberta government, the election campaign was seen as a pivotal period to raise concerns about the impact of these policies on jobs, the economy and the ability to attract capital into the industry.

For us in Alberta, our main objective is to get market access, Energy Minister Sonya Savage said Monday evening, before the results were counted.

We are tired of being a punching bag. All we want is to get our resources to market. We have a constitutional right to develop them.

Energy Minister Sonya Savage says a minority government puts the Trans Mountain expansion in peril.Azin Ghaffari / Postmedia

Savage also raised concerns a minority government could threaten the future of the Trans Mountain expansion, which would nearly triple the amount of oil moving from Alberta to the west coast.

I think we have a pipeline in peril if we have a minority government, she added.

While much of the debate in the election focused on climate issues, and throttling back fossil fuel production, the energy sector accounts more than 11 per cent of GDP in the country and more than 550,000 direct and indirect jobs.

The industry is navigating through a demanding period, with growing pressure to become more cost competitive, address ESG (environmental, social and governance) issues from investors, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Benchmark crude oil prices have fallen by almost 23 per cent in the past year, reflecting broader global concerns about excess supplies and falling demand. Meanwhile, the S&P/TSX Capped Energy Index is down eight per cent this year.

Due to weak commodity prices and a lack of sufficient pipeline access, capital spending in the sector is expected to fall by another seven per cent this year to $36 billion.

We are already in a terrible spot as far as global investment goes, said CAPP head Tim McMillan. A minority government doesnt send a clear signal to the market, to global investors, that were getting a shift in direction that would change their view of us.

With less spending, the number of wells drilled this year is projected to drop 18 per cent to 5,000 wells, according to CAPP.

And that means fewer jobs.

Rafi Tahmazian, a senior portfolio manager at Canoe Financial, said a minority government means Canadian energy stocks will remain stuck with dirt cheap valuations today, and we will bounce along the bottom for an extended period of time.

Four years ago, we were a turtle walking around with our heads out, he said.

Today, we are completely just retrenched into our shell. Thats what the industry is today. We cant move. We are paralyzed.

Chris Varcoe is a Calgary Herald columnist.

cvarcoe@postmedia.com

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Varcoe: Alberta's future now rests on how much help Trudeau needs from NDP or Bloc, and that's bad news - Calgary Herald

President Donald Trump applauded his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, for pushing him on criminal justice reform and noted that he "could be a liberal."

On Friday, Trump delivered the keynote address at the 20/20 Bipartisan Justice Center's Second Step Presidential Justice Forum in Columbia, South Carolina. During his remarks, the president singled out a number of legislators, activists and leaders that fought to ensure the First Step Actwhich he signed in Decemberbecame law.

One of those people Trump pointed out was his son-in-law, who worked "tirelessly" to get the First Step Act passed.

"I think I was telling [Senator] Tim [Scott] before and I pulled [Senator] Lindsey [Graham] aside and I said, 'You know, I think he's a liberal. He could be a liberal,'" Trump said.

The First Step Act gives judges more freedom during sentencing, provides rehabilitative programs to inmates, and enables certain inmates to be given sentencing relief.

Kushner, Trump claimed repeatedly, hounded him about getting the First Step Act signed into law. Kushner's persistence, according to Trump, was to the point that he agreed on the condition Kushner would leave him alone.

"And we got it done, right Jared? We called a couple of folks that people didn't think would come along and they were incredible once they understood what we were doing," Trump told the crowd.

Kushner was credited with being the driving force behind the piece of criminal justice reform. CNN reported the bill's supporters said he worked behind the scenes to bring together the Trump administration and legislators on both sides of the aisle.

In April, Kushner penned a piece for Time, during which he called standing next to the president when the First Step Act was signed one of the "proudest moments" of his life. For Kushner, the topic wasn't politicalit was personal.

"Over the course of 12 years, I had gone from the son of someone who was in federal prison to sitting in an office next to the President. This topic was too important to me not to give it attention," Kushner wrote.

While Kushner was a student at Harvard University, his father Charles, a real estate developer, pleaded guilty to 18 counts of making illegal campaign contributions, tax evasion and witness tampering. The younger Kushner repeatedly claimed Charles, who was sentenced to two years in prison, was unfairly prosecuted.

Charles Kushner was released in 2006 and more than a decade later, his son played a pivotal role in helping incarcerated people be reunited with their families through the legislation.

During his speech, Trump said he was uncertain if signing the bipartisan bill was the popular or unpopular action to take, but added that he knew it was the "right thing to do."

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Trump Says Son-in-Law Jared Kushner Could Be a 'Liberal,' Applauds Him for Criminal Justice Reform Work - Newsweek

Likud Chairman Benjamin Netanyahu failed to form a new government and the mandate has now been given to his central political rival, Blue and White leader Benny Gantz.

Yisrael Beytenu leader Avigdor Liberman has implored Gantz to form what he calls a "national, liberal government" that comprises Likud, Blue and White and his party.

Benny Gantz and Avigdor Liberman meeting to discuss a unity government (Photo: Elad Malka)

Yisrael Beytenu a liberal party? It seems liberalism has a new definition these days.

Standard liberalism ascribes to equal political rights for all, and I simply cannot remember if and when Liberman's party platform included the basic liberal demand to allow voting rights to Palestinians living under occupation in the West Bank.

Nor have I seen Yisrael Beitenu's leader demand a withdrawal from the territories as a liberal worldview would dictate.

Perhaps as a new liberal, Liberman will demand public investment in the Arab community be equal to the budget allotted to Jews, as a pre-condition to participation in a coalition government.

In fact, he should have demanded that West Bank Palestinians and West Bank Jews be given the same services and support. If he is a liberal, let him be liberal.

The late Menachem Begin, as prime minister pledged to give equal funding to Arabs and Jews in Jerusalem. He did not - nor did any subsequent government.

Yisrael Beytenu calls for an exchange of territory whereby Jewish settlements will become part of Israel while Arab communities inside the pre-1967 borders become part of the West Bank and under military rule.

The party also demands corporal punishment for terrorists, home demolitions for terrorists without Supreme Court interference and a policy in the West Bank that ignores any court rulings on Israeli sovereignty and settlements.

Unity governments in Israel were never described as liberal. Indeed, prime ministers Yitzhak Shamir and Shimon Peres (who shared a rotating premiership after the 1986 elections) never described themselves as such.

In Israel, liberal means being opposed to Netanyahu. Being anti-liberal therefore means supporting the outgoing prime minister.

That is the premise upon which Yisrael Beytenu's liberal government would be built, but a national unity government cannot be liberal by virtue of its makeup.

It is a government that includes opposing positions, some liberal, others religious or nationalist or social-democratic.

Sitting around the cabinet table will be ministers who follow separate and often conflicting ideologies. Such a government - which may be inevitable considering the results of the last two elections - would certainly have to mitigate any liberalism and not celebrate it.

Blue and White leader Benny Gantz receives a mandate to form a governement from President Reuven Rivlin (Photo: Rafi Kotz)

In his impressive performance Wednesday, as he was receiving the mandate to form a government from President Reuven Rivlin, Gantz said he intends to form a strong and broad government that would include as many political parties as possible.

A "reconciliation government," he called it, and only at the end of his statement did he quietly describe this future coalition as a liberal one.

The decisions facing any incoming government deserve ideological debate and opposing views and the world is undergoing such ideological conflicts every day.

The Brexit row in the United Kingdom is one such example, and it would be delusional to believe Israel would be able to meet the challenges ahead without having an intense debate such as the one currently taking place in Britain.

Israel should not declare it is heading towards national unity, not even if it is dressed up in liberal clothing.

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In Israel, being liberal does not mean what you think it means - Ynetnews

Premier Scott Moe has escalated his rhetoric against Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at the same time other members of the so-called resistance of conservative premiers appear to be toning it down.

But Moe brushed off any notion that his alliance with premiers like Brian Pallister of Manitoba and Blaine Higgs of New Brunswick is fraying in light of election results that kept the Liberals in power in Ottawa.

Higgs committed to implementing a carbon tax consistent with the federal governments benchmark on Tuesday.

I cant ignore the obvious here, Higgs said. The country has spoken.

While frequently invoked by Moe as an ally, Higgs was not on the famous MacLeans magazine cover of anti-Trudeau conservative premiers dubbed the Resistance.

But Premier Brian Pallister was, along with Moe, Conservative leader Andrew Scheer, Alberta Premier Jason Kenney and Ontario Premier Doug Ford.

While he didnt backtrack on his carbon tax opposition, Pallister did offer post-election remarks that were more conciliatory than Moes address, where the Saskatchewan premier said theres a fire burning in the Prairie provinces.

Instead, Pallister signalled a willingness to work with a new Trudeau government. He also forcefully shut down talk of Western separatism.

I have no time for that kind of thing, Pallister said. Were going to make the country work.

While Moe has referred to himself as a frustrated federalist who believes in Canada, he hasnt dismissed or condemned the rising tide of western alienation that crested into a surge of separatist sentiment on social media after the election results.

Moe has also doubled down on his rejection of carbon taxation, calling on Trudeau on Tuesday to reverse it. He blamed the policy, in part, for the divisiveness revealed by election results that saw the Conservatives sweep Saskatchewan.

Asked Wednesday about the solidity of the conservative resistance, Moe said hes spoken with Higgs and other premiers since the election results. The same concerns over provincial jurisdiction remain widespread, according to Moe.

With respect to comments by Premier Pallister and Premier Higgs yesterday, I fully respect those comments, as I believe it is in the provincial jurisdiction for them to make decisions to address climate change in the most effective way that they feel they can, Moe responded.

Higgs confirmed to Moe that he is still planning to intervene in Saskatchewans carbon tax appeal, according to the Moes press secretary, Jim Billington. Billington added that Pallister has also shown no sign of dropping out.

Moe was not available for comment immediately after question period on Thursday, but Trade and Export Development Minister Jeremy Harrison took questions about separatism and Saskatchewans acrimonious relationship with the re-elected Liberal government.

Im happy to make a categorical statement saying we are not in favour of separation, period, Harrison said.

He argued that Saskatchewan people dont want to separate from Canada; they simply want to separate from the Liberal government.

This is real. This is genuine. People are angry. People are frustrated, said Harrison. People demand change, and we saw that at the ballot box.

Mondays election hurt the Liberals in regions across the country, but the trend in Saskatchewan was especially marked. The Conservatives jumped from 48.5 to 64.3 per cent of the vote, while Liberal support slipped from 23.9 to just 11.6 per cent.

By contrast, the Liberals held on to 26.3 per cent of the vote in Manitoba. While that was a steep drop from the 44.7 per cent they won in 2015, the party retained four key battleground seats in the Winnipeg area.

The Liberals also lost votes in New Brunswick, but remained the largest party with 37.6 per cent of the vote. They held on to six seats.

The argument could be made that the premiers are simply responding to electoral cues.

Another member of the resistance, Premier Doug Ford of Ontario, also struck a strangely harmonious chord after the election. He thanked Trudeau for supporting his transit priorities and said people expect us to work together.

But hes also planning to continue pursuing the provinces carbon tax challenge in the courts.

The federal Liberals shed just three points of their 2015 vote share in Ontario, winning 79 seats on Tuesday.

Alberta Premier Jason Kenney remains an ally of Moe and an outspoken critic of Trudeaus policies. But he hasnt been quite so bombastic in recent days.

He sent a lengthy letter to the prime minister congratulating him on his election victory, while reiterating his deep concerns about Albertas place within the federation.

He again called on the federal government to exempt Alberta from the carbon tax backstop, as just one of a long list of grievances.

The Conservatives gained 9.5 points in Alberta, a province they already dominated in 2015. The Liberals lost all of their seats in Alberta and saw their vote share drop from 24.5 to 13.7 per cent, though the NDP held onto one riding in Edmonton.

Even if hes attracted opprobrium from his critics, its clear that Moes hardline approach is proving popular on social media.

The premier posted a statement to his accounts on Tuesday blaming the Liberal government for divisions and calling for a new deal for Canada. Billington said it was the most shared Facebook post ever by a Saskatchewan premier.

It had received 38,000 shares on Facebook as of Thursday evening.

awhite-crummey@postmedia.com

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Moe the hardliner as 'resistance' premiers diverge on Liberal election win - Regina Leader-Post

Demand Justices list evokes a similar set of prospective Supreme Court nominees released by Trump in the fall of 2016.

Demand Justices list evokes a similar set of prospective Supreme Court nominees released by Donald Trump in the fall of 2016. But the differences are more illuminating than the similarities. For one, Trumps list arose in a starkly different political context. As a candidate, the president broke with GOP orthodoxy on multiple fronts. He denounced free-trade agreements in favor of tariffs and protectionism, castigated past Republican leaders for entangling the U.S. in overseas wars, and pledged to reject cuts to Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. Trump, unlike Marco Rubio or Ted Cruz, wasnt a product of the conservative establishment. At one point in his life, he was a pro-choice Democrat.

Even as rank-and-file GOP voters largely flocked to Trumps banner, conservative elites and donors saw danger. They had spent four decades building a movement to reshape the federal judiciary in their own image, nurturing a cadre of originalist lawyers and jurists to serve in it. Antonin Scalias sudden death in 2016 threatened to upend that project. If Hillary Clinton had won, her nominee to replace him would have almost certainly given the courts liberals their first five-justice majority since the 1960s. And even if Trump somehow won, conservative legal figures worried that his ideological flexibility and self-professed willingness to strike deals would leave them empty-handed.

Trumps 2016 shortlists amounted to a Faustian bargain of sorts between him and the conservative legal movement. In exchange for their support and influence, he would pledge to use the lists as a guide when naming future Supreme Court justices. For Trump, it was an easy deal to make. He had already promised to appoint judges in Scalias mold and often warned his supporters of Clintons potential nominees. In practical terms, this arrangementgave some conservatives adegree of cover when endorsing him. Texas Senator Ted Cruz, who had pointedly refused to back Trump at the partys convention that summer, used the list to justify his endorsement in September.

These internal dynamics arent really at play for liberals. There is no real fear that Elizabeth Warren, Joe Biden, or Bernie Sanders would name someone to Justice Stephen Breyers right to the high court if given the chance. There is also currently no Supreme Court vacancy to force the issue to the top of the national agenda. And as BuzzFeeds Zoe Tillman noted last month, there used to be a fundamental difference in how the two parties approached the subject. Democratic candidates and voters tended to focus on the issues that come before the court, such as abortion, gun control, and LGBT rights. Republicans, by comparison, typically focus on control of the courts as both an end and a means.

That gap is fading fast in the Trump era. Thanks to Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh, there is now a reliable conservative majority on the Supreme Court for the first time in more than a half-century, and it will likely persist for at least a generation. That majority owes its existence to a fractious sequence of events: Mitch McConnells blockade of Merrick Garland, Trumps victory despite losing the popular vote, and Kavanaughs corrosive confirmation battle. As a result, Democratic presidential candidates are now openly weighing court-packing as a potential remedy to a Supreme Court that they increasingly view as illegitimate. (Ive previously argued against that option and proposed a healthier solution.)

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A Liberal Legal Movement Is Stirring at Last - The New Republic