Category Archives: Liberal

Today in the Legislature, the House was not able to muster a quorum to conduct business, leaving HB 3003 stranded and leaving the liberal majority scrambling for members.

The conservative caucus wasnt going to budge and allow the cut-and-run liberals to force through an $1,100 Permanent Fund dividend.

Speaker Stutes had told the members she wanted the entire bill passed by Tuesday night.

Democrats milled around the House floor midday, waiting for something to happen. Finally, the session was delayed to the call of the chair. And then there was a technical session, a full admission that the House is in disorder.

Without the Minority, there was no Majority. Rep. Sara Rasmussen, who is a caucus of one, said she would get herself on a plane to Juneau right away. Rep. Chris Tuck has been working out in rural Alaska.

HB 3003 is the bill that has the unfinished work of the Legislature in it, including the Permanent Fund Dividend, which was once again set by the House Finance Committee at $1,100, less than one-third the statutory amount and less than half of what Gov. Mike Dunleavy had proposed with his 50-50 plan $2,350.

But then, as the liberal majority caucused privately (minus a couple of members such as Rep. Chris Tuck and Rep. Geran Tarr, both who are somewhat on the outs with their caucus), a Dunleavy bomb dropped into the middle of the bill.

Gov. Mike Dunleavy announced that, subsequent to a judges decision on the Power Cost Equalization Fund being considered a protected endowment, all other funds that were considered appropriated before June 30 are being enacted by his administration.

That means the Houston Middle School, West Su road project, scholarships, and the WWAMI program to get more doctors educated are now funded and the agencies in charge of those projects may expend those funds.

The Dunleavy Administration made the decision based on the courts Power Cost Equalization Fund decision and some budgeting nuances: All appropriations not vetoed before July 1 are valid appropriations and shall be implemented. Dunleavy instructed his staff to begin the process now.

Alaskas students who worked hard and excelled and chose to stay in Alaska deserve stability in their university education. Performance scholarship recipients and WWAMI students can rest assured the funding for their secondary education is secure,said Dunleavy, in a statement.

Although much of this is in the budget weeds for Alaskans, the governors letter is good news for students and Alaskans because it removes all of the MatSu Valley projects, which were being held hostage by the liberal majority, from the equation.

And it also robs the liberal majority from some of its funding machinations for HB 3003. Its going to have to go back to the drawing board.

Speaker Stutes cannot disagree with the governor without contradicting herself. She sent the governor a letter last week in which she said the appropriations should be implemented.

Now, the governor has taken her up on the offer.

The House Finance version of HB 3003 is far from acceptable to the conservative House Minority, which wants at least the 50-50 plan, if not the entire PFD, for Alaskans.

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Meltdown in Juneau Town: Governor tells legislators he has expended funds; liberals thought they had the money for spending - Must Read Alaska

Philippe J. Fournier: After one week, our projection shows the race tightening, support for the NDP growing and the odds of a Liberal majority shrinking

The first of this five-week campaign has come and gone. Even though many observers have described the past seven days as quite underwhelming, there was nevertheless a massive amount of federal polls for data aficionados to enjoy, analyze and deconstruct. So let us start with a short recap of the week that was in federal polling:

The updated 338Canada projection has the Liberal Party at an average of 34 per cent nationally. However, as you can see on the chart below, there is a notable spread between where pollsters have measured LPC support. All polls nonetheless fit into a 34 per cent 4 per cent interval:

The Conservatives sit at an average of 30 per cent, with polls ranging from 26 to 33 per cent:

As for the NDP, it is still hovering around the 20 per cent mark, with polls ranging between 18 and 22 per cent.

Here are the 338Canada vote projections for all major parties. Notice that the confidence intervals (the coloured bars) of the LPC and CPC now overlap significantly, meaning that while the Liberals still hold the lead in the aggregate, the Conservatives are now well within range, which was not the case one month ago:

Breaking down these numbers per regions and demographic tranches, the 338Canada model has the Liberals at an average of 156 seatsessentially where the LPC stood at dissolution. The Conservatives sit an average of 117 seats, barely below their 2019 result.

The only party currently projected to make significant gains is the NDP, with an average of 36 seats (compared to 24 seats in 2019). This tightening of the race, combined with stronger support for the NDP, has significantly decreased the odds of a Liberal majority over the past week. As of this writing, the most likely scenario would be, once again, a Liberal-led minority in the House of Commons:

The earlier you fall behind, the more time you have to catch up, is something I jokingly tell my students in the first week of a semester, and it is, obviously, terrible advice. How could one explain why the Liberals came out so flat in week one? A Liberal optimist would argue they may be keeping their best game for when more Canadians come back from vacations and begin following the campaign more closely. While it is generally true that its better to finish strong than to start strong, sometimes (often?) the first weeks of a campaign can set the tone for what follows. One should never underestimate the importance of momentum (or at least perceived momentum) in politics, especially during this short of a campaign. Just ask the Nova Scotia Liberals.

There is little doubt from the numbers released this week that the LPC stumbled out of the gate. Perhaps the good news for Justin Trudeau is that he still has four weeks to catch up.

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Details of this projection are available on the 338Canada page. To find your home district, use this list of all 338 electoral districts, or use the regional links below:

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338Canada: The Liberals stumble out of the gate in week one - Macleans.ca

OTTAWA -- The race between the Liberals and the Conservatives is narrowing with upward movement in favour of the Conservatives as week one of the federal election campaign comes to a close, according to nightly tracking conducted by Nanos Research for CTV News and The Globe and Mail.

According to the latest nightly tracking ending Friday, which was released Saturday morning, support for the Conservative Party has increased by 3.9 per cent between Aug. 12 and Aug. 20, during the timeframe that saw leaders begin pitching their platform pledges to Canadians.

It's gone from a double-digit advantage to a single-digit advantage to now a horse race between the Conservatives and the Liberals, Nik Nanos, founder and chief data scientist at Nanos Research, told CTV News Channel on Saturday.

The 36-day campaign the shortest possible election period under federal law formally kicked off on Aug. 15 with voting day scheduled for Sept. 20. Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau was sitting at a double digit advantage days before the election was called, according to a previous Nanos survey, which said there was a recoil effect as speculation of a pandemic campaign mounted.

The most recent survey shows Liberals still out front, with 34.2 per cent ballot support, up from 33.4 per cent on Aug. 12, but with the Conservatives inching closer to their lead, now with 32.3 per cent ballot support.

Its clear that it looks like Erin OToole and the Conservatives have had a good week compared to the week before when we did our tracking in the days just leading up to the election, said Nanos.

This surge in the polls may be a result of Canadians getting to know the Conservative candidate, he added.

Prior to the election, many Canadians did not have a formed opinion of Erin O'Toole, were unsure about the Conservatives, and it looks like from the polling that his rollout of his plan of action for the country, and also his first week has helped move the Conservative numbers up, said Nanos.

The NDP have 20.2 per cent ballot support, down from 20.7 per cent recorded on Aug. 12. Ballot support for the Green Party meanwhile has decreased from 7.9 per cent to 4.3 per cent, the Bloc Quebecois ballot support sits at 6.1 per cent, down from 6.3 per cent, and the Peoples Party has 2.1 per cent of ballot support, up from 1.9 per cent.

Nanos said that the Green Party support may have dipped because theyre not focusing on a national campaign.

Because they're not running, Ill say, a traditional national campaign, the leader does not have as much profile as the leader would usually get in a federal election.

While Trudeau still remains the preferred prime minister among respondents, OToole has realized a noticeable gain, according to a separate Nanos survey that was released Saturday.

The nightly tracking data, ending Friday, suggests 32.2 per cent of respondents ranked Trudeau first, down from 35.6 per cent on Aug. 12, while 24.8 per cent ranked OToole first, up from 17.7 per cent.

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh comes in at third with 17.7 per cent of respondents ranking him as their preferred choice.

The first week of the campaign saw leaders addressing the unfolding chaos in Afghanistan and Canadas efforts to evacuate those who helped our military during the war there, the ongoing debate about whether some sectors should enforce mandatory vaccinations, and in keeping with the talking points of the 2019 general election campaign, where parties stand on abortion rights.

The Conservatives released their extensive party platform on Monday a move thats often expected later in the campaign one that focuses on job recovery, pandemic preparedness, and affordability.

The NDP have also unveiled their policy pledges, although less detailed.

Both have not been costed by the Parliamentary Budget Officer, who will sift through each partys platform and provide a numbered analysis.

A national random telephone survey (land- and cellular-line sample using live agents) of 1,200 Canadians is conducted by Nanos Research throughout the campaign over a three-day period. Each evening a new group of 400 eligible voters are interviewed. The daily tracking figures are based on a three-day rolling sample comprising 1,200 interviews. To update the tracking a new day of interviewing Is added and the oldest day dropped. The margin of error for a survey of 1,200 respondents is 2.8 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

The respondent sample is stratified geographically and by gender. The data may be weighted by age according to data from the 2016 Canadian Census administered by Statistics Canada. Percentages reported may not add up to 100 due to rounding.

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Nanos tracking: Liberal, Conservative race narrows in week one of Canadian federal election - CTV News

The party was created off the heels of the 2019 federal election after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was elected and centers around change that benefits Western Canada.

In March, Jeffers was one of the first three candidates announced by the partys interim leader Jay Hill, a former MP for Northeast B.C.

The resources sector is a focal point for Jeffers, believing Northeast B.C. will lead the charge in restoring the economy.

We have forestry, mining, agriculture, tourism, infrastructure, every aspect of it, including oil and gas, obviously, said Jeffers.

We have all of the resources here that need attention and that generate revenue.

By promoting the regions resources and sharing them, Jeffers believes global emissions will be reduced.

If we just got one [heavy polluter like China or India] to convert coal plants to our liquid natural gas, we could reduce the global impact by 15 per cent.

Jeffers believes there need to be more ways to generate revenue and promote resources while being environmentally friendly.

Indigenous relations is another focal point for Jeffers and the Maverick Party.

We have been mandated and told by the Supreme Court many, many, many times over that inclusion and engagement needs to happen upfront, yet, we continue to use the courts as our go-to move in government.

He calls the governments use of the court system shameful.

We need to correct that, and we need to do better.

Jeffers says constituents should vote the same way they have for years if theyre happy with the way the government is functioning right now, and the status quo.

If youre not happy with it, you have to change your vote. Thats a tough one for a lot of people because its an identity issue.

A lot of people dont think that their vote counts after Ontario closes the polls. This time it will, and itll have an impact. Please get out and vote.

Advanced voting takes place for four days, starting September 10th.

The 2021 Federal Election will be held on September 20th.

Jeffers and incumbent conservative Bob Zimmer are the only candidates in the riding listed through Elections Canada.

Other candidates running includeCory Longley for the NDP, Catherine Kendall for the Greens, Ryan Dyck for the PCC, and Liberal candidate Amir Alavi.

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We essentially have four liberal parties running, and that's not right: Maverick Party candidate Dave Jeffers - Energeticcity.ca

Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau holds an election campaign event in Longueuil, Que., Aug. 16, 2021.

Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press

In the first week of the federal election campaign, the Liberals have spent more on advertising on Facebook and Instagram than the other four major parties combined.

Many of the Liberal ads on Facebook highlight key aspects of the partys campaign pitches, such as 10 days paid sick leave. The Conservative ads attack the Liberals on economic issues and for calling a snap election, or show leader Erin OToole working. The NDP ads prominently feature leader Jagmeet Singh.

Legislation passed in late 2018 requires online platforms to create a publicly accessible registry of all advertising paid for by political parties before an election and during a campaign. In response, Facebook established its Ad Library, a repository of spending information that allows the company to continue running political ads.

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Unlike radio and television, where ads are aimed at a wide audience and viewed by many people, social-media platforms allow political parties to micro-target which segment of the population sees which ad. This means different people see different party pitches, and the Ad Library, which holds them all, provides insight into everything thats out there. It also allows a more immediate look at ad spending while the campaign is still happening.

From Aug. 16 to Aug. 22, the Liberals spent $289,133 on advertising on Facebook and Instagram, according to the Ad Library, which is more than the combined amount for the other four major federal parties. During the same period, the Conservatives spent $145,101, the NDP spent $85,813 and the Bloc Qubcois $7,781. The Green Party didnt spend any money on Facebook and Instagram advertising during that time.

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Reaching out to more Canadians online about their ideas and priorities is a crucial way that we engage thousands of new volunteers and supporters, and keep Canada moving forward, said Adrienne Vaupshas, a spokesperson for the Liberal Party.

Lauren McDonald, the director of digital and campaign strategy at advertising agency Creative Currency, said the Liberals initial heavy spending is likely to help them identify their voters.

The Liberals are really focused on, in the early days of the campaign, finding their voters online, she said, adding that many of their ads have a call to action for people to click on if they agree with the message. The same way that you would knock on a door and ask for somebodys support, Ms. McDonald said.

The Conservative ones, she added, seem to be focused on persuading voters, since Mr. OToole is new to many Canadians.

The Ad Library also tracks spending over longer periods. In the past two years, from June 25, 2019, until Aug. 22, 2021, the Conservative Party spent the most money, $2,354,588. This compares with $2,020,004 by the Liberals, $779,265 by the NDP, $51,711 by the Bloc and $63,080 by the Green Party.

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These numbers are the total spent by each partys official page on ads about social issues, elections or politics, according to the Ad Library. Ads on Facebook must indicate who is paying for them, and those that dont are flagged by the platform and are also publicly accessible.

The Ad Library is designed to provide people with maximum transparency, said Kevin Chan, Facebooks head of public policy in Canada.

It was created in response to Bill C-76, the 2018 legislation that requires online platforms to create a registry for digital advertising by political parties. This bill was brought in to help mitigate the ways in which social media can be used by almost anyone to increase social divisions and manipulate voter opinions, as was the case in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

While Facebook created the Ad Library to abide by Canadas new rules, other social-media companies decided not to run political ads during election campaigns.

Google platforms, which include YouTube, opted out.

Per Googles existing policy, we will not accept election or issue advertising on our platforms during a federal election period regulated by the Canada Elections Act, Molly Morgan, a spokesperson for Google Canada, said in an e-mail. We implemented this policy following the changes put in place by Bill C-76.

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Twitter also does not allow ads that contain political content. According to the companys online policy, this includes appeals for votes, solicitations of financial support and advocacy for or against many kinds of political content, such as references to political parties or elections. Twitter also does not allow ads of any type by candidates, parties or government officials.

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Liberals spent more on Facebook advertising in first week of campaign than other parties combined - The Globe and Mail

As the Liberals electoral advantage in seat-rich Ontario has weakened, a new poll of one bellwether riding in Kitchener shows the Liberal incumbents lead is now paper-thin.

A bellwether riding is one that usually indicates an elections overall outcome. In Kitchener Centre, constituents have elected an MP belonging to the party thats won the most seats in seven of the eight elections since the riding was first contested in 1996.

As of Tuesday Day 10 of this election incumbent MP and Liberal candidate Raj Saini was in position to win re-election, albeit by a close margin and after a shrunken lead,according to a voter survey by Mainstreet Research.

When the riding was surveyed on Aug. 13, the Liberals were ahead of the second-place Conservatives by eight percentage points (this poll included 27 per cent undecided voters).

But in a survey of Kitchener Centre voters on Tuesday, although 16 per cent remained undecided, the Liberal lead over the Conservatives had been reduced to two points.

The Liberals lead over the NDP had also shrunk, remaining at just over five points. The NDP had been 15 percentage points behind the Liberals when Mainstreet surveyed voters on Aug. 13.

In the latest poll of Kitchener Centre, the Liberals lead widens only slightly when considering just leaning and decided voters. Thirty per cent of these voters said theyd vote Liberal; 25 per cent said theyd vote NDP; another 25 per cent said theyd pick the Conservative candidate; and 13 per cent said theyd back the Green one. One per cent said theyd vote for the Peoples party, and seven per cent intend to vote for a different party.

Based on what typically would be the margin of error for a survey the size of the one Mainstreet conducted in Kitchener Centre, the Conservative and NDP candidates are both within range of winning it.

Mainstreets most recent survey was of 280 adults in Kitchener Centre who were chosen to reflect the ridings voting population. For a group of this size, the margin of error would usually be plus or minus 5.9 per cent, at a confidence level of 95 per cent. Because the poll was conducted using both automated telephone calls and online sampling, a proper margin of error cant be applied to it.

Running against Saini in Kitchener Centre are: Conservative candidate Mary Henein Thorn, NDP candidate Beisan Zubi, Green candidate Michael Morrice, and Peoples party candidate Diane Boskovic.

When he was first elected in 2015, Saini won with 49 per cent of the vote. In 2019, he was re-elected with 37 per cent.

Morrice, who was also the Green candidate then, placed second in 2019 with 26 per cent of votes.

Former MP Stephen Woodworth, whose victory in 2008 ended the Liberals 11-year control of Kitchener Centre, twice came up short as the Conservative candidate in the riding. In 2015, Woodworth finished second, with 30 per cent of the vote, and, in 2019, he came in third with 24 per cent.

Mainstreets survey of Kitchener Centre reflects what could be among this elections most consequential trends: a resurgence of support in Ontario for the Conservatives. The Liberals won the last two elections, thanks in large part to strong support in Ontario. Since this election was called, support for the Liberals has fallen in Canadas largest province, with Mainstreet now measuring nearly equal support in Ontario both in terms of the projected popular vote and seats won.

The recent poll of Kitchener Centre reflects another trend in this election: stronger support for the NDP, in part at the expense of less support for the Greens.

This story was copy-edited after publication.

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It's shrunk, but the Libs keep their lead in Kitchener bellwether - iPolitics.ca

Left-wingers are cast as enemies of the state in hideously right-wing Britain. Tories are seeking to control and command the public space, our collective culture. Institutions are being watched and combed; individuals quietlyblacklisted.

As Simon Kelner has described, Jess Brammar, the talented erstwhile editor of HuffPost UK who is reportedly a front-runner for a top news job at the BBC, is denounced as too left wing by the new McCarthyites. This despite that at least eight top BBC journalists have gone on to work for the Conservatives or Conservative media outlets. The Director-General, Tim Davie, once stood as a Tory councillor; the chair of the board, Richard Sharp, is a generous Tory donor. No matter. Thats all just fine. But lefties must be hunted down, named and shamed. And the Labour Party either stands by quivering or joins in.

Mail on Sunday columnist Peter Hitchens fired off a verbal rocket last weekend attacking liberals as the fierce stone-faced left-wing doctrinaires who in the past 50 years have created huge zones of misery in what was once a pretty happy society. Our liberal Taliban drove millions of women out of homes where they would happily raise their own children if they could, to drudge all day in call centres and such places for a pittance that pays for the ropey childcare they must then use. They destroyed life-long marriage.

Meanwhile, Ken Loach, one of the worlds greatest social realism film makers, claims he has been expelled from the Labour Party as part of an alleged clear-out of those who supported Jeremy Corbyn, a poor leader but an honourable politician who truly cared about inequality and who opposed Tony Blairs imperial wars. I am reminded of WB Yeatss immortal lines: The best lack all conviction, while the worst / Are full of passionateintensity.

When was this anti-left edict passed? Who decided to exclude and pursue those holding a legitimate and historically respected political ideology? Pointless questions. Such brassy denunciations happen in lawless, autocratic lands. They do it differently here, murkily, underhandedly. The current ruling clique and its media partners have efficaciously demonised and marginalised the left, leaving Labour Party centrists flapping around, obsessing about polls, trying to emulate Tory postures and turning on awkward lefties. Why dont Sir Keir Starmer and his in-crowd instead stand up for Labours founding principles and showcase its massive contribution to social progress? Here, let me help them get started.

The Paralympics started this week. Millions of enthusiasts will be awed by the seemingly superhuman dexterities, talents, power and focus of the participants. Few of them know that the very first wheelchair games were part of the 1948 London Olympics Games when Clement Attlee was prime minister and his government was creating the welfare state. This was a transformation that is still benefitting us all.

I am often told off for being anti-British and unpatriotic. The truth is that I feel proud and lucky to be living in a country where education and healthcare are still accessible to all and its laws promote equality and protect human rights.

Workers rights, race equality, gender equality, disabled rights, childrens rights and gay rights were secured by Labour. Tories usually stood firmly against all these modern, necessary legal changes. The new legislation would harm businesses, they chanted, and were a threat to freedom. In 2000, the Conservatives opposed a binding and far-reaching EU directive that outlawed racial discrimination, victimisation andharassment.

Francis Maude, the then shadow foreign secretary, dismissed the laws as gesture politics, whilst his colleagues muttered about red tape. David Cameron and Nick Clegg did push through the same-sex marriage Act in 2013, but that was long after Blairs government legalised civil partnerships, same-sex adoptions and brought in the Gender Equality Act. The Tories resisted all of those. They have never backed any equality or equal justice movement.

And so here we are today with increasing poverty, rising homelessness, food banks, a slowly dying NHS and fast-collapsing care sector. According to the Local Government Association, 120,000 children are living in temporary accommodation. I blame Tory policies, backward, punitive and biased towards the well-off.People say as you get older, you become more right wing. I am going the other way, and finding it hard to understand why todays Labour leaders are so muddled, shaky and unable to confidently tell the story of how the progressive left made Britain great and can do so again.

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The Paralympics roots reveal a liberal Britain worth fighting for - iNews

Canadas benchmark stock index closed at an all-time high Wednesday, with the financials sector ending in positive territory even as banking stocks pulled back from intraday highs as the Liberal Party revealed plans to increase the corporate taxes they pay. Both the S&P 500 and Nasdaq also closed at record highs.

The S&P/TSX Composite Index last closed at a record on Aug. 11. On Wednesday, it finished at 20,587.32, a gain of 39.56 points, or 0.19%. Most sectors posted gains, including a 0.53% rise in financial stocks. The sector, however, had been up around 1% before the Liberals announced plans to target big banks and insurance companies by pledging to raise their corporate tax rate on all earnings over $1-billion and force these same firms to pay a Canada Recovery Dividend.

The party says this would be in recognition of the fast-paced return to profitability that these institutions have experienced in part due to the unprecedented backstop Canadians provided to our economy through emergency support to people and businesses. The party said details of how the dividend would work would be developed over the coming months through consultations involving the Superintendent of Financial Institutions.

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The two measures would bring in at least $2.5-billion in federal tax revenue over four years, according to the party.

The current federal corporate tax rate is 15 per cent. The proposed change would set a new rate of 18 per cent on all bank and insurance company earnings over $1-billion.

Canadian banks are smack in the middle of their earnings season. On Wednesday, Royal Bank of Canada was the third Big 5 lender to report earnings that beat analysts expectations, after Bank of Nova Scotia and Bank of Montreal reported larger quarterly profits on Tuesday. National Bank also reported earnings ahead of Street forecasts on Wednesday. Royal Bank closed up 0.83% but National Bank closed down 0.55%.

Canadas main stock index is expected to rise only marginally by the end of the year, but then extend its record-setting rally in 2022 as global economic expansion underpins growth in corporate earnings, a Reuters poll released Wednesday found.

The median prediction of 26 portfolio managers and strategists polled on Aug. 11-24 was for the S&P/TSX Composite Index to rise 0.4 per cent to 20,550 by the end of 2021, above Mays forecast of 20,050 but shy of this months record high at 20,567.11.

It was then expected to advance to 22,000 by the end of 2022.

We believe that the [economic] cycle has plenty of mileage left, and that over the next 18 months the Canadian economy is expected to continue to grow at an above-trend pace, said Angelo Kourkafas, investment strategy analyst at Edward Jones.

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On Wall Street, chipmakers and financials helped to push the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq to record closing highs as investors look to the upcoming Jackson Hole Symposium for assurances that Federal Reserves timeline for policy tightening remains intact.

With few negative catalysts to sour the risk-on sentiment, all three major U.S. indexes ended the session modestly higher.

Positive news on vaccination approvals, and expectations that the Fed wont shock markets at Jackson Hole, are helping to keep equity prices higher, said David Carter, chief investment officer at Lenox Wealth Advisors in New York, who added its a very quiet market as many investors are sitting on the beach this week.

Rising U.S. Treasury yields boosted rate sensitive financials, and sectors that stand to gain most from economic revival - smallcaps, chips and transports - were outperforming the broader market.

Days after the Food and Drug Administration gave full approval to the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, companies and institutions are moving toward either mandated inoculation, or penalization for those who forego the shot.

The Pentagon and Delta Air Lines are the latest to enact such measures, with Ford Motor Co and others potentially following suit.

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The session marked the S&P 500s 51st record high close so far this year.

Analysts polled by Reuters, however, see the stock market staying rangebound for the remainder of 2021, with the S&P 500 ending the year little changed as the pandemic recovery, along with corporate earnings growth, lose steam.

Following a long run, equity indexes have cooled off as the next engine of growth is unclear, Carter at Lenox Wealth Advisors added. Fiscal and monetary stimulus may have lost their oomph to push markets higher still.

Tame economic data, including flat new orders for core capital goods, reinforced the notion that Fed Chairman Jerome Powell is unlikely to hint at a shortened timeline for policy tightening at the virtual Jackson Hole Symposium, due to get underway on Friday.

(The) expectation is that Fed wont scare markets, and will announce only a cautious tapering, Carter said.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 39.24 points, or 0.11%, to 35,405.5, the S&P 500 gained 9.96 points, or 0.22%, to 4,496.19 and the Nasdaq Composite added 22.06 points, or 0.15%, to 15,041.86.

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Financials were the clear winners among 11 major sectors in the S&P 500, gaining more than 1%. Healthcare stocks suffered the largest percentage decline.

Chipmakers Nvidia Corp and Applied Materials rose 1.9% and 1.2%, respectively, and along with mega-cap growth stocks Alphabet Inc, Tesla Inc and Facebook Inc, provided the biggest boost to the Nasdaq.

Nordstrom Inc tumbled 17.6% after the department store operator posted a 6% decline in quarterly revenue from pre-pandemic levels.

Dicks Sporting Goods Inc announced a special dividend and raised its annual sales and profit forecast, sending its shares surging 13.3%.

Advancing issues outnumbered declining ones on the NYSE by a 1.49-to-1 ratio; on Nasdaq, a 1.31-to-1 ratio favored advancers. The S&P 500 posted 63 new 52-week highs and one new low; the Nasdaq Composite recorded 125 new highs and 33 new lows. Volume on U.S. exchanges was 8.29 billion shares, compared with the 9.00 billion average over the last 20 trading days.

Oil prices rose more than 1% on Wednesday, extending gains for a third session, after U.S. government data showed that fuel demand climbed to its highest since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Brent crude rose $1.20, or 1.7%, to settle at $72.25 a barrel. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude gained 82 cents, or 1.2%, to end at $68.36 a barrel.

Gold retreated 1% on Wednesday, sliding further below the $1,800 level as the dollar ticked higher and investors hoped for a timeline for the tapering of economic support from the U.S. Federal Reserve at this weeks Jackson Hole symposium.

Spot gold was down 0.9% at $1,786.01 per ounce by 10:43 am EDT (1443 GMT), while U.S. gold futures fell 1.1% to $1,788.10.

With files from Reuters and Globe staff

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The close: TSX at record high but financials pare gains as Liberals propose higher taxes on banks - The Globe and Mail

The second week of the federal election is in full swing and Marc G. Serr, the federal Liberal candidate for Nickel Belt, is out on the hustings.

The second week of the federal election is in full swing and Marc G. Serr, the federal Liberal candidate for Nickel Belt, is out on the hustings.

Im grateful for the tremendous support shown up to date, said Serr, in a press release.

This pandemic hasnt been easy, and I know it will take hard work to fully overcome our remaining challenges. We have had many successes over the years, and I want residents to know they can count on me to keep delivering solutions.

Its been great re-engaging directly in the community as safety protocols and vaccines have allowed for more direct engagement. Volunteers have been eager to help get signs into the ground and we are preparing for our campaign office openings.

His campaign office openings will be held on Wednesday, Aug. 25 from 3-7 p.m. in Val Caron at 3020 Hwy 69 North, and Thursday, Aug. 26 from 3-7 p.m. at 59 William St. in Sturgeon Falls.

A press release put out by the incumbent candidate says that over the past six years, Serr has been deeply involved in his role as MP to improve the lives of all communities the vast riding of Nickel Belt.

As a lifelong Nickel Belt resident, proud francophone and Mtis, Serr has always found a way to keep politics local, the press release said.

His enthusiasm is contagious, and he has a vested interest in advancing policy that prioritizes the environment, youth, Indigenous issues, affordability, seniors, improved infrastructure, accessibility, economic development, job creation, support for families, high speed internet access, education, agriculture, and much more, the press releasegoes on to say.

Marc takes great pride in working with residents, businesses, Chambers of Commerce, stakeholders, municipal governments, and others directly at the grassroots level, said the press release.

He listens intently and ensures that residents have their voices heard in Ottawa. His advocacy has ensured that Nickel Belt has benefited from over $675 million in funding for varied important projects in all corners of the riding. Each investment tells a story and shapes the future of the region.

Whether advocating for an investment for Highway 69, for a seniors craft shop in Skead, for a long-term care home in Chelmsford, for accessibility at a community theatre in Valley East, to a 55 unit affordable housing complex in Coniston, or for a Legion in Sturgeon Falls Serr knows these are more than dollar figures, the press release said.

These investments support projects to meet the real needs identified by individuals to make Nickel Belt an even greater place to live, work and play.

"It is with great pleasure that the Federal Liberal Nickel Belt Association recognizes the tremendous contribution of Marc G. Serr during his two terms as Member of Parliament for Nickel Belt," said Daniel Gingras, campaign manager.

We believe that this kind-hearted, empathetic and dynamic man has and will continue to strive to earn the support of the people of Nickel Belt so that he can continue to represent them in the future to the very best of his ability. "

Elections bring out passionate emotions, said Serr, in a press release. Ive made it a priority to always run positive campaigns and keep focused on what matters: the people of Nickel Belt and their priorities.

I remain accessible to engage with residents, listen, and understand their unique priorities in the over 48 communities and three First Nations across the riding- thats my track record locally and one I will always uphold.

I choose to keep believing in the good of people in Nickel Belt. Weve got amazing volunteers, fantastic community organizations and people who want to make a difference. The community spirit here is truly unmatched. Encouraging all Nickel Belt residents to vote either by mail, at the advanced polls, at the returning Elections Canada offices or in person on Sept. 20. Democracy is in the hands of the people and I would be extremely grateful to continue serving you as MP.

Link:

Liberals Serr is out on the hustings, says hell run positive campaign - Sudbury.com

These are surreal times In Afghanistan. In a matter of hours, the old order had folded like nine pins and all that was left were the ruins of the last two decades.The new order is yet to emerge fully but the contours of that order can be discerned based on the past experience of the Afghan nation and the region. Even as the Taliban advance entered its final lap, the western intelligence was still predicting that Kabul could be taken in a matter of 30 days. But it took less than 30 hours for the Taliban fighters to reach the gates of the Presidential Palace in Kabul from where the incumbent, Ashraf Ghani, had already fled. The West was in any case cutting and running but the speed of Taliban advance meant that once again America had to live through the Saigon moment with diplomats being evicted by the helicopters and sensitive documents being destroyed. Despite the optics, the US policymakers still continue to insist that the Afghan mission had been successful.

As late as last month, US President Joe Biden was pushing back against suggestions that the Taliban could swiftly conquer Afghanistan by arguing that the likelihood there's going to be the Taliban overrunning everything and owning the whole country is highly unlikely. And in less than a month western nations have been scrambling to evacuate their citizens and diplomatic staff even while acknowledging that there will be a new government in Afghanistan. British government is underscoring the new ground realities when in matter of days its discourse has shifted from asking the Taliban to protect human rights to asking the West to work together to ensure that Afghanistan doesnt become a breeding ground for terror.

The West will be trying to preserve some shreds of dignity from the mess unfolding by telling the world that political reconciliation of some sort in Afghanistan is still possible. But for an outfit that has won this victory against the mightiest military power on the earth through the use of force, any talk of moderation will only be temporary. And in the territories that the Taliban have already captured, they have gone back to their good old-fashioned regressive agenda against women and ethnic and religious minorities that had so shocked the global conscience during their horrific 1996-2001 rule. From young girls being forced to marry Taliban fighters to decreeing oppressive dictates against women, from summary executions of soldiers and political opponents to banning music and television, there is hardly anything evolved in this Taliban 2.0.

But western governments will tell their people that some form of accommodation with the Taliban, whether evolved or not, is important for the larger good of the Afghan people as this would mean Afghan taking ownership of their own future. While the humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in Afghanistan will be brushed aside, the strategic consequences of Talibans re-emergence will have to be reckoned with by the West for a long time. If, as is being suggested in some quarters, one of the reasons for the US withdrawing troops from Afghanistan is to focus attention squarely on the competition with China, then the credibility of western assurances as a security guarantor after the Afghan debacle are not worth the paper they are written on. The coalition of partners that the West is trying to construct to manage Chinas rise is likely to face greater fissures as western allies look at the Afghanistan car crash with a degree of foreboding.

The limits of western power today are all too palpable and the embarrassment of Afghanistan is likely to constrain western strategic thinking for decades now. The West perhaps couldnt have built a nation in Afghanistan but the manner in which the withdrawal has unfolded casts a long shadow on the Western ability to manage the emerging, highly volatile global order.

As the Taliban wait in glee to be embraced by the liberal West, those Afghans who decided to believe and stand by the values of democracy and human rights, only to be abandoned in the end, will always stand as a testament to the infirmities of the liberal global order. Its nothing but a sham!

The author is Professor at Kings College London and Director of Research at Observer Research Foundation, New Delhi.

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As the Taliban rise in Afghanistan, the liberal West crumbles - Business Standard