Reports of secret cellphone surveillance in Ottawa under investigation

Share

CANADIAN NEWS YOU SHOULD KNOW

The RCMP and CSIS are looking into secret cellphone surveillance in the nation's capital near Parliament Hill. Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale noted that the surveillance efforts, first reported by CBC News/Radio-Canada, were not carried out by either of the aforementioned security organizations.

The Canadian government has begun a backroom effort to squash a mutiny attempt by South Africa against the International Criminal Court. Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould, who was in South Africa last week, held private meetings where she heard complaints about the body and promised to address those concerns, the Globe has learned.

The federal and Quebec governments are saying that Bombardier took the appropriate actions in addressing its executive pay raise controversy. In February, the Trudeau Liberals gave more than $370-million to aid the company's aerospace programs. The Quebec Liberals recently invested $1-billion into the C Series airliner program. Last year, the Montreal-based manufacturer announced plans to cut around 14,000 jobs.

Opposition leader Rona Ambrose was at a Status of Women committee meeting to discuss Bill C-377, a private member's bill that would require those seeking to become judges to undergo comprehensive sexual-assault law training. The discussion of the bill, which had received broad support from all parties, turned political after Liberals questioned the Harper government's decision to appoint Robin Camp, the judge who asked a complainant why she could not keep her "knees together." Mr. Camp, who ignited a firestorm of controversy for his comments, resigned last month after a disciplinary council called for him to be fired.

And Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will be visiting Juno Beach following this weekend's commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the battle of Vimy Ridge. Although Canadian soldiers fought at Vimy during the First World War and at Juno Beach during the Second World War, the theme of the trip is honouring the sacrifices made by Canadian soldiers.

This is the daily Politics Briefing newsletter. If you're reading this on the web or someone forwarded this email newsletter to you, you can sign up for Politics Briefing and all Globe newsletters here. Let us know what you think.

U.S. NEWS YOU SHOULD KNOW

Health care was complicated. NAFTA could be an even bigger quagmire for the Trump White House. At his campaign rallies U.S. President Donald Trump consistently went after the three country trade pact but opposition from groups that have traditionally supported Republicans could imperil renegotiation efforts in Washington.

Speaking of health care, the second round of efforts to repeal and replace Obamacare appear to be facing a rough go. One of the proposals would get rid of a popular provision in the current legislation that covers those with pre-existing conditions. Meanwhile, a new poll showed that for the first time since Gallup began asking the question, a majority of Americans approved of Obamacare.

U.S. President Donald Trump's extreme vetting practices may force tourists to share their social media passwords, phone contacts and even their financial data. The changes could affect citizens from 38 countries who are part of a visa waiver programme, including key U.S. allies such as France, Germany, Australia, the U.K. and Japan. On Capitol Hill, a bipartisan group of Senators and House Representatives introduced a bill that would require border guards to obtain a warrant before searching Americans' phones.

And the Senate is a chamber known for its decorum and collegiality between colleagues regardless of political affiliation. Or at least, it used to be.

SECUREDROP

Did you know you can share information with Globe journalists with much more security and anonymity than traditional means? Read more about SecureDrop and encrypted communication.

LUNCHTIME LONG READ

Globalization. Automation. Free trade. All have been used to explain why manufacturing jobs have disappeared, hollowing out traditional industrial heartlands in the West. In Alabama, manufacturing has returned, but all is not well and good. As Bloomberg Businessweek reports, the comeback has come at a steep cost to employees.

QUOTABLE

"What I saw was unlike anything: People were falling on top of each other, they could barely run for a few metres before collapsing, their pupils were as small as needles, froth was bubbling out of their mouths. They looked like they were drowning from the inside." Hani al-Qateeni, a volunteer paramedic in Northern Syria, on the deadly gas attack that killed dozens.

WHAT EVERYONE'S TALKING ABOUT

David Parkinson (The Globe and Mail): "Canada's economic resurgence took a blow to the midsection Tuesday, as a surprise return to a trade deficit in February sounded a note of caution about a core component of the country's good-news growth story. But for a Bank of Canada that has resisted embracing the faster-growth tale, the trade disappointment couldn't have come at a better time." (for subscribers)

Barrie McKenna (The Globe and Mail): "In Mr. Trump's world, the trade balance is the ultimate measure of economic success. A trade deficit is a loss for the United States – of jobs, economic growth and competitiveness. History suggests otherwise. The United States is a testament to the fact that a thriving economy can run deficits for decades, as long as the rest of the world is willing to finance its growth." (for subscribers)

Ken McGoogan (The Globe and Mail): "Let's invite Scotland to join Canada. The Scots aren't happy with the rest of Britain. They aren't happy politically with Westminster's shift to the right. They aren't happy with Brexit, and with being frog-marched out of a multinational alliance they don't wish to leave. The Scots, certainly as represented in Edinburgh, want to hold a second referendum on independence. But they're hitting a brick wall. Now is the time for the Canadian government to extend an invitation."

Chantal Hebert (The Toronto Star): "The good news for Trudeau coming out of Monday's vote is that the NDP, for now, is in no shape to do his party serious damage. But the wind in the sails of the Conservatives in Ontario and Alberta does not bode well for key provincial allies at Queen's Park and in Edmonton."

Tasha Kheiriddin (iPolitics): "O'Leary's cavalier campaign attitude is flat-out insulting — to the party he says he wants to lead, to the supporters he is supposedly courting, and to the candidates with whom he is competing. CPC members can mail in their ballots. Mailing in your candidacy is quite another matter."

Linda Tirado (The Daily Beast): "More than three times as many people voted for Trump on Staten Island, and nearly ten times as many in Macomb County, Michigan, than live in my whole [rural] county. If you're looking for a reason Trump is in office, you might start by looking where the majority of his voters are."

Written by Mayaz Alam.