Prime Minister Justin Trudeau Invokes The Emergencies Act

[Rick Plant]

Trudeau and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz to sign hydrogen deal in Newfoundland



Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz are set to sign a green energy agreement later this month in Newfoundland that could prove pivotal to Canada's nascent hydrogen industry.

The German government on Friday issued a statement confirming the agreement will be signed Aug. 23 in Stephenville, where a Newfoundland-based company plans to build a zero-emission plant that will use wind energy to produce hydrogen and ammonia for export.

If approved, the project would be the first of its kind in Canada.

Germany is keen to find new sources of energy because Russia's invasion of Ukraine has led to a surge in natural gas prices. As well, Russia has reduced its flow of natural gas to its European customers, prompting concerns about supply shortages.

Meanwhile, the company behind the Newfoundland project, World Energy GH2, has said the first phase of the proposal calls for building up 164 onshore wind turbines to power a hydrogen production facility at the deep-sea port at Stephenville. Long-term plans call for tripling the size of the project.

"There is a heightened urgency for Canada to step into this new market that's in such high demand," said Stephenville Mayor Tom Rose, who noted the province did not lift a moratorium on wind farm development until this year.

"We're poised now to be the green energy hub of North America."

Among the companies behind the project is CFFI Ventures Inc., led by Nova Scotia-based billionaire John Risley, who is best known as co-founder of Clearwater Seafoods.

As for Trudeau and Scholz, Rose said they will be joined in Stephenville by cabinet ministers and a delegation of German business leaders who will attend a green energy trade show before the signing ceremony.

Rose said Stephenville is an ideal place for a wind farm because the area is known for having a world-class "wind corridor." As well, the town has the means to produce the large amounts of water needed for hydrogen production because heavy-duty infrastructure remains in place from the Abitibi-Price paper mill that closed in 2005.

"It appears to be the energy of the future and the demand is very robust," said Rose, who was born and raised in the area. "We're stepping up when another country needs our resources."

The multibillion-dollar project was registered with the province in June and now requires an environmental impact statement.

In its proposal, World Energy GH2 says it is on the cutting edge of a new, green industry.

"The development of large-scale green hydrogen production facilities is just starting, providing (Newfoundland and Labrador) and Canada with the opportunity and advantages of being a first mover in the green energy sector," the proposal says.

"(Newfoundland and Labrador's unique geography, strong wind resource and proximity to large centres of demand, will make it a globally competitive green hydrogen producing region."

The company points out that the vast majority of existing hydrogen production relies on natural gas or coal for its electricity, which means it produces unwanted carbon emissions.

Meanwhile, the company says construction of its first wind farm is slated for late next year on the Port au Port Peninsula.

In Cape St. George, which is on the peninsula, Mayor Stella Cornect has said residents are worried about the project's potential impact on the area's delicate ecosystem, which includes rare and endangered plants.

On Saturday, the Prime Minister's Office confirmed Trudeau will accompany the chancellor on a brief Canadian visit that will include earlier stops in Montreal and Toronto, starting Aug. 21.

https://atlantic.ctvnews.ca/trudeau-and-german-chancellor-olaf-scholz-to-sign-hydrogen-deal-in-newfoundland-1.6026866

[Rick Plant]

Justin Trudeau @JustinTrudeau

It’s official: @POTUS signed legislation that will include Canada in a new tax incentive for electric vehicles purchased in the US. This is good news for Canadians, for our green economy, and for our growing EV manufacturing sector.

https://twitter.com/JustinTrudeau/status/1559648402408980480

[Rick Plant]

Justin Trudeau @JustinTrudeau

This morning I met with the folks over at Ferme Bourdages who are welcoming people to Gaspésie from across Canada and around the world. Small businesses like this are so important to our tourism industry and we’ll keep supporting them as Canada’s tourism industry recovers.







https://twitter.com/JustinTrudeau/status/1560347259438600192

[Rick Plant]

Justin Trudeau @JustinTrudeau

Canada is a big place, but it always feels small when you bump into familiar faces. When I visited À l’abri de la tempête Microbrasserie today, I met @damienrobi — an excellent musician who kept us entertained with his daily videos these past two years. Great meeting you, Damien!

https://twitter.com/JustinTrudeau/status/1560779319621947394

[Rick Plant]

Justin Trudeau @JustinTrudeau

The Port of Cap-aux-Meules is critical to the Madelinots, and today, @DiLebouthillier and I announced a new investment to rebuild the fishers’ wharf. This funding will ensure stability and economic opportunities for years to come.
More here: https://bit.ly/3we12P2



https://twitter.com/JustinTrudeau/status/1560712327384768512

[Rick Plant]

Canada's inflation rate falls to 7.6 per cent

In July, Canada's rate of inflation fell from 8.1 per cent to 7.6 per cent. It marks the first time in a year that the inflation rate has fallen.

Watch:

[Rick Plant]

Convoy blockades cost Canadian economy billions in reduced GDP, documents show



Newly disclosed cabinet documents show that Ottawa produced an internal estimate in February of the GDP impact of countrywide blockades, figures Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland did not provide when asked during a June committee hearing on the government’s use of the Emergencies Act.

Minutes of a cabinet-level meeting attended by Ms. Freeland that took place the day before the government invoked the act show ministers were told that the blockades were causing economic losses of 0.1 per cent to 0.2 per cent of GDP per week.

Canada’s GDP is about $2.6-trillion, meaning the estimate showed that the Canadian economy was losing between $2.6-billion and $5.2-billion a week. The source of that economic estimate is not clear because of the extent of redactions.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his cabinet invoked the act on Feb. 14 for the first time in Canadian history as a means to resolve several highly disruptive blockades by people who were primarily opposing COVID-related restrictions.

A package of highly redacted cabinet-level documents were made public this week in Federal Court as part of a legal challenge seeking a judicial review of the government’s use of the act. The documents included the revelation that the Prime Minister’s national security adviser, Jody Thomas, told the full cabinet on the evening of Feb. 13 that there was a potential for a breakthrough with the protesters who had blockaded downtown streets in Ottawa for weeks.

A spokesperson for Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino said this week that the breakthrough comment was in reference to talks that had taken place around that time between the protesters and the City of Ottawa. However, the federal government concluded those talks would not succeed.

Invoking the Emergencies Act triggers a legal requirement for a special joint committee of MPs and senators to hold hearings and review whether the government’s decision to use the special powers was appropriate.

In May, the committee heard from two senior Finance Canada officials – assistant deputy minister Isabelle Jacques and director-general Julien Brazeau. In response to MP questions, they both said that the department may have produced some economic impact analysis of the blockades, but neither of them knew for sure or had seen such information.

“I did not receive at that time, certainly any numbers, concerning that,” Ms. Jacques told the committee.

Conservative MP Glen Motz then followed up directly with the minister in a June 14 committee meeting with a series of questions about what economic assessments were produced, if any.

Ms. Freeland responded by discussing the concerns that business leaders were expressing at the time, but did not provide any national GDP impact figures.

She did provide an opening statement to the committee that included Statistics Canada estimates of the daily trade effects the blockades caused in Alberta, Manitoba and at the Ambassador Bridge in Ontario.

“I personally had many conversations and read many reports that caused me to be very concerned about the economic consequences of the illegal blockades and occupation,” she replied to Mr. Motz. “I spoke directly with Canadian business leaders, who told me that they were hearing from investors that their confidence in Canada, as an investment destination, was shaken.”

Later in the hearing, NDP MP Matthew Green picked up on the same line of questioning: “I need to know if the government had, within its department – within your department, your ministry – facts that meant the economic impacts of the occupation were significant enough,” he said. “I’m going to put the question to you directly: What were the economic impacts of the occupation, and were they significant enough to meet the threshold of a threat to national security, under section 2 of the CSIS Act?”

When Ms. Freeland again responded with general comments about the economic impact, Mr. Green interjected: “Can you quantify it?”

“I had many conversations with Canadian business leaders,” she replied.

Conservative MP and emergency preparedness critic Dane Lloyd said in a statement that the government has not been fully truthful with Canadians about its decision to invoke the act.

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/article-ottawa-trucker-convoy-protests/

[Rick Plant]

Justin Trudeau @JustinTrudeau

To start off our day, @Bundeskanzler Scholz and I sat down and spoke about the opportunities and challenges our countries are facing. Whether it’s trade and jobs, Ukraine, or energy security, we’re on the same page – and we’re focused on how we can keep making progress together.



https://twitter.com/JustinTrudeau/status/1561769986301083650