Meet the Minister of Middle Class Prosperity
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Mona Fortier, the Liberal first elected after the death of MP Mauril Bélanger, is now a cabinet rookie assigned to middle-class prosperity, in tandem with being associate minister of finance under a returning Bill Morneau. Cabinet under the less-huggy Justin Trudeau also includes Chrystia Freeland as deputy PM.
A ratio that’s made for radio
Reactions to this call for input to CBC Radio’s political gabfest filled with incredulity over its promotion of compliance in Ottawa. But so it goes in an era where parliamentary reporters are almost uniformly wearing Canada Goose.
“The Conservatives can’t be stuck in the past on LGBTQ rights.” An op-ed by life-long Conservative party members Jamie Ellerton and Melissa Lantsman, via the Globe and Mail, says there’s no hope of winning if a leader remains evasive regarding social issues.
Babsocks cope without a coach
The dismissal of head coach Mike Babcock from the Toronto Maple Leafs came with trending for footwear bearing his face. The Babshop opened three years ago to sell the Babsocks, although the concept has since expanded to incorporate other hockey mugs:
John Mann dead at 57. The frontman of Spirit of the West received a diagnosis of early onset Alzheimer’s in 2014. His battle was chronicled in the documentary Spirit Unforgettable, and it roused a national series of benefit concerts called Spirit of John.
A very weird national jukebox
Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame is inducting six eccentrically Canadian pop hits: from the 1980s, “Rise Up” by Parachute Club and “Let Your Backbone Slide” by Maestro Fresh-Wes; from the 1970s, “(Make Me Do) Anything You Want” by A Foot in Cold Water and “Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft” by Klaatu; and, from the pre-Cancon 1960s, Mandala’s “Opportunity,” plus “I Would Be the One” by Kensington Market: