The week of feeling nearer to normal

It’s your patio talking points memo

Chrystia Freeland @cafreeland

I am proud to work alongside @HarjitSajjan. I’ve seen him defend Canada’s national interest time and again at home and abroad. He’s dedicated much of his life to service and to serving others. These partisan games are a distraction from our job, which is to serve Canadians.

The opposition vote to censure Harjit Sajjan over his perceived failings as defence minister was followed by a show of support from Chrystia Freeland, who was also firing back at Annamie Paul’s calling her a token female shield for Justin Trudeau. So, the final spring days delivered the drama in Ottawa, fodder for what the PM considers fish wrap.

---

Fruits of waiting on Zoom

Footage of the Ontario Liberal leader silently staring into a camera is clearly easier to find in the age of video conference archives, and the NDP took advantage for an attack ad that paints Steven Del Duca as equivalent to Doug Ford in the realm of “bad choices.”

---

The story about Jason Kenney’s secret pandemic restaurant gone to archives in the sky. A claim that the Alberta premier was holding illegal gatherings at Edmonton restaurant Bottega 104 is now showing an Error 404. The Western Standard apologized for the article, which appeared after Kenney apologized for hosting an actual dinner.

---

Much ado aboot the jejune

The contrarian takes by J.J. McCullough, a columnist, cartoonist and YouTuber from Vancouver, are given more gravitas by appearing regularly in the Washington Post. And while the reactions are largely what you’d expect for a young Rex Murphy—one endorsed by Rex himself—his stock can only rise after this odd Andrew Cohen column:

J.J. McCullough @JJ_McCullough

In what way am I "troubled"? Because I have a different opinion than Mr. Cohen here? I was prepared to feel personally attacked by this column but it's just kind of sad and petty.

ottawacitizen.comCohen: The Washington Post’s troubled — and troubling — Canadian columnistPORTLAND, Maine – The Washington Post is one of the world’s great newspapers. It published the Pentagon Papers, exposed Watergate, and revealed Donald Trump’s…

---

Pornhub is being sued by 34 women who accuse it of being a criminal enterprise. Montreal-based owner MindGeek denies the claim it runs a human-trafficking crime syndicate likened to The Sopranos. Amid hopes that Ottawa will take action, Pornhub is discussing a sale to Bruinen, an investor group led by cannabis mogul Chuck Rifici.

---

Finally, going out with gusto

Frank Bonner, the WKRP in Cincinnati star who died at age 79, was originally from Little Rock, but he left two pieces of Canadian content behind. The first one was a 1997 spot for Toronto radio station CHFI, in which Herb Tarlek tried to sell them on more commercials. Seven years later, he brought the plaid jacket back with the Rheostatics: