ICYMI: April 7-12
At Alberta Native News, I also wrote about Indigenous groups’ submissions to the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada criticizing the Canada-Alberta draft co-operation agreement on environmental assessments.
For The Breach, I reported on how First Nations Treaty rights serve as a bulwark against Alberta Premier Danielle Smith’s empowerment of separatists, which is part of a broader authoritarian project.
Blogroll
Story of the Week
Organizers End Giller Prize Boycott, Say Demands Have Been Met, Richie Assaly, The Grind (April 10)
The Giller Foundation has remained silent about its sponsorships with Indigo and the Azrieli Foundation, and did not reply to multiple requests for comment from The Grind.
In February, CanLit Responds organizers sent an email to the Giller Foundation’s executive director Elana Rabinovitch after both the Azrieli Foundation and Indigo were removed from the “Partners” page on the Giller’s website.
In the emails, viewed by The Grind, Rabinovitch stated that the Giller’s three-year funding contract with the Azrieli foundation ended at the end of 2025.
Rabinovitch also wrote that Indigo “has never been a sponsor” of the Giller, and has never provided the prize with funding. She added the company will continue to showcase Giller-nominated books in its stores as a “marketing partner.”
Rabinovitch’s email also stated that the Giller was able to operate the foundation and fund the prize “with a one-time ‘bridge’ gift and two smaller donations from individuals and foundations who wish to remain anonymous.”
The email added that those anonymous donations will allow the Giller Foundation to maintain operations throughout 2026.
In their statement, CanLit Responds organizers note that they will be watching closely to see who the Giller’s future donors are.
Alberta
A Piikani Member Vows to Sue to Stop Selenium Pollution, Andrew Nikiforuk, The Tyee (April 7)
Lawyers Group Wants a Criminal Probe of Edmonton’s Top Cop, Charles Rusnell, The Tyee (April 7)
Alberta regulator challenges legal basis of Imperial Oil tailings spill lawsuit, Sonal Gupta, Canada’s National Observer (April 9)
‘For Alberta, For Canada’: Alberta NDP launch campaign to challenge separatists, Matthew Black, Edmonton Journal (April 9)
Alberta’s access restrictions threaten privacy, democratic role of libraries: critics, Lisa Johnson, Canadian Press (April 10)
Canada
Longtime Conservative MP Marilyn Gladu joins Liberals in stunning floor crossing, Althia Raj, Toronto Star (April 8)
Gas flaring at LNG Canada far exceeds permitted volume, documents show, Lauren Krugel, Canadian Press (April 9)
Doug Ford Got Rid of Toronto’s School Trustees. At One School, Things Blew Up. Eric Wickham, PressProgress (April 9)
Quebeckers Fight U.S.-Backed Expansion of Arms Plant, Emma Paling, The Maple (April 10)
The seat of power: Terrebonne’s rematch between the Liberals and Bloc puts Carney’s popularity to the test in Quebec, Maura Forrest, Globe and Mail (April 11)
Former Toronto mayor John Tory endorses Liberal candidate Doly Begum in Scarborough Southwest byelection, Daniyah Yaqoob, Toronto Star (April 11)
Christine Fréchette is Quebec’s next premier after winning CAQ leadership, Benjamin Shingler, CBC News (April 12)
Mark Carney’s Liberals are branding themselves as the beyond-politics party, Susan Delacourt, Toronto Star (April 12)
U.S.
Four women describe sexual misconduct by Rep. Eric Swalwell, including a former staffer who says he raped her, Allison Gordon, Isabelle Chapman, Casey Tolan and Pamela Brown, CNN (April 10)
Brad Lander joins call to end U.S. aid to Israel, in quest to replace Rep. Dan Goldman, Jacob Kornbluh, The Forward (April 10)
Tucker Carlson Books Imprint To Launch With Skyhorse Publishing, Isabella Simonetti, Wall Street Journal (April 12)
World
Communists say this Indian state is a success. Will voters agree? Michael Stott and Veena Venugopal, Financial Times (April 8)
Brexiters turn their backs on Donald Trump after Iran chaos, Lucy Fisher, Financial Times (April 11)
Orban’s far-right party swept out of power after 16-year reign in Hungary, Paul Waldie, Globe and Mail (April 12)
Dozens feared dead in air strike on village in northeastern Nigeria, Mariamne Everett, Al Jazeera (April 12)
What happens in Sudan will not stay in Sudan, Mo Ibrahim, Financial Times (April 12)
Middle East
Residents of Israel’s battered north want war against Hezbollah – with or without peace in Iran, Mark MacKinnon, Globe and Mail (April 7)
Inside the Israeli army’s propaganda wing, Illy Pe’ery, +972 (April 8)
Lebanon thought there was a ceasefire - then Israel unleashed deadly blitz, Hugo Bachega, Samantha Granville and Paulin Kola, BBC News (April 9)
The Man Who Shaped Washington’s View of the Middle East, Dion Nissenbaum, Foreign Policy (April 9)
Does the war in Iran signal a structural shift for energy markets? Emma Graney, Globe and Mail (April 11)
Trump announces naval blockade of Strait of Hormuz as Iran peace talks fail, James Politi, Financial Times (April 12)
Gulf Allies Turn Away From U.S. for Fresh Ammo, Alistair MacDonald and Summer Said, Wall Street Journal (April 12)
Tech
Canadian bank execs, regulators meet to discuss risks raised by Anthropic’s new AI model, Mark Rendell, Alexandra Posadzki and Stefanie Marotta, Globe and Mail (April 10)
AI firm Cohere in merger talks with Germany’s Aleph Alpha, sources say, Joe Castaldo, Globe and Mail (April 10)
Meta builds AI version of Mark Zuckerberg to interact with staff, Hannah Murphy, Financial Times (April 12)
AI Is Using So Much Energy That Computing Firepower Is Running Out, Angel Au-Yeung and Robbie Whelan, Wall Street Journal (April 12)