Coding, climate, rescues: 3 ways federal politics touched Canadians this week
OTTAWA — The widespread mockery and ridicule around the Liberals’ approach to electoral reform that marked the beginning of the week in federal politics was almost a distant memory by the end of week, as U.S. Vice-President Joe Biden came to Ottawa to plead solemnly for Canada to defend liberalism around the world.
The mydemocracy.ca online voting quiz brought out the cynical side of Canadian political humour, with no end of clever social-media jokes and Photoshopping about the country’s various political animals — all at the expense of the Liberals.
But serious politics soon overtook sarcasm as First Nations chiefs, Biden and the premiers descended upon the national capital to hold counsel with the prime minister and his cabinet about the environment, health care and Canada’s place in the world.
There were other moves worthy of notice all the same: government promotion of coding, announcements on military equipment and talks on climate change were all concrete manifestations of politics this week. Here’s a run-down.