Classified document reveals Harper’s new foreign policy

Last Tuesday, the CBC announced it had obtained a confidential document prepared by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, urging the federal government to focus on economic, rather than diplomatic and humanitarian concerns when dealing with emerging markets such as China.

According to the CBC, the document is a “draft of a highly classified new ‘Canadian foreign policy plan,’ ” which encourages Canada to “pursue political relationships in tandem with economic interests, even where political interests or values may not align.”

Absent from the document is the idea of using trade deals to pressure countries on human rights and other humanitarian concerns. Peacekeeping, foreign aid, and diplomacy receive “scant mention,” according to CBC.

The classified document drew criticism from New Democratic P arty Leader Tom Mulcair, who said that the government is abandoning Canada’s traditional advocacy for democracy, human rights, and international aid.

Harper denied that the document represents government policy.

New Quebec budget affirms repeal of tuition increase

Last Tuesday, the Parti Québécois (PQ) tabled a budget containing both spending cuts and tax increases. The budget commits to repealing the former Liberal government’s tuition fee increases, which led to province-wide student protests earlier this year.

Similarly, the PQ will repeal increases to financial aid and bursaries that were also promised by the previous Liberal government. Decisions regarding additional investment to universities will be made following the education summit in February 2013.

Both the Parti Liberal du Québec and the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) promised to vote against the budget. However, interim Liberal leader Jean-Marc Fournier has indicated that his party does not intend to force another election by defeating the budget. The vote is expected to take place by the end of the month.

Another measure includes tax increases on those who make over $100,000 per year. Infrastructure spending will be cut by $1.5 billion annually, while the additional $5 billion in infrastructure spending Liberals promised during their provincial election campaign will be delayed.

The budget plans for a spending increase of 1.8 per cent, the lowest increase in Quebec in 14 years.

Canada attempts to raise quota on Bluefin tuna

Last Monday, Canada failed to convince the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) to allow an increase in the amount of bluefin tuna that can be fished out of the Atlantic Ocean. The ICCAT is responsible for the protection of tuna, as well as other tuna-like species in the Atlantic Ocean.

Presently, the Canadian government is considering labelling the bluefin tuna as an endangered species, as over-fishing has drastically reduced bluefin populations on the East Coast. Nevertheless, Canada proposed an increase in the bluefin quota from 1,750 to 2,000 tonnes to the ICCAT.

The proposal did not pass, and has led some environmentalists to criticize Canada’s position on bluefin tuna fishing as out of line with that of the international community.

During the same conference, Canada defeated the European Union’s attempt to mandate the release of porbeagles (a type of mackerel shark) caught in ICCAT fisheries worldwide. The porbeagle is an endangered shark that can be found off the coast of Newfoundland. According to the CBC, the porbeagle’s population has been reduced by almost 90 per cent since the 1960s due to over-fishing.

Quarry project defeated by small Ontario town

Residents of the Melancthon township in southern Ontario have successfully defeated an American company’s attempt to open the largest quarry in Canada. The Highland Companies officially withdrew their application to open the quarry last Wednesday, after two years of conflict with the town’s citizens over the issue.

According to The Globe and Mail, the company originally started buying land six years ago, under the proposal that it would start a potato farm, but locals began to express alarm when it made an application to build a limestone quarry on 2,300 hectares of land.

Criticisms of the project included the quarry’s potential impact on groundwater and soil in the region. For example, the quarry would have been below the level of ground saturated with water, requiring the company to pump water to the surface to keep the work area dry.

A spokesperson for the Highland Companies said it withdrew support because of a lack of support from both the community, and the Ontario government. The latter had ordered an environmental assessment of the quarry last September, even though such assessments are not mandatory for the development of quarries.

Minister criticizes RCMP gender imbalances

In a letter dated last Thursday, Public Safety Minister Vic Toews criticized the behaviour of Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Commissioner Bob Paulson for his treatment of gender issues in Canada’s national police force.

Specifically, Toews criticized Paulson’s choice to speak with media about an internal report investigating issues such as gender imbalances and sexual harassment in the RCMP. Paulson discussed the report on Thursday, before it was officially released to the public on Friday.

According to the internal report, women are less likely to be promoted within the RCMP, largely due to a “selection bias” against women. Currently, only 20 per cent of the police force consists of women, despite the RCMP’s stated goal of 35 per cent representation.

Toews’ letter also found fault with the RCMP’s lack of clarity in their plans to deal with these issues. Toews has given the RCMP until Dec. 11 to present him with a report, outlining a concrete plan for addressing the issues detailed in the report.