Wednesday Night #2274

No Canadian Thanksgiving holiday for PM Carney as World leaders met in Egypt to discuss post-war Gaza plans amid hostage, prisoner swap
Nearly three dozen countries, including some from Europe and the Middle East, were represented at the international summit in Sharm el-Sheikh.
Trump, el-Sisi, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani signed the document that Trump said would lay the groundwork for Gaza’s future. A copy was not made public.
Inside Carney’s ‘chaotic’ Egypt trip
Trump was four hours late, so the other leaders, so PM Carney and fellow leaders from Europe and the Middle East talked. And talked. And planned. And strategized.
— Chaos + delay = progress: “The slightly chaotic nature of the way that the summit came together, and the fact that the president himself was four hours late, led to this very unusual alignment where — and this never, ever happens — where you’ve got all of these regional leaders and world leaders together in an isolated place in basically the same room for eight hours,” said the official from Carney’s office.
… — On the fly: “These leaders were basically sitting together in a circle trying to grapple with the great crisis that we’re all facing right now and doing it through genuine substantive exchange of concepts and ideas — not with briefing notes, not with diplomats, [or] with diplomats whispering in their ear what they should say next,” the official said.
The leaders “probably accomplished more” in that time than they would have in “the next six months using the normal processes.” …

Israel-Gaza
Trump declares a new ‘dawn’ in Middle East. It could be a false one.
“…as Trump resumed meetings in Washington on Tuesday, any belief in a new dawn is premature. The Israeli military said it opened fire on Palestinians whom they accused of approaching troop positions, while Israel said it would slash the number of aid trucks allowed into the territory amid the phased release by Hamas of the remains of a number of deceased hostages. Some among Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing coalition wanted to see the total defeat and disappearance of Hamas, but the faction endures, and has set about violently cracking down on local opponents in Gaza. No Israeli or Hamas officials attended the conference in Egypt.” (See Long reads)
With the victory lap over, now comes thorny issue of building a genuine peace.
As the world waits to see whether the provisional peace will hold -and there is considerable doubt- we might reflect on an achingly familiar refrain from yet another country in crisis: El Fasher, Sudan, has been declared “uninhabitable” after 549 days under siege by RSF forces. Ninety percent of homes are destroyed, food and water are nearly gone, and acute malnutrition affects children and mothers. Constant bombardment, hospital attacks, and communication blackouts have left 250,000 civilians trapped and barely surviving inside the paramilitary force’s blockade of the city.
And in Haiti, the situation is so bad that MSF has closed its facility permanently.
Meanwhile, Trump says US is ‘looking at land’ strikes in Venezuela after lethal strikes on boats
Asked if the US is considering strikes on suspected drug cartels inside Venezuela, after lethal strikes on suspected drug smugglers at sea, Donald Trump just said that the administration is “looking at land”.

The Un-Trumpable Wisdom of the Norwegian Nobel Committee
Jeremy Kinsman
(Policy) … Over the last half-century, the Nobel Committee has added a growing rhetorical emphasis on nonviolent resistance to authoritarian repression of civil liberties. Since dictators in this century have chosen to use the same brutal handbook of utmost repression to put down the Arab Spring after 2011 and dissidence in Russia, Belarus, Venezuela, Myanmar, Iran, Hong Kong and elsewhere, the Committee has taken a strong stand against authoritarianism.
Given Trump’s vindictive and divisive rampage against civil liberties in the United States itself, he’s likely already disqualified himself for 2026.
… For 125 years, except for the years of world war and a few others where presumably the committee couldn’t reach a decision, the Peace Prize has gone mostly to individuals (112). Many winners since 1901 were deserving national leaders. But individuals recognized in recent decades have been lesser-known people doing vital work, reflecting the advent of civil society as a force in democracy.
… There has been a recent catch-up recognition of the contribution of women fighting for equity and inclusion, notably in the lists of past Nobel winners. But the predominant emphasis has been on resistance to the compression of civil liberties.
The list of groups and organizations advocating for peace, freedoms, humanitarian support, and international cooperation include: Amnesty International (1977); Office of the UN High Commissioner for refugees (1981); the Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs – Canada (1985); UN peacekeepers (1988); the International Committee to Ban Landmines (1997); Medecins Sans Frontieres (1999); the UN itself and Kofi Annan (2001); the IAEA (2005); the International Panel on Climate Change, and Al Gore (2007); the EU (2012); the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (2013); the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (2017); the World Food Programme (2020); Memorial (2021); and the Centre for Civil Liberties (2022).
Donald Trump’s policies and budgetary slashes have hurt just about every cause on that list.

The last of the Nobel awards The Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel 2025 was awarded “for having explained innovation-driven economic growth” with one half to Joel Mokyr “for having identified the prerequisites for sustained growth through technological progress” and the other half jointly to Philippe Aghion and Peter Howitt “for the theory of sustained growth through creative destruction”.
Canadian Peter Howitt among 3 Nobel winners in economics
Howitt among those awarded for ‘having explained innovation-driven economic growth’
McGill Alumnus Peter Howitt awarded 2025 Nobel Prize in Economics for work on innovation and growth
Canadian economist recognized for pioneering work on the dynamics of creative destruction
“A Canadian legacy with global impact
Howitt’s work is not only theoretical but has shaped real-world economic policy. His research has informed strategies on R&D investment, education policy, startup support and market competition – all critical components of knowledge-based economies.
At 79, Howitt’s achievements represent a major milestone for Canadian academia. His Nobel Prize highlights the global influence of Canadian economics, and of McGill University, where his journey began.” – Take that M. Legault

With the Nobel Prize for Economics uppermost in our minds, the work of another Laureate, Paul Romer, might have considerable relevance to the reconstruction of Gaza.
Paul Romer, charter cities and lessons from historical big infrastructure?
A charter city is a new city with new rules, defined in terms of its “special jurisdiction”, whereby a city government is delegated authority by a host country to write new laws of governance (Mason & Lutter, 2020). Romer became the leading global advocate of charter cities with a 2009 TED Talk (See Long reads Why the world needs charter cities).
Two surprising charter city projects: the Suez and the Panama Canal
Two forgotten charter city experiments, the Suez and Panama Canal companies.

‘Alternative Nobel’ goes to activists who made climate change a matter of international law
The 2025 Right Livelihood Awards recognize five individuals and organizations for their work on climate justice, human rights, and digital democracy. The laureates are Pacific Islands Students Fighting Climate Change and Julian Aguon, Justice For Myanmar, Emergency Response Rooms (Sudan), and Audrey Tang (Taiwan). The joint award to Pacific Islands Students Fighting Climate Change and Julian Aguon specifically acknowledges their role in bringing climate change to the International Court of Justice.
[UN’s top court says failing to protect planet from climate change could violate international law
‘Clean, healthy and sustainable environment’ is a human right, International Court of Justice says]
What are the ‘alternative’ Nobels?
The Right Livelihood Award was established in 1980 when the Nobel Foundation rejected a proposal to add two new prizes to its prestigious roster to recognize individuals committed to social justice action and environmentalism.
Every year since, a panel of judges and former Right Livelihood laureates has awarded monetary prizes to “brave visionaries working for a more just, peaceful and sustainable world for all.”

Varia
Global economy
The generally gloomy news coming from the World Bank/IMF Annual meetings is tempered by the announcement that  the Bank pledged to double its annual investment in agriculture and farming to $9 billion.
AgriConnect is a World Bank Group initiative to transform smallholder farming, create jobs, and strengthen global food security.
The program will help fund the 500 million smallholder farmers globally who produce 80% of the food consumed, aiming to create more jobs and financing opportunities for the sector.

‘She left trail of fairy dust’: Tributes pour in for Diane Keaton
Goldie Hawn, Steve Martin and Ben Stiller have led tributes to Oscar-winning actress Diane Keaton, who has died at the age of 79.
Keaton, who was born in Los Angeles, shot to fame in the 1970s through her role as Kay Adams-Corleone in The Godfather films.
She was also known for starring roles in films including Father of the Bride, First Wives Club and Annie Hall, which won her the Academy Award for Best Actress in 1978.
Fellow First Wives Club co-star Goldie Hawn said Keaton left “a trail of fairy dust, filled with particles of light and memories beyond imagination”.
Woody Allen Pays Tribute to Diane Keaton: ‘Her Face and Laugh Illuminated Any Space She Entered’
Woody Allen has penned a heartfelt remembrance of Diane Keaton following the actor’s death at 79, sharing intimate memories of their romance and legendary creative partnership in an essay published by The Free Press.

Traitor, survivor or influencer? Mexico rethinks story of conquistador translator Malinche
(AP) — The woman long blamed for her role in the fall of the Aztec empire in 1521 is getting a modern makeover.
The Spanish called her Marina, pre-Hispanic peoples knew her as Malintzin and later she was renamed Malinche. Her work as translator and interpreter for Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés made her a protagonist in a violent colonial period whose effects still reverberate through Latin America. Her story, told only by others, generated myths and legends.
Was she a traitor to her people? The conquistador’s lover? A slave using her language skills to survive? Or someone with agency who influenced Cortés and shaped major events?
Five centuries later, the debate continues and Mexico’s first woman leader, President Claudia Sheinbaum, is weighing in.
Beginning Sunday, Mexico will kick off cultural events dedicated to reclaiming the story of Malinche with her pre-Hispanic name, Malintzin, on the anniversary of the arrival of Christopher Columbus to the Americas.

Coming events
No Kings — Freedom (video)
Why protest is patriotic
Timothy Snyder
…on October 18th, millions of Americans will gather in thousands of places to protest the countless ways our current administration is attacking our freedoms. Some elected officials — details in the video — cannot even bear to say the name of the protests out loud « No Kings ». Instead they are trying to message-discipline themselves into the propaganda line that protestors hate their country.

Quebec’s new ‘constitution’ bill is an affront to democracy
The Legault government’s document is a fantasy, especially when it comes to Quebec’s non-francophone population.
In his latest column, Andrew Caddell criticizes Quebec Premier François Legault’s proposed Quebec Constitution Act, 2025 (Bill 1) as a political stunt that undermines democracy. Introduced amid economic and social challenges, the bill claims to define the Quebec nation but instead entrenches controversial laws on secularism, identity, and language while shielding them from judicial review. It prioritizes collective rights over individual human rights, contradicts federal law and Supreme Court rulings on sovereignty, and ignores the contributions of non-francophone Quebecers, including English-speaking and Indigenous communities.
“Last week, Legault’s justice minister, the hyper-nationalist Simon Jolin-Barrette, tabled the symbolically named Bill 1, The Quebec Constitution Act, 2025. The bill promises to “define the Quebec nation,” but rather than describe a dynamic, multilingual society within a majority francophone province, it entrenches its three most narrow-minded pieces of legislation: Bill 21 on secularism, Bill 84 on identity, and Bill 96 on language. And their privileged place in this “constitution” protects them from judicial appeal.
This will mean so-called collective rights of the Quebec “nation”—secularism and the French language—are superior to human rights. And it prevents any organization or institution receiving taxpayers’ dollars to undertake a court challenge. The English Montreal School Board, which is taking Bill 21 to the Supreme Court, would no longer be able to fight Quebec City.”
Opposition parties rejected the bill, and Andrew warns that rather than a serious constitutional framework, it risks fostering intolerance and exploiting nationalist sentiment.

Update: Canada Threatens to Sue Stellantis Over US Jeep Work Move
Industry Minister Melanie Joly said she would consider Stellantis in “default” in light of government support extended to the automaker, following an agreement to “maintain its full Canadian footprint, including Brampton.” Joly’s comments were contained in a a letter she sent to Chief Executive Officer Antonio Filosa that was seen by Bloomberg News.
Stellantis backtracks on plans to build Jeep model in Ontario, shifts to U.S.
Unifor, Premier Ford and Prime Minister Carney speak out against decision
Peter Frise writes: Once again, former Toyota executive Stephen Beatty has posted about Canada’s approach to the auto sector – and in contrast to many others, he suggests alternative approaches that will result in improvements.
“The Canadian government’s failure to directly tie automotive duty remission to a company’s Canadian manufacturing output leaves Canadian auto jobs at risk.
Meanwhile, demands from the US have led to tariffs on Chinese vehicles (with Chinese retaliation against Canadian agricultural products) and the deferral of Canada’s zero emission vehicle regulation. What commitments have the Detroit 3 automakers made to Canada in return for these concessions?
It’s time for a comprehensive auto strategy in Canada and the creation of a tool box to support and enforce that strategy. That begins with not underestimating the value of our market to US and Chinese auto manufacturers. We have leverage. Let’s use it.”

Local news
Montreal mayoral candidates face off on a special live episode of The Corner Booth (See Long Reads/videos below)
The Montreal municipal election is just weeks away, and the candidates for the three main parties are facing two strong messages from voters:
Voters want change.
Voters are undecided on who to vote for.
The candidates laid out their plans for solving the city’s traffic woes, bureaucratic red tape, soaring housing costs and the growing homelessness crisis. Where do the candidates stand on dealing with a provincial government that has mostly ignored the city? What are their plans for Camillien-Houde Way?
Meanwhile Maryse Bouchard and Leslie Roberts battle for Peter-McGill
Back-to-back Corner Booth episodes with the Projet Montréal and Ensemble Montréal candidates in the downtown district.
…while the two main candidates are political newcomers, their backgrounds couldn’t be more different. … Whichever candidate wins on Nov. 2, they’ll be faced with a unique set of issues in Peter-McGill. Despite being in the heart of downtown, there’s a lack of services for those who live there. Ste-Catherine St. remains under construction, businesses are struggling, and Cabot Square is bearing the brunt of rising levels of homelessness.

Long reads/videos
Paul Romer: Why the world needs charter cities (YouTube)
How can a struggling country break out of poverty if it’s trapped in a system of bad rules? Economist Paul Romer unveils a bold idea: “charter cities,” city-scale administrative zones governed by a coalition of nations.
Trump declares a new ‘dawn’ in Middle East. It could be a false one.
“…as Trump resumed meetings in Washington on Tuesday, any belief in a new dawn is premature. The Israeli military said it opened fire on Palestinians whom they accused of approaching troop positions, while Israel said it would slash the number of aid trucks allowed into the territory amid the phased release by Hamas of the remains of a number of deceased hostages.
Montreal mayoral candidates face off on a special live episode of The Corner Booth (video)
Projet Montréal’s Luc Rabouin, Ensemble Montréal’s Soraya Martinez Ferrada and Transition Montréal’s Craig Sauvé joined hosts Bill Brownstein and Aaron Rand to make their cases on a special episode of The Corner Booth.
In the spirit of the show, Brownstein and Rand eschewed the rigid debate format for a livelier, unscripted conversation on the major topics Montrealers care about this election.
Absolutely NOT a cause for concern
Why Qatar is building an air force training facility at a U.S. military base
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho will host Qatari pilots at the military facility. The base will remain under U.S. jurisdiction.