Wednesday Night #2277

U.S. Democrats Off-year elections
Democrats had a big night.
5 takeaways from the 2025 elections
– It’s still the cost of living, stupid. Prices, prices, prices. Affordability was a through line in most of the races Tuesday. President Trump’s lack of focus on it likely hurt his party, as voters overwhelmingly sided with Democrats on the economy.
– Republicans still have a Trump problem — in two different ways. Republican candidates are in a quandary — Trump is unpopular and a drag with independents, but without him on the ballot, they continue to have problems turning out base voters.
– The Trump slump with Latinos appears to be real. Trump made inroads with Latinos in 2024, but that has slid backward. Latinos chose Democrats in the governors’ races by 2-to-1 margins.
– The redistricting arms race is on, and Democrats got a boost Tuesday on that front. Yes on Prop 50 won big, giving Democrats a chance to counterbalance GOP efforts to squeeze out more Republican House seats. It was a big win for California Gov. Gavin Newsom, too.
– The Democratic Party will have to wrestle with its identity over the next year. From Zohran Mamdani as mayor of New York to Abigail Spanberger for Virginia governor, there’s going to be a real debate on how best for Democrats to present themselves to win in next year’s midterm elections
Zohran Mamdani announces all-female transition team as he prepares for New York mayoralty
Team includes Lina Khan, the FTC commissioner under Biden, and other Democratic former city officials

Canada Economy 2025 Budget
What to Know About Canada’s New Budget
The government of Prime Minister Mark Carney unveiled a program of big spending to spur Canada’s economy and reduce its dependence on the United States.
(NYT) Prime Minister Mark Carney of Canada on Tuesday unveiled a budget that would spend tens billions of dollars on major infrastructure projects to boost the sluggish economy, while also saving billions from slimming down government.
The budget is the second piece of Mr. Carney’s two-pronged response to potential economic chaos from President Trump’s trade war. Last week, he was in Asia promoting the first element, expanded trade with countries other than the United States.”
NB: Canada has high debts by global standards, but its ratio of net debt (debts minus financial assets) to the size of its economy is among the lowest in the world. The International Monetary Fund puts that figure at 13.3 percent, compared to 99.6 percent for the United States.
Paul Wells is sceptical
Budget 2025 (1): Tempting fate strong
“Wow, this is really a suite of measures that will super-charge the economy,” says Champagne. He’ll need three opposition MPs to agree
The 2025 budget (2): Now the worst is known
Before it tells you what’s coming, the budget tells you where we are. In a word: Yikes
Andrew Coyne is not impressed: That’s it?
Carney’s first budget fails to meet the moment his government hyped so much

Federal budget 2025: Five biggest takeaways for Quebec
Canada’s 2025 federal budget comes at a delicate moment for the Canadian economy. But Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne argues that now is the time to invest and build.
Canada’s 2025 federal budget tabled Tuesday by Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne outlines new spending and investments under the banner of “a time to build.”
It comes at a delicate moment for the Canadian economy. GDP growth of just over one per cent next year and a trade dispute continues with Canada’s largest trading partner, the United States.
But Champagne argued Tuesday that now is the time to invest, not slash spending.
Indeed, the budget leans heavily on infrastructure, as well as housing and immigration reforms.

Auto industry
Peter Frise and Byron Haskins for Comment
Automakers urge US to extend North America free trade deal
Automakers say certainty on North America trade deal needed to boost investments
US, Canada, Mexico to review USMCA trade deal
Automakers say deal needed to compete against other regions
Trump is turning America’s auto industry into a global backwater. Canada must now go its own way
U.S. President Donald Trump is on track to turn North America’s once dominant auto industry into a global backwater, a place where a couple of car companies churn out inferior, dirty vehicles for a captive consumer base that has no choice but to buy them.
And, unless Canada acts quickly and carefully to diversify our auto industry and untie ourselves from the U.S., we’ll be pulled down and mired in the same automotive mess as the Americans.
“Canadian consumers will not want to sit behind tariff walls driving [gas-powered] cars while the rest of the world benefits from the [electric vehicle] transition,” wrote the authors of a recent white paper by the Transition Accelerator, a prominent industrial policy think-tank. As it stands, however, that scenario is all too real.

Quebec Healthcare/doctors
Dr. Mark Roper for Comment
Quebec offers olive branch to disgruntled doctors by suspending parts of Bill 2
Quebec Treasury Board president France-Élaine Duranceau says she’s inviting doctors to return to the bargaining table.
A week ago, Dr. Roper said: One-fifth of doctors at Queen Elizabeth clinic plan to quit Quebec over new law
“This is the best gift to Ontario they’ve had since the first (Quebec sovereignty) referendum”.
Andrew Caddell weighs in on Doug Ford’s bid to poach Quebec doctors
Doug Ford needs to be reined in
Ford’s venture into Quebec politics earned him a lot of bad press in the province. It began with the passage of Bill 2 by Premier François Legault’s Coalition Avenir Québec government in a special session of the national assembly on Oct. 25. The objective of the ham-fisted and draconian law was to pay doctors less, while forcing them to stay in Quebec. The law set performance levels for pay, and severe fines if they are not met.
Andrew argues: I have a nationalist friend in Rimouski, Que., who jumped on Ford’s declarations as an example of how Canada doesn’t work. It’s people like Mario who may vote “Oui” in a referendum promised by Parti Québécois Leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon if he wins the next provincial election in 2026.Ford may be pulling at the threads of the Canadian garment, causing it to unravel. Every slight to Quebec—imagined or real—will be exploited by the separatists to undermine Quebecers’ sense of belonging to Canada.
Meanwhile, a lighter note:
Doctors in Montreal can now prescribe their patients tickets to the orchestra
The project is an example of social prescribing, a phenomenon that’s expanding across Canada
It’s the latest example in Canada of what’s known as social prescribing, in which health-care providers prescribe things that are normally outside the scope of medicine, but can have tremendous impact on people’s health and well-being — like art, nature or community activities.
It’s a growing practice, and one advocates say reduces loneliness, improves health outcomes, eases the burden on the health-care system and builds much-needed trust between doctors and patients.

Quebec Municipal elections
We are pleased that Former federal minister Soraya Martinez Ferrada has been elected mayor of Montreal, and her candidate in our district, Leslie Roberts -for whom we held a Haddon Hall Meet & Greet- was also successful.
Martinez Ferrada arrived in Canada as a Chilean child refugee in 1980, when her family fled the military dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet. She was elected a Montreal city councillor between 2005 and 2009, and made the leap into federal politics in 2019. She was named to the cabinet of former prime minister Justin Trudeau in 2023, but resigned in February to seek the leadership of Ensemble Montréal.
She has pledged to tackle homelessness, a major theme of the campaign, promising to triple the city’s budget for the unhoused, and to end the encampments that have cropped up across the island in the next four years. She has also promised to cut 1,000 city jobs and to increase the frequency of the subway system.
And she has taken aim at bike lanes — a key feature of Plante’s legacy that has sparked a backlash from some drivers and business owners — promising to launch an audit of the city’s bike paths in her first 100 days in office. She has suggested some may be removed.
Sadly, our friend Lynne Casgrain did not succeed in her run for the mayoralty of Westmount despite a campaign that was based on unstinting research of the issues and clear communication of all her positions. She gathered an exceptionally talented team with whom it was a great pleasure to work. While we congratulated Michael Stern on his victory, we remain convinced that our Lynne was the candidate Westmount needs.

Jeremy Kinsman: The World Loves More Canada: Simon Anholt’s New Nation Brands Index
After years of hearing that the world needs more Canada, our response to Donald Trump since he launched his tariff war has apparently endeared us to our fellow humans for our “courage, independence, and resolute position during trade and political conflicts.”
Canada’s global reputation has made a startling jump in the last year, according to reputable rankings and surveys of global opinion. The introduction to Simon Anholt’s gold-standard Nation Brands Index for 2025 — proprietary for global clients but cited here with Anholt’s permission — emphasizes dramatic changes in North America, notably “The fall of the US and the somewhat more unexpected rise of Canada” to third place from sixth in 2024.

Dick Cheney, former U.S. vice-president and architect of Iraq War, dies at 84
For Dick Cheney, a Journey From Champion of War to Voice of Resistance
Dick Cheney was to many the embodiment of the unpopular and bloody Iraq war. But his late-in-life anti-Trumpism changed his image for some of his longtime critics.
… When he left office in 2009 as the most influential vice president in history, Mr. Cheney was to many the embodiment of an unpopular and bloody war. By the time he died on Monday night, he had become an unlikely voice of resistance to what he saw as a different kind of threat to America, allied not just with those who had soured on him, like Mr. Adelman, but even with others who used to call him a war criminal.
It led to the head-spinning moment in 2022 when Mr. Cheney joined his daughter on the floor of the House as the only Republicans there to mark the first anniversary of the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol. Democrats who once considered Mr. Cheney the chief villain of Washington rushed up to greet him warmly. Representative Nancy Pelosi, the speaker who used to joust with Mr. Cheney, held his hand as she spoke with him. And it led to his statement last fall that he would vote for Vice President Kamala Harris over Mr. Trump.

Russia-U.S. nuclear tests?
Russian forces appear to tighten grip on strategic city of Pokrovsk
Military analysts say situation in Pokrovsk has deteriorated, while Kremlin says it plans to explore resumption of nuclear testing
Away from the frontlines, Vladimir Putin on Wednesday instructed senior officials to draw up proposals for possible nuclear weapons testing – a direct response to Donald Trump’s recent statement that the US would resume such tests.
Putin said Russia had always abided by the comprehensive nuclear test ban treaty, but warned that if the US or any other nuclear power conducted a test, Moscow would follow suit.
As relations with Washington have soured over Russia’s refusal to end its war in Ukraine, Moscow has in recent weeks carried out tests of two nuclear-powered weapons – including the Burevestnik missile, labelled a “flying Chornobyl”, and the Poseidon nuclear-powered underwater torpedo drone. Although the missile and the drone are both capable of carrying a nuclear warhead, neither of these were actual tests of nuclear bombs.
Senate Dems press Trump to ‘personally provide clarification’ on nuclear tests after Wright remarks
Senate Democrats wrote a Wednesday letter to President Trump seeking clarification on the scope of resumed nuclear testing after Energy Secretary Chris Wright said such testing will not include nuclear explosions.
“While Secretary Wright recently sought to provide context to the directive you announced last week, we request that you personally provide clarification,” a group of 16 Democratic senators led by Sen. Martin Heinrich (N.M.) wrote.

Despite what seems like encouraging news, we remain sceptical of an enduring Israel-Hamas ceasefire, let alone peace plan
UN resolution on international stabilisation force for Gaza could be ready within two weeks
Resolution may be delayed without agreement over the force’s mandate and a timetable for Israeli withdrawal
A UN security council resolution mandating the introduction of an international stabilisation force into Gaza is likely to be ready within two weeks, but may be delayed if disputes cannot be resolved over the force’s mandate, including the question of US military leadership, its relationship with the Palestinian civil police force and a timetable for Israeli military withdrawal.
At a meeting in Istanbul of Muslim countries considering offering troops on Monday, the Turkish foreign minister, Hakan Fidan, said: “The countries will shape their decisions based on the mission and authority of the International Stabilization Force. I believe that if the mission conflicts with the principles and policies of the countries that will send troops, it will be difficult for these countries to send troops.”
Other issues under discussion include a leadership role for the US, a deconfliction mechanism for disputes with Israel, and whether a timetable for Israel’s full withdrawal from Gaza should be scheduled, or contingent on the disarmament of Hamas.
Meanwhile, who is paying attention to the depolrable ever-increasing spread of West Bank settlers?
‘Olives are everything for us’: West Bank farmers prevented from harvesting by settler violence
About 70% of town’s olives are inaccessible without risking a potentially fatal clash with Israeli settlers
While the eyes of the world are on Gaza, Israeli settlers in the West Bank still behave with impunity

Events
Thurs., Nov. 6, 2025 from 12:30 to 1:30 pm
A FAILED AMERICAN ATTEMPT TO ANNEX CANADA
In person or by Zoom
Too often, we fail to highlight the many stimulating events hosted by the Atwater Library, or we do so only after the fact.
We will attempt to rectify that lacuna, starting with this Thursday’s illustrated talk by Madelaine Drohan on her new book He Did Not Conquer: Benjamin Franklin’s Failure to Annex Canada
We heard Madelaine Drohan speak at a CIC event a number of years ago when she was with The Economist; not only was she informative, she was delightfully frank and fun to talk with afterwards.
BTW Congratulations to the (sometimes beleaguered) Atwater Library on a most successful Annual Benefit Party and Auction.
The gala evening at the Library on October 29 more than reached the fundraising goal.

Varia
Louvre heist suspect is social media star and former museum guard, reports say
Man, identified as Abdoulaye N, is one of four accused over theft of historic jewels worth tens of millions of pounds
Two more suspects charged over Louvre heist taking total to four
Woman, 38, and man, 37, had been arrested on Wednesday in relation to theft of £76m worth of jewellery in Paris

We particularly appreciated Minister of Finance François-Philippe Champagne’s original approach in selecting his new shoes for the Budget Speech.
Revenue minister gets a pair of made-in-Canada shoes ahead of budget release
On the eve of his first budget, Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne breaks with tradition by making his own boots at the Boulet factory in Saint-Tite, rather than donning a new pair — a nod to the Liberal slogan, “Building Canada Strong”

We thought Stephen Miller was evil incarnate: meet his wife Katie
Katie Miller had a podcast meltdown and threatened the citizenship of a critic
Threatening to deport your critics, even those with US citizenship, seems to have become Maga policy

Trump’s 90,000-Square-Foot Ballroom Is Sized for a Convention Center
With the East Wing of the White House unceremoniously torn down in October, the scale of President Donald Trump’s plan to build a ballroom in its place is leaving experts puzzled. At 90,000 square feet, the new addition not only dwarfs the historic mansion; it’s also far more space than a ballroom typically needs to seat 1,000 guests. In fact, its size suggests something more like a convention center space.
Meanwhile, the $300 million price tag ($3,000 per square foot) is far beyond other such government projects.

Long reads
Trump’s Violent New Monroe Doctrine
Ana Palacio
US airstrikes in the Caribbean reflect President Donald Trump’s view of intra-American relations as hierarchical. Whereas previous US presidents tried to reconcile Woodrow Wilson’s idealism with Theodore Roosevelt’s realism, Trump merges both impulses into a single, volatile creed: exceptionalism without responsibility or restraint.
The Anti-MAGA Majority Reemerges
Democrats won up and down the ballot yesterday, riding a backlash to Donald Trump’s second term.
They dislike him, they really dislike him.
Off-year elections are never quite the crystal ball for midterms that political junkies want, but one thing that last night’s results seem to convey clearly is that many voters are unhappy with President Donald Trump.
As Barack Obama stumps for other Democrats, the party gets to see what it lost
Obama dutifully heaped praise on Spanberger and urged Virginians to vote for her. It was a performance of wit and wisdom that reminded America what it has lost – and Democrats what they have never been able to recreate. The party needs someone who will take the fight to Trump. But its best candidate for 2028 is the one who cannot run.
George Will at his best
The choreographed fakery of American politics: East Wing edition
Trump’s residential immodesty is nothing compared with his anti-constitutional immodesty.
“Some skeptics about the ballroom are understandably distraught that it might mimic the aesthetic of Trump’s redecorated Oval Office — gold here, there and everywhere. But a subsequent president can cleanse that space. Indeed, sensible citizens will make their votes contingent on a promise to do that. Nuclear weapons should not be entrusted to anyone pleased by Trump’s Gilded Age Brothel school of interior design.”