On October 7, Hamas launched an attack on an Israeli music festival, killing 1,200 people and taking over 200 people hostage.
Israel would respond with bombarding Gaza, levelling the city with airstrikes and ground attacks and killing nearly 20,000 Palestinians civilians and combatants. The Canadian government would put its full support behind Israel, condemning the attacks and calling for Hamas to release the hostages.
The federal government would commit $10 million in aid for those in Israel and Gaza, however, IDF forces refused to let humanitarian aid into Gaza. Ottawa continued to work to get Canadians living in the Middle East away from the turmoil. Flights would first leave Israel while movement was still restricted in Gaza. Eventually Canadians were eventually allowed through the Rafah boarder crossing to catch flights to Athens.
People living in Canada were vocal, with many rallying in support of either Israel or Palestine. Incidents of both Islamophobia and antisemitism also began to rise. Locally, numerous rallies were held in support of the civilians of Palestine caught in the bombing, as demonstrators demanded a ceasefire and freedom for Palestine.
Camping Out
(Tent city file photo. October 10, 2023)
October saw a movement to draw greater attention to the province’s housing crisis.
A tent city was erected on Confederation Hill, directly across from the seat of government in Newfoundland and Labrador. Residents of the tent city detailed issues in finding housing, including the lack of supports outside the shelter system.
The community rallied around them and NDP Leader Jim Dinn continuously questioned government on possible solutions, clashing frequently with Justice Minister John Hogan in the House of Assembly.
On October 16, government announced a five-point Affordable Housing Plan including the removal of the HST/GST on new purpose-built rental housing and a low interest financing program will be introduced to assist in constructing rental housing.
PC Leader Tony Wakeham would ignite another controversy in the House, bringing up a report by CBC News, revealing that of 750 new public housing options being touted by government, in reality only 11 were ready to be lived in.
Housing Minister Paul Pike would admit to misspeaking in the House of Assembly, claiming after that the 750 he first referenced in an interview actually had to do with the total number of spaces created in the public, not-for profit and subsidized private sectors.
Through the back-and-forth, Dinn asked the Premier to admit that government was lying to the public, to which Minister Hogan accused Dinn of using unparliamentary language. Dinn refused to withdraw his comments and would lose his speaking rights in the House.
He is yet to retract the statement.
Big Spenders
(Photo via Memorial University.)
All eyes were once again on Memorial University before the end of the year.
After multiple controversies at the institution throughout the year, another blow would come—the Auditor General’s report into spending at the university/
Auditor General Denise Hanrahan
On October 23, AG Denise Hanrahan would release her audit to the public, outlining expenses considered to be excessive by former president Vianne Timmons.
This included $1,792 paid for custom-made chocolates purchased as Christmas gifts, $2,700 for a desk and chair for the former President’s home, and $598 for a limousine service used during a trip because there were no car rentals available.
Some information including the bonus amount paid to executives at C-CORE and the Genesis Centre was blacked out, something Justice and Public Safety Minister John Hogan said was done for privacy reasons. The AG would shed light on the situation, having received a cease and desist order from a lawyer representing Genesis to “…formally request removal of information pertaining to Genesis and its employees. Inclusion of Genesis within your audit of Memorial exceeds your jurisdiction… ” Counsel for C-CORE sent the AG’s office a similar letter.
MUN accepted all eight recommendations made by the AG.
Taxed Out
(Image via CPAC)
Some relief would come to Atlantic Canada to close October.
Four months after its implementation, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau would announce a pause on the federal carbon tax on home heating oil for the next three years. Other measures to address the rising cost-of-living were also announced. Trudeau would credit his Atlantic caucus for advocating for the pause.
However, this would draw the ire of the federal opposition, and provincial governments outside the Atlantic, as they campaigned for the Prime Minister to extend the tax pause to natural gas.
A cabinet minister from this province would make headlines, with Long Range Mountains MP Gudie Hutchings saying to media that maybe they should elect more Liberals on the Prairies so they can advocate the way the Atlantic Liberal caucus did.
