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CBC
3 days ago
- Business
- CBC
Can Mark Carney defeat Canadian populism?
Speaking to reporters after the speech from the throne on Tuesday, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre struck a decidedly institutionalist tone. "We joined today in thanking His Majesty for coming to Canada and delivering the throne speech, reinforcing our ancient, great British liberties," he said. "A parliamentary system that goes back 800 years. A system that has served Canada well and has been the foundation of what I love to call the Canadian promise." A Conservative praising the monarch might not seem unusual. Former foreign affairs minister John Baird, a close ally of Poilievre's, once demanded that his department hang a portrait of the Queen in the foyer of its headquarters. But support for the monarchy among Conservative voters seems to have slipped in recent years. Pollara recently found Conservatives are evenly split on Canada remaining a constitutional monarchy and the Angus Reid Institute says the share of Conservatives supporting the monarchy has fallen from 53 per cent in 2016 to 30 per cent now. More than that, Poilievre has enthusiastically embraced the modern style of populism. He has thrived on conflict and for the last three years has held himself out as a politician ready to do battle with the system — aligning himself with the self-styled "freedom convoy," vowing to fire the governor of the Bank of Canada and do battle with "elites," "gatekeepers" "liberal media" and "woke ideology" on behalf of the "common people." WATCH | Poilievre on the throne speech: Poilievre says King's throne speech reaffirmed Canada's traditions 4 days ago Duration 1:17 Following the throne speech, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre emphasized the importance of strengthening Canada's relationship with the U.K. and reminding the world of the countries' shared traditions. Given the willingness of Poilievre and other Conservatives to challenge the Speaker and push the limits of acceptable behaviour in the House of Commons, it's also interesting to see Poilievre praising the parliamentary system. But is it possible that the visit of King Charles — in addition to asserting Canada's sovereignty and reminding Canadians of the unique history and enduring institutions that underpin this country's democracy — also marked the end of Canada's brief populist moment? It is, of course, far too early to draw any such conclusion — not least because Poilievre's Conservatives are still just a month removed from winning 41 per cent of the popular vote. One way or another, the ultimate fate of the populist appeal in Canada may really depend on what His Majesty's government does next. Can Carney show the system works? Mark Carney might seem like exactly the wrong sort of character to battle populism. When he was first rumoured as a potential successor to Justin Trudeau, it was easy to imagine that Poilievre would have a relatively easy time running an anti-elite campaign against a former Goldman Sachs banker. The return of Donald Trump and his threats against Canada obviously changed the electoral calculus for at least a plurality of voters. But before the Trump question came to dominate his campaign, Carney seemed to understand that he was facing an electorate that was disenchanted with the way things worked — or rather, didn't work. "The system, it's not working as it should and it's not working as it could," Carney said in Edmonton when he declared his candidacy for leadership of the Liberal Party. "People are anxious. And no wonder. Too many are falling behind. Too many young people can't afford a home. Too many people can't find a doctor." Carney noted that technological change, climate change and now Trump were adding to the sense of uncertainty. But he also drew a line between himself and Poilievre's contention that Canada was "broken" — comparing Poilievre to the United Kingdom's Conservatives. "Conservatives don't run around saying Canada is broken because they want to fix it," Carney said. "They want a license to demolish and destroy, including many of the things on which we all depend. Because populists don't understand how our economy and our society actually works." WATCH | Tariff uncertainty continues: At Issue | Canada caught in Trump tariff uncertainty 1 day ago Duration 22:04 One way Carney could make the case against demolition and destruction is by demonstrating that the system can work better. And the most tangible way to do that might be to address the concerns of those young people who can't afford a home. In this spring's election, Carney's Liberals effectively battled Poilievre's Conservatives to a draw on housing, at least limiting the advantage that the Conservatives could have had on the issue. And Liberal re-election hopes may hinge on their ability to show real progress toward solving the housing crisis — a crisis that Carney has promised to meet with speed and force. But even if the Carney government is able to make good on his promise to rapidly increase construction and reduce the cost of housing, would successfully addressing that issue — and others like it — be enough to turn back the populist wave that seemed, until a few months ago, to be washing over Canadian politics? Will Trump discredit populism? As populist parties and politicians have made advances globally — in places like the United States and the United Kingdom — there has been debate about whether their supporters are driven by economic frustrations or cultural issues. The answer might ultimately prove to be some combination of the two. But at the very least, addressing issues like housing might weaken the underlying appeal or logic of populism. Beyond housing, it might help the anti-populist cause if Carney can find ways to reinforce trust in government or demonstrably work across party lines (at least at the provincial level). Whether inspired by their reverence for the monarchy or not, Conservatives themselves could also decide to move away from some of its populist elements. But could Donald Trump actually now prove to be the greatest force working against populism in Canada? Trump's unavoidable presence and glaring example could conceivably have two impacts on Canadian politics. First, it might discredit — or harden opposition against — the populist style of politics in the eyes of many Canadians. At the very least, we have already seen Poilievre forced to grapple with accusations that he is too much like Trump — with non-Conservative voters largely coalescing behind Carney and the Liberals. Second, the direct threat Trump poses to Canada and the wider instability he is causing may be changing what Canadian voters want. After last month's election result, David Coletto of Abacus Data argued that the predominant mood in Canada had shifted from anger to seeking stability — and speculated that the "age of rage" may have given way to the "age of reassurance." But whatever the Trump effect turns out to be, a lot may still depend on how well non-populist governments and leaders make the case against populism. Trump may have reset Canadian politics, but if reassurance doesn't come, rage may be harder to hold back.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Yahoo
Prisons 'winning battle' against drugs-to-order drones
Scottish prison bosses say a pilot scheme to combat the problem of drones being used to deliver drugs and weapons into jails is helping to dismantle organised crime networks. Drones have become a preferred method of delivery for illegal items ordered by inmates. Drugs, phones and technology have all been smuggled into the Scottish prison estate, with the size of drones and their cargo increasing in recent months. In January, police reported a crash involving a drone carrying a package of drugs close HMP Edinburgh. Inside Perth Prison, unit manager John Baird shows off a six-rotor drone intercepted by staff recently. It was carrying a load worth up to £10,000 - items that mark the currency of organised crime behind bars. Laid out on a table is the haul of drugs, syringes, phones and other highly-prized items intended for inmates. He told BBC Scotland News: "The drone is public enemy number one at the moment. "This one, we recovered, and we got all the packages as well. They were suspended underneath on a length of fishing line. "Everybody's wish list is in here. The iPhone is the one we see most often. We have smart phones that are easily concealed. "We also have phones that can be concealed internally. They're standard dial phones. We've actually had someone swallow one of these in front of us." He said an iPhone could be worth £5,000 inside a prison. "We also see dongles, they just need a Sim card and they plug that in and have instant wifi. "We've also had chip cards which they can put into Xboxes, which turns that into a communications device." Tobacco is also big on the smuggling list, as is cannabis, but Mr Baird said they have recently found needles, syringes and steroids, as well as street Valium. Stopping the drones getting in has become a priority and six months ago Perth Prison introduced secure window grilles. As a result, there have been no drone breaches within that period. Ian Whitehead, head of operations at the Scottish Prison Service, said: "Drugs and the need for drugs drives debt, violence and a whole range of behaviours that are difficult to deal with. "This is designed to minimise the introduction and movement of drugs in any meaningful way. "We've got high hopes for this and we've got a monitoring process, so if there's a weakness, we can adapt to that and engineer a counter-measure." Perth has been particularly prone to the drone problem due to its geography. In a semi-rural location, it has a good line of sight and as radio waves travel in a straight line , it is easy for a pilot to move things in. Mr Whitehead added: "Some of the drones can carry quite large cargoes. So instead of something coming in a tennis ball, you introduce something that's 10 times that. So you've got a big cargo of commodity to come in and that can last a long time." He said that in his 36 years on the job, drug use had changed from cannabis and heroin to psychoactive substances. The SPS said it had also installed the grilles in Edinburgh and Glenochil prisons and would consider a broader roll-out in the future as well as specific measures for each location. Drone carrying suspected drugs crashes near prison Increase in use of drones for prison smuggling Prisoners hospitalised after Christmas drug misuse
BBC News
15-05-2025
- BBC News
Prisons 'winning battle' against drugs-to-order drones
Scottish prison bosses say a pilot scheme to combat the problem of drones being used to deliver drugs and weapons into jails is helping to dismantle organised crime have become a preferred method of delivery for illegal items ordered by phones and technology have all been smuggled into the Scottish prison estate, with the size of drones and their cargo increasing in recent January, police reported a crash involving a drone carrying a package of drugs close HMP Edinburgh. 'Every prisoner's wish list' Inside Perth Prison, unit manager John Baird shows off a six-rotor drone intercepted by staff was carrying a load worth up to £10,000 - items that mark the currency of organised crime behind out on a table is the haul of drugs, syringes, phones and other highly-prized items intended for told BBC Scotland News: "The drone is public enemy number one at the moment."This one, we recovered, and we got all the packages as well. They were suspended underneath on a length of fishing line."Everybody's wish list is in here. The iPhone is the one we see most often. We have smart phones that are easily concealed. "We also have phones that can be concealed internally. They're standard dial phones. We've actually had someone swallow one of these in front of us." He said an iPhone could be worth £5,000 inside a prison."We also see dongles, they just need a Sim card and they plug that in and have instant wifi."We've also had chip cards which they can put into Xboxes, which turns that into a communications device."Tobacco is also big on the smuggling list, as is cannabis, but Mr Baird said they have recently found needles, syringes and steroids, as well as street the drones getting in has become a priority and six months ago Perth Prison introduced secure window a result, there have been no drone breaches within that period. Ian Whitehead, head of operations at the Scottish Prison Service, said: "Drugs and the need for drugs drives debt, violence and a whole range of behaviours that are difficult to deal with."This is designed to minimise the introduction and movement of drugs in any meaningful way."We've got high hopes for this and we've got a monitoring process, so if there's a weakness, we can adapt to that and engineer a counter-measure." Perth has been particularly prone to the drone problem due to its geography. In a semi-rural location, it has a good line of sight and as radio waves travel in a straight line , it is easy for a pilot to move things Whitehead added: "Some of the drones can carry quite large cargoes. So instead of something coming in a tennis ball, you introduce something that's 10 times that. So you've got a big cargo of commodity to come in and that can last a long time."He said that in his 36 years on the job, drug use had changed from cannabis and heroin to psychoactive SPS said it had also installed the grilles in Edinburgh and Glenochil prisons and would consider a broader roll-out in the future as well as specific measures for each location.
Daily Record
15-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Record
New Council Tax rules for people in Scotland who miss a single monthly payment
Some councils can now seize benefits and take other actions to recover the owed payments. The UK Government has announced a consultation on the Council Tax debt collection process in England following calls from consumer champion Martin Lewis and the Money and Mental Health Policy Institute charity, which he founded. However, people in Scotland may not be aware that new rules introduced last month now allow councils to take more rapid enforcement action to recover non-payments. West Dunbartonshire Council has already implemented the new policy. Martin Lewis highlighted how missing just one monthly Council Tax payment can result in a demand for the full annual bill - this is also the case in Scotland. The financial guru called for change arguing that if someone can't afford the monthly payment, how can they possibly find the money to pay for the full year. Every local authority across Scotland has increased annual Council Tax bills for the 2025/26 financial year, with first payments due by the end of last month. If you missed that payment, contact your local council as soon as possible and explain your circumstances, they may be able to help. Under its new 2025/26 financial year rules, final Council Tax notices will no longer be issued to those who miss a payment, with only a single reminder notice sent, requiring action within 21 days. Anyone who fails to comply will lose their right to pay by instalments, meaning they will owe the full-year balance. The council will then make an application to the Sheriff Court to obtain a summary warrant, including a 10 per cent financial penalty, without any further notification. Advice Direct Scotland, which runs the free service, said stricter recovery policies are likely to have the biggest impact on vulnerable people. The charity revealed last month some households were already facing Council Tax debts of up to £15,000, before the April increase. Advice Direct Scotland are urging Scots struggling to pay their Council Tax bills to get help, before missing any payments or increasing existing debt. The charity is also aware of other Scottish councils moving more quickly to recover debt, with those who are already struggling with energy and living costs most likely to be affected. Advice Direct Scotland is able to support anyone affected by Council Tax recovery changes, and can guide worried households through the process if they miss a payment. Council Tax arrears are a 'priority debt', meaning they should be addressed before other debts to avoid harsher enforcement measures, such as bank or wage arrestment. Councils can seize benefits and take other actions to recover the owed payments, risking the loss of homes or tenancy agreements if left unresolved. Advice Direct Scotland urges anyone who has missed a payment to contact their council immediately and request to pay in smaller amounts, rather than waiting to be contacted. John Baird, head of debt services at Advice Direct Scotland, said: 'Any changes to the recovery process for missed Council Tax payments are most likely to affect people who are already struggling to pay their bills. The removal of final notices and the swift progression to summary warrants, including a 10 per cent penalty, could have serious implications for some. 'It is understandable that councils want to streamline the recovery process, but it is crucial that they also consider the potential consequences for individuals facing financial hardship. These new systems may lead to increased stress and worry, particularly for those who are unable to pay within the 21-day window or negotiate alternative payment arrangements.' He added: 'We urge local authorities to ensure adequate support and clear communication is provided to residents, especially those in poverty, to help them navigate these changes and avoid severe penalties. Our team is here to help anyone who is struggling, regardless of their personal circumstances, so please reach out and contact us.' Experts are available at or on 0808 196 2316. The charity is also reminding people on low incomes to check if they qualify for a reduction on their Council Tax bill. The latest figures from the Scottish Government show 458,470 recipients were eligible for Council Tax Reduction in December 2024, saving an average of over £850 a year. The data indicates one-in-five households are being supported through the scheme, which is not available anywhere else in the UK. Only people on a low income and resident in Scotland may be eligible for a Council Tax Reduction, which also provides successful claimants with up to 35 per cent off their water and waste charges. While the Council Tax Reduction scheme mostly supports households on a lower income, help is also available for middle-earners or people finding it difficult to keep up with payments - especially those on a higher band. To find out about getting help with your Council Tax, contact your local authority and explain your financial situation, they may be able to put your account on 'hold' and agree the next payment date, giving you a bit of breathing room to get back on track. Below is a quick guide on how to check your Council Tax bill and a list of circumstances which could see you paying less each month. Check if you could be exempt from paying Council Tax You will not pay Council Tax if: You are a full-time student You are in the Armed Forces in Forces accommodation You live in a care home or hospital Your home is unoccupied and empty (up to six months) - for example, if you've gone into hospital You have a severe mental impairment (e.g. dementia) - if you only live with someone who has dementia, then you'll be treated as a sole occupant as they will be disregarded, but you won't both be exempt Could you be eligible for a discount on your Council Tax bill? There are some circumstances where you may get a reduction on your Council Tax and the amount of discount varies depending on your circumstances. If you live alone The full Council Tax is calculated assuming there are two or more people living in each home – if you live alone, you should apply to your local council for a discount - you could get a 25 per cent reduction, regardless of your financial circumstances. If you live with someone under 18 or a student Council Tax is not calculated for anyone aged under 18, full-time students, student nurses and some apprentices or trainees. If you are a carer Carers who look after someone in the household for at least 35 hours per week and who meet additional criteria may be disregarded for Council Tax purposes, contact your local authority for their eligibility criteria. Just be aware, this doesn't apply if the person receiving care is the partner of the carer, or is the carer's child aged under 18. If there are major changes to the value of your home You may be able to get your home moved to a lower band if it has decreased in value. For example, if you have made home adaptations for a disabled person, or if a motorway has been built nearby. You may also get the band lowered if a room in the house is dedicated to equipment used by a disabled person on a daily basis. If you change the way you pay Although the total year's amount will stay the same, you can request your bill be split over 12 months instead of 10, so you can spread the cost and reduce your monthly outgoings. Alternatively, if you can afford to pay the whole bill in one lump sum, check with your local council if you can get a discount. Apply for Council Tax Reduction You may be eligible to claim a Council Tax Reduction if you're on a low income or claiming certain benefits. You can also claim Council Tax support regardless of whether you own your own home or rent, or whether you're working or unemployed. Each local council is responsible for operating their own Council Tax support scheme, so the amount of support given across the country may vary. The amount you will get depends on many factors, including: Which benefits you receive Your age Your income Your savings Who you live with How much council tax you pay You may get more Council Tax support if you receive a disability or carers benefit. If you receive the Guarantee Credit Part of Pension Credit you may even get your Council Tax paid in full. If you don't have it, but are on a low income and have less than £16,000 in savings, you may still get some help. Local councils Contact your local council from the list below to apply for a Council Tax Reduction or discount. Inverclyde Renfrewshire West Dunbartonshire East Dunbartonshire Glasgow East Renfrewshire North Lanarkshire Falkirk West Lothian Edinburgh Midlothian East Lothian Clackmannanshire Fife Dundee Angus Aberdeenshire Aberdeen Moray Highland Na h-Eileanan Siar Argyll and Bute Perth and Kinross Stirling North Ayrshire East Ayrshire South Ayrshire Dumfries and Galloway South Lanarkshire Scottish Borders Orkney Shetland
Scotsman
02-05-2025
- Business
- Scotsman
Householders are being offered support to deal with changing council tax rules
Watch more of our videos on and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565 Visit Shots! now Scots struggling to pay their council tax bills have been urged not to delay seeking help, as local authorities tighten their rules on recovering missed payments. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Advice Direct Scotland, which runs the free service, said stricter recovery policies are likely to have the biggest impact on vulnerable people. The charity revealed last month that some households were already facing council tax debts of up to £15,000 before rates rose across the country at the start of April. The rises have been coupled with councils taking more rapid enforcement action Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The charity is able to support anyone affected by changes, and can guide worried households through the process if they miss a payment. Councils across the country are changing how they recover payments Council tax arrears are a 'priority debt', meaning they should be addressed before others to avoid harsher enforcement measures, such as wage arrestment. Councils can seize benefits and take other actions to recover owed payments, risking the loss of homes or tenancy agreements if left unresolved. Advice Direct Scotland urges anyone who has missed a payment to contact their council immediately and request to pay in smaller amounts. The charity is also reminding people on low incomes to check if they qualify for a reduction on their council tax bill. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad For free expert support, which is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, can help assess finances, negotiate payment plans, and pause enforcement. Experts are available at or on 0808 196 2316. John Baird, head of debt services, said: 'Any changes to the recovery process for missed council tax payments are most likely to affect people who are already struggling to pay their bills. 'The removal of final notices and the swift progression to summary warrants, including a 10 per cent penalty, could have serious implications for some. 'It is understandable that councils want to streamline the recovery process, but it is crucial that they also consider the potential consequences for individuals facing financial hardship. "We urge local authorities to ensure adequate support and clear communication is provided to residents, especially those in poverty, to help them navigate these changes and avoid severe penalties.'
