Federation of the Atlantic News and etc.

[Vedran]

[b]Liberal Party Leads Pre-Election Polls[/b] - In advance of the general election scheduled to take place next month, the new contender, the Liberal Party, is leading polls for the federal Parliament, outpacing the Social Democratic Party. The Liberals show promise for taking control of Parliament next term, and the SDP stands a good chance of being ousted. Despite this, SDP President Evans' approval rating remains high, and there may very well be a risk of cohabitation with the Liberals next term, as polls for the presidential election, which is separate from that of Parliament and the PM, remain indecisive.

 

Knowing she may very well be out of a job next term, Prime Minister Laroche has been spending most of her time pushing new bills in Parliament, aiding the SDP agenda while the other MP's campaign and surgery amongst their constituents. President Evans, who lacks his own seat in Parliament, has largely focused upon his own campaign to retain the presidency.

 

While the Liberals and SDP fight over who will be in government, the other major parties in Parliament, the Centre-Right Bloc and the Greens, are mainly fighting for their own seats, and looking to displace some of the weaker competing MP's to gain an edge in the next elections.

 

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[b]BREAKING NEWS: FMP Halts Terrorist Attack on Ottawa[/b] - Officers of the Federation Mounted Police responded to Parliament Hill today upon reports that a lone gunman was making his way to Centre Block, where Parliament was in session. A man carrying a hunting rifle is reported to have shot and wounded two security officers on Parliament Hill before attempting to enter Centre Block. Another security officer on duty in Federation Hall heard the shots, and ran outside to confront the attacker. After ignoring warnings the attacker, whose identity has not been released, was shot dead on the steps just outside Centre Block. After attempts to resuscitate the man by the officer and responding paramedics failed, he was declared DOA and moved to the city morgue while the ongoing Parliament session was canceled and MP's evacuated, along with the Prime Minister. Federal police secured the area and conducted a painstaking search for other assailants or hidden explosives while the local Ottawa Police formed a containment perimeter. Parliament Hill and the surrounding neighborhood were crawling with police well into the night, while traffic on the nearby stretch of Wellington Street was rerouted.

 

The FMP has released few details on the ongoing case, but the assailant is believed to be an extreme separatist, disgruntled with the federal government after the failure of the Dissolution Act in Parliament some months ago. He was believed to be working alone the day of the attack, but the Federation Security Intelligence Service, who presented the initial warning of separatist violence, believes he may be part of a group of like-minded individuals, one of whom was caught in South Quebec not long prior with a range of illegal automatic weapons in his possession. Federation Forces bases in the area have increased security in the aftermath, particularly at vulnerable armories, which are thought to be potential targets for raids calculated to gain military-grade weapons. Security at Parliament and around other critical areas of Ottawa - Rideau Hall, 24 Sussex Drive, foreign embassies, the Federation Supreme Court - have all been stepped up in view of the attack.

 

The FMP officer who shot the attacker has been placed on mandatory paid leave while the internal affairs department investigates the shooting, but according to all witnesses and video evidence, his actions were justifiable.

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[b]Statues Removed from Parliament Hill[/b] - In one of its sessions devoted to more mundane business, the board managing the grounds and buildings of Parliament Hill has voted to remove several historical statues from the property. Namely, those celebrating its former history as a monarchy. Among the statues removed are an equestrian statue of Elizabeth II, the first such statue in the world; the large statue of Queen Victoria erected in 1901; and the statue of Queen Victoria inside the Library of Parliament. The board's chairman commented, "Our history is to be respected, but the seat of government here in Ottawa must reflect our present and future as a democratic federation. As such, we have elected to remove several statues from the grounds and buildings in an effort to reflect this reality. We cannot, in good faith, demand of the taxpayers to maintain visible symbols of a system of government that no longer exists upon this land." The statues will be carefully taken from their current locations and placed on permanent display at the Museum of History in nearby Gatineau, while the multitude of statues and monuments not directly referencing a monarch shall remain on the grounds. It has yet to be said what shall replace them. In addition, the various city governments throughout the Federation have not addressed the issue of monarchist monuments in their public parks.

 

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[b]Continuing coverage: Ottawa attack[/b] - The federal police has stepped up operations against extremist separatist groups known to be operating throughout South Quebec and the Maritimes. The group to which yesterday's attacker reportedly belongs is currently the subject of an investigation and manhunt as FMP officers search suspected hideouts for leaders, plans, and weapons. The provincial governments have raised security around critical public buildings for fear of a second attack, with the exceptions of the quieter provinces of Maine, Vermont, and Newfoundland.

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[b]Continuing coverage: Ottawa attack[/b] - After searches by the FMP upon suspected extreme separatist safehouses discovered quantities of illegal automatic weapons, ingredients for plastic explosives, and bomb-building manuals, Federation courts have ordered the arrest of several leading figures in these extremist groups who police believe can be linked to the contraband. So far, a dozen arrests throughout South Quebec and five in the Maritimes. Formal charges and court dates are pending.

 

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[b]Centre-Right Union Leader Resigns[/b] - The leader of the Conservatives, the largest party making up the CRU bloc in Parliament, has resigned over doubts that he was doing his best to counter the SDP as Leader of the Opposition. Mr. Nicholas Murray, MP issued a statement. An excerpt: "It is now apparent to me that I no longer have the full support of my party. It is for this reason that I have decided to stand down as leader." Murray was seen as a largely ineffective leader, and has not been able to present a comprehensive program to counter that of the government. Despite party headquarters remaining typically tight-lipped, it can be inferred that the Conservatives did not want him standing for Prime Minister in the upcoming elections. This seems to be a risky move for the party so close to elections, but the new leader is promised to be proactive in pushing the CRU's agenda.

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[b]ELECTION RESULTS: Liberals in Government, Evans Holds Presidency[/b] - As polling stations across the Federation closed last night, there was still some uncertainty as to the results. While the Liberal Party had gained quite a bit of traction in polls over the last month, it was uncertain as to whether they'd be able to displace the current SDP government when it came time to count the votes.

 

Any doubts have since been dispelled, as the Liberals have taken a solid plurality in Parliament, with a deal negotiated with the Social Democratic Party to form a coalition. This will allow some of the more successful SDP ministers to retain their positions, whereas other positions more critical to the Liberals' agenda will be displaced. The new Prime Minister, Olivia Richards, will be sworn in tomorrow at Federation Hall, Parliament Hill - much like her predecessor, Adele Laroche, who has retained her seat in Parliament as well as the leadership of the SDP. It is uncertain what role she will take in the new government, if any.

 

President of the Federation, William Lyon Evans, having been successful in his bid for reelection and having approved Parliament's selection of a Prime Minister, will be awaiting Richards' inauguration to discuss the appointment of Cabinet ministers. This will be the first time a President has aided in the selection of the cabinet as constitutionally bound, since the President was yet to be elected the first time a government was formed. On the subject of ministers, Richards mentioned the matter in a pre-inauguration interview: "I have every intention of keeping our current Foreign Minister, as well as the Minister for Trust Territories. Beyond that, I think it best to keep my intended selections private until they are made."

 

The CRU and SDP have taken the biggest hits in Parliament this election. The Conservatives' leadership change so close to the election contributed to a significant loss in seats, although this was tempered by a strong new leader. The Greens, along with several minor parties in Parliament, managed to gain a modest amount of seats.

 

All in all, the government coalition holds 125 seats out of 212, 89 of which belong to the Liberals and 36 to the SDP.

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[b]New Government Shows Good Early Momentum[/b] - It's official: we have a new Prime Minister. Olivia Richards MP was sworn into office by the Chief Clerk of the Chamber of Deputies in Federation Hall this morning. She opted for the secular version of the oath, and following in the footsteps of her predecessor gave a speech on the front steps of Centre Block to record crowds that stretched all the way to the other side of Wellington Street, where traffic was diverted due to the ceremony. On behalf of the new coalition government, the PM promised an aggressive, progressive program of social change at the federal level, coupled with a (supposedly not directly related) effort by the Liberals throughout the provinces to effect the same sort of change. The areas of focus have been stated as civil rights, anti-discrimination, LGBT rights, equal access to government service in both of the official languages, and the freedom of and from religion. The PM seems like the perfect candidate to spearhead these efforts from a public relations standpoint, being a well-known atheist with a same-sex spouse.

 

President Evans, at his own speech after swearing an oath to continue his duties to the Federation for another term, welcomed the new partnership with the Liberal Party, and has met with the PM to congratulate her and begin discussions on forming a cabinet. Most notably, Foreign Minister Philippe Montgolfier has been retained, while major SDP backer and Minister for National Defence, Ollie Wood, has gotten the sack. His replacement has yet to be announced. The outgoing PM, Adele Laroche, has been appointed Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Consular Services, a junior position assisting the Foreign Minister. This will keep her in the cabinet in some capacity while much of her former Cabinet is relegated to the backbench for this term.

 

In related news, the Centre-Right Union, led by the Conservatives, has been named Official Opposition, and will be facing the strong coalition government this term.

 

Crowds gathering on Parliament Hill

[Vedran]

Federation Forces to Conduct Joint Exercise off Nova Scotia - The Federation Forces have announced their intention to conduct a wargame exercise in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Nova Scotia, to be conducted as a joint operation between the Navy and Air Force, with cooperation from the Army. Exercise Lancer, assuming a hostile naval attack originating in international waters, aims to gauge the Forces' effectiveness in defending the coast as well as urban concentrations along same. The other main objective is to improve said effectiveness and increase preparedness in the event of an actual attack.

 

For the benefit of international commercial travel as well as the peace of mind of foreign powers, National Defence Headquarters in Ottawa has published an order of battle, along with the objectives, areas of operation, and duration of the exercise. An attacking force consisting of attack submarines Halberd and Glaive, along with modified¹ SSBN Partizan, will be aiming to conduct a simulated attack upon Federation Forces Base Halifax, the city and Port of Halifax, and elements of the Federation Atlantic Fleet stationed therein. The attack is to consist of torpedoing naval assets and launching conventional (nonnuclear) missile strikes on critical installations throughout the area. The defending force will consist of the attack sub Lance, along with surface vessels of the Atlantic Fleet intending to prevent the attack and destroy a large portion of the attacking force. For the purposes of the exercise, fleet carrier FNS Avenger will be in port with simulated damage to propulsion systems precluding its use in the exercise beyond launching ASW aircraft. Its smaller counterpart, FNS Resolute, will be participating actively in anti-submarine operations and will be leading the defending force. The Air Force's involvement will consist mainly of patrols by CP-140 aircraft intended to support defending force operations, and Army cooperation extends to providing detailed casualty lists of their personnel and equipment in the event that the attacking force succeeds in its (simulated) attack on Halifax, as well as providing missile defence units to the defending force.

 

Local government has notified area residents of the exercise, and advised them not to panic at increased activity that may be visible in FFB Halifax. NDHQ (NatDef Headquarters) has covered the expense of notification due to it being because of actions taken in the national interest, and the Foreign Ministry has circulated memos to all foreign embassies in Ottawa informing them of the exercise. Disruption to commerce is projected to be negligible.

 

FNS Resolute on pre-exercise maneuvers

 

¹All ballistic missile submarines of the Federation Forces have been modified so as to replace their nuclear capability with conventional cruise missile capability.

 

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Federation Withdraws from New World Order - In a joint announcement at Rideau Hall today, President Evans and Prime Minister Richards have formally announced the Federation's withdrawal from the New World Order anti-colonialism bloc. This was apparently decided in a number of discussions since the PM's election, held with the President in the Langevin Bloc of Parliament in the presence of the Cabinet. Since the NWO headquarters at Cayenne is no longer under the direct control of an independent state, it was decided to make a unilateral announcement rather than lodge a notification at the headquarters. After the announcement, the heads answered several questions from the press.

 

A reporter from the Globe and Mail asked into the origin of the decision: the President fielded the question. "The change in policy came about as a result of several factors. Mainly, the state and government have noted the inactivity of the bloc, combined with the lack of tangible colonial threats since the Greenland issue. Further, it is the opinion of the government that a reticence to engage in strategically oriented talks with foreign powers may stunt the development of positive relations with non-American states, particularly with regard to strategic deals. This move is meant as no insult to our partners in the NWO, but rather an action made to reflect the realities of the situation."

 

A reporter from FBC Television asked the heads about whether the withdrawal, combined with the upcoming military exercise in the Atlantic, represents a significant shift in policy away from isolation and neutrality. The PM fielded that one. "Obviously we cannot comment on government policy which has yet to be made, but the current government is in favour of a less strict view on foreign relations and involvement than the previous one. We can, however, still assure the public that this does not represent a turn to expansionism, or even imperialism of our own. The Liberal Party policy and practice, which is shared by President Evans' SDP, is that the Federation must look first and foremost to the interests of its own citizens well before ambitions of empire."

 

More politically slanted newspapers throughout the Federation have been reacting to the news rapidly, with many quick to point out the benefits or drawbacks associated with this issue. With or without their praise and criticism, the President and PM seem determined to go through with the move - certainly a strong, early show of coalition unity when many seem eager to play up the potential delays and difficulty associated with cohabitation. Approval ratings have risen accordingly.

Edited December 10, 2014 by Vedran

[Vedran]

Military Exercise in Atlantic Wraps Up - The Federation Forces exercise codenamed Exercise Lancer has concluded, according to the National Defence Headquarters. The wargame involving various branches of the Federation Forces has been announced a tentative success, with much data being gained to refine the Forces' tactics, along with a chance for many sailors and airmen to increase their operational performance.

 

The winner of the wargame portion of the exercise is the defending force, who managed to defend the Halifax area against the attacking force's submarines despite taking a number of simulated losses. First honours went to the hunter-killer submarine FNS Lance, which intercepted its fellow Victoria-class submarines and logged kills on both while underwater. Second mentions go to FNS Partizan of the attacking force, which sent the attack submarines to distract the defending force while it attacked Halifax.

 

The exercise was paused momentarily when a nearby container ship declared a medical emergency, and one of its crew who had appendicitis was airlifted by Sea King helicopter to a Coast Guard facility in Maine for transport to a hospital. Once the exercise resumed, Partizan launched a brief missile attack on Halifax, being largely intercepted but logging significant but manageable damage on naval facilities before being acquired by a patrolling CP-140 aircraft. After a lengthy chase and several simulated torpedo attacks, the computer simulating damage aboard Partizan flashed a warning that the sub had been crushed due to weakening of its hull by near misses of torpedoes. The exercise ended at that point.

 

A report will be forthcoming from the National Defence Headquarters regarding the results and implications of the exercise - the wargame is claimed to be a great help to understanding and refining the Federation's tactics, and the naval facilities at Halifax are scheduled for a review of their air defence component. Parliament will be setting up a select committee to study the feasibility of increasing air defence coverage across the Federation in the near future.

Edited December 15, 2014 by Vedran

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[b]Provinces Exercise New Autonomy[/b] - Since the passing of the autonomy bill, the eastern provinces of the Federation have been looking to exercise their newfound freedom in making compacts with another without the approval of Parliament - with some exceptions. Yesterday, the Governor of Maine and the Premier of New Brunswick made an announcement in regards to the longstanding territorial dispute over some minor islands. The respective governments of the two provinces have been in talks since the passing of the bill, discussing the status of Machias Seal Island in the Gulf of Maine. The island is well known locally for its long-contested status if nothing else - it has been in quiet dispute since the American revolution, between the United States and Britain, then Canada. Now that the land is a part of the Federation, the provinces have seen fit to end the dispute once and for all.

 

Rather than appeal to the Federal Supreme Court in Ottawa for arbitration, Maine and New Brunswick decided to take matters into their own hands. The talks have produced an agreement whereby Machias Seal Island is to be ceded to New Brunswick, with the federal government providing lighthouse keeping and coast guard duties, and both provinces having equal rights to the valuable lobster fishing operations in the area, thus regulating overfishing which had been a problem in the area in the past due to uncertain laws. While its effects will be rather minor, the agreement does provide a successful example of a test case for the autonomy recently granted to the member provinces of the Federation, and should improve relations between the Maritime provinces and their southern neighbours.

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New Year Festivities Largely Uneventful - With elections, autonomy issues, and a terrorist attack in the news in recent months, New Year celebrations across the Federation have gone without a hitch. Last night's live broadcast of fireworks from Windsor to St. John's courtesy of FBC Television showed off the cold weather to be expected this time of year, but little else apart from the impressive light shows in the Federation's larger cities.

 

President and Mrs. Evans hosted a dinner at Rideau Hall last night, inviting important government figures and the heads of foreign diplomatic missions in Ottawa to attend. In attendance were Prime Minister Richards, the Parliament Speaker, and several ministers, as well as various provincial Premiers and Governors. Former PM and current junior minister Laroche was also in attendance, but left soon after with the Premier of South Quebec to attend the festivities in Montreal.

 

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PM's New Year Speech Promises Progress in Civil Rights - After being elected Prime Minister, Olivia Richards has spearheaded a number of progressive bills in Parliament with the backing of her party and the coalition government. Now that some of those bills are nearing critical votes, she has apparently seen fit to address them in her new year's speech. After acknowledging the efforts of the previous government under Laroche and the progress they made the previous year, she promised to do better with the help of members of that government still serving in Parliament and the Cabinet.

 

"This eight-member federation on the shores of the Atlantic and the Great Lakes has accomplished much in its time, and I plan to continue that work. There are now a number of bills under debate in Parliament, intended to have far reaching effects in the areas I promised to improve upon accepting my premiership: language equality, gender equality, freedom to worship or not to worship, and the elimination of negative discrimination from the workplace and other areas of life. I want to thank the public for their continued trust in this government, which will be implementing my campaign promises in due time. While many of the provinces already guarantee these rights to their citizens, I intend for the federal government to guarantee these rights, and realize Trudeau's goals of a just society."

 

Advocates of provincial autonomy have mixed feelings regarding Richards' agenda. Some welcome the push for rights, while others are wary of intrusion by the federal government on the right of the provincial governments in pursuing their own policy. Some of the provinces, for example, wish to maintain their own military or militia force, which the federal government has repeatedly shut down in favour of a Primary Reserve under the National Defence Headquarters in Ottawa. It's been said through the grapevine that the eastern provinces have taken certain steps to establish provincial militias in their seemingly continual effort to get out from under the shadow of their larger partners of South Ontario and South Quebec. Journalists have yet to uncover a paper trail to confirm this.

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[b]Developing: Maritimes Militia Woes[/b] - Parliamentary investigators are scattered throughout Augusta, Halifax, and Fredericton attempting to corroborate rumours that the eastern and Maritime provinces are raising provincial militias contrary to the wish of the federal government to maintain a reserve force under the control of the Federation Forces. Documents have already been leaked, the authenticity of which is unconfirmed, that the Governor of Maine has been looking into buying enough C7 rifles from Diemaco, and other equipment from various suppliers to outfit a small defensive regiment for the province. The Premier of Nova Scotia is under similar suspicion, and Parliament has been seeking the Supreme Court to issue subpoenas for all relevant documents, as well as an injunction against raising provincial militias until such time that an act of Parliament permits it. The PM supported the effort, but had no comment with respect to allowing provincial militias in the future. She has asked the President to summon a conference of the provincial premiers and inquire into their activities.

 

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[b]Parliament to Gain Upper House?[/b] - For some time, Members from the eastern provinces have been calling for a reform of Parliament, with particular attention to the formation of an upper house. The smaller provinces have often been vocal about their perceived under-representation in the Chamber of Deputies, Parliament's one and only house. With South Ontario and South Quebec together holding about 162 of 212 electoral districts and thus seats in Parliament, there have been calls for an upper house with equal representation all the way from Vermont to Labrador. The smaller provinces have been united in their lobbying for the formation of an elected Senate, to be named after the upper houses of both of the Federation's predecessors, the United States and Canada. Parliament Hill even has ample space to accommodate such an endeavour, as the old Canadian Senate chamber and support facilities remain intact, mainly used as a tourist attraction these days. The PM, even though her seat is from the most populous province of South Ontario, has shown great support for the idea, although some suggest this is an attempt to draw the Maritimes leaders' attention and energy away from the developing militia fiasco, on which she appears to oppose them.

 

A convention of Parliament members and provincial government representatives is set to take place in Ottawa to discuss the matter, as well as take suggestions on the powers and composition of the proposed Senate. In a surprising break from the unity she's so far shown with her coalition partner President Evans, PM Richards insists that Parliament reform is a matter of government and not state, and needn't be sent to the head of state for approval if adopted. Rideau Hall did not reply when asked for comment.

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[b]Parliamentary Reform Convention Makes Good Progress[/b] - The meeting of provincial and federal leaders convened in Ottawa by decision of the Prime Minister has decided upon an upper house for the Federation. The Federation Senate shall have three members from each province - currently South Ontario, South Quebec, Vermont, Maine, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island. An additional one member without voting powers is allocated for each trust territory - currently only North Quebec. Senators will be elected by the provincial legislatures of each province in non-secret ballots, and will meet at Parliament Hill in the newly dedicated senate chambers, previously used as a museum. The powers of the Senate have been set partly as a check against the federal government - the Senate must now approve any forthcoming non-defensive declaration of war by a President, as well as any attempt to dissolve the lower house or dismiss the PM or cabinet. To temper these checks, the President of the Federation shall also serve as President of the Senate, and may veto bills introduced in the upper house. President Evans said he looks forward to the new responsibility.

 

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[b]Provincial Militias Raised, Despite Wishes of Federal Government[/b] - Despite the attempts of the President and Prime Minister to get the courts to stop the provinces from creating militias, they have done so anyway. The Nova Scotia Provincial Defence Force and the Maine National Guard joined the New Brunswick Provincial Defence Force in a parade through Fredericton today, on the invitation of the Premier. The Premier was unable to attend the parade of the three light infantry regiments, because he had been summoned to Rideau Hall by the President to explain his actions, along with the other provincial heads of government. He said to the press, "I have no intention of rebelling against the legitimate authority of the Federation, but at the same time I have no desire to allow the federal government a monopoly on the defence of the nation. I have long favored provincial autonomy, including in the area of defence. Now that we have this, we shall protect the provinces better than the Primary Reserve ever could on its own." The parade was attended by many pro-autonomy figures from the Maritimes, while at the same time units of the Federation Forces located within NB and Maine were placed on alert. It remains to be seen what the President's reaction will be.