I always strive to offer two balanced takes on a topic. The phrase “go beyond the rhetoric” is a bit of a cliché, but it also sounds about right.

For a feature story to make the cut, each side has to be a reasonable, well-thought-out perspective with links to sources or quotes we can fact-check.

Keeping that in mind, I’ve been wondering all weekend whether we should run a feature on the Minnesota protests and the most recent shooting.

On one side, there’s video evidence, plus no shortage of law enforcement “experts” weighing in on whether the Border Patrol agent’s actions were lawful.

On the other side, there are accusations and statements from the Trump administration… and that’s about it 🤷‍♂️

That’s my challenge. I haven’t yet found enough credible material to craft two takes, backed up by (at least some) evidence, that goes beyond the rhetoric.

Yet, I’m totally okay with that. We’re a small operation and there’s a lot of other stuff happening 😅

This week is the Conservative Party of Canada’s national convention where Pierre Poilievre faces a leadership review. We’ll cover that later this week.

And today’s story comes from an NDP leadership hopeful suggesting Canada should pause its plans to build AI data centres. That got people talking. Check it out below.

-Neil Malik

AI data centres should be treated like other major industrial projects that require public buy-in, including pipelines, mines, ports, and power plants. Those projects are regulated in part for their environmental and economic impacts.

Data centres belong in that same category. How can Canada credibly claim climate leadership while quietly approving operations with such significant environmental impact and little scrutiny?

The AI industry will grow regardless of what Canada chooses to do. The real issue is whether Canada builds the infrastructure needed to manage the transition happening worldwide, or becomes dependent on other countries to provide these services.

Slowing development at home would likely mean outsourcing more data processing abroad, particularly to the United States. Given the current relationship, relying on U.S. infrastructure for core economic functions is seriously risky.