It's worth noting that the last time I heard Ben Stiller talking Trek - five years ago on the official podcast - he made it pretty clear that he was a TOS fan, and hadn't really seen anything else.

Nothing wrong with that at all, but relevant IMO.

Also, he definitely doesn't actually have a pitch.

...they asked him “Do you have any Star Trek pitches?” He promptly replied, “Yeah, let’s do it.”

Is it safe to say that casual use of the notwithstanding clause has been normalized to the point that there are no real consequences to invoking it any more?

He's not Mr. Right...but he is Mr. Right Now.

I guess they think "respectful and firm" is their best shot at taking a stand without alienating their base.

I don't think it's going to play.

"No, Irish need apply!"

Captain Picard falls asleep; dreams of some dead people.

I think the headline misrepresents it a bit, but:

• Tim's has a long history of playing to a sense of nostalgia and "shared Canadian values".

• Politicians have been using this association to try to seem like Regular Joes for years.

• The franchise is owned by one of the largest corporations in the world.

• Their menu increasingly contradicts the "traditional" vibe they promote, with newer items like Sweet Chili Chicken Loaded Wraps and Loaded Bowls, Tiramisu Cold Brew, and Blackberry Yuzu Sparkling Quenchers.

• They're also increasingly expanding options that discourage people from eating in-store, eroding their "de facto town square" image.

• Maybe the confused identity of the brand reflects the confused identity of Canada as a whole.

To be honest, it's a pretty muddled piece, but there are a couple of interesting points in there.

look, I'm not here to kink shame you

Eddington was Canadian, though. We have no law to fit his crime.

it didn’t seem to have an answer for why the Federation didn’t use it later.

Well, you need to either find and enslave an exotic space tardigrade in order to navigate the network, or illegally splice said tardigrade's DNA into your own.

And even then, navigation is pretty challenging, and can result in accidental time and/or interdimensional travel.

And a malfunction has the potential to destroy all life in the multiverse.

And both ships that had the prototypes installed were lost within about a year.

Take your pick, really.

Elevating a notorious enemy general to the position of ambassador in a handful of years is a total Starfleet move.