What’s happening in Canada and around the world?
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made his debut at the United Nations General Assembly this week. Trudeau failed to make a substantive – or even coherent – speech on the world stage. My colleague at the Sun papers, Lorne Gunter said it well – “trying to analyze a Justin Trudeau speech is like trying to dissect a marshmellow. It’s soft and fluffy and overly sweet. And the second you try to pull it apart it dissolves into goo”. But of course, so many in the media loved every second of this meaningless speech.
Immigration Minister John McCallum also joined the soiree at the United Nations, and even gloated that 13 countries are potentially interested in Canada’s model for private refugee sponsorship. A bit ironic given that his government has failed to successfully utilize the private refugee sponsorship program that was expanded under the Harper government. Under Trudeau and McCallum’s watch, generous private sponsors have expressed immense frustration with the government’s handling of the Syrian refugee program.
Meanwhile, in Ottawa, the House of Commons resumed for the fall session. Just as the Prime Minister wrapped up his speech at the UN, news broke that the Prime Minister had signed off on $220,564.11 for moving expenses for Principal Secretary Gerald Butts and Chief of Staff Katie Telford. That’s $220,564.11 charged to you – the taxpayer! Sunny ways though right?
To wrap up the busy week, the Globe and Mail reported that Maryam Monsef, the highly unqualified Minister of Democratic Institutions, admitted that she was born in Iran – not Afghanistan as she has boasted about in the past. Many questions need to be answered about Monsef and her past. This once again raises serious concerns about Canada’s ability to screen and verifying information from people fleeing war zones and failed states.
