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Wednesday, July 9, 2025

COVID-19 vaccine company threatens to leave Canada due to lack of government funding

By
True North Wire
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A Canadian vaccine manufacturer is leaving the country after the Liberal government failed to address repeat calls for more funding support. 

According to CBC News, Calgary-based Providence Therapeutics is in the process of engaging with its board of directors to move the company’s operations abroad.

“I’m moving on, that’s where I’m at now. I’ve prostrated myself at the altar of government in Canada for a year and I’ve received nothing for it. I’m tired of begging and pleading,” said Providence Therapeutics CEO Brad Sorenson.

“I can’t tell you how much this pains me. The reality is, I can do more good for the world outside of Canada than I can in.”

Providence Therapeutics was in the process of planning to build a vaccine manufacturing plant in Calgary, but according to Sorenson, even the Alberta government has been dragging its heels with much-needed support. 

“It’s not going to be made here in Canada. It’s not going to be prioritized for Canadians,” Sorenson said about the vaccine. 

The Providence Therapeutics vaccine was developed in collaboration with Sunnybrook Research Institute in Toronto. During development, the company requested loans from the government to set up manufacturing capacities and engage in clinical trials but the calls went largely unanswered. 

As many countries were developing vaccines in 2020, the Trudeau government only pre-ordered vaccines from CanSino Biologics, a Chinese firm connected to the Chinese Communist Party. China would later block vaccine shipments to Canada.

Once vaccines started arriving in Canada, shipments were small and Pfizer temporarily stopped shipping to Canada in January. With no domestic production, Canada has been at the mercy of governments like that of the European Union, which has restricted exports to meet its own domestic needs.

The company has received one $5 million grant from the National Research Council, however according to Sorenson the small company requires more to get its manufacturing capabilities off the ground. 

“I never asked for a single handout. All I’ve asked for is a deposit on vaccines or a non-interest loan,” said Sorenson. 

In February, the company’s CEO urged Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to provide the company $150 million to bring the vaccine to the market but Sorenson never received a response from the government. 

A spokesperson for Innovation Minister François-Philippe Champagne told CBC News that Canada’s investment decisions were based on expert recommendations. 

“Our investment decisions have been informed by the expert advice of the Vaccine Task Force, as we have pursued the most promising opportunities to build resilience in Canada’s future supply of vaccines and therapeutics,” said spokesperson John Power.

Islamists kill 1, kidnap 4 during church service in Nigeria

By
True North Wire
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One man is dead and four women are missing after a group of armed Islamists attacked a church service in rural Northern Nigeria.

The attack happened on April 25 at the Haske Baptist Church in Kaduna State. The church was attacked by a group of armed men belonging to an ethnic-Fulani militant group.

“Preliminary investigation conducted so far revealed that four persons are missing which arouse a suspicion that they might have been kidnapped by the hoodlums,” police spokesperson Mohammed Jalige told local media.

Sources identify the deceased as Dr. Zacharia Dogon Yaro, a local physician. His wife has been identified as one of the women kidnapped.

In the past couple of years, violence against Christians has increased dramatically in Nigeria, with kidnappings becoming a common occurrence.

The rapid increase in violence has been attributed to militias formed by Nigeria’s Fulani ethnicity. Fulani gangs and militias have been inspired by other larger Islamist groups active in the country such as ISIS.

Khataza Gondwe, a Nigerian employee of Christian Solidarity Worldwide, told the Christian Post that Christians in many areas are now afraid to leave home as the risk of kidnapping continues to rise.

“Kidnappers have expanded their operations to the extent that everybody, every civilian right now feels like prisoners because they’re afraid when driving outside of towns and cities,” Gondwe said. 

“Once on an open road, they are subject to being abducted … Armed men can emerge [from] the bush and take people away, leave cars behind. At the moment, that kind of kidnapping is coming closer and closer to the cities.”

Earlier this year, Nigerian Priest Fr. John Gbakaan was found murdered and mutilated after militants kidnapped and attempted to ransom him.

Activists demand Halifax libraries pull “dangerous” book skeptical of transgender ideology

By
True North Wire
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LGBTQ activists and some concerned parents are hoping to force Halifax Public Libraries to censor a book that’s skeptical of transgender ideology from its shelves because they see it as being “dangerous” and “transphobic.” 

The book in question was written by author Abigail Shrier, and is titled “Irreversible Damage: The Transgender Craze Seducing Our Daughters.” 

Since its publication, Shrier’s book has been listed as one of the best books of 2020 by The Economist and has received other similar reviews from mainstream publications. 

One parent named Nicole Nascimento claimed in a Facebook post that the book risks “the lives of trans youth simply for the sake of intellectual freedom.” 

This week, a petition titled “Transgender Identity is not a choice, a Craze, or a Fad” was launched online demanding that the library censor the book and author for alleged “hateful messages.” 

“I don’t believe the library should be a place of neutrality, and it should stand up to hate speech. I would like that book removed because I genuinely think it’s dangerous—which is a complicated thing to talk about when it comes to books,” said the petition creator Mila McKay. 

“I’m not talking about censoring books. She can promote her book. She can continue to promote herself. It wouldn’t be silencing her. This isn’t a freedom of expression issue. This is an issue about a very dangerous narrative that can confuse parents by giving them unscientific information, and because of that, it can endanger the lives of trans youth.”

Halifax library’s manager of collections Dace MacNeil addressed McKay’s concerns saying that the book’s contents do not “constitute hate speech” and that the library supports having a wide range of opinions. 

“While the author’s arguments and the research methods are questionable, and there is understandable concern that the advice provided in this book is not trans-affirming, the content does not constitute hate speech in the Canadian legal context,” said MacNeil. 

“Supporting a collection that reflects a wide range of perspectives, including books that express views many of us take objection to, is the foundation of a public library and foundational to a democratic society.”

FUREY: Will society ever return to normal?

By
True North Wire
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As more people get vaccinated and as case numbers decline, will Canadians return to normal or as society been frayed by the pandemic?

For some people, safety measures such as declining handshakes and socially distancing while outside will become the norm going forward.

Anthony Furey discusses in his latest video.

Taiwan vows to defend itself to “very end” as China ramps up hostilities

By
True North Wire
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Taiwan’s foreign minister Joseph Wu issued a stern warning on Wednesday, saying his nation is ready to defend itself until the bitter end in light of China’s increased military aggression. 

According to Sky News, Wu stated that the Chinese government was “conducting misinformation campaign, hybrid warfare” and have ramped up “grey zone” activities meant to test the edges of Taiwan’s aerial defense system. 

“All these seem to be preparing for their final military assault against Taiwan. This is our country, this is our people and this is our way of life. We will defend ourselves to the very end,” said Wu. 

“Taiwan happens to be on the frontline of China’s expansion of its authoritarian order. And if Taiwan is taken by China, I think the consequences will be global.”

International allies have condemned China’s increasing aggression towards Taiwan. 

Last week, a series of military aerial exercises meant to intimidate the island nation were condemned in a joint statement by Taiwan, the United States and Japan. 

“We underscore the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and encourage the peaceful resolution of cross-Strait issues,” the statement said.

Critics of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau have called on the Liberal government to do more to support the Taiwanese government. 

Earlier this month, a report suggested that the Liberals attempted to prevent an international award from being awarded to Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen.

Following the report’s publication, the government reversed course and Taiwan was awarded the Halifax International Security Forum’s John McCain Prize for Leadership in Public Service.

In response to the award being given to Taiwan, Chinese authorities condemned Canada’s support for Taiwan calling it erroneous.

“China deplores and rejects the wrong motion related to Taiwan passed by the Canadian House of Commons,” Chinese government spokesperson Zhao Lijian said during a press conference.

“The ‘One China’ principle is the political foundation of China-Canada relations and a solemn commitment by the Canadian government.”

Conservatives say government still has no plan for Trudeau’s two-billion tree pledge

By
True North Wire
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The Conservatives say the Liberal government’s plan to plant two billion trees by 2030 still lacks details and will likely fall short.

“We’re two years into that commitment, almost two years into it, and they’re still acting like they still have another 10 years,” said Conservative environment critic Dan Albas. 

Albas says the government has provided few details on how the government will source approximately 222 million seedlings per year and find viable land to plant them.

In the 2019 election, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau promised Canada would plant two billion trees as a major part of the Liberal environment platform. Two years later, the government has yet to plant a single tree.

“The government made a political promise during the campaign that it had no idea how it would institute and basically handed this over to the bureaucracy,” Albas said.

“It sounds like they don’t know who they’re going to be dealing with either.”

A spokesperson for Natural Resources Minister Seamus O’Regan told the Canadian Press that trees will start being planted this spring, with the government purchasing 5,000 seedlings so far.

The spokesperson added that the government is negotiating with multiple organizations experienced in tree planting, with up to 120 groups applying to be part of the process.

In December, Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland earmarked $3.16 billion to fund the tree planting, but in January the Parliamentary Budget Office pegged the actual cost at nearly $6 billion.

Derek Nighbor, the president of the Forest Products Association of Canada, says he has been in contact with the government about the logistics of planting the trees. According to Nighbor, growing and planting seedlings on such a scale requires years of planning.

“You can’t just say, ‘We’re going to plant two billion trees.’ The details here matter,” he said.

Toronto COVID-19 enforcement teams issued 230 charges in one week

By
True North Wire
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Source: Pixaby

The Toronto Police Services unit dedicated to enforcing Ontario’s lockdown rules and stay-at-home order has issued 230 tickets in their very first week of operation. 

According to a Friday afternoon news release, enforcement officers responded to 315 different incidents, which include 105 calls from residents about gatherings since April 22. 

“The pandemic presents both public health and public safety risks,” inspector Matt Moyer said in the press release. 

“We have an enforcement team in every Division across the city and officers are dispersing large gatherings daily and laying charges against those who are ignoring the emergency order.”

Currently the city has 16 teams dedicated to enforcing the rules in different areas of the city.

“As we head into the weekend, we are discouraging anyone who is thinking of attending or hosting a gathering, and reminding them that, if they do, they may very well expect the police in attendance as well. Please work with us to keep the city safe. Don’t attend parties or large gatherings. Stay home and stay safe,” said Moyer. 

According to police, enforcement has been largely targeting indoor events and closed bars and restaurants. 

“This is driven by our communities. They generate all these calls for service. They are asking us to go to large gathering calls, parties, beach parties, outdoor events and attend short-term rentals because the community sees that people are compromising pubic safety and putting themselves at risk,” said Moyer. 

“They watch people having these events and parties and gatherings and they are asking for police support.”

Similarly, the City of Calgary revealed on Friday that it had issued 380 mask bylaw violation tickets since Calgary’s face coverings bylaw was introduced on August 1st. 

Liberals say opponents of their internet regulation bill are “extremist”

By
Andrew Lawton
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Heritage Minister Steven Guilbeault is accusing the Conservative party of kowtowing to an “extremist element” in the party for criticizing Bill C-10, a Liberal government bill that will regulate online content, including user-generated content shared on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

True North’s Andrew Lawton says the Liberals’ frequent accusations of extremism and “fake news” are precisely why they should not be trusted to regulate the internet.

CRA hotline gives bad advice up to 13% of the time

By
True North
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Canadians who call the Canada Revenue Agency looking for help have up to a 13% chance of receiving inaccurate information, a quality assurance audit found.

The figure was acknowledged by National Revenue Minister Diane Lebouthillier in an Inquiry of Ministry tabled this week, first reported by Blacklock’s Reporter.

Lebouthillier wrote that an independent team audits approximately 12,000 CRA customer service calls for accuracy each year.

“Each call is assessed for information accuracy by certified listeners,” she wrote. 

“For the team to score a call as complete and accurate, the agent’s response must directly address the caller’s enquiry or issue and provide the caller with enough information to enable them to take appropriate actions or make informed decisions.”

The inaccuracy rate varied wildly between different call centres. While the Calgary and St. John’s centres had an inaccuracy rate of 3%, the centre in Toronto gave inaccurate responses 13% of the time.

In a previous statement, CRA Commissioner Bob Hamilton said the agency is not responsible for any financial consequences stemming from bad advice.

The agency has seen a massive increase in calls over the past year as Canadians used a wide variety of pandemic benefits which each have different tax implications.

In February, the CRA reported that the average wait time calling the agency had increased to 25 minutes, with it common to wait hours to speak to an agent at peak hours.

The wait leads to many people simply hanging up. Of the roughly 32 million calls made in an average year, just 12.7 million resulted in the caller speaking with an agent.

The CRA began independent audits following a 2017 auditor general report which found that accuracy rates were up to ten-times higher than what the agency claimed.

Then-auditor general Michael Ferguson said at the time that agents would give incorrect answers to basic questions 30 to 84% of the time.

Steven Guilbeault says only “extremist element” opposes internet regulation bill

By
Cosmin Dzsurdzsa
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Heritage Minister Steven Guilbeault accused the Conservatives of catering to an alleged “extremist element” of the party by opposing the Liberal government’s internet regulation bill, C-10.

In Question Period Thursday, Conservative MP Rachael Harder accused the Liberal government of being “deceptive, sneaky, crafty and wrong” by attempting to argue that Bill C-10 – which would regulate online publishers and even user-generated content – will not threaten free speech.

“We are seeing the current government mimic behaviour that is consistent with a basic dictatorship. It is wrong,” Harder said. 

“The Liberals are trying to give themselves the power to control what Canadians can read online, what they post on social media and the videos that they watch on YouTube. Again, it is wrong. Why is the government doing this?” 

Guilbeault accused the Conservatives of being too “afraid” to stand up to large technology companies, before going on to claim they are catering to extremism.

“What we are seeing now is that these are big, powerful and, in fact some of the wealthiest corporations on the planet; clearly, the member opposite and her party are just afraid to stand up to them. Again it seems that the members of the Conservative Party are listening to the most extremist element of their party, as they have on very important issues such as climate change or women’s right to choose,” Guilbeault said.

Last week, Liberal MPs on the Commons heritage committee voted to expand Bill C-10’s scope to include regulating content Canadians publish on social media platforms like Twitter, YouTube and Facebook. 

The government has positioned Bill C-10 as a needed update to Canada’s Broadcasting Act to meet the digital and social media environment, but the bill has been derided by civil liberties advocates and internet experts as a sweeping expansion of government power to regulate online content.

Guilbeault has discussed the possibility of using a “kill-switch” to remove content or entire websites the government says contravene the regulations… Guilbeault has repeatedly dismissed concerns about Bill C-10, saying concerns about censorship and licensing have only come from “some on the right.”

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