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Sunday, July 13, 2025

Health Canada recalls masks containing graphene

By
True North Wire
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Health Canada has issued a recall on disposable masks containing graphene and biomass graphene.

Preliminary assessment of available research suggests the tiny particles may cause early lung toxicity in animals. However, the risks to humans are not yet known. 

In an advisory, the government agency says the masks have been used in schools and daycares by both adults and children. The masks have also been used in healthcare settings. 

Health Canada has advised provinces and territories to halt use of the mask and has also directed distributors, importers and manufacturers to stop selling the masks. 

Anyone who has worn a graphene mask should consult a healthcare provider if they exhibit symptoms such as difficulty breathing or shortness of breath. 

Last week, Health Canada also issued a warning about the use of SNN200642 face masks made by Metallifer as they contain “a potential for early lung toxicity.” Quebec immediately sent out a directive to various institutions to stop using the masks.

Prior to the warning, the SNN200642 masks were distributed to staff at Montreal schools, Revenue Quebec and the Montreal public transport system.

Staff in schools and the Société de Transport de Montréal previously complained about the masks, including reports of rashes and difficulty swallowing.

Alberta fish and wildlife officers can now respond to rural crime calls

By
True North Wire
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New changes by the Alberta government will allow provincial fish and wildlife officers to respond to RCMP calls as a way to tackle the issue of rural crime. 

According to Statistics Canada, the prairies and Western provinces are disproportionately impacted by high rural crime rates. 

The program is part of the Rural Alberta Provincial Integrated Defence Response (RAPID) and is intended to help reduce police response times in rural or isolated areas for emergencies or other high priority incidents, CTV News reports. 

Under the new initiative, nearby fish and wildlife officers can also respond to requests for backup by RCMP officers in the field.

“Rural Albertans told us loud and clear that it can take too long for help to arrive in their communities. With RAPID Response, highly trained and professional peace officers will work across rural Alberta to answer the call when police need help,” said Alberta Minister of Justice Kaycee Madu. 

According to an Alberta government news release, the initiative will add 140 additional peace officers to help respond to rural incidents.

The initiative has been in effect since Thursday, April 1, 2021.

Federal data shows that rural residents in the Prairies are impacted by higher rates of property crime than those living in urban areas.

“As with most property crimes, rates of break and enter and motor vehicle theft were higher in the Prairie provinces, especially Alberta. In 2017, police reported 978 break and enter incidents per 100,000 population in rural Alberta,” claimed a 2017 Statistics Canada report.

Alberta has introduced several other measures that have been proven successful in reducing rural crime rates including a proactive rural patrol program. 

“As a result of the proactive patrols, we’re seeing property crime come down in the rural area, which is a positive, and we’ve also seen it come down in the urban area and we’re getting the feedback that says it is positive and we’re doing something right,” said RCMP Superintendent Dave Kalist. 

Alberta Independence vs. Separation

By
Andrew Lawton
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Alberta Premier Jason Kenney has promised a referendum on equalization, but Alberta independence activists say there are more challenges than simply equalization payments that are driving westerners to feel more and more alienated from Canada. Alberta Economic Education Association chairman Danny Hozack says the referendum should be broadened to truly send a message to Ottawa about how Albertans feel about their place in confederation.

This interview was part of a special edition of The Andrew Lawton Show about western alienation. Watch the full episode here.

D-Day tank vandalized with anti-war message at London, Ont. park

By
True North Wire
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The historic “Holy Roller” tank in London, Ont.’s Victoria Park was vandalized with a profane anti-war message Friday night.

Images posted to social media Saturday show the Second World War Sherman tank covered in spray paint, including a peace sign and the words “F–k war.”

Retired Lieutenant-Colonel Ian Haley, who heads the Holy Roller Memorial Preservation Project, says he’s disappointed to see people disrespect the memorial to London’s veterans.

“A lot of good people died so that people can demonstrate their opinion but they should take it out on the government, not on the veterans,” Haley told CTV London.

The Holy Roller is one of only two surviving Canadian tanks from the Allied forces’ D-Day landings.

The Holy Roller, manufactured by General Motors in Flint, Mich., landed on Juno Beach on June 6, 1944 with the London-based 1st Hussars regiment, and stayed in use until the war ended, participating in the liberations of France, Belgium, and the Netherlands.

Last year, a London brewery launched the Holy Roller Memorial Preservation Project to have the aging historic tank repaired and restored. The accompanying fundraising campaign has raised over $95,000 of its $250,000 goal.

Haley said the plans will continue, but noted the restored tank will need to be protected against further vandalism.

“When it comes back after it’s been preserved and restored, then we’ll make sure that it’s got appropriate safety measures around it,” he said.

Toronto restaurant bills Doug Ford for beer spoiled by lockdowns

By
True North Wire
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A Toronto restaurant has sent Premier Doug Ford a bill for $431.55 for beer that will be spoiled because of Ontario’s third lockdown.

Antler Kitchen and Bar on Dundas St. sent Ford the invoice and a letter expressing offense that he abruptly barred patio dining in Ontario right before the Easter long weekend, a mere two weeks after allowing it in Toronto.

“Two weeks ago, you assured Toronto restaurateurs that we were safe to open our outdoor spaces to our diners,” wrote owners Michael Hunter and Jody Shapiro.

“Having been locked down for over 100 days in Toronto, and competing with restaurants open for indoor dining just outside the city, we followed all the proper protocols and jumped at the chance to open. It was a path for our business to survive.”

As of Saturday, Ontario triggered a provincewide “emergency brake.” Under this modified lockdown – which the government is calling a “shutdown” – indoor and outdoor dining are prohibited, as are indoor gatherings. Stricter limits have also been put on businesses and religious services.

Hunter and Shapiro note their business has had to deal with constantly changing restrictions and multiple lockdowns, accusing the Ford government of not respecting businesses.

“You say you care about Toronto’s restaurants. And we know you care about beer. So we’re sending an invoice to you for two kegs worth of beer that will spoil because of this shut down,” Hunter and Shapiro wrote.

“We’re literally hiring, paying, and then laying off the same employees during the same payroll period.” 

According to one recent survey, 51% of Canadian businesses are concerned they will not survive the financial hardships caused by the pandemic and lockdowns.

The Ford government has been previously slammed by businesses for escalating restrictions and shifting the goalposts on coronavirus statistics.

FUREY: Public officials have failed to prepare Canadians for COVID-19

By
True North Wire
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Many healthcare professionals agree that having an active and physical lifestyle, taking Vitamin D and other lifestyle choices can lessen the chance of a serious outcome if infected with COVID-19. In fact, the UK government sent its citizens free vitamin D supplements.

Meanwhile, public officials in Canada have never discussed these lifestyle choices. As a result, many Canadians are unaware and unprepared for COVID-19.

Anthony Furey discusses in his latest video.

How Following Quebec’s Lead Might Help Alberta’s Push for Independence

By
Andrew Lawton
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Growing alienation in the west is leading to an increase in the push for independence in Alberta. People’s Party of Canada leader Maxime Bernier says Alberta can learn from Quebec’s experience however, and assert independence through reclaiming programs that the federal government currently controls, such as pension plan and policing.

This interview was part of a special edition of The Andrew Lawton Show about western alienation. Watch the full episode here.

Trudeau has spent nearly double what government spent during WWII: Fraser Institute

By
True North Wire
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A new study comparing federal spending by past governments reveals that in the past year, the Trudeau government has spent nearly double what the Canadian government did during World War II. 

“In 2020/21, the federal government spent the largest amount of money per person (adjusted for inflation) in Canadian history by a wide margin. Indeed, per-person program spending will reach a projected $17,091 (in real 2021 dollars), which is approximately double the amount spent during the 2009 recession and at the peak of the Second World War,” wrote study authors Jake Fuss and Nathaniel Li. 

“By 2018, federal per-person spending had grown to $9,061, which was the highest amount in Canadian history up to that point. Per-person spending set a new record again the following year, rising to $9,500. This means the Trudeau government increased real per-person federal government spending by nearly 18% during its first term in office, and before any recession.”

Despite the large spending commitments, the Fraser Institute notes that the Canadian economy saw “weak performance” under Trudeau’s leadership.

“Clearly, larger government is not always associated with improved outcomes. The Trudeau government must consider these negative economic consequences before it cultivates an even greater role for itself in coming years with new programs such as national daycare, national pharmacare and expanded infrastructure,” the study claimed. 

“Current projections (which do not include these potential new programs) already indicate federal program spending in 2021 will reach $11,370 per person—or 18.7% of the economy—which is considerably higher than the size of government in 2019, the year before the pandemic.”

Recent estimates by the Parliamentary Budget Officer reveal that the federal deficit is expected to balloon to $363.4 billion for the 2020-2021 period. The figures would plunge Canada’s debt-to-GDP ratio to its highest point in over fifty years. 

Diversity and Exclusion: An Exclusive Q&A with Lindsay Shepherd

By
Candice Malcolm
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True North’s Lindsay Shepherd just released her highly anticipated book — Diversity and Exclusion: Confronting the Campus Free Speech Crisis.

True North’s Candice Malcolm sits down with Lindsay Shepherd to discuss Lindsay’s tell-all book, her experience at Wilfried Laurier University and how she overcame university censorship.

Get your copy of Lindsay’s book.

Want to tune in LIVE to our next event? Become a True North Insider today for exclusive perks and early access to events.

FACT CHECK: MP Adam Vaughan disputes official vaccination data as “made up”

By
Cosmin Dzsurdzsa
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Toronto-area Liberal MP Adam Vaughan disputed the fact that only 1.75% of Canadians have received two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine and accused Conservative Senator Linda Frum of “making up numbers” despite Frum sourcing an official Government of Canada database.  

In response to Frum’s tweet claiming that less “than 2% of Canadians” have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, Vaughan made several accusatory statements specifically targeting the senator and Conservative Party at large. 

“Ahh..check this..first your party says a billion people around the world will be vaccinated before any Cdn is..now you’re making up numbers about how many Cdns have got it..we’re not running out of doses.. [The Conservative Party] is running out nonsense [sic] to spew..what’s next an anti-vax campaign?” tweeted Vaughan on Thursday. 

One of Vaughan’s central claims is the accusation that Frum was “making up numbers” regarding how many Canadians have received two doses of the coronavirus vaccine. 

A True North fact check found Vaughan’s claim to be false – Frum relied on and sourced verified data that Vaughan’s own government published. 

As indicated by Frum in a followup tweet, the information she was referencing were found on the Government of Canada’s COVID-19 vaccination information hub.

“What? I am ‘making up numbers?!’ Here is the Government of Canada database that says only 1.75% of Canadians have received 2 doses. Canadians waiting on doses aren’t fooled by your disinformation. 86% of us haven’t even had 1 dose yet,” tweeted Frum. 

Clearly displayed on the website under the “key updates” section is the statement that “1.75% of the population has received two doses” which substantiates Frum’s earlier claim that less than 2% of Canadians have been fully vaccinated. 

As noted, the weekly vaccination report was the result of a collaboration between provincial and territorial governments and the Pan-Canadian Public Health Network’s Canadian Immunization Registries and Coverage Network.

By casting doubt on the validity of official coronavirus data, True North found that Vaughan contributed to the atmosphere of misinformation and vaccine hesitancy. 

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