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Sunday, May 11, 2025

China lashes out at Canada’s “ignoble” Indigenous rights record in response to sanctions

By
True North Wire
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The Chinese Foreign Ministry jumped on the opportunity to slam Canada’s human rights record on Tuesday after a number of Western allies levied sanctions against individuals and entities believed to be involved in the ongoing genocide against the country’s Uyghur minority. 

Canada alongside the US, the UK and the EU announced a number of sanctions on Monday as part of a collective effort to punish China. 

“It must be pointed out that these countries, who proclaim themselves to be ‘judges’ of human rights and are keen to lecture others, have an ignoble record on human rights. They are not in the position to criticize China, much less to shift blames [sic] to China for what they have committed,” said Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying. 

“In the 1870s, the Canadian government included assimilation of indigenous people in its official agenda and openly advocated the killing of the Indian bloodline. Starting with indigenous children, residential schools were set up to carry out cultural genocide policies. Incomplete statistics show over 150,000 indigenous children were sent to such schools, of which more than 50,000 died of abuses.”

Earlier this month, parliamentarians in the House of Commons banded together to vote to declare that China’s continued treatment of the Uyghurs amounted to an act of genocide. 

Despite bipartisan support for the motion, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his entire cabinet abstained from the vote. 

Despite Trudeau’s reluctance to declare China’s actions a genocide, in 2019 the prime minister accepted findings by the national inquiry into missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls which declared that Canada was involved in an ongoing “genocide.” 

“We accept their findings, including that what happened amounts to genocide,” said Trudeau at the time. 

“There are many debates ongoing around words and use of words. Our focus as a country, as leaders, as citizens must be on the steps we take to put an end to this situation.”

Erin O’Toole Takes Aim at “Deniers”

By
Andrew Lawton
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Conservative leader Erin O’Toole says the Conservative Party of Canada is not a party of climate change deniers, telling members the debate is over. True North’s Andrew Lawton points out that party leaders don’t get to direct the base, as Conservative convention delegates showed O’Toole.

Also, the Canadian border is closed but immigration into Canada is still climbing.

Plus energy advocate Deidra Garyk joins to discuss the well-funded anti-development agenda targeting our energy sector.

Toronto Star fires astrologist for repeating predictions

By
True North Wire
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Over the weekend, Toronto Star’s public editor revealed in an op-ed that the paper had fired its syndicated astrologer who was in charge of producing daily horoscopes after it was discovered that they were recycling predictions from past columns. 

According to public editor Bruce Campion-Smith, US-based astrologer Madalyn Aslan had a “pattern of recycled predictions” with at least ten columns between February and March featuring recycled horoscopes. 

“The Toronto Star has found that Madalyn Aslan, a U.S.-based astrologist whose horoscope writing was syndicated in Torstar papers and dozens of other publications, has in recent weeks occasionally recycled old predictions,” wrote Campion-Smith. 

Among the predictions found to have been repeated more than once include a March 6 horoscope for Virgo that was copied from a nearly identical one from October 31 for Aquarius. 

“Today emphasizes your home. Seek ways to make your abode more comfortable. How about adding a bagua mirror or anti-evil-eye bead to the household’s foyer? Love, harmony and improved communication prevail at home. Tonight: Your home becomes a place of refuge, truly your castle,” Aslan wrote on those days. 

According to the Toronto Star, Aslan is employed through the agency King Features, who has since also parted ways with Aslan after being alerted about the discrepancies. 

“While we regret that this took place at all, we are relieved that we can make this quick change in our content for our readers,” said Jodi Isenberg, a senior editor at the Star who oversees life and entertainment.

A statement attributed to Aslan indicates that she expressed regret for the repetitions and claimed that her lapse in judgement was due to the fact somebody close to her had passed away.

Fundraiser for Pastor James Coates’ legal defense exceeds $41,000

By
True North Wire
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A fundraiser for GraceLife Church Pastor James Coates has surpassed $41,000 the day after he was released from jail.

The fundraiser, posted on GoFundMe in early February, has well exceeded its initial goal as the story of Pastor Coates’ arrest made headlines around the world.

“Pastor James Coates has been a rare and refreshing voice of courage in these unprecedented times. He has stood on the word of God  faithfully, courageously and uncompromisingly as a man of God when all around him men falter and fail,”  wrote the GoFundMe creator.

“Pastor James is facing what not too long ago would have been unheard of.”

Pastor Coates was arrested in February after he repeatedly held church services that violated Alberta’s Public Health Order, specifically the strict 15% capacity limit for religious services.

Last week it was announced that Pastor Coates would be released after Alberta prosecutors dropped most of the charges laid against him. On Monday, Pastor Coates was released from the Edmonton Remand Centre.

Pastor Coates is still facing one charge of violating the Chief Medical Officer of Health’s order. Trial is scheduled for May 3.

The creator of the GoFundMe has stated that if there is any extra money left after legal expenses are paid it will go to GraceLife Church and Pastor Coates’ ministry.

The creator, who has no personal connection to Pastor Coates, wants the public to express support for him and the church in any way they can.

“Consider also supporting Pastor Coates and his family by peacefully making your voices heard wherever and however you can and by praying for them and by imploring your pastors/ministers to stand in support of Pastor Coates and his family and his church and make their voices heard.”

Literacy “critically important” during pandemic: Frontier College

By
Cosmin Dzsurdzsa
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The national charitable literacy organization Frontier College is sounding the alarm about the impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on literacy skills and learning in Canada. 

“The global pandemic has made us realize how critically important it is, now more than ever, to have access to literacy and learning support,” Frontier College’s Director of Communications Meredith Roberts told True North. 

“In response to the current COVID-19 public health emergency, we are currently the only national organization offering free online literacy programming to children, youth and adults.” 

Frontier College was founded in 1899 with the goal of teaching literacy skills to workers on logging camps, mines and railways. Since then, the organization has expanded to provide educational and community programs to adults and youth across the country. 

According to Roberts, a 2020 Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) report found that the learning losses caused by the COVID-19 pandemic could have wide-reaching economic impacts for nations as a whole and individual learners. 

“While the precise learning losses are not yet known, existing research suggests that the students in grades 1-12 affected by the closures might expect some 3% lower income over their entire lifetimes. For nations, the lower long-term growth related to such losses might yield an average of 1.5 percent lower annual GDP for the remainder of the century. These economic losses would grow if schools are unable to re-start quickly,” claims the report. 

“The economic losses will be more deeply felt by disadvantaged students. All indications show that students whose families are less able to support out-of-school learning will face larger learning losses than their more advantaged peers, which in turn will translate into deeper losses of lifetime earnings,” Roberts added. 

Little has been done by provincial and federal governments to address the specific issue of literacy, although efforts have been made to have kids return to the classroom. 

On March 12, 2021 the Government of Alberta revealed a new program targeting children from kindergarten to Grade 3 to help measure how the pandemic has impacted their literacy skills. 

“We know COVID-19 is having an impact on student learning. The first step is to find out what the impacts are. These assessments will help us understand how to better support student success in the classroom during these crucial early years, and address learning gaps that were created from the pandemic,” said Alberta’s Minister of Education Adriana LaGrange in a press release on the matter. 

According to Roberts, maintaining high literacy rates among the population will help shore up Canada’s economic footing coming out of the global pandemic. 

“People with weak, or even fair, literacy skills will struggle to find work. On the other hand, a highly literate workforce puts Canada on a strong footing to compete globally and thrive economically. Yet one million Canadian children under the age of 15 are estimated to have below grade-level literacy skills—that is about one in eight students. Changing this trajectory would help all Canadians,” Roberts told True North. 

Conservatives introduce motion calling for plan to end lockdowns in Canada

By
True North Wire
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The Conservatives are calling on the Trudeau government to release to plan to fully reopen Canadian society and the economy.

On Tuesday, Conservative Health Critic Michelle Rempel Garner tabled a motion in the House of Commons calling for a plan to safely and permanently end the COVID-19 lockdowns. The motion calls for the government to create a plan and make it public within 20 days.

“COVID-19 restrictions have had serious economic and mental health impacts on Canadians,” the motion reads.

“The President of the United States and the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom have both released public plans for economic reopening, while Canadian officials have not yet given Canadians clarity on when regular economic and social life will be able to resume.”

Rempel Garner had previously sponsored a petition which also called for the Trudeau government to create an immediate plan to end lockdowns in Canada.

For over a year Canadians have faced varying levels of lockdowns with little information on when society will return to normal and what data will drive the decision to reopen. 

In a press conference on Tuesday morning, Conservative leader Erin O’Toole says that businesses, labour unions and various groups have called on the government to present a national re-opening strategy.

“These groups have been documenting the massive consequences of lockdowns on workers, small businesses, and their millions of employees across Canada,” he said.

“In their words, it is neither socially or economically sustainable to rely heavily on rotating lockdowns while we wait for an effective vaccine to be widely administered in the coming year. I agree.”

Endless lockdowns have caused unprecedented damage to Canadian society and economy. Along with a spike in drug overdoses and mental health issues, a majority of businesses are unsure they will survive at the current rate. 

Far-left extremists call for death of royal family, vandalize Queen Victoria statue

By
Cosmin Dzsurdzsa
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Members of a far-left group claiming to be responsible for a St. Patrick’s Day vandalism incident targeting McGill University’s Queen Victoria statue has issued calls for the royal family to be killed.

The group, self-titled as the Delhi-Dublin Anti-Colonial Solidarity Brigade, reportedly defied Quebec’s COVID-19 curfew on March 17 and doused the statue located on 555 Sherbrooke Street West, Montreal with red paint. 

In a Facebook post taking credit for the incident, the group claimed that the actions were meant to shed light on the “criminal legacy of genocide, mass murder, torture, massacres, terror” and other things the extremist group claims the royal family has allegedly been responsible for.

“Just put the British Royal Family, all of them, into a limousine, give them a drunk French chauffeur, and let nature take its course,” said one member identified as Lakshmi O’Leary.

On August 31, 1997, Princess Diana and several others died in a tragic car crash after her vehicle collided with a wall in the Pont de l’Alma tunnel in Paris, France. 

True North reached out to McGill University to ask whether an investigation had been launched into the incident but did not receive a response in time for publication. 

The Facebook post by the group also references another vandalism incident in 2020 when a group of far-left extremists toppled and decapitated a statue of Canada’s first prime minister Sir John A Macdonald in Montreal. 

“We do regret that we were unable to topple the statue tonite, as those cool kids did back in August 2020 to the John A. Macdonald statue,” said another member identified as Sujata Sands. 

In response to the statue’s toppling, politicians across the political spectrum condemned the move. 

“We are a country of laws, and we are a country that needs to respect those laws even as we seek to improve and change them,” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said in response to the incident.

“Those kinds of acts of vandalism are not advancing the path towards greater justice and equality in this country.”

According to the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, anarchist and anti-government violence is listed as an example of ideologically motivated violent extremism alongside ethno-nationalist violence, the incel movement and anti-LGBTQ violence. 

Health minister unclear on whether vaccinated seniors can hug grandchildren

By
True North Wire
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After more than a year of restrictive lockdowns, Liberal Health Minister Patty Hajdu was unable to reassure Canadians that vaccinated seniors could finally hug their loved ones.

“Can a Canadian senior who is suffering the negative mental health impacts of isolation who has received their vaccine give their grandchild a hug?” asked Conservative MP and health critic Michelle Rempel Garner during Monday’s question period in the House of Commons. 

“I’m not sure if the member opposite realizes this but many of the situations that she references are in fact at the purview of the provincial and territorial governments,” said Hajdu. 

“In fact, it’s the provinces and territories that with support from the federal government develop guidance to be used in all of our jurisdictions and it’s in fact the provinces and territories and indeed local leaders that decide which measures need to be in place to protect citizens. I’ll tell you this, our government believes in following science and evidence, including public health leaders and will continue to do that.” 

The pandemic and the ensuing lockdowns are having a devastating impact on the mental health of Canadians. Canadians from across the country are reporting record high levels of anxiety and depression as health restrictions continue to mount.

Social isolation and working from home have proven to have a negative impact on Canadians as guidelines restricting movement stay in place, becoming the leading cause of mental stress.

Critics have accused Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his government of botching Canada’s vaccination effort after the country experienced some delays and confusion regarding promised vaccine shipments. 

This week, Canada is expected to begin receiving 1.2 million doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine and another 846,000 of the Moderna vaccine. 

Earlier this month, Trudeau falsely accused the Conservative Party of denying the existence of the pandemic and advocating against mask-use when confronted by Rempel Garner on his government’s vaccine rollout. 

A True North fact check of the statement found that Conservative politicians in Canada were expressing concerns about a possible pandemic nearly two months before the World Health Organization declared it and were advocating mask use as early as January 2020. 

Court denies injunction to stop mandatory quarantine hotels

By
True North Wire
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The Ontario Superior Court has denied an interim injunction to halt the Trudeau government’s use of mandatory quarantine hotels for international travelers.

On Monday, a judge ruled against the Canadian Constitution Foundation’s (CCF) attempt to have the mandatory hotels closed until a court hears their constitutional challenge to the policy.

In his decision, Justice Fred Myers ruled the quarantine hotels do not cause enough harm to warrant an injunction before the constitutional challenge takes place. 

“Through tremendous effort and some help from other litigation that is already underway elsewhere, the government has delivered a very full evidentiary record. The applicants might want to file more evidence. Both sides may want to cross-examine witnesses from the other side,” he wrote.

Earlier in March, the CCF launched a court challenge to the policy of forcing people to pay out of pocket to stay in quarantine hotels, which the CCF says violates the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. 

The CCF is working with five individuals who were forced to stay in quarantine hotels after travelling abroad for compassionate reasons.

The mandatory hotel policy has been criticized for multiple reasons. Along with questions of legality, people staying in the hotels have reported horrible conditions and mistreatment by staff.

At least once instance of sexual assault is reported to have occured in a quarantine hotel.

While the decision is disappointing to the CCF, Litigation Director Christine Van Geyn says the decision infers that the court takes their challenge seriously.

“This was not the result we wanted today, but the court did recognize that the applicants in our challenge have sympathetic stories and that the constitutional questions need to be heard on the merits. The court also acknowledged that the applicants’ section 7 Charter liberty interests are engaged by the quarantine hotel policy,” she said.

“We look forward to the hearing on the full constitutional question, and we are proud of the work we are doing assisting these travelers, who need to leave Canada for compassionate reasons. We will seek to expedite the hearing, as these travelers have urgent needs to go and be with their ailing loved ones outside of Canada.” 

FUREY: It’s unethical to ignore the harms of lockdowns on kids

By
True North Wire
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Many health professionals have concluded that children are less susceptible to COVID-19. In fact, health experts have learned that influenza is more harmful to children than COVID-19.

So why aren’t our public officials talking more about a balanced approach to lockdowns? It is unethical and immoral to ignore or downplay the harms of the lockdowns for children and youth.

Anthony Furey discusses in his latest video.

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