US political infighting over COVID-19 bill kills funding for border bridge to Canada

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US political infighting over COVID-19 bill kills funding for border bridge to Canada

A $1.5 million project to maintain the Seaway International Bridge bordering New York and Ontario was slashed from a massive COVID-19 relief bill currently being debated in the US House of Representatives. 

The earmarked funds were stripped from the legislation after House Republicans accused the ruling Democrats of trying to fill the sweeping bill with personal pet projects like the “Chuck Schumer Bridge” as the Republicans have deridingly named the proposal after the New York senate majority leader. 

Meanwhile, New York Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik denounced the project which she called a “bad deal” and then went on to blame Schumer for politicizing the border crossing. 

“This was a massive political swing-and-a-miss for Speaker Pelosi,” said Stefanik’s spokesperson Karoline Leavitt. 

“$112 million for her pork subway project and a mere $1.2 million for the bridge in the North Country is a bad, bad deal.”

Initially, the spending was proposed by former transportation secretary Elaine Chao under the direction of former US president Donald Trump. 

On Wednesday,  Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell slammed the bill for including “crazy provisions” and unnecessary spending. 

“We are adding all this money to the national debt, and they have a rescue package with most of the money being spent out far in the  future. That is why there was bipartisan opposition over in the House.  That is why aspects of the House bill are already dropping like flies before this thing even hits the Senate floor,” said McConnel during a Senate meeting.  

“A pet project for the San Francisco Bay area is gone. Special upgrades for a bridge connecting New York to Canada, gone. Even CNN had to admit these were “controversial.” Senator Sanders’ far-left minimum wage policy that would have killed 1.4 million jobs just as we try to recover appears to be gone, too–at least for now.” 

Despite the partisan turmoil, the bill is expected to pass the Democratic majority senate after both parties debate the legislation on Thursday afternoon. 

Later this month on March 21, 2021, Canada will mark one year since it has closed its international border with the US to non-essential travellers. 

Lockdowns have no significant benefits: international study

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Lockdowns have no significant benefits: international study

An international study comparing government measures to combat coronavirus in ten countries found lockdowns had no measurable impact on transmission.

The study, written by researchers at Stanford University, found that there was “no clear, significant beneficial effect of [more restrictive measures] on case growth in any country.”

“We do not question the role of all public health interventions, or of coordinated communications about the epidemic, but we fail to find an additional benefit of stay-at-home orders and business closures,” the study says.

“Similar reductions in case growth may be achievable with less‐restrictive interventions.”

Researchers compared data from eight countries that used lockdowns — the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Iran, Italy, the Netherlands and Spain  —  to countries which used voluntary measures — Sweden and South Korea. Coronavirus modeling failed to find a case where lockdowns flattened the curve.

As lockdowns enter their second year, more and more medical experts are suggesting that stay-at-home orders and shutting businesses are not appropriate responses to COVID-19.

In addition, more experts are sounding the alarm on the negative effects of lockdowns, including higher rates of loneliness, mental illness and drug use.

Over 13,200 medical and public health scientists have signed the Great Barrington Declaration calling for an end to lockdowns. One of the researchers in the study signed the declaration.

More recently, Texas and Mississippi have decided to reopen fully, each claiming that lockdowns and mask mandates are no longer required to effectively manage the virus.

Edmonton police issue warning after child sex offender released — again

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Edmonton police issue warning after child sex offender released — again

Police in Edmonton are warning the public to stay vigilant after a convicted child sex offender has been released for the third time in six years.

Earlier this week, police announced that Cyle Larsen, 29, was being released in Edmonton on probation. Police say the serial child sex abuser is at risk of reoffending.

“Larsen is considered a child sex offender with pedophilic interests towards both male and female children. Larsen has a history of opportunistic offending against children known to him; and has shown he will groom and/or lure his victims if given the chance,” Edmonton Police Services wrote in a statement.

Larsen was first convicted for sexual interference of a six-year-old in 2008 and has reoffended additional times. Police made similar warnings when he was released in 2015 and 2018.

Regardless of Larsen’s risk to the community, the Corrections and Conditional Release Act states that all offenders must be considered for parole at some point in their sentence. The Correctional Service of Canada says that public safety was considered when granting Larsen a conditional release.

St. Albert-Edmonton MP Michael Cooper says the law needs to be strengthened to ensure that risky offenders like Larsen cannot get parole easily.

“It keeps happening because, unfortunately, our laws are not keeping dangerous criminals behind bars — that’s really the bottom line. It is a revolving door,” Cooper said.

“Unless you’re designated a dangerous offender or subject to a long-term supervision order, the fact is far too many individuals who are dangerous are let out onto the street.”

Cooper says that under the current laws, breaching parole is not an offence according to the Criminal Code. Changing the law and making better use of the dangerous offender designation would better keep criminals locked up.

“I am hearing a lot of frustration from the public who see this as a revolving door, and rightfully so. Any offender who targets a child is a threat to all children in our community, and it speaks to the need to strengthen our criminal justice system to hold these types of offenders accountable,” Cooper said. 

FUREY: Public health officials are not perfect

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FUREY: Public health officials are not perfect

Over the weekend, Anthony Furey reported that parents were being told by Peel Public Health that young children who are dismissed from school must be quarantined completely alone for the two week period – even if they don’t have COVID.

After Anthony’s report, Peel Public Health apologized and admitted that they made a mistake.

This is a story that shows public health officials make mistakes and Canadians have the right to push back and criticize them.

Sajjan knew about Vance allegations since 2018: former military ombudsman

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Liberal Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan allegedly knew about the sexual assault allegations made against reitred general Jonathan Vance since 2018, a former military ombudsman claimed. 

Canada’s former military ombudsman Gary Walbourne told the defence committee on Wednesday that he had approached the minister with specific evidence against Vance but was dismissed by Sajjan. 

“Yes, I did directly tell him about an allegation of inappropriate behaviour against the chief of defence staff,” Walbourne told parliamentarians. 

“I did tell the minister what the allegation was. I reached into my pocket to show him the evidence I was holding. He pushed back from the table and said, ‘No.’ The minister didn’t want to see the evidence.”

Minister Sajjan appeared before the same committee on February 19 to testify on the Vance allegations. 

During his appearance, Sajjan refused to answer Conservative MP James Bezan’s questions whether he knew about the allegations prior to them being made public. 

“Let’s make a link to when as minister, Vice Admiral Mark Norman at the time was suspended based upon some unproven allegations about him, your government moved very quick to suspend him yet here we are and General Vance sat in position for three years without any suspension or investigation, why did that happen?” asked Bezan.  

“As I stated, the discussions with the ombudsman are always kept confidential so that anybody can feel confident to bring anything forward and I can assure this committee and all parliamentarians and all Canadians that any allegations if it was brought to me were always taken to the appropriate authorities,” replied Sajjan.

Sajjan also claimed that he was surprised when he found out about the allegations and insisted that all proper procedures were followed to report the matter. However, according to Walbourne the minister wasn’t being completely truthful and that he had “other levels at his disposal” to deal with the matter. 

Since Walbourne’s testimony, Sajjan has stated that he disagrees with the former ombudsman’s characterization. 

“I disagree with parts of the testimony that occurred in Committee today. As I have stated, I was as shocked as everyone else at the allegations that were made public last month,” Sajjan told Global News.

“I can assure the Committee, and all Canadians, that any allegations that were brought forward were very quickly put forward to the proper authorities, while respecting the need to protect the privacy of any individuals involved. Any suggestion that I have done otherwise is wrong.”

Jewish groups condemn joint event with NDP MP and former UK Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn

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Jewish groups condemn joint event with NDP MP and former UK Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn

The Board of Deputies of British Jews has joined with Canada’s Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) in condemning a planned online event featuring NDP MP Niki Ashton and former UK Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn. Ashton had been promoting the online event as a way to build solidarity between progressive movements.

According to a joint statement released by both organizations, “a small group of activists within the NDP” are behind the event. The President of the Board of Deputies of British Jews Marie van der Zyl cautioned the New Democratic Party about “fringe activism infused with Jew hatred” in which the Jewish community was “targeted and forced out of the party” leading to Labour’s worst electoral result since 1935.

The CEO of CIJA Shimon Koffler Fogel called Corbyn “toxic” and warned that this was a battle for the very soul of the NDP. 

“The invitation to the disgraced leader is more evidence that Svend Robinson, Niki Ashton, Libby Davies and a few others want to take the NDP in a direction that is antithetical to basic Canadian values. This small group is actively undermining NDP leadership which is working hard to keep the NDP focused on the very important issues that Canadians care about,” said Fogel.

“It is staggering that given the litany of catastrophic, consequential issues before us, including the pandemic, that this is where some in the NDP want to spend the party’s capital. What is at stake here is the soul of NDP, nothing less.”

When reached for comment, a representative from Ashton’s Parliamentary Hill office stated that they were working on a statement which has not been received as of the time of publication.

However, a spokesperson for NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh released a statement, indicating that the party was not aware of the event until “shortly before it was posted on social media.”

“Jagmeet Singh and the NDP are committed to fighting anti-Semitism and will continue to push the Liberals to take more concrete actions, like tackling online hate, to combat it,” Press Secretary Nina Amrov said in a statement.

This is not the first time that Ashton has found herself in hot water with Jewish advocacy groups. In 2017, B’nai Brith Canada criticized the MP for attending a fundraiser hosted by the Palestine Aid Society in Mississauga and receiving an endorsement from Nazih Khatatba who served as editor of the al-Meshwar newspaper at the time. 

According to B’nai Brith, Khatatba had used al-Meshwar to support acts of terrorism, including a 2014 massacre at a Jerusalem synagogue in which six Israelis, including one Canadian citizen, were murdered.

Ashton later released a statement distancing herself from Khatatba, saying that she would not accept “support by a member of the public on Facebook who has made public comments denying the atrocities of the Holocaust. In no way do I support such views. I do not accept support from people who hold such views.”

O’Toole reaffirms commitment to end Liberal carbon tax following report

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Conservative Party Leader Erin O’Toole reaffirmed on Wednesday that he would repeal the Liberal carbon tax following a report that alleged that party MPs were worried O’Toole would implement his own federal levy.

“I have been clear that an O’Toole government would repeal the Trudeau Carbon Tax that makes everything from gas to groceries more expensive for Canadians,” O’Toole told True North in an emailed statement on the matter. 

The recent Toronto Star report alleged that MPs were worried that O’Toole would embrace a carbon tax.

According to several unnamed party insiders, the concern over O’Toole’s plans was “widespread” and they thought that such a move would create a revolt within the party’s base. 

“A lot of this is that the Western MPs in particular don’t want to have to defend any change at all … They don’t want any change on our position on the environment. They don’t like the quote ‘moving the party to the centre’,” one source told the Toronto Star.

“For them, Scheer? The (2019) platform? All that stuff was perfect. They had no complaints. They don’t actually care if we’re in government or not, and that one piece has become extremely evident over the last few months … You’re not willing to give up five points (in a Western riding) in order to give that to someone in Ontario for us to win there?”

During his campaign to become the leader of the party, O’Toole promised to do away with the Liberal government’s federally imposed carbon pricing scheme. 

“I will respect the jurisdiction of the provinces and territories by scrapping Trudeau’s carbon tax. If provinces want to use market mechanisms, other forms of carbon pricing, or regulatory measures, that is up to them. The federal government will be there to support them,” claimed the O’Toole platform.

At the same time, O’Toole recently pledged that a Conservative plan would achieve Canada’s emission targets faster than the Liberal government would be able to. 

“You’re going to see a very detailed plan … that will, I think, make our commitments probably faster than Mr Trudeau without a running-out-of-control federal carbon tax that he’s already promising,” said O’Toole in February. 

O’Toole has also stated that under his leadership, the party would adhere to the Paris climate agreement targets. 

“I’m committed to that… committed to that through partnering with provinces, not an ‘Ottawa knows best approach’ as we’ve seen with the carbon tax,” said O’Toole in an interview with CBC Power & Politics host Vassy Kapelos. 

NDP MP deletes tweet praising Dr. Seuss after books removed over alleged racism

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NDP MP deletes tweet praising Dr. Seuss after books removed over alleged racism

NDP MP Charlie Angus deleted a tweet in which he praises the popular children’s book author Dr. Seuss after several of his books were removed from circulation over allegations of racism. 

“Dr. Seuss created a wonderful, messy and subversive world of images and possibilities. My childhood imagination was enthralled by “And to think that I saw it on Mulberry Street”. Such a tragedy to watch them take a political eraser to his legacy,” tweeted Angus on Tuesday. 

True North reached out to Angus to ask why he decided on deleting the tweet shortly after posting. 

“One of the biggest mistakes people make on Twitter is to tweet something before reading the article. I read the article and decided that this issue wasn’t worth commenting on,” said Angus in an emailed statement.

According to the tracking website Politiwoops, the tweet was only live on Angus’ profile for two minutes before being quickly removed. 

Earlier this week it was revealed that Dr. Seuss Enterprises’ would stop publishing six of the author’s children’s books due to the allegedly insensitive imagery. 

“Ceasing sales of these books is only part of our commitment and our broader plan to ensure Dr. Seuss Enterprises’ catalog represents and supports all communities and families,” a company spokesperson told the Associated Press.

“Dr. Seuss Enterprises listened and took feedback from our audiences including teachers, academics and specialists in the field as part of our review process. We then worked with a panel of experts, including educators, to review our catalog of titles.”

The books on the chopping block include “And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street,” “If I Ran the Zoo,” “McElligot’s Pool,” “On Beyond Zebra!,” “Scrambled Eggs Super!” and “The Cat’s Quizzer.” 

Some of the imagery cited as offensive includes portrayals of Asians and Africans in racially stereotypical dress.

British Columbia faced record 165 overdose deaths in January

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British Columbia faced record 165 overdose deaths in January

January was a record-breaking month for deaths attributed to drug overdoses in British Columbia.

In a news release, British Columbia’s Coroners Service reports that 165 people died in January, or 5.3 a day. This rate is 104% higher than the 81 deaths in January 2020 and a record for the first month of the year.

“These figures are heartbreaking, both in scale and for the number of families who are grieving the loss of a loved one,” said Chief Coroner Lisa Lapointe. 

“In the fifth year of this [opioid] public health emergency, there is virtually no community in the province that hasn͛t been touched by this devastating loss of life”

The report says that 18% of deaths involved an “extreme” concentration of fentanyl, the highest rate recorded to date. Analogues of fentanyl, drugs which are molecularly quite similar, also contributed to a significant proportion of deaths.

“We’re particularly concerned about the toxicity of the drugs detected in many of the deaths recorded in January,” Lapointe said.

“The findings suggest that the already unstable drug supply in B.C. is becoming even deadlier, underscoring the urgent need for supervised consumption options, prescribing for safe supply, and accessible treatment and recovery services.”

2020 was a record breaking year for drug-related deaths across Canada, including in British Columbia. Increased isolation, poverty and a lack of social services caused by lockdowns led to a sharp increase in overdoses.

Six months after the pandemic began, British Columbia recorded more overdose deaths than deaths from homicide, car accidents, suicide or the coronavirus combined. 

CPC MP David Sweet joins Roman Baber’s call to end lockdowns in Ontario

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CPC MP David Sweet joins Roman Baber’s call to end lockdowns in Ontario

Conservative MP David Sweet has joined independent MPP Roman Baber to ask the Ontario government to end lockdowns in the province.

Speaking with Baber on Wednesday, Sweet said government lockdowns have caused “incalculable suffering to all Canadians.”

“Lockdowns, by their nature, are a threat to mental health,” Sweet said.

“The financial consequences that family businesses, entrepreneurs and workers are experiencing because of lockdowns is huge.”

Sweet cited that opioid overdoses have skyrocketed and screenings and treatments for diseases have decreased because of lockdown measures.

The two politicians are asking the Ford government to move the entire province into the Green Zone and implement the fewest number of restrictions.

“The attitudes toward the lockdown have changed and we are seeing more people publicly speaking out against it,” Baber said.

“We should move the entire province into Green, while securing infection control and adequate staffing in long-term care homes.”

Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole issued a statement on Wednesday in response to Sweet calling for an end to the lockdowns. O’Toole says he understands why some Canadians are frustrated but it should not lead to “counterproductive behaviour.”

“My view and the view of the CPC is that we respect the work being done by our premiers and health officials throughout the crisis. They are trying to put the health of Canadians first,” O’Toole said.

“We all want the crisis to pass as quickly as possible and are frustrated by the slow pace of vaccine development in Canada.”

Sweet has served as the Conservative MP for Flamborough-Glanbrook since 2006. Sweet has held many roles in the Conservative caucus and in the House of Commons, most recently as the chair of the committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics.

Sweet has already announced that he will not seek reelection.

Baber was removed from the Ontario PC caucus in January after he wrote an open letter calling to the end of lockdowns in the province. Baber claimed that lockdowns increased suicides, bankruptcies and divorces without making a difference in ICU capacity.

In February, a number of current and former politicians, including former Conservative MP Derek Sloan, formed the Anti-Lockdown Caucus – a non-partisan organization calling for an end to lockdowns.

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