Whenever politicians plunge Canadians into further lockdowns, the rationale they give is that they are “taking the advice of public health officials.”
What exactly does this mean? Why aren’t our elected representatives pushing back against the advice of public health officials and taking a more balanced approach?
Anthony Furey discusses.
A Liberal MP’s private members’ bill hopes to push the federal government to undergo a study in implementing a guaranteed universal income in Canada.
Bill C-273 was introduced by MP Julie Dzerowicz earlier this week and according to her, she has the support of some members of the Liberal cabinet.
“I will tell you that I do know that there’s cabinet ministers that are very supportive of basic income,” Dzerowicz told the Huffington Post Canada.
The bill, otherwise known as the National Strategy for a Guaranteed Basic Income Act calls on the Minister of Finance to “develop a national strategy to assess implementation models for a guaranteed basic income program in Canada.”
Included in the proposed national strategy study is the directive to establish a Universal Basic Income pilot project in the provinces and to “create a framework of national standards to guide the implementation of a guaranteed basic income program in any province.”
The bill received its first reading in the House of Commons on Monday.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has indicated in the past that a guaranteed basic income isn’t currently on the Liberal government’s agenda. In December, Trudeau said during a virtual town hall that it was “not something that we see a path to moving forward with right now.”
According to a study by the Fraser Institute, the implementation of a guaranteed annual income could cost Canadian taxpayers up to $464.5 billion a year to maintain.
“If the federal government pursues a guaranteed annual income program, it will have to raise a staggering amount of revenue from taxpayers to pay for it,” said the author of the study Tegan Hill.
“In order for Canadians to consider this type of new government program, it’s important for them to understand the true costs and tax implications.”
Under the former Liberal government in Ontario, the province implemented its own basic income pilot in 2016.
The pilot was introduced in several regions including Hamilton, Brantford, Thunder Bay and other municipalities.
Participants were paid a “minimum level of income” averaging up to $16,989 a year for a single person, and $24,027 a year for couples.
In total, approximately 4,000 people enrolled in the program before it was cancelled by Premier Doug Ford.
At the time, Ontario Social Services Minister Lisa MacLeod argued that the program failed to lift people out of poverty and alleviate the underlying social issues plaguing the poor.
The House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance was presented with new data on Thursday that shows just how much government-mandated lockdowns have affected Canadian businesses.
According to the President and CEO of the Canadian Federation for Independent Business (CFIB) Dan Kelly, 70% of small business owners have taken on debt due to COVID-19, with the average debt per business now reaching almost $170,000.
In total, small businesses in Canada now owe a collective $135 billion.
“This started out as a health care emergency and quickly morphed into an economic emergency,” Kelly told the committee.
Moreover, one in six independent businesses in Canada is at significant risk of closing.
“That means that there could be 181,000 fewer small businesses – independently owned and operated businesses – across the country…businesses that go bankrupt or wind down permanently directly attributable to COVID,” said Kelly.
This would be on top of the 60,000 businesses that have already gone bankrupt since March 2020.
As we approach the one-year mark since the pandemic was declared, only 51% of businesses are fully open across the country, and only 25% are seeing normal or better revenues when compared to previous years.
Restaurants Canada executive Lauren van den Berg spoke to the committee specifically about the food service industry, noting that it is Canada’s fourth-largest employer, providing 1.2 million jobs.
“Our industry lost more jobs in the first six weeks of the pandemic than the entire Canadian economy lost during the 08/09 recession,” said van den Berg.
When compared to February 2020, there are currently 380,000 fewer workers in the food service sector.
van den Berg recommended that the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy be extended through April 1, 2022. Similarly, Dan Kelly advocated for businesses to be provided with financial support until the government fully opens the economy, including opening the border.
“Really, the sign that government can start to stage back from subsidies is when governments themselves, federal and provincial, can stop telling Canadians to stay at home.”
Kelly noted that businesses are only surviving because of subsidies: of CFIB members, 65% took advantage of the CEBA program (interest-free loans of up to $40,000); 59% took the wage subsidy, 28% received either CERB or its successor CRB; and 26% received rent support.
“We all hope one day we can replace subsidies with sales,” said Kelly.
An Israeli NGO has reported that the United Nations Relief Works Agency for Palestine and the Near East (UNRWA) has once again been using aid dollars to produce educational materials that promote terrorism, extremism and violent jihad.
While Minister Karina Gould has said that Canada would be “getting to the bottom of this,” Canada has already pledged $90 million over the next three years in funding for UNRWA.
Sam Eskenasi discusses the issue with UNRWA, refugees and why Canada needs to ensure its aid dollars are used properly.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is facing increased pressure over the Canadian government’s decision to fund The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) after it issued anti-Israel education materials to Palestinian schools.
A report by the Institute for Monitoring Peace and Cultural Tolerance in School Education (IMPACT-se) found that the education materials “egregiously violated UN values, UNESCO standards and UNRWA’s stated principles.”
“The report found materials contained incitement to violence, demonization of Israel which was erased from maps, endorsements of jihad and martyrdom, the promulgation of libels and conspiracies, and failed to promote peacemaking,” claimed IMPACT-se.
UNRWA has since suspended the program which is undergoing a review. The materials were found to have included mentions of Israel as “the Enemy” and “occupiers.” The documents also included instructions for children to prepare for violent jihad.
Canada and several other countries who donated to the initiative have also launched probes into the controversy.
UNRWA has been a scandal-ridden organization. The agency has been accused of multiple instances of aiding the terror group Hamas.
In one incident, one UNRWA employee was found to be smuggling weapons to Hamas. In another incident, Hamas was found to be storing rockets in a UNRWA-run school.
Over the past year, the Trudeau Liberals have committed upwards to $90 million to the UNRWA.
During a House of Commons exchange between Conservative MP Marty Morantz and Trudeau on Monday, the opposition member criticized the prime minister for not doing enough to stand up to anti-Semitism.
“The prime minister just said a moment ago that he’d stand up [against] anti-Semitism whenever and wherever it occurs. Well, here it is – stand up to it!” Morantz said.
“The fact of the matter is that $90 million in taxpayers dollars are used to fund UNRWA’s indoctrination of children by inciting violence towards Jews.”
In response, Prime Minister Trudeau claimed that “continued presence in UNRWA continues to ensure that the materials and the funds that are vehicled to the Palestinians” have the necessary oversight.
In 2018, US President Trump cut nearly $300 million in planned funding for UNRWA after finding the operation “irredeemably flawed.”
Edmonton Pastor James Coates of the GraceLife church is still behind bars, and may be until at least May, for not agreeing to bail conditions that would have required him to suspend unrestricted worship services at his church, which Coates believes are essential.
John Carpay of the Justice Centre for Constitution Freedoms, which is representing Coates, tells True North’s Andrew Lawton this prosecution amounts to persecution in the name of unscientific restrictions.
Watch the latest episode of The Andrew Lawton Show.
Infrastructure Minister Catherine McKenna has promised that the Canada Infrastructure Bank will fund more projects in future despite the crown corporation having never completed a project.
Speaking to the House of Commons transport committee, McKenna was grilled for promising new and better infrastructure investments when the Canada Infrastructure Bank has little to show after four years in existence.
“Projects don’t get built in a day,” McKenna said. “This is about more infrastructure.”
“You haven’t got it done,” replied Conservative MP Andrew Scheer. “That’s the problem. You’ve got zero projects completed.”
“This idea that large projects take time, of course you’re right Minister. There’s no argument there. There’s no argument that it takes more than just a few days or a couple of weeks to get a large infrastructure project built. But surely to goodness you can agree that in four years the Bank should have something to show for it.”
The Canada Infrastructure Bank was founded in 2017 by the Trudeau government and given $35 billion to finance infrastructure projects that are “in the public interest” and also generate revenue for the government.
In 2019, the bank told the Department of Finance it had 25 projects that would be announced in early 2020. Today the bank only has 13 active projects.
The Bank has faced significant leadership issues since its founding. In the past year it has had three CEOs and two board chairs.
In April 2020, CEO Pierre Lavallée resigned abruptly. He had already been approved that year for a six-figure bonus on top of his $600,000 salary.
Scheer said despite four years of big promises, the Canada Infrastructure Bank has failed to achieve anything close to what the Liberals claimed.
As Canadians patiently wait for their delayed COVID-19 vaccines, the chief executive of the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) has jetted off to the United Arab Emirates to receive his shot.
According to the Wall Street Journal, the head of the CPPIB Mark Machin flew to the Middle Eastern country with his partner in pursuit of the Pfizer vaccine.
Sources told the publication that Machin used his connections to set up the vaccination appointment. He is currently still in the country awaiting his second dose.
On Friday, the CPPIB said Machin has stepped down from his position. The CPPIB appointed John Graham as chief executive officer.
A CPPIB spokesperson told the Wall Street Journal that Machin had “deeply personal” reasons for visiting the country. The spokesperson also claimed “zero influence was applied or sought to be applied” during Machin’s trip.
Meanwhile, the federal government called the news “very troubling.”
“The federal government has been clear with Canadians that now is not the time to travel abroad. We were not made aware of his travel,” a Ministry of Finance spokesperson told the Wall Street Journal.
In January, several high-ranking public officials were found to have travelled and vacationed abroad all while telling Canadians to stay home.
Among those discovered to have travelled abroad was a senior official with the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) moonlighting as a social media influencer who took a free vacation to Jamaica from Air Canada. PHAC has been advising Canadians not to travel during the coronavirus pandemic.
Around the same time, former Ontario finance minister and MPP Rod Phillips was forced to step down from his cabinet position after travelling to the Caribbean island of St. Barts for a vacation.
Small businesses in Canada had to take on extreme levels of debt in order to sustain themselves since the beginning of the pandemic.
According to a new report by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB), small businesses took on $135.1 billion in new debt, with the average debt per business now nearing $170,000.
“Over the last six months, the average debt taken on by small businesses to deal with COVID-19 has grown significantly,” said CFIB Executive VP Laura Jones.
“While many businesses had previously reopened and were attempting to regain lost sales, the second wave and the restrictions that came with it are putting a massive wrench in an already slow recovery for small businesses.”
Of the businesses surveyed, 40% said it will take them more than a year to return to typical profit levels. 11% of business owners fear they may never repay their debts.
Throughout the pandemic, governments have instituted lockdowns which have shuttered small businesses while allowing big box stores to continue operating. Many small businesses have chosen to go into debt to keep paying salaries and rent despite not being allowed to open.
While governments have offered limited help, many small businesses find themselves unable to qualify.
“Small businesses need our support through this challenging time,” said CFIB analyst Taylor Matchett.
“We must also keep in mind that businesses are much more fragile now than at the beginning of the pandemic, and every effort should be made to keep businesses open while managing the health implications of the virus.”
Last year, the CFIB estimated that 160,000 to 225,000 small businesses may close permanently as a result of the pandemic and ensuing lockdowns.
The province of Ontario has again rejected a proposal by the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) to hold their season this year amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Department of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture has rejected a number of return-to-play proposals from the OHL, stating that public health has not been confident in the plans thus far.
London Knights owner Mark Hunter says the dreams and career plans of many young hockey players are on the line, and he hopes the government will allow the league to play this season.
It has been nearly a year since the league has played a game.
“This is what they dream about, playing in OHL, getting drafted, getting NHL contracts. There is a lot of dreams being broken here right now with this pandemic,” Hunter told CTV News.
“[OHL Commissioner Dave Branch] and Doug Ford and the whole group are working hard to get it done and I’m sure they don’t want to disappoint the players in the OHL.”
The OHL has 17 teams in Ontario.
In a statement to True North, Minister Lisa MacLeod’s office said the government is still actively working with the league to discuss workable solutions.
“Enabling major sport events and leagues, including the OHL, to safely return-to-play in Ontario is an important milestone to rebuilding the province’s social and economic well-being,” a spokesperson said.
“We are in regular communication with the OHL, including as early as last week, to develop a path forward for a safe return-to-play.”
The spokesperson did not say what exactly the government believes is missing from the OHL’s proposal.
“The province will continue to follow the advice of the Chief Medical Officer of Health, other health experts and local public health to determine when and if it is safe for measures to be lifted.”
The NHL, which had a 600-page COVID-19 plan, launched their season on January 13.
