Adamson Barbecue owner Adam Skelly has received an invoice from the City of Toronto amounting to $187,030.56 for the lockdown protests held at his restaurant last year.
“This is the invoice Toronto sent me for the police they hired to keep everyone safe from my brisket,” Skelly said after revealing the bill on Instagram.
The invoice came from the Toronto Board of Health. Most of the amount, totaling $165,188.73, was from Toronto Police Services.
In November, Skelly opened Adamson Barbecue in protest of Ontario’s lockdown of businesses. Adamson Barbecue served customers for three days, each time facing police efforts to stop them.
Toronto Police reportedly paid a locksmith to change the locks on the building to prevent staff and customers from entering. Skelly was eventually arrested.
Witnesses estimated that around 20 police officers were on site before Adamson opened for the day. Around the time of Skelly’s arrest, a contingent of police on horseback moved into the area as police took aggressive action to disperse the protest.
Skelly recently announced that he is filing a constitution challenge with the Ontario Superior Court seeking permission to reopen.
“It’s between me and my company and Her Majesty the Queen in right of Ontario,” he said.
“This is challenging the constitutionality of the entire emergency order that’s been deployed at a provincial level.”
A GoFundMe page for Adamson’s legal costs raised a total of $337,667 last year.
Over nine in 10 Canadian students go to a public school, but is this because they want to, or because the system makes it difficult for parents to do anything else?
A new report from the Association for Reformed Political Action (ARPA) on “Education Diversity” shines a light on the one area in Canada in which diversity isn’t our strength – the education system.
“In the 2018-19 school year, 91.8% of all elementary and secondary students were enrolled in a public school…Only 7.4% of students were enrolled in an independent school and 0.6% were homeschooled, although those percentages have steadily increased over the past two decades,” the report says.
What is school choice? Essentially, it is funding students instead of systems. This means education dollars – collected by the government through taxes – that are assigned to a public school system when a child enrols should instead follow that child wherever they choose to go to school, be that a private, public, religious, or charter school. And if parents decide to homeschool their child, those dollars could also be used to cover any educational costs.
Many provincial governments have a monopoly on our children’s education. Some justify this by stressing the significance education has on a child’s future, but this argument doesn’t necessarily have all that much weight behind it. The ARPA report states “Food is even more essential to life than education, yet the government does not produce and distribute all food to its citizens. The government does not run grocery stores or require citizens to shop at the grocery store nearest their residence”.
School choice is not only beneficial for parents and their children, but for teachers as well. Funding students instead of systems opens the door to more accountability, provides a more tailored choice for students, and helps strengthen communities.
“While there might be a diversity of people within one big education system… there’s not a diversity in approaches to education, in different institutions providing education for our kids,” ARPA Canada Director of Law and Policy Andre Shutten said on True North’s The Andrew Lawton Show.
There was already a slight downward shift in the number of children in public schools over the last few years. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated this, with Schutten suggesting it “has provided us with an opportunity to re-evaluate if this is really the best way to do education for our kids.”
Many independent schools in Canada were established to fill a gap in education for parents seeking to have their children learn in a faith-based environment instead of a secular public school. School choice means these children should receive the same financial allocation as the children in public educational systems do. The same principle applies for children in more classical, liberal arts-focused schools or those being homeschooled.
Article 18 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child clearly states “Parents have the primary responsibility for the upbringing and development of the child… [the state] shall render appropriate assistance to parents.”
The Reason Foundation’s school choice director, Corey De’Angelis, says, “If a private school underperforms, it shuts down. If a charter school underperforms, it shuts down. If a district-run school underperforms, it gets more money.”
The primary argument against school choice is that it “defunds the public schools” when the reality is that public schools actually defund families. School choice just places the money back into the hands of its rightful owners – families.
Children need to be at the center of the educational funding discussion. Educational funds should not merely be used to fortify a government monopoly. Canada is a diverse nation and our educational options should reflect that.
A senior mainstream journalist will be taking a senior role in Nova Scotia’s new Liberal government.
Sources say that former Globe & Mail columnist Jane Taber will soon be appointed to the position of director of communications by incoming premier Iain Rankin.
Rankin was elected leader of the NS Liberal Party in early February. He is taking over from outgoing Liberal Premier Stephen McNeil.
Rankin will be sworn in as premier of Nova Scotia on Tuesday.
Taber served as a reporter at the Globe & Mail for 18 years. From 2005 to 2011, Taber served as the co-host of CTV’s Question Period.
Taber was also the moderator of the first NS Liberal Leadership debate. She is currently the vice-president of NATIONAL, a public relations firm
In recent years, many former journalists have taken roles in Liberal governments, primarily at the federal level. Former journalists from CBC, CTV and the Globe & Mail have occupied many communications posts in the Trudeau government.
Taber’s former colleagues at CTV, Seamus O’Regan and Marci Ien, have both been elected to parliament. All three were prominent faces on Canadian television at the same time.
The House of Commons has declared the Chinese Communist Party’s mass human rights abuses against the Uyghur people as a genocide following a successful vote on Monday afternoon.
Conservative MPs Michael Chong and Garnett Genuis introduced the motion following reports of torture and mass sexual abuse being perpetrated in the Xinjiang region.
While the motion received support from members of all parties, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the Liberal cabinet abstained from participating in the vote.
The motion received 266 votes in favour and 0 votes against.
The motion’s text calls on the federal government to “recognize that a genocide is currently being carried out by the People’s Republic of China against Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslims and call on the government to officially adopt this position.”
An amendment to the motion introduced by the Bloc Québécois also called on the Beijing 2022 Olympics to be relocated from China should the government continue to be complicit in genocide. It passed with 229 votes in support and 29 votes against.
Critics have accused Trudeau of kowtowing to China after he refused to use the term “genocide” to refer to China’s internment of the Uyghurs.
When asked whether he would use the designation last week, Trudeau called the term “extremely loaded” and said that he worried its use could “weaken” its application.
“First of all, on determinations of genocide… The principles of international law and the international community in general I think rightly takes very very seriously the label of genocide and needs to ensure that when it is used it is clearly and properly justified and demonstrated so as not to weaken the application of genocide in situations in the past,” said Trudeau.
“That’s why it’s a word that’s extremely loaded and is certainly something that we should be looking at in the case of the Uyghurs.”
In 2019, the prime minister accepted findings by the commission into the disappearances of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls which stated that Canada was complicit in an ongoing act of “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.”
On Sunday, a Liberal MP implied that provincial and territorial leaders who open up their economies could be seen as criminally negligent for any resulting deaths.
MP Ryan Turnbull made the comments Sunday morning on Twitter.
“So my question is if PHAC’s models have been largely correct and the health experts are predicting this type of exponential case growth, if P/Ts choose to move forward with lifting public health measures despite the evidence, are they culpable for the resulting deaths?” asked Turnbull before quoting the criminal code.
Turnbull later backtracked on his insinuation claiming that he was “simply quoting” the definition of the crime.
“I’m not saying anyone is Criminally Negligent. I was simply quoting the definition. I think we need to be concerned about opening too fast and the possibility of an exponential growth in cases is a serious risk. We need to follow the advice of our Public Health Professionals!” said Turnbull.
Several premiers have moved to reopen their economies after several months of lockdowns.
Recently, Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced that some regions within the province would have stringent stay-at-home orders lifted and some local businesses would be allowed to open.
Ford also extended lockdowns in Toronto, Peel and North Bay citing advice from public health officials.
The Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) blasted Ford’s decision soon after it was announced claiming that the premier had no evidence to justify the extensions.
“With today’s announcement of extended lockdowns for Toronto, Peel and North Bay until at least March 8, the Ontario government has once again chosen to use small business as cannon fodder, renewing its reputation as the least small business-friendly government in the country during the pandemic,” wrote the CFIB.
“Almost every other province opened schools and businesses—or didn’t close them in the first place—while COVID-19 numbers continued to fall. In fact, Ontario businesses—particularly those in the GTA—have been locked down longer than the vast majority of jurisdictions around the world.”
Alberta Premier Jason Kenney has moved even further to reopen his province after announcing that Alberta would undergo a phased reopening plan, however he cautioned that the risk of coronavirus variants remains.
“I can’t guarantee you we can keep you open if we go there because of these variants,” Kenney said.
“If the variants take over, we might have to go back to a harder policy than early December.”
As the private sector faced lockdowns and unprecedented unemployment, thousands of public sector employees were paid to stay at home.
Federal employees received a total of $819 million in paid leave during the first nine months of the pandemic. According to the Canadian Press, 117,000 employees were all approved to stay home under provision 699 of the federal pay code which is described as “other leave with pay.”
“From March 15 to Nov. 30, 2020, the estimated cost of ‘Other Leave with Pay (699)’ is approximately $819 million, based on the average daily pay rate of roughly $300 for federal public service employees entitled to leave,” wrote the Treasury Board.
“This figure is based on data submitted by employees and captured in departmental systems.”
Code 699 is normally considered a last resort when no other types of paid leave are feasible. A total 39% of all federal staff received Code 699 leave at some point last year.
When all types of benefits and paid leave are considered, federal employees received an estimated $1.1 billion.
In November, the Treasury Board instructed federal managers to use Code 699 leave less liberally, invoking a strong response from the union.
“Treasury Board’s changes are out of touch with the public health crisis facing Canadians and impacts the well-being of public service workers,” the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) said in a statement.
“PSAC is committed to ensuring that all our members, and especially women, caregivers, racialized workers and workers with disabilities, continue to have the necessary support and leave with pay they need during the pandemic.”
In July, 94,000 federal employees received 6.64% pay hikes as part of new tentative agreements with PSAC.
According to the Parliamentary Budget Officer, the wages of federal employees are among the government’s biggest expenses, amounting to $47.3 billion in 2020.
According to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s itinerary for Monday February 22, 2021, the prime minister will be absent from the House of Commons when MPs vote on the designation of the treatment of Uyghurs by the Chinese regime as genocide.
The Conservative motion is expected to be voted on after Question Period, in which Trudeau will also be absent from.
On Thursday, the Conservatives tabled a motion calling for the House of Commons to act in concert with its allies and declare crimes against Uyghurs as genocide.
“[The House of Commons should] recognize that a genocide is currently being carried out by the People’s Republic of China against Uighurs and other Turkic Muslims and call on the government to officially adopt this position,” reads the Conservative motion.
Our @AnnieClaireBO asks PMJT how he will vote on the CPC motion on if China’s actions are a genocide against the Uyghurs
On Friday, Trudeau was asked how he was going to vote on the upcoming motion during the government’s COVID-19 briefing. However, the prime minister refused to say how or if he was going to vote.
“This is an issue that matters deeply to me, to all Canadians. We will continue to work with our partners and allies to take this seriously. We’re still reflecting very carefully on the best path forward for Canada,” said Trudeau.
“Certainly, we recognize that moving forward multilaterally will be the best way to demonstrate the solidarity of western democracies, and the values shared by billions of people around the world, that are extremely concerned and dismayed by reports of what’s going on Xinjiang.”
When pressed to provide an answer how he was going to vote on the motion, the prime minister repeated his answer in French.
On Tuesday, Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole said the 2022 Beijing Olympics should be moved out of China as the world begins to learn about regime’s genocide against its Uyghur minority.
“It is time for Canada to ask the International Olympic Committee to move the 2022 Olympic games out of China. Canada has the right and duty to act,” O’Toole said.
Evidence is mounting that China is committing acts of genocide against its Muslim Uyghur community. Around 10% of the Uyghurs community are in internment camps and survivors recall stories of systemic abuse and violence.
Earlier last week, Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Theresa Tam’s new COVID-19 modelling left many Canadians scratching their heads. Dr. Tam says cases will skyrocket if further lockdown restrictions aren’t implemented.
Dr. Tam’s modelling is similar to her past projections and doesn’t factor in various variables, such as a dramatic decline in cases since January.
Eritrean troops have reportedly looted and destroyed an ancient monastery in neighbouring Ethiopia.
According to the Belgium-based Europe External Programme with Africa (EEPA), between Feb. 14 and 15 Eritrean troops besieged the Debre Damo Monastery in Northern Ethiopia.
One monk was reportedly killed and the monastery’s ancient manuscripts and artifacts were looted.
“After it had been bombed, reportedly by Eritrean troops, Eritrean troops climbed onto the 6th century monastery and looted old manuscripts and treasures. The houses and buildings on top of the flat mountain are completely destroyed,” EEPA wrote.
Debre Damo Monastery was founded in the sixth century by one of the principal saints of Ethiopian Christianity. The monastery complex can only be accessed by climbing a 15 metre cliff.
Eritrea is supporting the Ethiopian central government as it fights a civil war against separatists in the Tigray region. The rebel Tigrayan government rejects the legitimacy Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.
Debre Damo was located in Tigray territory, as is the Maryam Tsiyon Church where 750 Tigrayans were massacred by pro-Ethiopian forces in December.
Ethiopian Orthodox Christians believe the Maryam Tsiyon Church contains the Ark of the Covenant, an artifact of the ancient Israelites sacred to both Christians and Jews.
A group of officials from the Public Health Agency of Canada were unable to provide any data to suggest that the government’s plan to force travelers to quarantine in hotels will fight the spread of coronavirus.
Testifying before the House of Commons health committee, officials were stumped by Conservative MP Michelle Rempel Garner’s request for them to justify forcing travellers to stay in government-designated isolation centres.
“What data was used to determine that hotel quarantines are a better option for stopping the spread of variants than the Calgary border pilot program, which employs rapid, on-arrival testing?” Rempel Garner asked.
Numerous senior officials from the Public Health Agency of Canada were at committee today. I asked what data they used to determine that forcing people into quarantine hotels would result in better public health than allowing people to quarantine at home. Their response: 🤷🏼♀️ pic.twitter.com/AFmGN9zobm
After a long pause one official, Senior VP Kimberly Elmslie spoke up to say they do not have the information with them. Rempel Garner had to repeat herself several times to get an answer.
“We’ll come back to you with those data,” Elmslie said.
According to Rempel Garner, creating quarantine hotels will cost the government around $250 million.
The Trudeau government has decided that travellers from outside of Canada can expect to pay between $1,500 and $2,000 out of pocket to stay at a government-designated isolation centre while awaiting test results.
If test results come back negative, travellers will be able to isolate for the remaining time of the two-week mandatory period at home. Positive tests results mean travellers will be moved to designated government facilities.
In Calgary, the Border Testing Pilot Program allowed travellers who test negative upon arrival to finish isolation after seven days. This program will be suspended on Feb. 21 due to the new federal hotel requirement.
