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Friday, July 11, 2025

Federal government gave employees $1.1 billion in paid leave during pandemic

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True North Wire
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Federal employees who were neither sick nor working from home enjoyed $1.1 billion in paid leave since the pandemic began according to Blacklock’s Reporter.

In new estimates from the Treasury Board, approximately 113,362 federal employees spent days or weeks on paid leave for various reasons including not being equipped to work from home or family commitments. 

“The Treasury Board Secretariat was unable to provide actual personnel expenditures for the survey period. The Budget Office estimates a cost of nearly $1.1 billion between March and September.”

“The total cost represents a thirty-one percent increase from our previous estimate. With the additional data provided on departments that were missing from the previous update, the cost estimate increased by 10%.”

New estimates are over twice as much as the Treasury Board’s estimate of $439.3 million for paid furloughs in July.

In November, Assistant Treasury Board Deputy Minister Sandra Hassan told MPs that the federal government was simply doing what it should to accommodate workers during the pandemic.

“We’ve made sure to take care of our employees since the start of the pandemic. At the beginning of the pandemic (we) sent everyone home to comply with public health directives and to ensure the safety of our employees and communities,” she told the House of Commons Commons government operations committee.

“Now the pandemic is part of our everyday lives. We have adjusted to directives as the situation has developed.”

While public sector employees received paid leaves from work, private sector unemployment reached a new record of 13.7% in May. Approximately 3.2 million Canadians lost their jobs this spring due to lockdowns.

Recently, the union representing federal public services secured a salary increase deal with the federal government.

Employees with the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) were given a 2.8% raise for 2018, an additional 2.2% increase for 2019 and a 1.35% raise for this year.

Toronto schools to open classroom windows to combat coronavirus – in winter

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True North Wire
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Schools in Toronto will be opening up classroom windows throughout the winter as a way to curb the spread of COVID-19.

The Toronto District School Board (TDSB) sent out a notice to parents last week asking that they prepare their children by sending them to school with extra warm clothes.

“We recognize it is very much a balance between introducing more ventilation at various times during the day and maintaining a comfortable indoor air temperature in (the) classroom,” the TDSB wrote.

“Please keep this in mind as your child gets ready for school each day by considering an extra layer of clothing to ensure comfort throughout the day.”

TDSB reports a few dozen active coronavirus cases among students and staff and 440 resolved cases.

In a statement to CBC, TDSB said it is still developing its strategy to maximize airflow in classrooms by opening windows.

“We may open it for three to five minutes every couple of hours,” a spokesman said.

“We are turning up the heat in our schools, but it’s still likely going to be a little bit cooler than normal in some of the classrooms, depending on when those windows are opened up.”

Last week, the Ontario government announced that testing would be available in pandemic hot spots for students regardless of if they have symptoms of coronavirus.

Despite the effort, activists have continuously criticized the government and school boards for its handling of the virus. In November the Ontario Teachers Union accused the Ford government of downplaying the coronavirus pandemic in schools.

In early November staff in one Scarborough school walked off the job to protest the TDSB’s decision to keep the school open despite an outbreak infected 11. 

$900 million WE Charity deal never reviewed by Treasury Board

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True North Wire
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The proposal to award WE Charity oversee a $900 million federal student service grant was not reviewed by the Treasury Board. 

Federal Assistant Comptroller General Kathleen Owens told the House of Commons government operations committee on Monday evening that the project was instead approved by Youth Minister Bardish Chagger without a review. 

“In the case of the WE Charity contribution agreement, it did not come to the Treasury Board because it was determined the program was within the Minister’s authority,” said Owens. 

“We determined it was under the Minister’s authority. Therefore the program and the contribution agreement never came to the Treasury Board. The Treasury Board had no role.”

The Treasury Board is responsible for federal spending oversight and is customarily involved in vetting large projects like the service grant. 

The controversial program, which plunged the Liberal government into another scandal, was hastily passed in May of this year before being scrapped after critics accused the federal government of a conflict of interest with the charity.

Members of Trudeau’s family, including his wife, mother and brother were employed as speakers and paid by the charity upward to half a million dollars.  

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is currently being investigated by the ethics commissioner for breaking federal ethics laws for the third time since being elected in his role.

FUREY: Why did the government shut down small businesses?

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True North Wire
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The Ontario government has released more detailed data about the spread of COVID-19.

The new data reveals retail stores have only been linked to a handful of cases since the beginning of the pandemic. Likewise, bars, restaurants and nightclubs were hardly found to be responsible for any significant spread. So why did the government shut down so many of these small businesses?

Anthony Furey discusses in his latest video.

Manitoba issued $181k worth of lockdown tickets last week

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True North Wire
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Manitoba’s strict lockdown enforcement resulted in 100 tickets worth $181,574 last week alone.

The tickets have gone to individuals, businesses and even churches who allegedly defied COVID-19 public health orders.

Of the 100 citations, 22 were $5,000 fines issued to businesses for various offences, such as not adequately enforcing social distancing or reminding customers to wear masks. 23 individuals were ticketed for not wearing masks at indoor public places, and 48 for other non-compliance. The remaining seven were band bylaw tickets issued by Manitoba First Nations Police.

With a force of over 3,300 people, the province uses a combination of RCMP, law enforcement agencies, provincial employees, and municipal partners to actively enforce the new restrictions. With hundreds of staff being trained each week, the enforcement personnel will continue to grow.

Since April when the emergency order was put into effect, Manitoba has issued 353 tickets worth a total of $549,846.

Premier Brian Pallister has been unrepentant about the enforcement sweep, including against those who have been assembling to protest against the lockdown measures.

“Peaceful protest in a democracy is never to be taken lightly, but today’s public health and emergency orders matter more,” Pallister said at a news conference.

The province set out to heavily enforce the restrictions as of Nov. 15, issuing over $126,000 in fines that week as Manitoba moved to send a “clear message” that these rules are to be adhered to. The past two weeks have made up 56% of the fines.

In a media bulletin, the province claims some individuals and businesses require “additional enforcement and education,” urging Manitobans to report compliance and enforcement issues to their municipal governments.

As a result of  the last two weekends of protest at the rural Church of God Restoration near Steinbach, the province issued six fines of $1,296 to individuals who attended and a business fine of $5,000 to the church. A drive-in service at Winnipeg’s Springs Church similarly saw a ticket worth almost $1,300 issued.

Despite the police blockade last Sunday and charges being laid against the church and members of its congregation, in a statement to True North, Church of God Pastor Tobias Tissen said the church plans to continue holding its services.“I am wanting to meet with police to see if we can come to an agreement that they will let us continue peacefully,” Tissen said.

“Climate change denier” added to Rex Murphy’s Wikipedia page by government IP address

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True North Wire
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Source: CBC

An anonymous user using a Government of Canada computer edited National Post columnist Rex Murphy’s Wikipedia page to label him a “climate change denier.” 

According to the ‘Government of Canada Wikipedia edits’ Twitter account, which tracks anonymous edits made by accounts with IPs belonging to various federal departments, Murphy’s article was edited Tuesday afternoon. 

The article formerly described Murphy as a “vocal critic of arguments” about climate change, but now describes him as a “climate change denier.” 

The IP address cited by Wikipedia reportedly belongs to the federal department of Shared Services Canada. 

Shared Services Canada had not responded to a request for comment by the time of publication.

The edit was made the same day Murphy published a column slamming the “epidemic of snobbery” by elites surrounding last week’s arrest of Adamson BBQ owner Adam Skelly in Toronto.

“Everyone bears the health risk of the current moment. Not everyone faces losing their employment or their business. The latter deserve better thoughts, maybe more understanding, than have been shown by the better off and more comfortably situated,” Murphy wrote. 

“To bring it all home — snobbery is a comfort mattress for those who are already well endowed with comfort. Sneering at people facing a hard time and on the edge of making it through this business is a cheap amusement.”

Trudeau-appointed senator tells Canadians they should want to see China succeed

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True North Wire
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A Trudeau-appointed senator called on Canadians to wish China well and to hope that it will succeed economically. 

“We should signal clearly to the Chinese leadership that we want China to succeed in its economic aspirations,” said Senator Yuen Pau Woo. 

“This appears to me to be a difficult thing for Canada to say in the current context, but in a different world in a different time this would have been what one would call a diplomatic no-brainer.”

Woo made the statement during a speech at the Canada-China Friendship Society. The group is known to have ties to Beijing through the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries and in 2015, it was endorsed by the Chinese embassy in Canada.  

During the event, a moderator for the group also suggested that the United States was “using Canada” and holding the country hostage for requesting the extradition of Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou. 

“Is Canada really being held hostage by China or are we being held hostage by the USA which is using Canada? It’s really a very tragic situation,” said the unnamed moderator. 

Woo has also tweeted in support of Huawei in the past. In 2017, he thanked the company for “supporting next generation engineering and IT stars.” 

In another instance, in  speech to Chinese alumni in 2019, Woo stated that people should be “praying every night” for China’s success so that it doesn’t meet the same fate as the Soviet Union

“There are of course many critics who believe the People’s Republic of China will meet the same fate as the USSR. Indeed, some are counting on it to happen and trying to accelerate the process,” said Woo.

“But with a Chinese economy that is already larger than that of the US in purchasing power terms, and the Chinese market serving as the number one destination for exports from over 120 countries, we should be hoping and praying every night that China does not implode.”

Liberals earmark $3.16 billion for initiative to plant two billion trees by 2030

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True North Wire
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The Liberals have finally added a price tag to their plan to plant two billion trees in the span of ten years. 

According to the latest economic update unveiled by Minister of Finance and Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland yesterday, taxpayers can expect to spend $3.16 billion on the initiative. 

“Our growth plan must continue to advance our progress on climate and create jobs in the clean economy. That’s why we are announcing our commitment to plant 2 billion trees over the next 10 years,” claimed the update. 

“To fight climate change, protect forests and create good jobs, the government proposes to provide up to $3.16 billion, over ten years, starting in 2021-22, with $2 million in remaining amortization, to Natural Resources Canada to partner with provinces, territories, non-governmental organizations, Indigenous communities, municipalities, and others to plant 2 billion trees.”

The Liberals first promised to begin planting the trees in 2019, while teenage climate alarmist Greta Thunberg was touring throughout Canada. 

“We’ll plant 2 billion trees over the next ten years. That’s it. That’s the tweet,” tweeted Trudeau on Sept. 27, 2019.

However, later disclosures revealed that a year later, not a single tree was planted by the federal government. 

The 10-year target would require 200 million trees to be planted annually, or over 500,000 a day, beginning in September 2019. 

Without any trees planted by 2020, that means over 222 million trees would have to be planted each year if the Liberals hope to reach their goal. 

“Officials are currently preparing a comprehensive plan to fulfill this commitment,” spokesperson Ian Cameron told La Presse in an email statement that has been translated from French.

“Once programs are in place, planting can begin in various locations across Canada, including public forests, private lands, crown lands and urban spaces.”

U.S. regulators approve Enbridge Line 3 pipeline project

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True North Wire
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Regulators in Minnesota have given final approval to the Enbridge Line 3 Replacement Project, ensuring the pipeline will keep transporting Alberta oil to the United States.

On Monday, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency granted the US$2.6 billion project a permit. Enbridge announced construction will start immediately.

The project will replace the 52-year old pipeline going from Hardisty, Alberta to Superior, Wisconsin. The replacement will create around 4,200 jobs and guarantee Alberta oil will continue to supply the Great Lakes region.

The current aging pipeline only runs at half-capacity. Between both countries, the Line 3 replacement has an economic value of $8.2 billion.

“This is a historic day for the Line 3 project which will strengthen the safety of the system for years to come,” said Enbridge Executive Vice President Vern Yu.

“Safety remains our top priority, and we will be implementing an industry leading COVID management plan to protect our workforce and the communities in which we will be working.” 

While the Line 3 replacement is facing a challenge in court by a coalition of environmental and Minnesota First Nation groups, Enbridge says that construction will be going ahead as early as this week.

Alberta Energy Minister Sonya Savage celebrated the project’s approval as a massive benefit to the Albertan economy.

“The $8.2-billion project will provide reliable energy, jobs and economic benefits for Canada and the United States. Replacing this almost 60-year-old pipeline will restore it to its original capacity of 760,000 barrels per day, adding about 370,000 barrels per day to Alberta’s current takeaway capacity,” she said in a statement.

“The project’s approval is a win for Alberta – and for North American energy security. Canada and the U.S. have built the world’s strongest, most interdependent and trusted energy trading relationship. 

Journalists target churchgoers for defying lockdown rules

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True North Wire
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Multiple Canadian journalists and pundits are upset that Christians are trying to attend church during the coronavirus pandemic.

On Sunday, the Church of God near Steinbach, Manitoba held a drive-in church service in spite of the enforced lockdowns and warnings from authorities. Even as RCMP blocked the parking lot, the service continued over loud speakers with churchgoers lined up on the road.

While Canada is home to a large number of religions and religious people, some journalists cannot help but deride and attack people of faith.

Winnipeg Sun writer makes fun of Christians who want to attend church

On Sunday, Winnipeg Sun Scott Billeck mocked churchgoers for defying health orders and suggesting the in-vehicle service was dangerous.

In a belittling parody of a Bible verse, Billeck wrote that the Church of God’s drive-in service put strain on Manitoba’s healthcare system and selfishly put themselves before others in the process.

Nora Loreto

Freelance writer and commentator Nora Loreto argued that churches are not at all essential and enthusiastically believes authorities should force churches to stay closed. Loreto, a self-identified socialist, also added that shutting down churches is okay as some “do make profits.”

In a later Tweet, Loreto would also claim that all funerals should also be cancelled during the pandemic.

Macleans contributor says churchgoers worship “false god”

Contributing editor at Maclean’s Andray Domise suggests that people like the worshippers at the Church of God are worshipping a “false god” for believing that going to church should be their right.

In a response to a Twitter user defending churchgoers, Domise claimed that Evangelical Christians worship a “white Jesus” that is a lie that puts them in danger.

Journalist stakes out church, counts attendees

While other journalists and pundits criticized churchgoers from home, some decided to go to open churches and show the world how churchgoers were allegedly breaking the rules. 

On Sunday, CBC journalist Georgina Smyth waited outside of a church in Chilliwack, BC and counted people as they entered and left the building. Smyth counted 60 people, which she called a “bold breach” of public health orders.

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