fbpx
Thursday, June 26, 2025

A professor, a journalist and the most forbidden book title in Canada

By
Lindsay Shepherd
-

Remember when the CBC suspended journalist Wendy Mesley from hosting her news show, The Weekly with Wendy Mesley, on June 9, 2020?

This was because she used the “N-word” in an unknown context in early June 2020, and a CBC associate producer who witnessed the speech act, Imani Walker, demanded disciplinary action be taken against Mesley. According to CBC’s Head of Public Affairs Chuck Thompson, Mesley will be returning to her hosting duties after Labour Day this year. That means she was likely suspended from her duties for about a month, as The Weekly doesn’t air in July or August. 

In September 2019, there was another incident where Mesley uttered the forbidden word: she had read aloud the title of the 1968 book “White N******* of America” by Quebec author Pierre Vallières. The book analyzes historic class relations in Quebec society and posits that a Marxist revolution would liberate the underclass that is the Quebec francophonie. 

As it happens, another Canadian woman has gotten in trouble for citing the exact same book, and saying its title aloud. Catherine Russell, a film studies professor at Concordia University, allegedly said the title of the book twice during a class in the fall of 2019. The CBC states that some of Russell’s students circulated an online petition this summer condemning Russell, a petition that gained over 200 signatures. (True North is not able to find a public trace of the petition, and when True North asked the CBC for a link or archive of the petition, they were not provided with any information).

On July 31, 2020, Professor Russell sent a grovelling apology to her class, stating “As a white teacher, I am very much in a position of privilege and power and I clearly need to do better for all students to feel more respected in the classroom, and especially for BIPOC students to feel that they are in a safe space.”

Similarly, Wendy Mesley’s apology reads, “I now realize my abuse of the word was harmful…when people of power use certain words, we abuse our privilege.”

In the end, professor Catherine Russell’s apology did not matter. Her students went ahead and launched an official complaint about her with the university. 

When True North asked Concordia University what policy the complaint was filed under, and whether the complaint is being investigated, spokesperson Vannina Maestracci replied that the matter was confidential, but that complaints are registered through the university’s Office of Rights and Responsibilities. 

The Office of Rights and Responsibilities webpage states: “Do you feel that a member of the Concordia community has engaged in harassment, discrimination, physical violence or threats? Please contact us to discuss a situation you have encountered or witnessed.”

We can only hope that Catherine Russell’s uttering of a book title wasn’t considered any of the transgressions above, but because of the tight-lipped nature of university complaint departments, we will likely never know for sure.

“A 1968 book by Quebec journalist Pierre Vallières that includes the N-word in the title” (as the CBC calls it) is likely the most forbidden book title in Canada.

Justin Trudeau doesn’t want MPs looking into WE

By
Andrew Lawton
-

When Justin Trudeau prorogued parliament, he shuttered the finance committees probe of the WE scandal, meaning MPs have no official mechanism to investigate Trudeau’s awarding of a program worth nearly a billion dollars to a group with long-standing financial ties to Trudeau’s family and members of his team. Conservative ethics critic Michael Barrett joined The Andrew Lawton Show to talk about the (often redacted) WE documents and the status of the investigation.

Watch the full episode of The Andrew Lawton Show here.

Prime Minister Trudeau’s brother paid $67,255 by WE

By
True North Wire
-

WE Charity gave Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s younger brother $67,255 within a six month period.

Originally reported by Blacklock’s Reporter, a WE report reveals that from September 2017 to February 2018 Alexandre Trudeau was paid $45,000 in speaking fees, $230 in gifts and $22,025 in expenses.

In June, WE co-founder Craig Kielburger defended that payments, calling them a standard practice for the organization.

“Many groups do this,” he said.

“This was something where the practice was in place not to pay individuals to go on the We Day stage to be clear, but for auxiliary events that took place in various cities, often five or six events per time, where speakers were brought in.”

Alexandre Trudeau, along with the prime minister’s mother Margaret Trudeau, have received thousands from WE over the years in both speaking gigs and expenses covered.

The connections between WE and the Trudeau family were subject to criticism when the Trudeau government awarded WE a $912 million contract earlier this year. From the arrangement, WE would have profited $43.5 million.

WE originally denied that they had ever paid Trudeau family members.

While WE now says they should have been more forthcoming, Kielburger claims that the Trudeaus weren’t booked due to their connections to the prime minister.

“Would it be accurate to say you hired Margaret Trudeau simply because she is Justin Trudeau’s mother and former Prime Minister Pierre Elliot Trudeau’s ex-wife?” asked Bloc Québécois MP Rhéal Fortin.

“I would say those factors may have increased her brand recognition to the general public, but sir, we hired her as one of the most known mental health advocates,” Kielburger replied.

The prime minister’s wife Sophie Grégoire Trudeau is also serving as a “WE ambassador and ally” and a podcast host.

Last week, the RCMP confirmed that they are “examining” the Trudeau government’s decision to offer WE the $912 million contract to administer a student service grant. 

Liberals to make database of racial minorities to hire for government jobs

By
True North Wire
-

The federal government is seeking a contractor to create an “inventory” of black people and other racial minorities it can shuffle into deputy minister and assistant deputy minister positions.

A request for proposal on the federal government’s procurement and tendering website lists the proposed contract’s objective as being “to establish and maintain on an ongoing basis an inventory of qualified and interested black people and other racialized groups, indigenous people, as well as persons with disabilities, from outside the federal public service for the Government of Canada to consider for the Deputy Minister and Assistant Deputy Minister cadre.”

The program is officially titled “Inventory of potential candidates representing employment equity groups for the Deputy Minister and Assistant Deputy Minister cadre.”

The contract is being pursued by the Privy Council Office, the bureaucratic department that works to support the Prime Minister’s Office.

The contract requires prospective service providers to “identify candidates who reflect Canada’s diversity” and update the database at least every two months. 

The request for proposal doesn’t spell out a value for the contract. However, an attached “basis of payment” form indicates money will be paid as a fixed rate, and also on a “per appointment” basis referring to the number of people appointed under the program.

The request for proposal says the bureaucracy is “stronger” when it’s more diverse.

“The Federal Public Service is stronger and most effective when it reflects the diversity of the Canadians it serves,” the post reads. “While progress has been made in recent years to achieve gender parity in the senior leadership community, there is more progress to be made in increasing representation of black people and other racialized groups, indigenous people, as well as persons with disabilities.”

The bidding period for the contract will last for a little over two weeks.

rfp_20200319_en.pdf by True North

FUREY: O’Toole’s platform tackled the big issue Trudeau ignores – China

By
True North
-

As the case against China has mounted and the need for Canada to decouple from Beijing has become increasingly clear to the vast majority of the country, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has failed to pivot. He can’t even yet bring himself to ban Huawei, which is really just the first step, the price for admission to show you understand the broader issue.

Enter Erin O’Toole, the new leader of the Conservative Party of Canada. A review of O’Toole’s platform, headlined “A Call to Take Back Canada”, shows that he’ll be taking on with gusto this key issue that Trudeau’s been ignoring.

Read True North’s Anthony Furey’s latest in the Toronto Sun!

Regina councillors give themselves raise during pandemic to increase “diversity”

By
True North Wire
-

Regina has agreed to give its councillors and mayor a pay increase in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.

On Wednesday, a motion to increase the mayor’s salary to $151,015 and councillors’ salaries to $57,660 was approved in an 8-3 vote. 

The raise comes after a report showed that councillors were being paid less in Regina than other similar cities. 

A review of compensation at Regina city council claimed that the council could benefit from more diversity if councillors were paid more. 

According to Johnson Shoyama School of Public Policy’s Keith Comstock, cities that paid their councillors more benefited from a more diverse council. 

“If we do want diversity, true diversity, we do have to increase the wage,” said Coun. Lori Bresciani. 

Several councillors and even Mayor Michael Fougere were against the idea of a raise at the time, saying the decision was plagued by bad timing. 

“We are dealing with an issue that shouldn’t be a priority for council,” said Fougere citing the fact that many residents in Regina have lost their jobs since the pandemic began.  

Councillors Sharron Bryce and John Findura also voted against the motion. 

Toronto woman arrested for allegedly attempting to join ISIS

By
True North Wire
-

A Toronto woman has been arrested and charged with attempting to join the extremist terror group ISIS. 

Haleema Mustafa was arrested on Wednesday in Markham, Ont. according to Global News. 

“Haleema Mustafa has been arrested today and charged with the two following terrorism offences: leaving Canada to participate in the activities of a terrorist group pursuant to section 83.181 of the Criminal Code and participation in the activities of a terrorist group pursuant to section 83.18 of the Criminal Code,” Public Prosecution Service of Canada spokesperson Sabrina Nemis told Global News.

The charges are related to her and her husband, Ikar Mao’s, 2019 summer trip to Turkey where they were arrested by local authorities in an alleged attempt to enter Syria. 

22-year-old Mao is currently in police custody and is facing similar charges after being arrested on a terrorism peace bond in 2019. 

According to court documents, police had a “fear of terrorism offence” before moving to detain Mao. 

In June, an Ontario court shut down an appeal for bail by Mao.

Public Safety Canada estimates show that around 60 suspected terrorists have returned to Canada after participating in extremism abroad. 

Both Mao and Mustafa’s cases are currently under a publication ban. 

More people died of drug overdoses in BC than of coronavirus, homicide, car accidents or suicide combined

By
True North Wire
-

The opioid crisis has had devastating effects on British Columbia.

According to government statistics, more people have died in BC from drug overdoses than from homicide, car accidents, suicide or the coronavirus combined. 

In July, overdose deaths reached 175, marking five consecutive months of a worrying increase in such incidents. So far, in 2020, it is believed that over 900 people have died due to illicit drug use. 

In comparison, BC has seen 203 confirmed deaths from the coronavirus since the pandemic began, while in July the province saw 21 deaths from the virus. 

“The number of people dying in B.C. due to an unsafe drug supply continues to surpass deaths due to homicides, motor vehicle incidents, suicides and COVID-19 combined,” said the province’s chief coroner Lisa Lapointe.

“This health emergency continues to take a tragic toll on people from all walks of life and in all communities of the province.”

The opioid crisis is not only centralized in BC, where paramedics have had to respond to an average of 87 overdoses per day. Toronto has also seen an 85% increase in overdose deaths since the pandemic began. 

Meanwhile, the Liberal government is seeking to further enter the opioid supplying business under the guise of “harm reduction.” 

Recently, the federal government announced it would earmark $600,000 in taxpayer funding to be put towards a Toronto project to supply highly addictive opioids to drug users. 

The announcement comes alongside plans by Health Canada to further “scale up” opiate injection sites across the country, in turn, making it easier for addicts to get their fix.

According to official statistics, injection sites across the country have serviced 35,000 addicts. They have also seen 15,000 health incidents at their facilities due to drug use. 

Recently, Canada’s chief public health officer Dr. Theresa Tam said that she was open to discussing decriminalizing opioids as a way to handle the situation.

“Canadians should be seized with this particular crisis, which can actually happen to anyone and could also have increased risks right now for people who may be isolating at home,” said Tam. 

Diluting Conservatism vs. Selling Conservatism

By
Andrew Lawton
-

SUBSCRIBE TO THE ANDREW LAWTON SHOW

Despite Erin O’Toole’s unequivocal pro-choice stance, the media is already hammering him for supposedly having a secret pro-life agenda. Also, people on the left continue to be sad that Peter MacKay didn’t win the Conservative leadership. True North’s Andrew Lawton points out why selling values to the electorate, rather than diluting them, must always be the priority for a political leader.

Also, how punctuation is triggering and how Australia’s military is for the birds, plus Conservative MP Michael Barrett joins to provide an update on the WE investigation that Justin Trudeau shut down.

Chinese media claims forced prison labour used to make masks in Canadian-owned factory

By
True North Wire
-

A Chinese newspaper says forced prison labour is being used at a factory owned by the Montreal-based medical products company AMD Medicom, according to a story in Blacklock’s Reporter.

“Among workers at Canadian medical product manufacturer Medicom’s local factory, there is a special group…Its members are offenders under community correction who volunteered to help produce masks,” the Communist Party-affiliated Shanghai Daily wrote.

The claims have not been tested in court and cannot be independently verified by True North.

AMD Medicom says none of the masks delivered to Canada were manufactured in the Chinese facility in question.

“The Shanghai facility … was appropriated by Chinese authorities from January 26 to March 27, 2020,” AMD Medicom vice president Gayle Padvaiskas told True North.

“The Chinese government controlled all production and operations. Every mask made in the facility during that period was appropriated for domestic use in China.”

According to Padvaiskas, masks delivered to Canada came from other Medicom facilities or from existing inventories.

In June, Trudeau government officials said that they could not verify that all masks that came to Canada from China were not made using forced labour.

“Getting line of sight into these types of questions is not an easy thing to do,” Deputy Public Services Minister Bill Matthews told the Commons government operations committee.

“We have checked with the contractors we deal with,” he said, adding that Canada asks firms for “self-certification” that they do not use forced labour.

Using prisoners as forced labour is common in China. Over the years, several Western companies have been accused of allowing Chinese prisoners to work in their factories under grueling conditions.

According to the Shanghai Daily, local authorities thought that using prison labour at the AMD Medicom factory “might be a good chance for people under community correction to reintegrate into society.” 

Earlier this year AMD Medicom was given contracts with a total value of $381,693,476 to produce masks despite not having a single factory in Canada. No other firms were given the opportunity to bid on the contracts.

AMD Medicom lobbied Industry Minister Navdeep Bains and his staff nine times before the firm was awarded the $381 million contract. 

1...1,1901,1911,192...1,460Page 1,191 of 1,460

Related stories

© 2025 True North | Privacy Policy