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Thursday, August 7, 2025

EXCLUSIVE: 69% of Twitter users replied negatively to videos of Trudeau kneeling at protest

By
Cosmin Dzsurdzsa
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A majority of people replied with negative comments to two clips of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau kneeling at an Ottawa anti-racism rally last Friday. 

True North analyzed over 3,000 replies to videos of the incident shared on Twitter by the official accounts of CTV News and CBC Power and Politics.

Out of those replies, 69% or 2073 of the comments had negative sentiments regarding Trudeau’s actions taken that day. 

Notably, the negative sentiments ranged on the political spectrum, with several users criticizing the prime minister for not doing enough to seek racial equality in Canada. For example, several replies targetted Trudeau’s mishandling of indigenous relations as prime minister. 

Many negative comments also pointed out the contradiction that as prime minister, he is responsible for the state of Canada’s law enforcement and race relations. 

Other commenters criticized the prime minister for attending the rally while also suspending parliament due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Since being shared online, both videos have amassed over 5.5 million views and have received over 40,000 likes combined. 

This report only took into account vocal support or opposition to the prime minister’s actions in the form of written Twitter replies.

Each of the 3,005 text replies were individually analyzed by researchers for sentiment and tagged as either negative, positive or neutral. Replies in other languages and photo comments that had no text were not included in the final count. 

Approximately 19% of the replies to both videos combined had something positive to say about Trudeau’s decision to kneel, while another 12% of the comments were neutral statements or unrelated to the matter at hand.  

Since Trudeau joined thousands of protesters while protected by bodyguards in physically close conditions, critics have accused him of ignoring his own commands for people to stay at home due to the coronavirus. 

With files from Richard Carmichael 

Home prices to decline by $45,000 next spring: Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation

By
True North Wire
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Home prices are expected to decline by an average of $45,000 across Canada, according to the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC). 

As revealed by Blacklock’s Reporter, the housing market may not show its first signs of recovery until 2023.

“Following declines in 2020 housing starts, sales and prices are expected to recover by mid-2021 as the pandemic recedes,” a report titled Housing Market Outlook: Special Edition claimed. 

“Sales and prices are still likely to remain below their pre COVID-19 levels by the end of 2022.”

CMHC estimates the average housing cost in 2019 was $479,300, but by next spring this will decline to $434,645. 

When testifying before the House of Commons finance committee on May 19, CMHC CEO Evan Siddall estimated that 12% of Canadians who have mortgages will defer their payments in 2020. 

“The resulting combination of higher mortgage debt, declining house prices and increased unemployment is cause for concern for Canada’s longer term financial stability,” said Siddall.

According to Siddall, the ratio of household debt as a share of GDP is a rising concern for Canada’s economic wellbeing. 

“What’s going to happen is the musical chairs game is going to come to an end and young people who are very highly leveraged – in fact if they get an insured mortgage they’re borrowing at something like 83 or 85 to one, and that’s before they borrowed their down payment from their parents or from their RRSP or things like that,” said Siddall.

Even before the coronavirus pandemic, young people were facing grim prospects with regards to home ownership. 

In a poll from December 2019, 46% of millennials claimed that owning a home in their lifetime was a “pipedream.” 

Millennials were also skeptical that their homes would ever offer a return: 38% said that if they bought a home, it wouldn’t be worth as much as they paid for in the future.

Ep.6 | Sohrab Ahmari | Combatting the woke mob and how conservatives can win the culture war

By
Candice Malcolm
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America is on edge. The political polarization of the past several years has boiled into violence, looting and rioting on city streets. Meanwhile, the media and corporate America gaslight the public by defending the violence and insisting that America is an irredeemably racist society.

On today’s episode of the True North Speaker Series, Candice Malcolm is joined by Sohrab Ahmari. Ahmari is an American author, columnist and editor for the New York Post. Sohrab lives in Manhattan, and recently wrote about his terrifying experiences on the front lines of the riots in New York City last week.

Candice and Sohrab talk about how to combat the malevolent woke mob, the importance of courage, the future for the heart and soul of conservatism and Sohrab’s latest book – From Fire, by Water: My Journey to the Catholic Faith, in which he describes his personal journey from an avid atheist to nearly two decades later when he would be received into the Roman Catholic Church.

Over 1,600 foreign workers accepted per week despite record unemployment

By
True North Wire
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Thousands of temporary foreign workers have been permitted to come to Canada even as unemployment hit a record high in May.

According to Blacklock’s Reporter, a recent report from the Department of Employment revealed that 13,000 foreign workers were approved to come to Canada between March 15 to May 8, or approximately 1,625 per week.

The report, which was requested by Conservative MP Brad Vis, said that most of these workers are going to work in agriculture.

“Approximately seventy percent of these positions represent occupations the government is prioritizing to ensure Canada’s food security in the context of COVID-19,” the report reads.

“An additional fifteen percent are in support of applications for permanent residence for specialized or skilled workers.”

The report comes after the head of Canada’s temporary foreign worker program Philippe Massé was not able to tell MPs exactly how many workers have been accepted since the coronavirus pandemic began.

Last week Statistics Canada reported that in May, the unemployment rate in Canada reached 13.7%, the highest rate seen since the agency started collecting comparable data.

As many as 5.5 million Canadians are either unemployed or working significantly reduced hours. The worst affected by the pandemic are students, who had a 40.1% unemployment rate.

True North founder Candice Malcolm recently proposed a national work program to address youth unemployment and reduce the need for foreign workers in Canada.

However, instead of prioritizing jobs for Canadians, the Trudeau government wants as many temporary foreign workers as possible to arrive in Canada.

The government has spent millions to pay for foreign workers to self-isolate for the required two weeks. Even after investing $50 million into this precaution, several coronavirus outbreaks have occurred amongst groups of foreign workers.

The government report adds that the department may eventually refuse temporary foreign worker applications for a select number of low-wage positions.

“The department is strengthening its assessment criteria for all new and existing (permit) applications under review, which includes an expanded practice of refusing to process applications for certain low-wage positions in the accommodation, food services and retail trade sectors across Canada,” the wrote.

Recently, an Ontario farm reported a coronavirus outbreak after 85 migrant workers tested positive for the virus. Parts of Southern Ontario have been witnessing outbreaks of the coronavirus in recent months.

CBC host suspended after allegedly using racial slur

By
True North Wire
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CBC host Wendy Mesley has been suspended from her position after she used a “word that should never be used” during an interaction with coworkers. 

The word she used has not been specified, but it was apparently said in the context of race. 

Mesley, who hosts The Weekly with Wendy Mesley, admitted to Canadaland that she used the word when “quoting a journalist” during a discussion about racism. 

The incident is alleged to have occurred while Mesley and others prepared for last Sunday’s episode on Black Lives Matter.

“In the context of an editorial discussion about current issues regarding race, I used a word that should never be used,” she said.

“It was not aimed at anyone, I was quoting a journalist we were intending to interview on a panel discussion about coverage of racial inequality.”

According to Mesley, she apologized to her coworkers at once and has since said that she is “deeply ashamed” of her actions. 

“This is a word that no one like me should ever use. I made a big mistake and promise to change my behaviour.”

According to CBC head of public affairs Chuck Thompson, the national broadcaster has launched an investigation into the matter. 

“Last Thursday, senior management within CBC News were made aware of an incident involving Wendy Mesley. While we investigate further, Wendy will not be hosting The Weekly. Always respecting the privacy rights of our employees, we have nothing more to add,” said Thompson in a statement to Canadaland. 

DROVER: In the fall-out of coronavirus, a family-first policy strategy is needed more than ever

By
Devin Drover
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As Canadian businesses begin to re-open following the easing of coronavirus public health requirements, many are hopeful for a return to normal.

However, for many Canadians, this “new” normal will consist of unemployment and financial pressures that have lasting impacts on their lives and their families – matters that government social policy must be willing to directly address moving forward.

Statistics Canada reported nearly two million jobs lost in April alone, and the re-opening of the economy does not mean a complete return to pre-coronavirus employment levels. In fact, many Canadian businesses have been making huge cuts to their operations to deal with long-term ripple-effects of the shutdown.

Even Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s favourite manufacturer Bombardier – despite a new deal to pay them $105 million in taxpayer funds for two jets  – will reportedly slash 2,500 jobs

This will undoubtedly cause problems for Canadian families, and if not properly managed, further long-term economic issues.

As I’ve previously written about, conflict triggered by anxiety and stress – mostly those driven by monetary concerns accompanied by job loss – is a leading cause of family breakdown. As more Canadians experience prolonged unemployment post-coronavirus, we can expect to see divorce rates similarly increase, which can cause further economic problems down the line, too.

Those impacted most by family breakdown are undoubtedly children, especially those from lower-income families, as children of divorce have reduced economic mobility – meaning they have a lower chance of being able to improve their economic status. Aligned with this, research shows children who experience one or more episodes of family breakdown are more likely to have to turn to government welfare programming and other tax-funded supports.

That is why it is more important than ever for governments to be ambitious in launching a new family-first public policy strategy that encourages and protects the institution of marriage.

What might this look like?

First, policies should encourage legal marriage rather than providing benefits to common-law partners. Non-marital births have skyrocketed since the 1960s, and that has not been a good thing for children – in fact, most relationships outside of marriage will fail within a few years even with children involved. Additional government policy that incentivizes people to formalize their marriage by legal means, like through enhanced tax-benefits exclusive to the legally married, would be a welcome starting point.

Secondly, policies should provide support to families when they go through internal strife. For example, providing public funding for couples therapy, especially for low-income families, when they need it. Research indicates that couples therapy is effective in reducing the occurrence of family breakdown, and thus an appropriate solution for governments to pursue.

Politicians of all stripes often talk about the importance of family to Canadian society. In fact, we have a portion of an entire federal government ministry dedicated to it. Now is time to stop the lip service, and start being bolder in implementing policies to protect families when support is needed most.

FUREY: Calls to defund the police have become mainstream

By
Anthony Furey
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How did such a radical leftist idea like defunding the police become so mainstream so quickly?

Activists and politicians aren’t even sure what they mean when they’re calling to defund the police – is it a reduction of their funds or is it a complete dismantling of police forces?

True North’s Anthony Furey says we need to slow down and have an actual conversation about this idea before we act so hastily.

Toronto councillors move to slash city police budget by $122 million

By
True North Wire
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Two Toronto city councillors plan on putting forward a motion that will cut the budget of the Toronto Police Service by 10% or approximately $122 million. 

The motion being put forward by Coun. Josh Matlow and supported by Coun. Kristyn Wong-Tam will see the millions in funding redirected to “community programs,” according to the Toronto Sun. 

“It’s time to defund the police budget and re-balance our use of public funds towards ensuring that our communities are supported in ways that avoid having to have the police show up to the door in the first place,” said Matlow. 

The proposed motion comes after protests over the death of Minneapolis resident George Floyd erupted across Canada. 

Some anti-racism demonstrators have also been calling for the defunding of police forces within Canada. 

In the past few years, Toronto police officers have had to deal with record spikes in gun violence within the city. 

It is unclear how the proposed budget cuts would affect the police’s ability to effectively combat the rising trend. 

Last year, Toronto saw an all-time high of 395 shootings and 582 victims as a result, 33 of which died due to gun violence. 

“There is an understandable and justifiable outcry and demand from our community that things need to change and that we come out of this pandemic with a new normal that is better than it was before,” Matlow said.

Included in the motion is a move to give the city power to approve or disapprove items in the force’s budget, giving the municipal government more sway over how policing funds are spent. 

On the same day the motion was reported on, Toronto police Chief Mark Saunders announced he would be resigning from his role as of July 31. 

“Thank you, Toronto, for working with me during my tenure. It is something I’ll cherish forever,” said Saunders during a news conference on Monday. Saunders did not give a reason for his departure.

Scheer calls out Trudeau after attending mass gathering on Friday

By
True North Wire
-

Conservative Party leader Andrew Scheer called out Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s double standard on the coronavirus measures after Trudeau attended the anti-racism protests with thousands of people on Friday. 

Trudeau was seen among a large crowd of protesters on parliament hill for an anti-racism demonstration inspired by the death of American George Floyd while in police custody. 

While at the protest, Trudeau was spotted surrounded by security as nearby protesters heckled him.

Trudeau was also seen bending the knee to the crowd in a gesture of solidarity. 

During a meeting of the Special Committee on the COVID-19 Pandemic on Monday, Scheer posed several questions to Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland on the prime minister’s attendance at the protest and its breakage of coronavirus rules. 

“Canadians have been told that they cannot visit their loved ones, that they cannot attend funerals, tragically so many Canadians have had to say goodbye to relatives over Skype. Is the Deputy Prime Minister saying that all those precautions no longer need to be followed and people can visit relatives who are in care homes or are facing illness?” asked Scheer.

“I strongly support the action our prime minister took on Friday in joining the anti-black racism protest, the fact that our prime minister was there sent an essential message to Canadians and the world. He was also wearing a mask which is very important,”  replied Freeland.

“It was sending a message, it was sending a double standard message,” Scheer followed up. 

During his daily coronavirus briefing on Monday, Trudeau addressed his attendance. 

“Even as we protest and demonstrate in order to create a better world. We have to get that balance right, and I continue to exhort Canadians to do just that,” said Trudeau. 

During the briefing, the prime minister also avoided answering a question on why a restaurant owner was ticketed only a few days after the mass protest engulfed the city.

“As we loosen some of the population control measures, as people are returning to work in some ways, seeing businesses reopen, we need to step up in other ways we need to continue socially distancing, we need to wear masks where appropriate but we also need to make sure that we are stepping up on things like contact tracing, exposure notification and massive testing,” said Trudeau on the matter.

This is not the first time the prime minister was accused of having a double standard regarding the coronavirus restrictions.

In April, while Trudeau was telling Canadians to stay at home, he crossed provincial borders and visited his family at Harrington Lake in violation of several pandemic rules. 

Trudeau skirts question on double standard applied to ticketed Ottawa restaurant owner

By
True North Wire
-

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau avoided answering a question directly on Monday regarding an Ottawa restaurant owner who was fined for letting people sit on the patio while waiting for their food on Sunday afternoon. 

The owner of The Grand Pizzaria claims that Ottawa bylaw officers wrote the business an $880 ticket after spotting customers seated at tables outside. 

Only a few days prior, not too far from the restaurant Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was attending an anti-racism rally with thousands of other people in close proximity. 

During the rally, Trudeau knelt amidst protesters while surrounded by security guards.

Several similar anti-racism demonstrations have been staged throughout Canada, with one protest in Montreal erupting into violence and looting. 

During Monday’s daily coronavirus briefing, Trudeau was asked about the double standard applied to the restaurant in contrast to the protests by a journalist, but he failed to answer the question directly.

“Steps from where you took a knee there was an Ottawa restaurant allowing customers to eat their pizza socially distanced on the patio, they’re facing an $880 fine for violating the same emergency orders that you violated and that many of the people at the protest violated. So can you continue to say that we’ve got to have these lockdown measures in place when there is obviously a difference in how they are applied between people meeting on their driveway, people eating pizza and people protesting?” asked reporter Brian Lilley. 

“As we loosen some of the population control measures, as people are returning to work in some ways, seeing businesses reopen, we need to step up in other ways we need to continue socially distancing, we need to wear masks where appropriate but we also need to make sure that we are stepping up on things like contact tracing, exposure notification and massive testing,” replied Trudeau. 

According to CTV News, one customer came to the Ottawa restaurant’s defence on Twitter saying they received no service while outside and that they had ordered takeout. 

“No service, just a table and chairs. We ordered takeout and sat at the tables. No different than the people sitting on city benches in front of the ByWard Market building,” said the customer. 

Ontario coronavirus measures require restaurants to only offer takeout and delivery. Meanwhile, other parts of Canada have opened up their establishments for dine-in.  

In May, the BC government announced it would allow restaurants to open for dine-in services as long as they meet certain criteria. 

Restaurants in the province are required to maintain social distancing and have a coronavirus safety plan that is up to public health standards.

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