The Alberta economy is badly in need of an injection of investment and the jobs that go with it.
The Trudeau government is considering an aid package for Alberta in case they reject the Teck Frontier oilsands mine.
They would rather force taxpayers to pay millions for an aid package than approving the project and just letting business get on with it.
True North’s Leo Knight says you can always count on the Trudeau Liberals to do the wrong thing.
True North will always stand up for Canadian energy. But can you count on the mainstream media to do the same? Support True North: http://www.tnc.news/donate/
Last week, True North’s investigative journalism fellow Lindsay Shepherd brought you the story of a renewed grassroots effort to get Bill C-16 modified or repealed. Part of that effort is an e-petition to get the elusive gender-based analysis (GBA) report on Bill C-16 to be publicly released.
Jennifer Anne, who started the e-petition, needed to find an MP to sponsor her petition, but every MP she approached refused — except for MP Derek Sloan, who has agreed to step up and try to get the GBA report released.
True North’s Lindsay Shepherd gives you the update.
You’re not going to hear about this story in the mainstream media. This is why True North is so important. Support independent media: http://www.tnc.news/donate/
The Trudeau government spent the better part of last week swearing up and down that they will not regulate news organizations.
And while they insist they’re not hiding a radical agenda — one that flies in the face of our fundamental freedoms enumerated in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms — their sheer cloudy vagueness should be a cause for concern to all Canadians.
It started on Sunday, when Trudeau’s Heritage Minister Steven Guilbeault sat down with CTV’s Evan Solomon to discuss a Trudeau-appointed panel that made recommendations on the topic of regulating digital media on the internet.
Guilbeault told Solomon his government was putting together legislation based on the recommendations — which happen to be staggeringly Orwellian and a drastic overreach of the government’s role when it comes to a free and independent press.
The Heritage Minister discussed imposing new taxes on streaming services like Netflix and Disney and began musing about creating a government registry for media sites.
“How will this work? How are you going to regulate websites?” asks Solomon.
“If you are a distributor of content in Canada, and obviously if you are a very small media organization the requirement probably will not be the same as if you are Facebook or Google… but we would ask that they have a licence, yes.”
There you have it. The government wants to create some sort of licencing system for media organizations.
The very next morning, Guilbeault held an emergency press conference to walk it back. Except, he didn’t really walk it back.
He emphasized that the Trudeau government would not create a licencing program for the “news media.” But he also denied saying anything wrong on CTV the night before and failed to explain what he meant when he said that media organizations should need a licence to operate.
“Our government has no intention to impose licencing requirements on news organizations, nor will we try to regulate news content,” said the minister.
Catch that? According to the minister, “news organizations” will not require a licence, but “media organizations” will.
Guilbeault once again joined CTV’s Solomon to try to clarify the situation. “What’s your definition of media?” asked Solomon.
“The important answer is not what my definition is,” responded Guilbeault.
“Who decides what a news organization is?” asked Solomon. “What falls under the category of news?”
Guilbeault failed to answer simple questions and was unable to explain the difference between “news” and “media” organizations.
“The government is not in the business of deciding that,” Guilbeault finally mustered.
But, as my colleague Anthony Furey pointed out, the Trudeau government has already interjected itself in deciding who is and who isn’t a news organization.
In the most recent federal budget, as part of their $595 million media bailout, the feds state that only “qualified Canadian journalism organizations” will be eligible for the deal.
The fact of the matter is that Guilbeault refused to answer Solomon’s questions, and refused to define “news organization” because the Trudeau government is actively regulating the media.
First, they led the charge on the dystopian UN Compact on Migration, which had a section specifically going after a free press, and they set up a corresponding media slush fund to reward their friends and punish independent journalists.
Then, they spent $131,000 on lawyers to fight against two independent conservative media organizations — including True North, the news and research organization I run — to stop them from being considered legitimate news organizations during the recent federal election.
Most recently, they hauled author Ezra Levant before a closed-door investigation over whether he broke election laws for writing a book critical of Trudeau and releasing it during the campaign.
Trudeau may have sent out a bumbling fool to gloss over his agenda, but make no mistake about what is going on here. Trudeau is silencing critics, delegitimizing dissenting voices and attacking our freedom of the press in Canada.
Devin Drover is a grassroots political activist, and the Atlantic Spokesperson for the Canada Strong and Proud network.
Justin Trudeau is reportedly under pressure from his Liberal MPs to reject Teck Resource Limited’s new Frontier Oil Sands Mine project in Alberta. This massive project would be in operation for over 40 years, bringing in thousands of jobs and significant wealth for Albertans as they look to reverse the province’s recent economic downturn. But despite these benefits, Liberals are apparently more interested in virtue-signalling on climate change and damaging their existing relationship with Western provinces.
The logic of anti-development Liberal MPs goes something like this: in order to combat climate change, we must oppose any development – regardless of economic benefit – in an attempt to obtain net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. While the tree-huggers among us may be sympathetic to this message, the facts show that not only will rejecting the project do nothing to meaningfully impact global climate change – the Liberals don’t sincerely believe it will either. Instead, by peddling climate alarmism, they are able to attract support from an environmental lobby who is eager to spend significant money in advertising attacking conservatives across the country at the expense of ordinary Albertans.
In considering any debate around resource development, it is important to always first note that global demand for energy continues to increase, year over year. To meet this demand, countries that do not have affordable access to oil and gas resources will instead pursue resources like coal, which have notoriously higher emission rates. China, for example, has invested over $50 billion in the production and transport of coal over the last 15 years, and continues to build coal-fired power stations that will have the capacity to increase global coal-fired electricity generation by 43%. Despite this, the Liberals continue to stay silent on China’s affairs – as per usual – while seeking new ways to punish Canadians.
This is where Canadian oil and gas should come into the equation.
Due to the high technological and environmental standards imposed by federal and provincial governments, Canada’s production of oil and gas is cleaner than those produced in other oil-producing countries and only continues to improve. For example, emissions per barrel of oil produced in Canada has fallen 28% since the year 2000. Studies have consistently shown that our natural gas has lower carbon content of any fossil fuel, and hence significantly lower emissions when burned in comparison to coal. However, rather than develop pipelines and seek to export Canadian oil and gas to coal-producing countries at a low cost, Liberals are more interested in punishing Canadians by shutting down development altogether.
Currently, with existing oil sand production, Canada’s contribution to global carbon emissions is only 1.6% – indicating that even a complete shut-down of production would not make a difference in altering the climate. This was a fact admitted by both Justin Trudeau in 2017, and more recently by his newly-appointed Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland earlier this year. So if refusing this new project will not make any meaningful change to the climate, what will it do?
First, meeting these meaningless targets will allow the Liberals to continue to appease an environmental lobby in exchange for their support in attacking Conservative parties across the country. Whether appointing a former Greenpeace activist like Steven Guilbeault in cabinet or working with them to pass anti-development policies like the implementation of a national carbon tax, it is clear the Liberals have chosen a political pathway of supporting radical climate-alarmism rather than Canadian jobs and prosperity.
Secondly, in refusing the Teck Mines, the Liberals will continue to punish Alberta, and fan the flames of an already very-real Wexit movement. Albertans are under-going unpleasant economic times, and while Jason Kenney and the United Conservative Party are trying to turn the ship around – and keep the country united – they need to be able to work with a federal government that will listen to their concerns.
The Liberals have already begun leaking plans to their friends in the mainstream media about providing a federal “handout” to Alberta in the event they reject the project. But Albertans do not want federal welfare – they want well-paying jobs, and control over their own destiny. In the interest of keeping this country united, the Liberals should stop the alarmism about the climate and listen to Albertans by approving the Teck Mines project.
Police arrested a man driving with nearly $10 million in cocaine and crystal meth near Drumheller, Alberta last week.
Jacob Cody Neumann, 33, was taken into custody and charged with two counts of possession for the purpose of trafficking. Neumann appeared in court on February 7.
Officers discovered 46.9 kilograms of cocaine and 47.5 kilograms of methamphetamine, with a street value of $4.69 million and $4.75 million, respectively. The drugs are believed to have come from Ontario.
“It’s a very large seizure for us. Typically, we don’t see seizures of this size, even though we know people are trafficking in large amounts,” said Calgary police Staff Sgt. Kyle Grant.
Calgary has seen a rise in methamphetamine use over the last few years. The drug has been pouring into Alberta from other parts of Canada or through the border with the US.
In 2018, one-third of all drug crimes involved meth. Acting police chief Steven Barlow stated that meth was at the heart of a growing crime wave in the city.
“Meth is fuelling much of the crime in our city. We’re currently ranked No. 1 in the country for stolen vehicles and have witnessed a number of recent unprovoked violent attacks on innocent bystanders,” Barlow told a federal committee.
“These innocent people who happen to be in a public place when a meth-fuelled individual takes drastic actions (can) cause them life-threatening harm.”
Calgary police are continuing to investigate the origin of the drugs and who else was involved in the trafficking operation.
Regina police say seven acts of vandalism occurred at the residence of a Co-op Refinery Complex manager between January 30 and February 5, involving paintballs fired at the manager’s home and vehicles.
Police are investigating the property damage in connection with an ongoing labour dispute between the refinery and Unifor-represented union members.
Unifor has been accused of engaging in similar tactics in the past.
In January, truck drivers contracted by Co-op to fill in for striking workers claimed that somebody had damaged and incapacitated their trucks.
“They just loaded at MacDonald Street terminal in the middle of the night there, and they left, and by the time they got to the Cardlock – the Co-op Cardlock – one already had half a flat tire,” said Chad Heiben, whose company was contracted by the refinery. Handmade tools were left on the scene, tools of sharpened, twisted metal that would have no use other than deflating tires.
Unifor has since denied that they were responsible for either the truck vandalism or the recent acts of paintball vandalism.
According to Regina Police Service spokesperson Elizabeth Popowich, all seven incidents are believed to be connected.
Unifor National President Jerry Dias was recently arrested after trying to shut down the refinery using blockades and other methods.
According to Co-op, Dias was violating a court order that stated union members could not stall vehicles passing through the complex for more than 10 minutes.
“Starting at approximately 5:15 p.m., Regina Police Service members arrested seven adult males and transported them to the Regina Police Service detention area,” said a police news release.
“Unifor members who are not members of Local 594, were informed that they may be subject to arrest on criminal matters if they chose to ignore the court order or interfere with the lawful operation of the business.”
Dias was charged with mischief under $5,000, while over a dozen other charges were also pressed.
The City of Regina has cancelled its invitation for climate skeptic and Greenpeace co-founder Patrick Moore to deliver a keynote speech at an upcoming conference.
The city caved to pressure from climate activists and academics who don’t believe there’s room to question man-made climate change.
“Keynote speaker Patrick Moore no longer on the Reimagine Conference agenda. This decision aims to refocus discussion back to the gathering’s true intent – to foster meaningful dialogue on how to make the City’s facilities/operations 100% renewable by 2050,” announced the official City of Regina Twitter account.
Earlier this week Regina Mayor Michael Fougere claimed that Moore’s views were “problematic” and asked co-chairs on the council to review the decision to have him as the keynote speaker.
“If you’re not controversial, you’re not shaking anything up at all. I just don’t see why that should be taken as a reason why I shouldn’t be speaking somewhere because I’m controversial,” said Moore.
Moore has a PhD in ecology and has been an outspoken critic of mainstream environmental hysteria and extremism.
He has frequently criticized the claim that humans are the primary cause of climate change.
“I have been de-platformed, cancelled, and round-filed by the great City of Regina for daring to question the God-Given wisdom of the catastrophists. Actually, I don’t want to be part of such a stupid exercise. It’s impossible to make a city 100% renewable,” replied Moore to the announcement.
The cancellation announcement comes after a petition circulated online demanding for Moore’s removal from the conference.
I have been de-platformed, cancelled, and round-filed by the great City of Regina for daring to question the God-Given wisdom of the catastrophists. Actually, I don't want to be part of such a stupid exercise. It's impossible to make a city 100% renewable. https://t.co/MDX3aU1Ln3
Conservative leadership candidate Erin O’Toole stands by his past decision to break ranks with Stephen Harper and vote for a bill enshrining gender ideology into law.
In 2013, O’Toole was one of only 18 Conservative MPs who supported Bill C-279, a private member’s bill sponsored by NDP MP Randall Garrison.
If passed, C-279 would have added self-declared “gender” as a protected identity in the Canadian Human Rights Act and Criminal Code.
The bill described gender identity as “the individual’s deeply felt internal and individual experience of gender, which may or may not correspond with the sex that the individual was assigned at birth.”
True North reached out to the O’Toole leadership campaign for comment. Spokeswoman Melanie Paradis for O’Toole confirmed that he supported C-279 as it pertains to transgender rights.
“It would have been far easier for him to vote with the majority of caucus, but he holds individual rights and Charter protections in the highest regard,” she said.
“[Prime Minister] Harper allowed this vote to be open, and 17 CPC caucus members, including Mr. O’Toole, voted in support of transgender rights. Mr. O’Toole is also an ardent supporter of open votes for matters of conscience.”
Bill C-279 did not pass, but the similar Bill C-16 became law in 2017 under the Trudeau government.
Bill C-16 added both “gender identity” and “gender expression” to the Canadian Human Rights Act and Criminal Code.
The law drew significant controversy, with some critics arguing that it compels Canadians to accept a person’s self-declared pronouns under the threat of prosecution.
The Bill was opposed by famous University of Toronto Professor Jordan Peterson who spoke against it before a senate committee in 2017.
The unintended consequences of the law also compromise female-only spaces like change rooms and women’s shelters as biological males who identify as females must now be allowed to use these facilities.
In 2019 Vancouver Rape Relief and Women’s Shelter, Canada’s oldest rape crisis centre, saw its provincial funding cut due to its policy of only serving vulnerable and traumatized biological women.
O’Toole was not present for the vote on Bill C-16, but C-279 would have had similar results.
During his leadership campaign, O’Toole has declared himself to be a “true blue” conservative who opposes cancel culture and the far left.
The O’Toole campaign says that he did not vote on Bill C-16 because he was out campaigning during his previous Conservative leadership bid.
Despite the implicit threats to free speech found in both bills, the O’Toole campaign maintains that he will continue to support free speech for all Canadians.
“Mr. O’Toole is a true blue conservative who believes in the rule of law and freedom of speech, and he will always defend the rights of Canadians,” Paradis says.
“He has been completely consistent in his approach to championing rights and stands by his voting record.”
