True North

Last year more than half of the migrants arrested illegally entering the United States from the northern border were Mexican.

Statistics show that 4,316 individuals were arrested along the US-Canada border, 2,245 of which were Mexican citizens. Those who were apprehended were caught trying to enter the United States along various points.

Currently, Mexicans can travel to Canada without a visa if their stay is for six months or less. Visitors from Mexico, only require a Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) if arriving by plane. ETAs are not required if entering Canada by land or sea. The entire process to acquire an ETA takes several minutes to complete and costs only $7.  

The visa requirement was lifted by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in 2016.

“Closer collaboration between Canada and Mexico on mobility issues will also help encourage travel between the two countries while preventing any increase in asylum claims or other irregular migration”, claimed a release on the Prime Minister’s website.

However, the plan to reduce “irregular” migration seems to have backfired since cases of illegal crossings are becoming more frequent as ETAs are being taken advantage of.

In an exclusive report by True North, after the Trudeau government changed Canada’s visa rules, the number of Mexican refugee claimants in Canada skyrocketed.

The number of Mexican asylum claimants to Canada in on track to rise almost 75% above the previous year’s total, or an 840% increase from 2016’s total.

In one recent case, US Border Patrol agents caught ten illegal migrants near the Canadian border in New York state, some of whom were from Mexico.

Shortly before that, in Vermont, a local man was charged with attempting to smuggle five Mexican nationals into the US from Canada on March 21st.

Those apprehended reported paying the individual $4,000 to be smuggled over the border.

With Justin Trudeau’s carbon tax having gone into effect this week, Ontarians in particular maybe seeing an extra large hike on their natural gas bills soon.

Enbridge Gas, which provides the natural gas to practically all gas customers in Ontario has applied to the regulator for an 11 per cent increase.

That could mean up to $100 in added costs to consumers each year. Enbridge has not hidden the fact that the carbon tax is responsible for the hike

The changes must first be approved by the Ontario Energy Board (OEB), which received the application in January.

Enbridge says that the carbon tax was will increase costs for the company so much that it has no choice but to pass on the cost to the consumers — who will also be feeling the effects of the carbon tax themselves.

In addition to their natural gas bills, Canadians can expect the cost of groceries, transit, electricity and gas go up because of the federally-imposed carbon tax.

Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and New Brunswick have all filed lawsuits against the federal government.

The coalition believes that a federal carbon tax is both unconstitutional and harmful to their provinces’ residents and economies.

“The federal carbon tax will eliminate jobs and make life more difficult for families, seniors and everyone who works hard to get ahead in Ontario and across our country,” said Ontario Premier Doug Ford.

True North will be on the ground to cover the carbon tax trial in Toronto Apr. 15 to 18

Since implementation, gas prices have already gone up 4.4 cents per litre in Canada’s largest province.

As the cost of living increases dramatically in his province due to the carbon tax, Ford vows to continue to fight against the carbon tax along with the other premiers for as long as it takes.

When it comes to Canada’s biggest he said/she said standoff, most Canadians are on Jody Wilson-Raybould’s side, according to a new poll.

The poll, taken by Ipsos, suggests 67 per cent of Canadians believe the testimony of Wilson-Raybould in the SNC-Lavalin affair, while only 33 per cent believe Trudeau.

Wilson-Raybould alleges high ranking government officials pressured her while she was attorney general to give a beneficial plea deal to SNC-Lavalin, which is currently on trial for bribery.

Nearly three-quarters of Canadians believe that the RCMP should also get involved in the situation and that charges should be laid against both politicians and staffers if appropriate.

Since this poll was released, Wilson-Raybould and another former cabinet minister, Jane Philpott, have both been expelled from the Liberal caucus as a direct result of the SNC-Lavalin affair.

Trudeau cited a “breakdown of trust” as his reason for removing the two members.

Wilson-Raybould released a recorded phone call between herself and former Clerk of the Privy Council Michael Wernick, implicating the official and the PMO further into the affair.

Philpott, who had no known part in the SNC-Lavalin affair, resigned from cabinet in March after saying she lost confidence in the government’s handling of the issue.

Both remained members of the Liberal caucus and intended to run as Liberals in the federal election this October.

As this scandal has unfolded, the Liberals have plummeted in the polls. Most polls since February have put the Conservatives as the most popular party in Canada.

A more recent poll from Ipsos gave the Conservatives an impressive 10 point lead over the governing Liberals.

It remains to be seen if the Liberals will be able to recover as the situation continues to develop.

Both Wilson-Raybould and Philpott have publicly voiced their disappointment about their removal.

Philpott has voiced her dissatisfaction that she was not allowed to defend herself during the caucus meeting where she was expelled.

“Sadly the decision was made without me being provided any opportunity to speak to national caucus. This is profoundly disheartening for me, my staff and my family – and I know people in Markham–Stouffville will also be disappointed,” said Philpott.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has expelled former ministers, Jody Wilson-Raybould and Jane Philpott from the Liberal caucus over their position on the SNC-Lavalin affair.

Currently the Montreal engineering giant is facing a criminal trial for bribing foreign officials to secure contracts in Libya. If prosecuted the company would face a prolonged suspension from obtaining federal contracts.

Trudeau cited a total breakdown of trust with the two former female cabinet members as the reason behind his decision. The move came shortly after members of the Liberal party met to decide the fate of the two outstanding MPs.

“The trust that previously existed between these two individuals and our team has been broken, whether it’s taping conversations without consent, or repeatedly expressing a lack of confidence in our government or me personally as leader,” said Justin Trudeau.

The decision by the PM comes shortly after former justice minister Wilson-Raybould submitted evidence to the justice committee, including a recording implicating Michael Wernick and the Prime Minister’s Office in attempts to politically pressure her into intervening on behalf of SNC-Lavalin.

Since her expulsion, Wilson-Raybould has taken to her social media to stand by her choice and has previously maintained that her decision to record the phone call with Wernick was necessary for the wellbeing of the party and Canada’s justice system.

“Reflecting on what PM has done, my thoughts are w/ my constituents in [Vancouver-Granville], my dedicated staff & volunteers, my family & friends & all Canadians who believed in a new way of doing politics,” wrote Wilson-Raybould on her Twitter account.

Shortly before the decision by Liberal executives to remove the two from caucus, Wilson-Raybould said that she hoped to remain in the caucus despite the situation.

“I do not believe that I should be removed from caucus for doing my job and for doing what I believe is right,” she said.

In her own statement, MP Jane Philpott claimed that she was not provided with the opportunity to speak to the caucus before her dismissal.

“Sadly the decision was made without me being provided any opportunity to speak to national caucus. This is profoundly disheartening for me, my staff and my family – and I know people in Markham-Stouffville will also be disappointed,” said Philpott.

Due to their dismissal, both MPs will have to find another party banner to run under in October, or proceed independently in the next election.  

The federal carbon tax has now arrived in the four provinces which have refused to implement their own provincial tax.

According to the plan, Ontario, Saskatchewan, New Brunswick and Manitoba will now be charged $20 a tonne for carbon as of April 1st. The tax will increase annually until the year 2020 when it will reach a maximum cap of $50 a tonne.

The tax, which has the potential of raising hundreds of millions in revenue for the federal government is predicted to make daily essentials like groceries, transit, electricity and gas more expensive for Canadians.

Ontario, New Brunswick and Saskatchewan are challenging the tax in federal court on the grounds that it is unconstitutional. True North will be on the ground to cover the carbon tax trial.

According to a study by the NRG Research Group, in the province of New Brunswick 62 per cent of the province’s residents oppose the federal tax, while only 31 per cent support it.

“Our government remains part of a growing coalition of provinces across Canada that oppose this cash-grab, which raises the cost of essentials like home heating and gasoline,” said Ontario Premier Doug Ford.

Ford, who has been a vocal critic of the carbon tax since running for the Premier’s office has claimed that the tax has the potential to shrink Canada’s economy and even lead to a recession. One study by the Conference Board of Canada found that the tax has the potential to hamper the economy by nearly $3 billion.

Another analysis by University of Calgary Professor Jennifer Winter estimated that the carbon tax would cost average taxpayers in Ontario nearly $707 a year, despite the proposed federal rebates.

Consumers in Ontario have already experienced an increase in gas prices by 4.4 cents/litre. The initial rate will also affect propane, butane and aviation fuel prices.

According to a cost analysis by the National Airlines Council of Canada, the cost of air travel alone in Canada will soar once the carbon pricing plan is fully implemented, making long-distance travel within Canada unaffordable for many.

Enbridge Gas, which supplies 99.8 per cent of all natural gas customers in Ontario, is anticipating as much as a 11 per cent increase in response to the carbon tax.

Currently, the constitutional challenge to the tax is still moving through the courts and it is uncertain whether the tax will survive until its final goal of $50 a tonne.