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Tuesday, July 8, 2025

LEVY: Jew-hating mayhem continues under Toronto Police and Chow

By
Sue-Ann Levy
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Source: Facebook

When the hateful Al Quds day protesters were kicked out of the grounds of Queen’s Park in 2015 they took to the city-owned parkland north of the Legislature and subsequently to the streets of downtown Toronto to call for the destruction of Israel.

They marched up University Ave without a permit and get this, with the Toronto police accompanying them.

I know. I was there and was singled out for being a Zionist, five years before it became a regular thing on the city’s streets.

In 2019 city staff and the Toronto police were supposed to enforce bylaw contraventions — meaning the Al Quds haters, who engaged in this yearly display of Jew hatred sanctioned by the Iranian regime, were not supposed to occupy public property or block major roadways without a permit.

City officials were instructed to issue trespass warnings and to seek reimbursement from the Al Quds organization if they protested on city property without a permit.

For their part, police were ordered to take “swift and immediate action” against any evidence of anti-Semitism on city property, including that on placards and expressed during speeches.

I saw it all—the hateful placards, the calls for the destruction of the Jewish state and the comparison of Zionism to Nazism as young girls in niqabs holding professionally made signs trailed their fathers and brothers in western dress up University Ave.

It was all a ruse — one that set a dangerous precedent for what’s occurred over the past 10 months.

Despite tough (and cheap) talk from our politicians at the time, absolutely nothing was done.

Even though the city went to great lengths to outline what should be done about incidences of hate activity under its City of Toronto Hate Activity Policy — including notifying police and documenting the incident—nothing was ever done.

Even though the city have bylaws to prevent disruption of traffic, the police let them stay.

The die was cast.

Last March, in fact, Jewish councillor James Pasternak, received a response to an inquiry that was full of contradictions.

He was told if hate activity is found to occur on city property, permits could be refused in the future for such protests or rallies. However, the letter also said, the city does not issue permits for rallies on roadways, even though they disrupt traffic.

The letter did say that protest organizers are to contact police first to make arrangements for police presence and the police are there largely to keep the peace.

Despite a motion to council last October authored by Mayor Olivia Chow herself to stem the rising hate in Toronto, it was all lip service. Police aren’t prepared to do a darn thing.

It has become abundantly clear that city officials and the police have abandoned their responsibility to keep our public roadways, our squares and our neighbourhoods free of bullying, hate, threats and intimidation of the Jewish community.

It’s clear that the police and our politicians are afraid of and intimidated by the protesters.

With no pressure from our politicians, the mayhem continues. In fact, I would bet that Mayor Olivia Chow, based on her lacklustre response to the Jewish community, is happy for it to continue. 

Over the past 10 months — since the atrocities of October 7 — I’ve lost count how many pop-up anti-Israel hate fests have taken over the streets of downtown Toronto. 

The anti-Israel, pro-Palestinian hate mongers know they can do virtually anything with impunity.

I sense they feel they own our streets.

Perhaps the most obvious indication that they feel they can do whatever they want on the city’s streets was their pop-up prayerfest on Aug. 3 which tied up traffic for 30 minutes near the Toronto Eaton Centre.

The group of protesters plopped themselves down on top of mats and Palestinian flags over the streetcar tracks as if they owned the city.

The police called it a peaceful protest protected by the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

What utter B.S. 

None of the protests are peaceful and no one is protected under the Charter to call for the destruction of the Jewish state or to block busy roadways.

The prayer pop-up was an attempt to show who’s boss and to intimidate Toronto’s citizens, not just Jews.

It’s very sad to see what has become of our city.

The combination of a cowardly police chief and activist politicians have sent a strong message that occupying streets to pray, to protest, to scream for the destruction of the Jewish state is perfectly acceptable.

Never mind the illegal occupation of a busy roadway.

Forget about bylaws, hate policies and the illusion that police are keeping the peace.

Their inaction — and that of our weak mayor—has simply ramped up the bullying, the intimidation and violence.

Over three in five Canadians want to see CBC partially or fully defunded

By
Clayton DeMaine, True North Wire
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Source: cbc.ca

A majority of Canadian taxpayers support defunding the Canadian Broadcasting Centre entirely or in part.

According to a poll commissioned by True North and conducted by One Persuasion, 61.1% of Canadians support defunding the CBC in some capacity.

When it comes to completely cutting off the CBC from taxpayer funds, 29.2% of Canadians supported the idea. Meanwhile, 31.9% of Canadians want to see “some parts of the CBC, like English language television or CBC News” defunded while the rest is maintained.

As for supporters of CBC funding, less than four in ten taxpaying Canadians, 38.9%, want to continue to fully fund the public broadcaster.

The poll was commissioned by the True North Centre for Public Policy and was conducted by One Persuasion Inc. An online panel of 1,005 Canadians was polled between August 2-7, 2024. The results were balanced and weighted to match the demographics of Canada. While an online panel does not have a margin of error, an equivalent poll of this size has a margin of error of 3.1% nineteen times out of twenty.

Younger Canadians aged 18 to 34 were the most likely to want to partially defund the public broadcaster, with over half supporting cuts prioritizing core parts such as English TV and CBC News. 

About 70% of Canadians aged 18-34 support either completely defunding the CBC or making cuts to its core parts.

Males aged 55 and up were the most likely to support the status quo, with 49% saying it should continue to be fully funded by taxpayers. 40% of females over 55 said the same.

Those with a college or trade school level education were the most likely to call for a complete defunding of the CBC, with 36% saying it should receive no taxpayer support and 32% saying it should receive cuts while maintaining some programming.

Those with a postgraduate level of education were the most likely, 46%, to support the status quo of full funding and the least likely, 20%, to want to stop paying for the CBC entirely.

Only half of those who voted for the NDP and Bloc Quebec in the 2021 election, 49% and 50%, respectively, and 55% of those who voted Liberal in the same year said they would support a full continuation of funding.

For the NDP and BQ voters, 36% of each party thought the CBC should be partially defunded, while 30% of the Liberals said they would support the same. Around 15% of the NDP, BQ and Liberal voters said they would like to see the CBC defunded entirely.

Nearly half, 49%, of Canadians who voted for the NDP, BQ and Liberal in 2021 want to defund the CBC in some capacity.

Half of those who voted Conservative in 2021 supported a total cessation of tax funding to the CBC, while 29% wanted to partially defund the public broadcaster.

“Giving the state broadcaster more than $1 billion every year is a waste of taxpayers’ money, so the government should defund the CBC,” Franco Terrazzano, the federal director for the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, told True North in an email.

“The CBC will cost taxpayers $1.4 billion this year, which would cover the cost of more than 80,000 families’ grocery bills for an entire year,” he said. “Taxpayers shouldn’t be forced to fund a media company, independent media shouldn’t be forced to fund their competitors, and the government shouldn’t be in the business of paying journalists’ salaries. For all these reasons, the CBC shouldn’t get a single penny from taxpayers.”

“A man of principle, integrity and compassion,” former Conservative MP Chuck Strahl dies at 67

By
Quinn Patrick, True North Wire
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Source: Facebook

Former Conservative MP Chuck Strahl has died at the age of 67 after suffering from mesothelioma, a form of cancer, his family confirmed on Wednesday. 

“It is with great sadness and broken hearts that we share the news of the passing of our Dad, Chuck Strahl on August 13, 2024 in Chilliwack, BC after a courageous and exemplary battle with mesothelioma,” reads a post to X by Strahl’s family. 

Former prime minister Stephen Harper expressed his sadness over the loss of his “valued friend and colleague” in a post to X where he called Strahl “an outstanding Minister of Agriculture, Transport, Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development.”

“None who served with Chuck will ever forget his warm and personable character, natural talent as a communicator, and striking baritone voice. Chuck was also a man of abiding faith. His positivity shone through even as he navigated the toughest of challenges,” said Harper. 

Born in 1957 in New Westminster, British Columbia, Strahl represented the Chilliwack-Fraser Canyon riding in B.C. and was appointed to Cabinet in 2006 by Harper where he served as Minister of Agriculture, Minister of Indian and Northern Affairs and Minister of Transport.

He first ran for public office in 1993 and was elected as a federal Member of Parliament for six consecutive elections. Strahl served the community of Chilliwack and its surrounding area for 18 years. 

He helped to negotiate the Tsawwassen First Nation Final Agreement in 2007, which formed the nation’s jurisdiction in B.C. 

Strahl left the House of Commons in 2011 to become chair of Canada’s security intelligence review committee, which oversaw the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, before stepping down in 2014. 

Before entering politics, Strahl worked for his family’s logging business as well as a businessman in other ventures.  

He was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2005 at the age of 48.

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre shared his condolences with Strahl’s family, calling him a man of “principle, integrity and compassion” who had an “unwavering commitment” to the Conservative movement. 

“Very sad to learn of the passing of a dear friend of mine and of our Conservative family, Chuck Strahl,” said Poilievre in a post to X. 

“Chuck’s unwavering commitment to our movement and his deep love for Canada were part of everything he did. He was a man of principle, integrity, and compassion, and a foundational member of our Conservative Party. My thoughts and prayers are with his family, all his friends, and those who had the privilege of knowing him. We will miss him dearly.”

Strahl’s family called him their “biggest promoter and our rock” in their statement on his passing. 

“Our loss is deep and profound. Our Dad was our best friend, our greatest defender, our biggest promoter and our rock,” reads his family’s post. “We will share more details on his celebration of life in the days ahead and thank you for all of the love and sympathy that has already been shared.”

The Daily Brief | Do you support government subsidies for the media?

By
Lindsay Shepherd
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Source: Flickr / Steve Harris

Support to increase government subsidies for the media is highest among young Canadians according to a new poll commissioned by the True North Centre for Public Policy.

Plus, U.S. Homeland Security is tightening the rules for asylum seekers at the Canadian border.

And Canada’s two major railways will come to a halt next week if a strike goes ahead.

Tune into The Daily Brief with Lindsay Shepherd and Isaac Lamoureux.

BC United promises to eliminate income taxes for 60% of British Columbians 

By
Noah Jarvis, True North Wire
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Source: X

BC United wants to eliminate taxes for the province’s lowest-income earners.

In a press conference in front of British Columbia’s legislature, BC United leader Kevin Falcon announced that if elected, a BC United government would eliminate income taxes for residents earning $50,000 or less. The policy comes as the party plummets in the polls ahead of a fall election.

“A BC United government will eliminate provincial income tax on the first $50,000 earned by every British Columbian,” said Falcon.

BC United is pledging to make the first $50,000 in income tax-free by increasing the province’s basic personal exemption from $12,580. 

BC United claims that with the change to the province’s tax code, around 60% of British Columbians will not have to pay any income taxes and will save the average person around $2,050. However, those affected will still have to pay federal income taxes.

BC United estimates that the tax cut will cost the provincial government $5.4 billion in revenues. However, the party says that they can offset the loss by increasing economic growth and consumer spending which they say their policies will encourage.

In a comment to True North, a BC United spokesperson said that the party would not only lower taxes but balance the province’s budget within a year in government.

“BC United is committed to balancing the budget within the first term,” said a BC United spokesperson.

“We’ll also limit spending increases to CPI plus population growth, ensuring fiscal responsibility. We expect increased revenues to government due to economic growth, and we are the only party committed to balancing the budget.”

In fiscal year 2024-25, British Columbia’s government is estimated to take in $81.5 billion while spending $89.4 billion in the budget, a $7.9 billion deficit. The provincial debt sits at $71.9 billion.

BC United says that, unlike other tax measures, their policy of increasing the basic personal exemption will make an immediate difference.

“Our policy will make an immediate difference. British Columbians won’t be waiting around for tax season for a rebate or a tax credit.”

Falcon promised that their tax cut would not result in service cuts for the province, but NDP Premier David Eby argues that it will.

“I think he is truly revealing who he is. Which is someone who is even to the right of John Rustad when it comes to cutting public services in service to a particular ideology,” said Eby at a press conference.

The splashy tax announcement comes after BC United have been struggling to retain party supporters and contain the rise of the BC Conservatives, slipping to a distant fourth place in public opinion polls.

In a comment to True North, BC Conservative spokesperson Anthony Koch questioned the legitimacy and authenticity of such an announcement from BC United.

“After lobbying for weeks to remind BCers that they used to be Liberals, BC United are now trying once again to pretend to be Conservatives,” said Koch.

“If you want real tax cuts and common sense policies, vote for the real deal in the Conservative Party of British Columbia, not a deeply unserious 4th place party fighting daily to keep a single seat.”

Smith demands overhaul of “broken” equalization as Alberta shoulders federal burden

By
Isaac Lamoureux, True North Wire
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Source: X

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has called for a complete overhaul of the equalization and federal transfer scheme. 

She said, in a post to X on Tuesday, that the current system is broken and holds Alberta back while encouraging “dysfunctional policies that stifle growth in other provinces.”

Smith attached a photo to her post from a Fraser Institute study released on Tuesday, showing that Alberta’s net contribution to federal finances was $244.6 billion between 2007 and 2022, more than five times that of the province in second place, British Columbia, at $46.9 billion.

The study highlighted various other measures where Alberta punched above its weight class. The data used were primarily from 2022, the most recently available. 

Alberta’s real GDP grew by 5% in 2022, accounting for 17.9% of the country’s real GDP growth, despite only being home to 11.6% of the population. Without Alberta, the rest of the country saw its real GDP grow by 3.9%.

Alberta also saw the most net provincial migration in 2022, with 56,245 Canadians relocating to Alberta, more than six times more than the second province, Nova Scotia at 8,526 Canadians. The province with the most outward interprovincial migration was Ontario, which saw 41,929 residents leave for other provinces.

The first quarter of 2024 marked the 11th straight quarter where Alberta saw net gains through interprovincial migration, with 12,500 more people coming to the province from others than leaving. In 2024’s first three months, Alberta saw a net influx of 12,482 residents through interprovincial migration.

Alberta also led the country in private-sector employment growth at 7.8%. The rest of the country, sans Alberta, saw employment in the private sector grow 4.5%.

The study concluded that if Alberta were an “average contributor” rather than a large net contributor, the federal government would have had a fiscal shortfall of $16.9 billion in 2022. To compensate for the loss, the federal GST rate would have to increase from 5.0% to 7.2%. 

Various premiers discussed equalization payments and whether the formula should be changed at the 2024 Council of the Federation in Halifax, a biannual meeting held in July.

Québec Premier François Legault highlighted that his province needed to continue receiving equalization payments to be able to offer equivalent services but said that his long-term goal was to create wealth so his province no longer needed to receive any payments. 

“It is a complex formula to apply. There are 34 criteria that are used, but the underlying principle, the most important principle, is to have fiscal capacity that is equivalent once you take into account these equalization payments,” said Legault. 

While Alberta had the largest net contribution to federal finances between 2007 and 2022 of $244.6 billion, Quebec had the least — seeing a negative contribution of $327.7 billion.

Alberta held a referendum in 2021, where 61.7% of voters opted to remove equalization from Canada’s constitution. 

“Last year, I put forward a paper about how we might be able to modify it to better match what it was supposed to be roughly equivalent tax rates delivering roughly equivalent programs rather than overcompensating some provinces and under-reporting certain sources of revenue,” said Smith.

Smith’s paper suggested maintaining the current equalization system for the first four years, but redistributing excess GDP to all provinces on a per capita basis. By the fifth year, she suggested implementing a macro-based approach by using nominal GDP per capita to measure disparities. Between the sixth and tenth years, the new system would bring the capacity provinces are equalized from 100% to 95%. 

British Columbia joined Newfoundland and Labrador’s legal challenge against the equalization formula in July.

“I don’t know necessarily that I want the Supreme Court deciding this solution,” Smith told Canada’s other premiers. “I think it’s up to us at this table to come together with a new formula that will work for all of us, and hopefully be able to have a partner in the federal government who will modify it.”

Smith added that she doesn’t think those initially designing the formula ever thought Newfoundland and Labrador would be net payers, with large provinces being net recipients. 

Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe told the other premiers that his province also plans to intervene in the court case.

Trudeau calls Poilievre’s tariff proposal on Chinese goods “baloney”

By
Quinn Patrick, True North Wire
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Source: X

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre’s recent comments on imposing tariffs on Chinese materials “baloney” while speaking with reporters in Napanee, Ont.

He responded to Poilievre’s recent proposal to impose a suite of tariffs on imported Chinese goods while speaking at a press conference hosted by Goodyear Canada to announce federal subsidies for the company to expand its tire plant in Napanee.   

The federal government will be contributing $44.3 million to the plant to help modernize it to make its emissions net-zero over the next two decades. 

The Ontario government will also donate $20 million to the project.  

When asked what he thought of Poilievre’s tariff proposal last week, Trudeau skirted the question and instead went on the attack against the Conservative leader. 

“It’s a bit of a joke that Poilievre is suddenly talking about workers in the auto industry. He has said repeatedly that he wouldn’t be making these investments in our auto industry. He’d be cutting our investments in EVs,” Trudeau told reporters on Wednesday.

“We have been there every step of the way, and the federal Conservatives continue to say they’d cut it all. They don’t support it. They don’t believe in investing in Canadian workers. So for him to suddenly turn around and say, ‘Oh we’re worried about EVs’? That’s baloney.”

While Trudeau didn’t address any potential tariffs in his response, a spokesperson for Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland said that the government would be unveiling its decisions on the issue “soon.”

The U.S. and Mexico have already implemented trade tariffs against China and industry leaders worry that Canada will soon become China’s main target for exports if government action is taken on home soil. 

Poilievre called for the tariffs while speaking in front of Stelco steel workers in Hamilton, Ont. last week, where he accused China of producing “artificially cheap steel, aluminum and EVs.” 

He said that the country’s “massively subsidized steel” is made possible by “exploiting weak environmental and labour standards.”

“They’re doing this with the goal of crushing our steel, our aluminum, and our automotive production, and taking our jobs away,” said Polievre. 

He called on the Trudeau government to impose a similar suite of tariffs akin to the ones introduced by the United States.

His proposal would require Canada to introduce a 100% tariff on made-in-China EVs, a 50% tariff on semiconductors and solar cells and a 25% tariff on steel and aluminum products.

True North contacted Poilievre’s office for a response to Trudeau’s comments in Napanee and a spokesperson said, “our statement stands” in regards to his original tariff proposal. 

Jewish community groups withdraw support from Ottawa Pride after anti-Israel statement

By
Clayton DeMaine, True North Wire
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Source: Facebook

Jewish community groups in Ottawa are pulling support from Capital Pride after the group that organizes the annual Pride events released an anti-Israel statement announcing support for the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement.

The Jewish Federation of Ottawa, a Jewish charity, and its partners in the Jewish community announced Wednesday that it is withdrawing all funding and participation from the Capital Pride Parade. This comes after the Pride organization refused to withdraw anti-Israel statements and reverse its decision to boycott Israel.

Capital Pride starts on Aug. 17, while the parade caps the event off on Aug 25.

In a letter signed by six Jewish rights and community groups, including the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, Hillel Ottawa, and Kehillat Beth Israel – The Jewish Federation of Ottawa claimed Capital Pride’s comments put the safety and inclusivity of the Jewish community further at risk.

“This choice was not made lightly, but we cannot in good conscience support an event that marginalizes Jewish 2SLGBTQ+ individuals and the broader Jewish community. This choice also does not align with Capital Pride’s advertised mission: respecting the full diversity of the 2SLGBTQ+ community,” the statement said. 

“By disregarding our concerns and inviting this year’s Pride event to become a protest against Israel, Capital Pride has chosen a divisive position that further marginalizes Jews, who are victimized by more hate crimes than any other group in Canada.”

According to an annual hate crimes report by Ottawa police from February 2024, 92 or 27% of the 460 hate-related incidents its hate crimes unit investigated in 2023 targeted the Jewish community, representing a 41.5% increase in hate crimes against the Jewish community from the previous year.

For context, the Jewish community made up 1.5% of Ottawa’s over one million residents in 2021, according to the most recent Statistics Canada census. 

“In Ottawa, we are the #1 target for hate crimes even though we are 1% of the population. There was a bomb plot against Ottawa’s Jewish community, our institutions have been targeted multiple times, and shots have been fired at Jewish schools across Canada 6 times since October,” JFO said in a separate statement. “We have good reason to be worried for our safety, and inflaming this hate just makes it more dangerous.”

The coalition of Jewish voices “challenge” Capital Pride to return to its mandate of fostering an inclusive and safe environment for all in the LGBT+ community and to ditch its usage of “divisive politics.”

“Pride doesn’t care about keeping Ottawans safe and is now inviting in an antisemitic protest movement that has been violent and disruptive, targeting Canadian Jews at home because they disagree with a foreign state,” JFO said. “Pride is telling the LGBTQ+ community Pride is only for them if they agree with the Pride Board’s political views.

The JFO aimed at Capital Pride’s accusation that Israel is “pinkwashing” its alleged human rights violations by having gay rights.

“The accusation of pinkwashing is to say that Jews and Israelis are incapable of doing the right thing, except for dishonest reasons. For Pride to publicize this just increases the culture of hate and distrust of Jews,” the group said.

“It’s sad that a handful of board members whose mandate is to respect the full diversity of Ottawa’s LGBTQ+ community chose a divisive position that excludes people,” Dan Pujdak, a senior fellow at the Macdonald Laurier Institute and a Jewish member of the LGBT+ community told True North. “Pride should be a safe and welcoming event for the LGBTQ+ community, not just those who share the board’s opinions on foreign affairs.”

He said many anti-Israel activists target Jewish communities and hold all Jews collectively responsible for any decision the state of Israel makes.

“They should know that spotlighting the war at an event like Pride can contribute to the growing climate of antisemitism and would make most Jews, an already marginalized community, feel unwelcome and unsafe,” Pujdak said. “They should be standing up against antisemitism in Ottawa, but instead, they’re isolating Jews and signalling this year’s Capital Pride is not for everyone.”

Capital Pride did not respond to True North’s requests for comment.

Canada’s two major railways will come to halt next week if strike goes ahead

By
Quinn Patrick, True North Wire
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Source: X

Canada’s two main railways have begun halting shipments ahead of a potential strike that could begin as early as next week, with the negotiation deadline slated for August 22.

“In the absence of reaching a timely tentative agreement or referring all outstanding matters to binding arbitration before the threat of a labour disruption, additional commodities will be subject to embargo,” reads an internal memo from Canadian National Railway Co.’s bargaining team, sent on Tuesday.

The memo, which was first obtained by the Canadian Press, said that the company had started to embargo hazardous goods, including toxic materials, chlorine and ammonia from the U.S. on Monday in anticipation of the strike. 

Canadian Pacific Kansas City Ltd. said it would be temporarily banning traffic of such goods as well as others to ensure that no trains carrying them become stranded on the tracks, should a walkout start next week.

It should say “Teamsters Canada, the union representing the employees for both CN and CPKC, said both companies are pushing for concessions on issues of crew scheduling, rail safety and fatigue management.

“The situation has shifted from a possible strike to a near-certain lockout, with both carriers beginning to embargo shipments in preparation for a shutdown of their operations. CPKC has gone so far as to serve a formal lockout notice, starting August 22,” director of public relations for Teamsters Canada Christopher Monette told True North. 

“We learnt of CN’s lockout plans through a media release,” he added.

CN’s latest update on the negotiations was released last Friday, where the company said that “no progress has been made as the TCRC has not engaged meaningfully at the negotiating table.”

“While CN is willing to keep negotiating with the TCRC, the Company has lost faith in the process and is concerned that a negotiated deal is no longer possible without a willing partner. Therefore, the Company formally requests the Minister of Labour’s intervention,” reads the statement. 

CN went on to say that it has made four offers to the TCRC, including points on wages, rest and labour availability, all of which comply with federal safety regulations.

However, all offers have been rejected thus far. 

“It is the government’s responsibility to ensure the health and safety of Canadians,” said Labour Minister Steven Mackinnnon in a post to X. “It is the responsibility of unions and employers to negotiate deals at the bargaining table.”

“The parties in this dispute have a responsibility to Canadians,” wrote Mackinnon in a statement. “I call upon the parties to stay at the bargaining table and continue holding productive and substantive discussions that meet the needs of this moment. A negotiated agreement is the best way forward.”

Monette said that railroaders work “gruelling on-call schedules, making it extremely difficult to consistently show up to work rested and fit for duty.” 

“CPKC wants to gut the collective agreement of safety-critical fatigue provisions. Some of the targeted language currently helps workers better anticipate when they might be called to work. Gutting these provisions would force train crews to stay awake even longer, increasing the risk of derailments and other accidents. CPKC has also failed to address the understaffing of rail traffic controllers,” said Monette. “Meanwhile, CN is targeting fewer articles around fatigue, but still enough to raise safety concerns.”

According to Monette, CN is demanding  extended workdays in all provinces west of Ontario as well as implementing a forced relocation scheme, which would mandate workers to have to move across the country to fill labour shortages wherever necessary.

“From the very beginning, rail workers have only ever sought a fair and equitable agreement. Unfortunately, both rail companies are demanding concessions that could tear families apart or jeopardize rail safety. Rail workers have fought for a safer and more humane industry for decades, and we will not accept moving backwards,” said Paul Boucher, President, Teamsters Canada Rail Conference.

The two railway companies warned that they are prepared to lock out 9,300 engineers, conductors and yard workers on Aug. 22 if the ongoing negotiations don’t result in new contracts being finalized over scheduling and wages.

A work stoppage would result in major supply chain disruptions across Canada, affecting industries like agriculture, mining, forestry and public health. 

“Supply chains require predictability to function properly. Unfortunately, even the possibility of an unpredictable labour disruption and subsequent disorderly shutdown creates a safety risk and unacceptable uncertainty for industries that depend on rail. Prolonged uncertainty will impact consumers and workers across industries and across Canada,” reads CN’s statement. 

Poll finds support for more media subsidies highest among young Canadians

By
Isaac Lamoureux, True North Wire
-
Source: Unsplash

Support to increase government subsidies for the media is highest among young Canadians according to a new poll commissioned by the True North Centre for Public Policy. 

The survey was conducted by the polling group One Persuasion. While pollsters found that most Canadians supported maintaining the status quo or boosting government funding for the media, survey respondents between 18 and 34 years of age were the biggest advocates of more subsidies. 

According to the poll, 57% of males in this age group said the current funding for Canadian media should be maintained, while 22% said it should be increased. For women in the same age group, 47% said taxpayer subsidies should be maintained, and 17% said they should be increased.

In comparison, men and women between the ages of 35 and 54 had the lowest support for increased subsidies. Across all age brackets, 58.1% of Canadians wanted to see the status quo or government spending on media increased. Broken down further, 13.5% of those polled wanted more spending and 44.6% supported current spending. 

Despite Google’s $100 million media bailout, CBC still laid off 700 employees in Dec. The $100 million, to be issued annually, is part of a five-year deal worth $500 million.

Although the public broadcaster laid off hundreds of employees, the CBC awarded $18.4 million in taxpayer-funded bonuses to its employees in the 2023-24 fiscal year.

The strongest support for eliminating taxpayer funding and subsidies to Canada’s news and media sector was found among males and females aged 55 and older, at 27% and 28% respectively.

However, males who support decreasing taxpayer funding and subsidies for the sector were most commonly between the ages of 35 and 54, at 21%. The strongest support for decreasing amongst females was still held by those aged 55 or older, at 22%. This was trailed only slightly by females aged 35 to 54, 21% of whom supported decreasing taxpayer funding and subsidies for the sector. 

Executives at some of Canada’s top media outlets have recognized the trust crisis brewing in the industry. CBC President and CEO Catherine Tait and other media leaders convened in 2023 for the “Trust Talks” initiative to discuss how to repair the situation including how increased government funding has led to mistrust by challenging perceptions of journalistic impartiality..

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has blamed “conspiracy theorists” for this erosion of trust.

The education level of those with the strongest support for eliminating taxpayer funding and subsidies for Canada’s news and media sector was a tie between Canadians who had graduated high school or less and attended trade school or college, at 27%. 

The lowest and highest income bracket saw a small difference, with 28% of Canadians who make less than $50,000 a year and 27% of those who make more than $150,000 a year saying taxpayer funding or subsidies for the sector should be eliminated. 

Other major media industry players like Québecor and Bell have also faced significant layoffs and restructuring. Métro Média and various Bell Canada radio stations were closed in 2023. 

Another near-tie was found amongst those who said taxpayer funding and subsidies should be maintained for the news sector, with 48% of Canadians who possessed an undergraduate degree and 49% of those with a postgraduate degree holding that belief. 

While Canadians with the highest level of education were most likely to say that the government should increase taxpayer funding for Canada’s news and media sector, the lowest-income Canadians most commonly said the same. 

CBC received an additional $42 million in the Liberals’ 2024 federal budget, on top of the $1.4 billion the broadcaster is already set to receive in taxpayer funding for 2024-25.

17% of Canadians with a postgraduate degree said taxpayer subsidies should be increased for the media sector. In comparison, 16% of those who made less than $50,000 a year said the same. Only 9% of Canadians with a high school diploma or less held the same belief. 

Support for taxpayer funding media varied greatly between regions as well.

The region with the most support for eliminating subsidies for the media sector was the Prairies, with 36% of its residents holding that belief. The other side of the spectrum saw 15% of Québécois support eliminating taxpayer funding. 

No region wants taxpayer funding and subsidies for Canada’s news sector decreased more than Ontario, with 22% of its residents saying it should be decreased. The region with the most support to increase taxpayer funding and subsidies was the Atlantic, where 18% of residents felt that way.

The poll was commissioned by the True North Centre for Public Policy and was conducted by One Persuasion Inc. An online panel of 1,005 Canadians was polled between August 2-7, 2024. The results were balanced and weighted to match the demographics of Canada. While an online panel does not have a margin of error, an equivalent poll of this size has a margin of error of 3.1% nineteen times out of twenty.

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