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Saturday, May 17, 2025

Windsor refuses to fund asylum hotels as Ottawa offloads cost to municipalities

By
Quinn Patrick, True North Wire
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Source: Facebook

The City of Windsor announced that it will no longer be continuing to fund a program for asylum claimants, telling the Trudeau government that it “messed up” Canada’s immigration system. 

Windsor’s housing assistance program provides food and shelter for claimants and is financed under the federal government’s funding model. 

However, the federal government recently announced it would be offloading its financial responsibility to municipalities and provinces.

“Right now, the federal government is funding the full share of its programs to support asylum claimants, as they should be. But they’re looking to stop doing that, and expecting municipalities and the province to start paying, and that is unconscionable,” said Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens in a statement released Wednesday.

“The current federal government has messed up the immigration system. What we see right now with respect to housing and health care is brought on by so many people being allowed in at one time that the system could not absorb it.”

According to a report compiled by Windsor City Council, at the height of the city’s asylum claimant program, three local hotels were accommodating over 2,300 people across a total of 439 rooms from Jan. 2023 to Dec. 2024.

The report was presented to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, which has been responsible for the program’s funding as well as its contracting of hotels and food providers. 

The City of Windsor and other community organizations also helped to facilitate support when it came to claimants’ immediate needs.

After the IRCC recently issued departure notices for at least 840 asylum claimants slated to take effect within the first quarter of this year, many locals fear it will lead to an increase in homelessness and the subsequent impacts that will have on the city’s shelter system as well as Windsor’s rental market. 

Human and Health Services Commissioner Andrew Daher said the latest developments in the program were given with “such short-term notice and limited options” that many are likely to wind up on the streets. 

“The situation places significant additional pressure on the city’s emergency shelter system,” he said, adding that “it would be extremely difficult within an already strained system to address the broader challenges of accommodating asylum claimants while also dealing with the large number of households experiencing homelessness in our community.”

As many as 902 households are currently experiencing homelessness in Windsor, an increase of 26% from 2023. 

The city’s emergency shelters have also seen an 8% jump in people and a 43% increase in the length of stay. 

From January to October of last year, emergency shelters were operating at a 95% capacity rate nightly.

The City of Windsor received $106,000 in funding from the IRCC under the federal Interim Housing Assistance Program to reimburse expenses incurred by housing claimants. 

The funding will apply again by the end of the month to recover 2024 expenses. 

However, going forward the federal government will require both provinces and municipalities to continue shouldering the costs. 

While the IHAP program set aside $1.1 billion nationwide to supplement some of the costs from 2024-2027, after that provinces and municipalities will be required to cover the full cost of the program

“The new IHAP directives make it clear that the federal government is looking to download costs associated with the asylum claimant portfolio to Windsor taxpayers, and we’re not willing to accept that,” said Wilkens. 

“The IHAP program should not require any municipal cost-sharing and should include long-term financial commitments from the federal government to support asylum claimants in communities across Canada, including here in Windsor. We’re certainly going to advocate for that, and to ensure that our voices are heard loudly up in Ottawa.”

Doug Ford to call early Ontario election for Feb. 27: reports

By
Cosmin Dzsurdzsa, True North Wire
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Source: Facebook

Ontario Premier Doug Ford is sending Ontarians to the polls next month, nearly a year-and-a-half ahead of schedule, True North has learned.

Sources have told True North and other media outlets that Ford is slated to have the legislature dissolved next Wednesday, with an election slated for February 27.

The move comes as Ford points to the need to navigate the threat posed by looming U.S. tariffs on Canadian goods.

“We need a mandate from the people, we need a mandate to possibly spend billions of dollars to protect people’s jobs, to protect businesses, and to protect communities, and there’s only one group of people, I mean, one group that is gonna give me the mandate and that’s the people. That’s democracy,” said Ford. 

The Ontario Progressive Conservatives have been gearing up for an early vote for months, nominating candidates and putting themselves on an election footing.

Ford has articulated his rationale for an unscheduled election, stressing the importance of democratic consent for significant financial decisions aimed at protecting jobs, businesses, and communities within Ontario.

Ontario does have scheduled elections every four years, but as in all Canadian provinces, elections can, in fact, be called effectively at any time with a request by the premier to the lieutenant-governor, the provincial counterpart to the Governor General.

However, this decision has not gone unchallenged. NDP Leader Marit Stiles has criticized the move, asserting that the current government already holds sufficient power to address the tariff issues without calling for an early vote. 

“He has a mandate, he is the premier of a province, he has a majority government, he can pass any legislation he basically wants to,” said Stiles. 

“This isn’t about standing up to Mr. Trump, this is about Mr. Ford wanting to gain more seats.”

Stiles further accuses Ford of using the election as a diversion from pressing local issues, notably the province’s healthcare system, which has been under strain.

Echoing similar sentiments, Liberal Leader Bonnie Crombie has labelled the prospective election as “unnecessary” and potentially “divisive.” 

“President Trump’s tariffs should be treated as a threat, not as an excuse to call an unnecessary early election,” said Crombie. 

She argues that the call for an early election is more of a political manoeuvre than a genuine response to the tariff threat. 

The speculation about an early election has been brewing since last spring, predating Donald Trump’s recent re-election.

Trump tells WEF that the U.S. doesn’t need Canada’s energy, lumber or auto exports

By
Quinn Patrick, True North Wire
-
Source: The White House

U.S. President Donald Trump used his World Economic Forum special address to say that his administration could do without Canadian energy or imports from its auto and lumber sectors. 

Trump said that Canada has been very “tough to deal with” while speaking before the World Economic Forum, an elite summit of the world’s political and business leaders in Davos, Switzerland.

“We’re going to be demanding respect from other nations … Canada has been very tough to deal with over the years,” he said in a speech on Thursday.

“We don’t need them to make our cars, and they make a lot of them. We don’t need their lumber because we have our own forests,” he continued. “We don’t need their oil and gas, we have more than anybody.”

The Canadian Chamber of Commerce calculated that approximately $3.6 billion in goods cross the border every day, facilitating a trade relationship between Canada and the U.S. that accounts for across both countries. The sectors Trump mentioned are among the top exports Canada sends to the U.S.

Trump went on to cover familiar ground that the offer remained for Canada to join the U.S. as the 51st state.

He said that under those circumstances the country could avoid its deficit with the U.S. and evade his proposed 25% import tariff on all Canadian goods slated to take effect Feb. 1. 

Economists have warned that a trade war with the U.S. would likely lead to hundreds of thousands of workers being in Canada being laid off.

Ottawa has pledged to respond with sweeping retaliatory tariffs on U.S. imports, potentially ending a longstanding amicable trade relationship between the two nations. 

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told reporters on Thursday that Canada is “ready to respond in a strong way, but in a way that will be stepping up, gradually.”

He said that “two things will happen,” as a result of a trade war with the U.S., the first being Canada’s “strong, robust response,” followed by “prices for American consumers on just about everything” increasing.

“I don’t think he wants that,” said Trudeau.

The prime minister said that if Trump is sincere about ushering the U.S. into a new golden age, he would require “more of the things that Canada is already sending them as a reliable and trustworthy partner.”

Canada currently supplies the bulk crude oil imports south of the border where it is then refined, accounting for 60% of all U.S. production in 2023 and 99% of its natural gas. 

As for the auto sector, Canada exported 92% of vehicles manufactured domestically to the U.S. in 2022, according to data from the Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers Association. 

That’s not including auto parts, which cross borders back and forth from Canada to Mexico multiple times in the assembly process. 

Softwood lumber is another major Canadian export and an industry valued at over $45 billion from the U.S. market alone in 2022, according to Statistics Canada.

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre called on Trudeau to reconvene Parliament immediately on Tuesday, citing a national “emergency” due to the tariff threat.

“Liberals have shut Parliament in the middle of this crisis. Canada has never been so weak, and things have never been so out of control,” he said. “Liberals are putting themselves and their leadership politics ahead of the country. Freeland and Carney are fighting for power rather than fighting for Canada.”

The Conservatives are urging Trudeau to reopen Parliament so that new border controls can be passed, along with trade retaliation agreements and a plan to revive Canada’s economy.

Jagmeet Singh accuses Pierre Poilievre of cozying up to Elon Musk

By
Noah Jarvis, True North Wire
-
Source: X

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh says Pierre Poilievre is just going to do whatever tech mogul Elon Musk tells him.

Speaking at the Canadian Labour Congress’ political action conference, Singh attacked Musk for his involvement with President Donald Trump and mocked Poilievre for joking about his child needing to talk to Musk if he wants to go to Mars.

“Elon Musk is part of an administration that threatened our country. That threatened Canadian jobs. That threatened our sovereignty. Threatened to use economic pressure against our country,” said Singh.

“He (Poilievre) said he’s a great guy. He wants to go to Mars. ‘My kiddo, my kiddo wants to go to Mars.’ Yeah even with the Nazi sign, he’s accepted the endorsement.”

Singh was referring to a gesture Musk made at an inauguration day rally for Trump, though Musk denies the gesture had any sinister meaning.

Singh then claimed that Poilievre is Musk’s ‘guy’ and implied that Musk has influence over the decisions that the Conservative leader makes.

“Elon Musk knows that Pierre Poilievre is his guy in Canada. That’s his guy. He knows that he’ll do whatever he wants, he’s not gonna upset that endorsement,” Singh said. “Guy runs one of the biggest social media platforms, he’s not gonna take him on, he’s not gonna fight back.”

Musk has signalled his approval of Poilievre repeatedly on X, commenting on his videos and complimenting his rhetoric.

A few weeks ago, Poilievre was asked if he accepts Musk’s endorsement, to which he responded by asking Musk to open Tesla factories in Canada.

“The fact is that it would be nice if we could convince Mr. Musk to open some of his factories here in Canada. Create some high paying jobs for our people,” said Poilievre.

“So if I ever get a chance to meet Mr, Musk what I would say is: How do we make this an economy where we bring home hundreds of billions of dollars of investment to Canada so that our people get the paychecks?”

Musk has not backed away from sharing his opinions on Canadian politics, routinely bashing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau over woke politics, free speech, and government regulation. 

Chrystia Freeland campaigning against capital gains hike she implemented

By
Isaac Lamoureux, True North Wire
-
Source: X

Liberal leadership candidate Chrystia Freeland kicked off her campaign by backtracking on two key policies that she was once the foremost supporter of — the capital gains and carbon taxes.

While the Liberal Party of Canada’s leadership race is shaping up as a battle between Chrystia Freeland and Mark Carney, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said it might as well be Freeland versus Freeland.

“She says she was wrong again — wrong on the carbon tax; wrong on the capital gains tax hike; wrong on her GST gimmick,” wrote Poilievre in a post to X. “Her slogan should be: ‘I’m Chrystia, and I was wrong about everything.’”

The capital gains tax has taken centre stage because the CRA is planning to go ahead with the tax hike despite the fact it hasn’t been passed in Parliament.

The Canadian Taxpayers Federation is urging Finance Minister Dominic LeBlanc to cancel the capital gains tax hike in light of Freeland’s opposition.

“If even the finance minister who introduced the capital gains tax hike no longer thinks it’s a good idea, then the government shouldn’t force Canadians to pay it,” said Franco Terrazzano, federal director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation. “LeBlanc must step in and immediately put an end to the undemocratic capital gains tax hike.”

The former finance minister’s change in stance was first reported by Bloomberg, citing an unnamed campaign source. A separate source told Global News that Freeland’s change of heart was influenced by President Donald Trump’s election because he plans to implement policies that make the United States more tax-friendly, which already risks Canadians emigrating.

Freeland introduced the capital gains tax hike in the Liberals’ 2024 budget. She said the tax increase was a “fair” way to fund Liberal spending.

The capital gains tax change would raise the inclusion rate for capital gains tax from 50% to 66.7% on amounts exceeding $250,000. The Liberals estimate receiving an extra $19.4 billion in revenue from raising the tax.

A previous report highlighted that the capital gains tax hike could cost nearly $90 billion in lost GDP and over 400,000 jobs. Another study said it would drive down competition and chase away investment. 

On top of costing Canadians money, Terrazzano said the tax hike was “fundamentally undemocratic” and defies the principle of no taxation without representation.

A ways and means motion was passed last year, but the legislation required to make the motion law was never introduced, debated, or passed. 

Canadian Taxpayers Federation Atlantic director Devin Drover said Canadians can’t wait for the next Liberal prime minister to save the day. 

He echoed Terrazzano’s concerns and said that the CRA is planning to enforce the capital gains increase despite Parliament never voting on amendments to the Income Tax Act.

“That’s why we need to keep pressure on the current government, including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, the new Minister of Finance, and the new Minister of National Revenue, so that they can tell the CRA to stop enforcing a tax hike that is not authorized by law,” said Drover.

Parliament is prorogued until Mar. 24. Poilievre has demanded that Parliament be recalled immediately to deal with Trump’s tariff threats. He also vowed that he would reverse the capital gains tax hike.

Freeland also recently revealed that she would cut the consumer carbon price of the carbon tax. 

She said that her turning point came when she talked with Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew after he was elected. Freeland said he asked for a carbon tax plan without a consumer price, similar to the cap and trade in Quebec. 

“I think it’s actually a very arrogant position for a political leader to think they know everything. If people are telling you something, you really have to listen,” said Freeland.

Kinew was elected as Manitoba’s premier in Oct. 2023.

Former Alberta trustee appeals decision confirming expulsion from school board

By
Noah Jarvis, True North Wire
-
Source: Instagram

Former Red Deer Catholic school trustee Monique LaGrange is appealing an Alberta court decision that confirmed her expulsion from the school board over a controversial meme she posted to social media.

LaGrange was reprimanded for violating the trustee code of conduct by her colleagues on the Red Deer Catholic School Board in Sept. 2023 for a picture she posted to Instagram. The meme featured an archival photo of German children waving the Nazi flag juxtaposed with a picture of current-day children waving the Pride Progress flag in a school classroom, with the caption “brainwashing is brainwashing.”

LaGrange’s original censure demanded that she stop making public statements about the LGBTQ community and the Holocaust, complete multiple sensitivity training courses at her own expense, and issue a public apology, among other demands.

LaGrange said that undergoing re-education and issuing an apology would be impossible to do without violating her conscience, so shedecided to forego the measures.

Red Deer Catholic trustees voted to kick her off of the board in Nov. 2023 after she failed to comply with the board’s orders.

Working with the Democracy Fund, lawyer James Kitchen filed an application on LaGrange’s behalf to an Alberta court seeking an order quashing the school board’s decision and unconditional reinstatement to the board. 

Justice Cheryl Arcand-Kootenay ruled that the board’s decision to expel LaGrange was reasonable and there was no procedural unfairness.

Arcand-Kootenay quashed the board’s demands that LaGrange attend sensitivity training and  make an apology deemed “sincere” by the board, but confirmed all other sanctions and the expulsion.

LaGrange’s attorney says that the trustee code of conduct allows left-wing trustees to kick their colleagues off of the board for holding diverging political and religious beliefs.

“Never before has an Alberta board of school trustees kicked another trustee off the board for what effectively amounts to a disagreement regarding expressed political and religious beliefs (disguised, in our view, as trustee misconduct),” said Kitchen.

“Such an outcome has been made possible by the recent adoption of trustee codes of conduct by Alberta school boards. These new codes enable a majority of trustees to censor and cancel individual trustees with whom they politically disagree.”

Kitchen says the decision sets a poor precedent for democracy and free speech rights.

“Disqualifying a democratically-elected representative based on public comments sets a dangerous precedent. It undermines free speech rights, tolerance for political diversity, and representative democracy by allowing officials to impose ideological purity tests on electoral candidates.”

The notice of appeal has been filed to the Alberta Court of Appeal who will decide whether to hear the case.

The Daily Brief | Poilievre says there’s only two genders

By
Isaac Lamoureux
-
Source: Facebook

Hitting back at a reporter’s question over the U.S. gender policy, Pierre Poilievre says he is only aware of two genders.

Plus, Liberal leadership candidate Chrystia Freeland quietly scrubs her World Economic Forum ties from the internet.

And Ottawa parents are sounding the alarm over the diversion and reselling of so-called “safe supply” drugs.

Tune into The Daily Brief with Isaac Lamoureux and Noah Jarvis!

The Candice Malcolm Show | Are there any other genders you’d like to name? (With Keean Bexte)

By
Candice Malcolm
-

Pierre Poilievre slaps down a woke reporter pushing gender ideology, but will he put his money where his mouth is and implement common sense legislation on protecting women from gender ideology?

On today’s episode of the Candice Malcolm Show, Candice is joined in-studio by Keean Bexte of the Counter Signal. The two of them discuss Poilievre’s masterclass on dealing with stupid questions from the press, and how Danielle Smith and Donald Trump are both leading on this and many other issues.

Candice and Keean discuss the need for independent journalists, how to access elites and people in power, and Keean walks us through his famous interview with Justin Trudeau on a beach in Tofino, British Columbia last summer.

In her opening monologue, Candice says enough is enough and demands a federal election in Canada. Trudeau resigned and we don’t have a Prime Minister, at perhaps the most consequential time. If you agree, and want an election, please sign the petition here and help us send a message!

“I’m only aware of two”: Poilievre hits back at reporter over U.S. gender policy question

By
Isaac Lamoureux, True North Wire
-
Source: CTV News

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre flipped a question back onto a news reporter when the journalist asked him about his stance on gender ideology in response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s first moves in office.

CP24 News Anchor Phil Perkins asked Poilievre how he felt about Trump’s recently signed executive order, which mandates the United States government to only recognize two genders.

“Do you have any other genders that you’d like to name?” Poilievre asked Perkins.

Past interactions with journalist and Poilievre have gone viral including the famous apple-munching clip, when he challenged a reporter alleged he was taking a page out of Trump’s playbook

Perkins said he was just asking the question.

“I’m not aware of any other genders than men and women. If you have any other that you want me to consider, you’re welcome to tell me right now,” said Poilievre.

Perkins only named three: men, gender neutral, and transgender.

“I’m only aware of two. If you come up with another list, then you’re welcome to do that,” said Poilievre. “But I’m aware of two. And, as far as I’m concerned, we should have a government that just minds its own damn business and leaves people alone to make their own personal decisions. That’s the kind of government I’m going to run.”

Perkins continued by saying that the Liberals currently allow Canadians to put gender neutral on their passports and asked whether Poilievre would do the same.

The Conservative leader said it was an odd thing to be focused on given the economic disarray the country found itself in.

Poilievre said that 25% of Canadians were living in poverty. He added that housing costs have doubled while crime rampages through the country’s streets.

“My priority is to give people back control of their lives… If the Liberals want to talk about different labels for gender that they want to put on passports in the United States, they can do that,” said Poilievre. “I’m going to talk about the things that will bring home Canada’s promise.”

Poilievre was questioned about the same executive order in a different interview on Wednesday.

During this French interview, he was a bit more specific, saying that he’d bar men from entering women’s prisons, bathrooms, and sports.

The Alberta government previously passed bills that implemented similar policies, focused on protecting parental rights and banning child gender transitions. Poilievre previously praised Smith’s “common-sense protections.”

Conservative MP Jamil Jivani similarly sponsored a petition to halt gender-affirming procedures for minors. 

“We’re going to protect women. That’s common sense,” said Poilievre.

The other side of the political spectrum saw the Liberals make all washrooms on Parliament Hill “gender neutral.” 

The executive order signed by Trump is a lengthy document titled “Defending women from gender ideology extremism and restoring biological truth to the federal government.”

“It is the policy of the United States to recognize two sexes, male and female. These sexes are not changeable and are grounded in fundamental and incontrovertible reality,” reads one clause of the Executive Order. “‘Sex’ shall refer to an individual’s immutable biological classification as either male or female. ‘Sex’ is not a synonym for and does not include the concept of ‘gender identity.’”

Zurich airport expects over 1,000 additional private jet, helicopter flights due to WEF

By
Cosmin Dzsurdzsa, True North Wire
-
Source: Facebook

You can’t fight for the climate flying commercial, apparently.

Zurich Airport, the main gateway for attendees of the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting in Davos, says it’s preparing for 1,000 private jet and helicopter flights for this year’s summit.

The global advocacy group bills its annual gathering as a forum to solve global crises, including climate change.

Business jets, state aircraft, and safety-related helicopter transports are expected to clutter the skies as dignitaries, business tycoons, and thought leaders arrive to discuss the environment and other global issues. 

Most aircrafts burn standard jet fuel, despite efforts to promote the use of aviation biofuel as an alternative. 

The carbon footprint of such high-volume private aviation is not on the programme for discussion. 

Private jets produce significantly more emissions per passenger when compared to commercial flights. A 2021 report from the European Federation for Transport and Environment found that private jets contributed up to 14 times as much pollution per passenger than commercial flights and 50 times as much when compared to trains. 

Adding to the controversy is the logistical strain placed on Zurich Airport. Aircraft are permitted to park for a maximum of two hours unless granted special permits for extended stays, meaning more frequent take offs and landings. 

Among the themes being promoted at Davos this year is “a long-term strategy for climate, nature and energy.” 

The WEF was also the host to a special address on Tuesday by United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres who warned about the impending impact of a climate crisis. 

“We just endured the hottest year and the hottest decade in history. Sea level rise, heat waves, floods, storms, droughts and wildfires are just a preview of the horror movie to come,” said Gutteres. 

“A world where every economy feels the pain of supply chains severed, of infrastructure destroyed, of higher prices.”

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