The Toronto Police Service Hate Crime Unit has arrested eleven individuals in connection with an alleged antisemitic property attack targeting a book store. The suspects include a public school teacher and faculty from York University.
Plus, Victoria City Councillor Susan Kim has issued a formal apology for signing her name on an open letter that denied sexual violence at the hands of Hamas following the Oct. 7 attack against Israel.
And a three-day retreat by the Liberal government in Charlottetown, P.E.I., dedicated to examining the escalating cost of living for Canadians, cost taxpayers over $160,000.
Tune into The Daily Brief with Cosmin Dzsurdzsa and Lindsay Shepherd!
An analysis of wind power generation in Alberta found that despite the province’s 44 wind farms, they managed to only produce 0.3% of their total capacity on Wednesday night.
This is according to the outlet Pipeline Online, which tracks wind power generation on a regular basis.
Data from the Alberta Electric System Operator (AESO) showed that wind power output dropped to as low as 14 megawatts out of the 4,420 megawatts total capacity on Wednesday night.
That means only 0.3% of the available wind power was being generated.
Solar power was also at zero output, as expected during nighttime hours, out of 1,470 megawatts.
The combined output of wind and solar was therefore 0.2% of maximum capacity.
The situation did not improve much in the early morning hours, as wind power remained below 100 megawatts until 8 a.m. on Thursday.
At 7:02 a.m., wind power produced 39 megawatts, or 0.9%. Solar power reached zero, as the sun had not risen yet.
The combined output of both renewable energy sources at that time was 39 megawatts. Both sources have a total capacity of 5,890 megawatts, meaning they were operating at 0.7% of capacity.
These numbers are remarkable given the recent expansion of wind farms and solar energy in Alberta.
In the past few months, the province added 802 megawatts of wind power capacity.
Renewable energy sources like wind and solar have been cited as being increasingly unreliable.
The Alberta government has temporarily halted the progress of all wind and solar energy projects, attributing the decision to the necessity of reevaluating project locations and their potential impact on the province’s electrical grid.
Despite assertions from companies in the application stage that they were caught off guard by the abrupt suspension, provincial officials maintain that advance warnings were provided.
Drivers unfairly targeted by photo radar traffic violation traps will be relieved to know that the Alberta government announced a ban on radar “fishing holes” used primarily as a source of generating revenue rather than making the roads safer.
In an announcement on Thursday, Alberta revealed a plan to implement significant changes to the rules governing the use of photo radars.
In response to widespread public frustration over the use of photo radar for revenue generation rather than traffic safety, the provincial government proposed a ban on photo radar operations on ring roads in Calgary and Edmonton.
This decision, based on data collected from across the province, is aimed at addressing concerns raised by residents who have long criticized the use of photo radar as little more than a money-making tool for local governments.
“Alberta has the highest usage of photo radar in Canada, and these changes will finally eliminate the cash cow that affects so many Albertans. Photo radar must only be used to improve traffic safety, and with these changes, municipalities will no longer be able to issue thousands of speeding tickets simply to generate revenue,” said Minister of Transportation and Economic Corridors Devin Dreeshen in a statement.
This comes on top of the Dec. 1, 2019 pause on new photo radar equipment and locations.
Following this, a comprehensive review of the system was conducted, leading to the upcoming ban on ring roads, a move intended to curb what many referred to as “fishing hole” locations meant to trap unsuspecting drivers.
The new rules also include an extension of the cap on any new photo radar equipment, programs, or locations until December 1, 2024. This extended period will facilitate a year-long consultation with municipalities across the province.
Several councillors are on board with the provincial plan, including City of Calgary Ward 10 councillor Andre Chabot.
“I am very pleased to see this change to allow our police force to redeploy photo radar from Stoney Trail into high-risk areas in our communities such as school zones, construction zones and playground zones due to changing traffic patterns. This will result in increased traffic safety for all Calgary drivers and pedestrians,” said Chabot.
During this consultation period, Edmonton and Calgary will have the option to reassign the photo radar units previously used on the ring roads.
The Toronto Police Service Hate Crime Unit has arrested eleven individuals in connection with an alleged antisemitic property attack targeting an Indigo book store on the Bay Street and Bloor Street West area.
The suspects include a public school teacher and faculty from York University.
NEW: Toronto Police hate crime unit make eleven arrests in connection with the Nov. 10 antisemitic posters/graffiti incident at a downtown Indigo book shop, targeting founder Heather Reisman pic.twitter.com/euloAbBNzx
In the early hours of Nov. 10, a group of suspects targeted the Indigo and its Jewish founder Heather Reisman.
The perpetrators glued antisemitic posters to the doors and windows of the business before pouring red paint on the windows and sidewalk. The incident was denounced by the Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center (FSWC) as a “vile antisemitic attack.”
“Sadly, this is the tragic, new reality for Jews today in Canada and around the world which requires more than just condemnations from government leaders,” said FSWC president and CEO Michael Levitt.
Among those arrested were academics and a primary school teacher in the Toronto area.
Nisha Toomey, a 41-year-old Toronto resident and a post-doctoral York University researcher specializing in migration and critical studies, was arrested by police and faces charges of Mischief Over $5,000 and is scheduled to appear in court at the Ontario Court of Justice Jan. 8.
Sharmeen Khan, 45, a financial coordinator at CUPE 3903, was charged with Mischief Over $5,000 and Conspiracy to Commit an Indictable Offence. She is scheduled to appear in court on Jan. 18.
Lesley Wood, 56, associate professor at York University, was charged with Mischief Over $5,000 and Conspiracy to Commit an Indictable Offence. She has a court appearances scheduled for Jan. 19.
Macdonald Scott, 56, who is listed as an immigration consultant with Carranza LLP faces charges of Mischief Over $5000 and Conspiracy to Commit an Indictable Offence. His court appearance is set for January 19, 2024. True North reached out to Carranza LLP and Scott to request a response to the charges.
Carranza LLP refused to comment on the charges and would not confirm whether or not Scott was an employee at the firm.
Suzanne Narain, 38, a primary teacher at the Toronto District School Board (TDSB), faces charges of Mischief Over $5,000 and Conspiracy to Commit an Indictable Offence. Her court appearance is set for Jan. 15.
True North reached out to Toomey, Khan, Scott, Wood and Narain to request comment and a response to the charges. Additionally, the TDSB and York University were also contacted for an opportunity to comment.
The TDSB’s employee directory told True North that Narain was listed as “inactive” and was not currently teaching at the school. Follow up questions about when Narain stopped teaching with the TDSB went unanswered.
“Unfortunately we cannot provide any information… Actually she’s not anymore, she’s inactive. She’s not working, she’s not active with us anymore,” said the TDSB’s employee directory.
The arrests were made as a result of search warrants on the accused’s residences and vehicles.
Thanks to a complete failure to report on this scandal from the legacy media, few Canadians know that violent men are wreaking havoc inside women’s prisons in Canada. The Trudeau government has allowed violent male sex offenders who claim to be women to be transferred to women’s prisons and there’s nothing that female inmates can do about it.
On this episode of Ratio’d, Harrison is joined by Heather Mason, a former convict who has devoted her life to speaking up on this under reported scandal and being a voice for women behind bars.
In the wake of growing criticism and calls for her resignation, Victoria City Councillor Susan Kim has issued a formal apology for her signing her name on an open letter that denied sexual violence at the hands of Hamas following the Oct. 7 attack against Israel.
The letter drafted by those sympathetic to Hamas cast shade on the credibility of reports detailing rapes and other abuses against Israeli citizens.
Kim, confronted with public backlash, was forced to publicly apologize for endorsing the letter and has asked for her name to be removed from the document.
Victoria city council Susan Kim is now apologizing for signing an open letter that in part questioned whether Israelis were sexual assaulted by Hamas. Kim’s first public response did not include an apology for her actions. #bcpolipic.twitter.com/8mREICVJPH
“I have asked for my name to be removed from the letter. I regret not being more careful in understanding the impact of the letter on the community members I represent,” wrote Kim in a statement posted on her social media on Thursday.
“I signed this letter in a moment of immense grief and a felt urgency to call for an end to violence and support the people of Gaza. In the process, I failed to critically assess the impact this would have on community members directly affected – including Jewish and Palestinian community members – experiencing loss and grieving loved ones.”
Kim added that she has actively listened to feedback from the involved communities, saying that their guidance helped her make the decision to apologize.
The open letter, also co-signed by independent member of Ontario’s legislature Sarah Jama – who was previously expelled from the NDP over remarks on the Israel-Hamas war – falsely accused Israel of genocide and refuted reports of sexual violence against Israeli women by Hamas terrorists.
In a statement prior to her apology, the city councillor said that she was not the author of the letter.
“On the open letter signed by civil society, I agree that a ceasefire is a necessary next step in de-escalating the horrific conflict we’re seeing on the other side of the globe. To further clarify, that letter was not written by me. It is disappointing that international media did not reach out to verify the letter’s authorship,” said Kim.
Earlier this week, Victoria Mayor Marianne Alto refrained from criticizing Kim for signing the letter, asserting that Kim should speak for herself.
Alto cited a lack of knowledge about the issues at hand as the reason for refusing to denounce Kim.
“I don’t have enough information to be able to answer that in an informed way. I think it would be actually quite irresponsible for me to comment on that without being more informed,” said Alto.
A three-day retreat by the Liberal government in Charlottetown, P.E.I., dedicated to examining the escalating cost of living for Canadians, cost taxpayers over $160,000 solely for lodging and transportation in connection with one government department.
This information was brought to light through recently disclosed documents, prompted by an order paper question from Conservative MP Tracy Gray.
The Privy Council Office (PCO), responsible for managing the federal cabinet’s affairs, detailed the expenditures, including $88,930.01 allocated to hotel accommodations and $20,733.45 designated for meals and incidentals.
Total costs reached $160,467.17.
“Instead of reducing their wasteful spending that is driving up the cost of everything, Justin Trudeau and his Liberal ministers racked up a whopping $160,000 bill for their so-called ‘affordability retreat’ in Prince Edward Island,” said Gray.
Additionally, $7,689.65 was spent on miscellaneous transportation, and $1,169 for an Airbnb rental during the retreat held from Aug. 21-23.
It is essential to note that the total expenses for the retreat might surpass the disclosed amount, as the PCO was the solitary department responding to Gray’s inquiry.
Notably, other departments, such as the Prime Minister’s Office, have not yet divulged their respective expenditures.
“Expenditures only include travel expenses for Privy Council Office and PCO supported Ministers and their staff who attended the cabinet retreat,” reads the government response.
“PCO does not have this information for attendees from other departments.”
Criticism from opposition parties has arisen due to the perceived hypocrisy of addressing the affordability crisis faced by Canadians while at the same time embarking on expensive trips.
The Liberal government’s recent fall economic statement included measures aiming to restrict the usage of Airbnb and other short-term rental platforms in regions with housing shortages.
The PCO specified that 49 individuals, including 38 cabinet ministers and their support staff, participated in the retreat.
The expense breakdown revealed charges for 43 separate rooms at two Charlottetown hotels, namely the Delta Hotels Prince Edward and the Holman Grand Hotel, with individual room charges ranging from $1,200 to $3,200.
Moreover, the PCO clarified that the disclosed expenses only encompass claims submitted up to Sept. 30 and exclude any subsequent travel claims and processed invoices.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his cabinet convened in P.E.I. to deliberate on various issues affecting Canadians, including housing affordability, inflation, climate change, and reconciliation with Indigenous peoples.
Two people are dead after a vehicle exploded on the American side of the Canada-U.S. border at the Rainbow Bridge in Niagara Falls, N.Y. New York Gov. said there was “no indication” that the incident was related to terrorism, despite earlier media reports.
Plus, in their latest fall economic statement, the Liberals lavished the legacy media with $129 million more in bailout funds.
And a True North exclusive reveals more people than ever, from people working two jobs to students, are turning to food banks for the first time ever.
Tune into The Daily Brief with Cosmin Dzsurdzsa and Lindsay Shepherd!
An alleged conspiracy to assassinate a Sikh activist with Canadian citizenship was foiled by US authorities, who then issued a warning to India’s government over concerns that they had a hand in the plot.
Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, an American-Canadian who is general counsel for Sikhs for Justice, a pro-Khalistan separatist group based in the US, was the target of an assassination attempt, according to a report byu the Financial Times.
Due to the sensitive nature of the intelligence, sources have requested anonymity and would not confirm whether or not a recent protest against New Delhi resulted in the plotters abandoning their plan or if it was because of an FBI intervention.
The US informed Canada and several other allies about the plot following the assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar in June in Surrey, B.C.
After Nijjar’s death, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that there were “credible allegations” that linked his murder to the Indian government.
According to sources, US federal prosecutors have filed a sealed indictment against at least one of the alleged perpetrators in the plot with a New York district court, while another is believed to have fled the country.
The US Justice Department is currently debating whether or not to unseal the indictment and make the allegations public or wait for Canada to finish its investigation into Nijjar’s assassination.
The National Security Council said that the US does “not comment on ongoing law enforcement matters or private diplomatic discussions with our partners,” adding “upholding the safety and security of US citizens is paramount.”
Following Trudeau’s public details about Nijjar’s murder, the US shared further details about the Pannun case, raising concerns amongst allies regarding the potential pattern of conduct.
The Indian government has denied all allegations of having any involvement in Nijjar’s murder.
Pannun has declined to confirm whether or not US authorities warned him about the assassination attempt, saying that he would “let the US government respond to the issue of threats to my life on American soil from the Indian operative.”
“The threat to an American citizen on American soil is a challenge to America’s sovereignty, and I trust that the Biden administration is more than capable to handle any such challenge,” Pannun told the Financial Times.
Earlier this month, Indian officials were enraged by Pannun after he posted a video online warning Sikhs not to travel with Air India because it could be “life threatening.”
Washington has put pressure on the Indian government to help Canada with its investigation, however they have refrained from being overly critical of New Delhi in public regarding the Nijjar case.
US President Joe Biden views India as a member of the Quad security group, in conjunction with Australia and Japan, which is part of a broader strategy to act against China.
“It’s always unacceptable for any government to assassinate anybody anywhere in the world and we want to see the truth come to light on all these matters,” said Conservative leader Pierre Poilievere on Wednesday in Ottawa.
“Common sense conservatives have called for a foreign agent registry, which Justin Trudeau promised he would bring in last spring but still hasn’t and we’re almost at Christmas. We’re wondering when that foreign agent registry is going to appear.”
Cameron Jay Ortis, a former high-ranking official in the RCMP intelligence, has been found guilty of sharing secret information without permission and misusing his role of influence in breach of Canadian secrets laws.
The jury decided ton convict Ortis after a long trial where the accused pleaded not guilty to charges which included three counts of violating the Security of Information Act. He was also charged with breach of trust and fraudulent use of a computer.
Ortis, who is 51, said he did it as part of a an attempt to get targets to use a system set up by another allied intelligence agency but according to Crown lawyers he did not have the authority or position to act in an undercover fashion.
The situation has raised concerns about the integrity of Canada’s national intelligence system.
Ortis was the director-general at the RCMP’s National Intelligence Coordination Centre (NICC), a key position with high levels of security clearance.
According to a 2020 report Ortis aroused suspicion since 2017 and was cited in a past $1.9 million lawsuit by three RCMP intelligence officers.
They claimed Ortis misappropriated and sold their work and tried to ruin their careers.
They also said higher-ups in the RCMP didn’t pay attention to their warnings and didn’t protect them from Ortis’ bad behavior.
“Very early on in his tenure, Mr. Ortis began to engage in a pattern of degrading and abusive behaviour towards NICC employees,” the lawsuit reads.
“Some of the original NICC employees began to exchange theories about Mr. Ortis’s strange and controlling behaviour, including predictions that Mr. Ortis was attempting to construct a unit that would unquestioningly follow his directions, which he could then use for personal gain or advancement,” it continued.
“This failure to act on management’s part continued into 2018 and 2019, as NICC employees continued to attempt to raise concerns and as Mr. Ortis’s behaviour worsened.”
