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Friday, July 11, 2025

Edmonton transit clarifies media policy amid concerns over press freedom

By
Isaac Lamoureux
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The Canadian Constitution Foundation (CCF) has taken a stand against the City of Edmonton’s recent policy requiring journalists to seek permission before reporting on Edmonton Transit Service (ETS) property. 

In a letter dated November 14, CCF counsel Josh Dehaas wrote to the city of Edmonton, declaring this mandate as an “unconstitutional” infringement on press freedoms. 

An October 31 news release introduced a policy requiring media to notify and obtain consent from the City of Edmonton to report from transit centers, LRT stations, buses, and trains.

However, the city now denies a specific media access policy exists for the City of Edmonton or ETS, claiming there was a “misunderstanding.” 

This denial contrasts with experiences shared by multiple Edmonton journalists who have faced requests for prior approval before reporting on ETS properties.

The original directive aimed to ensure media activities do not disrupt the transit service’s safety and effectiveness.

However, the CCF, a constitutional rights legal advocacy group, argues that such requirements unduly restrict freedom of expression and press rights safeguarded by section 2(b) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

CCF Counsel Josh Dehaas expressed concern that the policy might prevent journalists from covering significant public interest stories, such as issues in LRT stations. 

“As a former journalist, I’m suspicious that this policy is aimed at preventing journalists from doing their job,” Dehaas stated. 

CCF Litigation Director Christine Van Geyn urged the city to replace the policy with one that allows journalists to report freely, provided they do not interfere with transit safety or enter secure zones.

Brent Jolly, president of the Canadian Association of Journalists, criticized the restrictions as “absurd”, emphasizing that no jurisdiction in Canada denies such access under the guise of safety. 

He added that this policy reflects a tightening grip over press freedom in Canada, highlighting a concerning trend for Canadian journalism.

The CCF warned of potential legal action if the ETS declines to bring the policy into compliance with the Charter.  

Edmonton Transit Service responded to True North upon learning of CCF’s letter.

“Edmonton Transit Service does not have a policy requiring media to first seek permission to report or film on ETS property. ETS prioritizes the safety and privacy of transit users, and all persons using ETS property – including media – must comply with City bylaws governing conduct on transit property. Media should also ensure that any reporting or filming does not impact the safe and efficient operation of transit facilities,” the ETS said.

They added that the October 31 media invitation to cover the opening of the Valley Line LRT caused confusion. The media release announced opportunities for reporters to view the LRT line in advance of the public, said the ETS. 

“Given the public and media interest expected on opening day, our communications staff advised that any additional reporting, filming, or conducting business on ETS property required advance notice,” the ETS told True North. 

According to the ETS, this statement was merely intended to address the LRT’s opening day.

LEVY: Antisemitism is running rampant in Canadian schools

By
Sue-Ann Levy
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A controversial queer activist has been suspended from employment at the Toronto District School Board – for the second time – over his obsessive anti-Israel and antisemitic posts on X.

Javier DaVila, who calls himself a “queer Latinx award-winning educator” is an equity program advisor with the TDSB.

He announced on Twitter Monday that he’d been suspended “minutes” after he called out the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) for allegedly making up lies about what students from Marc Garneau Collegiate said at a rally last Friday.

According to now-deleted post from CIJA, one student cried, “Judah, Judah, you can’t hide” – Judah being a highly antisemitic term for Jew.

The activists insist he said, “Trudeau, Trudeau…” 

But I listened to the recording several times and I heard “Judah.”

Davila is the same strident activist who was suspended and put under investigation in 2021 after he created and issued two highly virulent anti-Semitic manuals which, among other things, glorified terrorists and gave teachers instructions on how to teach students about the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel.

I broke the story and as a result received much pushback from the unions that supported him.

The school board claimed at the time that they did not authorize or sanction his manuals and were also investigating his toxic tweets.

But he was returned to his duties a few months later with no consequences.

Like CUPE Ontario head Fred Hahn, Davila appears not to have any impulse control when it comes to dumping on Israel – no matter how much his outrageous tweets and comments come back to haunt him.

In fact, in this tweet from Wednesday morning, he appears to be goading the TDSB, even though he’s suspended:

This time Davila, who seems to perceive his role since the horrors of Oct. 7 as a facilitator of ongoing student protests and walkouts, was most miffed with the CIJA revelations and the idea that the TDSB didn’t dispute them.

He appeared at another walkout this past Monday in which he claimed hundreds of students from the same high school walked to “demand a ceasefire, to end Israel’s genocide and to protest TDSB’s silence.”

In response to his announcement about being suspended, a number of activists and radical Muslim sympathizers came on his Twitter feed expressing outrage. These included Nora Loreto, Dimitri Lascaris and Krishna Saravanamuttu.

But DaVila, who appears to consider himself a Freedom Fighter, was tweeting obsessively before and since his suspension.

Last weekend, he invited his queer friends to join the Queer and Trans CeasefireNOW contingent at one of the many pro-Palestinian protests that have occurred in Toronto’s downtown core.

He claimed that #Palestine is a queer issue because gays “resist genocide, settler colonialsim and apartheid.”

Fancying himself a martyr and a victim, he also tweeted that he’s been investigated many times, claiming he always got off scot-free.

My sources contend that is not true.

Davila, who is being represented by two lawyers who have defended antisemites in the past, has established a GoFundMe campaign to pay his legal bills against the B’nai Brith– similar to what the anti-Zionist owner of Foodbenders did.

Fundraiser by Supporters of Justice and Peace : LEGAL COSTS for Javier Davila to CLEAR HIS NAME (gofundme.com)

Davila says he’s taking legal action against the “pro-Israel lobby group” B’nail Brith and its CEO Michael Mostyn for libeling him.

We’re told he has also filed a complaint with the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal claiming anti-Palestinian discrimination. He is not Palestinian.

Like many progressives who fancy themselves martyrs for the Palestinian cause. Davila blocked me on Twitter in 2021 and has refused to comment, choosing to get only accolades from those who trash Israel in a hateful echo chamber.

Ratio’d | The embarrassing state of the Canadian military

By
Harrison Faulkner
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Just over 100 years ago, Canadian soldiers were the most feared troops on the battlefield. Our ‘shock troops’ struck fear into the enemy, whereas today, our enemies can’t stop laughing at us.

The Canadian Armed Forces are in the midst of an attrition crisis  – too many troops are leaving and nobody is signing up. An unconstitutional vaccine mandate forced on the ranks resulted in thousands of patriotic Canadians leaving the force making matters worse. Further, Canada’s military is chronically under funded, resulting in embarrassing stories of Canadian troops having to purchase their own gear while deployed.

The treatment of James Topp, a man who marched across Canada in 2022 in protest of Canada’s vaccine mandates, is a perfect representation of the embarrassing and sad state of Canada’s once feared military. Topp, a man who gave hope to millions of Canadian during his March for Freedom is learning his fate in a court martial sentencing hearing because he dared to condemn Canada’s authoritarian mandates while wearing his uniform.

Watch the latest episode of Ratio’d with Harrison Faulkner

Saskatchewan introduces bill to scrap carbon tax on natural gas

By
Isaac Lamoureux
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In defiance of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s refusal to extend a carbon tax exemption on all forms of home heating, the Saskatchewan government has taken the initiative and introduced the Carbon Tax Fairness for Families Amendment Act. 

Bill 151, spearheaded by the ruling Saskatchewan Party and introduced in legislature on Thursday by SaskEnergy Minister Dustin Duncan, is set to stop the collection of the federal carbon tax on natural gas bills.

The move is seen as a direct response to the federal government’s decision to pause the carbon tax on home heating oil, a measure focusing on carve-outs for Atlantic provinces. 

The Saskatchewan government argues that Trudeau’s decision to pause carbon tax on home heating oil creates an unfair situation, as it does not offer similar treatment to natural gas users, like most residents in Saskatchewan. 

By designating SaskEnergy as the sole registered distributor of natural gas in the province, the bill aims to provide legal protection to the Crown corporation and its associates from any repercussions of not remitting the carbon tax. 

This legislation was introduced shortly after Premiers from Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Ontario, Alberta, and Saskatchewan each signed a letter urging Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to apply the carbon tax equally across Canada.

Whether other provinces will follow suit and propose similar legislation remains to be seen. 

Following Deputy Minister Chrystia Freeland’s recent meeting with provincial finance ministers, she urged premiers to follow federal law.

“I think an expectation shared by all Canadians is that everyone in the country should follow the law. That’s our expectation, and it’s our job to ensure that the law is enforced. It will be,” said Freeland.

Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe and Minister Duncan have voiced their stance against the federal carbon tax. 

“We still believe the federal government should remove the carbon tax on everything for everyone. But until that happens, our government will ensure fairness for Saskatchewan families by taking the carbon tax off their SaskEnergy bills,” said Duncan.

The financial implications of this bill are significant for Saskatchewan residents. 

The government estimates that removing the carbon tax from SaskEnergy bills will save the average family in the province about $400 next year. 

While Freeland has affirmed the federal government’s commitment to upholding the law, the recent introduction of this legislation by Saskatchewan could lead to a legal standoff.

NDP sends Liberals back to the drawing board on pharmacare legislation

By
Quinn Patrick
-

The NDP have rejected the first draft of the Liberal government’s upcoming pharmacare legislation. The deadline for the legislation is set to end by the end of the year – an agreed upon timeframe to secure the supply-and-confidence agreement between the two parties. 

“We’ve seen a first draft and we made it very clear that the first draft was insufficient for our support. So the government has taken that back and is working on some amendments,” said NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh at a press conference in Toronto.

The Canada Pharmacare Act must be passed before the end of 2023 as per the deal negotiated between the NDP and Liberals. 

With Parliament off this week, only four more weeks remain for the Trudeau government to table a bill that will meet the approval of the NDP and have it passed by said deadline. 

Despite the fact that the two parties aren’t seeing eye-to-eye at the moment, Singh remains hopeful that the Canada Pharmacare Act will come to fruition in time, calling it “absolutely possible.”

“Right now, the sticking point is the Liberals want to bring in legislation that appeases the big pharmaceutical industry. We don’t care about them. We don’t want to appease them. We want to make sure Canadians can afford their medication. That’s our priority,” said Singh.

Singh said that the current Liberal draft of the bill left the door open for “some sort of a mixed public-private” system that would provide “huge profits” for the pharmaceutical industry. 

Members of the NDP are seeking for a single-payer universal pharmacare program only. 

Last month, during the NDP policy convention, members called for the party to withdraw from its supply-and-confidence pact with the Liberals, should they not comply with their legislative framework, under an emergency resolution at the convention.  

Health Minister Mark Holland said that the parties will continue their discussion on “what exactly is the right path forward” to ensure proper access to medication for every Canadian. 

However, he acknowledged that the implementation of this legislation is a “vastly complex question.”

“I think that we’ve been having good conversations with the New Democrats,” said Holland. “There are a lot of points of contention and we are in a fiscal frame … that we have to be very cognizant of.”

The cost of the universal drug plan desired by the New Democrats would cost the federal and provincial government $11.2 billion in its first year and $13.4 billion in five years, according to a recent report by the Parliamentary Budget Officer. However, it could provide long term economic savings. 

Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland is expected to release her fall economic statement soon, which she has said will be rooted in “a responsible fiscal plan that allows us to invest in what Canadians need right now.” 

Freeland’s coming statement is only adding pressure to reality of a pharmacare bill being tabled under the given timeline. 

While Singh said he doesn’t expect the potential pharmacare estimates to be included in Freeland’s economic statement, he said it won’t change his party’s stance on withdrawing from their coalition with the Liberals if the end of the year deadline is not met. 

“The Liberals are on the side of big pharmaceuticals, we’re on the side of families, working people, seniors, people that need medication and we believe it should be universal, public and affordable. Our plan would bring down the price for everybody and we’re going to keep on fighting,” said Singh.

“So we’re not going to back down, we’re going to keep the pressure going. We believe that we are in the right,” he added.

On Wednesday, a spokesman for Holland’s office said that the negotiations are “ongoing and progressing constructively,” stating that his relationship with NDP health critic Don Davies remains a “very good working relationship.”

“The Minister looks forward to continued conversations with the NDP as well as all parliamentarians and stakeholders to develop a universal pharmacare plan that Canadians can be proud of,” said spokesman Christopher Aoun in a written statement, according to the National Post. 

Alberta NDP contemplates rebrand to distance themselves from Jagmeet Singh

By
Isaac Lamoureux
-

The Alberta NDP is facing pressure from within to rebrand in order to distance themselves from their federal counterparts and the leadership of Jagmeet Singh.

Led by Brian Malkinson, a former party candidate, a faction known as Alberta’s Progressive Future (APF), suggests that the current name of the NDP is costing the party votes due to its association with the federal NDP and perceived influence from Singh.

Malkinson explained in a press release that half of all voters have an incorrect assumption about the level of influence the federal NDP has on the policy of the Alberta NDP.

He added that while Alberta NDP is completely autonomous from the federal party, sharing the same name has created confusion for the average Alberta voter.

“This confusion is very effectively exploited by the UCP and will continue to be for as long as the provincial party has the same name as the federal NDP,” said Malkinson.

A recent poll by Janet Brown Opinion Research, commissioned by the APF, indicates that 50% of respondents believe the federal NDP exerts considerable influence over the provincial party. 

The survey revealed that while 12% of respondents expressed a potential willingness to vote for the NDP, they do not currently support the party. Additionally, another 12% indicated they are unlikely to vote for the NDP but are open to supporting a different party with a centre or centre-left orientation.

Malkinson interprets these findings as an opportunity to potentially expand the party’s voter base by up to 24%.

The APF’s initiative is gaining traction among NDP members who have experienced electoral defeats, particularly in Calgary and its surroundings. 

Members who support a name change include Taneen Rudyk, Michelle Baer, Rosman Valencia, Michael Lisboa-Smith, Andrew Stewart, and David Cloutier. 

Despite the support from various NDP members, Rachel Notley told reporters Wednesday, “I am very proud of the name ‘NDP.’” She added that she’s comfortable with the relationship between her party and the federal NDP. 

Notley’s determination to uphold the NDP name is deeply rooted in her family’s political heritage. Her father, Grant Notley, was the leader of the Alberta NDP from 1968 until his tragic death in 1984. Under his leadership, the party, established in 1962, made a significant breakthrough by winning its first seat in the 1971 provincial election, with the elder Notley securing a victory in the constituency cementing the party’s future foothold in Alberta. 

In Alberta and most provinces, the provincial and federal branches of the NDP are intertwined through a shared membership system. Malkinson said that the APF urges the Alberta NDP to reevaluate its joint membership arrangement with the federal party. 

This rebranding discussion emerges in the wake of successive electoral defeats for the Alberta NDP, both with Notley at the helm, with the most recent loss being approximately an 8.5% margin in the popular vote. 

With the next provincial general election scheduled for May 31, 2027, the party faces critical decisions on its branding and policy direction to recapture electoral success.

The Daily Brief | Farmers voice frustration with senators over carbon tax exemption

By
Lindsay Shepherd
-
Source: Rawpixel

A wave of frustration is sweeping through the agricultural industry as partisan politics is interfering with the Senate’s passage of a crucial bill that promises relief from the carbon tax on specific farm expenditures.

Plus, the Canadian Taxpayers Federation is slamming the BC government and the federal government for its latest instance of corporate welfare.

And Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu clapped back at Prime Minister Justin Trudeau after Trudeau accused Israel of targeting civilians.

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

SUBSCRIBE TO THE DAILY BRIEF

Children’s hospital foundation encouraged irreversible gender transition of 10-year-old

By
Cosmin Dzsurdzsa
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The Children’s Hospital Foundation of Manitoba is under intense scrutiny for a social media post that actively supported and encouraged a 10-year-old child in their desire to undergo a surgical gender transition.

The post, featuring a pseudonymous patient named “Mary,” has sparked a wave of outrage and accusations on X, with critics labeling the foundation’s stance as harmful. 

Mary’s story, as presented in the controversial post, expresses a longing to be recognized as a “real girl” since the age of seven and wanting to have girl body parts. 

“Mary thinks she was about seven years old when she began to articulate feelings of longing to be a “real girl.” Femininity – dresses, rainbows, and girl roles in games and on screen in Disney movies – felt like the only areas that truly aligned with her identity,” writes the Foundation. 

The post then quotes Mary as saying: “I just wanted my name to be female and I still want my body parts to be female.” 

“Gender-affirming care” involves a variety of practices, which at their most extreme include surgeries such as vaginoplasty and hormone treatment, which can result in permanent sterilization. 

“She dreams of a world where her body reflects her identity, eagerly anticipating the day her doctors allow her to take hormones that will aid her transition,” writes the Foundation. 

“Even at age 10, the prospect of a future boyfriend worries her, wondering if or at what phase of dating she’ll need to disclose her journey. And she worries, a little, about never having a baby – but says her plans to be a famous actress won’t allow time to be a mom anyway.” 

Critics of the post online included columnist Jonathan Kay who criticized the Foundation for encouraging a child to pursue a “lifetime of drugs, dangerous and debilitating side effects, unnecessary surgeries, chopped off body parts, and sterility.” 

Additionally, gender issues journalist Mia Ashton also chimed in.

National Post columnist Jamie Sarkonak also commented. 

“There’s something really dark about a children’s hospital discussing sterilization like it’s a haircut,” posted Sarkonak. 

In response to the backlash, the Children’s Hospital Foundation of Manitoba later took to social media to try and justify their perspective. 

Despite the foundation’s attempt to provide context and defend their position, the controversy continues to escalate.

FACT CHECK: Federal claim that online regulation won’t impact podcasts is misleading

By
Quinn Patrick
-

The federal government’s recent assurance that they will not be regulating podcasts under the Online Streaming Act is misleading since the legislation empowers regulators to oversee platforms that viewers use to access the podcasts they enjoy on services like Youtube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

On Tuesday, the Canadian Press reported that the “Liberals’ online streaming law won’t regulate social-media creators, podcasts.”

The report was in response to Heritage Minister Pascal St-Onge releasing her final ministerial directive to the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC).

St-Onge specifically told the CRTC not to regulate individual podcasts in the directive, telling them that they were not to “impose regulatory requirements” on “online undertakings in respect of the programs of social media creators, including podcasts.”

However, the directive did tell the CRTC to treat “online undertakings,” in other words streaming services, in the same way as any other Canadian broadcasting company. 

This directive effectively makes the likes of Youtube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts akin to Bell, Rogers, or Corus Entertainment; the three largest broadcasting entities in Canada.

The aforementioned streaming services are where the bulk of Canadians get their podcast content from. 

While the Online Streaming Act, also known as Bill C-11, may not be regulating individual podcasts, they will be regulating the companies that distribute a vast majority of them. 

If anything, this directive makes the CRTC’s job far easier and the scope of their regulation and censorship far broader than how it’s being presented. 

By regulating content on Apple, Spotify and YouTube, the government is regulating all podcasts, and other content as well. 

Additionally, this will likely mean that a quota for “Canadian content” will be placed on the internet the same way there is on Canadian radio, which will alter algorithms that control what Canadians can see online. 

Until the CRTC lays out its regulations for Bill C-11, Canadians won’t know to what extent the content of our internet landscape will be changed.

What we know so far, however, is that Minister St-Onge has instructed the CRTC to ensure more Canadians are hired by these online streaming services and that the right “ethnocultural groups” are represented and supported. 

St-Onge has also directed the CRTC to make Canadian programming more discoverable, instructing them to prioritize sections 13-16, which determine what is considered “Canadian programming, Indigenous peoples, equity-seeking and ethnocultural groups and official languages minority communities.”

Ultimately, C-11 appears to be less about creating opportunities for Canadian content creators but rather to create a new internet landscape that will be subject to change based on the opinions of the government and other bureaucrats. 

Should they decide that the content of a particular streaming service isn’t offering content that meets their criteria or if it doesn’t align with their views, the authority will be there to have it removed.   

It may only be online streaming services at first, but the door will certainly be open for new areas of the internet to be subjected to regulations under the broad scope of this bill. 

Alberta review panel recommends public health reform and civil liberty guarantees

By
Isaac Lamoureux
-

The Public Health Emergencies Governance Review Panel, led by former Reform Party leader Preston Manning, has released comprehensive recommendations to refine Alberta’s future public health emergencies response.

The final report contained over 90 recommendations and was delivered to the Government of Alberta on Tuesday. 

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith tasked the panel of six members to undertake a detailed review of the legislation and governance employed during the Covid-19 pandemic. The panel was to recommend changes and additional legislation to prepare the province better for future public emergencies.

The panelists include Michel Kelly-Gagnon, The Honourable John. C. Major, Preston Manning, Dr. Jack Mintz, Dr. Martha Fulford, and Dr. Robert Tanguay. 

The panel was not meant to conduct an overall inquiry into the government’s pandemic response but rather to review the legal basis behind the emergency actions.

The panel focused on statutes that authorized orders in council, ministerial orders, and broader regulations. 

Legislation reviewed included the Administrative Procedures and Jurisdiction Act, Alberta Bill of Rights, Alberta Human Rights Act, COVID-19 Related Measures Act, Education Act, Emergency Management Act, Employment Standards Code, Health Professions Act, Judicature Act, Public Health Act, and Regional Health Authorities Act.

The six-member panel balanced a number of factors including mental health and wellness, child and student health, professional standards, among others.  

In a recent interview on The Andrew Lawton Show, Manning emphasized the need to balance emergency measures and civil liberties. He explained that the mandate was to investigate the legislation that authorized the government’s response to Covid-19 and suggest amendments for the next emergency.

Manning stressed the necessity for clearer definitions in Alberta’s emergency legislation, acknowledging that existing laws did not anticipate widespread crises like COVID-19. He explained that the current legislation and Education Act never envisioned the government having to think about shutting down the system.

Manning expressed concerns about school closures, stating, “The damage that you do by closing down the school system in comparison to the benefit you get, it’s just simply not worth doing.”

Regarding vaccine passports, Manning indicated that stronger rights protections would pose challenges to their implementation, saying, “If you strengthen those rights provisions of the bill, you’d make it a lot more difficult to implement those types of measures.” He also noted that strengthening the Bill of Rights would cause a need for greater justification before the courts for such measures.

The panel advocated for mandatory impact assessments for emergency measures, a practice Manning believed was insufficient during the pandemic. While focused on Alberta, Manning mentioned that the recommendations might have broader relevance for provinces with similar legislation. He recognized the potential applicability of the recommendations beyond Alberta, despite the panel’s provincial mandate.

The Public Health Emergencies Governance Review Panel’s report calls for significant legislative amendments in Alberta, particularly strengthening civil liberties and redefining emergency responses. The report underscores the need to strengthen the Alberta Emergency Management Agency (AEMA) to lead provincewide emergency coordination and appoint a Senior Science Officer to develop a robust scientific advisory system.

The report calls for transparency and evidence-based decision-making within the Alberta regulatory framework. It advises against provincewide school closures except in extraordinary circumstances. The panel emphasizes the importance of conducting thorough impact assessments for emergency measures to ensure their effectiveness while minimizing infringements on civil liberties. Proposed amendments to the Alberta Bill of Rights aim to fortify rights and freedoms during emergencies.

Additionally, the report advocates for increased protections for workers’ and healthcare professionals’ rights during emergencies. It recommends enhancing the healthcare system’s capacity to handle surges in demand and suggests hosting a colloquium with global healthcare leaders to learn from best practices.

The report underscores the need for a balanced approach to managing public health crises, emphasizing education and the careful assessment of emergency measures. The Alberta government now faces the task of implementing these crucial recommendations.

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