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Friday, July 11, 2025

Calgary pizzeria owner exonerated in pandemic restrictions case

By
Isaac Lamoureux
-
Source: X/Facebook

Business owners who opposed heavy handed pandemic restrictions secured another victory this week after the City of Calgary dropped all charges against Jesse Johnson, owner of Without Papers Pizza.

After a prolonged legal battle, the charges against Johnson, related to non-compliance with Covid-19 public health orders, were dismissed by a Calgary court. 

This decision follows a constitutional challenge led by The Democracy Fund (TDF) lawyers Martin Rejman and Chad Williamson.

In October 2021, Without Papers Pizza faced charges for violating several city bylaws. This action followed the suspension of its business license, a consequence of the businesses alleged non-compliance with public health mandates. 

The pizzeria was accused of allowing customers on the premises without vaccination verification and failing to exhibit mandatory health order signage, contravening regulations set forth by the City of Calgary.

Undercover inspectors, who were allowed to buy and consume pizza on-site without showing vaccination proof, substantiated the charges against the restaurant. 

Johnson, who refused to enforce Alberta’s vaccine passport policy during the lockdown, received widespread support from the public. The policy, introduced by then-premier Jason Kenney, was challenged by Johnson, asserting the right to medical privacy for his patrons.

The court hearing, lasting merely 10 minutes, ended with the acquittal of Johnson, much to the joy of his supporters who gathered at the courthouse. 

Johnson’s legal defence, crowdfunded through FightVaccinePassports.com and backed by TDF, a Canadian civil liberties organization, highlighted the community’s support for his stance.

The ordeal, however, took a heavy toll on Without Papers Pizza, once a celebrated establishment in Calgary known for its community support and acclaimed pizza. 

A TDF news release claimed, “The establishment was frequently voted as having the best pizza in Calgary.” 

The pizzeria faced insolvency due to the enforcement of the provincial health orders.

Johnson’s ordeal has been seen by many as a fight for fundamental freedoms with implications beyond business compliance. 

This legal victory was what several supporters of Johnson and Without Papers Pizza hoped for, noting that Johnson had lost everything fighting for his customers’ right to medical privacy, according to Rebel News. 

The Candice Malcolm Show | Trudeau sides with Hamas

By
Candice Malcolm
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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has long been accused of winking and quietly courting radical Islamists and Jew-haters in Canada. He took that to a whole new level on Tuesday, when he sternly scolded Israel and accused our ally of doing all the things that Hamas is guilty of. 

Trudeau is an embarrassment, a fool, and now, he’s firmly come out on Hamas’s side of this conflict.

On today’s episode of the Candice Malcolm Show, Candice breaks down Trudeau’s Tuesday press conference, and how he parrots Hamas talking points. She is then joined by True North reporter and host of Ratio’d Harrison Faulkner to talk about why Israel should release the October 7th massacre videos and about how the government funded Anti-Hate Network has been exposed as partisan shills and anti-conservative hypocrites. 

SUBSCRIBE TO THE CANDICE MALCOLM SHOW

Taxpayers advocacy group slams BC and feds for latest instance of “corporate welfare”

By
Isaac Lamoureux
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While Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and British Columbia Premier David Eby were all smiles Tuesday after announcing significant funding for a lithium-ion battery cell production plant, the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) is slamming the latest instance of what they call “corporate welfare.”

Trudeau alongside Eby announced federal and provincial government funding totalling $284.5 million for a new E-One Moli battery plant in Maple Ridge, B.C. 

The federal government commits $204.5 million, and the B.C. government will contribute up to $80 million. E-One Moli and private sources are to provide the remaining funds. 

The facility “will create up to 350 new jobs and secure over 100 existing positions,” according to a news release from the Prime Minister’s office.

The plant will produce high-performance lithium-cell batteries, essential for various products, including electric vehicles (EVs). The facility is expected to produce up to 135 million battery cells per year. 

“When we support projects like E-One Moli’s new facility in Maple Ridge, we bolster Canada’s role as a global clean tech leader, we create good jobs, and we help keep our air clean,” said Trudeau in the release.

However, the CTF was not as optimistic as the prime minister.

As the CTF points out, taxpayers will be on the hook for more than $632,000 per job. 

British Columbia Director of the CTF, Carson Binda, voiced concerns over taxpayer money being used to subsidize multinational corporations rather than addressing the immediate needs of ordinary Canadians. 

“Taxpayers are struggling, and our governments shouldn’t be choosing to help corporations instead of ordinary Canadians,” he said.

Franco Terrazzano, Federal Director of CTF, pointed out such corporate subsidies’ inefficiency.

“Instead of raising taxes on ordinary Canadians and handing out corporate welfare, governments should be cutting red tape and taxes to grow the economy,” he said. 

The decision to fund the battery plant in Maple comes amidst growing concerns over the unsold inventory of EVs across North America, challenging the feasibility and market readiness of such a substantial investment in EV-related infrastructure.

The North American market, particularly in the U.S., has seen a substantial build-up of unsold EV inventory. The first half of the year saw a staggering 350% increase in unsold EVs, amounting to over 92,000 units by June, according to The Globe and Mail.

This surplus inventory raises crucial concerns about the viability of the EV market. The average price of these vehicles, hovering around US$64,000, is a major deterrent for potential buyers, significantly higher than the average cost of gas-powered vehicles. This price disparity is further exacerbated by the additional costs associated with EVs, such as charging equipment for plug-in models.

Consumer hesitation is also fueled by practical challenges associated with EV ownership. Stories of drivers stranded due to depleted batteries during heatwaves have become increasingly common. Also, EVs perform worse in Winter, losing up to 30% of their range, according to CBC.

A report published by the PBO shows that government handouts to other battery manufacturers won’t break even for decades.

“The break-even timeline for the $28.2 billion in production subsidies announced for Stellantis-LGES and Volkswagen is estimated to be 20 years, significantly longer than the government’s estimate of a payback within five years,” the PBO said.

Farmers frustrated by senators’ filibuster of Conservative carbon tax exemption

By
Cosmin Dzsurdzsa
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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.

The legislation in question, Bill C-234, made its debut in February 2020, courtesy of Conservative MP Philip Lawrence. 

Despite being opposed by the minority Liberal government, the bill successfully navigated the House of Commons in March 2021 with support from all opposition parties. However, its progress hit an impasse in the Senate, due to “Independent” Senator Bernadette Clement’s motion to adjourn the debate on the bill last week, just as it was poised for its third and final reading.

The adjournment motion secured backing from 29 senators, with 24 opposing it and 37 abstaining. The Senate’s hiatus until Nov. 21 compounds the frustration for farmers eagerly awaiting relief.

“It really feels like they don’t care about Canadian farmers. When some senators use these childish procedural methods to stall this bill, it really feels like a slap in the face,” Wheat Growers Association chair and farmer Daryl Fransoo told Farms.com. 

C-234 carries the promise of exempting farmers from the carbon tax levied on natural gas and propane utilized in critical farm operations such as grain drying and the climate control of agricultural buildings. 

According to the Parliamentary Budget Officer’s report, this exemption could translate to savings nearing $1 billion for farmers by the year 2030.

Farmers argue that the carbon tax is both unjust and burdensome, asserting that they lack viable alternative energy sources for indispensable work. 

They contend that despite actively contributing to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and enhancing environmental sustainability, their efforts remain unacknowledged and unrewarded.

Jumping on the issue, the Conservatives are rallying support from rural Canadians, exerting pressure on the Liberal government and senators to expedite the bill’s passage. 

Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre announced on Nov. 13 the launch of a campaign aimed at raising awareness about the bill. He implored Canadians to reach out to their Liberal MPs and senators to demand the bill’s passage.

James Topp pleads guilty to military vaccine criticism charges

By
Quinn Patrick
-

Former Canadian soldier James Topp pleaded guilty in military court to a maximum punishment of dismissal with disgrace for protesting the federal government’s Covid-19 vaccine mandate.

On Tuesday, Topp pleaded guilty to two counts of conduct to the prejudice of good order and discipline at the onset of his court martial in New Westminster, B.C.

In February 2022, while serving as a warrant officer, Topp criticized the Canadian Armed Forces’ (CAF) vaccine mandate for military  and civilian members. 

The prosecution chose to withdraw two additional charges against Topp for improperly wearing his uniform, following Topp’s plea of not guilty at the beginning of the proceedings. 

The veteran was charged as a result of two videos posted to social media wherein he’s seen in the uniform of the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry, a unit which he’d previously served under, criticizing the vaccine mandate.

Topp began marching across Canada from Vancouver to Ottawa in protest of the mandate and became a symbol of hope for Canadians who opposed the mandate and government overreach. 

He was joined by many other Canadians for sections of his march across the country, much of which was live streamed. 

On the last leg of his march through Ottawa, Topp was accompanied by Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre while he was still running for leadership of the party. Poilievre said at the time that he supported Topp’s advocacy for personal freedom and bodily autonomy. 

In 1990, Topp joined the CAF’s regular forces and over his career had been deployed to Afghanistan, Bosnia and Macedonia, before being transferred to the army reserves in 2019. 

Judge Catherine Julie Deschenes was informed that Topp had previously attended Covid-19 briefings regarding the military’s vaccine policy but had failed to confirm his own vaccine status.

Lt.-Col. Greg Chan, one of Topp’s commanding officers as a reservist, told the court that Topp’s conduct tarnished the image of the military and set a poor example for his fellow soldiers.

The videos of Topp were investigated by master warrant officer Christopher Baird Hennebery after they were posted on TikTok and Youtube. 

He testified in court that he was disappointed to see such a highly decorated soldier going against the public health measures of the government. 

“Based on the production value, he was becoming a tool of people who were already putting a lot of stress on our society when our society was already going through a huge medical crisis,” testified Baird Hennebery.

Additionally, he testified that the videos also “created a huge problem with morale within the Canadian Armed Forces.” 

Topp also took the stand despite pleading guilty to give an emotional testimony about the rationale behind his decision to speak out against the vaccine mandate publicly. He cited his mental health during the pandemic as one of the determining factors. 

“I had a very hard time with it because of the way that I felt that it was coercive, that it was done in haste and I felt that it was going to open the door on other practices that were going to just inhibit the way we live our lives,” said Topp.

Topp’s refusal to confirm his vaccine status led to a temporary suspension without pay from his job as a facilities manager at the RCMP’s Pacific Region Training Centre is Chilliwack, B, C,

“I was concerned with the safety of the product,” Topp testified. “It seemed it was something that was being done in a state of fear and very hastily.”

He also discussed his inability to help with the November 2021 flooding in Hope, B.C. because his vaccine status kept him from being allowed to join the disaster response. 

“I got to a point where I did not want to live anymore,” Topp told the court. “So I thought about it and in February I decided I needed to do something, so I did.”

Topp denied any notion that he had undertaken the march in an attempt to create a movement or seek attention and that the reason for wearing his uniform was because his time with the unit “contributed to the type of person that I am.”

“I made those videos because what I thought was happening to me, and what was happening to others, was wrong,” added Topp.

The hearing will continue Wednesday, according to CTV News.

CRA claims audit reveals Muslim group has alleged Hamas ties

By
Cosmin Dzsurdzsa
-

The Canada Revenue Agency’s anti-terrorism team has alleged potential links between a Hamas support network and the Muslim Association of Canada (MAC), a prominent Islamic charity operating nationally.

MAC has since denied any terrorism connections, labeling the audit as “Islamophobic.”

According to the French-language outlet La Presse, initiated in 2015 under the Anti-terrorism Law, the investigation involved 30 visits, 27 interviews, and financial scrutiny.

The MAC challenged the process, citing a violation of the organization’s Charter Rights and Freedoms.

Reports allege Julianne Myska, an employee with the task force, expressed concern in a December 2022 affidavit over MAC’s alleged links to a Hamas support network. Hamas has been a designated terrorist group in Canada since 2002.

True North reached out to MAC to provide the organization with an opportunity to comment on the allegations but did not receive a response. 

“The involvement of directors/employees in an apparent network of support for Hamas is troubling,” alleged Myska. 

A letter submitted before the court claimed “the preliminary results of the audit seem to suggest that (MAC) is linked to individuals or groups associated with extremism, violence and/or terrorism.” 

MAC has held that “from its beginning, the audit was colored by systemic bias and Islamophobia” and that the group represents a “moderate, balanced and constructive” religious approach. 

The evidence is yet to be tested in court, and MAC maintains the allegations will be proven false. 

Based on the audit, the CRA has threatened to revoke the organization’s charitable status. 

Complicating matters, MAC receives public funds, including federal support for anti-hate crime programs. 

Court documents reveal accusations of supporting a charity, International Relief for the Afflicted and Needy (IRFAN), whose charitable status was revoked for financing Hamas.

The CRA audit claimed that MAC continued to support IRFAN “well after the revocation of its status for, in particular, having (supported) the registered terrorist entity Hamas” by lending its mailing list for donations and including the group at its events. 

Accusations extend beyond financial ties, with officials citing alleged statements by MAC leaders glorifying violence, including a controversial 2011 speech and other ties. 

The speech reportedly advocated for compelling women to provide sex on demand to their husbands under threat of damnation, while another statement mentioned “killing Zionists.” 

The CRA cited a MAC leader for serving in an advisory capacity to Muslim Brotherhood leader and former president of Egypt Mohamed Morsi. 

“The Canada Revenue Agency has not found evidence to suggest that the organization is directly influenced by its foreign donors, but the fact that some of these donors are known to promote extremist ideology or associate with groups terrorism is a concern,” court documents claimed. 

“Certain public statements by individuals involved in MAC (…) appeared to glorify or encourage violence, including murder, or undermine women’s rights.”

Netanyahu refutes Trudeau’s claim that Israel is targeting civilians

By
Quinn Patrick
-

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu clapped back at Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on social media after Trudeau lectured Israel about targeting civilians in the Israel-Hamas war on Tuesday. 

“I urge the government of Israel to exercise maximum restraint. The world is watching, on TV, on social media – we’re hearing the testimonies of doctors, family members, survivors, kids who have lost their parents,” Trudeau said.

“The world is witnessing this killing of women, of children, of babies. This has to stop.”

In response, Netanyahu called out Trudeau  X, writing, “@JustinTrudeau It is not Israel that is deliberately targeting civilians but Hamas that beheaded, burned and massacred civilians in the worst horrors perpetrated on Jews since the Holocaust,”

“While Israel is doing everything to keep civilians out of harm’s way, Hamas is doing everything to keep them in harm’s way. Israel provides civilians in Gaza humanitarian corridors and safe zones, Hamas prevents them from leaving at gunpoint.

“It is Hamas not Israel that should be held accountable for committing a double war crime — targeting civilians while hiding behind civilians.”

Trudeau also expressed his concerns about the Al Shifa Hospital, which was surrounded by the Israeli Defence Force (IDF) this week. 

“The human tragedy that is unfolding in Gaza is heart-wrenching, especially the suffering we see in and around the Al Shifa Hospital,” said Trudeau.

The Al Shifa Hospital is the largest in Gaza and was surrounded by the Israeli Defence Force (IDF) this week. 

On Wednesday, the Associated Press reported that the IDF conducted a “precise and targeted operation against Hamas in a specified area” of the hospital, however no further details were given other than that the IDF was taking steps to avoid harm to civilians.

Israel has been accusing Hamas of using hospitals for protection, alleging that Hamas’ main command centre is beneath the Al Shifa Hospital. 

Both the hospital and Hamas have denied these allegations. 

“I have been clear that the price of justice cannot be the continued suffering of all Palestinian civilians. Even wars have rules,” said Trudeau on Tuesday at an event in Vancouver.

Trudeau also took aim at Hamas, demanding that they stop the use of Palestinian civilians as human shields and release all hostages “immediately and unconditionally.” 

Hamas was designated as a terrorist organization by the Canadian government in 2002.

The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs also called out Trudeau over his recent comments, posting on X, “Rhetoric like PM @JustinTrudeau‘s today enables Hamas to continue to cynically & criminally use the Palestinian civilian population as human shields to advance its genocidal goal. And, while surely not his intent, such assertions also fuel #Antisemitism at home here in #Canada.”

This isn’t the first time Trudeau has placed the blame on Israel since Hamas’ terrorist attack on Israel on October 7th.

In October,  Trudeau implied Israel was behind an attack on al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza City despite the United States saying its own intel concluded that Israel was not responsible for the hospital blast, which Hamas claimed killed hundreds of people.. 

Days later, the Canadian government changed its tune, saying that it now believes that the explosion was “caused by an errant rocket fired from Gaza.”

When the explosion first occurred, Trudeau, while not mentioning Israel by name, implied that Israel was behind the attack.

“The news coming out of Gaza is horrific and absolutely unacceptable … International humanitarian and international law needs to be respected in this, and in all cases. There are rules around wars and it’s not acceptable to hit a hospital,” said Trudeau.

Other senior cabinet ministers also laid the blame on Israel, including Melanie Joly and Francois-Philippe Champagne.

With the Israel-Hamas war now into its second month, those still trapped in Gaza are living without electricity or running water and food rations are beginning to run out. 

There are still many people trapped in the Gaza Strip with connections to Canada, where there is no longer any place to take cover for safety, according to the UN. 

On Tuesday, Global Affairs Canada said that it had been in contact with 390 Canadians, permanent residents and their family members still in Palestinian territory. 

The agency said that they are aware of at least one Canadian who is still missing.

Ten Canadians escaped from the Gaza Strip on Monday, bringing the total number of Canadians and their relatives who have been evacuated to 356, according to the National Post. 

Winnipeg taxpayers to foot $316K bill to rename streets associated with Bishop Grandin

By
Cosmin Dzsurdzsa
-

Winnipeg is set to spend over $316,000 in taxpayer funds on renaming two streets, Bishop Grandin Boulevard and Grandin Street, as part of an effort to distance itself from historical figures deemed controversial to progressives. 

The decision comes in the wake of similar actions in other cities, such as Toronto’s move to rename Dundas St.

The name changes, from Bishop Grandin Boulevard to Abinojii Mikanah and Grandin Street to Taapweewin Way, were recommended by the Indigenous Naming Circle after consultations with Indigenous communities according to reports before Winnipeg’s City Council. 

The Standing Policy Committee on Property and Development and the Riel Community Committee endorsed the recommendations, approving budget increases of $211,684.61 and $105,849.82 for the respective street renaming.

The allocated funds will be distributed across various city departments, including Winnipeg Transit, Public Works Department, Water and Waste Department, and Planning, Property, and Development Department.

The renaming process for Bishop Grandin Boulevard is estimated to include compensation worth approximately $100,000 for affected business owners. 

Critics have argued that activists have revised the history of Bishop Grandin and that he was actually inclusive of Indigenous people. 

Bishop Grandin, born in France in 1829, dedicated his life to a religious vocation and became a Catholic priest in 1854. Sent by the Oblates of Mary Immaculate to work in what was then known as the New World, Grandin, despite lacking specific training, learned indigenous languages and focused on missionary work among the aboriginals in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and beyond. 

Recognizing the challenges faced by indigenous people, he worked tirelessly to secure funds and provisions, ultimately saving lives during a time of disease and societal changes. 

Grandin advocated for transforming traditional indigenous lifestyles, supporting education, and establishing industrial schools. 

Despite later controversy surrounding historical perspectives, Grandin’s administrative skills and contributions to schools, hospitals, and welfare efforts continued until his death in 1902. 

This move by Winnipeg mirrors the trend seen in other major cities like Toronto, where Mayor Olivia Chow supported the renaming of Dundas St. due to alleged historical ties to the global slave trade.

However, concerns have been raised by former councillors in Toronto about the financial burden of the $8.6 million project and its impact on critical infrastructure, including the transit system.

Additionally, those critical of the move have argued that activists have distorted 18th century politician and namesake Henry Dundas’ biography towards political ends. 

Toronto’s decision could have wide-reaching impacts on Toronto’s transit system, as exclusively reported by True North. 

Beth Waldman, Manager of Corporate Communications for the City of Toronto, noted that renaming Dundas St. would require replacing maps in 4,000 bus shelters, 75 subway stations, and on board all streetcars and subway train cars.

LAWTON: Alberta Covid emergency inquiry recommends greater protection of civil liberties, ending school closures

By
Andrew Lawton
-

Former Reform Party leader Preston Manning was tapped by the Alberta government to lead an inquiry into Alberta’s legislative response to Covid. The panel found that Albertans need better protection against infringements on their rights and freedoms and that Alberta’s emergency management agency – not public health officials – should take the lead on emergency response. The panel also recommends against school closures, which it found should only be a last resort and for as short a time as possible. Manning joins True North’s Andrew Lawton to discuss the panel’s report and recommendations.

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The Daily Brief | The dangerous reality of being Jewish on Canadian campuses

By
Cosmin Dzsurdzsa
-
Source: Wikipedia

Amid a wave of antisemitic incidents in Canada, Jewish students are speaking out, highlighting the dangers of being Jewish on Canadian campuses.

Plus, the City of Calgary has dropped all charges against two men who were en route to the 1 Million March 4 Children in Calgary who were having a private conversation on an almost empty train carriage.

And an Australian Senator compared Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s handling of Freedom Convoy to communist China.

Tune into The Daily Brief with Cosmin Dzsurdzsa and Lindsay Shepherd!

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