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Wednesday, May 28, 2025

Average cost of farmland spiked by over 12% nationwide: Farm Credit Canada

By
Cosmin Dzsurdzsa
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The average cost of farmland in Canada has spiked by over 12% since last year, a new report by Farm Credit Canada (FCC) has found. 

Prices surged by 12.2 percent between July 2022 and June 2023. According to FCC, this upward trend persists in spite of the efforts to manage inflation via interest rate hikes. 

“Even if higher interest rates are slowly eroding buyers’ purchasing power, limited availability of farmland for sale is generally still pushing prices higher,” wrote analysts. 

“Higher borrowing costs and pressures on the Canadian and global economies have made farm operations cautious regarding capital expenditures and investment. On the other hand, a limited supply of farmland available for sale and robust farm income have contributed to higher land values in the first six months of 2023.”

The highest spike in farmland prices, 17%, was reported in Saskatchewan.

“Saskatchewan leads the country in the average farmland value increases for this first half of the year at 11.4%. Most regions saw increases in the 7-11% range, indicating relatively steady demand province-wide,” wrote FCC.

“The North East region stood out with the strongest demand, leading to above-average growth relative to the rest of the province. Low precipitation has led lately to an increased demand in heavy clay soils, where moisture retention has been rewarded with higher prices.”

Saskatchewan was followed by Manitoba with a 12.8% increase in farmland prices.

By far, British Columbia reported among the smallest changes in farm prices, with no change on average as “some grown in one region (was) offset by small declines in another.”

“There’s evidence that elevated land prices coupled with higher interest rates are leading to a slowdown in sales. The South Coast, British Columbia’s most expensive region, has been experiencing a small pullback in land values, whereas other regions have recorded steady or slightly increasing land values.”

Canadians encouraged to consume seal products in new ad campaign

By
Quinn Patrick
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Canadian Seal Products is launching a new ad campaign called “Good for you. Good for the environment” to get more people to consume seal products like seal oil, meat and clothing. 

The ad campaign will include a series of videos, digital ads and social media posts to boost people’s awareness of the company and to teach them about the benefits of seal meat, oil and fur for personal health and the environment.

“What we’re doing is helping Canadians understand the many benefits of seal products,” said Doug Chiasson, executive director at the Fur Institute of Canada, home of the Seals and Sealing Network. 

“With strict regulations that ensure humane and sustainable practices, we’re managing an overabundant seal population and supporting Indigenous and non-Indigenous rural and coastal communities throughout Canada. We invite Canadians to turn to seal products for sustainable, high-quality, and eco-friendly Omega-3 oil, meat, garments, and accessories, for the well-being of humans, our pets, and the planet.”

Seal oil is a source of EPA, DHA and DPA, which is beneficial for cardiovascular health as well mental and cognitive health. Seal meat is among the most nutritious and protein rich meats and considered to be a ‘superfood’ for its high iron and vitamin content. Seal fur and leather have been worn for centuries by people to protect themselves against the harsh temperatures of the Canadian winter.

“The people around my community, the Netsilingmiut, are known as people of the seal,” said Gerri Sharpe, who is featured in the new ad campaign. 

“Seal for me means art, culture, tradition, a way of living, a love. Seal gives us life. The sustainability of seal and how the circle of life works for me not only is it contributing to the richness of our lives but also it takes away from the build-up of landfills. I would love to see sealskin products everywhere.”

The consumption of seal products has been endorsed by Fisheries and Oceans Canada as the seal population is currently overabundant. 

The Government of Canada estimates over 10 million seals are living off the coast and the high population is becoming a threat to other marine species. Over the last several years, the Canadian seal industry has only harvested about 10% of its total quota. 

Senior Liberal staffer shares post defending Palestinian “revolutionary violence”

By
Elie Cantin-Nantel
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A senior advisor to a Liberal cabinet minister shared an Instagram post condoning Palestinian “revolutionary violence” and using a hashtag calling for the destruction of Israel.

Brandon Montour, who is listed as a senior legal affairs advisor to Liberal Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Gary Anandasangaree on the federal government’s employee directory, also shared a post supporting Palestinian liberation through “whatever means necessary.” 

The sharing of the posts came amid unprecedented Hamas attacks on Israel that have so far killed more than 600 Israeli soldiers and civilians and kidnapped 100 hostages, including children and seniors – with one senior Israeli official calling it “our 9/11.”  Terrorists fired thousands of rockets and dozens of Palestinian gunmen infiltrated Israeli territory on Saturday. 

The same day, Montour shared an Instagram post saying “revolutionary violence is not terrorism. It’s a fight for liberation.” The post was shared from a “Marxist-Leninist, Proletarian feminist” account.

The post contained three other images, including one of Hamas terrorists capturing Israeli soldiers and one that read “resistance doesn’t happen only by violence, but violence is the mainstream.”

The post had the caption “Go Palestine” and the hashtags #destroyisrael, #destroyimperialism, #destroycolonialism, #freepalestine and #revolution.

Montour also shared a post from a Palestinian liberation group that called for people to “support Palestinian Resistance from Al-Quds to Gaza.” Behind the text is an image of rockets being launched.

“Supporting Palestinian liberation is supporting whatever means necessary it takes to get there,” the post said. “Freedom has only ever been achieved through resistance. After over 75 years of ongoing ethnic cleansing and genocide, how could anyone expect anything else from Palestinians but resistance?”

The post then reiterated the “any means necessary” call to action.

SCREENSHOTS: The post by @wolpalestine shared by Montour that says “supporting Palestinian liberation is supporting whatever means necessary it takes to get there.”

“From Jerusalem, to Gaza, to ‘48, to the West Bank, to the camps, to everywhere where Palestinian refugees currently live in exile, we must defend the Palestinian right to resist zionist settler violence and support Palestinian resistance in all its forms. By any means necessary. With no exceptions and no fine print.”

SCREENSHOTS: The post by @vishakhasarkarr shared by Montour that defends Palestinian “revolutionary violence,” calling it “a fight for liberation.”

Montour did not respond to several requests for comment by True North. However, shortly after True North reached out to him, his LinkedIn page was deleted.

The views expressed in the posts shared by Montour are contrary to the position taken by Canada’s Liberal government, which has denounced Hamas’ attacks on Israel as terrorism.

Anandasangaree, as well as Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, issued statements condemning Hamas and showing solidarity with Israel following the attacks.

“Canada strongly condemns the current terrorist attacks against Israel,” Trudeau wrote in a statement Saturday. “These acts of violence are completely unacceptable. We stand with Israel and fully support its right to defend itself. Our thoughts are with everyone affected by this. Civilian life must be protected.”

These remarks were echoed by Anandasangaree.

“I unequivocally condemn the terrorist attacks against Israel by Hamas,” Anandasangaree wrote on X (formerly Twitter). These acts of senseless violence against civilians are completely unacceptable and must stop.”

Anandasangaree’s office did not respond to a request for comment.

CAMPUS WATCH: Queen’s nature-based DEI project open to students who “identify as fat”

By
Elie Cantin-Nantel
-

A Queen’s University “diversity, equity and inclusion” (DEI) project seeking to “reclaim space in outdoor culture” is open to graduate applicants who “identify as fat.” 

The “Reclaiming Nature Spaces” project is also open to visible minorities, LGBTQ people, and those who are disabled, amid the scholars behind the project claiming that outdoor culture has been “historically been white, able-bodied, heterosexual, (and) male” dominated.

A project overview document obtained by True North notes that “racialized people, women, the LGBTQ+ community, disabled people, and those who identify as fat have all created grassroots programs to support each other in a constellation of resistance against what outdoor culture has historically been: white, able-bodied, heterosexual, male.”

The project “seeks to uplift and amplify these structures of resistance by learning from and with the very people who are doing what their ancestors could not do.”

The multi-site project has several objectives to “reclaim” outdoor culture. These include challenging “dominant narratives that reproduce the white heteropatriarchy and tend to recolonize outdoor culture” and learning how groups “navigate, negotiate, resist, and interpret recreation on stolen (Indigenous) land.”

The project is being funded by a Government of Canada grant. A $12,000 annual stipend will be given to successful applicants – in addition to scholarships and teaching assistant opportunities. 

The document also notes that participants will be working out of Queen’s University – a “predominantly white institution situated on the ancestral lands of the Haudenosaunee and Anishinaabe First Nations.”

One of the scholars leading the initiative is Queen’s Kinesiology and Health Studies assistant Prof. Courtney Szto.

Her bio on Queen’s website notes that her research is “largely activist driven” and tries “to complicate our understanding of how, when, and where sport and/or physical cultures can be used to address issues of injustice.” 

Szto’s bio also notes that she is interested in supervising graduate students working in the areas of “(new) media studies, intersectionality/intersectional justice, anti-racism, consumption culture, corporate social responsibility, (cultural) citizenship, fat activism, athlete activism, environmental sustainability/justice, outdoor culture (e.g., hiking, camping, mountaineering, climbing etc.) and public memory.”

Neither Szto or Queen’s University responded to True North’s request for comment. 

“Fat-identifying” students interested in being part of the project have until Jan 15, 2024 to submit their application.

LAWTON: CRTC forces streaming platforms to register with government

By
Andrew Lawton
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The CRTC has required all streaming platforms earning more than $10 million a year to register with the government. Former CRTC vice-chair Peter Menzies joined True North’s Andrew Lawton to discuss the effect this will have on Canada’s media landscape, and the implications for freedom of expression and content regulation in the digital age.

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Vancouver sees 32% spike in homelessness since 2020: survey

By
Cosmin Dzsurdzsa
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Source: Flickr

Greater Vancouver has seen a record-high surge in homelessness over the past three years, a new survey reveals. 

The Homelessness Services Association of BC (HSABC) unveiled the results of the 2023 Point-in-Time Homeless Census for Greater Vancouver on Thursday, indicating a significant uptick in the population of individuals without stable housing within the region.

This census, which is carried out every three years by volunteers, encompasses a comprehensive survey of both sheltered and homeless individuals during a 24-hour span in early March. 

The findings revealed a substantial 32% surge in homelessness since 2020.

“Increases were measured across all 11 communities surveyed, with most communities measuring record numbers of people identified as experiencing homelessness,” wrote the HSABC.

The report highlights the expansion of homelessness in each of the communities captured by the count, with most communities witnessing record-high numbers of people facing housing insecurity. 

It is also noteworthy that over 50% of the individuals counted were within shelter facilities, while nearly half of those not in shelters were on the street.

Unsheltered individuals were found in various places, including other people’s residences, self-constructed shelters or tents and even vehicles.

Moreover, this census drew attention to the disproportionate representation of Indigenous people among the homeless demographic, constituting 33% of the respondents, despite comprising only around 3% of the region’s population. 

Many of them are either survivors or descendants of survivors of the residential school system.

Additionally, the report highlighted that the majority of homeless individuals were between the ages of 25 and 54.

According to David Wells, chair of the Metro Vancouver Indigenous Homelessness Steering Committee, although the results are alarming, the true number of homeless individuals is likely larger than the survey captured. 

“When it comes to non-sheltered individuals, we know it’s an undercount, we know we won’t be able to capture everybody as people, over time, have spread out further and further away from urban service centres. It’s more of a snapshot,” Wells told CityNews. 

The Rupa Subramanya Show | Uncovering the truth behind the ‘unmarked graves’

By
Rupa Subramanya
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In 2021, Canadians were shocked to learn of the apparent remains of children found buried at a former residential school in B.C – or at least that’s what Canadians were told by the legacy media. In response to the news, Canada was accused of committing genocide, churches were burned down, and the country was put in a permanent state of mourning.

However, what isn’t widely talked about is the fact that no human remains have been found at any of the sites where apparent remains were said to be. Is this the biggest fake news story in Canadian history? Has the legacy media performed a huge disservice to Canadians and Indigenous peoples?

On this episode of The Rupa Subramanya Show, Rupa is joined by Karen Restoule to discuss the ‘unmarked graves’ narrative and how it has impacted Canada. Karen is the vice-president of Crestview Strategy and is Ojibwe from the Dokis First Nation.

Learn more about Karen’s initiative www.whose.land, a web-based mobile app that provides users with information about Indigenous territories.

SUBSCRIBE TO THE RUPA SUBRAMANYA SHOW

Trudeau, Poilievre condemn Hamas attacks on Israel

By
Andrew Lawton
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Source: Wikipedia

The leaders of Canada’s major political parties have unanimously condemned the Hamas attacks on Israel that have claimed over 100 casualties.

Terrorists fired thousands of rockets into Israel from Gaza while dozens of Palestinian gunmen infiltrated Israeli territory on Saturday in the largest attack on Israel in two decades.

Hamas has also claimed an unknown number of military and civilian hostages.

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre was the first Canadian party leader to comment on the attacks, denouncing the “sadistic violence” in a statement Saturday morning.

“I unequivocally condemn the invasion of Israel by Hamas terrorists and the sadistic violence they have subsequently carried out against innocent civilians,” Poilievre wrote. “Israel has the right to defend itself against these attacks and respond against the attackers. Canadians pledge their solidarity with all the victims.”

The condemnation was echoed by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who called the attacks “unacceptable.”

In a statement Saturday morning, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called the attacks “unacceptable.”

“Canada strongly condemns the current terrorist attacks against Israel,” he said. “These acts of violence are completely unacceptable. We stand with Israel and fully support its right to defend itself. Our thoughts are with everyone affected by this. Civilian life must be protected.”

Later Saturday morning, Jagmeet Singh weighed in on what he called the “horrifying” attacks.

I strongly condemn these horrifying attacks by Hamas on Israel,” Singh wrote. “Civilians should never be targeted and all hostages must be released immediately. We fear what the coming days will bring. Terrorism and violence solve nothing.”

In a deleted post on X, formerly Twitter, Liberal MP Omar Alghabra wrote he was “following with deep anxiety what’s happening in the Middle East.”

LAWTON: Cancelled professor launches course on ‘woke left’ ideology

By
Andrew Lawton
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A Canadian professor teaching in the U.K. is launching a course at the University of Buckingham, focusing on the study of woke ideology from an empirical and analytical perspective. Professor Eric Kaufmann joined True North’s Andrew Lawton to explain why he started this course, and what he hopes it may accomplish.

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Western University forcing students, staff to complete “anti-racism” training

By
Noah Jarvis
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Western University’s Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion is forcing its staff, faculty and students to complete a mandatory “anti-racism” learning module before November 24th. 

The London, Ont. university sent an email to its staff and students Oct. 3, warning them that the “Building Inclusivity through Anti-Racism” online module is “required training,” with a passing grade of 80%.

“To make this [inclusivity] possible, it is critical that we participate in the process of learning and unlearning to dismantle the systemic barriers embedded in our societal and institutional culture,” reads the email. 

Western students and staff have until Nov. 24 to complete the 45-minute program.

While Western University is mandating that all staff and students complete the module before the November deadline, the university has not made clear what the repercussions for failing to complete it are.

Western did not respond to a request for comment from True North.

The mandatory learning module was launched in response to the “President’s Anti-Racism Working Group Final Report,” published on May 18, 2020, which calls on the university to institute “cultural sensitivity/anti-oppression/EDI training for students, TAs, staff, and faculty; mandatory and consistent EDI training for everyone in the campus community.”

Anti-racism is the idea that white people had constructed systemic barriers to success for Canadians of colour, and that white people must take an active role in acknowledging their inherent privilege while working to dismantle “systemic racism.” 

Students have raised concerns about the forced teaching of a controversial social theory that one student described divisive. 

“This push towards racial division and segregation which I see as anathema to something I stand for is something I am deeply concerned for and I think it’s fracturing society,” said one student, who asked to remain anonymous. 

The student told True North that his “stomach dropped,” and was upset after receiving the email from Western, though he wasn’t surprised by it.

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