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Tuesday, May 27, 2025

Liberal MP breaks ranks with party by voting to repeal carbon tax

By
Quinn Patrick
-

Newfoundland Liberal MP Ken McDonald has broken ranks with the Trudeau government regarding their carbon tax for the second time in the House of Commons. 

McDonald also recently stated that Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault was not the right person to convey the party’s messaging to Atlantic Candians on the environmental front.  

On Wednesday, McDonald, who serves the Avalon riding in Newfoundland and Labrador, voted alongside the federal Conservatives to repeal the carbon tax

He was the only member of the Liberal, NDP or Bloc Québécois caucuses to vote for a repeal. 

“Everywhere I go, people come up to me and say, you know, ‘We’re losing faith in the Liberal party’,” said McDonald in an interview with CBC News.

“I think they will lose seats not just in Newfoundland, not just in Atlantic Canada, but indeed right across the country if they don’t get a grasp on this the way that I think they should.… And if an election were called today, I’m not sure if the Liberal party would actually form the government.”

Additionally, McDonald also expressed uncertainty that federal Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault was the right candidate to sell the idea of the carbon tax to those living in Atlantic Canada.

“He’s not, because he’s so entrenched in it,” said McDonald. “And I get it, where he came from, and his whole idea of making a big difference in climate change, but you can’t do it all overnight. You can’t make it more expensive on people than what they can handle. And that’s exactly what’s happening right now.”

McDonald said it’s important for Ottawa to try and view the issue from the perspective of people living in rural Atlantic Canada.

“The government has to put a lens on it, a rural lens, for the sake of a better word, and try and come up with a plan that’s satisfactory and appealing to people who live in rural,” he said. “Maybe no plan will be appealing to rural, I don’t know. But I think the government has to try, and if they do that, I think they got a chance of moving past it.”

On Thursday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that the impact of climate change is clear and continued to defend the controversial policy.

“In all the conversations I had with rural Canadians across the country this summer, they were devastated by the impacts of record wildfires, of floods, of droughts, of heat waves,” said Trudeau. 

“They see the impact of climate change, and they know that we need to continue to fight climate change while putting money back in their pockets. That’s exactly what our price on pollution does.”

In October 2022, McDonald voted against the carbon tax for the first time and received a standing ovation from the Conservative party.

Following his vote to repeal for a second time, McDonald said his decision was also to show his support for Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Andrew Furey.

Furey has asked that Ottawa make more of an effort to reduce the impact the carbon tax is having on Atlantic Canadians.   

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said McDonald’s vote is proof that the policy isn’t helping Canadians.

“This carbon tax is not worth the cost, and it’s not just me saying it. The Liberal member for Avalon has said, and I quote ‘We are punishing rural areas of our country and the most vulnerable people in society’,” said Poilievre in the House of Commons on Thursday.

LEVY: Don’t believe Canada’s broken? Look at the Eglinton-Crosstown LRT

By
Sue-Ann Levy
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A perfect example of how Canada is broken has been playing out in my own backyard.

I’m referring to the construction of the $12-billion Eglinton-Crosstown LRT, now more than $500-million over budget and three years behind.

The 19-km line, which has been under construction for 12 years, has been mired in lawsuits by the consortium Crosslinx Transit Solutions, quality control issues, incompetence, and most especially a complete and utter lack of oversight and accountability by the Ontario agency responsible for the build, Metrolinx. 

I know, having watched the demise of businesses along Toronto’s Eglinton corridor, impacted by the mess and noise of construction, lane and sidewalk closures and a cavalier bunch of often dope-smoking trades given no imperative by Metrolinx, Crosslinx or most especially the Ontario government to complete the build in a timely manner.

It seems we’ve entered a new era of negligence and unscrupulous behaviour bordering on corruption in Canada with no responsibility or accountability for such major construction projects and their impact on the neighbourhoods around them and on the taxpaying public. 

Metrolinx’s mishandling of this project is proof positive of that.

Last week, the bloated agency’s CEO Phil Verster – who made $850,000 last year – gave an update that revealed only an arrogant executive who knows he has nothing to fear from his provincial taskmasters.

Indeed that was reinforced a few days later when Premier Doug Ford renewed his exorbitant contract for three years. There was no indication of what he’ll be making now over and above his already obscene nearly $900K salary.

It’s called failing upwards and is rampant in our society now.

Calling the project “complex,” he said new problems are being found weekly during the testing and commissioning stage.

Until that is confirmed as complete, the project will not be ready to carry passengers “safely and reliably,” his presentation says.

A big issue is/was the existing Yonge-Eglinton station which needed significant repairs.

Sources say among those issues was a water table found while digging below the original station.

That corner is still an unmitigated construction disaster. (In fact I no longer remember how it looked during the pre-construction days.)

When queried about whether the 25-stop LRT will open in 2024, he refused to provide a target opening date, telling those asking, “Give us some space.”

Some space? 

We should give a free pass to an executive whose salary jumped from $506,280 in 2018 to $856K? A 69% increase – all under Ford’s watch.

Meanwhile glassed-in new stations along the line sit pristine and well-landscaped with fencing surrounding them – a true testament to this incompetence. 

It’s not just the negligence of Metrolinx/Crosslinx, the serious lack of oversight by the Ford government and the odious lack of concern by politicians at all levels. for those impacted by this boondoggle.

Residents and businesses in the vicinity of the build have simply accepted this mess without complaint. Have we become so apathetic in this country that we have grown to expect these screw-ups?

There’s a reason governments in Ontario and across the country think they can make deadlines and budgets on large construction projects a moving target.

True, this project commenced under Kathleen Wynne’s government and some responsibility must rest with the Liberals for setting the wheels in motion.

But Ford has been in power for five years and has had plenty of time to put the project back on track.

Giving Verster a renewed contract and Metrolinx the responsibility to build the 15.6-km $10.9-million Ontario Line through downtown Toronto seems counterintuitive to me.

That new build has already made a gridlocked mess of the downtown core.

It reeks of incompetence, mismanagement and possible corruption.

Based on my own experience and birds-eye view of the fiasco on Eglinton, I suspect Verster and Metrolinx will make many, many promises and not keep any of it on track.

Let’s not forget that he can’t even say when the Eglinton-Crosstown will open for business.

Oil production to reach record high in two years, upon completion of Trans Mountain pipeline

By
Cosmin Dzsurdzsa
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Source: TMX

A recent report from Deloitte Canada predicts that production of oil in Canada is set to reach a record high by 2025, largely thanks to the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project.

The report says that the pipeline, connecting Alberta’s oil sands to the West Coast, will add approximately 375,000 barrels of oil per day to Canada’s production output. 

Current projections indicate that the Trans Mountain Expansion will be completed by 2024 and enter into operation. 

The completed pipeline will increase Canada’s oil production by 8% compared to its previous peak in November 2022 and nearly nine percent compared to June 2023.

The growth is more than what Canada’s oil production has increased in the past five years combined.

“The increase in volume is notable: it’s greater than the total amount added to Canada’s production levels over the past five years combined,” analysts wrote. 

The pipeline expansion will also help Canada sell its oil to more places beyond the United States. 

Right now, most of Canada’s oil goes to the U.S., but this expansion will reduce that dependency. 

In 2018, the Trans Mountain Expansion was purchased by the federal government for $4.5 billion. To date, the government has considered selling the project to Indigenous groups. 

According to the report, this is expected to make Canadian oil prices closer to U.S. prices, which will be good for Canadian oil producers.

Most of the new oil production will be due to oil sands development, where innovation is making it cheaper and faster to get the oil.

The report also mentions that, despite more oil being produced in Canada and the U.S., global oil prices will likely stay high in 2024.

This is not the only recent good news the oil and gas industry has heard. 

Estimates reported by the Canadian Energy Centre earlier this month reveal that the oil sands sector will generate nearly half a trillion dollars in tax revenues for Canadians. 

LAWTON: Stopping the expansion of MAiD in Canada

By
Andrew Lawton
-
Source: Pixaby

Earlier this week, anti-MAiD advocates descended on Ottawa to voice their support for Bill C-314, which seeks to stop the expansion of MAiD to those suffering solely from mental health issues. Euthanasia Prevention Coalition executive director Alex Schadenberg joined True North’s Andrew Lawton to discuss the reasons behind their opposition to this expansion.

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BC gov bans open drug use in most public spaces despite decriminalization

By
Quinn Patrick
-

British Columbia’s NDP government introduced new legislation on Thursday that would make it illegal to use drugs in almost any public space, a major reverse from their decriminalization policy implemented only eight months before.

The law would ban drug use within 15 metres of a park, playground, splash pool, sports field, skate park, or beach and the distance reduces to six metres near any residence, business, recreation centre or what’s considered to be a public space. 

“Decriminalization was never about the ability to use hard drugs wherever you wanted and this law makes that very clear,” said B.C. Premier David Eby during a news conference on Thursday morning. 

Eby said that people will be moved to various supervised consumption sites that will offer addiction and health services, according to the Vancouver Sun.

In January, the federal government granted a three-year exemption under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act with the hopes of removing the stigma of drug addiction and to reduce the amount of overdose deaths, however the latest push to ban drug use is a significant step away from the aims of proponents of decriminalization. 

B.C.’s chief coroner Lisa Lapointe said the legislation, if passed, would be “tremendously disappointing” to have to watch the government pass legislation “that attempts to push people into back alleys and back corners.”

“People are being set up to fail and die,” said Vince Tao of the Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users. “This is a huge step back,” he said. “I think we can altogether admit that decriminalization is dead.”

Lapointe endorsed the decriminalization pilot project as a means to treat drug use as a health crisis instead of a criminal one, saying, “any changes that put more lives at risk are a significant concern to me.”

She disagrees with the government’s notion that the new legislature is designed for “helping people feel safe.”

“I think this is about a perception of safety,” said Lapointe. “This is a provincial piece of legislation that potentially reinforces the sense that you are at risk from people who use drugs, which is just simply not true.”

B.C. United party Leader Kevin Falcon argued that public drug use does in fact pose a harm to British Columbians, citing an incident where a kindergartener in Nanaimo found a packet of fentanyl on the grounds of her elementary school in April and brought it home. 

“I cannot believe that there’s anybody out there that thinks reasonable limits on open drug use is somehow a bad thing,” said Falcon, who believes that the NDP’s proposed changes are an admission that the decriminalization project has only led to “flagrant” drug use in public spaces. 

Eby denied that the new legislation was a step backward from the initial decriminalization policy brought into effect in January.

The policy stated that people over the age of 18 caught with a total of 2 ½ grams or less of opioids, cocaine, and amphetamines would no longer face criminal charges or mandatory treatment. 

Additionally, they would be allowed to retain possession of their drugs.

Eby and Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth have admitted that since the policy came into effect that they have received a number of complaints from mayors, business owners and citizens about the spike in public drug use, especially in areas designated for children.

Ebay said the new regulation would treat illegal drugs the same as cigarettes, alcohol and cannabis, all of which are already restricted in public.

It also states that police must first ask a person who consumes drugs in those areas to stop or leave the area and only if they don’t comply, then police can make an arrest and seize their drugs.

The new legislation has been supported by Vancouver Police Department Deputy Chief Fiona Wilson who said that police officers are “recognizing that we must apply our discretion and utilize the Act only when behaviour is problematic or repeated.”

Poilievre slams Trudeau for claiming he never called parental rights protesters hateful

By
Cosmin Dzsurdzsa
-

Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre called out Prime Minister Justin Trudeau Friday after Trudeau claimed that he never called parental rights protesters hateful.

In a post on the social media platform X, Poilievre accused Trudeau of backpedaling and labeling the parents as hateful in an attempt to distract from his own failures by creating villains out of Canadians.

“Now Trudeau wants you to believe he didn’t say what he said. Yes, he accused parents of ‘this hate,’ when they raised concerns about schooling. He divides to distract by creating villains out of Canadians: parents, hunters, truckers & anyone else who disagrees with him. No more divide and conquer. Unite for Canada,” posted Poilievre. 

The Million March for Children protests, which were organized by parents and activists who oppose the school board policies on gender ideology and parental consent for pronoun usage, drew thousands of participants in various cities.

At the time, Trudeau posted a statement on X in which he expressed his support for the 2SLGBTQI+ community and denounced the “hate and its manifestation” during the demonstrations.

“Let me make one thing very clear: Transphobia, homophobia, and biphobia have no place in this country. We strongly condemn this hate and its manifestations, and we stand united in support of 2SLGBTQI+ Canadians across the country – you are valid and you are valued,” posted Trudeau on Sept. 20.

Despite these comments, yesterday Trudeau denied that he ever called the protesters hateful and said that he respects the right of Canadians to express their views peacefully.

“I never suggested that someone who’s concerned about parental rights is somehow filled with hate or intolerance,” claimed Trudeau. 

Poilievre’s statement was the latest comment in relation to gender ideology issues. According to an internal Conservative party memo, MPs were directed to only refer to the leader’s past comments when asked about the issue. 

Following the protests in late September, Poilievre told Trudeau to “butt out” of the conversation. 

“Justin Trudeau always divides to distract from all he has broken. This time, he is demonizing concerned parents. Parents should be the final authority on the values and lessons that are taught to children. Trudeau should butt out and let parents raise their kids,” said Poilievre. 

LAWTON: Trudeau tightens his grip on online content (ft. Kris Sims)

By
Andrew Lawton
-

Last week, the CRTC initiated the expansion of its regulatory authority over online content, requiring streaming services, including platforms hosting podcasts and other media content, to register and disclose their Canadian operations. Canadian Taxpayers Federation Alberta director Kris Sims joined True North’s Andrew Lawton to discuss the potential consequences of this move for both creators and consumers alike.

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Young Canadians giving up on entering housing market: Statistics Canada

By
Cosmin Dzsurdzsa
-

Surging interest rates in Canada have led to a reduced appetite for fresh housing loans, particularly among younger Canadians. 

A recent report from Statistics Canada has disclosed how various income and age groups have been impacted by the deceleration in the mortgage sector, which has now reached its lowest point since 2001.

The report underscores that households headed by individuals under 35 have seen a decline in their average mortgage obligations. 

“Prospective homeowners may be turning away from the housing market due to affordability concerns,” wrote Statistics Canada.

This age group stands alone in experiencing a reduction in their mortgage burdens. The report suggests a range of potential explanations for this phenomenon.

One plausible scenario is that younger homeowners who made their property purchases during a period of lower interest rates are now repaying their mortgages at an accelerated pace. 

An alternate cause could be that some young homeowners are opting to sell their current residences and acquire more economical ones, thereby decreasing their mortgage liabilities in the process.

However, the report also conveys that certain aspiring first-time homebuyers face impediments to entering the housing market. 

The cost of homeownership in relation to the median household income, has soared to levels not seen in nearly four decades, according to Royal Bank’s housing affordability index. 

Consequently, for some young households, the prospect of homeownership has become increasingly unattainable.

A recent Leger poll found that a substantial number of Canadians blamed the Liberal government’s handling of housing for the current market woes.

In response to the survey, 40% of Canadians said they blamed the federal government for the growing housing crisis, while 32% blamed the provinces. 

The Daily Brief | Parents back up Moe’s parental rights policy

By
Cosmin Dzsurdzsa
-

As Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe prepares to invoke the Charter’s notwithstanding clause to preserve an education policy which would require parental consent for children under 16 to change their gender and pronouns at school, parents are speaking out and backing Moe.

Plus, Hockey Canada has introduced a new policy for the 2023-24 minor league season and onward, citing gender identity and inclusion concerns.

And as the inflation crisis worsens, Canadians are putting their grocery bill ahead of their nutrition, according to a new survey.

Tune into The Daily Brief with Cosmin Dzsurdzsa and William McBeath!

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Trudeau billed taxpayers $200K more for Easter vacation than originally disclosed 

By
Isaac Lamoureux
-

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Easter vacation cost taxpayers more than $228,839, parliamentary filings show. 

Two weeks prior to the final receipts being reported, the government claimed only $23,846 in spending on the trip, a discrepancy of over $200,000. 

The vacation cost more than $228,839 when accounting for the expenses covered by the Canadian Armed Forces, the Privy Council Office, and the RCMP. 

Conservative MP Luc Berthold filed a Question on the Order Paper in the House of Commons regarding the Montana trips expenditures, such as a breakdown of different expenses. 

In their response, the government disclosed $23,846, which included spending by the Canadian Armed Forces and the Privy Council. The prior disclosure failed to report the $204,993 the RCMP spent on overtime and costs such as accommodations, meals, incidentals, and travel associated with the Prime Minister’s holiday. 

Conservative Member of Parliament, Michael Barrett said that “Justin Trudeau charges another luxury getaway to Canadians who can’t afford to live.” Others are curious why there is such a discrepancy. 

Trudeau’s plane touched down in Bozeman, Montana, on the evening of April 6, returning to Ottawa on the evening of April 10. In his filings with the Office of the Ethics Commissioner, Trudeau declared a “ground security motorcade” during a “private visit in Big Sky, Montana” as a gift from the U.S. Secret Service.

Anthony Guglielmi, chief of communications for the U.S. Secret Service, said the Secret Service does not consider the motorcade a gift.

Despite the proximity of Bozeman to Big Sky Resort, a mere hour’s drive away, the Prime Minister’s office has chosen to remain quiet on several aspects of the trip. Where he stayed in Montana, whether he paid for his accommodations, whether he visited anyone, and who accompanied him there all remain unknown. Why the RCMP costs were not disclosed initially is also unknown. 

Trudeau has faced scrutiny for his vacations in the past, with several incidents raising concerns about transparency and costs. 

In a recent revelation, Trudeau and his family, along with staff and security, traveled to a luxurious Jamaican resort owned by the Green family. The Greens are donors to the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation, which raised questions about potential conflicts of interest.

In 2016, Trudeau’s trip to the Aga Khan’s private island in The Bahamas, which cost over $215,000 and led to ethics violations. Trudeau had claimed a close family friendship with the Aga Khan. Still, the Ethics Commissioner found otherwise, highlighting the $50 million funding the Aga Khan Foundation received from the Liberal government in 2016.

On the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation in 2021, Trudeau and his family went on a holiday to Tofino, B.C., despite his office initially claiming he was in private meetings. The estimated total cost was just shy of $20,000.

Other costly vacations include visits to Costa Rica in 2019, costing nearly $200,000, and 2022.

All government expenditures, including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s vacation costs, ultimately derive from taxpayer money. 

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