The collapse of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s marriage with Sophie Grégoire Trudeau has made headlines all over the world but Canadians were hardly surprised to hear the news. That’s because in Canada, 40-50% of all marriages end in divorce – an issue that is not talked about enough. Trudeau’s marital collapse is symbolic of a larger problem in this country – the collapse of the institution of marriage.
Marriage rates in Canada have been dropping. Polling reveals that the majority of Canadians now see marriage as “unnecessary” and to go with it, fertility rates have plunged in this country to record lows. The collapse of this institution has created long lasting problems for this country and political leaders don’t seem to have the solutions.
Tune in to the latest episode of Ratio’d with Harrison Faulkner.
China’s ability to interfere with Canadian elections is largely enabled by its clandestine “takeover” of Chinese-language outlets as well as its influence on legacy media here at home.
Newly released CSIS documents reveal that China has been providing substantial funding to “key media entities” in Canada in order to get more favourable coverage.
China’s influence over the media was reported by The Bureau – an independent media outlet launched by former Global News investigative reporter Sam Cooper who first revealed that China had interfered in Canada’s elections earlier this year.
The documents also say that Beijing has offered benefits to Vancouver’s Chinese Consulate to supplant “key editors, producers and high-ranking managers.” Some journalists have even allegedly been threatened during these various covert operations.
The overarching objective of these operations is the election of politicians who are sympathetic to the interests of the Chinese Communist Party while also subverting Canadian democracy, The Bureau claims.
One example of this was when a senior Chinese Consular official in Toronto summoned a number of Chinese-language reporters together and allegedly told them to privately support a certain politician that the CCP wanted to gain influence in the federal government. The alleged incident was confirmed by one Chinese-language journalist who wishes to remain anonymous due to security concerns for him and his family.
Victor Ho, a former Vancouver-based newspaper editor, has come out in public to confirm the validity of CSIS’s allegations following his review of their documents. When Ho was asked whether the CCP was quietly funding election interference networks throughout Canada to bolster Beijing’s favoured candidates, Ho replied, “That is exactly the case.”
“The CCP weaponizes the Chinese media to gain election intervention,” Ho told The Bureau. “To do this, the Chinese Consulates in Canada make every effort to influence the top Chinese editing teams in Canada.”
China’s election interference isn’t solely at the federal level but also at the provincial and municipal levels as well, according to a CSIS intelligence assessment conducted in 2022.
Controlling the media is the main source of creating interference, claimed one document, stating “traditional and online media outlets play an important role during election periods, offering a curated communications channel between political campaigns and the general public.” The CCP uses election coverage, “to manipulate and influence key media entities, control narratives, and disseminate disinformation.”
The increasing number of Chinese migrants in Canada helps to facilitate the CCP infiltration of media outlets.
“In Canada, a PRC ‘takeover’ of Chinese-language media has transpired over decades, derivative of the proportion of PRC-origin individuals increasing in Canada’s Chinese communities,” stated the CSIS document, “and as the PRC devotes more resources to, in President Xi Jinping’s words, ‘Telling China’s story well.’”
In 2022, the CSIS document entitled “Canadian Eyes Only” revealed that, “almost all Chinese media outlets are controlled by local media associations and essentially say the same thing.” The document went on to say that in the Greater Toronto Area, “30 to 40 people in Chinese media circles meet regularly to come to a consensus regarding what or how an item will be published.”
“These individuals act as gatekeepers to ensure whatever is reported in Chinese-language media adheres to pro-PRC narratives.” stated the report.
If an article is published that “casts a negative light on a Chinese company,” reporters are contacted and the article is then deleted in some cases, according to the CSIS report. This is destroying the freedom of the press, “a value enshrined in Canada’s Charter of Right.” it stated.
The CCP is moving away from censorship within its own borders to influencing international coverage as part of the regime’s belief that, “control and oversight of media [is] crucial for the maintenance of one party rule in China.”
One example of this was the media’s handling of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou’s detention in Canada. In 2019, Liberal cabinet minister John McCallum held press conferences to defend Wanzhou, calling her detention illegal. McCallum was ambassador to China at the time before resigning following criticism from Conservative opposition for his stance.
Charles Burton, an expert in Chinese-Canadian relations said that he felt the story received a considerable amount of coverage at the time, noting that, “Canadian elite figures that urged Canada to repatriate Meng Wanzhou, did get a lot of play in the Canadian media, and I guess added credibility to the Chinese arguments,” said Burton in an interview with The Bureau.
Burton believes that incentives are provided by the CCP to entice, “People of influence, such as those that have control over editorial policies in newspapers, can have the anticipation of future benefits,” said Burton. “And with this sort of PRC cultivation, we already have so many examples of people that were not active in criticizing China in the House of Commons, that seem to get law firm or board opportunities with firms that have relations with China.”
The former justice minister, a federally-appointed “special interlocutor,” an NDP MP, and now a Senate committee are all desperately trying to stop Canadians from questioning the narrative that thousands of indigenous children are missing in “unmarked graves” at former residential schools.
In May 2021, the Tk’emlúps First Nation of Kamloops, BC sensationally announced they discovered the remains of 215 children in unmarked graves.
In reality, their ground-penetrating radar found 200 soil disturbances which were possibly caused by septic field drainage tiles.
No remains have been uncovered.
Reliable evidence pointing to thousands of unmarked graves at residential schools is still lacking, yet the Standing Senate Committee on Indigenous Peoples has recommended that “the Government of Canada take every action necessary to combat the rise of residential school denialism.”
The committee’s July 2023 report, “Honouring the children who never came home: Truth, education and reconciliation,” states, “Denialism serves to distract people from the horrific consequences of residential schools, and the realities of missing children, burials and unmarked graves.”
“Of real concern to the committee is the small group of vocal individuals who try to undermine Survivors’ accounts of the hardships and abuse they experienced during residential schools.”
Special Interlocutor for Missing Children and Unmarked Graves Kimberly Murray was one of the committee’s witnesses.
Murray has previously written in her own report that “Urgent consideration should be given to legal mechanisms to address denialism, including the implementation of both civil and criminal sanctions.”
In her report, Murray also claimed that grave-diggers were showing up to the Kamloops site in the night with shovels, hoping to dig up childrens’ bodies. The local RCMP detachment told True North they had no reports of such incidents.
In response to Murray, Liberal MP and former Justice Minister David Lametti said he is open to “a legal solution” to “outlaw” questioning the residential school narrative.
According to Hymie Rubenstein of the Indian Residential Schools Research Group, this is an attempt to criminalize debate on important indigenous issues.
“This might be legally unprecedented if enacted and probably easily challenged as an infringement of the Charter’s free speech provision,” said Rubenstein.
“It may also be redundant given existing hate law legislation.”
The Senate committee did not respond to a request for comment.
True North also reached out to newly-appointed Justice Minister Arif Virani to ask if he would continue David Lametti’s project of outlawing “residential school denialism,” but his office offered no response.
A Vancouver man now faces charges in connection with an alleged sexual assault against a child, according to CTV News.
The BC Prosecution Service said Vincent Papequash faces one count of sexual interference and one count of sexual assault for allegedly touching a minor under the age of 16 for a sexual purpose.
Papequash was an associate producer in the CBC Vancouver newsroom from October of last year up until his arrest on Saturday.
According to Vancouver Police, Papequash was a stranger to the child and was arrested the same day the events allegedly took place.
Papequash has since been released with conditions and there is a court-ordered publication ban on certain details regarding the alleged incident.
He is no longer working for CBC, according to a spokesperson for the broadcaster. The network declined to comment further on the charges.
CBC Vancouver has removed Papequash’s biography page from its website and Papequash has reportedly deleted all of his social media accounts.
An online video that appears to be a threat leveled against Indian diplomats in Canada is being investigated by the Ottawa police, according to the Canadian Press.
On Tuesday, law enforcement said they are “engaged” and Public Safety Canada posted a tweet saying that they will “ensure the safety and security of all diplomats” in Canada after the video began to circulate.
(1/2) There is no place in Canada for the incitement of violence. Law enforcement has been engaged following the circulation of an online video in relation to threats against Indian diplomatic officials.
This is not the first, an apparent threat has been made against Indian diplomats in recent months leading to a tense relationship between Canada and India. India’s high commission has yet to respond to this latest potential threat.
Next month, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will travel to New Delhi with the hopes to negotiate a new trade agreement however these incidents could potentially hinder the deal.
The department of Public Safety hasn’t released any details yet but they have referred inquiries to the RCMP. The RCMP have not yet publicly identified the video nor confirmed if a criminal probe has been opened as a result.
The death of a prominent Sikh leader in June was suspected to be connected to New Delhi by Khalistanis who are advocating for the succession of a separate independent Sikh state in India. The death of Hardeep Singh Nijjar took place in June outside Vancouver but police have since confirmed that they found no evidence of any connection to New Delhi.
Several months ago, Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly publicly denounced posters that had been put up which accused senior diplomats of being “killers.” Joly called the posters, “unacceptable.”
On July 21, a Sikhs for Justice video circulated on social media urging people to “besiege” India’s diplomatic missions within Canada. The video also accused Indian diplomats of being involved in violence against those who desire a separate state. Ottawa hasn’t yet specified if this is the video in question.
YouTube has since removed the clip for violating the platform’s terms of service in which it shows a tank with the words “Kill India” on it that explodes a graphic of India’s borders.
India’s high commission in Ottawa has made a formal request to the Canadian government to increase protection for its senior diplomats such as providing enhanced security.
For years, the Canadian government has come under fire from New Delhi for being soft on Khalistani extremists.
In July, India’s Ministry of External Affairs condemned Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s refusal to denounce Sikh terrorism after a pro-Khalistani rally, which coincided with the 38th anniversary of the Air India Flight 182 bombing that killed 280 Canadians.
“They are wrong,” said Trudeau when asked by reporters about India claiming his government is soft on Sikh extremism. “ Canada has always taken extremely seriously violence and threats of violence.”
“We’ve always taken serious action against terrorism and we always will.”
India took issue with Trudeau’s comments, claiming that Trudeau is pandering for votes.
In a surprise announcement that shocked Canadians, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau revealed that he and his wife Sophie Grégoire Trudeau will be legally separating.
Plus, an Ottawa man is organizing a protest against gender ideology in schools and is calling on all faiths to join the protest.
And the University of Lethbridge is being sued for cancelling a talk about how wokism is threatening academic freedom.
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The federal government is refusing to budge on its record immigration targets despite concerns among Canadians about a housing shortage.
Newly appointed Immigration Minister Marc Miller said that the Liberal government would keep its current half a million annual target and might even consider raising it in the near future.
“I don’t see a world in which we lower it, the need is too great,” said Miller.
“Whether we revise them upwards or not is something that I have to look at. But certainly I don’t think we’re in any position of wanting to lower them by any stretch of the imagination.”
According to calculations by Bloomberg based on Statistics Canada data and the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, for each newly constructed unit of housing, 4 to 5 immigrants arrived in Canada over the past year – the highest it’s ever been since data started being collected in 1977.
“We have to get away from this notion that immigrants are the major cause of housing pressures and the increase in home prices,” claimed Miller.
“We tend not to think in longer historical arcs or in generational terms, but if people want dental care, health care and affordable housing that they expect, the best way to do that is to get that skilled labor in this country.”
However, some prominent figures disagree with Miller’s assertion that the record number of immigrants isn’t causing a strain on housing.
In June, National Bank Financial’s Chief Economist Marion said that the Liberal government’s decision to open the “immigration floodgates” is a major part of the problem.
“Ottawa should consider revising its immigration targets to allow supply to catch up with demand,” said Marion.
According to a recent Abacus Data poll, Canadians overwhelmingly seem to agree that the target needs to be tempered.
A total of 61% of Canadians said that the Liberal government’s target was too high while 63% said that immigration is leading to problems in the housing market.
Lobbyists from ACCORD, representing Canada’s music industry, have pushed for regulation of video games under the Online Streaming Act, but are now facing pushback from the gaming industry.
The Entertainment Software Association Canada’s (ESAC) VP of policy and government affairs Paul Fogolin told True North that the CRTC should not be seeking to regulate video games as an audio-video broadcast in the same vein as a show on television or Netflix, strongly disagreeing with ACCORD’s proposal.
Fogolin told True North that the federal government should not be in the business of submitting video game publishers and developers to broadcasting regulations.
“Video game publishers do not fit the description of broadcasters, and we disagree strongly with any suggestions that the interactive experiences offered within video games should be further and arbitrarily broken down into individual audio or audio-visual elements,” said Fogolin.
ESAC had proposed to the CRTC that “broadcasting undertakings in respect to video games.” be exempted from the proposed Online Undertakings Registration Regulations
Fogolin expressed confidence that, ultimately, the government will not impose any regulatory requirements on video games.
“This [ESAC’s] view was shared by the overwhelming majority of stakeholders who provided input to the government on this topic. Most respondents agreed that online undertakings providing video games services should be exempt from the proposed Online Undertakings Registration Regulations,” said Fogolin.
“We agree with the Commission’s proposal to specifically exempt video games services from the Online Undertakings Registration Regulations, which is aligned with the federal government’s intention to not impose regulatory requirements on video games.”
While the CRTC’s draft regulations have excluded video games from the Commission’s purview, a spokesperson at Canada Heritage told True North that the regulations have not been finalized as consultations will continue until made public at a later date.
“The public consultation closed on July 25, 2023. Work associated with the consultation is ongoing as the Department is reviewing representations,” said the spokesperson.
“The Government’s position with respect to regulation, including regarding video games, will be made public when the finalized policy directions to the CRTC will be published in Canada Gazette, Part II.”
ACCORD has pushed the CRTC to delete paragraphs in the draft directive excluding video games from the CRTC’s purview with the justification that video games have become an important facet of broadcasting in recent years.
“Given the intersection between video games and broadcasting, and in particular the existence of live concerts in what could be interpreted as video games, it is prudent to let the CRTC determine whether obligations should apply,” reads ACCORD’s submission to the CRTC.
The University of Lethbridge (UofL) is being sued for cancelling a talk by former Mount Royal University professor Dr. Frances Widdowson on “how wokism threatens academic freedom” earlier this year.
The Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedom (JCCF) announced Monday that court action had been filed on behalf of Widdowson, UofL philosophy professor Dr. Paul Viminitz, who organized the talk, and UofL student Jonah Pickle.
The three applicants are seeking a declaration that the UofL breached their freedom of thought, belief, opinion and expression, and freedom of peaceful assembly guaranteed under the Charter of Rights and Freedom.
The court action also seeks an injunction requiring the university to allow the talk to take place on campus.
“In a liberal democracy, it is essential that diverse voices and viewpoints be free to gather to share ideas, to seek truth, and to discuss policy,” said lawyer Glenn Blackett.
“This is perhaps most essential on a post-secondary campus, which fails to serve its function without open inquiry.”
Widdowson, who had been fired by Mount Royal in 2021 amid her criticizing an indigenization initiatives, was invited by Viminitz to speak on Feb. 1 about how woke ideology is hostile to free speech, open inquiry, and dissent, which are essential components and conditions of universities.
Viminitz had hoped the talk would have allowed for people to assemble and engage in social and democratic discourse.
The university initially approved the talk, but later backtracked amid two petitions, UofL’s Department of Indigenous Studies and numerous faculty members calling for its cancellation.
The court action claims that the cancellation was made based on the following grounds:
a. “assertions that seek to minimize the significant and detrimental impact of Canada’s residential school system are harmful”;
b. cancellation was for the “safety” of the “diverse community”, although the UofL was almost certainly referring to ideological safety from opposing viewpoints, which is contrary to the purpose and existence of a post-secondary education;
c. harm associated with the talk was an impediment to “meaningful reconciliation” pursuant to the calls to action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada; and
d. delegation of decision-making, ostensibly, to “indigenous people.”
Widdowson opted to instead give her Feb. 1 talk in the UofL Atrium. However, on the day of, she was met with a large group of left-wing protesters, who interfered with her ability to give the talk.
She tried to move to an adjacent area, but amid continuing to be drowned out by shouting, drumming, and chanting, she had to move the talk to Zoom.
“My experience at the University of Lethbridge is a textbook case of how ‘woke-ism’ is threatening academic freedom and freedom of expression on university campuses,” said Widdowson.
“Instead of encouraging faculty and students to engage with my ideas in order to reach a better understanding of totalitarian identity politics’ impact on the academy, the University of Lethbridge created an ‘unsafe space’ for critical thinking and open inquiry. This means that the development of knowledge and theoretical understanding is being compromised at this academic institution.”
The shutting down of Widdowson’s talk led to an outcry, and action from the Alberta government to further protect free speech on campuses.
Then Alberta Advanced Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides announced that the province would mandate post-secondary institutions to provide annual free speech reporting. “I believe it is important for our universities and colleges to foster a strong culture of free speech and diverse viewpoints, even when those viewpoints are deemed controversial, or even offensive,” said Nicolaides.
UofL told True North that it would not provide a comment as this is a legal matter.
Canadians should expect high interest rates to stick around for the next year or longer, a former Bank of Canada (BoC) governor says.
According to former governor David Dodge, prolonged high interest rates until 2025 will be a necessary tool to reach inflation targets and avoid further economic downturns.
“It’s going to be a long period of what would be considered elevated interest rates,” said Dodge.
“What it will require (disinflation) is continued— rather elevated— interest rates right through 2024, right into 2025.”
The BoC has a stated interest rate target of 2% but there are a few challenges in the way for the Canadian economy.
“It makes it very hard to achieve disinflation when we continue to have growth and when we continue to have by historical standards pretty robust labour markets.”
Last month, the BoC announced it would be raising key interest rate by 25 basis paints to 5% – marking the highest point since 2001.
“The stubbornness of core inflation in Canada suggests that inflation may be more persistent than originally thought,” said the BOC’s report.
“The next stage in the decline of inflation towards target is expected to take longer and is more uncertain. This is partly due to elevated services inflation, which can adjust sluggishly, and uncertainty about expected inflation.”
As of June, Canada has an inflation rate of 2.8%. July’s inflation numbers have yet to be reported.
In 2022, Bank of Canada Governor Tiff Macklem told a House of Commons finance committee that the Liberal government’s sustained stimulus spending during the Covid-19 pandemic contributed to Canada’s current inflation woes.
“If we knew everything a year ago that we knew today, yes I think we should have started tightening interest rates sooner to withdraw the stimulus,” said Macklem.
“(If) there would have been less stimulus in the economy, there would have been less demand, (inflation) would have been less.”
According to a study by the Fraser Institute, Canada spent the most among other advanced economies but achieved the poorest results.
“While governments across Canada, particularly the federal government, increased spending markedly during COVID, it’s now clear we didn’t get much bang for our buck,” said Lakehead University economics professor Livio Di Matteo.
