fbpx
Saturday, May 10, 2025

Small businesses feeling “crushed” by Canada Post strike as costs soar

By
Isaac Lamoureux, True North Wire
-
Source: Unsplash

The Liberal government’s threat of introducing back-to-work legislation for striking workers at Canada Post may be too little, too late, as small business owners say they have been “crushed” by the strike.

President and co-owner of Lambskin Specialties, Myron Schultz, told True North that he generally makes two to three deposits at the bank weekly. He’s made one since the strike began.

The strike by 55,000 Canadian Union of Postal Workers members began on Nov. 15.

“We’re into the hundreds of thousands of dollars that are not in our bank account,” said Schultz. 

He said his company has 300 regularly active distributors from a pool of 600. He added that his customers have been “shocked” but “understanding.”

The company stopped using Canada Post years ago. However, the mail services it uses instead have experienced such a backlog due to the strike that it is delaying their mail.

Additionally, Schultz revealed that most of their business is based in the United States, and people pay by cheque.

The United States Postal Service suspended all mail and package delivery to Canada on Nov. 29 in response to the strike.

The Canadian Federation of Independent Businesses revealed on Friday that 73% of small businesses will do what Schultz had the foresight to do years ago – stop using Canada Post.

“It should alarm us all that thousands of small firms will permanently abandon the use of Canada Post as small businesses have been forced to put alternatives in place. Canada Post and its union may well have lost their last reliable customers – small business owners,” said Dan Kelly, president of the federation.

However, some small businesses won’t be afforded that luxury, as their companies may never recover.

A small retailer in British Columbia told Kelly that they had $217,000 of orders stuck in the system and at risk of cancellation.

“We are considering driving around hand delivering in the Metro Vancouver area, and possibly driving out to some of the other larger centres in our province and doing a mobile pick-up service,” said the business owner. “Can’t just sit here doing nothing, or our business will slowly die.”

Other businesses replied to Kelly in one of his many posts, as he has been outspoken on the strike and the GST holiday. 

“My wife has shuttered her business because of the strike. Her busiest sales season totally lost,” said one X user. “She’ll be looking at other options going forward but this is devastating to her business.”

Another business owner said they would be shifting their business to a different postal courier.

“This has happened far too often, and we are always being held hostage. No more,” they said. 

Two separate business owners revealed that the strike had “crushed” their businesses.

“The strike is crushing my business. 90% of our orders get shipped outside of our community by Canada Post. The comparable shipping service by courier is 2x-3x higher,” said one owner.

“This strike has crushed my business. Sales are down 90% from last year this time,” said another.

Schultz said implementing the tax holiday during the Christmas season was “ill-conceived” at best.

In Federal Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon’s Friday announcement, he revealed that no law exists to compensate affected businesses for labour disputes. 

The Canadian Federation of Independent Business highlighted that the strike is costing small businesses $76.6 million daily – surpassing $1 billion on Dec. 4. 

The Alberta government called for the Liberals to step in on Wednesday, highlighting that the cost has since reached $2 billion. 

Schultz told True North that he doesn’t know whether collective bargaining will lead anywhere, considering Canada Post is facing seven consecutive years of fiscal losses. 

He said he’s thankful for the government stepping in but that they waited too long.

“I was going to say better late than never, but it may be too late to really save the organization based on the damage that it’s done,” said Schultz. “My perspective is that both the Canada Post management and the union played a game of chicken, and everybody lost.” 

Off the Record | How low can Trudeau go?

By
Kris Sims
-
Source: Facebook

It’s been a heck of a week for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. First he mocked critics of the carbon tax by claiming only those with mansions and indoor swimming pools feel the effects of the punitive tax. Then he insulted President-elect Donald Trump amid tense trade relations between Canada and the U.S. by strutting his self-proclaimed feminism.

Plus, taxpayers are funding the tab for a federal department’s real estate portfolio to the tune of $186 million over the past decade.

And Trudeau’s desperate attempt to bounce back in the polls is falling flat with Canadians, with many believing the government’s “tax holiday” and $250 rebate won’t help with the sky-high cost of living and will just add to the federal deficit.

Tune into Off the Record with guest host Kris Sims, Noah Jarvis and Isaac Lamoureux!

Young Canadian dies after leaving emergency room due to wait times

By
Clayton DeMaine, True North Wire
-
Source: X

A young Canadian writer and activist died after being told he wasn’t “dying” and made to wait over six hours in an emergency room for further screening.

Adam Burgoyne, 39, posted to X on Dec. 5, 2024, about his experience in a Quebec emergency room a day before his tragic death. 

He said he went to the emergency room after feeling a pain in the left side of his chest, having nausea and clammy skin. After attempting to calm himself and breathe through it, things got worse and he decided to go to the emergency room.

“Had a bit of a health scare last night, but thankfully, it wasn’t a heart attack. Not sure what it was, though, because once they made sure I wasn’t dying, I was thrown out into the waiting room, and six hours later, I said f*ck it and went home,” the post said. “Canadian health care, folks. Best in the world.”

A day after the post was made, Burgoyne died of an aortic aneurysm.

The post has since garnered 13.1 million views. In the comments, he noted that the hospital conducted an electrocardiogram and took his blood pressure but “didn’t even do any blood work or x-rays,” though he speculated that they would have had he waited the “18 hours more” to be seen by a doctor.

“It was ECG and BP only, that was enough for them to basically triage me as ‘he can wait indefinitely’ level,” Burgoyne said in his post about the visit.

His comments sparked a conversation about the quality of Canada’s “free” healthcare system, with many sharing similar stories of being sent home or being made to wait despite being in life-threatening conditions.

One post detailed an incident where a man had been turned away from the hospital after waiting six hours in the emergency room due to shortness of breath. The man was allegedly sent home with antibiotics after being diagnosed with pneumonia, only for him to return to the hospital after passing out to be later diagnosed with a blocked artery.

Burgoyne, a gay man, was an advocate for women’s and parents’ rights and recently wrote an opinion piece about the US election on how President-elect Donald Trump’s victory benefitted not just America but the world.

He had over 9,500 followers on X, and many conservative and libertarian voices in the US and Canada followed or worked with Burgoyne.

His friend, a Substack writer with the handle “Holly Mathnerd” wrote a tribute to him on Substack.

“Publicly, he was best known on Twitter as a brave voice against the excesses of gender ideology, particularly the targeting of childhood innocence. He was deeply proud to speak up on this issue, a cause he embraced with passion and ferocity,” the Holly MathNerd wrote.

She reported that some had asked her if the aneurysm could be linked to the COVID vaccines, to which she said he had told her that he had been vaccinated and boosted a total of four times. However, she was careful not to assume a link to the shots.

According to the tribute, Burgoyne was engaged and was living successfully as a recovered addict after six years of sobriety.

Adam Zivo, a drug policy advocate and a National Post columnist, mourned his loss on X, noting Burgoyn as a “thoughtful and judicious voice” and remarking on his good character. 

Others, including Andy Ngo, a journalist known for his work reporting on Antifa, mourned his passing too. He remarked on his contribution to fighting for what he felt to be right, regardless of how popular those beliefs were viewed.

In an obituary for Burgoyne, the family requests donations to be made in Burgoyne’s name to the Canadian Assembly of Narcotics Anonymous.

Burgoyne’s death came days before the Fraser Institute released a recent study which found Canada has hit a record high 30-week wait time on average. The study used an annual survey of specialists who noted their patients’ wait times between a general practitioner referral and receiving treatment from a specialist.

True North was unable to confirm which hospital  Burgoyne visited the night before his post and subsequent death.

The Rachel Parker Show | EXCLUSIVE: Smith’s plan to SECURE Alberta & FIX U.S. trade stand-off

By
Rachel Parker
-
Source: True North

Today on this special episode of the Rachel Parker Show, True North host Rachel Parker sits down for an exclusive interview with Alberta Premier Danielle Smith. The two discuss trade and Smith’s plan to secure an exemption for Alberta oil and gas amid U.S. President-Elect Donald Trump’s threat of tariffs.

Smith also reflects on her leadership review and more.

Tune in now!

PepsiCo Canada says it won’t be participating in Liberals’ GST holiday

By
Quinn Patrick, True North Wire
-
Source: X

PepsiCo Canada announced that it will continue charging the GST and HST through the Liberals’ proposed tax break holiday, citing complexities around its billing infrastructure and time constraints. 

In a statement sent out to retailers, the food and beverage giant said it will “continue charging GST/HST on qualifying products from Dec. 14, 2024 through Feb. 15, 2025.”

“There will be no changes to our current invoicing processes. Customers can continue to claim input tax credits for any GST/HST paid,” it continued. 

A variety of goods are poised to have their federal sales tax removed over the next two months in what the Liberals claim will help Canadians struggling with the high cost of living. 

Certain groceries, restaurant meals, drinks, snacks, children’s clothing, and gifts have been selected to qualify for the GST reduction. 

Canadians are expected to save 5% or more on selected goods, however, residents in Ontario and Atlantic Canada will save more as their provincial and federal sales taxes are blended into a harmonized sales tax, meaning they will receive a discount of between 13% and 15%.

However, the decision has been met with pushback from a number of small businesses that are confused by how to implement the break, saying they don’t want to reconfigure all their pricing software for the limited time the GST/HST holiday will be in place. 

“Still think the GST/HST holiday is a breeze for small business? All companies (including manufacturers and wholesalers) selling products subject to the holiday are to zero-rate the tax starting Dec. 14..” wrote Dan Kelly, president of the Canadian Federation of Independent Businesses in a post to X on Friday. 

“Here is a response from @PepsiCo Canada. If large companies can’t do this in time, god help Canada’s small businesses this weekend.”

His organization has been outspoken about the decision, saying the government has created “an administrative nightmare before Christmas” by not providing clear and simple rules. 

After conducting a survey the CFIB found that over two-thirds, 68%, of business owners said that finding out which items are temporarily tax-exempt is a difficult task.

“Business owners were given just two weeks to prepare, right in the middle of their busiest season,” said Kelly in a statement on Monday. 

“For some small retailers, this has required going through and making judgement calls on thousands of items based on limited guidance from the Canada Revenue Agency. It is going to be a hot mess.” 

Additionally, the tax break will cost around $2.7 billion to compensate provinces with a harmonized sales tax, according to the Parliamentary Budget Officer’s latest report.

PBO Yves Giroux released a report earlier this week estimating that the measure will reduce federal revenues by $1.5 billion in 2024-25.

“PBO also examined the potential impact of the Bill on federal compensation to provincial governments that collect the Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) under their respective Comprehensive Integrated Tax Coordination Agreements (that is, Ontario, Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick),” reads the report. 

“If these provinces do not waive the compensation required under these agreements, PBO estimates that the federal cost would be $1.3 billion greater.”

Liberals move to end Canada Post strike but yet to implement binding legislation

By
Isaac Lamoureux, True North Wire
-
Source: Unsplash

The federal government has introduced what it’s calling an “imaginative” proposal to resolve the conflict between Canada Post and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers.

However, the two sides are seeing things quite differently.

Federal Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon announced Friday that he had directed the Canada Industrial Relations Board to “assess the likelihood of the parties reaching negotiated agreements by the end of 2024 under the current circumstances, and if the CIRB considers this unlikely, to order the Canada Post Corporation and all employees represented by CUPW to resume and continue their operations and duties.”

In response, the union railed against the government intervention. 

“The union denounces in the strongest terms this assault on our constitutionally protected right to collectively bargain and strike,” reads a CUPW press release. “This order continues a deeply troubling pattern in which the government uses its arbitrary powers to let employers off the hook, drag their feet, and refuse to bargain in good faith with workers and their unions.”

The proposal would extend existing collective agreements until May 22, 2025.

MacKinnon is also appointing an Industrial Inquiry Commission to examine the issues of the current dispute and will provide recommendations by May 15, 2025. 

“Canadians cannot continue to bear the consequences of this impasse. Our priority is to restore postal services while ensuring a fair balance between the rights of workers, those of the employer, but also those of Canadians,” said MacKinnon.

Canada Post was much more receptive to the news.

A Canada Post spokesperson told True North that it is currently reviewing the details of the announcement and is fully prepared to participate and comply with the minister’s directive.

“While that unfolds, we look forward to welcoming our employees back to work and serving Canadians and customers. We will take all appropriate steps to support that process as quickly as possible given the direction provided to us by the Minister,” said the spokesperson.

Details of the start-up plans for Canada Post will be provided on their website when available.

At a press conference Friday morning, MacKinnon said that negotiations between both parties were headed in the wrong direction.

During the strike, Canada Post has been unable to process an estimated one million parcels daily.

He added that small- and medium-sized businesses, charities relying on holiday fundraising, and rural Canadians have paid the greatest price. 

The Canadian Federation of Independent Business highlighted that the strike is costing small businesses $76.6 million daily – surpassing $1 billion on Dec. 4. 

The Alberta government called for the Liberals to step in on Wednesday, highlighting that the cost has since reached $2 billion. 

While MacKinnon repeatedly noted the harm to small businesses, he said that no law exists to provide any compensation to affected businesses for labour disputes.

“I do remind people that the right to strike, the right to lockout labour conflicts happen in a democratic and free society, and that those rights are fundamental,” he said. 

He said he hoped activities would resume next week.

According to MacKinnon, 190,000 passports are waiting to be shipped. Additionally, 50,000 permanent resident cards are stuck in the mail. The Canada Revenue Agency has a backlog of 1.65 million pieces of personalized correspondence.

He reaffirmed that he was merely calling a timeout on the negotiations while the Canada Industrial Relations Board assesses the process. He said he wants to give collective bargaining a chance to succeed but that back-to-work legislation will be implemented temporarily if an agreement cannot be reached immediately. 

The strike for 55,000 workers has been ongoing for 29 days as of Friday. 

The Daily Brief | Musk calls Trudeau an “insufferable fool” 

By
Cosmin Dzsurdzsa
-
Source: Flickr

Elon Musk blasted Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on X following comments made during his speech at the Equal Voice Foundation gala on Tuesday. 

Plus, taxpayers have footed a $186 million bill for Global Affairs Canada’s real estate portfolio, including $12.5 million for vacant land in Senegal.

And an Ontario supervised drug site has launched a legal challenge against the province’s new law shutting down facilities near schools and daycares, citing Charter rights.

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

Liberals add wide array of parts to gun confiscation scheme

By
Quinn Patrick, True North Wire
-
Source: Unsplash

The Liberal government’s expansion of its gun “buyback” program also includes a slew of firearm parts.

The Trudeau government announced an additional 324 firearms would be banned last week, with the requirement for gun owners to forfeit them to the government by October 2025 as part of a “buyback” program that hasn’t yet been finalized.

In te newly updated list of parts and components included in the scope of the confiscation program are magazines, sights and grips, bolts and a wide array of barrels. These addons went without mention during last week’s press conference announcing the updated bans.

“This is the most cynical and malevolent action yet, by the Liberal government,” executive director of the Canadian Coalition for Firearm Rights Rod Giltaca told True North. 

“They banned around half a million individual firearms, refused to release the evidence they based that decision on, promised to buy them back, broke that promise, told gun owners just to replace these guns, and turned around and banned the rest of them along with the replacements.”

Prices for the parts range anywhere between $3.20 and $1,264, further driving up the cost of an already expensive taxpayer program. 

According to Public Safety Canada’s latest report, the combined expenses of the Liberals’ long gun ban are nearing $100 million this fiscal year, despite not one firearm having been collected yet. 

The additional parts being banned are in response to criticism that criminals could use them to create their own assault-style weapons with the use of a 3D printer, however, the parts will remain available on the black market regardless.   

“This government has made an appalling mess of public safety, Canadian’s faith in institutions and have accelerated the irresponsible deficit spending that has had a devastating impact on so many,” said Giltaca. “There’s nothing to indicate that they’ll ever turn back.”

Additionally, the RCMP does not make any record of when such guns are used in crimes, making the severity of the problem relatively unknown.

Still, those against the buyback program argue that it’s rooted in politics, rather than public safety. 

“If this wasn’t about an ideological and financial assault on 2.4 million Canadians for the crime of being unlikely to vote for them, they would have let these trusted Canadians use their firearms until such time as the buyback rolled out. But they didn’t, why? Because they’re lagging so far behind in the polls and they’re absolutely desperate to change the channel,” said Giltaca. 

“Their actions are beyond outrageous. It’s important for Canadians to remember that the Liberals have done this with the full and unconditional support of the NDP and the Bloc Quebecois.”

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has pledged to end the program if elected. Provincially, both Alberta and Saskatchewan have enacted legislation to limit the program’s reach. 

The program also hit a roadblock in terms of how the actual confiscation process will play out. 

The government tasked Canada Post with the first phase of the program which involves collecting weapons from retailers, which begrudgingly agreed to after some pushback in October.

However, the Crown corporation maintains that it will not be participating in phase two of the program, which involves individual gun owners.

Canada Post cited worries about potential conflicts between staff and gun owners who are frustrated with the confiscation of something they purchased and owned legally.

Giltaca noted that he thinks the addition of parts was the result of government lobbying on the part of importers and retailers.

“The addition of firearm parts to the retail buyback program is a result of lobbying on behalf of importers and retailers,” he said. “This makes sense as government licensed businesses across the country will have unsellable inventory outside of fully assembled firearms.”

Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe calls for federal election

By
Clayton DeMaine, True North Wire
-
Source: X

Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe has officially called on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to call a federal election.

The news comes after a first ministers meeting with the prime minister and premiers of each province to discuss Canada’s response to US President-elect Donald Trump’s proposed tariffs.

Trump threatened a 25% tariff on all Canadian imports until Canada’s southern border has been secured against drug smugglers and illegal immigrants crossing into the United States.

In an interview with Global News, Moe said that it’s time for Canadians to have a choice on who they want to represent them when dealing with the incoming Trump administration, which he said had one of the “strongest mandates in recent history.”

“We’re over our four years of what would be considered the norm for our minority administration here in Canada, and maybe what we need is someone to have the same mandate in Canada to negotiate with that incoming Trump administration,” Moe said. “And so we would ask Prime Minister Trudeau to do the right thing, to give Canadians the opportunity to make a choice on who is going to represent them at the table.”

Moe, who won his fifth consecutive majority government at the end of October, said the premiers at the meeting were looking for an action plan from the federal government with a roadmap on how the provinces could help Canada support it.

“This was primarily due to President-elect Trump’s demands around border security, which I’d say we agree with. We want to have increased border security on behalf of Canadians, whether it be drugs or illegal migrants,” Moe said in the interview. “We need to keep those bad things out of Canada and out of Saskatchewan.”

Moe said his contribution to the talks was around increasing border security, hiring troubles with Canadian border security officials as well as troubles with hiring new RCMP officers.

He said he wanted to “advance” the conversation beyond discussing tariffs and get back to talking about cooperation with Canada’s biggest ally and trading partner. 

Along with talks of answering the call for heightened border security, Ontario Premier Doug Ford, in contrast, has suggested that Canada impose its own tariffs and block energy to the U.S. as retaliatory measures.

Moe suggested Canadians should get a choice in who represents them “at the table” when discussing the federal government seriously looking at placing export tariffs on oil, potash, uranium, and export tariffs on Canadian products.

“So taxing Canadians on products we are exporting is exactly as ridiculous as it sounds. Any talk of that is not a betrayal of those that work in the industry. It’s a betrayal, I would say more broadly, of Canadians,” Moe said. So we would encourage, if that’s where the federal government is looking for retaliatory action, that they very quickly reconsider.”

He said if they want to escalate into a trade war of sorts, “maybe it’s time” for Canadians to have a say in who they would like to have a four-year mandate to negotiate with the incoming Trump Administration.

He noted that not only did Trump win in a landslide, representing “one of the strongest mandates in recent history” for him to negotiate on behalf of Americans, but the Republicans also won the House and the Senate.

Alberta unveils border security plan with sheriff-led patrols and “red zone”

By
Isaac Lamoureux, True North Wire
-
Source: Facebook

The Alberta government will deploy a new patrol team with the Alberta sheriffs to monitor its nearly 300-kilometre border with the United States.

In a Thursday announcement, the government confirmed that the new Interdiction Patrol Team would consist of 51 officers, ten support staff, four patrol dogs, ten surveillance drones, and four narcotics analyzers. 

On top of the 298 kilometres that will be monitored for drug smuggling, gun trafficking, and illegal immigration, a two-kilometre “red zone” will be created. The Interdiction Patrol Team will also monitor major provincial highways and inter-provincial travel routes to and from the border.

The officers will be trained to inspect commercial vehicles, a common vessel for human trafficking.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith explained at a press conference that the red zone encompasses critical infrastructure and will empower sheriffs to arrest anyone deemed to be crossing the border illegally, trafficking illegal drugs or weapons without a warrant. 

However, Minister of Public Safety Mike Ellis said that homeowners in the areas needn’t worry. He added that there would not be a ton of warrantless searches going on but that someone wandering in the middle of nowhere with something illicit would be subject to investigation by law enforcement.

Smith said the border enhancements are not in response to President-elect Donald Trump’s proposed tariffs.

She said that she proposed the changes back in a July 2023 mandate letter — which discussed creating a specialized sheriff-led team to combat fentanyl and illegal gun trafficking at the Alberta-U.S. border. 

She added that meeting with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the country’s premiers simply allowed her to accelerate the plan that her government had been working on for 18 months.

This is why 32 sheriffs have already received interdiction training.

Chief of Alberta Sheriffs, Bob Andrews, said that the interdiction teams will possess tools such as all-weather surveillance drones, off-road vehicles, thermal and night vision optical gear, and chemical identification systems.

“Crime does not respect borders,” said Andrews. 

Smith said that Alberta will be collaborating closely with the RCMP and Canada Border Services Agency to secure the border effectively. 

The province is investing $29 million to create the new unit.

Ellis said that he was the first politician in Canada to highlight the country’s opioid crisis, which resulted in the Illegal Pill Press Act being implemented in 2016. 

“Yesterday, I had the opportunity to meet with the Canada Border Services Agency and the RCMP, where we were able to share the plan with them,” said Ellis. “I’m happy to say that we all agreed that there was a strong agreement that the importance of collaboration towards a shared goal of a secured border.” 

Angela Kemp, an inspector with the Alberta Law Enforcement Response Team, highlighted that ALERT has seized over 250,000 fentanyl pills, 90kg of fentanyl powders, and over a tonne of fentanyl precursors and buffing agents since the first seizure in 2013.

Smith said she would not mirror Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s threat to cut off energy production to the U.S.

“Under no circumstances will Alberta agree to cut off oil and gas exports,” she said. “Our approach is one of diplomacy, not threats.”

She added that approximately $133 billion in oil and gas is traded across the border. A 25% tariff would equal an additional dollar per gallon of gas Americans purchase.

Smith explained that various other provinces have discussed implementing a similar approach but that Alberta was able to accelerate the process thanks to prior planning. Without the Trump tariff threats, the plan was set to be implemented in March.

Numerous premiers demanded improved border security following their meeting with Trudeau. 

The Conservative Party joined the call for action. 

Quebec has similarly announced that it will be deploying provincial police at the U.S. border. 

The Alberta government is hoping to have the 24-hour operation up and running by early 2025. 

1...525354...1,460Page 53 of 1,460

Related stories

© 2025 True North | Privacy Policy