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Sunday, September 28, 2025

Quebecers divided on drag shows for kids: poll

By
Elie Cantin-Nantel
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A recent poll found that while Quebecers are divided on drag shows for kids, the majority believe such activities should not take place without the consent of parents. 

The Leger poll commissioned by the Conservative Party of Quebec comes amid an ongoing debate in the province on whether drag shows for kids should be held in public schools, libraries and daycares.

50% of those surveyed said they had no problem with drag activities for children, while 38% said they opposed the matter. 

There is however less support for using taxpayer dollars to fund such events. 46% of those surveyed say they are fine with public dollars going towards drag shows for kids, while 42% oppose it.

The poll also indicates that the majority of Quebecers side with parental rights, as 59% of those surveyed say drag shows for kids should only take place with the consent of parents.

The survey shows that men were more opposed to the drag shows for kids than women, who, along with post secondary students and those who hold university degrees, were more supportive of such activities.

The appropriateness of drag queen story hours in public venues continues to be debated in Quebec. 

Back in April, the province’s national assembly gave unanimous support to a left-wing motion denouncing opposition to drag shows for kids after a drag story time in the Greater Montreal area faced protest.

Conservative Party of Quebec leader Eric Duhaime then started a petition against drag shows being held in public libraries, schools and daycares and called for greater parental rights. His petition has received over 40,000 signatures.

Duhaime also interviewed a father during one of his livestreams, who claimed his five-year-old daughter was subjected to a drag queen in her kindergarten class. 

Several prominent Quebec media figures have since come out against drag queen story hours, with some calling drag queens sexual, and others implying that they are caricatures of women.

Duhaime says the result of the Leger poll “shows that the population of Quebec shares our position. It is up to parents to choose. Not the government.”

Duhaime also took aim at the province’s elected officials for coming out unanimously in favour of drag shows for kids, saying “there is no evident social acceptability, there is no unanimity.”

“The government and the opposition are completely wrong in making decisions without consulting the population.”

The discourse on drag shows of kids in Quebec has differed from the rest of Canada, where the activity has been condoned by some Conservative politicians and promoted by the legacy media.

The Leger poll was conducted between April 21 and 23, and 1006 Quebec residents were surveyed. 75% of respondents said they did not have kids, while 25% did not state their gender or refused to answer the poll’s question. 

Quebec spent nearly $6 million on doctor-assisted suicide in 2022

By
Andrew Kozak
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The Quebec government spent a total of $5,880,162 on Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) to euthanize those seeking services, according to government documents.

A freedom of information request by “Run with Life” blogger, Patricia Maloney, revealed that general practitioners and medical specialists charged nearly $6 million in fees in order to render MAiD services to patients in Quebec.

Quebeckers paid $674,102 for initial consultations lasting 15 minutes and $2,333,692 for additional 15-minute consultations. Patients then paid nearly $350,000 to have physicians administer MAiD to them. Additional costs were collected from administrative fees, forms, visits and recurring consultations.

10,064 Canadians chose doctor-assisted suicide as a means to end their lives in 2021. Data for 2022 is currently not available.

In March, Conservative MP Ed Fast announced he will be tabling a private member’s bill that will reverse the forecasted expansion of MAiD legislation to include those whose sole condition is a mental illness.

“My fear is that the most vulnerable Canadians, those with mental illnesses, will be placed at risk through Canada’s current MAiD regime,” said Fast in an interview with True North. “I am hoping that Bill C-314 will cause Canadians to wake up and raise the alarm bell to the fact that our current liberal government is moving way too forward and way too fast with assisted suicide legislation.”

“It is very clear, poll after poll, that there is no consensus across Canada to expand MAiD to the mentally ill.”

The bill is currently in its second reading in the House of Commons. The expansion to include mental illness as the sole condition for being approved for MAiD has been delayed until at least March 17, 2024.

Under current legislation, Canadians are eligible for MAiD if they satisfy certain criteria, including being over the age of 18, having “a serious and incurable illness” and enduring “intolerable physical or psychological suffering that cannot be alleviated.”

If you or someone you know is suicidal and in need of help please call the toll-free 1-833-456-4566 or text 45645 to speak to someone from TalkSuicide.ca.

Calgarians launch petition over cancelled Canada Day firework display

By
Rachel Parker
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Thousands of Calgarians, including Conservative MP Michelle Rempel Garner, are calling for the city to reverse a decision to cancel its annual Canada Day fireworks display. 

Last week, the City of Calgary announced it would cancel its Canada Day show and replace it with a light show due to climate and cultural impacts.

A petition launched by Common Sense Calgary over the weekend calling for the fireworks to be reinstated has already garnered over 6,000 signatures. 

“I can’t quite believe I have to say this, but, it’s not racist to want to celebrate Canada Day with fireworks – or to celebrate Canada Day at all,” the petition reads. 

“If you agree, and you haven’t had a chance to sign the petition yet, please show Council just how unpopular this insane idea is by doing so now.”

The cancellation is a pilot to address cultural, community, and environmental issues experienced with traditional Canada Day fireworks, said Franca Gualtieri, city manager of arts and culture.

The City says there are cultural sensitivities around fireworks displays in relation to Truth and Reconciliation and with July 1 marking the 100th anniversary of the Chinese Immigration Act. It also says the changes will mitigate disruptive traffic, noise, overcrowding at city viewpoints, and be friendlier for wildlife. 

It claims the replacement light show will be a “visually stunning display of lights and sounds that will be launched from the main stage at Fort Calgary during the headliner act.”

Rempel Garner, the MP for Calgary Nose Hill, implored city councillors to reverse the decision, saying “it brings no good to our city.” She said Calgarians can still celebrate Canada while  acknowledging and addressing “reconciliation and the longstanding impacts of colonialism and racism.”

“When our leaders make this choice a binary one, that as a people we can only do one at the expense of the other, we further divide our country instead of solving its problems. Suggesting that Canada Day shouldn’t be a day for any celebration does just that, and I won’t allow my community to be pushed into that corner,” she said in a statement. 

“Instead, we should celebrate the good that unites us, while taking real action to bring forth equality of opportunity and reconciliation.”

Federal budget watchdog defends analysis that clean fuel regulation will cost Canadians

By
Cosmin Dzsurdzsa
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Canada’s federal budget watchdog has come out in defence of his latest report, which found that Canadian families will pay up to $1,008 on the Liberal government’s Clean Fuel Regulations. 

In a recent report, Parliamentary Budget Officer (PBO) Yves Giroux found that lower-income families will pay $231 while higher-income families will pay $1,008 by 2030. 

“I can understand that people are not happy when we underline that government action will have repercussions, and in this case, costs, but I stand by the analysis we provided,” Giroux told the National Post. 

Liberal Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault responded to the policy by accusing the PBO of releasing an “unbalanced” report that doesn’t factor in the unrealized costs of climate change. 

“While we recognize the work of the PBO, their analysis takes the same unbalanced modeling approach as they did with the analysis of the price on pollution,” said Guilbeault. 

“Their analysis does not account for technological change and assumes that no new technologies would come on line. That is not a reasonable assumption.” 

According to Giroux, Guilbeault’s statement is “not accurate.” 

“For example, if we cost the acquisition of warships, we don’t include the benefits of having new warships for Canada. When it comes to pharmacare and dental care, we don’t try to estimate the benefits of these measures,” said Giroux. 

“PBO is the messenger. Critique the methodology of the messenger. Put out competing analysis. Inform citizens. Stir debate. Climate change is happening. We need price and regulatory change. Assess impacts. Don’t shoot the messenger.”

Last week, Guilbeault recently issued a veiled threat towards provinces that are looking for ways to not comply with new environmental rules introduced by the Liberals, including the Clean Electricity Standard which hopes to phase out fossil fuel power generation by 2035. 

“We’ve regulated the ban on coal through (Canadian Environmental Protection Act), which is a criminal tool that the federal government has,” said Guilbeault. 

“So not complying with this regulation would be a violation of Canada’s Criminal Code.”

Former Global News director accuses outlet of peddling pandemic propaganda

By
Cosmin Dzsurdzsa
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A former broadcasting director with Global News claimed that the media organization provided biased coverage during the Covid-19 pandemic and instead of doing journalism, “shoved propaganda” into the faces of Canadians. 

Former director Anita Krishna told the National Citizen Inquiry that the broadcaster’s coverage of pandemic-related issues was “slanted.” 

“I was a director of newscast when Covid-19 happened. The vaccine was like a religion. All we did was constantly run stories of: ‘Look at this person in the hospital who made a bad choice and didn’t get the vaccine,’” explained Krishna. 

“All our stories were slanted to that. Everything we were saying was pandemic of the unvaccinated. If you’re unvaccinated you’ll be holding everybody back and that we now know isn’t true.” 

According to Krishna, her superiors at the network shut down any concerns she had about the outlet’s biased coverage. 

“We never stood up for the people, we, as far as I’m concerned, just shoved propaganda in your face,” said Krishna. 

Krishna was eventually suspended by the company for allegedly violating journalistic principles after she spoke out about her concerns surrounding the pandemic and lockdowns. 

Last week, former CBC Manitoba reporter Marianne Klowak gave a similar testimony, accusing the public broadcaster of “pushing propaganda.” 

“I know that as a public broadcaster, you’d expect us to be telling you the truth, and we stopped doing that,” said Klowak.

“And it was a number of stories that I have put forward that were blocked, but it seemed to me as a journalist who’d been there 34 years, it’s like the rules had changed overnight. And it changed so quickly that it left me just dizzy.”

The Andrew Lawton Show | David Johnston’s report is a Trudeau whitewash

By
Andrew Lawton
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“Eminent Canadian” and Trudeau family friend David Johnston has published his first report into foreign interference in Canada’s elections, and – shocker – Trudeau comes out clean, but the media and public service are the problem. Johnston says there shouldn’t be a public inquiry, but he should keep on going with his investigation so that Canadians don’t see the classified documents he says exonerate the government. True North’s Andrew Lawton breaks down the report.

Also, members of parliament are trying to force banks and pension funds to only invest in “climate-aligned” businesses. Gina Pappano from InvestNow joins to discuss.

SUBSCRIBE TO THE ANDREW LAWTON SHOW

Johnston advises against public inquiry, lashes out at media

By
Andrew Kozak
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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s appointed special rapporteur into foreign interference in Canadian elections, David Johnston, has advised against a public inquiry.

The former governor general made the announcement on Tuesday and published a 55-page report on his findings. 

Johnston claimed that a public inquiry would be hindered by the need for top secret intelligence to be kept private. 

“I began with an inclination towards recommending a public inquiry. However, as I have undertaken the review process, I asked myself repeatedly what purpose a public inquiry could serve for Canadians in light of the restrictions on the material that would need to be before the commissioner,” he said.

“I have concluded it would not serve a useful purpose to enhance trust.”

Johnston acknowledged that there are serious problems in how intelligence is shared between the public service and political officials. However, he concluded there was no evidence to suggest that the Trudeau government ignored claims of foreign interference.

While a public inquiry is not being recommended by Johnston, he says he plans to hold “a series of public hearings with Canadians” into the issue.

Instead of criticizing the government for how it has handled claims of foreign interference, Johnston took aim at media outlets for reporting on the issue. According to Johnston, media reports on interference in the 2019 and 2021 elections gave an incomplete, distorted, and sometimes “false” picture of the extent of Chinese interference.

“When viewed in full context with all of the relevant intelligence, several leaked materials that raised legitimate questions turn out to have been misconstrued in some media reports, presumably because of the lack of this context,” wrote Johnston.

Johnston has been criticized for his close relationship with Trudeau, specifically because he was a member of the Trudeau Foundation and is considered a “family friend” with the Trudeaus.

Johnston acknowledged these criticisms on Tuesday, reminiscing on their family friendship. 

“My friendship with the current prime minister was based only on a few skiing expeditions with my children,” Johnston said. 

Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre lashed out at Johnston’s recommendation, saying “the report was rigged from the start and has zero credibility.”

“Justin Trudeau’s handpicked ‘special rapporteur’ has done exactly the job that was asked of him. David Johnston is shamefully helping the Prime Minister cover up Beijing’s attacks on our democracy. This is outrageous, but not surprising,” said Poilievre in a release. 

Teen arrested after shooting fireworks at Halton police

By
Andrew Kozak
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An Oakville teenager has been arrested on charges of assault with a weapon after shooting fireworks at police officers during Victoria Day celebrations involving hundreds of people.

Halton police received several calls at 9:00 pm on Monday about a large group of people shooting fireworks at Lakeshore Road West and East Street in the Oakville region, according to CTV News.

When police arrived at the scene, they found between 200 and 300 young people discharging fireworks in the air and at one another. A 15-year-old allegedly fired towards officers and was immediately arrested and charged.

While no injuries were reported, police say they issued several tickets to those gathered at the event.

Residents reported seeing up to 17 Halton police cruisers at the scene to handle the disturbance.

Officers in riot gear were on standby at Woodbine Beach after last year’s celebrations resulted in two shootings, two robbings at gunpoint, a stabbing, and seven injured officers from fireworks. 19 charges were laid at last year’s Victoria Day celebrations.

Police presence included officers mounted on motorcycles and horseback to quell any violence.

“What happened last year, we are not going to tolerate this year, said Staff Supt. Paul MacIntyre to reporters on Friday. “My officers will be out in full force.”

Toronto Mayoral candidate Olivia Chow, who is currently leading in the polls,  has yet to release a platform that addresses the rising crime rate in the city.

Candidate and former Toronto police chief, Mark Saunders, has released a plan to make the TTC safer which includes hiring 200 additional uniformed officers in the transit system to respond to disturbances.

Anthony Furey, who is currently on leave as True North’s vice president of editorial and content, said he plans to reverse the trend of declining front-line police officers by hiring more cops.

The Daily Brief | Will a public inquiry take place?

By
Andrew Lawton
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“Special Rapporteur” David Johnston will release his decision Tuesday on whether the federal government should hold a public inquiry into allegations of foreign interference in Canada’s elections.

Plus, the City of Calgary is cancelling its massive Canada Day fireworks show and replacing it with a light show due to climate impacts.

And Liberal Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault issued a veiled threat to provinces as the feds face a showdown over its Clean Electricity Standard, which would ban fossil fuel power generation by 2035.

Tune into The Daily Brief with Andrew Lawton and Lindsay Shepherd!

SUBSCRIBE TO THE DAILY BRIEF

BONOKOSKI: Another international trip, another embarrassment

By
Mark Bonokoski
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Whenever Prime Minister Justin Trudeau hits the international stage, his over-active tongue somehow gathers the opinion that it is the spokes-vehicle for the entire gathering of nations.

He is far from it, of course, but the importance he places on himself is breathtaking.

He thinks he’s as brilliant as a Young Sheldon but, in reality, he’s just a silly boy.

Following the G7 convention in Hiroshima, the Italian media was quick to condemn Trudeau’s latest misstep on the world stage with the Milan-based Libero newspaper splashing a picture of the Grit prime minister on its front page in full blackface glory with the headline, translated from Italian which read, “This buffoon wants to teach us lessons.”

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, a self-described feminist, is being slammed for his “repugnant” behaviour after trying to “mansplain” democracy to his Italian counterpart Giorgia Meloni.

Meloni seemed none too pleased at the summit when Trudeau told her before private, bilateral talks that “Canada is concerned about some of the positions Italy is taking in terms of LGBT rights.”

He added that he looked forward to speaking to her more about the issue and “other democratic principles that the world needs.”

The Italian leader fired back Sunday, saying she rejected Trudeau’s criticism and that the Liberal leader had fallen “victim” to “fake news.”

Even Sky News Australia got in on the act, saying Meloni’s grimace while being lectured “really sums up what all of us think of the repugnant, incompetent Trudeau.”

Ouch!

Trudeau’s critique on Friday came in response to news that Meloni’s government told Italian city councils to stop officially recording both parents in same-sex couples and instead limit it to the biological parent. The move has sparked protests by gay rights groups.

Grimaces are not a rarity in Trudeau’s circle.

Remember how Chinese President Xi Jinping threatened and scolded the prime minister for the world to see at last fall’s G20 conference in Bali? As Toronto Sun columnist Lorne Gunter put it, “you don’t treat someone you respect or consider competent as though he was a bumbling schoolboy.”

Yet there was Trudeau . . . front-and-centre.

Even Alberta Premier Danielle Smith had a grimace on her face this February when she was forced to shake Trudeau’s hand for the mandatory photo-op. Even their handshake was awkward.

She has repeatedly disparaged Trudeau’s government as not a true national government and passed controversial legislation granting her government power to direct provincial agencies to ignore federal laws.

With a provincial election upcoming, Smith had to put obvious distance between herself and the unpopular Trudeau.

And then there was Trudeau’s bizarre handshake Friday with Kim Jin-pyo, speaker of the Korean National Assembly.

During the standard photo op with Kim, Trudeau bizarrely spread his legs a metre or more apart — supposedly to make it look like Kim and Trudeau were around the same height,

His pose can only be described as embarrassing.

It was not as embarrassing as his family’s dress-up tour of India in 2018, but only because the Korea gaffe was short-lived.

The Trudeau family’s Bollywood costume party on the Ganges went on for days.

But it was the black-faced Trudeau on the front page of a major Italian newspaper that flipped the mind back to 2019 when the story first broke — internationally — when Time magazine published a photo from a 2001 yearbook from the Vancouver private school West Point Grey Academy, where Trudeau taught.The school staged an Arabian Nights-themed gala. Trudeau dressed as Aladdin, in blackface and a turban.

Within days, two more unrelated pictures (and a video) surfaced of a black-faced Trudeau.

Trudeau held an emergency news conference on his campaign plane. He apologized and said he “should have known better.”

“I take responsibility for my decision to do that. I shouldn’t have done it,” he said. “I should have known better. It was something that I didn’t think was racist at the time, but now I recognize it was something racist to do and I am deeply sorry.”

“Didn’t think it was racist??” That was the silly boy talking.

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