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Sunday, September 28, 2025

New Brunswick premier says parents have right to know if kids change genders

By
Cosmin Dzsurdzsa
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New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs wants his province to review policy around LGBTQ issues in schools and believes parents have a right to be told if their children change genders. 

Higgs cited complaints from concerned parents as being behind the need for a review. Additionally, the premier has stated that he doesn’t believe kids should be exposed to drag queen story times “at that age.” 

“Are we asking should kids in elementary school and kindergarten be exposed to drag queen reading time is that what you’re asking because no I don’t think they should be at that age,” said Higgs. 

“We’re teaching kids to develop and grow, and they need to be making decisions as they get older and they get wiser. Are we trying to teach tolerance and acceptance, or are we trying to teach promotion?”

According to Higgs, parents with children under the age of 16 should be informed if their kids adopt a different name or use pronouns other than their biological sex while at school. 

Most schools throughout Canada have policies which require school staff or administrators to not inform parents of an ongoing gender transition unless requested to do so by the student. 

“For it purposefully to be hidden from the parents, that’s a problem,” said Higgs. 

“To suggest that it’s OK that parents don’t need to know — just stop and think about that question for a moment.”

According to Education Minister Bill Hogan, his office has received complaints in the “hundreds, at least” from parents worried about the school board policies. 

Hogan also expressed concerns about “the age appropriateness of what is taught in the classroom when it comes to sexual education.” 

According to the Education Minister, New Brunswick isn’t the only place “engaged in this conversation.” 

“We want to have a conversation with New Brunswickers so we can hear their views, address misconceptions and concerns, and provide the very best educational environment for all our students,” said Hogan. 

A recent poll found that a majority of Canadians believed that schools had an obligation to know if their children changed genders. According to the Leger survey, 57% of respondents said that they agree schools have a duty to inform parents, while only 18% said schools should not be required to do so. 

Alberta NDP, UCP spar on health care plans

By
Rachel Parker
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Following recent Alberta Health Services data showing decreased wait times under Danielle Smith, the Alberta NDP has announced their plan to tackle the health care crisis. 

Candidates David Shepherd and Cam Heenan announced Wednesday that an NDP government would work with doctors instead of “fighting” them. Shepherd said the NDP would increase the supply of family doctors so all Albertans have a family doctor. 

He also reiterated the party’s plans to invest in-home care for seniors. 

The announcement comes following new AHS data showing massive improvements in wait times since Smith became premier six months ago. 

Calgary ambulances responded to urgent calls in metro and urban areas in 12 minutes on average in April, compared to nearly 22 minutes last November. 

There’s also been a huge improvement in red alerts, which are issued when no ambulances are available to respond to 911 calls in a given area. Calgary spent about four minutes on red alert in April, down from 4.2 hours in November.

Smith, who campaigned on overhauling health care during the UCP leadership race, implemented drastic changes upon becoming premier. She quickly fired 11 members of the AHS board and replaced them with administrator Dr. John Cowell. 

He was charged with reducing ambulance, emergency room and surgical wait times.

In response to the new data, NDP candidate Kathleen Ganley said it doesn’t align with anecdotal reports she’s heard on the campaign trail about long waits. 

Smith said she’s “very surprised” how negative the NDP is towards the civil service. Healthcare workers have faced a hard job over the last three years and the UCP government asked them to work together to reduce wait times.

“They have risen to the occasion,” Smith said in response to a question from True North. 

Maxime Bernier wants to “reopen the abortion debate”

By
Andrew Lawton
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People’s Party of Canada leader Maxime Bernier is running in the Portage–Lisgar byelection. One of his first campaign announcements was a pledge to reopen the abortion debate by pledging to introduce a bill banning abortion after 24 weeks. Currently there is no law on abortion in Canada. Bernier discussed the issue with True North’s Andrew Lawton, as well as what constitutes a “win” for him in this byelection and why he’s not appealing his citation for violating Manitoba’s Covid restrictions.

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Governor General billed taxpayers $88K on designer clothes

By
Cosmin Dzsurdzsa
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Source: Wikipedia

The Governor General of Canada’s office racked up over $88,000 in expenses on designer fashion at the expense of taxpayers since 2017.

According to the National Post, both Julie Payette – who occupied the position until 2021 – and current Governor General Mary Simon have expensed clothing items worth hundreds to thousands of dollars a piece. 

In 2019, Payette expensed boots costing $1,064.71 and a year later she bought a vest for $1,800 and a $2,470 suit. 

As for Simon, her office claimed dress shoes costing up to $429.99 and a $160 scarf with her taxpayer-funded expense account. 

Canadian Taxpayers Federation federal director Franco Terrazzano said in a press release that due to the large salaries earned by Governor Generals, they should be required to pay for their own expenses. 

“The feds need to rein in the governor general’s out-of-control expenses,” said Terrazzano. 

“Canada’s governor general already takes a $342,100 salary every year so they can pay for their own clothes.”

The expenses were obtained by Conservative MP Kelly McCauley who called their contents “obscene.” 

“The prime minister doesn’t get a penny for clothing allowance,” McCauley told the National Post. 

“MPs pay for their own tuxedos, as do everyday Canadians. I would expect any business-style clothing, shoes, T-shirts, anything they should pay with their own very, very, very well compensated salary.”

According to the rules, the Governor General is allowed to expense up to $130,000 in clothing items over their entire five-year mandate. The first year has a $60,000 limit for the amount of expenses claimed and the last year has a $10,000 limit. 

“Many Canadians are actually stressed about the price of clothing, but the governor general isn’t one of them,” Terrazzano said. 

“If the prime minister and ministers can pay for their own clothes then surely governors general can too.”

SHEPHERD: Housing minister on astronomical rental rates: “It doesn’t matter”

By
Lindsay Shepherd
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Source: Facebook

Canada’s housing minister Ahmed Hussen was asked this week about how much a one bedroom rental goes for in Kelowna, BC, and his immediate response was to say, “It doesn’t matter.”

“What is the average rent for a one bedroom apartment in Kelowna, British Columbia?” Kelowna–Lake Country MP Tracy Gray asked Hussen in the House of Commons.

“Madam Chair, it doesn’t matter because the Honourable Member believes we should do less on housing,” Hussen replied to the Conservative MP.

Hussen couldn’t even conjure up some faux empathy and offer a canned response about how rental rates across the country are unaffordable and not in line with current salaries – he could only offer indifference and deflection.

“Madam Chair, it does matter to people in Kelowna, British Columbia how much rent is and it’s $1,952,” Gray stated.

Gray followed up by asking Hussen about the going rate for a one bedroom apartment in Vancouver, but Hussen apparently did not know the answer, which is $2,787. Vancouver is the country’s most unaffordable rental market.

“The housing minister doesn’t know his file, and he isn’t even trying,” said Gray.

A few weeks ago, Hussen quietly bought his second rental property in Ottawa. In addition to being the minister that sets the country’s housing policy, Hussen moonlights as a landlord profiting from the market he oversees.

As a landlord making money off of rental properties, it’s not hard to see why Hussen remains unbothered by Canada’s continually increasing rental prices. 

“I predict the average price for a one bedroom in Toronto to rise above $3,000 by 2030,” Marco Pedri, real estate broker at Shoreline Realty Corp. Brokerage, recently told BNN Bloomberg.

“People see that number and find it impossible to believe, but just 10 years ago the thought of an average bedroom going for over $2,000 was unfathomable — and yet here we are.”

Nearly half of Albertans say Smith vs Notley debate will impact their ballot

By
Rachel Parker
-

Nearly half of Albertans say the leaders’ debate between United Conservative Party leader Danielle Smith and Alberta NDP leader Rachel Notley will impact their vote, a new poll suggests.

The Thursday night debate comes in week three of the provincial election campaign, with polls still showing a tight race between the two parties.

A Global/Ipsos poll found that 43% of respondents said the event “will be an important factor in my vote decision.” Another 40% disagreed, while 16% said they don’t know.

“We’re always hopeful that a debate is going to make a difference in an election as close as this — it certainly can,” Ipsos senior vice-president Kyle Braid told Global News.

“So with it as close as this, there is always the chance that the debate is going to be something that is going to sway that little portion of voters that’s going to make the difference to get to 44 seats and a majority.”

The Global/Ipsos poll was conducted between May 10-13 and surveyed 800 Alberta eligible voters online. 

Both Notley and Smith have been campaigning to appeal to moderates in swing ridings in Calgary. Both have made announcements to increase public safety, invest in health care, and to cut taxes. 

The UCP teed off the election campaign with a promise to create a new 8% tax bracket on income under $60,000. Under the new policy, every Albertan earning $60,000 or more will save $760, with savings of up to $1,500 per family.  

“(The) United Conservative government has a track record of increasing investments and decreasing unemployment,” UCP candidate Devin Dreeshen said Wednesday. 

On Monday, the Alberta NDP pledged to drop the small business tax rate down to zero, matching the rate in Saskatchewan.

The small business tax rate in Alberta currently sits at two per cent on the first $500,000 of income generated. The NDP said in a media release that small businesses would save up to $10,000 per year, at an estimated cost of $150 million to the Government of Alberta.

The NDP also plans to increase the corporate tax rate from 8% to 11% to increase revenue — a policy the Canadian Taxpayers Federation has given a “failing grade.”

Albertans will head to the polls on May 29.

Those planning to watch the debate can tune into True North’s live show beginning at 5 p.m. MT.

The Andrew Lawton Show | Surely the governors-general can pay for own clothes

By
Andrew Lawton
-

New figures show Gov. Gen. Mary Simon expensed $38,000 on clothes in a 16-month period, including ceremonial clothing and casual wear – this despite making over $340,000 per year. True North’s Andrew Lawton points out that this office keeps breeding entitlement among its occupants.

Also, Chrystia Freeland thinks it’s “fear-mongering” to ask about the debt.

Plus, People’s Party of Canada leader Maxime Bernier joins to talk about his campaign to get back into the House of Commons in the upcoming Portage—Lisgar byelection.

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Calgary police arrest teen Josh Alexander after confrontation with trans activists

By
Cosmin Dzsurdzsa
-
Credit: Rebel News

A video circulating on social media shows Calgary Police Services leading teenage activist Josh Alexander away in handcuffs after he was surrounded by a mob of LGBTQ activists. 

The Rebel News clip shows Alexander being shoved around by a group of protesters before a handful of law enforcement officials intervene. 

Alexander is then handcuffed and led away from the scene by a police officer. 

This isn’t the first instance Alexander has been detained by police over his opposition to gender ideology. 

Alexander was first arrested earlier this year while on school property after he was suspended by St. Joseph’s Catholic High School in Renfrew, Ontario. 

Alexander got into trouble because he stated that there were only two genders and opposed the school’s gender-neutral bathrooms. 

“What I gave up is really nothing. We have to consider those who gave more– those who actually fought and died for our freedoms,” said Alexander, who was in Grade 11 at the time. 

Last month Alexander also led a protest featuring dozens of high school students outside of York Mill Collegiate Institute opposed to a drag queen performance. 

Subsequent tweets by Alexander indicate that the teen was released “and told if (he) returned (he) would be arrested and charged.”

“According to Calgary police, my views were too ‘inflammatory’ to be expressed near the Western Canada HS. Thankfully some of my assailants were charged after the event. I will not yield to the pressure of the woke mob or corrupt state. We will continue to spread the truth in love,” tweeted Alexander.

This is a developing story that will be updated as True North acquires more details.

The Daily Brief | Feds unveil new bail reform to address rising crime

By
Rachel Parker
-

The Trudeau government unveils new bail reform legislation as violent crimes spike in major cities across the country. Meanwhile, Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre has a bizarre exchange with a legacy media journalist over why bail reform is needed.

Plus, some cancer patients in British Columbia will soon have the option to receive radiation therapy in the US.

And the Canadian Taxpayers Federation is giving the Alberta NDP’s plan to hike taxes a “failing grade.”

Tune into The Daily Brief with Rachel Emmanuel and Cosmin Dzsurdzsa!

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Escaped murderer back in custody

By
Andrew Kozak
-

A 42-year-old inmate who escaped from Kingston’s Collins Bay federal prison on Tuesday is now back in custody after a lengthy search by the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP).

Joshua Kenneth Kohl, who was serving a sentence for committing second-degree murder, escaped from a minimum security unit after being found missing during a formal count, according to reports by The Canadian Press. 

The OPP has charged Kohl with being unlawfully at large.

The OPP issued a warrant for Kohl’s arrest immediately after Kingston Police were contacted by the penitentiary. The OPP stated that Kohl “could pose a safety risk” and advised the public not to approach him if he is spotted but to instead contact the police.

Collins Bay Institution is located in west Kingston on Bath Road and can hold up to 750 minimum, medium, and maximum level prisoners.

The Trudeau government introduced new legislation on bail reform on Tuesday as premiers and police associations across the country push the feds to do more to address rising crime in major cities.

The legislation introduces reverse-onus bail conditions for people charged with serious violent offences involving a weapon, in cases where the person was convicted of a similar violent offence within the past five years and in cases where alleged crimes involve intimate partner violence or firearms.

Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre reacted to the new measures highlighting how irresponsible it is to release repeat violent offenders on the streets. He said that if he was prime minister, he would waive offenders’ rights to a bail hearing in the first place.

He also said he would bring in laws that would require repeat violent offenders who are arrested for the first time for violent crimes to remain behind bars throughout their trial.

“The same 40 people were arrested 6,000 times in a year. That’s 150 arrests per offender per year,” he said. “You don’t have a lot of criminals in Canada. It’s a very small number that do the vast majority of crime.”

EDITOR’S NOTE: This article has been updated to reflect the fact that the inmate has been located and is in custody.

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