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Saturday, September 27, 2025

OP-ED: John Tory, ever the entitled aristocrat

By
Rita Smith
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John Tory stepped down as Mayor of Toronto on February 10.

In a hastily called press conference at 8:30pm on Friday, Tory told the media that he had “developed a relationship” with a staff person during the pandemic, that it was an error in judgment, and that he was resigning as Mayor only four months after he was elected to his third term.

Tory took no questions from the media before he disappeared back into the office he just quit. He did release a 495-word statement in which he used the word “I” 35 times and the word “my” 19 times.

“During the pandemic, I developed a relationship with an employee in my office in a way that did not meet the standards to which I hold myself as Mayor and as a family man. The relationship ended by mutual consent earlier this year,” Tory noted.

The irony of having the man who locked down the City of Toronto simultaneously running around with a taxpayer-funded girlfriend was not lost on Twitter users, several of whom pointed out Tory’s hypocrisy immediately.

“Torontonians were in lockdown while Mayor John Tory was messing around. Terrible,” notes Billy.

“In all fairness, that staffer was probably in his bubble,” wrote KoDean.

Lifetime members of Toronto’s Taxi industry who were devastated by Tory’s inexorable push to allow an unlimited number of rideshare vehicles also had comments:

“All I can say is ‘good riddance,’” Judi Barr told Taxi News. Judi’s husband Joel and his father worked two lifetimes to build a Taxi business which ran 10 plates. The plates were made virtually worthless when Tory led the charge to allow unlimited entry of rideshare vehicles to cruise Toronto’s already-congested streets.

“From the beginning, I referred to him as ‘John (Uber is here to stay) Tory.’ Sadly, Uber is still here but I am delighted that he is gone! I am hopeful that some reporters from the ‘Uber Files’ will put his dealings under a microscope,” said Andy Reti, retired driver and plate owner.

Already, industry watchers are speculating as to a possible other reason Tory resigned. After all, he knew the skeleton of this affair was already in his closet when he ran for Mayor four months ago and he ran anyway (much to the chagrin of his donors and supporters). 

What changed since October to make it an issue now? Was his Friday night press conference a ruse to get him out of Dodge before some other, much more damaging hammer drops? 

Ever the entitled aristocrat, Tory closed his short remarks by Tory-splaining how the rest of this narrative will go:

“I hope the privacy of all of those impacted by my actions can be respected and that includes me.

I think as you know I am a naturally private person notwithstanding some of the jobs I have had and I hope you will respect that, and the privacy of everyone else as well, especially my wife and family…

…I want to thank the people of Toronto for trusting me as Mayor.

It has been the job of a lifetime, and while I have let them and my family down in this instance, I have nonetheless been deeply honoured by the opportunity to serve the people of this wonderful city and I believe I did some good for the city I truly love particularly during the pandemic. I’m usually known for taking as many questions as you want, but on this occasion, I’ll let my statement speak for itself.

Thank you.”

Just so everyone understands: really, he’s a good and decent guy but if only he hadn’t had to sacrifice so much of his personal time to managing COVID-19 to keep us all safe, he’d still be Mayor. It must have been just awful for him.

We should all be so glad he’s enjoyed the “job of a lifetime,” and are only too happy to overlook his many egregious acts of political indifference to the citizens of his city, because, he’s John Tory.

Rita Smith is the publisher of Road Warrior News/Taxi News.

John Tory resigns as Toronto mayor following relationship with staffer

By
Anthony Furey
-

John Tory has resigned as Mayor of Toronto after news surfaced that he had an inappropriate relationship with a staff member during the pandemic.

Following a Friday night news report in The Toronto Star about the relationship, Tory gave a brief press conference where he read from a prepared statement,

“During the pandemic I developed a relationship with an employee in my office in a way that did not meet the standards to which I hold myself as mayor and as a family man,” Tory said. “The relationship ended by mutual consent earlier this year. During the course of this relationship sometime ago the employee decided to pursue employment outside City Hall and secured a job elsewhere. I recognize that permitting this relationship to develop was a serious error of judgment.”

He did not take questions from the media following his statement.

Tory – who has served as mayor since 2014 – said he was resigning from mayor to focus on repairing his marriage. Tory’s wife, Barbara Hackett, had spent the bulk of the time during the pandemic in Florida, according to The Star.

While originally promising to serve only two terms as mayor, Tory sought election for a third time in the fall of 2022. He ran without facing any serious opposition.

Fake News Friday | Protesters battle over drag shows for kids

By
Sue-Ann Levy
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Across Canada, concerned parents are protesting their opposition to drag shows for children. However, according to the legacy media, we’re facing a “crisis of hate.” Meanwhile, just days before, a student was suspended and arrested after stating that there are only two genders.

Next on the show, Andrew and Sue-Ann review two legacy media hit pieces against Olympic Gold winner Jamie Salé for opposing vaccines and lockdowns and not living up to the standards of the media.

Lastly, Ontario Public Health finally admits that a mask mandate in the fall would not have helped despite all the legacy media promoting mask use throughout and even after the pandemic.

Tune into Fake News Friday with Andrew Lawton and Sue-Ann Levy on True North!

Alberta RCMP officer stabbed during mental health call

By
Cosmin Dzsurdzsa
-

An Alberta RCMP officer was seriously injured on Tuesday while responding to a mental-health related call in Thorhild, Alberta.

The National Police Federation (NPF) has since issued a statement saying police departments are underfunded when it comes to handling the mental health crisis. 

“On Tuesday, February 7, one of our Members was seriously injured in an on-duty stabbing while attending a mental health-related police call in Thorhild, Alberta. This is yet another example of the real danger that our Members contend with every shift, putting their lives on the line to keep our communities safe,” said NPF president  Brian Brian Sauvé.

“Against the backdrop of increasing demands and years of underfunding by all levels of government, our Members and all police officers have been shouldering the load for a high volume of mental health calls.” 

Sauvé called on further partnerships between police services and mental health workers. 

According to local reports, the officer sustained “serious, non-life-threatening injuries.” 

“Redwater RCMP responded to a call for service at a residence in Thorhild. During the call, an officer was attacked with a knife and received serious, non-life threatening injuries,” read a press release. 

48-year-old Cindy Chelsberg was arrested as a result of the incident and has since been charged with attempted murder, aggravated assault of a peace officer, aggravated assault, obstruction and possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose. 

All levels of government are currently being pressed by policing and other organizations to immediately act to address rising incidents of violence and crime. 

Last month, the Toronto Police Chief and the head of the Toronto Police Services Board urged Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to immediately implement changes to criminal laws and bail procedures in response to an increase in crime across Canada.

LEVY: Toronto school board votes to tackle “caste privilege”

By
Sue-Ann Levy
-

Don’t think for a moment there’s only white privilege.

According to certain radical trustees on the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) there is also caste privilege.

In excess of 30 minutes — with more wasted time to come — a ridiculous motion to the board’s Governance and Policy committee was not only given credence this week but passed 6-1.

That motion, put forward by trustees Yalini Rajakulasingam and Anu Sriskandarajah, asked the board’s director Colleen Russell Rawlins to create a two-phased plan to—get this — address caste oppression at the TDSB.

That plan is intended to define caste-based discrimination and put together curriculum and professional training for staff on caste oppression by June of this year.

Only trustee Weidong Pei voted against this nonsense, after getting no concise response to whether specific complaints related to caste hate had been made to the board. 

The rest — including chairman Rachel Chernos-Lin, trustee Alexis Dawson and long-time trustee Shelley Larkin — followed like a bunch of sheep.

In a lengthy speech to the committee members Rajakulasingam, a Toronto-based classical dancer trained in Bharatanatyam (traditional Indian dance) defined caste oppression as a form of oppression perpetuated on south Asians by other south Asians.

Caste, she said, is based on a hierarchy of purity and privilege. The higher up the caste, the purer you are, she said. 

“The real horrifying and traumatic thing about this system… there are people perceived to be so impure they are not part of the hierarchy,” she said.

She claimed one’s caste determines what jobs you can access and where you live.

Those with more caste privilege, may be perceived as having lighter skin tone, she said.

“Caste is another system that perpetuates anti-blackness,” she said.

She added that there is evidence of gender-based and sex-based incidences of violence due to caste-based oppression and hate.

When they speak of caste oppression, they talk about disrupting “shadism”, suggested Rajakulasingam.

She said there is a large group of south Asians in the TDSB but it’s “not an equal playing field” due to the caste system

Identifying caste-based oppression will help the board dismantle power structures and systems of oppression, she added.

When two trustees asked about actual instances of caste-based oppression and the percentage of complaints to TDSB officials, Rajakulasingam danced around the question claiming students don’t know how to report caste-based oppression.

“If students have an intersectional identity, when they come forward (with issues) it’s identified as race-based rather than caste-based,” she said, noting this motion will bring forward a “safer process” to talk about caste-based oppression.

For heaven’s sake.

It was clear to me that trustees like the ones who moved this motion are looking to have a piece of  what has become the Oppression Olympics at this board. There is so much wrong with this I’m not sure where to start.

For one thing, I’m willing to bet most TDSB students don’t even understand the concept of caste.

South Asians came to Canada and to the GTA presumably for a better life and to escape the caste system.

Why are we even talking about antiquated ideologies when the system is declining in the countries where it was prominent? Unless, of course, the trustees who moved and voted for the motion enjoy the idea of victimhood.

TDSB officials have far better ways to spend their time.

It’s not as if the violence and drug dealing issues have been solved in TDSB schools.

It’s not as if students aren’t leaving the board because of its obsessive focus on anti-Black racism, hurt feelings and gender ideology. 

But as usual trustees are so mired in their radical ideologies, they can’t see the forest for the trees.

The RCMP and government adopt EVs as winter performance concerns emerge

By
Noah Jarvis
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Source: RCMP

As Canadian governments increase their reliance on electric vehicles (EV), the question of whether vehicles can maintain expected performance in winter weather conditions. 

This month, the RCMP unveiled the Tesla Model Y as the first EV to be added to the Mounties’ vehicle fleet, with tests of the electric Ford Mustang Mach-E and the Ford F-150 coming soon. 

However, a study published in late 2022 found that many EVs have problems maintaining expected performance. It estimates a significant drop in the amount of miles-per-charge EV batteries can sustain. 

The study found disparities between vehicles in their ability to withstand cold weather conditions, with cars like the Jaguar I-Pace only losing 3% of its range, while the Ford Mustang Mach-E lost 30% of its range.

The worst performer in the study is the Chevrolet Bolt, which lost 32% of its range in winter temperatures between 20-30°F (-1 to -6°C) and up to half of its range in -40°C. 

Meanwhile, a class action lawsuit is being brought before a Quebec court alleging that General Motors knew that the Bolt’s performance significantly dipped in cold weather conditions but did not inform the plaintiffs upon purchase. 

Tied for second worst performing among the studied vehicles were the Ford Mustang Mach-E and the Volkswagon ID.4, the former of which is being added to the RCMP’s vehicle fleet. Both of these vehicles lost 30% of expected range in winter conditions. 

Four Tesla models were evaluated and results show that the popular EVs lose about 15-19% of their range in cold weather – nearly the same amount of range lost across models. The Tesla Model Y, the RCMP’s first EV, lost 15% of its range. 

The performance of EV batteries drop significantly in cold weather because the cold inhibits the chemical reaction occurring within the lithium-ion battery, thus affecting the battery’s performance.

One Twitter user commented on the potential impracticality of operating Teslas or other EVs in winter conditions.

The Trudeau government has committed to taking big steps to convert Canada’s national vehicle fleet to EVs. Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault announced that the government will be mandating that EV sales make up 20% of all vehicle sales in Canada by 2026, 60% of all vehicle sales by 2030, and by 2035 all vehicles sold in Canada will be EVs. 

The RCMP’s purchase of EVs is in response to a 2021 piece of Liberal legislation called the Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act.

The Daily Brief | Poilievre vs. the CBC President

By
Anthony Furey
-

Hearing records show a man charged with first-degree murder of a rookie police officer was out on bail in part due to equity concerns.

Plus, Canadian farmers are pushing back against the government’s “unfair” fertilizer tariffs.

And Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre sent a fundraising letter out to supporters this week accusing the CBC president of smearing his name and reaffirming his plan to defund the public broadcaster.

Tune into The Daily Brief with Anthony Furey and Cosmin Dzsurdzsa!

SUBSCRIBE TO THE DAILY BRIEF

CAMPUS WATCH: Racially segregated event held at University of Guelph for Black History Month

By
Elie Cantin-Nantel
-

A racially segregated art and mental health session was held at the University of Guelph (U of G) Wednesday as part of the school’s Black History Month programming.

This is not the first time that an event exclusive to those who “identify as Black” has been held at the Southwestern Ontario university.

The event called “Piecing it Together” featured magazine collages and a discussion on black mental health and excellence.

“Join us for an art session and discussion with Briana Alexis Studios! We will be collaging and discussing Black mental health and excellence,” reads U of G’s website. 

The university notes that the event was part of their Black History Month programming. It was hosted by Cultural Diversity Services and the Guelph Black Students’ Association, and attendance was “exclusive to U of G students who identify as Black.”

The same groups held a “Restorative Yoga” class at U of G last November that was “exclusive to Black-identifying students, staff, and faculty”. The latter led to controversy online after Quillette journalist Jonathan Kay called out the event, causing U of G to issue a statement defending the racially segregated class. 

“Safe spaces are created to give people from equity-deserving groups support, a sense of well-being and a chance to heal,” said the university, adding “we remain committed to providing opportunities and safe spaces for people to share, heal, learn and grow, all fundamental to improving life.”

The “anti-racist” yoga instructor for the racially segregated class, Selam Debs, told local outlet Guelph Today that the way the session was “attacked and targeted” was a form of racism and white supremacy.

As previously reported by True North, two events exclusive to black students are planned at Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly known as Ryerson) this month. 

The first event called “We Heal Together Table Talk: Black Community Healing” is planned for Feb. 15 and is the launch of a journal and colouring book. The second event is called ‘Pleasure, Sex & Magic’ and will seek to answer what “sexual self-care look like after trauma, including colonialism, capitalism, and rape culture.” It will take place on Feb. 28.

The University of Guelph did not respond to True North’s request for comment in time for publication.

CBC joins global initiative to combat disinformation

By
Cosmin Dzsurdzsa
-

The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) announced on Wednesday that it was teaming up with European counterparts to combat online misinformation and disinformation through a new initiative called the “Public Spaces Incubator.” 

According to a press release by the CBC, the main goal of the program is to tackle the “most threatening phenomena of our time” – online abuse and misinformation. 

“This partnership of four of the world’s leading public broadcasters underlines our collective and common purpose to address one of the most threatening phenomena of our time — unfettered online abuse. Online spaces that are free from disinformation, misinformation, harassment and abuse are near extinction,” said CBC President Catherine Tait. 

The program is spearheaded by the NGO New_Public which is a project by the University of Texas at Austin and the National Conference on Citizenship. Other public broadcasters joining the initiative include Belgium’s RTBF, Switzerland’s SGR SSR, and Germany’s ZDF. 

Tait is currency on a cross-country tour to shore up support for the CBC, which has seen dwindling advertising revenue and a severe drop in readership over the last few years. 

The Public Spaces Incubator will fund and develop alternative social platforms and spaces that are free from harassment and so-called disinformation. Information on the project is unclear, with the CBC saying the focus is on “serving public knowledge and creating positive social connections.”

This isn’t the first time that the CBC has partnered with international organizations to police misinformation online. 

As reported by True North in 2021, Facebook Canada picked CBC to be an election fact-checker tasked with monitoring competing media outlets. 

In total, Facebook linked to three fact-checks by CBC journalists throughout that year’s election.

“When a fact checker rates a piece of content as false we significantly reduce its distribution so that fewer people can see it,” wrote Facebook. “We notify people who try to share the content or previously shared it that the information is false, and we apply a warning label that links to the fact checkers’ article disproving the claim.”

CBC has fallen afoul of its own journalistic standards on numerous occasions in the past, including for recently misleading Canadians on a Catholic fundraiser for residential school victims.

BONOKOSKI: A toughened up bail system will take surety seriously

By
Mark Bonokoski
-

Conservative MPs used their opposition day motion Thursday to press the Liberals to toughen the country’s bail system and demand the government reform the justice system through Bill C-75.

Passed into law back in 2019, that bill aimed at modernizing the bail system and reducing the overrepresentation of racialized people in prison.

“They went too far and they made the bail system too weak and now police officers are dying,” said Raquel Dancho, the Conservatives’ public safety critic, during a news conference.

Dancho says premiers and police chiefs are demanding action from Ottawa, and the party’s motion says the Liberal government must ensure that the justice system “puts the rights of law-abiding Canadians ahead of the rights of violent, repeat offenders.”

Randall McKenzie, who has been charged with first-degree murder in the fatal shooting of OPP Const. Grzegorz (Greg) Pierzchala on Dec. 27 west of Hagersville. Ont., was out on bail and under a lifetime order banning him from owning a firearm.

If any positive bail reform is to take place, however, the surety system must be tightened up and locked into the Justice Act.

Sureties are promises of money or property to secure an accused bail, which allegedly can be lost to the Crown if the suspect jumps bail.

Every senior OPP officer I spoke with, however — in uniform and/or retired — cannot recall a single surety of money or collateral ever being forfeited to the Crown in any of their cases.

But there is a name for it. It’s called estreatment.

In a letter some weeks ago to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, provincial premiers unanimously called on the Liberal government in a letter to take “immediate action” on the bail system.

Justice Minister David Lametti said Thursday—the same day as the Conservatives’ opposition day motion—that he is giving “serious consideration” to reforming Canada’s bail laws in response to that request from premiers to make changes.

Naturally Lametti took an uncalled-for shot at the Tories’ motion, stating he is “disappointed” the Tories are “using tragedies to try to score political points” when the bail system is more complex than they suggest.

The letter from the premiers said there are a growing number of calls for changes to prevent accused people who are out on bail from committing further criminal acts.

The premiers called on the federal government to establish a “reverse onus” system for specific firearm offences that would require the person seeking bail to demonstrate why they should not remain behind bars.

​The surety system, however, was never broached.

Since then, the suspected cop-killer, 25-year-old McKenzie, had an unknown surety connected to his bail, conditions which later broke in spades with the alleged first-degree murder of a young OPP officer on his first day patrolling solo.

The dispatch call that got him killed? A seemingly routine call about a car in the ditch.

Someone signed off on McKenzie’s bail after it was appealed and somehow then won, despite him having a long criminal record involving guns and an assault on police.

​Is that person going to lose the surety they put up? The odds say no.

​If the Liberals are going to make a success of bail reform, they must tackle the surety system and obviously toughen it up.

​Make the surety co-signer has second thoughts about putting up his or her money, or the equivalent in property (i.e.; a home) because a toughened-up bail system takes estreatment seriously.

​Without stringent and punishable surety conditions, the jailhouse cell might as well of unlocked, and criminals like Randall McKenzie given a gun as they walk out,

​Save them the trouble.

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