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Wednesday, May 14, 2025

Canadians call out Trudeau’s hypocrisy as slew of social posts resurface

By
Quinn Patrick, True North Wire
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Source: Facebook

Canadians are responding negatively to a collection of old social media posts from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau that touch on gun control, government overspending and ethical lapses.

The posts, many from before Trudeau was elected prime minister, were first brought to the attention of Canadians by X user Alex Zoltan or @AmazingZoltan. 

In one post from 2012, Trudeau called out the former Conservative government for their spending. 

“THIS is the party of ‘less government’? Ridiculous. They have increased gvt spending more than any before them,” wrote Trudeau.

The Trudeau government has become synonymous with overspending, with the Parliamentary Budget Officer Yves Giroux estimating that the Liberals’ deficit will reach a whopping $46.8 billion this year. 

“Based on our analysis, the government will not meet its fiscal commitment to keep the deficit below $40 billion in 2023-24,” said Giroux in his latest Economic and Fiscal Outlook report last month.

“Nah bro, you the champ now,” responded one X user. “Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is on track to record the five highest levels of per-person spending (2018 to 2022) in Canadian history.”

Another Trudeau post from 2011 has him trading barbs with another user over his ability to operate a firearm, to which Trudeau retorted by claiming he had been shooting since he was a child and that he had a licence to possess restricted firearms. 

“@DeanLeask I’ll take that bet, I’ve been shooting since age five, and have my Possession and Acquisition for Restricted and Non-. #LGR,” wrote Trudeau. 

“So it’s okay for you to own the firearms, just not us then huh? This tweet is going to bite you hard in a few weeks lol,” wrote one user. 

The Trudeau government announced a sweeping ban of once-legal guns in 2021, implementing a national buyback program. However, to date, not a single firearm has been turned in and the program is projected to cost taxpayers over $100 million by the end of this fiscal year.

Despite the gun ban’s implementation in 2021, police-reported crime in Canada has increased for the past three consecutive years. up 2% last year, 4% in 2022 and 5% in 2021, according to Statistics Canada.

Another post from 2013 had Trudeau lamenting the then-Conservative government under former prime minister Stephen Harper, saying that it was “hard not to feel disappointed in your government when every day there is a new scandal.”

Despite the gun ban’s implementation in 2021, police-reported crime in Canada has increased for the past three consecutive years. up 2% last year, 4% in 2022 and 5% in 2021, according to Statistics Canada.

Another post from 2013 had Trudeau lamenting the then-Conservative government under former prime minister Stephen Harper, saying that it was “hard not to feel disappointed in your government when every day there is a new scandal.”

“So this is proof that time travel does exist,” responded one X user.

The Trudeau government has seen a litany of scandals since 2015, including SNC Lavalin affair, the ArriveCAN app, Aga Khan, We Charity controversy, cash-for-access fundraisers, and the latest scandal involving former Employment Minister Randy Boissonnault and his past business dealings and fake Indigenous heritage. 

Another user responded by saying, “Hi, from 2024. You do know that the Internet is FOREVER!”

On a lighter note, Zoltan also noted the time Trudeau was briefly tricked into thinking that his political campaign signs bore a QR code which led them to a porn site due to a misprint of liberal.ca being spelled “luberal.ca.”

This was the work of a copy editor for the Montreal Gazette Steve Faguy, which quickly promoted a response from the prime minister, who commented, “Very cute. Got me for a sec, I almost called my office in a panic, until I remembered it was April 1st. And the QR code actually links to justin.ca.” 

Trudeau then decided to get in on the joke as well, by posting this to X, “Porn site QR code problem. We’re working on it. http://bit.ly/gyLFVo” which linked to Faguy’s website. 

This left many Canadians scratching their heads before realizing it was April 1st themselves. 

Faguy later told the Toronto Star that Trudeau getting in on the joke made him “almost” want to vote for him, saying “It’s nice to see he has a sense of humour. . . I almost feel like I should vote for the guy now. Almost.”

The Daily Brief | Trump pledges 25% tariff on all Canadian products 

By
Cosmin Dzsurdzsa
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Source: X

US President-elect Donald Trump pledges a 25% tariff on all products from Canada and Mexico.

Plus, Windsor Port Authority is fearing an increase in illegal crossings via the Detroit River following President-elect Donald Trump’s win.

And the price tag of asylum seekers entering Canada reaches over $16 billion annually. 

Tune into The Daily Brief with Cosmin Dzsurdzsa and Clayton DeMaine! 

MALCOLM: Spare me the “Team Canada” approach. This is Trudeau’s fault

By
Candice Malcolm
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Source: Facebook

Nine years ago, newly elected Prime Minister Justin Trudeau flung Canada’s doors wide open. He drastically increased the number of legal immigrants Canada welcomed each year, and started with a marque campaign promise to admit 50,000 Syrian refugees in just two months’ time. 

The pledge was reckless, and the results were predictable. 

Trying to recruit tens of thousands of migrants in the midst of a civil war where ISIS terrorists easily mixed amongst fleeing families was an impossible task. Very bad people took advantage of the situation and made their way into Western countries – causing unbelievable carnage against civilians and plotting more terrorism. 

As I outlined in my 2016 best-selling book Losing True North, the Trudeau government’s immigration efforts were met with one blunder after the next. 

Against the wishes of level-headed civil servants in the Immigration Department, Canada skipped important national security screening steps. There were also no values tests to ensure newcomers would be compatible with Canadian culture and society. We didn’t check if they were sympathetic to ISIS, we didn’t care if they hated Jews or opposed same-sex marriage. We just let them all in. 

Canada even welcomed Ibrahim Ali, a 27-year-old male who, within 18 months of being welcomed to Canada with open arms, raped and murdered 13-year-old Marissa Shen in broad daylight in Burnaby, BC. 

That was just the beginning. 

When Donald Trump was elected and took office in 2017, he quickly took action to prevent a rush of radical Islamists trying to enter the United States. He introduced a ham-fisted executive order to ban the entry of migrants from seven terrorist-harbouring countries. 

Our reactive Prime Minister went onto social media and told the world’s migrants that “Canada would welcome” them. Canada then saw the largest surge of illegal border crossings in our nation’s history.

As I outlined in my follow-up 2019 book, No Border, Canada’s long-standing commitment to fair and secure immigration was thrown out the window. Canadian Border Service Agency (CBSA) officials became bellmen helping migrants carry their luggage across an unmanned international border. 

Trudeau’s open-door policies made a mockery of the rule of law in Canada. 

Things went from bad to worse when Trudeau again recklessly threw the gates wide open after the Covid pandemic. Trudeau’s astronomical borrowing and spending created a serious economic problem and the Liberal government needed an artificial boost to help the sluggish economy that they themselves created. 

So Trudeau reached for his favourite tool in the toolkit: more immigration! 

Canada saw record numbers of, again, both legal and illegal immigrants. This time, the large sudden influx served as a flame in a tinderbox. Millions of new arrivals juxtaposed with Canada’s strangling bureaucracy and endless red tape around building and housing pushed the cost of housing to astronomical levels. 

Canada is now faced with a housing crisis that has pushed rent prices through the roof, effectively locked young Canadians out of the housing market and created one of the most asymmetrical income-to-housing cost ratios in the world.

Alongside the devastating economic impacts, Canada is also facing a cultural moment of truth. 

We watch as ancient tribal hatreds from half-way around the world explode on our Canadian streets. Whether it’s Sikh and Hindu’s brawling in Surrey and Brampton, or radical Jew-hating Islamists rioting in Montreal or Toronto, Canada doesn’t quite feel Canadian anymore. To add insult to injury, Trudeau now wants to welcome even more radical migrants from Gaza. 

It’s no surprise that Canada’s tattered immigration system has allowed all sorts of nefarious criminals and anti-Western thugs. As True North recently reported, Canada is legitimately more of a threat to US national security than Mexico.

According to US Customs and Border Protection, since 2022, 1155 individuals on the terrorist watch list were caught trying to enter the US through its northern border, compared to just 199 from the south.

You read that correctly. Five times as many terrorists entered the United States through Canada than through Mexico. And what were those 1155 terrorists doing in Canada in the first place? How did they get here and how many more remain? 

Trudeau is the one that must answer for this colossal failure of national security and immigration.

So spare me the lecture about taking a “Team Canada” approach to Donald Trump and his pledge to implement a 25% tariff on all Canadian imports into the United States. Spare me the anger and frustration at Trump for wanting to secure his nation’s borders. 

This crisis is entirely Trudeau’s own making. His unimaginably awful immigration policies have consequences. They are playing out now. Chickens are coming home to roost, as some of us have been warning for the past decade. 

So let me be clear. Justin Trudeau: fix the problem you created and secure our country now! 

Vancouver Police Board vice chair steps down over anti-immigration comments 

By
Clayton DeMaine, True North Wire
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Source: Instagram

Following online outrage over comments about the need to preserve Canadian and Christian values in Canada, the vice-chair of the Vancouver Police Board has stepped down from her role.

Comfort Sakoma’s initial comments on Instagram were screenshotted and shared on Reddit on Friday. A social media mob labelled her as transphobic and accused her of being a “Christian fascist” and wanting to uphold a culturally homogenous white Christian ethnostate in Canada.

In an interview with True North, Sakoma, who immigrated to Canada from Nigeria as a child, rejected these labels and said her posts were taken out of context.

“First of all, I’m black. Okay, so the idea that I’m advocating for an all-white Canada would mean that I’m asking for my own removal, which is insane,” Sakoma said. “I’m not calling for an all-white Canada. I’m not calling for an all-Christian Canada. I’m calling for Canada to have a bit of a backbone, for Canada to set a baseline of who we are.”

Her comments online discussed the need to preserve Christian values and Canadian culture amid Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s mass immigration policies, which are causing demographic changes in many Canadian cities. 

She also raised the issue with the idealogy behind Trudeau calling Canada a “post-national state” with “no core identity,” comments she later said were echoed by Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre just days later. 

Sakoma argued that it is legitimate to raise concerns about large volumes of immigrants coming from countries which may hold racist views about other minority groups who live in Canada. 

She said the conversation around racism needs to be expanded beyond the traditional black-and-white racism dichotomy as “inter-minority racism” becomes increasingly visible. And that ignoring the impact of immigration on racial dynamics is a disservice to both Black-Canadians and newcomers in Canada.

“A key concern for many Black Canadians is the fact that a significant portion of the immigrant population comes from countries where anti-Black sentiment is not just prevalent but often ingrained in societal structures and cultural norms,” she said. “As a Black mother, my concerns about my son’s future in Canada are not just about racism from white Canadians but also about how he will be perceived by people who may come from backgrounds where Blackness is stigmatized.”

She noted the caste system in India has been outlawed since 1948, though some argue its effects still permeate Indian society.

She said she’s concerned that her child will grow up in a Canada which doesn’t respect the rights and dignity of everyone if Canada’s culture is replaced.

In her posts, Sakoma also noted that her son’s school learns about the religious significance of the Hindu Diwali holiday and that discussing Christmas’s Christian significance has become taboo.

She clarified that these comments were taken out of context and that she was not advocating that Hindus be excluded but that Christianity should receive equal treatment in Canada and the government school system.

Another source of outrage from Sakoma’s comments was statements she made about ending the incarceration of parents who push back against their children undergoing gender identity changes. She told True North that calling her transphobic was absurd as she was responsible for rebuilding relationships between the policing community and the LGBT community.

“There was nothing in that comment about the transgender community. It wasn’t even a commentary on whether or not children should be able to transition,” she said. “It was strictly a reflection on parental rights.”

In an interview with True North, Sakoma said that she faced vilification and pressure to resign from board members, including the Chair of the board, Frank Chong, after the board received four emails from Vancouverites demanding her resignation. 

“The board made it extremely untenable for me. On Friday I was being really demonized by everybody. Nobody even asked questions to say what happened,” Sakoma said. “The board chair, Frank, specifically told him that he had not yet read the comments or my post when asking me to resign.” 

Chong didn’t respond to True North’s request to comment before the deadline.

Following an interview with the CBC, Sakoma released a video response to the allegations herself, as she felt the CBC mischaracterized her by omitting her key arguments. Sakoma said the CBC didn’t include her arguments and clarification on several issues, including parental rights, equal instruction about Christian roots of holidays in schools, and not wanting an all-white ethnostate in Canada.

“They interviewed me for 20 minutes, and in the end, I looked at the article, and all they said was, ‘she says she’s sorry,’ and ‘what she was really speaking for was unity,’ really?” she said.  “(The CBC) didn’t say anything that would clarify or help to reduce the flames against me.”

A spokesperson for the CBC told True North that the article “accurately summarizes Sakoma-Daugba’s perspective” in the story’s context, which focused on her apology and resignation.

OP-ED: Canada’s response to ICC’s arrest warrants undermines true international justice

By
Dotan Rousso
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Source: X

The Canadian government’s recent endorsement of the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, issued on November 22, 2024, has ignited a contentious debate over the integrity of international law. While nations such as the United States have expressed strong opposition, labeling the decision as “outrageous,” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has pledged that Canada will comply with the ICC’s directive. This position, however, raises serious concerns about both the legitimacy of the ICC’s actions and Canada’s role in reinforcing a justice system that may be compromised by political influence.

The ICC’s decision to target Netanyahu and Gallant for alleged war crimes related to the Israel-Hamas conflict comes amid a broader international conversation about the fairness of the court’s rulings. One glaring issue lies in the office of ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan, whose connections to Lebanon—a country at war with Israel and home to Hezbollah, a terrorist organization dedicated to Israel’s destruction—raise significant questions about his impartiality. As a former prosecutor myself, I know that impartiality is the bedrock of any credible justice system. A prosecutor with such direct ties to a party in conflict with the defendant cannot be trusted to oversee a case impartially. As political theorist and legal scholar Ronald Dworkin once wrote, “Justice requires a commitment to treating each individual with equal concern and respect.” Khan’s role in overseeing cases against Israel, particularly given his Lebanese connections, undermines that very principle.

Moreover, the ICC’s treatment of Hamas, the organization whose actions are largely responsible for the violence in Gaza, further calls into question the court’s fairness. While the ICC issued an arrest warrant for Mohammed Deif, a Hamas leader, the individual in question had already been killed by Israeli forces. The absurdity of this posthumous action highlights the court’s skewed focus on Israel while neglecting to hold living Hamas leaders accountable for their direct role in terrorist attacks. As Alan Dershowitz, a law professor at Harvard University stated, “When international justice is applied selectively, it becomes international injustice.”

Canada’s response to this biased ruling brings to light the complex balance between upholding international law and safeguarding national sovereignty. While Canada is a staunch advocate for international cooperation, it is under no obligation to enforce rulings that lack fairness or credibility. Trudeau’s statement that Canada would arrest Israeli leaders should they visit is particularly troubling, especially given the broader context of the recent violence Hamas inflicted on Israel. In contrast, U.S. President Joe Biden’s unequivocal rejection of the ICC’s actions—stating, “There is no equivalence—none—between Israel and Hamas”—emphasizes a clear moral distinction between the two sides in this ongoing conflict.

By pledging to comply with the ICC’s arrest warrants, Canada risks legitimizing an institution that, at best, fails to operate impartially and, at worst, acts as a tool of political maneuvering. Trudeau’s stance may undermine Canada’s moral authority and strain its relationship with a democratic ally like Israel, which has been subjected to one of the most horrific terrorist attacks in modern history. Israel’s right to defend itself is enshrined in international law, and Canada should stand in solidarity with that right, rather than acquiesce to a ruling that seems politically motivated.

Rather than blindly supporting a flawed institution, Canada has an opportunity to lead by calling for the reform of the ICC. As Prime Minister Trudeau himself once said, “Canada’s strength comes from standing for what is right, even when it is difficult.” In this instance, that means challenging the ICC’s biases and advocating for a truly impartial justice system. The pursuit of justice, particularly in the realm of international law, should be free of political agendas, focused solely on accountability, fairness, and respect for all parties involved.

Comments: [email protected]

Dotan Rousso was born and raised in Israel and holds a Ph.D. in Law. He is a former criminal prosecutor in Israel. He currently lives in Alberta and teaches Philosophy at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT).

Trump pledges 25% tariff on all products from Canada and Mexico

By
Cosmin Dzsurdzsa, True North Wire
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Source: PM.GC.CA

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has proposed a 25% tariff on all goods imported from Canada and Mexico. 

This measure aims to pressure both nations to address issues related to drug trafficking and illegal immigration into the United States.

The proposed tariffs could have severe economic repercussions for Canada, which heavily relies on the U.S. – its largest trading partner. 

“As everyone is aware, thousands of people are pouring through Mexico and Canada, bringing Crime and Drugs at levels never seen before,”  said Trump in a statement posted to his social media company Truth Social.

“On January 20th, as one of my many first Executive Orders, I will sign all necessary documents to charge Mexico and Canada a 25% Tariff on ALL products coming into the United States, and its ridiculous Open Borders. This Tariff will remain in effect until such time as Drugs, in particular Fentanyl, and all Illegal Aliens stop this Invasion of our Country!”

Shortly after Trump’s post, Canada’s Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland and Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc released a statement, saying “Canada and the United States have one of the strongest and closest relations – particularly when it comes to trade and border security.”

The Canadian government touted joint efforts by Canadian and American law enforcement to crack down on the drug crisis.

“We will of course continue to discuss these issues with the incoming administration,” the statement read.

According to media reports, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Trump had phone call following the President-elect’s post to discuss trade and border security.

Last year, Canada reported $439.6 billion in exports to the U.S., accounting for 76% of its total exports. The imposition of such a tariff could disrupt this critical trade relationship and impact the Canadian economy significantly.

Trump has justified the tariff by asserting that both Canada and Mexico possess the capability to halt the flow of drugs, such as fentanyl, and illegal immigrants into the U.S. However, he claims that both countries have failed to take adequate action to address these issues.

The U.S. border patrol encountered nearly 200,000 individuals at the Canadian border last year, marking a significant increase from previous years. 

Despite this rise, the number of encounters remains far fewer than those at the Mexican border. 

Some Republicans, including advisor Vivek Ramaswamy and Governor Chris Sununu, have advocated for stricter security measures at the northern border, such as building a wall and increasing patrols along Canada.

Tom Homan, Trump’s selected “border czar,” views the northern border as a significant security threat and plans to address it aggressively. Homan’s approach underscores the administration’s focus on tightening border security to prevent illegal activities.

Trump has also expressed his intention to negotiate the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement in 2026. He has criticized the current deal for not sufficiently boosting U.S. auto manufacturing, indicating a desire for a more favourable agreement for American industries.

The political dynamics between the U.S. and Canada could also see shifts under Trump’s administration. 

Trump’s national security advisor pick, Mike Waltz, has been critical of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and has praised Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre as a potential future leader who could reverse Trudeau’s policies. 

LEVY: What do ordinary Americans – not the media or elite – think of Trump?

By
Sue-Ann Levy
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Source: X

I really had hoped to do video clips of ordinary people talking about the Presidential election as we drove down to Florida last week.

Although they were happy to talk to me — without lapsing into hysteria or wanting to slug me in the face — they did not want to go public, even after I told them True North was a Canadian media site.

Those most afraid, of course, were the ones who voted for Trump, mainly because the hangover and the anger from some Democrats still exists.

Let me say, firstly, that life goes on south of the border and no one refused us entry to the Free State of Florida because we’re gay or female. There is actually such a sign as we crossed from Georgia into Florida.

Enroute down, I had seen tweets from some of the leftists, including those in the media back in Toronto, indicating they planned not to visit the U.S. because of Trump’s overwhelming victory—as if the entire country was a tinderbox waiting to explode.

Funny thing is, these leftists clearly have trouble seeing beyond the ends of their noses considering there was an all-out anti-Semitic riot in Montreal last Friday night featuring the torching of cars and other such mayhem — while our Prime Minister was dancing for all to see at a Taylor Swift concert in Toronto.

But back in Morgantown, W.V., our first stop, Brenda was eager to chat about the Trump win.

The articulate housekeeper said she and her husband had moved to Morgantown from Florida where they owned a bar that had been decorated with Trump paraphernalia and signs during his last term.

She said she feels Trump will be much better for America and hopes the economy will improve under his leadership.

But she hesitated to go on camera because she has a sister-in-law who is a staunch Democrat and who she says has been on welfare for many years.She didn’t want to start a potential confrontation considering American Thanksgiving is coming up.

Another couple — who’d been staying at the hotel because of car troubles — told me not to blame them that Trump won when I asked whether they’d voted. They’d been in Waterloo, Ontario, visiting the wife’s family (although she is an American citizen).

In Greensboro, North Carolina, one black woman at the check-in desk greeted me with a very friendly “hello” until I asked what she thought of the election results (evidently, I hit a raw nerve). 

She subsequently turned frosty. Her colleague said she was not happy with the results but would learn to live with it.

But another gentleman — who was staying at the hotel because of a flood in their condo— said he could not understand how anyone could vote for Kamala Harris, that she couldn’t even answer questions and repeated the same narrative over and over again.

He was very concerned about what could have happened if she won and didn’t understand how voters couldn’t see her history on past issues.

(My sentiments exactly).

In Savannah, my wife and I had a long chat with a Jewish woman, Lesley, who’d moved there the week before from the Big Apple to seek a more peaceful life.

She has an apartment right near Columbia University and was witness to all of the Jew hatred.

Although it was clear she’s a Democrat and not much of a Trump lover, she was open to discussing how Trump and the picks he made would be good for Israel and could possibly the end of the conflict.

She also recognized that if Trump makes good on his promise to shut down anti-Semitic protests on college campuses, that would be a huge step forward.

We had a lovely exchange of ideas, unlike many of those who’ve called me names or blocked me on social media for stating I think Trump will be better for America and global affairs.

One of our service providers in Florida had the same experience.

He told us that when he mentioned to a customer of 20 years that he supported Trump, she said she didn’t think she wanted to be his “friend” anymore.

Needless to say he was reluctant to talk about Trump until we assured him he was amongst political friends.

We only just arrived a few days ago but I suspect it will be a very interesting winter in the United States.

One wonders if the Democrat media and politicians will back off and let Trump put his team in place — one that includes many smart women. Or will they continue to attack his every move no matter how well-thought-out? 

I can only hope we’ve heard the last of Barack Obama and all the Hollywood celebrities who tried to gaslight America into voting for a sub-standard candidate.

That said, I think we should give Trump a chance to make the changes he has promised.

If he can work to bring peace in the Middle East and get the remaining hostages freed, I will be ecstatic.

And maybe, just maybe some of it will rub off on the mess we call Canada.

Windsor Port Authority fears increase in illegal crossings via the Detroit River following Trump win

By
Quinn Patrick, True North Wire
-
Source: X

Port authorities in Windsor, Ontario say they fear they may have to deal with an increase in illegal immigrants attempting to enter into Canada via the Detroit River following US president-elect Donald Trump.

Trump’s administration has pledged to deport people residing illegally south of the border en masse once he takes office in January. 

“I think we’ll be seeing much more desperate people who are trying to get out of the United States and get to Canada and make claims,” Peter Berry of the Windsor Port Authority told CBC News. 

“These are people who have a goal, a destination in mind, where they can’t meet regular crossing requirements at a border point. So they’re trying between those points — which is crossing the Detroit River.”

The Detroit River has been a hotbed for illegal crossing for many years, whether by boat or swimming, however, Berry believes Trump’s election will result in “an increase in swimmers.”

“I am seeing things I did not see this time last year,” noted Berry. 

While he acknowledges that there is no data yet confirming his concerns, Berry intends to keep a watchful eye on local waters to ensure safety should an influx of crossings become a reality. 

“My mandate is not so much the enforcement, but watching for the safety,” he said. “I think observation is the first step. We need to interdict. We need to deal with the people who are crossing illegally… I do not want to see anybody die in that river.”

LaSalle police recovered a body from the Detroit River near Fighting Island earlier this month, however, the full details have yet to be released regarding who the individual was and the circumstances of their death. 

According to the office of Ontario’s chief coroner, an investigation of the body remains ongoing. 

Canada Border Services Agency spokesperson Luke Reimer said all refugee claimants seeking entry to Canada from the U.S. are required to abide by the Safe Third Country Agreement.

The CBSA is responsible for enforcing the law at designated points of entry, however, when a border crossing occurs outside of a designated entry point, legal jurisdiction typically falls upon the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

“It is illegal to enter between ports of entry, and it is not safe,” warned Reimer. 

The RCMP’s Windsor detachment confirmed that it hasn’t noticed any unusual jump in recent activity regarding the Detroit River. However, the spokesperson for the detachment, Ian Smith, has advised against anyone attempting to make such an entry. 

 “Our advice is: Don’t,” Smith told CBC. “Present yourself to Canada Border Services Agency. If you’re seeking asylum or refugee status, there’s the proper way to do it.”

“Our posture at the Canada-U.S. border remains unchanged. And if anything does happen when the Trump administration comes into term in January — we’re definitely prepared.”

Berry said he hopes to address his concerns with a parliamentary sub-committee in the near future.

“Windsor Port Authority doesn’t have a law enforcement mandate related to immigration,” he explained. “The most important thing for the port authority is the safety of the port. That’s what I’m looking toward. Yes, there’s going to be politics, and discussion, and posturing. But most important is the safe and efficient operation of the port.”

Berry’s concerns come in the wake of Quebec Premier François Legault announcing that he will be deploying the Sûreté du Québec to begin patrolling its border with the US to also prevent a potential onslaught of illegal immigrants from entering Canada for the same reason. 

“We can’t afford to have a Roxham 2.0,” Legault said during a scrum at the Quebec National Assembly last week. “Indeed, there is a real risk that ‘illegal’ Americans will rush to the Canadian and Quebec border in the coming weeks.”

There was also a case of the reverse this summer when a boat smuggling three passengers from Canada into the United States using the St. Clair River was intercepted by US Border Patrol leading to four arrests. 

Ontario town fined $15,000 after voting not to recognize Pride Month and fly Pride flag

By
Clayton DeMaine, True North Wire
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Source: Unsplash / Facebook

A small rural township in the southwest corner of Northern Ontario and its mayor has been fined $15,000 for “discrimination” following a 2020 vote that decided not to recognize June as Pride Month and to reject flying a Pride Flag.

In 2020, Borderland Pride, an LGBT+ Pride organization for the Rainy River District in Northwestern Ontario, launched a lawsuit against the town, its mayor and councillors for discriminating against a group protected by the Human Rights Code in the provision of services.

The group successfully argued that offering proclamations for community events and causes is a service offered by the municipality and, therefore, cannot discriminate against a group based on protected grounds such as gender identity and gender expression.

The Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario announced its decision Wednesday that Emo, Ont., would pay $10,000 and its mayor Harold McQuaker, whose vote was the deciding factor on the motion to refuse the Pride Month proclamation, to pay $5,000 to Borderland Pride.

“The Tribunal’s decision affirms that 2SLGBTQIA+ people are entitled to access services offered by their municipality free from discrimination,” Douglas Judson, Co-Chair and Director of Borderland Pride, told True North. “It also sends a strong message that civic leaders in communities of all sizes – including mayors – have obligations to treat members of their community without discrimination on the basis of protected grounds.”

The lawsuit also named Councillors Harrold Boven and Warren Toles, who voted against the motion to accept the Pride group verbiage on a proclamation. However, the Tribunal found their reasons for voting “nay” in good faith and not discriminatory.

“Both wanted to delay the vote until a flags and proclamations policy was in place, and Mr. Boven attempted to move to do so,” the Tribunal said. “Furthermore, following the vote on Borderland Pride’s requests, Mr. Toles proposed proclaiming Pride Month in similar language to the 2019 proclamation that was unanimously passed.”

The defeated motion included that “diversity of sexual orrientation, gender identity and gender expression represents a positive contribution to society and is a matter for our community to take pride, show it’s support and celebrate.”

Boven’s testimony in the case indicated that the verbiage of 2020’s proposed motion was contrary to his own creed and religious beliefs. Still, the tribunal also noted that he said that his faith did not impact his decision to vote against the motion

Neither the township of Emo, Ont. nor McQuaker responded to True North’s requests to comment.

The defence also argued that McQuaker should be shielded from paying damages under Section 448 (1) of the Municipal Act, which shields municipal employees from lawsuits for “any act done in good faith in the performance or intended performance of a duty or authority.” However, the Tribunal found that the mayor had not acted in good faith.

Judson said Borderland Pride sought a resolution on the proclamation of Pride Month itself. He said it never demanded municipalities fly the Pride Flag, as many towns it works in don’t have flag poles for such occasions.

He said that the outcome of the legal challenge was “predictable” as he claims Canadian caselaw spanning nearly 30 years was on the Pride group’s side.

“Human rights complaints made involving the mayors of Hamilton and London resulted in decisions in 1995 and 1997 established that a municipality that makes proclamations at the request of community organizations cannot withhold the service in a discriminatory manner,” he said.

He also said those cases were shared with the Township of Emo in May 2020 when the group asked the municipality to reconsider its decision.

“Instead, the council chose to spend (presumably) hundreds of thousands in taxpayers’ dollars, in addition to the $15,000 that was awarded by the tribunal. We also offered to settle the matter on the basis of a donation to their local public library, which they declined,” Judson said. “They will have to explain to their community why their bigotry was worth that much money.”

Riot in Montreal leads to arrests, smashed windows and vehicles lit on fire

By
Quinn Patrick, True North Wire
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Source: X

Two separate protest groups, one Pro-Palestinian and the other an anti-NATO demonstration converged in Montreal on Friday evening, leading to clashes with police, fires, property damage and multiple arrests. 

Demonstrators smashed windows and torched vehicles in response to the Israel-Hamas war and some 300 NATO delegates arriving in the city for a summit, resulting in three arrests on Friday.  

The first group of protestors initially gathered at Émilie-Gamelin Parc in Montreal’s downtown around 4:30pm to protest the war in Gaza and another group of protestors joined them an hour later to demonstrate against a NATO summit, Manuel Couture, a spokesperson for the Montreal police told reporters. 

The NATO summit included many member states and partner countries gathering to discuss Ukraine and climate change among other things, which ran from Friday to Monday.

Friday also marked the second day of pro-Palestinian student protests across Montreal, one of which led to a clash between pro-Israel counter-demonstrators at Concordia University.

The two groups started marching down St. Urbain St. shortly after 6 pm with tensions between demonstrators and police escalating after an effigy of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was set on fire in the middle of the crowd.

As the march progressed, protesters began throwing small explosive devices and objects at police officers and smashing storefront windows along St. Urbain Street and René-Lévesque Blvd. 

Two vehicles were also set on fire. 

According to Couture, police responded by deploying chemical irritants and dispersing the crowd at which point three protesters were arrested for allegedly assaulting officers and obstructing police work.

The protest ended a little over an hour after it began. 

The café chain Second Cup also decided to shut down one of its stores after a Montreal franchisee gave pro-Israel demonstrators a Nazi salute and chanted, “The final solution is coming” during Friday’s protest.

The exchange was caught on video, showing the woman in a keffiyeh and sunglasses with a medical mask, which initially obscured her identity. 

However, once the video went viral, her identity was revealed, linking her to a Second Cup café located inside Montreal’s Jewish General Hospital.

The company announced it would be closing the store and terminating its franchise agreement on Saturday. 

“Last night, our franchisee at the Jewish General Hospital was filmed making hateful remarks and gestures,” the company said in a public statement. “This franchisee’s actions are not only a breach of our franchise agreement, but they also violate the values of inclusion and community we stand for at Second Cup.”

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