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Wednesday, July 16, 2025

Calgary taps unproductive infrastructure bank for $168 million electric bus loan

By
Rachel Parker
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The City of Calgary wants to borrow $168 million from the Canada Infrastructure Bank (CIB) to buy 259 zero emission electric buses.

A Corporate Planning and Financial Services report to Calgary’s executive committee on October 18 recommended the city give first reading to Bylaw 8B2022 which would authorize city to “incur indebtedness” with the CIB for a “non-revolving, amortizing term credit facility” to purchase the vehicles.  

“The proposed Bylaw 8B2022 authorizes The City to incur indebtedness of up to $168 million, a condition of The City signing definitive agreements with the Canada Infrastructure Bank,” the report says.

“The Canada Infrastructure Bank provides The City with a flexible source of long-term financing at below-market interest rates to facilitate investments in transit and infrastructure to help accomplish The City’s climate goals.”

The program would pursue funding with the “potential” of  $223 million in grants plus $168 through the CIB. 

The report claims the program would provide citizens the opportunity to access cleaner commutes and improve the quality of life for Calgarians.

It also says the $168 million loan would promote “fiscal responsibility” by providing the city with “a flexible source of longterm financing at a significantly below-market interest rate.”

The report urges city councillors to move forward quickly to secure “a more desirable interest rate.”

Federal Conservatives have called the CIB a Liberal government corporate welfare scheme, citing the fact that the $35 billion fund has failed to complete a single project since its conception in 2017. 

“It has to get serious about economic growth resulting from real people building real things that supply real services to real consumers, not the crony capitalism that has crept into the government in everything from its infrastructure bank to its supercluster system and corporate giveaways,” CPC MP Pat Kelly told the House of Commons on Oct. 6. 

Kris Sims, Alberta Director for the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said Calgary and its taxpayers don’t have the money for the costly proposal. 

“There is only one taxpayer, be it municipal, provincial or federal. We are in debt and we can’t be throwing money around like crazy,” Sims told True North.

“The city needs to separate Wants from Needs, just like hardworking families have to do to live within their means.”

The proposal is not yet finalized. If the city moves forward, the executive committee would first consider the implications through a technical and financial report before signing a definitive agreement with the CIB. 

Poilievre decries assisted suicide for minors and the mentally ill

By
Cosmin Dzsurdzsa
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Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre has denounced physician assisted suicide for minors or the mentally ill in a recent correspondence. 

A letter published by Canadian Physicians for Life addressed to Pastor David Cooke at Baptist House and signed by Poilievre decries recent calls to expand the availability of Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) to more demographics. 

“It is important that legislation addressing medically assisted dying is clear and includes necessary safeguards. I do not support expanding physician assisted suicide to minors or people who are unable to truly consent,” writes Poilievre. 

“Nor do I accept assisted suicide as a solution for mental illness. My government will always promote and prioritize the health of Canadians across the country. We need to promote policies that prioritize compassionate palliative care, rather than making medically assisted dying the only option.” 

Poilievre’s comments come following growing international controversy around Canada’s assisted suicide programs. 

As reported by True North journalist Rupa Subramanya in a groundbreaking report to Common Sense unveiling how few checks and balances exist for mentally ill people seeking assisted suicide. 

In August it was reported that an official with Veterans Affairs Canada inappropriately brought up doctor-assisted euthanasia while speaking with a veteran hoping to receive mental health treatment. 

According to his family, they were disturbed to find out a government worker non-chalantly bring up assisted suicide as an option. 

“VAC deeply regrets what transpired,” a spokesperson with the agency said claiming that “appropriate administrative action will be taken.”

“Providing advice pertaining to medical assistance in dying is not a VAC service.”

Despite concerns, polls show that Canadians are divided on the issue. A July Leger survey found that 45% of Canadians wanted to see assisted suicide being offered to those with serious mental health issues while 51% of those polled said they would like to see the same for those under the age of 18.

The Andrew Lawton Show | Foreign actors weren’t behind Convoy, commission evidence confirms

By
Andrew Lawton
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Evidence filed before the Public Order Emergency Commission confirms what most Canadians knew, even if CBC and the Trudeau government didn’t – that the Freedom Convoy was an organic and grassroots movement, not an operation launched by foreign actors or fuelled by foreign funding. This CSIS finding is one of many revelations published in a trove of commission documents yesterday. In this edition of The Andrew Lawton Show, True North’s Andrew Lawton discusses the latest from the commission. Also, Freedom Convoy volunteer Tom Marazzo joins to discuss how negotiations between police and protesters were bearing fruit when Trudeau dropped the hammer.

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LEVY: Waterloo school board pushes Pronouns Day on students

By
Sue-Ann Levy
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If you wonder why the Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB) is such a hot woke mess, look no further than their proclamation Wednesday of International Pronouns Day.

The announcement is posted on the WRDSB website alongside a video of activist education director Jeewan Chanicka sitting on a table welcoming students to the new school year wearing what appears to be native dress (Chanicka says has Polynesian Indigenous roots.)

It is also on the board’s Twitter feed with only select Twitter users the board feels are appropriate (or in sync with their causes) to comment.

The online blurb claims International Pronouns day is to “raise awareness” of personal pronouns – and that sharing and using the pronouns people choose “affirms human dignity.”

Using the wrong pronoun, as in “she” instead of “they,” can be “extremely hurtful, damaging and offensive” in particular to transgendered people, the board says.

The WRDSB blurb encourages supporters to post their own pronouns on social media and teachers to discuss the topic during any team meetings. The write-up also recommends that people watch videos about trans issues and pronouns to educate themselves.

Of course the woke cabal of NDP trustees — most of them aging baby boomers– all have joined the pronoun cult. It is interesting to note that board chairman Scott Piatkowski – who is the subject of lawsuits from cancelled teacher Carolyn Burjoski and cancelled trustee Mike Ramsay – has the pronouns he/him on his trustee page but not on his re-election page.

Trustee incumbent Jayne Herring does include the pronouns on her re-election Twitter page, however.

So does Laurie Tremble, who labelled me and True North “alt-right” in her Code of Conduct complaint about black trustee Mike Ramsay.

It is also worthwhile to note that the equity and justice activist Chanicka does not include any pronouns either on his education director or his personal Twitter pages.

Is this a case of “do what I say,” not “do what I do”?

The WRDSB website adds that knowing and using a person’s correct pronouns make people feel “valued and respected” and “affirms their gender identity.”

I hate to pour cold water on their assertions but most students – except for any loud-mouthed activists – likely couldn’t care less about being referred to by the proper pronouns.

Parents also tell me they hate that this nonsense is being rammed down their young kids throats, at least those parents who are aware of it.

I suspect what really makes students feel respected and valued is being able to read, write, add, subtract, multiply, divide properly, to learn how to think critically and to have that critical thinking acknowledged.

This is exactly why parents have to start paying more attention to the trustees who are fighting this leftist propaganda often to great pushback. Both Mike Ramsay and Cindy Watson at the WRDSB are doing just that.

I’ve asked this many times but will again: Where the heck does education minister Stephen Lecce and Premier Doug Ford stand on all of this cult nonsense?

Are they content to let the students of Ontario be indoctrinated in such a blatant way or Ontario school boards to become the laughingstock worldwide?

It seems they are.

CSIS told cabinet convoy wasn’t foreign funded days before Emergencies Act

By
Cosmin Dzsurdzsa
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The Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) informed the Liberal cabinet that there were no signs of foreign financing or state actors involved in the Freedom Convoy only days before Prime Minister Justin Trudeau took the unprecedented decision to invoke the Emergencies Act. 

Contrary to misleading reports of foreign financing, minutes tabled as evidence in the Public Order Emergency Commission pertaining to a Feb. 6 meeting show CSIS director David Vigneault dismissing the theory. 

“There [are] no foreign actors identified at this point supporting or financing this convoy. FINTRAC is supporting this work/assessment and the banks are also engaged,” Vigneault told government officials. 

“There is not a lot of energy and support from the U.S.A. to Canada. CSIS has also not seen any foreign money coming from other states to support this.”


As recently reported by True North, CBC News was admonished by its ombudsman, Jack Nagler, in a recent ruling that found the outlet had violated journalistic standards by suggesting Russia was funding the Freedom Convoy without any evidence. 

“The fundamental flaw, in my view, was the use of a speculative question when it was not called for,” wrote Nagler. 

“Instead, Power & Politics presented its question without attribution. It was not clear to viewers whether anyone was offering evidence that Russia was involved in the convoy – or why they would have such a concern. Asking the question in this way left room for people to surmise that CBC believed such evidence existed.”

Trudeau also perpetuated the idea that upwards of 50% of the convoy was foreign funded. “I’ve heard that on certain platforms, the number of U.S. donations are approaching 50%,” said Trudeau.

Vigneault also described how although there were some instigators present who could resort to violence, they did not play an organizing or leading role.

“They are not actively participating or organizing it and are likely using this as a recruiting ground,” explained Vigneault. 

Other testimonies by the money-laundering watchdog FINTRAC have also debunked claims of foreign involvement. 

Food prices in Canada continue to climb, says new StatsCan report

By
Cosmin Dzsurdzsa
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The latest monthly report on inflation from Statistics Canada reveals that the price of food and other consumer goods continues to rise, a sign that the damaging effects of inflation are far from over.

Most alarmingly, StatsCan writes in their October release that “in September, prices for food purchased from stores (+11.4%) grew at the fastest pace year-over-year since August 1981 (+11.9%).” This means the ongoing rise in food prices has hit a 40 year high.

The grocery products that, on a year-over-year basis, are surging the highest include cereal at 17.9%, coffee and tea at 16.4%, bakery items at 14.8%, fresh vegetables at 11.8% and dairy at 9.7%. Meat has gone up 7.6%.

The overall inflation rate in Canada has in fact gone slightly down with the Consumer Price Index rise dropping to 6.9% in September down from August’s 7%. But the drop is due almost entirely to a decrease in gas prices that was caused by a spike in global oil supply.

Last week, the Royal Bank of Canada announced that they’re anticipating a moderate recession to hit Canada in early 2023.

“Cracks are forming in Canada’s economy,” reads an update by RBC economists Nathan Janzen and Claire Fan. “Housing markets have cooled sharply. Central banks are in the midst of one of the most aggressive rate-hiking cycles in history. And while labour markets remain strong, employment is down by 92,000 over the last four months.”

Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre seized on the StatsCan announcement, posting to social media that: “Groceries rise at fastest pace since 1981… meanwhile [Prime Minister Justin Trudeau] is promising to TRIPLE the carbon tax on gas, heat and groceries.”

Jim Watson reveals he never asked for the Emergencies Act | Recap of day 4 of the Emergencies Act hearings

By
Harrison Faulkner
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Ottawa mayor Jim Watson told the Public Order Emergency Commission that neither he nor the City of Ottawa requested the invocation of the Emergencies Act.

He was neither consulted on nor advised of the federal government’s intention of using the unprecedented measure, he said.

Watson and manager of Ottawa emergency services Kim Ayotte were the only two City of Ottawa officials to testify today.

While Watson didn’t ask for the Emergencies Act, he said he “very much supported” it afterwards.

“No one had raised the Emergencies Act with us,” Watson said. “When it was invoked and I was briefed on what its powers were, I thought this was a very positive step to getting this resolved once and for all.”

When asked about negotiations with Freedom Convoy leaders prior to the invocation of the Emergencies Act, Watson testified that he “couldn’t negotiate with these people (Convoy leaders) rationally.”

Convoy lawyer Brendan Miller pressed Watson on that accusation given that Watson had sent a detailed letter to Tamara Lich outlining the conditions that the protesters would need to meet in order to have a meeting with the mayor, and that members of his staff had been negotiating with Convoy leadership “in good faith.”

Watson ultimately agreed that the truckers held up their end of the deal to move trucks away from residential areas onto Wellington St.

Questions from Commission counsel were focused on that same deal reached by the city and Convoy leadership. In particular, Commission counsel wanted to build on revelations from city manager Steve Kanellakos yesterday that the Ottawa Police Service and the Parliamentary Protective Service reneged on the agreement.

Watson testified that his understanding was that it was the invocation of the Emergencies Act that was the reason for trucks being blocked from leaving.

A text conversation between Ayotte and convoy organizer confirmed that Barber had managed to relocate 40 big rig trucks out of residential neighbourhoods and onto Wellington St. the previous night and that protesters planned to move more trucks that day.

Ayotte acknowledged Barber’s efforts and thanked him.

Later that same day, Trudeau invoked the never-before-used Emergencies Act and police blocked all truck movement out of residential neighbourhoods, which caused the deal with the city to fall through.

When asked by Miller about the concern protesters had for maintaining open traffic lanes throughout the protest, Ayotte testified that protesters were in constant communication with him and maintained open traffic lanes at all times for emergency vehicles.

A read out of a phone conversation between Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Watson at the time of the protests confirmed Watson held very negative feelings about the Canadians protesting in his city.

Watson referred to the protesters on the call with Trudeau as “vulgar” and “hateful” and told Trudeau that he “can’t reason with them”, accusing the protesters of “ripping masks off people.”

Watson also told Trudeau that he felt he was dealing with “The Republican Party down South.”

When asked by Alan Honner, the litigation director at The Democracy Fund, if he personally saw protesters ripping masks off residents, Watson said he had only heard about such incidents from media reports.

It was also revealed today that both Trudeau and Watson were upset with Ontario Premier Doug Ford for not engaging in tripartite meetings between the city, the province and the federal government.

Trudeau said to Watson, “Doug Ford has been hiding from his responsibility,” accusing him of not engaging “for political reasons.”

Watson, in describing his frustration with Ford, told Trudeau, “It’s like a three legged stool. If you only have two legs on it, it’s not that sturdy. You need all three.”

Watson also accused one protester of coming from New Brunswick “with guns in his trunk” to shoot him.

This testimony from Watson – which accuses a protester of having guns at the Ottawa protest – has been debunked numerous times by law enforcement officials on the ground since the invocation of the Emergencies Act.

Interim Ottawa Police Chief Steve Bell told the House of Commons national security committee that no firearms were discovered at the Freedom Convoy and no firearms-related charges had been laid.

Under questioning from counsel representing the Government of Canada, Ayotte was asked about a false bomb threat sent in to CHEO, the Ottawa children’s hospital. 

“Do you have any evidence that that bomb threat was connected to the Convoy,” government lawyers asked Ayotte. “No”, he responded.

Ayotte wrapped up his testimony by clearing up the “confusion” around the situation regarding the Chateau Laurier and the inability for firetrucks to respond to a specific emergency incident at the hotel. Ayotte described this situation as being “overblown” and that three trucks were able to access the hotel without issue and only one fire truck was unable to get to the hotel.

The Andrew Lawton Show | Phantom honking, microaggressions, and government incompetence: Emergencies Act hearings are underway

By
Andrew Lawton
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We’re on the fourth day of hearings into Justin Trudeau’s invocation of the Emergencies Act and so far no one has provided any evidence of an actual emergency. Last week, witnesses testified about phantom honking and microaggressions. This week, we’ve so far heard finger-pointing between different levels of government and agencies, but nothing to justify the heavy-handed emergency power the federal government granted itself. In this edition of The Andrew Lawton Show, True North’s Andrew Lawton talks about the hearings to date and speaks to Adam Blake-Gallipeau of The Democracy Fund about the Commission.

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Brampton mayoral candidate Nikki Kaur hopes to unseat Patrick Brown

By
Elie Cantin-Nantel
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Brampton mayoral candidate Nikki Kaur hopes that her campaign pledges on crime and safety, as well as her critiques of incumbent Patrick Brown’s time in office, will help her at the municipal ballot box this October.

Kaur spoke with True North about her platform, as well as the controversies that have embroiled Brampton under its current mayor. 

“Street crime has gone up, gun crime has gone up and our neighborhoods no longer feel safe,” said Kaur. “It’s not a safe place, that’s very difficult for people.”

Kaur added that she herself has been held up three times. It should be noted that data shows Brampton has one of the highest crime rates in the country.

Her crime and safety plan includes the immediate hiring of 100 new police officers, restoring a neighbourhood watch program, and tackling criminal gangs.

Kaur worked as a senior staff member at City of Brampton and made headlines after she was fired – then later re-hired by the city – all while making strong allegations against Mayor Brown and other staff members.

Kaur alleged, among other claims, that Brown was using City of Brampton resources – including employees – to help campaign for Peter MacKay during the 2020 Conservative party leadership race.

Kaur told True North that “last year when I came out as a whistleblower… we requested some investigations take place, and unfortunately, nothing’s ever seen through to the end.” She added: “There’s no transparency. That’s one of the biggest issues I feel.”

If elected, Kaur pledges to work to strengthen Brampton’s conflict of interest provisions. She also wants to see provincial auditors review the state of the city’s finances, in addition to the city having its own auditor-general.

Kaur also claimed that “Brampton is simply a debit card for [Brown] to use whenever he feels like it’s right to do so,” adding that the city is “not here for [Brown] to live (his) lavish lifestyle, give money to (his) friends and have no explanation.”

True North reached out to the Patrick Brown campaign for their response to these claims, but have yet to hear back. Brown was running for the leadership of the federal Conservative earlier this year, but after being disqualified from that race he pivoted to seeking re-election for his mayoralty.

Earlier this year, Brampton’s city council launched forensic investigations into Brown’s conduct, but they ended up being shut down by votes from Brown and others at a last minute council meeting. 

Kaur’s platform also includes freezing property taxes, tackling housing affordability, supporting the building of Highway 413, and working to enhance post secondary education.

“We just want the taxpayers to know that there’s someone there for you that wants to work for you and that actually wants to bring proper leadership to the mayor’s office for transparency and accountability and give you the next four years, much better than the last four years that we’ve had,” said Kaur.

A recent poll commissioned by the Kaur campaign had her tied with Brown, who had a large lead a few weeks ago in other polls.

Kaur previously ran as a Conservative Party of Canada candidate in Hamilton East-Stoney Creek during the 2019 federal election.

Municipal elections in Ontario are being held on Oct. 24.

Charlie Angus accuses Premier Smith of pushing ‘pro-Putin’ propaganda

By
Rachel Parker
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NDP MP Charlie Angus is accusing Alberta Premier Danielle Smith of pushing “pro-Russian, pro-Putin separatist propaganda.”

Speaking in the House of Commons, Angus called Smith the “face of the conservative movement,” adding, “I mean, oh my God, where to begin.”

“You know, we find out now that she has been promoting pro-Russian, pro-Putin separatist propaganda,” Angus said.

“That’s not acceptable when we see the horrific death rates and torture and killing and rapes happening in Ukraine and yet she says that those who didn’t want to wear a mask are the most discriminated against people in the history of Canada.”

Smith did not say the unmasked were the most discriminated against in Canada. In a press conference last week, the new premier said the unvaccinated were the most discriminated group in Canada she’s ever witnessed.

But Angus’ comments on Russia were in reference to comments Smith made on the social media platform Locals in April. During a live stream, Smith said the only way to resolve the war is if Ukraine remains “neutral.”

“I think the only answer for Ukraine is neutrality. There are thriving nations that have managed with neutrality,” Smith said in the live stream.

Angus did not elaborate on how calling for Ukrainian neutrality was “pro-Russian propaganda.” 

In response to Angus’ allegations, Smith’s press secretary Becca Polak said the Alberta government contributed over $23 million for Ukrainian relief efforts. Smith will be looking into fast tracking and financially supporting the resettlement of Ukrainian refugees and their families, Polack said.

“The Premier has also committed to working with the Federal Government to expedite work visas,” Polack told True North.

“Albertans have seen the disastrous policies of the NDP-Notley-Singh-Trudeau alliance and they’ve rejected it. Our government will continue to support Albertans building the most prosperous, affordable, and liveable province in Canada.”

Of course, the $23 million was committed by  former Premier Jason Kenney, who resigned last week once Smith won the leadership of the United Conservative Party (UCP). 

But True North asked Smith if she supports the funding — which includes $10 million Kenney promised in his final week in office — and Smith affirmed that she does. 

Angus’ comments come as Alberta NDP leader Rachel Notley is gearing up for a spring general election against Smith’s UCP. Notley has begun her attacks against the new premier — including calling for an apology for Smith’s comments on unvaccinated discrimination.

She’s also been one of the loudest voices criticising Smith’s past comments on Ukraine. 

On Sunday, Notley said Smith’s comments demonstrated “horrendous judgement” by showing “sympathy to an international war criminal and an illegal invasion of Ukraine.”

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