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Friday, July 11, 2025

BONOKOSKI: Dehumanizing Poilievre is Trudeau’s only remaining tactic

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has fallen so far from grace that dehumanizing Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre may be his only shot at getting re-elected.

Unless, of course, he follows his late father and re-enacts that famous walk in the snow.

Winter, after all, is not far away.

The first public opinion poll since Poilievre overwhelmingly captured the Tory leadership on the first ballot has the Poilievre-led Conservatives with a five-point lead over the Trudeau Liberals.

The Abacus Data poll has the Conservatives at 35%, Liberals at 30%, the NDP at 17%, the Bloc Quebecois at 9% and the People’s Party at 4%.

It was Trudeau, however, who set the tone.

When he congratulated Poilievre on his victory, Trudeau took a shot at the Conservative leader by stating Canadians need “responsible leadership,” a high road approach as opposed to a political leader who lambasted “institutions that make our society fair, safe and free.”

He also criticized Poilievre for stating that inflation-strained Canadians could get out from under that heavy hand by investing in the dangerous world of cryptocurrencies, and further criticized him for laying shade on the vaccines “that saved millions of lives.”

The fall parliamentary session — which kicked off on September 20 — is already being billed as a potential bruiser with no holds being barred.

The summer session was a douser.

From mid-July to early September this year, seven different committees of the House held a total of 21 meetings and hearings to study a half-dozen matters of real public concern.

These were busy days, but the Opposition Conservatives were then leaderless.

But they are leaderless no more, but with the Abacus poll showing there was no sudden surge in Tory support, just a modest one-point rise since the 2021 election.

This reflected more on Trudeau’s continuing loss in popularity, as evidenced by the social media pillaging him for being disrespectfully tone deaf by singing Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” in a London hotel in the days prior to Queen Elizabeth II’s state funeral, than it reflects a significant rise in Poilievre’s support.

On the death of the Queen, Poilievre told the House of Commons during a special commemorative session that the Queen’s “humility reminded us that government is not about us. It is about those we serve. We are, indeed, servants and not masters.”

“Around the globe, democratic institutions are being challenged, but Canadians can rightly be proud of living in one of the strongest democracies in the world,”  Trudeau had said, with a subtle dig at Poilievre’s own disruptiveness.

“It is this very strength and stability, represented by the Crown and embodied by the Queen, that Canadians have always benefited from, and we, as parliamentarians and Canadians, dedicate ourselves each and every day to those democratic principles.”

Poilievre, says the National Post’s John Ivison, has positioned himself as a “disruptor” who wants to overturn the status quo when it comes to climate change, pandemic politics and institutions like the Bank of Canada.”

And he makes no bones about it.

In fact, he brandishes it like a red flag in front of a bull.

As John Ivison wrote in the National Post, “Trudeau’s mission is to unite the majority of Canadians behind the idea that the new Conservative leader is a risk to their personal and financial security.”

It may be a tough row to hoe.

Liberals lavished public sector managers with $190 million in bonuses

The Trudeau government lavished public service managers with over $190 million in bonuses in 2021, House of Commons records show.

According to Blacklock’s Reporter, the Treasury Board signed off on the bonuses while maintaining that Canada had a “world class public service.” 

“Canada has a world class public service with employees committed to providing the highest level of service to Canadians,” wrote Treasury Board President Mona Fortier. 

“In fact Canada’s public service is regularly recognized globally for its quality and effectiveness.”

Bonuses in the form of “performance pay” reached $190,725,106 in 2021 with 16,069 managers receiving the additional pay. 

“Incentive plans that reward executives for the delivery of expected results are common among Canadian private and public sector organizations including within Canada’s federal public service,” said Fortier. 

Every single executive at the Communications Security Establishment, Economic Development for Quebec, Governor General’s Secretary, the Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario and the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre received a bonus. 

“Executives in the core public administration are eligible for performance pay when they meet the commitments outlined in their annual performance agreements,” said Fortier. 

Executives with the Canadian Tourism Commission raked in over $32,000 in bonuses per employee while the industry shut down due to government lockdowns. 

According to the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF), 87% of managers in the organization received a pay out. 

“Crown corporations should be sharing in the tough times,” said CTF Federal Director Franco Terrazzano. 

“They should not be handing out bonuses and pay raises while their neighbours outside government take cuts and lose their jobs.”

The pandemic also saw the number of executives employed by the federal government balloon by over 21%. 

A record 7,900 positions were added in management across the public sector. 

Public servants have also refused to return back to the workplace as Canada enters another year of hybrid parliament. 

Conrad Black and Rex Murphy lambast “unacceptably incompetent” legacy media

Columnists and authors Conrad Black and Rex Murphy have blamed the regrettable state of Canadian civil liberties on the “incompetent” and “stupid” legacy media.

Black and Murphy were both keynote speakers at the Democracy Fund’s event The History of Civil Liberties in Canada held at the Canada Christian College in Whitby, Ontario

After quickly summarizing Canada’s exemplary historical role in dismantling the transcontinental slave trade and boldly challenging the idea that Canada is a “systemically racist” country, Black and Murphy took aim at the legacy media.

During his remarks, Black, the former owner of the National Post and current historian-in-residence with The Democracy Fund, said the legacy media is one of the main threats to civil liberties in Canada.

“One of the threats to our civil rights in this country is the utterly, unacceptably, incompetant performance of 90% of our media in this country,” Black said.

Murphy, the former CBC Radio host and current National Post columnist, proudly called himself a “demented climate denier” and lambasted the media.

“It seems to me that at least a good portion of the Ottawa Press Gallery has come to the determination that its main function is to act as an opposition to the Leader of the Opposition,” said Murphy.

“If you are concerned with civil liberties and the operation of a democracy, if the press is deliberately corrupt or corrupt from simple inadequacy, then our democratic system will fall.”

Murphy was particularly critical of Canada’s state broadcaster, referring to the CBC as an organization that “frowns on overt signs of competence.”

Murphy referenced the viral story of the transgender shop class teacher in Oakville who wore giant prosthetic breasts and noted that international media was ridiculing Canada while Canadian outlets like the CBC have completely abandoned the story.

“That story is in the Telegraph, The Independent, it’s on the BBC, it’s in the New York Post, it has been on Fox News, it’s all over the world,” Murphy said. “Go home tonight and go to CBC, CTV, or Global and type in Oakville Trafalgar High School blimps and you will not get very much news.”

“You cannot conceal the information that the people should have and claim to be the press, you cannot take sides and claim to be the press,” Murphy said.

The two authors touched on a variety of subjects pertaining to civil liberties throughout the evening, including the decline of Canada’s education system.

“We cannot have school boards continue to abandon the whole idea of education so that they can give themselves the power to shape minds according to their tiny minds,” Murphy said.

Meanwhile, Black says “the greatest irony is that we spend more and more and more on education and get less and less well-educated.” He even went as far as to call Canada’s public schools “glorified daycare centres.”

As a parting message, Murphy implored those in attendance to speak up for what they believe in and not to wait for others.

“We are so schooled in this idea that we shouldn’t say anything,” Murphy said. “If you love your own integrity, if you love your neighbour, if you love your country and – if you are religious – if you love God, you say what you must say and you don’t wait for somebody else.”

Before Murphy and Black took the stage, the crowd of several hundred gave a standing ovation to Freedom Convoy organizer Tamara Lich who was also in attendance for the event.

Attorney General excuses drug dealers as only trying to “put bread on the table”

Liberal Attorney General David Lametti excused drug dealers by saying that they are misguided and working to “put bread on the table” in defense of his government’s wish to repeal minimum sentencing for certain drug traffickers. 

According to Blacklock’s Reporter, Lametti made the statement while testifying before the Senate legal and constitutional affairs committee. 

“You couldn’t have conditional sentence orders for an Indigenous mother who was caught in very low trafficking in order to put bread on the table,” said Lametti. 

That’s the kind of social problem that needs to be attacked at its roots.”

Senator Denise Batters blamed the government bill of making it easier for serious criminals to get out of jail and that it wouldn’t address the problem of drug addiction. 

“I agree that Canadians struggling with addiction should have access to treatment and not just to prison but this bill does nothing to address that,” said Batters. 

“The mandatory minimums this bill actually seeks to eradicate only target serious criminals who prey on those with addictions.”

Earlier this year, the federal government approved a request by British Columbia to be granted exemptions for personal possession of 2.5 grams of cocaine, methamphetamines, opioids and MDMA. 

As exclusively reported by True North, the Trudeau government has refused to lift a visa exemption for Mexico despite the fact that cartels have overtaken the North American fentanyl trade. 

The influence of the Sinaloa and Jalisco cartels has prompted the US Drug Enforcement Agency to respond. 

Currently, Mexican citizens only have to complete a $7 Electronic Travel Authorization prior to being granted entry into Canada. 

“As part of the process leading to the lifting of the visa requirement, Canada worked closely with its Mexican partners to put in place measures to protect Canada against the risks posed by the arrival of bad faith travellers from Mexico,” said Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada spokesperson Jeffrey MacDonald.  

“The Government of Canada carefully monitors any behavior that threatens the security of the country and takes appropriate measures to remedy the situation.”

What does Poilievre’s win mean for the PPC? (ft. Maxime Bernier)

With the Conservative Party of Canada having elected a new leader earlier this month, many have begun to speculate about the future of the People’s Party of Canada. Though their values may appear to align at times, there are still some key differences between Canada’s two major conservative parties. People’s Party leader Maxime Bernier joined True North’s Andrew Lawton to discuss Pierre Poilievre’s leadership win, his predictions for the next federal election, and why he thinks the PPC is Canada’s only true conservative party.

Watch The Andrew Lawton Show.

China operating extrajudicial police stations in Canada

The Chinese government has set up unofficial police “service stations” connected to the Fuzhou Public Security Bureau (PSB) throughout Canada.

At least three of the stations are located in the Greater Toronto Area, according to the Globe and Mail. 

Through these extrajudicial entities located across the world, China claims they have been able to crack down on international crimes. 

The police stations are set up to help Chinese citizens living abroad file local police reports and aid in other bureaucratic processes. According to Chinese state media, the “service stations” have also been involved in forcing alleged criminals to be sent back to China.

The organization Safeguard Defenders claims that over 230,000 people have been sent to China through these unofficial negotiations. 

Chinese government officials have used tactics like recruiting family relatives, denying children a right to an education and other unscrupulous tactics to have alleged criminals return to the country.

Head of the PSB told state media outlet Xinhua that the department was involved in “efficient, high-quality and convenient services to overseas Chinese” and “cracking down on crimes and illegal activities involving this group.”

“It leaves legal Chinese residents abroad fully exposed to extra-legal targeting by the Chinese police, with little to none of the protection theoretically ensured under both national and international law,” said Safeguard Defenders. 

Australian Strategic Policy Institute researcher Daria Impiombato has also raised concerns about the influence of Chinese police abroad. 

“Overseas Chinese citizens are already very much aware that information can be fed back home and there can be repercussions for their safety or their relatives,” said Impiombato. 

The report raises further concerns about the extent of communist Chinese foreign influence in Canada. 

Research from June found that the Chinese government intervened in the 2021 Canadian federal election to influence Canadians not to vote for the Conservatives. 


Canadian warship sails through the Taiwan strait

A Canadian Navy ship sailed through the Taiwan strait on Tuesday alongside a U.S. destroyer as Western nations attempt to enforce sanctions against North Korea.

Recently, tensions between China, Taiwan and the West have escalated following U.S. Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi’s diplomatic visit to Taiwan and U.S. President Joe Biden’s recent pledge to defend the island nation.

In a nationally televised interview on 60 Minutes, Biden enforced America’s strategic ambiguity if China were to invade Taiwan, saying that the U.S. military would defend Taiwan if China launched an attack against the island. 

Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan was immediately followed by China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) firing missiles and dispatching several military aircraft and warships in Taiwan’s vicinity.

The Canadian ship’s journey through the Taiwan strait is part of a routine operation to enforce United Nations sanctions against North Korea. 

Canada’s defence minister Anita Anand reassured Canadians that the mission’s completion is necessary to uphold peace in the Indo-Pacific region.

“Today’s routine Taiwan Strait transit demonstrates our commitment to a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific,” she said in a statement.

The PLA’s Eastern Theatre Command raised militant concerns with the mission, proclaiming that Chinese units were placed on high alert and actively monitoring the Canadian and American units.

“Theater forces are always on high alert, resolutely counter all threats and provocations, and resolutely defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity,” reads the PLA’s statement. 

Pelosi’s trip to Taiwan was followed by a diplomatic trip from a group of U.S. Congressmen, a trip that provoked the PLA to conduct another series of hostile military drills. 

Canada’s foreign affairs minister Melanie Joly signed a joint statement with G7 foreign affairs ministers condemning China’s increased hostility and calling on the regime to de-escalate tensions.

“We are concerned by recent and announced threatening actions by the People’s Republic of China (PRC), particularly live-fire exercises and economic coercion, which risk unnecessary escalation. There is no justification to use a visit as pretext for aggressive military activity in the Taiwan Strait.”

Canada’s relationship markedly declined in 2018 when the Chinese Communist Party illegally persecuted two Canadians in retaliation to Canada’s arrest and attempted extradition of Chinese corporate executive Meng Wanzhou.

In June, Royal Canadian Air Force planes conducting sanctions enforcement against North Korea in the Taiwan strait were also harassed by PLA warplanes. 

The PLA jets allegedly buzzed the Canadian CP-140 Aurora, flying dangerously close to the units so as to force the Canadian plane to change its flight path to avoid a collision. 

The CP-140 Aurora will join the mission again, supporting the Canadian HMCS Vancouver frigate. 

Ratio’d | What is wrong with Canada?

Canada was the laughing stock of the world this week as two ridiculous incidents became cannon fodder for comedians and talking heads throughout the world.

Late last week, images emerged of a biological male Oakville high school teacher wearing a set of giant prosthetic breasts while teaching shop class. Instead of criticizing this absurd display from one of their teachers, Oakville Trafalgar High School – knowing that the world was watching – decided to defend this teacher and stand by his actions in front of students.

If that wasn’t bad enough, our Prime Minister decided to break into an impromptu karaoke session while in London for the funeral of Canada’s late head of state. When footage of the dramatic singing session emerged, the rest of the world hounded him for his lack of judgement. Thankfully for Justin Trudeau, Canada’s legacy media quickly swooped in to try and rescue Dear Leader, but their efforts failed as the mockery was too much to overcome.

All of that and more on this week’s episode of Ratio’d!

Conservatives condemn legacy media journalist after tweeting MP should be shot

Conservatives are calling on the Parliamentary Press Gallery (PPG) to take action and reprimand journalist Dale Smith after tweeting that Conservative MP Garnett Genuis should be shot like a “lame horse.” 

Party leader Pierre Poilievre tweeted about the incident on Thursday, asking why Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has not spoken out about the “incitement to violence.” 

“So a member of the press gallery tweets that a Conservative MP should be shot. Where is the outrage? Have the Prime Minister or journalists condemned this incitement to violence?” said Poilievre. 

During Question Period, Genuis demanded that the PPG revoked Smith’s access to parliament and suspend his status. 

“I’d like to see the Gallery take swift action to revoke Mr. Smith’s privileges…at the very least Mr. Smith’s privileges should be suspended pending further review,” said Genuis. 

In a blog post, Smith doubled down on his tweet denying that he was inciting violence against Genuis. 

“Yesterday during Question Period, I made an unoriginal joke about Garnett Genuis’ terrible performance,” wrote Dale. 

“(Andrew Scheer) claimed that I called for Genuis to be shot—which I most certainly did not—and began the process of online intimidation through rage-farming.” 

Dale went on to claim that Genuis was the one who owed people an apology and that he was being put through an “intimidation game” for being a journalist. 

In August, numerous journalists and organizations were part of a campaign to combat so-called harassment of the media. 

“This is a global problem, which threatens not only the safety and well-being of journalists, but the proper functioning of democracy itself. Many countries are now working on plans to fight back. We are calling on Canadian police and policymakers to do the same,” a statement by the Canadian Association of Journalists read. 

Conservative MP Michelle Rempel Garner also came to her colleague’s defense and demanded Smith apologize over the incident. 

“I know you think this is a joke, but it’s not. Using the words ‘shoot them’ when referring to an elected official normalizes violence. That is no joking matter,” said Rempel Garner. 

“You digging your heels in on this suggests the press gallery is tone deaf on this issue, and diminishes its credibility at a time when we need credible, unbiased journalism.” 

On Thursday, the PPG issued a statement distancing themselves from Smith’s tweet.

“We have been made aware of a message that has been posted on Twitter by one of our members .The Gallery wishes to disassociate itself from the comments made by this journalist,” wrote PPG President Guillaume St-Pierre.

“We also wish to issue a reminder that we all, journalists and politicians alike, hold the responsibility of promoting healthy and professional public debates.”

Retired teacher speaks out about removal of mural about Canadian history

A retired teacher is speaking out after the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) removed a student-painted mural depicting Canadian historical moments over fears that it might be racist. 

Veteran and former Albert Campbell Collegiate Institute teacher Graham Bye first heard about the murals being removed from the community. 

“I instantly knew this would have something to do with social justice and equity and things like that,” Bye told the National Post. 

“Where are these school officials getting off and deciding what everybody else is able to see?”

Bye said that the mural removal was a “tiny example” of a greater problem with far-left politics infecting everything. 

“This mural thing is just a tiny example of the same kind of madness about pulling down statues and things like that,” said Bye. 

“We took very stringent measures to ensure that the content on the murals wasn’t offensive or anything like that.”

The 15 murals depicted events in Canadian history, including the War of 1812, the Franklin Expedition and the Battle of Queenston Heights.

“They were taken down over the summer. My understanding is that staff wanted to have further discussions about them and took them down until those discussion could be had,” said TDSB spokesperson Ryan Bird. 

According to Bird, “the depiction of Indigenous people in the paintings of historical scenes” was what caused the removal. 

“They think they’re protecting people. Do you realize you’re behaving exactly like the communists or the Nazis you think you’re protecting us from?” said Bye. 

“I think that’s what you were supposed to do as teacher, but apparently it’s triggering now. You know, it’s just ridiculous.” 

The TDSB has been plagued by a number of scandals due to the influence of woke politics. As reported by True North last year, the board moved to rename Queen Victoria Public School citing the former monarch’s “racist legacy.” 

A motion on the matter claimed that “some schools names do not reflect the values of contemporary Toronto” and that “some schools are named after people with a racist legacy.”

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