City of Toronto ad campaign suggests kids must be vaccinated to enjoy normal life

Andrew Lawton
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City of Toronto ad campaign suggests kids must be vaccinated to enjoy normal life

The City of Toronto says it wants to “ensure greater clarity” after facing criticism for an online ad campaign promoting Covid-19 vaccination for children as young as six months old.

In one ad, a young girl looks out her window at other children playing and asks her mother if she can join them.

“No honey,” the mother replies from offscreen. “There’s still something going around.”

“Okay,” the girl replies, as she sadly looks back out the window as text flashes onto the screen:

“Kids should be out there. Not in here. Covid-19 vaccines available for children 6 months to 12 years.”

After the video was widely panned on Twitter for implying unvaccinated children should be kept away from their friends, the City of Toronto deleted a tweet with the video and published a retraction, though not an apology.

“The City removed a tweet and video from earlier today,” the retraction said. “We always strive to ensure clear understanding, especially about vaccinations, and will work to ensure greater clarity in the future.”

City of Toronto spokesperson Brad Ross told Toronto Sun reporter Joe Warmington that the campaign “was intended to highlight the negative impact (the pandemic) has had on children and drive home the benefits of vaccine, as vaccination remains the most effective way to protect our children, families, communities and ourselves against the serious effects of Covid-19.”

“We do believe we can better communicate this intent and, as such, we have removed the video to better address the core message of children being eligible to be vaccinated against COVID-19,” Ross said.

However, a suite of related videos continues to be available on the City of Toronto’s YouTube channel. These videos all have a similar tone and message.

In one, a voice is heard offscreen cooing over a newborn. Eventually the camera shows that the voice is coming through someone on the other end of a video call with the infant.

“Don’t miss these moments,” the screen says. “Get connected (in real life). Covid-19 vaccines available for children 6 months to 12 years.”

In another video, a young girl barges into a room while her mother is chairing a virtual meeting.

“She should be in school,” the screen tells viewers. “Covid-19 vaccines available for children 6 months to 12 years.”

Covid vaccines are not required to attend elementary or secondary schools in Ontario.

True North found five separate ads that appear to be part of the campaign pushing child vaccination.

Ross said in his statement to Warmington that the videos were “created by staff and community ambassadors,” and that elected officials, such as Toronto Mayor John Tory, “were not involved in any way.”

Canadian energy sector slams Trudeau government’s energy agenda

Noah Jarvis
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Canadian energy sector slams Trudeau government’s energy agenda

Canadian energy sector leaders are rebuking Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s claim that there is no business case for Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) exports to Europe, urging the Trudeau government to reverse course on anti-energy sector policies. 

The Modern Miracle Network, an energy sector advocacy group, has sent an open letter to Trudeau raising concerns about his government’s treatment of Canadian energy producers.

The letter claims the Canadian energy producers would be capable of exporting energy to Europe to help replace energy imports from hostile nations like Russia if not for Liberal legislation interfering with the energy industry’s ability to build the necessary infrastructure to export LNG.

“While we remain well-positioned to supply Europe’s energy needs, years of government interference and politicized restrictions have prevented our sector from building the infrastructure needed to export large volumes of LNG,” reads the letter. 

The letter laments the missed opportunity to establish a relationship with Germany to sell them Canadian LNG as the country attempts to find alternatives to Russian energy.  

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz visited Canada last month and met with Trudeau to discuss the possibility of Canada exporting energy to Germany. Scholz and Trudeau agreed that Canada would supply Germany with hydrogen energy in the near future. 

However, during the August summit, Trudeau asserted that there wasn’t a strong business case for exporting LNG to Germany.

“There are a number of potential projects, including one in Saint John, and some others that are on the books for which there has never been a strong business case because of the distance from the gas fields,” said Trudeau.

The Canadian energy leaders’ letter refutes Trudeau’s claim, saying that “If Canada has no business case for LNG exports to Europe it is hard to imagine how any country would.”

The letter goes on to say, “Canada has ample natural gas resources in many regions of this country. We have an enormous advantage with closer shipping routes to Northern Europe than international competition.”

The Trudeau government has implemented regulations and restrictions to ensure energy sector projects are slowed down or stopped altogether. 

The Modern Miracle Network’s letter criticizes the government for their heavy-handed anti-energy policies.

“Years of government interference and politicized restrictions have prevented our sector from building the infrastructure needed to export large volumes of LNG. The impact on investor confidence of anti-oil and gas government policy including expropriations cannot be underestimated.”

Bill C-69, or the anti-pipelines bill, gave the federal government additional powers to delay or scrap Canadian energy projects based on factors like climate change.

Canada to scrap border vaccine mandate and make ArriveCan optional

Cosmin Dzsurdzsa
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Canada to scrap border vaccine mandate and make ArriveCan optional

Canada is set to do away with Covid-19 vaccine requirements for incoming travellers and make ArriveCan optional by the end of the month. 

According to The Globe and Mail, sources familiar with cabinet conversations say that the changes will take place on Sept. 30. 

Following the changes, unvaccinated travellers will be able to enter Canada freely without having to attest their vaccination status or be required to quarantine in the case of permanent residents and Canadian citizens. 

However, at the direction of Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos, the mask mandate for trains and planes will remain.

It is unclear whether the United States has plans to lift its own border vaccine mandate. 

For months, the Liberals have been facing criticism for maintaining vaccine mandates and burdening travellers with the ArriveCan requirement. 

Deputy Conservative leader and former transport critic Melissa Lantsman has been demanding that the federal government dropped the application as a requirement as early as July. 

“People do not want to come, and the regulations are certainly redundant,” said Lantsman. 

“These kinds of things say Canada is closed for business and when we have that coupled with a transportation network that just isn’t conducive to the potential in this area, we have a recipe for disaster.”

The CEO of the Canadian American Business Council has recently stated that the application and remaining mandates were threatening the “seamless integration” between Canada and the US. 

“We’ve got to get to the place where Canadians and Americans are travelling back and forth, seeing family, having fun, but also doing business together,” said CEO Maryscott Greenwood. 

“That’s really been a huge hallmark of our relationship, the seamless integration of our economies and of our people. That’s at risk right now.”

The Trudeau government has also faced pressure from communities that border the US who have been impacted by the reduced flow of people crossing into Canada.

The Andrew Lawton Show | Jukebox Justin embarrasses Canada on the world stage – again

Andrew Lawton
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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spent Saturday evening belting out Bohemian Rhapsody in a United Kingdom hotel lobby – two days before Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s stage funeral. While foreign media are talking about all the backlash to Trudeau’s antics, the Canadian media are covering for him, instead taking aim at his critics. True North’s Andrew Lawton talks about the latest number from Jukebox Justin in this live edition of The Andrew Lawton Show. Also, People’s Party of Canada leader Maxime Bernier joins the show live to talk about the road forward for the PPC with a new Conservative Party of Canada leader.

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School board defends trans teacher who wore prosthetic breasts to class

Cosmin Dzsurdzsa
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School board defends trans teacher who wore prosthetic breasts to class

The Halton District School Board (HDSB) is citing “gender expression” in its defence of a shop teacher who wears massive prosthetic breasts to class. 

Last week, footage of the teacher, who was born a man but now identifies as a woman, showed him addressing students with a blonde wig on and wearing large prosthetic breasts with visible nipples.

“The HDSB recognizes the rights of students, staff, parents/guardians and community members to equitable treatment without discrimination based upon gender identity and gender expression. Gender identity and gender expression are protected grounds under the Ontario Human Rights Code,” said an official statement from the school board. 

In a statement given to the Toronto Sun, HDSB Chair Margo Shuttleworth claimed that the school was “creating a safety plan” for the Oakville Trafalgar High School teacher (OTHS). 

“This teacher (who teaches shop) is an extremely effective teacher,” said Shuttleworth. “All the kids really love being in the class.”

On Tuesday, the board put out a news release claiming that there was disinformation being spread alongside the story in the media. The statement claims that a different teacher was wrongly identified on social media as being responsible. 

Some have pointed out that the teacher’s attire violates the school’s dress code. 

“Dress codes must prevent students from wearing clothing that exposes or makes visible genitals and nipples,” the OTHS dress code reads. 

The HDSB has received public pushback and staff are expecting protests to begin as students head back to school. 

“There will be the protesters and the anti-protesters,” said Shuttleworth. 

“I do know there have been phone calls made to the school that haven’t been the most pleasant in nature.”

Albertans receiving fake robocalls pretending to be from Loewen campaign

Rachel Parker
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Albertans receiving fake robocalls pretending to be from Loewen campaign

United Conservative Party leadership candidate Todd Loewen says he has contacted Elections Alberta about fake robocalls being sent to Albertans pretending to be from his campaign.

Loewen said he began receiving reports of Albertans receiving robocalls from his campaign on Monday morning, but neither he nor anyone else on his campaign approved the messages. 

He’s now begun the process of trying to determine where the calls came from and he’s contacted Elections Alberta for help, Loewen said.

“We’ve been in contact with Elections Alberta just to explain what the situation was and find and see if we can find out some more,” he told True North on Monday evening.  

Loewen described the call as “putting down Danielle Smith” and taking “a couple shots at Jason Kenney,” while having “flowery” things to say about himself. 

True North has independently verified the call from two sources.

In voicemails left on Albertans’ phones, a female caller says voters need a plain-talker they can trust “and that man is Todd Loewen.” 

The call says Loewen “held the line” when Smith crossed the floor to the PCs and “stood his ground” when Kenney locked down Alberta.

“Kenney broke our trust and so did Danielle, so why should we elect her now when we just got rid of (Kenney),” the caller says.

“Only Todd Loewen has the integrity to lead Alberta.” 

The call ends with a pitch to visit Loewen’s campaign website. 

In an emailed statement, Elections Alberta told True North it’s unable to comment “about allegations that we may or may not have received or investigations that we may or may not be conducting.”

“This is in accordance with the disclosure provisions in the Election Act and Election Finances and Contributions Disclosure Act.”

In a statement posted to Twitter, Smith thanked Loewen for highlighting the fake robocalls. 

“Todd is a person of great integrity,” Smith wrote. 

“I would encourage all campaigns to fully distance themselves from these tactics & groups,” she added.

Smith and Loewen are aligned on many policies. While all other candidates have attacked Smith, the perceived frontrunner, Loewen has not.

In a post to Facebook, Loewen said anyone doing political advertising is required to inform voters which organization they represent and provide contact information. 

“Third parties are free to endorse (or criticize) whoever they want, but they only do so on behalf of themselves,” he wrote. “They should not be misrepresenting themselves as operating on behalf of a candidate.”

Economists warn that recession for Canada is imminent

Cosmin Dzsurdzsa
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0
Economists warn that recession for Canada is imminent

More economists are now warning that the Canadian economy faces an imminent recession which could arrive by early next year.

The latest to join the growing chorus of experts telling Canadians to brace for further economic woes include economists from Desjardins Group and the Royal Bank of Canada.

“Our view is that we’re going to see a continued slowing of sales activity in Canada, and continued weakness on the price side going forward,” said Desjardins Group economist Randall Bartlett.

 This comes after the Bank of Canada (BoC)  hiked interest rates to 3.25% as inflation continues to take a toll on the country’s finances. In August the Consumer Price Index fell to 7% down from 7.6% the month prior but the cost of food has spiked by 10.8%. 

An official statement from the BoC also indicated more hikes were likely coming soon.

“Given the outlook for inflation, the Governing Council still judges that the policy interest rate will need to rise further,” read the statement. 

“Quantitative tightening is complementing increases in the policy rate. As the effects of tighter monetary policy work through the economy, we will be assessing how much higher interest rates need to go to return inflation to target.” 

According to a note by RBC economists, Canada’s recession could be moderate when compared to the prospects other countries are facing. 

“We expect the year ahead to bring recessions for Canada, the United States, the Euro area, and the United Kingdom,” wrote RBC. 

“That said, we expect the coming downturn in Canada will be ‘moderate’ by historical standards.”

Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre blasted the Trudeau Liberals on Monday calling on the federal government to axe the carbon tax and cap federal government spending. 

“Inflation continues to eat away at people’s paycheques, with grocery prices up 10.8%, the fastest pace in more than 4 decades. Make more Canadian food, energy & homes. Axe the carbon tax. Cap govt spending with a Pay-As-You-Go law,” tweeted Poilievre. 

Todd Loewen says it was a waste of police resources to arrest Tamara Lich a second time

Rachel Parker
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Todd Loewen says it was a waste of police resources to arrest Tamara Lich a second time

United Conservative Party leadership candidate Todd Loewen says it was “abhorrent” that the Medicine Hat police service spent energy re-arresting Freedom Convoy organizer Tamara Lich.

Lich was first arrested in February and let out on bail in March after being charged with mischief, counselling mischief and other charges related to the three-week convoy protests that took place in Ottawa in January and February.

On June 27, Lich was again arrested in her hometown of Medicine Hat after the Medicine Hat Police Service issued a Canada-wide warrant for her arrest. The Crown argued Lich had breached the terms of her bail.

Lich, who was primarily responsible for collecting convoy donations, had just returned to Alberta after accepting the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms’ George Jonas Freedom Award in Toronto. She delivered a speech about freedom but did not mention the convoy. 

After being denied bail, she was held in jail for nearly 30 days until July 26. 

Loewen said Lich was not going anywhere and had not harmed anyone, yet the police wasted resources on tracking her down rather than going after real criminals. 

“We don’t need to be doing that,” he said.

The leadership candidate was speaking at the Western Unity group’s leadership debate in Lacombe, Alberta. Just Loewen, Brian Jean and Leela Aheer attended. Each candidate was given 20 minutes to pitch their policies to attendees.

The topic of Lich’s arrests emerged after Loewen pitched his plan to give Alberta some autonomy from Ottawa. Loewen wants a provincial constitution which has the benefit of property rights as well as a firewall between the province and Ottawa, he said. 

He doesn’t have a problem with Danielle Smith’s controversial Alberta Sovereignty Act — legislation which would bar federal bills deemed harmful to Alberta — but he thinks the government can start saying “no” to Ottawa even before it might be passed. 

Loewen also said ongoing cases to prosecute business owners and churches who breached Covid-19 restrictions are a “waste of energy,” especially considering provincial pandemic restrictions have been done away with. 

There’s no need to be victimizing these people who’ve “been through enough,” he said, eliciting cheers from the crowd of a couple hundred people. 

Jean briefly touched on the topic, saying he would not arrest any pastors if elected and that he would seek to exonerate people charged where he can.

In response to a question from the audience about vaccine mandates, Aheer said “I’m a pro-choice girl all the way I would never force you to do anything with your body that you don’t want to.”

Aheer and Jean spent time discussing the need to rehaul Alberta Health Services. 

UCP members have already begun receiving and sending back their mail-in ballots which are due October 4. Those votes will be tallied on October 6, the same day party members can vote in-person and results will be announced.

A Mainstreet Research poll conducted earlier this month found that Smith looks poised to win the Premiership with 44% support of party backers. 

Another 20% said they backed Jean, followed by 19% for former finance minister Travis Toews and 7% for Loewen. Rebecca Schulz received 6%, Aheer had 3%, and Rajan Sawhney had 1%.

Editor’s Note: The article has been updated to reflect that the Medicine Hat police service executed the warrant on Lich, not the Alberta RCMP.

“Pathetic garbage from Canada’s public broadcaster,” Ben Shapiro blasts the CBC

Andrew Kozak
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“Pathetic garbage from Canada’s public broadcaster,” Ben Shapiro blasts the CBC

Prominent American political commentator Ben Shapiro lashed out at Canada’s state broadcaster following a CBC report that asserted young men were being “radicalized” by watching Shapiro’s videos.

On Monday, CBC’s Brock Wilson published a report titled, “’It’s a slippery slope’: How young men fall into online radicalization.” 

The CBC story claims Shapiro’s “views are controversial — and some are outright discriminatory.” The reporter says Shapiro’s assertion that “transgender people suffer from a ‘mental disorder’” is an example of discrimination.

Gender dysphoria is listed in the DSM, the authority used by mental health practitioners to diagnose psychiatric conditions.

The story concedes that “Shapiro is not affiliated with any hate group,” however he claims “experts in media, gender studies and the radicalization of young men say that the commentator’s content is prevalent in online extremist communities.”

The CBC article asserted that Shaprio was somehow connected “to controversial — and increasingly harmful — views about masculinity, the objectification of women and the LGBT community.”

Following the report, Shapiro took to Instagram to respond to the allegations made by Canada’s state broadcaster.

“Here comes the media attempt to get me banned from social media,” Shapiro wrote.

“They can’t name which views of mine are particularly radical, so they just go for the ‘I’m radicalizing the youths!’ Pathetic garbage from Canada’s public broadcaster.” 

Shapiro goes on to say that he found it “strange” that the CBC would allege that he has views that objectify women considering he is “an Orthodox Jew who promotes virginity until marriage.”

The American political commentator then challenged the CBC to specify exactly what are his “Bad Views™” on masculinity.

“That men should be responsible? That they should get jobs, get married and take of their children? Sound Very Very Bad™!” 

Shapiro then defended his views on marriage and the claim that his views were discriminatory towards the LGBT community. 

“I suppose my Bad Views™ is that natural law views of human sexual behavior and its moral component are correct,” Shapiro wrote.

“This is the part that is unacceptable: that I believe married heterosexual activity is morally superior to all other types of sexual activity. Well tough s***. It is.” 

Shapiro founded The Daily Wire and hosts The Ben Shapiro Show. The daily podcast is one of the most popular podcasts in North America.

Canadian legacy media journos rush to defend Trudeau’s UK antics

Harrison Faulkner
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Canadian legacy media journos rush to defend Trudeau’s UK antics

While media outlets in the United Kingdom and the United States blasted Justin Trudeau for his “drunk” rendition of ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ while in London for the Queen’s state funeral, legacy media journalists in Canada rushed to defend the prime minister’s actions.

On Monday, Twitter user @LisaPow33260238 first uploaded a clip of a casually-dressed Trudeau with a group of individuals singing the popular Queen song.

While some users questioned the authenticity of the clip, the Prime Minister’s Office confirmed to Toronto Sun journalist Joe Warmington that the clip was in fact real and was filmed just two nights before Her Late Majesty’s funeral.

A number of journalists at the CBC, Global News, CTV News and the Toronto Star were quick to downplay Trudeau’s latest international blunder.

The CBC’s senior writer Aaron Wherry claimed nobody “truly and genuinely cares about the prime minister singing in a hotel lobby on Saturday night.”

Meanwhile, CTV News claimed Trudeau’s antics were “in tribute to the late Queen Elizabeth,” though there was no indication that the prime minister’s rendition of ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ was for the Queen, who was not a member of the British rock group despite its regal name. 

At Global News, instead of criticizing the prime minister’s actions, Rachel Gilmore attempted to fact-check the user who first uploaded the clip. “The viral tweet got some key things wrong,” Gilmore tweeted.

The Toronto Star’s national columnist Althia Raj attempted to downplay the incident by tweeting, “I feel very privileged to live in a country where the most controversial thing to have happened today is footage of the prime minister singing on Saturday night with a Quebec icon in the lobby of a hotel while in London for the Queen’s funeral. #perspective.” 

Journalists in the United Kingdom, meanwhile, were not as kind to Trudeau. As the clip of Canada’s prime minister went viral, a number of UK media outlets published scathing reports about the incident.

The UK’s highest-circulated daily newspaper The Daily Mail reported on the incident with the headline: “’Drunk’ Canadian PM Trudeau is slammed as a ‘tone deaf embarrassment’ for singing Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody at London hotel before Elizabeth II’s state funeral.”

“Justin Trudeau faced intense criticism after he was recorded singing a rendition of Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody following an evening dinner just two days before Queen Elizabeth II’s state funeral,” senior reporter for the DailyMail.com Claudia Aoraha wrote. 

“The Prime Minister of Canada belted out the 1975 hit at an impromptu session in London’s swanky Corinthia Hotel – where suites go for at least $5,000 – while the UK and Commonwealth were in their official period of mourning.”

Another well-known UK media outlet The Telegraph described the incident as “disrespectful” and “failing to show ‘decorum’” in response to the incident.

BBC News’ Elsa Maishman gave a balanced report on the incident, highlighting those criticizing the prime minister and those who believe the incident had been “exaggerated.” 

A number of Canadian media outlets receive funding from the government as part of the Trudeau government’s $600 million media bailout and other handouts. Canada’s state broadcaster the CBC receives a $1.5 annual grant from the federal government. 

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