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Wednesday, July 9, 2025

Pierre Poilievre elected Conservative leader on first ballot with 68%

By
Cosmin Dzsurdzsa
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Conservative members have elected Pierre Poilievre as their new leader. The Conservative party announced the results of this year’s leadership race before members in Ottawa Saturday evening.

Poilievre took the top post of the party on the first round with 68% of the points, defeating his main contender former premier of Quebec Jean Charest. 

The party elected its new leader using a point system, which allowed each of Canada’s 338 ridings to award 100 points, proportional to how many votes candidates received in each riding.

Poilievre will replace interim leader Candice Bergen, who recently announced she plans on retiring from politics by the next election. Bergen also offered her full support to whoever became leader a few days prior to the election results. 

Saturday’s leadership announcement was altered to accommodate the mourning of Queen Elizabeth II’s death who died Thursday at Balmoral, her Scottish summer residence.

The Conservatives held a moment of tribute to Her Majesty. MPs donned customary black attire to mark the period of mourning. 

During Poilievre’s victory speech, the Carleton MP began by commemorating the Queen’s passing.

“In her 22 visits here and dealings with 13 prime ministers she exhibited the virtues we most cherish,” Poilievre said.

“We felt we knew her. We felt that her strengths were ours. That perhaps is why I feel a small catch in my throat when I utter the words no leader has stated in seven decades. God save the King.”

The new leader also took aim at the governing Liberals and reiterated his pledges to tackle inflation and end remaining Covid mandates and restrictions.

“[Canadians] don’t need a government that sneers at them and calls them names. They don’t need a government to run their lives. They need a government that can run a passport office,” Poilievre said.

Throughout his campaign, Poilievre ran on freedom, affordability, and a vow to remove “gatekeepers” that stand in the way of individual liberty. 

Poilievre’s promises included reforming the tax system, capping government spending, upholding freedom of speech and introducing a plain language law to make official documents more easily understandable for Canadians.

True North LIVE | The Conservatives choose a new leader

By
True North Wire
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The Conservative leadership race is finally coming to an end – and True North will be covering the results LIVE!

Don’t waste your time watching the CBC’s coverage of the Conservative leadership race – Canadians can’t depend on the legacy media to report on the race accurately and fairly.

True North’s Andrew Lawton will be hosting our show in a Toronto studio with Harrison Faulkner and Sue-Ann Levy, and Elie Cantin-Nantel and Jasmine Moulton will be on-the-ground in Ottawa to cover the action.

The Alberta Roundup | Alberta takes Trudeau to court over plastic ban

By
Rachel Parker
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This week on The Alberta Roundup with Rachel Emmanuel, Rachel discusses how the Alberta government has filed a notice with the Federal Court to intervene in a legal challenge of the Trudeau government’s plastic ban. Premier Jason Kenney says plastic is not toxic but is necessary to achieve Canada’s carbon reduction goals. Will common sense prevail?

Plus, cancel culture impacts hockey again as Alberta’s Mount Royal University announced it plans on cancelling ice hockey intramural to be more “accessible and inclusive.”

And the Sovereignty Act continues to dominate the United Conservative Party leadership race. This week, four United Conservative Party leadership candidates banded together to oppose Danielle Smith’s Alberta Sovereignty Act.

These stories and more on The Alberta Roundup with Rachel Emmanuel!

SUBSCRIBE TO THE ALBERTA ROUNDUP

Tech executives urge Senate to slow “disastrous” Bill C-11

By
Andrew Kozak
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Executives from YouTube, Apple Music and Spotify are urging the Senate to slow the passage of the Trudeau government’s censorship law Bill C-11 in a letter obtained by Blacklock’s Reporter to the Senate transport and communications committee. 

“We urge this committee to pause,” read the submission by the Digital Media Association. The group argues that Bill C-11 “will have a significant impact on music streaming services.” 

“Together these services connect millions of fans across Canada and around the world with tens of millions of songs and podcasts providing unique listening experiences,” wrote the association. “Bill C-11 attempts to impose a system of regulation that is designed for traditional broadcasters onto streaming services.”

“Imposing this antiquated system onto innovative streaming services in an era of consumer choice, where there are no gatekeepers to content as there are in the broadcasting context, is the wrong approach,” wrote the association. 

The Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists, Directors Guild, Internet Society and Vancouver advocacy group Open Media all described the bill as “disastrous.”

Bill C-11 passed in the House of Commons on June 21 but has faced hurdles in Senate committees. 

“I fear we will be doomed to this inadequate process and its shortcomings and that we will not conduct the proper investigation we need on Bill C-11,” said Sen. Donna Dasko in a May 19 hearing. “We have no assurances that a regular committee study would follow from our pre-study.”

“When I hear about the urgent need to pass a bill, I can’t help but wonder whether we will really have the time to review a bill,” said Sen. Dasko.

“Why is this suddenly considered in the public interest?” said Sen. Leo Housakos in the May hearing. The last time we heard about it, we were sort of forced to push this through as quickly as possible.”

“We need the rules before we have the legislation,” Senator Pamela Wallin (Sask.) told a June 23 committee hearing. “It is not just for the clarity of parliamentarians. It is for everybody who uses the internet which encompasses all Canadians in one way or another. They need to know what is or what is not about to happen to them.”

“Asking us to sign up for the game without knowing the rules of the game is a little concerning,” said Wallin. “It will affect potentially every single Canadian who uses the internet.”

The Senate committee is expected to open hearings on Bill C-11 next Wednesday.

Despite previous claims made by Heritage Minister Pablo Rodriguez that Bill C-11 would not impact online creators, the Expert Advisory Group on Online Safety said that “misleading political communications” should be federally regulated. 

Further, Rodriguez’s claims about the bill not affecting user-generated content have also been contradicted by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC).

Testifying at a Canadian heritage committee hearing in June, CRTC chair Ian Scott said, “[Section] 4.2 allows the CRTC to prescribe by regulation user uploaded content subject to very explicit criteria. That is also in the Act.”

Section 4.2 of the bill allows the CRTC to issue regulations on social media companies that could affect the reach of content – favouring some content over others.

Calgary Police investigate vandalism of Jesus Christ statue

By
Cosmin Dzsurdzsa
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The Calgary Police Service has triggered a hate crime and extremism investigation after a statue of Jesus Christ at the Sacred Heart Church was vandalized by an unidentified man. 

Authorities are reporting that on Sept. 1 at 5:30 p.m., a man used a hammer to break off a finger of the statue before fleeing the scene on foot. 

Security footage shows him to be about 5’11’’, with a slim build, tattoos on his left arm, an orange T-shirt, ballcap and sunglasses. 

Police do not believe that the crime is connected to other instances of vandalism. 

“A hate crime is a criminal offence committed against a person or property, which is motivated in whole or part by the suspect’s hate, bias or prejudice towards an identifiable group,” a CPS news release stated. 

This is not the first time that the statue was vandalized. Following alleged discoveries of unmarked graves of residential school victims, instances of vandalism and arson targeting Christian churches sprung up across the country. 

Last Canada Day the statue was painted red. 

Nearly 70 churches were vandalized, lit on fire or burned since the Kamloops residential school announcement. 

At the time, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that the anger towards Christians was “fully understandable.” 

“It is real and it’s fully understandable, given the shameful history that we are all becoming more and more aware of and engaging ourselves to do better as Canadians,” said Trudeau at the time.

The prime minister’s remarks were echoed by former principal secretary Gerald Butts who tweeted that the burnings “may be understandable.” 

In May, Conservative MP Dane Lloyd grilled security officials for ignoring the mass attacks against Christian churches. 

“I just find it interesting because you do have extensive stuff in your report about ideologically motivated extremism, religiously motivated extremism, politically motivated extremism and yet 30 churches being burned down in Canada last year didn’t merit a mention,” said Lloyd of the 2021 Canadian Security Intelligence Service report.

Public servants to go on strike over complaints of low wage hikes

By
Cosmin Dzsurdzsa
-

Federal workers are preparing to go on strike over demands for a higher salary from Ottawa.

Public servants with the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) marched on Thursday to the Treasury Board headquarters calling on the federal government to increase their wages by 4.5%. 

“Right now our main issue, quite honestly, is wages,” said PSAC National President Chris Aylward. 

“With the offer that they have on the table of 1.75 per cent per year, when inflation is running at eight per cent, that is nothing but an insult.”

Mediation is expected to begin on Sept. 12 and could last all month. 

“Federal public sector workers carried this country for two years through this pandemic providing Canadians with essential services that they relied on every day, getting benefits out the door in record time,” said Aylward. 

“All we are asking for from this government is some respect.”

The strike threat comes only a year after 312,825 federal workers and MPs received pay hikes with over 45,000 more federal workers earning a six-figure salary compared to before the pandemic.

According to the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat, PSAC walked away from negotiations and listed 500 demands. 

“The employer respects the right of employees to lawfully demonstrate, but we are disappointed that the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) walked away from the bargaining table for several of their bargaining units at a stage of negotiations where we had both just tabled our initial economic offer,” the Treasury Board wrote in a statement. 

According to a new report by the Fraser Institute, a vast majority of the jobs created throughout the pandemic were public sector jobs. A total of 86.7% of the new jobs from Feb. 2020 to Jul. 2022 were in the government. 

“Many of the headline statistics surrounding the Canadian labour market appear encouraging at a glance, but the reality is more complicated,” said Fraser Institute senior fellow Ben Eisen. 

“Canada’s job creation in recent years has not been driven by private sector-growth, but rather has primarily been the result of government hiring.”

The amount of executive positions in the federal government also ballooned by 21% with 7,900 new management positions being created. 

Official changes coming to Canada with passing of Queen Elizabeth II

By
Cosmin Dzsurdzsa
-

Canadians are wondering what will happen now that Queen Elizabeth II has passed away and her son King Charles III assumes her role. 

As the Royal Family prepares for a funeral in 10 days, Canada could undergo several official changes ranging from a change in citizenship oaths, the issuing of new currency and more. 

Only hours after her passing, a citizenship ceremony was delayed as federal authorities changed the oath of allegiance to accommodate the new King. 

Reports reveal that on Thursday, new Canadians swore their allegiance to “His Majesty King Charles III, King of Canada” – who automatically assumed the position as Canada’s Head of State. 

“I swear (or affirm) that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to His Majesty King Charles the Third King of Canada his heirs and successors and that I will faithfully observe the laws of Canada including the Constitution which recognizes and affirms the Aboriginal and treaty rights of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples and fulfil my duties as a Canadian citizen,” the new oath reads.

Although the citizenship oath website has not yet been updated, the new oath is expected to appear officially in the coming weeks.

The Royal Canadian Mint has also stated that it is ultimately up to Ottawa when Canada decides to distribute currency featuring the new Regent. 

According to University of Toronto business history professor Dimitry Anastakis, it’s likely that King Charles III will appear on Canadian coins within a year or two. 

“It is quite likely that we will see (King Charles III) on our coinage in the next year or two, but this depends on the Mint, and what their plans are,” Anastakis told CP24. 

Canada is also expected to send a delegation to travel to London to attend the late Queen’s funeral. Condolence books will also be available throughout the country for Canadians to sign their well wishes to the Royal Family. 

Courts across Canada like Manitoba’s Court of Queen’s Bench have also taken on new names and are to be known as Court of King’s Bench.

“In light of the sad news respecting the Queen’s passing, pursuant to s. 3 of The Court of Queen’s Bench Act, the Court in name and in all documents and proceedings shall be designated and described as the Court of King’s Bench,” read an official statement. 

Other changes will also take place on official stamps issued by Canada Post. 
Meanwhile, the Canadian Armed Forces will have dozens of regiments and branches swap names to accommodate the change in regency.

WATCH: Queen Elizabeth II’s most memorable speeches

By
True North Wire
-

Queen Elizabeth leaves behind a legacy unmatched in history as the longest reigning British monarch. She served the people of the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and ten other nations as monarch and Head of State from February 6, 1952 until September 8, 2022.

Throughout her reign, the Queen transformed the monarchy into a modern institution representing the United Kingdom on the world stage and turning each member of the ‘The Firm’ into cultural icons.

True North has compiled some of Queen Elizabeth’s most memorable speeches.

God rest the Queen. Long live the King.

UCP candidates unite to oppose Smith’s Sovereignty Act

By
Rachel Parker
-

Four United Conservative Party leadership candidates banded together to oppose Danielle Smith’s Alberta Sovereignty Act. 

Travis Toews, Brian Jean, Rajan Sawhney and Leela Aheer hosted a press conference on Thursday to show their unity in opposition to the proposal — the pinnacle of Smith’s campaign which would bar federal legislation deemed harmful to Alberta’s interests. Rebecca Schulz and Todd Loewen did not attend.

The Sovereignty Act will not do what Smith says it will do, Jean argued. 

“(Smith) is telling voters that she has a magic wand that changes how law jurisdiction and how economics all work.”

Toews said the act will undermine trust in Albertans and chase away investment. Sawhney said the act is flirting with separatism. 

Aheer said the proposal is an attack on Albertan values. Smith is playing with fire and “selling a fantasy to her supporters,” she said.

Jean said all candidates besides Smith were invited to the event. He said some agreed to attend, but then backed out. It was a political decision, he said. 

Following the press conference, Schulz released a statement on why she declined to attend. She said she doesn’t support the act because it “doesn’t do what people say it’s going to do.” She also said it’s not good for unity as it’s already created much division amongst UCP members. 

She did not say whether she would vote for the Sovereignty Act if it reached the Legislature floor.

In a video posted to social media, Loewen said the press conference showed “disunity and desperation.”

“I wish those candidates would stand up against (Prime Minister Justin) Trudeau as strong as they stand against the Sovereignty Act,” he said. 

Loewen supports the principle of the act, but doesn’t think it’s necessary to say “no” to Ottawa. 

Smith responded to the press conference in an emailed statement, saying she respects her opponents’ right to speak in opposition to the proposal. 

She also said she’s excited to give Albertans the opportunity to put Ottawa “back into their own lane.”

Smith said she trusts the judgment of the UCP membership to select the leader they feel will best defend them “against Ottawa’s continued unconstitutional attacks against our province.”

“I will respect their decision when it is made. I would expect my future caucus colleagues to do the same.”

GUEST OP-ED: God rest the Queen

By
Gregory Tobin
-

What a life, what a woman, what a Queen.

The world said goodbye to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on Sept. 8th 2022. I fully admit I am in a state of mourning myself, contemplating the loss of a woman who reigned for nearly 50% of Canada’s entire history, and all of my lifetime. It’s like finding out the moon is gone, or that electrons don’t work anymore.

We now enter the second post-Elizabethan age. The world tumbles off its axis, as the star that was Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor goes to join the rest in the heavens above us.

Of course, as with the death of all well-known people who devoted their entire lives to the service of Canadian and British tradition — there are detractors. Not so much to speak ill of Her Majesty, but instead to tell us how great it would be to dump the monarchy now that she’s gone.

And what a tragedy that would be.

The monarchy in Canada is a stable institution in a sea of global turbulence. Our head of state is a neutral figurehead, free from the whims and nastiness that has become an unpleasant norm in the modern partisan political world.

No matter who the prime minister is or what party he or she is a member of, we can all look to the monarch and toast them, while we say to heck with the rest.

The monarchy is a living embodiment of our entire country, our culture, and authority. Monarchy brings the nation and all its traditions to life. And then we shower them in jewels and pledge allegiance to them. Doing something that no other political system does — bringing a human face to the ideals we hold so dear.

The Queen was, and the new King now is, the guardian of all our rights. Rights that we do not get from any politician or government but that come from a higher power – and are safely treasured by the Monarch.

The prime minister now leads His Majesty’s Government. The Opposition leads (now) His Majesty’s loyal opposition. The government and its power belong to the Crown, and because the Crown is the physical embodiment of the people — the government and its power ultimately is ours. It does not belong to Trudeau, or Harper, or Martin or any other politician.

More than an idea in a book, more than words on paper – the monarch is a living breathing entity that you can look at and see and hear, and in some cases shake the hand of.

Many wrongly ask “what does the monarchy do anyway?” And while I understand what they mean, they are asking the wrong question. The monarch doesn’t perform functions the way our elected officials do. The right question is “What is the monarchy?”

The Monarchy is the last stopgap between all constitutional power being wrenched away from the people and given to the government of the day and the bureaucracy. It is the final place where power stops, and looks elected politicians in the eye and lets them know they are not the final ones in charge. A reminder that they merely work on behalf of the people and the person who embodies all the ideals and traditions that came long before any of us.

Another benefit of our constitutional monarchy means we don’t have to swear allegiance to a person of a particular political party, or a piece of paper with some great ideas in it. We swear allegiance to a person with blood in their veins who knows and understands their purpose well. Who has no intention to exploit you or me, and is governed by over 1000 years of law and tradition.

And while most republics around the world trade in their constitutions for new ones like we all trade in our phones – our Queen and the monarchy stand above the rest of them providing something that most nations of the world don’t have – stability.

Being one of the oldest governments in the world, it has provided us with something most other nations in the world can only hope for – relative peace.

While we would never celebrate 70 years of Justin Trudeau or Stephen Harper, we all gladly celebrated such a legacy for Queen Elizabeth II for her Jubilee, and will mourn her passing deeply now.

Her Majesty lived up to, and lived out, the dignity of her office with such grace and elegance, we and the world were blessed to have her. While she passed no bills, declared no wars, raised no taxes, she was the crown jewel of our culture and society. 

I send my deepest and most sincere condolences to the Royal Family, the people of the United Kingdom, Canada, and all the Commonwealth at this time, as they mourn the loss of such a person.

God Save the King, God Bless Canada, and God rest you Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor.

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