Ontarians go to the polls on June 2 as Premier Doug Ford seeks re-election and fends off challengers from his right. On today’s show, True North’s Andrew Lawton is joined by New Blue leader Jim Karahalios to discuss his party’s vision for the election and beyond, and address criticisms from Ontario Party leader Derek Sloan on yesterday’s show. Also, Institute for 21st Century Questions president Irvin Studin is back to discuss the big picture of Canada’s place in the world, the subject of his new book, Canada Must Think for Itself.
A factory in Kingston, Ontario given $225 million in taxpayer money is sending all of the baby formula it produces to China while Canadian parents struggle to find it.
Built in 2019, the Canada Royal Milk Plant uses Canadian-based dairy – including cow and goat milk – to make baby formula.
Canada Royal Milk is owned by the Chinese company Feihe International Inc. but has received Canadian government funding to the tune of $225 million.
“Feihe International is the largest domestic producer of formula for infants and young children in the People’s Republic of China, and the company recently celebrated its 56th year in business, the plant’s website states.
“Canada Royal Milk will manufacture formula for infants and young children using both cow dairy and goat dairy, building local supply chains to benefit the Canadian economy. Most of our production will be for export, but we intend to develop nutritional products for the North American market as well.”
An ongoing baby formula shortage here has prompted Health Canada to issue a statement and to ease import rules to increase supply. In particular demand are two types of formulas designed for infants with allergies.
“In certain provinces, the supply of these products is not meeting demand,” Health Canada said. “The Department has published an interim policy to recommend enforcement discretion to facilitate the importation of equivalent and safe infant formulas that have been approved by a foreign regulatory authority or are allowed to be sold in foreign jurisdictions that have high quality and manufacturing standards similar to Canada.”
In addition, baby formulas designed for infants with food allergies in order to avoid anaphylactic shock have reportedly run out of stock.
“My understanding is that all of the production is shipped to China because China had a major baby formula crisis back in 2008,” Dalhousie University food expert Sylvain Charlebois told CTV News.
Canada Royal Milk has since said that it is currently going through a regulatory process to get its product into the domestic market.
“(Canada Royal Milk) will be able to sell products domestically once the regulatory process is complete and approvals granted,” said Human Resource Manager Carey Bidtnes.
“This has delayed timelines for entry into the domestic and North American markets.”
A Crown lawyer hoping to send Freedom Convoy organizer Tamara Lich back to jail threatened the judge with a mistrial application on Thursday after being told to get back to his cross examination.
Lawyer Moiz Karimjee wants Lich detained over an alleged breach of her Mar. 7 bail conditions, which ordered that she not “verbally, in writing, financially, or by any other means, support anything related to the Freedom Convoy.”
Lich admitted in court this week to accepting a freedom award from the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms, but claimed that it did not break her bail conditions.
“I don’t feel that this is a breach. I don’t feel that that’s what the recognition is for. … I feel that the recognition is for inspiring Canadians to hold the government to account to the rule of law and to uphold their Charter rights,” said Lich.
Meanwhile, Lich’s lawyer Lawrence Greenspon is asking that her bail conditions allow her back into Ottawa to accept the award.
During Thursday’s proceedings, Karimjee asked Justice Kevin Phillips to recuse himself from the court saying he had issues with the presiding judge for refusing to allow an email notifying Lich about the freedom award into court evidence.
“I’m not interested in an argument. Proceed with your cross examination,” said Phillips.
“No, I’m not arguing with you —” Karimjee responded.
“I don’t want to engage in this. Proceed with your cross examination. I don’t want to hear from you. I want you to cross examine the witness. Proceed, please,” said Phillips.
“I am asking your honour to recuse yourself,” Karimjee asked.
“That request is denied. Go ahead with your cross examination.”
On Thursday Phillips rejected Karimjee’s argument that a Superior Court Justice could not rule on a fellow justices’ errors of law. Phillips also said that it was the police’s duty to argue whether Lich broke her bail conditions.
“That’s a task I’m unfamiliar with. I’m not usually a police officer of release conditions. … Are you trying to put me in a position to find a breach here, to declare that she’s broken the law?” Phillips said.
Karimjee cited the Criminal Code and argued otherwise.
Lich was jailed after being arrested by police while helping to lead the Ottawa Freedom Convoy protest in February. She then spent 18 days in custody over charges including mischief, obstructing a peace officer and others related to her time leading the demonstrations.
Her bail was initially denied on Feb. 22, but a bail review on Mar. 7 saw a different judge overturn that decision, saying “the bail justice used subjective considerations, not an objective comparison…. This is an error in law (and it’s) not minor.”
Lich was then released under conditions involving supervision.
It’s a live edition of Fake News Friday on The Candice Malcolm Show!
“Poilievre derangement syndrome” has taken hold of legacy media reporters this week, as they attempted to tie Poilievre’s support of the Freedom Convoy to the horrific Buffalo shooting. Poilievre’s rivals, Patrick Brown and Jean Charest, couldn’t help but pile on. The Brown campaign even went as far as to alert all Conservative members that a “high-profile” Poilievre supporter used “alarming language” that closely resembles the idiotic “white replacement theory.”
But it doesn’t stop there. The legacy media also attacked Poilievre over holding and publicly disclosing his cryptocurrency assets while promoting the benefits of decentralized currency during his campaign. The problem for the legacy media is that not only was it not a secret that Poilievre held crypto assets, it is entirely legal and there are actually more Liberal MPs that disclosed crypto assets than Conservatives.
Plus, the format of the Conservative Leadership Debate continues to make headlines but for all the wrong reasons. This week, a Globe and Mail columnist complained that the candidates do not consume Canadian arts and culture. Have you ever watched Canadian TV shows such as “Call My Agent!” or “Orphan Black”? Don’t fret – nobody has.
Candice and True North producer Harrison Faulkner discuss these stories and more.
The Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Canada issued a statement on Friday morning calling the federal government’s 5G network ban on Huawei and ZTE “political manipulation.”
A spokesperson of the embassy said the Chinese government will take “all necessary measures” to ensure Huawei’s legal rights are protected.
“The Chinese side expresses its grave concerns and strong dissatisfaction to this,” wrote the spokesperson. “I want to emphasize that the erroneous actions of the Canadian side will certainly harm Canada’s own interests and international image.”
“China will evaluate this development in a comprehensive and serious manner and take all necessary measures to protect the legitimate and legal rights and interests of Chinese enterprises.”
After spending years dragging their feet, the Liberal government announced yesterday that it would ban all Huawei and ZTE products and services from Canada’s 5G network, citing national security concerns.
BREAKING: Canada officially bans Chinese telecommunications firms Huawei and ZTE from Canada's telecommunications infrastructure pic.twitter.com/yUT6gWxHXr
“We are announcing our intention to prohibit the inclusion of Huawei and ZTE products and services in Canada’s telecommunications systems,” said Minister of Innovation Francois-Philippe Champagne.
“This follows a full review by our security agencies and in consultation with our closest allies. We will always protect the safety and security of Canadians and we will take any actions necessary to safeguard our telecommunications infrastructure.”
Up until this point, Canada was the only nation in the Five Eyes intelligence alliance that had not implemented a ban on either company.
Critics of China’s involvement in Canada’s networks have cited China’s national security laws as a point of concern – laws that require companies to collaborate and share information with China’s intelligence service.
“The state in China being what it is, even though Huawei is an independent company … [the government] would have the capacity to ask and demand Huawei’s assistance in collecting intelligence,” said former CSIS director War Elcock in 2020.
In its statement, the Chinese embassy refuted concerns about security, alleging that both companies had a “very good record” on security.
“Facts have proved that Huawei and ZTE have been maintaining a very good record on network security,” the embassy claimed.
“Without any solid evidence, the Canadian side decided to exclude Huawei and ZTE from the Canadian market under the pretext of the so-called national security, which has flagrantly overstretched the concept of national security, blatantly violated market economy principles and free trade rules, and undermined the legitimate rights and interests of related Chinese enterprises.”
Canada’s industry minister Francois-Philippe Champagne will be addressing World Economic Forum (WEF) delegates in Davos on the “jobs of tomorrow.”
According to a draft agenda for the WEF’s upcoming annual meeting in the Swiss Alps, Champagne will appear on a panel alongside Bangladesh’s education minister, Dipu Moni, and finance minister Mikael Damberg of Sweden.
“From care, education and health to green energy, infrastructure and digital, the jobs of tomorrow may emerge in several growing sectors of the global economy,” the program text says.
The panel proposes to answer how “targeted investments and policies ensure such job creation and support workers in transitioning to them.”
The meeting, which runs Monday to Thursday, marks the first in-person edition of the WEF’s flagship event since January of 2020.
Other speakers include Bill Gates, former Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney and Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky.
Requests for Global Affairs Canada to provide a list of members of the Canadian delegation going to Davos have gone unanswered. It’s not clear if Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, who sits on the WEF’s trustee board, will be attending.
True North will be on the ground in Davos starting Saturday, reporting on the WEF and its annual meeting, which the organization says will “bring together over 2,000 leaders and experts from around the world, all committed to a ‘Davos Spirit’ of improving the state of the world.”
This year’s conference promises to be the “starting point for a new era of global responsibility and cooperation.”
Champagne appeared at the WEF’s virtual conference last year, as did Freeland and then-health minister Patty Hajdu. True North reported exclusively that part of Hajdu’s panel discussion on closed borders and pandemic travel restrictions took place behind closed doors.
In January, WEF chairman Klaus Schwab released a new book, The Great Narrative, about “how we can shape a constructive, common narrative for the future.” This book was a follow-up to his 2020 manifesto COVID-19: The Great Reset, which tried to seize what Schwab called “a unique window of opportunity” to reshape the economy and the “social contract” amid the global pandemic.
The Trudeau government has close ties to the WEF, giving the organization $2.9 million last year for “conservation measures.”
Social media posts have resurfaced showing current Ontario NDP candidate for Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke Kurt Stoll praising China’s “planned economy” over the “feuding corporations” of the West.
In a Sep. 2021 tweet, Stoll responded to a post announcing that China was halting the construction of coal plants abroad by applauding the communist country for achieving results.
“China is proving a planned economy actually achieves goals, while the West waits for feuding corporations to take the actions we all need.”
“No, centralism is not inherently authoritarian.”
China is proving a planned economy actually achieves goals, while the West waits for feuding corporations to take the actions we all need.
The tweet would have come seven months after the federal government declared China’s treatment of Uighur Muslims was genocide.
Stoll, who was reportedly raised on a grain farm in rural Saskatchewan, was nominated as the Ontario NDP candidate for Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke in late Apr 2022.
Stoll’s comments echoed those made by not-yet-Prime Minister Justin Trudeau during a 2013 interview.
“There’s a level of admiration I actually have for China,” Trudeau said. “Their basic dictatorship is actually allowing them to turn their economy around on a dime.”
The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has governed China for nearly seven decades. Although it has opened up its markets in recent years to private enterprise, it has maintained tight control over the economy.
Companies that operate in China can only do so with the central government’s permission.
While China’s economy has been growing, World Bank data for 2020 shows that China’s GDP per capita remains four times lower than that of Canada.
Furthermore, China is responsible for 27% of global emissions and has more than half of the world’s coal-fired power plants.
True North reached out to both Stoll and the Ontario NDP for comment but received no response by the time of publication.
True North’s Andrew Lawton is heading to Davos to cover the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting. Despite multiple attempts by the WEF to prevent independent media from covering their conference, True North’s Andrew Lawton will be on the ground to report the truth about what’s happening.
Jason Kenney has stepped down as leader of the United Conservative Party and announced his intention to step down as Premier of Alberta after an incredibly close leadership review vote.
Kenney technically won the vote: 51% of members voted to keep him in place as leader and Premier. But Kenney knew that wasn’t enough support and that his personal unpopularity was dragging down the party. He did the honourable thing, and resigned to make way for a new leader.
On today’s episode of the Candice Malcolm Show, Candice breaks down the details of how Kenney lost control of his own party, provides analysis of the four major reasons why Kenney lost, and discusses how this is bad news for Alberta and the conservative movement across Canada.
The federal government has announced it will finally ban Huawei Technologies Co. from Canada’s fifth-generation wireless networks.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has dragged his feet on a Huawei ban for some time now, making Canada the only Five Eyes nation not to have prohibited the Chinese company’s participation in the network.
Minister of Innovation François-Philippe Champagne appeared alongside Minister of Public Safety Marco Mendicino on Thursday to reveal the ban on Huawei and ZTE products and services from Canada’s telecommunications network.
The ban prohibits including products and services from both Chinese-owned companies. Should companies have any components already in use, they are being ordered to remove those products. Telecommunications companies that used these products will not be compensated by the government.
BREAKING: Canada officially bans Chinese telecommunications firms Huawei and ZTE from Canada's telecommunications infrastructure pic.twitter.com/yUT6gWxHXr
According to the Liberals, the announcement comes after a security examination of Canada’s 5G infrastructure. New legislation will also be tabled to further protect critical infrastructure and strengthen Canada’s telecommunications systems.
“We are announcing our intention to prohibit the inclusion of Huawei and ZTE products and services in Canada’s telecommunications systems. This follows a full review by our security agencies and in consultation with our closest allies,” said Champagne. “We will always protect the safety and security of Canadians and we will take any actions necessary to safeguard our telecommunications infrastructure.”
Several telecommunications companies including Bell and Telus have already committed to not using Huawei hardware in their 5G infrastructure over concerns that Beijing could use the tech as a backdoor to spy on Canadians.
Numerous experts have cited concerns regarding Huawei’s relationship with the Chinese government. As a Chinese company, the corporation is bound by laws passed by Beijing requiring private entities to cooperate with the country’s intelligence operations.
Former CSIS director Ward Elcock is among those who have raised the alarm about the potential threats of allowing Huawei onto Canada’s network.
“The state in China being what it is, even though Huawei is an independent company … [the government] would have the capacity to ask and demand Huawei’s assistance in collecting intelligence,” said Elcock in 2020.
