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Sunday, July 27, 2025

Conservative MP wants political belief covered by Canadian Human Rights Act

By
Jonathan Bradley
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Conservative MP Garnett Genuis has brought forward a private member’s bill to add political belief and activity as protected grounds to the Canadian Human Rights Act. 

“This bill is about protecting the rights of individuals  – their freedom of speech and their freedom to be involved in the democratic process without facing reprisals,” said Genuis in a statement. “But it is also about realizing the benefits that come with a free democracy and a robust civil society.” 

Speaking with True North’s Candice Malcolm on Tuesday, Genuis said that although some provinces offer provisions in their own human rights codes, there are not currently any federal protections against discrimination based on political beliefs or activities. 

“There’s a difference between discriminating about ideas and discriminating against individuals,” Genuis explained. “So in terms of prohibiting discrimination against individuals on the basis of their political beliefs or activities, it’s about saying that governments or banks shouldn’t be able to fire someone or deny someone service on the basis of their political beliefs – that if your employer finds out that you’re conservative, they can’t fire you because of that.”

Genuis said that the Freedom Convoy showed a recent example of where individuals were persecuted on the basis of their political views.

“Let’s say somebody had made a small donation to the convoy and their employer found out about it,” he said.  “This bill would, I think, provide some protection from that person being fired.”

Genuis added, however, that his bill would likely not work retroactively to recover jobs already lost.

He also said that “there is a distinction between someone facing discrimination and someone just having people be mean to them.” 

Genuis explained that Bill C-257 would also provide exceptions for bona fide occupations where partisanship or political neutrality are reasonable requirements for employment. A political staffer is expected to have a certain worldview, he said, while other roles may require an employee to be nonpartisan.

This bill remains in first reading at the moment. 

Conservative MP Leslyn Lewis seconded the bill. 

“We must remain a country where everyone is free to speak their mind, especially about their own government, without fear of repercussions,” said Lewis in a tweet. 

Genuis said that Canadians must be free to express and act on their political beliefs without being afraid of intimidation from governments or private employers. 

“This freedom is essential for a strong democracy with a robust and independent civil society,” he said. 

Queen’s University law professor Bruce Pardy said that in an era of cancel culture and anti-conservative discrimination, human rights codes should include political belief as a protected ground. 

“No government of any political stripe has the courage to repeal human rights codes,” said Pardy in a column in the National Post. “The only way to even approach political neutrality is to have them protect political beliefs.”

B.C. health minister won’t say if vaccine mandate still on table for private health care

By
Harley Sims
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British Columbia’s provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry has put out a new order affecting the province’s private-practice healthcare workers, but it’s unclear whether it is a step closer to mandatory vaccination for the sector or a walkback from it.

Henry had announced on Feb. 9 that the province would be extending its mandatory vaccination policy to include all regulated health care professionals not yet covered, including physicians, surgeons, chiropractors, dentists, midwives, acupuncturists, practitioners of Chinese medicine and many others.

Under the original order, all healthcare professionals in B.C. would have had to have shown proof of vaccination by March 24 or be deregistered by their licensing bodies.

The new order issued on Tuesday requires the governing colleges of B.C.’s regulated healthcare workers to collect the vaccine status of their members by March 31 and be prepared to give that information to the government on request.

The order refers to unvaccinated people as “health hazards,” has no expiry date and will “not accept requests for a reconsideration.”  Although B.C. health minister Adrian Dix called it “a necessary step to gain access to the information around vaccination,” it differs from Henry’s original order in several key ways.

The first difference is the change from the province’s original deadline of March 24, which required private sector healthcare workers to have at least one COVID shot to continue practicing their professions. Despite requiring those workers to disclose their vaccination status to their regulatory colleges, the new order does not state that they will need to be vaccinated to continue operating their practices.

The second difference is the lack of consequences for workers who refuse to comply, as well as any deadline for when those presumed consequences might kick in.

Asked by reporters whether mandatory vaccination is even still on the table for the sector, Dix did not answer definitively.

“It’s my strong view that everyone in health care should get vaccinated,” he said.

Despite Dix’s view, at least one regulatory body covered by the order – the College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia – is telling its members the new regulations do not require them to get their COVID shots to keep practicing.

On the college website’s FAQ page about the new order, the question and answer are as follows:

“Does the Order require registrants to be vaccinated against COVID-19?

No. This Order requires the College to record the COVID-19 vaccination status of all registrants, but it does not impose a COVID-19 vaccination requirement. Please note that separate public health orders remain in place requiring COVID-19 vaccination for health professionals working in residential care, acute care and community care settings.”

Henry’s new health order comes amidst fierce pushback from some healthcare professionals, who warned that the loss of services caused by mandatory vaccination would place additional stress on the province’s already buckling healthcare system.

An anonymous source also told True North that private-sector healthcare had “lawyered up” over the mandate and that the province realized it had a fight on its hands, especially in light of pandemic restrictions being dropped across the country and around the world.

As of Wednesday, B.C. remains the only province in Canada that has not committed to dropping its vaccine passports and mask mandates.

Minister in charge of CBC applauds legacy media’s convoy coverage

By
Cosmin Dzsurdzsa
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Liberal Minister of Canadian Heritage Pablo Rodriguez has not only applauded legacy media journalists for their skewed coverage of the Freedom Convoy protests but has also hinted they are entitled to even more government funding for it.

According to Blacklock’s Reporter, the praise occurred during a webinar last month titled The Future of News, which was hosted by the Liberal-connected Ottawa think tank, Canada 2020. Canada 2020’s executive chair was one of the Liberal Party of Canada’s past presidents. 

Rodriguez appeared alongside executives from federally subsidized media outlets including The Logic and The Narwhal.

“You guys are there to cover what happens in the society at all levels. Look at the role that the journalists played during what happened in the last few weeks in Ottawa and elsewhere,” Rodriguez told participants. 

While speaking, Rodriguez also promised that there was more the Liberal government could do to “support” the legacy news. 

“I think there are even more things we should be able to do. We’re looking into that in the context of supporting the whole ecosystem,” said Rodriguez.

“We need to have those people who are totally free to say, ‘You know what, Minister, what you say is not good, it’s not factual, maybe you’re wrong on this or on that. As a politician I have to face those questions every day, tough questions all the time.”

Despite Rodriguez’s remarks, legacy media outlets have been overwhelmingly supportive of government media subsidies and the government’s negative response to the Freedom Convoy. 

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his caucus had characterized the peaceful demonstrators as extremists, domestic terrorists and fascists even before they reached Ottawa, and were aided in their smear tactics by government-funded media.

One CBC reporter even invented a conspiracy live on air that the protests were organized by Russia. Despite cases of disinformation peddled by the state broadcaster, however, Trudeau’s heritage minister continued to target “unacceptable, hateful content” perpetrated by others. 

“The internet has allowed for more misinformation and disinformation, more polarization than ever before. Just look at what happened over the past few weeks for compelling evidence of that,” said Rodriguez.

“It also changed the way we make, how we find, how we consume content especially when it comes to news, and it sadly makes it so much easier for us all to be exposed to and hurt by unacceptable, hateful content. It’s time to act decisively and Canadians expect it, and that’s what we’re doing.”

In his mandate letter, Rodriguez was tasked with implementing several pieces of legislation including Bill C-11 and Bill C-36 which critics have called authoritarian and a threat to freedom of expression. 

Ontario to drop mask mandate “for most settings” on March 21

By
Jonathan Bradley
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The Ontario government has announced it is repealing its mask mandate for most settings on March 21, just as the province’s children return to school after spring break.

The move comes as Ontario continues to shed pandemic restrictions, including the removal of its vaccine passport system on March 1.

“The majority of public health and workplace safety measures have now been lifted, and key public health indicators continue to improve or remain stable,” said Ontario chief medical officer of health Dr. Kieran Moore in a statement on Wednesday. “As we continue on this path, we are able to take a more balanced and long-term approach to Ontario’s pandemic response.”

Moore said that masks would not be required in most places except for public transit, health care settings, long-term care homes and congregate care facilities. 

Moore added that people should expect COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations to increase with the easing of the mask mandate but Ontario has the tools to manage COVID-19 going forward. 

He thanked Ontarians for “their ongoing resilience and commitment to community as we navigated this global pandemic together.”

“While this does not signal that COVID-19 has disappeared or that the pandemic is over, it does mean that we have come to a place where we know what we need to do to manage this virus and to keep each other safe,” he said. 

The government’s announcement was criticized by opposition politicians as well as by organizations who believe the mask mandate should be kept in place.

Ontario NDP leader Andrea Horwath said that Ontario premier Doug Ford is bowing to political pressure by ending the mask mandate. 

“Lifting mask mandates should be science-based, not political,” said Horwath in a tweet. “For just a little longer, let’s mask up for safety.”

The Children’s Health Coalition also requested that Ford continue to require masks in schools for two weeks following March break. 

“Masks remain an important layer of protection as the pandemic continues and may be needed in communities with low vaccination rates and where there is a surge in cases,” said the Children’s Health Coalition in a letter. “Masks also protect those most vulnerable, including high-risk, immunocompromised and fragile children.” 

While Ontario will repeal their mask mandate in two weeks, Alberta ended theirs on March 1, requiring them only in settings such as on public transit, health care facilities and long-term care homes. 

Saskatchewan also stopped their mask mandate on Feb. 28, although businesses, workplaces and event organizers may continue to request that people wear them. 

Montreal orchestra cancels Russian piano prodigy due to “mob bigotry”

By
Cosmin Dzsurdzsa
-

The Montreal Symphony Orchestra (OSM) has dropped a young Russian piano prodigy from its concert lineup after bowing to mob pressure created by anti-Russian sentiment.

The cancellation comes despite 20-year-old Alexander Malofeev’s own opposition to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which he openly called “a terrible and bloody decision.”

Spokesperson for the orchestra, Pascale Ouimet, said that it was “inappropriate” to have Malofeev perform in Canada. 

“The OSM feels that it would be inappropriate to receive Mr. Malofeev this week,” said Ouimet.     “We continue, however, to believe in the importance of maintaining relationships with artists of all nationalities who embrace messages of peace and hope. We look forward to welcoming this exceptional artist when the context allows it.”

Malofeev’s Montreal shows on March 9, 10 and 13 have all been canceled after the orchestra received complaints that they were promoting a Russian “cultural product.” The performance was set to be Malofeev’s first Canadian debut since becoming internationally renowned at the age of 13. 

This cancellation comes after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered an invasion of Ukraine last month. The operation has already entered its third week with significant Ukrainian casualties and the capturing of several major cities. 

Malofeev’s cancellation also comes despite the pianist’s own criticism of his government’s actions on social media. Malofeev wrote that “the truth is that every Russian will feel guilty for decades because of the terrible and bloody decision that none of us could influence and predict.”

“Honestly, the only thing I can do now is to pray and cry. I do understand that my problems are very insignificant compared to those of people in Ukraine, including my relatives who live there. The most important thing now is to stop the blood. All I know is that the spread of hatred will not help in any way, but only cause more suffering.”

Several figures have already denounced the cancellation of Malofeev’s performances, including the Executive Director of United Nations Watch Hillel Neuer who called it “mob bigotry.”

“20-year-old Russian pianist Alexander Malofeev was set to perform with my hometown Montreal Symphony Orchestra this week but was struck from the schedule after protest,” tweeted Neuer.

“He never supported the invasion of Ukraine – on the contrary. Stop the mindless mob bigotry.” 

Canada’s legacy media is bought and paid for

By
Candice Malcolm
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The Trudeau government has stuffed the pockets of Canada’s legacy media over the years by providing them with bailouts and other taxpayer handouts that have destroyed the objectivity and credibility of some of Canada’s biggest media outlets.

For Canadians to get a real understanding of what’s happening, they have to look to outlets like True North or the foreign press.

On today’s live episode of The Candice Malcolm Show, Candice will discuss how Trudeau successfully bought the media and Candice will also be taking your questions.

Some Ontario churches not dropping vaccine passports

By
Elie Cantin-Nantel
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A number of progressivist churches in Ontario have decided to continue with proof of vaccination requirements for their congregants despite the province having gotten rid of its vaccine passport system.

The Ontario government lifted proof of vaccination requirements and capacity limits on Mar. 1, with the province’s Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Kieran Moore stating vaccine policies were “no longer necessary.”

Unlike some other provinces including Quebec, places of worship in Ontario were never mandated to require proof of vaccination, although some congregations voluntarily opted to do so.

True North has identified a number of Ontario congregations that have opted to continue restricting the unvaccinated from in-person worship, including three in the Ottawa area. 

The Trinity United Church in Ottawa, which describes itself as “an open-minded, inclusive and progressive community,” is maintaining its proof-of-full-vaccination and masking requirements for those 12 and older who wish to attend in-person services.

The church’s website states that they are maintaining the policy “to provide the safest environment possible for the congregants.”

A similar policy is remaining in place at the Rideau Park United Church. They are requiring anyone eligible, including children five to 11, to be vaccinated to attend worship services, funerals and weddings.

The church says they will review their vaccination requirement at their next council meeting in April.

Ottawa’s Centretown United Church, which has been closed since Dec. 18 due to the Omicron variant, is planning to reopen for in-person services on Mar 13. 

They, too, have stated they will be maintaining proof of vaccination and distancing. “For the safety of all those attending, we will continue to mandate proof of vaccination, social distancing, and you must wear a mask at all times,” reads their website.

True North also found other progressivist congregations that appear to be following their own timelines for lifting proof-of-vaccination policies. These include Toronto’s Trinity-St. Paul’s United Church and Centre for Faith, Justice and the Arts, headed by former NDP MPP and left-wing activist Cheri DiNovo, dubbed “The Queer Evangelist”.       

DiNovo’s church has stated that it plans to keep checking for proof of vaccination until Mar. 21. The church has also said it will continue mandating masks even after Ontario’s mask mandate is lifted on March 21

Requiring congregants to be vaccinated to attend church services has proven one of the most controversial COVID restrictions, with many pastors feeling it is wrong to deny someone access to their place of worship based on vaccine status. 

True North spoke with Dr. Aaron Rock, a Windsor, Ontario pastor who has been critical of government COVID-19 restrictions on places of worship, to get his thoughts on the matter.

Rock said that it is the Scriptures, not church or state, that dictate the terms and conditions of church worship and ministry. 

“Neither church nor magistrate possess the God-given authority to restrict worship based on vaccination status. To impose such a rule violates the sincerely-held beliefs of many worshippers, contributes to congregational disunity and robs desperate people from accessing the services of their church,” he said.

All the churches identified in this story belong to the United Church of Canada, a denomination that has strongly supported COVID-19 restrictions and whose congregations have mostly been reliant on “Zoom church” during the pandemic.

The United Church expects all ministry personnel to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, and states those who choose otherwise “may be found to be acting contrary to the ethical standard that calls upon them to be sensitive to the vulnerabilities of all.”

The progressivist denomination is also known for marching in LGBTQ pride parades, supporting abortion, allowing atheists to be ministers and opposing Israel.

Housing Crown corporation gave $48 million in bonuses during housing crisis

By
Jonathan Bradley
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Source: Flickr

The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) called on the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) to rethink its objectives after it awarded employees $48 million in bonuses during a housing affordability crisis. 

“Why is the CMHC patting itself on the back and handing out millions in bonuses while Canadians are facing a housing affordability crisis?” said CTF federal director Franco Terrazzano in a press release on Wednesday. “If its number one goal is housing affordability, then it doesn’t make sense for the CMHC to give its employees bonuses while Canadians are struggling to find homes.” 

Documents obtained by the CTF through an access to information and privacy (ATIP) request show that the CMHC gave its employees $48 million in bonuses in 2020 and 2021, working out to more than $12,000 for each employee per year. According to the documents, more than 93% of CMHC employees received a bonus in 2020, and 94% of them earned one in 2021. 

“Yearly performance assessments are conducted and based on the final result, the relative incentive percentage is paid as the percentage of the employees’ base salary,” said CMHC’s ATIP analyst.

The Crown corporation states that it is “driven by one goal: Housing affordability for all.” 

Despite this stated goal, a CMHC-funded report published in January recommended adding a new tax on the value of a home beyond the $1 million threshold. 

“Everyday working people can’t afford to buy a basic home in many regions of Canada anymore,” said British Columbia CTF director Kris Sims. “Studying a plan to reduce housing prices with a new tax is like trying to put out a fire by looking for gasoline to dump on it.”

Statistics Canada reported in February that Canada’s annual pace of inflation has surpassed 5%, the highest since 1991.

The inflation rate, said Statistics Canada, rose 5.1% on a year-over-year basis and was up from a 4.8% gain in December. 

According to the agency, in January “prices rose in all major components on a year-over-year basis, with shelter prices (+6.2%) contributing the most to the all-items increase.”

Comedian Andrew Schulz destroys Trudeau at Meridian Hall

By
Noah Jarvis
-

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s humiliation for past scandals and his handling of the Freedom Convoy continued last week at the hands of American comedian Andrew Schulz.

Schulz performed at Toronto’s Meridian Hall where he dedicated a segment of his show to ridiculing Trudeau for his ongoing missteps. 

In addition to mocking the prime minister for his retreat to an undisclosed location as the Trucker Convoy began its Ottawa protest, Schulz also savaged Trudeau for appearing in brownface and dressing up in stereotypical Indian garb. 

Schulz spun the situation to make a joke about how Trudeau’s miscalculated costume could have offended Punjabis by overlooking the differences between northern and southern Indians. 

The comedian then capped the segment off with reference to long-running gossip about Trudeau’s ancestry.

“His dad would be so embarrassed dude. Cause’ Fidel Castro was all about protest…”

Condemnation and mockery of the Canadian prime minister has spread internationally, with Trudeau’s trip to meet with UK prime minister Boris Johnson interrupted by protesters outside of 10 Downing Street. 

Demonstrators waved Canadian flags and chanted “F*** Trudeau.” One sign read “Dictator Trudeau Resign” with another saying “Free Tamara,” referencing Freedom Convoy Tamara Lich who was arrested on Feb. 17 and detained until Monday. 

UK’s talkRADIO also awarded Trudeau with the unceremonious award of ‘Plank of the Week.’ One host said that in cracking down on convoy protesters, Trudeau “took tactics directly out of the rulebook of Vladimir Putin to deal with his own people.” 

“He’s a hypocrite. He has a neck made of brass. And he’s a moron. And he’s a plank.”

Indian news show Gravitas has also been outspoken about its criticism of Trudeau during the Freedom Convoy protests, saying that “the white knight of democracy could not handle a protest.”

European politician condemns Trudeau’s “human rights violation” against convoy

By
Cosmin Dzsurdzsa
-

A Finnish politician is calling on the European Union (EU) to denounce Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s violent crackdown on peaceful trucker convoy protesters in Ottawa. 

Member of European Parliament (MEP) Laura Huhtasaari wrote to the Vice-President of the European Commission and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy demanding the EU clarify where it stands on Trudeau’s actions. 

“On several occasions the EU has condemned human rights violations in various countries,” Huhtasaari wrote. “Does the Commission or the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy intend to condemn the measures used by Canada against peaceful protest in the Canadian convoy demonstration, and what is the EU’s position on the Canadian Government’s actions against peaceful protest?” 

Huhtasaari’s question for written answer also addressed the fact that in 2020 Trudeau had publicly endorsed similar demonstrations by farmers in Delhi, India, which earned him the ire of India’s foreign ministry. 

“Canada will always stand for the rights of peaceful protests anywhere in the world and we are pleased to see moves towards de-escalation and dialogue,” Trudeau said at the time. 

Trudeau’s double standards were not only noticed by Huhtasaari in the European Parliament, but they also prompted the head of Foreign Affairs for the Bharatiya Janata Party – one of India’s two largest political bodies – to call out Trudeau on Twitter over his invocation of the Emergencies Act. 

“And this was (Justin Trudeau) when there were street protests in India ‘Canada will always be there to defend the rights of peaceful protesters’,” tweeted Dr. Vijay Chauthaiwale. 

After using the act to assume emergency powers, the Trudeau government ordered a militarized police operation in Canada’s capital to clear the downtown core of demonstrators. A joint force of municipal, provincial and federal police arrested hundreds, and some bystanders were even trampled by riot horses. 

The Emergencies Act also gave the federal government powers to have the assets of truckers frozen, including cryptocurrency wallets. 

“Canada has decided, inter alia, to freeze the bank accounts of persons taking part in the demonstrations, and has threatened to arrest peaceful demonstrators,” Huhtasaari wrote.

Other European politicians including Romanian MEP Cristian Terhes and UK MP Marcus Fysh also blasted Trudeau for his authoritarian tactics.

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