The Canadian response to COVID-19 has been confusing, contradictory, heavy-handed and ultimately, ineffective at ending this pandemic. What started off as “14 days to flatten to curve,” has turned into two years of endless lockdowns and moving goalposts. But is there an alternative?
Today on The Candice Malcolm Show, Candice is joined by the Chair of the Strategic Advisory Committee for the Canadian COVID Care Alliance Deanna McLeod. The Canadian COVID Care Alliance is a group of health care professionals that publish and aggregate medical information about COVID-19, COVID treatments and vaccinations for educational purposes.
Candice and Deanna discuss Canada’s failed approach and alternative measures Canadians can take to get out of the pandemic.
Despite much of the country back under COVID-19 lockdowns, a tourism advertisement made by Crown corporation Destination Canada is claiming Canada is “now open” and “ready to welcome (tourists) back.”
According to Destination Canada spokesperson Jennifer Peters, the “in-flight entertainment” ad is airing on American Airlines and United Air flights. It debuted on Dec. 1, 2021 and will continue to be broadcast to travellers until Feb. 28, 2022.
“When Destination Canada initially provided this content, there were signs of recovery and the current restrictions were not in place, so the messaging was appropriate at that time,” Peters told True North.
When asked what the advertising campaign cost Canadian taxpayers, Peters claimed that the price tag was confidential.
“We do not disclose costs of specific campaigns, as this is commercially competitive information,” said Peters.
According to Canadian Taxpayers Federation federal director Franco Terrazzano, taxpayers have a right to know the cost of such campaigns.
“Taxpayers are paying the bills so we deserve maximum transparency. Bureaucrats need to remember that they work for taxpayers, and we have a right to see the total bill,” said Terrazzano.
“Taxpayers should question whether these ads are good value for money when many Canadians are locked down and can’t even go to the gym or a bar.”
Quebec instituted its latest bout of lockdown shortly prior to the New Year. At the time, Premier Francois Legault announced that a curfew would be in effect for all residents of the province and that restaurants would shut down their businesses for indoor dining.
Ontario followed soon after with Premier Doug Ford revealing an indoor dining ban and school closures.
British Columbia announced Monday that it was indefinitely prolonging several of its COVID restrictions, including closing gyms and bars, and 50% capacity at numerous venues.
New Brunswick returned to a level 3 lockdown last Friday, the most restrictive stage of its government’s COVID response system.
Meanwhile, Canadian airlines including Air Canada and WestJet along with the Toronto Pearson International Airport have urged the federal government to drop mandatory testing requirements at airports.
Due to federal and provincial COVID-19 orders, Canada’s tourism industry has taken a crushing blow during the pandemic. Estimates show that tourism in Canada has collapsed by more than 50%.
Prior to the pandemic, the industry was raking in $105 billion a year, compared to $53 billion annually since it began.
Destination Canada already has another ad campaign ready for this spring that will be shown to travelers on the same airlines beginning March 1.
“The updated video will be more aspirational in nature and aligned to future travel considerations,” Peters told True North. A copy of the updated advertisement is currently available for viewing on Youtube.
A Waterloo Regional District School Board (WRDSB) teacher was cut off and cancelled partway through her speech to trustees Monday night for expressing concern about some highly sexualized books available in elementary school libraries.
Board chairman Scott Piatkowski cautioned and then stopped Carolyn Burjoski barely four minutes into her talk when she raised the age appropriateness of two books that include highly sexual references to homosexuality and transsexuality.
Piatkowksi told Burjoski that what she was saying violates the discriminatory provisions of gender expression and gender identity under the Ontario Human Rights Code and ruled that she be stopped.
Burjoski, a teacher for 20 years, had referred to a book called Rick by Alex Gino in which a young boy talks to his friend about loving “naked girls.” The young boy is confused and thinks he’s asexual.
She also discussed The Other Boy by M.G. Hennessey in which a doctor informs a teen about to transition from female to male with hormone blockers and testosterone that he may end up infertile. In the book, the young girl thinks that’s “cool.”
“This book makes very serious medical interventions seem like an easy cure for emotional distress,” Burjoski said, noting the materials are “misleading,”
She added that the books pressure kids to grow up and think about sex too soon.
What ensued was a nearly 15-minute debate and procedural wrangling on whether Piatowski’s ruling was fair or right. Vice-chair Kathleen Woodcock didn’t seem to have the slightest clue how to handle objections from those brave trustees who felt the attempts to cancel Burjoski were wrong.
Trustee Mike Ramsey said it was a “stretch” to say the talk violated the Human Rights Code.
“The delegate hasn’t made any personal attacks …she’s actually quoting from books that are in our schools,” he said.
Ramsey added that the chair was “ill-informed” on this issue.
After a 5-4 vote in support of the chairman’s ruling, Piatkowski gleefully reiterated that Burjoski needed to stop.
“I ask that the delegate be removed from the meeting,” he said, “and we will continue with the next delegation.”
After the meeting Piatkowski mocked a parent on Twitter who opposed the ruling, even pointing out the parent’s low number of Twitter followers.
Fritz AND his 45 followers.
As Chair, I intend to stick with upholding the Ontario Human Rights Code and our own WRDSB Human Rights Policy.
The delegate was cautioned. The delegate continue further down the same path. The presentation was stopped. That was confirmed by Trustees
Trustee Jayne Herring – who had also made her support of mandatory vaccines very clear on Twitter – also tweeted that there was no place for hatred at the Board.
There is no place for hate or derogatory speech against anyone. Ever. My sincere apologies to anyone who was harmed by tonight’s @wrdsb delegation presentation.
Another trustee who supported Piatkowski tweeted the following:
Sending love to all. ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜What I heard tonight was harmful to many including people in my own home. When I gather my composure, I will have more to say. Tonight was harmful . #wrdsbmtg
— Karen Meissner (she/her/elle) (@Karen_Meissner_) January 18, 2022
The Monday night meeting was the best example of wokeness gone wild. Piatkowski and his supporters certainly made their highly dysfunctional Toronto District School Board (TDSB) counterparts seem tame.
I wonder if any of these trustees have actually read the books or whether this was a knee jerk reaction to anyone who disagrees with their incredibly absurd view of the world.
The Conservatives are demanding the Canadian government look into the takeover of Canadian mining company Neo Lithium by Chinese state-owned Zijin Mining Group.
“The fact that this review did not take place is part of a troubling pattern with the Trudeau government,” said Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole at a press conference on Monday.
"By not conducting a national security review, the government is putting a strategic sector of our economy at risk," warns Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole as he urges review of the proposed takeover of Canadian mining firm Neo Lithium by a Chinese state-owned company.#cdnpolipic.twitter.com/AHTBRYIjHv
O’Toole said the Conservatives are requesting an emergency meeting of the Standing Committee on Industry and Technology in the House of Commons to demand that the Liberals explain why they did not conduct a security review.
A review of this sale should be done for two reasons, according to O’Toole.
The first reason, O’Toole claimed, is that Canada must “safeguard supply and access to critical minerals like lithium to protect our economy and our competitive advantage.” This, O’Toole said, is because Canada is set to play a role in the growth of electric vehicles.
O’Toole added that companies such as Neo Lithium are Canadian because Canada is a mining finance leader. As electric vehicles become more common, he said, Canada needs to ensure “it has capital, market access, and the capacity” to thrive in this industry.
The second reason for a review of the sale, O’Toole said, is that Canada has to stay ahead of competitors in autocratic countries such as China. He said Canada should be working with democratic countries to build a reliable supply chain of minerals.
O’Toole went on to say that Canada’s relationship with the USA is not as strong as it used to be and that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has failed to stand up for Canada. He claimed Trudeau has “curried favour with bad actors and has been out of step with our traditional partners and friends.”
In 2015, Trudeau had promised closer relations between Canada and China.
“I’m well aware we have an opportunity to set a fresh approach in our relationship right now,” said Trudeau at a bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2015. “I certainly hope that this is going to be an era of greater cooperation and mutual benefit for both Canada and China in the coming years.”
O’Toole called the takeover’s lack of a security review “a critical failure.”
“The Trudeau government’s pivot to Beijing was viewed as a pivot to our most important ally and trading partner,” he said. “A pivot that has diminished our reputation and reduced our influence in Washington.”
Canada did not conduct a security review of Zijin acquiring Neo Lithium, which led to the deal being closed.
“The law states they have 45 days after announcement to start a review if they believe there is a specific concern,” said Neo Lithium spokesperson Carlos Vicens in an email to The Globe and Mail. “The timeline passed in early December and no review was done.”
Zijin announced in October that it would be buying Neo Lithium for $960 million. The Canadian company was looking at developing a mine in Argentina and hoped to supply the electric vehicle industry with lithium for batteries.
An online petition demanding the removal of Quebec premier François Legault has surpassed 200,000 signatures.
It comes amid growing frustration over Legault’s hardline COVID-19 measures, which include plans for a tax on the unvaccinated.
The petition published to Change.org states that Legault must be removed because he has contravened the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms for over a year.
It adds that Legault acts in a dictatorial manner and has coerced Quebecers into following his orders by depriving them of their rights. The petition also claims that Legault has opposed and even oppressed those who disagree with him.
Quebec was the first province in Canada to introduce a vaccine passport, which bans unvaccinated people from most non-essential businesses and activities. The petition claims that the passport has divided the province’s population.
The Legault government also announced that the vaccine passport would soon require a third dose, meaning that those who have not received their booster shot would eventually lose access to non-essential settings covered by the passport.
Despite one of the highest vaccination rates in the world, Quebec currently has the strictest lockdown restrictions in North America. This includes the closure of restaurants, gyms, event venues and places of worship (except for funerals) as well as a ban on private indoor gatherings.
The province also twice imposed a strict police-enforced curfew. The most recent, lasting from 10pm to 5am, is expected to end today.
Legault is also planning to charge Quebecers who have chosen not to get vaccinated against COVID-19 a “significant” health tax, a move which has received condemnation and outrage across the country.
Change.org says that if the petition to remove Legault reaches 200,000 signatures, it will become one of the top signed petitions on their site.
Canadian ambassadors who once held posts in the federal cabinet are currently being paid lavish salaries and bonuses that tower over what ministers currently make in the House of Commons.
According to the French-language outlet La Presse, ambassadors who were once ministers can receive close to $400,000 yearly when salaries and bonuses are taken into account.
Among those ambassadors who once held a ministerial profile are Canadian Ambassador to the United Nations Bob Rae and Canadian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom Ralph Goodale.
Rae’s base salary scale reaches $305,000 discounting bonuses, while ordinary ambassadors only get paid $212,000 per year. In comparison, the average federal minister earns $274,500 in taxpayer compensation.
As pointed out by the outlet, Rae can also receive a 33% performance bonus, all the while enjoying a personal cook and a residence paid for by taxpayers.
Former minister-turned-diplomat Stéphane Dion and disgraced ambassador to China John McCallum were also given similarly exorbitant sums by the Liberal government while serving abroad.
According to Canadian Taxpayers Federation federal director Franco Terrazzano, the Liberal government needs to end the “special treatment” these former ministers receive.
“Those are some big paycheques. Why would taxpayers pay former ministers more money as ambassadors than when they were making decisions in cabinet?” Terrazzano told True North.
“With the federal government more than $1 trillion in debt, and many Canadians having lost their job or business during the pandemic, now is the perfect time for the government to end this special treatment for former ministers and rein in those salaries.”
In a comment given to La Presse, the office of Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly defended the lavish compensation.
“Salaries are determined based on the complexity of the assignment, the difficulty of the position, and the qualifications and expertise of the person proposed for the position,” Joly’s spokesperson told the outlet.
“Canada’s representatives abroad work tirelessly to promote Canadian values, such as democracy, human rights and inclusion, around the world. Canada faces the pressing challenges of our time and our diplomats are essential to doing so. Canada continues to be well represented abroad and Canadians should be proud of the work our diplomats do on their behalf.”
While jurisdictions around the world are trying their best to live with COVID-19, parts of Canada are locked down more than ever.
In the United States, both Republican and Democrat governors look for ways to re-open and a positive path forward. Here in Canada, we’re looking for ways to lock down further.
Anthony Furey discusses Canada’s embarrassing approach to COVID-19.
According to the MNP Consumer Debt Index, 43% of Canadians say they’re struggling with their personal finances and paying off their debts while another 45% are concerned about meeting their living expenses.
“It is getting harder for Canadians to see the light at the end of the tunnel,” said MNP LTD president Grant Bazian on Monday.
“Unexpected expenses are one of the biggest contributors to household financial turmoil, and many are starting the new year being dealt another round of unexpected business closures, reduced working hours or job loss, and COVID-related health concerns.”
When broken down further, the numbers show that only 27% claimed they could cope with serious crises without plunging themselves further into debt. Half of the respondents said they are $200 or less away from being overburdened financially.
“We have seen households resorting to credit to make ends meet as their finances have been stretched thin over the course of the pandemic,” said Bazian. “With the cost of living on the rise, those households who were already overextended may feel they have to take on more debt just to afford basic necessities.”
Canadians also generally regret the debt they have had to take on to get by, with 45% expressing misgivings about their financial situations.
The survey was conducted by Ipsos between Dec.1 and 7, 2021 and included 2,000 Canadians over the age of 18. The poll is accurate within +/-2.5%, or 19 times out of 20.
Conservative critics have accused the Liberal government of mismanaging Canada’s finances, leading to a rise in the price of goods across the country.
“We have an emergency in this country. And it is that our economy has become a gigantic inflated balloon,” said Conservative Finance Critic Pierre Poilievre.
Poilievre recently spearheaded a move to have the Commons Finance Committee hold a hearing on Canada’s housing and inflation crisis when Parliament returns at the end of this month.
Inflation levels in Canada are currently the highest they have been since 2003, marking an 18-year record. According to Statistics Canada’s latest Consumer Price Index, inflation reached 4.7% in October.
The COVID-19 goalposts are moving once again, as Quebec announces it will be requiring three shots to be considered fully vaccinated.
On today’s episode of The Candice Malcolm Show, Candice is joined by Montreal litigator-turned YouTuber David Freiheit, who runs the popular channel Viva Frei.
David doesn’t mince words about the state of things in Canada, leveling criticism at the corrupted legacy media, the cowardice judges and courts who fail to protect our Charter rights and freedoms, and worst of all, the petty authoritarian politicians who keep pushing us further and further towards tyranny.
Former Ajax mayor and current NDP candidate Steve Parish once defended letting a street keep its name at a city council meeting even though it was named after Nazi naval officer Hans Langsdorff.
Parish served as mayor of Ajax from 1995 to 2018 and was in office at the time Langsdorff Drive was dedicated.
In the November 2020 town council meeting minutes, Parish is cited as defending the Nazi officer, saying “Hans Langsdorff was an officer of the German Navy and not a Nazi.”
Parish was opposed at the same meeting by both a Holocaust survivor and a local Rabbi. Holocaust survivor Max Eisen spoke of the symbolic importance of renaming the street while Rabbi Tzali Borenstein urged council to rename it due to the impact and trauma of the Holocaust on Durham Region residents.
Parish is quoted in local news reports as replying, “there’s no evidence Langsdorff was associated with the Nazi regime and its crimes. If there was evidence, I and the council would not have done that.”
Moving against Parish’s objections, Ajax town council voted 4-3 to rename Langsdorff Drive. The street was renamed to Croker Drive in honour of two allied sailors that served during the battle that ended up sinking Langsdorff’s ship.
Langsdorff was captain of the German battlecruiser Admiral Graff Spee between 1936 and 1939. The Admiral Graff Spee sank eight merchant ships between September and December of 1939 and during the Battle of River Plate in the American Theatre, Langsdorff’s ship injured or killed 100 victorious allied sailors.
The town of Ajax is named after the Second World War British cruiser, HMS Ajax. The HMS Ajax and the Admiral Graff Spee came to blows in December of 1939 at the Battle of River Plate.
Langsdorff was an admirer of Hitler and the Third Reich, writing in letters to his family, “I can now only prove by my death that the fighting services of the Third Reich are ready to die for the honour of the flag.”
Speaking to a captured British sailor, Langsdorff said of Hitler that he was a “prophet, not a politician.”
Parish received the Ontario NDP nomination last week, a few days before current Ajax MPP and former Minister for Long term Care Rod Phillips announced that he would be resigning from cabinet and would not be seeking re-election in June. It is expected that the Progressive Conservatives will be nominating a new candidate in the Durham region riding.
A statement from Parish’s office sent to the Toronto Sun on Friday said, “it would be highly unfair and inaccurate to suggest the people supporting the name at the time, including the local Royal Canadian Legion Branch and HMS Ajax veterans, were in any way supporting or condoning the Nazis and any of their atrocities.”
Speaking on the announcement of Parish’s nomination in Ajax, Andrea Horwath said, “Steve has been there for the people of Ajax for decades, and I am absolutely thrilled that he’s bringing his experience, advocacy and community leadership to the NDP team.”
