Converting federal vehicle fleet to electric “unrealistic”, Department of Industry claims

Cosmin Dzsurdzsa
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0
Converting federal vehicle fleet to electric “unrealistic”, Department of Industry claims

An internal briefing note from the Department of Industry called it unrealistic to shift entirely to electric vehicles. The note was acquired by Blacklock’s Reporter, and comes despite the department’s ongoing plans to reduce emissions. 

The note, titled Fleet Management Renewal Strategy: Information For The Deputy Minister’s Office, cited problems with electric vehicles’ range and a lack of charging ports. 

“While an accelerated plan to shift entirely to green energy net zero emissions is appealing, it is not realistic at this time … for the following reasons: Advancement in the automotive technology is not readily available for all operational requirements; restrictive range capabilities and lack of access to public charging infrastructure in most of Canada remains a challenge; and lack of access to repair networks.” 

The Liberal government has committed to converting a minimum of 70% of all government vehicles to zero emissions by 2030.

Currently, the Department has a fleet of “245 vehicles including 89 pickup trucks, 55 vans and 30 SUVs.” 

The note observed that staff issued government vehicles “require the use of specially-equipped SUVs, full size pickups and medium or heavy duty trucks.”

“Operational requirements, for example size of vehicles, restrictive range capabilities and safety features, are not entirely met by net zero emission vehicles,” staff said. 

“Green technology is not readily available.”

Department staff also complained about a lack of charging ports for electric vehicles “in most of Canada” and very few auto shops that can repair electric vehicles. 

Another April 13, 2021 report by the Commons environment committee found that replacing gas vehicles with electric cars would be too expensive for most Canadians.

The report, titled The Road Ahead: Encouraging The Production And Purchase Of Zero Emission Vehicles In Canada, concluded that “higher battery costs were the main cause of the higher price” for consumers.

In October 2020, it was revealed that the federal government spent $186 million of taxpayer funds on rebates for electric vehicles under its Incentives for Zero-Emission Vehicles program introduced in 2019. 

Justinflation is wreaking havoc, so why is everyone ignoring it?

Candice Malcolm
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Justinflation is wreaking havoc, so why is everyone ignoring it?

Justin Trudeau’s Just-inflation is driving up the cost of everything, and yet, the media, bankers and the Liberal government insist that mysterious global forces – not the Fed’s unprecedented spending, borrowing and printing of money – are to blame.

Today on the Candice Malcolm show, Candice is joined by Conservative MP and Finance Critic Pierre Poilievre.

Pierre is the leading voice fighting back against Trudeau’s reckless policies.

On today’s show, he not only clearly articulates the problem but also provides specific solutions to get Canada back on track, and make life more affordable for working Canadians.

You don’t want to miss this episode!

SUBSCRIBE TO THE CANDICE MALCOLM SHOW

Canadian Constitution Foundation defends woman’s right to fly F*CK TRUDEAU flag

Harley Sims
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Canadian Constitution Foundation defends woman’s right to fly F*CK TRUDEAU flag

The Ontario mom who was ordered to remove an anti-Trudeau flag from her own home is now being supported by a prominent legal-rights charity.

The Canadian Constitution Foundation (CCF) announced its support for the Port Colborne resident in a press release on Thursday. The CCF will help her appeal the city’s order.

Melissa, a working mother, says she displayed the flag out of frustration with the results of the Sept. 21 federal election.

The “*” in “F*CK TRUDEAU” is represented by a maple leaf.

People called the city to complain about the flag, and two weeks ago she received a notice ordering her to remove it.  

CCF lawyer and spokesperson Christine Van Geyn defends flying the “F*CK TRUDEAU” flag as a fundamental freedom.

“Like every citizen of Canada, Melissa has a Charter-protected right to express her political views. She is flying a flag on her own property, expressing a political sentiment that frankly is not even that uncommon. If her flag bothers some people at Port Colborne city hall, I suggest they drive down a different street instead of trying to tell Melissa what she can and cannot say.”

According to the relevant Port Colborne bylaw, “exterior walls of a dwelling and their components shall be free of unauthorized signs, painted slogans, graffiti and similar defacements.”

Van Geyn considers the bylaw order an overreach of local government.

“This case is an example of how municipal governments have the potential to be the most oppressive site of local authority because it is closest to the citizen, and we are proud that Melissa is willing to fight back against her municipal government,” concluded Van Geyn.

“One of the wonderful things about a country like Canada is that you can mock the Prime Minister and not be punished for it. There are many countries around the world that do not have that freedom, and we cannot forget how precious that is.”

F*CK TRUDEAU swag – including bumper stickers, mugs, hoodies and hats – has become a common sight in many parts of Canada. The online marketplace Etsy.com offers a wide selection of these products.

Justice Centre to challenge Canadian government’s COVID-19 travel regulations

Jonathan Bradley
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Justice Centre to challenge Canadian government’s COVID-19 travel regulations

The Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms (JCCF) has announced it will be filing a lawsuit against Transport Canada’s Ministerial Order 47 in the Federal Court of Canada. 

Ministerial Order 47 prevents unvaccinated people from boarding planes, trains, and boats anywhere in Canada. 

The JCCF’s press release cites scientific and medical concerns about COVID-19 vaccines. One concern is that both vaccinated and unvaccinated people can catch and spread COVID-19. Another is that the vaccines can have harmful side effects such as myocarditis and death, both of which have deterred people from taking them. 

The JCCF notes that these vaccines are still undergoing clinical trials which will not be completed until 2023. 

JCCF litigation director Jay Cameron called the federal government’s travel regulations unconstitutional, dangerous and divisive 

“Vilifying an identifiable group in society as ‘dirty’ or claiming that they are ‘spreaders of disease’ is a page from the playbook of history’s most abhorrent tyrants,” stated Cameron. “Ministerial Order 47 from Transport Canada is an act of appalling cruelty and persecution not seen in Canada in the past half century.” 

JCCF staff lawyer Allison Pejovic said the Canadian government is escalating its persecution of millions of Canadians who choose not to take these vaccines. 

“Preventing millions of Canadians from travelling by plane or train is a gross infringement of their civil liberties, and is guaranteed to hurt their employment, businesses and ability to feed their families,” said Pejovic. “Parliament has not been consulted about this blatant violation of Section 6 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which provides that Canadians have the right to freely enter and leave the country.” 

Cameron continued by saying that measures stripping people of their mobility rights should not be left to the whims of one minister. 

“The Trudeau government is ruling via ministerial fiat, not pursuant to any democratic checks and balances,” he said. “The Canadian Constitution makes no provision for the kind of autocratic rule that has become normal in Canada, at both federal and provincial levels, since March of 2020.” 

The JCCF spoke out immediately when, this October, the Canadian government first banned unvaccinated people from leaving Canada. 

At the time, Pejovic had announced that “(t)he Justice Centre is profoundly disturbed that these federal mandates will prevent unvaccinated Canadians from leaving the country. Such a mandate is an egregious and unacceptable infringement of Canadians’ constitutionally protected mobility rights.”

She added there is no scientific justification for barring unvaccinated people from international travel. 

The JCCF will soon file documents in Federal Court which will request the judge uphold Charter rights in the face of government oppression. 

Do the BC pipeline protesters speak for Indigenous peoples?

Anthony Furey
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Do the BC pipeline protesters speak for Indigenous peoples?

Protests have once again erupted over the BC Coastal GasLink pipeline. The protesters claim to speak for Indigenous peoples, but is this really the case?

More Indigenous voices are coming out in support of the pipeline, including BC Liberal MLA Ellis Ross and the democratically elected chiefs and councils of every band along the pipeline route.

Toronto Sun editor and columnist Anthony Furey discusses in his latest video.

Taxpayer watchdog calls for better oversight on Ontario COVID-19 spending

Jonathan Bradley
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Taxpayer watchdog calls for better oversight on Ontario COVID-19 spending

The Ontario government needs to tighten controls on COVID-19 pandemic spending in the wake of the auditor general’s annual report, said the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) on Wednesday. 

“Taxpayers expect governments to spend their money wisely,” said CTF Ontario director Jay Goldberg. “Handing nearly $1 billion to businesses not eligible for pandemic funds shows governments need to do more to make sure taxpayers’ money doesn’t go to the wrong people.”

Ontario Auditor General Bonnie Lysyk’s annual report revealed concerns about Ontario’s COVID-19 economic response and supports for businesses. 

“We found that the province did not use effective and efficient systems and procedures to make informed and co-ordinated decisions,” read the report. “Ontario did not have an overall strategy in its economic response to the pandemic and did not establish short- or long-term objectives for its economic support programs.” 

The report showed that the Ontario government focused on speed rather than on ensuring the information reported was authentic and applicants were eligible. The Ontario Small Business Support Program implemented key controls to identify and prevent payments to ineligible businesses months after it launched. 

The report also showed that Ontario wrote off more than $210 million paid to 14,500 ineligible recipients in the Ontario Small Business Support Program in August. These recipients were identified through third-party contractor reviews performed during the program. 

Various ministries are currently examining 212 recipients who could be ineligible. 

Financial support received through the Ontario Small Business Support Grant was not proportional to businesses’ revenue losses, the report found. According to findings, 51,000 recipients received $714 million more than they should have. 

The report also showed that strict criteria made the Ontario Small Business Support Program inaccessible to sectors hit hardest by the pandemic. Businesses that were required to close or restrict their services due to lockdown measures were eligible for supports, but other businesses that experienced significant revenue loss were ineligible 

Goldberg said the Ontario government needs to be more mindful about how it spends taxpayers’ money. 

“After bungling the pandemic aid rollout, the Ford government should ensure taxpayers’ money is recovered,” said Goldberg. “Taxpayer dollars should not be going to businesses that fail to meet eligible requirements.”

The CTF called on the Ontario government to rein in spending after Ontario Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy tabled the fall economic update in November. 

“The government claims it wants to balance the books without spending cuts or tax increases, but the economic update fails to lay out a plan for how to get there,” said Goldberg. “The government can and should find savings to balance the budget in the near term.”

Ontario’s fall economic update projected a $21.5 billion deficit for the current fiscal year.  

Thieves steal 3,000 wreaths meant for Canada’s fallen soldiers

Cosmin Dzsurdzsa
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0
Thieves steal 3,000 wreaths meant for Canada’s fallen soldiers

The veteran support group Wreaths Across Canada is looking for help after 3,000 wreaths meant to be placed on the graves of fallen soldiers at the National Military Cemetery in Ottawa were stolen by unknown culprits. 

According to the Ottawa Citizen, the theft occurred between Saturday night and Sunday morning.  The wreaths were stolen from a Maxville property. 

“I was just stunned,” President of Wreaths Across Canada Cyndi Mills told the outlet. “Who takes 3,000 wreaths? Who does that?” 

Organization volunteers wove the wreaths themselves out of wild grapevines from local properties.

One 32-year-old volunteer, Robert — also known as “Bob” — said that he was personally hurt by the actions of the thieves. His father and grandfather both served in the military. 

“Unfortunately for the last three months, we’ve been walking around telling every single person in town with pride what we’re doing,” said Bob. 

According to the volunteer, the wreaths could go for up to $15,000 if the culprits sell them. 

“Although there are good people, there are bad people,” said Bob. “And, unfortunately, this is a scenario where we’ve been taken advantage of in such a distinct fashion that the worst part is they must have known what we were doing and why we were doing it and still chose to do it.” 

The incident has put a dent in the organization’s plan to have 6,000 wreaths out at the cemetery this weekend. 

After putting together 5,000 wreaths, they are now left with less than 1,800. 

Wreaths for Canada has appealed to the thieves to return the wreaths, no questions asked. 

“Give us back what we’ve worked so hard on. And you know… I personally will look the other way,” said Bob. “And that’s what I’ve heard from our team and Wreaths Across Canada … People make mistakes and poor decisions, and at this time it’s not about that person who took it. It’s about the graves that now won’t receive a wreath come Sunday.”

The organization has called for more volunteers to help them meet the deadline. 

Police are looking into the incident and are asking for anyone with information to call the OPP 1-888-310-1122 or the Seaway Valley Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477. 

Ottawa French school board paid ransom after cyber attack

Cosmin Dzsurdzsa
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0
Ottawa French school board paid ransom after cyber attack

Ottawa’s French school board has admitted to paying a ransom to cyber hackers who breached the school’s IT system.

According to a statement put out by the Conseil des écoles publiques de l’Est de l’Ontario (CEPEO), “unknown actors” targeted the computer system on October 18, 2021 and stole information on employees, parents and students from the board’s main office. 

“The network was re-secured later today, and we launched an investigation with the help of cybersecurity experts,” the statement, which has been translated from French to English, reads. 

A news release on the incident admitted that while the board paid the sum demanded by the hackers, it was uncertain whether they deleted the data they had stolen. 

The hackers claimed upon receiving the payment that they had deleted the information, but investigators had no way to confirm. 

“We cannot be sure,” said the statement. “Making a payment to the threat actors was the best chance we had to secure the data.” 

“CEPEO reported the incident to law enforcement and the Ontario Information and Privacy Commission. These two institutions will determine whether to open an investigation. CEPEO will cooperate fully with any investigation if such an investigation is launched.

In total, 75 gigabytes of data was stolen, including the social insurance numbers, bank account numbers and credit card information of individuals the board intends to notify. 

Those hoping to know whether their own data was compromised can contact the school board. 

Ransomware attacks have become increasingly common for both private and public institutions. 

Most recently, a Montreal healthcare centre was attacked by cybercriminals who attempted to access records in its booking system.

https://youtu.be/QDlkITn3XFo 

Experts warn about overreaction to Omicron variant

Harley Sims
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0
Experts warn about overreaction to Omicron variant

As Canadian politicians and health officials leap to impose new restrictions over the Omicron variant of COVID-19, dire concerns are being raised about the hastiness and consequences of additional lockdowns. These include the South African doctor who first called attention to the new variant, who has expressed dismay over the heavy-handedness of the world’s reactions.

Dr. Angelique Coetzee is chair of the South African Medical Association and a General Practitioner of 33 years. In a letter to the Daily Mail, she wrote, “(n)o one here in South Africa is known to have been hospitalised with the Omicron variant, nor is anyone here believed to have fallen seriously ill with it.”

According to Coetzee, the new travel restrictions, quarantines, fines and other measures being imposed around the world are an overreaction. “The simple truth is: we don’t know yet anywhere near enough about Omicron to make such judgments or to impose such policies.”

Reinforcing Coetzee’s warning is a report released yesterday by the Canadian Medical Association. The study revealed what many Canadians already knew – that COVID-19 restrictions have already had a devastating effect both on the health care system and the economy as a whole.

In addition to the need for $1.3 billion in funding to return to pre-pandemic levels of care, the postponement of surgeries, screenings and other medical procedures “may have contributed to more than 4,000 excess deaths not related to COVID-19 between August and December 2020,” the report reads.

According to Health Canada, 6,665 Canadians died of COVID-19 in the same time period.

The report also indicated a rise in mental disorders, substance abuse and opioid deaths. Depression and anxiety were up as people found themselves unable to live their lives normally, including the health care workers experiencing burnout.

“Stress brought on by the pandemic, the closure of public health services and schools and isolation as a result of physical distancing measures have all had a negative impact on the social determinants of health.”

As Brian Lilley writes in the Toronto Sun, the study should serve as a wake-up call to overreacting policy-makers. “The mental and physical health of Canadians isn’t simply measured against COVID but other factors as well.”

Unvaccinated migrants being welcomed into Canada at Roxham Road

Cosmin Dzsurdzsa
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0
Unvaccinated migrants being welcomed into Canada at Roxham Road

The Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) has confirmed to True North that unvaccinated illegal border crossings are being allowed at Roxham Road, Quebec. 

According to CBSA spokesperson Sandra Boudreau, the Canadian government is accepting asylum and refugee claims “regardless of their vaccination status.”

At the beginning of the pandemic, the federal government shut down the illegal Roxham Road crossing over fears that the virus could spread into the country. Last month, it was announced that the crossing would be opened once again to those hoping to enter Canada to submit an asylum or refugee claim.

“Refugee claimants are requested to show proof of vaccination if they have been vaccinated,” said Boudreau. “Unvaccinated individuals will be permitted to enter if making an asylum claim but will be required to follow all COVID-19 public health obligations, including all testing requirements. If they are not fully vaccinated against COVID-19, they should have a 14-day quarantine plan.” 

Upon arrival, asymptomatic claimants who don’t have a quarantine plan will be housed in an Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada facility temporarily before being released when the quarantine period is over. 

“Throughout the pandemic, regardless of their vaccination status, Canada continued to accept asylum claims made by people who were already inside Canada,” Boudreau explained. “We also accepted asylum claims by people who arrived at designated ports of entry and who met an exception to the Safe Third Country Agreement.”

As of Tuesday, unvaccinated Canadians are no longer able to board a plane or passenger train in Canada. Additionally, Canadians hoping to return from abroad must be vaccinated or not show any COVID-19 symptoms. They must also meet other requirements such as quarantines. 

The discovery of the Omicron variant has led to additional measures and restrictions. According to a government news release, “”(u)nvaccinated travellers, with right of entry to Canada, will continue to be tested on arrival and day 8 and quarantine for 14 days. However, those arriving by air will now be required to stay in a designated quarantine facility or other suitable location while they await the result of their on arrival test.” 

As for whether asylum claimants will be required to undergo testing like the PCR tests, Boudreau told True North that unvaccinated illegal border crossers will still be required to be tested upon arrival. 

“Those who qualify as a fully vaccinated traveller to Canada may still be required to submit to a mandatory random test upon entry (…) as part of Canada’s border testing surveillance program,” said Boudreau. “Unless exempt, there are no changes to the testing and quarantine requirements for unvaccinated travellers.” 

Nearly 60,000 migrants have crossed into Canada illegally, and not through an official port of entry, since February 2017. 

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