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Sunday, July 6, 2025

Experts warn about overreaction to Omicron variant

By
Harley Sims
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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

By
Cosmin Dzsurdzsa
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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. 

Will Conservatives ever win again in Canada?

By
Candice Malcolm
-

The deck is stacked against the Conservative Party of Canada. 

They are dealing with a biased and out-of-touch media, well-funded unions and special interest groups fighting against them, and a conservative base that feels abandoned and alienated. 

So what can they do to turn things around in 2022? 

On today’s episode of the Candice Malcolm Show, Candice is joined by pollster Hamish Marshall to discuss the winning issues and strategy to win.

SUBSCRIBE TO THE CANDICE MALCOLM SHOW

Union considers giving black employees two extra days off

By
Sue-Ann Levy
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An Ontario employees union will debate a motion this week to give black employees two extra days off to deal with the impact of racism in their workplaces, communities and recent global events.

The black caucus of the Association of Management, Administrative and Professional Crown Employees of Ontario (AMAPCEO) indicates that the motion follows an apology by Ontario government deputy ministers earlier this year for the continued prevalence of “anti-black racism in the workplace.”

AMAPCEO represents 14,000 professionals, technical support workers, analysts, consultants and managers in the Ontario Public Service (OPS) as well as Ontario agencies such as the Ontario Arts Council and Public Health Ontario. Their annual conference is slated for Thursday and Friday.

A source who prefers anonymity said OPS workers already have three days of compassionate leave. The source went on to say that the black caucus wants two additional days, pointing to a third-party review of OPS that found systemic racism and discrimination against employees who are Indigenous, black, racialized and LGBTQ, as well as those who have disabilities.

That review and an apology released by the Cabinet Office in June of this year — and signed by all deputy ministers in the Ford government — were used as the rationale for the black caucus’s request.

A June 3 memo to all OPS staff apologizes for the “harm caused to Black employees by the prevalence and severity of anti-Black racism in the workplace.” 

It also apologizes to Indigenous employees for the “pervasiveness” of anti-Indigenous racism to all other employees who faced discrimination and harassment because of their sexuality, gender identity or disabilities.

There is no mention in the Black Caucus resolution of extending extra leave to other minority groups that form part of AMAPCEO.

The resolution states there has been an “overwhelming increase” in mental health challenges among black members.

It also notes that the stress of racism manifests itself in “poor health outcomes, health inequities and disproportionate representation of debilitating diseases for black people.”

Efforts to reach AMAPCEO president Dave Bulmer, a long-time employee with the Ministry of Health, were unsuccessful, as were attempts to get comment from Damian Suffoletta, the union’s treasurer and an employee with the Ministry of Finance.

The board of directors indicates that the resolution, if successfully passed, will be referred to the collective bargaining priorities process. It also affirms the union can commit to advocating for greater mental health provisions for black members.

There is no indication in the AMAPCEO materials as to what percentage of its members is black.

Canada needs kids to study “critical race theory”: Liberal MP

By
Cosmin Dzsurdzsa
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Liberal MP Jenica Atwin said in the House of Commons on Wednesday that Canadian kids need to study “critical race theory” upon returning to school.

Atwin made the comments during a debate responding to the throne speech.

“I want Canadian kids to feel good about going back to school and about planning their futures,” Atwin said.” We need them to study engineering, science, sustainable agriculture and critical race theory. We need them to embrace their role in the transition that is under way. I want them to trust in their government and feel comfort in our demonstrated actions.”

Critical race theory is a controversial ideological lens that originated in US legal scholarship. It sees institutions as systemically racist and seeks to dismantle hierarchies that its advocates claim are based on white supremacy. 

The controversy has found renewed attention after several US states moved to ban critical race theory from being taught to kids in public schools. Concerned parents accused the practice of being a veiled form of racism. 

As exclusively reported by True North, critical race theory has increasingly become a phenomenon in Canadian schools all the way from the elementary level to post-secondary schools. 

Most recently, two colleges associated with Western University adopted a series of anti-racism recommendations explicitly grounded in critical race theory. 

“Analysis and discussion are framed by Critical Race Theory, Indigenous scholarship, among other anti-oppressive theoretical frameworks and by scholarly literature on academic racial climate,” the authors wrote.

Their recommendations include race-based hiring practices, using a racial “bias interrupter” during interviews and funding anti-racism bureaucrats.

True North columnist Sue-Ann Levy says, “school boards in the GTA, many run by woke activists, are already trying to indoctrinate kids as young as kindergarten with this very dangerous CRT philosophy, which is divisive and racist in its selectivity.”

“It would be far more beneficial to students if school boards stuck to their mission of teaching kids the basics to survive in the world and respect for all no matter race, creed, sexuality or disability,” says Levy.

Levy has also recently written on the issue of critical race theory at the Ontario College of Teachers.

This is not the first time Atwin has made controversial far-left comments. As exclusively reported by True North in December 2020, Atwin tweeted that “harmful and oppressive” words should be erased from use in the English language. 

“So sorry. We have allowed many harmful, oppressive words and phrases into our vernacular and they must be rooted out and discontinued. This is a prime example and while the intent to harm may not have been there, we must be accountable for what we put out into the world,” wrote Atwin.

She also got herself into hot water in May when she called Israel an apartheid state and characterized Israel as engaging in “human rights abuses” against Gaza during that month’s Mideast conflict. She was later forced to apologize.

Prior to being elected as a Liberal MP in the 2021 federal election, Atwin had crossed the floor to the Liberals from the Green Party.

Salvation Army Christmas kettle volunteers must be fully vaccinated

By
Andrew Lawton
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Christmas spirit and a bell don’t cut it for Salvation Army Christmas kettle volunteers this year. They also need to be vaccinated.

A spokesperson for the Salvation Army, a Christian denomination and humanitarian organization, confirmed its vaccination policy after True North heard from prospective volunteers who said they had been turned away from the Christmas kettle campaign because of their vaccination status.

“All Salvation Army staff (employees, officers, volunteers) providing on-site and in-person services are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19,” said Salvation Army spokesperson and lieutenant-colonel John Murray.

“The Salvation Army continues to follow all provincial and federal public health policies and guidelines as it relates to COVID-19 because our number one priority remains the health, safety and well-being of our clients, employees, officers, volunteers, guests, donors and communities.”

The policy, which went into effect Nov. 15, also extends to ushers, greeters and Sunday school teachers.

Murray said the organization will “consider reasonable accommodations” for individuals who cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons or other protected grounds in human rights legislation.

The vaccine mandate doesn’t sit well with Connie Fournier, a Salvation Army member and 25-year kettle campaign volunteer.

“I am beyond hurt that my own church is engaging in medical segregation,” Fournier told True North. “That goes against everything William Booth (and Jesus, for that matter) represented. The Salvation Army was formed to minister to the most downtrodden and socially rejected members of society. Today, they themselves are doing the rejection.”

Fournier, who previously served as a volunteer recruiter for the organization, said she knows Salvation Army employees who have been terminated because of their vaccination status, and has even heard of a church barring unvaccinated people from attending in-person services.

The Williams Lake Salvation Army in the British Columbia Interior has reportedly lost 80% of its volunteers due to the mandate, meaning it has had to close its drop-in centre, reduce its thrift store hours and discontinue its feeding program for the homeless.

The Salvation Army says it operates 2,000 kettles nationwide, which raise money to “​​help provide direct, compassionate, hands-on service to over 1.9 million people each year in Canada, restoring hope and dignity to those who might otherwise remain invisible in society.”

The kettle campaign has been operating in Canada since 1903.

People needing Ontario food banks at highest level since 2008 recession

By
Cosmin Dzsurdzsa
-

A new report includes some startling numbers of people using food banks during the pandemic. 

According to the hunger-relief organization Feed Ontario, 10% more Canadians accessed food banks in the province between April 2020 and March 2021. This represents the highest level since the 2008 recession. 

“This is an extremely alarming trend,” interim executive director Siu Mee Cheng told CP24. 

“Housing affordability is a huge reason in terms of driving individuals to food banks.”

The report notes that nearly 600,000 people visited food banks throughout Ontario in the first year of the pandemic. In total, that amounts to over 3.6 million individual visits. 

Feed Ontario relied on data provided by 132 food banks and 1,100 social relief organizations. 

According to Cheng, current social safety nets like Ontario Works and Ontario Disability Support are not doing enough to alleviate the problem. 

“They represent 59% of all food bank visitors,” said Cheng. “Social assistance programs are not sufficient enough to support individuals to purchase foods that they need and address their hunger issues.”

The report also revealed that 86% of people visiting food banks lived in rental properties, and over 50% of them cited the cost of housing as a reason for their visits.

Additionally, food bank users over the age of 65 years old have spiked by 36% since 2020, and by 64% since the 2008 recession. 

“That is a really sad and concerning trend that we’re seeing right now in society,” Cheng said. 

“Some of the most vulnerable individuals … are having to face hunger issues and that they are needing to turn to food banks in order to relieve some of those hunger issues.”

Cheng warned that the trend will likely continue even after the COVID-19 pandemic has ended, potentially for several years. 

“When the pandemic ends, the impact on individuals going to the food banks will continue several years after,” she said. “We do not anticipate for several years that the numbers will decline, sadly. It will probably continue to increase.”

Yet another country is making vaccines mandatory

By
Andrew Lawton
-

Greece is forcing all of its residents aged 60 and older to get vaccinated against COVID or pay a 100 euro per month “health tax.” Austria is on track to fine any unvaccinated people 7,200 euros and throw them in jail if they don’t pay. True North’s Andrew Lawton said when Austria first introduced its mandate that it would quickly be adopted elsewhere – and now Greece has joined the club.

Also, the Simpsons and the Greek alphabet both get censored to appease China, plus Sen. Leo Housakos joins the show to discuss his bill to ban imports from Xinjiang, where China’s persecuted Uyghurs live.

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Omicron is here! Let the fear-mongering begin!

By
Candice Malcolm
-

Stay at home. Save lives. We’re all in this together.

No, it isn’t March 2020. The omicron variant is in Canada and unsurprisingly, our politicians, the legacy media and public health “experts” are fear-mongering about COVID yet again.

While very little is known about the severity of the new variant, the federal government is closing the borders, provincial governments are pushing for more public health measures and the legacy media is losing their minds and provoking fear.

After two years of dealing with COVID, we now live in a society that is willing to sacrifice liberty for the pursuit of safety and good health. Tune into The Candice Malcolm Show.

SUBSCRIBE TO THE CANDICE MALCOLM SHOW

Yukon reports highest opioid death rate in Canada

By
Cosmin Dzsurdzsa
-

Yukon has surpassed British Columbia and Alberta to now have the highest opioid death rate in Canada. 

The territory’s chief coroner Heather Jones revealed that Yukon has a rate of 48.4 opioid deaths per 100,000 people. British Columbia previously led the country on opioid deaths with the current rate of 40.4 deaths per 100,000 people. 

For comparison, Canada has an overall rate of 19.3 deaths from opioids per 100,000 people. 

Since the beginning of 2021, Yukon has reported 21 deaths from opioid overdose. According to Jones, these overdoses made up 20% of deaths investigated by the coroner’s office. 

“For this office, and most certainly all of us, this is shocking,” said Jones. “This must be seen as a medical crisis. These deaths for the most part are people who are dying alone in their homes.”

“It is both heartbreaking and staggering,” she added. 

All of the deaths involved the deadly synthetic opioid fentanyl and its derivatives, and some cocaine was detected in many cases. 

Blood Ties Four Directions Centre is a community health agency in Whitehorse. Its executive director Brone Renwick-Shields reflected on the numbers, saying, “(e)ach one of these deaths … represents a loved one, and a family member, and a person whose life had meaning, and whose death has impacted our community greatly.” 

“So we are seeing an increasingly strong supply of drugs with, you know, large degrees of fentanyl. And now benzodiazepines in our drug supply which may not be what is anticipated from the person using.”

The opioid crisis in the territory really took off in 2016. Since then 54 people have died from opioids, 85% of which involved fentanyl. 

“We are on a frightening trajectory,” said Jones, adding that numbers are “tragically increasing over these past three months.”

“And, somehow together, collectively we can find a solution to this.”

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