COVID-19 and the government’s strict public health measures ruined Halloween for kids across Canada last year.
This year, even with a better understanding of the virus, the government continues to implement strict rules for Halloween. For example, in Ontario, kids are being advised not to scream while trick-or-treating.
Anthony Furey discusses.
The Trudeau government used taxpayers’ dollars to fund a cartoon exhibition.
The cartoonist behind “For Better or For Worse” (FBorFW) Lynn Johnston received more than $15,000 from the Mission Cultural Fund, according to a blog post issued by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) on Friday.
The Mission Cultural Fund is a federal fund that was established to promote Canadian arts abroad.
Federal director at the CTF Franco Terrazzano said this funding is a waste of taxpayers’ money.
“We are more than $1 trillion in debt and these bureaucrats think spending thousands of dollars on cartoons is a good use of tax dollars?” said Terrazzano. “Lynn Johnston is a successful artist, (and) she doesn’t need to be pocketing money from taxpayers.”
“FBorFW” has been published in more than 2,000 newspapers.
Documents obtained by the CTF show despite Johnston’s success, taxpayers were billed thousands of dollars to show off her art in the US.
The District of Columbia art installation, called “The Comic Art of Lynn Johnston,” coincided with the 40th anniversary of “FBorFW” being published. “The Comic Art of Lynn Johnston” was displayed at the Embassy of Canada, Washington, D.C. from September 2019 to January 2020, costing taxpayers $15,799.
This cost was higher than the initial budget of $15,000. Global Affairs Canada told the CTF that while the installation was planned to be completed in-house, the department was unable to print the foam core posters comprising most of the exhibit. The work was outsourced at a cost of $1,226, which resulted in a budget overrun.
Global Affairs said the number of visitors to the exhibit was not tracked.
“Due to our proximity to Capitol Hill and the many galleries and museums of the Smithsonian Institution, the embassy gallery receives a lot of foot traffic from tourists and residents alike,” said Global Affairs.
In the past, the Mission Cultural Fund has paid artist Peaches $8,813 for an art installation with sex toys, given singer Bryan Adams $52,000 for a collection of photos of his famous friends and provided author Margaret Atwood $10,000 to promote “The Testaments” in Australia.
Terrazzano said this latest instance with Johnston is another prime example proving bureaucrats have too much of taxpayers’ money available.
“Taxpayers don’t need sex toy exhibits, we don’t need to be footing the bill for rock stars and we don’t need to be going overbudget on cartoons,” he said. “We need Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to scrap the Mission Cultural Fund.”
Johnston’s studio FBorFW.com could not be reached for further comment in time for publication.
Alberta’s equalization referendum isn’t enough to quell western alienation. Wildrose Independence Party leader Paul Hinman says Canada is a “sinking ship,” and the only way Albertans can save themselves is by leaving the country. As Premier Jason Kenney faces a leadership review in April, Hinman says Albertans unhappy with the status quo need to vote for independence. He joined The Andrew Lawton Show to explain why.
Watch the full episode of The Andrew Lawton Show.
The Alberta government is launching an initiative to consult rural residents on how to better grow the province’s economy.
According to Associate Minister of Rural Economic Development Nate Horner, the virtual tour will run through December and will engage residents, business owners and community leaders from rural Alberta.
All sessions will be held over Zoom or Microsoft Teams and those unable to attend will be able to submit their own concerns in an online survey.
“Supporting local businesses and attracting new investment to Alberta is key to the success of our economic recovery after the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, the global collapse of energy prices and the worst economic downturn in almost 100 years. All Albertans, urban and rural, should benefit from Alberta’s Recovery Plan,” said Horner.
According to a 2018 study by the Alberta Association of Municipal Districts and Counties, rural Albertans contributed approximately $89.6 billion to the province’s GDP.
Airdrie RCMP and Rocky View County Enforcement Services will also host a virtual town hall on November 4, between 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm to discuss rural crime with local communities.
“I think there’s a number of things people are interested in knowing. I think one of the things they would like to know is what exactly does the RCMP’s response to rural crime look like? And what are citizens’ roles in that?” Airdrie RCMP Insp. Lauren Weare told Airdrie Today.
On Friday, Alberta Justice Minister Kaycee Madu completed a separate consultation with rural residents focusing specifically on law enforcement and crime.
The province’s success in curbing rural crime has prompted several communities to report a dramatic drop in crime statistics. In August, the rural town of Innisfail reported that crime rates were down across the board including assaults, robberies, homicides and sexual assaults which decreased by 43%.
Among the initiatives Alberta has introduced include expanding the powers of Alberta Sheriff highway patrol officers to be able to respond to traffic and other incidents. The expansion led to the addition of 260 officers.
A Quebec comedian’s jokes about a disabled child singer do not fall outside the parameters of free speech, the Supreme Court of Canada has found.
In a 5-4 split decision, the Supreme Court ruled that while comic Mike Ward’s jokes ridiculed singer Jeremy Gabriel, who suffers from Treacher Collins Syndrome, Gabriel was targeted by Ward because of his fame, not his disability.
Ward was previously fined $42,000 by a Quebec human rights tribunal, which found his jokes to be discriminatory and violated Gabriel’s dignity. This was later upheld by the Quebec Court of Appeal.
The Supreme Court found the comedian’s jokes did not seek to incite other people to mock the singer, and he cannot be blamed for the actions of others who copied the jokes.
“The impugned comments … were made by a career comedian known for this type of humour,” said the majority judgment. “They exploited, rightly or wrongly, a feeling of discomfort in order to entertain, but they did little more than that.”
The Supreme Court of Canada’s decision in favour of comedian Mike Ward is an important one in defining the scope and importance of free speech, a civil liberties organization says.
CCF executive director Joanna Baron said this decision clarifies the test for discrimination in the context of a conflict between the right to the safeguard of dignity and freedom of expression.
“In particular, the decision underscores the fact that free speech has inherent social value and should be protected from unjustified state intrusion,” said Baron. “Merely causing offence does not amount to discrimination and should not attract state-imposed fines.”
The CCF intervened in the case, argued the test for discrimination should be modified to reflect the important role that freedom of expression plays in an open society.
The court adopted the CCF’s proposed test, finding that where there are competing rights under the Quebec Charter, they must be balanced with proper regard for democratic values, especially freedom of expression. It affirmed this position that freedom of expression is a defence and an internal limit to the scope of rights protected in the Quebec Charter.
CCF litigation director Christine Van Geyn said it is not the role of governments to censor comedy through punitive fines or to tell comedians what jokes they can make.
“This case isn’t about whether the jokes Mr. Ward told were funny or if they were in bad taste,” said Van Geyn. “It is about the notion that it is not for the government to decide.”
True North journalism fellow Andrew Lawton praised this decision, but said the prolonged legal battle is in and of itself concerning in a free society.
“While the Supreme Court made the right decision, it’s shameful that a comedian’s jokes had to go through a decade of litigation to reach what should have been the obvious conclusion,” said Lawton. “Comedy is about slaying sacred cows, and offensive jokes, even if they are rude or uncivil, are free speech.”
In 2012, when Gabriel was 15 years old, his family filed a human rights complaint against Ward with the QHRC, which referred it to a human rights tribunal.
Ward had a live show called “Mike Ward s’eXpose” from 2010 to 2013, where he ridiculed people who no one else would.
Ward described Gabriel in his live shows as “little Jeremy” and “the kid with the sub-woofer on his head,” and made other similar jokes about the boy’s disability.
The tribunal heard Gabriel grew despondent, contemplated suicide, and sought psychiatric help to cope with the ridicule he experienced from other people.
The tribunal ruled in Gabriel’s favour in 2016, awarding him $25,000 for moral damages and another $10,000 for punitive damages. Gabriel’s mother received $5,000 for moral damages and another $2,000 for punitive damages.
Ward appealed the decision. In 2019, the Quebec Court of Appeal ruled in a 2-1 decision that the comedian’s jokes compromised the singer’s right to safeguard of his dignity and could not be justified, even in a society where freedom of expression is valued.
The Quebec Court of Appeal did roll back the payments to Gabriel’s mother, saying she was not a victim of discrimination.
In September, public health “experts” in Ontario predicted a devastating fourth wave in October, which would see thousands of cases of COVID-19 on a daily basis. The “experts” said more restrictions were needed.
Their prediction was wrong. Fewer restrictions were put in place in Ontario and the province saw relatively low daily cases on a consistent basis.
Anthony Furey discusses in his latest video.
Alberta Justice Minister Kaycee Madu completed a marathon tour on Friday where he consulted Albertans, police and community groups on rural crime.
According to a press release, Madu attended over 60 events where he met with citizens and law enforcement officers in communities like Grande Prairie, Spruce Grove, La Crete and elsewhere.
“I want to thank the many Albertans who shared their concerns about rural crime. What you told us will help inform our ongoing work to ensure Albertans feel safe and protected in their homes, no matter where they live,” said Madu.
“We know the federal government must step up by enacting laws that put a stop to the revolving door justice system that allows repeat offenders to victimize law-abiding citizens over and over again, and we echo the call of Albertans for them to act quickly on this.”
Among the topics discussed were slow police response times in rural communities, victims’ services and a potential Alberta Provincial Police Service. Another separate consultation on economic issues important to rural Albertans is being conducted by Associate Minister of Rural Economic Development Nate Horner which is set to run through December.
Premier Jason Kenney has sought an inquiry into a potential provincial law enforcement body that would overtake the duties of the federal RCMP.
On Friday, a report on the potential provincial police service revealed that it could cost taxpayers $366 million to create and $735 million a year to maintain.
The report also noted that while expensive, a provincial police force could be more cost-effective and efficient than the federal model in the long run.
“During my rural crime tour this summer, rural Albertans made it clear that they are deeply concerned about crime in their communities,” said Madu about the report.
“PwC Canada has developed a policing model that could address long-standing concerns about response times in rural areas and put more boots on the ground. We’re eager to share these innovative and thought-provoking ideas with stakeholders and hear their thoughts over the coming months.”
Additionally, Kenney stated that the report made a “compelling case” to begin designing an Alberta police force.
It’s Fake News Friday on The Candice Malcolm Show!
This week, Candice calls out the CBC for publishing a racist screed against white conservatives written by an Elections Canada worker. Not only are election workers supposed to be non-partisan, but the author of this opinion piece alleges that anyone who votes for a right-wing party is a racist bigot.
To make matters worse, when the state broadcaster started receiving pushback, they quietly rewrote the opinion piece.
If True North had an award for Fake News of the Year, this opinion piece would definitely be a contender.
Candice breaks it all down on the latest episode of The Candice Malcolm Show. Tune in now!
SUBSCRIBE TO THE CANDICE MALCOLM SHOW
Canadian Ambassador to China Dominic Barton encouraged students at a McGill University conference to go to the communist nation and “build relationships.”
Barton was one of several keynote speakers at the university’s McGill Institute for the Study of Canada Annual Conference which took place from October 28, 2021 to October 29, 2021.
“We need to have more of our students in Canada spending time in other countries around the world, including China, to really understand how the place works, to be able to build relationships,” said Barton while on a panel speaking about national unity.
It has been a little more than a month since Canadians Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig were released from arbitrary detention by China after spending years in Chinese prisons.
Barton, who was appointed to the role by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in 2019, has an extensive history doing business dealings in China.
Throughout his career as a Managing Director of McKinsey & Company, the corporation worked with 22 of China’s 100 largest state-owned companies. Part of the work included providing consulting services to Chinese entities building artificial islands in the South China Sea – an area that China seeks to geopolitically dominate.
In 2020, Barton was called before the House of Commons Special Committee on Canada-China Relations to testify on the state of affairs with the country and was grilled on his Chinese ties.
“You were in charge of McKinsey…McKinsey was advising a company that was carrying out the Chinese government policy of building militarized islands in the South China Sea. Is it your position that those islands are in violation of international law?” Conservative MP Garnett Genuis asked the ambassador.
“I am not familiar at all with us being involved with designing islands in the South China Sea,” replied Barton.
Recently, Barton has also called for more business engagement with China despite the communist government’s increased aggression internationally and here in Canada.
“It’s critical that Canadian firms seize opportunities where they exist and take advantage of the continuing economic rise of Asia and China,” said Barton.
“The growth and the nature of growth of China’s economy has significant implications for Canada’s economic prosperity. Regardless of one’s outlook on it, China really cannot be ignored … Where trade is concerned, our companies need to engage in support of our economic interest while being true to our values.”
The Liberal government is refusing to raise the Canadian flag on Remembrance Day so that it can be ceremonially lowered to half-mast as tradition dictates.
Despite appeals from Conservative leader Erin O’Toole and others, the Department of Canadian Heritage says the flag will remain in place for the foreseeable future, unless directed otherwise by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
“All Canadians are horrified by the reminders in Kamloops and Cowessess and we have deep grief and a drive to reconciliation,” said O’Toole.
“I think the flag should be restored by that time and the prime minister has provided no direction here.”
Canada’s flag has been flying at half-mast at federal buildings, including Parliament Hill’s Peace Tower, since May 30, when Trudeau issued the order after the announcement of unmarked graves at former residential school sites.
“If a half-masting notice is already in effect for federal buildings and establishments when another half-masting notice — whether mandatory or discretionary — is issued, no action in relation to the national flag of Canada is required,” Canadian Heritage officials told the Canadian Press.
Trudeau also declined to raise the flag for Canada Day, even though flag protocol dictates that Canadian flags should never be at half-mast on July 1.
On Canada Day, Trudeau asked that the flag remain at half-mast for Canada Day.
“As people across the country continue to honour the Indigenous children whose lives were taken far too soon, and as we reflect on the tragedy of residential schools, I have asked that the flag on the Peace Tower remain at half-mast for Canada Day,” tweeted Trudeau at the time.
According to the rules which govern the display of the national flag, lowering the flag to half-mast is required on special commemorative days like Remembrance Day and the National Day of Remembrance for Victims of Terrorism.