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Sunday, July 13, 2025

Peter Mansbridge says CBC needs to “be better” amid declining trust

By
Cosmin Dzsurdzsa
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In a recent interview, veteran CBC journalist Peter Mansbridge noted the declining popularity of Canada’s state broadcaster and legacy media. In the interview, Mansbridge called on his former employer to “do better.” 

“I’m forever indebted to the CBC. But I’m passionate about it and I worry about it. I think the country absolutely needs the CBC. Do they need the CBC they’ve got right now? Probably not. They need it to be better,” Mansbridge said on CBC’s The Sunday Magazine. 

“You only have to look at the ratings that come out every few months in different parts of the world on trust, in terms of different professions, and for journalism, it’s gone down. It’s not as low as politicians, but it’s low, and yeah, we can’t afford it to be low.” 

CBC has in recent years suffered a crash in viewership and advertising revenue numbers, causing the company to place transparency and building trust as a priority with the hopes of curtailing the decline. 

According to its 2021-2025 corporate plan, CBC saw an 18% decline in advertising revenue and was seeking to request “additional funding” to offset the loss.

“Advertising revenue from conventional TV will continue to be under pressure,” wrote CBC management in the plan.

Additionally, viewership has dwindled in recent years, with the broadcaster reporting that the number of Canadians tuning into CBC-TV was below 4% for the first time in history. 

Recently, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has pledged an additional $400 million to help the  publicly funded broadcaster stay above water despite it already receiving $1.2 billion in funding from taxpayers annually. 

“If we don’t have the trust of our audience — you know, viewers, listeners, readers. If we don’t have that trust, we got nothing,” Mansbridge said. 

“Journalism is built on credibility. Credibility is built on trust and the truth. And we’re facing a challenge on the trust factor.”

According to a poll from April of this year, nearly 49% of Canadians believe that journalists were “purposely trying to mislead people by saying things they know are false or gross exaggerations.”

Wilfrid Laurier University bars unvaccinated students from taking online classes

By
Caitlin Rose Morgante
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Students who normally attend classes in-person who are unvaccinated or do not wish to disclose their vaccination status will be unable to participate in online courses this fall at Wilfrid Laurier University.

The university instructed students who do not plan to get the vaccine to contact their academic advisors. Students are required to disclose their vaccination status by October 8. 

Under the new rule, those who refuse will face a wide range of consequences, including being unable to go on campus, being de-registered from in-person fall classes, having access to MyLearningSpace suspended for fall term courses and being unable to participate in winter courses.

The only students who are not required to upload their vaccination status are those enrolled in fully online degree programs who do not visit campus. 

The university told CTV News that they crafted this vaccination policy by following the guidance of Ontario’s Chief Medical Health Office of Health, and that “in addition to vaccines, other public health and university health and safety measures such as masking and adhering to gathering limits, will go a long way to help reduce the spread of COVID-19 with will allow us to move forward as a community.”

A spokesperson for the Minister of Colleges and Universities told CTV News colleges and universities are “autonomous legal entities fully responsible for both academic and administrative matters” and that “they are responsible for their own compliance and implementation of public health measures.”

The council of Ontario medical officers sent a letter to university presidents on August 24 that outlines vaccination policy standards. It calls for full vaccination of all individuals on campus, with the “rare exception of those individuals who cannot be vaccinated due to permitted exemptions.”

The University of Toronto is also asking in-person students to get vaccinated but makes no mention of a vaccination policy for online students. Similarly, York University plans to ban all unvaccinated students from returning to campus.

Wilfred Laurier University’s announcement comes after Mount Royal University (MRU) axed a vaccine mandate for an online student after facing legal pressure from the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms (JCCF).

MRU originally emailed an exclusively online student warning him that even though his classes aren’t on campus, he had one day to upload proof of vaccination or face the risk he “may be deregistered” from classes.

However, after the JCCF threatened the MRU with legal action if the university proceeded with deregistering the student, the MRU backtracked on its decision. 

 “The entirely unnecessary requirement for online students to disclose their vaccination is indicative of the irrational abuse of power public authorities are exercising in the current atmosphere of pandemonium. It is essential that people stand up and push back against these abuses of power,” said JCCF lawyer Mary Moore.

Trudeau apologized to BC First Nations chief over Tofino vacation

By
Cosmin Dzsurdzsa
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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has apologized to Kamloops, BC, Tk’emlúps Nation Chief Rosanne Casimir after ditching their National Day of Truth and Reconciliation ceremony to vacation in Tofino. 

Trudeau was invited by Casimir on two occasions to visit the community which is only hours away from where he was vacationing with his family. 

Despite the invitation, Trudeau did not attend but claimed that he had a phone call with Indigenous leaders while away. 

On Sunday, Trudeau phoned Casimir to offer her an apology over the incident and said that he hopes to visit the First Nation soon. 

Tk’emlúps Nation was one of the few First Nations to announce the discovery of apparent unmarked graves at a former residential school earlier this year. 

It was revealed that Trudeau left for Tofino on Thursday despite his itinerary placing him in Ottawa for alleged “private meetings.” 

Once it was revealed on social media that Trudeau’s personal jet flew into Tofino, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) finally confirmed that the itinerary was incorrect. 

“Yes, the PM is spending time in Tofino with family for a few days,” said a PMO spokesperson. 

“And, following his participation in last night’s ceremony marking the first National Day for Truth & Reconciliation, he is speaking today with residential school survivors from across the country.”

It wasn’t the first time that Trudeau has gotten in trouble for concealing his vacations. In August 2020, the prime minister was spotted vacationing in Pointe au Baril, Ontario despite his itinerary also claiming he was in Ottawa at the time. 

Taiwan warns it is preparing for war with China

By
Harrison Faulkner
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Taiwanese Foreign Minister Joseph Wu is sounding the alarm on a looming war between the island nation and Communist China. 

Wu says if China were to actually strike, Taiwan would be ready to defend itself.

“The defence of Taiwan is in our own hands, and we are absolutely committed to that,” Wu told ABC’s China Tonight program. 

“I’m sure that if China is going to launch an attack against Taiwan, I think they are going to suffer tremendously as well.” 

On Friday, Taiwan reported a record number of Chinese military jets crossing into Taiwan’s defence zone – the latest instance of the Communist nation flexing its military muscle over the democratic state.

In his interview with Australian news outlet ABC, Wu also urged like-minded countries to come to Taiwan’s aid by developing closer ties.

“We would like to engage in security or intelligence exchanges with other like-minded partners, Australia included, so Taiwan is better prepared to deal with the war situation,” Wu said.

Critics of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau have called on Canada to do more to support Taiwan and to stand up to the Chinese regime.

In September, the Trudeau government indicated it would not offer support for Taiwan to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).

According to the Globe and Mail, both China and Taiwan simultaneously applied to join the CPTPP. The Trudeau government has decided to not support either country’s efforts.

This was not the first time Trudeau snubbed Taiwan on the international stage.

Reports from earlier this year revealed that the Liberal government tried to prevent Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen from being awarded the Halifax International Security Forum’s 2020 John McCain Prize for Leadership in Public Service. 

Despite the interference attempt, President Tsai was issued the award after public outrage.

A very big week looms for O’Toole and the future of Canadian conservatism

By
Candice Malcolm
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This is a big week for Erin O’Toole, and how he handles it will determine the future of the Conservative Party of Canada (CPC).

At noon on Tuesday, O’Toole’s top campaign advisors will give a presentation at a private conservative club in Toronto. The event is billed as a “post-election debrief,” where “campaign insiders… share their insights on the campaign and where the party goes from here.”

It will be interesting — and telling — to see how the men running O’Toole’s campaign will frame the election.

Will they show contrition, recognizing the party’s failures in running a Liberal-lite campaign, and pledge to be connected with the party’s grassroots?

Or will they double down on the tone of O’Toole’s election night speech, where he emphasized how progressive the party had become and acted as though he had somehow won the campaign?

Those on the fence about O’Toole’s leadership will be paying close attention.

Meanwhile, in Ottawa, all incoming and outgoing Conservative MPs will meet for the first time since the election. MPs and CPC insiders I’ve spoken to say it will be a no-holds-barred rumble for the heart and soul of the party.

The first caucus meeting following a losing election is not exactly a happy occasion.

Following the 2019 campaign, this meeting digressed into a seven hour airing of grievances where Conservative MPs voiced their frustration over losing the campaign to Justin Trudeau.

“It was horrible,” one long-serving MP told me. “Angry MPs (mostly from the Red Tory “socially liberal” branch of the party) picked apart every little mistake Andrew Scheer made on the campaign and let him hear about it.”

That same MP told me he doesn’t think it will be “a brawl” this time around.

“Erin is so good at personal connections and maintaining good relationships with MPs and Senators,” the MP said.  “He’s the type of guy who knows everyone’s kids’ names and everyone’s birthdays. He sends hand-written letters and really cares about people. He’s just a really nice guy.”

Not everyone in the caucus shares this rosy view of O’Toole.

I’m told by CPC insiders that the Conservative caucus is split into three distinct groups.

First are the Erin O’Toole supporters, people who either share his vision for a more progressive party or those who are in positions of power in the party and want to hold onto it.

The second corner of the party, I’m told, is fuming mad. These MPs feel betrayed by O’Toole who once swore up and down that he opposed carbon taxes and pledged to fight against them, only to introduce his own version of the tax after becoming party leader. Most MPs didn’t learn about this carbon proposal until O’Toole announced his plan to the media.

Also in this corner are those who believe that former leader Andrew Scheer was stabbed in the back and treated unfairly following the 2019 election. These MPs, mostly from the West, think it’s only fair that O’Toole be subject to the same scrutiny and criticism.

Finally, the third and largest group of Conservative MPs are those in the middle. Some believe that O’Toole made strategic mistakes, others say he moved too far to the left, but generally, these MPs are concerned about the integrity of the party and don’t want to go through the drama of another leadership race.

They don’t want to rock the boat.

It’s these MPs who will determine the future of the party.

Tuesday’s caucus meeting will also feature a vote on the party’s Reform Act — written by Conservative MP Michael Chong. This would give caucus the power to call a leadership review, paving the way to possibly oust O’Toole at a later date.

If O’Toole wants to stay on as the Conservative Leader, he needs to not only prove it to caucus this week but also make it up to the base — many of whom feel abandoned and betrayed.

“Disgraceful and undemocratic,” Ontario MPP slams decision to mandate vaccines at Queen’s Park

By
Harrison Faulkner
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Cambridge Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) Belinda Karahalios is speaking out about the Ontario government’s new rule requiring anyone entering Queen’s Park to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination or a negative test result.

The new rule is set to take effect on Monday and was mandated by Speaker of the Legislative Assembly Ted Arnott in September.

“This is a disgraceful and undemocratic ruling that sets a dangerous precedent,” the New Blue Party MPP said in a statement.

Karahalios says the new rule will prevent her and other elected officials who are either unvaccinated or do not wish to disclose their vaccination status from criticizing the government. 

“It eliminates criticism of the ruling PC Party by blocking elected representatives from the legislature who agree with the New Blue Party principles,” Karahalios said.

The Cambridge MPP also questioned if the government would mandate vaccines during the next provincial election.

“Does the PC government plan on imposing these rules on the general public come election time?” Karahalios asked.

“If they think they can block elected representatives from entering the legislature, does that mean that unvaccinated people, or people who do not wish to disclose their vaccination status and refuse testing, won’t be allowed to vote in a general election?”

The speaker of the legislature told the CBC that they will “continue to seek to ensure that the Legislature is safe for all, and the privileges of Members to participate in the proceedings are upheld.”

Last year, Belinda and her husband Jim Karahalios announced the establishment of the New Blue Party as an alternative to Ontario’s governing PC party. The party opposes the Doug Ford government’s lockdown measures and promises to advocate for small business and freedom of worship

Belinda was ousted from the PC caucus after she voted against Bill 195, a bill that allowed the Ford government to unilaterally issue emergency orders for the next two years, effectively allowing for perpetual lockdowns without votes in the legislature.

Canada has no idea how other countries are handling COVID

By
Anthony Furey
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Canada has had some of the most severe and restrictive public health measures in response to COVID-19, including the use of vaccine passports.

For example, Ontario’s vaccine passport is much more severe than France’s version. In France, the government recognizes natural immunity and testing as valid reasons for exemption.

Anthony Furey says Canada is operating in an information silo.

LEVY: Toronto School Board paid $16,000 for an anti-racism activist to attack Israel

By
Sue-Ann Levy
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The Toronto District School Board (TDSB) paid $16,000 for four learning sessions with self-described anti-racism activist Desmond Cole during which he attacked Israel using typical anti-Semitic tropes.

Despite an apology by education director Colleen Russell-Rawlins to concerned participants – mostly board principals – Cole was permitted to continue with his talks on Sept. 23 after the board brass was made aware of his hateful rhetoric during the first two talks on Sept. 20.

Board spokesperson Ryan Bird told True North that Cole delivered two sets of talks on what was supposed to be about anti-black racism during four separate sessions.

He said the cost per session was $4,000 and all sessions were primarily made up of principals and vice principals, but also some other staff. 

Cole veered off script at the Sept. 20 session when he proceeded to speak in glowing terms about TDSB equity advisor Javier DaVila, who issued two virulently anti-Israel manuals to teachers during the height of the Gaza conflict in May.

The manuals proposed, among other things, that teachers read children’s books in which Israelis are depicted as thieves and murderers. 

DaVila’s manuals also gave advice on how to teach children about the anti-Semitic Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement.

The self-described “queer latine transformer” was placed on home assignment in May and subsequently reinstated without discipline in July.

Some attendees were taken aback when Cole addressed the “illegal occupation of Palestine territories” by the Jewish state.

“I can say Free Palestine … as many times as I want to because I am not an educator…there’s not much the people who invited me here can do,” he said in an angry, arrogant tone.

He continued to rail on defiantly about the “theft of land” and “settler colonialism” – berating those in attendance for “taking the side of the oppressor.”

The radical leftist also called me – the author of the DaVila stories in the Toronto Sun– “one of the most hateful columnists in the country.”

Despite his hateful diatribe, Cole was permitted to continue with the two Sept. 23 sessions at which he was captured berating superintendent Shirley Chan, after she bravely noted that several equate “Free Palestine” with the “destruction of Israel.”

In a statement, the Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Centre called Cole’s repeated calls to “Free Palestine” a dog whistle, noting the Free Palestine Movement is rooted in a long history of anti-Semitism, violence against Jews and promotion of the elimination of the Jewish state.

Not one trustee responded to the issue or called out Cole for his anti-Semitic tirade – including Jewish trustees Shelley Laskin and Alexandra Lulka.

Not one member of the legacy media covered the story, except for the Toronto Sun.

Efforts to reach Cole were unsuccessful. He has blocked me on Twitter and did not respond to interview requests made on other platforms.

But last week he busily posted tweets of support from a variety of like-minded Israel haters:

Russell-Rawlins, who returned to the TDSB as education director recently after a year at the troubled Peel District School Board, issued a weak apology on Sept. 23 – much of it a word salad – but only to the superintendents interrupted by Cole.

“It is clear that we should have done a better job providing space for staff to unpack these complex conversations and I want to apologize for the harm that may have caused,” she wrote.

The long-time public school board bureaucrat, known for her background in addressing issues of anti-black racism, anti-oppression and equity, made no apologies to the Jewish teachers or the Jewish community for allowing public funds to be used to attack Israel. 

A board insider told me that teachers and principals are “terrified” of saying the wrong thing and are “overcompensating” with respect to anti-black racism.

The insider said there’s fear that Cole will use this experience to further push the “white male privilege” agenda at the TDSB.

Bird said there are no further sessions planned with Cole and that going forward there will be a “more formal approval process” for selecting speakers and the associated costs.

China flies record number of planes over Taiwan defence zone

By
Harrison Faulkner
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As China marked the anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, the Communist nation flexed its military muscle over the democratic island nation of Taiwan. 

The Taiwan government reported a record 38 Chinese military jets crossing into Taiwan’s defence zone. 18 J-16s, four Su-30 fighter jets, two nuclear-capable H-6 bombers and an anti-submarine aircraft were sighted by the Taiwan defence ministry on Friday. In the early hours of Saturday, the ministry spotted a further 10 J-16s, two H-6s and an early warning aircraft.

The first batch of Chinese aircraft flew close to the Pratas Islands. The second set flew down into the Bashi Channel – a waterway that links the Pacific with the disputed South China Sea.

Despite Beijing’s claims that Taiwan is part of its territory, the island nation says it is an independent country and will defend its freedom and democracy.

While China has yet to confirm or comment on its latest show of force, this isn’t the first time the Communist nation has exerted itself upon Taiwan. In June, 28 Chinese military aircraft flew into Taiwan’s air defence zone.

China’s latest incursion comes days after Britain sent a warship through the Taiwan Strait for the first time since 2008 — a move that challenged Communist China’s claim to the controversial waterway.

In response, China’s military accused Britain of acting out of “evil intentions to sabotage peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait”.

Critics of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau have called on the Canadian government to do more to support Taiwan and to stand up to the Chinese regime. 

Canada’s former Ambassador to China David Mulroney recently tweeted that he believes the Canadian government has become “in-ward focused.” 

“China is emboldened because it believes that the West, Canada included, isn’t just in retreat — it’s collapsing on itself. This isn’t abstract Marxist theory. It comes from reading our papers, listening to our artists, athletes, academics, politicians,” tweeted Mulroney.

“Especially our politicians. National politicians, like the Prime Minister, are not more thoughtful, or even particularly concerned about how their statements resonate abroad, indicates how obsessively, narrowly, and dangerously inward-focused government has become.”

According to a recent report by the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, Canadians see the Communist Chinese regime as the biggest threat to Canada’s national security. 

How many people are fed up with the government’s rules?

By
Anthony Furey
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Hundreds of small businesses in Ontario are publicly opposing the government’s vaccine passport system and many are staying quiet about their opposition but not enforcing the system on their customers.

In his latest video, Anthony Furey shares an encounter he had at a restaurant in Ontario and asks how many people are simply fed up with the government’s rules?

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