Indigenous leaders, politicians condemn Trudeau over Tofino vacation

Cosmin Dzsurdzsa
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Indigenous leaders, politicians condemn Trudeau over Tofino vacation

Indigenous leaders and politicians from across Canada condemned Prime Minister Justin Trudeau after it was revealed on Thursday that he took a vacation to Tofino, BC on Canada’s first National Day of Truth and Reconciliation. 

Union of BC Indian Chiefs Grand Chief Stewart Phillip called Trudeau’s move a “slap in the face” of residential school survivors. 

“Given the fact this is a nationally recognized holiday in regards to truth and reconciliation, it would have been appropriate for the prime minister to fully acknowledge this day,” said Phillip. 

“Rather than do that, he has chosen to turn his back on the historical significance of today and hide out in Tofino.”

Phillip was also joined by the regional chief of the Assembly of First Nations Terry Teegee in his condemnation of Trudeau. 

“I don’t understand. He is a political leader, a public servant, and today would have been a good day to really demonstrate his commitment toward Indigenous people, to deal with a lot of the ongoing issues, including the long-term legacy of Indian residential schools,” said TeeGee. 

Reports of Trudeau’s vacation first emerged on social media after Toronto Sun journalist Byran Passifiume pointed out that Trudeau’s Canadian Forces private jet landed in the town, despite  his published itinerary showing him in Ottawa for private meetings.

Trudeau’s whereabouts were later confirmed by the Prime Minister’s Office. 

Similarly, Conservative Party Leader Erin O’Toole released a statement through a spokesperson slamming the prime minister for the vacation. 

“Truth and Reconciliation Day shouldn’t be treated like a holiday but that’s what Justin Trudeau did,” said spokesperson Chelsea Tucker.

“This is the pattern Canadians have come to know with Justin Trudeau. He says nice things about reconciliation but never follows through. As Prime Minister, Erin O’Toole will always mark this day with the respect and dignity it deserves.”

At the same time Trudeau was with his family in Tofino, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh attended an orange shirt day ceremony outside of Vancouver’s Aboriginal Friendship Centre.

Trudeau’s reconciliation holiday is symbolism without action

Andrew Lawton
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Canada had its first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation this week, a new federal holiday aimed at honouring victims and survivors of Canada’s Indian residential schools. While there’s nothing wrong with setting aside such a day, it’s clear that the Trudeau government’s approach to reconciliation is only about platitudes and symbolism, which is why the Canadian flag has been at half mast for four months now. True North’s Andrew Lawton says the flag needs to come up, and the government needs to focus on concrete action on the Indigenous file, such as securing safe drinking water and reforming or scrapping the Indian Act.

Note: This episode was recorded before the news broke that Justin Trudeau spent the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on a beach in Tofino.

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Kingston bar stripped of liquor licence for refusing to enforce vaccine passports

Caitlin Rose Morgante
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Kingston bar stripped of liquor licence for refusing to enforce vaccine passports

Kingston, Ont’s. JAKK Tuesdays Sports Pub can no longer serve alcohol after standing up Ontario’s vaccine passport regime.

The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) announced Thursday that it would be suspending JAKK Tuesdays’ liquor licence “for reasons of public interest and safety.”

“The tyranny of this government has got to stop,” pub owner Kelly Hale told Global News.

Prior to the suspension, AGCO officials attempted to “educate” Hale about the provincial government’s new lockdown restrictions, but he said he didn’t intend to comply and posted signs at his bar saying as much.

The liquor license suspension follows numerous fines issued under the Reopening Ontario Act. 

Hale does not support mask or vaccine mandates and is a part of the “Ontario Businesses Against Health Pass” Facebook group, which has amassed over 139,000 members. The group contains a wide variety of businesses — from martial arts facilities to restaurants — that are refusing to comply and check vaccination status. All of the businesses are listed on the Ontario Businesses Against Discrimination (BAD) directory. 

The directory currently lists 677 businesses. Another social media account called Stop No Pass List has estimated that approximately 200 businesses in the GTA are also refusing to ask for a vaccine passport.

“There’s a silent majority out there that’s fed up with how long this is going and what’s really happening,” said Hale.

Although Toronto Public Health officials say that they have received 122 complaints regarding vaccine certificates, they have not pressed any charges against business owners, “focusing on educating businesses on the province’s new proof of vaccine program.” 

Recently, the tide has turned, and the province announced that in the future, businesses who do not comply with checking vaccination status will be punished. In addition to facing Hale’s fate and having a liquor licence suspended, businesses may also face hefty fines. Final regulations are still under development, but non-compliant patrons could face a minimum fine of $750, and businesses will have to brace for a $1000 hit.

“I’m just doing what’s legal,” Hale says. “Not doing something illegal like the government is asking me to do by asking you for your personal medical information when you come into my restaurant.”

The Ontario government introduced the vaccine passport system on September 22. Under the system, Ontario residents must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 to enter public spaces such as restaurants, gyms, bars and clubs. 

Private sector has to deal with pay cuts. Why doesn’t the public sector?

Andrew Lawton
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Private sector has to deal with pay cuts. Why doesn’t the public sector?

A study by SecondStreet.org finds that while the private sector was forced to cut wages and lay off workers, the public sector didn’t. True North’s Andrew Lawton sat down with SecondStreet.org president Colin Craig to discuss why during one of Canada’s worst recessions, public sector wages continue to rise while private sector workers faced monumental uncertainty. It has been over 20 years since the federal government has put any real wage growth restrictions on the federal workforce, raising the question, when will the public sector ever have to take a pay cut?

LEVY: Where oh where is Kevin Vuong?

Sue-Ann Levy
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LEVY: Where oh where is Kevin Vuong?

Where oh where is Kevin Vuong? And why is he in hiding?

In the past five days — since issuing a statement on Sept. 25 defending himself against a withdrawn sexual assault charge — he’s been incommunicado, ignoring all media requests for an interview (including from True North).

Despite the mounting pressure for him to resign as Spadina–Fort York MP, he has dug his heels in and vowed to stay on as an independent.

In fact, in the evening of Sept. 25, he issued a terse, rather tone deaf, statement on Twitter, indicating that after reflecting on recent events, he has decided to continue as the independent MP for the downtown Toronto riding.

He apologized, but only for his “lack of disclosure.”

What he was referring to are revelations surrounding a sexual assault allegation from 2019, which only came to light a few days before the Sept. 20 election.

The Crown dropped the charge against Vuong after the victim reportedly contended she didn’t have the “energy” to go through a criminal trial.

After much pressure, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s team dissociated themselves from the 31-year-old Naval Reservist, a son of Vietnam refugees. He is also under review by the Canadian Armed Forces for failing to disclose the sexual assault charge.

Vuong has repeatedly denied the sexual assault allegation.

Early in September reports surfaced that Vuong was also the subject of a $1.5-million lawsuit pertaining to his pandemic mask-making business, Take Care Supply. 

The party’s own rules stipulate that would-be candidates must not be engaged in litigation or a dispute of any sort which could bring disrepute to the party.

Vuong must be held accountable for not disclosing factors that might have put him out of the running as a candidate. But the Liberal party is as much, if not more, at fault for parachuting a candidate into a riding with no formal nomination process or a clear failure to properly screen their chosen candidate in a riding previously held by the outspoken far-left Adam Vaughan.

By the time Trudeau and the Liberals acted on the allegations and turfed him from the party two days before the election, Vuong could not be removed from the ballot.

He narrowly defeated his NDP opponent, some of that support coming from mail-in ballots.

Since his win, constituents have voiced their anger on social media and several politicians have taken to Twitter to try to convince him to step aside–the most notable being his predecessor Vaughan who acted as Vuong’s mentor and canvassed with him several times throughout the election campaign:

Joe Cressy, who holds the municipal seat, also suggested Vuong do “the honourable thing” and resign:

Vuong ran against the NDP councillor in the 2018 municipal election, placing a distant third.

A petition with nearly 5,000 signatures as of Sept. 30 also calls on Vuong to step down as MP for Spadina Fort-York, claiming having him in office “will further erode society’s trust in elected officials.”

A resident of the riding, who signed the petition, says Vuong’s determination to stay on has “ruffled the feathers of everyone in Spadina Fort-York.”

He said he even sent Vuong a direct e-mail calling on him to step down.

“This guy’s got a lot of gall,” he said. 

The resident says he went to his Richmond St. campaign office the day after the election and he was nowhere in sight and his campaign staff had no idea where he was.

The rookie MP is not off to a very good start in public office.

Journalists are calling the cops on Maxime Bernier for tweeting

Andrew Lawton
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Journalists are calling the cops on Maxime Bernier for tweeting

The Canadian Association of Journalists is calling on the RCMP to investigate Maxime Bernier for hate speech because he tweeted a few reporters’ work email addresses and asked his supporters share what they think with them. While this move may not have been the nicest thing to do, it’s not hate speech and to suggest otherwise is responsible and antithetical to the free speech principles the media should be upholding, True North’s Andrew Lawton says. Also, SecondStreet.org president Colin Craig joins the show to discuss the growing disparity between private and public sector pay, plus why Jason Kenney thinks Erin O’Toole should get to stay on as Conservative leader.

Canadian Constitution Foundation suing BC over “discriminatory” vaccine passports

Jonathan Bradley
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Canadian Constitution Foundation suing BC over “discriminatory” vaccine passports

A constitutional rights group is putting the British Columbia government on notice over its new vaccine passport program.

The Canadian Constitution Foundation (CCF), a civil liberties-focused legal charity, announced Tuesday it is mounting a legal challenge to British Columbia’s vaccine passport system and the discriminatory impact it has on people who cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons. 

“The BC vaccine passport system is discriminatory on its face, because it does not include automatic exemptions for people who cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons,” said Christine Van Geyn, the CCF’s litigation director, in a press release. 

British Columbia’s vaccine passport program took effect on Sept. 13, requiring people to show that they are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 to go to certain social and recreational settings and events. 

British Columbia Premier John Horgan said vaccine passports will increase vaccination rates across the province and make fully vaccinated people feel confident that those around them will not spread COVID-19. 

“Vaccines are our ticket to putting this pandemic behind us,” said Horgan. “So I call on all eligible unvaccinated British Columbians to roll up their sleeves to stop the spread, and help protect themselves, their loved ones and the people in their community.” 

The British Columbia government is not recognizing medical exemptions from those unable to get vaccinated, instead advising these people to stay home.

The CCF is representing clients who are unable to access some public spaces because of medical conditions preventing them from getting vaccinated against COVID-19.

The applicants are a girl who developed heart inflammation after receiving her first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, a woman who developed nerve damage in her arm following her first dose, and a woman who due to complex disabilities has undergone about 15 surgeries and is contraindicated for numerous medications. 

Van Geyn said it is inappropriate to try to force an outcome in one direction through policies such as vaccine passports. 

“Adverse reactions to a vaccine are rare, but they do happen,” said Van Geyn. “It is cruel and unconstitutional to add exclusion and isolation on top of physical trauma for a person who has had, or is likely to have, an adverse reaction.” 

The first step in the CCF’s challenge to British Columbia’s vaccine passports is a request for reconsideration of the policies related to food and liquor serving premises and gatherings and events dated Sept. 10. Existing case law requires using the administrative route to challenge the order before going to court. The CCF will request the government create categorical exemptions for certain medical conditions. 

The British Columbia government did not respond to a request for comment about the lawsuit.

Geoffrey Trotter, a constitutional lawyer at Geoffrey Trotter Law Corporation, will be representing the CCF in this case. 

“Our hope is that the government acquiesces and makes the process of obtaining medical exemptions simpler and easier,” said Trotter. “The individuals who need medical accommodation are already facing enough challenges in their daily lives, and the government shouldn’t be making their lives even harder.” 

Other similar lawsuits are being filed against various provinces. 

The Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms (JCCF), a civil liberties law firm, announced on Sept. 22 it is looking at filing a lawsuit against the Ontario government for their vaccine passport policy. The JCCF has issued a warning letter to the Ontario government on behalf of four clients demanding vaccine passports be revoked. 

Rebel News has teamed up with the Democracy Fund, a civil liberties charity, to file lawsuits against governments and businesses across Canada over vaccine passports. Rebel and the Democracy Fund are onboarding 20 plaintiffs and recruiting constitutional lawyers to combat vaccine passports. 

The PPC are not to blame for O’Toole’s failure

Candice Malcolm
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The PPC are not to blame for O’Toole’s failure

Even if you combined the PPC and Conservative vote in the 2021 election, Erin O’Toole would still not be Prime Minister.

On today’s episode of the Candice Malcolm Show, Candice is joined by pollster Hamish Marshall to do a deep dive into the election outcome, looking at the numbers, analyzing the close races and dispelling emerging media narrative myths about the election.

The biggest takeaway: this election was a total waste of time that led to a more divided country and a water-down Liberal-lite Conservative Party of Canada.

Trudeau vacations in Tofino on National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

Cosmin Dzsurdzsa
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0
Trudeau vacations in Tofino on National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his family travelled to Tofino, BC on Thursday the Prime Minister’s Office has confirmed, despite publishing an itinerary entry for the day which placed Trudeau in Ottawa for “private meetings.” 

Toronto Sun journalist Byran Passifiume was the first to report Trudeau’s whereabouts. 

According to Global News’ Mercedes Stephenson, a PMO spokesperson confirmed Trudeau’s location. 

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

Earlier this year, Trudeau instituted the national civic holiday as a commitment to the calls to action by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. 

The day is a statutory holiday which means that federal employees and federally regulated workers get to take the day off work. 

“It is a day to reflect on the painful and lasting impacts of residential schools in Canada, and to honour survivors, their families, and their communities. It is also a day to remember the many children who never returned home, and an opportunity for us all to learn more, and to affirm the need for reconciliation and commit ourselves to the work ahead,” Trudeau said in a statement on the holiday. 

This is not the first time that Trudeau’s itinerary didn’t match up with his actual whereabouts. 

Last year in August, the PMO quietly changed Trudeau’s itinerary after he was spotted vacationing in Pointe au Baril, Ontario by locals. 

Similarly, the official itinerary at the time also placed him in Ottawa for private meetings.

Conservative president threatens to drop councillor calling for O’Toole to step down

Cosmin Dzsurdzsa
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0

Conservative Party of Canada President Rob Batherson is threatening to drop national council member Bert Chen from his position after Chen created a petition to have Erin O’Toole recalled as leader. 

“When you hold an office in the party, there’s an expectation that your conduct is such that it doesn’t detract or harm the interests or the reputation of… the national council on which you serve… the party and… the leader,” Batherson told CBC News.

“Use that position in a constructive way, to engage the leadership on conveying views that you’re hearing from the members. [Don’t go] down a path where you’re literally lighting a torch before all the ballots have been actually counted.”

According to Chen, he is not abusing his authority and is simply representing the views of members who have expressed a desire for an early leadership review. 

“I have received overwhelming support in favour of my petition from members of the Conservative Party. This can be evidenced by the more than 4,000 signatures to my petition, versus the 2,000 in support of Mr. O’Toole,” Chen told CBC News. 

“A national councillor’s duty is to represent the concerns of the membership, not to run interference for a leader who has lost their confidence. I will continue to act in the best interest of our membership, and I am confident that my colleagues on National Council respect my duty to the membership.”

As of Thursday, Chen’s petition has received nearly double the amount of signatures than the one in support of O’Toole. 

In a September 30, 2021 update to his petition, Chen accused Batherson of trying to have him “removed or silenced from National Council.” 

“I will continue to represent your belief that Erin O’Toole must be held to account for his actions at the earliest opportunity,” wrote Chen. 

“As we continue this effort, please remember these Five conservative leadership policies O’Toole abandoned during the general election and why he cannot stay on as Leader.”

Many Conservatives have come out against O’Toole for losing what many call was a “winnable” election. 

Despite flip-flopping on many conservative policies in order to appeal to Liberal voters in Ontario and Quebec, O’Toole was not able to increase the Conservative vote share or seat count.

A True North study found that despite spending 400% more time campaigning in Quebec than Prime Minister Justin Trudeau did in Alberta, O’Toole did not make any gains in the province while Trudeau was able to secure two seats in Alberta.

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