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Friday, July 18, 2025

“The leader that Canada needs now,” Rick Hillier and Mark Norman endorse O’Toole

By
Caitlin Rose Morgante
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Retired General Rick Hillier and retired Vice-Admiral Mark Norman have endorsed Conservative leader Erin O’Toole to become Prime Minister on September 20th. 

In a video posted to the Conservative Party’s Twitter, Norman urged Canadians to vote Conservative.

“In just a few days, we Canadians have an important responsibility. To choose the person we want to lead us for the next few years,” said Norman. He pointed out that “Canada is facing a lot of challenges right now. Some form beyond our borders, and many from within. 

“On Monday, we need to choose a leader of substance. A leader who will face these challenges with courage, integrity, reason and a solid plan for what’s in the best long-term interest of this country.” Norman said he believes that  “Erin O’Toole is the leader that Canada needs now.”

Norman claims to have been the victim of  “politically motivated” prosecution by the federal government. Norman was suspended from his position in 2018 by General Jonathan Vance after allegedly playing a hand in leaking the shipbuilding contract information. After a lengthy legal battle with the government, Norman was cleared of any wrongdoing after all charges against him were dropped. The government’s failed prosecution cost taxpayers over $1.4 million. 

Hillier previously commanded the NATO International Security Defense Force in Afghanistan. Recently, Hillier was the head of Ontario’s COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Task Force.

Hillier says he believes O’Toole has a vision for leading Canada.

“I believe we have many divisions in our country right now and we need somebody to unite them and I believe Erin can do that,” Hillier said. 

“Vote for Erin O’Toole and make him the leader of our country, and make him the leader we want to have in Ottawa for the next [few] years.” 

While the Conservative leader received glowing endorsements from high profile Canadian figures, the Liberals and NDP received endorsements from popular figures south of the border. 

Earlier in the week, former US president Barack Obama and 2016 Democratic Presidential candidate and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton endorsed Liberal Party Leader Justin Trudeau. In a Twitter post on Thursday afternoon, Obama referred to Trudeau as an “effective leader” and “strong voice” for democracy. 

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh was endorsed by U.S. Senator and former Presidential candidate Bernie Sanders. Sanders took to Twitter, saying that the NDP is the “one party that stood up for working people in the pandemic,” and Singh is the “one leader who has the courage to make the wealthy pay their fair share so everyone gets the medication they need.”

A seismic change is happening in the energy industry but none of our leaders notice

By
Michael Binnion
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What if everything changes during this election and no one noticed?

A seismic change is happening in the Canadian energy industry that will affect everything for our global energy systems and the planet. And it’s happening in Europe and now in the United States, too.

In general, every party in this federal election continues to support the idea of a transition away from hydrocarbons. They are largely different only in the timeline they propose – some want to move faster, some slower.

Yet there has been sparse chatter about the emerging option of an energy transformation. This article aims to address that gap in the policy conversation – which should feature this significant shift in the energy sector.

In Calgary, the petroleum industry has worked to reinvent itself using its foundation as a world energy centre to become a world carbon-tech centre. Like in other places around the world, innovative energy companies have realized that reducing emissions can be achieved in ways not yet imagined by our political leaders. Using the principle of the three R’s (reduce, reuse, and return), Canada can create a circular economy in energy. If mother nature can recycle carbon dioxide why can’t we? CO2, just like tin cans and cardboard, can go from a waste disposal problem to valuable feedstock in the new circular economy.

In the circular economy for energy, oil and gas produce energy with net-zero emissions. Fully implemented, this brings the total environmental impacts of oil and gas below that of alternatives such as wind or solar.

So if oil and gas can be net-zero emissions then why would we need a transition away from them? 

Some are projecting a multi-trillion-dollar market in rolling out the new carbon recycling technologies and the carbon capture infrastructure to make it effective. It’s a huge up-front investment. As demonstrated by numerous announcements, many leaders, including those in Alberta, plan to take a big share of this market.

And Canada’s well-positioned to do so.

Whether the political masters in Ottawa like it or not, our country’s ambitious climate targets for 2050 are unachievable without the involvement of the oil and gas industry – and most savvy observers know it. 80% of our energy and energy systems are run by fossil fuel companies and their STEM-trained employees. They have the talent, experience, innovation, and infrastructure necessary to transform Canada’s energy sector. Change is not going to come from the ivory towers of power in Ottawa or the chattering classes. Nonetheless, the industry historically has been slow to address the impacts of continuous population and GDP growth on the global environment frustrating governments and Canadians alike.

And I can say unequivocally that has changed. 

Alberta is vaulting from laggard to leader on carbon-tech solutions, some of which are commercially available already. Billions of dollars have already been invested and new project announcements for energy transformation are coming every day. And the rest of the world is taking note of these carbon-capture innovations. Elon Musk recently announced a global $100 million XPRIZE for carbon tech demonstrating the worldwide interest in these new solutions.

So, what say the applicants for Prime Minister?

Jagmeet Singh has confirmed he will eliminate all assistance for oil and gas even if it is essential to making oil and gas with net-zero emissions. 

Justin Trudeau wants to make “transitioning off oil and gas” a law with his “Just Transition” which promises to legislate hundreds of thousands of workers into new career paths. 

Only Erin O’Toole stands as the sole supporter of carbon capture and storage. However, not even O’Toole has talked about carbon recycling and turning CO2 into a feedstock for an emerging trillion-dollar market. 

With billions pouring into carbon tech in Alberta and around the world, why aren’t these innovations part of the solutions our leaders are bringing forward this election?

Maybe with the right questions, the politicians campaigning to govern this country will finally take note of this worldwide seismic shift.

Michael Binnion is the executive director of the Modern Miracle Network, whose mission is to encourage Canadians to have reasoned conversations about energy issues, and CEO of Questerre Energy Corporation, which is seeking to apply circular economy technologies to a natural gas discovery in Quebec.

Why hasn’t the government done anything about hospital capacity?

By
Anthony Furey
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Albertans are in yet another lockdown and are being told the reason for this is because of hospital capacity.

Canadians across the country have been told that the lockdowns are justified because our hospitals are overrun by COVID patients. It’s been almost two years of dealing with COVID-19 – why haven’t they done anything to increase hospital capacity?

Anthony Furey discusses in his latest video.

Western Canada can’t afford more of Justin Trudeau

By
Andrew Lawton
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As Canadians go to the polls Monday, the stakes are high for western industry, especially in the oil and gas sector. True North’s Andrew Lawton sat down in Calgary with entrepreneur and investor W. Brett Wilson to chat about western alienation, the energy sector, and what next week’s election means for both.

TERRAZZANO: Don’t want to tax our home? Remove reporting requirement

By
Franco Terrazzano
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Source: Flickr

Actions speak louder than words. That’s especially the case with politicians’ promises.

Politicians say they won’t send the taxman after Canadians’ homes. But let’s be honest, Canadians don’t believe them. If politicians truly want to reassure taxpayers that there is no home equity tax coming, they’ll remove the requirement for Canadians to report the sale of their home with the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA).

Through a home equity tax, the federal government would take a chunk of the proceeds from the sale of principal residences. MoneyWise estimates that a Quebec family that bought its home for $500,000 and sold it for $600,000 would pay a $20,858 home equity tax. That’s $20,858 that a retiring couple couldn’t use to fund their golden years and a young couple couldn’t put towards a family home.

There’s currently no home equity tax in Canada. But homeowners need to stay on guard.

In 2016, Ottawa made it mandatory for Canadians to report the sale of their primary residence even though it’s tax-exempt. If you sell your home, the CRA wants to know how much money you received from that sale. But, if the taxman isn’t taxing it, then why is the taxman asking that question? Is the CRA just curious?

Politicians say they won’t impose a home equity tax while they sing for their supper during the election.

Trudeau denied that a Liberal government would impose a home equity tax during the last leaders’ debate. Liberal candidate Mark Gerretsen even posted a graphic to social media that says, “the Liberal’s are not going to implement a home equity tax.”

Taxpayers shouldn’t trust them until they delete the reporting requirement.

The Liberals are already sniffing around Canadian homes. Last budget, the Trudeau government announced a tax on foreigners who own vacant homes. Now, the Liberals want to send the taxman after you if you sell your home earlier than they think you should. And we already know that the feds spent $250,000 of our tax dollars studying home taxes.

Trudeau and the Liberals have misled taxpayers before.

In the lead-up to the last federal election, former environment minister Catherine McKenna told Canadians the Liberals had “no intention” of raising the carbon tax beyond $50 per tonne. After the election was over, Trudeau announced he would hike the carbon tax to $170 per tonne by 2030. That would soak a family for about $30 every time they fuel up their minivan.

Last year, Trudeau promised Canadians he wouldn’t raise taxes.

“The last thing Canadians need is to see a rise in taxes right now,” said Trudeau. “We are not going to be saddling Canadians with extra costs.”

Despite that promise, Trudeau raised the carbon tax and booze taxes months later. His 2021 budget also included a raft of tax increases such as higher tobacco taxes, a vaping tax, sales taxes for digital services and a luxury goods tax.

On the other side, Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole’s platform says “Canada’s Conservatives will never tax Canadians’ capital gains on the sale of their principal residence, something many within the Liberal party are threatening to do.”

That’s a pretty strong rejection of a home equity tax. It’s almost as strong as O’Toole’s pledge to fight carbon taxes:

“I, Erin O’Toole promise that, if elected Prime Minister of Canada, I will: Immediately repeal the Trudeau carbon tax; and, reject any future national carbon tax or cap-and-trade scheme.”

O’Toole is now breaking his pledge and will hammer families with a carbon tax of his own.

The moral of the story: political talk is cheap.

If politicians want to prove that they won’t tax the sale of Canadians’ principal residence, then they must remove the requirement for taxpayers to report the sale of their home to the taxman.

Franco Terrazzano is the Federal Director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation.

The legacy media regurgitates Liberal talking points again and again

By
Candice Malcolm
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It’s Fake News Friday on The Candice Malcolm Show!

While there was plenty of fake news to cover during the CBC’s election town halls this week, the state broadcaster was not alone when it comes to spreading misinformation and misleading Canadians.

This week, CTV helps the Liberals market their campaign pledge to make it a criminal offence to block health care buildings. There’s only one problem – it’s already a criminal offence to block health care buildings.

Also, the government-funded Toronto Star misleads Canadians about our immigration laws, claiming it’s perfectly legal to illegally cross into Canada.

These stories and more on The Candice Malcolm Show. Tune in now!

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O’Toole blasts Trudeau after Canada is left out of US-led intelligence alliance

By
Cosmin Dzsurdzsa
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Conservative Party Leader Erin O’Toole slammed the governing Liberals after Canada was left out of an international alliance between its traditional allies the US, the UK and Australia. 

The new defence pact entitled Australia-UK-US alliance (AUKUS), which was announced on Thursday, aims to counter communist China. The newly formed pact could leave Canada in the dark on vital intelligence-sharing operations and provides both countries access to nuclear submarines. 

In response to the decision, O’Toole told reporters that it was indicative of Liberal Party Leader Justin Trudeau’s reputation as an unserious leader. 

“This is another example that Mr. Trudeau is not taken seriously by our friends and allies around the world. Canada is becoming more irrelevant under Mr. Trudeau,” said O’Toole.

O’Toole also pledged that if elected leader, he would urge the alliance to admit Canada to the partnership. 

Meanwhile, Trudeau called the pact a “deal for nuclear submarines” for Australia while downplaying the significance of Canada’s exclusion. 

“This is a deal for nuclear submarines, which Canada is not currently or any time soon in the market for. Australia is,” said Trudeau. 

Other nations including France and Germany were also left out. To date, France has announced that it will be removing its ambassadors from Washington DC and Australia over the exclusion. 

Despite the move, Canada remains a member of the Five Eyes partnership which includes the US, the UK, Australia, New Zealand and Canada. 

This is not the first time that Trudeau has failed to gain access to international organizations that his government has coveted. 

In 2019, a failed bid by Trudeau to join the UN National Security Council cost Canadians over $8.6 million.

Gerald Butts mocks story of Chinese officer’s access to top-secret virus research

By
Cosmin Dzsurdzsa
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Former senior liberal strategist Gerald Butts mocked journalists on Twitter over a breaking report which revealed that ex-federal scientists collaborated with a top Chinese military officer on highly contagious virus research. 

“We’re getting so close to the point where Bob Fife and Steve Chase could see someone having Dim Sum and turn it into a @globeandmail front,” tweeted Butts.

Butts made the comments shortly after the Globe and Mail published its story exposing how People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Major-General Chen Wei worked on two Ebola studies with former National Microbiology Laboratory scientists Xiangguo Qiu. 

According to the outlet, Chen’s identity as the PLA’s chief military virologist was hidden from the publication which only referenced the individual as a PhD holder with the Academy of Military Science. 

Additionally, the Public Health Agency of Canada is refusing to reveal whether Chen visited or had access to the top-security facility which houses some of the deadliest viruses available for scientific study.

While in government, Butts worked with Trudeau to develop closer relations with China. 

In 2017, the former principal secretary accompanied the prime minister and a team of diplomats to travel to Beijing with the hopes of securing a coveted trade deal with the communist nation. 

Following a disastrous display by Trudeau and his diplomats, which the Chinese leadership perceived as presumptuous, Butts and Trudeau returned to Canada virtually empty-handed.

Less than a year later, the chilled relationship between the two nations would erupt following the December 2018 arrest of Huawei CFO and Chinese heiress Meng Wanzhou and China’s retaliatory detentions of Canadian Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig. 

The Liberal government has since refused to disclose information to opposition parties regarding Qiu’s and her husband Kending Chang’s firing from the Winnipeg-based laboratory.

Crown drops COVID tickets against Ontario pastor

By
Caitlin Rose Morgante
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Prosecutors have dropped two Public Health Act tickets issued against Woodstock, Ont. pastor charged with allegedly breaching Ontario’s strict lockdown orders.

Pastor Rene McIntyre and her church, Trumpet of Truth Christian Ministries, were charged for services they held Dec. 27 and Jan. 11, which ensured social distancing, mask-wearing and hand-washing.

According to the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms, which represented McIntyre and her church, police interrupted the service and took video recordings of parishioners at worship through the door. There were approximately 60 congregants in attendance, with only five chairs per row.

The Crown dropped the two charges after extensive negotiation with McIntyre’s lawyer, the JCCF says. The legal charity also represents many other pastors hit with charges after gathering to worship amid COVID health restrictions. 

“It’s troubling to see Canada persecuting pastors exercising their Charter rights and freedoms to practice their religion,” says Sayeh Hassan, an Ontario-based staff lawyer with the JCCF.

Despite this victory, many other pastors are still fighting an uphill battle. One such man is Pastor Artur Pawloski, who first became prominent after a video of him kicking Calgary police out of his church over Easter went viral. 

Pawloski compared government-mandated church closures during the pandemic to the measures taken by authorities in his native country Poland when it was under the Communist regime. Pawlowski was arrested in May for violating public health orders by holding an in-person church service. Pawloski has also been issued dozens of COVID-19 related tickets for feeding the homeless without wearing a mask. 

“Pastors have been instrumental in keeping their congregations hopeful and mentally strong during these difficult times. Sadly, Canada is the only democratic country where pastors have not only been charged but arrested and even imprisoned for exercising their Charter rights to practice their religion. We are now starting to see similarities between the treatment of pastors in Canada and less tolerant countries like Iran and China where pastors are regularly persecuted for practicing their religion. This is a trend all Canadians should be very concerned about,” said Hassan. 

“The existence of a virus does not remove people’s fundamental freedoms to attend church and worship according to their beliefs.”

What does the election mean for the west?

By
Andrew Lawton
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Issues germane to western Canada have been all but ignored by most political parties and the media during the federal election, with little to no discussion about western alienation, which continues to grow as Alberta heads towards a referendum on equalization in October.

In this edition of the Andrew Lawton Show, True North’s Andrew Lawton spotlights western voices, including entrepreneur and investor W. Brett Wilson, Maverick Party interim leader Jay Hill and Banff–Airdrie Maverick candidate Tariq Elnaga.

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