Argentina is at a turning point, says Milei

"We have governed these first six months of the year uphill, managing the worst inheritance in history and without the legislative power or instruments that all governments before ours have had," says Javier  Milei.... "And they put sticks in our wheel every single day that we try to govern.... But you know what? All this is proving that the ideas of freedom are stronger."

Javier Milei at Cato Conference: “I’m a Liberal Libertarian … I Don’t Believe Politicians Are Gods” | Cato at Liberty | Michael Chapman:

September 27, 2024 - "During a conference in Buenos Aries sponsored by the Cato Institute and Libertad y Progreso, Argentine President Javier Milei explained why socialism always fails, why big government (the 'State') is criminal ... and why he is a libertarian.... 'My friends, I'm a liberal libertarian' ... said Milei.... The two-day conference (June 11–12), attended by up to 1,000 people, was entitled 'The Rebirth of Liberty in Argentina and Beyond.'

Javier Milei, May 2024.

 Public domain, Wikimedia Commons.

"Milei, the most outspoken and orthodox libertarian elected to the presidency of a major country, took office in December 2023. Although his critics and much of the mainstream media have tried to characterize him as an impractical zealot — El Loco, the madman — so far Milei has implemented a good portion of his agenda.... For instance, since taking office, Milei has slashed government spending up to 30%, fired more than 25,000 federal workers, reduced federal agencies, frozen public works projects, lowered a major import tariff, maintained budget surpluses every month, reduced monthly inflation to 4.2% (August 2024) from 25% (December 2023), and is pushing for currency competition.... 

"It is not all roses, however, as he explained in his speech because his administration is fighting against 100 years of government intervention. This soft socialism has corrupted the government, the courts, the economy, the
culture, the schools, and the people.

“'We have governed these first six months of the year uphill, managing the worst inheritance in history and without the legislative power or instruments that all governments before ours have had,' said Milei. 'Politics, since before we took power, has put sticks in our wheels. They put sticks in our wheel by tearing up the balance sheet of the central bank. And they put sticks in our wheel every single day that we try to govern.... But you know what?' he said. 'All this is proving that the ideas of freedom are stronger because, despite the foul political caste, we’re doing right. We’re beating inflation.'

“There is no doubt that Argentina is facing a turning point,' he added. '[W]e can return to the path of freedom that we should never have wandered from and return to the values and ideas that once made Argentina a global power, resume the defense of life, freedom, and private property, and aspire to be a country at the level of our identity and our history once again.'

"Between 1860 and 1930, Argentina 'grew more rapidly than the United States, Canada, Australia, or Brazil' ... according to Agriculture and Economic Growth in Argentina, 1913–84. By 1913, Argentina was among 'the 10 wealthiest countries in the world,' with a per capita income similar to Switzerland, the Latin American Economic Review reported. That changed with a military takeover in 1930, which introduced statist, big government policies tainted by socialist thinking. Government intervention and economic malaise have characterized Argentina for the last 100 years. Milei is trying to reintroduce the libertarian policies that once made Argentina great.

"'[I]n Argentina we are rediscovering ideas that made the modern Western world the greatest civilizing and economic development achievement in human history,' said Milei. 'We want to be a haven for those who defend and live these ideas throughout the entire planet.' Today, 'Argentina is on the private sector side, not the state,” he said. “On the side of those who work, those who trade, those who strive; on the side of those who take risks, those who invest, who innovate.'

"'As developed countries become bogged down in unnecessary regulations and obligations, we remove the regulations that have bound our people for decades,' said Milei, 'and we invite capital from around the world to cooperate with Argentina because we understand free economic activity as the most natural act of cooperation of the human race.'

"Milei also explained how big-government bureaucrats in Argentina and other countries corrupt the economy with socialist policies. 'As Hayek said, every time the state intervenes, it generates a worse result than if it hadn’t intruded,' said Milei. 'Why? Because state intervention causes distortions in the pricing system. It prevents correct economic calculation and consequently nullifies what Hayek called the correct functioning of the market as a discovery process.' With capitalism and free pricing you have better 'information about quantities of goods or services that are wanted and at what price,' said Milei. Collectivism, however, inhibits the discovery process and 'binds the entrepreneur’s hands and impedes them from producing better goods and offering better services at a better price'....

"Where economic freedom is allowed, there is more political freedom, said Milei. '[F]reer countries have a GDP per capita 12 times larger than oppressed countries. Even the inhabitants of the lowest decile of the free system live better than 90% of the population in the repressed countries. That is, free enterprise capitalism is superior to socialism even on the main task that socialism supposedly does better, which is to help the less fortunate.'

"Social justice, charity for 'those who have the least,” said Milei, 'it is good, but if you do it with your own pocket [money]' and not with money that belongs to someone else. When the state intervenes in the name of social welfare, it confiscates 'assets from a private person, which are theirs by natural right, which means that the state is a criminal and violent organization, as it is funded with a coercive source of income called taxes.' Echoing Hayek, Milei said the more the state intervenes 'the less free the markets are and the worse they work, producing misery instead of wealth.'

"In closing, he said, 'If we manage to remove the state enough for society to flourish, we will have succeeded because free economic activity will lead to benefits for all of society. If we achieve this, it won’t be a triumph of ours but of society as a whole, which will have left behind 100 years of statism and decadence. Therefore, as we travel the road to that new Argentina, I thank you all for being here. God bless the Argentines and may the force of Heaven be with us. Long live freedom, damn it! Long live freedom, damn it! Long live freedom, damn it! Thank you.'"

Read more: https://www.cato.org/blog/javier-milei-cato-conference-im-liberal-libertarian-i-dont-believe-politicians-are-gods

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Argentine President Javier Milei at conference, Cato Institute, Libertad y Progreso (Abridged Video) | Max Videos | September 12, 2024:

To watch the entire video, click here. https://www.cato.org/multimedia/events/rebirth-liberty-argentina-beyond-closing-remarks-javier-milei

Bill C-293 gives unchecked pandemic powers to public health bureaucracies

A private members' bill by Toronto backbencher Nathan Erskine-Smith has passed through Canada's House of Commons with next to no media attention, and is now before the Senate. The bill grants Public Health authorities the power to make law under the guise of pandemic prevention and to make their own agreements with the World Health Association, bypassing Parliament, legislatures, and courts.    

Dr. Sylvain Charlebois, Is Bill C-293 Canada's 'Vegan Act'? Toronto Sun, Sept. 25, 2024

9-11! Stop Bill C-293 | OneClickPolitics (news release):

"C-293, the Pandemic Prevention and Preparedness Act, grants Public Health the power to govern Canadians under the guise of pandemic 'prevention.' The Act engages all levels of government and Indigenous communities. It grants omnipotent power to change land use, government foods you can eat and even create a-controlled economy to reduce any 'risk,' not further defined, of a Pandemic, not further defined. No term is defined within this Bill, handing dangerously overbroad powers to Public Health.

"This Bill allows the World Health Organization (WHO) to make agreements with Public Health directly, attempting to eliminate jurisdiction of the courts and the constitution. It allows Public Health control over communications infrastructure, instituting interlinking surveillance. 

"Once enacted, C-293 imposes mandatory medical treatments, explicitly controls your personal autonomy, affecting your freedom of movement and privacy, can expropriate farms and other property and relocate rural and urban dwellers (to 15 minute cities), for absurd reasons like 'deforestation increases the risk of pandemics.' Even with the absurd grants of power C-293 still gives more powers 'as appropriate,' not further defined.

"C-293 alters everything we now know about Canada. There is a serious concern that this Bill alone will change forever how Canada is governed. No other bill represents such a clear threat to Canada and the rule of law given the complete absence of definitions of terms coupled with its comprehensive overreach into every aspect of life.

"This Bill is on the cusp of being enacted. It has been passed by the House and has had first reading in the Senate. To prevent this dangerous Bill from becoming Canadian law, please take the following actions.

"Provincial MLAs and Premieres should have an immediate legal review of the broad jurisdictional assaults of this Federal Bill in order to preemptively go to Court to stop the operation of Bill C-293. They are not protecting our rights in our province when a Federal Bill has totalitarian reach into their Constitutional authority.

"Use the Action item on this page to send your letter to your MP, Senators, MLA,  Governor General. Share this link 

https://oneclickpolitics.global.ssl.fastly.net/promo/602 

as widely as possible to mobilize your entire Circle of Influence.... Copy the action letter and send to your Mayor and Councilors."

For more information:

https://rumble.com/v5dnhvd-open-letter-to-the-senate-parliament-of-canada..html

https://youtube.com/clip/Ugkx9_Hqfdsiu4JTCGnwBKIBNPOZOpDoo586 

Calgary pastor appeals Coutts blockade conviction

Alberta pastor Artur Pawlowski is appealing the 61-day jail sentence he was given for preaching at the 2022 Coutts border blockade. 

'A dangerous precedent': Lawyer for Calgary preacher appeals Coutts protest conviction | CBC News | Meghan Grant:

September 10, 2024 - "The lawyers for a Calgary pastor found guilty of mischief for encouraging protesters to continue blocking the Canada-U.S. border crossing in 2022 say he was communicating with attendees, not inciting them, and should have his conviction overturned. On Tuesday, Artur Pawlowski's appeal was heard by a panel of three Alberta Court of Appeal judges.

"Pawlowski was convicted of inciting mischief based on a videotaped speech he gave on Feb. 3, 2022, at the saloon near the Coutts blockade. Defence lawyer Sarah Miller said her client gave a speech that should be looked at as communicating with protesters but 'did not incite interference with the highway.' 'The glaring absence of any reference to the blockade or the highway is fatal to the Crown's case and is an error in law,' said Miller. 'It would be a dangerous precedent to say you can't express support of protesters.'

"On the day of the speech, protesters had made a deal to leave the border crossing and head to Edmonton. Pawlowski encouraged those protesting COVID-19 health restrictions to stay in Coutts and hold their ground. 'The eyes of the world are fixed right here on you guys. You are the heroes. Don't you dare go breaking the line,' Pawlowski said in the video. The protesters ultimately decided to stay and continue their two week on-again, off-again blockade.

"Miller said the court was not being asked to approve of Pawlowski's speech, rather to consider it in the context of a 'reasonable interpretation of the Criminal Code'.... Miller's co-counsel Evan Best argued that Pawlowski was 'legally justified to give that speech' under the freedom of expression section of the Charter.

"But prosecutor Andrew Barg argued the defence position of legal justification under the free speech section of the Charter 'is wrong.' 'He can give a speech,' said Barg. 'But then there's a point where it crosses a line.' That point was when Pawlowski, in his speech, 'intentionally incites these people to commit a criminal act,' said Barg.

"The trial judge, Justice Gordon Krinke, had found that Pawlowski 'counselled other persons to interfere with the use of Highway 4 in a manner which rendered it useless'....  [Pawlowski was sentenced to 61 days in jail, but was released since he has already spent 51 days locked up in remand - gd]....

"More than a dozen people were charged in connection with the protests and blockade, including four men accused of conspiracy to murder RCMP officers. Those men were not convicted of [that] charge, rather, two pleaded guilty to firearms offences and were released from jail with sentences equal to the time they'd already served. The other two were found guilty of firearms violations and mischief following a trial and were handed 6½-year sentences."

Read more: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/artur-pawlowski-mischief-coutts-blockade-conviction-appeal-1.7319289  

Pastor Artur Pawlowski's lawyer breaks down criminal conviction appeal after impassioned sermon | Rebel News | September 11, 2024:

Meta CEO now self-identifies as libertarian

Sources close to Mark Zuckerberg say that the Meta CEO now privately identifies as a libertarian, while publicly he seems to be striving for political neutrality. 

Mark Zuckerberg has entered his libertarian era | Business Insider | Alice Tecotzky 

 September 24, 2024 - "Out of the public eye, Mark Zuckerberg identifies with libertarianism — or at least that's according to the few sources privy to his private political thoughts. As Zuckerberg attempts to convince Republicans that he, and his company Meta, are nonpartisan, sources told the New York Times that he's sunk into a political cynicism....

Mark Zuckerberg in 2018. Photo by Anthony Quintano.

CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons.

"Zuckerberg has hired Republican strategist Brian Baker, who will aim to heal his relationship with right-wing media and operatives. Much of the animosity toward Zuckerberg trickles down from the top of the party, beginning with former President Donald Trump himself. 

"Zuckerberg suspended Trump's Facebook account after the events of January 6.... Trump now seems to delight in bashing Zuckerberg, whom he threatened to imprison if he wins back the White House.... And in his most recent book, Trump included a photo of Zuckerberg and said that the tech leader engaged in a "PLOT AGAINST THE PRESIDENT."

"Now, however, it seems that Zuckerberg is attempting to make amends. The Meta CEO has called Trump twice this summer alone and even referred to him as a 'badass' after the assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania....

"Trump asserts that Zuckerberg said there was 'no way I can vote for a Democrat' when the two of them spoke, though representatives for Meta refute that narrative. A spokesperson said that Zuckerberg is not endorsing a candidate and hasn't shared how he will vote in November....

"Zuckerberg, who recently joined the three-member club of people worth more than $200 billion, is attempting to patch up his image among Republicans beyond the president. In 2020, Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, donated $400 million to protect election infrastructure. Some Republicans accused Zuckerberg of anti-conservative bias after the donation, and the billionaire sent a letter to Congress last month promising not to make similar contributions this cycle. 'Despite the analyses I've seen showing otherwise, I know that some people believe this work benefited one party over the other,' Zuckerberg wrote. 'My goal is to be neutral and not play a role one way or another — or to even appear to be playing a role.'

"The devotion to neutrality extends to the philanthropy he shares with his wife, the Times reported. While the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative once dumped money into progressive efforts like legalizing drugs, Zuckerberg no longer pushes causes that can be spun as partisan. In June, he told fellow attendees at a lavish retreat, known as a 'summer camp for billionaires,' that he regretted hiring employees who promoted leftist causes, sources said....

"Representatives for Meta and the Chan Zuckerberg Institute did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider."

Read more: https://www.businessinsider.com/mark-zuckerberg-meta-facebook-libertarian-trump-2024-9

Canada's Conservatives cut off CTV News

Pierre Poilievre's director of media relations has told Conservative Members of Parliament not to speak with CTV News, after a doctored clip of Poilievre was shown on the network Sunday. 

Conservatives 'won’t engage' with CTV until network admits 'malicious editing' of clip | Western Standard | Jarryd Jäger:

Septenber 24, 2024 - "Conservative MPs will refuse to engage with CTV and its reporters until the network acknowledges that a recent clip of leader Pierre Poilievre was 'maliciously' edited. While CTV issued an apology, Poilievre's director of media relations Sebastian Skamski said it wasn't good enough.

"'Yesterday’s so called "apology" from [CTV News] doesn't cut it,' Skamski wrote in a post on X. 'This wasn't a simple "misunderstanding". Until they explicitly acknowledge their malicious editing & omission of context to undermine [Poilievre], Conservative MPs won’t engage with CTV News & its reporters.' 

"'Effective immediately, all members of the Conservative Caucus will refrain from engaging with CTV News, including commentary to CTV News and its reporters,' Skamski wrote in a letter to MPs. 'This extends to any meetings with Bell executives, staff, or lobbyists'....

"The four-second clip in question was broadcast by CTV on Sunday, and purported to show Poilievre suggesting the Conservatives' opposition day motion and confidence vote were motivated by a desire to end the Liberals' dental care program, not the carbon tax. He can be heard allegedly claiming, 'That's why we need to put forward a motion,' though he is only shown saying the second half of the sentence. The Conservative leader's media relations team quickly realized that what he said in the clip did not match the transcript from the scrum from which the audio was taken. Instead, his comments appeared to be made up of separate words spliced together.

After nine years of this NDP-Liberal government, they've doubled the debt, doubled housing cots, caused the worst inflation in 40 years, sent people to the food bank, unleashed crime and chaos in our communities. That's why it's time to put forward a motion for a carbon tax election. A carbon tax election needed because the NDP-Liberals plan to hike the carbon tax by 300% all the way to 61 cents a litre, which would cripple our economy, put hundreds of thousands of people out of jobs, mean empty shelves at grocery stores. We need a carbon tax election so Canadians can vote to axe the tax, build homes, fix the budget, and stop the crime with a common sense Conservative government."

"All mentions of the carbon tax were left out of the clip....

"CTV admitted that the clip was presented 'out of context,' and blamed the 'misrepresentation' on a 'misunderstanding during the editing process.'"

Read more: https://www.westernstandard.news/news/breaking-conservatives-wont-engage-with-ctv-until-network-admits-malicious-editing-of-clip/58112

Update, September 26: Today, CTV issued a second statement:

WOW CTV CAVES In To Poilievre, ADMITS FAKE Report And Fires Employees | Clinton Jaws | September 27, 2024:

United Nations adopts Pact for the Future

On September 22, the United Nations (UN) General Assembly voted to adopt the Pact for the Future, which aims to "transform global governance" by turning the UN into a vastly more powerful "UN 2.0".

UN Secretary-General António Guterres addresses opening of the Summit of the Future.. UN Photo/Loey Felipe.

New UN “Pact for the Future” Turbocharges Globalism | New American | Alex Newman:

September 23, 2024 - "Governments and dictators from around the world gathered in New York and adopted a sprawling agreement to expand and further empower the United Nations. The controversial declaration approved by the UN General Assembly, known as the 'Pact for the Future,' is seen by the UN and its member governments as a great leap forward for the cause of globalism.... [T]he UN is becoming 'UN 2.0,' as top leaders of the organization put it. However, in the United States, at least, lawmakers, governors, and grassroots leaders are growing increasingly restless about what they perceive as a historic power grab.... 

"According to UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, former leader of the world’s preeminent alliance of socialist and communist political parties, the UN Summit of the Future represents 'an essential first step towards making global institutions more legitimate, effective, and fit for the world of today and tomorrow.... We can’t create a future fit for our grandchildren with systems built for our grandparents,' continued Guterres, a line that was printed out on giant signs throughout UN headquarters.... 'We recognize that the multilateral system and its institutions, with the United Nations and its Charter at the center, must be strengthened to keep pace with a changing world,' reads the Pact for the Future.... 'We renew our commitment to multilateralism and international cooperation,' the Pact adds. 'We will transform global governance and strengthen the multilateral system'....

"The term 'global governance,' often used as a less-ominous placeholder for global government, is mentioned repeatedly throughout the document, always as something positive to be advanced. Under the heading 'transforming global governance,' for instance, the pact calls for a dramatic expansion of these mechanisms for governing all of humanity.... One of the institutions that received a shoutout is the would-be global Supreme Court known as the 'International Court of Justice,' often ridiculed by critics as a 'kangaroo court'. 'We will fulfil our obligation to comply with the decisions and uphold the mandate of the International Court of Justice,' the Pact states.

"Another area where the UN hopes to expand its power is on taxation, vowing to 'explore options' for 'international cooperation' on taxes and in particular, on taxing 'high net worth' individuals. 'We are committed to strengthening the inclusiveness and effectiveness of tax cooperation at the United Nations,' the UN deal explains, one of many efforts to eventually implement global taxation....

"One of the major tools to help the UN 'renew' trust in globalism is controlling information, as the pact makes clear. It calls on governments to 'address' so-called 'disinformation, misinformation, hate speech and content inciting harm, including content disseminated through digital platforms'.... It is not just restricting information.... A confidential memo sent to communications executives across the UN system earlier this year and obtained by The New American magazine included provisions on how to propagandize humanity on the Summit of the Future and its agenda. 'The Summit of the Future is a pivotal moment on our agenda,' the memo said, adding that the UN Department of Global Communications 'wants to make sure we take the media with us – starting with briefs on specific parts of the agenda.' One way the UN has done that is by partnering with Google to hide information contrary to its narratives, especially on issues such as climate....

"One of the major power grabs in the final agreement inked this weekend involves the UN response to what it describes as 'complex global shocks.' These could be anything from 'climate' issues or economic problems to environmental crises or even unpredictable “black swan” events. Under a proposal outlined in a policy brief dubbed 'Our Common Future' released by UN boss Guterres last year, Guterres himself would essentially become a global dictator to deal with real or imagined international emergencies, declared at his discretion. The proposal called for nations, business, and all sectors of society to recognize the 'primary role of intergovernmental organs [such as U.N. agencies] in decision-making.' While the final agreement this week did not contain everything he asked for, it did provide a 'mandate' from member states for Guterres to pursue the agenda vigorously.... 

"UN Agenda 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), a recipe for global tyranny adopted in 2015 as the 'master plan for humanity,' was a focal point of the new deal. 'We reaffirm our enduring commitment to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its Sustainable Development Goals,' the new agreement states, vowing to 'urgently accelerate' its implementation with “concrete political steps” and more tax money. As part of that, the UN claims it needs virtually limitless amounts of power and money to do everything from 'eradicate poverty' and 'eliminate food insecurity' to deal with alleged man-made 'climate change' and reduce 'inequality' both 'within' and 'among' countries".... 

"Already, more than half of U.S. governors have publicly pledged to resist UN dictates in their respective states. Meanwhile, for the first time, Congress currently has bills to end U.S. involvement in the UN in both houses of Congress: House Bill 6645 and Senate Bill 3428, both labeled the 'DEFUND Act.' There has been virtually no coverage of the UN summit or the pact from the establishment media in the United States — and that is no doubt by design. If and when Americans learn what the UN is up to, Congress would be compelled by a public outcry to stop funding it all at the very least."

Read more: https://thenewamerican.com/world-news/un/new-un-pact-for-the-future-turbocharges-globalism/

Read UN news release:  https://news.un.org/en/story/2024/09/1154581

Canada's gun buyback has cost over $67 Million

The Canadian federal government's gun buyback program, unveiled in 2020, has cost over $67 Million. No guns have been bought. 

Federal firearm buyback program has cost $67M since 2020, still hasn't collected guns | CTV News | Daniel Otis:

September 20, 2024 -"The federal firearm buyback program has cost taxpayers nearly $67.2 million since it was announced in 2020, but it still hasn't collected a single gun. The program is designed to compensate owners of assault-style firearms that were banned by the Liberal government in 2020. 

"Although many details of the program still haven't been revealed after four years, businesses and gun owners only have until the end of October 2025 to turn in, deactivate or dispose of outlawed weapons. The government estimates there are 150,000 prohibited assault-style firearms(opens in a new tab) in the country.

"The $67.2 million includes $56.1 million spent by Public Safety Canada and almost $11.1 million by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Nearly $11.5 million of that money went to external consultants for software, logistics, communication support and more.

"The figures were acquired by Senate opposition leader Donald Plett through what's known as an order paper question, a procedure lawmakers use to get information from the government. Plett calls the program a 'boondoggle'.... '$67 million is an incredible, shocking amount of money to spend on a program that doesn't yet exist' ...  Plett said in a statement to CTVNews.ca. 'And even more outrageous is the fact that $11 million of taxpayers hard-earned money has been given out to external consultants. Those contracts need to be made public.'

"When Plett pressed government Senate representative Marc Gold on the issue on Wednesday, Gold said he would not table information detailing the $11.5 million in external contracts.... A 2023 order paper question from Plett revealed that 60 employees from Public Safety Canada and 15 from the RCMP were assigned to the Canadian program at the time. At least $117 million in funds have been obtained to further advance the program, according to Public Safety Canada.

"Public Safety Canada plans to roll out the program in two phases, beginning with business owners who hold banned stock and then individual owners. Approximately 2,000 models and variants of assault-style firearms are covered by the May 2020 ban. Proposed compensation is based on original pricing and ranges from about $1,100 to more than $6,200 per weapon. The deadline for both businesses and individuals is Oct. 30, 2025.

"In 2021, the parliamentary budget officer estimated that it could cost the government $756 million to buy back every gun at fair market value."

Read more: https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/federal-firearm-buyback-program-has-cost-67m-still-not-collecting-guns-after-4-years-1.7045362

No guns bought back, despite millions spent on Trudeau’s gun buyback | Toronto Sun | March 26, 2024:

Bridge protestor wins appeal of criminal sentence

Theodorus DeBoer, who received a suspended sentence and a criminal record for his involvement in the Freedom Convoy protests that shut down the Ambassador Bridge in 2022, has won his appeal to have the sentence varied and the criminal record vacated.  

TDF wins appeal for man who received criminal record as a result of Windsor protest | The Democracy Fund (news release):

September 10, 2024 - "The Democracy Fund (TDF) has won an appeal for a man who received a criminal record in connection to the protests that shut down the Ambassador Bridge in February 2022. TDF’s client, Theodorus DeBoer, pleaded guilty to one count of mischief in relation to obstructing traffic leading up to the bridge back in November 2023.  

"As part of a plea deal TDF lawyers negotiated, the prosecution agreed to drop the more serious charge of disobeying a court order. The prosecutor and the defence then made a 'joint submission' on sentencing, asking the trial judge to discharge DeBoer with conditions as opposed to any sentence that would carry a criminal record. The trial judge, however, took the unusual step of rejecting the recommendation of the lawyers and imposed a suspended sentence, which involve[s] probation and a criminal record.

"According to Alan Honner, the lawyer whom TDF retained to argue the appeal, judges are required to give way to joint submissions except in rare circumstances.... The Appellate Court agreed with Honner’s submission that the trial judge erred by applying the wrong legal test. It varied the sentence to bring it into conformity with the original joint submission: the criminal record was vacated.

"TDF was heavily involved in representing the rights of protestors in Windsor. It sent lawyers to the city to provide summary legal advice to protestors, made legal submissions to the court on the parameters of the Superior Court injunction that prohibited anyone from blockading the bridge and represented over a dozen protestors criminally charged in connection to the protests.

"With this successful appeal, not a single TDF client ended up with a criminal record....

"Founded in 2021, The Democracy Fund (TDF) is a Canadian charity dedicated to constitutional rights, advancing education, and relieving poverty. TDF promotes constitutional rights through litigation and public education and supports an access to justice initiative for Canadians whose civil liberties have been infringed by government lockdowns and other public policy responses to the pandemic."

Read more: https://www.thedemocracyfund.ca/tdf_wins_appeal_criminal_record_windsor_protest

Trudeau gov't, premiers quarrel over relocating asylum-seekers

Some Canadian premiers are rejecting Trudeau government plans to send more asylum-seekers to their provinces, but immigration minister Marc Miller promises to use any available "levers" to ensure co-operation. 

Liberal gov. threatens uncooperative provinces with forced asylum seeker relocation plan | True North | Clayton DeMaine:

September 12, 2024 - "Immigration Minister Marc Miller threatened to use any available 'levers' against provinces that don’t comply with a proposed plan to relocate asylum seekers originally destined for Quebec and Ontario to provinces with a lower ratio of refugee claimants to its population. According to a Liberal government briefing document obtained by True North, the proposed plan would have provinces take in a 'proportionate share' of the asylum claimant population. It outlines a quota for each province to accept based on a proportion of each province’s current population.... Quebec and Ontario are currently the most popular destinations for asylum seekers to Canada.... 

"According to the document using Statistics Canada reports from June 30, 2024, 453,302 individuals are seeking or have been granted asylum in Canada. The briefing said 235,825 asylum claims are currently open where a decision has not been rendered. If each were accepted, the plan would have Ontario take in 91,972 asylum seekers, ... down from the 105,926 they would take in otherwise.... Quebec would take in ... 51,882 new potential asylum seekers, down from 99,726 ... a reduction of 47,671 new asylum seekers.... This week, the Bloc Quebecois positioned itself to form a coalition with the Liberal government keeping them in power. One of its demands is that the government reduce immigration to Quebec.

"British Columbia could take in 32,544 new asylum seekers if their claims were accepted. Before the plan, B.C. was positioned to take 11,421 new refugee claimants to the province.... Premier Blaine Higgs of New Brunswick fought back against the government’s plan, which outlined an increase of more than ten times the number of claims the province currently has. Instead of 384 refugee claims, the province would take in 4,568 new asylum seekers if their claims were accepted....

"As reported by the National Post, Miller told reporters on Wednesday that the government would use its levers against uncooperative provinces. 'There’s only so far the federal government can actually be nice and say "please, please,"' Miller said. 'We also have levers that we need to pull and push.'
Read more: https://tnc.news/2024/09/12/liberal-gov-threatens-forced-asylumseeker-relocation/

Asylum seeker claims in Canada reach record high | Global News | July 23, 2024:

Provincial leaders shut doors on Ottawa’s plan to relocate asylum seekers | True North | Isaac Lamoreuz:

September 13, 2024 - "The first premier to strike down the idea was New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs. 'Yesterday, provincial officials were invited to a conference call in which it was shared by federal officials in Ottawa that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government is considering a plan to send 4,600 asylum seekers to New Brunswick without providing any financial assistance,' said Higgs. 'We are calling on the Liberal government to drop this plan'.... According to a Liberal government briefing document obtained by True North, there are 235,825 asylum claimants where a decision has yet to be rendered. If each claim was accepted under the proposed redistribution, asylum claimants in New Brunswick would rise from 384 to 4,568, an increase of nearly 12-fold. 

"An even bigger increase would be seen in Nova Scotia, whose asylum claimants would increase from 397 to 5,734, a more than 14-fold increase. Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston followed by saying that the province does not have the capacity to absorb thousands of asylum seekers. 'Nova Scotians are caring, compassionate people, but we will not be taken advantage of by the federal government,” said Houston. “We cannot let the failure of federal policies derail our plan, and we have communicated to Trudeau’s cabinet that any attempt to ship asylum seekers to Nova Scotia will be challenged.' 

"Alberta Premier Danielle Smith did not mince words in her own statement on the matter. 'Section 95 of the constitution is clear – immigration is an area of shared authority between the federal government and the provinces. Yet, the Trudeau Government’s unrestrained open border policies permitting well over a million newcomers each year into Canada is causing significant challenges, and it’s simply not sustainable,' said Smith. She added that while Alberta represents 11.8% of Canada’s population, it currently supports around 22% of Ukrainian evacuees.... 'We are informing the Government of Canada that until further notice, Alberta is not open to having these additional asylum seekers settled in our province. We simply cannot afford it,' said Smith....

"Conservative Party of BC Leader John Rustad chimed in and expressed his dismay with Trudeau’s proposal. 'We are a welcoming province, but Trudeau’s failure to provide the necessary resources is a betrayal of both the newcomers and the communities already struggling to make ends meet,' said Rustad. 'The federal government needs to step up, provide the support necessary, and address the backlog of asylum claims that their failed policies have created.'"
Read more: https://tnc.news/2024/09/13/provincial-leaders-shut-doors-asylum-seekers/

Russiagate 3.0 a distraction from Canada's own foreign interference scandals

Jamie Sarkonak: Russian-funded YouTubers don't hold a candle to China's meddling in Canada | National Post | Jamie Sarkonak:

September 10, 2024 - "In Canada, it’s been months since politicians and others across the country were declared to have provided 'witting and unwitting' assistance to foreign governments — and we’re still waiting to learn their names. So, when the Americans announced the discovery of a foreign interference plot last Wednesday, it was a relief to see them put the details on the table.

"Alleged in the indictment were illegal activities by a pair of Russian propagandists carried out as they contracted two Canadian influencers in American right-wing media to produce content. Some 2,000 videos were uploaded in the scheme starting in November 2023, at least 51 of which had something to do with Canada. A total of 16 million views were racked up.... The videos, by the way, weren’t illegal.... The Russians, who have now disappeared into thin air and are unlikely to ever be prosecuted, were accused of conspiring to violate foreign agent registration laws and commit money laundering (namely, routing money out of and back into the U.S. to commit unregistered foreign agent activities)....

"The indictment has had the remarkable effect of hammering everyone except its targets (though, maybe that was the point).... One, Lauren Southern, is also a Canadian influencer of the American right; another, Tim Pool, is the creator of the Timcast podcast. Both have since stated that they had full editorial control over the material they made, countering the notion that any Russians were telling them what to say. American prosecutors seem to agree. 'The company never disclosed to the influencers or to their millions of followers its ties to RT (Russia Today) and the Russian government,' U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland said at a news conference last week.

"Very little direct propaganda appears to be made. Based on the indictment, Russian masters did ask for anti-Ukraine content after a concert hall near Moscow suffered an ISIS attack, in which around 150 people were killed. The rest appeared to be business-as-usual topics for the subcontracted creators: immigration, race politics, gender, the economy.... The videos didn’t really reach beyond the online American right, and if their influence operation worked anything like the way the Russian social media bot campaign did in 2016, they were narrow in effect and far eclipsed by genuine American media. It’s possible that the indictment, made in the weeks before the election, will have more influence over the public mind than any Tenet Media video ever could....

"[C]ommentators on the left have still pointed to the indictment as a means of discrediting the conservative ecosystem online. A CBC News investigation attacked Southern’s record of criticizing immigration. In the Star, Luke Lebrun of Press Progress wrote, 'millions of Canadians are regularly consuming content from these sources and that’s something we can’t ignore. It is bad for our democracy when a significant slice of our population is being deliberately misled and even radicalized.' Lebrun, looking for a deeper Canadian connection, even found a video in which Southern interviewed Counter Signal journalist Katrina Panova, known online as 'Kat Kanada,' who is not funded by Russia, to imply guilt by association. This prompted Liberal MP Mark Gerretsen to block Panova on the false basis of 'a foreign government paying you to engage with me'; he retracted the allegation of foreign funding afterward.

"There’s the other benefit of sponsoring propaganda overseas: you get discourse like this, painting a picture of a corrupted, misinformation-gorging horde threatening the enlightened half of society, worthy of being digitally quarantined. It can’t just be that high immigration, identity politics and the economic failures of progressive politicians are organically popular topics among the populace; no, it’s a Russian conspiracy.

"Meanwhile, as the U.S. indictment distracts, dust accumulates on the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians’ (NSICOP) June report on foreign interference.  China and India, too, have corrupted media members to some unknown degree (the Chinese government is alleged to have paid media outlets to publish articles; India is said to have an influence network that includes journalists). The public, unfortunately, remains in the dark as to who these figures are.

"Worse, some countries have tapped directly into our legislative houses. NSICOP has already discovered that some elected officials 'began wittingly assisting foreign state actors soon after their election.” India and China again are top suspects. Some Parliamentarians may have betrayed Canada, says NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, but their names never manage to escape from whisper networks to the general public. It will be an improvement when Canada finally gets its own foreign agent registry... But before we allow ourselves to be distracted by flashy U.S. Department of Justice badges, we have far greater, unresolved concerns in our halls of government."

Read more: https://nationalpost.com/opinion/jamie-sarkonak-russian-funded-youtubers-dont-hold-a-candle-to-chinas-meddling-in-canada

Dangerous Foreign Agents? or Victims of Democrat Smear Campaign? | North West Cavalryman | September 9, 2024:

Items of concern in new WHO regulations

U.S. think tank has concerns about amendments to World Health Organization (WHO) International Health Regulations adopted by the WHO's World Health Assembly on June 1.

Brownstone Institute wary of health regulations rammed through by WHO | Western Standard | Lee Harding:

August 18, 2024 - "A U.S. think tank is questioning the legitimacy of amendments to International Health Regulations made by the made by the World Health Organization on June 1. In a recent analysis [prepared by REPPARE (REevaluating the Pandemic Preparedness And REsponse agenda), a multidisciplinary team convened by the University of Leeds], the Brownstone Institute said negotiations surrounding the amendments were 'polemic, operating in a political environment that has largely stifled democratic deliberation, wider scientific and political consultation, and ultimately, legitimacy.'

"Although the legacy IHR (2005) says proposed changes must be finalized four months in advance of a vote (Art 55, Para 2), the text put to a vote was not available to the delegates of the World Health Assembly until the afternoon of the decision. 

"'This raises important questions about whether these eleventh-hour additions are based on sound evidentiary rationales and wider public health benefits, or whether they merely allow for a further concentration and potential misuse of power,' the Brownstone report explains.

"The IHRs are a set of rules for combating infectious diseases and acute health emergencies that are binding under international law, last revised in 2005. An initial compilation of reform proposals from December 2022 suggested that recommendations made by the WHO Director-General during an emergency would effectively become orders for member nations.... 

" [I]nternational backlash left the new IHR reforms significantly weakened. 'Nevertheless, they still contain some worrying points. For example, there is the introduction of a "pandemic emergency" whose definition is highly unspecific and whose consequences remain unclear, as well as new sections on increasing core competencies for public information control, capacity financing, and equitable access to vaccines," Brownstone warns.'.... 

"The new ['pandemic emergency'] designation would apply to an infectious pathogen with a wide geographical risk of spread that could overload health systems of affected states, and possibly have significant socio-economic impacts. 'This gives the WHO Director-General considerable scope for interpretation and is a reminder of how extensive restrictions on fundamental human rights were justified for over two years in many countries during the COVID-19 response, ... even at times of minimal transmission,' Brownstone warns.

"A fourth criterion concerns Brownstone even more: 'The health emergency in question "requires rapid, equitable and enhanced coordinated international action, with whole-of-government and whole-of-society approaches"'.... The language echoes a WHO report from Wuhan in February 2020 where Chinese authorities were praised for their 'all-of-government and all-of-society approach'.... Only future agreements and implementation will show what the agreement really means....

"The new IHR requires states to offer access to health products and services and deal with misinformation and disinformation. Benchmarks updated in December 2023 include 'infodemic management," something Brownstone says has a dubious precedent. 'Emails published by Facebook as part of a court case reveal that the platform informed White House employees that it had inhibited the spread of posts claiming that natural immunity from infection was stronger than immunity from vaccination, even though this is very much an open question.'

"Brownstone expressed concerns that empowered governments could stifle legitimate speech to promote 'ulterior political motives'.... What political or bureaucratic body would decide the truth was another question.... '[T]his ambiguity has created an ongoing condition ripe for politicization, weaponization, and the abandonment of meaningful and open scientific discourse and policy reflection,' Brownstone said."

Read more: https://www.westernstandard.news/news/brownstone-institute-wary-of-health-regulations-rammed-through-by-who/56856

Read report: https://brownstone.org/articles/questions-about-new-amendments-to-the-2024-ihrs/

Canadians caught up in latest US Russiagate case

Canadians Lauren Chen and Lauren Southern are among the social media influencers alleged to have been paid by Russian agents to spread pro-Trump propaganda to interfere in the U.S. presidential election.

What we know about the two Canadian influencers accused of Russian propaganda | National Post | Stewart Lewis: 

September 6, 2024 - "The U.S. Justice Department unsealed an indictment against two Russian nationals on Wednesday, accusing them of disseminating pro-Kremlin propaganda through a 'pro-Trump supergroup'.... Details within the charges referred to Tenet Media, which was founded in 2023 by a Canadian influencer known as Lauren Chen and her husband, Liam Donavan. Last year they hired Chen’s long-time friend and occasional collaborator Lauren Southern, another Canadian influencer with a large social media following, the CBC says.

"Since the indictment was revealed, several Tenet Media collaborators have publicly stated they were not aware how the company was funded.... Southern and Chen haven’t spoken publicly since the indictment was announced. Neither has posted anything since the Justice Department’s accusations were made public.

"Criminal charges have not been brought against Chen, Donavan or Southern and they are not named in the indictment. But the allegations have damaged their reputations. Chen has been fired from another website, Glenn Beck’s The Blaze. Her YouTube channel, which had more than 572,000 subscribers, was terminated on Thursday. Her bio page on the website for Turning Points USA, a pro-Trump campus activist group, has been deleted....

"Born in Quebec and raised in Hong Kong, Chen gained prominence as a YouTuber using the name “Roaming Millennial”. She was a strong supporter of Trump in the 2016 election.... Chen appears to be referred to as Founder-1 in the indictment and to have begun working in the spring of 2021 for the parent company of RT — a Russian state-run news outlet. RT was forced to stop operating in Canada and the U.S. as part of government sanctions that followed Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. 

"U.S. officials say in the indictment that while being paid by RT operatives, Founder-1 began recruiting conservative personalities with lucrative offers in 2023 for a new media outlet. Details in the indictment suggest Chen was allegedly billing RT partially through Roaming Millennial Inc., which was a registered company in the Montreal area, where her mother lived. Tenet Media was eventually registered in Tennessee as a subsidiary of Chen’s Canadian company....

"Southern grew up in British Columbia and became a right-wing luminary, known for videos featuring her confronting progressive activists.... 

[Southern was a candidate for the Libertarian Party of Canada in the 2015 federal election. Her candidacy was suspended by then-leader Tim Moen that July after multiple complaints about some of her videos, but she was reinstated a week later after meeting and talking with Moen. - gd] 

"Southern has also produced several videos for Tenet Media focusing on Canadian issues. One was titled 'Canada Is Becoming A COMMUNIST HELLHOLE'. It compares Canada to the U.S.S.R.. Another, called 'Mean Tweets = Life in PRISON in Canada?!' criticizes the proposed Online Harms Act."

Read more: https://nationalpost.com/news/canadian-influencers-accused-of-russian-propaganda 

Canadian influencers tied to alleged Russian interference campaign | CTV News | September 7, 2024:

Federal civil servants fight 3-days-in-office policy

The Canadian government's new policy to have federal civil servants work three days a week in the office takes effect Monday. But government unions vow to keep resisting the policy change. 

Ottawa hoping to convince reluctant civil servants of the benefits of working from the office | CBC News | Daniel Leblanc: 

August 26, 2024 - "The federal government is preparing to welcome a frustrated workforce back to its offices on Sept. 9. Under a new policy announced in May, federal civil servants will have to spend at least three days per week in the office, while executives will have to spend at least four. Currently, civil servants are required to be in their offices only two days per week.

"Federal employees' unions say most civil servants oppose the planned reduction in telework and report struggles with transportation and work-family balance. Many also say they're more productive when they work from home....

"Christiane Fox, deputy clerk of the Privy Council Office, told Radio-Canada the new policy will improve the overall performance of the federal public service and help individual civil servants advance their careers.... The government may also be hoping that bringing civil servants back to their offices can improve the public service's reputation — which has been damaged by a perception in some quarters that employees are taking it easy when they work from home. 'Of course, we can't ignore the perceptions and the comments that are made about the public service,' said Fox, adding that is not the rationale for the decision....

"Many bureaucrats are reluctant to ​​spend more time at the office and accuse the federal government of failing to properly explain its decision. Some argue the policy is meant to revitalize the downtown cores of Ottawa and Gatineau, Que., where businesses and restaurants are still caught in the post-pandemic doldrums.

"Civil servant Audrey Groleau said she mostly works online with colleagues elsewhere in the country, whether she is at home or in the office. Going to the office limits her ability to manage her family life effectively, she said.... Laurence Dufour, another civil servant who works in Gatineau, said she does not see any major benefits to working three days a week in the office — but anticipates the return of many inconveniences. 'It's going to cost us more in parking, in food, in transportation,' she said.

"Access to remote work exploded during the pandemic and quickly became popular among public servants....

"[F]ederal unions have vowed to keep up the resistance and are promising ongoing protests in the lead-up to Sept. 9. Civil servants failed to mobilize in large numbers against the new policy over the summer, but unions are promising a long-term fight.

"'We've filed unfair labour practice complaints, we've filed grievances, so that's going to continue. And if this isn't solved and if we don't see a willingness to modernize and adapt on the part of this employer, this is going to be an issue in our next round of bargaining, which we're now preparing for in 2025,' said Alex Silas, national vice-president of the Public Service Alliance of Canada.

"A senior Liberal official has said that civil servants should avoid making waves about the new office policy because it could give a political edge to the Conservative Party in the next election. Silas quickly rejected that argument. 'The Liberal government should have a higher standard than just saying, "Well, at least we're not as terrible as the Conservatives." Do better, Liberals," said Silas.

Read more: https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/public-service-telework-pandemic-1.7303267

Canadian public servants fight back-to-office order | CBC News: The National | September 2, 2024:

NDP cancels confidence agreement with Liberals

New Democratic Party of Canada leader Jagmeet Singh has "ripped up" his supply and confidence agreement with the governing Liberal Party.

Jagmeet Singh ends coalition agreement with Trudeau Liberals | True North | Clayton DeMaine:

September 4, 2024 - "NDP leader Jagmeet Singh announced an end to his NDP-backed coalition government with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberal party. On Wednesday afternoon, Singh posted a video on X announcing an end to the NDP-Liberal agreement signed in 2022. The agreement kept the Liberal government in power in exchange for NDP priorities.

"'The fact is, the Liberals are too weak, too selfish and too beholden to corporate interests to fight for people. They cannot be the change. They cannot restore the hope. They cannot stop the Conservatives. But we can,' Singh said in the video. 'In the next federal election, Canadians will choose between Pierre Poilievre, callous cuts, or hope, hope that when we stand united, we win'.... 

"According to poll aggregator 388 Canada, the Conservatives are projected to win a majority government with 210 seats if an election were held today. The same poll shows the NDP would score only 16 seats and the Quebec separatist Bloc Quebecois would win more than double the seat count.

“'Justin Trudeau has proven again and again that he will always cave in to corporate greed. The Liberals have let people down. They don’t deserve another chance,' Singh said. 'There is an even bigger battle ahead, the threat of Pierre Polievre and Conservative cuts from workers, retirees, young people, patients, and from families. He will cut in order to give more to big corporations and wealthy CEOs'....

"In a letter to the NDP caucus that was leaked to the media and posted by Columnist Brian Lilley of the Toronto Sun on X, Singh said that when parliament resumes in the Fall, the NDP will vote on items based on their conscience rather than in support of the NDP-Liberal coalition.... 'We will approach every vote on its own merit, we will push for measures that help Canadians, we will not shy away from vigorously holding this government to account, and we will fight Pierre Poilievre’s cuts,' the letter said. 'If this means triggering an election, we will be ready.'"
Read more: https://tnc.news/2024/09/04/singh-ends-coalition-agreement-with-trudeau-liberals/

Jagmeet Singh has finally left behind Justin Trudeau! | Toronto Sun | Brian Lilley:

LILLEY: Singh breaks up with Trudeau, ends coalition deal | Toronto Sun | Brian Lilley:

September 4, 2024 - "In an email sent to the NDP caucus, with warnings not to share with media outlets, the party tried to claim the coalition was incredibly good and incredibly bad for Canadians at the same time. 'No fourth party has ever set the agenda as we have. Millions of Canadians have benefitted as a consequence,' the email states, claiming victory before denouncing the coalition. 

"There you have it, working with the Liberals was consequential: It delivered for Canadians, it left everyone frustrated and disappointed. If the NDP can’t figure out if their coalition was good, how should the rest of of us evaluate their partnership?

"The news, by the way, was broken not by the NDP themselves, but by yours truly on X, before the Trudeau’s PMO was even informed....

"Singh was due to face his own NDP caucus next week at a retreat in Montreal. There have been grumblings about the damage propping up the Liberals has done to the party. While publicly New Democrats will herald policy moves like the federal dental care and pharmacare, privately they will admit these programs are not what was promised and the bare minimum the Liberals could have done. Pressure within the NDP to leave the deal grew stronger after the Trudeau Liberals imposed binding arbitration to end rail work stoppages. Even though Singh called that act a line in the sand that couldn’t be crossed, no one believed he would leave because he’d made the threat so often..... 

"The NDP now wants to pivot from being Justin Trudeau’s junior partner to being the giant slayers, ready to take on Pierre Poilievre and the Conservatives.'Justin Trudeau has proven again and again he will always cave to corporate greed. The Liberals have let people down, they don’t deserve a second chance,” Singh said in a campaign-style ad released on social media. 'There is an even bigger battle ahead, the threat of Pierre Poilievre and Conservative cuts.' Singh will have a hard time convincing voters that he’s the attack dog to take on Poilievre when he’s been a lapdog for Trudeau during the last couple of years.

"The end of the agreement doesn’t mean the coalition will fall apart and Canadians will head to the polls.... Singh and the NDP will make decisions on a vote-by-vote basis, which could very well see the current government last until October 2025, or perhaps fall when the budget comes forward next spring."
Read more: https://torontosun.com/news/lilley-unleashed-jagmeet-singh-has-finally-left-behind-justin-trudeau

Lich-Barber trial all over but the verdict

The trial of of Chris Barber and Tamara Lich is over except for the verdict, which could take up to six months.

Trial for Freedom Convoy leaders Lich, Barber moves through closing arguments | CBC News | David Fraser:

August 14, 2024 - "Nearly one year after its start, the trial for two leaders of the Freedom Convoy entered closing arguments on Tuesday. Tamara Lich and Chris Barber are facing charges of mischief, intimidation, obstruction and other charges for their roles in the 2022 protests. The closely watched trial began Sept. 5 but has experienced a series of stops and starts. Crown prosecutors called 16 witnesses over 37 days of trial and presented hours of video evidence and reams of social media posts in an effort to prove their case.... 

"During closing arguments Tuesday, Crown prosecutors ...  said the two were leaders of the protest and helped to finance, fuel and organize the mass of trucks that came into Ottawa's downtown core to protest against COVID-19 mandates.... Crown prosecutors said no other protesters who came to Ottawa during the three-week event had the same infrastructure as Lich and Barber. Barber, 48, and Lich, 50, ... were key voices in a group that had organized millions of dollars, a public relations operation, security, logistics and a formal corporation for the Freedom Convoy protest.... Both had large social media followings, and prosecutors say they used their influence online to turn the protest from a legal one to a criminal act....

"Backed by The Democracy Fund (TDF) and the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms (JFFC), Lich and Barber have enjoyed the support of right-wing and civil liberty organizations throughout their trial. The defence argues the two were acting within their rights and that the Crown has not met the bar to convict them.... 

"The judge overseeing the matter will have up to six months to deliver a verdict after closing submissions are concluded."

Read more: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/trial-for-freedom-convoy-leaders-lich-barber-moves-through-closing-arguments-1.7293406

A "waste of time" says lawyer Ari Goldkind on Tamara Lich & Chris Barber trial | Bridge City News | August 22, 2024:

On the Train Back from the Convoy Trial | Trish Wood is Critical, Substack | Trish Wood:

August 15, 2024 - "What I saw in Courtroom Five in Ottawa this morning, before I hopped this train was overwhelmingly positive. Chris Barber’s lawyer Diane Magas did a great job of batting away the Crown’s case by showing how much he and Tamara had cooperated with police to keep roads clear and trucks moved, especially when asked by police to do so. Numerous texts showed a cordial, respectful and even friendly relationship and went far to impugn the Crown’s narrative yesterday that suggested the pair were conspiring to cripple the city.... Magas highlighted exculpatory evidence that I would personally vouch for as indicative of how Tamara and Chris were operating based on conversations I had with them. Her remarks involved mens rea - or lack of evidence for a guilty mindset and the texts were compelling.

"The Crown’s case which wrapped yesterday just seemed like endless tail chasing and in my humble opinion reflects badly on the entire system. But I haven’t been here for the whole trial and there are better people than me to opine. But right now, it feels like the old throwing spaghetti gambit to see what sticks.... Yesterday the Crown mentioned Zexi Li’s complaints about how her ability to work from home was badly affected by noise from the convoy. I am biased — but given what was at stake for the country, this feels oddly self-centred.... I’m sure it was difficult to live in Ottawa during the Convoy but I might argue that if the protestors hadn’t been mostly blue collar workers, residents’ views might have been friendlier and their tolerance higher. Li is part of a civil suit that will will continue the legal campaign regardless of this trial’s outcome....

"Judge Perkins-McVey is smart, brooks no nonsense and with humour and grace, sees right through some of the Crown’s downward dog-type cognitive stretching. And she is also tough on the defence, demanding clarifications and citations for her upcoming weeks or months of review before she makes a decision. As she should. Magas argued the tough requirement for meeting a mischief conviction, saying that the Supreme Court has found that the standard is formidable. Inference from circumstantial evidence must not be made.

"I spent a few minutes with Tamara and Chris and I can report they are worn down. Forty days of what was supposed to have been a ten day trial. Thirty thousand miles travelled by each from their homes out West to Ottawa. Massive legal costs and serious life disruptions for both families. Much worse than the litigious Ottawa residents endured. The sad irony here is that the fears that drove the protestors on — of vaccine mandates and harms, lockdown dangers and a fully divided country were all well-founded. In part of Canada they will always be heroes. What is scary is that the state and some Ottawa citizens will never see them that way."

Read more: https://trishwood.substack.com/p/on-the-train-back-from-the-convoy

CCP harassing Chinese diaspora in Canada

A new report from Second Street outlines how the Chinese Communist Party is harassing Chinese-Canadians with unacceptable political views and their families.

CCP harassing Chinese diaspora in Canada, report finds | True North | Noah Jarvis:

September 1, 2024 - "The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is systematically targeting Chinese-Canadians and their families who are opposed to the Chinese government. The finding comes from a study conducted by the think tank Second Street, interviewing 26 Chinese-Canadians who say that they have been targeted by the CCP through a variety of means.

"Respondents reported that Chinese-Canadians are liable to face harassment if they hold religious convictions not accepted by the CCP like being a Christian [or] Falun Gong, or for holding pro-democracy and pro-Hong Kong views. The CCP has been persecuting religious minorities for holding views that may subvert the CCP’s authority, especially the Falun Gong – a ... group that is ardently anti-communist and supportive of conservative causes in the West.

"One respondent claims that because they are a practitioner of Falun Gong, they received anonymous calls in which automated message machines played hate propaganda or songs praising the CCP.... [D]uring a 2002 trip to Geneva to raise awareness of the persecution of the Falun Gong to the United Nations, they received a call from a man speaking Mandarin saying he knew about the trip to Geneva and threatened to sexually harass them.

"Several of the people interviewed complained that they had their vehicles scratched and their tires slashed due to their practice of Falun Gong. One Falun Gong practitioner said that around the year 2002, they had come home to find a large branch severed from a house plant placed on their kitchen counter with a knife laid right beside it. Chinese-Canadians also face harassment on the Chinese social media app WeChat when attempting to promote pro-democracy, pro-Hong Kong causes, as well as candidates in Canadian elections that hold anti-CCP views.

"Family members of Chinese-Canadians still living in China also faced risk of having their property expropriated, having their pensions taken away, along with threats of violence. Eight of the 26 respondents indicated that their families back in China had been threatened. 

"Dom Lucyk, the report’s author, recommends the federal government introduce a foreign agent registry similar to the registries in the United States and in Australia. Before Parliament’s summer recess, the House of Commons and Senate passed the Countering Foreign Interference Act that would introduce a voluntary foreign agent registry. Lucyk argues that foreign agents with ties to the CCP seeking to harass Canadians may not be enthusiastic about placing themselves on such a registry, possibly making the measure ineffective.... 

"Lucyk also calls on CSIS and other law enforcement agencies to be more transparent when foreign interference and transnational repression do not rise to the level of criminal prosecution to serve as a deterrent for agents of the CCP and help those being targeted know who are responsible for their harassment."

Read more: https://tnc.news/2024/09/01/ccp-harassing-chinese-diaspora-in-canada/

Read report: https://secondstreet.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Policy-Brief-CCP-Govt-Harassment-Final.pdf

Supreme Court won't hear travel mandate cases

Canada's Supreme Court has declined to hear appeals in two cases that challenged the 2021-22 federal Covid-vax travel mandate, one brought by a political party leader who was essentially stopped from campaigning.

Supreme Court declines to hear Covid vaccine travel mandate cases | Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms (news release):

August 29, 2024 - ""The Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms is disappointed to announce that the Supreme Court of Canada has declined to hear the appeals in two cases that challenged the federal Covid vaccine travel mandate. The cases are Peckford et al. v. Canada and Hon. Maxime Bernier v. Canada. The Justice Centre supported Applicants in both cases. The Applications for Leave to Appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada were filed separately.

"The Hon. Brian Peckford, former Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, was an applicant in one case, along with five others. Mr. Peckford is the last living signer of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The other case was brought by the Hon. Maxime Bernier, the leader of the People’s Party of Canada.

"In both cases, the Federal Court held the issues were moot because the vaccine travel mandate had been rescinded after the cases had been filed and cross-examination had occurred, but prior to the court hearings. Dismissing a case as moot means that the court has found that its decision will not have a practical effect.... [H]owever, at the time the federal government rescinded the vaccine travel mandate, the Minister of Transport had threatened to bring back the mandate without hesitation. 

"The Applicants argued that the doctrine of mootness ought to be reconsidered by the Supreme Court because emergency orders by their nature are evasive of review, resulting in no oversight by courts or elected legislators. Hearing these cases would have allowed the Supreme Court to determine whether it is appropriate to allow governments to evade judicial scrutiny of their decisions made through emergency orders. Unlike legislation passed by Parliament, emergency orders are made through Cabinet orders and are protected by Cabinet privilege, meaning Canadians cannot learn the reasoning behind the decisions....

"On August 13, 2021, the federal government announced its intention of implementing a vaccine requirement for travelling on planes, trains or ships. The government, led by Prime Minister Justine Trudeau, did this two days before announcing a federal election, essentially making it an election promise. After winning a minority in Parliament, the Minister of Transport implemented the mandate on November 30, 2021.

"Both the Peckford and Bernier cases asked the Federal Court to strike down the mandate as a breach of Charter sections 2, 6, 7, 8 and 15. The most significant breach was to Charter section 6, mobility rights. All applicants were essentially barred from travelling across Canada in any practical manner and could not leave the country. In Mr. Bernier’s case, this meant he was essentially barred from campaigning.

"Of note, on cross examination a government bureaucrat admitted she did not receive any medical advice to implement such a mandate. It was done solely on the direction from the Minister of Transport and the federal Cabinet.

"Just a few days after cross examinations concluded, the government ended the mandate on June 20, 2022. Both cases were dismissed by the Federal Court as moot in October 2022. The subsequent Appeals were dismissed by the Federal Court of Appeal."

Read more: https://www.jccf.ca/supreme-court-declines-to-hear-covid-vaccine-travel-mandate-cases/

Supreme Court refuses to hear COVID vaccine travel cases | Rebel News | August 30, 2024:

Kamala Harris promises price controls

Kamala Wants Price Controls | Reason | Liz Wolfe:

August 14, 2024 - "For a while, politics watchers were wondering when in her campaign for president Kamala Harris would unveil an actual policy platform. Now, she's unveiled some of it, and maybe it was actually better when we knew less. In a statement released last night, Harris' campaign said it would enact the 'the first-ever federal ban on price gouging on food and groceries — setting clear rules of the road to make clear that big corporations can't unfairly exploit consumers to run up excessive corporate profits on food and groceries,' with enforcement power given to the Federal Trade Commission. You heard that right: price controls.

"It's not clear how an 'excessive' profit would be defined, nor why policing that would be in the purview of the federal government, nor why food prices in particular ought to qualify. It's not clear what types of behavior that are currently legal would be outlawed.

"Price controls have been disastrous whenever they've been implemented. Prices are signals, ways of communicating how much of a good is needed by consumers and how much ought to be produced. Interfering with these signals will create terrible shortages. Giving the government the power to meddle in the economy in this way will not drive prices down, it will force some firms to go out of business and some consumers to experience shortages of goods they would have otherwise been able to purchase. The scale at which this devastation happens is contingent on the scale at which the government chooses to meddle....

"Expect more of the same strategy: blaming big corporations for the fact that Americans' grocery bills are substantially more expensive now than before the pandemic. But this wholly ignores the main driver of this spike in costs: inflation, which was driven in large part by pandemic-era government spending, including stimulus checks. Both former President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden share blame for this profligate government spending, and both parties manage to obfuscate, trying to convince voters that some other force (greed?) is at work. But make no mistake: It was government recklessness that got us into this mess, and it won't be government price controls that get us out."

Read more: https://reason.com/2024/08/15/kamala-wants-price-controls/

Kamala Harris is wrong about price controls | ReasonTV | August 27, 2024: