Carney denies meeting with pro-CCP lobby group

Mark Carney has denounced reporting that alleges he met with a pro-Chinese-government lobbying group, claiming that he has "never heard of this group." 

Carney snaps at reporter over questions about China | Yahoo News | Brian Lilley:

April 10, 2025 - "China is an issue that won’t leave Liberal Leader Mark Carney alone and it’s clearly getting to him. On Thursday, he snapped at a reporter and disparaged a major daily newspaper for their coverage of his campaign and connections with China. 'Well, I’m sorry, but you can’t believe everything you read in The Globe and Mail,' Carney said. His remarks were nasty in tone, he was snarky.... 

"On Thursday, The Globe and Mail reported that Carney had met with executives from the Jiangsu Commerce Council of Canada [JCCC]. The JCCC is a Toronto-based group founded more than twenty years ago to ostensibly foster ties between China and Canada, but it is widely viewed as a front group for China’s United Front Work Department. The UFWD works on behalf of the Chinese government in Beijing to, among other things, spy on and exert influence over the Chinese diaspora in places like Canada....

“'I’ve never heard of this group, okay? Never heard of this group. Certainly didn’t have a setup meeting with this group, full stop. So check your sources before you write things like that,' Carney said. Moments later, Steven Chase, one of the Globe reporters who wrote the original story, posted photos of Carney smiling and shaking hands with two different executives from the JCCC....

"For the past two weeks, Carney and the Liberals have been dogged with bad stories relating to China and being too close to Beijing. Last week it was his candidate Paul Chiang encouraging people to kidnap Conservative candidate Joe Tay and hand him over to the Chinese Consulate in Toronto in exchange for a bounty. It took Carney four days to drop Chiang and replace him with Peter Yuen, who is now being accused of being associated with the JCCC and other pro-Beijing Chinese groups in Toronto.

"And ... this week the federal government’s Security and Intelligence Threats to Elections (SITE) Task Force, revealed a coordinated effort by the Chinese government to boost Mark Carney’s appeal to Chinese Canadian voters. This included what was described as 'large spikes of coordinated inauthentic behaviour' where articles positive about Carney from Beijing-aligned media outlets were boosted on the WeChat social media platform by accounts and influencers with ties to the Chinese government. The goal, to boost Mark Carney in the eyes of Chinese Canadian voters. Basically, China is trying to persuade Chinese Canadians to vote Liberal.

"This came after the same tactics were used during the Liberal leadership campaign to attack and disparage Carney’s main rival, Chrystia Freeland. Beijing is clearly still interfering in Canada’s elections and Beijing clearly favours Mark Carney and the Liberals."
Read more: https://ca.news.yahoo.com/lilley-carney-snaps-reporter-over-184820491.html

Carney not meeting with JCCC members, from the JCCC website (now deleted). Courtesy X.

UPDATED: Pro-Beijing group deletes post claiming it had 'in-depth meeting' with Carney | Western Standard | Jarryd Jäger:

April 10, 2025 - "Mark Carney has refuted claims that he met with the Jiangsu Commerce Council of Canada. The pro-Beijing group has since, at the behest of the Liberal Party, deleted its post claiming high-ranking representatives had an 'in-depth meeting' with him....

"'The web post referenced in the Globe and Mail article is inaccurate, as is the suggestion that Mr. Carney had any such in-depth discussion,' a Liberal Party spokesperson said in a statement after the story went viral. 'We have reached out to the organization correcting the record and asked that they remove such claims immediately.' As of Thursday evening, the URL that had led to the story instead resulted in a 404 error."
Read more: https://www.westernstandard.news/news/carney-says-he-never-heard-of-pro-beijing-group-that-claimed-they-had-in-depth-meeting/63938

Carney shows 'arrogance' in response to allegations of Chinese influence | Rebel News | April 11, 2025:

Trump Tariffs: Liberation or Obliteration?

 President Trump called the day he announced his tariff plan 'Liberation Day.' Renaissance Macro Research head of US economic research Neil Dutta more appropriately labeled it 'Obliteration Day.'"

Liberation or Obliteration? | Ron Paul Institute | Ron Paul:

April 7, 2025 - "President Trump was elected in part because he promised to reduce prices and not drag the country into foreign wars. Sadly, President Trump has adopted a tariff policy that will raise prices and abandoned his 'America First' foreign policy in favor of a return to Bush-era neoconservatism.

Ron Paul, 2007, Photo: R.D. Young. CC BY 2.0 Wikimedia Commons.

"Despite criticizing President Biden for bombing Yemen, President Trump has authorized bombing that country under the false pretense that Yemen’s Houthis are threatening international shipping. President Trump has also threatened to bomb Iran. A false justification for this threat is that Iran is controlling the Houthis. If President Trump follows through on this threat against Iran, it could lead to another 'forever war.' He has also continued US support for Israel and Ukraine’s wars.

"President Trump started a trade war by imposing a ten percent universal tariff on imported products and other tariff expansions. Chinese imports will face a tariff of 54 percent, while goods imported from the European Union will 'only' be assessed a 20 percent tariff. 

"The day following President Trump’s tariffs announcement, US stocks lost 3.1 trillion dollars in value, while the dollar fell to its weakest level since October.

"China responded to the tariffs by imposing a 34 percent tariff on US imports along with other measures increasing the costs of US products in China. Canada imposed a 25 percent tariff on cars imported from the US. France['s] President Emmanuel Macron called on European businesses to refrain from investing in American businesses.... 

"President Trump’s actions are setting off a global trade war that means US consumers will suffer from increased prices for many products both foreign and domestic. Manufacturing and other American businesses that rely on imported raw materials and other inputs from abroad will have to pay more for these inputs, assuming they are able to get them at all. US exporters will suffer from decreased demand for US products in overseas markets.

"According to estimates by the Budget Lab at Yale University, President Trump’s tariffs will cost the average American household a 3,800 dollars loss of purchasing power. The Tax Foundation estimates the tariffs will reduce US GDP by at least 0.7 percent and decrease the average American’s after-tax income by about two percent. Middle- and lower-income Americans will obviously be hardest hit. The decrease in income, combined with the increase in prices and increase in the unemployment rate, will raise demand for government welfare programs and thus put pressure on Congress to reject attempts to cut spending.

"Thus far, Trump’s response to the economic chaos he has unleashed is to say everything will work out as other countries will negotiate 'beautiful' trade deals with the US. President Trump, on the same day he announced the new tariffs, called on the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates, saying it was a 'perfect time' to do so. The interest rate cut, though, would only further degrade the dollar.... 

"President Trump called the day he announced his tariff plan 'Liberation Day.' This may be the most misleading name since the Affordable Care Act. Renaissance Macro Research head of US economic research Neil Dutta more appropriately labeled it 'Obliteration Day.' President Trump’s tariffs, along with his support for war, could obliterate what is left of America’s peace and prosperity."

Copyright © 2025 The Ron Paul Institute. Permission to reprint in whole or in part is gladly granted, provided full credit and a live link are given.

Read more: https://ronpaulinstitute.org/liberation-or-obliteration/

Sabine runs against Canada's authoritarian shift

David Sabine is running for the Libertarian Party of Canada in the Calgary riding of Airdrie-Cochrane. 

Libertarian running to combat Canada’s 'authoritarian shift' | Cochrane Eagle | Ryan Uytdewilligen:

Apr 2, 2025 - "David Sabine is Airdrie-Cochrane's Libertarian Party candidate in the 2025 Federal Election.

QUESTION: What is your political experience and why have you chosen to run in this election cycle with the Libertarian Party?

David Sabine. Cochrane Eagle.

 ANSWER: I ran for school trustee with TVDSB before returning west, my sister serves as a councillor in Alberta, my father pursued an NDP candidacy in Saskatchewan in the 1970s, and my grandparents supported Tommy Douglas as volunteers. While politics hasn’t been my career focus, my lifelong exposure equips me to run as a candidate, amplifying the voices of Libertarians in Airdrie-Cochrane. 

"Canada’s authoritarian shift over the past nine years — marked by excessive taxation, market intervention, an overreaching administrative state, censorship, and erosion of property and civil rights — concerns me deeply. Libertarian principles can influence the political dialogue for the better....

 Q: What will you and your party do to stand up to President Trump’s tariffs and 51st state rhetoric?

 A: President Trump’s tariffs and rhetoric are disruptive, but they only gain traction because of Canada’s deep economic vulnerabilities and societal fracture. The economic hardship expected from President Trump’s tariffs is a small fraction of the damage done by the Liberal party these past nine years. And decades of mismanagement and corruption by previous Canadian governments have left our economy fragile and Canadians divided. The calls for separation in Quebec and Alberta grow by the day. Canadians are burdened by trillions in debt and unfunded liabilities, over-regulation, excessive taxation, and policies that stifle economic growth. The chaos south of the border is not the root problem; it’s a symptom of our governments' own failures, amplifying the urgency for a bold shift in how we govern ourselves and engage with the world.

 Canada’s unique advantage of bordering the world’s largest economy is not a liability — it is our greatest opportunity. Treating the U.S. as an adversary is shortsighted and the divisive rhetoric from Canada’s mainstream parties is eroding a historically vital relationship beyond repair.

 A Libertarian Party approach would prioritize diplomacy and principled negotiation with the US President and state governors to secure genuine free trade with them. This isn’t just about lowering U.S. tariffs — it’s about dismantling Canada’s own self-inflicted barriers. We’d eliminate interprovincial trade restrictions that choke domestic commerce, scrap pipeline bans that kill investments in our energy sector, and end the equalization mandate that punishes productive regions. Supply management, which drives up costs for staples like dairy, cheese, eggs, butter, chicken, and turkey, would be abolished. Canadians have been sold a myth of free trade with the U.S., but our own massive tariffs and quotas on these essentials prove otherwise — keeping prices artificially high and Canadian consumers trapped.

 Q: What is the biggest issue facing Canadians that you wish to tackle?

 A: Libertarians fundamentally reject central economic planning, whether it’s Trump’s heavy-handed edicts or the suffocating policies of Canada’s recent governments. Both represent the same flaw: a belief that bureaucrats and politicians can micromanage the prosperity of citizens. Ottawa’s market distortions, bloated administration, and disregard for individual liberty, mirrors the authoritarian tendencies we criticize abroad. By slashing these domestic barriers, we’d not only counter U.S. pressure but rebuild an economy resilient enough to thrive, regardless of who occupies the White House.

 The Libertarian Party is also deeply concerned about the plight of our country's elderly. Taxpaying Canadians are strained under a shrinking GDP per capita, with socialism’s economic fallout driving taxes up, costs up, and doctors out. Health professionals, lured by far higher salaries and greater freedom elsewhere, are fleeing Canada’s punitive taxes and red tape in droves. Though healthcare is provincial jurisdiction, the next federal government must act with urgency — bolstering our currency, freeing markets to boost productivity, and refining immigration and foreign policy to let hardworking citizens prosper. Canada is facing an unprecedented crisis, driving the nation toward bankruptcy and saddling future generations with an unpayable tax burden.

 Q: Anything else you would like to add?

 A: The mission of the Libertarian Party of Canada is to reduce the responsibilities and expense of government. This, so that we may each manage our lives to mutually fulfill our needs by the free and voluntary exchange of our efforts and property for the value that best realizes happiness for ourselves, our families, and our communities."

Read more: https://www.cochraneeagle.ca/local-news/libertarian-running-to-combat-canadas-authoritarian-shift-10461732

The high, hidden cost of green electricity

Adding more solar and wind to the energy supply pushes up the price of electricity for consumers and businesses.

Solar and Wind Power Are Expensive | Fraser Institute | Bjørn Lomborg:

March 25, 2025 - "Global evidence is clear: Adding more solar and wind to the energy supply pushes up the price of electricity for consumers and businesses....  

"[F]rom 2005, the Ontario government began phasing out coal energy and dived headlong into subsidizing wind and solar generation.... From 2005 to 2020 the average, inflation-adjusted cost of electricity doubled from 7.7 cents to 15.3 cents. Since 2019 the Ontario government has subsidized these high costs through a slew of programs like the 'Renewable Cost Shift', lowering the direct pain to ratepayers but simply moving the increasing costs onto the government coffers. Today, this policy costs Ontario more than $6 billion annually...

"A relatively small amount of wind energy costs Ontarians over a billion dollars each year. One peer-reviewed study finds that the economic costs of wind are at least three times their benefits. Only the owners of wind power make any money, whereas the 'losers are primarily the electricity consumers followed by the governments.' Yet, politicians — supported by powerful green energy interests and credulous journalists — keep gaslighting voters claiming green energy is cheaper than fossil fuels....

"At best, this is only true when the sun is shining and the wind is blowing. At all other times, their cost is significantly higher. Modern societies need around-the-clock power. The intermittency of solar and wind energy means backup is required, often delivered by fossil fuels. That means citizens end up paying for two power systems: renewables and their backup.... This intermittency can be huge, as when solar power in the Yukon delivered a massive 150 times more electricity to the grid in May 2022 than it did in December 2022. It is also the reason that the real energy costs of solar and wind are far higher than green campaigners claim....

"One study shows that in China, when including the cost of backup power, the real cost of solar power becomes twice as high as that of coal. Similarly, a peer-reviewed study of Germany and Texas shows that the real costs of solar and wind are many times more expensive than fossil fuels. Germany, the U.K., Spain, and Denmark, all of which increasingly rely on solar and wind power, have some of the world’s most expensive electricity.... The International Energy Agency’s latest data from nearly 70 countries from 2022 shows a clear correlation between more solar and wind and higher average household and business energy prices. In a country with little or no solar and wind, the average electricity cost is about 16 cents per kilowatt-hour. For every 10 per cent increase in solar and wind share, the electricity cost increases by nearly 8 cents per kWh.... 

"In Germany, electricity costs 43 cents per kWh — much more than twice the Canadian cost, and more than three-times the Chinese price. Germany has installed so much solar and wind that on sunny and windy days, renewable energy satisfies close to 70 per cent of Germany’s needs — a fact the press eagerly reports. But the press hardly mentions dark and still days, when these renewables deliver almost nothing. Twice in the past couple of months, when it was cloudy and nearly windless, solar and wind delivered less than 4 per cent of the daily power Germany needed.... Last month, with cloudy skies and nearly no wind, Germany faced the costliest power prices since the energy crisis caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, with wholesale prices reaching a staggering $1.40 per kWh.

"Canada is blessed with plentiful hydro, powering 58 per cent of its electricity. This means that there has been less drive to develop wind and solar, which deliver just 7 per cent. But the urge to virtue signal remains. Indeed, the federal government’s 2023 vision for the electricity system declares that shifting away from fossil fuels is a “scientific and moral imperative” and “the greatest economic opportunity of our lifetime”.

"Yet the biggest take-away from the global evidence is that among all the nations in the world ... there is not one that gets much of its power from solar and wind and has low electricity costs.... Instead, there are plenty of nations with lots of green energy and exorbitantly high costs."

Read more: https://www.fraserinstitute.org/commentary/solar-and-wind-power-are-expensive

Scientist Destroys Green Energy Narrative w/ Facts in Minutes | Bjørn Lomborg | The Rubin Report | March 4, 2025:

Freedom Convoy organizers convicted of mischief

After a trial lasting more than a year, Freedom Convoy organizers Tamara Lich and Chris Barber have been convicted of mischief (but acquitted of most charges) for their role in the 2022 Ottawa protest.

Chris Barber, Tamara Lich not guilty on most charges for roles in 2022 convoy protests | CBC News | David Fraser: 

April 3, 2025 - "Chris Barber and Tamara Lich have been found not guilty of most charges against them for their roles in the 2022 truck convoy protest in Ottawa. Barber and Lich each faced six charges including mischief, intimidation, obstructing police and counselling others to do the same. 

"On Thursday at the Ottawa courthouse, Ontario Court Justice Heather Perkins-McVey found the pair not guilty of four charges apiece relating to intimidation and obstructing police. They were both found guilty of committing mischief. Perkins-McVey also found them both guilty of counselling to commit mischief themselves, but that finding was stayed at the request of Crown lawyers. Barber alone was found guilty of counselling others to disobey a court order. Lich was not charged with this. All told, Barber was found guilty of two charges, not guilty of four and had a seventh stayed. Lich was found guilty of one, not guilty of four and had a sixth stayed."

Read more: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/tamara-lich-chris-barber-freedom-convoy-trial-decision-1.7500015

'Freedom Convoy' organizers Lich, Barber found guilty of mischief | CBC News: The National | April 3, 2025:

Court finds Chris Barber guilty of mischief | Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms (news release):

April 3, 2025 - "The Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms is disappointed that the Ontario Court of Justice has found Chris Barber, a trucker and trucking company owner from Swift Current, Saskatchewan, guilty of mischief for his involvement in the peaceful Freedom Convoy protest.... Justice Heather Perkins-McVey delivered the decision this morning in the Ontario Court of Justice at the Ottawa Courthouse.

"In January and February 2022, thousands of Canadians travelled to the nation’s capital to protest mandatory Covid vaccination policies. Vaccine mandates [had] turned the millions of Canadians who chose not to receive a Covid vaccine into second-class citizens, denied them the right to travel, participate in sports, watch their children play sports, and visit ailing parents and grandparents in nursing homes. Mr. Barber, who himself had received the mandatory injection, travelled to Ottawa to protest the mandates he believed were harming not only the trucking industry but also all Canadians.

"The federal government illegally invoked the Emergencies Act on February 14, 2022, to use violence to suppress the Freedom Convoy protests. On February 17, police arrested Mr. Barber on charges of mischief, intimidation, obstructing a highway, and counselling others to commit the same offences. Mr. Barber pleaded “not guilty” to all charges on April 23, 2023, having done nothing other than peacefully exercise his freedoms of expression, association, and peaceful assembly – protected by section 2 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

"The criminal trial of Chris Barber and Tamara Lich, originally scheduled for 16 days, consumed massive resources of Crown prosecutors, taking place over a period of 45 days from September 5, 2023, to September 14, 2024....

"Justice Centre President John Carpay, referencing the fact that 86 sexual assault cases have been tossed out in Ontario since 2016 due to court delays and insufficient court resources, stated, 'Crown prosecutors in Ontario claim that they do not have enough resources to prosecute people accused of sexual assault and other serious crimes. People accused of serious crimes are walking away without facing trial because of extreme delays, supposedly caused by the Crown lacking adequate resources. Yet the Crown has devoted massive amounts of its limited time and energy to prosecuting peaceful protesters who exercised their fundamental Charter freedoms.'

"'There seems to be a glaring double standard in prosecutions in Canada,' continued Mr. Carpay, 'and it appears that the charges against Chris Barber and Tamara Lich were laid for political reasons. In July 2021, Winnipeg police stood by and watched as vandals tore down and damaged a statue of Queen Victoria on the legislature grounds, in broad daylight, which was criminal behaviour. But no charges were laid against individuals who wilfully destroyed property because they were protesting against residential schools.... The Manitoba Crown, while possessing abundant video evidence of this blatantly criminal conduct, announced that nobody would be charged or prosecuted. Yet when Tamara Lich and Chris Barber played an active role in the entirely peaceful 2022 Freedom Convoy protest in Ottawa, the Crown devoted its resources to an extensive, full-scale prosecution that dragged on for 31 months.'

"In Regina, the Chief of Police attended and spoke at a rally for Black Lives Matter on June 5, 2020, in violation of Saskatchewan’s Covid restrictions. Yet police issued tickets to citizens who protested against lockdowns, and prosecutors were relentless in seeking convictions of those charged. 'If Tamara Lich and Chris Barber had played a leadership role in organizing protests against racism, transphobia or climate change, they would not have faced 45 days of trial over a period of 31 months,' concluded Mr. Carpay.

"Counsel will carefully review the decision and confer with the client to determine any next steps."

Read more: https://www.jccf.ca/court-finds-chris-barber-guilty-of-mischief/

Ron Paul: Free speech is worth fighting for

Free Speech is Worth Fighting For | Ron Paul Institute | Ron Paul:

March 31, 2025 - "Our Founders, particularly James Madison who drafted the Bill of Rights, understood that our rights are not privileges granted to us by government. No, it was understood at the founding that these basic natural rights outlined by Madison were granted by our Creator and thus no mere mortal could take them away. And first among these is the First Amendment which recognizes that most basic of our natural rights: the right to express ourselves in any way we wish.

Ron Paul in 2012. Photo: David Carlyon.

CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons.

"Unfortunately the US government has not always been in accord with this sentiment and has many times in our history been at war with our freedom of speech. From the alien and sedition acts at the beginning of our republic to Abraham Lincoln’s war on speech to the jailing of antiwar activists during both World Wars to Kent State, the political class is all for free speech unless it is threatening to the political class.

"Recently a new front has been opened in the war on free speech ... one that Americans must take seriously. On university campuses across the country students – both American and foreign guests – have taken to protesting US support for Israel’s actions in Gaza, where tens of thousands of innocent civilians have been killed. The political class in the United States is determined to defend Israel from its critics and has responded to these protests by threatening and blackmailing the universities if they do not crack down on speech the powers-that-be do not like. 

"Both Presidents Biden and Trump have used the power of US government funding to demand a crackdown on speech they don’t like, with President Trump recently pulling 400 million dollars in federal funding for Columbia University if they don’t silence the protesters. The real scandal is that nearly every US university – both public and “private” – is government funded in the first place. But for politicians to use the power of the purse to deny students the right to express themselves – as long as peaceful – just adds insult to injury.

"Last week a Turkish PhD student at Tufts University was arrested on the street by plainclothes government agents for reportedly simply writing an editorial in her university newspaper expressing her views on the Israel/Palestine conflict. She faces deportation from the country. And she is not alone. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has openly bragged about sending hundreds of students home because they express a political position he disagrees with. Others – including American citizens – have been expelled from their schools and have even had their degrees rescinded. For peacefully expressing a political position that powerful people in Washington disagree with.

"You may also [disagree] with the political position of these students. But to cheer their punishment by the US government is to turn your back on the founding principles of this country. Freedom of speech is a natural right not reserved for American citizens but for all of humanity. And it has been a natural right worth defending for nearly 250 years.

"First they came for foreign students expressing controversial positions and many Americans cheered because they were not foreign and did not like the opinions. But make no mistake: this war on speech will not end with only foreigners being punished. It never does."

Copyright © 2025 The Ron Paul Institute. Permission to reprint in whole or in part is gladly granted, provided full credit and a live link are given.

Read more: https://ronpaulinstitute.org/free-speech-is-worth-fighting-for/ 

Canadian who stole Freedom Convoy donor info arrested over 2021 Texas GOP hack

Aubrey Cottle, the Oshawa website administrator who claimed responsibility for the 2022 computer hack of GiveSendGo's Freedom Convoy donor information, has been charged with a similar hack of the Texas GOP in 2021. 

Canadian Freedom Convoy donations hacker arrested for U.S. cyberattack on GOP | The Counter Signal | TCS Wire:

March 31, 2025 -"The Canadian hacker who claimed responsibility for leaking Freedom Convoy donor data in 2022 has been arrested following charges filed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office. 

Aubrey Cottle. X screenshot.

"On Friday, March 28th, the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas announced the charges against Canadian left-wing hacktivist and self-proclaimed founder of 'Anonymous', Aubrey Cottle, 37 of Oshawa, Ontario.... He was arrested Wednesday by Canadian authorities and faces criminal charges both in Canada and the U.S. 

"The unsealed complaint in the Western District of Texas accuses Cottle of using illegal means to access a backup of the Texas GOP server containing sensitive personal information. The stolen data was exposed online, where prosecutors alleged Cottle also took credit openly via social media.

"Cottle also claimed responsibility for hacking the Christian donor site GiveSendGo in February of 2022. The hack, similar to his Texas GOP stunt, was intended to leak donor information, including names, addresses and donations amounts, leading to widespread harassment of donors. Cottle admitted to the hack on an unhinged TikTok livestream, resurfacing on X since his arrest broke to the public....  

"[I]n 2021 during an interview with Vice News, Cottle admitted to being involved in the 2008 Anonymous attack on the Epilepsy Foundation’s website where the hacker created flashing animations used to target users with photosensitive epilepsy....

"Cottle has been charged with unlawfully transferring, possessing, or using a means of identification to commit or aid unlawful activity. If convicted, he could face a sentence of up to five years in prison."
Read more: https://thecountersignal.com/canadian-freedom-convoy-donations-hacker-arrested-for-u-s-cyberattack-on-gop/

OPP charge Oshawa suspect in cyber crimes investigation | Durham Radio News:

March 31, 2025 - "OPP [Ontario Provincial Police] aren’t saying much about a cyber crimes investigation that led to charges against an Oshawa resident. The case is under a publication ban.... Aubrey Cottle, 37, is charged with mischief to computer data, unauthorized use of a computer and possession of a device to obtain unauthorized use of a computer. The accused remains in custody and is scheduled to appear before the Ontario Court of Justice in Oshawa on March 31, 2025."
Read more: https://www.durhamradionews.com/archives/195774

Oshawa man linked to Anonymous facing charges in Canada and U.S. after internet hack targeting Texas Republican Party | Toronto Star | Calvi Leon:

April 1, 2025 - "A GTA man known for his alleged ties to the notorious hacktivist collective Anonymous is facing charges in Canada and the United States stemming from a 2021 data breach targeting the Texas Republican Party. Aubrey Cottle ... who goes by the online alias 'Kirtaner' ... appeared in court in Oshawa on Tuesday morning. None of the allegations have been tested in court.

"Cottle, who describes himself on social media as the founder of Anonymous, was reportedly involved in the data breach targeting the Christian crowdfunding site that raised money for the so-called 'Freedom Convoy' in early 2022.... During the protests, the names and personal details of donors to the GiveSendGo convoy crowdfunding campaign were breached and shared across the internet. According to Vice, Cottle admitted on the social media platform TikTok that he was responsible for the attack.

"'Yes, I doxxed the truckers, I did it, it was me, I hacked GiveSendGo baby, and I’d do it again,' Cottle yelled in a TikTok livestream on his account. 'I’d do it a hundred times. I did it. I did it. Come at me. What are you going to do, what are you going to do to me, ha?'...

"When OPP executed a search warrant at Cottle’s home, they seized more than 20 terabytes of data, including correspondence from his email address in February 2021 that claimed he had access to Epik’s networks, customer virtual machines, web domains and customer data. The email told the unknown recipient to “delete this message after reading'.... Court documents do not specify when OPP searched Cottle’s home. In 2022, he told CyberScoop that OPP had raided his home and took 'all my equipment' on Aug. 30 of that year. Cottle said a police detective told him the FBI was involved."
Read more: https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/oshawa-man-linked-to-anonymous-facing-charges-in-canada-and-u-s-after-internet-hack/article_5aa7503d-3c57-48b2-90f9-a8d9358a8408.html

Liberal MP drops out of election race

Liberal MP Paul Chiang, who called for bounty hunters to hand over a Conservative candidate to the Chinese government, has withdrawn his candidacy after Prime Minister Mark Carney refused to remove him. 

'PERSON OF INTEGRITY': Carney defends Liberal who wanted to turn in Conservative candidate to CCP | Western Standard | Jen Hodgson:

March 31, 2025 - "Prime Minister Mark Carney on Monday morning vehemently defended Liberal MP Paul Chiang, who called for a Conservative candidate to be handed over to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). A total of 13 Hong Kong-Canadian advocacy groups have demanded Carney remove Chiang from running in the federal election, citing the danger of endorsing a CCP bounty on a Canadian.... [Don Valley North] Conservative candidate Joe Tay ... is wanted by Hong Kong authorities, under the power of Beijing, for running a pro-democracy YouTube channel in Canada....

"'The comments were deeply offensive, terrible,' said Carney. 'This is a terrible lapse of judgment by Mr. Chiang. He has apologized for those comments.... This is a regrettable situation. However, he will continue with his campaign.... He's made those apologies, he's made them directly to the individual concerned, he's made them directly to me, he has my confidence,' said Carney. 'I view this as a teachable moment.'"
Read more: https://www.westernstandard.news/news/person-of-integrity-carney-defends-liberal-who-wanted-to-turn-in-conservative-candidate-to-ccp/63581

Mark Carney won’t fire controversial candidate Paul Chiang | CBC News: The National | March 31, 2025:

Liberal candidate Paul Chiang 'standing aside' following backlash | Western Standard | Jarryd Jäger:

April 1, 2025 - "Paul Chiang has announced that he will no longer be running as the Liberal candidate for Markham-Unionville. The now-former MP's move comes following backlash over his decision to encourage people to turn Conservative candidate Joe Tay in to the Chinese Communist Party....

"Chiang wrote in a statement posted to X.... [that[ 'this is a uniquely important election with so much at stake for Canadians,' and that 'as the Prime Minister and Team Canada work to stand up to President Trump and protect our economy, I do not want there to be distractions in this critical moment. That's why I'm standing aside as our 2025 candidate in our community of Markham-Unionville.'"
Read more: https://www.westernstandard.news/news/breaking-liberal-candidate-paul-chiang-standing-aside-following-backlash/63622

Chiang's statement on X | March 31, 2025, 11:55 pm:

Liberal MP wanted Conservative handed over to Chinese Communist regime

A Liberal MP is under fire after suggesting on Chinese-language media that a Conservative candidate be handed over to the Chinese Communist government for a $1 million HKD bounty. 

Liberal MP calls for Conservative candidate to be handed over to China | Toronto Sun | Brian Lilley: 

March 29, 2025 - "The Conservatives are calling on Liberal Leader Mark Carney to fire one of his candidates.... 'Yesterday, it came to light that Mark Carney’s Liberal candidate, Paul Chiang, called for a Conservative candidate to be turned over to the authoritarian regime in Beijing in return for a bounty offered by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP),' Conservative MP Michael Chong said in a statement.

Liberal MP Paul Chiang. CBC

"Chiang is the Liberal MP for Markham-Unionville and is still the Liberal candidate. While Chiang has issued an apology, Chong says it’s not enough. He wants Mark Carney, who has so far been silent on this, to fire Chiang....

"According to a statement issued by the Toronto Association for Democracy in China [TADC], Chiang was speaking with several Chinese-language media outlets in Toronto in January. He raised the issue of Joe Tay, the Conservative candidate in Don Valley North. 

"Tay has been an activist for democracy in China, including Hong Kong where he was born. That resulted in a $1 million Hong Kong Dollar bounty [$183,915 CAD] being placed on his head, a bounty Chiang encouraged people to take advantage of by turning Tay over to Chinese officials.

"'To everyone here, you can claim the one-million-dollar bounty if you bring him to Toronto’s Chinese Consulate,' Chiang said according to TADC. Chiang never denied the claims of his statement – instead, he issued an apology late Thursday.

"'The comments I made were deplorable and a complete lapse in judgment on the seriousness of the matter. As a former police officer, I should have known better. I sincerely apologize and deeply regret my comments,' Chiang said."

"The Liberals have been under fire for being too close [to] the Chinese Communist Party and the dictators in Beijing for years. Evidence presented at the recent foreign interference inquiry showed that in the 2019 and 2021 elections, China actively tried to ensure the Liberals held power. Then-prime minister Justin Trudeau and his team, many of whom helped Mark Carney win the Liberal leadership, refused to act even after being warned about specific candidates ahead of the 2019 election....

"Carney himself has deep ties to China ... including increasing the business that Brookfield Asset Management did in China. Until he entered politics, Carney oversaw Brookfield as chair of the board and head of transition investing. In November 2024, he helped secure a loan of more than $275 billion USD for Brookfield from a Chinese state-owned bank."

Read more: https://torontosun.com/news/national/federal_elections/liberal-mp-calls-for-conservative-to-be-handed-over-to-china

Ron Paul: close US Department of Education

Shut Down the Department of Education! | Ron Paul Institute | Ron Paul:

March 24, 2025 =- "President Trump’s executive order from last week titled 'Improving Education Outcomes by Empowering Parents, States, and Communities' could help bring about a major step toward restoring constitutional government and improving education. 

The executive order directs that the secretary of education, 'to the maximum extent appropriate and permitted by law, take all necessary steps to facilitate the closure of the Department of Education and return authority over education to the States and local communities ... while ensuring the effective and uninterrupted delivery of services, programs, and benefits on which Americans rely.'

Ron Paul in 2012. Photo: David Carlyon.

CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons.

"The order points out that the Department of Education was created in 1979. Thus, the American people somehow managed for a long time to educate children without a federal education department!.... The federal government introduced significant funding to local schools [in] the 1950s. Some of this early funding was targeted at science education and was a response to the Soviet Union’s launch of the Sputnik satellite. The first major legislation providing funding for, and imposing regulations on, local government schools became law in 1965.

"The Department of Education has been given nearly 50 years to work on improving education. Yet, instead of the Department of Education ushering in an education golden era, education in America has declined. According to the most recent National Assessment of Educational Progress, approximately 70 percent of eighth graders are below proficiency in reading, while around 72 percent are below proficiency in math.

"The problem is not that the federal government spends too little on education.... Washington, DC imposing another 'reform' on schools will only ensure that more children are left behind. The real problem is [that] education funding is controlled by politicians and bureaucrats who impose a 'one-size-fits-all' model on schools.

"The key to improving the education system is putting control of education back in the hands of those who best know a child’s unique needs and abilities — parents. Moving education programs from the federal government to state and local governments is a good first step.... In addition, President Trump must follow up his executive order by working with Congress to pass legislation shutting down the Department of Education.

"Homeschooling is one course many parents have chosen as an alternative to sending their children to government schools. Parents looking for a homeschooling curriculum incorporating the ideas of liberty should consider my online curriculum. My curriculum provides students with a solid education in history, literature, mathematics, and the sciences. It also gives students the opportunity to create their own websites and internet-based businesses.... 

"The curriculum is designed to be self-taught, with students helping, and learning from, each other via online forums. Starting in the fourth grade, students are required to write at least one essay a week. Students post their essays on their blogs. Students also take a course in public speaking. The curriculum does emphasize the history, philosophy, and economics of liberty, but it never substitutes indoctrination for education. The goal is to produce students with superior critical thinking skills.

"If you think my curriculum may meet the needs of your child, please visit www.RonPaulCurriculum.com for more information."

Copyright © 2025 The Ron Paul Institute. Permission to reprint in whole or in part is gladly granted, provided full credit and a live link are given. 

Read more: https://ronpaulinstitute.org/shut-down-the-department-of-education/

CCP election interference likely, says SITE

Canadian security officials expect Chinese government interference in Canada's election campaign.

Officials Say Beijing Interference ‘Highly Likely’ in Federal Election | Epoch Times | Noé Chartier:

March 26, 2025 - "Federal security officials say they expect Beijing will attempt to meddle in the ongoing electoral campaign. The chair of the elections security task force provided the body’s assessment on the different threats facing the election during a press conference in Ottawa on March 24. 'It is expected that the People’s Republic of China, or PRC, will likely continue to target Canadian democratic institutions and civil society to advance its strategic objectives,' said Vanessa Lloyd, who heads the Security and Intelligence Threats to Elections (SITE) Task Force.

"SITE is composed of representatives of four different departments and agencies with a security mandate. Lloyd’s permanent post is deputy director of operations, or second-in-command, with the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS). SITE also includes representatives of the RCMP, Global Affairs Canada, and the Communications Security Establishment.

"Chinese officials and their proxies are 'likely to conduct foreign interference activity using a complex array of both overt and covert mechanisms,' Lloyd added without elaborating.

"Some of these mechanisms have come to light in recent years through intelligence leaks in the media and via documents released through the Foreign Interference Commission presided by Justice Marie-Josée Hogue. They have involved mobilizing community groups to shun certain election candidates or implicating some candidates and staffers in interference networks. The PRC has been identified as the foremost foreign interference threat by the Hogue report released in January.... Lloyd added that China is highly likely to use social media to promote its narratives and 'specifically target Chinese ethnic, cultural, and religious communities in Canada using clandestine and deceptive means'....

"Global Affairs Canada’s Rapid Response Mechanism (RRM), which monitors the digital information environment for foreign state-sponsored disinformation, said in February that it detected an information operation targeting then-leadership candidate Chrystia Freeland. The RRM said 'disparaging' news articles about Freeland, originating from an anonymous blog linked to the PRC, were being spread on the widely popular Chinese-language social platform WeChat. The RRM said the campaign was seen by approximately 2 million to 3 million WeChat users globally. WeChat was also used in the 2021 election to spread misinformation about the Conservative Party....

"Along with concerns around China, Lloyd said the Indian government has the 'intent and capability' to interfere in elections to 'assert its geopolitical influence.' Relations between Ottawa and New Delhi have remained strained since 2023 when then-Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused Indian agents of being involved in the murder of a pro-Khalistan activist in British Columbia.... India has denied involvement and has accused Ottawa of making politically motivated allegations.

"Lloyd also said Russia could use online networks to interfere and added that Pakistan could also meddle to seek to counter India’s influence. Government intelligence summaries released to the Hogue Inquiry say that Pakistan has previously conducted foreign interference against Canada. Meanwhile, the summaries say authorities have not detected 'significant foreign interference' in past federal elections from Russia, although it possesses the capabilities."

Read more: https://www.theepochtimes.com/world/officials-say-beijing-interference-highly-likely-in-federal-election-5830672

Canada's spy agency claims China, India likely to interfere in next election | CNA | March 25, 2025:

Boilermakers' union endorses Poilievre for PM

This week the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers Canada and the Coalition of Concerned Manufacturers and Businesses of Canada both endorsed Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre for prime minister.

“Pierre gets it”: Boilermakers union endorses Poilievre | The Counter Signal | TCS Wire: 

March 26, 2025 - "In a show of support, a labour union has endorsed Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre. The International Brotherhood of Boilermakers ... have never backed the federal Conservatives but they broke precedent on Tuesday with a public statement. 

“'It is in the interest of moving forward that the Office of the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers Canada is proud to announce today our endorsement for Pierre Poilievre and all the conservative candidates across Canada in this federal election,' said the union’s vice president, Arnie Stadnick, in an open letter to Canadians. 

Pierre gets it. He knows and understands that the surest and most sustainable route to providing a cleaner environment is through technology, not dismantling our energy sectors, raising taxes, importing energy from other nations, and shipping Canadian jobs abroad.

"The Boilermakers represent about 12,000 skilled trades workers across Canada in industries such as energy production, construction, shipbuilding and manufacturing. 

"Additionally, the union endorsed Poilievre’s 'Boots not Suits' policy, which aims to expand training halls and increase grants and funding to accelerate entry into the licensed trades. 'This plan is designed to strengthen the workforce and reduce reliance on foreign labour, adding 350,000 Canadian workers to job sites over five years,' wrote the Boilermakers union. 

"The Coalition of Concerned Manufacturers and Businesses of Canada also endorsed the Conservative leader with a statement last week, saying that it 'strongly supports the election of Pierre Poilievre as the next Prime Minister of Canada.'

"''Canadian business has been undermined for 10 years by the post-national, anti-business Liberal agenda, and the ability of our members to create well-paying jobs has been seriously impaired,” said the coalition’s president Catherine Swift in a statement published Friday. 

"'Mark Carney, who has been a key advisor to the Trudeau Liberals for years, will continue this destructive approach.'

"Citing data compiled by the International Monetary Fund, Swift said that a fourth Liberal term would perpetuate economic policies that have led to the worst growth per capita for Canada among other developed nations. Calling it 'Canada’s lost decade,' Swift said that she’s yet to see any 'concern' for small and medium-sized businesses from Liberal Leader Mark Carney.

“His globalist policies only involve large crony capitalists and top-down regulatory overload to the detriment of (small and medium-sized businesses),” she said."

Read more: https://thecountersignal.com/pierre-gets-it-boilermakers-union-endorses-poilievre/ 

Freeland cuts off EV rebates for Teslas

In one of her first acts as federal Transport Minister, Chrystia Freeland has suspended EV rebate payments to Tesla, and excluded the company from future rebate programs as long as "illegitimate and illegal U.S. tariffs" on Canada remain in effect. 

Protest at Tesla dealership, Kitchener, Ontario, March 22,2025. Screenshot, CBC News.

Ottawa Suspends Tesla Rebates, Excludes Firm From Future Support in Response to US Tariffs | Epoch Times | Jennifer Cowan:

March 26, 2025 - "Canada has suspended all rebate payments for Tesla and prohibited the electric vehicle (EV) maker from participating in future rebate programs.... The criteria for eligibility in future incentive programs for zero-emission vehicles will be revised to exclude Elon Musk’s Tesla as long as 'illegitimate and illegal U.S. tariffs' on Canada remain in effect, Transport Minister Chrystia Freeland said in a media statement. Freeland said she issued the order upon assuming her role as transport minister earlier this month....

"Freeland’s statement comes after the Toronto Star reported Tesla submitted thousands of rebate claims in January amid a surge in sales during the last days of the program, amounting to the sale of two cars per minute for each hour of the day. The report said a total of 8,653 rebate claims were made by Tesla during a 72-hour period, with more than 4,000 of those claims coming from a single Tesla dealership in Quebec City which said it sold the vehicles over a single weekend....

"Freeland has previously proposed a 100 percent tariff on Tesla vehicles, citing Musk’s involvement in the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump as a reason. Tesla is just one of the companies owned by Musk, a billionaire who is a friend and personal adviser to Trump. Musk has been at the forefront of the White House initiative aimed at reducing federal expenditure and debt in his role as the unpaid head of the Department of Government Efficiency.

"Protests have erupted against Musk as a result of Trump’s tariffs on Canada.... 'Tesla Takedown' protests were held at several locations across Canada, including in Ottawa and Vancouver.... Numerous attacks have occurred at Tesla dealerships nationwide, with some drivers also being targeted and nearly 90 vehicles being damaged. Police said the most common occurrences are fires, graffiti, vandalism, and slashed tires."

Read more: https://www.theepochtimes.com/world/ottawa-suspends-tesla-rebates-excludes-firm-from-future-support-in-response-to-us-tariffs-5831613

FEE on "the 'Libertarian-Minded' Pierre Poilievre"

The world's oldest libertarian thinktank, the Foundation for Economic Education, acknowledges Pierre Poilievre's 'libertarian streak' but notes he will be limited in how far he can change Canada's governance.

Taymaz Valley, Poilievre at Iran protest, October 2022. CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons.

Meet Canada’s Next Prime Minister — the ‘Libertarian-Minded’ Pierre Poilievre | Foundation for Economic Education | Patrick Carroll:

February 5, 2025 - "Born in Calgary, Alberta, in 1979, Pierre Poilievre has been involved in politics nearly his entire life. After earning a BA in international relations at the University of Calgary, he went on to become a Conservative Member of Parliament (MP) in 2004 at the age of 25. He has worked as an MP ever since, slowly climbing the Party ladder, becoming leader in 2022. 

"Poilievre’s political philosophy is essentially conservative, but what makes him unusual is that he also has a considerable libertarian streak — a rare quality in the upper echelons of Canadian politics. In his teens he read Milton Friedman’s Capitalism and Freedom, a book he later cited as 'seminal' to his political thinking. As a second-year undergraduate in 1999, he was a finalist in the national As Prime Minister, I Would… essay contest, winning $10,000 and a four-month internship at Magna International. His entry, 'Building Canada Through Freedom,' spells out his principles — and his ambitions — in no uncertain terms:

Therefore, as Prime Minister, what I would do to improve living standards is not nearly as important as what I would not do. As Prime Minister, I would relinquish to citizens as much of my social, political, and economic control as possible, leaving people to cultivate their own personal prosperity and to govern their own affairs as directly as possible.

"His focus on liberty has continued throughout his career. He described himself as 'libertarian-minded' to media outlets when he first became an MP in 2004 and is regularly criticized by those on the left for viewing free markets favorably and government intervention with suspicion.... 

"Poilievre’s pro-freedom credentials were further underscored when he was interviewed on Robert Breedlove’s podcast in 2022.... Poilievre told Breedlove he was a regular listener and fan of the show. This in itself is revealing: Breedlove is a Bitcoiner, a self-described 'Freedom Maximalist,' and an influential figure in the modern liberty movement. Poilievre went on to reference 'one of my favorite economists, Thomas Sowell,' and specifically cited Sowell’s famous 'first lesson' quote: 'The first lesson of economics is scarcity: There is never enough of anything to satisfy all those who want it. The first lesson of politics is to disregard the first lesson of economics'....

"Poilievre is tapping into the classical liberal side of the Canadian identity. He has been especially focused on his plan to 'Axe the Carbon Tax,' referring to a divisive carbon tax-and-rebate program introduced by the Liberals in 2019 as part of their climate agenda. But while he will likely succeed in rolling back the carbon tax, there is reason to doubt that he will be able to make any sizable pro-freedom changes.

"Poilievre may be libertarian-minded at heart, but most Canadian voters are not. Thus, if he wants to get elected, he needs to present Canadians with a considerably moderated version of his ideas, and that’s exactly what he’s been doing. In his mind, presumably, it’s better to get elected on a moderate platform than campaign on what he actually believes and lose in a landslide. Unfortunately, even if this strategy works and he becomes Prime Minister, he will be severely limited in his ability to make any meaningful changes, because he will almost certainly be ousted from power should he ever try to do so.

"There’s an interesting lesson here about power. While it’s easy to think that the person in charge can do whatever they want within constitutional limits, the fact is that they are always beholden to the will of the majority. And as Ludwig von Mises argued — echoing Étienne de la Boétie and David Hume — this isn’t just true of democracies; it’s true of all systems of government. Political 'might' always rests, not on force, but on opinion. If a ruler won’t exercise power in a way that comports with public opinion, they are quickly replaced by someone who will — violently, if necessary.... 

"Poilievre may want to move Canada in a free market, classical liberal direction. He may have great intentions for removing government regulations in both the economic and social spheres. But the problem is that Canadian public opinion is still thoroughly statist."

Read more: https://fee.org/articles/meet-canadas-next-prime-minister-the-libertarian-minded-pierre-poilievre/

Pierre Poilievre: A Political Life (w/ Andrew Lawton, True North) | Conversations That Matter | August 23, 2024:

Canadian parties promise to cut income tax

With a federal general election called on Sunday for April 28, both Liberal and Conservative parties launched their campaigns with a promise to cut the federal income tax. 

Carney calls snap election for April 28 | CBC News:

March 23, 2025 - "Liberal Leader Mark Carney has triggered an early election with a short 36-day campaign that’s expected to revolve around the economy and threats from U.S. President Donald Trump. Canadians go to the polls April 28."
https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/video/9.6695655

Liberals launch 2025 campaign with middle-class tax cut | Liberal Party of Canada (news release):

March 23, 2025 - "Today, Mark Carney launched the 2025 Liberal campaign by announcing a middle-class tax cut that will help Canadians keep more of what they earn and build a stronger Canada in the face of President Trump’s tariffs.... This middle-class tax cut will save two-income families up to $825 a year, by reducing the marginal tax rate on the lowest tax bracket by 1 percentage point. More than 22 million Canadians will benefit directly from this tax cut, and middle- and low-income Canadians will benefit the most....

“'So many Canadians are doing everything right. They’ve worked hard, secured a good job, and saved for the future. But often, it’s not enough,' added Mr. Carney. 'My new government will focus on helping hard-working Canadians keep more of their paychecks to spend where it matters most: on homes, groceries, and their families. Every Canadian should be able to afford necessities, feel secure, and get ahead financially – and this tax cut will help them do that.'”
Read more: https://liberal.ca/liberals-launch-2025-campaign-with-middle-class-tax-cut/

Poilievre To Cut Income Tax By 15% For The Average Canadian | Conservative Party of Canada (news release):

March 24, 2025 - "Today, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre launched his campaign to put Canada First and make life more affordable for Canadians. Poilievre announced he will cut income tax by 15%, dropping the tax rate on the lowest income tax bracket from 15% to 12.75%, meaning the average Canadian worker earning $57,000 will save $900, with two income families saving $1,800 a year. It’s time to let Canadians keep more of what they earn....

"Poilievre’s income tax cut is part of the broader Conservative Bring It Home Tax Cut on work, investment, energy and homebuilding. Conservative tax cuts will create jobs for Canadians and help build Canada’s economic fortress against American threats. It will allow consumers to spend more money supporting local businesses while rewarding hard work that makes everyone better off.... Let’s bring it home and put Canada first – for a change!"
Read more: https://www.conservative.ca/poilievre-to-cut-income-tax-by-15-for-the-average-canadian/

Poilievre's tax plan helps millionaires the most - just like Carney's | New Democratic Party of Canada (news release): 

March 24, 2025 - "This morning, Pierre Poilievre announced a tax plan that he says is about 'average Canadians.' What he doesn’t say is that the richest people benefit the most. Just like Carney’s proposal, the income tax cut is so broad that it helps millionaires and billionaires....

"Why is Poilievre cutting taxes for billionaires when working Canadians are struggling with the cost of living, housing, and healthcare?"
Read more: https://www.ndp.ca/news/poilievres-tax-plan-helps-millionaires-most-just-carneys

Fair Taxation: Making Our Tax System Work for Everyone | Green Party of Canada | website (accessed March 25, 2025):

"We have a simple goal: taxes that work for people, not profiteers. In the coming weeks, we’ll announce our new tax plan. It will put thousands of dollars back into working people’s pockets. This will be the biggest change to income tax in generations."
Read more: https://www.greenparty.ca/en/our-plans/fair-taxation

Ron Paul: president Trump, stop bombing Yemen

President Trump: Stop Bombing Yemen and Exit the Middle East! | Ron Paul Institute | Ron Paul:

March 17, 2025 - "Over the weekend President Trump ordered a massive military operation against the small country of Yemen. Was Yemen in the process of attacking the United States? No. Did the President in that case go to Congress and seek a declaration of war against the country? No.... Yemen hadn’t even threatened the United States before the bombs started falling.

"Last year, candidate Trump strongly criticized the Biden Administration’s obsession with foreign interventionism to the detriment of our problems at home. In an interview at the Libertarian National Convention, he criticized Biden’s warmongering to podcaster Tim Pool, saying, 'You can solve problems over a telephone. Instead they start dropping bombs. Recently, they’re dropping bombs all over Yemen. You don’t have to do that.' Yet once in office, Trump turned to military force as his first option. 

"Since the Israel/Hamas ceasefire plan negotiated by President Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff, Yemen has left Red Sea shipping alone. However, after Israel implemented a total blockade of humanitarian relief to citizens of Gaza last week, Houthi leaders threatened to again begin blocking Israel’s Red Sea shipping activities. That was enough for President Trump to drop bombs and launch missiles for hours, killing several dozen Yemeni civilians – including women and children – in the process.

"After the attack, Trump not only threatened much more force to be used against Yemen, but he also threatened Iran. His National Security Advisor Mike Waltz added that the US may start bombing Iranian ships in the area, a move that would certainly lead to a major Middle East war.

"Like recent Presidents Bush and Obama, candidate Trump promised peace after four years of Joe Biden’s warmongering and World War III brinkmanship. There is little doubt that with our war-weary population this proved the margin of his victory. Unfortunately, as with Bush and Obama, now that he is President, he appears to be heading down a different path.

"The Republican Party is gradually becoming a pro-peace, America first party, but the warmongers and neocons of the old line in the Party are not going to let go so easily. Unfortunately many of these dead-enders have found their way to senior positions in Trump’s Administration, with voices of restraint and non-intervention nearly nowhere in sight among his top tier of advisors.

"To solve the Yemen problem we must understand it: Russian and Chinese ships, for example, are not being threatened because they are not enabling the Israeli demolition of Gaza. The slaughter there has been facilitated with US money and US weapons. It is the US doing Israel’s bidding both in Gaza and in the Red Sea that is painting a target on us and unnecessarily putting our troops at risk of retaliation.

"The US government, starting with Biden and continuing now with Trump, seems eager to make this our war even though, as Rep. Thomas Massie pointed out over the weekend, Red Sea shipping is of minor importance to the US economy. In a real 'America first' foreign policy we would be following the Russian and Chinese lead and staying out of the conflict. It’s not our war." 

Read more: https://ronpaulinstitute.org/president-trump-stop-bombing-yemen-and-exit-the-middle-east/

Copyright © 2025 The Ron Paul Institute. Permission to reprint in whole or in part is gladly granted, provided full credit and a live link are given.

Liberals revoke MP Chandra Arya's nomination

10-year Liberal MP Chandra Arya, who was barred from running for the party leadership in January, has had his party nomination revoked just days before the expected election call. 

Liberals revoke Chandra Arya's nomination, after removing him from leadership race | CBC News | Canadian Press: 

Chandra Arya in 2017. Photo courtesy 

Presidential Office Building, Taiwan.

CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons.

March 21, 2025 - "Chandra Arya, a Liberal backbench MP whose short-lived bid to replace Justin Trudeau as leader was cut short by the party, says he has been dropped as the candidate for the Ottawa riding of Nepean. The 62-year-old has represented the riding since 2015.

"National campaign director Andrew Bevan informed Arya of the decision in a letter Thursday, just days before an expected election call. The move to remove him comes almost two months after the party also told Arya it would not accept him as a candidate for the party leadership.

"Arya had already been nominated, but the letter says new information obtained by the party's 'green light committee' led the campaign co-chair to recommend that his 'status as a candidate' be revoked. Bevan does not include any details about the new information.... The party also refused to provide any information when it rejected Arya's candidacy for the leadership race in January.

"The decision opens an Ottawa seat as an option for Prime Minister Mark Carney, who has thus far not declared which riding he intends to run in.... 

"Carney is widely expected to visit Rideau Hall to launch the election on Sunday, for a vote on either April 28 or May 5."

Read more: https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/liberal-chandra-arya-dropped-nepean-1.7489486

CP NewsAlert: Carney to run in Ottawa riding of Nepean | Yahoo News | Nick Murray, Canadian Press:

March 22, 2025 - Mark Carney will seek election as a Liberal MP in the House of Commons in the Ottawa riding of Nepean. The Canadian Press has confirmed the move with two Liberal party sources.... More coming."

Read more: https://ca.news.yahoo.com/just-hours-left-pm-carney-100016187.html

Mark Carney kicks out Liberal MP to steal their seat! | National Telegraph | March 23, 2025:

McArdle resigns as U.S. Libertarian Party chair

Libertarian National Committee (LNC) chair Angela McArdle abruptly resigned her office in January, during an LNC email vote on investigating misconduct allegations against her. At the LNC's next meeting Stephen Nekhalia was elected chair, defeating Mises Caucus founder and leader Michael Heise.

Libertarian Party Gets New National Chair After Angela McArdle's Surprise Resignation | Reason | Brian Doherty

February 4, 2025 - "Riding a wave of accolades for her role in convincing Donald Trump to fully pardon Silk Road founder Ross Ulbricht, Angela McArdle made a surprise announcement late on January 24 that she was resigning ... as chair of the Libertarian Party's National Committee (LNC). McArdle released a farewell video a couple of days before a Sunday night LNC board meeting via Zoom that selected her replacement in which she stressed Ulbricht's release from prison as the 'biggest political victory' the party has ever achieved. She also accused George Phillies, a past L.P. candidate for office from Massachusetts and operator of Third Party Watch, of being a federal operative.... She hinted without directly stating that she left the L.P. to work for the federal government in Robert Kennedy's Department of Health and Human Services....

McCardle at Libertarian convention in 2022,
ReasonTV. CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons.

"Kennedy certainly owes her; under her leadership the L.P. formed a joint fundraising agreement with his campaign, thus helping a candidate opposed to the L.P. raise money (while also keeping a portion of it for the L.P., and indeed the money flowing from McArdle's decision to ally with Kennedy seems to be keeping the L.P. from running out of money entirely.) Organizations she controls outside the L.P. in turn have received over $750,000 in 2024. The vast bulk went to her nonprofit Rescue the West, some from the Kennedy Joint Fundraising Committee itself and more from other PACs and operations associated with Kennedy's campaign.... This information was first reported in December by Jake Porter, a former L.P. candidate for governor of Iowa.... 

"The LNC at Sunday night's meeting created an investigatory committee to, in its language as voted on, 'investigate issues of conflict of interest and business practices of the Libertarian National Committee.' A live email ballot was in progress regarding forming such a committee that specifically referred to 'allegations of misconduct' against McArdle, with votes already cast indicating it would be created, when McArdle suddenly resigned.... 

"Looming over the proceedings was the allegation that McArdle was funneling party money to her own household, furthered by investigative work from Porter on his Substack. On January 21, he reported that under McArdle's leadership the LNC has paid over $45,000 since last February to a company called Freedom Calls for fundraising services. Porter discovered that McArdle's domestic partner and father of her child, Austin Padgett, was the incorporator of record for that entity.... The LNC had previously decided to suspend a series of monthly payments directly to Padgett in January 2024. The payments to Freedom Calls began the following month.... 

"In response to written questions from Reason about Porter's accusations regarding LNC payments to Freedom Calls, McArdle wrote: 'The LNC is reacting as best they can in the face of constant attacks by unstable litigants like Caryn Ann Harlos, and my cyber stalkers Todd Hagopian and Jake Porter. I have retained an attorney to deal with the aggressive cyberstalking by these men. I will be working with new appointees in the Trump administration to find out if the FBI and State Dept have been involved in the attacks on the LP and me.'.... Harlos is the LNC's elected secretary, who had filed a lawsuit in October seeking McArdle's removal, as reported by Reason. Hagopian is former elected treasurer of the LNC who had filed an amicus brief supporting Harlos' suit....

"The L.P.'s national board has in the past week faced an email campaign sponsored by the Mises Caucus (which has largely controlled the party since 2022) pushing for its founder Michael Heise.... McArdle firmly endorsed Heise as her successor, stressing he was the one prepared to continue her fruitful personal relationships with the Trump administration. Nonetheless, in the Zoom meeting of the LNC Sunday night, Heise lost in a 9–6 vote to Steven Nekhaila, who had been an at-large member of the LNC and threw his hat in the ring very late in the process.... 

"In the contentious questioning process from LNC members during the meeting before the chair vote he lost, Heise said, in defense of wanting to lead a third party after he endorsed and supported [Donald Trump for POTUS], that blind demands for partisanship on the part of the L.P. were insulting to would-be donors and harm outreach to potential major party converts. Heise also firmly insisted the LNC should not care about, and not seek the identities of, the unnamed donors he announced would pay him directly if he took the formally unpaid position of LNC chair....

"Nekhaila was not always a consistent party-line Mises Caucus voter, but he was part of their endorsed LNC slate at the convention in 2024. His win over Heise signifies a crack, if not a collapse, in the Mises Caucus hold on the party at the national level. Six LNC members endorsed by the Caucus in May did not vote for its founder and leader Heise Sunday night."

Read more: https://reason.com/2025/02/04/libertarian-party-gets-new-national-chair-after-angela-mcardles-surprise-resignation/