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Saturday, April 5, 2025

The high, hidden cost of green electricity

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:

Friday, April 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/

Thursday, April 3, 2025

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.

"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/ 

Wednesday, April 2, 2025

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

Tuesday, April 1, 2025

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:

Monday, March 31, 2025

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

Sunday, March 30, 2025

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.

"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/

Saturday, March 29, 2025

CCP election interference likely, says SITES

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:

Friday, March 28, 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/ 

Thursday, March 27, 2025

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

Wednesday, March 26, 2025

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:

Tuesday, March 25, 2025

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



"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

Sunday, March 23, 2025

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.

Saturday, March 22, 2025

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:

Friday, March 21, 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/

Thursday, March 20, 2025

Canada's carbon tax still an election issue

Canada's carbon tax is still an election issue. While new Prime Minister Mark Carney has zero-rated the consumer carbon tax, at least for the election campaign, he insists the industrial carbon tax is still necessary and plans to increase it; while Conservative leader Poilievre is still committed to ending both taxes. 

LILLEY: PM Carney has it all wrong with industrial carbon tax | Toronto Sun | Brian Lilley: 

March 17, 2025 - "While Conservative Leader Poilievre was promising to scrap the industrial carbon tax, Prime Minister Carney was defending it as a necessity on his trip to Europe. On Friday, Carney and his just sworn-in government passed an order-in-council to reduce the rate of the consumer carbon tax to zero come April 1 [see video]. The industrial carbon tax remains in place, though, and will increase by nearly 20% on that same day.

"Standing in a steel plant in L’Original, Ont., about an hour east of Ottawa, Poilievre said that increasing the carbon tax on businesses at a time like this will kill off jobs.... Poilievre said that if elected Prime Minister, he would repeal the entire carbon tax while offering incentives for companies to reduce emissions. 'While the Liberals tax businesses who use energy, Conservatives will cut taxes and boost incentives for those who bring down emissions. Carrot, not stick,' Poilievre said.

"Speaking in London after a meeting with British PM Keir Starmer, Carney who has spent the past few days boasting about dropping the consumer carbon tax, said it was vital that there be a carbon tax on industry. Hang on a minute, until five minutes ago, the policy of the Liberal Party and a policy advocated by Carney was that a consumer carbon tax was vital....

"Carney said increasing the carbon tax on industries, like steel plants, is an economic opportunity that will create jobs. 'We have an enormous opportunity here in Canada. The United Kingdom has an enormous opportunity. France has an enormous opportunity. Europe has an enormous opportunity to leapfrog over American companies. They’re trying to turn back the clock and look inwards. We’re going to take that opportunity,' he said. Of course, if the polls change again and the Liberals are less popular, Carney’s answer and policy could change.... 

"While in London, Carney said that Poilievre couldn’t have the kinds of meetings he had on Monday, but Poilievre said that meetings on their own don’t produce jobs and economic opportunity.

“France signed a natural gas supply agreement with Qatar. We could be selling that gas,” Poilievre said while pointing out the Liberals have refused to approve LNG export terminals. We know they need our gas. Japan, Greece, Germany, France, and other countries, Ukraine, have all asked for our natural gas. But the radical net zero keep it in the ground ideology that has guided the Carney Trudeau Liberals for 10 years and caused the lost decade has prevented us from doing it,' Poilievre said.

"Carney did not get a deal to sell Canada natural gas when he was in Paris. In fact, he got photo ops and not much more. The British Prime Minister wouldn’t even hold a joint press conference with Carney.... 

"The biggest achievement Carney had on his European trip was showing arrogance and disdain when journalists asked about his significant investment and asset portfolio, now in a blind trust, and what potential conflicts of interest there might be. Carney lectured both Stephanie Levitz of the Globe and Mail and Rosemary Barton of CBC for daring to ask questions. He came off as arrogant and condescending to two of the people who will be covering him during the just-about-to-be-called election campaign. It wasn’t a good look for Carney and it wasn’t a good trip."

Read more: https://torontosun.com/opinion/columnists/lilley-pm-carney-has-it-all-wrong-with-industrial-carbon-tax

Lilley Unleashed: Carney's big carbon tax lie to Canadians | Toronto Sun | March 17, 2025:

Monday, March 17, 2025

Chinese gov't slaps tariffs on Canadian food

In retaliation for the Canadian government's tariffs on Chinese EVs, steel, and aluminum, the Chinese governent has imposed tariffs on selected Canadian food products. 

China Hits Back At Canada With Fresh Tariffs Amid Donald Trump's Trade War | NDTV News:

March 8, 2025 - "China announced tariffs on over $2.6 billion worth of Canadian agricultural and food products on Saturday, retaliating against levies Ottawa introduced in October.... The levies, announced by the commerce ministry and scheduled to take effect on March 20, match the 100% and 25% import duties Canada slapped on China-made electric vehicles and steel and aluminium products just over four months ago.

"By excluding canola, which is also known as rapeseed, and was one of Canada's top exports to the world's No.1 agricultural importer prior to China investigating it for anti-dumping last year, Beijing may be keeping the door open for trade talks. But the tariffs also serve as a warning shot, analysts say, with the Trump administration having signalled it could ease 25% import levies the White House is threatening Canada and Mexico with if they apply the same extra 20% duty he has slapped on Chinese goods over fentanyl flows.... China will apply a 100% tariff to just over $1 billion of Canadian rapeseed oil, oil cakes and pea imports, and a 25% duty on $1.6 billion worth of Canadian aquatic products and pork.... The Canadian embassy in Beijing did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

"Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said in August that Ottawa was imposing the levies to counter what he called China's intentional state-directed policy of over-capacity, following the lead of the United States and European Union, both of which have also applied import levies to Chinese-made EVs. In response, China in September launched an anti-dumping investigation into Canadian canola imports. More than half of Canada's canola exports go to China and the trade was worth $3.7 billion in 2023, according to the Canola Council of Canada. The investigation on Canadian canola is still ongoing. 

"That canola was not included in the list of tariffs this time might also be a gesture to leave room for negotiations," said Rosa Wang, an analyst with agricultural consultancy JCI. Beijing could also be hoping that a change in government in Ottawa makes it more amenable.... China is Canada's second-largest trading partner, trailing far behind the United States. Canada exported $47 billion worth of goods to the world's second-largest economy in 2024, according to Chinese customs data."

Read more: https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/china-hits-back-at-canada-with-fresh-tariffs-amid-donald-trumps-trade-war-7875568

China Canada: $2.6Bn Canadian Products Face New Chinese Tariffs | China Tariffs | Canada News | WION | March 8, 2025:

Canada sleepwalks into another trade war – this time with China | SaskToday | Sylvain Charlebois: 

The lack of foresight in Ottawa’s trade and industrial policies is astonishing. And farmers keep paying the price.

March 11, 2025 - "Canada has walked itself into an unnecessary trade war with the United States’ biggest geopolitical rival, China.... [N]ew retaliatory tariffs from China directly target our farmers, affecting over $3 billion in agri-food commodities and products. These measures are a direct response to Canada’s decision to impose a 100 per cent tariff on Chinese electric vehicles (EVs) back in October — a move designed to align with U.S. trade policy and shield the North American auto sector from low-cost competition. But now, the landscape has shifted: Joe Biden is no longer in office, Donald Trump is signalling hostility toward Canada, and China is retaliating against Canadian farmers. Meanwhile, the United States is also taking an aggressive stance against Canada.... 

"China is once again sending a clear message by targeting Canadian farmers in retaliation for an EV tariff — even though Canada has yet to import a single Chinese-made electric vehicle. This comes at the same time that Canada installs a new prime minister to replace Justin Trudeau, the leader who originally imposed the EV tariffs. The symbolism is undeniable, yet it remains unclear whether Ottawa grasps its significance.

"At the heart of this issue is Canada’s flawed strategy on EVs — a policy that mirrors the protectionist nature of supply management in the dairy sector. The federal government has poured over $50 billion into the EV and battery industries, supporting domestic manufacturing, critical minerals and supply chain development. Beneficiaries include Volkswagen, Stellantis-LG Energy Solution, Northvolt and Honda, among others. To protect these investments, Ottawa followed the U.S. lead in imposing tariffs on Chinese EVs, effectively limiting market competition and driving up domestic EV prices over time....

"[I]f the Canadian government is still serious about climate action, shouldn’t it prioritize making EVs more affordable rather than blocking cheaper imports? Instead, Ottawa has chosen to prioritize jobs in the auto sector over environmental concerns. The inconsistency is staggering. Meanwhile, the EV and battery industries that Canada is trying to protect remain in their infancy. We are not importing Chinese EVs, yet our agricultural sector is bearing the cost of this policy misstep."

Read more: https://www.sasktoday.ca/opinion/opinion-canada-sleepwalks-into-another-trade-war-this-time-with-china-10359139

Saturday, March 15, 2025

Ron Paul: Tariffs are theft

Tariffs are Theft | Ron Paul Institute | Ron Paul

March 10, 2025 - "The US and China came closer to a full-fledged trade war last week when China imposed tariffs of up to 15 percent on key US agricultural exports. This was retaliation for President Trump’s increasing of tariffs on Chinese exports to the United States from 10 percent to 20 percent.


Ron Paul in 2012. Photo: David Carlyon.

"China’s retaliatory tariffs show how export-dependent industries are harmed by protectionist policies. Even if other countries refrain from imposing retaliatory tariffs, exporters can still suffer from reduced demand for their products in countries targeted by US tariffs. Businesses that rely on imported materials to manufacture their products also suffer from increased production costs thanks to tariffs. President Trump acknowledged how tariffs harm US manufacturers when he granted US automakers’ request for a one-month delay in new tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada....

"Contrary to popular belief, foreign businesses do not pay tariffs. Tariffs are paid by US businesses that wish to sell the imported goods. When tariffs are increased, the importing businesses try to recoup their increased costs by increasing their prices. Consumers then must choose whether to pay the higher price, find a cheaper alternative, or do without the product. Whatever they choose, consumers will be worse off.... 

"Tariffs may provide a short-term benefit to the protected businesses. However, tariffs could keep businesses alive that should be allowed to fail so the business owners and workers can put their talents to use in other endeavors that would more greatly benefit and the whole economy.

"Defenders of tariffs, including President Trump, claim the revenue from tariffs can be used to 'offset' the revenue government loses from tax cuts. Some even claim that tariffs can generate enough revenue to allow the government to repeal the income tax. The problem with this is that a tariff brings in more revenue to 'pay for' tax cuts only to the extent the tariff does not cause consumers to cease buying imported goods. Thus, the tariffs, to bring revenue to the government, must not be large enough to discourage Americans from buying foreign products. The more tariffs increase government revenue, the more they will tend to fail in bringing about another often promoted tariff goal — an increase in the purchase of domestic goods.

"According to the Tax Foundation, if President Trump’s tariff plan for China, Mexico, and Canada were fully implemented, it would increase federal tax revenue by 142 billion dollars this year — an average tax increase of over one thousand dollars per household. The tariffs would also decrease economic output. This does not account for the decline in consumer satisfaction caused by consumers being forced to alter their consumption choices because of government-caused price increases. It also does not account for the new businesses, products, and jobs that could have been created had government not drained resources from the productive economy via tariffs.

"The economic effects are a good enough reason to oppose raising tariffs. However, the main reason to oppose tariffs is that tariffs, like all taxes (including the inflation tax), are theft."

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/tariffs-are-theft/