A bowl of oatmeal would be the better way forward.
Pollievre will be prime minister, he's the only sane choice at this point.
WE really need to get rid of this guy
- Thread starter Retired_Can_Soldier
- Start date
Pollievre will be prime minister, he's the only sane choice at this point.
Crime stats show spike in violent crime under Trudeau
Violent crime, auto thefts, extortion, sexual assault all up dramatically since 2015.
Author of the article:Brian Lilley
Published Jul 25, 2024 • Last updated 2 days ago • 3 minute read
Violent crime is up 50% since the Trudeau government took office, murders are up 28% since 2015.
Those were the numbers the Conservatives were pointing to after Statistics Canada released their police-reported crime statistics for 2023.
While officially StatsCan says the crime severity index was up just 2% over the last year, the Conservatives were quick to point to the raw data to tell a different story since the Liberals took office nine years ago.
In 2015, there were 382,115 violent crimes reported to police across the country, but in 2023 there were 572,572. That’s an increase of 49.84%, or 50% if we round up, since the Trudeau Liberals took office.
On the homicide front, there were 609 counted by police in 2015 but 778 in 2023 – a 27.75% increase. The total number of homicides since Trudeau took office has never been as low at 609 and last year was at 882 or a 45% increase during the Trudeau years.
Auto theft is up 46%, sexual assaults up 75%, violent firearms offences up 116% and extortion up by 357%.
Just as Trudeau likes to tell you that you haven’t had it so good economically as Canadians struggle with the cost of living, his government will try to tell you they are tough on crime and taking public safety seriously.
They are clearly not and these numbers back this up.
At a campaign-like event in London, Ont., Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre pointed out that even Justice Minister Arif Virani has had his car stolen three times.
“This is the same guy who said that crime wasn’t rising. It was just a perception. He said that Canadians were just believing crazy conspiracy theories about crime and that the smart people who stare at screens and look at spreadsheets knew better,” Poilievre said.
“Well now the spreadsheets are out, and they confirm that catch-and-release wacko NDP liberal policies have caused one of the worst crime waves in Canadian history.”
It’s not clear that this is the worst crime wave in Canadian history, but things are not good at the moment and no amount of Liberal spin can change that. Crime is up across the country and the Trudeau government has no plan to deal with this.
The government has lowered sentences for serious crimes, including gun crimes. They have made bail nearly automatic with requirements to release those arrested as quickly as possible with the least onerous conditions.
Late last year, the feds were pressured into passing bail reforms that made bail tougher to get for some gun crimes and intimate partner violence. For the rest of the offenders, the near automatic release is what remains in the legislation that every judge and justice of the peace must follow.
Last week, 18 men were arrested on auto theft in Peel Region, west of Toronto, and nine of them had made bail before police held their news conference. Among those arrested were two who had been released on bail and failed to meet their conditions and five who were in breach of probation conditions.
That’s why every provincial premier, across all party lines, wrote to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau this week to ask for further bail reform.
“This is the direct result of NDP-Liberal catch and release policies that turn the same repeat offenders loose on our streets again and again and again,” Poilievre said about the rise in crime.
Liberals can try to dismiss him, but the statistics from the government’s official agency back Poilievre up.
It’s not that Canada feels less safe due to increased crime, the stats show that the increase in crime is real.
blilley@postmedia.com
torontosun.com
Violent crime, auto thefts, extortion, sexual assault all up dramatically since 2015.
Author of the article:Brian Lilley
Published Jul 25, 2024 • Last updated 2 days ago • 3 minute read
Violent crime is up 50% since the Trudeau government took office, murders are up 28% since 2015.
Those were the numbers the Conservatives were pointing to after Statistics Canada released their police-reported crime statistics for 2023.
While officially StatsCan says the crime severity index was up just 2% over the last year, the Conservatives were quick to point to the raw data to tell a different story since the Liberals took office nine years ago.
In 2015, there were 382,115 violent crimes reported to police across the country, but in 2023 there were 572,572. That’s an increase of 49.84%, or 50% if we round up, since the Trudeau Liberals took office.
On the homicide front, there were 609 counted by police in 2015 but 778 in 2023 – a 27.75% increase. The total number of homicides since Trudeau took office has never been as low at 609 and last year was at 882 or a 45% increase during the Trudeau years.
Auto theft is up 46%, sexual assaults up 75%, violent firearms offences up 116% and extortion up by 357%.
Just as Trudeau likes to tell you that you haven’t had it so good economically as Canadians struggle with the cost of living, his government will try to tell you they are tough on crime and taking public safety seriously.
They are clearly not and these numbers back this up.
At a campaign-like event in London, Ont., Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre pointed out that even Justice Minister Arif Virani has had his car stolen three times.
“This is the same guy who said that crime wasn’t rising. It was just a perception. He said that Canadians were just believing crazy conspiracy theories about crime and that the smart people who stare at screens and look at spreadsheets knew better,” Poilievre said.
“Well now the spreadsheets are out, and they confirm that catch-and-release wacko NDP liberal policies have caused one of the worst crime waves in Canadian history.”
It’s not clear that this is the worst crime wave in Canadian history, but things are not good at the moment and no amount of Liberal spin can change that. Crime is up across the country and the Trudeau government has no plan to deal with this.
The government has lowered sentences for serious crimes, including gun crimes. They have made bail nearly automatic with requirements to release those arrested as quickly as possible with the least onerous conditions.
Late last year, the feds were pressured into passing bail reforms that made bail tougher to get for some gun crimes and intimate partner violence. For the rest of the offenders, the near automatic release is what remains in the legislation that every judge and justice of the peace must follow.
Last week, 18 men were arrested on auto theft in Peel Region, west of Toronto, and nine of them had made bail before police held their news conference. Among those arrested were two who had been released on bail and failed to meet their conditions and five who were in breach of probation conditions.
That’s why every provincial premier, across all party lines, wrote to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau this week to ask for further bail reform.
“This is the direct result of NDP-Liberal catch and release policies that turn the same repeat offenders loose on our streets again and again and again,” Poilievre said about the rise in crime.
Liberals can try to dismiss him, but the statistics from the government’s official agency back Poilievre up.
It’s not that Canada feels less safe due to increased crime, the stats show that the increase in crime is real.
blilley@postmedia.com
LILLEY: Crime stats show spike in violent crime under Trudeau
Police reported crime is up under the Trudeau government in ways that spin just won't help.
Ottawa's "greenwashing" law has come into effect. I say it's time to test it, on the govt. This govt has acted like EVs are some kind of panacea cure while continually insisting that carbon taxes are one of the most effective ways to reduce emissions.
First off, EVs are NOT green. Just because there's no tail-pipe emissions doesn't make it "green". Likewise, despite Groper's constant insistence that carbon taxes reduce emissions, our emissions keep going up. Greenwashing by the govt. Time to make the fuckers eat their own laws.
First off, EVs are NOT green. Just because there's no tail-pipe emissions doesn't make it "green". Likewise, despite Groper's constant insistence that carbon taxes reduce emissions, our emissions keep going up. Greenwashing by the govt. Time to make the fuckers eat their own laws.
![1722072143007blob[6309].jpg](https://forums.canadiancontent.net/data/attachments/21/21986-ebde0876247fbd10f8eec36c37e8a5ee.jpg "1722072143007blob[6309].jpg")
North Korean officials seek meds for Kim’s obesity-related health problems, Seoul says
The 40-year-old Kim is known for heavy drinking and smoking
Author of the article:Associated Press
Associated Press
Hyung-jin Kim
Published Jul 29, 2024 • 2 minute read
SEOUL, South Korea — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has regained weight and is suffering from obesity-related health problems including high blood pressure and diabetes, and his officials are looking for new medicines abroad to treat them, South Korea’s spy agency told lawmakers on Monday.
The 40-year-old Kim, known for heavy drinking and smoking, comes from a family with a history of heart problems. Both his father and grandfather, who ruled North Korea before his 2011 inheritance of power, died of heart issues.
Some observers said Kim, who is about 170 centimeters (5 feet, 8 inches) tall and previously weighed 140 kilograms (308 pounds), appeared to have lost a large amount of weight in 2021, likely from changing his diet. But recent state media footage show he has regained the weight.
On Monday, the National Intelligence Service, South Korea’s main spy agency, told lawmakers in a closed-door briefing that Kim weighs about 140 kilograms (308 pounds) again and belongs to a high-risk group for certain diseases, according to Lee Seong Kweun, one of the lawmakers who attended the meeting.
Lee said the NIS told lawmakers that Kim has shown symptoms of high blood pressure and diabetes since his early 30s and that he will likely eventually suffer from heart disease if he fails to improve his health.
Another lawmaker, Park Sunwon, said the NIS believes Kim’s obesity is linked to his drinking, smoking and stress.
Park and Lee quoted the NIS as saying it obtained intelligence that North Korean officials have been trying to get new medicines abroad for high blood pressure and diabetes for Kim.
North Korea is one of the most secretive countries in the world, and there are virtually no ways for outsiders to know Kim’s exact health conditions. The NIS also has a spotty record in confirming developments in North Korea.
Kim’s health is the focus of keen attention outside North Korea since he hasn’t formally anointed a successor who would take charge of the country’s advancing nuclear arsenal targeting the United States and its allies if he was incapacitated.
The NIS, in its Monday briefing, maintained its assessment that Kim’s preteen daughter, reportedly named Kim Ju Ae, appears to be bolstering her status as her father’s likely heir apparent. But the NIS said it still cannot rule out the possibility that she could be replaced by one of her siblings because she hasn’t been officially designated as her father’s successor.
Intense speculation about Kim Ju Ae, who is about 10 years old, flared as she has accompanied her father on a slew of high-profile public events starting in late 2022. State media called her Kim Jong Un’s “most beloved” or “respected” child and churned out footage and photos proving her rising political standing and closeness with her father.
The NIS told lawmakers that at least 60% of Kim Ju Ae’s public activities have involved attending military events with her father.
torontosun.com
The 40-year-old Kim is known for heavy drinking and smoking
Author of the article:Associated Press
Associated Press
Hyung-jin Kim
Published Jul 29, 2024 • 2 minute read
SEOUL, South Korea — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has regained weight and is suffering from obesity-related health problems including high blood pressure and diabetes, and his officials are looking for new medicines abroad to treat them, South Korea’s spy agency told lawmakers on Monday.
The 40-year-old Kim, known for heavy drinking and smoking, comes from a family with a history of heart problems. Both his father and grandfather, who ruled North Korea before his 2011 inheritance of power, died of heart issues.
Some observers said Kim, who is about 170 centimeters (5 feet, 8 inches) tall and previously weighed 140 kilograms (308 pounds), appeared to have lost a large amount of weight in 2021, likely from changing his diet. But recent state media footage show he has regained the weight.
On Monday, the National Intelligence Service, South Korea’s main spy agency, told lawmakers in a closed-door briefing that Kim weighs about 140 kilograms (308 pounds) again and belongs to a high-risk group for certain diseases, according to Lee Seong Kweun, one of the lawmakers who attended the meeting.
Lee said the NIS told lawmakers that Kim has shown symptoms of high blood pressure and diabetes since his early 30s and that he will likely eventually suffer from heart disease if he fails to improve his health.
Another lawmaker, Park Sunwon, said the NIS believes Kim’s obesity is linked to his drinking, smoking and stress.
Park and Lee quoted the NIS as saying it obtained intelligence that North Korean officials have been trying to get new medicines abroad for high blood pressure and diabetes for Kim.
North Korea is one of the most secretive countries in the world, and there are virtually no ways for outsiders to know Kim’s exact health conditions. The NIS also has a spotty record in confirming developments in North Korea.
Kim’s health is the focus of keen attention outside North Korea since he hasn’t formally anointed a successor who would take charge of the country’s advancing nuclear arsenal targeting the United States and its allies if he was incapacitated.
The NIS, in its Monday briefing, maintained its assessment that Kim’s preteen daughter, reportedly named Kim Ju Ae, appears to be bolstering her status as her father’s likely heir apparent. But the NIS said it still cannot rule out the possibility that she could be replaced by one of her siblings because she hasn’t been officially designated as her father’s successor.
Intense speculation about Kim Ju Ae, who is about 10 years old, flared as she has accompanied her father on a slew of high-profile public events starting in late 2022. State media called her Kim Jong Un’s “most beloved” or “respected” child and churned out footage and photos proving her rising political standing and closeness with her father.
The NIS told lawmakers that at least 60% of Kim Ju Ae’s public activities have involved attending military events with her father.
North Korean officials seek meds for Kim’s obesity-related health problems, Seoul says
Both his father and grandfather, who ruled North Korea before his 2011 inheritance of power, died of heart issues.
Witness who stormed out of House committee in tears demands apology from Liberal MP
Author of the article:Canadian Press
Canadian Press
Alessia Passafiume
Published Jul 31, 2024 • Last updated 6 hours ago • 4 minute read
OTTAWA — A witness who stormed out of a parliamentary committee meeting in tears Wednesday is demanding an apology from a Liberal MP who put a halt to a planned discussion about violence against women in favour of a debate about abortion rights.
Cait Alexander was on Parliament Hill to provide testimony at a rare summer hearing of the House of Commons status of women committee when she says Liberal MP Anita Vandenbeld re-victimized her as a survivor of domestic violence.
“I am completely flabbergasted,” Alexander said in an interview after the meeting Wednesday.
“This is exactly what it felt like these last few years, where I’m literally showing my bludgeoned, bleeding, bruised body and the people who have authority and power in this country are saying, ’Well, we care about you.’ But then they silence you.”
Vandenbeld, who serves as parliamentary secretary to the Minister of International Development, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Alexander was one of two witnesses who stormed out of the meeting organized so MPs could hear from advocates for domestic violence victims and a deputy chief of the Peel Regional Police.
The meeting was scheduled after the killing of Breanna Broadfoot, 17, in London, Ont., who police say was a victim of intimate partner violence.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said last week that the suspect had previously been arrested but was released before the fatal attack, and criticized the Liberal government’s bail policies.
Though witnesses at the committee set out to similarly argue that the current justice and bail system is failing victims, the session quickly derailed into a mess of political bickering.
During her opening statement, Alexander, who heads up the advocacy group End Violence Everywhere, shared her personal story as her family watched from the public benches behind her.
“I’m supposed to be dead,” she told the committee, showing MPs graphic photos of the abuse she suffered at the hands of her ex-boyfriend three years ago.
“If you haven’t met a survivor and a victim’s family, well, now you have.”
Before long, Alexander’s family members we berating MPs for a partisan display that descended into procedural chaos. Her mother told Vandenbeld that she was “disappointed,” and the whole thing amounted to further abuse of her daughter.
It began when Vandenbeld was given the floor to ask questions of the witnesses.
She gave a short statement about how much she cared about survivors’ stories, and outlined some of the actions the federal government has taken to address violence against women. Then she chided Conservatives for politicizing the issue by calling the meeting during the summer with little notice, which left other parties unable to prepare or recommend other witnesses.
“We do not use victims and survivors of trauma to try and score political points in this committee,” she pronounced.
“I think it’s cruel to have people relive the trauma that they’ve endured just to be able to have a meeting that, if it’s not agreed to, then there’s all kinds of social media that Liberals or others don’t care about this issue, which, as we all know, we do very deeply.”
Instead of pivoting back to the topic at hand, Vandenbeld went on to call for a debate on a motion related to abortion rights — an issue Liberals have tried to pin the Conservatives down on for months.
“This is the problem. Did she listen to anything that was said this morning?” said another witness, Megan Walker, who lives in London and advocates to end male violence against women.
After that, the meeting dissolved into a lengthy back-and-forth between MPs, as multiple points of order were brought to the chair.
NDP MP Leah Gazan confronted the Conservative chair of the committee for not allowing her to suggest witnesses for the meeting.
“I’m disgusted,” she said. “I’m representing Ground Zero for murdered and missing Indigenous women and girls.”
Not long after that, Alexander stormed out of the room in tears. Walker turned her back on the committee and followed.
Conservative MP Michelle Ferreri lambasted Vandenbeld for derailing the meeting, and said the victims came to testify in order to bring about “legitimate change.”
She apologized to Alexander’s mother, who stood behind the witness table.
“’Sorry’ isn’t good enough — we’ve heard ’sorry,”’ Alexander’s mother told the committee.
The meeting adjourned shortly thereafter.
Alexander said afterward the entire ordeal was retraumatizing and that the committee’s actions are “exactly the type of behaviour that has allowed my abuser to go free.”
Alexander flew to Ottawa from Los Angeles to testify, and stressed she didn’t make the trip for partisan reasons. She saw it as an opportunity to highlight her story and those of countless other women who have had similar experiences, she said.
While abortion is a “serious issue” deserving of attention, she described the antics of the committee, and Vandenbeld, as “abusive,” and accused the Liberal of trying to use her trauma for political gain.
“It’s so utterly disrespectful, inhumane and honestly just unkind to not allow us to continue a healthy conversation on what was supposed to be discussed, and the audacity to do something like that,” she said.
Ferreri said in a statement the Liberals effectively silenced the victims.
“It is disgusting that this so-called feminist Liberal government today completely shut down a committee study into violence against women,” Ferreri said.
“The Liberals pulled this heartless stunt to cover for the prime minister whose reckless policies have unleashed a crime wave across Canada that disproportionately affects women and vulnerable groups.”
Walker said she hasn’t had an experience like the one she endured on Parliament Hill Wednesday in 25 years of advocacy.
“While they silenced us in that meeting, they will not silence us from moving forward in our valuable work to end male violence against women.”
torontosun.com
Author of the article:Canadian Press
Canadian Press
Alessia Passafiume
Published Jul 31, 2024 • Last updated 6 hours ago • 4 minute read
OTTAWA — A witness who stormed out of a parliamentary committee meeting in tears Wednesday is demanding an apology from a Liberal MP who put a halt to a planned discussion about violence against women in favour of a debate about abortion rights.
Cait Alexander was on Parliament Hill to provide testimony at a rare summer hearing of the House of Commons status of women committee when she says Liberal MP Anita Vandenbeld re-victimized her as a survivor of domestic violence.
“I am completely flabbergasted,” Alexander said in an interview after the meeting Wednesday.
“This is exactly what it felt like these last few years, where I’m literally showing my bludgeoned, bleeding, bruised body and the people who have authority and power in this country are saying, ’Well, we care about you.’ But then they silence you.”
Vandenbeld, who serves as parliamentary secretary to the Minister of International Development, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Alexander was one of two witnesses who stormed out of the meeting organized so MPs could hear from advocates for domestic violence victims and a deputy chief of the Peel Regional Police.
The meeting was scheduled after the killing of Breanna Broadfoot, 17, in London, Ont., who police say was a victim of intimate partner violence.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said last week that the suspect had previously been arrested but was released before the fatal attack, and criticized the Liberal government’s bail policies.
Though witnesses at the committee set out to similarly argue that the current justice and bail system is failing victims, the session quickly derailed into a mess of political bickering.
During her opening statement, Alexander, who heads up the advocacy group End Violence Everywhere, shared her personal story as her family watched from the public benches behind her.
“I’m supposed to be dead,” she told the committee, showing MPs graphic photos of the abuse she suffered at the hands of her ex-boyfriend three years ago.
“If you haven’t met a survivor and a victim’s family, well, now you have.”
Before long, Alexander’s family members we berating MPs for a partisan display that descended into procedural chaos. Her mother told Vandenbeld that she was “disappointed,” and the whole thing amounted to further abuse of her daughter.
It began when Vandenbeld was given the floor to ask questions of the witnesses.
She gave a short statement about how much she cared about survivors’ stories, and outlined some of the actions the federal government has taken to address violence against women. Then she chided Conservatives for politicizing the issue by calling the meeting during the summer with little notice, which left other parties unable to prepare or recommend other witnesses.
“We do not use victims and survivors of trauma to try and score political points in this committee,” she pronounced.
“I think it’s cruel to have people relive the trauma that they’ve endured just to be able to have a meeting that, if it’s not agreed to, then there’s all kinds of social media that Liberals or others don’t care about this issue, which, as we all know, we do very deeply.”
Instead of pivoting back to the topic at hand, Vandenbeld went on to call for a debate on a motion related to abortion rights — an issue Liberals have tried to pin the Conservatives down on for months.
“This is the problem. Did she listen to anything that was said this morning?” said another witness, Megan Walker, who lives in London and advocates to end male violence against women.
After that, the meeting dissolved into a lengthy back-and-forth between MPs, as multiple points of order were brought to the chair.
NDP MP Leah Gazan confronted the Conservative chair of the committee for not allowing her to suggest witnesses for the meeting.
“I’m disgusted,” she said. “I’m representing Ground Zero for murdered and missing Indigenous women and girls.”
Not long after that, Alexander stormed out of the room in tears. Walker turned her back on the committee and followed.
Conservative MP Michelle Ferreri lambasted Vandenbeld for derailing the meeting, and said the victims came to testify in order to bring about “legitimate change.”
She apologized to Alexander’s mother, who stood behind the witness table.
“’Sorry’ isn’t good enough — we’ve heard ’sorry,”’ Alexander’s mother told the committee.
The meeting adjourned shortly thereafter.
Alexander said afterward the entire ordeal was retraumatizing and that the committee’s actions are “exactly the type of behaviour that has allowed my abuser to go free.”
Alexander flew to Ottawa from Los Angeles to testify, and stressed she didn’t make the trip for partisan reasons. She saw it as an opportunity to highlight her story and those of countless other women who have had similar experiences, she said.
While abortion is a “serious issue” deserving of attention, she described the antics of the committee, and Vandenbeld, as “abusive,” and accused the Liberal of trying to use her trauma for political gain.
“It’s so utterly disrespectful, inhumane and honestly just unkind to not allow us to continue a healthy conversation on what was supposed to be discussed, and the audacity to do something like that,” she said.
Ferreri said in a statement the Liberals effectively silenced the victims.
“It is disgusting that this so-called feminist Liberal government today completely shut down a committee study into violence against women,” Ferreri said.
“The Liberals pulled this heartless stunt to cover for the prime minister whose reckless policies have unleashed a crime wave across Canada that disproportionately affects women and vulnerable groups.”
Walker said she hasn’t had an experience like the one she endured on Parliament Hill Wednesday in 25 years of advocacy.
“While they silenced us in that meeting, they will not silence us from moving forward in our valuable work to end male violence against women.”
Witness who stormed out of House committee in tears demands apology from Liberal MP
A witness who stormed out of a parliamentary committee meeting in tears Wednesday is demanding an apology from a Liberal MP.
Doug Ford spends our money like Kathleen Wynne would have, report says
Ford government has recorded second- and third-highest levels of per-person program spending by any Ontario government since 1965
Author of the article:Lorrie Goldstein
Published Aug 01, 2024 • Last updated 1 day ago • 3 minute read
While condemning Kathleen Wynne, the former Ontario premier, and the Liberals for years of reckless spending, Ontario Premier Doug Ford and the Progressive Conservatives are doing the same thing, according to a new study by the Fraser Institute.
“Despite promises to be more fiscally prudent than its predecessor, the Ford government has essentially continued the spending trends of the Wynne government that came before it,” study co-author Ben Eisen says in the report, Ontario Premiers and and Provincial Government Spending, 2024.
“It’s important for Ontario taxpayers to understand the true fiscal record of their governments in order to better assess whether they’re getting good value for money.”
The report by the fiscally conservative think tank finds that the Ford government has recorded the second- and third-highest levels of per-person program spending by any Ontario government since 1965.
All of the numbers are adjusted for inflation and population growth and exclude interest payments on debt so that the findings are consistent over time.
The highest level of per-person spending occurred during the Dalton McGuinty Liberal government in 2010 at $12,305.
The second- and third-highest were under Ford’s government during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 at $12,227 and in 2021 at $12,081.
But even excluding expenditures related to the pandemic, the study finds, the Ford government still recorded the second- and third-highest years of per person provincial spending since 1965 at $11,294 in 2018 and $11,310 in 2021.
Ford’s two highest years of per person program spending also surpassed Wynne’s highest year of $11,101 in 2017.
“Under Premier Wynne, spending increased from $10,901 to $11,101,” the study notes.
“The Ford government has essentially carried on (this) approach … Although spending spiked during the pandemic, it has subsequently gradually returned to near pre-pandemic levels. Per-person spending increased from $11,101 in the final fiscal year of the Wynne government (2018) to $11,163 in 2022,” under the Ford government.
The average annual growth rates of per person spending by the Wynne and Ford governments are almost identical at 0.3% for Ford and 0.4% for the Wynne government, according to the study.
None of this is surprising given the fiscal path Ford has laid out for Ontario since coming to power in 2018.
He’s not a fiscal conservative in the mould of former Ontario Progressive Conservative premier Mike Harris who actually reduced program spending per person by an average of 1% annually.
Ford’s a populist but he’s not an ideologue as he’s been demonstrating ever since his government delivered its first Ontario budget in 2019, which was essentially “Liberal lite”.
For example, when Ford and the Progressive Conservatives defeated Wynne and the Liberals in 2018, Ontario’s net debt stood at about $337 billion, which the PCs complained at the time had saddled Ontario taxpayers with the largest sub-sovereign (non-national) debt in the world.
Today, after six years under Ford and the PCs, Ontario’s net debt is estimated at $439 billion this year on its way to $459 billion in 2025 and $474 billion in 2026.
While it’s fair to criticize Ford for doing a flip-flop on containing government spending, it also points out the silliness of the opposition parties portraying him as a slash and burn artist when it comes to public spending.
Ford’s opponents may not like how his government spends our money, but in terms of the amount it spends, he’s essentially spending the way the Wynne Liberals would have if they were still in power.
torontosun.com
Ford government has recorded second- and third-highest levels of per-person program spending by any Ontario government since 1965
Author of the article:Lorrie Goldstein
Published Aug 01, 2024 • Last updated 1 day ago • 3 minute read
While condemning Kathleen Wynne, the former Ontario premier, and the Liberals for years of reckless spending, Ontario Premier Doug Ford and the Progressive Conservatives are doing the same thing, according to a new study by the Fraser Institute.
“Despite promises to be more fiscally prudent than its predecessor, the Ford government has essentially continued the spending trends of the Wynne government that came before it,” study co-author Ben Eisen says in the report, Ontario Premiers and and Provincial Government Spending, 2024.
“It’s important for Ontario taxpayers to understand the true fiscal record of their governments in order to better assess whether they’re getting good value for money.”
The report by the fiscally conservative think tank finds that the Ford government has recorded the second- and third-highest levels of per-person program spending by any Ontario government since 1965.
All of the numbers are adjusted for inflation and population growth and exclude interest payments on debt so that the findings are consistent over time.
The highest level of per-person spending occurred during the Dalton McGuinty Liberal government in 2010 at $12,305.
The second- and third-highest were under Ford’s government during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 at $12,227 and in 2021 at $12,081.
But even excluding expenditures related to the pandemic, the study finds, the Ford government still recorded the second- and third-highest years of per person provincial spending since 1965 at $11,294 in 2018 and $11,310 in 2021.
Ford’s two highest years of per person program spending also surpassed Wynne’s highest year of $11,101 in 2017.
“Under Premier Wynne, spending increased from $10,901 to $11,101,” the study notes.
“The Ford government has essentially carried on (this) approach … Although spending spiked during the pandemic, it has subsequently gradually returned to near pre-pandemic levels. Per-person spending increased from $11,101 in the final fiscal year of the Wynne government (2018) to $11,163 in 2022,” under the Ford government.
The average annual growth rates of per person spending by the Wynne and Ford governments are almost identical at 0.3% for Ford and 0.4% for the Wynne government, according to the study.
None of this is surprising given the fiscal path Ford has laid out for Ontario since coming to power in 2018.
He’s not a fiscal conservative in the mould of former Ontario Progressive Conservative premier Mike Harris who actually reduced program spending per person by an average of 1% annually.
Ford’s a populist but he’s not an ideologue as he’s been demonstrating ever since his government delivered its first Ontario budget in 2019, which was essentially “Liberal lite”.
For example, when Ford and the Progressive Conservatives defeated Wynne and the Liberals in 2018, Ontario’s net debt stood at about $337 billion, which the PCs complained at the time had saddled Ontario taxpayers with the largest sub-sovereign (non-national) debt in the world.
Today, after six years under Ford and the PCs, Ontario’s net debt is estimated at $439 billion this year on its way to $459 billion in 2025 and $474 billion in 2026.
While it’s fair to criticize Ford for doing a flip-flop on containing government spending, it also points out the silliness of the opposition parties portraying him as a slash and burn artist when it comes to public spending.
Ford’s opponents may not like how his government spends our money, but in terms of the amount it spends, he’s essentially spending the way the Wynne Liberals would have if they were still in power.
GOLDSTEIN: Doug Ford spends our money like Kathleen Wynne would have, report says
While condemning former Ontario premier Kathleen Wynne for reckless spending, Doug Ford is doing the same thing, according to a new study.
Liberal MP says she regrets ’distress’ caused to witnesses who left meeting in tears
Author of the article:Canadian Press
Canadian Press
Alessia Passafiume
Published Aug 01, 2024 • Last updated 14 hours ago • 2 minute read
OTTAWA — Liberal MP Anita Vandenbeld fell short of an apology after instigating a fracas on Wednesday that led two witnesses testifying about violence against women to storm out of a parliamentary committee hearing.
Vandenbeld said in a statement that she deeply regrets the “distress that this meeting caused the witnesses.”
The statement came after a domestic violence survivor Cait Alexander demanded an apology from the MP for what she described as “abusive” behaviour.
“Sorry, I don’t accept this statement from her,” Alexander, who appeared before the committee as a witness, said Thursday.
“She knew what she was doing. She didn’t make a mistake _ mistakes happen. I can forgive mistakes. This was intentional.”
Another of the committee’s witnesses, women’s’ advocate Megan Walker, said Vandenbeld’s regrets don’t amount to an apology.
“It’s not an apology — it’s a statement,” said Walker.
“She has caused an entire community of women and girls who have faced abuse and are following this some distress, and that’s not acknowledged here.”
The rare summer meeting was scheduled for MPs to hear from advocates for domestic violence victims and a deputy chief of the Peel Region Police in light of several high-profile cases this summer.
It began with detailed testimony from Walker, an advocate to end violence against women, and Alexander, who shared graphic photos of the abuse she suffered with the committee.
When given the floor, Vandenbeld accused Conservatives of playing politics with the trauma of survivors, putting together the agenda in haste and limiting the ability of other MPs to suggest witnesses.
She insisted that she cares about survivors’ stories, and outlined some of the actions the federal government has taken to address violence against women.
But rather than pivoting back to the topic of violence against women after airing that complaint, Vandenbeld called for a debate on a motion related to abortion rights — an issue the Liberals have tried to pin the Conservatives down on for months.
The witnesses shouted their frustration at Vandenbeld and others who voted for the motion, but they were effectively ignored for the rest of the meeting as MPs debated speaking orders, the Conservatives’ stance on abortion and the narrow scope of who was called to testify.
Both witnesses eventually left the meeting in visible distress.
Alexander said Thursday she wished Vandenbeld’s words included a promise of more meetings on the issue, with representation from Indigenous women and the LGBTQ community.
“I understand it was last minute, but it’s an emergency hearing for a reason,” she said.
“I would want survivors to be heard from all walks of life.”
The parliamentary secretary to the minister of women, Lisa Hepfner, who also serves on the committee, didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment Thursday.
Conservative social development critic Michelle Ferreri rebuked Vandenbeld’s statement on social media Thursday, and called the MP and her party hypocrites for professing to be part of a feminist government.
Ferreri posted several videos of committee on social media, calling the incident “shocking,” and demanded a full apology from Vandenbeld.
torontosun.com
Author of the article:Canadian Press
Canadian Press
Alessia Passafiume
Published Aug 01, 2024 • Last updated 14 hours ago • 2 minute read
OTTAWA — Liberal MP Anita Vandenbeld fell short of an apology after instigating a fracas on Wednesday that led two witnesses testifying about violence against women to storm out of a parliamentary committee hearing.
Vandenbeld said in a statement that she deeply regrets the “distress that this meeting caused the witnesses.”
The statement came after a domestic violence survivor Cait Alexander demanded an apology from the MP for what she described as “abusive” behaviour.
“Sorry, I don’t accept this statement from her,” Alexander, who appeared before the committee as a witness, said Thursday.
“She knew what she was doing. She didn’t make a mistake _ mistakes happen. I can forgive mistakes. This was intentional.”
Another of the committee’s witnesses, women’s’ advocate Megan Walker, said Vandenbeld’s regrets don’t amount to an apology.
“It’s not an apology — it’s a statement,” said Walker.
“She has caused an entire community of women and girls who have faced abuse and are following this some distress, and that’s not acknowledged here.”
The rare summer meeting was scheduled for MPs to hear from advocates for domestic violence victims and a deputy chief of the Peel Region Police in light of several high-profile cases this summer.
It began with detailed testimony from Walker, an advocate to end violence against women, and Alexander, who shared graphic photos of the abuse she suffered with the committee.
When given the floor, Vandenbeld accused Conservatives of playing politics with the trauma of survivors, putting together the agenda in haste and limiting the ability of other MPs to suggest witnesses.
She insisted that she cares about survivors’ stories, and outlined some of the actions the federal government has taken to address violence against women.
But rather than pivoting back to the topic of violence against women after airing that complaint, Vandenbeld called for a debate on a motion related to abortion rights — an issue the Liberals have tried to pin the Conservatives down on for months.
The witnesses shouted their frustration at Vandenbeld and others who voted for the motion, but they were effectively ignored for the rest of the meeting as MPs debated speaking orders, the Conservatives’ stance on abortion and the narrow scope of who was called to testify.
Both witnesses eventually left the meeting in visible distress.
Alexander said Thursday she wished Vandenbeld’s words included a promise of more meetings on the issue, with representation from Indigenous women and the LGBTQ community.
“I understand it was last minute, but it’s an emergency hearing for a reason,” she said.
“I would want survivors to be heard from all walks of life.”
The parliamentary secretary to the minister of women, Lisa Hepfner, who also serves on the committee, didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment Thursday.
Conservative social development critic Michelle Ferreri rebuked Vandenbeld’s statement on social media Thursday, and called the MP and her party hypocrites for professing to be part of a feminist government.
Ferreri posted several videos of committee on social media, calling the incident “shocking,” and demanded a full apology from Vandenbeld.
Liberal MP says she regrets ’distress’ caused to witnesses who left meeting in tears
Liberal MP Anita Vandenbeld fell short of an apology today after instigating a fracas that led two witnesses to storm out of a hearing
Do they want hats that say "Victim"?Liberal MP says she regrets ’distress’ caused to witnesses who left meeting in tears
Author of the article:Canadian Press
Canadian Press
Alessia Passafiume
Published Aug 01, 2024 • Last updated 14 hours ago • 2 minute read
OTTAWA — Liberal MP Anita Vandenbeld fell short of an apology after instigating a fracas on Wednesday that led two witnesses testifying about violence against women to storm out of a parliamentary committee hearing.
Vandenbeld said in a statement that she deeply regrets the “distress that this meeting caused the witnesses.”
The statement came after a domestic violence survivor Cait Alexander demanded an apology from the MP for what she described as “abusive” behaviour.
“Sorry, I don’t accept this statement from her,” Alexander, who appeared before the committee as a witness, said Thursday.
“She knew what she was doing. She didn’t make a mistake _ mistakes happen. I can forgive mistakes. This was intentional.”
Another of the committee’s witnesses, women’s’ advocate Megan Walker, said Vandenbeld’s regrets don’t amount to an apology.
“It’s not an apology — it’s a statement,” said Walker.
“She has caused an entire community of women and girls who have faced abuse and are following this some distress, and that’s not acknowledged here.”
The rare summer meeting was scheduled for MPs to hear from advocates for domestic violence victims and a deputy chief of the Peel Region Police in light of several high-profile cases this summer.
It began with detailed testimony from Walker, an advocate to end violence against women, and Alexander, who shared graphic photos of the abuse she suffered with the committee.
When given the floor, Vandenbeld accused Conservatives of playing politics with the trauma of survivors, putting together the agenda in haste and limiting the ability of other MPs to suggest witnesses.
She insisted that she cares about survivors’ stories, and outlined some of the actions the federal government has taken to address violence against women.
But rather than pivoting back to the topic of violence against women after airing that complaint, Vandenbeld called for a debate on a motion related to abortion rights — an issue the Liberals have tried to pin the Conservatives down on for months.
The witnesses shouted their frustration at Vandenbeld and others who voted for the motion, but they were effectively ignored for the rest of the meeting as MPs debated speaking orders, the Conservatives’ stance on abortion and the narrow scope of who was called to testify.
Both witnesses eventually left the meeting in visible distress.
Alexander said Thursday she wished Vandenbeld’s words included a promise of more meetings on the issue, with representation from Indigenous women and the LGBTQ community.
“I understand it was last minute, but it’s an emergency hearing for a reason,” she said.
“I would want survivors to be heard from all walks of life.”
The parliamentary secretary to the minister of women, Lisa Hepfner, who also serves on the committee, didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment Thursday.
Conservative social development critic Michelle Ferreri rebuked Vandenbeld’s statement on social media Thursday, and called the MP and her party hypocrites for professing to be part of a feminist government.
Ferreri posted several videos of committee on social media, calling the incident “shocking,” and demanded a full apology from Vandenbeld.
Liberal MP says she regrets ’distress’ caused to witnesses who left meeting in tears
Liberal MP Anita Vandenbeld fell short of an apology today after instigating a fracas that led two witnesses to storm out of a hearing
Tells me there is a lack of control. Politicians are not the ones running the show.Doug Ford spends our money like Kathleen Wynne would have, report says
Ford government has recorded second- and third-highest levels of per-person program spending by any Ontario government since 1965
Author of the article:Lorrie Goldstein
Published Aug 01, 2024 • Last updated 1 day ago • 3 minute read
While condemning Kathleen Wynne, the former Ontario premier, and the Liberals for years of reckless spending, Ontario Premier Doug Ford and the Progressive Conservatives are doing the same thing, according to a new study by the Fraser Institute.
“Despite promises to be more fiscally prudent than its predecessor, the Ford government has essentially continued the spending trends of the Wynne government that came before it,” study co-author Ben Eisen says in the report, Ontario Premiers and and Provincial Government Spending, 2024.
“It’s important for Ontario taxpayers to understand the true fiscal record of their governments in order to better assess whether they’re getting good value for money.”
The report by the fiscally conservative think tank finds that the Ford government has recorded the second- and third-highest levels of per-person program spending by any Ontario government since 1965.
All of the numbers are adjusted for inflation and population growth and exclude interest payments on debt so that the findings are consistent over time.
The highest level of per-person spending occurred during the Dalton McGuinty Liberal government in 2010 at $12,305.
The second- and third-highest were under Ford’s government during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 at $12,227 and in 2021 at $12,081.
But even excluding expenditures related to the pandemic, the study finds, the Ford government still recorded the second- and third-highest years of per person provincial spending since 1965 at $11,294 in 2018 and $11,310 in 2021.
Ford’s two highest years of per person program spending also surpassed Wynne’s highest year of $11,101 in 2017.
“Under Premier Wynne, spending increased from $10,901 to $11,101,” the study notes.
“The Ford government has essentially carried on (this) approach … Although spending spiked during the pandemic, it has subsequently gradually returned to near pre-pandemic levels. Per-person spending increased from $11,101 in the final fiscal year of the Wynne government (2018) to $11,163 in 2022,” under the Ford government.
The average annual growth rates of per person spending by the Wynne and Ford governments are almost identical at 0.3% for Ford and 0.4% for the Wynne government, according to the study.
None of this is surprising given the fiscal path Ford has laid out for Ontario since coming to power in 2018.
He’s not a fiscal conservative in the mould of former Ontario Progressive Conservative premier Mike Harris who actually reduced program spending per person by an average of 1% annually.
Ford’s a populist but he’s not an ideologue as he’s been demonstrating ever since his government delivered its first Ontario budget in 2019, which was essentially “Liberal lite”.
For example, when Ford and the Progressive Conservatives defeated Wynne and the Liberals in 2018, Ontario’s net debt stood at about $337 billion, which the PCs complained at the time had saddled Ontario taxpayers with the largest sub-sovereign (non-national) debt in the world.
Today, after six years under Ford and the PCs, Ontario’s net debt is estimated at $439 billion this year on its way to $459 billion in 2025 and $474 billion in 2026.
While it’s fair to criticize Ford for doing a flip-flop on containing government spending, it also points out the silliness of the opposition parties portraying him as a slash and burn artist when it comes to public spending.
Ford’s opponents may not like how his government spends our money, but in terms of the amount it spends, he’s essentially spending the way the Wynne Liberals would have if they were still in power.
GOLDSTEIN: Doug Ford spends our money like Kathleen Wynne would have, report says
While condemning former Ontario premier Kathleen Wynne for reckless spending, Doug Ford is doing the same thing, according to a new study.
Trudeau Liberals prove again to be hypocrites about female victims
MPs bring survivor of violence to tears at committee hearing
Author of the article:Warren Kinsella
Published Aug 01, 2024 • Last updated 1 day ago • 3 minute read
Supposed Trudeau Liberal mantra: Believe the victims.
Actual Trudeau Liberal motto: Humiliate the victims.
That truth was revealed, yet again, this week on Parliament Hill. A House of Commons committee was conducting a rare summertime hearing. The subject: Violence against women.
It’s an important issue. Canadian women are five times more likely to be targeted with sexual assault. In their lifetimes, four in ten Canadian women have experienced some form of violence from a partner. In 2022, almost 200 Canadian women were murdered, mostly by men — that’s one every two days.
So, the Status of Women committee scheduled a meeting this week to hear from police officers and victims themselves.
The Liberals on the committee, it appears, were in a bad mood. They didn’t want their summer vacations interrupted. MPs adjourned early, back in June, and won’t be back until the middle of September: That’s three months on the golf course and away from legislative business.
So, the Grits were grouchy.
Cait Alexander, a young woman who heads an advocacy group called End Violence Everywhere, was there to give evidence. Her family sat behind her as she spoke. “I’m supposed to be dead,” Alexander said. She showed the assembled MPs harrowing photographs of three years ago, when her then-boyfriend beat her and left her for dead. “If you haven’t met a survivor and a victim’s family, well, now you have.”
After Alexander finished her opening statement, Liberal MP Anita Vandenbeld spoke. You could be forgiven for thinking that Vandenbeld is a nobody who couldn’t get picked out of a one-person police lineup. She’s worked for the United Nations (naturally), and she’s been investigated by the ethics commissioner (practically a Trudeau Liberals job requirement). That’s about it.
Vandenbeld spoke. She made a few vanilla comments about the issue before the committee, and then she went after Conservative MPs for “politicizing” the issue. Which she, herself, did. She wanted to talk about abortion.
The witnesses who had been invited to speak were dumbfounded. So were the Tory and NDP MPs present. Cait Alexander couldn’t believe what was happening. She held up the photos of her battered body again. She was crying. An advocate of battered women, Megan Walker, spoke: ”This is the problem. Did (Vandenbeld) listen to anything that was said this morning?”
The meeting descended into chaos, while the female victims of violence looked on, appalled. MPs started raising points of order. Winnipeg Centre NDP MP Leah Gazan said: “I’m disgusted because I wasn’t given a chance to put forward witnesses when I’m representing ground zero for murdered and missing Indigenous women and girls.”
At that point, Cait Alexander got up and left, in tears. Walker got up and followed her.
Some of the MPs apologized to Cait Alexander’s mom, who was still in the committee room. Her mother was unmoved. “Sorry isn’t good enough,” she said. “We’ve heard ‘sorry.’”
And that, really, was the best and only response to a disgusting, appalling display by Anita Vandenbeld her ilk: Saying “sorry” isn’t enough. It doesn’t cut it.
But Vandenbeld is a Trudeau Liberal, isn’t she? She’s a card-carrying member of the cult that professes to be feminist. They’re the ones who regularly chastise Conservatives (and others) for being insufficiently on the side of women — and then look the other way when their boss kicks two impressive women, Jody Wilson-Raybould and Jane Philpott, out of cabinet. For talking back to him.
They’re the ones who insist that they want to ensure women have the right to choose — when they could have passed a law enshrining abortion rights at any time in the past decade. But didn’t.
By their words and their deeds, we know who the Trudeau Liberals are. Non-entities like Anita Vandenbeld show us, all the time.
They’re liars and hypocrites.
And, this week, they again reminded us that they don’t give a sweet damn about female victims of violence.
torontosun.com
MPs bring survivor of violence to tears at committee hearing
Author of the article:Warren Kinsella
Published Aug 01, 2024 • Last updated 1 day ago • 3 minute read
Supposed Trudeau Liberal mantra: Believe the victims.
Actual Trudeau Liberal motto: Humiliate the victims.
That truth was revealed, yet again, this week on Parliament Hill. A House of Commons committee was conducting a rare summertime hearing. The subject: Violence against women.
It’s an important issue. Canadian women are five times more likely to be targeted with sexual assault. In their lifetimes, four in ten Canadian women have experienced some form of violence from a partner. In 2022, almost 200 Canadian women were murdered, mostly by men — that’s one every two days.
So, the Status of Women committee scheduled a meeting this week to hear from police officers and victims themselves.
The Liberals on the committee, it appears, were in a bad mood. They didn’t want their summer vacations interrupted. MPs adjourned early, back in June, and won’t be back until the middle of September: That’s three months on the golf course and away from legislative business.
So, the Grits were grouchy.
Cait Alexander, a young woman who heads an advocacy group called End Violence Everywhere, was there to give evidence. Her family sat behind her as she spoke. “I’m supposed to be dead,” Alexander said. She showed the assembled MPs harrowing photographs of three years ago, when her then-boyfriend beat her and left her for dead. “If you haven’t met a survivor and a victim’s family, well, now you have.”
After Alexander finished her opening statement, Liberal MP Anita Vandenbeld spoke. You could be forgiven for thinking that Vandenbeld is a nobody who couldn’t get picked out of a one-person police lineup. She’s worked for the United Nations (naturally), and she’s been investigated by the ethics commissioner (practically a Trudeau Liberals job requirement). That’s about it.
Vandenbeld spoke. She made a few vanilla comments about the issue before the committee, and then she went after Conservative MPs for “politicizing” the issue. Which she, herself, did. She wanted to talk about abortion.
The witnesses who had been invited to speak were dumbfounded. So were the Tory and NDP MPs present. Cait Alexander couldn’t believe what was happening. She held up the photos of her battered body again. She was crying. An advocate of battered women, Megan Walker, spoke: ”This is the problem. Did (Vandenbeld) listen to anything that was said this morning?”
The meeting descended into chaos, while the female victims of violence looked on, appalled. MPs started raising points of order. Winnipeg Centre NDP MP Leah Gazan said: “I’m disgusted because I wasn’t given a chance to put forward witnesses when I’m representing ground zero for murdered and missing Indigenous women and girls.”
At that point, Cait Alexander got up and left, in tears. Walker got up and followed her.
Some of the MPs apologized to Cait Alexander’s mom, who was still in the committee room. Her mother was unmoved. “Sorry isn’t good enough,” she said. “We’ve heard ‘sorry.’”
And that, really, was the best and only response to a disgusting, appalling display by Anita Vandenbeld her ilk: Saying “sorry” isn’t enough. It doesn’t cut it.
But Vandenbeld is a Trudeau Liberal, isn’t she? She’s a card-carrying member of the cult that professes to be feminist. They’re the ones who regularly chastise Conservatives (and others) for being insufficiently on the side of women — and then look the other way when their boss kicks two impressive women, Jody Wilson-Raybould and Jane Philpott, out of cabinet. For talking back to him.
They’re the ones who insist that they want to ensure women have the right to choose — when they could have passed a law enshrining abortion rights at any time in the past decade. But didn’t.
By their words and their deeds, we know who the Trudeau Liberals are. Non-entities like Anita Vandenbeld show us, all the time.
They’re liars and hypocrites.
And, this week, they again reminded us that they don’t give a sweet damn about female victims of violence.
KINSELLA: Trudeau Liberals prove again to be hypocrites about female victims
MP Anita Vandenbeld is a card-carrying member of the cult that professes to be feminist
Mother blasts MPs on House committee for ’disgusting’ treatment of her daughter
Author of the article:Canadian Press
Canadian Press
Alessia Passafiume
Published Aug 02, 2024 • Last updated 4 hours ago • 3 minute read
OTTAWA — The mother of a witness who stormed out of a House of Commons committee in tears is berating Liberals, NDP and Conservative members for a “disgusting” partisan display in a letter she plans to share with MPs.
“I taught six- to eight-year-olds for 31 years and I have never seen such self-serving, abusive, poorly behaved people in my life,” Carolyn Alexander said in the letter.
“You are not children. You are the voted-in leaders that can effect positive change on the lives of all Canadians. Do that!”
Alexander’s daughter Cait, a survivor of domestic violence, gave harrowing testimony at an emergency meeting that was called to discuss violence against women Wednesday in light of several high-profile cases this summer.
The meeting quickly derailed after Liberal MP Anita Vandenbeld took issue with the hastily organized summer meeting and moved a motion to debate abortion rights. That led the meeting to dissolve into a fracas of procedural chaos and political bickering that had little to do with violence against women.
Alexander accused Vandenbeld of purposely destroying the meeting and silencing victims.
“Why? Because you weren’t given enough time to have your own victims testify?” she wrote.
“You used Cait as a victim to score points for your political gain, to make it look like the Conservatives were using Cait.”
Alexander’s daughter demanded an apology from Vandenbeld, but the MP fell short of that late Wednesday, and instead said she deeply regrets the “distress that this meeting caused the witnesses.”
In her letter, Alexander also chided the Conservatives, and asked if the purpose of the meeting was a political ploy at the expense of her daughter to show how the Liberals and NDP would react.
She also questioned why her daughter’s information was provided to other parties just hours before the meeting, and why they didn’t allow more time for planning — something the Liberal and NDP members of the committee took great issue with.
The Conservative members of the committee, including Michelle Ferreri and Anna Roberts, have posted dozens of times about the hearing on social media, lambasting the Liberals and NDP members and demanding apologies.
Party spokesman Sebastian Skamski said Conservative MPs proposed and conducted the meeting in good faith, as did the witnesses.
“It’s unfortunate that the Liberal-NDP coalition members worked to derail the meeting rather than defend the disastrous criminal justice policies they support,” Skamski said in a statement.
“Conservatives will continue efforts to hold more committee meetings in line with an expanded motion we proposed that will allow for further study and witness testimony on this critical matter, and hope that Liberal-NDP members will treat this issue with the seriousness it warrants.”
Alexander also directed her ire at NDP MP Leah Gazan, accusing her of scheming with the Liberals to “sabotage” the meeting.
Gazan had said Wednesday she was not able to put forward witnesses of her own at the meeting, despite living in “ground zero” for missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls, and chastised the politicization of a committee that has historically worked together toward meaningful change.
“Did you even recognize that you silenced our daughter who was sharing her own and 25 other stories of survivors of (intimate partner violence) and (sexual assault) that were not properly dealt with by the police, judicial system and the government?” Alexander said in a passage addressed to Gazan.
“You silenced our daughter’s voice.”
Alexander said she is “astounded” by the strength of her daughter, but also by the partisanship and lack of caring and understanding the government has shown in tackling the issue of violence against women.
Alexander ended the letter by saying her family and friends fully support her daughter for using her voice to support survivors of intimate partner violence, adding that her daughter and others like her want to see positive change around the issue.
“Sadly, after the events last Wednesday in the House of Commons, I can’t see that happening,” she said.
“Shame on us all.”
torontosun.com
Author of the article:Canadian Press
Canadian Press
Alessia Passafiume
Published Aug 02, 2024 • Last updated 4 hours ago • 3 minute read
OTTAWA — The mother of a witness who stormed out of a House of Commons committee in tears is berating Liberals, NDP and Conservative members for a “disgusting” partisan display in a letter she plans to share with MPs.
“I taught six- to eight-year-olds for 31 years and I have never seen such self-serving, abusive, poorly behaved people in my life,” Carolyn Alexander said in the letter.
“You are not children. You are the voted-in leaders that can effect positive change on the lives of all Canadians. Do that!”
Alexander’s daughter Cait, a survivor of domestic violence, gave harrowing testimony at an emergency meeting that was called to discuss violence against women Wednesday in light of several high-profile cases this summer.
The meeting quickly derailed after Liberal MP Anita Vandenbeld took issue with the hastily organized summer meeting and moved a motion to debate abortion rights. That led the meeting to dissolve into a fracas of procedural chaos and political bickering that had little to do with violence against women.
Alexander accused Vandenbeld of purposely destroying the meeting and silencing victims.
“Why? Because you weren’t given enough time to have your own victims testify?” she wrote.
“You used Cait as a victim to score points for your political gain, to make it look like the Conservatives were using Cait.”
Alexander’s daughter demanded an apology from Vandenbeld, but the MP fell short of that late Wednesday, and instead said she deeply regrets the “distress that this meeting caused the witnesses.”
In her letter, Alexander also chided the Conservatives, and asked if the purpose of the meeting was a political ploy at the expense of her daughter to show how the Liberals and NDP would react.
She also questioned why her daughter’s information was provided to other parties just hours before the meeting, and why they didn’t allow more time for planning — something the Liberal and NDP members of the committee took great issue with.
The Conservative members of the committee, including Michelle Ferreri and Anna Roberts, have posted dozens of times about the hearing on social media, lambasting the Liberals and NDP members and demanding apologies.
Party spokesman Sebastian Skamski said Conservative MPs proposed and conducted the meeting in good faith, as did the witnesses.
“It’s unfortunate that the Liberal-NDP coalition members worked to derail the meeting rather than defend the disastrous criminal justice policies they support,” Skamski said in a statement.
“Conservatives will continue efforts to hold more committee meetings in line with an expanded motion we proposed that will allow for further study and witness testimony on this critical matter, and hope that Liberal-NDP members will treat this issue with the seriousness it warrants.”
Alexander also directed her ire at NDP MP Leah Gazan, accusing her of scheming with the Liberals to “sabotage” the meeting.
Gazan had said Wednesday she was not able to put forward witnesses of her own at the meeting, despite living in “ground zero” for missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls, and chastised the politicization of a committee that has historically worked together toward meaningful change.
“Did you even recognize that you silenced our daughter who was sharing her own and 25 other stories of survivors of (intimate partner violence) and (sexual assault) that were not properly dealt with by the police, judicial system and the government?” Alexander said in a passage addressed to Gazan.
“You silenced our daughter’s voice.”
Alexander said she is “astounded” by the strength of her daughter, but also by the partisanship and lack of caring and understanding the government has shown in tackling the issue of violence against women.
Alexander ended the letter by saying her family and friends fully support her daughter for using her voice to support survivors of intimate partner violence, adding that her daughter and others like her want to see positive change around the issue.
“Sadly, after the events last Wednesday in the House of Commons, I can’t see that happening,” she said.
“Shame on us all.”
Mother blasts MPs on House committee for ’disgusting’ treatment of her daughter
The mother of a witness who stormed out of a House of Commons committee in tears is berating Liberals, NDP and Conservative members.
Ontario man charged after Trudeau allegedly threatened in online video
Author of the article:Canadian Press
Canadian Press
Published Aug 07, 2024 • 1 minute read
Another person has been arrested after allegedly making threats against Prime Minister Justin Trudeau online.
Police say a man made violent threats against Trudeau, the police and security personnel who might attempt to interfere with his plans in an online video.
RCMP made the arrest with help from the York Regional Police in Ontario.
Police charged 33-year-old Dawid Zalewski with two counts of uttering threats.
The arrest comes weeks after two Alberta men were charged after they allegedly directed death threats at the prime minister.
RCMP said in July that the men posted threats to kill Trudeau and other politicians on X and YouTube.
“Threats to our national security can come in many forms and Canada is not immune,” RCMP said in a press release Wednesday.
“We are aware of the heightened security environment for public officials and the danger this presents for all Canadians. Our No. 1 priority has been, and will always be, the safety and security of Canadians.”
torontosun.com
Author of the article:Canadian Press
Canadian Press
Published Aug 07, 2024 • 1 minute read
Another person has been arrested after allegedly making threats against Prime Minister Justin Trudeau online.
Police say a man made violent threats against Trudeau, the police and security personnel who might attempt to interfere with his plans in an online video.
RCMP made the arrest with help from the York Regional Police in Ontario.
Police charged 33-year-old Dawid Zalewski with two counts of uttering threats.
The arrest comes weeks after two Alberta men were charged after they allegedly directed death threats at the prime minister.
RCMP said in July that the men posted threats to kill Trudeau and other politicians on X and YouTube.
“Threats to our national security can come in many forms and Canada is not immune,” RCMP said in a press release Wednesday.
“We are aware of the heightened security environment for public officials and the danger this presents for all Canadians. Our No. 1 priority has been, and will always be, the safety and security of Canadians.”
Ontario man charged after Trudeau allegedly threatened in online video
Another person has been arrested after allegedly making threats against Prime Minister Justin Trudeau online.
The Conservatives are not extreme right. Center right, maybe. There may very well be some extremists that will vote Conservative, but that is not the same thing. The problem is that the left has gone so far Left that even a moderate lefty now appears right wing to you.
Pickering city councillor blasted for appearing on far-right podcast
Decision called 'irresponsible, unethical and dangerous,' as well as a violation of council's code of conduct
Author of the article:Bryan Passifiume
Published Aug 08, 2024 • Last updated 1 day ago • 2 minute read
Pickering’s mayor and most of city council are calling out one of their own after a controversial councillor appeared on a far-right podcast.
Ward 1 Councillor Lisa Robinson, who has a history of controversial stances, appeared this week on a podcast hosted by notorious gadfly and convicted hate peddler Kevin J. Johnston, who as of Thursday morning published more than 11 hours of content about Pickering city council on his Rumble page.
In a statement posted Wednesday to the City of Pickering website, Mayor Kevin Ashe and the balance of city and regional councillors denounced Robinson for appearing on the podcast, which featured personal information about council members, with Johnston providing derogatory commentary and accusations against each of them.
“During the broadcast, the host published the names, pictures, and personal phone numbers of council members, falsely and dangerously labelling us as ‘pedophiles,’ ‘Nazis,’ and ‘fascists,'” the statement read, describing Robinson’s participation as an endorsement of Johnston’s views.
“This inflammatory, defamatory and violent rhetoric is not only reprehensible, but also poses a direct threat to our safety and the safety of our families.”
The letter describes Robinson’s decision to appear on the show as “irresponsible, unethical and dangerous,” as well as a violation of council’s code of conduct.
“We will be filing a joint complaint to the Integrity Commissioner for this most recent breach.”
In a statement to the Toronto Sun, Robinson said she doesn’t condone the hateful comments Johnston made about her fellow councillors, but said it’s “telling” that Ashe and council have no issue when “similar attacks” are levelled at her, and are only “squirming” because they’re “getting a taste of their own medicine.”
“Their selective outrage and double-standards only reveal their hypocrisy,” the statement read.
“They can’t have it both ways — criticizing Mr. Johnston’s comments while tacitly endorsing or ignoring the hateful attacks against me.”
Facing numerous court judgments — including a 2023 conviction demanding he pay $650,000 to an Alberta Health Services employee he harassed, as well as the $2.5 million he owes Paramount Fine Foods founder Mohamad Fakih after losing a 2019 defamation case — Johnston fled Canada to Central America, and currently calls Panama home.
In 2022, Johnston was arrested in Montana after crossing the border on foot to escape an 18-month jail term for violating an Ontario judge’s order to stop defaming Fakih.
bpassifiume@postmedia.com
x.com/bryanpassifiume
pickering.ca
torontosun.com
Decision called 'irresponsible, unethical and dangerous,' as well as a violation of council's code of conduct
Author of the article:Bryan Passifiume
Published Aug 08, 2024 • Last updated 1 day ago • 2 minute read
Pickering’s mayor and most of city council are calling out one of their own after a controversial councillor appeared on a far-right podcast.
Ward 1 Councillor Lisa Robinson, who has a history of controversial stances, appeared this week on a podcast hosted by notorious gadfly and convicted hate peddler Kevin J. Johnston, who as of Thursday morning published more than 11 hours of content about Pickering city council on his Rumble page.
In a statement posted Wednesday to the City of Pickering website, Mayor Kevin Ashe and the balance of city and regional councillors denounced Robinson for appearing on the podcast, which featured personal information about council members, with Johnston providing derogatory commentary and accusations against each of them.
“During the broadcast, the host published the names, pictures, and personal phone numbers of council members, falsely and dangerously labelling us as ‘pedophiles,’ ‘Nazis,’ and ‘fascists,'” the statement read, describing Robinson’s participation as an endorsement of Johnston’s views.
“This inflammatory, defamatory and violent rhetoric is not only reprehensible, but also poses a direct threat to our safety and the safety of our families.”
The letter describes Robinson’s decision to appear on the show as “irresponsible, unethical and dangerous,” as well as a violation of council’s code of conduct.
“We will be filing a joint complaint to the Integrity Commissioner for this most recent breach.”
In a statement to the Toronto Sun, Robinson said she doesn’t condone the hateful comments Johnston made about her fellow councillors, but said it’s “telling” that Ashe and council have no issue when “similar attacks” are levelled at her, and are only “squirming” because they’re “getting a taste of their own medicine.”
“Their selective outrage and double-standards only reveal their hypocrisy,” the statement read.
“They can’t have it both ways — criticizing Mr. Johnston’s comments while tacitly endorsing or ignoring the hateful attacks against me.”
Facing numerous court judgments — including a 2023 conviction demanding he pay $650,000 to an Alberta Health Services employee he harassed, as well as the $2.5 million he owes Paramount Fine Foods founder Mohamad Fakih after losing a 2019 defamation case — Johnston fled Canada to Central America, and currently calls Panama home.
In 2022, Johnston was arrested in Montana after crossing the border on foot to escape an 18-month jail term for violating an Ontario judge’s order to stop defaming Fakih.
bpassifiume@postmedia.com
x.com/bryanpassifiume
Mayor & Council’s Statement on Councillor Robinson’s Rumble Video
Mayor & Council’s Statement on Councillor Robinson’s Rumble Video
pickering.ca
Pickering city councillor blasted for appearing on far-right podcast
Mayor Kevin Ashe and council denounced Ward 1 Councillor Lisa Robinson for appearing Kevin J. Johnston's podcast this week