Searchable Counter Narrative News Library

‘People With Female Sex Organs’: Major Feminine Product Maker’s Latest Attack On Girls And Women

What is a woman? It looks like the feminine hygiene products maker Always doesn’t even want to use that word anymore, let alone answer that question.

On Friday, the Daily Mail reported that one of the world’s top suppliers of menstrual and other sanitary products released its annual pamphlet used to help young girls learn about their changing bodies. Except this year, the pamphlet didn’t mention women or girls even once. Instead, they were labeled “people with female sex organs.”

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May 29, 2023

‘Boycott Target’ Song Racks Up Millions Of Views, Takes Off On iTunes

‘Boycott Target’ Song Racks Up Millions Of Views, Takes Off On iTunes

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SEE IT: How The French Care For American Graves At Normandy

Every year, French caretakers spend hours preparing the grave markers at the American cemetery in Normandy — nearly 10,000 of them.

In the United States, citizens spend Memorial Day remembering and honoring the service members who paid the ultimate price for the freedoms and liberties the rest of us enjoy – but for those who never made it home, some of the host nations do what they can to honor the Americans who fell defending them.

In Normandy, for example, they routinely bring sand from D-Day’s most brutal landing site — Omaha Beach — and use it to darken the names and dates inscribed in the otherwise plain white marble crosses that cover the landscape.

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Somalia To Introduce Direct Universal Suffrage In 2024

Somalia’s government and federal member states said Sunday that direct universal suffrage would be introduced with local elections set for June 2024.

The move follows a pledge by President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud in March to end a complex indirect system in place since 1969.

“The basic principles should be that the election of the Federal Somali Republic must be one that gives the public the opportunity to cast their votes democratically in a one-person, one-vote system,” the government said after reaching an agreement with state leaders.

The reform aims to “encourage the multiparty political system” that is independent and “corruption free”, it added.

Somalia is struggling to emerge from decades of conflict and chaos, but is battling a bloody Islamist insurgency and natural disasters including a punishing drought that has left millions facing hunger.

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Russian ‘Spy’ Whale Surfaces In Sweden

A harness-wearing Beluga whale that turned up in Norway in 2019, sparking speculation it was a spy trained by the Russian navy, has appeared off Sweden’s coast, an organisation following him said Monday.

First discovered in Norway’s far northern region of Finnmark, the whale spent more than three years slowly moving down the top half of the Norwegian coastline, before suddenly speeding up in recent months to cover the second half and on to Sweden.

On Sunday, he was observed in Hunnebostrand, off Sweden’s southwestern coast.

“We don’t know why he has sped up so fast right now,” especially since he is moving “very quickly away from his natural environment”, Sebastian Strand, a marine biologist with the OneWhale organisation, told AFP.

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Bitcoin’s Brief Pump Above $28K Leads To Steep Losses Among Short Traders, Triggers $130M Liquidations

CRYPTO CRYPTO BUSINESS
Bitcoin’s Brief Pump Above $28K Leads To Steep Losses Among Short Traders, Triggers $130M Liquidations
By Nica Osorio
@nicaIBTimes

05/30/23 AT 12:18 AM EDT
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KEY POINTS
Bitcoin peaked at $28,432 but retraced to $27,960 by 9 a.m. ET Monday
The brief spike was after President Biden confirmed a deal was reached on debt ceiling
Bitcoin left the $28,000 price level and saw a 0.91% loss Monday evening
Bitcoin briefly spiked above the $28,000 price level in the early trading hours Monday, which led to nearly $130 million in liquidations and saw short traders experience steep losses.

The world’s largest cryptocurrency asset by market capitalization broke through the $28,000 price region and peaked at $28, 432 over the past 24 hours, but retraced to $27,960 at around 9 a.m. ET on Monday.

This brief surge in the price of Bitcoin triggered $55 million in liquidations for traders who held positions in the asset, with the market seeing $129.1 million leaving exchanges and 35,000 traders liquidating over the past 24 hours, data from crypto futures trading and information platform Coinglass showed.

Moreover, short traders lost $1404.45 million at around the same time, with Bitcoin, along with Ethereum – the second largest crypto asset by market capitalization, taking more than $68 million of those losses.

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Asian Markets Mixed As Traders Await US Debt Ceiling Vote

Asian investors traded nervously Tuesday as they kept an eye on Washington, where lawmakers are expected to vote this week on a deal to hike the US debt ceiling and avoid a painful default.

President Joe Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy hammered out an agreement at the weekend that saw both sides give ground, a week before a June 5 deadline when the government is expected to run out of cash to pay its bills.

The news provided some much-needed relief to markets, but now the two leaders must convince waverers on both sides to back the deal, with the House expected to vote Wednesday followed by the Senate.

Ultra-conservative Republicans feel McCarthy should have secured far deeper spending cuts in exchange for raising the debt ceiling and allowing the government to keep borrowing.

The left wing of the Democratic Party is equally unhappy that Biden agreed to any spending limits at all.

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BUSINESS Target Stock Price Plummets, Losing $10B In Valuation Over Kids’ Pride Month Clothing Backlash

KEY POINTS
Target lost $10 billion over the last 10 days after launching its Pride-themed clothing line
Target’s stock price sank to $138.93, the lowest in nearly three years
Texas GOP Sen. Ted Cruz didn’t believe the boycott vs. Target would be impactful
Target, one of the largest U.S. retailers, has been targeted by a boycott over its LGBTQ-friendly kids’ clothing, wiping out billions of dollars worth of stocks.

New York Post reported that Target lost $10 billion in market valuation over the last 10 days due to the backlash it received from its LGBTQ-themed kids’ clothing line.

Last Wednesday, Target’s stock value was at $160.96 a share, but its value sank and closed Friday at $138.93 a share — the retailer’s lowest stock price in nearly three years.

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WORLD North Korea Says It Will Launch Its First Military Spy Satellite In June

WORLD
North Korea’s Kim Jong Un inspects military satellite station
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and his daughter Kim Ju Ae meet with members of the Non-permanent Satellite Launch Preparatory Committee, as he inspects the country’s first military reconnaissance satellite, in Pyongyang, North Korea May 16, 2023, in this image released by North Korea’s Korean Central News Agency on May 17, 2023. REUTERS
North Korea will launch its first military reconnaissance satellite in June for monitoring U.S. military activities, state media KCNA reported on Tuesday.

In a statement carried by the KCNA news agency, Ri Pyong Chol, vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission of the ruling Workers’ Party, denounced joint military exercises by the United States and South Korea as openly showing their “reckless ambition for aggression.”

U.S. and South Korean forces have carried out various training exercises in recent months, including what they said were the biggest joint live-fire exercises last week, after many drills were scaled back amid COVID-19 restrictions and hopes for diplomatic efforts with North Korea.

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TECHNOLOGY COMPANIES France’s Minister Threatens To Ban Twitter After Musk Pulls Platform From EU’s Disinformation Code

KEY POINTS
Jean-Noël Barrot says the EU ban is imminent if Twitter “repeatedly” refuses to follow bloc’s rules
Twitter has pulled out of the EU’s voluntary disinformation code
The EU law aims to limit the spread of illegal and harmful content online
France’s digital minister Jean-Noël Barrot on Monday lashed out against Elon Musk-owned Twitter, threatening to ban the social media platform in the European Union if it “repeatedly” refuses to abide by the bloc’s rules for digital platforms.

“Disinformation is one of the gravest threats weighing on our democracies. Twitter, if it repeatedly doesn’t follow our rules, will be banned from the EU,” Barrot told radio network France Info, according to a translation by Politico.

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Religious exemption to COVID-19 vaccine mandate gets hearing

A federal labour board will hear the case of a government employee denied a religious exemption from the COVID-19 vaccine mandate.

Most requests for religious exemptions were denied without explanation, according to Blacklock’s Reporter.

“The grievance is neither trivial nor vexatious,” wrote Marie-Claude Perrault, an adjudicator with the Public Sector Labour Relations and Employment Board. No date for the hearing was set.

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https://www.westernstandard.news/news/taxpayers-group-celebrates-cancellation-of-wasteful-mission-cultural-fund/article_c95acc8c-fe2b-11ed-9065-370d12a26aee.html

The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) is happy that the Mission Cultural Fund has been cancelled. This fund, part of Global Affairs, used taxpayers’ money wastefully, such as on a sex toy show in Germany and a photography exhibit for a rock star.

“This is a big win for taxpayers and it’s long overdue,” said Franco Terrazzano, federal director of the CTF.

“Paying for a sex toy show in Germany and flying chefs around the world was a huge waste of taxpayers’ money and Global Affairs should have shut this down years ago.”

The federal government released a statement without much attention stating that the Mission Cultural Fund had “expired on March 31, 2023.”

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NDP calls for Johnston’s removal as ‘special rapporteur’ in China investigation

NDP leader Jagmeet Singh put forward a motion on Monday asking David Johnston to step down from his role as special rapporteur, who is investigating foreign interference in Canada.

“We’ve tabled a motion … that will be debated tomorrow in the House,” Singh told reporters.

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CTF praises UCP for paying down debt

The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) says Alberta’s debt is the elephant in the room.

The Alberta Director for the Canadian Taxpayers Federation Kris Sims recalled the Simpsons episode where the peanut factory manager is vindicated for his repeated safety drills when Stampy storms through the door? What’s Alberta’s debt situation?

“The United Conservative government posted a $10.3-billion surplus in this February’s budget,” said Sims

“Alberta is still about $79 billion in debt. That costs us about $2.8 billion in annual interest charges.”

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Major US retailer partners with gender transition organization

The target on its back just keeps getting larger.

After facing threats of a boycott, US retail giant Target pulled some LGBTQ Pride products off its shelves at the front of stores located in the US south, moving them to smaller areas in the back.

At the heart of the issue were LGBTQ onesies for babies, ‘tuck friendly’ bathing suits and drag queen books targetted at young kids.

And, late last week, TheBlaze reported Target has had a partnership with the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network (GLSEN) an LGBTQ educational organization that has advocated that schools don’t inform parents if their children decide to undergo a gender transition, for more than a decade.

Fox News picked up the story this week, reporting a Target Corporation senior executive, Carlos Saavedra, maintains a position with GLSEN, which is focused on integrating gender ideology at all levels of K-12 schools, from curriculum to district policy.

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Higher interest rates are slowing spending

Predictions of if and when Canada will slip into a recession are as precarious as predicting the weather (although forecasters of the latter seem to have improved of late).

A recession is “a significant, widespread, and prolonged downturn in economic activity. A common rule of thumb is that two consecutive quarters of negative gross domestic product (GDP) growth mean recession.”

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Minister claims church burnings will be addressed by “online safety” bill

Liberal Minister of Canadian Heritage Pablo Rodriguez told a House of Commons committee on Monday that incoming “online safety” legislation will address a two-year string of church burnings across Canada.

After initially claiming that his mandate doesn’t include faith-based communities, Rodriguez told Conservative MP Marilyn Gladu that proposed online hate laws will tackle the issue which has gone largely unaddressed by the federal Liberals.

“You said that faith based communities was not in your mandate letter. So I’m looking at the December 16, 2021 mandate letter that is out on the web for you,” said Gladu, pointing to the direct reference of faith-based communities.

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Canadian Politics John Baird endorses Anthony Furey for Toronto mayor

Former Harper-era cabinet minister John Baird has endorsed Anthony Furey for his campaign to become Toronto’s next mayor in the upcoming byelection on June 26th.

Baird, a former minster of foreign affairs, transport, and environment in the government of and a high-profile figure in the Conservative movement in Canada, announced his support for Furey’s campaign in a video posted to social media, lauding Anthony’s platform to tackle Toronto’s big challenges.

“I care passionately about Toronto, I care passionately about our city, and I’m thrilled to endorse Anthony Furey for mayor,” said Baird.

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No funds returned or consequences as a result of Laith Marouf antisemitism scandal

The Liberal government has yet to retrieve the nearly $133,000 paid to “anti-racist” consultant Laith Marouf and nobody at the Ministry of Canadian Heritage has been disciplined or fired for approving the contract despite Marouf’s history of antisemitism.

Conservative deputy leader Melissa Lantsman grilled Minister of Canadian Heritage Pablo Rodriguez and others on Monday during a House of Commons heritage committee meeting – inquiring what had been done since the scandal surfaced last year.

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Liberal ministers’ woke tweets elicit ridicule on social media

Two Liberal ministers faced a wave of backlash over the weekend prompted by a series of woke tweets meant to celebrate drag queens and raise awareness about “Menstrual Hygiene Day.”

Minister of Defence Anita Anand posted photos of herself with several drag queens, calling drag entertainment “one of Canada’s fundamental freedoms.”

“Expressing yourself through drag is one of Canada’s fundamental freedoms. It’s crucial that we show up to support the 2SLGBTQI+ community in all its diversity. I enjoyed seeing Devine Darling & Vitality Black at Community Resto. Looking forward to a fantastic #Pride2023,” tweeted Anand.

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Curb Lobby By Party Workers

A new federal code curbs lobbying by Canadians involved in “political work” including unpaid campaign volunteers. Revisions to the Lobbyists’ Code Of Conduct, the first in eight years, are to take effect July 1.

“The objective of this Code is to foster transparent and ethical lobbying of federal officials,” Lobbying Commissioner Nancy Bélanger wrote in a legal notice Saturday. “This Code works in concert with the ethical regimes that apply to federal officials.”

The new Code includes a new “sense of obligation” clause to restrict lobbying of any public office holder “where the official could reasonably be seen to have a sense of obligation to you because of political work, paid or unpaid.” The clause defines “political work” as organizing or managing any campaign, raising funds, volunteering, “soliciting or gathering donations,” “disseminating campaign materials” or acting as a spokesperson, researcher, analyst or campaign advertiser.

The restriction would not apply to lobbyists who are party members, donors, visitors at campaign rallies or lobbyists who express “personal political opinions” or “display election signs” on their property

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Pot Dealers Behind In Taxes

ollapse of the legal pot trade has seen two thirds of marijuana dealers fall behind in tax payments, says a federal report. Dealers owe the Canada Revenue Agency millions.

“The total amount of unpaid cannabis excise duties has continuously been rising since legalization,” said a report by the Competition Bureau. “Sixty-six percent of licensees required to remit excise duties had an outstanding debt with the Canada Revenue Agency.”

Unpaid taxes last year totaled $52.4 million. The value of delinquent payments was projected to nearly double to $97.5 million this year, said the report Planting The Seeds For Competition.

Parliament on legalizing marijuana in 2018 taxed it at $1 per gram plus GST. “With the average price per gram for dried cannabis falling since legalization, excise duties now take up a more significant portion of cannabis producers’ revenues,” up to 30 percent or more, wrote the Competition Bureau

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Chiefs Want To Intercept Mail

Parliament must change federal law to permit police, postal inspectors or First Nations constables to open letters in transit, says one of the nation’s largest Indigenous groups. Letter mail is a leading source of narcotics, says the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs.

“The Assembly is aware opioids and other forms of contraband can be transported through the postal service due to a legislative gap that prevents police from lawfully obtaining judicial authorization to search and seize packages sent through Canada Post,” the Assembly wrote in a submission to the Senate legal and constitutional affairs committee.

“Organized criminal groups can exploit this gap with high profitability and relatively low risk and effort especially in northern communities where postal shipments have become the most common method of distribution for illegal substances,” said the Assembly.

The group represents First Nations who comprise more than a tenth of Manitoba’s population, some 151,000 people, it said. Drugs by mail have had “devastating effects” in remote hamlets, wrote the Assembly.

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Vax Exemption Gets Hearing

A federal labour board has agreed to hear the case of a government employee denied a waiver from the vaccine mandate on religious grounds. Data show the overwhelming majority of requests for religious exemptions were denied, often with no reason given.

“The grievance is neither trivial nor vexatious,” wrote Marie-Claude Perrault, an adjudicator with the Public Sector Labour Relations and Employment Board. No date for the hearing was set.

Jennifer Squires, a senior financial services advisor with Parks Canada, sought a religious exemption under the agency’s 2021 Policy On Covid-19 Vaccination. Squires was denied and suspended without pay.

Squires’ union, the Public Service Alliance of Canada, formally requested a hearing on whether cursory dismissal of her request was unfair. “The remedies she seeks relate to a grave injustice to her,” the Board was told.

Cabinet on November 15, 2021 ordered that federal employees show proof of vaccination under threat of suspension or prove valid reasons for an exemption. At least 2,560 were suspended without pay, by official estimate.

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Filibuster Must End: Cabinet

Cabinet seeks to break a month-long filibuster that has tied up Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland’s omnibus budget bill in the Commons finance committee. One Liberal MP called it “arbitrary filibustering” to upset cabinet’s calendar.

“What happens when you filibuster needlessly? Not for any real point,” said Liberal MP Terry Beech (Burnaby North-Seymour, B.C.), parliamentary secretary for finance. “The point is quite clear. The point is to obstruct the bill and to prevent it from passing or at least to delay it as long as possible.”

“All the Conservatives are doing by continuing this filibuster is proving the fact they intend to do nothing except obstruct for obstruction’s sake,” said MP Beech. He served notice of a motion that the finance committee limit Conservatives to a maximum 15 additional minutes of debate on Bill C-47 the Budget Implementation Act.

Conservative MP Rick Perkins (South Shore-St. Margarets, N.S.) denied gamesmanship and called C-47 a far-reaching and costly bill that must be thoroughly studied. Minister Freeland “built up a level of distrust in this committee and in the House,” said Perkins.

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Edmonton companies to introduce

Diplomat Consulting and We Know Training have come together in partnership with CannSell to create a first-of-its-kind smart cannabis service program.

“We believe we will see municipal and provincial governments begin to ease zoning and licensing for public cannabis consumption within the next year across the country,” said Diplomat Consulting founding partner Nathan Mison in a press release.

“We know 27% of the world’s population want a cannabis tourism experience — why not invite them here to Canada to enjoy an infused food, beverage, and spa experience?”

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May 28, 2023

Protesters rally against Saskatoon Catholic Schools boycott of children’s festival ‘rainbow tent’

A Rainbow Tent performer and her mother decided to organize a protest rally outside the office of the Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools (GSCS) division over an email telling teachers to not take their students to the Rainbow Tent.

The Rainbow Tent is at the Nutrien Children’s Festival (NCF) coming up on June 1 to 4 in Saskatoon and targeted at children ages “2 to 12-year-olds,” according to the organizers. This is the first year for the Rainbow Tent, which has events “from Drag Queen Storytime to inclusive dress-up performances filled with colour and fun, this tent is full of rainbows.”

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British scholar says Peter Rabbit steals from African American culture

Leeds Beckett University post-colonial literature expert Emily Zobel Marshall has accused Peter Rabbit author Beatrix Potter of upholding colonialism.

“While rereading another collection of children’s stories featuring the ‘trickster hero’ Brer Rabbit — for my own book on how these folktales were introduced to North America by enslaved Africans — it became clear to me the similarities between Beatrix Potter’s tales and the Brer Rabbit stories demand further consideration,” said Marshall in an op-ed in the Conversation.

“The tales of Brer Rabbit can be traced back to pre-colonial Africa, from where they were transported to the plantations of America by enslaved people.”

The stories were first adapted for a white audience in the late 19th century by American journalist and folklorist Joel Chandler Harris.

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York University claims Christianity fuels colonialism

Toronto’s York University claimed in its recently released “Decolonizing, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy” document that Christianity fuels colonialism – and referred to the religion practiced by millions of Canadians as an “ideology.”

York’s anti-Christian statement comes amid hate crimes against Catholics being on the rise in Canada, and Christianity continuing to be the world’s most persecuted religion.

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May 27, 2023

Regina’s Gang Unit says ‘Indian Mafia’ controls drug trade, ousting ‘Native Syndicate’

In a recent attempted murder trial in Regina, testimony gave insight into the inner workings of street gangs in the city and the dominant role of the “Indian Mafia” gang in the Regina drug trade.

During the trial of Thomas Stevenson in Regina, a gang expert from the Regina Police Service (RPS) testified about “gang politics” that allegedly contributed to the shooting of a gang member, whose identity is protected by a publication ban.

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Edmonton doctor mocks people at Alberta UCP rally

Edmonton doctor mocks people at Alberta UCP rally

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HANNAFORD: Caylan Ford, fighting back against cancel culture

Finally, Caylan Ford is having her say. Falsely accused of racist sympathies just a few weeks before the 2019 election, she was immediately dumped by the UCP as an electoral liability. Her reputation was thereafter gang-raped for weeks through the twittersphere. Now, the onetime ‘star candidate’ has put together a film that may well stand for years as the definitive rebuke of cancel culture.

The just-released “When the Mob Came,” (co-directed by Andrew Peloso, VEK Labs) is her story. But as something very precious drains away from all of our lives — the fundamental decencies of forbearance, civility and respect in public life — it has relevance to all of us. That is, if lies could destroy a reputation such as hers, they can destroy anybody’s.

Ford’s documentary starts with the delicious days when a charismatic and highly educated young mother is welcomed with honours into the United Conservative Party. Pundits can’t believe the party’s luck that someone with her resume would run for them — a woman with two masters’ degrees, one from Oxford, and a solid resume built around several years with the Canadian foreign service.

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Second Quebec group suspected of hosting Chinese ‘police station’ received federal funding

Chinese centre that personally meets with Liberal parliamentarians and gets face time with Justin Trudeau. And not a word about this in our special rapporteur’s report.

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May 26, 2023

Mélanie Joly and Trudeau Foundation donor Zhang Bin – Beijing April 2018

Did our “special rapporteur” ask her about this meet, or was he preoccupied with whitewashing the wrongdoings of the Liberal government?

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Former Alberta NDP volunteer files human rights complaint against party

The former head of the Alberta New Democrats’ membership organization for people with disabilities has filed a human rights complaint against the party for discrimination. Justin Reinke, the former co-chair of the NDP’s disability caucus, is alleging he was discriminated against and wrongfully dismissed from his role in retaliation for speaking out against mistreatment. He claimed “an immense amount of ableism” exists in the party. The NDP have said that Reinke was in violation of the party’s anti-harassment policy.

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Wanda Sykes Calls Transgender Bathroom Laws Banning Men from Women’s Restrooms ‘Stupid and Hateful’

Comedian Wanda Sykes has blasted transgender bathroom laws that ban biological men from women’s restrooms, saying such laws are “stupid and hateful.”

In an interview with Variety, Wanda Sykes explained why she addresses the transgender bathroom debate in her new Netflix stand-up special I’m an Entertainer.

“I’m not trans, but they have my support, 100 percent,” Sykes said.

“I wanted to find something where I can shine some light on what they’re going through, to show how just stupid and hateful really it is. I was in a woman’s bathroom one time, and I was like, ‘Who would want to come in here anyway? It was like, I kind of want to go check out the men’s room. Sometimes, it’s even cleaner.’”

She added: “And that’s how that whole bit started. I’ve always just been grossed out by bathrooms.”

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Target Donates to Activist Group Focusing on Injecting LGBT Agenda into Schools

Target is donating to an activist leftist group which focuses on injecting the LGBT agenda into schools, the company recently confirmed.

Target has fallen under continued criticism over the past several weeks due to its overt promotion of woke gender ideology and the LGBT agenda, despite the fact those who identify as such make up a small percentage of the U.S. population. Regardless, Target has openly embraced what society has deemed “pride” month — taking place in June — with flashy pride-themed displays prominently displayed at the front of stores, some of which have since been moved to the back due to backlash.

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J.D. Vance: ‘I No Longer Shop at Target’

Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) is among those who said he will no longer shop at Target as the company moves even further to the left, proudly pushing the transgender agenda and indoctrination of children.

“Target could have decided to stay out of the culture wars, instead it decided to wage war on a large share of its customer base,” Vance said in a social media post Friday.

“I no longer shop at Target, and it seems many families are doing the same,” he added, sharing information on Target’s collapsing stock in the wake of boycotts:

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House Judiciary Committee Requests Documents over Bank of America Giving Americans’ Bank Info to FBI Around January 6

The House Judiciary Committee sent a letter to Bank of America (BoA) CEO Brian Moynihan requiring documents and communications surrounding the bank’s decision to provide the FBI with their customers’ private banking information “voluntarily and without any legal process.”

Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH) and Subcommittee on the Administrative State, Regulatory Reform, and Antitrust Chairman Thomas Massie (R-KY) sent a letter to Bank of America after FBI whistleblowers testified that the bank provided a list of anyone who used their services in the Washington, DC, area regardless of whether or not they participated in the January 6 protests.

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Seized Cocaine Shipment Had Some Interesting Markers

Peruvian police recently intercepted an odd narcotics shipment in the northern part of the country: “Nazi” cocaine. I’m not kidding. Fifty-eight kilos of cocaine packaged with swastikas was seized in the port city of Paita. According to the Associated Press, the drugs were found on a ship bearing the Liberian flag. The transport was reportedly shipping containers of asparagus. Upon searching the vessel, police found the cocaine in the ship’s ventilation system. The final destination for the Nazi cocaine was Belgium (via Associated Press):

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Leftist DA Gascon Is Accused of Retaliating Against Employees Who Don’t Share His Woke Ideologies

Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascon has a staggering 10,000 backlog of cases as the Democrat-run city reinstates no-cash bail.

The “authoritarian” and “toxic” DA’s woke policies reportedly have led to multiple prosecutors quitting as thousands of cases pile up on his desk.

Currently, there are over 130 positions available at Gascon’s office.

Whistleblowers told the New York Post that Gascon’s generous plea deals allow criminals to be released without serving little to no time. As a result, sometimes, crimes are not being prosecuted at all.

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From Reconciliation to Reparations: Exploiting a Noble Idea

Payment of reparations to historically mistreated racial minorities, especially people of African origin, is a lively topic of discussion in the United States and other countries where slavery was institutionalized. In Canada, reparations have been paid to First Nations for almost two decades under the somewhat misleading heading of Reconciliation. The expansion of reparations has been driven by developments in the judicial process, especially the use of class-action lawsuits and the instructions for Justice Canada to negotiate rather than litigate. And, aside from the large sums paid out in compensation, there are two serious political consequences: elected representatives have no meaningful oversight of the negotiations and, contrary to Canadian legal tradition, individual claims of mistreatment are not merely leading to compensation but are being used to overturn core government policies enacted by previous Parliaments.

Reparations began with the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement, finalized in 2007, which awarded almost $5 billion (2007 dollars) in individual payments to those who had attended the schools. Class actions regarding other forms of education were launched, but the federal Justice Department resisted these claims until 2015, when Justin Trudeau’s government came to power. The new Minister of Justice, Jodi Wilson-Raybould, instructed departmental lawyers to seek negotiated settlements instead of litigating vigorously. These instructions were formalized in her “Litigation Guidelines,” which were issued in 2019 and are still in effect.

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Maxime Bernier mocks Trudeau’s ‘gender equality’ minister over ‘Pansexual Visibility Day’ tweet

Bernier blasted the Trudeau government’s minister for women, gender equality and youth for celebrating sexual immorality while ignoring the ‘trans mutilation industry’ and ‘perverts’ in women’s spaces.

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WATCH: North Face releases ad featuring drag queen for Pride Month By Jonathan Bradley May 25, 2023 21

American clothing company the North Face put out an ad featuring drag queen Pattie Gonia to celebrate Pride Month.

“We are here to invite you to come out,” said Gonia in a Wednesday video.

“In nature with us!”

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Report Burning Bridge: Debunking LNG as a Climate Solution

Fossil gas, marketed as “natural gas” and its liquefied form used for long-distance maritime transport, “liquefied natural gas” (LNG), have been proposed as a middle ground between more carbon-intensive fossil fuels and renewable energy.

This report covers the science on the climate impacts of gas, the necessary reductions in gas supply and demand under the Paris Agreement and how this disqualifies Canadian LNG as a climate solution. Possible incremental reductions in global GHG emissions resulting from Canadian LNG are not enough to be part of a Paris-aligned energy transition. Canadian energy would be better directed at promoting a direct transition to renewable energy at home and abroad.

Exporting B.C. LNG makes the climate crisis worse, not better. It’s time for the province to pull the plug on any further LNG expansion and to cease providing public financing, infrastructure support or preferential treatment for the sector.

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FEATURED Suzuki Foundation dismisses LNG as bridge fuel to lower CO2 emissions

A new report commissioned by the David Suzuki Foundation declared producing LNG in Canada and shipping it abroad will increase the likelihood of missed emissions targets and exacerbate the climate crisis, even if it replaces coal.

“In light of the overwhelming evidence, fracked methane gas should not be granted a special privilege in the energy transition. It remains a fossil fuel with unacceptable climate impacts, and its continued production will delay and impede the transition to emissions-free sources of clean energy,” foundation senior climate policy adviser Tom Green said.

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Edmonton teacher charged with making child porn released on bail

An Edmonton teacher was charged with child luring and child pornography — and is now being investigated for similar offences related to an ongoing investigation in Florida — by ALERT’s Internet Child Exploitation (ICE) unit.

On Saturday, Brennan Horman, 27, was arrested at his St. Albert home with the assistance of St. Albert RCMP and the RCMP Major Crimes Unit (MCU).

He was was charged with child luring, making, transmitting, and possessing child pornography, in relation to sex offences he allegedly committed against a female youth in Parkland County.

Authorities in Florida were investigating the disappearance of a female youth and had information that Gorman may have had knowledge of her disappearance.

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Calgary police searching for suspect in church fire By Jonathan Bradley 5 hrs ago 1

The Calgary Police Service (CPS) are asking for the public’s assistance to identify a man believed to be responsible for setting a fire and assaulting two men at St. Mary’s Cathedral last week.

CPS were called to the scene May 19 around 2:30 a.m. for reports of a fire set at St. Mary’s Cathedral, according to a Thursday press release. After two staff members heard a commotion outside, the release said they opened the door to the back of the church when a man charged at them.

The two men were able to close the door and get to safety while the suspect continued to attempt to gain entry into the church. They called 911, and the fire was extinguished upon the Calgary Fire Department’s (CFD) arrival.

The suspect is described as about 35 to 45 years old, with a bald or shaved head, about six ft. tall, and 180lbs.

CPS’ Hate Crime Prevention Team is investigating to determine if hate motivation is a factor.

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Transgender women banned from female cycling competitions

British Cycling, the national governing body for the sport of cycling in Britain, is the latest body to bar transgender women from competing in the female category, reports The Guardian.

The organization said the decision was made after a nine-month review of the latest science, to “safeguard the fairness” of the sport.

New rules are in place which include the men’s division being replaced by an open category that will include transgender men, transgender women and non-binary individuals.

The female category for races under the guise of British Cycling, from grassroots to elite divisions, will be comprised only of racers who were born as females.

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Norway’s sovereign wealth fund to support climate resolutions even as it expands oil exploration

Talk about biting the hand that feeds.

Norway’s sovereign wealth fund — the world’s largest — is set to support climate resolutions at the shareholders meetings of Exxon and Chevron even as its state oil company expands oil and gas exploration in what climate activists describe as giving “the middle finger” to the Paris Accord.

Government Pension Fund Global — the Norwegian equivalent of the CPP — told London’s Financial Times, it will support resolutions to introduce Scope 3 emissions targets at AGMs in Irving, TX and San Ramon, CA next week.

It comes even as the Norwegian energy ministry announced this month it would step up oil exploration in the Barents Sea to improve Europe’s energy security in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Last year the country overtook Russia to become the EUs largest supplier of oil and gas.

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Musk developing technology to merge human and artificial intelligence

Imagine a computer chip, powered by a mini-lithium battery, implanted in your brain that helps you control your weight, enable web browsing and telepathy with your thoughts, and also soothes, if not eliminates, mental instabilities.

Science fiction? For now, yes, but it could be very real in the near future.

It’s called Neuralink, the brainchild of Elon Musk, and it has received approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to proceed with the first-in-human clinical trials.

Musk is so confident in the system’s ability to cure a range of conditions including obesity, autism, depression, schizophrenia and other applications, he said last year he would be willing to implant them in his children.

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FEATURED Saskatoon Catholic teachers advised to skip ‘rainbow tent’ at kids festival, sparks outrage

The Greater Saskatoon Catholic School (GSCS) division has been accused of prejudice after a picture of an email, allegedly from the superintendent, tells teachers not to attend the Rainbow Tent at a Saskatoon children’s festival.

Children
Image courtesy of Ben Wicks on Unsplash
The picture displays an email circulated online Thursday sent to the division’s elementary school principals about the Nutrien Children’s Festival (NCF).

The NCF is targeted at children from two- to 12-years-old.

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Ontario school board demands employees defend sexual minorities during Pride Month

The Peel District School Board (PDSB) said with Pride Month approaching, it will continue its commitment to sexual minority identities and celebrate and affirm them.

“Memo sent to all @PeelSchools staff in preparation for Pride Month backlash from parents,” said former Ontario high school teacher Chanel Pfahl in a Thursday tweet.
PDSB Superintendent of Equity, Indigenous Education, School Engagement, and Community Relations Lisa Hart and Executive Lead-Human Rights Jasmine Dunn said in a letter when addressing sexual minority identities and issues, staff need to apply an intersectional lens.

“To fully understand an individual’s experience based on their identities, we need to acknowledge the impacts of intersecting systems of oppression and privilege given our social context,” said Hart and Dunn.

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Celine Dion’s Courage World Tour European tour cancelled because of her stiff person disease

Canadian singer Celine Dion’s Courage World Tour announced the popular singer would be cancelling all remaining dates on sale for 2023 and 2024.

“I’m so sorry to disappoint all of you once again,” said Dion in a Friday press release.

“I’m working really hard to build back my strength, but touring can be very difficult even when you’re 100%.”
Dion said in December she was cancelling eight shows in 2023 and moving some to 2024 because she learned she has a rare neurological disorder.

READ MORE: Celine Dion cancels shows, suffering from stiff person disorder

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FEATURED ZINGER! Moe fires back at Singh’s accusations, defends Sask First Act

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Jagmeet Singh, leader of the NDP, criticized the Saskatchewan First Act (SFA) and Premier Scott Moe’s Sask Party government during his visit to North Battleford on Wednesday.

Jagmeet Singh
“Here in Saskatchewan, I know that you’re up against a tough government that’s not recognizing and respecting indigenous rights,” said Singh at the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN) All-Chiefs Assembly.

“The Saskatchewan First Act is legislation that ignores the rights of indigenous people. And I want you to know I think that’s wrong.”

Moe responded to Singh’s accusations against the Sask Party and the SFA in a tweet, including a dig that the Trudeau government owns Singh.

“The Saskatchewan First Act asserts our province’s constitutional autonomy over our own natural resources,” tweeted Moe.

“Saskatchewan is not a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Trudeau government. Unlike Jagmeet Singh.”

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Albertans cast more than 500,000 votes at advance voting places

Voters shall have their say as more than a half-million Albertans already voted in the 2023 election at advanced voting sites.

As of noon Friday, 501,005 votes were cast.

Advance vote count estimates the number of electors who vote at advance voting places between May 23 and 27 and is listed on the Elections Alberta website.

The count updates every 15 minutes, between 9:30 a.m. and 8:30 p.m.

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Trudeau gets mouthed off in Woodstock during sneaky appearance After eight years of Trudeau, he can’t go anywhere in public without being chirped.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau attempted to have a low-key visit to Woodstock Ontario to help a local candidate in a byelection — and got mouthed off by local residents who spotted him.
One protester called him a pedophile and accused the Prime Minister of killing people — presumably by his intense coercion of the COVID vaccine that ultimately killed some Canadians.

In a video released on social media of the incident, a crowd can be heard hurling insults at the Prime Minister while he was outside a local shop.

The regular “F&$# Trudeau” chant can be heard, while Trudeau just smiled and walked on by.

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Atlantic Premiers join climate agenda push back The Premiers must think Trudeau is wrong when it comes to his climate agenda’s impact on Canadians’ bank accounts.

Their declaration comes just five weeks before more environmental regulations and taxes come into effect, as dictated by Trudeau’s climate czar – the CN Tower scaler himself – Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault.
The Clean Fuel Regulations and yet another carbon tax increase are set for July 1, which P.E.I Premier Dennis King said will cost citizens 17 cents extra per litre for home heating fuel.

“Consumers here have been hit hard with inflation and we can’t take any more cost at the pump, and to have a double whammy like this will impact our economy,” King said.

“And that’s going to be difficult for Islanders and for Atlantic Candians to absorb,” he added.

King further said that, on top of inflation hitting Atlantic provinces hard, “we don’t have a whole lot of options in terms of we have one major refinery that produces most of the fuel that we use for the region.”

The Atlantic Premiers met with climate change Minister Guilbeault virtually on Wednesday. They also expressed worry that the regulations would impact the cost of imported goods, and fuel prices and supplies.

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A “Great” Dinner Companion

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in a 2010 radio interview described David Johnston as a frequent dinner companion with whom he had “great conversations.” Johnston on Tuesday dismissed his “so-called friendship” with Trudeau as insignificant.

“We had great conversations around dinner tables around all sorts of things,” Trudeau told CBC Radio in an interview marking Johnston’s 2010 appointment as governor general. “I always respected him as a man who was very personable, very real and very, very smart,” Trudeau said at the time.

James Fitz-Morris, the CBC reporter who interviewed both Johnston and Justin Trudeau, said in his original broadcast: “Pierre Trudeau and Johnston were friends. The families often vacationed together, the three Trudeau boys and five Johnston girls.”

Fitz-Morris, now a political aide, yesterday said he could not recall the source of his report that the families vacationed together. “I remember the interview and the story,” said Fitz-Morris. “I don’t remember where that piece came from.”

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They’ll Still Take The Cheque

Cabinet will not enforce a curb on taxpayers’ use of cheques despite a clause in an omnibus budget bill, says the Department of Finance. Bill C-47 the Budget Implementation Act would mandate electronic payment of taxes over $10,000.

“The intention is not to force people to do things electronically if it is not possible or if they have been historically filing on paper,” said Lindsay Gwyer, director general of tax legislation at the finance department. Testifying at the Senate national finance committee, Gwyer said the bill was intended to promote digital filing not punish cheque users.

“The changes would allow employers or institutions that are issuing T4s or T5s to issue them electronically,” said Lindsay Gwyer, director general of tax legislation at the finance department. “It would still be possible for someone who wants to receive them on paper to request to receive them on paper but the rules confirm that it’s permissible for these institutions to issue them electronically if that’s what the recipients prefer.”

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Won’t Detail Dentacare Plan

The Department of Finance has asked the Parliamentary Budget Office to withhold public release of in-house data on a federal dentacare program. The Budget Office sought figures on the cost and scope of the plan promised by 2025.

“We respectfully request that you do not disclose the data publicly or share it outside of your organization,” the department wrote in a May 19 letter to the Budget Office. No reason was given.

Budget Officer Yves Giroux sought complete details of the dentacare plan. “I am requesting the eligibility criteria, details on the types of procedures covered and co-payment rates that were used to cost the new Canadian dental care plan measure in Budget 2023 and a description of any relevant assumptions such as inflation indexation of income levels, plan administration costs, etcetera,” wrote Giroux.

The Budget Office in a March 22, 2022 report put costs of the program at $4.6 billion annually by 2025. “We estimate that close to 6.5 million Canadians will benefit from the proposed program during the first year,” wrote analysts.

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“Walls Are Closing In”: MP

Cabinet’s refusal to hold a public inquiry into claims of illegal activities by Chinese agents was predictable, a Bloc Québécois MP yesterday told the House affairs committee. “The walls are closing in,” said MP Marie-Hélène Gaudreau (Laurentides-Labelle, Que.). “That’s enough.”

“Partisanship is winning out over the integrity of our democracy,” said Gaudreau. “I have said it before and I’ll say it again, we in the Bloc are not out to get power, we are out to get information. And to get information you need experts and there needs to be a public inquiry.”

The Commons on March 23 voted 172 to 149 to “launch a national public inquiry into allegations of foreign interference in Canada’s democratic system.” The motion asked that the investigation be led by a judge selected by all House leaders with powers to compel testimony and subpoena documents. It followed a similar vote by Conservative, Bloc and New Democrat MPs in the House affairs committee on March 2.

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Filibuster Enters Fourth Week

Conservatives yesterday resumed a filibuster of Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland’s budget bill. MPs sought more testimony from witnesses.

“I don’t know why these Liberals want to make things so difficult for Canadians just to simply get the facts and understand the reality of the budget,” said Conservative MP Philip Lawrence (Northumberland-Peterborough South, Ont.). “It’s almost as if they are allergic to transparency.”

“We want to hear from Canadians,” said MP Lawrence. “We were willing to sit whether it be Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday to get this done,” he added. “We were absolutely clear on this. I would put my honour on it.”

“You guys are not my boss,” said Lawrence. “The Canadian people, the people of Northumberland, that’s who I get my marching orders from. That’s who I get instructions from, not from the Liberal government. My power does not come from you, it comes from the people, and I am here as their representative. I owe no one an apology for speaking.”

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UN admits that trans activism threatens women’s rights

Stifled free expression in first-world countries is now a human rights matter for the United Nations.

A UN human rights office is concerned that citizens in the “Global North” (e.g. Canada, the US, the UK, Australia, New Zealand) have a “shrinking space” for debate on issues of gender and gender identity.

“I am concerned by the shrinking space in several countries in the Global North for women and feminist organizations and their allies to gather and/or express themselves peacefully in demanding respect for their needs based on their sex and/or sexual orientation,” wrote Reem Alsalem, the UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls.

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Liberal MP called out over false claim that Poilievre would fail a security clearance

Liberal MP Ryan Turnbull has been called out on social media and was even hit with a Twitter community note addressing his false claim that Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre would fail a security clearance due to a “red flag in his background.”

Turnbull made the unsubstantiated claim on Thursday in response to Poilievre’s refusal to be involved in classified briefings on Chinese interference.

“Why won’t ⁦Poilievre⁩ get security clearance? Either he prefers to remain ignorant of the facts so he can continue to mislead, or he has a red flag in his background which would have him fail to gain clearance causing him embarrassment,” speculated Turnbull.

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City of Toronto reverses decision to cancel Canada Day celebration after backlash

The City of Toronto is reversing its decision to cancel the city’s popular Canada Day celebration after receiving enormous backlash from residents.

A number of Torontonians let their voices be heard on social media after news broke that the Canada Day fireworks display at Nathan Phillips Square was going to be cancelled this year due to a lack of funding.

A City of Toronto volunteer shared an email they had received from the city on Twitter, which outlined the rationale for cancelling Canada Day programming. The volunteers were told that the funds secured for the event at Nathan Phillips Square were inadequate and that the fiscal constraints requires a “very conservative approach to planning.”

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Former PMs Harper, Campbell back letter calling on Trudeau, Biden to act against Iranian regime

Former Canadian prime ministers Stephen Harper and Kim Campbell are among more than 100 world leaders who’ve signed a letter calling for democratic reform in Iran and efforts to hold “regime officials accountable.”

The letter, sent to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, US President Joe Biden, and European Council President Charles Michel, was signed by 109 former heads of government and state, including former British prime minister Liz Truss and former American vice-president Mike Pence.

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Durham children’s aid society holds multi-week drag queen shows for kids

An Ontario children’s aid society is organizing a multi-week drag queen story time for “all children and their caregivers” as part of a Youth Pride program.

Nearly half a dozen libraries have partnered with the Durham Children’s Aid Society to put on drag queen performances for kids, including Oshawa Public Libraries, Whitby Public Library, Pickering Public library, Brock Libraries and elsewhere.

“This family-friendly program will showcase stories celebrating diversity and inclusion,” wrote the Durham Children’s Aid Society.

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Jordan Peterson says Fox News “killed itself” by firing Tucker Carlson

Renowned author and psychologist Dr. Jordan Peterson delved into the controversial firing of Fox News anchor Tucker Carlson and other pressing topics in a recent interview published by the Hungarian Conservative this week.

According to Peterson, Fox News has ensured its own demise by letting its most popular host.

“Fox News killed itself by firing Tucker Carlson. So all these legacy news media and its apparatus is degenerating and as they degenerate, they turn to clickbait and lie,” said Peterson.

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City of Calgary folds, reinstates firework show following outrage

The City of Calgary is reinstating its Canada Day fireworks display after widespread outrage over its decision to axe the show over apparent racist and climate impacts.

The backlash included a letter from Calgary Nose Hill MP Michelle Rempel Garner and a petition launched by Common Sense Calgary.

“We have heard from many Calgarians as well as members of City Council that while the pilot program is valued, they would also appreciate an aerial fireworks display to celebrate on July 1,” said Calgary City Manager David Duckworth.

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City Of Calgary Backs Off Crazy Plan To Remove Canada Day Fireworks

Here’s what they said in a statement: “We have heard from many Calgarians as well as members of City Council that while the pilot program is valued, they would also appreciate an aerial fireworks display to celebrate on July 1,” said David Duckworth, City Manager. “We are working with partners to confirm an appropriate site and will share details as they become available.”

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May 25, 2023

Industry Blindsided by Ottawa’s Plan to Track Ill Effects of Natural Health Products

A new plan to force hospitals to report adverse effects of “natural health products” such as herbal remedies and supplements has come as a surprise to manufacturers, who say they were blindsided by the proposed change. The federal government included the plan in the 2023 budget bill, which is still making its way through the House of Commons.

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‘Weaponized’ Genetically Engineered Insects? DOD Funding $27 Million ‘Insect Allies’ Project

Scientists and legal scholars question the rationale for the use of insects to disperse infectious genetically engineered (GE) viruses engineered to edit the chromosomes in plants, warning that the technology could very easily be weaponized.
This Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) program is the first to propose and fund the development of viral horizontal environmental genetic alteration agents with the capacity to perform genetic engineering in the environment.
The $27 million project, called “Insect Allies,” is trying to take advantage of insects’ natural ability to spread crop diseases, but instead of carrying disease, they would spread plant-protective traits.
The opinion paper “Agricultural Research, or a New Bioweapon System?” argues that if plant modification were really the ultimate goal, a far simpler and more targeted agricultural delivery system could be used.
There are also serious concerns about environmental ramifications, as the insects’ spread cannot be controlled. It would also be impossible to prevent the insects from genetically modifying organic crops.

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Unsettling breakthrough: First-ever birth control injection enters clinical trials

In a vax-crazed culture – sponsored by Big Pharma – that wants everyone to believe that there’s a shot for everything, we have yet another inoculation on the horizon. Just when you thought it couldn’t get any more bizarre.
The vax works by neutralizing the hormone hCG, which is human chorionic gonadotropin, also called “the pregnancy hormone.” If hCG is neutralized, fertilized eggs cannot implant. This means that the woman can’t get pregnant.
Of course, one could also argue that this new invention supports the depopulation plans of individuals like, Bill Gates and Klaus Schwab. Keep in mind, one of the biggest financial donors of Dr. Talwar’s work is the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
It is sheer craziness to treat pregnancy as a disease. What’s worse is using a vax that causes a healthy immune system to act counter to the way it should. Undoubtedly, this carries potential risks that no one can anticipate this early in the game.
According to these experts, exposing human tissue to this particular shot opens the door to autoimmune problems and severe inflammatory processes because the immune system has been trained to attack it.

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Biden Admin’s $40m ‘Anti-Terrorism’ Program Targets Breitbart News, Conservatives

Documents uncovered by the Media Research Center (MRC) revealed the Biden Administration used a $40 million grant program of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), ostensibly earmarked for anti-terrorism purposes, to target conservative organizations and media, including Breitbart News.

The Targeted Violence and Terrorism Prevention Grant Program (TVTP) was established by the DHS in 2011 to combat Al Qaeda, but was vastly expanded in its scope by the Biden adminstration.

Its grants now encompass several “media literacy and online critical thinking initiatives,” the most radical of which accuse conservative organizations including Breitbart News, Turning Point USA, and the Heritage Foundation of turning Americans into violent neo-Nazis.

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Like it or not, the Korean peninsula is a key defence priority for Canada This commentary by Andrew Erskine underscores the need for increased attention on the Korean Peninsula in Canada’s national defense strategy.

If asked to list examples of global threats that are consequential to Canada’s defence, Canadians will highlight the Russo-Ukrainian war, Sudan’s domestic conflict between state and paramilitary forces, and China’s domestic meddling and continental reconnaissance. This transformational shift in the outlooks of Canadians is vital for understanding how the current moment in history — where the international rules-based order is becoming unsteady and more hostile-looking — impacts Canada’s national defence interests.

However, Canadians remain instinctively unfamiliar with the consequences emerging from the Korean peninsula.

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Counterproductive Competition Act reforms may actually hamper competition

OTTAWA, ON (May 25, 2023): The rise of digital commerce revolutionized the lives of Canadians : digital firms have emerged to facilitate how Canadians interact, do business, and consume products. In November 2022, the federal government launched a public consultation to determine whether aspects of the Competition Act need to be amended to reflect this new digital economy. The Competition Bureau’s discussion paper indicates concern that the power of digital firms has grown far beyond the reach of competition law in its present form.

In this new MLI paper, Staying the course: Why competition law should remain focused on consumer welfare standards, Will Rinehart and Aaron Wudrick warn that Canada must guard against overreaction in reforming its competition law and avoid following the same path as several peer nations (the United States in particular).

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Canada Must Recognize Iran’s Role in Gaza Terror: Tzvi Kahn for Inside Policy

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau may need a crash course in basic Middle East geopolitics. In a statement issued as Israel faced legions of Palestinian rockets fired toward its territory this month, Ottawa rightly affirmed the Jewish state’s “right to defend its security from terrorist attacks” by the terrorist group Islamic Jihad. Yet the statement contained a curious omission. It failed to attribute responsibility where it truly belongs: the Islamic Republic of Iran, the chief backer, funder, and military supplier of Islamic Jihad.

It was a missed opportunity. As a proxy of Iran, Islamic Jihad has the same objective as its patron: the destruction of Israel and the termination of Western political, military, and ideological influence in the Middle East. Islamic Jihad’s manifesto repudiates “any peaceful solution to the Palestinian cause” and affirms “the Jihad solution and the martyrdom style as the only choice for liberation.” The United States, the manifesto asserts, is the “Great-Satan.”

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Don’t blame Indigenous people for Calgary cancelling July 1st fireworks: Melissa Mbarki in the National Post

Citing “cultural sensitivities … in relation to Truth and Reconciliation,” the City of Calgary is cancelling its annual Canada Day fireworks display, which can be seen across the city, and replacing it with a low-level pyrotechnic show at Fort Calgary.

I’d like to know how many Indigenous groups, people and communities were consulted about this. Many of us look forward to July 1st festivities, including the fireworks. It’s one of the few times when Canadians get together and celebrate the diversity of our country.

Indigenous people are Canadians. We have every right to celebrate Canada Day, even if others choose not to. Removing a holiday or a celebration that unites Canadians is not reconciliation. Actions like this further divide us.

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Canadian financial institutions are fuelling the climate change crisis

Once again, Canada will almost certainly fail to meet its target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40 to 45 per cent by 2030 in accordance with the most recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) recommendations.

This is despite the government’s optimistic spin on the release of its latest emissions inventory report. Jerry DeMarco, the environment commissioner in the Auditor General’s office, has criticized the government’s record as a litany of broken promises:

“We have been repeatedly ringing the alarm bells. Now, these bells are almost deafening.”

Canada is the only G7 nation with 2022 carbon emissions levels that are above its 1990 levels. It has among the highest greenhouse gas emissions per capita in the world, and its fossil fuel industry is also among the world’s largest.

And its financial institutions — banks, pension funds and private equity firms — fund the industry and are therefore helping fuel the climate crisis.

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Open Tendering for Toronto Could Save $347 Million: Cardus

Major crimes are up 20 percent in Toronto compared to 2022. TTC stabbings, sex crimes, break-ins, and a drug crisis have shocked city residents. Non-partisan think tank Cardus released a new research brief to help councillors and the city’s next mayor find the funds to address these priorities: Better Choices for Toronto: Finding Money in Open Tendering for Safety and Mental Health.

Cardus’s research brief outlines how Toronto could save $347 million by reducing its infrastructure construction costs, even while maintaining its current pace of construction. Those savings would be enough to cover the costs of four major steps to building a safer city:

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Medicine Hat couple reunited after wife escapes conflict zone in India

Medicine Hat, AB, resident Jeremy Williamson said he’s happy to be with his wife, Joicy, after she was able to get out of the conflict zone in Churachandpur, Manipur.

“It’s been the strangest year of my life I would say,” said Williamson in a Wednesday interview.

“I wouldn’t want to have to go through it again, and I can’t imagine what other families are going through knowing they have family in Manipur.”

Jeremy said on May 5 he was attempting to bring Joicy and her mother out of Churachandpur amid violence taking place in the area.
He expressed disappointment in Global Affairs Canada. At first, it was nice, but officials offered dangerous advice.

Global Affairs encouraged her to contact police, but it was corrupt and was not acting in people’s best interests. He said he “had US senators that were willing to send in a team to rescue my wife, but my own government didn’t care.”

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Montana becomes the first state to ban drag queen story hour

The state of Montana passed a new law which is banning drag queen story hour and will prohibit drag queens from reading children’s books and engaging in other learning activities with minors present.

The legislation, Bill 359, which went into effect immediately after being signed Monday, also prohibits minors from attending drag shows.

The law also bans drag performances from occurring on public property where children could be present.

“A school or library that receives any form of funding from the state may not allow a sexually oriented performance or drag story hour … on its premises during regular operating hours or at any school-sanctioned extracurricular activity,” the legislation states.

“A sexually oriented business may not allow a person under 18 years of age to enter the premises of the business during a sexually oriented performance.”

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Calgary councilor calls fireworks “colonialist and racist” Canada Day used to be a day of celebration, but now it’s about recognizing shame.

Calgary councilor calls fireworks “colonialist and racist”
The city announced last week that it would finish off Canada Day with a pyrotechnic show in place of what’s normally a massive fireworks show.

Several calls to overturn the decision have been made including a petition that has amassed thousands of votes.

The Ward 11 councilor Penner subsequently lashed out at Calgarians who are proud to be Canadians and celebrate Canada Day with fireworks.

“Council didn’t make this decision and if we were to reverse it, it would do nothing more than discredit the voices who asked for a different kind of celebration. Reversing this decision would be upholding colonialism and racism,” she said.

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10 Calgary councillors rebel against Gondek, demand fireworks by notice of motion Calgary Councilors demand fireworks on Canada Day

The city announced last week that it would finish off Canada Day with a pyrotechnic show in place of what’s normally a massive fireworks show. The decision was made by an unelected arts and culture manager, Franca Gualtieri, who cited “cultural sensitivities” as well as environmental concerns.

But on Thursday, ten out of fourteen city councillors signed their names to the notice of motion to overturn the decision.

“Be it resolved that council direct Administration to include an aerial fireworks display as part of the City’s 2023 Canada Day celebrations provided it can be achieved within existing budgets,” the notice reads.

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Poilievre endorses Smith, slams Notley Poilievre tells Albertans Notley would decimate the economy and do whatever Trudeau wants.

Poilievre endorses Smith, slams Notley Poilievre tells Albertans Notley would decimate the economy and do whatever Trudeau wants.

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Find Most Seniors Better Off

Retirees are typically better off today than they were 40 years ago, Statistics Canada figures showed yesterday. The latest data follow research suggesting the current generation of retirees is the wealthiest in history.

“After-tax family incomes of retirees have generally increased,” said a StatsCan report A Cross-Cohort Comparison Of Economic Well-Being During Retirement Years. “Someone 60 years of age in 2008 would have had a different experience than someone 60 years of age in 1990,” it added.

Findings were based on tracking of incomes for retirement-age Canadians at intervals in the period from 1984 to 2008. “For example, women aged 65 to 67 in 1995 had a median income of $38,200,” wrote researchers. “By 2019 women 65 to 67 had a median income of $48,900. A similar pattern holds for men with the only difference being higher income levels.”

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Question Helper’s Party Ties

A Toronto lawyer who assisted David Johnston in his review of alleged misconduct by Chinese agents yesterday would not comment on her ties to the Liberal Party. The advocacy group Democracy Watch filed an ethics complaint naming lawyer Sheila Block.

“I retained Sheila Block of Torys LLP to assist me in obtaining, reviewing and analyzing the materials that I expected to receive as well as assisting with interviews,” Johnston wrote Tuesday in his First Report.

Block is a partner in the Toronto law firm. She was named to the Order of Canada last December 29. Democracy Watch identified Elections Canada filings showing a regular Liberal Party donor named “Sheila Block” of Toronto contributed a total $7,593 in the period from 2006 to last October 27.

Block yesterday did not respond to questions. “It is a violation of the Conflict Of Interest Act to participate in any decision or action when there is an opportunity to further your own interests or the interests of a friend,” Democracy Watch wrote in a statement. “Both Justin Trudeau and David Johnston are covered by the Act.”

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Target Removes Controversial Kids LGBT Products From All Stores After Boycott Threats

Target has removed a range of controversial LGBT-themed children’s products from all of its U.S. stores and its website after calls to boycott the retailer spread on social media. The retail giant cited employee safety concerns and angry backlash in some stores as motivating the move. It comes after calls spread on social media to boycott Target over its 2023 “Pride Collection,” which included LGBT-themed products for children as young as infants.

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May 24, 2023

Cardus NextGEN Fellowship enters third year with a diverse group of young leaders

OTTAWA, ON – Twelve remarkable young leaders will soon begin a nine-month journey as Cardus NextGEN Fellows. These Canadians from diverse backgrounds will be the third group to participate in the fellowship program focused on vocation, leadership, and public life.

The 2023 NextGEN Fellows are:

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The Road to Socialism and Back: An Economic History of Poland, 1939-2019

For four decades during the latter half of the 20th century, Poland and its people were the subjects of a grand socio-economic experiment. Under the watchful eye of its Soviet masters, the Polish United Workers’ Party transformed the mixed economy of this nation of 35 million into a centrally planned, socialist state (albeit one with an irrepressible black market). Then, in the closing decade of the 20th century, under the leadership of Polish minister of finance Leszek Balcerowicz, the nation was transformed back into a mixed economy.

In this book, we document the results of this experiment. We show that there was a wide chasm between the lofty goals of socialist ideology and the realities of socialism as the Polish people experienced them. We also show that while the transition back from a socialist to a mixed economy was not without its own pain, it did unleash the extraordinary productive power of the Polish people, allowing their standard of living to rise at more than twice the rate of growth that prevailed during the socialist era. The experiences of the Poles, like those of so many behind the Iron Curtain, demonstrate the value of economic freedom, the immiserating consequences of its denial, and the often painful process of regaining lost freedoms.

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WHO panelist calls for ‘different level of legal mandates’ for future pandemic

Earlier this week, the WHO warned that a new pandemic is imminent, though COVID still remains a deadly threat. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus made his fear-mongering comments during a speech on Thursday at the 76th World Health Assembly.

On Monday, Ghebreyesus spoke just before Dr. Abdullah Assiri from Saudi Arabia. Assiri is the Co-chair on the Working Group on Amendments to the International Health Regulations (WGIHR).

“The world however requires a different level of legal mandates such as the Pandemic Treaty, to navigate through a particular pandemic, should one occur, and it will,” said Assiri.

“Prioritizing actions that may restrict individual liberties; mandating and sharing of information; knowledge and resources; and most importantly, providing funds for pandemic control efforts, are all necessary during a pandemic.”

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‘The Vast Majority Are Not Insane Leftists!’ — Jordan B. Peterson to Mandiner

Inequality is built into the structure of the world. It is written in the gospel: the poor will always be with us.

Everything is unequal: a few rivers have all the water, a few stars have all the mass, a few writers sell all the books, etc, it is just everywhere. Wherever there is creative variation there is radical inequality. It is a law.

You had a crash on some issues with Pope Francis on Twitter. What was that about?

Pope Francis is a social justice warrior. He said some good things about the gender war, but thinks that Christianity is a social justice enterprise. It is not. Christ was not a political figure, full stop. Liberation theology is basically Marxism with a Christian brand. But there is no such thing as Marxism with a Christian brand. You could not formulate two doctrines that were more opposed to each other. Instead Christians should be concerned with the amelioration of suffering. Including poverty. The leftist notion that we can cure poverty by distributing money, you saw how well that worked in the Soviet Union. You can make rich people poor with socialism but you cannot make poor people rich.

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Saskatchewan is not a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Trudeau government.

Posted by Scott Moe on Twitter:
The Saskatchewan First Act asserts our province’s constitutional autonomy over our own natural resources.
Saskatchewan is not a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Trudeau government.
Unlike Jagmeet Singh.

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BC High School Students Given ‘Safer Snorting’ Harm-Reduction Drug Products

High school students in Cowichan Valley, B.C., were recently given tools to use hard drugs, such as cocaine, following a presentation on drugs. Students received kits containing information about “safer snorting” including a picture of a straw hovering above a line of white powder. Included in the kit were tubes for snorting and cards for making lines to snort. B.C.-based documentary filmmaker Aaron Gunn brought attention to the issue in a tweet on May 20, and Cowichan Valley School District issued an apology on May 21, saying a third-party presenter had left the kits at the school and the district does not consider them “school or age appropriate.”

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Report: ‘Genderfluid’ Former Biden Official Sam Brinton to Be Held in Men’s Jail

“Non-binary” former Biden administration official Sam Brinton will be placed in a men’s jail in Maryland before being sent to Virginia over a third round of suitcase theft charges, the New York Post reported.

A Montgomery County Sheriff’s deputy told the publication on Tuesday that Brinton is in a “pre-placement” hold at the county jail and is expected to be housed with the “general population” of the men’s jail next week.

Montgomery County Department of Correction and Rehabilitation policy states, in part, that “the classification of an arrestee/inmate will depend on whether the arrestee/inmate has male or female genitalia, whether they present a management or security problem, and whether their health and safety can be ensured.”

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L.A. Catholics Slam Dodgers for Honoring Anti-Catholic Bigots in Drag

The Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles has denounced a decision by the L.A. Dodgers to award the anti-Catholic “Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence.”

“The decision to honor a group that clearly mocks the Catholic faith and makes light of the sincere and holy vocations of our women religious,” declares a statement from the archdiocese, “has caused disappointment, concern, anger, and dismay from our Catholic community.”

The archdiocese “calls on all Catholics and people of goodwill to stand against bigotry and hate in any form and to stand for respect for one another and for the religious beliefs of our communities of faith,” it states.

The Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights similarly censured the Dodgers for having “officially endorsed anti-Catholic bigotry” by reinviting this “anti-Catholic homosexual drag group.”

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Leftist Party Leader: ‘Quite Clearly’ the Case that Women Can Have Penises

It is “quite clearly” the case that women can have penises, the head of the left-wing Liberal Democrats has claimed.

Ed Davey, the leader of Britain’s progressive Liberal Democrats party, has claimed that it is “quite clearly” the case that women can have penises.

The comment comes at a time when numerous others within Britain’s political elite struggle to say whether or not women are capable of having a penis, with current Prime Minister Rishi Sunak very hesitantly saying that they cannot back in April.

However, speaking to UK radio station LBC, Davey nevertheless managed to get the 50/50 penis question wrong, telling host Nick Ferarri that women can “quite clearly” have

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Whoopi Goldberg to DeSantis: Gay Folks Will Rise Up and Fight for What they Need, ‘That’s What’s Coming’

Whoopi Goldberg told her co-hosts Wednesday on ABC’s “The View” that Gov. Ron DeSantis’ (R-FL) presidential bid will have to deal with “gay folks” rising up and fighting for what they need.

Discussing DeSantis’ presidential announcement, Goldberg said, “He has to work on, be articulate, so we know what you’re talking about. I don’t understand. I didn’t know what he was saying. Look, you know what, this idea of announcing on Twitter. I’m old and I’m okay being old, do that on television. Okay? I want to see you do it on television. I want to see you actually take real Americans’ questions. That’s what I want. I don’t want to dislike you. I can’t help it, because you you don’t give me any reason, because I don’t understand why do you dislike people of color?”

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Target Removes Pride Items from Satanist Designer After Backlash

Even by the standards of woke corporations,
@Target
‘s partnership with a satanist to push the trans agenda on children is remarkable.

The next time
@Target
comes begging for help, Republicans should respond, “best of luck.”

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