Canada’s Economic Cliff
Where news meets rational thinking
Good morning, It’s Wednesday, May 14th. In today’s news, Carney’s cabinet is a masterclass in rewarding the unaccountable, Canada edges closer to an economic cliff as the unemployment rate spikes, Liberal win in Terrebonne called into question after Elections Canada mailing error, Trump pitches America’s ‘Golden Age’ to wealthy Gulf investors, and much more.
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Carney’s Cabinet of Cronies: A Masterclass in Rewarding the Unaccountable
Mark Carney didn’t build a cabinet for change—he built a cabinet to reward corruption, recycle scandal, and shield insiders from consequence. What Canadians were promised as a “purpose-built” government is, in reality, a bunker for the politically protected.
Start with Evan Solomon. He was fired from the CBC for secretly brokering art sales to political elites like Carney, pocketing hundreds of thousands while posing as an impartial journalist. Now, he’s been handed the keys to one of Canada’s most powerful and sensitive portfolios: Artificial Intelligence. He wasn’t ethical enough to deliver the news—but apparently, he’s qualified to direct the future of machine learning and national security.
Then there’s Mélanie Joly, who oversaw $18.9 billion in foreign aid during her time as Foreign Affairs Minister, with much of it buried in vague categories like “gender equality” and “environmental sustainability.” These weren’t measurable programs—they were slogans. She now leads the Industry Ministry, steering Canada’s economic strategy.
François-Philippe Champagne, who helped cover up the SDTC Green Slush Fund scandal—where the Auditor General found hundreds of millions flowing to Liberal-linked firms—has been promoted to Finance Minister and placed in charge of National Revenue. In any functioning system, he’d be sidelined. In Carney’s, he’s elevated.
Chrystia Freeland, who brushed off fuel price concerns by saying she doesn’t own a car (she has a taxpayer-funded driver), is now Minister of Transport. This is the same Freeland who called for Freedom Convoy protesters to be labeled terrorists and have their assets frozen.
To “fix” housing? Carney picked Gregor Robertson, the former Vancouver mayor who oversaw a 179% spike in home prices while the city became a global hub for money laundering.
Sean Fraser, who oversaw the mass migration surge and skyrocketing housing costs, is now Minister of Justice. As Immigration and Housing Minister, Fraser pushed policies that strained infrastructure and failed affordability efforts. Now, he’ll oversee the legal system.
And finally, Steven Guilbeault—accused of funnelling $254 million into a company he allegedly owns—has been made Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture. This is the same Guilbeault who proudly declared the federal government would no longer fund new road infrastructure, insisting Canadians need to be moved out of their cars and into public transit to meet climate targets.
This isn’t leadership. It’s loyalty management. Carney promised reform. What he delivered was a corruption cabinet with a fresh coat of paint.
Canada’s Economic Cliff: Job Losses, Tariffs, and a Bloated Bureaucracy
Canada’s unemployment rate jumped to 6.9% in April, with 30,600 manufacturing and 26,800 retail jobs gone, according to Statistics Canada. The trigger? Trump’s 25% U.S. tariffs on non-CUSMA goods—targeting steel, aluminium, and autos—hit Ontario hardest, wiping out the bulk of manufacturing jobs and driving Windsor’s unemployment rate to a staggering 10.7%.
Economist Jack Mintz calls this the “start” of Canada’s manufacturing erosion, blaming Trump’s trade war and Ottawa’s weak response. But tariffs aren’t the full story—the real scandal is Canada’s vulnerability, built over years of bloated government, stifled industry, bad economics, and blind faith in the US market.
Canada sends 75% of its exports to the US, yet had no serious cards to play to counter trade threats. Richard Dias of IceCap Asset Management links the job losses directly to tariffs, compounded by an 18% oil price drop—from $71 to $58—as OPEC flooded the market. The Bank of Canada now warns of “market dysfunction” if the trend continues.
Ottawa’s “solution”? Bury the data by adding 37,100 temporary public sector jobs. Since 2015, the public sector has added over 110,000 new jobs, increasing the federal workforce by 43%, even as the private sector bleeds out.
Mintz put it bluntly
“It’s not healthy when your public sector grows but your private sector shrinks. Somebody has to pay the bills.”
Without the temporary government hires, April’s unemployment numbers would’ve been catastrophic.
Thomas Sowell nailed it in Basic Economics:
“The first lesson of economics is scarcity. The first lesson of politics is to disregard the first lesson of economics.”
That’s exactly what Ottawa’s done—ignore scarcity, inflate bureaucracy, and throttle productivity with regulation and red tape.
Now, the warning lights are flashing:
Young men face 15.4% unemployment.
60,000 full-time jobs for women aged 25–54 disappeared in April.
GDP per capita is already falling. Since 2020, real GDP per capita has been declining at an annual rate of 0.4%, marking the worst performance among 50 developed economies.
Ontario’s auto industry—144,400 jobs—is on the edge without a US carve-out.
We’re watching a private sector collapse in real time, while the government clings to Keynesian bandaids and bloated payrolls.
But there is a way out—and it’s not more government.
1. Unleash AI in manufacturing.
Allow private firms to automate and compete globally. Kill the red tape. Let innovation lead.
2. Leverage Canada’s natural resource advantage.
Streamline approvals. Fast-track exports to Asia, Europe, and India. Alberta’s oil and Quebec’s critical minerals can drive new trade—not replace the US, but end our dependency on it.
3. Cut taxes and deregulate.
Create conditions for private investment. Empower entrepreneurs to build, not beg.
4. Launch serious trade missions to diversify markets.
Japan, South Korea, the EU—they’re open to Canadian goods if we show up with something to sell.
Canada doesn’t lack talent or resources. It lacks leadership. A serious pivot—grounded in market economics, not political theatre—can still reverse the decline.
Liberal Win in Terrebonne Called Into Question After Elections Canada Mailing Error
The Quebec riding of Terrebonne was handed to the Liberal Party after a recount—by a single vote—but the entire result is tainted by glaring procedural errors, rejected ballots, and missing votes due to institutional incompetence.
Start with Emmanuelle Bossé, a Terrebonne resident who voted for the Bloc Québécois. She mailed in her ballot using the voting kit provided by Elections Canada. But the envelope came pre-labeled—with the wrong address. Her vote was sent back to her weeks later by Canada Post. “It wasn’t me who wrote the address,” she said. “It was Elections Canada.”
This is the institution Canadians are told never to question. Just trust the process, believe in our democratic institutions, and move on. But if Elections Canada can’t even print its own mailing address correctly, what kind of system are we defending?
Marty Belanger’s analysis of rejected ballots by riding reveals something even more damning. While most of Canada saw rejection rates below 1%, Quebec ridings (highlighted in blue) regularly exceeded that threshold, with many above 1.5%, and some climbing over 3%. The disparity isn’t subtle—it’s a wall of red (rest of Canada) capped by a spike of blue (Quebec). Why are Quebec ballots being rejected at two to six times the rate of other provinces?
Meanwhile, the Terrebonne recount raises even more red flags. Of the 74 ballots that were newly “validated,” 63 were originally rejected—but 11 seemingly came out of nowhere. Worse, two Green Party votes disappeared entirely after officials claimed they were actually intended for other parties. How does that happen in a serious democracy?
And it doesn’t stop there. Elections Canada has openly admitted that over 800 special ballots in a B.C. riding were never counted due to “human error” and “a failure to comply with written procedures.”
We’re not alleging intentional fraud. The recount was standard procedure for such a tight race. But this isn’t about conspiracy—it’s about competence. And what we see is a country run by imbeciles, incapable of basic administration, and addicted to secrecy whenever they fail.
If this is what we’ve uncovered in just a handful of ridings, how much more dysfunction is hiding in the shadows?
Trump Pitches America’s ‘Golden Age’ to Wealthy Gulf Investors
During a high-profile visit to Saudi Arabia, former President Donald Trump secured $600 billion in investment commitments from the kingdom across US sectors including AI, aerospace, energy, defense, and health care. A separate $142 billion arms deal—the largest in US history—was also signed, boosting US defense exports.
In addition, the UAE pledged $1.4 trillion in investments over the next decade targeting semiconductors, AI, energy, and manufacturing. Major corporate players like Nvidia, Tesla, and Aramco announced new business ventures tied to the visit, including a $3.4 billion Aramco refinery upgrade in Texas and Starlink’s approval for Saudi markets.
Trump framed the trip as a new "Golden Age" of US–Gulf relations, aimed at replacing regional chaos with commerce, innovation, and shared prosperity. More
UN Agency Finds Russia Guilty of Shooting Down 2014 Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17
The UN’s aviation agency has officially ruled that Russia was responsible for the 2014 downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 over eastern Ukraine, killing all 298 people on board. The plane was struck by a Russian-made missile launched from separatist-held territory during the conflict in the Donbas region. The ruling found Russia in violation of international aviation law and opens the door for potential compensation to victims' families. The case was brought by the Netherlands and Australia, whose citizens made up the majority of the victims. Russia denies responsibility, but a 2022 Dutch court already convicted three men tied to Russian intelligence and separatist forces. More
Alberta Separatist Group Releases Proposed Referendum Question - “Do you agree that the province shall become a sovereign country and cease to be a province of Canada?” If the group reaches its petition goal, they plan to push Premier Smith to hold the referendum this year. More
Russia and Ukraine Set for First Direct Talks Since War Began with US Present - More
US to Lift Sanctions on Syria, Ending Years of Washington’s Policy - Trump says the sanctions have ‘served their purpose’ and that this gives Syria ‘a chance at greatness’. More
Picking Sides: Brazil’s President Seeks ‘Indestructible’ Links with China Amid Trump Trade War - More
Colombia Grants Political Asylum to Former Panamanian President Ricardo Martinelli - More
Honda Canada Pumps the Brakes on $15 Billion Electric Vehicle Project in Ontario
Honda has postponed a $15 billion electric vehicle investment in Ontario, citing a global EV market slowdown and economic uncertainty. The project—heavily touted by Prime Minister Trudeau and Premier Doug Ford—was to include a full EV supply chain: battery production, a vehicle assembly plant in Alliston, and facilities in Port Colborne.
Despite $2.5 billion in Canadian taxpayer funding, Honda is putting the brakes on construction for at least two years, raising serious questions about Canada's investment climate, economic competitiveness, and the wisdom of pouring public money into corporate handouts with no guarantees.
Adding to the embarrassment, Honda also signaled it may shift long-term production to the United States, where Trump’s policies—despite new tariffs—are drawing far more investment confidence than Ottawa’s green gamble. More
Corporate Cuts Continue:
Microsoft to lay off 6,000 workers despite streak of profitable quarters - More
Nissan to cut 11,000 more jobs and shut seven factories - More
Robinhood to Buy WonderFi for $250 Million CAD as US Trading Platform Targets Canadian Expansion - More
World's Smallest Pacemaker Now Just the Size of a Grain of Rice
Scientists have developed the world’s smallest pacemaker—smaller than a grain of rice—that can be injected, controlled by light, and safely dissolve in the body. Designed for temporary use, especially in newborns with heart defects, the wireless device avoids invasive surgery and dangerous wire removal. Powered by body fluids, it uses a chest patch to detect irregular heartbeats and guide stimulation via light. Successful tests on animals and lab-grown human tissue suggest human trials could begin in 2–3 years. Experts call it a major breakthrough with potential beyond cardiology, including in nerve repair and smart implants. More
Study: All Living Beings Emit a Weak Glow That Vanishes After Death - More
Pete Rose and ‘Shoeless’ Joe Jackson Among Players Reinstated by MLB in Historic Decision
Major League Baseball has removed Pete Rose and “Shoeless” Joe Jackson from its permanently ineligible list, allowing both to be considered for Hall of Fame induction posthumously. Rose, who passed away in 2023, was banned in 1989 for betting on games while managing the Cincinnati Reds. Jackson was banned in 1921 over the 1919 “Black Sox” scandal despite strong personal performance in that World Series. MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said lifetime bans end with death, citing no ongoing threat to the sport’s integrity. The decision also affects other deceased players banned for gambling. More
Canadian Rapper Tory Lanez Stabbed 14 Times in California Prison - Despite being stabbed in his back, torso, head and face, and having both lungs collapse, he is in stable condition. More
NFL Cancels a 2025 Diversity Program 3 Months After Roger Goodell Championed the Iniative - More
US Gold Medal Wrestler Kyle Snyder Charged in Prostitution Sting - More
Paul Allen Estate Says Portland Trail Blazers Officially for Sale With All Proceeds Going Toward Philanthropic Endeavors - More
It's National Dance Like a Chicken Day—Which is Very Odd
17-Year Cicada Cycle: Red-Eyed Zombie Bugs Emerge Hungry for Sex After 17-year Slumber—And They’re Set to Take Over Several American States
On This Day in 1945, Physician Joseph G. Hamilton injected misdiagnosed cancer patient Albert Stevens with 131 kBq (3.55 µCi) of plutonium without his knowledge. Stevens lived another 20 years, surviving the highest known accumulated radiation dose in any human
It’s all going swimmingly. In accordance with the grand plan.
Nothing to see here, folks. If you’re offended, please just avert your gaze.
Yep we're picking up speed really fast now.