Corruption and Compromise 🇨🇦 🇨🇳

Where news meets rational thinking

Good morning, It’s Friday, November 15th. In today’s news, Canada’s Environment Minister is drowning in corruption and national security allegations, Trudeau’s edible bug experiment is failing, the CRA launches a ‘witch hunt’ against whistleblowers, Trump names RFK Jr. as secretary of health, and much more.

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Corruption and Compromise: How Steven Guilbeault Endangers Canada

Canada’s Environment and Climate Minister, Steven Guilbeault, is the latest example of the moral hypocrisy and reckless corruption that has come to define Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government. According to MP Stephanie Kusie, Guilbeault funnelled a staggering $254 million of our tax dollars into a company that he owns. Guilbeault, championed by the Liberals as Canada’s climate change saviour, seems unable to resist the lure of personal enrichment over public duty.

Unfortunately, this is just the beginning. Guilbeault’s connections to Copticom, a consulting firm in the green economy sector, are equally concerning. In 2020 alone, Copticom received over $89,000 in government contracts, despite Guilbeault referencing Copticom as a source of income. Not to mention, in June 2019, while he was running as a Liberal candidate, he was also lobbying for Kruger. Thomas Sowell once remarked, “Politics is the art of making your selfish desires seem like the national interest” and Guilbeault seems to embody this sentiment perfectly—a minister publicly championing environmental justice while privately ensuring his own financial interests thrive.

However, Guilbeault’s greatest threat to Canadians goes beyond mere corruption. His position as an Executive Vice Chairperson on the China Council for International Cooperation on Environment and Development (CCICED) raises profound national security concerns. This council, populated by at least 21 members of the Chinese Communist Party, aligns closely with Chinese state interests. Guilbeault’s association with such an organization places him in proximity to a foreign regime actively hostile to Canadian sovereignty. By collaborating with CCICED, Guilbeault invites CCP influence into Canada’s environmental policy discussions. How can it be deemed acceptable for a Canadian minister to work so closely with representatives of a regime notorious for espionage, coercion, and manipulation?

Steven Guilbeault’s actions reveal not just a pattern of conflicts of interest but a profound disregard for the principles of public service. Canadians deserve leaders who prioritize the nation’s welfare over personal gain and foreign entanglements. It’s time for Canadians to demand a full investigation into Guilbeault’s conduct to ensure their government remains accountable, transparent, and safeguarded from foreign influence.

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Trudeau’s Failed Bug Farming Experiment

Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre took aim at Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s cricket farm experiment, which recently went up in flames. In 2022, the Liberal government decided to spend $9 million of Canadian taxpayers’ money on building the world’s largest cricket-processing plant in London, Ontario, all in the name of getting Canadians to embrace edible insects as a protein source.

Fast forward to 2024, and the plant's owners, Aspire Food Group Ltd., have announced they are slashing two-thirds of their staff and scaling back production—leaving Poilievre with the perfect opportunity to mock the whole situation. On social media, he quipped, "Liberals spend $9 million of your money on an edible bug factory. Now we get ‘crickets’ from them about where the money went."

But it’s not just the loss of jobs that’s making the government look bad. This whole debacle fits neatly into the broader narrative about the Liberal government's tendency to fund questionable projects, with insect farming being sold as a "green" alternative to traditional animal protein. When the plan was initially launched, the Trudeau government sold it as an eco-friendly solution, claiming insect farming uses less land, water, and feed than traditional livestock farming, all while being scalable and high-quality. They even touted the potential of cricket protein to help fight climate change, backed by media outlets that ran wild with glowing reports about the benefits of eating bugs.

At the time, some bold headlines popped up, like “How Humans Eating Insects Could Help Save the Planet” from Time and “Insect Protein Has Great Potential to Reduce the Carbon Footprint of European Consumers” from ScienceDaily. Global press coverage was rife with suggestions that eating insects was the future of food—one that could help mitigate climate change. But those bug-filled fantasies are now in the rearview mirror.

Now, as Poilievre so elegantly points out, the Trudeau government’s big bet on cricket farming has flopped spectacularly. Instead of leading the charge for a greener, bug-based protein revolution, the initiative is now a cautionary tale of misguided Liberal spending. The crickets—once hyped as the sustainable food of tomorrow—have turned into a metaphor for the silence that follows a bad investment. And Poilievre is having a field day with it, as the government tries to explain away its latest, expensive bug bite.

In the meantime, the rest of Canada is left wondering if Trudeau’s $9 million "cricket fiasco" was an expensive way to promote the idea that, in the world of Liberal policies, even the bugs don’t want to stick around. Source

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Canada’s Tax Agency Hunts Whistleblowers to Cover Up Fraud Failures

The CRA has wasted millions of your tax dollars by repeatedly falling prey to fraudsters, and instead of taking accountability, they’ve launched a “witch hunt” targeting whistleblowers who expose the Agency’s negligence. Rather than fixing their mistakes or safeguarding taxpayer money, CRA leadership is zeroing in on silencing anyone brave enough to expose their failings. Employees now fear retaliation for speaking up—proof that management is more focused on controlling the narrative than actually solving the problem.

The numbers paint a staggering picture. Forty million dollars sent to a single fraudulent account, as well as tens of thousands of taxpayer accounts hacked. The CRA has shown it’s incapable of securing taxpayer funds or personal information. And now, they’re treating whistleblowers—the very people fighting to protect Canadians—as if they’re traitors.

This isn’t mere mismanagement; it’s a slap in the face to every Canadian who works hard, pays taxes, and expects even a baseline level of government competence. Javier Milei captures it perfectly: "When you spend your money on yourself, you do it wisely. When you spend your money on others, you minimize cost. When you spend others' money on yourself, there is waste. The worst is spending others' money on others. That's why the state is never efficient." 

This witch hunt is just another chapter in Canada’s growing hostility toward whistleblowers—people who should be treated as heroes, not enemies. Just look at Luc Sabourin, a border agent who exposed corruption within the CBSA. After reporting illegal practices, he faced threats from the Sinaloa cartel—suggesting someone in the agency may have leaked his information in retaliation.

Democracy depends on transparency and the courage of those who expose corruption. The government’s treatment of whistleblowers is an insult to the institutions and people of Canada. We deserve accountability, not relentless cover-ups and silencing tactics.

14,000 Foreign Students Have Applied for Refugee Status in Canada this Year

Canada saw a record 13,660 asylum claims filed by international students in the first nine months of 2024, despite a decline in new study permits issued. Immigration Minister Marc Miller suggested that many claims are false, influenced by external consultants advising students to file for asylum as an alternative route to staying in Canada due to tightened permanent residency pathways. Top institutions with asylum-seeking students include Conestoga College and Seneca College. Critics argue that federal policy changes have created undue pressure on students, leading to a rise in asylum claims. Some advocates accused the government of unfairly targeting international students. More

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Trump Picks RFK Jr. as Secretary of Health and Human Services

President-elect Donald Trump announced Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as his nominee for Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS). Trump emphasized the need to protect Americans from harmful chemicals, pollutants, and deceptive practices in food and pharmaceuticals. Kennedy thanked Trump, expressing his commitment to addressing corporate influence within health agencies, reducing chronic disease, and improving transparency. Known for his stance against pharmaceutical and food industry control, Kennedy has proposed reforms, including eliminating certain FDA departments, banning pharmaceutical ads, and addressing corporate capture in health regulation. His nomination requires Senate confirmation, which the Republicans now control. More

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Republicans Retain House Majority, Completing Trifecta - More

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Mississauga Mayor Compares Hamas Leader to Nelson Mandela Ahead of Vigil for Yahya Sinwar - More

Regardless of how you feel about this conflict, it is insane to see a Canadian politician celebrating the architect of the October 7th attack and comparing him to Nelson Mandela.

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Argentina’s Milei Government Pulls Negotiators From COP29 Talks - More

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Israel Hits Hezbollah Assets in Beirut, ‘Erasing Two Decades of Buildup’ - More

Ontario Had the Lowest Per Capita GDP Growth Out of All Provinces Since 2000 

A new Fraser Institute study reveals economic struggles for Ontario, Canada’s most populous province, showing the lowest per-person GDP growth among provinces (0.7%) from 2000-2022, while Quebec’s growth averaged 1.2%. Ontario, historically ahead of Quebec, now lags behind in economic growth and public finance, with Quebec closing the income gap. Ontario has faced budget deficits in 19 out of the last 24 years and increased its debt-to-GDP ratio to 36.5% by 2022.

Critics, including the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, argue that Ontario’s corporate subsidies—totalling $22 billion annually—fail to drive growth. They advocate for reducing small business taxes and public-sector pay gaps to stimulate economic recovery without corporate welfare programs. More

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Ontario Signs $100M Deal with Elon Musk's Starlink System - More

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Purolator Workers Won’t Handle Canada Post Packages if Strike Occurs, Union Says - More

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Toronto Food Banks See Unprecedented Demand, Surpassing City’s Population - More

The Origin of Life: How the First Cell Membranes Came to Exist

Scientists at UC San Diego, led by Professor Neal Devaraj, have uncovered a potential answer to how the first cell membranes formed on Earth, detailed in Nature Chemistry. The research suggests that simple molecules—an amino acid called cysteine and a choline thioester—reacted on silica surfaces, a mineral catalyst, to produce lipid membranes essential for early cell structures. Devaraj's work provides insights into how life might have emerged from non-living matter billions of years ago. More

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Meteorite Contains Evidence of Liquid Water on Mars 742 Million Years Ago - More

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Surprisingly Snuggly Pythons Upend what Scientists Thought they Knew About Snakes - More

UFC 309: Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic Fight Card and Odds

Stipe Miocic will challenge Jon Jones for the heavyweight title at UFC 309 this Saturday at Madison Square Garden. Miocic, with a 20-4 record, returns after a 2021 loss to Francis Ngannou, aiming for his third heavyweight title. Jones, holding a 27-1 record, is back after winning the vacant title in March 2023. The main card starts at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN+ PPV, with prelims at 8 pm ET.

Main Card Odds (BetMGM):

• Jon Jones (-650) vs. Stipe Miocic (+450)

• Charles Oliveira (-250) vs. Michael Chandler (+200)

• Bo Nickal (-1100) vs. Paul Craig (+700)

• Viviane Araujo (+220) vs. Karine Silva (-275)

• Mauricio Ruffy (-900) vs. James Llontop (+600)

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According to Reports, it Sounds like a Vladimir Guerrero Jr. extension isn’t in the Cards for Blue Jays - More

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Mike Tyson Slaps Jake Paul in Face During Final Stare-down - The Fights Start Tonight at 8pm on Netflix - More

Four Arrested for Fraud After 'Bear' that Damaged Luxury Cars Discovered to be Person in Costume

On this day in 1948 Mackenzie King retires after 21 years and 154 days as Prime Minister of Canada