Costly Gamble 💸
Where news meets rational thinking
Good morning, It’s Tuesday, July 29th. In today’s news, Freedom Convoy organizers face harsher sentences than child predators, Trump’s Golden Dome puts Canada between a rock and a hard place, The EU and Japan strike deals with America as Carney struggles to secure Canada’s place, Trump vows to cut Russia’s 50-day Ukraine peace deadline to 10 days as truce talks stall, and much more.
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Freedom Convoy Organizers Face Harsher Sentences Than Child Predators
The Crown is seeking eight years in prison for Freedom Convoy organizer Chris Barber and seven for Tamara Lich, both convicted of mischief. Not assault. Not violence. Mischief.
To put that in perspective, here’s what other people have done in Canada and received lesser sentences than what Lich and Barber could be facing:
Sexually assaulting a baby. A B.C. man who filmed himself rubbing his genitals on his infant daughter faced only five to six years.
Storming the Prime Minister’s residence with a car full of guns. The sentence sought? Six years.
Killing two people while driving drunk. Five years.
Stabbing a man to death for defending a woman from abuse. Crown sought five years.
Being a police officer who stalked and sexually assaulted vulnerable women. Two to three years sought. Actual sentence: six months.
Amassing thousands of child pornography files. The sentence: two years.
Torturing a toddler to death. The Crown asked for the same eight-year sentence it wants for Barber.
Shooting at police. Seven years sought. Four years served.
Intentionally ramming a car filled with pregnant women and children. Eight years sought. Five years served.
Raping a minor and uploading photos to a group chat. Crown sought four to five. Sentence: three years and three months.
How is it possible that non-violent protestors face harsher sentences than murderers, rapists, and child predators?
The answer has nothing to do with justice. It’s about deterrence through fear—not of breaking the law, but of challenging state narratives. These aren’t prosecutions. They’re persecutions.
When peaceful dissent is punished more severely than violent crime, the system reveals its true priorities.
This case should terrify every Canadian—left, right, or centre. Because if mischief and protest can warrant eight years, your freedom of expression is conditional on political obedience. Source.
Trump’s Golden Dome: Revolutionary Space Shield or Costly Gamble for Canada?
President Donald Trump has reignited the decades-old dream of a space-based missile shield with his proposed “Golden Dome”—a continental defense system aimed at protecting the US and potentially Canada from hypersonic missiles, drones, and even nuclear threats launched from space. Echoing Ronald Reagan’s 1980s “Star Wars” Strategic Defense Initiative, Trump’s plan envisions a multi-layered defense system using ground-based interceptors, naval assets, and, most controversially, space-based weapons that could strike down threats before they reach North America.
The estimated cost ranges widely—from $175 billion to over $500 billion USD, depending on how ambitious the final design becomes. Though many of the proposed technologies remain untested or purely theoretical, Trump has vowed to “build the shield before it’s too late.” His campaign has described it as the largest military-industrial project since WWII, potentially rivaling the Manhattan Project.
Canada has been invited to join the project. A formal offer from the Trump campaign includes:
A US$71 billion cost-sharing model, or
“Free inclusion” if Canada becomes the 51st US state—a provocative and likely unserious offer that still caused waves in Canadian political circles.
Canadian officials have reportedly opened backchannel talks about participation but are deeply divided. Critics argue the technology doesn’t yet work and could drag Canada into a new arms race, all while jeopardizing existing commitments to NORAD modernization and NATO obligations. Supporters say Canada can’t afford to sit out, especially as hypersonic threats grow from China, Russia, and rogue actors like North Korea.
The conflict for Canadians is acute now that Mark Carney is Prime Minister. Just days before his appointment, critics and media were calling the project “science fiction,” “military cosplay,” or a “Trump campaign stunt.” Now, with confidential meetings underway and pressure mounting from Washington, Canada finds itself caught between a rock and a hard place—buy in to a futuristic and expensive system that may not work—or risk diplomatic retaliation from a future Trump administration.
As EU and Japan Strike Deals, Carney Struggles to Secure Canada’s Place
As Japan and the European Union finalize high-profile trade deals with the United States, Canada is still scrambling to secure its own—just days before Trump’s August 1 tariff hike.
Prime Minister Mark Carney says negotiations are “tough,” but insists there’s still a path forward. The pressure intensified after Trump announced a 25% tariff on Canadian goods tied to border security concerns—set to jump to 35% if Carney doesn’t act. While 75% of trade is exempt under USMCA, the remaining sectors—especially steel, aluminum, and autos—are bracing for economic shock.
Trump has publicly linked the tariff threat to the flow of fentanyl across the Canada-U.S. border—a demand that many see as both political pressure and diplomatic brinkmanship. Canada has already listed Mexican cartels as terrorist entities, injected resources into border control, and passed sweeping security legislation—but it’s unclear what more would satisfy Trump.
At the heart of the deadlock lies a long-standing irritant: Canada’s supply-managed dairy sector. Carney acknowledged that dairy tariffs remain on the table, though he reaffirmed their importance to Canada’s structure and sovereignty. The U.S. has formally protested Canadian handling of dairy access under USMCA, and similar complaints have emerged from other trading partners like New Zealand.
“There is a landing zone that’s possible,” Carney said, though he admitted a zero-tariff deal is unlikely. Trump’s trade approach—now tariff-heavy and focused on national security—leaves little room for traditional integration-based agreements. Ironically, the fact that the EU and Japan settled for deals with tariffs still in place gives Carney more political cover than if Canada had gone first.
Canada’s bargaining chip may lie in energy. The U.S. trade deficit with Canada is largely due to oil imports—90% of Canada’s oil production flows south, and one-quarter of U.S.-refined oil comes from Canada. Carney hinted that American energy needs might give Ottawa leverage.
The clock is ticking. Whether Carney can hold firm on Canada’s key interests while avoiding a steep tariff escalation remains to be seen. Failure to secure a deal could cost Canada dearly—economically and politically. Source.
Trump Vows to Cut Russia’s 50-Day Ukraine Peace Deadline to 10 Days as Truce Talks Stall
Following the collapse of the latest ceasefire talks in Istanbul—lasting just 40 minutes, highlighting the ongoing battlefield stalemate—President Donald Trump announced he is significantly shortening the 50-day deadline he had set for Russia to reach a peace deal with Ukraine. Citing stalled negotiations and frustration with President Vladimir Putin’s continued military aggression, Trump said the new timeline is just 10 to 12 days.
Trump’s new deadline, backed by threats of severe tariffs and secondary sanctions on Russia’s trade partners, underscores his push for a swift resolution, while the Kremlin insists it will prioritize its own goals, dismissing the accelerated timeline. More
China Releases AI Action Plan to Challenge US
China has unveiled a global action plan for artificial intelligence, calling for international cooperation and proposing a new global AI organization, at its annual AI conference in Shanghai. The move comes days after US President Donald Trump announced an American AI strategy focused on reducing ‘woke’ bias and boosting US tech abroad. Analysts say the US and China are forming competing AI blocs, with China leaning on its Belt and Road allies while the US rallies traditional partners. Despite US chip restrictions, China is advancing domestic alternatives, which industry leaders now view as increasingly competitive. More
More Than 200 Candidates Now Running in Poilievre’s Byelection - More
A Cyberattack on Russian Airline Aeroflot Causes the Cancellation of More Than 100 Flights - Ukrainian hacker group Silent Crow and Belarusian hacker activist group the Belarus Cyber-Partisans, which opposes the rule of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, claimed responsibility for the cyberattack. More
Britons Flock to VPNs to Dodge New Age Verification Checks Online - Rather than upload their ID or have their faces scanned, adult users are moving towards VPNs. More
Thailand and Cambodia Agree to a Ceasefire After Clashes Displace More Than 300,000 People - More
Kim Jong Un’s Sister Rejects Outreach by South Korea’s New President—Says North Korea Has No Interest in Reconciliation Efforts - More
Brookfield Buys Canadian Mortgage Giant First National for $2.9 Billion
Brookfield Asset Management Ltd.—where Mark Carney is a shareholder and former chair—has partnered with Birch Hill Equity Partners to acquire First National Financial Corp. in a $2.9 billion deal. First National, one of Canada’s largest non-bank mortgage lenders, operates nationwide, originating prime residential mortgages through independent brokers and funding loans via institutional investors. It also provides commercial mortgages for multi-unit residential, retail, office, and industrial properties across the country.
The acquisition, backed by billionaire co-founder Stephen Smith, offers a 13% premium on shares. Smith and co-founder Moray Tawse will sell about two-thirds of their holdings and retain a stake in the private company.
The acquisition raises concerns over a conflict of interest, as Carney now holds direct financial ties to a major mortgage lender while controlling national housing policy as prime minister. More
Bank of Canada Expected to Hold Key Rate Steady Amid Trade Uncertainty - More
Samsung Shares Soared to Their Highest Level of the Year on News That the South Korean Giant Signed a $16.5 Billion Chip Deal with Tesla - More
Air Canada Flight Attendants Start Voting on Strike Mandate - The union represents more than 10,000 flight attendants who have been in contract talks for more than seven months. More
Scientists Issue Update on Mystery 'Interstellar Object' Travelling Through Our Solar System
Just days ago, speculation swirled about a mysterious interstellar object spotted in our galaxy. Some scientists, including Harvard’s Avi Loeb, suggested it might be an alien spacecraft, sparking intense debate. However, the majority of experts reject this, viewing the object as a natural comet.
While it’s still unclear exactly what this is, data from the Vera C. Rubin Observatory has confirmed that the object, named 3I/ATLAS, measures an astonishing 11.2 km (7 miles) in diameter, making it the largest interstellar object ever observed—larger than Mount Everest and far bigger than previous interstellar visitors. More
A New Autonomous Bipedal Robot Can Change Its Own Batteries and Work 24/7 - More
Scientists Have Just Discovered an Ocean at the Earth’s Core, Challenging Our Understanding of the Universe - More
George Lucas Makes Comic-Con Debut Unveiling Lucas Museum of Narrative Art
In his first-ever Comic-Con appearance, George Lucas unveiled a preview of the long-awaited Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, set to open in Los Angeles in 2026. The $1 billion projec, funded by George Lucas and Mellody Hobson, is a five-story, 300,000-square-foot facility that will feature 100,000 square feet of gallery space, two theaters, classrooms, and public amenities—built on an 11-acre site that was once a parking lot.
The futuristic museum will house rare works from Lucas’s personal 50-year archive, featuring icons like Norman Rockwell, Frida Kahlo, and Jessie Willcox Smith. Lucas described it as “a temple to the people,” meant to celebrate emotional connection in art and give long-overdue recognition to illustrators. More
Man Pleads Guilty, Sentenced to Prison for Stalking and Harassing WNBA Fever Star Caitlin Clark - More
Guardians Closer Emmanuel Clase Placed on Paid Leave in Connection with MLB Sports Betting Investigation - More
Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter Tour Ends as Billboard’s Highest-Grossing Country Tour, Earning Over $400 Million in Just Three Months - More
Ready to Leave? Here Are the Five Caribbean Islands That Give You a Passport if You Buy a Home - Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St Kitts and Nevis, and St Lucia offer citizenship by investment (CBI) from as little as $200,000
A Cat Dubbed 'Leonardo da Pinchy' Has Been Caught Stealing Neighbors' Underwear
On This Day in 1715, A fleet of ten Spanish treasure-laden galleons sank off the coast of Florida during a devastating hurricane, scattering gold, silver, and jewels across the ocean floor.
Have they all been found, you ask? No, not all of the treasure from the fleet has been recovered. While portions of the treasure have been discovered over the years—millions of dollars' worth of coins, jewelry, and artifacts—significant portions are still missing and continue to attract treasure hunters to this day. The wreck sites are collectively known as the "1715 Treasure Fleet" and are considered among the most famous shipwrecks in maritime history.
Re : Chris Barber and seven for Tamara Lich, let's be honest, "the crown" is demanding 8 years because these subjects dared to stand up and expose the hypocrisy of the covid response. They showed us the charter was just an illusion. I wonder if they are imprisoned, if they will be subject to mandatory covid vaccination? Perhaps prison will finally silence thier dissent.
Now if you had 13 year old girl here, we can talk some more.