Epstein Files 🗂

Where news meets rational thinking

Good morning, It’s Friday, February 28th. In today’s news, the RCMP and CSIS fail to justify Trudeau’s Emergencies Act crackdown, Trump says tariffs are still on for March 4th, “Phase 1” of the Epstein files is a disappointment, Putin rules out ‘any options’ for European peacekeepers in Ukraine, and much more.

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RCMP and CSIS Fail to Justify Trudeau’s Emergencies Act Crackdown

The Trudeau government’s justification for invoking the Emergencies Act is falling apart under scrutiny. Testimony from RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lucki and CSIS Director David Vigneault revealed a stunning lack of justification, exposing contradictions, evasions, and outright abuses of power. The hearings confirmed what many Canadians suspected: the Act was never about national security—it was about crushing dissent.

For a government to invoke emergency powers, it must prove the existence of a clear and immediate threat to Canada's security, as defined by the CSIS Act. Yet when NDP MP Matthew Green directly asked CSIS Director David Vigneault whether the Freedom Convoy met that threshold, Vigneault refused to answer.

"Did the convoy meet the definition of a threat to the security of Canada under the CSIS Act—yes or no?" Green pressed.

Vigneault dodged the question, responding instead: "The determination was made by the Governor in Council, considering multiple sources of information, not just CSIS intelligence."

In other words, CSIS had no evidence that the convoy met the legal standard for emergency measures—yet the government declared a crisis anyway.

When RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lucki was asked to justify the invocation of the Emergencies Act, she stonewalled the committee, refusing to provide details and hiding behind cabinet confidentiality—even though the RCMP is not bound by cabinet secrecy.

More damning still, it was confirmed that law enforcement never requested the Emergencies Act—a direct contradiction to what Trudeau’s government repeatedly claimed. When Conservative MP Glen Motz pressed Lucki on whether the RCMP had ever formally requested emergency powers, she admitted: "No, there was never a question of requesting the Emergencies Act."

One of the Trudeau government’s central justifications for invoking the Emergencies Act was that police needed extraordinary powers to dismantle the Freedom Convoy. Yet, border blockades at Coutts, Emerson, and Windsor were cleared without emergency measures, using standard law enforcement tools.

When Senator Claude Carignan pointed out this contradiction, he pressed RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lucki on why Ottawa required emergency powers while other blockades were resolved without them.

"Are you saying Ottawa police were incapable of enforcing the law?" Carignan asked.

Lucki admitted: "No, I’m saying the Emergencies Act made it easier to clear the protest."

That is not how emergency powers work. The government cannot invoke emergency powers simply because it makes enforcement “easier”—the law demands an imminent national security threat, not bureaucratic convenience. That is the logic of authoritarianism, not democracy.

And yet, the most blatant abuse of power came in the freezing of financial accounts. Canadians who had not been charged with a crime—many of whom were never even present at the protests—had their bank accounts frozen without judicial oversight, without warrants, and without any possibility of defending themselves. When Conservative MP Larry Brock asked how many of these individuals were later charged with a crime, Lucki admitted: “The freezing of accounts was not tied to criminal charges.”

Think about that. In a functioning democracy, financial sanctions are reserved for terrorists and organized crime—not peaceful demonstrators or their supporters. Under the Emergencies Act, the government bypassed the courts entirely and used raw power to financially strangle its political opponents. The moment someone’s account was flagged, they could no longer access their money, pay rent, or buy food—and there was nothing they could do about it.

This is the equivalent of law enforcement raiding someone’s home without a warrant, pepper spraying them, beating them with a baton, zip-tying them face down on the floor, freezing their assets—and then being unable to explain why they did it or on what legal grounds those decisions were made. Yet that is exactly what happened at the highest level of government.

The Emergencies Act was invoked without meeting the legal threshold, without police requesting it, and without transparency. No evidence. No accountability. Just raw, unrestricted government power wielded against its own citizens. If this is allowed to stand, what’s stopping them from doing it again? Source.

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On Again, Off Again: Trump Reverses Course Again, Says Canada Tariffs Back on for March 4th

Trump has once again thrown his tariff plans into chaos, now insisting that the previously scheduled March 4 tariffs will take effect, despite just one day earlier suggesting another 30-day reprieve. In a post to Truth Social, he blamed the continued flow of fentanyl from Canada, Mexico, and China, saying the US could no longer wait.

This latest reversal follows a series of shifting deadlines. Trump initially promised across-the-board 25% tariffs on Canadian trade (10% on energy) starting Jan. 1. That deadline then moved to Feb. 1, then Feb. 4, and was later pushed back 30 days at the last minute. Then, in Wednesday’s cabinet meeting, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick suggested Canada had until April 2 to prove it was tackling fentanyl and border security, implying another extension was on the table. But now, less than 24 hours later, Trump is saying no more delays—tariffs are back on for March 4.

His messaging is all over the place. One day, Canada has time to prove itself; the next, the tariffs are non-negotiable. Even Lutnick seemed caught off guard, trying to clarify that Canada still has a chance to delay tariffs if it satisfies Trump’s demands. But Trump himself quickly undercut that, declaring it will be "hard to satisfy."

Adding to the confusion, Trump confirmed that a separate April 2 tariff hike—likely referring to his broader trade war strategy—remains unchanged. This means two tariff deadlines are now looming, and businesses have little clarity on what comes next.

For an administration that prides itself on unpredictability, even this is next-level chaos.

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Epstein Files: More Redactions, More Distractions, No Justice

The Justice Department’s long-awaited release of Jeffrey Epstein documents was met with frustration, not revelation. Hyped as the first phase of a larger disclosure, the actual contents amounted to little more than Epstein’s already-public phone book, a redacted list of masseuses, and flight logs that have been available since Ghislaine Maxwell’s trial in 2021.

What was missing? Any new names. Any real evidence of the long-suspected network of clients and enablers. Instead, this release was carefully packaged and first distributed to a select group of conservative influencers—many of whom quickly admitted their disappointment. Podcaster Liz Wheeler, who was given early access, summed it up: “We’re all waiting for juicy stuff. And that’s not what’s in this binder at all.”

Attorney General Pam Bondi suggested this was just the beginning, claiming that the FBI has “thousands of pages” of Epstein-related files. She demanded those documents be released by 8 a.m. Friday. But whether the government actually intends to provide meaningful transparency remains an open question.

Epstein’s case remains one of the most unsettling and suspicious stories in modern history. His deep ties to world leaders, billionaires, and intelligence agencies—combined with the highly questionable circumstances of his death—fuel ongoing distrust in the institutions handling his files. Now, with this carefully managed trickle of information, it seems clear that the priority is controlling the narrative rather than exposing the truth.

This first phase of the “Epstein files” is not an exposure of power but an exercise in placation. Until the full, unredacted records are made public—including the client list—this release will be remembered as yet another government bait-and-switch, designed to keep the public asking questions without ever receiving real answers. Source.

Doug Ford’s Progressive Conservatives Win Big—A Historic Third Straight Majority

Doug Ford's Progressive Conservatives have made history, becoming the first Conservative government in Ontario to win three consecutive majority mandates. In the February 27 election, Ford's PCs secured 78 seats, reaffirming their dominance in Ontario politics. The NDP, under Marit Stiles, will form the official opposition with 26 seats, while Bonnie Crombie’s Liberals regained party status with 14 seats, though Crombie lost her own riding. More

Homeland Security: ICE Arrests More Than 20,000 Illegal Immigrants in Past Month

ICE arrests of illegal immigrants inside the US have surged under the Trump administration, while border crossings have plummeted, according to DHS Secretary Kristi Noem. Over 20,000 illegal immigrants were arrested in the past month—compared to just 33,000 nationwide in all of last year under Biden. Noem credits aggressive enforcement measures, including deportations and detainment at Guantanamo Bay. Daily border apprehensions have dropped 94% since Trump took office, with Border Patrol arresting just 200 illegal immigrants on Feb. 22, the lowest single-day apprehension in more than 15 years. More

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Russia Rules Out 'Any Options' for European Peacekeepers in Ukraine

Russia has firmly rejected any proposal to send European peacekeepers (aka soldiers) to Ukraine, with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov calling the idea a move to escalate rather than resolve the conflict. French President Emmanuel Macron has pushed for peacekeepers, with support from US President Donald Trump and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer. However, Lavrov dismissed the plan, stating that Moscow had never been consulted and reiterating Russia’s demand for full control over four contested Ukrainian regions. He also blamed NATO expansion and alleged discrimination against Russian speakers as the root causes of the war. More

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Canada’s Privacy Watchdog to Probe X/Twitter’s Use of Personal Data in AI Model Training - More

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Austrian Centrist Parties Reach Deal to Form Government Without Far Right Election Winners - More

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13 Wounded in Terrorist Car-Ramming in Central Israel - The terrorist was "eliminated" at the scene east of Caesarea, police said. More

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US, Russia Hold Talks in Turkey on Restoring Embassy Ties After Years of Diplomatic Expulsions - More

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Landmark Trial: Pro-Russia Bosnian Serb President Dodik Sentenced to Jail for Separatist Actions - More

Washington Post Staffers Are in Open Rebellion Against Jeff Bezos Over Editorial Shift

Washington Post staffers are pushing back after owner Jeff Bezos announced a major editorial change, refocusing the Opinion section on personal liberties and free markets. While Bezos framed the shift as a clarification of the paper’s values, some journalists and former staffers expressed concerns about limiting diverse viewpoints.

The change led to immediate resignations and criticism from high-profile former editors, while some subscribers signaled plans to cancel. Post leadership reassured staff that the newsroom’s reporting remains independent, but the move has sparked broader discussions about the role of ownership in shaping media direction. More

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Oil Climbs More Than 2% After Feds Cancels Chevron’s Venezuela Licence - More

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More Tariffs, More Problems:

• Trump Says Additional 10 Percent Tariff on China to Start on March 4th - More

• Trump’s Threatened 25% Tariffs on EU Imports Could Trigger ‘Economic Turmoil’ -More

Scientists Match Earth's Ice Age Cycles with Orbital Shifts

A new study suggests Earth would naturally enter its next ice age in about 10,000 years, based on predictable cycles in the planet’s orbit and tilt. Researchers analyzed a million-year climate record and found a clear pattern linking glacial and interglacial periods to changes in Earth’s orbit around the sun.

This discovery strengthens understanding of Earth’s long-term climate cycles and provides a more accurate timeline for when the planet may transition back to a glacial period. More

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SpaceX Launches Athena Lander for Lunar Exploration - More

Oscar-Winning Actor Gene Hackman, Wife Found Dead in Home—Scene Deemed ‘Suspicious’

Oscar-winning actor Gene Hackman, 95, and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, 63, were found dead in their New Mexico home, authorities confirmed on Feb. 27. Their bodies had been there for some time before a maintenance worker discovered them.

Investigators found no signs of forced entry or blunt force trauma but noted suspicious circumstances, including an open front door, a moved space heater, and scattered prescription pills.

The cause of death remains undetermined, with no evidence of gas or carbon monoxide leaks. Hackman, known for roles in The French Connection, Unforgiven, and Superman, was widely regarded as one of Hollywood’s greatest actors. More

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Can't Go Out Like That' Travis Kelce to Return to Kansas City Chiefs for Another Season - More

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Full List of 2025 NFL Combine Measurements and 40-yard Dash Times, Plus Winners and Losers for Each Position - More

FBI Director Kash Patel, Considering Having UFC Fighters Train Agents in Martial Arts

Someone Painted a Giant Penis on the Roof of an Elementary School—Authorities are Scrambling to Cover it Up

On This Day in 1947, a mass anti-government uprising in Taiwan is brutally suppressed by Chiang Kai-shek’s Kuomintang-led Republic of China government, resulting in an estimated 18,000 to 28,000 deaths. This event marks the beginning of the White Terror, a period of political repression and martial law.

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