From Rhetoric to Reality
Where news meets rational thinking
Good morning, It’s Wednesday, January 8th. In today’s news, Trudeau’s political ploy is exposed, The Liberal Party will allow foreign nationals to vote in its leadership race, Donald Trump gets more serious about annexing Canada, Meta ends fact-checking program in the US introducing X-style community notes, and much more.
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The Resignation That Wasn’t: Trudeau’s Political Ploy Exposed
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s announcement of his “intention to resign” is nothing more than a calculated move to avoid accountability and cling to power. Instead of stepping down, Trudeau has advised the Governor General to prorogue Parliament until March 24, 2025. This effectively shields his government from an imminent vote of non-confidence while obstructing Parliament’s ability to address urgent national issues.
Trudeau claims the prorogation is necessary to “reset” Parliament and allow the Liberal Party to hold a leadership race. Yet no explanation has been provided for why a simple recess wouldn’t suffice or why MPs cannot immediately vote on a motion of non-confidence—a democratic way to reset government. Instead, Parliament’s work has been halted, sidelining its constitutional role and frustrating the will of the majority of MPs who have publicly promised to bring down the government.
“This prorogation stymies the publicly stated intent of a majority of MPs to bring a motion for non-confidence in the government and trigger an election,” said lawyer James Manson, representing two Canadians challenging the prorogation in Federal Court. “Prorogation serves the interests of the Liberal Party, but it does not further Parliamentary business or the business of government.”
David MacKinnon, one of the applicants, framed the issue in stark terms: “This case concerns a living tree—our Constitution—and how that living tree withers without proper care. If we are to fight tyranny—for it is tyranny that confronts us—we must find the answer within the memory of our historical past. We call this memory ‘the common law.’”
Trudeau’s actions make clear that his so-called resignation is a ploy to delay an election and avoid scrutiny. Trudeau must be removed from office before he takes all of Canada down with him. Source.
Liberal Party Will Allow Foreign Nationals to Vote in Leadership Race
The Liberal Party of Canada is gearing up to choose its new leader in the coming months, but the process is clouded by glaring weaknesses that have previously allowed foreign powers, particularly China, to meddle in the party's internal affairs. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's announcement on January 6th that he will step down has sparked the beginning of the race, but the party's voting rules—exploited in the past—remain unchanged, despite widespread concern.
Under current Liberal Party bylaws, anyone residing in Canada, including foreign nationals, temporary workers, and international students, can register to vote in the leadership race. There’s no requirement for Canadian citizenship or permanent residency, meaning people with no long-term stake in the country’s future could help choose who leads the party—and potentially the nation. This dangerous loophole was previously used in the 2019 Liberal nomination contest in Don Valley North (DVN), where intelligence revealed that buses full of international students were bussed in to vote for a candidate, allegedly with the help of individuals tied to the Chinese government. The Liberal Party’s open-door policy on membership has made the nomination process ripe for foreign interference.
The Foreign Interference Commission has raised alarms about this vulnerability, especially after allegations that foreign operatives exploited the party’s rules to sway the outcome of internal contests. Intelligence reports have pointed to irregularities in the DVN nomination, including the use of falsified documents to help foreign nationals vote. Yet, the Liberal Party persists in maintaining these flawed rules, and party officials like national director Azam Ishmael dismiss the concerns as impractical to address.
Even as national security agencies continue to warn about the risks of foreign influence in Canadian politics, the party has refused to take action to close these dangerous loopholes. Instead, the party's leadership race will proceed under the same conditions that allowed outside forces to undermine Canada's democratic integrity. This blind adherence to inclusivity over security is not just irresponsible; it's reckless. If the Liberals truly care about Canada's sovereignty, they must stop turning a blind eye to the clear vulnerabilities in their own system before foreign interference becomes an even greater threat. Source
From Rhetoric to Reality: Is Trump Serious About Annexing Canada?
At first glance, Donald Trump’s musings about annexing Canada, Greenland, or the Panama Canal seem absurd. Yet, as these headlines persist, it’s clear this isn’t a joke we can afford to dismiss. With Trudeau’s government in disarray—Parliament prorogued and his leadership faltering—Canada appears increasingly vulnerable to external threats, economic or otherwise.
Trump’s remarks about Canada becoming the 51st state, paired with his claims about the strategic value of Greenland and the Panama Canal, seem to test geopolitical boundaries. And Trudeau? Instead of calling an election to allow a more capable leader to defend Canada’s sovereignty against the most powerful empire in history, he clings to power over a fractured government. Trudeau increasingly seems like a leader willing to rule over ruins rather than risk a bruised ego.
One charitable interpretation is that Trump’s remarks are strategic—a calculated move to trigger a Canadian election. Credible economic threats could force Trudeau to recall Parliament, creating an opportunity for a non-confidence vote to remove him. A more unsettling possibility, however, is that Trump is gauging public and international reactions, testing whether annexation could shift from audacious rhetoric to political reality.
History reminds us that no nation’s existence is guaranteed. Canada, a 156-year-old nation, cannot assume its sovereignty is eternal. Empires far mightier—the Roman Empire, the Austrian-Hungarian Empire, the Ottoman Empire—have risen and fallen. Without the military or economic strength of an empire, Canada’s ability to secure its independence remains fragile.
This isn’t about endorsing annexation but recognizing sovereignty isn’t guaranteed. Canada must act like an independent nation—united and decisive in addressing internal dysfunction and external threats. If we dismiss Trump’s rhetoric as a meme, we risk ignoring the vulnerabilities of a destabilized government. Whether a ploy or genuine threat, Canada must wake up. Source.
Meta Ends Fact-Checking Program in the US, Introduces X-Style Community Notes
Meta announced that it is ending its US fact-checking program and replacing it with a community-driven notes system, similar to the one used by Elon Musk's platform X. This change marks a shift back to Meta's roots of free expression, according to CEO Mark Zuckerberg. The fact-checking program, launched after Donald Trump's 2016 election, faced criticism for political bias and undermining trust. The new system allows users to vote on notes that offer context to posts, aiming for more transparency without censorship. Meta is also relaxing its content policies and reducing proactive content removal, focusing on addressing only severe violations.
Additionally, the company plans to reintegrate political content into feeds, responding to user feedback. Zuckerberg emphasized the importance of restoring trust and ensuring that people can freely share their views. More
Chinese Tech Companies Protest US Listings as Military-linked Companies
The US Defense Department has added several Chinese companies, including Tencent, SenseTime, and CATL, to its "Chinese Military Companies" (CMC) list, citing alleged ties to China's military. This designation prohibits US defence dealings with these companies by 2026. Tencent, the world's largest gaming company, and CATL, the leading battery maker, both contested their inclusion, calling it a mistake and signalling plans to appeal. SenseTime, an AI firm, also disagreed with the decision, asserting it had no military ties. Chinese officials have criticized the US move, labelling it as an unjustified attempt to suppress Chinese companies and hinder development. More
Tibet Earthquake Kills at Least 126 People and Leaves Many Trapped - More
North Korea Fired Hypersonic Missile in Message to 'Rivals,' Kim Jong Un Says - More
UN Says Iran Executed Over 900 People in 2024, Including Dozens of Women - More
Indonesia Officially Becomes Tenth Full Member of BRICS Bloc - More
Thousands of Californians Flee Massive Palisades Fire Fueled by Strong Winds - More
Capital Gains Tax Proposals Weren't Passed Before Prorogation but CRA to Administer Anyway
The Liberal government’s proposed changes to the capital gains tax are still in limbo—officially unpassed and awaiting approval in Parliament, which has been prorogued until March 24th. But that hasn’t stopped the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) from getting ahead of the game.
The CRA plans to issue new forms by January 31, preparing for the tax overhaul, which would raise the portion of capital gains taxed above $250K to two-thirds, instead of the previous one-half. This is theft—on top of the fact that taxation is already theft. More
Japanese Companies are Stealing Talented Gen Z Out of College, Paying Off Their Student Debt, and subsidizing Their Housing to Combat the Country’s Aging Workforce - More
Corporate Bankruptcies Surge to 14-Year High Amid Economic Strains - More
Kevin O'Leary Joins Efforts to Acquire TikTok’s US Assets 12 Days Before Ban Is Triggered - More
Record-Breaking Trove of Stars Seen Billions of Light-Years Away in Cosmic ‘Dragon Arc’
Using the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), astronomers identified 44 individual stars in the distant "Dragon Arc" galaxy, whose light took 6.5 billion years to reach us. This achievement surpasses Hubble's previous ability to detect just seven stars. The discovery relied on gravitational lensing, where massive objects bend space-time, magnifying light from faraway sources.
Many of these stars are red supergiants—cool, massive stars nearing the end of their lifespans. JWST’s sensitivity to red light allows it to detect these fainter stars, offering new insights into how galaxies evolve. Future JWST observations are expected to uncover even more stars in the Dragon Arc, deepening our understanding of the cosmos. More
Archaic Humans—Dating Back as Far as 2 Million Years—Might Actually Be The Same Species as Us - More
Suspect in Deaths of ex-NHL Player Johnny Gaudreau, Brother Matthew Pleads Not Guilty
Sean M. Higgins, 44, pleaded not guilty to charges including aggravated manslaughter and vehicular homicide in the deaths of former NHL player Johnny Gaudreau, 31, and his brother Matthew, 29. The brothers were killed while biking near their New Jersey childhood home on Aug. 29, a day before their sister’s wedding.
Higgins, who declined a 35-year plea deal, had a blood alcohol level above the legal limit and a history of road rage. Police reported he was driving aggressively after an upsetting conversation with his mother. His lawyers said in a statement that they hope to prove the incident was not due to “malfeasance,” but rather from “a combination of uniquely unfortunate circumstances unlikely to ever occur again.”
Johnny Gaudreau, an 11-season NHL veteran, was honoured by the Columbus Blue Jackets and Calgary Flames in ceremonies attended by his family. More
Canada Completes Perfect Group Stage at Women's U18 World Hockey Championship - More
Trouble for the Toronto Blue Jays: Pending Free Agent Bo Bichette Has 'No Interest' in Returning to Toronto Blue Jays. Homegrown superstar Vladimir Guerrero Jr. seeking $450 million contract, ‘would love to be with Red Sox.’ More & More
Nikki Glaser Reveals 10 Funny & Brutal Jokes She Cut From Golden Globes 2025 Monologue—Including Roasts of Alec Baldwin, and Ben Affleck Zinger - More
Patrick Brazeau Asks Trudeau to Step Into the Boxing Ring Again for a Rematch—If Trudeau is feeling up to it, I would also like to get in line.
Man Successfully Sues Razor Company for $6K After Cutting Himself Shaving—he said the trauma of being cut led to him having recurring nightmares for months afterward.
On This Day in 1835 US National Debt is $0 for the First and Only Time in History
I suspect the Trumper does not really understand that Canada has more land area then the entire US with the population of California. Even the Trumper would be hard pressed to manage all of that, especially as one state. They guy is out to lunch!
It is further from the Northern boundary of Canada to Windsor than it is from Seattle to San Diego. (NY to Key West) or Bonavista, NL to Winter Harbour, BC than from NY to LA.
Hey guys just so you know conservatives have the same voting criteria for leadership races. You do not need to be a citizen to vote in their leadership races either. Every time I see people write about it it’s like this detail is forgotten and only liberals are doing this. It may be that the liberals rules are loser on this but they do both allow this.