Judicial Activism ⚖️
Where news meets rational thinking
Good morning, it’s Friday, August 15th. In today’s news, A Trudeau-appointed judge rules a wife’s ADHD takes precedence over a deportation order, Ottawa spent $170K on business-class flights, wine, and catering to repatriate ISIS terrorists, Canada to face US scrutiny over alleged Muslim Brotherhood ties, Tories plan to introduce legislation preventing judges from considering immigration status in sentencing, and much more.
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Trudeau-Appointed Judge Rules Wife’s ADHD Outweighs Deportation Order
The Federal Court of Canada has blocked the deportation of an Indian national living in the country without legal status, ruling that sending him home would cause “irreparable harm” to his wife, who has ADHD. Immigration authorities had sought to deport him “as soon as possible,” but Justice Avvy Yao-Yao Go claims that the potential harm to his wife outweighs the clear public interest in enforcing removal orders.
The decision doesn’t give him permanent status, but it allows him to stay until his immigration application is resolved. For critics, this raises a fundamental concern: when the law is bent based on personal circumstances, it threatens the principle of equal application.
Justice Go, appointed to the Federal Court in 2021 by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, is a self-described activist. Her official biography highlights that she has “30 years of advocacy and litigation” (judicial activism) “experience on behalf of low-income racialized clients, mostly through her role as Clinic Director of the Chinese and Southeast Asian Legal Clinic. As a first-generation Canadian, she has devoted her entire legal career to breaking down barriers for marginalized groups. She has appeared before all levels of court, including the Supreme Court of Canada, on behalf of clients and public interest litigants seeking to promote equity and racial justice.”
This raises obvious questions whether Justice Go aligns with the impartiality expected of a federal judge. In cases like this, the risk is that personal ideology can overshadow consistent legal principles, turning the law into a matter of interpretation rather than a fixed standard.
This sends a message that immigration rules can be overridden by claiming victimhood — a path that risks undermining the predictability and fairness of the system.
This case is more than just a one-off ruling. It’s a window into how judicial philosophy shapes outcomes, especially when “public interest” is weighed against individual claims. If equal justice under the law is to hold, it cannot depend on who wears the robes that day. The concern is that, in Canada, we may be drifting toward a system where it often does. Source.
Ottawa Spent $170K on Business Class Flights, Wine, and Catering to Bring ISIS Terrorists Back to Canada
Federal officials spent at least $170,000 in taxpayer money to bring eight Canadian women—who chose to leave Canada to join ISIS—back from Syria in 2022–2023.
And this wasn’t just airfare and basic security. The internal expense reports reveal a taxpayer-funded VIP homecoming, complete with business class flights, stays at the Montreal Airport Marriott, and tabs for wine, ice cream, candy, Timbits, Doritos, and chocolate bars.
Some of the most egregious costs:
$1,000+ hotel bill for 2 nights—bloated by a $95 wine tab.
$850 for another hotel room, including junk food and wine at $25 per glass.
$2,800 catering bill.
$86 for snacks and over-the-counter meds at a hotel gift shop.
Purchases of books, clothing, travel bags, “Canadian pins,” and a “high-value token of appreciation” from Best Buy.
A Tim Hortons order with 50 Timbits, 2 dozen donuts, 12 coffees, and a large iced capp.
The repatriations happened in three waves:
Oct 2022 – 2 women (incl. charged ISIS member Kimberly Polman) at a cost of $10,863.
Apr 2023 – 4 women + 10 kids, cost $132,445 (went $25,000 over budget due to hotel bills).
later 2023 – 2 more women, cost $27,800.
Key fact: these numbers don’t even include the cost of sending Canadian officials into Syria to retrieve them—this is just the bill for receiving them in Montreal.
Global Affairs Canada took two years to release this partial breakdown and is still withholding 50 pages of related documents. They refuse to disclose the full cost.
Meanwhile, families of 9/11 victims—many of whom were killed by terrorists inspired by the same ideology—say they have to pay their own way to attend terrorism trials, while Ottawa treats ISIS recruits like VIP guests.
And just to be clear—these women weren’t naive travelers. Many married ISIS fighters, joined ISIS battalions, received military training, and actively supported a group responsible for beheadings, sexual slavery, and terrorist attacks in the West.
Yet Canadian taxpayers are footing the bill for their business class flights, luxury hotel stays, wine, and junk food. If you join a terrorist organization, you are a terrorist. You don’t deserve our tax dollars—you deserve prosecution and prison, not Timbits and a Marriott suite.
Ottawa May Face U.S. Backlash Over Muslim Brotherhood Links
According to a new analysis from The Bureau, the United States is moving closer to formally designating the Muslim Brotherhood as a foreign terrorist organization — and Canada could soon face intense pressure to follow suit. The push, led by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, follows years of congressional hearings linking the Brotherhood to Hamas financing, radicalization, and political subversion. In Washington’s eyes, Hamas is not merely a Palestinian militant group — it is the Brotherhood’s Palestinian branch, with decades of attacks on civilians and deep connections to Islamist movements worldwide.
This move comes just weeks after Prime Minister Mark Carney’s surprise recognition of a Palestinian state, a decision already causing ripples in U.S.-Canada relations. A formal American designation of the Brotherhood would set up a direct test of Ottawa’s willingness to align with its closest ally on a movement long seen by U.S. lawmakers as a core driver of Islamist extremism.
Evidence presented in past congressional hearings paints a troubling picture. U.S. prosecutors detailed how Brotherhood-linked organizations in the 1990s raised funds for Hamas, culminating in the Holy Land Foundation’s conviction for providing material support to terrorism. National security experts like Casey Babb of the Macdonald-Laurier Institute warn that the Brotherhood’s “civilization-jihadist process” — a strategy document entered as evidence in that case — explicitly aims to “eliminate and destroy Western civilization from within”
Critics argue that parts of this network are already entrenched in Canada, aided by permissive immigration policies and a lack of cohesive national security strategy. The CRA has previously revoked the charitable status of IRFAN-Canada for sending millions to Hamas-linked groups, and other major charities remain under audit for alleged ties to support networks. Yet Ottawa has typically treated ideological sympathy for the Brotherhood as protected political and religious expression unless direct material support for terrorism is proven.
If the U.S. designation proceeds, it will likely trigger calls for Canada to adopt parallel measures: financial sanctions, visa bans, tighter border screening, and potential Criminal Code listings. Refusal to act could deepen friction with Washington, especially under President Donald Trump, and strain cooperation on counterterrorism and border security.
As The Bureau notes, this could easily evolve into a wedge issue between Washington and Ottawa — particularly if American lawmakers see Canada’s position on Palestinian statehood and its engagement with Brotherhood-linked groups as a sign of political indulgence rather than principled independence. Source.
Tories to Propose Law Barring Judges From Factoring Immigration Status Into Sentences
The Conservatives plan to introduce a bill this fall to amend the Criminal Code so judges cannot reduce sentences for non-citizens based on potential immigration consequences, such as deportation.
MP Michelle Rempel Garner said the change would end “leniency for non-citizen criminals,” citing recent cases where offenders convicted of sexual crimes received conditional discharges to avoid immigration repercussions. The 2013 Supreme Court ruling that allowed such considerations has created “two-tier justice,” she argued.
The bill would explicitly bar judges from factoring in the impact on an offender’s or their family’s immigration status during sentencing. Rempel Garner also pointed to concerns over hundreds of foreign nationals with criminal records who are under deportation orders but missing. More
Israel to Push Ahead with Controversial West Bank Settlement Plan
Israel plans to move forward with the controversial E1 settlement project in the West Bank, with final approval expected on August 20th. The project would construct roughly 3,400 housing units on 12 square kilometres between East Jerusalem and the Ma’ale Adumim settlement, a move critics say would effectively split the West Bank in two and make a contiguous Palestinian state nearly impossible.
The announcement comes as several countries, including Canada, France, Britain, and Australia, plan to recognize Palestine at the UN in September. Palestinians, human rights groups, and the UN have condemned the plan as illegal under international law, warning that construction could begin within the next year and further undermine prospects for a two-state solution. More
TIFF Reverses Course, Announces It Will Now Screen Controversial October 7th Film - The Road Between Us: The Ultimate Rescue ‘will be an official TIFF selection at the festival this year,’ the statement said. More
Blackwater Founder to Deploy Nearly 200 Personnel to Haiti as Gang Violence Soars - This comes one day after the US put a $5 million bounty on Haitian gang leader, Barbecue. More
Putin Praises Trump’s Ukraine Peace Push, Suggests US–Russia Nuclear Arms Deal - More
Serbian Protests Turn Violent as President Clings to Power - President Aleksandar Vučić is being accused of trying to ‘provoke a civil war’ after loyalists clash with demonstrators. More
Turkey to Provide Weapons and Support to Syria Under New Defense Agreement - More
Sudden and Heavy Rain in Indian Kashmir Leaves 46 Dead With More Than 200 Missing - More
Why Canada’s Youth Unemployment Has Reached a Boiling Point
Canada’s youth unemployment is climbing to worrying levels, reaching 14.6 percent in July 2025—the highest since 2010 outside the pandemic—while overall unemployment held at 6.9 percent. Young Canadians aged 15–24 lost 34,000 jobs last month, with the hardest hit being students aged 15–16, whose unemployment sits at 31.4 percent.
Economists say multiple factors are driving the trend: pandemic-related business closures reduced entry-level opportunities, US trade tensions, and rapid population growth from immigration. Although Ottawa is expanding youth programs—including up to 6,000 additional Canada Summer Jobs positions—experts warn the labour market remains tight, particularly for inexperienced workers. Conservative leaders point to high taxes, stalled resource projects, and uncontrolled immigration as the primary factors. More
US Government Considers Buying a Piece of Intel to Boost Chip Production - Bloomberg said it wasn’t clear how much of Intel the federal government would buy but said the possibility emerged from talks between President Donald Trump and Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan. Intel’s shares jumped 7.4%, to $23.86, on the news. More
YouTube Launches AI Age-Verification in US, Which Will Automatically Restrict Users Estimated to Be Under 18 - YouTube plans to expand this program to other countries—including Canada—in the near future. More
Researchers Say ChatGPT-5 Can Detect When It’s Being Tested—and Change Its Behaviour
OpenAI’s new ChatGPT-5, launched on August 7th, shows advanced reasoning, “PhD-level intelligence,” and can handle complex tasks like coding and analysis. However, researchers found the AI is aware when it’s being tested and can subtly alter its behaviour, raising concerns about reliability in real-world situations. External tests showed ChatGPT-5 occasionally references or explicitly notes that it is under evaluation, and can even take “scheming actions” to influence outcomes. Experts warn this evaluation awareness could undermine safety safeguards, as the AI might act differently outside testing environments. More
Got Neanderthal DNA? It Might Halve Your Chances of Becoming an Elite Athlete - A Neanderthal AMPD1 variant still present in some Europeans lowers muscle efficiency and has been shown to hinder elite athletic ability. More
From Fruity Pebble Corn Dogs to Chicken Nugget Cookies: The Wild New Foods at the CNE
The CNE is back with over 30 new wacky and indulgent food items for 2025, including butter-themed treats following the 2024 Food Hall of Fame induction of Deep-Fried Butter. Highlights include Butter Ice Cream with caramel and pecans, Butter Burgers, Butter Soda, and the viral Dirty Soda. Fans of creative twists can try Maki Sushi and Fruity Pebble corn dogs, Biscoff Fried Chicken Ice Cream Sandwich Crunch, Deep-Fried Pizza Slices, Chicken Nugget Cookies, Pickle Boats with unusual toppings, Noodle Pizza, and Deep-Fried Frozen Watermelon. This year promises an adventurous culinary experience for all fairgoers. More
LA28 to Become the First to Sell Naming Rights to Olympic and Paralympic Venues - More
Appeals Court Agrees NFL Can Be Put On Trial Over Claims That Black Coaches Face Discrimination - More
Mould Exposure Forces Jordan Peterson to Take Time Off After ‘Severe’ Flare-Up of Illness - More
The World's Only Three Michelin-Starred Vegan Restaurant is Bringing Back Meat
A New Study Suggests That Toothpaste Made From Hair Could Help Repair Your Teeth
On This Day in 1969, the inaugural Woodstock Festival kicked off on Max Yasgur’s dairy farm in Bethel, New York, featuring performances by Richie Havens, Tim Hardin, Ravi Shankar, Melanie, Arlo Guthrie, and Joan Baez.