Taxation Without Representation

Where news meets rational thinking

Good morning, It’s Tuesday, May 6th. In today’s news, Citizens billed roughly $563,000 per MP for 73 days of work, The foreign policy challenges and conflicts ahead for Mark Carney and the Liberals, Danielle Smith demands an 'Alberta Accord,' BC MP Don Davies chosen as interim NDP leader, and much more.

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Taxation Without Representation: Citizens Billed Roughly $563,000 per MP for 73 Days of Work

What do you call a government that collects your money but refuses to represent you? In Canada, we call it business as usual.

From October 3, 2024, to May 26, 2025, Parliament will not have sat for a single day. That’s nearly eight full months without representation—while MPs continued to collect their taxpayer-funded salaries. Why? To bury a scandal.

On October 3, 2024, the House of Commons was consumed by the Green Slush Fund scandal. The Auditor General exposed shocking conflicts of interest and the misappropriation of public funds through the Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC) program. This should have triggered a criminal investigation by the RCMP, yet instead, Parliament froze. Trudeau’s government shut down all legislative business and hid behind redacted documents.

From there, things only got worse: a long Christmas break, followed by Trudeau’s formal resignation, a prorogation in order to carry out a Liberal leadership race, and a federal election. All this political drama—none of it for the public good—kept Parliament closed. The citizens of Canada went unrepresented while the Liberal Party focused solely on saving itself.

And after this eight-month blackout? Parliament will sit for a grand total of four weeks before MPs vanish again for a nearly three-month summer vacation.

In total, from October 3, 2024, to December 31, 2025, Parliament will have sat for only 73 days out of 455. That’s just 16% of the time—yet Canadians continue to pay.

Let’s do the math. A Member of Parliament earns a base salary of $194,600, but with taxpayer funded perks such as housing allowances, travel reimbursements, and meal per diems, the real annual cost is closer to $322,500 per MP. Over the full 455-day period, that equates to $563,482.90 per MP.

And what do taxpayers get for that? 73 days of "representation"—meaning each of those sitting days cost roughly $7,721.41 per MP. That figure doesn’t even include additional stipends for Cabinet Ministers, Committee Chairs, or Party Leaders.

Meanwhile, Liberals stoke fear about Donald Trump being an existential threat to Canadian democracy. But the true crisis isn’t Trump—it’s here at home. It’s a Parliament that doesn’t sit. It’s MPs who collect six figures to do nothing. It’s a government that silences oversight and punishes transparency.

This is not democracy. The Government of Canada does not represent its citizens—it rules in defiance of them.

Disclaimer: This is a rough analysis based on publicly available figures. Actual compensation may vary as housing allowances, travel reimbursements, and per diems differ between Members of Parliament depending on factors like distance from Ottawa, travel frequency, and role-specific entitlements.

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The Foreign Policy Challenges and Conflicts Ahead for Mark Carney and the Liberals

Mark Carney is stepping onto the global stage at a time of extraordinary turbulence, but he’s doing so with baggage: deep international entanglements, elite institutional ties, and questionable allegiances that raise serious conflict of interest concerns.

G7 Summit in Alberta
Carney will soon host the G7 in Kananaskis, a diplomatic minefield given tensions with Donald Trump and questions about Canada’s global role. Trump’s unpredictable presence looms large, and Carney must navigate maritime security, shadow fleets, and undersea sabotage threats while maintaining cohesion in a bloc that’s fracturing under the weight of nationalism and American retrenchment.

NATO and Defence Spending
Canada remains a laggard in meeting NATO’s 2% defence target—a standard agreed upon almost two decades ago. Carney wants in on Europe’s ReArm project, yet it’s clear his interests align closely with European elite networks, where he has long-standing relationships from his time at the Bank of England and as a global financial player. His self-described identity—calling Canada “the most European of non-European countries”—signals a tilt toward EU-centric geopolitics over a sovereign, independent Canadian stance.

China and Trade Pressures
Carney calls China Canada’s top security threat but maintains ambiguous trade ties. While Beijing slaps tariffs on Canadian agriculture and accuses Ottawa of American puppetry, Carney’s posture remains muddled—caught between Western alliances and economic dependency. With China now importing record amounts of Canadian crude, is Carney prepared to put national security ahead of trade? Or will his financial past—which includes connections to global investment giants operating in China—blur the lines?

India and the Sikh Assassination Fallout
Relations with India remain strained following the alleged assassination of Nijjar and Trudeau’s bold accusations. Carney claims he wants to rebuild trade ties, but he’s walking a tightrope. India sees the Liberals as enablers of separatism, while Carney’s attempt to reset relations risks alienating diaspora communities and further undermining Canada’s diplomatic credibility.

UK and Stalled Trade
Carney faces ongoing deadlock in post-Brexit trade talks, largely due to Canada’s protectionist dairy policies and the UK’s refusal to budge on hormone-treated beef. These are technical sticking points, but the real issue is trust—and Carney’s transatlantic financial past gives him little room to claim neutrality.

Foreign Aid and the Global South
Carney vows to maintain generous aid spending amid a worldwide pullback, raising questions about priorities at home. His push to “lead” on global development seems rooted in his Davos-style globalism, not in a mandate from struggling Canadian taxpayers. With no concrete plan beyond vague statements, this promise feels more like virtue signalling to the UN crowd than pragmatic foreign policy.

Middle East and Iran
On Israel and Hamas, Carney is expected to follow Trudeau’s vague and divisive line. He’s condemned Iran’s destabilization efforts but avoids taking a clear, firm stance on how Canada will counter terrorism, protect Jewish and Muslim communities, or contribute to Middle East peace in any substantive way.

Bottom Line
Mark Carney enters office with the world watching—but his biggest obstacle may be himself. His decades of deep ties to the World Economic Forum, European central banks, and multinational institutions cast a long shadow over every decision he makes. Can a man so embedded in the global elite genuinely serve Canada’s interests—or will he always be a prime minister for Davos first and Canadians second?

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Danielle Smith Demands an 'Alberta Accord': A Line in the Sand with Ottawa

Premier Danielle Smith is wasting no time confronting newly elected Prime Minister Mark Carney. In a nationally live streamed address, Smith called for a binding “Alberta Accord”—a sweeping renegotiation of Alberta’s place in Confederation. Her demands: more pipelines, equal treatment in federal transfers, the elimination of net-zero policies, and guaranteed access to tidewater for Alberta’s energy exports on all three coasts.

This isn’t just political theatre. It’s a strategic ultimatum from a province that feels alienated and exploited. Alberta continues to send billions in equalization payments while Ottawa, under successive Liberal governments, shackles its energy sector—the lifeblood of its economy. Smith made it clear: Alberta will no longer tolerate being treated as both cash cow and national scapegoat.

Smith’s message was directed beyond Alberta. The timing of her address—3 p.m. Alberta time—was no accident. It was aimed at Central Canada, where political power resides but where few understand the growing frustration out west. With just two of Alberta’s 37 federal seats going Liberal, Smith holds a clear mandate to push back.

Though she stopped short of endorsing separation, she acknowledged the “elephant in the room.” The Premier said she would include a referendum on independence in 2026 if citizens gather enough signatures—a threshold she just made far easier to reach.

The message is clear: either Ottawa negotiates in good faith, or Alberta might walk. And this time, it’s not just talk.

Smith’s approach may rattle the Laurentian elites, but for many Albertans, it’s long overdue. The days of quiet compliance are over. Alberta is demanding a seat at the adult table—or a future outside the federation. The choice now rests with Ottawa. Source.

BC MP Don Davies Chosen as Interim NDP Leader

BC MP Don Davies has been named interim leader of the federal NDP after Jagmeet Singh stepped down, having lost his Burnaby Central seat in the April 28 election. Davies, who served as the party’s health critic, played a key role in negotiating dental care and pharmacare deals with the Liberal government. The NDP, now reduced to just seven seats, lost its official party status in the House of Commons. The party’s national council chose Davies following internal caucus discussions last week. Plans for a full leadership race will be announced at a later date. More

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‘Scientific Asylum’: How Europe is Luring US Researchers Amid Trump Fears

French President Emmanuel Macron and EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen are hosting a conference in Paris to attract US-based academics amid growing political pressure on American universities under Donald Trump. The EU is offering €500 million in incentives to lure researchers, especially in fields like health, AI, and climate, as the US slashes university funding and cracks down on pro-Palestinian speech. European leaders hope to position the continent as a safe haven for academic freedom, despite its own controversies, including recent crackdowns on dissent in Germany. More

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German Right-Wing AfD Party Files Lawsuit Over 'Right-Wing Extremist' Designation - Which they should—they're a legitimate contender in federal politics. Denying them this status reeks of banana republic politics. More

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Yemen's Houthis Announce Campaign Targeting Israeli Airports—Barrage of Missiles Halt Flights - More

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Romanian Prime Minister Resigns Amid Ruling Coalition's Post-Presidential Election Fallout - More

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Trump Says He’ll Reopen Alcatraz Prison for 'America's Most Ruthless and Violent Offenders' - More

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Hospital Bombing Kills 7 and Injures 20 Amid Fears South Sudan is Returning to Civil War - More

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The US Department of Homeland Security Offers $1,000 Travel Assistance to Immigrants Who ‘Self-Deport’ - More

South Korea Challenges US Influence with $24 Billion Submarine Offer to Canada

South Korea has submitted a bold $20–$24 billion proposal to supply Canada with advanced KSS-III submarines, aiming to outpace traditional US and European defence suppliers. Developed by Hanwha Ocean and Hyundai Heavy Industries, the KSS-III offers cutting-edge features including long under-ice endurance, stealth capabilities, and vertical missile launch systems—aligning closely with Canada’s needs under its Canadian Patrol Submarine Project.

With promised delivery of the first four subs by 2035, the offer includes industrial cooperation and technology transfer, appealing to Canada’s defence diversification goals amid strained ties with the US and growing skepticism around the F-35 fighter program. The bid positions South Korea as a serious contender in reshaping Canada’s future military partnerships. More

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Skechers to be Acquired by 3G Capital in Take-Private Deal as Shares Soar by 25% - More

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Sunoco LP to Acquire Parkland Corporation in Transaction Valued at $9.1 Billion - Among other assets, Parkland owns over 4,000 retail and commercial fueling locations under brands like Chevron, Ultramar, Pioneer, Fas Gas Plus, and On the Run convenience stores. More

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Oil Prices Sink After OPEC+ Agrees to Boost Production in June - Year to date, Brent prices have slumped by more than 19 percent. More

We Figured Out Where Gold Comes From

Gold, uranium, and platinum—the building blocks of planets, technology, and life—may have originated from magnetars, some of the most extreme and explosive forces in the universe. Magnetars are born from the violent deaths of massive stars. When a star goes supernova, its core collapses under gravity. If the conditions are right—particularly if the star had fast rotation and strong magnetic fields—the result isn’t just any neutron star, but a magnetar: a hyper-dense, city-sized object with magnetic fields trillions of times stronger than Earth's.

Groundbreaking new research suggests that these ultra-magnetic neutron stars could be responsible for creating a significant portion of the heavy metals in our galaxy. Once suspected but never confirmed, magnetar flares now appear to be powerful cosmic forges, producing vast amounts of heavy elements billions of years before our solar system even existed. More

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China’s New Space Laser Can Find A Satellite 130,000 Kilometers Away–Even During The Day - More

Trump Says US Will Impose 100 Percent Tariff on Foreign-Made Movies

President Donald Trump announced a 100% tariff on movies produced outside the United States—essentially doubling the cost of those films when they are distributed in the US. He criticized foreign countries for offering incentives to attract American filmmakers and warned that Hollywood and other entertainment businesses were facing rapid decline. Trump described the situation as a national security threat, emphasizing the importance of bringing movie production back to America.

This move follows retaliatory actions by China, which imposed tariffs on US films in response to US trade tariffs. Despite this, some analysts believe the impact on Hollywood will be limited, as only a small percentage of films' global earnings come from China. Trump's recent appointment of actors Jon Voight, Mel Gibson, and Sylvester Stallone as special envoys to Hollywood further reflects his push to revitalize the industry. Whether or not it will work is another story. More

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Blue Jays transfer Max Scherzer and Erik Swanson to 60-day Injured List - More

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Fatal Crash Kills Two Riders, Third Critical in British Supersport Race at Oulton Park - More

Scientists Say They Have Perfected Plant-Based Cheeses—’Stretch, Melt, and Taste Like Dairy’

Plane Passengers Miraculously Survived Alligator-Infested Waters for 36 Hours Before Finally Being Rescued

On This Day in 1889, the Exposition Universelle (World's Fair) in Paris opens with the recently completed Eiffel Tower serving as the entrance arch; the lifts in the tower were not ready, so intrepid visitors had to climb 1,710 steps to reach the top

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