The End of Clicks

Where news meets rational thinking

Good morning, It’s Thursday, July 10th. In today’s news, Ottawa’s new infrastructure law could ignite Indigenous protests, A turning point for Canada’s energy future, The end of clicks: why Canadian media Is bracing for collapse, Rookie coast guard praised for saving 165 from flood at Camp Mystic, and much more.

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Ottawa’s New Infrastructure Law Could Ignite Indigenous Protests

On June 26, the federal government passed the Building Canada Act, a new law that allows cabinet to fast-track major infrastructure projects deemed to be in the “national interest.” The legislation was passed quickly, just before Parliament rose for summer break, and has drawn criticism from Indigenous groups who say they were not adequately consulted.

The government says the law is intended to reduce delays in building critical infrastructure—such as pipelines, roads, ports, and mining projects—by streamlining the regulatory process and bypassing overlapping approval requirements. Federal officials argue this is necessary to improve Canada’s competitiveness and respond to economic pressures, including trade tensions with the United States.

While business groups and several provinces support the law, some Indigenous leaders have raised concerns that it grants too much power to the federal cabinet and risks sidelining Indigenous rights and interests. Critics have also noted that similar legislation passed in Ontario and British Columbia has faced backlash for lacking proper Indigenous consultation.

Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak, National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations, said she would not be surprised if the bill leads to renewed protests, including a potential revival of the Idle No More movement. In 2014, that movement led to blockades and demonstrations in response to legislation perceived as weakening environmental protections and Indigenous sovereignty.

The Carney government has made some changes to the bill, including removing a clause that would have allowed cabinet to override the Indian Act. Prime Minister Mark Carney has also announced that an Indigenous advisory council will be involved in the implementation of the new legislation, and that formal consultations will begin on July 17.

Despite these commitments, several Indigenous leaders say the process has already harmed relationships. Alvin Fiddler, Grand Chief of the Nishnawbe Aski Nation, said the legislation has damaged trust built in recent years between governments and First Nations. He also warned that fast-tracking development in regions like Ontario’s Ring of Fire could deter investors if conflict emerges.

Other Indigenous voices are more supportive. David Chartrand of the Manitoba Metis Federation backed the bill, citing the risk U.S. tariffs pose to the Canadian economy. Natan Obed of the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami expressed cautious optimism, noting the potential benefits for northern communities.

Formal consultations begin later this month. It remains to be seen whether they will be enough to avoid further conflict. Source.

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A Turning Point for Canada’s Energy Future—If We Don’t Blow It Again

On July 1st, Canada finally joined the ranks of LNG-exporting nations in a serious way. After seven years of construction and $40 billion in investment, the LNG Canada terminal in Kitimat, BC, shipped its first large-scale liquefied natural gas (LNG) cargo to Asia. It’s a historic moment—and a long-overdue one—for a country blessed with some of the richest natural gas reserves on the planet.

But behind the ribbon-cutting lies a decade of Liberal paralysis, squandered opportunities, and regulatory self-sabotage that left Canada trailing far behind global competitors.

A Lost Decade of Energy Opportunity

While the United States became the world’s top LNG exporter, raking in over $400 billion in GDP gains since 2016, Canada sat on its hands. Despite dozens of LNG proposals (19 in B.C. alone), the federal government delayed, denied, or buried most of them under red tape—even as allies like Germany and Japan came begging for Canadian gas.

Instead of leadership, Canadians got lectures. Instead of pipelines and terminals, they got endless environmental reviews, policy uncertainty, and carbon caps. And in the process, Canada handed billions in profits and global market share to the U.S., Qatar, and others—while Alberta gas was sold at rock-bottom prices due to lack of export routes.

Carney’s LNG Pivot: Better Late Than Never?

Prime Minister Mark Carney’s recent embrace of LNG exports—via Bill C-5 and support for “nation-building” infrastructure—marks a sharp turn from the Trudeau-era hostility toward oil and gas. Carney has acknowledged the need for trade diversification and even stated that China should be excluded from future energy partnerships due to national security concerns.

It’s a welcome change in tone. But let’s be honest: skepticism is warranted.

Regulatory minefields like the Impact Assessment Act and BC's emissions caps are still in place. The tanker ban off the BC coast remains, despite Alberta’s calls to remove it. And Eastern Canada’s vast gas reserves—like the 20 trillion cubic feet in Quebec’s Utica Shale—still face outright bans or political roadblocks.

The Stakes Are Massive

LNG Canada’s Kitimat terminal—the largest private-sector investment in Canadian history—has a 40-year export licence and could double capacity from 14 to 28 million tonnes per year. Deloitte forecasts a strong rise in Alberta gas prices, which could finally bring long-overdue prosperity to producers who’ve been forced to sell at a discount for years.

The economic and strategic benefits are huge:

• Higher prices and global access for Alberta and BC gas

• Thousands of jobs and Indigenous ownership in key projects

• Enhanced energy security for allies

• Reduced emissions globally by replacing coal with clean-burning natural gas

Canadians have paid the price for a government that spent years vilifying the energy sector, ignoring economic opportunity, and sabotaging its own allies in the name of climate optics. Now, with global demand surging and geopolitical threats rising, Canada has a chance to lead—and make real money doing it. But it will only happen if Canada acts now—and stays out of its own way.

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The End of Clicks: Why Canadian Media Is Bracing for Collapse

Something big is happening to how Canadians access news—and it’s coming fast. Google’s rollout of “AI Overview” and its soon-to-follow “AI Mode” is poised to disrupt the internet’s foundational model, with major consequences for the Canadian media industry.

AI Overview, first introduced in late 2024, offers search users a quick summary at the top of their results page, often eliminating the need to click on any actual website. It’s convenient, efficient, and already responsible for reducing website traffic by up to 70 percent depending on the search query. Today, more than 60 percent of searches are “zero-click,” meaning users never leave Google’s search page.

This might seem like a win for user experience, but it spells trouble for publishers—especially digital news outlets that have relied on search engine referrals to monetize their content through ads. Data from major sites like Mail Online show click-through rates dropping by over 50 percent when AI summaries are shown.

In Canada, the fallout has been delayed by a few months, but the introduction of “AI Mode” will likely accelerate the trend. AI Mode goes a step further by combining real-time web scraping with conversational AI, giving users up-to-the-minute summaries of current events—often citing only a handful of large, mainstream news outlets like CBC or CTV. Independent and alternative media are frequently left out.

This creates a double bind: not only are traditional media losing traffic and ad revenue, but newer, independent outlets face even steeper barriers to visibility. Google referrals make up about half of most news outlets' traffic. If that drops to 25 percent or less, as current data suggests, it could cut ad revenue in half—creating financial losses well beyond what government subsidies currently cover.

While some may call for more public funding, that risks further entrenching dependence on the state—something the industry can ill afford amid declining public trust.

The silver lining? As centralized news delivery declines, the field opens up for innovation. Smaller, agile outlets and independent journalists who can leverage AI tools effectively may find new ways to engage audiences and generate revenue. In this new AI-driven landscape, news won’t die—but it will need to reinvent itself. Source.

‘American Hero’: Coast Guard Swimmer Praised for Saving 165 From Flood at Camp Mystic

Scott Ruskan, a first-time Coast Guard rescue swimmer, is being hailed as a hero after singlehandedly coordinating the rescue of 165 people—mostly children—from rising floodwaters at Camp Mystic in central Texas. Dispatched on July 4, Ruskan was the only triage responder on scene, guiding terrified campers to safety while coordinating air evacuations. In total, 230 people were evacuated. Tragically, 27 campers and counselors died, and over 160 remain missing after devastating flash floods tore through the region. More

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Federal Court Seals ArriveCan Report Alleging Bribery and Fraud

Somehow, the $60 million ArriveCan app scandal just got worse. A judge has blocked the release of a damning internal report after a CBSA official claimed it would damage his reputation. That official, along with a colleague, says they were suspended for exposing senior executives who misled Parliament. The buried report allegedly includes evidence of fraud, bribery, and RCMP involvement.

Instead of transparency, the Liberals voted to keep it sealed and refused to force contractors to repay taxpayers. An app that should’ve cost $80,000 turned into a $60 million disaster—built with zero oversight and now buried in cover-ups.

It’s corruption layered on incompetence wrapped in secrecy—and it’s the perfect cherry-on-top in a pandemic era defined by waste, gaslighting, and zero accountability. More

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French Police Raid Offices of National Rally, France’s Largest Opposition Party - National Rally President Jordan Bardella labeled the raid a “harassment campaign” against the party. More

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Musk Breaks Silence on Controversy Surrounding His AI Chatbot - “Grok was too compliant to user prompts,” Musk said, referring to the chatbot, which had featured anti-Semitic posts and praise of Adolf Hitler. More

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Trump Tariffs:

• Trump Says BRICS Members Will Get Additional 10 Percent Tariffs Over Dedollarization Attempt - More

• Trump Threatens Brazil With 50 Percent Tariff Citing Trial of Former President - More

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10 Charged With Attempted Murder After Shooting of Police Officer at Texas ICE Facility - ‘This was an ambush on federal and local law enforcement officers,’ Acting U.S. Attorney Nancy E. Larson said. More

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Russian Military Launches Its Largest Air Attack on Ukraine Since the War Began - More

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Biden’s Physician Refuses to Answer Questions From Republicans in House Probe of Former President’s Mental Fitness - More

Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X

Linda Yaccarino has announced her resignation as CEO of X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, after serving since May 2023. She joined following Elon Musk’s 2022 takeover and led efforts to restore advertiser trust, prioritize user safety, and launch features like Community Notes, X Money, and the AI chatbot Grok. While ad revenue is rebounding, it remains far below pre-Musk levels. Yaccarino didn’t give a reason for her departure but praised the team and said X is entering a new chapter. More

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Nvidia Becomes First Public Company to Reach $4 Trillion Market Value - More

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OpenAI Is Reportedly Releasing an AI Browser in the Coming Weeks - More

One Of The Biggest Birds Ever To Walk The Earth Becomes 5th "De-Extinction" Species

Colossal Biosciences, in partnership with the Māori-led Ngāi Tahu Research Centre, is working to functionally de-extinct all nine species of the giant, wingless moa birds that vanished from New Zealand within 150 years of human arrival 800–900 years ago by reconstructing their genomes using over 60 bone samples. These moa ranged from turkey-sized species to the massive South Island giant moa, which stood nearly 12 feet tall and weighed over 500 pounds, making it one of the largest birds ever.

Completely wingless and herbivorous, moas were key ecosystem engineers shaping New Zealand’s forests and grasslands for millions of years, with large Haast’s eagles as their primary predators. More

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Breaking the Bottleneck: All-Optical Chip Could Unlock Light-Speed Communication - Researchers have developed a programmable all-optical silicon photonics chip that processes data entirely with light—enabling ultra-fast, energy-efficient computing and communications that could revolutionize next-generation optical networks. More

Black Sabbath's Final Performance Raised $170 Million for Charity

Black Sabbath’s farewell concert at Villa Park raised a staggering $170 million for charity, according to musical director Tom Morello. The money will be split between Birmingham Children’s Hospital, Cure Parkinson’s, and Acorns Children’s Hospice. The star-studded metal event featured acts like Metallica and Slayer, with Morello calling it a “labor of love” after a year of planning. The funds will support medical care, entertainment for sick children, and Parkinson’s research—an issue close to Ozzy Osbourne, who was diagnosed with the disease in 2020. More

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Thunder Sign Chet Holmgren to 5-Year Max Extension That Could Be Worth $250 Million After First NBA Title - More

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UFC Legend Randy Couture Gets Airlifted to a Burn Center After Racetrack Crash - More

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PSG Embarrasses Real Madrid in One-Sided Club World Cup Semifinal - More

A Chinese Football Club Has Been Fined 30,000 Yuan ($4,100) for Attempting to Channel Evil Spirits by Placing Paper Talismans in the Opponent Team’s Locker Room.

Flint, Michigan Finishes Replacing 11,000 Lead Pipes, Concluding the Decade-Long Effort to Secure Clean Water

On This Day in 1040, Lady Godiva, according to legend, rode naked through the streets of Coventry on horseback to convince her husband, the Earl of Mercia, to lower oppressive taxes on his people.

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