Good morning, it’s Friday, October 24th. In today’s news, Mark Carney’s Brookfield is accused of dodging $6.5 billion in taxes, Liberals introduce Crime Bill C-14—a PR stunt disguised as justice reform, Carney’s “independent” experts are funded by taxpayers, NBA gambling scandal sees 30 arrested in multi-state, mafia-linked FBI takedown, and much more.
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Mark Carney’s Brookfield Accused of Dodging $6.5 Billion in Taxes
A bombshell revelation in Parliament this week has thrust Mark Carney’s “former” firm, Brookfield Asset Management, into the spotlight—this time not for its vast investments, but for its alleged tax avoidance. During testimony before the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics, a tax avoidance expert confirmed that Brookfield paid $6.5 billion less in taxes than it would have if it had been taxed at the standard Canadian corporate rate between 2017 and 2021.
The expert cited research from Canadians for Tax Fairness and supporting analysis from the Toronto Star, which identified Brookfield as the corporation with the largest “tax gap” in the country. That term—tax gap—refers to the difference between what companies actually pay and what they would owe under the full statutory rate. While there can be legitimate reasons for paying below that threshold, the expert noted this was “a major underpayment of taxes that, in the spirit of the law, should have been paid in Canada to finance public services.”
In other words, while average Canadians shoulder record tax burdens, one of the world’s wealthiest investment firms—led for years by Carney, now the Liberal Prime Minister—found creative ways to avoid paying its share. The committee heard that Brookfield’s tax gap placed it at or near the top among 123 of Canada’s largest corporations examined.
This revelation lands at a politically volatile moment. Carney, long cast as a steward of fiscal discipline, once chaired a firm that quietly steered billions away from Canada’s tax coffers. It’s a glaring conflict of ethics: the man urging Canadians to “pay their fair share” led a company that avoided doing exactly that. Ottawa’s claim to moral authority crumbles when those who design the rules benefit most from bending them.
For ordinary Canadians, this isn’t just about Brookfield. It’s about a pattern: Ottawa raises taxes and looks the other way as insiders evade them. Brookfield’s $6.5 billion tax gap is more than a number—it’s a mirror reflecting the deeper rot in Canada’s political and economic establishment. Source.
Liberal Crime Bill C-14: A PR Stunt Disguised as Justice Reform
Canada’s Liberal government, led by Justice Minister Sean Fraser, unveiled Bill C-14, a so-called “tough-on-crime” package pitched as a response to the country’s rising rates of violent crime and repeat offenders.
Presented on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, the bill claims to strengthen bail and sentencing laws by ensuring that public safety becomes a “paramount consideration” in bail hearings—rejecting the idea of bail as a “get out of jail free” card. Fraser framed the legislation as a common-sense response to Canadians’ growing frustration over a revolving-door justice system.
But beneath the rhetoric, Bill C-14 looks more like political theatre than real reform. Critics argue that it does little to reverse the Liberals’ own policies that weakened the justice system in the first place, offering cosmetic tweaks instead of meaningful change.
At its core, the bill mandates consecutive sentences for certain combinations of crimes—like violent or gang-related car thefts, break-and-enters involving violence, or extortion coupled with arson. Judges would also be required to prioritize denunciation and deterrence when sentencing for car thefts, break-ins, and gang-related offences.
It adds new aggravating factors for theft, robbery, and break-and-enter cases, including situations where criminals intend to sell stolen goods or interfere with essential infrastructure. The bill further bans house arrest for major sexual assaults with sentences under two years and raises the maximum penalty for contempt of court from 90 days to nearly two years.
On bail, Bill C-14 “clarifies” the so-called principle of restraint—which encourages the least restrictive release possible—by specifying that this principle does not apply when custody is necessary for victim safety or public interest. It also expands weapons prohibitions during bail for those charged with extortion or gang-related crimes.
However, these changes are largely redundant. Consecutive sentencing already exists for gun, terrorism, and police assault offences. The bill doesn’t address Supreme Court rulings that block consecutive parole ineligibility for multiple murders—allowing cases like mass shooter Alexandre Bissonnette to seek early release. Nor does it extend stricter sentencing to child sex crimes, where leniency remains common; one Manitoba father who sexually assaulted his daughter received just three years in prison.
Even the house arrest measure is a partial reversal of the Liberals’ own 2022 Bill C-5, which had expanded conditional sentencing for serious crimes, including sexual assault. Many of those same loopholes remain intact under C-14.
The bail “reforms” fare no better. The principle of restraint has been in law since 2019—courtesy of the Liberals themselves—and the new clarifications do little to stop repeat offenders from being released again and again. Expanded weapons bans on bail are similarly symbolic, given how frequently they’re ignored and unenforced.
In reality, Bill C-14 is less about protecting Canadians and more about protecting the Liberals politically. It’s a reaction to Conservative pressure and public outrage, designed to look tough without undoing the very leniencies the Liberals built into the system.
Behind the press conference sound bites, Canada’s justice system remains what it’s become under this government: soft, slow, and dangerously unserious about crime.
Mark Carney’s “Independent” Experts Are Funded by You
When politicians tell you to “trust the experts,” they usually forget to mention one thing: those experts are on the government payroll. In Parliament, Pierre Poilievre pressed Mark Carney on the real-world effects of the carbon tax, arguing that when you tax the things that go into producing food, you inevitably raise the price of that food.
Poilievre warned that farmers pay carbon taxes on the steel that builds their combines, the fuel that powers their tractors, and the fertilizer that grows their crops. Those costs don’t vanish into thin air. They move down the supply chain until they land on your grocery bill.
Carney’s reply was to cite “independent research” from the Canadian Climate Institute, claiming that the industrial carbon tax has “around 0% impact” on food prices. That sounds reassuring—until you look at who funds the so-called independent researchers.
The Canadian Climate Institute has received tens of millions in taxpayer dollars, including a $30 million grant from Environment and Climate Change Canada in 2023 and smaller consulting contracts totalling hundreds of thousands more. One of its leading advisors, Caroline Brouillette, is herself a paid consultant through an organization that also depends on federal grants. The entire ecosystem of “climate experts” Carney leans on is financed by the same government that created and defends the carbon tax.
In other words, the government is paying people to validate its own policies. That’s not independence—it’s a feedback loop. Ottawa raises taxes, funds a think tank to endorse those taxes, and then cites that taxpayer-funded endorsement as proof the policy works. It’s the political equivalent of grading your own exam—and handing yourself an A.
This isn’t about left or right. It’s about credibility and accountability. When ordinary Canadians are tightening their belts while bureaucrats funnel millions to partisan policy shops, trust collapses. You can’t claim to be guided by science when you’re paying the researchers to tell you what you want to hear.
NBA Gambling Scandal: Chauncey Billups, Terry Rozier, and Damon Jones Arrested in Multi-State, Mafia-Linked FBI Probe
On Thursday, the FBI arrested Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups, Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier, and former Cleveland Cavaliers player and assistant coach Damon Jones as part of a sweeping illegal gambling investigation spanning 11 states. Over 30 individuals were implicated, including Eric Earnest, Marves Fairley, Shane Hennen, and Deniro Laster, in charges involving rigged poker games, mafia connections, and sports betting schemes.
Billups, 49, a 17-year NBA veteran and 2024 Hall of Fame inductee, was charged for allegedly lending legitimacy to illegal poker operations tied to the Bonanno, Gambino, and Genovese crime families. Prosecutors say he was aware that the games used secret cameras, marked cards, and X-ray tables to cheat players out of millions. Billups was arraigned in Portland, released under travel restrictions, and the Trail Blazers named Thiago Splitter interim coach while placing Billups on leave.
Rozier, 31, is accused of manipulating his performance during the 2022-23 season as part of a sports betting scheme. Nearly $14,000 had been bet on unders involving his stats in a game he left early due to injury, leading to winning bets. Rozier was released on bond after his court appearance, and his lawyer criticized the FBI for staging a public arrest rather than allowing self-surrender.
Jones is implicated both in the illegal poker ring and for allegedly providing insider NBA information—including LeBron James’ injury status—to co-defendants for betting purposes. Billups is also referenced as “Co-Conspirator 8” in Rozier’s indictment for allegedly providing inside information to manipulate a Trail Blazers game outcome in 2023.
The probe is linked to the investigation that led to Toronto Raptors forward Jontay Porter being banned for life from the NBA for leaking confidential information and manipulating games for betting purposes. Other players, like Malik Beasley, were investigated but not charged.
The NBA has placed Billups and Rozier on leave, reaffirming cooperation with authorities. FBI Director Kash Patel highlighted the multi-year scope of the investigation, emphasizing tens of millions in fraud across gambling and sports betting operations. More
Adams and Cuomo Form Unlikely Alliance to Stop Socialist Takeover of New York City
In a rather odd twist in the New York City mayoral race, embattled Mayor Eric Adams—currently under federal indictment—has thrown his support behind former Governor Andrew Cuomo. The move comes after the Democratic Party cut off Adams’ campaign funding, leaving him politically stranded and eager to consolidate establishment support against the insurgent left.
Adams and Cuomo, once public rivals, are now forming an unlikely alliance to stop Democratic primary winner Zohran Mamdani—a 33-year-old socialist and New York State Assembly member who has shocked the establishment by surging to frontrunner status.
Mamdani, born in Uganda to an affluent family, has built his campaign around a radical progressive agenda that includes free public transit, rent freezes on city-owned apartments, and municipally run grocery stores. A vocal critic of Israel, he has called its actions in Gaza “genocide” and has vowed to “hold leaders like Benjamin Netanyahu accountable,” earning endorsements from Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
With polls showing nearly half of Jewish Democrats now siding with Gaza, Mamdani’s rise underscores a seismic generational and ideological shift within the party. The vote will take place on Tuesday, November 4th. More
Trump Warns Israel That Annexation of the West Bank Threatens US Support - More
NATO Member Lithuania Says Two Russian Jets Entered Its Airspace - More
Three Officers Hurt, 24 Arrested During Second Night of Protesting and Disorder Outside Hotel Housing Asylum Seekers - The disorder broke out following the sexual assault of a young girl by an immigrant. More
After Festival of Lights, New Delhi Plunged Into Toxic Darkness and World’s Most Polluted Air - More
Hundreds of Thousands of Hungarians Attend Rival Rallies in Budapest as Orbán Faces Election Test - More
Carney Says Canada Will Double Its Non-US Exports as Canadians Can’t Rely on America
Prime Minister Mark Carney unveiled a plan to double Canada’s exports outside the US within a decade, aiming to generate an additional $300 billion in trade. Speaking ahead of the Nov. 4 federal budget, Carney cited US tariffs on autos, steel, and lumber as a driver for diversifying markets. He highlighted recent deals with Indonesia, the UAE, the EU, and Germany, and said Canada is re-engaging with India and China.
While the plan may sound reasonable on paper, critics quickly questioned how Canada could achieve such an export surge without expanding pipeline infrastructure, noting that energy exports—especially oil and natural gas—remain bottlenecked by limited capacity, an issue the Liberals have yet to address. In response, Carney highlighted recent deals on AI, defence, and critical minerals, yet without new export routes for energy and bulk commodities, hitting the $300 billion target seems highly unlikely. To support the strategy, the government plans to fast-track approvals for infrastructure and resource projects before Nov. 16—but whether that will be enough remains uncertain. More
Carney, Ford Announce $3B Funding for Small Nuclear Reactor Project in Ontario - More
Trump Pardons Convicted Binance Founder Changpeng Zhao, White House Confirms - The former CEO in 2023 entered a guilty plea and agreed to step down as the CEO of Binance as part of a $4.3 billion settlement. More
Elon Musk Defends $1 Trillion Pay Package - ‘I just don’t feel comfortable building a robot army here and then being ousted.’ More
Scientists Discover Exercise Literally Rewires Your Body at the Molecular Level
New research shows exercise doesn’t just improve fitness and mood—it reprograms the body at a molecular level, reshaping biological networks and offering clues for disease prevention and treatment. A review in Nature Reviews Endocrinology by ACU researchers John Hawley and Dr. Nolan Hoffman maps two decades of exercise metabolism studies, identifying thousands of molecules activated during endurance or strength training.
Exercise influences genes, proteins, and circulating molecular signals, impacting muscles, immune function, and other organs. These insights suggest that exercise could be used as a personalized, preventive “biological intervention” for chronic diseases such as heart disease, obesity, and type 2 diabetes, with molecular biomarkers guiding tailored programs. ACU’s new metabolic chamber in Melbourne enables precise studies of energy use and metabolic responses, further advancing this field. More
Human Trials Bring Us Closer to Breathing Through Our Butts - It sounds like a joke–and indeed, the research that led to this trial won an IgNobel prize for physiology last year – but there’s a good reason behind it. If proven effective, it could become a backup (pun not intended) method for providing oxygen to patients with blocked airways. More
Both a Glow-in-the-Dark Shark and a Pearl White Ghost Crab Were Discovered in Australia - More
Blue Jays’ Trey Yesavage Named Starter for World Series Game 1 vs. Dodgers
The Toronto Blue Jays have named rookie Trey Yesavage to start Game 1 of the World Series against the Dodgers. Yesavage, just 22, debuted in the majors just over a month ago and has impressed in the postseason, including an 11-strikeout, no-hit performance against the Yankees in the ALDS. Toronto chose him over Kevin Gausman to give Gausman extra rest, with Shane Bieber and Max Scherzer slated for future starts. Yesavage becomes the first rookie to start Game 1 of the World Series since 2006, marking the Blue Jays’ first Series appearance since 1993.
In related news, shortstop Bo Bichette’s status remains uncertain after a left knee sprain. Bichette, a two-time All-Star who hit .311 this season, has been making progress in rehab and could return as a shortstop, second baseman, designated hitter, or pinch hitter. Game one starts tonight at 8 pm. More
Lionel Messi Extends Inter Miami Contract Through 2028 - The details of the contract have not yet been made public, but Messi (38) says this will be his last. More
‘Godfather’ Director Francis Ford Coppola Selling His One-of-One, $1 Million Swiss Watch, Claiming He’s ‘Broke’ After Box Office Flop - More
Soft Cell Synth-Pop Star Dave Ball, Co-Creator of 1981 Hit “Tainted Love,” Dies at 66 - More
Weird Move: Seven People Have Been Arrested After Stealing Over 1,000 Restaurant Chairs in Spain
A Fortress Has Been Unearthed in Egypt Featuring Thick, Curving Walls Built Approximately 3,500 Years Ago
On This Day in Both 1929 and 2008, Financial Panic Struck Twice: in 1929, “Black Thursday” saw the Dow plunge 12.8%, triggering the Great Depression, and in 2008, “Bloody Friday” sent global markets tumbling around 10%, marking the early tipping point of the financial crisis that would soon engulf the world. Both days became defining moments of economic chaos and investor fear.
Forensic audit of all the MPs investments and connections financedly. $1.24 trillion owing bankrupts Canada!! 🤮 🥵 😱
And people wonder why Trump doesn't think that Canada is serious about getting a deal...
Going through the motions to negotiate a deal with the US, telling us a deal is close, while proclaiming in the media that the relationship with the US is done and we need to strengthen ties elsewhere.
Which is it Carney, are we are trying for a deal with our closest and largest trading partner or we are abandoning that relationship once and for all?