Trudeau's Piggy Bank 💸
Where news meets rational thinking
Good morning, It’s Tuesday, December 31st. In today’s news, We highlight five ridiculous ways taxpayer dollars were spent in 2024, Freedom in Canada remains below pre-pandemic levels, Charlie Angus defies NDP leadership and shields Trudeau from collapse, Chinese-Russian air co-operation has Norad’s ‘full attention,’ and much more.
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Five Ridiculous Ways Taxpayer Dollars Were Spent in 2024
This year, Trudeau’s government demonstrated a reckless disregard for Canadians’ money. While families cut back to make ends meet, taxpayer dollars were spent on lavish meals, climate conferences, and bonuses for bureaucratic failure. Here are five examples of mismanagement that insults every Canadian taxpayer.
Trudeau’s $71,000 food bill for a four-day trip
A four-day trip to Italy and Switzerland saw the prime minister and his entourage dining on veal piccata, lamb ribs, and Swiss chocolate cake aboard a government jet, with taxpayers footing a $71,000 bill.$254,000 travel for Climate Change Ambassador
Ambassador Catherine Stewart racked up a quarter-million dollars in luxury travel, including $10,000 flights and nightly stays costing up to $623—all in the name of “fighting climate change.”$3 million for COP28, featuring a “climate rapper”
The Liberals spent $3 million on the COP28 summit, sending 193 delegates to Dubai, where rooms cost up to $816 nightly and a climate-themed rap performance was staged.CBC bonuses despite layoffs and plummeting ratings
The CBC handed out $18.4 million in bonuses to its executives and staff, with executives receiving $73,000 on average—more than many Canadians earn in a year.$597.9 million for a gun buyback program with zero guns collected
Despite spending hundreds of millions, the Liberals' firearm buyback program has yet to confiscate a single gun, raising questions about where the money is actually going.
Honourable mentions: Global Affairs Canada spent over $3M in taxpayer dollars on alcohol. The CRA paid out millions in illegitimate tax refunds to hackers Liberals paid out $3.5B in CEBA loans to illegitimate claimants. Global Affairs Canada billed taxpayers $186M for real estate over the last decade. Taxpayers paid $27.3 million for bonuses at CMHC. Honda received $5B in subsidies to create 1,000 jobs. Taxpayers paid $224 daily to accommodate illegal border crossings.
The Trudeau government’s spending mirrors Orwell’s Animal Farm: the rulers feast on luxury while the rest toil. Lavish dinners, bonuses, and wasteful programs expose a ruling class thriving at taxpayers' expense. Canadians must question how long they’ll accept leaders who exploit their labour while demanding sacrifices they refuse to make. Source
Report: Freedom in Canada Remains Below Pre-Pandemic Levels
The 2024 Human Freedom Index, published by the Fraser Institute, reveals a notable shift in global freedoms, with Canada experiencing both improvements and challenges. Canada now ranks 11th in the world for freedom, up from 14th in the previous year’s index. The country’s overall freedom score increased from 8.48 to 8.74, marking a recovery from its lowest score recorded in 2021. However, Before the pandemic, Canada’s freedom score never dropped below 8.78, reaching the highest score on the freedom index in 2000 with a score of 8.96.
The Human Freedom Index evaluates countries based on 12 key metrics, including rule of law, security, government size, sound money, and regulation. Canada scores particularly well on personal freedom, ranking 16th globally with a score of 9.28, and on economic freedom, where it holds 8th place with a score of 7.99. Despite these high rankings, Canada struggles with the rule of law and the size of government, especially in areas such as government consumption and high marginal tax rates, which have limited its overall score.
Canada’s performance is competitive, as it outpaces countries like Japan (8.73), Germany (8.67), and the US and UK (both 8.64). However, it still lags behind the top ten, which includes Switzerland, New Zealand, Denmark, Luxembourg, Ireland, Finland, Sweden, Iceland, Australia, and Estonia.
On a global scale, the report highlights a disturbing trend where 87.4% of the world’s population experienced a decline in freedom between 2019 and 2022. This global decline attributed largely to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, saw the global average freedom score drop from 6.98 to 6.73. The decline in freedom was felt across diverse political and economic systems, affecting both democracies and autocracies and was not limited to poorer or less developed nations.
One of the more striking examples is Hong Kong, which saw its score plummet in recent years due to the erosion of freedoms following the People's Republic of China’s reassertion of control over the city. This marks a sharp contrast to Hong Kong’s former status as a global leader in both economic and personal freedoms. Meanwhile, the report identifies the bottom ten countries in terms of freedom, including Syria, Yemen, Iran, Myanmar, Sudan, Egypt, Venezuela, Somalia, Algeria, and Iraq, with several authoritarian regimes like North Korea, Turkmenistan, Cuba, and Eritrea excluded from the assessment.
In summary, while Canada has made improvements in its freedom score, it still faces challenges in areas like governance and tax policy, limiting its ability to return to its previous levels of freedom. Globally, the decline in freedom during the pandemic has been a universal trend, with the majority of countries seeing a deterioration of rights and liberties. Source
Charlie Angus Defies NDP Leadership, Shields Trudeau from Collapse
Cracks in the NDP are showing as MP Charlie Angus declares he won’t support his party’s plan to topple Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government. In a direct challenge to NDP leader Jagmeet Singh’s recent pledge to introduce a no-confidence motion in January, Angus has signalled his refusal to align with Pierre Poilievre, even if it means prolonging Trudeau’s tenure.
Angus, who has announced he won’t run in the next election, claims he’s “putting country first” by avoiding what he calls “political brinkmanship.” With the Conservatives holding a commanding lead in the polls and poised to win a majority, Angus’s hesitation looks less like principle and more like fear of political reality.
The Conservatives were quick to pounce on the NDP’s inconsistency. House Leader Andrew Scheer slammed Singh, calling his leadership “utterly worthless” for enabling Trudeau’s Liberals despite repeated promises to oppose them. Canadians frustrated with rising costs, ethical scandals, and policy failures are left wondering: If not now, when will the NDP finally act against Trudeau?
Angus’s refusal to support Singh’s motion comes as the Trudeau government is already on shaky ground following the abrupt resignation of Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland. The NDP’s internal fractures not only undermine their credibility but also alienate Canadians desperate for change.
This moment could have been an opportunity for the NDP to demonstrate bold leadership. Instead, Angus’s defiance and Singh’s wavering direction expose a party stuck between principle and fear, leaving voters to question whether the NDP is truly ready to stand for anything—or anyone—other than keeping Trudeau in power. Source
Chinese-Russian Air Co-operation Has Norad’s ‘Full Attention’
Norad Commander General Gregory Guillot highlighted growing Chinese-Russian air cooperation in the Arctic, which he said has Norad's ‘full attention.’ Their first joint patrol near Alaska in July raised concerns, although the coordination level is far below US-Canada military integration. NORAD also noted increasing Russian activity, including an unsafe incident in September involving a Russian bomber near US airspace.
Guillot highlighted the strong Canada-US military ties, evidenced by joint CF-18 and US F-16 responses to Arctic threats, enabled by years of integrated training. Both nations aim to strengthen Arctic operations, focusing on harsh climate readiness and improved threat detection.
With Canada transitioning to F-35s, US training at Alaska’s Eielson Air Force Base is preparing Canadian pilots for Arctic-specific challenges. NORAD plans to enhance its Arctic presence and exercises in 2025 to address emerging threats. More
Hundreds Freed in Ukrainian–Russian Prisoner-of-War Exchange
The UAE successfully mediated a prisoner exchange between Ukraine and Russia, freeing 150 soldiers from each side. This marks the UAE's 10th exchange effort in 2024, bringing the total number of freed captives to 2,484. Ukrainian President Zelensky celebrated the return of Ukrainians, including military personnel and two civilians, thanking the UAE for its role.
Russia’s freed soldiers were sent to Belarus for medical and psychological care. This exchange follows ongoing UAE efforts to mediate peace and dialogue in the conflict. Meanwhile, the US announced $5.9 billion in additional military and budget support for Ukraine. More
Trinidad and Tobago Declares State of Emergency to Combat Gangs After Violent Weekend - More
US Attorney Leading January 6th Prosecutions Will Resign Before Trump’s Second Term Begins - More
The Taliban Say They Will Close All NGOs Employing Afghan Women - More
US Treasury Says it Was Hacked by China in 'Major Incident' - More
Syria's De Facto Leader Says it Could Take Up to 4 Years to Hold Elections - More
Housing Market Poised for 2025 Comeback as Lower Rates Unleash Pent-up Demand
The Canadian housing market's recovery in 2024 was slower than expected, despite the Bank of Canada's five interest rate cuts starting in June. Renewed buyer activity surged in the fall, with November home sales up 26% year-over-year, and cumulative 2024 sales rising 6.9%.
Heading into 2025, falling rates, extended 30-year amortizations for first-time buyers, and a higher insured mortgage cap of $1.5 million are expected to drive sales up 16% and prices by 8%. However, supply backlogs in Ontario and B.C. may temper gains. Experts advise buyers to act within their means as competition increases with improving affordability. More
South Korea to Conduct Boeing Inspections After Deadly Plane Crash that Killed 179 - More
Bernie Madoff’s Victims Collect $4.3-billion as US Government Fund Completes Payouts - More
Massive 'Weak Spot' in Earth's Magnetic Field is Growing
Scientists have discovered that Earth's magnetic field has a growing weak spot called the South Atlantic Anomaly (SAA), spanning over 4.3 million square miles between South America and Africa. This anomaly allows harmful solar radiation to penetrate closer to Earth, disrupting satellites and spacecraft systems.
Key developments include a 7% increase in size and a 12-mile westward drift since 2020. The anomaly is splitting into two distinct regions, which could pose new challenges for satellite operations starting in 2025. The SAA's changes may stem from fluctuating molten iron flows in Earth's core or a dense geological feature beneath Africa called the Large Low Shear Velocity Province (LLSVP).
While some researchers link the anomaly to Earth’s magnetic field potentially reversing poles—a process that occurs over thousands of years—others suggest this phenomenon is a recurring event not necessarily tied to a pole flip. More
Humans Will Soon Be Able to Mine on the Moon, but Should We? 4 Questions to Consider
Mavericks Star Luka Doncic Is Latest Pro Athlete Whose Home Was Burglarized
Dallas Mavericks star Luka Dončić became the latest professional athlete targeted in a home burglary, with $30,000 worth of jewelry stolen during a break-in Friday night. Fortunately, no one was home at the time.
This incident marks the sixth burglary of a pro athlete's home since October, with NFL stars Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow, and Travis Kelce, along with NBA players Bobby Portis and Mike Conley Jr., also affected. Both the NFL and NBA have issued security alerts to players, citing organized groups targeting athletes, often when they are away for games. More
FAA Investigating Near-miss Involving Plane Carrying Gonzaga Men’s Basketball Team at LAX - More
Saquon Barkley Becomes 9th Running Back in NFL History to Rush for 2,000 Yards in a Season - More
Five People Charged Over Liam Payne's Death - More
Family Reunited with Missing Dog on Christmas Eve After Pooch Finds Way Home and Rings Doorbell
On This Day in 1994, the Largest Free Concert in the World Occurred when Rod Stewart performed in front of four million people at Copacabana Beach, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Happy New Year 🥂
Castros' bastard is just a fucking grifter.. infact the whole parasitical bureaucratic managerial class are grifters, get rid of the lot