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Man arrested in India in connection to Surrey, B.C. café shootings

A man has been arrested in Indian in connection with a series of shooting incidents at Kap’s Café in Surrey, B.C.

In a massive blow to organised crime syndicates, the Crime Branch of Delhi Police has arrested Bandhu Maan Singh Sekhon the key strategist responsible for planning, executing and providing logistics support for firing at Kap’s Café in Canada.

-Statement from Delhi Police

Kap’s Café, owned by Bollywood star Kapil Sharma, has been shot at three separate times in 2025, once in July, once in August, and then for a third time in October.

Police said the building ended up with multiple bullet holes due to the attacks, but that no staff members or customers had been injured. All three attacks happened between the hours of 2 AM and 5 AM.

Arrest made in India

On November 24, Delhi Police confirmed that Bandhu Maan Singh Sekhon had been arrested in connection with the attacks on Sharma’s café.

The police statement claimed that Sekhon was “the key strategist responsible for planning, executing and providing logistics support for firing at Kap’s Café in Canada.”

Police did clarify that other men committed the physical shootings, and that Sekhon was just the mind behind the plan.

Delhi Police said Sekhon fled to India on Aug. 23 following a crackdown by Surrey police.

Acting on crucial intelligence regarding the presence of a prime accused in Punjab related to the Kap’s Café (Kapil Sharma’s Café in Canada) firing conspiracy, the team of Crime Branch immediately came into action,

-Delhi Police

Apparently, Sekhon was also wanted in connection with a “high-profile international arms trafficking case.”

The investigation into the arms trafficking case found eight foreign-made semi-automatic pistols and 84 live cartridges, one of which was sold to Sekhon.

“After apprehension, during sustained interrogation, he not only disclosed about receiving illegal weapon which was subsequently recovered from his car (semi-automatic pistol, PX-3, made in China) but also his active role in series of firing at Kap’s café in Surrey, Canada,”

Gang connections in Canada

Delhi Police confirmed that Sekhon initially travelled to Canada on Sept. 13, 2023, on an employment visa and found work in Brampton, Ontario.

It was in Brampton that Sekhon reportedly got involved with “members of the Goldy Dhillon gang” and joined the affiliation shortly after.

Sekhon was arrested in Canada for serious offences, including conspiracy to commit an indictable offence, unauthorized possession of a prohibited firearm, careless handling of a firearm, possession of property obtained by crime and possession of a firearm with an altered serial number.

Who is Bandhu Maan Singh Sekhon?

Bandhu Maan Singh Sekhon (28) has a bachelor’s and master’s in computer science. His dream in Canada was to open a used car dealership. Unfortunately, when looking for financial partners, he came into contact with gangster-turned-terrorist Harry Chatha.

It was with Chatha’s support that Sekhon made his first extortion call, prompting a police report to be filed, and Sekhon investigated.

Sekhon soon became a full-time employee of Chatha’s. When Chatha returned to India, Sekhon was left as one of the men in charge of his illegal operations in Canada, primarily the sale of illegal firearms.

Sekhon used his Instagram to advertise his products. His profile amassed almost 7 thousand followers and contains dozens of photos and videos of Sekhon showcasing illegal products.

Sekhons’ Instagram bio contains the quote “you only live once, but if you do it right… once is enough #786,” a stark contrast to the moral implications of his crimes.

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Netanyahu asks Israeli President for pardon amid corruption trial

Benjamin Netanyahu is asking his President for mercy, something Bibi has held in very little regard over the last three years.  

Netanyahu is asking to be pardoned for his bribery and fraud charges, and unsurprisingly, Donald Trump is loyally backing him. The Israeli PM has been under investigation for almost five years but argues that ending the trial is in “national interest”. Netanyahu has continually played the victim, even though there is mounting evidence supporting the Israeli prosecution’s case.  

Corruption investigation

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gestures as he speaks during a visit to the national police headquarters in Jerusalem on November 22, 2012. As the ceasefire took hold on November 21, in and around Gaza after a week of cross-border violence between Israel and Palestinian militants, twelve rockets fired from the Gaza Strip hit Israel in the hours that followed the agreement, a police spokesman told AFP. AFP PHOTO/GALI TIBBON/POOL (Photo by GALI TIBBON / AFP) (Photo by GALI TIBBON/AFP via Getty Images)

Benjamin Netanyahu has been investigated for corruption, bribery, and fraud five separate times since 2016, and was charged for three of these investigations in 2020.

Netanyahu was charged in three of the cases. Case 1000 claims Netanyahu had a conflict of interest while he was the Minister of Communications, accepting $200,000 USD over the span of five years from businessman Arnon Milchan and his associates.

Case 2000 is a criminal investigation that concerns the relationship between Netanyahu and the publisher and controlling owner of Yedioth Ahronoth, a prominent English-language Israeli paper. Mozes reportedly offered Netanyahu kinder coverage in Yedioth Ahronoth for him and his family, and harsher coverage for his political opponents. In exchange, Netanyahu was charged with using his influence to promote legislation that would impose restrictions on Israel Hayom, a competing publication, to benefit Mozes and his business associates financially.

Case 4000 accuses Netanyahu of promising regulatory changes that would be favourable to the business interests of Shaul Elovitch, the owner of Bezeq, an Israeli telecommunications company. Netanyahu was charged with fraud, breach of trust, and bribery in this case, as was Elovitch.

Trump and Netanyahu beg

Earlier this month, on November 17, Donald Trump wrote to Israeli President Isaac Herzog, asking him to pardon Netanyahu for his crimes.

“As the Great State of Israel and the amazing Jewish People move past the terribly difficult times of the last three years, I hereby call on you to fully pardon Benjamin Netanyahu, who has been a formidable and decisive War Time Prime Minister, and is now leading Israel into a time of peace.”

In the letter, Trump claimed that Netanyahu was experiencing “a political, unjustified prosecution”.

“While I absolutely respect the independence of the Israeli Justice System, and its requirements, I believe that this ‘case’ against Bibi [Netanyahu], who has fought alongside me for a long time, including against the very tough adversary of Israel, Iran, is a political, unjustified prosecution.”

Herzog thanked Trump for the letter but said that anyone seeking a pardon had to submit a formal request.

“[Israel] holds President Trump in the highest regard and continues to express his deep appreciation for President Trump’s unwavering support for Israel”.

Benjamin Netanyahu also thanked Trump in a post on Twitter.

According to Israeli law, the President “has the power to pardon criminals and reduce or transmute their sentence,” but Presidential pardons before conviction are extremely uncommon in Israel, with one notable exception from 1986.

Netanyahu is the first sitting President to be only a sitting prime minister in Israeli history to stand trial for crimes of this nature.

The details of Netanyahu’s request have not been released, but he has consistently portrayed himself as the victim of a “deep state” conspiracy trying to upend his political career.

Herzog’s response

The President’s office didn’t publicly shut down the request, but acknowledged its historical nature.

“The Office of the President is aware that this is an extraordinary request which carries with it significant implications. After receiving all of the relevant opinions, the president will responsibly and sincerely consider the request.”

Netanyahu’s critics have been vocal, encouraging the President not to cede the request, not without an admission of guilt, a lifetime ban from politics, or a trial beforehand.

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Toronto city councillors travel to Israel

Toronto city councillors James Pasternak (York Centre) and Mike Colle (Eglinton-Lawrence) travelled to Israel this week to receive a briefing from Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sharren Haskel.

Haskel posted a photo to her Twitter on Tuesday, November 25, posing with a delegation of Canadian politicians and media members.

Alongside Pasternak and Colle, former Toronto MPs Kevin Vuong and Don Stewart, former Toronto-area MPP David Zimmer, as well as former Green Party leader Annamie Paul and former Montreal mayor Denis Coderre. Journalist Steve Paikin and radio personality Ben Mulroney were also recognizable figures in the photo.

The moral position

The photo has sparked confusion amongst Torontonians, with many wondering what purpose a municipal-level politician could serve by visiting a foreign state.

There is also the added layer of Israel’s war on Gaza, which has killed at least 70,000 civilians. In October, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announced that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would be arrested if he set foot on Canadian soil and charged with the war crimes his army is committing in occupied Palestine.

The Canadian Prime Minister also recognized Palestine as an independent state, something Israel is strongly against.

So, how does visiting Israel benefit Torontonians?

The briefing

Haskel’s tweet doesn’t allude to any particulars, but covers a few talking points peddled by the Israeli government.

“Recognizing a Palestinian state while Hamas still holds hostages only strengthens the terrorists. It sends completely the wrong message.”

She also cited rampant antisemitism in Canada, claiming that “Jews [are] afraid to wear a Star of David in public.”

There has been no evidence of Jewish Canadians being attacked for wearing the Star of David.

A report released by York University found that hate crimes against Muslims in the Toronto area grew by as much as 1,800%, with at least 500 instances of Islamophobic behaviour.

Statista calculated a 71% increase in police reports citing antisemitism, and a 94% increase in police reports citing Islamophobia.

Israel’s war in Gaza has created a dangerous atmosphere for both Jews and Muslims in Canada.

Who are Pasternak and Colle

James Pasternak is the councillor for Toronto’s York region. He has served on the city council since 2010 and is the Chair of the North York Community Council.

James Pasternak has been working to get pro-Palestinian protests deemed non-Charter protected activities, calling them “mobs”.

Councillor Mike Colle is the representative of Eglinton-Lawrence and the Deputy Mayor of North York. Colle spearheaded the movement to get the month of May designated as Jewish Heritage Month in Ontario.

Mike Colle is also the vice-chair of the North York Nominating Panel for Corporations, meaning he influences the decision on which corporations are awarded government contracts.  

The city councillors’ role on the Nominating Panel has sparked questions about a potential conflict of interest.

Former politicians

There were four noteworthy former politicians in Israel last week; this is who they are.

Kevin Vuong served as the MP for Spadina—Fort York from 2021 to 2025 as an independent. Vuong was dropped by the Liberal party two days before the 2021 election over his failure to disclose a 2019 charge for sexual assault, but was still elected due to advance polling.

He sponsored only two bills in his four years in Parliament: one to weaken the Criminal Code and Human Rights Act’s reaction to hate crimes, and a bill attempting to increase the speed of student loan collection.  

Don Stewert only served in the House of Commons for ten months before being voted out by his constituents. He did not sponsor a single bill in his time in Parliament.

David Zimmer served the Liberal Party as an MPP from 2003 to 2018. He was the Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation from 2013 to 2018.

Annamie Paul led the Green Party from 2020 to 2021. She was the first Black Canadian and first Jewish woman to be elected leader of a federal party in Canada.

Her time with the Green Party began to end after her views on Israel and antisemitism differed from those of voting and elected party members.

She has called for a de-escalation of the violence in Israel.

Denis Coderre served as the Mayor of Montreal from 2013 to 2017, while aligned with the Liberal Party in Federal politics. Coderre served as an MP from 1997 to 2013.

Coderre sponsored five bills during his time in Parliament, none of which got past the second reading at the House of Commons.

His most prominent achievement as Mayor of Montreal was his authorization of the dumping of 8 billion litres of untreated sewage into the Saint Lawrence River. The action received more than 50,000 signatures opposing it.

He also imposed a bylaw banning pit bulls in the City of Montreal that was suspended just days later by a judge.

Reports recently released claim Coderre owed more than $130,000 in provincial taxes and more than $266,000 to the Canada Revenue Agency as of February 2025.

Journalist and radio personality

Alongside the Councilmembers and the former politicians, journalist Steve Paikin and radio personality Ben Mulroney were also present.

Steve Paikin is the host of TVOntario’s headline politics show, The Agenda. He has been criticized for his biased coverage of Israel’s War in Gaza.

Ben Mulroney is the host of the nationally syndicated show, The Ben Mulroney Show, on Global News. Mulroney is the son of former Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, who was an outspoken opponent of the apartheid system in South Africa. Brian Mulroney was a longtime supporter of Israel.

Ten of the most reputable human rights groups in the world have called Israel’s war on Gaza a genocide, and both Doctors Without Borders and the United Nations have said that Israel is targeting civilian aid stations. Sharren Haskel has countered those claims, maintaining that Israel is the most moral army.

“No other army in the world—not the British, not the French, not the Canadians—has reached the standard Israel has in trying to avoid civilian casualties.”

It is estimated that 80% of the victims killed in Palestine were civilians, not members of Hamas. Seventy percent of the victims were women and children.

More than 250 aid workers (UN, DWB,  and at least 248 journalists have been killed in Palestine by Israel since October 7, making it the most deadly conflict for peace workers and journalists in human history.

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Canadian satire site fools TIME Magazine with ‘made up quote’

TIME Magazine was fooled by the Canadian version of ‘The Onion,’ ‘The Beaverton, ’ in a recent article entitled “What Trump doesn’t understand about alliances”.

Here’s how it happened.

The Beaverton article

On September 19, 2025, The Beaverton, the biggest satirical publication in Canada, published the article “US Ambassador threatens to tariff, annex, and bomb Canada if anti-American sentiment doesn’t improve,” where they attribute a few funny quotes to U.S. Ambassador Pete Hoekstra.

The article came after Hoekstra gave a real-life interview where he said he was “disappointed” in the “anti-American sentiments” in Canada.

“I’m disappointed that I came to Canada, a Canada that it is very, very difficult to find Canadians who are passionate about the American-Canadian relationship.”

Pete Hoekstra, September 18 in Halifax

Beaverton journalist Ian Macintyre took the ball and ran. In his article, he wrote:

“I’m disappointed that I came to Canada. A Canada that it would be very easy to target with 500% steel tariffs, or one patriot missile aimed at Parliament Hill, I might add.”

And,

“We need to take the tone and tenor of the debate down, and by ‘we’ I mean ‘entirely Canada’ because you are all weak losers who would be better off as the 51st State.”

The article then described how Hoekstra proceeded to “[pour] out a bottle of Labatt Blue while spitting on a photo of Terry Fox”.

Hilarious, right? And very obviously satire. Clearly not.

Now we come to October 1, and TIME’s piece.

TIME of confusion

TIME’s piece: “What Trump Doesn’t Understand About Alliances,” attributed the quotes that were made up by The Beaverton to Hoekstra, and the kicker? Nobody noticed.

The Beaverton itself didn’t seem to notice until their Facebook post on November 27, commenting, “When your ambassador is SO deranged that TIME Magazine says, ‘Yeah, that quote sounds real. ‘”

How many people read that post in between October 1 and November 27, when The Beaverton finally clued in?

According to TIME magazine itself, the publication reached 120 million people globally in 2025 (as of November 20).

How could this happen?

The elephant in the room is obviously the question ‘how could this happen’. In an article that features gems like:

“When I was Trump’s ambassador to the Netherlands, which is also a complete s**t hole, I had a lot of success illegally fundraising for radical right political groups,” Hoekstra recalled while whipping Tim Horton’s doughnuts at the crowd.

And,

Hoekstra then ended his speech by urinating on a stack of vintage Anne Murray records.

It’s hard to imagine that anyone who read it, even if they don’t know The Beaverton specifically, could believe it was real.

But the article sat unedited for more than a month before someone finally realized.

When your ambassador is SO deranged that Time Magazine says, ‘Yeah, that quote sounds real. ‘

When Hoekstra’s office was asked about the comments, it confirmed they were false.

The statement attributed to Ambassador Hoekstra by Time Magazine is a fabrication.  The ambassador did not make this statement.

The Beavertons Ian MacIntyre also confirmed they were false.

That’s absolutely a made-up quote… I heightened a bunch of them to absurd levels,

Absurd is absolutely the correct word to describe the made-up quotes and this story.

The Beaverton is the most prominent satire publication in Canada, and has never claimed to be anything other than satire meant for entertainment. The publication regularly invents humorous false quotes.

We’re not trying to make fake news or hoodwink people, and it’s always baffling when anyone thinks we’re real, let alone a guy that was an important journalist,

-Ian MacIntyre

Certainly a baffling story from one of the biggest magazines on the planet.

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US pauses visas to Afghanistan after National Guard shooting

The United States’ Department of State has paused all visas for individuals travelling with Afghan passports after the attack on two National Guard members in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday that killed Specialist Sarah Beckstrom and severely injured Guardsman Andrew Wolfe.

An Afghan National, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, was arrested in connection with the shooting.

IMMEDIATELY paused visa

“The Department of State has IMMEDIATELY paused visa issuance for individuals travelling on Afghan passports,” the agency wrote in an announcement on Twitter.

The statement added that “The Department is taking all necessary steps to protect U.S. national security and public safety.”

Secretary of State Marco Rubio replied to the post on social media, claiming:

“The United States has no higher priority than protecting our nation and our people.”

Lakanwal came to the U.S. in 2021 and was granted asylum in April 2025 under the Trump administration. Donald Trump has blamed the Biden administration for Lakanwal’s presence in the U.S., but it was his administration that granted Lakanwal asylum. 

When FBI director Kash Patel was asked about the vetting process, he refused to answer.

Prior to his arrival in the US, Lakanwal worked with the CIA “as a member of a partner force in Kandahar,” John Ratcliffe, CIA Director, said in a statement.

In a statement on Friday, US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) director Joseph Edlow said his agency had paused all asylum decisions in the interest of the “safety of the American people”.

“USCIS has halted all asylum decisions until we can ensure that every alien is vetted and screened to the maximum degree possible.”

Edlow also called for “a full-scale, rigorous re-examination of every green card for every alien from every country of concern.”

There are currently 19 countries labelled as “high-risk” by the USCIS, including Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen, Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela.

A poor vetting process

The arrest and subsequent visa restrictions have sparked questions about why Lakanwal received a visa at all, and critics on both sides of the political spectrum are calling for an investigation into the vetting process used by the United States under Donald Trump.

Additionally, it was revealed that prior to his arrival in the US, Lakanwal worked with the CIA “as a member of a partner force in Kandahar,” according to CIA Director John Ratcliffe.

“He went cuckoo. I mean, he went nuts. It happens too often with these people. You see them. But look, this is how they come in, they’re standing on top of each other,”

-Donald Trump

Lakanwal now faces charges of assault with intent to kill while armed and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence.

Trump has now promised to send 500 more National Guard troops to Washington, D.C., though it’s unclear where the additional troops would come from.

Rocking the administration

US President Donald Trump speaks while signing the bill package to reopen the federal government in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on November 12, 2025. Congress on Wednesday ended the longest government shutdown in US history, 43 days that paralyzed Washington and left hundreds of thousands of workers unpaid while Republicans and Democrats played a high-stakes blame game. The Republican-led House of Representatives voted largely along party lines to approve a Senate-passed package that will reopen federal departments and agencies, as many Democrats fume over what they see as a capitulation by party leaders. (Photo by Brendan SMIALOWSKI / AFP) (Photo by BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images)

The shooting of Wolfe and Beckstrom has rocked the Trump administration over the last week. Just days ago, on November 27, Donald Trump snapped at a reporter who questioned Lakanwal’s vetting process, calling her “a stupid person.”

“Are you stupid? Are you a stupid person? They came in on a plane along with thousands of other people that shouldn’t be here, and you’re just asking questions because you’re a stupid person.”

Lakanwal came to the US as part of the Biden-era program “Operation Allies Welcome,” which came after the US extracted its troops from Afghanistan. Lakanwal was not granted asylum until 2025, after Donald Trump was elected.  

AfghanEvac comments

Nonprofit group AfghanEvac denounced the visa pausing, calling the administration’s decision a “violation of federal law.”

AfghanEvac President Shawn VanDiver released a statement on November 28 calling the decision unlawful.

It appears Secretary Rubio is attempting to shut down the Afghan Special Immigrant Visa program in direct violation of federal law and standing court orders. He is seemingly acting at the direction of President Trump and Stephen Miller, and there is no doubt this is the outcome they have been driving toward for months

It’s unclear how the US government will enact these new directives, or how quickly it will happen. Donald Trump said on Thursday, “You can’t get them out once they come in.”

At least 400,000 people have been deported from the U.S. since Donald Trump took office.

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Trump calls another reporter a “stupid person”

The president of the United States has added another classy remark to his resume of reporter communications, less than a week after calling a woman “piggy”.

Donald Trump lashed out at a reporter on Thursday after being asked about the vetting of the suspect in the shooting of two National Guardsmen in Washington, D.C.

Trump pressed by reporter

During the press conference at Mar-a-Lago on Thursday, Donald Trump was asked about the shooting of two members of the National Guard on Wednesday in D.C. The shooter, who was a suspected Afghan National, had reportedly been vetted by the state.

“U.S. officials say that the suspect worked very closely with the VIA in Afghanistan for years, that he was vetted, and the vetting came up clean.”

Trump claimed the asylum process used by the U.S. forces on asylum seekers coming from Afghanistan via plane was ineffective and had failed to vet the shooter properly.

“He went cuckoo. I mean, he went nuts. It happens too often with these people. You see them. But look, this is how they come in, they’re standing on top of each other,”

Trump continued to say that “There was no vetting or anything. They came in unvetted, and we have a lot of others in this country, and we’re going to get them out.”

The reporter tried pressing Trump, correcting him, “Actually, your DOJ IG [Department of Justice Inspector General] just reported this year that there was thorough vetting by DHS and by the FBI of these Afghans who were brought into the U.S.,”

Trump cut off the reporter angrily.

“Because they let them in. Are you stupid? Are you a stupid person? They came in on a plane along with thousands of other people that shouldn’t be here, and you’re just asking questions because you’re a stupid person.”

He then claimed that it was impossible to remove the people who came in as part of the immigration policies of former U.S. President Joe Biden.

At least 400,000 people have been deported from the U.S. since Donald Trump took office.

Washington, D.C. shooting

WASHINGTON, DC – NOVEMBER 26: Members of the U.S. Secret Service and other law enforcement agencies respond to a shooting near the White House on November 26, 2025 in Washington, DC. At least two uniformed military personnel, appearing to be National Guardsmen, have been shot blocks from the White House. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Just after 2 PM on Wednesday, November 26, two members of the U.S. National Guard were shot near Farragut Square in downtown Washington, DC.

The soldiers, both hailing from West Virginia were on a high-visibility patrol near the corner of 17th and I street, an area that services lunchtime needs for White House staff.

Washington Metropolitan Police Assistant Chief Jeff Carroll said the shooter “came around the corner” and “immediately started firing”. He claimed the soldiers were ‘ambushed’.

Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser called the shooting a targeted attack.

The victims were 20-year-old Sarah Beckstrom and 24-year-old Andrew Wolfe.

Specialist Beckstrom died from her injuries on Thursday; Wolfe remains in critical condition.

Who was the shooter?

The suspected gunman has been identified by law enforcement as 29-year-old Rahmanullah Lakanwal. He will be charged with three counts of assault with the intent to kill while armed and criminal possession of a weapon.

Lakanwal is believed to come from Afghanistan. He came to the U.S. in 2021 and was granted asylum in April 2025 under the Trump administration.

When FBI director Kash Patel was asked about the vetting process, he refused to answer, instead referencing a post on X from Kristi Noem.

Donald Trump has blamed the Biden administration for Lakanwal’s presence in the U.S., but it was his administration that granted Lakanwal asylum.  

Prior to his arrival in the US, Lakanwal worked with the CIA “as a member of a partner force in Kandahar,” John Ratcliffe, CIA Director, said in a statement.

Lakanwal currently faces charges of assault with intent to kill while armed and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence.

Soon after the shooting, Trump said he would send 500 more National Guard troops to Washington, D.C., though it’s unclear where the additional troops would come from.

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Trump putting off Canada tariff hike among slough of controversies

After threatening Canada more than a month ago with another tariff hike, it seems Trump has lost his taste for the trade war, or maybe he’s forgotten.

It’s like nobody wants to remind the teacher that the homework is due.

Tariff threat in October

US President Donald Trump speaks to the press as he meets Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney during the Group of Seven (G7) Summit at the Pomeroy Kananaskis Mountain Lodge in Kananaskis, Alberta, Canada on June 16, 2025. (Photo by Brendan SMIALOWSKI / AFP) (Photo by BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images)

Donald Trump announced on Truth Social that he would be raising the tariffs on Canadian goods by 1 percent after the Ford administration ran an ad during Game One of the World Series.

“Canada was caught, red-handed, putting up a fraudulent advertisement on Ronald Reagan’s Speech on Tariffs.“

The ad in question featured clips from a Reagan speech where he was heard saying, “ When someone says, let’s impose tariffs on foreign imports, it looks like they’re doing the patriotic thing by protecting American products and jobs… But over the long run, such trade barriers hurt every American worker and consumer. High tariffs inevitably lead to retaliation by foreign countries and the triggering of fierce trade wars.”

Trump almost immediately had a temper tantrum, posting “TARIFFS ARE VERY IMPORTANT TO THE NATIONAL SECURITY, AND ECONOMY, OF THE U.S.A. Based on their egregious behavior, ALL TRADE NEGOTIATIONS WITH CANADA ARE HEREBY TERMINATED.”

Trump claimed he told the government of Ontario to pull the ad, but they didn’t listen.

“Their Advertisement was to be taken down, IMMEDIATELY, but they let it run last night during the World Series, knowing that it was a FRAUD,”

Yes, it’s a sad look for a world leader to throw a temper tantrum over a fairly tame attack ad (has he ever watched the ones his administration puts out?), but this is the reality in America.

A forgotten threat

It appears as though Trump has forgotten about the threat entirely, and it doesn’t seem like anyone is in a rush to remind him. American reporters haven’t prodded him (as a Canadian, I thank you), and according to reports by Politico, no official paperwork has been created regarding the 10% hike.

Maybe all is forgiven after Carney apologized to Trump at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in South Korea.

 “I have a very good relationship [with Carney]. I like him a lot, but what they did was wrong. He was very nice. He apologized for what they did with the commercial.”

Maybe Carney can tap into whatever charm newly elected NYC mayor, Zohran Mamdani, hypnotized Trump with over the weekend.

On his side, Doug Ford was unapologetic for the ad, “They’re talking about it in the U.S., and they weren’t talking about it before I put the ad on. I’m glad that Ronald Reagan was a free trader,” Ford said.

According to experts, the 10% hike could seriously jeopardize Canada’s steel-reliant auto manufacturing industry even further than the existing tariffs already have.

One U.S. official suggested the Trump administration had opted to hold off on additional duties—and instead choose to dangle the threat — as the two sides gear up for future talks.

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It’s possible Melanie Joly never read the Stellantis contracts: Committee Report

In a committee meeting on Tuesday, November 25th, regarding investments into Stellantis, Conservative MP Jeremy Patzer managed to pry out the fact that Melanie Joly, Minister of Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions, never read the contracts she claimed that Stellantis breached.

The issue stems from Stellantis’ announcement they would be moving production of the Jeep Compass to the U.S., laying off 3000 Canadians. Minister Melanie Joly claims that Stellantis breached the contract by doing this, but was unable to provide any proof of the claim.

The meeting came to a head when witnesses shared that neither Joly, the Privy Council Office (PCO), nor the government’s legal team had read the entirety of the $15bn contract before signing it.

The kicker?

Stellantis was supposed to be at the meeting, but failed to tune in due to “IT issues”.

Present in the meeting were Philip Jennings, Deputy Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development (ISED); Stephanie Tanton, Assistant Deputy Minister of Innovation Canada; Denis Martel, Director General of Innovation Canada; and Benoit Tessier, Director General of the Industry Sector—all appointed officials.

What are the Stellantis contracts?

The Government of Canada signed a multi-billion-dollar deal with automaker Stellantis to build a battery plant in Windsor, Ont. In total, the government of Canada has three contracts signed with Stellantis, all of which can reportedly be voided if Stellantis breaches any clauses.

The problem is that we don’t know what’s in the contracts, and the Minister who signed them might not know either. The government of Canada released 70 pages of documents, but they were heavily redacted, leaving other government officials wondering about the details.

In total, the contracts have avenues for $15bn in Canadian investment using public funds.

Joly never read the contract?

In the meeting on November 25, a meeting that a representative from Stellantis was supposed to be at but failed to show, Jeremy Patzer found out that nobody had read the contract.  

When it was time for the MP from Swift Current – Grasslands – Kindersley, Saskatchewan, to question witnesses, he first asked whether Joly approved all the redactions, to which Jennings replied, “We did not interact with the minister’s office about this, related to the redactions.”

When Patzer pushed further, asking, “Has the minister seen the fully redacted contract?”

“If she has, it certainly wouldn’t be through my office, so my sense is no.”

Jennings then continued to seemingly tell on himself and the minister.

“I have actually not seen the fully unredacted version myself.”

The answer clearly took Patzer by surprise, and he took a beat before continuing, asking, “You’re saying only four, maybe six other people have seen this contract? Has the Privy Council (PCO) seen the contract?

“My sense is no, they would not have seen it, we really treat these documents with a lot of care so at the end of the day its on a need to know basis.”

Apparently, the elected officials signing off on the document don’t “need to know”.

Jennings did go on to clarify, “these were negotiated before I was deputy… Had it been negotiated when I was deputy, I would have seen the documents,” but could not confirm whether the previous deputy had seen the contracts.

Jennings was then asked whether any sort of legal department had seen the contracts, to which he asked to convene with Tanton, Martel, and Tessier.

Tanton responded, saying that legal oversaw certain clauses of the contract, but “do they see the whole thing? Denis? No I don’t think so.” Denis Martel shook his head when she turned to him mid-sentence.

Patzer sat open-mouthed and shocked. Yes, that’s right, the legal team for a contract estimated at $15bn wasn’t overseen in full by any legal team before being signed by elected government officials at the directive of appointed department employees.

“[The legal team] would be pulled in where clauses are deviating from what we would normally negotiate.”

It leaves the question, how does Minister Melanie Joly know what clauses Stellantis has breached, and how many other items are in the contract that let the corporations cut Canadian jobs?

Breaching a contract you’ve never seen

Suspicion about the $15bn deal began in a meeting on November 3rd, where Minister Joly herself was present.

The meeting began with a speech from Joly, who claimed that Stellantis had breached its contract through job guarantees and that the government would take action to rectify the situation.

When Joly was asked about the specifics of the job guarantee in the contract, she was unable to give any solid numbers. Since the Government has only released a heavily redacted version of the contract, there was no way for Committee members to dispute her claim.

“You will see in the contract, you will see that there’s job numbers – the government will be acting in good faith.”

Joly cited that one reason for the redaction was “commercially sensitive” matters. Still, the government had no problem releasing unredacted versions of a similar contract signed with NextStar Energy to fund a battery plant, sparking questions in Parliament.

Joly then failed to answer a follow-up about a specific clause linking the three Stellantis contracts.

“Maybe Charles [Vincent], if you want to be able to address the question?”

Charles Vincent is the Senior Assistant Deputy Minister of the Industry Sector.

Contrasting claims

LA MALBAIE, CANADA – MARCH 14: Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs Melanie Joly talks to the press in closing remarks at the G7 Foreign Ministers Meeting at the Fairmont Manoir Richelieu on March 14, 2025 in La Malbaie, Canada. The foreign ministers of the Group of Seven major democracies – Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States, will meet on March 12-14. (Photo by Andrej Ivanov/Getty Images)

Shortly after trying to deflect to Vincent, Joly gave a conflicting statement, claiming that “[the contract] is linked to the fact that the Brampton facility must be operating – if the Brampton facility ceases production, there will be a violation of a contract.”

Charles Vincent claimed that there are “regular commitments around jobs, around the maintenance of activities.”

Once again, no details.

Joly was then asked whether she would withdraw the funding (up to $15bn) if they don’t “properly equip” the 3,000 laid-off employees in Brampton.

Joly said they would “continue to hold [Stellantis] accountable,” but refused to confirm whether the government would cut funding.

“You’ve kind of been quite evasive about the numbers, whether there’s a real guarantee. It should be explicit if you’re going to give a historic amount of taxpayer funding. I’m not sure you understand the amount of money you have committed.”

-Raquel Dancho

Dancho broke down the sheer volume of wealth, saying that it would take 647,000 two-member households a full year of work to fund this bill.

Not understanding

It’s more than likely that MP Dancho is correct; Minister Joly does not understand the amount of money because she hasn’t read an unedited version of the contract she signed.

According to Patzer, the government has already paid out almost half a billion dollars of this contract, and apparently, not a single elected official has seen the details. A contract designed to create Canadian jobs may end up paying for factories in America.

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Opinions are split on Carney’s new energy deal

Ottawa and Alberta signed a brand new energy deal on Thursday that has sent positive and negative feelings throughout every actor involved in Canadian politics.

The deal promises a new bitumen that will run from Alberta all the way to the coast of British Columbia. The decision has sent climate supporters reeling and has left Indigenous groups furious.

The deal also confirmed that Carney’s government will not impose the proposed cap on oil and gas emissions and will amend the “greenwashing” provisions, which his government first announced in the Liberals’ Nov. 4 budget.

The deal outlines both Ottawa’s and Alberta’s commitments to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.

The new pipeline will be in addition to the extension being built to the Trans Mountain pipeline.

 What does Carney think?

PM Carney was all smiles as he shook hands with controversial Alberta Premier Danielle Smith. Premier Smith has been heavily criticized for her stance on climate change, immigration, vaccines, and social programs that Canadians rely on.  

“At the core of the agreement, of course, it’s a priority to have a pipeline to Asia. That’s going to make Canada stronger, more independent, more resilient, more sustainable,”

-Mark Carney

Carney claims the deal will “set the stage for an industrial transformation.” And that the deal is “multifaceted”.

Problems in BC

The government of British Columbia has rejected the deal, which would give Alberta an exemption to a federally imposed ban that stops oil tankers from carrying more than 12,500 tonnes of crude oil and other persistent oil products as cargo off B.C.’s North Coast.

First Nations groups in the area want the tanker ban to remain, with the Heiltsuk Nation stating that coastal First Nations communities are “ground zero for the dangers of marine accidents, including oil spills, and we shoulder the burden of risk of expanded marine traffic.”

BC Premier David Aby has also made his thoughts known.

“The vast majority of those projects rely on the support of coastal First Nations, for whom the oil tanker ban is the sole reason they’re able to tolerate those other projects,”

First Nations say it will ‘never happen’

The president of the Coastal First Nations in B.C. made her stance clear. Marilyn Slett said her group, which represents nearly a dozen First Nations, has been completely left in the dark and that an oil pipeline to the province’s North Coast “will never happen”.

“While the details of this MOU remain to be seen, under no circumstances can it override our inherent and constitutional rights and title, or deter our deep interconnection of mutual respect for the ocean.”

First Nations groups in Alberta are also opposing the deal,

“It’s frustrating when people are having talks, and we’re absent from the table,” said Cold Lake First Nations Chief Kelsey Jacko.

Liberal MP resigns

OTTAWA, CANADA – MAY 13: Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture and Minister responsible for Official Languages, is sworn in at Rideau Hall for the cabinet’s swearing-in ceremony on May 13, 2025 in Ottawa, Canada. Newly elected Prime Minister Mark Carney unveiled his cabinet and promised “decisive action” on his ambitious economic agenda as the country faces strained relations with the U.S. over trade tariffs. (Photo by Andrej Ivanov/Getty Images)

Possibly the most dramatic reaction came from Steven Guilbeault, a Liberal MP from Quebec, who resigned his seat in protest of the deal.

In a lengthy statement posted to Twitter, Guilbeault said he informed the prime minister of his decision on Thursday, noting he is also departing from his role as Carney’s Quebec lieutenant.

“I chose to enter politics to champion the fight against climate change and the protection of the environment.”

Guilbeault outlined a myriad of reasons why the deal goes against his beliefs.

“There was no consultation with the Indigenous Nations of the West Coast of BC, or with the provincial government.”

He also cited how lifting the tanker ban in BC could “significantly increase the risk of accidents in the region.”

The tanker ban was unanimously passed by the House of Commons in 1972 due to the treacherous nature of the Hecate Strait, the route tankers need to take. The Hecate Strait is known as the most dangerous body of water in Canada.

There are no set plans for the construction of this pipeline, but Carney claims they will “build big, we will build fast.

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Company lobbying Ottawa to secure submarine deal

As the competition for Canada’s lucrative submarine project winds to a close, it looks like Germany might be the candidate to run away with it after a Norwegian defence company is using its country’s Arctic link to persuade Canada.

“We like to lose to Canada in ice hockey. It’s one of the countries we like to lose to. The cultural fit, being Arctic-centric nations, being NATO members — there’s so much alignment.”

-Kjetil Myhra, executive vice president of defence systems at Kongsberg

Myhra told media outlets that his firm is already an expert in creating submarine infrastructure in Arctic conditions, something this project would certainly entail.

Kongsberg is supporting Germany’s ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems, or TKMS, in the bid. If successful, they would be rewarded with the multi-billion dollar contract to build a fleet of submarines designed to patrol Canada’s Arctic coast.

An international effort

Jacques Esser, investor relations manager at ThyssenKrupp’s naval unit ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS), walks past his company’s logo prior to TKMS’ initial public offer at the stock exchange in Frankfurt am Main, western Germany, on October 20, 2025. (Photo by Kirill KUDRYAVTSEV / AFP via Getty Images)

What makes this particular bid interesting is that it’s a merger of Germany’s and Norway’s respective governments. It appears that TKMS, backed by Kongsberg, are presenting itself as part of a group of nations and private companies working toward the same goal.

With TKMS bringing in a company whose expertise lies in building advanced submarine technology, Germany is potentially suggesting a linked international submarine fleet.

With Russia continually threatening northern waters, it’s an offer the Canadian government may be inclined to take.

Kongsberg, which was already contracted by TKMS, will be lending the TKMS 212CD subs its combat system, dubbed ORCCA, which will operate in the Norwegian and German subs. It will also operate in Canadian subs if TKMS wins the contract.

In need of a marine fleet

The H.M.C.S. Victoria, one of Canada’s recently acquired diesel and electric submarines, tied up at the dock at the Canadian Navy base Esquimalt. The Victoria is one of four submarines which, bought used from the British government, were grounded when one member of the submarine crew died on board the HMCS Chicoutimi during a fire that crippled the submarine while returning from England. | Location: Esquimalt, British Columbia, Canada. (Photo by Christopher Morris/Corbis via Getty Images)

Canada is currently in a race to replace its aged fleet of submarines: the Victoria class. The Victoria subs are scheduled for retirement in 2035, but three of the four ships have already been retired.

The Canadian government is looking to purchase a fleet of 12 submarines from foreign suppliers. Only TKMS and South Korea’s Hanwha Oceans remain in contention for the contract.

Kongsberg executives have been meeting in Canada regularly over the last month, trying to push their case. Part of their argument is resume: Konsberg has been receiving Canadian contracts for decades and exporting defence tech into international markets.

The company is currently under contract for the Royal Navy, outfitting naval River-class destroyers with key operating components and naval strike missiles.

LONDON, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 10: The Kongsberg company logo is displayed during the Security Equipment International (DSEI) at London Excel on September 10, 2025 in London, England. The Defence and Security Equipment International (DSEI) hosts defence equipment manufacturers from around the world at a 4-day exhibition in London. Anti-war protesters gather outside in the hope of preventing the event from going ahead. (Photo by John Keeble/Getty Images)

Kongsberg is also looking to purchase a factory in Newfoundland. Kjetil Myhra told the media that “The message that we’re also carrying here to Canada is, make sure that you build long-term relationships that build sustainable jobs for Canada and not just something that comes in for a particular program, and when the program ends, the jobs goes away,”

Ottawa privately sent bid instructions to the two sub makers on Nov. 14. The Canadian government has refused to release those instructions, citing concerns for national security.

“Given the sensitive nature of procuring an advanced submarine capability, the bid instructions will not be made public, given the national security and sovereignty context,”

-Nicole Allen, Public Services and Procurement Canada spokesperson.

Reportedly, the instructions said the government’s scoring of the bids will place most of the emphasis on the boats’ long-term maintenance.