The News Rundown
- Many people will remember the SNC-Lavalin scandal with Justin Trudeau and Jody Wilson-Raybould as the first big scandal that was the beginning of the end for the Trudeau administration.
- This, alongside his visit to the Aga Khan’s personal island, were some of his biggest ethics violations.
- There were questions about whether or not the RCMP would press charges.
- This week in an online interview Poilievre said, “these would normally have led to criminal charges but of course the RCMP covered it all up and the leadership of the RCMP is just despicable when it comes to enforcing laws against the Liberal government.”
- The discussion happened in an online interview on a channel called Northern Perspective. The question itself was in response to how Poilievre would handle a potential minister who broke ethics rules.
- This comment has spurred a firestorm of commentary suggesting that Pierre Poilievre wants to lock up his opponents and try them similar to proceedings presently happening in the United States.
- The typical media response to this was that Poilievre offered no new evidence of a cover up, they asked the RCMP and they said similar, and that they don’t take orders from political individuals.
- This should of course have been the end of the story but this has opened the flood gates.
- Former Director of Communications and Senior Advisor Dimitri Soudas penned an opinion piece in the Toronto Star saying that Poilievre was “dismantling the principled, trustworthy Conservative Party.”
- Soudas highlights the party being built with the inspiration of the likes of Sir John A. Macdonald and John Diefenbaker.
- Soudas said that no political leader should call for their opposition to be jailed. Poilievre did not say that but the media is taking those leaps to make it seem as though that’s what he said.
- Soudas also criticized Poilievre’s language on the campaign trail saying he was reduced to punchlines.
- This piece by Soudas spurred others including the CBC and Althia Raj of the Toronto Star and CBC to start saying things like, “When a Harper Conservative goes after Pierre Poilievre, you know there’s blood in the water.”
- Most of the journalists and outlets that promoted Soudas’ piece are not Conservative supporters.
- The reality is that Soudas is his own person. His views do not represent the views of Stephen Harper and in fact Soudas has bought a Liberal membership in the past to vote for his fiancé Eve Adams in the Eglinton-Lawrence nomination meeting against Marco Mendicino in 2015.
- We don’t know his involvement with that membership beyond that so it may indeed be foolish to call him a card carrying Liberal.
- The truth of the matter is that with all the information put into the public it does look like there was ample evidence of obstruction by Trudeau and his people.
- The relevant exchanges surfaced again in the Toronto Sun by columnist Brian Lilley late this week.
- And let us also remember that in October 2023 when MPs were questioning RCMP Commissioner Mike Duheme the Liberals moved to adjourn the meeting and the NDP and Bloc voted with them and that was the end of the investigation by government officials.
- While many are focused on the theatrics of the media going against a YouTube channel there was some substantive news on the SNC Lavalin scandal from Democracy Watch.
- On Wednesday this past week Democracy Watch released the second letter it has sent to Ontario’s Attorney General Doug Downey Randy Schwartz, Assistant Deputy Attorney General, Criminal Law Division, calling on them to have an independently appointed special prosecutor review the evidence and Democracy Watch’s application in the Ontario Court of Justice in Ottawa for approval from the court to proceed with a private prosecution of former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for pressuring, and directing others to pressure, then-Attorney General Jody Wilson-Raybould to stop the prosecution of SNC-Lavalin in 2018.
- Democracy Watch first requested the appointment of a special prosecutor last March.
- It is also interesting to note that Quebec has had an independent anti-corruption police force and prosecutors since 2011 and Democracy Watch argues that if a similar apparatus existed federally it is likely that the Trudeau administration would not have been able to shut down the investigation.
- The reason Democracy Watch is going to the Ontario attorney general is that it lies within the province’s attorney general’s power to decide whether or not the stay issued by the Crown can be lifted.
- John Corelli, Director of the Complex Prosecutions Bureau at Ontario’s Ministry of the Attorney General has previously stopped Democracy Watch’s application to have a special prosecutor appointed.
- Past letters from the Ontario Attorney General’s office suggest that as of now there is no reasonable prospect that the Crown could prove Trudeau engaged in criminal conduct and that there is no reasonable prospect that he acted with criminal intent.
- Also, they do not see it in the public interest to hear any new evidence.
- They summarize that this is not a case where the core facts are unknown or new evidence is likely to become available, therefore the proceedings were stayed under s. 579(1) of the Criminal Code.
- What we have just gone through is a ton of legalese. Why? Note the difference in language and the similarities.
- Poilievre points the finger at the RCMP and does not outright say Trudeau should be in jail, he just says the RCMP did not do their job.
- Democracy Watch wants the case re-opened so that a special prosecutor can do the job the RCMP did not do.
- Nowhere does Poilievre suggest going a non legal route.
- The big difference in terms of what the media is missing from this story is their omission that there are avenues to re-open the case and that there are groups in Canada trying to do just that.
- With that we again see the media only covering the surface level story when there is as always some element of truth to the story they brush away.
- Supplementals:
- The BC NDP are quickly losing the faith of one of their traditional voting bases, that of white collar government workers, with the ongoing BC General Employees Union strike that has now lasted almost 2 months. With the government virtually silent and unwilling to put forth a palatable wage increase above inflation, the BCGEU has continually escalated the strike that now includes all government liquor and cannabis stores, various crown corporations, government ministries like Health Finance and Service BC, StudentAid BC, ICBC, and even the Royal BC Museum. Private liquor and cannabis stores are also impacted because their product supply is cut off from the Liquor Distribution Branch warehouses, and The hospitality sector, including restaurants, hotels and bars are also facing a shortage of liquor.
- Even other unions that have had their agreements expire, like the Professional Employees Association, have joined the strike in solidarity, once it was clear during talks on Tuesday that the government wasn't prepared to improve its offer of a general wage increase of 3.5 per cent over a two-year agreement.
- The PEA and BCGEU are two different unions. The PEA represents licensed professionals who work for the province, while the BCGEU represents a number of public service workers. Between the two, there are now about 27,000 workers on strike throughout the province.
- The PEA has previously said that some of its workers are essential and would remain on the job, including hydrologists with the B.C. River Forecast Centre, and child and youth psychologists with the Ministry of Children and Family Development.
- David Eby said Tuesday the government is working closely to ensure a fair offer is being made to members of the BC General Employees’ Union, and the government is hoping to get back to the bargaining table as soon as possible.
- Speaking at an unrelated news conference, Eby said it has been an “incredibly challenging time” not just for the restaurant sector but for many British Columbians who are looking to get government services, such as permits or licences.
- “It has been a long strike. I know it’s frustrating, but we hope to get back to the table to resolve this as quickly as possible.”
- Finance Minister Brenda Bailey, who speaks for the government in the dispute, said in a video statement over the weekend that the government can’t agree to a deal that makes service delivery too expensive to maintain.
- Paul Finch, president of the BCGEU, said there has been no indication from the province that it plans to come back to the table: “We don’t believe that their words are matching their actions. Frankly, they haven’t indicated they’re willing to negotiate. Negotiations are back and forth. It means both sides have to move to try and find common ground. They haven’t been willing to do that.”
- In a statement, B.C. Conservative children and family development critic Rosalyn Bird said the ongoing public service workers strike is disrupting applications and payment processing for those relying on social assistance and disabilities programs.
- Bird also criticized the NDP government's fiscal management, saying the growing debt and deficit levels are hampering B.C.'s ability to serve its residents.
- “When a woman, a former child in care, or any ordinary B.C. resident can’t access their monthly life-enabling supports because the system buckled under the weight of government failure, collateral damage among average British Columbians is inevitable,” she said in the statement.
- A recent industry survey showed 76 per cent working in hospitality jobs are facing workforce reductions; just over six per cent have already made layoffs; 78 per cent fear closure and 41 per cent will lay off staff if the strike continues.
- The BCGEU and the provincial government have now agreed to enter non-binding mediation after the government's request on Thursday, but union members will maintain picket lines across B.C. during the process.
- Finch said members’ solidarity and determination brought the government back to the table. Mediation is expected to begin as soon as possible, according to the union, but it said the process is non-binding and any tentative agreement reached would have to be ratified by BCGEU members before it is finalized.
- Perhaps Eby is hoping that British Columbians will forget about this strike by the time the next provincial election rolls around. In the meantime, British Columbians will have to wait, either for the end of the strike, for government services, or to get a fair wage increase.
- Supplementals:
- This week Premier Danielle Smith and Red Tape Reduction Minister Dale Nally announced that come 2026 Alberta would be changing license plates.
- Now before we dive into this story there was also the Wyant report on AHS procurement that was dropped on Friday. Those against license plate changes do mention it but it’s important to note that Wyant found no wrongful interference by the Premier, cabinet, and political staff. It recommended steps to prevent AHS staffers from being involved in conflicts of interest.
- The license plates will be provided for free upon vehicle registration renewal or for $28 if Albertans want the new one when it arrives.
- If people like their current plate they can keep it.
- There are 8 visually distinct options that the province is presenting.
- They all feature a new slogan “Strong and Free” a change from the “Wild Rose Country” slogan that has been in place since 1984 when the province last changed license plates.
- Until November 5th Albertans will have the option of voting for the plate they like best. Voting will take place in tournament style starting with 8 then 4 then 2.
- The plates are named as follows.
- Cowboy heritage showing a herd of cattle on a rural road in the foothills in a fall scene.
- Flag with mountains showing the Alberta flag with the 3 sisters mountains in Bow valley.
- Standard white with blue, a white plate with blue writing.
- Standard white with red, the plate that looks most like what we have now but with the new slogan.
- Hay fields with mountains, a summer scene in the foothills showing the rise of the mountains in the distance.
- Ranching cowboys with pump jack, a big blue sky with mountains, oil pump jack, and ranching cowboys.
- Mount Lougheed, a photo of Mount Lougheed in the lower third with Alberta’s big blue sky.
- And finally, Moraine Lake located in Banff national park.
- All plates feature the Alberta logo, a wild rose, and the slogan “Strong and Free”.
- Nally said that the plates could cost his ministry $2m but he is expecting the price tag to be between $25,000 and $50,000. The cost for the plates is already a part of his ministry’s budget and the total budget for that ministry is just more than $200m.
- Most of the criticism has come from the Strong and Free slogan.
- Many who are inherently opposed to the plates and this government see this slogan as the biggest problem.
- Some have said that the slogan stokes separatist sentiment around Alberta Sovereignty.
- Premier Danielle Smith on this said, “There is no political ideology that owns Strong and Free. It’s something all Albertans can get behind and celebrate.” She also said the phrase serves as a nod to the national anthem and illustrates “Alberta’s position as a strong and sovereign province within a united Canada.”
- Others have said that the slogan is creating a UCP license plate since “Alberta Strong and Free” is the UCP’s slogan that it ran on in 2019 and 2023.
- The very interesting part is that it’s not just uneducated Albertans who hate the UCP saying this, political scientist Duane Bratt of Mount Royal University also tied it to the UCP.
- The reality of it though is that Alberta’s coat of arms adopted in 1905 features the phrase in Latin as “Fortis et Liber.”
- More modernly “Strong and Free” features from our national anthem as in “the true north Strong and Free”.
- Opposition NDP leader Naheed Nenshi pointed out that the province could instead devote energy to the teachers strike and the interim Alberta Health Services report by former Manitoba judge Raymond Wyant.
- If we go back in time to 1984 the outgoing plate was designed by the Lougheed government to be a postcard on wheels. The media saw it as fresh as an emblem of Alberta’s natural beauty and the success of the province.
- Even in 1984 though there was a push to have the slogan be “Strong and Free” and the debate then said that the slogan was too strong and aggressive and too American.
- The criticisms levied today are not that but are certainly manufactured as complaints when the words are right in the national anthem and should make those happy who strive for Alberta to remain in Canada.
- Supplementals:
Firing Line
Quote of the Week
“These would normally have led to criminal charges but of course the RCMP covered it all up and the leadership of the RCMP is just despicable when it comes to enforcing laws against the Liberal government.” - Pierre Poilievre on the potential re-opening of the SNC-Lavalin case by the RCMP.
Word of the Week
Tabloid - a style of journalism that focuses on scandalous and sensational content, often involving celebrities.
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Show Data
- Episode Title: Annoyed by Tabloid
- Teaser: Poilievre says the RCMP helped cover up Trudeau scandals, the BCGEU strike requires mediation, and Alberta is modernizing their license plates. Also, Trudeau’s relationship with Katy Perry unnecessarily dominates the headlines.
- Production Code: WC-440-2025-10-18
- Recorded Date: October 18, 2025
- Release Date: October 19, 2025
- Duration: 56:54
- Edit Notes: Pause after Patreon and after FL
Podcast Summary Notes
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