The News Rundown
- Press Progress is laying off staff due to financial issues as a result of an ongoing defamation lawsuit by 2019 UCP nomination candidate Caylan Ford.
- Press Progress is an online news outlet established by the NDP-oriented Broadbent Institute.
- Several employees over the week announced that they would be leaving Press Progress as a result of being laid off.
- One employee, Emma Arkell said, “Press Progress has been put in a pretty dire financial situation because of a major lawsuit, so while this wasn’t exactly a total surprise for me, I didn’t think it would come to this so soon.”
- The Broadbent Institute did respond to request for comment by online outlet Western Standard. In their statement, the Broadbent Institute said, “[we] made the difficult decision to reduce two full-time staff positions in light of recent financial challenges. The consequence is more accurately due to budget pressures."
- For those unaware the Caylan Ford case is the result of Press Progress surfacing and publishing fake news designed to defame Caylan Ford as she was running to be the UCP MLA for Calgary-Mountain View. She was accused by political strategist Karim Jivraj of having “white supremacist views” on Facebook Messenger. Jivraj then took these fake screenshots to Press Progress and Press Progress published the story.
- Ford just recently has published a full accounting of the case and how it went and the result of her defence in court to her Substack. You can find that linked in the supplementals for this episode.
- The essentials of it are that after she won the nomination for Calgary-Mountain View in 2018 a former friend, Karim Jivraj, launched a shadow campaign against her fuelled with false rumours, a fraudulent website domain, took over the local party board, and leaked a fake letter that she was a parachute candidate from Ontario.
- The letter was sent to Press Progress under a fake name and they published it as fact with no fact checking. Later Press Progress kept working with Jivraj dropping text messages that were shared without full context despite the editors knowing that.
- Ultimately, Ford resigned and was replaced in Mountain View. Given the dynamics of the 2019 election it could have been a swing riding.
- The messages posted Ford says were taken out of context and then a coordinated campaign was used to end her political career. The lawsuit initially included 14 defendants and to this point Ford has reached settlements with six of them.
- Non-profit group Progress Alberta paid Ford $250,000, while the other five defendants settled out of court for undisclosed amounts.
- Press Progress editor Luke Lebrun in court this past April admitted that he never asked Jivraj for the full text messages or the context before publishing and only relying on excerpts.
- As of now trial testimony in the Ford case has concluded, with oral arguments scheduled to begin on October 7 and expected to last three days before a ruling is expected to be reached.
- Now Press Progress is attempting to look like the good guy by supporting Progressive Tory leader Peter Guthrie’s attempt for anti-SLAPP legislation. SLAPP covers the type of lawfare used and described where the legal system is used to intimidate, silence, or financially exhaust others.
- Press Progress now of course wants this because they see that this could have and might be a protection angle for them.
- They do not talk about the Ford case one bit. But they still attempt to look like the darling to anyone who dislikes the UCP and is looking for an online progressive news outlet.
- The worst of all of this is that during the 2019 campaign 3 of the 5 weeks we covered here on Western Context dealt with fake news.
- One of which was the Ford story. The mainstream media just picked up the inertia of these stories and ran with it. They never bothered to question why Ford resigned or look back on the story. They effectively published the fake news that Press Progress created.
- Why? It generated clicks and resonated strongly in Edmonton.
- That’s the problem with the media and no matter how decisively Ford wins her case, that will always be the playbook going forward in Alberta. Until that changes Albertans are not being served well by their media.
- Supplementals:
- Former federal NDP leader Jagmeet Singh is being considered for an appointment as the new chief executive officer of Destination Canada, the country’s national tourism marketing organization.
- It is not clear if Singh has any experience in the tourism industry. The possible appointment is expected to be met with harsh criticism due to Singh's past political history. Singh was instrumental in keeping former prime minister Justin Trudeau in power for years after the 2021 federal election through a confidence-and-supply agreement.
- Destination Canada is a federal Crown corporation handling a $142-million annual budget dedicated to marketing and promoting Canadian tourism globally. The previous CEO, Marsha Walden, officially retired in June 2026 after leading the organization for six years.
- Public records indicate the Governor-in-Council sets the base salary for this specific executive role between $271,700 and $319,600 annually, plus performance bonuses.
- Conservative Tourism Critic Tony Baldinelli publicly denounced the move, accusing the government of treating the billion-dollar marketing Crown corporation like a political reward for Singh propping up the Liberals during his time in Parliament.
- Niagara Falls Conservative MP Tony Baldinelli, the party's shadow minister for tourism, was scathing of the possible appointment in a statement.
- “Mr. Singh has already done enough damage to our country by propping up the Liberal government in the previous Parliament. Now, it seems that Prime Minister Mark Carney may consider rewarding him for past services that benefited the Liberal party. Our tourism workers and businesses need a competent and qualified leader in this role, not just another member of the Liberal club. We need someone with sound judgment and experience that understands this industry across all of its diverse sectors.”
- Commentators have pointed out the suspicious timing of the news. It coincides closely with Singh securing his lucrative federal parliamentary pension, leaving the impression that public funds are being used to pad a political ally's career transition.
- The primary argument from opposition critics is that Singh deliberately delayed forcing a federal election throughout late 2024 and early 2025 solely to run down the clock on his personal pension eligibility. The revelation in July 2026 that he is now lined up for a $271,700 to $359,000 patronage job at Destination Canada is viewed by detractors as a final "double-dip" payout arranged by the government. Singh has consistently rejected these claims, calling the pension accusations a "tired old lie" designed to distract voters.
- Outside of the main story from CTV, which was reposted in several other outlets verbatim, there has been little on this story in the mainstream media. We'll have to see if the controversy and backlash will get the government to reverse its decision.
- Supplementals:
- A Canadian NATO intern was arrested in Belgium on the suspicion of spying for China. Belgian officials said the woman worked at NATO’s military headquarters in the city of Mons and was a “Canadian national of Chinese origin”.
- They also suspect that the woman was spying for China and was working with a criminal organization.
- Upon this story making its way back to Canada, CBC News identified the woman as Biwei Zhang who worked for the Canadian Space Agency and StatsCAn.
- Interestingly enough Belgian courts do not publicly identify defendants until trial. CBC News used “open source investigative techniques.”
- Before CBC News published their story Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree said that his ministry would investigate whether the person worked for any agencies.
- According to Zhang’s LinkedIn profile, she held positions at the National Research Council in 2017, StatsCan as an economist from April 2018 to October 2022, then a systems engineer at the Canadian Space Agency.
- She also lists experience as a policy analyst for the European Space Agency, and the economic research and statistics division of the World Trade Organization, as well as positions on "mirror committees" of the Standards Council of Canada, a Crown corporation that acts as "Canada's voice on standards and accreditation on the international stage."
- Former CSIS intelligence officer Dan Stanton said that intern positions such as the ones that Zhang used are a “excellent road-in” that are in his own words an “an Achilles heel” for organizations like NATO.
- Contrary to spy movies, he says, "Most of the biggest secrets in espionage aren't as a result of stealing files or accessing data banks. It's conversations, it's hearing things.”
- Chinese authorities up to this point have obviously not responded for any requests to comment.
- Going back to Belgium, security consultant, Marc Rhys, who is a retired Lieutenant General in the Belgian military said the arrest of Zhang raises serious questions for all allies about China. He said, “We can’t do without China but how can we limit the influence that China has on the rest of the world?”
- We have of course most recently seen the question of China pop up in relation to the import of their electric vehicles and in the past on everything from the detention of Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor in retaliation for the arrest of the Huawei CFO. Of course China has also sought to increase its influence amongst the Chinese diaspora in Canada and of course one of the earliest and biggest, the collapse of Nortel in Canada.
- At this point we don’t know how deep Zhang’s influence was and what her ultimate goal was. We do know, however, that Canada must remain vigilant as similar cases with the Winnipeg lab where two scientists shared confidential information with China, otherwise known as spying.
- Canada-China interference has been an ongoing issue and it’s clear up to this point that the federal government has not taken this file seriously. They must do so before more institutions become compromised.
- Supplementals:
Firing Line
- Controversy has arisen in BC this week over the BC NDP's approval of the Tilbury LNG project, along with the revelation of surprising manufactured opposition from within Premier David Eby's own cabinet.
- The expansion of LNG storage and liquefaction at FortisBC’s Tilbury LNG facility in Delta is being expedited by the province. Energy Minister Adrian Dix touted the project, which will increase the facility’s capacity to turn natural gas into LNG by 650,000 tonnes, and will upgrade the gas pipeline linking the LNG facility with the Tilbury Gate Station on River Road. Construction is expected to start next year and be completed by 2031.
- To help the Tilbury project along, Dix said the government is allowing FortisBC to skip the requirement for a certificate of public convenience and necessity from the B.C. Utilities Commission.
- A second phase of the Tilbury expansion that would see the construction of a new 142,400 cubic metre storage tank, increasing the facility’s storage capacity by 2.5 times, and the expansion of liquefaction capacity by an additional 2.5 million tonnes, is still under environmental review.
- Unlike LNG Canada in Kitimat or Cedar LNG in Squamish, the Tilbury facility primarily provides LNG for ships at the Port of Vancouver and is not meant to be exported to Asia or elsewhere around the world.
- When talking about the project, Dix was effusive: “We’re talking about a $2.2 billion investment at a time when it’s important in this world that we invest in our capacity here, in our sovereignty here in B.C. and in Canada. We’re talking about more than $800 million invested during construction alone. That’s 1,100 jobs per year during construction, $260 million in tax revenue, and $62,000 of estimated incremental natural gas per shipment that can add up to $15 million to $20 million per year for the province.”
- In separate statements, the Port of Vancouver and Seaspan said LNG has been used to fuel cruise, cargo and container ships, with fuelling starting in 2024 and 72 operations taken so far.
- Usually required of any project that involves the storage or production of gas, the certificate is meant to show that there is demand for the product, that it fills a public need, and that ratepayers won’t be adversely impacted.
- Besides the bypassing of the certificate, the government is also allowing the Musqueam First Nation to purchase a part of the Tilbury expansion as a way of advancing economic reconciliation. First announced in 2022, the agreement between Musqueam and FortisBC will allow for the Nation to share in the benefits of the project and work with the company to mitigate environmental risks.
- Jobs in Delta. Revenue for the province. Cleaner air over the harbour. A win for B.C.’s natural gas sector at the exact moment Donald Trump’s tariffs are pounding our exporters and every government in Canada claims to be hunting for new markets and new paycheques. Not only that, but an agreement advancing economic reconciliation with the local First Nation. So what was the problem?
- The problem was that Kelly Greene, Richmond-Steveston MLA and Premier David Eby’s Minister of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness, went public against her own government's decision. Not a backbencher. Not an activist waving a placard. A sitting cabinet minister, publicly campaigning against a project her own cabinet approved days earlier.
- A few years ago, Greene opposed the project as a Richmond city councillor. Then, as an MLA with the project in environmental review, she suddenly had nothing to say, telling the Richmond News “it would be inappropriate” for her to comment on an independent process. Then, once her own government said yes, she suddenly became a NIMBY, and spoke out again, just this past week.
- Greene said in a statement released through the BC NDP's own website: “For months, I have listened to safety concerns from people in my community. I raised those issues with government at every opportunity. I am disappointed with FortisBC’s decision, as I know many of those I represent will be. My position on this project has remained unchanged since before being elected to the legislature.
- Some of the safety issues from the community may be mitigated by these controls, yet this project raises concerns about a possible safety incident. I will continue to advocate for the mitigation of any safety issues identified going forward. As the representative for Richmond-Steveston, I will never stop lifting the voices of my constituents and never stop fighting for a better future.”
- Some experts say Greene’s comment is a break with cabinet solidarity without much precedent in B.C. political history as it didn’t include her resignation.
- David Black, a political communications professor at Royal Roads, drew parallels to the resignation of federal minister Steven Guilbeault, who first resigned his cabinet post and will soon resign his seat in Parliament over disagreements with Prime Minister Mark Carney’s backtrack on climate policy.
- He said that, in contrast to Guilbeault, Greene’s break with cabinet appears to have been accepted because of the local circumstances of the issue and also the tension that exists within the NDP base over natural resource projects, such as LNG and the new pipeline being proposed from Alberta to B.C.’s South Coast.
- He said that if Eby doesn’t manage the tensions between the members of his party who support resource development and those who are more environmentally focused, it could spell the end of his premiership.
- Then a few days later, we got a stunning admission from Eby: He helped Greene write her own opposition to the story, framing the rare break from cabinet solidarity as evidence of a “big tent” NDP. Speaking at an unrelated news conference Tuesday, Eby defended Greene’s public dissent.
- “This is an issue that has been important to Kelly Greene as an MLA for her community for a long time. We worked together on her statement, so she was able to continue the advocating, and I supported her ability to do that,” Eby said. He added that Greene is “an amazing MLA” and “a huge champion for her community,” and that “there is space in our cabinet and in our caucus for disagreement.”
- Political analysts note that instead of maintaining a united, responsible cabinet, the Premier actively manufactured internal opposition. This allowed the NDP to quietly pass a massive fossil-fuel expansion for industrial interests while letting local MLAs campaign as environmental crusaders to protect vulnerable swing seats.
- The tactic of a premier helping a cabinet minister draft a public statement attacking their own government’s policy shatters the foundational principle of Cabinet Solidarity—the constitutional rule that cabinet ministers must publicly support government decisions or resign.By manufacturing its own internal opposition over the Tilbury LNG expansion, the BC NDP has triggered several distinct political ramifications that critics argue degrade the integrity of BC’s democratic institutions.
- Cabinet government runs on one simple deal: fight for your position as hard as you want behind closed doors, then back the group’s decision publicly, or quit. Every minister knows the deal, and history is full of ministers with the spine to honour it.
- Chrystia Freeland quit Justin Trudeau's cabinet in December 2024 rather than deliver a fiscal plan she didn't believe in. Three weeks later, Trudeau was done. Last November, Steven Guilbeault — the most dogmatic climate activist at Mark Carney’s table — quit cabinet rather than back Ottawa’s energy deal with Alberta. Blair Lekstrom quit Gordon Campbell's cabinet in 2010 because he couldn’t defend the HST to his constituents. Michael Chong resigned from Stephen Harper's cabinet in 2006 rather than support a motion he opposed. Jane Philpott walked away from Justin Trudeau's cabinet table in 2019 on principle.
- Under the Westminster parliamentary system, the cabinet acts as a single executive body. When Premier David Eby authorized a minister to publicly condemn a cabinet decision, it effectively signaled that NDP ministers are no longer accountable for the decisions of the government they run. This creates a political environment where the government can pass a controversial policy, while individual ministers claim zero responsibility for it, leaving voters with no clear target for electoral accountability.
- The geographical context of the dissent reveals a highly calculated electoral strategy. The minister permitted to oppose the project, Kelly Greene, represents Richmond-Steveston—a critical swing riding adjacent to the Tilbury facility where local opposition to fracking and tanker traffic is fierce.
- By manufacturing Greene's opposition, the NDP is weaponizing government communications to insulate a vulnerable MLA from the electoral fallout of her own party's policy. This sets a dangerous precedent where government policy is applied universally, but MLAs in tight races are granted special dispensation to campaign against their own party to save their seats.
- Independent oversight bodies like the BC Utilities Commission exist to protect British Columbians from backroom political deals and unfair rate hikes. When the government bypassed the BCUC, it stripped citizens of their financial watchdog. By subsequently manufacturing political theater around the decision, the NDP successfully distracted the mainstream press from the core institutional failure: the erosion of independent regulatory oversight in British Columbia.
- Richard Mason, a former commissioner of the Utilities Commission, said the current provincial government has made it a practice of overruling the independent oversight body on everything from environmental assessments for wind power projects to B.C. Hydro rates. He said the latest decision further undermines the commission’s independence and allows for the Tilbury expansion to proceed without having to prove it is the public interest.
- It's important that the NDP stand up for one of BC's most important resource industries. But doing it this way - bypassing regulations, manufacturing opposition, and breaking with political tradition to help a swing riding - is something that should alarm voters.
- Supplementals:
Quote of the Week
“For months, I have listened to safety concerns from people in my community. I raised those issues with government at every opportunity. I am disappointed with FortisBC’s decision, as I know many of those I represent will be. My position on this project has remained unchanged since before being elected to the legislature. As the representative for Richmond-Steveston, I will never stop lifting the voices of my constituents and never stop fighting for a better future.” - BC NDP MLA and Cabinet Minister Kelly Greene on her opposition to her own government’s decision.
Word of the Week
Manufactured - invented or fabricated
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Show Data
- Episode Title: Manufactured Opposition
- Teaser: Press Progress lays off staff amid a defamation lawsuit, Jagmeet Singh is considered for a cushy tourism CEO job, and an arrested Canadian NATO intern is accused of spying for China. Also, BC Premier David Eby manufactures opposition to his own LNG policy.
- Production Code: WC-479-2026-08-01
- Recorded Date: August 1, 2026
- Release Date: August 2, 2026
- Duration: 1:00:24
- Edit Notes: break during Press Progress story, pause before China spy story
Podcast Summary Notes
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