Much as it pains us to say it, guns aren’t part of everyone’s childhood. While many of us grew up hunting in the woods or just making trips to the range with our parents, a lot of people never got that.
Tom Mulcair: Grading Trudeau’s performance in 2024, and what’s ahead for him in the new year
A lot has been written and said about Chrystia Freeland’s resignation(opens in a new tab) the week before Christmas. Her bombshell letter(opens in a new tab) to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will be part of Canadian political lore for years to come.
I don’t think it was a revelation to Freeland or anyone else that Trudeau likes political gimmicks. It’s that very showman-like approach to political life that contrasted so sharply with the serious Stephen Harper, and it helped Trudeau win his only majority.
Stalinist denunciations revived as Putin encourages snitching
A modern-day Pavlik Morozov has informed on hundreds Russians who are accused of criticising the war in Ukraine
During the Stalinist purges in the Soviet Union of the 1930s a boy named Pavel Morozov became a national hero for denouncing his father and then allegedly being killed in revenge by relatives.
Morozov, known as Pavlik, was said to have informed on his own father for selling state documents to “bandits and enemies of the Soviet state”. The boy’s deeply mythologised story was used to encourage other Soviet bloc children to inform on their parents.
Toronto food banks grapple with soaring demand as affordability crisis takes bite out of donations during Trudeau’s ruinous tenure
The affordability crisis that sent demand at food banks to record levels this year is also hitting a vital part of these organizations’ operations — the donations.
With 2025 showing no signs of relief, some charities have had to reduce how much food they can provide to those who need it the most.
In Toronto, Daily Bread Food Bank saw hundreds of individuals this year who were previously giving $20 a month reduce that donation by about half because it’s all they can give.
Elon Calms Down: Musk Calls for ‘Major Reform‘ of ‘Broken‘ H-1B Visa System Despite Fiery Defense
Tesla CEO and X owner Elon Musk has shifted his stance on the H-1B visa program, now calling for a “major reform” of the system just days after vowing to “go to war” in a fiery defense of the immigration program.
Michael Higgins: A Trudeau epiphany would be welcome — but don’t count on it
There’s no rest for the wicked, so the saying goes, and both Justin Trudeau and Jagmeet Singh are going to be super busy now that the Conservatives have signalled they will force a non-confidence motion in early January.
Foreigners linked to ‘frightening’ rise in drivers on wrong side of the road
A “frightening” surge in wrong-way driving on England’s motorways is linked to foreign drivers.
National Highways figures reveal that 988 incidents involving “oncoming vehicles” were reported on motorways in the year to Nov 17 – up by 15 per cent on 2023.
That is up from 858 during the previous 12 months, and represents an average of 19 every week.
GTA car thieves kept stealing, found new loopholes in 2024
In May, the Ford government announced auto theft had gotten so bad that it would bring in a harsh new penalty; convicted thieves would have their driver’s licence suspended for 10 years.
“Driving is a privilege, not a right. If you’re shameful enough to prey on other members of the community for your own reckless gain, you’ll lose that privilege,” Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria said.
But as of Dec. 10, the Ministry of the Attorney General confirmed Bill 197, which included the licence suspension measure, “has not been proclaimed into force yet.”
WTF?
This is the best SNL skit I've ever seen. https://t.co/TUWPbrfHcJ
— Justine Bateman (@JustineBateman) December 30, 2024
h/t Patti Jo
Can Ukraine face another year of war?
Ukraine is losing the battle on the ground. Many of its soldiers are tired and exhausted after three years of fighting. The question – can the country endure another year of war?
Their forces are still resisting Russian advances in the east. But they’re almost surrounded near the town of Kurakhove – scene to some of the most intense fighting in recent weeks.
The Black Pack, a mortar unit, is trying to prevent their encirclement around Kurakhove. The Russian are closing in on three sides.
Close combat footage between Ukrainian and Russian soldiers. #Combat #war #warfare #military #Ukraine #Russia #politics #geopolitics #world #global #footage #warfootage #exclusive #combat #closecombat #OSINT #opensource #intelligence #soldiers #ukrainenews #warnews pic.twitter.com/dGu56DnNNR
— Mantis Intelligence (@intelmantis) December 10, 2024
Governor General Intervention in Current Deadlock Would Set Non-Democratic Precedent
While polls are indicating a significant majority of Canadians feel it’s time for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to move on, citizens are discovering it’s quite difficult to remove an unwilling prime minister from office.
The Bloc Quebecois, the Conservative Party of Canada, and the NDP have now all committed to bringing down the minority Liberal government if given the opportunity to. While not eager for an election, many Liberal MPs are openly calling for Trudeau’s resignation. Despite a collapse of support from all directions, Trudeau has so far not announced a decision, and could conceivably remain there until October 2025.
WTF?
Tuxedo cat pushed the boundaries too far pic.twitter.com/2e9TTN2j23
— Antidepressant Content (@depressionlesss) December 28, 2024
Elon Musk: Don’t liken the AfD leader to Hitler
Elon Musk has endorsed the hard-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party in a guest opinion piece for the Welt am Sonntag newspaper, prompting its opinion editor to resign in protest.
In the article the tech billionaire explained why he had posted on the social media platform X last week that “only the AfD can save Germany”.
He wrote: “The portrayal of the AfD as right-wing extremist is clearly false, considering that Alice Weidel, the party’s leader, has a same-sex partner from Sri Lanka. Does that sound like Hitler to you? Come on!”
WTF?
I must've missed the video they made for women in Islamic countries… https://t.co/lqWHBhUgS7
— Riley Gaines (@Riley_Gaines_) December 29, 2024
PARKER: What’s next for Canada’s Christians, as church and state collide?
It’s the end of the Christmas season, and at first glance something wonderful seems to have taken place. Canadians have rediscovered their nation’s Christian roots.
Or have they?
Cheerful evidence that they have can be found in the 40 or so cities and provinces, including Toronto, Saskatoon, Calgary, and Saskatchewan, that for the first time have officially declared December to be Christian Heritage Month.