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Opinion

Canada’s Financial Freefall: When Rosy Rhetoric Meets Hard Reality

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7 minute read

This article is from The Opposition With Dan Knight substack.  

The Trudeau Government’s Economic Alchemy: Turning Gold Hopes Into Lead Numbers

Good morning, my fellow Canadians. It’s September 3, 2023, and if you’re expecting to wake up to a bright, financially secure Canada, well, I have some sobering news for you. The latest figures from Statistics Canada are in, and they confirm what many of us have suspected: the Canadian economy is not on the up-and-up. Despite the rosy pictures painted by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Finance Minster Chrystia Freeland, the real numbers don’t lie, and they point to an economic landscape in turmoil. Allow me to break it down for you.

The new Statistics Canada data is in, and it paints a rather bleak picture of the Canadian economy under the watchful eyes of the federal government and Justin Trudeau. Let’s delve into some numbers, shall we? A staggering $16.5 billion in debt was added by Canadian households in the first quarter of this year alone, with $11.2 billion being in mortgage debt. In an environment of 5% interest rates, a rate we haven’t seen for over a decade, this is a financial bomb waiting to explode.

And let’s not forget inflation. Since 2021, we’ve seen a cumulative inflation rate of around 16.5%. Now, remember, these aren’t just abstract numbers on a ledger somewhere; these are realities hitting your grocery bills, your gas prices, your rents, and slowly emptying your wallets. But it’s not just households feeling the pinch. The economy as a whole is stalling, with real GDP nearly unchanged in the second quarter of 2023, following a measly 0.6% rise in the first quarter.

Amidst all this, Justin Trudeau and the federal government seem content piling on debt like there’s no tomorrow. The Parliamentary Budget Officer’s March 2023 report shows Canada’s deficit is expected to rise to $43.1 billion in 2023-24, up from $36.5 billion in 2022-23. And let’s not forget that 1 out of every 5 dollars in this debt spree didn’t even exist pre-pandemic. Essentially, we’re spending money we don’t have, to solve problems we’re not solving, all while making new ones.

So, where has all this spending gone? Not into securing a robust future for Canadians, I can tell you that. Despite the monumental deficits and the reckless spending, housing investment fell 2.1% in the second quarter,marking its fifth consecutive quarterly decrease. Canadians are struggling to make ends meet, and the government’s financial imprudence is exacerbating, not alleviating, the situation.

But here’s a twist to the story: while investments in housing decline, Justin Trudeau decided it was prime time to open the floodgates of immigration. There’s an aspect of governance called planning, something that seems foreign to this administration. How does one justify allowing over a million immigrants into Canada without even hinting at a solution for housing them? The result is basic economics – demand outstrips supply, and prices soar.

Remember the days before Trudeau’s reign, when the average home in Canada cost around $400,000? Eight years under his watch and that figure has doubled. Trudeau’s policies seem like a cruel jest to young families, professionals, and, frankly, anyone aspiring to own a piece of the Canadian dream. It’s almost as if he expected the housing market to “balance itself”.

And before you think this is just a ‘rough patch,’ let me remind you that household spending is also slowing. So not only are Canadians going into debt, but they’re also cutting back on spending. They’re being hit from both sides, and there’s no end in sight. The government’s promises of prosperity seem increasingly hollow when we see that per capita household spending has declined in three of the last four quarters.

The Trudeau administration’s approach to governing appears to be in a parallel universe, one where debt is limitless, and financial responsibilities are for the next government or even the next generation to sort out. And don’t even get me started on the higher taxes lurking around the corner to pay off this bonanza of spending. This isn’t governance; it’s financial negligence.

When Canadians were told that this level of inflationary spending could turn our country into something akin to Venezuela, many scoffed at the idea. But let’s face it: the signs are becoming hard to ignore. The truth is, many Canadians have been led to believe they can have gold-plated social services without paying an ounce of gold in taxes. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau seemed more than happy to sell that narrative. He promised a utopia, a social safety net woven from dreams and aspirations. But what has that net caught? Rising costs, crippling debt, and a harder life for everyday Canadians.

Trudeau has turned out to be less a responsible steward of the economy and more of a Pied Piper, leading us all off a fiscal cliff while playing a cheerful tune. Or perhaps he’s more like the Cheshire Cat from “Alice in Wonderland,” grinning broadly as he disappears, leaving behind only his grin and a trail of false promises.

As we approach the pivotal year of 2025, don’t forget who sold you this bill of goods. Remember the skyrocketing costs of living, the unmanageable debt, and the empty words that were supposed to make everything better. I, for one, certainly won’t forget. And I suspect, come election time, neither will you.

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armed forces

Trudeau government has spent $10 million promoting DEI in the military as recruitment flounders

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From LifeSiteNews

By Clare Marie Merkowsky

“These are not Canadian values of freedom and democracy. These are cancel culture values of censorship, of authoritarianism, of radical ideologies that are alien to our culture.”  

Canada’s Department of National Defence has spent nearly $10 million on so-called diversity, equity and inclusion programs since Prime Minister Justin Trudeau took office in 2015. 

According to records released May 7 by Blacklock’s Reporter, the Department of National Defence has paid consultants and contractors $9,510,247 to promote “equity and inclusion” within the military.   

“It is clear a lack of diversity in the Canadian Armed Forces is just one of the issues confronting this government,” a 2021 briefing note claimed. “National Defence is committed to building an inclusive and modern defence team that reflects Canada’s diversity, values and culture.” 

The spending was disclosed in the House of Commons in response to Conservative MP Cheryl Gallant’s question: “What is the total value of contracts relating to diversity, equity and inclusion services in the Department of National Defence since 2015?” 

According to the records, Canadians’ tax dollars were spent on polls, guest speakers, presentations, workshops, and LGBT flags. The workshops covered topics including ” the gendered nature of security,” while one talk discussed “integrating gender and diversity perspectives.” 

In 2021, the defence department revealed that they have two separate committees and eight programs which worked to appoint gay advisors to “innovate” religious instruction and gender-neutral uniforms.  

Since Trudeau took office, the Canadian military has become increasingly woke and has been forcing LGBT ideology on its personnel.  Interestingly, at the same time, military recruitment has plummeted.   

In June, the Canadian military was criticized for “raising the pride flag” in honor of the “2SLGBTQI+ communities.”    

That same month, Canadian troops in Latvia were forced to purchase their own helmets and food when the Trudeau government failed to provide proper supplies. Weeks later, Trudeau lectured the same troops on “climate change” and disinformation.     

A Canadian Armed Force member previously told LifeSiteNews that between the COVID vaccine mandates and pushing the LGBT agenda, Canadians soldiers have lost confidence in the military.     

“And it’s not stopping with the gender ideology; it’s going to include medical assistance in dying,” he added. “There’s something fundamentally changing. And for most people, it doesn’t sit well with them.”   

He explained that the new ideologies are driving away new recruits, as the primary source of recruitment for the military is Saskatchewan farm boys who want to serve Canada – not radical left-wing ideologies. 

“That farm boy looks at the army and with the blue hair and the face, piercings and ideologies and all that stuff,” he said. “And it doesn’t have the same pull because it doesn’t represent the farm boy’s values.”   

“This is not the Canada that we signed up to defend. It’s an alien ideology that people don’t resonate with,” he continued. “These are not Canadian values of freedom and democracy. These are cancel culture values of censorship, of authoritarianism, of radical ideologies that are alien to our culture.”  

In January, a Commanding Officer of the 4th Canadian Division Support Group (CDSG) of the Greater Toronto Area Detachment threatened soldiers who dared to throw out tampon dispensers which had been placed in men’s bathrooms as part of the military’s new “inclusion” policy.

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John Stossel

Protecting Free Speech: The Early Warning Signs From Around The World

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From StosselTV

We Americans take free speech for granted. But if you look around the world, you see why we shouldn’t.

In Britain, you can get arrested for saying things online that police find “offensive.”

In Scotland, misgendering someone can land you in jail for seven years.

Canada may soon pass a law that would punish “advocating genocide” with life in prison.

Now in the U.S., the House of Representatives voted for a bill that would make chants like “from the river to the sea” illegal at universities.

These are bad ideas. Free speech is valuable.

After 40+ years of reporting, I now understand the importance of limited government and personal freedom.

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Libertarian journalist John Stossel created Stossel TV to explain liberty and free markets to young people.

Prior to Stossel TV he hosted a show on Fox Business and co-anchored ABC’s primetime newsmagazine show, 20/20.

Stossel’s economic programs have been adapted into teaching kits by a non-profit organization, “Stossel in the Classroom.” High school teachers in American public schools now use the videos to help educate their students on economics and economic freedom. They are seen by more than 12 million students every year.

Stossel has received 19 Emmy Awards and has been honored five times for excellence in consumer reporting by the National Press Club. Other honors include the George Polk Award for Outstanding Local Reporting and the George Foster Peabody Award.

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