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What I Stand For

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What I Stand For
WHAT I STAND FOR: PARENTAL AUTHORITY
 
“Government needs to respect the right of all parents to raise their children in the way they choose.”
 
As Canadians, we want the very best for our children. We also realize that parents are best equipped to support and love their children.
 
With this in mind, government needs to respect the right of all parents to raise their children the way they choose. This includes the right to:
 
· Pass on religious beliefs
· Instill family values
· Decide on schooling
· Restrict access to their children
· Protect their child’s health
 
 
WHAT I STAND FOR: DEMOCRATIC RIGHTS
 
“Government is not the grantor of rights, rather the protector.”
 
Members of Parliament should respect and defend our rights in accordance with the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
 
Government policies should not interfere with the ability of individuals, families or the church to make decisions within their respective sphere of influence in a manner that they deem appropriate.
 
Individuals should be able to make decisions in accordance with their personal conscience.
 
Freedom of speech, the most important Charter Right, should be protected at all costs. If Canadians are able to freely express themselves, we are able to freely callout the problems we see in our country.
 
Government must protect our right to pursue gainful employment, even in the midst of a global pandemic. All businesses are essential to those who rely on it to provide for their families.
 
Our freedom of assembly must be protected as this ensures Canadians are able to fulfill one of the most important drivers of mental health, spending time with others.
 
Families should be able to participate in the difficult decisions that impact their children and government should consider and protect parental rights in legislative decisions.
 
Churches should be able to keep their doors open to provide services to their members and to the community. Government should respect all religions and provide support to allow for religious facilities to operate safely and without fear of persecution.
 
 
WHAT I STAND FOR: COMPASSION FOR THE VULNERABLE
 
“Government has an inherent duty to enact policies that protect its citizens and their liberty.”
 
Government has an inherent duty to enact policies that protect its citizens. The absence of safety and security leads to division, the breakdown of civil society and unrest.
 
Government policies should be reviewed to ensure that they have no negative impact on the least, the lost and the last. Additionally, Canadians should be encouraged to seek the dignity of work as this provides personal fulfillment and positive contributions to society.
 
The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed areas where government policy has woefully failed and must be immediately improved in order to better protect the vulnerable among us. Examples include:
 
· More stringent regulations within long-term care facilities
· Reinstituting funding to fight human-trafficking
· Fulfilling commitments to end long-term boil water advisories on First Nation reserves
· Supporting holistic treatment for those impacted by the opioid crisis
· Providing wrap-around supports for veterans
· Expand funding to pregnancy care centres
 
Providing hope for the most vulnerable should always be top of mind in society. Government can set the right tone through well-crafted policies and adequate supporting regulations.
 
 
WHAT I STAND FOR: FISCAL RESPONSBILITY
 
“It is inappropriate for government to heap debt upon the backs of our children.”
 
It simply is not realistic to continue printing money. As our national debt continues to worsen, we run the risk of inflation, devalued currency and increasing interest rates. All of these factors would significantly worsen the financial situation for the majority of Canadians, making it harder for our economy to rebound.
 
Government needs to shift away from perpetual spending and taxing. Instead, finances must be handled with prudence and in accordance with a balanced budget. This requires an understanding of the scarcity of resources and the importance of maximizing value for every dollar spent.
 
Policies such as carbon tax and the proposed new Clean Fuel Standard need to be eliminated. Discussions around estate, wealth and principal residence taxes need to end. Investors, businesses and consumers are looking for confidence at this time. New or expanded taxes do not provide this.
 
Government needs to allow businesses to return to operation. Revenues from the private sector will be required to get us through the post pandemic period and more importantly, to tackle the significant debt that has been accumulated in the government’s response to COVID-19. We need increased investor fueled production and less debt driven consumption.
 
 
WHAT I STAND FOR: ACCOUNTABILITY
 
“Elected officials should learn from constituents at in person town hall meetings every month.”
 
“I was criticized for being too much concerned with the average Canadians. I can’t help that; I am one of them!” – John Diefenbaker, 13th Prime Minister of Canada.
 
Do you know who your Member of Parliament is? Have you ever spoken with him/her?
 
If you’ve answered no to either or both of these questions, does this seem concerning to you considering this person is supposed to represent your interests on the national and international stage?
 
For far too long now, Canada has been governed by those seeking to benefit themselves, their friends, connected insiders or their political party through the position of power they were elected to.
 
It is time for a change. Members of Parliament work for you. You are the boss!
 
If elected, I commit to holding at least one monthly in person town hall meeting. We need to get back to grassroots politics where you have the ability to speak with your elected representative on a regular basis.
 
Politicians shouldn’t promise to fix every one of your concerns. That’s not possible.
 
Rather they should promise to meet with you, listen to your concerns and work as hard as possible to get government out of the way so you can solve your concerns as efficiently as possible.
 
 

I have recently made the decision to seek nomination as a candidate in the federal electoral district of Red Deer - Mountain View. As a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA), I directly see the negative impacts of government policy on business owners and most notably, their families. This has never been more evident than in 2020. Through a common sense focus and a passion for bringing people together on common ground, I will work to help bring prosperity to the riding of Red Deer – Mountain View and Canada. I am hoping to be able to share my election campaign with your viewers/readers. Feel free to touch base with me at the email listed below or at jaredpilon.com. Thanks.

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Agriculture

Liberal win puts Canada’s farmers and food supply at risk

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This article supplied by Troy Media.

By Sylvain Charlebois 

A fourth Liberal term means higher carbon taxes and trade risks. Could Canada’s farmers and food security be on the line?

The Liberal Party, now led by Mark Carney, has secured a fourth consecutive term, albeit once again with a minority mandate. This time, however, the Liberals have a stronger hand, as they can rely not only on the NDP but also the Bloc Québécois to maintain power.

This broader base of parliamentary support could provide much-needed political stability at a crucial time, particularly as Canada prepares for a new round of trade negotiations with the United States and Mexico.

For the agri-food sector, the implications are significant. From carbon taxes to trade rules, federal decisions play a decisive role in shaping the costs and risks Canadian farmers face.

First and foremost, carbon pricing will remain a central issue. Carney has made it clear that the industrial carbon tax will stay—a policy that continues to erode the competitiveness of Canada’s agri-food sector, where fuel, fertilizer and transportation costs are especially sensitive to carbon pricing. The tax, currently set at $95 per metric tonne, is scheduled to climb to $170 by 2030.

While consumers may not see this tax directly, businesses certainly do. More concerning is the Liberals’ intention to introduce a border carbon adjustment for imports from countries without equivalent carbon pricing regimes. While this could theoretically protect Canadian industry, it also risks making food even more expensive for Canadian consumers, particularly if the U.S., our largest trading partner, remains uninterested in adopting similar carbon measures. Acting alone risks undermining both our food security and our global competitiveness.

Another looming issue is supply management. Although all parties pledged during the campaign not to alter Canada’s system for dairy, poultry and eggs, this framework—built on quotas and high import tariffs—is increasingly outdated. It is almost certain to come under pressure during trade negotiations. The American dairy lobby, in particular, will continue to demand greater access to Canadian markets. The Liberals have a chance to chart a more forward-looking path. Modernizing supply management could lead to a more competitive, resilient industry while providing consumers with greater choice and better prices.

The previous Parliament’s passage of Bill C-282, which sought to shield supply managed sectors from all future trade negotiations, was a deeply flawed move.

Fortunately, the new parliamentary makeup should make it far less likely that such protectionist legislation will survive. A more pragmatic approach to trade policy appears possible.

On the domestic front, there are reasons for cautious optimism. The Liberals have promised to eliminate remaining federal barriers to interprovincial trade and to improve labour mobility, longstanding obstacles to the efficient movement of agri-food products across Canada. For example, differing provincial rules often prevent products like cheese, meat or wine from being sold freely across provinces, frustrating farmers and limiting consumer choice. Momentum was building before the election, and it must continue if we are serious about building a stronger domestic food economy.

Infrastructure investment is another bright spot. The Liberals pledged more than $5 billion through a Trade Diversification Corridor Fund to upgrade Canada’s severely undercapitalized export infrastructure. Strategic investment in trade gateways is overdue and critical for agri-food exporters looking to reduce reliance on the United States and expand into global markets.

Finally, the Liberal platform was alone in explicitly committing to support food processing in Canada, a crucial pillar of domestic food security. An increased focus on manufacturing will not only create jobs but also reduce reliance on imported food products, making Canada more resilient in the face of global disruptions.

Farmers have long felt sidelined by urban-centric Liberal governments. The past four years were marked by regulatory and trade clashes that deepened that divide. The hope now is that with greater political stability and a clearer focus on  competitiveness, the next four years will bring a more constructive relationship between Ottawa and Canada’s agri-food sector.

If the Liberals are serious about food security and economic growth, now is the time to reset the relationship with Canada’s farmers, not ignore them yet again.

Dr. Sylvain Charlebois is a Canadian professor and researcher in food distribution and policy. He is senior director of the Agri-Food Analytics Lab at Dalhousie University and co-host of The Food Professor Podcast. He is frequently cited in the media for his insights on food prices, agricultural trends, and the global food supply chain.

Troy Media empowers Canadian community news outlets by providing independent, insightful analysis and commentary. Our mission is to support local media in helping Canadians stay informed and engaged by delivering reliable content that strengthens community connections and deepens understanding across the country.

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Frontier Centre for Public Policy

Trust but verify: Why COVID-19 And Kamloops Claims Demand Scientific Scrutiny

Published on

From the Frontier Centre for Public Policy

By Rodney Clifton

Senior Fellow Rodney Clifton calls for renewed scientific scrutiny of two major Canadian narratives: COVID-19 policies and the Kamloops residential school claims. He argues that both bypassed rigorous, evidence-based evaluation, favouring politicized consensus. Critics of pandemic measures, like Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, were wrongly dismissed despite valid concerns. Similarly, the unverified mass grave claims in Kamloops were accepted without forensic proof. Clifton urges a return to the scientific principle of “trust but verify” to safeguard truth, public policy, and democracy.

COVID-19 and Kamloops claims dodged scrutiny – but the truth is catching up

Do we know the best way to decide if specific empirical claims are true?

Of course we do. The best way is by using the procedures of science.

Scientists critically examine the arguments and evidence in research studies to find weaknesses and fallacies. If there are no weaknesses or fallacies, the evidence enters the realm of science. But if there are weaknesses, the research has low or zero credibility, and the evidence does not become a building block of science.

In a historical context, seemingly good evidence may not remain as science because claims are continually evaluated by researchers. This scientific process is not failsafe, but it is far better than other procedures for determining the truth of empirical claims.

This powerful principle is often called “trust but verify,” and it is the idea behind the replication of scientific results.

Today, many such truth claims demand critical examination. At least two come readily to mind.

The first is the claim that the COVID-19 procedures and vaccines were safe and effective.

It is now abundantly clear that the procedures used during the COVID-19 pandemic bypassed time tested scientific protocols. Instead of open scientific debate and rigorous testing, government appointed “scientists” endorsed government-approved narratives. Canadians were told to social distance, wear masks and, most importantly, get vaccinated—often without transparent discussion of the evidence or risks.

Those who questioned the procedures, vaccines or official explanations were dismissed as “deniers” and, in some cases, ridiculed. Perhaps the most notable example is Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, the Stanford epidemiologist and economist who co-authored the Great Barrington Declaration. Despite being vilified during the pandemic, Dr. Bhattacharya is now the head of the U.S. National Institute of Health.

Five years after the pandemic began, it is clear that Dr. Bhattacharya—and many other so-called deniers—were raising legitimate concerns. Contrary to the portrayal of these scientists as conspiracy theorists or extremists, they were doing exactly what good scientists should do: trusting but verifying empirical claims. Their skepticism was warranted, particularly regarding both the severity of the virus and the safety and effectiveness of the vaccines.

The second claim concerns the allegation that Indigenous children died or were murdered and buried in unmarked graves at the Kamloops Residential School.

In 2021, the Kamloops Indigenous Band claimed that 215 children’s bodies had been discovered in the schoolyard. The legacy media swiftly labelled anyone who questioned the claim as a “denier.” Despite millions of dollars allocated for excavations, no bodies have been exhumed. Meanwhile, other bands have made similar claims, likely encouraged by federal government incentives tied to funding.

To date, this claim has not faced normal scientific scrutiny. The debate remains lopsided, with one side citing the memories of unnamed elders—referred to as “knowledge-keepers”—while the other side calls for forensic evidence before accepting the claim.

The allegation of mass graves was not only embraced by the media but also by Parliament. Members of the House of Commons passed a motion by NDP MP Leah Gazan declaring that Indigenous children were subjected to genocide in residential schools. Disturbingly, this motion passed without any demand for forensic or corroborating evidence.

Truth claims must always be open to scrutiny. Those who challenge prevailing narratives should not be disparaged but rather respected, even if they are later proven wrong, because they are upholding the essential principle of science. It is time to reaffirm the vital importance of verifying evidence to resolve empirical questions.

We still need a robust debate about COVID-19 procedures, the virus itself, the vaccines and the claims of mass graves at residential schools. More broadly, we need open, evidence-based debates on many pressing empirical claims. Preserving our democracy and creating sound public policy depend on it because verifiable evidence is the cornerstone of decision-making that serves all Canadians.

Rodney A. Clifton is a professor emeritus at the University of Manitoba and a senior fellow at the Frontier Centre for Public Policy. Along with Mark DeWolf, he is the editor of From Truth Comes Reconciliation: An Assessment of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Report, which can be ordered from Amazon.ca or the Frontier Centre for Public Policy.

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