Climate Scam gets Trudeau, Dangerous Immigrant Canadian Truckers
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There is not much economic data until Thursday so will have an update then in those regards. Over the years I have focused on the U.S. economy because it was a big influence on Canada. That is no longer the case. The old cliche was if 'the U.S. sneezes, Canada catches a cold'. Today the U.S is not even sneezing but Canada has Pneumonia.
There is so much wrong with Canada, negatively affecting our economy and investment markets that I will cover in several newsletters during the next few months. Today I focus on loss of U.S. confidence in Canada and the government along with problems in Canada Trucking industry.
There is a reason that Canada's TSX Venture market is the worst performer in the world.
There are several things that have changed that has broke the strong influence of the U.S. Canada has the highest corporate and carbon tax rates in the world along with high and burdensome regulations that discourages investment. U.S. investment is no longer interested in Canada. The U.S. is not happy with our weak border allowing an influx of terrorists. The last two incidents of terrorist planning U.S. attacks from Canada was thwarted by U.S. security, we are not even adequate in that regard. Canada's military has weakened considerably or perhaps just continues to become obsolete. The U.S. is not happy we are not doing our share.
Canada gets most of it's intelligence from the Five Eyes — United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand — an alliance of five Western countries that share intelligence. However in 2021 Canada was left out of the 3 eyes, called AUKUS which is Australia, the UK and US.
Another recent security issue between the U.S. and Canada came to light that stresses Canada's U.S. relations. Two brothers of obvious middle east descent were charged with sanction violation in a scheme in the U.S. to send goods to Iran. Ontario then later allowed Amin and Arash Yousefijam to change their names just months after they were sentenced in Michigan for a sanctions evasion scheme. They then continued avoiding the sanctions by sending goods from Canada. At a upcoming deportation hearing, The CBSA is arguing that, by illegally shipping sensitive manufacturing equipment to Iran, Amin Yousefijam undermined Canada’s efforts to contain the threat posed by the regime.
Ontario says “While we undertake this work, we also need the federal government to close gaps in the immigration system that allow individuals with criminal backgrounds and sanctions into Canada.”
Canada's weak border problem is well known and is probably being exploited more so because of that. The U.S. is also concerned that China and India are getting away with interference in Canada, see below. The border/migration is a big problem that will take another newsletter to delve into.
One of Trudeau's Latest Scandals
I have long commented that climate change is just a way to tax and distribute wealth. It looks like Trudeau is the one dumb enough to get caught first.
Earlier this year in a bombshell testimony at a House of Commons committee, a whistleblower accused the federal government of an “egregious cover-up” over allegations of mismanagement and misconduct conducted by the board of Canada’s main funding agency for green tech. He alleged that $150 million of taxpayer money was granted improperly, including to companies directly connected to SDTC’s own board members.
In June, according to Auditor General Karen Hogan, Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC) violated its conflict of interest policies 90 times, awarded $59 million to 10 projects that were not eligible and frequently overstated the environmental benefits of its projects.
Industry Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne had asked an independent third party, the accounting firm Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton, to conduct a “fact-finding exercise.” Champagne said the contract was issued on March 17 and he received their findings on Sept. 27.
And of course the Trudeau government won't give up the documents and wants to conceal them. It is causing a huge debate and even Trudeau's own liberal MPs are going against him.
House Speaker Greg Fergus ruled that the government appears to have violated the vast powers of the Commons when it failed to surrender records on the so-called “green slush fund” so they could be turned over to the RCMP.
After pressuring Trudeau for over a week, Oct. 4th the RCMP have finally got the documents and say an investigation is ongoing. Just another of numerous scandals he has been caught in. This narcissist should have been in jail long ago. On of his favourite tricks is to create diversion from the scandal and this time many of his own MPs care calling for him to go, so - Prime Minister Trudeau downplayed reports of a revolt from within the Liberal caucus, saying MPs should be focused on supporting Canada during its diplomatic rift with India.
“There will be time to talk about internal party intrigue at another moment, but right now, this government, and indeed all parliamentarians, should be focused on standing up for Canada’s sovereignty, standing against interference, and looking to be there to support Canadians in this difficult moment,” Trudeau told reporters during an Oct. 14 press conference.
India meddling and Interference in Canada
India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Oct. 14 that it is expelling Acting High Commissioner Stewart Ross Wheeler and five other diplomats. They have been asked to leave the country by Oct. 19. The move came as Canada expelled six Indian diplomats, including its High Commissioner Sanjay Kumar Verma, as the row between the two countries escalates.
“The decision to expel these individuals was made with great consideration and only after the RCMP gathered ample, clear and concrete evidence which identified six individuals as persons of interest in the [Hardeep Singh] Nijjar case,” said Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly in a statement. Joly didn’t disclose the name of the expelled diplomats.
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The latest flare-up of tensions between Ottawa and New Delhi stems from recent accusations that Indian diplomats have been engaged in illegal activity in Canada. On the same day, the RCMP held a press conference to discuss Indian agents’ alleged involvement in “serious criminal activity.” RCMP Commissioner Micheal Duheme said, however, that the announcement was unrelated to the murder investigation of Nijjar and was taken due to the “significant threat to public safety.” The force said that since September 2023, at least 13 people have been warned of threats to their lives, with some receiving multiple threats. Supporters of the pro-Khalistan movement were the targets, said the RCMP.
The evidence uncovered includes links tying these agents to homicides and violent acts, the use of organized crime to create the perception of an unsafe environment, and interference in the democratic processes, Duheme said, adding that “several” Indian diplomats have been involved.
Assistant Commissioner Brigitte Gauvin said approximately eight individuals have been arrested and charged in relation to homicides, whereas at least 22 have been arrested and charged for extortion.
“Some of these have connections to the government of India,” Gauvin said.
It appears the two factions of India are fighting on who will influence and control Canada. A bigger problem is we have corrupt India ministers in our government and one might be the Transport minister.
The U.S. is home to half a million Sikhs, of which the Sikhs Political Action Committee estimates that around 150,000 of them work in the trucking industry. As usual there is much difficulty getting decent Canadian data but we do know the Sikhs moved into Canadian trucking before the U.S. In 2021 there was reports of a Canadian Truck driving shortage and Trudeau claimed immigration was the answer. Many truckers retired or quit after the Covid-19 protest fiasco. After that, the problem was lack of qualification so another scam developed.
Canadian Truck Driver Training Scam
I have long been suspicious about poorly trained immigrant drivers on our highways as accidents have soared. I live several kilometres off the main Canadian freeway, the 401. However it is a thinly travelled section compared to many other stretches. Usually there is maybe once accident a year that closes the 401 near me. This year there has been 7 or 8 closures and the year is not over yet. Most of these involve trucks.
My suspicions have recently been confirmed. Hidden camera, internal memo reveal how unqualified truck drivers are getting onto Canada's roads. The system for testing truck drivers in Ontario has been compromised by bribes, forged documents and rigged testing, says a memo leaked to CBC's Marketplace by an industry insider.
That is not the only problem as India truck drivers can come over here and their India trucker license is valid over here. However regulations and driving conditions are far different. India has poor roads and more congestion so here there is more high speed travel. In Canada truckers must log hours and take adequate rest/sleep breaks and I find no such regulation in India. I would bet India truck drivers are cheating on these logs, accustomed to their old ways.
To be sure, I am not prejudice towards people from India. I have a number of India neighbours and friends. I am simply providing facts of change in the trucking industry and not to the better.
A subsequent hidden camera investigation by Marketplace reveals that the training students get ahead of that test can be just as problematic. If you listen to the video it is obviously India immigrants running the cut throat training program and probably for their nationals.
This behaviour ranges from examiners "accepting bribes for issuing road test passes, to manipulation of automatic versus manual transmission certificates, to false driver experience being added to driver records," according to the memo.
It was shared with Marketplace by Kiera Dubois, a DriveTest examiner responsible for testing people who want to obtain their commercial trucking licence. "[I'm] basically putting my job on the line to say something," she told Marketplace. CBC has agreed to change her name and conceal her identity because she fears losing her job for speaking out.
Dubois wasn't shocked by the memo. She's been hearing about bribery for years, and has even had people "float" the idea of bribing her for a pass. "These people [who] took bribes gave licences for a murder weapon … in any accident of a transport [truck] versus a car, more than likely the person in that car is not going to walk away."
In Ontario, a truck driver training program called MELT is mandatory. It consists of at least 103.5 hours of training, including 32 hours on the road, 18 hours of backing-up training, 17 hours of in-yard training and 36.5 hours of in-classroom theory. This is not happening as big parts are being sliced.
Dubois is one of the examiners responsible for testing people trying to get their AZ licence, which allows them to drive a commercial tractor-trailer over 10,000 pounds with air brakes. She says not everyone she tests appears to have completed the MELT program. You can read the full article here.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/marketplace/bribes-trucking-industry-hidden-camera-1.7348425
The trucking industry is vital to Canada because our large geographic. The problems we have are negatively effecting efficiency and the supply chain along with increasing costs. In fact a CTV news article earlier this year highlighted that rising cost have over taken the driver shortage problem. More keeps breaking. The slowing economy has helped alleviate driver demand while more carbon tax is adding to cost. There will still be a lot of truckers retiring so driver shortage will continue. A failing transportation industry is just one among many things broken in Canada. Also a big part of the problem is government won't do much because they drag out the racism card. We have to end this racism thing and apply the same rules to everybody.
Stay tuned tomorrow, lots of economic data, Gold testing recent highs, the TSX Venture market breaking higher and Trump gains further in the polls
And Zefiro (ZEFIF) Update
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