Tag: canada

Toronto’s meter maids are ripping off taxpayers for $6 million/year

Rebel News recently returned to the scene of the crime. But there’s a twist to this true crime story: the criminals aren’t gangbangers, but rather, members of law enforcement!

Astute viewers of Rebel News might recall that earlier this month, we paid a visit to the headquarters of the central division of Toronto Parking Enforcement in north Toronto.

The reason for our house call: we were told by an insider that parking enforcement officers were engaging in time theft. Which is to say, they are supposed to work 10 hours per shift, but they are only putting in eight hours (or less).

Teaming up with Jay Bannister of Mad Lab Press, we documented the morning shift starting duty at 6 a.m. They are supposed to be working until 4 p.m. But no: at around 1:30 p.m., the meter maids began returning to HQ.

This time, banditry works out to almost $6 million in theft.

Our insiders say it has been going on for years now, meaning the City of Toronto (a.k.a. the taxpayer) has been hoodwinked out of tens of millions of dollars!

And yes, we caught them red-handed coming back to HQ early. Surely, yet another P.R. black eye for the Toronto Police Service.

So, what happened in the aftermath?

You’re not going to believe it…

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The managed decline of Cobourg parks and playgrounds

Last summer, a five-year-old boy picked up a used needle while playing at a park in Cobourg, Ontario. His mom says they’re not going back unless something changes, but Cobourg has launched a new 10-year Parks and Recreation Master Plan project that doesn’t include a plan of how to fix the squalor, but instead chooses to cede public spaces to it.

Cobourg was coined Ontario’s feel good town for it’s pristine beach, safe streets, and irresistible charm. Now, woke bureaucrats and ideologue politicians seem determined to manage its decline instead of protecting its legacy.

Case in point: families now scour every crevice of every park before letting their kids play, if they dare go at all. They must sweep public bathrooms for needles and paraphernalia before entering, while port-a-potties at local parks risk fentanyl-laced exposure.

What makes this proposed plan even more concerning is that it will be at the centre of every Cobourg kids’ childhood for the next decade.

With families avoiding parks because of encampments, discarded needles, open drug use, crime, disorder and disarray; drug fuelled criminality has turned quiet streets into hubs of chaos and it’s pulling kids away from public spaces.

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First Nations chiefs open to engaging in ‘civil disobedience’ if Alberta referendum proceeds

On Friday’s live stream, Tamara Ugolini, Drea Humphrey, and Tamara Lich reacted to First Nations chiefs in Western Canada asserting that “civil disobedience” may be required to fight against Alberta’s upcoming referendum on separation.

Treaty 8 chiefs warned on Thursday that they could mobilize to block highways or industry points if Alberta proceeds with its province-wide referendum on separation ‘without consultation’ in October.

Lich reacted to the apparent double standard in terms of authorities targeting her for peaceful protest while others threaten to block highways. 

“I just want you guys to imagine for one second, if I went online and said if I didn’t get my way, I was going to block a highway. The cops would be at my door and I’d be being flown back to Ottawa again,” she said.

“We definitely cannot make these kinds of threats, especially over a question, it’s literally over a question. Now that’s mischief. I was charged with mischief, I was charged with counselling others to commit the offense of mischief … to me this sounds like threats of mischief, or premeditated mischief, or counselling others to commit mischief, it’s not civil disobedience,” Lich continued.

Premier Smith responded to the chiefs’ threats, asserting that the rule of law will be enforced if civil disobedience occurs over the Alberta referendum, as detailed by the CBC. Speaking to reporters Friday, the premier cited the province’s critical infrastructure defence law, which imposes additional penalties on protesters blocking essential infrastructure like highways or railways.

“I think you saw how serious we are about enforcing that law as we have many times over previous years,” she said.

The Alberta referendum is set to take place on October 19, which will include a question asking residents whether they wish to remain in Canada or begin the constitutional process for a binding separation vote.

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Canadian Heritage buys millions of Canadian flag pins from China despite Liberal promise

The federal government has spent more than $194,000 on Canadian flag pins and desk flags manufactured in China, according to a newly released Order Paper response tabled in Parliament.

The disclosure comes in response to Question Q-1077 from Conservative MP Arnold Viersen, which asked Canadian Heritage to detail its purchases of Canadian flags, flag pins and related products since January 2022.

Records show Canadian Heritage purchased three million plastic Canadian flag lapel pins from a Chinese manufacturer in September 2024 at a cost of $143,400. The department also bought 44,117 floating metal flag pins from China in January 2023 for $14,999.78, another 72,400 metal flag pins in November 2024 for $20,996, and 8,770 desk flags made in China for $14,996.70.

In total, Canadian Heritage spent $194,392.48 on Chinese-made flag-themed merchandise while simultaneously purchasing most of its full-sized Canadian flags from Canadian manufacturer L’Étendard.

The department spent more than $2.5 million on Canadian-made full-size nylon flags between 2022 and early 2026, including orders ranging from 9,700 to 30,100 flags. It also purchased paper hand flags from Canadian suppliers Broadway Import Export and Tobermory Press.

When asked why foreign-made products were selected instead of Canadian manufacturers, Canadian Heritage offered a brief explanation.

“For purchase of products manufactured outside of Canada, purchases were made pursuant to current Government of Canada procurement processes,” the department stated.

The revelation stands in contrast to a longstanding Liberal commitment to source Canadian flag merchandise domestically.

In 2005, then-Liberal Public Works Minister Scott Brison pledged to end the practice of purchasing Canadian flag pins made in China after media reports highlighted the contradiction. At the time, the federal government announced it would seek Canadian suppliers for the patriotic merchandise distributed by MPs and government departments.

More than two decades later, millions of Chinese-made Canadian flag pins are still being purchased with taxpayer dollars.

The Order Paper response was signed by Canadian Identity and Culture Minister Marc Miller and released on June 3, 2026.

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The Toronto police corruption scandal just keeps getting worse

You are NOT going to believe who is heading up the Project South police corruption investigation. Namely, a corrupt cop!

By way of background, Project South was jointly announced in February by the Toronto Police Service and York Regional Police.

The word “shocking” doesn’t even begin to convey the significance of the scandal.

As we reported back in the wintertime, several police officers and civilian staffers, mostly employed by the Toronto Police Service but also with Peel Regional Police, were put under investigation for guns and drug trafficking, bribery, breach of trust, and even conspiracy to commit murder!

Let us reiterate: these are police officers and civilian staffers of police forces facing numerous criminal charges. In other words, the “good guys”. Allegedly.

Toronto Police Chief Myron Demkiw said at the time that corruption has no place in policing and that the force is committed to leaving no stone unturned and assorted other pronouncements of Grade-A bull-shite.

But in the aftermath of all the hot air, how exactly is this initiative playing out? Especially given that Chief Demkiw promised the public a two-year anti-corruption initiative. Project South would get to the bottom of this scandal. It would re-establish trust in policing. Moving forward, the Toronto Police Service would be all about restoring accountability and transparency.

And if you believe those whoppers, we have some oceanfront property for sale in Saskatoon…

That’s because our ex-cop friend Jay Bannister, who now runs the superb MadLab Press website, found out who Chief Demkiw has appointed to run this anti-corruption unit. Namely, Superintendent Riyaz Hussein.

Who’s that, you ask?

Well for starters, Hussein is a police officer who is no stranger himself when it comes to being arrested and convicted of a crime!

Here’s the skinny: Hussein used to serve as a quasi-judge at the Toronto Police Tribunal where he was in charge of judging bad cops and even handing down sentences to those cops found guilty. All of which is quite rich because Hussein is far from squeaky clean himself.

Back in 2022, according to Oshawa court staff, Hussein pleaded guilty to driving with a blood alcohol level over .80 in connection with a crash that occurred in Pickering, Ont. Hussein, who was apparently as drunk as a skunk at the time of the accident, slammed his unmarked police cruiser into the back of a delivery truck on Highway 401. There was even an open bottle of liquor in his car – Appleton’s Rum to be precise.

When Hussein was arrested by police at the scene of the accident, one officer noted that this reprobate was so inebriated that he could barely stand up.

Hussien was later suspended with pay and, if you can believe it, was back on the job just a month later!

He was also found guilty and sentenced to a one-year driving prohibition and fined $1,560.

He was also demoted to inspector for a year. But get this: he would later be cranked up to superintendent again. Why? Nobody knows.

And the irony could not be more perverse nor profound: the police officer in charge of Project South – the investigation into police corruption – is corrupt himself!

The question arises: what the hell is Chief Demkiw thinking? Why is a convicted drunk driver investigating corrupt cops? Hussein shouldn’t even be employed as a meter maid.

And so much for accountability and disclosure! It’s a joke, albeit one without a punchline.

And this latest sordid chapter in Toronto Police history reminds us of one of our favourite Latin quotes: “Quis custodiet ipsos custodes.” Translation: “Who guards the guardians?”

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ATIP records show Edmonton mayor deferred to NCCM during campaign against police chief’s Israel trip

As antisemitic hate crimes continue to surge across Canada, newly released access-to-information records reveal Edmonton Mayor Andrew Knack was actively coordinating with and relaying the concerns of the National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM) and affiliated activist groups during the controversy surrounding Edmonton Police Chief Warren Driechel’s trip to Israel.

The records raise an uncomfortable question: Why was city hall treating the NCCM coalition as its primary stakeholder while appearing to give far less weight to Edmonton’s Jewish community?

The controversy began after Driechel participated in a professional development trip to Israel alongside other North American police leaders. The trip focused on public safety, emergency management, cybersecurity and counter-terrorism.

Almost immediately, the NCCM, the Edmonton Council of Muslim Communities and more than two dozen affiliated organizations launched a campaign against the chief, demanding answers and ultimately suggesting that, absent satisfactory responses, Driechel should resign.

Behind the scenes, the newly released records show Mayor Knack repeatedly directing police leadership toward NCCM.

“The best starting point for organizations to engage with is the letter sent by NCCM which lists out many organizations,” Knack wrote to the police chief and police commission chair.

Knack did not merely pass along the coalition’s concerns. He endorsed them.

“I think the three questions that community have raised are reasonable questions to be answers,” he wrote, referring directly to the demands contained in the NCCM-led coalition letter.

The mayor also offered city hall’s assistance in arranging a meeting between the activists, the chief and police leadership.

“Finally, NCCM would like to meet with Council and both of you all together. Our office is more than willing to help coordinate,” Knack wrote, adding that “this would be hosted by NCCM” and that “they would be leading the meeting.”

Knack went even further, recommending NCCM-connected figures as advisors to police leadership.

“Both were formally involved with the Edmonton and/or National parts of NCCM and have been taking calls and meetings non-stop since Tuesday and would have some excellent insight if there is interest,” he wrote.

The contrast with the treatment of Edmonton’s Jewish community is striking.

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CBC demands blind trust from viewers in bizarre Instagram video

The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation’s news division released a video urging Canadians to “trust” its reporting, saying Canadians will “never ever” have to determine what is “real and what’s fake” in its coverage.

Critics online weren’t convinced, with many on X pointing to CBC coverage of major political flashpoints, including the reported discovery of unmarked graves near Kamloops in 2021 and the 2022 Freedom Convoy, as well as what they describe as “lies of omission” in covering some international stories while overlooking others of a similar nature.

“You will never ever have to wonder what is real or what is fake if it comes from CBC News,” Brodie Fenlon, General Manager and Editor in Chief of CBC News, said in a video posted to Instagram. “At CBC, our journalism is fact-checked, it’s verified. We don’t put anything out into the world unless we know it to be true, or if we haven’t verified it, then we’ll tell you that.”

The video continues, stressing that the state broadcaster, which receives approximately $1.38 billion annually from the federal government, is made by humans and meets a “really high bar” of standards.

“We’re accountable for our journalism, and in the rare cases where we get something wrong, we’ll own it. We’ll tell you what we got wrong and how we fixed it,” Fenlon said. “You will never ever have to wonder what is real or what is fake if it comes from CBC News. That’s the invitation. Choose news, not noise.”

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Canada’s Senate rejects amendment to Bill C-9 that would ban ‘residential school denialism’

Canadian senators voted down a recent proposed amendment to anti-Christian “hate speech” legislation, Bill C-9, which would have criminalized “residential school denialism.”

On Wednesday, senators voted 41–32 against adopting an amendment sponsored by Sen. Nancy Karetak-Lindell (Nunavut), who claimed that residential school attendees such as herself faced harms, as well as other changes to the bill. There were two abstentions.

Karetak-Lindell’s amendment would have changed Canada’s Criminal Code to say that any person who willfully promotes hatred against indigenous peoples by “condoning, denying or downplaying” alleged abuses linked to Canada’s residential school system outside of a private conversation could face prosecution or even a summary conviction, which could then lead to potential jail time.

The new amendment to Bill C-9 would have needed a House of Commons ratification if the Senate passed the bill as it stands in the third reading.

The news of the Senate’s vote-down of the amendment received praised from Conservative MP Andrew Lawton.

“The Senate has REJECTED the Senate Human Rights Committee’s amendments to Bill C-9, including the criminalization of residential school ‘downplaying’,” he wrote in an X post.

It is not yet clear what this means for Bill C-9, but the recent vote likely means that the bill will be further stalled from becoming law.

As reported by LifeSiteNews, Bill C-9, which is before Canada’s Senate, would criminalize religious expression and belief when quoting parts of the Bible, including passages about homosexuality and gender.

Bill C-9 has been blasted by constitutional experts as allowing empowered police and the government to go after those deemed to have violated a person’s “feelings” in a “hateful” way. The bill was introduced by Justice Minister Sean Fraser last year.

Specifically, Bill C-9 would remove Section 319(3)(b) of Canada’s Criminal Code. This section provides protection to good-faith expression of a person’s religious views, which are based on religious texts such as the Holy Bible.

Bill C-9 has been blasted by some of Canada’s premiers.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith recently said that she does not want to see authorities “monitoring” church services in her province in light of Bill C-9.

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Taxpayers let off the hook as Newfoundland and Labrador drops equalization lawsuit

The province made the announcement that it was dropping the lawsuit last week after previously seeking additional funding from the federal government through the court challenge.

Terrazzano commented on the implications of the province rescinding its lawsuit, noting the benefit for Canadian taxpayers. “The Newfoundland and Labrador government was suing the federal government, essentially launching this court challenge trying to get the courts to force the federal government to increase the equalization handouts to the province,” he said.

“Newfoundland and Labrador eventually dropped that court case, so it’s a big win for taxpayers … we were intervening in this, because we were arguing like hold on a second right, the constitution was never designed to let provinces sue Ottawa to get bigger handouts from taxpayers,” Terrazzano continued.

“It’s good that Newfoundland and Labrador came to its senses and dropped this court case, because if they were successful, the bill for equalization could have ballooned by billions of dollars and really taxpayers, especially in Alberta, British Columbia, and Saskatchewan, would be on the hook for all this,” he added.

Newfoundland and Labrador’s decision to drop its equalization lawsuit spares Canadian taxpayers from a potential multi-billion-dollar increase in federal transfers. The province’s premier, Tony Wakeham, stated that although he believes the equalization system is flawed, the lawsuit will not be moving forward.

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Homeowners furious after Ontario government threatens to seize portions of backyards

In sleepy Burlington, Ont., eight homeowners are fighting to save their backyards from the clutches of the Government of Ontario (the Ministry of Transportation to be precise.)

The homeowners face losing about two-thirds of their backyards. And they must also incur the costs of moving any infrastructure that stands in the way. This would include everything from backyard patios and storage sheds to even a swimming pool.

As to why the MTO is acting in such a fashion, this remains a mysterious question.

The crux of the matter is that the eight homes back onto the Queen Elizabeth Way highway. The current boundary is marked by a chain-link fence. As well, a few metres away from the chain-link fence stands a stone wall. One wouldn’t even realize there is a major highway on the other side of that stone wall unless this fact was brought to one’s attention.

By way of background, the eight homes in question were constructed some 70 years ago. And for seven decades the current boundary existed without controversy. But the MTO is now maintaining that the land in question has always belonged to the government and that the province is simply reclaiming land that has always been government property.

But again, what is the ostensible policy reason for this boundary extension? And why now?

This relatively little patch of land surely cannot be used to extend the highway, nor construct a railway line – the typical reasons for land expropriation by the government, or, in this case, land reclamation.

Rebel News ventured out to Burlington to interview the affected homeowners who have indeed lawyered up and are not bending the knee without a fight. They are also very concerned that in the expanded boundary area, homeless people might set up encampments, which would seriously impact their quality of life.

We also reached out to the media relations department of the MTO. Our queries included:

1. The existing boundary has been in place for some 70 years. Why is the MTO now wanting to extend the boundary?

2. What is the purpose given that there is not enough land in question for any sort of extension of the Queen Elizabeth Way (which is situated on the other side of the backyards)?

3. I understand the residents will not be compensated for the loss of this land. Why is that the case?

Our queries were not even acknowledged, which, alas, is standard business procedure when it comes to the communications strategy of the Doug “For the People” Ford Progressive Conservatives.

In the meantime, this baffling boundary dispute appears to be headed to a court of law. Stay tuned.

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