Epstein files controversy a ‘huge problem' for Trump: Republican strategist
Republican strategist Evan Siegfried on how likely the Epstein files will be released despite the pushback from U.S. President Trump.
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CTV News
22 minutes ago
- CTV News
New stamp draws attention to history of civilian internment in Canada
Canada Post unveils new stamps as a tribute to the civilian internment camps during the World Wars. (Canada Post) A new stamp unveiled by Canada Post on Thursday pays tribute to the history of civilian internment in Canada during both the First and Second World Wars. The Canadian government carried out large-scale internment drives during both wars when the War Measures Act was invoked, according to The Canadian Encyclopedia. In their press release announcing the new stamp, Canada Post says thousands of people were interned in camps across Canada under the guise of national security. 'Canada Post hopes today's stamp issue will raise awareness about this history and the resilience of the people and communities whose lives were profoundly affected by this forced displacement, confinement and hardship,' the statement said. The stamp has vertical, bilingual text in red behind barbed wires, creating the visual of a fence, which Canada Post states 'captures the gloom and fear of Canada's internment camps.' Recounting camps during the wars The War Measures Act was invoked for the first time during the First World War on Aug. 22, 1914, ending on Jan. 10, 1920, according to the national encyclopedia states. This act empowered the federal cabinet to suspend any civil liberties and impose laws without the approval of Parliament. According to the news release, more than 8,500 men – including more than 5,000 Ukrainians, people from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Croats, Czechs, Hungarians, Jews, Poles, Romanians, Serbs, Slovaks, Slovenes, people from the Ottoman Empire, including Armenians and Turks, the German Empire and the Kingdom of Bulgaria, were held at these internment camps during this time. More than 200 women and children chose to voluntarily join their male relatives in internment. An additional 80,000 people, the majority of whom were from Ukraine, were made to register as 'enemy aliens,' the news release said. 'People experiencing homelessness and unemployment, conscientious objectors and members of outlawed political groups, especially socialists, were also interned,' the release said, adding that detainees were put to work on labour-intensive projects in harsh conditions, which made them vulnerable to disease, injuries and death. More than 100 people died during this time and many were buried in unmarked graves, the news release recounts. The War Measures Act was invoked a second time shortly before the beginning of the Second World War, on Aug. 25, 1939, and later replaced by similar legislation on Dec. 31, 1945, the online publication reads. More than 40 internment camps held over 20,000 people, out of which around 26 camps were in Ontario, Quebec, Alberta and New Brunswick. People targeted during the Second World War included Germans, Italians, Jews, Japanese, members of the outlawed organizations in Canada and labour leaders. The War Measures Act was repealed in 1988 and replaced by the Emergencies Act, which does not allow the cabinet to act on its own during a national emergency. 'It also reminds us of our responsibility to learn from the past,' Canada Post said.
National Observer
40 minutes ago
- National Observer
Will Trump kill Canada's PFAS rules?
Canada is expected to finalize rules on toxic PFAS chemicals — but the government's recent silence has left environmental advocates spooked that the groundbreaking effort could be derailed by Trump's trade war. "I assume US chemical industry lobbyists are looking to see how they can capitalize on the trade war with Canada," said Elaine MacDonald, program director for healthy communities at Ecojustice. 'We are concerned.' PFAS are a class of around 15,000 water- and grease-repellant chemicals that are used in everything from cars to cosmetics to cookware. Nicknamed "forever chemicals" because they don't break down in nature, the chemicals are linked to cancer and can harm the kidneys and liver, cause reproductive harm and hurt the endocrine and immune systems. In March, the federal government reached the penultimate step in the process of listing most PFAS as toxic under Canada's Environmental Protection Act — a move that, once finalized, will let officials widely regulate the chemicals. Consultation ended in early May, paving the way for the final step of regulations that, months later, the government has yet to finalize. In a statement, Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) said the government plans to restrict PFAS in firefighting foams and restrict use of the chemicals for non-medical purposes by 2027. It expects to finalize the listing in 2026. However, timelines are "subject to change." In comparison, it took federal officials about two years, from 2020 to 2022, to list plastics as toxic under Canada's environmental laws and start regulating the material by banning six single-use plastic items. Canada isn't alone in its push to regulate PFAS. Several European countries and the EU have proposed or implemented sweeping measures to restrict use of the chemicals in recent years, as have several US states. The American federal government was also taking measures to tackle the chemicals — until Trump took office. Canada is expected to finalize rules on toxic PFAS chemicals — but the government's recent silence has left environmental advocates spooked that the groundbreaking effort could be derailed by Trump's trade war. Since then, the Trump administration has repealed proposed limits on how much PFAS industry can release into the environment; rolled back drinking water standards for the chemicals; tweaked federal rules to weaken state-level efforts to restrict the chemicals and defunded research on harm they cause. "Canada is not a country that typically leads the way," said MacDonald. "If other countries start weakening their commitments to regulate PFAS, as the US has already, Canada will likely try to do the same. I expect that it will look more like dragging their feet on regulations rather than an outright retreat." Tariffs and lobbyists The US has already used PFAS to justify some of its tariff battles. In February, the US Trade Representative singled out European measures meant to largely eliminate the production and use of PFAS as a "trade barrier," a designation that observers say aims to force the bloc to ditch the rules or suffer even higher tariffs on trade with the US. Rémy Alexandre, toxics project lead at Ecojustice, said PFAS has not yet come up publicly in Canada's trade negotiations with the US. But she said the fact they've played into US-EU trade negotiations — combined with Trump's aggressive rollback of American regulations — suggests chemical producers are rallying the Trump administration in their worldwide fight against PFAS regulations. American chemical producers and their lobby groups have been involved in Canada's years-long push to regulate the chemicals — it started in 2021 — submitting comments in an effort to "chip away" at the proposed rules, she said. Canada's National Observer asked the American Chemistry Council, America's largest chemical industry lobby group, and its Canadian equivalent, the Chemistry Industry Association of Canada, for comment about their position on Canada's planned PFAS rules in the context of ongoing trade negotiations. The groups gave nearly identical statements that claim regulating PFAS as a class "is neither scientifically accurate nor appropriate," and they "remain committed to working with Canadian policymakers on targeted, science-based measures that protect health and the environment while maintaining access to essential technologies and products." The impact of industry lobbying efforts are real, said Sydney Jordan, a Minnesota state legislator who played a key role in pushing through her state's stringent PFAS rules. For instance, her state backed down on some parts of its PFAS ban recently due to industry pressure, despite Democrats holding considerable power at the state level. "[The] Republican Party just isn't interested in regulating PFAS, and sides with industry on this issue," she said. Despite the American reversal on PFAS, Canada stands to benefit if it sticks to its planned PFAS rules as it tries to develop stronger trade links with the EU. The bloc and several member countries, such as France and Denmark, are moving fast on restrictions. If Canada wants to keep up, it needs to be quick, Alexandre said. Moreover, an April poll by Abacus Data and Environmental Defense found about 86 per cent of Canadians support federal measures to phase PFAS out of consumer products. That support cuts across regions and political affiliation, the data show.
CBC
an hour ago
- CBC
'Active clubs' are all over Canada. What are they?
The CBC's visual investigations team has found out where some of Canada's most notorious fascist fight clubs are training for violence. The members of these groups, known in white nationalist communities as "active clubs," are hiding in plain sight. They obscure their faces and locations in social media posts, but a months-long investigation, in collaboration with The Fifth Estate, has uncovered exactly where they are operating. What are 'active clubs'? Active clubs tend to be male-focused groups that promote white supremacist ideals. Their activities range from public protests to vandalism campaigns to social media posts. They expect the current political order will be swept aside, potentially by force, for a new white-focused society. Antisemitic and anti-immigrant themes are common, and some groups use Nazi iconography. Names of the specific groups include Second Sons and Nationalist-13. Second Sons was founded by Jeremy MacKenzie, creator of the controversial right-wing network Dialagon, which the RCMP has labelled an "extremist, militia-like organization." However, these groups are not a singular movement. They are part of a decentralized white supremacist and neo-Nazi network. Where did they come from? The idea was started by two neo-Nazis, according to the Global Project Against Hate and Extremism. One is a Russian. The other is American Robert Rundo, who is responsible for spreading the concept of setting up racist fight clubs. The U.S. Attorney's Office in California says Rundo has been doing it since 2017. He called it the Rise Above Movement, and spent the next few years setting up an international network of such groups in the U.S., Canada, Europe, Australia and elsewhere. These are what became "active clubs." Last December, Rundo was sentenced to two years in prison for planning and engaging in riots across California. "This defendant sought to further his white supremacist ideology by plotting riots and engaging in violence at political rallies," said U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada. Not just boxing clubs They appear to be groups of men interested in fitness and martial arts, and they recruit others to join them. But that hides a dark reality, says Mack Lamoureux at the Institute for Strategic Dialogue, a London-based think-tank that studies authoritarianism, hate and extremism. "The minute you peel back even the slightest layer of this onion, it becomes far more insidious," he said. "These are virulent white supremacists." In Nationalist-13 videos, their faces are hidden with the Totenkopf, the grinning death mask used by the Nazi SS. In one video, a member shows off a lighter emblazoned with a Nazi swastika. The black, grey and white banner of the Second Sons is a deliberate echo of the Red Ensign, Canada's original colonial flag, which was replaced by the maple leaf in 1965. White nationalists call the Red Ensign Canada's "true" flag, representing the country before they say it was spoiled by immigrants. These guys hide their faces and locations. How do we know where they are? Covered faces and blurred parts of videos were not enough to fully conceal the identities and locations of Nationalist-13 and Second Sons members. The CBC visual investigations team was able to uncover the location of their training sessions by matching up distinctive features of the inside of boxing clubs, such as padded walls, as well as the specific shape and position of windows. Some prominent group members also have clearly visible tattoos that can be compared with other photos of them, which allowed the CBC team to confirm their identities even though their faces were obscured. What's been the reaction? Owners of gyms who CBC News approached said they were unaware some of the people using their facilities were actually fascist fight clubs. John Moran, the manager at Amazing Fitness, said "we have no affiliation whatsoever with these individuals or their ideology, and we categorically reject any form of hate or discrimination." Rob Barham, the owner of Hammer BJJ, said "I don't affiliate myself with … any sort of white supremacy groups." Kevin Mans, owner of Niagara BJJ in Welland, said that as soon as he saw the photos CBC shared, he called his staff and told them these individuals couldn't come back. Hamilton City councillor Nrinder Nann is alarmed. "I think it's a serious public safety concern. The rise of extremist organizing is a national security threat and it isn't an issue to take lightly." Lyndon George, executive director of the Hamilton Anti-Racism Resource Centre, said given the violent nature of this ideology, these groups shouldn't be able to operate with impunity in public places. "We shouldn't have to wait for that violence to happen for there to be a response," said George. Is this just happening in the Hamilton area? No. Active clubs can be found in various locations across Canada and in dozens of places throughout the U.S. One in Tennessee has been widely reported on. There are 187 active clubs in 27 countries, according to the Global Project Against Hate and Extremism. They are seen as the next generation of white nationalist organizations in Canada, and they are in touch with similar groups elsewhere. "[Canadian active clubs] have very, very deep connections with other far-right and extremist organizations," said Lamoureux. "This includes America Patriot Front, which is probably the largest and most active white supremacist organization."
