Retired RCMP officer details how he was forced out by COVID vax mandate

https://www.rebelnews.com/retired_rcmp_officer_details_how_he_was_forced_out_by_covid_vax_mandate

Sheila Gunn Reid shares a heartbreaking letter from a viewer detailing his experience as he was forced out of the RCMP due to the federal police force's COVID vaccine mandate.

This week's special Canada Day mailbag edition of The Gunn Show saw a retired RCMP officer write to Sheila, detailing how he was pushed into retirement after a lengthy and mentally draining process spurred by the federal police force's COVID-19 vaccine mandate.

On August 13, 2021, viewer Andrew Grainger said he received an email about the “mandatory vaccine policy.” By the end of September, he was receiving inquiries about his vaccine status. A week later, another letter — this time demanding vaccine compliance by the end of the month.

By November, he said he was terminated, escorted out of the RCMP station for non-compliance. The officer was then denied the ability to receive employment insurance.

But in June 2022, the policies shifted, and he was ordered back — despite finding alternate employment — only to be placed on sick leave. A mental health note citing emotional tolls deemed him unfit. Continue…

BC Changes Cost Regulations for Home Builders to Increase Construction

https://www.theepochtimes.com/world/bc-changes-cost-regulations-for-home-builders-to-increase-construction-5881758?ea_src=ca-frontpage&ea_cnt=b

The B.C. government says it is making changes to how home builders pay for new housing projects, in an effort to spur more development.

The changes announced include reducing upfront development costs, and a more flexible timeline for builders to pay.

Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs Ravi Kahlon told reporters the government was committed to finding innovative solutions for home construction during a July 2 news conference about the government’s changes.

“These changes are about supporting housing development and easing the financial burden on builders and developers so they can get shovels in the ground faster to help unlock more homes for people in B.C.,” Kahlon said.

As part of the announcement, the B.C. government will be amending the Development Cost Charge and Amenity Cost Charge Regulation. The regulations have remained unchanged since 1984, according to the government. The move will allow for more builders to use on-demand surety bonds around the province.

The bonds are “financial guarantees” homebuilders provide to demonstrate their commitment to fulfilling the construction contract, the government said. The bonds are currently used in 40 municipalities in Canada, including Burnaby, Surrey, Vancouver, and Mission in B.C. Continue…

Christian Group Plans Rallies in Alberta to Promote Municipal Election Candidates

https://www.theepochtimes.com/world/christian-group-plans-rallies-in-alberta-to-promote-municipal-election-candidates-5882158?ea_src=ca-frontpage&ea_cnt=b

An inter-provincial organization is launching a campaign to promote Christian candidates in the upcoming Alberta municipal elections, saying it wants to engage and bring together voters and candidates with similar values.

The event, put on by the Christian Impact Network (CIN), will start in Westlock on July 5, as a way for voters to get to know Christian candidates for the October municipal elections. CIN is made up of Christian professionals, including elected officials from the federal, provincial, and municipal levels.

Guest speakers at the event stops include former Conservative cabinet minister and Canadian Alliance Party Leader Stockwell Day and a number of MLAs, mayors, city councillors, and school board trustees, according to a CIN news release.

The rally was designed to inspire candidates, event organizer Michael Clark said in an emailed statement. He noted the rallies have been held in other parts of the country, including in Ontario in 2022.

“We successfully piloted this concept during the 2022 municipal election in Ontario, mobilizing 110 Christian candidates (mayors, city councillors, and school board trustees),“ he said. ”We are now expanding to Alberta since local candidates were registering with us a year before we even announced our involvement.”

Clark said the goal was to engage culture and “shape” it. Continue…

Canadians Cutting Back on Spending Amid Trade Tensions With US: TD Report

https://www.theepochtimes.com/world/canadians-cutting-back-on-spending-amid-trade-tensions-with-us-td-report-5882048?ea_src=ca-frontpage&ea_cnt=b

Canadians have been cutting back on spending due to “escalating” trade tensions with the United States and the uncertainty surrounding American tariffs, a new report from TD Economics suggests.

“The latest TD debit and credit card spending data suggest that Canadian consumers hit pause in the second quarter of 2025, reacting to escalating trade tensions,” the recently-released report says.

TD’s spend data indicates that credit card spending increased by 1.5 percent in the second quarter this year compared to that of last year, however this marks a decrease from the 5.4 percent growth in the first quarter this year. The report says this decline reflects a “growing softness in underlying economic conditions—especially the weakening labour market.”

TD Economics is lowering its personal consumption expenditure prediction for the rest of the year by 0.4 percentage points, although it does expect “some recovery” toward the end of the year.

“Consumers [are] unlikely to splurge on large purchases when they’re worried about losing their jobs,” the report says. “Said plainly: the damage is done.” Continue…

Atlantic Provinces Have Highest Personal Income Tax Rates in Canada for $50,000 Income: Study

https://www.theepochtimes.com/world/atlantic-provinces-have-highest-personal-income-tax-rates-in-canada-for-50000-income-study-5882286?ea_src=ca-frontpage&ea_cnt=b

Canadians living in Atlantic Canada face the highest personal income tax rates in the country for $50,000 of income, a new study finds.

Atlantic Canada is facing “significant tax competitiveness challenges,” which can be harmful to productivity and economic growth by making the region “less attractive” to skilled workers and business investment, according to a July 3 study published by Canadian think tank the Fraser Institute.

“High marginal provincial taxes aren’t just a problem for high income earners in Atlantic Canada,” study author Ben Eisen said in a statement. “Middle-income earners in the region also face higher tax rates on the next dollar that they earn than most other Canadians.”

Nova Scotia residents earning $50,000 in income are taxed 14.95 percent on the next dollar earned, followed by Newfoundland and Labrador at 14.5 percent, and PEI at 13.47 percent. At this income level, New Brunswick sits in the middle of the Canadian provinces at 9.4 percent.

The lowest personal income tax rates for Canadians earning $50,000 in income are in Ontario at 5.05 percent, B.C. at 7.7 percent, and Alberta at 8 percent.

Meanwhile, a similar pattern emerges for income tax rates faced by Canadians at $75,000 of income, the study found. Nova Scotia has the highest personal income tax rate in this bracket at 16.67 percent, followed by PEI at 16.6 percent, Quebec at 15.62 percent, Newfoundland and Labrador at 14.5 percent, and New Brunswick at 14 percent. Continue…

Alberta Appoints Former Calgary Officer as Chief of New Provincial Police Force

https://www.theepochtimes.com/world/alberta-appoints-former-calgary-officer-as-chief-of-new-provincial-police-force-5882119?ea_src=ca-frontpage&ea_cnt=b

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has announced the creation of a provincial police force and the identity of its newly appointed chief.

Former deputy Calgary police chief Sat Parhar has been selected to head the newly established Alberta Sheriffs Police Service which will be based in Calgary, Smith announced at a July 2 press conference.

Parhar brings more than 25 years of policing experience to the role, Smith said.

“Chief Parhar has the right mix of experience and leadership to steer this new agency,” she said. “His frontline policing experience and deep understanding of Alberta’s complex and diverse public safety landscape positions him to lead the agency as it takes shape and begins its work as a new municipal policing option, keeping communities safe.”

His first responsibilities will include recruiting an executive team, as well as building connections with the existing network of Alberta law enforcement organizations to identify and deal with threats to public safety, the premier said. She did not say when the new force will be up and running, but said recruitment is a top priority.

While the new service is not intended to replace the RCMP, Smith said municipalities will have the option to contract the force for their policing requirements instead of the Mounties. Continue…

Nationwide Flights Disrupted by Bomb Threats, Canada’s Air Navigation Agency Says

https://www.theepochtimes.com/world/nationwide-flights-disrupted-by-bomb-threats-canadas-air-navigation-agency-says-5882031?ea_src=ca-frontpage&ea_cnt=b

Travellers are being warned flights may be delayed at airports across the country today after NAV Canada received bomb threats targeting its facilities in several cities.

Canada’s air navigation service provider said threats were received at facilities in Ottawa, Montreal, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Calgary, and Vancouver early this morning and air traffic control towers at all affected airports were evacuated.

“Employees at impacted locations are safe,” Nav Canada said in a July 3 post just after 8:30 a.m.

Nav Canada posted an update less than an hour later, saying “service is gradually resuming at affected sites” after threat assessments were performed by local authorities.

“We thank airlines and passengers for their patience as we work towards normal operations,” the post said.

A U.S. Federal Aviation Administration spokesperson confirmed that ground stops have been lifted at the international airports in Ottawa and Montreal. Continue…

Top Automaker CEOs Ask Carney to End EV Mandate

https://www.theepochtimes.com/world/top-automaker-ceos-ask-carney-to-end-ev-mandate-5881742?ea_src=ca-frontpage&ea_cnt=b

Automotive CEOs asked Prime Minister Mark Carney this week to repeal his government’s Electric Vehicle (EV) mandate that requires all vehicles sold in Canada to have zero-emissions by 2035.

The CEOs of Ford Canada, Stellantis Canada, and GM Canada, as well as the Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers’ Association, met with Carney on July 2.

Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers’ Association CEO Brian Kingston told reporters before the meeting that the government’s Electric Vehicle mandate was “not sustainable.”

“The targets that have been established cannot be met, and that will be part of the discussion,” he said, adding that they would also discuss the importance of Canada’s auto sector and “ensuring its continued success.”

According to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), Carney and the auto sector leaders discussed the trade tensions with the U.S., as well as “the need to build up a made-in-Canada supply chain as well as diversify our trading partners.”

The PMO did not mention any discussions about Ottawa’s EV mandate, which states that at least 20 percent of new light-duty vehicles offered for sale in 2026 must be zero-emission, with the share rising each year until reaching 100 percent in 2035. Continue…

It's not 'elbows up' approach as RCMP renews contracts for American helicopters, industry association says

https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/industry-association-says-its-not-elbows-up-approach-as-rcmp-renews-contracts-for-american-helicopters

The Black Hawks were granted highly unusual special exemptions that allowed them to do non-military jobs in Canadian air space

OTTAWA — The RCMP has renewed the contracts for three Black Hawk helicopters to patrol the Canada-U.S. border, despite accusations by the industry association that the contracts are the opposite of the government’s “elbows up” approach and that the choppers don’t meet the government’s own safety regulations.

RCMP spokesman Andrew DiRienzo confirmed that the federal police has decided to rehire the three helicopters for at least the next three months. The contracts for the second-hand helicopters, purchased by private contractors after the U.S. military decided to update much of its own fleet, kicked in on Canada Day.

The new contracts follow a National Post investigation that revealed that four Black Hawks were purchased by Canadian contractors who then signed patrolling contracts with the RCMP for three of them. The other was hired by the Alberta government. Continue…

EU exempts 90% of importers from upcoming carbon tariffs

https://www.rebelnews.com/eu_exempts_90_of_importers_from_upcoming_carbon_tariffs

Prime Minister Mark Carney has discussed implementing carbon tariffs to 'ensure imported goods face the same carbon costs as domestically produced goods," vowing to keep Canadian companies competitive.

Prime Minister Mark Carney’s debated carbon tariffs are in flux after European lawmakers eliminated 90% of importers from its Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM).

A CBAM, or a tariff on imported goods based on their manufacturing emissions, will still be implemented for 2026, adding another layer of complexity in trade disputes with the United States.

The new 50-tonne threshold for the EU's carbon tariffs will exempt 182,000 importers, yet still cover 99% of emissions from iron, steel, aluminum, and cement imports.

The debate on carbon tariffs is part of the EU's trade dispute with the U.S. and China, risking Canadian exporters as collateral.

Once finalized, a draft US-EU agreement would exempt U.S. products for one year from tariffs on goods (e.g., steel, cement, fertilizers) at high risk of "carbon leakage."

Effective June 27, Prime Minister Carney imposed 50% tariffs on steel imports over 2.6 million tonnes from non-free trade partners to bolster Canada’s steel industry against U.S. tariffs.

Carney also discussed carbon tariffs to “ensure imported goods face the same carbon costs as domestically produced goods," vowing to keep Canadian companies competitive.

"We're going to develop a carbon border-adjustment mechanism," Carney said January 31. "What that does is it promotes jobs here at home, it prevents carbon leakage abroad, and it aligns Canada with our allies who are still engaged in the fight against climate change." Continue…

Ontario school board under fire for 'mandatory' fees: Are families subsidizing bloated salaries?

https://www.rebelnews.com/ontario_school_board_under_fire_for_mandatory_fees_are_families_subsidizing_bloated_salaries

A Catholic school board east of Toronto is facing financial scrutiny over its student fees, defiance of ministry guidelines and massive salary bill consuming half of its budget.

The Ontario Ministry of Education is tightening the screws on financially reckless school boards, but one board seems to be dodging the spotlight while strong-arming families with questionable fees that defy ministry guidelines.

The Peterborough Victoria Northumberland and Clarington Catholic District School Board (PVNCCDSB) has implemented so-called “mandatory student activity fees,” leaving parents to question if these fees are a sneaky way to offset mismanagement while locking kids out of essential school activities. Continue…

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