President Trump Will Fill Two Massive Court Vacancies as He Continues to Shape the Federal Judiciary

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2026/02/president-trump-will-fill-two-massive-court-vacancies/

Two more vacancies are reportedly opening at the U.S. Court of Appeals that will allow President Donald Trump to increase his footprint over the federal judiciary.

Just the News reported, “Last week, Chief Judge Jeffrey S. Sutton, of the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, based in Cincinnati, and Chief Judge Debra Ann Livingston of the Second Circuit Court of Appeals in New York City, announced their plans to assume senior status later this year. Both judges were appointed by President George W. Bush.”

Senior status is a form of semi-retirement, and it creates a vacancy for a new appointee.

The Sixth Circuit has a Republican-appointed majority, while the Second Circuit has a one-seat majority for Democrat-appointed judges.

The Second Circuit presents a more consequential opening for Trump, “[g]iven its prominent role in cases involving financial regulation, national security, and major civil litigation, a conservative appointment could have a meaningful impact,” according to Just the News.

Heritage Foundation’s Judicial Appointments Tracker indicates that Trump appointed 26 federal judges last year, compared to 39 for Joe Biden and 12 for Barack Obama during their first year in office.

At the same point in his first term, Trump had filled 19 judicial slots, so appointments are moving at a faster clip this time around.

But Politico noted last month that the overwhelming majority of Trump’s judicial appointments during his second term are at the district court level. Continue…

HERE WE GO: FedEx Sues US, Seeks Refund of Trump’s Tariffs After Supreme Court RulingHERE WE GO: FedEx Sues US, Seeks Refund of Trump’s Tariffs After Supreme Court Ruling

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2026/02/here-we-go-fedex-sues-us-seeks-refund/

FedEx filed a lawsuit against the US and is seeking a refund of President Trump’s tariffs after the Supreme Court’s ruling.

The US Supreme Court last Friday struck down President Trump’s tariffs in a 6-3 decision.

Chief Justices Roberts, Amy Coney Barrett and Neil Gorsuch sided with the three liberal justices.

The high court did not address the billions of dollars collected from the tariffs.

President Trump addressed this during his presser last week and predicted that there would be endless litigation related to the refunds.

So now FedEx is suing for a refund.

“Plaintiffs seek for themselves a full refund from Defendants of all IEEPA duties Plaintiffs have paid to the United States,” the lawsuit said.

CNBC reported: Continue…

Quentin Deranque’s Killing Fallout: US Ambassador to France Kushner Ignores Summons by Macron’s Government, Is Now Reportedly Banned from Meeting Officials

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2026/02/quentin-deranques-killing-fallout-us-ambassador-france-kushner/

Antifa’s thugs have caused a serious diplomatic incident.

When Antifa thugs brutally murdered the 23-year-old conservative activist Quentin Deranque in Lyon, rightwing leaders all over the world made a point of denouncing it, as you can read in Brutal Murder of Conservative Activist Quentin Deranque by French Antifa Thugs Unleashes Fierce Debate Between Failing Macron and Conservative Italian PM Meloni.

As one would expect, the Donald J. Trump administration also chimed in, leading the failing French government to overreact, summoning US Ambassador Charles Kushner to the Elysée Palace for explanations.

Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot added that the US Embassy’s comments amounted to interference in an internal matter.

What many people did not expect was that Kushner did NOT attend the meeting, leaving Paris reeling.

Reuters reported: Continue…

HEARTLESS GLOBALISTS: EU Parliament Refuses Minute of Silence in Memory of French Conservative Activist Quentin Deranque

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2026/02/heartless-globalists-eu-parliament-refuses-minute-silence-memory/

EU parliament shows the habitual lack of good sense.

While the right-wing parties are growing non-stop in nearly every European country and taking their no-nonsense policies to the mainstream, it’s also true that the leftist-Globalists still call the shots in the European Union.

And they do it in their usual inhumane way.

Today, reports arise that the EU Parliament has denied a request from the Patriots for Europe (PfE) group to observe a minute of silence this week, in memory of French conservative activist Quentin Deranque, who was murdered in Lyon by a pack of Antifa thugs.

It’s not the first time the leftist-Globalist EU legislators demonstrate a sheer lack of humanity, as we reported back in September 2025: Heartless Leftist Members of the European Parliament Refuse a Minute of Silence in Memory of Conservative Hero Charlie Kirk (VIDEO) Continue…

Concern Grows Among Biden’s Close Friends as He Battles Cancer That Has Spread to His Bones

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2026/02/concern-grows-among-bidens-close-friends-as-he/

Friends of Joe Biden are worried about the former President’s health as he continues to fight an aggressive form of cancer.

In May of last year, Biden announced he was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer that had spread to his bones.

The Washington Post has now reported that close friends of Biden have expressed concerns over Biden’s health as he battles cancer and undergoes treatment.

Two former Biden officials told the outlet that Biden has looked more fatigued than usual in recent weeks and suspect Biden’s cancer has taken a major toll on the 83-year-old.

Per The Washington Post: Continue…

CBS Contributor Dr. Peter Attia Resigns Following Release of His Disturbing Emails with Jeffrey Epstein

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2026/02/cbs-contributor-resigns-after-epstein-files/

CBS contributor Dr. Peter Attia resigned as his role at the outlet after his disturbing emails with Jeffrey Epstein were released by the DOJ.

Dr. Attia faced backlash earlier this month after the DOJ released another cache of Epstein documents.

Email correspondence between Peter Attia and Jeffrey E discussing friendship, humor, and dietary content, highlighting a lighthearted exchange on personal topics.

On Monday it was reported that Attia parted ways with CBS after the Epstein fallout.

Via The Hollywood Reporter: Continue…

Leftist Who Fled to Canada Over “Genocide Fears” Under Trump, Now Begs Canadians for Free Housing After Discovering Sky-High Rent, No Work Eligibility on Tourist Visa

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2026/02/leftist-who-fled-canada-genocide-fears-under-trump/

It turns out the grass isn’t greener in Canada; it’s just a lot more expensive.

A far-left activist and self-proclaimed “scholar of the far-right,” who goes by the social media handle “Nope Brigade,” is finding out the hard way that “liberal utopias” still require you to pay your bills.

After spending months fear-mongering about a “looming genocide” under President Trump, the Sociology Ph.D. candidate who studies the “far right,” with a focus on “Christian nationalism,” packed her bags for Canada, only to end up online weeks later begging for discounted housing and complaining about the lack of “free” government services.

Back on December 3, 2024, she uploaded a lengthy video warning that President Donald Trump’s immigration rhetoric was laying the “building blocks to genocide” in the United States, comparing potential deportation policies to the Holocaust and Armenian genocide. Continue…

BRUSSELS RAGING: EU Countries Fume at Hungary Over Blocking of Russia Sanctions Package and $100 Billion Ukraine Loan (Videos)

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2026/02/brussels-raging-eu-countries-fume-hungary-blocking-russia/

Brussels, obsessed with helping Kiev, is furious at Budapest.

For years now, Hungarian PM Viktor Orbán has been the man that Brussels’ Globalist establishment loves to hate – but now it’s getting even worse.

European ministers harshly criticized Hungary today (23), over Budapest’s plan to block the EU’s latest round of sanctions against Russia. Continue…

Judge Cannon Permanently Blocks Release of Jack Smith’s Report, TORCHES Former Special Counsel in Latest Ruling

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2026/02/judge-cannon-permanently-blocks-release-jack-smiths-report/

Judge Aileen Cannon on Monday permanently blocked the release of Jack Smith’s report on the classified documents case against President Trump.

Cannon, a Trump appointee, slammed Jack Smith for compiling the Trump report after she dismissed the case.

“Special Counsel Smith and his team went ahead for months, undeterred, preparing [the classified documents report] using discovery collected in connection with this proceeding and expending government funds in the process,” Judge Cannon wrote in a 15-page ruling.

“To say this chronology represents, at a minimum, a concerning breach of the spirit of the Dismissal Order is an understatement, if not an outright violation of it.”

“While it is true that former special counsels have released final reports at the conclusion of their work, it appears they have done so either after electing not to bring charges at all or after adjudications of guilt by plea or trial. The Court strains to find a situation in which a former special counsel has released a report after initiating criminal charges that did not result in a finding of guilt,” Cannon wrote.

Fox News reported: Continue…

Former Norway PM Attempts Suicide After Epstein-Linked Raid, Corruption Charges: Report

https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/former-norway-pm-attempts-suicide-after-epstein-linked-raid-corruption-charges-report

Norway's former Prime Minister Thorbjørn Jagland was hospitalized a week ago after a failed suicide attempt, days after he was charged with "gross corruption" after a police probe into his ties with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, local outlet iNyheter reports.

Jagland, 75, who gave Barack Obama a Nobel peace price less than nine months into his presidency, was charged on February 12 after police carried out an extensive search of his properties - including apartments in Oslo and in Risør. Continue…

After Four Years Of War, Zelensky Wants All Land Back

https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/after-four-years-war-zelensky-wants-all-land-back

Tuesday marks four years since Russia first launched its invasion of Ukraine, and, despite President Trump promising to end the war quickly, there's no end in sight to the conflict as Russian and Ukrainian leadership haven't budged on their core demands for a peace deal.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reaffirmed in an interview with the BBC over the weekend that he wouldn’t cede the territory Ukraine still controls in the eastern Donbas region and defined "victory" as Ukraine regaining all of the land it has lost to Russia since February 2022.

Ukraine ceding the Donbas is a key Russian demand to end the war, and President Trump has repeatedly called for Zelensky to do so, arguing that Ukraine will likely lose the territory in bloody battles in the coming months and years. When asked by the BBC interviewer if he thought it was a “reasonable request” for a ceasefire, Zelensky said he didn’t agree. Continue…

Watch Live: The Anthropic Enterprise Agents Event That's Moving The Market

https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/draft-draft-do-not-publish-anthropic-event

Update 1030AM EST: Anthropic rolled out new AI capabilities for its Claude Cowork agent, designed to automate tasks in areas like human resources, investment banking, and design. Developed with partners including FactSet Research Systems Inc., the tools also allow business customers to customize plug-ins to fit their internal standards. The move is part of a broader push by Anthropic and OpenAI to expand AI deeper into professional industries.

Recent AI releases have unsettled Wall Street, contributing to sharp declines in software and financial services stocks amid fears of disruption. Scott White, Anthropic’s head of product, called it a “little bit of an overreach or overreaction” to tie market swings to a single launch, noting the company now serves over 300,000 business customers and was recently valued at $380 billion in a new funding round. Continue…

Moscow Claims NATO Nuke Smuggling Plot Into Ukraine - UK Denounces 'Heinous' Charge

https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/moscow-claims-nato-nuke-smuggling-plot-ukraine-uk-denounces-heinous-charge

It's hard to know what's true amid the fog of war, but when Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) comes out with whatever new accusation it lodges against Ukraine it usually 'goes big'.

That's true of the latest statement Tuesday, which happens to mark the fourth anniversary of the full-scale Ukraine invasion of 2022. The SVR is newly alleging that France and the UK are plotting to secretly arm Ukraine with a nuclear weapon.

According to the agency, British and French officials are considering the "covert transfer of relevant European-made components, equipment, and technologies to Ukraine" - and are in parallel laying the groundwork for an information campaign that would misrepresent the nuclear capacity as domestically developed. Continue…

Female British Cop Defends Freedom Of Speech In "Muslim Area" Of London

https://www.zerohedge.com/political/female-british-cop-defends-freedom-speech-muslim-area-london

The Metropolitan Police has so far not commented on the viral video of a female police officer defending freedom of speech surrounded by a crowd of angry Muslim men in Whitechapel but it has questions to answer.

This is fundamentally a Christian country. We will not tolerate “Muslim areas”.

Credit to this brave police officer. She was defending a Christian’s right to free speech after being told it was a Muslim area. pic.twitter.com/dQChwP3Ecz

— Sarah Pochin MP (@SarahForRuncorn) February 23, 2026

🚨🇬🇧 “The Risk is they could be assaulted - The fact it’s a very heavily Muslim orientated community”

“There are cameras everywhere and this is already a well patrolled area”

Wow - this is the second half of the viral Police Officer in London - dealing with a crowd of Muslims… pic.twitter.com/sAzjISECWO

— Concerned Citizen (@BGatesIsaPyscho) February 20, 2026

This is the moment a police officer defends a Christian preacher in Whitechapel and is told: “This is a Muslim area.”

The confrontation sees a female Met Police officer being surrounded by males and telling them: “In this country, we have freedom of speech.”

She continued: “I understand that you guys don’t want to hear it, so I would just recommend that you walk away and don’t listen to him. He’s not in your home.”

Questions for the Met include: why is it that this police officer understands English law in a way that the three Met police officers who arrested Christian street preacher, John Sherwood, in Uxbridge in 2021 apparently did not? Continue…

Lamborghini EV Lanzador Bites The Dust As Electrified Supercar Demand Hits "Close To Zero"

https://www.zerohedge.com/technology/lamborghini-ev-lanzador-bites-dust-electrified-supercar-demand-hits-close-zero

Big legacy U.S. and European automakers are frantically dialing back their electric vehicle bets, scaling back once-hyped roadmaps to full electrification as demand for these vehicles implodes.

The latest automaker to reverse course is not a mass-market sedan or SUV maker, but a luxury supercar brand: Lamborghini.

CEO Stephan Winkelmann told the UK's The Sunday Times that he has ended plans to build EVs, saying customers are not seeking quiet supercars and that demand has collapsed.

Winkelmann said that EV development risked becoming "an expensive hobby" for the car company. He stated that the previously announced all-electric concept car, Lanzador, will no longer be part of its future lineup of supercars. Continue…

'Out Of Africa': Beijing Slashes Investment Up To 85%

https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/out-africa-beijing-slashes-investment-85

For more than a decade, China’s footprint across Africa has expanded at a phenomenal pace.

Railways in Kenya, ports in Tanzania, energy projects across sub-Saharan Africa, and militarized infrastructure in various places have meant billions in state-backed loans. For decades, Beijing has positioned itself as Africa’s largest trading partner and its most aggressive infrastructure financier.

But something has changed.

In some sectors, such as energy lending by Chinese development finance institutions, investment levels have fallen by as much as 85 percent from their peak years. That’s not a rounding error, that’s a strategic retreat.

What’s really going on? Is China walking away from Africa? Or is Africa revealing something deeper about China’s own economic stress?

It’s all of the above and more. Continue…

Critical Part Of Hungary & Slovakia's Russian Oil Flows Has Just Been Blown Up

https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/critical-part-hungary-slovakias-russian-oil-flows-has-just-been-blown

Ukraine's long-range drone campaign has reportedly once again struck at the heart of Russia's energy artery, igniting a fire at a key Transneft oil pumping station in the republic of Tatarstan early Monday.

Regional officials confirmed the incident after local media and Telegram channels first reported explosions near the strategic facility, with authorities announcing: "as a result of falling drone debris, a local fire broke out in an industrial zone."

No casualties resulted from the blasts which took place around 4am at the Kaleykino pumping station. A fire ensued after eyewitnesses reported hearing some seven explosions.

Ukrainian media has cited a source who described, "Tonight, long-range SBU drones caused a 'bavovna' (explosion) at the main oil pumping station 'Kaleykino' near Almetyevsk in Tatarstan. It receives oil from Western Siberia and the Volga region and mixes it before sending it for export. The station is a key hub for supplying raw materials to the 'Druzhba' oil pipeline."

The Moscow Times also notes: Continue…

These Are The World's 10 Deadliest Viruses

https://www.zerohedge.com/medical/these-are-worlds-10-deadliest-viruses

Some viruses infect millions but kill relatively few. Others spread less widely yet prove far more lethal once contracted.

This graphic, via Visual Capitalist's Bruno Venditti, ranks 10 of the world’s deadliest viruses by case fatality rate: the percentage of infected people who die from the disease.

Rabies tops the list, with a fatality rate approaching 100% once symptoms appear. Continue…

Who Believes In Aliens, Bigfoot, & The Chupacabra?

https://www.zerohedge.com/personal-finance/who-believes-aliens-bigfoot-chupacabra

Belief in the unknown, whether extraterrestrials or legendary creatures, remains surprisingly common in America.

The visualization below, created by Visual Capitalist's Julie Peasley using data from YouGov, explores how likely U.S. adults think it is that aliens, Bigfoot, and the chupacabra exist. Continue…

Hong Kong protests after Panama takes control of 2 key ports on the Panama Canal

https://www.breitbart.com/news/hong-kong-protests-after-panama-takes-control-of-2-key-ports-on-the-panama-canal/

Hong Kong protests after Panama takes control of two key ports on the Panama Canal once run by a Hong Kong company

Hong Kong protests after Panama takes control of 2 key ports on the Panama CanalBy HUIZHONG WUAssociated PressThe Associated PressBANGKOK

BANGKOK (AP) — Hong Kong is protesting Panama’s seizure of two ports on a canal vital for global trade that were operated by a Hong Kong-based company for decades, the city’s government said Tuesday.

Hong Kong’s Commerce and Economic Development Bureau said in a statement it had lodged “stern protests” with Panama’s consulate, adding that it had expressed strong opposition and dissatisfaction and would “staunchly support the legitimate rights and interests of Hong Kong corporations overseas.”

The ports located at the mouth and tail of the Panama Canal, which have been operated by a subsidiary of CK Hutchison since 1997, became embroiled in a legal dispute after getting caught in the middle of the U.S. and China’s competition for influence in the region. The ports became the focus of global attention after U.S. President Donald Trump accused China of “running the Panama Canal.” Continue…

Canada wants answers from OpenAI after school massacre

https://www.rt.com/news/632979-canada-openai-school-shooting/

Canadian officials have summoned senior OpenAI representatives to Ottawa to answer questions about the tech company’s safety protocols after it confirmed it did not alert police about an account linked to mass shooter Jesse Van Rutselaar.

Artificial Intelligence Minister Evan Solomon said on Monday that OpenAI’s senior safety officials will come to Ottawa on Tuesday to outline how the company decides when to notify law enforcement.

Van Rutselaar, the 18-year-old transgender person, killed nine people in a small British Columbia town earlier this month before committing suicide.

OpenAI confirmed the meeting, saying senior leaders will discuss “our overall approach to safety, the safeguards in place, and how they are continuously strengthened.” The meeting follows the company’s disclosure that it banned Van Rutselaar’s account in June 2025 for “furthering violent activities” but did not notify Canadian authorities.

Solomon said he was “deeply disturbed” by reports that the company suspended the account without contacting police. Continue…

Top Toronto police lawyer on leave following 'hate crime' charging scandal

https://www.rebelnews.com/falguni_debnath_the_toronto_police_lawyer_who_allegedly_instructs_police_on_who_they_can_and_cannot_charge_is_now_on_leave

Falguni Debnath, the Toronto police lawyer who allegedly instructs police on who they can and cannot charge, is now on leave. Continue…

Historic Saint-Paul Church in Montreal destroyed by fire

https://www.rebelnews.com/saint_paul_church_engulfed_in_flames

The blaze — while still under investigation — comes amid a wave of church burnings and desecrations across Canada in recent years. Continue…

Ontario teachers dismissed over Christian beliefs return to labor relations board

https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/ontario-teachers-dismissed-over-christian-beliefs-return-to-labor-relations-board/

The Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms announces that lawyers funded by the Justice Centre will return to the Ontario Labour Relations Board (OLRB) on Monday, February 23, 2026, to deliver final submissions in the case of Ontario teachers Matt and Nicole Alexander, who were terminated after respectfully refusing to “celebrate and affirm” LGBT issues that conflicted with their sincerely held Christian beliefs.

Matt and Nicole Alexander, who live in Cobden, Ontario, devoted many years to teaching and supporting students in their community. Both maintained unblemished disciplinary records and treated all students with dignity and respect throughout their careers.

The Alexanders’ ordeal began in late 2022 after their teenage son, Josh Alexander, who attended a different school board, publicly challenged his school’s policy allowing biological males who identify as female to use girls’ washrooms. In April 2023, Matt Alexander was suspended in circumstances that appear to be related to social media posts made about him, despite not maintaining any public social media accounts at the time. In May 2023, Nicole Alexander was suspended after quietly removing a “pride” poster that had been taped to the door of her kindergarten classroom without her consent, despite never having been instructed that the poster was required to remain in place.

Following their dismissal, the Alexanders’ union, the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO), declined to advance their grievances or defend their Charter-protected freedoms. Because most government workers are unionized, employees like the Alexanders can only pursue their Charter rights – including freedom of conscience and religion under section 2(a) and freedom of expression under section 2(b) – through their union.

With the assistance of lawyers funded by the Justice Centre, the Alexanders took their case forward, and on September 8, 2025, the OLRB ruled that the matter could proceed – rejecting attempts by both the ETFO and the Renfrew County District School Board to have the matter dismissed. Continue…

Winnipeg backs down from pro-abortion ‘bubble zone’ law after group threatens legal action

https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/winnipeg-backs-down-from-pro-abortion-bubble-zone-law-after-group-threatens-legal-action/

The Canadian city of Winnipeg backed down from putting in place a new bylaw that would have banned demonstrations in front of schools, hospitals, and churches after legal pressure.

In a press release sent to LifeSiteNews, the Canadian Constitution Foundation (CCF) recently noted that it “welcomes news” that the Winnipeg officials’ draft of a bubble zone bylaw has been “shelved.”

The Winnipeg law was titled the “Safe Access to Vulnerable Infrastructure” bylaw, and according to the CCF, would have “banned many types of in-person demonstrations within 100 metres of schools, hospitals, places of worship, and other facilities.”

Fines would have ranged from $500 to $5,000 for repeat violations. Continue…

Ontario Court of Appeal dismisses veteran’s charter challenge over Freedom Convoy arrest at National War Memorial

https://www.westernstandard.news/news/ontario-court-of-appeal-dismisses-veterans-charter-challenge-over-freedom-convoy-arrest-at-national-war-memorial/71384

The Ontario Court of Appeal has dismissed a Charter challenge brought by a retired Canadian Forces veteran who was arrested while attempting to stand guard at Ottawa’s National War Memorial during the 2022 Freedom Convoy protest.

Master Warrant Officer (Ret’d) Jeffrey Evely was convicted of mischief and obstruction after entering a restricted zone near the memorial on Feb. 19, 2022.

He had travelled to Ottawa to join demonstrators protesting lockdowns and vaccine mandates.

According to the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms, which supported his legal challenge, Evely organized fellow veterans to help protect the memorial after allegations surfaced that it had been desecrated during the protests.

He reportedly volunteered for pre-dawn sentry shifts at the site.

Police had sealed off large sections of downtown Ottawa at the time. As Evely made his way to the memorial for guard duty, he entered an area closed to public access and was arrested. Continue…

Canada pledges $2B in military aid, armoured vehicles to Ukraine amid new Russia sanctions

https://www.westernstandard.news/news/canada-pledges-2b-in-military-aid-armoured-vehicles-to-ukraine-amid-new-russia-sanctions/71379

The federal government marked the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine Tuesday with new military assistance and additional sanctions targeting Russia’s energy sector and shipping network.

Speaking following a virtual meeting of allied leaders described as a “coalition of the willing,” Prime Minister Mark Carney announced Canada will provide $2 billion in military aid to Ukraine over the next year, alongside 400 armoured vehicles requested by Ukrainian authorities.

Carney said the measures were coordinated with partners including French President Emmanuel Macron, U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, and were intended to sustain pressure on Russia while reinforcing Ukraine’s defensive capacity.

“Russia is failing to achieve all of its objectives four years into this conflict,” Carney said, adding Canada and allied countries remain committed to long-term support for Ukraine Continue…

Church Group Sues Quebec Government After Event Cancelled Over Anti‑Abortion Concerns

https://www.theepochtimes.com/world/church-group-sues-quebec-government-after-event-cancelled-over-antiabortion-concerns-5989980?ea_src=ca-frontpage&ea_med=section-1

A provincial cabinet minister in Quebec is testifying in a civil case after cancelling an event in 2023 that she said she believed would promote an anti-abortion ideology.

Kelowna B.C.-based Harvest Ministries International is suing the province for $80,000 and is requesting a declaration from the Superior Court affirming that the cancellation infringed upon the Christian group’s Charter rights.

The court heard that during her tenure overseeing the tourism portfolio, MNA Caroline Proulx directed the provincially owned convention centre in Quebec City to cancel its booking of the “Faith, Fire, Freedom Rally” in 2023.

She told the court during her Feb. 23 testimony that she was shocked to see what she called anti-abortion “misinformation” on the group’s website.

The Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms (JCCF), which is representing the plaintiffs, says the central issue is whether a religious organization can be refused access to a publicly owned venue due to its beliefs.

JCCF also noted in a Feb. 20 statement that the conference program did not include any abortion-related content. Continue…

Montreal Church Launches Legal Challenge Over City’s Handling of US Christian Performer’s Event

https://www.theepochtimes.com/world/montreal-church-launches-legal-challenge-over-citys-handling-of-us-christian-performers-event-5950752?ea_src=ca-frontpage&ea_med=section-1

A Montreal church is seeking a judicial review of the city’s response to a summer event that featured U.S. Christian performer Sean Feucht.

The City of Montreal cancelled a Feucht event that had been scheduled for a public venue in July. When the church Ministerios Restauración/Église MR offered to host Feucht as a replacement venue for the event, the city fined the church $2,500, saying it did not have a permit for the event.

The application for judicial review is an extension of a legal challenge filed by the church against the $2,500 fine. The legal challenge was filed by The Democracy Fund (TDF), which is representing the church in the case.

The church is seeking $10,000 in damages, and a declaration from the court that the church’s Charter rights were violated. Feucht is not a plaintiff in the case, but is listed as a third party.

The lawsuit is also looking to have the ticket expunged and a declaration that the church has a right to host praise and musical prayer events. The city has yet to file a response, and no date has been set for the hearing, TDF said.

Mark Joseph, senior litigator for TDF, said the case is about protecting free speech and freedom of religion, and that the outcome of the decision could influence similar cases in the future. Continue…

Former Trustee to Challenge $750K Tribunal Fine Over Anti-SOGI Remarks in BC Supreme Court

https://www.theepochtimes.com/world/former-trustee-to-challenge-750k-tribunal-fine-over-anti-sogi-remarks-in-bc-supreme-court-5989949?ea_src=ca-frontpage&ea_med=section-1

Former B.C. school board trustee Barry Neufeld is headed to the B.C. Supreme Court to challenge a $750,000 penalty imposed by a human rights tribunal for speaking out against gender identity curriculum, a process his lawyer expects to take several years.

Neufeld told The Epoch Times in a statement that he is seeking a judicial review of last week’s “unjust decision” by the B.C. Human Rights Tribunal, which ordered the former Chilliwack school trustee to pay the fine to members of the Chilliwack Teachers Association who identify as LGBT.

The outcome of the high-profile case has been criticized by some, including Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, who called it “insane and Orwellian” and British comedian and “Monty Python” star John Cleese, who said he is removing B.C. from his Canadian tour schedule this year after reading the tribunal’s decision. Meanwhile, the B.C. human rights commissioner and the BC Teachers’ Federation have praised the tribunal’s ruling, calling it a “huge win” for LGBT rights.

Neufeld’s lawyer James Kitchen told The Epoch Times that neither the tribunal’s decision nor the penalty came as a surprise to him, but said the $750,000 amount “sets a precedent.”

“The tribunal was not impartial, but that’s to be expected,” Kitchen said in an email. He noted that one of the tribunal members is an advocate for “Gender Ideology,” and said that if the tribunal intended to render an impartial decision, that member should not have sat on the panel.

Kitchen said he and his client discussed a judicial review and appeals before the tribunal hearing even started. He told The Epoch Times he expects the case to go before the B.C. Supreme Court near the end of the year. Continue…

Protest Planned in Quebec City Against Federal Gun Buyback

https://www.theepochtimes.com/world/protest-planned-in-quebec-city-against-federal-gun-buyback-5990015?ea_src=ca-frontpage&ea_med=section-1

Gun rights advocates and licensed firearms owners are planning a rally in Quebec City this weekend in opposition to the Liberal government’s gun ban and buyback program.

The event will take place nearly six weeks after Ottawa announced gun owners across Canada could declare interest in the nationwide program. The buyback program offers financial compensation for handing in or permanently deactivating so-called assault-style firearms that fall under the federal government’s ban.

The rally is set to take place outside the Quebec National Assembly on Feb. 28 at 10 a.m., according to the National Firearms Association (NFA).

“This is a united rally, organized alongside multiple provincial and national organizations,” the NFA said in a Feb. 20 news release. “Hunters, sport shooters, collectors, farmers, Indigenous community members, and everyday licensed owners are coming together with one purpose: to stand for fairness, evidence-based policy, and respect for lawful age-old traditions.”

The Liberal government has banned approximately 2,500 types of what it calls “assault-style” firearms since 2020. Eligible gun owners have until March 31 to make an online declaration to receive compensation for a banned firearm.

Firearms owners who do not make a declaration are expected to dispose of or deactivate their banned firearms before the amnesty period ends on Oct. 30, after which those who still have banned firearms will be considered breaking the law and may face criminal charges. Continue…

Parti Québécois Takes Riding of Chicoutimi, Continuing Byelection Win Streak

https://www.theepochtimes.com/world/parti-quebecois-takes-riding-of-chicoutimi-continuing-byelection-win-streak-5989903?ea_src=ca-frontpage&ea_med=section-1

The Parti Québécois has won a byelection in the riding of Chicoutimi, less than eight months before Quebec’s next general election.

Preliminary results showed PQ candidate Marie-Karlynn Laflamme ahead of the Conservatives’ Catherine Morissette by nearly 3,000 votes, while the Coalition Avenir Québec, Liberals and Québec solidaire trailed.

It was the party’s fourth straight byelection victory, following wins in recent years in Jean-Talon, Terrebonne and Arthabaska.

The latest victory gives the PQ seven seats in the National Assembly, up from just three after the 2022 general election.

The riding had been a stronghold for the party before Andrée Laforest captured it twice for the CAQ, first in 2018 and again in 2022.

The seat became vacant after Laforest resigned in a bid to enter municipal politics.

The Parti Québécois is high in the polls ahead of the provincial election in the fall, and leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon has promised a sovereignty referendum by 2030 if he becomes premier.

The byelection took place with a leadership race underway for the CAQ, as Premier François Legault has announced he’s stepping down.

Meanwhile, the Quebec Liberals announced their new leader, Charles Milliard, on Feb. 13.

Brother of Tumbler Ridge shooter arrested after Canada-wide warrant issued, RCMP say

https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/brother-of-tumbler-ridge-shooter-arrested-charged

Jacob Jan Van Rootselaar, the older brother of Tumbler Ridge shooter Jesse Van Rootselaar, has been arrested and charged, Alberta RCMP confirmed Tuesday.

The 22-year-old was arrested on Thursday in Sylvan Lake, Alberta, on an “outstanding Canada Wide arrest warrant from a 2024 Fort McMurray attempted murder investigation,” Cpl. Troy Savinkoff told National Post over email.

Jacob was scheduled to appear in court in Red Deer on Monday.

He has additionally been charged with two counts of weapon offences and five counts of failure to comply with release conditions.

“He has been taken before a Justice of the Peace and remanded into custody for court at the Alberta Court of Justice in Red Deer,” Savinkoff said.Continue…

UPDATE On The Situation In Puerto Vallarta with Dan Dicks of Press For Truth

https://odysee.com/@PressForTruth:4/UPDATE-On-The-Situation-In-Puerto-Vallarta-with-Dan-Dicks-of-Press-For-Truth:8

Things have returned to normal in Puerto Vallarta following the destruction that was caused by the drug cartel after one of their leaders was killed!

In this video Dan Dicks of Press For Truth provides an update from the scene while also discussing the most important takeaway from this weeks events!

The Media LIED To Canadians, And Now They're Paying The Price In Mexico

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19UJhuPADUI

THE WORLD CUP TRAP: Why Hosting The Tournament Makes Countries Poorer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ew6q6O4KsY4

The ledger is unbalanced. We were told hosting the biggest sporting event in human history would bring billions in economic growth. We were told it would leave a legacy. But the math tells a different story.

This is not a celebration. It is a state-sanctioned extraction mechanism.

In this forensic audit, we examine the true cost of the upcoming 2026 World Cup in North America. We look at the graveyard of past host cities in Brazil and South Africa, the "displacement effect" that ruins local tourism, and the accounting trick that allows a private organization in Florida to keep the revenue while Canadian taxpayers absorb the billion-dollar invoice.

The stadium is temporary. The debt is permanent. The system isn't broken—it's operating exactly as designed. The lease is up.

THE FILES: