Category: Globalism

Posted on

TSCE #4: Fake Refugees Gaming The System, (U.N. v.s. N.G.O.)

(Lauren Southern reports on asylum fraud)

Original video is here.

(Squatting Slav: Lauren won’t talk about “who” is behind it)

Original video is here.

(UN publication on human trafficking)

1. Trafficking, Smuggling, Child Exploitation

CLICK HERE, for TSCE #1: series intro and other listings.
CLICK HERE, for TSCE #2: suing for the right to illegally enter U.S.
CLICK HERE, for TSCE #3: the U.N.’s hypocrisy on sexual abuse.

2. Important Links

(1) https://news.un.org/en/story/2018/11/1024882
(2) http://archive.is/kjMuB
(3) https://www.iom.int/news/iom-monitors-caravans-central-american-migrants-supports-voluntary-returns
(4) http://archive.is/9SCmV
(5) http://csonet.org/index.php?menu=77
(6) http://archive.is/6Oh4z
(7) https://www.unhcr.org/partnerships.html
(8) http://archive.is/dKxll
(9) https://www.un.org/en/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=A/RES/71/1
(10) https://canucklaw.ca/new-york-declaration-september-2016-prelude-to-the-global-migration-compact/
(11) https://refugeesmigrants.un.org/sites/default/files/180713_agreed_outcome_global_compact_for_migration.pdf
(12) https://www.unodc.org/documents/human-trafficking/Migrant-Smuggling/Smuggling_of_Migrants_A_Global_Review.pdf
(13) https://www.interpol.int/en/Crimes/People-smuggling
(14) https://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/organized-crime/intro/UNTOC.html

3. Advocates Abroad And Ariel Ricker

(Advocates Abroad Homepage)

(Lauren Southern exposing Ariel Ricker on coaching “refugees” to lie).

At least one organization, Advocates Abroad, is openly committing fraud in trying to get bogus “refugees” into Europe. This is done by concocting convincing stories with specific details in hopes of duping refugee agencies.

(From this RT article)

Ariel Ricker, the executive director of Advocates Abroad, a major non-profit NGO which provides legal aid to migrants, has been caught on tape openly discussing how she teaches refugees to lie to border agents. The video was released by Canadian right-wing activist, author and internet personality, Lauren Southern, and will be a part of her new documentary film project ‘Borderless,’ which takes on the European migration crisis.

One method she teaches migrants is to exploit the presumed Christian sympathies of the predominantly Eastern Orthodox Greece by pretending to have been persecuted for being Christian. She even describes telling them how to pray during interviews, ironically because doing so reflects “honesty.”

Advocates Abroad claim the video was selectively edited and manipulated to serve a particular agenda.

4. Other NGO Activities

CLICK HERE, for Advocates Abroad.
CLICK HERE, for smuggling 40 migrants into Italy.
CLICK HERE, for people smuggling into Europe.
CLICK HERE, for NGOs smuggling Muslims into Italy.
CLICK HERE, for “humanitarian” smuggling into Greece.
CLICK HERE, for Soros funded NGOs smuggling ISIS into Europe.

Of course the above links are just a tiny sample.

Interesting that Canada signed the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and the Protocols Thereto.

The Protocol against the Smuggling of Migrants by Land, Sea and Air, adopted by General Assembly resolution 55/25, entered into force on 28 January 2004. It deals with the growing problem of organized criminal groups who smuggle migrants, often at high risk to the migrants and at great profit for the offenders. A major achievement of the Protocol was that, for the first time in a global international instrument, a definition of smuggling of migrants was developed and agreed upon. The Protocol aims at preventing and combating the smuggling of migrants, as well as promoting cooperation among States parties, while protecting the rights of smuggled migrants and preventing the worst forms of their exploitation which often characterize the smuggling process.

Canada claims to be against human smuggling. Yet we sign treaties (like the New York Declaration and Global Migration Compact), which facilitate human smuggling.

5. Interpol’s Take On Human Smuggling

For centuries, people have left their homes in search of better lives. In the last decade, the process of globalization has caused an unprecedented amount of migration from the least developed countries of Asia, Africa, Latin America and Eastern Europe to Western Europe, Australia and North America.

With this, we have seen an increase in the activities of organized criminal networks who facilitate irregular migration. By providing fake identification documents, organizing transport, and bypassing official border controls, criminals are making huge profits.

People smuggling syndicates are run like businesses, drawn by the high profit margins and low risks. They benefit from weak legislation and a relatively low risk of detection, prosecution and arrest compared to other activities of transnational organized crime.

Smuggling networks can be extensive and complex, and can include people who carry out a number of different roles:

A report published jointly by Europol and INTERPOL in May 2016 estimates that more than 90% of the migrants coming to the European Union are facilitated, mostly by members of a criminal network.

Worth pointing out: that while Interpol cites the UN’s policies against human smuggling, it neglects to mention that the UN’s policies around “rights” for illegals go a long way towards incentivizing mass illegal immigration.

It also neglects to point out the underhanded means which host countries have these forced on their populations by politicians.

6. Media Pussyfoots Around Illegal Immigration

(From a CBC article)

“Desperate migrants are choosing ever more dangerous sea routes to Europe and using smaller and less seaworthy boats, causing a sharp increase in drowning deaths, warns the International Organization for Migration.”

“Meanwhile in Hungary, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán is ratcheting up his attacks on the European Union, calling it a “transport agency” for migrants that hands out funds and “anonymous bank cards” to “terrorists and criminals.”
.
“This is the kind of slippery slope which could again lead to a broken Europe,” Orbán declared today in an interview on Hungarian public radio.

The author of this trash deliberately and repeatedly skirted the main issue here: these hoards of “migrants” trying to get into Europe were doing so ILLEGALLY. Hence places like Hungary have every right to secure their borders.

(From one CBC interview)

“AMT: We all remember the Berlin Wall coming down. In fact it was 30 years ago this year. I’ve got a clip here that I’d like you to hear. These are two Germans talking about what it felt like to stand on top of the Berlin Wall after the crowds started streaming across the border.
.
AMT: Elisabeth Vallet, how did the fall of that iconic wall affect our ideas around the usefulness or function of walls?
.
ELISABETH VALLET: Well actually if you remember in 1989 it opened a almost a hippie era of international relations, where we believed that it was the end of borders me. Maybe even the end of state sovereignty or even the fading sovereignty of the state. We believed that peace would be dominating and that conflicts would be solved by the international community. It actually showed the good the positive aspects of globalization. And we overlooked the negative aspects of globalization. And when 9/11 arrived, it’s as if that negative aspect of globalization showed its face. And that’s when the only solution to that, governments came up with the one only solution which was building border fences, because there is no way to retain globalization, to contain globalization.”

In this garbage, the “expert” compares the Berlin Wall to border walls in general. The Berlin wall was built in the 1960s to keep Germans from fleeing, and in fact kept them prisoner. This is conflated with building walls to stop illegal immigration.

The above are just 2 examples of how media outlets (like the CBC) try to shade and distort the truth by downplaying how serious and criminal these actions actually are. They play to emotion and selectively avoid hard truths.

7. UN Openly Aids And Abets Refugee Fraud

(UN supports ongoing efforts to undermine US/Mexico border)

It involves some serious mental gymnastics to explain how the UN can both:

  1. Support mass, uncontrolled entry into other countries
  2. Oppose circumventing laws to get migrants into other countries

San Jose – The UN Migration Agency, IOM, continues to provide support and assistance to migrants who have joined the migrant caravans crossing Central America and opted to seek asylum in Mexico or return to their countries of origin.

In the Siglo XXI Migratory Station of Tapachula, managed by the National Institute for Migration (INM) of Mexico, IOM and the Mexican Secretary of Foreign Affairs (SRE) have been supplying food and basic hygiene kits to over 1,500 migrants from the caravans seeking asylum in Mexico.

“IOM maintains its position that the human rights and basic needs of all migrants must be respected, regardless of their migratory status,” says Christopher Gascon, IOM Chief of Mission in Mexico. “In coordination with UNHCR we will continue to monitor the situation of the caravan counting on field staff, the Mexican Office of Assistance for Migrants and Refugees (DAPMyR), and partner NGOs, providing information regarding alternatives for regular and safe migration, as well as options for voluntary returns.”

“The caravan phenomenon in Central America is another expression of a migration process that the region has been facing for quite some time,” explains Marcelo Pisani, IOM Regional Director for Central America, North America, and the Caribbean. “It is a mixed migration flow, driven by economic factors, family reunification, violence and the search for international protection, among others.

That’s right. The UN admits that many of these cases are not refugees.

The United Nations willingly aids and abets efforts to overwhelm the US/Mexico border. Even knowing that the bulk of the asylum claims are bogus, the UN sees nothing immoral about perpetrating a fraud. Nor is there anything immoral about the burden dumped on the American public.

What is eerie is how coordinated these “refreshment aid packages” are delivered. Almost as if the UN planned this invasion from the beginning.

8. UN Erasing Borders With New York Declaration (2016) and Global Migration Compact (2018)

The New York Declaration (2016) was covered here previously.

5. We reaffirm the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations. We reaffirm also the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and recall the core international human rights treaties. We reaffirm and will fully protect the human rights of all refugees and migrants, regardless of status; all are rights holders. Our response will demonstrate full respect for international law and international human rights law and, where applicable, international refugee law and international humanitarian law.

49. We commit to strengthening global governance of migration. We therefore warmly support and welcome the agreement to bring the International Organization for Migration, an organization regarded by its Member States as the global lead agency on migration, into a closer legal and working relationship with the United Nations as a related organization. We look forward to the implementation of this agreement, which will assist and protect migrants more comprehensively, help States to address migration issues and promote better coherence between migration and related policy domains.

56. We affirm that children should not be criminalized or subject to punitive measures because of their migration status or that of their parents.

77. We intend to expand the number and range of legal pathways available for refugees to be admitted to or resettled in third countries. In addition to easing the plight of refugees, this has benefits for countries that host large refugee populations and for third countries that receive refugees.

The UN Global Migration Compact (2018) was covered here, and again here. Sorry, but I don’t believe Michelle Rempel’s half-assed “rejection” of the Compact.

OBJECTIVE 5: Enhance availability and flexibility of pathways for regular migration
21. We commit to adapt options and pathways for regular migration in a manner that facilitates labour mobility and decent work reflecting demographic and labour market realities, optimizes education opportunities, upholds the right to family life, and responds to the needs of migrants in a situation of vulnerability, with a view to expanding and diversifying availability of pathways for safe, orderly and regular migration

OBJECTIVE 11: Manage borders in an integrated, secure and coordinated manner
27. We commit to manage our national borders in a coordinated manner, promoting bilateral and regional cooperation, ensuring security for States, communities and migrants, and facilitating safe and regular cross-border movements of people while preventing irregular migration. We further commit to implement border management policies that respect national sovereignty, the rule of law, obligations under international law, human rights of all migrants, regardless of their migration status, and are non-discriminatory, gender-responsive and child-sensitive.

OBJECTIVE 13: Use immigration detention only as a measure of last resort and work towards alternatives
29. We commit to ensure that any detention in the context of international migration follows due process, is non-arbitrary, based on law, necessity, proportionality and individual assessments, is carried out by authorized officials, and for the shortest possible period of time, irrespective of whether detention occurs at the moment of entry, in transit, or proceedings of return, and regardless of the type of place where the detention occurs. We further commit to prioritize noncustodial alternatives to detention that are in line with international law, and to take a human rights-based approach to any detention of migrants, using detention as a measure of last resort only.

OBJECTIVE 15: Provide access to basic services for migrants
31. We commit to ensure that all migrants, regardless of their migration status, can exercise their human rights through safe access to basic services. We further commit to strengthen migrant inclusive service delivery systems, notwithstanding that nationals and regular migrants may be entitled to more comprehensive service provision, while ensuring that any differential treatment must be based on law, proportionate, pursue a legitimate aim, in accordance with international human rights law.

OBJECTIVE 17(c) Promote independent, objective and quality reporting of media outlets, including internetbased information, including by sensitizing and educating media professionals on migration-related issues and terminology, investing in ethical reporting standards and advertising, and stopping allocation of public funding or material support to media outlets that systematically promote intolerance, xenophobia, racism and other forms of discrimination towards migrants, in full respect for the freedom of the media

The United Nations is fully on board with erasing borders with their mass migration policies. The 2016 and 2018 agreements leave no doubt of that.

Non-Government Organizations (NGOs), or Civil Societies, are involved in bringing large numbers of people from the third world over to the first. Some do it out of guilt or conscience, while others do it for money.

Obvious question: Do these NGOs and the UN work together?

9. Many NGOs (Civil Societies) Work With UN

(NGO Branch Department of Economic and Social Affairs of UN)

(The UN “directly” collaborates with NGOs/Civil Societies)

Faced with many complex challenges in recent years, UNHCR has redoubled its efforts to strengthen its partnerships with UN organizations and NGOs, both international and national, seeking to maximise complementarity and sustainability in its work for refugees and others of concern.

Today, UNHCR works with more than 900 funded, operational and advocacy partners to ensure that the rights and needs of populations of concern are met. UNHCR continues to give high priority to its relations with partners, and strives to strengthen strategic and operational collaboration at global, regional and country levels.

The main goal of the organization’s vast network of partnerships is to ensure better outcomes for persons of concern by combining and leveraging complementary resources and working together in a transparent, respectful and mutually beneficial way. These partnerships also underpin UNHCR’s engagement in inter-agency fora and processes, where mutual understanding and strong alliances help ensure that refugees, IDPs and stateless persons are adequately prioritised.

CLICK HERE, for UN Refugee Partners.

So, how exactly would switching Canada’s reliance on refugee selection be helped here? If NGOs (Civil Societies) directly work with the UN, then is there any real difference?

The UN cites over 900 fully funded partners. Other than possibly decentralizing the process, what is the point here? Is it a policy distinction without a difference?

10. UN Hypocrisy On Human Smuggling

From the UN’s own package on smuggling people:

(Page 8) Salt and Stein suggested treating international migration as a global business that has both legitimate and illegitimate sides. The migration business is conceived as a system of institutionalized networks with complex profit and loss accounts, including a set of institutions, agents and individuals each of which stands to make a commercial gain.

The model conceives trafficking and smuggling as an intermediary part of the global migration business facilitating movement of people between origin and destination countries. The model is divided into three stages: the mobilization and recruitment of migrants; their movement en route; and their insertion and integration into labour markets and host societies in destination countries. Salt and Stein conclude their theory by citing the need to look at immigration controls in a new way, placing sharper focus on the institutions and vested interests involved rather than on the migrants themselves.

Aranowitz puts forward a similar view and claims that smuggling could not have grown to such proportions if it were not supported by powerful market forces. Furthermore, Aranowitz argues that smugglers exhibit entrepreneur-like behaviour and circumvent legal requirements through corruption, deceit and threats. They specialize either in smuggling or in trafficking services, and the profit generated varies accordingly.

Interesting. The UN absolutely does recognize the “business” element of human trafficking, and likens it to any other type of business. It is driven by high demand.

However, the elephant in the room must be pointed out. The UN itself helps to drive such demand with its “one world” policies. By arranging accords (like New York or Global Migration Compact), the UN helps create these conditions. If it becomes mandatory that a host country MUST provide basic services, regardless of legal status, then people will flock to those countries. The UN also tries to facilitate housing and other social services at the expense of taxpayers.

To add insult to injury, these accords limit the ability of host Governments to jail illegals, and attempt to shut down legitimate criticism.

11. Canada’s Aud-G Uncovers Citizenship Fraud

(Rebel Media: Auditor General Michael Ferguson reports)

Citizenship being granted to people:

  • With prior, serious criminal records
  • Who commit crimes after arriving
  • Who are using fake addresses

About the fake addresses, the video talks about 50 people using the same address (as one example) to claim residency.

The Rebel video makes a great point: If this Ministry can’t be bothered to properly follow up on obvious cases of citizenship fraud, how can Canadians expect them to properly screen and select “refugees” for entry into Canada?

From this article.

The report shows that several people and possibly dozens managed to be accepted as Canadian citizens through fraud that went undetected, or through lax controls.

The report noted cases of people with serious criminal records who were accepted as citizens. It also found that between 2008 and 2015, 50 different applicants used the same single address on their citizenship applications during overlapping time periods during which time seven of the applicants became Canadian citizens. It took seven years before the scheme was found during an investigation.

The report also noted that in some 49 similar cases where an address anomaly had been detected, citizenship officials failed to follow-up on 18 of the cases to see if the applicants actually met residency requirements.

The report indicated that citizenship officers did not consistently apply their own standards to identify and deal with suspicious immigration documents including checking travel documents against the department’s database of lost, stolen and fraudulent documents.

12. What About Canada’s “Conservative” Parties?

CLICK HERE, for Conservative Party of Canada policies.
CLICK HERE, for People’s Party on refugees.

Disclaimer: political parties lie all the time, so take this with a grain of salt.

The CPC claims it will focus on “UN selected” refugee claimants, while the PPC claims that “Civil Society Groups” should be making the selections instead. However, this omits several important facts:

  • First, neither party will address the corruption and fraud that goes on both within the UN and with Civil Societies. Finding corruption within the process is a very quick and easy thing to do.
  • Neither will acknowledge that the vast majority of these “refugees” will likely be Islamic, an ideology which is completely incompatible with Western society. There is this MINOR problem of Muslims trying to take over the world.
  • This United Nations v.s. Civil Societies is a false distinction, as many Civil Societies work with the UN.
  • Canadians don’t want, nor were ever asked if they would support hordes of refugees being shipped into Canada.
  • Trudeau and the Liberals are an easy target for criticism for lack of proper screening. However, PPC and CPC fail to indicate how they would properly screen to protect Canadians.
  • Another question they won’t address: will these “refugees” be expected to work and contribute at some point, or will they be permanent welfare cases?

However, it would be fair to point out that Stephen Harper, in 2015, suggested focusing on Christians and Yazidis refugees. This would have been a considerable improvement over importing more Islam (and hence more Islamic violence), into Canada.

13. Little Difference In NGO v.s. UN Selection

Just an opinion, but there doesn’t seem to be much of a difference between the 2 ideas.

Considering how many Civil Societies (NGOs) work with the UN, it seems an exercise in futility to try to separate them.

And given the rampant corruption, and total lack of respect for national sovereignty, BOTH seem like very bad options.

Posted on

Who Is SNC-Lavalin Really Connected To?

1. Important Links

(1) https://www.snclavalin.com/en
(2) https://www.snclavalin.com/en/about/leadership-and-governance/board-of-directors
(3) http://www.trudeaufoundation.ca/en/community/jacques-bougie
(4) https://pressprogress.ca/more-than-half-of-the-canada-infrastructure-banks-board-of-directors-have-liberal-connections/
(5) https://buffalochronicle.com/2019/03/22/bmos-kevin-lynch-threatened-job-losses-in-call-to-wernick/

(6) https://canucklaw.ca/canadian-infrastructure-bank-and-cib-act/
(7) https://laws.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/C-6.18/FullText.html
(8) https://canucklaw.ca/canadas-bill-c-74-deferred-prosecution-agreementand-oecd-anti-bribery-agreementand-oecd-anti-bribery-agreement/
(9) https://www.budget.gc.ca/fes-eea/2018/docs/statement-enonce/fes-eea-2018-eng.pdf (Pgs 37-42)
(10) https://canucklaw.ca/unifor-interview-denies-crawling-into-bed-with-government/
(11) https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/programs/social-innovation-social-finance/steering-group/member-biographies.html

(12) https://www.worldbank.org/en/projects-operations/procurement/debarred-firms
(13) https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/d-2.5/page-1.html
(14) https://lobbycanada.gc.ca/eic/site/012.nsf/eng/h_00000.html
(15) https://lobbycanada.gc.ca/app/secure/ocl/lrs/do/clntSmmry?clientOrgCorpNumber=359826&sMdKy=1562758127214
(16) https://www.elections.ca/WPAPPS/WPF/EN/CCS/C
(17) https://lobbycanada.gc.ca/app/secure/ocl/lrs/do/vwRg?cno=359914&regId=890581
(18) https://business.financialpost.com/news/rcmp-charges-snc-lavalin-with-fraud-and-corruption-linked-to-libyan-projects

2. Who Are The Board Members Of SNC-Lavalin?

  • Ian L. Edwards is the interim President and CEO. Prior to joining Lavalin, he worked at Leighton Asia, which had its own corruption scandal.
  • Kevin Lynch is the Chairman of SNC-Lavalin, but he has also held other interesting roles:
    (1) former Clerk of Privy Council;
    (2) former Secretary to the Cabinet;
    (3) former Deputy Minister of Finance;
    (4) former Deputy Minister of Industry;
    (5) former Executive Director for Canada at the IMF;
    (6) current Vice-Chairman of BMO Financial Group
  • Jacques Bougie, O.C., is member of Governance & Ethics Committee, with some connections of his own:
    (1) Director of CSL Group Inc.;
    (2) Director at McCain Foods Limited;
    (3) former Board member at RBC;
    (4) former Board Member at Bell Canada;
    (5) former member of Trilateral Commission;
    (6) Member of Trudeau Foundation
  • Isabelle Courville, Chair of the Human Resources Committee
    (1) Chair of the board of directors of the Laurentian Bank of Canada;
    (2) President of Bell Canada’s Enterprise segment from 2003 to 2006;
    (3) Director of Canadian Pacific Railway Limited;
    (4) director of the Institute for Governance of Private and Public Organizations;
    (5) former member of APEC Business Advisory Council
  • Catherine J. Hughes, Member of the Audit Committee
  • Steven L. Newman, Chair of the Governance and Ethics Committee
    (1) non-executive director of Tidewater, Inc.;
    (2) Dril-Quip, Inc.;
    (3) Rubicon Oilfield International Holdings GP Ltd;
    (4) limited partner of Rubicon Oilfield International Holdings
  • Jean Raby, Member of the Audit Committee
    (1) former adviser to the CFO of Nokia;
    (2) member of the board of Fiera Capital Corporation;
    (3) Co-CEO of Goldman Sachs (France, then Russia);
    (4) Chief Financial and Legal Officer of Alcatel-Lucent S.A
  • Alain Rhéaume, Member of the Audit Committee
    (1) Ministry of Finance of the Québec Government, 1974 to 1996;
    (2) former public director of the Canadian Public Accountability Board;
    (3) former Executive Vice-President of Rogers Wireless
  • Eric D. Siegel, ICD.D, Member of the Audit Committee
    (1) former President and CEO of Export Development Canada (EDC);
    (2) Director of Citibank Canada
  • Zin Smati,, Chair of the Safety, Workplace and Project Risk Committee
  • Benita M. Warmbold, Chair of the Audit Committee, has been in finance for decades. Here are some of her connections.
    (1) Senior VP and COO of CPPIB from 2008 to 2013;
    (2) Senior Managing Director and CFO of CPPIB from 2013-2017;
    (3) Director at Bank of Nova Scotia;
    (4) former CFO for Northwater Capital Management Inc

Kevin Lynch is Vice-Chairman of BMO Financial Group.
Jacques Bougie is a former Board Member at RBC.
Benita M. Warmbold is a former Director at Scotia Bank.
Eric D. Siegel is Director at Citibank Canada.
Isabelle Courville is Chair of BOD at Laurentian Bank.
Jean Raby is former Co-CEO of Goldman Sachs.

Alain Rhéaume is former Executive VP of Rogers.
Jean Raby is former advisor to CFP of Nokia.
Jacques Bougie is a former Director at Bell.

3. Access To Privy Council Via Kevin Lynch

(Kevin Lynch, Chairman of SNC Lavalin, among other roles, was Clerk of the Privy Council. He clearly still has access to the Council. Taken from his BMO profile.)

From the Buffalo Chronicle article:

SNC Lavalin Chairman Kevin G. Lynch, who also serves as Bank of Montreal‘s Vice Chairman, placed a call on October 15th to Michael Wernick, during which he repeatedly threatened the Clerk of the Privy Council of a potential loss of 9,000 Canadian jobs — ominously suggesting that the decision was to be made at a looming board meeting. Lynch feared that his firm could be implicated in the widespread bribery of First Nations officials in British Columbia.

Wernick, who holds a bachelors degree in economics from the University of Toronto, did not apply scrutiny to that assertion, despite his training, before repeating the threat to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and others in the PMO.

Although Lynch had left the Privy Council a decade ago, he clearly still has some clout. A single phone call was enough to get Michael Wernick to attempt to get SNC Lavalin off the hook via the DPA (deferred prosecution agreement). Wernick doesn’t seem to see problem with SNC-L having such easy access to the Privy Council. However, the majority of Canadians do.

4. Jacques Bougie Sits On Trudeau Foundation

(Jacques Bougie, Member of the Governance and Ethics Committee for SNC Lavalin, also is part of the Trudeau Foundation)

Yet another obvious conflict of interest case. A board member of Lavalin also sitting on the board of the Trudeau foundation. Not that these two roles would ever get Goudie to lean on Trudeau for favourable treatment towards Lavalin.

5. Jacques Bougie Also Sits On McCain’s B.O.D.

(Finance Minister Bill Morneau is married to Nancy McCain, heiress to McCain’s Food’s Ltd. Jacques Bougie from SNC-Lavalin “also” sits as a Director for McCain’s.)

6. Bruce Hartley: SNC Lobbyist & Liberal Donor

(Bruce Hartley is a regular Liberal donor, according to Elections Canada.)

(Hartley is also a registered lobbyist for SNC-Lavalin)

Bruce Hartley, now a lobbyist for SNC-Lavalin, has donated 124 times since 2005 to the Liberal Party and its members. But now that he acts as a lobbyist, he certainly won’t get the Liberals (whom he supports financially) to do anything nefarious, would he?

Actually, he did. Hartley, in his capacity as an SNC-Lavalin employee, lobbied the Federal Government to introduce the “Deferred Prosecution Agreement” (or DPA). This DPA would allow companies like Lavalin to avoid a 10 year ban on receiving government contracts if found guilty of criminal activity

That’s right. A long time Liberal supporter gets a job as a lobbyist. He then turns around and uses that position to get the law changed to allow his new employer to get off the hook for what would have been a 10 year ban on Canadian contracts.

And here is another lobbyist, William Pristanski, who also lobbied to get the deferred prosecution agreement (DPA) for Lavalin.

Reading through his profile with the Lobbying Commissioner of Canada, it seems Pristanski’s role was basically the same as Hartley’s.

7. SNC Lobbied Current Attorney General David Lametti

(then Parliamentary Secretary to Minister for ISED, David Lametti, met with SNC Lavalin President Neil Bruce)

(McGill University Law Professor, David Lametti, Who is on leave while he sits as the Attorney General of Canada)

(February 13, 2019, McGill University is “gifted” $200M)

(The people who “donated” $200M to McGill University were also caught “donating” almost $1M to Trudeau)

David Lametti is now the Attorney General of Canada, after Jody Wilson-Raybould resigned. Interesting to note that Wilson-Raybould thought that SNC-Lavalin “didn’t” deserve the deferred prosecution. Her successor, Lametti did. Could it be because of Lavalin lobbying him?

Within days of Lametti deciding that SNC-Lavalin was not worth prosecuting, McGill University (where Lametti teaches law), received a $200M “gift” from European Climate Founder McCall MacBain.

Note: Trudeau had also received 2 donations from them.

  • $500,000 in 2015 as a candidate
  • $428,000 IN 2016 as sitting Prime Minister

8. Lavalin & Libya Connections

The case against SNC and two of its subsidiaries stems from the company’s dealings in Libya between 2001 and 2011, when a senior executive established close ties with Saadi Gaddafi, son of dictator Muammar Gaddafi.

Court documents allege the company offered bribes worth $47.7 million “to one or several public officials of the ‘Great Socialist People’s Libyan Arab Jamahiriya,’” as Gaddafi called the nation he ruled until he was overthrown and killed in 2011.

SNC and its subsidiaries SNC-Lavalin Construction Inc. and SNC-Lavalin International Inc. are also alleged to have defrauded various Libyan public agencies of approximately $129.8 million.

“Corruption of foreign officials undermines good governance and sustainable economic development,” RCMP Assistant Commissioner Gilles Michaud said Thursday. “The charges laid today demonstrate how the RCMP continues to support Canada’s international commitments and safeguard its integrity and reputation.”

(See source.)

Lavalin denies all the allegations, but interesting to see just how deep this runs. There are also allegations that Canadian taxpayers are on the hook for $30,000 for prostitution services for Saadi Gaddafi. He is the son of former dictator Mummar Gaddafi.

9. Fall 2018 Economic Update Social Finance Fund, A Potential Slush Fund?

While the $595 million media bailout received much attention in the media, far less was paid to the slush fund that was also announced to the Social Finance Program that was also launched.

In June 2017, the Government created a Social Innovation and Social Finance Strategy Co-Creation Steering Group, primarily comprised of experts from the charitable and non-profit sector, to provide recommendations on the development of a social innovation and social finance strategy. The Steering Group delivered its final report, Inclusive innovation: New Ideas and New Partnerships for Stronger Communities, in August 2018. One of the report’s key recommendations was to create a Social Finance Fund to help close the capital financing gap faced by organizations that deliver positive social outcomes, and to help accelerate the growth of the existing social finance market in Canada.

To help charitable, non-profit and other social purpose organizations access new financing, and to help connect them with private investors looking to invest in projects that will drive positive social change, the Government proposes to make available up to $755 million on a cash basis over the next 10 years to establish a Social Finance Fund. Additionally, the Government proposes to invest $50 million over two years in an Investment and Readiness stream, for social purpose organizations to improve their ability to successfully participate in the social finance market. It is expected that a Social Finance Fund like the one the Government is proposing could generate up to $2 billion in economic activity, and help create and maintain as many as 100,000 jobs over the next decade.

The Steering Committee consists of 16 members, who will doll out the cash.

10. Last thoughts on Lavalin

Will SNC Lavalin be getting any of this cash? Hard to say, but there are two things to point out:

(1) Lavalin is know to be corrupt and is losing business. One such example is getting debarred from the World Bank for corrupt business practices.

(2) The other item is that the connections between Lavalin and the Government are immense.

  • Director of Lavalin also a former Privy Council Clerk
  • Director of Lavalin also Director of Trudeau Foundation on
  • Director of Lavalin also a Director or McCain Foods
  • Lobbyist for Lavalin also frequent Liberal donor
  • President of Lavalin lobbied current Attorney General

Yes, this is entirely speculative. However, I wouldn’t be at all surprised if grants flowed to Lavalin from this social fund.

After all, if you are connected enough to have laws written to excuse your criminal conduct, this should be no problem.

By no means is this a complete listing of the tentacles that SNC Lavalin has. Rather, it should show some of the obvious connections to Government officials.

Posted on

CCS #7: Climate Bonds A $100T Industry; Int’l Econ Forum Of The Americas

(All brought to you by Power Corporation. Who does that even surprise in this day and age?)

1. Debunking The Climate Change Scam

The entire climate change industry, (and yes, it is an industry) is a hoax perpetrated by the people in power. See the other articles on the scam, the propaganda machine in action, and some of the court documents in Canada. Carbon taxes are just a small part of the picture, and conservatives are intentionally sabotaging their court cases.

2. Important Links

(1) https://forum-americas.org
(2) https://forum-americas.org/montreal/2019-edition/speakers/
(3) https://forum-americas.org/montreal/partners/
(4) https://forum-americas.org/montreal/press/videos/
(5) https://www.climatebonds.net/
(6) https://fcm.ca/en/programs/municipalities-climate-innovation-program
(7) https://fcm.ca/en/programs/municipalities-climate-innovation-program
(8) ttps://farmlead.com
(9) https://www.wri.org/our-work/project/global-commission-adaptation
(10) https://asiafoundation.org
(11) https://www.theclimategroup.org
(12) https://www.wise-qatar.org/
(13) https://www.worldenergy.org/
(14) https://www.proteinindustriescanada.ca
(15) https://www.atmos.illinois.edu/cms/One.aspx?siteId=127458&pageId=151986

Note: the above is only a portion of the organizations that speakers represented at the June assembly in Montreal. There are plenty more.

Several of the speakers all have connections to the climate change fraud, and are pushing the “sustainable development agenda”. Of course, this is on top of several sitting politicians.

3. Mission And Background

The Conference of Montreal, presented for the first time in 1995 by the International Economic Forum of the Americas, is committed to heightening knowledge and awareness of the major issues concerning economic globalization, with a particular emphasis on the relations between the Americas and other continents.

The Conference also strives to foster exchanges of information, to promote free discussion on major current economic issues and facilitate meetings between world leaders to encourage international discourse by bringing together Heads of State, the private sector, international organizations and civil society.

This all seems harmless enough. But who exactly are these speakers who will undoubtedly influence sitting Premiers and Cabinet Ministers?

The 2019 Montreal event was held June 10-13. While there were many speakers, let’s look at a few.

4. Climate Bonds Initiative, $100 Trillion Industry

Climate Bonds Initiative FUNDERS include:

  • Rockefeller Foundation
  • European Climate Foundation
  • Climate Works Foundation

Sean Kidney addressed the forum as one of the speakers. Now, what does his organization do exactly?

Climate Bonds Initiative is an international, investor-focused not-for-profit. We’re the only organisation working solely on mobilising the $100 trillion bond market for climate change solutions.

That’s right. This institution is looking to set up a $100 trillion bond market for the climate change industry.

From their 2nd half of 2018 report, on the bond market released their report. This addressed the “Sustainable Banking Network”.

In 2018, the Climate Bonds Initiative partnered with the Sustainable Banking Network Green Bond Working Group and IFC to develop a mapping of existing guidelines and green bond frameworks in emerging markets. Following a survey, case study interviews and a review of 13 country and regional green bond frameworks, the first ever Green Bond Market Development Toolkit was developed including:
.
Aligning with international good practices, learning from peers, and developing common approaches are ways that can be taken by SBN members to accelerate local green bond market development. Alignment with other jurisdictions also enables cross-border issuance and investment.
.
Local market conditions must be accounted for and local market players should be involved in the design of an appropriate national guidance. Countries may choose to adopt either a principle based approach or more stringent regulation. A phased approach may be suitable for many.
.
Market integrity and credibility are key components of green bond markets. Guidance should therefore include mechanisms for ensuring quality
.
SBN members have noted the value of harmonising where possible with global definitions of “green”, “social” and “sustainability” bonds and assets. Global definitions and common categories of what qualify as impact projects and sectors will build the credibility of bonds among international investors.

Not going to quote the entire report, but the summary is pretty short (4 pages), and well worth a look.

Worth noting though: what happens when the climate change industry goes under? Will all of those bonds become worthless? Do they grow in value only as long as people keep buying into it?

5. Global Commission On Adaptation

Edward Cameron is an advisor for the Global Commission on Adaptation. He also spoke to the Montreal Forum.

The Global Commission on Adaptation seeks to accelerate adaptation action and support by elevating the political visibility of adaptation and focusing on concrete solutions. The Commission will demonstrate that adaptation is a cornerstone of better development, and can help improve lives, reduce poverty, protect the environment, and enhance resilience around the world. The Commission is led by Ban Ki-moon, 8th Secretary-General of the United Nations, Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and Kristalina Georgieva, CEO, World Bank.

Okay, this Commission is basically an extension of the UN. It’s goal is increasing visibility of climate change agenda, and pushing for it to be increased in political spheres.

It is partnered with the World Resources Institute, and covers your typical UN nonsense

  • Climate
  • Energy
  • Food
  • Gender
  • Forests
  • Sustainable Cities
  • Water

6. The Climate Group

Amy Davidson, the Executive Director of the Climate Group, addressing the Montreal panel as well. Their business partners are here, and it surprisingly includes Facebook. Let’s look at the work her group does.

OUR MISSION
Accelerating climate action.
OUR GOAL
A world of no more than 1.5°C of global warming and greater prosperity for all.
HOW WE DO IT
-We bring together powerful networks of businesses and governments, which shift global markets and policies, towards this goal.
-We act as a catalyst to take innovation and solutions to scale. And we use the power of communication to build ambition and pace.
-We focus on the greatest global opportunities for change.

Here is an attachment of their press and briefings. To summarize, it is to push the climate change “mitigation and adaptation” on the rest of the world.

7. Global Optimism

Christiana Figueres is a Costa Rican citizen and was the Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change from 2010-2016.
.
During her tenure at the UNFCCC Ms. Figueres brought together national and sub-national governments, corporations and activists, financial institutions and NGOs to jointly deliver the historic Paris Agreement on climate change, in which 195 sovereign nations agreed on a collaborative path forward to limit future global warming to well below 2C. For this achievement Ms. Figueres has been credited with forging a new brand of collaborative diplomacy.
.
Ms. Figueres is a founding partner of Global Optimism Ltd., a purpose driven enterprise focused on social and environmental change. She is currently the Convenor of Mission 2020, Vice-Chair of the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy, World Bank Climate Leader, ACCIONA Board Member, WRI Board Member, Fellow of Conservation International, and Advisory Board member of Formula E, Unilever and ENI.

Okay, yet another organization pushing the climate change (or is it still global warming?) agenda. A secretary for the UN Convention on Climate Change.

8. How Will This Forum End?

To be fair, there are plenty garden variety corporate executives there. But the climate change hoax is being pushed by several speakers to an audience with real power.

Perhaps the most disturbing is the Climate Bonds Initiative. It is downright creepy to be pumping so much money and energy into what is obviously a fraud. Buying bonds or credit doesn’t reduce pollution, though it is a great way to take advantage of guilt ridden people.

The conference ended June 13. How many favours, or “investments” has Canada committed from the events of this gathering?

After all, the Federal Government did buy a pipeline that was stalled indefinitely in court challenges. Buying into these groups, including climate bonds, is not much of a leap.

Interesting to see what comes of this.

Posted on

Who Is Behind Our Leaders: Elections Canada & Other Information

Note: After talking with Elections Canada, and discussing time limits to file, it seems fair that portions of this get changed. I had some incorrect information last time. Furthermore, it seems wrong to go harder on one side than another.

1. Important Links

CLICK HERE, to search donations to politicians and parties registered with Elections Canada
CLICK HERE, for portions of Canada elections act.

This piece focuses on who is behind the decisions.

2. Disclosure Laws

Quarterly returns
433 (1) If a registered party’s candidates for the most recent general election received at that election at least 2% of the number of valid votes cast, or at least 5% of the number of valid votes cast in the electoral districts in which the registered party endorsed a candidate, the registered party’s chief agent shall, for each quarter — in respect of a fiscal period of the registered party — that follows that general election, beginning with the quarter that immediately follows that general election and ending with the quarter in which polling day at the next general election is held, provide the Chief Electoral Officer with a return that includes the information required under paragraphs 432(2)(a) to (d), (i) and (l).
Marginal note:
Period for providing return
(2) A quarterly return shall be provided within 30 days after the end of the period to which it relates.

Whereas others:

Marginal note:
Period for providing documents
432(5) The documents referred to in subsection (1) shall be provided to the Chief Electoral Officer within six months after the end of the fiscal period.

So there are different regulations depending on how established the party is.

Elections Canada currently provides access to quarterly reports for 5 parties: CPC, LPC, NDP, GRN, and BQ.

3. Current Fundraising Information?

Search the Conservative Party of Canada for donations from January 1, 2019 to July 4, 2019 on Elections Canada registry. You will get 12,629 individual donations.

Similarly, check the Liberal Party of Canada, and you will see 13,127 contributions for that same 6 month period.

The New Democratic Party lists 3096 individual donations in those same 6 months.

The Green Party of Canada lists 983 individual donations in the same 6 months (January to July 2019)

The People’s Party of Canada has no registered donations at all.

However, the People’s Party of Canada, despite being registered since January 2019, and boasting of enormous fundraising within hours of being able to issue tax receipts. If it can actually get the 2% threshold in the next election, quarterly reports will be required from then on.

In fairness, there are different standards for smaller parties than big ones. Parties who have actually participated with some electoral success are subjected to shorter reporting times.

4. Conservative Party Fundraising

Worth a note that Canada’s most influential family is known to contribute the Conservative Party. The above are just a few of the donations.


Arthur Porter has been a regular contributor to the Conservative Party. However, his controversial appointment to the SIRC quite understandably made headlines.


These are from Frank Gustra, a partner of the American “charity”, the Clinton Foundation. Gustra has many questionable ties to the Clintons.


The 2019 1st quarter report cites 8,010,860.61 in total revenue from 50,026 donors. Approximately $160/donation, although a lot of the names come up. However, there are a number of incidents which make the fundraising seem dodgy.

Conservative scandals:
CLICK HERE, for Senators Mike Duffy, Pamela Wallin, and Patrick Brazeau suspended over their own illegal spending. (Not fundraising, but still disgusting)
CLICK HERE, for Dean Del Mastro, criminally charged over Elections Act breaches.
CLICK HERE for Doug Ford’s $1250/plate cash-for-access got attention.
CLICK HERE for Andrew Scheer’s cash-for-access.
CLICK HERE, for Scheer’s hypocrisy on cash-for-access.
CLICK HERE, for the allegedly rigged Conservative nomination in 2017.

5. Liberal Party Fundraising


France Chretien Desmarais, daughter of Jean Chretien, has been known to donate to the LPC. Also worth noting that both Trudeau Jr. and Sr., and Paul Martin all have connections to the Desmarais family.


Paul Bronfman, who has suspected ties to the Liberal Party, is also a regular donor.


In the first quarter of 2019, the Liberals took in $3,857,163.00 from 33,321 donors, or an average of $116/donation. But like the Conservatives, there are plenty of corrupt incidents with the Liberals. Here are just a few.

Some Liberal Scandals:
CLICK HERE for Trudeau’s cash for access scandal.
CLICK HERE, for Joe Volpe taking donations from dead people.
CLICK HERE, for Trudeau not fixing cash-for-access
CLICK HERE, for Kathleen Wynne refusing to ban cash-for-access.
CLICK HERE, for Trudeau getting an illegal vacation form Aga Khan.
CLICK HERE, for illegal corporate donations to Liberals.
CLICK HERE, for Trudeau charging charities $10-$20K per speech.
CLICK HERE, collusion between Ontario Liberals and teachers’ union.

And there’s this, which is arguably vote rigging.
CLICK HERE, on Bill C-76. Among other things it is supposed to stop interference by preventing foreign media from influencing Canadians. It also makes it easier for foreigners to vote in Canadian elections by dropping photo ID requirements.

6. NDP, Green Fundraising


In the first quarter of 2019, the NDP took in 1,226,869 from 13,713 donors, or an average of $90/donation

While there seems to be significantly less corruption in the NDP than the CPC or LPC, it is not without problems.
CLICK HERE, for illegal union donations.


In the first quarter of 2019, the Greens took in 783,278 from 9,786 people, or $80/donation

Smaller parties, such as those receiving less than 2% in a general election, are required to file annual reports, which is much less of a burden than quarterly.

7. People’s Party Fundraising

Although it is denied that Bernier’s former employers are involved in the start-up of the new party, there are some interesting connections worth pointing out.

CLICK HERE, for Charles Koch Foundation, Economic Freedom
CLICK HERE, for the Atlas Network.
CLICK HERE, for the Fraser Institute.
CLICK HERE, for the Montreal Economic Institute.
CLICK HERE, for MEI Board of Directors.
CLICK HERE, for Maxime Bernier’s PPC profile page.
CLICK HERE, for MEI policy “on prosperous tomorrow”.

CLICK HERE, for the Institute of Humane Studies, which Charles Koch sits on the Board of Directors.
CLICK HERE, for Michel Kelly Gagnon studies at Institute for Humane Studies.
CLICK HERE, for CPC’s patronage appointment of Michel Kelly-Gagnon, a former co-worker of Maxime Bernier at MEI.

(Charles Koch Foundation. It sponsors many things, including economic freedom and liberalized/free trade globally)

(The Atlas Network, which has 13 partners across Canada)

(6 of Atlas’ partners, which includes Fraser Institute, and Canadian Taxpayers Federation)

(6 other Atlas partners, including Montreal Economic Institute. The 13th partner is World Taxpayer’s Federation)

(Helene Desmarais is Chairwoman of the Montreal Economic Institute. Her husband is Paul Desmarais Jr., co-owner of Power Corp)

(From Maxime Bernier’s Profile Page, MEI Executive VP)

(Helene Desmarais donates to Bernier’s 2008 re-election, and to his 2017 race for CPC leadership)

(PPC Spokesman Martin Masse also worked for MEI)

(Board of Directors For Institute For Humane Societies)

(Source: Atlas. MEI patronage appointment by new Industry Minister)

The connections to Atlas and Koch are there, at least from his time immediately prior to politics. It will be interesting to see what those donation reports look like. It is also worth asking whose policies are promoted.

8. Who Is Behind Them?

It is difficult not to be jaded in this political system.

There are donation limits, and those limits theoretically keep the game clean. However, there is an untold amount of cronyism, nepotism, and cash-for-access that thoroughly corrupts politics.

Why obsess over election contributions? Quite simply, I want to see which “public figures” are bought and paid for, and by whom. Checking out their financials is a much better representation (in my opinion) than their actual platform and promises.

Posted on

Desmarais, Power Corp linked to Air Canada, Agenda 2030, Trudeau Foundation

(Former Manitoba Premier Gary Doer replaces former Saskatchewan Premier Roy Romanow on Air Canada Board of Directors)

(Trilateral Commission: Doer and Andre Desmarais have seats)

(Emőke J.E. Szathmáry is on Power Corp B.O.D.)

(Emőke J.E. Szathmáry is a director on: the International Institute for Sustainable Development, the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation, the Prime Minister’s Advisory Committee on Science and Technology)

1. Important Links

CLICK HERE, for Part 1: Desmarais, Power Corp, Bombardier & Loblaws.

CLICK HERE, for the Power Corp Board of Directors
CLICK HERE, for Roy Romanow, former Saskatchewan Premier, joining Air Canada Board of Directors in 2010.
CLICK HERE, for the Trilateral Commission, which Gary Doer and Andre Desmarais both sit on.
CLICK HERE, for Air Canada placing Bombardier order.
CLICK HERE, for Bombardier thanking Canadian taxpayers for bailout, by laying off 7,000 of its staff.
CLICK HERE, for 2003 bankruptcy protection for Air Canada.
CLICK HERE, for 2009 Air Canada bailout.
CLICK HERE, for 2013 Air Canada bailout.

CLICK HERE, for the International Institute for Sustainable Development, which wholeheartedly endorses Agenda 2030.
CLICK HERE, for the Trudeau Foundation.
CLICK HERE, for the Trudeau Foundation B.O.D.

2. From Last Time

Pierre Beaudoin is the Chairman of Bombardier. He also sits on the Board of Directors for Power Corp. Explains how Bombardier was able to keep securing bailouts.

Anthony Graham is Vice Chairman, and a director of Whittington Investments, which owns Weston-Loblaws. Could be how Loblaws secured a $12 million subsidy for its new fridges.

3. Power Corp & Air Canada

Roy Romanow, ex-Premier of Saskatchewan, joins the Air Canada Board of Directors in 2010.

In 2018, ex-Manitoba Premier Gary Doer replaced Roy Romanow on Air Canada’s Board of Directors.

And as mentioned earlier, John Rae, brother of ex-Ontario Premier Bob Rae, also works for Power Corp.

3 former NDP Premiers: Roy Romanow (Saskatchewan); Gary Doer (Manitoba); and Bob Rae (Ontario) all have connections to Power Corp and/or Air Canada. Interesting.

Just for good measure, here is former Deputy Prime Minister and former Quebec Premier Jean Charest.

In 2016 Air Canada placed an order for 45 CS-300 airliners, with an option to buy another 30. Quotes from the article:

Air Canada announced Wednesday that it would order 45 CS-300 airliners with an option for another 30 jets.

“We are delighted to announce this important agreement with Bombardier for the purchase of CS-300 aircraft as part of the ongoing modernization of Air Canada’s narrowbody fleet,” Air Canada president and CEO Calin Rovinescu said in a statement.

The 45-plane order is worth as much as $3.7 billion. The option for 30 additional CS-300 aircraft could add as much as $2.5 billion to the deal.

Gary Doer and Pierre Beaudoin sit on the Board of Directors for Power Corp, owned by the Demarais family. Doer sits on the B.O.D. for Air Canada as well, and Beaudoin is the Chairman of Bombardier. Almost like this deal was pre-arranged.

In fairness, this announcement came in 2016, prior to Doer joining Air Canada’s Board of Directors. Still, one has to wonder about all the connections. Doer did just replace Romanow on Air Canada’s B.O.D.

Having people sit on executive boards for multiple companies creates a significant conflict of interest. It also creates an atmosphere where crony capitalism and corruption can thrive. Who loses? Customers and taxpayers.

Like Bombardier, Air Canada has had several bailouts over the years. And all of this costs the public heavily. See the links in Section 1 above for more details.

If only there was some common link between Air Canada, Bombardier, and Loblaws. No, there couldn’t possibly be.

4. Power Corp & Agenda 2030

Emőke J.E. Szathmáry also sits on the Board of Directors for Power Corp. And if we scroll down on her biography, we get some interesting insight on the woman.

She is on a number of other boards. Some open call for acting in support of Agenda 2030, global sustainability.

The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) is an independent think tank championing sustainable solutions to 21st century problems. Our mission is to promote human development and environmental sustainability.

Our big-picture view allows us to address the root causes of some of the greatest challenges facing our planet today—ecological destruction, social exclusion, unfair laws and economic rules, a changing climate. Through research, analysis and knowledge sharing, we identify and champion sustainable solutions that make a difference. We report on international negotiations, conduct rigorous research, and engage citizens, businesses and policy-makers on the shared goal of developing sustainably.

Interestingly, the IISD implies that the leaders of G20 nations know that “climate change” is a hoax. Despite pledges to phase out subsidies to coal energy, they have actually increased.

Geneva, June 25, 2019 – G20 governments have more than doubled the amount of financial support they provide to coal power plants in just three years, despite pledging a decade ago to phase out subsidies to all fossil fuels and help prevent catastrophic climate change.

In a new report, ‘G20 coal subsidies: Tracking government support to a fading industry’, researchers found that despite a historic fall in total investment in coal, the average annual amount G20 governments spent to help build and sustain coal-fired power plants increased from $17 billion to $47 billion between 2014 and 2017.

The links are articles are too numerous to go through here, but they are worth at least skimming. This entire organization is devoted to advancing Agenda 2030.

5. Power Corp & Trudeau Foundation

Edward Johnson is both Vice-Chair of the Board of the Trudeau Foundation, and formerly Vice President and General Counsel for Power Corp.

Oliver Desmarais is Senior Vice President for Power Corp. That is no surprise. But the interesting detail is where he did his articling (apprenticeship) in law. The firm Heenan Blaikie — which went under in 2014 — is the same firm both Jean Chretien and Pierre Trudeau worked at.

Note: Bruce McNiven, who is a Director at the Trudeau Foundation, also worked at Heenan Blaikie.

Megan Leslie, is a former Deputy Opposition leader in the House of Commons (NDP). While being a Director for the Trudeau Foundation, she is also a Senior Consultant on Oceans Governance for WWF-Canada. This is the same organization Gerald Butts works for.

Bessma Momani is another Director of the Trudeau Foundation. She covers Arab-Canadians and “trans-nationalism” issues. Didn’t Justin refer to Canada as a “post-national state”?

Marc Renaud is yet another Trudeau Foundation Director with a very interesting side gig. He has served as an advisor for UNESCO, the OECD, the European Union. The EU wants to stamp out individual nations in Europe, and UNESCO is the UN Global Citizens nonsense, which pushes the gender agenda.

Worth a mention Alexandre Trudeau, Justin’s jihad sympathizing brother, is named as a founding member.

One more who needs a shoutout is ex-Saskatchewan Premier Roy Romanow. Yes that same Roy Romanow who was a director for Air Canada. Likewise, former Governor David Johnson sits as a Director. Those pages have been deleted, but like all things, nothing is really deleted. See here, and see here.

The Trudeau Foundation cites 4 important areas:

  1. human rights and dignity,
  2. responsible citizenship,
  3. Canada and the world, and
  4. people and their natural environment

So, What Does Trudeau Foundation Do?

The Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation supports research and engagement in the humanities and social sciences, and fosters a fruitful dialogue between scholars and decision makers in the arts community, business, government, and civil society organizations. The Foundation:
Encourages emerging talent by awarding scholarships to the most talented doctoral students in Canada and abroad;
Entrusts fellows and mentors distinguished for their knowledge and wisdom with the mission to build an intellectual community to support the work of the scholars; and
Creates and maintains an international network of fellows, scholars, and mentors

If you wish to subscribe to the newsletter, you can.

6. Power Corp & Its Tentacles

The Desmarais family and Power Corporation of Canada are undoubtedly connected to many powerful politicians in Canada. Here, just to name a few:

  • Pierre Trudeau
  • Brian Mulroney
  • Jean Chretien
  • Paul Martin
  • Justin Trudeau
  • Maxime Bernier
  • Peter MacKay
  • Roy Romanow
  • Gary Doer
  • Bob Rae/John Rae
  • Jean Charest
  • Denis Coderre
  • Pauline Marois
  • Megan Leslie

To name a few companies they influence:

  • Bombardier
  • Weston-Loblaws
  • Montreal Economic Institute
  • Canada Steamship lines
  • Air Canada
  • Int’l Institute for Sustainable Development
  • Trudeau Foundation

It really is an illusion, that Canadians have choice in their politics. Across the spectrum, all parties seem to connected to the same people.

Some questions that need to be asked:

(a) Would Bombardier be getting bailouts if not for Chairman Pierre Beaudoin also being on Power Corp’s Board of directors?

(b) Would Weston-Loblaws have gotten their $12 million bailout if not for Vice-Chairman Anthony Graham also being on Power Corp’s B.O.D?

(c) Would Air Canada have gotten bailouts if not for having former Premiers as Directors?

Corruption all around.

Posted on

Free Trade #3: NAFTA, And The Costs Its Supporters Ignore

(Tucker Carlson on protecting your citizens)

1. Offshoring, Globalization, Free Trade

The other posts on outsourcing/offshoring are available here. It focuses on the hidden costs and trade offs society as a whole has to make. Contrary to what many politicians and figures in the media claim, there are always costs to these kinds of agreement. These include: (a) job losses; (b) wages being driven down; (c) undercutting of local companies; (d) legal action by foreign entities; (e) industries being outsourced; and (f) losses to communities when major employers leave. Don’t believe the lies that these agreements are overwhelmingly beneficial to all.

2. Important Links

(1) https://www.international.gc.ca/trade-agreements-accords-commerciaux/topics-domaines/disp-diff/gov.aspx?lang=eng
(2) ttps://www.state.gov/nafta-investor-state-arbitrations/
(3) http://replacenafta.org/jobs-lost/
(4) https://www.epi.org/publication/webfeatures_snapshots_archive_12102003/
(5) https://www.epi.org/publication/heading_south_u-s-mexico_trade_and_job_displacement_after_nafta1/
(6) https://www.epi.org/blog/naftas-impact-workers/
(7) https://www.epi.org/publication/webfeatures_snapshots_archive_11052003/
(8) https://www.epi.org/publication/the-china-toll-deepens-growth-in-the-bilateral-trade-deficit-between-2001-and-2017-cost-3-4-million-u-s-jobs-with-losses-in-every-state-and-congressional-district/
(9) https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/naftas-economic-impact
(10) https://www.nytimes.com/1992/10/16/us/the-1992-campaign-transcript-of-2d-tv-debate-between-bush-clinton-and-perot.html?pagewanted=all
(11) https://www.politicalresearch.org/2014/10/11/globalization-and-nafta-caused-migration-from-mexico/

3. Lawsuits Against Canada, Chapter 11

Resolved Cases

Company Suit Amount Amount Settled
AbitibiBowater $500M $130M
Centurion Health $160M $0, fees unpaid
Chemtrade $78.6M $0, dismissed
Detroit Int’l Bridge $3.5B $0, dismissed
Dow Agro Sciences $2M $0, withdrew
Ely Lily and Co. $500M $0, dismissed
Ethyl Corp. $201M settled
Mercer International $232M $0, dismissed
Merrill & Ring $50M $0, dismissed
Mesa Power Group $658M $0, dismissed
Mobil Inv. & Murphy Oil $66M $17.3M
Pope & Talbot $500M $527M, USD
S.D. Myers $53M $6.9M,
St. Mary’s VNCA $275M $0, no standing
United Parcel Services $160M $0, dismissed
V.G. Gallo $105M $0, dismissed
Windstream Energy $475M $28M

For these “finished” claims, Canada has had to pay out $709 million, plus a substantial amount in paying its own lawyers. Also, consider the following:
-DowAgro sale, under the terms of the settlement, is still allowed to use its pesticide in Canada.
-Ethyl Corp still allowed to use MMT additive.

Resolved Cases

Company Suit Amount Information
Clayton/Bilcon $101M Lost, awaiting damages
Lone Pine Resources $119M Awaiting verdict
Mobile Investments $20M Awaiting verdict
Resolute Forest Products $70M Awaiting verdict
Tennant Energy Ltd $116M Awaiting verdict
Westmorehead Coal $470M Awaiting verdict

Potentially another $896 million

To summarize, Canada has already paid out $709 million in various actions under Chapter 11 of NAFTA (plus the settlement from Ethyl Corp), and may be on the hook for $896 million more. And this doesn’t take legal fees and other court costs into account.

4. Job Losses Resulting From NAFTA

Research has been done on the effects of NAFTA. This released 2003 study, estimates that 879,000 jobs have been lost in the US as a direct result of NAFTA over a decade.

The conclusions were also troubling:

Since the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) was signed in 1993, the rise in the U.S. trade deficit with Canada and Mexico through 2002 caused the displacement of production that supported 879,280 U.S. jobs. NAFTA is a free trade and investment agreement that provided investors with a unique set of guarantees designed to stimulate foreign direct investment in Mexico and Canada. It has facilitated the movement of factories from the United States to Canada and Mexico. Most of these jobs were high-wage positions in manufacturing industries.

Proponents of new trade agreements that build on NAFTA, such as the proposed Free Trade Agreement of the Americas (FTAA), have frequently claimed that such deals create jobs and raise incomes in the United States. These claims are based only on the positive effects of exports (known as “export effects”), ignoring the negative effects of imports (known as “import effects”). Such arguments are an attempt to hide the costs of new trade deals in order to boost the reported benefits.

The problem with these claims is that they misrepresent the real effects of trade on the U.S. economy: trade both creates and destroys jobs. Increases in U.S. exports tend to create jobs in this country, but increases in imports tend to reduce jobs by displacing goods that otherwise would have been made in the United States by domestic workers. Ignoring imports and counting only exports is like balancing a checkbook by counting only deposits but not withdrawals.

This is blunt and truthful. It is high paying jobs mainly in manufacturing that have been exported in the name of “free trade”, and has harmed the US workforce.

Now, here, is another study, released in 2011, dealing specifically with Mexico and NAFTA.

As of 2010, U.S. trade deficits with Mexico totaling $97.2 billion had displaced 682,900 U.S. jobs. Of those jobs, 116,400 are likely economy-wide job losses because they were displaced between 2007 and 2010, when the U.S. labor market was severely depressed.

There is a cost to these free trade agreements. Jobs are lost domestically when it becomes cheaper to ship them to another country. Often it is manufacturing, one of the better paid jobs, where higher education isn’t needed.

Abstract promises about increased jobs and exports misrepresent the real overall effects of trade on the U.S. economy. Trade both creates and destroys jobs. While exports tend to support domestic employment, imports lead to job displacement: As imports are substituted for domestically produced goods, production that supports domestic jobs falls, displacing existing jobs and preventing new job creation.

Simply out, there are winners and losers in trade deals. Countries win if they export more than they import, and vice versa. While some trade surplus or deficit is inevitable, it is sustained deficits that drain wealth from the country and put people out of work.

While Canada or Mexico may sit smugly and know that they benefit from the trade deal with the US, this must be considered. With ever proposed expansion of free trade and liberalized trade, there is nothing to stop jobs from Canada and/or Mexico from being exported elsewhere.

For example, the US lost 3.4 million jobs to China since 2001. Canada could end up in that situation one day.

5. Free Trade Drives Down Wages

Ross Perot ran for President in 1992. He faced the incumbent, George H.W. Bush (Republican), and Bill Clinton (Democrat). While he came in third, Perot drove home this hard truth about free trade: it drives down wages. It forces Americans to compete for third world wages.

To those of you in the audience who are business people, pretty simple: If you’re paying $12, $13, $14 an hour for factory workers and you can move your factory South of the border, pay a dollar an hour for labor, hire young — let’s assume you’ve been in business for a long time and you’ve got a mature work force — pay a dollar an hour for your labor, have no health care — that’s the most expensive single element in making a car — have no environmental controls, no pollution controls and no retirement, and you don’t care about anything but making money, there will be a giant sucking sound going south.

“Why won’t everybody go South?” They say, “It’d be disruptive.” I said, “For how long?” I finally got them up from 12 to 15 years. And I said, “well, how does it stop being disruptive?” And that is when their jobs come up from a dollar an hour to six dollars an hour, and ours go down to six dollars an hour, and then it’s leveled again. But in the meantime, you’ve wrecked the country with these kinds of deals. We’ve got to cut it out.

Perot is completely right here. It will raise the wages in Mexico, while driving down American wages. And to reiterate, Canadians should not think they are immune from this sort of practice.

The Council on Foreign Relations added:

Debate persists regarding NAFTA’s legacy on employment and wages, with some workers and industries facing painful disruptions as they lose market share due to increased competition, and others gaining from the new market opportunities that were created.

But it is the common worker with a family to provide for who will really feel the pinch. It is cold comfort to be out work and be told “well, it raises trade and GDP”.

6. NAFTA Causes Carnage To Middle Class

Yet another EPI article. This one sums up the problems of NAFTA in very blunt terms.

  1. Job losses
  2. Pushes wages down
  3. Destruction of farms and small businesses
  4. Sets standards for globalization

The article is directly on point.

NAFTA affected U.S. workers in four principal ways. First, it caused the loss of some 700,000 jobs as production moved to Mexico. Most of these losses came in California, Texas, Michigan, and other states where manufacturing is concentrated. To be sure, there were some job gains along the border in service and retail sectors resulting from increased trucking activity, but these gains are small in relation to the loses, and are in lower paying occupations. The vast majority of workers who lost jobs from NAFTA suffered a permanent loss of income.

Second, NAFTA strengthened the ability of U.S. employers to force workers to accept lower wages and benefits. As soon as NAFTA became law, corporate managers began telling their workers that their companies intended to move to Mexico unless the workers lowered the cost of their labor. In the midst of collective bargaining negotiations with unions, some companies would even start loading machinery into trucks that they said were bound for Mexico. The same threats were used to fight union organizing efforts. The message was: “If you vote in a union, we will move south of the border.” With NAFTA, corporations also could more easily blackmail local governments into giving them tax reductions and other subsidies.

Third, the destructive effect of NAFTA on the Mexican agricultural and small business sectors dislocated several million Mexican workers and their families, and was a major cause in the dramatic increase in undocumented workers flowing into the U.S. labor market. This put further downward pressure on U.S. wages, especially in the already lower paying market for less skilled labor.

Fourth, and ultimately most important, NAFTA was the template for rules of the emerging global economy, in which the benefits would flow to capital and the costs to labor. The U.S. governing class—in alliance with the financial elites of its trading partners—applied NAFTA’s principles to the World Trade Organization, to the policies of the World Bank and IMF, and to the deal under which employers of China’s huge supply of low-wage workers were allowed access to U.S. markets in exchange for allowing American multinational corporations the right to invest there.

Who actually benefits from NAFTA, or similar types of deals? Not the workers, who are now forced to compete for third world wages. Not communities, who see major employers pack up and leave for better opportunities.

7. NAFTA Makes Illegal Immigration Problem Worse

NAFTA, however, did not lead to rising incomes and employment in Mexico, and did not decrease the flow of migrants. Instead, it became a source of pressure on Mexicans to migrate. The treaty forced corn grown by Mexican farmers without subsidies to compete in Mexico’s own market with corn from huge U.S. producers, who had been subsidized by the U.S. Agricultural exports to Mexico more than doubled during the NAFTA years, from $4.6 to $9.8 billion annually. Corn imports rose from 2,014,000 to 10,330,000 tons from 1992 to 2008. Mexico imported 30,000 tons of pork in 1995, the year NAFTA took effect. By 2010, pork imports, almost all from the U.S., had grown over 25 times, to 811,000 tons. As a result, pork prices received by Mexican producers dropped 56%

When nations are reduced to “economic zones”, it forces workers to compete against those in other nations for the same piece of the pie. If jobs are eliminated on a massive scale, then the pressure is on to find work. For many Mexicans, it has meant going to the US, often illegally.

Note: this not to condone illegal immigration. However, it becomes more understandable when factors like these are considered.

The “surplus labour” sure helps large employers, and further helps to drive down wages, which of course is the entire point.

8. NAFTA Makes US Trade Deficit Worse

Here is a 2003 study on the trade deficit the US has experienced due to NAFTA.

As mentioned earlier, it is true Canada currently benefits from the US trade deficit. But as free trade expands, Canada (and other nations) could easily find themselves in the same dilemma as the US.

Sustained trade deficits bleed money from a nation.

9. NAFTA Can Override Environmental Protections

Think this is crazy? Consider some of the court action Canada has faced

CLICK HERE, for Ethyl Corp wanting $201M over MMT additive ban.
CLICK HERE, for SD Myers wants $53M for PCB ban.
CLICK HERE, for Pope & Talbot’s $500M softwood lumber suit.
CLICK HERE, for Sun Belt wanting $1.5B-$10B for lost water rights.

10. Is NAFTA Worth The Price?

Yes, it has led to economic growth and more trade. That much is indisputable. But it isn’t fair to omit some of the real costs to engaging in these free trade deals, such as TPP, or FTAA.

  • Litigation over new “rights”
  • Massive job losses
  • Wages driven down
  • Destruction to middle class
  • Increased illegal immigration
  • Unsustainable trade deficits
  • Environmental protections are secondary

But hey, as long as the GDP keeps growing.