Singh Out of Tune

Where news meets rational thinking

Good morning, It’s Friday, September 13th. In today’s news, Singh says the NDP will scrap the Liberal Carbon Tax for their own climate plan, Federal court rules that a lawsuit calling for Canada to cut UNRWA funding will proceed, Trump says he will not participate in a second debate with Harris, Putin threatens war as Western allies near deal on missile strikes in Russia, and much more.

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Singh Says NDP Will Scrap the Liberal Carbon Tax: 'We’ve Been Working on a Plan'

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh signalled that his party would drop its support for the Liberals’ carbon tax and propose their own plan before the next election. Speaking in Montreal, Singh criticized both the Liberals and Conservatives for their approaches to climate change, emphasizing that big polluters should pay their fair share rather than putting the burden on working people.

Singh stated that the NDP has been working on a new climate plan, which they will reveal in the coming months. His comments come as the NDP attempts to position itself as the only credible alternative to the Conservatives, who, led by Pierre Poilievre, have vowed to eliminate the carbon tax, blaming it for increasing the cost of living. Poilievre has targeted removing the consumer carbon levy and the pricing system for big industries.

A March analysis by the Canadian Climate Institute found that the current carbon tax systems could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by over 100 million tonnes annually by 2030, with most of the reduction coming from big industry rather than consumers. After Singh's remarks, Poilievre released a video highlighting Singh's previous support for the carbon tax. Singh countered by accusing Poilievre of ignoring climate change, while Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault slammed Singh for allegedly caving to Conservative "disinformation" on carbon pricing.

Singh also criticized the Liberals for exempting home heating oil from the carbon price, arguing it pits workers against each other, benefiting mostly Atlantic Canadians. As the NDP caucus retreat concluded, the party prepared for the possibility of ending their supply-and-confidence agreement with the Liberals, which has kept the minority government in power. More

Tiny Thought: I can't help but feel like whatever the NDP comes up with will somehow manage to be even worse than Trudeau’s carbon tax. Their whole platform is built around equality of outcome, which basically means dragging everyone down to the lowest common denominator. So, I fully expect them to propose something that makes us pay even more for the government to do absolutely nothing. Thankfully, the NDP is so irrelevant at this point that whatever Singh proposes won’t gain any real traction.

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Federal Court Ruling: Lawsuit Calling for Canada to Halt UNRWA Funding to Proceed

The Federal Court has rejected Ottawa's attempt to block a lawsuit that challenges funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA). The lawsuit was filed by the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) and families of victims of the October Hamas attacks. They claim that Canadian funds for UNRWA are indirectly supporting Hamas, a terrorist group, and violate Canada’s foreign aid laws, which require aid to align with Canadian values.

UNRWA has denied allegations of collaboration with Hamas, though Canada temporarily suspended its aid to the agency in January after reports surfaced that some UNRWA staff might have been involved in the attacks. While the funding was reinstated in March due to the severe humanitarian crisis in Gaza, the United Nations later fired 9 out of 19 investigated staff members for involvement with Hamas.

The plaintiffs argue that Canada could have provided humanitarian aid through other means, instead of funding UNRWA, which they claim falls short of the legal requirement for Canadian aid to support international efforts in a manner consistent with Canadian values. Ottawa’s defence contended that such decisions fall under the government’s political discretion. However, the court found that the lawsuit's questions were within its jurisdiction, allowing the case to proceed. More

Tiny Thought: The UNRWA admitted they had Hamas operatives working within their organization. Canada designated Hamas as a terrorist organization. The logical move would be to freeze the funding immediately and, if humanitarian aid is still necessary, redirect it to a different organization that isn't compromised by ties to a terrorist group.

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Trump Says He Will Not Participate in a Second Debate With Harris

Former President Donald Trump announced on Thursday that he will not participate in a third presidential debate, despite Vice President Kamala Harris's team pushing for one. Trump, who already debated President Joe Biden in June and Harris earlier this week, dismissed the idea of another debate, comparing Harris's request to a losing fighter demanding a rematch. He claimed to have already addressed key issues like illegal immigration and the economy in the previous debates.

Harris, appearing at a rally in North Carolina, insisted on the importance of another debate to clarify the stakes of the election. Her campaign chair, Jen O'Malley Dillon, emphasized the need for voters to see both candidates face off again, suggesting October for the next debate.

Fox News has proposed hosting a 90-minute debate with anchors Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum. The network has reached out to both campaigns to discuss the details, however, it appears Trump has made his stance clear.

Ratings for the debates showed high viewership, with 67 million people watching the Harris-Trump debate and 51.3 million for Trump-Biden. More

Tiny Thought: Honestly, I don’t think Trump’s campaign could handle another debate against Harris. While the Democratic policies may be more damaging, Harris clearly outperformed Trump in the last debate, making this format a tough match-up for Republicans.

Putin Threatens War as Western Allies Near Deal on Missile Strikes in Russia

Britain and the US will hold a critical summit at the White House today to discuss allowing Ukraine to use Western-supplied missiles to strike targets inside Russia. This follows warnings from Russian President Vladimir Putin that such an agreement would be seen as NATO’s direct involvement in the war.

The meeting comes amid heightened tensions, including alleged Iranian missile shipments to Russia, which have shifted Western perspectives. Despite past reluctance due to escalation risks, the US and UK are now considering expanding Ukraine's strike capabilities in response to Russian aggression and recent developments.

US and UK officials aim to finalize guidelines on what targets Ukraine can hit, while also addressing broader strategic concerns about the war’s progression into 2025. More

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Liberal Government Threatens Uncooperative Provinces With Forced Asylum Seekers

Immigration Minister Marc Miller has threatened to use federal powers against provinces that refuse to comply with a new plan to distribute asylum seekers more evenly across Canada. The plan, revealed in a Liberal briefing document, aims to relocate asylum seekers from Quebec and Ontario to other provinces based on population ratios.

Critics, including British Columbia’s John Rustad and New Brunswick’s Premier Blaine Higgs, argue that the plan lacks adequate financial support and could strain local services. Miller has countered these criticisms, asserting that the plan includes provisions for financial compensation and dismissing claims that the plan would force unmanageable numbers of asylum seekers on provinces. More

Tiny Thought: Mark Miller is confused here. Immigration is already unmanageable, that’s why they’re relocating all these asylum seekers in the first place.

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Harvard Study: ADHD Drugs Linked to Higher Risks of Psychosis and Mania

A new study from McLean Hospital, the largest psychiatric affiliate of Harvard Medical School, has found that high doses of amphetamines, such as those used to treat ADHD, significantly increase the risk of developing psychosis and mania. The study shows that individuals taking high doses face a 5.3-fold higher risk of experiencing these conditions. For high doses, defined as 30 mg of dextroamphetamine (equivalent to 40 mg of Adderall), the risk is notably greater, with older adults particularly vulnerable. The study found that 63% of psychosis cases might have been avoided with no amphetamine use, and 81% of cases involving high doses could have been prevented. In contrast, methylphenidates, another class of ADHD medications, do not show this increased risk. The findings highlight the need for careful dosing and monitoring in ADHD treatment. More

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Former CIA Officer Who Spied for China Receives 10-Year Prison Sentence

Former CIA officer Alexander Yuk Ching Ma was sentenced to 10 years in prison on September 11th for providing classified US defence information to China. Arrested in August 2020 and having pleaded guilty in May, Ma admitted to conspiring to deliver national defense information, including details on CIA officers and operations, in exchange for $50,000. After leaving the CIA, Ma worked for the FBI and used his position to steal classified documents, which he then took to China. More

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Iran Threatens Europe After Sanctions Over Missiles to Russia

Iran threatened retaliation against new sanctions imposed by the US, Germany, the UK, and France, following allegations by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken that Iran had supplied ballistic missiles to Russia for use in Ukraine. Blinken condemned this as a significant escalation and a threat to European security. Iran dismissed the claims as propaganda and labeled the sanctions as "economic terrorism," vowing a "proportionate response." The Kremlin also denied receiving Iranian missiles. In the meantime, the US and UK are considering intensifying the conflict with Russia based on this information. More

Tiny Thought: This might be an unpopular question, but it’s worth considering: Russia and Iran have both denied the weapon transfers, despite NATO claiming to have photo evidence. If NATO’s photos were genuine (which they may be), it would be difficult for Russia and Iran to refute the transaction. Yet, both countries maintain the transaction did not occur. Now, due to this alleged deal, the West is poised to escalate the conflict by allowing Ukraine to use Western weapons against Russia. So, here’s the question: Did Iran actually sell these weapons, or is the West fabricating this claim to justify escalating the war?

Taxpayers Paid $70K for Study Promoting Parental “Polyamory” as Healthy for Kids

The Liberal government funded a study on polyamory using taxpayer money to decide if exposing children to polyamorous relationships can be beneficial for their development. Funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, the $70,662 research, was conducted by Quebec researchers who interviewed 18 children from LGBT+, polyamorous households. The study concluded that exposing kids to multiple romantic partners could be positive for their development—a claim that’s hard to digest considering the unilateral cohort. The findings highlight a troubling use of public funds, with many questioning whether this research is an abuse of taxpayer money rather than a genuine contribution to societal understanding. More

Tiny Thought: This is an insane use of public funds.

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US Government Lost $2.7 Trillion in Taxpayer Funds to Fraud and Improper Payments Since 2003

A recent GAO report reveals that the federal government has lost approximately $2.7 trillion due to fraud and improper payments over the past two decades. In 2023 alone, improper payments amounted to $236 billion. Key programs responsible for these losses include Medicare, Medicaid, Pandemic Unemployment Assistance, and the Paycheck Protection Program, among others.

The report highlights that the government is currently losing between $233 billion and $521 billion annually. The GAO emphasizes the need for better oversight and improved payment integrity to help reduce the deficit. More

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Google’s Aim Was to ‘Crush’ Competition According to Former President of Display Ads

In the ongoing antitrust trial against Google, evidence presented on Wednesday revealed that a Google executive aimed to "crush" rival ad networks. This supports the US Department of Justice's claim that Google sought to monopolize the ad tech market. Notes from former executive David Rosenblatt showed Google’s strategy to dominate by controlling ad server technology and leveraging competitive advantages. Google denies these allegations, arguing it faces significant competition from other tech giants. If found guilty, the court may order Google to divest its Google Ad Manager platform. In 2023, Google’s overall ad revenue was approximately $273 billion. More

Billionaire Steps Out of SpaceX Capsule for First Private Spacewalk Hundreds of Miles Above Earth

Tech billionaire Jared Isaacman became the first private individual to conduct a spacewalk, partnering with SpaceX for this milestone. Isaacman and his crew, who launched from Florida on September 10th, performed the spacewalk at an orbit of 460 miles, the furthest from Earth since the Apollo missions. The spacewalk, which lasted about two hours, was a test of new spacesuits designed for future Mars missions. Isaacman, along with SpaceX engineer Sarah Gillis, spent time outside the capsule to evaluate suit performance. This historic event highlights a growing trend of private space exploration and the increasing involvement of wealthy individuals in space activities. More

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Self-medicating Gorillas Provide Clues for New Drug Discovery

A study published in PLOS ONE reveals a fascinating connection between wild gorillas and medicinal plants. Researchers observed western lowland gorillas in Moukalaba-Doudou National Park, Gabon, noting their consumption of four plant species: the fromager tree (Ceiba pentandra), giant yellow mulberry (Myrianthus arboreus), African teak (Milicia excelsa), and fig trees (Ficus).

The study tested the bark of these plants for antibacterial and antioxidant properties. Remarkably, the plants exhibited antibacterial activity against multidrug-resistant E. coli strains, with the fromager tree showing particularly strong effects. The plants also contained compounds with known medicinal benefits, including phenols and flavonoids.

This discovery is intriguing as it suggests that studying gorilla behavior can provide insights into plants with potential therapeutic properties, offering new opportunities for drug discovery and understanding natural medicine. More

UFC 306 About More Than MMA When it Takes Place at the Sphere on Saturday

UFC President Dana White decided to bring UFC 306 to the The Sphere in Las Vegas, a move that cost around $20 million. The event features two title fights: the Bantamweight Title Fight: Sean O'Malley vs. Merab Dvalishvili and the Women's Flyweight Title Fight: Alexa Grasso vs. Valentina Shevchenko. White aims to blend live sports with high-tech entertainment, leveraging the Sphere's massive LED screen and innovative production techniques. He views this as a game-changer for live events, potentially influencing how future venues are designed. More

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Ohtani Homers and Steals, Moving Closer to First 50/50 Season

Shohei Ohtani hit his 47th home run and stole his 48th base during the Dodgers' 10-8 victory over the Cubs. This performance brings Ohtani closer to an unprecedented milestone: he is on track to become the first player in Major League Baseball history to achieve 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in a single season. The Dodgers’ win saw contributions from other players like Tommy Edman with two homers, and they also saw their magic number to clinch the NL West drop to 11 after a San Diego loss. More

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Harvey Weinstein Indicted on Additional Sex Crimes Charges Ahead of New York Retrial

Disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein has been indicted on additional sex crimes charges in New York, with the indictment remaining sealed until his arraignment scheduled for September 18th. The new charges include up to three additional allegations dating back to the mid-2000s. Weinstein, who is recovering from emergency heart surgery, did not attend the hearing. Weinstein, maintaining his stance that all sexual activity was consensual, is set to return to court for a hearing on September 12th, with a retrial tentatively planned for November. More

UK Navy Intercepts ‘Narco Sub’ in Caribbean Carrying $209 Million Worth of Cocaine - In eight drug busts in seven months, the Portsmouth-based patrol ship has stopped nearly $980.6 million of narcotics reaching the streets of the UK.

Beekeeper Finds Grandfather’s Long-Lost Hives Thriving in Quarry–and Turns Them into a Colony of Millions - A Scottish man rediscovered his late grandfather's beehives, lost for over 14 years, in a quarry. He restored the original hive and expanded to 5 million bees in 100 colonies. His business, Main’s Apiaries, now sells honey at farmers markets all over Scottland.

On this day in 1993 the public unveiling of the Oslo Accords, an Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement initiated by Norway, signed by Israeli Minister of Foreign Affairs Shimon Peres and PLO official Mahmoud Abbas.