Mandated Misinformation

Where news meets rational thinking

Good morning, It’s Friday,  September 27th. In today’s news, The NDP tables a Bill seeking to criminalize residential school ‘denialism,’ Netflix cuts Canadian arts funding in response to Trudeau’s Online Streaming Act, Study exposes legacy media for cheerleading Liberal programs while ignoring soaring costs, Argentina and Venezuela issue arrest warrants for each other’s leaders, and much more.

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NDP Tables Bill Seeking to Criminalize Residential School 'Denialism'

NDP MP Leah Gazan has introduced a bill aiming to criminalize the denial, downplaying, or justification of the harms caused by Canada’s residential schools. Gazan’s private member’s bill, tabled just days before the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, seeks to amend the Criminal Code, similar to existing legislation that criminalizes Holocaust denial.

Gazan, whose father survived the Holocaust and whose mother was Indigenous, said it is essential to afford the same legal protection to the atrocities Indigenous people faced in residential schools. She believes allowing the history of this "genocide" to be debated is deeply harmful to survivors and their communities.

If passed, the bill would make it a crime to promote hatred by condoning or denying the abuses suffered by Indigenous children in these institutions, which operated for over 160 years and saw more than 150,000 children removed from their homes. The schools were often church-run, and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission estimates over 6,000 Indigenous children died due to mistreatment and disease.

The bill has gained support from some political figures, including the Assembly of First Nations National Chief Cindy Woodhouse, though it’s uncertain if it will pass given the rarity of private member’s bills succeeding. Gazan emphasizes the importance of this legislation in addressing the intergenerational trauma still felt by Indigenous communities today, asserting that freedom of speech should not protect hate speech or the denial of historical atrocities. More

Tiny Thought: There’s no question that residential schools represent one of the darkest chapters in Canadian history. However, criminalizing so-called 'residential school denialism' is a step too far. First, free speech shouldn't be outlawed, even when it's uncomfortable. Second, the term ‘denialism’ is being thrown around too loosely, applying to some situations where the facts aren’t clear, such as the alleged mass graves where no remains have actually been found.

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Netflix Cuts Canadian Arts Funding in Response to Trudeau’s Online Streaming Act

Netflix has pulled its sponsorship from several Canadian film and television initiatives in response to the Liberals' Bill C-11, the Online Streaming Act. Since 2017, Netflix has invested over $25 million in Canada, supporting over 1,200 writers, directors, and performers. However, under the new law, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) requires streaming platforms to contribute 5% of their domestic revenue to Canadian content (Cancon), leading Netflix to halt funding for many programs.

Law professor Michael Geist called this move inevitable, criticizing the lack of clarity around Cancon definitions and existing contributions. Netflix echoed this, stating the government failed to recognize their substantial prior investments. Netflix isn’t alone—industry giants like Disney and Warner Bros. have also challenged the CRTC’s ruling, claiming it exceeds the agency's authority.

The move has sparked concerns in the Canadian film industry, with institutions like the Whistler Film Festival, which relied heavily on Netflix, fearing the loss of key training programs. Critics argue that the ambiguity of the legislation has left such initiatives in jeopardy. More

Tiny Thought: Once again, instead of government policy benefiting Canadians, it’s just made things worse. If Netflix is eventually forced to contribute to the Cancon fund, that money will not be used to support projects like the Whistler Film Festival. Instead, the funds will be funnelled by the Canadian government into productions that meet strict Canadian content criteria, with a heavy focus on Indigenous and minority communities, and, according to their mandate, a portion will end up in the hands of public broadcasters like CBC.

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Study Exposes Legacy Media for Cheerleading Liberal Programs While Ignoring Soaring Costs

A recent Fraser Institute study exposes a glaring bias in legacy media, with CBC and CTV essentially cheerleading Liberal government programs like dental care, Pharmacare, and Childcare, while turning a blind eye to the financial burden these policies place on Canadian taxpayers. Since 2021, only a dismal 4% of their coverage has even mentioned the taxpayer costs of these programs, while the bulk of their airtime has been spent regurgitating government talking points and promoting the so-called "benefits."

Incredibly, CBC mentioned the long-term financial impact only five times since 2021, while CTV did so just twice. Instead of questioning whether taxes would rise or whether these programs would create further deficit spending, the media wasted air time covering political maneuvering and boosting Trudeau’s messaging. Nearly 40% of the coverage focused on provincial and federal government actions, and over 12% was devoted to gushing over the NDP-Liberal coalition – conveniently avoiding any meaningful discussion on how these programs would be paid for.

Despite Trudeau’s early promises of “openness by default,” transparency has become a joke under his leadership, and the media is complicit in keeping Canadians in the dark. Only one journalist, CTV’s Lisa Laflamme, has dared to press Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland on how the childcare program could saddle future generations with debt. Meanwhile, Freeland’s mandate letters to avoid new permanent spending have been completely ignored by the media.

Critics like Franco Terrazzano from the Canadian Taxpayers Federation blasted both the government and the media for their lack of accountability. He pointed out the hypocrisy: “The media loves to talk about holding politicians accountable, yet they fail to hold them responsible for these massively expensive programs that taxpayers will be on the hook for.” More

Argentina and Venezuela Issue Arrest Warrants for Each Other’s Leaders

Argentine judicial authorities have issued arrest warrants for Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and Diosdado Cabello, head of the Venezuelan Ministry of Internal Affairs, accusing them of systematic kidnappings, torture, and murders since 2014. The warrants were prompted by complaints from human rights organizations and are grounded in the principle of universal jurisdiction for crimes against humanity. In retaliation, Venezuela issued a warrant for Argentine President Javier Milei, accusing him of theft related to a seized aircraft linked to US sanctions. Tensions between Argentina and Venezuela have escalated since Milei's election, as he openly supports the Venezuelan opposition and rejects the legitimacy of Maduro's recent election. More

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Hong Kong Jails Two Journalists for Sedition

A Hong Kong court has jailed two journalists, Chung Pui-kuen and Patrick Lam, from the now-closed pro-democracy newspaper Stand News, in a landmark sedition case. Chung received 21 months, while Lam was sentenced to 11 months but released on medical grounds. The paper’s publisher, Best Pencil, was fined HK$5,000. This is the first sedition case against journalists in Hong Kong since its 1997 handover to China. The case has drawn international criticism, with rights groups condemning it as a blow to press freedom in the city. More

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Norway Arrests Cameroonian 'Separatist Leader' for Crimes Against Humanity

Norwegian police arrested Lucas Cho Ayaba, a self-identified "separatist leader" implicated in crimes against humanity in Cameroon. Ayaba, 52, leads the Ambazonia Defense Forces, a key armed group in the ongoing conflict in Cameroon’s anglophone regions, which has resulted in over 6,000 deaths and displacements of at least one million since 2016. The conflict began after the government violently suppressed peaceful protests against marginalization. This arrest marks Norway's first action against someone suspected of inciting crimes against humanity. If convicted, Ayaba faces up to 30 years in prison. More

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PEI School Counsellor and Gender Advocate Charged With Sexually Assaulting Minor

A woman known for her advocacy on gender identity and as a school counsellor in PEI, Bethany Jean Toombs, has been charged with serious sexual offences involving a minor, including sexual assault, sexual interference, and an invitation to sexual touching. The charges were filed after an investigation by the RCMP’s Major Crimes Unit, which began on September 14. Toombs, who was recently removed from the East Wiltshire Intermediate School’s staff list, had contributed to educational programs on topics like consent and gender stereotypes. She is also charged with permitting a person under 19 to consume cannabis. Toombs is set to appear in court on October 28. More

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NYC Mayor Charged with Conspiracy, Wire Fraud and Bribery

New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced he will not resign after federal prosecutors indicted him on charges of conspiracy, wire fraud, and bribery, linked to illegal campaign contributions and benefits from Turkish officials. The five-count indictment details a decade of alleged corruption, including receiving over $100,000 in-flight upgrades and using straw donors to secure more than $10 million in public campaign funds.

Prosecutors claim Adams facilitated requests from Turkish officials, including expediting fire inspections for a consulate and not acknowledging the Armenian Genocide. Despite calls for his resignation, Adams maintains his innocence, asserting that he has done nothing illegal. More

Tiny Thought: We’ll see how this all shakes out, but at this point, it seems like the Democratic Party is retaliating against Adams for his stance on mass immigration.

OpenAI to Remove Non-profit Control

OpenAI has officially transitioned from a nonprofit to a full-fledged for-profit benefit corporation, a move that has sparked controversy and concern among its employees and advocates for AI safety. CEO Sam Altman, who previously claimed he held no equity in the company, is set to gain billions in equity and control.

The restructuring follows a series of decisions that diluted OpenAI’s commitment to safety, including the establishment of a for-profit subsidiary in 2019. Critics argue that this shift could undermine its mandate to serve humanity. Former employees and observers are now calling for regulatory oversight of AI companies, citing concerns that profit-driven motives could overshadow safety and ethical considerations in AI development. More

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A US Port Shutdown is Nearing and the Impact on Canada Could be ‘Severe’

Canadian businesses are anxiously preparing for a potential dockworkers strike at US East Coast ports, scheduled to begin on October 1st, which could disrupt continental supply chains. The International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA), representing about 45,000 dockworkers, is in contract negotiations with the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) but has reached an impasse. USMX alleges the union is not negotiating in good faith, while the ILA criticizes the wage offers as inadequate.

The Canadian Chamber of Commerce warns that $3.6 billion worth of goods cross the US-Canada border daily, with many imports flowing through these East Coast ports. A strike could threaten the delivery of goods and significantly impact various industries on both sides of the border. Additionally, dockworkers at the Port of Montreal and British Columbia ports are also considering strikes, which could compound supply chain issues. More

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Trump Media Co-founder and Former ‘Apprentice’ Contestant Dumps $100 Million Worth of Stock

A major shareholder in Trump Media, Andy Litinsky, has significantly reduced his stake in the company, selling nearly all of his 7.5 million shares valued at approximately $100 million. This move comes amidst ongoing legal disputes between Litinsky and Trump Media. Previously, insiders were restricted from selling shares, but those lock-up restrictions appear to have lifted. Former President Donald Trump, who owns 114.75 million shares worth around $1.6 billion, has stated he will not sell his stake, despite the company's declining stock price, which recently hit record lows. More

New Lunar Training Facility Unveiled to Prepare Astronauts for Future Moon Missions

The European Space Agency (ESA) has opened LUNA in Cologne, Germany, a realistic lunar surface simulator for astronaut training, particularly for NASA's Artemis program. The 700-square-meter facility replicates lunar regolith, complete with craters and fine dust. ESA astronaut Matthias Maurer noted features like a harness system for simulating lunar gravity and a tilting panel for testing balance on slopes. LUNA will also connect to the Future Lunar Exploration Habitat (FLEXHab) and a greenhouse for food production. This innovative training environment is designed to prepare astronauts for living and working on the moon. More

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Scientists in Philippines Develop New Rice Variety Aimed at Combatting Diabetes

Scientists at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in the Philippines have developed a new rice variety with a low glycemic index (GI) of just 25, aimed at combating the global rise in diabetes, which currently affects an estimated 537 million adults. Most rice varieties have a high GI (70-72), making them less suitable for those with diabetes. This new variety not only has a significantly lower GI but is also high in protein and resembles traditional white rice. After ten years of research, IRRI plans to begin growing this diabetes-friendly rice in India and the Philippines, with hopes of market readiness within two years. More

50 Cent Sells Diddy Documentary to Netflix After Bidding War: "A Complicated Story Unfolding Over Decades"

Netflix is backing a docuseries by Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, focusing on the serious allegations against Sean “Diddy” Combs, including sex trafficking, racketeering, and sexual assault. Directed by Alexandria Stapleton, the project aims to present a nuanced narrative that spans decades and emphasizes the broader cultural contributions of hip-hop beyond Combs’ individual actions. The docuseries follows a wave of lawsuits against Combs, including allegations from multiple women, and aims to support sexual assault victims through its proceeds. Combs was recently arrested on multiple charges and has pleaded not guilty, maintaining his innocence against the allegations. More

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US Silences Crowd with Sweep in Presidents Cup’s Opening Day

In a dominant start to the Presidents Cup, the US team swept all five Four-ball matches, overshadowing the emotional exchanges between Scottie Scheffler and Tom Kim. Kim attempted to rally his side with a birdie celebration, prompting a competitive response from Scheffler, who later described the moment as part of the match's intensity. Despite some spirited play, the day concluded with the US asserting their strength, leaving the International team with little hope moving forward. More

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UFC Reaches $375M Settlement with Former Fighters in Antitrust Lawsuit

The UFC has reached a new $375 million settlement for one of the class action lawsuits filed by former fighters alleging wage suppression. This settlement follows the rejection of a previous $335 million agreement by a judge due to concerns about fund distribution among claimants. The new agreement, disclosed by TKO Group Holdings, covers the lawsuit initiated by fighters including Cung Le, Nate Quarry, and Jon Fitch, representing over 1,200 individuals from competitions held between 2010 and 2021. The settlement is subject to court approval, and if rejected, a trial is scheduled for February 3, 2025. The second lawsuit remains in its early stages with no trial date set. More

Mickey and Minnie Mouse Actors Married in Real Life - Wayne Allwine and Russi Taylor, the voices of Mickey and Minnie Mouse, met in 1988 while filming Totally Minnie. Initially unaware of each other's marital unhappiness, they later divorced their spouses and married in 1991.

‘Demonic’ 27-foot Doll in Town Square Terrifies Locals: ‘Never Seen Anything Like this’ - Residents in the English village of Rochdale are freaking out after a giant baby doll was erected in the town square, with some petrified pedestrians describing the installation as “creepy.” The 27-foot-tall toy tot, named Lilly, features giant moveable limbs and a mouth that opens and shuts like a plus-size Pinocchio. More

On This Day in 1905 The physics journal Annalen der Physik publishes Albert Einstein's paper "Does the Inertia of a Body Depend Upon Its Energy Content?", introducing the equation E=mc²