Juno News - February 01, 2025


Alberta COVID report draws ire of “experts” and media


Episode Stats

Length

16 minutes

Words per Minute

167.53386

Word Count

2,812

Sentence Count

147

Misogynist Sentences

2


Summary


Transcript

00:00:00.000 Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has once again placed herself at the forefront of protecting
00:00:15.440 the country from tariffs, this time saying that Canada appointing a border czar would
00:00:19.920 be the best way to avoid President Donald Trump's proposed 25% tariffs, which are expected today.
00:00:25.240 The final report on Alberta's COVID-19 response that Smith commissioned in 2022 was published
00:00:31.120 and recommends halting the use of COVID-19 vaccines in healthy children and teenagers,
00:00:36.140 among other recommendations that oppose the mainstream narrative.
00:00:39.580 Alberta's junior high students will soon learn more about anti-Semitism with an updated curriculum
00:00:44.460 that the provincial government said was a result of the rise in anti-Jewish hatred worldwide
00:00:49.600 following Hamas' brutal October 7th attack on Israeli citizens.
00:00:53.760 Calgary's Green Line LRT project got the green light, following City Council voting to proceed
00:00:59.220 with the province's proposed alignment.
00:01:01.240 All of this and more in this week's episode of the Alberta Roundup.
00:01:04.400 I'm your host, Isaac Lamoureux, and I'm super excited to be here with you again.
00:01:08.140 Let's hop into the first story now.
00:01:10.060 Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is calling on Ottawa to appoint a border czar to work with
00:01:14.620 U.S. counterpart Tom Homan and avoid the incoming tariffs proposed by the Trump administration.
00:01:19.460 The tariffs are expected to come the same day this video is published, February 1st,
00:01:24.020 but I am recording the day prior, so if anything changes between then and now, buyer beware.
00:01:29.000 Following a meeting with the country's premiers, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and other federal
00:01:33.280 ministers on Wednesday, Smith revealed that she told them that a border czar was the best answer
00:01:38.520 to the incoming tariffs.
00:01:39.920 Smith said, quote,
00:01:40.980 Holman previously raised concerns about Canada's border security shortly after U.S. President Donald Trump's
00:02:05.320 2024 election victory.
00:02:08.040 Smith made the request for a czar after speaking with dozens of U.S. representatives,
00:02:12.540 administrative officials, and Trump himself.
00:02:15.540 She said this was clearly the most important first step to take.
00:02:19.360 She also invited a Fox News team to the Coutts border to showcase the work already underway to prevent
00:02:24.880 illegal immigration and trafficking.
00:02:27.120 Alberta previously unveiled enhanced border security measures, including a patrol team of 51 officers,
00:02:32.940 10 support staff, 4 patrol dogs, 10 surveillance drones, and 4 narcotics analyzers.
00:02:39.280 The province's 300-kilometer shared border with the U.S. would be monitored for drug smuggling,
00:02:44.060 gun trafficking, and illegal immigration.
00:02:46.820 While Alberta was the first province to introduce such measures, which they were able to do because
00:02:51.160 the measures were in work for 18 months at the time, other provinces followed suit.
00:02:57.180 Smith also thanked the federal government for allowing Alberta to send a Black Hawk helicopter
00:03:01.660 to the border on Wednesday.
00:03:03.560 As for who should be the border czar, Smith had a pretty good idea.
00:03:07.180 She said she believed somebody with a high-ranking military background would be the best option
00:03:11.380 to become the border czar.
00:03:13.040 She said she had already recommended that her deputy minister, Paul Winnick, a former lieutenant
00:03:17.740 general who served in the army for 38 years, become the czar.
00:03:21.640 The federal government is aware of her recommendation, as she said,
00:03:25.060 Jonathan Wilkinson was present when she made it.
00:03:27.580 Smith said, quote,
00:03:29.060 That's the kind of person we need, someone who understands military operations, who understands
00:03:33.460 deployment, who understands the seriousness with which we have to take this issue.
00:03:38.040 She added that the czar would serve as a consistent voice at the table for Canada,
00:03:42.280 considering Trudeau's soon-to-be resignation and the subsequent election shortly thereafter
00:03:46.580 provides Canada with no consistent voice at the negotiating table with the United States.
00:03:51.780 The liberals have been considering pandemic-style payouts to businesses harmed by the tariffs.
00:03:56.540 Again, Smith wouldn't even entertain the thought.
00:03:59.920 She wouldn't even begin to discuss the package and her opinion of it because she said it was
00:04:03.840 her goal to do everything she could to ensure that the tariffs never come to be.
00:04:08.160 The Trump administration hinted that the 25% tariffs on Canadian imports would begin
00:04:13.040 February 1st today, with another round coming in April.
00:04:16.760 The latter tariffs will be determined after Trump receives a study he requested that is
00:04:20.980 set to be delivered to him on April 1st.
00:04:23.120 On top of the border czar, Smith also proposed that Canada and the U.S. collaborate to establish
00:04:28.000 a joint military base in the Arctic.
00:04:30.420 You guys may already know if the tariffs came to be.
00:04:32.840 I hope that they did not.
00:04:34.300 And let me know what you think about Smith leading these negotiation tactics.
00:04:38.920 Would Canada have been better off if she were actually at the helm of these negotiations and
00:04:43.580 had the power to do as she pleased?
00:04:45.340 The final report on Alberta's COVID-19 response was released.
00:04:49.680 It recommends that the provincial government stop providing vaccines for healthy children
00:04:53.800 and teenagers as the risks outweigh the reward.
00:04:57.260 Following months of interviews, research and analysis, the report claimed that halting the
00:05:02.040 use of COVID-19 vaccines in healthy children and teenagers would follow what some other jurisdictions
00:05:07.140 have already done, such as Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland and the UK.
00:05:11.620 The report called for the cessation of the vaccine for teenagers and children because
00:05:16.380 the risk of COVID-19 in the two groups is, quote, exceptionally low.
00:05:20.660 The report asked a question, which was, quote,
00:05:23.860 The tagline, safe and affected, was repeatedly used to assure the population and encourage
00:05:28.240 vaccination against COVID-19.
00:05:30.160 Based on the evidence that has emerged to date, it cannot be concluded that these COVID-19
00:05:34.180 vaccines are safe.
00:05:35.680 Were they at least effective?
00:05:37.060 The report revealed evidence to suggest that it was not effective.
00:05:41.040 For example, it highlighted that the original Pfizer vaccines did not prevent death compared
00:05:45.800 to the placebo in their clinical trials in any age group.
00:05:49.360 The report alleged that Alberta Health Services removed a dashboard from its website after it
00:05:54.540 showed higher hospitalization rates among the vaccinated than the unvaccinated.
00:05:58.980 It also said there is a lack of reliable data proving that COVID-19 vaccines protect
00:06:03.560 children from severe COVID-19.
00:06:05.640 The task force that published the research said COVID-19 vaccines were not designed to
00:06:10.380 stop transmission.
00:06:11.940 The report also highlighted risks to taking the vaccine.
00:06:15.480 It reads, quote,
00:06:16.880 There is reliable evidence of harm following vaccination, and the COVID-19 vaccine trials
00:06:21.900 were not designed to detect rare or long-term adverse effects.
00:06:25.500 There is a known risk for myocarditis, especially in young males.
00:06:29.160 The task force also referenced Pfizer's own safety data from three months after authorization,
00:06:33.920 which reported 1,223 deaths attributed to the vaccine and 42,086 injured within four days
00:06:41.720 of vaccination.
00:06:42.800 Almost half, 45% of these were from individuals between the ages of 18 to 50 who had a negligible
00:06:49.220 risk from infection.
00:06:50.440 The report claimed that, quote,
00:06:52.180 There is no long-term safety data for these novel mRNA vaccines.
00:06:57.240 It called for various other conclusions and recommendations that oppose the mainstream narrative.
00:07:02.560 One recommendation was to research the safety and efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccines more before
00:07:07.380 widespread use in adults and children.
00:07:09.620 The task force also said that infection-acquired immunity should be explored and communicated
00:07:14.620 more in a future pandemic, considering there was little to no evidence to suggest that vaccine-acquired
00:07:20.080 immunity was superior to infection-acquired immunity.
00:07:23.440 The report also called for constructing a website and or call-in center for the vaccine injured
00:07:28.380 in Alberta.
00:07:29.380 It also called for a mechanism to opt out of federal health policy when due process has not
00:07:34.300 been satisfied at the provincial level.
00:07:36.100 True North previously reported that only 6% of vaccine injury claimants had been paid.
00:07:41.760 The Alberta Medical Association issued an initial statement on the report that was getting
00:07:45.620 many negative replies and was since deleted.
00:07:48.760 The statement was issued again, with comments turned off this time.
00:07:52.580 The association called the report, quote, anti-science and anti-evidence.
00:07:57.260 The Canadian Medical Association went on to support the AMA's comments.
00:08:01.340 You can guess the reaction that they received on X.
00:08:03.680 They are getting blasted in the comments.
00:08:06.320 I asked the AMA how it deemed a 269-page report filled with data and evidence from esteemed
00:08:11.980 medical professionals anti-science and anti-evidence, but received no reply.
00:08:16.740 The report examined ivermectin, hydroxychloroquine, and other treatments, but noted public health
00:08:22.800 authorities largely opposed them despite early research showing promising benefits.
00:08:26.920 The report reads, quote,
00:08:28.280 The restrictive approach taken by Alberta health authorities towards alternate COVID-19
00:08:33.120 therapeutics is concerning and further investigation is required into the restriction of treatment
00:08:38.060 options for COVID-19.
00:08:39.620 The researchers recommended legislative amendments allowing medical professionals to use approved
00:08:44.160 medications for off-labeled treatments and explore alternative therapies.
00:08:47.840 The report was commissioned by Alberta Premier Daniel Smith in 2022 with a mandate to explore the
00:08:53.400 province's response to COVID-19.
00:08:55.400 The task force included prominent medical professionals including Drs. Gary Davidson,
00:09:00.500 Jay Bhattacharya, and Byron Bridal.
00:09:03.000 The Albertan government announced upcoming curriculum on Monday, which was International Holocaust
00:09:08.180 Remembrance Day.
00:09:09.220 The updated curriculum will mean Alberta's junior high students will soon learn more about
00:09:13.320 anti-Semitism influenced by the rise in anti-Jewish hatred worldwide following Hamas's
00:09:18.080 brutal attack on Israeli citizens on October 7th.
00:09:21.380 Alberta's Education Minister Demetrios Nikolaides said, quote,
00:09:24.980 I firmly believe we must do everything possible to combat rising anti-Semitism and educate
00:09:30.160 young Albertans about the realities of anti-Semitism.
00:09:33.160 He added, quote,
00:09:34.220 Ensuring all students learn about the injustices faced by those who historically were and continue
00:09:39.080 to be marginalized or who have experienced discrimination will help us confront hate and
00:09:43.600 build stronger communities.
00:09:45.180 The Jewish Federation of Edmonton and the Calgary Jewish Federation applauded the provincial government's
00:09:49.880 announcement, which the organizations said proved the government was taking a stance
00:09:54.080 against anti-Semitism.
00:09:56.200 The CEO of the Jewish Federation of Edmonton, Stacey Levitt-Wright, said, quote,
00:10:01.660 By ensuring these critical lessons are part of the learning experience for students,
00:10:05.820 we are fostering empathy, understanding, and resilience in future generations.
00:10:10.800 We look forward to further collaborating with Alberta Education in making sure these
00:10:14.740 important teachings are delivered effectively across all grades.
00:10:18.060 In 2023, Jewish people were subject to 70% of all religiously motivated hate crimes
00:10:23.960 despite accounting for less than 1% of Canada's total population.
00:10:28.420 Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre called for the deportation of temporary residents carrying
00:10:32.860 out violent or hate crimes in Canada on the same day Alberta unveiled the updated curriculum.
00:10:38.220 He said that, quote,
00:10:39.080 Woke ideologies had already caused hate crimes inspired by anti-Semitism to increase by over 100%
00:10:45.040 before October 7th. Since then, he said they increased by 251%, primarily targeting Jews.
00:10:52.800 Alberta's government previously introduced mandatory Holocaust education in elementary schools in
00:10:57.520 November 2023. The draft K-6 social studies curriculum released in April 2024 also includes lessons on
00:11:04.720 anti-Semitism. It is currently being piloted and will be fully introduced in the 2025-26 school year.
00:11:11.060 As the draft curriculum continues to be developed, the provincial government aims to continue working
00:11:15.920 with provincial Jewish organizations to determine when and where students should learn about anti-Semitism.
00:11:21.720 The Greenline LRT project has reached its next development after Calgary City Council voted to proceed
00:11:27.120 with a better Greenline alignment that the province said will be 76% longer and serve 60% more Calgarians.
00:11:33.060 The new project will incorporate an elevated alignment and will save over $1 billion compared
00:11:38.620 to if it were tunneled downtown. The Alberta government said that the savings will be reinvested
00:11:43.160 into the project to extend the line further south. The province said, quote,
00:11:47.320 By increasing ridership and expanding access, we are ensuring that taxpayer dollars deliver maximum
00:11:52.000 value while building a stronger, more connected city. The province said it looks forward to working
00:11:57.000 with the city and the federal government going forward to get this project completed and that the
00:12:01.260 project will be a win for Calgary, the province, and the future of public transit in Alberta.
00:12:05.640 You may remember that the province previously called the Greenline LRT a, quote,
00:12:09.840 multi-billion dollar boondoggle. However, now, Transport Minister Devin Drishan celebrated the council vote
00:12:15.540 in a post to X. He said, quote,
00:12:17.820 After a decade of delay caused by Nahid Nenshi, the Greenline is finally being built.
00:12:23.300 Back in 2015 when he was a mayor, he refused to do the proper planning needed to build this
00:12:27.780 megaproject and costs skyrocketed. Nenshi has a track record of over-promising with taxpayers'
00:12:33.280 money and this was his biggest boondoggle. Drishan said that as the provincial government
00:12:37.820 continues to build projects province-wide, it will always respect hardworking taxpayers.
00:12:43.540 Nenshi responded on X trying to defend himself, claiming that Drishan, quote,
00:12:47.400 doesn't understand this file or his job very well. Unsurprisingly, Drishan struck back,
00:12:53.340 calling Nenshi's plan in 2015 a, quote, taxpayer-funded dumpster fire. He said, quote,
00:12:59.000 As mayor, you over-promised a 46-kilometer Greenline from 160th Ave to Seton for $4.5 billion
00:13:06.180 and never delivered. Then, while you were still mayor, you cut off the North Calgary alignment,
00:13:11.360 quit gaslighting Calgarians, they remember your incompetence.
00:13:15.080 Various other Albertans took aim at Nenshi as well on X. Gondek joined in on the fund too,
00:13:19.940 explaining why she voted against the motions that passed in council. Peter McCaffrey,
00:13:25.080 founder and CEO of the Alberta Institute, a provincial think tank, criticized Gondek's
00:13:29.620 response. He said, quote,
00:13:32.000 Even when Jyoti is right, she manages to be right for the wrong reasons. Remember,
00:13:36.760 she's opposed to the current plan because it doesn't waste enough money. I'm opposed to it
00:13:40.820 because it wastes too much money. The whole Greenline needs to be scrapped. Yeah, let me know in the
00:13:45.600 comments what you guys think about the Greenline and your opinion on the province keeping the
00:13:49.700 project alive. So that wraps up our stories for this week. Let's hop in to the comment roundup.
00:13:54.540 The first comment comes from at US Lanja, or us Lanja, who said, quote,
00:13:59.900 Well, you cannot hold Trudeau solely responsible. Every elected NDP and Liberal MP supported him.
00:14:05.580 Never forget people. Yeah, so this comment reflected a broad theme of comments that came
00:14:10.340 from most of you in the last video. You answered the title of the previous episode, confirming that
00:14:14.960 the tariff dispute was 100% Trudeau's fault. I like what you said here, though,
00:14:19.680 US Lanja, because Trudeau did not act alone, and he alone is not the problem with Canada or the
00:14:27.080 Liberal Party. Let's remember the Conservatives' new slogan, which is just like Justin, because the
00:14:33.820 party is arguing that everyone in the Liberals is just like Justin, and that if Canadians were to vote
00:14:39.220 Liberals in the next election, they'd be in for much of the same, irrespective of who governs the
00:14:44.180 party. The next comment comes from at Parker KE, who said, quote, Alberta saves Canada. Thanks.
00:14:50.840 Then somebody commented on their comment. That was at JC Nealon, who said, quote, again and again.
00:14:57.020 Yeah, this seems to be the belief held by many, and was certainly exemplified during these tariff
00:15:01.540 disputes. As Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, despite not being the Prime Minister nor the leader of the
00:15:07.020 Premiers, was in the US consistently negotiating on the country's behalf, and one of the only leaders
00:15:12.600 who was trying to make the tariffs never come to be through collaboration. Of course, you'll all know
00:15:17.840 that the other Premiers and the Prime Minister at one point, or even still, wanted to use retaliation
00:15:23.640 instead of collaboration, but that would mean, of course, that the tariffs do exist to retaliate.
00:15:29.180 And Smith seemed to be the only one trying to avoid that altogether. With our lame duck Prime
00:15:34.060 Minister, it really seems that Smith has stepped up to the table and become the pseudo PM in regard
00:15:39.940 to the tariff negotiation, because she's the one holding all the cards by controlling most of the
00:15:44.980 country's most valuable commodity, which is, of course, oil and gas. I'm curious to ask, though,
00:15:50.320 do you guys think if Smith were PM, would we be in the same situation? And if not, how would the
00:15:55.440 country look instead? The last comment I'll highlight today comes from at Blasheep, who said, quote,
00:16:00.900 Gondek makes more than Smith? Over $200,000? That's insanity. Wow. Yeah, I couldn't agree
00:16:07.040 more, Blasheep. I mean, here we are talking about a woman who is standing up for Alberta and the
00:16:11.980 entirety of the country, and perhaps the only chance we have to avoid the tariffs, compared to
00:16:16.100 the mayor, who has the worst approval ratings in the country, and was even subject to a recall
00:16:21.420 legislation, although, of course, the impossible standards made that a no-go, but still. How in the
00:16:26.200 world can a mayor be making more than our premier? It doesn't seem to make sense to me,
00:16:30.900 at all. And we wonder why these mayors and councillors might cling to power. Where else
00:16:34.800 could Gondek make this kind of money? So that wraps up our comment roundup in this
00:16:38.840 week's show. My name's Isaac Lamoureux, your host of the Alberta Roundup. Have a great
00:16:43.480 weekend. Thank you and God bless. May Alberta prosper strong and free.