Juno News - October 17, 2025


Liberal PM Mark Carney is now anti-crime？

Topics
Crime reforms and pressure on Carney license plate design vote
Hosted by
Isaac Lamoureux
Mentioned
Danielle Smith Waleed Mark Carney Nate Horner Pierre Poilievre Jason Schilling Fortis Ailiber Gilma Gowen Chris Sims Dale Nally Bill C-63 Doug Ford
Liberals promise to fix the crime wave they helped create Does the Canadian auto sector have a future？

Episode Stats


Length

14 minutes

Words per minute

164.17

Word count

2,421

Sentence count

107


Summary

Summaries generated with gmurro/bart-large-finetuned-filtered-spotify-podcast-summ .

Prime Minister Mark Carney has caved to conservative pressure, rolling out tougher bail and sentencing laws. Alberta considers back-to-work legislation to end a province-wide teacher strike. Albertans will vote on new license plates branded with the province s motto, "Strong and Free."

Transcript

Transcript generated with Whisper (turbo).
Topics generated with Qwen2.5-3B-Instruct.
Hosts, guests, and mentioned names generated with spaCy (en_core_web_sm), reconciled against Wikidata.
00:00:00.000 Prime Minister Mark Carney has caved to conservative pressure, rolling out tougher bail and sentencing laws.
00:00:10.900 Alberta considers back-to-work legislation to end a province-wide teacher strike.
00:00:15.480 Albertans will vote on new license plates branded with the province's motto, strong and free.
00:00:21.640 Hello Canada, it's Friday, October 17th, and this is the True North Daily Brief.
00:00:25.680 I'm Isaac Lamoureux.
00:00:26.840 And I'm Willie Tam Tam.
00:00:27.820 We've got you covered with all the news you need to know.
00:00:30.700 Let's discuss the top stories of the day and the True North exclusives you won't hear anywhere else.
00:00:38.220 Prime Minister Mark Carney is pivoting sharply on crime, rolling out a suite of tough-on-crime reforms that many observers say were forced by conservative pressure and growing public frustration over repeat offenders.
00:00:50.300 Carney's new plan includes reverse-onus bail for crimes like auto theft, human trafficking, and organized gang offenses.
00:00:57.820 Meaning offenders will have to prove why they should not be detained.
00:01:01.320 He's also moving to end conditional sentences and house arrest for sexual assault convictions and to allow stacked sentencing for multiple violent crimes.
00:01:10.580 The reforms come after months of criticism from opposition parties, police associations, and victims' advocates who have accused the Liberal government of being soft on violent offenders.
00:01:21.200 Conservative leader Pierre Polievre has repeatedly linked rising crime and car theft to the Liberals' 2019 bail reforms, calling them a, quote, catch-and-release disaster.
00:01:32.580 Carney defended his reversal, saying his government is, quote, listening to Canadians' concerns and restoring public safety as a top priority.
00:01:39.380 But critics argue the announcement shows Carney reacting to political optics rather than leading with principle.
00:01:45.840 However, conservatives are arguing that the announcement shows Carney is reacting to political optics rather than leading with principle.
00:01:53.140 So, Waleed, when a government pivots under mounting political pressure like this, is this a sign of the strength of the conservatives and their tough-on-crime messaging?
00:02:01.240 Well, Isaac, I think this rings like the carbon tax reversal that Carney made way earlier when he removed the consumer carbon tax.
00:02:10.120 When Tories are consistent on their pressure on a certain issue or policy standpoint, the public eventually catches up.
00:02:18.360 And as soon as the public pressure gets too hot, the Liberals take a half-measure.
00:02:22.760 So, in the case of the carbon tax, the consumer carbon tax was removed, but an industrial one remains, a half-measure from what the conservatives would have proposed, which is a full scrap of the entire carbon tax itself.
00:02:36.400 Actually, Conservative MP and Shadow Minister for Justice and the Attorney General of Canada issued a statement where he called this policy reversal a half-baked attempt to copy-paste the Jail-Not-Bail Act.
00:02:51.260 This, of course, Jail-Not-Bail Act effectively from the conservatives would repeal the Liberals' Bill C-48 in order to repeal the principle of restraint.
00:03:02.800 So, absolutely, I think that it's public pressure that's driving this direction from the Liberals.
00:03:08.520 It's conservatives that have funneled and focused that public pressure into this particular issue, talking about the revolving door justice system where repeat offenders are let off on bail.
00:03:21.260 Far too often, far too easily.
00:03:24.160 And, of course, the Tories, as well as Toronto Police Chief, have made it clear that something has to change in Ottawa.
00:03:31.600 Again, I don't think the Liberals are going all the way to where the conservatives want to be on the issue, but it does show a sign of strength.
00:03:39.280 Like on the carbon tax, that conservative messaging has taken the public pressure up a few notches and caused at least some change to be happening now.
00:03:49.840 The Alberta government is preparing to introduce back-to-work legislation if the province's massive teacher strike continues into the next legislative session set to begin October 27th, later this month.
00:04:05.340 More than 51 teachers across Alberta are off the job, closing over 2,500 schools and leaving nearly 750,000 students without regular classes.
00:04:16.480 The strike, now entering its third week, has become one of the largest education walkouts in provincial history.
00:04:22.740 Finance Minister Nate Horner says the negotiations between the Alberta Teachers Association and the government remain, quote, far apart, but insists there is still time for compromise before the legislature reconvenes.
00:04:36.500 Earlier offers rejected by the union would have made Alberta teachers among the highest paid in Western Canada and included the hiring thousands of additional classroom assistants and support staff.
00:04:45.760 The government says the latest offer also included mental health supports for teachers and students, but union leaders argue that classroom conditions and workloads remain untenable.
00:04:56.400 The provincial government says it's committed to restoring stability for families, but critics warn that forcing teachers back could escalate tensions and undermine trust between educators and the province.
00:05:07.280 So Isaac, you're out there in Alberta. What do you make of the strike's effect on students and families thus far?
00:05:12.160 Is the government right to bring back to legislation now? What do you make of the timing?
00:05:17.500 Yeah, Waleed, obviously the strike has already had a huge impact with, as you said, roughly three quarters of a million students out of class for already three weeks and parents having to find childcare substitutions.
00:05:30.180 Because let's remember, while school is primarily presented as a tool or a vessel for education, it also serves as a daycare.
00:05:38.740 And the province's parent payment program is now offering $30 a day for parents of children aged 12 and under for childcare and tutoring costs.
00:05:48.320 But additional support is available for families of children with complex needs, totaling up to $300 per five-day school week.
00:05:56.080 And the government is saying that it's redirecting teacher salary dollars to fund those payments.
00:06:00.920 And from what I've seen online, taxpayers are saving around $20 million a day during the strike because teachers aren't being paid.
00:06:09.240 And Finance Minister Nate Horner said the Alberta Teachers Association's latest proposal asked for nearly $2 billion more than the government had budgeted and warned that there's little room to move within the budget.
00:06:21.640 So he has hinted that back-to-work legislation could be forthcoming in the upcoming parliamentary session, which of course begins on October 27th.
00:06:31.880 But it appears that the teachers are ready to hold taxpayers hostage, remembering that teachers overwhelmingly rejected two provincial government settlements, one which was recommended by a mediator, and another which was negotiated and agreed upon by the Teachers' Employer Bargaining Association and the Alberta Teachers' Association.
00:06:52.720 Chris Sims, the Alberta Director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, highlighted what was in these rejected deals.
00:07:00.220 Of course, teachers refused a package that would have made them the highest paid in Western Canada, with new teachers starting at $71,000 a year, reaching $100,000 yearly after seven years of experience.
00:07:13.700 And I saw the top end was even more around $115,000 a year, and the offer, of course, also included hiring $3,000 more teachers, $1,500 more educational assistants, and building $100 more schools.
00:07:25.860 And from what we're seeing with the newest numbers that have come out, either the teachers or the ATA is lying, because based on the numbers that have been revealed, we've heard these teachers complaining about 40 students in their classes, but the numbers don't lie, and they do not reflect this in the slightest.
00:07:42.240 Because Smith, when speaking at a press conference yesterday, said that 35,162 teachers walked off the job, not including 7,000 substitutes.
00:07:53.920 As for students, her number was 740,000, meaning that there would be 21 students in each class if it was equal across the board.
00:08:01.780 And ATA President Jason Schilling's numbers would have made it even worse, because he said it was 51,000 teachers who walked off the job, which would have meant 15 students per class,
00:08:11.360 which is obviously a country mile from 40.
00:08:14.380 So Smith suggested that the real issue isn't class size, but classroom complexity, meaning students with behavioral challenges, disabilities, or they just don't even speak English, because their English is their second language.
00:08:27.140 So Smith said that instead of hard class size caps, the government might need to think about how to deploy educational assistance more strategically to meet those challenges.
00:08:38.160 And Smith also reminded Albertans that the previous NDP government spent $2 billion to try and fix classroom sizes, but obviously failed.
00:08:46.920 But for me, Waleed, it's still not clear what will satisfy these teachers, because they've been offered the moon, in my opinion.
00:08:54.040 And that would have, of course, made them the highest paid in Western Canada with the lowest cost of living.
00:08:59.140 And given the fact that many teachers voted liberal in the last federal election, I don't see how they can be on their high horse trying to live in a fantasy world where they're the only group of people that aren't affected by the liberal government's irresponsible immigration levels.
00:09:13.880 So for me, in my opinion, it's time to reap what you sow.
00:09:20.340 Albertans will soon get the chance to vote on new license plate designs, each emblazoned with the province's motto, strong and free.
00:09:27.060 The provincial government announced the campaign this week, calling it a way to celebrate Alberta's pride and identity.
00:09:32.560 The online vote will run for three weeks, with eight plate designs in the running.
00:09:35.820 The current plates haven't been changed since 1984, and Alberta Premier Daniel Smith has said that they've been shown and changed quite remarkably since then.
00:09:45.480 So the new license plates vary in design, from cattle being herded, to oil rigs, to beautiful mountain landscapes, and then also some very basic designs.
00:09:53.580 But in each of the designs, as I said, strong and free is at the bottom of each version.
00:09:58.320 And of course, strong and free can also be found on Alberta's coat of arms in Latin, reading Fortis Ailiber, and strong and free also appears in Canada's national anthem.
00:10:09.220 Despite this, some left-wing ideologues have criticized this change, like Alberta Federation of Labour President Gilma Gowen, who called it a very Trumpian thing to do and a big red flag.
00:10:20.440 But again, Service Alberta Minister Dale Nally referenced that this isn't just about Alberta, but actually has a common association with Canada, does strong and free.
00:10:29.340 He said even, in fact, when the King of England delivered his throne speech in Ottawa, he also associated strong and free in relation with Canada.
00:10:37.300 So any left-wing ideologues trying to say that this is some sort of political move is not true.
00:10:43.080 And Smith reminded people that, of course, the old plates had the Wild Rose emblem on there.
00:10:49.080 So she joked about that formally with the Wild Rose party, that her party was getting some sort of advertising from the license plates.
00:10:57.700 But that's not the case right now.
00:10:59.860 So yeah, the tournament-style voting is taking place between October 15th and November 5th.
00:11:04.780 And in the first phase, Albertans can choose between eight initial designs, which will then be reduced to the top four, then the top two.
00:11:11.700 And then, of course, the last license plate will be crowned, and that will be the new license plate in Alberta.
00:11:17.620 Another important thing to add, this implementation is said to only cost between $25,000 and $50,000.
00:11:23.820 And Nally said that no additional budget was provided to him for this.
00:11:29.860 It's all with internal resources.
00:11:32.440 And any Albertans who wish to replace their current plates and designs can pay a voluntary $28 or wait for the renewal period, and it will come at no additional cost.
00:11:41.700 But, of course, current plates will remain valid, assuming they're in proper condition.
00:11:45.800 Again, this vote is underway right now, so any Albertans can go and vote on the provincial website right now.
00:11:50.720 But, Waleed, do you see this as a wise celebration of Alberta pride, and what do you think of the designs?
00:11:55.520 How does it compare to out there in Ontario, for example?
00:11:58.940 Well, Isaac, I think definitely everything you have from your health card to your license plate are typically wide-found around the province
00:12:06.060 and has some sort of role to play in provincial symbolism, even national symbolism for that extent.
00:12:12.580 And I'm not even referring to Alberta separatist sentiment, which is, of course, on the rise.
00:12:16.840 So, I guess, you know, since 1984, in that case, it's been a while, probably a time for a little update.
00:12:23.120 I'm much more interested in the fiscal cost here.
00:12:25.520 You said something between $25,000 to $50,000.
00:12:27.900 Well, I'll tell you what happened over here where I am in Ontario.
00:12:30.540 Back in 2020, they tried to redesign the plates, the Doug Ford government,
00:12:34.760 and that ended up costing over $320,000 total to the taxpayers, which was actually $238,000 over the initial budget.
00:12:46.240 Why that happened?
00:12:48.160 Well, there was a number of difficulties around getting the plates out, finding the right design, consultation fees.
00:12:57.280 The overall process itself was expensive.
00:12:59.040 But the funniest part about that was that plate that was designed, that blue on dark blue plate, was not even approved in the end.
00:13:08.740 I mean, it has been in circulation.
00:13:10.920 I believe according to the government, around about 124,000 license plates are still on the roads as of last year that are blue on blue.
00:13:19.320 But the reason why they weren't continued, and they were called just months after they were released during COVID,
00:13:27.140 which was because they were unreadable at night due to the visibility defect they have.
00:13:32.640 Of course, you know, license plates typically shine on light during night hours so that police officers and others can observe license plates
00:13:40.260 while folks are driving after sunset.
00:13:43.640 So it was a big, expensive failure, and now the government is continuing to revert to the old white on blue design
00:13:52.960 that you see across the country in Ontario and places like Nova Scotia, etc.
00:13:57.500 It's a pretty standard design, frankly.
00:13:59.160 So I would not be surprised if Alberta goes for a design based on blue on white with some additional imagery on the side.
00:14:06.600 But we're going back to the old, and that new attempt is being phased out.
00:14:13.500 But I don't think that high taxpayer bill is being reimbursed anytime soon, unfortunately.
00:14:20.000 Well, Waleed, as for the Alberta plates, just to touch on what you mentioned there,
00:14:24.280 they did confirm that it will include reflective technology to improve visibility
00:14:29.020 and meet international standards for counterfeit resistance.
00:14:32.640 But that's it for today, folks.
00:14:34.140 Thanks for tuning in.
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