Rebel News Podcast - EZRA LEVANT ｜ Why does Calgary, allegedly the freest city in Canada, keep banning peaceful protests？

00:00:00.000 Hello my Rebels, today I'm going to tell you about some crazy city bylaw in Calgary where

00:00:05.880 anyone who has the wrong opinions, an opinion that quote gives offense, can be ticketed with

00:00:12.620 a $500 fine. It's rather incredible and you'll hear the mayor herself explain her thinking,

00:00:18.900 you got to see this one. But first let me invite you to become a subscriber to Rebel News Plus.

00:00:22.800 It's the video version of this podcast. Just go to rebelnewsplus.com and click subscribe.

00:00:28.280 It's eight bucks a month. You get my show every weeknight and the satisfaction of helping one of

00:00:33.140 Canada's few media companies that doesn't take money from the government. All right, here's today's show.

00:00:44.800 Tonight, why does Calgary, allegedly the freest city in Canada,

00:00:56.880 keep banning peaceful protests? It's February 13th and this is the Ezra LeVant Show.

00:01:17.740 Calgary is the freest place in Canada. I think that's still true. I was born there and grew up

00:01:23.980 there and it's certainly, I'm sure it's responsible for a lot of my views on freedom. It's certainly a

00:01:30.180 rambunctious place too, political reform. Lots of political activity always has been, but it's

00:01:35.300 always been peaceful. I mean, think back through the generations, the Canadian Alliance, the Reform

00:01:40.300 Party before political leaders, whether it's Preston Manning, Stephen Harper, Jason Kenney until they went

00:01:46.460 off the rails, Danielle Smith, like they're all from Calgary. You can go back further. You can go back

00:01:51.120 90 years to the social credit and Bill Eberhardt, or you could go back 90 days to the Calgary School

00:01:59.320 of Freedom-Oriented Thinkers at the University of Calgary. So why is a city that is so free,

00:02:06.860 mavericks, cowboys, you know, why is it becoming so hostile to freedom of speech?

00:02:13.100 I think, for example, the ongoing war against Arthur Pawlowski. Now I grant you some of that

00:02:19.980 is a provincial prosecution, but as he'll tell you, if you ask him, he has been ticketed,

00:02:25.260 fined, charged 100 times before all that by the city of Calgary and same with other Christian pastors. 0.90

00:02:33.700 That's just one example. And now there's this. Look at this story I see in Trudeau's state broadcaster.

00:02:41.660 Calgary mayor threatens to fine protesters after drag event canceled. City will leverage street

00:02:51.960 harassment bylaw for hate-motivated protests. Oh, really? Hate-motivated, hate-fueled.

00:03:01.280 Whenever a politician says that, I think they're usually projecting. They have feelings of hate

00:03:07.760 within them, and they can't really admit that, so they call their opponents hateful. It's like

00:03:12.680 when a politician accuses someone of misinformation, usually they're projecting.

00:03:18.920 Even if they're not, it certainly requires mind reading. How does the mayor of Calgary know what's

00:03:25.100 in someone's heart when they choose to peacefully protest? And it begs the question, do Canadians

00:03:31.720 have the right to protest even if they don't have the correct feelings in their heart? Do you have

00:03:37.100 to feel the right feelings and think the right thoughts in your head before you're allowed to

00:03:42.260 protest anything in Calgary, including, in this case, the sexualization of children of tender years?

00:03:50.120 Let me read a little bit from the state broadcaster who couldn't be happier about this censorship and

00:03:55.820 ask no questions about civil liberties. They don't care. They're Trudeau's people. They would bring in

00:04:00.080 martial law if they could. So here's the story. Calgary's mayor says hate-fueled demonstrations

00:04:07.120 cannot go on after a scheduled drag event was postponed for safety concerns due to a planned

00:04:13.360 protest, adding the city will use a bylaw to find people communicating hateful messages.

00:04:21.320 Franca Gualtieri, executive director of Chinook Blast, said the organization is aware of protests

00:04:28.140 that were planned for the festival's drag on ice with DJ gay snakes at Olympic Plaza on Saturday and

00:04:35.660 Sunday. We made the decision to postpone the programming to a later date when we can better

00:04:41.220 ensure the safety of everyone, Gualtieri wrote in an email statement. That decision was made after

00:04:47.320 discussions with performers, Gualtieri said. So there was no crime committed that we know about.

00:04:53.980 I don't know if there was any cancel culture. Protesting an event is not the same as trying

00:04:58.740 to shut it down. I think they actually canceled themselves here. Now, if there was some criminal

00:05:05.120 threat, arrest the criminal, of course, but that's already in the criminal code. Here, let me read a

00:05:10.240 little bit more. Recently, a drag story times and all ages drag events in Calgary and across the country

00:05:18.080 have been targeted by opponents, the most vocal of whom are largely members of alt-right groups.

00:05:26.100 What? Where did you get that from? And what does it mean to target them? Do you mean to have a

00:05:34.400 peaceful protest? Counter-protesters have shown up at many of those events to voice their support

00:05:40.040 for drag performers. Calgary Mayor Jody Gondek said the city will be ticketing people to address

00:05:45.840 certain types of protests. On Friday, she said the city of Calgary will leverage its existing street

00:05:51.020 harassment bylaw to find those who openly communicate hateful messaging in a public place.

00:05:56.620 Okay, so do you catch that there? There apparently are going to be some protesters against drag queen

00:06:02.900 story hour, all ages drag shows, and I can imagine their reasoning because children should not be exposed

00:06:09.780 to sexuality at such a tender year, straight or gay. But there are some counter-protesters apparently

00:06:17.480 going to support it. So the mayor is saying that one side is welcome, the other is not. They're both

00:06:24.860 going to be at the same place at the same time. And the mayor is saying that the bad guys aren't allowed,

00:06:30.280 and the bad guys just happen to the people she disagrees with. Now, the CBC says

00:06:34.940 that there's a lot of alt-right people who are going. I didn't know there were any alt-right people

00:06:42.800 in Calgary. I didn't know they were involved in the anti-drag queen story hour movement. But you can

00:06:47.820 see it's hyperlinked there. So I'm very curious. If you click on the link to see their source for this,

00:06:54.900 they take you to another CBC story where they just say it. Then the other story is called,

00:07:00.460 drag story times have become a target of hate, why some families love them anyway. As drag story

00:07:07.580 times become a target, kids and families stand behind them. So this is what happens when you

00:07:14.440 click on that alt-right wording. They don't have any proof. They don't name the alt-right. They just

00:07:23.340 say it's true. The only name they have in this whole story is Tucker Carlson, who isn't alt-right.

00:07:31.760 He's not Canadian. I don't think he is planning to come up to Calgary to protest this thing on the

00:07:37.080 weekend. So twice now, the CBC has said that the bad guys are alt-right. And they just refer to the

00:07:43.680 other story that they've already published where they have no proof. It's really weird.

00:07:47.300 But there are protesters on two sides. The mayor will bless one side and condemn the other and

00:07:55.140 fine only one side for hate, which is a human emotion that is actually not a crime. Here's some

00:08:04.780 tweets that the mayor has tweeted. I am personally blocked from her Twitter account, but we were able

00:08:10.220 to get this nonetheless. Saddened and frustrated that Chinook Blast had to cancel a much-anticipated

00:08:18.880 show with talented performers this weekend. Why? Because of planned protests rooted in hate and

00:08:26.040 fear-mongering. I respect the decision and the need to prioritize public and performer safety,

00:08:31.060 but this cannot go on. Okay, so again, you're mind-reading what's in people's hearts. They

00:08:37.100 actually didn't show up, so you don't even know what they would have said and done.

00:08:42.780 I had my book event canceled, by the way. I don't know if you remember, I had the Libranos. I had a

00:08:48.780 book event. I rented a theater in both Calgary and Edmonton. It was actually canceled not by me,

00:08:54.620 but by the venue because they were threatened by members of the public. Could I get some help,

00:08:59.740 or is it just for people who cancel their own events, who have the right political stripe,

00:09:04.700 that they get the mayor's attention? Here she says, at council on January 17, I pushed for a

00:09:11.120 better way to address protests rooted in hatred. I received confirmation that the city of Calgary

00:09:18.880 will leverage our street harassment bylaw to find those who openly communicate hateful messaging to

00:09:24.980 stop them in the act. And she has a little video of herself boasting about it. Take a look.

00:09:31.460 We had a drag brunch at the rec room in the north of Calgary by our community of drag queens in

00:09:40.340 Calgary who have done amazing work promoting inclusion and really raising awareness of how

00:09:46.600 important it is to be a welcoming community. Unfortunately, some members of our population

00:09:52.320 thought it would be a good idea to protest this event, which is, I'm just going to use my opinion,

00:09:57.320 a horrible thing to do. I was very happy that CPS was there to provide a buffer and to ensure that

00:10:03.700 everyone was safe and that the show could go on. My question is, do we have the ability when a

00:10:09.740 protest is rooted in hatred to ticket people and shut this down? How does it work?

00:10:15.480 Mayor Gondek, I will seek to answer that question. I am responsible, of course, as the general manager

00:10:28.000 for community services for our bylaw work. And so it would be a bylaw that we would be pursuing that

00:10:34.000 way. I imagine that there's some complexity to defining what we anticipate to have happen at

00:10:43.100 protests. And so I don't feel like I have the crisp answer that I would like to. Right now, I'm happy

00:10:48.880 to look into that. And I will send a note to all members of council when we have a good, clear answer

00:10:54.480 to your question. Thank you, GM Black. I appreciate that. I didn't expect you to have an answer

00:10:59.260 immediately, but I do appreciate that you will look into it. We cannot have this kind of intolerance

00:11:04.040 and hatred in our city. So thank you for pursuing it. Got it. So protesting against young children

00:11:10.960 being exposed to the sexuality of drag queens is a horrible thing to do. Rooted in hatred, 1.00

00:11:19.740 apparently. I don't know how she knows that. I bet if you ask the parents who were concerned,

00:11:24.300 probably talk about rooted in their love for the kids and their worry. But the mayor wants you to

00:11:30.280 know she's got an enemies list and it's horrible. She continues, we are also thankful to Calgary police

00:11:37.420 for examining a different method to deal with a new era of protests that are a departure from

00:11:43.120 peaceful assemblies of the past that required crowd management. The new reality is that some protests

00:11:48.560 are designed to perpetuate fear and hate. Hang on. Who said it wasn't peaceful? And who exactly is

00:11:58.860 perpetuating hatred and fear here? And are those offenses being hateful, being afraid?

00:12:06.200 Are those offenses that the city government can regulate or any government? Can you tell people

00:12:12.020 how they can feel and not? And will the city of Calgary police actually go along with this?

00:12:18.480 Of course they will. Calgary's police will literally do anything they are told, including in this case,

00:12:26.900 swearing, kicking and threatening to taser a young hockey player outdoors on a city ice rink that

00:12:36.720 was open. Look at these out of control Calgary police who were never disciplined. This is the kind of

00:12:42.960 dirty cops they have in that Calgary police service. Take a look. 0.99

00:12:46.780 Down on the ground.

00:12:48.780 Why are you guys grabbing? You guys just need to. Why are you guys grabbing? Hey, orcs, orcs, orcs.

00:12:54.600 Ocean, get on the f***ing ground before you taser. Get on the ground. Get on the f***ing ground. Right now. 1.00

00:13:01.600 Ocean. Get on the ground before I f***ing teaser you. Ocean. Right now. Why are you teasering? 0.98

00:13:07.640 And if you thought that was a one-off, these are the same dirty cops, bad apples, rotten all the way to 0.94

00:13:14.080 the chief, who arrested Arthur Pavlovsky in an El Chapo-style takedown on the highway. Take a look. 0.94

00:13:19.460 Get you to stay in the car.

00:13:20.540 Stay in the car.

00:13:21.500 Stay in the car.

00:13:23.540 Get you to the recording.

00:13:25.740 It's in the car.

00:13:27.020 Stay in the car.

00:13:27.860 Stay in the car.

00:13:33.180 This is nuts.

00:13:34.320 This is brutal. 1.00

00:13:35.360 You're nuts. 1.00

00:13:36.620 You're nuts. 1.00

00:13:37.360 You're nuts. 1.00

00:13:38.860 You can't stop. 1.00

00:13:40.060 You're nuts. 1.00

00:13:40.920 You can't stop. 1.00

00:13:50.720 Yeah, do you doubt those police will do whatever this censorious mayor demands of them?

00:13:56.360 Let me read her fourth tweet.

00:13:58.780 As a city that strives to be inclusive and welcoming, we have to provide safe places for the public

00:14:04.300 to enjoy all that we have to offer without a small group of people creating safety issues

00:14:09.080 by spreading mistruths.

00:14:09.860 By spreading mistruths and hate, we cannot tolerate hate.

00:14:13.680 Masked as protest.

00:14:15.180 Hang on.

00:14:15.640 So spreading a mistruth is a safety issue now?

00:14:20.400 And you end by saying what you yourself won't tolerate.

00:14:24.040 You just won't tolerate the other opinion.

00:14:27.860 In a diverse city, you won't tolerate. 1.00

00:14:29.620 Holy moly, is that ever a pretzel, eh?

00:14:34.060 So I went on the city of Calgary's street harassment bylaw page.

00:14:38.000 They don't even pretend that it's not about silencing their opponents.

00:14:43.000 Look at that image.

00:14:43.780 This is the actual city official page.

00:14:47.720 The headline is, silence the haters.

00:14:50.940 Not protect the public, keep the peace.

00:14:54.000 Not even rebut the haters or debate them or refute them or tolerate them.

00:14:57.700 Silence the haters.

00:14:59.140 And of course, the haters is anyone that Jody Gondek hates.

00:15:03.180 And not for anything they've done or anything even that they've said.

00:15:07.320 But for their fear and their hatred, we must demonize and silence the haters.

00:15:12.860 Except for Jody Gondek, she's allowed to hate whoever she hates.

00:15:17.300 Here's the actual wording of the bylaw.

00:15:19.540 It's actually just one section there, section 21c1, which defines the word harass as

00:15:26.620 to communicate with a person in a manner that could reasonably cause offense or humiliation,

00:15:36.040 including conduct, comment, or action that refers to the person's race, religious beliefs,

00:15:42.460 color, disability, age, ancestry, place of origin, marital status, source of income, family

00:15:47.140 status, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, and includes sexual solicitation

00:15:54.740 or advance.

00:15:55.820 And you can see this was changed just last year.

00:15:57.720 So it's now against the law to cause offense for a whole bunch of reasons, including.

00:16:06.140 So it doesn't have to be racist or sexual in any way.

00:16:12.000 It could be.

00:16:13.420 But if you say something that could offend someone for any reason, including for their gender

00:16:19.200 expression, you're guilty. 0.59

00:16:20.820 This makes it against the law to offend.

00:16:25.680 That is not a real human right.

00:16:27.160 That is a counterfeit human right.

00:16:28.860 There is no such thing as the right not to be offended.

00:16:33.260 Certainly a lot of Calgarians are offended by the drag queen story hour for young children.

00:16:39.920 Being offended is not a real human right.

00:16:44.440 And by the way, if you look at the punishments in this bylaw, look at Schedule A.

00:16:48.680 If you carry a knife with you, it's a $50 fine.

00:16:53.780 If you poop on the sidewalk, that's a $300 fine.

00:16:58.520 But if you offend a drag queen, even peacefully, that is the largest fine the city will levy,

00:17:06.880 $500.

00:17:07.800 The city is using the word harassment.

00:17:11.200 And they're doing it on purpose because they want to confuse you.

00:17:14.640 They're using it to mean hurt feelings.

00:17:16.600 It's literally you saw if you cause offense.

00:17:19.520 But the Criminal Code of Canada already has harassment as a crime.

00:17:24.560 But it requires real fear and constant targeting of someone, not just one uncomfortable interaction.

00:17:31.120 And it all has to be proven beyond a reasonable doubt, which is not the standard of proof under

00:17:35.900 Calgary's bylaw.

00:17:36.940 Let me tell you what real harassment is like.

00:17:41.400 And let me show you what the Criminal Code of Canada says.

00:17:44.660 No person shall, without lawful authority, and knowing that another person is harassed or

00:17:52.040 recklessly as to whether the other person is harassed, engage in conduct referred to in

00:17:57.780 subsection two that causes that other person reasonably, in all the circumstances, to fear

00:18:03.480 for their safety or the safety of anyone known to them.

00:18:07.660 And here's the list of things you're not allowed to do.

00:18:10.920 And again, the test is, are you actually fearing for your safety?

00:18:14.860 Here's the list of prohibited conduct.

00:18:18.040 The conduct mentioned in subsection one consists of repeatedly following from place to place

00:18:24.580 the other person or anyone known to them.

00:18:28.300 Repeatedly communicating with, either directly or indirectly, the other person or anyone known

00:18:32.900 to them, besetting or watching the dwelling house or place where the other person or anyone known

00:18:38.820 to them resides, works, carries on business, or happens to be, or engaging in threatening

00:18:44.400 conduct directed at the other person or any member of their family.

00:18:49.980 And again, it has to genuinely make them afraid.

00:18:54.500 That's harassment, and it has to be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

00:18:57.900 What we have in Calgary is a mayor attempting to criminalize her political opponents, not

00:19:04.900 for stalking or besetting or causing fear that you're going to be hurt, but just for causing

00:19:11.160 offense to drag queens based on their gender expression. 1.00

00:19:16.460 Now, this bylaw is obviously unconstitutional because it's a violation of freedom of speech,

00:19:21.620 freedom of association, freedom of assembly.

00:19:23.620 But also, you heard the mayor, you're not allowed to have certain feelings.

00:19:26.200 So it's a violation of freedom of thought.

00:19:29.440 But it's also a violation of our Constitution's jurisdictional sections.

00:19:34.100 Criminal law is something that only the federal government can enact.

00:19:40.600 You know, we're going to make this a big story at Rebel News, and I'll tell you why.

00:19:46.240 Because we have to nip this in the bud.

00:19:49.440 The idea that politicians can ban their peaceful opponents, like the truckers. 0.99

00:19:54.020 If Jodi Gondek, the mayor of Calgary, has her way, she'd probably invoke martial law on the 1.00

00:20:02.160 streets, just like Trudeau did, and seize bank accounts if she could. 1.00

00:20:08.240 We're going to do everything we can to stop this.

00:20:11.520 It starts with anyone out there who actually receives a fine or a ticket to contact us.

00:20:17.820 And we'll provide them with a lawyer to defend themselves.

00:20:22.340 And more importantly, we will challenge the constitutionality of this censorship law.

00:20:28.900 If you or someone you know is charged with this outrageous censorship provision,

00:20:35.000 if you or someone you know is the subject of a hateful campaign by the mayor to shut them up,

00:20:41.500 she's the hater.

00:20:42.200 Send me an email to ezra at rebelnews.com.

00:20:46.920 Ezra at rebelnews.com.

00:20:48.580 And if you've got the ticket, we'll fight it for you.

00:20:50.380 And more than that, we'll challenge the law itself.

00:20:55.120 Stay with us for more.

00:20:56.140 I want to update Torontonians on a difficult personal matter.

00:21:11.780 During the pandemic, I developed a relationship with an employee in my office in a way that

00:21:16.000 did not meet the standards to which I hold myself as mayor and as a family man.

00:21:21.540 The relationship ended by mutual consent earlier this year.

00:21:24.580 During the course of our relationship some time ago,

00:21:27.440 the employee decided to pursue employment outside City Hall and secured a job elsewhere.

00:21:32.620 I recognize that permitting this relationship to develop was a serious error in judgment on my part.

00:21:38.520 It came at a time when Barb, my wife of 40 plus years,

00:21:41.580 and I were enduring many lengthy periods apart while I carried out my responsibilities during the pandemic.

00:21:46.940 As a result, I've decided that I will step down as mayor so that I can take the time to reflect on my mistakes

00:21:52.340 and to do the work of rebuilding the trust of my family.

00:21:55.640 I think it is important, as I always have, for the office of the mayor not to be in any way tarnished

00:21:59.720 and not to see the city government itself put through a period of prolonged controversy

00:22:03.580 arising out of this error in judgment on my part,

00:22:06.720 especially in light of some of the challenges that we face as a city.

00:22:10.060 I'm deeply sorry, and I apologize unreservedly to the people of Toronto

00:22:13.800 and to all of those hurt by my actions, including my staff,

00:22:17.880 my colleagues on City Council and the public service for whom I have such respect.

00:22:22.460 Most of all, I apologize to my wife, Barb, and to my family,

00:22:26.000 who I've let down more than anyone else.

00:22:28.720 I hope the privacy of all of those impacted by my actions can be respected,

00:22:32.800 and that includes me.

00:22:34.480 I think, as you know, that I am naturally a private person,

00:22:38.940 notwithstanding some of the jobs that I've had over the years,

00:22:41.180 and I hope you'll respect that, and the privacy of everyone else as well,

00:22:45.040 especially my wife and family.

00:22:47.040 I've made the Integrity Commissioner aware of the relationship and asked him to review it.

00:22:51.640 I want to thank the people of Toronto for trusting me as mayor.

00:22:55.100 It has been the job of a lifetime,

00:22:57.000 and while I've let them down and my family down in this instance,

00:22:59.920 I've nonetheless been deeply honored by the opportunity to serve the people of this wonderful city,

00:23:04.360 and I believe that I did some good for the city,

00:23:06.780 that I did make a positive difference for the city that I truly love,

00:23:10.200 particularly during the pandemic.

00:23:12.420 I'm usually known for taking as many questions as you want to ask,

00:23:15.620 but on this occasion, I think I'll let my statement speak for itself.

00:23:18.280 Thank you.

00:23:18.760 Well, that is Toronto Mayor John Tory,

00:23:21.640 who had a surprise news conference announcing that he was quitting

00:23:26.000 the job as mayor to hand over to his successor as soon as possible,

00:23:29.840 with the revelation that he had a sexual relationship with a junior staffer half his age at City Hall

00:23:38.440 and had covered it up, including by installing this junior staffer at a friendly company,

00:23:45.440 a company with which he and his family have ties.

00:23:48.480 So many questions to put to him,

00:23:50.700 but I think the overall feeling I'm personally left with is one of shock.

00:23:56.280 This is a mayor who presented himself as the emblem of Toronto the good,

00:24:00.980 that he would be well-behaved in control of himself, honest,

00:24:04.340 unlike that rascal Rob Ford.

00:24:08.140 You could count on John Tory to do the right thing and be proper and not embarrass anyone,

00:24:12.980 certainly not do anything unethical like that Rob Ford.

00:24:16.660 Well, I'll tell you one thing, Rob Ford at least was not having sexual affairs with minor staffer,

00:24:24.020 or sorry, not minor staffer, staffer's much junior to his age.

00:24:26.860 I'm stunned by it, but I'm not sure if I should be.

00:24:30.720 Someone who has been following John Tory and indeed covering Toronto City Hall for almost 20 years

00:24:35.380 is our friend Sue Ann Levy, who joins us now via Skype.

00:24:39.080 Suzanne, sorry, Sue Ann works for True North News, our friends over there.

00:24:43.580 Sue Ann, great to see you again.

00:24:44.900 Great to see you, Ezra.

00:24:47.400 It's nice to have you.

00:24:49.280 I'm startled by this because the one thing I believed John Tory on,

00:24:53.840 I never believed him on crime or taxes or traffic or garbage pickup or safety or anything,

00:25:00.640 but the one thing I believed him on is I thought he was an upright guy, Toronto the good,

00:25:05.340 who was morally better than all the rest of us that he would scold.

00:25:07.980 I really believed that he was a high-minded guy, certainly not the guy who would cheat on his wife behind her back during the lockdowns

00:25:17.000 and run around with an affair with a woman in her early 30s.

00:25:19.700 I was fooled by him.

00:25:21.580 I wasn't, actually.

00:25:25.200 Many, many years ago I saw, there were two sides to John Tory and many, many years ago I saw the other side

00:25:31.860 when he went on his radio program and threw me under the bus, basically criticizing an investigative piece that I had spent three months working on on Regent Park.

00:25:47.120 So, I mean, it came out of the blue and, again, like the affair.

00:25:53.340 But the other thing is that I had heard rumors over the last couple of months.

00:25:58.280 You know, if you watch very carefully, it's the things that they don't say or they don't do.

00:26:04.160 But if you watch very carefully, where was his family at his victory party in October?

00:26:10.280 They were not to be seen.

00:26:11.840 Nobody came out on the campaign trail with him.

00:26:14.000 And I didn't think so much about that, but certainly at the victory party, his wife wasn't there.

00:26:19.120 His family wasn't there.

00:26:20.860 And then I started to hear rumors closer to Christmas.

00:26:24.260 And then on New Year's, I got a picture, New Year's Eve, got a picture of his wife all alone in Palm Beach.

00:26:30.320 It was sent to me.

00:26:32.240 And, you know, where was John Tory?

00:26:34.080 And it was very clear that he was back up in Toronto.

00:26:36.300 So I had known for a couple of months that they were probably estranged.

00:26:40.260 Or they certainly weren't spending, you know, significant time together.

00:26:47.060 So it didn't come as a surprise to me.

00:26:49.780 Well, you know, that sounds like you had some interesting observations there.

00:26:53.480 I don't know.

00:26:54.260 On the one hand, I suppose, two consenting adults, what they do is their own business.

00:27:00.080 And the man cheating on his wife is their own business.

00:27:02.760 Although I say, again, this man certainly held himself out to be a moral exemplar and certainly better than the immoral Rob Ford.

00:27:09.360 But remember, this affair, this running around with people outside your bubble, as they would say, was during the pandemic lockdowns when, you know, you weren't allowed to gather with strangers.

00:27:21.880 They would literally draw circles on the grass in the parks.

00:27:26.300 They would put fences around trees so you didn't get near people.

00:27:29.520 So while the mayor was saying, hey, you, you cannot visit your mom.

00:27:34.200 You cannot go to your grandma's funeral.

00:27:36.400 You cannot visit a patient at the hospital.

00:27:38.700 He was getting within six feet of separation, shall we say, of a junior staffer and lying about it.

00:27:48.140 I don't know.

00:27:48.640 Well, you know.

00:27:49.560 Go ahead. 0.69

00:27:49.880 That was the hypocrisy of it all.

00:27:52.780 You know, they're consenting adults.

00:27:54.820 They can do whatever they want, although I certainly wouldn't have picked a junior staffer.

00:27:59.660 There is a bit of a power relationship there.

00:28:02.680 And he did abuse his power, I feel.

00:28:04.760 The other thing is that it's clear that she went on trips with him.

00:28:08.920 And whether she was working for him or not working for him, we'll never know.

00:28:13.700 But those trips did cost the taxpayer plenty.

00:28:16.580 And, you know, all you have to do is go to the City Hall website and look at, you know, some of their expenses.

00:28:23.240 And you can see that she racked up some really good expenses.

00:28:26.580 You know, having said that, the hypocrisy of it all.

00:28:29.460 I mean, we have in Toronto the most draconian series of lockdowns.

00:28:34.860 People went out of business.

00:28:36.280 I saw in my own neighborhood.

00:28:38.420 You know what happened with Adamson's barbecue.

00:28:41.080 He sent, you know, 50 police out there.

00:28:44.020 Summon horseback to arrest this guy for keeping open during, you know, the lockdown.

00:28:49.680 People, other people got fines, the bubbles in the park, as you said, the circles, closing Hyde Park so people couldn't go and see the cherry blossoms.

00:28:59.720 I mean, he really, really went overboard.

00:29:02.060 And you can't blame the health officials.

00:29:04.720 You interpret whatever edicts come down in your own way.

00:29:08.820 And no other city in Ontario or, you know, I don't know about the rest of Canada, but the lockdowns were long.

00:29:15.560 They were draconian.

00:29:16.600 And a lot of people were driven out of business.

00:29:18.660 Meanwhile, he's having fun, you know, and people don't forget that sort of thing.

00:29:25.160 And that's the chatter I've seen on social media over the weekend.

00:29:30.860 It's not the fact, you know, a 37-year difference is a bit of a shock, but it's not that so much as the fact that this is total hypocrisy and he lied to us.

00:29:43.380 Yeah.

00:29:43.760 You know, it's incredible.

00:29:45.080 And it's very interesting.

00:29:45.840 I remember a couple of years ago when Rebel News was hunting for politicians breaking their own rules about travel.

00:29:52.800 It was, you know, they were saying, don't go, don't fly anywhere.

00:29:57.060 Don't travel unnecessary.

00:29:58.060 So we were, we sent folks to drone John Tory's house in Florida.

00:30:04.860 We, there were some other politicians that we haven't disclosed that we really tried to hunt.

00:30:09.900 We actually didn't find any.

00:30:11.560 In Alberta, some were discovered.

00:30:13.800 In the UK, like almost every government was cheating on the rules because they were so draconian.

00:30:20.520 They didn't have a scientific basis.

00:30:22.560 And frankly, even if they did, people want to live.

00:30:25.300 People want to socialize.

00:30:26.740 People want to spend time with family.

00:30:28.580 Or in the case of John Tory, a lover less than half his age.

00:30:31.900 And you're right to point out that there is a power imbalance.

00:30:35.500 And for example, was she on these government trips as a concubine or as an assistant?

00:30:41.680 And I, I think that John Tory owes us an explanation, those details, because we need to know where those expenses, him just being a sugar daddy to his girlfriend.

00:30:51.740 And I think we ought to know about how she was installed at MLSE, Maple Leaf Sports Entertainment.

00:30:58.380 Was that some sort of a payoff to her?

00:31:00.560 Who knows?

00:31:01.060 I'd like to know more.

00:31:02.500 Most of this is a private matter between him and his family.

00:31:06.200 And obviously, they're not very pleased with him.

00:31:08.540 But there is an interest that I think the public has.

00:31:11.540 And if I sound like I have any glee in this matter, I don't think it would be glee.

00:31:15.460 But there is some schadenfreude as seeing a guy who was against us having legitimate personal relationships during the lockdown, being hoist on his own petard for an illegitimate one.

00:31:25.980 I can't say that I'm sad about it other than his poor wife.

00:31:29.820 Well, and as you may or may not recall, I exposed a trip that he took suddenly, just secretively, and it was secretive, to London, England, just as COVID was heating up.

00:31:46.300 And there, you know, was a crisis declared in England itself, and things were heating up in Toronto and in Canada.

00:31:53.600 And he went off, poor judgment, he went off to London, England on this trip.

00:31:59.180 He didn't tell anybody about it.

00:32:00.600 I found out about it.

00:32:01.520 I did a story.

00:32:02.380 And there he is the next day on the phone to his favorite media, his favorite talk show, dissing me, talking about how I practiced irresponsible journalism, that it was all poppycock, that there was no crisis.

00:32:16.440 I'd love him to eat his words now.

00:32:18.020 There was no crisis in Toronto.

00:32:19.540 Meanwhile, you know, how many seniors died, including my own dad, from COVID.

00:32:25.060 But, you know, here he is going on.

00:32:28.000 He phones the station and proceeds to, you know, attack my integrity.

00:32:33.900 So it is a bit of schadenfreude.

00:32:37.580 You're right.

00:32:39.080 Well, let's look ahead.

00:32:41.120 I mean, what a shocking, it was shocking to me because it happened so suddenly.

00:32:45.780 And if I'm going to give the guy any credit, it'll be this, that he, instead of fighting, fighting, fighting after it was revealed, he, after all other options were removed, he did the right thing.

00:32:58.360 I mean, he obviously didn't resign out of shame where he would have done so months ago.

00:33:01.840 He resigned because the Toronto Star was writing about him.

00:33:04.160 But let's look forward.

00:33:06.600 Who might throw their hat into the ring? 0.98

00:33:09.320 Are there city councillors?

00:33:10.680 Are there federal cabinet ministers like Ahmed Hassan, the Trudeau cabinet minister from the greater Toronto area?

00:33:18.060 Are there provincial, federal, or other city politicians?

00:33:22.180 Because, you know, in a few days' time, I think maybe already you're probably going to see some people jockeying for position.

00:33:29.140 Well, I think we've got to take first things first, Ezra, because I've been in, my phone has been burning up all weekend.

00:33:36.840 I had my mum for dinner on Friday night and the phone was heating up.

00:33:41.420 I couldn't even pay attention to my poor 89-year-old mum. 1.00

00:33:45.300 But I hear this morning that he's talking about staying on.

00:33:48.880 Oh, really?

00:33:50.440 Staying on until at least the budget on Wednesday.

00:33:53.680 And then I think that there will be some sort of story concocted that he needs to stay on.

00:33:59.060 See, there are a lot of people associated with the John Tory team.

00:34:02.280 A lot of blacks, a lot of lobbyists, a lot of staff, the developers.

00:34:07.840 Hate to say it, but they all have a vested interest. 0.66

00:34:10.980 Not necessarily in seeing Toronto thrive, because it hasn't thrived, but in keeping the John Tory going.

00:34:21.240 And I know they've been working on them all weekend.

00:34:23.680 And I wouldn't be surprised if he stayed on.

00:34:26.540 You know, that's a great point.

00:34:27.860 And we've seen that before.

00:34:29.940 Politicians who just won't say goodbye, even if it's just ringing out a few more weeks and months.

00:34:34.400 Even for the travel of it, I think of Aaron O'Toole.

00:34:37.180 I think of Jason Kenney, both who said, I'm gone.

00:34:39.580 And then months and months went by.

00:34:42.300 So, yeah, it wouldn't surprise me.

00:34:43.480 John Tory isn't just his own man.

00:34:45.660 He's owned by the other stakeholders you just described.

00:34:48.960 Well, Sue, and very interesting times.

00:34:50.900 We'll keep an eye on it.

00:34:51.820 And you were ahead of the curve.

00:34:53.460 You had his number before, which is why he always disrespected you.

00:34:57.840 You were one of the few independent-minded journalists covering the mayor.

00:35:02.480 And I'm glad you get the last laugh.

00:35:03.900 Take care, my friend.

00:35:04.620 Keep up the great work with True North.

00:35:07.080 Yes, and I'm still covering them.

00:35:09.320 And there's still stories to tell.

00:35:11.040 And I'm glad you're on it.

00:35:12.260 Sue Ann, wonderful to see you again.

00:35:13.480 Thanks for being with us.

00:35:14.640 Thanks, Ezra.

00:35:15.440 You take care.

00:35:16.400 Right on.

00:35:16.760 And there you have it.

00:35:17.240 Sue Ann Levy with our friends at True North.

00:35:19.580 Stay with us.

00:35:20.260 More ahead.

00:35:32.400 Hey, welcome back.

00:35:33.220 Your letters to me is someone named KM002, who is either using a codename or is a robot, writes,

00:35:41.300 This reminds me of migrant camps in France.

00:35:44.340 The migrants came into France expecting shelter, food, and various assistance.

00:35:47.920 They were put into tent camps and provided some food, but had to manage their own lives in these camps.

00:35:52.480 The camps became derelict, filthy, and violent.

00:35:55.540 Last I heard, many migrants return to their homeland.

00:35:57.680 Canada hasn't done this yet, but I expect their hospitality will run thin very soon.

00:36:02.140 I know you're talking about Roxham Road, but I'm afraid you're wrong.

00:36:08.280 And the reason is those camps, for example, in Calais were camps that you couldn't really leave them.

00:36:15.220 They were sort of shanty towns and slums.

00:36:17.300 I don't know if there was, you know, patrols or anything, but you're right.

00:36:20.900 They weren't particularly pleasant.

00:36:22.060 But at Roxham Road, once these illegal migrants step into the country, they're arrested or detained by police. 1.00

00:36:29.320 They fill out their immigration forms, and then they're free to go anywhere in the country.

00:36:36.840 They don't have to stay anywhere.

00:36:38.580 They can literally move within Canada at liberty.

00:36:42.080 They can apply for welfare.

00:36:43.700 They can get free health care.

00:36:45.280 They can do anything.

00:36:47.120 And it is literally years before their immigration hearing, at which time you can be sure.

00:36:52.540 The judge will say, well, they've been here.

00:36:54.620 They put down roots.

00:36:55.440 They started a family.

00:36:56.860 They can stay.

00:36:57.620 They will never go.

00:36:59.320 Buffered54 says, these former Twitter executives are the faces of those that you want to own nothing,

00:37:07.460 that want you to own nothing and be happy about it.

00:37:10.120 Social media sites are the strong arm of the globalist movement.

00:37:14.320 You know, if we perceive the world through our phones, if that is the way we understand the world to be,

00:37:21.900 as opposed to just using our eyes.

00:37:23.660 I mean, I suppose there was always a medium between us and the world, whether it was TV or radio or even newspapers.

00:37:30.080 But everything is so censored and filtered in the algorithms and the suppression and the boosting and the throttling.

00:37:38.380 Whatever you see through the Internet is, by definition, twisted and torqued.

00:37:43.520 I'm not saying that there was no sleight of hand or bias in previous media.

00:37:48.480 It just was more apparent, I think.

00:37:52.140 Less, you know, you could avoid it.

00:37:54.680 You could switch from CNN to Fox, for example.

00:37:58.180 You could switch from CBC radio to a private talk radio show.

00:38:01.960 But when Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Google are all under the same censorship masters,

00:38:10.440 then how do you even know what reality is?

00:38:13.980 Co-host Layer 1021 says, what do any of these inquiries accomplish?

00:38:17.840 All these people have clearly found a way out of answering any and all questions.

00:38:21.460 This process is broken and completely ineffective.

00:38:23.860 There's some truth to what you're saying, but at least they have an inquiry.

00:38:28.740 At least the questions were put on the record.

00:38:32.080 And who knows, maybe some legislative change may come about from it.

00:38:36.180 It's better than what we have in Canada, which is nothing.

00:38:40.380 That's our show for today.

00:38:41.360 Until tomorrow, on behalf of all of us here at Rebel World Headquarters, to you at home, good night.

00:38:46.400 And keep fighting for freedom.

00:38:53.860 We'll see you next time.

Rebel News Podcast - February 14, 2023

EZRA LEVANT ｜ Why does Calgary, allegedly the freest city in Canada, keep banning peaceful protests？

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