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Bob Mackin

According to a letter seen by theBreaker.news, a lawyer for the Conservative Party of B.C. runner-up in Surrey-Guildford is demanding Elections BC resume its investigation of alleged corrupt voting in the Oct. 19 election.

John Rustad (left) and Honveer Singh Randhawa (IG)

Honveer Singh Randhawa’s 103-vote election night win over the NDP’s Garry Begg turned into a 22-vote loss in the Nov. 8 judicial recount. The result gave the NDP a bare, 47-seat majority. Premier David Eby rewarded Begg with appointment as the Solicitor General.

Randhawa found evidence of voting irregularities and provided it to Elections BC on Jan. 2. He also filed a petition Jan. 13 in B.C. Supreme Court, asking a judge to invalidate Begg’s win under the Election Act and order a by-election for the seat.

But, on Jan. 28, Elections BC suspended the investigation pending the outcome of the court case. Randhawa’s lawyer said in a Feb. 10 letter that the agency has the legal authority to resume the investigation.

“Should the Chief Electoral Officer decide not to continue with his investigation, my client hereby demands that he provide his reasoning for failing to do so within seven days of this letter so that his reasoning can be subject to judicial review,” wrote Sunny Uppal of McQuarrie Hunter LLP.

Uppal’s letter, to Elections BC’s law firm, Alexander Holburn Beaudin and Lang LLP, said the Chief Electoral Officer Anton Boegman’s misunderstanding of administrative law stands in the way.

“Contrary to what the Chief Electoral Officer is claiming,” Uppal wrote, “the complaint and petition, even if based on the same facts, are not likely to result in contradictory findings of fact because the purpose and scope of the proceedings is very different, with one potentially resulting in the Oct. 19, 2024 election being invalidated and the other one focusing on such election irregularities not occurring again in the future.”

Further, Uppal said the law does not give the Boegman the power to invalidate an election, but instead make recommendations and issue guidelines.

“In contrast, the Supreme Court of British Columbia’s role in this particular matter is to make ‘findings of fact’ and potentially grant an order invalidating an election.”

Randhawa found 45 voting irregularities, including 21 mail-in votes from the Argyll Lodge addiction recovery house across the street from the polling station at the Guildford Park Secondary School. Randhawa’s investigation also found that the NDP received a $1,400 donation from a person with the same name as Argyll manager Baljit Kandola.

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Bob Mackin According to a letter seen by

Bob Mackin

A group opposed to logging in Stanley Park is trying again to stop the chainsaws.

The Stanley Park Preservation Society filed a petition Feb. 10 in B.C. Supreme Court, asking a judge to declare that the Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation and City Council overstepped their powers and order them to quash contracts with B.A. Blackwell and Associates Ltd.

The society and its four members also want “an injunction prohibiting logging in Stanley Park with the exception of trees designated, after individual inspection, as posing an immediate danger to the public.”

The B.A. Blackwell lumber yard near Brockton Oval in Stanley Park, Nov. 5, 2024 (Mackin)

The city says the Hemlock looper moth infestation killed 160,000 trees and it is spending $18 million to chop down dead and dying trees to protect them from falling on the public or becoming fuel for a wildfire.

Five months ago, a judge ruled against the society’s negligence lawsuit. The society took that route, instead of a petition, because there had been no open vote on the program. That changed Oct. 8 at park board and Dec. 9 at city council.

The Feb. 10 petition alleges that the park board, city and its contractors did not use the Wildlife Hazardous Tree Assessors Course (WHTAC) criteria to mitigate the pest infestation. Instead, they used Tree Risk Assessment Qualification (TRAQ) methodology to identify hazardous trees, which the lawsuit calls “incorrect.”

“Only TRAQ Level 1 assessments were performed, which were not sufficient to determine hazard; the city failed to conduct TRAQ Level 2 iInspections of TRAQ Level 3 inspections, despite the fact that at least a TRAQ Level 2 assessment is required to determine hazard.”

The petition also alleged that the city failed to document, through tree risk assessment reports, “trees that were removed or mitigated.”

The petition pointed out the park board’s long-term agenda is to bring Stanley Park back to “precolonial composition” and Comm. Tom Digby of the Green Party called hemlocks a “doomed” species that should be replaced with Douglas fir, cedar, and red alder.

“The Stanley Park forest lies within the coastal western hemlock biogeoclimatic. zone, wherein coastal western hemlocks are naturally the predominant species,” the petition states.

Additionally, the petition says Blackwell’s report that justified the logging operation is scientifically flawed and unreliable.

“The Blackwell Report fails to account for the collateral damage caused by the tree removal work. Specifically, extensive machine logging fragments the forest floor, reduces canopy coverage, disrupts and damages root systems, increases insolation and ambient temperatures, and exposes remaining trees to wind tunnelling and blowdown.”

In fall 2023 and winter 2024, Blackwell subcontractors took down more than 7,200 trees. According to statistics released under freedom of information, crews removed 1,305 trees — 331.84 cubic metres of merchantable logs — across 41.1 hectares of the park between October and December 2024.

The allegations have not been tested in court and the city and park board have yet to respond.

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Bob Mackin A group opposed to logging in

Bob Mackin

Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim appeared at a banquet with Chinese diplomats and supporters of Beijing, almost two weeks after the Hogue Commission final report warned that China is targeting Canadian politicians at all levels.

The event was the Chinese Benevolent Association’s (CBA) Feb. 9 founding ceremony for its new Youth, Entrepreneurs and Overseas Chinese Love committees.

Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim (centre) with Zheng Yan (fourth from left) and Ye Hongtao (third from right). (Yangshipin.cn)

Sim, NDP-aligned Burnaby Coun. James Wang and Conservative MLAs Steve Kooner and Dallas Brodie joined the People’s Republic of China’s Deputy Consul Gen. Zeng Zhi at the Terminal City Club, where attendees stood for the singing of the “March of the Volunteers” Chinese Communist Party (CCP) national anthem.

Sim posed for photographs with CBA chair Helen Qian Hua (organizer of a 2013 gala marking 120 years since Mao Zedong’s birth), Canada Shandong Business Association head Zheng Yan (leader of a 2023 Vancouver delegation to China for Xi Jinping Thought sessions) and Canada China Cultural Communication Association director Ye Hongtao (a participant in the August 2019 pro-CCP protests in Vancouver).

Sim’s office downplayed his attendance at the event. Press secretary Kalith Nanayakkara said he was there to “engage with the community and recognize the cultural significance of the occasion following Lunar New Year celebrations earlier this month—not to endorse, propose, or influence any initiatives of the CBA or any other group.

“Any suggestion that this implies coordination or meetings with a foreign government is categorically false.”

The Chinese consulate has repeatedly denied meddling in Canadian affairs. But the Jan. 28-released report from the federal foreign interference public inquiry said Chinese diplomats and their proxies target all levels of government in Canada, supporting parties and politicians that China believes are helpful to its interests.

“The United Front Work Department, formally a department of the CCP, tries to control and influence Chinese diaspora communities, shape international opinions and influence politicians to support PRC policies,” the report said.

Almost two years ago, leaks of Canadian Security Intelligence Service documents indicated a Chinese diplomat in Vancouver worked to help get a Chinese-Canadian candidate elected mayor in 2022. Sim and his ABC Vancouver party won a landslide over pro-Taiwan incumbent Mayor Kennedy Stewart, but he scoffed at the suggestion.

“If there is proof of this, I’d be as mad as hell as everyone else,” Sim said after the Globe and Mail story in March 2023.

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Bob Mackin Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim appeared at

Bob Mackin

Premier David Eby’s office gave $136,000 in no-bid contracts to a diversity consultant and two NDP insiders around last year’s election.

The three, short-term contracts were for “business intelligence consulting services,” but an official in Eby’s office has not disclosed what the contractors actually did for taxpayers’ money.

Mike Magee (left) and Mayor Gregor Robertson. Birds of a feather, hide email together. (Twitter)

Vanessa Richards, a presenter at the Hollyhock Centre on Cortes Island who specializes in community engagement, civic imagination, and diversity and inclusion, began a $43,480 contract Aug. 19, 2024 and ended Sept. 19, 2024..

Eby began his election tour on Sept. 20. Oct. 19 was election day.

Convergence Communications and Trevor McKenzie-Smith were hired between Oct. 29 and Nov. 18, for $52,627.02 and $39,600, respectively.

Convergence co-owner Mike Magee is a longtime NDP strategist who was chief of staff to Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson from 2008 to 2016.

McKenzie-Smith is listed on the website for NDP pollster Strategic Communications as vice-president of research and engagement. But Olivia Watson, Stratcom’s business development and marketing manager, told theBreaker.news that McKenzie-Smith “hasn’t worked at Stratcom since July 2024.”

Government procurement rules require contracts worth $10,000 or more in goods and $75,000 or more in services be advertised. Direct awards are allowed, if a contractor is uniquely qualified, the ministry urgently needs goods or services or the acquisition confidential or privileged.

“Direct awards must not be used for the purpose of avoiding competition,” the rules state.

None of the contractors responded for comment.

theBreaker.news asked for the scope of work and deliverables for each contract, but Eby’s Deputy Chief of Staff, Aileen Machell, did not fulfil the request.

Machell did say that Eby’s office works with external consultants “on matters that are not part of routine government operations.”

“The work covered by the three contracts includes facilitation, organizational development, and transition services,” Machell said. “Convergence Communications has an ongoing contract with the Premier’s Office for strategic consulting services. Vanessa Richards provides professional development services. Trevor McKenzie-Smith was contracted to provide advice during transition.”

Public accounts for the year ended March 31, 2024 show Convergence Communications Inc. billed taxpayers $122,444 and Strategic Communications $273,198.

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Bob Mackin Premier David Eby’s office gave $136,000

For the week of Feb.9, 2025:

Super Bowl LIX Sunday. The biggest day of the year for American sport, TV and gambling.

Declan Hill of the University of New Haven (UNH)

Canadian investigative reporter and academic Declan Hill says the explosion of government-blessed betting on both sides of the U.S./Canada border threatens the integrity of sport and the health of sports fans.

Hill is associate professor at the University of New Haven Sports Integrity Center, Crime Waves podcast host and author of two books on match-fixing. He is Bob Mackin’s guest on this week’s edition of thePodcast. 

Plus hear from Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre. What does he promise to beef-up security at Canada’s un-policed ports? 

Plus Pacific Rim and Pacific Northwest headlines.

CLICK BELOW to listen or go to TuneIn, Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

Have you missed an edition of theBreaker.news Podcast? Go to the archive.

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For the week of Feb.9, 2025: Super Bowl

Bob Mackin

Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre vowed Feb. 5 to beef-up security at Canada’s ports to stop shipments of fentanyl and precursor chemicals.

But he was noncommittal when asked if that would include restoring the Ports Canada Police or installing RCMP detachments on the docks. Despite national security warnings, Jean Chretien’s Liberal government defunded the force in 1997.

Poilievre came to Tymac Launch Service, with DP World’s Centerm in the background, on one of Vancouver’s coldest mornings of the year. He proposed life jail sentences for fentanyl kingpins as part of his reaction to Donald Trump’s tariff threats. Poilievre was joined by Delta candidate Jessy Sahota, a constable in the Delta Police.

theBreaker.news also asked Poilievre about the war of words in the Conservative nomination contest for Richmond East-Steveston.

As theBreaker.news reported, in the wake of the Hogue Commission’s final report, challenger Wai Young (an ex-Vancouver South MP) is peddling disinformation against her rival, the riding’s 2019-2021 MP Kenny Chiu. The foreign interference inquiry’s report confirmed China worked to unseat Chiu and other Conservatives in 2021.

CLICK AND WATCH theBreaker.news questions for Poilievre.

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Bob Mackin Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre vowed Feb.

Bob Mackin

A former Conservative Member of Parliament on the comeback trail shot back at his opponent for the Richmond East-Steveston nomination.

Kenny Chiu called Wai Young “reckless, dishonest and unfit for public office” after her response to the Jan. 28-released Hogue Commission public inquiry final report.

Kenny Chiu at David Lam Park during the June 4, 2024 Tiananmen Square Massacre memorial (Mackin)

Young sent a Jan. 30 email to her supporters, headlined “No Evidence of Foreign Interference: Richmond Rift Can Now Heal.” In it, she claimed “thousands” of people in Richmond told her they accused Chiu of dividing the community and helping increase Asian hate and racism.

Chiu said in a Feb. 3 statement that, by equating discussions of foreign interference with racism, Young is mirroring “the exact language used by foreign regimes to shut down dissent and intimidate critics.”

“This is not about political games—it is about the security and sovereignty of Canada,” said Chiu, a guest on this week’s edition of thePodcast. “Every other major democracy has taken decisive action against foreign interference. Why is Wai Young fighting so hard to stop Canada from doing the same?”

The Hogue Commission confirmed Chinese government actors meddled in the 2019 and 2021 elections. The 2019-elected Chiu originally proposed a foreign agents registry, but became the target of a Chinese social media disinformation campaign before Liberal Parm Bains upset him in the 2021 election. A leaked Canadian Security Intelligence Service report said Chinese consul general Tong Xiaoling had worked to replace Chiu with a Liberal candidate.

“Young’s eagerness to declare the issue ‘resolved’ ignores the fact that the Conservative Party of Canada was among the victims of false narrative disinformation in 2021,” Chiu said. “Many Chinese-Canadians were targeted and harassed by foreign state actors—something she conveniently refuses to acknowledge.”

From Wai Young’s Jan. 30 email to supporters of her nomination campaign (Wai Young)

Investigators from the Commissioner of Canada Elections found indications that Chinese government officials directed an anti-Conservative campaign in 2021 that was “carried out and amplified by an array of associations and individuals using various communication channels.”

Former leader party Erin O’Toole testified before Hogue that foreign interference cost the Conservatives as many as nine seats in the 2021 election. In 2023, a Chinese diplomat was expelled for targeting relatives of Conservative foreign affairs critic Michael Chong.

Young was a one-term, Vancouver South Conservative MP, elected in 2011 and defeated in 2015 by Liberal Harjit Sajjan. In 2018, she finished fourth in the race for Vancouver’s mayoralty.

Young’s Coalition Vancouver party received endorsement from the Wenzhou Friendship Society, a Richmond organization aligned with the People’s Republic of China (PRC) Vancouver Consulate.

Hogue’s report said the Chinese government relies on proxies, individuals or organizations that take explicit or implicit direction to engage in foreign interference.

The Chinese Communist Party’s United Front Work Department, Hogue wrote, “tries to control and influence Chinese diaspora communities, shape international opinions and influence politicians to support PRC policies.”

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Bob Mackin A former Conservative Member of Parliament

Bob Mackin

Five hours after Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum vowed to send 10,000 national guard members to its border with the U.S., Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has vowed similar on X (formerly Twitter).

“Nearly 10,000 frontline personnel are and will be working on protecting the border,” Trudeau said. “In addition, Canada is making new commitments to appoint a Fentanyl Czar, we will list cartels as terrorists, ensure 24/7 eyes on the border, launch a Canada- U.S. Joint Strike Force to combat organized crime, fentanyl and money laundering.”

The Florida Panthers, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and the Stanley Cup visited President Donald Trump in the Oval Office on Feb. 3. (Margo Martin/X)

“Proposed tariffs will be paused for at least 30 days while we work together.”

Trudeau also said he earmarked $200 billion under a new intelligence directive to battle organized crime and fentanyl. Trudeau had previously promised to spend $1.3 billion on more officers and equipment on the border.

The announcement came at 4:36 p.m. Ottawa time, less than five hours before the scheduled 25% U.S. tariffs (10% on energy) and Canadian counter-tariffs were to come into effect. Earlier, when a reporter asked Trump what Canada could do to avoid the tariffs, Trump reiterated that Canada should “become our 51st state.”

It also came the same day that Trump hosted a quintessential symbol of Canada — the Stanley Cup — along with the reigning champion Florida Panthers and NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman at the White House.

Trump posed with a custom gift Panthers’ jersey and the Cup on the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office. A Canadian team has not won the Stanley Cup since the 1993 Montreal Canadiens.

Between Sheinbaum and Trudeau’s announcements, Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre laid out a six-point plan at a hastily called news conference in Vancouver. Poilievre proposed immediately stationing Canadian Forces troops at the border and adding 2,000 Canada Border Services agents.

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Bob Mackin Five hours after Mexico’s President Claudia

All the big five U.S. networks featured Donald Trump’s controversial tariffs against Canada during their weekly Sunday political talk shows on Feb. 2.

Guests included B.C. Premier David Eby (FOX), Liberal leadership candidate Chrystia Freeland (CNN), Ambassador Kirsten Hillman (ABC), Department of Homeland Security secretary Kristi Noem (NBC) and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders (CBS).

CLICK AND WATCH highlights of an unprecedented Sunday in North American politics and media.

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Bob Mackin All the big five U.S. networks

Bob Mackin

Consumers brace for economic upheaval on both sides of the border. Reporter’s notebook on Day 1 of the biggest, cross-border war of words in more than 160 years

Timing is everything

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (left) and President Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago in November 2024. (Sen. Dave McCormick/X)

A day of drama on Feb. 1. Twelve days after Donald Trump’s second presidency began. Thirty-six days before the Liberal Party chooses a replacement for the resigning Justin Trudeau, likely Mark Carney.

Feb. 1 was also 495 days until the kickoff of the FIFA World Cup 26 — when the governments of the U.S., Canada and Mexico are supposed to work together to host the biggest single-sport event in history. (Three quarters of matches in the U.S., including the final. The remaining 25% split by Canada and Mexico).

Trump set Feb. 4 at 12:01 a.m. Eastern/Feb. 3 at 9:01 p.m. as the effective date for 25% tariffs on Canadian goods (except for 10% on energy).

Why did Trump choose Feb. 4? One clue. It’s the anniversary of George Washington’s 1789 election as the first president.

Trump blames fentanyl

Feb. 1 was also the day after the second anniversary of the NDP-requested, Trudeau Liberal-approved decriminalization of small amounts of hard drugs in B.C. (including fentanyl).

Trump’s 2,083-word Executive Order is titled “Imposing Duties to Address the Flow of Illicit Drugs Across Our Northern Border,” under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and National Emergencies Act.

It cited the Jan. 23-published, Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre “Operational Alert, Laundering the Proceeds of Illicit Synthetic Opioids,” produced with RCMP, Canada Border Services Agency, Homeland Security Investigations, Canada Post and CIBC. The report “recognized Canada’s heightened domestic production of fentanyl, largely from British Columbia, and its growing footprint within international narcotics distribution.”

The week before U.S. election day, on Hallowe’en, the RCMP announced the Oct. 25 “take down [of the] largest, most sophisticated drug superlab” in Falkland, B.C.

The RCMP news release said the lab had the potential to produce 95.5 million potentially lethal doses of fentanyl.

In December, thePodcast featured Peter German, the chair of the Vancouver Anti-Corruption Institute and author of a report about one of Canada’s biggest vulnerabilities: the un-policed ports.

Stand up, sit down, fight, fight, fight

Instead of following protocol, Eby went first. He spoke alone, seated at a table in his downtown Vancouver office for eight minutes, looking straight into the camera at 4:30 p.m. Pacific.

Trudeau appeared after an unexplained three-hour delay, at 9:11 p.m. Eastern. He spoke standing up for 13-minutes, flanked by Public Safety Minister David McGuinty, Foreign Minister Melanie Joly and Finance Minister Dominic LeBlanc, three officials whose trips to Washington, D.C. failed to stop Trump.

Trudeau said Canada would slap a 25% counter-tariff on $155 billion of U.S. goods —$30 billion to start and $125 billion in three weeks.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (left) and B.C. Premier David Eby (CPAC)

Trudeau downplays security threats

“We have one of the strongest, more secure borders in the world between Canada and the United States. As I said, less than 1% of fentanyl going into the United States comes from Canada. Less than 1% of illegal migrants going into the United States come from Canada.”

Trudeau quoted seizure figures. For obvious reasons, smugglers do not declare their cross-border shipments.

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B.C. Presidential history

Eby mentioned President Warren G. Harding’s 1923 visit to Stanley Park, the first presidential visit to Canada. Some 50,000 attended the Vancouver rally. (Eby didn’t mention that Republican Harding died a week later in San Francisco.)

He also mentioned Lyndon Johnson’s 1964 visit to sign the Columbia River Treaty, but strategically omitted Bill Clinton’s two Vancouver visits (Clinton-Yeltsin Summit 1994 and Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit 1997) and Joe Biden’s two vice-presidential visits (Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics opening ceremony and Canada 2015 Women’s World Cup final).

Then: Pig War. Now: Bigly War.

The Trump-Trudeau trade war is the biggest cross-border war of words since the Pig War of 1859 to 1871.

Sparked by an American farmer shooting a pig owned by a Hudson’s Bay Co.-employed rancher on disputed San Juan Island. Compensation talks broke down, so American and British soldiers were called-in and a stand-off lasted a dozen years. The Treaty of Washington, led by Kaiser Wilhelm I of Germany, defined the border as we know it today, with San Juan Island in Washington State.

Hit the Road, Jack

B.C. Liquor Stores will no longer stock American liquor from red states. That includes Jack Daniel’s from Tennessee and Jim Beam from Kentucky. (Blue state California supplies most of LDB’s U.S. wine, while most U.S. beer is made in Canada by Molson Coors or Labatt.)

Eby: “I had a particular experience early on in my drinking career, that with Jack Daniels, that it’s not my drink of choice, but for those who do like it, you know, I want you to be able to get it. But the reality is that there are jurisdictions in the states that are supporting this trade war against us, that are supporting these tariffs against us.”

Eby also directed government and Crown corporations to “immediately stop buying American goods and services and buy Canadian.” He also said the government would expedite 10 major energy and infrastructure projects. He did not specify, but estimated they were worth $20 billion and would create 6,000 jobs in northern and rural B.C.

Something fishy

Eby seemed confused about ownership of frozen fish brands.

“I was at Costco, I was looking at the Captain High Liner fish. I was looking at the Jane’s fish. The Janes had the big Canadian maple leaf on it. You know, we make the Canadian choice. You choose the Canadian product. When you have a good substitution to make, that will do two things. One is it will help keep your costs down in a time of strain around affordability. But the other is, it will send a message.”

TSE-listed High Liner Foods is based in Lunenberg, N.S. Privately held Sofina Foods Inc. of Markham, Ont. owns the Janes brand.

Trudeau recently, errantly said that Heinz ketchup is a foreign brand, unlike French’s. Kraft Heinz launched a campaign to correct him: the tomatoes are farmed in Ontario and turned into ketchup at a Montreal factory near Trudeau’s Papineau riding.

Donald doubles down

Trump did not wait for dawn on Groundhog Day to react.

On his Truth Social account, at 3:26 a.m. Mar-a-Lago time: “Without this massive [U.S.] subsidy, Canada ceases to exist as a viable Country. Harsh but true! Therefore, Canada should become our Cherished 51st State. Much lower taxes, and far better military protection for the people of Canada — AND NO TARIFFS!”

Tariff effect

No doubt, the trade war will hit consumers hard on both sides of the border, leading to job losses.

Eby did not mention it, but on Jan. 16, Minister of Finance Brenda Bailey claimed a 25% tariff for the entirety of Trump’s four-year term would lead to $69 billion in B.C. GDP decline and loss of more than 120,000 jobs.

theBreaker.news has sought a copy of the report, including methodology. But Ministry of Finance communications staff refuse to release it. They will not even disclose the name(s) and title(s) of whoever came up with the numbers.

Diane Lianga, the executive director of the Financial Reporting and Advisory Services departement, did not respond.

Poilievre: reopen the House

Pierre Poilievre, in Vancouver to march in the Chinatown Lunar New Year Parade and speak to members of the Jewish community at Temple Sholom, held a Feb. 2 news conference at the Sheraton Wall Centre. He sharply criticized Trump and his tariffs.

”My message to the Liberal government: Put aside partisan interests and recall Parliament. It is insane that in this great crisis Parliament is shut down to deal with the crisis and the power struggle within the Liberal Party,” the Conservative leader said.

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Bob Mackin Consumers brace for economic upheaval on