Rebel News and one of its media personalities, David Menzies, are taking the RCMP to court, accusing the federal police force of engaging “in a pattern of intimidation and exclusion.”
The lawsuit, which is also directed at the York Regional Police and the Attorney General of Canada, stems from Menzies’s high-profile profile arrest in January.
In a video posted by Rebel News, Menzies is seen trying to ask Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland questions in Richmond Hill, Ont., about the government’s decision to leave the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) off the designated terrorist entity list.
Freeland and Menzies were both attending an event to mark the destruction of Flight PS752, the Ukrainian International Airlines jetliner that was destroyed by the Iranian military in January 2020. All 176 people onboard died, including 55 Canadians and 30 permanent residents.
In the video, a plainclothes RCMP officer appears to step into Menzies’ path while he’s carrying a microphone.
The officer subsequently grabs Menzies by his lapels, pushes him against a wall and accuses him of assault while putting him under arrest.
“Police — you’re under arrest for assault. You pushed into me, sir,” the unidentified officer is heard saying.
“I didn’t touch a single person,” Menzies says in response.
Rebel and Menzies allege the officer, whom they refer to as John Doe 1, “positioned himself to ensure physical contact with Mr. Menzies and to ensure that Mr. Menzies would have no option but to suffer physical contact.”
The statement of claim, shared by lawyer Lawrence Greenspon, alleges another officer, John Doe 2, told Menzies he was “very aggressive” and “running in with his microphone very aggressive.”
Rebel and Menzies go on to allege the officer “engaged in theatre.”
“There were no reasonable and probable grounds for an arrest,” says the court document.
Claim alleges Charter violations
According to the statement of claim, York police drove Menzies to an empty parking lot several blocks from the event venue and told him he was not being charged. The claim says he was then told that, according to the terms of the Trespass to Property Act, he would not be allowed to return to the venue.
The statement of claim said that prevented Menzies from doing his job and talking to attendees.
The document also alleges RCMP officers assaulted Menzies in 2020 when he tried to ask Prime Minister Justin Trudeau a question about the government’s response to COVID-19, and shot another Rebel News personality with a riot-suppressing gun during the 2022 convoy protest in Ottawa.
WATCH | Rebel News personality arrested while trying to question Freeland
Rebel News personality arrested while trying to question Chrystia Freeland
2 months ago
Duration 0:53
Video shows police arresting Rebel News personality David Menzies as he attempts to ask Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland questions about why the government hasn’t designated the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist entity. (Video courtesy Rebel News)
Rebel News has taken the RCMP to court separately in both of those matters and is asking for donations to cover its legal costs.
“RCMP have over the last few years engaged in a pattern of intimidation and exclusion against Rebel News journalists, including Mr. Menzies,” the most recent lawsuit claims.
Rebel and Menzies also allege multiple Charter rights were violated, including the right to freedom of expression and freedom from arbitrary detention.
The claims have not yet been proven in court.
York Regional Police said Menzies was released unconditionally after it was determined there was no credible security threat.
After the incident made news, the RCMP said it was “looking into the incident” and the actions of everyone involved.
CBC has requested comment from the RCMP about the lawsuit.
When questioned about the incident, Freeland said politicians have no say in operational decisions made by police.
Quebec legislature member Youri Chassin has announced he’s leaving the Coalition Avenir Québec government to sit as an Independent.
He announced the decision shortly after writing an open letter criticizing Premier François Legault’s government for abandoning its principles of smaller government.
In the letter published in Le Journal de Montréal and Le Journal de Québec, Chassin accused the party of falling back on what he called the old formula of throwing money at problems instead of looking to do things differently.
Chassin says public services are more fragile than ever, despite rising spending that pushed the province to a record $11-billion deficit projected in the last budget.
He is the second CAQ member to leave the party in a little more than one week, after economy and energy minister Pierre Fitzgibbon announced Sept. 4 he would leave because he lost motivation to do his job.
Chassin says he has no intention of joining another party and will instead sit as an Independent until the end of his term.
He has represented the Saint-Jérôme riding since the CAQ rose to power in 2018, but has not served in cabinet.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 12, 2024.
MONTREAL – NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh says he will not be taking advice from Pierre Poilievre after the Conservative leader challenged him to bring down government.
“I say directly to Pierre Poilievre: I’m not going to listen to you,” said Singh on Wednesday, accusing Poilievre of wanting to take away dental-care coverage from Canadians, among other things.
“I’m not going to listen to your advice. You want to destroy people’s lives, I want to build up a brighter future.”
Earlier in the day, Poilievre challenged Singh to commit to voting non-confidence in the government, saying his party will force a vote in the House of Commons “at the earliest possibly opportunity.”
“I’m asking Jagmeet Singh and the NDP to commit unequivocally before Monday’s byelections: will they vote non-confidence to bring down the costly coalition and trigger a carbon tax election, or will Jagmeet Singh sell out Canadians again?” Poilievre said.
“It’s put up or shut up time for the NDP.”
While Singh rejected the idea he would ever listen to Poilievre, he did not say how the NDP would vote on a non-confidence motion.
“I’ve said on any vote, we’re going to look at the vote and we’ll make our decision. I’m not going to say our decision ahead of time,” he said.
Singh’s top adviser said on Tuesday the NDP leader is not particularly eager to trigger an election, even as the Conservatives challenge him to do just that.
Anne McGrath, Singh’s principal secretary, says there will be more volatility in Parliament and the odds of an early election have risen.
“I don’t think he is anxious to launch one, or chomping at the bit to have one, but it can happen,” she said in an interview.
New Democrat MPs are in a second day of meetings in Montreal as they nail down a plan for how to navigate the minority Parliament this fall.
The caucus retreat comes one week after Singh announced the party has left the supply-and-confidence agreement with the governing Liberals.
It’s also taking place in the very city where New Democrats are hoping to pick up a seat on Monday, when voters go to the polls in Montreal’s LaSalle—Émard—Verdun. A second byelection is being held that day in the Winnipeg riding of Elmwood—Transcona, where the NDP is hoping to hold onto a seat the Conservatives are also vying for.
While New Democrats are seeking to distance themselves from the Liberals, they don’t appear ready to trigger a general election.
Singh signalled on Tuesday that he will have more to say Wednesday about the party’s strategy for the upcoming sitting.
He is hoping to convince Canadians that his party can defeat the federal Conservatives, who have been riding high in the polls over the last year.
Singh has attacked Poilievre as someone who would bring back Harper-style cuts to programs that Canadians rely on, including the national dental-care program that was part of the supply-and-confidence agreement.
The Canadian Press has asked Poilievre’s office whether the Conservative leader intends to keep the program in place, if he forms government after the next election.
With the return of Parliament just days away, the NDP is also keeping in mind how other parties will look to capitalize on the new makeup of the House of Commons.
The Bloc Québécois has already indicated that it’s written up a list of demands for the Liberals in exchange for support on votes.
The next federal election must take place by October 2025 at the latest.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 11, 2024.
Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante is defending her decision to turn off comments on her social media accounts — with an announcement on social media.
She posted screenshots to X this morning of vulgar names she’s been called on the platform, and says comments on her posts for months have been dominated by insults, to the point that she decided to block them.
Montreal’s Opposition leader and the Canadian Civil Liberties Association have criticized Plante for limiting freedom of expression by restricting comments on her X and Instagram accounts.
They say elected officials who use social media should be willing to hear from constituents on those platforms.
However, Plante says some people may believe there is a fundamental right to call someone offensive names and to normalize violence online, but she disagrees.
Her statement on X is closed to comments.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 11, 2024.
