News

Undue Influence: Happens All the Time

Published

1 year ago

June 10, 2023

The Western World sticks its nose into the domestic affairs of many a nation, criticizing the actions against their own people, like Iran, Syria, Russia, China, North Korea, and so on. These nations ruled by an Oligarch, Dictator, or Military Hunta see no problem getting involved in our government’s elections or daily routine, attempting to manipulate officials and steal secrets both economic and political. Tit for Tat.
The Western World has leaders who enact a hypocritical notion that they can poke the bear without getting bitten.

27% of Canadians trust David Johnson (Rapporteur) to carry out an investigation into Chinese Influence in Canadian Elections. A good number considering all the negativity coming out of Ottawa these days. These past months various politicians have been pointing out that The Liberal Administration of Justin Trudeau had not warned the Legislature and various M.P.s that they were targets of Chinese Spy Craft. Can we look at this without all the politicking going on in our capital?

When someone becomes an M.P. they go through an extensive protocol warning them of real and possible present-day dangers coming from both international spy craft Organizations and the Corporate world. Warnings about the responsibilities of being a member of parliament are explained fully by both CSIS and the RCMP. Not knowing is not an option for these people. Audits are carried out by the Parliament and Security Systems regularly also.

If you thought about it, you the average citizen could probably recognize the seriousness of foreign nations spying upon each of us, let alone for those who work for and with governmental agencies, departments, and Crown Corporations. All this blustering and calls for special investigations are nothing more than adding per diems payments to elected officials’ paychecks and also giving the opposition a chance to shine in front of their followers and the media. Many Politicians are truly mercenary, offering little that can help make the nation safe,-economically grow, while demanding public investigations and selfish financial benefits to the investigations membership.

What really is happening: Security Systems work in the shadows, quietly acquiring information, analyzing and contemplating this information and finally sharing it with the appropriate minister of authority. The Chinese attempt to influence, blackmail, and seduce politicians of every nation is not new, but known practice. Known by our politicians, bureaucrats, and international business people since time began. Check out “The Art of War”, an interesting book. Also The Prince, a Machiavellian testament to achieving power and maintaining it at all costs. Two must-reads of classical spy-craft and becoming politicians too. Ottawa is today, filled with spies all looking for hidden dirt regarding any elected officials or employees of the government or some large corporation giant. Canadian Parliamentarians want a directory for all spies, and foreign government influencers. Does not work. Every Foreign Consulate, Embassy, and Satellite Office is full of spies. Consider even Ambassadors as foreign tools of engagement. Every Russian, Chinese, EU, British, and Banana Republic Citizen is a potential lobbyist, spy, or agent provocateur. Living in Canada, America, and beyond has kept us safe from foreign violence, spycraft, and that uneasy feeling we are being watched. Guess we all need to wake up.

Statistics show that a registry of foreign agents, and influencers does not work. You want to know who within our government has been approached, and recruited by a foreign government? How about annual audits of their secured and hidden bank accounts? Money squirreled away in a foreign bank somewhere, out of the public eyes. Or should a politician plan retiring their financials must be investigated. If they lived in the suburbs of Montreal when 1st elected and after 4-5 years drive a Benz, live in Rosedale, Ontario home(multi-million homes), and go to a multi-million dollar chalets many times(possibly own one), there is something to investigate. Foreign and Domestic threats to our elected officials, our election process, and our way of life can be defended against, but the privacy of elected officials and those bureaucrats who work for them need to be investigated, transparent and should there be elements of fraud, espionage, favors given, financial irregularities or something hidden, the public and our security systems need to know. Only this way, can we feel certain that our regular functions in life are not being manipulated.

David Johnson is not the problem. That the system is riddled with hidden elements that make true transparency difficult, if not impossible. Either our security System needs to be managed better, and more secretive while providing true-in-time reports to those in the government, or we make the system a closed organization, where MPs, Government Bureaucrats, and Multi-National Corporations toe the thin security-centered line. If we know what each of these people is going through, their weaknesses, their desires, and their financial realities, our security agencies can help prevent foreign agents from manipulating, threatening, blackmailing, or harming extended family members. It is their job, but the so-called “Privacy” of those who are targets does not allow our security professionals to do their jobs fully.

If you know there is a threat, you can take those threats out of the equation temporarily, and defend against any assault with all appropriate knowledgeable actions.

i.e. The International Protection of Foreign Diplomates placing them outside of our laws must be challenged and changed. Governments like China do not hold such protections sacrosanct (the two Michaels). Tit for Tat I say. We had our chance when the Chinese Princess Meng Wanzhou was wanted by the USA, yet she was released instead of being extradited to the USA. Small and Middle of the Road nations like Canada face uncertain actions from superpowers like China, Russia, and even Saudi Arabia while feeling the undue financial, military, and diplomatic influence to do not what we know we should do, but more likely do what our opponents want.

Questions we have for our politicians:

How can Millions of Dollars from a Chinese Corporation end up in Donations to political Election Pac and Why? Influence pedaling perhaps?

If the President of America calls a Canadian Prime Minister(or any Elected Official) and attempts to influence said Prime Minister’s decisions…Undue Influence? Done before 🙂

If Chinese Corporations are influenced both legally and under security mandates to sever the Chinese Communist Parties Security Apparatus, why do we continue to work with these corporations?

Steven Kaszab
Bradford, Ontario
skaszab@yahoo.ca

News

Trump attends UFC championship fight in New York, taking a break from Cabinet picks

Published

7 hours ago

November 16, 2024

Anne Joseph

NEW YORK (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump walked out to a roaring standing ovation just ahead of the start of the UFC pay-per-view card at Madison Square Garden on Saturday night, combining two things close to his heart: fierce battles inside the octagon and New York City.

Trump was accompanied by UFC President Dana White and the pair headed to their cageside seats to Kid Rock’s “American Bad Ass.”

UFC aired a video package of Trump’s road to reclaiming the White House, calling it, “The great comeback in American History,” while fans stood and applauded. Trump, wearing a red tie, pumped his fist toward the crowd when the video ended.

The president-elect also had his clenched fists pumping back and forth and briefly danced to the Village People’s “YMCA” just outside the cage. He later again thrust his fist skyward as “Takin’ Care of Business” played.

Elon Musk, picked by Trump to lead a new Department of Government Efficiency, and House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., joined the president-elect and White at the Garden, as did Robert Kennedy Jr., Trump’s choice to lead the Department of Health and Human Services in his incoming administration.

Trump shook hands with the UFC broadcast team that included Joe Rogan. Rogan hosted Trump on his podcast for hours in the final stages of the campaign ahead of his election win last week. The announcers for the pay-per-view audience later declared, “Festive doesn’t even begin to describe” the scene before later proclaiming, “47’s in the building. Let’s go.”

The MSG crowd chanted “USA! USA!” right before the main card was about to start and then again throughout the action. After a year delay, Stipe Miocic is getting his shot at a third heavyweight championship reign when he battles current champion Jon Jones in the main event at UFC 309.

Trump is a longtime UFC enthusiast and frequent attendee of major fights. He made promoting hypermasculine tones a signature of his campaign — as he looked to further widen the gap among male voters between himself and his Democratic opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris.

Trump and his top supporters embraced alpha-male terms and often accentuated them with vulgar and demeaning language.

While campaigning, Trump appeared frequently on podcasts, gaming platforms, and with key supporters who described a vote for Trump as a way to demonstrate true manliness. While Trump taped a podcast with Rogan, who himself has spoken about hypermasculinity, Harris failed to do a similar appearance, citing scheduling conflicts.

A return to Madison Square Garden means revisiting the place where a comedian caused an uproar at a Trump rally last month by likening Puerto Rico to a “floating island of garbage.” Yet Trump continues to relish visits to New York, where he lived for decades, before moving to his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida.

Trump’s son, Don Jr., also attended the fight.

Except for a day trip to Washington this week to meet for nearly two hours with President Joe Biden, and separately address House Republicans, Trump has been spending his time since his Election Day victory at Mar-a-Lago. The club has hosted galas and conservative events throughout the week.

Trump has been close to White for more than two decades.

White hosted a 2001 UFC battle at Trump Taj Mahal, a former casino-hotel in Atlantic City, New Jersey, and Trump has frequently attended UFC matches since – including during his 2024 campaign. Trump has turned up at fights recently with famous entourages, including White, musician Kid Rock and former Fox News Channel host Tucker Carlson.

In 2018, during Trump’s first term, he and White starred in a UFC video where the then-president was called the “Combatant In Chief.”

As Trump has strengthened his grip on the national Republican Party over the last near-decade, White’s personal political profile has grown exponentially. White spoke at the 2016 and 2020 Republican conventions, and when the party gathered in Milwaukee this past July. He also addressed the crowd at Trump’s Florida victory party in the wee hours of the morning after Election Day.

“This is what happens when the machine comes after you,” White said then. “What you’ve seen over the last several years, this is what it looks like: couldn’t stop him. He keeps going forward. He doesn’t quit.”

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Weissert reported from Palm Beach, Florida.

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Spencer Martin notches 1st career shutout as Hurricanes put 4 past Senators

Published

8 hours ago

November 16, 2024

Anne Joseph

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Carolina’s Spencer Martin recorded his first career shutout and made 24 saves as the Hurricanes beat the Ottawa Senators 4-0 on Saturday night.

Martin, in just his second start of the season and his first home appearance, made 11 of his saves in the third period.

Jordan Martinook, Sebastian Aho, rookie Jackson Blake and William Carrier scored goals. Shayne Gostisbehere and Jordan Staal each provided two assists, and Martin Necas notched an assist to push his career-best points streak to 12 games.

Ottawa was blanked for the first time this season, and Senators goaltender Anton Forsberg also stopped 24 shots.

Martinook scored his sixth goal in his last six games eight minutes into the first period. Aho’s first goal in eight games came eight seconds into a power play in the final minute of the second period.

Blake’s power-play goal 43 seconds into the third period made it 3-0, and Carrier scored an empty-netter.

Takeaways

Senators: A three-game points streak ended in part because Ottawa faltered on special teams after not allowing a power-play goal in its previous four games. It went 0 for 4 on power plays.

Hurricanes: Carolina hasn’t lost consecutive games this season, returning from a three-game swing to the Western Conference to win its sixth consecutive home game.

Key moment

The Hurricanes had gone 1 for 13 on power plays across three games before converting twice in 85 seconds of game time.

Key stat

Martin became the third Carolina goaltender to notch a victory this season.

Up next

The Hurricanes host the St. Louis Blues Sunday, while the Senators begin a four-game homestand Tuesday against the Edmonton Oilers.

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Mitch Marner scores in overtime as Maple Leafs down Oilers 4-3

Published

8 hours ago

November 16, 2024

Anne Joseph

TORONTO – Mitch Marner scored 40 seconds into overtime as the Toronto Maple Leafs downed the Edmonton Oilers 4-3 on Saturday night.

Bobby McMann, with two, and Matthew Knies had the other goals for Toronto (11-6-2). Anthony Stolarz made 27 saves. Marner added an assist for a two-point night.

Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, with a goal and an assist each, and Adam Henrique replied for Edmonton (9-7-2), which saw its three-game winning streak snapped. Stuart Skinner stopped 18 shots.

The Oilers lost defenceman Darnell Nurse after he took a hit to the head from Leafs winger Ryan Reaves in the second period.

With Toronto down 2-1 in the third, Knies and McMann scored 59 seconds apart to give Toronto a 3-2 lead before Draisaitl tied things with 1:29 left in regulation and Skinner on the bench for an extra attacker. Marner ended it in the extra period on a 2-on-1 with John Tavares.

McDavid became the fourth-fastest player in NHL history — behind only Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux and Mike Bossy — to reach 1,000 career points Thursday at home against the Nashville Predators.

Takeaways

Leafs: Toronto captain Auston Matthews missed a sixth straight game with an undisclosed upper-body injury. The star centre, who remains listed as day-to-day, hasn’t played since Nov. 3.

Oilers: Edmonton head coach Kris Knoblauch dressed 11 forwards and seven defenceman with winger Viktor Arvidsson out injured for a second consecutive game.

Key moment

Nurse wheeled around Edmonton’s net early in the second before getting caught up high by Reaves. The blueliner was left bloodied and had to be helped to the locker room. Reaves was assessed a five-minute match penalty and booted from the game.

Key stat

Leafs forward Max Domi has now gone 13 games without registering a point. The 29-year-old has no goals and six assists this season.

Up next

Edmonton continues a three-game road trip Monday against the Montreal Canadiens. Toronto hosts the Vegas Golden Knights on Wednesday in the second of three straight contests at Scotiabank Arena.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 24, 2024.

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Follow @JClipperton_CP on X.

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