💸📈Ontario deficit will triple as economy weakens, 2024 budget shows

Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy tabled the government's $214-billion budget at Queen's Park Tuesday.

The 200-page document forecasts Ontario's deficit will more than triple from $3 billion last year to $9.8 billion in 2024-2025.

Last year's budget predicted Ontario would be back in the black with a modest surplus of $200 million by 2024-2025. Now, the province doesn't expect to return to balance until 2026-2027 — the year of the next election — when a $500 million surplus is projected.

#Ontario
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🔫 Ottawa has already spent $42M on a Liberal gun 'buyback' that still doesn't exist

Four years after the Trudeau Liberals announced sweeping changes to Canada’s gun laws, the government has so far spent $42 million on a federal firearms confiscation program that doesn’t yet exist.

Public Safety Canada revealed that $41,904,556 has been spent so far on the government’s “firearms buyback program,” and that 60 department employees are working on the project.

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📈 Canada’s population hits 41M months after breaking 40M threshold

Nine months after reaching a population of 40 million, Canada has cracked a new threshold.

As of Wednesday morning, it’s estimated 41 million people now call the country home, according to Statistics Canada’s live population tracker.

Much of this increase is, of course, due to migration. So, we can expect the housing crisis to worsen.

#stats
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A Calgary church is combining its Easter Sunday service with a drag show to "show solidarity" with the LGBTQ+ community.

Apparently, March 31 is also International Trans Day of Visibility. The event is called “Drag Me to Church.”

No other religion in the world is so openly mocked.

#Alberta
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💸📈Canadian members of Parliament will get their customary pay raise on April 1 — resulting in increases of anywhere between $8,500 and $17,000 this year.

Right now, members of Parliament earn a base salary of $194,600 per year — but that’s due to rise to $203,100 on April 1. The prime minister’s salary will see an increase of $17,000 to $406,200.

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💸Trudeau pledges $8.4 million to study 'democratic decline'

Today I’m announcing that Canada is investing $8.4 million on research across the global south to better understand how climate change interacts with democratic decline.

Justin Trudeau said.

At least he doesn't have to spend millions studying the decline of democracy at home. Looking in the mirror is free.

#Trudeau
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In case you missed this strange news, an Indian singer won the Juno Fan Choice Award last week. Karan Aujla, who isn't even a Canadian citizen, performed a Punjabi song on stage Sunday.

Who is trying to push the idea that Punjabi songs represent Canadian culture?

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💉Winnipeg has started installing vending machines, which dispenses clean needles and naloxone, general hygiene items, smudging materials, snacks, and water for free.

Instead of fighting drug addiction, the government and organizations provide a comfortable environment for addicts. What are the chances this will help in the long run?

#Manitoba
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📈 Alberta's population surges by record-setting 202,000 people

The province's population surged to just over 4.8 million as of Jan. 1, according to new estimates released by Statistics Canada.

#Alberta
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Chrystia Freeland is so twitchy it's uncomfortable to watch

#Freeland
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🇨🇦🇭🇹🇯🇲 Canada to train troops from Caribbean nations for Haiti mission

Canada has sent about 70 soldiers to Jamaica to train troops from Caribbean nations who are set to take part in a United Nations-authorized mission to Haiti, the Canadian defense ministry said Saturday.

The Canadian troops, from the predominantly French-speaking province of Quebec, will provide training on core peacekeeping skills and combat first aid, the defense ministry said in a statement. French is one of Haiti's two official languages.

The troops are scheduled to stay in Jamaica for an initial period of a month and will train about 330 troops from Jamaica, Belize and the Bahamas.

🔎 Source
#Canada #Haiti #Jamaica #Belize #Bahamas

☠️ Blood Meridian

❌💸 80 per cent of Canadians oppose the member of Parliament pay raise on April 1.

62 per cent strongly oppose the pay raise.

⚖️ Group of Tim Hortons franchisees in Quebec sue brand owner for $18.9 million

Several Quebec Tim Hortons franchisees claim unreasonable constraints in the company's licensing agreements led to lower-than-expected profits.

Between 2021 and 2023, the 16 franchisee companies say they lost out on a combined $18.9 million.

#Quebec
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💰Who makes the most money?

The annual Sunshine List documents Ontario public sector employees with salaries over $100,000. This year, there are 300,570 names, 10 per cent higher than last year.

Five employees at Ontario Power Generation are in the top 10 earners on the list. The presidents and CEOs of the Hospital for Sick Children and the University Health Network are also in the top 10, earning around $850,000 each.

17 professors or associate professors at the University of Toronto had earnings of $500,000 or more.

The province's highest salary is close to $2 million.

#Ontario
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🚙 A vehicle is now being stolen every 5 minutes

Auto theft trends between 2021-2023 jumped sharply in Ontario (up 48.2%), Québec (up 57.9%), Atlantic Canada (up 34%), and in Western Canada (up 5.5%).

More than 80% of Canadians now concerned about the increase in crime in their community.

Don't worry, it's in line with the green agenda.

#stats #Ontario #Quebec
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AXE THE TAX protesters rallied along the Trans-Canada Highway west of Calgary yesterday

Hundreds of protesters, many waving Canadian and Alberta flags and holding “axe the tax” signs, blocked the major highway down to a single lane.

#Alberta
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🇨🇦🇺🇸 Denver begs illegal immigrants to leave town, offers free busses to Canada

Denver officials begged illegal immigrants who arrived in the city to move away and offered to bus them to the Canadian border and other American cities.

Leave Canada out of your mess.

#US
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🪖Soldiers had to rely on food donations because of lack of military support during Ottawa training

Turns out, Canadian Forces personnel sent to Ottawa for specialized cyber training had to rely on donated food to make ends meet because of the lack of support from the military and the high cost of living in the city.

But don't worry, the government has enough money to send to Ukraine and Haiti.

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📢 PM Justin Trudeau says immigration to Canada has "grown at a rate far beyond what Canada has been able to absorb," adding that "temporary immigration has caused so much pressure in our communities," in relation to housing.

#Trudeau
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