blackbird

In BC the NDP has been negatively affecting the forestry and mining sector as well with excessive regulations and preserving old growth forests, etc. This has resulted in the layoff of thousands of workers in various small cities and towns.

False. quote In 2022 America’s 10.9 million undocumented immigrants paid $96.7 billion in taxes. That included $19.5 billion in federal income taxes and $32.3 billion in federal payroll taxes. On a state and local level, undocumented immigrants contribute $37.3 billion in taxes, and in 40 of 50 states, they pay a higher effective state/local tax rate than the top 1% of households. The top 1% of highest-income households paid an average effective state/local tax of 7.2% in 2023, while the average undocumented immigrant paid a 10.1% effective tax rate to state/local governments. It is estimated that $40 to $137 billion of additional revenue could be generated each year if these people were granted work authorization. This is because a less exploitable workforce would be paid higher wages (thus pay more taxes) and tax compliance by both employers and employees would increase. Undocumented Immigrants paid an effective federal income tax rate of 5.27% in 2022, which was higher than some of the wealthiest Americans and mega corporations. According to ProPublica’s released tax data from the 400 highest-income individuals, undocumented immigrants paid a higher effective tax rate than five of the richest Americans. Undocumented immigrants also paid a higher effective tax rate than 55 mega corporations. Here is a list of the Fortune 500 corporations that paid less that same year. These corporations had a combined pre-tax income of nearly $200 billion but paid just $3.7 billion in federal income tax, 90% less than undocumented immigrants. Undocumented Immigrants make significant contributions to our economy. Undocumented Immigrants make up around 5% of the total workforce, but play even larger roles in key industries: 1-in-7 construction workers, 1-in-8 agriculture workers, and 1-in-14 hospital workers. Deporting millions of undocumented workers would shrink the economy by $1.1 to $1.7 trillion, a more devastating contraction than what happened during the 2008 financial crisis. unquote How Undocumented Immigrants Contribute to Our Economy & Pay Higher Tax Rates Than Many Major Corporations - Americans For Tax Fairness

One of Canada's biggest problems has been electing liberals and left wing politicians. This has resulted in their blocking resource development in Canada, especially the blockage of pipelines and energy. They also regulate to death the construction of homes and are wrecking health care systems with mismanagement and neglect of duty to provide services.

It is obvious there are left wing "progressives/liberals who are denying freedom of speech and freedom of religion in Canada. They are blocking anyone from speaking out against gender ideology, abortion, DEI, and using their positions to impose large fines to try to impose censorship. This is not the kind of Canada I believe in. " MONTREAL — Sean Feucht, a Christian singer and rising star in the MAGA movement, has been censored and mistreated during his Eastern Canadian tour, say civil liberties experts and a religious group. All six of the concerts scheduled last week were cancelled, forcing him to seek alternative venues. In Montreal, a church allowed Feucht on Friday to perform a hastily scheduled concert over the objections of the city administration, and is now facing a $2,500 fine. Officials cancelled his shows because of the singer's political and religious opinions, says a group that represents 500 evangelical Protestant churches in the province. "While the criticism of ideas is legitimate in a democracy, state censorship of those ideas represents a dangerous deviation," Jean-Christophe Jasmin, a spokesperson for the Réseau évangélique du Québec, said in a statement. The Christian singer describes himself as a musician, missionary, author and activist. He has spoken out against "gender ideology," abortion and the LGBTQ+ community, and his religious and political views have grabbed the attention of U.S. President Donald Trump's administration. The Atlantic magazine recently described Feucht as a Christian nationalist who has become a "MAGA superstar." In a statement, a spokesperson for the City of Montreal says the church didn't have a permit to organize the concert, adding that the show went against the "values of inclusion, solidarity, and respect" that define Montreal. Related video: MAGA-affiliated musician waiting on permit for Winnipeg show (CBC) But Jasmin says the event should not have required a permit at all because it was part of a routine religious gathering. And while he says his group doesn't support the singer or his views, it's concerned with what it sees as an attack on religious expression. Since the incident, he said, church leaders in the city have been calling to ask if they could also face fines for hosting concerts. "It's not the state's place to determine how our churches ought to conduct themselves," Jasmin said. The City of Montreal did not immediately respond to a question about whether all churches should request permits when they want to hold concerts. Complaints about Feucht have led officials to cancel his other shows scheduled in Eastern Canada -- decisions that free speech advocates in the country say were violations of the Charter. "His freedom of expression, freedom of assembly and freedom of religion rights have all been violated," said Josh Dehaas, legal counsel for the Canadian Constitution Foundation. “The government doesn't get to decide what ideas people can hear and what things people can say and how people can choose to worship and that's what they're trying to do in this case,” he said in an interview. Dehaas said the foundation would be interested in supporting Ministerios Restauración Church in a Charter challenge of the $2,500 fine. James Turk, director of the Centre for Free Expression at Toronto Metropolitan University, said it raised “red flags” to see public bodies revoking Feucht’s concert permits. “I'm totally opposed to his position on most political things,” he said. “But in a democracy, we deal with difference through discourse, through argument, through boycotting, through ignoring, through protest. We don't deal with it through silencing people and censoring them.” On Sunday, Independent Sen. Kristopher Wells, a longtime LGBTQ+ advocate, waded into the fray, stating on X that Feucht “has no Charter right to have his shows hosted at public facilities, which must be safe and discrimination-free spaces that uphold community standards.” In a statement to The Canadian Press, Wells said, "this has nothing to do with his freedom of expression, which is subject to reasonable limitations in Canada, and everything to do with ensuring community safety and standing up for human rights." But Dehaas disagreed, saying governments cannot “discriminate on who can use a public space based on the viewpoint of the speaker who wants to protest or worship or sing in that space.” “The senator is wrong here,” he added. On social media, the singer has accused Canada of tyranny and censorship, and has questioned whether the Charter of Rights and Freedoms “still means anything.” Feucht says his “Revive in 25” tour is about worship and spiritual restoration. But he has previously spoken out against "gender ideology," abortion and the LGBTQ+ community. In a February video on Instagram, in response to a protest in support of gender-affirming health care, Feucht said the protesters were angry because they were “prohibited from cutting off the body parts of children.” Last year, Feucht referred to Pride Month as a time to discover “which people, businesses, influencers, corporations & ministries have sold their soul to a demonic agenda seeking to destroy our culture and pervert our children.” Still, Dehaas said even if there were concerns that Feucht might engage in hate speech during his concerts, “there's no legal mechanism to shut down his show in advance.” Feucht has returned to the U.S. following his concerts in Eastern Canada, but is scheduled to return in August for a series of shows in Western Canada. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 28, 2025. Miriam Lafontaine and Maura Forrest, The Canadian Press unquote MAGA singer's rights violated in Canada, say free speech experts, religious group

If you're talking about homosexuality, that is condemned in both the O.T. and the New Testament. So why is it necessary to talk about every other law in the O.T. that have nothing to do with the subject?

I never ignored anything. We are not talking about all the OT laws and punishments. That is not the subject here. Maybe if you paid attention, you would know what the subject on here is. The subject is not about the whole Bible. The subject is about what a Christian music artist/preacher is being banned for.

Who gets to define what is "hate speech"? You?

quote Before answering this question, it is important to clarify a difference between the Old Testament and New Testament. Under the Old Covenant law, given to ancient Israel under a theocracy, the punishment for adultery was death (Leviticus 20:10). In the New Testament, Jesus brought a new law into effect. The wages of sin is still eternal death (Romans 6:23), but adultery no longer carries the death penalty civilly. Modern Christians are not living under the old theocracy and are not commanded to harm those who sin. The Old Testament law lists a number of behaviors that were punishable by death, including adultery. “If a man commits adultery with another man’s wife—with the wife of his neighbor—both the adulterer and the adulteress are to be put to death” (Leviticus 20:10). It is important to note that the punishment was the same for both parties involved. There was no double standard that made allowances for a man’s dalliances; he was punished right along with the woman. This law and others concerning sexual immorality in Leviticus 20 are tied to the need for the complete moral separation of Israel from other nations. The Canaanites had been known for their sexual licentiousness, among other things, and God wanted Israel to be holy, or “set apart,” from them (verses 22–24). Again, this law was given to Israel as part of the Mosaic Covenant. The church is not Israel, and we are not living under the Old Covenant. unquote What is the biblical punishment for adultery? | GotQuestions.org You obviously cherry pick a verse here or there to try to discredit the Bible, but you don't have any idea what the Bible is all about. I suggest you study the Bible from a reputable source and find out the context and meaning of a particular passage before jumping out and quoting something.

Do you support grooming kids in school with LGBTQ ideology? What if a kid claims he is trans? Should schools hide that from parents? Do you support that kind of thing? Are you LGBTQ?

You call it that. I am not going to be a judge. A nation has the right to defend itself. I don't know how you root out and eliminate the terrorists when they hide among the population. Maybe you can tell us how it should be done.

" The pine beetle infestation that ravaged more than half of B.C.’s merchantable pine forest explains much of the production decline. But government policies have aggravated the powerful headwinds confronting the industry, by further diminishing access to fibre and making it increasingly difficult for companies to operate day-to-day. This unappetizing mix has resulted in many mill closures and substantial job losses, affecting both logging and wood products manufacturing. The latest blow to the forest sector is the NDP government’s “old growth deferrals” policy, announced in stages over the last couple of years. This will remove an additional 2.6 million hectares of old growth from the ever-shrinking harvesting land base. Efforts to protect caribou habitat, tenure redistribution from larger to smaller operators, and a return to a more prescriptive forestry practices regime have also raised costs and limited access to timber for lumber producers, undermining investment and dampening employment in the industry." NDP continuing to hollow out B.C.’s invaluable forest industry (BIV) — Business Council of British Columbia

Seems pretty clear where the fault lies for the declining forestry and mining sectors. The BC NDP is the government and only they make the laws and regulations that govern these sectors. Problems include. Excessive red tape, regulations, and prohibitions because of pressures from their base such as FNS who constantly claim they have not been consulted or sufficiently consulted. Also environmental groups who oppose everything. And of course the biggest opposition from radical leftists in their party who oppose various natural resource industries because they believe it effects climate change. They think they are saving the planet. This is how many people have been brainwashed. It is wrecking Canada. Rustad and the BC Conservatives do what they can in opposition, but they are not government and do not make the regulations and laws. If you elect a party that believes in stifling forestry and mining to save the planet, you get what you voted for.

The BC Conservative have tried continuously to pressure the BC NDP to do things that would help the forestry and mining sector, but only the NDP has the power to do something about it. "The BC NDP has faced criticism for hampering the forest industry in northern B.C. Many industry observers believe that NDP policies have contributed to the decline of the forest sector, with several sawmills closing and thousands of jobs lost. The NDP government has implemented various regulations and policies that have increased costs and reduced access to timber, leading to a challenging environment for the industry. Additionally, the NDP's regulatory burdens and lack of strategic vision have been blamed for the ongoing difficulties faced by the forestry sector, which is a cornerstone of northern B.C.'s economy. www.cbc.ca+5

Ask the NDP that question. Ask the NDP why sawmills have shut down in some places around northern BC? Rustad does not control the government. All the opposition can do is expose the failures of government. They do not control it. The NDP is the government and is the one responsible for a lot of what happens to the forest industry and the mining industry. "The BC NDP's policies have faced criticism for hampering the mining industry in northern B.C.. While Premier David Eby has announced plans to speed up mining development and support critical mineral projects, there are concerns from Indigenous leaders and environmental groups regarding the implementation of a controversial bill (Bill 15) that could expedite resource projects without adequate consultation. Additionally, the number of operating mines has decreased under NDP leadership, and there are calls for reducing regulatory burdens and investing in infrastructure to support the mining sector. The NDP's approach has been described as excessive red tape, leading to skepticism about its effectiveness in promoting mining growth. www.cbc.ca+3"

You lived right through the last ten years under Trudeau when the Energy East pipeline proposal and the Northern Gateway pipeline project were killed by Trudeau and did nothing. Now the U.S. just made a deal to sell energy to Europe for hundreds of billions of dollars. We could have been selling oil and gas to Europe but not now. Canada missed and killed the chance to do that. Now we are the losers. Our economy is going down as Trump imposes tariffs and controls the energy market to Europe. Maybe he will sell our gas and oil to Europe while we sell it to the U.S. for a cut rate. We are the losers.

The U.S. just signed a deal with the EU which includes selling 500 or 600 billion dollars worth of energy (oil, gas?) to Europe. Where is Canada on selling oil and natural gas to Europe? Is some of this oil and gas originating from Canada at a cut rate price, but being sold to Europe by the U.S.? We could have been selling it directly. Not now. Quebec, the federal Liberals under Trudeau, FNs, and enviros killed the Energy East pipeline. We lost billions of dollars worth of royalties, corporate taxes, income taxes, thousands of jobs and spin-off jobs, and various other incomes because of the failure to build one or more pipelines to the east coast.

The Charter of Rights guarantees, as least on paper, freedom of speech and freedom of religion. That means people are free to believe in a religion (Bible) that calls certain behaviors a sin. It doesn't matter what Parks Canada proclaims as core values. They are not God and they are not the Bible. They have no right to tell people who believe in Biblical Christianity what to believe. The road to hell is wide and the road to heaven is narrow. The Bible says many there be that are taking the wide road to hell. It's your choice. What road are you on? Those who fight against, persecute or oppress those who are trying to follow the narrow road are under special condemnation.

How do you define Christians?

It's a church service, not a concert. Church services often have musicians and visiting preachers. They often have established parking areas. No need for a permit.

A so-called two state solution will not solve anything but would put Israel in danger of destruction. The federal government supports a two-state solution, which is not a solution, but could be a death sentence for Israel. Their ancestors paid the ultimate price in the Holocaust. They know what could lie waiting for them if they put their guard down. This is one reason many believed in the State of Israel as a refuge and home for the Jewish people. This is a photo of mothers with their children and babies marching to the gas chambers during WW2. It should be a reminder of what can happen in the world we live in. quote The Song They Whispered Before Death — Lublin, Poland, 1942 They did not scream. As the mothers were led toward the gas chambers at Majdanek, they held their children close and each other closer. Witnesses recalled the quietest resistance—a lullaby, trembling and soft, sung in Yiddish. A cradle song, once meant to soothe restless babies to sleep, now offered comfort as they walked into smoke and silence. Their voices were hushed but steady, a chorus of defiant tenderness in the face of unspeakable horror. One guard, years later, reportedly said: “Their song haunted me more than any silence ever could.” The world did not hear them that day. But we can choose to listen now.

No, it is not worshiping Trump supporters. It is opposing LGBTQ+ and opposing abortion, not to mention MAID, the ideology of death. Those are things that all Bible believers oppose. This man speaks against those things which any Christian can understand. We don't need local politicians on city councils telling us how to think or forcing their DEI agenda on us.

Yes, that is something everyone should be concerned about. Nobody needs a permit to worship or preach in a church. If you don't understand that, you don't have a clue about basic freedoms especially freedom of religion. First time I have heard about anyone needing a permit to participate, preach, or sing in a church. Nobody should even consider going along with that kind of governmental left wing tyranny.

quote James Turk, the director of the Centre for Free Expression at Toronto Metropolitan University, said the decision to remove a permit raises a red flag. "I think we should all be concerned whenever there is a demand that somebody's right to speak is taken away, a permit withdrawn, a booking in a venue cancelled," Turk said in an interview on Thursday. Amplifying messages Turk said the price of democracy is living with viewpoints that we don't like or agree with as well as ones we do like. "In Canada, generally, we recognize the foundation of democracy is an ongoing public discourse about what's legitimate, what's not legitimate," Turk said. "And that means we tolerate a wide range of perspectives and views, and we sort things out in our heterogeneous society by listening to different views, arguing against them or ignoring them or boycotting them, but not by censoring them." Turk said attempts to censor someone like Feucht could end up amplifying his message. unquote MAGA musician permit revocations spark public space debate | CBC News A number of cities have opposed or cancelled this musician's venue permit. This is totally in opposition to the Charter of Rights on freedom of speech and freedom of religion. If someone doesn't agree, they don't have to go to it. But they don't have the right to silence other people from speaking. That is more like North Korea's and Iran's totalitarianism. Canadians need to wake up. What is happening in Canada is not good. This just reveals one of the problems with the Charter of Rights. It is a piece of paper and it seems any politician or city councillor can just ignore it at whim because in order to enforce it, one might have thousands of dollars to hire law firms and fight it in courts that take years to get through or get a ruling. In the meantime people's rights are trampled. Also, how are rights really enshrined in a piece of paper when the Supreme Court is loaded with liberals by people like Trudeau and automatically interpret it in their usual radical progressive way. The simple statement about basic freedoms can be ignored not only by many city councilors, mayors, left wing politicians, but even by SCC.

Don't be so sure. Rustad has a lot of support. He makes a lot of sense and has a lot of experience. He led the BC Conservatives from a couple elected members to a near majority in the legislature in an extremely short time. That was an incredible accomplishment.

Canada has built its energy infrastructure completely intertwined with the U.S. under the belief this would provide Canada with the best security and economic stability. This is turning out to be a serious mistake. We are now learning that the present structure puts Canada at the mercy and control of the U.S. in a trade war. " Interconnectedness is a double-edged sword and Canada is vulnerable in any trade war Evan Dyer · CBC News · Posted: Jan 24, 2025 1:00 AM PST | Last Updated: January 24 The Westridge Marine Terminal at the Port of Vancouver handles crude oil exports to global markets. If Canada were to avoid pipelines that run through U.S. territory, the Trans Mountain Expansion is the best of the country's limited options. (Gian Paolo Mendoza/CBC) Social Sharing "Continental energy security" was the watchword of both governments and industry for much of the past quarter century in North America: the idea that by linking the U.S. and Canada in a tight web of pipelines and refineries, both countries would protect themselves from threats and hostile trade actions that — it was assumed — would come from outside North America. The website of the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers is still littered with references to the now-obsolete notion that increasing interdependence with the U.S. would make Canada safer: "Over the past decade, Canada has strengthened its continental energy security by reducing reliance on overseas oil and increasing the share of imports from the United States." Too late did Canada realize that the threat would come from inside the house — that Americans would elect a president who saw Canada not as a partner, but as a target for extortion and even annexation. Alberta can supply the volume of oil Sarnia, Ont., needs for its refineries. But that oil flows through pipelines that cut through the U.S. (Carlos Osorio/Reuters) In the days when the Enbridge mainline was being laid down, talk of trying to keep infrastructure within Canada was dismissed as expensive and unnecessary, said oil market analyst Rory Johnston, founder of the Commodity Context newsletter and a lecturer at the University of Toronto's Munk School of Global Affairs. "If it's easier to push a pipeline through the U.S. border, if it's cheaper, if there's less political blowback than going through B.C. or Quebec, well it was a no-brainer, because the United States, our closest ally through all of history, would never impose a punitive tariff on us. That's crazy talk." "And yet here we are." All eggs in one basket "There was never serious consideration to the reverse of that," Johnston told CBC News. "No other oil exporter on the planet has the same kind of built-in constraints." Had they foreseen the rise of MAGA, says Johnston, "no industry in its right mind would have created this kind of dependence on the U.S. market." Ironically, the very pipelines built in the name of continental energy security are now potential weapons in a trade war between the two erstwhile allies. Cutting off oil is Canada's nuclear option. What would it mean if it happens? Trudeau, premiers urge shoppers to buy Canadian as country prepares for a trade war American reliance on Canadian heavy crude is the most powerful economic weapon in Canada's arsenal. But the same network also gives the U.S. leverage over Canada. Were Canada ever to reach for its "nuclear option" — placing export tariffs on Canadian energy or even threatening to cut off supply — it would risk shortages of crude and refined fuels in other regions of the country." Trump's threats reveal the trouble with Canada's pipelines running through the U.S. | CBC News