Connect with us

News

ANALYSIS | Top Trump White House pick has strong view on Canada's government. It's not flattering | CBC News

Published

on

ANALYSIS | Top Trump White House pick has strong view on Canada's government. It's not flattering | CBC News

The man reportedly tapped for the top international role inside the Trump White House isn’t just predicting the defeat of Canada’s Trudeau government: He’s celebrating it.

Mike Waltz has a vast digital footprint on international issues in his six years as a congressman, following careers in business, defence policy, and as a decorated special-forces veteran.

He’s been selected by Donald Trump for the powerful position of national security adviser in the next White House, a multitude of U.S. media outlets reported Monday evening, though Trump did not publicly comment on any of these reports.

His online commentary emphasizes his view that U.S. allies must pull their weight on security issues, including with regards to China, which he views as a serious national-security threat.

Waltz predicts Liberals will lose next election

His unflattering opinion of the Trudeau government is manifest in a string of social media comments over the years, including one happily predicting its demise in the next election.

Advertisement

Earlier this year, he posted a video from Canada’s question period where opposition leader Pierre Poilievre ridiculed Trudeau’s housing policies.

“This guy is going to send Trudeau packing in 2025 (finally) and start digging Canada out of the progressive mess it’s in,” Waltz posted on the X social media platform.

“His trolling of Trudeau’s nonsense worth a watch!”

Waltz’s criticisms of Trudeau were frequently related to China.

Advertisement

He called Trudeau shameful for abstaining from a vote on Chinese genocide of Muslim Uyghurs. He referred in different social media posts to China interfering in Canada’s elections. 

“This is a MASSIVE scandal,” he said in one post. 

He lamented Trudeau’s government allowing the sale of a lithium mine to a Chinese-state owned entity. This was two years ago, and Canada has since moved to boot those Chinese state owners from certain critical-minerals sites.

Waltz also complained about Chinese donors pledging $1 million to the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation and reportedly wanting to erect a statue of the first Chinese communist leader outside a Montreal university.

The Florida congressman has other connections to Canada.

Advertisement

His other Canadian connection: pipeline business

His wife, Julia Nesheiwat, is a vice president for Calgary-based TC Energy Corp.; it’s the energy company formerly known as TransCanada, builder of the ill-fated Keystone XL oil pipeline.

Waltz’s social media posts are now a window into a substantive reality awaiting Canada on Jan. 20, when the new administration takes office.

The Trump team is expected to press, aggressively, for allies including Canada to take defence spending and security more seriously.

This will unfold amid threats from Trump to punish all countries, including allies, with trade measures including a minimum 10 per cent tariff on imports.

WATCH | Trump’s plans for heading back to the White House: 
Advertisement

Trump finalizes inner circle, plans early executive orders

As Donald Trump prepares to return to office, he spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin and is finalizing his inner circle, cutting out his Republican critics and working out the key campaign pledges he’ll enact upon his return to the White House.

Canada’s argument against those tariffs is expected to include the point that it is a contributor to U.S. security — as a supplier of oil, and potentially minerals, that lessen American dependence on overseas countries, including China.

It’s an argument Waltz would presumably know well — given his personal connection to TC Energy. 

Waltz also delivered a shoutout to former prime minister Stephen Harper at an international gathering of conservatives in 2022.

His comments about the next Canadian election point to another dynamic looming over the coming months: The question of whether Canada-U.S. talks on sensitive issues, like tariffs and defence spending, will happen mostly before or after Canada’s election. 

Advertisement

Waltz: NATO allies need to ‘step up’ defence spending

Waltz holds standard Republican views on some international issues.

He was passionately supportive of helping Ukraine, certainly in the aftermath of Russia’s invasion, but, as his party grew more skeptical, he echoed that sentiment.

He’s mocked NATO allies for doing the bare minimum in meeting defence spending commitments.

Waltz joked in one post about European countries meeting the two per cent spending target, saying it was like “congratulating the F student on getting a D. We need our allies to step up, instead of letting them off and making American taxpayers foot the bill!”

WATCH | Trudeau speaks about Canada-U.S. relations: 
Advertisement

Justin Trudeau takes questions about U.S.-Canada relations

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau revives a special cabinet committee dedicated to Canada-U-S relations.

His track record of commenting on Canada dwarfs that of the rumoured next secretary of state, Sen. Marco Rubio.

In the past, Rubio has frequently mentioned working with Canada in a failed attempt to isolate Venezuela’s Maduro government.

That said, he did express his disgust with how warmly Trudeau eulogized Fidel Castro after the Cuban dictator’s death in 2016.

“Is this a real statement or a parody?” Rubio, a son of Cuban immigrants, tweeted at the time. “Because if this is a real statement from the PM of Canada it is shameful & embarrassing.”

Another nominee for a senior role is even better versed on Canadian issues.

Advertisement

Lawmaker Elise Stefanik, tapped to be Trump’s UN ambassador, serves in a border district in New York, is knowledgeable on cross-border files, and used to co-lead a congressional group focused on Canadian affairs before rising to national prominence as an aggressive Trump defender.

Continue Reading
Advertisement
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

News

Read the Verdict in the Civil Case Against Amber Guyger

Published

on

Read the Verdict in the Civil Case Against Amber Guyger

Case 3:18-cv-02862-M Document 256 Filed 11/20/24
Page 3 of 7 PageID 7099
3. Question 3: Compensatory Damages
What sum of money, if any, would compensate Plaintiffs for injuries they suffered as a result of
Defendant’s conduct?
Claims of Estate of Botham Jean
(a) Mental anguish experienced by Botham Jean
between the time he was shot and his death:
$
2,000,000
(b) Loss of net future earnings by Botham Jean:
$
5,500,000
(c) Loss of Botham Jean’s capacity to enjoy life:
2,750,000
Claims of Allison and Bertrum Jean
(a) The value of the loss of companionship and society
sustained from September 6, 2018, to today
to Allison Jean:
(b) The value of the loss of companionship and society
that, in reasonable probability, will be sustained from
today forward
to Allison Jean:
(c) The value of the mental anguish sustained from
September 6, 2018, to today
500,000
2,000,000
to Allison Jean:
(d) The value of the mental anguish that, in reasonable
probability, will be sustained from today forward
to Allison Jean:
3
$
6,000,000
5,700,000

Continue Reading

News

Russia fires intercontinental ballistic missile at Ukraine for first time

Published

on

Russia fires intercontinental ballistic missile at Ukraine for first time

Stay informed with free updates

Russia has fired an intercontinental ballistic missile for the first time since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, following days of escalation in the conflict.

Ukrainian air defence forces said the missile, which did not carry a nuclear warhead, was fired alongside seven Kh-101 cruise missiles at the southern city of Dnipro.

The use of the ICBM comes after Ukraine launched US-made long-range Atacms missiles and British Storm Shadows at Russian territory in recent days.

Advertisement

Responding to the Atacms strikes, Russia altered its nuclear doctrine to lower its threshold for first use. ICBMs are designed to carry nuclear warheads across continents, by contrast with so-called short- and medium-range missiles.

Their range of thousands of miles is far greater than that of missiles such as Atacms and Storm Shadows, which can travel 250km to 300km.

Some content could not load. Check your internet connection or browser settings.

Russia has previously used nuclear-capable missiles to hit Ukraine, albeit with shorter ranges. Russian forces have repeatedly fired ground-launched Iskander short-range ballistic missiles and the air-launched hypersonic Kinzhal missile, both of which are capable of carrying nuclear warheads.

Ukraine said it had intercepted six of the Russian missiles. It added that the ICBM had been launched from Russia’s southern Astrakhan region. It did not specify what kind of ICBM had been used.

Advertisement

Two people were injured in the attack, according to local authorities.

This is a developing story

Continue Reading

News

Sarah McBride: Republican speaker backs proposal to ban transgender women from women's restrooms in US Congress, Sarah McBride responds | World News – Times of India

Published

on

Sarah McBride: Republican speaker backs proposal to ban transgender women from women's restrooms in US Congress, Sarah McBride responds | World News – Times of India

After House Speaker Mike Johnson indicated support for Republic proposal preventing Trans Congresswoman elected from Delaware Sarah McBride from using women’s restrooms in the Capitol , McBride said that she will use the men’s restroom on Capitol Hill. In her statement, she said that she is not here to fight about bathrooms but to fight for Delawareans.
She added, “I’m not here to fight about bathrooms. I’m here to fight for Delawareans and to bring down costs facing families. Like all members, I will follow the rules as outlined by Speaker Johnson, even if I disagree with them.”

She further said, “This effort to distract from the real issues facing this country hasn’t distracted me over the last several days, as I’ve remained hard at work preparing to represent the greatest state in the union come January.”
She stated, “Serving in the 119th Congress will be the honor of a lifetime and I continue to look forward to getting to know my future colleagues on both sides of the aisle. Each of us were sent here because voters saw something in us that they value. I have loved getting to see those qualities in the future colleagues that I’ve met and I look forward to seeing those qualities in every member come January. I hope all of my colleagues will seek to do the same with me.”
House Speaker Mike Johnson indicated support on Tuesday for a Republican proposal to prevent Representative-elect Sarah McBride, the first transgender woman elected to Congress, from using women’s restrooms in the Capitol. This restriction would take effect when McBride assumes office next year.
“We’re not going to have men in women’s bathrooms,” Johnson told The Associated Press. “I’ve been consistent about that with anyone I’ve talked to about this.”
The proposal, introduced by Republican Representative Nancy Mace of South Carolina, aims to prohibit lawmakers and House employees from “using single-sex facilities other than those corresponding to their biological sex.” Mace confirmed that the bill specifically targets McBride, who recently won the election in Delaware.
Democrats, including McBride, criticized the Republican initiative, labeling it as “bullying” and a “distraction.”
“This is a blatant attempt from far right-wing extremists to distract from the fact that they have no real solutions to what Americans are facing,” McBride said. “We should be focused on bringing down the cost of housing, health care, and child care, not manufacturing culture wars.”
The debate surrounding bathroom access for transgender individuals has gained significant traction nationwide and was a key point in President-elect Donald Trump’s campaign. Currently, at least 11 states have enacted legislation barring transgender girls and women from using female restrooms in public schools and, in certain instances, other government facilities.
Despite potential challenges, Mace expressed her determination to proceed. “If it’s not,” she said. “I’ll be ready to pick up the mantle.”

Continue Reading
Advertisement

Trending