/qresearch/ -  Q Research

Tory MP Gladu crosses floor to join Liberals

https://www.westernstandard.news/news/breaking-tory-mp-gladu-crosses-floor-to-join-liberals/72527

Marilyn Gladu has crossed the floor to join the Liberal Party of Canada, becoming the latest opposition member to enter Prime Minister Mark Carney’s governing caucus.

In a statement released by the Liberals on Wednesday, the longtime Conservative MP said her decision followed a year of economic uncertainty and feedback from constituents calling for “serious leadership” and a plan to strengthen Canada’s economy.

Gladu, who has represented the southwestern Ontario riding for more than a decade, said joining the government would better position her to advocate for local priorities and contribute to national economic goals, including job creation, trade diversification and housing construction.

Her move marks the third recent floor crossing to the Liberals, following similar decisions by Michael Ma and Matt Jeneroux, both of whom left the Conservative caucus earlier in the current Parliament.

The move brings the Liberal caucus to 171 seats, one short of the 172 required for a majority in the House of Commons. Continue…

Champagne admits role in Quebec high-speed rail despite conflict claims

https://www.westernstandard.news/news/champagne-admits-role-in-quebec-high-speed-rail-despite-conflict-claims/72529

Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne is facing renewed scrutiny after acknowledging to senators that he played a hands-on role in advancing a proposed high-speed rail project in Québec, despite earlier claims he had recused himself over a potential conflict of interest tied to his wife’s employment.

Blacklock's Reporter says testifying before a Senate committee on March 10, Champagne described years of advocacy to ensure the rail line would include a stop in Trois-Rivières, calling it a top regional priority dating back to his first election in 2015.

He went further, telling senators “we got the train through Trois-Rivières,” portraying the development as a significant win for the Mauricie and Centre-du-Québec regions.

The remarks appear to contradict assertions from Champagne’s office that he had no involvement in matters related to Alto Corp., the Crown agency behind the proposed $90 billion rail project, after his wife, Anne-Marie Gaudet, took a senior role there. Continue…

Carney defends minister's connection to rail project as Tories call for investigation

https://nationalpost.com/news/politics/carney-defends-ministers-connection-to-rail-project-as-tories-call-for-investigation

Prime Minister Mark Carney dismissed concerns on Tuesday about his finance minister’s “personal connection” to the government’s high-speed train project, but the Conservative opposition are now calling for an investigation by Canada’s ethics commissioner.

Speaking at an event in Brampton, Ont., to announce housing investments, Carney said François-Philippe Champagne followed all the rules when his spouse was hired as a senior executive at Alto, the organization managing the government’s plan to build high-speed rail between Toronto and Quebec City.

“This is a good situation, because we have the partner who can pursue her career,” Carney told reporters, while “the minister of finance can do his responsibilities.”

Carney also said that Canada’s ethics system needs to allow spouses and other family members to have careers. Continue…

Alberta rebukes $3.8 billion federal nature strategy

https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/alberta-rebukes-federal-nature-strategy

Alberta is not happy about a newly announced federal nature strategy, saying it will impose burdensome and unconstitutional land-use restrictions on the province.

Alberta Environment Minister Grant Hunter said on Tuesday that he was concerned by Prime Minister Mark Carney’s sweeping pledge to protect at least 1.6 million square kilometres of land over the next four years, bringing Canada in line with a United Nations-backed push to designate 30 per cent of Earth’s land as protected areas by 2030.

Hunter said the federal initiative could threaten Alberta’s economy by imposing overly stringent federal conservation conditions on lands that are already protected by the province, making such lands off limits to sustainable agriculture and other productive activities.

“Federal reporting measures do not capture the full picture, focusing on narrow definitions of protected land while excluding broader actively managed landscapes and only recognizing lands permanently dedicated to biodiversity conservation,” wrote Hunter in a statement.

Carney said in an announcement near Gatineau Park last week that he was launching a $3.8-billion national strategy to protect nature and biodiversity. The plan would more than double protected lands from 14 per cent to 30 per cent by 2030 and create at least 10 new national parks. Continue…

BREAKING: 'Ketamine Queen' Jasveen Sangha sentenced to 15 years in prison for Matthew Perry overdose death

https://thepostmillennial.com/breaking-ketamine-queen-jasveen-sangha-sentenced-to-15-years-in-prison-for-matthew-perry-overdose-death

A Los Angeles federal judge on Wednesday sentenced Jasveen Sangha to 15 years in prison for providing the drug that killed famous Hollywood actor Matthew Perry.

Sangha, known as the "Ketamine Queen," pleaded guilty last year to charges including one count of maintaining a drug-involved premises, three counts of distribution of ketamine, and one count of distribution of ketamine resulting in death or serious bodily injury. She has been held in custody since her August 2024 arrest, ABC News reported.

Perry, a star in the hit sitcom "Friends," was found dead from a drug overdose at his Los Angeles home in October 2023. He died at the age of 54.

Sangha, the first of five defendants to be sentenced, operated a "high-volume drug trafficking business out of her North Hollywood residence" from 2019 until her arrest, prosecutors said in a sentencing memorandum, which stated that she continued selling the "dangerous drugs" after learning about Perry's death. This included ketamine and methamphetamine, which Sangha stored, packaged, and distributed from her home.

Court filings state that Sangha showed little remorse for her actions, as detailed in recorded jail communications, where she discussed wanting to obtain "trademarks" and "securing book rights on the events of the case." Prosecutors asked the judge to impose a significant jail sentence.

"She didn't care and kept selling," prosecutors told the Court. "Defendant's actions show a cold callousness and disregard for life. She chose profits over people, and her actions have caused immense pain to the victims' families and loved ones," adding that Sangha "had the opportunity to stop after realizing the impact of her dealing - but simply chose not to."

Sangha's drug supply also resulted in the 2019 death of Los Angeles resident Cody McLaury, who died just hours after Sangha sold him several vials of ketamine, prosecutors said.

Toronto man not criminally responsible for killing his grandmother is free despite psychiatrist's warning

https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/toronto-man-found-not-criminally-responsible-for-killing-grandmother-gets-absolute-discharge

A Toronto man found not criminally responsible six years ago for killing his grandmother and trying to kill a health-care worker has been granted an absolute discharge by the Ontario Review Board, despite his psychiatrist’s reservations about his patient’s ability to manage his condition and his future plans to attend law school.

A judge found in April 2020 that Michael Colatosti suffered from a “major mental illness” and did not know right from wrong when he killed Elena Marcucci, 84, and repeatedly stabbed Osayuki Erhabor on Aug. 18, 2018.

While his psychiatrist, Ontario’s Attorney General and the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) agreed he should get a conditional discharge and continue to be monitored to make sure he is abstaining from drugs, the review board disagreed.

“The members of the panel unanimously agree that we are unable to make a finding that Mr. Colatosti remains a significant threat to the safety of the public. Accordingly, the board orders that Mr. Colatosti be absolutely discharged,” said a recent decision from the Ontario Review Board (ORB), an independent tribunal that regularly reviews the status of individuals found not criminally responsible (NCR) due to mental disorder.

Colatosti “does not deal well with stress, often responding with anger and blaming others,” his psychiatrist told the review board. Continue…

Revival? Massive Number of Churches See Explosive 38 Percent Surge in Conversions at Easter Services (Videos)

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2026/04/revival-massive-number-churches-see-explosive-38-percent/

Roman Catholic dioceses across America saw a 38 percent increase in people attending church at Easter this year, compared to last, a sign that revival is breaking out.

The finding is consistent with recent polling showing a noticeable rise in people indicating that they’ve made a personal commitment to Jesus Christ.

The prayer app Hallow said in a news release that new original data it has compiled regarding the Roman Catholic Church showed a “significant rise in catechumens and candidates across the United States in 2026.”

“Based on data compiled exclusively by Hallow from more than 140 of the 175 U.S. dioceses (more than 80%), dioceses are experiencing a 38% annual increase on average in individuals entering the Church through the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA),” the release said. Continue…

POWDER KEG EUROPE: Russian Warship Escorts Sanctioned Tankers Across the English Channel, In Complete Defiance of Starmer’s Threats and the Royal Navy

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2026/04/powder-keg-europe-russian-warship-escorts-sanctioned-tankers/

‘Rule, Britannia, Britannia rule the waves’ was once the national chant – but not anymore.

While the conflict in Iran is dominating the news cycle, in Europe, the Globalists are hard at work trying to enforce their myriads of sanctions against Russia, notably against what is called its ‘Shadow Fleet’.

When it comes to the United Kingdom, its failing Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who is ‘no Winston Churchill’, according to Donald J. Trump, has threatened to seize ‘Shadow Fleet’ tankers passing in their territorial waters.

Apparently, Starmer forgot that Moscow does get a say in the matter, so it arose today that a Russian warship has escorted sanctioned vessels through the English Channel. Continue…

Venezuelan Oil Surges Back Into U.S. as Chevron Ramps Up Massive Imports

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2026/04/venezuelan-oil-surges-back-u-s-as-chevron/

Chevron is importing approximately 250,000 barrels of Venezuelan crude oil per day into the United States, according to company officials.

The increase follows recent developments in Venezuela after the recent capture and extradition of socialist dictator Nicolás Maduro from his palace in Caracas.

The country’s new leadership is now cooperating with the U.S. on a variety of matters, including the opening up of its oil markets.

Andy Walz, president of downstream, midstream, and chemicals at Chevron, confirmed the scale of imports in an interview with the BBC.

Tankers are now arriving regularly at U.S. ports, including a recent shipment of 400,000 barrels delivered to the Gulf Coast.

Venezuela has the largest proven oil reserves in the world, but production has declined significantly over the past two decades. Continue…

Investigation Reveals Who Is the British Computer Scientist Believed To Be Bitcoin’s Secret Inventor Satoshi Nakamoto

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2026/04/investigation-reveals-who-is-british-computer-scientist-believed/

A ‘whodunit’ for the cyber age.

For nearly two decades, the world lived with a mystery regarding the creation of one of the most widespread assets in the world’s economy.

A cybercurrency, Bitcoin.

During this time, endless theories have arisen about the real identity of the secret inventor who hides under the name Satoshi Nakamoto.

Some are really out there, like Satoshi Nakamoto is a time traveler, or else an advanced artificial intelligence (AI) from the future; that he is an extraterrestrial alien, or the Antichrist.

Some say Satoshi is actually Jeffrey Epstein, or Steve Jobs, Elon Musk, or Jack Dorsey.

Some are certain that Bitcoin was created by the NSA or CIA.

Others say it is a creation by the Illuminati (or ‘the Jews’), or else by Chinese government operatives, or even a rogue group of US government cryptographers.

Now, after a long investigation by the press, a British computer scientist has been named as the possible inventor of Bitcoin. Continue…

Ninth Scientist Linked to U.S. Secrets Confirmed Dead Under Highly Suspicious Circumstances — Disturbing Pattern of Deaths and Disappearances Among U.S. Space Program Experts Raises Alarming Questions

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2026/04/ninth-scientist-linked-u-s-secrets-confirmed-dead/

A troubling pattern is once again drawing renewed scrutiny after the death of yet another scientist tied to America’s most sensitive space and defense programs.

Michael David Hicks, a longtime research scientist at NASA’s prestigious Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), died on July 30, 2023, at just 59 years old, according to the Daily Mail.

Hicks was known in scientific circles for his work connected to advanced research initiatives, many of which intersect with highly classified aerospace and defense projects.

But nearly three years later, basic questions surrounding his death remain unanswered.

According to available records, the cause of Hicks’ death has never been publicly disclosed. Even more alarming, there appears to be no publicly available record indicating that an autopsy was ever conducted

The Daily Mail reported: Continue…

"Build Geothermal At Scale": Fervo Energy Locks In 1.7 GW Turbine Supply Deal With Turboden

https://www.zerohedge.com/energy/fervo-energy-locks-17-gw-geothermal-turbine-supply-deal-turboden

Fervo Energy and Turboden, part of the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Group, announced a three-year framework agreement to supply Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) turbines for up to 35 of Fervo’s standardized 50 MW GeoBlocks. The deal totals 1.7 gigawatts of carbon-free, dispatchable baseload power, marking a major step toward scaling next-generation geothermal across the United States.

The agreement builds directly on an earlier pact covering three GeoBlocks at Fervo’s Cape Station project in Utah, where Phase I commissioning is now in advanced stages with startup expected later this year. By locking in supply chain capacity and shortening lead times for Turboden’s proprietary ORC technology, the framework strengthens domestic manufacturing resilience and accelerates project timelines at a moment when U.S. power demand is surging from data centers and AI infrastructure.

ORC units efficiently convert geothermal heat into electricity, delivering the firm 24/7 power that intermittent renewables struggle to match. Fervo CEO Tim Latimer called the collaboration with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries a key move to “strengthen the supply chain needed to build geothermal at scale.” Continue…

House Democrats Threaten Contempt For Bondi If She Doesn't Testify In Epstein Probe

https://www.zerohedge.com/political/house-democrats-threaten-contempt-bondi-if-she-doesnt-testify-epstein-probe

Democrats on the House Oversight Committee on April 8 threatened to file contempt of Congress charges against former Attorney General Pam Bondi if she doesn’t testify before the House as part of its ongoing investigation into deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Continue…

Artemis II Astronauts Prepare For Re-Entry, Splashdown

https://www.zerohedge.com/technology/artemis-ii-astronauts-prepare-re-entry-splashdown

When Artemis II crew members wake up at 11:35 a.m. ET on April 9, they will begin their last full day in space and start preparing the cabin for their return home.

NASA’s Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen of the Canadian Space Agency, continue to fall back to Earth on a free return trajectory aboard their Orion spacecraft, Integrity, targeting a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean at about 8:05 p.m. ET on April 10. Continue…

Federal Appeals Court Allows Pentagon To Designate Anthropic As A Supply-Chain Risk

https://www.zerohedge.com/political/federal-appeals-court-allows-pentagon-designate-anthropic-supply-chain-risk

In a significant development for the intersection of artificial intelligence policy and national security, a federal appeals court in Washington ruled on April 8 that the Department of War may designate Anthropic as a supply-chain risk while a full judicial review plays out. The decision came after the AI company sought an emergency stay to block the controversial designation. Continue…

Meteorologists Warn About Super El Nino Event

https://www.zerohedge.com/weather/meteorologists-warn-about-super-el-nino-event

Weather forecasters are sounding the alarm about what could become a "super" El Niño event, potentially one of the strongest on record.

"Strongest El Niño on record this year?!" meteorologist Ben Noll wrote on X. Noll said the latest ECMWF outlook indicates a 75% chance of a super El Niño by October, with "some scenarios suggesting the most intense event in more than a century."

Strongest El Niño on record this year?! Continue…

Will Europe Have Its Own FBI? Polish MEP Sounds Alarm Over EU's Planned Expansion Of Powers For Europol

https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/will-europe-have-its-own-fbi-polish-mep-sounds-alarm-over-eus-planned-expansion-powers

Polish Law and Justice (PiS) MEP Mariusz Kamiński raises alarm about the European Commission’s plans to change Europol’s operations, warning that “the European Commission is quietly building EU law enforcement agencies,” reports Do Rzeczy. There are now fears that Europe could have its own FBI, with vastly expanded and centralized powers.

“The European Public Prosecutor’s Office has already been established, and now the European Commission wants to turn Europol into a ‘truly operational EU police agency.’ This means that citizens of member states will be able to become the target of investigations and operational activities of European law enforcement agencies, bypassing national authorities. This would be a real ‘milestone’ in the construction of a centralized European state. A very dangerous situation!” wrote the former interior and administration minister on X.

Kamiński sent a letter to the European Commission questioning the activities described and defending Europol as it stands. Continue…

Liberals Advance Bill That Could Criminalize Quoting The Bible As Hate Speech

https://www.zerohedge.com/political/liberals-advance-bill-could-criminalize-quoting-bible-hate-speech

Canada is barreling toward a chilling new reality where quoting certain Bible passages could be treated as a criminal hate speech offense.

Bill C-9, the so-called Combatting Hate Act, cleared the House of Commons on March 25 and now moves to the Senate.

Critics say the legislation guts a decades-old legal safeguard that protected sincere religious expression, handing prosecutors new tools to target Christians and other believers who dare reference holy texts on topics like sexuality. Continue…

China Produces "Baby Shahed" Kamikaze Drones For $500

https://www.zerohedge.com/military/china-produces-baby-shahed-kamikaze-drones-500

China's manufacturing base is now churning out short-range, low-cost kamikaze drones priced at under $500 per unit, which X user PLA Military Updates has described as "Baby Shahed" drones.

According to the post, the so-called Baby Shahed costs around 3,000 yuan (about $450), has a range of 20 to 30 kilometers, flies at roughly 200 kilometers per hour, and can be launched by hand or from a rack. These drones could even be launched from a box truck or shipping containers. Continue…

Europe and Friends Claim to ‘Contribute’ to Securing Strait of Hormuz with Few Details

https://www.breitbart.com/europe/2026/04/09/global-nations-want-to-contribute-to-securing-strait-of-hormuz-but-remain-firmly-at-the-talks-stage/

A group of 15 nations including the UK, France, and Japan put their name to a document welcoming the Iran ceasefire and promising to “contribute” to securing the Persian Gulf, offering few specifics on how they will do so. Continue…

Norway helping Ukraine prepare attacks on Russian commercial vessels – TASS

https://www.rt.com/news/637855-norway-ukraine-drone-attacks/

Norway is assisting Ukraine with preparing “terrorist attacks” on Russian commercial vessels in the Barents and Norwegian seas, TASS has reported, citing a defense source.

Around 50 Ukrainian drone operators have already arrived in the NATO country and begun their training, the agency said in an article on Thursday.

According to the source, they are “practicing the use of submerged and surface unmanned systems in the Norwegian Sea in cold conditions together with experts of the Norwegian Navy’s special operations command.”

The plan by Kiev and Oslo is to target ships heading in and out of Murmansk, which is Russia’s largest Arctic port, located in the north-west of the country, a source told TASS.

“The Norwegian leadership’s assistance to the Kiev regime’s terrorist activities and the provision of its territory for preparation and execution of sabotage at sea directly draws Norway and the entire NATO bloc into a military conflict with Russia,” the source stressed. Continue…

Angola floods leave dozens dead

https://www.rt.com/africa/637826-angola-floods-leave-dozens-dead/

The death toll from heavy rains and flooding in Angola has risen to 42, with casualties reported across several provinces following last weekend’s downpours, Televisao Publica de Angola (TPA) reported on Tuesday, citing official data.

Most victims were recorded in Benguela, the authorities said, while fatalities were also confirmed in Luanda, Cuanza Sul, and Malanje. Officials are continuing to assess the full scale of the damage.

The storms caused significant damage to housing and infrastructure, including fallen trees, flooding from overflowed retention basins and landslides. Nearly 685 infrastructure facilities were affected, while dozens of families were left in vulnerable conditions.

“In total, 55 families were affected, corresponding to approximately 275 people in a vulnerable situation, due to the collapse of homes mostly built with local materials,” Angola’s Civil Protection and Fire Department stated. The authorities reported the rains lasted from April 2 to April 6. Continue…

Canada sees surge in people joining Catholic Church

https://thepostmillennial.com/canada-sees-surge-in-people-joining-catholic-church

Calgary’s St. Bonaventure Parish welcomed 27 new members into the Catholic Church this past Saturday, setting a new record for confirmations through the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA). The increase reflects a broader trend, as the Roman Catholic Diocese of Calgary has reported a 50 percent rise in people seeking to join the church since the Covid pandemic.

Brian Trafford, an RCIA instructor and convert, told Global News the surge is noticeable. “We set a record last year in the number of people coming in and we broke that record again this year,” he said. “We’re already hearing that for next year, the class might even be bigger.” Trafford noted that both couples and recent immigrants are key drivers behind the uptick. “We’ve had a fair number of immigrants coming in, probably having their first chance to hear the gospel, meet folks who are Christian themselves and as a result, saying to themselves, I like what they have, I want some of that — and so they end up coming in, maybe out of curiosity, but they end up staying.”

Michael Macleod, another convert, described reconnecting with Catholicism as coming “home.” He had been baptized but spent much of his life attending Protestant churches. “(I) decided more recently because of the richness of the Catholic traditions, the intellectual tradition, the sacred tradition, that I felt I needed to come home, in a way, and be part of this movement,” Macleod said. “There wasn’t one epiphany, but there was a series of convictions… I needed to be home somewhere, and this felt like home.”

Macleod added that the shared faith strengthened his marriage. “We talk about things and we’re agreeing on things, spiritual things, like never before. And I think it’s an opportunity to be honest and open with each other and feel like we’re contributing as part of a family,” he said. He also said his renewed faith motivates him to volunteer and engage in community work: “I just come at this from a perspective of faith and a perspective being grounded that I haven’t experienced before.”

Bishop William McGrattan of Calgary said the increase in confirmations spans age groups and backgrounds. “We have people who are coming from other faiths, Eastern religions, also those who are later in life, even at age 60 or 70… When you talk to some of our young people, university students, young professionals, seeking purpose, meaning, seeing some of the traditions of the church, desiring a spirituality and a relationship with God — others, it has taken years and it’s sometimes been the example of a family member, a spouse,” he said.

UPDATED: Musk says 'Canada is cooked' — Alberta independence advocates seize the moment (Video)

https://www.westernstandard.news/news/musk-says-canada-is-cooked-alberta-independence-advocates-seize-the-moment/72560

The world’s richest man has entered the ring of Canadian political debate — and more specifically, into growing calls for Alberta independence.

Elon Musk sparked a wave of online reaction late Monday after responding to a viral Canadian political clip with a blunt assessment: “Canada is cooked.”

A video of NDP MP Leah Gazan went viral on social media as she condemned Mark Carney’s Liberal government and Budget 2026 for cutting $7 billion from Indigenous Services Canada and Crown Indigenous Relations.

“They provided zero dollars to deal with the ongoing genocide of MMIWG2SLGBTQQIA+,” Gazan said.

“This is abhorrent. This is callous because the very Liberal government that has stripped organizations of life-sustaining funding has now committed $13 billion to military spending.”

The video quickly gained traction online, drawing commentary from prominent US figures such as conservative commentator Matt Walsh, who mocked the terminology used by Gazan.

“MMIWG2SLGBTQQIA+ means ‘Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Questioning, Intersex, and Asexual,’” Walsh tweeted.

“Apparently they’ve added murdered people into the LGBT community. Murdered is now a queer identity. This is the kind of innovation we get from Canada.”

Musk then entered the conversation, replying to the clip with a short post that has since amassed 39 million views.

Alberta political activist and independence advocate David Parker responded directly to Musk, writing that “Alberta independence is the only way to save what we have left.”

Musk simply replied, “Yeah.”

That response quickly ignited discussion among independence supporters, some of whom urged Musk to lend his influence to the movement.

“Elon, help us however you can, brother. This is it — we form the new republic or Canada is done,” political commentator Yukon Strong said.

“Let’s hope October 20 is the last time we have to worry about the Liberal uniparty,” said independence advocate David Robinson.

At the same time, Musk’s comment also raised concerns among some users about potential political fallout from Ottawa.

Several suggested his endorsement could intensify scrutiny of X in Canada, particularly amid ongoing debates over federal online regulation such as the Online Harms Act.

“I suspect the Canadian government may try extra hard to squash X in Canada now,” one X user wrote.

“They will almost certainly find a way to ban Elon from Canada for this one-word reply,” said another.

Alberta NDP leader Naheed Nenshi took to X on Tuesday morning, speaking out against Musk's message.

"I'm ready to fight like hell for this country, and against anyone trying to tear it apart," Nenshi said.

"The richest man in the world wants Canada to become the 51st state and is now amplifying Alberta separatism."

He also added that Albertans deserved to know who was funding the independence movement.

On Monday, the National Post reported a Pollara poll showed as many as 42% of those surveyed would vote for Alberta independence.

That number comes as Stay Free Alberta, the organization behind the independence petition, recently announced it had surpassed the signature threshold required under Alberta’s Citizen Initiative Act.

Suspect Arrested in Shooting Incident Targeting Jewish Business in Toronto

https://www.theepochtimes.com/world/suspect-arrested-in-shooting-incident-targeting-jewish-business-in-toronto-6009628?ea_src=ca-frontpage&ea_med=section-1

Toronto police have charged a 35-year-old Brampton man with firearms offences after a shooting incident that police say targeted a Jewish-owned business in the city over the weekend.

Police responded to reports of gunshots near Avenue Road and Brooke Avenue in north Toronto at about 1:28 a.m. on April 3, according to a police report. A suspect was seen fleeing the scene in a dark-coloured SUV. No injuries were reported.

A Jewish-owned restaurant was targeted in the incident, police said at an April 8 news conference.

Two days after the incident, police executed a search warrant in Brampton, where a suspect was apprehended, the report says. Officers from the Integrated Gun and Gang Task Force, with support from the Hate Crime Unit and the Service’s Counter Terrorism Security Unit, were involved in the arrest.

Mohamed Mahdi, 35, of Brampton, has been charged with discharge of a restricted firearm or prohibited firearm, possession of a loaded prohibited or restricted firearm, unauthorized possession of a firearm, and unauthorized possession of a firearm in a motor vehicle, according to a police news release.

Superintendent Ryan Forde of Organized Crime Enforcement said at the news conference that the shooting was the second incident targeting the restaurant owner. He added that police were already in the area at the time of the incident as part of efforts to protect the city’s Jewish community. Continue…

Ex-Commercial Pilot Pleads Guilty in BC Plane Hijacking Case

https://www.theepochtimes.com/world/ex-commercial-pilot-pleads-guilty-in-bc-plane-hijacking-case-6009823?ea_src=ca-frontpage&ea_med=section-1

A B.C. man who declared himself a “messenger of Allah” has pleaded guilty to two terrorism charges for the theft of a small aircraft from the Vancouver airport last summer that triggered a security alert and prompted Norad to deploy fighter jets.

Shaheer Cassim pleaded guilty in a Richmond, B.C., court this week on charges of hijacking an aircraft and disrupting operations at Vancouver International Airport, the Public Prosecution Services of Canada has announced.

The charges “also constitute terrorist activities,” under the Criminal Code, the federal prosecutor said.

Cassim was detained at Vancouver International Airport (YVR) on July 15, 2025, following a threat made against a flight instructor, during which the instructor’s Cessna 172 was commandeered from the Victoria Flying Club in Sidney, B.C., and flown to Vancouver.

Landings at the Vancouver airport were suspended for 39 minutes, resulting in the diversion of nine aircraft while Cassim piloted the Cessna in low-altitude circles above YVR.

North American Aerospace Defence Command (Norad) scrambled F-15 fighter jets in response to the security incident, but Cassim, a former commercial pilot, landed the plane safely on a runway at the airport before the jets could arrive on scene. Continue…

Ringleader of $22M Toronto airport gold heist gets four years in prison for his spectacularly simple plan

https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/arsalan-chaudhary-sentenced-toronto-pearson-airport-gold-heist

The ringleader of the spectacular Toronto Pearson Airport gold heist that made off with more than $22 million in gold and cash that had just arrived on a flight from Switzerland has been sentenced to four years for his daring snatch.

Arsalan Chaudhary, a 43-year-old man formerly of Mississauga, Ont., had already pleaded guilty for orchestrating the shockingly simple heist and was sentenced Wednesday afternoon in a Brampton, Ont., courtroom, with his parents and sister there to support him.

haudhary’s lawyer, Harval Bassi, asked for a four-year sentence minus time his client has spent in pretrial custody, while the Crown prosecutor, Jelena Vlacic, asked for seven years. Judge Shannon McPherson of the Ontario Court of Justice accepted four years minus 174 days (on a two-for-one basis) that Chaudhary spent in custody prior to sentencing.

He was also ordered to pay $22 million in restitution to Brink’s, an international secure transit company who was moving the cargo on behalf of two clients, the TD Bank in Toronto and a foreign exchange in Vancouver.

It’s a quirk of Canadian law that the sixth largest gold theft in modern history and the largest ever in Canada brings a charge of theft over $5,000, to which Chaudhary pleaded guilty to. In return, his other charges — two counts of possession of property obtained by crime, and conspiracy to commit an indictable offence — were dropped.

The shipping container filled with almost-pure gold bars weighing 400.19 kilograms was stolen from an Air Canada cargo facility shortly after arriving on an Air Canada flight from Zurich, Switzerland, on April 17, 2023.

Even though the load was valued at $22.5 million, a driver showed up, presented an Air Canada waybill for a shipment of seafood that had already been picked up the day before, and have an Air Canada employee whirl the high-value container onto his truck by forklift.

The snatch was so smooth it wasn’t noticed until three hours later, when Brink’s security personnel arrived to collect the valuable container and Air Canada employees couldn’t find it.

Court earlier heard that Chaudhary spoke with the driver of the truck 50 times in the days leading to the heist. Continue…

Pakistani man who came to Canada on a student visa pleads guilty to plotting to kill Jewish people in the U.S.

https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/pakistani-man-who-came-to-canada-on-a-student-visa-pleads-guilty-to-plotting-to-kill-jewish-people-in-the-u-s

A former international student in Canada has pleaded guilty to a terrorism charge Wednesday, telling the court it was a “morally reprehensible idea” to support the Islamic State group by plotting to use automatic weapons to kill Jewish people at a Brooklyn centre.

Muhammad Shahzeb Khan, 21, said he answered the group’s call for Muslims to kill Jewish people by plotting to attack the Jewish centre in October 2024.

He entered the plea in Manhattan federal court over 18 months after he was brought to the United States from Canada, where he was arrested on Sept. 4, 2024, in or near Ormstown, Canada, which is 12 miles from the U.S. border.

In a release, Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg said Khan planned a mass shooting to coincide with the anniversary of the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attacks “with the explicit goal of killing as many Jews as possible.”

Eisenberg said Khan, also known as “Shahzeb Jadoon,” had boasted that he would carry out the largest attack on U.S. soil since the Sept. 11 attacks.

Khan told Judge Paul G. Gardephe as he pleaded guilty to a single charge of trying to commit acts of terrorism transcending national boundaries that he was going to cross the border from Canada to the United States in September 2024 with “the intention of killing Jewish people in Brooklyn.” Continue…

‘Anti-hate’ network leader named to Canadian gov’t advisory panel for online safety

https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/anti-hate-network-leader-named-to-canadian-govt-advisory-panel-for-online-safety/

The leader of Canada’s so-called “Anti-Hate Network” has been named to the government’s “Expert Advisory Group on Online Safety.”

Recently, the Liberal government said it was reconvening its advisory group, which includes Bernie Farber of the Canadian Anti-Hate Network (CAHN).

This panel will be tasked with guiding the government on policy related to so-called “online harms.”

Farber was named to the same panel in 2022 that went silent after Bill C-63, the Online Harms Act, died in January 2025.

The new panel is stacked with academics and activists who want more censorship on digital platforms.

The government said the panel’s findings will “subsequently go on to inform ongoing legislative work in various aspects of online safety.”

Years ago, Farber made media headlines for falsely posting a photo on Twitter of an anti-Semitic flyer that he claimed was found “in plain sight” during Ottawa’s Freedom Convoy.

Despite this, Farber was appointed to the original 2022 “expert advisory group on online safety” by former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government. Continue…

Putin announces Easter ceasefire

The pause in the fighting will last from 16:00 (Moscow time) on Saturday through Sunday, according to the Kremlin

https://www.rt.com/russia/637881-putin-easter-ceasefire-ukraine/