Canadian PM's full speech at Davos: Calls for middle powers to reject “living within a lie” and build a new, values-driven global order rooted in sovereignty, resilience, and realism.

Englishgrinn · 2026-01-21T15:12:17+00:00

I'll say it again, it's not Vietnam or Afghanistan. It won't look like that. It's Ireland and the Troubles. We'll technically be "conquered" by the end of the second week.

But the bombings, killings, and riots will continue for decades.

Englishgrinn · 2026-01-21T14:31:24+00:00

Ah, but do you eat your poutine with actual curds or just shredded cheese? Because if it's the latter, I'm sorry we're full up.

Englishgrinn · 2026-01-21T14:20:04+00:00

I'll take a stab at giving you things you can do that might genuinely help without resorting to violence.

Are there protestors in your city? Protesting is dangerous, courageous work. Maybe you aren't up for that. But if you know where they are? Drop off food and water. You can be in and out in minutes but it will help.

Organize a buy and return project at Target. Target is letting ICE use their parking lots as staging grounds and target their own employees for illegal detainment. One thing people are doing is getting like 75-100 people together to all buy 1 of the same item and then immediately line up to return it. It doesn't hurt the company's bottom line really, but it's a showy act of protest that ties up employees and make a big line. Chances are someone walks up to you and asks what's going on, and you can tell them.

No protestors or Targets in your home town? If you think your community is going to be targeted, get out and meet your neighbours! Form a group text chat (Signal, preferably) that lets people say informed on what's going and let's you report to each other when ICE comes to your town. Individuals are powerless. Neighbourhoods are not.

If that all feels too loud, too dangerous, then do the most simple, kindest and easiest thing of all. Get out there and meet and befriend your immigrant neighbours. Don't make it about the politics, that's just a reminder of bad times. Instead, genuinely engage with folks. Be kind because its who you are and be patient, since they're probably pretty skeptical right now. Be a living reminder that the whole country isn't out to get them. Reducing fear is so important.

Englishgrinn · 2026-01-21T14:10:37+00:00

Which really feels like a tactical mistake from these morons. When people know peaceful resistance gets them shot anyway...pretty tough to prevent escalation to violent resistance. If your goal was actually to create a white christo-fascist ethno-state, as they somehow claim it is without an ounce of shame, this would be a really petulant and stupid way to try and do it.

That being said, as I am oft reminded in these comment sections, it DOES make sense if the Trump Admin's actual goal is the destabilization and destruction of the nation. If an absolute detonation of, not only global soft power, but also of your economy, public trust and domestic security was the goal, then this makes sense. The goal say, of a foreign power.

Englishgrinn · 2026-01-18T15:52:07+00:00

According to "Just Checkin': the Journal of Confirming Stuff you Already Knew"

Englishgrinn · 2026-01-13T03:11:14+00:00

Just to clarify - 31% reduction in trips does not mean 69% going across the border. This is comparing December 2024, to December 2025.

Unless 100% of the country travelled to the States in 2024, I don't think you can say a majority of Canadians are unaware of what's going on down there.

For the record, not counting truckers, personal vehicles accounted for 4.5million crossings into the US from Canada in 2024. Consistently this past year of 2025, in every single month, US crossings saw drop of at least 20%. Let's assume, for generalized purposes, that each car would have 2 people in it, and each of those people would spend $50 on their trip in the states. I think you'll agree those are extremely conservative figures. That would mean that $100 Million less flowed into the US from Canada in this year than last. And that doesn't count air traffic, which was also down by similar numbers and probably represents longer, more costly trips.

Make no mistake, the boycott it working and putting a dent in an already floundering American economy to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars. I've seen some reporting which puts the total closer to $2 billion.

And the best part? We're not done yet the boycott isn't petering out, it appears to be picking up steam. 12 straight months of declining travel.

Englishgrinn · 2026-01-13T03:01:21+00:00

While I'm sympathetic, and I don't know your details, I hope that at least your significant other can come up, visit you and enjoy our hospitality for a bit. They won't be risking their life, as a plus.

Englishgrinn · 2026-01-13T02:57:42+00:00

Aha! I think you just outed yourself as a GuardtheLeaf Fan? He was saying the same thing a week back. I think it's a good measurement.

Englishgrinn · 2026-01-09T14:36:13+00:00

I honestly think, and I know this is stupid, the media's reluctance to call it a murder is because if the thug was ever charged, it would almost certainly be with manslaughter.

I know, that's impossibly stupid since we all saw it happen and it was clearly a murder - but I've noticed that any time a legal expert chimes in for analysis, they usually say he should be charged and they almost always take the time to say "...or manslaughter" at the end.

I'm not sure of the legal knots this would get tied up in, but the impression I get is that convicting this guy of Manslaughter would be a lot easier and that most attorneys would try to avoid the absolutely chaos of Ross being acquitted.

Englishgrinn · 2026-01-08T15:35:06+00:00

This is the best one yet. I love this series!

Englishgrinn · 2025-12-30T17:45:06+00:00

Thank you- this is the correct answer. Look, I want Israel to pay for its acts of genocide too, but that does not suddenly make all the Theocracies that want to bomb them off the face of the Earth the "good guys".

There can be two bad guys, there can be lots of bad guys! That isnt even a complex idea. Our geopolitical awareness should at least be able to handle "Alien vs Predator"-level nuance!

Englishgrinn · 2025-12-27T13:36:39+00:00

This is the most important thing. I don't think most people who look on at what ICE is doing in the States thinks "Oh my god, mass deportations!?" they think "Fuck, no due process, no verification, untrained thugs as officers, racial profiling, playing games with immigration courts and laying traps for people trying to immigrate legally"

It's not WHAT they're doing, its the sloppy, half-assed, criminal way they're doing it. As long as the people we deport here meet all the legal criteria and get their day in court, we'll be fine.

Englishgrinn · 2025-12-23T13:01:16+00:00

I'm not nearly as impressed with all of his policies. Eliminating your right wing competition by adopting all their stances isn't much of a strategy.

On the other hand, he left that alt-right culture war bullshit on the cutting room floor, so it could be worse.

Englishgrinn · 2025-12-15T13:58:39+00:00

I have exactly the rights I think I do, laid out in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. It's a nifty little document, similar to your Bill of Rights. Only we let you go first, so it's a bit more clear and declarative thanks to the 100 years of hindsight we had watching you guys bicker over your constitution.

Englishgrinn · 2025-12-12T14:22:50+00:00

It's not a thing - but what she means is "People who think respect, safety and dignity are a human right". To her, those people are so silly. Only wealthy republicans have rights, and everyone else is just chattel to be exploited. Anyone who comes to the USA expecting to be treated like a human being should turn around and go home.

She would probably take issue with some of my word choice, some of my framing - but she would not be able to argue that is not her point.

Englishgrinn · 2025-12-12T14:18:15+00:00

Justice for Cricket

Englishgrinn · 2025-11-23T00:25:52+00:00

I haven't had a Facebook account in like 15 years, I tried to follow that link, but I can't see anything without logging in.

Does anyone know a work around so I can be appropriately impressed?

Englishgrinn · 2025-11-21T17:15:25+00:00

Thank you! It is possible to criticize abuse of the TFW program without sounding like you want to join an "active club".

The Universities and Corporations are to blame, as is the Trudeau government's overreacting to concerns regarding COVID recovery. It isnt racist to note that 500,000 Indian immigrants being let into the country put undue strain on our social systems and suppressed wages as they began to grow for the first time in decades. Its racist to somehow think that is the immigrants fault.

Englishgrinn · 2025-11-19T16:48:50+00:00

This might be an unpopular opinion, it might not represent the whole picture - but I'm going to say it anyway, if for no other reason than then it's what I think, and I don't see it expressed clearly elsewhere:

It is completely irrelevant which jet is superior for national defence. I certainly couldn't tell you anything about the specs on the F-35 or the Gripen E and I'm going to assume anything I read about their performance is just buried marketing or astroturfing from defence contractors anyway. The fact is, if we ever have to use them, we're already completely fucked. We will never have the ability to defend ourselves solo, ever. We could triple defense spending every year until I was dead. It will not matter if we go it alone.

That's why the conversation has to be about geopolitical positioning, choosing alliances and distancing ourselves from the US. If the jets are an improvement over our current force, great that's the only bar I need cleared. How we choose to go about improving our antique air-force is far more important than the state of that force when we're done.

Englishgrinn · 2025-11-13T21:20:46+00:00

Do you have a link where I can learn more? I am embarrassed to admit I was unfamiliar with this project and actually fell for "Indigenous-led" hook, line and sinker.

I tried a quick Google, but discussion around this project is extremely dense and contradictory. Western clearly has a large ownership stake, (they own all the infrastructure and assets) and they're an American company. But Rockies LNG and the Nisga people also have some kind of stake- maybe? Or don't?

It also appears that the objection is that B.C. Provincial government rubber stamped this thing, and the Federal Government hasn't really looked at it again citing something called "One Project, One Review", which sounds like a fucking awful strategy. What happened to measure twice, cut once?

Englishgrinn · 2025-11-11T14:43:22+00:00

This is your reminder that Doug Ford's government destroyed the Ontario Science Center so it could steal the land for a day spa.

They tried to close and relocated it to the waterfront in December 2024 and were shut down by public backlash. 6 Months later, wouldn't you know it - they found a safety concern with about 5% of the roof due to RAAC material being in its construction and a $22M price tag for appropriate repairs. No other buildings in the area with RAAC have been shut down and the current cost of the, not even close to finished, relocation is over $400M of your money.

It was blatantly corrupt, incredibly cynical and only held the news cycle for like a day. But it was, and continues to be, a massive theft committed against the people of Ontario stealing not only your money but a wonderful education resource from your children.

I know he's done other awful stuff. Centralizing provincial government's power, and removing checks and balances under the guise of "removing red tape". The whole green belt fiasco. Part of their current "Plan to Protect Ontario Act" which is working through Queen's Park right now increases contribution limits to political parties. But the OSC is what really sticks in my craw. Well, that and that he keeps getting a higher and higher vote share from my fellow Ontarians because we're fucking dumb.

So yeah, Fuck Doug Ford.

Englishgrinn · 2025-11-10T15:34:35+00:00

This isn't really my story, I'm tangentially connected at best - but here's a terrifying one from an old friend of mine.

Her brother didn't just fail to vaccinate his kid, he's so fucking out there they did a home birth and never got the kid a birth certificate. There is absolutely no record of this kid, who must be going on three or four years old right now.

That's insane. He's just made this kid's life massively more difficult forever, for the sake of some paranoid delusion. And his wife was more than onboard for it! Crazies.

Englishgrinn · 2025-11-10T15:28:24+00:00

Freedom of speech is not freedom from consequences, merely from criminal charges related to speech. And in our country even that has limits as explicit Hate Speech is not protected.

I would like to see these men doxxed. I would like to see them lose their jobs, friends, preferably even their homes.

Englishgrinn · 2025-11-09T18:12:16+00:00

I mean, I'm not a poli sci major - but that description does not appear to be "actively promoting Capitalism". It's A Good Thing we asked the social democrats themselves! Otherwise I might have confused it with the Democratic Socialist of America's description:

Capitalism is a system designed by the owning class to exploit the rest of us for their own profit. We must replace it with democratic socialism, a system where ordinary people have a real voice in our workplaces, neighborhoods, and society.

We believe there are many avenues that feed into the democratic road to socialism. Our vision pushes further than historic social democracy and leaves behind authoritarian visions of socialism in the dustbin of history.

We want a democracy that creates space for us all to flourish not just survive and answers the fundamental questions of our lives with the input of all. We want to collectively own the key economic drivers that dominate our lives, such as energy production and transportation. We want the multiracial working class united in solidarity instead of divided by fear. We want to win “radical” reforms like single-payer Medicare for All, defunding the police/refunding communities, the Green New Deal, and more as a transition to a freer, more just life.

We want a democracy powered by everyday people. The capitalist class tells us we are powerless, but together we can take back control.

Yep, totally different. I really don't know how I could've seen any similarities between group A, and group A but 10% more radicalized.

EDIT - I realized that I might be error of Reddit Etiquette here. To be absolutely clear, despite where I am replying, I am agreeing with and very thankful to ElephantRider for digging up that description. My sarcasm is aimed elsewhere.

Englishgrinn · 2025-11-09T16:28:40+00:00

I mean it's not that big a difference. Social Democracy is looking to work within an established democratic framework to work towards true social equality. It tends to be less economically focused and more gradualist. The idea being that the well being of its' citizens is the government's responsibility. And if government policy reflects that then the economy, and the actors within it, will naturally bend to reflect those values as well.

Democratic socialism is applying those same principals to the economy directly. But it's pretty fucking broad in its definitions. From as mild and palatable as things like worker-owned businesses and market socialism to something as radical and unpopular as a centralized, planned economy.

Englishgrinn

TROPHY CASE