Hungary's New Border-Hunters: A Response to the Ongoing Migrant Crisis

Border security at Hungary's southern border with Serbia. Photo: About Hungary Blog/The Trojan horse in
Europe’s borderless Schengen zone

Border security is a relatively new label to my blog, but an ever growing, important subject that I will be blogging about and for good reason: the failure to secure borders, coupled with significant increases in migrant flows brings with it the increased risks to national safety, and potentially threatens identity, heritage, and culture.

If there is one country at the forefront demonstrating the kind of leadership and understanding of how to thoroughly deal with border security, Hungary is definitely that country!

Hungary has successfully responded to the European migrant crisis, that peaked in 2015, with the building of it's border fences and the placement of security personnel at its border, in particular at its southern border with Serbia. The result has in effect sealed Hungary from the waves of so-called "refugees" who seek to travel through Hungary as an extension of the Balkan-route to other parts of Europe.

To put Hungary's border concerns into perspective, Zoltán Kovács, the Government Spokesman, Cabinet Office of the Prime Minister, recently stated in an article, Europe is facing a migrant crisis, not a refugee crisis, from the About Hungary web site that, "Last year alone, 1.2 million people arrived in Europe, and most of them did not come from Syria. The Hungarian authorities have registered immigrants from 104 countries. This also indicates the fact that we are talking about ‘mass migration at an intercontinental level’, and should proceed accordingly."

If you don't consider Kovács's statement cause for concern, perhaps the standard warning announced from speakers at the Hungarian border will convince you of the importance and gravity of Hungary's border issues, "Attention, attention. I am warning you that you are at the Hungarian border. If you damage the fence, cross illegally, or attempt to cross, it is counted to be a crime in Hungary."

Hungary continues to improve upon its border security with the building of a second fence and the training of 3,000 new "border-hunters": specially trained border guards, 462 of whom have recently been sworn in by Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's Speech Swearing in New Border-Hunters

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's speeches are well written, delivered, and are sure to impress anyone who reads or listens to them. The speech he gave on March 7, the ceremonial swearing in of the new border-hunters, is certainly no exception. It truly is an inspiring speech that reveals much about the Hungarian spirit, and about the man himself, who has clearly demonstrated that he takes the responsibility of securing and protecting the people of Hungary seriously; a primary responsibility of all leaders of government.

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán with new border-hunters. Photo: Reuters/Laszlo Balogh via Public Radio International (PRI)/Hungary's Trump-supporting leader will deploy 'border hunters' and refugee detention containers

Orbán could not have began his speech better when he referred to the new border-hunters as "compatriots." He highlighted the seriousness of their role in Hungarian society: a "calling" that places them at the service of Hungary and the Hungarian people. It is a calling in which they pledge to protect Hungary at the risk of their own lives, if necessary. Orbán stated that, "Protecting the homeland, our homes, women, children and parents is a moral imperative stretching back centuries. It is this imperative that adds to the gravity and sublimity of the current moment." 

The border-hunters are part of a group of security forces that includes: members of modern-day border-fort garrisons, the body of officers in Hungarian uniform, the police, and members of the defence forces. Together they form a battle-hardened community that stands its ground under the toughest of circumstances, enabling Hungarians to live in peace and security.

What I found most noteworthy about the "gravity and sublimity of the current moment," was how Orbán made it abundantly clear that, although the migrant flow has subsided considerably, Hungary cannot afford to relax or be under any illusions because Hungary remains under siege. Orbán went on to state that there are millions preparing to set out for Europe in the hope of a better life.

In its preparations for the next wave of migrants, Hungary has set out to improve upon its border security by reinforcing its lines of defence with the building of a second border fence, and by recruiting, training, and deploying border guards. Orbán made it crystal clear that Hungary must continue with its own initiatives and not rely in any way on Brussels and the European Union (EU), as both have demonstrated their willingness to make matters difficult for Hungary.

One of the more salient points in the speech was Orbán's reference to the added danger of the migrant crisis; that is, it being a Trojan horse of terrorism. Here is what he stated:

The migration crisis, Ladies and Gentlemen, will continue until we eliminate its root causes. It will remain on the agenda until people everywhere realise that migration is the Trojan horse of terrorism. The people who seek to come here do not want to live according to our culture and customs, but according to their own – with European standards of living.

I found the added concern of migrants wanting to live according to their own culture and customs to be spot on. It spotlights not only how some people have no intention of assimilating, but the potential development of demographic nightmares that already exists in countries like Sweden, France, Germany, Holland, the UK, and other European countries.

Prime Minister Orbán stressed that although border-hunters are to be humane, they must also be firm: the law applies equally to everyone, including migrants who seek to cross Hungary's borders illegally. Orbán went on to state what I consider to be one of the most important parts of his speech:

This is the reality, and no beautifully-worded human rights bombast can override it. The past few years have taught us that we can only withstand the pressure of migration if we show strength, unity and cohesion. So far we have succeeded in doing this. This has made Hungary one of the safest countries in Europe today. If the world sees that we are able to protect our borders, if they see that the reinforced Hungarian border fence is impenetrable, if they see that we continue to insist on upholding our laws and do not waver for a second, no one will attempt to come to Hungary illegally. It is the Hungarian people’s legitimate expectation that entry to the territory of our country should only be allowed to those whom we have thoroughly vetted, and whose identities, motives and intentions have been clarified.

Orbán then talked about the simple goals of Hungarians; that is, to live in a Hungary in which Hungarians are happy to start families, confident that their children will have a better life than they do. Among some of the other goals, Orbán pointed to the opportunity for everyone to have jobs, and that everyone earns the appreciation and reward based on the work they perform. Adding to the aforementioned important part of his speech, Orbán stated:

We want a Hungary and a Europe in which being Hungarian is a source of pride and recognition – in which our traditions and history are respected, and in which our culture is also respected. We Hungarians want a Europe in which we can live our own Hungarian lives. In the Hungary that we want, security is the foremost concern. And one can only have a safe and secure life in a place where the laws and the interests of the country are defended by dedicated people in uniform who have sworn to do this task: people like you, who are brave, determined, well-prepared, ready to do their duty and to protect their country. You are now the defenders of both freedom for Hungary’s present and hope for Hungary’s future. I ask you to be as proud of this as we are proud of you. I wish you courage and perseverance in your work, and I wish your families strength and good health.

God protect and preserve Hungary!

The Emergence of Hungary as a Leading Nation in Europe

In the past few years, Viktor Orbán has emerged as one of, if not, "the" European leaders that other European and world leaders have been looking to. A prime example is Holland's Geert Wilders, who in a recent interview with the Rebel Media's Ezra Levant, referred to Orbán as a "hero." It was no coincidence that President Trump contacted Prime Minister Viktor Orbán by telephone in late November 2016, in which he was quoted as saying , “I’m a big fan of Hungary.”

Orbán's emergence on the European scene was the result of Hungary's peaceful revolution in the voting booth in April 2010—Hungary's parliamentary elections—in which Hungary not only elected the Fidesz Party (the national Conservative party that Viktor Orbán leads), but set in motion the return of Hungary's autonomy to the Hungarian people. That year, Hungary had not only rejected austerity and sent the International Monetary Fund packing, but implemented the following measures: introduced taxes on multinational corporations; cut household utility fees; slashed income taxes; put people back into the work force, and introduced pro-family policies. 

Today, Hungary is not only an example for other European countries, but a success story! A success story that Viktor Orbán elaborated on in his State of the Nation address on February 10, in which he stated: the major credit ratings have all restored Hungary to investment grade; household debt has fallen and continues to fall; unemployment has hit a record low; wages are rising; and the economy is enjoying sustainable growth that has put Hungary among the leading economies in Europe.

Hungary is a much stronger and stable country today than it was seven years ago; a strength and stability that has enabled the Hungarian people to manifest their own destiny, which includes the tightening of its border security.

God bless Hungary.

Vigilance, Accountability and Security at Canada's Borders

Canada Border Services Agency's emblem. Photo: The Toronto Star/Border Officer Blows Coke Bust

Today's blog post is about a report of the same title, issued by the Standing Senate Committee on National Security and Defence (hereafter referred to as "the Committee") that commenced a study on the policies, practices, and collaborative efforts of Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA). The purpose of the study was to determine how the CBSA performs its responsibilities in identifying and denying entry to inadmissible persons, as well as the removal of individuals that have been discovered to be inadmissible after having gained entry to Canada.

Vigilance, Accountability and Security at Canada's Borders was a report that I initially discovered through the campaign of Kellie Leitch, leadership candidate for the Conservative Party of Canada (CPC), who had encouraged the reading of this report on numerous occasions through social media, in her email messages, and on television.

It has only been through Kellie Leitch's campaign that the issue of Canada's open borders has come to the forefront of the CPC leadership race. No other candidate has been clear, complete, and forthcoming about this issue as Kellie Leitch has from day one of her campaign, which she has responded to and detailed in her Screening For Canadian Values policy proposal. 

If this is the first you have been alerted to Canada's open borders and are somewhat skeptical, perhaps you would find the following information cause for concern: 

• In 2013, 4,534 warrants were issued for the removal of foreign nationals or permanent residents, who had entered Canada, but were later discovered to be inadmissible.
• The CBSA database contains information on approximately 44,000 inadmissible individuals who failed to comply with removal orders, and the agency is unclear about the number of individuals who are still in Canada.
• It takes the CBSA an average of 851 days to remove a person found inadmissible, all at a cost to Canadian taxpayers.
• Currently, there is no tracking system in Canada for persons leaving the country who have been found to be inadmissible, and who have failed to comply with a removal order and are facing an outstanding immigration warrant, or those overstaying their limits such as temporary foreign workers.
• It is known that 145 Canadians have gone abroad to support terrorist groups and approximately 80 have returned. 
• Through its Liaison Officer program, the CBSA has confirmed that liaison officers are involved in approximately 6,000 cases of improperly documented travel each year.
• The targeting of Canada's immigration system by organized crime groups continues unabated.
• Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) has reduced the visa immigration process to a "paper-based exercise" where very few face-to-face interviews are held.
• The Committee discovered that only between 9-15% of immigrants are interviewed by a visa officer before they come to Canada.
• Between 2009 to 2013, Canada received 386,698 temporary foreign workers and 495,191 foreign students, of which only a small percentage were screened by Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) based on referrals from CIC and CSBA.
• In 2012, Canada's busiest 50 airports saw the enplaning and deplaning of 23,609,330 passengers from countries other than the United States, an increase of 190% over the 12,660,777 passengers seen in 2003.

The Committee's report detailed many of the policy and operational challenges facing the CBSA and other government actors—Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC), Canadian Security Intelligence Services (CSIS), and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP)—involved in the process of determining admissibility to Canada and removal of inadmissible individuals.

To properly ascertain how the CBSA performs its responsibilities the Committee conducting a fact-finding mission to the National Targeting Centre in September 2014, and held eight hearings over a four month period. During that time it heard witnesses and received written submissions from relevant institutions, groups, and individuals, both within government and from civil society.

The Committee's report resulted in ten recommendations that not only identified the problems with, but also provided the solutions to, the procedures and practices of the CBSA that, in my view, are logical, necessary, and urgent. The fundamental problem with Canada's open borders can be summed up in what the Committee referred to as its "primary belief"; that is, "...[I]t is necessary that relevant departments and agencies involved in the process of identifying and denying entry to inadmissible persons to Canada have access to timely, accurate and relevant information through clear information sharing arrangements and improved coordination." (iv)

Removals, Warrants and Entry/Exit Registration

Under the subheading, Removals, Warrants and Entry/Exit Registration, the Committee's report begins to seriously address the deficiencies within the CBSA's operations, specifically with respect to the inability to locate and remove inadmissible persons from Canada; those who have failed to comply with a removal order and are subsequently faced with an outstanding immigration warrant.

As to the procedure of how the CBSA operates, here is how the Committee explained it, drawing from Division 6 Detention and Release of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA), "With regard to procedure, removal orders are issued when a foreign national or a permanent resident who has entered Canada has been found to be inadmissible. In instances where a person has failed to comply with a removal order, the CBSA is responsible for enforcement and issues immigration warrants, accordingly." (7) 

The Committee noted that the CBSA's warrants-database contains information on 44,000 inadmissible individuals who did not comply with their removal orders. The Committee went on to further note that the CBSA is unclear as to how many of these individuals still remain in Canada.

What further exacerbates this problem is that it takes the CBSA an average of 851 days to remove a person found to be inadmissible, all at a cost to Canadian taxpayers.

Currently Canada does not have a system to track and record who has left the country, nor any type of alert mechanism to ensure that the CBSA is informed when a temporary resident visa holder enters and leaves the country. This concerned the Committee with regard to temporary foreign workers who may decide to overstay their four year limits of working in Canada. 

To solve this problem the Committee provided its fourth recommendation which states, "...[T]he Government of Canada move, as soon as possible, to implement a system to register the entry and exit of all travellers, Canadians and non-Canadians." (9) Entry and exit reporting would solve the problem of knowing when inadmissible persons (and those who have overstayed their limits) have left the country, which would also prevent the current backlog the CBSA is faced with from growing.

All this points to an even bigger and more fundamental problem with Canada's open borders: the lack of proper and thorough screening of all immigrants and travellers to Canada.

Screening of Immigrants and Travellers to Canada

Under the subheading, Screening of Immigrants and Travellers to Canada, the Committee detailed their concerns about screening and pre-screening of non-Canadians who enter Canada, either as immigrants or on temporary visas. They responded to these concerns with their fifth, sixth, and seventh recommendations.

The Committee's Recommendations 5, 6, and 7.

The thrust of this section of the report focused primarily on a preventative approach; that is, improving upon the pre-screening process. This included placing priority on acquiring a foreign national's admissibility to Canada prior to boarding a plane or ship from their country of origin. The Committee also noted that this would be beneficial to Canada, ensuring that our resources would not be spent on the appeals and removals processes.

Implementing such a preventative approach involves more than just the CBSA. The Canada Border Services Agency works together with CIC, CSIS, and the RCMP. The Committee noted that both the CIC and CBSA are jointly responsible for administering the admissibility provisions of the IRPA. The report goes on to state that, "CIC establishes immigration policy and is responsible for issuing visas enabling foreign nationals to enter Canada. For its part, the CBSA enforces IRPA and is responsible for providing IRPA–related intelligence. In this regard, the CBSA draws upon intelligence and information from other departments and agencies, including CSIS and the RCMP." (11)

One of the most important points the Committee spotlighted was the need to make effective use today's technology. Here is what the Committee stated:

In this day and age, it is reasonable to assume that CIC and the CBSA should be able to request a query of permanent resident and temporary visa applicants against RCMP criminal and CSIS intelligence databases, and a consolidated Canadian intelligence community list of persons of interest, to see if they generate a hit. Verifying applicant names through applicable security and foreign intelligence databases could provide an essential backstop to checks for criminal records maintained in the Canadian Police Information Centre (CPIC). As previously noted, not all human threats have criminal records. However, their names (or aliases) might well be known to intelligence agencies. (13)

Perhaps what is most telling about Canada's open borders is the fact that only 9-15% of immigrants are interviewed by a visa officer before they come to Canada. The Committee heard from witnesses who expressed concerned that, "...CIC has subsequently turned the immigrant visa application process into a 'paper-based exercise' where very few face-to-face interviews are held." (14) 

The importance of face-to-face interviews cannot be overstated! This point was reinforced by former ambassador Martin Collacott, now the spokesperson for the Centre for Immigration Policy Reform, who expressed the following concerns:

Such interviews are important for a number of reasons. A face-to-face interview not only assists a Canadian visa officer to get a better idea of whether an applicant is likely to constitute a security threat to Canada – whether they are likely, for example, to have extremist views which are in conflict with Canadian views, values and objectives – but such an interview also provides an opportunity to give a prospective immigrant important and accurate background on what to expect in terms of job opportunities and integration into Canadian society. (14)

The Committee affirmed the importance of face-to-face screening by stating that, "...[G]iven the complexity in screening potential citizens to Canada, face-to-face interviews may provide an important opportunity for assessment." (14)

Another individual that further spotlighted Canada's deficient screening process was retired ambassador James Bissett. The Committee noted the following about his statement:

...[T]he CBSA and CIC are overwhelmed by the large number of people seeking to come to Canada, either as immigrants or visitors. He states: “because of high volumes, we are not paying attention to the personal interview and for human intelligence to play a role in screening. More importantly, Mr. Bissett told the Committee, “the security screening itself is minimal” and noted that visitors and temporary resident applicants are “not being interviewed or very few of them screened for security.” He added, “I think [Canada is] taking a serious risk. (15)

Bissett's statement brings to the forefront what appears to be another major problem with securing our borders: not enough CBSA/CIC personnel to accommodate a proper and thorough screening process.

Some of the Committee's other findings

To counter the use of genuine documents generated in fraudulent circumstances or used by those other than the rightful owner, the Committee explored the options of: improving the CIC screening referral process; the increased use of CSIS and the RCMP information for screening; better intelligence sharing and interagency cooperation; more face-to-face interviews; and the collection of biometric data. 

The Committee also learned of the need for stronger intelligence capabilities within the CBSA, and in particular, the leveraging of regional intelligence capabilities and greater availability of "lookouts" (part of the CSBA's intelligence products that inform, support and enhance the agency's screening and targeting capabilities) to provide accurate, up-to-date actionable intelligence in the databases, that includes the Canadian Police Information Centre (CPIC) database for use by CBSA Border Services Officers.

The CBSA and its role in securing Canada's borders

Created after the World Trade Center attacks on September 11, the CBSA was formed out of border and enforcement personnel from Citizenship and Immigration Canada, the former Canada Customs and Revenue Agency and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.

The CBSA is responsible for, "...[P]roviding integrated border services that support national security and public safety priorities and facilitate the free flow of persons and goods, including animals and plants that meet all requirements under the program legislation. (3) 

As the front-line agency, the CBSA with its 13,000 employees (which includes 7,200 uniformed officers) administers the entry and exit of approximately 100 million travellers, 70 million of whom come directly from the Canada-US land border. The report notes that, "The agency collects, analyzes and disseminates information and intelligence about individuals and shipments at borders, air terminals and ports. The CBSA also administers more than 90 statutes, regulations and international agreements, and enforces the IRPA. (3)

The CSBA has a shared responsibility with other agencies and departments in protecting Canada's borders:

Citizenship and Immigration Canada processes immigration applications for permanent residents and temporary resident visas for visitors, students and workers. The Canadian Security and Intelligence Service (CSIS) reviews all citizenship applications of permanent residents, as well as all refugee claims made in Canada; the Service will review visa applications of persons of interest as required, while the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) enforces relevant laws and provides criminal background checks. The Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development (DFATD), Transport Canada, and the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC) gather intelligence relating to immigration and border transit. (3)

The CBSA is responsible for managing 117 land border crossings, all thirteen international airports in Canada, major marinas, mail processing centers and rail sites.

The CBSA is also vested with powers of arrest, detention, search and seizure. All CBSA officers can, under Canadian law, stop travellers for questioning, take blood and breath samples, search, detain and arrest citizens and non-citizens without a warrant.

Vigilance, Accountability and Security at Canada's Borders is certainly a timely report given the fact that our open borders are increasingly making Canada a very popular international destination that brings with it increased security risks.

We all read the headlines of the demographic nightmares in Sweden, France, Germany, the UK, Belgium, Holland and other European countries; not to mention what has happened in United States in the past few years. We do not need, nor do we want any such scenarios developing in Canada! 

Canada needs political leadership to ensure that our borders are properly secured, and that our Canadian identity is protected and promoted. The call for that leadership has been answered with the candidacy of Kellie Leitch, who is adamant about correcting Canada's open borders.

I respectfully encourage you to support her by Becoming a Conservative Member for Kellie Leitch. By doing so, you will be eligible to vote for her in May and help secure Kellie's victory as the new leader of the Conservative Party of Canada. The deadline is March 28, only a few days away!

God bless Canada.

Kellie Leitch's Support is Not a Function of Polls But Based on Common-Sense Policy Proposals

Kellie Leitch during the Conservative leadership debate in Saskatoon, November 9, 2016.
Image by iPolitics via The Canadian Press/Liam Richards

Since my first post on Kellie Leitch, Kellie Leitch: Canada's Compliment to President-elect Donald Trump, which included statistics from a poll conducted by Mainstreet Research, several polls have been released from other polling firms, drawing my attention to the polls game with the Conservative Party of Canada (CPC) leadership race.

I can not help but draw a parallel between the CPC leadership race and my experience following the American general election of 2016; that is, how polls did not accurately reflect the reality of President Donald Trump's support.

As one who watched the Republican Party (Grand Old Party or GOP) leadership race, and the general election that followed with great interest, the polls game became abundantly clear especially in the latter part of the general election when President Trump's support grew stronger. The growth of that strong and consistent support increasingly and noticeably put the mainstream media, or to quote Pamela Geller, the "enemedia," into a panic! They were desperate to report skewed statistics—and other fake news—in their efforts to derail his campaign and discourage voter turnout.

On a lesser scale, this is what we are experiencing here in Canada; the enemedia's panic over Kellie Leitch and their attempts to prevent her victory in May, which I wrote about in my previous blog post, The Trump-effect in Canada and the Enemedia's Attempt to Stop Kellie Leitch.

Kellie Leitch's support is not a function of polls 

If you take another look at the above photo, the text, "Leitch surges in the latest Mainstreet Tory leadership poll," is the title of an article by written by BJ Sierkierski who reports on iPolitic's CPC Leadership Tracker (powered by Mainstreet Research). The report was published on February 17, and is one of three listed at iPolitic's Data Tracker.

Statistics from BJ Sierkierski's February 17 report.
Image by iPolitics 

Although Mainstreet Research and iPolitics seem to be above board, following their polls and reports doesn't make understanding the CPC race any easier. Case in point, the aforementioned article in which Sierkierski included statistics for "first-ballot preference as percentage of vote" which had Kellie Leitch at 20.09%, about 1% behind Kevin O'Leary.

In that article, Sierkierski wrote on the first line, "Kellie Leitch is now the first choice for over one-fifth of Conservative party members, passing Maxime Bernier and nipping at the heels of an increasingly polarizing Kevin O’Leary campaign..." Such wording has an emotional appeal to anyone supporting Kellie Leitch, but that "positive news" was short lived.

One week later on February 23, another iPolitic's CPC Leadership Tracker article written by Sierkierski was published, Scheer climbs, top three slide in latest Mainstreet Tory leadership poll. Sierkierski again reported on the "first-ballot preference as percentage of vote" which had Kellie Leitch at 16.2%, behind O'Leary by about 4%.

Tomorrow, there will be a CPC leadership debate in Edmonton and you can bet that another poll will be released and a subsequent article published at iPolitics within a few days time; not to mention polls and articles from other firms as well. God only knows what the numbers will be and what they will say about them!

Following these polls plays upon one's emotions; a truth that requires one to be very cautious and prudent. In the end analysis, polls are nothing but a "best guess" that do not serve as an assurance of what the reality will, in fact, be. That can only be determined by the vote count in May!

I don't pay any heed to polls; nor, do I put much stock in them as an indication of what is to be understood about the reality of any candidate's support. After vividly recalling the American election experience of 2016, coupled with the knowledge I have acquired about Kellie Leitch and her campaign, polls are, not to put too fine point on it, redundant!

Kellie Leitch's support is a function of common-sense proposals that reflect what she has heard from Canadians 

One of the biggest assets that comes from the Leitch campaign is Kellie's own personal ability to connect with Canadians. Kellie has done this (and continues to do so) during her many months of travelling across the nation, listening to the needs and concerns of Canadians, and speaking on their behalf.

Leitch has responded by developing policy proposals that address those needs and concerns which she has published in detail at her Policy page: Screening for Canadian Values; Cap on Government Spending; No National Carbon Tax; Dismantle the CBC; Against the Legalization of Marijuana; Safer Canadians; Let the People Speak Act; Natural Resources Development; UNRWA/Hamas Funding; Supply Management; Mexican Visas; Israel; Budget Policy; and Firearms Regulation.

The result of which has seen two-thirds of Canadians support Kellie Leitch's vision for Canada! It is a vision that encompasses a bold common-sense approach to fixing the many problems we have in Canada; first and foremost, the failed immigration policies and procedures that have in effect, turned Canada into a country with open borders.

Amongst all of Kellie's policy proposals, what most resonates with Canadians is the Screening For Canadian Values proposal! During Leitch's travels across the country, thousands of Canadians have expressed their belief in a unified Canadian identity that is grounded in shared values:

• Equal opportunity – We must strive to ensure that everyone has as much of an equal opportunity to succeed as possible, especially our youth
• Hard work – Everyone must work hard and provide for themselves and their families
• Helping others – Once people become prosperous, we all are expected to give back to our communities to help others
• Generosity – Canada is a place that shows what is possible when hard work and generosity come together
• Freedom and tolerance – A Canadian identity that is based on freedom and tolerance to allow each of us the chance to pursue our best lives and to become our best selves

Part of Kellie's common-sense solutions to promote and protect these Canadian values includes screening all immigrants, refugees, and visitors to Canada for these values with face-to-face interviews with a trained immigration officer. This is the most effective way to ensure that those who desire to come to Canada accept and agree with our Canadian values!

Canada cannot be a country with open borders! As Kellie notes on her web site's Screening For Canadian Values page, "Currently, fewer than 1 in 5 immigrants receive a face-to-face interview with a trained immigration officer. That’s something that should be of concern to all Canadians, especially as the government plans a massive increase in immigration levels."

There is indeed great cause for concern with respect to our immigration policies and procedures. Proof of which comes to us directly from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, whose Liberal government fast-tracked 25,000 Syrian so-called "refugees" into Canada between November 4, 2015, and February 29, 2016. The Government of Canada has listed the total number of Syrian "refugees" that have entered into Canada at 40,081. All this has been done at a cost to Canadian tax payers of $400 million and growing!

Screen shot of the Government of Canada's refugee key figures. Notice the disclaimer message? It is new since I last published my January 31, post that also referenced the above numbers. Image by Government of Canada/#WelcomeRefugees: Key figures

Canadian immigration offices should not be omitting face-to-face interviews with the overwhelming majority of applicants; this is not nation-building! Kellie stresses the importance of nation-building at her Screening For Canadian Values page:

Since 2001, governments have become obsessed with immigration numbers. Pressure is placed on immigration officials to approve more and more applications every day. Immigration officials are expected to make decisions on seventy-five applications a day. That means less than five minutes per application. That’s not the way to build a nation based on shared values.

Kellie Leitch is absolutely adamant about correcting our immigration policies and procedures and she is the only candidate who has been willing to talk about it and stand up for our Canadian identity that is based on shared, historic Canadian values!

If this blog post resonates well with you, consider Becoming a Conservative for Kellie! By doing so, you will be eligible to vote for Kellie and help secure her victory in May. The deadline to join the CPC for Kellie is March 28.

Above all, if you are not doing so already, do keep Kellie Leitch and her campaign in your prayers.

The Trump-effect in Canada and the Enemedia's Attempt to Stop Kellie Leitch

Kellie Leitch and President Donald Trump, a perfect compliment to a united, strong North America.

One of the many lessons that we here in Canada can draw from the American election experience of last year, is that the mainstream media or to quote Pamela Geller, the "enemedia" cannot be trusted. Not that this wasn't already known, but it became better understood and was certainly brought to forefront during President Donald Trump's campaign.

As one who watched the Republican Party—also known as the Grand Old Party (GOP)—leadership race and the election that followed with great interest, that truth became abundantly clear each day as President Trump's popularity and support grew stronger. It eventually reached a point where President Trump began to openly refer to mainstream media as the "dishonest media."

The dishonesty of the mainstream media was further spotlighted by the reporting of skewed statistics from poll, after poll, after poll; none of which proved to accurately represent the will of the American people. It was at best, a feeble attempt to change the minds of voters and discourage voter turnout.

Public trust is an important and essential aspect of any news media company, and once lost, it is extremely difficult to recover the credibility needed to regain that public trust again.

Here in Canada, we are going through a somewhat similar situation, but on a lesser scale: the dishonest media reporting on the leadership race for the Conservative Party of Canada (CPC), specifically with respect to their attempts to stop Kellie Leitch at all costs!

Why does the enemedia seek to stop Kellie Leitch?

Leitch has been the only candidate in the leadership race for the CPC, who is unafraid to challenge the status quo and the political correctness that the mainstream media and elites continue to impose upon Canadians. 

Leitch's boldness coupled with her common-sense-conservative solutions does not bode well with the mainstream media and the elites, many of whom are on the far left of the political spectrum.

Truth be told, the Canadian left are in a panic over the very real possibility of the Trump-effect becoming a political reality here in Canada; that is, Kellie becoming the new leader of the CPC and the next Prime Minister in 2019. That panic is heightened by the fact that Leitch is Canada's compliment to President Donald Trump, which I have written about in my previous post, Kellie Leitch: Canada's Compliment to President-elect Donald Trump.

There is also another major reason why the mainstream media have targeted her as part of their ongoing and increasing panic: Leitch's policy position on those who want to come to Canada, which stipulates that all visitors, refugees, and immigrants be screened for Canadian values. It is a policy position that resonates very, very well with two-thirds of Canadians!

Leitch's immigration policy position is part of her vision for Canada, which she has made very clear: creating more freedom and more prosperity by promoting a unified Canadian identity that is based on historic Canadian values.

Leitch states on her web site, "If we want continue to grow and develop that identity, we need to make sure that those who want to come to Canada share those values."

Screening for Canadian values is what has really set Leitch apart from the other candidates, which she makes known on her web site, "Many in the media, the out-of-touch elites, most of the Trudeau Liberals, and even some Conservatives, including all of the other candidates in this leadership race have come out against my policy that would require all immigrants, refugees, and visitors to Canada to have a face-to-face interview with a trained immigration officer."

Just what exactly are those values you ask? Leitch lists and expands upon each one at her web site's Screening For Canadian Values page: equal opportunity, hard work, helping others, generosity, freedom, and tolerance.

To top it all off, Kellie Leitch is a solid candidate, both in terms of her private and professional life, her education and work experience. Add to this her widespread support, coupled with a well executed campaign, and Leitch has emerged as a candidate that threatens the party establishment, the mainstream media, and the elites. The following additional realities of Leitch and her campaign just adds to the panic:

• The enormous support she received in April'2016 after she registered as a candidate, that has been growing ever since. 
• The army of volunteers of 1,500 people and growing.
• Kellie's ability to connect with Canadians and to speak on their behalf, which has led her campaign in the signing up thousands of new members to the party.
• Kellie's qualities of unparalleled work ethic and compassion for others, has attracted many long-time members into the campaign as supporters, donors and volunteers.
• The building of a significant national campaign and broad coalition across the nation.

Much of what is going on with the mainstream media was predicted and made known by Leitch's Campaign Manager Nick Kouvalis in his January 2, campaign update email. 

The enemedia's strategy of attack to stop Kellie Leitch

The strategy that the enemedia will continue to employ in their attempts to try and stop Kellie Leitch includes: personal attacks on Leitch and her campaign; reports that are at best, opinions; questionable reporting of untrustworthy polls; support any other candidate that they think can beat Kellie; and try to create a narrative that suits their agenda.

A large part of the enemedia's effort will be in the form of "news" articles, both in print and on the internet, which they will use in an attempt to implant their narrative upon the hearts and minds of Canadians with headlines and details that can only be described as, and to borrow from President Donald Trump's description of Buzzfeed's fake news reporting, "A pile of garbage."

To date, I have seen several articles that qualify as such! I will not elaborate on each one due to the fact that in order to properly address those articles, I would have to write and publish separate blog posts in the form of rebuttals, just to deal with the amount of "garbage."

Here is what Kouvalis noted about the dishonest media's portrayal the leadership race and Kellie Leitch during the months of November and December'2016: no one wants to be the leader of the Conservative Party because Justin Trudeau cannot be beaten in 2019; Leitch cannot win the leadership of the Conservative Party of Canada; Leitch is using wedge and dog whistle politics; Leitch is a fraud, racist, and xenophobe that will never win. None of this is true!

Kouvalis went on to point out that the mainstream media also made similar statements about former Prime Minister Steven Harper, and yet he was elected twice! Kouvalis put a fine point on the matter when he stated:

It doesn't matter what the media and the elites say. The only thing that matters is what Kellie Leitch says. She will seek out the media at every opportunity to speak directly to Canadians. Kellie will continue to use the media to let Canadians get to know her on a personal level. That's the way to build trust with the electorate.

This is exactly what Kellie has done! She has mastered the art of ignoring the hate and has focussed on delivering the message that most Canadians—two-thirds of whom share Kellie's vision for Canada—are desperate to hear!

Perhaps what was most prophetic about Kouvalis's email was his warning that the enemedia will get behind any candidate that they think can beat Kellie. He went so far as to state that, "By February the media will likely settle on Kevin O'Leary as the leading contender to win the race." This is exactly what we have been experiencing for about ten days already.

I have every confidence in and great respect for Nick Kouvalis, that he will successfully get Kellie Leitch elected as the new leader of the Conservative Party of Canada.

Kouvalis has certainly proven himself in the past—beating the mainstream media in the process—with the successful campaigns he ran for former Prime Minster Steven Harper, the former and late Mayor of Toronto Rob Ford, and Premier Christy Clark of British Columbia.

The enemedia settling for the status quo, establishment candidate Kevin O'Leary

One of the key shortcomings of O'Leary's candidacy is his lack of specificity and clarity with any identifiable policy position. Just visit his web site: it is intentionally vague and does not even have a policy page. Trying to acquire information on where he stands on the key issues facing Canadians today, is the equivalent of going on a scavenger hunt with no "treasure" to be found! More than anything else, I find his web site to be quite annoying and bombastic!

With such vagueness and so many unknowns about O'Leary and his candidacy, it only begs the question, can Canadians afford to gamble with such a candidate? I think it is fair to say that the answer to that question is rather obvious: no!

One of America's enemedia news companies, CNN, and the article written about Kevin O'Leary. The fact that O'Leary
proudly publishes this article on his web site speaks volumes about him and his candidacy.

Here are a few other things you may find interesting about him. O'Leary lives in the United States; he calls Boston "home." He does not speak French and has neglected French Canada as was evidenced by his intentional absence at the Quebec City CPC leadership debate. It was only after that debate did O'Leary launch his campaign! Although he is now taking French lessons, it was only a few months ago that he stated that he didn't need to learn French.

Add to all this O'Leary has called Leitch's immigration policy position of screening for all immigrants, refugees, and visitors with face to-face interviews for Canadian values, "crazy." O'Leary has no immigration proposals to address Canada's growing immigration problem!

It is foolish for O'Leary to consider Leitch's immigration policy position "crazy," given the fact that after the Liberal Party of Canada won the general election in the Fall'2015, Prime Minister Trudeau fast-tracked the emigration of more than 25,000 so-called Syrian "refugees" between November 4, 2015, and February 29, 2016, into Canada. According to the Government of Canada, as of January 2, 2017, the total number of Syrian "refugees" that have entered into Canada is 39,671. All this has been done at a cost to Canadian tax payers of $400 million and growing!

To make matters worse, Prime Minister Trudeau twitted the following on Saturday, January 28 (after President Donald Trump issued an executive order temporarily halting U.S. refugee resettlement), "To those fleeing persecution, terror & war, Canadians will welcome you, regardless of your faith. Diversity is our strength,” Trudeau tweeted along with the hashtag, “#WelcomeToCanada.”

With such a reckless immigration policy in place can members of the CPC and all Canadians, in good conscience, throw their support behind O'Leary. The answer is quite clear: no!

Of what I do know about O'Leary—which I find quite disturbing—is that he has made other disparaging remarks about Kellie earlier in the race, not to mention his position that Canada should not be fighting ISIS and terrorism.

In addition, O'Leary supports legalized marijuana and proposes increased funding for Canada's largest mainstream media company, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), from $1.2 billion to $1.6 billion per year. The CBC's annual funding and the increase O'Leary proposes, is Canadian tax payer money!

After careful review of O'Leary's candidacy, what emerges is a status-quo, establishment candidate, who differs from Prime Minister Trudeau's economic policies—as do most of the other candidates—but has himself claimed many times that he could easily run as a Liberal!

It is my perception that the elites and the mainstream media have settled on O'Leary because he is a successful businessman, and a television personality who is popular with some Canadians.

I firmly believe that O'Leary is not the best candidate to lead the Conservative Party of Canada!

Interested to know more about why I don't consider O'Leary "the" candidate for the CPC leadership? Here is an article from Arlene Dickinson of Maclean's Magazine, that paints an accurate picture of who Kevin O'Leary really is, and probably always will be, Why I wouldn’t vote for Kevin O’Leary—and neither should you.

The enemedia's other option Maxime Bernier

Maxime Bernier, was a Foreign Affairs Minister under former Prime Minister Steven Harper's government, who was forced to resign in May'2008 due to his leaving sensitive classified documents at his former girlfriend's (Julie Couillard) apartment, a woman with former ties to biker gangs/organized crime.

Maxime Bernier and Julie Couillard. Photo: Huffington Post Canada/Julie Couillard, Maxime Bernier's Former Flame, Broke Lobbying Rules, Watchdog Says

What does this say about a man who knowingly gets involved with a woman who was connected to such "organizations." It certainly speaks to a lack of moral judgement, which his position as Minister of State for Small Business, Tourism, and Agriculture, and his candidacy for the CPC leadership, seems to further spotlight.

Bernier has been known to say one thing, and then do another. This doesn't bode well with the Canadian public especially when his candidacy is also a run for the highest office in the land: the Prime Minister's Office (PMO). 

Case in point, he has stated in an email approximately two weeks ago that, “It’s time to end the practice of a big fat government in Ottawa buying votes with debt, inflation, and tax dollars.” As Minister of State for Small Business, Tourism, and Agriculture from 2011, to 2015, Bernier handed out at least thirty-five cheques totalling more than $42 million. Here are some examples of where that money went and what it was used for:

• $1 million to Hotel Forestel Val-d'Or Inc. for improvements to common areas and renovations of forty-five rooms.
• $87,500 to Granit National Inc. to acquire Computer Numerical Control machining center.
• $108,100 to Saint-Henedine Recreation Commission for the renovation of a recreation cottage.
• $350,000 to Immobilisation 2010 Inc. for the acquisition of leading edge equipment
• $126,300 to Montoneige Beauce Sud Inc. for the purchase of a new snow grooming machine.

There are many other examples that speak to Bernier's lack of ethics and loss of credibility. When it comes to respecting taxpayers, he has been quoted as saying, “What I want to offer is a government that will respect taxpayers...” Here is how Bernier proved this point in the past; he spent several thousands on flights including $7,367.28, on a trip from Ottawa to Calgary and Edmonton, and $22,573, on a flight to attend a two-day conference in Laos with a stopover in Paris.

As Leitch pointed out in her January 17, Facebook release, "Maxime Bernier is in no position to give anyone lessons on consistency and authenticity. To beat Justin Trudeau you cannot act like Justin Trudeau and unfortunately, with Maxime Bernier, that’s just what you will get. Winning in 2019 will require hard work and honesty — not inconsistency and hypocrisy."

As for some of his policy positions: Bernier supports legalized marijuana; does not support supply management; and most noteworthy of all, Bernier does not support the screening of all immigrants, refugees, and visitors with face-to-face interviews, for our historic Canadian values!

To put it quite simply, Maxime Bernier is another establishment candidate and; therefore, not the candidate the CPC should be voting for in May.

Vote for Kellie Leitch and help secure her victory in May

As of this post, there are fourteen candidates running for the leadership of the CPC, one of whom will be elected by the members of the party. So where does that leave non-members who are interested in voting for Kellie Leitch. Those individuals who seek to get involved with the CPC and vote, can do so by joining the party.

To become a Conservative Member for Kellie, it will only cost $15.00 for an annual membership. Once you become a member, you will then be eligible to vote for Kellie Leitch. Take note, the deadline to do so is March 28. 

The voting process is actually quite simple:

1. As previously mentioned, you must join the Conservative Party of Canada by March 28.
2. Check your mail after April 28 for a voter ballot that will be mailed to all members.
3. Fill out the voter ballot with a copy of your identification and mail it back. Note that only ballots received before 5:00pm ET on May 26, will count.
4. Alternatively, ballots can be delivered in person, with proper identification, to one of the polling stations, which will be announced by early February.

For the complete details and further information on the voting process, including what are acceptable pieces of identification, please view the on line document (pdf) Conservative Party of Canada Leadership Voting Procedure.

If we, as Canadians, are serious about making Canada a better place to live for ourselves and for future generations, we need to get involved and do what Christian Evangelist Franklin Graham promoted during his Decision America Tour, "Pray, vote, and engage in the political process."

If you are not doing so already, pray for Kellie Leitch and all who are involved in her campaign!