GOVERNMENT GASLIGHTING ERODES DEMOCRACY !!!

Added: 2026-05-25

[00:00:00]Hey there, Midas Canada viewers, resistors from all over. Charlie Angus here. You know, when we set up to establish the Midas Canada network, we were really focused on trying to start this global conversation about democracy. We say it all the time, nobody's coming to save us. Democracy is going to have to be saved at the grassroots level. So, I want to share a couple of things with you. Uh it's an anniversary for us. It was a year ago that we went into the beautiful little town of Pikton, Ontario on a Monday night to speak to local people about resistance. And wow, the theater was packed. That was the beginning of the resistance road tour. We had done a few events during the election, traveling the country, talking to people, but that event in Pikton was the beginning of what's been well over a year of rallies and meetings and organizing. And out of all of those meetings, we continue to re receive requests for how do we set up resistance at the local level? How do we get ourselves organized in our communities? We've had Libby Davies on who's an incredible organizer. On our website, charlieangus.ca.

[00:01:09]You can go to the website and we have Libbyy's notes on how to organize yourself, how to get local grassroots teams up and running. And if you have questions, send them to us at midas charlieangis.ca and we will get Libby back on. We will talk about how you can figure out problems and deal deal with issues of getting resistance chapters and democratic groups at your local level, whatever the democratic fight is in your area, wherever you are in the world. So we want to make sure that you are aware of that. And we have Lisa Blackburn who's our analyst from Nova Scotia. And Lisa is going to be shining a light on how democracy gets chipped away, not from the external threats, but by politicians who gaslight, politicians who misrepresent facts, politicians who use serious issues of public safety and public concern in order to spin a message of falsehood. And that creates cynicism. And when you create cynicism, people stop believing in government. And that's what's happening right now with the cynicism of so many of our premers in Canada. Doug the Grifter Ford, Danielle Smith, um, who's basically driving the traitor bus for MAGA, but Premier Houston in Nova Scotia pushing a right-wing agenda and using falsehoods and not providing real information and people deserve, the voters deserve real information. So, I want to turn this over now to Lisa Blackburn and her analysis because wherever you are in the world, you're seeing these same patterns. And once we see those patterns, we know how to defeat them.

[00:02:47]So, over to you, Lisa. If there was a reolution that offered a solution, if there was a re If they sent you down to save you, gave you tools instead of favors. There was a rea.

[00:03:09]>> Hello and jalasse mighty. Lisa Blackburn here from Nova Scotia. The Nova Scotia government is once again sounding the alarm about illegal cannabis. We're hearing that the illicit market is booming, that it's a growing threat, and that stronger enforcement is needed. But there's a fundamental question that's not being answered. Where's the evidence? And if this feels familiar, it should because this is not the first time we have heard claims like this from the Tim Houston government. Just a few months ago, there were warnings about fentanyl laced cannabis circulating in Nova Scotia. Very serious claims that generated major headlines. But when reporters and experts went looking for proof, there was next to nothing available to support those claims. And now we're hearing a similar story. And this time it's about a surge in illegal cannabis sales. Strong language, confident statements from government, but once again, very little in the way of detailed, verifiable evidence being shared with the public.

[00:04:16]Comments recently from a provincial cabinet minister are drawing scrutiny after she linked a recent series of deaths in indigenous communities to products allegedly purchased from illegal cannabis shops. Now, she had no public evidence to support that connection. Speaking at a legislative committee, she referenced that in some cases, substances involved may have come from local dispensaries, but no specific data, investigation, or confirmed reports were cited. The minister went one step further, alleging that some unregulated cannabis retailers were also involved in selling other illicit drugs, firearms, and even engaged in human trafficking. the Mounties. Well, they have dismissed those claims outright, saying there is absolutely no evidence to back it up. Now, these are serious, serious accusations with significant implications, not just for public safety, but how communities and businesses are perceived. And yet, as with earlier statements from government officials about illegal cannabis activity, detailed evidence has not been made publicly available to support those claims.

[00:05:34]Now, the broader concern, not just about what was said, but how it was said. When sweeping claims are made, especially those that connect criminal activity to specific communities, and it's done without clear and verifiable evidence, well, that risks shaping public perception in ways that will not reflect reality. And it also raises questions about whether policy responses, including enforcement actions and legislative changes, are being driven by evidence or by narrative and vibes.

[00:06:08]Instead, the province has already moved forward with amendments to the Cannabis Control Act, and these changes expand enforcement powers. They increase the penalties and even lower evidence standards in certain cases. So, it means that people could face charges without laboratory testing to confirm what a substance actually is. That's not a small change. That's a fundamental shift in how enforcement works. And when governments take steps like that, the expectation should be simple. Show the evidence to justify it. Beyond the legal and the policy implications, there's also a critical side to this story that cannot be ignored. Indigenous communities in Nova Scotia, they are directly affected by these decisions and many, they have made it clear they are not on board with the province's approach. Up in Member Two, leadership recently pushed back strongly against cannabis enforcement actions in their community. Chief Terry Paul described the province's actions as political and raised concerns about interference with Migma jurisdiction and economic opportunity.

[00:07:23]This isn't just a disagreement over policy. This is a deeper conflict about rights, authority, and the role of indigenous communities to shape their own economic futures. And the tensions are not theoretical. Oh, no. We have already seen how this plays out with enforcement actions escalating into protests, road closures, and significant disruption. situations where conflict replace collaboration and where relationships between communities and government become increasingly strained.

[00:07:56]We've seen it all before. To its credit though, the province has recently indicated that it is open to meeting with MIGMA leaders to discuss the issues. But hey, timing matters. Those conversations are happening after enforcement actions have already taken place, after legislation has been introduced and passed, after the tensions have escalated, not before.

[00:08:21]So that raises a broader question about how decisions are being made and just who is included in the process. Because at its core, this isn't a story about cannabis. This is about trust. Public policy depends on trust. It depends on the idea that decisions are grounded in evidence, that governments are transparent about the reasoning behind their actions, and that the people most affected by those decisions are meaningfully consulted.

[00:08:52]And when that doesn't happen, when the claims are made without clear data, when enforcement is prioritized over engagement, and when communities start to feel sidelined, yeah, that trust, well, it begins to erode. And once trust is gone, you know, it's hard to rebuild.

[00:09:09]So, what's driving the narrative here?

[00:09:11]Is the illegal cannabis market growing significantly? Yeah, sure, it's possible. But if that is the case, then where are the numbers? Where is the data that shows the scale of the problem? Or is this at least in part a reflection of a deeper issue within the legal cannabis system itself? Well, there is limited retail access in this province. Pricing differences do exist between the legal and the illegal products, and there are barriers that make it difficult for certain communities, especially indigenous communities, to fully participate in the legal market. When governments respond to complex economic and social challenges with enforcement first approach, well, the results, it's often predictable. The problems don't disappear, they just shift. Markets don't vanish, they only further move out of reach. And the impacts of enforcement are really rarely felt evenly.

[00:10:12]Indigenous communities in particular are already over represented in the justice system and more likely to experience the consequences of enforcement heavy policies. That's not speculation. That has been very well documented. And that makes the current approach even more concerning. If illegal cannabis is a growing threat, then show us the data.

[00:10:36]If stronger enforcement is necessary, then explain why. And if communities are going to be impacted, then bring to the table before the decisions are made, not after. Because big claims without evidence don't build confidence. They only raise questions. And in a moment where trust in institutions matters more than ever, Nova Scotians and in fact all Canadians deserve more than just talking points. They deserve facts.

[00:11:08]Until next time, I'm Lisa Blackburn for Midas Touch Canada.

[00:11:15]Thanks so much for that analysis, Lisa.

[00:11:17]If you have thoughts on anything that you're hearing, write to us and let us know. Uh we really are uh inspired by the engagement we're getting from all over the world. Album of the day, Ladies of the Canyon, Joanie Mitchell. Uh of course, Canyon was Laurel Canyon outside Los Angeles where all the famous hippies went to live. And our gal from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan went there, and she wrote Big Yellow Taxi, Woodstock, The Circle Game. So many beautiful songs on this album. Uh we're getting messages from all over. Bridget McKini says, "Always vote, people. I'm an American and I'm voting blue all the way." Thank you, Charlie. I love your content. Linda Sabine writes in response to my piece on Donald Trump as the golden calf idol Antichrist, which we've had tons and tons and tons of response to, uh, writes, Timothy Snider says that Trump's fight with Pope Leo is a proxy war that Trump is actually jealous of God Jesus and wishes to be worshiped in that way.

[00:12:19]Yeah, we're dealing with a dangerous pathological narcissist. So check out if you haven't seen the piece I did is Donald Trump the mega hate Jesus. Alan Teft follows up on that as well. He says Jerry Fowl and Pat Robertson led their people into this land and of course they died multi-millionaires and his people can't afford healthcare and the robots are taking their jobs. Uh Robert Cox writes, "Charlie, I don't need any more Trump info. The idiot gets too much media attention when I cannot stand a thing about him. You are mistaken in advertising this damn creep. Stop giving him your mind in any way. Tell media to shut down the Trump Express. Let him go to hell by himself with no air pin breath. Hate parade downvote report harmful content. Uh exclamation mark exclamation mark exclamation mark exclamation mark exclamation mark. Well, Robert, the problem is is that people have always thought, well, if we ignore Donald Trump, he'll go away. I refer you back to the 2016 election when Huffington Post announced that they were not going to be treating Donald Trump as a serious candidate, that they would treat his uh whole election uh on the entertainment news and not on the political news because they thought people didn't need to hear about him. I believe we do need to hear, we do need to see, we do need to expose uh the playbook because once we can see the playbook in action, we can start to see how to fight it. So, I know it's a hassle. I know it's a drag, but that's the work that we do here. And Teresa writes, "Charlie Angus, you rock from BC." So, folks, listen, please help us to get to 250,000 viewers. Subscribe. It really makes a difference in us being able to do this work of us being able to get out on the road and host the Midas Canada town halls. We have a number of town halls we've been holding that we're going to be sharing with you. You can see that how dynamic it is when we're out on the road meeting with the people.

[00:14:17]So, please hit subscribe and if you like the stuff I'm writing, please support the Charlie Angus Resistance Substack where we go into deeper detail and more reflection on the issues that we're raising. Keep kicking at the darkness, my friends. It is going to bleed daylight. Thank you. Merci and me witch.

[00:14:37]Will I see you there?

[00:14:44]Will I see you there? Will I see you there? Will I see you there? Will I see you there?