Check It Out: Government’s promise is like a 7-day weather forecast

By Joan Janzen

Canadian comedian Rick Mercer created a funny skit years ago about Canada’s 7-day weather forecast promising +1 temperatures. In the skit, a weatherman says, “At Environment Canada, you’ll frequently see a +1 forecast somewhere near the end of our 7-day forecast. We put it there to keep you from going to dark places. We don’t really know if it’s going to reach +1. The 7-day forecast is kind of a sham anyway. Anything past five days is just throwing darts.” The narrator ended the skit by proclaiming: “Environment Canada: Cloudy with a chance of making stuff up.”

As I write this missive, it’s officially 0 degrees, but the 7-day forecast doesn’t look promising. Meanwhile, the forecast for our border security plan also looks uncertain as the government makes promises.

Ryan, host of Northern Perspective, observed, “The Liberals are promising $1.3 billion for a border plan that they can’t pay for.” After Parliament went to recess in December, Trudeau announced the $1.3 billion plan towards the border to prevent unlawful people and drugs from crossing the border.

The need for a plan became apparent on January 21 when Canadian authorities seized 835 kilograms of cocaine ($83 million value) in Toronto, marking the largest drug bust in the city’s history. It was linked to the Mexican cartel.

“The bottom line is, when Parliament returns, Trudeau is asking for money which needs a confidence vote. That would mean, as soon as Parliament goes back, the House would fall, and they would go to an election,” Ryan said. And that’s not the only problem with the proposed border plan.

David Krayden, host of the Stand on Guard podcast shared his discovery. “The promise for border security is $1.3 billion after six years!” David exclaimed. “In fact, it isn’t until well into the fourth and fifth year they really start spending the money.”

As an interesting side note, David compared the funds allocated to border security in 2025, which amounted to $81 million, while funds allocated for the gun grab amounted to $51 million. And in 2026, $144 million is allotted for border security, while $541 million is designated for the gun grab.

Meanwhile, Michelle Rempel recalled memories of her years as immigration critic. “Back in 2016, Trudeau said if you’re fleeing persecution in America (which they were not), come to Canada. Hundreds of thousands crossed that illegal border crossing from the U.S. into Canada and claimed asylum. The Liberals facilitated it, setting up formal structures at Roxam Road. RCMP were helping people with their luggage, and taxpayer dollars were used to put people up in motels,” she recalled.

During that time, she said immigration ministers referred to these people as “irregular” crossers and broke the immigration system by normalizing this behaviour. “If you come to Canada this way you can stay for years and years, was normalized,” she said. “Not only did they do it, but they vilified anybody who dared to call these people illegal crossers.”

Riley Donovan wrote an article suggesting Canada’s international student program is also problematic in that it is seen by many applicants as a back door to work and obtain permanent residency.

Nicholas Keung wrote in a recent article: “In 2023, Canada welcomed more than one million study permit holders, compared to 352,305 in 2015.” The article said the fast-growing international student program has been in the spotlight amid aggressive recruiting by the post-secondary education sector, and by unregulated foreign agents.

Riley Donovan suggested the simplest way to reform the international student program would be to remove the right to work off campus and after graduation, and stop counting time spent as a foreign student for our citizenship’s physical residency requirement.

In an article by Quinn Patrick, Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens said, “The current federal government has messed up the immigration system. What we see right now with respect to housing and health care is brought on by so many people being allowed in at one time that the system could not absorb it.” The City of Windsor was responding to the federal government expecting municipalities and provinces to support asylum claimants.

Stats Canada’s published statement from last November supports Mayor Dilkens’ claim. It reports the number of asylum claims has increased from 10,000 to over 200,000 during the past decade.

Overall, the government’s promise of a $1.3 billion border plan is beginning to sound like Environment Canada’s seven-day forecast of +1 temperatures in February.