Portland Tells Voters ‘Nothing To See Here’ As Ballots Literally Go Up In Flames
Drop boxes near Portland, Oregon, caught fire overnight. Police found a 'device' near each of the boxes.Drop boxes near Portland, Oregon, caught fire overnight. Police found a 'device' near each of the boxes.Suspected arson fires torch perhaps hundreds of ballots in drop boxes in Pacific Northwest
Hundreds of ballots likely went up in flames after an explosive device apparently went off in a ballot drop box in Washington state, one of two such explosions that occurred early Monday morning.
Around 5:30 a.m. on Monday, police began working tirelessly to put out a fire in a ballot box near a bus station in Vancouver, Washington. Video of their efforts shows crews toiling in the pouring rain as the contents of the ballot box were reduced to ashes.
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"It appears that a device was attached to the outside of the ballot drop box that resulted in the ballots being ignited," Clark County auditor Greg Kimsey said, according to Oregon Live.
The ballot box was outfitted with a fire suppressant, Kimsey noted. Unfortunately, it did not work effectively.
When asked how many ballots were affected, Kimsey declined to give an exact number but claimed it was in the "hundreds."
Kimsey described the incident as "heartbreaking." "It’s a direct attack on democracy," he added.
Police likewise described the device as "suspicious."
'Southwest Washington cannot risk a single vote being lost to arson and political violence.'
Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs (D) suggested the incident may have even been an act of "terror."
"I strongly denounce any acts of terror that aim to disrupt lawful and fair elections in Washington state," he said in a statement, according to ABC News.
The drop box is located in Washington's 3rd Congressional District, where Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D) and Republican Joe Kent are in a tight rematch. In 2022, Perez beat Kent by fewer than 3,000 votes.
"Southwest Washington cannot risk a single vote being lost to arson and political violence," Perez said in a statement, according to ABC News.
Kent's team did not respond to a request for comment, the outlet claimed.
Ballots at the drop box were last collected around 11 a.m. on Saturday, so anyone who deposited a ballot after that time is encouraged to check the status of their ballot online. They may also contact the county elections office to receive a replacement ballot by calling (564) 397-2345 or emailing elections@clark.wa.gov.
Sadly, the drop box in Vancouver was not the only one in the area to be hit. About two hours before the incident in Vancouver, an "incendiary device" exploded in a drop box in Portland, a press release from the Portland Police Bureau indicated. Portland, Oregon, is located about 10 miles south of Vancouver, Washington.
Fortunately, a fire suppressant installed in the Portland ballot box activated, preventing a significant fire. Multnomah County Elections Director Tim Scott claimed that only three ballots had been damaged and that elections workers had already made plans to contact the affected voters.
"By the time officers arrived, the fire had already been extinguished by security personnel who work in the area," the PPB press release said. "Officers determined an incendiary device was placed inside the ballot box and used to ignite the fire. PPB’s Explosive Disposal Unit (EDU) responded to the scene and cleared the device."
It is unclear whether the two incidents are linked.
Yet another incendiary device was discovered at a drop box in Vancouver on October 8. Luckily, it did not cause any damage.
A man also allegedly admitted to lighting a fire in a ballot box in Phoenix last week, destroying perhaps 20 ballots, as Blaze News previously reported. The suspect denied having any political motivation, claiming instead that he "wanted to be arrested."
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Mick Jagger appears shocked by Canadian crowd's reaction after he says the Stones 'love' far-left Justin Trudeau
A Rolling Stones concert crowd in Vancouver last week showered lead singer Mick Jagger with a rousing chorus of boos after he said the Stones "love" far-left Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Video shows Jagger in between songs Friday night telling the BC Place audience, “We love your Mr. Trudeau. I mean, his family’s always been such big fans of our band."
'Mick Jagger has no clue how unpopular Justin Trudeau is.'
Jagger barely finished his statement before the crowd erupted in boos — and the 80-year-old vocalist's mouth stayed hanging open with a flat facial expression for a good six to seven seconds.
Then Jagger began to crack a smile, and the veteran frontman pivoted to a subject he likely knew would elicit a positive reaction: “By the way, congratulations to the Canadian soccer team getting to the semifinals!”
Indeed, cheering abounded for the squad — which ended up losing to Argentina 2-0 in the Copa America semifinal.
So, was the left-wing frontman really shocked at the booing for the left-wing Trudeau — or was Jagger just playing around with the audience?
His comment saying the Trudeau family has "always been such big fans of our band" probably was a quip — at least the Toronto Sun said as much, recalling that Trudeau's famous mother, Margaret, "partied" with the Stones in the "late 1970s after she had split from Justin’s father."
The Sun gathered comments from videos on X and Instagram in regard to Jagger's words, noting that one commenter said the singer "hasn’t been paying attention" while another said, "Mick Jagger has no clue how unpopular Justin Trudeau is.”
The paper said others gave Jagger kudos for quickly getting the audience back on his side: “That was honestly an incredible pivot to the Copa America. Well played.”
“Nice save Mick!” another person said, according to the Sun. “Mentioned Trudeau and just about [got] booed into the Pacific, but that soccer team congrats saved your bacon!”
The paper noted that Margaret Trudeau — while she was still married to then-Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau — spent time with the Stones amid a club show of theirs in Toronto.
“We played dice until about five in the morning, in my hotel suite,” she told Bazaar in 2016. “Smoked some dope, talked. It was a good night, and it was my new world. But no one knew I was separated from my husband yet, and it brought a huge scandal.”
Vanity Fair in 2017 noted that she "left her table" at the El Mocambo club in 1977 "to sit at Mick Jagger’s feet as he sang and strutted. She stared at him worshipfully throughout the performance.“
The Sun, citing the Evening Standard, said Jagger later called Margaret Trudeau a “very sick girl in search of something. She found it — but not with me. I wouldn’t go near her with a barge pole.”
Jagger these days isn't one to keep his sociopolitical opinions private — particularly when targeting conservatives. A few months back, the singer set his sights on Republican Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. While reportedly discussing the topic of inclusion, Jagger allegedly said of Landry, "We want to include him too. Even if he wants to take us back to the Stone Age."
Landry returned fire: "You can’t always get what you want. The only person who might remember the Stone Age is Mick Jagger. Love you buddy, you’re always welcome in Louisiana!"
Jagger also isn't fond of former President Donald Trump, saying after he won the 2016 election, "Everyone outside the U.S. is kind of mystified, I’d say, that’s the polite word." The Rolling Stones also have threatened legal action against Trump for using their song "You Can’t Always Get What You Want" at campaign rallies.
The Sun said Jagger in 2013 made a joke about then-Toronto Mayor Rob Ford, who was making headlines for a crack cocaine controversy: “I just wanted you to know one thing: we’re not going to do any jokes tonight about the mayor or anything, OK? It’s too easy. It’s much too easy a target. It’s a bit cheap — cheap shots. So we’re not going to do any of that. We’re going to crack on with the show now.”
(H/T: Not the Bee)
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Parents sue after Catholic hospital in Canada refused to kill their terminally ill daughter
A Canadian couple is now suing a province and two health authorities after a Catholic hospital refused to euthanize their daughter who had been diagnosed with terminal cancer.
Sam O’Neill, an avid runner and devoted vegan, was diagnosed with stage-4 cervical cancer in early 2022. The cancer was so aggressive that it eventually spread to her spine, breaking at least one vertebra. She also suffered from recurrent kidney infections and osteoporosis.
'You’re being told what you’re requesting is sinful.'
A year later, Sam's health continued to deteriorate. She was then admitted to St. Paul's Hospital, a publicly funded Catholic facility in Vancouver, British Columbia, owned by Providence Health Care, a Catholic medical organization. In spring of 2023, Sam requested — and was granted — assisted suicide services called medical assistance in dying, or MAiD.
Though MAiD has been the law of the land in Canada since 2016, the law provides exemptions for faith-based institutions like St. Paul's, which, in keeping with Catholic doctrine, does not kill its patients, even those with terminal illnesses. The Catechism of the Catholic Church is unequivocal about the evil nature of intentional euthanasia, calling it "murder," regardless of its "forms or motives."
Even with that strict prohibition, St. John Hospice, which is also owned by Providence Health, does kill patients in accordance with civil law. St. Paul's agreed to transfer Sam to St. John, which soon afterward did kill Sam. She was just 34 years old.
On Monday, Gaye O'Neill, Sam's mother and the administrator of her estate, filed a lawsuit against British Columbia through its minister of health, Providence Health, and regional public health authority Vancouver Coastal Health, claiming that the defendants had forced her daughter to endure added pain and suffering because St. Paul's refused to kill her upon demand.
"The circumstances surrounding the forced transfer and Ms. O’Neill’s access to MAID caused and exacerbated Ms. O’Neill’s egregious physical and psychological suffering, and denied her a dignified death," it said.
Gaye O'Neill also went into great detail about her final conversation with her daughter, which apparently took place in a bathroom shortly before Sam's transfer to the hospice.
"We were allowed to say a quick goodbye, so I said to her, 'Sam, I’m so sorry this is happening to you.' And she said, 'Well, it is what it is,'" Gaye recalled.
The family exchanged "I love yous" before Sam was given pain killers and sedatives to ease her journey to St. John. Sam's father, Jim O'Neill, accompanied her in the ambulance.
"It was really, really hard," he said. "You watch her writhing and moaning in pain, not conscious and she’s not going to be conscious ever again."
Jim O'Neill described the experience as "horrendous" and "cruel."
Moreover, the O'Neills claim, Sam never chose to go to St. Paul's in the first place. By refusing to perform MAiD, St. Paul's "violated [Sam's] choice of religion," Gaye claimed.
"They can’t go on hurting people."
In addition to Gaye O'Neill, the lawsuit has two other plaintiffs who seem to have animus against a Catholic hospital for abiding by Catholic teaching. One of the plaintiffs is an organization called Dying with Dignity Canada. Its vice chairwoman, Daphne Gilbert, a University of Ottawa law professor, accused faith-based hospitals of attempting to "stigmatize" the practice of assisted suicide and those who request it.
"You’re being told what you’re requesting is sinful," she said.
Dr. Jyothi Jayaraman, a so-called palliative care physician and coplaintiff, also took issue with a hospital following its founding Christian precepts. "[Canadian Charter law] allows me freedom of religion, which also means that nobody else’s religious beliefs should be imposed on me," she insisted. "I think that is what’s happening, that Providence Health’s religious beliefs are imposed on me in such a way that I can no longer provide care in a medically appropriate and ethical way."
In a statement to Global News, Providence Health reaffirmed the organization's commitment to Catholic teaching and to refusing MAiD practices. However, it claims that it works with Vancouver Coastal Health facilities willing to perform them. "If there are issues or concerns with transfers, the two organizations work to improve the transfer processes wherever possible," Providence Health said.
Health Minister Adrian Dix gave a statement as well: "MAID is a legal end-of-life choice. In British Columbia, it’s strictly regulated, but it’s a legal end-of-life choice. And it’s our job to ensure that people have access to MAID in our province."
In an email to Blaze News, Alex Schadenberg of the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition noted that "Sam O’Neill was not denied MAiD," and indeed, received MAiD services at an alternate facility. He also suggested the only crime St. Paul's committed was "refusing to kill their patients."
Finally, he slammed the lawsuit as little more than thinly veiled political activism. "Dying with Dignity, Canada’s leading euthanasia lobby group, is committed to forcing every medical institution to provide euthanasia," he told Blaze News. "Dying with Dignity will not accept any dissent from their demand that all medical institutions must provide euthanasia."
"This story is about using the death of Sam in order to force all medical institutions, including religiously affiliated medical institutions, into providing euthanasia."
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Anti-Israel radicals terrorize families trying to take their kids to see mall Santa
Protesters and terror apologists critical of Israel's military response to the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks have taken to routinely shutting down freeways, lashing out at passersby, and chanting murderous slogans. They have recently adapted their tactics, hijacking holiday festivities and descending on malls to intimidate people into adopting their views.
Families across Canada hoping to shop and create happy Christmastime memories were among those recently subjected to anti-Israeli protestors' ravings.
Footage taken Friday at Ottawa's Bayshore Shopping Center shows protesters terrorizing families lined up to see Santa. The mall Santa appears to struggle to maintain his composure as children — overwhelmed by the loud and angry mob beating on drums and issuing accusations of genocide — are handed back and forth.
One of the chants directed toward toddlers and other terrified children claimed, "Jesus was Palestinian."
Protesters also shouted, "While you're shopping, bombs are dropping," repeatedly at families waiting for an opportunity to meet the man in red.
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Anti-Israeli protesters similarly swarmed the Eaton Center downtown Toronto on Friday, targeting businesses with Jewish and Israeli links and forcing a number of them to temporarily close, reported the Toronto Star.
Zara, for instance, was swarmed because its franchise owner Joey Schwebel, a Canadian-Israeli, has signaled support for the Israeli lawmaker Itamar Ben Gvir in the past. Similar protests against Zara have reportedly taken place in Turkey, Germany, and Australia.
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Anti-Israeli mobs also swarmed the Scotiabank and the book store Indigo at the Eaton Center, singling them out for their historic support of Israel. These two establishments are frequent targets of anti-Israeli protesters, the latter especially on account of its founder's pro-Israel charity. Last month, protesters forced Scotiabank to lock down its headquarters in Toronto for several hours and Indigo was vandalized in an attack police suspect was "hate-motivated."
Extra to the usual implicitly violent rhetoric, one masked man at the protest can be seen in a viral video uttering what appears to be an outright death threat in the presence of police officers.
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Similar protests also took place in Toronto's Yorkdale mall as well as in Vancouver and Burnaby, British Columbia, where protesters chanted "shame on you" to shoppers and Jewish-linked businesses alike.
CityNews indicated that the protesters in Burnaby chanted, "From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free," widely regarded as a call for Israel's ruination. The mob also chanted "End the occupation now" and "No more genocide."
The organizing parties behind the Burnaby protest included Healthcare Workers Alliance for Palestine, the Canada Palestine Association, and the Palestine Youth Movement.
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'They don't need to be activists': Ex-NHL star criticizes league's 'push' on players
Former NHL defenseman and multi-award-winning player P.K. Subban recently spoke out about the National Hockey League's controversy. The league faces increasing backlash surrounding some players and teams opting out of the NHL's "Pride Night" jerseys.
Subban, 33, who retired from the sport after 13 seasons, spoke to Reuters at the end of March 2023 to address the ever-growing activism from the hockey league.
"We cannot push everyone to be an activist; we need to be very careful," Subban told Reuters.
"I feel people pick and choose what they want to talk about, and I don't like it when we put the onus on athletes to be activists," he added.
Subban's remarks came the same day that the Vancouver Canucks hosted a drag queen show before their pride night, during which Russian player Andrei Kuzmenko became yet another player to refuse to wear a pride-themed warm-up jersey.
"They don't need to be activists," Toronto-born Subban commented.
"I'm not saying it is right or wrong to wear the [Pride] jersey; we have just got to be very careful how we push players to do things. ... You can support the LGBTQ community without having to wear a hat, a T-shirt, or a jersey," he continued.
\u201cTonight's Pride Night jersey auction is now open!\n\nAll proceeds will go to @YouCanPlayTeam.\n\nBID NOW | https://t.co/fEpx5hRx46\u201d— Vancouver Canucks (@Vancouver Canucks) 1680321504
The player blamed media narrative for a lack of coverage of the good that players do in other realms of activism:
"The people that write the articles, the people that push certain narratives in the media, they have to be held accountable," the former New Jersey player said.
"We have to be very, very careful about the way we perceive a moment. ... There's many players in the league that have started programs. Why aren't the media talking about that?" Subban asked.
"The frustrating thing for me is there are people in the media who have the responsibility to do their job a certain way and they don't. ... There are a lot of positive stories out there."
Subban's activism, which other outlets have pointed to, even includes diversity initiatives in the sport, putting him in a unique position to criticize the league's choices. He has worked with the Montreal Childrens Hospital and is an ambassador for the Kraft Hockeyville program, which awards $250,000 to small communities to upgrade or build hockey programs and arenas.
As for Kuzmenko, the 27-year-old from Yakutsk, Russia, became the sixth skater to refuse to wear a pride-themed jersey, joining James Reimer, Eric Staal, Marc Staal, and fellow Russians Ilya Lyubushkin and Ivan Provorov.
The Chicago Blackhawks, Minnesota Wild, New York Islanders, and New York Rangers all opted out of wearing the themed uniforms for the 2022-2023 season.
Recent refusals have prompted NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman to announce that the league is reconsidering the implementation of "pride night" for the upcoming season.
\u201cIs it playoffs yet? \ud83e\udd2f\u201d— P.K. Subban (@P.K. Subban) 1680534941
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VIDEO: Violent transgender activists allegedly assault dad
The Vancouver Police Department is investigating after activist Chris Elston, also known as "Billboard Chris," says he was assaulted Friday at a trans-rights rally.
"The most violent group in the western world are transgender activists," Elston tweeted Saturday.
"Here I am getting assaulted in the presence of dozens of police who do nothing," Elston said.
"We have launched an investigation into an incident that occurred at yesterday’s trans-rights rally at Grandview Park. We support everyone’s right to peacefully assemble and protest, but we will also hold people accountable for acts of violence and criminal behaviour," the Vancouver Police Department said Saturday afternoon in a tweet that is closed for comment.
"I'll believe them when I see results," Elston said Saturday in a tweet. "Hopefully they conduct an internal investigation into the conduct of their own officers," he added. According to Elston, officers did too little to intervene.
"Billboard Chris" is an activist father based in Canada who opposes surgical and chemical approaches to treating gender dysphoria in children. He reportedly travels across North America wearing sandwich board signs succinctly summarizing his position. He has been interviewed on news and opinion programs including Fox News Channel's "Tucker Carlson Tonight."
One video of Friday's incident in Vancouver shows Elston, already with what appears to be an open cut on the bridge of his nose from an earlier assault in the public park. That video shows a group surrounding him, chanting "f*** you." Police officers are seen standing by as the swarm quickly grows violent.
The video shows one chanting protester with an orange umbrella and a rainbow flag, standing within inches of Elston, directly behind him. As Elston turns, his elbow appears to graze the protester's fluffy coat collar and Elston appears to place his hand lightly on the protester's collar as he continues turning on the spot.
The video shows the protester immediately go for Elston's neck with what appears to be an attempt at a choking type hold. A scuffle ensues as Elston pulls back from the hold, then pushes the protester away, and tumbles toward the group of officers. As Elston creates some distance between himself and the protester group, one female officer among the several officers in view in the footage, appears to be smiling or chuckling.
"I need to sue the VPD. This is obscene," Elston also tweeted.
The first assault at the Vancouver location occurred "within seconds" of his arrival, Elston said, adding that he had called 911 for assistance. According to Elston, the female officer — who appears to be the same officer smiling during the later assault described above — initially suggested Elston might have cut his own nose.
"People can do these things, hurt themselves on purpose ... you provided me no evidence," the officer said, before seeing video of the first assault.
After seeing the video, the officer agrees to "have a conversation" with the people who allegedly first assaulted Elston, "to see what they say."
\u201cAfter my first assault, which occurred within seconds of my arrival, I called 911 for police. \n\nThis officer arrived quickly but stayed in her car, so I walked over.\n\nShe told me maybe I cut my own nose!\n\nMore farcical policing ensued.\u201d— Billboard Chris \ud83c\udde8\ud83c\udde6\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8 (@Billboard Chris \ud83c\udde8\ud83c\udde6\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8) 1680366997
Watch video of one of the violent interactions between "Billboard Chris" and protesters below.
\u201cHere\u2019s a second angle of @BillboardChris being assaulted by a violent unhinged transgender person right as I was asking Chris about the lack of police response after being assaulted earlier.\nStay tuned for my full video report coming to https://t.co/F5ShoCFgkd\u201d— Dan Dicks (@Dan Dicks) 1680321337
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VIDEO: Restaurant patrons chant 'get out!' at officials issuing COVID-19 closure order. Cheers erupt when they turn tail and leave Canadian eatery.
Customers seated inside Corduroy Restaurant in Vancouver, British Columbia, were caught on cellphone video chanting "Get out!" at health inspectors who had entered the establishment to issue closure orders over COVID-19 violations, Global News reported.
Soon after the chant began and quickly grew louder, the officials turned tail and left — after which cheering and applause erupted. The confrontation took place Saturday, CBC News said.
Vancouver By-Law - Health-Inspectors, kicked out of restaurant by supportive customers.youtu.be
What are the details?
British Columbia last Monday ordered a three-week ban on indoor dining to combat a third wave of the COVID-19 virus, Global News said, adding that a business can be fined $2,300 while individuals can be fined $575 for non-compliance — and there's a separate fine for belligerent behavior related to enforcement of COVID-19 orders.
With that, a liquor coordinator and provincial health officers entered Corduroy Restaurant and issued a a full closure order Saturday, Vancouver police told the outlet.
And video apparently of that very same event showed officials — seemingly the only people wearing masks — in the restaurant laying down the law to owner Rebecca Matthews, Global News said.
Image source: YouTube screenshot
Matthews tells the officials — who are handing her numerous papers — that they're trespassing on private property and that she doesn't recognize their jurisdiction, the outlet added.
Soon diners began their "Get out!" chant. Seconds later, one of the officials turned, raised his hand at a colleague as if to signal surrender, and they walked out the door.
Image source: YouTube screenshot
Cheers and applause quickly followed.
Matthews told Global News she intends to continue defying the ban since she needs the income from her business to feed her family. She added that the province is unfairly targeting restaurants while allowing other businesses to stay open, the outlet noted.
Matthews added to Global News that she doesn't see a difference between indoor and outdoor dining. And during a "save small business" rally Friday, she questioned the reliability of COVID-19 testing and called for the end of restrictions she said were doing more harm than the virus, the outlet reported.
What do the powers that be have to say?
Vancouver Coastal Health told Global News that "any alleged violations of closure orders are taken very seriously and are thoroughly investigated."
Health Minister Adrian Dix added to the outlet that he's "frustrated with the behavior [at the restaurant]. No one misunderstands the rules. We are enforcing that closure order, and it is being enforced right now, and it will be enforced."
Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth on Saturday called Corduroy Restaurant's non-compliance "disgraceful" and said besides receiving fines businesses also can have their liquor or business licenses pulled.
Here's another clip of the "Get out!" chant:
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