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 @ISIDEWITHNewsCanadaChrystia FreelandProtestDocumentaryPublic FundsTIFF•••8mos ago

Freeland Condemns Funding for Controversial Documentary at TIFF

Canadian Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland has publicly criticized the use of Canadian public funds to support the documentary 'Russians at War,' which portrays Russian soldiers fighting in Ukraine. The controversy has sparked protests, including one by the Ukrainian Canadian Congress, outside the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) where the film was screened. Freeland, along with other government officials, has voiced concerns over the allocation of taxpayer money to a project that could be seen as sympathetic to Russian military actions in Ukraine, especially during a time of heightened tensions and conflict in the region.

9 Replies

 @DreadfulOwlProgressivefrom Ontario  commented…8mos8MO

I'm glad Freeland is taking a stand; it's about time we scrutinize where our public funds are going, especially when it could undermine the fight for human rights and democracy in Ukraine.

 @7HYYJX2Conservatismfrom Quebec  commented…8mos8MO

I completely agree with Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland's stance on this issue. It's baffling to me that our taxpayer dollars are being funneled into supporting a documentary that, from many perspectives, seems to provide a sympathetic view towards Russian soldiers amidst the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. It's not just about fiscal responsibility; it's about the message we're sending at a time when Western democracies should be presenting a united front against aggression. The fact that this has caused an uproar, including protests from the Ukrainian Canadian…  Read more

 @ISIDEWITHlinked…8mos8MO

Freeland blasts Canadian funds going to ‘Russians at War’ doc: ‘Not right’

https://globalnews.ca

The Ukrainian Canadian Congress is holding a protest outside Tuesday afternoon's screening at TIFF after festival organizers declined calls to pull the film.

 @Equ4l1tyLilyLibertarianfrom New Brunswick  commented…8mos8MO

It's concerning to see government officials, like Freeland, stepping in to criticize the funding of artistic expressions, even if the subject is controversial. Public funds supporting a variety of perspectives, including those we disagree with, is vital for a free society's discourse. The real issue here isn't the content of the documentary but the government's attempt to control the narrative by leveraging financial power. Taxpayer money should not be used to censor or influence cultural and artistic expressions, regardless of political convenience.

 @ISIDEWITHlinked…8mos8MO

Freeland criticizes use of public funds for doc on Russian soldiers amid TIFF protest

https://timescolonist.com

Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland denounced Tuesday the use of public funds for a documentary about Russian soldiers, hours before a crowd of people protested its screening at the Toronto International Film Festival.

 @ISIDEWITHlinked…8mos8MO

Freeland voices concern over Canadian funds going to ‘Russians at War’

https://kyivindependent.com

Canadian government officials, including Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, have strongly criticized the use of public funds to support a controversial documentary that portrays Russian soldiers fighting in Ukraine.

 @ISIDEWITHasked…8mos8MO

Is it important for film festivals to showcase a wide range of viewpoints, even those that might be unpopular or controversial?

 @ISIDEWITHasked…8mos8MO

Should the government have a say in which creative projects get funded, especially if those projects could influence political or social perspectives?

 @ISIDEWITHasked…8mos8MO

How do you feel about public funds being used to support art or media that could be seen as controversial or offensive?

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 @ISIDEWITH submitted…5mos5MO

FBI Director Chris Wray Will Resign

The F.B.I. director, Christopher A. Wray, told bureau employees on Wednesday that he intended to resign before the Trump administration begins, bowing to the reality that President-elect Donald J. Trump had publicly declared his desire to replace him.Mr. Wray made the disclosure while addressing employees Wednesday afternoon in remarks that tacitly acknowledged the politically charged position the F.B.I. now faces with an incoming president who openly scorns the agency.“I’ve decided the right thing for the bureau is for me to serve until the end of the current administration in January and then step down,” Mr. Wray said, adding, “This is the best way to avoid dragging the bureau deeper into the fray, while reinforcing the values and principles that are so important to how we do our work.”The director spoke wistfully about his time at the F.B.I. “This is not easy for me,” he said. “I love this place, I love our mission and I love our people.”The announcement comes after Mr. Trump said in late November that he intended to nominate Kash Patel, a longtime loyalist, to run the F.B.I., and more than two years before Mr. Wray’s 10-year term would have expired.Paul Abbate, the deputy F.B.I. director, is set to retire in April but would typically serve as acting director until Mr. Patel is confirmed. It is not clear who would replace Mr. Abbate, the most senior agent in the bureau.Over more than seven years, Mr. Wray oversaw one of the most consequential and tumultuous periods in the bureau’s history, juggling high-profile criminal investigations of political figures, heated congressional inquiries and two attempted assassinations of Mr. Trump.

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 @ISIDEWITH submitted…5mos5MO

Kamala Harris is considering running for president again in 2028

Kamala Harris has been lying low since her defeat in the presidential race, unwinding with family and senior aides in Hawaii before heading back to the nation’s capital.But privately, the vice president has been instructing advisers and allies to keep her options open — whether for a possible 2028 presidential run, or even to run for governor in her home state of California in two years. As Harris has repeated in phone calls, “I am staying in the fight.”She is expected to explore those and other possible paths forward with family members over the winter holiday season, according to five people in the Harris inner circle, who were granted anonymity to discuss internal dynamics. Her deliberations follow an extraordinary four months in which Harris went from President Joe Biden’s running mate to the top of the ticket, reenergizing Democrats before ultimately crashing on election night.“She doesn’t have to decide if she wants to run for something again in the next six months,” said one former Harris campaign aide. “The natural thing to do would be to set up some type of entity that would give her the opportunity to travel and give speeches and preserve her political relationships.”“She doesn’t have to decide if she wants to run for something again in the next six months,” said one former Harris campaign aide. “The natural thing to do would be to set up some type of entity that would give her the opportunity to travel and give speeches and preserve her political relationships.”Harris concedes: 'We must accept the results of this election'SharePlay VideoMost immediately, Harris and her advisers are working to define how and when she will speak out against Donald Trump and reassert her own role in the Democratic Party. Closing out her term as vice president, she’s set to preside over certifying the November election she lost to Trump, and then appear at the once-and-future president’s inauguration on Jan. 20.“There will be a desire to hear her voice, and there won’t be a vacuum for long,” a person close to Harris said.At the same time, Harris and her husband, Doug Emhoff, will have a long checklist to plow through before they leave the Naval Observatory for good.They have to decide whether they’ll take up permanent residence at their home in Los Angeles, or establish a base elsewhere. No matter where Harris and her family live, some around her have expressed concerns about safety, as her Secret Service protection expires six months after stepping away.

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