Politics

By Laura Osman The Canadian Press Published on October 10, 2024 at 6:25 p.m. 1 minute reading Reduce article font size Increase the font size of the article THE drug insurance This bill, which was at the heart of a political pact between the Liberals and the NDP, is now on the verge of becoming law after the Senate passed it without making any changes. The law will inform the creation of any future national and universal pharmacare plan. This will also allow the government to sign agreements with the provinces and territories to cover diabetes and contraceptive medications within the public health system. Receive weekly health news Receive the latest medical news and health information every Sunday. The wording and content of the bill were carefully negotiated under the now-defunct Appropriations and Confidence Agreement between the NDP and Liberals. British Columbia has already signed a memorandum of understanding with Ottawa to launch the program in that province. Health Minister Mark Holland hopes to have all provinces and territories sign on to the bill by next spring, but the bill will need to receive royal assent before these agreements can be officially signed. Current trend Hurricane Milton: Some Floridians refuse to evacuate – here are their reasons Roof of Tropicana Field torn to shreds by Hurricane Milton Story continues below advertisement 2:11 Health issues: British Columbia becomes first province to sign pharmacare agreement &copy 2024 The Canadian Press Source link

OTTAWA – A former chief of staff to a Liberal public safety minister has denied suggestions she worked to block approval of a spy service mandate in early 2021 because it directly affected operations of the Trudeau government. Zita Astravas called the allegation “categorically false” during her testimony Wednesday evening in a federal investigation into foreign interference. The inquiry heard it took 54 days for the Canadian Security Intelligence Service’s warrant request to be approved by then-Public Safety Minister Bill Blair. The average processing time for these requests is four to ten days. Michelle Tessier, CSIS’s deputy director of operations during this period, told the inquiry she was frustrated by the delay. A schedule filed at the inquiry indicates Astravas attended a briefing on the warrant request 13 days after CSIS sent it to Public Safety. Story continues below advertisement Astravas told the commission in a closed session over the summer that the questions she asked during the briefing were typical of those she would ask regarding such a request. Get the latest national news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up to receive breaking news alerts sent directly to you as they happen. A recently leaked summary of that testimony indicates that she recalls a separate conversation about the Vanweenen list that accompanied it – a list of individuals who might be in contact with the target of the warrant and therefore could be affected. Federal officials cited national security in refusing to publicly discuss who CSIS hoped to surveil through the warrant. Learn more about politics More videos Gib van Ert, lawyer for Conservative MP Michael Chong, suggested to Astravas on Wednesday that after seeing “the extent to which this mandate would involve CSIS in the affairs of your party and your government, you did not want this to continue, and if we had to move forward, we had to slow it down. Astravas responded that she could not mention the details of the mandate, “but I can tell you that your assumptions are categorically wrong.” Blair, now defense minister, is expected to testify before the commission of inquiry on Friday. Current trend As Hurricane Milton approaches, what Canadians with property in Florida should know Sentenced in the United States for violating sanctions against Iran, brothers adopt new identities in Ontario He has already stated during the in camera investigation that he became aware of the warrant application on the date he remembers signing it. “He was not aware that his office had received it before that date,” a summary of Blair’s testimony states. “He didn’t know what date his office received it and no one showed him the earlier dates on the documents.” Story continues below advertisement The summary states that on the date he signed the warrant, he learned that there had been discussions and questions raised by his office with the Director of CSIS and the Deputy Minister of Public Safety. “However, he did not know how long he had been in his office.” Astravas testified Wednesday that CSIS Director David Vigneault would flag priority issues and that “we would work with the director and his team” to put an item on the minister’s agenda. During this period, there were several contacts involving the director of CSIS, the minister and the deputy minister, she said. “At no time was (the arrest warrant) issued urgently. » The latest hearings of the commission of inquiry focus on the ability of federal agencies to identify and counter foreign interference. A final report is expected by the end of the year. &copy 2024 The Canadian Press Source link

Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre deplored House of Commons remains “paralyzed” Tuesday as his party prolongs the debate on the handing over of government documents to the RCMP. Poilievre was referring to the government’s delay in producing seven years of documents related to the Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC) organization within 30 days. The now-defunct organization, which was federally funded but independent from the government, was found earlier this year to have violated conflict of interest rules and made “significant errors” in the management of funds public by the Auditor General of Canada. The Conservatives have taken to calling this a “green slush fund”. If you already feel lost, don’t worry. This is a natural reaction to the political posturing that typically occurs in the final days of a minority parliament. The debate on the publication of the documents paralyzed the work of the House of Commons for a week. Story continues below advertisement When asked why his party wouldn’t refer the issue to a Commons committee for study – miraculously curing Parliament of its paralysis – Poilievre responded that he wouldn’t let “corruption” pass so that “Justin Trudeau can go on with your day.” A House of Commons committee investigation doesn’t exactly sweep an issue “under the rug,” as Poilievre charged, and is the most likely outcome of the debate. In the meantime, however, conservatives can use this issue to level accusations of corruption against the Liberal government. Poilievre was absent during question period Tuesday, after being reprimanded by Speaker Greg Fergus for accusing Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly of pandering to “Hamas supporters” and refusing to retract his comments. Learn more about politics More videos But his deputy chief, Melissa Lantsman, insisted on the contents of the documents and why they did not turn them over. Get the latest national news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up to receive breaking news alerts sent directly to you as they happen. “How bad are these documents, that they would blockade this place for seven days, defying your order and hiding the $400 million they gave to their friends? asked Lantsman. “They are trying to get out of their own obstruction because they don’t want this issue to go to committee,” retorted Liberal House Leader Karina Gould. “Because they will hear from expert after expert about the blatant abuse of power that the Conservatives are trying to commit here to override the rights of Canadians. We are ready to move forward…only conservatives are afraid of the vote.” Story continues below advertisement SDTC and Conservative Privilege Earlier this year, Auditor General Karen Hogan’s office found that SDTC had awarded funding totaling $51 million to eight start-up projects that did not meet eligibility criteria. A subsequent investigation by the federal Ethics Commissioner found that SDTC President Annette Verschuren did not recuse herself from the funding decisions of organizations with which she had ties – including her own company, NRStor Inc. . In June, a Conservative motion demanded that the government turn over all SDTC-related documents to the House of Commons law clerk within 30 days. The clerk then handed them over to the RCMP. This means that all federal departments and agencies, as well as the Office of the Auditor General, would have to submit any documents relating to the foundation dating back to 2017 within one month. Although the House of Commons law clerk confirmed providing documents to the RCMP throughout the summer, not all files were turned over before the deadline. Story continues below advertisement This paved the way for Conservative House Leader Andrew Scheer to claim that the privileges of the House had been violated – a claim that Speaker Fergus found to be true. And this is what has brought the House of Commons to its current state of dysfunction. To further complicate matters, the RCMP has already confirmed that an investigation is underway into SDTC and has already received tranches of documents from the government, as first reported by the National Post. “Playground Tactics” and the Liberal Agenda Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, speaking to reporters in Ottawa on Tuesday, said the government’s work continues despite being “frustrated and dismayed by the spectacle the Conservatives are putting on the Parliament.” She said the government is in discussions with the New Democrats and the opposition Bloc Québécois about the fall economic statement – an economic update that would be a matter of confidence and, in the event of Failure would plunge Canada into a general election. Story continues below advertisement “We’re doing a lot, and we’re being thoughtful and creative about things, looking for areas where we can move forward and not be blocked by, you know, playground tactics,” Freeland said. When asked if the Liberal government was considering proroguing Parliament – ​​a potential way of resetting parliamentary business and the government agenda – Freeland responded with a resounding “no”. &copy 2024 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc. Source link

A 2021 analysis of China foreign interference The operations intended to spark discussions between senior government officials were not transmitted to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau or cabinet ministers, the Hogue commission learned Monday. The report, produced by the Privy Council Office (PCO) and the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) and delivered in January 2022, remained stuck for months in President Trudeau’s office. Jody Thomas, then national security adviser. The inquiry into foreign interference, overseen by Justice Marie-Josée Hogue, has heard repeatedly about the challenges of ensuring vital intelligence reaches senior decision-makers. As the nerve center of government, the BCP has a division called the Intelligence Assessment Secretariat, tasked with helping the prime minister and his national security adviser digest information from various sources. The 2021 analysis attempted to combine what CSIS knew about Chinese operations in Canada, gleaned from around 100 separate intelligence reports, with trends observed in Beijing’s interventions abroad. Story continues below advertisement National security sources told Global News the report was passed to Trudeau and some cabinet ministers, allegations the government has largely denied. Martin Green, a former senior intelligence official within the BCP, recommended to Thomas that the report be widely disseminated – to senior civil servants and ministers, as well as within the security and intelligence community. Learn more about politics More videos This does not appear to have happened. Green testified Monday that he delivered the report to Thomas in January 2022 and raised the issue repeatedly over several months, but the report does not appear to have received final approval or reached the prime minister’s office. Green noted in January 2022 that there were significant national security concerns – such as Russia’s looming invasion of Ukraine and the so-called Freedom Convoy descending on the Canadian capital – that may have relegated the issue of foreign interference in the background. Receive national news daily Get the day’s top news, politics, business and current affairs headlines delivered to your inbox once a day. “We were facing some pretty dramatic problems, so foreign interference at that immediate point was not, I think, a priority,” Green, who retired from the BCP Intelligence Assessment Secretariat, said Monday earlier this year. “I raised the issue a few times (with Thomas) thinking it would still be good to have that conversation, so I can’t really explain why it hasn’t come up in a meeting ( deputy ministers) or not… I can make the recommendation, but I can’t say, you know, you have to go. Story continues below advertisement Trudeau and his cabinet finally had to have this conversation – after the document was leaked to Global News and became part of an ongoing reporting on foreign interference operations in Canada. Green previously told the commission he remembered “feeling bad” when the document was leaked, and said it was “very problematic” that it was reported publicly. The heavily censored version of the report, released Monday by Hogue’s commission on foreign interference, reveals little that a casual observer of the foreign interference record would not already know. Namely that the Chinese government poses the most “significant” threat of foreign interference to Canadian democracy, that Canada remains “highly vulnerable” to these operations and that China’s activities are “sophisticated, persistent and multi-dimensional”. The Chinese government employs proxies to distort public opinion, deploys clandestine networks to “ring” elected officials for leverage, and threatens Canadian businesses and individuals to advance Beijing’s political goals, suggests the report. Chinese government officials have repeatedly rejected these claims, despite the mountain of increasingly public evidence to the contrary. Additional information, gleaned from 100 CSIS memos, was largely hidden in the unclassified version of the report. Current trend Elon Musk Joins Trump at US Election Rally, Says ‘I’m Dark MAGA’ Other events in Canada to mark the first anniversary of the Hamas attack on Israel But another BCP official, Lisa Ducharme, told commission lawyers she was “surprised” that so much attention was given to the report — which she said was never finalized. Story continues below advertisement “(Ducharme) explained that it is not uncommon for reports to be written in draft form, but to be delayed or left unfinished, for a variety of reasons, whether it be resource issues, overcoming events or a change in direction,” she told the commission’s lawyers. . Over the last year, the Hogue Commission has heard repeatedly about the government’s difficulties in ensuring that intelligence reports reach decision-makers, including senior officials and their political masters. “The evidence appears to demonstrate that the role of some actors in existing processes is not always well understood, that there are sometimes significant differences of opinion between the intelligence community and elected officials, and that fear of disclosing information that could harm national security is a problem. a major barrier to information sharing,” Hogue wrote in his preliminary findings, released in May. “The nature of the information collected and shared by intelligence agencies appears to arouse the suspicions of many people, who may prefer to refrain from acting when such information is brought to their attention. » These problems go well beyond why a single intelligence report, however informative, was not brought to the attention of the Prime Minister. But the commission’s lawyers will have the opportunity to get clarity on the specific incident on Wednesday, when Thomas is scheduled to testify a second time. Justice Hogue also took the time Monday to welcome the Liberal government’s desire to give her commission “extraordinary” access to classified documents and to have recently authorized the publication of the summaries of four memoranda to Cabinet – some of the most most sensitive in the possession of the federal government. . Story continues below advertisement Typically, this type of document falls under a principle called Cabinet confidentiality, under which discussions around the Cabinet table and the evidence that informs them cannot be publicly disclosed, in most cases for 20 years. “The government’s willingness to disclose this information to the commission will help me develop recommendations that will help preserve the integrity of Canada’s…

Reduce article font size Increase the font size of the article Justin Trudeau will travel to Laos later this week for the ASEAN Summitmarking what his office says is the first official visit by a Canadian prime minister to the Southeast Asian country. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations meetings will take place Thursday and Friday in Vientiane, the capital of Laos, after which the Prime Minister’s Office announced that Trudeau will attend the 25th meeting of the Contact Group on Ukrainian defense at the American air base in Ramstein, Germany. The ASEAN bloc and Canada have committed to signing a trade deal by the end of 2025, and Canada last year entered into a strategic partnership with the organization of 10 South Asian member countries. Southeast. As work toward a trade deal continues, Trudeau’s office said he will also meet with partners at the special ASEAN-Canada summit, where he will highlight Canada’s role in responding to new and emerging challenges peace and security, including cybercrime. Story continues below advertisement The Prime Minister’s Office says ASEAN, as a regional bloc, represents Canada’s fourth largest trading partner, with more than $38.8 billion in bilateral trade in 2023. 1:56 Why Trudeau is focused on deepening Indo-Pacific ties Current trend Seriously injured Uber couple can’t sue because of Uber Eats order, court rules Elon Musk Joins Trump at US Election Rally, Says ‘I’m Dark MAGA’ His office says Trudeau will “strive to advance common interests and forge even stronger ties” between Canada and Laos as the two countries celebrate 50 years of bilateral relations this year. Get the latest national news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up to receive breaking news alerts sent directly to you as they happen. “Shared challenges require shared solutions – that’s the goal of the ASEAN Summit and the Ukraine Defense Contact Group,” Trudeau said in a press release about the upcoming meetings. “Whether it’s fighting climate change, creating good-paying jobs or strengthening democracy, Canada plays a leadership role in creating a better, safer and more just future for people from all over the world. The Ukrainian Defense Contact Group meeting in Germany will take place on Saturday and will be chaired by US President Joe Biden. Story continues below advertisement The Prime Minister’s Office said Trudeau would emphasize the importance of addressing Ukraine’s immediate economic, defense and security needs, including the provision of military equipment, security assistance and training. Learn more about Canada More videos &copy 2024 The Canadian Press Source link

Iran The supreme leader on Friday welcomed his country’s recent missile strike against Israel and said he was ready to do it again if necessary, state television reported. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in his first appearance as leader at Friday prayers in about five years, called the missile strike a “brilliant” job by Iran’s armed forces. Iran launched at least 180 missiles at Israel on Tuesday, the latest in a series of escalating attacks between Israel, Iran and its allies that threaten to push the Middle East closer to conflict regional. Israel said it intercepted numerous missiles, and officials in Washington said U.S. destroyers were helping in Israel’s defense. Iran said most of its missiles hit their targets. No casualties were immediately reported. Khamenei, 85, said in a 40-minute speech to thousands at the Mosalla Mosque, Tehran’s main place of worship, that Hamas’s attack on southern Israel nearly one year ago, October 7, 2023, was a legitimate attack. action of the Palestinian people. Story continues below advertisement 3:05 p.m. Israel mulls response to Iranian missile barrage He said Tuesday’s missile launch was based on international law, the law of the land and Islamic beliefs. Get the latest national news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up to receive breaking news alerts sent directly to you as they happen. He urged countries “from Afghanistan to Yemen and from Iran to Gaza and Yemen” to be ready to take action against the enemy, and praised those who died doing so. “Our people resisting in Lebanon and Palestine, you, courageous fighters, you loyal and patient people, these martyrs and the blood shed should not shake your determination but make you more perseverant,” he said. Khamenei delivered half of the speech in Arabic as he addressed Arab nations. Current trend The Northern Lights are expected to shine in parts of Canada this weekend. Here is where Keanu Reeves Spins Out of Control in Racing Debut at Indianapolis Motor Speedway His last appearance at Friday prayers came after the death of Revolutionary Guard General Qassem Soleimani, killed in 2020 during a US drone strike in Baghdad. Story continues below advertisement

Canadian diplomats have quietly but frequently expressed concerns about foreign interference and surveillance with their Chinese counterparts over the past two years, according to newly released documents. A document released Friday by the Foreign Interference Commission reports a total of 48 “representations” to the People’s Republic of China (PRC) since September 2022. The general topic of “foreign interference” has been raised a total of 31 times, including four official diplomatic letters. The document also shows that Canadian officials raised Chinese “police stations” abroad 20 times, surveillance balloons twice and two meetings with a former PRC diplomat, Zhao Wei, who was expelled from the Canada due to concerns about foreign interference. This is a more discreet part of the federal government’s overall response to foreign interference: covert operations aimed at shaping Canadian domestic politics primarily from the PRC, but also from countries like India, l Iran and Russia. But the document shows that, away from the public eye, Chinese officials were fully aware that the federal government was concerned about their alleged interference in Canadian affairs. Story continues below advertisement David Morrison, deputy minister of international trade and former national security adviser to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, told the commission that “maintaining a lively and ongoing discussion with foreign states, even those that oppose” is an aspect central to the fight against foreign interference. . Receive national news daily Get the day’s top news, politics, business and current affairs headlines delivered to your inbox once a day. “This, according to Mr. Morrison, is the essence of diplomacy: how to maintain a relationship with a government that can be confrontational, deal with a diversity of subjects and manage the back and forth, the exchange of views. relationship,” Morrison told commission lawyers. Sometimes these diplomatic exchanges make headlines – like when Trudeau had a difficult exchange with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the issue on the sidelines of a G20 summit in 2022. Xi apparently disputed the details of the two’s discussion leaders on foreign interference. “leak” in the Canadian media. Learn more about Canada More videos A spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry called the allegations of foreign interference “absurd”. Current trend Resurfaced clips and comments reveal what celebrities knew about Diddy’s parties Ontario child dies of rabies after bat found in room, official says Details and documents made public by the Commission on Foreign Interference, headed by Justice Marie-Josée Hogue of the Quebec Court of Appeal, tell a different story. Hogue’s investigation is nearing the end of its second phase of public testimony from senior security officials, civil servants and politicians into interference in the 2019 and 2021 general elections. The investigation was prompted by media reports, first by Global News, about the extent of foreign interference in Canadian democracy and repeated warnings from the Trudeau government on the issue. Story continues below advertisement In his preliminary report released in May, Hogue confirmed that foreign powers attempted to interfere in the 2019 and 2021 federal elections, but that Canadians ultimately decided both elections. Hogue’s findings, along with the assessment of several Canadian security and intelligence agencies, show that the Chinese government poses the most significant threat in foreign interference operations. The commission will continue to hear testimony over the next two weeks, including from senior civil servants, political staffers and ministers – including Trudeau himself on October 16. With the next federal election approaching, Hogue’s final report on foreign interference is expected by the end of the year. &copy 2024 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc. Source link

The RCMP has declined to investigate an alleged money laundering ring linked to the People’s Republic of China (PRC) as it determined that shutting down the scheme would have “no significant impact.” According to documents released Thursday by the Federal Commission on Foreign Interference, the RCMP was informed of the existence of a “money laundering network linked to organized crime and the activities of the PRC (interference by foreign actors )”. Deputy Commissioner Mark Flynn, head of the federal police, said he had made the decision not to pursue the investigation because it would not make much difference. “When asked if a financial crime unit could investigate the network, Deputy Commissioner Flynn asked what impact a successful financial crime investigation would have on the wider problem,” it reads in a summary of his testimony. “Given that multiple backup networks could be used for money laundering activities, it was felt that a successful investigation into a financial crime would not have a significant impact. Deputy Commissioner Flynn ultimately refused the request because the proposed investigation did not have enough impact to warrant a higher priority. Story continues below advertisement This is just a glimpse of the broader issue of foreign interference in Canada, the subject of Justice Marie-Josée Hogue’s federal inquiry. But it highlights two significant problems in how Canada counters the threat of foreign influence: the link between hostile powers and organized crime in Canada, and the lack of federal resources to devote to combating complex interference operations. Get the latest national news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up to receive breaking news alerts sent directly to you as they happen. The RCMP has an annual budget of $6 billion. But that money is shared between federal policing – areas like white-collar crime, national security and protection of visiting politicians and dignitaries – and everyday front-line policing in several provinces and territories. Learn more about politics More videos This tension has long been an identified problem within the national police force, which is divided between specialized, in-depth investigations and more mundane responsibilities like speeding tickets and maintaining order. In 2023, the federal Liberals set aside $48.9 million over three years for the RCMP to combat foreign interference activities. But Flynn testified that “the need for specialized interventions (from foreign actors) is increasing and already exceeds capacity” and that “the need for additional resources is expected to increase significantly.” Another obstacle to investigations into foreign interference was highlighted in documents released by the commission Thursday: the difficulty of using information collected by intelligence agencies as evidence in criminal prosecutions. Current trend Canadians will soon receive GST/HST credit payments. How much? Millie Bobby Brown and Jake Bongiovi share romantic wedding photos Intelligence agencies, both in Canada and in allied countries, collect large amounts of information on people of interest. But not all intelligence products can be used in criminal trials – either because they do not meet the standard of proof or because they risk revealing how agencies collect their information. Story continues below advertisement “(Flynn) explained that this issue may limit the RCMP’s ability to investigate activities related to (foreign actor interference) because the RCMP generally becomes aware of these activities through intelligence, both domestic and foreign. international,” says the summary of the interview. “When international partners share intelligence, it is typically accompanied by caveats requiring the RCMP to protect sensitive information from disclosure, limiting the RCMP’s ability to exploit the intelligence received in criminal investigations . All of these factors could help explain why, despite findings from Hogue’s investigation and the National Security and Intelligence Committee (NSICOP) that federal candidates and some lawmakers knowingly participated in foreign interference operations , the country has not seen any criminal prosecution in these operations. imported. Hogue’s inquiry is expected to hear testimony until Oct. 16, when Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is scheduled to appear before lawyers for a second time. The inquiry will also hear from senior civil servants, intelligence officials and ministers in the coming weeks. Hogue’s final report is expected to be delivered to the government by the end of the year. &copy 2024 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc. Source link

By staff The Canadian Press Published on October 2, 2024 at 2:27 p.m. 1 minute reading Reduce article font size Increase the font size of the article First François Legault says the federal government should force asylum seekers arriving in Quebec to move to other provinces, including people already established in the province. Legault said during a trip to Paris on Wednesday that he wants half of the asylum seekers currently in Quebec to be transferred elsewhere in the country. The prime minister says it doesn’t make sense that Quebec welcomes about 45 percent of potential refugees to Canada, when it only represents 22 percent of the population. 1:51 Nearly 13,000 international students applied for asylum in Canada this year, data shows Current trend Microphones cut after Vance says ‘you’re not going to check the facts’ during VP debate ‘I will not be silenced’: Attack on Calgary radio host caught on CCTV The federal government says it wants a more equitable distribution of asylum seekers across the country, but the office of Immigration Minister Marc Miller says Ottawa will not force provinces to welcome more people. Story continues below advertisement Ottawa offers financial incentives to provinces that want to help and threatens to reduce the number of economic immigrants for provinces that resist. Legault said Tuesday that his government had asked Ottawa to create waiting areas for asylum seekers entering the country, as is the case in France. Learn more about politics More videos &copy 2024 The Canadian Press Source link

Drivers along NevadaThe interstate highway from Las Vegas to Reno this weekend was greeted by an unexpected sight: a 45-foot-tall nude statue of the former U.S. president Donald Trump. The 6,000-pound sculpture, which was held vertically by a crane in an industrial area, offended state Republicans, who called the effigy “deplorable.” The statue, titled Twisted and obsceneis made from foam and rebar. Although the artists chose to remain anonymous, they said the choice to depict Trump nude is “a bold statement on transparencyvulnerability and public personas of political figures. A press release from the artists says the giant puppet is also intended to inspire a conversation about “transparency – or lack of transparency – in politics, inspiring viewers to think critically about political influence.” A censored photo of “Twisted and Obscene,” the nude statue of Donald Trump first spotted on Interstate 15 near Las Vegas. Ronda Churchill/AFP via Getty Images According to the Nevada Republican Party, the statue is simply inappropriate. The organization said it “strongly condemns” the sculpture because families passing through Las Vegas “are forced to view this offensive puppet, intentionally designed to cause shock rather than meaningful dialogue.” Story continues below advertisement “President Trump and Republicans are focused on delivering results that matter: reducing inflation, securing our borders, creating jobs, and securing a better future for all Americans,” the party said in a statement. statement. “As Democrats, particularly Kamala Harris, continue to prioritize shock over substance, President Trump is the only candidate in this race standing up for the working men and women of Nevada.” Get the latest national news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up to receive breaking news alerts sent directly to you as they happen. Trump’s nude effigy was removed Monday. Clark County officials said the statue was erected on private property without a permit. “After being informed of its existence, Commissioner Kirkpatrick contacted the property and requested that it be demolished,” the statement released Tuesday said. “It was taken down shortly after.” Statement from Clark County regarding the Donald Trump statue erected outside Las Vegas. pic.twitter.com/xm6WnOAiUE – Clark County, Nevada (@ClarkCountyNV) October 1, 2024 Story continues below advertisement The artists said the statue should be brought to other U.S. cities as part of a national tour. The artists told Las Vegas television station KTNV-TV that they plan to display the nude Trump statue at all US swing states. Dates and other locations for the statue’s display have not been announced. Twisted and obscene is not the first statue to depict Trump naked. Artist Joshua “Ginger” Monroe created several nude statues of Trump in 2016 that were placed in cities including New York, Los Angeles and Seattle. Current trend Florida politician indicted for allegedly threatening to kill political opponent Iran launches missile attack on Israel as Middle East conflict escalates 0:58 Naked statues of Donald Trump appear in American cities The statues have gone viral online. Monroe said he made the sculptures not to humiliate Trump, but to spark discourse about how “thin” the former president’s skin was. The artist chose to depict Trump naked and paint veins on the statue to show Trump »without any armor – whether it is an Armani trial (or) his lawyers around him. Story continues below advertisement The Monroe statues were funded by the Indecline art collective and erected without a permit. A nude statue of Donald Trump, created by Joshua “Ginger” Monroe, photographed outside a Hillary Clinton campaign rally in Las Vegas, Nevada, in October 2016. Joe Sohm/Visions of America/Universal Images Group via Getty Images In 2018, British activist Leo Murray flew a six-meter-high naked “Trump Baby” balloon over London while the then-president was visiting England. The balloon, which depicted a visibly angry baby resembling Trump holding a mobile phone, was carried outside the Palace of Westminster. The “Trump Baby” balloon flew near the Palace of Westminster in London during then-President Donald Trump’s visit to the United Kingdom in 2018. David Mirzoeff/PA Images via Getty Images &copy 2024 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc. Source link