The president of BC Marine Parks Forever, George Creek, told NPR that he called America “the biggest petri dish in the world,” and you know what, he was right.
At the beginning of the pandemic, Canada closed its borders to all nonessential American travel. So far, that’s worked out pretty well for them. On August 8th, they reported 320 new cases to the United States’ 55,692. So, it makes sense that Canadians aren’t too thrilled by the idea of letting Americans into their country, which has successfully and safely made it to the final reopening stages in most places.
But now, because Americans simply cannot take no for an answer, some people have been sneaking into the country the same way high schoolers with strict parents go to parties: by lying about where they’re actually going. Apparently, people have been telling Canadian border patrol that they are passing through Canada to Alaska. This is called the ‘Alaska Loophole’ (which, incidentally, sounds like the name of a movie Reese Witherspoon would star in).
Americans are also making their way to British Columbia on their yachts by sailing through protected areas. Members of the Council of BC Yacht Clubs are concerned and pissed off, estimating that close to 40 American boats are currently in Canadian waters. According to international maritime law, these boats are supposed to have an automatic ID system that stays on at all times. These systems are put in place to prevent collisions and track ships in real-time. However, it appears that these boats are turning off their tracking systems to avoid being caught by law enforcement.
And it’s not like these people are just staying on their boats. In the same interview with NPR, George Creek talks about how some of these boats are docking and walking through stores with no social distancing and no masks. It’s obviously pretty understandable that more than 80% of Canadians want to keep the border closed.
It just seems a little ironic to me that not that long ago, Donald Trump literally invented caravans of migrants from Honduras and denounced those who wanted to leave their home countries. He called them criminals and implied that they may have had ties to terrorist organizations. Unsurprisingly, the president hasn’t expressed any issue with the very real caravan of yachts that is illegally entering Canada and possibly bringing in cases of an incredibly contagious virus that their government just got under control.
As the late, great Robin Williams said in 2013, Canada is “like a really nice apartment over a meth lab.”
Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau is currently under fire after past images of him in both brownface and blackface have emerged. You hate to see it. The first instance made news yesterday when Time reported that Trudeau attended an “Arabian Nights” themed party at The West Point Grey Academy dressed in full brown face. The photo is from 2001, when Trudeau was a teacher at the private school, and also a time when it was definitely known that brownface and blackface are not okay.
Exclusive: Justin Trudeau wore brownface at an “Arabian Nights” party in 2001. I got the photo.https://t.co/TiIQIrKY3z
— Anna Kambhampaty (@anna_P_k) September 18, 2019
After the image made its rounds on the internet, another offensive photo of the Prime Minister was found — one the PM acknowledged existed during a press conference when a reporter asked if Trudeau had done this before. The second image is of Trudeau dressed in blackface for performance for his high school talent show, where he sang Day-O, a Jamaican folk song popularized by American civil rights activist Harry Belafonte.
@JustinTrudeau in blackface at Jean Brebeuf high school. #cdnpoli #elxn43 #BreakingNews pic.twitter.com/q6v5bgYJvJ
— Robert Fife (@RobertFife) September 19, 2019
Trudeau responded to the revelation in a press conference almost immediately after the first picture leaked. “I take responsibility for my decision to do that. I shouldn’t have done it. I should have known better,” he said. “It was something that I didn’t think was racist at the time, but now I recognize it was something racist to do and I am deeply sorry.”
A nice apology, but still concerning that a grown man didn’t realize that dressing in brownface at a work event was racist in 2001. Blackface and brownface both date back to racist performances from white people dressing up and doing offensive caricatures of PoC that perpetuate hurtful stereotypes and have been considered unacceptable for quite some time.
Since Trudeau’s apology, yet another image has emerged. A video shows Trudeau, again dressed in blackface with paint on his face and arms, making faces and laughing some time in the early ’90s. So this seems to be a thing for him…
All of this comes as Justin Trudeau is up for re-election in October, and is likely to hurt his race, seeing as he has established himself as a progressive politician who embraces multiculturalism.
As a wise prophet (Lizzo) said once:
Us Torontonians live and breathe for the cute Instagrams at outdoor bars in the summer. Let’s be honest here, we need to take advantage of the warm weather before the blistering winter comes around. And what better way to finish off an incredible (and disgustingly hot) summer than at the best outdoor bars in Toronto? This list has you covered from amazing rooftop bars to Instagrammable adult beverages, and everything in between.
1. Thompson Hotel
Located on King West, this rooftop patio is typically reserved for hotel guests and event goers. However, the views of the city are some of the best and should definitely make it onto your list of bars to visit before the summer is over. It’s super spacious and has a pool, perfect for this killer heat wave. Scam your way in if you have to.
2. The Porch
This one makes it on all the best outdoor bars in Toronto lists, but for good reasons. It is known for its unobstructed view of the CN tower and serving drinks in buckets. The only downside is due to its Instagrammable backdrop, there tend to be super long lines in the summer, so beware.
3. Cocktail Bar
With gorgeous cocktails that focus on flavour and change depending on the season, it’s no wonder that this bar made it onto our list of the best outdoor bars in Toronto. They offer beer and wine as well, but I suggest you stick with a cocktail when ordering since that is their specialty. Only bummer? Their patio is only open until 11 pm now *eyeroll*.
4. Drake Sky Yard
There’s no place quite like this one, making it one of the best outdoor bars in Toronto that you really need to visit before the summer ends. With murals on the wall painted by local artists, great food, and amazing drinks, you really can’t go wrong — other than not getting a seat. What to order? Their mojitos are my personal fav.
5. Hemingway’s
It’s the pub you never knew you needed. With its New-Zealand inspiration, located in Yorkville, this is a great stop on your end of summer bar crawl. They have 2 dozen draft beers to choose from and tons of pub food to nosh on. No wonder it’s been around for 35 years.
Images: Shutterstock; @thompsontoronto / Instagram; @theporchto / Instagram; @melaniesubekti / Instagram
It wasn’t so long ago that we were simultaneously bored and grossed out by Nick and Vanessa “falling in love” on The Bachelor. Beauty and The Lispy Beast got engaged on the show and were over even before the six-month mark. Classic.
Since they couple called it quits in August, Nick has appeared in a Will and Grace advertisement. Weird. Nick also got eliminated pretty quickly from Dancing with the Stars. Oh, and he landed a guest role on the ABC show Speechless. Goddamn, the people at ABC really must see something in this guy that literally no one else does.
But what about Vanessa? In true Vanessa fashion, she’s not a new boyfriend. She lost the human incarnation of a curly-headed Kermit the Frog for good and started dating 25-year-old pro hockey player Brendan Gallagher. I mean, reportedly started dating this guy. Sources told ET the two have been seen out and about together and are looking pretty cozy.
I don’t really know who this guy is, because I have a life don’t spend a lot of time stalking Canadian hockey players, but he looks, like, ridiculously average. I mean, we’ve all seen how hot Vanessa is—girl can rock a one-piece swimsuit in the arctic tundra like nobody’s business. This guy looks like some frat kid you drunkenly made out with in college and then didn’t text back when he hit you up the next day.
This guy looks like he’d ask to copy your notes… for the journaling you were supposed to do over the summer. He looks like somebody who would barely pass college and then go on to take over his dad’s hedge fund. He looks like his main sources of nutrients are Natty Light and protein powder. Okay, I’m done. Anyway, he’s also five years younger than 30-year-old Vanessa. Nothing wrong with that, but he definitely looks about 25. So you’re telling me you’re going from an emotionally immature 36-year-old with pubes for hair to a 25-year-old with a cheesy mustache and what appears to be a soul patch?? Fam.
I can see why Vanessa would go for a fellow Canadian, but she is hot and pretends to works with special needs kids all day—she could probably do better than this guy. But no reality show or amount of Instagram followers can help her if she just has bad taste in men.
This just in: our favorite Canadian regulation hottie, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, has a tattoo. He truly is the gift that just keeps on giving. We’ve already established that not only does he look like a paid actor from a USA network drama but he’s also a feminist, environmentalist, and all around just inclusive AF. And if that wasn’t sexy enough, then this tattoo is making him next level in my book.
Okay, so FINE maybe this isn’t breaking news in the sense that this is not at all breaking and was definitely a topic on Twitter years ago. BUT I just found out about it after Googling the Prime Minister’s biceps policies and stumbled upon this gem:
OH, Canadaaaa. I WILL stand on guard for thee.
Seriously, someone needs to sign me up for this fight club.
Justin Trudeau is a relatable politician because he has a really regrettable arm tattoo. pic.twitter.com/Cw31v8AKlO
— gabrielle l. gabauer (@gabrielleleeg) April 22, 2016
Like right fucking now.
But back to the tattoo. I have some V important questions, like what does it mean and is it weird if I ask my future husband to replicate it on his body? And perhaps also replicate the PM’s face and his smile and his hair and maybe he could just turn into Justin Trudeau already? Anyways in a response to Refinery29 JT said that his tattoo is “the planet earth inside a Haida raven.” Apparently, he got the earth tattoo at age 23 aka the age at which the internet lost its mind over pictures of him, and also the age at which everyone gets questionable tattoos, and he later added the Haida raven design for his 40th birthday.
The raven part of the tattoo pays homage to his father becoming an honorary member of Canada’s native Haida tribe in 1976. While I’m sure the earth is meant to symbolize being one with the planet and every woman’s sexual fantasies, TBH it just sounds like he smokes a fuck ton of weed to me.
Honestly though, this man could get an infinity tattoo on his lower back and I would still want to have his children. Now, can he please do something about the Cheeto in charge of our country??
