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As Russian forces advanced towards Kyiv, Canadas oil and gas industry and its supporters responded with a self-serving narrative: the Ukraine crisis means Canada must accelerate its production of fossil fuels.

Leading the charge is Canada Proud, a right-wing Facebook page with close ties to the Conservative Party, which made post after post in the early days of the invasion urging the country to export more hydrocarbons to Europe.

The world is enriching Vladimir Putin when they buy his oil and gas, it explained in one to its nearly 400,000 followers. Shouldnt the world be buying Canadian oil and gas instead?

The political circumstances may be novel, but this is merely the latest variation on a message that Canada Proud has pushed online for years: that we need to remove as many restrictions as possible on the production, transport and export of fossil fuels.

New research shows that Canada Proud is incredibly effective at spreading that message.

The Ontario-based group founded by Jeff Ballingall, a paid strategist for former Conservative leader Erin OToole, punches far above its weight on social media when it comes to global heating, posting content dismissive of climate action that regularly outperforms national environmental groups and rivals the reach of mainstream media.

Thats according to a newly published study from Simon Fraser University communications professor Shane Gunster, who calculated that Facebook posts from Canada Proud (along with a related page called Ontario Proud) were shared on average 750 times each in 2020, a level of engagement ten times higher than climate posts from the David Suzuki Foundation and Greenpeace Canada.

The Proud network got nearly 118,000 engagements for its climate posts during that period, surpassing the almost 107,000 engagements for climate content on Facebook from Bell Media/CTV, one of the countrys top media outlets.

The Proud traffic is even more striking considering its engagements came from just 48 Facebook posts, compared to 290 posts from Bell Media/CTV.

They are the most effective group at generating action for anti-climate action material, Gunster told DeSmog. Theyre able to drive massive amounts of engagement.

Canada Proud didnt respond to an interview request from DeSmog.

The Facebook pages primary mission is to antagonize Justin Trudeau. Visit Canada Prouds feed on any given day and you are likely to see memes referring to the Liberal prime minister as a hypocrite, political lightweight or dangerous tyrant. We are reaching millions of Canadians every week with our anti-Trudeau message, Canada Proud explained in a recent email to supporters.

In addition to its national work attacking Trudeau and promoting oil and gas, the Canada Proud network is making forays into municipal politics with anonymous Facebook pages in B.C., Ontario and Quebec, according to a recent investigation in Canadas National Observer.

The groups climate posts add an environmental twist. In mid-February, Canada Proud shared several posts referencing an RCMP statement saying that 20 people with axes attacked a worksite for the Coastal GasLink pipeline in northwest British Columbia. Somehow this was the prime ministers fault. Lets expose Justin Trudeaus hypocrisy and double standards, said a Canada Proud post about the attacks.

Another post blamed progressive policymakers for the violence.

This extremism is the direct result of the inflammatory rhetoric of irresponsible politicians and fanatical activists like David Suzuki, said one post, which was reposted from a pro-oil and gas Facebook page called Debunk Inc.

There is no evidence to support this claim, given that the RCMP hasnt publicly identified any suspects in the attack or announced any arrests.

But Canada Proud is not a neutral observer when it comes to projects like Coastal GasLink.

The group launched three paid posts in late January supporting the project, a 670-kilometre pipeline that would supply gas to an export facility on B.C.s west coast.

Environmentalists claim that by opposing the Coastal GasLink pipeline, they are supporting local Indigenous people, reads the post. They will never tell you that ALL of the elected band councils along the pipelines route support the project.

Facebook analytics show that Canada Proud spent up to $4,000 promoting that message, which reached an estimated audience size of over one million people, generating more than a million impressions.

Its true that 20 elected band councils along the pipelines route have signed agreements supporting the Coastal GasLink project. But the reality is not as cut and dry as Canada Proud is making it seem. Band councils are tasked with representing reserves chronically underfunded by the Canadian government. Poverty can be rampant, and that complicates meaningful consent.

Making a deal with a large oil and gas pipeline company is sometimes the only way elected First Nations leaders can gain resources and jobs for their citizens. Meanwhile, hereditary chiefs that represent the much larger traditional territories of the Wetsuweten are staunchly opposed to the $6 billion pipeline.

Its disingenuous to give the impression that hordes of Indigenous people are cheering it on, Clifford Atleo, a Tsimshian and Nuu-chah-nulthscholar at Simon Fraser University who focuses on Indigenous governance, told DeSmog. I dont think thats a realistic assessment of whats actually going on.

Another recent paid post from Canada Proud, which resulted in as many as 700,000 Facebook impressions, claims that the Coastal GasLink pipeline would reduce global greenhouse gas emissions by outcompeting made-in-China coal energy.

Its source for that statement was an article created by the Canadian Energy Centre, a pro-oil and gas website funded by the Alberta government, which claimed that Coastal GasLink will result in climate gains equivalent to shutting down several dozen coal plants.

Actual climate experts disagree. Methane emissions are likely to give natural gas a climate footprint at least as large as coal, if not higher, Robert Howarth, an Earth systems scientist at Cornell University whos studied the gas industry extensively, told DeSmog.

Methane stays in the atmosphere less time than carbon dioxide, but its warming power is 25 times higher. Worryingly, research from last year suggests that the amount of methane leaking from oil and gas operations in B.C. is up to 2.2 times higher than current federal estimates.

That is not information that Canada Prouds 392,000 followers are likely to see when encountering a climate post created by the group. Instead, those followers get hit with content designed to make them distrust efforts to fix climate change, such as a recent Jordan Peterson interview attacking the naivety of climate activists.

These posts can be easily debunked by experts, but by that point theyve already reached potentially millions of Canadians, priming an online constituency to passionately defend the oil and gas industryor to view a geopolitical crisis in Ukraine as an opportunity to drill for more gas in Canada. Its fairly easy to write it off as a joke, Gunster said of the disinformation given a platform by Canada Proud. But it can end up being extremely effective.

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Conservative party-linked Facebook page, Canada Proud, a major source of climate disinformation - NationofChange

A well-funded and largely anonymous advocacy group thats repeatedly pummeled Portland-area leaders over trash, crime and homelessness faces accusations of illegal politicking and running afoul of Oregon election laws.

People for Portland targeted a clearly identified candidate for office in a recent online ad against local elected leaders including Metro President Lynn Peterson, alleges a union thats endorsed her.

Under Oregon campaign finance laws, any entity that spends at least $250 to campaign for or against a candidate in Oregon must register with the state and disclose such spending as well as its sources of money.

If state election officials side with the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 555, which lodged the complaint, People for Portland could have to disclose who contributed to its $1 million-plus advertising and lobbying budget.

A few donors including Columbia Sportswear CEO Tim Boyle and real estate moguls Jordan Schnitzer and Greg Goodman have acknowledged chipping in.

But the groups two veteran political strategists, Kevin Looper and Dan Lavey, have kept the full list a closely guarded secret.

The paid ad in question shows an image of Peterson, who is seeking re-election in May, alongside other local officeholders with the word FAILING in large red letters printed on a mock report card above their heads.

Titled Local politicians fail, the ad directs individuals to People for Portlands website to view the report cards results as well as give area leaders a letter grade of their own.

Michael Selvaggio, lobbyist for the food and commercial workers union, filed an official complaint Tuesday with the Oregon Secretary of States Office, according to a copy obtained by the Oregonian through a public records request.

The complaint claims the ad is a clear and unambiguous suggestion that voters should oppose Petersons re-election.

What it boils down to is that Oregon law is very clear on what the line is between simply trying to raise an issue of public concern versus politicking, Selvaggio said in an interview Friday.

Im not saying they cant speak their mind, Selvaggio continued. They just need to show us where the money is coming from and who is behind it.

That is the philosophy that underlies Oregons unusual campaign finance system, which allows unlimited donations and expenditures but requires timely and detailed disclosure of where the money comes from and where it goes.

In a statement Friday, Lavey slammed the union attempt.

This is an absurdly frivolous complaint, he said. From insiders, defending insiders.

People For Portland has spent at least $1.2 million in the months after Lavey and Looper launched the effort last August, lobbying records filed with the city of Portland show.

But because the group organized as a 501(c)(4) nonprofit, it isnt required to list the amounts of individual contributions or the names of its donors so long as it doesnt engage in campaign or election activity.

In addition to a barrage of ads on TV and online, the groups directed a mass emailing campaign to members of the Portland City Council, Multnomah County Board of Commissioners, Metro Council and state lawmakers who represent Portland.

The pitch? Local leaders have failed to act swiftly in the face of rising disorder, more people living in the streets and persistent struggles to address litter and garbage.

People for Portland has also conducted and publicized a number of polls that indicate a majority of Portlanders, as well as those in the metro area, support dramatic changes on city policies around homelessness and policing.

The groups onslaught of attacks has rankled many of the elected leaders its targeted as well as their political allies.

Selvaggio said the food and commercial workers union made the decision to file a complaint against People For Portland without consulting Peterson or her campaign and after speaking with other political stakeholders, whom he would not disclose.

Peterson, first elected to head the regional Metro government in 2018, is facing a challenge from economic development executive Alisa Pyszka and two other candidates.

The union has also endorsed Portland Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty, who too has landed in People For Portlands crosshairs, in her re-election campaign this year. It didnt coordinate with her or her campaign either, Selvaggio said.

The complaint alleges the group violated multiple Oregon election statutes after running the report card ad by failing to register as a political committee; not filing statements required following the supposed independent expenditure; and not disclosing donor information to the Secretary of States Office.

It asks the office to assess appropriate penalties and force People For Portland to comply with the laws it has allegedly violated.

Frankly, part of the issue is that theyre trying to have this advantage of cloaking their resources, Selvaggio said. That makes a mockery of the transparent election system that Oregon has.

Read more:
People for Portland accused of violating Oregon election laws - The Spokesman Review

Joe Rogan is a revolutionary figure in the podcasting domain. Whatever he does, or says, creates a massive social impact with his large fan following. Being famous has its perks, obviously. But it also makes one susceptible to scrutiny.

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Being the outspoken character Rogan is, he doesnt hold back from making his opinions heard. His podcast, the Joe Rogan Experience, has been at the helm of many controversies in the past.

Recently, audio-sharing platform Spotify deleted over a hundred episodes of his podcast which was accused of spreading misinformation. This invited many reactions from various social commentators, some of whom supported the iconic UFC commentator. Renowned psychologist Jordan Peterson, too, defended Rogan and said it would be a mistake for Spotify to let him go.

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Peterson claimed, As long as he is careful like he is. I dont think Rogan can be canceled. So even if Spotify dumps him its like whos dumping who here. Rogan, hes on Spotify, it is not necessarily. Spotify might be on Rogan, its not so clear,he added.

WATCH THIS STORY: Top five most viewed episodes of the Joe Rogan Experience

He laid down the possible outcome of Spotify de-platforming Rogan. He explained, So whats gonna happen? They kick him off? Well, he will just have another platform like tomorrow and he will have all the money Spotify gave him which was actually quite a lot of money.

Rogan, who is a popular podcast host, an entrepreneur, and an integral part of the UFC commentator team, enjoys a luxurious lifestyle. He never shies from following his heart and doing things that please him.

Apart from being a vocal gun-rights activist, Rogan also has a knack for possessing firearms. He even called guns the best martial arts on the Lex Fridman podcast.

Rogan himself owns thousands of dollars worth of guns and also likes to learn the art of using them. In an Instagram post, Rogan shared a video of him at a shooting range, enjoying a shooting drill.

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He captioned the video, I learned a lot today, and it really made me appreciate how difficult it is to properly handle a gun.

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What is your take on the recent Joe Rogan controversy?

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Dont Think Rogan Can Be Canceled- Jordan Peterson Thunderously Defends Joe Rogan Amid Spotify Controversy - EssentiallySports

Five years ago, I was a mom to a newborn and a 2-year-old. I struggled with postpartum depression, sleep deprivation, and was worn out from being needed all the time.

I felt guilty that I found it so hard, and I dreamed of a time when it wouldn't be.

When people said things like, "Enjoy every moment, it goes by fast," it felt like a punch to the gut.

In a recent viral video on TikTok, Jordan Peterson a controversial psychologist, author, YouTube personality, and fathers'-rights advocate says in a voice-over: "You have little kids for four years, and if you miss it, it's done."

That's exactly what I struggled with, but now that my kids are older, I want other moms who are struggling like I did to know that our kids are fun past their 4th birthday.

When my kids were little, I felt guilty for wanting time away from them. I felt shamed by some moms with older kids who ignored my struggles and instead told me, "It'll be over before you know it."

Every day seemed to drag. I wanted to create magical moments for my kids but struggled to do that through my depression and exhaustion.

Now that my kids are 5 and 7, I get to sit at the dinner table and talk and laugh at their jokes. I get a front-row seat to their ideas, hopes, and dreams. They can communicate their needs more effectively and they can keep up on family hikes. They are so much more independent and a joy to be around.

Because of all this, I felt compelled to create my own version of the Peterson video on TikTok. I wanted to give a different perspective to parents who might be struggling as I did in the early years.

This is the text I wrote to go with the video:"You have little kids for four years.And if you miss it Well, you won't miss it, because chances are you're with those babies all day and all night and you know little else in those years.

You have sacrificed your time, your body, your career, your energy, and likely your mental health to create a loving and full life for them.

Of course, you want to enjoy as many moments as possible, but the reality is, those four years are some of the hardest, exhausting, patience-testing years, and sometimes you're just surviving.

You're already acutely aware of how precious it is and constantly reminded how fast it goes. You already feel the pressure to make it great and feel guilty for the things you do and don't do.

Of course, you want to make the best of it, but when you lack sleep and space for yourself, it makes it incredibly difficult to soak in.

And while you might look back and miss those little years and mourn what you were not able to fully experience due to the stresses of it all, you will remember the beauty of it all without the sheer exhaustion.

And you'll know you did your very best, despite how hard it was. And you'll have so many more years to look forward to with them. It doesn't end after 4."

Within minutes of hitting "post," I started getting thousands of responses from moms around the world thanking me and sharing how triggered the original video made them feel: shame, guilt, and pressure.

As a mom, I want to be seen, to be heard, and to be validated when I say, "This is hard." I worry that I am not enough, no matter how hard I try. Raising kids is incredibly difficult, but being made to feel like you've lost your chance if you don't nail it in the first four years makes it even harder. I needed something different than the "you'll miss it" narrative.

I needed support, not more pressure.

Libby Ward is an anti-mom-shamer and mental-health advocate on a mission to change the narrative of what it means to be a "good mom." Known as the "honest mom" to her social-media community, she is a content creator, public speaker, and storyteller breaking cycles of all kinds, one piece of content at a time.

See the article here:
Viral TikTok: Best years with our kids aren't over after they turn 4 - Insider

Patrick Peterson

Leave the decision up to him, and cornerback Patrick Peterson wants to return to the Minnesota Vikings for the 2022 season.

But the teams new leadership has to ask first.

Peterson has reiterated a couple of times this offseason his longing to remain with the Vikings after a relatively successful 2021 campaign. He tabulated a 63.0 grade from Pro Football Focus last season, acting as the most consistent cornerback on the roster. Cameron Dantzler was in the Mike Zimmer doghouse for a couple of months, Bashaud Breeland was erratic (in more ways than one), Mackensie Alexander struggled, and Jeff Gladney was cut before the season began.

On his podcast this week, Peterson said on his future with the Vikings:

I stand where I stood in December. I loved everything about Minnesota. At the end of the day, the balls in their court now if they want me back.

So, it sounds like Minnesota basically needs to pick up the phone, assuming it wants the soon-to-be 32-year-old cornerback back in 2022.

Minnesota should absolutely want Peterson back because the CB room as of early March is skimpy. The depth chart consists of Cameron Dantzler, Kris Boyd, and Harrison Hand. Outside of Dantzler if he continues to develop at his current pace that is not a fieldable batch of cornerbacks in the modern NFL.

As a result, most mocks draft predict the Vikings select a cornerback like Ahmad Gardner or Derek Stingley Jr. in Aprils draft. The selection of either of those men would blend best player available and team need for Minnesota with the 12th overall pick.

Peterson made humongous news when he signed with the Vikings in 2021 on Saint Patricks Day, no less as no fans or pundits even realized he was on the teams radar or vice-versa. However, Peterson sought to play for former coach Mike Zimmer, so the team readily obliged.

Now, Kevin OConnell is in charge, an offensive-minded coach. OConnell hired Ed Donatell to lead the defense in 2022, shifting to a 3-4 scheme after decades of 4-3 systems for the Vikings.

Finally, on Tuesday, the Vikings signed linebacker Jordan Hicks from you guessed it the Arizona Cardinals, Petersons old stomping grounds. The two played together for a couple of seasons in the desert. That move cannot hurt the realism of Peterson re-joining the Vikings.

Plus, there are Chander-Jones-to-Minnesota rumors, as well.

Peterson also mentioned on his show other teams have inquired about his free agency.

Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. His YouTube Channel, VikesNow, debuts in March 2022. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sally from Minneapolis. His Viking fandom dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, The Sopranos, and The Doors (the band).

Go here to read the rest:
Patrick Peterson Provides Update on Future with Vikings - VikingsTerritory.com