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Rebel News Podcast
EZRA LEVANT | Wealth, privilege and champagne socialism: inside the NDP’s family business
00:42:52
Avi Lewis is not just leading a political party, he is perpetuating a family dynasty of 'socialist royalty,' disconnected from the working-class realities his rhetoric claims to champion. Listen to audio-only versions of RebelNews+ exclusive shows like the daily Ezra Levant Show, the Gunn Show, and audio versions of our DAILY livestreams along with other Rebel News long-form videos and interviews.
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- [00:01]
Ezra Levant
Hello, my friends. I found an essay, a semi autobiographical essay by Avi Lewis, the new NDP leader that he wrote when he was in his early 20s. And it was about himself and his time at Canada's fanciest private school. And I think it's really relevant to his leadership of the ndp. And I'd like to take you through his essay. It's quite interesting. I also talked with Stockwell Day about the NDP and I show a couple of funny videos from the conference. Anyway, that's today's show, but first I want to invite you to get a subscription to Rebel News Plus. It's the video version of today's show. And there's just one video I want to show you from Lyle Culpepper. Oh my God, it is so funny. I think I've watched it four times. I really want you to see it, so please get Rebel News Plus. It's the video version of this podcast. Just go to rebelnewsplus.com and click subscribe. Trust me, you've got to laugh. It really is the funniest thing I've seen all week. Oh, yeah, one more thing.
- [00:54]
Rebel News Announcer
Being a rebel today is simply being normal. So why not support normal news and look cool while doing it by buying yourself some rebel merch and more@rebelnewstore.com and you can save by using coupon code DREA10 when you do.
- [01:24]
Ezra Levant
Tonight, let me tell you about Avi Lewis growing up as a rich socialist in Toronto. It's March 31 and this is the Ezra Levant Show. Shame on you, you censorious thug. Oh, hi, everybody. There's so much going on in the news. And one of the things that I think is very important to politics is the new leader of the ndp, Avi Lewis, who's actually the third generation in his family to lead the ndp. There was his grandfather, David Lewis, who was the leader of the Ontario ndp. There was his father, Stephen Lewis, who was the leader of the federal ndp. And now Avi Lewis has the family job. Three generations. I think that's pretty rare. It's almost like it's some sort of family business bequeathed from father to son, like they're kings or something. And that's a funny thing because the NDP would tell you they're not about nepotism, they're not about being born with a silver spoon. But I can say that Avi Lewis is exactly that. And I want to talk to you a little bit about this book I found called Old the Powerful Legacy of Upper Canada College by James Fitzgerald. And it's actually compiled by James Fitzgerald. It's written by 71 different alumni of Upper Canada College. Now, if you've never heard of Upper Canada College, it is Canada's fanciest private school, certainly the most expensive. It's in Toronto and for almost two centuries it has been graduating people who take high stations in Canadian life. As much as that goes, I suppose it would be like Eton, the fancy school in the UK from which the vast majority of Prime Minister's floats. Not quite that fancy. We don't have the same aristocracy here. But it is the ruling class's favorite school in Toronto and it's extremely expensive. And wouldn't you know it that the poor little socialist Avi Lewis went to that school. And what did he have to say about it? Well, I think that's a very interesting thing because this book was published I think in 1990, so about 36 years ago. So Avi Lewis would have been in his early 20s, so he would be a man graduated in the world, but he would still have fairly close memories of what he had done at that school, although he was only there for I think three or four years, starting when he was nine. So it was when he was a fairly young kid. I'm going to get into the book in just a moment, but I think I just want to show you the party that Avi Lewis is leading. And I know you've probably seen this, you're on Twitter and I know some of our other journalists have covered it. Let me just show you some of the absolute wackiness of the ndp. You know, their, their different statuses, their race card, their gender card, their equity seeking card, these actually they've made cards. When you and I talk about a race card, you know, a generation ago that to play the race card would mean to say something about race that is sort of a personal attack and say, well, as a black woman this or as a Jewish person that, it's sort of an appeal to authority that you try and shut the other person up by playing your race card. They actually have cards though in the NEP now where you can actually play your race card to get ahead in the line to speak. So if there's a white person in line and a black person's behind them, it's like a game, it's like Uno or something. You play your race card and you get to jump in front of them and then there's the women's card and then there's the trans card and you know, take a look at this compendium I'm just going to play a minute for you because I want to show you how far the party of unionized workers and the party of farmers. I don't think there's any actual blue collar workers or farmers left in the ndp. It's all the absolute nuts from the faculty lounge. Just take a quick look at this.
- [05:24]
Conference Moderator
There's a point of privilege on microphone one, then we'll go to microphone three. Go ahead, delegate.
- [05:30]
Conference Delegate
Yes, hello. I was standing here with my gender equity card before you called on the previous speaker. That's my point of privilege that I
- [05:37]
Conference Moderator
would like to, I will explain the speaking order which is fixed, that I cannot amend, which is the pro con rotation. You can move yourself up a line that you're standing.
- [05:45]
Conference Delegate
I am pro and I, I was.
- [05:48]
Conference Moderator
We went.
- [05:50]
Conference Delegate
You went pro, con.
- [05:51]
Conference Moderator
We went pro, con, pro. And my plan was to go con. The speaker at con mic 3 also has a speaking card.
- [05:58]
Conference Speaker
Yesterday this card was used in an inappropriate matter. And while I understand in Ontario we know this as equity, even if that this was also used inappropriate in terms of gender, I want everyone to be mindful that these cards for individuals like myself who identify as a black woman have no value outside of this space.
- [06:23]
Ezra Levant
Yeah, I mean, wow. I don't think that Avi Lewis's grandfather, David Lewis would even recognize the ndp. I should tell you that David Lewis, Avi Lewis grandpa who led the Ontario ndp, he took a hard line against communists. I know you might think what an NDP or against communists. Yeah, he was a socialist, but he was a hard line against communists. And remember, you know, 100 years or so ago there was a real worry about communist infiltration here. So you had David Lewis, the grandpa, taking a hard line against communism. David Lewis, very successful man politically, was a successful lawyer. He really opened up a lot of doors. I mean it's, it's a small point, but he was a Jewish leader of the NDP and he actually was fairly pro Israel. I wouldn't call him a full bore Zionist, but he wasn't an anti Zionist extremist like his grandson Avi. By the way, Avi is a pretty Jewish name, isn't it? Then there's the son, Stephen Lewis, the second generation to become political party leader. He was at the federal level. Not only did he serve in the federal parliament, then he was appointed Canada's ambassador to the United Nations. If I'm not mistaken, it was actually Brian Mulroney who did that. So two generations of extremely successful men, but each one progressively becoming more socialist. And then of course there's Avi Lewis himself, who Danielle Smith, I think accurately said, meets the test of communism. He believes in the public ownership of the means of production. Here's Danielle Smith saying this the other day, and it's tough to disagree with her.
- [08:04]
Danielle Smith
Well, I don't think they can have a different policy, quite frankly. If you look at their party constitution, it says that in any matter not dealt with in the constitution, the constitution of the New Democratic Party of Canada shall prevail. And it also says that the Federal NDP says that even though they have autonomous federal, federal provincial parties, they can only do so if their constitution and principles are not in conflict with the federal party. So we're getting a pretty clear idea of what the principles of the Federal Party are. They're pretty communist. They talk about nationalizing everything from food to building houses to construction companies. You want everyone to have a heat pump and take an electric, electric, an EV bus to work. So I think it's up to the provincial NDP to talk about how they're going to square the circle. If this is federal policy and they're required to conform with it, what are they going to do to implement it? And they can't hide behind. We're a different party because they're not. They share a constitution, they share a membership. So I think that it's pretty clear from Abby Lewis and his activism over the last number of years with the LEAP manifesto, which he repeated throughout the entire leadership campaign, he wants to end all fossil fuels and that includes lng. So he's got not just Alberta in the crosshairs, he's also got the British Columbia, he's got Newfoundland and Labrador and Nova Scotia, who are trying to expand gas development and oil development. So I would say that it's pretty clear what the NDP position is federally and it is opposed to any development of fossil fuels and any infrastructure that would facilitate it.
- [09:39]
Ezra Levant
Anyway, you've got Avi Lewis and his wife Naomi Klein, who, who's also a lifelong activist, and her brother Seth Klein is a lifelong activist in bc. It really is a socialist family. The whole family business is socialism. But at least the grandfather Louis worked for a living. He did some lawyering, he did some actual work for clients. He got his hands dirty. It's been a long time since the family has had any. That in a way it's sort of like the nepotism of Justin Trudeau, but it's one more generation. Back to the book. I discovered this book in our library here at Rebel News. I don't know who would have bought It. And Avi Lewis has his essay. Remember, this is 71 of the grads of Upper Canada College. They call it Old Boys. Oh, he's an old boy. And let me just tell you some of the other names in here to show you that it is quite a prestigious school. Stanley Ryerson, after whom, I presume, Ryerson. Hal Jackman, former Lieutenant Governor Conrad Black is in here. You know, Michael Ignatieff. I mean, these are not stunningly famous names, but it is sort of the Canadian establishment. And there he is on page 301. Avi Lewis. Now, I'm not going to read the whole thing to you, but I want to read some of it to you. And the reason I think this is interesting is because, I mean, Avi Lewis surely had politics in his blood his whole life. In fact, he mentions that. He mentions he was told that when he was three years old, he was telling the neighbor to vote ndp. I don't doubt it, but he wasn't as careful as he would be if he was writing this book now. So this is Avi Lewis, captured 36 years ago when he was asked to write about his elite education at Upper Canada. And if you're a socialist who talks about the means of production and standing up for the poor, how do you square the fact that your rich family sent you to the richest school in Canada to hobnob with the richest families? I'm not going to read the whole thing to you, but I'm going to take the liberty of maybe reading a total of five pages to you. Let me start. Avi Lewis, 1976-1980 so he was at the school for three or four years. I was in grade three at Deer Park Public School in Toronto, and I was going slowly insane. The kids in grade three say that the academic program just wasn't challenging or stimulating me. The principal's idea of gifted education was to give me a balsa wood rubber band boat project. So my parents, Stephen Lewis and Michelle Landsberg, reluctantly and against all of their tastes and proclivities, got me an entrance test at Upper Canada College when I was nine. The school is very kind and gave it to me in the middle of the year. So he's already mentioned how gifted he is. And I should tell you in the 10 pages that follows, he must have repeated that five times. It's very important to him that you know just how smart he is. Smarter than you, smart enough to be advanced to grade, and certainly smarter than the other kids either at Deer Park Public School or even Upper Canada College. Although he did say this. I didn't have any idea how to tie a necktie. I couldn't write. I was still printing and very poorly. And then he has some weird theory. I'm left handed with severe mixed brain dominance. What? One of the explanations for left handedness is that normally the right and left brain functions control the opposite sides of your body when those messages get crossed. It's one of the theories to explain left handedness. I think that is why lefties are lunatics and genius. Geniuses. He's. He's just making up these weird theories. And again, though, he wants to let you know he's a genius. He talks about his father having many honorary degrees. His father, Stephen Lewis. Let me skip ahead. I saw. He's talking about his classmates now. Remember, he went to school. He was nine, as he just told us. I saw the people who would run this world. He's talking about his classmates at Upper Canada. I saw the people who would run this world in their purest and most hidden, undiplomatic state of childhood and adolescence. I saw the thrustings and boastings of power in their most naked form. I saw the savage cruelty of those with power exercised against those who are defenseless. The schoolyard is an archetype for what people do to people when they get to the boardroom. Brother, you were. You were nine. I found that the people who come from the most wealth and power, the Thompsons, the Burtons, the Turners, were the most ruthless. Even at the young age, they carried with them the great sense of entitlement. Not like you, though. You don't have a great sense of entitlement. You're at Lewis. They felt they deserved everything they got. They would be first in the natural order of things. Let me skip ahead this part. Just let me read this part. I learned early on that the most dangerous boys were not the thugs who were actually beating me. He talks about being beat up a lot. That I actually do believe. But the quiet, reserved and honored star pupils who never laid a hand on anyone, the ringleaders, the guys who called the shots, never dirty themselves with a business of enforcement. But they were responsible for more suffering than anybody else. And that's something I can see now in the world at large. They let it be known that someone was undesirable and they had boys carry out their wishes. Some boys were. Anyhow, it's so clear to me that what he's doing is he's trying to demonize the other people at the school for being ruthless thugs. But definitely not him. And the way to make sure that you don't think he's one of these elitist thugs is that he's going to call everyone else an elitist thug first. By the way, do you believe any of it? I spent many an hour in the prep school locker rooms in heated arguments insisting that there was a difference between socialism and communism which they did not accept. Now that's interesting because I do believe that. And he's still doing that some 36 years later. The arbiter of those arguments was always the fist. Really, Abby, I wouldn't call these fights because fighting conjures up the notion of two people facing off on roughly equal terms. I was abused regularly and by crowds. You know, you have to understand that he's the victim. He went to a school that today costs about 50,000 bucks a year for a nine year old kid, the most elite school in the country. But you have to understand he was a victim. He wasn't powerful, he was oppressed, like the NDP he leads. I've never been in any atmosphere where there was more petty criminality than when I was in the embrace of the privileged class. Brother, your father and your grandfather were NDP leaders, lawyers, world diplomats. And you're saying that you were in the embrace of the privileged class? You were the privileged class. No one's possessions were safe. It didn't matter if there was a jock strap textbook, a notebook or a calculator watch. Some boys had collections of calculator watches. It was theft for the thrill of it, pure and simple, because there was no material need for it. I also saw more drug use in Grade 8 at Upper Canada College than I saw in Grade 12 at Jarvis Collegiate, which was known as a drug school. Many UCC kids had anything they wanted. They had ready cash so they could buy or sell high quality drugs. I remember the one kid who was too young to drive had his own collection of antique cars. Do you believe that? I believe that the Lewis family had lots of cars. I'm going to skip ahead. I don't want to go through too much of it. It really is so overwritten and the goal is, to me, so obvious. It's for him to show that he might have been at the most luxurious, wealthy school in the country. But you have to understand, he didn't like a minute of it. I was, oh, get this. He was in the embrace of the privileged class. You got to read this part. I was at UCC during the school's sesquicentennial celebrations in 1979, 1980, Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh visited the school, as he does on occasion. George Dube and I were chosen to give him the tour of the prep. Oh, really? So out of all the kids, you were chosen to give the Queen's husband the tour and you're not part of the privileged elite and they hated you? I already had proper contempt for the monarchy, but I didn't refuse the assignment. Isn't that accurate? I had contempt for wealth, but I bore my duty and I took it. I hated this fancy school, but I went there. I certainly am not part of it, but I was part of it. If he had contempt for the monarchy, how about stand by your values and let someone else tour the Prince around? Let me read this part. The only reason I put up with being stuffed in every locker in garbage can, closet, confined space and a reeking corner of the building, literally running for my life on a daily basis, was because I was just exploding with learning. I was having incredible mutual relationships of respect and intellectual seriousness with great teachers. I do find it plausible that normal kids would just hate this pompous, sneering, condescending hypocrite who says he hates it all but, you know, luxuriates in it. That part I do believe, but he wants to make sure, you know, he didn't really like it. I think all the teachers were aware that I was being persecuted, but any intervention on their part would have made it me even more despicable in the eyes of the crowd. Yeah, I think that's probably true. You know, he talks about being beat up a bit and I'm not sure how. I think there's some exaggeration there. I'll stop reading that. He says, I don't. I don't deny that I was an obnoxious, mouthy little shit. Okay, finally we're getting to it. I was smarter, I was Jewish, I was socialist, and I was two years younger than everyone else in my class. I didn't know my place. When I felt someone was wrong, I told them so, which made me insufferable. I was completely the other in every respect at a place where there was absolute intolerance for any variation from a norm, which is mythological and destructive in the extreme. That's obviously a lie. He was treated as a first class student. He was given favors. He was allowed in. In the middle of the year, he was chosen to escort the Prince. He just said he had a wonderful time with the teachers. What a liar. What a drama king. I also. Anyhow, he explains that he left the school his choice he says, I also started to get interested in girls, which is, of course, didn't exist at ucc. My family and I had always been uncomfortable with the idea of segregated education. Upper Canada is only for boys. I never believed in it, and they certainly don't believe in it. Well, you got to stop lying. I mean, how can you say that your family was against a boys only school if they sent you to a boys only school? How can you say that? I'll read one last sentence or two.
- [21:36]
Stockwell Day
He.
- [21:37]
Ezra Levant
He was a young man in his 20s now working for a TV station in Toronto called City TV. And when he wrote the news and he said at City tv, a fellow reporter, Colin Vaughn, told me the only thing he didn't like about me was that I went to a private school. The simple fact was the UCC met my needs as a gifted kid. Did I tell you I'm gifted? Have I mentioned that I'm smarter than anybody else? I just want you to know how gifted I am. I didn't hobnob with the elite. That's all you did, brother. You toured the fricking king around. I'm not a champagne or silk stocking socialist. You literally are. You're the third generation in your family to lead the ndp. You're a millionaire. You were born a millionaire. Hobnob with the. That is all you've done. I'm a socialist who paid his way, literally in nosebleeds. He didn't pay your way in nosebleeds. Your parents spent tens of thousands of dollars putting you through school. The fact that I went to an establishment private school is a favorite detail of Frank Magazine and that whole journalistic crowd. Whole journalistic crowd. Your mother, Michelle Landsberg, was a journalist. Your father. What crowd are you talking about? You're an author. Your wife's an author. That journalistic crowd. Being seen as the son of Steven Lewis and Michelle Landsberg and having gone to UCC is a burden I'll carry to the grave. But I don't regret it for a moment. I learned a lot about the world in my three and a half years at ucc. A world which I lament and which I will spend my life trying to change. I don't really think so. I think that Avi Lewis is exactly what he says he's not. I don't think he's as smart as he claims he is, but I think he is the elite, silk stocking champagne socialist. Three generations of high society. I think he just realized that by having that on his resume. It shows that He's a millionaire socialist. Then again, it worked for Jagmeet Singh, didn't it? Anyhow, it's a little bit of Bobby Lewis that maybe you didn't hear about. Stay with us after the break. We'll talk with Stockwell day about some of Avi Lewis's socialist policies that obviously show he's never lived a moment in the real world. Well, there's been so much news in Canadian politics and world politics that it's easy to overlook the. I think it's the fourth party in Parliament, the NDP, that Jagmeet Singh had taken down at just 9% in the polls in the last election. In fact, I think that's the big story of the last election. Pierre Poliev got a record turnout for the conservatives. But in Canada, which is a bit of a centre left country, if you don't have a strong NDP carving votes away from the liberals, you know, it's just not enough for the conservatives to win. I think the collapse of the NDP was really one of the main stories of the election. And their obedience to the liberals throughout the their term in parliament I think was something to see. Now, Abby Lewis, I think is more ideological, more of a lifelong policy wonk on the left. I think he'll be a little bit different. What will it mean? Will it strengthen the ndp? If so, at whose expense? What'll it mean for the other parties? Is Canada going to tilt towards the left? And is Avi Lewis and his NDP too much of a radical group of woke sters as opposed to the party of the farmer and the working man? Joining me now to talk about it is someone who knows thing or two about politics, having served both provincially in the Alberta government and federally. His name is Stockwell Day. He's an old friend of mine. In fact, I used to briefly work for him out in Ottawa and now he's a retired pundit and grandpa and he tells me, great grandfather. Stock, great to see you again.
- [25:33]
Stockwell Day
Great to be with you. Thanks.
- [25:34]
Ezra Levant
You know, the NDP comes from the west. They have western roots. They were the farmer's party, they were the workers party. They actually had of a Christian tradition too, Tommy Douglas. They've certainly moved away from those roots, haven't they? They're more the transgender party, judging by their conference these days.
- [25:52]
Stockwell Day
Yeah, they certainly are. First, just let me acknowledge condolences to Avi Lewis and his family with the very recent passing of his father, Stephen Lewis, who is also doctrinaire and I'm sure is very proud of his son right now. You're Quite right, Ezra, and what you've characterized so far. The thing I like about Avi Lewis is he's a very honest socialist. He has all of his thinking is significantly and severely left wing. And I think that he may find some audience there. He may find even some audience within some of the Liberal Party, which leans significantly socialist, but they don't want to admit it. So, yeah, I think he will predict, just as I think you predicted a while ago and I predicted about six months ago I thought he would win this race. He did because of his strong ideological stance. And I think some people are going to find that attractive.
- [26:48]
Ezra Levant
You know, I saw a critique of capitalism by a Silicon Valley billionaire the other day. He said most young people, their experience with capitalism is student loans that they have trouble paying often and the inability to buy a house because it's so expensive. So they have a negative feeling towards capitalism that maybe a generation ago we didn't have. A generation ago we knew freedom and free economies were better. And you look around the world and you know, whether it's Zoran Mamdani, who I think can be fairly called a true socialist, or even in the uk, the rise of the Green Party, which is socialist, I'm worried that there is a trend amongst young people to go full socialist or even communist. I mean, some of the policies of Avi Lewis, the state owning the means of production, that's literally the definition of communism. And I think for a lot of young people who can't afford to get ahead, hate the big corporations, can't save for a home of their own. I think they'll find it appealing.
- [27:50]
Stockwell Day
That's what I'm worried about. This generation of voters, anywhere up to 30 or 35 years old have been schooled for years. They went from grades one to 12 under schooling, which is basically culturally Marxist. Then they went into universities which are bastions of culturally Marxist thought. So when they hear somebody boldly proclaiming Marxist policies as Avi Lewis does, it resonates with them. And who doesn't like the sound of getting free stuff? So that's why certainly, as you said in New York, Mayor Mondami is unabashed in saying he's going to take over the grocery industry. The people that are going to be voting in this younger cohort don't know that. Not only has that been tried in countries around the world, from communism to heavily socialist countries, a number of cities in the United States have actually tried that. Tried to get into the grocery business and like government getting into every business, it's Always a dismal failure. But it looks appealing because you're quite right. Also, this generation not realizing that the single greatest reason for their earned dollar not being able to purchase as much as they'd like is governments borrowing and spending, spending borrowed money. That's the single greatest reason for a dollar losing power. But these, this young cohort doesn't realize that. And they think the answer is let government control it. Even though the history books are clear history, they've never looked at that. This leads to financial disaster and more poverty for more people.
- [29:27]
Ezra Levant
Yeah. Hey, I want to play a clip for you. This is Avi Lewis right after his win on the cbc. So his natural. In fact, he used to work at the CBC a couple of decades ago. Then he went on to work for Al Jazeera, which is sort of a natural progression. Once you get hooked on those state broadcasters, there's no telling where you'll wind up. Here he is talking about government run grocery stores. And I think of what it was like in Alberta when government run liquor stores and in Ontario they only very recently put beer in corner stores. Government run anything is terrible, but when you hate the man and want to smash capitalism, it sounds good. Here's Avi Lewis pitching government run groceries. Take a listen.
- [30:10]
Rebel News Announcer
A good chunk of your platform, a platform you won on, involves nationalizing industries, banking, groceries, construction. Clearly, due to your win, I think we can say that a majority of NDP membership are on board. But how do you sell those ideas to the general public, something that many would argue you need to do in order to broaden the NDP and grow the ndp?
- [30:36]
Avi Lewis
Oh, absolutely. That is the goal. I've been talking to NDP members for the last six months and I'm really looking forward to getting out and talking to Canadians from coast to coast to coast. You use the word nationalizing, which is not a word that we use. We talk about a public option for groceries and cell phones and stuff like that, because it's not about taking existing businesses into the public sector, although that is an option in certain cases. We're talking about, for instance, with groceries, developing a chain of 50 publicly owned and operated grocery stores across the country with six or seven regional distribution hubs that would be able to provide groceries to Canadians 30 to 45% cheaper than what they're paying right now.
- [31:16]
Ezra Levant
I think he's right that food is expensive. I mean, inflation shrinkflation, where you get smaller packages at the same price. He's right that there's a problem, but his prescription, I mean, I just, I'm trying To imagine a grocery store, of course it's going to be unionized, of course it's going to be government workers, civil servants. How he thinks it's going to be 30 to 40% cheaper blows me away. The margins in grocery stores are so thin, just a few percent. And by the way, there are nonprofit grocery stores now, the co op, you know, sort of member owned. I, I just think that this, I mean he went to Upper Canada College, which is the most expensive private school in Canada. I think he's sort of a limousine liberal, champagne socialist who just doesn't know how things work. And he's 58 and he's, he's never tested his ideas and now he's the leader of a party. I don't know stock, I just can't, I mean, I just don't know how he thinks he's going to get a grocery store 40% cheaper. How?
- [32:22]
Stockwell Day
Well, it won't be cheaper, but by taxing people, raising taxes across the board. That grocery store chain, if it ever comes into being, and I would just say heaven help us if it does, that will be groceries, products there will be made to look less expensive because he will simply tax everybody more across the board. He'll take those taxes then. And so the true cost, let's say of landing that loaf of bread in his store, let's say it's $5, the true cost by confiscating money from other hard working people, he'll make it $3 or $2, he might make it $1, but you always pay more for it somewhere else. It's always been a colossal failure. And he should know, I'm sure looking at Cuba and I've been there doing mission work in Cuba, they line up, there are no groceries, rum on the shelves, still sells for a dollar. That's about it. Everywhere these policies are practiced. I went to Ukraine in 1993, just when the Soviet empire was folding. Long lineups everywhere, just for bread. This is a disaster. But young people have not been informed of it. It sounds appealing. And another thing, he knows Ezra, having worked for Al Jazeera, that there is this growing nexus, this growing unhealthy joining of the socialist parties with parties that have significantly Muslim backing. We've seen it in the UK and they wind up knocking out more established parties. So there's some appeal there. And with a Muslim vote attaching, which they will because of this dangerous sort of new phenomenon across the world of the Muslim vote and the socialist vote, they are actually in a situation that could endanger Canada Financially and in other
- [34:18]
Ezra Levant
ways also, you know, it's very interesting. I think he's going to get the socialist communist vote and he definitely will get the Islamist vote. What was interesting is Avi Lewis is ethnically Jewish, but he and his wife are anti Israel Jews, which is a very small number of Jews that would be less an Italian who hates Italy. It's just very rare and weird. But it's been political gold for him. And I think that in that way he could grow his party. Nibbling away from Mark Carney's Liberals, Mark Carney claims he's going to be more businesslike than Justin Trudeau. I don't know if we've seen proof of that yet, but he certainly carries himself more moderately. If Mark Carney is more moderate and economically, and if Avi Lewis is more radical against Israel, Avi Lewis I think could grow the numbers. I don't think he's going to form government, but I think he'll do much better than Jagmeet Singh's 9%. What do you think? Do you think he's. Do you think he's got. I mean, certainly the media loves him, that's for sure.
- [35:16]
Stockwell Day
I agree 100%. He's a media darling because he thinks as they do, he's culturally Marxist. So everything he says resonates. When he says anything, then mainstream media just goes, amen. And you mentioned, for instance, if people want a good example. I served Ralph Klein as his Minister of Finance in Alberta before I was in federal politics. Ralph Klein was the first premier to really start turning things upside down or make them back right side up. And he said, what is the government doing in the business of selling alcohol? And that was all turned back to the private sector. And what is government doing in any of these businesses? Government should be there to regulate, to make sure things are safe. But taxing people, taking their taxpayer dollars to prop up failing business practices, that is a road to poverty for many people and less prosperity for all of us.
- [36:14]
Ezra Levant
Last question. I see in the Globe and Mail a couple of reports that suggests Mark Carney is going to have an early election. And it sort of felt that way for a while. But he's got a de facto majority because the block and the NDP typically support him on everything. There's a couple of by elections coming up really soon. If there were a quick election, it could catch Avi Lewis, you know, without his feet under him, he doesn't have a riding yet. He hasn't cemented control over his party. They haven't nominated candidates. I think that the Liberals moving quickly when they're ahead of the polls could be a way for Mark Carney to get a serious majority. I mean, that anti Trumpism has never been higher. And I think that scares a lot of Ontario and Quebec voters towards Liberals. First of all, do you think there's gonna be an early election? And if so, do you think it'll
- [37:07]
Stockwell Day
go Carney's way as he hopes before this leadership race? I was saying, I don't know if there'll be an early election, especially if he does well in these by elections. But Mark Carney is smart enough to know that. Abby Lewis, because he's honest about being a socialist, he will attract the socialist vote, which is now hiding in Liberal corridors and even hiding with Liberal MPs, there's quite a few who would lean in that direction. So, yeah, for sure, if these by elections don't go well, he's going to be. Now he's worried about Pierre Poliev, too. Pierre Poliev is. The gap is not that great between the Conservatives and the Liberal. He's got some concern there. But he is worried about losing support to the true socialists rather than his sort of camouflage socialism. And that's going to be a concern for him. You're right. I think that may prompt the early election call.
- [38:00]
Ezra Levant
Very interesting. Tom Stock, it's great to see you again. Thanks for spending some time with us and I think we're in for a very busy political season.
- [38:08]
Stockwell Day
We are. Thanks. Good to be with you.
- [38:09]
Ezra Levant
All right, there he is. Stockwell Day. Stay with us. Your letters to me next. Hey, welcome back. Your letters to me about the ndp. Jim Beasley said, I'm going to start carrying fluorescent pieces of paper, so I'm always privileged. Yeah, that idea of actually having physical race cards is so funny. Hey, can I show you something? There's a guy I follow on Twitter. He's so funny. He goes by the name Lyle Culpepper. I don't know if that's his real name. And he does all these funny videos where he sort of makes it look like he's at a press conference that someone famous was at. And he did one. He's an American, but he did one pretending he was at the ndp. And it's so convincing. A British Columbian I know said, I don't know if this is real or not. It's so real feeling this is so funny. This is Lyle Culpepper doing satire, but you can't tell. Take a look. I'm going to let this play for a couple Minutes. Take a look.
- [39:08]
Conference Moderator
Let's hear the point on microphone one.
- [39:10]
Lyle Culpepper
Yes, point of personal privilege. I am Lyle Culpepper. I am non binary. I am a person of color which happens to be white color egalitarian. Two, spirit furry. I'm also sex positive, most sex negative. I'm also a Muslim adjacent Hamas supporter and I am disabled. I have a condition called Sidney which is stress induced premature ejaculation. And I am Korean but not by blood. And I have all my cards of my race equity and gender card here. So pretty much top of the list. And there are been some comrades who have skipped in front of me. I've recently gotten my oppression graded at a 9.7. So in terms of being able to speak, I would like to add ask for extended time to speak and perhaps I could come up on stage with you madam. Emma Stone or sorry, Emma Stone.
- [40:01]
Conference Moderator
Not right now.
- [40:02]
Lyle Culpepper
Okay,
- [40:05]
Ezra Levant
that stress induced ejaculation part, I'm sorry, that was so funny. That was too funny. So yeah, that's Lyle Culpepper making fun of our ndp. We're famous. Born Canadian says the NDP needs to be rebranded to the nrp. The non relevant party. Tomley Douglas is rolling over in his grave. Yeah, I mentioned how David Lewis was, you know, I mean he was a socialist, it's true, but he was an anti communist. Which tells you a little bit about his views on extremism, his foreign policy and it suggests he was a patriot. He was a socialist perhaps, but he was a patriot. I don't think he can say that about today's ndp. Avi Lewis is anti American, he's anti Israel, he's anti Canada. And the only flag on the stage when he became leader was the Palestinian flag. Soul vending says notice there were no Canadian flags. Wokeness has given all the mental cases power and a voice. The NDP doubling down on ridiculous sing tank the party. This will be the final nail in the coffin. Well, I was saying to Stockwell, they. I'm not sure about that. I think Jagmeet Singh through the race just like a boxer might throw the match. Singh I think purposefully supported the liberals his whole tenure and then blew the election badly. 9%. I think Avi Lewis will move the party to the left. He'll sop up the communist socialist youth vote. And I think he will get a lot of the Islamist anti Semitic vote which Mark Carney was counting on. And I just find it hard to believe that Avi Lewis will get less than 9%. I'm not saying he's going to get 20%, but he'll do. He'll sop up the Mamdani vote, the Olivia Chao vote. So I think Avi Lewis is going to strengthen the ndp. But speaking purely strategically, if the Conservative Party of Canada has a chance of winning, it's got to be through splitting. Through the ndp, splitting Liberal votes. We'll see how that goes. Anyways, that's the show for today. I hope you didn't mind me reading that essay from Abby Lewis. Maybe I overstated things, but I've never read anyone talk about how so, so smart they are. So repeatedly. Brother, if you're smart, I'll know it. I'll pick it up if you're smart. And about how he was in an elite institution, and he was the elite of the elite. Smarter than everyone chosen to escort Prince Philip. But take his word for it. He didn't like being there. Not one bit. Yeah. What a hypocrite. That's our show for the day. Until tomorrow. On behalf of all of us here at Rebel World Headquarters, to you at home, good night. Keep fighting for freedom.