Rebel News Podcast Episode Summary

Episode: EZRA LEVANT | Yet another church destroyed by fire as Canada shrugs at a disturbing pattern
Host: Ezra Levant
Date: April 14, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode of the Rebel News Podcast, hosted by Ezra Levant, centers on the recent fire that destroyed a historic church in Saint-Romain, Quebec. Levant discusses the broader pattern of church vandalism and arson across Canada, expressing concern over what he perceives as indifference from authorities, the media, and government officials. The second segment transitions to coverage of a protest in Ottawa by Iranian Canadians advocating for regime change in Iran, encompassing freedom movements, diaspora concerns, and the Canadian government's response to threats from foreign regimes.

1. The Fire at Saint-Romain Church – Examining a Troubling Pattern

Historical Significance and Immediate Aftermath

• Ezra Levant sets the scene from the site where the nearly 100-year-old Saint-Romain church burned to the ground the night before.
  • “Behind me, a church last night burnt to the ground. You can see the massive bell tower which fell at around 8pm last night.” (01:11)
• Levant details the central role churches played historically in Quebec, serving as social, cultural, and architectural centers:
  • “The architectural, cultural, geographic center of every one of these towns is a beautiful church, some of them astonishingly large... the history of Quebec is the history of the Catholic Church.” (02:21–03:12)

Patterns of Vandalism and Media Coverage

• Levant observes that most church fires and vandalism in Canada receive little attention from mainstream media:
  • “I saw this news last night on Twitter, which is how I usually learn about arsons, vandalism and other attacks on churches. I certainly don't learn about it through mainstream media.” (03:37)
• Points to recent examples and suggests a lack of curiosity or urgency from authorities:
  • “If this were a mosque, would the Prime Minister be on the ground here? Would there be a task force to find out who did it?” (07:46)
  • “A hundred churches vandalized and burned and a shrug, a collective shrug. I find that deeply depressing.” (10:30)

Political and Social Context

• Levant links the pattern to both historic anti-Catholic sentiment and recent narratives connecting churches to residential school abuses:
  • “Another reason... is the anti Catholic bigotry perpetrated by the Canadian government with their narrative of anti indigenous genocide. ...Part of the mania... about residential schools in Canada is a deliberate attempt to undermine Catholicism and the Catholic Church as an institution.” (05:45)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On patterns and alleged double-standards:
  • “Christians seem to be one of the last groups that you can burn the churches down and people just shrug.” (08:29)
• On government response:
  • “There's no national task force... a hundred churches vandalized and burned and a shrug, a collective shrug.” (10:32)
• Deep personal reflection:
  • “I'm not even Christian myself. I can only imagine my feelings if this was a major synagogue in Toronto. I would be so troubled. I would be retching from the stress and the grief of it.” (12:03)

Timestamps of Key Moments

• [01:11] - On the history and destruction of the church
• [03:37] - Learning about attacks from Twitter, not mainstream media
• [05:45] - Linking church fires to broader anti-Catholic and anti-church sentiment in Canada
• [07:46] - Questioning what government response would be if it were a mosque or synagogue
• [10:30] - Expressing frustration at lack of national response

2. Iranian-Canadian Protest in Ottawa – Freedom, Safety, and Diaspora Solidarity

Protest Overview and Key Themes

• The podcast transitions to a Rebel News field report covering an Iranian demonstration in Ottawa.
• Iranians gather at the US Embassy and Parliament Hill to call for regime change in Iran, vocalize support for Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi, and express frustration with both Canadian and international government responses.
• The protest underscores the importance of freedom, unity among Iranians, and the need for international support:
  • “These are people who are fighting for freedom against a brutal tyranny of the last 47 years. ...We've watched the price that they've paid in rivers of blood.” (16:58, Shu Fajumdar)
  • “They pay their taxes. They want the same things that every Canadian deserves, which is to live in freedom and prosperity.” (17:52, Shu Fajumdar)

Government Responses and Security Concerns

• Many Iranians wear masks not for health, but to conceal identities from regime agents believed to operate in Canada:
  • “Iranians aren't wearing masks because they're afraid of COVID... They're wearing masks for their own protection.” (29:05)
  • “We have again at least 700 suspected IRGC agents operating in Canada with little to no enforcement from our government to get them out.” (29:29)
• Frustration with Canadian officials’ lack of deportations and perceived weakness:
  • “They're not getting the job done. They're not bringing any energy to the file. To the best of our knowledge, maybe one [IRGC operative] has been deported since the beginning of this horrific event.” (30:45, Shu Fajumdar)
  • “Pierre Poliev... went to Toronto to stand with thousands of Iranians to call for a change in the regime of Iran and to make absolutely clear that this is the party and the cause that understands what the regime is, the threat it poses.” (31:56, Shu Fajumdar)

Critique of International Institutions

• Criticism of Canada’s support for the Islamic Republic at the UN:
  • “Instead, it backs the Iranian clerical military dictatorship and denies Iranians their rights to freedom and democracy enshrined in that very institution.” (32:34, Shu Fajumdar)
  • “We must deport every single IRGC official still walking our streets, intimidating our people. ...Not one IRG official or their families should be on our streets.” (33:16, Shu Fajumdar)

Memorable Quotes

• On Western responses and media boycotts:
  • “We are boycotts with cbc, with ctv. ...Western countries other than us are boycotting what Iranian people want.” (19:37, Iranian Protester)
• On wearing the Israeli flag:
  • “Well, no, I believe we have the freedom of choice. I wear it proudly because, you know, it's a country that I love.” (21:29, Anonymous Supporter)

Timestamps of Key Moments

• [16:58] - Iranian Canadian and reporter reflections on the movement’s roots and community
• [19:37] - Protesters express frustration with media and call out CBC/CTV
• [29:05] - Mask wearing for security, IRGC threats discussed
• [30:45] - Critique of Canadian government’s lack of action on IRGC agents (Shu Fajumdar)
• [32:34] - Criticism of Canadian and UN actions; calls for deportations

3. Cross-Movement Solidarity and Broader Freedom Struggles

Falun Dafa Support

• Members of Falun Dafa join, drawing parallels between Chinese and Iranian human rights abuses:
  • “We are from the Falun Dafa Group. ...We are here to tell people what's going on in China. It's a human rights violation, Very severe human rights violation.” (33:54, Falun Dafa Group Member)
  • “So their fight is your fight.” (34:34, Rebel News Reporter)
• The conversation shifts briefly to the importance of supporting all worldwide freedom movements and the need to remain vigilant about foreign influence in Canada.

Timestamps

• [33:54] - Falun Dafa group expresses solidarity with Iranian protesters; links fights against tyranny in China and Iran

4. Episode Takeaways

• Ezra Levant’s reporting highlights the ongoing trend of church destruction in Canada, rural communities’ historic ties to their churches, and the lackluster institutional response.
• The Ottawa coverage amplifies the voices of Iranian Canadians calling for true regime change, international solidarity, and greater security for diaspora communities.
• Speakers and hosts consistently draw analogies between different freedom struggles, urging listeners to see the broader pattern of threats to liberty, both domestically and abroad.

Notable Quotes (with Timestamps and Attribution)

• “Christians seem to be one of the last groups that you can burn the churches down and people just shrug.”
  — Ezra Levant (08:29)

• “A hundred churches vandalized and burned and a shrug, a collective shrug. I find that deeply depressing.”
  — Ezra Levant (10:30)

• “These are people who are fighting for freedom against a brutal tyranny of the last 47 years. ...We've watched the price that they've paid in rivers of blood.”
  — Shu Fajumdar (16:58)

• “We are boycotts with cbc, with ctv. ...Western countries other than us are boycotting what Iranian people want.”
  — Iranian Protester (19:37)

• “They're not getting the job done. They're not bringing any energy to the file. To the best of our knowledge, maybe one [IRGC operative] has been deported since the beginning of this horrific event.”
  — Shu Fajumdar (30:45)

• “We must deport every single IRGC official still walking our streets, intimidating our people. ...Not one IRG official or their families should be on our streets.”
  — Shu Fajumdar (33:16)

For more coverage on church fires and attacks, visit: SaveOurChurches.ca
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