Conservative MPs shouldn't be bullied into silence by leftists
Conservatives need to find the courage to push back against radical left-wing activists after York University cancelled a speaking event featuring MP Garnett Genuis.
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Members of Parliament shouldn't let radical left-wing activists bully them into silence. Garnett Genuis, the Conservative MP from Sherwood Park-Fort Saskatchewan, the riding shared by Rebel News' very own Sheila Gunn Reid, is one of the good guys.
At least, in his heart he is.
On tonight's episode of The Ezra Levant Show, Ezra explains how Genuis sometimes lacks the courage of his convictions though, something that always breaks Ezra's heart.
He recalls an interview years ago, when the Conservative Party of Canada was considering a carbon tax scheme of its own, and why Genuis would go along with someone who had such ideas.
After all, you'd think an MP from Alberta, with major oil and gas operations right in his riding, would stand up for his people rather than appeasing some placeholder leading the party.
Genuis's response to Ezra's question left much to be desired, he said. To be one of the “good guys,” as Genuis often is, means you have to take action — it's about more than merely having a good heart.
Ordinary Canadians don't have to jump to be involved in every political battle. But if you've signed up for politics, the battle of ideas is part of the job description.
After posting on social media how 'disappointed' he was by the York University student union's decision to cancel his event, Ezra said the Conservative MP's response was not strong enough.
I have disappointing news to share about further attacks on free speech.
— Garnett Genuis (@GarnettGenuis) January 8, 2026
My event at York University (scheduled for this Friday) is now cancelled due to a decision of the student union not to allow it.
I'm pretty surprised. We've done the same event concept at universities in 4…
Ezra balked at Genuis's suggestion that those who wished to share stories of employment challenges with him should simply phone his office, offering up a reply of his own in response.
Hi Garnett. I think you could have a different response than just accepting this outcome and tweeting about it.
— Ezra Levant 🍁🚛 (@ezralevant) January 8, 2026
1. I think you should go to court
The student union may be governed by the Charter of Rights, and therefor have an obligation to respect your freedom of speech,… https://t.co/YEPJRClTPf
“It is not acceptable for a student union to ban an MP from speaking on campus. Going along with it strengthens it,” was his conclusion.
Genuis then responded to his critics, without naming names, suggesting that his decision was motivated by his involvement with a group of local students.
“I don't want to create a situation in which they could face indirect consequences. I'm always ready to deal with controversy, but I don't want to leave someone else holding the bag,” he said.
But Ezra wasn't buying the rebuttal, suggesting the students already faced consequences by his decision to quit the event, and wondered what these “consequences” might even be.
After all, Genuis has the power of an MP's office behind him, with little to lose given he can't be fired, and legal expenses he may incur are covered.
GUEST:Federal director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation Franco Terrazzano joins the show to address his new report on Prime Minister Mark Carney's government continuing to raise taxes in 2026.
COMMENTS
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Melvyn Schobel commented 2026-01-09 16:52:23 -05002. What Happens When the Majority Stays Silent
When the population retreats into private life, two groups step forward:
1. Elites — who prefer a passive public
2. Extremists — who fill the vacuum with certainty, aggression, and ideological fervor
The moderate majority becomes irrelevant.
The extremes drive the agenda.
The political temperature rises.
Compromise collapses.
Polarization becomes natural, even desirable.
And the silent majority — the very group who could restore stability — remains on the sidelines watching the world burn. -
Lance Humphries commented 2026-01-09 06:09:49 -050098% of Gripens are combat ready and able to actually fly missions at any given time. F-35? 50%. 10,000 are sitting on the tarmac waiting for parts. A Gripen in the air is better than an F-35 sitting on the tarmac. They can’t fly if it looks like rain b/c they have no protection against lightening. Among many other issues they’ve given up trying to fix and have turned their focus instead on 6th gen. Speaking of which, why would anyone buy a complete fleet of gen5’s when gen 6’s are around the corner? They’re essentially already outdated!! Take the 12 F-35’s we’re obligated to take for certain missions. There’s also the Korean fighter which is a virtual copy of the amazing F-22. There’s been 2 combat simulations between the Gripen and F-35. They won one each btw!! 4th option? But F-35’s from Israel. Huh? They’ve made major modifications to them that the US hasn’t incorporated.
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Bernhard Jatzeck commented 2026-01-08 21:24:15 -0500See, there are benefits to free speech, provided one is a lefty. (Yeah, right.) -
Matt Abrahams commented 2026-01-08 21:18:07 -0500Watching that clip you played of an old interview and contrasting it with some of your more recent work, I must say Ezra, you’ve mellowed in your old age.
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Bruce Atchison commented 2026-01-08 21:10:50 -0500We all must be bold. It’s hard to do that in person but not impossible. And MPs must always be true to themselves.
And Carney’s tax break is a case of giving a child a dime and taking away their dollar. -
Ron Voss commented 2026-01-08 21:07:01 -0500What a loser. Typical. He was whipped in 2017 by Scheer to support the Liberal motion affirming the Paris Climate Accord. Only Cheryl Gallant voted against, the only MP to do so. Max Bernier and Brad Trost skipped the vote.
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James Henry commented 2026-01-08 20:38:41 -0500Very sad to see the Conservatives back off once again. I think you’re right, Ezra, the Conservatives are slipping back into the Scheer/O’Toole era. Up until the last election, I contributed at least a few thousand dollars to Poilievre’s campaign. He didn’t put the puck in the net. The Conservatives, under Poilievre, have voted to declare Canada a genocidal nation, supported the dairy/poultry cartels and as I understand, quietly agreed to keep paying the MSM off if the Conservatives won.
I’ll vote for him (Poilievre) because he’s the best on offer. But not a penny until he gets elected and acts on his promises.
