Minister of Addictions and Mental Health Ya’ara Saks took to social media to denounce Rebel News’ event in her riding on the weekend.

“Sadly,” her statement on X begins, “I have learned that Rebel News will be bringing its hateful and extremist views to York Centre, the riding I am proud to represent, when it holds Canada’s most provocative conference, including Donald Trump Jr. and other MAGA Conservatives at Downsview Park this weekend.”

My statement on the Rebel News Event in #YorkCentre with Donald Trump Jr. :#cdnpoli pic.twitter.com/nBdclEBG5M

— Ya'ara Saks יערה זקס (@YaaraSaks) May 10, 2024

Saks stated that “while she is a strong supporter of free speech… the vile views espoused by Rebel News are not welcome in York Centre, nor do its residents support them.”

She then stated that “Rebel News, its commentators, staff and associates have espoused everything from antisemitism to islamophobia.”

Culture commentator, author and Gen Z influencer Isabel Brown said that intimidating people from speaking out against their values is exactly why the political class uses this kind of inflammatory language.

“If promoting the family, and marriage, and having children, and eating real food, and supporting good values and morality in society is considered extremist or radical, call me an extremist,” she laughs.

Rebel News Editor-in-Chief Sheila Gunn Reid reminds people that “Saks is not the gatekeeper of what can be said in her riding.”

I hope you all find something that makes you as happy as driving Ya'ara Saks even more wacko makes my boss. https://t.co/Ck9rJJS8JE pic.twitter.com/ty9fvXz43P

— Sheila Gunn Reid (@SheilaGunnReid) May 10, 2024

Constitutional rights expert and law professor Bruce Pardy, another speaker at the event, said that we should anticipate falsehoods in everything we hear.

“People have to have the ability and the willingness to evaluate the content on its own terms and assume that it’s probably not true,” he said. “If you really are a free person, you have to take that on for yourself.”

By contrast, powerlifter and women’s sports advocate April Hutchinson called the event beautiful. “Great speakers, great topics, great, meaningful discussions and that’s was the whole point of it,” she said.

Anti-euthanasia activist Amanda Achtman expanded on those remarks and called it a diverse event. “Here is an event, right in [Saks’] community, that is quite positive and uplighting and doesn’t map onto any of her comments.”

Chris Elston, best known for his parental rights advocacy efforts, said it’s standard political practice. “When all you can do is utter ad hominem slurs at people, that means you’ve already lost the argument,” he said.

Rebel News Mission Specialist David Menzies rightfully points out the hypocrisy of Saks, who previously held hands with Palestinian terrorist leader Mahmoud Abbas.

I spent part of an afternoon talking to random voters in @YaaraSaks York Centre district, asking them about her shocking endorsement of the Palestinian terrorist Mahmoud Abbas.

NOT A SINGLE VOTER SUPPORTED SAKS.

Here's how it went:pic.twitter.com/QKSy8GEINI

— Ezra Levant 🍁🚛 (@ezralevant) April 19, 2024

“The first step in this fight to regain values, to regain influence and traction in the culture war between good and evil in the Western world is reclaiming the language,” says Brown. “If they want to call us extremists for that, laugh and accept it as a crazy, crazy title but keep telling the truth and promoting goodness in the world.”