The Canadian government's Privy Council Office noticed all of you posting about your tax dollars supporting Heated Rivalry. From a January 2026 briefing note
Zak Vescera
@zakvescera.bsky.social
Reporter covering financial crime in Vancouver for @theijf.org. Ink-stained wretch, cautiously optimistic EN/FR. zak.vescera@theijf.org
Canada’s anti-money laundering watchdog believes a “substantial portion” of the country’s cash-to-cryptocurrency brokers are knowingly helping criminals launder money and evade international sanctions. theijf.org/article/cryp...
Crypto desks ‘knowingly’ help launder money, government report says
Intelligence report finds businesses facilitating sanctions evasion, drug dealing
theijf.org
The Canadian government will buy two Palantir licenses at a cost of $7.4 million each year — a continuation of a contract they say they "inadvertently" forgot to publicly disclose. Collab with my wonderful colleague @katrinaclarke.bsky.social theijf.org/article/defe...
Defence department to buy Palantir software for $7.4 million each year
Government says it ‘inadvertently omitted’ to announce contract with controversial American tech company
theijf.org
Today in fun briefing note trivia: CSIS asks guests to its HQ to take taxis, not Uber or other ride-share providers, out of concern the data could be stolen and used to identify people of interest. Also their paid parking only takes coins
A major Canadian oil company is lobbying the B.C. government for potential “exemptions or extensions” to environmental regulations. zurl.co/HDBJn
I think the french-speaking country with the red and white flag and mountainous terrain is gonna win
Eligible Canadian journalists can now get access to all the IJF databases for free I get scoops from these all the time. You could too. Get in touch if you want help getting access theijf.org/free-access-...
Investigative Journalism Foundation
Public service journalism
theijf.org
An MP who helps shape Canada's AI policy appears to hold more than $10k in Palantir stock One critic says that's a “big problem” even if it doesn’t violate ethics rules Michael Guglielmin is also one of three MPs who owns $10k+ stock in Tesla theijf.org/article/gugl...
MP who helps shape AI, auto policy owns Palantir, Tesla stock
Critic says ownership is a “big problem” even if it doesn’t violate ethics rules
theijf.org
The Ontario government approved a medical transcription tool from a company listing testimonials from two doctors who don't seem to exist. That company is also linked to what we think is an AI-generated news site A collab with the great team at TVO theijf.org/article/adgs...
Medical transcription tool approved by Ontario linked to AI-generated news website
Website touts testimonials from doctors who may not exist, investigation finds
theijf.org
B.C. has hinted it may follow Ontario in banning reselling tickets for events above face value. Two large ticket resale platforms have already registered to lobby against that potential law in B.C. One hired a former MP as their consultant. theijf.org/brief/stubhu...
StubHub and SeatGeek lobbying after B.C. hints at banning resale price hikes
Minister said province could follow Ontario in banning reselling tickets above face value
theijf.org
The Ontario government approved a medical transcription tool even though its website advertised what seem to be fake testimonials from nonexistent doctors. — by @ericagiancola.bsky.social (@bigiftruetvo.bsky.social) & @zakvescera.bsky.social (@theijf.org)
How an approved medical transcription tool is linked to an AI-generated news website | TVO Today
And its website touts testimonials from doctors who may not exist.
tvo.org
NDP Leader Avi Lewis is taking aim at a secret federal contract with the American tech company Palantir, arguing it undermines the government’s commitment to defending Canadian data. The company calls his comments "inaccurate and baseless." theijf.org/article/lewi...
NDP’s Lewis slams secret federal contract with Palantir
Company calls Lewis’ comments ‘inaccurate and baseless’
theijf.org
The Canadian government has spent more than $46 million on a previously secret contract with Palantir. The contract, originally worth around $14.4 million has been amended a dozen times, including to fund Palantir staff travel theijf.org/brief/canadi...
Canadian government spent tens of millions on secret Palantir contract
Records from the IJF’s Open By Default database reveal the government made over a dozen amendments to a contract with Palantir Canada to provide services to an elite unit of the military
theijf.org
Read “Oil giant broke deal to deactivate thousands of pipelines and faced no penalty, documents reveal” by @zakvescera.bsky.social and @writermjs.bsky.social: theijf.org/article/cnrl... /2
Oil giant broke deal to deactivate thousands of pipelines and faced no penalty, documents reveal
Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. promised to deactivate thousands of inactive pipelines under a special deal with B.C.’s energy regulator. Internal emails show the company failed to meet its targets.
theijf.org
In a secret internal memo, CSIS warns foreign powers may be using infrastructure investments in Indigenous communities to try and gain a foothold in Canada's Arctic. theijf.org/brief/foreig...
Foreign powers using deals with Indigenous communities to meddle in Arctic: CSIS briefing
A 2024 secret briefing note said infrastructure deficits in Arctic communities are creating increased opportunities for foreign investment and influence
theijf.org
I've spent a lot of time over the last year reading charity revocation letters from the CRA and one name keeps popping up again and again: Blake Bromley. Here's a closer look at the audits and investigations into his charities: theijf.org/article/blak...
40% of B.C. charity revocations linked to one retired lawyer and his associates
Blake Bromley and connected charities have faced multiple investigations
theijf.org
Vancouver hosted the world's first crypto ATM. Now, Canada is banning them. The industry is calling that overreach. But law enfrocement says getting rid of these ATMs is a "no-brainer" and that they have become key tools for fraud and money laundering theijf.org/article/cryp...
Crypto ATM owners bristle at surprise Canadian ban
Federal government says ATMs have become tool for fraud and money laundering
theijf.org
A weird one: a private company wants the provincial gov's help to restore rail service to Vancouver Island. But their plan doesn't seem to include the foundation that actually owns the mostly-dormant rail corridor, who say they're being kept in the dark. theijf.org/brief/irc-ra...
Private firm wants B.C.’s support to revive Vancouver Island rail
The Island Rail Corporation is asking the B.C. government for help in obtaining and reviving rail service corridor on Vancouver Island
theijf.org
Our investigation into a network laundering money for illicit cannabis found an intriguing connection to Valerian Labs, a B.C. company sanctioned by the U.S. government for importing precursors chemicals that can be used to make fentanyl. theijf.org/article/cann...
The curious link between illegal weed and a B.C. company accused of helping make fentanyl
A money mule washing dirty cash from illegal weed sales sent tens of thousands to Valerian Labs
theijf.org
And now: a story about raves. Last year Vancouver cracked down on indie music venues. We and the folks at the Vancity Lookout have learned that was driven by nightclubs and bars, who lobbied city councillors to have inspectors go after specific competitors. theijf.org/article/vanc...
City cracked down on Vancouver venues after lobbying by bar and club groups, emails reveal
Independent operators say nightlife ‘monopoly’ threatens to once again make Vancouver ‘No Fun City’
theijf.org
Hundreds of websites sell weed and other drugs to Canadians openly and illegally. Why taking them down is like “whack-a-mole.” zurl.co/kgR6I
A German engineering giant wants a sitdown meeting with B.C. Premier David Eby as it competes for a $20B+ federal submarine contract. zurl.co/5gZx1
as the ancients said, we out here fr fr
Canadian Association of Journalists (CAJ)@cajournalists.bsky.social · 4mo ago🥳Congrats to our multi-category finalists this year: ⭐️⭐️ Nicholas Hune-Brown Avery Haines Joseph Loiero Angelo Altomare Jerry Vienneau Charlie Pinkerton Matt Simmons Jen St. Denis ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Jessica Smith-Cross Zak Vescera
Huge congratulations to my colleague @zakvescera.bsky.social for his 3 nominations! Four in total for @theijf.org!
Canadian Association of Journalists (CAJ)@cajournalists.bsky.social · 4mo ago🥳Congrats to our multi-category finalists this year: ⭐️⭐️ Nicholas Hune-Brown Avery Haines Joseph Loiero Angelo Altomare Jerry Vienneau Charlie Pinkerton Matt Simmons Jen St. Denis ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Jessica Smith-Cross Zak Vescera
Fittingly, one day after 4/20, here's a story about a massive money laundering network tied to illegal online weed sales. We follow the money to Vancouver real estate, grow-ops and a company accused of helping make fentanyl. First in a series theijf.org/article/cann...
Inside a $156M money laundering operation tied to illegal weed
RCMP’s ‘Project Icarus’ reveals cannabis still a cash cow for organized crime
theijf.org
Grateful and honoured to find out that my past reporting with The Narwhal's @writermjs.bsky.social and my former @theijf.org colleague @zakvescera.bsky.social has been nominated for the Canadian Journalism Foundation's Award for Excellence in Journalism!
Bethany Lindsay@bethanylindsay.bsky.social · 4mo agoMore great news for @theijf.org! Our collaboration with The Narwhal has been nominated for a Dr. Eric Jackman Award for Excellence in Journalism. Major congratulations to @kateschneider.bsky.social, @zakvescera.bsky.social and @writermjs.bsky.social. theijf.org/article/ijf-...
More great news for @theijf.org! Our collaboration with The Narwhal has been nominated for a Dr. Eric Jackman Award for Excellence in Journalism. Major congratulations to @kateschneider.bsky.social, @zakvescera.bsky.social and @writermjs.bsky.social. theijf.org/article/ijf-...
IJF nominated for prestigious Dr. Eric Jackman Award for Excellence in Journalism
Collaboration with The Narwhal on B.C.’s oil and gas regulator recognized by Canadian Journalism Foundation
theijf.org
A particularly horrible story: a B.C. woman says she lost $23 million in a series of crypto scams, many from fraudsters claiming they could help her recover the money she already lost. Authorities say such "recovery" scams are a growing problem theijf.org/article/cryp...
Crypto nightmare: B.C. victim lost more than $23 million in series of scams
Case illustrates how ‘recovery’ scammers prey on victims of fraud
theijf.org
Old point, but I think it's a huge problem how risk-averse our political culture is in Canada. In my relatively short time as a reporter I find it's notably harder to get anyone to openly express any view on, well, anything. That's a net loss for every discussion we have.