Updates: Our Teflon prime minister, some Epstein updates, Elon's despair, and admiring American courage

Just a random bunch of updates tonight.

I think we can call him Teflon Carney
As Canadians get to know Prime Minister Carney, we're seeing that he is becoming one of those Teflon politicians - negative news just doesn't stick to him, he just shrugs it off. 

The most recent example is that ballyhooed trip of Conservative MP Jamil Jivani to visit his BFF Vance and Washington, purportedly about the CUSMA negotiations. The initial media reaction was to make this a big problem for Carney. But Carney just pushed it right back at them:

I like that he calls out Jivani’s action for the publicity stunt it is.

- Joanne Pettis 🇨🇦

Read on Substack

Then there was this:

View on Threads

And this:

View on Threads

View on Threads

On a side note, I just had to share this too:

View on Threads

Epstein Updates
The anger over the Epstein revelations seems to be building around the world.

🔥 @rokhanna.bsky.social : “Today, I call on Congress to haul before the oversight committee every single person who emailed about going to Epstein’s island… the 🇺🇸 people are frustrated with the rich and powerful getting a different set of Justice.”

[image or embed]

— The Tennessee Holler (@thetnholler.bsky.social) February 4, 2026 at 7:23 PM

Really nuts how many men were like "Me Too went too far, and I need to email Jeffrey Epstein about it."

— Moira Donegan (@moiradonegan.bsky.social) February 4, 2026 at 6:26 PM

TBH, the last 20 years makes a lot more sense when reconsidered thru the lens of "nearly every major institution was being led by someone either directly in or complicit in a massive sex trafficking ring involving minors."

— Amanda Litman (@amandalitman.bsky.social) February 4, 2026 at 1:47 PM

i am trying not to joke about the Epstein stuff because it's so horrible but there's also this ridiculous element where it's like... discovering Dracula is real, he's taken over human society at the highest levels, he's involved in tons of evil and also he's a huge dipshit

— abraconagra (@markpopham.bsky.social) February 4, 2026 at 9:43 PM

worth noting that the second rich people stopped being afraid of mobs tearing them limb from limb, they stopped building libraries and opera houses and stuff and started ripping the copper wiring out of the walls of society instead

— mattie lubchansky (@mattielubchansky.com) February 4, 2026 at 10:44 AM

The next time any politician remotely utters the vague NOTION of gutting a welfare program i’m just assuming they’re a pedophile from now on

— jubbly jiver (@starrdiver.bsky.social) February 4, 2026 at 10:36 AM

I honestly don’t see a huge pedophile conspiracy in these nauseating leaks from the Epstein files (just a minor pedophile conspiracy). But I do see an elite circle that is self-dealing, self-important, incestuous, obscenely rich and indifferent to any kind of public virtue. In Plato’s analysis of how democracy turns into tyranny, a critical factor is that the elites become much more concerned with their own money and interests than with the public good. It’s just fascinating to see how deeply embedded the tyrant was in this sleazy elite cabal before he used well-deserved public hatred of them to seize power. But Plato called that as well.

- Andrew Sullivan

Read on Substack

View on Threads

So the Clintons will be speaking to a Congress committee about the Epstein files. I thought this post about it was hilarious:

View on Threads

Worthwhile to note this, too:

View on Threads

Elon ain't happy
This was a startling post today:

it’s genuinely reassuring to me that this is the most miserable and paranoid person in the entire world

[image or embed]

— onion person (@junlper.beer) February 4, 2026 at 7:16 PM

I wonder Elon's despair has something to do with his problems in Europe? Or with Epstein? Or maybe both?

France responds to Elon Musk after he called the raid of Twitter (X) offices a ‘political attack’ “Investigating child sexual abuse material isn’t controversial. Turning it into political theater is manipulation. Maybe that logic flies on some island. Doesn’t fly in France”

[image or embed]

— Culture Crave 🍿 (@culturecrave.co) February 3, 2026 at 8:36 PM

Excellent news.

[image or embed]

— Jon Cooper (@joncooper-us.bsky.social) February 4, 2026 at 6:28 PM

[image or embed]

— JeffTrnka (@jefftrnka.bsky.social) February 4, 2026 at 11:41 AM

France dumps Zoom and Teams as Europe seeks digital autonomy from the U.S.

[image or embed]

— Toronto Star (@thestar.com) February 4, 2026 at 9:15 AM

At a substack called Oligarch Watch, writer Caleb Ecarma tells us The truth about Musk’s relationship with Epstein Musk has downplayed the relationship. Emails between the two men paint a different picture.

....The latest tranche of files released by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) on Friday, which covered 3 million pages of documents, included emails between Epstein, who died in 2019, and numerous billionaires. Among them were Google cofounder Sergey Brin, the third-richest person in the world, and Microsoft cofounder Bill Gates, the 17th-richest...
According to emails and calendar entries made public by the DOJ, Musk made numerous efforts to connect with Epstein in person. On several occasions, Musk expressed interest in attending parties held on Little St. James, the private Caribbean island owned by Epstein...
One billionaire who directly expressed interest in the women and girls in Epstein’s orbit was Virgin Group founder Richard Branson. “It was really nice seeing you yesterday… Any time you’re in the area would love to see you. As long as you bring your harem!” Branson wrote in a 2013 email to Epstein....

Read the whole thing - it is excellent!
Slow and steady doesn't seem to meet the moment just now:

France is acting much faster than Ottawa. We are still debating the Online Harms Act (Bill C-63) in the House of Commons right now. That bill would create a Digital Safety Commission to regulate platforms like X. But while French authorities seize servers, Canadian MPs are still arguing over the wording of the law. It shows a massive difference in enforcement style. France is using criminal law to get results immediately. Canada is waiting to build a new regulator first.

- Hansard Files

Read on Substack

American courage
Trump and Stephen Miller and Kristi Noem are trying their best to transform America into a fascist state, but across the country Americans are fighting back:

Tuesday night, protesters packed the City Council meeting in Surprise, Arizona over a proposed ICE detention center. You need to hear what this man told the Council.

- L O L G O P

Read on Substack

The people of Minneapolis are showing breathtaking courage. Facing down armed federal goons to protect their neighbors isn't just brave; it’s legendary.

[image or embed]

— Raider (@iwillnotbesilenced.bsky.social) February 3, 2026 at 1:06 PM

I think one thing people outside Minnesota don't understand is that after Good and Pretti were killed by feds while observing, the most normal people you could imagine have made peace with the fact that they could be next, and they are still out there because they say it's the right thing to do.

[image or embed]

— Jon Collins (@jcollins.bsky.social) February 4, 2026 at 10:30 AM

Courageous doesn't mean unafraid. It means being afraid but stepping up anyway. The people of Minnesota are setting an example of courage that will inspire us all.

— Cathie from Canada🍁 (@cathiecanada.bsky.social) February 4, 2026 at 2:33 PM

And contrast this with American stupid:

Trump: I hate even talking about ICE. 2 people out of tens of thousands and you get bad publicity. Host: But it was 2 Americans who died— Trump: We have the smallest trucks. We've been very tough on the waters Host: The waters? Trump: The waters where we knock out boats

[image or embed]

— FactPost (@factpostnews.bsky.social) February 4, 2026 at 6:46 PM