`Canada's #&*! falling apart'
Rogan blasts Trudeau on podcast over federal government's Online Harms Act
When Joe Rogan promised he wasn't visiting Canada until Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is out of office — either by coming to his senses and stepping down or by sticking around long enough to get trounced by Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre — he wasn't kidding.
In conversation with comedian Sam Morril this week on an episode of The Joe Rogan Experience, the podcast host fierily denounced the governing policies of Trudeau and the Liberal party as he pounced on the new Online Harms Act, Bill C-63, which targets freedom of expression on the internet.
“Everyone who commits an offence under this Act or any other Act of Parliament, if the commission of the offence is motivated by hatred based on race, national or ethnic origin, language, colour, religion, sex, age, mental or physical disability, sexual orientation, or gender identity or expression, is guilty of an indictable offence and liable to imprisonment for life,” the bill states.
The same penalty is recommended for advocating genocide.
“Every person who advocates or promotes genocide is guilty of an indictable offence and liable to imprisonment for life,” the bill reads.
Sounding off on the legislation, Rogan, 56, said, “Canada has ridiculous free speech laws. They have hate speech laws. They can come down on you for a lot of things.”
He added, “They seized up the bank accounts of people that were protesting (in support of ) the truckers. The people that were donating to the truckers, they seized their bank accounts. That's not a good place. It's not a good place under this administration at least.”
The comedian and podcaster hasn't been shy about regularly voicing his disapproval of the prime minister, but Rogan said that he used to be a big fan of Canada.
“Canada was an amazing place 10 years ago. You go to Canada 10 years ago and it was awesome,” he said. “I was always saying that I love Canada. It's like 20 per cent less douchebags ... the people are 20 per cent nicer than the people you meet in America ... I love Montreal, Montreal is amazing. I love Toronto. I love Vancouver. I love Canada.”
But after Trudeau's response to 2022's “Freedom Convoy” (whom the prime minister labelled as a “small fringe” group with “unacceptable views”), Rogan added Canada to his no-fly list.
When Morril asked if he'll perform standup shows in Canada, Rogan said he won't visit the country until Trudeau is gone.
“I don't go to Canada anymore,” he replied.
“Not while that guy's president or prime minister ... f--- you, get rid of that guy (and) I'll come back.
I just don't trust any of it up there. They're so far into tyranny right now, like the laws that they're passing, the s--- they're doing, the erosion of people's rights. I don't want to support it. I think it's horrible.”
Rogan acknowledged after nine years of Trudeau, Canada “needs a laugh,” but warned the country is heading down a dark path.
“They're in the middle of a fullblown Communist takeover. It's a scary spot. It's scary. But it used to be amazing ... That's why they get roped into all this s---. That's why they get roped into hate speech laws, because they want to be kind. They want to be good people. They don't realize that compelled speech has a terrible ending. It always ends in communism because someone has to compel that speech and who does? The people with guns and they tell you what to do and then you have violence that is enforced to get people to follow a doctrine that they may or may not believe in,” he said.
Rogan's rant generated over 5.6 million views on
X and on Instagram, an informal poll found 91 per cent of Canadians agreed with his assessment of Trudeau's leadership.
Earlier this year, Rogan sounded the alarm over Trudeau, echoing sentiments of economists, who pointed to Canada's mounting household debt, which was among the highest in the G7.
The cost of food was up last fall despite the Industry Minister's claim that prices would “stabilize” for Canadians. Despite high interest rates, in
Toronto, prospective homebuyers were shocked to learn that even with a median annual income of $91,858 they would have to save for more than 25 years for a down payment to buy a house.
This week, economists said that mass immigration concealed the country's recession-like economic atmosphere.
“Higher interest rates alongside decades-high inflation in 2022-23 ate away at household purchasing power. Weaker demand spurred a rise in the unemployment rate of a size that historically only happens in recessions,” a report released by RBC said.
“But decades-high population growth has masked this recession-like economic backdrop. Canada has added 2.1 million additional consumers since mid2022.”
After Trudeau
was mercilessly booed at UFC 297 in Toronto in January, Rogan endorsed Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre to become the next prime minister.
“If (Trudeau) gets elected again, you guys are gluttons for punishment,” Rogan said during a chat with guest Tom Green on an episode of his podcast. “I love Canadians, I just hate their government. Pierre Poilievre ... that guy makes so much more sense. He's so common sense, calling out all the nonsense that's been done under this administration, which has been so sad to watch.”
On an episode of The Joe Rogan Experience in December with YouTuber Derek from More Plates More Dates, Rogan said he wouldn't cross the border until there's “an overhaul of government.”
“I don't go up there anymore,” Rogan said. “What they've done up there, what they did with the trucker rally and what Trudeau is doing with guns and what they're trying to clamp down on censorship on the internet. That guy can eat s---. That place needs 100 per cent an overhaul of government. They're sliding down that dangerous road of communism. It scares the s--- out of me.”
Last summer, Rogan revealed at one point he might have moved north of the border, but said Trudeau's leadership scared him off.
“Canada's f---ing falling apart. All the s--- they did during COVID was just the total wrong direction,” he said on an episode of his podcast featuring Post Malone.