The Ben Mulroney Show - A Global News Exclusive -- Are we importing criminals through student visas?

Episode Date: August 5, 2026

Guest: Regan Watts, Founder Fratton Park Inc., former senior aide to Finance Minister Jim Flaherty If you enjoyed the podcast, tell a friend! For more of the Ben Mulroney Show, subscribe to the podcast! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://link.chtbl.com/bms⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Also, on youtube -- ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@BenMulroneyShow⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow Ben on Twitter/X at https://x.com/BenMulroney Insta: ⁠⁠⁠@benmulroneyshow⁠⁠⁠ Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠@benmulroneyshow⁠⁠⁠ TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠@benmulroneyshow⁠⁠⁠ Executive Producer:  Mike Drolet Reach out to Mike with story ideas or tips at [e-mail] Enjoy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This podcast is brought to you by the National Payroll Institute, the leader for the payroll profession in Canada, setting the standard of professional excellence, delivering critical expertise, and providing resources that over 45,000 payroll professionals rely on. If I've said it once, I've said it a thousand times. We as a nation do not take the things seriously that need to be taken seriously. And Regan Watts, founder of Fratton Park and former senior aide to Jim Flaherty, joins me to talk about, Oh, this one's a dozy Regan. We're going to start with this big one. Welcome, by the way.

Nice to see you, Ben. Though I do question having me on your panel to talk about serious topics. I'm not sure I'm quite there yet, at least according to YouTube comments, but I'll do my best. Look, if you didn't take, I'm talking to Canada here, if you didn't take issue with the chaos riddled student visa program before you probably will, after we tell you about this global news, Stuart Bell, exclusive. Because this is a doozy. Wave upon wave of foreign students have pushed young Canadians out of the workforce. And they've contributed to our housing crisis.

But now a classified report reveals how India's Bishnoi gang, and we've talked about the Bishnoi gang before, have been using our student visa program to bring in way after wave, thousands of criminals to do crime across the nation, but wherever they are. This is craziness, my friend. I read the story as well, Ben, and I think it won't surprise anybody who goes to global news and reads the story that organized crime found a weakness in the Canadian security apparatus and exploited it.

You know, the economic impact on young people from the long national nightmare known as Justin Trudeau and his useless immigration minister, Sean Fraser, and the damage they did to the country, specifically to young people with respect to the abuse of the student visa program, is going to last for a very long time, and that should not be forgotten. But this is another element of what happens when you have people running the federal government who have absolutely no idea what they're doing. And so we saw in the story that some bad people from India who came to Canada on the pretense of education. And lo and behold, these bad people when they arrived in Vancouver didn't turn into

great students, but they went back to what they were best at, which was allegedly committing crimes. And it doesn't surprise me one bit. So I want to read a line to you. And then I want to follow it up with something. So this is from the story between 2019 and 2023 and those were prime JT years. 4,000 Indian citizens who entered Canada on student permits were charged. with 17,929 offenses.

Almost 18,000 offenses. So I went to Google and I said, I asked Google to estimate the cost to the taxpayer of the following statement. And it was between what I just read you. And this is what Google came back with. With an average cost per criminal case estimated conservatively at several thousand to tens of thousands of dollars

depending on the court tier and processing. of nearly 18,000 charges across 4,000 individuals. It runs well into the tens or hundreds of millions of dollars for municipal, provincial, and federal taxpayers. This is a cost we just invite it in. It's almost as if we said, you know what, Regan, we don't have enough crime in Canada. We've solved crime and we love a challenge.

So let's give ourselves a new challenge. Well, look, there's a couple things that struck me with your, with your statement there. The first is that, well, you know, they may not have been good people because they were committing crimes and charged with these crimes. We at least know they were productive. So is there some way that we can turn this productivity into a positive? I'm not sure. But if they were so productive in such a short time frame in the crimes they committed or were alleged to have committed, surely we can be equally productive in the administration of justice, charge, try these people before the courts. And then if they are deemed to be

guilty, deport them. I mean, that's the way this should be. If you come to this country as a guest and you commit a crime, guess what? You don't get to stay. And the rule of law absolutely should apply. And I don't care whether you're from India or any other country. If you are that productive in your ability to commit crime, we should be equally productive in our administration of justice. And hopefully those who are guilty in the expulsion of these individuals from our wonderful country. I don't have the numbers handy, but something tells me that these costs, will not be offset by their tuition. Or the taxes that they pay or not pay,

because these are typically people who don't find themselves in the banking system. And when cash is king, we know taxes are not collected. And this is a problem. And the downstream effect, Ben, is, of course, people who have been subject to crime, victims of crime, serious crimes that are bogged up in the court system because of backups, the number of cases. And of course, that was prime COVID years, was incredible. And so there's not just a tax payer issue here, but with the money we're spending and wasting on courts because of these crimes.

But also those who are impacted by crimes unrelated to this who may not have their case heard. And for different reasons, may find the case they were a victim of thrown out because of charter challenges or whatnot. And some of these 4,000 criminals are Indian citizens who entered who were charged. They're going to claim asylum. They're going to claim asylum. And what really makes me want to rip my hair out is we allowed this to happen. Like I said, we put a student visa program in place and then we don't do the requisite legwork or fund it adequately to ensure the success of the program. And we've seen that time and time again over the course of Justin Trudeau's tenure where they make this bold, big announcement about how this new program is going to solve a problem or create opportunity.

And then they don't fund the program so that the goals can be achieved. In fact, in this case, the exact opposite happens. We don't bring in great students like we used to. We don't bring in the jojitz over here. We bring in the criminals. We had the consul general from India saying, we know who these people are. We know you're bringing in criminals. Why don't you talk to us?

Because you're bringing in the wrong people. Well, you will remember, Ben, that Justin Trudeau did not have the best of his visits. to India or the best of relationships with Prime Minister Modi. So, you know, it starts at the top and manifests its way down. But the other reality here is that Sean Fraser, who was in charge of this program and created an absolute mess, still finds himself sitting in the federal cabinet. And one has to wonder why. Oh, well, yeah, he didn't have the greatest relations.

But boy, did he have the greatest costumes. Were they not fabulous? How much with the silks and everything was so tailored? He just, it was, it was the role of a life. time and he played it to perfection. Would you agree? He did. He did.

We were confused. So let's talk about Winnipeg, Ben. Let's talk about Winnipeg. Let's have a, yeah. So when you set that up for us. Yeah, so the consulate is closing there through efficiencies and for all sorts of reasons, cost cutting. The U.S.

government has decided that the consulate, the U.S. consulate in Winnipeg will be closing. Wab Canoe, not very happy about that. What do you make about of this? Well, there's a couple of elements of this story, Ben. And as I always try and do when I'm on the Ben Mulrooney show, I try and provide both analysis and education to your listeners and viewers, even the haters and the YouTube comments who stand behind their keyboards. And the education part of this story is this. If you go and read the story that was written, there's a bunch of political science

professors who are quoted in a story. Here's a tip for anybody who's reading the news, whether it's online or people. I know where you're going. Take the quotes that are written by the newspaper or in the newspaper by university professors. Just take a black marker and black them out. My friend Dan Robertson, who's a very intelligent man, taught me this 20 years ago. and it was the best advice I ever read because professors have no idea what they're talking about. However, the second piece here is more germane to the story itself, and that is, you know,

the United States government is in a trade discussion, negotiation with Canada, and one of the ways diplomatically the governments send signals to countries there in disputes with is they shut down offices. Now, I don't know if the U.S. government is trying to send a diplomatic signal by shutting down Winnipeg. I suspect,

and their consul general in Winnipeg, I suspect it's probably a legitimate cost-cutting move. However, So the fact is, Wab Canoe has been one of the most vocal premiers, and his language towards the United States has been very aggressive. And so if the United States is looking at provinces they want to punish in response to trade retaliation, Manitoba is probably top of that list. Now, let us not forget, Ben, your former CTV colleague, Richard Madden, who makes almost $400,000 a year as Manitoba's representative in Washington, D.C., is perfectly capable of carrying Manitoba's water there. But it would suggest maybe that Manitoba, U.S. relations are not as strong as they should be. And perhaps Wab Knoon may want to save $400,000.

Recall his consul general or his representative in Washington and start again. But this is, for me, a relatively non-issue because the U.S. government has its tentacles and eyes and ears right across the country. And, you know, they know what's happening in Western Canada and Ontario and other places as well. And this shouldn't impact that one bit. I'm Jane Koston, former writer and podcaster for places like The New York Times, The Atlantic, and National Review. And now I'm here to hang out with you. five days a week on what a day, Crooked's Daily News podcast. That's right. Now who's respected on both sides. Okay, yeah, it's not me. It's probably still just Dolly Parton. Moving on.

These days, it's hard to separate what matters from all the noise, especially when the noise somehow also feels like it's made out of knives. That's why every weekday, the team and I scour the headlines to bring you the stories that matter most to the way you live in just 20 minutes. Listen to the show wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome back and very glad that Regan Watts has opted to stick around. for a second segment as we discuss two stories. The first one I think is all about the Carney government. What I think is making the sounds like making the right choice around who they are going

to select as our next ambassador, vital ambassador to China. So, Ben, I don't know if the listeners or viewers are familiar, but there was a story in the Global Mail, I think yesterday talking about Martin Colchon, who is a former Christian and Martin liberal MP. I think he did he correct me if I'm wrong. He was the MP in Bay Como after my dad resigned. Well, yes, but his first election, he got absolutely pasted in the riding of Charlevoix. Correct.

By one Martin, Brian Mulrooney. So, you know, so he got, he got smoked, but he, he licked his wounds and came back and good on him for that. There was an article that basically said, and it looked like a single source article, sourced from some people at the Department of Global Affairs Canada, also known as the Department of Foreign Affairs Canada, where they weren't happy that the Prime Minister was considering somebody with a political background for the diplomatic post for Canada's ambassador to China.

And much like the thing I said earlier about my friend Dan Robertson's wise advice to ignore anything a professor says in an article, one should also do the same for 9.9 out of 10 diplomats because diplomats serve an important function, but they often live in a world that is not real. And so in the case of this story, the Chinese government have requested, and I don't think it's an unreasonable quest, a political appointee for ambassador to China. And we have had that on more than one occasion, and it is worked out.

It's an innately, innately political diplomatic posting. Innately. Yeah, for sure. But there are times when you may want to send a career diplomat. This is not, in my view, one of those times. I think if the prime minister is trying to reset the China-Canada relationship, and one, one of the asks that they have made, which I believe is reasonable in the context of diplomacy, which is to have a political representative of the government of Canada in Beijing.

Well, it seems like a really small thing to offer to the Chinese and not really worth getting a fuss over. But, you know, be careful when you say that to the, you know, the Chardonnay Charlottons at the Department of Foreign Affairs who want that post to go to one of their own. Yeah. And Martin Couchon is not just political, but in his post-political career, he's built a, quite a roll-a-decks of connections in China. Right. And he's accomplished and he's sworn to the privy council. These are the kinds of people that governments ought to consider for diplomatic post. Whether he was a provincial minister or a federal minister,

he's been at the cabinet table. He knows what it takes. And the most important job or qualification for any diplomat, anywhere in the world, particularly in G7 or G20 countries for Canada, is the ability to communicate to your host country. Yes, I can call the Prime Minister of Canada if something got serious enough. and Mr. Couchon absolutely is of that prestige and credibility. Yeah, I'm going to give a checkmark and a gold star to the Carney government

if in fact they go forth with this appointment because I think it's the smart move. I think it's the right move. So that's the good news as I see it for them. Listen, we'll talk about Pierre's poll numbers in a minute. But again, they seem very confident in their poll position, if you will, and they keep doing things that I find are on a front to the basic functioning of our parliamentary system by closing down discussion and debate and study at the committee level. Now that they have the majority that they swore they would not take,

even though that they have their majority in the House of Commons now, this time to block study of the Gordy Howe Bridge deal. Whether or not you think it's worthy of study, I just don't think that the day in and day out styming of debate and shutting down committees is a good look for a government. Well, I think there's something to what you've just said, Ben. The other piece, though, is this is political theater. And I'm not sure Canadians are in the mood for it. And so while the opposition pushed this issue and wanted to have special committee hearings on the negotiation and eventual deal between Canada and the United States on the Gordy.

bridge. I don't know what the upside was for the opposition. And so yes, the government shut down committee hearings. Yes, they said they would be, I don't, I don't they said they'd never do it, but I think they were clear that they would not use it regularly, that tactic. And they've used it in this instance. So there's a bit of a pox on all houses here. But I don't, again, as I say, don't see the wisdom for the opposition going after this particular issue, because at the end of the day, that bridge, what prime minister and his team negotiated with the U.S. government to get that bridge open pales in comparison to the economic value of trade that crosses that bridge. And I think we should be grateful and thankful that it's open and we should all move on.

That is not to say the prime minister and his team maybe weren't economical with some of the facts. But I also think, you know, one of the prime ministers, Achilles heels, and it's not him personally, it's his communications team. On big files, he doesn't always get it right when it comes to communications. And I think that that shows from time to time, not on every file, but certainly on the Gordiahow bridge, it was a messy rollout. And I think his office certainly bears some of the blame for that.

But I don't think Canadians are really fussed about the details. They're just happy it's open. I was glad it got open too. I mean, there was no other option. And I think somebody in committee on the liberal side said, what would you have done? Like you, the president is a bad faith actor, especially on this file. And he was petty.

And he was, he was just, I don't know why he's got such a be in his bonnet for Canada. But he does. And we had to do what we had to do to open the bridge. end of story. I've got to be pragmatic about it. And if the Tories wanted to make a show of it, I think you're right. They probably would have shown themselves

to be conducting themselves in a sort of, in a level of a theater more akin to the Canadian Alliance days and the Reform Party days. And that didn't play well for them. So I don't know why the liberals didn't just let them do it. Because like frankly... Well, there's room for those moments, right, Ben? Like, in the opposition, their job is to oppose.

But they've got to pick and choose what they want to oppose on. And I think the opening of the Gordihaal Bridge is a real strange file for the conservatives to play theater on. But, you know, I've only been in politics for 20 plus years. What do I know? All right. Well, let's go back to the story. I think we'll finish up with this, which is the drilling down into the Pierre Pollyev leadership numbers. It's quite a telling story that I read on CP 24.

Well, Mr. Polyev, for your listeners and viewers, I mean, there's been some polling this week. Nanos polling came out with his regular weekly polling that showed the conservatives double digits behind the liberals as a party. I think the conservative party number was like 27.9% nationally with the liberals in the mid-40s. And then Mr. Polyev's leadership numbers, like he's 38 points behind the prime minister on who is going to make the best prime minister. you know, this is a real problem. The Conservative Party since last sort of April, May, June has been on a one-way ticket to the basement.

The polling numbers get weaker every week and softer every week. And I know there's hardcore people who listen to this show and watch the show on YouTube and believe in their heart that Pierre is the savior of Canada. Well, the thing is, most of the country doesn't believe that. They like what Bankerman is selling. Yeah, but explains me. And we're up against the clock. so I'm going to ask you to be judicious in your time here answering this final question.

What does it say to you that according to the story that I read, there is nobody's mounting a pressure campaign against him or mounting a campaign of their own to replace him? So I suspect a couple things, Ben, the by-elections that are taking place at the end of this month. Caucus are waiting to see how that plays out. If the party does poorly in these by-elections, which, by the way, they've done in every by-election, except for Mr. Polyevs, even though his vote went down in that right,

riding versus the federal election. I think you're going to see caucus members get antsy. Hell, half, no fury, like a politician who sees the trappings of office and the perks of office going away. And it'll be an unruly fall for Mr. Polyev if these numbers don't turn. I have a view that I think maybe it's time for him to move on. And I know there's others like Corey Tanik and my friend Demetri Soutis who have used much more colorful language than I. But the fact is this. Mr. Polyev is a weakened leader. And a leader who does not command the strength of his party or his caucus is an emperor with no clothes. And I know Mr. Polyev's been working out and it is big in the gym.

But the fact is, people aren't following him in the way they used to. And he needs to look within himself. And the caucus are certainly going to look with themselves and say, can we win this guy with this guy? And Canadians, at least right now, are saying overwhelmingly no. And what he's selling, the Canadian public are not buying. And as long as that's the case, the liberals are going to win elections. And this debate within the conservative movement about whether you're conservative enough or not conservative, I think has to be set aside because the fundamental goal of politics is about winning

and implementing policies that you care about. If we don't win, we can't do that. Regan, thank you so much. Loved our chat. Let's do it again soon.