The Daily Brief

One former Team Canada powerlifting competitor is calling sporting federations and the Olympic committee to bar males from competing in women’s sports, saying it’s endangering women, after a woman boxer abandoned her bid for the Olympic medal over safety concerns. Plus, a new study is calling for Canada to reconsider its stance on gender-affirming treatments. And Canada is becoming increasingly dangerous, according to a new survey. Tune into The Daily Brief with William McBeath and Noah Jarvis! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Canadians are becoming increasingly divided on the federal government’s current immigration targets, with over a third now saying we’re taking in “too many” people from other countries. Plus, extending a mortgage by five years will lower Canadians’ monthly housing costs by a few hundred dollars but cost them six figures in the long run. And though Justin Trudeau hasn’t commented on the turmoil surrounding Venezuela’s disputed election results, Canada is standing with the Venezuelan opposition to the authoritarian Maduro regime. Tune into The Daily Brief with Isaac Lamoureux and William McBeath! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Steven Guilbeault says the implication that the federal government could have done more to fight the wildfire that ravaged Jasper, Alta. is “simply not true.” Plus, a new study shows Canadians are spending more on taxes than food, shelter and clothing combined. And Aaviral photo of a man apparently defecating in front of a gas pump in Brampton, is sparking outrage online. Tune into The Daily Brief with Lindsay Shepherd and Isaac Lamoureux! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After the Liberal party’s devastating loss in the Toronto—St.Paul’s byelection, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is calling for another round of byelections to be held on Sept. 16. Plus, a national pro-life group is asking Health Canada to pull an abortion pill off of the market after reviewing the government’s adverse reactions reporting system. And an inmate serving a near 8-year sentence escapes from a healing centre in Edmonton. Tune into The Daily Brief with Lindsay Shepherd and Noah Jarvis! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The video of Olympics opening ceremonies, which was criticized as “anti-Christian,” has been removed from YouTube. Plus, a former senior planner of Jasper National Park is blaming “unresponsive” and “politicized” Parks Canada leadership for last week’s devastating Jasper wildfire. And Canada’s overall crime rate ticked up another 2% in 2023, spurred in part by a large spike in child pornography incidents. Tune into The Daily Brief with Andrew Lawton and Isaac Lamoureux. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre says he’s “open” to adopting a forced intervention and treatment approach to quell Canada’s growing drug problem, but he wants to see evidence that it would work first. Plus, Canada has issued more international student permits this year than in the same period last year. And the devastating effects of the wildfires in Jasper have resulted in 30-50% structural damage, according to the Alberta government. Tune into The Daily Brief with William McBeath and Noah Jarvis! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Department of National Defence says rumours that Canada’s new chief of defence staff tried to get out of Iraq ahead of the troops she was commanding on a 2020 NATO mission are “entirely false, baseless and unfounded.” Plus, Joe Rogan won’t return to Canada until voters “get rid of” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. And Canada women’s soccer staff gets sanctioned after getting caught spying on a rival team. Tune into The Daily Brief with Isaac Lamoureux and William McBeath! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Liberal government intended to “use all tools” at its disposal to implement drug decriminalization nationally, according to an internal memo. Plus, multiple wildfires force thousands to evacuate Jasper, Alberta. And an Ottawa councillor resigned as a Conservative candidate due to an impaired driving charge. Tune into The Daily Brief with Andrew Lawton and Lindsay Shepherd! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has added his well wishes in the wake of President Joe Biden announcing that he’s suspending his reelection bid. Plus, videos from a Wasaga Beach resident in Ontario are being shared widely on social media after she accused immigrants, mainly from India, of defecating in holes on the beach and burying it. And long-time conservative columnist and media personality Anthony Furey has announced his campaign to run in a Toronto city council byelection. Tune into the Daily Brief with Andrew Lawton and Noah Jarvis! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The new interim director of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service authored a report maligning concerns about gender ideology as a domestic security threat. Plus, Ford plans to build large Super Duty trucks at an Ontario production plant it had originally intended to use for electric vehicles. And Elections Canada wants to change rules for the political nomination process in the wake of foreign interference, including measures to bar non-citizens from voting in party candidate nominations. Tune into The Daily Brief with Lindsay Shepherd and Isaac Lamoureux! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Minister of Labour and Liberal MP Seamus O’Regan confirmed his resignation and that he will not seek re-election in the next federal election in a statement on Thursday. Plus, Ford Canada is reversing course and plans on using an Ontario facility originally designated for EVs to produce Super Duty trucks. And the Liberal cabinet is said to be holding a virtual meeting to discuss “appointments” on Friday, leading some to speculate if the prime minister is considering another cabinet shuffle. Tune into The Daily Brief with Cosmin Dzsurdzsa and William McBeath! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Police in Ontario are finally admitting that so-called “safe supply” drugs are being exchanged on the streets for fentanyl. Plus, Immigration Minister Marc Miller admits gang members are exploiting Canada’s immigration system and slipping into the country undetected. And another legacy media outlet continues to falter as the parent company of Global News saw its stock price hit 12 cents on Tuesday. Tune into The Daily Brief with Cosmin Dzsurdzsa and Isaac Lamoureux! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Executives at a British Columbia library decided to ban “Grave Error: How the Media Misled Us (and the Truth about Residential Schools),” a book debunking the political narrative that hundreds of graves were supposedly discovered at former residential schools, before conducting a review of its contents. Plus, the Trudeau government’s directive to banks to relabel the carbon tax rebates landing in some Canadians’ bank accounts is being criticized as an attempt at putting “lipstick on a pig.” And Donald Trump’s running mate Ohio Senator J.D. Vance has a history of chiming in on Canadian politics, including by voicing support for the Freedom Convoy. Tune into The Daily Brief with Cosmin Dzsurdzsa and Lindsay Shepherd! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A True North exclusive revealed that the Canadian Armed Forces are investigating two of its members over social media posts lamenting that the attempted assassination of former U.S. president Donald Trump was unsuccessful. Plus, several Canadian university professors are also in hot water over statements about the attempt on the former president’s life. And as the cost of living crisis continues in Canada, Costco is expected to increase its membership fees this fall. Tune into The Daily Brief with Cosmin Dzsurdzsa and Noah Jarvis! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Former US President Donald Trump is “safe” after a suspected assassination attempt at a Pennsylvania rally – and True North was on the ground. Plus, an all-ages nude swimming club in the Toronto area changes its rules after social media outrage. And Pierre Poilievre vows to close drug injection sites near schools and playgrounds. Tune into the Daily Brief with Lindsay Shepherd and Isaac Lamoureux! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It will take Canada over seven years to meet NATO’s 2% of GDP defence spending target. Plus, New Brunswick RCMP has arrested an Indian man for allegedly groping 12 people, including minors, at a waterpark. And authorities have arrested a federal consultant for the Liberal government over allegations of fraud. Tune into The Daily Brief with Cosmin Dzsurdzsa and William McBeath! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Although Lebanon’s Sharia-based penal code criminalizes sodomy and same-sex relations, the Middle Eastern country supposedly benefits from the Canadian mission’s “intersectional feminist” approach to foreign policy. Plus, the Quebec RCMP are asking the public to help investigate foreign interference by China. And Canadians overwhelmingly think that government funding for the media does little to restore trust in the news. Tune into The Daily Brief with Cosmin Dzsurdzsa and William McBeath! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The CBC quietly approved another round of bonuses for its executives and non-unionized staff, despite recent layoffs and struggling viewership. Plus, a recent report by the federal budget watchdog revealed that Canada will miss its NATO spending requirement by even more than the Liberals projected in the latest budget. And Canadians remain proud of the national flag but pride in the economy is at an all time low, according to a new survey. Tune into The Daily Brief with Cosmin Dzsurdzsa and Lindsay Shepherd! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ontario KFC restaurants are now Muslim-friendly with halal chicken and the removal of pork products from the menu. Plus, a Conservative MP is blasting “woke censors” for erasing a Heritage Minute featuring John A. Macdonald. And a Bloc Quebecois MP with Canadian and French citizenships boasted about voting in the French legislative elections and said she was “delighted” with surprise results that saw a coalition of far-left parties surge. Tune into The Daily Brief with Cosmin Dzsurdzsa and Isaac Lamoureux! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A group of British Columbia youth advocates are aiming to open a tuition-free independent school by September 2025. Plus, newcomers are considering relocating provinces and even leaving Canada due to rising housing costs, according to a new survey. And Canada has the third-highest household debt in the world, trailing only Switzerland and Australia and far exceeding any other G7 country, according to a Desjardins report. Tune into The Daily Brief with Lindsay Shepherd and Isaac Lamoureux! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Historica Canada quietly deleted a sympathetic portrayal of Sir John A. Macdonald from its official YouTube page, citing “feedback from educators” on the first Canadian prime minister’s “controversial” legacy. To nobody’s surprise, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has replaced outgoing Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Wayne Eyre with a key mover involved in the Liberal government’s woke military “culture change” agenda. And Immigration Minister Marc Miller said that Ottawa is toying with the idea of buying up hotels to house the exponential influx of asylum seekers coming to Canada. Tune into The Daily Brief with Cosmin Dzsurdzsa and William McBeath. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A Sikh organization implicated in former defence minister Harjit Sajjan’s order to evacuate Sikhs from Afghanistan during the retreat from Kabul had donated several thousands of dollars to Sajjan in the form of political contributions. A new poll indicates that former US president Donald Trump has growing support in Canada, especially among young Canadians. A councillor in British Columbia’s capital city wants residents compensated for the lawlessness he says has taken over. Tune into The Daily Brief with Cosmin Dzsurdzsa and Isaac Lamoureux. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

An RCMP warning about citizen movements threatening democracy takes note that women in particular are being drawn to the “far-right.” Toronto police say no charges were laid for public nudity at this weekend’s Pride parade as making arrests wouldn’t serve anyone’s interests. And Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s ambitious promise to build nearly four million new homes by 2031 is in jeopardy after the construction sector entered another slump due to fewer residential starts. Tune into The Daily Brief with Cosmin Dzsurdzsa and Noah Jarvis. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A recent poll revealed that majority of Canadians believe the country is “broken” ahead of Canada Day. Plus, a petition wants to prevent Ontario Catholic schools from flying Pride flags indoors. And former defence minister Harjit Sajjan accused the media of racism over reports he prioritized Afghan Sikh rescues over Canadian citizens. Tune into The Daily Brief with Lindsay Shepherd and Isaac Lamoureux! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Liberal government faces internal division on whether Ottawa should give amnesty to immigrants who remain in Canada illegally. Plus, an Ontario MPP publicly apologized for having a virtual meeting with British activist Tommy Robinson after he was arrested by the Calgary police. And there’s one political leader in Canada who is less popular than Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and it’s Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek. Tune into The Daily Brief with Cosmin Dzsurdzsa and William McBeath! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Conservative MP Marc Dalton introduced a private member’s bill to amend the Criminal Code to include specific arson offences targeting places of worship. He is also seeking a new offence for causing a wildfire. Plus, Jewish voters overwhelmingly supported the Conservative in Toronto—St. Paul’s byelection, according to a new poll. And police have shot down accusations that homophobic hate was behind two animal deaths at an Ontario Pride festival. Tune into The Daily Brief with Cosmin Dzsurdzsa and Noah Jarvis! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

English Defence League founder Tommy Robinson was arrested in Calgary moments after delivering a speech on censorship and government overreach. Plus, a recently updated animal-human influenza pandemic agreement between Canada, Mexico and the U.S. lists vaccine mandates, border measures and travel restrictions as part of its mandate. And the head at a public library in British Columbia boasted that applications from white people were wholly disregarded when hiring for every executive position except her own. Tune into The Daily Brief with Cosmin Dzsurdzsa and Lindsay Shepherd! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In a remarkable upset for a traditionally Liberal stronghold, Conservative candidate Don Stewart has won the federal byelection for Toronto–St. Paul’s. Plus, 70% of young Canadians believe immigrants should share Canadian values. And a Liberal MP apologized for forgetting P.E.I. and Yukon in his Canada Day colouring map, which was mailed to his constituents. Tune into The Daily Brief with Cosmin Dzsurdzsa and Noah Jarvis! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre told a French media outlet that immigration numbers will be “much lower” if he becomes prime minister. Plus, former Calgary mayor Naheed Nenshi wins the Alberta NDP leadership contest in a landslide. And a Liberal stronghold in downtown Toronto is under threat as voters head to the polls for a by-election in St-Paul’s today. Tune into The Daily Brief with Lindsay Shepherd and Isaac Lamoureux! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Should the federal government maintain its pace of international student visa approvals following the recent cut, it might surpass its goal to reduce the number of permits significantly. Plus, in the latest push to make everything woke, the City of Ottawa wants to implement race-based tree planting to achieve what it calls “Tree Equity.” And despite being championed by activists as good for business, high ESG scores have no bearing on companies’ stock market returns, a new study finds. Tune into The Daily Brief with Cosmin Dzsurdzsa and Isaac Lamoureux! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Canada surpassed 41 million people in the first quarter of 2024 as the country continues to experience rapid growth driven almost exclusively by international migration. Plus, the Trudeau government underestimated the cost of electric vehicle subsidies by $6.3 billion. And dozens of Canadian university professors have signed a letter to Parliament calling on the federal government to end mandated “diversity, equity and inclusion” initiatives in universities. Tune into The Daily Brief with Cosmin Dzsurdzsa and Noah Jarvis! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A True North exclusive reveals the RCMP is surprised that hate groups in Canada are recruiting racialized people and becoming increasingly ethnically diverse. Plus, Canadian legislators entertained the leader of an international “anti-hate” activist organization that X CEO Elon Musk blamed for a $100 million loss in advertising revenue after he took over the platform in 2022. And new immigrants are finding out Canada isn’t all it’s made out to be with 43% reporting dissatisfaction with the cost of living and employment. Tune into The Daily Brief with Cosmind Dzsurdzsa and Lindsay Shepherd! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A group of activists assembled in Victoria, B.C. called for city council to cancel an upcoming freedom-focused conference. Plus, Canada’s top general says Canadians should stop being “naive” about global threats. And Alberta plans to challenge yet another federal government initiative. Tune into The Daily Brief with Cosmin Dszurdzsa and Noah Jarvis! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Pro-Hamas McGill encampment organizers will be running a “revolutionary” summer camp for youth that will include a lesson on “Islamic resistance.” Plus, it will cost over $750 billion for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to fulfill his pledge to build four million new homes by 2031. Is Trudeau’s housing pledge yet another broken promise? And nearly 20% of Canadians now know someone relying on food banks. Tune into The Daily Brief with Lindsay Shepherd and Isaac Lamoureux! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau arrived in Italy for meetings with G7 leaders, shadowed by declining approval ratings at home and a resurgent right wing across Europe. Plus, if British Columbia and other Western provinces want a slice of the federal immigration funding pie, they need to take in even more asylum seekers. And Canadians who tuned into the Edmonton Oiler’s Stanley Cup Finals game last night were treated to a scathing Conservative attack ad targeting Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s record. Tune into The Daily Brief with Cosmin Dzsurdzsa and Isaac Lamoureux! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Independent media outlets are capturing an increasing share of the Canadian news landscape while the legacy media falters as the primary news source for Canadians. Plus, after weeks of speculation, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre laid down his opposition to the Liberals’ capital gains tax hike. And the Trudeau government plans to invest $110 million into an “anti-racism strategy.” Tune into The Daily Brief with Cosmin Dzsurdzsa and Noah Jarvis! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A day after a historic church in Toronto burnt down, Conservative MP Jamil Jivani lambasted the NDP and Liberals for being unable to condemn church burnings unanimously in February. Plus, Vancouver’s equity committee wants Mayor Ken Sim, who is a second-generation immigrant born to parents from Hong Kong, to account for his colonial and settler roots. And western premiers are not happy with Ottawa’s abrupt decision to give Quebec $750 million so it can deal with a spike in asylum seekers. Tune into The Daily Brief with Cosmin Dzsurdzsa and Lindsay Shepherd! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A historic Toronto church containing Group of Seven artwork burnt down on Sunday evening. Plus, a Syrian refugee who murdered and raped a Burnaby teen is handed a life sentence without the possibility of parole for 25 years. And the Liberals will support a motion to have the foreign interference commissioner investigate former and current politicians suspected of collaborating with foreign nations like China and India. Tune into The Daily Brief with Cosmin Dzsurdzsa and Noah Jarvis! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A True North exclusive reveals Elections BC has been telling students not to call the use of the Emergencies Act as “unprecedented” in a disinformation guide. Plus, a Conservative motion compelling the CBC to show the Edmonton Oilers Stanley Cup playoff games fails thanks to the Liberals, NDP and Bloc. And Canadian Journalism Collective wins control over Google’s $100 million media bailout. Tune into The Daily Brief with Lindsay Shepherd and Isaac Lamoureux! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Select Canadian media executives and journalists were accused of being on China’s payroll by a shocking new report on foreign interference. Plus, federal public health authorities didn’t know if COVID-19 vaccines would prevent transmission despite imposing sweeping vaccine mandates on Canadians regardless. And Calgary Liberal MP George Chahal is trying to thwart the deportation of Jaskirat Singh Sidhu, the truck driver convicted of dangerous driving causing death in the horrific Humboldt Broncos bus crash in 2018. Tune into The Daily Brief with Cosmin Dzsurdzsa and William MacBeath! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A True North exclusive reveals how on a web page dedicated to cervical cancer, the Canadian Cancer Society apologized for referring to the cervix by its technical name rather than euphemisms such as “front hole.” Plus, the Bank of Canada cuts interest rates for first time since 2020. And the CRTC’s new streaming tax sparks backlash from taxpayers and streaming giants. Tune into The Daily Brief with Cosmin Dzsurdzsa and Noah Jarvis! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A shocking new parliamentary report warned that some elected Canadian officials are knowingly assisting foreign state actors engaging in political interference, most notably working on behalf of China and India. Plus, economists predict Canada could boost its GDP by over $500 billion if it digs into its critical mineral reserves. And one Conservative MP wants to see Anthony Fauci face consequences after admitting to the fact that his public health Covid-19 pandemic decrees were not rooted in science. Tune into the Daily Brief with Cosmin Dzsurdzsa and Lindsay Shepherd! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s “Pride Season,” according to the Trudeau government – and Dr. Jordan Peterson has already had enough. Plus, Canadians from across the country shared their outrage at the CBC for not showing hockey playoff games featuring Canadian teams. And another BC United MLA has defected to the BC Conservatives. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was mocked for his announcement of a “housing design catalogue” when asked what his government was doing to fix Canada’s housing crisis. Plus, Pierre Poilievre vows to reverse all of the Trudeau government’s laws attacking legal gun owners. And NDP, Green MPs and a Trudeau-appointed senator want to change the voting age to 16. Tune into The Daily Brief with Lindsay Shepherd and Isaac Lamoureux! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The World Health Organization failed to draft a treaty to drive the global response to a potential future pandemic, but that doesn’t mean it won’t try again. A legacy media outlet quietly erased the fact that it falsely reported 215 graves were uncovered at the site of the former Kamloops Indian Residential School. Two men have been charged in a human smuggling case that the U.S. Department of Justice has called a “dangerous scheme” to traffic people from British Columbia into the United States. Tune into The Daily Brief with Cosmin Dzsurdzsa and William McBeath! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

BC Conservative candidate Damon Scrase resigned from his bid to run for the party after the legacy media resurfaced past tweets denouncing some elements of Pride parades. Plus, former MP Costas Menegakis snags the Conservative nomination in a hotly-contested GTA riding. And more Ontario school boards are taking big tech giants to court over the effects of social media on students. Tune into The Daily Brief with Cosmin Dzsurdzsa and Noah Jarvis! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs said he had banned a sex education group from presenting at high schools in his province after concerned parents sent him photos of “clearly inappropriate material” being shown at the presentations. Plus, the Liberals want Canada to take in five times as many Palestinian refugees as originally promised. And a $3.6 million lawsuit has been filed against the Alberta government by the owners of a pizza shop that was forcefully shut down during the Covid-19 pandemic. Tune into The Daily Brief with Cosmin Dzsurdzsa and Lindsay Sheperd! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A taxpayers group is holding the CBC’s heels to the fire after the state broadcaster refused to release records of how much money its senior executives made in bonuses. Plus, nearly a quarter of Ontario students over 12 have reported recreational opioid use. And Canada is outpacing other Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development nations when it comes to taxpayers funding foreign aid. Tune into The Daily Brief with Cosmin Dzsurdzsa and Noah Jarvis! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Despite countless billion-dollar handouts from the government for the electric vehicle transition, sales continue to drop. And a second Conservative nomination candidate is alleging irregularities in a GTA nomination race after the party disqualified her over a rule violation. Plus, StatsCan reveals international students studying in Canada are likely to live in unsuitable housing. Tune into The Daily Brief with Lindsay Shepherd and Isaac Lamoureux! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Liberals will extend Canadian citizenship to any child born to Canadian parents who have resided in Canada for at least three years. Plus, Canadians are concerned that the capital gains tax hike announced in the last budget will negatively affect access to healthcare. And MPs who have recently travelled to China will have some explaining to do now that they are being called to testify before a House of Commons committee. Tune into The Daily Brief with Cosmin Dzsurdzsa and William McBeath! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices