Calgary couple travelled over Riverside Bridge, parallel to the Washington I-5 bridge 30 minutes before collapse The four lane Washington I-5 bridge spanning the Skagit River near Mount Vernon, Wash. collapsed Friday evening, sending a number of cars into the river below. One section of the Skagit River Bridge completely collapsed, cutting off traffic on both sides [...]
Best evidence against Rob Ford is video of Rob Ford Poor Rob Ford. The Toronto mayor can’t get no respect, not in Canada and not in the United States after comedian Jon Stewart eviscerated him on Tuesday’s The Daily Show. I have to admit, it never gets old watching Ford walk into the lens of [...]
Parliament of Canada – time for online reporting of expenses? If the recent Senate expense scandals have taught Canadians anything, it’s that Parliament of Canada officials will take advantage of the rules to pad their pockets if they can. Senator Mike Duffy has become the poster boy for Parliament of Canada abuse of expense guidelines but [...]
Canadian economic and population growth affected greenhouse gas emissions By Ben Eisen and Romy Yourex Over the past century, there has been a slight increase in average global temperatures. Many scientists think this change is caused primarily by the actions of human beings, specifically the emission of GHG into the atmosphere. Further, some scientists warn [...]
Many indicators of Canadian environment pollutants have dropped By Ben Eisen and Romy Yourex Canadians care deeply about their natural environment and view the prevention of environmental pollution as one of the most important functions of their governments. Multiple polls taken over the years have shown that large numbers of Canadians view the preservation of [...]
Anti-smoking activist Barb Tarbox died in 2003 Ten years after she died of lung cancer, Barb Tarbox is still helping Albertans kick the nicotine habit, thanks to a new campaign launched by Alberta Health Services. Albertans are encouraged to share their stories of quitting or never starting tobacco use to mark the 10th anniversary of the [...]
Scandal surrounding Senator Mike Duffy’s expenses takes down PM chief of staff Surely the wrong man has quit! Nigel Wright, Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s chief of staff, resigned yesterday in the imbroglio that followed the revelation he gave disgraced Senator Mike Duffy $90,172 to pay back the Parliamentary expenses the supposed representative for Prince Edward Island in the [...]
Canadian politics promises to be turbulent as voters disgruntled For citizens from coast to coast to coast, this summer promises to be a time of discontent with Canadian politics. What most of us want, most of the time, is simply that our governments be competent: display a sense of where they’re going, and that as [...]
BC gasoline taxes among highest in North America By Jordan Bateman As Canadians, we have become conditioned to paying higher prices than our American neighbours for pretty much everything. Milk, cheese, clothes, electronics, books, airfares, sporting goods, cars, liquor: we know we’re being gouged, but we don’t know what to do about it. “Tax [...]
Charles Rusnell down-sized by Edmonton Journal before being hired by CBC You’d think it would be easy to run a petroleum-soaked, cash-rich jurisdiction like Alberta, but a day seldom seems to pass out here on the western edge of the Great Plains without our governing Progressive Conservative Party suffering another pratfall or embarrassment. But how [...]
More evidence needed before convicting Rob Ford in court of public opinion Schadenfreude is all very well, but this whole Rob Ford video scandal has me feeling just the tiniest bit hinky. It’s a due-process thing, and I recognize that there can be no due process in politics, as unjust as that may seem. No, realpolitik demands that [...]
Expect energy, labour issues to dominate Christy Clark agenda The dust is beginning to settle after Tuesday’s stunning election victory for Christy Clark and the BC Liberals. Premier Clark still has to find a seat for herself, of course — and rumours are strong that she’ll choose to compete for one outside the Vancouver area. [...]
Witnesses to Burnaby shooting not cooperating with police RCMP are asking for the public’s help after a Burnaby shooting involving about 10 people put one man in hospital with serious injuries. The incident happened early Friday morning on the front patio of a restaurant in the 7600 block of Edmonds Street in southeast Burnaby. Police say a [...]
Youth charged with numerous offences by Alberta RCMP A 15-year old girl from Red Deer has been charged after the Alberta RCMP caught her driving at 187 km/h on Highway 2 Monday morning. Around 8:55 a.m. Airdrie police received reports of a black Nissan Altima traveling southbound on Highway 2 at high speed. Officers of [...]
Passing truck driver tried to rescue Justin Keddy after collision 26-year old Justin Keddy has been identified as the man killed in a single vehicle collision on Highway 44 about 60 Km south of Slave Lake on Saturday morning. Staff Sgt. Roberta McKale of the Slave Lake RCMP says Justin Keddy was the lone occupant [...]
Bonnyville RCMP issue plea for assistance in finding Suede Batoche Bonnyville RCMP are hoping the public can assist them in finding a man allegedly responsible for attacking an RCMP officer, threatening RCMP officers and setting a grass fire to avoid capture. Doris Stapleton of the RCMP says police were called to a home on the [...]
Developing the Alberta tech community has taken time, a lot of it By Warren Bergen The Alberta tech community is like a playground. While the word playground immediately triggers visions of happiness and fun in a sun-kissed Norman Rockwell world, this picture is not reflective of the Alberta tech community, at least not entirely. Ours is a playground with a [...]
Wealthy Canadians ordered to pay $22.2 million in back taxes Wealthy Canadians with money stashed overseas have come forward in droves to confess their misdeeds after secret lists began circulating with the names of people apparently evading taxes in foreign banking havens. The Canada Revenue Agency has seen the number of voluntary disclosures of foreign, [...]
Entrepreneurs are not their companies, which sometimes have to fail By Warren Bergen Jody Sherman founded several companies. Some got bought out for modest success and others failed. Ecomom was his last startup. Management and staff tried hard but Ecomom didn’t work and it burned. When Sherman saw no hope for Ecomom, he saw [...]
Canada should concentrate on training its own citizens, not using temporary foreign workers Canada has become too dependent on the temporary foreign workers program and has failed to address the lack of skilled workers through domestic-made solutions, says a new report into foreign workers in Canada. Kevin McQuillan, the author of All The Workers We [...]
CBC TV is a mess and no longer fulfills original mandate The CBC popped back on Canadians’ radar last week. A Harper Government bill to give it more control over crown corporations has upset defenders of public broadcasting. Infographics exhorting me to join the fight to “save” the CBC are flooding my social media networks. [...]
The least Ambassador Gary Doer can do is pick up the phone The working stiffs of Canadian diplomacy, members of the Professional Association of Foreign Service Officers, were walking a picket line in Washington, D.C., yesterday – which raised some eyebrows in the Imperial Capital and must have created some minor discomfort for the Canadian ambassador, a former [...]
Best evidence against Rob Ford is video of Rob Ford Poor Rob Ford. The Toronto mayor can’t get no respect, not in Canada and not in the United States after comedian Jon Stewart eviscerated him on Tuesday’s The Daily Show. I have to admit, it never gets old watching Ford walk into the lens of [...]
Parliament of Canada – time for online reporting of expenses? If the recent Senate expense scandals have taught Canadians anything, it’s that Parliament of Canada officials will take advantage of the rules to pad their pockets if they can. Senator Mike Duffy has become the poster boy for Parliament of Canada abuse of expense guidelines but [...]
Pollsters are not to blame for Liberal victory in BC Election 2013 By Jean-Sébastien Rioux Another election; another “shockwave” and another round of mea culpas. The May 14 election in British Columbia caused consternation among the punditry and, coming just a year after a similar surprise in the Alberta election results, led to another round [...]
Alison Redford says construction company donations had no effect on awarding of contracts New documents that reveal large political donations to the Alison Redford Progressive Conservative party from a coalition of construction companies should be investigated as possible bribes, says a national democracy watchdog group. The correspondence, obtained by the Alberta Federation of Labour under [...]
Cal Wenzel video – Mayor Nenshi suggests election finance laws were broken The secretly taped video that shows Calgary home builders in a room listening to Cal Wenzel talk about supporting candidates they feel will vote in their favour was finally released in its entirety Tuesday night. Mayor Naheed Nenshi fought back Wednesday morning, calling [...]
Manning Centre denies $1.1 million donation to be used in next election As the fallout from the Cal Wenzel video continued Wednesday, the incoming chair of the Manning Centre for Building Democracy said the conservative training facility does not function to further their donors’ personal ambitions. On a secretly taped video released earlier this week, [...]
‘Revolution’ documentary is anticipated follow-up to Rob Stewart’s ‘Sharkwater’ Filmmaker Rob Stewart was in Calgary yesterday promoting a follow-up film to his award-winning documentary Sharkwater. Stewart spoke to The Beacon News about his latest film Revolution. Stewart’s mission is simple, if a little ambitious – save humanity. The Canadian conservationist has expanded the scope of his work [...]
Giving value to the arts and culture By Shawna Stirrett Traditional arts groups such as orchestras, ballets, operas and theatres that neglect to think about how they fit into the broader social context and respond accordingly will fail. This might not happen today or the next day, but the writing is on the wall. While [...]
Barkerville exhibit captures Chinese experience during Cariboo Gold Rush An exhibit depicting the lives of Chinese immigrants during the Cariboo Gold Rush will travel to China next year thanks to a $20,000 grant from the B.C. government. The Barkerville exhibit is put together from archives kept in the historic gold rush town, which capture the [...]
Easter tradition evolves as children grow By Kelly McKenzie It’s my late husband’s fault. Little did he know that his two simple trails would blossom into a 20-year Easter tradition between the two families. On the morning of the first occurrence, I awoke to a sunlit bedroom and the sensation of John falling into [...]
Early Bird for STARS Lottery draw Cut-off March 6. The early bird draw date for STARS Lottery draw is set for March 21. If all tickets are sold by the early bird cut-off date – then all remaining draws will begin on March 20 and will be completed with the top 10 draws on March [...]
Ashley Madison reports 28,456 Calgarians signed up for extramarital dating website The numbers are in and Calgary takes one of the top spots for most unfaithful cities in Canada, according to extramarital dating site AshleyMadison.com. The website reports that 28,456 Calgarians signed up in 2012. AshleyMadison.com also revealed that Calgary has the highest percentage of single female members looking for [...]
Corporations are discovering that First Nations are ready to do business By Frank Busch Most, if not all, Canadian large-scale resource development projects are situated on or pass through the traditional territories of First Nations. In fact, in B.C., most of these territories remain subject to Aboriginal land claims. That fact was a recurring [...]
New First Nations institutions will reform financial transactions By Frank Busch As transparency and accountability in First Nations have taken centre stage in the Canadian public eye, many politicians and decision makers on both sides are still grasping at age-old arguments over treaties and land claims. The question is; what do we do in the [...]
Judge orders money repaid to Poundmaker First Nation school A judge has sentenced the chief and seven members of the Poundmaker First Nation for stealing treaty land entitlement money. Chief Duane Antoine and his brother, former chief Teddy Antoine, of the Poundmaker First Nation were handed 20-month suspended sentences, and were ordered to pay back $2,500 they stole. [...]
Anti-smoking activist Barb Tarbox died in 2003 Ten years after she died of lung cancer, Barb Tarbox is still helping Albertans kick the nicotine habit, thanks to a new campaign launched by Alberta Health Services. Albertans are encouraged to share their stories of quitting or never starting tobacco use to mark the 10th anniversary of the [...]
Big Pharma sales reps generally don’t discuss harmful side side effects By Alan Cassels It sometimes takes a long time to discover environmental hazards and, once discovered, even longer to do something about them. The dangers of second-hand tobacco smoke, leaded gasoline and asbestos were all deemed bad for our health many years ago, [...]
Obese airline passengers shouldn’t be discriminated against By Arya Sharma Last week the wires were active with suggestions that people with obesity pay more for airline travel. This discussion was prompted by a Samoan airline announcing that they would begin charging passengers by the pound. It was also stimulated by Bharat Bhatta, an economist [...]
Surrey Party for the Planet is BC’s biggest celebration for Earth Day Surrey styles itself as a green city and to prove it takes environmental protection seriously, it will be hosting the huge Surrey Party for the Planet on Saturday. In celebration of Earth Day, Surrey will kick off its free-for-all Surrey Party for the Planet [...]
Ron Paul will deliver keynote speech on the ‘dangers of big government’ America’s foremost libertarian Ron Paul will be delivering a keynote speech in the a summit on April 5 at The Westin Calgary. Ron Paul will share his beliefs on why a limited government centred around the elimination of deficits and debt should be adopted in [...]
First Canada roller derby championship team will be crowned March 17 The first Canadian national championship for roller derby will take place on March 15-17 at West Edmonton Mall Ice Palace. 2012 marked the first year Canada had a play-off system which advanced teams from four regional tournaments, ending in this final, six-team tournament to crown [...]
