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 [...]
Ponoka crash victim not wearing a seatbelt A 25-year old woman from Red Deer is dead after being thrown from a car during a single vehicle rollover collision on Highway 2 north of Ponoka on Saturday morning. Police believe the victim was not wearing her seatbelt. The Ponoka crash occurred just after 9:15 on Highway [...]
Colby McInnes and Samantha Johnstone wanted in connection with Blackfalds carjacking RCMP are looking for two suspects in connection with the Blackfalds carjacking that occurred on May 15. Colby McInnes and Samantha Johnstone are wanted in connection with the alleged carjacking. Initially, police were called concerning a rollover collision near Blackfalds, on Aspelund Rd, west [...]
David James Kertesz charged after Red Deer standoff Red Deer RCMP have laid a number of charges against 27-year old David James Kertesz in connection with the Red Deer standoff early on Tuesday morning. David Kertesz, of No fixed address has been charged with: Kidnapping while using a firearm Three counts of robbery with a [...]
May long weekend traffic report also shows 48 people charged with impaired driving It was a busy long weekend for the Alberta Integrated Traffic Units (ITU) across Alberta as they were called to the scene of seven fatal crashes and pulled over more than 3,800 speeding drivers. Along with the collisions and speeders, 48 drivers [...]
Slave Lake collision kills one, sends another to hospital Slave Lake RCMP report that one man is dead and another had to be hospitalized after a single vehicle rollover collision north of Slave Lake early on Saturday morning. The Slave Lake collision occurred on Highway 88, approximately 34 Km north of Slave Lake just [...]
33-year old man victim in fatal dirt bike crash A fatal dirt bike crash near Plamondon has claimed the life of a 33-year old man. RCMP investigating the collision believe speed and alcohol may have been factors. Lac La Biche RCMP, Plamondon Fire and EMS were called to a campsite area north of Plamondon on [...]
Canadian housing market show 0.6% growth The Canadian housing market has slowed its decline to 3.1 per cent year over year, with a 0.6 per cent increase in home sales last month, according to BMO Chief Economist Doug Porter, citing recent data from the Canadian Real Estate Association. Porter notes that since the implementation of new mortgage [...]
Overlooking additional costs of Canadian tax compliance Canadians spent anywhere from $19.2 billion to $24.8 billion on tax preparation, filing and remittance to comply with the Canadian tax code in 2011, according to a report by the Fraser Institute. “At this time of the year as Canadians file their income tax returns, they clearly see [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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, [...]
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, [...]
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 [...]
Expert suggests investing income tax refund in RESP With the average income tax refund at approximately $1,700 according to the Canada Revenue Agency, families with young children ought to be looking at making contributions to a Registered Education Savings Plan to secure their education. Parents with young children can defer paying down the mortgage, springing [...]
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, [...]
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 [...]
Paul Brandt Just As I Am tour features ‘I am Haiti bound’ contest Paul Brandt will be playing shows across Canada as part of his Just As I Am tour. Not one to miss a chance to give back, Brandt’s tour will benefit local community projects and an overseas development project in Haiti through the country superstar’s Build [...]
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 [...]
Red Deer will reveal contents of capsule on March 25 in City Hall Park The City of Red Deer managed to find a half-century old time capsule that was initially planted in City Hall on March 25, 1963. “When we set out to do a time capsule as a part of our centennial celebrations, we [...]
