Canadian Press Camille Bains, The Canadian Press
VANCOUVER - When Ryan Stone hits the stage at a convention centre in Lyon, France, he'll be entering what can only be described as the Olympics of the culinary world. "It's life-consuming," Stone says of the preparation involved in representing Canada in the glitzy Bocuse d'Or competition involving chefs from 24 countries.
Top food wizards from Argentina to Uruguay will vie for a prestigious trophy and 35,000 euros as they turn up the heat to prepare lamb and fish dishes in 5-1/2 hours on Jan. 25 and 26. A team of 12 chefs will compete each day, with Stone going head to head with his rivals on the second day of the event that will take place in a stadium-like setting. Stone says the atmosphere will be electric as 8,000 spectators watch the chefs' every move in the knock-down, drag-out event that's been held every two years since 1987.
"I compare it to watching a playoff hockey game and a rock concert combined," he says. "People who are watching are really loud, they've got music pumping through the speakers there and two MCs. It's crazy." Stone was selected in 2008 to represent Canada at this year's Bocuse d'Or from among five chefs at a competition in Montreal where he cooked up two winning dishes including a black cod and lobster combo rolled together with a scallop mousse made of chives, parsley, tarragon and truffles.
Stone, 28, has been working his way toward entering the Bocuse d'Or since 1999 when he watched a video of the event in a high school cooking class in Maple Ridge, B.C. That year at age 16, he went to Germany, where he worked in a restaurant six days a week, 11 hours a day as he honed his passion for creating culinary delights. Now, the chef, who credits his mother and grandmother for inspiring him in the kitchen, is ready for the biggest league in cooking competitions.
Stone's eight-member team includes a manager who has secured sponsorships, liaised with organizers in Lyon and helped launch fundraisers that will net about $350,000 to compete at the show.
He says the two large silver platters that will display his lamb and fish creations cost about $40,000, and the rest of the cash will go toward everything from air fare to all that lamb and fish he's been cooking up over and over again for months. Stone's first taste of the Bocuse d'Or, named after founding chef Paul Bocuse, came in 2003, when he was among the thousands of people who watched the competition from the bleachers. Two years later, he participated as an apprentice for the Canadian chef and then went back in 2007 to observe another chef who is now his coach.
"It's intense," Stone says of the controlled chaos that ensues in the 12 side-by-side kitchens where chefs are considered celebrities. Last February, the 24 competitors for this year's Bocuse d'Or received word about which type of meat and fish they'd be cooking — saddle of lamb, which includes both sides of the loin with the backbone still attached, along with monkfish, Scottish brown crab and langoustine, which is similar to baby lobster. Stone will cook the lamb with portobello mushrooms and wrap it in a skin of rosemary, parsley, tarragon and mustard before roasting it and glazing it with aged red wine vinegar.
The lamb platter will be adorned with golden beets filled with eggplant, apple and pine nuts.Stone has cooked the lamb 400 times so far, perfecting it as the executive chef at a restaurant in Haida Gwaii on British Columbia's north coast, where he works during the summer season. As for the monkfish, Stone will brine it with birch syrup before wrapping it with a kulen sausage — similar to chorizo — and then display it in a custom-made glass tube.
The langoustine will be poached in olive oil and espelette chili pepper and perched atop a warm tomato gel. Stone will bind the shredded, cooked Scottish brown crab meat with scallop mousse in a mould with dashi custard, a Japanese broth used to make miso soup. The fish platter will include a pea and bacon tart along with a cauliflower and caviar mousse.After finishing up the season at the restaurant last September, Stone and his team have been doing a weekly practice run of what will be expected at the Bocuse d'Or during the 5-1/2 hours they have to pull off a win for Canada. Last week, the sleep-deprived team packed up their equipment and some ingredients to take to the showdown, where all the chefs will be provided with the meat and fish they'll be presenting on two platters.
The only ingredients they'll be allowed to bring are the vegetables — peeled but not cut — stock, unfinished sauces and basic doughs. Canadian chefs have never placed in the top three at the Bocuse d'Or, but neither have those from the United States, Stone points out. "The best we've placed is fourth, and the best that the States has placed is fifth. We've pretty well always placed in the top 10."
This year, the country to watch is Denmark, Stone says."This will be the chef's third time competing in France, and he won the European selection competition to qualify. The last time around it was the chef that won the European selection that also won the final.
"I'm in a very good spot where I'm in the very next kitchen after him so I get the chance to have my food tasted side by side with the guy who's on everyone's radar
Friday, January 14, 2011
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Aglukkaq commits $800K to fight Nunavut TB
X-rays from a tuberculosis patient. TB is a highly infectious respiratory disease that can be contracted simply by breathing in the bacterium that causes it. Nunavut recorded at least 100 cases of active TB in 2010. (Lynne Sladky/Associated Press) Federal Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq has announced $800,000 for a new program to fight tuberculosis in Nunavut, where a record number of TB infections was set last year.
Speaking to reporters Thursday in Iqaluit, Aglukkaq said the federal money will go toward Taima TB, which means "Stop TB" in Inuktitut. The project is a partnership with the Nunavut government."As northerners, we are very familiar with tuberculosis … a disease that affects our communities and has a profound impact on individuals in our communities," said Aglukkaq, who is the Conservative MP for Nunavut and a former territorial health minister.
"Too many families have lost loved ones over the years to this disease and too many people have suffered from the physical effects of tuberculosis and the long process of treating it."Tuberculosis is a highly contagious and potentially fatal respiratory disease that can be contracted simply by breathing in the TB bacterium.
Tuberculosis was virtually wiped out after the introduction of drugs and vaccinations in the 1960s, but it has lingered in Canada's remote and aboriginal communities due to poverty, overcrowded, poorly ventilated housing and other socio-economic factors.
Treating TB before it's contagious
At least 100 people were diagnosed with active tuberculosis in 2010, setting a record. The tuberculosis rate is about 62 times the national average in the territory, which has a predominantly Inuit population.
"I have seen the damage of tuberculosis and what tuberculosis can do. When I was health minister for Nunavut, it was one of the main public health concerns, and it continues to be a concern," Aglukkaq said.
Under the Taima TB program, teams will go door-to-door to test residents for latent tuberculosis, in which patients have been exposed to TB bacteria but are not showing symptoms.Those who test positive for latent TB will be treated before the infections develop into active — and contagious — tuberculosis.
The Taima TB teams will include nurses and Inuktitut interpreters who can communicate with residents who do not speak English.
"Our goal here is to stop the spread of TB in Nunavut," Aglukkaq said. "But to achieve that goal, we will have to make good use of the most important resources that we already have in Nunavut, and that is our people."
Health officials said the door-to-door screening will take place first in Iqaluit, but could not say when it will start.A public awareness campaign will be launched across the territory in the next couple of months. The campaign will include town hall meetings and the use of social networking websites like Facebook.
Aglukkaq also announced that Dr. Gonzalo Alvarez, a respirologist and researcher with the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, has agreed to be a consultant respirologist for Nunavut.
Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2011/01/13/nunavut-tuberculosis-aglukkaq-funding.html#ixzz1AxRj3kiB
Speaking to reporters Thursday in Iqaluit, Aglukkaq said the federal money will go toward Taima TB, which means "Stop TB" in Inuktitut. The project is a partnership with the Nunavut government."As northerners, we are very familiar with tuberculosis … a disease that affects our communities and has a profound impact on individuals in our communities," said Aglukkaq, who is the Conservative MP for Nunavut and a former territorial health minister.
"Too many families have lost loved ones over the years to this disease and too many people have suffered from the physical effects of tuberculosis and the long process of treating it."Tuberculosis is a highly contagious and potentially fatal respiratory disease that can be contracted simply by breathing in the TB bacterium.
Tuberculosis was virtually wiped out after the introduction of drugs and vaccinations in the 1960s, but it has lingered in Canada's remote and aboriginal communities due to poverty, overcrowded, poorly ventilated housing and other socio-economic factors.
Treating TB before it's contagious
At least 100 people were diagnosed with active tuberculosis in 2010, setting a record. The tuberculosis rate is about 62 times the national average in the territory, which has a predominantly Inuit population.
"I have seen the damage of tuberculosis and what tuberculosis can do. When I was health minister for Nunavut, it was one of the main public health concerns, and it continues to be a concern," Aglukkaq said.
Under the Taima TB program, teams will go door-to-door to test residents for latent tuberculosis, in which patients have been exposed to TB bacteria but are not showing symptoms.Those who test positive for latent TB will be treated before the infections develop into active — and contagious — tuberculosis.
The Taima TB teams will include nurses and Inuktitut interpreters who can communicate with residents who do not speak English.
"Our goal here is to stop the spread of TB in Nunavut," Aglukkaq said. "But to achieve that goal, we will have to make good use of the most important resources that we already have in Nunavut, and that is our people."
Health officials said the door-to-door screening will take place first in Iqaluit, but could not say when it will start.A public awareness campaign will be launched across the territory in the next couple of months. The campaign will include town hall meetings and the use of social networking websites like Facebook.
Aglukkaq also announced that Dr. Gonzalo Alvarez, a respirologist and researcher with the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, has agreed to be a consultant respirologist for Nunavut.
Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2011/01/13/nunavut-tuberculosis-aglukkaq-funding.html#ixzz1AxRj3kiB
Senate Travel Bill
Canada's 105 senators amassed a travel tab worth $1.6 million for a three-month period last fall, with Saskatchewan's Pamela Wallin leading the pack with more than $32,000 in "discretionary" travel expenses. During the fall period, which was from September through November of 2010, the Senate sat for 22 days. While senators can spend thousands of dollars flying between Ottawa and their home constituency, they are also given funds for so-called "discretionary" travel, which can be used for speaking engagements, meetings and other appointments outside their constituency.
The Senate's top five discretionary travel spenders were:
• Conservative Pamela Wallin at $32,597.56
• Liberal Jim Munson at $30,585.68
• Liberal Nick Sibbeston at $26,237
• Liberal Vivienne Poy at $24,247
• Liberal Art Eggleton at $22,601
Wallin released a statement on Thursday that attributed her costs to committee work. "I do a lot of speaking across the country as a senator and Chair of the Senate Defence committee. We must pay for this travel if (a) request is made of us in our role as Senator." She also noted that her costs were higher due to bookings errors. "Secondly, during this time period some airline double-bookings were mistakenly made for me. These are being rectified. I trust that when the next quarterly report comes out, it will accurately reflect the actual travel I did, and not contain charges for double bookings on flights."
Sen. Jim Munson, second on the discretionary travel list, said that the senators themselves brought forward the expenses in an effort to be transparent. "We initiated these disclosures," he told CTV's Power Play on Thursday. He added that his tab is due to the large amount of time he spends travelling the country to meet with disabled advocates, including his work with the Special Olympics. "This is a big country, you go from coast to coast," he said, adding: "If I spend $30,000, I make no apologies for that."
Still, Kevin Gaudet from the Canadian Taxpayers Federation said that public trust around political expenses has been all but fatigued by scandals in Canada and elsewhere. In one high-profile case, Quebec senator Raymond Lavinge still spends $10,000 each month in expenses, despite being banned from the Upper House since 2007 as he faces fraud charges. Gaudet noted that there is a "negative cloud" over how politicians spend taxpayer money; something that isn't helped by a lack of clarity and transparency about the costs. In fact, Gaudet said the raw expense numbers do little to illuminate the issue, since they don't reveal where, why, how or with whom the senators travel.
The Senate's top five discretionary travel spenders were:
• Conservative Pamela Wallin at $32,597.56
• Liberal Jim Munson at $30,585.68
• Liberal Nick Sibbeston at $26,237
• Liberal Vivienne Poy at $24,247
• Liberal Art Eggleton at $22,601
Wallin released a statement on Thursday that attributed her costs to committee work. "I do a lot of speaking across the country as a senator and Chair of the Senate Defence committee. We must pay for this travel if (a) request is made of us in our role as Senator." She also noted that her costs were higher due to bookings errors. "Secondly, during this time period some airline double-bookings were mistakenly made for me. These are being rectified. I trust that when the next quarterly report comes out, it will accurately reflect the actual travel I did, and not contain charges for double bookings on flights."
Sen. Jim Munson, second on the discretionary travel list, said that the senators themselves brought forward the expenses in an effort to be transparent. "We initiated these disclosures," he told CTV's Power Play on Thursday. He added that his tab is due to the large amount of time he spends travelling the country to meet with disabled advocates, including his work with the Special Olympics. "This is a big country, you go from coast to coast," he said, adding: "If I spend $30,000, I make no apologies for that."
Still, Kevin Gaudet from the Canadian Taxpayers Federation said that public trust around political expenses has been all but fatigued by scandals in Canada and elsewhere. In one high-profile case, Quebec senator Raymond Lavinge still spends $10,000 each month in expenses, despite being banned from the Upper House since 2007 as he faces fraud charges. Gaudet noted that there is a "negative cloud" over how politicians spend taxpayer money; something that isn't helped by a lack of clarity and transparency about the costs. In fact, Gaudet said the raw expense numbers do little to illuminate the issue, since they don't reveal where, why, how or with whom the senators travel.
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Quantum networks closer with Alberta discovery
By Emily Chung, CBC News
'The technology we use here is very close to what telecommunications use already,' said University of Calgary quantum physicist Wolfgang Tittel. (Riley Brandt/University of Calgary)Information encrypted using quantum physics could soon be transmitted over long-distance networks, thanks to a discovery by Alberta physicists.
For the first time, information coded in light using a quantum physics phenomenon called entanglement was successfully stored and retrieved from a crystal, researchers at the University of Calgary and the University of Paderborn in Germany reported Wednesday in the science journal Nature.
The experiment
Tittel and his colleagues created a memory device consisting of a crystal embedded with particles called rare-earth ions. They then used a laser to produce two entangled photons, one of which is absorbed by the crystal. When the crystal is cooled to very low temperatures — around –270 C — the photons can also be pulled back out of the crystal. After being put in and pulled out of the crystal, the researchers tested the degree to which the two photons were still entangled."What we found is that … entanglement has not been degraded after storage," Tittel said.
"The technology we use here is very close to what telecommunications use already," said Wolfgang Tittel, a University of Calgary professor who co-wrote the paper.It was published online alongside a study from researchers at the University of Geneva in Switzerland who reported a similar finding using a different material.Quantum mechanics is the branch of physics dealing with the strange behaviour of very tiny things like elementary particles and atoms, and is extremely different from the physics that humans experience every day.Quantum entanglement, used in quantum encryption, is the linking of two quantum objects so that any change to one is immediately experienced by another, no matter how far apart they are.
The advantage of quantum encryption over traditional encryption is that it has the built-in ability to allow people sending and receiving the encrypted messages to detect whether someone has tried to "eavesdrop."The quantum memory device consists of a crystal embedded with small particles called rare-earth ions. (Wolfgang Tittel/University of Calgary)
Quantum encryption of messages is already available commercially, but current technology only allows communication between two points less than 100 kilometres apart, Tittel said.
That's because they're transmitted over a silicon fibre, and roughly 50 per cent of the photons are lost for every 10 kilometres they travel.
Theoretically, the distance problem can be overcome by breaking the distance into shorter segments and boosting the signal after each segment. To do that, a device positioned between segments would have to take in the message as a weak signal, repeat it as a strong signal and send it along the next segment without damaging the information.Such a theoretical device is called a quantum repeater. In order to work, it would need to store the information until it has been completely uploaded to the next segment.
"Our discovery is such a quantum storage device," said Tittel.
Physicists had previously shown it was possible to store entangled photons in atomic gases, but that isn't very practical for everyday use, he said. The advantage of the new storage method is that it uses solid-state crystals like those used in regular computing.
The possibility of storage also allows for the possibility of a quantum network, where information could be relayed to any of several different locations via nodes between them.
It could also allow two pieces of information to be combined. Suppose you get an email, Tittel says, then store it and wait for a second email.
"Once you have both emails, you can do something new — you can compare the information in the two emails and derive something."
Tittel estimates that a proof-of-principle quantum repeater will be available in five years, and quantum networks may be possible in 10. But in the meantime, he says, engineers and digital physicists will need to get involved to modify the device and make it more practical.
Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/technology/story/2011/01/12/quantum-networks-storage-entanglement.html#ixzz1AsnkGmv9
'The technology we use here is very close to what telecommunications use already,' said University of Calgary quantum physicist Wolfgang Tittel. (Riley Brandt/University of Calgary)Information encrypted using quantum physics could soon be transmitted over long-distance networks, thanks to a discovery by Alberta physicists.
For the first time, information coded in light using a quantum physics phenomenon called entanglement was successfully stored and retrieved from a crystal, researchers at the University of Calgary and the University of Paderborn in Germany reported Wednesday in the science journal Nature.
The experiment
Tittel and his colleagues created a memory device consisting of a crystal embedded with particles called rare-earth ions. They then used a laser to produce two entangled photons, one of which is absorbed by the crystal. When the crystal is cooled to very low temperatures — around –270 C — the photons can also be pulled back out of the crystal. After being put in and pulled out of the crystal, the researchers tested the degree to which the two photons were still entangled."What we found is that … entanglement has not been degraded after storage," Tittel said.
"The technology we use here is very close to what telecommunications use already," said Wolfgang Tittel, a University of Calgary professor who co-wrote the paper.It was published online alongside a study from researchers at the University of Geneva in Switzerland who reported a similar finding using a different material.Quantum mechanics is the branch of physics dealing with the strange behaviour of very tiny things like elementary particles and atoms, and is extremely different from the physics that humans experience every day.Quantum entanglement, used in quantum encryption, is the linking of two quantum objects so that any change to one is immediately experienced by another, no matter how far apart they are.
The advantage of quantum encryption over traditional encryption is that it has the built-in ability to allow people sending and receiving the encrypted messages to detect whether someone has tried to "eavesdrop."The quantum memory device consists of a crystal embedded with small particles called rare-earth ions. (Wolfgang Tittel/University of Calgary)
Quantum encryption of messages is already available commercially, but current technology only allows communication between two points less than 100 kilometres apart, Tittel said.
That's because they're transmitted over a silicon fibre, and roughly 50 per cent of the photons are lost for every 10 kilometres they travel.
Theoretically, the distance problem can be overcome by breaking the distance into shorter segments and boosting the signal after each segment. To do that, a device positioned between segments would have to take in the message as a weak signal, repeat it as a strong signal and send it along the next segment without damaging the information.Such a theoretical device is called a quantum repeater. In order to work, it would need to store the information until it has been completely uploaded to the next segment.
"Our discovery is such a quantum storage device," said Tittel.
Physicists had previously shown it was possible to store entangled photons in atomic gases, but that isn't very practical for everyday use, he said. The advantage of the new storage method is that it uses solid-state crystals like those used in regular computing.
The possibility of storage also allows for the possibility of a quantum network, where information could be relayed to any of several different locations via nodes between them.
It could also allow two pieces of information to be combined. Suppose you get an email, Tittel says, then store it and wait for a second email.
"Once you have both emails, you can do something new — you can compare the information in the two emails and derive something."
Tittel estimates that a proof-of-principle quantum repeater will be available in five years, and quantum networks may be possible in 10. But in the meantime, he says, engineers and digital physicists will need to get involved to modify the device and make it more practical.
Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/technology/story/2011/01/12/quantum-networks-storage-entanglement.html#ixzz1AsnkGmv9
Newfoundlanders file law suits against Province for Moose collisions
More than 700 moose are struck each year by motorists in the Newfoundland province Two Canadians injured in car collisions with moose in Newfoundland have filed a class-action lawsuit against the province, claiming it has not properly controlled the animal's numbers.
The pair filed the case against the provincial government in the Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador.Ben Bellows and Hugh George have both been paralysed by injuries sustained in separate car accidents involving moose.
More than 700 of the animals are struck each year by motorists in the province.
The creatures, which can weigh up to 750kg (1,600lb), support their body weight on four slender legs, allowing their bodies easily to crash down on top of cars when involved in collisions.There are roughly 125,000 moose in Newfoundland, a province with 480,000 residents.
The lawsuit is intended to push the government to take steps to reduce the number of accidents by 50% in five years, said Ches Crosbie, the lawyer heading the lawsuit against the province.Both Mr Bellows and Mr George, who have been restricted to wheelchairs following their accidents, are also seeking financial assistance in the case.
"The government has decided to bury its head in the sand about moose-vehicle collisions, which have us all terrified," Mr Crosbie told the Toronto Sun newspaper.About 40 other people have also signed on to the class-action suit, Mr Crosbie added.The accidents involving moose in Newfoundland are "no acts of God, but acts of government", a document filed by the plaintiffs said.
The pair filed the case against the provincial government in the Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador.Ben Bellows and Hugh George have both been paralysed by injuries sustained in separate car accidents involving moose.
More than 700 of the animals are struck each year by motorists in the province.
The creatures, which can weigh up to 750kg (1,600lb), support their body weight on four slender legs, allowing their bodies easily to crash down on top of cars when involved in collisions.There are roughly 125,000 moose in Newfoundland, a province with 480,000 residents.
The lawsuit is intended to push the government to take steps to reduce the number of accidents by 50% in five years, said Ches Crosbie, the lawyer heading the lawsuit against the province.Both Mr Bellows and Mr George, who have been restricted to wheelchairs following their accidents, are also seeking financial assistance in the case.
"The government has decided to bury its head in the sand about moose-vehicle collisions, which have us all terrified," Mr Crosbie told the Toronto Sun newspaper.About 40 other people have also signed on to the class-action suit, Mr Crosbie added.The accidents involving moose in Newfoundland are "no acts of God, but acts of government", a document filed by the plaintiffs said.
Canadians need Vitamin D
More than a million Canadians are facing potentially serious health problems because their vitamin D levels are too low, according to a report released by Statistics Canada on March 23, 2010. Children who are vitamin D deficient are at risk of developing rickets — a softening of the bones that can lead to fractures and deformities. It's rare in Canada but among the most common childhood diseases in developing countries.
Not enough vitamin D can also lead to osteoporosis — reduced bone density that increases the risk of fractures — in older adults.That Statistics Canada report also found that while most Canadians have enough vitamin D in their blood for bone health, only about a third are above the level believed necessary for overall health and disease prevention.
What is vitamin D?
Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium thereby making bones stronger. Certain foods such as cow's milk and margarine are fortified with vitamin D and inexpensive supplements can help boost the body's vitamin D levels.As breast milk doesn't contain sufficient levels of vitamin D, public health officials recommend that infants who are exclusively breastfed should take a supplement to prevent vitamin D deficiency.People with darker skin tones are also often advised to take a supplement as they have more difficulty generating natural vitamin D from the sun's ultraviolet rays.As well, patients with a reduced ability to absorb dietary fat, including people suffering from Crohn's disease, cystic fibrosis or liver disease, often have low vitamin D levels.
How much vitamin D do I need?
Osteoporosis Canada recommends daily supplements of:
• 400 to 1,000 IU for adults under age 50 without osteoporosis or conditions affecting vitamin D absorption.
• 800 to 2,000 IU for adults over 50.
The Canadian Cancer Society recommends Canadians take in 1,000 IU — 25 micrograms — of vitamin D every day. During the spring and summer, that can be accomplished through normal daily exposure to the sun. In the fall and winter months, a vitamin D supplement may be necessary.
Health Canada's guidelines remain at 400 IU — 10 micrograms.
A study released by the Institute of Health concludes that 600 IU of vitamin D meets the needs of almost everyone in the U.S. and Canada, although people 71 and older may require as much as 800 IUs per day because of potential physical and behavioral changes related to aging.The study — commissioned by Health Canada and the American government — says there's still not enough evidence that vitamin D helps protect against cancer, heart disease, autoimmune diseases, and diabetes, but further investigation is warranted. The report notes that the risk of excessive vitamin D consumption —damage to the kidneys and heart — outweighs proven benefits.
How much vitamin D do you need to reach healthy levels if you are deficient?
Food Serving Vitamin D
Milk 250 ml 100 IU
Fortified rice or soy beverage 250 ml 100 IU
Fortified margarine 10 ml 53 IU
Salmon canned, pink 85 g 530 IU
Tuna canned, light 85 g 200 IU
While most researchers are recommending people take in 1,000 IU of vitamin D every day, it's estimated that people with low levels of vitamin D in their blood would need to take in 3,000 IU to raise their levels.
Osteoporosis Canada says people who need high doses to reach optimal vitamin D levels can take in up to 2,000 IU without medical supervision, but monitoring may be needed if higher doses are required. It takes about 18 minutes of midday sun exposure for your body to absorb that much vitamin D — or three times the daily recommended dosage in supplements, when sun is not an option.
How do I know whether my vitamin D levels are deficient?
Your doctor may recommend your vitamin D levels be tested. It's a simple blood test that costs between $32 and $93, depending on where you live. Demand for the test has skyrocketed in recent years. In Ontario, demand is up by 2500 per cent over the past five years. In B.C., demand is up 100 per cent in a year. B.C., Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, and Newfoundland and Labrador are taking steps to limit the tests to people who have specific illnesses. B.C. and Manitoba have sent out reminders to doctors saying that healthy adults don't normally need to be tested.
What does the Canada Food Guide say about vitamin D?
The Canada Food Guide says men and women over the age of 50 should consume three servings of milk and alternatives along with a supplement equal to 10 micrograms or 400 IU of Vitamin D every day. One cup of milk has 100 IU of vitamin D. All other age groups are encouraged to have two cups of milk to ensure adequate vitamin-D levels.Some companies have fortified their products with vitamin D but Health Canada notes that fatty fish and egg yolks are the only natural food sources.
Health Canada advises people to take a daily vitamin D supplement, as following the revised Canada Food Guide would only provide 200 IU of vitamin D a day.
Can't I just get mine from the sun?
While exposure to sun may be the best way to boost vitamin D levels — especially in the summer — this doesn't necessarily give sun lovers licence to tan. While being mindful of the threat of skin cancer, people should calculate how much time they spend in the sun depending on location, cloud cover, skin type, age and the amount of pollution in the area. Generally, doctors recommend that 10 to 15 minutes outdoors without sunscreen at least twice a week is adequate.
The Canadian Cancer Society, though, does not recommend that people rely solely on increasing their exposure to the sun to boost their levels of vitamin D. The society points out that there are other sources of vitamin D, including vitamin supplements, oily fish and fortified foods.
It also warns that — for some people — increasing exposure to the sun by even a few minutes a day could increase the risk of skin cancer. The society recommends that people consider a balance of vitamin D supplements and small amounts of sun exposure to maintain proper levels of the vitamin while keeping risks of skin cancer to a minimum.
Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2010/10/01/f-vitamin-d-faq.html#ixzz1AlrNtpdM
Not enough vitamin D can also lead to osteoporosis — reduced bone density that increases the risk of fractures — in older adults.That Statistics Canada report also found that while most Canadians have enough vitamin D in their blood for bone health, only about a third are above the level believed necessary for overall health and disease prevention.
What is vitamin D?
Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium thereby making bones stronger. Certain foods such as cow's milk and margarine are fortified with vitamin D and inexpensive supplements can help boost the body's vitamin D levels.As breast milk doesn't contain sufficient levels of vitamin D, public health officials recommend that infants who are exclusively breastfed should take a supplement to prevent vitamin D deficiency.People with darker skin tones are also often advised to take a supplement as they have more difficulty generating natural vitamin D from the sun's ultraviolet rays.As well, patients with a reduced ability to absorb dietary fat, including people suffering from Crohn's disease, cystic fibrosis or liver disease, often have low vitamin D levels.
How much vitamin D do I need?
Osteoporosis Canada recommends daily supplements of:
• 400 to 1,000 IU for adults under age 50 without osteoporosis or conditions affecting vitamin D absorption.
• 800 to 2,000 IU for adults over 50.
The Canadian Cancer Society recommends Canadians take in 1,000 IU — 25 micrograms — of vitamin D every day. During the spring and summer, that can be accomplished through normal daily exposure to the sun. In the fall and winter months, a vitamin D supplement may be necessary.
Health Canada's guidelines remain at 400 IU — 10 micrograms.
A study released by the Institute of Health concludes that 600 IU of vitamin D meets the needs of almost everyone in the U.S. and Canada, although people 71 and older may require as much as 800 IUs per day because of potential physical and behavioral changes related to aging.The study — commissioned by Health Canada and the American government — says there's still not enough evidence that vitamin D helps protect against cancer, heart disease, autoimmune diseases, and diabetes, but further investigation is warranted. The report notes that the risk of excessive vitamin D consumption —damage to the kidneys and heart — outweighs proven benefits.
How much vitamin D do you need to reach healthy levels if you are deficient?
Food Serving Vitamin D
Milk 250 ml 100 IU
Fortified rice or soy beverage 250 ml 100 IU
Fortified margarine 10 ml 53 IU
Salmon canned, pink 85 g 530 IU
Tuna canned, light 85 g 200 IU
While most researchers are recommending people take in 1,000 IU of vitamin D every day, it's estimated that people with low levels of vitamin D in their blood would need to take in 3,000 IU to raise their levels.
Osteoporosis Canada says people who need high doses to reach optimal vitamin D levels can take in up to 2,000 IU without medical supervision, but monitoring may be needed if higher doses are required. It takes about 18 minutes of midday sun exposure for your body to absorb that much vitamin D — or three times the daily recommended dosage in supplements, when sun is not an option.
How do I know whether my vitamin D levels are deficient?
Your doctor may recommend your vitamin D levels be tested. It's a simple blood test that costs between $32 and $93, depending on where you live. Demand for the test has skyrocketed in recent years. In Ontario, demand is up by 2500 per cent over the past five years. In B.C., demand is up 100 per cent in a year. B.C., Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, and Newfoundland and Labrador are taking steps to limit the tests to people who have specific illnesses. B.C. and Manitoba have sent out reminders to doctors saying that healthy adults don't normally need to be tested.
What does the Canada Food Guide say about vitamin D?
The Canada Food Guide says men and women over the age of 50 should consume three servings of milk and alternatives along with a supplement equal to 10 micrograms or 400 IU of Vitamin D every day. One cup of milk has 100 IU of vitamin D. All other age groups are encouraged to have two cups of milk to ensure adequate vitamin-D levels.Some companies have fortified their products with vitamin D but Health Canada notes that fatty fish and egg yolks are the only natural food sources.
Health Canada advises people to take a daily vitamin D supplement, as following the revised Canada Food Guide would only provide 200 IU of vitamin D a day.
Can't I just get mine from the sun?
While exposure to sun may be the best way to boost vitamin D levels — especially in the summer — this doesn't necessarily give sun lovers licence to tan. While being mindful of the threat of skin cancer, people should calculate how much time they spend in the sun depending on location, cloud cover, skin type, age and the amount of pollution in the area. Generally, doctors recommend that 10 to 15 minutes outdoors without sunscreen at least twice a week is adequate.
The Canadian Cancer Society, though, does not recommend that people rely solely on increasing their exposure to the sun to boost their levels of vitamin D. The society points out that there are other sources of vitamin D, including vitamin supplements, oily fish and fortified foods.
It also warns that — for some people — increasing exposure to the sun by even a few minutes a day could increase the risk of skin cancer. The society recommends that people consider a balance of vitamin D supplements and small amounts of sun exposure to maintain proper levels of the vitamin while keeping risks of skin cancer to a minimum.
Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2010/10/01/f-vitamin-d-faq.html#ixzz1AlrNtpdM
Five Canadians Chosen for YouTube Symphony Orchestra
Victoria, B.C. - Perhaps you’ve seen her busking at the Inner Harbour. Now Victoria’s Sarah Tradewell has won a contest to be in the international YouTube Symphony Orchestra.The teenaged violist is one of just five Canadian musicians chosen for the 101-member YouTube Symphony Orchestra. Tradewell was selected from 336 finalists from 46 countries. Winners were chosen online by popular vote. The University of Victoria music student gets a free trip to perform with the orchestra at Australia’s Sydney Opera House for concerts running March 14 to 20.Sarah’s father, Alan Tradewell, said his daughter learned of her win two weeks ago. But she was sworn to secrecy until the YouTube Symphony Orchestra made its official announcement.
Other Canadians chosen were flutist Paul Hung of Vancouver, violinist Allene Chomyn of Langley, double bassist Richard Carnegie of Burlington, Ont. and percussionist Michelle Hwu of Toronto. The orchestra will be led by Grammy Award-winning conductor Michael Tilson Thomas.
Tradewell — who last summer busked at the Inner Harbour — is taking music courses at UVic with an eye toward becoming a professional musician. She’s studying with violist Joanna Hood of the Lafayette String Quartet.
Tradewell and her family moved to Victoria three years ago from Prince Albert, Sask. It was her father who first noticed the YouTube Symphony contest just one day before the entry deadline. He recorded his daughter playing at their home, then uploaded the clip to YouTube. She learned of her finalist’s status back in December.“I was overjoyed,” Tradewell told the Times Colonist. “It was so exciting to feel like I actually had a chance.”
Read more: http://www.timescolonist.com/entertainment/Victoria+violist+five+Canadians+chosen+YouTube+Symphony+Orchestra/4092388/story.html#ixzz1AlpacNyW
Other Canadians chosen were flutist Paul Hung of Vancouver, violinist Allene Chomyn of Langley, double bassist Richard Carnegie of Burlington, Ont. and percussionist Michelle Hwu of Toronto. The orchestra will be led by Grammy Award-winning conductor Michael Tilson Thomas.
Tradewell — who last summer busked at the Inner Harbour — is taking music courses at UVic with an eye toward becoming a professional musician. She’s studying with violist Joanna Hood of the Lafayette String Quartet.
Tradewell and her family moved to Victoria three years ago from Prince Albert, Sask. It was her father who first noticed the YouTube Symphony contest just one day before the entry deadline. He recorded his daughter playing at their home, then uploaded the clip to YouTube. She learned of her finalist’s status back in December.“I was overjoyed,” Tradewell told the Times Colonist. “It was so exciting to feel like I actually had a chance.”
Read more: http://www.timescolonist.com/entertainment/Victoria+violist+five+Canadians+chosen+YouTube+Symphony+Orchestra/4092388/story.html#ixzz1AlpacNyW
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Penis enlarger case in small-claims court
GRANBY, Que. (CP) — A Quebec man is demanding compensation for a penis enlarger he claims never worked, despite 500 hours of use. The man has gone before a small-claims court, hoping for an award of $762 to recoup the cost of the device as well as moral and punitive damages. He told a newspaper in Granby, Que., that he was initially drawn to the X4 Extender Deluxe Edition by an advertisement that promised results within several months.
The $262 device is sold by Montreal company HotGVibe. A Quebec judge is expected to hand down a decision in the next six weeks.The man told the Quebec newspap er he wanted to speak out about what he called a scam so that other men might be warned.
The $262 device is sold by Montreal company HotGVibe. A Quebec judge is expected to hand down a decision in the next six weeks.The man told the Quebec newspap er he wanted to speak out about what he called a scam so that other men might be warned.
87 journalists were killed worldwide in 2010
CJFE reports that 87 journalists were killed worldwide in 2010
Canadian Journalists for Free Expression (CJFE) recorded the killings of 87 journalists in 2010 as journalists around the world continue to face great danger while carrying out their work.
Three countries bore the brunt of the killings – Pakistan (14), Mexico (13) and Honduras (10) which accounts for 43% of journalists murdered in 2010. The governments of all three countries have failed utterly to protect the safety of journalists. The countries also share the parallel problem of impunity – killers of journalists are not being brought to justice.
The 87 journalists killed this year is a decrease from the 101 journalists killed in 2009, but that figure included the tragic massacre of 32 journalists on November 23 in the Philippines – the most journalists ever killed in one day.
“On the surface – the fact that 14 fewer journalists were killed this year than last year is good news,” says CJFE President Arnold Amber. “But quite obviously many journalists live with this constant threat just for doing their jobs.”
Although the image of a journalist being caught in the crossfire of conflict is a common one – the reality for most of the 87 journalists killed this year, as in other years, is that they were deliberately targeted. And many of them had reported receiving death threats because of the type of investigative stories they were covering in the weeks or months before their murders.
The ways in which journalists have been killed are various and paint a chilling picture of the dangers journalists face. Turkish journalist Metin AlataÅŸ appears to have been forced to commit suicide (April 4); Mexican journalist Marco Aurelio MartÃnez Tijerina was kidnapped on July 9 and found dead July 10 with at least one bullet to the head and signs of torture; Military officers in the Democratic Republic of Congo killed journalist Patient Chebeya Bankome at his home (April 5); and journalists Pervez Khan and Abdul Wahab were killed by a suicide bomber in Pakistan (December 6).
In one tragic and preventable case, Yemen journalist Mohammed Shu'i Al-Rabu'i, was killed on February 13, by four or five gunmen who had been arrested after attacking him a few months earlier but were released before charges were brought. Security Chief Abdelrazeq Az-Zareq said that he took "full responsibility" for their release at the end of 2009.
Many journalists are targeted either at their place of work or at their home – and there are many reports of police or military involvement. In Mexico, journalists are targeted by drug traffickers, police and members of the army. Mexican president Calderon’s move to intensify drug enforcement has seen increased violence and made reporting significantly more dangerous, causing many journalists to flee the country.
Also, of great concern is the new trend in Pakistan of suicide bombings of journalists. Six journalists died from bombings; the other eight were shot in various attacks. In a Dec. 6 suicide bombing in which journalists were killed, the journalists were covering an anti-terrorism strategy discussion at a council meeting in the northwest Pakistani border town of Ghalanai.
While local journalists continue to face the greatest danger in carrying out their work, 2010 did see several attacks and killings of foreign journalists working abroad. These included British journalist Rupert Hamer in Afghanistan; Tongalese journalist Stanislas Ocloo in Angola; Italian journalist Fabio Polenghi in Thailand; Turkish journalist Cevdet Kılıçlar in international waters near Israel; and American journalist James P. Hunter in Afghanistan.
Kidnappings of journalists, local and foreign continue to be a major problem especially in Mexico, Pakistan, Nigeria, Somalia and other nations. Canadian journalist Khadija Abdul Qahaar, also known as Beverly Giesbrecht, was abducted in Pakistan on Nov. 11, 2008. She remains missing but there were disturbing reports in November that she may have died; these reports have not been confirmed.
“In releasing this report, CJFE hopes to draw attention to the risks that journalists face around the world,” Amber stated. “Our organization is calling on Canadians and the international community to work together to protect the rights of journalists and to end the tragic culture of impunity which allows most murders of journalists to go unpunished.”
CJFE records the number of journalists that are killed or targeted in the line of duty because of their reporting or affiliation with a news organization. CJFE compiles its statistics from the reports of the more than 90 member groups that make up the International Freedom of Expression Exchange (IFEX). The IFEX Clearinghouse which gathers and disseminates information from the network is managed by CJFE and based in Toronto.
Canadian Journalists for Free Expression (CJFE) is an association of more than 300 journalists, editors, publishers, producers, students and others who work to promote and defend free expression and press freedom in Canada and abroad. www.cjfe.org.
For more information or to speak to a CJFE spokesperson, please contact CJFE Manager, Julie Payne at (647) 975-0629.
Canadian Journalists for Free Expression (CJFE) recorded the killings of 87 journalists in 2010 as journalists around the world continue to face great danger while carrying out their work.
Three countries bore the brunt of the killings – Pakistan (14), Mexico (13) and Honduras (10) which accounts for 43% of journalists murdered in 2010. The governments of all three countries have failed utterly to protect the safety of journalists. The countries also share the parallel problem of impunity – killers of journalists are not being brought to justice.
The 87 journalists killed this year is a decrease from the 101 journalists killed in 2009, but that figure included the tragic massacre of 32 journalists on November 23 in the Philippines – the most journalists ever killed in one day.
“On the surface – the fact that 14 fewer journalists were killed this year than last year is good news,” says CJFE President Arnold Amber. “But quite obviously many journalists live with this constant threat just for doing their jobs.”
Although the image of a journalist being caught in the crossfire of conflict is a common one – the reality for most of the 87 journalists killed this year, as in other years, is that they were deliberately targeted. And many of them had reported receiving death threats because of the type of investigative stories they were covering in the weeks or months before their murders.
The ways in which journalists have been killed are various and paint a chilling picture of the dangers journalists face. Turkish journalist Metin AlataÅŸ appears to have been forced to commit suicide (April 4); Mexican journalist Marco Aurelio MartÃnez Tijerina was kidnapped on July 9 and found dead July 10 with at least one bullet to the head and signs of torture; Military officers in the Democratic Republic of Congo killed journalist Patient Chebeya Bankome at his home (April 5); and journalists Pervez Khan and Abdul Wahab were killed by a suicide bomber in Pakistan (December 6).
In one tragic and preventable case, Yemen journalist Mohammed Shu'i Al-Rabu'i, was killed on February 13, by four or five gunmen who had been arrested after attacking him a few months earlier but were released before charges were brought. Security Chief Abdelrazeq Az-Zareq said that he took "full responsibility" for their release at the end of 2009.
Many journalists are targeted either at their place of work or at their home – and there are many reports of police or military involvement. In Mexico, journalists are targeted by drug traffickers, police and members of the army. Mexican president Calderon’s move to intensify drug enforcement has seen increased violence and made reporting significantly more dangerous, causing many journalists to flee the country.
Also, of great concern is the new trend in Pakistan of suicide bombings of journalists. Six journalists died from bombings; the other eight were shot in various attacks. In a Dec. 6 suicide bombing in which journalists were killed, the journalists were covering an anti-terrorism strategy discussion at a council meeting in the northwest Pakistani border town of Ghalanai.
While local journalists continue to face the greatest danger in carrying out their work, 2010 did see several attacks and killings of foreign journalists working abroad. These included British journalist Rupert Hamer in Afghanistan; Tongalese journalist Stanislas Ocloo in Angola; Italian journalist Fabio Polenghi in Thailand; Turkish journalist Cevdet Kılıçlar in international waters near Israel; and American journalist James P. Hunter in Afghanistan.
Kidnappings of journalists, local and foreign continue to be a major problem especially in Mexico, Pakistan, Nigeria, Somalia and other nations. Canadian journalist Khadija Abdul Qahaar, also known as Beverly Giesbrecht, was abducted in Pakistan on Nov. 11, 2008. She remains missing but there were disturbing reports in November that she may have died; these reports have not been confirmed.
“In releasing this report, CJFE hopes to draw attention to the risks that journalists face around the world,” Amber stated. “Our organization is calling on Canadians and the international community to work together to protect the rights of journalists and to end the tragic culture of impunity which allows most murders of journalists to go unpunished.”
CJFE records the number of journalists that are killed or targeted in the line of duty because of their reporting or affiliation with a news organization. CJFE compiles its statistics from the reports of the more than 90 member groups that make up the International Freedom of Expression Exchange (IFEX). The IFEX Clearinghouse which gathers and disseminates information from the network is managed by CJFE and based in Toronto.
Canadian Journalists for Free Expression (CJFE) is an association of more than 300 journalists, editors, publishers, producers, students and others who work to promote and defend free expression and press freedom in Canada and abroad. www.cjfe.org.
For more information or to speak to a CJFE spokesperson, please contact CJFE Manager, Julie Payne at (647) 975-0629.
Monday, January 10, 2011
Commodity-based firms feeling much more robust about future than others: survey
Commodity-based firms feeling much more robust about future than others: survey
OTTAWA - The Bank of Canada says its latest survey of business conditions reveals a divide developing between commodity-based firms and others. The quarterly survey shows firms remain positive overall that their sales will accelerate in the next year, but only moderately, and fewer firms expressed optimism than three months ago. The survey finds that sales expectations are generally more robust among companies associated with commodities, especially those in the oil and mining sectors. Canadian businesses told the bank they face considerable headwinds this year, including moderate demand and strong competition.However, more firms than not reported sales picked up over the past 12 months and a small majority continue to believe the pace will continue to increase in the next year. As well, they expect to increase hiring in the next 12 months, and report that credit conditions continue to ease.
OTTAWA - The Bank of Canada says its latest survey of business conditions reveals a divide developing between commodity-based firms and others. The quarterly survey shows firms remain positive overall that their sales will accelerate in the next year, but only moderately, and fewer firms expressed optimism than three months ago. The survey finds that sales expectations are generally more robust among companies associated with commodities, especially those in the oil and mining sectors. Canadian businesses told the bank they face considerable headwinds this year, including moderate demand and strong competition.However, more firms than not reported sales picked up over the past 12 months and a small majority continue to believe the pace will continue to increase in the next year. As well, they expect to increase hiring in the next 12 months, and report that credit conditions continue to ease.
Canadian Inventions
The history of invention in Canada has followed a long and noble path. Canadian inventors have patented more than one million inventions, yet few people can name more than one or two Canadian inventors or any Canadian accomplishments.Canadian author Roy Mayer states in his book Inventing Canada: "Our innovators have given novelty, variety, and color to our lives with their great practical gifts, and the world would be an exceedingly boring and grey place without their vitality."
Canadian Inventors
Only a small percentage of the great inventions invented by Canadian inventors are listed below.
•5 Pin Bowling A truly Canadian sport invented by T.E. Ryan of Toronto in 1909[
•Able Walker The walker was patented by Norm Rolston in 1986
Access Bar Patented food bar designed to help burn fat by Dr Larry Wang
•Air-Conditioned Railway Coach Invented by Henry Ruttan in 1858
•Abdominizer The infomercial exercise darling invented by Dennis Colonello in 1984
•AC Radio Tube Invented by Edward Samuels Rogers in 1925
•Acetylene Thomas L. Wilson invented the production process in 1892
•Acetylene Buoy Invented by Thomas L. Wilson in 1904
•Agrifoam Crop Cold Protector Co-invented in 1967 by D. Siminovitch & J. W. Butler
•Analytical Plotter 3D map-making system invented by Uno Vilho Helava in 1957
•Andromonon Three-wheeled vehicle invented in 1851 by Thomas Turnbull
•Anti-Gravity Suit Invented by Wilbur Rounding Franks in 1941, a suit for high altitude jet pilots
Automatic Foghorn The first steam foghorn was invented by Robert Foulis in 1859
•Automatic Machinery Lubricator One of the many inventions invented by Elijah McCoy
Automatic Postal Sorter In 1957, Maurice Levy invented a postal sorter that could handle 200,000 letters an hour
•Basketball Invented by James Naismith in 1891
•Bone Marrow Compatibility Test Invented by Barbara Bain in 1960
•Bromine A process to extract was invented by Herbert Henry Dow in 1890
•Calcium Carbide Thomas Leopold Willson invented a process for Calcium Carbide in 1892
•Canada Dry Ginger Ale Invented in 1907 by John A. McLaughlin
•Chocolate Nut Bar Arthur Ganong made the first nickel bar in 1910
•Computerized Braille Invented by Roland Galarneau in 1972
•Creed Telegraph System Fredrick Creed invented a way to convert Morse Code to text in 1900
•Compound Steam Engine Invented by Benjamin Franklin Tibbetts in 1842
•CPR Mannequin invented by Dianne Croteau in 1989
•Electric Car Heater Thomas Ahearn invented the first electric car heater in 1890
•Electric Cooking Range Thomas Ahearn invented the first in 1882
•Electric Light Bulb Henry Woodward invented an electric light bulb in 1874 and sold the patent to Thomas Edison
•Electron Microscope Eli Franklin Burton, Cecil Hall, James Hillier, Albert Prebus co-invented the electron microscope in 1937
•Electric Organ Morse Robb of Belleville, Ontario, patented the world's first electric organ in 1928
•Electric Streetcar John Joseph Wright invented an electric streetcar in 1883
•Fathometer An early form of sonar invented by Reginald A. Fessenden in 1919
•Film Colourization Invented by Wilson Markle in 1983
•Garbage Bag (polyethylene) Invented by Harry Wasylyk in 1950
•Goalie Mask Invented by Jaques Plante in 1960
•Gramophone Co-invented by Alexander Graham Bell & Emile Berliner in 1889
•Green Ink Currency ink invented by Thomas Sterry Hunt in 1862
•Half-tone Engraving Co-invented by Georges Edouard Desbarats and William Augustus Leggo in 1869
•Heart Pacemaker Invented by Dr. John A. Hopps in 1950
•Hydrofoil Boat Co-invented by Alexander Graham Bell and Casey Baldwin in 1908
•IMax Movie System Co-invented in 1968 by Grahame Ferguson, Roman Kroitor, and Robert Kerr
•Instant Mashed Potatos Dehydrated potato flakes were invented by Edward A. Asselbergs in 1962
•Insulin Process Fredrick Banting, J. J. Macleod, Charles Best and Collip invented the process for insulin in 1922
•JAVA Software programming language invented by James Gosling in 1994
•Jetliner The first commercial jetliner to fly in North America was designed by James Floyd in 1949. The first test flight of the Avro Jetliner was on August 10 1949.
•Jolly Jumper Baby's delight invented by Olivia Poole in 1959
•Kerosene Invented by Doctor Abraham Gesner in 1846
•Lawn Sprinkler Another invention made by Elijah McCoy
•Light Bulb Leads Leads made of nickel & iron alloy were invented by Reginald A. Fessenden in 1892
•Marquis Wheat Invented by Sir Charles E. Saunders in 1908
•McIntosh Apple Invented by John McIntosh in 1796
•Music Synthesizer Invented by Hugh Le Caine in 1945
•Newsprint Invented by Charles Fenerty in 1838
•Odometer Invented by Samuel McKeen in 1854
•Paint Roller invented by Norman Breakey of Toronto in 1940
•Plexiglas Polymerized Methyl Methacrylate invented by William Chalmers in 1931
Polypump Liquid Dispenser Harold Humphrey made pumpable liquid hand soap possible in 1972
•Portable Film Developing System Invented by Arthur Williams McCurdy in 1890, but he foolishly sold the patent to George Eastman in 1903
•Potato Digger Invented by Alexander Anderson in 1856
•Process to Extract Helium from Natural Gas Invented by Sir John Cunningham McLennan in 1915
•Prosthetic Hand An electric prosthetic invented by Helmut Lucas in 1971
•Quartz Clock Warren Marrison developed the first quartz clock
•R-Theta Navigation System Invented by J.E.G. Wright in 1958
•Radio-Transmitted Voice Invented by Reginald A. Fessenden in 1904
•Railway Car Brake Invented by George B. Dorey in 1913
•Railway Sleeper Car Invented by Samuel Sharp in 1857
•Robertson Screw Invented by Peter L. Robertson in 1908
•Rotary Blow Molding Machine Plastic bottle maker invented by Gustave Côté in 1966
•Rotary Railroad Snowplow Invented by J.E. Elliott in 1869
•Rubber Shoe Heels Elijah McCoy patented an important improvement to rubber heels in 1879
•Safety Paint A high reflectivity paint invented by Neil Harpham in 1974
•Screw Propeller Ship's propeller invented by John Patch in 1833
•Silicon Chip Blood Analyzer Invented by Imants Lauks in 1986
SlickLicker Made for cleaning oil spills and patented by Richard Sewell in 1970
•Snowblower Invented by Arthur Sicard in 1925
•Snowmobile Invented by Joseph-Armand Bombardier in 1958
•Standard Time Invented by Sir Sanford Fleming in 1878
•Stereo-orthography Map Making System Invented by T.J. Blachut, Stanley Collins in 1965
•Superphosphate Fertilizer Invented by Thomas L. Wilson in 1896
•Synthetic Sucrose Invented by Dr. Raymond Lemieux in 1953
•Television System Reginald A. Fessenden patented a television system in 1927
•Television Camera Invented by F. C. P. Henroteau in 1934
•Telephone Invented by Alexander Graham Bell in 1876
•Telephone Handset Invented by Cyril Duquet in 1878
•Tone-to-Pulse Converter Invented by Michael Cowpland in 1974
•Trivial Pursuit Invented in 1979 by Chris Haney and Scott Abbott
•Tuck-Away-Handle Beer Carton Invented by Steve Pasjac in 1957
•Undersea Telegraph Cable Invented by Fredrick Newton Gisborne in 1857
•UV-degradable Plastics Invented by Dr. James Guillet in 1971
•Variable Pitch Aircraft Propeller Invented by Walter Rupert Turnbull in 1922
•Walkie-Talkie Invented by Donald L. Hings in 1942
•Wireless Radio Invented by Reginald A. Fessenden in 1900
•Wirephoto Edward Samuels Rogers invented the first in 1925
•Zipper Invented by Gideon Sundback in 1913
Canadian Inventors
Only a small percentage of the great inventions invented by Canadian inventors are listed below.
•5 Pin Bowling A truly Canadian sport invented by T.E. Ryan of Toronto in 1909[
•Able Walker The walker was patented by Norm Rolston in 1986
Access Bar Patented food bar designed to help burn fat by Dr Larry Wang
•Air-Conditioned Railway Coach Invented by Henry Ruttan in 1858
•Abdominizer The infomercial exercise darling invented by Dennis Colonello in 1984
•AC Radio Tube Invented by Edward Samuels Rogers in 1925
•Acetylene Thomas L. Wilson invented the production process in 1892
•Acetylene Buoy Invented by Thomas L. Wilson in 1904
•Agrifoam Crop Cold Protector Co-invented in 1967 by D. Siminovitch & J. W. Butler
•Analytical Plotter 3D map-making system invented by Uno Vilho Helava in 1957
•Andromonon Three-wheeled vehicle invented in 1851 by Thomas Turnbull
•Anti-Gravity Suit Invented by Wilbur Rounding Franks in 1941, a suit for high altitude jet pilots
Automatic Foghorn The first steam foghorn was invented by Robert Foulis in 1859
•Automatic Machinery Lubricator One of the many inventions invented by Elijah McCoy
Automatic Postal Sorter In 1957, Maurice Levy invented a postal sorter that could handle 200,000 letters an hour
•Basketball Invented by James Naismith in 1891
•Bone Marrow Compatibility Test Invented by Barbara Bain in 1960
•Bromine A process to extract was invented by Herbert Henry Dow in 1890
•Calcium Carbide Thomas Leopold Willson invented a process for Calcium Carbide in 1892
•Canada Dry Ginger Ale Invented in 1907 by John A. McLaughlin
•Chocolate Nut Bar Arthur Ganong made the first nickel bar in 1910
•Computerized Braille Invented by Roland Galarneau in 1972
•Creed Telegraph System Fredrick Creed invented a way to convert Morse Code to text in 1900
•Compound Steam Engine Invented by Benjamin Franklin Tibbetts in 1842
•CPR Mannequin invented by Dianne Croteau in 1989
•Electric Car Heater Thomas Ahearn invented the first electric car heater in 1890
•Electric Cooking Range Thomas Ahearn invented the first in 1882
•Electric Light Bulb Henry Woodward invented an electric light bulb in 1874 and sold the patent to Thomas Edison
•Electron Microscope Eli Franklin Burton, Cecil Hall, James Hillier, Albert Prebus co-invented the electron microscope in 1937
•Electric Organ Morse Robb of Belleville, Ontario, patented the world's first electric organ in 1928
•Electric Streetcar John Joseph Wright invented an electric streetcar in 1883
•Fathometer An early form of sonar invented by Reginald A. Fessenden in 1919
•Film Colourization Invented by Wilson Markle in 1983
•Garbage Bag (polyethylene) Invented by Harry Wasylyk in 1950
•Goalie Mask Invented by Jaques Plante in 1960
•Gramophone Co-invented by Alexander Graham Bell & Emile Berliner in 1889
•Green Ink Currency ink invented by Thomas Sterry Hunt in 1862
•Half-tone Engraving Co-invented by Georges Edouard Desbarats and William Augustus Leggo in 1869
•Heart Pacemaker Invented by Dr. John A. Hopps in 1950
•Hydrofoil Boat Co-invented by Alexander Graham Bell and Casey Baldwin in 1908
•IMax Movie System Co-invented in 1968 by Grahame Ferguson, Roman Kroitor, and Robert Kerr
•Instant Mashed Potatos Dehydrated potato flakes were invented by Edward A. Asselbergs in 1962
•Insulin Process Fredrick Banting, J. J. Macleod, Charles Best and Collip invented the process for insulin in 1922
•JAVA Software programming language invented by James Gosling in 1994
•Jetliner The first commercial jetliner to fly in North America was designed by James Floyd in 1949. The first test flight of the Avro Jetliner was on August 10 1949.
•Jolly Jumper Baby's delight invented by Olivia Poole in 1959
•Kerosene Invented by Doctor Abraham Gesner in 1846
•Lawn Sprinkler Another invention made by Elijah McCoy
•Light Bulb Leads Leads made of nickel & iron alloy were invented by Reginald A. Fessenden in 1892
•Marquis Wheat Invented by Sir Charles E. Saunders in 1908
•McIntosh Apple Invented by John McIntosh in 1796
•Music Synthesizer Invented by Hugh Le Caine in 1945
•Newsprint Invented by Charles Fenerty in 1838
•Odometer Invented by Samuel McKeen in 1854
•Paint Roller invented by Norman Breakey of Toronto in 1940
•Plexiglas Polymerized Methyl Methacrylate invented by William Chalmers in 1931
Polypump Liquid Dispenser Harold Humphrey made pumpable liquid hand soap possible in 1972
•Portable Film Developing System Invented by Arthur Williams McCurdy in 1890, but he foolishly sold the patent to George Eastman in 1903
•Potato Digger Invented by Alexander Anderson in 1856
•Process to Extract Helium from Natural Gas Invented by Sir John Cunningham McLennan in 1915
•Prosthetic Hand An electric prosthetic invented by Helmut Lucas in 1971
•Quartz Clock Warren Marrison developed the first quartz clock
•R-Theta Navigation System Invented by J.E.G. Wright in 1958
•Radio-Transmitted Voice Invented by Reginald A. Fessenden in 1904
•Railway Car Brake Invented by George B. Dorey in 1913
•Railway Sleeper Car Invented by Samuel Sharp in 1857
•Robertson Screw Invented by Peter L. Robertson in 1908
•Rotary Blow Molding Machine Plastic bottle maker invented by Gustave Côté in 1966
•Rotary Railroad Snowplow Invented by J.E. Elliott in 1869
•Rubber Shoe Heels Elijah McCoy patented an important improvement to rubber heels in 1879
•Safety Paint A high reflectivity paint invented by Neil Harpham in 1974
•Screw Propeller Ship's propeller invented by John Patch in 1833
•Silicon Chip Blood Analyzer Invented by Imants Lauks in 1986
SlickLicker Made for cleaning oil spills and patented by Richard Sewell in 1970
•Snowblower Invented by Arthur Sicard in 1925
•Snowmobile Invented by Joseph-Armand Bombardier in 1958
•Standard Time Invented by Sir Sanford Fleming in 1878
•Stereo-orthography Map Making System Invented by T.J. Blachut, Stanley Collins in 1965
•Superphosphate Fertilizer Invented by Thomas L. Wilson in 1896
•Synthetic Sucrose Invented by Dr. Raymond Lemieux in 1953
•Television System Reginald A. Fessenden patented a television system in 1927
•Television Camera Invented by F. C. P. Henroteau in 1934
•Telephone Invented by Alexander Graham Bell in 1876
•Telephone Handset Invented by Cyril Duquet in 1878
•Tone-to-Pulse Converter Invented by Michael Cowpland in 1974
•Trivial Pursuit Invented in 1979 by Chris Haney and Scott Abbott
•Tuck-Away-Handle Beer Carton Invented by Steve Pasjac in 1957
•Undersea Telegraph Cable Invented by Fredrick Newton Gisborne in 1857
•UV-degradable Plastics Invented by Dr. James Guillet in 1971
•Variable Pitch Aircraft Propeller Invented by Walter Rupert Turnbull in 1922
•Walkie-Talkie Invented by Donald L. Hings in 1942
•Wireless Radio Invented by Reginald A. Fessenden in 1900
•Wirephoto Edward Samuels Rogers invented the first in 1925
•Zipper Invented by Gideon Sundback in 1913
Canadian Inventions
The history of invention in Canada has followed a long and noble path. Canadian inventors have patented more than one million inventions, yet few people can name more than one or two Canadian inventors or any Canadian accomplishments.
Canadian author Roy Mayer states in his book Inventing Canada: "Our innovators have given novelty, variety, and color to our lives with their great practical gifts, and the world would be an exceedingly boring and grey place without their vitality."
Canadian Inventors
Only a small percentage of the great inventions invented by Canadian inventors are listed below.
•5 Pin Bowling A truly Canadian sport invented by T.E. Ryan of Toronto in 1909[
•Able Walker The walker was patented by Norm Rolston in 1986
•Access Bar Patented food bar designed to help burn fat by Dr Larry Wang
•Air-Conditioned Railway Coach Invented by Henry Ruttan in 1858
•Abdominizer The infomercial exercise darling invented by Dennis Colonello in 1984
•AC Radio Tube Invented by Edward Samuels Rogers in 1925
•Acetylene Thomas L. Wilson invented the production process in 1892
•Acetylene Buoy Invented by Thomas L. Wilson in 1904
•Agrifoam Crop Cold Protector Co-invented in 1967 by D. Siminovitch & J. W. Butler
•Analytical Plotter 3D map-making system invented by Uno Vilho Helava in 1957
•Andromonon Three-wheeled vehicle invented in 1851 by Thomas Turnbull
•Anti-Gravity Suit Invented by Wilbur Rounding Franks in 1941, a suit for high altitude jet pilots
•Automatic Foghorn The first steam foghorn was invented by Robert Foulis in 1859
•Automatic Machinery Lubricator One of the many inventions invented by Elijah McCoy
•Automatic Postal Sorter In 1957, Maurice Levy invented a postal sorter that could handle 200,000 letters an hour
•Basketball Invented by James Naismith in 1891
•Bone Marrow Compatibility Test Invented by Barbara Bain in 1960
•Bromine A process to extract was invented by Herbert Henry Dow in 1890
•Calcium Carbide Thomas Leopold Willson invented a process for Calcium Carbide in 1892
•Canada Dry Ginger Ale Invented in 1907 by John A. McLaughlin
•Chocolate Nut Bar Arthur Ganong made the first nickel bar in 1910
•Computerized Braille Invented by Roland Galarneau in 1972
•Creed Telegraph System Fredrick Creed invented a way to convert Morse Code to text in 1900
•Compound Steam Engine Invented by Benjamin Franklin Tibbetts in 1842
•CPR Mannequin invented by Dianne Croteau in 1989
•Electric Car Heater Thomas Ahearn invented the first electric car heater in 1890
•Electric Cooking Range Thomas Ahearn invented the first in 1882
•Electric Light Bulb Henry Woodward invented an electric light bulb in 1874 and sold the patent to Thomas Edison
•Electron Microscope Eli Franklin Burton, Cecil Hall, James Hillier, Albert Prebus co-invented the electron microscope in 1937
•Electric Organ Morse Robb of Belleville, Ontario, patented the world's first electric organ in 1928
•Electric Streetcar John Joseph Wright invented an electric streetcar in 1883
Canadian author Roy Mayer states in his book Inventing Canada: "Our innovators have given novelty, variety, and color to our lives with their great practical gifts, and the world would be an exceedingly boring and grey place without their vitality."
Canadian Inventors
Only a small percentage of the great inventions invented by Canadian inventors are listed below.
•5 Pin Bowling A truly Canadian sport invented by T.E. Ryan of Toronto in 1909[
•Able Walker The walker was patented by Norm Rolston in 1986
•Access Bar Patented food bar designed to help burn fat by Dr Larry Wang
•Air-Conditioned Railway Coach Invented by Henry Ruttan in 1858
•Abdominizer The infomercial exercise darling invented by Dennis Colonello in 1984
•AC Radio Tube Invented by Edward Samuels Rogers in 1925
•Acetylene Thomas L. Wilson invented the production process in 1892
•Acetylene Buoy Invented by Thomas L. Wilson in 1904
•Agrifoam Crop Cold Protector Co-invented in 1967 by D. Siminovitch & J. W. Butler
•Analytical Plotter 3D map-making system invented by Uno Vilho Helava in 1957
•Andromonon Three-wheeled vehicle invented in 1851 by Thomas Turnbull
•Anti-Gravity Suit Invented by Wilbur Rounding Franks in 1941, a suit for high altitude jet pilots
•Automatic Foghorn The first steam foghorn was invented by Robert Foulis in 1859
•Automatic Machinery Lubricator One of the many inventions invented by Elijah McCoy
•Automatic Postal Sorter In 1957, Maurice Levy invented a postal sorter that could handle 200,000 letters an hour
•Basketball Invented by James Naismith in 1891
•Bone Marrow Compatibility Test Invented by Barbara Bain in 1960
•Bromine A process to extract was invented by Herbert Henry Dow in 1890
•Calcium Carbide Thomas Leopold Willson invented a process for Calcium Carbide in 1892
•Canada Dry Ginger Ale Invented in 1907 by John A. McLaughlin
•Chocolate Nut Bar Arthur Ganong made the first nickel bar in 1910
•Computerized Braille Invented by Roland Galarneau in 1972
•Creed Telegraph System Fredrick Creed invented a way to convert Morse Code to text in 1900
•Compound Steam Engine Invented by Benjamin Franklin Tibbetts in 1842
•CPR Mannequin invented by Dianne Croteau in 1989
•Electric Car Heater Thomas Ahearn invented the first electric car heater in 1890
•Electric Cooking Range Thomas Ahearn invented the first in 1882
•Electric Light Bulb Henry Woodward invented an electric light bulb in 1874 and sold the patent to Thomas Edison
•Electron Microscope Eli Franklin Burton, Cecil Hall, James Hillier, Albert Prebus co-invented the electron microscope in 1937
•Electric Organ Morse Robb of Belleville, Ontario, patented the world's first electric organ in 1928
•Electric Streetcar John Joseph Wright invented an electric streetcar in 1883
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Canada hits bottom on freedom-of-information ranking, new study finds
Canadian Press Dean Beeby, The Canadian Press
OTTAWA - A new study ranks Canada dead last in an international comparison of freedom-of-information laws — a hard fall after many years being judged a global model in openness. The study by a pair of British academics looked at the effectiveness of freedom-of-information laws in five parliamentary democracies: Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, the United Kingdom and Canada.
New Zealand placed first and Canada last.
"Above all, an effective FOI regime requires strong government commitment and political will. Officials cannot do it on their own," says the paper, published in the journal Government Information Quarterly.
"Canada comes last as it has continually suffered from a combination of low use, low political support and a weak Information Commissioner since its inception."
The study, by Robert Hazell and Ben Worthy of University College in London, ranked countries based on official statistics on appeals, court decisions, delays and other factors affecting the release of government information to public requesters. The authors criticized Canada FOI law as an antiquated system that generally prevents citizens from filing requests electronically and compels them to submit paper cheques to cover fees.
Under the Access to Information Act, any resident of Canada can request government-controlled information, such as a bureaucrat's expense claims or a minister's briefing notes, for an initial $5 fee. The application is subject to a range of exemptions. The journal's findings echo another global study, completed in 2008 by researcher Stanley Tromp for the Canadian Newspaper Association and others, that found the operation and enforcement of Canada's Access to Information Act rates poorly when compared with many other countries, including the United States.
"Canada used to be in the vanguard on this issue," said Alasdair Roberts, a professor at Boston's Suffolk University Law School and an expert in freedom-of-information. "But now Canada at the very best is in the middle of the pack. It's got an outmoded law."Other countries "don't look to Canada for an example of how to do business anymore," Roberts said in an interview.
Canada was among the first dozen countries in the world to pass a freedom-of-information law, which came into effect in 1983 long before the era of the web. As freedom-of-information came to be regarded as a building block of modern governance, countries around the globe would often seek Canada's advice on how to implement such legislation. But today, with more than 70 countries on the FOI bandwagon, Canada has become a laggard — and, paradoxically, an occasional source of advice on how not to implement freedom of information, says Canada's information commissioner Suzanne Legault.
"I'm not surprised that they ranked Canada last," she said of the latest study. "We were seen as the leaders. ... We have fallen behind." Legault, whose office resolves complaints from requesters, said while the study has methodological shortcomings, just-published government statistics covering the 2009-2010 fiscal year nevertheless support the finding that the regime is broken. "We can use our own data, and come to the conclusion that our system is in decline," she said.
Only about 16 per cent of the 35,000 requests filed last year resulted in the full disclosure of information, compared with 40 per cent a decade ago, she noted. And delays in the release of records continue to grow, with just 56 per cent of requests completed in the legislated 30-day period last year, compared with almost 70 per cent at the start of the decade.
Legault's office also suffers from a chronic lack of resources, creating backlogs, while the law does not give her the power to order the release of documents. The Harper Conservatives first came to power in 2006 on an explicit promise to reform the Access to Information Act dramatically but have largely failed to deliver after five years in power. Parliament did broaden the number of federal institutions covered by the Act, but growing delays and excessive censorship have plagued the system, prompting repeated public scoldings from the last three information commissioners.
At least three government departments are currently under investigation for alleged political interference in the release of documents, which has led to the resignation of a ministerial aid. Treasury Board President Stockwell Day, who is responsible for administering the Access to Information Act, said he has asked his officials for a "full analysis" of the latest study. "Our government is committed to transparency and access to information for all Canadians," he said in a statement."It was our government that greatly expanded and strengthened the Access to Information Act in 2006."
Canada's lost leadership in the world of freedom-of information parallels its reduced standing at global environmental conferences and its recent failure to win a seat on the UN Security Council. Roberts said the breakdown of Canada's FOI system stems partly from the relatively low numbers of requests from citizens — and the absence of lobby groups pressing for change. "Parties on both sides have realized that you can renege on promises on reforming the law and there's no significant adverse political consequences," he said. "You can ride it out. And the reason you can ride it out is that there is no well-organized, well-funded lobby that is going to push you aggressively on this."
Roberts, the Canadian author of a landmark volume on freedom of information, said the lack of effective criticism has emboldened senior civil servants to actively resist the law. "In a perverse way, Canada is becoming in the vanguard again — but it's in the vanguard because you have senior officials who are willing to say, 'We think this law is a bad idea.' " Added Legault: "we have lost sight of the purpose of the Act," as overworked bureaucrats largely focus on the technical application of legal loopholes to withhold information.
The geriatric legislation also reflects the non-digital world of the early 1980s, and has become more and more difficult for ordinary Canadians to use. "My children are never going to use it," Legault said, noting for example that a new generation doesn't write cheques anymore but transfers funds electronically. One prolific user of Canada's FOI law applauded the British paper. "This study should be a call to action — not for parliamentarians because they are obviously in a huge conflict of interest — but the general public," said Ottawa lawyer Michel Drapeau.
OTTAWA - A new study ranks Canada dead last in an international comparison of freedom-of-information laws — a hard fall after many years being judged a global model in openness. The study by a pair of British academics looked at the effectiveness of freedom-of-information laws in five parliamentary democracies: Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, the United Kingdom and Canada.
New Zealand placed first and Canada last.
"Above all, an effective FOI regime requires strong government commitment and political will. Officials cannot do it on their own," says the paper, published in the journal Government Information Quarterly.
"Canada comes last as it has continually suffered from a combination of low use, low political support and a weak Information Commissioner since its inception."
The study, by Robert Hazell and Ben Worthy of University College in London, ranked countries based on official statistics on appeals, court decisions, delays and other factors affecting the release of government information to public requesters. The authors criticized Canada FOI law as an antiquated system that generally prevents citizens from filing requests electronically and compels them to submit paper cheques to cover fees.
Under the Access to Information Act, any resident of Canada can request government-controlled information, such as a bureaucrat's expense claims or a minister's briefing notes, for an initial $5 fee. The application is subject to a range of exemptions. The journal's findings echo another global study, completed in 2008 by researcher Stanley Tromp for the Canadian Newspaper Association and others, that found the operation and enforcement of Canada's Access to Information Act rates poorly when compared with many other countries, including the United States.
"Canada used to be in the vanguard on this issue," said Alasdair Roberts, a professor at Boston's Suffolk University Law School and an expert in freedom-of-information. "But now Canada at the very best is in the middle of the pack. It's got an outmoded law."Other countries "don't look to Canada for an example of how to do business anymore," Roberts said in an interview.
Canada was among the first dozen countries in the world to pass a freedom-of-information law, which came into effect in 1983 long before the era of the web. As freedom-of-information came to be regarded as a building block of modern governance, countries around the globe would often seek Canada's advice on how to implement such legislation. But today, with more than 70 countries on the FOI bandwagon, Canada has become a laggard — and, paradoxically, an occasional source of advice on how not to implement freedom of information, says Canada's information commissioner Suzanne Legault.
"I'm not surprised that they ranked Canada last," she said of the latest study. "We were seen as the leaders. ... We have fallen behind." Legault, whose office resolves complaints from requesters, said while the study has methodological shortcomings, just-published government statistics covering the 2009-2010 fiscal year nevertheless support the finding that the regime is broken. "We can use our own data, and come to the conclusion that our system is in decline," she said.
Only about 16 per cent of the 35,000 requests filed last year resulted in the full disclosure of information, compared with 40 per cent a decade ago, she noted. And delays in the release of records continue to grow, with just 56 per cent of requests completed in the legislated 30-day period last year, compared with almost 70 per cent at the start of the decade.
Legault's office also suffers from a chronic lack of resources, creating backlogs, while the law does not give her the power to order the release of documents. The Harper Conservatives first came to power in 2006 on an explicit promise to reform the Access to Information Act dramatically but have largely failed to deliver after five years in power. Parliament did broaden the number of federal institutions covered by the Act, but growing delays and excessive censorship have plagued the system, prompting repeated public scoldings from the last three information commissioners.
At least three government departments are currently under investigation for alleged political interference in the release of documents, which has led to the resignation of a ministerial aid. Treasury Board President Stockwell Day, who is responsible for administering the Access to Information Act, said he has asked his officials for a "full analysis" of the latest study. "Our government is committed to transparency and access to information for all Canadians," he said in a statement."It was our government that greatly expanded and strengthened the Access to Information Act in 2006."
Canada's lost leadership in the world of freedom-of information parallels its reduced standing at global environmental conferences and its recent failure to win a seat on the UN Security Council. Roberts said the breakdown of Canada's FOI system stems partly from the relatively low numbers of requests from citizens — and the absence of lobby groups pressing for change. "Parties on both sides have realized that you can renege on promises on reforming the law and there's no significant adverse political consequences," he said. "You can ride it out. And the reason you can ride it out is that there is no well-organized, well-funded lobby that is going to push you aggressively on this."
Roberts, the Canadian author of a landmark volume on freedom of information, said the lack of effective criticism has emboldened senior civil servants to actively resist the law. "In a perverse way, Canada is becoming in the vanguard again — but it's in the vanguard because you have senior officials who are willing to say, 'We think this law is a bad idea.' " Added Legault: "we have lost sight of the purpose of the Act," as overworked bureaucrats largely focus on the technical application of legal loopholes to withhold information.
The geriatric legislation also reflects the non-digital world of the early 1980s, and has become more and more difficult for ordinary Canadians to use. "My children are never going to use it," Legault said, noting for example that a new generation doesn't write cheques anymore but transfers funds electronically. One prolific user of Canada's FOI law applauded the British paper. "This study should be a call to action — not for parliamentarians because they are obviously in a huge conflict of interest — but the general public," said Ottawa lawyer Michel Drapeau.
Did Canadian prof solve a Mona Lisa mystery?
One of the art world's greatest masterpieces remains one of the world's biggest mysteries, but a Canadian professor believes he has cracked one of the Mona Lisa's many secrets. For almost a decade, Ross Kilpatrick has pored over every detail in the famed painting -- from the pictured woman to the diverse landscape behind her -- and conducted research to identify at least some of the portrait's hidden literary references.
Now, armed with a catalogue of evidence to support his theory, the Queen's University professor has identified three Renaissance-era poems that he believes inspired Leonardo da Vinci as the famed artist painted the Mona Lisa in the early 1500s. Kilpatrick's findings are published in an Italian journal.
Kilpatrick said Leonardo used a technique called "invention" to incorporate images inspired by one sonnet written by the Roman poet Horace and two by Florentine poet Petrarch. "The Mona Lisa is a portrait but even portraits can tell stories," Kilpatrick, a classics professor emeritus, told CTV.ca. "I think it's more than a portrait. Along the way I think greater things possibly came to (Leonardo's) mind."
The literary references are found in the "vast and barren" landscape behind the woman, whose enigmatic smile still has people in a tizzy. In his published article, Kilpatrick wrote that the 500-year-old portrait alludes to Horace's Ode to 1.22 and Petrarch's Canzoniere CXLV and CLIX. The poems speak of endless devotion to a smiling young woman and vows to love and follow her from dreary mountains to sun-scorched deserts, he wrote.
Leonardo was familiar with the works of both poets, Kilpatrick said. Kilpatrick's theory arises from his expertise as a classics professor. He was already well-acquainted with Horace's sonnets when he began studying the Mona Lisa. "The more I looked at (the painting) I thought, ‘Is there a possibility of a literary reference?' and then it popped into my mind. This was it, you've got the smiling woman and this desolate background. It was Horace," Kilpatrick said.
Kilpatrick continued his research and delved into Petrarch's work because, he said, it is similar to Horace's.
The evidence backing Kilpatrick's theory was published in the Italian journal Medicea, bringing an end to his analysis. "It's been fun. I must say I got to know Mona Lisa quite well," Kilpatrick said with a laugh.
This type of time-consuming research is Kilpatrick's longtime hobby. He also claimed references to the mythical wedding of Greek gods Ariadne and Dionysus in Gustav Klimt's painting The Kiss.
Kilpatrick admits his Mona Lisa theory is subject to interpretation and he accepts the fact that some people will disagree with him. At the very least, Kilpatrick's theory adds another layer of to the never-ending discussion about the Mona Lisa and its widely-debated symbolism and supposed secrets.
Centuries have passed but the portrait is encased in theories and questions that have divided scholars. The debate rages over everything from the identity of the woman -- she is commonly thought to be Lisa Gherardini, the wife of a well-to-do Florentine merchant -- and whether she was pregnant, to whether the Mona Lisa contains hidden codes or is disguised as Leonardo's self-portrait.
A group of Italian scientists wants to test the latter theory by exhuming and examining the human remains that are presumed to belong to the artist. Kilpatrick said the world's interest and the Mona Lisa's mystique picked up steam after the original painting was stolen from the Louvre in Paris in 1911. The painting was later recovered in Italy and returned to the Louvre, where it remains on display today and is visited by millions of people each year.
Now, armed with a catalogue of evidence to support his theory, the Queen's University professor has identified three Renaissance-era poems that he believes inspired Leonardo da Vinci as the famed artist painted the Mona Lisa in the early 1500s. Kilpatrick's findings are published in an Italian journal.
Kilpatrick said Leonardo used a technique called "invention" to incorporate images inspired by one sonnet written by the Roman poet Horace and two by Florentine poet Petrarch. "The Mona Lisa is a portrait but even portraits can tell stories," Kilpatrick, a classics professor emeritus, told CTV.ca. "I think it's more than a portrait. Along the way I think greater things possibly came to (Leonardo's) mind."
The literary references are found in the "vast and barren" landscape behind the woman, whose enigmatic smile still has people in a tizzy. In his published article, Kilpatrick wrote that the 500-year-old portrait alludes to Horace's Ode to 1.22 and Petrarch's Canzoniere CXLV and CLIX. The poems speak of endless devotion to a smiling young woman and vows to love and follow her from dreary mountains to sun-scorched deserts, he wrote.
Leonardo was familiar with the works of both poets, Kilpatrick said. Kilpatrick's theory arises from his expertise as a classics professor. He was already well-acquainted with Horace's sonnets when he began studying the Mona Lisa. "The more I looked at (the painting) I thought, ‘Is there a possibility of a literary reference?' and then it popped into my mind. This was it, you've got the smiling woman and this desolate background. It was Horace," Kilpatrick said.
Kilpatrick continued his research and delved into Petrarch's work because, he said, it is similar to Horace's.
The evidence backing Kilpatrick's theory was published in the Italian journal Medicea, bringing an end to his analysis. "It's been fun. I must say I got to know Mona Lisa quite well," Kilpatrick said with a laugh.
This type of time-consuming research is Kilpatrick's longtime hobby. He also claimed references to the mythical wedding of Greek gods Ariadne and Dionysus in Gustav Klimt's painting The Kiss.
Kilpatrick admits his Mona Lisa theory is subject to interpretation and he accepts the fact that some people will disagree with him. At the very least, Kilpatrick's theory adds another layer of to the never-ending discussion about the Mona Lisa and its widely-debated symbolism and supposed secrets.
Centuries have passed but the portrait is encased in theories and questions that have divided scholars. The debate rages over everything from the identity of the woman -- she is commonly thought to be Lisa Gherardini, the wife of a well-to-do Florentine merchant -- and whether she was pregnant, to whether the Mona Lisa contains hidden codes or is disguised as Leonardo's self-portrait.
A group of Italian scientists wants to test the latter theory by exhuming and examining the human remains that are presumed to belong to the artist. Kilpatrick said the world's interest and the Mona Lisa's mystique picked up steam after the original painting was stolen from the Louvre in Paris in 1911. The painting was later recovered in Italy and returned to the Louvre, where it remains on display today and is visited by millions of people each year.
Time for senate reform in Canada
LeBreton optimistic about Senate reform
The government leader in the Senate says she expects to see some Senate reforms passed into law in this session of Parliament.Conservative Senator Marjory LeBreton says she's optimistic a bill to limit appointed senators' terms to eight years can be passed. In an interview with CBC Radio’s The House, Conservative Senator Marjory LeBreton said she's optimistic that a House of Commons bill to limit appointed senators' terms to eight years can be passed.
Senators are technically appointed by the Governor General, although in practice appointments are always made on the advice of the prime minister.Prime Minister Stephen Harper achieved an absolute majority of Conservatives in the Senate with two new appointments last month. Harper has appointed 37 Senators since 2006, bringing the total number of Conservative Senators to 54 of 105.But despite longstanding promises, Harper has not yet made any changes to how the appointment process works.With their majority, Conservatives are better placed than ever to achieve their long-stated promise to reform the Senate, which they have argued is nothing more than an expensive venture in patronage.
Although she is hopeful about the term-limit bill, LeBreton is less optimistic that a second piece of legislation, which mandates that senators be elected provincially, will be passed any time soon."We feel we're on fairly good constitutional grounds," said LeBreton. "But I'd be dreaming in Technicolor if I thought this was doable in two or three months. Especially the Senate selection."That bill on Senate selection would require the prime minister to consider a list of provincially elected names when making appointments. But he would not be bound to choose only from the list.
Liberal Senator James Cowan, the Senate Opposition leader, said his party is not opposed to substantive Senate reform, but argues that any reform will require amending the constitution."For a significant amendment like that you require not only the approval of Parliament. You require the approval of seven provinces representing 50 per cent of the population," Cowan said. "Like it or not, [Harper] has to consult with the provinces. And that's been our position since I came to the Senate five years ago. "We're not obstructing anything, we're simply pointing out there is a document called the Constitution of Canada and you can't ignore that."
'Put it on the order paper'
Cowan also questioned how serious the Conservatives really are about Senate reform, pointing out that the term-limit bill has made no progress in the House of Commons."It just sits there," said Cowan. "If [the Conservatives] want to move it ahead, if it's a priority for them, they should put it on the order paper and have it dealt with. But they haven't done that."
When asked how she intends to use the Conservatives' new majority in the Senate, LeBreton says she will make an effort to rise above the partisanship displayed in the past by the Liberal majority in the Senate."The truth of the matter is we are all partisans and there's nothing wrong with partisanship," she said. " It gets out of hand on both sides at times. But I actually am going to try — and I have tried — to treat my opponents as I would have wanted to be treated, but was not, when we were in opposition.The Opposition criticized Conservative senators last fall for killing Bill C-311, an opposition bill on the environment.
But LeBreton argues the government had little choice but to bring down the bill when the Liberals called for an early vote on the draft legislation. She called that situation an "anomaly" that will not become common practice now that her numbers are even stronger."I fully intend to adhere to the tradition of sending all bills to committee," she said. "That is a very legitimate role for the Senate in studying bills, because Senate committees do have a good reputation of properly hearing all sides of the arguments."
Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/politics/story/2011/01/08/senate-lebreton-reforms.html#ixzz1AT1T8Kd8
The government leader in the Senate says she expects to see some Senate reforms passed into law in this session of Parliament.Conservative Senator Marjory LeBreton says she's optimistic a bill to limit appointed senators' terms to eight years can be passed. In an interview with CBC Radio’s The House, Conservative Senator Marjory LeBreton said she's optimistic that a House of Commons bill to limit appointed senators' terms to eight years can be passed.
Senators are technically appointed by the Governor General, although in practice appointments are always made on the advice of the prime minister.Prime Minister Stephen Harper achieved an absolute majority of Conservatives in the Senate with two new appointments last month. Harper has appointed 37 Senators since 2006, bringing the total number of Conservative Senators to 54 of 105.But despite longstanding promises, Harper has not yet made any changes to how the appointment process works.With their majority, Conservatives are better placed than ever to achieve their long-stated promise to reform the Senate, which they have argued is nothing more than an expensive venture in patronage.
Although she is hopeful about the term-limit bill, LeBreton is less optimistic that a second piece of legislation, which mandates that senators be elected provincially, will be passed any time soon."We feel we're on fairly good constitutional grounds," said LeBreton. "But I'd be dreaming in Technicolor if I thought this was doable in two or three months. Especially the Senate selection."That bill on Senate selection would require the prime minister to consider a list of provincially elected names when making appointments. But he would not be bound to choose only from the list.
Liberal Senator James Cowan, the Senate Opposition leader, said his party is not opposed to substantive Senate reform, but argues that any reform will require amending the constitution."For a significant amendment like that you require not only the approval of Parliament. You require the approval of seven provinces representing 50 per cent of the population," Cowan said. "Like it or not, [Harper] has to consult with the provinces. And that's been our position since I came to the Senate five years ago. "We're not obstructing anything, we're simply pointing out there is a document called the Constitution of Canada and you can't ignore that."
'Put it on the order paper'
Cowan also questioned how serious the Conservatives really are about Senate reform, pointing out that the term-limit bill has made no progress in the House of Commons."It just sits there," said Cowan. "If [the Conservatives] want to move it ahead, if it's a priority for them, they should put it on the order paper and have it dealt with. But they haven't done that."
When asked how she intends to use the Conservatives' new majority in the Senate, LeBreton says she will make an effort to rise above the partisanship displayed in the past by the Liberal majority in the Senate."The truth of the matter is we are all partisans and there's nothing wrong with partisanship," she said. " It gets out of hand on both sides at times. But I actually am going to try — and I have tried — to treat my opponents as I would have wanted to be treated, but was not, when we were in opposition.The Opposition criticized Conservative senators last fall for killing Bill C-311, an opposition bill on the environment.
But LeBreton argues the government had little choice but to bring down the bill when the Liberals called for an early vote on the draft legislation. She called that situation an "anomaly" that will not become common practice now that her numbers are even stronger."I fully intend to adhere to the tradition of sending all bills to committee," she said. "That is a very legitimate role for the Senate in studying bills, because Senate committees do have a good reputation of properly hearing all sides of the arguments."
Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/politics/story/2011/01/08/senate-lebreton-reforms.html#ixzz1AT1T8Kd8
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Canadian pension plan funding dips in 2010
Janet McFarland, The Globe and Mail
Canadian AA Follow this Canadian pension plans saw their funded status drop in 2010 despite posting strong gains in the fourth quarter, according to pension consulting firm Mercer. The Mercer Pension Health Index showed a typical Canadian pension plan was 73-percent funded at the end of 2010, down from 74 percent a year earlier, but up sharply from 68 percent at the end of September.
The index measures the ratio of a model pension plan’s assets to its liabilities assuming a typical portfolio mix of stocks and bonds. While stock markets posted strong returns in 2010, pension plans saw their funded status pulled down because of lower bond yields, which are used to measure the value of pension funds’ liabilities. It meant pension funds earned more on their assets in 2010, but saw their benefit obligations rise almost as much.
“Over the year, strong asset performance was offset by the overall drop in long-term federal bond yields,” said Scott Clausen, professional leader for Mercer’s retirement practice in Canada. He said many companies faced requirements to contribute money to their pension plans last year to improve their funding. “Any increase in the actual funded status of pension plans in 2010 is likely due to employers pouring cash into their plans,” Clausen said in a statement. Mercer anticipates many companies will report a weaker funded ratio for their pension plans in their year-end financial statements, despite any cash contributions made during the year, because the drop in bond yields was so significant in 2010.
The positive news for pension plans, however, is that funding has been improving since the end of September with stronger stock markets combined with better bond yields. Yvan Breton, who heads Mercer’s investment consulting business, said the typical pension plan earned a return of almost 4 percent in the fourth quarter alone. “Stocks delivered another strong performance in the fourth quarter and in 2010 overall, both domestically and abroad,” he said.
A typical pension fund with a balanced portfolio earned 9.2 percent in 2010, based on a passive index investing strategy. Canadian stocks were the best-performing asset class, with a return of 17.6 percent, while Canadian bonds earned 6.7 percent in the year.
Gains on foreign stocks were offset by improvements in the strength of the Canadian dollar. In local currency terms, for example, international equities posted a return of 5.3 percent, but that was reduced to 2.6 percent in Canadian dollars, Mercer said. The U.S. S&P 500 Index was up 15.1 percent in 2010, but just 9.1 percent when converted to Canadian dollars.
Canadian AA Follow this Canadian pension plans saw their funded status drop in 2010 despite posting strong gains in the fourth quarter, according to pension consulting firm Mercer. The Mercer Pension Health Index showed a typical Canadian pension plan was 73-percent funded at the end of 2010, down from 74 percent a year earlier, but up sharply from 68 percent at the end of September.
The index measures the ratio of a model pension plan’s assets to its liabilities assuming a typical portfolio mix of stocks and bonds. While stock markets posted strong returns in 2010, pension plans saw their funded status pulled down because of lower bond yields, which are used to measure the value of pension funds’ liabilities. It meant pension funds earned more on their assets in 2010, but saw their benefit obligations rise almost as much.
“Over the year, strong asset performance was offset by the overall drop in long-term federal bond yields,” said Scott Clausen, professional leader for Mercer’s retirement practice in Canada. He said many companies faced requirements to contribute money to their pension plans last year to improve their funding. “Any increase in the actual funded status of pension plans in 2010 is likely due to employers pouring cash into their plans,” Clausen said in a statement. Mercer anticipates many companies will report a weaker funded ratio for their pension plans in their year-end financial statements, despite any cash contributions made during the year, because the drop in bond yields was so significant in 2010.
The positive news for pension plans, however, is that funding has been improving since the end of September with stronger stock markets combined with better bond yields. Yvan Breton, who heads Mercer’s investment consulting business, said the typical pension plan earned a return of almost 4 percent in the fourth quarter alone. “Stocks delivered another strong performance in the fourth quarter and in 2010 overall, both domestically and abroad,” he said.
A typical pension fund with a balanced portfolio earned 9.2 percent in 2010, based on a passive index investing strategy. Canadian stocks were the best-performing asset class, with a return of 17.6 percent, while Canadian bonds earned 6.7 percent in the year.
Gains on foreign stocks were offset by improvements in the strength of the Canadian dollar. In local currency terms, for example, international equities posted a return of 5.3 percent, but that was reduced to 2.6 percent in Canadian dollars, Mercer said. The U.S. S&P 500 Index was up 15.1 percent in 2010, but just 9.1 percent when converted to Canadian dollars.
Dead birds litter Quebec farm
"Its not a biblical curse. It's not a death ray from an alien spaceship,' expert says
CBC News
In the last two weeks, some 80 dead pigeons have been found dead on a farm in Saint-Augustin-de-Desmaures, west of Quebec city. (CBC)
A farmer in Saint-Augustin-de-Desmaures has found about 80 dead pigeons on his farm 20 kilometres west of Quebec City.Sylvain Turmel first noticed the dead birds in his field on Dec. 18. "I found two dead birds in the morning, which is normal, birds sometimes die," he said."But when I came back one hour later, another 25 had fallen," said Turmel. "In the time it took me to pick them up, five more fell to the ground!"
Turmel called police and the fire department. They couldn't provide him with any answers, but he said while they were there, more birds fell to their deaths.He said wildlife officials with Quebec's Ministry of Natural Resources collected the birds for analysis but they are also stumped. Farmer Sylvain Turmel in Saint-Augustin-de-Desmaures, Que., picks up a dead pigeon Friday. "All they can tell me is that it's not avian influenza, it's not the West Nile virus, and it's not poison," which is what officials suspected at first."It won't stop. I'm finding more [dead] birds every day." Turmel said that after they fall the pigeons usually remain on the ground for one or two hours before dying.
Phenomenon not unusual: expert
David Bird, a wildlife biologist at McGill University in Montreal, said he's been receiving a lot of phone calls about the phenomenon. In recent days thousands of birds have suddenly and inexplicably died in the United States and Sweden.In one small town in Arkansas, more than 4,000 red-winged blackbirds dropped out of the sky on New Year's Eve, littering cars, homes and lawns.
A dead red-winged blackbird is seen in Beebe, Ark., on Jan. 1, 2011. The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission said more than 1,000 dead blackbirds fell from the sky in the town. (Warren Watkins/The Daily Citizen/Associated Press) "First of all, it's not a biblical curse. It's not a death ray from an alien space ship," said Bird, noting the incidents have created a type of hysteria.
He said the phenomenon is much more common than people realize."There are many cases where birds get hit by hailstorms or get lost in the fog and they die of starvation and they just fall dead out of the sky."Bird said each incident likely has its own unique cause, and there's no need for people to panic."I think this is a case where it's just coincidental … and people are trying to link them together."
Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/montreal/story/2011/01/07/dead-birds-quebec.html#ixzz1ASMYjmXa
CBC News
In the last two weeks, some 80 dead pigeons have been found dead on a farm in Saint-Augustin-de-Desmaures, west of Quebec city. (CBC)
A farmer in Saint-Augustin-de-Desmaures has found about 80 dead pigeons on his farm 20 kilometres west of Quebec City.Sylvain Turmel first noticed the dead birds in his field on Dec. 18. "I found two dead birds in the morning, which is normal, birds sometimes die," he said."But when I came back one hour later, another 25 had fallen," said Turmel. "In the time it took me to pick them up, five more fell to the ground!"
Turmel called police and the fire department. They couldn't provide him with any answers, but he said while they were there, more birds fell to their deaths.He said wildlife officials with Quebec's Ministry of Natural Resources collected the birds for analysis but they are also stumped. Farmer Sylvain Turmel in Saint-Augustin-de-Desmaures, Que., picks up a dead pigeon Friday. "All they can tell me is that it's not avian influenza, it's not the West Nile virus, and it's not poison," which is what officials suspected at first."It won't stop. I'm finding more [dead] birds every day." Turmel said that after they fall the pigeons usually remain on the ground for one or two hours before dying.
Phenomenon not unusual: expert
David Bird, a wildlife biologist at McGill University in Montreal, said he's been receiving a lot of phone calls about the phenomenon. In recent days thousands of birds have suddenly and inexplicably died in the United States and Sweden.In one small town in Arkansas, more than 4,000 red-winged blackbirds dropped out of the sky on New Year's Eve, littering cars, homes and lawns.
A dead red-winged blackbird is seen in Beebe, Ark., on Jan. 1, 2011. The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission said more than 1,000 dead blackbirds fell from the sky in the town. (Warren Watkins/The Daily Citizen/Associated Press) "First of all, it's not a biblical curse. It's not a death ray from an alien space ship," said Bird, noting the incidents have created a type of hysteria.
He said the phenomenon is much more common than people realize."There are many cases where birds get hit by hailstorms or get lost in the fog and they die of starvation and they just fall dead out of the sky."Bird said each incident likely has its own unique cause, and there's no need for people to panic."I think this is a case where it's just coincidental … and people are trying to link them together."
Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/montreal/story/2011/01/07/dead-birds-quebec.html#ixzz1ASMYjmXa
Friday, January 7, 2011
Foreign influence 'ongoing threat': CSIS
Foreign interference continues to pose a threat to Canada's sovereignty and national security, the head of CSIS says in a confidential report.CSIS director Richard Fad den writes that those targeted by foreign agencies may be subject to threats, coercion or potential blackmail.
"These clandestine efforts by foreign governments to influence our officials, policies and communities have the potential to undermine our ability to make independent decisions in Canada's national interests," CSIS director Richard Fadden wrote in a report to Public Safety Minister Vic Toews.
Fadden also writes in the heavily censored report, obtained by The Canadian Press, that those targeted may be "subject to threats, coercion or potential blackmail."Fadden wrote the report following his interview in July with CBC News. Fadden had told the CBC that foreign governments hold influence over at least two cabinet ministers in two provinces, and are also involved with municipal politicians in B.C. and federal public servants.He did not provide any names, but implied that China was one of those foreign governments.
Fadden also appeared before the House of Commons public safety and national security committee to answer questions about his comments.The report censors the names of specific countries, provinces and individuals."Politicians are targeted to solicit support for policies and positions that favour the interests of the foreign state or entity," Fadden wrote.The influence comes in the form of electoral support, he writes.
Fadden writes that the influence on politicians and public servants can be subtle and involve a long period of cultivation. "It is a slow and methodical development of relationships that aim to affect the perspective and decision-making of those being influenced," he writes.
Fadden writes that the investigation of foreign interference presents "several challenges" to CSIS, which includes distinguishing between foreign interference and legitimate lobbying.But he concludes that the "manipulation of Canada's government and ethno-cultural communities through foreign interference poses an ongoing threat to our sovereignty and national security."
Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2011/01/06/csis-foreign-influence.html#ixzz1AMFkwpps
"These clandestine efforts by foreign governments to influence our officials, policies and communities have the potential to undermine our ability to make independent decisions in Canada's national interests," CSIS director Richard Fadden wrote in a report to Public Safety Minister Vic Toews.
Fadden also writes in the heavily censored report, obtained by The Canadian Press, that those targeted may be "subject to threats, coercion or potential blackmail."Fadden wrote the report following his interview in July with CBC News. Fadden had told the CBC that foreign governments hold influence over at least two cabinet ministers in two provinces, and are also involved with municipal politicians in B.C. and federal public servants.He did not provide any names, but implied that China was one of those foreign governments.
Fadden also appeared before the House of Commons public safety and national security committee to answer questions about his comments.The report censors the names of specific countries, provinces and individuals."Politicians are targeted to solicit support for policies and positions that favour the interests of the foreign state or entity," Fadden wrote.The influence comes in the form of electoral support, he writes.
Fadden writes that the influence on politicians and public servants can be subtle and involve a long period of cultivation. "It is a slow and methodical development of relationships that aim to affect the perspective and decision-making of those being influenced," he writes.
Fadden writes that the investigation of foreign interference presents "several challenges" to CSIS, which includes distinguishing between foreign interference and legitimate lobbying.But he concludes that the "manipulation of Canada's government and ethno-cultural communities through foreign interference poses an ongoing threat to our sovereignty and national security."
Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2011/01/06/csis-foreign-influence.html#ixzz1AMFkwpps
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Ivory Coast: Gbagbo 'expels UK and Canada envoys'
Ivory Coast's incumbent leader Laurent Gbagbo is expelling the British and Canadian ambassadors, a statement on state television has said.It said the action was being taken as a reciprocal measure. The UK said it did not accept that the move was valid. Mr Gbagbo has refused to step down despite rival Alassane Ouattara gaining international recognition as November's presidential election winner.
Ouattara has urged West African special forces to remove Mr Gbagbo.
The West African regional body Ecowas has threatened to force Mr Gbagbo out but has said it wants to try mediation efforts first. Mr Gbagbo still has the public backing of the army and control of state media.
The UK and Canada are among the nations who have expelled ambassadors appointed by Mr Gbagbo in order to replace them with diplomats chose by Mr Outtara. The BBC's John James, in Ivory Coast's main city Abidjan, says the expulsions are largely symbolic.The UK ambassador, who acts as envoy for several countries in the region, is based in neighbouring Ghana, and the Canadian embassy will still be able to carry out its normal functions, our correspondent says.
Blockade
The state television statement said the UK and Canadian envoys were being expelled as their countries no longer recognised Mr Gbagbo's ambassadors."Through the application of the principle of reciprocity governing diplomatic relations, the ministry informs Madame Marie Isabelle Massip that her accreditation as Canadian ambassador in Ivory Coast is ended.
Ouattara: "The day Laurent Gbagbo leaves everyone will be happy"
"For the same reasons, the Foreign Ministry informs ambassador Nicholas James Westcott that his accreditation as United Kingdom and Northern Ireland ambassador is also ended."
The UK Foreign Office responded by saying: "The British government has recognised Mr Alassane Ouattara as the democratically elected president of Cote D'Ivoire.
"It recognises the legitimacy of statements made by, or on behalf of, his government. The British government does not accept the validity of statements made by others."The UK withdrew recognition of Mr Gbagbo's envoy on 31 December and Canada did the same on 29 December. France has said it will recognise Mr Ouattara's envoy. The UN has also recognised Mr Ouattara's appointee, Youssoufou Bamba, as Ivory Coast ambassador to the UN.Separately on Thursday, the US announced it had frozen the assets of Mr Gbagbo, his wife and three aides.It said it was barring US citizens from financial dealings with Mr Gbagbo.
'Key buildings'
Meanwhile, Ecowas has already started drawing up plans for a regional intervention force.
Our correspondent says it is not clear how ready the countries in the region are to contribute troops to an intervention that could potentially face a regular army numbering 18,000 men.
Deadly clashes in Ivory Coast
However, Mr Ouattara, who has many supporters in northern Ivory Coast, said it was just a question of removing Mr Gbagbo from power and taking control of key buildings like the presidential palace.
"Legitimate force doesn't mean a force against Ivorians," Mr Ouattara told reporters on Thursday, AFP news agency reports."It's a force to remove Laurent Gbagbo and that's been done elsewhere, in Africa and in Latin America, there are non-violent special operations which allow simply to take the unwanted person and take him elsewhere."However, Ecowas does not have the sophisticated equipment and personnel needed for a special forces operation, our correspondent says.
The former colonial power France, which has 900 soldiers on the ground, says it will not intervene.
There are an estimated 10,000 UN troops in Ivory Coast - and the mission has sent a request to the UN Security Council for an extra 1,000 to 2,000 soldiers.
Mr Ouattara remains behind a blockade at a hotel in Abidjan, protected by UN peacekeepers and New Forces former rebels who control the north of the country.November's election was intended to reunify the country, which has been divided since a 2002 conflict. Mr Ouattara was initially proclaimed the winner by the country's election commission - a verdict backed by the UN, which helped organise the poll. But the country's Constitutional Council, headed by an ally of Mr Gbagbo, later ruled that he had won, citing voting irregularities in the north.
Ouattara has urged West African special forces to remove Mr Gbagbo.
The West African regional body Ecowas has threatened to force Mr Gbagbo out but has said it wants to try mediation efforts first. Mr Gbagbo still has the public backing of the army and control of state media.
The UK and Canada are among the nations who have expelled ambassadors appointed by Mr Gbagbo in order to replace them with diplomats chose by Mr Outtara. The BBC's John James, in Ivory Coast's main city Abidjan, says the expulsions are largely symbolic.The UK ambassador, who acts as envoy for several countries in the region, is based in neighbouring Ghana, and the Canadian embassy will still be able to carry out its normal functions, our correspondent says.
Blockade
The state television statement said the UK and Canadian envoys were being expelled as their countries no longer recognised Mr Gbagbo's ambassadors."Through the application of the principle of reciprocity governing diplomatic relations, the ministry informs Madame Marie Isabelle Massip that her accreditation as Canadian ambassador in Ivory Coast is ended.
Ouattara: "The day Laurent Gbagbo leaves everyone will be happy"
"For the same reasons, the Foreign Ministry informs ambassador Nicholas James Westcott that his accreditation as United Kingdom and Northern Ireland ambassador is also ended."
The UK Foreign Office responded by saying: "The British government has recognised Mr Alassane Ouattara as the democratically elected president of Cote D'Ivoire.
"It recognises the legitimacy of statements made by, or on behalf of, his government. The British government does not accept the validity of statements made by others."The UK withdrew recognition of Mr Gbagbo's envoy on 31 December and Canada did the same on 29 December. France has said it will recognise Mr Ouattara's envoy. The UN has also recognised Mr Ouattara's appointee, Youssoufou Bamba, as Ivory Coast ambassador to the UN.Separately on Thursday, the US announced it had frozen the assets of Mr Gbagbo, his wife and three aides.It said it was barring US citizens from financial dealings with Mr Gbagbo.
'Key buildings'
Meanwhile, Ecowas has already started drawing up plans for a regional intervention force.
Our correspondent says it is not clear how ready the countries in the region are to contribute troops to an intervention that could potentially face a regular army numbering 18,000 men.
Deadly clashes in Ivory Coast
However, Mr Ouattara, who has many supporters in northern Ivory Coast, said it was just a question of removing Mr Gbagbo from power and taking control of key buildings like the presidential palace.
"Legitimate force doesn't mean a force against Ivorians," Mr Ouattara told reporters on Thursday, AFP news agency reports."It's a force to remove Laurent Gbagbo and that's been done elsewhere, in Africa and in Latin America, there are non-violent special operations which allow simply to take the unwanted person and take him elsewhere."However, Ecowas does not have the sophisticated equipment and personnel needed for a special forces operation, our correspondent says.
The former colonial power France, which has 900 soldiers on the ground, says it will not intervene.
There are an estimated 10,000 UN troops in Ivory Coast - and the mission has sent a request to the UN Security Council for an extra 1,000 to 2,000 soldiers.
Mr Ouattara remains behind a blockade at a hotel in Abidjan, protected by UN peacekeepers and New Forces former rebels who control the north of the country.November's election was intended to reunify the country, which has been divided since a 2002 conflict. Mr Ouattara was initially proclaimed the winner by the country's election commission - a verdict backed by the UN, which helped organise the poll. But the country's Constitutional Council, headed by an ally of Mr Gbagbo, later ruled that he had won, citing voting irregularities in the north.
Canada was made for road trips.
Whether it's the epic Trans-Canada journey from Newfoundland all the way to Vancouver Island, Quebec's Gaspe Peninsula or the Banff-to-Jasper mountain sojourn, this country has great roads that beg to be used.
And it seems that we're finally getting some recognition for our status as one of the world's best road trip countries.
A recent feature on National Geographic's website detailed the world's top 11 road trips. Five of them were on Canadian asphalt. Banff and Jasper Parks, B.C., and Cape Breton, N.S., made the list, along with a surprising road trip itinerary in Manitoba and one beginning in Montreal.
CTV's travel expert Loren Christie isn't surprised Canada took top honours in the National Geographic piece.
"One of the greatest things Canada has to offer as a tourist destination is the outdoor scenery and the natural beauty. And the best way to see it -- and to see a lot of it -- is by car," Christie said.
"Obviously, it's great to be out and walking but if you want to cover a lot of ground in a short time, to be able to get out and stop, there's no better way to do it than to do it as a road trip."
According to National Geographic, Canada shared the top 11 rating with the following international road trips:
• Alafi Coast, Italy
• The Flower Route, Netherlands
• Cornwall, England
• Pirate Route, Jamaica
• New Zealand's North Island
• Provence, France
The selections are from a new book titled "Drives of a Lifetime: 500 of the World's Most Spectacular Trips."
Christie's own list of Canada's best road trips has some overlap with the National Geographic list. Here are his picks:
The Banff to Jasper Icefields Parkway
"For me it is 100 per cent the scenery in this case. Every time you come down around a corner or you go down an overlook you see this amazing scenery, and for those of us not from the west the colour of those lakes -- you've never seen anything like it," Christie said.
• Highlight: Peyto Lake Viewpoint in Banff National Park
• Tips: Best to go in May or June when the peaks are still snow-capped.
Cabot Trail, Cape Breton Island, N.S.
"I did the Cabot Trail 35 times as a tour guide, and if you go there at the end of September, beginning of October when the leaves are changing, it's pretty hard to beat that. It's spectacular in the summer or any time but as a fall road trip it's just truly unbelievable."
• Highlight: Check out the Acadian culture in towns like Cheticamp, and Gaelic culture in places such as Ingonish.
• Tips: Fall is the best time to visit, for stunning autumn colours.
Saint John River Valley, N.B.
"If you want to talk about one in the Maritimes, particularly in the fall just because of the unbelievable variety of trees that are changing colour, it's pretty hard to beat the Saint John River Valley."
• Highlights: Autumn colours, sleepy Maritime towns, great seafood as you approach the coast.
• Tips: Begin in Fredericton and head towards Saint John. But make sure to take the old road, not the Trans Canada highway.
Christie said Canada offers a variety of roads, scenery and culture that just isn't available in many other countries.
"The sheer size means there's a lot of variation and also it means there are a lot of road trip options," Christie said. "In Cape Breton Island there's going to be totally different scenery and topography than you'd see in British Columbia, which is what makes it great."
Here are some details about the Canadian routes chosen by National Geographic:
• The Banff and Jasper trip begins near Calgary, heads west to Banff, then to Lake Louise and north on the stunning Icefields Parkway to Jasper.
• The B.C. road trip -- a journey of seven days -- begins in Vancouver before ferrying to Victoria for a tour of Vancouver Island, then back to the mainland for a jaunt to Whistler and along the Fraser River Canyon.
• The Cape Breton trip, not surprisingly, focuses on the Cabot Trail as it winds its way around much of the island.
• The Manitoba trip -- perhaps an unexpected addition to the list -- is described as a "bucolic ramble" that begins in Brandon and wanders to various attractions such as Riding Mountain National Park and the marine reptile museum.
• Finally, Quebec's contribution to the road-trip top 10 is a journey that begins in Montreal, tours the nearby regions, then the Eastern Townships and Quebec's wine country before following the St. Lawrence for a stretch.
And it seems that we're finally getting some recognition for our status as one of the world's best road trip countries.
A recent feature on National Geographic's website detailed the world's top 11 road trips. Five of them were on Canadian asphalt. Banff and Jasper Parks, B.C., and Cape Breton, N.S., made the list, along with a surprising road trip itinerary in Manitoba and one beginning in Montreal.
CTV's travel expert Loren Christie isn't surprised Canada took top honours in the National Geographic piece.
"One of the greatest things Canada has to offer as a tourist destination is the outdoor scenery and the natural beauty. And the best way to see it -- and to see a lot of it -- is by car," Christie said.
"Obviously, it's great to be out and walking but if you want to cover a lot of ground in a short time, to be able to get out and stop, there's no better way to do it than to do it as a road trip."
According to National Geographic, Canada shared the top 11 rating with the following international road trips:
• Alafi Coast, Italy
• The Flower Route, Netherlands
• Cornwall, England
• Pirate Route, Jamaica
• New Zealand's North Island
• Provence, France
The selections are from a new book titled "Drives of a Lifetime: 500 of the World's Most Spectacular Trips."
Christie's own list of Canada's best road trips has some overlap with the National Geographic list. Here are his picks:
The Banff to Jasper Icefields Parkway
"For me it is 100 per cent the scenery in this case. Every time you come down around a corner or you go down an overlook you see this amazing scenery, and for those of us not from the west the colour of those lakes -- you've never seen anything like it," Christie said.
• Highlight: Peyto Lake Viewpoint in Banff National Park
• Tips: Best to go in May or June when the peaks are still snow-capped.
Cabot Trail, Cape Breton Island, N.S.
"I did the Cabot Trail 35 times as a tour guide, and if you go there at the end of September, beginning of October when the leaves are changing, it's pretty hard to beat that. It's spectacular in the summer or any time but as a fall road trip it's just truly unbelievable."
• Highlight: Check out the Acadian culture in towns like Cheticamp, and Gaelic culture in places such as Ingonish.
• Tips: Fall is the best time to visit, for stunning autumn colours.
Saint John River Valley, N.B.
"If you want to talk about one in the Maritimes, particularly in the fall just because of the unbelievable variety of trees that are changing colour, it's pretty hard to beat the Saint John River Valley."
• Highlights: Autumn colours, sleepy Maritime towns, great seafood as you approach the coast.
• Tips: Begin in Fredericton and head towards Saint John. But make sure to take the old road, not the Trans Canada highway.
Christie said Canada offers a variety of roads, scenery and culture that just isn't available in many other countries.
"The sheer size means there's a lot of variation and also it means there are a lot of road trip options," Christie said. "In Cape Breton Island there's going to be totally different scenery and topography than you'd see in British Columbia, which is what makes it great."
Here are some details about the Canadian routes chosen by National Geographic:
• The Banff and Jasper trip begins near Calgary, heads west to Banff, then to Lake Louise and north on the stunning Icefields Parkway to Jasper.
• The B.C. road trip -- a journey of seven days -- begins in Vancouver before ferrying to Victoria for a tour of Vancouver Island, then back to the mainland for a jaunt to Whistler and along the Fraser River Canyon.
• The Cape Breton trip, not surprisingly, focuses on the Cabot Trail as it winds its way around much of the island.
• The Manitoba trip -- perhaps an unexpected addition to the list -- is described as a "bucolic ramble" that begins in Brandon and wanders to various attractions such as Riding Mountain National Park and the marine reptile museum.
• Finally, Quebec's contribution to the road-trip top 10 is a journey that begins in Montreal, tours the nearby regions, then the Eastern Townships and Quebec's wine country before following the St. Lawrence for a stretch.
Canadian PM Stephen Harper names Kent climate minister
The Ontario MP will be charged in part with defending the Conservative-led government against charges it has not taken action on climate issues. Mr Harper has said Canadian action on the environment must be tied to US efforts, and said the appointment did not signal a change in climate policy.
The move, part of a shuffle Mr Harper described as "fine tuning", comes ahead of a possible election in the spring.While US President Barack Obama has sought to limit US carbon emissions, Republican-led opposition in Congress has stifled his efforts.Mr Kent, a former TV journalist, replaces Jim Prentice, who left the job in November to take a position at the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce.
Among other cabinet changes on Tuesday, Mr Harper also appointed Ted Menzies minister of state for finance, a newly created position. Diane Ablonczy was named the new minister of state for the Americas, replacing Mr Kent. She had been minister of state for seniors, and was replaced in that role by Julian Fantino.
The move, part of a shuffle Mr Harper described as "fine tuning", comes ahead of a possible election in the spring.While US President Barack Obama has sought to limit US carbon emissions, Republican-led opposition in Congress has stifled his efforts.Mr Kent, a former TV journalist, replaces Jim Prentice, who left the job in November to take a position at the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce.
Among other cabinet changes on Tuesday, Mr Harper also appointed Ted Menzies minister of state for finance, a newly created position. Diane Ablonczy was named the new minister of state for the Americas, replacing Mr Kent. She had been minister of state for seniors, and was replaced in that role by Julian Fantino.
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Iqaluit's weird weather wreaks havoc
Road crews in Iqaluit plow and apply sand on the city's ice-slicked streets on Tuesday. The Nunavut capital has been experiencing unusually mild and rainy weather this week, resulting in slippery roads. Record-breaking warm temperatures and rain in Iqaluit are creating problems for residents who are more used to –20 C and colder at this time of year.
Nunavut's capital city, along with other communities on southern Baffin Island, have broken weather records this week, with daytime temperatures above 0 C.The mercury reached 1.2 C on Monday, then hovered just over 0 C on Tuesday, breaking highest-temperature records on both days, said Yvonne Bilan-Wallace, a meteorologist with Environment Canada.
But the mild conditions and accompanying rain have resulted in ice-slicked streets in Iqaluit, forcing schools and Nunavut government offices to close for parts of Tuesday and Wednesday.Municipal crews that are used to plowing snow at this time of year are instead battling the rain in their attempts to put sand on slippery streets, said Arif Sayani, Iqaluit's acting public works manager."When you have rain, it mixes with the sand, then it freezes," Sayani told CBC News on Tuesday. "Whatever sand you've put down is no longer effective."
Meanwhile, flights to and from the city have been delayed or cancelled amid foggy and icy conditions.
Lingering storms to blame
Iqaluit is poised to break the highest-temperature record again on Wednesday, as it's forecast to reach 3 C. The current record is –3.3 C, set in 1970.The normal daytime and nighttime temperatures in Iqaluit are –22 C and –30 C, respectively, at this time of year. In past years, it has been as cold as –41.8 C on Jan. 4 in the Nunavut capital, Bilan-Wallace said.She said the mild spell is the result of storms passing through the United States and the Canadian Maritimes."Instead of continuing off towards Europe — which is kind of in a big chill right now — all this warm air in these storms are veering to the north and northwest, and to the west of Greenland, which is unusual," she said."It's not unusual to see little pieces of storms or some occasional storms come into the Baffin area, and you get this nice period of warmer air … But what we're seeing is a very stagnant weather pattern since November, December."It has been even warmer in Pangnirtung, another community on southern Baffin Island. Bilan-Wallace said it reached a balmy 6 C there on Tuesday, breaking the highest-temperature record for that day.
Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/north/story/2011/01/05/iqaluit-warm-weather-rain.html#ixzz1ACjNX2s0
Nunavut's capital city, along with other communities on southern Baffin Island, have broken weather records this week, with daytime temperatures above 0 C.The mercury reached 1.2 C on Monday, then hovered just over 0 C on Tuesday, breaking highest-temperature records on both days, said Yvonne Bilan-Wallace, a meteorologist with Environment Canada.
But the mild conditions and accompanying rain have resulted in ice-slicked streets in Iqaluit, forcing schools and Nunavut government offices to close for parts of Tuesday and Wednesday.Municipal crews that are used to plowing snow at this time of year are instead battling the rain in their attempts to put sand on slippery streets, said Arif Sayani, Iqaluit's acting public works manager."When you have rain, it mixes with the sand, then it freezes," Sayani told CBC News on Tuesday. "Whatever sand you've put down is no longer effective."
Meanwhile, flights to and from the city have been delayed or cancelled amid foggy and icy conditions.
Lingering storms to blame
Iqaluit is poised to break the highest-temperature record again on Wednesday, as it's forecast to reach 3 C. The current record is –3.3 C, set in 1970.The normal daytime and nighttime temperatures in Iqaluit are –22 C and –30 C, respectively, at this time of year. In past years, it has been as cold as –41.8 C on Jan. 4 in the Nunavut capital, Bilan-Wallace said.She said the mild spell is the result of storms passing through the United States and the Canadian Maritimes."Instead of continuing off towards Europe — which is kind of in a big chill right now — all this warm air in these storms are veering to the north and northwest, and to the west of Greenland, which is unusual," she said."It's not unusual to see little pieces of storms or some occasional storms come into the Baffin area, and you get this nice period of warmer air … But what we're seeing is a very stagnant weather pattern since November, December."It has been even warmer in Pangnirtung, another community on southern Baffin Island. Bilan-Wallace said it reached a balmy 6 C there on Tuesday, breaking the highest-temperature record for that day.
Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/north/story/2011/01/05/iqaluit-warm-weather-rain.html#ixzz1ACjNX2s0
Late-payment fee protection needed: consumer group
Twelve years after a groundbreaking Supreme Court decision that was expected to protect consumers from overly inflated late fees, Canadians are worse off, according to a new report by the Public Interest Advocacy Centre, a consumer protection group.The Public Interest Advocacy Centre says provincial regulation of payday loan companies have weakened consumer protection from excessive late fees. (CBC)The decision in Garland v. Consumers Gas stated that late fees should be considered interest and subject to Criminal Code provisions governing interest rates.
But according to the report's author, Janet Lo, Criminal Code amendments have weakened consumer protection."It was hoped that consumers would have protection against penalties for late payments in that certain kinds of fees could be construed as violating the Criminal Code and the criminal rate of interest," she said in an interview with CBC News.'Consumers are no longer able to rely necessarily on the Criminal Code to enforce criminal rates of interest.'
One of the most contentious changes was allowing the provinces to regulate payday loan companies. That decision made the regulation of interest rates charged by the loan companies the responsibility of the provinces."We are concerned because the rates of interest being charged by the provinces are exceptionally high," said Lo.That means payday loan companies can get away with charging exorbitant fees for people who pay up past the due date."We've seen some payday lending companies charge a processing fee. As well, they have charged non-sufficient fund fees," she said.
Class action suits against Bell Canada
In some cases, companies have charged consumers late fees even when they've paid on time.Bell Canada recently settled a class action suit in Quebec related to late fees, and another case is still before the courts in Ontario."Bell had charged the consumer for late payments where the consumer had made the payment through a financial institution," Lo explained. The delay was in getting the payment from the financial institution to Bell.
"It was within the time that you would expect the transaction to go through, but Bell Canada didn't receive it, and then they charged the interest rate on those late payments."Lo says the Quebec case was recently settled, with Bell agreeing to pay back the fees it had taken from consumers.But she notes that with small amounts, the only recourse for consumers is a class action suit. And that can be a time-consuming and frustrating process.
Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/consumer/story/2011/01/05/con-late-fees.html#ixzz1AC6x1YTg
But according to the report's author, Janet Lo, Criminal Code amendments have weakened consumer protection."It was hoped that consumers would have protection against penalties for late payments in that certain kinds of fees could be construed as violating the Criminal Code and the criminal rate of interest," she said in an interview with CBC News.'Consumers are no longer able to rely necessarily on the Criminal Code to enforce criminal rates of interest.'
One of the most contentious changes was allowing the provinces to regulate payday loan companies. That decision made the regulation of interest rates charged by the loan companies the responsibility of the provinces."We are concerned because the rates of interest being charged by the provinces are exceptionally high," said Lo.That means payday loan companies can get away with charging exorbitant fees for people who pay up past the due date."We've seen some payday lending companies charge a processing fee. As well, they have charged non-sufficient fund fees," she said.
Class action suits against Bell Canada
In some cases, companies have charged consumers late fees even when they've paid on time.Bell Canada recently settled a class action suit in Quebec related to late fees, and another case is still before the courts in Ontario."Bell had charged the consumer for late payments where the consumer had made the payment through a financial institution," Lo explained. The delay was in getting the payment from the financial institution to Bell.
"It was within the time that you would expect the transaction to go through, but Bell Canada didn't receive it, and then they charged the interest rate on those late payments."Lo says the Quebec case was recently settled, with Bell agreeing to pay back the fees it had taken from consumers.But she notes that with small amounts, the only recourse for consumers is a class action suit. And that can be a time-consuming and frustrating process.
Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/consumer/story/2011/01/05/con-late-fees.html#ixzz1AC6x1YTg
National Geographic billions on earth
While not precisely about Canada or Canadians, we are part of the billions on earth and Canada is one of the few places which has the potential to accomodate all of the expanding population of the world. We need to really consider our policies of immigration so that we can truly welcome productive people who will make a contribution to Canadian society. Many people around the world stand in line for a decade to enter Canada legally and they are moved back in the line by people who enter illegally. Add to that the problem that our review board is made up of political patrons who do not wish to offend an immigrant community in case they vote against the person who furnished their job. The first way to change our immigraton system is to eliminate this political patronage system so that we can deport undesirables promptly and efficiently. We need immigration reform so that we can agian be a welcoming nation.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Strong dollar, markets: Why Canada is attracting investors
Michael Babad
Oh, Canada
Canada is increasingly becoming a destination for foreign investors amid the global turmoil.
Its economy is sound, it has a rich resource base amid rising commodity prices, its banking system is safe, and Ottawa's fiscal policy is deemed as attractive compared to its peers. "What the markets are telling you is that Canada, the little brother to the north, is a much safer place to park your money from a fiscal balance sheet standpoint," chief economist David Rosenberg of Gluskin Sheff + Associates, noting lower longer-term bond yields in Canada. All of this has helped drive the Canadian dollar to around parity with the U.S. greenback, where it's projected to stay for some time yet.
That's a far cry from the days of 40 or so cents when the loonie was dubbed the Hudson Bay Peso and Canada, with its public finances in a mess, was deemed a basket case. Analysts believe the loonie will continue strong throughout the year, buoyed by a stronger economic outlook, high commodity prices and a weaker U.S. dollar. "The Canadian dollar is on a tear as the combination of rising commodity prices (particularly oil) and a bullish outlook for U.S. economic growth in 2011 leads to a sell Europe, buy North America mentality," said Rahim Madhavji of Knightsbridge Foreign Exchange. Mr. Rosenberg, in a note titled Oh, Canada!, also noted that Canada's benchmark stock index, the S&P/TSX composite , did better than the S&P 500 last year on comparable currency terms, gaining 21 per cent when expressed in U.S. dollars compared to 13 per cent. That outperformance has happened in seven of the past eight years, he said.
"Canada is experiencing very similar modest rates of economic growth like the U.S. but not on the back of quantitative easing and not at the risk of blowing a hole through the government balance sheet," Mr. Rosenberg added.
"Household debt in Canada is clearly problematic, but for now, completely serviceable. At the national level, as far as we know, Canada is the only G7 country with a credible federal government plan to balance the books over the next five years and at the same time promote domestic competitiveness via a schedule of sliding top marginal corporate tax rates."
Why 2011 could be year of the loonie
Goldman sees loonie reaching $1.05
.What history tells us
If history is any kind of guide, this could be a decent year for stocks. Add a grain or two of salt to that. If the financial meltdown, the recession, Europe’s debt crisis, and the ups and downs of the recovery have taught us anything, it’s that nothing is a given, and that one bad number or credit downgrade can burst the hopes of investors dreaming of heady days. Some believe the market is running ahead of itself anyway. So with that in mind, here’s some trivia to mull over today as global markets continue to rally: Since 1945, when the S&P 500 has gained on the first trading day of the year, the index has been up 74 per cent of the time for an average gain of 10.6 per cent, says Cleve Rueckert, equity strategist at Birinyi Associates. Historically, the third year of a U.S. administration has generally been a positive one for stocks, Malcolm Polley, president of Stewart Capital Advisors, tells the Wall Street Journal.
Over about the past eight decades, when the S&P 500 climbed in January, it gained on the year 73 per cent of the time, Howard Silverblatt, senior index analyst at S&P, tells the Journal.A rise in the S&P 500 over the first five days of the year has been followed by annual gains almost 90 per cent of the time, according to the Stock Trader’s Almanac and reported by The Associated Press.For some, January is a barometer of sorts for the year. Of course, we’re just one day in, and it was a good one, boosted by U.S. economic data and continuing on December’s hefty gains, which were the best since 1991. The S&P 500 climbed 1.1 per cent and the Dow Jones industrial average 0.8 per cent. Canadian markets were closed.
Yesterday, Citigroup boosted its target for the S&P 500 to about 1,400 for this year. That’s up from an earlier projection of 1,300 and would mark an increase of more than 10 per cent from where the index closed out 2010. The U.S. bank also sees the Dow reaching 13,500, which would mean a gain of about 14 per cent. But helping stocks along yesterday was the “January effect” that traditionally sees investors putting cash into retirement savings and asset managers acquiring stocks they believe will do well, according to Reuters, so the gauge is obviously questionable. There was also the December run-up to keep in mind.
“I do think that the best December for equities in almost 20 years has likely brought forward some of the performance we might typically see in January, so I expect the pace of the market’s advance to slow,” David Joy, chief market strategist at Columbia Management, told Reuters. U.S. economy stirs again, but recovery won't be vigorous
Bull v. Bear: The outlook for 2011
Coal prices rise
Coal prices are at a two-year high today, though floodwaters are receding somewhat in Australia's key mining area. Some mines are slowly bringing production back, Reuters reports, though most remain shuts in the wake of the stunning floods in Queensland state, the world's largest exporter. "Due to wet weather/flooding, the largest producers in Queensland have in the past month declared force majeure," UBS analysts said in a research note today, citing several companies including BHP Billiton, Xstrata, Rio Tinto and Vale, among others, and noting that the floods have affected both mines and rail lines. "The flooding in Queensland will disrupt the supply of metallurgical coal the most followed by thermal coal," they wrote. "As explained, it is not possible at this stage to estimate the volume impact, as further wet weather could prolong the disruption." The analysts also said that the "ideal equity exposures" to higher prices are those companies with large interests in metallurgical coal, but with no impact on volumes. In Canada, they cited Teck Resources , Western Coal , and Grand Cache Coal . Australia floods hit commodity exports
Oh, Canada
Canada is increasingly becoming a destination for foreign investors amid the global turmoil.
Its economy is sound, it has a rich resource base amid rising commodity prices, its banking system is safe, and Ottawa's fiscal policy is deemed as attractive compared to its peers. "What the markets are telling you is that Canada, the little brother to the north, is a much safer place to park your money from a fiscal balance sheet standpoint," chief economist David Rosenberg of Gluskin Sheff + Associates, noting lower longer-term bond yields in Canada. All of this has helped drive the Canadian dollar to around parity with the U.S. greenback, where it's projected to stay for some time yet.
That's a far cry from the days of 40 or so cents when the loonie was dubbed the Hudson Bay Peso and Canada, with its public finances in a mess, was deemed a basket case. Analysts believe the loonie will continue strong throughout the year, buoyed by a stronger economic outlook, high commodity prices and a weaker U.S. dollar. "The Canadian dollar is on a tear as the combination of rising commodity prices (particularly oil) and a bullish outlook for U.S. economic growth in 2011 leads to a sell Europe, buy North America mentality," said Rahim Madhavji of Knightsbridge Foreign Exchange. Mr. Rosenberg, in a note titled Oh, Canada!, also noted that Canada's benchmark stock index, the S&P/TSX composite , did better than the S&P 500 last year on comparable currency terms, gaining 21 per cent when expressed in U.S. dollars compared to 13 per cent. That outperformance has happened in seven of the past eight years, he said.
"Canada is experiencing very similar modest rates of economic growth like the U.S. but not on the back of quantitative easing and not at the risk of blowing a hole through the government balance sheet," Mr. Rosenberg added.
"Household debt in Canada is clearly problematic, but for now, completely serviceable. At the national level, as far as we know, Canada is the only G7 country with a credible federal government plan to balance the books over the next five years and at the same time promote domestic competitiveness via a schedule of sliding top marginal corporate tax rates."
Why 2011 could be year of the loonie
Goldman sees loonie reaching $1.05
.What history tells us
If history is any kind of guide, this could be a decent year for stocks. Add a grain or two of salt to that. If the financial meltdown, the recession, Europe’s debt crisis, and the ups and downs of the recovery have taught us anything, it’s that nothing is a given, and that one bad number or credit downgrade can burst the hopes of investors dreaming of heady days. Some believe the market is running ahead of itself anyway. So with that in mind, here’s some trivia to mull over today as global markets continue to rally: Since 1945, when the S&P 500 has gained on the first trading day of the year, the index has been up 74 per cent of the time for an average gain of 10.6 per cent, says Cleve Rueckert, equity strategist at Birinyi Associates. Historically, the third year of a U.S. administration has generally been a positive one for stocks, Malcolm Polley, president of Stewart Capital Advisors, tells the Wall Street Journal.
Over about the past eight decades, when the S&P 500 climbed in January, it gained on the year 73 per cent of the time, Howard Silverblatt, senior index analyst at S&P, tells the Journal.A rise in the S&P 500 over the first five days of the year has been followed by annual gains almost 90 per cent of the time, according to the Stock Trader’s Almanac and reported by The Associated Press.For some, January is a barometer of sorts for the year. Of course, we’re just one day in, and it was a good one, boosted by U.S. economic data and continuing on December’s hefty gains, which were the best since 1991. The S&P 500 climbed 1.1 per cent and the Dow Jones industrial average 0.8 per cent. Canadian markets were closed.
Yesterday, Citigroup boosted its target for the S&P 500 to about 1,400 for this year. That’s up from an earlier projection of 1,300 and would mark an increase of more than 10 per cent from where the index closed out 2010. The U.S. bank also sees the Dow reaching 13,500, which would mean a gain of about 14 per cent. But helping stocks along yesterday was the “January effect” that traditionally sees investors putting cash into retirement savings and asset managers acquiring stocks they believe will do well, according to Reuters, so the gauge is obviously questionable. There was also the December run-up to keep in mind.
“I do think that the best December for equities in almost 20 years has likely brought forward some of the performance we might typically see in January, so I expect the pace of the market’s advance to slow,” David Joy, chief market strategist at Columbia Management, told Reuters. U.S. economy stirs again, but recovery won't be vigorous
Bull v. Bear: The outlook for 2011
Coal prices rise
Coal prices are at a two-year high today, though floodwaters are receding somewhat in Australia's key mining area. Some mines are slowly bringing production back, Reuters reports, though most remain shuts in the wake of the stunning floods in Queensland state, the world's largest exporter. "Due to wet weather/flooding, the largest producers in Queensland have in the past month declared force majeure," UBS analysts said in a research note today, citing several companies including BHP Billiton, Xstrata, Rio Tinto and Vale, among others, and noting that the floods have affected both mines and rail lines. "The flooding in Queensland will disrupt the supply of metallurgical coal the most followed by thermal coal," they wrote. "As explained, it is not possible at this stage to estimate the volume impact, as further wet weather could prolong the disruption." The analysts also said that the "ideal equity exposures" to higher prices are those companies with large interests in metallurgical coal, but with no impact on volumes. In Canada, they cited Teck Resources , Western Coal , and Grand Cache Coal . Australia floods hit commodity exports
N.B. girl youngest to discover supernova
A 10-year-old from Fredericton, N.B., has become the youngest person ever to discover a supernova.
The Royal Astronomical Society of Canada says in a release amateur astronomer Kathryn Aurora Gray located the supernova under the watch of two other astronomers.
Supernovas are exploding stars that indicate the deaths of stars several times more massive than the sun. Gray located hers in the constellation of Camelopardalis.The last one in our own galaxy occurred several hundred years ago, before the invention of the telescope.Supernovas are rare, but the odds of discovering one can be increased by checking other galaxies.
The society said that in this case the galaxy was "imaged" on Friday, New Year's Eve, and the supernova was located on Sunday.A new supernova shows up as a bright point of light that wasn't visible the last time a galaxy was checked. Since supernovas can outshine millions of regular stars, they can be spotted with a modest telescope.
Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/technology/story/2011/01/03/nb-supernova-girl.html#ixzz1A0ma8IUF
The Royal Astronomical Society of Canada says in a release amateur astronomer Kathryn Aurora Gray located the supernova under the watch of two other astronomers.
Supernovas are exploding stars that indicate the deaths of stars several times more massive than the sun. Gray located hers in the constellation of Camelopardalis.The last one in our own galaxy occurred several hundred years ago, before the invention of the telescope.Supernovas are rare, but the odds of discovering one can be increased by checking other galaxies.
The society said that in this case the galaxy was "imaged" on Friday, New Year's Eve, and the supernova was located on Sunday.A new supernova shows up as a bright point of light that wasn't visible the last time a galaxy was checked. Since supernovas can outshine millions of regular stars, they can be spotted with a modest telescope.
Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/technology/story/2011/01/03/nb-supernova-girl.html#ixzz1A0ma8IUF
Monday, January 3, 2011
CEOs in Canada earn 155X average worker
Canada’s 100 best paid CEOs
Canadians may still be feeling the pain from a worldwide economic meltdown caused by reckless financial speculation but Canada’s business elite has preserved its privileged position.This report examines the earnings of the 100 best paid public company CEOs in Canada in 2009 — the worst year of the recession for this country — and concludes it was a very good year to be a CEO.
At the rate they earned in 2009, by about 2:30 on January 3 the average of the 100 best-paid public company CEOs in Canada already pocketed what it would take a Canadian working full-time, all year to earn.The distance between minimum wage workers and Canada’s CEOs is even bigger. Canada’s best paid 100 CEOs earn a year’s worth of minimum wage work by 3:15 p.m. on New Years Day.
The total average compensation for Canada’s best paid 100 CEOs was $6,643,895 in 2009 — a stark contrast from the total average Canadian income of $42,988 and the total average minimum wage worker’s income of $19,877. Even in the worst of recession, Canada’s best paid 100 CEOs earned, on average, 155 times more than Canadians earning an average income.
Growing gap project
Chart 1 shows the earnings of the 100 highest paid CEOs in Canada in 2009 compared with the pay of average Canadians.
And there’s more to come. Canada’s best paid 100 CEOs are sitting on previously-granted stock options that were already worth $1.3 billion at the time their companies reported to shareholders in 2009. That’s about $2 in deferred pay for every dollar reported as earnings that year.
For Canadians who aren’t in the CEO club, the news gets even worse: When the best paid 100 CEOs finally decide to exercise their stock options, Canadians will subsidize that bonus in lost taxes. Stock options are taxed as if they were capital gains, rather than as ordinary income. As a result, nearly one third of CEOs’ 2009 reported income — and the entire amount of their capital gains windfall — is taxed at half the rate paid on wage and salary income.
That tax subsidy is worth an average of $467,000 on their 2009 income. That subsidy alone is roughly 10 times the pay of the average Canadian worker. And they can look forward to even more support from Canadians in the future, when they cash in that $1.3 billion stock option stockpile. At their 2009 value, this windfall will be supported by a tax subsidy of $360 million — an average of $3.6 million per top-100 CEO.
time is money, for canada’s ceos
It is important to note that the stratospheric performance of CEO salaries — and their resilience — is a relatively recent phenomenon. In 1995, the average pay of Canada’s highest paid 50 CEOs was $2.66 million, 85 times the pay of the average worker. In 2009, the average pay of the highest paid 50 CEOs had skyrocketed to 219 times the pay of the average worker .It’s a similar story for Canada’s best paid 100 CEOs, who pocketed 104 times more than the average worker in 1998 but now pocket 155 times more.
Between 1998 and 2008, the best paid 100 CEOs’ average compensation outpaced inflation by 53%. In stark contrast, Canadian earning the average income gained 4% to inflation over that period.This extraordinary explosion in CEO pay is one of the factors underlying the dramatic growth in income inequality in Canada highlighted in a December 2010 report from the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives by Senior Economist Armine Yalnizyan.1
That report found that fully one-third of all income gains in Canada between 1987 and 2007 went to the richest 1% of Canadians — enough of a shift towards greater inequality to reverse a 30-year trend towards greater equality that had begun in the wake of the Great Depression of the 1930s. Notably, it also found that, unlike other periods in which income inequality grew, the shift towards greater inequality in the past 20 years has been driven by inequality in incomes that are reported as wage and salary income.
Read the whole report here: http://www.policyalternatives.ca/sites/default/files/uploads/publications/National%20Office/2011/01/Recession%20Proof.pdf
Canadians may still be feeling the pain from a worldwide economic meltdown caused by reckless financial speculation but Canada’s business elite has preserved its privileged position.This report examines the earnings of the 100 best paid public company CEOs in Canada in 2009 — the worst year of the recession for this country — and concludes it was a very good year to be a CEO.
At the rate they earned in 2009, by about 2:30 on January 3 the average of the 100 best-paid public company CEOs in Canada already pocketed what it would take a Canadian working full-time, all year to earn.The distance between minimum wage workers and Canada’s CEOs is even bigger. Canada’s best paid 100 CEOs earn a year’s worth of minimum wage work by 3:15 p.m. on New Years Day.
The total average compensation for Canada’s best paid 100 CEOs was $6,643,895 in 2009 — a stark contrast from the total average Canadian income of $42,988 and the total average minimum wage worker’s income of $19,877. Even in the worst of recession, Canada’s best paid 100 CEOs earned, on average, 155 times more than Canadians earning an average income.
Growing gap project
Chart 1 shows the earnings of the 100 highest paid CEOs in Canada in 2009 compared with the pay of average Canadians.
And there’s more to come. Canada’s best paid 100 CEOs are sitting on previously-granted stock options that were already worth $1.3 billion at the time their companies reported to shareholders in 2009. That’s about $2 in deferred pay for every dollar reported as earnings that year.
For Canadians who aren’t in the CEO club, the news gets even worse: When the best paid 100 CEOs finally decide to exercise their stock options, Canadians will subsidize that bonus in lost taxes. Stock options are taxed as if they were capital gains, rather than as ordinary income. As a result, nearly one third of CEOs’ 2009 reported income — and the entire amount of their capital gains windfall — is taxed at half the rate paid on wage and salary income.
That tax subsidy is worth an average of $467,000 on their 2009 income. That subsidy alone is roughly 10 times the pay of the average Canadian worker. And they can look forward to even more support from Canadians in the future, when they cash in that $1.3 billion stock option stockpile. At their 2009 value, this windfall will be supported by a tax subsidy of $360 million — an average of $3.6 million per top-100 CEO.
time is money, for canada’s ceos
It is important to note that the stratospheric performance of CEO salaries — and their resilience — is a relatively recent phenomenon. In 1995, the average pay of Canada’s highest paid 50 CEOs was $2.66 million, 85 times the pay of the average worker. In 2009, the average pay of the highest paid 50 CEOs had skyrocketed to 219 times the pay of the average worker .It’s a similar story for Canada’s best paid 100 CEOs, who pocketed 104 times more than the average worker in 1998 but now pocket 155 times more.
Between 1998 and 2008, the best paid 100 CEOs’ average compensation outpaced inflation by 53%. In stark contrast, Canadian earning the average income gained 4% to inflation over that period.This extraordinary explosion in CEO pay is one of the factors underlying the dramatic growth in income inequality in Canada highlighted in a December 2010 report from the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives by Senior Economist Armine Yalnizyan.1
That report found that fully one-third of all income gains in Canada between 1987 and 2007 went to the richest 1% of Canadians — enough of a shift towards greater inequality to reverse a 30-year trend towards greater equality that had begun in the wake of the Great Depression of the 1930s. Notably, it also found that, unlike other periods in which income inequality grew, the shift towards greater inequality in the past 20 years has been driven by inequality in incomes that are reported as wage and salary income.
Read the whole report here: http://www.policyalternatives.ca/sites/default/files/uploads/publications/National%20Office/2011/01/Recession%20Proof.pdf
Canada on the world stage- Paul Heinbecker
This past October, world leaders gathered in New York to vote two new members to temporary seats on the United Nations Security Council. Canada was vying for one of the positions against Germany and Portugal. When the results came in, Ottawa was stunned, rejected by the world community in favour of Lisbon and Berlin. But the results weren't much of a surprise to a former diplomat who had spent a career pushing Canada on the world stage.
"We were rejected on the basis of our indifference to the UN …. and the policies we've been following," says Paul Heinbecker. Heinbecker says Canada's shifting positions on climate change, our decidedly pro-Israel policy in the Middle East conflict, and our shift away from focusing aid to Africa all contributed to the loss. He adds, the results of the vote crystallized the effects of changes the Harper government has made to decades of Canadian foreign policy based on multilateralism.
Heinbecker spent his career in Canada's foreign service under both Tory and Liberal governments. He's been an ambassador, a representative at the United Nations, and is currently the director of the Laurier Centre for Global Relations. He's also the author of "Getting Back in the Game," a timely look at Canada's slipping role in world affairs. Heinbecker says Canada's international role has been relegated recently to being little more than a booster of American policies, a position the former diplomat unabashedly calls "sycophantic."
"You'll get more respect for an independent foreign policy than you will for being a sycophant," he says. "Sycophants aren't respected." Heinbecker also dismisses excuses by the Harper Tories and some in the media that the UN rejection was based on Canada's "principled" stands in foreign affairs. "Africa doesn't consider us principled for lowering aid (to the continent)," he says.
"When it comes to Israel, the Germans got elected. They support Israel, but they're not exclusively in the Israeli camp." He adds, the same is true when it comes to the Harper government's climate change stand. He says countries most vulnerable to global warming don't believe Canada is being principled by toeing Washington's line.
A break from history
Ryerson University history professor David MacKenzie says that in previous decades, Canada effectively used its middle power role in international organizations. He's just written, "A World Beyond Borders," a history of global organizations like the League of Nations, the Commonwealth and the United Nations. He notes, organizations like the UN, have given Canada greater status in international affairs. For much of the period after the Second World War, MacKenzie says Ottawa often "punched above its weight," taking leading or significant roles in peacekeeping, the-anti-Apartheid campaign, and the landmines issue.
"(The UN) gives Canadians a stage in which to play … (allows them to be) a bigger fish in a small pond," he says. That's changed in recent years, with Ottawa moving to an increasingly bilateral relationship with the U.S. But MacKenzie is skeptical of those who say the United Nations and its Security Council have become less relevant. "(The UNSC) could be an important venue for dealing with international issues ... they do good work of a transnational nature," he says.
"It responds to what happens. You don't know what's going to happen in the next two years. If you want to play a role in international affairs, that's the place to be. Some of these things could effect Canada, so we always want to be consulted … There's a value there, and the biggest plumb of all is to be on the security council." MacKenzie notes, Ottawa does not appear to have clear ideas about what role it wants to play in organizations like the UN. He says Canada needs to determine its agenda as global power shifts, particularly towards emerging economies.
"More and more of what we do transcends borders. It's only logical that international organizations will have an increasing role to play in handling (problems and issues)." Heinbecker suggests a more effective Canada on the world stage is possible, but only through significant changes to the outlook in Ottawa. Specifically, Heinbecker says the Department of Foreign Affairs should be given more authority. He also says, the Tory government needs to rethink its "principles," something he is not optimistic will happen.
Like MacKenzie, Heinbecker notes, "The world is changing. We are going to a multi-polar, multi-centric world. The Chinese are a major player, and the Indians are going to be a major player. There's Brazil … and this is tailor-made for a country whose foreign policy is agile."
"For us, making the world work is a national interest. We can do things ... all we need is the ambition."
"We were rejected on the basis of our indifference to the UN …. and the policies we've been following," says Paul Heinbecker. Heinbecker says Canada's shifting positions on climate change, our decidedly pro-Israel policy in the Middle East conflict, and our shift away from focusing aid to Africa all contributed to the loss. He adds, the results of the vote crystallized the effects of changes the Harper government has made to decades of Canadian foreign policy based on multilateralism.
Heinbecker spent his career in Canada's foreign service under both Tory and Liberal governments. He's been an ambassador, a representative at the United Nations, and is currently the director of the Laurier Centre for Global Relations. He's also the author of "Getting Back in the Game," a timely look at Canada's slipping role in world affairs. Heinbecker says Canada's international role has been relegated recently to being little more than a booster of American policies, a position the former diplomat unabashedly calls "sycophantic."
"You'll get more respect for an independent foreign policy than you will for being a sycophant," he says. "Sycophants aren't respected." Heinbecker also dismisses excuses by the Harper Tories and some in the media that the UN rejection was based on Canada's "principled" stands in foreign affairs. "Africa doesn't consider us principled for lowering aid (to the continent)," he says.
"When it comes to Israel, the Germans got elected. They support Israel, but they're not exclusively in the Israeli camp." He adds, the same is true when it comes to the Harper government's climate change stand. He says countries most vulnerable to global warming don't believe Canada is being principled by toeing Washington's line.
A break from history
Ryerson University history professor David MacKenzie says that in previous decades, Canada effectively used its middle power role in international organizations. He's just written, "A World Beyond Borders," a history of global organizations like the League of Nations, the Commonwealth and the United Nations. He notes, organizations like the UN, have given Canada greater status in international affairs. For much of the period after the Second World War, MacKenzie says Ottawa often "punched above its weight," taking leading or significant roles in peacekeeping, the-anti-Apartheid campaign, and the landmines issue.
"(The UN) gives Canadians a stage in which to play … (allows them to be) a bigger fish in a small pond," he says. That's changed in recent years, with Ottawa moving to an increasingly bilateral relationship with the U.S. But MacKenzie is skeptical of those who say the United Nations and its Security Council have become less relevant. "(The UNSC) could be an important venue for dealing with international issues ... they do good work of a transnational nature," he says.
"It responds to what happens. You don't know what's going to happen in the next two years. If you want to play a role in international affairs, that's the place to be. Some of these things could effect Canada, so we always want to be consulted … There's a value there, and the biggest plumb of all is to be on the security council." MacKenzie notes, Ottawa does not appear to have clear ideas about what role it wants to play in organizations like the UN. He says Canada needs to determine its agenda as global power shifts, particularly towards emerging economies.
"More and more of what we do transcends borders. It's only logical that international organizations will have an increasing role to play in handling (problems and issues)." Heinbecker suggests a more effective Canada on the world stage is possible, but only through significant changes to the outlook in Ottawa. Specifically, Heinbecker says the Department of Foreign Affairs should be given more authority. He also says, the Tory government needs to rethink its "principles," something he is not optimistic will happen.
Like MacKenzie, Heinbecker notes, "The world is changing. We are going to a multi-polar, multi-centric world. The Chinese are a major player, and the Indians are going to be a major player. There's Brazil … and this is tailor-made for a country whose foreign policy is agile."
"For us, making the world work is a national interest. We can do things ... all we need is the ambition."
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