The Trade Justice Network has in it’s possession newly leaked documents detailing Canada’s initial servicesand investment offers to the EU in the nearly completed free tradenegotiations. The documents, which were previously secret but leakedthis morning by the Quebec Network on Continental Integration have been posted on the Trade Justice Network
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A Little Juxtaposition on Trade
Canada isn’t the only country the EU has been negotiating a comprehensive trade and investment pact with, parallel talks have been ongoing with India on a remarkably similar deal. So I’ve found it interesting to look in on those discussions from time to time for comparison purposes. It seems there
Continue readingEtta James 1938-2012
While I’ve always been a fan of Etta James’ work and the pure emotion that poured out whenever she sang, I was still surprised by the strength of my reaction to her passing. It felt like I knew her personally. Strange stuff indeed from someone who rails against celebrity worship
Continue readingWhen Cops Kill
Chris Gardian, beaten by Toronto Police Jan. 27th 2011, died Feb 2, 2011. We learned today that the SIU has cleared Toronto cops in the death of “Gentle Giant” Charles McGillivary last August. The victim was minding his own business out on a stroll with his mother in their neighborhood
Continue readingThey Just Don’t Get It
Last week it was revealed that Roshi Chadha, an asbestos exporter , sat on the board of the Canadian Red Cross,certainly someone an organistion like the Red Cross would be loathe to be associated with.Yet far from distancing themselves from Chadha and demanding her immediate resignation they instead supported her.
Continue readingWhat to do when the Minister is a moron?
Well if one works for a Conservative cabinet minister you attempt to hide the evidence that’s what. As Jorge Barrera over at APTN National News tells us that is precisely what officials at Aboriginal Affairs planned to do in response to one of John Duncan’s idiotic utterances re Residential Schools last
Continue readingAsbestos Trader sits on Board of Governors of the Canadian Red Cross
That’s right folks as difficult as that is to believe. Roshi Chadha a member of the Board of Governors of the Canadian Red Cross is also an asbestos exporter. Since 1981, she has been an executive of Seja Trade Ltd., a Montreal company that has for years been exporting asbestos
Continue readingThe Silent Destruction of Canadians Ability to Govern Themselves
Little by little through trade and security deals such as CETA and Beyond Borders we are losing the ability to make our own decisions regarding the governance of our country. Yet despite the profound effect these and other such agreements have on our lives we are given no say whatsoever
Continue readingNo Mr Harper Free Trade Does Not Improve Human Rights Part 2
In August of last year while on a tour of South America, most notable for his bathroom misadventures, Harper signed a free trade agreement with the leaders of the Honduran coup. In justifying his actions Harper stated that the agreement would lead to an improved human rights atmosphere for the
Continue readingWe Have Our Priorities
According to Correctional Services Canada, the average annual cost of keeping someone in a federal prison in Canada in 2004-2005 was $88,067 . Now compare that to the annual amount spent per student in Canada during the same time period of $8726 including operating budgets and salaries.
Continue readingFracking Gone Wild
“Our Government believes shale gas is an important strategic resource that could provide numerous economic benefits to Canada,” the (environment) ministry’s statement said. Gas is an important part of a clean energy future, the ministry added, saying that “a healthy environment and a strong economy go hand in hand.” This
Continue readingMore #CPC *cough* Respect for Veterans
For a period of 28 years from 1956 to 1984 DND indiscriminately sprayed millions of litres of Agent Orange and other highly toxic defoliants on CFB Gagetown exposing thousands of military personnel and civilians to their deadly effects. In 2007 the government offered a one time payout of $20.000 to
Continue readingThe Brits Are Not Amused: A Tale of Fibs & Desperation
The Brits are not amused with us at the moment, In a meeting with the British Foreign Office, Canada’s trade commissioner in the UK, Sushma Gera has reportedly informed UK officials that the Harper government is considering filing a challenge with the WTO over the EU’s Fuel Quality Directive claiming
Continue readingA Cynical and Dangerous Game
The creation of enemies both at home and abroad during bad economic times is nothing new and that the Harper Conservatives would resort to this most dangerous of tactics is indeed no surprise. Governments have favoured it throughout time because it gives people who are justifiably angry an outlet with
Continue readingThe Power of the Spoken Word
This video by Leah Harris ,spoken word artist and survivor of the youth mental health system who was orphaned when both of her parents who were diagnosed with schizophrenia died, is one of the most powerful videos I have ever watched. h/t @opliberation1 and @msanthropics
Continue readingDirty Hands
CSIS says that it is impossible to get a Security Certificate issued without relying on evidence derived from torture, yet our government continues to issue them. So either CSIS is wrong or our government is complicit in torture. As much as I’d like to believe to former to be true
Continue readingTroubling questions about CETA ‘s impact on municipalities
As negotiations between Canada and the EU near their completion we still don’t know many of the details as our government only sees fit to brief business interests on them, but what we do know is extremely troubling. CETA in the governments own words is the “most robust” trade and
Continue readingShame on us: 600,000 Canadian kids live in poverty
I wonder what happened to the pledge to eliminate child poverty by the year 2000? While the goal of eliminating child poverty was likely never achievable, it isn’t unfair to expect that at least we could have made some significant gains to that end. Instead while the percentage of children
Continue readingA Little Juxtaposition
On one hand we have the Conservatives fifty million dollar G8 slush fund complete with two senior government ministers saying yeah so what if we broke the rules ,you can’t touch us. Yet despite the malodorous stench of accounting irregularities and possible criminality both the Auditor General and the RCMP
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