Of no surprise to anyone, it is now being reported that Canada’s environmental inspector has found that much of the federal governments plan to save the planet from global warming was nothing more than lip service paid to the Canadian public.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s administration has rationed billions of taxpayers’ dollars for environmental initiatives. All of which promise to reduce Canada’s total greenhouse gas emissions by 80 megatonnes, which is roughly 10% nationally.

However, Environment commissioner Scott Vaughn has given our fearless leader and his cronies less than favourable marks in a failing-grade report card released on February 5th.
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Speaking at a Chinese New Year festival near Toronto this weekend, Prime Minister Stephen Harper said he hopes that the Year of the Ox will also be the year of the return of the bull market. Our major banks would have to disagree with this statement. Both TD Bank and the Bank of Nova Scotia predict our economy will continue to shrink and will loses hundreds of thousands jobs (in addition to the hundreds of thousands already lost) by year end. US analysts predict the economy will not recover until 2010 at best.
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Should Medicinal Marijuana Smokers Have the Freedom to Smoke Where They Choose?

A restaurant owner is facing a discrimination complaint after he asked his customer, a medicinal marijuana smoker, not to smoke outside his business. Ted Kindos, owner of Gator Ted’s Tap and Grill in Burlington, Ontario is involved in one of three medicinal marijuana-related cases working its way through the human rights complaints process in Ontario.

His case brings up the issue of where medicinal marijuana smokers are permitted to smoke. Currently, those who hold medicinal marijuana permits (2,800 Canadians) are not given any strict requirements for how or where they are able to smoke. Such details are not governed by federal regulations but permit holders are expected to use common sense, according to the federal government. Should our government be so lax in its regulations regarding where marijuana can be smoked? Seems to me like the government is asking begging for problems.
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I’m confused.

After years of experiencing the slow, muddling governments of Ontario and the swashbuckling antics of British Columbia politicians, I’m baffled by the laissez-faire provincial ministrations in Quebec. Mind you, I’ve only lived here since 2001. I’m part of the first wave of a growing English migration moving into the province – for futures sake.

Let me say straight off, as a writer, that moving to Montreal has been one of the better decisions of my life. This is a truly wonderful, welcoming and creative city – with a brightening future. This despite being about two generations behind the rest of Canada in some ways – thanks to previous political upheavals.

As a new arrival in sexy Montreal, you are handed a medical card, drug card, a cheap rent apartment and access to numerous free access socialized services like swimming pools, skating rinks and libraries. And you don’t even have to speak French all that much any more. Certainly less than 2001. Though it sure helps if you want a real job.
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Recently, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) announced that it is considering a change to the scope of the upcoming television broadcast license hearings scheduled for April 2009.

Under the current Broadcasting Act, 1991, the CRTC can grant broadcast licenses for up to 7 years. There is also an option to grant licenses for shorter periods of time, but this is usually done in cases where there are compliancy issues.

However, there is now concern that the CRTC might reverse course and grant only temporary, one to two-year licenses – and no, this has nothing to do with compliance issues.
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The budget better be a good one. Canada lost 34,400 jobs in December and 70,600 jobs in November. Now, January’s report indicates that Canada has lost 129,000 more jobs. Again, the manufacturing sector was hit hard primarily in Ontario, with BC and Quebec also taking a significant loss. I hope Prime Minister Stephen Harper will begin to take this situation seriously.

Last month, Harper said that while our job losses are “troubling,” the US is far worse off. It’s time for him to stop looking to the US and to take action to fix Canada’s economy.
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President Barack Obama & Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner Speaking About Executive Compensation

Although Obama’s term as president is only in its infancy, he’s already impressed me in many ways. First was his ability to quickly put together an extensive stimulus plan (which took far too long for Canada to do) and then his plan to close Guantanamo Bay within a year. Now, it’s his idea to impose a salary cap for many U.S. business executives.

Obama’s plan is to place a $500,000 salary cap on executives at troubled U.S. financial institutions that accept federal bailout funds. And it’s a brilliant idea.

Here’s an excerpt from Obama’s announcement:
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It all started when Barack Obama included “Buy American” language in his economic stimulus plan coming out of congress. That built tension worldwide after an $825-billion stimulus plan was passed last week by the House of Representatives requiring the sole use of U.S. made iron and steel in public projects. The protectionist messages being relayed by the US are especially a concern for Canadians, given that the US is our largest trading partner.

In a panicked response, the governments of both the European Union and Canada sent letters to Congress urging that the provision must be dropped.

But Canadians nervous about a trade war with the US heard reassuring words from Obama after he realized the extent to which nations worldwide were panicking. “I think it would be a mistake … at a time when worldwide trade is declining for us to start sending a message that somehow we’re just looking after ourselves and not concerned with world trade,” Obama stated. He also assured the world he did not want to send a protectionist message.
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The budget was approved today by a 211 – 91 vote. As anticipated, the NDP and Bloc both voted against the budget. As well, the 6 Liberal MPs from Newfoundland and Labrador voted against the budget. Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff allowed these 6 MPs to vote against their own party as a one time protest vote to bring attention to the fact that the new budget is cutting out $1.6 billion in federal transfer payments to their province.

As decided upon yesterday, Prime Minister Stephen Harper will be required to provide updates and reports on the budget’s progress in March, June and December. At any of these points, if the opposition expresses non confidence in the government, Canada will have another election.

MPs voted 214 to 84 in favour of the Liberal budget amendments today. As expected, the NDP and Bloc voted against these changes.

Michael Ignatieff must be jumping for joy.
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