Documents show close ties between CIA, Gadhafi regime

The CIA worked closely with Moammar Gadhafi's intelligence services in the rendition of terror suspects to Libya for interrogation, according to documents seen Saturday by the AP, co-operation that could spark tensions between Washington and Libya's new rulers.

The CIA was among a number of foreign intelligence services that worked with Libya's agencies, according to documents found at a Libyan security agency building in Tripoli.

The discovery came as the Libyan rebels said they would surround pro-Gadhafi cities until the Sept. 10 deadline for their surrender.

Leaks show U.S. swayed Canada on copyright bill

Secret U.S. government cables show a stunning willingness by senior Canadian officials to appease American demands for a U.S.-style copyright law here.

The documents describe Canadian officials as encouraging American lobbying efforts. They also cite cabinet minister Maxime Bernier raising the possibility of showing U.S. officials a draft bill before tabling it in Parliament.

The cables, from the U.S. Embassy in Ottawa, even have a policy director for then industry minister Tony Clement suggesting it might help U.S. demands for a tough copyright law if Canada were placed among the worst offenders on an international piracy watch list. Days later, the U.S. placed Canada alongside China and Russia on the list.

All Work and No Pay: The Great Speedup

Also read harrowing first-person tales of overwork and 12 charts on just how much is being demanded of American workers.

On a bright spring day in a wisteria-bedecked courtyard full of earnest, if half-drunk, conference attendees, we were commiserating with a fellow journalist about all the jobs we knew of that were going unfilled, being absorbed or handled "on the side." It was tough for all concerned, but necessary—you know, doing more with less.

"Ah," he said, "the speedup."

His old-school phrase gave form to something we'd been noticing with increasing apprehension—and it extended far beyond journalism. We'd hear from creative professionals in what seemed to be dream jobs who were crumbling under ever-expanding to-do lists; from bus drivers, hospital technicians, construction workers, doctors, and lawyers who shame-facedly whispered that no matter how hard they tried to keep up with the extra hours and extra tasks, they just couldn't hold it together. (And don't even ask about family time.)

Webster's defines speedup as "an employer's demand for accelerated output without increased pay," and it used to be a household word. Bosses would speed up the line to fill a big order, to goose profits, or to punish a restive workforce. Workers recognized it, unions (remember those?) watched for and negotiated over it—and, if necessary, walked out over it.

After HST rebuke, Christy Clark has had enough of elections

It was Feb. 26, and B.C. Liberal Party members were choosing a leader to replace Gordon Campbell, chased from office early in his third term. His successor would instantly become B.C. Premier.

The front-runner cast her ballot and spoke with reporters. There was no misconstruing her remarks. If chosen leader, said Christy Clark, she would go to the polls as soon as possible. B.C. legislation requires a general election every four years, on the second Tuesday in May, but there is some flexibility; an election can be held earlier than scheduled. And that’s what she promised. “I think the premier needs a mandate,” said candidate Clark. “So if I’m elected premier tonight, we will not be waiting until the fixed election date, which never anticipated an unelected premier for over two years.”

She won the leadership and became Premier. Two months later, she captured Mr. Campbell’s open Vancouver seat in a byelection, and she mused again about an early general election.

Author Naomi Klein arrested in oilsands protest

WASHINGTON—More than 1,000 people have been busted at the gates of the White House the past two weeks, as the most ambitious of climate protests against Canadian oil comes to a head.

Toronto author and activist Naomi Klein was not planning to be among them. Support the cause? Sure. Speak to the anti-tarsands faithful? Absolutely. But to actually get arrested?

No, Klein and the other Canadian protesters in Washington agreed — that is a stand best left to their U.S. counterparts, who need not worry whether such close encounters with law enforcement will hamper their ability to cross borders in the future.

Yet there was Klein on Friday, being led away by police in the latest harvest of detainees after a last-second decision to put her liberty on the line in opposition to the controversial Keystone XL pipeline.

Hudak plunges into dangerous liaison with Rob Ford

Tim Hudak’s Progressive Conservatives are taking a massive gamble and embracing Mayor Rob Ford, not out of love — the two aren’t close — but because they have no choice.

The risks are huge. Ford’s popularity is sinking, according to polling data, as his hunt for “gravy” falters and his administration wobbles. Just as the provincial campaign takes off, Ford is wading into budget deliberations seemingly eager to inflict deep spending cuts despite a promise not to.

Nobody was more eager than the ruling Liberals — fearful, not long ago, of the Ford factor in the Oct. 6 provincial election — to see Ford and Hudak together at Friday evening’s “Ford Fest” barbecue.

Hudak told reporters after the more than hour-long meeting in Ford’s mother’s sprawling bungalow they talked about the mayor’s efforts to clean up the financial “mess” left by his predecessor, David Miller.