Document shows Canadian government has been fully aware of tar sands dangers

A document recently released under Canada's access-to-information law reveals that Canadian government officials have been aware of the proliferation of contaminants associated with tar sands mining even as they continues to promote industry expansion with minimal regulation. The January 2015 briefing note, prepared forNatural Resources Minister Greg Rickford, discusses findings from a tar sands monitoring report published in December 2014 describing dangerous concentrations of iron and cadmium in Alberta's wetlands and of phosophorous and nitrogen in the Athabasca River. In addition, increased concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) in the toxic tailings ponds near tar sands strip mines are raising PAH levels in the atmosphere, which can lead to human health concerns like DNA damage and impaired development. The briefing note also highlights serious declines in species that rely on old forest habitat, which has been decimated by mining operations. Yet even with the knowledge furnished by this briefing note, the Canadian government has continued to promote the expansion of the tar sands industry, particularly through its support for tar sands pipelines like Keystone XL and Energy East.

Conservatives Have Damaged Our Immigration System

Throughout our history, Canada has welcomed newcomers with a smile. They were -- and are -- nation builders. Under the Conservatives, this smile has become a scowl and we have unfortunately witnessed a decade of decline in three major areas: family reunification, refugees, and citizenship applicants.

Wait times have ballooned during Mr. Harper's time in office. Since 2007, family reunification processing times are up 70 percent for spouses and children and up a staggering 500 percent for parents and grandparents. Processing times took a particularly sharp jump after 2011, which was the same year this Conservative government imposed crippling budget cuts. Adding insult to injury, the Conservatives also reduced the age of dependents from 22 to 18.

B.C. wants feds to stay out of environmental assessment for Fraser River LNG project

The provincial government has asked the federal Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency to stay out of the environmental review process of a controversial jetty that could bring in more than 120 liquefied natural gas tankers up the Fraser River.

In a letter, provincial environmental assessment associate minister Kevin Jardine asks CEAA president Ron Hallman to allow B.C.'s environmental assessment of the project substitute the federal one, in case the CEAA determines a federal evaluation is needed.

Markets Tumble As IMF Negotiators Walk Away From Greece Crisis Talks

ATHENS, Greece -- Markets tumbled Friday as investors reassessed their recent bout of optimism over the likelihood of a deal that would prevent the country from going bankrupt.

The moves were stoked by the International Monetary Fund's decision on Thursday to send its negotiators home from bailout talks with Greek officials in Brussels, citing a lack of progress. Observers had been increasingly optimistic that a deal would be reached by the end of the month.

The main Athens stock exchange was down 5.6 per cent in late-afternoon trading, a day after it surged 8 per cent on hopes of an imminent breakthrough that would unlock bailout funds that Greece needs to pay upcoming debts and avoid a default.

Canada's Public Health Care To See More Corporate Influence Under TPP

Just days after a number of provincial health ministers advocated for the creation of a national pharmacare program, a leaked document suggests Canada may have to abandon any such plans if it signs up to the Trans-Pacific Partnership.

According to a draft chapter of the 12-country free trade agreement currently under negotiation, leaked Wednesday by Wikileaks, Canada may also see drug prices rise as pharma companies gain more access to government decisions on pricing. And the deal could protect a controversial pharma industry practice that could mean fewer generics coming on the market.

Democrats Rebel To Block Obama's Trade Deals

WASHINGTON -- Democrats rebelled against President Barack Obama's ambitious trade agenda Friday, spurning his last-second personal appeal and blocking a measure in the House that would have granted him the power to fast-track sweeping, secretive international agreements through Congress.

The Democrats' revolt focused on a provision that they would normally back -- something called Trade Adjustment Assistance, or TAA, which would pay to help retrain workers whose jobs get shipped overseas by trade deals -- knowing that killing it would bring fast-track down with it.

Opposition MPs blast "crazy" omnibus budget bill C-59

Finance critics and MPs from both the NDP and Liberal parties blasted the federal government’s 2015 budget, taking aim at everything from long-gun registry record destruction to employment statistics.

Liberal finance critic Scott Brison had harsh words about the government’s elimination of the long-gun registry, which formed part of the Harper government’s latest ‘omnibus’ Bill C-59, ‘An Act to implement certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on April 21, 2015 and other measures.’

Mr. Harper, Move the Victims of Communism Monument

The planned Memorial to the Victims of Communism has attracted ever-greater controversy over its design and location, evoking strong and remarkably united criticism from a broad array of commentators, including architectural associations, legal experts, the Mayor of Ottawa, the NCC, and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court -- not to mention the vast majority of local residents. Perhaps most astonishingly, nearly two-thirds of Conservative supporters nationwide oppose the plan.

Yet the Conservative government perseveres, obstinately rejecting any reasoned debate or compromise.

Canada Household Debt Ratio Hovers Near Record as Wealth Gains

Canadian households kept debt at almost record levels in the first quarter, even as they benefit from rising asset values that saw their net worth rise to new highs.

Credit-market debt including mortgages, consumer credit and non-mortgage loans was 163.3 percent of disposable income in the three-month period, compared with a revised record 163.6 percent in the fourth quarter, Statistics Canada said Friday in Ottawa. Household net worth rose 3.4% in C$8.65 trillion.

Tory-led city council continues Toronto's tragic transit farce

The tragedy and farce that is Toronto's political capitulation to the cult of the car continues unabated.

Mayor John Tory -- despite the recommendations of the city's own planners and health officials, former mayors and many others -- has managed to narrowly get his "hybrid" Gardiner Expressway plan passed by Toronto city council and to see the boulevard plan of basically all experts (less narrowly) defeated.

This is yet another installment in the long and terrible history of the love affair that Toronto's politicians have with cars at the expense of public transit and good sense.