Wednesday January 07, 2009
ACROSS CANADA 
Cellphone firms ordered to fix 911 system to save lives
Canada's telecom regulator will force the cellphone industry to upgrade the country's 911 system, which has fallen behind other parts of the world and may be contributing to deaths involving wireless calls for help.
Radio-Canada crosses line with race-based satire
Radio-Canada's New Year's Eve prime-time variety show known as the Bye Bye has always included satirical sketches bordering on bad taste. But this year's edition, featuring gags on the assassination of U.S. president-elect Barack Obama, prison rape, a battered wife, black criminality and anglo inbreeding seems to have gone far over the line, even by Quebec's standards.
Province considers fining out-of-bounds skiers
B.C.'s Solicitor-General has ordered his staff to study the possibility of fining outdoor enthusiasts who enter out-of-bounds areas at ski resorts and in backcountry B.C.
150,000 views and a shot at the big time
When the Hollywood big shots line up to receive their inevitable swag bags full of goodies at the Sundance Film Festival this month, inside they will find a little present from Toronto filmmakers Ben Goldenberg and Jason Gossbee, courtesy of YouTube.
Victoria bus-driving jobs too far away and pay too little, laid-off loggers say
B.C. Transit has tried to wheel in southern Vancouver Island's unemployed forestry workers to drive buses, but the workers are staying home and waiting for their industry to spring back.
Captain shot wounded insurgent, prosecutor says
The Taliban struck while the Canadians and their Afghan allies were on a gruelling 26-kilometre patrol - and it was only the attack power of a massive U.S. Apache gunship that helped rout the insurgents' ambush on that day, Oct. 19, 2008.
Sexual exploitation, drinking at the office supported by Brazeau, former employee claims
New Senator Patrick Brazeau - who is facing a sexual harassment complaint before a human rights tribunal - condoned a work atmosphere at the Congress of Aboriginal Peoples in which sexual exploitation and drinking on the job was common, according to a grievance filed by a second former employee.
GOING OUT: THEATRE
OPENINGLives Were Around Me
Band files new suit over fishing in Nemiah land-claims marathon
A year after the B.C. Supreme Court ordered the B.C. and federal governments to negotiate a land claims settlement with a small Indian band in the Chilcotin - and just hours before an agreed deadline for action - the province's Minister of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation delivered an offer.
U.S. to compensate B.C. fishing industry
The U.S. government will hand over millions of dollars to compensate the B.C. fishing industry for dramatic cuts to salmon fisheries.The $30-million (U.S.) salve is one of several changes that took effect in the Pacific Salmon Treaty at the beginning of this year, with the aim of ensuring the sustainability of declining Pacific salmon stocks in Canada and the United States.
Court allows appeal in 'shaken baby' death
New Brunswick man Richard Brant was granted permission by the Ontario Court of Appeal yesterday to reopen and fight his criminal conviction for shaking his infant son to death in 1993.
Two survive crash of small plane in Quebec woods
When rescuers came upon the crash site in the frigid mountains near Quebec City, they saw a picture of devastation: a plane reduced to metal pieces, a severed wing in the surrounding trees, blood dotting the site.
$117-million later, Ottawa's troubles with Sikorsky aren't over
The helicopter-maker that will replace Canada's aging Sea Kings is embroiled in a secret legal battle with Ottawa that could lead to higher costs for an aircraft that was bought on a fixed-price basis in 2004.
Academics tout wisdom of spending on decaying campus infrastructure
Patching roofs and fixing windows on Canadian campuses is an efficient way to pump money into all regions of the country and better prepare the next generation of workers, postsecondary leaders are telling politicians looking for quick fixes for the sagging economy.
St. John's hits brakes on drive-throughs
Streams of motorists desperate for their morning caffeine gather each day at Tim Hortons drive-throughs across St. John's, with lines of vehicles routinely backing up onto busy roads.
Tory budget must expand EI payouts, Liberals say
The opposition Liberals say the federal budget must expand employment insurance to put more money into the hands of workers left jobless by the recession - but they have not made specific demands.
Lower Mainland battens down for big melt
The Lower Mainland has braced itself for the thaw as warmer temperatures and heavy rain have increased flooding risks and collapsed three roofs.Warnings and notices were put out by Environment Canada yesterday as stormy weather and mild temperatures spread over the province. The same storm is going to bring heavy snow, which will change ''dramatically'' into rainfall in much of the Interior, Environment Canada said.
Innocent victim was in wrong place at wrong time
A simple decision about where to eat may have cost a man his life in a gang shooting on New Year's Day.Keni Su'a, 43, was dining alone at the Bolsa Restaurant in Calgary last Thursday when two men came in and opened fire on three people at another table.
Shoe police boot out Miller
Maybe Bode Miller would have been all right if he had just scuffed the bottom of his ski boots before going to work. That was not the case, however, and the shoe police hauled him in.
Parts maker's financial woes spark standoff
The financial troubles of a 70-year-old auto parts supplier have prompted a dispute between the Canadian Auto Workers and General Motors Corp. that includes a union blockade of one of the parts maker's plants.
Pipeline bombs getting close to homes, Mounties warn
The attacks on EnCana's natural gas operations in northeastern British Columbia are becoming ''increasingly violent,'' says the RCMP, after a fourth attack that was dangerously close to a home.
Smoking in pregnancy, aggressive children linked
Mothers-to-be who smoke are at a higher risk of delivering physically aggressive children, a new study shows, adding to the expansive list of harmful effects of lighting up.
WEEKENDS
Nothing fake about itOttawa Don't wait for Winterlude to make the trek to Ottawa. There's plenty to do before the throngs descend next month. After a brisk skate down the Rideau Canal, head indoors to the Bank of Canada's Currency Museum. Its new interactive exhibit, The Good, the Bad and the Fake, will make anyone think twice about printing bogus currency. Grab one of the museum's free iPods and join virtual audio guide Isaac Cragshaw as he explores the gruesome punishments handed down in past centuries to counterfeiters. Or, more relevant in today's economic climate, learn how to avoid getting stuck with fake money.
Western Canadian Coal to cut operations, jobs
Jean Pelletier gravely ill in Quebec hospital
Jean Pelletier, a former chief of staff to Jean Chretien when he was prime minister, is gravely ill with cancer in a Quebec City hospital.Mr. Pelletier, 73, was admitted to Saint-Sacrement Hospital in Quebec City on New Year's Eve and later transferred to the Maison Michel Sarrazin hospice. He has been visited by a number of old friends including Mr. Chretien and Quebec City Mayor Regis Labeaume, a spokesman for Mr. Labeaume told CBC Radio.
Alberta may appeal ruling on new trial for murderer
Alberta Justice may appeal a court decision that has ordered a new trial for a man convicted in the sex-slaying of a 13-year-old Edmonton girl.In a written decision released yesterday, the Alberta Court of Appeal granted Joseph Laboucan's appeal of his March, 2007, first-degree murder conviction on the grounds the original trial judge made an error assessing the B.C. man's credibility as a witness to the crime. Mr. Laboucan, who was 19 when the crime was committed, is serving a life sentence with no chance of parole for 25 years.
Residents back offer to transit workers: poll
An opinion poll conducted for the City of Ottawa suggests residents are firmly behind the city's offer to striking transit workers.In a Harris-Decima poll of 816 residents, 89 per cent of respondents said they believe the city's offer as a whole is reasonable, while 7 per cent of those surveyed said it is unreasonable.
Kitchener-Waterloo theatre to close down operations
The King Street Theatre Centre, a theatrical hub for Kitchener-Waterloo, Ont., over the past two decades, is closing its doors for good at the end of February.The Kitchener-Waterloo Performing Arts Association board of directors announced the closing yesterday, citing a lack of rental revenue, higher operating expenses and the current economic climate.
Calgary mayor seeks more funds for policing
Spurred by a recent fatal gang shooting, Calgary's mayor is asking the Alberta government to reconsider giving his city more money to hire additional police officers.Dave Bronconnier says he hopes the province will boost police funding when the budget comes down this spring.
Trial adjourned in case of activist's census stand
The trial of a Saskatoon activist who refused to complete census documents because she objected to Statistics Canada's dealings with an arms manufacturer has been adjourned.In 2006, Sandra Finley declined to submit her Canadian census forms after learning that Lockheed Martin, one of the world's largest defence contractors, had won a contract to upgrade Statistics Canada software.
Canadian among victims in Bangkok blaze
Foreign Affairs says a Canadian was among the revellers who perished in a New Year's Eve fire at a nightclub in Bangkok.A spokesman in Ottawa said consular officials have been in contact with the family to offer assistance and support.
N.B. historical documents back to 1784 go digital
Thirteen million pages of historical documents have gone digital in New Brunswick.Documents dating back more than 200 years - such as deeds and mortgages - can now be viewed from the convenience of a home computer.
And the award goes to ...
Tragically, Graham Haywood and his friends sound like prime candidates for the Darwin awards - given posthumously to those whose overarching stupidity destines them to a premature and ignominious end (Powder-Hungry Skier Says He'd Break Rules Again - Jan. 6). If having to pay for rescue costs isn't a deterrent, maybe he should be charged with endangering the lives of others.
CORRECTION
A letter threatening EnCana and other oil and gas interests in northeastern British Columbia was sent before the first of a series of attacks on oil and gas facilities. Incorrect information appeared in a highlighted quotation in some editions yesterday.
TORONTO
Council rejects front-pad parking changes
Attempts to change the Kafkaesque process that governs whether Torontonians can pave their front lawns and create parking spots were shot down yesterday at city hall - including a move that would have eased rules for disabled drivers.
United Way to issue special plea for donations
The United Way of Greater Toronto will issue an urgent appeal for help today in a bid to head off its first fundraising shortfall in more than a decade.With two weeks left in its annual fundraising campaign, the organization sits $4-million short of its stated goal of raising $110-million in 2008.
No strong leads in SUV slaying
Two days after a Mississauga woman was found shot to death on a quiet east Toronto residential street, slumped behind the wheel of a borrowed Ford Explorer with the engine still running, homicide detectives were still striving to piece together her last minutes and hours.
Father-in-law arrested in woman's death
An arrest has been made in Peel Region's first slaying of the year.The body of Amandeep Kaur Dhillon, 22, was found around 10:30 a.m. on New Year's Day in Airport Foods, a store on Airport Road in Mississauga. At the time, her father-in-law, Kamikar Singh Dhillon, was taken to hospital with injuries and questioned by police.
Urgent sewer construction needed to fix pipe, city told
The race is on to build a $30-million bypass sewer to replace a cracked pipe that lies 10 storeys under the city's east end that could, if it deteriorates further, spew tonnes of raw sewage into the Don River.
BRITISH COLUMBIA
Diplomat charged with impaired driving returns to Europe
Poland's consul in Vancouver has returned home to Europe, raising questions about whether he will be present for a court hearing next week on impaired-driving charges.Tomasz Lis is supposed to appear in court on Jan. 13 to face a charge of impaired driving and having a blood alcohol level over .08 while operating a motor vehicle.
Worker awarded $32,000 for sexual harassment
A local woman whose supervisor slapped her on the backside and offered her marijuana, lingerie and truck tires in return for sex has won a $32,000 award after a decision by the B.C. Human Rights Tribunal.
Gastown fire leaves 20 without apartments
An early morning fire on the edge of Vancouver's heritage Gastown district yesterday left 20 people homeless and destroyed a popular pizza restaurant.The blaze at 90 Alexander St. broke out at about 5 a.m. in the four-storey brick building that houses the Incendio pizzeria on the main floor and apartments above.
Mounties find boats stolen from U.S. Navy
The Mounties have recovered two boats stolen from the U.S. Navy and docked in the province.Sergeant Stuart Falebrinza of the Sunshine Coast RCMP says the investigation resulted in the recovery of a 14-metre sailboat, named NSY Lively, and a 10-metre Boston whaler.
Action plan gets 300 off street, mayor says
Mayor Gregor Robertson said yesterday that the homeless action plan he put in place last month has provided shelter for almost 300 street people in the past three weeks.
COLUMNISTS
Can a soldier defend shooting a wounded foe? No
It was early on the morning of Saturday, July 8, 2006, that I saw my first dead and injured Talibs. There was one of each.I was travelling with Charlie Company, 1st Battalion Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, in the Panjwai district west of Kandahar. This was Op Zahar, a significant battle group operation that involved all three companies. I was with Major Bill Fletcher, then the Officer Commanding of C Company.
Where, oh where, will they put the statue for George Bush?
On a bleak January morning, Meridian Hill Park is almost deserted - its fountains drained, its lawns snow-fenced off, the only visible human a shivering man walking his dog. Neither of them pauses to examine the monument to James Buchanan. But then, no one does.
In 2009, it's all about the recession
The recession of 2009 will force or induce changes in the work force and government finances, only some of which can reasonably be foreseen.At first glance, seniors are most vulnerable to what's happening. Many of their incomes have been slashed with the downdraft in the value of investments. Low interest rates and lower portfolios (for those lucky enough to have them) will mean tougher times.
No simple solution to plague that's threatening our front lawns
The simple solution to the plague of front-yard parking pads that is implacably infecting all central Toronto, despite the bristling cordon sanitaire erected by downtown ideologues, is just to ban them.
