Auditor General Report: Aboriginal Programs To Deal With Residential Schools, Diabetes Have Gone Awry. OTTAWA - The federal auditor general says two of the government's key pillars meant to improve the lives of aboriginal peoples have gone awry because of infighting, poor co-ordination and lack of planning. Auditor general Michael Ferguson says attempts to deal with the fallout of the residential school system are a mess as the Truth and Reconciliation Commission bickers with the federal government over what historical documents need to be provided and how they should be preserved. And he says Ottawa's plans to deal with rising rates of diabetes — especially on First Nations reserves — are showing no results because government programs aren't working together or checking the effectiveness of their projects.
At stake are the mental and physical health of First Nations families across Canada at a time when aboriginal communities are crying out for better treatment from the federal government. Indeed, both Sinclair and Valcourt recognized the need to talk, and soon. Also on HuffPost: Consumer Debt Canada: Bankruptcy Risk Greatest For 'Pre-Retirement' Group, Review Finds. “Pre-retirement” Canadians aged 50 to 59 are taking on an alarming amount of debt and are most at risk of bankruptcy, according to a new study that examined some 7,000 insolvency filings. Bankruptcy trustees Hoyes, Michalos & Associates reviewed filings from 2011 and 2012 and found the average bankrupt Canadian is a 43-year-old man with more than $61,000 in debt. That’s about three times the national average of about $18,000 of non-mortgage debt per Canadian. The average age of bankrupt Canadians shot up from 41 years in 2009, while the average amount owed rose two per cent in two years.
And 57 per cent of Canadians who filed for insolvency were male. But the group with the highest debt levels were those aged 50 to 59, whose unsecured debts — including credit cards, personal loans and other forms not backed by assets — exceeded $84,000, the study found. “The most at risk group are ‘pre-retirement’ debtors,” said Ted Michalos, a trustee with Hoyes, Michalos & Associates Inc. Banks got $114B from governments during recession - Business. Canada's biggest banks accepted tens of billions in government funds during the recession, according to a report released today by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives. Canada's banking system is often lauded for being one of the world's safest. But an analysis by CCPA senior economist David Macdonald concluded that Canada's major lenders were in a far worse position during the downturn than previously believed.
Macdonald examined data provided by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions and the big banks themselves for his report published Monday. It says support for Canadian banks from various agencies reached $114 billion at its peak. That works out to $3,400 for every man, woman and child in Canada, and also to seven per cent of Canada's gross domestic product in 2009. The figure is also 10 times the amount Canadian taxpayers spent on the auto industry in 2009. CMHC mortgage program aided banks. Liberals more open minded to change. Thinking of posting a status update to let all your Facebook friends to know where you stand on the latest controversy over tax policy or immigration? Conventional wisdom: For the love of God, don’t! New thinking: Hey, that’s not a bad idea—especially if you’re a Democrat. That, at any rate, is one possible takeaway from a new survey by the Pew Internet & American Life Project.
The survey of 2,253 U.S. adults found that nearly half of Democrats who use social networking sites say those sites are important to them in keeping up with political news. About one in three Republican social-network users say the same. Here’s the shocker: A few people even report changing their minds about an issue based on their friends’ political posts. They’re in the minority, to be sure: just 16 percent overall. TraceyKent : SenZimmer's wife living off... RBC flouted customer data sharing rules, brokers allege. Canada’s insurance brokers are asking regulators to look into the possibility that Royal Bank of Canada is sharing customer data with its insurance arm. The move escalates the already heated battle between the brokers, who make their living selling insurance, and the banks, which are doing all they can to muscle further into the business.
RBC, the country’s largest bank, says it is complying with regulations. The complaint stems from a marketing letter, which appears to be a form letter, that RBC Insurance sent to an individual in Alberta. “As an RBC Royal Bank credit card client, you already have a relationship with RBC Royal Bank,” the letter states. “Now you can trust RBC Insurance for your insurance needs.” The letter goes on to note that “if you use your RBC Rewards credit card to pay for your insurance premiums you can earn RBC Reward points.” As it turned out, this particular customer was a member of the Insurance Brokers Association of Canada. ‘Denounce Harper’ Twitter-trending on Canada Day. Harper government rejects economist's prescription for financial crisis warning.
5 Even Worse Lies from Accelerated Christian Education « Leaving Fundamentalism. Top 5 Lies Taught By Accelerated Christian Education has had as many views as all my other posts to date combined. Luckily, there’s plenty more where that came from. I bought several brand new PACEs with my own money this week so I could check what is currently being taught. Most of the evidence here comes from these newly purchased PACEs; this stuff is being taught today. By the way, if you wish to support my project, buying me a PACE (they’re about $3 + p&p) would be the most helpful way. 5. “The first and second laws of thermodynamics demonstrate what the Bible tells about the creation of new matter or energy. Accelerated Christian Education, Science 1096, p. 7 Two whole pages are spent on this argument. 4. “In attempting to fix the date of this Gospel, the critics range from A.D. 44 to A.D. 75.
Accelerated Christian Education Basic New Testament Survey 98 Well, at least they admit there is a range of critical opinion. But you know what? It gets worse. 3. That’s right. 2. 1. So… No, I do not respect your religious beliefs. Harper's Chopping Block. By Judith Szabo and Pearl Eliadis (from X-Ray Magazine Organizations and watchdogs whose staff have been fired, forced out, publicly maligned, or who have resigned in protest: • Canada Firearms Program (Chief Supt. Marty Cheliak, fired) • Canadian Wheat Board (Adrian Measner, fired) • Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (Linda Keen, fired) • Foreign Affairs (Richard Colvin, silenced by prorogation) • Military Police Complaints Commission (Peter Tinsley, forced out) • Ombudsman for the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Forces (Yves Coté, resigned) • Parliamentary Budget Officer (Kevin Page, publicly maligned) • RCMP Police Complaints Commission (Paul Kennedy, fired) • Rights & Democracy (Rémy Beauregard, died of heart attack) • Statistics Canada (Munir Sheikh, resigned in protest) • Veterans Ombudsman (Col.
. • Victims of Crime, Ombudsman (Steve Sullivan, forced out) • Aboriginal Healing Foundation (addition) • Action travail des femmes • Alternatives (Quebec) Tories fear budget-bill showdown burnt substantial political capital. After almost 24 hours of bobbing up and down in their seats for votes on the government’s budget bill, there’s no doubt Conservatives MPs are tired.
But government members and cabinet ministers are also expressing private concerns they’ll come out of the showdown over Bill C-38 having exhausted some of their political capital as well. Conversations with Conservative caucus members conducted on condition they would not be quoted suggest MPs are hearing complaints from Tory voters in their ridings about the government’s bundling several measures into a budget bill that have nothing directly to do with the nation’s finances. Those complaints may start anew in a few months. Now that the government’s spring budget implementation bill is one step closer to royal assent, it will turn its attention to whether it should employ the exact same omnibus strategy in the fall when it brings in the customary autumn budget implementation bill. Or at least it might have been. “... Dave Thomas: Stephen Harper 'Probably The Worst Thing That's Ever Happened To Canada'
SCTV alumnus Dave Thomas is not a fan of Stephen Harper. In an interview for the podcast of author and broadcaster Ken Plume, Thomas blasts the prime minister for catering to the U.S. and big business. "Harper is probably the worst thing that’s ever happened to Canada," Thomas says. Thomas is criticizing the actions of the George W. Bush administration when Plume interrupts him, "You can't even do a grass is always greener thing because Canada has had a Conservative government.
" That triggers a long rant on Harper's Conservative government. You can listen to the entire interview here (skip to 1:35:30 to hear the comments on Harper). "Oh yeah, Canada's such an absolute suck up to America. Thomas -- who holds Canadian, U.S. and British citizenship -- was born in St. Strong words, Eh? CORRECTION: A previous version of this story misspelt Ken Plume's name as Plum. Related on HuffPost: Quebec Emergency Law an Attack on Freedom of Assembly and Expression, say Critics.
[Updates below] The Quebec government has introduced legislation which they say is necessary in order to restore social order during the ongoing student strike, but which critics are denouncing as threatening the right to protest in Quebec. “This bill, if adopted, is a breach to the fundamental, constitutional rights of the citizens,” said Louis Masson, president of the Quebec Bar Association. The Quebec Bar Association is just one of the organizations that have spoken out since the law was introduced to parliament last night. The debate began around 9pm Thursday and is ongoing (watch live here). Among other things, the law will require all organizers of a demonstration of 10 people or more to submit their itinerary, including route, date, time and duration, to police eight hours in advance, and to refrain from demonstrating within 50 metres of any teaching establishment.
This morning, in a press conference, student leaders and unions also spoke out against the law. Quebec Emergency Law an Attack on Freedom of Assembly and Expression, say Critics. Protesting NATO: What to Know About the Secret Service and H.R. 347. The forthcoming summit of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, set for May 20 and 21 in Chicago, could be the first public test of H.R. 347, the recently passed law that expanded the ability of the Secret Service to suppress protests in or around certain restricted zones near individuals under its protection. We've written about H.R. 347 here and here. NATO summits are interesting affairs. Unlike the periodic meetings of member nations, the summits are more stately and elaborate events, meant to introduce major policy changes or new members to the strategic alliance (among other things).
This means lots of Very Important Persons, and lots of Very Controversial Issues. As far as H.R. 347 goes, the NATO summit has been declared a "National Special Security Event" by the Department of Homeland Security. For protesters, this means a couple of things. Second, note this is where the lowered intent standard in the law, which we explained here, could come into play.
Get Involved. Chief Papaschase.