Monthly Archives: October 2009

Ontario agency trying to break legal-aid boycott (1)

Ontario’s legal-aid program has struck back at boycotting defence lawyers by creating a novel, one-lawyer flying squad to travel the province defending murder cases. In a flurry of moves to defeat the six-month-old boycott and move Legal Aid Ontario toward … Continue reading

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Montreal is a disaster (1)

The once-glamorous city is now a corrupt, crumbling, mob-ridden disgrace. What went wrong? It says something about a city when tales of bravery in the face of organized crime are apparently a prerequisite to governing it. Five weeks into an … Continue reading

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SCOZZAFAVA SUSPENDS 23RD CAMPAIGN (2)

Dede Scozzafava, the Republican and Independence parties candidate, announced Saturday that she is suspending her campaign for the 23rd Congressional District and releasing all her supporters. The state Assemblywoman has not thrown her support to either Doug Hoffman, the Conservative … Continue reading

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The monarchy a useful anachronism

The return to Canada of Prince Charles provides an opportunity to look again at the institutional eccentricity of the Canadian monarchy. It has received completely inadequate attention, here and in Australia and New Zealand, for its novelty. These are all … Continue reading

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Hallowe'en: a history of All Hallows' Eve (1)

What is Hallowe’en? Where does the word come from? And why does it involve children dressing up as witches and extorting sweets with threats? We answer your questions. The origins of the festival Hallowe’en seems to have grown around the … Continue reading

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Don't turn up the heat on the West

An article on The Globe’s front page carrying the headline “Canada can meet its climate goals, but the West will write the cheques” raises, among many others, two very interesting points. The article is about a study, conducted by two … Continue reading

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The rumours of our demise

For the past two days, Canadians have been subjected to a barrage of media reports predicting the imminent closure of the National Post. Television and radio, and some wire services — and to a lesser extent competing newspapers — were … Continue reading

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World Oct. 31st, 2009 (10)

#1 — BBC | Abdullah ‘may quit Afghan poll’ Abdullah Abdullah, President Hamid Karzai’s rival in the second round of Afghanistan’s presidential election, is reportedly close to quitting the poll. [...] #2 — CNN | Pirates demand $7 million for yacht … Continue reading

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Canada Oct. 31st, 2009 (10)

#1 — CBC | Canadian soldier killed in Afghanistan A Canadian soldier who had spent less than a week in Afghanistan was killed Friday by an improvised explosive device while on foot patrol in Kandahar. [...] Yahoo | Canada’s Afghan strategy … Continue reading

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Bereaving Las Vegas (1)

The financial crisis has mauled Las Vegas like no other city. What was once the land of luxury and excess is now the home of empty houses and broken dreams. While the city and its investors keep hoping for a … Continue reading

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Canadians must take responsibility for retirement: Minister (1)

OTTAWA — The Harper government’s point man on pensions says individual Canadians must take more responsibility for ensuring they have enough money to live on during retirement as part of any effort to revamp existing pension options. Ted Menzies said … Continue reading

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Council collapses

A town council has disbanded after members staged a mass walkout in protest at being constantly criticised by a lone internet blogger. Eleven of the 15 members on Somerton Town Council, in Somerset, resigned after being subjected to three years … Continue reading

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