Suspect arrested in B.C. after fires intentionally lit
(via CTV News)
A witness who called police said he saw a man start a fire before running away near the Channel Parkway Trail and Eckhardt Ave in Penticton.
Tugboat carrying large fuel tank sinks in Fraser River
(via Global News)
The City of Vancouver says the George H. Ledcor sank off Deering Island in the Fraser River between midnight and 1 a.m. on Tuesday. The boat has a large tank onboard, carrying 22,000 litres of fuel.
Inconsolable crying is normal: B.C. program reduces shaken baby syndrome by 35 per cent
(via CBC News)
A new study by B.C. Children's Hospital and the University of British Columbia looked at the effectiveness of a public education initiative called Period of PURPLE Crying to teach parents that crying is a normal development phase — even if there's no obvious reason why.
Canadian hospitals scrambling as Saudi medical graduates withdraw from duties ahead of Aug. 31 deadline
(via The Globe and Mail)
The early departures are the latest development in a chaotic situation that’s having a “destabilizing effect” on parts of Canada’s health-care system, said Richard McLean, vice-president of medical affairs and quality at Hamilton Health Sciences Centre.
Elementary teachers union advises members to defy 'reckless' Tory ruling to revert to 1998 sex-ed curriculum
(via National Post)
The union 'strongly denounced' the government's move to repeal the curriculum updated by their Liberal predecessors in 2015, which taught concepts on consent, LGBTQ rights and online safety.
Maxime Bernier clarifies that he’s all for diversity in Canada – just not ‘more diversity’
(via Global News)
The failed Conservative leadership candidate, who has been making headlines in recent months for attacks against supply management as well as the idea that systemic racism exists, made more this week after posting a Twitter thread on Sunday arguing that more diversity and “having people live among us who reject basic Western values” will lead to “cultural balkanization.”
Genoa bridge collapse: at least 23 killed, Italian official says
(via The Guardian)
Rescuers were continuing to work in extreme conditions late on Tuesday after a bridge collapsed in the northern Italian city of Genoa, killing at least 23 people and injuring 15.
The latest response to school shootings: battlefield medic training for youth
(via Nonprofit Quarterly)
In July, the Department of Homeland Security announced its most recent meaningful response to school shootings: $1.8 million in grant funding to develop a program to teach our nation’s children bleeding-control techniques.
Camp Cloud protesters move toward standoff with City of Burnaby, RCMP
(via CBC News)
After ignoring order to take down camp, Kinder Morgan protesters reiterate they have no intention of leaving.
British Columbians want 'scalper bots' banned: provincial report
(via CTV News)
The vast majority of British Columbians consulted by the provincial government say they want "scalper bots" banned from snatching up event tickets online and reselling them to music and sports fans at exorbitant prices.
Ottawa agrees to send B.C. help in wildfire battle
(via Penticton Western News)
The request sent Monday for 200 personnel who can work independently in the back country, plus aircraft for equipment delivery and possible emergency evacuation flights, was soon answered by federal Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale.
Ontario offers to take John A. Macdonald statue removed in Victoria
(via CTV News)
Goldie Ghamari, the PC MPP representing the Ottawa-area riding of Carleton, said she was “shocked” by the decision made in Victoria, which she described as “political correctness run amok.”
Saskatchewan sees increase in newly diagnosed HIV cases for third straight year
(via Toronto Star)
There were 177 new cases of HIV diagnosed in the province in 2017, up from 170 the year before.
‘This has not been a good hour for Canada’: John Baird slams Trudeau government on Saudi state TV
(via National Post)
Baird now works at a series of consultancy roles, including a position on the advisory board for Barrick, a major mining firm with interests in Saudi Arabia. The company owns a 50-per-cent stake of Jabal Sayid, a copper mine that began production in 2016.
Losing Earth: the decade we almost stopped climate change
(via The New York Times)
With support from the Pulitzer Center, this two-part article is based on 18 months of reporting and well over a hundred interviews. It tracks the efforts of a small group of American scientists, activists and politicians to raise the alarm and stave off catastrophe. It will come as a revelation to many readers — an agonizing revelation — to understand how thoroughly they grasped the problem and how close they came to solving it.
Nine American parents on having kids in foster care
(via The Cut)
The Cut asked New York parents whose children are currently or have been placed in the foster care system about their experiences, their biggest concerns, and what changes they believe could improve the system. Several worry about physical abuse within non-relative homes, and want to know why their kids are being put on psychotropic drugs. Others wonder how they’ll ever move on when their cases have made it impossible to find work, or if some foster-care parents are just in it for the money.
Stop being ‘flippant’ and work with NDP to fight money laundering, Weaver tells BC Liberals
(via Star Metro Vancouver)
The official opposition BC Liberal Party needs to stop being “cynical” and help Attorney General David Eby tackle the province’s money laundering problem, says provincial Green Party leader Andrew Weaver.
Former B.C. Summer Games athlete comes forward with sexual assault allegation
(via CBC News)
The woman came forward to CBC News after hearing of the nearly 30 complaints of inappropriate touching at a dance in July during the 2018 B.C. Summer Games in the Cowichan Valley.
Orca's 'tour of grief' over after carrying dead calf for nearly 3 weeks
(via CTV News)
The Center for Whale Research said the killer whale, known as J35, was spotted off the western coast of San Juan Island, Wash., without her baby while she chased a school of salmon with her podmates for about a kilometre.
Trudeau says no plans to bring back long-gun registry
(via The Globe and Mail)
Over the weekend, Trudeau was in Fredericton where he offered condolences to the families of the victims of Friday's shooting, which killed police officers Robb Costello and Sara Burns, as well as Bobbie Lee Wright and her boyfriend, Donnie Robichaud.
'More diversity' will 'destroy' what makes Canada great: Conservative MP Bernier
(via CTV News)
In a six-tweet thread posted Sunday evening, the Quebec MP says that more diversity will "divide us into little tribes" and bring "distrust, social conflict, and potentially violence."
NASA’s Parker solar probe rockets toward sun for closest look yet
(via Global News)
As soon as this fall, the Parker Solar Probe will fly straight through the wispy edges of the sun’s corona, or outer atmosphere, that was visible during last August’s total solar eclipse. It eventually will get within 3.8 million (6 million kilometres) of the surface in the years ahead, staying comfortably cool despite the extreme heat and radiation, and allowing scientists to vicariously explore the sun in a way never before possible.
Monsanto ordered to pay $289m as jury rules weedkiller caused man's cancer
(via The Guardian )
Dewayne Johnson, a 46-year-old former groundskeeper, won a huge victory in the landmark case on Friday, with the jury determining that Monsanto’s Roundup weedkiller caused his cancer and that the corporation failed to warn him of the health hazards from exposure. The jury further found that Monsanto “acted with malice or oppression”.
The Left’s contempt for Jordan Peterson is perfectly rational
(via New York Magazine)
In response to a Caitlin Flanagan piece in The Atlantic defending the Canadian professor linked to in an earlier post, writer Eric Levitz contends "Identity politics will be the death of the center-right."
Why the Left Is So Afraid of Jordan Peterson
(via The Atlantic)
The Canadian psychology professor’s stardom is evidence that leftism is on the decline—and deeply vulnerable.
Cost to twin Trans Mountain pipeline now $1.9B higher, Kinder Morgan says
(via Journal Of Commerce)
OTTAWA - Kinder Morgan Canada documents say expanding the Trans Mountain pipeline will cost the federal government another $1.9 billion beyond the company's original construction estimate and will take another full year to complete.
The era of megafires: the crisis facing California and what will happen next
(via The Guardian)
Three scientists explain the unprecedented danger facing the western US and call for new solutions to a growing threat
Seattle housing market is under pressure as Chinese buying 'dries up'
(via CNBC)
The Seattle housing market has benefited greatly from strong Chinese buyer demand, but now weakness in the Chinese yuan, as well as tighter restrictions on money leaving China, are cutting into that demand.
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh contemplating run in Burnaby South byelection
(via Ottawa Citizen)
In an emailed statement, NDP spokesman Guillaume Francoeur said Singh had been encouraged by those in Burnaby to run in the byelection.
China bans Winnie the Pooh film after comparisons to President Xi
(via The Guardian)
Memes likening Xi to the portly Pooh have become a vehicle in China to mock the country’s leader
BC looks to re-establish human rights commissioner this fall
(via CHEK)
B.C plans to introduce legislation in the fall that will re-establish a human rights commissioner, and support gender equity and LGBTQ rights.
Murder charge stayed after misconduct alleged
(via Times Colonist)
A stay of proceedings in a first-degree murder case arose in circumstances of alleged police perjury and the possible destruction of evidence reputedly involving a senior RCMP officer
Canada's first eSports stadium comes to Vancouver in 2019
(via Engadget)
Canada is next in line for a dedicated eSports stadium -- its first will open in Richmond next year.
Here's how to spot a Russian bot
(via Mother Jones)
Five ways to identify phony Twitter accounts and ditch them.
'It's not news': Doug Ford's Ontario News Now attempts to muzzle media, experts say
(via CBC)
The Progressive Conservative government's production of a TV-news-style video under the banner of "Ontario News Now" is a "pure example of fake news" that aims to undercut the pillars of democracy and muzzle media, political policy experts say.
Why our noise is driving whales towards extinction
(via The Times)
Can TV save the world? Perhaps. Blue Planet II woke us up to the threat that whales face from plastic pollution, and the planet has responded — a 24-hour boycott in early June led to almost 250 million people renouncing plastic packaging for a day.
UPDATE: Judge sentences grandmother to 7 days in jail for pipeline protest
(via Vancouver Courier)
Senior citizens must be deterred from interfering with the expansion of the Trans Mountain pipeline, according to a Crown lawyer who successfully argued for two women over the age of 65 to be jailed for violating an injunction protecting Kinder Morgan’s work in Burnaby.
Skip The Dishes courier takes company to court, argues drivers deserve benefits, vacation pay
(via The Star Edmonton)
Winnipeg lawsuit aims to earn delivery drivers better rights alleging the company is skipping out on paying benefits by calling workers independent contractors.
Whistleblower reveals Google’s plans for censored search in China
(via The Verge)
The search engine would filter sites like Wikipedia and information about topics like freedom of speech,
Lack of inheritance tax is making inequality worse, CCPA says
(via CBC)
The gap between the haves and the have-nots is getting wider in Canada — and the country's lack of an inheritance tax is a big reason why, according to a new report from the left-leaning think-tank Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives.
How Did the End of the World Become Old News?
(via New York Magazine)
This month, the world saw an unprecedented global heat wave, wildfires in the Arctic Circle — and virtually no headlines about climate change.
Ottawa sees Chinese-owned Huawei as major security threat, senior officials say
(via Global News)
Trudeau government and allies alarmed by high-tech giant’s growing dominance in 5G telecommunications technology
Majority of British Columbians think NDP government is doing bad job with housing affordability
(via Global News)
In an online survey conducted by Insights West, 54 per cent of those polled believe the NDP is doing either a bad or very bad job to address housing prices and affordability.
B.C. property buyers must give more details in measure aimed at tax evasion
(via The Vancouver Sun)
Starting Sept. 17, the new property transfer tax will require people to report additional information, including their name, citizenship and social insurance number, if they purchase through a corporation or trust.
Fernie Memorial Arena worker deaths caused by aging equipment failure, poor decisions: report
(via CBC News)
Leaky ice-making machinery that killed 3 men had been flagged for replacement.
Bellegarde elected national chief on second ballot in cloud of controversy
(via APTN News)
Perry Bellegarde was elected national chief of the Assembly of First Nations on the second ballot Wednesday after the other candidates accused the federal government of interfering in the outcome.
Quebec health minister says Ontario's plan to reconsider supervised injection sites a mistake
(via CBC News)
Adding $35M to Quebec's anti-addiction strategy, Gaétan Barrette takes shot at Doug Ford.
Leave the phone at home: Privacy commissioner and advocates warn Canadians to keep data secure when crossing the border
(via Star Metro Vancouver)
The commissioner’s updated guidelines on privacy at airports and borders advises that officers on both sides of the border can search your devices and ask for passwords.
Sacha Baron Cohen ridicule prompts Georgia lawmaker to quit
(via BBC News)
A Georgia lawmaker ridiculed for dropping his trousers and using racial slurs on Sacha Baron Cohen's Who Is America? show has said he will resign.
Republican congressman accuses Canada of ‘economic terrorism’
(via Toronto Star)
A Republican congressman says Canada has committed “economic terrorism” by imposing tariffs on U.S. agricultural products.
Segram's heiress Clare Bronfman arrested in connection with sex cult with Vancouver ties
(via Vice News)
Clare Bronfman, Nancy Salzman and other so-called “sex cult” insiders have been charged with racketeering conspiracy.
Scientists discover 'wonderland' of life on deep-sea mountains off B.C. coast
(via CBC News)
Team of researchers finds new underwater volcanoes and collects samples from possible new species.
Don’t smoke pot and hike, B.C. rescue team says
(via Star Metro Vancouver)
Curtis Jones with B.C.’s North Shore Search and Rescue said the statement issued on the agency’s website is a proactive attempt before marijuana legalization this October to make sure hikers are aware of the dangers of experimenting with drugs in rough terrain.
Canada hits back at Trump’s ‘illegal’ solar panel tariffs with NAFTA challenge
(via Global News)
The Trudeau government has asked for a NAFTA review of a Trump administration tariff on solar panels, saying the 30 per cent charge is illegal and unfair.
Business group warns Ford has compromised his ‘open for business’ pledge
(via iPolitics)
The Business Council of Canada is warning the new Ontario government that its first piece of legislation — to close the White Pines wind farm — will hamper Doug Ford’s promises to make Ontario “open for business.”
Hassan Diab to boycott external review of 2014 extradition to France
(via CBC News)
Ottawa academic won't 'lend an aura of credibility' to 'poor substitute' for public inquiry.
