African violet stamps revealed

Mar 6, Salmon Arm –

On March 3, 2010. Canada Post issued their latest pair of permanent stamps, featuring two vibrant Canadian-developed hybrid African Violets. It is the 6th year that Canada Post has celebrated the arrival of spring with a flower-themed stamp and indoor gardeners will be pleased to note that this year, for the first time, they are offering an indoor plant as the featured flower.

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Canada Summer Jobs Program

“Supporting students, serving communities”.

Canada Summer Jobs is an initiative of the Government of Canada that provides funding for non-profit organizations, public-sector employers and small businesses with 50 or fewer employees to create high-quality summer job opportunities for students, aged 15 to 30, who intend to return to their studies in the next school year. The program gives valuable work experience to the students while, at the same time, it focuses on local priorities and in this way, both students and their communities are benefited.

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Self-employed can now get EI

Self-employed Canadians can now apply for Employment Insurance.

Effective today, self-employed Canadians can now apply to receive Employment Insurance (EI) special benefits, which are maternity, parental, sickness and compassionate care benefits, on a voluntary basis.

There are approximately 2.6 million self-employed Canadians who have long asked for this support. These hard working Canadians include small business owners, farmers, construction workers, professionals, and those who own a home business, among many others.

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Softwood for China — Shanghai code opens doors

Shanghai code approval opens up market to Canadian wood.

Ministry of Forests and Range.

Shanghai’s approval of a new wood-frame building code is a major step forward in the growing demand for Canadian wood products in China, the Honourable Lisa Raitt, Canada’s Minister of Natural Resources, and British Columbia’s Forests and Range Minister Pat Bell announced today.

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Canada bullies Europeans to take GMO crops

European consumers warned that trade deal with Canada could be used to weaken GMO regulations.

by Council of Canadians.

An alliance of Canadian groups is warning European consumers that an economic partnership agreement with Canada could threaten Europe’s regulations of genetically modified (GM) foods and crops. The Canadian groups, under the umbrella of the Canadian Biotechnology Action Network, are highlighting dangers if the European Union gives in to the biotech industry by recognizing Canada’s substantially weaker GM regulations.

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CRTC ignores public on Internet freedom

SaveOurNet.ca coalition urges action to save the open Internet in Canada.

by Canadian Federation of Students.

The SaveOurNet.ca coalition, a broad alliance of groups fighting for a free and open Internet, is calling today’s CRTC decision on traffic management (Net Neutrality) a step in the right direction, but it doesn’t go far enough to protect online innovation and consumer choice.

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Vaccine adjuvants are ‘natural products’?

Just a week ago Canada’s health minister, Leona Aglukkaq, said that flu vaccines would not be rushed.

“We will not skip a step to get the vaccine out into the people’s arms and we will not skip a step in terms of reviewing the clinical data that is available,” Aglukkaq said in Vancouver.

“We want to ensure that it is safe and effective before we start to distribute the vaccine to provinces and territories and that is key.” (CBC – H1N1 vaccine won’t be rushed: Aglukkaq)

Today the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada anounced that the vaccines are safe and will be rolled out across the country without delay, as originally planned.

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Bill C-6, a loss of fundamental freedoms

Shawn Buckley, constitutional lawyer and president of Natural Health and Products Protection Association (www.nhppa.org) explains that Bill C-6, the Consumer Protection Act, should be stopped because it sets a dangerous legal precedent that would restrict basic freedoms.

In this presentation, he explains why Canadians should be worried, kicking and screaming against Bill C-6, a legislation that will take away our rights and freedoms, and give more power to the government (Health Canada). Buckley presents the truth about Bill C-6 and the loss of our fundamental freedom in Canada if the bill passes.

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Breaking the cycle of homelessness

B.C. proclaims October 11-17 Homelessness Action Week.

Ministry of Housing and Social Development

The Province is joining the rally of voices to raise awareness about homelessness in British Columbia by proclaiming Oct. 11-17 Homelessness Action Week, said Rich Coleman, Minister of Housing and Social Development.

“No one wants to see their loved ones and friends living on the street,” said Coleman. “Homelessness Action Week provides us with an opportunity to show people there is hope and assistance available, and all British Columbians can help.”

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Municipalities may lose control over spending decisions

Action alert: oppose the Canada-US procurement deal now being negotiated.

Canadian and American trade officials are right now discussing a bilateral trade deal that puts local communities at risk. It’s not even really about trade – it’s about curbing the powers of local and provincial governments to spend public money on public priorities: jobs, environmental protection, public health and public services.

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