22 million watch Sidney Crosby win gold

• Record audience peaks as overtime goal sends nation into frenzy -
• Canadians consume 1.25 billion hours of Vancouver 2010 coverage -
• 2010 Winter Games audiences 138% higher than Salt Lake City 2002 -
• Nearly half of all internet users in Canada have visited CTVOlympics.ca or RDSolympiques.ca -

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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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Aglukkaq pushing Senators to restore C-6

Bill C-6, also known as the Canada Consumer Product Safety Act, would replace Part I of the 40-year-old Hazardous Products Act. Liberal Senator Joseph Day of New Brunswick, who leads a Senate committee that has been examining the bill, has introduced 16 amendments to it. The amendments must still be voted on by the full Senate, which could occur as early as today (Dec 7).

Meanwhile, federal Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq will be holding a press conference with consumer groups in an effort to pressure senators into rejecting the amendments. Aglukkaq and industry groups like the Canadian Consumer Specialty Products Association (CCSRA) accuse the Senate of being pro-industry and ignoring the health and safety of Canadians. But it appears the opposite is true.

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Bill C-391 to abolish the long-gun registry

The British Columbia Conservative Party applauds the Federal Government for their unswerving commitment to eliminate the hated and wasteful Long Gun Registry enacted by the Federal Liberal Government in December of 1998.

Bill C-391, a Private Members Bill introduced by Conservative MP Candice Hoeppner, amends the Firearms Act by removing the requirement to register millions of common rifles and shotguns. With a majority vote which crossed party lines, this bill passed second reading on November 4 and will now go to committee for further study.

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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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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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Olympic industry greenwashing concerns activists

Statement on the 2010 Olympic Winter Games.

The Council of Canadians, one of Canada’s largest public advocacy organizations, with members and chapters across the country, views positively the Olympic goal of friendly international competition between athletes who excel in their respective sports. We understand and appreciate the pleasure and enjoyment so many around the world share in the spectacle and achievements of the Olympic Games.

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