Bank of Canada holds interest rate steady
The Bank of Canada decided Wednesday to keep its trend-setting interest rate right where it is, at 4.5 per cent. It’s the first time in more than a year that the central bank has decided not to raise its interest rate. Although it will come as encouraging news to borrowers, the move was widely expected, as the bank signalled at its previous policy meeting and in statements since then that it was leaning toward keeping its rate steady. The bank feels confident in standing pat because there is growing evidenceRead more
Giving the middle finger is a ‘God-given right,’ says Quebec judge
Giving someone the middle finger is a “God-given” right that belongs to all Canadians, a Quebec judge said, as he recently acquitted a Montreal-area man of criminal harassment and uttering threats. In his ruling, Quebec court Judge Dennis Galiatsatos wrote that not only was Neall Epstein not guilty, the fact that he was arrested and prosecuted at all was a bewildering injustice. “To be abundantly clear, it is not a crime to give someone the finger,” the judge wrote in his Feb. 24 ruling. “Flipping the proverbial bird is a God-given, Charter-enshrinedRead more
Trans drag performer says Sask. Rush’s Pride night was an outpouring of love, support and fun
Despite negative, transphobic online comments prior to the game, Saturday night was all positive When the Saskatchewan Rush lacrosse team announced that trans drag artist Karma K would perform at its Feb. 25 Pride game, comments online quickly became hateful and transphobic on social media sites like Reddit and Twitter — but that negativity didn’t show up at the actual game. Karma K found out about the backlash while she was working at her day job. “My friend messaged me and she was like, ‘Girl don’t go on the internet right now,’” she said. ButRead more
Quebec labour tribunal orders nurses’ union to stop threatening mass resignation Social Sharing
Pressure tactic is illegal, ‘more like a disguised strike,’ judge says The threat from a Quebec nurses’ union to announce the mass resignation of several hundred of its members as a pressure tactic is illegal, a Quebec labour tribunal has ruled. In a decision released Saturday, the Tribunal administratif du travail ordered the Mauricie and Centre-du-Québec chapter of the Fédération interprofessionnelle de la santé du Québec (FIQ) to stop encouraging mass resignation, which it described as an “illegal concerted action, prejudicial to a service to which the population is entitled.” The tribunal noted theRead more
The City of Vancouver has been a certified living wage employer for more than 5 years. Will it continue to be?
Statement confirms city is evaluating whether it will continue commitment to paying workers a living wage The City of Vancouver is considering going back on its years-long commitment to pay workers a living wage after the benchmark for a living wage rose sharply last year. A statement confirmed the city is evaluating whether it will continue the program, but provided no further details. “The City of Vancouver is currently reviewing the program and recognizes the importance of fair compensation for our workforce,” read an email from a spokesperson. “The City values theRead more
Visiting raccoon closes B.C. elementary school for the day
South Kelowna Elementary found a raccoon inside the building Monday morning The Central Okanagan School District asked families to keep their children home from South Kelowna Elementary School Monday due to a visit by an unexpected guest — a raccoon. In a statement, the school district said staff discovered the animal had entered the building. The district says conservation officers were called in to trap and remove it, but it climbed up into the space between the ceiling tiles and the ceiling, making it impossible for the officers to reach it. “Due toRead more
3 people confirmed dead in Pikangikum First Nation house fire
Officials question how many more fires need to happen before long-term solutions put in place Three people, including an eight-year-old child, have now been confirmed dead after a fire tore through a home in Pikangikum First Nation. The fire broke out in the Ojibway community in northwestern Ontario last Wednesday evening. Community officials said cold weather caused mechanical issues with both of the community fire trucks, preventing Pikangikum peacekeepers from dousing the blaze. On Saturday, Ontario Provincial Police said three bodies were recovered and the investigation was ongoing. “How many more house fires do weRead more
How the science behind salmon farms and sea lice became so contentious
Even as DFO shutters salmon farms, it maintains link between farms and sea lice infestations is ‘uncertain’ A federal decision to shut down 15 open-net Atlantic salmon farms around B.C.’s Discovery Islands is being lauded as a win for protecting wild salmon, and a significant blow to the fish-farm industry — all while reigniting a decades-old debate between industry and scientists. The decision from Ottawa came just weeks after a Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) report found no “statistically significant association” between sea lice infestations among wild juvenile chum and pink salmon and the fish farmsRead more
Trudeau says he will raise Safe Third Country Agreement during President Biden’s visit
Trudeau facing pressure from Quebec, Conservatives to close unofficial border crossing in Quebec Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he plans to push U.S. President Joe Biden to renegotiate the Safe Third Country Agreement during his visit to Canada next month. That agreement states that asylum seekers who enter the U.S. or Canada must make their claims in the first country they arrive in, because the two countries share similar approaches to immigration. But the treaty doesn’t cover unofficial points of entry. Since 2017, Canada has seen an influx of refugee claimants crossingRead more
Microfilm containing historical record of Tsimshian First Nations found at farm in northwest B.C.
William Beynon’s work considered to be unparalleled in scope and detail The accidental discovery of four reels of microfilm that contain an extensive historical record of the Tsimshian First Nations is creating a buzz in northwestern B.C. Indigenous communities and in the world of academia. The microfilm turned up last week at Tea Creek Farm in the village of Kitwanga, about 1,230 kilometres northwest of Vancouver. Workers Joel Letendre and Noah Beaton found it in a bin while cleaning out the workshop at the farm owned by Noah’s dad, Jacob Beaton. The information onRead more