“Canada must protect this strategic resource called food," says Roy Atkinson, CM retired executive director of the National Farmers Union.
Le chef du NPD fait de la place aux nouveaux dans son cabinet fantôme
« Quant au vétéran Pat Martin, une sorte d'Amir Khadir dont la verve et les remarques incisives font sa marque de commerce, il n'obtient que le poste de critique pour la Commission canadienne du blé » Hélène Buzzetti a rapporté pour le Devoir le 27 mai.
MP Pat Martin vows fight on CWB changes
"The government is in for the fight of its life over its plans for the Canadian Wheat Board, new NDP wheat board critic Pat Martin said Thursday. Martin, the MP for Winnipeg Centre, was assigned to the role Thursday when leader Jack Layton announced his NDP shadow cabinet in Ottawa," Mia Rabson reported for the Winnipeg Free Press on May 27, 2011.
"We're gearing up for a full-pressure, fight-back campaign," said Martin. Some fear eliminating the monopoly will be the death knell for the CWB, which will have to compete for sales with private grain companies with deeper pockets. Martin said if the CWB goes, so too will rail lines in Manitoba, the port of Churchill and major companies like Cargill and Viterra. "It's going to be devastating," said Martin. "There's going to be a great big hole in the heart of corporate Winnipeg." The CWB head office in Winnipeg employs about 500 people," the Winnipeg Free Press reported.
Banque Scotia, indice des produits agricoles, 459 $ US la tonne
Toronto-based strategic communications group with a media relations focus. J. Goss + supplies research, writing, design and production services. www.jgoss.com blog@jgoss.com unifor 591-g
Canada Line P3, $5 billion for DRIC, buses are cheaper
Hotline 1118, May 27, 2011
Transport Action Canada
Calendarvery late: 3 government high speed rail study
very late: Canadian Transportation Agency Toronto-London rail
very late: Transport Canada commercial vehicle safety plan
Transit: Money's not the problem, it's the priorities
"Don’t be taken in by the Bus Rapid Transit argument (see Globe and Mail Right of Way Gets Green Light, May 23). The main point, Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) is the cheapest, is just the point. Why pick the cheapest mode," Natalie Litwin, President Emeritus of Transport Action Ontario writes.
"Our provincial government can find the cash to build the unnecessary Detroit River International Crossing at Windsor that costs over $5 billion. Then the Ontario government cries poor over funding subways and/or Metrolinx largely light rail plan for the Greater Toronto and Hamilton region.
"Madrid and Montreal built extensive subway systems at relatively low cost in short periods of time. Paris and Zurich have extensive, electrified, regional rail systems that cover great areas also built at relatively low cost in a short time, but Ontario cannot find the money to build public transit right.
"It’s not the money that’s missing, it’s the priorities," Litwin wrote.
Transport Action BC: Canada Line P3 “Get Out of Jail Free” card?
"Transport Action BC members have raised concerns about Canada Line service incidents that seriously affected its passengers, with no publicised action taken against the line’s private sector operator. ... There are two incidents that concerned Transport Action BC. Both incidents resulted in significant and lengthy disruptions to Canada Line passengers. ... Transport Action BC felt that the Canada Line operator should have been able to handle a snow storm that, while uncommon, can reasonably be expected in a Vancouver winter. ... Under our understanding of a P3 scenario, this should have resulted in a penalty to the concessionaire," Transport Action's Rick Jelfs reported on May 22.
Transport Action Canada
Calendar
very late: Canadian Transportation Agency Toronto-London rail
very late: Transport Canada commercial vehicle safety plan
Transit: Money's not the problem, it's the priorities
"Don’t be taken in by the Bus Rapid Transit argument (see Globe and Mail Right of Way Gets Green Light, May 23). The main point, Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) is the cheapest, is just the point. Why pick the cheapest mode," Natalie Litwin, President Emeritus of Transport Action Ontario writes.
"Our provincial government can find the cash to build the unnecessary Detroit River International Crossing at Windsor that costs over $5 billion. Then the Ontario government cries poor over funding subways and/or Metrolinx largely light rail plan for the Greater Toronto and Hamilton region.
"Madrid and Montreal built extensive subway systems at relatively low cost in short periods of time. Paris and Zurich have extensive, electrified, regional rail systems that cover great areas also built at relatively low cost in a short time, but Ontario cannot find the money to build public transit right.
"It’s not the money that’s missing, it’s the priorities," Litwin wrote.
Transport Action BC: Canada Line P3 “Get Out of Jail Free” card?
"Transport Action BC members have raised concerns about Canada Line service incidents that seriously affected its passengers, with no publicised action taken against the line’s private sector operator. ... There are two incidents that concerned Transport Action BC. Both incidents resulted in significant and lengthy disruptions to Canada Line passengers. ... Transport Action BC felt that the Canada Line operator should have been able to handle a snow storm that, while uncommon, can reasonably be expected in a Vancouver winter. ... Under our understanding of a P3 scenario, this should have resulted in a penalty to the concessionaire," Transport Action's Rick Jelfs reported on May 22.
Transport Canada's Road Safety Strategy 2015, Less of the same
(May 27) -- Transport Canada's Road Safety Week ended at midnight on Monday. The week saw Canada launch a new 5-year road safety plan. The nation embraced the UN's Global road safety decade and hailed drops in new crash stats. During the week one hundred and fifty-six media stories warned about unsafe driving behaviours like texting, speeding, and drinking.
It sounded good, but with all the honking we missed a few things.
Consider the big hole in the new safety plan. It's so big giant rigs can drive right on through without slowing down. There is no strategy for trucking safety in Road Safety Strategy 2015!
Are there no trucks on the road? In fact, trucks are in on 20% of the kills, also known as "road user fatalities." The 20% is an estimate because Transport Canada chooses not to break out commercial vehicles in its annual reports.
BC transit studies, Road Safety Strategy 2015, Hon. Denis Lebel, Hon. Steven Fletcher
Transport Action Canada
Hotline 1117, May 20, 2011
Transport Action, Electrify GO transit
"Lower the fares, increase the number of stops, and Toronto could be on its way to a European-style service such as the Berlin S-Bahn or London’s Overground. The latter project “is supposed to form a complete circle around the city of London … on subway-like frequencies,” said Greg Gormick, who wrote the CTC report, No Little Plan: Electrifying GO Transit," Tess Kalinowski reported for the Toronto Star on May 15.
"The CTC study, funded by rail advocacy group Transport Action and the CAW, also comes at a time when the man (Mike Sullivan) who has led the charge on electrification is heading to Ottawa as an NDP MP," the Toronto Star reported.
BC Transit studies, Transport Action
"BC Transit is embarking on a number of transit studies for communities outside of Vancouver, such as Victoria, Abbotsford and Fraser Valley communities, Kelowna, and Kamloops. Transit Future as BC Transit calls it, asks for public input for these different regions," Matthew Buchanan president of Transport Action BC reported on May 17.
"More specifically, on the Abbotsford & Mission service area of BC Transit, the City of Abbotsford, and the City of Mission have embarked on a 25 year transit strategy. This strategy is based on the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure’s Fraser Valley Transit Study.
Hotline 1117, May 20, 2011
Transport Action, Electrify GO transit
"Lower the fares, increase the number of stops, and Toronto could be on its way to a European-style service such as the Berlin S-Bahn or London’s Overground. The latter project “is supposed to form a complete circle around the city of London … on subway-like frequencies,” said Greg Gormick, who wrote the CTC report, No Little Plan: Electrifying GO Transit," Tess Kalinowski reported for the Toronto Star on May 15.
"The CTC study, funded by rail advocacy group Transport Action and the CAW, also comes at a time when the man (Mike Sullivan) who has led the charge on electrification is heading to Ottawa as an NDP MP," the Toronto Star reported.
BC Transit studies, Transport Action
"BC Transit is embarking on a number of transit studies for communities outside of Vancouver, such as Victoria, Abbotsford and Fraser Valley communities, Kelowna, and Kamloops. Transit Future as BC Transit calls it, asks for public input for these different regions," Matthew Buchanan president of Transport Action BC reported on May 17.
"More specifically, on the Abbotsford & Mission service area of BC Transit, the City of Abbotsford, and the City of Mission have embarked on a 25 year transit strategy. This strategy is based on the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure’s Fraser Valley Transit Study.
Commission canadienne du blé, Canadian Wheat Board
“Canada must protect this strategic resource called food," Roy Atkinson, CM retired executive director of the National Farmers Union says.
La fin annoncée du monopole de la CCB provoque des réactions
« Laurent Denis, un producteur de blé de Saint-Denis, y voit une atteinte à la démocratie par le gouvernement Harper. « Pour moi, c'est le commencement d'une démocratie qui dégringole », affirme-t-il » SRC a rapporté le 19 mai 2011
« La Loi sur la Commission canadienne du blé stipule que le gouvernement doit tenir un référendum sur tout changement majeur, mais selon le ministre, une consultation de ce genre sera inutile puisque c'est la loi qui sera amendée » SRC a rapporté.
La Commission canadienne du blé en sursis
« Est-ce que le monopole sera retiré pour l'orge, le blé ou les deux? » s'interroge Ramzy Yelda, responsable de la commercialisation pour l'agence de vente québécoise du blé, qui a travaillé 14 ans pour la CCB. Même si une nouvelle législation est prévisible pour l'automne, il faudra surveiller quels seront les « outils » qui demeureront à la disposition de la Commission pour stocker et expédier le grain. » Thierry Larivière a écrit pour la Terre de chez nous le 19 mai.
La fin annoncée du monopole de la CCB provoque des réactions
« Laurent Denis, un producteur de blé de Saint-Denis, y voit une atteinte à la démocratie par le gouvernement Harper. « Pour moi, c'est le commencement d'une démocratie qui dégringole », affirme-t-il » SRC a rapporté le 19 mai 2011
« La Loi sur la Commission canadienne du blé stipule que le gouvernement doit tenir un référendum sur tout changement majeur, mais selon le ministre, une consultation de ce genre sera inutile puisque c'est la loi qui sera amendée » SRC a rapporté.
La Commission canadienne du blé en sursis
« Est-ce que le monopole sera retiré pour l'orge, le blé ou les deux? » s'interroge Ramzy Yelda, responsable de la commercialisation pour l'agence de vente québécoise du blé, qui a travaillé 14 ans pour la CCB. Même si une nouvelle législation est prévisible pour l'automne, il faudra surveiller quels seront les « outils » qui demeureront à la disposition de la Commission pour stocker et expédier le grain. » Thierry Larivière a écrit pour la Terre de chez nous le 19 mai.
No little plan, electrifying GO Transit
| ||
| From Clean Train Coalition |
Media Advisory: News Conference:
Monday, May 16, 2011 at 7:00 PM
Launch location: Gladstone Hotel, 1214 Queen Street West, Toronto, Ontario
Co-sponsored: Transport Action Canada, Clean Train Coalition, Canadian Auto Workers, and Transport Action Ontario.
(Toronto) TRANSPORT ACTION CANADA and the CLEAN TRAIN COALITION are jointly releasing a rail electrification report for the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA).
The report, entitled No Little Plan: Electrifying GO Transit report was jointly funded by the John McCullum fund of Transport Action Canada, and by the Canadian Auto Workers. It was commissioned to encourage the Government of Ontario to commit fully and promptly to a regional electric rail plan.
The Executive Summary is posted here.
Transport Canada, Road safety vision, no trucks, no data
Tomorrow Transport Canada will launch its new road safety plan for Canada at the annual meeting of the Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administrators.
There will be no trucking safety initiatives. The Canadian Trucking Alliance reported in February a big safety plan but a source says the 281-page good, but flawed, report remains under wraps. In 2007, the CCMTA's Road Safety Vision mid-term review slammed the group responsible for truck safety saying, "the CCMTA Standing Committee on Compliance and Regulatory Affairs (CRA) needs to accept accountability" (page 134).
No accountability here.
The data lag issue identified ten years ago at a top priority will not be addressed. During the last road safety plan the data lag got worse.
The most recent official statistics for Canada are for 2008.
Most recent Ontario statistics are 2007.
No urgency here.
National "Safety" Code Standard 9
Four years after the 13-hour day, 77 hour week truck driving limits were implemented there is no information about the impact of the regulations. The hours are much longer than US hours. Trucking safety is the only road safety measure where the US outperforms Canada. A 2005 report by a J. Goss associate remains the best "background document" on NSC 9 also known as the "hours of service" regulations.
No urgency, no accountability here.
As previously reported: Transport Canada exits road safety
"On Jan. 26 the Ministers Responsible for Transportation and Highway Safety announced the approval of a new five-year Road Safety Strategy to make Canada's roads the safest in the world. It is to be branded "Rethink Road Safety" and launched May 15-19 in Victoria. The new plan is not national. There are no hard targets. The chronic two-year lag in reporting the death toll is not addressed. The strategy signals Transport Canada's exit from the road safety (trucking excepted) stage.
The Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administrators/Transport Canada new road safety initiative will be unveiled at a news conference:
Monday, May 16, 11:45 - 12:30
Harbour Front Delta Ocean Pointe, Victoria, BC
There will be no trucking safety initiatives. The Canadian Trucking Alliance reported in February a big safety plan but a source says the 281-page good, but flawed, report remains under wraps. In 2007, the CCMTA's Road Safety Vision mid-term review slammed the group responsible for truck safety saying, "the CCMTA Standing Committee on Compliance and Regulatory Affairs (CRA) needs to accept accountability" (page 134).
No accountability here.
The data lag issue identified ten years ago at a top priority will not be addressed. During the last road safety plan the data lag got worse.
The most recent official statistics for Canada are for 2008.
Most recent Ontario statistics are 2007.
No urgency here.
National "Safety" Code Standard 9
Four years after the 13-hour day, 77 hour week truck driving limits were implemented there is no information about the impact of the regulations. The hours are much longer than US hours. Trucking safety is the only road safety measure where the US outperforms Canada. A 2005 report by a J. Goss associate remains the best "background document" on NSC 9 also known as the "hours of service" regulations.
No urgency, no accountability here.
As previously reported: Transport Canada exits road safety
"On Jan. 26 the Ministers Responsible for Transportation and Highway Safety announced the approval of a new five-year Road Safety Strategy to make Canada's roads the safest in the world. It is to be branded "Rethink Road Safety" and launched May 15-19 in Victoria. The new plan is not national. There are no hard targets. The chronic two-year lag in reporting the death toll is not addressed. The strategy signals Transport Canada's exit from the road safety (trucking excepted) stage.
The Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administrators/Transport Canada new road safety initiative will be unveiled at a news conference:
Monday, May 16, 11:45 - 12:30
Harbour Front Delta Ocean Pointe, Victoria, BC
Rethink the Canadian Wheat Board plan: Canadians are raising questions
“Canada must protect this strategic resource called food," Roy Atkinson, CM retired executive director of the National Farmers Union says.
Atkinson is pleased Ontario farmers, food policy analysts, Saskatchewan business leaders and others are starting raise questions about the governments plan for the Canadian Wheat Board.
Atkinson is appealing to Quebec farmers, consumers, environmental organizations, unions and the public to ask the government to rethink its plan for the Canadian Wheat Board.
Wheat prices up 64% over 12 months
"July wheat rose for the third day, gaining 8.25 cents, or one per cent, to $7.9875 US a bushel by late afternoon on the Chicago Board of Trade. It jumped 4.1 per cent Monday. Wheat prices have gained 64 per cent over the last 12 months." CBC News, May 10, 2011
Put wheat board talk aside and focus on national farm strategy
"Now that Stephen Harper's Conservatives have their majority they can't blame Parliament any more for interrupting agriculture policy. . . (But) it was wheat board business that came up when Harper's only agriculture minister so far began musing with reporters about what difference the Tory majority might make to farm policy in Canada," The Owen Sound Sun Times' Jim Algie wrote on May 11, 2011.
"The Conservative platform did make a priority of a defence of supply-management in trade talks, an obvious, philosophical inconsistency with the party's wheat board fixation. The platform also promised easier access for Canadian farmers to the latest fertilizer, pesticides and veterinary drugs. As well, it sought more money for the Canadian Food Inspection Agency to improve food inspection and more money for export marketing efforts by government. It promised to seek harmony between Quebec and Canadian farm support programs," The Owen Sound Sun Times columnist wrote.
A look back at the election
"The bad news is with a majority Conservative government, changes are going to be made that some people aren't going to like. For example, ending the Canadian Wheat Board's monopoly on Western wheat and barley export sales -without a producer plebiscite, which the Tories would probably lose (based on the results of past CWB director elections). Despite what former agriculture minister Gerry Ritz says, winning a general election does not give the Tories licence to trample on the legitimate rights of the majority of producers, who support the CWB's single-desk system of marketing," Bruce Johnstone wrote for the Leader-Post.
CWB does much more for farmers than just sell their grain for them
The allure of the U.S. market has perhaps been the biggest driver in the campaign to end the Canadian Wheat Board's monopoly.
But unless they tread lightly, it could be one of the first markets Canadian farmers lose after the federal Conservatives make good on their election promise," Laura Rance wrote for Winnipeg Free Press on May 7.
Wheat board: Time to call upon Premier Brad Wall
"It's again time to call upon Premier Brad Wall to save the grain industry in Saskatchewan and the farmers' marketing agency, the world-respected Canadian Wheat Board, just he did when our other major resource, potash, was being stolen from us by foreign companies. It's plain that the 13 federal Conservative MPs from Saskatchewan have been told to shut up, as during the potash issue," Avery Sahl wrote to the editor of the Regina Leader-Post.
The government argument
Dr. Sylvain Charlebois, Guest column
Waterloo Region Record, May 11, 2011
Atkinson is pleased Ontario farmers, food policy analysts, Saskatchewan business leaders and others are starting raise questions about the governments plan for the Canadian Wheat Board.
Atkinson is appealing to Quebec farmers, consumers, environmental organizations, unions and the public to ask the government to rethink its plan for the Canadian Wheat Board.
Wheat prices up 64% over 12 months
"July wheat rose for the third day, gaining 8.25 cents, or one per cent, to $7.9875 US a bushel by late afternoon on the Chicago Board of Trade. It jumped 4.1 per cent Monday. Wheat prices have gained 64 per cent over the last 12 months." CBC News, May 10, 2011
"Now that Stephen Harper's Conservatives have their majority they can't blame Parliament any more for interrupting agriculture policy. . . (But) it was wheat board business that came up when Harper's only agriculture minister so far began musing with reporters about what difference the Tory majority might make to farm policy in Canada," The Owen Sound Sun Times' Jim Algie wrote on May 11, 2011.
"The Conservative platform did make a priority of a defence of supply-management in trade talks, an obvious, philosophical inconsistency with the party's wheat board fixation. The platform also promised easier access for Canadian farmers to the latest fertilizer, pesticides and veterinary drugs. As well, it sought more money for the Canadian Food Inspection Agency to improve food inspection and more money for export marketing efforts by government. It promised to seek harmony between Quebec and Canadian farm support programs," The Owen Sound Sun Times columnist wrote.
A look back at the election
"The bad news is with a majority Conservative government, changes are going to be made that some people aren't going to like. For example, ending the Canadian Wheat Board's monopoly on Western wheat and barley export sales -without a producer plebiscite, which the Tories would probably lose (based on the results of past CWB director elections). Despite what former agriculture minister Gerry Ritz says, winning a general election does not give the Tories licence to trample on the legitimate rights of the majority of producers, who support the CWB's single-desk system of marketing," Bruce Johnstone wrote for the Leader-Post.
CWB does much more for farmers than just sell their grain for them
The allure of the U.S. market has perhaps been the biggest driver in the campaign to end the Canadian Wheat Board's monopoly.
But unless they tread lightly, it could be one of the first markets Canadian farmers lose after the federal Conservatives make good on their election promise," Laura Rance wrote for Winnipeg Free Press on May 7.
Wheat board: Time to call upon Premier Brad Wall
"It's again time to call upon Premier Brad Wall to save the grain industry in Saskatchewan and the farmers' marketing agency, the world-respected Canadian Wheat Board, just he did when our other major resource, potash, was being stolen from us by foreign companies. It's plain that the 13 federal Conservative MPs from Saskatchewan have been told to shut up, as during the potash issue," Avery Sahl wrote to the editor of the Regina Leader-Post.
The government argument
Dr. Sylvain Charlebois, Guest column
Waterloo Region Record, May 11, 2011
Transport Action Canada Hotline 1116
Transport Action Canada
Hotline 1116, May 13, 2011
(formerly Transport 2000 / anciennement Transport 2000 Canada)
info@transport-action.ca
(613) 594-3290
Recorded Hotline: 1-800-771-5035
Calendar:
14 months late: high speed rail study
14 months late: Canadian Transportation Agency decision on upgrade to
Toronto-London rail connection
Transport Canada supports Decade of Action for Road Safety but ...Canada's road safety plan has no trucking safety component
On Monday Canada's top road safety group will unveil a new plan to make Canada's roads the "safest in the world". The last master plan, Road Safety Vision 2010, saw Canada's safety standing, relative to OECD countries, plunge.
The new Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administrators/Transport Canada road safety initiative will be unveiled at a news conference:
Monday, May 16, 11:45 - 12:30
Harbour Front Delta Ocean Pointe, Victoria, BC
Reliable sources tell Transport Action it will not have a trucking safety component. In 2007, the CCMTA's Road Safety Vision mid-term review slammed the group responsible for truck safety saying, "the CCMTA Standing Committee on Compliance and Regulatory Affairs (CRA) needs to accept accountability" (page 134).
Four years later nothing has emerged. Nor has any study been made of the group's main "safety" initiative, implemented in 2007, which increased the weekly maximum hours of truck driving time from 60 to 77.
Transports Canada appuie la Décennie d’action pour la sécurité routière des Nations Unies
Transport Action Atlantic AGM: May 14
Transport Action Atlantic AGM will be held in the Thistle Room of the Dartmouth Sportsplex at 3 pm Sat. May 14. The Sportsplex is located near the Dartmouth end of the MacDonald Bridge. There is ample parking at the rear and a major transit terminal is next door. Nominations for the Board must be received in advance and should be sent immediately by e-mail to Don Macleod.
The program will consist of a panel discussion about current Atlantic transportation issues plus a presentation about rural N.S. transport links from the fall 2010 meeting of the Community Transit Society of Nova Scotia. A board meeting is scheduled for 1030 AM saturday at the home of president Marcus Garnet, just a couple of blocks from the AGM location. Lunch will be served, then the board meeting will continue until about 2:30 pm.
Transport Action's Wellar to speak at Sustainable Community Summit, May 14
Dr. Barry Wellar, Distinguished Research Fellow at Transport Action Canada, will be a keynote speaker at the Sustainable Community Summit organized by Ottawa Centre MPP Yasir Naqvi. The presentation by Dr. Wellar, “Transportation: Inspiring a Sustainability Action Agenda”, can be viewed at:
http://www.transport-action.ca/dc/Wellar_2ndSustainableCommunitySummit.pdf
Transport 2000 sonne l'alarme et en appelle maintenant au Ministre des transports
Montréal, le 10 mai 2011 -- Après plus de quatre années de discussions, de consultations diverses et la multiplication des tables de travail (11 à 18 tables selon les informations disponibles), le président de l’association Transport 2000 Québec demande maintenant au ministre des Transports du Québec l’adoption d’un plan d’action pour accélérer la mise en œuvre imminente de mesures de mitigation efficaces et une meilleure intégration des modes dans l’axe Turcot.
Selon son président monsieur Robert Dubé, Il est évident que les travaux de l’échangeur Turcot, bien qu’essentiels, causeront des perturbations importantes qui ne se termineront qu’en 2018. Ils affecteront non seulement les automobilistes de l’échangeur mais également tout le réseau routier dans le secteur ouest de la Métropole. Il faut, et le temps presse, se prémunir contre ce risque et présenter des mesures de mitigation efficaces pour faciliter le déplacement des personnes sur cet horizon, voire même au-delà de l’échéance prévue.
Transport 2000 Quebec says use more transit to brace for Turcot jams
"For years, Quebec has been working on its plans to rebuild the Turcot Interchange, used by about 300,000 cars daily. The project – to run from 2012 to 2018 – will cost $3 billion and will cause many serious traffic jams. Yet it’s still unclear what the province plans to do to help avoid gridlock. This morning, Transport 2000, a public-transit users’ group, issued (an) open letter urging the province to act now," Andy Riga reported for the Montreal Gazette on May 10.
Transport 2000 Quebec advises:
"Public transport can play a key role in mitigating the adverse effects of work on the Turcot interchange. . . .
The STM, the AMT and the MTQ, should quickly implement an emergency plan with integrated measures, starting with optimizing the use of current facilities. ...
The AMT should examine strategies for some improvements as soon as possible, and certainly before 2016However, in our opinion, the key short-term solution to attract travellers and compete with the private vehicle is a significant improvement in the quality of bus service, with reduced travel times, improved reliability and increased frequency," The Montreal Gazette reported.
Transport Canada and the "duty to protect"
"Last week, the B.C. Supreme Court was to examine whether a federal regulatory agency should be held responsible for the deaths. In a civil suit brought by Mr. Honour’s widow and his three children, Transport Canada was
accused of breaking its own rules by licensing a helicopter service company “with an extensive history of unsafe practises.” But at the last minute, the agency avoided potentially embarrassing questions about its air safety operations, agreeing to a confidential out-of-court settlement just before the trial started." Julian Sher, reported for the Globe and Mail on May 10, 2011.
Transport Action's Gerry Einarsson represents the watchdog group on the Canadian Aviation Regulation Advisory Council.
Michigan passenger rail money boosts hopes for more Canadian investment
"Efforts to build a high-speed rail line in the Windsor-Montreal corridor may gain traction after Michigan secured $200 million from Washington to build a new high-speed rail connection between Detroit and Chicago," Dave Battagello wrote for the Windsor Star on May 10, 2011.
Le futur train léger d'Ottawa
« Le futur train léger d'Ottawa pourrait entrer en service un an plus tôt que prévu, soit en 2018. ... Rappelons qu'à l'origine, le futur train léger d'Ottawa devait entrer en service en 2019. L'organisme Transport Action Canada souhaiterait, pour sa part, que le train soit prêt en 2017, à temps pour le 150e anniversaire dela Confédération et de la capitale nationale » Radio Canada a rapporté le 6 mai.
America 2050 praises $2 billion intercity rail grants
"America 2050 — a national coalition of regional planners, scholars and policy-makers focused on infrastructure, economic development and environmental issues — commended the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) for redistributing $2 billion in high-speed and intercity rail grants to 15 states. The funds became available earlier this year after Florida Gov. Rick Scott decided not to accept federal stimulus dollars to build a high-speed rail connection between Tampa and Orlando, Progressive Railroading reported on May 11.
Japan models a plane-train
"Japanese researchers rolled into the International Conference on Robotics and Automation in Shanghai with a scale model of a robotic plane-train that levitates on a cushion of air. It’s essentially a plane — complete with stubby wings, a handful of propellers and a tail — that flies perilously close to the ground," Mark Brown for Wired on May 12.
Harry Gow finally on the move: Amis, collègues, friends, colleagues
Notre maison ici est louée* dès le 1er juillet à une famille de London dont les les chefs se nomment John et Sue. Ils ont un fils au Collège Algonquin et une fille à Queens. Our house in New Chelsea has been let* from July 1st to a couple, John and Sue, from London, Ont. They have a son at Algonquin College and a daughter at Queens. Nous allons déménager par étapes vers le 1847, ch. du Rivage, Saint-Antoine sur-Richelieu (non-inondé!). We shall move in stages to 1847, ch. du Rivage, Saint-Antoine-sur-Richelieu (not flooded, luckily).
CAA, Changing Lanes, Vancouver May 25
The Canadian Automobile Association's national conference. Changing Lanes: Improving the Bike-Car Relationship on Canada's Roads, will be hosted on May 25 in Vancouver, B.C. The conference has an impressive roster of speakers including:
Gil Penalosa, Executive Director, 8-80 cities, Toronto
Margaret Mahan, Executive Director, Better Environmentally Sound
Transportation (B.E.S.T), Vancouver
Jean-François Pronovost, Vice-President, Development and Public Affairs,
Vélo Québec, Montreal
Eleanor McMahon, Founder and C.E.O., Share the Road Cycling Coalition,
Burlington, Ontario
Hans-Jurgen Becker, Velocities 2012, Vancouver
Jennifer Dill, Oregon Transportation Consortium, Portland
It will be held on Wednesday May 25, 2011 from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM PD at the Vancouver Convention Centre (WEST), 1055 Canada Place.
Francophones en baisse
"L'article "La proportion de francophones en baisse dans Prescott-Russell Dix fois plus d'arrivants anglos" (LeDroit, 11 mai) ne m'a pas surpris. Dans mon travail de consultant en transports collectifs dans les comtés unis, la proportion de sondages remplis en anglais me semble assez élevée. Et plusieurs de ces réponses semblent l'être par des francophones. Si des lecteurs francophones et francophiles voudraient nous aider, ils sont invités à accéder au site web www.teo-eot.ca et à répondre dansla langue de Molière. En 10 minutes, ils auront aidé les transports collectifs, l'environnement et la langue française," Harry Gow a écrit Le Droit le 13 mai
Pay-As-You-Drive Vehicle Insurance in British Columbia
A new study evaluates Pay-As-You-Drive Vehicle Insurance. It identifies significant potential benefits to motorists, the economy and the environment.
Insurance is one of the largest motor vehicle expenses, costing about $1,200 annually for a typical automobile. Conventional insurance is a fixed cost with respect to vehicle use; moderate reductions in vehicle travel provide no savings to motorists. An alternative price structure, called Pay-As-You-Drive (PAYD), changes insurance into a variable cost, so motorists save money when they reduce their mileage. As a result, they tend to drive less," reports Todd Litman of the Victoria Transport Policy Institute.
Vancouver Island Rail: Roads, bridges, highways, ferries
Transport Action BC's Matthew Buchanan points to a Nanaimo News Bulletin story by Transport Action member Ian Gartshore:
"Critics say that if the railway can’t pay its own way, then it should die. Strange thinking when all other modes of travel are heavily subsidised by various governments. Why are railways alone not considered to be an ‘investment’ like roads, airports, and cruise ship or ferry terminals? Perhaps this is because rail travel is seen by most to be a ‘thing of the past," Ian Gartshore wrote in the Nanaimo Daily Bulletin reported on Apr. 16.
Hotline 1116, May 13, 2011
(formerly Transport 2000 / anciennement Transport 2000 Canada)
info@transport-action.ca
(613) 594-3290
Recorded Hotline: 1-800-771-5035
Calendar:
14 months late: high speed rail study
14 months late: Canadian Transportation Agency decision on upgrade to
Toronto-London rail connection
Transport Canada supports Decade of Action for Road Safety but ...Canada's road safety plan has no trucking safety component
On Monday Canada's top road safety group will unveil a new plan to make Canada's roads the "safest in the world". The last master plan, Road Safety Vision 2010, saw Canada's safety standing, relative to OECD countries, plunge.
The new Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administrators/Transport Canada road safety initiative will be unveiled at a news conference:
Monday, May 16, 11:45 - 12:30
Harbour Front Delta Ocean Pointe, Victoria, BC
Reliable sources tell Transport Action it will not have a trucking safety component. In 2007, the CCMTA's Road Safety Vision mid-term review slammed the group responsible for truck safety saying, "the CCMTA Standing Committee on Compliance and Regulatory Affairs (CRA) needs to accept accountability" (page 134).
Four years later nothing has emerged. Nor has any study been made of the group's main "safety" initiative, implemented in 2007, which increased the weekly maximum hours of truck driving time from 60 to 77.
Transports Canada appuie la Décennie d’action pour la sécurité routière des Nations Unies
Transport Action Atlantic AGM: May 14
Transport Action Atlantic AGM will be held in the Thistle Room of the Dartmouth Sportsplex at 3 pm Sat. May 14. The Sportsplex is located near the Dartmouth end of the MacDonald Bridge. There is ample parking at the rear and a major transit terminal is next door. Nominations for the Board must be received in advance and should be sent immediately by e-mail to Don Macleod.
The program will consist of a panel discussion about current Atlantic transportation issues plus a presentation about rural N.S. transport links from the fall 2010 meeting of the Community Transit Society of Nova Scotia. A board meeting is scheduled for 1030 AM saturday at the home of president Marcus Garnet, just a couple of blocks from the AGM location. Lunch will be served, then the board meeting will continue until about 2:30 pm.
Transport Action's Wellar to speak at Sustainable Community Summit, May 14
Dr. Barry Wellar, Distinguished Research Fellow at Transport Action Canada, will be a keynote speaker at the Sustainable Community Summit organized by Ottawa Centre MPP Yasir Naqvi. The presentation by Dr. Wellar, “Transportation: Inspiring a Sustainability Action Agenda”, can be viewed at:
http://www.transport-action.ca/dc/Wellar_2ndSustainableCommunitySummit.pdf
Transport 2000 sonne l'alarme et en appelle maintenant au Ministre des transports
Montréal, le 10 mai 2011 -- Après plus de quatre années de discussions, de consultations diverses et la multiplication des tables de travail (11 à 18 tables selon les informations disponibles), le président de l’association Transport 2000 Québec demande maintenant au ministre des Transports du Québec l’adoption d’un plan d’action pour accélérer la mise en œuvre imminente de mesures de mitigation efficaces et une meilleure intégration des modes dans l’axe Turcot.
Selon son président monsieur Robert Dubé, Il est évident que les travaux de l’échangeur Turcot, bien qu’essentiels, causeront des perturbations importantes qui ne se termineront qu’en 2018. Ils affecteront non seulement les automobilistes de l’échangeur mais également tout le réseau routier dans le secteur ouest de la Métropole. Il faut, et le temps presse, se prémunir contre ce risque et présenter des mesures de mitigation efficaces pour faciliter le déplacement des personnes sur cet horizon, voire même au-delà de l’échéance prévue.
Transport 2000 Quebec says use more transit to brace for Turcot jams
"For years, Quebec has been working on its plans to rebuild the Turcot Interchange, used by about 300,000 cars daily. The project – to run from 2012 to 2018 – will cost $3 billion and will cause many serious traffic jams. Yet it’s still unclear what the province plans to do to help avoid gridlock. This morning, Transport 2000, a public-transit users’ group, issued (an) open letter urging the province to act now," Andy Riga reported for the Montreal Gazette on May 10.
Transport 2000 Quebec advises:
"Public transport can play a key role in mitigating the adverse effects of work on the Turcot interchange. . . .
The STM, the AMT and the MTQ, should quickly implement an emergency plan with integrated measures, starting with optimizing the use of current facilities. ...
The AMT should examine strategies for some improvements as soon as possible, and certainly before 2016However, in our opinion, the key short-term solution to attract travellers and compete with the private vehicle is a significant improvement in the quality of bus service, with reduced travel times, improved reliability and increased frequency," The Montreal Gazette reported.
Transport Canada and the "duty to protect"
"Last week, the B.C. Supreme Court was to examine whether a federal regulatory agency should be held responsible for the deaths. In a civil suit brought by Mr. Honour’s widow and his three children, Transport Canada was
accused of breaking its own rules by licensing a helicopter service company “with an extensive history of unsafe practises.” But at the last minute, the agency avoided potentially embarrassing questions about its air safety operations, agreeing to a confidential out-of-court settlement just before the trial started." Julian Sher, reported for the Globe and Mail on May 10, 2011.
Transport Action's Gerry Einarsson represents the watchdog group on the Canadian Aviation Regulation Advisory Council.
Michigan passenger rail money boosts hopes for more Canadian investment
"Efforts to build a high-speed rail line in the Windsor-Montreal corridor may gain traction after Michigan secured $200 million from Washington to build a new high-speed rail connection between Detroit and Chicago," Dave Battagello wrote for the Windsor Star on May 10, 2011.
Le futur train léger d'Ottawa
« Le futur train léger d'Ottawa pourrait entrer en service un an plus tôt que prévu, soit en 2018. ... Rappelons qu'à l'origine, le futur train léger d'Ottawa devait entrer en service en 2019. L'organisme Transport Action Canada souhaiterait, pour sa part, que le train soit prêt en 2017, à temps pour le 150e anniversaire dela Confédération et de la capitale nationale » Radio Canada a rapporté le 6 mai.
America 2050 praises $2 billion intercity rail grants
"America 2050 — a national coalition of regional planners, scholars and policy-makers focused on infrastructure, economic development and environmental issues — commended the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) for redistributing $2 billion in high-speed and intercity rail grants to 15 states. The funds became available earlier this year after Florida Gov. Rick Scott decided not to accept federal stimulus dollars to build a high-speed rail connection between Tampa and Orlando, Progressive Railroading reported on May 11.
Japan models a plane-train
"Japanese researchers rolled into the International Conference on Robotics and Automation in Shanghai with a scale model of a robotic plane-train that levitates on a cushion of air. It’s essentially a plane — complete with stubby wings, a handful of propellers and a tail — that flies perilously close to the ground," Mark Brown for Wired on May 12.
Harry Gow finally on the move: Amis, collègues, friends, colleagues
Notre maison ici est louée* dès le 1er juillet à une famille de London dont les les chefs se nomment John et Sue. Ils ont un fils au Collège Algonquin et une fille à Queens. Our house in New Chelsea has been let* from July 1st to a couple, John and Sue, from London, Ont. They have a son at Algonquin College and a daughter at Queens. Nous allons déménager par étapes vers le 1847, ch. du Rivage, Saint-Antoine sur-Richelieu (non-inondé!). We shall move in stages to 1847, ch. du Rivage, Saint-Antoine-sur-Richelieu (not flooded, luckily).
CAA, Changing Lanes, Vancouver May 25
The Canadian Automobile Association's national conference. Changing Lanes: Improving the Bike-Car Relationship on Canada's Roads, will be hosted on May 25 in Vancouver, B.C. The conference has an impressive roster of speakers including:
Gil Penalosa, Executive Director, 8-80 cities, Toronto
Margaret Mahan, Executive Director, Better Environmentally Sound
Transportation (B.E.S.T), Vancouver
Jean-François Pronovost, Vice-President, Development and Public Affairs,
Vélo Québec, Montreal
Eleanor McMahon, Founder and C.E.O., Share the Road Cycling Coalition,
Burlington, Ontario
Hans-Jurgen Becker, Velocities 2012, Vancouver
Jennifer Dill, Oregon Transportation Consortium, Portland
It will be held on Wednesday May 25, 2011 from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM PD at the Vancouver Convention Centre (WEST), 1055 Canada Place.
Francophones en baisse
"L'article "La proportion de francophones en baisse dans Prescott-Russell Dix fois plus d'arrivants anglos" (LeDroit, 11 mai) ne m'a pas surpris. Dans mon travail de consultant en transports collectifs dans les comtés unis, la proportion de sondages remplis en anglais me semble assez élevée. Et plusieurs de ces réponses semblent l'être par des francophones. Si des lecteurs francophones et francophiles voudraient nous aider, ils sont invités à accéder au site web www.teo-eot.ca et à répondre dansla langue de Molière. En 10 minutes, ils auront aidé les transports collectifs, l'environnement et la langue française," Harry Gow a écrit Le Droit le 13 mai
Pay-As-You-Drive Vehicle Insurance in British Columbia
A new study evaluates Pay-As-You-Drive Vehicle Insurance. It identifies significant potential benefits to motorists, the economy and the environment.
Insurance is one of the largest motor vehicle expenses, costing about $1,200 annually for a typical automobile. Conventional insurance is a fixed cost with respect to vehicle use; moderate reductions in vehicle travel provide no savings to motorists. An alternative price structure, called Pay-As-You-Drive (PAYD), changes insurance into a variable cost, so motorists save money when they reduce their mileage. As a result, they tend to drive less," reports Todd Litman of the Victoria Transport Policy Institute.
Vancouver Island Rail: Roads, bridges, highways, ferries
Transport Action BC's Matthew Buchanan points to a Nanaimo News Bulletin story by Transport Action member Ian Gartshore:
"Critics say that if the railway can’t pay its own way, then it should die. Strange thinking when all other modes of travel are heavily subsidised by various governments. Why are railways alone not considered to be an ‘investment’ like roads, airports, and cruise ship or ferry terminals? Perhaps this is because rail travel is seen by most to be a ‘thing of the past," Ian Gartshore wrote in the Nanaimo Daily Bulletin reported on Apr. 16.
Howard Pawley, May 13, Ottawa, Public Interest Advocacy Centre, Option consommateurs
Public Interest News by PIAC and Option consommateurs was released this morning. Health Canada too timid. Wireless shock. Prévenir les pièges financiers de la retraite.
May 13: Howard Pawley: Keeping True, A life in Politics
The Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) cordially invites you to a reception celebrating the publication of the autobiography of its long-serving Board member, Howard Pawley. Come meet Howard, together with the other Board members and staff of PIAC. You can get a personalized autographed copy of Howard’s book, along with a slice of pizza and a beverage all for the blue collar price of $30.00.
Please join us:
Friday, May 13, 2011 at 5:30 p.m.
One Nicholas Street, Ottawa
Howard Pawley served for nineteen years as a member of the Manitoba Legislature (1969-1988), serving as Premier from 1981 to 1988. He is currently an associate professor emeritus in the department of Political Science at the University of Windsor. We have to know how many books to bring so oplease let us know if you will be coming. Contact Donna or call 613-562-4002 ext. 21.
What's ahead for Canada's consumers? No red carpet but no brick wall, Michael Janigan says
"(PIAC) Executive director Michael Janigan is optimistic that he can get action from the new government. ... Despite their standard response to let the market take care of consumer problems, the Conservatives will turn to regulation when they think their voting base is affected, Janigan argues. "We're not expecting a red carpet to be laid down in front of us," he says about the coming four years, "but we don't expect to run into a brick wall," Ellen Roseman reported for the Toronto Star on May 4.
Quebec-style consumer protection: New MPs may push for better Canadian laws
"Quebec leads the rest of Canada in enforcing consumers’ right to fair dealing when buying goods and services. It’s the first province to limit cancellation charges by cellphone providers when buyers seek an early exit from their contracts," Ellen Roseman wrote for the Toronto Star on Apr. 26 2011
"The Public Interest Advocacy Centre, an Ottawa-based consumer group, has called on other provinces to impose higher standards on planners than what was required by self-regulatory bodies. Quebec’s rules should be used as benchmark, PIAC said in a 2009 report, applauding a ban on operating businesses under confusingly similar titles to financial planner, such as financial adviser and private wealth consultant," The Toronto Star reported.
Health Canada too timid: Anu Bose, Option consommateurs
"Health Canada is being criticized for being "timid" about safety after it didn't follow up on concerns of its own staff about the potential hazards of a bassinet and a portable bed for babies. … "Anu Bose of the group Option consommateurs called Health Canada's "timid" approach to staff opinions as "alarming." "It should trigger followup action. It's this whole mode of being proactive instead of reactive," said Bose, who wondered whether there's a culture problem at Health Canada or if it's question of resources," Postmedia News reported on Apr. 14.
PIAC supports Ontario bill aimed at curbing wireless ‘bill shock’
"Bill 133, introduced by MPP David Orazietti, aims to erect laws similar to what Quebec passed last year even as competition from startups such as Wind Mobile and Mobilicity nudges incumbents into adopting more consumer-friendly practices nationwide. In an interview, Mr. Orazietti, the Liberal member for Sault Ste Marie, said market forces alone are not doing enough," Jamie Sturgeon wrote for the National Post on Apr. 13.
“The question is whether there should be measures put in place across the board for wireless,” said Michael Janigan, general counsel for the Public Interest Advocacy Centre in Ottawa, whose research helped convince Mr. Orazietti to introduce the bill. “I think the legislation is still necessary,” the National Post reported.
The "Wireless Phone, Smart Phone and Data Service Transparency Act” passed second reading on Apr. 14.
Sony PlayStation: Consumers need more protection when when corporations lose personal information
"Industry Minister Tony Clement said Friday he's open to the idea proposed by Canada's privacy watchdog to give her the power to slap corporations with huge fines if they don't protect the personal information of their customers," Postmedia News reported on May 6.
"This is welcome news for John Lawford, a staff lawyer for the Public Interest Advocacy Centre who participated in the earlier review of the private-sector privacy law.
"He supports Stoddart's push for powers to slap fines on companies in cases of big data breaches, but Lawford said there's an even bigger problem with last year's proposed amendments. "You've got to fix the first part," Lawford said, of the discretion given to companies to decide whether a breach meets the test for mandatory reporting. And until this loophole in the reporting rules is closed, Lawford said, "you've got nothing to fine and no one to fine," Sarah Schmidt wrote for Postmedia News.
CRTC rural broadband decision: CRTC’s roadmap upside down
“Consumer group the Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) said gaps in Canada’s broadband access will endure and that the commission didn’t go far enough to promote rural broadband expansion.
“If there is no rural broadband now, there will not be any more thanks to this decision,” PIAC counsel John Lawford said in a press release. “You're on your own Canada — see you at the bottom of the OECD broadband lists,” Lawford added," a May 3 Wire Report story said.
“PIAC said the CRTC’s removal of basic service objectives in urban and suburban areas means customers will no longer receive basic service elements such as phone books. “If this is a roadmap to the future, the CRTC is holding it upside-down,” The Wire Report quoted Lawford.
The May 3 CRTC 2011-291 "obligation to serve" decision.
Option consommateurs: Cette drogue qu'on appelle crédit
« Les organismes comme Option Consommateurs sont aux premières loges de ce qui risque de se produire lorsque les taux d'intérêt se mettront à grimper. Car si cette variable-là est encore sous contrôle, d'autres frappent sans crier gare. Une séparation, une perte d'emploi, même une simple réduction des heures de travail peuvent avoir un effet dramatique lorsqu'on n'a aucune marge de manoeuvre financière, » Ariane Krola écrit pour La Presse le 23 avril 2011. <http://www.cyberpresse.ca/place-publique/editorialistes/ariane-krol/201104/21/01-4392351-cette-drogue-quon-appelle-credit.php>
"Does the election mark Common Sense Revolution 2.0?
PIAC board member Armine Yalnizyan and senior economist at the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA) told the Toronto Star: “We're at a turning point where the global economic crisis might have triggered a different look at where we're heading. But everyone wants to blame everyone else, and they're blaming all the wrong actors," Olivia Ward reported on Apr 30 2011. <http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/politics/article/983436--does-the-election-mark-common-sense-revolution-2-0?bn=1>
Smart electricity meters spark privacy questions: B.C. Public Interest Advocacy Centre
PIAC board member Jim Quail and "executive director of the B.C. Public Interest Advocacy Centre, said the concern is that if meters can identify patterns of electricity usage at homes in a neighbourhood, which could be a problem if criminals were able to hack into the system. “So if someone wants to know what houses to break into in a subdivision some weekend, and if they can hack into meters in the area they can tell,” Quail told in an Apr. 29 Vancouver Sun report written by Derrick Penner.
Food packages hide reduced contents
"Don't be fooled by food containers - check the per-unit price on shelf," the Montreal Gazette reported on Apr. 29. "As Montreal consumer advocate François Decary-Gilardeau, of the non-profit consumer rights group Option Consommateurs, puts it: "Things are getting smaller all the time, but the prices never go down. It's not illegal, but…," Susan Semenak wrote for the Montreal Gazette.
Lancement du guide « Prévenir les pièges financiers de la retraite » d’Option consommateurs
Est-il prudent d’emprunter pour investir dans son REER ? Comment choisir un planificateur financier ? Quelles sont les principales fraudes dont les personnes retraitées peuvent être victimes ? Afin d’aider celles-ci à mieux protéger leur patrimoine financier, Option consommateurs est fière de publier le guide Prévenir les pièges financiers de la retraite.
« Les personnes retraitées manquent souvent d’information en matière de budget, d’investissement et de planification financière, ce qui ne leur permet pas de faire des choix éclairés, affirme Me Caroline Arel, responsable du Service budgétaire à Option consommateurs. Par exemple, au Québec, 40 000 retraités auraient droit à une aide financière du gouvernement et ne la reçoivent pas. Souvent, parce qu’ils en ignorent l’existence. »
May 13: Howard Pawley: Keeping True, A life in Politics
The Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) cordially invites you to a reception celebrating the publication of the autobiography of its long-serving Board member, Howard Pawley. Come meet Howard, together with the other Board members and staff of PIAC. You can get a personalized autographed copy of Howard’s book, along with a slice of pizza and a beverage all for the blue collar price of $30.00.
Please join us:
Friday, May 13, 2011 at 5:30 p.m.
One Nicholas Street, Ottawa
Howard Pawley served for nineteen years as a member of the Manitoba Legislature (1969-1988), serving as Premier from 1981 to 1988. He is currently an associate professor emeritus in the department of Political Science at the University of Windsor. We have to know how many books to bring so oplease let us know if you will be coming. Contact Donna or call 613-562-4002 ext. 21.
What's ahead for Canada's consumers? No red carpet but no brick wall, Michael Janigan says
"(PIAC) Executive director Michael Janigan is optimistic that he can get action from the new government. ... Despite their standard response to let the market take care of consumer problems, the Conservatives will turn to regulation when they think their voting base is affected, Janigan argues. "We're not expecting a red carpet to be laid down in front of us," he says about the coming four years, "but we don't expect to run into a brick wall," Ellen Roseman reported for the Toronto Star on May 4.
Quebec-style consumer protection: New MPs may push for better Canadian laws
"Quebec leads the rest of Canada in enforcing consumers’ right to fair dealing when buying goods and services. It’s the first province to limit cancellation charges by cellphone providers when buyers seek an early exit from their contracts," Ellen Roseman wrote for the Toronto Star on Apr. 26 2011
"The Public Interest Advocacy Centre, an Ottawa-based consumer group, has called on other provinces to impose higher standards on planners than what was required by self-regulatory bodies. Quebec’s rules should be used as benchmark, PIAC said in a 2009 report, applauding a ban on operating businesses under confusingly similar titles to financial planner, such as financial adviser and private wealth consultant," The Toronto Star reported.
Health Canada too timid: Anu Bose, Option consommateurs
"Health Canada is being criticized for being "timid" about safety after it didn't follow up on concerns of its own staff about the potential hazards of a bassinet and a portable bed for babies. … "Anu Bose of the group Option consommateurs called Health Canada's "timid" approach to staff opinions as "alarming." "It should trigger followup action. It's this whole mode of being proactive instead of reactive," said Bose, who wondered whether there's a culture problem at Health Canada or if it's question of resources," Postmedia News reported on Apr. 14.
PIAC supports Ontario bill aimed at curbing wireless ‘bill shock’
"Bill 133, introduced by MPP David Orazietti, aims to erect laws similar to what Quebec passed last year even as competition from startups such as Wind Mobile and Mobilicity nudges incumbents into adopting more consumer-friendly practices nationwide. In an interview, Mr. Orazietti, the Liberal member for Sault Ste Marie, said market forces alone are not doing enough," Jamie Sturgeon wrote for the National Post on Apr. 13.
“The question is whether there should be measures put in place across the board for wireless,” said Michael Janigan, general counsel for the Public Interest Advocacy Centre in Ottawa, whose research helped convince Mr. Orazietti to introduce the bill. “I think the legislation is still necessary,” the National Post reported.
The "Wireless Phone, Smart Phone and Data Service Transparency Act” passed second reading on Apr. 14.
Sony PlayStation: Consumers need more protection when when corporations lose personal information
"Industry Minister Tony Clement said Friday he's open to the idea proposed by Canada's privacy watchdog to give her the power to slap corporations with huge fines if they don't protect the personal information of their customers," Postmedia News reported on May 6.
"This is welcome news for John Lawford, a staff lawyer for the Public Interest Advocacy Centre who participated in the earlier review of the private-sector privacy law.
"He supports Stoddart's push for powers to slap fines on companies in cases of big data breaches, but Lawford said there's an even bigger problem with last year's proposed amendments. "You've got to fix the first part," Lawford said, of the discretion given to companies to decide whether a breach meets the test for mandatory reporting. And until this loophole in the reporting rules is closed, Lawford said, "you've got nothing to fine and no one to fine," Sarah Schmidt wrote for Postmedia News.
CRTC rural broadband decision: CRTC’s roadmap upside down
“Consumer group the Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) said gaps in Canada’s broadband access will endure and that the commission didn’t go far enough to promote rural broadband expansion.
“If there is no rural broadband now, there will not be any more thanks to this decision,” PIAC counsel John Lawford said in a press release. “You're on your own Canada — see you at the bottom of the OECD broadband lists,” Lawford added," a May 3 Wire Report story said.
“PIAC said the CRTC’s removal of basic service objectives in urban and suburban areas means customers will no longer receive basic service elements such as phone books. “If this is a roadmap to the future, the CRTC is holding it upside-down,” The Wire Report quoted Lawford.
The May 3 CRTC 2011-291 "obligation to serve" decision.
Option consommateurs: Cette drogue qu'on appelle crédit
« Les organismes comme Option Consommateurs sont aux premières loges de ce qui risque de se produire lorsque les taux d'intérêt se mettront à grimper. Car si cette variable-là est encore sous contrôle, d'autres frappent sans crier gare. Une séparation, une perte d'emploi, même une simple réduction des heures de travail peuvent avoir un effet dramatique lorsqu'on n'a aucune marge de manoeuvre financière, » Ariane Krola écrit pour La Presse le 23 avril 2011. <http://www.cyberpresse.ca/place-publique/editorialistes/ariane-krol/201104/21/01-4392351-cette-drogue-quon-appelle-credit.php>
"Does the election mark Common Sense Revolution 2.0?
PIAC board member Armine Yalnizyan and senior economist at the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA) told the Toronto Star: “We're at a turning point where the global economic crisis might have triggered a different look at where we're heading. But everyone wants to blame everyone else, and they're blaming all the wrong actors," Olivia Ward reported on Apr 30 2011. <http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/politics/article/983436--does-the-election-mark-common-sense-revolution-2-0?bn=1>
Smart electricity meters spark privacy questions: B.C. Public Interest Advocacy Centre
PIAC board member Jim Quail and "executive director of the B.C. Public Interest Advocacy Centre, said the concern is that if meters can identify patterns of electricity usage at homes in a neighbourhood, which could be a problem if criminals were able to hack into the system. “So if someone wants to know what houses to break into in a subdivision some weekend, and if they can hack into meters in the area they can tell,” Quail told in an Apr. 29 Vancouver Sun report written by Derrick Penner.
Food packages hide reduced contents
"Don't be fooled by food containers - check the per-unit price on shelf," the Montreal Gazette reported on Apr. 29. "As Montreal consumer advocate François Decary-Gilardeau, of the non-profit consumer rights group Option Consommateurs, puts it: "Things are getting smaller all the time, but the prices never go down. It's not illegal, but…," Susan Semenak wrote for the Montreal Gazette.
Lancement du guide « Prévenir les pièges financiers de la retraite » d’Option consommateurs
Est-il prudent d’emprunter pour investir dans son REER ? Comment choisir un planificateur financier ? Quelles sont les principales fraudes dont les personnes retraitées peuvent être victimes ? Afin d’aider celles-ci à mieux protéger leur patrimoine financier, Option consommateurs est fière de publier le guide Prévenir les pièges financiers de la retraite.
« Les personnes retraitées manquent souvent d’information en matière de budget, d’investissement et de planification financière, ce qui ne leur permet pas de faire des choix éclairés, affirme Me Caroline Arel, responsable du Service budgétaire à Option consommateurs. Par exemple, au Québec, 40 000 retraités auraient droit à une aide financière du gouvernement et ne la reçoivent pas. Souvent, parce qu’ils en ignorent l’existence. »
Transport Canada "duty to protect", young people and meaningful consent
Is Transport Canada living up to its "duty to protect". Passenger train service between Chicago and Toronto. Le futur train léger d'Ottawa.
Transport Canada buys off another aviation safety lawsuit
"Last week, the B.C. Supreme Court was to examine whether a federal regulatory agency should be held responsible for the deaths. In a civil suit brought by Mr. Honour’s widow and his three children, Transport Canada was accused of breaking its own rules by licensing a helicopter service company “with an extensive history of unsafe practises.” But at the last minute, the agency avoided potentially embarrassing questions about its air safety operations, agreeing to a confidential out-of-court settlement just before the trial started. Globe and Mail, Julian Sher, May 10, 2011
MP encourages higher speed rail: Mich. secures funding for connection
"Efforts to build a high-speed rail line in the Windsor-Montreal corridor may gain traction after Michigan secured $200 million from Washington to build a new high-speed rail connection between Detroit and Chicago," Dave Battagello, The Windsor Star Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Most blind to online tracking: Firms told to be open
Canada's privacy watchdog said Thursday many Canadians don't know how closely companies are tracking their online activities much less are they providing informed consent. … Many of (those consulted including PIAC) highlighted a specific challenge with obtaining meaningful consent, especially involving children. Sarah Schmidt, Postmedia News, May 6
Le futur train léger d'Ottawa pourrait entrer en service un an plus tôt que prévu, soit en 2018.
Rappelons qu'à l'origine, le futur train léger d'Ottawa devait entrer en service en 2019. L'organisme Transport Action Canada souhaiterait, pour sa part, que le train soit prêt en 2017, à temps pour le 150e anniversaire dela Confédération et de la capitale nationale. Radio Canada le vendredi 6 mai
Sony PlayStation: Consumers need more protection when corporations lose personal information
"Industry Minister Tony Clement said Friday he's open to the idea proposed by Canada's privacy watchdog to give her the power to slap corporations with huge fines if they don't protect the personal information of their customers… "This is welcome news for John Lawford, a staff lawyer for the Public Interest Advocacy Centre who participated in the earlier review of the private-sector privacy law. He supports Stoddart's push for powers to slap fines on companies in cases of big data breaches, but Lawford said there's an even bigger problem with last year's proposed amendments." Postmedia News reported on May 6.
Transport Canada buys off another aviation safety lawsuit
"Last week, the B.C. Supreme Court was to examine whether a federal regulatory agency should be held responsible for the deaths. In a civil suit brought by Mr. Honour’s widow and his three children, Transport Canada was accused of breaking its own rules by licensing a helicopter service company “with an extensive history of unsafe practises.” But at the last minute, the agency avoided potentially embarrassing questions about its air safety operations, agreeing to a confidential out-of-court settlement just before the trial started. Globe and Mail, Julian Sher, May 10, 2011
MP encourages higher speed rail: Mich. secures funding for connection
"Efforts to build a high-speed rail line in the Windsor-Montreal corridor may gain traction after Michigan secured $200 million from Washington to build a new high-speed rail connection between Detroit and Chicago," Dave Battagello, The Windsor Star Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Most blind to online tracking: Firms told to be open
Canada's privacy watchdog said Thursday many Canadians don't know how closely companies are tracking their online activities much less are they providing informed consent. … Many of (those consulted including PIAC) highlighted a specific challenge with obtaining meaningful consent, especially involving children. Sarah Schmidt, Postmedia News, May 6
Le futur train léger d'Ottawa pourrait entrer en service un an plus tôt que prévu, soit en 2018.
Rappelons qu'à l'origine, le futur train léger d'Ottawa devait entrer en service en 2019. L'organisme Transport Action Canada souhaiterait, pour sa part, que le train soit prêt en 2017, à temps pour le 150e anniversaire dela Confédération et de la capitale nationale. Radio Canada le vendredi 6 mai
Sony PlayStation: Consumers need more protection when corporations lose personal information
"Industry Minister Tony Clement said Friday he's open to the idea proposed by Canada's privacy watchdog to give her the power to slap corporations with huge fines if they don't protect the personal information of their customers… "This is welcome news for John Lawford, a staff lawyer for the Public Interest Advocacy Centre who participated in the earlier review of the private-sector privacy law. He supports Stoddart's push for powers to slap fines on companies in cases of big data breaches, but Lawford said there's an even bigger problem with last year's proposed amendments." Postmedia News reported on May 6.
Transport Action Canada: Hotline 1115
Transport Calendar:
14 months late: high speed rail study
14 months late: Canadian Transportation Agency decision on upgrade to Toronto-London rail connection
May 2 Federal Election Results
CON 166 39.6%
NDP 103 30.6%
LIB 34 18.9%
BQ 4 6.0%
GRN 1 3.9%
Election promises
LRT could be ready by 2018: Ottawa mayor Jim Watson
"The planned rail line will run 12.5 kilometres from Tunney's Pasture in the west to Blair station in the east, and will include a 3.2 kilometre tunnel under the downtown," CBC.ca reported on May 6.
"David Jeanes, the president of Transport Action Canada, a transit advocacy group, said the shortened timeline isn't good enough. "That's not soon enough because Canada is going to be celebrating the 150th anniversary of Confederation in 2017, and we could be in a situation where not only is light rail not ready, but most of our transitway is shut down due to the conversion," CBC.ca reported. >
Conservative Corneliu Chisu takes Pickering airport riding
"As for a possible Pickering airport, Mr. Chisu said it's still just an idea and a decision has not been made. He said it's in the hands of Transport Canada, which has to put forward a business case and be able to prove whether it's something to go ahead with or not," Metroland's Kristen Calis reported on May 3, 2011.
Sierra Club loses court bid to derail $5.5 billion DRIC highway bridge
"The decision to have a second bridge in a different location was decided in case of a terrorist attack or mishap that caused one bridge to become unavailable. … The court determined that the decline in bridge traffic does not affect long-term projections," the Windsor Star reported.
The Sierra Club alleged the federal "responsible authorities" breached a precautionary principle under the (Canadian Environmental Assessment Act) which did not specify feasible opinions of studying adverse environmental effects against endangered species during the construction of the new road. The court was satisfied with the measures taken," Dylan Kristy, wrote for the Windsor Star on May 5.
US road bill maintains truck size freeze
On May 3,the Association of American Railroads (AAR) lauded the introduction of both House and Senate versions of the Safe Highways and Infrastructure Preservation Act (SHIPA) which propose to freeze national truck size and weight limits on the U.S. interstate highway system.
“Big, heavy trucks today don’t pay their full share of damage to our nation’s highways, costing American taxpayers billions of dollars each year for pothole and bridge repairs,” said AAR VP of Communications Patricia M. Reilly.
Paul Langan: APTA High Speed Rail Practicum
Paul Langan, Founder of High Speed Rail Canada spoke at the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) 2nd International Practicum on Implementing High Speed Rail in Baltimore, on May 4. He reports delegates were impressed by the Turbo Train short film.
Ottawa Transit commission: Route changes the first week of school
A number of last-minute tweaks were made to some local routes in the plan approved by the transit commission on April 20. David Jeans of Transport Action Canada, said: “The timing of these changes will be very disruptive (because the week after Labour Day is when people return from vacation, start the new school year and perhaps new jobs) and that will be the first day that most people hear about these changes,” Laura Mueller, wrote for Your Ottawa Region on Apr 28. 2011.
Waterloo region: $818-million plan
"Tim Mollison looks at 38-per-cent public support for trains — and sees victory for light rail transit. … (He was) reacting to a Record poll showing a community deeply divided over an $818-million plan to put electric trains on streets in Kitchener and Waterloo. “We’re very glad to see this, because what this says is light rail would win a referendum in this community,” said Mollison, spokesperson for the pro-rail Tri-Cities Transport Action Group," Jeff Outhit reported for the Waterloo Region Record on May 4.
Transport Action's George Bechtel says, "We need a referendum. If everyone understands the benefits of an electric motor over a diesel or gas engine we win. Same thing applies for a steel wheel over a rubber tire. We need to know the real cost. You can'tpave your way out of traffic congestion."
14 months late: high speed rail study
14 months late: Canadian Transportation Agency decision on upgrade to Toronto-London rail connection
May 2 Federal Election Results
CON 166 39.6%
NDP 103 30.6%
LIB 34 18.9%
BQ 4 6.0%
GRN 1 3.9%
Election promises
LRT could be ready by 2018: Ottawa mayor Jim Watson
"The planned rail line will run 12.5 kilometres from Tunney's Pasture in the west to Blair station in the east, and will include a 3.2 kilometre tunnel under the downtown," CBC.ca reported on May 6.
"David Jeanes, the president of Transport Action Canada, a transit advocacy group, said the shortened timeline isn't good enough. "That's not soon enough because Canada is going to be celebrating the 150th anniversary of Confederation in 2017, and we could be in a situation where not only is light rail not ready, but most of our transitway is shut down due to the conversion," CBC.ca reported. >
Conservative Corneliu Chisu takes Pickering airport riding
"As for a possible Pickering airport, Mr. Chisu said it's still just an idea and a decision has not been made. He said it's in the hands of Transport Canada, which has to put forward a business case and be able to prove whether it's something to go ahead with or not," Metroland's Kristen Calis reported on May 3, 2011.
Sierra Club loses court bid to derail $5.5 billion DRIC highway bridge
"The decision to have a second bridge in a different location was decided in case of a terrorist attack or mishap that caused one bridge to become unavailable. … The court determined that the decline in bridge traffic does not affect long-term projections," the Windsor Star reported.
The Sierra Club alleged the federal "responsible authorities" breached a precautionary principle under the (Canadian Environmental Assessment Act) which did not specify feasible opinions of studying adverse environmental effects against endangered species during the construction of the new road. The court was satisfied with the measures taken," Dylan Kristy, wrote for the Windsor Star on May 5.
US road bill maintains truck size freeze
On May 3,the Association of American Railroads (AAR) lauded the introduction of both House and Senate versions of the Safe Highways and Infrastructure Preservation Act (SHIPA) which propose to freeze national truck size and weight limits on the U.S. interstate highway system.
“Big, heavy trucks today don’t pay their full share of damage to our nation’s highways, costing American taxpayers billions of dollars each year for pothole and bridge repairs,” said AAR VP of Communications Patricia M. Reilly.
Paul Langan: APTA High Speed Rail Practicum
Paul Langan, Founder of High Speed Rail Canada spoke at the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) 2nd International Practicum on Implementing High Speed Rail in Baltimore, on May 4. He reports delegates were impressed by the Turbo Train short film.
Ottawa Transit commission: Route changes the first week of school
A number of last-minute tweaks were made to some local routes in the plan approved by the transit commission on April 20. David Jeans of Transport Action Canada, said: “The timing of these changes will be very disruptive (because the week after Labour Day is when people return from vacation, start the new school year and perhaps new jobs) and that will be the first day that most people hear about these changes,” Laura Mueller, wrote for Your Ottawa Region on Apr 28. 2011.
Waterloo region: $818-million plan
"Tim Mollison looks at 38-per-cent public support for trains — and sees victory for light rail transit. … (He was) reacting to a Record poll showing a community deeply divided over an $818-million plan to put electric trains on streets in Kitchener and Waterloo. “We’re very glad to see this, because what this says is light rail would win a referendum in this community,” said Mollison, spokesperson for the pro-rail Tri-Cities Transport Action Group," Jeff Outhit reported for the Waterloo Region Record on May 4.
Transport Action's George Bechtel says, "We need a referendum. If everyone understands the benefits of an electric motor over a diesel or gas engine we win. Same thing applies for a steel wheel over a rubber tire. We need to know the real cost. You can'tpave your way out of traffic congestion."
Canadian Wheat Board: Rethink the $8-billion giveaway
For immediate release,
May 6, 2011
Canadian Wheat Board: Rethink the $8-billion giveaway
SASKATOON -- “Canada must protect this strategic resource called food," Roy Atkinson, CM retired executive director of the National Farmers Union says. He says Cargill Inc [CARG.UL] and other corporations are poised to capture the most lucrative of Canadian Wheat Board revenue streams if the federal government proceeds with its plan.
At $8 billion in sales a year the CWB is one of Canada's biggest corporations. Its foreign earnings contribute significantly to Canada's balance of trade. It is the largest marketer of wheat and barley in the world.
"The way the deal is proposed farmers lose. Canada loses immense international power and influence,” Atkinson says. He says the deal has major implications for farmers in Ontario and Quebec.
- 30 -
Roy Atkinson, CM,
retired Executive Director
National Farmers Union
royatk@sasktel.net
Pat Hayes MPP Essex-North, Canada to lose Wheat Board
Condolences to the family and friends of Pat Hayes. I had the pleasure of working on Pat's 1985 election win. He was funny and fun-loving. The lapsed clear grit did good work.
Canada set to give CWB to Viterra or Cargill. PIAC on the election and CRTC rural broadband no decision. CRTC holds the roadmap to the future upside down.
Pat Hayes always put 'other people first'
Windsor Star, Chris Thompson, May 4, 2011
"Growing up one of 18 siblings in an Irish Essex County family, Pat Hayes learned the importance of family and despite all his political accomplishments, that focus never left him," the Windsor Star reported.
Competition not always answer for consumers
Ellen Roseman Toronto Star May 4 2011
"Canada should insist that wireless companies allow customers to block the unwanted text message services, says the Public Interest Advocacy Centre. The group is collecting stories from consumers and plans to release a report later this month, asking the government to curb text message abuses," the Toronto Star reported.
What's ahead for Canada's consumers under a Conservative government with a parliamentary majority?
Ellen Roseman Toronto Star May 4
"(PIAC) Executive director Michael Janigan is optimistic that he can get action from the new government. ... Despite their standard response to let the market take care of consumer problems, the Conservatives will turn to regulation when they think their voting base is affected, Janigan argues. "We're not expecting a red carpet to be laid down in front of us," he says about the coming four years, "but we don't expect to run into a brick wall," the Toronto Star reported.
CRTC sets national broadband target, dodges subsidy fund for deployment
The Wire Report, May 3, 2011
Consumer group the Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) said gaps in Canada’s broadband access will endure and that the commission didn’t go far enough to promote rural broadband expansion. “If there is no rural broadband now, there will not be any more thanks to this decision,” PIAC counsel John Lawford said in a press release. “You're on your own Canada—see you at the bottom of the OECD broadband lists,” Lawford added in a reference to a broadband data," The Wire Report story said.
CRTC’s removal of basic service objectives
PIAC said the CRTC’s removal of basic service objectives in urban and suburban areas means customers will no longer receive basic service elements such as phone books. “If this is a roadmap to the future, the CRTC is holding it upside-down,” The Wire Report quoted PIAC's John Lawford.
Conservative Corneliu Chisu takes Pickering airport riding
Metroland, Kristen Calis, May 03, 2011
As for a possible Pickering airport, Mr. Chisu said it's still just an idea and a decision has not been made. He said it's in the hands of Transport Canada, which has to put forward a business case and be able to prove whether it's something to go ahead with or not.
Canadian Wheat Board to survive without monopoly-Ritz
Reuters, Rod Nickel, May 3, 2011
"The Canadian Wheat Board, which has controlled exports from the world's ninth-biggest producer since before World War Two, would be forced to compete with companies like as Viterra Inc (VT.TO) and Cargill Inc [CARG.UL] as the government follows through with its pledge to open the market," Reuters reported.
Paul Langan to Speak at APTA High Speed Rail Practicum
Paul Langan, Founder of High Speed Rail Canada has been invited to speak at the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) 2nd International Practicum on Implementing High Speed Rail in Baltimore, Maryland May 4th at 1:00pm.
Canada set to give CWB to Viterra or Cargill. PIAC on the election and CRTC rural broadband no decision. CRTC holds the roadmap to the future upside down.
Pat Hayes always put 'other people first'
Windsor Star, Chris Thompson, May 4, 2011
"Growing up one of 18 siblings in an Irish Essex County family, Pat Hayes learned the importance of family and despite all his political accomplishments, that focus never left him," the Windsor Star reported.
Competition not always answer for consumers
Ellen Roseman Toronto Star May 4 2011
"Canada should insist that wireless companies allow customers to block the unwanted text message services, says the Public Interest Advocacy Centre. The group is collecting stories from consumers and plans to release a report later this month, asking the government to curb text message abuses," the Toronto Star reported.
What's ahead for Canada's consumers under a Conservative government with a parliamentary majority?
Ellen Roseman Toronto Star May 4
"(PIAC) Executive director Michael Janigan is optimistic that he can get action from the new government. ... Despite their standard response to let the market take care of consumer problems, the Conservatives will turn to regulation when they think their voting base is affected, Janigan argues. "We're not expecting a red carpet to be laid down in front of us," he says about the coming four years, "but we don't expect to run into a brick wall," the Toronto Star reported.
CRTC sets national broadband target, dodges subsidy fund for deployment
The Wire Report, May 3, 2011
Consumer group the Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) said gaps in Canada’s broadband access will endure and that the commission didn’t go far enough to promote rural broadband expansion. “If there is no rural broadband now, there will not be any more thanks to this decision,” PIAC counsel John Lawford said in a press release. “You're on your own Canada—see you at the bottom of the OECD broadband lists,” Lawford added in a reference to a broadband data," The Wire Report story said.
CRTC’s removal of basic service objectives
PIAC said the CRTC’s removal of basic service objectives in urban and suburban areas means customers will no longer receive basic service elements such as phone books. “If this is a roadmap to the future, the CRTC is holding it upside-down,” The Wire Report quoted PIAC's John Lawford.
Conservative Corneliu Chisu takes Pickering airport riding
Metroland, Kristen Calis, May 03, 2011
As for a possible Pickering airport, Mr. Chisu said it's still just an idea and a decision has not been made. He said it's in the hands of Transport Canada, which has to put forward a business case and be able to prove whether it's something to go ahead with or not.
Canadian Wheat Board to survive without monopoly-Ritz
Reuters, Rod Nickel, May 3, 2011
"The Canadian Wheat Board, which has controlled exports from the world's ninth-biggest producer since before World War Two, would be forced to compete with companies like as Viterra Inc (VT.TO) and Cargill Inc [CARG.UL] as the government follows through with its pledge to open the market," Reuters reported.
Paul Langan to Speak at APTA High Speed Rail Practicum
Paul Langan, Founder of High Speed Rail Canada has been invited to speak at the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) 2nd International Practicum on Implementing High Speed Rail in Baltimore, Maryland May 4th at 1:00pm.
Majority PM Harper, #tweettheresults beats Osama bin Laden
Treasury bonds held by china / mother of all jobless recoveries, says David Rosenberg / WSJ says US currency devaluation key / Consumer world congress / CWB says rail line at Emerson now open / Cambie Corridor Plan / Jane's Walks / sprawl around Montreal / AC refuse de renégocier / bin Laden - security heightened in Canada / Aviation Safety Week: Fatigue, 'The Forbidden Topic'.
Consequences of Harper majority will be profound
PM Stephen Harper successfully framed key ballot questions for the critical mass of voters in Monday’s election, but it was his own hard-nosed take-no-prisoners leadership style, not warnings about economic calamity, that helped shape many other views in the electorate, his opponents say.
Hill Times, Tim Naumetz May 3
Lawrence Cannon - a continuing public presence?
Harry Gow writes: Even as a lifelong social democrat, I have been impressed by some politicians from other traditions. Among these have been both Liberals and Conservatives, including Don Mazankowski (PC), David Collenette (L) and lately, Lawrence Cannon (C). Mr. Cannon first came to my attention whan he was a Councillor in Gatineau and President of the Société de Transport de l'Outaouais through his advocacy for transit and municipal infrastructure funding. Transport Action Canada, at my suggestion, awarded Mr. Cannon an Orange Prize for this work and for his support for intercity rail passenger service when he was Minister of Transport. Mr. Cannon has given his support to many vital projects in Western Québec in his rôle as MP and as a Minister in the Conservative Government.
While the region will no doubt benefit from the renewal brought by new (NDP) personalities to Parliament, Québec and Pontiac riding can ill-afford the loss of such a solid representative as Lawrence Cannon. While he has stated he will withdraw from politics, I for one hope that a new role worthy of his contribution can be found for him. Whether at the Senate, the United Nations or as an Ambassador, Mr. Cannon could continue to serve Québec and Canada to the benefit of all.
Twitterverse rebels flout Elections Canada ban
More than 4,800 tweets included numbers before end of blackout period, despite 1938 law banning 'premature transmission' of results
Misty Harris, Postmedia News, May 3
"In fact, #tweettheresults generated so much activity in a three-hour period that it was not only the top trending topic in the country, but the most tweeted topic worldwide, besting even Osama bin Laden," Postmedia News reported.
Consequences of Harper majority will be profound
PM Stephen Harper successfully framed key ballot questions for the critical mass of voters in Monday’s election, but it was his own hard-nosed take-no-prisoners leadership style, not warnings about economic calamity, that helped shape many other views in the electorate, his opponents say.
Hill Times, Tim Naumetz May 3
Lawrence Cannon - a continuing public presence?
Harry Gow writes: Even as a lifelong social democrat, I have been impressed by some politicians from other traditions. Among these have been both Liberals and Conservatives, including Don Mazankowski (PC), David Collenette (L) and lately, Lawrence Cannon (C). Mr. Cannon first came to my attention whan he was a Councillor in Gatineau and President of the Société de Transport de l'Outaouais through his advocacy for transit and municipal infrastructure funding. Transport Action Canada, at my suggestion, awarded Mr. Cannon an Orange Prize for this work and for his support for intercity rail passenger service when he was Minister of Transport. Mr. Cannon has given his support to many vital projects in Western Québec in his rôle as MP and as a Minister in the Conservative Government.
While the region will no doubt benefit from the renewal brought by new (NDP) personalities to Parliament, Québec and Pontiac riding can ill-afford the loss of such a solid representative as Lawrence Cannon. While he has stated he will withdraw from politics, I for one hope that a new role worthy of his contribution can be found for him. Whether at the Senate, the United Nations or as an Ambassador, Mr. Cannon could continue to serve Québec and Canada to the benefit of all.
Harry Gow, 3 May 2011
Twitterverse rebels flout Elections Canada ban
More than 4,800 tweets included numbers before end of blackout period, despite 1938 law banning 'premature transmission' of results
Misty Harris, Postmedia News, May 3
"In fact, #tweettheresults generated so much activity in a three-hour period that it was not only the top trending topic in the country, but the most tweeted topic worldwide, besting even Osama bin Laden," Postmedia News reported.
PM Layton, common sense revolution, PIAC, Option consommateurs, transport action
May 2, 2011 Election day in Canada. Wrong turn after global economic crisis. Telus wants regulation. Smaller food packages, same price.
"Does the election mark Common Sense Revolution 2.0?
Toronto Star, Olivia Ward, Apr 30 2011
Armine Yalnizyan, a senior economist at the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA) told the Toronto Star: “We're at a turning point where the global economic crisis might have triggered a different look at where we're heading. But everyone wants to blame everyone else, and they're blaming all the wrong actors"
TSmart electricity meters spark privacy questions
Vancouver Sun, Derrick Penner, Apr. 29
Jim Quail, executive director of the B.C. Public Interest Advocacy Centre, said the concern is that if meters can identify patterns of electricity usage at homes in a neighbourhood, which could be a problem if criminals were able to hack into the system. “So if someone wants to know what houses to break into in a subdivision some weekend, and if they can hack into meters in the area they can tell,” Quail told the Vancouver Sun.
Transit commission OKs sweeping route changes
Your Ottawa Region, Laura Mueller, Apr 28, 2011
A number of last-minute tweaks were made to some local routes in the plan approved by the transit commission on April 20. David Jeans of Transport Action Canada, said: “The timing of these changes will be very disruptive ( because the week after Labour Day is when people return from vacation, start the new school year and perhaps new jobs) and that will be the first day that most people hear about these changes,” Laura Mueller, wrote for Your Ottawa Region on Apr 28, 2011.
Food packages hide reduced contents; Don't be fooled by food containers - check the per-unit price on shelf
As Montreal consumer advocate François Decary-Gilardeau, of the non-profit consumer rights group Option Consommateurs, puts it: "Things are getting smaller all the time, but the prices never go down. It's not illegal, but... (1526 words)
Postmedia News, Susan Semenak, Apr. 29
"Does the election mark Common Sense Revolution 2.0?
Toronto Star, Olivia Ward, Apr 30 2011
Armine Yalnizyan, a senior economist at the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA) told the Toronto Star: “We're at a turning point where the global economic crisis might have triggered a different look at where we're heading. But everyone wants to blame everyone else, and they're blaming all the wrong actors"
TSmart electricity meters spark privacy questions
Vancouver Sun, Derrick Penner, Apr. 29
Jim Quail, executive director of the B.C. Public Interest Advocacy Centre, said the concern is that if meters can identify patterns of electricity usage at homes in a neighbourhood, which could be a problem if criminals were able to hack into the system. “So if someone wants to know what houses to break into in a subdivision some weekend, and if they can hack into meters in the area they can tell,” Quail told the Vancouver Sun.
Transit commission OKs sweeping route changes
Your Ottawa Region, Laura Mueller, Apr 28, 2011
A number of last-minute tweaks were made to some local routes in the plan approved by the transit commission on April 20. David Jeans of Transport Action Canada, said: “The timing of these changes will be very disruptive ( because the week after Labour Day is when people return from vacation, start the new school year and perhaps new jobs) and that will be the first day that most people hear about these changes,” Laura Mueller, wrote for Your Ottawa Region on Apr 28, 2011.
Food packages hide reduced contents; Don't be fooled by food containers - check the per-unit price on shelf
As Montreal consumer advocate François Decary-Gilardeau, of the non-profit consumer rights group Option Consommateurs, puts it: "Things are getting smaller all the time, but the prices never go down. It's not illegal, but... (1526 words)
Postmedia News, Susan Semenak, Apr. 29
The Gazette, Jason Magder, Apr. 29
Telecommunications company Telus Corp. is urging the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission not to allow its competitors to horde content for the exclusive use of their subscribers. The company is the only one of the major telecommunications companies that does not hold television networks as part of its assets," the Montreal Gazette reported.
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