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February 1, 2013
Hosted by: Saturn De Los Angeles
Stories by: Carlo Spiridigliozzi, Catlin Spencer & Alyssa Tremblay
Produced by: Catlin Spencer
PM’s controlled question and answer sessions, doesn’t sit well with Quebec
Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Quebec Premier Pauline Marois, will meet on Friday, but they won’t be holding a press conference.
In a report by The Gazette, the P.M.’s restrictions on question and answer sessions has prompted Marois to decline the request for a press conference.
According to Marois’s entourage, they were told to follow Ottawa’s system of taking questions from four journalists.
The custom of taking questions from a limited number of journalists with their names agreed upon in advance has been standard since Harper first took office in 2006.
The motive for this practice is to keep questions focused on hot topics of the day, and rarely trend on an unexpected or longer-term subject.
Montreal flooding caused by construction
The flood that gushed water through the streets of downtown Montreal can be attributed to construction near the fracture site.
According to CBC News, an investigation by the city of Montreal, revealed on Thursday, that, shifting soil from construction work caused the break in the hundred year old pipe.
Construction was being carried out at the McTavish reservoir when the break occurred last Monday afternoon.
The city announced that four aqueducts, including the one that leaked were in the process of being replaced as part of a major underground rehabilitation program.
McGill University meanwhile suffered extensive damage, with estimates close to one hundred thousand dollars.
According to a statement from city officials, forty thousand cubic metres of drinking water gushed onto city streets in about two hours on Monday afternoon.
Flickr Photo by: Mr. T in DC
New movement against research cuts
A movement to prevent budget cuts to medical research in Quebec has begun.
Research centre representatives held a news conference yesterday to announce a campaign against the Parti-Quebecois' decision to cut 10-million-dollars in funding.
A CBC News report calls the campaign “Je Suis Michèle," named after ovarian cancer patient Michèle St-Pierre.
St-Pierre opposes the cuts because research funding has helped her deal with her cancer situation. A specific type of chemotherapy was developed through medical research.
Michèle has been a cancer patient for four years. She will begin her third round of chemotherapy.
Multiple Sclerosis patient Sylvain Plourde says that there will be no hope for people like them if medical research funding is cut.
He says his condition is deteriorating and is hoping that medical research will help find treatments.
A website has also been launched. An online petition has been put out to raise awareness and to encourage site visitors to share stories about the benefits of medical research.
Their symbols used for this campaign are a pink and blue "x" that denotes a bandage.
Flickr Photo by: Alberta Enterprise and Advanced Education
STORY WRITTEN BY: SATURN DE LOS ANGELES
Syria reports of an air strike by Israel
The Syrian military is reporting that Israel jets have attacked a military research centre near Damascus.
They state that two people were killed and five were injured.
Western diplomats, Lebanese security forces, and Syrian rebels say that a convoy carrying weapons heading for the Lebanese border was hit.
The Syrian military denies this.
According to BBC News, the reports cannot be verified.
Israel recently stated that they feared militants like Hezbollah gaining possession of Syrian weapons and missiles.
Israel and the U.S. have declined to comment on the reports.
Flickr Photo by: a.anis
STORY WRITTEN BY: AISHA SAMU
Changes coming to Ontario social assistance
It was announced that Ontario’s Social Assistance system will undergo a major reform on Wednesday.
According to The Globe and Mail, Liberal leader Kathleen Wynne plans on making structural changes and raising welfare rates.
She wants to simplify the system and make it easier to navigate for those benefiting from it.
Wynne told the paper that this social issue is a priority for her and her party.
She will also work with the opposition and Toronto mayor Rob Ford on the project.
Wynne won the Liberal leadership race last weekend, making this her first concrete policy in her new position.
STORY WRITTEN BY: CHLOE DENEUMOUSTIER
Blackberry released new BB10
Canadian company Research in Motion is throwing itself back into the smartphone market with two new releases in 2013.
RIM’s CEO unveiled the Blackberry Z10 and the Blackberry Q10 on Wednesday.
The Z10 uses a touch screen while the Q10 has a QWERTY-keyboard.
CBC reported that one new feature on both phones is predictive text in three languages.
The new Blackberries also boast an updated web browser and higher quality back-and-front cameras.
The past year Research in Motion struggled to keep up with competitors Apple and Google.
The company hopes to spark a comeback with these new smartphones.
RIM also announced that it’s changing the company’s name to “Blackberry”
Canadians will be the first to get their hands on a new Blackberry.
The Z10 will be available in Canada on Feb. 5
Flickr Photo by: killrbeez
STORY WRITTEN BY: ALYSSA TREMBLAY
January 31, 2013
Hosted by: Catlin Spencer
Stories by: Saturn De Los Angeles, Chloe Deneumoustier, Alyssa Tremblay & Aisha Samu
Produced: Jenna Monney-Lupert
January 30th, 2013
Hosted by: Carlo Spiridigliozzi
Stories by: Jamie Lee-Gordon, Niki Mohrdar, Aisha Samu & Daniel J. Rowe
Produced by: Spoon Jung
Arizona lawmakers propose bills to require students to take oaths under God
Students in Arizona will be required to express love of country under God if bills introduced by two lawmakers are passed, reports Huffington Post.
Republican state representative Bob Thorpe’s proposal would require all high school seniors to “support and defend” the U.S. Constitution under oath.
Republican state representative Steve Smith’s proposal would require all 1st to 12th graders in public school to say the Pledge of Allegiance.
Currently the bill does not exempt atheist students or students of other faiths.
Some believe that forcing a religious declaration to graduate from high school violates the Constitution.
Thorpe believes that reciting the Constitutional oath will inspire students to learn more about the history of the United States.
Arizona public schools have to reserve time every day to recite the pledge but students can choose not to participate.
Critics argue that if the bills are passed, many lawsuits will follow.
STORY WRITTEN BY: AISHA SAMU
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