Federal employees who have obtained job stability will be receiving $150,000 cheques due to federal budget cuts.
According to CBC News the Harper government will be giving up to $6 billion in severance to federal employees.
Thousands of Canadian soldiers who are not entitled to severance will also be receiving cheques.
Toronto financial consultant Barry Ferguson regards the increase in severance as an opportunity for people to pay their credit card debts and mortgages.
A brawl in Montreal North has sent a police officer to hospital.
According to the Montreal Gazette, a 36 year old female SPVM officer is in hospital with a severe head injury. She was attempting to break up a street fight that erupted early Wednesday morning. Her condition is considered to be non-life threatening.
The fight occurred in and around a building at the corner of Henri Bourassa East and Drapeau. There was an illegal party going on in the basement of the building at the time as well.
14 youths were arrested and police suggest the brawl may have connections to street gang activities.
Did you hear?? FemmeToxic's having a Sock Hop! Tune in to Let Them Eat Cake this Friday from 11am-1pm for an interview with FemmeToxic's Andrea Kornacki on the campaign and the FUNraiser that will be happening that night!
FemmeToxic is a campaign focusing on the toxins in the environment, particularly those found in cosmetic and personal care products, which are detrimental to human health and can increase the risk of cancer and other health-related disorders.
The goal of FemmeToxic is to advocate for stronger cosmetic regulations. More specifically, the group wishes to change the ways in which Health Canada labels cosmetics and oversees the substitution and removal of toxins in personal care products. FemmeToxic seeks to empower women and increase their awareness of these toxins in products they use, their impact on health and the safer alternatives, while motivating them to join us in giving the beauty industry its long overdue makeover. For more information about us check out www.femmetoxic.com and tune into the interview on Friday!
Read and Produced by: Carlo Spiridigliozzi
Stories by: Carlo Spiridigliozzi, Sarah Deshaies, Audrey Folliot and Jame Lee Gordon
International Co-operation Minister Bev Oda announced that she is quitting her job as an MP at the end of the month, according to CBC.
She made the announcement this morning, but said in a message on her website that she informed Prime Minister Harper of her decision two weeks ago.
Oda has faced controversy over her spending habits in recent months, but provided no explanation for her resignation.
The office of the MP of Durham’s office also said that she was not available for interviews.
In a statement released on Tuesday, Prime Minister Harper said that through her leadership, Canada has met its commitment to double aid to Africa ahead of time, which is a record.
Oda’s resignation comes right after that of another Conservative MP leaving the House of Commons, Calgary MP Lee Richardson.
Oda said her last day on the job will be July 31.
Oda was an MP for eight years, first elected in 2004, then named heritage minister in 2006, before Harper made her international co-operation minister in 2007.
Byelections will be held in both her riding and that of MP Richardson to fill in the vacancies.
The maddeningly prolific Guided By Voices continue to stun on their 17th full-length and the second of three planned 2012 LPs (!!!), Class Clown Spots a UFO. Emerging from a six-year hiatus in 2010, the fact that the “classic lineup” of GBV has returned with another 21-track album a mere six months after January’s Let’s Go Eat the Factory rivals only their prodigious on-stage beer intake as far as remarkability goes.
There is a singular richness to this collection of medium fidelity pop gems that can be mainly attributed to chief songwriter Robert Pollard, in fine form as he wrings a surprising amount of whimsicality and pathos from lyrics that belie their seemingly nonsensical underpinnings. However, it’s guitarist Tobin Sprout’s contributions (whose own songs make up approximately 10 of the record’s 40 minutes) that really make Class Clown shine.
As Sprout’s British Invasion-inflected harmonies support Pollard’s weathered plea to “Keep It In Motion”, strings swell idly in the background of the mix before a gorgeous crescendo builds to a point that even the drums’ infrequent off-beat can’t derail. It’s difficult not to feel your heartstrings plucked as these five middle-aged vets encourage each other to “keep it in time”, sounding as vital as a band half their age; Guided By Voices, same as it ever was.
FINAL MARK: A-
Read by: Aisha Samu
Stories by: Aisha Samu, Carlo Spiridigliozzi and Gregory Wilson
Produced by: Carlo Spiridigliozzi
A pro-government Somali militia group has rescued four aid-workers abducted in Kenya last week.
In a report by CBC News, the group announced on Monday morning that one militant was killed and three managed to flee the fire fight. The rescue operation occurred thirty-five kilometers from the Kenyan border in Somalia.
The four released hostages included one Norwegian, one Filipino and two Canadians. They were flown to Nairobi and are said to be in good condition.
the attack happened last Friday in the Kenyan city of Dadaab. A Kenyan driver was killed by the militants and two other Kenyans were wounded.
Canadians took to twitter on Canada Day to express love for their country and criticize Stephen Harper.
According to CTV News, #DenounceHarper was trending just behind #HappyCanadaDay.
Twitter users who expressed their disdain at some of the Prime Minister's decisions didn't hold back. They criticized Bill C-38, the robocall scandal and the seal hunt just to name a few.
There were some in twitterverse who defended Harper and the Conservative party as well.
The trend doesn't have a starting point up to now, however all signs point to a Toronto writer who mentioned the hashtag a month ago.
Harper celebrated Canada Day at Parliament Hill and addressed the large crowd in attendance.
The Flaming Lips and Heady Fwends is a tripped out mammoth of an album, packed with collaborations from Ke$ha to Nick Cave. For all it's diversity, the album flows easily and is surprisingly accessible. Amongst the noise are numerous moments of brilliance, such as the last half of "Is David Bowie Dying?", as well as songs which can stand on their own outside of the album. The closer, "I Don't Want You to Die" is both beautiful and simple, and doesn't require the same patience or taste for experimentation that parts of the rest of the album might. On a whole it's a great listen, and well worth the time.
FINAL MARK: A-