Category: Canada

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Canada

Going Topless in Public: Is This Discrimination Against Women Even Legal?

Bare With Us, discrimination against women

Three Canadian sisters from Ontario are organizing a Bare With Us campaign after being stopped while riding bicycles down a public street because they were topless. Alysha Brilla, a well known musician and a tireless advocate for women’s rights, was riding with two sisters down their peaceful residential street when the trio was stopped by a police officer in a marked car. According to the sisters the cop engaged in discrimination against women because the officer told them that they needed to put on shirts because this was the law. Brilla also reported that the officer changed things when she started to video record him, stating that he was just checking to verify that their bikes had the proper lights and bells. According to Brilla all the sisters want is an apology and a public admission that they were within the law and their rights to go topless.

In addition to organizing the Bare With Us event Brilla says that the sisters will be filing a formal complaint against the officer for discrimination against women. While it is illegal in much of Canada for adult women to go in public without a shirt on there are exceptions. The country has a number of designated clothing optional or topless beaches. In June there was a similar incident involving an 8 year old girl, Marlee McLean, who was asked to cover up by swimming pool employees because she was in the pool wearing only a pair of swim bottoms. Do yu think women should go topless in public? Why or why not?

Categories
Alberta Canada Economic Ft Mac

TransCanada Announces 185 Layoffs to Cut Costs

TransCanada, layoffs

TransCanada, a major pipeline company, has announced layoffs that will affect 185 positions. The announcements show that 100 full time employees will be laid off, and 85 contractors face the same fate. According to Mark Cooper, the spokesman for TransCanada, “These positions were removed following a restructuring of the Major Projects department that was designed to ensure we move forward with our $46-billion capital growth plan. TransCanada is committed to our customers in the Wood Buffalo region and those producers in the oil sands of whose product we ship and to who we deliver natural gas to.” This move is just the latest to impact Alberta and the Wood Buffalo region, with other companies and businesses also reducing staff and cutting programs in order to keep costs down and stay competitive in local and global markets.

In addition to 185 layoffs TransCanada has also delayed some projects. The Keystone XL and the Energy East pipeline are two major projects that have been delayed due to economic reasons. Both of these projects have received substantial publicity in recent months. When oil prices dropped TransCanada started bleeding, with much lower profits from oil sales yet high expenses that did not decrease. Cooper explained “Much of our restructuring is about recognizing the need to ensure we are keeping our overall costs down.” Since oil prices are not expected to reach previous highs any time in the near future this means that companies in the industry must find ways to be more effective and keep costs as low as possible.

Categories
Alberta Canada Economic Ft Mac Health

Should There be a Moratorium on New Oilsands Projects? One Group Says Yes!

oilsands projects, moratorium

A group of scientists and academics have jumped on board calls for a moratorium on new oilsands projects until carbon emissions are brought under control. A letter has been sent by the group that argues any new projects in the oilsands area should not be allowed to move forward until plans are in place to ensure that carbon emissions will be curtailed and that wildlife, human health, and treaty rights are protected. According to one part of the letter “Decisions about the development of the vast oil sands deposits in Alberta and elsewhere in North America are among the biggest we face as Canadians and Americans.” Over 100 scientists from several countries signed the letter, including those from Canada, the USA, the U.K., and Australia.

In the letter requesting a moratorium on new oilsands projects unless certain steps are taken there are 10 reasons listed that justify taking this step. Five of the scientists who signed the letter are Order of Canada members. The letter is also critical of the reclamation pace for the industry, the management of pollution, and even the track record the industry has when it comes to consulting with aboriginal groups who may be impacted by a project. In the letter the current monitoring plans and programs are touched on, but the signers believe that current programs and measures are seldom enforced and inadequate. Some of the more well known signers of the letter include University of Alberta biologist Suzanne Bayley, Canada research chair holder in climate change Shawn Marshall, and University of Alberta researcher David Schindler.

Categories
Canada

Technical briefing on the National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy

OTTAWA, Ontario, June 12, 2015 — Members of the media are invited to join a technical briefing to obtain an update on the procurement strategy for the Offshore Fisheries Science Vessel under the National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy in person or via teleconference.

Date: Friday, June 12, 2015 
Time: 3:00 p.m.  
Location: National Press Theatre
150 Wellington St., Ottawa

NOTE: NOT FOR BROADCAST. NO CAMERAS.

Senior officials will make a short presentation and will be available for a question period.

This technical briefing is not for broadcast purposes but can be attributed to “senior government officials.” Media may record the briefing for reference only.

To join the technical briefing by teleconference, media are invited to register with the Media Relations team at Public Works and Government Services Canada by telephone at 819-956-2315 or via email at media@tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca.

For further information, please contact:

Media Relations
Public Works and Government Services Canada
819-956-2315

Follow us on Twitter.

Source:: http://news.gc.ca/web/article-en.do?nid=987049&tp=3

      

Categories
Canada

Government of Canada celebrates completion of Sir John A. Macdonald Building

OTTAWA, Ontario, June 11, 2015 – The Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Public Works and Government Services, invites the media to attend the unveiling of the Sir John A. Macdonald Building.

Date:  June 15, 2015
Tour*:  10:30 a.m.
Event:  11:30 a.m.
Location: Sir John A. Macdonald Building, Ottawa, Ontario
(Entrance at 161 Sparks Street, corner of Sparks and O’Connor)

*At 10:30 a.m., a guided tour of the building will be offered to the media. Cameras allowed. For attribution.

Entry is restricted to media accredited through the Parliamentary Press Gallery. To register, contact Terry Guillon, Chief of the Press Gallery Secretariat, at terry.guillon@parl.gc.ca.

Media interested in attending are asked to register by close of business June 12 by sending an email to media@tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca.

INFORMATION:

Marcel Poulin
Office of the Honourable Diane Finley
819-997-5421

Media Relations
Public Works and Government Services Canada
819-956-2315

Follow us on Twitter.

Source:: http://news.gc.ca/web/article-en.do?nid=987019&tp=3

      

Categories
Canada

Exhibition of rare Sir John A. Macdonald artefacts opens at Bellevue House National Historic Site

Former Prime Minister’s Kingston home hosts special Library and Archives Canada exhibition

June 5, 2015 —Kingston, ON—Library and Archives Canada

Bellevue House National Historic Site, John A. Macdonald’s one time Kingston home, is hosting a special exhibition from Library and Archives Canada (LAC) that documents the public face, private life, and enduring power of one of Canada’s most iconic political figures.

The exhibition features famous treasures from LAC’s vaults, such as a page from an original draft of the British North America (BNA) Act, thought to have been handwritten by Sir John A. Macdonald himself and the telegram announcing the driving of the last spike signalling the completion of the Canadian Pacific Railway. The exhibition also showcases a Romantic-style oil painting thought to be the earliest portrait ever made of Canada’s first Prime Minister.

A selection of personal receipts also offers some insight into how Macdonald spent his money. Purchases range from a genuine Scottish kilt to a medical prescription for indigestion.

One of Macdonald’s school books allows visitors to make their own decision about whether or not he was a good student. His last will and testament provide a unique perspective into a life well lived.

As Bellevue House National Historic Site celebrates the 200th anniversary of Macdonald’s birth, the historic house has been revitalized to present a more open and inviting space. In the visitor centre, a new exhibit on the life and legacy of Sir John A. Macdonald will feature a rotating display of artefacts directly related to Macdonald’s life.

Quick Facts
Sir John A. Macdonald was born on January 11, 1815 in Scotland and immigrated to Kingston, Ontario with his family as a young boy.
The LAC exhibition will be on display until October 12, 2015.
LAC holds Canada’s most comprehensive collection of material related to the life, times and legacy of Sir John A. Macdonald.
One of Macdonald’s greatest accomplishments as Prime Minister was the expansion of Canada. Within four years of Confederation, Canada extended from sea to sea.
Macdonald also created Canada’s first national park in Banff, Alberta in 1885.
Quotes

“Sir John A. Macdonald was a visionary leader who established Canadian institutions that still form the backbone of the modern country we love today. Together Parks Canada and Library and Archives Canada are presenting rare and fascinating insights into the life and times of Macdonald. I encourage Canadians of all ages to take advantage of this anniversary year to discover more about our country’s first Prime Minister.”

– Katherine Patterson
Field Unit Superintendent, Georgian Bay and Ontario East, Parks Canada

“The exhibition allows visitors to see some of Canada’s most precious political documentary heritage, in a setting that affords personal interaction with these rare artefacts.”

– Dr. Guy Berthiaume
Librarian and Archivist of Canada

Associated Links

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Contacts

Media Relations
Library and Archives Canada
613-894-7509
media@bac-lac.gc.ca

Parks Canada
1-855-862-1812
pc.media@pc.gc.ca

About Parks Canada

Bellevue House in Kingston, Ontario, once the home of Sir John A. Macdonald and his family, is now a national historic site and part of Parks Canada’s family of unique places. Sites like Bellevue House enable Canadians to experience their rich history and heritage in a special way. These places will play an important part in the celebrations and commemorations leading to Canada’s 150th birthday in 2017.

About Library and Archives Canada

The mandate of Library and Archives Canada is to preserve the documentary heritage of Canada for the benefit of present and future generations, and to be a source of enduring knowledge accessible to all, thereby contributing to the cultural, social and economic advancement of Canada. Library and Archives Canada also facilitates co-operation among communities involved in the acquisition, preservation and diffusion of knowledge, and serves as the continuing memory of the Government of Canada and its institutions. Stay connected with Library and Archives Canada on Twitter (@LibraryArchives), Facebook, Flickr and YouTube.

Source:: http://news.gc.ca/web/article-en.do?nid=983649&tp=1