Stumble Upon

del.icio.us

Digg

Facebook

Print

Email

speakup

Economy

McGuinty tells feds to stop attacks

OTTAWA - It's time for Prime Minister Stephen Harper to put an end to his finance minister's attacks on Ontario for its refusal to slash corporate tax rates, Premier Dalton McGuinty suggested Wednesday - one day after introducing a budget with only modest tax relief for businesses. Federal Finance Minister Jim Flaherty had been lecturing the province for weeks - right up until the day before the provincial budget - about its policies, saying Ontario is the "last place" anyone would want to invest in because of high taxes. Tuesday's Ontario budget did not include the across the board cuts to corporate taxes loudly demanded by Flaherty - who has been silent on the issue since the budget was tabled. On Wednesday, his spokesman said Flaherty was not available for comment but added the minister had made his point and continues to feel Ontario's taxes are too high.

Justice

RCMP defends Taser censoring

OTTAWA - The RCMP is standing by its decision to pull crucial details from reports on Taser use, saying the police force is handcuffed by federal information law. Sgt. Sylvie Tremblay says the Mounties released "all the information that could be provided" under the Access to Information Act. A joint investigation by The Canadian Press and CBC found the Mounties are now refusing to disclose key information that must be recorded each time officers draw their electronic weapons. As a result, Canadians know much less about who is being hit with the 50,000-volt guns - whether they were armed, why they were fired on, and whether they were injured. Liberal and Bloc Quebecois MPs on a Commons committee studying Tasers have accused the RCMP of being too secretive. The Mounties say they correctly withheld information on the forms under provisions of the information law related to personal privacy and police investigations.

Transport

Report points to exhaust fumes

ST. JOHN'S, N.L. - Transport Canada has concluded its investigation into a mock ferry disaster that went awry in Newfoundland last year. Tracey Hennessey, a spokeswoman for the federal department, says there were no infractions by Marine Atlantic in the exercise last September in the Bay of Islands. Twenty-one people were overcome by fumes and had to be taken to hospital during the exercise, which involved a lifeboat from the Marine Atlantic ferry Leif Ericsson. Hennessey says the investigation concluded that exhaust from the lifeboat was "sucked in the back open hatch of the lifeboat, much like a vacuum." She says Transport Canada has made six recommendations to Marine Atlantic with the aim of preventing a recurrence.

Environment

Sea Shepherd to oppose seal hunt

HALIFAX - Despite a stern warning from Ottawa to steer clear of Canadian waters, animal rights activist Paul Watson vowed Wednesday to head out to the ice floes in the Gulf of St. Lawrence next week to oppose the annual seal hunt. Watson said in an interview that the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society intends to document the "perverse abomination" of the hunt from the vessel Farley Mowat and outside Canada's 12-mile territorial limit. The commercial hunt is set to begin in the southern gulf Friday. Federal Transport Minister Lawrence Cannon is threatening Watson with prosecution if the ship enters Canadian waters.