A former Olympian has lost a human rights claim that he suffered discrimination due to cocaine addiction. Ontario Divisional Court dismissed a lawsuit by Paul James, a 2007 soccer Coach Of The Year, against York University: "He succumbed to the vicious grip of an addiction to crack cocaine".
‘Cheap Labour’ Feud At Post
The Canadian Union of Postal Workers is considering a legal challenge after scores of newly-unionized workers lost their jobs at mail processing plants in three cities. The cuts came as the post office declined to renew a long-time contract with Adecco Canada, a staffing agency: "We have to take this on".
Historic Charity Winds Down
One of the nation’s longest-serving community charities has formally disbanded. The charity committee of the Canadian Jewish Congress, active from 1934, surrendered its registration under the Income Tax Act: "It is definitely the end of an era".
Senate Lawsuit Back In Court
Government attorneys are in Federal Court tomorrow in a bid to fend off a Vancouver lawsuit to fill Senate vacancies. Twenty seats in the 105-seat chamber sit empty since the Prime Minister suspended appointments in 2014: “He’s either legally required to do it or he’s not”.
A Sunday Poem: ‘Celebration’
Poet Shai Ben-Shalom, an Israeli-born biologist, examines current events in the Blacklock’s tradition each and every Sunday: “It’s Canada Day in the National Capital. We gather by the Notre-Dame Cathedral…”
Tories Bid To Break Filibuster
Conservative Senators will attempt to break a Liberal filibuster and force a final vote on a bill compelling every union in Canada to disclose confidential data. The Government Leader in the Senate said further delays will kill Bill C-377: "If we leave for the summer this bill will die".
Will Transcribe Every Word
The Government of Canada is hiring stenographers to electronically transcribe every utterance of the Prime Minister and his 38-member cabinet. Authorities said a verbatim account of all remarks is essential “24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.”
Deaths From Bad Air Studied
Health Canada is reviewing nearly thirty years’ worth of pollution data to find the true extent of illness and death caused bad air. The department commissioned a $75,000 study into mortality rates in all major cities in spring and summer months from 1983 to 2009: "Air pollution could make people sick".
Baffling Injury Case In Court
The Supreme Court will review a workers' compensation appeal over a baffling incidence of cancer in a British Columbia lab. Justices agreed to hear the case of lab workers who noted a high number of co-workers fell ill though no “causal” link to job conditions was proven: "I'm glad they decided to hear the case".
Mystery Spill Confuses Gov’t
A mysterious spill of contaminated water near a national park is prompting contradictory statements by federal agencies. The Department of Fisheries reported an Encana Ltd. offshore gas rig near Sable Island, N.S. spilled 250,000 litres of oily water. Environment Canada confirmed the spill. Encana and a Nova Scotia regulator flatly denied the incident: "This spill took place".
MPs Carefully Avoid D-Word
MPs are refusing to estimate the extent of the nation’s infrastructure “deficit”. The Commons transport committee reported the cost of needed repairs to roads, bridges and utilities is subjective and incalculable: "There is little agreement".
Bill Sees RCMP Ombudsman
RCMP would see appointment of an independent ombudsman and third-party oversight panel under a Liberal bill introduced in the Senate. The measure comes ahead of a 2016 deadline to unionize the national police force by order of the Supreme Court: "We need somebody".
Rescue Standards Nationwide
Canada proposes first-ever standards on basic training for ground search and rescue teams. The national standard follows three years of review by operators: "With a GPS in hand Canadians may be more willing to trek into increasingly remote areas".
Union Bill 377 Filibustered By Senators In Last-Ditch Effort
Senate Liberals are launching a last-ditch filibuster on Bill C-377 to delay for days or weeks a final vote on the measure compelling disclosure of confidential union data. Lawmakers yesterday slowed Senate proceedings on a procedural vote, and began reading into the record letters and emails from constituents opposed to the bill: "We could be here till August".
Superior Protection Bill’s Law
The Senate has passed into law a bill on marine conservation of the North Shore of Lake Superior, world’s largest freshwater lake. The bill allows existing permit holders to draw water from Superior, including one pulp mill, a golf course and three Ontario municipalities: "I won't hold it up any further".



