Monday, December 3, 2012

Tories defend $4 million Olympic advertising tab

The Harper government on Monday stood by its decision to spend millions on advertising campaigns during the Olympics, after it came under attack from the opposition NDP for putting “propaganda advertising” ahead of this country’s athletes.

Last week, documents tabled in Parliament showed the government spent more than $4 million on advertisements that ran during the London Olympics, a total that was about 20 times more on than the amount paid out in bonuses to medal winners.

In the Commons, the NDP asked the government why there was more money spent to promote a commemorative coin for the Olympics than there was spent on medallists. The coin campaign through the Royal Canadian Mint cost more than $1.1 million, while about $214,000 was doled out in medal bonuses to Olympic athletes.

“We do indeed put our athletes first. If we look at the Own the Podium program and the investments we made there, certainly after the 2010 Olympics, we are very proud of our Canadian athletes,” said Heritage Minister James Moore.

“We take every opportunity to highlight the brilliance of our athletes. We have welcomed them here on Parliament Hill, supported their programs to ensure that our athletes do indeed shine on the international stage, and not only supporting athletes directly, but also supporting the opportunities for our athletes.”
Moore said the government would continue spending money to promote Canada’s history, which was at the centre of the costliest ad campaign run during the Olympics.

The NDP’s sport critic suggested that the government should have taken some of the almost $4.5 million from the advertising budget and used it to fund athletes or youth sports.

“It’s good to do a little advertising, but I think we’re reaching the point where the entire thing has been quite excessive,” Matthew Dube said outside the Commons.

In all, federal spending on advertising that ran during the Olympics was about $4.46 million, with the largest spenders being Canadian Heritage, which oversees War of 1812 commemorations. The Mint spent $1.13 million on television ads and a special page on the Mint’s website promoting the coin dubbed the “Lucky Loonie.”

The advertising spending also created television and online campaigns to promote tax credits from the federal budget and new citizenship requirements.

The $4-million-plus advertising costs aren’t complete. Canada Post, for instance, declined to reveal how much it spent on advertising a promotional stamp for the Games, saying it was “financial and commercial in nature and has always been treated as confidential.” As well, the final costs for some other federal agencies have yet to be tabulated and won’t be known for at least another month, according to Public Works and Government Services Canada, which tracks all government advertising.

Monday, November 19, 2012

Unions defend worker interests

Canada's Defence Minister had strong words about two conflicts in the Middle East at the Halifax International Security Forum on Sunday.

Peter MacKay said Israel has a right to defend itself against Hamas, and that Russia should step into the deteriorating situation in Syria.

The escalating missile exchange between Israel and Hamas was the main topic at the weekend conference.
Delegates had animated discussions about who is to blame and what should be done to stop the attacks from both sides. MacKay put the blame squarely on the shoulders of Hamas.

"A country has the right to defend itself. A country has the right to exist, and part of that existence means protecting your population, which is what Israel is trying to do," he said.

Call for Russian action

MacKay also accused Russia of being unwilling to help resolve the bloodshed in Syria. Anti-government forces have been trying to oust the Assad government since March 2011. Russia has not openly been involved on either side.

"Thus far they have been reluctant to do so at the security council. They have refused to do so bilaterally. We can't have Russia on the sideline with a country coming apart at the seams," he said.

The security conference also focused on Pakistan and Afghanistan. 

MacKay said he visited Afghanistan last week and is encouraged by what he saw. But the defence minister also said the onus is on Pakistan to create real peace in the region.

"Let me be clear: we need Pakistan's unequivocal [support] for that effort for their neighbourhood and thus far that has not been the case," he said.

MacKay said the international security conference is about more than talk. But the CBC's Steven Puddicombe said that with few actual decision makers in attendance, it is questionable about what effect the tough words at this conference will have.

Bill shines light on unions, opinion column, by Chris Vander Doelen, Nov. 13.
The call for union transparency is coming not from rank-and-file members. It is coming from Canada's economic and political class who don't want workers organizing to challenge them.
Unions have a privileged place in society precisely because they stand as a bulwark against truly powerful corporations and their allies in government. Sure, unions spend money on research into political and economic issues.
They also produce solution-based reports on the impacts on their members and society as a whole. Unions are a way for workers to defend their interests and the interests of broader society.
Also, Canadian labour infrastructure cannot be carelessly compared to other countries because the context of labour relations varies greatly.
The $400 million in tax breaks Vander Doelen mentions are likely compensated for by the decent wages union members spend in the economy. Where would this city be if not for unionized workers?
Do rank-and-file workers grumble about their unions? They sure do, but grumbling doesn't amount to cause for C-377.
I contacted Neil Watson, the portfolio manager Vander Doelen so casually dismisses. Watson's argument is crucial: Bill 377 threatens union members' pensions in an era where all pensions are buckling from underfunding.
Increased costs will force pension and benefit administrators to either cut benefits or increase contributions. This cannot be casually dismissed. Unionized charity pensions are at risk too, and will further be under C-377.
Finally, the transparency so desired will actually open up confidential files on peoples' benefits. Hands up for those who don't mind sharing health information with just anyone?
Let's call C-377 for what it is - a clumsy hatchet job meant to undermine workers' participation in the political affairs of the country with serious collateral damage to privacy and existing pensions and benefit plans.


Read more: http://www.windsorstar.com/business/Unions+defend+worker+interests/7568681/story.html#ixzz2CfJMUc63

Bill shines light on unions, opinion column, by Chris Vander Doelen, Nov. 13.
The call for union transparency is coming not from rank-and-file members. It is coming from Canada's economic and political class who don't want workers organizing to challenge them.
Unions have a privileged place in society precisely because they stand as a bulwark against truly powerful corporations and their allies in government. Sure, unions spend money on research into political and economic issues.
They also produce solution-based reports on the impacts on their members and society as a whole. Unions are a way for workers to defend their interests and the interests of broader society.
Also, Canadian labour infrastructure cannot be carelessly compared to other countries because the context of labour relations varies greatly.
The $400 million in tax breaks Vander Doelen mentions are likely compensated for by the decent wages union members spend in the economy. Where would this city be if not for unionized workers?
Do rank-and-file workers grumble about their unions? They sure do, but grumbling doesn't amount to cause for C-377.
I contacted Neil Watson, the portfolio manager Vander Doelen so casually dismisses. Watson's argument is crucial: Bill 377 threatens union members' pensions in an era where all pensions are buckling from underfunding.
Increased costs will force pension and benefit administrators to either cut benefits or increase contributions. This cannot be casually dismissed. Unionized charity pensions are at risk too, and will further be under C-377.
Finally, the transparency so desired will actually open up confidential files on peoples' benefits. Hands up for those who don't mind sharing health information with just anyone?
Let's call C-377 for what it is - a clumsy hatchet job meant to undermine workers' participation in the political affairs of the country with serious collateral damage to privacy and existing pensions and benefit plans.


Read more: http://www.windsorstar.com/business/Unions+defend+worker+interests/7568681/story.html#ixzz2CfJMUc63

Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Canada’s Guay has his sights on a record as the alpine ski season starts

Skier Jan Hudec has had seven knee surgeries in nine years, the last one just a few weeks ago. That doesn’t make him much out of the ordinary in this injury-laden sport where men fly down icy hills at 150 km/h in, well, tights. Hudec was actually one of the healthiest of the bunch on the men’s alpine ski team last year and was the top Canadian overall on the World Cup circuit placing ninth in downhill and sixth in super-G.
At one point last season, only three of the six “Canadian Cowboys” were still on the hills. That’s the nickname for those who have had a podium finish in the most elite of the alpine ski races. 

Now, as the team prepares for the first World Cup downhill and super-G races in Lake Louise, Alta., later this month, they’re back to full strength — and hoping to keep it that way. It’s a world championship year in 2013 after all, and these men desperately want to defend their back-to-back downhill titles. Canada’s Erik Guay is the defending champion from 2011. His teammate John Kucera won it in 2009.

“We have a really great team when everyone is healthy,” says Guay. “We have six guys who can be in the top 15 in the world at any given time. You want to have all those athletes around you because it raises your game.”

He’ll need that. As well as defending his world downhill title, Guay is trying to make Canadian history. With 17 World Cup podiums, he needs just four more to overtake “Crazy Canuck” Steve Podborski’s record of 20 set almost 30 years ago.

Teammate Kucera is returning after three years off with injuries and three-time World Cup winner Manuel Osborne-Paradis has been off the slopes for two years with a knee injury and a broken leg. 

This is Osborne-Paradis’s first comeback from injury. But for Kucera, this is an uncomfortably familiar road. “Every time I try to make a comeback, I reinjure myself.” 

In 2009, he badly broke his left leg in a crash on the slopes of Lake Louise. Then, in 2011, he broke that same leg when his binding failed and he suddenly found himself with just one ski. Last year, it was a back injury. 

“I’m hoping I’ve got them all done now,” Kucera says.

Paul Kristofic, vice-president of sport for Alpine Canada, hopes so, too. Injuries have always been a part of speed skiing but efforts are being made to reduce them.

During the summers, there’s a focus on strength and conditioning to give racers the best chance of staying healthy and, particularly with younger skiers, there is coaching to help identify when to take risks to gain the fractions of a second that win races and where doing so is more likely to mean a career-ending crash.
Most men’s courses have sections that Kristofic calls “very unforgiving.” Skier Osborne-Paradis, more colourfully, calls them a race’s “little demons.”

Racers need to “approach those sections without taking a ton of risk because the reward will be very little but the consequences extreme,” says Kristofic.

“It’s a fine line,” says Ben Thomsen, who was last season’s breakout star coming second in a World Cup downhill in Sochi, Russia, in his first year on the national team. “On race day, you have to risk just enough. You can’t hold back too much.”

Showing tactical maturity may be more important than ever this year because of equipment changes introduced by the International Ski Federation (FIS) in an attempt to lower injuries worldwide.
The changes, essentially, make the skis less aggressive, says Kristofic. Skiers won’t be able to carve as tight a clean turn. If they try to maintain the tight radius they’re used to, the skis will now bounce or slide. This reduces some of the tremendous force arcing puts on the lower body, which routinely leaves racers with knee and back injuries. 

But, already, some racers have said the new skis are much more difficult to ski on. “Is it really safer?” asks Kristofic. “It’s hard to tell until we start racing.”

With only 10 downhills and six super-Gs this season, there is precious little time to recover from any injury. That’s why avoiding them is key to Canada’s success and Guay’s shot at making history. These racers have already proven they can get to the podium, so long as they’re in one piece.

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

The Web is About to Obliterate Canada's Entertainment Industry. Here's How to Save It

Canada's entertainment industry is under fire. The web is the shooter. And, if you hear it from Quebecor's chief executive, our nation currently has little armour with which to defend itself.

Pierre Paeladeau warned this week that web-based providers are penetrating the Canadian market - and could overtake it if we don't act fast. His solution? Create globally appealing content, television shows that reach far beyond our country's borders.

“How TV is watched and distributed is changing rapidly,” Mr. Peladeau said at an annual industry even in France. “TV networks are not the be all and end all anymore."

“If we still want a vibrant Quebec and Canadian TV industry in 20 years, we have to start developing strong original concepts that will be popular across platforms and across markets," he continued. "This is the only way we’ll be able to make a mark in the world of digital distribution, [and] generate the necessary funding to keep our local industry going.”

“Audiences are rapidly changing, and if you want to keep up with them, you have to program on YouTube,” affirmed Robert Kyncl of Google said during an afternoon presentation at the event.

Building on the launch of 100 dedicated channels last year at a cost of $100-million, Google has added new YouTube channels with popular celebrities such as British chef Jamie Oliver and U.S. comedian Sarah Silverman. Two new offerings from BBC Worldwide, one dedicated to science the other to nature, have been launched as well among others.

Mr. Kyncl says that YouTube’s top 25 channels receive more than one million views worldwide per week. That's about a third of what a hit TV show usually draws on a weeknight in Canada. On YouTube, 800 million viewers are watching four billion hours of content per month.

“So great is YouTube’s audience, many content brands already view it as the most important platform to which to publish their work,” PaidContent claims.

“We want the next Office, Big Brother, Top Chef to be Canadian,” Mr. Peladeau said. “For that, we need to really [focus] our funding infrastructure from being strictly locally focused to also being export focused.  We need to position our industry on the global scene or face extinction,” the executive said."

“We lived through it with music," he pointed out in conclusion. "There’s no reason why technological distribution alternatives will not apply to television shows the same way – we’re living through it at the cable business right now.”

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

A gauche PQ blunders and bashes

For the longest time, Quebeckers have been shrugging off the concerns of fellow Canadians over the Parti Québécois’s so-called menace.

Despite the party’s quest for independence – which is far from shared across the population, as sovereignty is dormant on the Richter scale of pollsters – Quebeckers never doubted the PQ’s willingness to foster growth. Likewise, they could generally count on PQ premiers to soundly manage the province, though there were some notable blunders.

Former premier Bernard Landry has always defended free trade as a way to create wealth. Lucien Bouchard was obsessed with the province’s fiscal woes, fighting hard to secure a political consensus around the “déficit zero” target. Jacques Parizeau presided over the rise of a generation of French-Canadian entrepreneurs through his innovative Quebec stock savings plan.

Far from being anti-business, these PQ premiers bent over backward to court investors and create a favourable business environment. Which is why Quebeckers are now as stunned with Pauline Marois’s economic plans as the coyote in Road Runner who is hit by an anvil he didn’t see falling. Where did these retroactive tax hikes come from?

The PQ government that has regained power after nine years in political wilderness is markedly to the left of its predecessors, with key ministers held by green activists. It is also “gauche” in the figurative sense, as it clumsily and precipitously unveiled its plans.

In just the past week, the Marois government revealed that its tax hikes would be retroactive to Jan. 1. It hinted at a permanent ban on shale gas exploration, before the completion of scientific studies that will determine the safety of the hydraulic fracturing used to free natural gas from rock formations. And it announced the closing of Quebec’s only nuclear plant before meeting with the leaders of the Mauricie region where the Gentilly II plant and its 800 jobs are located.

Retroactive income tax hikes are rare. In 1993, Gérard D. Levesque, Robert Bourassa’s finance minister, controversially imposed two surtaxes of 5 per cent each on the “rich” Quebeckers earning more than $32,500 and $54,300, respectively.

But no one has ever increased the capital gains tax retroactively, an idea the Marois government is mulling, but may now abandon as its seeks a compromise. Imagine you sold your cottage in February and invested the proceeds elsewhere, to find out you owe money on that transaction? This flies against the basic fiscal principle that taxpayers should have certainty.

New Finance Minister Nicolas Marceau toured the most listened-to stations Tuesday to defend his plan. “I claim we were clear,” he said during a Radio-Canada interview, when asked why the PQ had hid the retroactive tax increases.

The PQ said that they would abolish the controversial health tax within 100 days of taking power, creating a $1-billion shortfall, argued Mr. Marceau. Quebeckers should have logically deduced that the only way to pay for this was to change the rules, the minister said.

No matter which way the new Finance Minister wants to spin this, the PQ lied by omission.
There are good reasons to amend the regressive health tax, a $200 yearly contribution that all taxpayers must pay, no matter what their income. There are also logical reasons not to upgrade the Gentilly plant. The refurbishment will cost between $2-billion and $3-billion, and the province is already flush with surplus electricity.

Yet it is hard to escape the conclusion that the Marois government is deliberately bashing Quebec’s highest-income earners, and its energy industry, in a populist bid to secure a majority government.

Who is going to defend the 140,000 plus Quebeckers who earn more than $130,000 a year? Who is going to defend nuclear energy and fracking? If you want to reclaim the ground to the left taken by the new Québec Solidaire party, there are no better targets. While this might play well in certain circles, this is now seen as a disaster by business leaders, who fear the PQ’s newstance will scare away talented professionals and investors.

Mr. Marceaus has been trying to reassure the business community. “Quebeckers will derive their prosperity from a faster economic growth and a business community which enjoys an attractive environment,” he said.
Fine words but all of the PQ’s actions since they took office speak otherwise.


Sunday, September 9, 2012

Canada gets crucial win in World Cup qualifying

Skill and cunning proved to be a deadly combination for Canada on Friday night.

Dwayne De Rosario scored a historic goal (and the most important of his national team career thus far) to guide Canada to a thrilling 1-0 win over Panama in a crucial World Cup qualifier before 17,586 fans at BMO Field.

After Simeon Jackson drew a foul on the edge of the box, Atiba Hutchinson didn't wait for Panama's defence to set up, and delivered a quick free kick into the middle for an unmarked De Rosario to knock home past shell-shocked goalkeeper Jamie Penedo in the 77th minute.

With the goal, De Rosario moved past Dale Mitchell as Canada's all-time leading scorer with 20 goals in 70 appearances. More importantly, Canada put itself in a very good position to advance to the final round of World Cup qualifying

Canada tops Group C with seven points from three games. Panama is second (six points), followed by Honduras (four) and pointless Cuba. The Canadians play Panama away next Tuesday, before closing out the group stage with matches in October against Cuba (at home) and Honduras (on the road).

Only the top two nations move on to "The Hex," the final round of the CONCACAF qualifiers where the best three countries in the six-team, round-robin group qualify for the World Cup. Canada has not advanced to "the Hex" since 1998, and even then it finished dead last.

One can't overstate the significance of this Canadian victory over a dangerous and technically proficient Panama, regarded as a rising power in CONCACAF. With the three points, Canada is in firm control of its destiny as it inches closer to "The Hex." It's far too early to talk about ending the World Cup drought (Canada's only previous World Cup appearance came in 1986) but this result gives the Reds a major boost, and if capitalized on, could be a turning point for the national team.

Canadian coach Stephen downplayed the win somewhat, stating that there's still plenty of work to do, although he did admit the win gives Canada the "confidence that (it) can play with anybody in CONCACAF."

"I think we can only gain confidence from this. Let's not fool ourselves -- Panama is a very good team. Extremely organized, technically they play the ball well, they have (some players) who can change the game at any moment," Hart stated.

Captain Kevin McKenna also sounded cautious, warning that Canada can't become complacent or dwell on the fact that it is the surprise group leader ahead of next week's game in Panama.

"Nothing changes. We go there and we play the same way tonight," McKenna stated. 

Scoring has historically been Canada's biggest problem and guile has been lacking, but not on this night. Maybe the Canadian side has finally learned that hard work only goes so far, and you need to be clever and crafty to grind out results in the cut-throat world of international soccer.

Full credit goes to Hutchinson for the heads up play that lead to the goal.

"I saw a perfect opportunity where there was nobody in front of the ball. They turned their backs and I really didn't think twice about. I just put the ball in. I saw Dwayne and he took care of the rest," Hutchinson said.
Hart didn't realize the historical significance of De Rosario's goal. Nor did he really care.

"You know what, I didn't even know that. ... I think it's good for him that he broke the record, but as a coach, I don't care who scores," Hart admitted.

Another positive is that Canada continues to expertly defend, recording its fifth consecutive shutout and tenth in its last 11 contests. And the Reds did look very comfortable in possession, confidently stoking the ball around and pulling off some intricate passing sequences.

Hart gave credit to the entire starting 11, and not just the defence, for registering yet another clean sheet.
"It's not just the defence. It's good work by the midfield. The (back four) got battered around. ... But we held out nerve, defended with some intelligence and we got the result on the back of good defending," the Canadian coach explained.

Hart certainly can't be accused of conservative tactics -- he fielded an attacking 4-3-3 formation, spearheaded by Olivier Occean up front with De Rosario and Jackson in support.

The opening half saw Canada carry the balance of play on the offensive end, using an effective pressing game that made it hard for Panama to work its way out of its end.

While Julian de Guzman provided the defensive foundation in midfield, Hutchinson pulled the creative strings, effectively linking up with Jackson.

But for all of Canada's bright play, it didn't come close to scoring, except when McKenna's bullet header off a corner kick slammed across the post in the 36th minute.

Tensions nearly boiled over late in the half, which saw the Costa Rican referee brandish several yellow cards. Panama's Alberto Quintero threw himself to the ground after the slightest touch from De Rosario, and players had to be separated before Quintero was comically stretchered off the pitch.

Panama came out strong to start the second half, but it was Canada who came closest to scoring, De Rosario forcing Penedo to parry away a powerful strike from distance.

Canada began to fade as the second half progressed, and Panama looked quite happy to play for the draw. But they became too comfortable, and Hutchinson took full advantage, quickly taking the spot kick and picking out De Rosario, who effortlessly slotted the ball home into an empty net.

"I'm just very grateful to be in this position, and most importantly to do it front of the home fans," De Rosario said of his record-breaking goal.

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Youth workers defend Toronto 'hug a thug' programs

Coddling or curing? That's the essence of the debate rekindled by a spate of gun violence in Toronto, questioning the value of spending taxpayers' money to fund social programs aimed at curbing youth violence and gang activity.

After two people died and 23 others were injured in a hail of gunfire at an east-end Toronto community block party on July 16, Toronto Mayor Rob Ford declared war on street criminals, vowing to throw anyone convicted of a gun crime out of the city.

Ford, who had cast the only vote on city council against granting more than $13 million to community programs across Toronto the week before, suggested employment is the best way to set at-risk youth on the right path.

"You get these people working, the best social program is a job, I've always said that,” he told reporters the day after the shooting.

"I don't believe in these programs. I call them 'hug a thug' programs, and they haven't been very productive in the past, and I don’t know why we're continuing with them."

But the director of programs and services at YouthLink, an organization that provides social services throughout the city's east-end and downtown core, says the mayor is oversimplifying a complex issue.
"We all long for a simple, easy, fast answer to a very complex problem, and it's most unfortunate because our programs have really come along," Watson told CTV's Canada AM on Tuesday.

"We have a fabulous return on investment in social programs, at a fraction of the cost of incarceration," she added, explaining the political problem is that they require a long-term approach.

Jacob is a graduate of one of those programs with roots dating back to 1998. Developed by the Canadian Training Institute, “Breaking the Cycle” has drawn funding over the years from the City of Toronto, Human Resources and Skill Development Canada, and the National Crime Prevention Centre.

Growing up in Toronto's Jane and Finch neighbourhood, Jacob told Canada AM he was associating with the wrong crowd until he discovered the program for at-risk youth aged 15-30. Once he got involved, he learned a valuable lesson.

"I don't have to try and be somebody because of my environment, I could try to step outside my environment and be who I am," he told Canada AM.

And even now, as a graduate of the program, he values being able to draw on the resources there.
"When I come across certain obstacles in life that I can't seem to cross, I could always turn to a group of people that I could always resort to and get answers from."

In her own experience with the program, Monique highlighted how that kind of support has boosted her self-reliance.

"Basically learning how to put yourself in a situation where you have to self-motivate yourself and not depend on other people to do that for you," she said.

Echoing Jacob, she also said it helped to realize who was influencing her decisions in life.
"And if it's not a positive influence then you kind of have to think about what you're doing first and just push yourself to understand this is not the right way to go," she said.

For Watson, those kinds of success stories should encourage politicians to consider the roots of youth violence, and consider funding the programs where people know the issues and how to deal with them.

Mayor Ford calls for resources

With more than 200 shootings in Toronto so far this year, including three shootings in a 24-hour period last weekend, Mayor Ford is sticking with his hard line.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper met with Ford to discuss the guns and gang problem in the city on Tuesday, but the two left their meeting without speaking to reporters.

The prime minister later said strengthening U.S. border security so illegal hand guns don't make it into Canada was a "No. 1" priority for the government, as were tougher penalties for offenders in gun crimes.
“I think the events in Toronto underscore why these penalties are essential, why it is essential to have tough and certain penalties for gun crime,” Harper said, telling reporters he had urged Ford to work with the province to tackle gun crime.

On Monday, Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty announced the province would provide $12.5 million in provincial anti-violence funding, with $5 million directed to the Toronto Anti-Violence Intervention Strategy.
Known as TAVIS, the program employs 72 Toronto Police officers trained to prevent gang-related violence and is responsible for nearly 22,000 arrests since its creation in 2006.

McGuinty also promised to invest $500,000 to improve co-ordination between OPP, Toronto and GTA police forces, and another $500,000 to support Toronto community groups.