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Charges laid in $100-million DND billing scheme	31/12/06
Miners surface after Saskatchewan fire	30/12/06
U.S. news anchor, Canadian cameraman wounded in Iraq	29/12/06
Iraqi kidnappers issue 'last chance' warning	28/12/06
Alberta reforms could violate health act: Klein	27/12/06
Conservatives say they will keep promise to arm Canada's border guards	26/12/06
Wounded Canadian soldiers back home	25/12/06
Harper vows to get down to work with first focus on accountability	24/12/06
Polls open in Atlantic Canada	23/12/06
Duceppe critical of Conservative cabinet offer	22/12/06
Ford production plunged 40% in 2005	21/12/06
Japan bans U.S. beef imports	20/12/06
CIA-sponsored attack killed 3 senior al-Qaeda members: Pakistan	19/12/06
Big jump in turnout at advance polls	18/12/06
2 Canadian soldiers in induced coma, third stable	17/12/06
Injured soldiers airlifted out of Afghanistan after bombing kills envoy	16/12/06
Canadian killed in Afghanistan	15/12/06
Liberals would promote peace, democracy: Martin	14/12/06
Tories would turn back Kyoto	13/12/06
B.C. Tory candidate faces smuggling charges	12/12/06
Harper fends off attacks from Duceppe and Martin in final debate	11/12/06
Martin wraps campaign in constitutional pledge	10/12/06
India aborting 500,000 female fetuses a year: study	09/12/06
Bloc and Liberals spar over Option Canada grants	08/12/06
Martin announces $1-billion water cleanup	07/12/06
Chinese-Canadian convicted of smuggling fossils in China	06/12/06
At least 80 killed in suicide bombings in Iraq	05/12/06
False info turns joy to grief with news missing miners dead	04/12/06
'Pray for miners,' town told in W. Virginia rescue efforts	03/12/06
Party leaders kick off second half of campaign	02/12/06
Russia cuts gas supplies to Ukraine	01/12/06

Charges laid in $100-million DND billing scheme Web Posted | Last Updated Tue, 31 Jan 2006  06:52:16  EST Giant Dwarf Posted: Jan 31st, 2006
Three men, including two former federal employees, have been charged in connection with an elaborate scheme that defrauded the government of more than $100 million. Paul Champagne, who was fired from his job as a contracts manager with the Department of National Defence in 2003 over billing irregularities, was charged on Monday with seven counts, including fraud, breach of trust and money laundering. Ottawa businessmen Peter Mellon and Ignatius Manso also face multiple charges, including fraud. Manso met Champagne while working at the department, police said. The RCMP began investigating computer maintenance contracts within the department in 2003. "The irregularities, per se, dealt with billing procedures, lack of supporting documentation, unauthorized equipment purchases, extensive use of third-party vendors and inflated equipment costs," said Cpl. Monique Beauchamp, an RCMP spokesperson. In May 2004, Hewlett-Packard repaid the government $145 million and said none of its own employees had been involved in the scheme. A department release at the time blamed "a complex scheme designed to exploit both parties through contracts inherited with HP's merger with Compaq Computer Corp." Champagne owned a mansion on the outskirts of Ottawa, and properties in Florida and the Turks and Caicos. He turned himself in to police last week. All three men have been released on promises to appear in court. Mellon and Manso are set to be in court on March 22, while Champagne is scheduled to appear on March 30. Written by CBC News Staff
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Miners surface after Saskatchewan fire Web Posted | Last Updated Mon, 30 Jan 2006  05:46:38  EST Giant Dwarf Posted: Jan 29th, 2006
The first of 70 miners trapped by a fire in a potash mine in Saskatchewan emerged early Monday, a day after taking refuge from the smoke and flames. Rescuers brought 32 miners to the surface at about 3:30 a.m. local time, said Gary Phillips, a spokesman for Mosaic, the U.S.-based company that owns the mine.
The rest will likely have to wait several hours before being allowed to exit, to ensure that smoke and toxic fumes have been cleared. But officials said on Sunday night that all had been found safe and unhurt. The workers holed up in sealed emergency rooms after the fire broke out in the mine near Esterhazy, about 210 kilometres northeast of Regina. The fire was put out before midnight local time, Mosaic officials said.
A few hours earlier, rescue crews verified that all the miners survived by retreating to refuge rooms, which had enough oxygen supplies to last at least 36 hours as well as water, food, beds and blankets. "The fire is out; it's obviously good news," Marshall Hamilton, a Mosaic spokesman, said in a telephone news conference at about midnight. "They're all safe, they're all secure, they're all accounted for." Six-person teams of rescue workers had been entering the mine to work rotating shifts starting two hours after the fire started. Mine officials were quickly able to establish radio contact with about 40 of the workers, who camped out in two refuge rooms. The fate of 30 others remained uncertain until shortly before 9 p.m., when a rescue team found them in another refuge room about 1.5 kilometres from the fire. "I won't kid you, there was a lot of relief in that," Hamilton said. He said the team of six rescuers entered the room and spoke with the miners to confirm they were uninjured. The team then resealed the room to protect the miners from fumes and smoke. Mine officials said it was too early to speculate about the cause of the fire. Some of the miners work for Dynatec, a contractor with the mine. Written by CBC News Staff
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U.S. news anchor, Canadian cameraman wounded in Iraq Web Posted | Last Updated Sun, 29 Jan 2006  11:16:43  EST Giant Dwarf Posted: Jan 29th, 2006
A U.S. network news anchor and his Canadian cameraman were injured in Iraq on Sunday, ABC News announced.
Anchor Bob Woodruff and cameraman Doug Vogt were wounded by an "improvised explosive device" while travelling in an Iraqi convoy. Both were wearing body armour and helmets, but both are in serious condition. They have been taken to a U.S. military hospital. "Both men suffered head injuries. Woodruff sustained shrapnel wounds and Vogt was hit by shrapnel in the head and suffered a broken shoulder," ABC said. The two journalists were travelling with the 4th Infantry Division but were with Iraqi security forces when the device exploded in Taji, just north of Baghdad. Vogt, 46, has won Emmy Awards and has covered many armed conflicts. Woodruff , 44, is the anchor of ABC's World News Tonight. He has reported from many places in Iraq. Woodruff has four children, and Vogt three.	Doug Vogt in an undated picture provided by ABC News. Bob Woodruff, seen in a 2001 file photo supplied by ABC in a studio at the network's headquarters in New York.
Vogt, based in France, worked for the CBC and other broadcasters before joining ABC. Written by CBC News Staff
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Iraqi kidnappers issue 'last chance' warning Web Posted | Last Updated Sat, 28 Jan 2006  11:52:05  EST Giant Dwarf Posted: Jan 28th, 2006
The kidnappers of four western peace activists, including two Canadians, have released a new videotape and a statement threatening to kill the men. U.S.-led forces have one "last chance" to release Iraqi prisoners or the group calling itself the Swords of Truth will kill the hostages, according to the statement read on Al-Jazeera television. No deadline was set.
Al-Jazeera said it aired the entire tape, which lasted around 55 seconds and was dated Jan. 21. James Loney, 41, and Harmeet Sooden, 32, were kidnapped at gunpoint on Nov. 26 along with Briton Norman Kember, 74, and American Tom Fox, 54. Loney is from Toronto and Sooden has lived in Montreal. The tape shows the four hostages standing against a wall in a dimly lit room. In another scene, they're sitting and appear to be talking, but their words are not audible. "We are so grateful and heartened to see James, Harmeet, Norman and Tom alive on the videotape dated Jan. 21," said the Chicago-based Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT), for which the men worked. At a Toronto news conference, CPT spokesperson Rebecca Johnson reiterated that the four are "peace workers who have not collaborated with the occupation of Iraq and who have worked for justice for all Iraqis, especially those detained."	James Loney and Harmeet Singh Sooden. James Loney in the Jan. 21 tape.
"All of us in Christian Peacemaker Teams remain very disturbed by the abduction of our teammates," she said. "We pray that those who hold them will host them with the grace that so many of us in CPT have received as guests in Iraq." Johnson said CPT has long worked for the rights of Iraqi prisoners "who have been illegally detained and abused." "We continue to believe that what has happened to our teammates is the result of the actions of the U.S. and U.K. governments in their illegal attack on Iraq and the continuing occupation and oppression of its people. We continue to call for justice and human rights for all who are detained in Iraq. "The innocents should not suffer in the place of those who have done wrong," she said. Written by CBC News Staff
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Alberta reforms could violate health act: Klein Web Posted | Last Updated Fri, 27 Jan 2006  07:40:03  EST Giant Dwarf Posted: Jan 27th, 2006
Alberta Premier Ralph Klein says his government is ready to move forward with health-care changes that may violate the Canada Health Act. Klein told reporters on Thursday that he has unanimous support from his Conservative caucus to introduce his so-called Third Way reforms, which would let Albertans opt to buy private insurance for non-essential procedures and allow doctors to practise in both private and public systems.
Asked whether such changes are consistent with the act, he said: "There may – may – be violations, but we don't know yet because there are all kinds of steps to go through." Klein said political changes in Ottawa are not going to slow him down. Conservative Leader Stephen Harper and his cabinet will be sworn in on Feb. 6. During the campaign for the general election, Paul Martin's Liberals again accused Harper of being prepared to water down Canada's system of universal, health care. The Alberta premier kept quiet on health care during the campaign, after being criticized for foiling Harper's 2004 election bid by pledging controversial reforms.	Alberta Premier Ralph Klein.
He has now broken his silence. Klein called it a coincidence that he's making the announcement as a Conservative government is about to take power federally for the first time since 1993. "I would describe more as coincidental the fact that a Conservative government was elected as we're moving through these health-care reforms," he said. "But we would have moved through those reforms with or without a Conservative government." Klein said he had a telephone conversation on Thursday with the incoming prime minister, a fellow Albertan, and the province's health-care reform plan was the main topic of discussion. The premier said his conversation with Harper was brief. "I advised him that we'll keep the lines of communication open and we'll advise his minister of health, whoever that might be, of the situation. His reaction was, 'Fine,' that was good." Written by CBC News Staff
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Conservatives say they will keep promise to arm Canada's border guards Web Posted | Last Updated Wed, 25 Jan 2006  22:41:38  EST Giant Dwarf Posted: Jan 26th, 2006 The newly-elected Conservatives say they will make good as soon as possible on their leader's pledge to arm Canadian border guards, following a shootout on the Canada-U.S. border on Tuesday night. The Conservative MP for the area says when Canadian border guards are facing a gun fight, batons and pepper spray just won't do. "It simply reinforces the fact that our customs officers work in a very dangerous situation," said Russ Hiebert.
"And as a Conservative government we're committed to giving them the resources and the equipment. And that includes giving them the sidearms that they need to handle these kinds of dangerous situations." A police chase near the Canada-U.S. border forced the closure of the Peace Arch border crossing south of Vancouver for hours on Tuesday. It also caused dozens of Canadian guards to walk off the job, fearing for their safety.	Bill Elf of the Whatcom County Sheriff's Department.
The incident started when two men, both murder suspects, tried to get into Canada. Officials say the two men, 38-year-old Ishtiaq Hussain and 22-year-old Jose Antonio Barajas, are now in custody. They are wanted on murder charges in California. But the arrest didn't come easy. One of the suspects was wounded in a shootout with police. U.S. sheriffs say the pair managed to make it to the checkpoint about a metre before Canadian soil. "They [drove] through the border and they almost struck two uniformed officers," said Bill Elf, of the Whatcom County Sheriff's Department. The suspects continued northbound and struck the Peace Arch itself at one point. Witness Bill Whittle didn't see the ensuing gunfight but he heard it. "I heard about seven or eight gunshots on the other side of the Peace Arch," he said. "One of [the suspects] was shot. [The police] got him out of the car." Officials credit a brave deputy sheriff for single-handedly stopping the pair, who were considered armed and dangerous. When unarmed Canadian border guards found out the murder suspects were coming their way they left their posts at four crossings along the B.C. border. Only two supervisors were left at each crossing to protect the Canadian side. The managers called the RCMP for backup and the border was closed for seven hours. The union says border guards will continue to refuse to work whenever they feel threatened, until the government delivers on its promise to give them guns. "When you see it after the fact that they actually had a machine-gun, and knowing what's happened at some other crossings in the past, there is a fear, a legitimate fear, and part of that is anger that nothing has been done, that nothing's taken place, and nothing has happened," said George Scott, a vice-president in the Customs Excise Union. Written by CBC News Staff
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Wounded Canadian soldiers back home Web Posted | Last Updated Tue, 24 Jan 2006  20:25:06  EST Giant Dwarf Posted: Jan 25th, 2006
The three Canadian soldiers injured in Afghanistan earlier this month are back home and being treated at University of Alberta Hospital in Edmonton. They arrived in the Alberta capital late Tuesday afternoon after receiving treatment in a U.S. military hospital in Germany. The three soldiers were seriously wounded in an attack by a suicide car bomber in Kandahar, Afghanistan on Jan. 15. Cpl. Jeffrey Bailey of Edmonton and Pte. William Salikin of Grand Forks, B.C., suffered head injuries. Master Cpl. Paul Franklin of Halifax lost his left leg above the knee in the explosion. The soldiers and their families received a low-key welcome when they arrived at Edmonton International Airport. They were met by Gen. Rick Hillier, the chief of defence staff, and Lt.-Gen. Marc Carron, commander of the army. A specialized Canadian medical team also made the nine-hour flight from Germany. Katie McLaughlin, spokesperson for the Canadian Forces, said the most important thing was the health of the wounded soldiers. "The soldiers are our No. 1 priority, and we'll make sure that the transfer [to hospital] is done safely and without any interference." Canadian diplomat Glyn Berry, who was with the soldiers in the patrol vehicle, was killed in the bombing. Written by CBC News Staff
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Harper vows to get down to work with first focus on accountability Web Posted | Last Updated Tue, 24 Jan 2006  05:17:22  EST Giant Dwarf Posted: Jan 24th, 2006
Hours after winning a minority government, Conservative Leader Stephen Harper promised to get to work implementing his top campaign priorities. "We will honour your trust, we will deliver on our commitments," Harper said to a crowd of jubliant supporters in Calgary. Canada's next prime minister said his first act in Parliament will be to propose a federal accountability act. GST cut on track He said this will be followed by his plan to cut the GST, provide a child-care allowance to families, toughen criminal sentencing and establish a patient wait times guarantee. Harper said that through all the different governments in different eras one constant binds all Canadians. "Canada, strong, independent and free!" he shouted. The Tory leader acknowledged that although Canadians voted for change they have not given any one party in the House of Commons a majority. "They have asked us to co-operate, to work together. And to get on with tackling the real concerns of ordinary working people and their families. I look forward to working with all of the parties." 'I am honoured and overwhelmed'
"I have never been so proud of our great country and I am honoured and overwhelmed to be asked to lead it." Over the next weeks, Harper will have the difficult decision of picking his cabinet, deciding among veteran party stalwarts and newly elected MPs. Meanwhile, the Liberals will soon find themselves in a leadership race. Paul Martin announced that he will step down as leader after the party lost 32 seats from the 2004 vote. The Conservatives were elected in 124 ridings, the Liberals won 103, the Bloc took 51 and the NDP was elected in 29. Quebec sent one Independent to Parliament Hill. Tories gain in popular vote The Conservatives picked up more than 36 per cent of the popular vote, an increase of seven per cent from 2004. This compared to the Liberals with 30 per cent and the NDP with 17.5 per cent. The Green party captured 4.5 per cent. The NDP made major gains nationally, up 10 seats from the 2004 vote. The Tories made significant gains in Ontario and Quebec, elected in at least two dozen seats. In Quebec, where they were shut out in 2004, the Tories made major inroads, capturing 10 ridings. Written by CBC News Staff
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Polls open in Atlantic Canada Web Posted | Last Updated Mon, 23 Jan 2006  07:55:44  EST Giant Dwarf Posted: Jan 23rd, 2006
Polls are open across Atlantic Canada for the federal election. Polling stations across Canada will be open for 12 hours on Monday. Voters in Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and P.E.I. began casting their ballots at 8:30 a.m. local time. Opening and closing times for polling stations vary from region to region. Voters in Atlantic Canada who get out early will have a better trip to the polls, as light snow or flurries are expected in several parts of the region later in the day. The national forecast calls for good weather just about everywhere, however. "It's going to be a mostly mild day across most of the country," said CBC Weather announcer Colleen Jones. "There are no winter storm warnings anywhere in the country today." Voters in the eastern time zone will be able to vote starting at 9:30 a.m. local time. Polls will stay open until 9:30 p.m. Canadians whose clocks are set to central time will cast their ballots between 8:30 a.m. and 8:30 p.m. In the mountain time zone, the polls open at 7:30 a.m. and stay open until 7:30 p.m. And voters on the West Coast in the Pacific time zone can start voting at 7 a.m. and will find polls open until 7 p.m. There are a total of 1,634 people running in 308 ridings in the general election, which is the country's 39th. They represent 15 political parties, plus Independent candidates. ELECTION NIGHT LIVE RESULTS: Check back Jan. 23 starting at 10 p.m. EST for comprehensive national and riding-by-riding results. Written by CBC News Staff
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Duceppe critical of Conservative cabinet offer Web Posted | Last Updated Sun, 22 Jan 2006  12:46:05  EST Giant Dwarf Posted: Jan 22nd, 2006
Bloc Québécois Leader Gilles Duceppe has scoffed at Conservative Leader Stephen Harper's offer to include Quebecers in the cabinet if the Tories win Monday's election. During media questioning in Montreal on Sunday, Duceppe said he doubts such a scenario would support the issues Quebecers care about.
The Bloc leader said his party – not the Conservatives – would provide the best "checks and balances" for Quebec. Last week, Harper said a Conservative government would work with the checks and balances of the Senate and the courts. "We're the best check and balance, to stop him from putting an end to child care in Quebec, to stop him from making Quebec pay for Kyoto, to stop him from sending children of 14-years-old to jail, to stop him from voting to go into Iraq," Duceppe said. Bloc MPs are the best "counterweight" to both the Conservatives and Liberals, he added. Duceppe also repeated his warning that a Conservative government would change the equalization formula by subtracting the revenues from non-renewable natural resources. Duceppe said that would cost Quebec millions of dollars.	Gilles Duceppe in Laval, Que., on Sunday, Jan. 22nd, 2006.
"That plays against Quebec," Duceppe said. "It's $650 million a year, as the minister of finance in Quebec said, so that doesn't help Quebec at all." ELECTION NIGHT LIVE RESULTS: Check back Jan. 23 starting at 10 p.m. EST for comprehensive national and riding-by-riding results. Written by CBC News Staff
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Ford production plunged 40% in 2005 Web Posted | Last Updated Fri, 20 Jan 2006  15:46:42  EST Giant Dwarf Posted: Jan 21st, 2006 Ford's production fell more than 40 per cent in Canada last year, as consumers shied away from the Freestar minivan and Crown Victoria sedans. The decline was part of a long-term trend for an automaker that once made one-quarter of the vehicles assembled in Canada. It now accounts for only 8.3 per cent of the industry's production, according to a report released Friday by auto analyst Dennis DesRosiers.	Consumers bought Chryslers, not Fords, in 2005.
Volume at General Motors Canada also fell, by nine per cent. But production rose by 22.4 per cent at DaimlerChrysler and by 10 per cent at Ontario auto plants owned by Toyota and Honda Canada. Ford is announcing Monday a major restructuring of its worldwide operations. Pundits are predicting thousands of layoffs and numerous plant closings. But DesRosiers said the Canadian plants could be spared. "Ford's position in Canada has already been seriously eroded over the last number of years so Canada could be spared a heavy hit when the Ford cutbacks are announced," DesRosiers said. "We will see. It is pure speculation at this point." DesRosiers released industry statistics on Friday that showed Canadian plants produced 2.69 million vehicles last year, off from 2.71 million in 2004. Ford built 221,809 vehicles at its plants in Oakville and St. Thomas, Ont., in 2005, down from 372,241 in 2004 and a peak of 685,535 in 1999. That's when popular F-series pickups were still assembled at the Oakville plant, west of Toronto. GM is still the market leader, but it built only 840,574 units last year, down from 923,862 in 2004. DaimlerChrysler's 300-series sedans helped raise that company's production to 946,266 in 2005, compared with 860,155 in 2004. Overall, Canada had a 16.5 per cent share of total North American vehicle production, compared with 16.7 per cent in 2004 and 15.7 per cent in 2003. That was "respectable from any perspective and a clear indication that the Canadian automotive sector is not in crisis," said DesRosiers. He predicted Canada's share of North America production will grow to more than 17 per cent by 2008. The Japanese automakers now account for more than one-third of Canadian production, DesRosiers noted, and "this of course will grow even further as Toyota's (new factory in) Woodstock comes into play in a year to two years' time." Written by CBC News Staff
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Japan bans U.S. beef imports Web Posted | Last Updated Fri, 20 Jan 2006  07:47:21  EST Giant Dwarf Posted: Jan 20th, 2006
Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi says his country will halt imports of U.S. beef after a shipment that reportedly contained banned material arrived from New York. "This is a pity given that imports had just resumed," Koizumi told reporters on Friday. "I received the agriculture minister's report with his recommendation that the imports be halted and I think it is a good idea." Japan's agriculture minister, Shoichi Nakagawa, said parts of cattle backbones, banned under the agreement, might have been included in the U.S. beef shipment. The news comes just a month after Japan lifted a two-year ban on imports from the United States. The ban was imposed in 2003 after the first case of mad cow disease in U.S. herds was discovered. The agreement allowing U.S. beef back into the country stipulates that meat come only from cattle aged 20 months or younger. It excludes meat containing spines, brains, bone marrow and other cattle parts considered a high risk for bovine spongiform encephalopathy. More commonly referred to as mad cow disease, BSE is a degenerative nerve disorder in cattle linked to a rare but fatal disease in people called variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob. It was unclear if Japanese tests have confirmed the presence of backbone material in the U.S. beef. Meanwhile, the U.S. Embassy in Japan said it expects the United States will conduct an investigation into the matter. Before the ban, Japan was the most lucrative overseas market for U.S. beef, buying about $1.4 billion US worth in 2003. Even with American beef back on grocery shelves, Japanese consumers remain particularly sensitive to food safety issues. Written by CBC News Staff
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CIA-sponsored attack killed 3 senior al-Qaeda members: Pakistan Web Posted | Last Updated Thu, 19 Jan 2006  05:20:14  EST Giant Dwarf Posted: Jan 19th, 2006
Three senior al-Qaeda members, including one with a $5-million US bounty on his head, were among those killed in a U.S. airstrike in a Pakistani village, say Pakistani authorities. The attack last week on Damadola, near the Afghan border, was aimed at Ayman al-Zawahiri, second in command to Osama bin Laden, they said late Wednesday. It also killed 18 civilians, sparking angry protests in several locations as well as a formal protest by Islamabad. Al-Zawahiri, an Egyptian national, has eluded capture since the Taliban was overthrown in Afghanistan in 2001. He's considered the ideological mastermind behind the al-Qaeda network, and is wanted by U.S. authorities for his alleged role in the 1998 bombings of U.S. embassies in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania and Nairobi, Kenya. Pakistani authorities say one of the dead from Friday's attack is believed to be a son-in-law of al-Zawahiri, Abdul Rehman Al-Misri al Maghribi, who is responsible for al-Qaeda's media department. Another was Midhat Mursi al-Sayid 'Umar, an expert in explosives and poisons who was the target of the $5-million bounty. A third man has been identified as Abu Obaidah al Misri, al-Qaeda's chief of operations in Afghanistan's dangerous Kunar province. The U.S. military denies knowledge of the strike. However, American media are reporting it was carried out by the CIA. Written by CBC News Staff
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Big jump in turnout at advance polls Web Posted | Last Updated Wed, 18 Jan 2006  08:13:13  EST Giant Dwarf Posted: Jan 18th, 2006
Voting in advance polls jumped by an average of 25 per cent across Canada with upticks seen in every province compared to the last election just 18 months ago. More than 1.56 million people decided not to wait until Jan. 23 to vote and instead turned up at advance polls held Jan. 13, 14, and 16, according to preliminary estimates released by the chief electoral officer. In 2004, about 1.25 million people voted early. "A lot of Canadians took this opportunity to vote early," said Jean-Pierre Kingsley. "I appreciate the efforts of the election workers who dealt with heavy turnout, and the patience of voters who coped with long lineups in some places to make sure their choice counts in this election." Prince Edward Island saw the biggest percentage jump in early birds. More than 11,000 people voted early compared to 6,839 in 2004. The smallest voter increase came in Newfoundland and Labrador, where just 106 more people voted early this year, a slight increase of 0.9 per cent over 2004. Written by CBC News Staff
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2 Canadian soldiers in induced coma, third stable Web Posted | Last Updated Tue, 17 Jan 2006  06:47:56  EST Giant Dwarf Posted: Jan 17th, 2006
Two of three Canadian soldiers injured in a weekend suicide attack in Afghanistan remain in a chemically induced coma in Landstuhl, Germany, as family members fly in to meet with a team of doctors.
One soldier is in "very serious" condition at the U.S. military hospital, a Canadian medical officer told a briefing Tuesday at the Landstuhl facility. Another is in serious condition and a third is stable. "Last night at 7 p.m. we received our three other soldiers," said Maj. Nick Withers. "We would like to reassure the families and loved ones that the soldiers are getting the best medical care in the world." Each has undergone a CT scan and orthopedic consultation. Doctors refused to describe the soldiers' injuries in detail, saying only that some had "closed head injuries," because family members have not yet given consent for release of the information.	Master Cpl. Paul Franklin, a medic, told his wife that the blast severed part of one leg and broke the other.
The suicide attack, which killed Canadian diplomat Glyn Berry and two Afghans and injured 13 people near Kandahar on Sunday, boosted fears that the threat to coalition troops in Afghanistan is escalating. Cpl. Jeffrey Bailey and Pte. William remain in comas, while the medic, Master Cpl. Paul Franklin, is in serious condition after losing part of a leg. All three soldiers are based at Canadian Forces Base Edmonton. Their families could arrive at their sides as early as Monday night. 'I'm not going to breathe until I actually see him' Franklin's wife, Audra, said her husband told her by telephone that he saved his own life by applying a tourniquet to a severed leg. CBC News reporter David Common said Franklin's bravery was believed to have gone even further.
Military sources said he crawled to his wounded comrades and gave them first-aid that may have saved their lives, Common reported. Audra Franklin said her husband assured her that he was all right despite losing his left leg below the knee and breaking the other. "I'm not going to breathe until I actually see him," she told CBC News from her home in Edmonton. "But he's going to be OK." She said doctors believe his condition has stabilized. "Doctors are looking quite hopeful that we'll be able to save his right leg as well, which will be instrumental in making sure he makes a full recovery."	Pte. William Salikin
'My love has been injured, critically injured' The families, friends and colleagues of the other soldiers continued to pray for their recoveries. In Salikin's hometown, the B.C. Interior community of Grand Forks, people described the 22-year-old as a big-hearted person.
"Our prayers are with him, and everybody pray with us for his speedy recovery," said John Zibin, who runs a local electronics store where Salikin worked after high school. He called Salikin "kind hearted." "He'd do anything for anybody. He'd go over and above the call of duty." Salikin's girlfriend, Desirae Hansen, writes on a blog: "My love has been injured, critically injured. All I ask is for you all to pray, please pray every chance you get and wish him a safe trip home when he's more stable."	Cpl. Jeff Bailey
Salikin had been staying in touch with friends and family through a web journal. In a recent entry, he wrote, "All I can think about is home and how much I miss it or appreciate what I actually do have back there." Edmonton's military community sent reeling Edmonton's tight-knit military community was hit hard by news of the attack, which occurred when a suicide bomber swerved into the convoy as it was returning to the coalition forces base near Kandahar. Taliban militants claimed responsibility. Canada has about 650 troops in Afghanistan, with plans to increase its military presence in Kandahar to about 2,200 in February. The suicide bomber struck just a day before the Edmonton garrison was due to host a farewell party for the troops and their families. Written by CBC News Staff
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Injured soldiers airlifted out of Afghanistan after bombing kills envoy Web Posted | Last Updated Mon, 16 Jan 2006  07:24:50  EST Giant Dwarf Posted: Jan 16th, 2006
Three injured Canadian soldiers are being flown to Germany for treatment after a suicide car bomber struck a military convoy in Afghanistan, killing Canadian diplomat Glyn Berry. Cpl. Jeffrey Bailey and Pte. William Salikin are in critical condition and Master Cpl. Paul Franklin is in serious condition, but all three are stable, a Canadian officer said in Kandahar on Sunday. Franklin, a medic, saved his own life by applying a tourniquet to his severed left leg, his wife said. "They're all in fine care at this point," Lt.-Col. Steve Borland, deputy commander of the Kandahar force, told CBC News. "They have just recently departed for Germany – Landstuhl, Germany – to receive further medical treatment."
Landstuhl is home to the biggest American hospital, a military facility, outside the United States. The bomber attacked the convoy as it was returning to the coalition forces base near Kandahar on Sunday. The blast hurled the armoured Mercedes jeep carrying the Canadians into a row of shops. It killed Berry, 59, a Foreign Affairs envoy who was the political director of the provincial reconstruction team in Afghanistan. Foreign Affairs said he was the first Canadian diplomat to be slain abroad.	Diplomat Glyn Berry
The attack also killed two Afghan civilians and injured 13 people, including the three Canadian soliders – Bailey of 1 Combat Engineer Regiment, Salikin of 3rd Battalion Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry and Franklin of 1 Field Ambulance. Diplomat praised for distinguished career Berry spent nearly three decades working as a diplomat, including postings at the United Nations and in Pakistan, before he began his work in Afghanistan in August. His military and diplomatic colleagues described him as a dedicated diplomat who passionately believed in the rule of international law. "When I spoke with his widow today, she spoke touchingly about how important he felt this work was and how much he felt he was making a difference," Peter Harder of Foreign Affairs Canada told reporters.
"His loss touches us all." Medic put tourniquet on his own severed leg Franklin's wife, Audra, said she spoke with her husband by telephone on Sunday. He told her the explosion severed his left leg below the knee and broke his right leg. "I'm so proud, because ... he applied his own tourniquet in the field and saved his own life," she told CBC News at her home in Edmonton. 'They all understand the risk they take,' military commander says Brig.-Gen. Tim Grant, commander of military forces in Western Canada, said all three soldiers were based in Edmonton and due to return home within weeks.	Master Cpl. Paul Franklin, a medic, told his wife that the blast severed part of one leg and broke the other.
Grant told a news conference that the city's tight-knit military community was hit hard by news of the attack. But he also said Canadian troops working in Afghanistan knew the risks and felt they were worth taking. "The life we sign up for is dangerous. It's a risky environment," Grant said. "They're doing an important job over there and they all understand that, and they all understand the risk they take." No indication that Canadians were targeted	Pte. William Salikin
The Taliban claimed responsibility for Sunday's attack, which witnesses said occurred when a vehicle swerved into the convoy and exploded.
Defence officials said the convoy was travelling in armoured Mercedes-Benz Gelaendewagens, known as G Wagons. The attack highlighted the increasing dangers for coalition troops in Afghanistan. In Kandahar, Borland said attacks on coalition forces have become more frequent. "Contrary to previous years, there is not a winter lull," he said. He said there is no indication that Sunday's attack was aimed specifically at Canadians. The attackers do not differentiate between the groups that make up the coalition, he said. There have been more than 25 suicide car bombings in the past four months, with militants using the once-rare tactic to try to destabilize the country.	Cpl. Jeff Bailey
Afghanistan receives Canada's largest foreign commitment in both dollars and military deployments. Canada has about 650 troops there, with plans to increase its military presence in Kandahar to about 2,000 in February. PM offers condolences Prime Minister Paul Martin issued a statement expressing his concern and condolences "on behalf of all Canadians."	The wreckage of a vehicle is seen after the explosion that happened in Kandahar, Afghanistan on Sunday.
"Mr. Berry had a long and distinguished career of service to Canadians at home and abroad," Martin said in a statement. The PM's statement went on to wish "the three Canadian soldiers who were injured, a speedy and complete recovery." Written by CBC News Staff
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Canadian killed in Afghanistan Web Posted | Last Updated Sun, 15 Jan 2006  10:30:31  EST Giant Dwarf Posted: Jan 15th, 2006
One Canadian was killed and three others were wounded after a suicide car bomber struck their military convoy in the southern Afghan city of Kandahar on Sunday. Prime Minister Paul Martin confirmed the Canadian casualties during a campaign stop in Laval, Que. He said no names were being released at this time because not all of the families have been notified. "This morning, there was a tragic incident near Kandahar, in Afghanistan, where one Canadian was killed and three others were injured," he said. "On behalf of all Canadians, I want to express my condolences to the family of the individual who was killed, and our prayers and best wishes to the family of the deceased and to the families of the injured." A military source has confirmed to that the dead Canadian was a civilian. The blast also killed two Afghan civilians and wounded at least 10 others. The attack took place around 1 p.m. local time, just inside the city limits. A sedan swerved into the convoy and exploded, witnesses said. The bomb was strong enough to blow the armoured vehicle carrying the soldiers off the side of the road, said Tom Coghlan, a British freelance reporter for The Daily Telegraph. Witnesses said the blast also blew out windows in nearby buildings. The injured were airlifted from the scene to the main U.S. air base in Kandahar, Coghlan said. This was the 15th suicide bomb attack in Afghanistan in the past three months. Last December two Canadian soldiers were injured when a bomb detonated under their vehicle in southern Afghanistan. Pte. Ryan Crawford and Capt. Manuel Panchana-Moya both suffered broken bones. Canada has about 650 troops in Afghanistan, nearly all in Kandahar. There are plans to increase that number to 2,000 soldiers next month. Written by CBC News Staff
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Liberals would promote peace, democracy: Martin Web Posted | Last Updated Sat, 14 Jan 2006  11:00:35  EST Giant Dwarf Posted: Jan 14th, 2006
Liberal Leader Paul Martin has announced four initiatives he said would enhance Canada's role in promoting peace and democracy in the world, including one aimed at preventing the weaponization of space. During a campaign stop in Montreal on Saturday, Martin said a Liberal government would lead an international campaign at the United Nations to establish a treaty banning all weapons in space. He said the Liberals would also establish the Canada Centre for Peace and Democracy in the Middle East. Martin said it would be based in the region and would help Palestinians in building a state founded on democracy, the rule of law, strong public administration and good governance. "It is impossible to be prime minister and not feel tremendous pride when travelling across the world and seeing the extent to which Canada is respected and envied by every country in the world," he told an audience at Concordia University. "Whether it's in Haiti, Afghanistan or Darfur, Canada is there to promote peace and democracy." Under a third initiative, the Liberals would expand the activities of Canada Corps, an agency created by the federal government in February 2004 to strengthen the country's contribution to human rights and democracy. Young people aged 19 to 30 who complete internships under one of two new Canada Corps programs would be eligible for a tuition voucher for any Canadian university or college for two years' tuition to a maximum of $12,000. As a fourth initiative, Martin said his government would increase spending on research into health and environmental technologies in developing countries. Martin suggested the foreign policy of a Conservative government would hurt Canada's reputation. "[Conservative Leader] Stephen Harper would renege on the Kyoto Accord on climate change. He would undermine the credibility of Canada in the world by removing Canada's signature from that agreement. Canada was a leader bringing together 150 countries here in Montreal to develop an ambition plan for the future, the Montreal conference on climate change." Advance polls are open Friday, Saturday and Monday across the country . . . ! Written by CBC News Staff
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Tories would turn back Kyoto Web Posted | Last Updated Fri, 13 Jan 2006  07:58:45  EST Giant Dwarf Posted: Jan 13th, 2006
A Conservative government would abandon the Kyoto accord and set new Canadian-made targets that were easier to meet, Stephen Harper said Thursday in Halifax. Harper said Kyoto's emission targets couldn't be met within Canada, or even internationally. He pointed to the country's woeful record on climate change since the agreement was signed in 1997. "The Kyoto accord will not succeed at achieving its objectives and this government, the Canadian government, cannot achieve its objectives," Harper said. The Tory plan to cut emissions would begin with consultations with the provinces to create a made-in-Canada solution, something the Liberals under Jean Chrétien should have done before signing the Kyoto deal, said Harper. "The Liberal government signed an international agreement that touches on provincial jurisdiction, without consulting the provinces," he said. "The result is that the government was incapable, and remains incapable, of meeting its obligations." Kyoto calls for a six per cent cut in emissions from 1990 levels by 2012. However, Canadian levels have actually risen about 24 per cent since 1990. The U.S., which never ratified the accord, has a better record than Canada. Harper said any international treaty negotiated in the future would have to include the world's largest polluters: the U.S., China and India. Written by CBC News Staff
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B.C. Tory candidate faces smuggling charges Web Posted | Last Updated Thu, 12 Jan 2006  07:45:40  EST Giant Dwarf Posted: Jan 12th, 2006
The federal Tories are standing behind a B.C. candidate who has been charged with attempting to smuggle a car and booze across the Canada-U.S. border last year. Derek Zeisman is running to replace retiring Conservative MP Jim Gouk in the riding of British Columbia Southern Interior. The party only found out about the six charges on Wednesday after it was contacted by the media.
Canada Customs and Revenue Agency alleges Zeisman tried to smuggle a 1989 Mercedes-Benz as well as 112 bottles of liquor in July 2004 from the U.S. into Canada. He's also accused of lying to customs officers about the incident. If convicted, Zeisman could be fined up to $50,000 and face six months in jail. Zeisman, who is to appear in court next month, did not tell his party about the charges, which he called "unjustified." He said the information was leaked by someone in the government who had a grudge against him. The Tory candidate has worked as a trade commissioner for Industry Canada and a foreign service officer with the Canadian diplomatic corps.	Derek Zeisman
Zeisman has other problems. He's currently in hospital because of a serious car accident just before Christmas. John Reynolds, the Tory campaign chairman, says the party intends to stand by Zeisman and the charges against him were only "administrative" in nature. "He will go to court, and he is still an innocent man until he goes through this process," Reynolds told the Vancouver Province. "But even at that point, it's not a criminal offence." An NDP candidate running against Zeisman says he couldn't believe the news. "Shock and surprise. That was my first reaction," says Alex Atamanenko. Atamanenko says he's alarmed voters were unaware of such a serious allegation about a candidate, less than two weeks before the Jan. 23 election. But he also says it would have been far worse had Zeisman won the seat, and the news came out later. "There might have been a sense of betrayal, had that happened, and that's not the right thing to do." Written by CBC News Staff
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Harper fends off attacks from Duceppe and Martin in final debate Web Posted | Last Updated Tue, 10 Jan 2006  23:40:08  EST Giant Dwarf Posted: Jan 11th, 2006
Conservative Leader Stephen Harper was forced to fend off more attacks as the four main party leaders set their sights on Quebec voters Tuesday in the final debate of the campaign. The French debate, which took place in Montreal, comes as Harper has emerged as the perceived front-runner and is challenging the Liberals and Bloc Québécois for support in Quebec. In the first French debate, Bloc Québécois Leader Gilles Duceppe appeared to focus his barbs on Liberal Leader Paul Martin. But Tuesday night, Duceppe also turned his sights on Harper. RCMP probes into a possible government leak on income trusts and alleged illegal spending through the now-defunct unity lobby Option Canada were the two main issues kicking off the debate. Martin opened by saying Harper does not share the same values of Quebecers. He said the Tories are against the province's day-care program, the Kyoto agreement and supported the war in Iraq. "Mr. Martin prefers to invent a bogus platform for me than defend his own record," Harper said. The debate then switched to the Option Canada investigation and the income trust affair. The RCMP was asked last week to look into about $4.8 million in grants Option Canada, a federalist lobby group, received before the referendum, how that money was spent. The authors of a new book allege that the lobby group bypassed Quebec's spending laws for the referendum. Duceppe said the Option Canada probe was not "a Liberal scandal but a federal scandal" because both Liberals and Conservatives belonged to the lobby group. "It seems when the hopes of Quebec are at stake for the Liberals and the Conservatives, the ends justify the means, which is why more than ever, Quebecers want representatives with integrity, representatives whose only loyalties lie with Quebec," the Bloc leader said. Harper said his party asked the auditor general to study Option Canada. He also took Duceppe to task for suggesting that "anyone who promotes federalism is corrupt. It is not a crime to promote federalism in Quebec."
Martin was again forced to defend Finance Minister Ralph Goodale over the income trust affair. The RCMP is investigating the possibility that information was leaked about Goodale's pre-election announcement regarding income trusts. "My government follows the rules. My ministers follow the rules," Martin said. NDP Leader Jack Layton scolded Martin for not calling the RCMP himself. "It was us, the NDP, that had to ask the RCMP to conduct an investigation," he said. "Mr. Martin, why didn't you do it? Why didn't you do what you should have done?" The Liberals are smarting in Quebec from the RCMP probes. Many voters in the province still feel stung by the sponsorship scandal. Under social policy, moderator Sophie Thibault brought up the issue of assisted suicide,	NDP Leader Jack Layton, Conservative Leader Stephen Harper, Liberal Leader Paul Martin and BQ Leader Gilles Duceppe, left to right, take their positions for the French language leaders' debate.
asking which leader would support it. Harper said his party does not intend to make any changes to the legislation but said if the issue was put forward, he would allow a free vote on the issue. Martin said he is personally against assisted suicide and that as prime minister he would have a very hard time approving it. Duceppe said he was proud his MP presented a bill to start a debate on the subject. Layton didn't answer the question directly, instead saying the Bloc bill gives Canadians an opportunity to look at various aspects of the issue. Martin and Harper clashed over the government's attitude toward the U.S. government. Martin accused the Conservative leader of going to the U.S to insult Canada for not joining the Iraq war. Martin said he went to the U.S. and defended Canadian interests. But Harper shot back. "Mr. Martin, it is not the prime minister's role to insult Americans on TV; it is the prime minister's role to defend Canada's interests, and you failed," Harper said. In one of the more bizarre exchanges, Martin seemed to mix up his targets, attacking Layton for a Harper promise. He accused Layton of wanting to enshrine property rights in the constitution – something Harper said during Monday night's debate – and said Layton was opposed to protecting abortion rights. "No, not at all, Mr. Martin," Layton responded. "You're absolutely fabricating things." Written by CBC News Staff
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Martin wraps campaign in constitutional pledge Web Posted | Last Updated Mon, 09 Jan 2006  22:59:41  EST Giant Dwarf Posted: Jan 10th, 2006
Paul Martin goes into the last of the party leaders' debates Tuesday night with a new platform plank, having pledged on Monday to seek a constitutional amendment ensuring that Ottawa would never use the opting-out clause of the charter. "The courts shouldn't be overturned by politicians," the Liberal leader said in Monday's debate, seeking to highlight his differences with Conservative Stephen Harper on social issues. That debate was in English; Tuesday's is in French. Martin has portrayed himself as a defender of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms in regard to the issue of same-sex marriage. He has claimed that Harper, who opposes such unions, would have to use the notwithstanding clause to change the law. The Conservative leader has promised a free vote on the issue if he is elected, but has pledged not to use the clause. The clause allows the federal government or a provincial legislature to enact legislation to override several sections of the charter that deal with fundamental freedoms, legal rights and equality rights.
Martin asked Harper to join him in seeking to ban the federal government from being able to use the clause. But Harper rejected Martin's offer, saying the charter supports a proper balance between the courts and politicians. Martin began the debate zeroing in on Harper, trying to paint him as a radical with a hidden agenda who would raise taxes on the poor and cut social services. "What else will he cut? He needs to tell us," Martin said. Income trust affair But Martin was attacked on the sponsorship scandal and was forced to defend Finance Minister Ralph Goodale over the income trust affair.	Conservative Leader Stephen Harper, Bloc Leader Gilles Duceppe. Liberal Leader Paul Martin and NDP Leader Jack Layton, left to right, reach out to shake hands at the English leaders' debate, Jan. 9, 2005 in Montreal.
"Let me say this is a sad time in Canadian politics because the ethical standards have not been set properly by the government," NDP Leader Jack Layton said. The RCMP is investigating the possibility that information was leaked about Goodale's pre-election announcement regarding income trusts. The issue prompted Harper to ask Martin: "How many criminal investigations are going on in your government?" Martin said the attacks on his government are purely "political" and that voters want to hear about the issues. "The fact is we have to have a more intelligent debate. Enough is enough. These drive-by smears doesn't make sense," he said. Harper was put on the defensive over those who contributed to his leadership campaign, with Layton and Bloc Québécois Leader Gilles Duceppe demanding the Tory leader make public those names. Harper insisted that he has revealed those contributors. Gun crime On gun crime, Harper was asked by debate moderator Steve Paikin if the separate shooting deaths of a Toronto teen and four RCMP officers would have occurred if his crime policies had been in place. Harper said he did not want to point a finger at individual politicians for individual acts, stressing that criminals are responsible for criminal actions. But he said James Roszko, who had a lengthy criminal record and who killed the four Mounties, would not have been at large if there had been mandatory minimum sentences.
Harper, Martin and Layton have all promised to institute mandatory minimum sentences for gun crimes. But Harper said despite their promises, the Liberals don't believe in mandatory minimum sentences, pointing out they had 13 years to bring them in. "American" values Martin took a shot at "American conservatives," slamming Harper for representing their values by citing speeches Harper has made in the past. He said Harper spoke to a U.S. conservative group and said they were "an inspiration for Canada" and that Canadians "were second rate." "I don't believe that Canada was built on American conservative values," Martin said. "It was built on compassion, on generosity, on sharing and understanding." "America is our neighbour. It's not our nation." But Harper shot back at Martin, hammering his family's company, Canadian Steamship Lines, for not flying the Canadian flag. "My forefathers have lived under the flag of this country for six generations," Harper said. "I have friends and relatives across this country and I have children growing up under the flag of this country, and my business, our family business, always operated flying the flag of this country. "What I say to Mr. Martin is the values of ordinary Canadians are honesty, hard work, integrity and accountability, and your government, Mr. Martin, has not represented those values in Parliament."
Tax cuts On the issue of tax cuts, Paikin asked Harper about recent reports that he would cancel the Liberal tax-cut program, which would see the lowest income earners' tax rates go from 15 per cent to 16 per cent. Harper defended his tax package, saying his plan to cut the GST and other selective income tax cuts would provide more tax relief to all Canadians. He said the Liberal plan is designed for people in the top two-thirds of income brackets. But Martin rejected Harper's take on the Liberal tax plan. "The fact is our tax cut is directed towards middle-class Canadians and low-income Canadians, and they are the ones who need it the most," Martin said. On health care, Martin and Harper both claimed to be the best protector of medicare, but Layton cautioned voters not to listen to either leader. "Neither promises can be trusted, neither will stop the growth of private care," Layton said. National unity As for national unity, Martin again clashed with Duceppe, who said the Liberal leader should recognize that Quebecers are different. "We are different," Duceppe said. "Everyone in Quebec knows that Quebec is quite different from the rest of Canada. Not better, not worse. Plain different."
But Martin said all Canadians share the same values. "I'm a Quebecer and simply don't tell me that my values are different," Martin said. "My values are the same values as somebody who lives in Nova Scotia, Ontario or Western Canada. The fact is that Quebecers have this same feeling. They want to build a great country." The final debate is Tuesday in French, also in Montreal. The election is Jan. 23. Always considered important, the debates are taking on added weight this week as recent polls have shown the Conservatives overtaking the Liberals for the lead. The Conservatives have ridden a wave of policy announcements in a well-orchestrated campaign to make the momentum move in their direction, while the Liberals have been sliding as controversy continues to dog them. And last week, the Mounties were asked to look into grants given to Option Canada, a federalist group formed before the 1995 Quebec referendum. Harper said on the weekend he isn't counting on the whiff of scandal to win the election for him. That Liberal campaign machinery has sharpened its focus on the Conservatives. Last week, Martin issued a series of policy announcements, and on the weekend released a critique of the Conservatives' fiscal plan. The Conservatives say the Conference Board of Canada has approved their economic plan. The NDP's main strategy recently has become an effort simply to be heard amid the din of the Liberal-Conservative battle, and the debates offer Layton an opportunity to cut through. The Green party, meanwhile, has complained to the CRTC that leader Jim Harris isn't being allowed to take part in the debates. Leaders Debates: Jan. 9 and 10, 2006, 8-10 p.m. EST Written by CBC News Staff
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India aborting 500,000 female fetuses a year: study Web Posted | Last Updated Mon, 09 Jan 2006  06:35:43  EST Giant Dwarf Posted: Jan 9th, 2006
Up to 10 million female fetuses have been selectively aborted in India since 1976, according to a Canadian-led study published Monday in the British medical journal, the Lancet. The study found that fewer daughters were born to couples still presumed to be trying for a boy, according to Dr. Prabhat Jha, director of the Centre for Global Health Research at St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto. And researchers found the probability that a female fetus had been aborted was more than twice as likely among educated mothers than illiterate ones. However, once a boy was born, the gender ratio was roughly equal, said the report. "We conservatively estimate that prenatal sex determination and selective abortion accounts for 0.5 million missing girls yearly," Jha wrote in the report. "If this practice has been common for most of the past two decades since access to ultrasoud became widespread, then a figure of 10m missing female births would not be unreasonable." Researchers analyzed information about 133,738 births. Based on the natural gender ratio from other countries, they estimated that 136 million to 138 million girls should have been born in 1997 in India, however they found just 131 million were born. Abortion for the reason of sex selection has been illegal in India since 1994. However, the practice is widely believed to continue, to the point where India's gender ratio among its population of 1.06 billion has been skewed. In 2001, there were 927 girls per 1,000 boys. Ten years before that, there were 945 girls per 1,000 boys, according to government census-takers. Daughters are often regarded as a liability in India because they leave their own family upon marriage and 'belong' to their husband's families. Many families must borrow money to pay a dowry to the husband's family. Written by CBC News Staff
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Bloc and Liberals spar over Option Canada grants Web Posted | Last Updated Sat, 07 Jan 2006  23:00:40  EST Giant Dwarf Posted: Jan 8th, 2006 Bloc Québécois Leader Gilles Duceppe has stepped up his attack on the Liberals over federal funds received by a federalist lobby group before the 1995 Quebec referendum. But the allegations of misspent federal funds at Option Canada drew spirited rebuttals on Saturday from the former head of the group and prominent Liberals, including Foreign Affairs Minister Pierre Pettigrew. Option Canada received nearly $5 million in grants from Ottawa before the referendum on	Liberal Leader Paul Martin, in Montreal on Saturday, accuses the sovereigntists of trying to create controversy out of long-resolved matter.
separation. Past government audits weren't able to account for about $300,000 of the funds. Paul Martin and his Liberals said the audits showed no sign of any wrongdoing. But Duceppe told reporters on Saturday that Martin said the same thing before the sponsorship scandal broke. "They were saying that about the ad scam, so they're saying that now," Duceppe said. "It's the same kind of attitude, denying the facts, trying to get away from the facts. I mean, this is typical of the Liberals. Period." The sovereigntists have for years accused the federal government of using the group to get around rules on referendum funding. The Liberals in turn accuse the sovereigntists of trying to score political points by trying to create a controversy out of something they say was resolved years ago. Former head of group says he had no control over how funds were spent Option Canada – which formed before the referendum and has since been disbanded – was run by Claude Dauphin. Dauphin went on to work from 1997 to 2001 as the top Quebec adviser to Martin, who was then federal finance minister. Duceppe has suggested Option Canada, under Dauphin, may have used some of the funds to pay for a huge federalist rally in Montreal just before the "no" side won the 1995 vote by a razor-thin margin. Dauphin rejected the allegations on Saturday. He said that when he was head of Option Canada, he was in charge of raising funds not spending them and had no control over the group's bank accounts. "I was just the honorary head," Dauphin told CBC News in French on Saturday.
"I signed no cheques and knew of no wrongdoing," said Dauphin, who now works as a senior bureaucrat with the City of Montreal. Pettigrew releases bill to counter suggestions that Option Canada paid him Pettigrew, who is fighting a tough battle against the Bloc in his Montreal riding, took the unusual step of releasing a bill from a decade earlier on Saturday. The Liberal MP had heard suggestions that Normand Lester's book, The Secrets of Option Canada, alleges he received $12,000 from Option Canada for consulting work in 1995. Pettigrew, who was then a private consultant on national unity and economic issues, said he had a contract with the Canadian Unity Council, which is the organization he billed. It was the parent group for Option Canada, but Pettigrew said he didn't know that back in 1995. "The only money that I have received, that they referred to, is this bill here and the bill is very clearly addressed to the Council of Canadian Unity," Pettigrew told reporters outside his campaign office. "They had been my clients. I had never heard about Option Canada at that time." He said he had many clients at the time, but never had any contact with Option Canada. Written by CBC News Staff
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Martin announces $1-billion water cleanup Web Posted | Last Updated Sat, 07 Jan 2006  10:42:34  EST Giant Dwarf Posted: Jan 7th, 2006
A Liberal government would invest $1 billion over 10 years to clean up major waterways in Ontario, Quebec and Manitoba, Paul Martin announced on Saturday. He said the program would tackle toxic hot spots along the St. Lawrence River and the Great Lakes, which together make up the world's largest fresh-water ecosystem. Part of the money will be spent to reduce pollutions such as nitrogen and phosphorus in Lake Winnipeg. The initiative announced in Montreal would "preserve the great heritage that we must pass on to those who will come after us," the Liberal leader said. The 10-year strategy includes: $500 million to restore degraded and threatened areas across the entire region of the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence, including Montreal's Technoparc and Hamilton Harbour. $100 million to identify and address current and growing ecological threats due to population growth, invasive alien species and new substances such as pharmaceuticals. $200 million for scientific research to better understand the effects of human activity, alien species and climate change on these ecosystems. $120 million to revitalize Lake Winnipeg and reduce pollutants such as nitrogen and phosphorus. $80 million to establish the best practices for other key watersheds. "The prime minister has the duty to think of the needs of future generations," Martin said. "That's why we held the UN Conference on Climate Change last month in Montreal." He said Conservative Leader Stephen Harper would renege on Canada's commitment to the Kyoto agreement on the environment. "With the environment, as with so many other issues that matter to Canadians, it comes down to a question of values," Martin said. "Stephen Harper seeks to move us toward a society in which we fend for ourselves, a Canada that would turn away from its shared responsibilities on global warming and the environment." Written by CBC News Staff
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Chinese-Canadian convicted of smuggling fossils in China Web Posted | Last Updated Fri, 06 Jan 2006  06:30:01  EST Giant Dwarf Posted: Jan 6th, 2006
A Chinese Canadian man has been sentenced to seven years in prison in China for his part in trafficking thousands of dinosaur and other fossils. Zhu Chunlin, 46, was one of six people convicted by the court in the southeastern province of Zhejiang. Some of the fossils were up to 200 million years old, China's officials Xinhua News Agency said Friday. Zhu was reportedly caught in November 2004 while trying to smuggle 1,141 fossils out of the country. An official at the court who would not give his name confirmed the sentence to the Associated Press, but did not provide details about the fossils. The five other people convicted were handed prison terms ranging from two to eight years. Written by CBC News Staff
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At least 80 killed in suicide bombings in Iraq Web Posted | Last Updated Thu, 05 Jan 2006  06:21:36  EST Giant Dwarf Posted: Jan 5th, 2006 At least 80 people died in two separate suicide bombing attacks in Iraq on Thursday. One attack left at least 49 people dead and at least 16 others injured near a Shia mosque in Karbala. The blast was near the mosque in the central part of the city, about 80 kilometres south of the capital, Baghdad.
Police reports say the bomber set off the explosives near the mosque in a busy pedestrian area filled with stores. In the second attack, at least 31 people died and 30 others were wounded when a suicide bomber blew himself up in a group of army recruits in Ramadi. "The general hospital in Ramadi has received 31 bodies and we have 30 people wounded," Dr. Mahmoud al-Waise told Reuters. The attacks make Thursday the deadliest day of violence in Iraq since last month's parliamentary elections. Written by CBC News Staff
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False info turns joy to grief with news missing miners dead Web Posted | Last Updated Wed, 04 Jan 2006  07:08:33  EST Giant Dwarf Posted: Jan 4th, 2006
Jubilation in a small West Virginia town turned to disbelief and then grief and rage with news that 11 of 12 trapped mine workers were dead – not alive – as had been reported. "We had 12 miracles that did not happen tonight," Gov. Joe Manchin told a news conference about 4 a.m. local time.
"About the confusion, I can't tell you of anything more heart-wrenching that I've ever gone through in my life," Manchin said. Grim news The grim news shattered the hopes and celebrations unleashed just three hours earlier when the community was told that 12 of the men had survived the tragedy. Church bells rang and joyous people took to the streets shouting, "They're alive!" The only known survivor of the mining accident is in a local hospital in critical condition. The 13 had been missing since an explosion Monday morning. Rescue crews found the first victim earlier Tuesday evening. Manchin struggled to explain what might have gone wrong in terms of communication about the remaining 12 from the rescue site. "Somebody might have said something like, 'We have one or two or 12 here,'" he said. 'Not intentional "This was not intentional. I'm not going to blame anybody."	Ben Hatfield, CEO of International Coal Group.
The mine is in the central part of the state, about 160 kilometres from Charleston, near the town of Tallmansville. "We're going to do everything we can to support the families," Manchin said. The scene at the local Baptist church in Tallmansville turned ugly and then violent when a senior mine official told the families there had been a mistake. Ben Hatfield, CEO of the International Coal Group Chief, which owns the mine, told the crowd "there had been a lack of communication." "The initial report from the rescue team to the command centre indicated multiple survivors," Hatfield said during a news conference. "That information spread like wildfire, because it had come from the command centre. It quickly got out of control." Wrong information Hatfield said the mistaken information spread when people overheard phone calls between rescuers and the rescue command centre. The rescuers' had actually said that 12 miners had been found and their vital signs were being checked. Hatfield said the miners were found together behind a barrier they created to try to block carbon monoxide gas in the mine. They were discovered not far from an air hole drilled Tuesday in an effort to contact the men. "We can confirm with certainty the miners survived for a certain amount of time, but we have no way of knowing exactly how long," Hatfield said. Written by CBC News Staff
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'Pray for miners,' town told in W. Virginia rescue efforts Web Posted | Last Updated Tue, 03 Jan 2006  06:41:00  EST Giant Dwarf Posted: Jan 3rd, 2006
Rescue workers are methodically making their way through a West Virginia coal mine where 13 miners remain trapped after an explosion. There's been no communication with the men, who have been trapped since Monday in the Sago mine in Upshur County in the central part of the state.
"Right now, the road to the mine is closed to all but family members, emergency workers and the media," said CBC News producer Alan Habbick, who is in West Virginia. "In the nearby town of Buckhannon, there's a sign on the road leading to the mine saying 'Pray for the miners and family,'" Habbick said Tuesday. Mine officials have not speculated on their condition. Meanwhile, family and friends anxiously await any information. Officials have gathered all the family members at a nearby Baptist church, just a few hundred metres from the mine, Habbick said.	Rescuer squeezes into rescue cage.
The men have air-purifying equipment but no oxygen tanks, said a co-worker. They are believed to be about three kilometres down in the mine, and about 80 metres underground. Rescuers couldn't proceed with their work Monday as dangerous levels of carbon monoxide, a byproduct of combustion, were being vented through holes drilled in the ground. Officials said six miners made it out to safety following the 8 a.m. explosion about 160 kilometres from Charleston. It's not yet clear what caused the explosion that resulted in the mine's cave-in. But Lara Ramsburg, spokeswoman for Gov. Joe Manchin, said officials believe it may have been set off by lightning. The mine is owned by Anker West Virginia Mining Co., which was recently purchased by International Coal Group. The last major mining accident in the United States was in September 2001, when 13 coal miners died in a series of explosions in Brookwood, Ala. Ten miners had rushed in to rescue co-workers, only to die in a second blast. Written by CBC News Staff
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Party leaders kick off second half of campaign Web Posted | Last Updated Mon, 02 Jan 2006  13:01:00  EST Giant Dwarf Posted: Jan 2nd, 2006
Conservative Leader Stephen Harper kicked off the second half of the federal election campaign Monday by reminding voters of his party's five priorities. Speaking at a rally in Ottawa, he reiterated that his party will work to deliver clean and accountable government, crack down on crime, reduce the GST, increase financial assistance for parents with kids in child care, and eliminate the fiscal imbalance. Later in the day, Liberal Leader Paul Martin will be at a bagel shop in Ottawa, while NDP Leader Jack Layton will tour Ottawa with local NDP candidates. Layton told reporters he's not planning any changes in strategy for the second phase of the campaign leading to the Jan. 23 vote. Also Monday, Bloc Quebecois Leader Gilles Duceppe will speak to supporters in Montreal, while the Green party's head, Jim Harris, released his party's election platform in Ottawa. Written by CBC News Staff
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Russia cuts gas supplies to Ukraine Web Posted | Last Updated Sun, 01 Jan 2006  16:18:41  EST Giant Dwarf Posted: Jan 1st, 2006
Russia's state-controlled natural gas monopoly has halted sales to Ukraine after Kiev refused its latest offer on natural gas prices for 2006. Gazprom started reducing pressure in the pipelines to Ukraine even before the Sunday morning deadline to accept a new pricing deal. The proposals would see the cost of importing Russian gas more than quadruple to between $220 and $230 US per 1,000 cubic metres. Ukraine had been paying $50 US per 1,000 cubic metres of gas, a price reflecting Soviet-era subsidized rates. Russia supplies about 30 per cent of Ukraine's gas supplies. Ukraine pointed out that Belarus, a close ally of Russia, will pay just $46 per 1,000 cubic metres for gas after a recent agreement, while both Georgia and Armenia are also paying less. Ukraine's president, Viktor Yushchenko, said late on Friday that the most it was willing to pay was $80. In its offer, Moscow said it could maintain Ukraine's current fuel price for three months before the price hike. Ukraine wanted the increase to be phased in gradually over several years and said Moscow is using the gas issue to punish Kiev for its drive to join the European Union and NATO. Ukrainian officials have said the country has sufficient gas reserves to weather a Gazprom cutoff for at least several weeks but have declined to specify how much is in reserve. Written by CBC News Staff