CANADA IN BRIEF
Quebec, Ottawa fire back at criticism fron UN
OTTAWA (CP) — The Charest Liberals and Harper Conservatives formed a united front Monday in condemning a United Nations agency for its criticism of Quebec’s controversial Bill 78.
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay said Monday she found the controversial Quebec law to be part of an alarming trend.
The law sets rules for gatherings of more than 50 people, requiring organizers to provide eight hours’ notice of the itinerary and length of the event.
Pillay expressed her opinion of the Quebec law in a paragraph in a speech in Geneva during which she lamented rights violations in places such as North Korea, Zimbabwe and South Sudan.
Stripping wheat board of power legal, Federal Court says
OTTAWA (CP) — The Federal Court of Appeal has ruled that Ottawa did not break the law when it stripped the Canadian Wheat Board of its monopoly over western wheat and barley sales.
The court overturned a lower court ruling that said Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz should have held a plebiscite among farmers before making the change.
The Appeal Court’s decision released Monday says there is nothing to prevent the government from changing its own law in Parliament.
Ford wrenches ankle at final public weighing
TORONTO (CP) — Toronto Mayor Rob Ford ended his public weight-loss campaign short of his goal and with a sore ankle.
Ford tipped the scale at 313 pounds before tripping off it and falling into his brother Coun. Doug Ford at the final weigh-in Monday for his Cut the Waist challenge.
“I could’ve done better,” Ford said of his weight pledge as he nursed an ankle that he said was twisted in the stumble.
He began the belt-loosening drive at 330 pounds in January when he first stepped onto the scale set up outside his office.
Ford lost a total of 17 pounds, and said he and his brother will keep trying to lose weight — but without the public weigh-ins.
Inexperienced engineers a problem, inquiry told
MONTREAL (CP) — A shortage of experienced engineers left the Quebec government without proper oversight at construction sites, a star witness told a corruption inquiry Monday.
Jacques Duchesneau says engineers who work for the province are often young, less experienced, lack the proper educational background and often find themselves dealing with former superiors who’ve jumped to the private sector.
Duchesneau said there’s so much paperwork to do, engineers don’t have time to go actual sites as often as they’d like.
New security agency to be based in Regina
REGINA (CP) — The federal government is setting up a new security and safety agency to co-ordinate responses to disasters and emergencies. The Canadian Safety and Security Program will be based in Regina.
The government says the program will pull science and technology together with operations and intelligence to predict and prepare for everything from terror attacks to natural disasters and serious accidents.
The program will cost $43.5 million a year.
Nation’s top health officer recovering from stroke
TORONTO (CP) — Canada’s chief public health officer, Dr. David Butler-Jones, is recovering from a stroke.
The Public Health Agency of Canada said Monday that Butler-Jones experienced the stroke in early May and has since returned to work.
Canada’s top doctor said he was never fully off work because his reasoning and mental capacity were not diminished by the stroke. He described the stroke as small.
“I’ve been increasing the amount of time over last couple of weeks to get into a more regular routine. I still have some left-sided weakness, so I use a cane, which helps a lot and good thing I didn’t choose dance as a career,” Butler-Jones said.
“I feel incredibly fortunate, actually, that it wasn’t worse.”
Daylight shooting leaves one dead in Toronto
TORONTO (CP) — One person was killed and another injured in a broad daylight shooting in Toronto’s Little Italy neighbourhood where dozens of soccer fans had gathered to watch a Eurocup game.
Toronto police Const. Wendy Drummond said reports of gunshots came in at about 3:30 p.m. Monday at the Sicilian Sidewalk Cafe near College Street and Ossington Avenue.
Toronto EMS confirmed one person was pronounced dead at the scene and another was sent to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
Police said they were looking for a suspect but did not have a description of the gunman.