American fishing boats catching threatened Canadian salmon was flagged as a top concern for federal Fisheries Minister Joyce Murray before meeting with the U.S. ambassador to Canada in March. Briefing notes, which Canada’s National Observer obtained through an access-to-information request, identify the issue as a key point for Murray to raise with U.S. Ambassador David […]

Quadra Island resident Carol Woolsey had the misfortune to experience a medical emergency in her rural community last month after the last ferry had sailed for the night. After developing searing pain in her lower abdomen, the 77-year-old and her cousin called 911 around 10 p.m. on April 2. Disoriented by pain and vomiting constantly […]

A Canadian forestry professor’s critical views on a controversial herbicide were not the reason he was fired, but nonetheless, his termination was unjust, a judge has ruled. Rod Cumberland, previously employed at the Maritime College of Forest Technology in New Brunswick, was fired from his post in 2019 after creating “a toxic atmosphere” at the […]

Across the province, the Ontario Health Coalition and its regional chapters are organizing a vote to ask residents if they want to keep intact the public healthcare model, as the Doug Ford PC government moves forward with Bill 60 to introduce more private options to the healthcare system. “This is the question we’re asking — […]

With Bill C-11 in the House of Commons again after failing to pass the approval of the Senate, Martin Shields MP for Bow River rose in the House to air his grievances with the bill. “It is an interesting debate today, and I rise to speak on Bill C-11,” said Shields on March 27. “I […]

All but one MP on the federal ethics committee has agreed with a proposal to reduce cooling-off periods for lobbyists doing political work. Feedback from the committee on the proposed change was sent to lobbying commissioner Nancy Belanger on March 20. Belanger is in the process of updating the Lobbyists’ Code of Conduct, which governs […]

GUYSBOROUGH — For 18 days, Fraser Cook faced repeated drops in Internet service at his business, Cooks Gas Bar and Robin’s Donuts in Guysborough. For 18 days, he made inquiries and complaints to Bell Aliant Customer Care, saw Bell’s technical support team visit the store on two occasions and filed a complaint with the Canadian […]

Until she was in college, Colleen Cardinal thought she and her sisters were the only Indigenous people taken from their families at birth and adopted by a white family. Since learning she isn’t alone, Cardinal wants to make sure her story, and the stories of thousands of others, are heard. Cardinal, a member of the […]

Susan MacRae wants to talk about what happened to her, but she can’t. As a young girl, MacRae signed a non-disclosure agreement that prohibits her from discussing sexual abuse she suffered, even with family members or therapists. In 2018, a judge upheld that NDA even though the other party — her father — was dead. […]

Holly Noot had spent eight hours in excruciating labour at home in Courtenay before her midwife said she needed to go to the hospital. Despite frequent contractions, Noot’s baby wasn’t progressing into the birth canal. It was two in the morning and Noot, 34, was exhausted, stressed and in pain. But all she could think […]

On March 13, Manitoba’s Justice Minister, Kelvin Goertzen, announced an amendment to the Intimate Image Protection Act (IIPA) which will double down on efforts to protect an individual’s right to online image privacy. Under the new law, individuals distributing intimate images of others online will be required to provide proof of consent from the other […]

On Monday, more than 30 lawyers and professors joined forces in an open letter to speak out against proposed changes to lobbying rules in Canada. Opponents say lobbying stands to become more unethical if suggested changes from the commissioner of lobbying Nancy Belanger go through. Faisal Bhabha, associate professor at Osgoode Hall Law School, said […]