Justin Trudeau isn't the only federal political leader with a bone to pick with Sun media.
NDP Leader Tom Mulcair is upset over an editorial cartoon that ran in the Toronto Sun newspaper just prior to Monday's municipal election, featuring mayoral candidate Olivia Chow.
Mulcair says the Andy Donato cartoon is racist, sexist and offensive.
In the cartoon, Chow, a former New Democrat MP, is depicted in slanted glasses and a Mao Zedong-style tunic.
She is standing on the coattails of Jack Layton, her late husband and Mulcair's predecessor as federal NDP leader.
"It's sort of like an amalgam of everything offensive that you could possibly think of," Mulcair told a forum on women's issues, organized by the NDP on Thursday.
"That's still the reality of the prejudices and the hatred against women, like Olivia."
He called the portrayal of Chow a "racist caricature of a Chinese person."
Mulcair held up a copy of the cartoon and then proceeded to tear it up.
"I'm going to offer it to anybody who thinks they're going to be talking with Sun News any time soon so they can give it to the people who own the Sun newspapers."
The Sun newspaper chain is currently owned by Quebecor, which also owns Sun News Network.
Read more: http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/mulcair-slams-racist-editorial-cartoon-of-olivia-chow-1.2079630#ixzz3IPRsgght
Shuswap
Three years without running water have taught Ida and Ed Rivers the importance of creativity. In winter, that means pulling his sweat socks over the seat in their porta-potty to protect their backsides from the cold.
The couple lives on the sprawling Shuswap Nation reserve near Invermere, B.C., where the high salaries of the band’s chief and his family have become a hot topic.
Shuswap First Nation Chief Paul Sam, his former wife Alice Sam, their son Dean Martin and a now-dead grandson have received more than $4.1-million over the past four years. The band has 267 members, just 87 of whom live on the reserve.
The news of the high salaries came as no surprise to the Riverses.
http://news.nationalpost.com/2014/11/06/life-can-still-be-hard-on-shuswap-nation-reserve-despite-4-1m-payday-for-chief-and-his-family/
Healthcare For refugees
All refugees in various stages of the asylum process can once again access basic Canadian health care, after the federal government reluctantly agreed to comply with a court-ordered reinstatement.
The revised health program measures unveiled Tuesday, which include medication for children and prenatal care, will be in effect only until Ottawa has exhausted legal avenues in the battle over whether its health-care program for refugee claimants is unconstitutional.
Immigration Minister Chris Alexander stressed that the new measures are just temporary and maintained that the government will continue to appeal the “offside” court decision against the cuts.
“Our government is complying with the recent federal court decision by implementing new measures under the (Interim Federal Health Program). Our position has not changed,” Alexander said in a statement.
“The court’s decision is offside with Canadians’ views on this issue and will cost Canadian taxpayers $4 million more per year. We will continue vigorously to appeal the court’s decision and defend the interests both of Canadian taxpayers and genuine refugees who need and deserve Canada’s protection.”
Critics say the revised coverage announced Tuesday doesn’t restore what refugees were entitled to before 2012 when the Conservatives overhauled the system to create a tiered approach to paying for health care, which drastically restricted the coverage available for some would-be refugees.
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2014/11/04/refugees_given_temporary_access_to_extended_healthcare_coverage.html
