Posted: March 30, 2004

A high price for paying debt - Linda McQuaig
  The Liberal government cries poverty, says it can't pay for the social reinvestment Canadians apparently crave.

Terrorism a good excuse not to call an election - Mel Watkins
  When the threat just doesn't seem to be there, create one.
 
 

Communities, rights and change
Straight Goods welcomes NAPO as Community Sponsor
  National Anti-Poverty Organization becomes first to come on board with new program.

Fall-back plan needed for Kosovo - Reuel S. Amdur
  The choices before the international community are daunting.
 

Martin sits on surplus while Canada crumbles - Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives
  Scandal camouflage for inaction.

Consumers
Farmers finding they're not covered by phantom automobile insurance coverage - Tom Connolly
  Ontario has the harshest threshold barriers for compensation in North America.

Workplaces

Showdown in Steeltown - Mike Martin
  Steelworkers and their allies in Hamilton take on Canada's biggest steelmaker in a fight to preserve jobs and pensions.
 

Federal budget ignores manufacturing crisis - United Steelworkers of America
  Higher education increasingly limited to students from high-income families.

AFL-CIO and CLC call on Quebecor to protect shareholder interests in IPO
  North America's largest labour federations also warn about conflicts of interest in IPO's potential underwriters.

Watershed ways

Thinking about water - Ole Hendrickson
  New ways of seeing, using, conserving the wet stuff.
 

Inside Queen's Park
Heritage of debt
  McGuinty says cupboard is bare, expect no goodies.

NAPO response to federal budget - Dennis Howlett, National Anti-Poverty Organization
  Obsession with debt precludes action on poverty.

Commentary

Religion takes increasing prominence in current issues - Hanns F. Skoutajan
  Couchiching conference not the gospel according to Mel Gibson.
 

Huge insurance profits 'surprise' premier - Keith Leslie, Toronto Star
  Rising rates 'being reviewed', McGuinty promises.

Your health and health care
Identifying stroke victims - Barbara A. Overby, RN, and Kelly R. Evenson, PhD, Stroke Journal Report
  Bystanders may identify symptoms in 60 seconds.

Media files
Franken, Garofalo to host liberal radio - Seth Sutel, AP Business Writer
  Presents irreverent alternative to powerhouse right-wing talk show pundits like Rush Limbaugh.

At the end of the day... we're fed up with clichés - Plain English Campaign
  The world's most irritating phrase.

Hot headlines
Return to Iraq - one year later - David Swann
  Fear, love and loathing in Baghdad.

Ontario to authorize cormorant cull - Thomas Walkom, Toronto Star
  Not to save trees, many suspect, but to rid hunters of formerly endangered competition.

Where Noam has gone before - Deborah Campbell, TheTyee.ca
  Chomsky in Vancouver: crowds groove to his anti-US "greatest hits".

Running scared - Philip James, The Guardian UK via truthout.org
  Bush administration fears voters will believe Richard Clarke's allegations.

Rice can't get her 9/11 story straight - By Walter Picus & Dana Milbank, The Washington Post via truthout.org
  In rush to defend White House, Rice trips over own words.

Take action!
Canada's stars urge Paul Martin to "Keep Canada out of Star Wars" - Stephen Hui, Seven Oaks magazine
  Plus - missile defence and the Asian front: an interview with Thekla Lit.

Join the Native Women's Association of Canada's campaign - NWAC
  Demand a stop to the violence against Aboriginal Women.

Iraqi unions need your help - again - LabourStart.org
  Emerging trade union movement needs headquarters, funds, equipment.

Youth take on the 'one-tonne challenge' and win - Youth Environmental Network
  Students share environmental success stories online.

Some reader feedback
Can't tell left from right on Parliament Hill and at Queen's Park - Ben Lefebvre
  Politics now a carnival of corrupt corporate cronyism.

Martin's plan to increase student loan limits not in our best interest - Barbara Anello, DAWN Ontario
  Crisis a result of unprecedented cuts by former finance minister.

Political humour
Paul Martin and the free-ride PMs - Flick Harrison
  Never elected. Booted instantly. Will he be next?