Posted: February 22, 2005

TAPPED WATER by Tony Clarke
  Polaris Institute airs ten controversial issues concerning bottled water.
 
 

DEBT FIRST, KIDS LAST IN NEW BUDGET? by Linda McQuaig
  Polls consistently show we want social reinvestment.
 

CAMPAIGN FUND AUDIT by David Cohen
  Bookseller's investigations lead to Hamilton Mayor Di Ianni returning $11,000 in election "overcontributions".
 

MORE THAN MODIFIED BUILDINGS by Geoff Langhorne
  As Ontario studies how to remove barriers for persons with disabilities, a disabled-rights advocate argues that many barriers are political, not architectural.

Health Matters
SHORTCHANGING HEALTHCARE from The Medical Reform Group
  Medical Reform Group charges that Ontario Liberals collected $1.6 billion more for healthcare than they are spending.
 

SG WINNERS! by Penney Kome
  Straight Goods readers' survey results and prize winners.
 
 

Canadian Politics

STV PROPAGANDA MISLEADING by bill tieleman
  British Columbians asked to vote on electoral reform on basis of inaccurate information.
 

WHERE NAFTA CAME FROM by Dr. Gregory J Inwood
  Twenty years ago, the Macdonald Royal Commission caught Canadians off-guard by recommending a continental economic policy.

Communities, rights and change
SOCIAL PRESCRIPTION by Reuel S Amdur
  Some people with disabilities have rare diseases that are very costly to treat.
 

Workplaces

MORE ON HEALTHY HOURS by Mike Martin
  Reader response describes the personal costs of working ever-longer hours on the job.
 

HOW TO UNIONIZE WAL-MART by Marc Zwelling
  Polls identify new strategies and hooks that unions could use to organize workplaces such as giant retailers.

Consumers
AUTO PREMIUMS by Jan Rose
  Despite pledges, the insurance industry seems reluctant to lower auto rates without a fight.

Media files
AL-JAZEERA FOR SALE by Rupert Cornwell, in Washington
  US officials deny any attempt to muzzle Arab broadcast agency.

APOLOGIES TO STEVIE from the CAJ
  Canadian Association of Journalists regrets "denouncing" longtime member.

World beat

REVOCATION OF INDEPENDENCE attributed to John Cleese
  Britain rethinks 1776, wants its colony back.
 

DISARMING NORTH KOREA from Women for Peace
  Korean Women for Peace offer plan to contain North Korean nuclear threat.
 

Hot headlines
DUMBING DOWN AMERICA by Michael Ventura, for the Austin Chronicle
  The United States has slipped to 49th in the world's literacy rates.

RETURN OF THE DRAFT by Tim Dickinson, for Rolling Stone
  Overextended Pentagon needs more soldiers — new draft may take most needed professionals first.

GOOGLE FOR HACKERS by Andy Sullivan, in Washington, for Reuters
  Search engine finds enough info for identity theft, other mischief.

THE CORRUPTED US ELECTION by Steve Freeman and Josh Mitteldorf
  Despite what you may have heard, the exit polls were right.

WHAT HARVARD'S PRESIDENT REALLY SAID by Patrick D Healy and Sara Rimer, for The New York Times
  Lawrence Summers' transcript of comments about women only make professors more furious.

Take action!
RSI DAY KICKS OFF ONTARIO ERGONOMICS CAMPAIGN from the Occupational Health and Safety Reps site
  Repetitive Strain Injuries account for up to half of work-related disabilities. Help prevent them by raising awareness.

Feedback from our readers
FROZEN OUT BY PRIVATIZATION from John M Defalque, in Vancouver
  I fled Alberta's high utility bills in order to stay warm.