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Bid By Telecom Giants To Delay CRTC Code Of Conduct Rejected

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TORONTO - The Federal Court of Appeal has rejected a bid by the country's wireless service providers to delay the implementation of the wireless code of conduct.

The CRTC introduced the new code in June, 2013 to give consumers better protection against high cellphone roaming charges and wireless contract cancellation fees.

Wireless operators including Rogers Communications, Telus and BCE Inc. launched legal action last July after raising concerns that some provisions of the code would apply retroactively to all of their customers once fully implemented.

In writing the decision for the three-member panel, Justice Denis Pelletier said the CRTC "has the right to make the wireless code applicable to contracts concluded before the code came into effect."

Once in force, the wireless code would require carriers to limit early cancellation fees, data roaming fees and overage charges, and imposes restrictions on the locking of wireless devices.

The code will apply to all customers, regardless of when they signed contracts.

"Given the CRTC's intention to put more information into the hands of consumers so as to increase the dynamism of the market, it is reasonable to have all consumers on the same footing as soon as possible," Pelletier wrote.

OpenMedia, which represented Canadians throughout the court challenge with legal experts, hailed the decision as a victory.

"This is a major win!" OpenMedia campaigns manager Josh Tabish said in a release. "By standing together, Canadians fought back against telecom giants in court and won."

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Senate Audit Cost $21M, Another 10 Senators Will Be Referred To RCMP: Sources

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A sweeping Auditor General’s audit of the Senate has cost taxpayers $21 million, and uncovered troubling expense claims from 10 more sitting and former senators, CTV News has learned.

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Montreal Youth Suspected Of Wanting To Join Jihadists Overseas Arrested

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MONTREAL - Ten young people suspected of wanting to join jihadist groups overseas were arrested last weekend at Montreal's Trudeau International Airport, the RCMP said late Tuesday.

No charges have been laid, the investigation is ongoing and the 10 young Montrealers have had their passports confiscated.

The RCMP said in a statement that it is unable to release any names or information on what led to the arrests.

Investigators have, however, met with the families and friends of the suspects and said "the decision to leave the country was not that of the family, but of a single family member."

"These are very difficult times for the relatives and loved ones of the persons arrested," the RCMP said. "As a result, family members often find themselves at a complete loss and unable to understand the decision made by the youth."

Public Safety Minister Steven Blaney said in a release that he cannot comment on the arrests directly, but he commended the RCMP and the Integrated National Security Enforcement Team for their "continued vigilance in keeping our streets and communities safe from the ongoing global terror threat."

The weekend arrests follow reports earlier this year that six young people from the Montreal area had left the country in mid-January and may have joined jihadist groups in the Middle East.

A well-placed source confirmed the six people between 18 and 20 years old all went to Turkey, which is a well-known gateway to jihadists groups based in Syria and Iraq. Montreal police would only confirm that they were investigating several cases of missing adults.

In April in Montreal, a young man and woman were arrested in what the Crown called a "preventive measure."

El Mahdi Jamali and Sabrine Djermane, both 18, later pleaded not guilty to four charges, including attempting to leave Canada to commit a terrorist act abroad. A bail hearing for the pair is scheduled for early June.

Also in April, a judge in Edmonton ordered a psychiatric exam for an Alberta teen who was arrested in Beaumont, Alta., in March on allegations he was planning to leave Canada to fight with Islamic State militants.

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BC Ferries' Name Contest Backfires

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Like many corporations in this day and age, BC Ferries launched a contest asking the public to submit names for its three new vessels. And like other well-intended campaigns, it has been hijacked with hilarious results on social media.

British Columbians are more than aware that the company continues to struggle with maintaining service and routes, while cutting costs and capping fare increases.

Many of the current ferries' names start with Queen or Spirit, which people have been using as inspiration. The suggestions posted to the BC Ferries Facebook page include:

  • Spirit of the WalletSucker

  • S.S. ShouldveBeenABridge

  • Queen of the Overpriced

  • MV Corporate Pork

  • Queen of No Other Choice

  • Queen of the Cash Cow

  • The Christy Clark Ark

  • Incompetence Afloat


We'd like to award extra points for those who came up with poetic groups of three, like "Highway Robbery, Privatized Backfire, Rip Off," and "Dewey, Cheetham and Howe" plus these #NameAFerry gems from Twitter:







Even the three prizes of $500 in ferry travel ("as well as the satisfaction of naming one of our new Intermediate Class Ferries") was scoffed at.




To be fair, coming up with some suitable names is not as easy as it looks, considering some of the rules:

  • Names should be gender neutral and easy to spell

  • Names should not be geography specific or reference an individual or event

  • Names should not contain words currently used within a BC Ferries vessel name or vessel class name (i.e. QUEEN, SPIRIT, ISLAND, etc.)


BC Ferries CEO and president Mike Corrigan asked people to "think creatively" for the contest, which closes on June 9. Well, that part is being followed at least.

The first of the new ships is scheduled to be rolled out in August 2016 to replace the 50-year-old Queen of Burnaby on the Comox-Powell River route, while a second ferry will take over the Tsawwassen–Southern Gulf Islands sailings from the 51-year-old Queen of Nanaimo. The third will be used to augment service during busy periods for the Southern Gulf Islands, as well as to back up other vessels that undergo repairs.

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Philippe Couillard: Ex-Premiers' Perks Too High, Too Lavish

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MONTREAL - Jean Charest, nearly $370,000; Pauline Marois, about $130,000; and Bernard Landry, close to $140,000.

Those are the sums the three ex-premiers have cost the Quebec public since leaving office.

The numbers were obtained in documents obtained by The Canadian Press under access-to-information laws.

Quebec offers ex-premiers lavish perks for a three-year period after they leave office, including money to hire staff, buy equipment and rent office space — all at taxpayers' expense.

Premier Philippe Couillard said Wednesday that premiers who leave office are given too many perks for too long a period.

He said he is ready to review the privileges afforded to leaders in their post-political life.

The documents show that Charest, who was premier between 2003 and 2012, charged the province $368,566 between April 2013 and this past February — with about $225,000 on office space and supplies and telecommunications-related costs.

Charest, who now works as a lawyer with McCarthy Tetreault, also billed the province more than $132,000 to hire five researchers and an administrative assistant.

And even though he has a government-issued car and driver-bodyguard, Charest submitted travel bills of about $12,000.

Charest's successor, Pauline Marois, has charged the government a total of $129,276 since last June. She was premier between September 2012 and April 2014.

Bernard Landry, who was premier between 2001 and 2003 before leaving politics in 2005, billed Quebec for $138,612 for between April 2007 and June 2008. The numbers for the first two years were not available.

Couillard was visibly uncomfortable with the news, particularly due to the fact his government has embarked on an ambitious cost-cutting program to balance the budget.

He said he has a problem with the "duration of the privileges and the associated costs."

"We want to bring them (costs) to a more reasonable level," he said.

Official Opposition Leader Pierre Karl Peladeau said he was open to reviewing the generous perk system but didn't elaborate.



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Some Jackasses Strapped Roman Candles To A Drone And Ran. It Was Insane.

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Calling Johnny Knoxville: a few jackasses from Ottawa just stole your bit.

Last March, Constance Bay, Ont.'s Andy Stewart taped some roman candles to a drone with two friends, then chased them with it as it shot out fireworks over a frozen lake, The Ottawa Citizen reported.

A video of the stunt was posted to YouTube the same month, but it started trending this week after it was picked up by the U.K.'s Metro newspaper.

It has drawn almost 900,000 views.

"They were down for it," Stewart said of his friends, in an interview with the Citizen.

"We mess around with fireworks all the time, roman candle fights and stuff like that, so we're not opposed to being shot at by roman candles."

It's not the first time someone has attempted this.

A video showing a similar stunt was posted to YouTube last year with the title, "COD: Call of Drone."



Another video posted last year rather cleverly added Richard Wagner's "Ride of the Valkyries" to its soundtrack, just like in the helicopter scene from "Apocalypse Now."



Sadly, no jackasses were fired upon in that one.

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Edna Bette-Jean Masters Sketch May Bring Clues To B.C. Toddler's 1960 Disappearance

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edna bettejean masters



KAMLOOPS, B.C. - A police sketch artist has dipped pen into the murky inkwell of the past hoping to generate leads on a toddler who vanished 54 years ago.

Kamloops RCMP have released an age-progression sketch of Edna Bette-Jean Masters who disappeared from the Red Lake area north of the city in July 1960.

Police re-opened the case two years ago during a historic case review and have now applied new forensic-art technology to create the drawing.

The picture depicts what Masters might look like as an adult and was completed using photos of her siblings, parents and snapshots taken of her as a child.

RCMP Cpl. Cheryl Bush says it's absolutely possible the woman might be living somewhere, having aged without knowing the true story of her past.

The 21-month-old girl went missing and police never recovered any evidence about what might have happened.



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Harper, Poroshenko Agree Russia Must Face Economic Sanctions

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OTTAWA - Prime Minister Stephen Harper has spoken with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko about the ongoing situation in eastern Ukraine and pledged Canada's continued support.

The Prime Minister's Office says in a release that Poroshenko thanked Canada for the support provided to Ukraine in recent months, and Canada's participation in upcoming military training exercises.

Poroshenko told Harper the recent capture of two members of the Russian Special Operations Force in Ukraine is further evidence of direct Russian involvement in the region.

And the statement says both leaders agreed that the Russian aggression in Ukraine must be met with economic sanctions.

Canada has all but severed relations with Russian President Vladimir Putin, save for a brief handshake between Harper and Putin at last year's G20, when the prime minister told the Russian leader flatly to get out of Ukraine.

In addition to imposing a series of sanctions against individuals and entities in both Russia and Ukraine, Canada has provided non-lethal military equipment to the Ukrainian government and provided humanitarian support and assistance to the civilian population.



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Alberta Boy Accused Of Break-Ins Is Too Young To Charge: RCMP

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WETASKIWIN, Alta. - Mounties are accusing an 11-year-old boy of participating in several break-ins in central Alberta.

Wetaskiwin RCMP have responded to 10 break-ins at homes and businesses in the area over the past three weeks.

Thieves took household items as well as ATVs and motorcycles.

On the weekend, police responded to three residential alarms and arrested two males following a search.

Trenton Okeymow, who is 18, and a 16-year-old male have been charged with breaking and entering and possession of stolen property.

The boy is too young to be charged under the law.

(CHUB)



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NDP Says Universities Not Neutral Enough To Host Leaders' Debates

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OTTAWA — Canada’s New Democrats believe Canadian universities are “not really neutral” enough venues in which to hold the leaders’ debates.

The surprising comments were made by NDP national campaign director Anne McGrath during confidential discussions with representatives of the broadcast consortium as well as the Liberal party, Green party and Bloc Québécois, several sources told The Huffington Post Canada.

The Conservatives did not participate in the discussions in Ottawa on Thursday, although it appears they spoke with the consortium before the meeting.

“The NDP had the same concern as the Conservatives, in that the venues being proposed are universities,” one source said, requesting anonymity. “The NDP’s argument was that universities are not really neutral.

“It was shocking,” the source added. “The [NDP] seemed so committed in getting youth engaged in politics, and, interestingly, the consortium is really engaged on that.”

McGrath suggested that the consortium consider the National Arts Centre in Ottawa or Massey Hall in Toronto, the person added.

NDP spokesman George Soule told HuffPost that McGrath would not comment to the media.

“We are not going to comment on parts of negotiations that happen behind closed doors,” he said.

The Conservatives had previously argued before the consortium that universities were not ideal because it would be hard to control the crowd. The fear seems to be that a student might say something or someone might throw something on stage.

“It is odd, isn’t it?,” said another source familiar with Thursday’s discussion who also requested anonymity. “They could hold it in a ditch as far as I’m concerned.”

“[But] you would think that the NDP would want to talk about education,” the person added.

A source from a third party said the exchange with McGrath happened during a discussion with the Green party representatives.

Thursday’s debate wranglings confirmed to some that the NDP and Conservatives have been working together for months to box in the Liberals and freeze the Greens out of the debates.

“In my view, there is an attempt to get the Liberals off the opposition map… and the NDP doesn’t want the Greens there,” one person involved with the negotiations said. “Two parties who are diametrically opposed are working together.”

On Twitter, Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau’s advisor, Gerald Butts, has been tweeting sections of books written by NDP strategist Brad Lavigne and Toronto Star journalist Susan Delacourt describing how the NDP and the Tories co-operated in past federal elections.

A Liberal source, who was not at the negotiations, said Prime Minister Stephen Harper is choosing to participate in debates only in venues and from outlets with which he is most comfortable.

“It’s insane, he’s accepted a debate hosted by [Parti Québécois Leader] Pierre Karl Péladeau’s company [TVA television network], one hosted by The Globe and Mail in Harper’s hometown [Calgary], one by conservative Peter Munk’s foundation, and one moderated by his biographer [Maclean’s magazine’s Paul Wells].”

“The headscratcher is why the NDP abetted all of this. All they had to do was to say we are open to other debates and we are fine to participate in them on the condition that Harper participates in the broadcast. And as soon as they left him off the hook, he just ran the table on them.”

The Liberals outlined Thursday their preference for a broadcast debate that, they said, would reach the most Canadians. The televised debate in English during the 2011 campaign reached 10 million Canadians. The Liberals did not say whether they were open to more debates outside the consortium. They have not committed to the Globe, TVA, Maclean’s or Munk debates though the NDP has confirmed its participation. The NDP has also said it will take part in a debate sponsored by the seniors’ advocacy group CARP and another organized by the women’s rights group Up for Debate.

Soule said it is “ridiculous” to suggest that the NDP and Tories are working together. “Our position from the beginning has been that more debates are better. And we are looking forward to seeing Tom Mulcair debate Stephen Harper and the other leaders so he can put forward the NDP plan to get Canada on the right track.

“You can be sure that Tom will debate the prime minister anytime, anywhere.”

Soule said the NDP had engaged with the consortium hoping all parties would agree to the debates.

Conservative party spokesman Kory Teneycke confirmed late Thursday that the Tories would not participate in the broadcast consortium’s debates at all.

In the United States, the Commission on Presidential Debates published a list last month of the venues that had applied to be host for presidential debates. It included 14 universities or colleges and two cities.

No decision was made Thursday on whether the venue would be a university or whether there would be audience participation.

The consortium told party representatives at the meeting that there would be two debates instead of four and sought agreement — which they achieved — that the parties would take part in those debates despite the Conservatives’ absence. The consortium made it clear to everyone that it has no intention of breaking up, sources said.

The meeting resulted in a communiqué outlining the confirmation.

The Bloc issued a press release in French saying it was upset it had not been included in the English debate.
The Huffington Post Canada has also made a proposal to hold an English and French-language debate during the writ period with the Conservative, NDP, Liberal and Green leaders. An invitation to take part in a French debate was also extended to the Bloc Québécois and Forces et Démocratie.

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Maygan Sensenberger, Ex-Senator's Wife, Charged After Allegedly Assaulting Police

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Maygan Sensenberger, the wife of ex-Liberal senator Rod Zimmer, is facing more legal trouble after allegedly pulling knives on police officers.

Sensenberger, 26, has been charged with uttering threats and mischief after an encounter with police in February.

This latest incident follows an August 2014 confrontation at an Ottawa medical clinic. She was charged after allegedly attacking two women using a hand-held fan and lit cigarette, The Ottawa Citizen reported.

She later failed to show for a court appearance and a bench warrant for her arrest was issued in September 2014, according to court documents cited by The Ottawa Sun.

The warrant, however, wasn't executed until Feb. 22, when paramedics arrived at the home she shares with Zimmer in Ottawa's tony Rockcliffe Park area.

At that time, paramedics were called to help the 72-year-old ex-senator with a health issue, but they notified police about Sensenberger, who reportedly appeared drunk and threatened three police officers while holding kitchen knives, The Citizen reported.

She was charged with uttering threats of bodily harm, and she faced an additional charge of mischief after allegedly damaging the window of a police car while she was being arrested.

Sensenberger has also been charged with breaching her conditions, after she received a suspended sentence following a 2012 incident on a flight from Ottawa to Saskatoon.

One of those conditions was that she not consume alcohol, the Sun reported.

She is out on bail.

The plane incident brought her to national attention after she allegedly threatened to slit her husband's throat. She later pleaded guilty to causing a disturbance on a flight, and was directed to seek counselling.

The Sun reported that police were called to the couple's Ottawa home again last week after four men allegedly broke in and stole 27 firearms. No one was home at the time of the break-in.

Zimmer resigned from the Senate citing health concerns in 2013.

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Vancouver Penthouse For Sale Fits The Whole Family

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Penthouses in Vancouver's red-hot real estate market are rare, let alone one that has enough room for a family.

But it does happen. A 5,500 sq.-ft. waterfront suite on the coveted top floor is up for grabs in the snazzy Coal Harbour area.

Listed for $8.8 million, the Bayshore Drive penthouse has four bedrooms and three full bathrooms, plus another two half-baths. Office and fitness room are included too.

Naturally, the place is decked out with floor-to-ceiling windows and has a massive terrace. Together, they offer quite the 360-degree view of the North Shore mountains, Stanley Park, and the marina below.

vancouver penthouse

beyshore penthouse

There's even a storage locker for the family bicycles. (Perhaps the ol' tandem bike could fit, too.)

All that, for the cost of your kids' university education — plus some.




(H/T LuxuryBC)

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Vancouver Lightning Puts On A Beautiful Show

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Vancouver certainly has a flair for the dramatic.

The popular filming location didn't need any Hollywood stars to stop people in their tracks on Thursday night.

A stunning late-spring sunset soon made way for a ferocious lightning storm, which was captured by many people on social media:

It doesn't really get better than this. #Vancouver

A photo posted by Nhi Le (@noyocreative) on





Just some #lightning. 2 separate strikes but they almost look the same. #slomo

A video posted by Chris VanderKooi (@chrisvanderkooi) on





A rare lightning storm in Vancouver. #lightning #vancouver #nofilter

A photo posted by Michaela (@mnd01) on





A little light show over #vancity tonight. #tropicalstorm #lightning

A video posted by Greg Bartels (@gabfilms) on









I'm still a little bit afraid of lightning storms... #vscocam #Vancouver #lightning

A photo posted by Emma Fennell (@emmacfennell) on









It was unclear if the lightning storm had anything to do with a fire that broke out on the guideway of the SkyTrain Expo line. It led to a communications failure for all trains between Waterfront and Edmonds stations, said TransLink late Thursday night. A bus shuttle was being set up to transport passengers.

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Vancouver Aquarium Dolphin Undergoes Breakthrough Surgery

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VANCOUVER - One of two Pacific white-sided dolphins at the Vancouver Aquarium is in critical condition after groundbreaking emergency surgery for a gastrointestinal disorder.

Aquarium veterinarian Dr. Martin Haulena said that while the procedure was successful, 21-year-old Hana is being watched around the clock and the prognosis is grave.

"It is hour by hour," he told a new conference Friday. "She is in very intensive care."

He said the normally energetic dolphin was found suddenly ill on Monday morning, avoiding food and trainers. She had fluid in her abdominal cavity and veterinarians suspected she had severe gastrointestinal problems.

The aquarium flew in a team of experts from San Diego, Colorado and Florida, and they confirmed on Wednesday night that she had gastrointestinal distension and inflammation.

The cause of Hana's disorder is not yet known, as the team is waiting for the results of biopsies.

Haulena said he suspects a commonplace germ that is not infectious is involved and that it affects both animals in captivity and in the wild.

As Hana's condition deteriorated Thursday evening, the team faced losing the dolphin or trying surgery using general anaesthesia — among the first such procedures performed on a Pacific white-sided dolphin.

Haulena said the surgery also marked the first exploratory laparotomy — an incision in the abdomen — and intestinal surgery on a whale or dolphin of any kind.

He said seven veterinarians participated in the surgery and more than 40 people helped overall.






"It was very groundbreaking," said Haulena, adding he had barely slept in days.

"The degree of professionalism and skill in that room was inspiring. It was a very cool experience, if you could detach yourself from the fact that this is Hana, who is our friend and we're doing the best we can."

Hana was rescued in 2003 by Japanese officials who deemed her unreleasable due to injuries she suffered from getting tangled in a fishing net. She has been at the Vancouver Aquarium since 2005.

Haulena said the aquarium's other dolphin, 27-year-old Helen, was in good health and staff would likely consider bringing in a new companion or finding her another home if Hana dies.

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Peter MacKay: Sex Workers Exit Strategy 'Over-Subscribed'

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ESQUIMALT, B.C. - There are more groups than money available for the government's proposed $20 million plan to get sex workers out of the industry, Justice Minister Peter MacKay said Friday.

MacKay said the government will soon announce who receives funds to participate in the program that aims to help sex workers transition from the trade, but he didn't provide a time frame.

The plan is an off-shoot of the government's Protection of Communities and Exploited Persons Act, which became law last year and makes it an offence to buy sexual services or communicate for that purpose.

It was created after the Supreme Court of Canada struck down the country's prostitution laws.

Sex workers said the law puts them in harm's way by preventing them from speaking with and screening clients, while sex-worker advocates, aboriginal leaders and law enforcement officials said $20 million is not enough money to help people leave the sex trade.

"Our challenge is, of course, to have a criteria that will determine how that funding is delivered, but it is certainly our hope to start making these specific contributions to various programs in the very near future," said MacKay, who was in the Victoria-area community of Esquimalt for a separate announcement.

"We were, I don't want to say overwhelmed, but certainly over-subscribed for that amount of money," he said.

MacKay did acknowledge concerns have been raised about the size of the fund, but said it's the first time a federal government has attempted this type of program.

"Some may say $20 million for a problem this large, a country this large, a population our size, but it's important to note this is the first money, this is the first federal investment specific to the effort to help, predominantly women, but vulnerable Canadians leave prostitution," he said.

At federal justice committee hearings last year aboriginal women, police officials and former prostitutes denounced the five-year $20-million pledge as insufficient.

Former Calgary police chief Rick Hanson called the money "woefully inadequate," and Michele Audette, president of the Native Women's Association of Canada, said "$20 million is peanuts."

But MacKay said the "exit strategy" will support existing programs and partner with other groups working to help people leave the sex trade.

MacKay made the comments at a Boys and Girls Club Services of Greater Victoria youth centre when he announced funding of $300,000 over the next three years to support a program for young offenders' returning to society through meaningful work and life experience.



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Canadians Killed In Mexican Boating Accident: Reports

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GUADALAJARA, Mexico - There are reports that two Canadians have died in a boating accident in Mexico.

Two Mexican media outlets are reporting the Canadians were on board a sailboat that ran into strong winds earlier this week on Lake Chapala near Guadalajara.

The Guadalajara publication Informador reports on its website that authorities have found the bodies of two Canadians, while a third remains unaccounted for.

Foreign Affairs says it's in contact with local authorities and is providing consular assistance to the families.

The department isn't releasing the identities of the Canadians.



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Stephen Curry's Daughter Riley Owns His Press Conference. He Keeps His Cool.

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Daddy, I'mma let you finish, but I'm about to give the greatest press conference of all time.

That's what two-year-old Riley Curry might as well have said at an event on Tuesday.

She completely owned a presser featuring her NBA star father Stephen, after his Golden State Warriors defeated the Houston Rockets 110-106 in the playoffs.

The point guard's adorable daughter insisted on sitting on daddy's lap as he addressed the media.

And suddenly all the post-game questions became irrelevant.




The NBA later released a touching video highlighting Curry's relationship with his daughter.



"She's got a charisma about her, she's not shy at all," Curry said in the video. "She is wise beyond her years."

It would be easy for a star like Curry to assume the spotlight on his own. But he seemed more than happy to share it with his daughter and show what a proud father he is.

And he's not the first. Fellow NBA star Kobe Bryant and San Francisco Giants pitcher Jake Peavy have also brought their kids to press conferences, reported NESN.

Then there was the time Los Angeles Clippers star Chris Paul brought his son, Chris Paul Jr., to a news conference.

And he gave Blake Griffin the stink eye.



With Father's Day coming up, Curry's press conference had us thinking about other athlete dads who've shared the limelight with their kids.

Here are some more heartwarming moments of dads with their children:



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Ottawa Buildings Unprepared For Active Shooter, Report Finds

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The City of Ottawa has adopted a new policy to prepare for armed attackers after an Ottawa police report found that office buildings need better security measures in the wake of the Oct. 22 shootings.


The police report was undertaken after Cpl. Nathan Cirillo was gunned down at the National War Memorial and shooter Michael Zehaf-Bibeau stormed Parliament Hill's Centre Block.


CBC News learned the report revealed the large scale police response caused mass confusion around downtown Ottawa.


The report also indicated most office buildings in Ottawa are prepared for a fire or bomb threat, but not for active gunmen.


"Not everyone has a policy or procedure in the event of an active shooter in the building, or a threat in environment around your building," said Insp. Mark Ford, a member of the Ottawa police emergency operations directorate.


Ford said police learned about this gap when officers enacted a large safety zone on Oct. 22.


The perimeter stretched several blocks around the war monument and Parliament Hill, which pushed pedestrians away and kept people inside buildings that were within the perimeter.


Kids well-trained, parents aren't, police say


Officers discovered many people stood near windows watching the action outside, which could have been within the line of fire. Others had darted from their buildings before an official police lockdown was put in place.


"Our kids are well-trained, well-educated and well-rehearsed, but the parents in the community have a lot to learn," Ford said.


Ottawa City Hall has heeded the advice from police, though, by reviewing its security policies and reaching out to federal departments such as the Treasury Board, says Pierre Poirier, the Chief of Security & Emergency Management at the City of Ottawa.


Working with Ottawa police, Poirier said the city now has an "Active Attacker" policy, which closely mirrors how schools deal with nearby dangers.


"They use the idea of lockdown, secure and safe facility and safe zone," Poirier said.


"We align the language so parents know how their kids are taken care of, and so parents know what to expect in terms of procedures here at city hall and Constellation Place."


Poirier said staff members are currently being educated on the proper procedure for different threat levels. That includes when doors should be locked, when and where people should hide and who is in charge of giving those orders.



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Affordable Housing Issue 'Abandoned' By Federal Government, Says Vancouver Mayor

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Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson says the federal government has "abandoned" affordable housing, as he addressed concerns the city's expensive real estate prices are pushing millennials out.


A study from Vancity Credit Union released earlier this week predicted a mass migration of young people out of Metro Vancouver, because wages are not keeping up with the high prices of housing.


"It's obviously a huge concern," Robertson told the Early Edition's Rick Cluff. "We've seen this wave coming, it's been pretty obvious for a number of years."


Robertson said the city has been focusing on building rental housing, as it is the most affordable city hall can deliver.


But, he said, the federal government hasn't done enough to help major cities like Vancouver that are experiencing a housing crisis.


"We do not have enough support from the federal government to bring the cost of housing down in our cities. Housing is very expensive across Canada because the federal government has basically abandoned the field."


Robertson said he wants the housing crunch to be a major federal election issue.


"You look at a huge supply of our affordable housing right now and it came from programs to build rental housing across Canada.


"Those programs faded away decades ago and that means we have nowhere near enough rental housing being built across the country."


Mayor's message to millennials


The Vancity credit union report indicates a family household income needs to be $123,000 in order to maintain an average mortgage in Metro Vancouver.


But the inconsistent salary to housing cost ratio has led waves of young people to leave the city over the last few years, says the report. 770 are projected to have left in 2012 with that number increasing to 1,571 in 2013.


Robertson says that's unacceptable.


"I don't think we can be letting that happen — we have to do everything we can to prevent it. We thrive as a diverse city where people can live close to where they work."



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Bob Rennie, Vancouver Condo King, Calls For B.C. Tax On House Flippers

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bob rennie

B.C. should tax homebuyers who sell properties within months of purchase to discourage speculation, says a high-profile Vancouver condo marketer.

"It's not about foreigners. It is speculation we should be concerned about," Bob Rennie told more than 1,000 people at a downtown Vancouver hotel ballroom on Friday.

The speculation tax would be "a visible, measurable gesture," perhaps with the rate dropping the longer someone owns the home, suggested the owner of Rennie Marketing Systems. The money collected from the tax could then fund grants of $5,000 to $15,000 to help young, first-time buyers.

He added that the financial aid should only go to people who can prove they don't have parents with the means to help them with down payments.

Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson supports Rennie's idea.

“We definitely need taxation tools that discourage speculation on real estate. It’s clear that rampant speculation on real estate is driving up prices in Vancouver," Robertson said in a statement.

On top of pushing for provincial action, Robertson has been lobbying for the federal government to return to funding affordable rental housing.

"Their complete absence in supporting low and middle income housing is making it extremely difficult for people, especially young people, to live and work in Vancouver," he said.

A Vancity report this week said salaries are not keeping pace with Vancouver's runaway real estate prices, leading to an exodus of millennials (those born between 1980 and 2000). The current household income of $123,000 needed to pay for an average mortgage in the city will rise to $197,965by 2025, said the study.

bob rennie

Rennie also stressed that supply is drying up in Vancouver, which is no longer creating new single-family homes, and challenged developers to build a lot of density all at once to cool down prices.

”If we don’t change things from today’s climate [of] 'I want a detached home' in a city that can’t provide it, we could end up with our worst fears of Vancouver only as a resort city," he said during the hour-long address.

Rennie said that he hates "the racist undertone that is rampant out there" in discussion and debate about Vancouver's housing market.

"The conversations aren’t about foreign. We all know it. They are about China," he said.

While one-third of the units at Vancouver House — a prominent new condo tower — have been purchased by buyers from Asia, Europe and the U.S., Rennie pointed out that many other developments are completely sold to locals.

According to polling data commissioned by his company, Rennie said 61 per cent of Asian baby boomers are helping their kids with home purchases, compared to 42 per cent of non-Asian parents.

"So it’s all of these Asian hipsters buying. We say they’re offshore, but they’re local."

Negative message

Rennie said he does not support a housing sales tax on foreign investors because it would send a negative message to overseas businesses in the needed technology, manufacturing, or liquefied natural gas sectors that they could be targeted to.

B.C. Premier Christy Clark, who counted Rennie as a big supporter during her election campaigns, has already ruled out raising taxes for overseas homebuyers.

Rennie's annual speech to the Urban Development Institute is scrutinized by the real estate and development industry.

Rennie is known as the "condo king" who started his career as a real estate agent and worked on the Olympic Village re-development. He brushed aside criticism that he's trying to drum up condo sales, saying, "it's the least of my worries."

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