Ottawa

What happened to the Tory promise to scrap corporate welfare? Tomorrow morning Conservative MP Monte Solberg is announcing additional funding for a publicly traded agri-business called Flexible Solutions International (FSI). The company received a $1 million, zero-interest loan in February for a pilot project facility in Taber, Alberta. The plant will produce a chemical product that enhances agriculture yields. It sounds like a great idea, especially given the recent interest in agriculture investing. In fact, the company had a great first quarter in 2008. But if things are so good, why the government money?  FSI’s chief executive officer Dan O’Brien says he took advantage of the loan to avoid diluting shareholders with a new stock issuing. (Read the full post about ‘Monte Solberg brings home the bacon’…)

The probe into a spy ring giving information about US-Taiwan arms deals to the Communists scores another guilty plea.

If someone you cared about left an important document at your house, would you make immediate arrangements to return it? That’s the question I’d like to ask Canadians in the context of the Maxime Bernier controversy. Why would Bernier’s girlfriend, Julie Couillard, keep a confidential government document and use it as a weapon to destroy his political career? Unfortunately, my question wasn’t put to Canadians. (Read the full post about ‘Canadians support RCMP probe into Bernier controversy: Poll’…)

In the Post, today, a report about the ban of pro-life groups on campus. Again. Says Gilary Massa, vice-president of the York Federation of Students:

"Is this an issue of free speech? No, this is an issue of women’s rights."

Broken record alert: It is no one’s right to have an abortion. Abortion is not now, never was a right. The Supreme Court of Canada never said that. And if you take away freedom of speech, you sure don’t enhance women’s rights. Repeating this is getting tiring, but then again, I’m not the one initiating thought bans at major universities. 

Cross-posted to ProWomanProLife

Check out a column I wrote for the Toronto Sun where, in the name of political journalism, I take a long look at Julie Couillard’s cleavage and explain what it means for the future of our beloved Confederation.

Monique and John Benfield, pictured heind some of their tennis students, were recently given Civic Appreciation Awards from the City of Ottawa for their work with the non-profit tennis club. Photo by Steve Fouchard Life lessons on the court Monique and John Benfield sit in the office of the Blackburn Tennis Club reflecting on their 20-plus years leading the club’s Junior Tennis Camp. One of their students, a dark-haired boy who looks younger than his 12 years, wanders in looking for a tissue to wipe a runny nose and to talk about his new racquet. He calls the couple “Mr. and Mrs. B,” as do all their students. (Read the full post about ‘Life lessons on the court’…)

Gwen Bouchard is the new co-ordinator for the Gloucester Emergency Food Cupboard. Photo by Etienne Ranger Community support keeps Food Cupboard going, new boss says “We’re not in the business of judging people or telling them what to do,” says Gwen Bouchard, new co-ordinator of the Gloucester Emergency Food Cupboard. She’s held the job for little over a month and taken over at the facility at a most interesting time. (Read the full post about ‘Community support keeps Food Cupboard going, new boss says’…)

Many students from last year’s Canada Linc exchange were billeted by Orléans families, organizers say. File photo Spanish students looking for homes Organizers from an international program are once again putting out a call to potential east-end hosts for visiting Spanish students this summer, after an overwhelming reply last year from Orléans residents willing to open their homes. “Last year we needed 41 families, and I didn’t think we would end up with enough … (but there was a large concentration from Orléans),” says Ottawa-area coordinator Alana Lama, who adds they’re still looking for 10 more local families to billet students from June 26 to July 24.Based out of the Kitchener-Waterloo area, Canada Linc offers English as a Second Language for groups and individuals, combining language instruction with a cultural immersion into local homes. (Read the full post about ‘Spanish students looking for homes’…)

Sharon Lawrence, left, and Pierrette Woods, former co-chairs of the now dissolved Innes Re-Zoning and Development Group. Photo by Etienne Ranger Innes Re-Zoning and Development Group disbanded After spending the better part of a decade as a development watchdog for the Orléans Industrial Park and its surrounding area, the Innes Re-Zoning and Development Group is no more. (Read the full post about ‘Innes Re-Zoning and Development Group disbanded’…)

Online auction closes Wednesday Weekly Journal readers have until this Wednesday, June 4, to participate in a $150,000-online auction featuring 300 items from local merchants. Already, dozens of readers have bid on and won various items. In many cases, they have saved 50 per cent off the regular retail value of the item.

“While biddings can start as low as $1, the items must reach 50 per cent of their value to sell,” explains Weekly Journal and Orléans Star publisher Terry Tyo. “What that means is that our readers often save between 40 and 50 percent off the regular price.”

By visiting EastOttawa.ca, readers can access the Merkado.ca website, with online auctions from Ontario and Quebec as well as free classified advertising. (Read the full post about ‘Online auction closes Wednesday’…)