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Feds Penny-Pinched on Science Libraries While Lavishing Funds on Religion and Oil

NATIONAL OBSERVER Beginning in 2008 — at the height of the global financial crisis — the federal government spent over $20 million on Christian religious groups and schools, including $495,600 for the Wycliffe Bible Translators in Langley, B.C. and $3.7 million transferred from federal funds to “Youth for Christ” in Winnipeg. It also set up…. STORY HERE.

How John Baird Bungled Mohamed Fahmy's Release

NATIONAL OBSERVER Canadian journalist Mohamed Fahmy wasted no time in blasting the Harper government just 18 days before the federal election for overstating its role in securing his recent release from an Egyptian jail. Details here. RELATED: "Pick up the Phone, Steve! Demand Justice for Mohamed Fahmy!"

This Country Is Already Carbon Neutral and Now Plans to Go 100% Organic and Zero-Waste

care2 It has been hailed as one of the greenest countries on Earth . Currently, the country’s carbon emissions rate is a negligible 0.8 metric tons per capita , according to the World Bank. Not only is it  carbon neutral , it’s also a carbon sink—making it one of the few countries in the world to have negative carbon emissions. Story here.

National Televised Leaders Debate Cancellation is an Affront to Democracy.

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News Release - Green Party of Canada.  GRANDVIEW October 2, 2015 – Despite efforts by the Greens and the major national English language television broadcasters, the NDP have withdrawn from the national leaders' debate and today the debate has been cancelled. “Cancellation of the National leader’s debate is a huge blow to democracy and to Canadian voters." said Kate Storey, local Green Party candidate for Dauphin Swan River Neepawa (above). 

A Candidate's Forum on Child Poverty Touches a Nerve in Manitoba.

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by Larry Powell Planet In Peril has sorted through some of the confusion surrounding the absence of Robert Sopuck (above), the Conservative Member of Parliament for Dauphin-Swan River-Neepawa,  from a candidates' forum on child poverty in Neepawa on Wednesday.  About a month ago, his office told forum organizers that he would be attending.  But his office manager in Neepawa, Christine Waddell, later announced he could not attend due to "scheduling conflicts." She said the night of the event, he was in Inglis, a small town in the western part of his riding.  This morning, however, Sopuck himself told PinP he had actually been in Roblin, a larger town just north of Inglis. A newspaper ad indicated it was a "meet and greet" affair. But that was in the morning in Roblin, a town within a 3-hour drive of Neepawa. So it's still not clear what the event in Inglis was which took priority over a candidate's forum. The MP bristled at my suggestion th

Conservative MP Absent From a Child Poverty Forum in Southwestern Manitoba.

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Are hungry kids a priority for the Harper government? by Larry Powell The forum (for the riding of Dauphin - Swan River - Neepawa) was sponsored by the Mission and Services Committee of the Neepawa United Church. It drew about 80 people to the church on Wednesday. But only four of the five candidates (see below) took part in the debate -  Ray  PichĆ©  (Liberal),   Kate Storey (Green Party),  Inky Mark (Ind.) and  Laverne Lewycky (NDP) . The 5th candidate, the sitting Conservative MP for the area, Robert Sopuck (represented by the empty chair on the right), did not attend. His office manager in Neepawa, Christine Waddell, said he was in Inglis, a small community in the western part of the riding for the evening. She did not elaborate. But she did explain that a campaign worker was mistaken when he told forum organizers earlier that Mr. Sopuck would, in fact be there. PichĆ© , the Liberal candidate, said the MP's absence showed “disrespect” for the rest of the candidates