Posted: May 06, 2009

A PEACE PLANK FOR IGNATIEFF by Linda McQuaig
  New Liberal leader needs to position himself politically.
 
 

PIGS ARE JUST THE SCAPEGOAT FOR SWINE FLU by Cathy Holtslander
  The real cause is a chronic economic disease caused by corporate control of food.
 

INDIGENOUS WISDOM AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE by Stephen Leahy for InterPress Service
  Native peoples' conference ponders remedies for Mother Nature's "fever".
 

UN SPECIAL ENVOY AND AIDE SNATCHED IN NIGER by Yves Engler
  Fowler and Guay kidnapping sheds light on diplomatic links with mining industry.
 

WILL WONDERS NEVER CEASE? Now you can carry your memory in your pocket... With a flash memory drive, we mean. Even better – you can impress family and friends with your own genuine Straight Goods memory stick! Every $100 (or more) donation – or 3-year paid subscription or renewal for $95 – will receive a free 4GB memory stick. (A $30 value!) AND, in addition, every $100 donation specifically to Straight Goods will receive a bonus of one year's paid subscription or renewal. Subscribe - Renew - Donate ... now! Of course, smaller donations and/or paid subscriptions/renewals will be gratefully received, too. AND DON'T FORGET TO SPREAD THE WORD TO YOUR ASSOCIATES AND FRIENDS...! Remember! Paid subscribers get access to more than 8000 articles in SG's archives. We're in our tenth year, and we couldn't do it without people who SUPPORT INDEPENDENT JOURNALISM IN CANADA.

Editorial
TIME TO CHALLENGE ECONOMIC ORTHODOXY by Ish Theilheimer
  Michael Ignatieff's tinkering opens opportunities for Jack Layton, if he seizes them.
 

STOP GM ALFALFA IN CANADA from the National Farmers' Union
  "Because it's pollinated by bees, genes from Monsanto's GM alfalfa would spread out of control."

Science matters

GIVE UP WASTEFUL AND DANGEROUS HABITS by David Suzuki, with Faisal Moola
  It's no great sacrifice to protect the environment.
 
 

MeanToons
ANSWERED AND ASKED
  One person's burning purpose is another person's puzzlement.

www.meantoons.com

Canadian Politics

MULRONEY HAS SOME 'SPLAINING TO DO by Geoffrey Stevens
  Comedy of improbable coincidences and selective amnesia unfolds in Oliphant inquiry.
 

"IT'S A MATTER OF VISION" – ANDREA HORWATH by Ish Theilheimer
  Exclusive Straight Goods video interview with new Ontario NDP leader.
 

HALT TRADE TREATY WITH COLOMBIA: LETTER from the Council of Canadians and the Canadian Council for International Co-operation
  Prominent Canadians ask Ignatieff to put human rights before free trade in Colombia.

SHUT DOWN ALBERTA'S TEMPORARY WORKER PROGRAM: REPORT by Scott Harris
  Alberta Labour Fed says feds reshaping immigration policy by the back door.

TIME TO GET RID OF GORDON AND BC LIBS by Bill Tieleman
  As Election Day nears, look at the Liberals' record.
 
 

Workplaces
UNION CONTRACT IMPOSED AT STE-HYACINTHE WAL-MART from the National Union of Public and General Employees
  Two hundred workers to receive raise of 30 cents an hour.

Consumers
72 WEIGHT-LOSS PRODUCTS ILLEGALLY SPIKED WITH PRESCRIPTION DRUGS from Public Citizen
  WorstPills.org chastises US Food and Drug Administration for weak enforcement-Public Citizen

VIA AND THE INTERNET by Michael Cowley-Owen, Straight Goods Webmaster
  A personal account of how the national passenger rail service is coping with the information age.

World beat
IRANIAN WOMEN CALL FOR GENDER EQUALITY by Golnaz Esfandiari
  Two women put their names forward as candidates in June presidential election.
 

Media files
GLOBE SETTLES SUIT WITH FREELANCERS by Richard Blackwell
  Thousands of writers could be eligible to share $11 million.

PICK OF THE WEEK

PEOPLE NEED TO BE BAILED OUT, TOO! Join NUPGE's campaign to share the bread. The National Union of Public Employees has a new campaign, called "Cut me a slice", anchored by this interactive website. You can sound off, upload pix and videos, browse resources, join in forum discussions, and follow the Bread and Butter Tour, and much more.   peoplesresponse.ca/splash.html

Hot headlines
HEALTH HAZARDS OF SOUR GAS RILE BC VOTERS by Greg Amos for The Tyee.ca
  Premier Campbell was surprised to hear oil and gas study urged safety actions 16 months ago.

Take action!
DEMAND HUMAN RIGHTS FOR ALL from Amnesty International
  Sign Amnesty's appeal to governments of the Americas.

Feedback from our readers
STV WOULD GIVE BC VOTERS REAL CHOICES by Maureen Maier
  BC voters should support the Citizen's Assembly recommendation.

Humour
LEARNING THE HARD WAY from the Internet
  Be careful what you wish for – and from whom you wish it.