Posted: December 16, 2009

AFGHAN DETAINEES A SERIOUS ISSUE by Linda McQuaig
  Knowingly transferring prisoners to be tortured amounts to a war crime.
 
 

LONG ARM OF MARITIME SECURITY by Stuart Trew
  New maritime security law will deputize US officers "in every part of Canada" during integrated operations.
 
 

CHINA THE NEW CHALLENGER FOR WORLD WIND LEADERSHIP by J. Matthew Roney
  China's onshore wind resources could meet its current electricity needs seven times over.
 

SMALL FARMERS CAN COOL THE WORLD by Stephen Leahy
  Nearly half of greenhouse gases may come from industrial agriculture.
 
 

It's holiday time! Enjoy your latkes or fatted goose and other family favourites. Remember, supporting Straight Goods makes a great gift, to yourself... Please donate – subscribe – renew ... today! (Our ISP is experiencing intermittent problems which, from time to time, can cause delays in the opening of our articles or processing of transactions. Sorry if this causes any inconvenience: we hope, the issue will be resolved soon. Please keep trying...)

Editorial
OUR GOVERNMENT MAKES US ASHAMED OF CANADA by Ish Theilheimer
  Harperites' bully tactics and corporate ethics contradict Canada’s national and economic values.
 

Gordon's corner


NEWSPAPER STANDARDS ARE SLIPPING by Charles Gordon
  Broadsheets now running stories that only tabloids used to run.
 
 

Science matters

MORE THAN A GREAT PLACE TO CATCH FISH by David Suzuki, with Faisal Moola
  Oceans are the anchor for life on this planet.
 

MeanToons
ONE ANSWER TO CLIMATE CHANGE
  Arctic cold triggers fight-or-flight reflex.

www.meantoons.com

Canadian Politics
HARPER IS ATTEMPTING TO DEFY PARLIAMENT by Geoffrey Stevens
  Despite a majority vote, the government refuses to produce the documents on Afghan prisoners.
 

IN DR LOTTA'S MEMORY by Elsie Hambrook
  Lotta Hitschmanova's 100th birthday is a good reason to add developing world to your Christmas list.
 
 

CANADA'S FLAWED ENERGY POLICIES from the Parkland Institute
  For-profit business model creates major environmental, social, economic, and political problems.
 

HST OPPONENTS WON'T SHUT UP by Bill Tieleman
  Opposition to HST continues to grow.
 
 

Faith speaks

KAIROS FIGHTS CIDA CUTS by Dennis Gruending
  Harperites slash funding to ecumenical group working on development, environmental issues.
 

Workplaces
BILL 168 PASSES THIRD READING IN ONTARIO LEGISLATURE from the Workers Health & Safety Centre
  Labour secures important amendments to workplace violence bill.

Consumers
FOOD LABEL TRICKS AND TRUTHS from ShopSmart Magazine
  What's really in the stuff you're eating? ShopSmart deconstructs food labels.

REGULATE FINANCIAL PLANNERS IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST from the Public Interest Advocacy Centre
  Lack of provincial regulation allows activities that could mislead consumers.

Hot headlines
YAHOO SELLS PRIVATE EMAILS TO GOVERNMENT AGENCIES from the Mathaba News Agency
  Company sues FOI site (on copyright grounds) for disclosing price list.

PICK OF THE WEEK

ALL ENVIRONMENT, ALL THE TIME Environmental news services have banded together to form Earthnews. They launched a new international award during the UN Copenhagen conference on climate change. Read all about it at:   awards.earthjournalism.org/content/update-earth-journalism-awards...

COPENHAGAN: BETTER TO HAVE NO DEAL THAN THE WRONG DEAL by Gwynne Dyer
  Industrialized countries aren’t willing to make deep cuts.
 
 

Take action!
CHASTISE WORST ANTI-UNION EMPLOYERS from the Working Families Network
  Send protest note by clicking on links in "Working for Scrooge" report.

Humour
A PARROT IN FIRST CLASS from the Internet
  Think before you squawk.