Ottawa-In a characteristically blunt response, Prime Minister Harper replied to questions regarding the North America Free Trade Agreement. PM Stephen Harper spoke out against talk of re opening the NAFTA accords.
Both of the U.S.A. Democratic Party candidates for President have recently spoken out in favor of reopening the NAFTA agreement and changing the conditions that it operates free trade under. PM Harper said that any attempts to open NAFTA would open a political can of worms that may not be worth the effort, as there are changes to NAFTA that Canada wants, too.
“It would be a mistake to open NAFTA, if it is ever reopened there are elements and changes that the Canadian Government would seek, as well,” said PM Stephen Harper in response to questions on the issue.
Access of the United States to various rich energy resources that are currently supplied by Canada to the U.S.A. could be jeopardized by forcing change in NAFTA. Canada’s International Minister of Trade David Emerson also issued warnings about the folly of reopening the NAFTA trade agreement.
Trade union groups in the U.S.A. have long blamed NAFTA for hurting jobs in the U.S.A. Several independent and objective studies have revealed this is not true, that all three signatories to the 1994 agreement have benefited and free trade has soared between the three countries.
Kandahar, Afghanistan - Leaders in the Canadian military have announced that the transfer of prisoner detainees from Canadian hands into Afghanistan custody has resumed. Lieutenant Colonel Grant Dane spoke to reporters on Friday, announcing the resumption of prisoner transfer.
“We are being careful and using extreme discretion for each and every transfer, “ said Lieutenant Colonel Dane. Government and Military officials in Afghanistan and also at home in Canada have both been given assurances that the prisoner transfer process is under extreme levels of supervision. (more…)
Toronto - Twenty-four suspects, including a 17-year-old, have been arrested after a drug sweep in the heart of the city. A series of raids unfolded Wednesday night along Yonge street. Officers targeted College Park which houses court rooms, the Atrium on Bay, as well as fast food joints and arcades.
The two-week police project dubbed, “Take the Money and Run”, involved undercover officers making a series of drug buys on the Yonge street strip. Arrests were to be made later, but Drug Squad Staff Inspector Don Campbell said detectives uncovered a number of different ring leaders recruiting drug addicts to do the dirty work for them.
“A lot of the dealers, we found have substance abuse problems themselves and that’s why we think the hierarchy was using them to make the deals to keep themselves removed.”
Campbell added crack cocaine was the drug being sold and dealers were targeting teens who hang out at food courts and arcades near Yonge and Dundas.
Police are still looking for thirteen others.
Waukegan - A large explosion has blown the top off a shopping plaza in Waukegan, Illinois.
Police say at least six people have been taken to a hospital after the explosion struck around lunchtime today.
It blew the windows out of storefronts and collapsed the ceilings above stores.
Witness Candi Rixie was taking orders at a sandwich shop a block away.
She says she felt a rumble, almost like somebody hit the building with a car.
It’s not immediately clear what caused the blast, but crews from the gas company are on the scene to investigate.
Fire crews from several towns have come to help in rescue efforts, and are searching to see if people are trapped inside.
New York - Doctor’s who prescribed drugs to late actor Heath Ledger are being investigated by U.S. drug authorities, TMZ reported Thrusday.
The Docs under investigation reportedly provided the late actor with drugs such as Oxycontin and Vicodin.
“It’s an ongoing investigation,” a law enforcement source told The News Tuesday. “It’s not clear if there was any wrongdoing.”
The 28-year old star was found dead in his New York apartment on January 22nd due to an accidental overdose of prescription drugs.
Los Angeles - The UK Sun is reporting that Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt have decided to move their growing family to France for the birth of ther new baby.
The couple chose France for this child in honor of Angelina’s late French-Canadian mother, The Sun reported.
The paper also debunks the rumor that Jolie, 32, is having twins.
“Angelina has been told she is expecting a girl. She’s thrilled,” the souce revealed.
A friend is quoted on the Daily Mail website as saying: “Brad’s been very quiet about this pregnancy so far but this was the weekend he decided to let the cat out of the bag. He’s telling everybody close to him, because he is having to change his work schedule to get ready for the birth.
Wearing a tight black dress, Jolie showed off her baby bump at the Film Independent’s Spirit Awards last Saturday.
San Francisco- Action by a Federal Health panel on Wednesday urges that all children aged six months to eighteen years of age receive the flu vaccine. The CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices has adopted the urging of their own health panel, which recommends that all children 6 months of age to 18 years of age receive flu vaccine on a yearly basis.
This will compel that private insurance companies support and pay for the cost of such vaccinations in children, and allow the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to give support, funds and aid to those that cannot afford the vaccine.
“This is very exciting, I am pleased,” said Dr. Carol Baker. Dr. Baker is the President of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases. “I am thrilled, as a Pediatrician I see it as vital to protect my patients from influenza,” said Dr. Baker. (more…)
Los Angeles - As if they’re not rich enough. Mary-Kate and Ashley will continue putting all of us to shame when they release a coffee table book.
The book titled, Influence, is set to release later this year.
The pint-sized entrepreneurs — who topped Forbes’ list of top earning stars under 21 last year — say the book will feature “the most interesting, challenging and creative people we know.”
The book will feature an interview by MK and Ash with Christian Louboutin, Terry Richardson and Lauren Hutton.
It will also include exclusive photographs of Ashley and Mary-Kate from world renowned photographer Rankin
Los Angeles - According to the The Santa Maria Times, Michael Jackson could lose his California Neverland Ranch if he does not settle a $25-million (USD) debt by March.
The house will be up for public auction unless the former pop star forks out the cash he owes on the property.
The self proclaimed “King of Pop” bought the 2,800 acre estate in 1987 for US$30-million. MJ has been plagued with highly publicized problems maintaining the home in the years since.
Jackson has not lived in the house since 2005 and according to reports, the property and house are in poor shape.
Los Angeles - Hollywood acterss Mischa Barton is the latest young celeb to join the DUI club.
The former “OC” actress was slapped with charges of driving under the influence and pot posessession yesterday, as well as driving without a licence.
The charges include:
* Driving without a license
* Driving under the influence
* Possession of marijuana (under an ounce)
* Driving with a blood alcohol level of .08% or higher
Barton was arrested on December 27 in Los Angeles after police spotted her driving erratically.