Housing Minister Gregor Robertson’s department budgeted $1.2 million for a camera giveaway to homeless people to take photographs for an “arts-based exhibition,” Access To Information records show. The grant was approved under a Veteran Homelessness Program: "With your camera, take pictures of your surroundings." READ MORE
Cabinet yesterday denied pork barreling in Sarnia-Lambton, Ont. after Conservative MP Marilyn Gladu defected to the Liberal caucus. MPs questioned an interview Gladu gave to a local reporter in which she boasted of receiving a call from the Minister of Housing’s office to “talk about all the things we need in Sarnia” hours after floor-crossing. READ MORE
Cabinet is serious about regulating legal internet content now that it has a parliamentary majority, Heritage Minister Marc Miller said yesterday. “There are some opportunities here,” he told reporters. READ MORE
The Department of Immigration in a report says it is continuing to process special permits for Gazans seeking to enter Canada. Nearly a thousand war refugees have arrived to date: "It is intended to be temporary." READ MORE
The Department of Natural Resources billed taxpayers to install electric auto charging stations at federal buildings that are almost never used, records show. Thousands of stations averaged fewer than one car a day: "It is not realistic at this time." READ MORE
A “net zero” federal garage in Whitehorse cost taxpayers much more than was disclosed by the Department of Environment, new figures show. The garage budgeted to be completed in two years at $754,000 instead took seven years and $1,774,927 without any parliamentary oversight: "Availability of other storage options was considered." READ MORE
An Ontario college yesterday was named by the Commons immigration committee for “extreme” practices that took advantage of foreign students. Conestoga College of Kitchener, Ont. led the nation with the highest number of foreign students, a total 40,565 at its peak: "Are you aware of what the youth unemployment rate is?" READ MORE
I believe we all look for and need a family. It’s where we go for friendship and respect. If your family at home is so dysfunctional you can’t stay in the house, if you have been told how useless you are, that you are a failure, then you’ll find family with a motorcycle gang or a group of young people shooting up drugs under a bridge. Family is the big difference. The wounds never really heal but there are people who do break their negative habits. Lives change with forgiveness.
