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A Liberal Solomon needed *
Paul Martin's two roles, Prime Minister and party leader, are a double-edged sword, especially when it comes to Canada-U.S. relations, says MICHAEL ADAMS. [More]

A new kind of 'world power' *
As Canadians prepare to patrol Kabul, GREG FOSTER, a U.S. military academic, says we can find an international role by doing a job the U.S. cannot: nation-building [More]

A story of intrigue from A to Z *
Two Montreal men have been at the centre of allegations of arms deals, an African coup plot and business double-crosses. Now, one of them is on the lam from U.S. authorities. COLIN FREEZE reports [More]

A strong friend is a good defence *
Joining the U.S. plans for a missile shield makes good sense, says continental analyst JOSEPH JOCKEL. [More]

A timely example of why we must have the CBC *
Tonight, the CBC is doing one of those things that it inevitably does and that Canadians expect it to do. It's not just journalism. It's an act of creating context and it connects Canada to far-flung parts of the world. [More]

A U.S. epidemic *
The U.S. Center for Disease Control is reporting that as of Aug. 26, there are 1,355 reported human cases of West Nile Virus in the United States, with 19 deaths reported. Why are the media not warning Canadians about travel to the United States? [More]

Activists sue U.S. over orcas' status *
Killer whales on Canada's endangered list but lack same protections south of border [More]

All we can hope for is . . . Canadians going to hell, U.S. host says *
When a hockey incident in Canada, in this case Todd Bertuzzi's attack on Steve Moore, dominates the conversation on phone-in shows across the United States, something extraordinary has happened. [More]

America suffers art attack *
A new exhibit at the Whitney Museum looks at the image of the United States in the world, SIMON HOUPT writes. Some Americans may not like what they see [More]

And the laugh was still there *
John Doyle, well into his allotted 15 minutes south of the border, went toe-to-toe with Fox News' Bill O'Reilly and his ilk. Now he finds himself swamped with notes from sympathetic Americans who are frankly embarrassed for some of their countrymen. [More]

Anita Kunz: Drawing satirical conclusions *
Canadian illustrator Anita Kunz, being honoured with a Library of Congress exhibit, talks to SARAH MILROY about the change in climate artists are facing in the U.S. [More]

Anti-Bush sentiment busts out all over *
And it's not just the usual suspects taking shots, SIMON HOUPT writes. The fire is coming from feature film, theatre and TV. [More]

Arthur spinoff keeps Canadian content *
A new live-action and animation travelogue show is part of PBS's effort to offer more children's programming, PAUL WALDIE writes. [More]

Bay adds more U.S. brands *
Hudson's Bay Co. is bolstering its brand selection by adding four more exclusive labels from Federated Department Stores Inc., the U.S.-based company that owns the high-profile Bloomingdale's and Macy's. [More]

BBC exposé says rescue of U.S. Army private faked *
The morale-boosting, too-good-to-be-true rescue of Pte. Jessica Lynch by U.S. special forces is put under close scrutiny by the BBC documentary War Spin: The Truth About Jessica, airing Sunday night on CBC Newsworld's Passionate Eye. [More]

BC men who dug drug tunnel to U.S. sentenced *
The architects of an elaborate scheme to smuggle drugs into the U.S. through a 360-foot tunnel beneath the Canadian border received nine-year prison sentences today, the maximum allowable under federal guidelines. [More]

Behold the armies of the Lord *
You can no more disengage religion from politics than you can extract beliefs from public life, says theologian DOUGLAS FARROW [More]

Berlin, Paris are united in rejecting Iraq proposal *
U.S. plan for UN role called insufficient; Pentagon looks to build new Iraqi army [More]

Blaine Peace Arch Port of Entry shooting incident *
The mystery of why Peace Arch border crossing was closed for some eight hours on Tuesday was revealed yesterday, when border authorities released information about the incident. [More]

Brace for weaker greenback, IMF tells central banks *
The International Monetary Fund warned Thursday that policy makers in countries including Canada need to be on guard for the impact of further weakening in U.S. dollar and said this country should see its economy improve later this year after been battered by a string of internal and external shocks. [More]

Bush backs open border for beef *
Raises hopes mad-cow crisis will end soon. [More]

Bush lied to justify Iraq war, Canada right to stay out: poll *
Canadians overwhelmingly believe President George W. Bush lied to justify the Iraq war and their own government was wise to stay out of the conflict, a new poll suggests. [More]

Bush's debt to Keynes *
Jean Chrétien shouldn't knock the US. deficit. In fact, we should be happy that George Bush has finally discovered the wisdom of John Maynard Keynes, says economist HAROLD CHORNEY [More]

Can we achieve World Idol domination? *
Tonight we'll find out what the rest of the world thinks of Canada. Let's hope they really, really like us. [More]

Can we Democrats be your next province? *
Having endured the outrages of the 2000 presidential "election" and the 9/11-empowered Republicans' reactionary policies, progressive Democrats, Greens and Independents across the United States are smouldering. Especially in the 20 states that went for Al Gore in the Northeast, Midwest, and West, more and more of us are appalled by the combination of dishonest rhetoric, regressive tax giveaways, international adventurism, environmental degradation and unprecedented arrogance spewing from the President and his congressional cohorts. [More]

Canada Border Services advises Canadians: Be Prepared *
The upcoming Canada Day and Independence Day long weekends mark increased holiday and cross-border traffic . . .be prepared. [More]

Canada is still small potatoes *
I remember visiting the German Embassy in Ottawa in 1990 while working on a dissertation on Canadian-German relations. At some point, my host noted that the new German chargé d'affaires in Ottawa had previously been the German ambassador in Libya. This person had taken a lower position in Ottawa because Canada ranked above Libya in the German diplomatic ranking system. [More]

Canada mourns with U.S., PM tells Bush *
Chrétien phones President on anniversary of 9/11 attacks in New York, Washington [More]

Canada's drug policies 'parasitic,' U.S. says *
Interview with FDA head sparks debate on issue of reliance on American research [More]

Canada's new marijuana law will hurt U.S. problem: official *
The United States is being inundated with potent marijuana from Canada, and the problem would be exacerbated if Ottawa decriminalized the drug, the U.S. drug czar said Friday. [More]

Canada-U.S. gap in health grows *
Costs three times more south of border [More]

Canada-U.S. relations beginning to heal: Cellucci *
Strained relations between Canada and the United States are beginning to heal, U.S. Ambassador Paul Cellucci said Saturday, at an event reaffirming cross-border friendships. [More]

Canada: Get ready to defend affordable drugs *
As more Americans buy drugs on-line, our prices will be pressured to mirror theirs, say JILLIAN CLARE COHEN and ALAN CASSELS [More]

Canadian Court sides with music swappers *
Sure to annoy our American neighbours, the Federal Court of Canada ruled Wednesday that Internet Service Providers can't be forced to turn over identities of suspected music swappers, throwing a roadblock in the path of the recording industry's efforts to crack down on the practice. [More]

Canadian dollar loses strength against greenback *
. . .amid rumours of U.S. interest rate hikes. [More]

Canadian dollar punches through 77 cents *
The Canadian dollar punched back through the 77-cent (U.S.) mark early Friday to reach a new 10-year high before sliding to close just shy of that mark. [More]

Canadian Dollar touches 80¢ (U.S.) *
The Canadian dollar breached the 80-cent (U.S.) mark for the first time in more than a decade Friday as employment data in Canada and the United States sent the loonie and greenback in opposite directions. [More]

Canadian drugs not prescription for U.S. health ills *
Amid growing public anger over escalating prescription drug costs, why not simply allow Americans to freely shop in countries such as Canada, where prices are up to 80 per cent cheaper? [More]

Canadian tourism in a slump *
Canada's annual international travel deficit — the difference between what Canadian residents spend abroad and what foreigners spend in Canada — more than doubled in 2003, reaching its highest level in a decade, new Statistics Canada figures say. [More]

Canadians celebrate loonie's parity with US dollar *
Let's go shopping in The States! What to buy? Books, DVDs, computer equipment, clothing, sportswear and shoes, for starters! [More]

Canadians like U.S. but not its President *
As Prime Minister Paul Martin prepares for his meeting today with George W. Bush, a new poll suggests Canadians believe the U.S. President neither likes nor understands this country. [More]

Canadians shouldn't be denied Fox News *
Canada made The New York Times last weekend, and that is never a good thing. [More]

Canadians still feeling neighbourly to U.S. *
Despite recent struggles Canada has had with the United States over the war in Iraq, mad cow and softwood lumber, a poll commissioned by the CBC indicates Canadians still think Americans make pretty good neighbours. [More]

Chrétien unswayed by critics *
Prime Minister Jean Chrétien was in an unrepentant mood Thursday, defending his right to preach fiscal prudence to anyone, including the Americans, and warning his Liberal colleagues that he will not delay his campaign finance reform bill. [More]

Christian soldier Bush swears by the Lord *
It was on this day a year ago, Feb. 5, 2003, that Colin Powell came before the United Nations to catalogue Saddam Hussein's alleged weapons of horror. [More]

Condoleezza Rice: The lady doth protest too much *
One summer weekend in 1998 at the family estate at Kennebunkport, Me., former president George H. W. Bush introduced his ambitious son George W. to a 43-year-old political science professor, Condoleezza Rice. One of the rare black women in the field of Soviet studies, she was rarer still for her neo-conservative views. [More]

Confident Kovalev leads high-flying Canadiens *
Ever since he arrived from the New York Rangers in a trade in early March, the Montreal Canadiens and their fans have been patiently waiting to see the real Alexei Kovalev. [More]

Crossing the border to fill a prescription *
Canada's cost controls on prescription drugs are either a beacon of fairness or a dangerous scheme to shirk the expense of drug research, if you believe the rhetoric in last month's U.S. House of Representatives debate on how to regulate pharmaceutical imports. [More]

Curling, Canadian Tire and other Commie plots *
Well, it seemed that we could leave this Fox News to one side for a while, but no such luck. I am informed that on Wednesday evening on the Fox News Channel, chief ranter Bill O'Reilly took a swing at me, The Globe and Mail, and the CBC. I'll admit that I've been baited into paying attention. [More]

Day blames Internet, not Afghan involvement, for terror threats *
Meanwhile, Jon Stewart pokes fun at the concept of terrorism in Canada, saying: "It's like being mad at toast." [More]

Doctor Earle's diagnosis *
Singer Steve Earle, no stranger to rehab himself, has a few prescriptions for an ailing America, ROBERT EVERETT-GREEN writes [More]

Dollar continues to fall *
The dollar slumped near the 71-cent (U.S.) mark in afternoon trading Friday, dropping more than half a cent in the wake of Tuesday's rate cut and yesterday's dimmer economic outlook from the nation's central banker. [More]

Dollar plunges on expected rate cut *
The Canadian dollar plunged more than a cent in a delayed reaction against its U.S. counterpart a day after the central bank lowered its growth forecast and signalled that more rate cuts are on the way. [More]

Don't gamble with our drug prices *
U.S. big pharma is putting its big bucks on the line to try to influence Canadian health policy and we have much to lose if they win this one, writes drug-policy researcher ALAN CASSELS [More]

Don't hold your breath waiting for Powell to say he's sorry *
Is Colin Powell going to apologize to Canada, the United Nations or France? With French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin in Ottawa today, it would be a good time to do so. [More]

Drilling into a cross-border treaty *
The B.C. government's myopic selfishness on gas exploration may damage Canada-U.S. co-operation on water quality, says international-law expert MICHAEL BYERS. [More]

Drug advertising bad for medicare, CMA says *
Allowing direct-to-consumer advertising of prescription drugs in Canada would be a bonanza for the media, generating an estimated $360-million a year in new ads. [More]

election updates from Tyee.com *
Election Day! [More]

Empire Lite: Living with the big guy *
The U.S. is morphing from republic into empire -- at some cost to its own democracy. But it will only crush Canada if we let it, says political scientist JAMES LAXER [More]

Feds Bust U.S.-Canada Smuggling Tunnel *
Federal agents have shut down an elaborate, 360-foot drug-smuggling tunnel dug underneath the U.S.-Canadian border -- the first such passageway discovered along the nation's northern edge, officials said Thursday. [More]

Fishing on the other side of the Pond: What to do when you are the victim of a faraway, non-paying business associate *
On the face of it, Tennessee resident Mort Walco looked like a stand-up guy, with a good reputation. When local businesswoman Deborah Faurot started to deal on Well Wishers' (Walco's company's) behalf, she had no hint of the trials and tribulations she would face just to get reimbursed for money she had spent on behalf of this apparent deadbeat! [More]

Flying in U.S. to mean background checks *
U.S. Homeland Security officials say a government plan to check all airline passengers' backgrounds before they board a plane could be implemented by this summer. [More]

Fox News. Not here yet, but already hilarious *
I've never been called "a douche-nozzle" before. At least, not that I know about anyway. The insult came from one supporter of the Fox News Channel. [More]

G8 leaders all smiles *
World leaders clamped a harmonious face on a summit simmering with Iraq war disputes Sunday, striking a united front with pledges of billions of dollars to fight AIDS and hunger in poor countries. [More]

Gay Marriage: The view from the south *
In unanimously affirming the obvious, an Ontario appeals court opened the way for Canada to end the bar on marriage between partners of the same sex. Final approval of a milestone law striking down discrimination against gay couples is expected within months. [More]

Global doc a misfire in tin-pot 'media war' *
Global is reopening a can of worms tonight when it repeats an already controversial documentary. [More]

Graham won't expel Saudi ambassador *
Foreign Affairs Minister Bill Graham says he won't consider expelling the Saudi Ambassador to Canada to protest the treatment of William Sampson, who was imprisoned in Saudi Arabia for 2½ years and tortured frequently. [More]

Happy NAFTA to you! Er, why? *
NAFTA's 10th birthday looms. The deal hasn't meant the end of Canada. Nor have all those dollar signs in Ottawa's eyes materialized, says JIM STANFORD. [More]

Have card, will travel *
I never knew how hard it could be to attend my own opera in the United States, says Alberta librettist and landed immigrant MARK MORRIS. [More]

Home run: PM didn't fawn, Bush didn't get ugly *
Never in Canada-U.S. history have a Liberal prime minister and a Republican president hit it off. Among the various reasons was a basic one: ideological differences. [More]

Ideology has taken us from champ to chump *
The evidence is mounting that Canada's economy has quickly faded from being champ of the industrialized world, to become one of its chumps. [More]

Invasion of the Great Lakes *
This week, a Commons committee warned of an ecological 'meltdown' because so many non-native species are converging on the mighty habitat. MARK STEVENSON travels the waterway to examine the damage they have caused [More]

Iraq has Martin set to prune an unruly Bush *
'You don't even want to think about it," a Canadian diplomat was saying the other night. He had been asked what the effect would have been on the Canada-U.S. relationship had the Iraq war gone the other way -- had the weapons stocks been found, had the Iraqis welcomed the army of occupation, had terrorism receded as a result of the invasion. [More]

It's lonely at the top *
Rebuilding societies in crises can't be done by one country alone. But one country's solo actions can make rebuilding a lot more complex, says DAVID MALONE [More]

Jeffrey Kofman -- He's, gasp, Canadian *
When an ABC reporter recently broadcast a story from Iraq that infuriated the Bush administration, White House officials scrambled to find the best way to hit back, says NPR ombudsman JEFFREY DVORKIN [More]

Jessica Lynch et alia: What the spin doctors ordered *
These women's sagas were real morale-boosters. Too bad about the way they were spun, says journalist RON HAGGART [More]

Klein heads to U.S. to urge repeal of beef ban *
Premier also plans to rebut Times article that casts doubt on oil sands reserves [More]

Latest on blackout in Eastern North America *
The biggest power failure in history affects millions in Eastern Canada and the U.S. [More]

Learning to love BMD *
Canadians understand that we must use the proposed U.S. system, as well as other forms of weapons control, to confront terrorism and proliferation, says FRANK P. HARVEY. [More]

Lee Hamilton: U.S. must offer hope, not fear *
The United States is engaged in a generational struggle against a catastrophic terrorist threat. There is no quick fix or victory: We need a clear, comprehensive and sustainable counterterrorism strategy. [More]

Let's keep Conan's T.O. visit in perspective, people *
Did everybody around here take a giddy pill? It's either the giddy pills or we really are rubes. In the presence of American celebrities -- even B-list ones -- we can be just so gauche. If the celebrity pays attention to Canada, we prattle with delight and fawn over them. [More]

Loonie continues to trade near 28-year highs *
The Canadian dollar continued to trade near a new 28-year high against the U.S. dollar, fuelled by surging oil and gold prices, and underpinned by speculation against the sinking greenback. [More]

Loonie cracks 84 cents *
The Canadian dollar broke through 84 cents (U.S.) Monday, hitting a fresh 12-year high against its U.S. counterpart as global currency markets continue to fret over that country's ballooning budget and trade deficits. [More]

Loonie hits 13-year high *
The Canadian loonie rose to its highest point since January 24, 1992, today. [More]

Loonie still rising *
World currency markets are in for prolonged volatility, but the Canadian dollar — which closed above the 81-cent (U.S.) mark on Friday — should weather the storm well, hanging on to most of its recent gains through to year-end, economists say. [More]

Loonie vaults over 96 cents *
The Canadian dollar soared more than a cent Tuesday after a much stronger-than-expected retail sales report buoyed optimism about the Canadian economy. [More]

Mad-cow panel opposes 'irrational trade barriers' *
An international panel of experts says it is “probable” that the United States has imported other infected cattle from Canada but recommends nonetheless that Washington show leadership by stopping “irrational trade barriers.” [More]

Maher Arar: I feel like I'm still in prison *
The U.S. promised this week not to do it again, but former terror suspect Maher Arar isn't impressed, JEFF SALLOT reports. He would rather have an explanation -- and a job. [More]

Majority of Canadians believe quality of life better than U.S. *
An overwhelming majority of Canadians believe their country offers a better quality of life than the United States because many respondents directly benefit from this country's more aggressive redistribution of income, a new report says. [More]

Manitoba introduces bill to allow cross-border policing *
Manitoba has unveiled new legislation to make it easier for police officers from other provinces to pursue crime in the central Canadian province. [More]

Martin descends on Washington *
Prime Minister Paul Martin headed to Washington Wednesday to begin a round of talks with congressional leaders and U.S. President George W. Bush—amid some signs of growing antagonism from the United States. [More]

May I come to your ranch? *
The PM-to-be wants better relations with the U.S., but must not squander his foreign-policy inheritance just to please the Americans, warn LLOYD AXWORTHY and MICHAEL BYERS. [More]

MDs will dispense marijuana *
Federal plan will see doctors distributing discount cannabis from their offices [More]

Medicine delayed is medicine denied *
Amid the debate on health-care reform, U.S. influence on Canadian pharmacare policy, and Common Drug Review, there has been a roaring silence around what should be at the absolute heart of the matter: patients who need prescription medication to maintain their basic quality of life? [More]

Michael Moore Statement on Canadian Election (before) *
Before the Canadian election, this is what Michael Moore had to say to us. . . [More]

Michigan furious over Canadian company's chemical spill *
A Canadian chemical company faced angry residents and officials in Macomb County, Mich., as many demanded to know why they weren't told sooner of toxic chemical spills that contaminated a river and water supply. [More]

Montreal fans boo U.S. anthem *
A significant portion of the crowd at last night's National Hockey League playoff game in Montreal between the Canadiens and Boston Bruins booed during the playing of The Star-Spangled Banner. [More]

More harm than good *
Homeland Security's warning system scares off tourists and investors, while advertising America's vulnerability, says security analyst EDWARD LUTTWAK. [More]

Mr. Manley should go to Washington *
There has been much discussion in recent days of whether John Manley should accept prime minister-designate Paul Martin's invitation to serve as Canada's ambassador to the United States. Columnist Lawrence Martin thinks he should not. [More]

NAFTA takes it on the road *
With job losses rampant, this year's U.S. election may end up repeating Canada's 1988 experience and turning on the issue of free trade. But before they map out their positions, politicians would be wise to follow DOUG SAUNDERS down the route of the I-69, the controversial 'NAFTA superhighway' being built from Canada to Mexico, where feelings run high -- in every direction. [More]

New rules for US-Canada border crossing -- one month later *
The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative officially took effect just after midnight on June 1. One month later, how's it goin', eh? [More]

O'Brien aftershocks reverberate in U.S. media *
Nearly a week after U.S. talk-show host Conan O'Brien stumbled into a Canadian political controversy, the aftershocks are finally hitting the American media. [More]

O'Brien pokes fun at Globe *
Conan O'Brien doesn't kick off his week of shows from Toronto until next Tuesday, but already he's taking gentle shots at some pillars of Canadian culture, including The Globe and Mail. [More]

On the Iraq war, we made a declaration of national integrity *
Words such as "epic" or "vindication" don't readily fit into the Canadian context. But the two years since 9/11 have constituted a landmark period in Canada-U.S. relations, and the decision on whether to go to war was about as epic as Canadian decisions get. [More]

On-line sales up 40 per cent in 2003 *
On-line sales in Canada surged 40 per cent last year, fuelled by the increasing prevalence of high-speed Internet access, Statistics Canada said Friday. [More]

Ottawa to ban some U.S. beef *
Ottawa banned imports of some U.S. beef products Wednesday after a single case of suspected mad-cow disease raised its head in a Washington state herd. [More]

Ottawa's blackout theories rejected by U.S. *
Departments weigh in with the 'bizarre' [More]

Overhead, so what? Medicare needs competition *
Last Thursday, the New England Journal of Medicine published an article stating that administrative costs of health care in the United States are higher than those in Canada: $1,059 (U.S.) in the United States versus $307 (U.S.) in Canada. [More]

Phony lumber wars *
The United States lumber industry used to defend its interests by means of the former National Forest Products Association. Sometimes, these interests converged with those of Canadian lumber manufacturers. More frequently, U.S. interests competed with ours. [More]

Physicians' body puts heat on Net pharmacies *
The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Manitoba wants the province to bring in legislation to find and discipline doctors who sign prescriptions without seeing patients. Such a move would likely spell the end for Manitoba's Internet pharmacies, which have made millions and created hundreds of jobs by selling drugs south of the border. [More]

PM urges Bush to reopen border to Canadian beef *
Prime Minister Jean Chrétien and U.S. President George W. Bush managed Monday to clear their schedules and discuss the continued ban on beef exports from that has crippled the Canadian beef industry. [More]

Police arrest three in Canada-US drug tunnel raid *
Three people have been arrested after police raided a sophisticated tunnel intended to smuggle drugs under the U.S.-Canada border between BC and Washington state, police said on Thursday. [More]

Post-Arar, the 'big idea' goes south *
Maher Arar's horrifying story will have many repercussions in Canadian politics. It casts a frightening shadow over Jean Chrétien's last days in office. [More]

Private power versus the public good *
The recent power-grid failure, which caused billions of dollars of losses and lots of anguish on both sides of the border, had multiple causes. [More]

Ralph Nader: Why I'm a fan of C-24 *
The Canadian government's proposed political fundraising law, Bill C-24, has the potential to be a precedent-setting law for Canada and a model for other countries, including the United States. But the opportunity will be lost if self-interested politicians and backroom operatives succeed in derailing the legislation. [More]

Rats gorge on birds *
Scientists plan mass poisoning [More]

Ready to party hearty in Gander *
Newfoundlanders have a knack for throwing a darn good party, but they might take notes this weekend from Dan and Teresa Seeley. [More]

Reagan recalled as 'friend of Canada's' *
Ronald Reagan was remembered as a "great friend of Canada's," says the prime minister who served during the U.S. president's tenure in the White House. [More]

Richard Pound in battle with Uncle Sam *
The World Anti-Doping Agency has its own version of a testosterone problem -- the standoff between Uncle Sam and WADA president Richard Pound over the issue of funding. [More]

SARS causes Toronto graders ban *
Concern about SARS has led the body that awards the coveted Chartered Financial Analyst designation to cancel invitations to 43 Torontonians who were set to go to the United States late next month to help mark exam papers would-be analysts around the world are writing today. [More]

Scientists probe death of whales *
Something is killing the giant mammals off Nova Scotia -- and toxin suspected [More]

Security on our own terms *
Protecting Canada is urgent, but let's not enter into a hasty economic arrangement with the U.S., says trade expert JOHN NOBLE. [More]

Seek Far East trade links, not South American *
Canada is facing some tough choices about the level of its trade dependence on the United States as security and foreign policy issues begin to raise doubts about our long-term freedom to ship goods relatively unhindered across the U.S. border. [More]

Sense of alienation sweeps the West *
The federal government was told Western alienation had reached disturbing levels just after Canada ratified the Kyoto protocol, with almost a quarter of one Prairie province saying it wouldn't care if they joined the United States. [More]

Shoot down defence dreamers *
Canada must realize the old, joint-command NORAD is finished. Missile defence under U.S.-leadership is our only realistic option, says Washington correspondent PAUL KORING [More]

Shop True North, Air Canada *
If the new Air Canada doesn't buy Canadian, it will be a slap in the face to this country, says BUZZ HARGROVE. [More]

Snowbirds go where angels fear to tread *
Out in the Mojave desert, American fugitives from family or the law have camped out for 40 years in Mad Max-style Slab City. But as DOUG SAUNDERS discovers, they've been joined by some unlikely neighbours -- sun-seeking Canadians, who have brought along a little peace, order and good . . . well, not government. [More]

Soaring loonie sends Canadian shoppers south *
With the rise of the Canadian dollar toward parity with the U.S. greenback for the first time in three decades, more and more Canadians are headed to American stores to shop. . . [More]

Social gap between Canada, U.S. regional, pollster says *
Northern states share more values with provinces than with South... [More]

Some of my fellow Americans just don't get it *
Last week, my satirical comment "Can we Democrats Become Your Next Province?" was published here. [More]

Split-run TV ads could boost Canadian industry *
Give the man a proper hearing and Kevin Shea may prove himself to be the white knight of Canadian broadcasting. [More]

Spring Forward 2009 *
Must Canadians march lock-step with the U.S. on this issue? You decide. [More]

Star Wars missile shield technology: It won't fly, but it can bite *
The Pentagon secretly admits that a missile shield isn't feasible, but that doesn't diminish NMD's power to back us into a corner, says MP JOHN GODFREY [More]

Stop insulting U.S., Graham urges politicians *
Canadian politicians should resist the temptation to curry voter favour by taking gratuitous pokes at the United States, Foreign Affairs Minister Bill Graham said yesterday. [More]

Swingers wanted for U.S. Primaries *
With party primaries beginning this week, American voters seem evenly divided: Only 8 per cent of the population are the 'swing voters,' and both parties are desperate to woo them. Who are this year's 'Reagan Democrats' or 'Soccer Moms'? As DOUG SAUNDERS reports, the spin doctors have some wild guesses. [More]

Tax THIS, Brian: Elbowing aside Brian's legacy *
As he prepares to leave office, Jean Chrétien, heavily into the process of peeling back the Mulroney revolution in Canada-U.S. relations, is sending a message to the Tory crooner and other Americanists. [More]

The Arar case: For Canadian eyes only? *
The Arar case echoes events five decades ago, when U.S. intelligence agents led to another Canadian's tragic death, recalls security analyst WESLEY WARK. [More]

The blood doesn't wash off *
Any U.S. or Canadian official who sends a person to another country to be tortured is guilty of a major criminal offence and liable for damages, says American jurist MORTON SKLAR. [More]

The good news about a loonie aloft *
Any large increase in the value of the loonie against the currency of our most important trading partner will ultimately hurt us all. True or false? [More]

The meat of the matter *
Food-safety officials in the United States have long been on the lookout for mad-cow disease. Now that they have finally found it, they should note how Canada managed a similar scenario just a few months ago. [More]

The mural that rocked Canada *
Considered too anti-American, it hung for only eight days before being taken down. Now Greg Curnoe's magnificent 'Dorval mural' flies again, SARAH MILROY writes [More]

The soldier who refuses to fight *
Jeremy Hinzman tells MICHAEL VALPY that he enlisted to get an education, not to kill people. But his superiors wouldn't listen and ordered him to pack for Iraq. Instead, he packed up his family and hightailed it north. Now, Canada must decide: Can a U.S. Army deserter be considered a refugee? [More]

The Tyee & media story from the Seattle PI: Who really speaks freely? *
This story -- an analysis of how Vancouver's media differ from newspapers and radio in the U.S. -- originally ran on Monday, May 16, 2005 in the Seattle P.I. [More]

The U.S. is addicted to war on drugs *
When it comes to drugs, the White House is singing loud and clear: Blame Canada. But many Americans are singing a different tune: Praise Canada. [More]

The war that never went away *
A Canadian TV series on the Korean War probes secrets the U.S. would prefer to forget, writes RAY CONLOGUE. [More]

The whole is bigger than sum of its parts *
In competing global supply chains, manufacturers face ever mounting challenges. And if you're a Canadian manufacturer, you're probably behind the eight-ball. [More]

The Word, unheeded *
Religious leaders may tell us what to do, but for more than a century, Canadians -- unlike our U.S. neighbours -- have been choosing whether to listen, or not, says pollster MICHAEL ADAMS [More]

These little piggies like deficits *
The Bush administration faces a record deficit, says JIM STANFORD, but the word on the street is: Calm down, the rich are happy [More]

They've got Arnold, we've got Ashley *
Cape Breton in the eighties was not a cultural wasteland, exactly, but nor could it be called a cultural hotbed. What saved it from out-and-out wasteland status was traditional music, then just beginning its climb to the eventual international celebrity Cape Breton fiddling enjoys today... [More]

This Bud ISN'T for You: Fingerprinting technology could identify marijuana *
New tool would track movement of pot destined for illicit markets, scientists say [More]

Thousands support Canadian beef at U.S. border BBQ *
Thousands of people chowed down on 25,000 free hamburgers at a giant barbecue and rally on Saturday to show support for Canada's beleaguered beef industry. [More]

Time to buy USD & Euros: Loonie hits seven-week high *
The dollar traded at a seven-week high of 88.16 cents (U.S.), close to a 14-year high, from 87.90 cents on Friday. [More]

Trademark Wallin *
As consul general in New York, the media-savvy Pamela Wallin has staked out an approach to selling Canada that is starkly different from her predecessors, SIMON HOUPT writes. [More]

Trailer trash: Oh FKUC -- The Boys are back *
The air may be thick with obscenities, but that hasn't stopped fans of TV's Trailer Park Boys, on both sides of the border, from making it a cult hit, SHAWNA RICHER writes. [More]

Tv Tonight: Damsels in distress: the tube match *
It's the biggest TV sweeps fight of the season. ANDREW RYAN pulls no punches in his tale of the tape: Lynch v. Smart. [More]

U.S. adviser criticizes PM's failure to help U.S. *
A leading architect of the U.S. war in Iraq says he expects an improvement in Canada-U.S. relations under a Paul Martin government, since they could hardly get worse than under Jean Chrétien's leadership. [More]

U.S. again brands Canada terrorist haven *
Canada has been branded a "favoured destination for terrorists and international criminals" by the research arm of the U.S. Congress. [More]

U.S. congressman blasts Canada on terrorism policy, supports ban on immigrants *
A U.S. congressman who says Canada's in denial about terrorism is applauding as "sound advice" the idea of shutting out immigrants and refugees until the country fixes its security risks. [More]

U.S. consumer sentiment surges *
U.S. consumer sentiment shot to its highest level in three years in early January, far exceeding forecasts despite analysts' persistent worries about the still soft employment picture south of the border. [More]

U.S. does about-face on beef *
American officials did an about-face Monday, saying some permits to allow truckloads of Canadian beef across the U.S. border will be issued this week. [More]

U.S. dollar looks dim compared with gold's lustre *
If you had the chance to look into the future and learn only one thing, what would it be? My choice would be the level of the U.S. dollar -- and by implication the value of the Canadian dollar, the euro and the yen -- because it helps to determine so much of the world's economy and markets. [More]

U.S. drug boycott threat called 'ridiculous' *
It's inconceivable that multinational drug companies will stop shipping pharmaceuticals to Canada as part of a political battle to break the back of Canadian Internet pharmacies that supply American consumers, industry sources say. [More]

U.S. got lucky, experts agree *
Medical officials tracking SARS in Canada and East Asia say fate is the primary factor that has allowed the United States to avoid outbreaks of the deadly disease, though precautions against bioterrorism taken after Sept. 11, 2001, have helped. [More]

U.S. hikes duties on Canadian wheat *
The U.S. Department of Commerce took another swing at the Canadian Wheat Board Friday, raising duties on wheat it claims is unfairly dumped into the market south of the border [More]

U.S. launches aerial surveillance of border *
Measures common on border with Mexico make first appearance farther north (easier to check for long line-ups at border, too!) [More]

U.S. official wary of Canadian drugs *
The U.S. official in charge of drug safety warned yesterday that Americans' health is being endangered by potentially unsafe Canadian drugs imported through controversial Internet pharmacies. [More]

U.S. Policy: A wolf in wolf's clothing *
Washington is still punishing those who oppose its foreign wars -- as a new squabble at the UN reveals, says JOHN R. MacARTHUR [More]

U.S. reports first-ever mad cow case *
The first-ever case of mad cow disease is suspected in a single cow in Washington state but the United States' food supply is safe, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman said Tuesday. [More]

U.S. ruling on China furniture to benefit Canada *
Canadian manufacturers want Ottawa to follow suit on anti-dumping duties. [More]

U.S. to lift Canadian beef ban *
Relief for the Canadian beef industry could be just days away. [More]

U.S. traces diseased cow to Canada *
A Holstein in Washington state infected with mad cow disease might have come from Alberta about two years ago, U.S. federal investigators said Saturday. [More]

U.S. Visitors to Vancouver Get a Free Ride. . . *
on a double-decker bus this 4th of July with Gray Line West -- July 4th only. [More]

U.S.-Canada relations 'back to normal': Cellucci *
Relations between Canada and the United States are "back to normal" following the strain between the two countries over Ottawa's refusal to take part in the war in Iraq, U.S. Ambassador Paul Cellucci said Friday. [More]

US & Canada: Neighbours growing apart *
It's odd: Rebel individualists to the south question authority less these days, while polite Canadians do so more, notes pollster MICHAEL ADAMS [More]

US will hold a grudge against Canada: Rice *
The Bush administration's disappointment with Canada for refusing to join the war on Iraq will not disappear quickly, National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice said yesterday. [More]

Vancouver bid gets some U.S. support *
Vancouver's Olympic bid organizers are getting some support from some nearby U.S. states. [More]

Violent Youth: We need not yield to them *
Some U.S. cities have made great strides in dealing with violent kids. But for starters, adults must act, says Harvard's DAVID KENNEDY [More]

Wal-Mart Canada staff miss meeting *
Stay home because of 'SARS issue'... [More]

Watchdogs in the war on terror *
The U.S. lawyers who championed Maher Arar's cause may be dedicated, SHAWN McCARTHY reports from New York, but popular? The hate mail says otherwise. [More]

We're awash in debt. Does that spell trouble? *
Household debt levels in Canada and the United States are at record highs, and are continuing to grow rapidly. Is that a dangerous sign of financial instability and underlying economic weakness? U.S. Federal Reserve Board chairman Alan Greenspan says it isn't -- but others disagree. They say the impact of rising interest rates on that mountain of consumer debt could well have severe repercussions for the economy. [More]

We're No. 2 -- and falling *
Canadians have always taken quiet pride in the fact that Canada sells more goods to the United States than does any other country in the world. [More]

What crisis management? *
Will Paul Martin finally make us prepared for national emergencies? demands Senator COLIN KENNY. [More]

White House snipes at Chrétien gripes *
White House spokesman Ari Fleischer stopped short of outright criticism of Prime Minister Jean Chrétien on Wednesday, but said Canada has not had to face challenges as great as those confronted by the United States. [More]

Who needs cultural armour? *
As Ottawa reconsiders our broadcast policies, let's admit that defensive government intervention has outlived its usefulness, says media watcher PETER DESBARATS [More]

Who speaks for Canada? *
We've been left out of a crucial meeting on high-seas interdiction, say MICHAEL BYERS and MATTHEW DROZ, even though we are one of the few nations with practical and legal experience [More]

Who's winning the war on terror? Sorry, George *
It has been two years since U.S. President George W. Bush declared war on terrorism, and it's time to ask who's winning. Here's the score so far [More]

Whole Foods bans live lobster sales citing 'cruelty' *
Do lobsters have feelings? Or is this just a tempest in a crab-pot? What an idiotic waste of time! [More]

Wildfires force 10,000 to flee homes in B.C. *
Wildfires that have forced more than 10,000 southern B.C. residents from their homes have grown despite efforts from hard-pressed firefighters, officials said Sunday. [More]

Will energy goals be tonnes of hot air? *
The federal government has challenged each and every Canadian to reduce carbon-dioxide emissions from their personal activities by one tonne per year by the end of the decade. Last week, a bevy of ministers came together to announce $1-billion in federal money to sweeten the pot for these little individual acts of conservation. [More]

You can mess with Jesus, but not Ronnie *
It's official. Most of the American public is not going to see an actor play Ronald Reagan as a doddery president unsure of his surroundings, and another actor play Nancy Reagan as a nasty mother and a manipulating wife. [More]

You're not playing fair *
Canadian companies may sue if they are excluded from bidding on Iraq contracts, say trade-law specialists CHARLES GASTLE and TODD WEILER. [More]

Secondary Sites:
* The end of an era in US news: Peter Jennings dies at 67 *
Jennings defined an era in news for Americans; for them, Peter Jennings was the elegant one. [More]

24 Days (Keyes review) ****
As the fraud trials begin in New York for executives from Credit Suisse First Boston Corp. and Tyco International, the legal teams for the gang of scoundrels who ran Enron will be doubtless watching closely, because their clients are next.... [More]

9/11 and Canada: Still scared, still vulnerable *
Feeling safe yet? No? No wonder: SARS, blackouts, and bad water are reminders that a good security policy anticipates multiple threats, says law professor KENT ROACH [More]

A case of the pot calling the kettle black *
Just when you think things might settle back into the normal level of bitterness and confusion in the Canadian television racket, things get even more interesting. [More]

A celebration of white trash with trust funds *
Members of the public should not be alarmed. They should remain calm. A major outbreak of rich American stupidity on Canadian TV tonight is not an indication of the end of civilization, as we know it. Everything is okay. [More]

A vote for Trump's Apprentice is a vote for Dubya *
George W. Bush has had a tough few weeks. That's the cliché being uttered all over the place. Some people are even pointing to the opinion polls and saying that Dubya could easily lose the election this November. [More]

Air Canada extends Internet fares to U.S. flights *
Air Canada is extending to U.S. flights the same simplified, Internet-based fare structure it adopted for domestic air travel last May. [More]

America's cultural offensive *
Washington hopes to ease foreign-policy woes in the Middle East by wooing hearts and minds with a new Arabic-language radio network, satellite TV channel and glossy monthly magazine. It's the funky side of the war on terror, SIMON HOUPT writes [More]

An American Father Ted? Ah, go on *
My official reaction was, "It will never work." My unofficial reaction was "Feck, arse, drink!" [More]

An eye on the Bottom Line *
Drummer PETER VON ALTHEN studies the view from a famous stage, and explains why Canadian musicians have found a home in a particular niche of U.S. radio [More]

An open letter from worried journalists *
As former, or practising, newspaper people, we...believe the independence and quality of our media are becoming more important to Canadians [More]

Anti-seal hunt ads in U.S. dismissed by fisheries minister *
"It's not misleading, it's absolutely wrong," says John Efford, a former fisherman from Newfoundland. "It can't be any more wrong to say we're killing baby seals when we're not." [More]

Anti-war protesters rally in U.S. *
Hundreds of anti-war protesters rallied Saturday in the capital, urging an end to the U.S. occupation of Iraq and demanding that President George W. Bush bring home American troops. [More]

Arcand carries off the Oscar for best foreign film *
Canada's premier director, Denys Arcand, showed his usual self-effacing irony last night after winning his Oscar for The Barbarian Invasions when he waived the opportunity to make the usual acceptance speech. Known as a critic of American culture and its excesses, he made the ultimate statement by not making one at all. [More]

Are the U.S. airwaves about to lean to the left? *
Al Gore and others think they can scoop some viewers who aren't likely to be tuned to Fox News, SIMON HOUPT writes [More]

Are we surfers or serfs? *
This week's ruling on uploading music was a start, but we must be vigilant if we want to avoid becoming Internet peasants, says technology journalist GEORGE EMERSON. [More]

Areas of Washington still in dark *
43,000 households remain without power a week after Isabel stormed through. [More]

Astronomers find planet almost as old as universe *
A planet nearly as old as the universe has been discovered in the constellation Scorpius by a consortium of Canadian and U.S. astronomers. [More]

Bands on the run -- to Europe *
There's a good reason Canadian groups make it overseas, and not in the U.S., some say: Europeans have better taste [More]

Birth of a new ethnicity *
The Canadian identity has undergone a remarkable transformation in the past half a century, says MATTHEW MENDELSOHN [More]

Blood officials knew in '81 of hep-C test, memos show *
Senior officials at the Canadian Red Cross knew in 1981 that a test was available that could prevent transmission of some cases of hepatitis C through blood transfusions, according to newly obtained documents. [More]

Bruce McCall: The cartographer of woe *
Bruce McCall has some rules for being a successful humorist, JESSICA JOHNSON writes. Be an outsider, drop out of school and don't get your hopes up. [More]

Bush needs the G8, and it needs him *
When President George W. Bush boarded Air Force One yesterday to rush off to the Middle East, leaving his G8 colleagues to finish the last day of their annual summit in Évian without him, his many European critics were quick to conclude he had given up on the G8 and its French host -- just as he had given up on the United Nations over Iraq a few months ago. [More]

Bush's warfare state *
The Iraq quagmire and its ever-mutating justifications show that George W. Bush is oblivious to a basic principle of his own conservative ideology: Top-down central planning -- economic or political -- is doomed to fail. [More]

By the look of things, this land isn't my land *
Last month, I received with my daily newspaper the premiere issue of the Canadian Tourism Commission's Canadian travel magazine, PureCanada -- 160 pages of bright, glossy features, photographs and maps designed to encourage Canadians to be tourists within our own borders. [More]

Canada as Europe's model? It's an excellent joke *
Believe it or not, there are serious and influential people on the other side of the ocean who want their governments and societies to be modeled after Canada's. [More]

Canada Day celebrations at Granville Island *
Celebrate Canada's Birthday by visiting Granville Island and taking part in a wide assortment of culturally diverse activities. [More]

Canada snares No. 1 spot in business survey *
A survey has ranked Canada as the No. 1 country in which to conduct business over the next five years, pointing to tax cuts, a Liberal victory in Quebec and a strong infrastructure. [More]

Canada vies to extend hospitality to 'runaways' *
Shiny new rivals for Hollywood's billions have appeared on the scene as the studios scout out even cheaper locations. [More]

Canada weighs in on Oracle's takeover bid *
Oracle's hostile bid for PeopleSoft is currently under review by Canadian antitrust regulators, adding yet another antitrust hurdle for the database-software maker to jump. [More]

Canada's Border Guards Plan Tax-Free Protest Weekend *
Canadian border guards won't collect duty and taxes on goods that consumers bring from the U.S. on the Labour Day holiday weekend in September as part of a protest over wages, the National Post reported, citing unnamed customs officers in different provinces. [More]

Canada, U.S. float air quality projects *
On the first smog-alert day of 2003 for southern Ontario, federal Environment Minister David Anderson announced several pilot projects aimed at improving air quality. [More]

Canadian BBQ Championships at Whistler Blackcomb *
On Saturday and Sunday, August 2nd and 3rd, Whistler Blackcomb will host the Canadian BBQ Championships at Dusty's Bar and BBQ. [More]

Canadian content overhaul urged *
The federal government's formula for defining Canadian content in the film and television industries should be overhauled, says a report, which aims to make the broader system more efficient and able to stimulate greater domestic production. [More]

Canadian films still struggling at home, Statscan says *
Canadian films and videos continued to struggle on their home turf, with foreign entertainment grabbing the lion's share of this country's market in fiscal 2000-2001, Statistics Canada said Friday. [More]

Canadian vacationers outspend foreigners *
A plunge in spending by foreign visitors to Canada has pushed the nation's international travel deficit -- the difference between what Canadians spend abroad and what visitors spend here -- to its highest level in nine years, Statistics Canada reported Wednesday. [More]

Canadian-born ABC News' anchor Peter Jennings dies at 67 *
Peter Jennings, the suave, Canadian-born veteran broadcaster who delivered the news to Americans each night in five separate decades, died at age 67. [More]

CBC banks on Hanomansing to mine after-hours gold in B.C. *
The CBC's Ian Hanomansing will be stick-handling past the news department on weekends to indulge in a bit of jock talk. [More]

CDC: West Nile doubles again in U.S. *
West Nile virus activity has again doubled, now affecting more than 1,400 people in the United States, federal officials said Wednesday. [More]

Cold Squad, Cold Case: Similar, or what? *
The curious case of the American show Cold Case, which to some Canadians looks like a rip-off of the Canadian show Cold Squad, is now red-hot. At last, there is a suggestion of a fight over the fact that the new hit CBS series mimics the Canadian series. [More]

Customs catches steroid smuggler *
B.C. man gets house arrest, $350,000 fine for selling 120 kg of the banned drugs. [More]

Deals Only Store number 2 *****
This wonderful companion store to the original Deals Only is crammed with furniture, décor accessories and loads and loads of clothing!
[More]

Dollar tops 74 cents (U.S.) *
The dollar rose to its highest level in more than two months Friday, breaking through the 74-cent (U.S.) mark on the back of better-than-expected wholesale trade figures, which analysts said gave credence to the idea that stronger economic growth is on deck for later this year. [More]

Dying to make a better life *
The U.S. Border Patrol's battle to stem the tide of illegal migrants from Mexico is legendary. Much less well known, CHRISTOPHER REED reports, is just how many people wind up dead. This year's body count is a record, and critics say Canada shares the blame [More]

Enron sues CIBC, five other banks *
Enron Corp.is suing Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerceand five other banks in a bid to recover more than $3-billion (U.S.) it says it lost because of the banks' actions. [More]

Eureka! Alberta a big science hub *
New Economy -- now there's a term you haven't heard too often since the great tech boom ended in 2000 -- is usually thought of as being synonymous with information and communications technology. [More]

Ex-general enters U.S. presidential race *
Retired U.S. Army General Wesley Clark entered a crowded and wide-open race for the Democratic presidential nomination on Wednesday. [More]

Experts demand rules on drugs for children *
Regulations used for adults do not apply... [More]

Exposing the truth behind the falsehoods *
It's Monday morning, you're cranky already, and so you might as well hear the blunt truth. Most of what you've read recently about American television is crap. [More]

Fagan: Canada keeps the peace *
The Americans and the French did the shoving to convince Jean-Bertrand Aristide to leave power. But Canada was doing the compensatory fence-mending across the Caribbean Sunday, and it also moved to send as many as 500 troops to Haiti for a year or more to take part in an international stabilization force. [More]

FCC ruling will erase Canada's on-line edge *
When the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced last week that it would ease its regulation of the media, critics warned of a wave of mergers, with monopolies or oligarchies emerging to control what the public sees or reads. Democracy would be damaged; diversity would die. [More]

FCC to limit digital TV piracy *
U.S. federal regulators say broadcasters may embed an electronic marker in high-quality digital television shows to make it harder to copy and distribute the programs over the Internet. [More]

Food agency launches probe into power bars, sports drinks *
Internal report by federal inspectors questions safety of consumer fad foods. [More]

For CBS, it's okay to talk profits, but not pervy stuff *
An American TV executive is perfectly prepared to talk about profits and the pedigree of new TV shows, but he's not prepared to talk about genital warts. [More]

G-G's trips are a very good thing *
As you read this, Governor-General Adrienne Clarkson is touring Moscow trailed by a delegation of 26 notable Canadians -- and the curses of various taxpayers and journalists. "Off with her head!" writes one Globe and Mail reader, while a National Post columnist complains that Michael Ondaatje is now eating beluga caviar at our expense. [More]

G8 leaders remain split on Iran, North Korea *
On Iraq, at least, they turned the page. But feuding world leaders who came together at a let's-make-up summit in France remained split over the next crises darkening the horizon — how to prevent North Korea and Iran from building nuclear weapons. [More]

Gas prices and designer gridlock in B.C. *
Welcome to British Columbia, home of the highest gas prices in Canada. [More]

Hoax continues: Jessica Lynch receives a hero's welcome *
Former PoW Jessica Lynch returned home to a flag-waving hero's welcome Tuesday, saying "it's great to be home" in her first public words since being rescued. [More]

ID card sticker shock *
Robert Marleau, the interim privacy commissioner, did taxpayers a service last week, though hardly anyone took notice. In testimony to the House of Commons citizenship and immigration committee, he put forward a cogent, thoughtful analysis on the merits of Immigration Minister Denis Coderre's idea to make Canadians carry a national identity card. [More]

In praise of the city and its slickers *
The writer and thinker Ian Buruma, who is a relentlessly cosmopolitan type -- grew up in the Netherlands, lived for years in Asia, teaches in the United States, writes for journals all over the globe -- has been writing with frequency about various forms of resistance to Western culture around the world. [More]

Internet piracy growing *
Counterfeit software sales over the Internet are reaching epidemic proportions, and the reasons are obvious... [More]

Investors beware: Markets a no-man's land until after election *
Yesterday's rotten U.S. employment report may have just tossed an anchor to the drowning hopes of a near-term rebound in stocks. A pretty strong case is now in place for the investors to sit on their hands until at least November. [More]

Is this the saviour of Canadian TV? *
Last Thursday was one of those days on my beat. From beginning to end, it illustrated what a mess we're in. [More]

It's all beside the point *
A journalism student at the University of Texas, interviewed on Sunday on the CBS program 60 Minutes, irked me. The topic was The List, websites naming profs at U.S. universities who have been accused of letting their left-wing or anti-Israel bias pollute the pure academic air of their classrooms. [More]

Jessica Lynch has $1-million story *
Jessica Lynch has struck a $1-million (U.S.) deal for a book that will tell the story of her capture and rescue in Iraq. But questions remain over how much she remembers.
Read original Jessica Lynch hoax exposé story from May, 2003: BBC exposé says rescue of U.S. Army private faked [More]

Jessica Lynch: A war hero? Or a pawn? *
Laura Regan, the daughter of a former Nova Scotia premier, has a unique perspective playing the role of rescued soldier Jessica Lynch, GUY DIXON writes. [More]

JFK and the culture of dread *
The trauma of Kennedy's assassination still echoes through our books, movies and dreams, JAMES ADAMS writes. [More]

Liberia is chained to its past *
Former U.S. slaves seized land from indigenous peoples, and even set up their own slave trade, says ROGER MORRIS [More]

Loonie surges to 74.91 cents (U.S.) *
The Canadian dollar hit 75 cents (U.S.) in after-hours trading yesterday, rising on signs of more weakness in the U.S. economy and expectations of further interest rate cuts south of the border. [More]

Lord Black's art of investing stirs controversy *
The appropriateness of Hollinger buying the Roosevelt papers is being questioned as the press baron pens FDR's biography [More]

Love the ones you hate *
Since 9/11, we've learned that we live in a thoroughly modern global village of terror [More]

Low points in Cancon *
Waving the white flag for cheesy TV, Celine Dion and navel-gazing Canadian writers [More]

Lynn Coady: A case of made-in-Canada writer chill *
Last summer, south of the Canadian border -- in the land of racial profiling and the proposed Patriot Act -- friends of Ontario writers Marsha Boulton and Stephen Williams were horrified at what they were hearing. The couple had made an impromptu trip to New York, not so much out of a burning desire to see these old acquaintances but, they explained to their friends, to "escape the persecution." [More]

Mad cow hunt moves south *
Investigators revealed Wednesday the search for the birth farm of the original mad cow has now expanded into the United States. [More]

Massive forest fire approaching B.C. border *
A massive forest fire approaching the edge of the B.C.-Washington state border could spread into the province in a few days, a U.S. fire information officer said Thursday. [More]

Microsoft-Lindows spat heads north *
Microsoft has expanded its legal battle against Linux seller Lindows, suing the software maker for trademark infringement in Canada. [More]

MIT initiative could revolutionize learning *
As students across Canada trudge back to class, a U.S. initiative is taking flight that could revolutionize public and corporate education around the world. [More]

Move to decriminalize pot draws criticism *
Saying that "most Canadians" believe that marijuana laws are outdated, the government on Tuesday unveiled legislation that will reduce penalties for possessing small amounts of the drug. Below certain quantities, possession will no longer be treated as a criminal offence. [More]

Next season: What's hot and not *
Hardly anybody has seen the pilot episodes for the new American network shows and some haven't even been made yet. Network executives and some ad buyers have seen the pilots but their stamp of approval is no guarantee of quality. The same alleged experts have endorsed dozens of failures. [More]

Not many tourists escape criticism -- even Canadians *
Most countries have had their tourists cast in unpleasant, often unfair stereotypes. Americans have been called loud and uncultured; Britain and Australia have been criticized for exporting lager louts; and Chinese are accused of being ill-mannered. Even Canadians have been cast as rude cheapskates. [More]

Not providing marijuana endangers the sick: lawyer *
The federal government is endangering the lives of seriously ill Canadians by forcing them into the black market to obtain marijuana for medicinal use, Ontario's highest court was told yesterday. [More]

Oh, Canada! Canada's holiday hot spots revealed *
Celebrate Canada this July 1 in a different fashion -- travel Canada! [More]

Ottawa man tests positive for West Nile virus *
An Ottawa man has tested positive for West Nile virus, health officials said yesterday, the second confirmed case in Canada this summer. An investigation is under way to determine where the patient, an elderly man being treated in hospital, was infected. [More]

Ottawa set to sell its medical marijuana *
The federal government is going to share its stash of marijuana, selling the drug to hundreds of critically ill Canadians at bargain prices. [More]

President who championed free enterprise left mark on Canada *
In early 1987, Brian Mulroney's controversial policy of friendly engagement and closer ties with the United States was in deep trouble, undermined by the unwillingness of the Americans to make major concessions in free trade negotiations that were underway. [More]

Pressure mounting on Bush and Blair *
Senior politicians on both sides of the Atlantic want answers to what is becoming the most asked question since major combat ended in Iraq: Where are the unconventional weapons the coalition said it went to war to destroy? [More]

Private enterprise joins up *
Now that the U.S. media have finally recovered at least some of their critical faculties when it comes to the war in Iraq, we are being deluged with stories of corporate profiteers who are making billions supplying goods and services to the U.S. military. [More]

Profiling: Stamps of approval? *
Racial profiling has hung over Canadian Muslims since 9/11. It casts such a pall, MOHAMED ELMASRY wonders if Canada should issue cards to identify 'moderate' Muslims. Sound repugnant? It should [More]

Puretracks chalks up one million downloads *
Just four months after its launch, Canada's Puretracks on-line music service has crossed the one million download mark and is looking to further strengthen its hold on the market by offering pre-paid user cards. [More]

Push to change piracy laws is unwise *
Not only are Canadian music file-sharers terrified -- so is the Canadian recording industry, which went to court on Monday seeking to force 29 digital music "uploaders" to face the legal music. [More]

Read the fine print on GMO labels *
Don't swallow the EU way. Let's push for multilateral rules on how we label what we eat, say PETER PHILLIPS and ROBERT WOLFE -- Note: This story does not reflect the editorial stance of evalu8.org [More]

Readers, please scour your attics *
By now, everyone must realize that something powerful and paradoxical has transpired in recent years in the realm of Canadian nationalism. [More]

Ready for their close-up *
Can Canadians fall in love with Canadian films, so they capture 5 per cent of our box office? Hopes are high, but the hurdles are too. [More]

Report urges tighter, simpler CanCon rules *
Canadian content regulations in television and film are "inadequate" and require substantial changes, says a report commissioned by the Heritage Department. [More]

Retired general to throw hat in U.S. ring *
Clark's army background could undercut Bush's position as anti-terror war leader [More]

Richard Grasso's retirement package: What, no gold watch? *
We always knew the pay was a little juicier in the Big Apple. It's the centre of the financial universe, right? Besides, how else could anyone afford the rents? [More]

Rosie marries her girlfriend *
Rosie O'Donnell married her long-time girlfriend Thursday, taking what she called a proud stand for gay civil rights in the city where more than 3,300 other same-sex couples have tied the knot since Feb. 12. [More]

SARS: Cautious to a fault *
When nine members of a Texas air-force base were quarantined for suspected SARS last week after picking up a cough during an hour spent at a Toronto airport, it seemed proof that everything truly is bigger in the Lone Star State -- including the paranoia. [More]

Seattle voters reject espresso tax *
Voters in this caffeine capital have rejected a proposed 10-cent tax on espresso drinks after the initiative jolted an otherwise sleepy, off-year primary with a double shot of controversy. [More]

Star Canadian sports surgeon leaving for U.S. in frustration *
A renowned Toronto surgeon who has fixed shoulders for the likes of Blue Jays slugger Carlos Delgado and Maple Leafs winger Gary Roberts is leaving for the United States, saying he is frustrated at the underfunded health system. [More]

Study disparages plans for hydrogen-fuelled cars *
-spirited individuals hoping to do their part to save the environment by buying hydrogen-fuelled cars next year are in for expensive and rude surprises, a study by a Canadian and a U.S. scientist says. [More]

Surprises in the pro-war ranks *
Was the war in Iraq immoral and illegitimate? [More]

The Daily Show: Bee dazzled *
'It was very crazy and unexpected' to be whisked from Toronto to New York to make news that amuses, The Daily Show's Canadian component tells SIMON HOUPT. [More]

The fourth world war *
For two years, the U.S. has pursued the culprits behind the 9/11 atrocities with a vengeance that has shocked and awed ally and enemy alike. But even the devastating attacks on the Afghan and Iraqi regimes don't illustrate the true scope of the campaign, DOUG SAUNDERS reports. While everyone was preoccupied with the fireworks, Washington has quietly deployed thousands of agents in a secretive struggle that may last a lifetime [More]

The greening of Jean Chrétien *
In the past year, the Prime Minister has gone from being on par with George Bush to being a parks-creating, Kyoto-embracing paragon, says DAVID BOYD [More]

The U.N.: Heading for history's dustbin? *
If the UN doesn't aid the U.S. in rebuilding Iraq, it risks total irrelevance on the world stage, say Washington correspondents [More]

Thinkers return to N.S. to study world's threats *
A group of 200 international scientists, academics and ardent opponents of nuclear weapons is pondering the possibility of global destruction in Halifax this week -- before heading to the scenic shores of the Nova Scotia village of Pugwash where the movement began in 1955. [More]

Tories will arm guards at border, high-ranking MP says *
Two days after murder suspects from California made a run for the Peace Arch border crossing before being stopped in a shootout on the U.S. side, Conservative justice critic Vic Toews said his party will stand behind its promise to give Canada's border guards guns. [More]

Treasuring our complaints and questioning our values: It's what makes us Canadian *
We most assuredly are, as the Prime Minister said on Parliament Hill during the Canada Day celebrations, "a people like no other." [More]

Truth and other casualties *
Retracted news stories, hidden body bags, and a deaf ear for experienced soldiers: no wonder morale is down in Iraq, says author MONIKA JENSEN-STEVENSON. [More]

U-cut tree farms WA state & Pacific Northwest *
Please note that the movement of many species of trees of cut Christmas trees over the US-Canada border is regulated. Details at bottom of this list. If your school or fund-raising group is operating a tree lot this year and you'd like a free listing on evalu8.org, please send a note with complete details to: feedback@evalu8.org. [More]

U.S. drug sales leave Canada short *
Lack of two crucial drugs could affect patients with leukemia and brain tumours. [More]

U.S. history book prize awarded to Canadians *
A U.S. children's book prize intended to celebrate American history has been won by a pair of Canadians. Author Peter Busby of Vancouver and illustrator David Craig of Mississauga, Ont., received the $10,000 (U.S.) prize for their book First to Fly: How Wilbur & Orville Wright Invented the Airplane. [More]

U.S. House of Representatives approves ‘do-not-call' legislation *
U.S. House of Representatives approved legislation Thursday aimed at ensuring a national “do-not-call” list goes into effect as scheduled next week so consumers can block many unwanted telemarketing sales pitches. [More]

U.S. Medicare bill won't be a cure *
The U.S. Congress has abandoned efforts to pass a major energy bill this year. It should also have walked away from a sweeping overhaul of Medicare. [More]

Union aims to organize meat plant after firings *
The United Food and Commercial Workers union has set its sights on organizing workers at an Alberta packing plant that was the scene of mass firings earlier this year. [More]

US - Canadian Border Lineups *
The latest border-crossing information for BC and the Pacific Northwest... [More]

US surveillance plan causes worry *
An unusual coalition of liberal and conservative advocacy groups and some senators want to keep tight congressional control on the Pentagon's planned anti-terror surveillance system, despite new promises it will use only legally collected personal data. [More]

Walk the freedom talk, Mr. Bush *
speeches he gave this month in Washington and London, U.S. President George Bush built on Ronald Reagan's historic speech to the British Parliament over 20 years ago. The 1982 speech marked Mr. Reagan's recognition that it was not enough for the United States to be against communism. To prevail in the Cold War, he saw, the United States needed also to embrace a positive vision -- the promotion of "democracy." [More]

War stories: When politicians cry wolf *
Did they make it up? Or, in the memorable words of that anonymous British intelligence source, did they "sex it up"? [More]

Weaker greenback lifts dollar *
Currency also gets boost from housing data, ends day at 72.44 cents (U.S.) [More]

Western culture vultures spy eastern meat *
I want to start out by saying that this column was intended to be a celebration of western Canadian -- particularly West Coast -- magazines. It was geared, therefore, toward assiduous avoidance of all things Toronto. [More]

White House told not to shred papers *
FBI investigates e-mails, phone logs in leaking of name of CIA operative. [More]

Whoa, heavy irony, dude: Head of medical-pot program resigns *
Health Canada's medical marijuana program seems gripped by chaos after the departure of its former "Pot-Head," Cindy Cripps-Prawak. [More]

Whole Foods U.S. caves into IFAW seafood ban -- but Canadian stores stay strong and free *
Happy Canada Day: The International Fund for Animal Welfare continues to promote a ban on Canadian products, including misleading ads in U.S. newspapers. How does a Canadian react? Can you say 'BOYCOTT?' [More]

You know you're from Vancouver when. . . *
Too true, too true. . . [More]