US Retailers Invade Canada: Why?

Big budget U.S. retail chains have big designs on Canada, causing some concern among traditional Canadian retailers.  With slow economic growth south of the border, Canada is an attractive place to set up shop.  With fewer retail outlets to shop and the traditional retailers making money, it makes sense to set up shop in Canada.  Parity with the U.S. dollar provides U.S. retailers a chance to be competitive.

For Canadian consumers this is a win-win situation, but not so much for the manufacturing industry.  Although the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) is often shunned by US politicians, there remains very little doubt that it has opened up markets north of the border for US companies.  When the original free trade agreement between Canada and the U.S. was negotiated and eventually ratified by both countries, it became part of an emotional debate in Canada.  Opponents to free trade were fearful that Canada was giving up its sovereign status.  Those in favour of free trade rejected the fears, arguing that it was the only way to move to a healthy market economy.  Full Story @allvoices.com

America's Women win Third Gold Medal in Olympic Soccer

 Carli Lloyd's two goals assure a gold medal for Team USA in Women's Olympic Soccer Tournament

The first half started off with clear chances on both sides, where Morgan lambasted the Japanese goal and forced Fukumoto to pull off a safe.  Kawasumi had an equal opportunity at Solo's goal.  Carli Lloyd opened the scoring for the US side when she put the ball in the net for a 1-0 lead.  Although the US dominated in the early phase of the first half,  the Japanese had more of the possession as the half went along.

The Japanese, a technically strong team, kept pace with the US side, despite the early lead.  In the 17th minute Solo was forced to save a ball, which then hit the crossbar.  A physically fit and strong team, the US exchanged chances with the Japanese side.  Despite strong efforts on both sides, with the US having a slight shots on goal advantage (7-6), the half ended in a 1-0 lead for Team USA.  Full story @allvoices.com

Canadian Soccer Women win historic Bronze Medal with Matheson Goal

Canadian Soccer women made history today, when they won a bronze medal by defeating France with a last minute goal.

After an emotional semi-final match agains the US on Monday, there were some questions if the Canadian team would be able to move beyond that game and be a challenger to France. During last year's Worl Cup the French side send Canada packing during the group stage by handing them a 4-0 defeat.

A relatively eventless first half, saw many failed passes and a cautious approach by both teams. The game certainly did not have the atmosphere of the semi-final match against the American neighbour. Neither team had many moves toward the goal and the half ended scoreless. Canada had an excellent chance in the 15th minute on a pass from Rhian Wilkinson to Christine Sinclair, which went over the net.  Full story @allvoices

ObamaCare: An American Nightmare?

 Obama Care, touted by the Administration to provide affordable private health insurance to most Americans, is starting to become a major American nightmare.  A Congressional Budget Office(CBO) report concludes that 30 million non-elderly Americans will remain without health insurance in 2022.

The Affordable Health Act (AHA), also known as Obama Care, was to solve the problem of the uninsured in America.  Despite 1200 pages of the legislation, which most legislators admit they never read, it is riddled with problems and loopholes.  The mandate portion of the act was challenged by 26 states under the commerce clause.  The United States Supreme Court in a 5-4 decision, ruled that the mandate didn't pass the muster under the commerce clause.  Chief Justice John Roberts declared that the fine amounted to a tax that the government had the power to impose, and that the mandate could survive on that basis.  The decision, however, placed a big restriction on a major portion of the law, which gives states flexibility not to expand their Medicaid programs, without paying the financial penalties the law calls for. Full Story @allvoices.com

Epic battle between neighbors after Canada/US Women's soccer semifinals

Many soccer fans saw one of the hardest and best fought battles in women's soccer on Monday. The game, for fans, was full of emotions. Christien Sinclair put Canada in the lead three times, with Rapinoe answering twice and Wambach equalizign the score with a controversial penalty kick ten minutes before the end of the game. The boiling point came when Morgan put the ball into the next in extra time, ensuring a US berth in the final against Japan.

Emotions ran high after the game and the Canadian women told the Norwegian referree, Christiana Pedersen, that she must be wearing a USA uniform, when considering made some of the calls made during the game.

One of the most controversial calls was a time delay call against Canada's keeper, which resulted in a free kick just outside the box. The subsequent Rapinoe free kick resulted in a handball and a penalty kick, which Abby Wambach easily sank in the net. One of the allegations was that one of the US players had counted the seconds out loud, influencing the referee.  Full story @allvoices.com

PM Harper: Science, not politics will decide the fate of Northern Gateway Pipeline

Canada's Prime Minister Stephen Harper said that the Northern Gateway pipeline project will be approved on the basis of science, not politics. The Prime Minister has been under pressure by the opposition parties and has been demonized for including changes of environmental laws in his omnibus budget bill. Despite fillibusting the bill was passed by the majority conservative government and the conservative dominated Senate.

One of the keynote changes in the bill is the approval process for environmental assessments. The bill imposes a two year limit on the National Energy Board Review.

The Alberta oil sands are the favourite whipping child of environmentalists. Using outdated data they have demonized Alberta's bituman crude oil and of course aerial photographs taken from carbon spewing helicopters have been used to make their point. This totally disregards the land reclaiming process in place.  Full story@allvoices.com

Elizabeth May's National Energy Strategy: Does it Mirror Trudeau's National Energy Program?

While Alberta's Premier is interested in leading a discussion on a National Energy Strategy, Green Party Leader Elizabeth May has come forward with her own proposal.  In her essay "National Energy Strategy Possible, Federal Leadership Missing" May advocates energy souvereignity and the scrupulous vetting of state-owned energy corporations (namely China).  Obviously foreign companies originating in the U.S. should also be vetted and their subsidies reduced. 

National Energy Strategy equals National Energy Program (If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck and smells like a duck, it's probably a duck).

Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau introduced he National Energy Program (NEP) after a deadlock in negotiations with Alberta Premier Lougheed in 1980.  The program was introduced without consulting with the oil industry.  Along with the NEP Trudeau introduced a tax that funded the national petroleum company, Petro Canada, and gave grants to Canadian owned companies to encourage exploration.  Full Story @allvoices.com