1 TARGET ON THEIR HEADS EI claimants should expect a cold, hard knock on their doors. The federal government has confirmed it has ‘performance objectives’ (aka quotas) for Service Canada employees to catch EI fraudsters. EI investigators are expected to find $485, 000 each in ineligible claims annually.
2 APPARENTLY IT’S NOT JUST THE ARTS… Canada’s military spending could take a massive nosedive in 2014, dropping from the current budget of $476 million to $5 million. It seems like a significant decrease, but it’s mostly because Canada will be ending its teardown and training missions in Afghanistan by early next year. Plus, there are no new operations planned after that.
3 HISTORY REPEATS ITSEF Ottawa was slammed at a human rights hearing yesterday for its refusal to provide equitable child-welfare on reserves. Sean Atleo, the National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations, suggested that the foster care system and removal of aboriginal children from their homes is akin to the experiences felt by survivors of the Indian residential school system.
4 CRIME STATS ARE FRUSTRATING!! Just yesterday we found out Regina’s crime rates are continuing to drop. Now a new Statistics Canada study is saying violence against women in our lovely province is double the national rate. Ughhh.
5 NAYYYY TO MYSTERY MEAT Canadians with a dislike for horsemeat can breathe a sigh of relief – no mislabeled products containing the meat have been sold in Canada! Even if the products were sold in Canada, we Saskatchewanians would have little to worry about because we still don’t have an Ikea, which is where the Swedish horse-tainted meatballs were sold (in Europe).
6 THE HAUNTING OF THE MONSTER ICICLE Only in Saskatchewan could this story tread water. Granted, it is a pretty big icicle, and there’s no doubt it’s going to cause major problems, whether it be now, or when the spring melt arrives on our doorsteps…and in our basements.