1. MOURNING CONTINUES Canada’s arts community has been devastated by the loss of four people killed in a car crash north of Regina. In Calgary, Mayor Naheed Nenshi attended a theatre community gathering for Yellow Rabbit Theatre’s Michael Green. Regina and Saskatchewan are shattered by the loss of Curtain Razors’ Michele Sereda, dancer Lacy Morin-Desjarlais and elder and academic Narcisse Blood, as well as the influential Green. More here. This tragedy has really hit people hard.
2. CANADA’S AWESOME FLAG TURNS 50 It’s a damn good flag, even if wet blankets like former PM John Diefenbaker were a big buncha crybabies over it.
3. ONTARIO PONDERS A CARBON TAX Canada’s biggest province considers a big move to fight global warming. Ontario’s also planning to pass legislation to restrict neonicotinoid pesticides, which are believed to devastate bees and therefore incredibly terrible. Looks like Ontarians voted for the right provincial government last election.
4. SALES DOWN, JOBS CUT The Calgary-based oil company Cenovus will whack 15 per cent of its workforce. Get used to it, Alberta — oil is a sunset industry.
5. FOX NEWS DOESN’T FREAK OUT WHEN WHITE DUDES SHOOT MUSLIMS… A racist double-standard is pointed out after three Muslims were shot by a white non-Muslim in Raleigh, North Carolina.
6. PEACE IN UKRAINE? A ceasefire is scheduled to startSunday.
7. THE WAR AGAINST WOMEN RAGES Human Rights Watch documents a horrific mass rape by soldiers in Darfur.
8. WE’RE NUMBER 8 the France-based international organization Reporters Without Borders has released its index of press freedoms worldwide and you’ll be pleased to know everything has gotten worse again. Major problems include countries that use national security and blasphemy laws to suppress criticism; threats from organized crime, war zone dangers and radical groups like IS. As for Canada — we’re up 10 points, to number eight on the list, because apparently all you have to do to break the top 10 is not arrest and murder journalists. Not the highest bar to clear. Speaking of arresting journalists, the U.S. is close to falling out of the top 50 for the first time since 2006, thanks in part to the arbitrary arrests of journalists. Want more? Sure ya do. Click the links to peruse RIB’s press release and sad, maddening infographic. Journalists the world over could use some back-up. Where’s Superman when you need him?