An angry man with a gun roamed the corridors of the school and sought out and murdered 14 women. The 25 year old gunman ordered the women to move to one side of the room and the men to leave. He shouted to the women. "You're all a bunch of feminists, and I hate feminists." He then opened fire. Six of the women in the room were shot dead. The gunman continued his rampage throughout the building, killing a total of 14 women in a violent act of misogyny. He also injured 14 more people, mostly women, before using the gun to kill himself.

December 6th is the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence against Women in Canada. It was established in 1991 by the Parliament of Canada and marks the anniversary of the deaths of these women.

Environment Canada wildlife enforcement officers launched a coordinated series of interprovincial and international border inspections in the summer of 2012 to look for evidence of illegal hunting of black bear and other species. The operation took place in 29 locations throughout Canada.

The Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) has released a research report challenging the overall effectiveness of minimum wage policy in Canada. Minimum Wage: Reframing the debate reveals that minimum wage increases tend to hurt the very people they are supposed to help.

Small business owners aim to offer competitive wages that will help them attract and retain good staff. However, large jumps in the minimum wage force business owners to reduce hours, reduce training or even eliminate jobs.

The first annual Great Places in Canada contest is now nearing the halfway mark, and as people across the country nominate and vote for their favourite locations, some interesting trends are emerging.

As of January 25, 2011, the results so far are:

In British Columbia., George Little Park Spirit Square in Terrace has attracted 1,330 votes - far more than any other location in Canada, and way ahead of the top pick in Vancouver, Van Dusen Botanical Garden, which has 189 votes.

Consumer Protection BC recommends that all travel consumers check for travel advisories prior to booking a trip to any country. 

The Government of Canada has issued a travel advisory around travel to Mexico currently.  According to the Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada website Canadians traveling to Mexico should exercise a high degree of caution due to a deteriorating security situation.  They also advise travel by air rather than crossing borders by land.

Mexico:  Exercise high degree of caution

Canadians travelling to Mexico should exercise a high degree of caution due to a deteriorating security situation in many parts of the country. While most major tourist areas have not been affected by the extreme levels of violence witnessed in the northern border region, it is highly advisable to travel to Mexico by air (please see our travel warning for the Mexico-United States border). High levels of criminal activity, as well as occasional demonstrations and protests, remain a concern throughout the country.

The Canadian Broadcast Standards Council (CBSC) recently released its decision concerning the broadcast of the unedited version of the song “Money for Nothing” by Dire Straits on CHOZ-FM (OZ FM, Newfoundland).  The CBSC concluded that the presence of the word “faggot” in the song contravened the Human Rights Clauses of the Canadian Association of Broadcasters’ (CAB) Code of Ethics and Equitable Portrayal Code.

Police across the province will be out in force in September armed with the toughest laws and penalties in the country to get impaired drivers off B.C.’s roads faster and for longer periods of time, Solicitor General Michael de Jong, QC, announced yesterday. 

“Unfortunately, impaired driving is on the increase in this province and that's alarming because it means some people still aren't getting the message,” said de Jong. “The new penalties will be a wake-up call because when September comes, drinking drivers can lose their driver’s licence, have their vehicle impounded, and pay costs that range from $600 to $3,750.”