Apathy is Boring - All Content

ALERT: Oil and Ice Tour : Are we giving up ice for oil?

2009-11-10T10:28:54Z

(from official website : http://wwf.ca/takeaction/events/oil_and_ice_tour.cfm)

Join two of Canada's leading authors for a discussion about the choices that will determine the future of Canada's Arctic, and what we can learn from the tar sands.

WWF-Canada is proud to host the cross-Canada speaking tour of award-winning authors Andrew Nikiforuk (Tar Sands) and Ed Struzik (The Big Thaw). Join them this fall as they discuss how the melting of Arctic sea ice and the exploitation of the Alberta tar sands are connected, and how they are shaping Canada's future. WWF aims to stimulate debate among Canadians about the choices and consequences – political, cultural, economic and environmental – involved in how we develop the tar sands and respond to a changing Arctic.

Join us in a city near you between November 4-20, 2009. See below for more information about dates and locations.

RSVP to events@wwfcanada.org or call us at 1-800-26-PANDA.
There is no charge to attend this event.

More info : http://wwf.ca/takeaction/events/oil_and_ice_tour.cfm

Oil & Ice Tour Schedule

Each conference begins at 7 PM.

St. John's, Newfoundland
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Memorial University
Arts and Administration Building, Room A-1043

Halifax
Friday, November 13, 2009
Dalhousie
Scotiabank Auditorium

Ottawa
Monday, November 16, 2009
Carleton University
Porter Hall

Toronto
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
University of Toronto
Room G162, OISE Auditorium

Kingston
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Kingston Frontenac Public Library
Wilson Room

Montreal
Friday, November 20, 2009
McGill University
Frank Dawson Adams Auditorium

More info : http://wwf.ca/takeaction/events/oil_and_ice_tour.cfm

NEWS: Le Conseil des arts du Canada reconnaît les arts du cirque

2009-11-10T10:05:01Z

Le Conseil des arts du Canada (CAC) vient de reconnaître les arts du cirque comme une discipline artistique à part entière, emboîtant le pas au Conseil des arts du Québec et au Conseil des arts de Montréal.

L'organisme subventionnaire fédéral, qui assimilait autrefois les arts du cirque à un vaste programme destiné aux «arts intégrés», vient d'annoncer qu'il considérera maintenant cette discipline comme une forme d'art distincte. Si cette reconnaissance officielle ne change rien pour l'instant aux programmes et aux enveloppes qui seront alloués aux artistes circassiens, le regroupement québécois des arts du cirque, En Piste, se félicite de cette décision, qui est l'aboutissement de longues démarches entreprises par le Regroupement national des arts du cirque pour répondre aux besoins spécifiques des artistes de cirque.

«Cette reconnaissance du Conseil des arts vient confirmer l'importance et l'excellence du travail de nos artistes et compagnies. Une autre étape vient d'être franchie dans notre poursuite de l'épanouissement des arts de la piste à travers le Canada», a soutenu Jeannot Painchaud, président d'En Piste et fondateur du Cirque Éloize.

Pour lire l'article au complet, cliquez le lien.

NEWS: ADQ - Caucus extraordinaire, questions difficiles

2009-11-10T10:02:01Z

Au lendemain de la démission du président du parti, le caucus restant tient une réunion extraordinaire au cours de laquelle la question du départ éventuel du chef de l'ADQ Gilles Taillon serait abordée.

NEWS: Byelection win will boost Tories in Quebec: MP

2009-11-10T09:56:01Z

CALGARY (CBC) - The newest Conservative MP in Quebec says his byelection victory proves the province is warming up to Prime Minister Stephen Harper's Tories.

In an upset win Monday night, Bernard Généreux, the former mayor of La Pocatière, beat his Bloc Québécois rival in the rural riding of MontmagnyL'IsletKamouraskaRivière-du-Loup, handing the Conservatives their first triumph in the region in 16 years.

"We'll change this old story about Quebec that doesn't want to be with the Conservative Party," Généreux said in a telephone interview after his feat. "I'm a happy guy, I'm a solid guy. I'm constructive, and the party is constructive."

Généreux finished with 1,500 more votes than his Bloc counterpart, Nancy Gagnon. He said Bloc Québécois fatigue helped propel him to victory.

"I'm a Canadian, and I'm really proud to be, and I will work with the caucus in Quebec and the MPs in Ottawa from the Conservative Party to advance the country," he said.

Généreux described his victory Monday as sweet because he has never actually won a campaign, despite serving as a local mayor in Eastern Quebec.

"Actually, I won by acclamation in La Pocatière," he said. "I have never been in a race actually in politics. This is the first time in my life."

The Bloc had an easier time in Hochelaga, the other Quebec riding up for grabs in a byelection Monday night, with economist Daniel Paillé cruising to victory with a comfortable 5,000-vote margin.

Only 22 per cent of eligible voters cast ballots, a disappointing but understandable turnout, Paillé said.

"It's the fourth election here in one year," he told the CBC at a victory party at the Brasseries des Patriotes. "But I'll take every vote, and over 50 per cent for me, ... it's a good victory."

See link for full article.

NEWS: Toronto mayoral race shaping up to be showdown of two former political foes

2009-11-10T09:49:01Z

TORONTO - The race for Toronto's next mayor is shaping up to be a showdown between two political foes who once battled it out in the Ontario legislature.

George Smitherman - Premier Dalton McGuinty's right-hand man and top enforcer - dropped out of cabinet Monday to pursue a bid to be mayor, potentially pitting him against former Progressive Conservative leader John Tory.

Tory, a wealthy and well-connected political operative for former prime ministers Brian Mulroney and Kim Campbell, is mulling another shot at the city's top job after losing to David Miller in 2003.

Smitherman, who had been serving as energy and infrastructure minister, said he's taking the leap because his hometown needs him, not because he couldn't see a way to move up from being McGuinty's No. 2 man.

"Had I chose to remain, I think I have a very good future here," Smitherman said, adding that he's been given "extraordinary opportunities" in both the health and energy portfolios.

"But my city calls out. My city shows that it has a need to restore a sense of power to the office. And I think that I have the skills - a combination of experience, passion, energy and roots in the city that make me well-suited to this challenge."

McGuinty, who vowed for weeks that Smitherman was staying put, shrugged off his departure as well as pointed questions about why a second cabinet star has run out the door in last few months.

His "Jedi mind trick" failed to work on one of his staunchest allies, the premier joked.

See link for full article.

NEWS: Municipalities use Olympics to woo new business

2009-11-10T09:46:01Z

Attention, all business leaders: If you're seriously interested in moving your operations to Vancouver, you could be in line for an almost-all-expenses-paid trip to the region during the Olympics, complete with Games tickets.

A group of Lower Mainland municipalities has banded together to bring in 100 people from 50 companies during the Games in February, in the hopes of wooing them to settle here permanently.

The cost: $1.5-million to cover meals, hotels, local transpo use rtation and Olympics tickets for 100 visitors for four days. (They have to cover their own airfares.)

The long-term value: Well, no one can quite say, but they're pretty sure it will pay off somehow.

"This is the most powerful opportunity this region will have to brand itself," Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson said as he helped announce the initiative yesterday along with Surrey Mayor Dianne Watts and Richmond Mayor Malcolm Brodie.

"Other cities competing with us are well-armed with resources," the mayor said. "However, they don't have the 2010 Games."

And so the cities are using that advantage to pitch their best case.

The three are part of a nine-city consortium called Metro Vancouver Commerce (subtitle: Powerhouse Paradise) that formed three years ago to co-operate in enticing businesses they think would be interested to come to this region - businesses that they might otherwise have to spend much more money courting in expensive trade missions.

"We're jumping on this with great gusto," Coquitlam Mayor Richard Stewart said.

"With a population of 125,000, it's hard for us to go around the world."

So his municipality is happy to throw in some money and any Games tickets it might have available to entertain visiting business leaders. (The federal government is putting in $800,000 through its Western Economic Diversification Department.)

See link for full article.

NEWS: Conservatives win 2 byelections, 1 at Bloc's expense

2009-11-10T09:25:01Z

The Conservatives scored two federal byelection wins Monday, upsetting the Bloc Québécois in eastern Quebec and cruising to an easy victory in Nova Scotia.

The Bloc easily retained the riding of Hochelaga in Montreal's east end, while the New Democrats had no trouble holding on to a seat in British Columbia.

Conservative Bernard Généreux, the former mayor of La Pocatière, scored an upset in Montmagny-L'Islet-Kamouraska-Rivière du loup in eastern Quebec, taking more than 42 per cent of the vote, ahead of the Bloc's Nancy Gagnon, with just under 38 per cent.

Liberal Marcel Catellier ran a distant third with 13 per cent of the vote, followed by the NDP's François Lapointe with about five per cent.

In Nova Scotia, Conservative candidate Scott Armstrong reclaimed the riding of Cumberland-Colchester-Musquodoboit Valley, a longtime Tory stronghold.

Former Conservative MP Bill Casey captured the riding as an independent in 2008 after being booted out of the Tory caucus in 2007 for publicly criticizing the budget.

Armstrong won almost 46 per cent of the vote. His nearest rival, NDP candidate Mark Austin, took nearly 26 per cent, followed by Liberal Jim Burrows at just over 21 per cent.

In the second Quebec byelection, the Bloc's Daniel Paillé romped to victory in Hochelaga with more than 51 per cent of the vote. NDP candidate Jean-Claude Rocheleau, on whom the party had pinned strong hopes, ended up with about 20 per cent.

Liberal Robert David was third with14 per cent, followed by Conservative Stéphanie Cloutier at 10 per cent.

See link for full article.

NEWS: Thanks to our Volunteers

2009-11-09T11:20:01Z

A big shout out to all of our summer volunteers. Thanks so much for your generous time and energy;

A is B wouldn't be the same without you!

To show our appreciation, we've drawn two event volunteer winners and two Montreal volunteer winners, who will each receive some sweet prizes!

Event Volunteer Prize:
An Apathy is Boring prize pack including some of our favorite CDs

Montreal Volunteer Prize:
Infinithéâtre 6-pack: 6 tickets for their 2009/10 Season

And the winners are (drumroll, please)....

Event Volunteers: Julia Fryer and Aliya Jiwa

Admin Volunteers: Sean Finnell and Natalie Lum-Tai

Special Bonus Prize Pack: Carl Hageraats

Congratulations and thanks again to each and everyone of you!

Ashley Abowa
Lana Adeeb
Fatima Ammarguella
Christopher Ammersbach
Carrie Armstrong
Hanna Sophia Aronoff
Monica Bialobrzeski
Gabriella Bond
Katerine Brisebois
Allison Button
Daniel Carpentier
Amber Church
Jason Cohanim
Kelta Comber
Samantha Dangubic
Dell from Whitehorse
Nicole Davis
Rachel Devissor
Guillaume Dubourdieu
Tim Fanselow
Marika Fellegi
Sean Finnell
Julia Fryer
Shiyi Fu
Andreia Furtado
Michelle Gagnon-Creeley
Cherry Gao
Jason Gauthier
Sally Ghaly
Charlie Godsoe
Marina Guba
Carl Hageraats
Caitlin Hannah
Paria Hassani
Faria Jafri
Aliya Jiwa
Kira Josefsson
Hanifa Kassem
Camilia Kahriz
Barry Knight
Lukas Kocourek
Taz Lacroix
Jean-Noé Landry
Kt Lamond
Tim Lobsigner
Natalie Lum-Tai
Marie-Claire Lynn
Wade Macdonald
Adam MacIssac
Yannick Mah
Nyssa Marchand
Rudo Matesha
Allison McMahon
Melinda
Negin Nafasi
Laura Nhem
Nikki Oak
Megan Palmer
Jodi Proctor
Vanessa Ramsup
Lina Riad
Megan Robichaud
Robyn from Whitehorse
Ryan Roberts
Rosemary Sherwood
Curtis Smith
Erin Smith
Carli Staub
Jill Steiger
Shae Taylor
Sylvia Tombs
Chris Trudeau
Shawn Watson
Ryan Weir
Emily Weizel
Alison Withers
Vivian Yu

NEWS: Technologie - Plus vous êtes branché, moins vous êtes isolé

2009-11-09T10:46:01Z

C'est du moins la conclusion à laquelle en arrive une étude récente sur l'impact d'Internet sur la vie quotidienne des Américains

Une nouvelle étude vient de paraître aux États-Unis, qui contredit la bonne vieille perception que l'utilisation d'Internet tend à isoler les individus. Il semble plutôt qu'au contraire, l'utilisation d'Internet permet aux internautes d'accroître leur lien avec le reste de la société.

Pour lire l'article au complet, cliquez le lien.

NEWS: Plaskett wins 4 N.S. music awards

2009-11-09T10:28:01Z

Dartmouth rocker Joel Plaskett turned Three into four Sunday at the Music Nova Scotia Awards in Yarmouth.

Plaskett and his hit release Three won in four categories: Rock Artist, Album of the Year, Male Artist Recording and Songwriter of the Year.

Though Plaskett has won several of these awards over the years, he said it never gets tiring.

"It's nice to know that there's an audience that cares," he said. "It gives me the impetus to kind of push the boundaries of what I'm doing."

See link for full article.