bluenose boondoggle

Design date, 1937. (Wikipedia)

Conservatives are a crappy gift that keeps giving. The Bluenose II project is 'now five years behind schedule and $12.5 million over budget.' It gets worse. The contract signed in 2009 by MHPM carried no fines or penalties for delays. Cheques just flowed.

Yes, federal infrastructure stimulus.

In summer 2016, MHPM changed its name to Colliers Project Leaders (CPL). Former PMSH joined Colliers board of directors in September. Franklin Holtforster is still president. Stephen Vaslet is still vice-president in Halifax.

Article: http://thechronicleherald.ca/novascotia/1427520-bluenose-boondoggle-the-gold-plated-management-contract


On a side note -
Alex Colville did the 1967 centennial 10-cent Mackerel and the one-cent Dove.

BC Rail

I don't know how much ("taxpayers"/public) R&D money was invested in BC Rail (PGE-BCR), since February 27th, 1912, but in 2004 Premier Gordon Campbell's Liberal Socred-Con government broke its election pledge not to sell it.

http://pgrfm.bc.ca

It was owned by the public as a crown corporation from 1918 until 2004. In September 2011, Gordon Campbell became Canada's High Commissioner to the United Kingdom. A terrible mistake, 2003.

on the dime

Jim Flaherty said he was not aware of friend's tax haven dealings. Oopsie, $3 million worth of gold was sold off as slag — at a fraction of its worth. {to whom?}

The Jims, Flaherty and Love, Chairman of Royal Canadian Mint

Anyway. Following his budget speech last March, Flaherty railed against “people hiding their money offshore and avoiding Canadian taxes.” link

In other news, wow Julian Fantino has four pensions: in addition to getting a cabinet minister’s salary, benefit and pension package, Fantino is pulling in pensions from the Toronto police, the London police and the OPP.

Closure of veterans' offices, Lump Sum Disability Award and veteran suicides.

spybots & fire sales

The Canadian government is selling embassies, e.g., Paris 35/37 avenue Montaigne, 5 rue de Constantine (UNESCO). It sold One Grosvenor Square last month, where John Baird vacationed with six friends Christmas 2012.

Macdonald House

These do not include Canadian embassies that now are shared with UK embassies or the Buffalo N.Y. consulate that first was renovated ($1.5m) and had a 10-year lease.

In other news, Canada set up spy posts for the National Security Agency/ Central Security Service (NSA/CSS), the 'main producer and manager of signals intelligence (SIGINT)' for the United States of America; PM Harper allowed Six Eyes foreignersNSA to spy at a billion dollar G20 summit in Toronto, 2010. And what about that Muskoka and infrastructure fund to reduce border congestion.

In other fire sale news: selling a Crown corporation (AECL) for $12.3 million to SNC-Lavalin, without a value-for-money audit.

atomic energy of canada limited

I don't know how much ("taxpayers"/public) R&D money was invested in AECL since the 1940s, but in 2011 its technology sold for a mere $15 million, plus 15 years of royalties, which could net a return of ... (as much as!) ... $285 million.

In 2009 alone, it received $651 million in federal support. Optics: someone got a sweet deal. And it wasn't Linda Keen, the president of the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission or any nuclear remediation people. I await the Canadian Taxpayers Federation report on this debacle.

Candu reactor, "CANada Deuterium Uranium"

Predictions. CBC is kind of a Crown Corporation, so it will go to Quebecor for $1.75. Canada Post, au revoir. The Bank of Canada and Royal Canadian Mint will get sucked into the U.S. Federal Reserve vortex of Fraser Institology um, City of London mergerness. Canadian Museum of Civilizational History, almost fini ($25 million). Military Museums, who knows, just say yay! illegal settlements, fait accompli. The Young Royals and The Baby will make many appearances during times of comet tails, Jesus, and Heavens to Betsy what's-her-name will look like a nice brunette Mary and madonna, just like a Warhol suddenly is on the Sotheby's market with #99. The U.S. will default on its debt, so the wars will be free!

That's how Minister Flaherty will balance his books, with fire sales.

canada post - junk biznuz & spam

IMPORTANT INFORMATION
INSIDE  
PLEASE OPEN IMMEDIATELY

Consumers' Choice Program

Dear Occupant,

I am writing with important news about
Canada Post mail delivery to your address.

Your address is part of Canada Post's Consumers' Choice database [*] as a result of having a "no flyer" notice [*] on your mailbox. This means you are currently not receiving unaddressed mail delivered by Canada Post that your neighbors are receiving.[*] This includes mail that can save you money [*] and keep you connected with your local community.[*]

• coupons and savings offers from local businesses
• catalogues from local and national retailers
• fundraising appeals from local and national charities
• municipal and community notices
• product samples

We would like to make it easy [*] for you to receive this important [*] mail that includes information and offers that could benefit [*] you and your family.

• Simply [*] mail the enclosed postage paid card; and
• IMPORTANT: remove the notice from your mailbox.

We will resume delivery of your unaddressed mail within a few weeks.

Please note that the card, letter and envelope used for this mailing are all printed on sustainable papers and can all be recycled - as is the case with most unaddressed mail. [*]

blahblah,
Compliance and Chief Privacy Officer

UPDATE: {2013: file #22-37.} unsolicited mail, Shaw

mining the mint

Copper is slumping, down 5% in the last month, due to increased inventories (doubling in three months). The mint stopped distributing pennies on February 3rd, 2013. It's Finance Minister Jim Flaherty's bid to save Canadians more money lol, since a penny was 1.6 cents. Financial institutions will get reimbursed for collecting the metal. (Prediction: banking windfall) 
One Cent Coins to look for: (1) 1953-1979, (2) 1980-1981, and (3) 1982-1996

 

Years	Mass	Diameter/Shape	Composition
2000–2012	2.35 g	19.05 mm, round	94% steel, 1.5% nickel, 4.5% copper plating
1997–1999	2.25 g	19.05 mm, round	98.4% zinc, 1.6% copper plating
1982–1996	2.5 g	19.1 mm, 12-sided	98% copper, 1.75% tin, 0.25% zinc
1980–1981	2.8 g	19.0 mm, round	98% copper, 1.75% tin, 0.25% zinc
1978–1979	3.24 g	19.05 mm, round	98% copper, 1.75% tin, 0.25% zinc
1942–1977	3.24 g	19.05 mm, round	98% copper, 0.5% tin, 1.5% zinc
1920–1941	3.24 g	19.05 mm, round	95.5% copper, 3% tin, 1.5% zinc
1876–1920	5.67 g	25.4 mm, round	95.5% copper, 3% tin, 1.5% zinc
1858–1859	4.54 g	25.4 mm, round	95% copper, 4% tin, 1% zinc (bronze)

Penny production ceased on May 4th, 2011. So far, I think I'm down 10-15 cents on penny-rounding at stores.