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.

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.

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.