The federal government is ordering the CRTC to change its ruling on the regulation of some telephone services offered through broadband internet connections.
The move by the federal government to overrule a decision by the CRTC is a seldom-taken step.
The directive is seen as favourable to the large telephone companies, such as Bell Canada and Telus, even though it fell short of the full deregulation of internet phone pricing that the established phone companies had sought.
The CRTC's initial decision on VoIP in May 2005 ruled against the big telephone companies, saying they could not use their pricing power to undercut smaller businesses and newcomers to the telephone market, such as cable companies.
The agency said it would regulate internet-based phone service the same as any other local phone service, meaning large telephone companies such as Bell and Telus can't offer internet-based phone services below cost.
New companies entering the VoIP market, however, can set prices as low as they want, said the CRTC.
Who controls how you use your Internet access? Vonage Canada challenges Shaw "VoIP tax"
service company Vonage Canada warns that cable and phone
companies could restrict "network neutrality" by limiting Canadians'
freedom of choice on the Internet; requests CRTC investigate
"anti-competitive" action by ShawCommunity Security: the Provident blog: Rogers Home Phone vs. Shaw ...
At best, I would consider the Rogers site misleading... taking a page from Shaw's Digital Phone marketing department, they have decided that rather than explain exactly how their service works, it is just simpler to offer a false statement that is easier for most people to understand.
So, whether using Shaw or Rogers, our position is unchanged: we do not recommend relying on any type of VoIP service (whether Shaw, Rogers, Vonage or anything else other than Telus) without having a secondary, back-up communications method such as cellular back-up or MESH radio.
 There may be as few as 200 bottom-trawlers worldwide |
"An immediate consequence of the Faustian bargain in obtaining the great power of nanotechnology is that we run a grave risk -- the risk that we might destroy the biosphere on which all life depends," Joy wrote in a landmark Wired magazine essay, "Why the Future Doesn't Need Us."
Left unchecked, Joy wrote, self-replicating molecular machines could endlessly copy themselves, engulfing the globe in a nanotechnological "gray goo."
That is if the little buggers ever can be built. A lot of scientists aren't so sure.
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This is rich coming from the former spokesperson for unbridled capitalism in Canada; The National Citizens Coalition.
We won't sell out to China, PM says
"I think Canadians want us to promote our trade relations worldwide, and we do that, but I don't think Canadians want us to sell out important Canadian values -- our belief in democracy, freedom, human rights," Harper said. "They don't want us to sell that out to the almighty dollar," he said.
Through court battles, media campaigns and direct political action, the National Citizens Coalition has pushed to democratize the workplace. The NCC opposes forcing workers to join unions against their will; the NCC opposes forcing workers to fund political causes through their forced dues; the NCC has countered the political propaganda of union bosses.
Gee workers rights just like they have in China.
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Gong Show
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This is not a new system; in fact, it’s an old Alberta idea. In 1921, the United Farmers of Alberta party implemented a campaign promise to bring electoral reform to the province. The transferable vote system was first used in a provincial referendum on liquor sales; because there were more than two options available to voters (total prohibition, allowed private sales of liquor, liquor only to be sold through government outlets), they were asked to rank their choices rather than choose one option. In the pursuant provincial election, Calgary, Medicine Hat and Edmonton voters selected five MLAs each from their cities (there were no ridings within the cities’ boundaries) using the vote-ranking system.
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| In 1945, Igor Gouzenko and his family received new identities from the Canadian government after the young Russian Embassy cipher clerk announced he had proof of a widespread spy ring in Canada. Pictured here, Gouzenko wears a hood to conceal his identity while appearing on television in 1966. (National Archives of Canada, PA-129625) |
A poem and introduction written by Louis Riel for his jailer about three weeks before Riel was hanged for treason: Robert Gordon! I beg your pardon for so having kept you waiting after some poor verses of mine. You know, my English is not fine. I speak it; but only very imperfectly.
The snow,
Which renders the ground all white,
From heaven, comes here below:
Its pine frozen drops invite us all
To white -- keep our thoughts and our acts,
So that when our bodies do fall,
Our merits, before God, be facts.
How many who, with good desires,
Have died and lost their souls to fires?
Good desires kept unpractic'd
Stand, before God, unnotic'd.
O Robert, let us be fond
Of virtue! Virtues abound
In every sort of good,
Let virtue be our soul's food. Louis (David) Riel Oct. 27, 1885 Regina Jail
A storm known as a "Pineapple Express" carried warm winds and record rains to the area earlier this month, sending the river over its banks and forcing the evacuation of about 200 families. Smaller evacuations occurred near Hope.
Environment Ministry officials on Vancouver Island kept a watch Wednesday on the threatening Cowichan River for local flooding.
Complicating matters, in the pre-dawn hours, a tsunami watch was issued for the outer coast of the province after a strong 8.3-magnitude earthquake northeast of Japan.
It was cancelled after several hours when regions of Japan and Alaska reported only minor 30-centimetre waves.
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MIJAC PERFORMS ‘WE ARE THE WORLD’ IN LONDON: World Music Awards performance marks return to stage after acquittal of molestation.
*Ironically, Michael Jackson was surrounded by a bunch of kids during a rendition of his song “We are the World” Wednesday night at the World Music Awards in London, which marked his first performance since he was acquitted of child molestation charges in June of 2005.The 48-year-old was expected to sing his mega-hit “Thriller,” the title track of his landmark 1982 album that was being honored by the show for its upcoming 25th anniversary.