# The great, ongoing Canadian current events and politics thread **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 16, 2011, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-canadian-current-events-and-politics-thread/582059 "2011-05-16T03:05:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 29
**Author:** ![Hypnagogic\_Jerk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hypnagogic_jerk/32/4252_2.png) [@Hypnagogic\_Jerk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypnagogic_Jerk)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2011, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-canadian-current-events-and-politics-thread/582059/562 "2011-09-29T20:25:27Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > The construction industry in Quebec is rife with corruption. There may be problems with corruption in the construction industry, but have you any evidence that this was a problem with the construction of the Olympic Stadium? All I’ve ever heard is that there was a problem with the conception of the stadium. As for the roads and overpasses that need to be replaced, it’s largely because they were pretty much all built in the 60s and they were planned to last for 40 years or whereabouts. ---
**Author:** ![Malthus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2011, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-canadian-current-events-and-politics-thread/582059/563 "2011-09-29T20:40:21Z")
> [@Muffin](#): > > Could be worse. Your neighbouring TD-Centre’s tenant Holden Day Wilson had one hell of a problem with stuff falling from on high. That must have been one hell of an articling week event. 😉 [For those who are following: [Death of Garry Hoy - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garry_Hoy) ] ---
**Author:** ![detop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bcef8e/32.png) [@detop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/detop)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2011, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-canadian-current-events-and-politics-thread/582059/564 "2011-09-29T21:59:20Z")
> [@Hypnagogic\_Jerk](#): > > There may be problems with corruption in the construction industry, but have you any evidence that this was a problem with the construction of the Olympic Stadium? All I’ve ever heard is that there was a problem with the conception of the stadium.\ I would suggest you read about the [commission Cliche](http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commission_Cliche) (in French). Ah, the 70s, when you couldn’t throw a rock without hitting a commission investigating corruption or police wrong doing 😃 ---
**Author:** ![mnemosyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@mnemosyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mnemosyne)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2011, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-canadian-current-events-and-politics-thread/582059/565 "2011-09-29T23:35:02Z")
I don’t know about the actual structure but I know one issue with the roof was incorrect or underestimated forces due to winter winds. These forces pull on the roof cables and cause stresses and strains beyond their design limits. Or at least that’s what my vibrations engineering prof told us! ---
**Author:** ![DWMarch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dwmarch/32/1010_2.png) [@DWMarch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DWMarch)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2011, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-canadian-current-events-and-politics-thread/582059/566 "2011-09-30T20:50:46Z")
It’s a great day for BC! Insite gets a unanimous approval from the Supreme Court: > **[Vancouver's Insite drug injection clinic will stay open | CBC News](https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/vancouver-s-insite-drug-injection-clinic-will-stay-open-1.1005044)** > > The federal government says it is "disappointed" with the Supreme Court's ruling that Insite can stay open, but it will comply with the decision. Clifford Olsen dies: > **[Serial killer Clifford Olson dies | CBC News](https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/serial-killer-clifford-olson-dies-1.1110039)** > > Canadian serial killer Clifford Olson, who confessed to killing 11 children and youths, died in a Quebec hospital Sept. 30. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2011, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-canadian-current-events-and-politics-thread/582059/567 "2011-09-30T21:16:11Z")
That’s one hell of a court decision – health trumping criminal law. I’m very impressed. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2011, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-canadian-current-events-and-politics-thread/582059/568 "2011-09-30T21:50:12Z")
> [@Muffin](#): > > That’s one hell of a court decision – health trumping criminal law. I’m very impressed. I saw that earlier today, in the Globe and Mail. Didn’t have time to read the story thoroughly, though I’m sure there will be plenty more news and comment forthcoming in the next few days. Not sure how I feel about the decision; I 'd like to read it first. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2011, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-canadian-current-events-and-politics-thread/582059/569 "2011-09-30T21:58:47Z")
I like the way the court shut down the division of powers argument and instead went directly to Section 7. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2011, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-canadian-current-events-and-politics-thread/582059/570 "2011-09-30T22:00:55Z")
> [@Hypnagogic\_Jerk](#): > > There may be problems with corruption in the construction industry, but have you any evidence that this was a problem with the construction of the Olympic Stadium? All I’ve ever heard is that there was a problem with the conception of the stadium. There has long been stories about companies being paid for the number of cement trucks that came through the front gate during construction. The story goes that a truck would drive up to the front and be counted and then drive through the site and leave through the back gate. The truck would drive around for a while and come back through the front gate and get counted again. I’m pretty sure that there were other things like that going on. There is a new. recent inquest into the link between construction and organized crime in Quebec. It is an old story. Anybody else catch that ‘Golden Showers’ comment from question period today? ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2011, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-canadian-current-events-and-politics-thread/582059/571 "2011-09-30T22:03:44Z")
> [@Muffin](#): > > I like the way the court shut down the division of powers argument and instead went directly to Section 7. I agree. In an ideal world people wouldn’t be injecting themselves, but since there is drug use it makes sense to keep it as safe as it can possibly be. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2011, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-canadian-current-events-and-politics-thread/582059/572 "2011-09-30T22:05:37Z")
BTW, the decision is not up on CANLII yet, but can be read on[DocumentCloud](http://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/254069/pages/ruling-canada-v-phs-community-services-society-p1-normal.gif). ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2011, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-canadian-current-events-and-politics-thread/582059/573 "2011-09-30T22:08:41Z")
> [@Ike\_Witt](#): > > There has long been stories about companies being paid for the number of cement trucks that came through the front gate during construction. The story goes that a truck would drive up to the front and be counted and then drive through the site and leave through the back gate. The truck would drive around for a while and come back through the front gate and get counted again. We’ve had that problem with bears in a certain community in northern Ontario. The contractor was paid by the number of bears live-trapped at the dump, so the contractor would trap a bear, drive it out of the dump to a neighbouring concession road, and release it, so that it could return to the dump and be traped again, and again, and again, being quite happy to get a free meal in the trap in exchange for a few hours of jail time followed by a five minute ride. ---
**Author:** ![kushiel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bbce88/32.png) [@kushiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kushiel)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2011, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-canadian-current-events-and-politics-thread/582059/574 "2011-09-30T22:16:19Z")
[Violent mob in Northern Sask attack RCMP, mobs hospital](http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/story/2011/09/30/sk-rcmp-la-loche-violence-1109.html) _twitch twitch_ It doesn’t matter what came first - the chicken or the egg. They’re both here and we all have to deal with it. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2011, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-canadian-current-events-and-politics-thread/582059/575 "2011-09-30T22:20:20Z")
> [@Ike\_Witt](#): > > I agree. In an ideal world people wouldn’t be injecting themselves, but since there is drug use it makes sense to keep it as safe as it can possibly be. Isn’t that the same argument used in _Malmo-Levine_? How does the Insite decision differ? (It’s been some years since I read _Malmo-Levine_, but I do remember its “harm reduction” argument.) Ah, the SCC decision is posted. [See here](http://scc.lexum.org/en/2011/2011scc44/2011scc44.html). ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2011, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-canadian-current-events-and-politics-thread/582059/576 "2011-09-30T22:20:39Z")
Here is the [golden shower](http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/inside-politics-blog/2011/09/brison-goes-pg-13.html) comment. It seems he didn’t want to piss anyone off… ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2011, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-canadian-current-events-and-politics-thread/582059/577 "2011-09-30T22:26:40Z")
> [@Spoons](#): > > Isn’t that the same argument used in _Malmo-Levine_? How does the Insite decision differ? Never mind–I’ve started reading the SCC decision, and a quick skim is showing me where _M-L_ is useful, but not exactly on point. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2011, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-canadian-current-events-and-politics-thread/582059/578 "2011-09-30T23:53:34Z")
> [@kushiel](#): > > [Violent mob in Northern Sask attack RCMP, mobs hospital](http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/story/2011/09/30/sk-rcmp-la-loche-violence-1109.html) > > _twitch twitch_ It doesn’t matter what came first - the chicken or the egg. They’re both here and we all have to deal with it. Binge drinking is a major problem throughout a great many northern First Nations communities. No solution in sight. ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2011, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-canadian-current-events-and-politics-thread/582059/579 "2011-10-01T00:08:33Z")
Can anyone give us the Cliff Notes version of the Insite decision? I’m all in favour of the outcome, but it feels uncomfortably like the court was making a policy decision. I’m hoping there’s more to the argument than “the government’s policy is bad, so we’re not allowing it.” ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2011, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-canadian-current-events-and-politics-thread/582059/580 "2011-10-01T00:32:57Z")
I thought it was a question of jurisdiction. Health care is considered a provincial responsibility, and BC considers this program to be part of their mandate. Therefore the Supreme Court has no jurisdiction in overruling any decisions. Of course I’m just a lay easterner. Who’s undoubtedly going to be subject to the same sort of clinics shortly. I don’t agree with the decision BTW. You have funds? Put it into education and deterrence, not free give-aways. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2011, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-canadian-current-events-and-politics-thread/582059/581 "2011-10-01T01:47:21Z")
> [@Gorsnak](#): > > Can anyone give us the Cliff Notes version of the Insite decision? I’m all in favour of the outcome, but it feels uncomfortably like the court was making a policy decision. I’m hoping there’s more to the argument than “the government’s policy is bad, so we’re not allowing it.” Drug addiction is a disease in which the central feature is impaired control over the use of the addictive substance. Insite provided health services that were successful in saving lives without increasing crime. The government’s decision was arbitrarily and grossly disproportionately contrary to the Controlled Drug and Substances Act’s goals of maintenance and promotion of public health and safety, and by putting addicts’ health and lives at risk was not in accordance with the principles of fundamental justice and was in violation of s.7 of the Charter. The Minister was ordered to grant a further, but not permanent, exemption to Insite from the CDSA. The Court noted that if a supervised injection site will decrease the risk of death and disease, and there is little or no evidence that it will have a negative impact on public safety, the Minister should generally grant an exemption. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-canadian-current-events-and-politics-thread/582059.md?page=28) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-canadian-current-events-and-politics-thread/582059.md?page=30)