foreign policy: According to Ibbitson, the book is essentially pointless because Clark is most concerned with issues of relatively marginal interest or importance a realm of foreign policy that concerns most others least. And with that flourish, Ibbitson sets know-nothing populism as the new critical standard for assessing Canadas global activity. Welcome to Canadian Foreign Policy for Dummies, according to The Star. Three examples are given by Ibbitson to demonstrate the insignificance of Clarks foreign policy preoccupations. First, he says, the largest decrease in global poverty is coming from economic growth in developing countries such as India and China, not from the efforts of Western development agencies. Second, Canadas success at immigrant attraction and settlement do more for our global standing than our Israel policy ever could. And lastly, no amount of Canadian government cooperation with NGOs will change Chinas resource-hungry engagement in Africa for good or for ill. Clark thinks otherwise on all these scores, Ibbitson suggests, only because hes obsessing over how Canadians are viewed in the corridors of the UN and So its come to this: not only are Canadian citizens being dumbed-down by political parties who treat them as narrow-minded consumerist taxpayers, but now the leading lights of Canadas journalism establishment are joining in the effort. Thats the conclusion to be drawn from a review by Globe and Mail columnist John Ibbitson of Joe Clarks , How We Lead: Canada in a Century of Change . In Ibbitsons view, the book would have been fine had Clark stopped with praising the international files that the Harper government has gotten right economic and military strength, trade initiatives and sound immigration policy and noting its one glaring failure on the environmental front. However, the bulk of Clarks book dwells on areas where the Harper approach has notably diverged from that of preceding Canadian governments: diplomacy, multilateralism, international development, cooperation with civil society and a balanced Mid East policy. In all those respects, Ibbitson charges, Clark nitpicks at issues that make no real difference to Canadian or global outcomes. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

federal government: Unless Alberta and the federal government are more prepared to find ways of sharing costs and benefits more equitably, it is unlikely that pipeline projects will reach fruition, write the reports authors, according to 660 News. At the same time, they write, Ontario and other provinces have been doing the heavy lifting when it comes to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, only to be eclipsed by rising emissions from fossil fuel-rich provinces like Alberta and CALGARY Ontario must push to ensure the benefits of proposed oil pipelines in the province not just their costs and risks are spread throughout Canada, says a study released Monday by the Mowat Centre. While Ontario would see economic benefits of pipelines in the form of employment and government revenues, the reports authors argue Alberta and other oil-producing provinces reap a disproportionate share of the bounty. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper: A memorandum to Prime Minister Stephen Harper, obtained by The Canadian Press under access-to-information legislation, lays out the options for recognizing individual regiments for specific battles and the overall war itself, according to Huffington Post. "The awarding of battle honours has deep historical roots and must be done in a thorough manner to ensure units are properly recognized." OTTAWA - Canadian units that fought in Afghanistan are being considered for battle honours by the Harper government, which is casting around for ways to commemorate the conflict as it draws to a close after more than a decade. "Battle honours are awarded to provide public recognition to combatant military units for active participation in battle against a formed and armed enemy," says the May 13 note by the country's top public servant, Privy Council clerk Wayne Wouters. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh: India announced Sunday that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will be the second leader after Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper to boycott the Nov. 15-17 meeting. There are 54 members of the Commonwealth, a loose association of former British colonies, according to 660 News. Rhiannon, whose Greens party is not part of Australias conservative coalition government, described the treatment as unlawful, given she had an appropriate tourist visa and a letter from Australias Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to the Sri Lankan government explaining her trip and CANBERRA, Australia Australias prime minister was under mounting pressure Monday to join his Indian and Canadian counterparts in boycotting a British Commonwealth summit in Sri Lanka this week over concerns about the island nations human rights record. Australian Senator Lee Rhiannon called on Prime Minister Tony Abbott to boycott the meeting after she and New Zealand lawmaker Jan Logie were prevented from holding a press conference on human rights issues in Colombo on Sunday by immigration officials who seized their passports and took them to their hotels for three hours of questioning. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

oil pipelines: CALGARY Ontario must push to ensure the benefits of proposed oil pipelines in the province not just their costs and risks are spread throughout Canada, says a study released Monday by the Mowat Centre, according to The Chronicle Herald. While Ontario would see economic benefits of pipelines in the form of employment and government revenues, the reports authors argue Alberta and other oil-producing provinces reap a disproportionate share of the bounty and Unless Alberta and the federal government are more prepared to find ways of sharing costs and benefits more equitably, it is unlikely that pipeline projects will reach fruition, write the reports authors. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

LCBO Stores: Open All Toronto Public Library branches will be open. Schools will be open Fort York is the only one of the citys 10 historic museums that will remain open. Admission is free from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Parks, Forestry and Recreation programs City services that regularly operate 24 hours a day/seven days a week such as 311 and emergency services will remain available Emergency shelters LCBO Stores will open at noon. In Ottawa, LCBO stores will not open until 12:30 p.m. Most major shopping centres, according to CTV and Remembrance Day is not a statutory holiday in Ontario, though it is in many other provinces. While most businesses and services remain open, some are closed or observe irregular hours. Heres a list of whats open and closed on Remembrance Day Monday November 11, 2013. Closed Banks Post offices Federal and provincial government offices All Toronto Employment and Social Services locations Solid Waste Management Services' drop-off depots and Container Pickup locations Children's Services offices and centres All parking ticket counters Long-Term Care Homes and Services adult day programs All Property Tax and Utility payment counters at City Hall and the civic centres will be closed. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Westgate Mall: Very little is known about the four gunmen who sprayed bullets into men, women and children inside Nairobis Westgate Mall on Sept. 21, a busy Saturday afternoon. Al-Shabab, a Somali Islamic extremist group affiliated with al-Qaida, claimed responsibility for the four-day siege of the mall that killed 67 people, according to 660 News. A Kenyan security official told The Associated Press that Said once lived in the Kakuma refugee camp, run by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, that houses 101,000 refugees. The security official insisted on anonymity to share information not yet made public. A second security official investigating the attack told AP that more than one attacker passed through Kakuma camp and NAIROBI, Kenya One of the four Westgate Mall attackers once lived in a refugee camp of 50,000 Somali refugees in northwestern Kenya, two security officials said, highlighting Kenyas interest in speeding up the return of nearly 500,000 Somali refugees to their home country. One mall attack suspect has been identified as Hassan Abdi Dhuhulow, a 23-year-old Somalia native whose family moved to Norway in 1999. A second name was revealed in court documents last week Mohammed Abdinur Said that an official confirmed was another attacker. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Westgate Mall: Very little is known about the four gunmen who sprayed bullets into men, women and children inside Nairobi's Westgate Mall on Sept. 21, a busy Saturday afternoon. Al-Shabab, a Somali Islamic extremist group affiliated with al-Qaida, claimed responsibility for the four-day siege of the mall that killed 67 people, according to Times Colonist. A Kenyan security official told The Associated Press that Said once lived in the Kakuma refugee camp, run by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, that houses 101,000 refugees. The security official insisted on anonymity to share information not yet made public. A second security official investigating the attack told AP that more than one attacker passed through Kakuma camp and NAIROBI, Kenya - One of the four Westgate Mall attackers once lived in a refugee camp of 50,000 Somali refugees in northwestern Kenya, two security officials said, highlighting Kenya's interest in speeding up the return of nearly 500,000 Somali refugees to their home country. One mall attack suspect has been identified as Hassan Abdi Dhuhulow, a 23-year-old Somalia native whose family moved to Norway in 1999. A second name was revealed in court documents last week Mohammed Abdinur Said that an official confirmed was another attacker. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Secretary General Ibrahim Bashir: The criminal investigation against High Relief Council HRC Secretary General Ibrahim Bashir comes as Lebanon appeals for direct aid to help it provide for more than 800,000 Syrian refugees who have flooded into the small Mediterranean state to escape civil war. , according to Reuters. Lebanon has been pleading with international donors to help it fund efforts to give sanctuary to the largest number of refugees from the civil war. In January, it asked foreign donors for $180 million. BEIRUT - The head of Lebanon's governmental aid body, through which millions of dollars are funneled, and his wife have been arrested on embezzlement charges, judicial sources said on Monday. Bashir has denied media reports that he embezzled $10 million of public funds, calling the accusations politically motivated, LBCI TV reported. was unable to contact him for comment. The judiciary made no official statement. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Ryder Hesjedal: I dont know whether Diane Ford ever called that out to young Robbie as he rolled out the door at the start of another day. If she did, hes obviously forgotten and today as Torontos mayor and theatre in the round he might be wishing he hadnt. , according to Times Colonist. Ryder Hesjedal gave the same accident-sounding account of his past doping: I chose the wrong path, he said. Well, professional racing cyclists do tend to look down at the road a lot and might miss a path that they re pedalling by, especially a straight and narrow one. I dont know how often I ve heard mothers call after their departing children in that apron-stringy sing-song reserved for maternal advice: Make good choices, hon. He has indicated pretty clearly that he made some bad lifestyle choices but he calls them mistakes, which is meant to persuade us that his heart really wasnt in them and that he was hammered at the time so it wasnt really his fault at all, eh? (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.