Asian Development Bank Institute: After more than a decade of inertia in WTO talks, negotiators are close to a slimmed-down deal but there is no finished document for the dozens of trade ministers attending a summit on the Indonesia resort island of Bali to sign. So close to an agreement, some have been urging the trade ministers to take the unusual step of completing the negotiations themselves, according to 660 News. Even though still possible, the chances of reaching a deal are rather slim, said Matthias Helble, a global trade expert at the Asian Development Bank Institute and former WTO adviser and BALI, Indonesia Top trade officials began talks Tuesday that will either produce an eleventh hour deal that could boost the global economy by $1 trillion or possibly spell the end of the World Trade Organizations relevance as a forum for negotiations. An agreement on simplifying customs procedures could help revive the WTOs broader Doha Round of trade negotiations, sometimes known as the development round because of sweeping changes in regulations, taxes and subsidies that would benefit low income countries. Still, WTO ministerial summits are designed for enshrining done deals, not technical negotiations, so producing an agreement at a four-day conference would be unprecedented. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Zulfiquar Ali Bhuiyan: The RCMPs said Zulfiquar Ali Bhuiyan, who holds both Bangladeshi and Canadian citizenship, has been charged with one count under the Corruption of Foreign Public Officials Act, according to The Star. The arrest follows a charge stemming from an international investigation into a contract for supervision and consultancy services related to construction of the Padma multipurpose bridge in Bangladesh and OTTAWA The RCMP have announced another arrest in connection with their probe into the Oakville office of Canadian engineering giant SNC-Lavalin and a bridge contract in Bangladesh. Police say Bhuiyan, who is not an SNC employee, voluntarily returned from Bangladesh to face the charge in Canada and has been released on bail. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Dana Melkert: Melkerts full parole, allowing him to serve part of his life sentence for second-degree murder in the community under supervision, begins once he completes day parole, according to The Chronicle Herald. Slaunwhite, 40, of Terence Bay was found slumped over his trucks steering wheel at the Rubber Duck Car Wash on March 6, 2002. He had been shot once in the head after an argument with Melkert during a drug deal and Dana Melkert, who shot Derrick Paul Slaunwhite to death at a Bedford car wash in 2002 in a drug deal gone bad, has been granted full parole. Melkert of Halifax was sentenced in April 2004. His parole eligibility was set at 10 years. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

mental disability: One of the biggest barriers to justice is a mental disability. No agency is more aware of this than Legal Aid Ontario LAO , whose clients are disproportionately impoverished, underhoused, criminalized and incarcerated. Approximately one in three have mental health problems, according to The Star. A year ago, he commissioned the development of a comprehensive mental health strategy . He recruited a young lawyer who had spent his career working with psychiatric patients to canvas Ontarians with mental disabilities, their caregivers, social service providers, housing advocates, health-care professionals, judges and lawyers to come up with a blueprint and Laws, rights and constitutional guarantees dont mean much if you re shut out of the justice system. For years, the agency has made incremental reforms; some effective, some still being tested. But John McCamus , chair of LAOs board, knew these ad hoc efforts were not enough. He had come to the inescapable conclusion that the traditional legal model simply didnt work for people with mental disorders. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Education Department: Nova Scotian 15 and 16 year olds perform well in international assessments. So the provinces Education Department pronounced Tuesday in a release that went on to say our reading and science scores were above average, and our math scores close to average, in a 2012 assessment of student proficiencies in 65 countries, according to The Chronicle Herald. But we re sure that hovering around a global average isnt what Nova Scotians want from the education system and If Nova Scotians are satisfied with their children getting an average or a somewhat-better-than-average education compared with the rest of the world, maybe we have nothing to learn from the Programme for International Student Assessment PISA results released this week by the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Bank of Montreal: The S P/TSX composite index fell 74.59 points to 13,344.98, off early lows as energy stocks turned positive, according to CTV. That beat an estimate of $1.58 a share but Barclays said that "BMO reported a $121 million gain in Wealth Management that is not recurring and will not likely be treated as core earnings in the market." TORONTO -- The Toronto stock market headed lower late morning Monday, held back primarily by the financials group even as Bank of Montreal TSX:BMO announced a dividend increase and posted earnings that beat expectations. Bank of Montreal's annual net profit hit a record $4.2 billion in 2013. That included $1.088 billion of net income in the fourth quarter, which was up one per cent from a year earlier. Its adjusted net income fell two per cent from a year ago to $1.102 billion or $1.64 a share. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Soprano Marion Newman: Although the visit there was short and the family moved on, Newman, who is native, has not forgotten the beautiful community of the Nuxalk people who have lived there through many waves of immigration, according to The Star. Anna Hostman, who is descended from the Norwegian settlers who arrived in Bella Coola in 1894, composed the hour-long piece. She is a recent graduate of the University of Toronto with a doctorate in composition and Soprano Marion Newman was born in Bella Coola, B.C., while her mother was teaching there. It is a good fit, then, that the mezzo-soprano is singing in the unusual project Singing the Earth , which runs Dec. 4 and 5 at Wychwood Theatre. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

COTE SAINT-LUC: Several religious leaders and hundreds of residents gathered in front of Cote Saint Luc city hall Monday to send a unified message to the Quebec government that democracy means protecting the rights of minorities, according to CTV. The event started with several seasonal lighting rituals, including the lighting of the citys Christmas tree, as cultures and religions mixed and COTE SAINT-LUC -- The city of Cote Saint-Luc, the town of Hampstead and two french universities are all taking stands against Bill 60 and in favour of religious freedom. I just think the law is so odious and I think that my residents were getting nervous. They were getting upset, some of them, even telling me they were considering leaving Quebec because they're made to feel unwelcome here, said Cote Saint-Luc Mayor Anthony Housefather. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Zulfiquar Ali Bhuiyan: The RCMP's said Zulfiquar Ali Bhuiyan, who holds both Bangladeshi and Canadian citizenship, has been charged with one count under the Corruption of Foreign Public Officials Act, according to CTV. The arrest follows a charge stemming from an international investigation into a contract for supervision and consultancy services related to construction of the Padma multipurpose bridge in Bangladesh and OTTAWA, Ont. -- The RCMP have announced another arrest in connection with their probe into Canadian engineering giant SNC-Lavalin TSX:SNC and a bridge contract in Bangladesh. Police say Bhuiyan, who is not an SNC employee, voluntarily returned from Bangladesh to face the charge in Canada and has been released on bail. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

World Trade Organization: BALI, Indonesia - Top trade officials began talks Tuesday that will either produce an eleventh hour deal that could boost the global economy by $1 trillion or possibly spell the end of the World Trade Organization's relevance as a forum for negotiations. , according to Winnipeg Free Press. An agreement on simplifying customs procedures could help revive the WTO's broader Doha Round of trade negotiations, sometimes known as the development round because of sweeping changes in regulations, taxes and subsidies that would benefit low income countries. Still, WTO ministerial summits are designed for enshrining done deals, not technical negotiations, so producing an agreement at a four-day conference would be unprecedented. Indonesian activists wear masks while protesting against the World Trade Organization meeting in Bali, Indonesia on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2013. Indonesia is hosting the World Trade Organization Ministerial Conference from Dec. 3 - 6. AP Photo/Firdia Lisnawati After more than a decade of inertia in WTO talks, negotiators are close to a slimmed-down deal but there is no finished document for the dozens of trade ministers attending a summit on the Indonesia resort island of Bali to sign. So close to an agreement, some have been urging the trade ministers to take the unusual step of completing the negotiations themselves. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.