Asbestos is the major reason for a rise in Canadian work-related deaths according to “Five Deaths a Day: Workplace Fatalities in Canada, 1993-2005″ - a report released in December by the Centre for the Study of Living Standards in Ottawa, Canada.

–The decision does not look like a good one but the article does not exactly give a great depth to the issue. However, if the people in the city do not want the school moved then I see no reason that this shouldn’t be taken into account. The press release that is attached to the story is at best insulting to the people of this province and at worse a window into an authoritarian streak that might be found in Lamrock. Let’s hope the parents’ group has some impact.

–I cannot stress how important it is that the Left get behind this movement for Net Neutrality. If we lose the ability to use the net to organise and present the alternatives then we will have surely lost.

–An interesting article looking at union strategy to fight back against the regressive policies and practices against the working people of Canada. A good read.

–The Guardian of London has an interesting commentary in its “Comment is free” pages (incidentally, comment is always free and I do not understand this tag line except as some way to try to trademark the idea that they allow people to comment on articles). Liberals tend not to do analysis but simply describe what is going on… still, I agree that Bush and Blair are both delusional about their role in Iraq.

–The Toronto Star is going to be laying off some of its staff and reporters. We are in desperate need of some real, non-corporate owned, media in this country.

–It looks like Harper is going to introduce legislation that will make Canadian elections a fixed date every 4 years instead of democratically controlled. This should be unacceptable to all Canadians. If we cannot bring down the government then we are not going to be living in a democracy.

–The article is junk (as with most from the BBC these days) but the quote at the end is interesting. Raul has said that Fidel cannot be replaced unless he is replace by “all of us”. Along with the suggestions that the country’s governing process may evolve (not towards capitalism, of-course) one could get the impression that the Cuban Communist Party might look to Venezuela for a model of socialism.

“Today, we can see that the national security claims that the FBI has been making for 25 years were absurd from the beginning.”

More holiday season craziness in Hamilton: Christmas tree pulled out of auction | Hamilton Spectator

–This is more like it. The Left has to unite against the rather bizarre claims that the Greens are a left-wing party. Many people are under this illusion (though, the Green’s claim they are neither left or right but “straight ahead”… ). If you want progressive politics and social and environmental reform in Parliament there is still only one choice and it ain’t the Greens. The issue for Rebick is the Green’s lackluster policy and waffling on abortion rights. There are many other lackluster policies and waffling to choose from but this should be a big one for most people from progressives to the socialist left.

Janice Harvey on the aftermath of the black dust covering Belledune homes in the summer.

“When a resident said, “So it must have come from NB Power,” Fournier “stammered” as if in naming the polluter the floor would open beneath his feet and swallow him. He was rescued by the mayor who declared, “I’m not going to let this meeting be controlled by other interests,” meaning, I guess, people who care about the air they breathe and who expect their government to be honest with them.”

–This article should be interesting to everyone who cares about alternative ways of farming and alternative was of running an economy around agriculture. The Cuban example continues to show an alternative economic system that seems to strive on its own merits even when under such extreme conditions.

–I am not sure that the author answers the question but certainly states where we have been. There is much to the Marxist analysis and despite what you may have been told by the liberal elite Marxism is still relevant.

–A little article outlining the history of the debate in the House of Commons in Canada about whether the Québécois are a nation within Canada. I personally think that the answer is fairly obvious but the way these things unfold is rather interesting.

–I think that it is pretty clear that the title of this article is correct.

–It doesn’t get any hypocritical or ironic than this, folks. The State leaders continue to try to link the war in Iraq with the “war on terror” hoping that you will forget that Iraq had nothing to do with terrorism before it was invaded. The “extremists” here are Bush and Blair and we have to work to oppose their war mongering.

–Tariq Ali writes about why the war in Iraq is lost and why the current strategy is the same as the old strategy and will not work.

–This is completely unacceptable. We must write to our MPs and we must act to support the wheat board. Support the farmers, support the wheat board.

–This is completely over the top. The only reason that we still have these types of laws on the books is because some in society think that sex is a sin.

More victories for workers in Venezuela.

–Noam Chomsky on Democracy Now. Have a listen.