Ontario files $50-billion suit against tobacco manufacturers

The suit is for 50 billion dollars in damages for the health care that it cost the province to provide to people with illness caused by their smoking. The article laid out the tobacco company’s defense which is that selling cigarettes is legal in Ontario and the government collects 7 billion dollars in taxes each year form the companies. In fact 70% of the price of each package is made up of government taxes. The article reported that there are actually only 2 provinces in Canada that have either not sued or are not planning to sue the tobacco companies of their province.

I completely disagree with the government's lawsuit. It completely lets the smoker off the hock. The government is basically saying that it is not the person who buys and lights up a cigarette that should be held responsible. This idea seems wrong to me. Are we responsible for our own behavior or we not? I think the government can't have it both ways. if they are saying that smoking causes cancer than they should outlaw smoking and therefore they will have to give up collecting the taxes for it. That would be the fair thing to do.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/ontario-files-50-billion-suit-against-tobacco-manufacturers/article1305611/

Riot police await Queen's debauchery

This article is about the homecoming at Queen's University in Kingston. It is a big event every year in which students get together and throw parties. Last year, things got out of control and the University cancelled it for two years. This decision followed a warning from medical doctors that the kind of drinking and wild behavior would eventually lead to "loss of life", However, the article reports that many students have continued the effort to have a big party this weekend. Last night two dozen arrests were made and many people were wild on the streets. The police are bracing themselves for a major party tonight and have even called in help from Toronto police force.

My opinion is that the university didn't handle the situation well. They totally sided with the local community at the expense of the students. There could have been some kind of compromise. Why university leaders couldn’t have brought together student leaders and local community people and discussed ways to still have a party without the out of control behavior. There could have been students appointed a s student marshals to patrol the streets and help out the police. Passes could have been issued so that non university students would have been prohibited from the event. I understand the police has to have law and order but Kingston is a university town and there should have been more effort made to take that fact into account.

http://www.thestar.com/news/ontario/article/701606

Massive pension shortfall hits Ford

This article is about Ford's efforts to deal with a shortfall in pension payments to its workers. It is trying to extend the time it has to pay into the fund from 5 years to 10 years. The problem is that it must get 2/3 of its workers to agree. Right now Ford is in negotiations with its workers. Ford wants each employee to agree to contribute $1 an hour to their pension fund and this would mean a yearly contribution of $1,600. In return, its employees are asking for Ford to commit to keeping 13% of its car production in Canada. Ford has not agreed because it is concerned that it doesn't have a new car model to replace some of the gas guzzlers that are currently being produced in some of its plants in Canada. Ford is asking for the same arrangement that its competitors, Chrysler and GM got but both of these companies have been more willing to commit themselves to their Canadian employees.

I think that Ford is trying to have their cake and eat it to. They chose not to accept a government bailout like GM and Chrysler. In accepting the bailout from the Canadian taxpayers, Chrysler and GM agreed to commit themselves to the Canadian workers. Ford didn't take the money but they want the same deal as these two companies without having to show any commitment to the Canadian workers. Thai is not fair. They are concerned that they won't have a new efficient car to replace gas guzzlers then they should attack the problem now instead of just complaining about it.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-investor/massive-pension-shortfall-hits-ford/article1297606/

Skype Founders File Copyright Suit Against eBay

This article is about the case currently in the courts about the potential sale of the company Skype from eBay to a group of investors. It is a tricky but interesting case especially considering that many of us use Skype very often. The facts of the case are: eBay bought Skype from its two original owners. Then they decided to sell Skype for 1.9 billion to a group of investors including the Canadian Pension Fund. The Skype original owners decided to sue eBay for, they claimed, selling coding that these owners said eBay did not own. The case is so complicated that even a company as large as Google got scared away from the deal. The case is being heard in California as we speak.

In my opinion I think that the Skype owners sound crazy. Even the court seemed to say this but in different language. The British court threw the case out saying that their reasons were "inexplicable". It just doesn't make sense that eBay would agree to buy a computer company without making sure that they were actually buying the code for that company. Why would a company as smart as eBay agree to this kind of deal? They wouldn't! It seems to me that the former Skype owners have been carried away by their success and think they can have whatever they want even if it doesn't make any sense.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/17/technology/companies/17skype.html?_r=2&th&emc=th

Man pleads guilty in crash that killed two, injured eight

This article is about a case of speeding that caused the death of two people. In May 2008, Rehan Riaz a 22 year old young man was racing at double the speed limit on Eglinton Rd near the Don Valley. He lost control of his car, a white Honda, and it jumped the median and ended up on the wrong side of the road. He smashed into six other cars. Two people were killed in the accident because they weren't wearing seat belts and were thrown from the car and received fatal head injuries. Originally, he was charged with 12 counts but eventually he plead guilty to 4. He will be sentenced on January 22nd.

My opinion about this case is that the court should have been tougher on Mr. Riaz. I understand that he is a young man and he didn't mean to kill anyone. However, he is 22 not 16. He was driving at twice the speed limit at 8:30 at night in an area with lots of people and children around. He has a responsibility to the people in his car, to the cars all around him, and to the people on the streets. The fact is that if we don't make tougher rules, other young people will make the same mistake of thinking they can take the risk of speeding and putting people at risk. I think the court has to make sentences for this crime so severe that people will think twice before they make the same mistake.

http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/article/695989

Retailers to be banned from playing lottery at own stores

This article is based on how retailers were playing lottery tickets in their own stores. Through an investigation it was discovered that there had been fraudulence valued at over 198 million dollars, over the last 13 years. Starting this November a retailer of lottery tickets may participate by buying a ticket at another location and receiving their winnings at another location as well.

In my opinion I agree with the new ruling that if a retailer of lottery tickets must purchase and receive their winnings at another location to make it fair for everyone who plays.

Link: http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/695067