Author: Joyce Grant

News Politics

Protests and Accusations – The “Robo-Call” Scandal Continues

by

Canadians marched through the streets of Vancouver last Saturday to protest the use of misleading “robo-calls” during the federal election last May.

More than 31,000 people have complained to Elections Canada about the automatic voice-mails they received, directing them to go to the wrong polling station to vote.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper says that his party had nothing to do with the robo-calls.

Representatives from the Liberals and the NDP have urged the people responsible to come forward.

The Liberals and NDP have also denied having anything to do with the potentially illegal calls.

Many Canadians want to know who placed the calls, and they want the party responsible for them to be held accountable.

Continue Reading →
News Sports

Toronto Maple Leafs Get A New Coach

by

It’s not every day you have to fire an old college roommate, but this week Brian Burke, General Manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs hockey team, did just that.

After a six game losing streak, Burke made a tough decision.

To remove Leafs coach Ron Wilson, a friend of Burke’s for nearly 40 years, and replace him with Randy Carlyle.

Burke has also known and worked with Carlyle before.

In fact, Burke and Carlyle won a Stanley Cup together in 2007 when they both worked for the Anaheim Ducks hockey team.

(The Stanley Cup is hockey’s championship trophy.)

Continue Reading →
Kids News Technology

New Video Game Helps Kids With Autism

by

An amazing new “video game” is helping kids with autism show their emotions in their facial expressions.

Autism affects the brain’s development of social and communication skills.

People with autism typically have difficulty recognizing facial expressions and emotions.

The new video game, called FaceMaze, was developed to help kids with autism recognize what certain emotions look like, and what they mean—for instance, smiling, frowning or looking sad.

The video game looks and plays a lot like Pac-Man, a popular video game from the 1980s.

Continue Reading →
News Politics

Head Of TTC Fired; Toronto Council Divided About Transit

by

The head of the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) was fired from his job this week.

Most people think it’s because he disagreed with Toronto’s mayor’s plans for public transit.

In this case, public transit refers to the city’s system of buses, subways and streetcars.

Gary Webster has worked at the TTC since 1986; for nearly six years he has been the TTC’s Chief General Manager.

As the head of the TTC, part of Webster’s job was to advise Toronto’s politicians about how the city’s transit system should operate.

Continue Reading →
News

Is The Colosseum Crumbling?

by

The Italian government is trying to figure out if there is any truth to reports that rock is falling from the Colosseum.

The Colosseum is a world-famous landmark in Rome, Italy. It is the place where gladiators fought during the time of the Roman Empire (around 80 AD).

It has been damaged over the years by earthquakes and stone robbers, but it remains one of Rome’s most popular tourist attractions.

Continue Reading →
Animals News Politics

Canada To Get Two Panda Bears

by

Canada is expecting two very special visitors from China.

Er Shun and Ji Li are two giant panda bears, which China will be lending to Canada. The pair will live in Toronto for five years, and then in Calgary for five years.

The giant panda is unique to China. They are more than just a native species, however. To the Chinese, panda bears are very symbolic.

If China lets one of its panda bears live in a country, it’s a sign that China feels warmly towards that country.

In this case, the offer came during a recent four-day visit to China by Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

Continue Reading →
Breaking News News

Attawapiskat Residents Getting Some New Homes

by

Some Attawapiskat residents will soon be moving into new “modular” homes.

Attawapiskat is a remote community in northern Ontario. Last year, the government there declared a state of emergency because residents were living in conditions that were very unsafe.

Canada’s government promised to help fix the housing problems in Attawapiskat.

The first modular home has reached the first nations community, and the second is on its way.

Continue Reading →
News Sports

Maple Leafs, Red Wings To Square Off In Winter Classic

by

It’ll be the Toronto Maple Leafs vs. the Detroit Red Wings out in the fresh air on New Year’s Day.

It’s called the Winter Classic, and it’s an annual outdoor hockey game that features NHL teams playing on an outdoor rink.

Today, the NHL announced which teams will be playing in the special game. The game counts as a regular-season game.

Although it’s still 11 months away—the next Winter Classic will be held on Jan. 1, 2013—fans are excited. Because it’s outdoors, things like snow, rain and glare from the sun can affect the game, which makes it all the more interesting for spectators.

Continue Reading →
Entertainment News Sports

Super Bowl Commercials Don’t Disappoint

by

Many people like to fast-forward through commercials on TV.

However, there is one time when many people want to watch the commercials. And that’s during the Super Bowl football game.

The Super Bowl was played last Sunday.

It has become a tradition that the commercials shown during the Super Bowl are particularly interesting to watch. Many of them are funny.

For instance, in a Volkswagen ad, a dog sees a Volkswagen go by his house. He wants to chase it, but he’s too fat to fit through the doggie door.

So he starts exercising himself to get in shape.

He chases his own tennis ball, and he swims laps in a pool.

Eventually, he is able to fit through the doggie door and chase the car.

Continue Reading →
Environment News Science

Europe In The Grip Of A Cold Snap

by

Some countries in Europe are experiencing a bitterly cold winter.

Ukraine, in eastern Europe, has been especially hard hit. More than 100 people have died there in the last week, as temperatures dropped as low as -30C. Many of the people who froze to death were homeless people living in the city’s capital, Kiev.

In Bosnia-Herzegovina, there have been avalanches and strong winds. The country declared a state of emergency.

One woman in Croatia had to have neighbours help her give birth to her baby after the ambulance could not reach her because of a blizzard. She later named her baby Snjezana, which is Snow White in Croatian.

Continue Reading →
1 … 57 58 59 60 61 … 77