The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Montreal - Prime Minister Paul Martin's new Quebec lieutenant is calling for the police to lay criminal charges in the sponsorship affair, saying the move would blunt the anger of Quebec voters leading up to the expected federal election. Jean Lapierre, a former radio and TV host who has been recruited to run for the Martin Liberals, said people want to know that someone is paying for the alleged wrongdoing that saw up to $100 million squandered on fees paid to Liberal-linked communications agencies in Quebec. "These decisions were not made by the grace of the Holy Trinity," he told Radio-Canada earlier this week. "No one can say this happened all by itself." St. John's Nfld. - Hundreds of striking Newfoundland civil servants are picketing the legislature in St. John's, awaiting word on back-to-work legislation that was threatened Wednesday by Premier Danny Williams. In the meantime, union bosses have asked their 20,000 striking members to beef up picket lines to make it harder for managers to enter government buildings. Toronto - Ontario needs to spend at least $200 million a year to strengthen public health and infection control at all levels, an expert panel on SARS. A new microbiology lab would be included and should be located in the agency, a panel recommended in its final report.
