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.
Trenton, Ont. - Stephen Harper promised a major shot in the arm to the Canadian military on Monday, when he unveiled the Conservative party's first major policy announcement of the election campaign, announcing a package that would inject into the military an additional $1.2 billion a year for the next three years, rising to $1.6 billion in the fourth year. The package would boost troop strength to about 80,000 personnel. Canada currently has about 52,400 troops and is perceived to be seriously overstretched and underequipped in pursuing peacekeeping and other missions in several trouble spots around the globe, including Afghanistan, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Haiti. St. John's - Veteran politician John Crosbie, who had been considering a political comeback, has decided not to run for the Conservatives in Newfoundland. The 73-year-old former federal cabinet minister cited his age, family and health reasons in his decision not to run. Crosbie, whose rough-edged sense of humour landed him in hot water on many occasions, is arguably the most significant Conservative politician in Newfoundland and Labrador's history. His more colourful moments included urging Sheila Copps to "pass the tequila, Sheila." Toronto - Starting Tuesday, anyone caught smoking in a Toronto bar could be ticketed, with fines ranging from $205 to $5,000. Bar operators can also be fined.
