Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Tobacco giant pushed back against Canadian labelling rules

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Reposted by Cecil Rosner

Investigative Journalism Foundation @theijf.org · 5d

One of the world’s largest cigarette makers lobbied vigorously against Canada’s tobacco labelling policy. Check the document we found in our Open by Default database.

zurl.co/AWaal

#cdnpoli #tobacco

Imperial Tobacco argued individual labels for cigarettes were not useful. Instead, it promoted vaping

Federal contracting blacklist grows, so far sparing industry giants

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Reposted by Cecil Rosner

Investigative Journalism Foundation @theijf.org · 4d

The federal procurement office is blacklisting suppliers at a faster pace — so far, targeting smaller businesses. Find out the details in our latest report.

zurl.co/1S1zz

#cdnpoli #smallbusiness

The federal procurement office has ramped up the number of suppliers banned from contracting in the past year.

Most temporary foreign worker program inspections don’t include in-person visits, data reveal

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Reposted by Cecil Rosner

Investigative Journalism Foundation @theijf.org · 2d

It was touted as the answer to what Premier Danielle Smith called the "leaky" U.S. border, but how effective has Alberta's new border patrol been? Here’s what we found about the number of arrests this $29 million team has made so far.

zurl.co/K8YCO

#abpoli #border

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Reposted by Cecil Rosner

Investigative Journalism Foundation @theijf.org · 7d

Federal officials overseeing Canada’s temporary foreign worker program never actually visit most of the worksites they claim to inspect. It’s a practice that critics say makes the controversial program even more vulnerable to abuse. Read what’s going on.

zurl.co/vkNQM

#cdnpoli

Advocates say IJF findings raise troubling questions about oversight in the controversial program

Search our collection of records about Canada’s residential school system.

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Cecil Rosner @rosnerc.bsky.social · 8d

There are still many untold stories about residential schools, and this database is filled with them. Check it out: theijf.org/residential-... #ndtr #orangeshirtday @theijf.org

Residential Schools

Oilers 50/50 raffle has paid $81M to company owned by hockey group over 4 years, documents reveal

Cecil Rosner @rosnerc.bsky.social · 12d

The charity that runs the Edmonton Oilers 50/50 raffle hires a private company to manage the process. That private company is owned by the Oilers Entertainment Group.

Investigative Journalism Foundation @theijf.org · 12d

When you buy an Edmonton Oilers 50/50 ticket, how much money ends up with charity? Check out our investigation to find the answer.

zurl.co/5aL6i

#abpoli #hockey

Financial statements show percentage of ticket sales available for charity has declined since raffle moved online

Oilers 50/50 raffle has paid $81M to company owned by hockey group over 4 years, documents reveal

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Reposted by Cecil Rosner

Investigative Journalism Foundation @theijf.org · 12d

When you buy an Edmonton Oilers 50/50 ticket, how much money ends up with charity? Check out our investigation to find the answer.

zurl.co/5aL6i

#abpoli #hockey

Financial statements show percentage of ticket sales available for charity has declined since raffle moved online

Exodus of female agents from B.C. spy unit where sexual assault alleged

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Reposted by Cecil Rosner

Investigative Journalism Foundation @theijf.org · 13d

Female staff at CSIS fled the agency amid reports of sexual assault allegations, claiming the B.C. office is one where workplace harassment went unchecked. Read the details of the report in our story.

zurl.co/9MWY5
#bcpoli #cdnpoli

Review found shortcomings in leadership and reports of bullying, harassment

New IJF database shines spotlight on people appointed to Canada’s major public bodies

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Reposted by Cecil Rosner

Investigative Journalism Foundation @theijf.org · 14d

Today we launch our 13th public-interest database — with more than 175K appointments across the country, from judges and ambassadors to the heads of Crown corporations. Find out more.

theijf.org/new-ijf-data...

#cdnpoli #democracy

Appointments database ‘getting us closer to what we would want to see in a well-functioning democracy,’ expert says

2 Alberta judges under investigation after IJF reveals evidence of donations to UCP

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Cecil Rosner @rosnerc.bsky.social · 16d

On Wednesday we will be launching a Canada-wide appointments database, making it easier to draw connections like the one revealed in this story. Watch for it at theijf.org @theijf.org

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Reposted by Cecil Rosner

Investigative Journalism Foundation @theijf.org · 16d

Exclusive: Alberta’s chief justice is investigating the conduct of two judges after we revealed evidence suggesting they gave money to the ruling United Conservative Party after being appointed to the provincial court bench.
zurl.co/GErEQ
#abpoli

Canadian ethical guidelines say all partisan political activity must end after appointment to the bench

Inside Big Tech’s playbook to halt media compensation laws

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Reposted by Cecil Rosner

Investigative Journalism Foundation @theijf.org · 22d

We take you inside Big Tech’s playbook for fighting laws that compensate news outlets for their content. Read our investigation with other media outlets into the actions of companies like Meta and Google that run public campaigns and make threats to stop serving news.

Meta and Google ran public campaigns, made threats to stop serving news, struck private deals and mobilized prominent supporters to try to influence or stall laws in Brazil, Canada, Indonesia and…

American firms own nearly a third of Canada’s data centres

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Reposted by Cecil Rosner

Investigative Journalism Foundation @theijf.org · 21d

American companies own 30 per cent of Canada’s data centres, according to an IJF analysis. Could this leave data safeguards vulnerable to foreign control? Read the implications in our latest story.

zurl.co/lGiwB

#cdnpoli #data

Experts warn that reliance on foreign-owned data centres poses risks for sovereignty.

‘Renting your enemy’: How Google paid the media millions to avoid regulatory pressure

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Reposted by Cecil Rosner

Investigative Journalism Foundation @theijf.org · 22d

We uncover how Google paid the media millions to avoid regulations, signing more than 2,000 secret contracts with publishers. A critic calls it “renting your enemy.” Our investigation into Big Tech lobbying continues with other news outlets around the world.
buff.ly/SK9YCx2
#BigTechsInvisibleHand

Google has signed more than 2,000 contracts with news outlets worldwide in the past five years

Canada 2020: the team behind the team behind Canada’s Liberal Party

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Cecil Rosner @rosnerc.bsky.social · 28d

The think tank with close ties to the PMO, and its corporate backers. theijf.org/canada-2020-... @theijf.org

Some of the country's most powerful companies are backing a small Canadian think tank with direct links to the PMO

The Alberta book ban saga | Front Burner | CBC Podcasts | CBC Listen

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Cecil Rosner @rosnerc.bsky.social · Sep 4

Brett McKay of @theijf.org discusses Alberta's book ban on Front Burner with Jayme Poisson www.cbc.ca/listen/cbc-p...

Late last week - a list of over 200 books, set to be removed from Edmonton school libraries by October made the rounds online. It was in response to an order set out by Alberta’s education ministry in...

www.cbc.ca

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Reposted by Cecil Rosner

Investigative Journalism Foundation @theijf.org · Aug 29

Edmonton school libraries plan to remove books by Margaret Atwood and George R. R. Martin after pressure from the Government of Alberta to get rid of “inappropriate” books. IJF reporter Brett McKay breaks down how we got here and what happens next.

buff.ly/TZniyGe

#abpoli #bookban

Edmonton banning Margaret Atwood book Alberta government promised wouldn’t be touched by provincial restrictions

221 titles will be pulled from shelves by Oct. 1

The untold story of Canada’s only province-wide police investigation into residential school abuses

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Cecil Rosner @rosnerc.bsky.social · Aug 27

Another example of how details of abuse remain hidden in the archives. Through our databases we are bringing important stories to light. @bethanylindsay.bsky.social @theijf.org

Investigative Journalism Foundation @theijf.org · Aug 27

The details of Canada’s only province-wide criminal investigation into residential school abuse were hidden for decades—until now. Read what we found out about the RCMP's large-scale probe in B.C. in our exclusive story.

buff.ly/8Gfr8fS

#bcpoli #residentialschools

Final report of the B.C. RCMP Native Indian Residential School Task Force made public for 1st time through IJF database

Gambling companies hired lobbyists with ties to Alberta government in influence campaign

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Reposted by Cecil Rosner

Investigative Journalism Foundation @theijf.org · Aug 22

A succession of well-connected lobbyists tried for years to bring private online gaming to Alberta, and they are finally succeeding. We reveal the identities of the players in our exclusive investigation.

buff.ly/gp6uzJm

#abpoli

The biggest names in sports betting and internet gaming employed more than a dozen public relations firms in the push for private, regulated betting

CSIS assessment found university encampments ‘unlikely’ to be violent

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Reposted by Cecil Rosner

Investigative Journalism Foundation @theijf.org · Aug 21

Contrary to rhetoric from some school administrators, pro-Palestinian university encampments were unlikely to incite violence, we found from a never-released CSIS report. Learn more.

buff.ly/1nf4VFO

#cdnpoli

A Canadian intelligence report on pro-Palestine university encampments found it was “unlikely” those demonstrations would become violent

Former federal nuclear safety head starts lobbying for nuclear industry

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Cecil Rosner @rosnerc.bsky.social · Aug 21

The revolving door keeps turning. @theijf.org

Investigative Journalism Foundation @theijf.org · Aug 21

A safety head for Canada’s nuclear regulator retired last year. Now, he’s lobbying his former agency on behalf of the nuclear industry and asking for federal support to develop small modular reactors. Find out what this could mean for the Canadian industry.

buff.ly/SZPLoaS

#cdnpoli

A recently retired public servant who headed up safety management for Canada’s nuclear regulator is now lobbying his former agency on behalf of the nuclear industry

Civil rights advocates worry new B.C. powers to seize property go too far

Reposted by Cecil Rosner

Investigative Journalism Foundation @theijf.org · Aug 20

British Columbia recently approved Canada’s first-ever unexplained wealth order, a controversial tool used to seize assets obtained through criminal activity. We show how a 2023 murder linked to an East Vancouver home started it all, and why some civil liberties advocates have doubts.

Civil liberties advocates are expressing concern about government overreach after B.C. obtained Canada's first-ever unexplained wealth order.

Exclusive Ottawa fundraising event draws dozens of lobbyists — despite Liberal promises

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Reposted by Cecil Rosner

Investigative Journalism Foundation @theijf.org · Aug 19

It was a high-powered reception for Liberal Party donors who got a chance to mingle with the prime minister and members of cabinet. We analyzed the guest list and found dozens of registered Ottawa lobbyists. Find out who was there.

buff.ly/iGpVpzo

#cdnpoli

This year, the exclusive party featured representatives for defence contractors, Tesla, TikTok and Coinbase