Rick Clarke of the Nova Scotia Federation of Labour says that Nova Scotia Premier Rodney MacDonald is distorting facts around the issue of allowing health care workers and their unions to strike.

Premier Rodney MacDonald and his government are attempting to win support for their proposed ban on health care strikes in the province.

"The premier is trying to mislead the public by suggesting in the media that eight provinces have banned health care strikes. This is simply false. Only three provinces have done so and for him to suggest otherwise is a desperate attempt to distort the facts," says Clarke.

At issue is the ability for health care workers to strike, and in what manner. The Nova Scotia Federation of Labour says the issue has become one-sided and that under closer examination, "Seven provinces in Canada continue to allow health care workers to strike. The eight provinces the premier is talking about have so-called 'essential services' legislation, which is nowhere near the same thing."

Centerplate, Inc., today announced plans to eliminate trans fats in 2007. The plan includes preparing foods using only trans fat-free shortening products. Centerplate also intends to continue to work with its food suppliers to eliminate their use of trans fats in their processing operations.

Centerplate began exploring the elimination of trans fats several years ago when the company initiated testing trans fat-free alternatives in several of its facilities. Since that time, Centerplate has conducted an in-depth analysis of the recipes and ingredients that comprise its menu, with an intense focus on making shortenings trans fat-free. Although trans fatty acids occur naturally, especially in meat and dairy products, hydrogenated shortenings contain extremely high concentrations of trans fat. Eliminating these shortenings will be Centerplate's focus during 2007.

Canada’s generic pharmaceutical industry launched legal action in the Federal Court of Canada challenging recent changes to federal regulations that provide brand-name drug makers with an eight-year ban on generic competition.

"Canada’s Parliament approved legislation allowing the government to make regulations necessary to comply with Canada’s international trade obligations," said Jim Keon, President of the Canadian Generic Pharmaceutical Association. "But by imposing eight years of data exclusivity, the new rules vastly exceed what is necessary for Canada to comply with the North American Free Trade Agreement and the Agreement on Trade Related Aspects of International Property Rights."

Men are clamouring to volunteer for a revolutionary male contraceptive study in which silicone plugs will be surgically inserted into their vas deferens to block the flow of sperm. The minimally invasive surgical procedure attracts men for three reasons: ease of contraception (no condoms), potential reversibility (no microsurgery like in vasectomy), and a sense of control over their destiny (no parental lawsuits).

Recently, Shepherd Medical expanded its US study on the effectiveness of the IVD (Intra Vas Device) to four (4) new sites. Previously Shepherd Medical showed that, in a small group of men, the IVD blocks the flow of sperm and prevents pregnancy. Shepherd Medical also demonstrated that primates regained their fertility after the IVD was removed. The American National Institutes of Health (NIH) is funding the expanded study.

The Ontario Health Coalition today launched 16 major town halls, the Ontario leg of a 32-community national tour called "Medicare Works," sounding the alarm about the gathering threat to the public health system.

"Medicare Works will mobilize Canadians to defend and strengthen our public health system," said Michael McBane, coordinator of the Canadian Health Coalition. "We're urging Canadians to stand up and say, 'Medicare Works - keep it public, keep it fair'."