A slow news day for Metro comes off a slow news weekend. The “delusional Calgaria” thing is earning a spec of attention, as is the Casino’s nascent union. Then there’s the upcoming Canadian ringette championship. And so the wait for headlines like “Cure for cancer found in east coast city-town” and “Nova Scotia premier shot” continues. Full links below.
DELUSIONS OF GRANDEUR
from cyberspace and the blogosphere
So there was this ad campaign devoted to “delusional Calgaria” which Nova Scotia came up with in response to the fact the best and brightest keep moving away for jobs. It was actually pretty clever. Then there was outcry from mental health groups, who complained that calling the fake illness delusional is insulting. It was actually crazy. Insane. Practically psycho, even. So now there’s a mock disease named Calgaria, with a real website, which is still clever-er than the average piece of Nova Scotia propaganda, but is earning valid criticism because clever doesn’t change the job market here. A story at Yahoo! news has this quote:
“When you’re trying to get ahead and trying to make a life for yourself and your family, Calgary is definitely a place where it seems easier,” says Gillis, 32, who moved to Banff, Alta., a decade ago and then to Calgary in 2000.(full story here)
And the blogger behind “Beer and News” makes this quip:
As a transplanted Maritimer, I can honestly say this is a well-meaning — but the promise of a career and lifestyle that’s equal to or better than Calgary in Halifax is horseshit. I’ve been in Calgary for a week and I can see why Haligonians would want to move here. Tripple the salary, your pick of jobs, sloots and beer. Sure there’s no ocean, but there’s big, honkin’ mountains. (full story here)
Mmmmm, mountains.
GAMBLING WITH COMMUNISM
from cyberspace
A group of workers at the casino is trying to form a union. At Casino Gambling Web — a site that claims to be “The Top Online Casino Gambling News Reporting Organization!” — staff editor Bob Hartman wrote an item about the organizing effort. He says:
Employees working at the Casino Nova Scotia in Halifax created this idea just over a month ago in order to win increased earnings, higher benefits, job security, and overall better treatment. These workers, who are paid by the Great Canadian Gaming Corporation (GCGC), have chosen to come together and form a union with the help of organizers and members of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 902.
“Despite the huge revenues and profits of the Halifax Casino, gambling industry employees in Nova Scotia are the most underpaid and have the lowest level of benefits and job security of any casino or racetrack across Canada,” said SEIU Canada National Organizer Tony Tracy. (full story here)
Neither Hartman nor Tracy speculates on what this means to the rule that the house always wins.
THE OTHER HOCKEY
from Montreal
Did you know the Canadian ringette championships are happening in Halifax next week? If you’ve been reading SLAM! sports you did. To find out way too much about the teams who are coming, check out this column from Rob Brodie.
What have you been reading? Send links here.
This article appears in Mar 29 – Apr 4, 2007.