Adoptababy.com
The case of twin baby girls sold and adopted over the internet has reopened debate on how to regulate what is bought and sold online. On Wednesday British Prime Minister Tony Blair called the adoption deplorable and promised to move forward with new adoption laws. The government of Wales is investigating Alan and Judith Kilshaw’s adoption of the six month-old infants who paid a reported $12,000 (U.S.) administrative fee from the Caring Hearts Adoption Web site—which is no longer accessible.
A second couple, Richard and Vickie Allen from California are contesting the adoption, claiming they adopted the twins months earlier. The Allens, who paid $6000, lost the twins when the biological mother asked to see them for two days; they were then given over to the Kilshaws who adopted them in Arkansas and flew home to Wales.
—With files from the Globe and Mail
Oh Canadien!
The Globe and Mail has reported that one of Canada’s oldest and most celebrated sports institutions, the Montreal Canadiens, is going to be sold to an American company.
The Canadiens, who have won more Stanley Cups than any other professional hockey team, were put up for sale last summer and have since spent most of this season dwelling in the NHL’s basement.
The team was valued by Forbes magazine at $191 million, but reports suggest the team could go for up to $200 million.
Molson, who currently owns the team and the brand new Molson Centre, are rumoured to be holding on to a minority share of the team in the deal.
If sold south of the border, they will be the second Canadian team to be owned by an American firm.
—With files from the Globe and Mail
Bills get Face-lift
While it may take students some time to notice, the Bank of Canada announced on Wednesday that it will be changing the face of Canadian bank notes, for the first-time in about fifteen years.
Besides the $1000 bill, which is being removed from circulation in an effort to fight organized crime, all present bills will be given a face-lift. The bills will also include new printing technology—a three maple leaf colour-changing pattern and invisible coat of arms—to make counterfeiting harder. Last year, Canadians lost roughly $4 million to fake bills.
All of the bills will retain their famous faces, but Canadians will be bidding farewell to the birds that decorated the backside of the bills, in favor of so-called depictions of Canadian life.
The five-dollar bill will now feature an outdoor hockey game, the $10 bill a scene and verse from Flanders Fields, the $20 bill some art by Bill Reid, the $50 bill the “famous five” Albertan women who fought the Supreme Court to recognize women as people, and the $100 bill will have a satellite image of Canada.
The new tender will also feature a row of dots in the upper right-hand corner enabling blind and visually impaired people to readily recognize the values of the bills.
—-With files from The Globe and Mail and The Toronto Star
Supreme Court Upholds Latimer Sentence
Yesterday morning the Supreme Court of Canada upheld Robert Latimer’s life sentence with no chance of parole for 10 years. Latimer’s lawyers argued that the Saskatchewan farmer took his daughter’s life to end her suffering and said the imposed life sentence would amount to cruel and unusual punishment. The court ruled that he was not entitled to constitutional exemption from the sentence because of extenuating circumstances. Latimer was convicted in 1997 of second-degree murder for killing his 12-year-old daughter Tracy who suffered from cerebral palsy.
Latimer told The Globe and Mail that he was no hope for the future and plans to appeal the ruling.
—With files from the Globe and Mail
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