The founder of Insys Therapeutics John Kapoor has become the first pharmaceutical boss to be convicted in a case linked to the US opioid crisis.
A Boston jury found Kapoor and four colleagues conspired to bribe doctors to prescribe addictive painkillers, often to patients who didn't need them.
The former billionaire was found guilty of racketeering conspiracy for his role in a scheme which also misled insurers.
Friday, May 3, 2019
PMO AVOIDING STEELWORKERS BLOW UP PRE-ELECTION
Ivison: When George Orwell railed against the use of political language to cloak policy failures, “like a cuttlefish squirting out ink”, he was talking about efforts like the press release that emerged from the Department of Finance late last Friday afternoon.
The headline read: “Final Safeguards to be Imposed to Protect Canadian Steel Workers”.
Finance minister Bill Morneau told Canada’s 23,000 steelworkers: “We have your back” as the industry continued to toil against Donald Trump’s tariffs on steel and aluminum that persist, despite the agreement on a new NAFTA trade deal, the USMCA.
But nothing is quite what it seems in the world of steel production. The government was not adding protective “safeguards” – emergency duties imposed on non-U.S. imported steel – it was taking most of them away.
The headline read: “Final Safeguards to be Imposed to Protect Canadian Steel Workers”.
Finance minister Bill Morneau told Canada’s 23,000 steelworkers: “We have your back” as the industry continued to toil against Donald Trump’s tariffs on steel and aluminum that persist, despite the agreement on a new NAFTA trade deal, the USMCA.
But nothing is quite what it seems in the world of steel production. The government was not adding protective “safeguards” – emergency duties imposed on non-U.S. imported steel – it was taking most of them away.
GET THE PANDERING OVER WITH
Robson: A month ago Tory MP Garnett Genuis put forward a motion rejecting the “piecemeal approach” of various commemorative days, weeks and months in favour of an omnibus, truly inclusive “Recognition of People and Things.” It was an April Fool’s prank, but as George Bernard Shaw said, “When a thing is funny, search it carefully for a hidden truth.” In this case, about the degrading stream of pandering rubbish from politicians about days and causes you never heard of and they hadn’t either.
If my reaction seems callous, perhaps we need an official Day of Callousness to let off steam or recognize the ethically challenged as a vibrant part of our society who blah blah blah. Admit it, you could write these things in your sleep, or read them there. Like, one suspects, the authors.
If my reaction seems callous, perhaps we need an official Day of Callousness to let off steam or recognize the ethically challenged as a vibrant part of our society who blah blah blah. Admit it, you could write these things in your sleep, or read them there. Like, one suspects, the authors.
ONTARIO LAWYERS SCORE VICTORY FOR FREE THOUGHT
Blatchford: Klippenstein is usually described as a “progressive” — a believer and practitioner of equality who has often represented, and often pro bono, Indigenous and disadvantaged clients such as those mass-arrested at the 2010 G20 Summit.
As he said in Quillette, “For all of my adult life, I have worked to advance social justice. Now I am horrified by what my own professional regulator is doing in the name of that same cause… Our regulator was demanding that lawyers and paralegals draft and then obey a set of specific political ideas — both in their personal and professional lives — as a condition of their licence.”
He also wrote what few others dared to say: If lawyers were now expected to adopt and promote racial representation according to proportion in the general population, as they are, that meant the proportion of some skin colours and ethnicities was too low, and that in turn meant the proportion of others must be too high.
As he said in Quillette, “For all of my adult life, I have worked to advance social justice. Now I am horrified by what my own professional regulator is doing in the name of that same cause… Our regulator was demanding that lawyers and paralegals draft and then obey a set of specific political ideas — both in their personal and professional lives — as a condition of their licence.”
He also wrote what few others dared to say: If lawyers were now expected to adopt and promote racial representation according to proportion in the general population, as they are, that meant the proportion of some skin colours and ethnicities was too low, and that in turn meant the proportion of others must be too high.
Thursday, May 2, 2019
WHY CANADA ISN'T RETALIATING AGAINST CHINA
One year ago, Canadians couldn’t grow enough canola to meet Chinese demand. Between canola seed, canola oil and canola meal, the Chinese imported roughly $4 billion worth of the oilseed crop from Canada, according to an analysis from the Canada West Foundation. Couple that with an escalating trade spat between the U.S. and China, and market analysts were predicting record canola shipments from Canada to China in 2019.
Then, in March, China suddenly reversed course—blocking shipments from two of our biggest exporters because they were supposedly contaminated with pests. It mattered not that Canada said otherwise. Prairie farmers were left wondering what do with no access to their primary market.
It didn’t stop there—which is why most observers believe the action had more to do with Beijing’s anger over the arrest of Meng Wanzhou than with defective Canadian crops. Canadian exporters then reported roadblocks as they tried to send peas, pork and soybeans to China. The delays ranged from unusually long inspections to newfound paperwork problems. There’s no reason to think other products won’t soon be targeted.
Then, in March, China suddenly reversed course—blocking shipments from two of our biggest exporters because they were supposedly contaminated with pests. It mattered not that Canada said otherwise. Prairie farmers were left wondering what do with no access to their primary market.
It didn’t stop there—which is why most observers believe the action had more to do with Beijing’s anger over the arrest of Meng Wanzhou than with defective Canadian crops. Canadian exporters then reported roadblocks as they tried to send peas, pork and soybeans to China. The delays ranged from unusually long inspections to newfound paperwork problems. There’s no reason to think other products won’t soon be targeted.
THE DUPLICITY OF ELECTIONS CANADA
Blatchford; This is a story about the giant engineering firm recently described as “a signature Canadian company” based in Montreal — why yes, it is SNC-Lavalin — and another, smaller but successful company based in Mississauga, Ont.
Compare, if you will, how the two were treated by Elections Canada.
Compare, if you will, how the two were treated by Elections Canada.
SHOCKER: FREELAND PROMOTES TAX HIKES
Freeland, a former economics journalist, shared an anecdote about going door knocking in an upscale neighbourhood in her Toronto riding during the last election. She said one man told her that a Liberal government would cost him $30,000 more in taxes.
"He said, 'I kind of like you guys, I really like Trudeau. I sort of think you would be a better government, but $30,000 a year — that's a lot to pay just because I like you a little more.'"
Not only because she's a politician, she joked, but also because she said she truly believes it, Freeland told the man that it's in his self-interest to pay more to help his "compatriots."
"He said, 'I kind of like you guys, I really like Trudeau. I sort of think you would be a better government, but $30,000 a year — that's a lot to pay just because I like you a little more.'"
Not only because she's a politician, she joked, but also because she said she truly believes it, Freeland told the man that it's in his self-interest to pay more to help his "compatriots."
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