From The Editors

Anti-smoking campaign

Posted by Phil

Mercury humour columnist Chuck Brown is invested in an interesting --  and serious -- campaign generating considerable discussion elsewhere in Canada.

Brown, who has also written extensively on hockey for a variety of publications, has generated the creative work for a poster campaign aimed at discouraging people from smoking outside the main entrances to hockey arenas.

Brown took on the volunteer project after being approached by a New Brunswick hockey mom frustrated at her kids being forced to wade through a throng of puffers on the way in and out of their games.

The posters have been in demand and spurred talk at arenas in southern New Brunswick. Brown, a non-smoker, has also worked to bring the campaign to the attention to Hockey Night in Canada's Don Cherry. He wants Cherry to speak on the topic during a broadcast during the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Amazing Race

Posted by Roger

The Mercury took part in an Amazing Race event downtown today. It was a promo for an upcoming fundraiser for the Childen's Foundation of Guelph and Wellington. As it happens, our intern competitors -- Jessica Smith and Jessica Lovell -- won the day.

CRTC to look at Internet

Posted by Roger

THE CANADIAN PRESS
OTTAWA — The CRTC has launched a major review of the impact the Internet is having on Canadian broadcasting and whether it should try to govern content on new digital media.
The federal regulator is in the midst of its most comprehensive review of national television policy in 15 years, and has heard complaints from broadcasters and cable-TV operators that they are losing market share to the Internet and other new-media platforms such as cellphones.
On Thursday, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission issued a 75-page compilation of stakeholder views as a starting point to what it said would be a wide-ranging review.
“New digital technologies and platforms are creating opportunities for the broadcast of professionally produced Canadian content that simply didn’t exist a few years ago,” CRTC chairman Konrad von Finckenstein said in a release.
“Our intention is not to regulate new media, but rather to gain a better understanding of this environment and, if necessary, to propose measures that would support the continued achievement of the Broadcasting Act’s objectives.”
Still, the document notes that the commission exempted the Internet from Canadian-content requirements in 1999 and that times have changed.
High-speed residential Internet access is now available to 93 per cent of Canadian households and has been adopted by more than 60 per cent. As well, Canadians are spending more time accessing broadcasting content over the Internet and on mobile devices.
“Accordingly, the commission now considers it appropriate to review new media and, if necessary, revise the exemption orders,” the document states.
Interested parties have until July 11 to file comments, and the regulator plans to hold public hearings in early 2009.

In tomorrow's Mercury

Posted by Roger

Here are some of the stories we're chasing today:

– At Queen's Park in Toronto for debate on compensation for Steven Truscott

– Members of federal Liberal caucus at Italian Canadian Club to discuss Guelph issues with mayor and council

– attending a conference on "excited delirium" -- a controversial condition that's been linked to stun gun deaths

Police thank our Dave

Posted by Roger

Recently-retired Mercury photographer Dave Carter was honoured by the Guelph Police this week for his year of service – 48 years to be exact. Watch a video of the event here.

Secret police after your Flintstone chewables?

Posted by Roger

We got a flurry of e-mails today regarding Bill C-51 and how it will allow the police to bust down your door and confiscate your vitamins.
Here's an excerpt from one . . .

"The Bill will remove our freedom to purchase any and all vitamins, minerals, and natural health products nor can it be sold without a doctor's prescription first.  More shockingly is, it will give the government unprecedented power to come into your home and take your multi-vitamins and any natural products away without a warrant(!!!) or court supervision(!!!), without recourse(!!!), and we can be fined and jailed!!!"

Bracing for it

Posted by Phil Andrews

I readied myself for the reaction. I'm still waiting.

Last fall, the Mercury engaged in market research and had a series of non-newspaper readers try-out the paper for a spell -- for free -- and then offer their assessment of it.

Well, the period they surveyed included a day where the Mercury had a front page photo of a man with tattoos. The sample of readers were so disgusted by the photo -- a striking image -- that feedback on this element just about skewed the whole exercise.

Given that experience I braced myself for what would come after we examined what is behind the boom in Guelph's tattoo parlours on our front page this past Saturday. I feared a queue of angry messages on my voicemail and worse.

But, knock on wood, so far there has been no adverse reaction. Perhaps it's still early.

This can't be good

Posted by Roger

In a city where Linamar looms as large as it does, this can't be good news for Guelph:

OSHAWA—General Motors of Canada Ltd. is closing its big transmission plant in Windsor and eliminating another 1,400 jobs in the ravaged industrial southwestern Ontario city.

The slumping auto giant announced today in the middle of early contract negotiations with the Canadian Auto Workers that the company will shut down the 63-year-old plant in the middle of 2010 because it can’t find new products.

Read the full story at the Toronto Star here: http://wheels.ca/reviews/article/241434

David Lee Roth sweet on Guelph?

Posted by Arts and Life Editor Declan Kelly

According to the local rumour mill, David Lee Roth was in town last week.

Diane Ferringo of Candies of Merritt said the Van Halen frontman stopped by her store last Friday looking to purchase "Canadian things to take back to people in California."

Ferringo said she's since learned that Roth may have relatives in the St.Clemens area.

Barring the Leafs

Posted by Phil Andrews

We'll make the case in an editorial tomorrow that Guelph Storm Coach and General Manager Dave Barr ought to merit consideration as a candidate to be the next coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

We don't want to see him go and have no knowledge of him being interested or pursued by the club. It's just we have a notion he might have the right stuff for the job.

Perhaps the editorial will merit some mention over the weekend out in the community. The Storm has its annual awards banquet Saturday and its prospects orientation and fitness evalution Sunday.