Canadian Sailing Team for Olympics

The Canadian Yachting Association (CYA) announced its sailing team of 14 for 8 events in the Summer Beijing Olympics Games (sailing events will be held at Qingdao, China). Several are favoured to win medals. Chris Cook has four consecutive top 10 finishes in the finn worlds and is ranked 10th by the International Sailing Federation: Olympics. Mike Leigh won the 2008 Semaine Olympique Francais and is ranked fifth in the world. Oskar Johansson and Kevin Stittle were second at the Tornado World Championships and are currently ranked seventh. Members of the Canadian Olympic sailing team are:

• Finn: Chris Cook, Toronto
  
• Laser: Mike Leigh, Vancouver
• Tornado: Oskar Johansson, Toronto - Kevin Stittle, Orangeville, Ont.
• 49er: Gordon Cook , Toronto - Ben Remocker, Vancouver
  
• Radial: Lisa Ross, Halifax
  
• Windsurfing: Zac Plavsic - Nikola Girke, Vancouver;
  
• 470: Stephane Locas , Montreal - Oliver Bone, Beaconsfield, Que.
  
• yngling: Jen Provan, Toronto - Martha Henderson, Toronto - Katie Abbott, Sarnia, Ont.
  

Canadian Lakes to be used as Mining Dumps

June 2008: 16 pristine Canadian lakes from B.C. to Newfoundland may soon be "reclassified" by the federal government as toxic dump sites for mines. The Fisheries Act makes it illegal to put harmful substances into fish-bearing waters, but in a little-known exception to mining effluent regulations in Schedule Two, lakes and rivers can be reclassified as "tailings impoundment areas" allowing mining companies to dump toxic mine tailings directly into the lake or river instead of building expensive containment ponds. From March 2008 to March of 2009, 8 Canadian lakes are slated to be put on Schedule Two without considering environmental or recreational impact -- without public consulation. Future contamination of fish, wildlife and downstream waters is inevitable. It is not too late to contact your MP or the Minister of Fisheries & Oceans. [www.cbc.ca/..]