WTO BOOKED TO HEAR CANADA’S COOL TARIFF CASE . . . ENDANGERED BIRD RETURNS TO CANADA AFTER SURPRISING BAHAMAS JAUNT . . . FRACKING HAS NOT HAD BIG EFFECT ON WATER SUPPLY, E.P.A. SAYS WHILE NOTING RISKS . . . HEALTHY EATING TOUGH IN HALIFAX . . . OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST...

WTO BOOKED TO HEAR CANADA’S COOL TARIFF CASE
Source: Canadiancattlemen.ca
The World Trade Organization’s Dispute Settlement Body is set to hear Canada’s request in just under two weeks for revenge against the U.S. over country-of-origin labelling (COOL).
Canada on Thursday filed its request for authorization of retaliatory tariffs, to be considered at a DSB meeting on June 17, the federal government said. Barring a repeal of the U.S. government’s COOL legislation, Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz said Canada expects to have its tariffs in effect late this summer. The authorization, if approved as requested, would allow Canada to impose up to C$3.068 billion in new tariffs per year on imports of U.S. goods. (read more)

ENDANGERED BIRD RETURNS TO CANADA AFTER SURPRISING BAHAMAS JAUNT
Source: CBC.ca
One of four endangered Piping plovers born at White Point Beach, N.S. last summer has come home. ET was spotted on a beach in the Bahamas in early May, leaving those who track the birds to wonder if he would return to the south shore. Donna Hatt confirmed the little bird has safely completed the long journey back from the Bahamas after Nova Scotia's long, cold winter. (read more)

FRACKING HAS NOT HAD BIG EFFECT ON WATER SUPPLY, E.P.A. SAYS WHILE NOTING RISKS
Source: New York Times
A landmark Environmental Protection Agency report on the impact of hydraulic fracturing has found no evidence that the contentious technique of oil and gas extraction has had a widespread effect on the nation’s water supply, the agency said Thursday. Nevertheless, the long-awaited draft report found that the techniques used in hydraulic fracturing, known as fracking, do have the potential to contaminate drinking water. (read more)

HEALTHY EATING TOUGH IN HALIFAX
Source: The Chronicle Herald
Halifax is the worst place in the country to live if you expect to eat healthily, especially if you’re black, aboriginal, or an immigrant. That’s one of the conclusions of Food Counts: Halifax Food Assessment, a report released Wednesday by the Halifax Food Policy Alliance. The alliance is co-chaired by Public Health Services and the Ecology Action Centre, and its report was researched for two years. Among the findings are that Halifax “has the highest reported household food insecurity among 33 major urban centres in Canada, and one in five households has trouble affording healthy food.” (read more)