Business
Austerity plan doubted
ATHENS — Not long after Greece made the politically unpopular decision to slash government spending to ease its debt crisis, Germany’s finance minister questioned whether the deal goes far enough to earn approval of a crucial C130 billion bailout.
Greece’s new austerity plan would make deep cuts to jobs and wages and it ignited fresh criticism from unions and the country’s labour minister, who resigned in protest. Finance ministers from the 17 countries that use the euro are meeting in Brussels to scrutinize the plan. READ
Pilots talking strike as labour dispute escalates
Air Canada headed closer to another possible labour disruption Thursday after its pilots began a strike vote in response to what they said was a “rigid” company position that appeared aimed at escalating their contract dispute. READ
Internet service providers not broadcasters: top court
Internet service providers should not be treated as broadcasters under the law, the Supreme Court of Canada agreed Thursday. READ
Agreements prompt talk of free trade
BEIJING — A raft of agreements between Canada and China may see the two countries ready to set sail on free trade talks. READ
Red Deer region's prospects optimistic
Red Deer’s economic development officer delivered an upbeat assessment of the region’s prospects during a presentation on Wednesday. READ
Red Deer building off to slow start in ’12
Residential construction in Red Deer is off to a sluggish start this year, at least based on statistics issued by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. on Wednesday. READ
Investment protection deal with China a historic step forward: PM
The conclusion of 18 years of talks with the Chinese for an investment protection deal marks a historic step forward in Canada-China relations, the prime minister said Wednesday. READ
Canada, China take historic trade steps
BEIJING — The conclusion of 18 years of talks with the Chinese for an investment protection deal marks a historic step forward in Canada-China relations, the prime minister said Wednesday. READ
Profits, higher salaries at heart of price gap with U.S.: manufacturers
There are many reasons why retailers charge consumers more in Canada than they do in the United States, but one is simply that they can, witnesses told a Senate committee Tuesday. READ
Volatility to keep producers on edge: speaker
On the 200th birthday of Charles Dickens, a prominent business journalist deferred to the famed English novelist when summing up the current state of Canadian agriculture. READ
Apartment block helps to lift January building permit tally
So far, so good. READ
Agriculture ministers expects industry to reclaim economic throne
Agriculture was king in Alberta until energy supplanted it as the No. 1 source of exports. READ
Agriculture ministers expects industry to reclaim economic throne
Agriculture was king in Alberta until energy supplanted it as the No. 1 source of exports. Evan Berger, the province’s ag minister, thinks the agriculture will one day reclaim its economic throne. READ
Apartment block helps to lift January building permit tally
So far, so good. Red Deer’s Inspections and Licensing Department approved $19.1 million worth of construction in January — a 75 per cent improvement over the $11 million in building permits it issued during the same month in 2011. READ
Volatility to keep producers on edge: speaker
On the 200th birthday of Charles Dickens, a prominent business journalist deferred to the famed English novelist when summing up the current state of Canadian agriculture. READ
Canada no longer leading the G7 in economic growth and job creation
It’s going to get harder for Prime Minister Harper and his ministers to keep boasting that Canada is No. 1 among economic rivals. READ
Producers should plan for delayed growth: analyst
February might be too early to fret about spring soil moisture levels. But as each day of warm, dry winter weather passes, farmers could be forgiven for becoming increasingly uneasy. READ
Mines for shares swap completed
Red Deer-based Blue Horizon Industries Inc. (CNSX:BH) has struck a conditional deal to swap its subsidiary Blue Horizon Mining Inc. with Cayenne Gold Mines Ltd. (CNSX:CYN) for shares in Cayenne. READ
Schlumberger keeps quiet about plans for property
One of the world’s biggest oilfield services companies has laid claim to a big chunk of land just south of Red Deer. But Schlumberger Ltd. is keeping quiet about its plans for the 44-acre parcel in McKenzie Industrial Business Park. READ
Greece to hand out pink slips to thousands of civil servants
Greece’s coalition government on Monday caved in to demands to cut civil service jobs, announcing 15,000 positions would go this year, amid mounting international pressure to agree on austerity measures needed to secure major new debt agreements. READ
