Foundation calls for regulation of unhealthy trans fats
The Heart and Stroke Foundation says heart-clogging trans fats are still too commonly found in the food we eat. The foundation wants the government to step in and regulate trans fats, saying voluntary measures clearly aren’t working. The organization made the call today after reviewing the latest Health Canada testing data. The tests focused on food found at small- and medium-sized restaurants and fast food chains, as well as other institutions such as high schools, hospitals, movie theatres and universities.
The foundation says the numbers show 21 per cent of french fries, 26 per cent of chicken products, 50 per cent of bakery products and 60 per cent of cookies are still made with high levels of trans fats. Health Canada says it is analyzing the impact of its two-year monitoring program to determine the best means of reaching recommended levels.
Payroll employment up slightly in October
Statistics Canada says non-farm payroll employment increased by a moderate 34,500 in October.
The agency says the trend in payroll employment has been flat since June, suggesting a shift from the job cuts that marked the first eight months of the recession. In October, only 44.3 per cent of all industries added to their payrolls. However, gains in education, health care and social assistance, as well as construction, were sufficiently large to offset declines elsewhere.
October’s increase was mainly the result of an additional 20,000 jobs in educational services and 14,600 in health care and social assistance and smaller gains in construction and banking.