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Archive for the ‘Government’ Category

Apps for Climate Action

Tuesday, May 11th, 2010

Design fun and innovative climate action apps using government data.

The Apps for Climate Action Contest challenges Canadian software developers to raise awareness of climate change and inspire action to reduce carbon pollution by utilizing data in new applications for the web and mobile devices.

A leader in climate action, the Government of B.C. created a public catalogue of its best climate and greenhouse gas emission data.

Step 1: Read the Contest Rules, then Register
Step 2: Check out the Climate Change Data Catalogue to see the data your App can use
Step 3: Build your application and check back for ongoing development support
Step 4: Submit your App and show off your skills in the Apps Gallery

Submission deadline is July 15th.

Can’t write code but still want to make a difference?

Register, to receive contest updates and you’ll have the opportunity to vote for you favourite application starting on July 23rd.

Project False Hope

Wednesday, March 17th, 2010

March is Fraud Prevention Month and the Competition Bureau of Canada has some fabulous information on their website to help consumers avoid falling victim. Read on.

A December 2008 Statistics Canada survey found that 8.7 million Canadians used the internet to search for health-related information, with almost a quarter of them looking for alternative remedies. Of these 8.7 million people, only 38% spoke to their health-care professional about what they found.

In March 2008, the Competition Bureau of Canada launched Project False Hope. With the tagline “The fight against cancer is hard enough, don’t let fraud make it harder”, its aim is to target cancer-related fraud online and combat cancer fraud through education and enforcement. At the time of its launch, the project had already uncovered dozens (now hundreds) of Canadian-operated sites that were offering shady products that fell under the false and misleading provisions of the Competition Act. As March is Fraud Prevention Month in Canada and around the world, here is a brief look at Project False Hope, just one of the fraud-busting programs offered by the government of Canada.

Probably not widely known, the Competition Bureau is an independent law enforcement agency that protects and promotes competitive markets, while enabling informed consumer choices. It provides consumers with information on how to protect themselves against fraudulent claims. The Bureau uses internet surveillance and other techniques to avoid online scams and works in cooperation with, among others, Health Canada, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and in this instance, the Canadian Cancer Society.

Project False Hope features two interactive online tools to educate consumers on how to recognize scams:

o Anatomy of a Health Scam is designed to teach you how to recognize tactics used by scammers. The premise is a bogus website containing some of the “trick of the trade”. When you roll your mouse over the text, a pop-up appears and informs you how fraudsters might phrase something, or why they would use certain tactics to lure you. For example, creating a false sense of urgency, use of lots of technical language and testimonials, pretending they have found a miracle and they are the only ones to have it…

o The Health Fraud Awareness Quiz tests your knowledge of the tactics used and teaches you how to avoid falling victim. It is a short and informative quiz, consisting of eight true or false questions, such as “products that promise to do it all, such as cure cancer, shrink tumours and treat diabetes often do nothing” and “natural and herbal remedies must be safe”.

To quote Andrea Rosen, Acting Deputy Commissioner of the Competition Bureau: “Swindling people living with cancer is one of the most despicable forms of fraud. Consumers should be sceptical of health-related products or services that look too good to be true, and should always speak to a health-care professional before trying any new treatment.” Consumers are also encouraged to report suspicious-looking websites.

A cancer diagnosis is devastating. In their desperate need for solutions, people might search online for health information, only to be exposed to fraudulent and unproven products, claims and cures. Fortunately, for every huckster, there is a helping hand. The important thing, though, is knowing which is which.

Electric Car Revival

Wednesday, August 12th, 2009

There has been some interesting news that I have been following lately.

Firstly, UBC came out with a study which revealed that Hybrid rebates are ineffective. According to this study, the majority of people who purchase hybrids were going to purchase them anyway so the rebate did not act as an incentive, but instead are “subsidizing planned purchases“. The study further claims that the rebates spend an average of $195.00 per tonne of carbon saved. There are other technologies and green jobs which are less expensive and could have the same or greater environmental impact, that the government  could invest in instead. The study went so far as to say, the rebates could be viewed as another form of bailout for the limping auto industry in North America.

Just around the same time this study came out, the Ontario goverment committed $17 million to Mississauga-based Electrovaya, a company that makes lithium-ion  battery packs and is working toward producing components for electric cars for a number of international companies. 240 new jobs will come about for this community as well. This money goes directly to a Canadian company working on new technologies, rather to any car company through consumer rebates. Is this what the UBC study was talking about?

Finally, GM has announced Volt, their new rechargeable electric car with fuel consumption of about 1.0 litre per 100 km of city driving (yet to be proven officially). That makes the Volt four times as efficient as the Toyota Prius, which is currently the most efficient car sold in Canada. That is quite a jump in efficiency.  It will cost $40,000 before the provincial rebate, which in Ontario could be as high as $10,000.

The rate of movement seems to have picked up and no longer are companies secretly crushing electric cars. I haven’t yet seen the new documentary, Revenge of the Electric Car; instead I am watching it in real time.

 

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