North America | Canada | Health

Pregnant Women on Antidepressants More Likely to Have Child With Autism

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A new study shows that women who take antidepressants in the later stages of pregnancy are more likely to have a child with autism. The study specifies one particular group of antidepressants in particular — the SSRIs, or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, such as Prozac, Zoloft or Paxil. "Use of antidepressants, specifically selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, during the second and/or third trimester increases the risk of autism spectrum disease in children, even after considering maternal depression," Anick Berard of the University of Montreal and colleagues wrote in their
North America | Canada | Corruption

Scotiabank finally admits its mistake in holding back funds after a woman refuses to answer bank’s questions

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“It’s my money,” says Kemptville resident Cathie Adeney, who believes Scotiabank should not have withheld funds from a Registered Education Savings Plan for more than two months because of her refusal to answer questions regarding her net worth and salary. I was floored … I couldn’t believe it. I walked out of that bank without my money. — Cathie Adeney Driving home that day last May, she wondered what she was would tell her son, Jackson, who begins classes at Conestoga College in Kitchener next week and needed at least some of the funds to cover deposits and other expense
North America | Canada | Ethics

Ouellet calls out two Liberal ministers for their ‘condescending’ attitude toward women

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Parti Québécois MNA Martine Ouellet criticized two Liberal cabinet ministers on Tuesday for being condescending toward women in the National Assembly. The only woman running to be the next leader of the PQ, Ouellet singled out Transport Minister Robert Poëti and Health Minister Gaétan Barrette. “You see it in question period. A few ministers are very arrogant and condescending,” she told reporters. “It’s their general attitude but I’d say it’s worse toward female spokespeople. It would be nice if that would end.” Last month, Poëti raised eyebrows after he invited
North America | Canada | Culture

Doctors warned not to encourage young women to freeze their eggs in new medical journal article

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Doctors are being warned not to encourage young women to freeze their eggs as a way to avoid “future regret,” says a just-published article in the Canadian Medical Association Journal that argues it risks perpetuating expectations that being a mother is central to being a woman. “Social egg freezing uses medical technology to respond to a non-medical problem — natural aging,” the authors of the CMAJ analysis write in a paper published Monday, which was intended to help family doctors advise women contemplating egg banking. Growing numbers of Canadian women are seeking “social
North America | Canada | Politics

A government glass ceiling? Nearly 80% of Ontario’s top-paid public-sector workers are men

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There are more women in the public service than any other sector of Ontario’s economy, but they remain underrepresented on the list of top earners, an analysis of the 2014 sunshine list suggests. There are 21 women among the top 100 best-paid public servants, according to the list, which ranks those making more than $100,000. Among the top ranks of the Ontario Public Service, the deputy and assistant deputy ministers who work most directly with the Cabinet Office, 42% are women. Of the 16 deputy ministers, essentially the highest-ranking bureaucrats in each ministry, on the list, four