Photo: "Untitled," by Midnight Poutine Flickr pooler LnTee.

Your morning news roundup for Friday, October 17th, 2008:

Liberal leader Stéphane Dion seems in no hurry to step down after Tuesday's defeat at the polls. Officials deny that he will make way for someone new despite allegations by the Toronto Star. According to former Liberal cabinet minister Lisa Frulla, however, "he doesn't really have a choice, and I think he knows that." Meanwhile, people close to MPs Michael Ignatieff, Bob Rae, Gerard Kennedy and Dominic LeBlanc, former deputy prime minister John Manley and former New Brunswick premier Frank McKenna are "coyly" testing the waters.

"Teflon Don" Vito Rizzuto's father, 84-year old Nicolo Rizzuto, was released yesterday after two years behind bars, with three more years of probation left to serve. He and six other reputed leaders were investigated for four years as part of Project Colisée. Rizzuto was given the lightest sentence in part because of his age and health problems. A plea bargain also allowed him to avoid the more serious charges of drug trafficking and extortion.

Tomorrow, Canada will become the first country to ban bisphenol A in baby bottles. The measure comes six months after Health Minister Tony Clement announced his intentions to the chemical industry. BPA is used also in hard plastic sports bottles and the lining of food cans, but it is especially harmful to babies. Last month, the Journal of the American Medical Association found that there is a "significant relationship" between BPA and heart disease, diabetes and liver problems.

In other baby news, Health Canada recalled 10,000 pacifiers yesterday after they tested positive for high levels of lead. The affected brand is "My Baby," including their twin packs and silicone pacifiers with caps. No incidents have been reported so far, but lead poisoning can cause vomiting, diarrhea, convulsions, coma or even death. Lovely world we live in.

Canadian consumer confidence fell to its lowest point in over a quarter century this October, according to the Conference Board of Canada's consumer confidence index released today. The survey was held from Oct. 2-8 at the height of the financial crisis. Respondents suggested that it wasn't a good time to make a major purchase, and lacked confidence about their current and future financial situations.

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