Today is the have a heart Radiothon in support of the Northern Lights Health Foundation.  Listen all day until 7pm tonight for stories of those helped by at the Regional Health Centre and talk about the Baby Friendly Initiative, this year's fundraising focus.  You can make a donation now by calling 780-793-7293.

The Harper government's bracing for a battle with Europe over the oilsands. Canada's ambassador to the European Union has warned that this country is prepared to go to the World Trade Organization to defend its interests. David Plunkett issued the threat in December in a letter that has just been made public. Ottawa is worried about the impact of a European proposal that would declare that crude from the oilsands is much more environmentally harmful than conventional oil.

An American construction giant is taking over a Calgary-based company active in the oilsands. U-R-S of San Francisco is acquiring Flint Energy Services for more than 1.2 billion dollars in cash. Flint is an oil and gas contractor that employs 10-thousand people.

On Sunday evening Wood Buffalo RCMP were dispatched to a motor vehicle collision on Secondary Highway 881, near Conklin, Alberta. Witness reports indicated that a southbound passenger van crossed the center line and struck a northbound car. The driver of the car, a 62 year-old male from the Smoky Lake area, was pronounced dead on the scene. The driver of the van, a 41 year-old female from Edmonton, and a male passenger, a 40 year-old from Conklin, were both transported via ambulance to the Northern Lights Regional Health Centre with non life threatening injuries. The investigation continues.

Canada's police are reassuring law-abiding Canadians that they have nothing to fear from Ottawa's Internet surveillance legislation. The bill would allow police to get information about Internet subscribers without a warrant. The Canadian Police Association has welcomed the legislation, saying it will give investigators better tools to deal with serious organized crime. Privacy advocates say the new law would be open to abuse.

The Assembly of First Nations is accusing the government of undercutting its own plans to improve conditions on reserves with the its tough new crime bill. National chief Shawn Atleo says the legislation would have the opposite effect. The bill would impose tougher sentences for a wide range of convictions. Atleo told a Senate committee that the bill would make it harder to break the cycle of crime that many aboriginal youth find themselves in.

In Sports…

The Oil Barons will kick off the 2012 AJHL Playoffs hosting the Grande Prairie Storm. Game 1 goes this Saturday at the Casmen.

Erik Karlsson had two goals and two assists, and Jason Spezza also scored twice in the Ottawa Senators 6-nothing win over the New York Islanders. Craig Anderson made 28 saves to help the Senators win their third in a row. Eric Staal had two goals and an assist as the Carolina Hurricanes routed Washington 5-nothing. Justin Peters got his first N-H-L shutout by handling just 17 shots.