Canada
column for Sunday, Oct. 13/13
THE CANADIAN REPORT
By
Jim Fox
The
Mounties have disclosed additional alleged financial improprieties against Conservative
Senator Mike Duffy.
The Senate’s “expenses’ scandal” has widened into a police investigation
in which authorities want a judge to allow access to the banking records of
Duffy, a former national TV news commentator.
In
a court statement, police said they are looking at new allegations of fraud and
breach of trust concerning Duffy giving $65,000 in Senate contracts over four
years to a friend who did little actual work.
As
well, Prime Minister Stephen Harper's former chief of staff had a “quite
detailed” calendar and notes about Duffy’s travel, meetings and activities that
weren’t given to investigators, Corporal Greg Horton wrote in a statement for a
judge’s review.
Nigel
Wright, now the former chief of staff, gave $90,000 in March to Duffy,
appointed by Harper to the non-elected Senate, to repay questionable housing
and travel expenses.
The Senate had initially asked independent auditors to review Duffy's
expenses after allegations he was improperly claiming a house in Prince Edward
Island as his main residence.
The
Mounties are also seeking bank records for Conservative Senator Patrick Brazeau
in connection with disallowed housing claims.
(Click on Read more for more Canadian news of the week)
---
Two Canadians recently released from prison in Egypt are unable to leave
the country despite the efforts of their government.
The Egyptian Foreign Ministry now says the two remain under suspicion
and can't leave the country.
Tarek Loubani and John Greyson had been detained for seven weeks related
to anti-government demonstrations in Cairo while they said they were on their
way to a “medical mission” to Gaza.
Canada’s Foreign Affairs office said it is a matter of bureaucratic
routine that has to be completed before they can return home.
---
Names in the news:
-
Paul Desmarais, described as a “powerful, influential business tycoon,” has
died at his home near Quebec City at age 86. A staunch federalist supporting a
united Canada, Desmarais made Power Corp. one of the country's largest
conglomerates with interests in insurance, transportation, paper, media and
financial services. He was a business partner and mentor to several of Canada’s
top politicians and a friend of U.S. presidents and world leaders.
-
Celebrated short-story writer Alice Munro is the first Canadian-based author to
win the Nobel Prize for Literature. Calling it “quite wonderful,” Munro, 82, is
a “master of the contemporary short story,” the Nobel judges said. Her last
published book was the 2012 collection Dear
Life.
- Mike
Lazaridis and Douglas Fregin, co-founders of the now-struggling BlackBerry
(Research In Motion) smartphone maker based in Waterloo, Ontario are considering
a buy-back bid. Documents filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange
Commission indicated they are considering a joint bid “with the goal of
stabilizing and ultimately reinventing the company based on a plan developed by
them.” There was no further comment.
---
Facts and figures:
The Canadian dollar is at a four-month low at 96.12 cents U.S. while the
U.S. dollar returns $1.0403 in Canadian funds, before bank exchange fees.
The Bank of Canada’s key interest rate is steady at 1 percent while the
prime-lending rate is 3 percent.
Stock
markets are mixed, with the Toronto exchange index higher at 12,894 points and the
TSX Venture index lower at 935 points.
Lotto 6-49: (Oct. 9) 18, 22, 24, 30, 43 and 48; bonus 42. (Oct. 5) 2, 12,
18, 26, 35 and 36; bonus 7. Lotto Max: (Oct. 4) 12, 16, 19, 20, 28, 34 and 42;
bonus 9.
---
Regional briefs:
-
Nova Scotia voters gave Stephen McNeil’s Liberal party a decisive victory,
defeating the ruling social New Democratic government in Tuesday’s provincial
election. McNeil, a former appliance repair business owner from Bridgetown,
said his government will cut the cost of health-care administration, cap
classroom sizes and allow more competition in the energy industry.
-
The Ontario government has abandoned plans to spend billions of dollars for two
new nuclear reactors, saying they aren’t necessary. Energy Minister Bob
Chiarelli said “new nuclear will not be part of the long-term energy plan.” The
reactors could have cost $26 billion that Chiarelli said is not a “wise”
investment “where the power is not needed.”
-30-
Jim Fox can be reached at canadareport@hotmail.com
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