Canada
column for Sunday, April 13/14
THE CANADIAN REPORT
(c) By
Jim Fox
Tributes are pouring in from around the world after the sudden death of
former Canadian finance minister Jim Flaherty.
Flaherty, who was 64, died at his Ottawa condominium Thursday of a heart
attack just three weeks after he resigned from his cabinet position.
Known
for his “Irish wit” and friendliness, he continued as a Member of Parliament
while preparing to take some time off and find a job outside of government.
His
family had urged him to take a break from his hectic lifestyle and to help
restore his health.
Flaherty
had been battling a painful skin condition, bullous pemphigoid that required
him to take a steroid medication resulting in weight gain and fatigue.
Credited with leading Canada relatively unscathed through one of its worst
economic times, he had set the stage for a return of a budget surplus in the next
year.
He
was married to Christine Elliott, deputy leader of the Ontario Conservatives,
and they have triplet sons John, Galen and Quinn.
The
G20 finance ministers and central bankers noted his “refreshing honesty and
good humor.”
“His hard work and leadership were instrumental in helping to shape the
recovery and in charting Canada’s path back to surplus,” the group said in a
statement.
Calling
it a “very sad day,” Prime Minister Stephen Harper said the death is “an
unexpected and terrible shock.”
---
Quebec voters delivered a stunning setback to the independence movement
by dumping the minority Parti Quebecois (PQ) government and its leader.
In
the provincial election, former neurosurgeon Philippe Couillard led his Liberals
to a majority win.
By
doing so, PQ leader Pauline Marois – who had suggested the possibility of
another vote for independence from Canada – was defeated in her home district
and resigned.
Voters elected 70 Liberals to the 125-seat legislature while the PQ had
30, the Coalition for Quebec's Future had 22 and Quebec Solidaire, three. Voter
turnout was 71.5 percent.
---
News in brief:
-
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) is eliminating 657 jobs over the
next two years to save $130 million. President and CEO Hubert Lacroix said
“very tough and controversial choices needed to be made” and the CBC could no
longer compete with private broadcasters for the rights to broadcast
professional sports. The cuts will affect English radio and television programs
as well as the French-language service, Radio-Canada.
- Patrick
Brazeau, who was suspended as a Senator over an expenses’ scandal, has been
arrested for what police said was a “violent domestic disturbance” in Gatineau,
Quebec. He faces two counts of assault, making death threats, possessing
cocaine and breach of bail conditions. Brazeau, 39, is also awaiting trial for
a domestic incident last year in which he was arrested for assault and sexual
assault.
---
Facts and figures:
The
Canadian dollar is higher at 91.19 cents U.S. while the U.S. dollar returns $1.0966
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 lower, with the Toronto exchange index at 14,254 points and the TSX
Venture index 996 points.
The average price of a liter of gasoline across Canada is higher at $1.3388
(Canadian).
Lotto 6-49: (April 9) 8, 12, 20, 27, 32 and 43; bonus 17. (April 5) 13,
16, 17, 23, 27 and 37; bonus 3. Lotto Max: (April 4) 19, 30, 33, 34, 36, 41 and
48; bonus 11.
---
Regional briefs:
-
A Forum Research poll suggests Ontario voters are more concerned over the governing
Liberals’ gas plant scandal. The poll shows the Conservatives have overtaken
the Liberals by 38 percent to 31 percent while the New Democrats have 23
percent support. Premier Kathleen Wynne said she had no knowledge of the
deletion of emails from government computers concerning the cancelation of two
controversial gas plants prior to the last election. Stopping the projects cost
taxpayers $1.1 billion, an inquiry showed, but helped the Liberals win the vote.
-
Dellen Millard, of Toronto, who is awaiting trial in the death last year of Tim
Bosma of Ancaster, Ontario is now accused of murdering his father Wayne Millard
and friend, Laura Babcock. Mark Smich is also charged in the Bosma and Babcock’s
deaths. Bosma didn’t return after going on a test drive with two men in the
truck he was trying to sell.
-30-
Jim Fox can be reached at canadareport@hotmail.com
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