Canada column for Sunday, June 7/15
THE CANADIAN REPORT
(c) By
Jim Fox
The
New Democrats, Canada’s socialist political party, won the west in Alberta’s recent
provincial election and could be poised to do well nationally in October.
Five polls suggest that a tight, three-way race has developed nationally
while a poll finds the New Democrats are dominating in mainly French-speaking Quebec.
Pollsters
suggest it’s a little early to define the possible outcome of the October
federal election as Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his Conservatives seek to
remain the majority government.
Unsettling for Harper and the Liberals is the New Democrats stunning
victory resulting in Rachel Notley becoming premier and ending 44 years of Conservative
rule in Alberta’s provincial election.
This has boosted prospects of New Democratic Party (NDP) leader Tom
Mulcair in recent opinion polls.
“For
those in denial about the rise of the NDP, we would suggest that they consider
abandoning that skepticism,” said pollster Frank Graves of Ekos Research.
The Alberta election victory “created goodwill for the party,” said Nik
Nanos of Nanos Research, and Canadians who would consider voting NDP is at a
12-month high, tied with the Liberals.
---
Peter MacKay, a loyalist of the modern Conservative government of Prime
Minister Harper, is leaving politics.
The surprise announcement by the man who was voted “sexiest male MP (Member
of Parliament) in the House of Commons” for six years by the Hill Times
newspaper, said he won't seek re-election in his Nova Scotia district.
He
has held numerous cabinet posts in 18 years as a politician including minister
of foreign affairs, national defense, justice minister and attorney general.
MacKay, who will be 50 in September, will become a father for the second
time about then with his wife Nazanin Afshin-Jam and hasn’t mentioned any plans
for life after politics.
---
News
in brief:
-
Concern over a toxin produced by staphylococcus bacteria has led to a massive
recalled of Presidents Choice hummus and dip products by Loblaw Companies. The
recall began with PC Moroccan-Style Hummus and was soon expanded to include more
than a dozen varieties removed from store shelves. The Canadian Food Inspection
Agency said there have been illnesses associated with the recalled products.
-
The federal government will remove the Goods and Services Tax of 13 percent on
feminine hygiene products effective July 1. A New Democratic Party motion to
drop the tax was unanimously approved after women in the ruling Conservative
party said they’d boycott the vote if their party didn't approve. Opponents
have long said the tax is discriminatory as it is only paid by women for an
essential product.
---
Facts and figures:
Canada’s
dollar is lower at 80.11 cents U.S. while the U.S. dollar returns $1.2482 in
Canadian funds, before bank exchange fees.
The
Bank of Canada’s key interest rate is steady at 0.75 percent while the
prime-lending rate is 2.85 percent.
Markets
are lower, with the Toronto Stock Exchange index at 14,994 points and the TSX
Venture index at 687 points.
The
average price of gasoline across Canada is higher at an average of $1.16 a
liter or $4.42 (Canadian) for a U.S. gallon.
Lotto 6/49: (June 3) 26, 28, 33, 35, 37 and 46; bonus 47. (May 30) 4, 9,
17, 27, 36 and 49; bonus 21. Lotto Max: (May 29) 1, 30, 38, 39, 44, 45 and 47;
bonus 43.
---
Regional briefs:
-
A police dog called Caber helped a
10-year-old British Columbia girl testify in court about being sexually assaulted.
It’s the first case there where a dog has assisted a child. The yellow Labrador
retriever lay at the girl’s feet inside the witness box as she spoke from
behind a screen in Surrey provincial court. The dog soothed the girl so
she could provide a full account of the incident, said Crown attorney Winston
Sayson.
-
Nova Scotia has become the first province to ban flavored tobacco products that
has led to a legal challenge from tobacco companies. The ban includes menthol
cigarettes and is said to be important in protecting the health of young
people. The Atlantic province was also the first province to ban the sale of
cigarettes in vending machines and to outlaw smoking in cars with children.
-30-
Jim Fox can be reached at canadareport@hotmail.com
No comments:
Post a Comment