Canada column for Sunday, July 26/15
THE CANADIAN REPORT
(c) By
Jim Fox
There is growing concern in Canada’s oil patch about the safety of
pipelines after a major rupture in northern Alberta.
A
Nexen Energy pipeline leaked 13.1-million gallons of emulsion -- a mixture of bitumen, water and sand -- near Fort
McMurray.
Nexen
senior vice president Ron Bailey said it is believed the leak occurred between June
29 and July 15 when a contractor discovered it near the Long Lake oil sands
facility.
Greenpeace Canada environmentalist Mike Hudema said for the leak to go
undetected for up to two weeks and discovered by chance is cause for alarm.
The pipeline was installed only last year and
a warning system didn't detect the leak.
“It’s
disheartening to see the site and it’s disappointing that this has happened,” said
Nexen Energy CEO Fang Zhi.
“Our
focus as of now is ensuring the safety of our workers on the site, minimizing
whatever impact on the environment and on the wildlife, as well as
understanding the root causes of this incident through investigations,” he
added.
“Warning
bells should be going off for Canada’s premiers right now about the dangers
they are bringing to their communities if new pipelines are built, because
that’s what they’re calling for with the Canadian Energy Strategy,” Hudema
said.
---
A
retired New Brunswick man arrested for cross-border shopping for beer and liquor
plans a court challenge of antiquated inter-provincial laws.
Gerard Comeau, 62, was arrested by the Mounties in 2012 when he returned
to New Brunswick with 12 cases of beer and three bottles of liquor from neighboring
Quebec.
The booze was seized and Comeau was arrested for illegally importing
alcohol into his home province where it is much more expensive to buy.
He
is planning a constitutional challenge of the law from Prohibition days related
to federal anti-smuggling efforts.
The Canadian Constitution Foundation is backing his cause with a
“crowdfunding drive” to raise money to take the case to the Supreme Court of Canada.
---
News
in brief:
-
Socialist New Democratic Party leader Tom Mulcair has started his campaign for
the October 19 federal election with an eight-day tour of Ontario. A Forum
Research poll shows his party has the lead in public support at 34 percent,
while the Liberals have 29 and the ruling Conservatives 28. The Bloc and Green
parties are 5 and 4, respectively.
-
Loblaw Companies Ltd., Canada’s largest food retailer, plans to close 52 “unprofitable”
stores to cut costs and boost its operating profit. The closings will happen
over the next year and follow a review after Loblaw bought the Shoppers Drug
Mart chain. The company has 2,300 Loblaws, Shoppers and No Frills stores and the
Joe Fresh clothing brand. It is also building 50 new stores and renovating 100
others.
---
Facts and figures:
Canada’s
dollar is at a six-year low of 76.67 cents compared with the U.S. dollar now
valued at $1.3041 in Canadian funds, before bank exchange fees.
The
Bank of Canada’s key interest rate is 0.50 percent while the lowest prime-lending
rate is 2.7 percent.
Markets
are lower with the Toronto Stock Exchange index at 14,160 points and the TSX
Venture index 591 points.
The
average price of gas is lower at a national average of $1.177 a liter or $4.47 (Canadian)
for a U.S. gallon.
Lotto 6/49: (July 22) 6, 9, 13, 26, 27 and 46; bonus 15. (July 18) 2,
12, 22, 28, 41 and 48; bonus 5. Lotto Max: (July 17) 23, 24, 29, 36, 42, 43 and
49; bonus 38.
---
Regional briefs:
- Benjamin
Robinson, a former Mountie involved in the 2007 Taser death of Polish immigrant
Robert Dziekanski at the Vancouver airport, has been sentenced to two years in
prison for perjury. Judge Nathan Smith ruled that Robinson colluded with fellow
officers to make up testimony given at an inquiry. Constable Kwesi Millington
received a 30-month sentence and two other officers were acquitted.
-
Twenty night-shift workers at hardware retailer Rona near Montreal are Canada’s
newest millionaires. They won a cash prize of $55 million in a Lotto Max draw.
Each person received $2.75- million tax free in the largest jackpot paid by the
Canada-wide lottery.
-30-
Jim Fox can be reached at canadareport@hotmail.com
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