Canada
column for Sunday, Oct. 18/15
THE CANADIAN REPORT
By
Jim Fox
Liberal
leader Justin Trudeau won a majority government in the federal election on Oct.
19, 2015, defeating Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his Conservatives. Election
standings gave the Liberals 184 seats in the House of Commons while the
Conservatives elected 99, the New Democrats, 44, Bloc Quebecois, 10, and
Greens, 1.
---
Canada’s Liberal party under leader Justin Trudeau now has the momentum to
win Monday’s federal election.
A
“dump Harper” campaign has been sweeping the country as the Liberals and
socialist New Democrats urge voters to do whatever it takes to put Prime
Minister Stephen Harper and his Conservatives out of office.
Conservative
attack ads have hammered Trudeau, 43, the son of the late Prime Minister Pierre
Trudeau, as being “just not ready” for the job.
Opposition parties, including the Greens and Bloc Quebecois, are calling
on electors to vote for anyone but the Conservatives, suggesting change is long
overdue after 10 years in office.
Polls show a surge of last-minute support for the Liberals that could
threaten the chances of the Conservatives winning a majority.
Should they fall short of a majority, it’s possible the Liberals and New
Democrats could join to form a coalition government.
Minister
of National Defense Jason Kenney drew a link between the Toronto Blue Jays capturing
the American League Division Series and his Conservative team.
“The
blue team came from behind and won three straight and they won the series just
like our blue team is going to win on Oct. 19,” he said.
---
Ken Taylor, Canada’s former ambassador to Iran who hid six Americans at
his residence during the 1979 hostage crisis, has died.
His death came at age 81 in a New York City hospital where he was being
treated for colon cancer.
The
Calgary-born diplomat sheltered the six who fled after Iranians stormed
the U.S. Embassy in Tehran.
Taylor kept them hidden for three months before they were flown out of
the country with fake passports issued by the Canadian government.
U.S. ambassador Bruce Heyman noted Taylor’s “valor and ingenuity” for
which he was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal.
---
News
in brief:
-
The Waterloo, Ontario campus of Wilfrid Laurier University was “locked down” on
Friday after an Internet threat warning people to stay away from the science
building. Most of the 13,000 students and 1,300 faculty and staff were away on the
“Reading Week” break and there were no incidents. The threat was posted on the
same website used by the gunman who killed 10 people and wounded seven at Umpqua Community College in Oregon on Oct. 1.
- Bell
Canada has been given a $1.25-million “administrative penalty” by Canada’s Competition
Bureau for anonymously posting favorable reviews of its apps by employees. The incident
occurred last year when some Bell workers were
encouraged to post positive reviews and ratings without disclosing they worked
for the company.
---
Facts and figures:
The
Canadian dollar has advanced to 77.36 cents U.S. while the U.S. dollar returns $1.2926
in Canadian funds, before bank exchange fees.
The
Bank of Canada’s key interest rate is steady at 0.5 percent while the prime-lending
rate is 2.7 percent.
Markets
are mixed with the Toronto Stock Exchange index down at 13,895 points and the TSX
Venture index up at 556 points.
The
average price of gas has dropped to a national average of $1.046 a liter or $3.97
(Canadian) for a U.S. gallon.
Lotto 6/49: (Oct. 14) 23, 31, 32, 34, 35 and 44; bonus 10. (Oct. 10) 8,
12, 22, 27, 35 and 41; bonus 16. Lotto Max: (Oct. 9) 8, 11, 14, 23, 26, 42 and
47; bonus 1.
---
Regional briefs:
-
The federal government has ordered a halt to Montreal’s plan for a
water-treatment project that would require the dumping of 2.1-billion gallons
of raw sewage into the St. Lawrence River during construction. The project is on
hold pending further scientific analysis. Mayor Denis Coderre said it was
“irresponsible and negligent” to stop the work since it would cost $1 billion
to divert the sewage.
-
The head of security at the Saskatchewan legislature wants a leak stopped.
Patrick Shaw said he has learned that three party bus companies have been stopping
in front of the building late at night and allowing passengers out to urinate.
The companies have ignored requests to quit stopping there, he said, adding at
least there have been no party poopers.
-30-
Jim
Fox can be reached at canadareport@hotmail.com
No comments:
Post a Comment