Canada column for Sunday, Feb. 7/16
THE CANADIAN REPORT
(c) By Jim Fox
The Liberal
government is offering $1 billion in aid to Alberta as the province faces “rapid
change and significant shock” from falling oil prices, Prime Minister Justin
Trudeau said.
“Alberta and
Albertans have contributed tremendously to Canada’s growth – particularly over
the past 10 years – and our economy right across the country has benefitted,” he
added.
“Now, Alberta is
facing challenging times and quite frankly, Canadians help other Canadians when
they’re facing tough times,” Trudeau while meeting with Premier Rachel Notley
in Edmonton.
The prime minister
has committed to “fast track” $700 million in previously announced infrastructure
money to create jobs.
As well, the
government will provide up to $250 million in fiscal stabilization funds in a
program that help provinces experiencing major revenue declines.
Finance Minister
Bill Morneau said the March 29 budget will include investments in Canada’s economy
that will help other provinces hit by the oil-price slump such as Saskatchewan
and Newfoundland/Labrador.
---
A Toronto-area man
pleaded guilty to drunk driving causing death in a crash that killed three children
and their grandfather as he drove home from his bachelor party.
Marco Muzzo, 29,
was released from jail on $1-million bail to await sentencing on Feb. 23.
“A drunk driver
killed my family and he admitted to it,” said distraught mother Jennifer
Neville-Lake who was surprised that Muzzo was freed on bail.
Muzzo had been in
jail since he crashed into the family’s van in Vaughan, Ontario last Sept. 27.
Judge Michelle
Fuerst said bail was “not some sort of special privilege” granted to Muzzo,
whose family is one of the wealthiest in Canada.
---
News in brief:
- Canada’s
unemployment rate rose to 7.2 percent, up from 7.1 percent, last month with job
gains of 19,800 in Ontario offset by significant losses in Alberta. Statistics
Canada said there was a net loss of 21,900 full-time jobs in Alberta for a
jobless rate of 7.4 percent.
- Walmart Canada
will be charging five cents for plastic bags at its 397 Canadians stores in a
conservation effort. The company will offer reusable bags for 25 cents
beginning Feb. 9. It wants to reduce the amount of plastic that ends up in
landfills and Walmart said it will give some of the money to support recycling
initiatives.
---
Facts and figures:
The Canadian dollar
has advanced to 72.03 cents U.S. while the U.S. dollar returns $1.388 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 higher,
with the Toronto Stock Exchange index at 12,726 points and the TSX Venture
index 505 points.
The average price
of gas has dropped to 86.7 cents a liter nationally or $3.29 (Canadian) for a
U.S. gallon. Lowest price in Canada is 64.4 cents in Calgary and 67.9 in
Ottawa.
Lotto 6/49: (Feb. 3)
20, 23, 34, 38, 43 and 47; bonus 15. (Jan. 30) 4, 5, 32, 37, 38 and 44; bonus
34. Lotto Max: (Jan. 29) 5, 11, 14, 17, 28, 41 and 47; bonus 46.
---
Regional briefs:
- Three Canadians
are credited with saving the lives of a young Mexican boy and his father while
on vacation in Puerto Vallarta. Alberta firefighter Andrew Pearson came to the rescue
of the two struggling in the water. Noticing he needed help, Liz
Haley-Armstrong and her son Bob Haley of Saskatchewan swam out and helped pull Pearson
and the father to safety.
- Thanks to the
weather phenomenon El Nino, Toronto and southern Ontario set temperature
records last Tuesday. Toronto reached 15.5C (60F), a high for that day. Environment
Canada chief climatologist David Phillips said this has been the second-warmest
winter on record and the one with the least snow. Temperatures then returned to
near freezing the rest of the week.
- People living in
Quebec are generally happy, according to an Angus Reid Institute poll. The
survey found the “happiest provinces” are Quebec at 22 percent of respondents,
British Columbia, 20 percent and Manitoba, 19 percent. Ontario had 14 percent,
Saskatchewan, 13, Alberta, 12 and Atlantic Canada had the “saddest” people
at 9 percent.
-30-
Jim Fox can be
reached at canadareport@hotmail.com
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