Canada column for
Sunday, July 31/16
THE CANADIAN REPORT
(c) By Jim Fox
The safety of oil
pipelines remains a major concern after a major spill in Saskatchewan.
Cities and towns
along the North Saskatchewan River were looking for other sources of drinking
water after a Husky Energy pipeline spilled up to 66,000 gallons of oil into
the river.
This happened just as
public hearings are to begin on Aug. 8 on the proposed Energy East Pipeline.
“All of these incidents
shake public confidence,” Russ Girling, CEO of TransCanada, which wants to
build the pipeline, said in an interview with the Canadian Press news service.
“There's no
question that things like that cause people concern – and rightfully so,” he
added.
TransCanada is also
behind the Keystone XL pipeline that would have moved Alberta oil sands product
across the U.S. but was rejected by President Barack Obama.
Energy East would
be a $15.7 billion pipeline to ship 1.1 million barrels of oil a day from
Alberta and Saskatchewan through Quebec and into New Brunswick.
It would supply
Eastern Canadian refineries and provide oil for shipment overseas but is facing
significant opposition from environmentalists.
---
A Toronto police
officer who repeatedly shot a mentally disturbed teenager on an empty streetcar
three years ago is out on bail awaiting an appeal.
Constable James
Forcillo, 33, committed an “egregious breach of trust” and abused his authority,
Judge Edward Then said in sentencing Forcillo to six years in prison.
Forcillo was
convicted of attempted murder for shooting Sammy Yatim, 18, who was armed with
a knife and had already been mortally wounded by Forcillo.
Judge Eileen
Gillese granted bail to Forcillo, saying there’s no risk he would commit
another crime, as he appeals the conviction and sentence.
---
News in brief:
- Canada Mortgage
and Housing Corp. has increased its risk rating for Vancouver to its highest
level saying the market is “overheated.” The federal agency is concerned about
demand outstripping supply and strong price acceleration. It is also watching
Toronto, Calgary, Saskatoon and Regina. The Real Estate Board of Greater
Vancouver said the benchmark price for all residential properties was $917,800
last month, a 32-percent increase from a year ago.
- The Duke and
Duchess of Cambridge will again be visiting one of the former “colonies” as they
visit Canada in the fall. It will be the second visit for Prince William and
Kate since they were married five years ago. They plan to visit British
Columbia and Yukon. “Our true Canadian pride and spirit will shine and be at
the very heart of this visit so they can feel at home,” Governor-General David
Johnston said.
---
Facts and figures:
The Canadian dollar
is higher at 76.5 cents U.S. while the U.S. dollar returns $1.306 Canadian,
before 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.
Stock markets are
mixed, with the Toronto exchange index lower at 14,558 points while the TSX
Venture index is higher at 792 points.
The average price for
gas in Canada has dropped to $1 a liter or $3.80 (Canadian) for a U.S. gallon.
Lotto 6/49: (July
27) 6, 7, 9, 39, 47 and 49; bonus 15. (July 23) 7, 18, 34, 41, 48 and 49; bonus
29. Lotto Max: (July 22) 9, 26, 28, 32, 37, 40 and 45; bonus 46.
---
Regional briefs:
- British Columbia
Premier Christy Clark said overdose deaths have become a public health
emergency. She asked for help from the federal government and is seeking
restriction of access to devices involved with drug production and stronger
penalties for traffickers of fentanyl. There have been 371 deaths in the first
six months of the year in the province, an increase of 74 percent over last
year.
- Pokemon Go
players can just go someplace else, say the Canadian Armed Forces. Military
police are warning players, both in and out of uniform, not to search for
Pokemon characters on defense properties. In the first week of the release of
the digital pocket monster game, there have been human Pokemon invaders at
Canadian Forces Base Borden and 22 Wing North Bay, both in Ontario, and 14 Wing
Greenwood, Nova Scotia.
-30-
Jim Fox can be reached at canadareport@hotmail.com
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