Cold snap alters plans for outdoor activities, New Year's Eve on Parliament Hill

   Canada column for Sunday, Dec. 31/17

   THE CANADIAN REPORT

   (c) By Jim Fox

   Cold enough for you?

   An unusual long-lasting cold snap has put much of Canada under a wave of frigid Arctic air.

   Environment Canada’s Alexandre Parent said the polar vortex is being felt across Ontario, the Prairies, Quebec and the Maritimes with overnight temperatures hitting -40 Celsius/Fahrenheit.

   It is so cold it’s causing havoc with New Year’s Eve festivities on Parliament Hill in Ottawa where the outdoor show is being shortened.

   It is the grand finale for Canada’s 150th anniversary year but with temperatures to be about -28 Celsius (-18F), it’s too much to take.

   While the show must go on, musical entertainment and DJs have been canceled but there will be still be fireworks and a laser show at midnight.

   Heritage Minister Melanie Joly said there is a concern for people being outside for a long time in the cold.

   Toronto is among other cities cutting back on New Year’s Eve outdoor parties where the temperature there is to be -14C (7F).

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Canada's Prime Minister broke conflict laws with vacations: Ethics commissioner

  Canada column for Sunday, Dec. 24/17

   THE CANADIAN REPORT

   (c) By Jim Fox

   Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has been found to have violated conflict-of-interest rules by accepting family vacations from an Islamic leader.

   Federal ethics commissioner Mary Dawson said this concerns vacations at Bells Cay, a private Bahamian island owned by Imam Aga Khan, last Christmas and in March 2016.

   Dawson said it can be seen as a gift to influence Trudeau with the billionaire philanthropist and spiritual leader and his charitable foundation.

   The commissioner also said Trudeau didn’t recuse himself in 2016 from private meetings about the Aga Khan and a $15-million grant to his endowment fund of the Global Center for Pluralism.

   “I’ve always considered the Aga Khan a close family friend, which is why I didn’t clear this family trip in the first place,” Trudeau said.

   At the same time, John Kerry, then U.S. Secretary of State, was also a guest on the island.

   Dawson said a monetary penalty was “not relevant” for Trudeau who will be spending the holidays in Canada this Christmas.

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Deaths of billionaire Barry and Honey Sherman considered "suspicious"

   Canada column for Sunday, Dec. 17/17

   THE CANADIAN REPORT

   (c) By Jim Fox

   Police say the deaths of the billionaire founder of Canadian generic drug firm Apotex and his wife are “suspicious.”

   The bodies of the philanthropist couple Barry and Honey Sherman were found about noon on Friday in their home in Toronto’s North York.

   Barry Sherman’s net worth was estimated at $4.77 billion, making him the 15th richest person in the country and he had recently put the house up for sale, asking $6.9 million.

   Constable David Hopkinson said police were called in response to a “medical complaint” and autopsies this weekend will determine the cause of death.

   Barry Sherman founded Toronto-based Apotex Inc. in 1974 and turned it into the largest Canadian-owned pharmaceutical company, producing more than 300 generic drugs and employing 10,000 people.

   The company has manufacturing and research facilities in the Toronto area and Winnipeg, and fills 89-million prescriptions a year, exporting to 115 countries.

   Ontario Health Minister Eric Hoskins said the Shermans were “generous philanthropists, kind and compassionate individuals, devoted to their family, their friends, their community, this province and this country.”

Bank of Canada keeps interest rate steady; dollar drops against U.S. currency

   Canada column for Sunday, Dec. 10/17

   THE CANADIAN REPORT

   (c) By Jim Fox

   For people with money in the bank or invested, Canada’s central bank decision to keep interest rates steady wasn’t encouraging.

   However, for those with loans and mortgages, fees will remain unchanged as the Bank of Canada opted not to raise its trendsetting “overnight” rate for the third time this year.

   So, the rate will stay at 1 percent and the commercial bank prime lending rate at 3.2 percent for now.

   “The current stance of monetary policy is appropriate,” the bank said, adding that it will be “cautious in making future adjustments to the policy rate” with less monetary policy stimulus required over time.

   The bank raised its rate by 0.25 percent in July and that amount again last month after no movement in the previous two years.

   A surprise for economists was the Canadian dollar losing about one cent against the U.S. currency to 78.15 cents after the bank failed to increase rates.

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Canadians should anticipate a "stormy winter" or a not-so-bad one

   Canada column for Sunday, Dec. 3/17

   THE CANADIAN REPORT

   (c) By Jim Fox

   Canada’s official weather prognosticators might have to rely on groundhog Wiarton Willie to get an accurate picture of what’s in store this winter.

   The Weather Network is expecting a “stormy winter,” while government-run Environment Canada doesn’t expect the “classic” Canadian winter of years ago.

   Chris Scott, Weather Network chief meteorologist, predicts wintry conditions from the weather system La Nina producing cooler waters off South America.

   The system resembles that from 10 years ago when Toronto had its snowiest winter ever, he said.

   Global warming and climate change have “tempered” La Nina and made it “not as brutal” as before, said Dave Phillips, senior climatologist at Environment Canada.

   The agency predicts a milder-than-normal winter in the Great Lakes region and eastern Canada while colder in the west.

   The Weather Network calls for big snow this month in the eastern half of Canada, where there has been little so far, with winter to be delayed until January out west.

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