Two bombers sought after 15 hurt in blast at Toronto-area Indian restaurant

   Canada column for Sunday, May 27/18

   THE CANADIAN REPORT

   (c) By Jim Fox

   Three people remain in Toronto-area hospitals with “critical injuries” after a crude bomb was detonated in an Indian restaurant.

   Twelve other diners injured in the blast were treated at hospitals and released after the incident at the Bombay Bhel restaurant in Mississauga during two birthday celebrations.

   Videos showed two men who had their faces covered entering the restaurant and detonating a bomb and then running away.

   Police said so far there is no indication the explosion was an act of terrorism or a hate crime.

   “Every police resource available” is trying to track down those responsible for this “horrendous act,” said Peel Regional Police Chief Jennifer Evans.

   The owners of the well-known and popular restaurant called the bombing “extremely horrific and sad.”

   The Consulate General of India in Toronto has opened a helpline to assist.

   Consul General Dinesh Bhatia said those injured were Indian or Indo-Canadian and long-time residents of Canada.

Canadian leader pitches NAFTA in New York visit

   Canada column for Sunday, May 20/18

   THE CANADIAN REPORT

   (c) By Jim Fox

   Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made his best pitch yet at Yankee Stadium for an agreement on a revised North American Free Trade Agreement.

   As Canada, the United States and Mexico looked for a speedy resolution of the talks, Trudeau was making a commencement speech to New York University graduates at the ball park.

   It was the 16th time Trudeau has taken a working trip to the U.S. since becoming prime minister in 2015 to tell his audiences that the Canada-U.S. trade relationship is critical for both countries.

   Despite his best efforts and optimism that a deal was close, Trudeau also spoke with U.S. President Donald Trump who earlier threatened to end the agreement.

   The U.S. then rebuffed Trudeau’s hope for deal for the pact first signed in 1994 and for which negotiations to modernize it began last August.

   U.S. trade czar Robert Lighthizer said a deal wasn’t imminent due to differences on intellectual property, agriculture, online purchases, energy, labor, rules of origin and other issues.

   While in New York, Trudeau received an honorary degree from the university.

Flights to Caribbean islands to resume in time for the winter by Canadian airlines

   Canada column for Sunday, May 13/18

   THE CANADIAN REPORT

   (c) By Jim Fox

   Canadians airlines are heading back to the Caribbean after repairs to airports and key infrastructure from devastating hurricanes.

   Air Transat’s seasonal flights will return to St. Martin/St. Maarten and San Juan, Puerto Rico from Montreal and Toronto before Christmas for four months.

   Transat’s Debbie Cabana said the destinations are mainly embarkation ports for cruises.

   Air Canada expects to operate its normal schedule to the winter destinations along with WestJet while Sunwing wants to get back early next year to St. Maarten where many of the hotels are being repaired.

   Islands hardest hit by the storms were Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, British Virgin Islands, Anguilla, St. Barthelemy, St. Martin, St. Maarten, Barbuda, Cuba and Dominica.

   Places with less damage such as Grand Cayman, St. Lucia and St. Vincent and the Grenadines benefited with additional visitors.

   A study said the hurricane season resulted in a loss of 826,100 visitors to the Caribbean and about 740 million in spending.

Canada trying to cope with massive asylum-seeking migrants at border

   Canada column for Sunday, May 6/18

   THE CANADIAN REPORT

   (c) By Jim Fox

   Some critics are suggesting that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau asked for what he is seeing with a massive refugee influx.

   Trudeau said last year: “To those fleeing persecution, terror and war, Canadians will welcome you, regardless of your faith. Diversity is our strength.”

   Since then, the illegal refugee influx at the U.S./Canada border, largely in Quebec, is becoming unmanageable.

   There are so many – 4,000 migrants crossing into Quebec recently – that the Mounties are having to build a police station along the border to cope.

   More than 80 percent of the immigrants are going through the U.S. from Haiti, with the rest including people from India, Mexico, Colombia and Turkey.

   In the past year, there have been more than 20,000 illegal border crossings into Canada by those seeking asylum.

   Those entering the country illegally are subject to arrest but are released to await hearings and appeals to stay in Canada while they are allowed to work, have access to “free” health care, schools and receive welfare payments.

   With the arrival of warm weather, the number of border crossers in Quebec alone, near Champlain, N.Y., is expected to reach more than 400 a day.