Canada column for
Sunday, March 3/19
THE CANADIAN REPORT
(c) By Jim Fox
Prime Minister
Justin Trudeau is refusing calls that he resign over allegations of political
interference to support engineering company SNC-Lavalin.
Leading the demand for
the resignation of the Liberal Prime Minister is Conservative Leader Andrew
Scheer who has also asked the Mounties to investigate the possibility of
obstruction of justice.
This followed
testimony before a Commons committee by Jody Wilson-Raybould, who was removed
by Trudeau as Justice Minister, after she cautioned him not to interfere in the
case.
Gerald Butts,
Trudeau’s political advisor who also resigned, said he also wants to testify.
Trudeau’s office
was looking into the case of the Montreal-based company facing fraud and
corruption charges over business dealings in Libya.
There were
suggestions the company might reach a “remediation agreement” to allow it to
pay restitution to avoid a trial.
Trudeau said he
disagrees with how Wilson-Raybould characterized discussions she had with him
and others and that federal ethics commissioner Mario Dion will decide who is
telling the truth.
---
Victoria’s Secret
is closing its three Canadian stores among up to 53 worldwide as the U.S. lingerie
brand’s parent company L Brands looks to improve its financial performance.
As well, the Gap
says will lose some of its stores in Canada as part of a global plan to shutter
almost half of the brand’s 230 outlets over the next two years.
Last week, Payless
Shoe Source said it would close its 248 Canadian stores employing 2,400 people
and its 2,100 U.S. stores this spring.
Toronto-based
Hudson’s Bay Co. is closing its 37 Home Outfitters stores in Canada.
---
News in brief:
- Canada Mortgage
and Housing Corp. says it has a goal of every Canadian having an “affordable
home” by 2030. The federal agency said meeting the target will require help
from governments and the economy. Removing barriers are major requirements as
part of the government’s $40-billion housing strategy to create 100,000 new
housing units for low- and middle-income households.
- The Conference
Board of Canada expects that Atlantic Canada will lead Canada’s economic growth
this year. The Ottawa-based “think tank” says that will be due to
service-sector stability and rising exports in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia
while Newfoundland and Labrador will enjoy a rise in oil production and Prince
Edward Island is having a boom in residential construction.
---
Facts and figures:
The Canadian dollar
has dropped to75.25 cents U.S. while the U.S. dollar returns $1.328 Canadian before
bank exchange fees.
The Bank of Canada’s
key interest rate is unchanged at 1.75 percent while the prime-lending rate is 3.95
percent.
Stock markets are higher, with the Toronto
exchange index at 16,068 points while the TSX Venture index is 625 points.
The average price for gas in Canada is higher
at $1.09 a liter or $4.14 (Canadian) for a U.S. gallon; $1.04 in Ontario.
Lotto 6/49: (Feb. 27) 4, 13, 22, 25, 29 and 39; bonus 6.
(Feb. 23) 5, 6, 10, 43, 46 and 47; bonus 27. Lotto Max: (Feb. 22) 2, 23,
24, 29, 40, 48 and 49; bonus 18.
---
Regional briefs:
- Visas have been
arranged so that family members of Syrian refugees who lost seven of their
children in a Halifax house fire can come to Canada. That is to reunite the
family of Kawthar and Ebraheim Barho in their time of grief. There were 2,000
people at the funeral for the children aged four months to 15 years who came to
Canada in 2017 from war-torn Syria. The
father was seriously burned trying to save the children. The cause of the fire
remains under investigation.
- Canada’s first
registry aimed at cracking down on pre-sale property flipping and tax evasion
has been established by the British Columbia government. Finance Minister Carol
James said it is aimed at improving fairness and transparency in property
transactions. “For too long speculators and tax evaders have been taking
advantage of loopholes in our real estate market, driving up prices and
shutting British Columbians out of the market,” she said.
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Jim Fox can be reached at canadareport@hotmail.com
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