Green Party growing in strength in Canadian politics

   Canada column for Sunday, May 12/19

   THE CANADIAN REPORT

   (c) By Jim Fox

   The Green Party is making major inroads as Canada heads toward an October federal election.

   The party’s Paul Manly won the by-election in British Columbia with 37.3-percent of the vote.

   He easily outdistanced Conservative John Hirst, socialist New Democratic Party (NDP) Bob Chamberlin and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberal candidate Michelle Corfield.

   She finished last with just 11 percent of the vote in the Vancouver Island riding of Nanaimo-Ladysmith.

   The election was to fill a vacancy in the House of Commons as a result of the resignation of NDP Sheila Malcolmson who is now a member of the B.C. government.

   When commenting on the results, Trudeau appear to be upbeat, saying that the Green win was a signal that Canadians are “preoccupied” with the issue of climate change ahead of the federal election.

   Trudeau rapped the numerous Conservative politicians and provincial premiers who “don't believe in taking climate action” and oppose his carbon tax.

   “It is going to be really, really important that Canadians pick a government this fall that is committed to climate action,” he said.

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   General Motors will spend $170 million at its Oshawa, Ontario plant that will save 300 jobs.

   The company said earlier it will close the Toronto-area plant by the end of this year, with the loss of about 2,600 jobs.

   The plan now is to “transition the facility” to stamping, sub-assembly and autonomous vehicle testing from manufacturing vehicles, GM Canada president Travis Hester said.

   The transformed plant will have the potential to expand and increase jobs as it attracts new customers, he said.

   GM is also planning to use some of the land at the plant for a test track for advanced vehicles and expand its two nearby Canadian Technical Centers.

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   News in brief:

   - Hudson’s Bay Co. will pay a penalty of $4.5 million to resolve a deceptive pricing investigation. The Competition Bureau says the Bay deceived customers about discounts on mattresses and box springs since at least March 2013. The bureau said the retailer misled customers over sleep set prices and has agreed to make the appropriate changes to address the issue.

   - Lawyers for Huawei chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou say they will argue that she shouldn’t be extradited to the U.S. because she hasn't committed fraud under Canadian laws. They told a British Columbia Supreme Court hearing that her arrest at Vancouver’s airport on behalf of the U.S. government for fraud was unlawful. She is under house arrest in a recently renovated $13-million mansion.

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   Facts and figures:

   The Canadian dollar is higher at 74.48 cents U.S. while the U.S. dollar returns $1.342 Canadian before exchange fees.

   The Bank of Canada’s key interest rate is steady at 1.75 percent while the prime-lending rate is 3.95 percent.

   Stock markets are lower, with the Toronto exchange index at 16,176 points while the TSX Venture index is 592 points.

   The average price for gas in Canada is lower at $1.30 a liter or $4.94 (Canadian) for a U.S. gallon; $1.25 a liter in Ontario.

   Lotto 6/49: (May 8) 18, 19, 22, 30, 41 and 48; bonus 47. (May 4) 3, 4, 12, 21, 41 and 49; bonus 5. Lotto Max: (May 3) 2, 3, 5, 12, 21, 22 and 37; bonus 19.

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   Regional briefs:

   - Even as flood waters are retreating in many areas, hundreds of additional soldiers are helping this weekend in Quebec and remain along the Ottawa River. There are about 2,200 military personnel involved in helping to rescue those stranded in their homes, filling sandbags and other duties. More than 2,700 people were forced from their homes in Quebec while southern British Columbia is also getting military help around Grand Forks due to floods.

   - A government study has found that $5 billion was “laundered” in British Columbia’s real estate market, driving up house prices by five-percent in 2018. Some $7.4 billion overall was laundered in B.C. and an estimated total of $47 billion in Canada, it said. This is also happening with luxury cars and tax evasion in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario. It is a “national crisis” demanding action, said Attorney General David Eby.

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Jim Fox can be reached at canadareport@hotmail.com