Canada column for
Sunday, June 23/19
THE CANADIAN REPORT
(c) By Jim Fox
A series of
initiatives including trying to free two Canadians imprisoned in China marks a
return to warmer relations between Canada and the United States.
Prime Minister
Justin Trudeau met for a third time in Washington with President Donald Trump and
reached “cooperation” on common goals.
Trump vowed to do
whatever possible to free Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig when he meets
China’s President Xi Jinping at the G20 leaders’ summit in Japan on June 28 and
29.
The two Canadians were
arrested after Canada took into custody high-tech mogul Meng Wanzhou last
December at the request of the U.S.
She is being held
under house arrest in Vancouver awaiting possible extradition to the U.S. on
allegations of fraud for violating Iran sanctions.
A main objective of
Trudeau’s visit was to push for the signing of the new United States-Mexico-Canada
Agreement trade pact.
The leaders
announced agreement on easing the flow of goods and people across the border
with a new preclearance plan and sharing information on people entering and
leaving the two countries.
---
Police have
arrested three men and are seeking a fourth after gunfire wounded four people
during the celebration to mark the Toronto Raptors winning the National Basketball
Association title.
The Monday
afternoon incident outside city hall happened as an estimated 1-million people jammed
the downtown and were listening to Mayor John Tory.
Police Chief Mark
Saunders said he suspects the shooting was targeted while four people were also
injured in two separate stabbings downtown near the Eaton Center at that time.
Arrested were
Shaquille Miller, 25, Thaino Toussaint, 20, and Abdikarim Kerow, 18.
---
News in brief:
- The Canadian government for the second time has approved the
controversial Trans Mountain Corp. pipeline expansion. Prime Minister Trudeau
said the project will be a financial windfall for selling Canadian crude oil
abroad. The $7.4-billion project will twin the pipeline and carry Alberta crude
oil to British Columbia ports. It has been mired in environmental protests for
years.
- After a long, cold winter, Ontario residents and much of Canada can
expect a cooler-than-normal summer. “It’s a stark contrast to last summer,”
said Environment Canada’s climatologist, David Phillips. Last year there were
20 days of 30C (86F) and higher temperatures but they might be just 10 of those
hot, humid days this year. More sporadic wet and dry patterns are predicted for
July and August with a warmer September.
---
Facts and figures:
The Canadian dollar
is higher at 75.64 cents U.S. while the U.S. dollar returns $1.322 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 higher, with the Toronto
exchange index at 16,525 points and the TSX Venture index at 592 points.
The average price for gas in Canada is steady at
$1.18 a liter or $4.48 (Canadian) for a U.S. gallon.
Lotto 6/49: (June 19) 21, 31, 41, 45, 46 and 47; bonus 39.
(June 15) 10, 19, 24, 30, 35 and 49; bonus 32. Lotto Max: (June 18) 1, 6,
13, 15, 38, 42 and 49; bonus 48. (June 14) 4, 11, 20, 22, 37, 44 and 49; bonus 13.
---
Regional briefs:
- Renata Ford,
widow of the controversial late Toronto Mayor Rob Ford, is seeking to be
elected to the new federal People’s Party of Canada. The sister-in-law of
Ontario Premier Doug Ford will run in Etobicoke North in Toronto. She noted scandals,
budget deficits, higher taxes, wasteful spending and “lack of respect for
taxpayers” as reasons to run.
- The massive $4.2-billion Champlain Bridge spanning the St. Lawrence
River in Montreal will open Monday. The curved 3.4-kilometer (2.1-mile) bridge,
including its approaches, is a cable-stayed span that replaces the original
bridge from 1962. The six-lane bridge with transit deck and path for
pedestrians and cyclists is used by 50-million vehicles a year.
-30-
Jim Fox can be reached at canadareport@hotmail.com
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