Canada column for
Sunday, Aug. 25/19
THE CANADIAN REPORT
(c) By Jim Fox
Sex has reared its
ugly head in the campaign for the fall Canadian election.
The governing
Liberals are publicizing a speech Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer gave as a Member
of Parliament 14 years ago opposing same-sex marriage.
This summer as
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and other leaders participate in gay pride
parades in major Canadian cities, Scheer has been notably absent.
Same-sex marriage
is an old issue in Canada, settled in 2005 after court rulings and a bill
saying it is legal and recognized in all provinces and territories.
After the 2005
video of Scheer speaking in the House of Commons against the Civil Marriage Act
surfaced, his party reminded the Liberals that some of their members once voted
against recognizing same-sex marriage.
One of Scheer’s
main concerns was that same-sex unions don’t result in the “natural
procreation” of children.
He also said that legally
recognizing same-sex marriage could lead to infringements upon the religious
liberty of those who object to such action.
Scheer’s office
said the Conservative leader “supports same-sex marriage as defined in law and
as prime minister will, of course, uphold it.”
Regulators will now
assess whether the proposed bid by Air Canada to pay $720 million to take over
tour airline Air Transat will go ahead.
Shareholders of
Canada’s largest airline approved the acquisition with a vote of 94.7 percent
in favor.
The deal will face
scrutiny from the Competition Bureau and other regulatory authorities as it
will narrow airline competition.
It will give Air
Canada about 60 percent of the Canadian transatlantic market and a firm hold on
Montreal air travel, where the two airlines are based.
There are concerns
the cost of transatlantic travel could rise while competition by budget
airlines is keeping prices to the Caribbean relatively low.
---
News in brief:
- John Hart, the
last surviving Canadian Battle of Britain pilot, has died at age 102. He also went
on to serve on fighters in Burma and in Italy, where he won the United
Kingdom’s Distinguished Flying Cross. Born in Sackville, New Brunswick, he
obtained a service commission in the Royal Air Force in 1939 until 1946 when he
returned to Canada and settled in Vancouver.
- Statistics Canada
reports that retail sales were essentially unchanged in June with drops in
sales of motor vehicles, parts and gas stations. New car dealers had sales off
by 3.2 percent and gas dropped 3.4 percent with lower prices at the pumps.
Overall, retail sales increased 0.4 percent.
---
Facts and figures:
The Canadian dollar
is lower at 75.08 cents U.S. while the U.S. dollar returns $1.331 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 up, with the Toronto exchange
index at 16,037 points and the TSX Venture index at 581 points.
The average price for gas in Canada is steady at
$1.16 a liter or $4.40 (Canadian) for a U.S. gallon.
Lotto 6/49: (Aug.
21) 2, 17, 24, 25, 40 and 43; bonus 16. (Aug. 17) 4, 31,
34, 39, 41 and 48; bonus 43. Lotto Max: (Aug. 20) 9, 17,
23, 37, 44, 46 and 48; bonus 4. (Aug. 16) 22, 24, 25, 26, 29, 32 and 46; bonus 20.
---
Regional briefs:
- An Ottawa transit
driver whose bus crashed into a shelter killing three passengers and injuring 35
has been charged with 38 counts of dangerous driving. After a lengthy
investigation into the January crash of the double-decker bus, police said Aissatou
Diallo, 42, will appear in court on Sept. 17. The packed OC
Transpo express bus crashed into the roof of a transit shelter, slicing
apart its upper deck.
- A hot, dry August
has resulted in Halifax issuing a voluntary water conservation advisory for
more than 103,000 people. This affects those getting water from the Lake Major community
supply. Officials are also concerned the dry conditions raise the potential of forest
fires in the region. The advisory affects customers in Dartmouth, Cole Harbour,
Westphal, North Preston and Eastern Passage.
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Jim Fox can be reached at canadareport@hotmail.com
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