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Sunday, October 27, 2019

Canada's re-elected minority government will have to rely on opposition party support


   Canada column for Sunday, Oct. 27/19

   THE CANADIAN REPORT
   (c) By Jim Fox

   It’s going to take some compromises for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s minority Liberal government to continue after the election results.
   The Liberals will have to rely on support from the other parties to get legislation passed and avoid being defeated and a new election called.
   Trudeau’s Liberals had 157 members elected – short of a majority in the 338 seat House of Commons.
   Andrew Scheer’s Conservatives failed to catch the number of Liberals elected but did receive the most votes in the election.
   The Conservatives had 121 elected, Bloc Quebecois 32, New Democrats 24, Green 3 and 1 Independent (former Liberal cabinet minister Jody Wilson-Raybould).
   Upon his re-election, Trudeau said: “You’re sending us back to work for you,” and ruled out any suggestion of forming a coalition government.
   He said the government would instead work co-operatively and form alliances with the other parties.

Monday, October 21, 2019

Former U.S. president endorses Justin Trudeau for re-election in Canada


   Canada column for Sunday, Oct. 20/19

   THE CANADIAN REPORT
   (c) By Jim Fox

   It’s not being considered political interference but former U.S. President Barack Obama publicly endorsed Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in Monday’s election.
   “Obama isn’t interfering in Canada’s election but why did he speak up at all?” asked the National Post newspaper.
   The surprise endorsement was from a “private citizen, expressing his views on the politics of another country,” the Toronto-based newspaper said.
   “I was proud to work with Justin Trudeau as President. He’s a hard-working, effective leader who takes on big issues like climate change,” Obama tweeted.
   “The world needs his progressive leadership now and I hope our neighbors to the north support him for another term,” he added.
   U.S. political scientist Ian Bremmer said he couldn’t recall when a former president made an endorsement in a Canadian election.
   But it could make a difference because Obama “remains incredibly popular in Canada,” he said.

   ---

   As the 40-day election campaign races toward a conclusion on Monday, Canadians appear not to be able to choose a clear winner.
  Justin Trudeau’s ruling Liberals and the Conservatives are tied at 31 percent in polls while the socialist New Democrats have stalled at 18 percent.
   Under Canada’s parliamentary system, the party electing the most candidates takes office and its leader becomes the Prime Minister.
   Should no party get a majority in the 338-seat House of Commons, a deal might be sought with the New Democrats, environmental Greens or the Bloc Quebecois to form a majority in a coalition government.

   ---

   News in brief:
   - Air Canada will keep the controversial Boeing 737 Max planes grounded through Feb. 14 to await additional tests. This extension to ground 24 airplanes creates uncertainty around the aircraft’s return. The plane was grounded worldwide in mid-March after two crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia that killed 346 people.
   - Deportation proceedings for 6,600 people are on hold as Canada tries to cope with an influx of illegal refugees. They continue flooding across remote border sites from the U.S. Canada Border Services Agency said 843 people had been removed, 67 await deportation and 45,000 more have requested asylum in the past two years.

    ---

   Facts and figures:
   The Canadian dollar is higher at 76.17 cents U.S. while the U.S. dollar returns $1.312 Canadian before bank exchange fees.
   The Bank of Canada’s key interest rate remains at 1.75 percent while the prime-lending rate is 3.95 percent.
   Canadian stock markets are mixed with the Toronto exchange index down at 16,317 points and the TSX Venture index up at 542 points.
   The average price for gas in Canada is lower at $1.16 a liter or $4.40 (Canadian) for a U.S. gallon.
   Lotto Max: (Oct. 15) 17, 18, 22, 27, 29, 31 and 34; bonus 8. (Oct. 11) 1, 3, 11, 13, 19, 22 and 46; bonus 31. Lotto 6/49: (Oct. 16) 2, 4, 9, 24, 44 and 45; bonus 18. (Oct. 12) 13, 16, 25, 32, 33 and 41; bonus 2.

   ---

   Regional briefs:
   - Some 5,000 Canadian General Motors workers could return to work in the next week now there’s a tentative agreement to end the GM strike in the U.S. The Canadian workers were laid off at GM plants and parts suppliers as the one-month long U.S. strike brought production to a halt across North America.
   - Montreal wants grocery chains and other stores to no longer toss out edible food and useful clothing. It’s part of its five-year plan to significantly reduce waste. “Perfectly good consumable items” shouldn’t end up in the trash when people are going hungry, said Councillor Laurence Lavigne Lalonde. The city wants producers and grocers to donate the food or ensure it’s composted.

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Jim Fox can be reached at canadareport@hotmail.com

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Unkept promises could hurt Trudeau re-election bid


   Canada column for Sunday, Oct. 13/19

   THE CANADIAN REPORT
   By Jim Fox

   Promises, promises and what Prime Minister Justin Trudeau didn’t do after the last election could hurt his re-election bid on Oct. 21.
   Opposition politicians are criticizing the Liberal leader for failing to make electoral reform happen.
   Trudeau said his government would end the “first-past-the-post” or winner-takes-all voting system in electing Members of Parliament.
   This results in the candidate with the most votes in each of 338 districts being elected.
   As well, under the parliamentary system, the party winning the most districts has its leader become the prime minister without a separate vote.
  Last time, the Liberals were elected in 184 ridings but having just 39.5 percent of the popular vote.
   The “ranked-ballot system” that Trudeau said earlier he favored would have voters able to transfer their votes to runners-up in split races to determine a winner.
   In response, Trudeau said he believes voters are not interested in changing the system.

Sunday, October 6, 2019

Environmental protester arrested after egg toss at prime minister


   Canada column for Sunday, Oct 6/19

   THE CANADIAN REPORT
   (c) By Jim Fox

   An environmentalist protester, upset over the Liberal government’s inaction on climate change, was arrested after tossing an egg at Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
   The incident happened during a climate march in Montreal but Trudeau was not hit.
   Police said Dexter Perera, 49, was arrested by Trudeau’s security detail.
   He faces a charge of armed assault and assaulting a Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer and obstructing a second officer.
   Meanwhile, Conservative challenger Andrew Scheer is having a mid-campaign identity crisis heading toward the Oct. 21 federal election.
   Issues include his pro-life views on abortion and questions about same-sex marriage, conflicts in his work resume and his dual Canadian/American citizenship due to having a U.S. father.
   Scheer has declined to explain his opinion of same-sex marriage and why he has refused to march in Pride parades.