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.
---
Restructuring will
result in the closing of low-price fashion chain Forever 21’s 44 Canadian
stores.
The Los
Angeles-based company filed for bankruptcy protection as it works on an
“orderly wind-down” of the stores.
A company
said it had to “adapt to the current retail environment” and Canadians can
continue to shop on its U.S. website.
Other
failed businesses include Payless Shoe Source closing its 248 Canadian stores
in February.
---
News in brief:
- Linda O'Leary,
56, faces a charge of careless operation of a vessel in a boat crash that
killed two people north of Toronto. She is the wife of TV personality/businessman
Kevin O’Leary who was not injured. Richard Ruh, 57, of Orchard Park, N.Y.,
faces a count of not have his boat’s navigation lights on. Killed were Gary Poltash,
64, of Florida and Susanne Brito, 48, of Uxbridge, Ontario.
- Fast forward to
winter as snowfall records were shattered in the Prairies last weekend. Cold
Arctic air was included in the mix with several days of heavy snow and
blizzard-like conditions in southern Alberta and Saskatchewan. Calgary had a
foot of snow while Waterton Lakes National Park received three feet and
Lethbridge had two feet.
---
Facts and figures:
The Canadian dollar’s
value has dropped to 75.12 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.
Canadian stock markets are lower with the Toronto
exchange index at 16,449 points while the TSX Venture index is 558 points.
The average price for gas in Canada is steady
at $1.15 a liter or $4.37 (Canadian) for a U.S. gallon.
Lotto Max: (Oct. 1) 1, 15, 19, 31, 40, 41 and 43;
bonus 49. (Sept. 27) 3, 9, 25, 26, 28, 34 and 38; bonus 36.
Lotto 6/49: (Oct.
2) 20, 28, 29, 41, 45 and 46; bonus 27. (Sept. 28) 1, 4,
5, 7, 21 and 40; bonus 41.
---
Regional briefs:
- Retired Nova
Scotia Premier John Buchanan, who served four consecutive majority Conservative
governments, has died in Halifax at the age of 88. He headed the provincial
government from 1978 to 1990 and then served 16 years in the Senate. The former
Halifax lawyer known for an outgoing personality and folksy manner is survived
by his wife Mavis and five children.
- School workers
are threatening to go on strike Monday in Ontario if a contract agreement can’t
be reached this weekend. The Canadian Union of Public Employees gave notice
that 55,000 members, from office administrators to special education assistants
and custodians, are prepared to leave their jobs. A major issue is a large
amount of sick leave and absenteeism the government believes might be
fraudulent.
-30-
Jim Fox can be reached at canadareport@hotmail.com
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