Canada column for
Sunday, Nov. 24/19
THE CANADIAN REPORT
(c) By Jim Fox
The renewed Liberal
government –- with much pomp and ceremony – has announced its team to tackle
campaign promises.
Prime Minister
Justin Trudeau presented his new larger cabinet that will help deal with regional
tensions, climate change and middle-class prosperity.
A highlight of the
new minority government was the promotion of Chrystia Freeland to deputy prime
minister and minister of intergovernmental affairs.
She represented
Canada’s interests in a revised free-trade deal with the United States and
Mexico.
Freeland will now help
to appease western Canada concerns of premiers Jason Kenney of Alberta and Saskatchewan’s
Scott Moe along with Ontario’s Doug Ford.
Winnipeg Member of Parliament
Jim Carr, suffering with cancer, is now a “special representative for the
Prairies to ensure westerners have a “strong voice in Ottawa,” Trudeau said.
Acknowledging Bloc
Quebecois’ resurgence, Montreal’s Pablo Rodriguez moves into the role of government
House leader.
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Iconic hockey
commentator Don Cherry, fired from his “Coach’s Corner” telecast, hasn’t retired
at age 85 – he’s back with a podcast.
Sportsnet fired him
after a rant on TV’s Coach’s Corner against Canadian immigrants not wearing a
poppy to respect our troops.
He refused to apologize
but said the comments were not racial or bigoted.
Depending on gaining
sponsors, Cherry said the project might expand into a TV-style show similar to
his Grapevine 1980’s television program.
He discussed his firing,
repeated thoughts about patriotism and profiled the late Montreal Canadiens’ Maurice
Rocket Richard on the first show.
---
News in brief:
- A strike by 3200
Teamsters members against Canadian National Railway has disrupted the shipment
of goods. The government is urging negotiations to settle the dispute as it
could impair the country’s economy. “We feel that the two sides need to be
talking to each other,” said Transport Minister Marc Garneau. CN said pay is the
major issue while the union said the strike is over workplace health and
safety.
- Desjardins Bank
said a data breach was more widespread than first thought and actually hit 4.2
million members – all of its clients. It was initially reported in June that
2.9 million customers and businesses were affected in Ontario and Quebec. The
breach involved personal information including Social Insurance Numbers but did
not include banking information or passwords, the bank said.
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Facts and figures:
The Canadian dollar
is lower at 75.17 cents U.S. while the U.S. dollar returns $1.33 Canadian before
bank exchange fees.
The Bank of Canada’s
key is steady 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 16,954 points and the TSX Venture index up at 530
points.
The average price
for gas in Canada is steady at $1.129 a liter or $4.29 (Canadian) for a U.S.
gallon.
Lotto Max: (Nov. 19) 5, 13, 23, 25, 27, 32
and 44; bonus 3. (Nov. 15) 15, 16, 33, 36, 38, 43 and 49; bonus 4.
Lotto
6/49: (Nov. 20) 4, 20, 29, 30, 36 and 45; bonus 22. (Nov. 16) 2, 3, 4, 11, 27
and 47; bonus 17.
---
Regional briefs:
- After a lacklustre
season so far, Toronto Maple Leafs management fired head coach Mike
Babcock. In the midst of a losing strike, Leafs’ president Brendan Shanahan
pulled Babcock, saying that Sheldon Keefe will take over the head coaching job.
The Leafs haven't won a post-season series since 2004. Keefe is the coach of the
Toronto Marlies in the American Hockey League.
- Jefff Car, New
Brunswick environment minister says the province’s new carbon pricing proposal
will reduce gas prices. He expects a cut of a few cents a liter and wants to
have the proposal in place by April with the approval of the federal
government. As requested by the Canadian government, the province submitted a
proposal for dealing with industrial emitters and the latest involves
consumers.
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Jim Fox can be reached at canadareport@hotmail.com
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