Canada column for
Sunday, Jan 19/20
THE CANADIAN REPORT
(c) By Jim Fox
The Canadian
government is providing emergency compensation of $25,000 to each family of
Canada’s victims of the Ukrainian passenger jet shot down over Iran.
Regardless of
whether Iran will offer compensation, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced
the humanitarian offer for the 57 Canadian citizens and 29 permanent residents
killed in the crash.
Trudeau said the
families have told him they are facing big costs for travel and funerals.
“Obviously this is
immediate assistance for a range of needs that they might have,” Trudeau said.
The money will be
distributed “in the coming days” and they would not be required to pay back the
government.
“It is not the
compensation that we expect will come, and should come, from Iran in due
course,” Trudeau said.
Foreign Affairs
Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne made a request for compensation in a
meeting Friday with his Iranian counterpart, Javad Zarif, in Oman.
---
Erratic weather has
buried the east coast in a massive snow and wind storm that is walloping Newfoundland
and Labrador this weekend.
Environment Canada
was predicting up to 30 inches of wind-blown snow in St. John’s, the provincial
capital, where there is a state of emergency.
The city ordered
businesses to close Friday and vehicles to stay off the roads as visibility
fell to zero.
On the west coast,
things are warming up again above freezing with a few inches of snow and rain
in Vancouver and Victoria.
Calgary was in the
deep freeze with about six inches of snow this weekend.
In southern Ontario
around Toronto, there has been little snow this winter but a storm was expected
to dump about five inches with high winds this weekend.
---
News in brief:
- The Ontario
government will compensate parents with $25 to $60 a day for those affected by
rotating one-day teachers’ strikes. All teacher unions in the province are in a
battle with the government for higher wages, smaller class sizes and other issues.
Education Minister Stephen Lecce said the money will help cover the added costs
for day care and other arrangements.
- Former cabinet
minister Peter MacKay of Nova Scotia said he will join the race to become
Canada’s next Conservative leader. He will seek to succeed Andrew Scheer who
said he will leave the job after the party failed to win last fall’s federal election.
The new leader is expected to be decided in June.
---
Facts and figures:
The Canadian dollar
is slightly lower at 76.54 cents U.S. while the U.S. dollar returns $1.306 Canadian
before exchange fees.
The Bank of Canada’s
key interest rate is steady at 1.75 percent and the prime-lending rate is 3.95 percent.
The Toronto Stock Exchange index is at a record
high of 17,559 points while the TSX Venture index is up at 584 points.
The average price
for gas in Canada is lower at $1.13 a liter or $4.29 for a U.S. gallon.
Lotto Max: (Jan. 14) 5,16, 19, 23, 30, 37
and 48; bonus 44. (Jan. 10) 10, 13, 14, 24, 28, 47 and 48; bonus 12.
Lotto 6/49: (Jan. 15) 1, 17, 23, 25, 26 and 34; bonus 24 (Jan.
11) 2, 3, 7, 18, 24 and 26; bonus 6.
---
Regional briefs:
- Canadian singer Celine
Dion dedicated Friday night’s show in Miami to her mother Therese Dion, who
died at age 92 in Quebec. Celine was the youngest of 14 children and her mom had
been in failing health. “Therese Dion has a special place in our hearts – she
was an icon in her own right and a generous philanthropist,” Prime Minister
Trudeau said.
- Adlin Lewis of
Brampton, near Toronto, has won Canada’s biggest lottery jackpot of $70 million
($53.3 million U.S) paid all at once and tax-free on a $5 ticket. “I’m
overwhelmed, excited, happy and shocked,” Lewis said as he picked up his check.
The 49-year-old credit risk manager said he plans to take his wife to Las Vegas
for her dream to play the $100 slot machines.
-30-
Jim Fox can be reached at canadareport@hotmail.com
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