Canada column for
Sunday, April 12/20
THE CANADIAN REPORT
(c) By Jim Fox
It could take
months of “determined effort” to control the novel coronavirus outbreak, with
the number of deaths likely to double this week, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
said.
With the current stringent
measures in place, it is predicted by Dr. Theresa Tam, chief public health
officer, the pandemic could take 4,400 lives over its course.
“We must minimize
the population infected in order to keep deaths, ICU admissions and hospitalizations
as low as possible,” she added.
As of this weekend,
there were 509 deaths and 20,765 confirmed and presumptive cases across Canada.
Things cannot
return to “our former normal situation until we have developed a vaccine and
that could take 12 to 18 months.” Trudeau said.
“The spread of the
virus appears to be moderating somewhat and Canada could bring the epidemic
under control by the end of summer if social distancing and other measures are
strictly adhered to,” Tam said.
---
A scaled-down
Canadian Parliament and Senate met Saturday to pass a $73-billion emergency
wage subsidy program to help businesses keep their employees on the payroll
through the COVID-19 crisis.
This is in addition
to jobless benefits of up to $573 weekly
and the new Canada Emergency Response Benefit that provides$2,000 a month
initially for four months for those who have lost their jobs or income due to
the outbreak.
In the first week
of the benefit program, the government received about 4-million applications,
all of which are being approved and checked later, with direct deposit payments
to follow within days.
Statistics Canada
reported more than one million people lost their jobs in March for a 40-percent
increase in the national unemployment
rate to 7.8 percent, up from 5.6 percent in February.
---
News in brief:
- Activist and actress Shirley Douglas, who was mother to actor
Kiefer Sutherland, has died at the age of 86. The daughter of Canada’s Medicare
founder Tommy Douglas died of complications from pneumonia in Toronto. “Sadly
she had been battling for her health for quite some time and we, as a family,
knew this day was coming.” Kiefer Sutherland said.
- Gordon Stuckless, convicted pedophile in, has died of a
brain hemorrhage in Hamilton, Ontario where he had been living in a halfway
house at age 70. He was convicted of more than 100 offenses related to the
sexual abuse of boys over three decades. They happened while he was an
equipment manager at Maple Leaf Gardens hockey arena in Toronto.
---
Facts and figures:
The Canadian dollar
is higher at71.6 cents U.S. while the U.S. dollar returns $1.395 Canadian before
exchange fees.
The Bank of Canada’s
key interest rate is 0.25 percent while the prime lending rate is 2.95 percent.
The Toronto Stock
Exchange is up at 14,166 points while the TSX Venture index is up to 421
points.
The average price
for gas in Canada is higher at 76.7 cents a liter (Canadian) or $2.91 for a
U.S. gallon; as low as 61.9 cents in Ontario.
Lotto Max: (April
7) 5, 20, 21, 22, 32, 37 and 41; bonus 18. (April 3) 5, 9, 10 ,25, 27, 29 and 38;
bonus 31. The $70-million jackpot remains unclaimed.
Lotto
6/49 (April 8) 9, 13, 21, 23, 30 and 32; bonus 15. (April 4) 19, 29, 34, 35, 44 and 45;
bonus 10.
---
Regional briefs:
- A spring storm
arriving from Cape Cod has brought heavy snow, rain, high winds and a risk of
coastal flooding in the Maritime provinces. The Weather Network said there
would be heavy, wet snow and strong winds primarily in New Brunswick and Prince
Edward Island with the risk of power outages. Forecasts called for up to a foot
of snow across the region.
- Toronto Mayor John Tory wants stricter enforcement of physical
distancing rules amid the pandemic. A blitz is on this weekend, threatening
$1,000 fines to keep people away from closed public parks and the boardwalks
along Lake Ontario. He called for more tickets to be issued, not just warnings.
-30-
Jim Fox can be reached at canadareport@hotmail.com
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