Major-general running Canada's vaccine program leaves job over military investigation of him

    Canada column for Sunday, May 16/21

    THE CANADIAN REPORT

   By Jim Fox

    When the news broke this weekend that Major-General Dany Fortin is no longer in charge of Canada's vaccine rollout due to a “military investigation,” not much further was being said.

   Fortin was the high-profile pick of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for the assignment with the Public Health Agency of Canada.

   He headed the problem-plagued vaccine rollout that failed to deliver the supplies on time in the first phase but is now on track.

   The Department of National Defence released no further details about the nature of the investigation of Fortin.

   Defense Minister Harjit Sajjan said he is “committed to working to build a true culture of inclusion for the Canadian Armed Forces and the Department of National Defense where everyone is treated with dignity and respect.”

   The forces continue to fully support the vaccine rollout and the rest of the government’s response to COVID-19 across Canada, he added.

   Fortin has served in the military for 30 years and commanded NATO mission in Iraq and led Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan.

   It’s another setback for Canada’s military that has the fallout of sexual impropriety allegations.

    ---

    Canada’s ethics commission has cleared Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of wrongdoing in the WE Charity scandal.

   Mario Dion was reviewing the Canadian government's decision to give the organization a $43-million contract to run a $900-million student grant program.

   It was learned that Trudeau and his then Finance Minister Bill Morneau’s families had ties with the organization.

   Dion said Morneau had broken the conflict law as he had a closer relationship with the now-canceled program’s leaders.

   Trudeau and Morneau have apologized for not recusing themselves from cabinet deliberations.

    ---

    News in brief:

   - Greyhound Canada has pulled out of its remaining Canadian routes as of last Thursday with the loss of 400 jobs. The abrupt announcement said the company will no longer offer in-Canada service, but a U.S. affiliate will still offer cross-border routes. The iconic bus company ended its western Canadian routes in 2018. It has had its Ontario and Quebec routes “on pause” since last year due to the pandemic and has had a “full year without revenue.”

   - Canada’s dollar has been gaining strength the past seven weeks, reaching 83 cents U.S. The boost is credited to higher oil prices, a major commodity for Canada, along with economic growth and factory output highlighted by automotive and food products, Statistics Canada reported.

    ---

     Facts and figures:

   Canada’s dollar is higher at 83 cents U.S. while the U.S. dollar returns $1.21 Canadian before exchange fees.

   The Bank of Canada key interest rate remains at 0.25 percent while the prime lending rate is 2.45 percent.

   Canadian stock markets are lower, with the Toronto index at 19,366 points and the TSX Venture index at 931 points.

   The average price for gas in Canada is lower at $1.30 a liter (Canadian) or $4.94 for a U.S. gallon.

  Lotto Max: (May 11) 14, 15, 20, 32, 35, 38 and 50; bonus 46. (May 7) 1, 8, 17, 21, 35, 39 and 46; bonus 31.

   Lotto 6/49: (May 12) 30, 35, 39, 42, 46 and 48; bonus 38. (May 8) 25, 28, 36, 38, 41 and 49; bonus 20.

   ---

   Regional briefs:

    - It will be another summer without major entertainment of past years in Toronto due to the pandemic. The city has announced that major events including the Caribbean Carnival and Canadian National Exhibition, will once again be cancelled as happened last year.

Mayor John Tory said this applies to in-person events through the Labor Day weekend in September.  “The city is committed to working closely with event organizers to help them manage through 2021 and come back stronger in 2022,” he said.

   - It seems that the use of French in Quebec is in decline so the provincial government wants to tighten the language laws that could mean changing the Canadian Constitution. This would add clauses defining Quebec as a nation with its official and common language being French. Much of a bill is aimed at increasing the use of French in public and workplaces, said Premier François Legault.

 -30-

    Jim Fox can be reached at canadareport@hotmail.com

Cross Border Connections and the Possibilities for Our 'One Big Town' (Amazon)

 by William L. Seavey Author, AmeriCanada? 

My wife, Canadian-born (Ontario), is a permanent resident of the U.S. (who retains her Canadian citizenship).  She would dearly love to visit her home country again...sometime...soon.

 

Before Covid Canadians and Americans could pretty much travel freely across the northern border (the 49th parallel).  After all, the U.S. and Canada are allies, share a big continent, most speak English, and there is no issue about "illegal immigration" and undocumented workers or refugees as there is between Mexico and the southern U.S. 

Which makes what is going on right now rather crazy.

It is true that Canada has had some serious outbreaks of Covid in Ontario and British Columbia, two provinces we would like to visit.  Eleanor has kin in Ontario and a family member has a condo in Victoria.  We also have friends in Victoria who regularly apprise us of border issues. (We both are fully vaccinated).

It is true that many Canadians--at least those not involved with tourism--are or have been skeptical of the value of American visitation much less emigration.  During the Trump years there was rancor and even spitefulness.  Donald Trump forced a renegotiation of the NAFTA accord, which became USMCA-- insisting there was unfairness in trade due to Canadian tariffs.  So he imposed some tariffs of his own.  

Yet Canada has been our most stable trading partner as we have been its most dependable source for nearly everything except lumber and dairy products..  (Now, in turn, Biden has appeared to be punishing Canada by freezing the Keystone Pipeline project in deference to his proposals for encouraging "green" energy.)

But none of this seems to be the reason why Canada side border officials are making life difficult for returning Canadians and vacationing Americans.  And the U.S. is virtually banning Canadiian visitors (even innocuous snowbirds). In the case of  Americans, they are simply not welcome in Canada unless they are involved with needed cross border trade or have some government-oriented function that involves the two countries.  

Canadians who are "stuck" in the U.S. and who arrive by plane are now required to quarantine in their home country for three days in a government approved hotel (of which there are several dozen).  Many say that these hotels are much worse than quarantining in their own homes--staff often doesn't follow the rules for sanitizing baggage etc.  And  they can be subject to a $3000 fine for not doing it.  IF they test negative for Covid, they can then go home for the remaining 11 days--but still in quarantine,  Several hundred Canadians have already been given fines, according to the CBC.

Good grief.

As an American married to a Canadian, I could possibly get permission to visit Canada but would also have to quarantine.

Since a vacation is rarely more than two weeks for us, we'd be ready to go home by the time we were "let out."  That's a non-starter.

Just to be sure, you should check the Canadian embassies in major cities (such as in San Francisco) for the latest rules and regulations.  Hopefully, they will change for the better by late summer or early fall.   I promised Eleanor another trip on the Rocky Mountaineer for our anniversary.  The company must really be hurting without American tourists.

______Seavey website: retirementpossibilities.net.  Phone (805) 395-1174

U.S. politician wants land border with Canada reopened quickly

    Canada column for Sunday, May 9/21

    THE CANADIAN REPORT

   By Jim Fox

    Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that “perhaps” by summer the land border between the United States and Canada will be reopened to non-essential travel.

   He was reacting to a pitch by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York to get things moving again, saying “we can’t wait any longer” for the re-opening.

   “The extensions confuse people and they frustrate thousands of western New Yorkers and Southern Ontarians, who depend on the border crossing,” Schumer said.

   The cross-border ban, in effect now for more than a year, is continued monthly in a bid to combat the virus.

   Canada is content to leave things in place, with Trudeau saying: “Now is not the time to travel.”

   Schumer made his case for things to “start re-opening “quickly but safely” in stops along the border in Niagara Falls, N.Y. and at Massena International Airport near Cornwall, Ontario.

   He is looking to allow certain vaccinated people to cross, including boaters if they’re not docking and to prioritize getting border workers better access to testing and vaccines.

   “Once the time is right, we will open up the borders again properly,” Trudeau said.

    ---

    An offer by U.S. states to give thousands Canadian truck drivers free single-dose COVID-19 vaccinations has become a huge success.

   The first to offer was North Dakota that is giving its surplus vaccines to immunize cross-border trucks and other essential workers from Manitoba including teachers and school workers.

   Now Saskatchewan and North Dakota have joined the party along with Alberta and Montana.

   Vaccination sites have been set up a highway truck and rest stops along the Canada-U.S. border with special approval to cross over for a shot and return to Canada the same day.

    ---

    News in brief:

   - Canada’s labor market lost 207,000 jobs last month as the jobless rate rose to 8.1 percent from 7.5 per cent in March.

   Statistics Canada said the numbers would have been even worse at 10.5 percent had they included those who wanted to work but didn’t bother looking for a job.

   Ontario had the biggest drop at 153,000 while nationally losses were higher in full-time work involving retail and young workers.

   ---

    Facts and figures:

   Canada’s dollar is higher at 82 cents U.S. while the U.S. dollar returns $1.21 Canadian before exchange fees.

   The Bank of Canada key interest rate remains at 0.25 percent while the prime lending rate is 2.45 percent.

   Canadian stock markets are mixed, with the Toronto index up at 19,472 points and the TSX Venture index down slightly at954 points.

   The average price for gas in Canada is higher at $1.31 a liter (Canadian) or $4.97 for a U.S. gallon.

  Lotto Max: (May 4) 1, 23, 27, 33, 39, 45 and 49; bonus 40. (April 30) 2, 14, 27, 30, 31, 35 and 43; bonus 38.

   Lotto 6/49: (May 5) 5, 22, 23, 26,43 and 46; bonus 4. (May 1) 10, 15, 21, 30, 32 and 38; bonus 24.

    ---

    Regional briefs:

   - Quebec outdoors people can again head to the woods and lakes as the provincial government is allowing overnight and day camps to reopen this summer. This follows last year’s canceled season due to the pandemic. Health rules will require campers to test negative for COVID-19 before they arrive and a few days later. Vaccinations are also being provided for camp counsellors as young as 16. The government has said children as young as 12 will have access to at least one dose of vaccine by the end of June.

   - Mounties didn’t hand out any fines at the first road checks to ensure drivers were making only essential trips in British Columbia. The first roadblocks went up at Manning Park, near Hope, and no one was turned around. Motorists breaking stay-at-home travel rules can be fined $230 for failing to follow instructions or $575 if the reason for travel violates the essential travel health order. “We want people to stay home until the pandemic is over,” said Corporal Chris Manseau.

 -30-

 

   Jim Fox can be reached at canadareport@hotmail.com

Manitoba teaching staff and truckers are offered vaccinations in North Dakota

    Canada column for Sunday, May 2/21

    THE CANADIAN REPORT

   By Jim Fox

    As the United States has loaned Canada millions of vaccines as shipments are delayed, Manitoba teachers, school workers and 4,000 cross-border truck drivers are offered vaccinations in North Dakota.

   Premier Brian Pallister said details are still being worked out to allow designated Canadians to cross the border and return without quarantine after they get their free shots.

   “We want to make sure schools are safe and those making the trip must come back immediately and not go shopping in nearby Grand Forks,” he quipped.

   The Manitoba government has been criticized for not including teachers on a priority list of those eligible to be vaccinated.

   Education Minister Cliff Cullen said if the federal government had arranged for enough vaccine doses, the province wouldn't need to search for other partners.

   North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum said they are happy to share their bounty with their good neighbors in Canada.

    ---

    U.S. health authorities say Canada’s much maligned politicians “aren’t doing anything wrong” in the battle of the pandemic’s third wave.

   Dr. Anthony Fauci, President Joe Biden's chief medical adviser, says despite rising caseloads across Canada, Canadian health officials “aren’t making any big mistakes at all.”

   It is how “extraordinarily difficult this virus has been globally," Fauci told the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. in an interview.

   Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has called in military help while nine doctors and nurse volunteers from Newfoundland are assisting in Toronto where hospitals are filling up and patients are being taken to other cities.

    ---

    News in brief:

   Taxi, Uber and limousine services find business is booming as creative Canadians have found a way of returning to Canada and avoiding quarantines at the border.

   They are arriving by air in U.S. cities and taking a ride over the border or even walking over to Canada and heading home.

   They need a negative test for COVID-19 but unlike air travelers avoid the quarantine requirement in an approved hotel for three days or more at their expense.

   Ontario Premier Doug Ford is calling for the federal government to close the loophole.

   He has heard about the many snowbirds returning by air or land from Florida to the border and crossing over by cab to avoid quarantines, with some having their cars shipped home.

    ---

     Facts and figures:

   Canada’s dollar is higher at 81 cents U.S. while the U.S. dollar is worth $1.23 Canadian before exchange fees.

   The Bank of Canada key interest rate is steady at 0.25 percent while the prime lending rate is 2.45 percent.

   Canadian stock markets are higher, with the Toronto index at 19,108 points and the TSX Venture index 955 points.

   The average price for gas in Canada is higher at $1.29 a liter (Canadian) or $4.90 for a U.S. gallon.

  Lotto Max: ((April 27) 7, 11, 14, 26, 27, 29 and 36; bonus 2. (April 23) 1, 3, 4, 11, 19, 24 and 42; bonus 27.

   Lotto 6/49: (April 28) 6, 11, 20, 22, 34 and 49; bonus 42. (April 24) 14, 18, 27, 33, 34 and 39; bonus 49.

    ---

    Regional briefs:

   - There’s a coalition government in the Yukon as Liberal Premier Sandy Silver and New Democrat Leader Kate White agreed to work together to govern. An election in the far northern territory left the Liberals and Yukon Party each with eight elected, two short of the 10 needed for a majority government. Silver said both leaders want a stable government and found “common threads” to govern.

   - It’s being called Vancouver’s most-affordable property at $289,000 but also the tiniest with only nine feet of frontage and 60 feet deep. Realtor Christian Chiappetta said there is a lot of interest in the lot with a garage, some of out of “quirky curiosity,” where condos without property go for $600,000. Owners Madeline Paris and Doug Wood said they heard the original owner won the finger of land and garage in a poker game in the 1930s or ’40s.

    Jim Fox can be reached at canadareport@hotmail.com