Canada column for Sunday, July 18/21
THE CANADIAN REPORT
By Jim Fox
Anchors away!
Cruise ships will again be allowed to sail in Canadian waters three months sooner than expected after the pandemic lockout.
The Canadian government said the ban will be lifted as of November – too late to help this season of the popular Canada-New England and Canada-Alaska sailings.
As well, Canada appears to be moving to open up to the world after flight and border-crossing restrictions.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he is looking at a target of mid-August for when the border might reopen for fully vaccinated Americans and those from the rest of the world in early September.
The cruise ship reopening is dependent on “if operators are able to fully comply with public health requirements,” said Transport Minister Omar Alghabra.
“We will welcome cruise ships—an important part of our tourism sector—back in Canadian waters for the 2022 season,” he said.
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A hot, humid summer afternoon was rocked by a devastating tornado that carved a three-mile path of destruction across Barrie, Ontario.
Eight people were injured, four seriously, but there were no fatalities in the upscale neighborhood north of Toronto on Thursday.
Dozens of houses were damaged, many beyond repair, as the tornado touched down with a top wind speed of 130 m.p.h.
Environment Canada said the tornado formed quickly as it approached and the last-minute warnings sent many people to seek shelter in their basements.
Barrie Mayor Jeff Lehman said it was reminiscent of the 1985 tornado disaster that killed eight people and left damage of $1 billion in the city.
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News in brief:
- Former top General Jonathan Vance has been arrested for obstruction of justice. Authorities say it relates to attempting to persuade a woman to make false statements about their past relationship. Military police launched an investigation in February into allegations of misconduct after his retirement.
- Canada’s central bank has again kept its trendsetting interest rate steady at 0.25 percent. The Bank of Canada noted that the economy is improving as COVID vaccinations increase. The virus variants, however, make the recovery uncertain. The bank is also waiting until inflation settles in at around two percent from its current 3.4 percent.
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Facts and figures:
Canada’s dollar is steady at 80 cents U.S. and a U.S. dollar returns $1.25 in Canadian funds 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 higher, with the Toronto index at 20,183 points and the TSX Venture index 928 points.
The average price for gas in Canada is higher at $1.38 a liter (Canadian) or $5.25 for a U.S. gallon.
Lotto Max: (July 13) 2, 6, 12, 13, 17, 36 and 48; bonus 25. (July 9) 11, 21, 32, 33, 38, 40 and 44; bonus 19.
Lotto 6/49: (July 14) 2, 9, 19, 23, 26 and 30; bonus 10. (July 10) 4, 5, 18, 28, 35 and 42; bonus 2.
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Regional briefs:
- Wildfires continue to rage in British Columbia with evacuations and an investigation into the fire that destroyed most of the village of Lytton. There are more than 1,500 properties under an evacuation order with thousands more on standby. Several long-term care homes in the 100 Mile House and Ashcroft areas have been evacuated while others are preparing to leave. The investigation into the Lytton fire is looking into possible points of origin including sparks from a freight train.
- Nova Scotia has joined with British Columbia to adopt a federal program to cut daycare rates to as low as $10 a child. The program will fund thousands of subsidized daycare spots. Premier Iain Rankin said average child-care fees in by the end of next year would drop to $20 a day per child and gradually move over five years to $10 a day.
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Jim Fox can be reached at canadareport@hotmail.com
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