Canada column for Sunday, Feb. 6/22
THE CANADIAN REPORT
By Jim Fox
The trucker protest anti-vaccine in Canada’s capital is in its second weekend as protests are growing across the country.
It started with convoy of hundreds of big rigs from across Canada and thousands of people converging on Ottawa and calling for the federal government to resign or be forced out of office.
They are demanding that all COVID-19 vaccine, mask and lockdown mandates be dropped.
The truckers organized the rally to fill downtown streets with days and nights of protests, horn honking and some lawlessness, after Canada and the United States stopped non-vaccinated truck drivers from crossing the border.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who is in quarantine with the virus has refused to meet with the protesters and police have been mainly observing the ruckus so as not to inflame the situation although numerous fines have been issued.
There’s little financial concern as the “freedom rally” protest has raised more than $10 million in GoFundMe donations now under review.
Ottawa Police Chief Peter Sloly said the demonstrators “remain highly organized, well-funded, and extremely committed to resisting efforts to end the demonstration safely. This remains a very volatile and very dangerous demonstration.”
Support is growing as protests are also planned for Quebec City, Toronto and Kitchener, Ontario this weekend as well as a border blockade at in Alberta.
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A day after meeting with Ottawa trucking protesters and giving them the “thumbs up” endorsement in photos, Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole is out of a job.
He was abruptly removed as party leader in a secret vote by his caucus.
Many in his party were unhappy about O’Toole especially after the Conservatives were second to the Trudeau Liberals in last year’s federal election.
Candice Bergen, a Member of Parliament from Manitoba, was chosen to be the interim leader for the party.
O’Toole, 49, said the job was “the honor of a lifetime” and that he will remain as member representing Durham, Ontario.
There are reports Bergen encouraged O’Toole to meet with the truckers as “there are good people on both sides.”
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News in brief:
- Stricter public health rules aimed at slowing spread of the COVID-19 Omicron variant were blamed for the loss of 200,000 Canadian jobs in January but they are temporary, economists say. The number is the biggest job loss since January of last year when 207,800 jobs disappeared, Statistics Canada said. The number of lost jobs pushed the unemployment rate to 6.5 percent last month compared with 6.0 percent in December. It reflected the number of people temporarily laid off or scheduled to start a job soon and one in 10 workers who were off sick.
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Facts and figures:
Canada’s dollar is lower at 75 cents U.S. while the U.S. dollar returns $1.27 in Canadian funds, before exchange fees.
The Bank of Canada’s key interest rate is unchanged at 0.25 percent while the prime lending rate is 2.45 percent.
Canadian stock markets are mixed, with the Toronto index down at 21,330 on Friday while the TSX Venture index was up at 853 points.
The average price for gas in Canada is at a record high at $1.52 a liter (Canadian) or $5.80 for a U.S. gallon.
Lotto Max: (Feb. 1) 9, 14, 24,26,29, 39 and 49; bonus 42. (Jan. 28) 3, 7, 8, 10, 34, 43 and 47; bonus 16.
Lotto 6/49: (Feb. 2) 3, 7, 9, 23, 26 and 32; bonus 42. (Jan, 29) 10, 14, 25, 29, 33 and 44;bonus 40.
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Regional briefs:
- The leaders of several Canadian provinces are indicating they will end some or most of the remaining COVID-19 health restrictions. Alberta Premier Jason Kenney plans to announce in the next week a date to end Alberta’s vaccine passport and a phased approach to ending almost all health restrictions by the end of the month. Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe says he’s committed to ending all COVID restrictions soon, even while related hospitalizations are at their highest level of the pandemic.
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thecanadareport.blogspot.com
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