Immigration policy costly to Canadian taxpayers: Fraser Institute

   Canada column for Sunday, March 18/12

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   THE CANADIAN REPORT

   (c) By Jim Fox

   A leading public policy organization wants Canada’s immigration selection process revamped to counter the huge cost caused by people emigrating to the country.

   The Fraser Institute said the cost of supporting immigrants who arrived in Canada between 1987 and 2004 is between $16 billion and $23 billion a year.

   That’s because they receive more in government services and payments per person than they pay in taxes.

   “As a result of Canada's welfare-state policies, our progressive income taxes and universal social programs, these immigrants impose a huge fiscal burden on Canadian taxpayers," said report co-author Herbert Grubel.

   Immigrants who have come to Canada since 1987 “are not doing as well economically” as those who came previously, with their annual income 72 percent of that of other Canadians, he said.

   The controversial report calls on the government to scrap the points-based selection process and instead let the market decide the types of workers and professionals that are needed in Canada.

   Report co-author Patrick Grady said their lower income and tax payments “are likely to persist over all stages of their lives.”

Air Canada strike/lockout averted by federal government

   Canada column for Sunday, March 11/12

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   THE CANADIAN REPORT

   (c) By Jim Fox

   The Canadian government has moved swiftly to avert a labor disruption that would have grounded Air Canada flights during the busy March school break week.

   Air Canada was preparing to lock out its 3,000 pilots at midnight Sunday as the union representing 8,600 mechanics, baggage handlers and cargo agents planned to go on strike.

   The work stoppage would have coincided with the holiday break when hundreds of thousands of Canadians are flying to southern destinations and abroad.

   “I'll be darned if we will now sit by and let the airline shut itself down,” Prime Minister Stephen Harper said Friday.

   Labor Minister Lisa Raitt called in the Canadian Industrial Relations Board to investigate the “potential effects on health and safety” that a strike/lockout would cause.

   The investigation will involve contract demands for both pilot and ground workers unions and no work stoppage is allowed during that time.

   “My concern is not management or labor: my concern is the broader Canadian public and I think the public overwhelmingly expects the government to act,” Harper said.

Tough budget coming for Canadians on March 29

   Canada column for Sunday, March 4/12

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   THE CANADIAN REPORT

   (c) By Jim Fox

   Canadians will learn on March 29 how the federal government plans to cut spending by about $5 billion a year within three years.

   The much-awaited, no-frills federal budget will outline “what we’re doing in terms of the deficit-reduction action plan and much more than that, this is a jobs and growth budget,” Finance Minister Jim Flaherty said.

   There are concerns the Conservative government will cut programs, jobs and announce a plan to start scaling back pensions, including making Canadians wait beyond age 65 to receive the monthly “Old Age Security” payments.

   Government workers are bracing for cutbacks and plan to protest next Thursday on Parliament Hill in Ottawa.

   They have been “protected” during the recession and it is “realistic that we ask the public service to participate in the belt-tightening,” Flaherty said.

   Overall, the government is “talking about relatively small spending reductions,” he said, with cuts being “modest” in a budget of $265 billion.

   Government revenues are expected to be more than predicted with the continued strength of commodity prices, particularly for oil, a major Canadian export.

Canadians need to be wary of mounting debt, central bank warns

   Canada column for Sunday, Feb. 26/12

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   THE CANADIAN REPORT

   (c) By Jim Fox

   Canadians who have taken advantage of record-low interest rates must moderate their debt load or possibly face “substantial negative economic consequences,” the Bank of Canada warns.

   In a research paper, Canada’s central bank said many Canadians have constructed their finances on a “house of cards.”

   This could come crashing down once interest rates start increasing or if housing prices fall, it said.

   The bank cautioned that families have taken on too much debt but didn’t expect there would be a U.S.-style housing meltdown as banks have more stringent credit regulations in Canada.

   Debt loads have been rising, with a typical 31- to 35-year-old now owing $120,000 compared to $75,000 a decade ago, the report said.

   Finance Minister Jim Flaherty said interest rates have “nowhere to go but up," although economists don’t suggest that will happen for more than a year.

   “It isn’t necessary for everyone to have the most expensive house they can buy," he said.

   The concern is that house prices have risen sharply in the past decade and continue to do so along with debt for to pay for larger mortgages and home equity loans to finance other purchases.

Justin Trudeau suggests possible Quebec separatism interest

   Canada column for Sunday, Feb. 19/12

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   THE CANADIAN REPORT

   (c) By Jim Fox

   Canadians are bristling after the son of late prime minister Pierre Trudeau suggested he might someday support separatism for Quebec.

   Justin Trudeau, 40-year-old Liberal Member of Parliament from Montreal, was commenting on the “values” of Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper in an interview.

   “I always say that if I ever believed Canada was really the Canada of Stephen Harper . . . maybe I’d think of wanting to make Quebec a country,” he said.

   In explaining his remarks later, Trudeau said it is “ridiculous” to question his devotion to a united Canada.

   It was merely the "tone and the values" of the Conservative government that pushed him to say what he did, he said.

   Independence-seeking Bloc Quebecois politicians were pleased by Trudeau’s “realization” that Quebec’s values are not shared by the federal government or the rest of Canada.

   Other federalist party members recalled that his father had been an archenemy of Quebec separatists.

Canada pushes ahead with talks to sell oil to China after lack of approval for a U.S. pipeline to Texas

   Canada column for Sunday, Feb. 12/12

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   THE CANADIAN REPORT

   (c) By Jim Fox

   Canada has taken the first step toward a trade deal that could send massive amounts of crude oil to China instead of the United States.

   As Prime Minster Stephen Harper was holding talks in Beijing with Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, Newt Gingrich, Republican presidential candidate, urged Canada not to send its oil to China.

   "My message to the people of Canada is don't cut a deal with the Chinese, help is on the way," Gingrich said, condemning the U.S. administration for not approving the $7-billion Keystone XL pipeline.

   The project by TransCanada would have created 20,000 construction jobs and shipped about 700,000 barrels of crude a day to Texas refineries from Alberta.

   Environmentalists say the oilsands crude is “dirty” and the potential of a pipeline rupture would create an environmental disaster.

   Canada is now considering building a pipeline to British Columbia to deliver its oil to Asia by ship.

   "We'll get none of the jobs, none of the energy, none of the opportunity,” Gingrich said, vowing to approve the pipeline immediately if he becomes the next president.

   Harper’s visit led to a series of agreements that are expected to lead to free-trade talks with the “potential of greatly expanding Canadian growth and job creation.”

Winter is far from typical across Canada

   Canada column for Sunday, Feb. 5/12

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   THE CANADIAN REPORT

   (c) By Jim Fox

   “Winter, are we there yet?” is being asked by many Canadians this year.

   Dire predictions by Environment Canada of a “typical” winter with a lingering deep freeze and the Weather Network's expectation of temperature swings and fierce storms so far haven’t happened.

   Even Ontario’s Wiarton Willie and Nova Scotia's Shubenacadie Sam, the weather-prognosticating groundhogs, didn't see their shadows with the folklore meaning there will be an early spring.

   An exception has been a week-long freeze in the Prairies last month where overall it’s been 10 to 14 degrees F above normal this winter.

   Much of Southern Ontario remains green with showers replacing snow storms and temperatures about 7 degrees above normal.

   Meteorologists say an "arctic oscillation" has kept the jet stream relatively stationary and blocked frigid temperatures from moving south.

   The government weather office says about 80 percent of the country will continue with above-normal temperatures this month.

   “We're almost ready to send out a search party to look for winter," said senior climatologist David Phillips.