Report says Canadian customs agents often overlook charging duties and taxes at the U.S. border

   Canada column for Sunday, March 30/14

   THE CANADIAN REPORT

   (c) By Jim Fox

   Canadian retailers are concerned that customs agents routinely waive taxes and duties on goods brought back from the United States.

   A briefing note prepared for Prime Minister Stephen Harper said Canada Border Services Agency officers waive fees when the value of returning goods is “below a certain threshold” not noted in the released document.

   “This threshold was established in consideration of the cost to CBSA of processing a traveler through the collection process,” it said.

   “Collections may also be waived in cases where the volume would result in unacceptable border processing delays, when interdiction activities are under way or for reasons determined by local management.”

   The government document was in response to the Harper government’s concern over the Canada-U.S. price-gap that helps to encourage cross-border shopping

   The Retail Council of Canada has complained the border agency is too lenient with cross-border shoppers, costing the economy millions of dollars in domestic sales.

   More than 55-million trips are made by Canadians to the United States annually with 33- million same-day crossings mainly to shop, with collected taxes and duties of about $150 million.

   Canadians have no duty-free exemption on same-day trips but can bring back up to $200 in goods after 24 hours and $800 after 48 hours away.

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Canada's finance minister resigns after presenting almost balanced budget

   Canada column for Sunday, March 23/14

   THE CANADIAN REPORT

   (c) By Jim Fox

   Jim Flaherty, who has led Canada through one of its worst economic times as finance minister, has resigned.

   The surprise announcement by Flaherty, 64, comes a month after he presented an anticipated balanced budget for this fiscal year.

   “As I begin another chapter in my life, I leave feeling fulfilled with what we have accomplished as a government and a country during one of the most challenging economic periods in our country’s history,” he said.

   After eight years in the key position, Flaherty said he is preparing to return to a private-sector job but remains for now as a Member of Parliament for Whitby-Oshawa, Ontario.

   He said the resignation had nothing to do with recent health issues – a rare skin condition treated with medication that led to weight gain and fatigue.

   Prime Minister Stephen Harper said Flaherty has “exemplified the best qualities of those who enter public life: a true commitment to service and a sincere desire to leave the country in better shape than it was when he entered politics.”

   Natural Resources Minister Joe Oliver was named to succeed Flaherty while Greg Rickford takes over Oliver’s post.

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Quebec would welcome visitors, use Canadian currency in separation

   Canada column for Sunday, March 16/14

   THE CANADIAN REPORT

   (c) By Jim Fox

   Canadians would be welcome to visit an independent Quebec and the province would continue to use Canada’s currency should it someday separate.

   So says Parti Quebecois Leader Pauline Marois, who is seeking a majority government in the April 7 provincial election.

   While not confirming her separatist party will seek a third vote on sovereignty for the mainly French-speaking province, Marois has engaged in “what-if” conversations.

   It would be of benefit to Canada to keep the currency, Marois suggested, as there are “eight million people living here in Quebec and we have an economy that is a rich one.”

   On ways of boosting tourism to an independent Quebec, she said there will be no borders or tolls, without elaborating.

   Liberal Leader Philippe Couillard said the “mechanics of a referendum are already underway – it’s all planned,” and such rhetoric only serves to “hurt the province.”

   The Parti Quebecois got a big boost when Quebecor media mogul Pierre Karl Peladeau said he would be a candidate in Saint-Jerome.

   Le Journal de Montreal newspaper said Peladeau delivers instant credibility to the pro-independence Parti Quebecois.

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Quebec election could trigger another independence vote -- or not

   Canada column for Sunday, March 9/14

   THE CANADIAN REPORT

   (c) By Jim Fox

   Quebecers might again have an opportunity to vote for the independence from Canada of the mainly French-speaking province.

   Parti Quebecois Leader Pauline Marois said an independence referendum is possible should her separatist party form a majority government in the April 7 provincial election.

   In two previous referendums, Quebecers rejected independence in 1980 and narrowly in 1995.

   “There is no promise to hold a referendum and there is no promise not to,” she said.

   Marois was criticized for her go-slow approach and avoiding the sovereignty debate in the 2012 election campaign in which she focused on corruption, language and identity politics.

   “When we decide to hold a referendum, there will be discussions with Quebecers,” Marois said. “Nobody will be taken by surprise.”

   Liberal Leader Philippe Couillard said “nobody wants to talk about that (a referendum) right now.”

   Coalition Leader Francois Legault has accused Marois of running her campaign on the Parti Quebecois’ controversial secularism charter instead of the economy.

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Toronto's mayor feuds with police chief over surveillance

   Canada column for Sunday, March 2/14

   THE CANADIAN REPORT

   (c) By Jim Fox

   “Arrest me,” embattled Toronto Mayor Rob Ford says in a challenge to Police Chief Bill Blair.

   Ford – who had made international headlines for his admitted “drunken” outbursts and for using crack cocaine – refuses to apologize for a profane rant against Blair, caught on video, in a restaurant last month.

   The latest feud started after the chief said publicly that he was “deeply offended” by Ford’s remarks and actions.

   Ford challenged Blair to disclose the cost of an extensive investigation after a video emerged appearing to show the mayor smoking crack cocaine.

   “Why won't he come clean and tell the taxpayers how much money has he spent on surveilling me and obviously coming up with nothing – just with me urinating in a parking lot and coming up with an empty vodka bottle?" Ford said.

   The investigation resulted in Ford’s friend Alexander Lisi being arrested for drug offenses and extortion concerned the crack video.

   Former Ontario Conservative leader John Tory, who has entered the race to succeed Ford in October’s election, called the mayor’s comments a “disgrace” and that “Torontonians deserve better.”

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Postal delivery to the door to end for 100,000 addresses across Canada this year

   Canada column for Sunday, Feb. 23/14

   THE CANADIAN REPORT

   (c) By Jim Fox

   Door-to-door mail delivery will end this year in 11 cities including neighborhoods in Oakville, Calgary, Winnipeg, Halifax and Repentigny, Quebec.

   Canada Post announced the centers where people will have their mail delivered instead to community boxes this fall in a cost-cutting move.

   It’s the first phase of the postal service’s five-year changeover and will affect about 100,000 addresses.

   Canada Post said the changes are necessary with costs rising and mail volumes dropping and since just one-third of Canadian are still getting five-day-a-week home delivery.

   The initial neighborhoods affected are in areas that have nearby community mail boxes and the infrastructure is already in place, the post office said.

   In the larger cities, mail will continue to be delivered to businesses while in smaller cities, most households and a larger number of businesses will switch to group boxes.

   Also affected by the change this year will be Fort McMurray, Alberta; Kanata, Ontario; Bois-des-Filion, Charlemagne, Lorraine and Rosemere, all in Quebec.

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   Prime Minister Stephen Harper still doesn’t have an answer from U.S. President Barack Obama whether he will approve the controversial Keystone XL pipeline.

   When asked about the fate of the project to ship Canadian oilsands crude to the U.S. by pipeline, Obama instead called on Harper to work with him to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

   “I said previously that how Keystone impacted greenhouse gas emissions would affect our decision,” Obama said at the “Three Amigos” summit in Mexico.

   There is a “shared concern” about climate change, Harper said, noting a recent U.S. State Department report gave the Alberta oilsands a good grade on environmental impact.

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Canadian government to tackle "cross-border" price discrimination

   Canada column for Sunday, Feb. 16/14

   THE CANADIAN REPORT

   (c) By Jim Fox

   The Conservative government plans to crack down on “unjustified cross-border (Canada-U.S.) price discrimination” that results in Canadians paying more for goods.

   The federal budget outlined legislation to end “country pricing” where multinational companies set higher prices for goods in Canada than those charged in the United States.

   Canadians have grown accustomed to paying higher prices for everything from books, clothing and appliances to tires and auto parts.

   Legislation will address the price gap and empower the country's competition commissioner to enforce the new rules, said Finance Minister Jim Flaherty.

   The government has been under pressure from consumers to do something about the long-standing price discrimination.

   “There are some companies that look at Canada as a small market, relatively well off, with a large middle class and willing to pay a little more," he said.

   A Senate finance committee report said there are several “complex factors” behind the price differences.

   These include higher transportation costs across the vast country, the need for English and French wording on items, more onerous packaging requirements, provincial regulatory requirements, a smaller consumer market and tariffs.

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