Security for Canada's political leaders under review

   Canada column for Sunday, Aug. 24/14

   THE CANADIAN REPORT

   (c) By Jim Fox

   Security for Canada’s political leaders is being reviewed after a break-in at the Ottawa home of Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau.

   At the time, Trudeau was in Winnipeg and his wife and their three children were asleep upstairs at home.

   The Mounties are conducting a “risk assessment” to determine whether Trudeau needs a security detail as a result of the incident.

   The intruder left a threatening letter atop several large kitchen knives and other items taken outside advising them to consider locking their doors.

   “Honestly, we're a little bit shaken,” Trudeau said of the incident, calling it a “wake-up call for us or at least a highlighting of some of the real challenges that we face.”

   Security protection is given only to the prime minister and governor general and not to any of the other federal party leaders, except during election campaigns.

   Party leaders, cabinet ministers, members of Parliament and federal justices can be provided with police security if the public safety minister determines there is a danger.

   Former prime ministers are not given security protection as incidents involving federal politicians are rare in Canada.

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Stats Canada recounts and finds 42,000 jobs created last month

   Canada column for Sunday, Aug. 17/14

   THE CANADIAN REPORT

   (c) By Jim Fox

   The numbers just didn’t add up in the recent Statistics Canada jobs report and that resulted in a temporary halt in processing new employment insurance claims.

   The government agency scrambled to fix the mistake in its July Labor Force Survey issued on Aug. 8 that said only 200 jobs were created last month.

   In fact, the corrected numbers released on Friday showed the economy actually gained almost 42,000 jobs in July, not the 60,000 losses originally reported.

   Statistics Canada said the problem was due to a human error in updating the computer programs used for its survey.

   The Conservative government had put all new Employment Insurance claims on hold until the agency fixed the problem.

   That’s because the monthly jobs’ numbers determine regional unemployment rates that impact the number of weeks an unemployed person needs to have worked in order to qualify for benefits.

   There was no change in Canada’s jobless rate of 7.0 percent in July, down a tenth of a point from the previous month.

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Ontario wants to bring wounded children to Canada for hospital care

   Canada column for Sunday, Aug. 10/14

   THE CANADIAN REPORT

   (c) By Jim Fox

   Ontario has offered to provide free hospital treatment in Canada to children injured in the Israeli-Palestinian fighting as a humanitarian gesture.

   Five hospitals, including Toronto’s world-renowned Hospital for Sick Children, have agreed to treat the children, with some medical staff members offering to work at no charge.

   “It’s one of those rare instances where we can make a modest but important difference,” said Ontario Health Minister Dr. Eric Hoskins, one of the founders of the group War Child Canada.

   Ontario would take the most serious cases from both Gaza and Israel if the children cannot receive treatment at home and would be able to make the journey to Canada.

   Details about arranging transportation for the children and one or more of their family members and entry into Canada are being sorted out while Israeli and Palestinian authorities have indicated they’re willing to co-operate.

   The idea began with a plea from Izzeldin Abuelaish, a Palestinian doctor who lost three daughters in the 2009 Gaza conflict. He is now a professor at the University of Toronto.

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Canada's leader continues with tough stance against world terrorism

   Canada column for Sunday, Aug. 3/14

   THE CANADIAN REPORT

   (c) By Jim Fox

   Prime Minister Stephen Harper continues with his hard line against terrorists even as the United States and United Nations condemned the violence in the Middle East.

   “Obviously no one likes to see the suffering and loss of life that has occurred,” Harper said, referring to the deaths in Gaza in fighting between Israel and Hamas militants.

   Harper believes Israel is justified in its actions and said Canada would do the same to fight back against terrorism.

   “We hold the terrorist organization Hamas responsible for this – they have initiated and continue this conflict and continue to seek the destruction of the state of Israel,” he said.

   As well, Russia was involved in the shooting down of the Malaysia Airlines passenger jet with the loss of 298 lives, Harper said.

    “There is zero doubt that those people who are responsible for violence and destabilization in Ukraine are acting as agents of the government of Russia.”

   Harper also blamed China for a recent cyberattack on the National Research Council of Canada’s computers that was denied by the Chinese government.

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Freedom '58' for most Canadians

   Canada column for Sunday, July 27/14

   THE CANADIAN REPORT

   (c) By Jim Fox

   Canadians are working towards being mortgage-free by age 58, a national survey has found.

   The poll conducted for the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce by Angus Reid put the age one year later than in a similar survey a year ago.

   Across the country, there are some variations as homeowners in British Columbia – with the highest real estate prices in Canada – expecting to pay off their mortgages at age 66.

   Neighboring Albertans said they should be mortgage-free at 55 while it is 56 in Quebec, 57 in Ontario and Atlantic Canada, and 58 years in Manitoba and Saskatchewan.

   Helping become debt free were 55 percent saying they are taking advantage of low interest rates to pay down their mortgages quicker.

   The bank said small efforts can add up to big savings such as making payments more often, increasing the amount paid and lump-sum payments.

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Suspended senator faces charges of fraud, breach of trust and bribery

   Canada column for Sunday, July 20/14

   THE CANADIAN REPORT

   (c) By Jim Fox

   Suspended Senator Mike Duffy is facing 31 counts of fraud, breach of trust and bribery in connection with the so-called “expenses scandal.”

   The former television news broadcaster was appointed to Canada’s upper chamber by Prime Minister Stephen Harper in 2009.

   His arrest involves claims for housing expenses, travel costs not associated with the Senate business and fraudulent contracts, Royal Canadian Mounted Police Assistant Commissioner Gilles Michaud said.

   The investigation concerns more than $200,000 in expenses claimed by Duffy, 68, he added.

   Duffy was suspended from the Senate last November along with Patrick Brazeau and Pamela Wallin over expense claims.

   Former Senator Mac Harb resigned last August after paying back $231,000 for ineligible housing and travel expenses.

   Police earlier proceeded with fraud and breach-of-trust charges against Brazeau and Harb while they continue to investigate Wallin’s expenses.

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Maritime provinces cleaning up after remnants of Hurricane Arthur

   Canada column for Sunday, July 13/14

   THE CANADIAN REPORT

   (c) By Jim Fox

   Power is gradually being restored across Canada’s Maritime provinces after a hit last weekend by the remnants of Hurricane Arthur.

   The storm cut electricity to more than 250,000 residences and businesses, with New Brunswick and Nova Scotia receiving the most damage.

   There are more than 1,000 power workers repairing blown-down lines and cutting away broken trees and limbs brought down by the storm.

   In New Brunswick, the hardest-hit areas were around Fredericton and in the southwestern part of the province, with thousands of felled trees and downed power poles.

   About 80 percent of the service has been restored with work continuing over the weekend, said Meghan Gerrish of New Brunswick Power.

   The provincial government opened 33 reception centers assist those without electricity as the Emergency Measure's office said Arthur was so powerful it pulled down trees that would have withstood a typical storm.

   Bob Hanf, president of Nova Scotia Power, said damage was as severe as that done by Hurricane Juan in 2003.

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