Pandemic surge leads to tighter rules for Canadians

       Canada column for Sunday, Oct. 18/20

    THE CANADIAN REPORT

    By Jim Fox

    A surge in COVID-19 cases across Canada has led to tighter restrictions in virus hotspots.

   The national daily count is climbing by an average of 2,300 cases, with an average of 20 deaths.

   There are 194,000 confirmed cases in Canada and 9,721 deaths.

   “We’re seeing a rapid increase in the rate of infection,” said Ontario Premier Doug Ford as he reluctantly imposed tighter restrictions on Toronto, Peel and Ottawa, the nation’s capital city.

   These include limited visits allowed at long-term care homes, banning dining in restaurants, closing health clubs, reducing hours for bars and limiting the numbers at public gatherings and wearing face masks.

   Quebec, where “red zones” for the virus include Montreal and Quebec City, along with Manitoba and other areas, are being targeted with new restrictions.

   Canadians are also being urged to get flu shots to ease the burden on the health-care system.

    ---

    A very Canadian idea of having a virus-safe Halloween is to use hockey sticks to hand out candy to keep a safe distance.

   Dr. Theresa Tam said trick-or-treating should be possible as long as little ghosts and goblins take precautions to prevent the virus spread.

   Canada’s chief public health officer said parents should listen to local authorities for advice on their community activities.

   Polls show people are about evenly divided for taking part in normal activities after scaling back events for last Monday’s Canadian Thanksgiving.

   Tam suggests a mask can be incorporated into a costume and to respect physical distancing, using hand sanitizer and ensuring that treats are prepackaged.

    ---

    News in brief:

   - Nine employees of former Senator Don Meredith will receive a total of $498,000 in compensation for harassment and $30,000 in legal fees. An investigation found inappropriate behavior that included demeaning and humiliating staff members, kissing, touching and intimidation. Meredith was appointed to the Senate by former Prime Minister Stephen Harper in 2010 and resigned from the upper chamber in 2017.

   - Scotiabank Arena isn’t being used for U.S. voter registration due to pandemic concerns. The facility, home to last year’s NBA champs the Toronto Raptors, was being considered to assist Americans living in Canada. Rising virus case numbers in Toronto and Ontario province, and restrictions on indoor gatherings were behind the change. There are about 650,000 Americans living in Canada.

    ---

    Facts and figures:

   The Canadian dollar is lower at 75.8 cents U.S. while the U.S. dollar returns $1.31 Canadian before exchange fees.

   The Bank of Canada’s key interest rate is steady at 0.25 percent while the prime lending rate is 2.45 percent.

   Canadian stock markets are lower with the Toronto index at 16,438 points and the TSX Venture index 725 points.

   The average price for gas in Canada is lower at $1.02 a liter (Canadian) or $3.87 for a U.S. gallon.

   Lotto Max: (Oct. 13) 3, 10, 13, 19, 21, 45 and 49; bonus 12. (Oct. 9) 4, 6, 12, 30, 32, 33 and 34; bonus 29.

   Lotto 6/49: (Oct. 14) 10, 18, 20, 38, 39 and 44; bonus 40. (Oct. 10) 6, 23, 24, 29, 36 and 38; bonus 25.

    ---

    Regional briefs:

   - Advancements in DNA technology have led police to now-deceased family friend Calvin Hoover they say raped and murdered Christine Jessop, 9, in Queensville, Ontario in 1984. Police said this confirms that Guy Paul Morin, a neighbor of the Jessop’s, was wrongly convicted. He was released from prison in 1995 on early DNA evidence after serving 18 months.

   - Many Canadian “snowbirds” who head south to warmer climates for the winter are waiting it out in British Columbia, hoping the land border to the U.S. will soon open up. Coastal British Columbia RV parks are full, says the B. C. Lodging and Campground Association. Hard-hit tourism businesses are also offering traditional hotel rooms and other spots that offer parking, power and other amenities for the winter.

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 Jim Fox can be reached at canadareport@hotmail.com

Canadians should stay at home with family over Thanksgiving; Halloween and Christmas: health officials warn over virus

    Cnada column for Sunday, Oct. 11/20

   THE CANADIAN REPORT

   By Jim Fox 

   Health and political authorities are urging Canadians to stay at home and keep family gatherings small this Thanksgiving weekend due to the pandemic.

   A recent spike in positive cases in Canada’s largest cities is causing concern, especially in Ontario and Quebec where stringent lock downs of businesses have been enacted.

   Canadians area being urged to keep their activities for Thanksgiving on Monday to just those living in the same house or apartment.

   Renewed measures include closing restaurants and bars serving liquor earlier and prohibiting dining in. Schools and day-care centers remain open.

   Ontario is at a record 939 new daily cases with tighter measures in Toronto, neighboring Peel Region and Ottawa while Quebec has consistently been above 1,000 new cases a day.

   “Canada is at a tipping point in this pandemic,” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said.

   He announced emergency payments for food banks, groups serving vulnerable communities and businesses that are having trouble paying their rent.

   “I know this is discouraging, especially going into Thanksgiving weekend, but remember this: when things were at their bleakest during the first wave, Canadians pulled together and flattened the curve,” he said.

  ---

    The restaurant owned by hockey superstar Wayne Gretzky in Toronto has closed after 27 years in business.

   The landmark in Toronto’s Entertainment District served up sports bar staples and attracted sports celebrities and movie stars.

   Known as the “Great One,” Gretzky announced its impending closing last summer to make way for a high-rise condo development.

   The restaurant served its final beer and wings on Thursday in the space that was filled with memorabilia providing “an incredible inside look into the remarkable life of Number 99 on and off the ice,” said Toronto Sun’s Joe Warmington,

    ---

    News in brief:

   - Two federal by-elections to fill vacancies in the House of Commons will be held on Oct. 26. Prime Minister Trudeau said the votes will take place in two Toronto districts despite the ongoing pandemic. They are to replace former Liberal finance minister Bill Morneau and Liberal Member of Parliament Michael Levitt.

   - The Green Party of Canada has selected Toronto’s Annamie Paul to be its new leader. She won in the eighth round of voting defeating Dimitri Lascaris. Paul, who is black and Jewish, said she is a descendant of slaves and an ally of those and Indigenous people who are fighting for justice.

    ---

    Facts and figures:

   The Canadian dollar is higher at 76.2 cents U.S. while the U.S. dollar returns $1.31 Canadian 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 higher with the Toronto index at 16,562 points and the TSX Venture index 732 points.

   The average price for gas in Canada is steady at $1.03 a liter (Canadian) or $3.91 for a U.S. gallon.

   Lotto Max: (Oct. 6) 4, 5, 9, 19, 28, 34 and 44; bonus 8. (Oct. 2) 7, 12, 16, 26, 40, 45 and 49; bonus 20.

   Lotto 6/49: (Oct. 7) 4, 5, 12, 13, 18 and 19; bonus 34. (Oct. 3) 12, 22, 24, 37, 39 and 43; bonus 16.

    ---

    Regional briefs:

   - Lawyer Paul St-Pierre Plamondon, 43, has been named the new leader of the separatist Parti Quebecois. The party is in fourth place in Quebec and its history includes bringing the province to within a few thousand votes of separating from Canada in 1995. “The dream is not over; it’s about to be renewed,” he said.

   - Boys at several Quebec high schools wore skirts to school to protest against sexism and discrimination against women. The movement in Montreal and on the South Shore followed a wave of Instagram posts to support the cause. “This is to fight against the hypersexualization of women’s bodies, to allow them to wear what they want and break the codes of our society,” student Colin Renaud, 15, said.

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 Jim Fox can be reached at canadareport@hotmail.com

Canada-U.S. land border remains closed but new compassionate rules offered

    Canada column for Sunday, Oct. 4/20

    THE CANADIAN REPORT

   By Jim Fox

    More compassionate rules will allow extended family members to cross the land border into Canada from the United States.

   This move was announced as the seven-month border lockdown was extended to Oct. 21for Americans and until Oct. 31 for travelers from other countries due to the pandemic.

   Immigration Minister Marco Mendicino said family members of Canadian citizens and permanent residents will now be eligible to enter the country.

   “The pandemic is an ongoing threat and we need to continue to be cautious and restrictive about who can enter into Canada,” he said.

   “We recognize, however, that these restrictions should not keep loved ones apart,” he added.

   Starting Oct. 8, those eligible for entry include adult children, siblings, grandparents and those who have been in a “committed relationship” for at least a year with a notarized declaration.

   There is also a compassionate-entry program for those wanting to see an ill relative along with an exemption from the current 14-day quarantine requirement.

   For all others, allowing entry into Canada is for commerce and essential travelers only.

   No one should make travel plans until they’ve been authorized under the new program.

   “This disease is not going away any time soon. Countries will be struggling for a very long time,” said Health Minister Patty Hajdu.

    ---

    Canada’s Parliament has enacted a bill authorizing new benefits for workers impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

   This replaces the Canada Emergency Response Benefit that has given displaced workers $2,000 a month.

   Recipients of that program are being transitioned to a “more flexible and generous employment insurance” program.

   Called the Canada Recovery Benefit at $500 a week, it also includes those who don’t qualify for Employment Insurance payments and includes sick leave and caregiver benefits.

    ---

    News in brief:

   - Hundreds of Canadians have answered the call to help battle U.S. wildfires. The U.S. requested help battling the blazes in California and other states. Three 20-person crews from Quebec are in Boise, Reno and deployed to the North Complex fire and Plumas National Forest in California. There are also calls for help from Australia as the summer bushfire season starts.

   - Canada’s economic comeback continued in July with the gross domestic product growing by 3 percent compared with 6.5percent in June. All 20 industrial sectors it tracks had increases while agriculture, utilities, finance, insurance and real estate sectors recouped losses since the start of the pandemic. Accommodations and food services jumped by 20.1 percent while manufacturing grew 5.9 percent. Health care and social assistance rose by 3.7 percent.

    ---

    Facts and figures:

   The Canadian dollar is higher at 75.1 cents U.S. while the U.S. dollar returns $1.333 Canadian 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 higher with the Toronto index at 16,199 points and the TSX Venture index 708 points.

   The average price for gas in Canada is steady at $1.03 a liter (Canadian) or $3.91 for a U.S. gallon.

   Lotto Max: (Sept. 29) 4, 6, 9, 15, 22, 24 and 28; bonus 44. (Sept. 25) 1, 7, 9, 28, 38, 48 and 50; bonus 13.

   Lotto 6/49: (Sept. 30) 13, 16, 20, 21, 27 and 48; bonus 15. (Sept. 26) 8, 27, 29, 33, 40 and 49; bonus 2.

    ---

    Regional briefs:

   - Atlantic Canada provinces remain in their “bubble” to counter the pandemic. The four provinces have an enviable record at eliminating community transmission of COVID-19 as cases grow elsewhere in Canada. There are just 13 of Canada’s 14,490 daily cases, while Quebec alone reported 933 new daily infections with Ontario at 653 and British Columbia 161. Restrictions on who can visit and limited travel are working, said Chris Goodyear, president of the New Brunswick Medical Society.

   - A prominent landmark containing the word squaw near the summit on Mount Charles Stewart in the Alberta Rockies is being renamed. Stoney Nakoda women elders said the name of the peak near Canmore was “racist and misogynistic” and had to go. The new name is actually its original one: Anu katha Ipa or Bald Eagle Peak.

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 im Fox can be reached at canadareport@hotmail.com

Canadian general election averted with New Democratic support for the Liberal government

    Canada column for Sunday, Sept. 27/20

    THE CANADIAN REPORT

   (c) By Jim Fox

    The threat of an imminent federal election has been averted through a deal to further support workers during the pandemic.

   The opposition New Democrats are supporting the minority Liberal government’s legislation to continue aiding displaced workers.

   As a result, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government has the support needed to survive a confidence vote on the throne speech outlining the Liberal plans.

   New Democrat Leader Jagmeet Singh said the agreement includes its demands to widen access to sick-leave benefits during the pandemic.

   It also raises the benefits for people left jobless to $500 a week from the planned lowering to $400 weekly.

   Without the party’s support, the government might not have survived a non-confidence vote that would have caused the government to fall and an election held.

    ---

    With a dramatic increase in cases of COVID-19 health officials suggest Canadians should limit Thanksgiving activities on Oct. 12.

   The second wave of the virus is “already underway,” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said.

   There are 1,100 new cases a day compared with 380 a day in August.

   “It’s all too likely we won’t be gathering for Thanksgiving, but we still have a shot at Christmas,” he said.

    ---

    News in brief:

   - Prime Minister Trudeau paid tribute to the late former Liberal Prime Minister John Turner as a “strong advocate for equality and a champion of our democracy.” Trudeau and representatives of the other political parties gathered in the House of Commons to honor Turner, who died at age 91.

   - Bonnie Henry, British Columbia’s top doctor, says she’s received death threats and abuse over her actions during the pandemic. The provincial health officer said she had to have security at her home and has been targeted with threats, along with abusive letters and phone calls to her staff. She has become a national figure leading the COVID-19 response. Shoe designer John Fluevog has even named a pair of shoes after her.

   - Online services still aren’t back to normal at Revenue Canada more than a month after a major cyberattack. The federal tax collection agency said a number of services remain unavailable and can’t say when it expects its online services to fully return to normal. A forensic analysis continues into the incident involving 48,000 accounts.

    ---

    Facts and figures:

   The Canadian dollar is lower at 74.7 cents U.S. while the U.S. dollar returns $1.332 Canadian 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 lower with the Toronto index at 16,065 points and the TSX Venture index 695 points.

   The average price for gas in Canada is steady at $1.03 a liter (Canadian) or $3.91 for a U.S. gallon.

   Lotto Max: (Sept. 22) 8, 9, 37, 38, 40, 43 and 49; bonus 28. (Sept. 18) 2, 11, 22, 25, 32, 40 and 44; bonus 27. 

   Lotto 6/49: (Sept. 23) 11, 17, 28, 29, 36 and 39; bonus 15. (Sept. 19) 5, 15, 31, 35, 42 and 46; bonus 17.

   ---

   Regional briefs:

- The remnants of Hurricane Teddy made landfall in eastern Nova Scotia and blew across southern Cape Breton with 60 mph winds. There were numerous power outages but little major damage when the then tropical storm came ashore near Sheet Harbour east of Halifax, the Canadian Hurricane Center said.

   - It was a sticky situation as the Supreme Court of Canada agreed to hear a case involving fines and compensation of $10 million for a massive maple syrup heist. Richard Vallieres of Quebec, called the ringleader, was found guilty of fraud, trafficking in stolen goods and theft. More than 9,500 barrels of maple syrup, valued at $18 million, were stolen from a Quebec warehouse in 2011 and 2012. The Quebec Court of Appeal ruled the fine was excessive and lowered it to $1 million.

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Jim Fox can be reached at canadareport@hotmail.com

Pandemic puts several of Canada's political leaders in isolation

    Canada column for Sunday, Sept. 20/20

    THE CANADIAN REPORT

 (c) By Jim Fox

   Several of Canada’s political leaders have gone into isolation after positive readings for the COVID-19 virus while several provinces are retightening restrictions.

   Recently elected Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole and his wife Rebecca are in self-isolation but “feeling well” along with Bloc Quebecois Leader Yves-Francois Blanchet, both of whom were linked to a staff member’s positive tests.

   At the height of the outbreaks, Tina Namiesniowski, president of the Public Health Agency of Canada, says she is quitting her job citing fatigue.

   “You really need someone who will have the energy and the stamina to take the agency and our response to the next level,” she said after holding the position since May 2019.

  “It is time for someone else to lead the country through the virus’ second wave,” she added.

   Canada has had 141,732 cases with 9,202 deaths as numbers flatten.

   Recent outbreaks have prompted provinces to reduce numbers of people gathering, making masks mandatory in public settings and other measures.

   ---

   Canada appears content to keep the land border with the United States closed despite comments to the contrary by President Donald Trump.

   Both countries have agreed to extend the closing to all but essential travel for at least another month until Oct. 21.

   The border has been closed since March 21 in a bid to limit the spread of the virus.

    There has been some relaxing of the rules now to allow families to reunite but not including non-married couples and others.

   “We will continue to base our decisions on the best public health advice available to keep Canadians safe,” said Public Safety Minister Bill Blair.

   ---

   News in brief:

   - Environment Canada says the haze from California and U.S. forest fires has reached Canada as far east as the Maritimes but it poses no health risk. The layer of smoke is in the upper atmosphere and is not affecting air quality, meteorologist Peter Kimbell said. Most of the heavier particles have fallen out in their voyage from the West Coast but it is making things “a bit hazier than it would otherwise be,” he added.

   - Even as the “situation is far from back to normal,” the National Bank said Canada’s economic indicators continue to surprise on the upside. This includes retail and home sales and housing starts. Pent-up demand and benefits from provisions for deferral of debt repayments and extraordinarily generous income-support programs more than offset the losses of employment earnings, it said. “Though the vigor of the job-market rebound is impressive, the road ahead remains formidable,” the bank said.

   ---

   Facts and figures:

  The Canadian dollar is lower at 75.7 cents U.S. while the U.S. dollar returns $1.332 Canadian 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 16,198 points and the TSX Venture index up at 745 points.

   The average price for gas in Canada is lower at $1.03 a liter (Canadian) or $3.91 for a U.S. gallon.

   Lotto Max: (Sept. 15) 1, 5, 6, 24, 27, 28 and 32; bonus 38. (Sept. 11) 4, 15, 16, 17, 35, 46 and 50; bonus 13.

   (Lotto 6/49: (Sept. 16) 6, 12, 23, 29, 44 and46 bonus 39. (Sept. 12) 5, 13, 19, 37, 42 and 45; bonus 40.

   ---

   Regional briefs:

   - Hurricane Teddy is on track to arrive in Atlantic Canada with gale-force winds and heavy rainfall on Tuesday and Wednesday. The storm is moving southeast of Bermuda with maximum sustained winds of 126 mph. It will continue on a path toward Nova Scotia and transition to a “very dangerous” tropical storm as it moves though the region, forecasters said.

   - “Look ma, no hands.” A “driver” was arrested in Alberta for dangerous driving while sleeping behind the wheel of a Tesla electric car. Police said the two front seat occupants were snoozing as the car was speeding on autopilot at 90 mph. Police Sergeant Darrin Turnbull said they were alerted to the driverless car by other concerned motorists.

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 Jim Fox can be reached at canadareport@hotmail.com

Former finance minister guilty of breaking election laws

    Canada column for Sunday, Sept. 13/20

    THE CANADIAN REPORT

   (c) By Jim Fox

    Former Finance Minister Bill Morneau, caught up in a conflict-of-interest investigation with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, was found guilty of breaking election laws.

   Yves Cote, Commissioner of Canada Elections, ruled that before last year’s federal election, Morneau wrongly promoted two prospective Liberal candidates at separate events he headlined as finance minister.

   His actions “promoted the electoral prospects” in these districts, Cote said and “caused the expenses related to these events to benefit the Liberal party,” he added.

   In giving him a $300 fine, Cote said ministers are not to use taxpayer funds for partisan gain.

   Morneau has resigned from politics after repaying $41,000 for trips his family took that were paid by WE Charity where his daughter worked.

   The conflict investigation continues into Trudeau’s family payments from the charity that was given lucrative government work and has now closed in Canada.

    ---

    Amazon plans to open two new “fulfillment centers” in Hamilton and Ajax, Ontario to create 2,500 new, full-time jobs next year.

   Promising “competitive hourly wages and comprehensive benefits,” this will bring Amazon’s total to 10 centers in Ontario and 16 in Canada.

   Amazon recently added five nearby delivery stations in Stoney Creek, Kitchener, Vaughan and Toronto (Etobicoke and Scarborough).

   The stations are creating hundreds of permanent, full-time and part-time jobs, in addition to offering entrepreneurs the opportunity to build their own small businesses delivering Amazon packages, the company said.

   ---

   News in brief:

   - Canada’s central bank has kept its trendsetting interest rate on hold at 0.25 percent.

   The Bank of Canada said it will stay there until inflation is back on target. “It will remain at near-zero until economic slack is absorbed and a two-per-cent inflation target is sustainably achieved,” it said. As well, the bank said it “stands ready to do whatever is necessary to aid the economy as it recuperates from the COVID-19 crisis.” It noted household spending rebounded sharply over the summer.

   - A much different Toronto International Film Festival opened its 10day run for its pandemic version with no crowds and celebrities, fewer screenings and wearing masks. As one of the largest film festivals in the world, it normally attracts about 500,000 people. The show is going on for its 45th edition with some in-person screenings, virtually and pop-up drive-in locations.

    ---

    Facts and figures:

  The Canadian dollar is lower at 75.8 cents U.S. while the U.S. dollar returns $1.31 Canadian 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 higher with the Toronto index at 16,222 points and the TSX Venture index at 734 points.

   The average price for gas in Canada is lower at $1.035 a liter (Canadian) or $3.93 for a U.S. gallon.

   Lotto Max: (Sept. 8) 6, 12, 19, 27, 30, 32 and 44; bonus 18. (Sept. 4) 7, 18, 22, 26, 35, 41 and 50; bonus 11.

   (Lotto 6/49: (Sept. 9) 3, 5, 9, 19, 29 and 37; bonus 42. (Sept. 5) 1, 8, 10,33,34 and 38; bonus 4.

    ---

   Regional briefs:

   -Toronto based Porter Airlines will remain grounded until at least Nov. 12, almost eight months after flights were first halted because of the virus. The decision was due to mandatory quarantines for people entering Canada that are still in force and the Canada-U.S. border and Atlantic Canada travel remain closed. The airline will waive change and cancellation fees on all fares booked through Nov. 12, including vacation packages.

   - Quebec must be the karaoke capital of the world but this form of expression and escapist fun has run afoul of pandemic laws. The Quebec government is banning karaoke after an outbreak at a Quebec City bar linked to dozens of cases. Dr. Horacio Arruda said the combination of droplet-projecting singing, shared microphones and alcohol consumption make karaoke the ideal environment to spread COVID-19. “Karaoke isn’t the problem, it’s management that doesn’t respect the rules,” said performer “Billy Karaoke.”

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 Jim Fox can be reached at canadareport@hotmail.com

Canada orders enough COVID-19 vaccine when avilaable for two shots a person

    Canada column for Sunday, Sept. 6/20

    THE CANADIAN REPORT

   By Jim Fox

    The Canadian government has ordered 75-million doses of COVID-19 vaccine when it becomes available from clinical trials.

   The stockpile is enough vaccine to give at least two doses to every Canadian, said Procurement Minister Anita Anand.

   As well, it is getting ready to receive a similar number of syringes, alcohol swabs and bandages, so Canada will not have to rely on foreign suppliers as before.

   Quebec biopharmaceutical company Medicago has begun Canada’s first human vaccine trials and expects to have the initial results on 180 people by early fall.

   Rather than pandemic panic buying, Canada is seeking a private company to take over the logistics of ordering, receiving, storing and distributing millions of face masks, respirators, surgical gowns and other personal protective equipment.

   Previously Canada faced the “wild west” of trying to find and buy supplies and devices from around the world, said Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland.

    ---

    Even with the billions of dollars in government support, Canadians are getting back into the workforce after devastating job losses due to the pandemic.

   Statistics Canada said the economy added 246,000 jobs in August, the fourth consecutive month of gains, after jobless claims soared in the March and April lockdowns.

   The overall employment total is within 1.1 million of pre-pandemic levels with most gains in full-time work.

   There are also 713,000 people working less than half their usual hours, falling from 2.5 million in April.

   ---

    News in brief:

   - Anxious parents and teachers are wondering if their provinces’ plans and safeguards against the virus will be enough as schools are reopening across Canada. Ontario Premier Doug Ford said his province’s strategy that is “adaptable and flexible” is the best in Canada but he feels some children will get the virus. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said his three children will be back in school this coming week.

   - Two airline passengers were fined $1,000 for refusing to wear face masks on a WestJet flight. Transport Canada said these are the first fines for violating rules meant to prevent the spread of the pandemic. In British Columbia, a U.S. boater was fined $2,000 for entering Canadian waters and failing to follow COVID-19 quarantine measures and for not reporting to border agents.

    ---

    Facts and figures:

  The Canadian dollar is higher at 76.54 cents U.S. while the U.S. dollar returns $1.306 Canadian 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 lower with the Toronto index at 16,218 points and the TSX Venture index 733 points.

   The average price for gas in Canada is lower at $1.054 a liter (Canadian) or $4 for a U.S. gallon.

   Lotto Max: (Sept. 1) 2, 9, 29, 30, 31, 35 and 37; bonus 19. (Aug. 28) 5, 8, 9 28, 32, 48 and 50; bonus 40.

   Lotto 6/49: (Sept. 2) 1, 5, 15, 23, 25 and 31; bonus 40. (Aug. 29) 3, 13, 21, 24, 29 and 40; bonus 35.

    ---

    Regional briefs:

   - The cancellation of the Canadian National Exhibition due to the risk of spreading the virus is a huge financial and emotional blow to Toronto. In business for 142 years, The Ex is an 18-day summer tradition and one of largest fairs in North America with 1.4-million visitors a year. It has an annual impact of $93 million on the city and employs more than 5,000 seasonal workers.

   - The pandemic has forced the Vancouver Aquarium to close and lay off 200 staff members. The move is to save money after months of financial losses. Operator Ocean Wise Conservation Association said it costs $1 million a month to feed and care for the 70,000 animals. Specialized staff, such as veterinarians and biologists, will remain to care for the animals.

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 Jim Fox can be reached at canadareport@hotmail.com