Canada column for
Sunday, Aug. 13/17
THE CANADIAN REPORT
(c) By Jim Fox
The sudden influx
of refugee-seekers at Canada’s doorstep on the Quebec-New York border has
prompted the opening of more shelters in Montreal.
Canada’s
Immigration and Refugee Board has established 25 processing tents at the border
and arranged to house migrants inside Montreal’s Olympic Stadium, a former
convent and the old Royal Victoria Hospital.
The recent surge of
asylum-seekers, many of whom are from Haiti and are fleeing from the U.S. over
fears of deportation, led to “more aggressive action” to deal with the
situation, said Shereen Benzvy Miller, head of the refugee protection division.
Hundreds of people
rallied outside the stadium and shouted “refugees welcome” in Creole.
“This is a vast,
rich country that can welcome many, many people who are in bad situations and
can’t stay in their own countries,” organizer Serge Bouchereau said.
The agency has also
dedicated 20 of its members for speedier handling of the arrivals of which
there were 1,798 people in the first week of this month at Hemmingford, Quebec.
Canada Border
Services is trying to process the arrivals within a few days to await their
claims to be heard by the immigration board as they settle across the country.
---
There are reports
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau played a key role in securing the release from a
North Korean prison of a Canadian pastor known for his humanitarian work.
Hyeon Soo Lim was
released on what state media described as “sick bail” after being given a life
sentence with hard labour in 2015.
He was arrested for
harming the dignity of North Korea’s supreme leader and trying to use religion
to destroy the country’s beliefs.
Lim is a pastor
with the Light Korean Presbyterian Church in Mississauga, Ontario and planned
to attend services today.
---
News in brief:
- Influential Saskatchewan
premier Brad Wall, 51, said he plans to retire from politics. After a decade in
office, Wall said he believes “renewal will be good for the province.” He plans
to stay on as the province’s leader and politician representing Swift Current until
his successor is chosen in a leadership race. His Saskatchewan Party has won
three consecutive provincial elections.
- Netflix is
raising its monthly fees in Canada just as CBS announces plans to enter the Canadian
market. CBS All Access streaming service is to start next year while CraveTV,
owned by Bell Media, and Amazon Prime Video are major competitors. Netflix’s premium
plan goes up $2 to $13.99 a month, standard plan up $1 at $10.99 and the basic
plan with no high-definition video and one streaming screen rises $1 to $8.99.
---
Facts and figures:
Canada’s dollar has
dipped to 78.87 cents U.S. while the U.S. dollar returns $1.267 in Canadian funds
before exchange fees.
The Bank of Canada’s key interest rate is steady
at 0.75 percent while the prime-lending rate is 2.95 percent.
Stock markets are lower, with the Toronto
exchange index at 15,033 points while the TSX Venture index is 762 points.
The average price for gas in Canada has risen
to $1.09 a liter or $4.14 (Canadian) for a U.S. gallon.
Lotto 6/49: (Aug. 9) 16, 23, 28, 38, 41 and 43; bonus
19. (Aug. 5) 18, 21, 36, 41, 45 and 47; bonus 17. Lotto Max (Aug. 4) 1, 4, 11, 17,
27, 36 and 37; bonus 47.
---
Regional briefs:
- Bloc Quebecois
Leader Martine Ouellet said a proposed nuclear waste disposal site on land
around Chalk River Laboratories is too close to the Ottawa River in the event
of a leak. Many Quebecers get their drinking water from the river and an
incident could be catastrophic, he said, adding that radioactivity “can't be
cleaned up.” The company produces medical and commercial isotopes and is owned
by the federal government.
- British Columbia
forest fires have forced 7,000 people from their homes and thousands more are
on evacuation alert. In the province’s worst wildfire season since the 1940s,
148 fires continue to burn, with 28 new ones from lightning strikes. With poor
weekend fire conditions, access to the backcountry has been banned in a large area
of the province.
-30-
Jim Fox can be reached at canadareport@hotmail.com
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