Canada column for
Sunday, March 1/20
THE CANADIAN REPORT
(c) By Jim Fox
Canadians are being
reassured that the risk of contracting novel coronavirus “is low” and health
authorities are ready.
Dr. Theresa Tam, who
heads the Public Health Agency of Canada, said the country has methods to
monitor the possible spread of the virus that are typically used to monitor
influenza.
There are 14
confirmed cases of the virus in Ontario, Quebec and British Columbia that all have links to
international travel, mainly from Iran and China with someone who has recently
returned to the country.
Should
public-health agencies discover the spread of the virus, also known as COVID-19,
they will work quickly to try to contain it, Tam said.
Already Canada is
looking at tracking local spread of the virus along with those linked with
international travel.
This is something
“that all countries should be moving toward as well,” she said.
The public health
agency is taking stock of the need for personal protective equipment and other
supplies to make sure there are enough to go around in case of a pandemic
outbreak.
---
Government officials
have been meeting with the Native Wet’suwet’en hereditary chiefs in British Columbia
to try to resolve an issue that has led to railway and road blockades across
Canada.
The main issues are
demands to stop construction of a natural gas pipeline on Native lands and that
the Mounties leave the territory.
Demands for talks
and a peaceful end to sometimes violent protests were ongoing meetings with federal
Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Carolyn Bennett and British Columbia
Indigenous Relations Minister Scott Fraser.
The hereditary
chiefs want Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and B.C. Premier John Horgan to join
the talks but that hasn’t happened yet.
---
News in brief:
- Canadian
taxpayers will no longer cover the security costs for Prince Harry and Meghan
who now live in British Columbia for half of the year. Government documents
reveal the Mounties have protected the Royal breakaway couple since November
but will soon stop. That happens when the Duke and Duchess of Sussex cease to
be active members of the Royal Family on March 31. The estimated security
costs could range from $10 million to $30 million a year.
- In a most
Canadian of scenes, a Zamboni (ice-resurfacer) driver filled in as an emergency
goalie for the Carolina Hurricanes in a home game against the Toronto Maple
Leafs. David Ayres, 42, was called up when both of the goalies for the
Hurricanes were injured. He helped win the game and became famous, appearing on
U.S. TV shows, has the stick in the Hockey Hall of Fame and has a playing card
with his photo and stats.
---
Facts and figures:
The Canadian dollar
has dropped to 74.6 cents U.S. while the U.S. dollar returns $1.34 Canadian before
exchange fees.
The Bank of Canada’s
key interest rate is steady at 1.75 percent and the prime-lending rate is 3.95 percent.
The Toronto Stock Exchange
index fell 454 points on Friday to 17,263 points while the TSX Venture index was
off 23 points to 497 points.
The average price
for gas in Canada was lower at $1.10 a liter (Canadian) or $4.18 for a U.S.
gallon.
Lotto Max: (Feb.
25) 15, 32, 36, 40, 41, 43 and 48; bonus 10. (Feb. 21) 4, 7, 14, 37, 48, 49 and
50; bonus 28.
Lotto 6/49: (Feb.
26) 8, 25, 34, 35, 36 and 38; bonus 5. (Feb. 22) 2, 7, 26, 33, 46 and 48; bonus
25.
---
Regional briefs:
- From bags to
riches is what happened to Gregory Mathieu, 22, who won a $70-million tax-free
jackpot in the Loto Max draw. The IGA grocery store worker in Levis, Quebec
picked up his check in the full amount to be shared with his family. The IGA
Extra store, where he bought the ticket, receives a $700,000 commission.
- Leonard (Bud)
True who founded the landmark “Bud the Spud” food truck in downtown Halifax 40
years ago has died at age 78. The lunchtime mecca was known for its french
fries, long lineups and the friendly faces. He and his wife Nancy worked as a
team and retired in 2009.
-30-
Jim Fox can be reached at canadareport@hotmail.com
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