U.S. "war dodgers" want right to remain in Canada

   Canada column for Sunday, July 24/16

   THE CANADIAN REPORT

   (c) By Jim Fox

   U.S. soldiers who fled to Canada rather than fight the war in Iraq are urging Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to let them remain in the country.

   Marine Corporal Dean Walcott, who has lived in Ontario since 2006, said he is “shocked and dismayed” court cases are still pending.

   Jeremy Brockway, another Marine, came to Canada in 2007 with severe post-traumatic stress syndrome to “save his life,” wife Ashlea said.

   Trudeau earlier expressed support for the two dozen or so remaining war dodgers and said the government was looking into the issue.

   His father, the late prime minister Pierre Trudeau, gave sanctuary to about 100,000 U.S. deserters and draft dodgers in the 1960s.

   War resister Rodney Watson, who has a Canadian-born son, has spent almost seven years in a church sanctuary in Vancouver to avoid deportation.

   Michelle Robidoux of the War Resisters Support Campaign said U.S. soldiers who sought refuge in Canada should be welcome to stay.

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Senate expenses scandal winding down with charges withdrawn

   Canada column for Sunday, July 17/16

   THE CANADIAN REPORT

   (c) By Jim Fox

   The highly publicized Senate expenses scandal resulting in criminal charges against several Canadian senators has come sputtering to an end with the last fraud case dropped.

   “It’s official, I’m back in the Senate,” said an elated Sen. Patrick Brazeau.

   He had just learned that prosecutors were withdrawing fraud and breach of trust charges concerning his expense claims.

   Assistant Crown Attorney Suzanne Schriek told Judge Robert Maranger the prosecution believes there was no longer any “reasonable prospect of conviction” after the acquittal of Sen. Mike Duffy in April on similar charges.

   “Having seen the ‘proof’ against me, what a waste of time and taxpayer’s money – perhaps that’s the real scandal,” Brazeau said.

   The Senate ordered Brazeau to repay $55,000 in housing expenses and continues to pursue others for amounts it believes were inappropriately claimed.

   After Duffy’s high-profile, 62-day trial in which he was acquitted of fraud, breach of trust and bribery, the Senate dropped charges against retired Sen. Mac Harb.

   Police then decided not to proceed with any charges against Sen. Pamela Wallin whose expense claims were under review.

Unite-the-right movement launched in Alberta by Jason Kenney

   Canada column for Sunday, July 10/16

   THE CANADIAN REPORT

   (c) By Jim Fox

   Federal Member of Parliament Jason Kenney is calling on former prime minister Stephen Harper to help him “unite-the-right” in Alberta.

   The Calgary politician has decided against making a bid to succeed Harper as Conservative leader to instead seek to become leader of the party in the western province.

   He plans to resign from his federal position on Oct. 1 when the Alberta leadership race begins.

   An endorsement from Harper would be “more than welcome” to unite Alberta’s right-wing parties – the Conservatives and Wildrose.

   This would be an attempt to defeat the ruling socialist New Democrats led by Premier Rachel Notley in the 2019 election.

   A merged “free-enterprise party” would bring back the “Alberta Advantage” slogan of the long-gone days of balanced budgets and huge oil and gas revenue surpluses that are under attack by the New Democrats’ policies, Kenney said.

   Other measures would include scrapping the planned carbon tax and review the government’s moves to cancel the flat income tax system and raise corporate taxes.

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Love-in for Trudeau and Obama at the "Three Amigos" gathering in Ottawa

   Canada column for Sunday, July 3/16

   THE CANADIAN REPORT

   (c) By Jim Fox

   U.S. President Barach Obama heaped praise on Canada and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, while calling for more defense spending as the “three amigos” met in Ottawa.

   “If I can borrow a phrase, the world needs more Canada. NATO needs more Canada. We need you,” Obama said in an address to Parliament.

   His rousing speech was greeted by Canadian politicians chanting “four more years” to the outgoing U.S. president, knowing it isn’t a possibility unlike Canada.

   The heartfelt comments came before Canada Day on Friday that marked the country’s 149th birthday as Trudeau hosted Obama and Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto.

   “The enduring partnership between Canada and the United States is as strong as it has ever been and we are more closely aligned than ever before,” Obama said.

   Trudeau, who was elected prime minister last October, has brought “new energy and hope” to the cross-border relationship, he added.

   Obama then bluntly called on Canada and other NATO allies to contribute their “full share to our common security” in military spending and action.

   The three North American leaders pledged to enhance deeper continental integration in trade and find new initiatives on battling climate change and cleaner energy sources.

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Economic losses surpass $1 billion from Alberta wildfire

   Canada column for Sunday, June 26/16

   THE CANADIAN REPORT

   By Jim Fox

   The economic toll from the massive wildfire that devastated Fort McMurray, Alberta could cost the oil sands industry more than $1.4 billion.

   While the losses continue to add up, local councilors have unpopularly voted themselves big pay increases to cover their increased workload due to last month’s fire.

   The Athabasca oil sands’ community’s 80,000 residents were forced to leave and 2,400 houses and businesses were destroyed.

   The oil industry estimated a loss of 30 million barrels and it is taking longer than expected to restart operations because of damage and clogged pipelines.

   Suncor Energy could end up losing $1 billion over lost production, an Edmonton refinery outage that led to gasoline shortages in Western Canada and restarting costs, analysts said.

   Paul Cheng of Barclays said about half of the 1 million barrels a day of interrupted production has been restored.

   Councilors from the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo, which includes Fort McMurray, voted 7-4 to pay Mayor Melissa Blake and three of its members $150,000 a year to work full time on a recovery committee.

   The seven other part-time councilors’ pay will increase to $75,000 a year from $36,000.

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Walmart Canada and Visa in a battle over fees; will drop card

   Canada column for Sunday, June 19/16

   THE CANADIAN REPORT

   By Jim Fox

   Walmart Canada has taken its battle with Visa over what it calls high credit card fees directly to its customers.

   The U.S.-based retail giant said that due to “unacceptably high fees” it will stop accepting Visa cards beginning July 18 in Thunder Bay, Ontario and expand the ban to its more than 400 Canadian stores.

   Walmart said it is trying to trim the more than $100 million in fees it pays annually for accepting credit cards.

   Visa stepped up the feud with newspaper ads accusing Walmart of using consumers as pawns.

   “Walmart is unfairly dragging millions of Canadian consumers into the middle of a business disagreement that can and should be resolved between our companies,” it said.

   Visa said it offered Walmart one of the lowest rates of any merchant in Canada but that hasn’t been enough.

   Fees charged to businesses – generally between 1.5 percent and 4 percent – have long been an issue and the Retail Council of Canada is calling on the federal government to legislate lower rates.

   Walmart has its own branded MasterCard but has not said whether this might be part of the issue.

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House price acceleration a concern in Toronto, Vancouver

   Canada column for Sunday, June 12/16

   THE CANADIAN REPORT

   (c) By Jim Fox

   Soaring double-digit house price increases in Vancouver and Toronto are putting many buyers out of the market and are being called “unsustainable.”

   Bank of Canada Governor Stephen Poloz expressed concern for the economy as the average price for single-family houses in the two cities is more than $1 million.

   Fueled by foreign buyers seeking safe havens for their wealth, the climbing real estate prices have outpaced local economic fundamentals such as job creation, immigration and income growth, the central bank governor warned.

   There is growing evidence prices are reacting to “self-reinforcing” expectations among prospective buyers and lenders that property values will keep rising, Poloz said.

   In reality, there is the “possibility” that prices could decline in these circumstances, he said while releasing an assessment on the state of Canada’s financial stability.

   Evidence “continues to accumulate” of a coming market correction but the possibility of it triggering a severe recession remains low, Poloz said.

   Year-over-year house prices have risen 30 percent in the greater Vancouver area while Toronto prices are up 15 percent in the past six months as household debit is increasing, the bank said.