Canada column for
Sunday, Oct. 20/19
THE CANADIAN REPORT
(c) By Jim Fox
It’s not being
considered political interference but former U.S. President Barack Obama publicly
endorsed Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in Monday’s election.
“Obama isn’t
interfering in Canada’s election but why did he speak up at all?” asked the
National Post newspaper.
The surprise
endorsement was from a “private citizen, expressing his views on the politics
of another country,” the Toronto-based newspaper said.
“I was proud to work with Justin Trudeau as President. He’s
a hard-working, effective leader who takes on big issues like climate change,”
Obama tweeted.
“The world needs
his progressive leadership now and I hope our neighbors to the north support
him for another term,” he added.
U.S. political
scientist Ian Bremmer said he couldn’t recall when a former president made an
endorsement in a Canadian election.
But it could make a
difference because Obama “remains incredibly popular in Canada,” he said.
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As the 40-day
election campaign races toward a conclusion on Monday, Canadians appear not to be
able to choose a clear winner.
Justin Trudeau’s
ruling Liberals and the Conservatives are tied at 31 percent in polls while the
socialist New Democrats have stalled at 18 percent.
Under Canada’s parliamentary
system, the party electing the most candidates takes office and its leader
becomes the Prime Minister.
Should no party get
a majority in the 338-seat House of Commons, a deal might be sought with the New
Democrats, environmental Greens or the Bloc Quebecois to form a majority in a
coalition government.
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News in brief:
- Air Canada will
keep the controversial Boeing 737 Max planes grounded through Feb. 14 to await
additional tests. This extension to ground 24 airplanes creates uncertainty
around the aircraft’s return. The plane was grounded worldwide in mid-March after
two crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia that killed 346 people.
- Deportation
proceedings for 6,600 people are on hold as Canada tries to cope with an influx
of illegal refugees. They continue flooding across remote border sites from the
U.S. Canada Border Services Agency said 843 people had been removed, 67 await deportation
and 45,000 more have requested asylum in the past two years.
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Facts and figures:
The Canadian dollar
is higher at 76.17 cents U.S. while the U.S. dollar returns $1.312 Canadian before
bank exchange fees.
The Bank of Canada’s
key interest rate remains at 1.75 percent while the prime-lending rate is 3.95 percent.
Canadian stock markets are mixed with the Toronto
exchange index down at 16,317 points and the TSX Venture index up at 542
points.
The average price for gas in Canada is lower at
$1.16 a liter or $4.40 (Canadian) for a U.S. gallon.
Lotto Max: (Oct. 15) 17, 18, 22, 27, 29, 31 and
34; bonus 8. (Oct. 11) 1, 3, 11, 13, 19, 22 and 46; bonus 31. Lotto 6/49: (Oct.
16) 2, 4, 9, 24, 44 and 45; bonus 18. (Oct. 12) 13, 16, 25, 32, 33 and 41;
bonus 2.
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Regional briefs:
- Some 5,000
Canadian General Motors workers could return to work in the next week now there’s
a tentative agreement to end the GM strike in the U.S. The Canadian workers were
laid off at GM plants and parts suppliers as the one-month long U.S. strike
brought production to a halt across North America.
- Montreal wants grocery
chains and other stores to no longer toss out edible food and useful clothing.
It’s part of its five-year plan to significantly reduce waste. “Perfectly good consumable
items” shouldn’t end up in the trash when people are going hungry, said
Councillor Laurence Lavigne Lalonde. The city wants producers and grocers to
donate the food or ensure it’s composted.
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