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News from Connect2Canada
C2C Podcast with U.S. Congressman Jim Oberstar
The Connect2Canada Team
Congressman Jim Oberstar is a Member of the U.S. House of Representatives for the State of Minnesota and the Chairman of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. He joins us to discuss his role as co-Chair of the Congressional Friends of Canada Caucus and the Canada-United States Inter-Parliamentary Group.
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Special Features
Canada Celebrates Human Rights Day
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada
The Honourable Lawrence Cannon, Minister of Foreign Affairs, today commemorated the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
“On December 10, 1948, the United Nations adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The international community agreed and affirmed for the first time that everyone, regardless of colour, race, ethnicity or religious affiliation, has the right to basic dignity and justice.
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U.S., Ukraine, and Canada Complete Major Joint Border Security and Nonproliferation Effort
Friday, December 05, 2008
National Nuclear Security Administration
The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), Administration of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine (ASBGS) and Canada’s Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT) held a ceremony at Ukraine’s Kyiv Boryspil International Airport today to commission the operation of radiation detection equipment. Today’s ceremony also recognized the effective ongoing cooperation between the United States, Ukraine, and Canada in preventing illicit trafficking of nuclear and radioactive material across Ukrainian borders.
“We appreciate both Ukraine’s commitment and Canada’s contribution to advancing our common international security goals,” said NNSA Principal Assistant Deputy Administrator for Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation Kenneth Baker at the ceremony. “The commissioning of the radiation detection system at Kyiv Boryspil International Airport represents an important step forward in increasing transcontinental security. We will continue to strengthen our cooperation as we work together to complete installation of the radiation detection systems at other sites in Ukraine.”
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Advisory Panel Releases Final Report on Canada's International Tax System
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Canada News Centre
Today, the Advisory Panel on Canada's System of International Taxation provided its recommendations to the Minister of Finance in its final report, Enhancing Canada's International Tax Advantage. The Advisory Panel was formed by the Government of Canada in November 2007 to provide recommendations to improve Canada's international tax policy respecting foreign investment by Canadian businesses and investment into Canada by foreign businesses.
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International News
Obama security advisor is a fan of Canada
Monday, December 08, 2008
Matthew Fisher, The National Post
Canada has an admirer in James Jones, the former Marine Corps commandant and supreme commander of NATO whom president-elect Barack Obama chose last week as his national security advisor.
Jones has spoken of how impressed he was by Canada's army when it shifted from Kabul to Kandahar in the spring of 2006.
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Get close to Obama on economy and security, paper says
Tuesday, December 09, 2008
Gloria Galloway
A group of influential foreign-affairs experts wants Prime Minister Stephen Harper to develop a close friendship with president-elect Barack Obama and forge deeper ties between Canada and the United States.
The belief that Canada should not get too close to its giant neighbour is the "mantra of elites," and most Canadians do not share such fears, says a blueprint for engagement between the two countries that was released yesterday by the Canada-U.S. Project.
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UN head urges investment in fighting climate change
Thursday, December 11, 2008
CBC News
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Thursday warned the world against backsliding in the fight against climate change amid the global financial crisis, calling for a renewed sense of urgency in facing "the defining challenge of our era."
Ban spoke at an international climate conference in Poznan, Poland, as some 145 environment ministers and other top officials gathered to help push forward efforts to secure agreement next year on a new worldwide treaty to cut greenhouse gas emissions, which would take effect in 2013.
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Les honneurs pour Louise Arbour
Mercredi 10 décembre 2008
Radio-Canada
Il y 60 ans, le 10 décembre 1948, les 58 pays membres de l'Assemblée générale des Nations unies à l'époque adoptaient le texte de la Déclaration universelle des droits de l'homme au Palais de Chaillot à Paris.
Plusieurs événements étaient prévus, mercredi, dans le monde pour célébrer cet événement. À New York, au siège des Nations unies, l'ex-haute-commissaire des Nations Unies aux droits de l'homme Louise Arbour a reçu le prix des Nations unies pour la cause des droits de l'homme.
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Air support to bolster mission in Afghanistan
Monday, December 08, 2008
The National Post
A Canadian Air Wing is set to expand the country's military presence in Afghanistan, with six helicopters, two cargo planes and two unmanned drones patrolling the skies.
Military officials hope it will reduce the number of road patrols for Canadian soldiers. Those patrols have resulted in the majority of deaths for Canadian soldiers, as insurgents often rely on roadside bombs to attack NATO forces.
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Business and Trade
Flaherty says an auto bailout can be done
Monday, December 08, 2008
Jamie Sturgeon and Nick Van Praet, Canada.com
Canada's finance minister said Monday that a request by the Detroit-three automakers for $6 billion in emergency aid from the Ontario and federal governments is "capable of being dealt with," but cautioned that all company stakeholders will have to make concessions before funding is disbursed.
Jim Flaherty said federal and Ontario officials are reviewing the viability plans submitted Friday by the Canadian arms of General Motors Corp., Ford Motor Co. and Chrysler LLC as a condition for aid.
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Canadian companies least corrupt in world: Report
Tuesday, December 09, 2008
Peter ONeil, The National Post
Companies from Canada and Belgium are viewed as the least likely to engage in corrupt practices in their overseas business dealings, according to a new report issued Tuesday.
The two countries were tied for first in a survey by Berlin-based Transparency International of the perceived business activities of companies from the world's top 22 countries in terms of international trade and investment.
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Canada reaches aviation pact with European Union
Tuesday, December 09, 2008
CTV
The European Union and Canada have reached a landmark deal to open up their air services markets to each other.
EU Transport Commissioner Antonio Tajani says the pact will lead to more transatlantic trade and spur competition in the air services sector.
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Enbridge, TransCanada seen as solid oil patch bets
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Hyun Young Lee, The National Post
Enbridge Inc. (ENB/TSX) is rethinking plans after pipeline rival Trans-Canada Corp. (TRP/TSX) won the race this summer to link Alberta with the U. S. Gulf Coast, but analysts are bullish on shares of both companies.
Last week, Calgary-based Enbridge said it is looking at reversing existing pipeline flows to send oil sands crude to the U. S. East Coast and Europe. Dubbed Trailbreaker, the plan had originally been devised to ship Alberta's crude by tanker to the Gulf Coast after failing to drum up interest for a direct pipeline link.
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Canadian autoworkers praised by ambassador
Tuesday, December 09, 2008
Chris Vander Doelen, The Windsor Star
It's not often an ambassador attends the opening of an automotive assembly plant. But then, Toyota is not just another corporate behemoth, said Tsuneo Nishida, Japanese ambassador to Canada.
"Toyota is Japan's emblematic company," Nishida explained in a speech to nearly 3,000 employees and guests at the opening of the Woodstock plant. "It is the future of my country," he concluded in almost touching praise of the company.
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Housing slump leading to more affordable homes: RBC
Tuesday, December 09, 2008
Eric Beauchesne, Canada.com
Housing is starting to become more affordable across Canada, the country's largest bank said Monday.
RBC's third-quarter housing report was issued amid news from Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. that housing construction starts took a larger-than-expected dive in November to seven-year low of 172,000 units, and a warning of continued weakness through the next year.
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Canadian News
Ignatieff steps up, Harper reaches out
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Campbell Clark and Gloria Galloway, The Globe and Mail
Stephen Harper reached out to incoming Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff yesterday to ask for co-operation on the economy, as the Grits sealed a quick leadership change that would strengthen their hand for a possible election, but leave the door open to compromise.
Mr. Ignatieff, expected to be crowned as Liberal leader today, enters the post with a mission to rebuild his party's readiness for an election as his priority, while keeping the option of a coalition with the NDP in his back pocket as a means to extract budget concessions in January.
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Assemblée nationale: 37 nouveaux venus et 12 retours
Jeudi 11 décembre 2008
Malorie Beauchemin, The Toronto Star
L'Assemblée nationale comptera près du tiers de nouveaux visages à la rentrée parlementaire, cet hiver, en plus du retour de plusieurs anciens députés. Des maires, des conseillers, des avocats, des jeunes, ils seront 37 à mettre les pieds pour la première fois au Salon bleu en tant que députés.
Au Parti québécois, le renouveau est grand et les grosses pointures, nombreuses. Cinq députés avaient annoncé leur départ avant le déclenchement des élections, 20 nouveaux venus feront leur entrée au sein du caucus.
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Government had right to spend EI surplus to balance books: top court
Thursday, December 11, 2008
CBC News
Canada's top court ruled on Thursday that the federal government acted constitutionally when it spent an employment insurance surplus on balancing the books.
The ruling found that it does fall within the federal government's purview to use the EI funds as it wishes, whether to pay down the debt or use on social programs relating to jobless workers.
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Chantal Petitclerc named athlete of the year
Tuesday, December 09, 2008
The Toronto Star
After winning five gold medals at the 2008 Beijing Paralympic Games, wheelchair racer Chantal Petitclerc has today been awarded the Lou Marsh Trophy as Canada’s top athlete this year.
A panel made up of sports journalists and luminaries from around the country judges the award, named for the former Toronto Star sports editor. This year, former Olympic rower and 1991 Lou Marsh winner Silken Laumann headed the awards committee.
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Fewer young Canadians in prison
Tuesday, December 09, 2008
Janice Tibbetts, The National Post
The number of young people incarcerated in Canada has dropped a dramatic 36% in the past five years, driven mainly by changes to young offender laws that focus on rehabilitation rather than custody for all but the most serious crimes.
Statistics Canada reported on Tuesday that the Youth Criminal Justice Act is responsible for the dip, while the incarceration rate for adults inched upward for the third straight year.
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Regina contemplating new domed stadium, says premier
Thursday, December 11, 2008
CBC News
The dream of a new, domed stadium for the Saskatchewan Roughriders — one that might cost $100 million or more — is again generating some buzz in Regina.
According to Premier Brad Wall, the City of Regina has approached the province about building a new, covered stadium to replace Mosaic Stadium, where the Roughriders play now.
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Opinion/Editorial
Double crise, double défi
Lundi 8 décembre 2008
Brigitte Breton, La Presse
La conférence de Poznan qui se déroule jusqu'à vendredi sera l'occasion pour les chefs d'État de montrer avec quelle force ils comptent lutter contre les changements climatiques. Avec la crise économique qui sévit, la tentation sera forte de baisser les bras. Ce serait un bien mauvais calcul.
Avant même que les grandes économies ne commencent à s'essouffler, les dirigeants de la planète étaient déjà déchirés. Comment diminuer la pollution et les émissions de gaz à effet de serre sans nuire au développement économique, sans effrayer les investisseurs?
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Keep energy relations warm
Monday, December 08, 2008
André Plourde, Ottawa Citizen
Take the initiative; don’t threaten. As far as energy relations are concerned, Canada can not only seize opportunities offered by an Obama presidency, but can create new opportunities by acting smartly on a few selected policy fronts.
Regulatory co-operation offers one such possibility. By seeking to work jointly with U.S. energy regulators, Canada can act to reduce the transaction costs associated with the approval and permitting processes for cross-border energy-related infrastructure, while securing benefits associated with the construction and operation of such facilities. Pipeline projects to transport Alaska-produced natural gas and Alberta-produced crude oil to markets in the lower 48 states are obvious cases in point. The same type of argument can be made about investments in electricity transmission capacity linking Canada and the United States.
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