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Special Features
Canada and U.S. Renew Emergency Management Cooperation Agreement
Friday, December 12, 2008
Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada
The Honourable Lawrence Cannon, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and the Honourable Peter Van Loan, Minister of Public Safety, today welcomed the renewal of the Agreement Between the Government of Canada and the Government of the United States of America on Emergency Management Cooperation.
Minister Cannon and U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice signed the Agreement, which reinforces existing collaboration between the two countries in responding to various emergency situations, in Washington, D.C., today.
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Minister Prentice meets with Senator John Kerry at the UN Climate Change Conference
Friday, December 12, 2008
Environment Canada
The Honourable Jim Prentice, Minister of the Environment, met with United States Senator John Kerry at the UN Climate Change Conference. From December 1-12, 2008, nearly 8,000 participants from more than 190 countries met in Poznan, Poland for the United Nations 14th session of the Conference of the Parties
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Minister Cannon Comments on Missing Canadians in Niger
Monday, December 15, 2008
Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada
The Honourable Lawrence Cannon, Minister of Foreign Affairs, today made the following statement:
“The Government of Canada has been made aware of two Canadian citizens and a Niger national who have been reported missing in Niger. At this point, we can confirm that Ambassador Robert Fowler, the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General of the United Nations to Niger, and Louis Guay, a Canadian diplomat working for the UN in support of Ambassador Fowler, have been reported missing.
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International News
Cannon, Rice meet to discuss economic crisis
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Lee-Anne Goodman, The Canadian Press
There are no plans to extend Canada's mission in Afghanistan despite a suggestion from America's top military official that Canadian troops should stay longer, Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon said yesterday.
"Our combat mission in Afghanistan will end in 2011 as was previously indicated and there is no change in that position,'' Cannon said after meeting with Condoleezza Rice, outgoing U.S. secretary of state.
He was reiterating the Conservative government's rejection of calls for the Canadians to stay from U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates during his visit to Afghanistan earlier this week.
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Outgoing U.S. ambassador reflects on Canadian experience in Sun Media exclusive
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Greg Weston, Toronto Sun
U.S. Ambassador David Wilkins leans forward on the leather sofa, shakes his head in feigned disbelief and cracks a wry smile, recalling the day he accidentally accused Canadian officials of smuggling guns into their own country.
It happened during one of his first Canadian television interviews as George W. Bush's new rep in Ottawa, when Wilkins was asked what the U.S. was going to do about the flood of American guns drawing blood in our streets.
The first-time diplomat meant to say it was mainly a problem for the Canadian government — namely, Canadian citizens smuggling weapons through Canadian customs. But what slipped past his lips instead of "citizens" was Canadian "officials" were running guns, a comment easily the stuff of diplomatic firestorms.
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Canada to seek Security Council seat
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Marianne White, Ottawa Citizen
Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon made a strong pitch yesterday to world diplomats to garner their support for Canada's bid to win a rotating seat on the United Nations Security Council.
Mr. Cannon confirmed that Canada is actively campaigning for a spot on the UN's top governing body for a two year-term starting in 2011. Critics had accused the Conservative government of being reluctant to lobby to return to the body.
Mr. Cannon stressed that Canada has made major contributions to the United Nations in areas such as peace, security, human rights, economic and social development and humanitarian assistance.
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Un Afghano-Canadien à la tête de Kandahar
Jeudi 18 décembre 2008
Radio-Canada
C'est un Afghano-Canadien qui serait le prochain gouverneur de la province de Kandahar. Cette province où servent les soldats canadiens a été dirigée par deux gouverneurs au cours des huit derniers mois.
Ahmad Wali Karzai, le frère du président afghan, a affirmé que Tooryalai Wesa a accepté l'offre lors d'une rencontre à Kaboul jeudi. Le futur gouverneur arriverait vendredi à Kandahar et serait officiellement assermenté samedi.
En raison du refus de plusieurs candidats d'envergure en Afghanistan, le président Karzai aurait cherché à trouver un candidat parmi les expatriés.
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Afghan war dog coming to Canada
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Ethan Baron, Vancouver Province
An Afghan war dog that has protected NATO soldiers fighting here is moving on to a more peaceful life in Canada.
The friendly white dog named Mushe, whose furry mug was splashed across Canadian newspapers in mid-November, will go to live on an Ontario farm next spring when the two military police soldiers who have adopted her finish their tours.
Mushe has become a life-protecting companion for those soldiers, their comrades, and an Afghan police detachment at their small outpost in one of the most violent areas of southern Afghanistan. She goes on patrol, entering compounds before the soldiers and police, barking if anyone is there. She keeps Afghan men of fighting age at bay, letting only small children near the soldiers and police.
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Business and Trade
Clement says governments agree on aid package for Canadian auto industry
Friday, December 12, 2008
Kristine Owram, Canadian Business
The federal and Ontario governments have agreed to provide up to $3.3 billion for the Canadian auto industry, but the bailout comes with the potential for thousands of job cuts.
Federal Industry Minister Tony Clement said late Friday the two Canadian governments have agreed to provide the equivalent of 20 per cent of the US$14 billion that the Bush administration is considering in emergency aid for General Motors, Ford and Chrysler.
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Loonie at highest level in 5 weeks against greenback
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Frank Pingue, Financial Post
The Canadian dollar closed at its highest level in 5 weeks against the U.S. dollar Tuesday as a decision by the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates by more than expected rattled the greenback.
Domestic bond prices finished comfortably higher across the curve as unorthodox steps by the Fed to grapple with the credit crisis sparked talk that the Bank of Canada could adopt an even more aggressive tone than it already has.
The Canadian dollar closed at $1.2018 to the U.S. dollar, or 83.21 U.S. cents, up 2.5% from $1.2317 to the U.S. dollar, or 81.19 U.S. cents, at Monday's close.
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Flaherty appoints economic advisory council
Thursday, December 18, 2008
CBC News
Finance Minister Jim Flaherty said Thursday he will meet with "eminent" Canadians — most of whom are prominent business leaders — to seek advice on the federal budget and the economy.
Speaking at a Saskatoon news conference, he said members of the 11-member advisory panel have agreed to provide their insight for a dollar a year.
"This is a council that I wanted to appoint as part of the pre-budget consultations and then on an ongoing basis because of the continuing deterioration in the world economy, the U.S. economy affecting our economy, and the deterioration in commodity prices as well," Flaherty told reporters.
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Export numbers strong
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Bruce Johnstone, Regina Leader- Post
Saskatchewan exporters and manufacturers are outperforming most of their counterparts this year, as exports nearly doubled and manufacturing sales increased 16 per cent in October over last year, according to Statistics Canada data released Tuesday.
Total international exports in the first 10 months topped $27 billion, up from $10 billion during the same period last year and breaking the previous record for total exports of $20 billion, set in 2007.
Enterprise and Innovation Minister Lyle Stewart said exports for Saskatchewan have already exceeded last year's record pace, with two months remaining on the calendar. "Exports are (posting) phenomenal numbers,'' Stewart said in an interview.
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Quebecor World: les Péladeau démissionnent
Jeudi 18 décembre 2008
Martin Vallières, La Presse Affaires
Les frères Péladeau coupent les liens pour de bon chez l'imprimeur Quebecor World (IQW) fondé par leur père, mais qui est en protection de faillite depuis janvier dernier.
Pierre Karl Péladeau, président de Quebecor inc., son frère Érik et deux de leurs principaux adjoints, Jean Neveu et Jean La Couture, ont démissionné de leur poste au conseil d'administration de Quebecor World.
La raison officielle invoquée: les réclamations financières et les litiges juridiques qui perdurent entre Quebecor World et le groupe Quebecor, malgré son statut de principal actionnaire avec 75% des droits de vote.
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Canadian News
Un nouveau cabinet de 26 ministres
Vendredi 12 décembre 2008
Denis Lessard, La Presse
Jean Charest fait passer son conseil des ministres de 18 à 26 sièges et les ministres les plus importants échappent au jeu de la chaise musicale.
Monique Jérôme-Forget prêtera sa «sacoche» des finances publiques à une autre Monique. Monique Gagnon-Tremblay qui deviendra sous peu la présidente du Conseil du Trésor, le poste qu'elle avait demandé à Jean Charest, qui a toujours obtempéré aux attentes de sa marraine politique.
Avec la crise économique qui se pointe le nez, les décisions difficiles incontournables, le choix de Mme Gagnon-Tremblay en surprendra plus d'un.
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New border technology to get demonstration at Detroit-Windsor crossing
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Candian Press
New technology that will be used to read identification cards at border crossings between the United States and Canada will be demonstrated at Detroit's Ambassador Bridge.
Michigan Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land will join federal officials in a demonstration of the radio-frequency identification technology Wednesday at the port of Detroit
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Bush peppered envoy with queries on crisis
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Jane Taber, Globe and Mail
George W. Bush, the U.S. President, is taking a real interest in the parliamentary crisis in Ottawa and how his friend "Harper" is faring through all of it.
"There is no doubt that Bush likes Harper," U.S. Ambassador David Wilkins said of Prime Minister Stephen Harper. Prorogation was on the President's mind when Mr. Wilkins visited him in the Oval Office this month, the ambassador said yesterday in a lengthy interview. "He asked about the Prime Minister [whom he referred to as Harper] and how he was doing, and he asked about the proroguing," Mr. Wilkins said about his conversation with the President.
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Tory bid to bolster Arctic presence must get 'back on track': MacKay
Monday, December 15, 2008
Mike Blanchfield, Canwest News Service
The Conservative government's high-profile plan to buy $10-billion worth of new Navy ships -- including a fleet of Arctic icebreakers -- needs to get "back on track," Defence Minister Peter MacKay says.
This is growing urgent because Arctic ice is melting more quickly than expected, opening up new polar sea routes that will test Canada's sovereignty aspirations in the Far North.
Mr. MacKay singled out possible naval encroachments from Russia and China, saying, "We have to be diligent."
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Ontario to gain seats in Parliament
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Karen Howlett, Globe and Mail
Ontario will no longer be shortchanged under the Harper government's plan to add new seats to the House of Commons, says Premier Dalton McGuinty.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper has agreed to revise his proposed legislation, which is designed to reflect population growth across Canada by adding new seats to the 308 currently in the Commons, Mr. McGuinty said on Thursday.
“I spoke to Harper about this, and I think we fixed it,” Mr. McGuinty said at a year-end news conference.
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Antarctic adventurers with a cause
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Diana Mehta, Globe and Mail
Andrea Peckart received a birthday phone call from the Antarctic the other day. It was from her older brother Steve, one of four middle-aged Hamilton-area businessmen braving strong winds and brutal temperatures to raise money for children's programs in their communities.
The South Pole for Kids expedition, made up of Ms. Peckart's brother, Steve Stipsits, and his friends Fred Losani, Peter Turkstra and Mark MacLennan, set out for the Antarctic on Nov. 27 and has raised $456,000 to date during a 200-kilometre journey on cross-country skis.
"It's had its ups and downs. Steve's got a bad cough, but they're within sight of the [South] Pole," Ms. Peckart said.
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Opinion/Editorial
Friends in need
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Ottawa Citizen
Canadians who live within driving distance of the Canada-U.S. border -- and that is most of us -- don't need formal trade agreements on state visits to remind us who our closest friends are, in every sense of the word.
But once in a while something comes along that reminds us just how important it is to have neighbours you can rely on. For many Eastern Ontario and Quebec residents, one of those events was the ice storm of 1998. Among work crews who came to help restore power to those without, were some from other parts of Canada and many from the U.S.
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On veut la paix!
Dimanche 14 décembre 2008
Pierre-Paul Gagné, La Presse
Pourrait-on arrêter l'actualité quelques jours, le temps de vivre la période des Fêtes en paix?
C'est fou ce qui est arrivé depuis le début de l'automne. Il y a d'abord eu les élections fédérales, en même temps que la crise économique mondiale commençait à faire sentir ses effets un peu partout sur la planète. Pendant ce temps-là, on suivait également la passionnante campagne électorale américaine.
Puis est arrivée la tout aussi passionnante (?) campagne électorale québécoise, puis la crise parlementaire à Ottawa, puis la démission «définitive» de Stéphane Dion, puis celle de Mario Dumont, puis l'arrivée de Michael Ignatieff à la tête du PLC, puis, puis, puis... ARRÊTEZ! On veut se reposer! Y a-t-il moyen d'avoir la paix cinq minutes!
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The Connect2Canada team produces NewsCan as a weekly summary of Canadian news. If you have comments or suggestions, please email us at newscan@canadianembassy.org.
The articles appearing in this newsletter have been collected from various Canadian and American news websites. Articles appear in the language in which they were published.
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