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Climate Change in the Northwest Passage
The Connect2Canada Team
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Special Features
Third Quarterly Report on Afghanistan Released
Wednesday, March 04, 2009
Government of Canada
Today, the Honourable Stockwell Day, Minister of International Trade and Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway and Chair of the Cabinet Committee on Afghanistan, and the Honourable Beverley J. Oda, Minister of International Cooperation and Vice-Chair of the Cabinet Committee on Afghanistan, released the Government’s third quarterly report on Canada’s engagement in Afghanistan. This report covers the last quarter of 2008 and outlines the challenges and progress that has been made in achieving our goals in that country.
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Minister Cannon Concludes Successful Middle East Visit
Monday, March 02, 2009
Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada
The Honourable Lawrence Cannon, Minister of Foreign Affairs, today wrapped up his first official visit to the Middle East, during which he met key regional leaders and participated in an international conference on support for the economy and reconstruction of Gaza in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt. At the conference, the Minister confirmed Canada’s ongoing assistance to the Palestinian people in the West Bank and Gaza.
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Government of Canada invests over $35 million for Science and Technology projects to enhance Canada’s safety and security
Tuesday, March 03, 2009
National Defence
The Honourable Peter Gordon MacKay, Minister of National Defence and Minister for the Atlantic Gateway, today announced that the Government of Canada is investing more than $35 million for 24 new research projects to enhance Canadian security. These projects will strengthen Canada’s ability to deal with potential chemical, biological, radiological-nuclear and explosives threats.
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International News
Harper warns Russians after two bombers intercepted
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Mike Blanchfield, National Post
Canada will not tolerate Russian intrusions into Canadian airspace, Prime Minister Stephen Harper said yesterday after it was disclosed that two Russian bombers were intercepted just outside the Canadian Arctic shortly before U.S. President Barack Obama's visit to Ottawa this month.
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La question des sables bitumineux «effleurée»
mercredi 04 mars 2009
Malorie Beauchemin, La Presse
À l'issue de deux journées de rencontres avec des responsables américains en environnement et en énergie, le ministre canadien Jim Prentice affirme que la question des sables bitumineux n'a été qu'«effleurée brièvement».
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Sask. energy focus of Wall U.S. jaunt
Wednesday, March 04, 2009
James Wood, Star Phoenix
While Premier Brad Wall is heading to Washington on a sales mission for Saskatchewan energy, he's also looking for new ways to make friends in mainly Democratic high places.
The initial itinerary of Wall's trip released Tuesday was top-heavy with meetings with Republican senators, former Bush administration U.S. ambassador to Canada David Wilkins and Democratic Senator Joe Lieberman, the former vice-presidential candidate who endorsed Republican John McCain last year.
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Minister expects co-operation on arms
Friday, February 27, 2009
Mike Blanchfield, Regina Leader-Post
Canada and the U.S. are entering a new era of co-operation in the fight against the spread of weapons of mass destruction, Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon signaled in a speech Thursday.
With Barack Obama's arrival in the White House and his appointment of Hillary Clinton as secretary of state, the world can "expect a renewed approach to multilateral co-operation" with the United States, Cannon told an audience comprised of hundreds of top military and diplomatic officials at the start of a two-day symposium on Canada-U.S. security relations.
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Afghanistan mission bill expected to top $11B
Friday, February 27, 2009
Allan Woods, Toronto Star
The mission in Afghanistan will have cost Canadian taxpayers an estimated $11.3 billion by 2011, when the country's troops are scheduled to withdraw, the government says.
In a newly released accounting, the government said the Department of National Defence estimates a 10-year price tag of $9 billion while other departments, including the international development agency, Foreign Affairs and Veterans Affairs, will be on the hook for $2.3 billion.
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Canada issues travel warning for visitors to Mexico
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Times & Transcript
Things are getting ugly in parts of Mexico, and the federal government is warning Canadians not to get caught in the crossfire.
The Department of Foreign Affairs yesterday updated its travel report on Mexico in light of the bloody drug cartel wars that have thrown some cities into chaos.
It recommends Canadians "exercise a high degree of caution" when travelling to areas in northern Mexico along the border with the United States.
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Business and Trade
Prentice hits Washington, with cap (and trade) in hand
Monday, March 02, 2009
Shawn McCarthy, Globe and Mail
The Harper government is facing growing threats of environment-based protectionism from the U.S. as President Barack Obama moves forward aggressively with a climate-change plan that conservative critics are already blasting as a de facto, economy-wide carbon tax.
Canadian federal Environment Minister Jim Prentice lands in Washington today to pursue the Canada–U.S. co-operation on energy and the environment that was promised when the new President visited Ottawa two weeks ago.
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U. S. Homeland Security chief calms border anxieties
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Andrew Mayeda, National Post
U. S. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano sought to reassure Canadians yesterday that a recent review of border security was simply a fact-finding exercise, not necessarily a prelude to tougher border measures.
In an unusual step, Ms. Napolitano held a teleconference with Canadian reporters, and expressed concern that some of the media coverage north of the border had "misconstrued" the purpose of the review.
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Border rules could gum up flow of trade
Tuesday, March 03, 2009
Barrie McKenna, Globe and Mail
The fuss over the Buy American provision in the monster U.S. stimulus package has faded a bit, but not Canadian fears about protectionism.
Just ask David Bradley, chief executive officer of the Canadian Trucking Alliance. The chief lobbyist for Canada's trucking industry is always on the lookout for new rules and legislation that could gum up the flow of trade across the Canada–U.S. border.
And these days, he doesn't have to look very far.
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Canada, U. S. join in $7B plan for carbon
Wednesday, March 04, 2009
Juliet ONeill, National Post
Canada and the United States will ensure there is co-ordination and no duplication in $7-billion worth of technology projects—$3.5-billion on each side of the border—aimed at reducing carbon emissions from coal-fired power plants and the Alberta oil sands, Jim Prentice, the Environment Minister, said yesterday.
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Un taux directeur à 0,5%, les banques abaissent les taux hypothécaires
mardi 03 mars 2009
Michel Munger, La Presse
Grugeant presque toute sa marge de manoeuvre, la Banque du Canada abaisse mardi matin son taux directeur d'un demi-point à 0,5% et examine d'autres mesures pour stimuler l'économie.
C'est exactement la décision attendue par les analystes consultés par l'agence Bloomberg.En moins d'une heure, les banques Royale, CIBC, TD et BMO ont réagi à la baisse du taux directeur en ajustant leurs taux préférentiels.
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Banks top forecasts; shares get a boost
Friday, February 27, 2009
Madhavi Acharya-Tom Yew, Toronto Star
Investors got a glimpse of a silver lining yesterday as three Canadian banks posted better-than-expected profits.
The Royal Bank of Canada, Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce and National Bank of Canada all reported net earnings for the November to January period, even as they set aside more money for bad loans and took big writeoffs to account for deep losses in the stock market.
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Canadians can't escape global mess
Tuesday, March 03, 2009
Thomas Walkom, Toronto Star
The good news is that Canada's economy isn't sinking as fast as that of the U.S., Europe or Japan. The bad news is that this doesn't matter much.
That's the lesson from the latest spate of economic data released yesterday by Statistics Canada.
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Canadian News
Ottawa in surplus by thinnest of margins
Friday, February 27, 2009
The Canadian Press, Toronto Star
Finance Department figures show Ottawa's revenues plunged in December but the federal government still managed to remain in surplus at the end of 2008.
The Finance Department says December, one of the worst months of 2008 for the economy, still produced a $200 million surplus for the government.
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$3 billion emergency fund revealed
Friday, February 27, 2009
Allan Woods, Toronto Star
The federal government has revealed a plan for a $3 billion emergency fund, with the money to be doled out at its discretion to tackle the recession.
The surprise plan, which was not among the stimulus measures contained in last month's budget, was contained in the spending estimates for the coming year released yesterday by the government.
In the government's estimates, federal program spending is pegged at $236.1 billion for the fiscal year that begins April 1.
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Defence chief offers to fast-track re-enrolment in military
Friday, February 27, 2009
Allan Woods, Toronto Star
The head of the Canadian military is offering to fast track re-enrolment for recent retirees in a bid to stop the flood of personnel out of the forces.
Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Walt Natynczyk said in a speech today that those who have taken early retirement from the Canadian Forces will be welcomed back into the ranks within 30 days if they have second thoughts about their new careers.
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Quebec's movie hits cross into English Canada
Friday, February 27, 2009
The Canadian Press, CTV
Acclaimed Quebec director Philippe Falardeau jokes that he'll put less dialogue in his next film, and maybe then it will be easier to find an audience in English Canada.
His hilarious coming-of-age tale, "It's Not Me, I Swear" ("C'est pas moi, je le jure!"), opens in Toronto on Friday and is just one of several francophone films wooing anglophone audiences.
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Canadians make stem-cell breakthrough
Monday, March 02, 2009
Anne Mcilroy, Globe and Mail
Canadian researchers have discovered a new way to turn skin cells into stem cells with fewer potential risks to patients.
Their work removes major barriers to using stem cells, which have an endless capacity for self-renewal, in new medical therapies for people with spinal cord injuries or diseases such as diabetes or Parkinson's.
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Canada improves ranking for tourism development
Thursday, March 05, 2009
Peter ONeil, Ottawa Citizen
Canada has soared past the U.S. to become the fifth-ranked country in the world when it comes to ideal locations for developing the travel and tourism industry, according to a new report.
But Canada's pristine natural image, which is one of the factors driving Canada's high ranking, could be at risk, according to the World Economic Forum. "Canada's natural resources constitute a key strength," according to the Geneva-based think-tank's annual assessment of the tourism industry's status and viability in 133 countries.
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Opinion/Editorial
How Canada can compete in tough times
Tuesday, March 03, 2009
Tony Clement, National Post
As we saw with the debates that emerged around the United States' recent economic stimulus package, questions concerning protectionism are apt to arise during periods of global economic uncertainty. In the last month, the threat of protectionism has been resoundingly met with an appeal to the benefits of keeping trade moving and borders open.
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Real border security for the long run
Wednesday, March 04, 2009
Geoffrey Hale, Toronto Sun
Barack Obama's emerging agenda gives both Americans and Canadians the opportunity to make needed improvements in managing our shared border.
Neither government can afford a "business (or politics) as usual" approach if we are to overcome current economic challenges. Despite sporadic incidents abroad and occasional arrests in Canada, risks of terrorism increasingly resemble the longer-term challenges posed by cross-border criminal activity than the crisis atmosphere after 9/11.
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