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Special Features
2010: An international year for Canada
Sunday, January 03, 2010
Office of the Prime Minister
Prime Minister Stephen Harper today highlighted Canada’s upcoming leadership of major international events in 2010, including the Olympic and Paralympic Games as well as the G-8 and G-20 Summits. Canada will also host the North American Leaders’ Summit.
“The world will turn its gaze on Canada in 2010. In February and March, we will be hosting the Olympic and Paralympic Games, and in June, the G-8 and G-20 summits,” said Prime Minister Harper. “We plan to use these two summits to continue playing a leadership role on issues of importance to Canadians.”
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Government of Canada invests in full body and behaviour screening to further enhance security at Canadian airports
Tuesday, January 05, 2010
Transport Canada
Canada’s Transport Minister, John Baird and Rob Merrifield, Minister of State (Transport) today announced that the Government of Canada is investing in full body scanners to enhance security at Canadian airports.
Starting this month, full body scanners will be installed at major Canadian airports. This technology will give passengers a choice between a full body scan and a physical search. The full body scanner will be used to reveal objects, including weapons and explosives that could be concealed under clothing.
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Statement by the Minister of National Defence on the deaths of four Canadian soldiers and a Canadian journalist in Afghanistan
Friday, December 31, 2009
National Defence
The Honourable Peter MacKay, Minister of National Defence and Minister for the Atlantic Gateway, issued the following statement today on the death of four Canadian soldiers and a Canadian journalist in Afghanistan:
"Today I stand with all Canadians as we mourn the loss of four brave and selfless Canadian soldiers and one Canadian journalist who died after the vehicle they were riding struck an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) while on patrol in an area south of Kandahar.
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International News
Afghan pullout final: PM
Thursday, January 07, 2010
David Akin, Canwest News Service
Stephen Harper says almost all Canadian soldiers will leave Afghanistan by the end of 2011, making some of his most definitive statements yet on his vision of Canada's future role there in an interview yesterday with Canwest News Service and the National Post.
Parliament has already decided that the combat mission involving about 2,500 troops in southern Afghanistan centred around Kandahar will end in 2011. The Department of National Defence has already started preparing detailed plans to move troops and equipment home.
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Canada to send warship to assist
Saturday, January 02, 2010
Jorge Barrera
A Canadian warship involved in NATO-led counter-piracy operations off Somalia's coast now has an additional task after Somali Islamic militants said Friday they planned to send fighters across the Gulf of Aden to help al-Qaeda fight the Yemeni government.
A NATO spokeswoman said warships patrolling international shipping lanes through the Gulf of Aden, which separates Somalia from Yemen, were aware al-Shabab, an al-Qaeda-inspired armed group based in Somalia, had announced plans to send fighters to Yemen where government forces are trying to crush al-Qaeda militants.
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Eddie the Eagle returns to Canada as torchbearer
Wednesday, January 06, 2010
Toronto Star
It's as close to Olympic glory as Eddie (the Eagle) Edwards is going to get these days.
The British man who became a folk hero during the 1988 Calgary Olympics for his geek-chic and infectious smile—despite placing dead last in ski jumping—has returned to Canada as an official torchbearer in Winnipeg.
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Canada lending H1N1 vaccine to Mexico
Wednesday, January 06, 2010
Caroline Alphonso, The Globe and Mail
Canada is lending, not donating, five million doses of the H1N1 vaccine to Mexico—and the federal government remains mum on what it will do with its expected surplus of the pandemic drug.
As demand for the H1N1 shot drops and flu activity slows down, the country will be left with tens of millions of unclaimed doses. But even as other countries, such as Germany and Spain, look to sell their excess vaccine or scale back their orders, the federal government has kept a tight lid on its plans.
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World Cup gold, silver for Canadian snowboarders
Thursday, January 07, 2010
CBC News
Snowboarder Jasey-Jay Anderson is getting used to the colour gold.
The father of two from Mont-Tremblant, Que., won a World Cup parallel giant slalom race on Wednesday in Kreischberg, Austria.
"I'm absolutely, unequivocally stoked for this result today," he said.
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Canada investigated possible Somali threat
Wednesday, January 06, 2010
Allison Jones, The Canadian Press
Canadian officials were involved in investigating what was thought to be a credible threat that Somali extremists would be entering the United States from Canada to carry out a bomb plot during President Barack Obama's inauguration in January 2009.
The revelation about the perceived threat came in a New York Times Magazine article and the RCMP confirmed Tuesday that they assisted the U.S. authorities' investigation.
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La Jordanie demande au Canada de saisir les manuscrits de la mer Morte
Vendredi 01 janvier 2010
AFP
La Jordanie a demandé au Canada de saisir les manuscrits de la mer Morte actuellement exposés à Toronto, a-t-on appris vendredi de source officielle, mais le gouvernement d'Ottawa semble peu enclin à suivre sa requête.
«Nous pouvons confirmer avoir reçu un message de la Jordanie», a indiqué à l'AFP une porte-parole du ministère canadien des Affaires étrangères, Simone MacAndrew, interrogée sur une information en ce sens donnée par le quotidien de référence Globe and Mail.
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G8 : le Canada s'attaquera à la non-prolifération nucléaire
Lundi 04 janvier 2010
La Presse Canadienne
Faire cesser la propagation des armes nucléaires et limiter la menace que font peser les attaques terroristes à la bombe sale sont des thèmes qui sont en passe de figurer parmi les principales priorités du Canada à l'occasion du sommet du G8 dont il sera l'hôte cet été, a-t-on appris lundi.
Le ralentissement économique mondial va dominer les pourparlers des huit dirigeants des pays les plus développés de la planète au cours de la rencontre de juin à Huntsville en Ontario. Cependant, les conseillers du premier ministre Stephen Harper travaillent à jeter les bases de nouvelles discussions à propos des efforts dans le domaine de la non-prolifération nucléaire.
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Diplomat eyeing oilsands
Sunday, January 03, 2010
Bill Graveland, The Chronicle Herald
A career diplomat is keeping a close eye on the failures and successes within Alberta's oilsands and is reporting what she learns to the administration of U.S. President Barack Obama.
The giant projects in northern Alberta have taken global centre stage of late, thanks in large part to climate-change talks in Copenhagen. And Laura Lochman, the U.S. consul general responsible for Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and the Northwest Territories, has essentially become the eyes and ears for the White House since her appointment in Calgary last June.
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'A lot of children wouldn't get fed'
Saturday, January 02, 2010
Laura Payton, Vancouver Sun
This past summer, Finance Minister Jim Flaherty announced Canada was forgiving Haiti $2.3 million in debt.
"[This] announcement frees up valuable financial resources that can be better spent on Haiti's priorities, not its liabilities," he said.
It was a rare public acknowledgment of the Canadian government's financial commitments in Haiti. And the amount mentioned is a fraction of the money Canada is spending in aid to the tiny Caribbean country.
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Business and Trade
Canadian economy gets major boost from U.S.
Tuesday, January 05, 2010
Julian Beltrame, Canadian Press
Canada's economy is getting an indirect boost from south of the border with news that the United States' factory sector is rebounding strongly and ready to pull Canada's manufacturers along for the ride.
In an unexpectedly upbeat report, the U.S. Institute for Supply Management said its manufacturing index rose to its highest level in almost three years in December, while new orders hit a five-year peak.
Both exceeded expectations by wide margins.
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Commodity rush could push loonie to parity
Wednesday, January 06, 2010
Financial Post
The Canadian dollar could spend some time at par with the U.S. currency this year, but it is likely to weaken gradually overall, according to a Reuters poll released on Wednesday.
The poll found higher commodity prices for major Canadian exports, such as gold and oil, and further signs of a global economic recovery, are expected to help boost the Canadian dollar. These factors are also expected to support its sister commodity bloc currencies, the New Zealand and Australian dollars, but all three are seen staying in a fairly tight range.
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Economists expect slow growth
Wednesday, January 06, 2010
Tavia Grant, Canwest News Service
Global economies are recovering, but don't expect a swift return to booming growth, Canada's top chief economists said Wednesday.
“Slower, but hopefully more sustainable growth” is how CIBC's Avery Shenfeld describes it.
Most Canadian economists think the economy will grow about 2.5 per cent this year, a vast improvement from last year's 2.5-per-cent contraction. It's a far cry, however, from previous years which saw expansions of more than 3 per cent.
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Pension plan health improves sharply
Wednesday, January 06, 2010
Janet McFarland, The Globe and Mail
Canadian pension plans saw their financial health improve sharply in 2009 as equity markets soared, but more than half of the country's pension plans are still estimated to be deeply under water.
An analysis by pension consulting firm Mercer showed its “pension health index”—based on a model pension plan with typical asset allocations—climbed to 74 per cent funding at the end of 2009 from 59 per cent a year earlier. That means a typical pension plan had assets equalling 74 per cent of its liabilities as of Dec. 31—25 per cent improvement year-over-year.
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Tens of billions to flow to pipelines in coming decades
Wednesday, January 06, 2010
Dina OMeara, Calgary Herald
They stretch the length and breadth of the continent, mostly hidden underground. But lately, they've come into the spotlight of a concerned public weighing in on the impact of oil and natural gas pipelines on the environment and society, with more to come.
More than $43 billion will be invested in Canadian pipelines over the next 15 years to feed an energy-hungry North America, most transporting bitumen from controversial oilsands projects to refineries in the United States, and natural gas from shale plays in British Columbia to industries on both sides of the border.
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Les Canadiens confiants de voir l'économie s'améliorer
Mercredi 06 janvier 2010
David Friend, La Presse Canadienne
Les Canadiens recommencent à avoir confiance dans l'économie, mais ils sont davantage préoccupés par la dette du gouvernement, selon les résultats d'un nouveau sondage de Pollara Strategic Research.
Cette étude permet de constater que 54% des Canadiens consultés en décembre s'attendent à ce que l'économie s'améliore en 2010. En fait, ils font preuve d'un optimisme beaucoup plus élevé qu'à la même époque l'an dernier, alors que le Canada se trouvait en plein coeur d'une récession mondiale.
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Vers un marché immobilier vigoureux au Canada
Jeudi 07 janvier 2010
La Presse Canadienne
Le marché immobilier canadien devrait connaître des gains importants au cours des six prochains mois, selon la firme Royal LePage.
Les prix moyens des maisons à Montréal devraient connaître une légère augmentation au premier trimestre de 2010 après avoir connu des hausses considérables au trimestre précédent, indiquent une étude publiée jeudi par la firme Royal LePage.
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GM denies it will reduce Canadian production
Thursday, January 07, 2010
Kristine Owram,, The Canadian Press
General Motors denied reports Wednesday which suggest the big automaker could reduce production targets at its Canadian plants when it adds new car models over the next few years.
The Automotive Parts Manufacturers' Association (APMA) said GM plans to build the new Chevrolet Impala in both Oshawa, Ont., and Hamtramck, Mich.,—a decision that could hurt GM's overall production levels in Canada.
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December employment gains seen in Canada
Monday, January 04, 2010
Derek Abma, Financial Post
Attention turns to employment as the new business year gets underway in the coming week.
Accounts of December's labour markets in both Canada and the United States are due on Friday, and both will prove to be important benchmarks in gauging how well the economic recovery is going.
Economists estimate there were 20,000 more people employed in Canada during December, keeping the unemployment rate steady at 8.5%. That would follow gains in three of the four previous months.
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Bombardier is on the right track
Sunday, January 03, 2010
David Olive, Toronto Star
Bombardier Inc., already a global giant in transportation, is poised to become entrenched as the dominant rail-transport firm of the 21st century.
The Montreal-based company conjures images of commuter planes and private jets, the more glamorous side of the business. The well-known turmoil in that business, affecting every world aircraft maker, has overshadowed Bombardier's booming business in subway cars, surface-transit trolley cars and, most recently, high-speed passenger trains.
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Canadian News
Harper not looking to call new election
Wednesday, January 06, 2010
David Akin, Canwest News Service
Prime Minister Stephen Harper doused speculation that he's gunning for a general election this spring, telling Canwest News Service in an interview that he'd rather govern than campaign.
"I have no desire to have a spring election and I don't think anybody does. I certainly don't think the public does," Mr. Harper said in the interview in his office in Langevin Block on Parliament Hill.
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Harper, in his own words
Thursday, January 07, 2010
John Ivison and David Akin, Canwest News Service
John Ivison: Prime Minister, it seems there is not going to be much for us to write about, unless there are Senate appointments in our near future. Are they coming, will there be more than five and will that have a big impact on your Senate reform plans?
Stephen Harper: As you know, the government intends to fill the new vacancies in the Senate. I don't think we've been secret about that, especially after the Liberals used their numbers in the Senate to block three important pieces of government legislation that were widely supported by the public—cracking down on grow-ops, dealing with the problem of auto theft and also some consumer product safety legislation.
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'Naked' scans at airports
Wednesday, January 06, 2010
Scott Deveau and Mike De Souza, National Post
The Canadian government says air travellers heading to U.S. destinations will not only face virtual strip searches in major airports across the country, they may also soon be subject to behavioural profiling in an effort to bolster security.
Transport Minister John Baird said the government will install 44 of the full-body scanners, which use electromagnetic waves to scan through clothing and produce images of concealed objects.
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The Kids are back in town
Wednesday, January 06, 2010
Larissa Liepins, Canwest News Service
In 1989, a sketch-comedy program burst onto North American TV screens that launched the careers of five young Canadian comics, becoming one of the most successful such shows in pop-culture history. That show was Kids in the Hall.
Consisting of Dave Foley, Bruce McCulloch, Kevin McDonald, Mark McKinney and Scott Thompson, Kids' last episode aired in Canada in 1994, and the following year in the U.S. Since then, the troupe has reunited three times, including for a major tour of more than 40 North American cities in 2008.
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Unique Canadian plane expected to fetch $1M in auction
Wednesday, January 06, 2010
Randy Boswell, Canwest News Service
For 20 years during the pioneering age of Canadian aviation, an aluminum-bodied bush plane soared over northern forests and remote lakes as part of a government mission to map and monitor the country's uncharted backwoods.
Now, 80 years after Canadian forestry officials purchased the U.S.-made Hamilton Metalplane from a Boeing plant in Wisconsin, the meticulously refurbished and flyable aircraft—the only one of its kind in the world—is expected to sell for at least $1-million later this month at a major Arizona auction of vintage cars and planes.
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Mint issues 25-cent coin celebrating Canadian speedskater
Thursday, January 07, 2010
Canwest News Service
An acclaimed Olympic Canadian speedskater, used to amassing gold, silver and bronze, will now be able to add steel, copper and nickel to her collection.
The Royal Canadian Mint said on Tuesday it was introducing a 25-cent coin to celebrate Winnipeg-native Cindy Klassen's five medals won during the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy. The mint said it would be putting up to 22 million quarters featuring Ms. Klassen into circulation. Ms. Klassen won gold, silver and bronze medals at the Turin Games.
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AECL orders new uranium to make medical isotopes
Wednesday, January 06, 2010
Ian MacLeod, Ottawa Citizen
In a sign of confidence that repairs to the crippled Chalk River, Ont., nuclear reactor are succeeding, Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd. is asking the United States for a fresh supply of highly enriched uranium to make medical isotopes.
The Crown corporation applied to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Dec. 19 for 16.3 kilograms of enriched uranium-235 (HEU) for medical isotope production once the NRU reactor is fixed, according to a commission document obtained by the Ottawa Citizen.
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Michaëlle Jean bien en selle
Thursday, January 07, 2010
Joël-Denis Bellavance, La Presse
Le premier ministre Stephen Harper a confirmé hier à La Presse que c'est bien Michaëlle Jean qui, à titre de représentante de la reine Élisabeth II au Canada, lira le prochain discours du Trône le 3 mars.
Il a ainsi fait taire les rumeurs persistantes selon lesquelles il s'apprêtait à confier à quelqu'un d'autre le poste de gouverneur général. Mme Jean est en poste depuis quatre ans.
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Young Muslims reconnect at Toronto convention
Saturday, January 02, 2010
Stuart Laidlaw, Toronto Star
The first time Dina Sharaf made a concerted effort to follow her faith's teachings, it was for her parents.
This time, it's for herself. And on her terms.
"I would try to be a good Muslim because I was worried what I looked like to my parents and their friends," says Toronto-born Sharaf, now 26.
"Now, I want to do it for me."
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Opinion/Editorial
The year Canada becomes cool
Tuesday, January 05, 2010
Daphne Bramham, Ottawa Citizen
Wooo-hooo! It's 2010. Brace yourself. We're about to be discovered as one of the coolest places on Earth when the Olympic circus comes to town.
And I don't mean temperature-wise. I mean temperament-wise and even style-wise. Let's face it, Canada has long been quietly and consistently cool, as has been pointed out throughout the past decade by no less authorities than the Economist, the group that ranks country brands, and Lonely Planet.
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U.S. trade is Canada's No. 1 concern
Saturday, January 02, 2010
Alexander Moens, Telegraph- Journal
Canada's relationship with the United States is the most important of all bilateral ties we have, simply because more than 50 cents of every dollar in Canadian pockets is derived from our trade and investment with America. But our relationship with our largest trading partner is in peril. No longer need we only worry about occasional irritants; today we are hurting from a thousand cuts as Canadian-American relations are caught in the strong currents of American security and economic nationalism.
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