Canada
column for Sunday, Sept. 9/12
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THE CANADIAN REPORT
(c) By
Jim Fox
Canada could again face the eventual possibility of Quebec seeking
independence after the election of a separatist-minded government in the
province.
Premier-elect
Pauline Marois, who survived a potential attempt on her life during her victory
speech, will form a minority government with the narrow victory Tuesday of her
Parti Quebecois.
A
man burst through the back door of a Montreal nightclub as Marois was speaking
and shot two people – a stage technician who was killed and a club worker who
was wounded.
The man also set a fire inside the club packed with revelers celebrating
the victory that ousted Premier Jean Charest and his Liberals from office.
When taken away by police, who said they haven’t established a motive, the
man shouted "the English have awoken."
Richard Bain, 62, a fishing-camp owner from Mont-Tremblant, was arrested
for first-degree murder, three counts of attempted murder and arson.
Marois, who wants more powers for Quebec, is expected to implement increased
measures to protect and enhance the Francophone culture and French language.
Charest, 54, a career politician for 28 years and premier for nine, was
defeated by voters in his home riding and said he is quitting politics.
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George
Dryden now says he now has the proof his father was the late prime minister
John Diefenbaker.
The
Toronto man said a dirty Q-Tip from a family member obtained “discretely” by a
private detective showed a genetic link in DNA testing to the Diefenbaker
family.
Dryden, 43, who bears a strong resemblance to the former Conservative
leader who died in 1979, claims his mother had an affair with Diefenbaker in
the 1960s.
Mary
Lou Dryden was a known confidante of the prime minister and there had been family
gossip about his real father.
Diefenbaker who had married twice had no known children.
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News
in brief:
-
The appointment of five new Senators has boosted Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s
Conservative majority in the non-elected upper chamber. Named by Harper were Diane
Bellemare, of Quebec; Tobias Enverga Jr. and Thanh Hai Ngo, both from Ontario;
Thomas Johnson McInnis of Nova Scotia; and Paul E. McIntyre of New Brunswick.
There are now 62Conservatives in the 105-seat Senate.
- Canada
has cut its ties with Iran, closed its embassy in Tehran and ordered Iranian
diplomats to return home. Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird said there is
concern about the safety of Canadian diplomats in the country after recent attacks
on the British embassy. He has also warned Canadians to avoid travel to Iran.
-
Japan has offered to pay for the disposal of last year’s tsunami debris washing
up on Canada’s west coast. Aside from the expense, British Columbia is trying
to figure out how to cope with massive “island of debris” drifting across the
Pacific Ocean, said John Disney, economic development officer
in Old Massett.
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Facts and figures:
News that Canada’s economy created 34,300 new jobs last month, topping
expectations of more-modest gains, pushed the dollar higher to $1.0229 in U.S. funds.
The U.S. dollar was valued at 97.75 cents Canadian.
The Bank of Canada’s key interest rate is unchanged at 1 percent while
the prime-lending rate is 3 percent.
Stock
markets advanced, with the Toronto exchange index at 12,243 points and the TSX
Venture index 1,273 points.
Lotto
6-49: (Sept. 5) 15, 21, 23, 26, 28 and 48; bonus 6. (Sept. 1) 2, 5, 20, 30, 39
and 45; bonus 25. Lotto Max: (Aug. 31) 5, 12, 13, 28, 33, 37 and 43; bonus 44.
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Regional briefs:
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Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty failed in his bid to win a majority Liberal
government through two by-elections to fill vacancies in the Legislature.
Voters in Kitchener-Waterloo elected New Democrat Catherine Fife. The Liberals
retained Vaughan, winning with Steven Del Duca succeeding retiring Greg Sorbara.
The Liberals remain one member short of a majority in the 107-seat Legislature.
- Thirty-eight
small earthquakes in British Columbia’s northeastern corner are believed caused
by a controversial technique used to extract natural gas from shale rock. The
B.C. Oil and Gas Commission said the quakes in the isolated areas of the Horn
River Basin were caused by “fluid injection during hydraulic fracturing in proximity
to pre-existing faults.” It recommended further studies to improve the methods
used and reporting procedures.
-30-
Jim Fox can be reached at canadareport@hotmail.com
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