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Canada report
By JIM FOX No plain planes for ChretienCanadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien decided to help the ailing airline industry by buying two ritzy jets. But critics don't see it that way. They say the $101-million expenditure makes a hypocrite of Chretien, who once ridiculed former Prime Minister Brian Mulroney's refitted A-310 Airbus as a "flying Taj Mahal.". The country's leader deserves nothing less than the best, Deputy Prime Minister John Manley said. "We take a lot of pride in the efforts we make to brand Canada as an advanced technological country," Manley told the House of Commons. "Doing that in the best Canadian-made aircraft in the world is something that I think the opposition ought to be applauding." Chretien, who is on a trip to Africa, said he doesn't often use the executive jets because the news media accompanies him and larger planes are used. The executive Challenger jets are manufactured by Bombardier Inc. of Montreal and replace two 19-year-old models. Calling the Liberal government "beyond arrogance," Alliance Member of Parliament Leon Benoit said: "Now we have these twin flying Taj Mahals." Olympic honorsCanada's Olympic and Paralympic medal winners will be honored Monday with events in Ottawa, including a rally and an appearance in the House of Commons. "I think a lot of Canadians were enthralled by the success of our Olympians and Paralympians recently in Salt Lake City," said Lane MacAdam, director general of Sport Canada. Canadian athletes set new national standards at both events, winning 17 medals at the Olympics and 15 at the Paralympic Games. Gold medal figure skaters Jamie Sale and David Pelletier, and members of the women's hockey team head the list of Olympic heroes at a breakfast and an outdoor reception with Prime Minister Chretien. The medalists will be given commemorative gold loonies ($1 coins), dated 2002. In briefThe Canadian government should use some of its multibillion dollar surplus to help the softwood lumber industry, said New Democratic Party's Bev Desjarlais. She said lumber should be bought by the government to build houses for native people. More than 20,000 forestry jobs have been lost in a dispute with the United States over crippling duties of 29 percent on Canadian lumber. A special panel will be created by the federal government to resolve disputes involving provinces over the Canada Health Act. Alberta has been leading the push for the panel to referee disagreements over Medicare as the province moves to reform its health system. Alberta politicians are considering increasing use of the private sector in delivering medical services and discontinuing insurance on some services to save money. The Mounties joined government leaders in rejecting claims of a security breach over the upcoming G-8 leaders meeting in Alberta in June. They say it will be safe despite the posting of detailed floor plans for the meeting on a federally sponsored Web site. Facts and figuresThe Canadian dollar gained during the past week to 63.01 U.S. cents, before bank exchange fees, while the U.S. greenback returned $1.5870 Canadian. There's no change in the Bank of Canada's key interest rate of 2 percent or the 3.75 prime lending rate. Rate changes will be considered over the next week. Stock markets were lower, with the Toronto Exchange 300 index at 7,731 points while the Canadian Venture Exchange index was 1,157 points on Friday. Lotto 6-49: (Wednesday) 3, 5, 24, 26, 33 and 46; bonus 11. (April 6) 1, 11, 14, 18, 20 and 38; bonus 37. Regional briefsMore than 300 attorneys turned out in Vancouver and Victoria for protest meetings against the British Columbia government. At issue are cuts to legal aid and a decision to close 24 courthouses to save money. They say this will restrict access to justice for thousands of people. Greenpeace activists climbed atop the roof of Alberta Premier Ralph Klein's Calgary home and set up solar panels. They targeted Klein because they say he's Canada's leading opponent to the Kyoto Accord, an international agreement to reduce greenhouse gases. Workers from the strike-bound Nexfor forestry plant in Juniper, New Brunswick, marched on the Legislature in Fredericton on Friday to urge the Conservative government to consider first-contract legislation. The workers have been on strike since October with no signs of a settlement.
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