The Canada Report

Report: Canada must get ready for SARS

Canada needs to immediately prepare for the possibility that SARS might return this winter or for the appearance of a new disease, a government study urges.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome, a flulike, sometimes fatal lung infection, killed 44 people in Toronto this year.

The country must dramatically improve its ability to deal with a "rising threat" of infectious disease, a Senate committee report says. It called for creating a national agency, operating apart from Health Canada, to coordinate the response to public health emergencies.

There also should be a formal health alert system that would clearly set out what actions should be taken by each level of government in response to a SARS-type emergency, the report said.

Spending for public health protection should increase to $1-billion from $300-million annually, it recommended.

The report says the risk of infectious disease is rising because of globalization and noted the threat of biological warfare in the United States.

Retiring Prime Minister Jean Chretien appeared moved by a standing ovation at his final caucus meeting as Liberal leader.

The farewell came as the Commons prepared to adjourn until Chretien's retirement, which is expected to take place before Christmas.

Chretien, 69, had planned to retire in February and is to be succeeded by Paul Martin, 65.

Liberals presented Chretien with his House of Commons chair wrapped in a big, Liberal-red bow and established a political science bursary at the University of Ottawa in his honor.

- Former Ontario Premier Mike Harris has decided not to run for the leadership of the merged Conservative-Canadian Alliance party, leaving Alliance Leader Stephen Harper the likely frontrunner. Meanwhile, prominent Conservatives opposed to the merger demand the party hold a full national convention to debate it.

- A poll suggests three-quarters of Canadians believe provincial governments should impose limits on car insurance premiums. Drivers under public insurance plans are more satisfied than those in provinces with private systems, the poll found.

- Canada's government has balanced its budget on the backs of taxpayers who are being overcharged on employment insurance premiums, Conservative Member of Parliament Brian Pallister says. He referred to a report by Auditor General Sheila Fraser, who said the federal Liberals have run up multibillion-dollar surpluses in the fund to pay for other things.

Canada's dollar rebounded Friday as the economy showed a burst of strength, with the jobless rate down to 7.6 percent from 8 percent.

The dollar jumped almost one cent to 75.52 cents U.S. while the U.S. dollar is worth $1.3241 Canadian, before bank exchange fees.

The Bank of Canada's key interest rate is unchanged at 2.75 percent and the prime lending rate is 4.5 percent.

Canadian stock exchanges are higher, with the Toronto index at 7,847 points and the Canadian Venture Exchange 1,595 points.

Lotto 6-49: (Wednesday) 5, 6, 13, 34, 35 and 43; bonus 18. (Nov. 1) 8, 18, 29, 31, 41 and 43; bonus 34.

- The police search of a pig farm linked to the disappearances of up to 61 women from Vancouver in the past 20 years is nearing an end after almost two years. Investigators and anthropologists have examined the soil for evidence in the case against Robert Pickton, 54, of Port Coquitlam. He faces 15 counts of first-degree murder.

- Saskatchewan Premier Lorne Calvert and his New Democratic government won a narrow election victory Wednesday - with just a one-seat majority in the Legislature. The socialist party, which won its fourth straight term, had 30 members elected, while the Saskatchewan Party had 28 and the Liberals were shut out.

- Quebec Health Minister Philippe Couillard ordered an investigation into allegations that dozens of Moroccans have obtained provincial health cards to get free health care, old-age pensions and other identification. He said there are 575 cases in the Montreal area where people got health cards using false information.

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