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Immigrant rules strand passengers

Dozens of people have been turned away from flights home to Canada as new rules for landed immigrants are in effect.

The Citizenship and Immigration Department is working with consulates in the United States and around the world to prepare proper travel documents for those who didn't have the permanent resident card.

Landed immigrants need the card or a temporary travel visa, a security measure adopted after terrorist attacks in the United States.

An estimated 1.5-million people living in Canada are eligible for the permanent resident card and 850,000 cards have been issued.

Meanwhile, a group of permanent residents in Canada has sued the federal Immigration Department, claiming the new requirement has caused them irreparable harm and separated them from their families over Christmas.

About 46 Vancouver-area residents, who maintain a permanent residence in Canada but frequently travel to Asia, are seeking $50,000 each in damages claiming systematic discrimination based on their nationalities.

No links should be made between an Edmonton rendering plant and two cases of mad cow disease until investigators have concluded their work, government officials and company representatives say.

West Coast Reduction owns the plant that has been singled out in published reports as the possible source of both cases of bovine spongiform encephalopathy in Canada and the United States.

Canadian Food Inspection Agency investigator Cornelius Kiley said officials are awaiting results of DNA testing on the diseased cow found last month in Washington to determine if it came from Alberta. A previous case surfaced in May in northern Alberta.

More than 30 countries have banned U.S. beef products, and the United States continues to restrict beef imports from Canada.

There's some tax relief this year for Canadians through inflation adjustments. With personal tax reductions continuing, tax brackets will rise to $35,000, taxed at 22 percent; $70,000 at 26 percent; and $113,804 and more at 29 percent. Child benefit payments and the credit for goods and services taxes will rise by 3.3 percent to keep pace with the cost of living and the general corporate tax rate was reduced to 21 percent from 23 percent.

Canadians have donated about $1-million along with a contribution of $1.3-million in cash and goods by the Canadian International Development Agency to aid victims of the deadly earthquake in Iran. About 20 tons of Canadian government-donated supplies, including blankets, tents, plastic sheeting, generators, body bags and water-purification systems were sent by military aircraft.

The Ontario government promises to fight toll increases on the Toronto-area bypass route, the privately owned Highway 407. The new Liberal government said it would roll back tolls set by 407 International Inc. The average drive of 12 miles along the highway during peak hours will increase to $2.65 from $2.46 while there are added fees for vehicles without electronic transponders and a monthly account fee.

Canada's dollar is at its highest level in 10 years, closing on Friday at 77.62 U.S. cents. The U.S. greenback returns $1.2883 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.

On Canadian stock markets, Toronto's composite index was higher at 8,293 while the Canadian Venture Exchange was up to 1,765 points on Friday.

Lotto 6-49: (Wednesday) 13, 14, 17, 20, 39 and 40; bonus 23. (Dec. 27) 5, 9, 17, 31, 37 and 44; bonus 3.