Canada report

Clinton applauds Canada's Iraq stance

Canada's decision not to join the war against Iraq but to work on peacekeeping afterward was a correct one, former President Bill Clinton says.

While visiting Toronto on a book-signing tour, Clinton said in an interview on CTV's Canada AM that the decision created a rift with the current U.S. administration.

"I thought the Canadians were right to say that the United States had no business attacking Iraq until the United Nations' inspectors had at least finished the weapons inspections," Clinton said.

Canada's difference of opinion with the United States on the war was "a rough patch" to work through in relations, he said. But he was confident the partnership between the two countries would remain strong "because there's too much we have in common."

People lined up overnight and 2,000 surrounded the Indigo bookstore trying to meet Clinton. Dozens of young women gave him a hug and a kiss when he autographed copies of his book, My Life.

After signing for more than two hours in the store, Clinton moved outside for 45 minutes to autograph more books on Bay Street.

Afterward, former New Brunswick Premier Frank McKenna arranged for Clinton to be flown to the Fox Harbor golf resort in Nova Scotia for a speech to 250 invited guests.

Critics say amending the North American Aerospace Defense Command, or NORAD, agreement pushes Canada closer to participating in a controversial U.S. missile program.

Defense Minister Bill Graham said the change doesn't commit Canada but makes NORAD the lookout for the U.S. system.

Otherwise, the 50-year-old agency would have become obsolete and the United States would have built a second warning system. That would have marginalized NORAD, which has been a mainstay of continental defense, he said.

The amendment lets NORAD keep its missile warning function, but it will make the data available to U.S. missile defense system commanders.

Former Quebec Premier Lucien Bouchard says it's time to consider privately financed clinics to ease the burden on the health system. The publicly funded nature of health care is a question of "religion or ideology" to some, but those people should be practical when it comes to providing for people's needs, he said.

Canada's premiers have suggested establishing a federally funded national pharmacare program. It would replace various existing provincial drug plans except Quebec's and be paid for by the federal government. Federal Health Minister Ujjal Dosanjh said the government is interested only in a limited plan to cover catastrophic drug costs.

Former British Columbia Member of Parliament Svend Robinson was spared jail time and a criminal record, but must perform 100 hours of community service after pleading guilty to stealing a woman's ring. Judge Ronald Fratkin gave Robinson, 52, who resigned from the House of Commons over the incident, a conditional discharge. He admitted taking the ring valued at $20,000 from a Vancouver auction house, calling it an "irrational act."

Canada's jobless rate dropped to 7.2 percent in July from 7.3 percent a month earlier as fewer people entered the job market, Statistics Canada reported Friday. There was a net gain of roughly 9,000 jobs, not the 30,000 that had been expected.

The Canadian dollar is higher at 76.27 U.S. cents, while the U.S. dollar returns $1.311 Canadian, before bank exchange fees.

The Bank of Canada key interest rate is 2 percent, while the prime-lending rate is steady at 3.75 percent.

Stock markets were mixed Friday, with Toronto's composite index lower at 8,190 points and the Canadian Venture Exchange higher at 1,503 points.

Lotto 6-49: (Wednesday) 6, 7, 9, 11, 30 and 43; bonus 4. (July 31) 3, 21, 31, 40, 43 and 49; bonus 23.

The Alberta government has declared the mad cow crisis an emergency in a move that will allow a pre-election aid package for farmers. Ralph Klein's Conservative government can dip into the province's $2.5-billion stability fund to help cash-strapped farmers and ranchers before an anticipated fall election. The crisis resulted after the United States closed its borders to live Canadian cattle when the disease was discovered in an Alberta cow last year.

Halifax residents were relieved a hurricane stronger than the one that tore through Nova Scotia last fall blew harmlessly past the province. The main effect of Hurricane Alex was high seas off southern Newfoundland. Seven people were killed as a result of Hurricane Juan in September, and the storm caused $100-million in damage. From a translucent, saucer-shaped object in British Columbia to mysterious lights buzzing motorists in New Brunswick, Canadians are reporting a record-high number of UFO sightings this year. More than 400 stories of curious encounters have been filed, says Ufology Research of Manitoba, a group that tracks reports of unidentified flying objects.

Jim Fox can be reached at canadareport@hotmail.com

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