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Late prime minister's son follows in his footsteps

By JIM FOX
Published February 25, 2007

Like father like son, Justin Trudeau says he will run for office in a bid to bring dignity back to politics.

The son of the late Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau said he will be the Liberal candidate in Montreal-Papineau in the next federal election, a district now held by the Bloc Quebecois.

Not quite the flamboyant, intellectual rebel his father was, Justin, 35, has degrees from McGill University in Montreal and the University of British Columbia.

He gained national attention in 2000 with a moving eulogy delivered at his father's funeral.

"I want to change the way the game is played - to a certain extent, try and bring back a certain amount of nobility and reduce some of the cynicism there is around politics these days," the younger Trudeau said.

Being a famous son will have some impact "both on the positive and the negative," he added.

"Expectations for me will be so amazingly high by some people and so incredibly low for others that I'm sure to disappoint everyone equally."

'Penny for your thoughts' obsolete?

It doesn't make "cents" for Canada to keep the penny, a Quebec financial institution says.

Desjardin Groupe said it costs $130-million a year to produce, store and transport pennies that few people want or use.

Without the penny, retailers would round prices to the nearest five cents, causing no disruption to the financial system. The nickel should then be the next to go, it added in a report to the government.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper said sometimes he finds pennies "annoying," but as a coin collector it's a "sentimental issue" for him.

News in brief

- Microsoft founder Bill Gates and Prime Minister Stephen Harper have announced plans for an HIV vaccine research center in Canada. The first-ever center would seek to develop a low-cost vaccine against the virus that causes AIDS. Canada is contributing $111-million and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation $28-million. The location hasn't been decided.

- The Canadian government is moving to order 2,800 striking employees at CN Rail back to work. The two-week strike is causing industries to lay off workers and resulting in supply shortages including food and fuel. Ford Motor Co. closed its St. Thomas, Ontario, plant because of a parts shortage, affecting 2,300 workers.

- Finance Minister Jim Flaherty will present the federal budget on March 19. Tax cuts are anticipated as the budget surplus has grown to $7.3-billion in the first nine months of this fiscal year. That's well above Flaherty's prediction of $4.2-billion for the year.

Facts and figures

Higher oil prices and strong retail sales, up 2.3 percent in December, have pushed Canada's dollar to a two-month high of 86.27 cents U.S. The American greenback is worth $1.1591 in Canadian funds before bank exchange fees.

The Bank of Canada's key interest rate remains at 4.25 percent while the prime lending rate is 6 percent.

Stock markets are higher, with the Toronto exchange index at another record high Friday at 13,343 points while the Canadian Venture Exchange was 3,229 points.

Lotto 6-49: Wednesday 5, 6, 17, 21, 31 and 46; bonus 49. (Feb. 17) 13, 20, 31, 36, 43 and 46; bonus 19.

Regional briefs

- In the west, British Columbia's budget includes a 10 percent income tax cut, $2-billion for lower-cost housing and a 20 percent increase in welfare payments. In Alberta, the oil-rich province's yearly surplus has gushed to $6.7-billion, the second-largest in its history.

- Gas prices in southern Ontario have jumped to about $1 a liter (86 cents U.S.) after shortages caused by a fire at an Imperial Oil refinery. The blaze in Nanticoke, Ontario, has led to fuel shortages at the 400 Esso stations and Canadian Tire gas bars.

- Quebec Premier Jean Charest set March 26 for a provincial election, saying voters must decide between unity or division, responsibility or irresponsibility. His main rival, Andre Boisclair, leader of the Parti Quebecois, said he would hold another vote on independence from Canada.

- Former Nova Scotia Cabinet minister Ernie Fage faces a charge of leaving the scene of an accident almost three months after a minor collision in Halifax was captured on video by a passer-by. He resigned as human resources minister last month when the video was shown on television.

Jim Fox can be reached at canadareport@hotmail.com.

[Last modified February 25, 2007, 05:27:36]