The Canada report

By JIM FOX

© St. Petersburg Times, published August 13, 2000

Ontario improving treatment of water

The deaths of six people from tainted water have prompted the Ontario government to pour millions of dollars into upgrading municipal treatment plants.

Public fears about the quality of tap water in the province have created the most serious political crisis for the Conservatives in their six years in office.

Municipal Affairs Minister Tony Clement said the commitment of up to $240-million (Canadian) over the next two years will help smaller municipalities meet stringent new drinking water standards.

He also insisted water and sewer facilities must meet provincial standards before municipalities can apply for money for other health or safety projects.

This follows the E. coli contamination of the water supply in Walkerton where six died and 2,000 people were sickened in May.

The government also announced strict testing and purification measures.

With federal and municipal contributions, funding for the work will total $750-million.

The Association of Municipalities of Ontario called the move an "important first step in restoring confidence in the province's drinking water."

Businessman enters race

Businessman Rad Gajic, 53, will run as an independent against Canadian Alliance leader Stockwell Day in a by-election Sept. 11 in the British Columbia district of Okanagan-Coquihalla.

Prime Minister Jean Chretien said Liberals won't run a candidate in this by-election or one the same day in Nova Scotia being contested by Conservative Joe Clark. Chretien said he wants to battle them in the House of Commons.

Both Day and Clark, a former prime minister, were named leaders of their parties but weren't elected members of the Commons. The Conservatives have also said they will not run a candidate against Day.

In brief

Ford Canada is recalling about 300,000 trucks and sport utility vehicles to replace tires linked to deaths in the United States. Dealers have been told they can inspect and, if necessary, replace Firestone Wilderness, Wilderness AT and Radial ATX tires. The decision follows a move by Bridgestone/Firestone Inc. to voluntarily recall tires in the United States. So far, the tire company has issued no recall notice for Canada. For information, customers may contact Ford of Canada Customer Assistance Center: 1 (800) 565-FORD More money for health care topped the agenda at this year's conference of Canada's premiers on Thursday and Friday in Winnipeg. The leaders of Canada's 10 provinces want the federal government to restore $4.2-billion in health and social funding cut over the past five years.

Facts and figures

Canadian stock markets continued their advance during the week with the Toronto exchange 300 Index at 10,788 points Friday while the Canadian Venture Exchange index was 3,340 points.

The dollar was higher at 67.42 U.S. cents while the U.S. dollar returned $1.4833 in Canadian funds. There's no change in the Bank of Canada key interest rate of 6 percent or the 7.5-percent prime lending rate.

Lotto 6-49: (Wednesday) 9, 21, 39, 42, 45 and 49; bonus 25. (Aug. 5) 11, 33, 37, 40, 45 and 46; bonus 17.

Regional briefs

Lakeside Packers, one of Alberta's largest meat suppliers, recalled 150,000 pounds of ground beef after a product sample was found to contain a potentially deadly strain of E. coli bacteria. It was the second major recall in seven weeks by the plant, a division of IBP Inc. of South Dakota. Thoroughly cooking the meat kills the bacteria. There have been no reports of illness from the beef.

Doctors in three British Columbia communities called off plans Thursday to go on strike. The temporary truce in the battle with the provincial government over working hours, a shortage of doctors and demands for higher pay has kept physicians at work for now in Cranbook, Terrace and Kimberley.

Two orphaned cougars released into the wilds of the Canadian Rockies by a wildlife group in Alberta have been recaptured and will likely find a new home at the Calgary Zoo. The nine-month-old cats were caught by conservation officers after wandering near campers. They were orphaned last winter when their mother was killed on the highway near Banff.

Recreational divers are allowed to return to the waters off Bell Island, Newfoundland, after military officers examined a World War II German U-boat torpedo and found it to be no threat. Navy divers said the warhead was missing from the device found near the wreck of an iron ore carrier that sank in 1942.

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