Canada report

By JIM FOX

© St. Petersburg Times,
published October 21, 2001

Canada sends 3 more warships to join U.S. effort

Canadians sailed off to war as Prime Minister Jean Chretien and crowds lined the waterfront in Halifax, Nova Scotia, to wish them bon voyage.

"Canada has never been a nation to sit on the sidelines," Chretien said Wednesday.

It was a rainy send-off for three warships heading to the Persian Gulf and Arabian Sea to participate in the U.S.-led war on terrorism.

"We did not pick this fight, but we will finish it because on the side of justice, there can only be one outcome -- victory," Chretien said.

The destroyer HMCS Iroquois, supply vessel Preserver and the frigate HMCS Charlottetown carried about 900 navy personnel.

Two other Canadian frigates have already left, and a sixth ship is expected to join later.

Meanwhile, the Canadian government is speeding the passage of an antiterrorism bill aimed to "deter, disable and dismantle" such activity.

Critics say the proposed law is an attack on civil liberties as people suspected of being involved in terrorism could be held without an arrest warrant.

The government will also spend $11-million to guard against and treat bioterrorism attacks. Most of the money will go to stockpile antibiotics.

Canada will host finance leaders

Canada has agreed to host a meeting of international finance leaders that was to take place in India.

The meeting in Ottawa Nov. 17 and 18 of the Group of 20 countries will include leaders of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. Their Washington meetings were canceled last month.

When India backed out, Canada offered to host the event to show that terrorism cannot be allowed to prevent world leaders from continuing their normal activities, Finance Minister Paul Martin said.

Names in the news

Ontario Premier Mike Harris, who became unpopular with teachers and unions for spending cuts, announced he is resigning. Harris said he wants to spend more time with his wife after a two-year separation and his two children. Conservatives will choose his successor within six months after which the second-term premier will continue as the member of the Legislature from North Bay until the next election.

Bill Knight will become Canada's first consumer "watchdog" over banks next month. Knight, current head of the Credit Union Central, was named Commissioner of the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada.

Paul Couture, 57, of Montmagny, Quebec, was arrested for making death threats in letters to Prime Minister Jean Chretien, Finance Minister Paul Martin and singer Celine Dion. Postal authorities called police after seeing a white powder spilling from one of the envelopes addressed to the three. The envelopes contained salt and baking powder.

Facts and figures

This year's issue of Canada Savings Bonds pays a record low first-year interest rate of 1.8 percent, 2.8 percent in the second year and 4 percent in the third.

Higher prices for food, largely restaurant meals and beef, pushed Canada's annual inflation rate to 2.6 percent in September.

Canada's dollar was in record-low territory at 63.471 U.S. cents Friday while the U.S. dollar returned $1.5755 Canadian before bank exchange fees.

The Toronto Stock Exchange 300 Index was lower at 6,897 points Friday while the Canadian Venture Exchange was little changed at 2,884 points.

A half-percent cut is expected next week in the Bank of Canada key interest rate of 3.75 percent and the prime lending rate at 5.25 percent.

Lotto 6-49: (Wednesday) 18, 21, 25, 34, 36 and 45; bonus 11. (Oct. 13) 14, 17, 22, 32, 36 and 49; bonus 16.

Regional briefs

Newfoundland Premier Roger Grimes is calling on the Canadian government to increase support payments to his island province. The money is based on a per-capita basis. Newfoundland's small population across a large area makes it more expensive to provide services such as education and health care than urban areas, he said.

Calgary police Constable Darren Beatty, 29, was shot to death by another officer in a hostage-rescue training accident. He was shot in the head by an officer who had forgotten to empty his gun.

British Columbia school teachers have voted in favor of striking, which would violate a ban on walkouts by essential workers. They're seeking a 34-percent pay increase over three years while the province has offered 7.5 percent.

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