Canada in Brief, Oct. 6-12

Wall says Clinton’s climate plan a better approach

REGINA—Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall is looking south of the border in his push against a carbon tax in Canada.

Wall says he backs the climate change plan released this week by U.S. presidential candidate Hillary Clinton that supports carbon capture, but does not include a carbon tax.

The premier says Clinton’s plan indicates that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s carbon pricing scheme puts Canada’s economy and jobs at a competitive disadvantage with its biggest trading partner.

He says focus should be on innovation and technologies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and that Saskatchewan’s plan, to be unveiled next week, will be similar to Clinton’s.

Calls mounting for federal government to speed up judicial appointments

CALGARY—The federal Tories are calling on the Liberal government to immediately fill judicial vacancies across Canada.

Alberta member of Parliament Michael Cooper, the Conservative deputy justice critic, made the plea after a Court of Queen’s Bench judge in Edmonton stayed a first-degree murder charge because of unreasonable delay.

Ian Savage, president of the Calgary-based Criminal Defence Lawyers’ Association, says Alberta’s Court of Queen’s Bench has 12 to 15 fewer judges than it needs for the volume of cases.

He says the shortage comes at the worst possible time in Alberta, given that the economic downturn is being blamed for a rise in petty crime and substance abuse and more cases before the courts.

Cleanup, damage assessment begins in Atlantic Canada after Hurricane Matthew

SYDNEY, N.S.—Communities in Nova Scotia and Newfoundland are facing a costly and lengthy cleanup from widespread flooding damage after a storm fuelled by Hurricane Matthew brought torrential rain to the region over the long weekend.

On Oct. 12, premiers in both provinces toured areas damaged in the storm, as power crews worked to restore electricity and schools remained closed in some areas. Parts of the Sydney area received more than 200 millimetres of rain, and one school was temporarily closed due to water damage.

The death toll from Hurricane Matthew in the U.S. rose to over 30 with many areas in turmoil and left without power.

Meanwhile, food, water, and building supplies began to reach remote corners of Haiti this week as tens of thousands of people slowly started rebuilding their lives after the devastating hurricane hit the poor Caribbean nation, leaving over a thousand dead and many injured and homeless.

Trade activist José Bové allowed to stay in Canada for seven days

MONTREAL—A member of the European Parliament who opposes the Canada-EU free-trade deal says he is being allowed to stay in Canada after being threatened with expulsion.

José Bové says the Canada Border Services Agency told him in a telephone call on Wednesday, Oct. 12, that he could stay for seven days.

Earlier, Bové told a news conference he wanted Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to tell him why he was being kicked out of Canada.

“Is it because the French prime minister, Mr. (Manuel) Valls, who supports the (EU-Canada) free-trade agreement, arrives in Ottawa today? Is it because you (Trudeau) will be in Europe next week to try to sell the deal?” he said.

Tony Clement drops out of Conservative leadership race

OTTAWA—Former Conservative cabinet minister Tony Clement says he’s ending his bid to assume the leadership of the party.

Clement issued a statement Oct. 12 saying his campaign had fallen short of goals he set when he launched his leadership bid back in July. He said he was pulling out of the race now so as not to subject his family to any further financial stress.

He said he would do whatever he can to support interim Conservative leader Rona Ambrose and his caucus colleagues throughout the rest of the leadership race and looks forward to playing some other role.

The first leadership debate is to take place Nov. 10 in Saskatoon.

Feds ban new embassies along Sussex Drive after RCMP flags security concerns

OTTAWA—The federal government is forbidding the construction of new embassies on Ottawa’s Sussex Drive following a stark RCMP assessment of the potential for “violent events” in the high-profile neighbourhood.

Countries with diplomatic missions already located on the well-known boulevard include the United States, France, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and South Africa.

It is also home to Rideau Hall, where the Governor General lives, as well as the prime minister’s residence at 24 Sussex.

Records released under the Access to Information Act show Foreign Affairs Minister Stephane Dion was advised of the ban on new embassies in January by Daniel Jean, then his deputy minister.  Jean has since been named national security adviser to the prime minister.

With files from The Canadian Press