Month: March 2020

OTTAWA — Parliament’s spending watchdog urged federal politicians to ask the government why it is holding on to an extra $105 million that it collected on U.S. steel and aluminum during its trade fight with the Trump administration.

Wednesday’s report by the parliamentary budget officer says the government committed to return to affected industries $1.3 billion in surtaxes it charged on U.S. steel and aluminum imports in 2018 and 2019. But the PBO said the government will return $105 million less than it assessed in surtaxes on the U.S. metals.

“Parliamentarians may wish to seek clarity regarding the scope of the surtax revenues committed to be returned and which industries are the intended recipients of spending measures funded by surtax revenues,” the PBO said.

Watch: Trudeau says he has ‘very good relationship’ with Trump

 

Randy Hoback, the Conservative trade critic, said his party will be pushing the Liberals for answers.

“The government needs to come clean on where they used that money.”

Canada imposed the duties as part of its broader $16-billion package of retaliation on various American products after the Trump administration placed duties of 25 per cent on steel and 10 per cent on aluminum during the acrimonious renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement in 2018.

The United States said it was imposing the metals’ tariffs — which also hit Mexico — to stop the flood of cheap Chinese steel into North American markets, but the Trudeau government branded the move as arbitrary and illegal.

“In response to the U.S. tariffs and Canadian retaliatory surtaxes, the government of Canada has made statements committing to return assessed surtaxes to the businesses and workers in the affected industries,” the PBO said.

But the government has not specified publicly which industries are to receive the funds, said the report. It also said that some of the surtax revenue was given to the federal government’s trade commissioner service and to a government innovation fund that was aimed at the aluminum and steel sectors.

RELATED

• ‘He’s Two-Faced’: Trump Responds To Trudeau's 'Gossip' With World Leaders

• Freeland Has Kind Words For NDP, Stinging Criticism For Tories On New NAFTA

• Trump Nominates Aldona Wos As New Ambassador To Canada

Hoback said all the money the government collected should have been given “dollar for dollar” to affected industries because that is what the government pledged to do.

“That was never the intent of that money. That money was supposed to flow through to the government and come back to the industries,” said Hoback. “We want to know why that didn’t happen.”

The U.S. lifted the tariffs last May, as the three North American countries moved forward with their new continental trade deal. The countries agreed to establish a process for monitoring the steel and aluminum trade between them.

In May 2018, U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said the tariffs were being imposed on Canada and Mexico to prevent a flood of cheap Chinese steel into the U.S. through its NAFTA partner countries.

Ross also said the U.S. was imposing the tariffs because the trade talks were taking too long, even though they were being imposed under a section of American trade law that gives the president that authority to do that to protect national security.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 11, 2020.

With global stock markets tanking and coronavirus cases rising rapidly in Asia, Europe and North America, politicians around the world are racing to unveil emergency measures to help the economy weather the storm.

In Italy, where the entire population of 65 million has been under lockdown since early this week, the country’s finance minister has announced a policy that has earned some attention: Mortgage payments ― as well as other loan repayments for individuals and households ― will be suspended during the crisis. Detail, such as how long the holiday will last, or how lenders will be compensated, haven’t been worked out yet. 

Meanwhile, in the U.K. ― where policymakers hit the alarm on Wednesday, announcing both emergency government spending and a sizeable cut to the key interest rate ― individual banks are announcing they will suspend loan repayments for people and businesses “affected by the outbreak.”

Watch: How the coronavirus will impact the economy. Story continues below.

 

It’s not just random politicking that prompted these decisions. Over the past decade, with interest rates at historic lows, households in many developed countries took on record levels of debt, as a share of income. Which means that a shock to the system that stops people from paying their mortgages could have a much bigger impact on the economy than it would have in the past.

Nowhere is that a larger concern than in Canada, where for years the Bank of Canada has been calling high household debt levels a key vulnerability to our financial stability. So, in the event of a “coronavirus recession,” the Bank may be open to this sort of “bailout” of homeowners ― as might lenders.

“I absolutely think it’s the correct call,” said James Laird, CEO of mortgage broker Canwise Financial and co-founder of comparison site Ratehub.

“If we get to the point where … the income of Canadians is materially disrupted, then I think that all stakeholders involved ― from the homeowner to mortgage provider to regulators ― would be in favour of providing temporary relief,” he told HuffPost Canada.

RELATED

• Tom Hanks And Rita Wilson Say They Tested Positive For Coronavirus
• Trump Bans All Travel From Europe Amid Coronavirus Pandemic
• NBA Suspends Season After Player Tests Positive For Coronavirus

Canada’s banking sector is generally in better shape than Italy’s, but “even so, I would be surprised to not see Canada adopt similar measures in the event the outbreak hits the same scale,” said Stephen Punwasi, a data analyst who specializes in the housing market.

“Canadians view their homes as a savings vehicle, retirement plan, and payday lender. The government knows this, so they’ll pull out all the stops to prevent forced liquidations.”

Delaying mortgage payments would put “great pressure” on lenders, Laird said. He expects that, in a situation like that, either the federal government or Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. would offer lenders financial aid, potentially in the form of low-interest loans or cash injections.

Without aid “the small lenders would go bankrupt,” Laird said.

But “no one, including the lender, is interested in setting up a situation where there is an uptick in defaults,” he added.

Punwasi notes a potential glitch in the plan: The rise of unregulated, private lenders.

“Almost 8 per cent of mortgages in Ontario were from private lenders in 2018,” he wrote in an email to HuffPost. “Most of that money is in major cities like Toronto. These largely unregulated lenders likely would not be subjected to the same kind of relief as regulated lenders.”

What about renters?

While a “mortgage holiday” could help take some serious pressure off our financial system, it would be limited relief for households. Only 39 per cent of households in Canada are paying a mortgage, meaning this policy would do nothing to alleviate pressure on the 29 per cent of households who own their home outright, or the 32 per cent of households who rent.

Click Here: pinko shop cheap

Some cities in the U.S. ― notably Seattle and cities in California’s pricey Bay Area ― are moving to ban evictions and utility shutoffs during the outbreak, in an effort to take some pressure off renters. Under new rules passed by city councils in San Francisco and San Jose, anyone who can provide documentation showing their income was impacted by the coronavirus can fight eviction.

The core rationale behind these moves was summed up nicely by Dean Preston, a member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors: “Right now, being secure in one’s home is absolutely essential. And it’s one of the best ways that we can prevent spread of coronavirus.”

OTTAWA — The Canada Revenue Agency currently has no plans to extend income tax deadlines for those negatively impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak. 

In a statement to HuffPost Canada, the CRA said officials continue to monitor the evolving situation closely and understand those who fall ill may be impacted financially. 

“At this time, there are no plans to extend the tax filing season. The CRA understands that this is a difficult time for people and we are here to support them,” spokesperson Pamela Tourigny said Thursday. 

“The existing taxpayer relief provisions give CRA officials the discretion to waive or cancel all or part of the interest and penalties.” 

Canadians have until April 30 to file individual income tax returns.

Watch: Finance minister shares plans for COVID-19. Story continues below video.

 

Under taxpayer relief provisions, Canadians who are not able to file their tax returns on time and incur penalties are eligible to request to have them cancelled or waived. Deadlines are extended or penalties are cancelled or waived for people who’ve experienced “extraordinary circumstances.”

If the current outbreak continues to develop, Tourigny said, “The CRA is well positioned to respond to the emergence of COVID-19.”

The response from the CRA comes a day after U.S. President Donald Trump announced a series of new measures to cushion the impact of the novel coronavirus, including extending the upcoming April 15 tax filing deadline for some individuals. 

RELATED

• Trump Bans All Travel From Europe Amid Coronavirus Pandemic

• Feds Spending $1 Billion To Help Provinces Combat Coronavirus

• PM Trudeau In Self-Isolation As Wife Being Tested For COVID-19

• Coronavirus Pandemic Has Parliament Hill Checking Contingency Plans

• This Map Shows Where Coronavirus Cases Have Been Confirmed In Canada

“I will be instructing the Treasury Department to defer tax payments without interest or penalties for certain individuals and businesses negatively impacted,” he said. Trump did not offer clarity about who would be eligible and how long the extension would be.

Trump also announced that all flights from mainland Europe will be banned entry into the United States. 

That measure has Canadian officials working to understand its potential impact at airports and ports of entry. Immigration Minister Marco Mendicino had few answers, saying he won’t comment on the policies of other countries.

“Anybody who wishes to travel to Canada will be subject to the very rigorous procedures and protocols which are in place,” he said.

Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland spoke to her U.S. counterpart, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, about the travel ban’s potential impact for the Canada-U.S. land border, which sees 400,000 people cross every day.

“Secretary Pompeo and I agreed that we would be in constant touch when it comes to the Canada-U.S. border very much as needed,” Freeland said, adding that she made a point to reaffirm measures Canada’s public health care system is taking in the wake of the outbreak.

“There has been already an impact on the global economy and on the Canadian economy. But it is fair to anticipate that there will be further economic consequences,” Freeland said.

She emphasized that the COVID-19 pandemic is a developing situation and the federal government is ready to respond with “economic firepower” if needed.

While other leading divisions across Europe and around the world have shut down, Bundesliga fixtures are due to go ahead as planned this weekend

Bayern Munich midfielder Thiago Alcantara has called for an end to the “crazy” delays in Germany which are yet to see Bundesliga action shut down amid the global coronavirus pandemic.

All other leading divisions in Europe have now entered a period of enforced postponement.

The Premier League, which is initially breaking through to April 3, has become the latest to put containment measures in place when it comes to Covid-19.

La Liga, Serie A, Ligue 1 and the Eredivisie had already reached that stage.

UEFA has also brought an immediate end to Champions League and Europa League competition, while the 2020 MLS season in America has been brought to an early halt.

Several players and coaches of teams around the world have tested positive for coronavirus, including Juventus defender Daniele Rugani, Chelsea winger Callum Hudson-Odoi and Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta.

Authorities in Germany are, however, yet to take decisive action of their own, with Monday’s clash between Werder Bremen and Bayer Leverkusen the only fixture to have been called off thus far – as confirmed by Bremen’s mayor Andreas Bovenschulte.

That means remaining fixtures are due to go ahead as planned this weekend behind closed doors, with Thiago among those left baffled as to how such serious health concerns can be ignored.

He has posted on Twitter: “This is crazy. Please stop fooling around and land on reality.

“Let’s be honest, there are much more important priorities than any sport.”

As things stand, Bayern are due to take in a trip to Union Berlin on Saturday.

The club’s CEO, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, has confirmed that plans are being put in place to head for the German capital.

He has said: “There is a decision about tomorrow’s matchday. Our match is on.

“The Champions League match next week has been cancelled. UEFA has informed us that the entire matchday will be postponed across Tuesday and Wednesday.”

Bayern had been due to welcome Chelsea to the Allianz Arena for the second leg of a last-16 encounter that they currently lead 3-0 on aggregate.

That game will not go ahead, but the reigning German champions will face Union.

No supporters are due to be in attendance at that fixture, with Rummenigge requesting that none travel to congregate outside the ground – as Paris Saint-Germain followers did to toast their European victory over Borussia Dortmund.

He added: “Please do not come to Berlin. Please do not meet in front of the stadiums.

“These are all contacts that we must prevent so that the virus does not spread quickly.”

Michela Persico says that the Italian centre-back is no longer exhibiting symptoms of the illness which is spreading across the globe

Daniele Rugani’s girlfriend Michela Persico has offered an insight into the Juventus defender’s battle against coronavirus, as he continues to self-isolate following his positive diagnosis.

Juventus confirmed that Rugani has contracted Covid-19 in an official statement on Wednesday, shortly after the Serie A season was put on hold due to the outbreak.

The 25-year-old sent a message to supporters on social media to allay fears over his health, stating: “You will have read the news and that’s why I want to reassure all those who are worrying about me, I’m fine.

“I urge everyone to respect the rules, because this virus makes no distinctions!”

Persico has now opened up on Rugani’s symptoms and quarantine experience, telling Italian publication Corriere Della Sera: “Four days ago Daniele recorded three mild fever lines, he was at a temperature of 37.5.

“He asked to be checked and, the next day, the test was positive, but he already had no fever, nor did he have or had a cough or something else.

“So we didn’t expect it. We don’t have a clue how the infection happened. 

“From the moment he saw the fever, he decided, with a great sense of responsibility, to remain in isolation to protect me, the team and the people with whom he could have come in contact.

“We often speak and video call him, I feel quite calm. He is well and without symptoms. His other colleagues, without symptoms and who have not done the swab, have chosen to be at Continassa, to avoid contact with families.”

Rugani’s partner went on to reveal that she had also self-isolated in compliance with the government measures which have been put in place in Italy, with the country currently in the middle of a 15-day lockdown period.  

“Both Daniele and I had been in voluntary isolation for a week, although we were doing very well, going out only for his work needs or for necessary commissions,” she added.

“He played his games, even on Sunday, as scheduled, but he followed all the precautions prescribed.

“Even in this difficult moment, our love gives us great strength.”

Serie A is not the only major European league to have been affected by the coronavirus, with La Liga, Ligue 1 and Bundesliga cancelling all scheduled matches until further notice.

In England, the Premier League and EFL have shut up shop until April 3, after an emergency meeting was held by officials on Friday morning following positive tests for Chelsea’s Calum Hudson-Odoi and Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta.

Click Here: Cheap France Rugby Jersey

The Red Devils ace is thoroughly enjoying playing alongside the Portuguese playmaker, who has lifted the mood at Old Trafford in recent months

Juan Mata says that he and Bruno Fernandes have already built up a strong relationship at Manchester United based on their shared understanding of the game.

Fernandes has had a huge impact at Old Trafford since completing a €55 million (£49m/$61m) switch from Sporting during the January transfer window, contributing three goals and four assists to the Red Devils’ cause in nine appearances.

His latest assist came during a 5-0 thrashing of LASK in Austria on Thursday, as Odion Ighalo produced a sublime piece of skill and emphatic finish after being found on the edge of the box by an inventive pass from the Portugal international.

United took full command of the last 16 Europa League tie thereafter, with Daniel James, Mata, Mason Greenwood and Andreas Pereira all finding the back of the net in the second half.

Mata has already formed an effective partnership with Fernandes in the middle of the park, with the Spaniard insisting that the pair are naturally on the same wavelength.

He also reserved praise for Ighalo, who has had a similarly positive influence on United’s form since joining the club on loan from Shanghai Shenhua on deadline day.

“It’s great to have Bruno in the team, and also Odion who is scoring in almost every single game that he plays,” Mata told MUTV. “They’re great guys, and we’re very happy now with them in the team.

“I think we [me and Fernandes] understand football in the same way. We like to play the same way, passing and moving and giving lines.

“We like playing with each other and looking for our forwards in behind like we did with Dan today and with Odion, who scored a fantastic goal also.”

United’s latest European outing was staged behind closed doors due to the ongoing coronavirus crisis, which has already caused major disruptions to the 2019-20 campaign.

Mata went on to admit that the clash with LASK felt like a training session, but he was pleased that United were still able to produce a “professional performance” in such unprecedented circumstances.

“I don’t remember playing behind closed doors before so, of course, it was a different game,” Mata added. “It feels strange. It’s like training, when you play a game in training, there’s no crowd and it felt a little bit the same.

“But of course, your mind is in a competitive mood and you know that it is an official game so we did what we were asked to do, which is to play in these circumstances. We need to act accordingly and trust in the experts and perform like we did today.

“I think we did really well when you look at the score and the performance. It was not easy in the beginning because LASK are a team that press a lot. 

“We didn’t have our best game in terms of passing and controlling, and it wasn’t easy on that pitch with this ball, but at the end of the day we scored five goals, we are happy and ready to come back to Manchester.

Click Here: Cheap France Rugby Jersey

“I would say it was a very professional performance so, of course, winning 5-0, we can say that we had a very good first leg. But when we play at Old Trafford we will try to win the game again and play good and try to score and try to enjoy our football like we did today.”

The youngster is the first player from England’s top flight to return a positive test result for the illness that has swept the globe

Chelsea star Callum Hudson-Odoi has tested positive for coronavirus, leading the Blues to enact a partial closure of their training facilities.

Hudson-Odoi, 19, is the first Premier League player to be confirmed to suffer from the virus, which has caused league closures in Spain, Italy and France as it was elevated to a pandemic by the World Health Organisation. 

Click Here: Cheap France Rugby Jersey

The Premier League in contrast declared earlier on Thursday that the weekend’s fixtures would go ahead as planned, although a meeting was subsequently called with clubs for the next day following the news that Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta had been diagnosed with the illness. 

Brighton have already moved to suspend their clash against the Gunners ahead of the league’s decision and Chelsea’s visit to Aston Villa must also be in serious jeopardy after the club confirmed the news. 

“Chelsea men’s team player Callum Hudson-Odoi had a positive test result for Coronavirus returned this evening,” the Blues stated on their official website.

“Chelsea personnel who had recent close contact with the player in the men’s team building will now self-isolate in line with Government health guidelines. These will include initially the full men’s team squad, coaching staff and a number of backroom staff.

“It is expected that those who did not have close contact with Callum will return to work in the coming days. In the meantime, the men’s team building, one of several separate buildings at our training ground, will remain closed. The rest of our training facility, Stamford Bridge and our other facilities are operating as normal.

“Callum displayed symptoms similar to a mild cold on Monday morning and has not been at the training ground since then as a precaution. However, his test came in positive this evening and he will undergo a period of self-isolation. Despite testing positive for the virus, Callum is doing well and looking forward to returning to the training ground as soon as it is possible.

“We will continue to adhere to Government and Public Health Guidelines with regard to our facilities and staff and will be discussing next steps with regards to upcoming fixtures with the Premier League on Friday morning. We will provide further updates as necessary via the club’s website.

We wish Callum a speedy recovery and look forward to welcoming him back to the club soon.”

veut repousser le diable de la Loire-Atlantique où, selon elle, le démon va prendre ses quartiers d’été le temps du festival Hellfest. La présidente du Parti chrétien-démocrate (PCD) veut ni plus ni moins faire annuler ce rassemblement de quelques-uns des plus prestigieux groupes de Metal internationaux!

Christine Boutin va se mettre à dos Kiss, Alice Cooper, les Deftones, Motörhead et même Sepultura. La présidente du Parti chrétien-démocrate a en effet décidé de bouter hors de France les supposés suppôts de Satan en les privant d’un prochain festival de musique Metal organisé dans l’Ouest. Elle peut toujours essayer. Mais ça va être plutôt hard.

Alors que les vidéos trash et les commentaires de « metalleux » pas contents la renvoient à l’Eucharistie ou à la représentation du Christ en croix, Christine Boutin prenait à témoin les autres invités de l’émission Cactus sur le sens du mot Hellfest, nom (de baptême?) du festival, elle accuse ce rassemblement organisé à Clisson, près de Nantes de « véhiculer la culture de mort » et d’instiller le satanisme dans les jeunes oreilles. Ou du moins de l’y enfoncer à coup de marteau et de décibels.

Du coup, Christine Boutin est allée jusqu’à adresser une lettre ouverte au PDG de Kronenbourg, partenaire du Hellfest, afin que l’entreprise mette fin à son soutien au festival maudit. Elle demande au brasseur de « prendre la mesure de la gravité de (son) soutien à de telles organisations et (à) cesser de financer ce festival » qui « peut influencer négativement des jeunes en fragilités psychologiques au point de les amener à poser des actes graves et violents ».

Un combat pour lequel Philippe de Villiers avait déjà enfourché son destrier en Pays de Loire où il accuse le conseil régional actuel (PS) de financer un festival sataniste!

Jean-Frédéric Tronche

Click Here: Cheap Golf Drivers

Lundi 29 mars 2010

Une infection respiratoire. Voilà la raison invoquée par au moment d’annuler le concert qu’elle devait donner ce mardi soir à Bercy.

La diva Whitney Houston ne chantera pas ce soir. Pas de grand retour en vue: elle vient d’annuler le concert qu’elle devait donner au Palais Omnisport de Paris Bercy.

Pour l’instant, la date prévue à Manchester jeudi est maintenue, mais la chanteuse de I Will Always Love You se dit victime d’une infection respiratoire qui l’empêche de chanter la moindre note.

Raison objective ou prétexte? C’est évidemment la première question que l’on se pose à l’annonce d’une annulation. Spécialement dans le cas de Whitney Houston qui n’a pas brillé ces dernières années.

Alcool, drogue, divorce avec Bobby Brown… Autant de chocs qui ont plombé le destin fabuleux de celle qui dès 9 ans, faisait résonner sa voix d’or dans le milieu du showbiz américain.

Après ses années fastes, les années 80 et 90, notamment celles de Bodyguard, le film qui a laissé des traces dans les mémoires de nombreuses midinettes, Whitney a connu une véritable traversée du désert. Déjà, l’album My Love Is Your Love sorti en 1998 n’a pas eu le succès escompté, mais c’était un triomphe à côté de I Look To You, sorti en 2009.

Cet album, comme la tournée, étaient censés exorciser les années noires -les années 2000– de la diva de la soul. Lui offrir un nouveau départ à 46 ans.

Click Here: Cheap QLD Maroons Jersey

Pour ce soir, c’est plutôt un faux départ.

Mais l’entourage de la chanteuse a promis à tous les fans, qu’elle se produirait à nouveau le 1er juin.

C.C.

Mardi 6 avril 2010

Frank Ribéry va devoir porter son équipe et le fardeau du scandale, lors du match Bayern Munich-O.L. ce mercredi.

Coupable ou non des faits qui lui sont reprochés (au moins dans les médias),

a repris l’entraînement ce mardi avec une blessure bien plus grave que sa douleur au mollet. Et alors qu’il devait jouer ce mercredi contre l’O.L. en demi-finale aller de Ligue Des Champions, le milieu de terrain du Bayern de Munich devra, en plus du numéro 7, endosser le poids de la honte.

L’ex-Marseillais a certes échappé à l’exercice de la conférence de presse. Et pour cause. Les questions promettaient de glisser du terrain de l’Allianz Arena aux banquettes du café Zaman, censé être la plaque tournante du réseau de filles tarifées mises dans les pattes de joueurs français. Et, parmi ces prétendus riches michetons, c’est pour l’instant Ribéry qui fait les Unes.

« Les », car « Scarface », est aussi épinglé dans le reste de l’Europe et notamment par les titres germaniques. Bild, le mastodonte de la presse allemande clame « P… de scandale », tout en se demandant si le « beau gosse » a vraiment « eu des relations sexuelles avec une prostituée mineure ». Le Berliner Kurier utilise le terme de « Lolita » en capitales, et Express parle de « Sex-Skandal », ce qui ne nécessite pas vraiment de traduction.

Une traînée de poudre qui a conduit le Bayern Munich à s’inquiéter de sa propre réputation et améné le directeur sportif du club bavarois, Christian Nerlinger, à s’entretenir avec Franck Ribéry. Car, « c’est naturellement un sujet de discussion », a-t-il affirmé, refusant de préciser la teneur de cet entretien avec le joueur français car « nous devons nous concentrer sur l’aspect sportif, Franck aussi ».

Mais cet « aspect sportif » sera, comme le soulignait Le Parisien de ce jour, prétexte à des interprétations liées à l’affaire: « Si Ribéry livre une grosse partie, on parlera de son mental de champion. S’il se montre moyen ou rate ce rendez-vous, la thèse du joueur qui gamberge prendra de l’épaisseur », écrit Dominique Séverac.

Et tandis que l’international français est sous l’épée de Damoclès d’une mise en examen pour « sollicitation de prostituée mineure », au cas où le juge déciderait de le poursuivre dans le cadre d’une affaire de proxénétisme, sa carrière est aussi en jeu.

Aussi talentueux soit-il, Franck Ribéry est de fait sur le siège éjectable au Bayern, tandis que son éventuel transfert vers le Real Madrid pourrait être compromis, selon le quotidien Marca. Les sponsors? Bah, pris « la main dans le sac », et plus qu’à son tour, Tiger Woods a bien fini par récupérer le sien. Reste l’essentiel de la vie d’un homme: la famille que le Boulonnais a fondée avec Wahiba, après s’être converti à l’Islam en 2006, et ses enfants. Or, il faut être vraiment fort, sportif, pour affronter l’infamie ou au moins lui échapper.

Jean-Frédéric Tronche

Mardi 20 avril 2010