Montreal interim mayor selected

Last Friday, city councillors voted in Montreal’s first Anglophone mayor in 100 years. As the new interim mayor, Michael Applebaum will hold the position until the next municipal election in November 2013.

Applebaum replaced former mayor Gerald Tremblay, who resigned Nov. 5 following allegations of corruption from the Charbonneau Commission. When his party, Union Montreal, did not vote for him as their choice for the mayoral election, Applebaum quit the party to run as an independent candidate.

Applebaum has faced criticism over the quality of his French, but defends himself as capable of conducting business in both languages. Since his election, Applebaum has emphasized the need for a collaborative council to reduce tension between parties, and for increased transparency for the city’s governing bodies.

“Now is the time to re-establish our bridges, to work together and to ensure that Montrealers can be proud of what we do as elected officials,” Applebaum said. 

B.C. suspends visa program

Last Friday, the British Columbia government suspended a program that fast-tracked visas for investors who had committed to establishing a business in the province. The decision came following a suspiciously high increase in the submitted number of visa applications.

The program offered business applicants speedier access to permanent residence status in exchange for a $125,000 bond. The initiative was part of a larger provincial plan to address B.C.’s demand for more skilled immigrants.

According to the Globe and Mail, a review of the fast-track program found that very few nominees were running a business as promised, and that the program’s success rate was under 20 per cent.

Government officials have suggested several explanations for the surge in applications and the program’s poor performance. One explanation is that some applicants hope to take advantage of the program’s conditions in order to secure permanent residence status.

“We require [that] people actually set up a business and actively manage it,” a senior government official, who wished to remain anonymous, said. “You cannot just put up money and collect a permanent resident’s visa.”

Chinese ambassador denies espionage allegations

During an interview on CBC Radio last Saturday, Chinese Ambassador to Canada Zhang Junsai criticized anyone who speculated about Chinese firms’ involvement  in espionage without providing evidence for their allegations.

Zhang’s comments came following a report released by the U.S. Intelligence Agency in early October, which urged American companies to avoid using Chinese telecommunications company Huawei. The committee suggested that Huawei could serve as a front for Chinese espionage, and could be used to cause interference with power grids and banking systems during a time of conflict.

Huawei currently provides networks for several Canadian companies, including Bell Canada. Zhang said these speculations are unfounded, and result from a “Cold War mentality.”

These concerns come at a time when the federal government is reviewing the proposed takeover of Nexen Inc. by China National Offshore Oil Corp. Members of Parliament, including NDP and Official Opposition Leader Thomas Mulcair have criticized the deal, saying it is not in Canada’s best interests. The review period ends Dec. 10.

Retail giants take Quebec gov’t to court over language law

Last Sunday, several major retailers—Best Buy, Costco, Gap, Guess, Old Navy, and Wal-mart— announced their decision to pursue legal action against the Quebec government. The dispute involves a new interpretation of language laws governing the use of French in business names.

According to the CBC, the Office Québécois de la Langue Française, the province’s language watchdog, has requested that the companies in question either create a generic French name for their business, or add a French slogan that communicates the products for sale.

Section 63 of Quebec’s French Language Charter requires that all business names in the province must be in French. Traditionally, however, this clause has not been applied to trademarked names. The six retailers have argued that this particular language law has not been formally changed, and challenge the validity of the office’s  demands.

Critics of this new rule include Nathalie St-Pierre, the vice-president for the Retail Council of Canada’s Quebec branch—a not-for-profit advocacy association representing retailers across the country. St. Pierre questioned the purpose of imposing such changes on these retail giants, and said that the brands “stand on their own” and “need no description.”

Government inspects veteran’s facility following complaints

The federal government ordered an audit of Sunnybrook Veterans Centre last Thursday, following weeks of scrutiny and complaints over the quality of care at the Toronto facility.

Sunnybrook is the largest veteran’s facility in Canada, containing 500 beds. In early November, some families of Sunnybrook residents raised concerns about incidents that occurred at the hospital. Allegations included veterans left in unsanitary conditions and delays for vital services, like feeding.

These allegations led to a government inspection of the facilities on Nov. 9. Families have since expressed concern about the inspection’s effectiveness as Sunnybrook was warned about the inspection about a day before it occurred.

Although the hospital receives money from the both the Ontario and federal governments, it reports only to the federal government. While provincial rules mandate that long-term care homes be inspected at least once a year, Sunnybrook’s last inspection by the Ministry of Health occured in 2005.

Officials say the audit will focus on how the facility uses taxpayers’ money, as well as on the quality of the care provided, and should be completed in early 2013.