PM returns to Ottawa after majority win

PM returns to Ottawa after majority win

Conservative Leader Stephen Harper stops walking away from the podium as he is asked a question during a media appearance in Calgary on Tuesday. (Adrian Wyld/Canadian Press)

Prime Minister Stephen Harper has returned to Ottawa a day after Canadians elected his Conservative Party to form its first majority government.

Cheering supporters greeted Harper and his wife Laureen, their children Ben and Rachel, as well as his campaign staff as the Conservative plane landed at Ottawa airport Tuesday evening from his home riding in Calgary.

Speaking at a news conference earlier in the day in Calgary, hailed Quebec's "shift to federalism" in Monday night's election, which reduced the once-dominant Bloc Québécois to four seats in the province.

The prime minister added he is disappointed that his majority government does not have a larger foothold in Quebec, as most of the Bloc losses came from an unprecedented surge by Jack Layton's New Democrats.

"Despite the fact that we did not make any gains, of course, as a Canadian and a federalist, I'm encouraged by the collapse of the Bloc," he said.

Harper won 167 seats in Monday night's election and will form his first majority government. He won minority governments in 2006 and 2008.

The Conservatives won 39.6 per cent of the vote. However, the party only won six of Quebec's 75 seats.

"I'm disappointed, but I'm not discouraged," Harper said.

The Conservative leader said he would not appoint an unelected person to his cabinet, which he did in 2006.

Harper said he would build his cabinet from the six Quebec MPs who won on Monday.

"We did win a number of seats for experienced MPs who will have a significant place within our government," Harper said.

"I would have hoped for more, but we do have significant representation there, and we will certainly be listening to what the people of Quebec say over the next four years."

Harper received calls of congratulations on Tuesday from U.S. President Barack Obama and British Prime Minister David Cameron. During his telephone conversation with Obama, Harper congratulated the U.S. president and military servicemen on this week's raid in Pakistan that killed al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.

Obama also renewed his commitment to the border security framework agreement the two leaders announced in February, the Prime Minister's Office said.

Harper told Cameron he looked forward to seeing the British leader at the upcoming G8 summit later this month. The two leaders also discussed the situation in Libya, the PMO said.

Health talks with provinces coming

The Harper majority government will have to renegotiate a massive health-care deal with the provincial governments.

The Conservatives committed during the campaign to keeping the escalator clause in the deal that will see six per cent annual increases in health transfers.

Harper reiterated his support for a universal health system, but he said he is not opposed to provincial governments experimenting with alternative forms of delivery.

"As you know, provinces have within the existing framework experimented with alternative delivery, but that is different from moving away from the basis of a universal system of public health insurance coverage, and we are all committed to that," Harper said.

He said he foresees a collaborative approach to coming up with a new health deal with the provinces. He said he will also respect the asymmetrical arrangement with Quebec, which was agreed to in the health accord signed by the former Liberal government of Paul Martin.

Champagne celebration

After running a tightly scripted campaign, for the last several weeks, Harper seemed relaxed as he spoke to reporters on Tuesday morning.

Harper twice left the microphone to signal an end to his news conference and twice returned to answer one more question.

The Conservative leader recalled how he celebrated with his staff Monday night after learning that he would lead a majority government.

"My staff had me celebrating last night," Harper said.

"They pulled me up to the room, they made me pop this champagne, and after I'd said a few words, they passed me the champagne and wanted me to guzzle it out of the bottle. And some of you know I'm not much of a drinker, but I did. However, they tricked me, and there was only that much in it. So much for my wild side. That's as wild as it got."

As he recalled the story, he held his fingers to suggest there was very little champagne left in the bottle.

Elections act limits online comments, social media

Elections act limits online comments, social media

Canadians are being reminded to comply with Elections Canada's broadcasting ban, preventing premature elections results from being distributed even over social media sites. (CBC)

An elections law enacted when telecommunications were still in their infancy runs up against the digital age for several hours Monday when polls close in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Strict rules under the Canada Elections Act prevent any instance of "premature transmission of results" until the last polls have closed in every electoral district in the country.

That means extra precautions for online publishers and consumers.

Elections Canada has issued a warning to Facebook and Twitter users to use caution on election day when communicating and posting voting results, saying the act also applies to transmissions made over the internet.

That also affects CBC's coverage of the election, resulting in adjusted broadcast schedules and changes to the cbcnews.ca website.

As of 5 p.m. ET Monday, comments on all cbcnews.ca stories will be closed until all polling stations across the country have closed at 10 p.m. ET.

Users are also discouraged from posting any advance polling information on any related social networking sites, including Facebook, as broadcasters and publishers go to great lengths to comply with the act.

CBC Television and CBC News Network will feature a live election special airing east of B.C. starting at 9:30 p.m. ET, when polling stations are closed elsewhere in the country. A blackout will be in effect in B.C. during that time, from 6:30 to 7 p.m. PT, before the broadcast goes coast to coast.

Online, cbcnews.ca will host a moderated live chat beginning at at 9 p.m. ET and on Facebook at 10 p.m. ET.

After 10 p.m. ET (7 p.m. PT), the online blackout will be lifted and our cbcnews.ca's website, mobile and iPad/iPhone apps will have live results from across the country, live streaming video, full coverage of the regional and national election stories and comments on news stories will be reopened.

And social media users will once again be free to share their reaction to election results.

Prairies flood fears see no relief

Prairies flood fears see no relief

City of Regina workers pile onto a dyke along the south side of Wascana Creek in Regina on Monday.

More than 1,000 people in Manitoba and Saskatchewan have been forced from their homes as flood waters continue to rise, with concerns that the Assiniboine and Red rivers could crest at the same time in Winnipeg.

Both are expected to crest in late April to early May, CBC meteorologist Johanna Wagstaffe said.

The number of evacuees has risen to nearly 800 in Manitoba, with almost 600 provincial and municipal roads affected by flooding and 32 municipalities under states of emergency.

Wagstaffe said the Red and Assiniboine are now virtually ice-free, but that water levels are rising as crest dates approach.

Manitoba officials say about 700 provincial staff are working on the flood response across the province, as well as municipal staff, private contractors and non-government agencies such as the Salvation Army, Mennonite Disaster Service and the Red Cross.

Steve Ashton, Manitoba's emergency measures minister, says the province will be wrestling with the legacy of this year's flood long after its rivers crest and the water drenching much of the province recedes.
Damage expected to total at least $70M

Water levels are at least as high as they were in 2009 — the second-worst flood season in the last 150 years.

That flood caused $70 million in damage and this year is expected to be just as costly.

Ashton says water levels will cause problems well into May. He says cottage owners and residents will have to remain vigilant and keep an eye on wind that has the potential to whip up swollen lakes.

In Saskatchewan, 15 communities have declared states of emergencies and more than 440 people on two First Nations have been forced from their homes.

Lynn Acoose, chief of the Sakimay First Nation, says some roads are inundated and many homes are waterlogged. She also says there's concern that wells and cisterns people use for drinking water may have become contaminated.

Cool temperatures have saved a lot of communities from worst-case scenarios. Wagstaffe warned, however, that temperatures are expected to rise and there is still some snowpack left to melt.

The province's Watershed Authority says the City of Regina can expect water levels in Wascana Lake to peak by the end of the week.

Russell Williams divorce to stay muzzled

Russell Williams divorce to stay muzzled

An Ottawa judge has ruled that divorce proceedings involving convicted killer Russell Williams — a former Canadian Forces colonel — and his estranged wife shall remain under a publication ban, at least for now.

An Ottawa judge has ruled that divorce proceedings involving convicted killer Russell Williams — a former Canadian Forces colonel — and his estranged wife shall remain under a publication ban, at least for now.

Williams' wife last month applied to the court asking for sensitive records to be under a publication ban — particularly a domestic contract signed between the two shortly after he was arrested for two murders.

In support, she filed sensitive medical information which her lawyers said outlined the harm she might suffer, should any divorce proceedings be made public.

On Tuesday, Justice Jennifer MacKinnon ruled that until there is a divorce trial in open court (unlikely if Williams and his wife mutually agree to part ways), then the domestic contract should not be available to the public.

The judge also sealed sensitve portions of the woman's medical records that were put before the court.

The CBC, Ottawa Citizen and other media organizations had intervened, arguing the public had a right to know whether Williams tried to shield assets — including his military pension — by signing them over to his wife after getting caught by police.

Williams was arrested in February 2010 and pleaded guilty last fall to the sado-sexual murders of Jessica Lloyd of Belleville, Ont., and Marie France Comeau of Brighton, Ont. He was also convicted for assaulting two women in Tweed, Ont., as well as for dozens of fetish raids and break-ins in eastern Ontario and Ottawa, where he shared a home with his wife.

Bank of Canada holds rate steady

Bank of Canada holds rate steady

The Bank of Canada has opted to leave the country's key lending rate unchanged at one per cent.

The Bank of Canada kept its benchmark lending rate unchanged at one per cent in its latest decision on Tuesday.

Since raising its overnight lending rate to one per cent in September, the bank has held steady for five consecutive policy decisions.

Economists had expected the central bank to hold rates steady, citing the fact that inflation still appears to be under control in Canada.

"We judge that the BoC will want to monitor core CPI for signs of 'consistency' for at least a couple months more," Michael Gregory, senior economist at BMO Capital Markets Economics, said in a report a week ago.

For its part, the Bank of Canada said economic growth in the United States appears to be picking up steam, while emerging markets continue to expand at a robust pace.

But the recent Japanese earthquake will cause supply disruptions, the monetary authority said.

In addition, while Canada's gross domestic product growth is better than anticipated, the expansion is not setting off inflationary alarm bells, the bank said.

Canada steady, Europe not so

The bank’s decision comes in the face of an interest rate hike in Europe. Earlier in April, the European Central Bank raised its trend-setting rate by one-quarter of one percentage point to 1.25 per cent.

Historically, European monetary authorities have been much quicker to clamp down on economic growth to ease inflationary pressures than either Canada or the United States.

Most central banks have begun worrying that soaring commodity prices, including for foodstuffs, and gathering strength among the world’s major economies could reignite a general round of price hikes in industrialized countries.

But, as of yet, the U.S. Federal Reserve is still taking a “wait-and-see” approach before hiking U.S. rates.

“Most Fed members have made it clear that rising commodity prices are not [the] result of U.S. monetary policy nor does it require a policy response,” noted Camilla Sutton, chief currency strategist at Scotia Capital in a Tuesday note.

NDP pledges 'immediate action' in 5 key areas

NDP pledges 'immediate action' in 5 key areas

NDP Leader Jack Layton delivers a speech during a rally Saturday, April 9, 2011 in Saskatoon, Sask. Layton released the party's platform in Toronto on Sunday. 

The NDP says it would take "immediate action" in five key areas within 100 days of the election, as part of a broader platform aimed at balancing the books by 2014-2015 without major service cuts.

NDP Leader Jack Layton said the "practical, affordable plan" would eliminate the deficit without major service cuts. The party says it would do this by hiking corporate tax rates to 19.5 per cent, stopping fossil fuel subsidies, cracking down on tax havens and saving on crime legislation.

"Despite what they say, Stephen Harper and Michael Ignatieff are telling Canadian families to wait at the back of the line," Layton told a crowd of supporters after the NDP platform was unveiled Sunday morning.

The platform outlined five "practical" first steps, many of which were outlined earlier in the campaign, including:
Hiring more doctors and nurses.
Working with the provinces to strengthen the pension systems, with the eventual goal of doubling benefits.
Giving small businesses a tax cut and introducing targeted job-creation tax credits.
Capping credit card fees at prime plus 5 per cent, while taking federal sales tax off home heating.
Working to "fix" Ottawa to stop scandals and encourage co-operation between parties.

"I've laid out my commitment," Layton said. "Real action within 100 days to give your family a break, and I won't stop until the job is done."

The platform included a number of previously announced commitments, including help for family caregivers, a defence policy that prioritizes ships for Canada's navy instead of fighter jets, and a crime prevention and community safety program that would cost roughly $255 million.

It also includes plans to create more affordable housing, reduce poverty and improve access to child care and post-secondary education.

The NDP said it would put a price on carbon through a cap-and-trade system, with revenue from the new system to go to green initiatives.

The party also returned Sunday to the theme of "fixing" a broken system in Ottawa, saying it would work to abolish the Senate and restrict the prime minister’s power to prorogue Parliament.

"I think so many people just shake their head at what they see going on in Ottawa," Layton said.

"We've got to reform our democracy, and that means working towards some form of proportional representation in our country, and we’re committed to that."

The NDP won roughly 18 per cent of the popular vote in the last election and are hoping to make gains this time around. Layton has been positioning himself as a solid alternative to Conservative Leader Stephen Harper at campaign stops across the country.

Final party platform release

The Conservatives, Liberals and Green Party have already released their platforms.

The Conservative election platform included pledges to eliminate the federal deficit by 2014-15 — a year earlier than forecast in its March 22 budget.

When he unveiled the Conservative platform in Mississauga, Ont., Harper said he would find efficiencies through a strategic and operating expense review.

He also said the Conservatives would also push both a tough-on-crime agenda and support for families and businesses.

The Liberals focused on families in their platform, laying out five priority areas in their $8 billion two-year strategy.

The Liberal platform included support for early childhood education, post-secondary students and people caring for elderly parents or sick relatives. It also included changes to the pension system and a green renovation tax credit.

The Green Party said it would raise corporate taxes to 2009 levels and charge $60 per tonne of carbon emitted — but they promised a revenue-neutral "green tax shift" that would cut EI and CPP contributions for both workers and employers.

Man faces terrorism charges after Toronto arrest

Man faces terrorism charges after Toronto arrest

Al-Shabaab fighters form an armed group of mostly young adherents in Somalia with links to al-Qaeda. Mohamed Sheikh Nor/Associated Press

A man suspected of travelling to Somalia to join what has been deemed by Canada as a terrorist group has been arrested and charged in Toronto by RCMP.

The man was arrested at Pearson International Airport without incident Tuesday evening, the RCMP said in a release.

It's alleged the man was bound for Cairo after a stop in London, England.

The man was then due to travel to Somalia "to join [the militant group] al-Shabaab and participate in their terrorist activities," RCMP allege.

He faces charges of attempting to participate in terrorist activity, and providing counsel to a person to participate in terrorist activity.

His arrest comes after a joint investigation by the RCMP's Integrated National Security Enforcement Team and the Toronto Police Service's intelligence division.

The man is in custody pending a court appearance later Wednesday.

His identity will be revealed after his charges are entered in court, RCMP said.

Woodstock apartment blast leaves 2 still missing

Woodstock apartment blast leaves 2 still missing

 'We should be prepared for what could be a difficult day,' fire chief says after 5 located

Firefighters pour water on the apartment in Woodstock, Ont., on Sunday after an explosion destroyed the middle portion of the structure. Police originally thought up to 11 people were missing, but lowered that number to two by Monday morning. (Dave Chidley/Canadian Press)

Police have located five of the seven people who were unaccounted for after an explosion tore through an apartment building in Woodstock, Ont., but two remain missing.

Police were able to track down the five after going through a tenant list and setting up a hotline through the Red Cross, said Woodstock fire Chief Rod Freeman on Monday.

Seven people were also injured in the blast at the three-storey building at Victoria Street South and Henry Street , which exloded around 8:35 a.m. ET on Sunday, destroying the middle portion of the structure.

Freeman told reporters the expectation is there will likely be fatalities, though he declined to release details of the two who have not been found.

"Given that 24 hours have passed … we should be prepared for what could be a difficult day. But beyond that I could not speculate," he said.

Police originally thought up to 11 people were missing, but lowered that number to seven later Sunday afternoon.

"If you look at the devastation of the building, there's a frame left in some parts, but the rest has collapsed in on itself," said CBC reporter Steven d'Souza in Woodstock on Monday. "They're going under the assumption that those two individuals are most likely in the centre of the building where the building has completely collapsed."

The housing complex contained 45 units with about 100 residents, Freeman said. Most of them are now staying with family and friends or being housed at the local Quality Inn.

There is no further danger to the surrounding community as fire officials continue their investigation into the possible causes of the explosion, he said.

"I can't stress enough that right now we have an explosion and a fire, and we have no evidence to indicate anything criminal in nature."

Engineers were going through the building Monday to determine whether it was safe to enter, Freeman said.

'I don't expect anybody will be allowed in the building for quite sometime…. If you look at that devastation, it is not inhabitable right now."

D'Souza said there was a crew of at least 40 people there working around the scene, including firefighters, OPP, various utilities, as well as a canine unit with sniffer dogs.
30 firefighters tackled blaze

About 30 firefighters tackled the blaze and the Office of the Fire Marshal and Ontario Provincial Police were also on the scene Sunday.

CBC reporter Gary Ennett described the destruction as "unbelievable," with a third of the building "just gone."

"It's just rubble," he said. "There's no roof. It was blown right off, apparently, and all we have is piles of smouldering rubble."

Heidi Dantes, emergency room director at Woodstock General Hospital, said staff treated seven adults, most for minor injuries. Six of the seven were released and the remaining person's injuries are not critical, Dantes said.

One firefighter was treated for a broken leg.
Blast woke residents

Some residents told reporters they couldn't understand how an explosion could happen because the building had electric heat. Gas has since been shut off to all residents of Victoria Street, according to the Woodstock Sentinel-Review.

Jen Carr said she was awakened Sunday morning by a loud noise, and her house was shaking, so she went to the window.

"I saw ambulances everywhere, people running around," she said. "It was pretty crazy."

Maciej Podlesny, who lives about a kilometre from the building, was also awakened by the blast.

"It felt like a car hitting the house. The level of the flames which reached [an estimated] height of at least five or six storeys."
Building 'just engulfed'

Julius Wolf, who lives across the street from the damaged building, said he heard a "terrible explosion" and thought a car had driven into the house or a bomb had gone off.

"The apartment building across the street was just engulfed," he said.

Wolf said he saw a firefighter approach the collapsed part of the building to help a woman when a wall toppled over on him. The firefighter stayed and with the help of another firefighter got the woman out of there, Wolf said.

Debris was blown across the street, he said. The Salvation Army also set up a canteen at a nearby Via Rail station for emergency workers, while the Red Cross is set up at the Goff Hall community centre.

Len Murphy, president of the local branch of the Red Cross, said the agency would provide food, shelter and clothing for at least 72 hours.

Anyone concerned about loved ones should call the Red Cross at 1-866-280-1735.

Arcade Fire win quartet of Junos

Arcade Fire win quartet of Junos

Canadian rockers Arcade Fire have won four prizes at the Junos this weekend as Canada's leading music awards event celebrated its 40th anniversary.

Arcade Fire also enjoyed success at the Brits and the Grammys

The Montreal-based outfit were named group of the year and won album of the year for their third disc The Suburbs.

The band - who had been nominated in five categories - also won songwriter of the year and best alternative album.

"We're truly overwhelmed," said band member Richard Reed Parry at the gala, held in Toronto on Sunday night.

Arcade Fire won two Brit awards in January and were further feted in February at the Grammys, where The Suburbs was named album of the year.

Canadian teen sensation Justin Bieber received a brace of Junos, winning pop album of the year and a fan choice award.

"I want to thank everybody so much for believing in me," said the 17-year-old video message.

"Most of all, I want to thank my mom for raising me in Canada."

Young and Twain were among other award recipients at the Toronto event

Bieber's fortunes contrasted with those of Toronto native Drake, who had led the field this year with six nominations.

Despite hosting the event, however, the 24-year-old rapper went home empty-handed.

Elsewhere, veteran artist Neil Young was named artist of the year and received two additional prizes.

"It's just totally incomprehensible that I'm here," the 65-year-old told the audience. "But it's a great honour- I really appreciate it."

The evening also saw country star Shania Twain inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame.

"This is just a very beautiful moment for me," said the 45-year-old Ontarian. "I'm really so proud of Canada's talent."

Budget renews eco retrofits, but no HST deal

Budget renews eco retrofits, but no HST deal

Finance Minister Jim Flaherty puts on his newly resoled shoes during a pre-budget photo op at an Ottawa shoe repair store on Monday, March 21, 2011. (Sean Kilpatrick/Canadian Press)

The Conservative government's budget will include student loan forgiveness for rural doctors and nurses, $400 million to renew a home energy retrofit program and a new program to link veterans with job training opportunities, CBC News has learned.

According to a government source, the budget will provide for student loan forgiveness of up to $40,000 for doctors and up to $20,000 for nurses in remote or rural areas.

The source said the budget will also include $50 million for Waterloo's Perimeter Institute and $4 million for Thunder Bay's Regional Research Institute.

The source said the budget will have four main themes: job creation; families and communities; research, innovation and training; and "preserving Canada's fiscal advantage."

One of those training initiatives, the source said, is to help Canadian Forces veterans find apprenticeship opportunities in the construction industry.

But a deal to compensate Quebec for implementing the harmonized sales tax (HST), which the Bloc Québécois wants to see in Tuesday's budget, is not done yet and won't be part of the budget, according to Finance Minister Jim Flaherty.

Bloc Québécois Leader Gilles Duceppe demanded to know in question period Monday whether the budget will include $2.2 billion in compensation for Quebec for harmonizing its provincial sales tax with the GST in the 1990s. Quebec and Ottawa have been working on a deal for months, similar to the ones reached with Ontario and British Columbia.

Duceppe said Quebec's finance minister has sent a draft agreement to Flaherty and the province is waiting for him to sign off on it. It has already taken far too long for the federal government to conclude the negotiations, Duceppe said.


NDP MP Thomas Mulcair suggested Monday in question period that the Conservatives are deliberately stalling on reaching a deal for political reasons.

He said the Conservatives might be withholding the money for Quebec in Tuesday's budget because it would mean the Bloc Québécois would be more inclined to vote for it. While the Conservatives need the support of an opposition party to pass the budget, the Conservatives don't want to be seen as being propped up by a separatist party, Mulcair suggested.

He also suggested the Conservatives might be holding on to news about a deal until a campaign is underway, if one is triggered in the next few days. The government faces possible non-confidence motions in addition to budget votes in the coming days.

Flaherty told the House of Commons that negotiations are going well and that progress has been made but there is still more work to do. "We will continue our negotiations," he said.

Earlier in the day, Flaherty held the traditional pre-budget day photo op, posing for the cameras but letting no details slip on the government's fiscal plan for the year.

It's tradition for the finance minister to buy a new pair of shoes to wear on budget day, but Flaherty opted to have an old pair repaired at an Ottawa store.

On Tuesday at 4 p.m. Flaherty will deliver his sixth federal budget as finance minister in Prime Minister Stephen Harper's cabinet. It's not expected to be a blockbuster; Flaherty and Harper have warned it will contain little in the way of major new spending programs.

However, what could be a lacklustre budget might still spark the government's downfall, depending on how the parliamentary calendar shapes up this week.

If the opposition parties decide they want to bring down the government, they could do it on the first vote related to the budget, but a non-confidence motion related to a committee finding that the government should be found in contempt of Parliament might come first. If successful, that would bring down the government before its budget could be passed.
 
'Stay on course'

Flaherty said Monday the government will continue to follow its plan to get the country back to a balanced budget in the coming years.

"One of the goals of the budget is to make sure we stay on course, that we maintain the fiscal track that we set out in the fall economic update, that we move back to a balanced budget but at the same time, make some investments to promote economic growth, jobs," Flaherty said during the photo-op on Monday.

He wouldn't say whether he thought there would be enough in the budget to persuade one of the opposition parties to support it. The Conservatives need the votes from at least one of the three parties in order to stay in power and avoid an election.

It is possible the government could fall this week on a non-confidence motion, based on a report from a Commons committee that found the government in contempt of Parliament, before Flaherty's budget is even debated by the House.

Flaherty has dropped hints about the government doing more to support senior citizens, though he hasn't specified how it might do that. The CBC's Greg Weston reported last week that the budget would include a $700-million increase in old age security payments. The average Guaranteed Income Supplement is currently worth $455 per month and the average basic old age security cheque amounts to $493.
 
Will measures win opposition support?

An increase in the GIS is among the items the NDP wants to see in the budget, but Leader Jack Layton has signalled that his party needs to see substantive measures in the budget in order to vote in favour of it. The NDP has outlined other measures it wants to see in the budget: the elimination of federal tax on home heating, the renewal of the EcoEnergy Retrofit program, reforms to the Canada Pension Plan and efforts to increase the number of family doctors.

The main thing the Liberals are looking for, but won't find, is a roll back of corporate tax reductions. The corporate tax rate was dropped to 16.5 per cent from 18 per cent on Jan.1, and another cut to 15 per cent is due next year. The Liberals say corporate tax cuts are unaffordable when the country has its biggest deficit in history. The Conservatives have made it clear they do not intend to reverse the corporate tax cuts.

"We've made it clear what measures we'd like to see in the budget. What we've received is radio silence," Liberal finance critic Scott Brison said Monday.

Duceppe said the Bloc Québécois is looking first for a deal on the HST and would only evaluate the rest of the budget after that.

One measure the Conservatives have said will be in the budget is a tax credit for enrolling children in arts programs. That was a campaign promise made in 2008 and it is similar to an existing tax credit for children's sports programs.

Once Flaherty is finished delivering his budget speech, there will be a flurry of activity on Parliament Hill. The opposition leaders aren't likely to immediately declare whether they will support the budget, but they could give their basic impressions of it. All of the parties have caucus meetings on Wednesday morning and following those, the opposition leaders or their finance critics are likely to have more to say.

Parliament Hill will also be packed with financial analysts and representatives from various organizations and interest groups who will react to the budget as soon as it is tabled.

Escaped killer captured after Alta. standoff

Escaped killer captured after Alta. standoff

William Bicknell escaped from an escort on March 10 while on a day pass from Drumheller Institution to visit a relative. RCMP

An escaped killer on the loose in Alberta for more than a week has been captured after a four-hour standoff.

The RCMP said William Bicknell was arrested Saturday night near Sexsmith, Alta., after a 25-kilometre car chase during which he allegedly shot at police officers after driving his car into a ditch, RCMP said in a written statement on Sunday.

Bicknell, 42, had been on the run since March 10 when he overpowered an unarmed guard while being escorted to Edmonton on a day pass from Drumheller Institution. Bicknell allegedly pulled a knife on the guard and took control of the vehicle they were in.

On Saturday afternoon, Spirit River RCMP officers received information that Bicknell was hiding out at a rural home north of Sexsmith.

Police allege Bicknell had entered an elderly woman's residence at 7:30 a.m. MT on Saturday and took her hostage. She contacted police and family members at around 4:00 p.m., shortly after she escaped.

Members of the Grande Prairie RCMP detachment responded to the call. As officers arrived at the house, Bicknell took off in the Chevy Impala that he had allegedly stolen from a man he took hostage for a day a week earlier.

Township Road 734 & Range Road 55

Officers gave chase until Bicknell drove his car off the road about three kilometres east of Sexsmith at the intersection of Township Road 734 and Range Road 55.

Bicknell then began shooting at the officers, police alleged. There was an exchange of gunfire, during which a police car was disabled.

Bicknell surrendered to police at 8:15 p.m. and was taken to the closest hospital, where he received immediate treatment for his injuries. He was then flown to an Edmonton hospital for further treatment.

"How, and what injuries he sustained is currently under investigation," the RCMP said in their statement.

The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team is investigating the circumstances of the gunfire exchange.

A five-year member of the Grande Prairie RCMP was slightly injured during the gunfight and was treated and released from hospital.

Prisoner's status questioned

Bicknell was serving a life sentence for second-degree murder for killing Angela Steer in her home in Maple Ridge, B.C., on April 11, 2001.

The 6'6," 400-pound Bicknell never accepted responsibility for killing Steer, maintaining he was defending himself from the 5’3,” 120-pound woman. But he was eligible to take day trips from prison without an escort beginning in July, Steer's parents said.

Bicknell's sister, Sandra Lynn Myshak, 47, of Edmonton, was arrested last Friday. She faces seven criminal charges that include assisting a person escaping custody and aiding in a kidnapping with a firearm.

Charges are pending against Bicknell for the alleged hostage taking in Sexsmith. Bicknell is also facing charges in another hostage taking on Monday in Vegreville, about 90 kilometres from Edmonton, in which an elderly man was held at gunpoint for about 10 hours before being released unharmed.

The Union of Canadian Correctional Officers has questioned why Bicknell was designated a minimum security inmate. In minimum security cases, escorts are never armed and inmates are never in restraints, according to the union.

Police keep lid on Calgary race demos

Police keep lid on Calgary race demos

Tension was high when 200 anti-racism marchers met up with 20 'white pride' demonstrators in downtown Calgary on Saturday. (Carla Beynon/CBC)

Calgary police turned out in force on Saturday morning to prevent two opposing demonstrations from turning violent.

nsp. Kathy Grant of the Calgary Police Service (CPS)said that almost 200 anti-racism demonstrators gathered the Calgary Municipal Building at about 9:30 a.m. MT to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, which is on March 21.

A group of 15-20 "white pride" demonstrators also held an event in the downtown core, beginning at 10:30 a.m.

On Saturday, 200 anti-racism demonstrators in Calgary marked the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, which is on March 21. Carla Beynon/CBC

A group of 15-20 "white pride" demonstrators also held an event in the downtown core, beginning at 10:30 a.m.

"While the majority of demonstrators were peaceful, there were a small number of people on both sides who seemed intent on confronting one another," Grant said. "As part of their role to enable peaceful demonstration and ensure public safety, CPS officers prevented confrontations from occurring,"

Police blocked off several downtown streets and physically separated the groups.
 
Two men arrested

One of the anti-racism demonstrators was arrested and quickly removed from the area. Police said he was concealing something that police officers believed were potential weapons.

He had a hammer and crow bar in his bag, and charges are pending, Grant said.


Earlier in the day another man was arrested near City Hall on an outstanding warrant unrelated to the day's event.

John Mar, a Calgary alderman and former RCMP officer, spoke out against the supremacists during the anti-racism rally.

"I represent a huge portion of the downtown of Calgary and I know that this is completely contrary to Calgary values, to Alberta values and Canadian values," Mar said.

"I wanted to come down and show my support not only for the Calgary Police Service but for the citizens of Calgary and understand that this is not reflective at all of the values we hold as Canadians."

People dispersed quietly when the demonstrations ended at about 1 p.m.

Grant said that the hate crimes sub-unit of the Calgary police's diversity resources unit was involved in Saturday's police presence.

"The hate crimes portfolio is responsible for co-ordinating investigations, training all CPS members in the area of hate crime and hate incident investigations, as well as educating the public on the importance of reporting hate crimes," Grant said.

Ottawa fire crews monitor hardware store rubble

Ottawa fire crews monitor hardware store rubble


Fire crews monitoring the site of a hardware store fire in Ottawa that left two dozen people homeless say it is once again safe for people to open their windows or go outside.

The city had issued the order Wednesday after toxic smoke began spewing from the blaze, which took most of Wednesday to contain. The order was lifted around midnight, allowing residents to open their windows and use fans or heating systems.

An Ottawa Public Health inspection and air quality tests conducted by the Ottawa Fire Services' HAZMAT team of the surrounding area showed no particles detected.

Toxic smoke from the fire changed colour throughout the day. Brian Goldschmied/CBC

Smoke began billowing out of the Beechwood Avenue Home Hardware in the New Edinburgh neighbourhood just before 10 a.m. ET on Wednesday. More than 130 firefighters were called to battle the blaze throughout the day. Damages have been estimated in the millions of dollars.

At least two dozen people, mostly university students, have been left homeless and 10 adjacent businesses have been lost.

A nearby retirement residence, the New Edinburgh Square, home to 150 people, was evacuated and seniors were taken to a long-term-care facility.
Store was preparing for 3rd anniversary sale

A firefighter told CBC News it's believed the basement of the hardware store contained self-starting charcoal, paint, paint thinner and propane tanks.

Mark Clement, owner of the Home Hardware, had said the store was planning a sale in May to celebrate the store's third anniversary.

He had ordered summer stock including barbecue equipment, charcoal and patio furniture, which were being stored in the basement.

An employee first noticed the fire in the area where he had stacked dozens of bags of the charcoal.

On Thursday morning, the store and its contents were mostly an unrecognizable mass of debris, with the exception of a lone yellow canoe stacked atop a pile of wood and tin.

While the air has been deemed safe, the area still smells of smoke and fire officials have warned that children and people with heart or lung diseases should keep away from the debris.

Beechwood Avenue is still closed to traffic in both directions from Vanier Parkway to Springfield Road.

A pile of debris is all that remains of the Ottawa Home Hardware on Beechwood Avenue after a fire raged through Wednesday. Ashley Burke/CBC

Que. boy survives 3 hours buried in snow bank

Que. boy survives 3 hours buried in snow bank

Seven-year-old Olivier Prescott walks with his mother Stéphanie outside their home on Wednesday. (CBC)

A seven-year-old boy from Longueuil, Que., is alive and well after spending close to three hours buried in a snowbank earlier this week.

Olivier Prescott was playing in a schoolyard across the street from his house on Monday when a snowplow went by and buried him in a mound of snow.

He was unconscious for most the time he was trapped, and Prescott said he doesn't remember much.

His mother, Stéphanie Prescott, said she was shoveling snow in front of their house.

"I didn't see his tuque, and I said to my sister, 'I didn't see Olie like for five minutes'," said Prescott.

After noticing the boy was missing, she rallied most of the neighbourhood to search for him.

Neighbour Barry Haigh and his brother finally made a discovery three hours later.

"My brother came across his little boots sticking out and goes, 'I found them'," said Haigh.

"He got down on his hands and knees and started moving the snow away with his hands, then we heard Oliver going 'I'm here! I'm here!', in a weak, weak voice, and my brother pulled him out."

Neighbour Barry Haigh describes finding Olivier to the CBC's Catherine Cullen. (CBC)

It was a traumatic moment for Olivier's mother.

"I was on my knees screaming like hell and when the guy said, 'I think he's moving.' I stopped crying and I went to go see my son and he was all white and blue," Stéphanie said.

Olivier was found in a semi-conscious state and suffering from hypothermia.

However, he recovered quickly in hospital, and he is now healthy.
Not snow plow driver's fault

Olivier's mother isn't blaming the snowplow driver, and neither are Longueuil police.

Police have interviewed the driver twice, and said he was in a state of shock.

They said it's clear the burial was accidental, and the driver won't face any criminal charges.

French-Canadian woman killed by New Zealand earthquake, authorities confirm

French-Canadian woman killed by New Zealand earthquake, authorities confirm

CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand - Police in New Zealand confirmed Tuesday that a Canadian woman was killed in the earthquake that rocked Christchurch last month.

A list released by authorities said 60-year-old Marielle Falardeau was among the dead.

Media reports say the French-Canadian was vacationing with her sister in Christchurch when the quake hit Feb 22.

In an interview two days after the temblor, Australian newspaper The Cairns Post reported Falardeau and her Australian sister were shopping in the centre of Christchurch as the quake struck.

They had been in Australia before flying to New Zealand Feb 2.

Marie-Noelle Falardeau told the paper she and her sister were due to leave for Montreal Feb 23.

Falardeau, who was still searching for her sister in area hospitals at the time, said the Quebecer was "so, so happy" on the trip the pair had been planning for six months.

The magnitude 6.3 earthquake that struck near Christchurch collapsed office blocks, damaged thousands of homes and killed at least 166 people.

Canada's Foreign Affairs department confirmed the death of a Canadian citizen as a result of the earthquake in New Zealand.

"We are in contact with the family and have offered consular assistance," a department spokesman said Tuesday in an email.

New Zealand has planned a national memorial service for quake victims for March 18. Officials have said the open-air service in the city park could attract up to 100,000 people.

Fashion faux pas: Vuitton, Burberry suing Canadian companies over phoney goods

Fashion faux pas: Vuitton, Burberry suing Canadian companies over phoney goods

A pedestrian runs past a Louis Vuitton store in downtown Vancouver, B.C. Tuesday, …

VANCOUVER - Three Canadian companies caught selling Louis Vuitton and Burberry knock-offs committed more than just a fashion faux-pas, say lawyers for the haute couture giants, who are suing the companies in federal court.

Vancouver-based companies Singga Enterprises Inc. and Carnation Fashion Company, along with Altec Productions of Toronto, violated trademark law with their phoney fashions, said Michael Manson, lawyer for the fashion houses.

The plaintiffs are seeking up to $3 million in damages for trademark and copyright infringement in what could be the "largest anti-counterfeiting judgment in Canadian history," Manson told the court Tuesday, the first day of the hearing.

Singga and Altec were involved in large-scale, sophisticated manufacturing operations in China and imported vast amounts of fake goods with the intent of selling them nationwide at stores, gift shows and online, he said.

The lawsuit came after two years of private investigations by the fashion houses.

According to Manson, the two companies had a business arrangement whereby Singga Enterprises placed large orders to the Toronto-based company and referred customers to Altec for a commission.

"This is not a one-off sell by some little distributor... [investigators] were being offered not 10, 20, 50, but 500," he said, adding that Louis Vuitton and Burberry were not targeting "mom and pop" stores.

Manson said despite the lawsuit, Altec Productions has continued its operations and shown a "blatant disregard for the law" in its attempts to have the hearing delayed. That is in part why the plaintiffs are seeking such high damages.

That's not the case with Jessie Guo, owner of Carnation Fashion Company of Vancouver, who lawyers say has been fairly co-operative throughout the legal proceedings.

They suggested she owes them one-half to one-third less than the damages the two larger companies should pay.

The investigators also looked into the back-room sales of fake bags.

The court was told that Guo sold fake handbags imported from China in a back room of her store. She was suspected of having links to the national operation because her shop was a storefront for Singga Enterprises, but Manson said there was no way to be sure that was the case.

Guo admitted to selling the bogus bags but said she wasn't aware of Canadian trademark and copyright laws. And she denied having links to Singga Enterprises or its owners, Lisa Lam and Kenny Ko.

"I didn't know selling counterfeit goods was that serious in nature," Guo, who represented herself, said through a Cantonese-language translator.

Guo said she only made purchases under $10,000 from China twice a year since her store opened in 2002. She also said she didn't know what the Louis Vuitton, Chanel and Burberry brands were until customers started asking for similar products.

"I went to the night market in Richmond and I saw there were those kinds of goods available," said Guo. She said she bought a few knock-offs to sell for $20 to $30 each and at first there wasn't much demand.

But Manson said fashion companies that rely on their brands for profits have been hit hard by the counterfeit fashion industry.

"If the RCMP and their prosecutors had more resources we might be in a different venue," he said, adding that the offending groups exhibited "obfuscation and subterfuge" and a blatant disregard for the law.

"They don't look at brand-owners' rights as something they have to respect."

But counterfeiting is not just bad for business — there can be safety risks as well.

Most unregulated knockoffs from China do not conform to the same consumer product safety standards as legitimate goods.

Researchers have found fake batteries that contained mercury, while perfumes were found to contain high urine and alcohol levels. Additionally, clothing items were made with toxic dyes and flammable materials.

Louis Vuitton’s adoption of a “zero-tolerance” policy in 2004 against fakers has led to over 13,000 legal actions, 6,000 raids and approximately 950 arrests, according to the company’s website.

A crackdown against stores in Vancouver-area shopping malls led to a successful 2008 lawsuit in which Louis Vuitton claimed $980,000 in damages and about $50,000 for court costs.

The owners of Altec Productions or Singga Enterprises were not in court Tuesday, but a request for adjournment was denied.

A paralegal with Toronto-based Mary Lee and Associates requested an indefinite adjournment via videolink on behalf of Monica Mac and Pablo Liang, of Altec, saying they'd left Canada to deal with "a last-minute crisis."

The court was told their business associate, Gordon Chan, was detained indefinitely by the Chinese government when he tried to return to Canada to attend the hearing.

Lawyers for the plaintiffs said Altec was simply trying to delay the proceedings yet again.

The court case comes after a February crackdown on counterfeits in New Jersey where officials seized more than 5,000 counterfeit trademark items at a flea market. The goods had an estimated retail value of over $300,000 and included fake MAC and Estee Lauder cosmetics.

A ruling is expected in a couple of weeks.

Canada could contact Libyan rebels: Cannon

Canada could contact Libyan rebels: Cannon

Minister of Foreign Affairs Lawrence Cannon said there would be 'a great deal of validity' in speaking with the anti-Gadhafi National Libyan Council. (Adrian Wyld/Canadian Press)

Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon said he would consider direct diplomatic contact with opposition forces in Libya.

Canadian opposition politicians pushed the government Monday to make contact with the Libyan National Council, which has been the political voice of the rebel-held areas in the North African country.

Cannon told reporters after speaking to the House of Commons foreign affairs committee that there would be a "great deal of validity" in speaking with the rebels.

"The objective here obviously is to be able to put an end to the violence that's taking place and looking at diplomatic solutions to make sure … Canadians, as well as other foreign nationals, get out of there safely and that we do restore peace."

Liberal foreign affairs critic Bob Rae said earlier Monday that the world needs to isolate Gadhafi so he's forced to step down.

"We need to establish diplomatic contact and contact with the Libyan National Council, have direct contact with them and know what they are doing, and we need to be engaging directly with Arab League and African Union to discuss the further steps we need to take to assist in the defeat and the overthrow of Col. Gadhafi," he said.

Liberal MP Bob Rae speaks Monday to reporters at the House of Commons about the issues in Libya. (Sean Kilpatrick/Canadian Press)

Rae said Canada should also expand asset freezes to squeeze the senior Libyan government and military officials keeping Gadhafi in power. Rae told reporters in Ottawa the world also needs to make it clear those officials will face the same consequences as Gadhafi.

"We have to be placing more and more people on the list of those who are going to be subject to economic sanction and subject to difficulty," Rae said.

"The message has to go out more and more to those people who are serving under Col. Gadhafi that they do so at a price and at their own peril, that if they choose to continue to serve Col. Gadhafi they will be considered part of the regime and they will be considered to be part of the consequences of that under international law."

Rae also suggested putting oil revenue into an escrow account so the money doesn't go to the regime.

"This has got to be an exercise where we do everything we can to squeeze Col. Gadhafi back into as tiny a circle as possible, which will lead ultimately to his defeat," he said.

Mustafa Abdel Jalil, head of the rebel National Libyan Council based in the eastern rebel-held city of Benghazi, talks to his supporters in Beyda on Friday. (Asmaa Waguih/Reuters)

No plans for ground troops

CBC News has learned that there are no plans so far to send Canadian ground troops to Libya.

Meanwhile, Canadian frigate HMCS Charlottetown plans to stop at Gibraltar on Wednesday to refuel. It's still unclear what the ship will do when it arrives at the Libyan coast on Friday.

Canada's C-130 Hercules transport aircraft did not take part in any evacuations Monday.

Rae said the Canadian government is doing the least it possibly can on the file.


New Democrat foreign affairs critic Paul Dewar said it was "important at this point to be trying to connect with what is being seen as the provisional government right now."

Neither Rae nor Dewar had specifics on how Canada might accomplish this, but at least one attempt to do just that has proved perilous.

Britain bungled its efforts to reach out to the anti-Gadhafi forces last week. Eight people were detained by rebel forces after a helicopter carrying British diplomats and SAS special forces soldiers landed in eastern Libya.

British Foreign Secretary William Hague blamed the incident on a "misunderstanding" Monday, but said opposition figures had "welcomed the idea" of establishing diplomatic ties. Hague confirmed other officials will be sent to eastern Libya to cement relations.

Creek search for girl now in 'recovery' mode

Creek search for girl now in 'recovery' mode

Emergency crews gather near the spot where a 10-year-old girl slipped into a creek near Melbourne, Ont., which is 25 kilometres southwest of London, Ont.

Emergency crews working near London, Ont., are now in a "recovery mode" in their search for a girl who fell into a frigid tributary of the Thames River on Saturday.

"At this point in time, with the time frame that's passed, we are in a search-and-recovery mode now," OPP Const. Chris Hunter told CBC News on Sunday. "We still always hold out some optimism, but it's been a long time."

The eight-year-old girl, who was identified by police late Sunday as Kayla Maybee of Southwest Middlesex, was playing with two other girls when she slipped and fell into a fast-flowing and rain swollen Gentleman's Creek near Melbourne at about 10:42 a.m. Saturday. The two other girls, who were unharmed, ran to a nearby residence to get help.

The OPP said the banks of the creek are very slippery, and the water is about two metres deep where the girl fell in.

Over the weekend, a Facebook page was set up asking people to "pray for Kayla Maybee," a Grade 3 student at Echo Public School in nearby Glencoe, Ont.

Melbourne is about 25 kilometres southwest of London.

The creek is running high because of Saturday's heavy rain and melting snow.

Police divers searched the freezing waters Saturday before calling off the search before dark.

They resumed their search Sunday, but search conditions continued to be difficult after snow and temperatures fell overnight.

An OPP helicopter on Sunday joined the search, which continued until dark without finding her body. The search will resume at 9 a.m. on Monday. The girl was last seen wearing a light blue raincoat with frogs on it. She is described as four feet five inches, weighing 71 pounds with shoulder length brown hair.

Meanwhile, the local school board has called in its trauma team to help children and staff deal with the situation.

Authorities are warning the public to stay away from all creeks and rivers in the province because the banks are slippery and the water is extremely cold.

Military flight evacuates more Canadians from Libya

Military flight evacuates more Canadians from Libya

A Canadian military Hercules transport, en route to pick up stranded oil workers, was turned back Tuesday, March 1, 2011 from Libya. A Canadian Hercules C-130J aircraft is shown at Kandahar Airfield in a January 2011 photo. (Steve Rennie / THE CANADIAN PRESS)

 

OTTAWA — Ottawa has confirmed a military flight was able to pluck more Canadians and other foreign nationals from strife-torn Libya on Saturday.

A spokesman for Defence Minister Peter MacKay said the Canadian Forces plane flew in from Malta and landed "without incident."

"It's boarded a number of evacuees," Jay Paxton told The Canadian Press.

Canadian Forces officials were expected to confirm the number of Canadians and other foreign nationals airlifted out of the North African country once the plane landed in nearby Malta later Saturday, he said.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper's spokesman Dimitri Soudas tweeted about the evacuation effort earlier Saturday and boasted almost 330 Canadians have been pulled from Libya so far.

Canada's evacuation efforts have suffering a string of setbacks though. A military transport was denied landing rights in Libya last week and at least two civilian aircraft chartered by the Foreign Affairs Department left the north African country with no passengers in late February.

Many Canadians leaving Libya have done so aboard ships and planes belonging to other countries. But the government has defended its efforts saying it worked hard to secure the safety of its citizens by co-ordinating closely with its allies.

The Canadian air force has been sending planes into Libya over the past week, but getting landing permission has been a nightmare due to widespread confusion on the ground. The lack of an electronic link with the capital Tripoli has meant all landing rights requests must be faxed and often there are few people at the other end to collect the documents.

Canadians in Libya have been instructed to get to appropriate sea ports or airport evacuation points if they want to leave the country.

Unlike a few other countries, Canada has not proposed bold extraction missions to pluck its stranded citizens from the chaos.

The Netherlands tried to conduct such a mission this week, but it backfired with three Dutch marines captured by forces loyal to Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi.

Libya has been mired in chaos as Gadhafi loyalists clash with opposing rebels. Hundreds have been killed and tens of thousands have fled the violence.

The crisis in the country is already far worse than any of the other uprisings in the Arab world this year as Gadhafi has unleashed a violent crackdown on anyone who opposes him. His political foes have taken up arms in their attempt to remove him from the post he has held for 41 years.

Canada and other countries have condemned Gadhafi for his actions and have imposed a wide range of sanctions on the leader and his regime.

The Harper government has also sent a frigate to join an international flotilla gathering off the coast of Libya, but has implied the military buildup is for humanitarian relief purposes for the moment.

HMCS Charlottetown was dispatched on Wednesday. There have been suggestions it could be used for relief operations, but the frigate is not set up to carry much cargo.

Canada has also promised millions of dollars in humanitarian assistance to Libya, but it will be sent through non-governmental organizations, such as the International Committee of the Red Cross and the International Organization for Migration.

Rain, snow warnings issued from Ontario to N.B.

Rain, snow warnings issued from Ontario to N.B.

A pedestrian shields himself from rain under an umbrella in downtown Toronto Friday, March 4, 2011. (Darren Calabrese / THE CANADIAN PRESS)

Rainfall, snowfall and winter storm warnings are in effect from Ontario across to Atlantic Canada Saturday, calling for 24 hours of messy weather that may make travel dangerous.

According to Environment Canada, a major low pressure system from the United States will hover over eastern Ontario late Saturday before moving into Quebec early Sunday morning. The weather system will bring anywhere from 20 to 40 millimetres of rain or five to 10 centimetres of snow over a 24-hour period.

In parts of southern Ontario, light rain will change to snow as northerly winds kick up in the region. There is also a risk of freezing rain.

"The warning criteria is 25 mm within 24 hours (fairly conservative criteria) based on the fact that runoff is more significant in areas where snow pack is minimal and the ground is still frozen," the agency said.

Winter storm warnings have been issued for parts of northern Ontario, where both heavy snow and "patchy freezing rain" are expected to continue into Saturday evening. Snowfall amounts could reach 10 centimetres before the snow tapers off overnight.

Winter storm and rainfall warnings are also in effect for parts of southern Quebec, where the storm system is expected to arrive in the early morning hours Sunday. Some areas could see between 20 and 30 cm before the storm passes through.

As the weather system moves eastward, it could bring as much as 25 cm of snow and 45 mm of rain to parts of northern and western New Brunswick through Sunday night and into Monday.

The weather system has been working its way eastward since Thursday night, when Ontario Provincial Police in western Ontario responded to 90 collisions linked to freezing rain. Police say most were caused by motorists driving too quickly for the icy conditions and following other vehicles too closely.

With files from The Canadian Press