May 2005 in Canada

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Deaths in May • 2 – Robert Hunter Ongoing events • Budget/confidence vote • Men's World Championship in Hockey • 2005 Quebec student strike • National Hockey League labour dispute • U.S.-Canada softwood lumber dispute • Same-sex marriage debate • Judy Sgro controversy/"Strippergate" • Sponsorship scandal Upcoming events • TBD: Same-sex marriage vote Upcoming holidays • May 23: Victoria Day • May 23: National Patriotes Day (QC) • June 24: Fête nationale du Québec (QC) • June 24: Discovery Day (Nfld. & Lab.) • July 1: Canada Day (Memorial Day: NL) • August 1: Civic Holiday1 • September 1: Centennial Day² • September 5: Labour Day • October 10: Thanksgiving • November 11: Remembrance Day • December 25: Christmas • December 26: Boxing Day • 1 exc. QC, NL & YT • ² Alta. & Sask. held in 2005 only Recent elections results • May 17: British Columbia general Upcoming elections • May 24: Labrador federal by-election • ?: 39th general election

May 28, 2005

• The three stranded climbers trapped on Mount Logan were rescued late Friday after the storm keeping them there broke. Two more climbers ascended the mountain and kept them warm before they were airlifted to a hospital in Anchorage, Alaska. (CBC)

May 26, 2005

• A climbing expedition from Saskatchewan fails to make the first ascent of Mount Saskatchewan in Kluane National Park and Reserve. (CBC)

May 25, 2005

• After a send-off spectacle at Calgary's Saddledome, The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh return to London. (CBC)

May 24, 2005

• Liberal candidate Todd Russell wins a crucial by-election in the federal riding of Labrador. This result consolidates the shaky Liberal balance of power in the federal government. (CBC) The seat was left vacant by the death of Liberal MP Lawrence O'Brien.

• The Queen addresses the Legislative Assembly of Alberta on the last full day before her departure from Canada. (CBC)

May 23, 2005

• Despite severe rains, The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh participate in Alberta centennial celebrations in Edmonton, accompanied by Lieutenant-Governor Norman Kwong, Premier Ralph Klein, and Deputy Prime Minister Anne McLellan. Highway 2, the main highway between Edmonton and Calgary, is renamed the Queen Elizabeth II Highway in her honour - the first highway in Canada to be named for The Queen. [1]

May 21, 2005

• Conservative MP Steven Fletcher apologises for remarks referring to Japanese soldiers as "Japs" and "bastards" at a veterans convention in Winnipeg the previous weekend. Those remarks had angered Japanese Canadians. (CP)

May 19, 2005

• The House of Commons votes on two crucial budget bills. Bill C-43 carries with a vote of 250 yea, 54 nay. Bill C-48 is tied with a vote of 152 yea, 152 nay, with the Speaker voting in favour, breaking the tie and carrying the bill. The Canadian government survives the vote of confidence. (CBC)
• The Federal Court of Appeal upholds a lower court ruling that denied the Canadian Recording Industry Association's request of revealing the personal information of users of 29 IP addresses which it believes are heavy downloaders of copy-righted music. The ruling sights the need for increased privacy protection since "the potential for unwarranted intrusion into personal lives is now unparalleled." (P2PNews)
• After receiving approval of the Canadian Senate on Wednesday, Bill C-15 receives royal assent today to become law. The bill amends the Migratory Birds Act and the Canadian Environmental Protection Act to increase the penalties for ships that pollute Canadian waters and allow charges to be filed against individual ship employees. (CP)

May 17, 2005

• British Columbia general election: After the initial count, members of the British Columbia Liberal Party are elected to 46 seats while members of the New Democratic Party of British Columbia are elected to 33 seats in the provincial Legislative Assembly. No third party or independents are elected. The referendum on electoral reform is defeated with both 42.62% of the popular vote and 2 out of 79 ridings voting against the referendum. CBC
• Conservative MP Belinda Stronach crosses the floor of the House of Commons to sit with the Liberals, two days before a crucial budget vote that could determine whether the Liberal government falls or not. (CBC)
• The Queen arrives in Regina, Saskatchewan for a royal visit that will last until May 25, celebrating the centennials of Saskatchewan and Alberta. (CBC)

May 15, 2005

• Canada wins the silver medal at the Men's World Championship in Hockey. The Czech Republic wins gold and Russia wins bronze. (IHWC)

May 12, 2005

• Statistics Canada releases a report that illustrates family incomes across Canada in 2003. Among the highlights:
  • average after-tax income fell from $60,400 in 2002 to $59,900 in 2003
  • Ontario, followed by Alberta, had the highest average after-tax income at $66,500 and $64,900 respectively
  • Newfoundland and Labrador had the lowest average after-tax income at $47,100
  • Prince Edward Island had the lowest rate of low-income families at 3.7%
  • British Columbia had the highest rate of low-income families at 11.6%

(Globe&Mail) (StatCan-TheDaily)

• An Ontario man is sentenced to 15 years in prison and a lifetime driving prohibition after killing two people in two separate drunk driving accidents. He becomes the first Canadian to be twice convicted of impaired driving causing death in separate collisions. (CTV)
• A study published in the Canadian Journal of Public Health finds that the better the access to fast food restaurants in a neighbourhood the higher the levels of hospital admissions and coronary disease in that neighbourhood. (CTV)

May 11, 2005

• Prime Minister Paul Martin sets May 19 as the date for a vote on the 2005 budget which he says will be considered a confidence vote in the government.(CP)
• Montreal mayor Gérald Tremblay startles royal watchers when he greets Princess Margriet of the Netherlands with a signature Montreal two-cheek kiss. The princess is flustered, but quickly recovers, delivers the speech, and returns the kiss. Both the royals and the mayor deny any serious protocol breach. The princess, who was born in Ottawa, is visiting Montreal as part of the commemorations of Canada's help in liberating the Netherlands during World War II. (CBC)

May 10, 2005

• House of Commons opposition members of parliament pass a motion to instruct a house committee to call for the resignation of the government. The 153 votes of the Conservatives and Bloc Québécois defeat the 150 votes of the Liberals and NDP. There are three absences on the government side. Although the motion is classified as a procedural instruction to a committee, the Tories and BQ call on the government to resign. (There is debate between parties and constitutional experts as to whether or not this is a no confidence motion.) (CBC)
• Judy Sgro controversy/"Strippergate": Harjit Singh, the deported pizza-store owner who accused MP Judy Sgro of influence peddling retracts his accusations. Judy Sgro withdraws her $750,000 defamation lawsuit. (National Post)

May 8, 2005

• Point guard Steve Nash of the NBA's Phoenix Suns becomes the first Canadian to win a NBA MVP award. Nash edged out Shaquille O'Neal of the Miami Heat to win the award.(CBC)
• Nasrat Parsa, a popular Afghan singer and musician, dies in Vancouver. Following a concert he was punched and fell down a flight of stairs at Queen Elizabeth Theatre. (Official Site) (BBC)

May 7, 2005

• The Canadian government may send as many as 150 troops to war-torn Sudan on a peacekeeping mission, in addition to $20 million in aid. (CBC) (CP) (Globe and Mail)
• The House of Commons continues to debate the importance of a scheduled May 18 vote. The Conservatives and Bloc Québécois contend that the vote will also be a confidence vote and if the Liberals lose it, they will have to resign. The Liberals dispute this interpretation. (CBC)
• British Columbian Maher Ahmed Zaydan has been released from captivity in Damascus, Syria. Maher was placed in custody upon arriving in Syria on April 21. Reasons for neither his custody nor his release have been made available. (CBC) (CP) (Globe and Mail)

May 6, 2005

• The I Am Canadian commercial becomes one of Canada's top ten television advertisements. The list was compiled to celebrate the Institute of Communications and Advertising's 100th anniversary, and also includes an A&W commercial and a Smarties commercial. (Globe and Mail)
• Crab fishermen protests in Newfoundland have intensified, necessitating a police guard presence for both the premier Danny Williams and the fisheries minister, Trevor Taylor. (CBC)
• Thousands of Quebec teachers stage a one day strike. The teachers want smaller class sizes and more resources for special education students, as well as a 12 per cent salary increase over three years. (CBC)
• Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) investigate the death of Kevin Geldart from a Taser. Moncton police used the taser to immobilize Geldart in a bar after the man escaped from a pyschiatric ward. (CBC) (CP)
• The federal government and Ontario provincial government agree on a plan to give the province $1.9 billion in childcare funding over the next five years. Paul Martin promised to spend $5 billion in childcare during his election campaign and included it in the federal budget. (CBC) (CTV) (CP)

May 5, 2005

• A board of inquiry for the Navy concludes that the fire aboard HMCS Chicoutimi (SSK 879) on October 5, 2004, that killed one crewmember was an accident and not the fault of the captain or any other crewmember. (CP)
• Quebec announces it will eliminate religious instruction in schools in 2008. The province's education system is currently using the 'notwithstanding clause' of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms in order to teach Catholic and Protestant religions in public schools. (Globe&Mail) (CTV)

May 4, 2005

• Same-sex marriage: Bill C-38 passes its second reading in Parliament. The vote passed at 164 to 137, which means the bill will be sent to a parliamentary committee before its final reading. Proponents of the bill are worried that an election may dramatically decrease the chances the bill has for passing. (CBC)
• The Canadian Soccer Association announces the cities that will host the 2007 FIFA World Youth Championship: Toronto, Edmonton, Vancouver, Victoria, Ottawa, and Montreal. (CBC)
• Canadian veterans of World War II are honoured in the Netherlands. One thousand five hundred veterans attended the event, which is part of the celebrations leading up to the 60th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day. (CP)
• Lab tests reveal the powder found at Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport to be a harmless food product. The four people rushed to the hospital were thoroughly decontaminated, isolated, and screened, but were found to be in normal physical condition. (CP) (CTV)

May 3, 2005

• At Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport an unidentified white powder spills out of a bag at customs. Four people are rushed to the hospital where they are decontaminated. The powder came from a British Airways flight from London. (Globe&Mail)
• Water from the town of Maxville, Ontario may be contaminated by ethanol from the Via Rail spill yesterday. Residents are waiting for the results of an analysis before drinking their water. (CBC)
• A study in New Brunswick reveals that the province does not offer enough support programs for suicide prevention. In response to the study, the Provincial Health Minister says that the government will work to improve existing services and offer additional ones. New clinics and technology will be made available, such as videoconferencing between doctors and patients. (CBC) (CP)
• An Ontario court ruling orders a 14-year-old British Columbian girl to return to British Columbia. The girl, a Jehovah's Witness, has cancer, but refuses blood transfusions on religious grounds. Last month, the B.C. court ruled that the girl was a minor and could not refuse such treatment if the doctors thought it was critical to her health. The Ontario ruling upholds this. (Globe and Mail) (CBC)
• Prime Minister Paul Martin announces that he and the other federal party leaders shall attend V-E Day celebrations in the Netherlands. The decision comes after criticism over the recall of Liberal Minister Albina Guarnieri, leaving Canada without representation by an elected politician. Paul Martin says that he will attend the celebrations now that the Opposition party leaders shall also be going. (CBC)
• The government denies the request for a public inquiry into the Air India incident. In an e-mail sent to the families of the victims, B.C.'s Ministry of Attorney General says, "that there are no grounds on which the Crown could launch an appeal." (CBC)
• A study by Statistics Canada, entitled The National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth, indicates that low-self-esteem (for girls) and troubles at home (for boys) may cause adolescents to engage in sexual intercourse at an earlier age. Drinking and smoking are also listed as contributing factors. (CTV) (Globe and Mail)
• British Columbia general election: The leaders of the British Columbia Liberal, New Democratic and Green parties participate in the televised leaders' debate in Vancouver leading up to the next provincial general election on May 17. (CBC) (Globe&Mail)

May 2, 2005

• A study sponsored by Bird Studies Canada finds Canada's boreal forest is relied upon by billions of birds at some time in their life. The study finds that 80% of waterfowl species in North America and 63% of finch species use Canada's boreal forest for mating. (CP) (NewsWire)
• The Canadian Food Inspection Agency finds that 117 out of 165 dietary products, or 71%, are mislabelled or contain ingredients that are not permitted. (CTV)
• A chemical spill, 70 km east of Ottawa, on the Montreal-Ottawa route causes Environment Canada to evacuate the surrounding area. The chemical, highly flammable ethanol, originated from a CN freight car on the Ottawa Central Railway. (CBC)
• Newfoundland crab fishermen protest near government buildings, including the legislature building, causing disruption in daily proceedings. The fishermen are upset of Premier Danny Williams' changes to the provincial crab industry. (CBC) (Globe&Mail)
• Greenpeace co-founder Bob Hunter dies from prostate cancer. (Globe&Mail) (GreenPeace)
• Health Canada estimates that 5,900 people die each year as a result of air pollution. (MedicalNewsToday)
• Liberal Veteran Affairs minister Albina Guarnieri is called back to Canada. If the Tories and Bloc propose a motion of no confidence, the Liberal minority government will need her vote, as well as the votes of Independent MPs. Guarnier's recall comes just days before the VE Day celebrations in the Netherlands. (CBC)

May 1, 2005

• Four new polls suggest that the Liberals are tied or leading over Conservatives for popular support. According to EKOS Research Associates poll of 1,212 voters, the parties had the following percentage of support:
  • Liberals - 33%
  • Conservatives - 31%
  • NDP - 19%
  • Bloc Québécois - 12%
  • Green Party - 6%

An independent poll of 1,000 voters by Ipsos-Reid had similar results, except that the Conservatives (33%) were ahead of the Liberals (30%), the NDP had 17%, and the Green Party had 5%. (CBC)

• Public security minister Anne McLellan and former Ontario premier Bob Rae met with families of Air India victims. Bob Rae has been appointed to investigate whether the Air India incident requires a public inquiry. (CBC) (CP)
• Quebec premier Jean Charest disagrees with federal Revenue minister John McCallum's statement that Ontario's request for additional federal funding threatens national unity. (CP)
• Flooding along the St. John River in New Brunswick has forced Fredericton to close several roads. The high level of water in the river from spring thaw, combined with the heavy rainfall, is forcing some people in New Brunswick and Quebec from their homes. Officials do not expect the flood to continue for much longer. (CBC) (CTV)
• Windsor, Nova Scotia introduces a voluntary gambling tool known as a "smart card" to help counteract gambling addiction. Rather than pay cash at video lottery terminals, gamblers can pay using a smart card. If a gambler wishes to only spend a certain amount of money, they program their smart card to only allow that amount. The card will become mandatory in the fall. (CBC)

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