Politics

Canada, intent on boosting development of the oil-rich tar sands, will speed up the process for approving big energy and industrial projects such as pipelines.
The federal budget, released on Thursday, also said the right-of-center Conservative government would crack down on political activity by charities, some of which have strongly criticized Ottawa's focus on energy exports.
The government, which has long complained about the complex approval system for pipelines and mines, said it would impose firm time limits on regulatory hearings, ensure that each project was only reviewed once and cut the number of environmental assessments.
At stake, it said, was up to C$500 billion ($500 billion) in investment in new Canadian projects over the next decade.
"Those who wish to invest in our resources have been facing an increasingly complicated web of rules and bureaucratic reviews that have grown over time, adding costs and delays that can deter investors and undermine the economic viability of major projects," said the budget document.
"We need a regulatory system that reviews projects in a timely and transparent manner, while effectively protecting the environment."
Ottawa and the 10 provinces share responsibility for regulation, which can mean some major projects are examined twice. Public hearings into proposed mines and pipelines can drag out the review process for up to seven years.
The government said it would impose a maximum 24-month limit for reviews. Hearings by the National Energy Board, the federal energy regulator, will be capped at 18 months and standard environmental assessments will take no more than 12 months.
Read more: reuters.com

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Toronto's main stock index was little changed shortly after the open on Wednesday as record-high bullion prices boosted gold miners, which helped offset concerns about the outlook for U.S. and global economic growth. The Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX composite index .GSPTSE edged up slightly at the open, then seesawed. It was last at 12,754.11, up 1.79 points. Eight of the 10 main index groups were lower, but were mostly offset by the gold-heavy materials group, which shot up 1.42 percent.
More information on reuters.com

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Canada's Minister of Transportation has ordered an investigation after a recent video showed two veiled women boarding a flight without showing security their faces.

Under Canadian law the identities of all air passengers must be checked, regardless of their religion.

The video was purportedly shot by a British traveller on 11 July and posted on YouTube

It shows passengers boarding an Air Canada flight in Montreal.

More information on BBC

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BOSTON (Reuters) - Massachusetts' Senator-elect Scott Brown emerged from nowhere on Tuesday as the Republican Party's newest star -- a handsome, truck-driving triathlete with the best quality of all: winner. With eyes across the nation riveted on the Massachusetts poll, Brown's huge upset win to fill the Senate seat held by Democratic icon Edward Kennedy for almost five decades gained the 50-year-old instant name and face recognition. "I'm Scott Brown. I'm from Wrentham. I drive a truck. And I'm nobody's senator but yours," the Republican told a packed crowd at his victory party in a downtown Boston hotel. Brown climbed back from a deep deficit in the polls against his opponent, Democratic state Attorney General Martha Coakley, with an old-fashioned political campaign that only in the final stages got an extra push from political heavyweights.
More information on reuters.com

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