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Good news report from Canada - 26 March 2009

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26 March 2009

26 March was the 26th day of the ninth month of the 3rd year of Canadian national consciousness rising to invincibility.

26 March 2009

Dr William Overall, National Director of the Global Country of World Peace in Canada, presented highlights of news reports reflecting Canada's rising invincibility from Yogic Flying groups across Canada and the large Invincible America Assembly at Maharishi University of Management and Maharishi Vedic City, USA.

Extensive scientific research has documented the Maharishi Effect of rising coherence, harmony, and peace created in the collective consciousness of a nation by large groups of Yogic Flyers. The effect has been found to extend beyond national borders when the group is of sufficient size.

Following are press reports featured in Dr Overall's presentation:

The Canadian Press - Canadian manufacturers optimistic, survey finds (26 March 2009) A new survey shows Canadian manufacturers and exporters are more optimistic about business conditions over the next quarter than they have been since the beginning of the year. The Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters group (CME) says its March business conditions survey, conducted in the first two weeks of March, suggests the economic decline appears to be slowing. About 49 per cent of respondents expect orders to fall between March and June, down seven percentage points from 56 per cent in February. There is also some good news for job seekers—13 per cent of the companies surveyed expect to hire over the next three months, up from 11 per cent in February. Meanwhile, the number of manufacturers who are planning layoffs shrank over the last month, falling to 42 per cent from 45 per cent.

From an Ottawa Business Journal report on this: The survey also showed that 11 per cent of those polled said their current orders in March were higher in value than in December, up from the eight-per-cent proportion recorded in February. ' . . . it is encouraging news that the economic decline appears to be slowing,' said CME president Jayson Myers.

The Canadian Press - Sweeping tax cuts would save Ontario businesses $4.5 billion under new budget (26 March 2009) Ontario businesses would save C$4.5 billion over three years under sweeping corporate tax cuts, Finance Minister Dwight Duncan said. The provincial budget released on Thursday will see Ontario cut its corporate income tax rate from the current 14 per cent to 12 per cent by 1 July 2010, then to 10 per cent in 2013. The small business tax rate will fall from 5.5 per cent to 4.5 per cent by July of next year. Combined with other tax changes, the budget will save small businesses more than C$1 billion over three years, the government said. (Ontario will also exempt more small and medium-size businesses from the corporate minimum tax (CMT) and cut the CMT rate from 4 per cent to 2.7 per cent.) The budget also throws a lifeline to the province's manufacturing and natural resource sectors, reducing the manufacturing and processing corporate income tax rate from 12 per cent to 10 per cent by 2010. In total, the budget will provide approximately C$1.3 billion per year in savings to the province's manufacturing industry. Once the proposed tax cuts take effect, Ontario's federal-provincial corporate income tax rate will be 25 per cent—15 percentage points lower that the average U.S. Great Lake state.

From a Bloomberg News report on this: To spark economic growth, Ontario will spend C$32.5 billion on hospitals, roads, schools and social housing during the next two years. Overall, Ontario plans to cut business and personal income taxes by C$15 billion over three years. Businesses will receive C$4.5 billion in tax relief over three years and individual taxpayers C$10.6 billion.

From a Toronto Star report on this: The rate of the bottom tax bracket drops to 5.05 per cent from 6.05 per cent on the first C$36,848 of taxable income starting in January (providing C$1.1 billion in annual relief). Under the budget, 93 per cent of Ontarians would pay less personal income tax and Ontario would have the lowest provincial tax rate in Canada for those in the lowest tax bracket, Finance Minister Duncan said. All taxpayers earning under C$80,000 would see a tax cut of about 10 per cent when all the breaks were included.

From a CBC News report on this: The province and the federal government have also agreed to harmonize the provincial sales tax and GST into a single 13 per cent sales tax by 1 July 2010. The single sales tax would not be charged on items such as basic groceries, prescription drugs, and medical devices. Other items such as children's clothing and footwear, car seats, books, etc would be exempt from the provincial portion of the merged tax. Duncan stated that businesses would see savings of more than C$500 million in reduced paperwork alone. (The Ontario Chamber of Commerce applauded the budget measures, saying that sales tax harmonization 'will prove to be the biggest single stimulus' for the Ontario economy to also receive a boost, as Ontario will match investment from the federal green infrastructure fund, and pump money into 'smart grid' electrical distribution technology. Roger Martin, business dean at the University of Toronto, praised the budget as a bold document that dramatically improves the province's tax system while protecting low-income families through a 1 percentage point tax cut on the first $36,848 in income. 'It's a budget for the ages,' Mr Martin said.

The Globe and Mail - Ontario campuses ready for building boom (26 March 2009) Ontario campuses are poised to embark on a C$1.6 billion building boom. Ontario Finance Minister Dwight Duncan promised to match federal money for new buildings and campus repairs. The estimated C$780 million investment over two years will be matched by Ottawa, provided the two governments can agree on a list of projects. Once that happens, money for renovations and new projects is expected to flow to campuses as early as this spring. (Ontario will also spend nearly C$700 million for skills training over the next two years.)

The National Post - City approves six new condo towers (26 March 2009) Toronto city councillors approved preliminary plans for six new condo towers Thursday, suggesting the city's development industry may be showing signs of life. The proposals were approved by Toronto and East York community council—the centre-core wards that have been the hotbed of the city's construction boom. 'So far I haven't seen any slowdown, I've seen a steady increase in the development applications coming into my downtown area,' said Councillor Pam McConnell. ' . . . I am having a public meeting almost every week on new condo and also new commercial developments.' Ms McConnell insisted the developers she met with are serious. ' . . . I'm absolutely seeing developers who are willing, able and pushing to get those cranes on these sites.'

CBC News- Canada 10th in world in harnessing technology: report (26 March 2009) Canada is once again one of the Top 10 countries in the world at harnessing information and communications technology. Canada climbed from 13th to 10th in 2008-09 in the World Economic Forum's annual report on 'networked readiness index'. Denmark once again topped the annual index, which measures a range of factors that affect a country's ability to harness information technology, including the political and business environment, how many people are using technology, and how 'ready' individuals and organizations are to adopt new technologies. The index is based on surveys of executives and raw numbers of measures such as internet users and time required to start a business. The report covered 134 countries. Following Denmark in the Top 10 were Sweden, the United States, Singapore, Switzerland, Finland, Iceland, Norway, the Netherlands, and Canada. Canada has the top ranking in the world in the number of procedures required to start a business (one) and the number of households with personal computers (94.58 per 100 households from 2006 data).

The Toronto Star - 1,200 'green jobs' in works for Kingston (26 March 2009) Four entrepreneurs from Toronto announced an ambitious plan to build a C$500 million solar module manufacturing facility in Kingston, Ont., an investment expected to create 1,200 direct and indirect 'green-collar' jobs in the area. Everbrite Solar, a division of Toronto-based Everbrite Industries, said the plant would be capable of producing 150 megawatts of solar modules every year, roughly enough to supply power to 20,000 homes annually. The plan includes an investment of up to C$25 million in an experimental robotic production line that researchers at Queen's University will use to improve the performance and reliability of the solar modules, which will be based on 'thin-film' manufacturing techniques that allow for high-volume, low-cost production. The announcement comes a month after the provincial government tabled its comprehensive Green Energy Act, outlining a programme to pay 44.3 cents per kilowatt-hour for electricity from large solar plants and up to 80.2 cents for power generated off residential rooftop systems. Karl Scherre, president and CEO of Everbrite, said Ontario's new pro-renewable policies are expected to create enough local demand for solar panels to justify the investment in a manufacturing facility. 'The Green Energy Act is a clear signal to global lenders that Ontario is serious about solar power and that has proved helpful in our financing efforts,' said Scherre. Joshua Pearce, an associate professor of mechanical and materials engineering at Queen's University and an expert on thin-film solar technologies, said his research team will be able to use Everbrite's pilot line to test incremental advancements out of the lab and then to quickly adopt any performance improvements on the main commercial production line. 'From a researcher's perspective this is sort of a dream come true,' Pearce said. He added that thin-film solar cells are more ideal for the Canadian climate because they can absorb diffuse and ambient light, making it possible to generate some electricity even on cloudy days and when the sun is low in the sky. Conventional solid crystalline cells need more direct and unobstructed sunlight.

The Canadian Press - University of B.C. study finds transit riders get more exercise (26 March 2009) A study by two University of British Columbia researchers published in the Journal of Public Health Policy, found people who take transit are three times more likely to meet the Heart and Stroke Foundation's requirement for physical activity. Because trips by bus and train involved walking to and from stops, transit users were more likely to meet the recommended 30 minutes of activity five times a week. The study concludes that making transit incentives more broadly available could produce indirect health benefits by getting more people walking.

Canwest News Service - Burnaby latest B.C. community to allow residents to keep backyard beehives (26 March 2009) Councillors in the Vancouver suburb of Burnaby voted unanimously this week to legalize residential bee-keeping by amending a local bylaw so that, under specific conditions, residents will be allowed to keep beehives on their properties. With honeybee populations on the decline worldwide, urban beekeeping is not just beneficial, but vital, said Janice Bobic, who was part of a delegation to council that asked for the bylaw change. 'It really benefits everyone in the neighbourhood. They pollinate the flowers, the plants, the gardens,' she said. Beehives are already allowed in several Vancouver area municipalities, including Richmond, Surrey, and North Vancouver. 'Bees will quietly disappear into the community, assisting in the greening of the area,' said councillor Dan Johnston.

Canwest News Service - Immigration boosts population growth: StatsCan (26 March 2009) International immigration fuelled an increase in Canada's population in the last quarter of 2008, particularly in the western provinces, Statistics Canada said. The increase brings Canada's population to an estimated 33,504,700, up 63,400 from Oct. 1, 2008. The Statistics Canada figures show a population increase of 0.19 per cent, the fastest fourth-quarter growth rate since 1992. 'The increased pace in population growth can be explained by a marked increase in net international migration . . . ,' Statistics Canada said. During the fourth quarter of 2008, the net international migration to Canada rose to 35,700, an increase of 7,700 compared with the same period in 2007. The figures show a population increase in all but one province. Alberta posting the biggest increase at 0.60 per cent. Alberta received 5,200 immigrants, a level not seen in a fourth quarter since 1981 and was also boosted by an increase in interprovincial migration. The largest demographic growth in the east was in New Brunswick at 0.07 per cent, due to both interprovincial and international migration.

From the Statistics Canada report: Ontario received 23,800 immigrants in the fourth quarter of 2008 . . . slightly less than 45% of the country's new immigrants.

CBC News - Indigenous health care lessons unveiled for doctors (26 March 2009) Medical residents and practising doctors will be offered educational programmes on First Nations, Inuit, and Metis health topics under a pilot project announced Wednesday in Ottawa by the Indigenous Physicians Association of Canada, the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, and Health Canada. It aims to improve indigenous health care by educating physicians about the specific needs of aboriginal Canadians. 'These educational modules outline ways for physicians to provide better, more culturally responsive care to aboriginal people,' Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq said. Faculty from medical schools, national aboriginal groups, indigenous elders, and experts in First Nations, Inuit, and Metis helped develop the curriculum modules on obstetrics, gynecology, psychiatry, and family medicine. 'This initiative builds on our work to influence medical education at the undergraduate level, so that there will be First Nations, Inuit, and Metis health education at all levels of medical learning,' said Dr Marcia Anderson, president of the Indigenous Physicians Association of Canada.

For further information on creating invincibility for your nation, please visit: www.globalgoodnews.com/invincibility.

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