Donald Trump: NAFTA Negotiation Process Must Be Quick

February 2, 2017, 1:27 pm

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WASHINGTON — Donald Trump has unofficially launched the conversation aimed at renegotiating the North American Free Trade Agreement, calling for a quick process while remaining open to drastically different potential ouctomes.

The U.S. president said Thursday that his commerce secretary will be involved in negotiations, that he'll move as quickly as possible under legal guidelines and that he's not sure what form a new NAFTA will take.

He suggested the agreement could get a facelift — or an entirely new body.


U.S. President Donald Trump attends the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington, D.C., Feb. 2, 2017 (Photo: Carlos Barria/Reuters)

"I don't care if it's a renovation of NAFTA or a brand new NAFTA," Trump said. "But we do have to make it fair."

He added, in jest: "Maybe we do a new NAFTA and we add an extra, 'F' ... for 'free and fair' trade."

The remarks suggest the president hasn't reached a decision on how extensive he'd like the changes to be — or even what the final format of the agreement might look like.

Some trade experts predict the trilateral agreement of 1993 could wind up splintering into separate one-on-one deals between the countries — the approach favoured by one of Trump's closest allies in Congress, lawmaker Chris Collins.

The Canadian government appears open to both possibilities — officials have signalled publicly, and privately, that while they prefer the format as it is, they could live with multiple agreements as a Plan B.

'It'll be quite something'

That's exactly what one leading authority on NAFTA predicted will happen.

The current political trendlines point toward separate bilateral agreements, said Gary Hufbauer, the former U.S. trade official and NAFTA expert who's currently an analyst with Washington's Peterson Institute for International Economics.

It's not the best approach — but it might be the one that's adopted, Hufbauer said.

He said the new administration has repeatedly said it prefers bilateral deals to trilateral ones. Also, bashing NAFTA is popular in both U.S. parties. So it stands to reason that Trump might try replacing it, he said.

"I'm just tracing the logic of their various statements," Hufbauer said.

"It sounds like the logical outcome for NAFTA is to get rid of the name, and have a bilateral agreement with Canada and another bilateral agreement with Mexico.... With Canada it's easier because you could build on the foundation of the Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement. With Mexico you'd kind of be starting from scratch."

Bilateral deals would be more complicated, more time-consuming, suck up additional energy from lawmakers, negotiators, and industry lobbyists, and run the risk of disrupting supply chains for products made in multiple countries, he added.

"It'll be quite something."


Trump said he'll move as quickly as possible under legal guidelines and that he's not sure what form a new NAFTA will take. (Photo: Reuters)

Trump also said his choice for commerce secretary, billionaire businessman Wilbur Ross, will be involved in negotiations, even though trade talks are usually led by the United States Trade Representative.

That news could relieve some people in Ottawa. Ross is not considered among the most hawkish anti-trade members among Trump's team.

"(He will be) representing us in negotiations," Trump said, with Ross in the room. "Wilbur is fair, he will be fair to other countries."

Nonetheless, Ross — a billionaire best known for investing in struggling U.S. manufacturing businesses, stripping them down, and saving them from shuttering or offshoring — has said he won't go easy on trading partners.

"I don't intend to be pushed around by anyone," Ross told his Senate confirmation hearing.

He appeared to express satisfaction that the Mexican peso and Canadian dollar had declined since Trump's nomination — telling senators this proved that international markets were prepared for serious negotiations.

"I don't care if it's a renovation of NAFTA or a brand new NAFTA."

"When you start out with the adverse party understanding that he or she is going to have to make concessions, that's a pretty good background for any negotiation to begin," Ross said.

Canada has signalled some of its priorities for a new NAFTA: a permanent agreement on softwood lumber that would end the recurring cycle of once-a-decade trade wars, some expansion of protections from Buy American procurement restrictions, and greater rights for labour mobility.

It might not be easy.

One lawmaker asked Ross at his hearing whether he could eliminate Buy American exemptions in NAFTA, not expand them. He did not commit an answer. The U.S. government has said almost nothing about its intended priorities.

The U.S. government is expected to begin gathering input from industries when it formally launches the negotiation process.

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Trump Opponents #Baycott HBC Stores

February 2, 2017, 1:34 pm

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TORONTO — Caroline Starr stopped shopping at Hudson's Bay stores several months ago when she first heard of an online campaign to boycott companies that support then-Republican U.S. presidential nominee Donald Trump and his family's brand.

But when the president announced his latest executive order last week — a 90-day ban preventing citizens from seven predominantly Muslim countries from entering the U.S. — she started to encourage others to join her "Baycotting'' via Facebook.

"This doesn't reflect ... the Canada I feel a part of,'' she says, adding that she believes the retailer owes consumers an explanation after the travel ban.

"Why are we continuing to support this?''


A person walks past the downtown Toronto flagship Hudson's Bay Company store in Toronto on Monday, January 27, 2014. (Photo: The Canadian Press/Nathan Denette)

More shoppers, including those in Canada, are joining a campaign to push back against Trump's divisive rhetoric and policies with their wallets, taking aim at a growing hit list of companies that support the first family's business ventures.

Hudson's Bay Co. operates several retailers on the Grab Your Wallet list, including Hudson's Bay and Saks Off 5th, which all sell some of the Trump family members' products.

HBC spokeswoman Tiffany Bourre did not say whether the boycott has affected sales, but said the company respects customers' rights to choose the brands that work for them and those choices inform its decisions.

The campaign encourages people to boycott dozens of retailers selling Donald or Ivanka Trump's products, and dozens more that are owned by the family or connected to them through fundraising support or other means.


Demonstrators hold placards during a protest against U.S. President Donald Trump's executive order travel ban outside U.S. Embassy on February 02, 2017 in Rome, Italy. (Photo: Marco Ravagli/Barcroft Images via Getty)

Doug Stephens, founder of Retail Prophet, a Toronto-based retail advisory, said the campaign forces retailers into a position where they must become political.

"They have to respond,'' he says. "One way or the other.''

But the campaign has also given rise to an impassioned response from another camp: Trump supporters who are waging a backlash, promising to spend more money on Trump products and boycott any retailers that stop selling them.

"As is the case with most things Trump, it's a very polarizing issue,'' Stephens says.

"For corporate America right now, it's a tricky time.''
— Doug Stephens, Retail Prophet

​

Kirsten Hurd says she was once a loyal Hudson's Bay shopper, but started avoiding the stores a few months ago.

"I just don't think that HBC should be profiting off of that family,'' she says. "I don't think that that family stands for anything that ... most Canadians agree with.''

Starr and Hurd both want the company to pull the products from store shelves and issue an explanation.

To date, the Grab Your Wallet campaign has removed seven companies from its list with plans to remove one more this month. According to the campaign website, the Honest Company, a U.S. consumer goods company, committed to no longer sponsor future seasons of "The Apprentice.''

While many of the companies have remained mum on the matter, it's unlikely the consumer action will cease any time soon, Stephens says.

"I can certainly foresee a protest like this continuing on as long as people are feeling aggravated by the situation,'' he says, adding that Trump has upset a lot of people in just his first two weeks in the White House.

"For corporate America right now, it's a tricky time.''

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How Trudeau Should Respond To Trump's Muslim Refugee Ban. It Doesn't Involve Twitter

February 2, 2017, 2:01 pm

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Ehsan Abedi is a married, 33-year-old accountant who lives near High Park in Toronto's west end. He loves Canada so much he says he's proud to pay taxes.

He is also a refugee from Iran.

That means Abedi would fall under both parts of Donald Trump's border ban, which blocks entry of passport holders from seven Muslim-majority countries for three months, and bars all refugees from entering for 120 days. Syrian refugees are banned indefinitely.


Eshan Abedi and his wife Arezoo Tehrani at Nathan Phillips Square in Toronto (Photo courtesy of Eshan Abedi)

Abedi is in Canada because he was involved in Iran's 2009 Green Revolution. In the wake of a disputed presidential election, thousands of Iranians took to the streets in protest. Instead of sticking to his day job, ignoring public unrest, Abedi joined demonstrations advocating for democratic reform. They failed.

"I was part of that group and after the revolution the government started to arrest all the people who were involved," Abedi tells the Huffington Post Canada. "So based on those activities I had to leave the country."

Abedi was able to lie low for a few years but it was "so scary," he says. "You don't know [what will happen]. You are at home. They knock on the door. You open the door and they arrest you. There is no charging. Nothing. They can arrest you for any reason."

Eventually he escaped to Canada where he applied for asylum at customs and was taken in by Matthew House, a Toronto-based organization that provides shelter for non-sponsored refugees. Abedi was eventually granted refugee status and went back to school to certify his accounting skills.

"You are at home. They knock on the door. You open the door and they arrest you. There is no charging. Nothing. They can arrest you for any reason."
— Ehsan Abedi, Iranian refugee

He got a job and, two years later, his wife was able to join him. Abedi says “regular people” just like them are who Trump is punishing. Though initially shocked by the U.S. president's executive order, his spirits were raised by Trudeau's tweet seen round the world.

To those fleeing persecution, terror & war, Canadians will welcome you, regardless of your faith. Diversity is our strength #WelcomeToCanada

� Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) January 28, 2017

"Honestly, I'm so happy that I'm living in a country that he's my prime minister. When I see that government supports me, and they don't care what my religion is, I will respect that government and I will do whatever that I can to help this society," he says.

"[Trudeau] showed his feelings to the people. I think it's so important that Trump understands that other countries will not be quiet."

But so far, feelings are all the prime minister has shown.

"[Trudeau] showed his feelings to the people. I think it's so important that Trump understands that other countries will not be quiet."
— Ehsan Abedi, Iranian refugee

Janet Dench, executive director of the Canadian Council for Refugees (CCR), says initial responses — at a rhetorical level — are important in messaging. She worries what repercussions Trump's executive order might have on other countries' refugee resettlement plans.

"People understand the importance of showing solidarity with refugees at this time. Of course, the next thing is in terms of policy what does this mean?"

So far immigration minister Ahmed Hussen, himself a former refugee from Somalia, one of the seven countries on Trump's travel ban list, has rejected all calls for action. He insists Canada has "an immigration plan that we intend to stick to."


Immigration Minister Ahmed Hussen arrives at a news conference on Jan. 29. (Photo: Fred Chartrand/The Canadian Press)

Dench recommends breaking away from that plan, noting prior concerns such as the number of government-assisted refugees being reduced to 7,500; and privately sponsored numbers dropping to 16,000 — despite 45,000 private sponsorship applications still in process at the end of 2016.

"Canada could also offer, along with other resettlement countries, to take in at least some of those people who have had the door slammed shut on them by the U.S.," she says. "People who have been all the way through the process for resettlement, who have cleared all the hoops and done all the security screening and have been living with that expectation of being resettled, and may be in a situation of great precariousness."

Another major CCR issue is the Safe Third Country Agreement. This concern is shared by Matthew House founder and executive director Anne Woolger, who has helped settle nearly 4,000 refugees since 1988.

Woolger considers the Trump ban "absurd and sad."

"[Trudeau] showed his feelings to the people. I think it's so important that Trump understands that other countries will not be quiet."
— Ehsan Abedi, Iranian refugee

In the past would-be asylum seekers could come to Canada from anywhere but that changed in 2004 with the Safe Third Country Agreement, she says. Now anyone making a refugee claim at the U.S. border, except unaccompanied minors or those with close relatives, is turned back because the U.S. is considered "safe" for refugees.

But with the safety of refugees in Trump's America called into question, Woolger and others are calling for immediate change. Though withdrawing from the agreement would require six months notice, it has a provision allowing for an immediate three-month suspension.

The effect, Woolger says, would be "asylum seekers in the U.S. would be able to come to our border, say 'help I'm a refugee, can I get the protection of Canada?' and Canada would at least let them in to have a proper hearing before an immigration court." She would also like to see Trudeau take in those refugees currently being blocked by Trump to "show Canada as a leader in this."

A massive protest against President Trump's travel ban outside of the U.S. Consulate in downtown Toronto on Jan. 30. (Getty)

Patrick Akera, Woolger's coworker at Matthew House and a refugee who came to Canada seeking asylum from government persecution in Uganda, sees this as a moral issue. (Akera's name has been changed to protect family still in Uganda.)

"It is very cruel for leaders, or even citizens, to say we cannot take in these refugees, we've done enough," he says, adding he’s been encouraged by protests that have erupted in response.

"Canada is a country founded on the backs of immigrants so I couldn't see Canadians standing by or just keeping quiet. It's just natural that Canadians would come out to stand with those that are affected in the U.S. It's a good thing, to show a unity of purpose and also of identity."

"If Canada is really standing up to Trump, it must start with opening the borders to migrants and refugees fleeing violence."

Those will continue, fuelled further by recent tragedy at a Quebec City mosque. Refugee advocacy group No One Is illegal joined with Black Lives Matter and dozens of other groups to organize National Days of Action Against Islamophobia & White Supremacy beginning with protests scheduled across the country for February 4.

The group also launched a petition to convince the Trudeau government to revoke the Safe Third Country Agreement and give "special humanitarian consideration of applicants coming from the U.S.," among other asks. It gathered nearly 40,000 signatures in just a few days.

"Trudeau and Minister Hussen are relying platitudes over policy," says No One Is Illegal's Sharmeen Khan. "If Canada is really standing up to Trump, it must start with opening the borders to migrants and refugees fleeing violence."

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Kellie Leitch Says There's Nothing Racist About Immigration Plan

February 2, 2017, 2:07 pm

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OTTAWA — Conservative leadership candidate Kellie Leitch acknowledged Thursday that her call to screen newcomers will lead to fewer immigrants and refugees admitted to Canada — but she said there’s nothing racist about the plan.

In a 2,588-word fundraising email, the Ontario MP, who was the target of protesters for her divisive language after six Quebecers were gun downed in a mosque this week, doubled down on her desire to screen immigrants for so-called “Canadian values.”


Kellie Leitch listens during the Conservative leadership debate in Saskatoon on Nov. 9, 2016. (Photo: Liam Richards/CP)

Her campaign is getting traction with Conservative members and non-members alike who are proud of Canada, “proud of shared historic values” and, what she calls, “our unified identity.”

Leitch wants officials to ask face-to-face potential immigrants, refugees and visitors whether they agree that:

• Men and women are equal


• Violence has no place in political disagreements


• All should be left to worship how they see fit


• There is one law that applies to all Canadians equally.

Her plan will reduce the number of newcomers allowed into Canada each year. “This is an undeniable conclusion,” she states.

By forgoing quotas — a yearly range of applications the government plans to accept in different categories, such as privately sponsored refugees, economic immigrants and family-class immigrants — and imposing time-consuming interviews, Leitch notes that: “Certainly, there will be the effect of reducing immigration rates as we establish these procedures.”

Her policy, she writes, shouldn’t be viewed as “racist.”

“It is not. It will apply to all people equally regardless of where they are born. As a nation we are as interested in keeping out white supremacists, as we are in keeping out those who believe women are property.”

Values of hard work, generosity, freedom, tolerance, equality of individuals and equality of opportunities are civic values,not ethnic ones, Leitch writes.

Obhrai: 'What is she talking about?'

But Calgary MP Deepak Obhrai, a vocal critic of Leitch’s proposal and one of her leadership rivals, isn’t convinced. Obhrai says her plan is really aimed at courting favour with the Tories’ White Christian rural male base who fear immigrants and others they have little contact with.

“Screen white supremacists? Hello. They don’t come from outside,” Obhrai told HuffPost. “What is she talking about? It’s a total red herring.”

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Two-Legged Puppy Found Tied In A Bag Behind Toronto Building

February 2, 2017, 2:56 pm

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This two-legged puppy’s owner may have abandoned him because of his disability, but everyone else seems smitten.

Cupid was recently found tied in a bag behind a building in Toronto, according to the Oakville Beaver.

He was then taken in by an Oakville dog rescue organization.

"The lovely girls who brought him to us named him Cupid because his nose is shaped like a heart," The Dog Rescuers Inc.'s president and co-founder Joan Znidarec told the Beaver.

Veterinarian Dr. Gursharn Dev, who treated the pup, told Global News that he couldn’t believe he was tossed away like trash.


Two-legged puppy Cupid is safe after he was found abandoned and tied in a bag behind a Toronto building. (Photo: The Dog Rescuers Inc./Facebook)

“I was very upset that somebody would do something like that. They could easily have taken it to a regular vet clinic,” Dev said.

Not only was the little guy born without his two front legs, but part of his tail had also been chopped off, he told the broadcaster.

Luckily Cupid, who is about seven weeks old, had no major health issues, according to The Dog Rescuers Inc.. He’s now in a foster home.


Veterinarian Dr. Gursharn Dev shares a cuddle with one of his patients, little Cupid. (Photo: The Dog Rescuers Inc./Facebook)

But not only is the pup, currently thought to be a Great Pyrenese mix, being cared for, he’ll be fitted with some prosthetic legs this week, thanks to Toronto company PawsAbility.

The Dog Rescuers Inc. said that he's not ready for adoption quite yet — the organization wants him to become more mobile.

But it welcomes donations towards his vet care.

"Cupid has captured all of our hearts and we can’t wait until we place this little sweetheart into his forever loving family."

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Montreal Mosque Vandalized On Day Of Quebec Victims' Funeral

February 2, 2017, 3:33 pm

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Montreal police say a local mosque has been the target of vandalism.

They say a window at the Khadijah centre was smashed and had eggs thrown at it.


A photo of the Khadijah Islamic Center in Montreal. (Photo: Khadijah Islamic Center - Montreal/Facebook)

Fatima Ahmed, the daughter of the mosque's director, says the building was also spray-painted with graffiti a few months ago.

Police spokesman Daniel Lacoursiere says the incident occurred between 7 and 8 a.m. and that an investigation is underway.

The vandalism occurred on the same day as a funeral for three of the six men who were shot dead at a Quebec City mosque last Sunday night.

Montreal police Chief Philippe Pichet said earlier this week the force has seen a spike in the number of reports of hate crimes since the mosque attack.

The head of Montreal's anti-radicalization centre also said this week it had received 24 calls since Sunday, including 10 related to Islamophobia and four related to the extreme right.

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Trump Regrets Twitter Account Catalogues Remorseful Voters

February 2, 2017, 6:02 pm

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A feminist, a historian, a DJ, a vegan, a Ukrainian-American, a chef and an accountant. All of these people have one thing in common — they voted for U.S. President Donald Trump, and they regret it.

"I voted for you. Where are Afghanistan, Pakistan, Lebanon & Saudi Arabia on your ban? We don't care about your investments!," tweeted Twitter user Kristie.

"@realDonaldTrump U lying sack of shit. I voted 4 u. Hiring freeze a the VA? My daddy needs care. You promised to help," tweeted another user named Bobby.

Both tweets were shared by "Trump Regrets," a Twitter account that has been retweeting the stories of angry Americans.

@realDonaldTrump @samsung @axios I voted for you but Devos is a disgrace. A terrible choice for our kids. Your first yuge mistake.

— Stay Frosty (@oscarmike442) February 2, 2017

The account is run by Erica Baguma, a Halifax university student who told The Huffington Post Canada with a laugh that she definitely wouldn't have voted for Trump.

Baguma came up with the concept for the account after she heard Trump wouldn't be pursuing any charges against Hillary Clinton — something he had made a lot of noise about on the campaign trail.

"I was curious how his base felt about that," Baguma said.

What she found was a lot of people who felt betrayed. Not just about Clinton, but about a lot of Trump's actions — including some stuff he had said he would do during his campaign.

One of Trump's big promises was that he intended to build a wall between the U.S. and Mexico.

"A lot of people thought that a lot of what he was saying was just rhetoric, you know, trying to fire people up but didn’t actually expect him to follow through."

But, after Trump signed an executive order to begin construction, one voter tweeted, "please rethink the wall, i voted for you but the wall I dont agree with, please appeal to the needs of the greater Nation."

"I’ve definitely found that a lot of his voters really weren’t informed on his positions on a lot of things. A lot of them seemed to be really single-issue voters, so they were surprised by his major campaign pledges," Baguma explained.

"A lot of people thought that a lot of what he was saying was just rhetoric, you know, trying to fire people up but didn’t actually expect him to follow through."

She says having the account and reading people's perspectives has warmed her to Trump supporters. She's been surprised by two things: how diverse Trump voters are, and how many of them were well-intentioned.

@realDonaldTrump I supported you, BUT they aren't illegal immigrants, they are refugees!! There is a difference.

— Shannon Johnson (@SjSrwillis06) February 2, 2017

She says the tweets might hold some insight for Canadian voters.

"It’s always important to do your homework, to understand and to stay informed. It’s easy for us to kind of laugh and say we could never elect somebody like Trump, but we definitely could if we aren’t careful."

The social anthropology student says there's also a big lesson she's learned from the account that she can relate back to her studies.

"You can't really generalize a culture, ever. A culture isn't homogenous, and that's something I've definitely been learning is that there are so many nuances in a population," Baguma explained.

She didn't expect the account would gain so much attention, but once she saw it was bringing some people comfort she decided to keep it up.

So happy to help! ❤️ https://t.co/waytrsrXf6

— eri (@ericabaguma) February 1, 2017

"I’ll probably keep going as long as people are interested and people are still regretting," she said.

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Nick Kouvalis, Kellie Leitch's Campaign Manager, Resigns After Becoming A 'Distraction'

February 2, 2017, 6:07 pm

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Conservative leadership candidate Kellie Leitch's campaign manager stepped down Thursday evening, saying he has become a "distraction" from her bid.

Nick Kouvalis, who has been embroiled in numerous controversies recently, announced his decision in a Facebook post.



"When a member of a campaign team becomes the focus of media coverage, the time comes to resign," he wrote. Kouvalis said the high-stress role was not healthy for his "personal wellbeing."

The political aide most recently caused a stir in last week, after using a racial slur against a constitutional expert who criticized Leitch's policies.

He also admitted to spreading fake news on Twitter against Justin Trudeau's government.


Kellie Leitch pauses while speaking to journalists on Parliament Hill. (Photo: Chris Wattie/Reuters)

In December 2016, Kouvalis tweeted a list of "billions'' of dollars the Liberal government had supposedly given to international aid organizations in the last year, including $351 million for the designated terrorist group Hamas.

He later admitted the information was false, telling Maclean's magazine that he posted it "to make the left go nuts.''

Kouvalis, who has struggled with alcoholism since 2011, was also arrested on impaired driving charges in April 2016.


Nick Kouvalis in Toronto during a victory party for Toronto Mayor John Tory in 2014. (Photo: Fred Lum/The Globe and Mail via CP)

Following the incident, Kouvalis apologized on Twitter saying it was a "wake up call" for him on his "journey to permanent sobriety."

In Thursday's Facebook statement, the campaign manager thanked Leitch for her support.

"It has been a privilege to be part of this campaign, and I thank everyone for their support, confidence and friendship," he wrote.

With files from The Canadian Press.

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Louvre Attack Averted After French Soldier Shoots Knife-Wielding Man

February 3, 2017, 4:00 am

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PARIS — A knife-wielding man shouting "Allahu akbar'' attacked soldiers on patrol Friday near the Louvre Museum in Paris in what the French president called a terrorist attack. The soldiers first tried to fight off the attacker and then opened fire, shooting him five times.

The attack at an entrance to the shopping mall that extends beneath the museum sowed panic and highlighted again the threat that French officials say hangs over the country, which was hit repeatedly by extremist attacks in 2015 and 2016.

There were no immediate details about the identity of the attacker, who has been hospitalized. Anti-terrorism prosecutors took charge of the investigation and French President Francois Hollande said the assailant would be questioned "when it is possible to do so.''

The Louvre — one of France's and the world's biggest tourist attractions — went into emergency lock-down after the attack. The 1,200 people inside at the time were first shuttled into windowless rooms as part of a special security protocol, then were evacuated later.

France's President Francois Hollande gives a press conference during an European Union summit on Friday in Valletta, Malta. (Photo: AFP/Getty Images)

The famed, sprawling museum in central Paris will remain closed for the rest of Friday for further security reasons but will reopen on Saturday, Culture Minister Audrey Azoulay told reporters.

At a news conference in Malta, site of a European Union summit, Hollande said the situation around the Paris landmark museum is "totally under control'' but the overall threat to France remains. He praised the courage of the French troops, and insisted that the incident showed the need for the increased security patrols deployed around France since attacks in 2015.

The attack's timing was poor for Paris, coming just hours before the city was unveiling its completed bid for the 2024 Olympics. Paris is competing against Budapest and Los Angeles for the games, which it hasn't hosted since 1924.

A police union official said the Louvre attacker was carrying two backpacks and had two machetes. He said the man launched himself at the soldiers when they told him he couldn't bring his bags into the Carrousel du Louvre shopping mall underneath the world-famous museum where the "Mona Lisa'' hangs.

"That's when he got the knife out and that's when he tried to stab the soldier,'' said the official, Yves Lefebvre.

French police secure the site near the Louvre Pyramid in Paris on Friday. (Photo: Reuters)

The four soldiers first tried to fight off the attacker before opening fire, said Benoit Brulon, a spokesman for the military force that patrols Paris and its major tourist attractions.

The military patrols — numbering about 3,500 soldiers in the Paris area — were instituted following the January 2015 attacks on Paris' satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo and reinforced after Nov. 13 bomb-and-gun attacks that left 130 people dead at the city's Bataclan concert hall and other sites.

Friday's attacker slightly injured one of the soldiers in the scalp, officials said. Another soldier opened fire, gravely wounding the attacker.

"He is wounded in the stomach,'' said police chief Michel Cadot. "He is conscious and he was moving.''

A police officer stands guard near the Louvre museum on February 3, 2017 in Paris, after a soldier patrolling at the museum shot and seriously injured a machete-wielding man. (Photo: Alain Jocard/AFP via Getty Images)

Checks of the man's two backpacks found they didn't contain explosives, he said. Cadot said a second person who was "acting suspiciously'' also was arrested but appeared not to have been linked to the attack.

Restaurant worker Sanae Hadraoui, 32, was waiting for breakfast at the Louvre's restaurant complex when she heard the first gunshot, followed by another and then a couple more.

"I hear a shot. Then a second shot. Then maybe two more. I hear people screaming, ''Evacuate! Evacuate!" she said. ''They told us to evacuate. I told my colleagues at the McDonald's. We went downstairs and then took the emergency exit.``

Hadraoui, who has worked at the Louvre for seven years, said the evacuation was orderly.

'That's what we're used to now'

Parisian Makram Chokri, who was shopping in the mall, described hearing a "boom, boom, boom over a few seconds. ... We thought it was an exercise at first but you know, you have a lot of scenarios going through your mind.''

Police sealed off mall entrances near the Louvre and closed the area to vehicles, snarling traffic in Paris. Confused tourists were shoed away.

Lance and Wendy Manus, tourists from Albany, New York, described young girls crying in panic, and had immediate thoughts of the Sept. 11 attacks in the United States.

"That's what we're used to now. I mean we have to learn to live with it, be vigilant. So we listen to instructions from the security guards and do what they told us,'' Lance said.

French police secure the site near the Louvre Pyramid. (Photo: Christian Hartmann/Reuters)

Eric Grau, a high-school teacher with group of 52 students, said: "We were in one of the galleries and a voice came through the loudspeakers to alert us, saying there was an alert.'' He said the group was taken to safety in the African art gallery.

The attack's timing was poor for Paris, coming just hours before the city was unveiling its completed bid for the 2024 Olympics. Paris is competing against Budapest and Los Angeles for the games, which it hasn't hosted since 1924.

With the International Olympic Committee choosing the host in September, Friday's attack generated renewed questions about security in the City of Light.

Speaking outside the Louvre, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo said terrorism threatens all of the world's big cities and "there is not a single one escaping that menace.''

Back to normal within hours

The speed with which Paris largely went back to normal after the attack, with officers gradually dismantling barricades and pulling down police tape around the Louvre just three hours later, underscored how the French city has — unwillingly but stoically — been forced to learn to live with extremist threats.

Within hours, French radio stations went back to talking about storms battering the west coast and school holiday traffic.

Exterminator Olivier Majewski was just leaving his scooter in the parking lot beneath the Louvre when he saw a crush of people running and screaming "'There's been a terror attack.'''

"They were panicked,'' he said.

The 53-year-old hid for about 15 minutes before gingerly making his way up the stairs.

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Prince Harry And Meghan Markle Spotted Holding Hands On Date Night In London

February 3, 2017, 4:21 am

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There's no hiding for these two.

Prince Harry and "Suits" star Meghan Markle put their love on full display by walking hand-in-hand down the busy streets of London on Wednesday night.

EXCLUSIVE: Prince Harry spotted on sweet date with girlfriend Meghan Markle https://t.co/vjfHigNUy6 pic.twitter.com/6FuhfMWP8U

— The Sun (@TheSun) February 2, 2017

The couple, dressed in matching navy pants and button-down tops, were reportedly dining at SoHo House before they were photographed. A source at the restaurant told U.K's The Sun that the couple dined in a public area but kept to themselves.

Exclusive: #PrinceHarry & Meghan Markle enjoy quality date-night in London where they first met https://t.co/vGW64h0kRR

— Emily Andrews (@byEmilyAndrews) February 2, 2017

This isn't the first time the two have been caught walking around on date night. In mid-December the duo were photographed on Shaftesbury Avenue for the very first time together after taking in a play in London's West End.

Sources close to Markle tell The Sun that the actress has “virtually moved in” to Kensington Palace with the prince since December.

The 35-year-old American actress resides in Toronto where "Suits" is filmed, though the show is currently on hiatus.

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Katimavik Youth Volunteer Program Begs Trudeau For Help

February 3, 2017, 5:01 am

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OTTAWA — Katimavik, the national youth volunteer program that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau once chaired, says it will have to shut down the organization at the end of March unless the federal government steps in with some cash.

Katimavik’s board of directors says it has tried to engage the prime minister, who is also the minister of youth, as well as other cabinet ministers for more than a year but their requests have fallen on deaf ears.


Justin Trudeau, then chairman of the Katimavik board of directors, speaks to students at Jarvis Collegiate on Feb. 25, 2003. (Photo: Tibor Kolley/CP)

The not-for-profit organization, which was founded in 1977 with the mission to help develop responsible, hard-working, compassionate young leaders, was originally hopeful Trudeau would step in to help the program which had all its federal funding slashed by the Conservatives in 2012.

The Liberals’ campaign platform, for for example, states: “We will invest $25 million per year in a restored Youth Service Program, to give young Canadians valuable work and life experience, and provide communities with the help required for much-needed projects.”

The Grits’ first budget seemed equally promising for the organization, with an announcement the government would spend $105 million over five years in funding to help "young Canadians gain valuable work and life experience while providing support for communities across Canada" and another $25 million per year after that to support youth service.

The 2016 budget said details about who would receive funding would be announced in the coming months. But no decision has yet been publicly released.


Trudeau posses in London, Ont., on June 5, 2007 with a group of youth who participated in the Katimavik program. (Photo: Dave Chidley/CP)

As a former chair, Trudeau knows Katimavik "inside out," the board’s current chair Willy Fournier told The Huffington Post Canada. “He really gets why it works. In the platform, it pretty much describes the types of benefits that have been the hallmark of Katimavik."

But a year after the budget announcement, Fournier now says he’s discouraged.

On Thursday, Katimavik took the unusual step of issuing a news release saying that without an explicit commitment from the federal government, the board would have no choice other than to begin an orderly shut-down as of March 31st, 2017.

“This follows efforts for more than a year trying to engage with the federal government in discussions on youth services, with no response,” the release states.

Trudeau once said Tories 'hated' program

When the Tories pulled Katimavik’s three-year grant worth $45 million, Trudeau suggested the Tories had killed a popular program because the Liberals were closely associated with it.

"Katimavik empowers young Canadians. So CPC hates it," Trudeau tweeted at the time.

Later that year, when Trudeau took part in a celebrity boxing match against then Conservative senator Patrick Brazeau, the future Liberal leader sported a temporary Katimavik tattoo on his right bicep. He told reporters he was thinking about the youth volunteer program in the ring and it was one of the things he wanted to fight for.

As an MP, Trudeau's first legislative effort in 2008 was a motion to consider introducing a national voluntary service policy for young people in Canada.

“We can make anything happen if we put our minds to it.”
Congratulations @JustinTrudeau! pic.twitter.com/kpwpfa32H5

— Katimavik (@Katimavik) October 20, 2015

In his 2014 autobiography, "Common Ground," Trudeau wrote that Katimavik "had an enormous impact on this country, one that shouldn't be understated.”

His greatest frustration with the program, Trudeau wrote, was that every year, 10 times as many young people applied for the program as it had funding for.

"Ten thousand young Canadians, often unsure about their next step after high school, would offer to serve their country with their energy and efforts, and we would turn away nine out of ten," Trudeau wrote.

"That a country as successful as Canada would not choose to offer young people more opportunities to become active, community-minded citizens while helping local organizations was something I wanted to fix. And still do."

With previous files

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Toronto's Average House Price Jumps $40,000 In A Month Amid Supply 'Crisis'

February 3, 2017, 6:07 am

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The average price of a resold home in Greater Toronto shot up to $770,745 in January, according to data released by the city's real estate board -- an increase of more than $40,000 from December, and a jump of 22.3 per cent from a year earlier.

Single-family homes rose by $84,000 in price from December to January in Toronto, to $1.34 million. In the suburban 905 region, they rose $108,000 in a month, to $999,000.

With single-family homes increasingly out of range, homebuyers are turning to condos. Condo sales in the GTA increased 26.7 per cent year-over-year in January, compared to increases of 7.8 per cent and 7.2 per cent for detached homes and townhouses. Semi-detached home sales were down 5.8 per cent.


Condo buildings near Toronto's waterfront. (Photo: Getty Images)

Those slower sales are due to a lack of supply, the industry says.

“We have a shortage of housing supply in the GTA that is approaching crisis levels,” said Bryan Tuckey, CEO of the Building Industry and Land Development Association (BILD), last week.

“Housing is selling as quickly as the industry can bring it to market and the lack of developable land that is serviced with infrastructure, excessive red tape, out-of-date zoning and NIMBYism are hindering our ability to bring more to the market.”

A growing body of evidence suggests some of the hot demand in Toronto's housing market stems from foreign buyers, investors and house-flippers. A survey carried out by the Toronto Real Estate Board (TREB) indicated that about 5 per cent of homes in Greater Toronto are sold to foreign buyers, a number some experts say is probably lowballed.

"There is a serious supply problem in the GTA."
— Jason Mercer, Toronto Real Estate Board

​

Regardless of foreign buyers, local homeowners are increasingly keeping their homes off the market, either out of fear of searching for a new home in a hot market, or out of hope of selling for more later.

Jason Mercer, TREB's director of market analysis, said the number of active listings on the board's MLS System at the end of January was essentially half of what was reported as available at the same time last year.

"That statistic, on its own, tells us that there is a serious supply problem in the GTA,'' he said. "The result will be very strong price growth for all home types again this year.''

Here is Toronto's housing market, by the numbers.

$1,336,640

— The average price of a single-family home in Toronto

$999,102

— The average price of a single-family home in the suburban 905 region.

$471,409

— The average price of a condo in Toronto.

$379,169

— The average price of a condo in the suburban 905 region.

11.8%

— The percentage increase in home sales, over the past year in Toronto.

-18.1%

— The percentage decline in new listings in Toronto from January 2016 to January 2017

— With files from The Canadian Press

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Angelina Jolie Condemns Trump's Refugee Ban In New York Times Op-Ed

February 3, 2017, 6:20 am

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NEW YORK — Angelina Jolie says that discriminating against refugees for their religion or country of origin "invites the very instability we seek to protect ourselves against.''

She also says in a New York Times editorial Thursday that the U.S. decision to suspend refugee resettlements and visits from several Muslim-majority countries isn't the American way.



"Every time we depart from our values we worsen the very problem we are trying to contain,'' Jolie writes. "We must never allow our values to become the collateral damage of a search for greater security. Shutting our door to refugees or discriminating among them is not our way, and does not make us safer.''

A special envoy for the United Nations High Commissioner of Refugees since 2012, Jolie says refugees recommended for resettlement are often survivors of terrorism and torture or may be in need of advanced medical care. Refugees seeking entry to the U.S. already undergo extensive screening by various federal agencies, she says.

"The global refugee crisis and the threat from terrorism make it entirely justifiable that we consider how best to secure our borders,'' she writes. "Every government must balance the needs of its citizens with its international responsibilities. But our response must be measured and should be based on facts, not fear.''

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Gord Downie Joins Blue Rodeo Onstage During Toronto Show

February 3, 2017, 7:50 am

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TORONTO — Tragically Hip frontman Gord Downie made a surprise appearance Thursday night at Toronto's Massey Hall with Blue Rodeo and the Sadies.

In a video clip circulating on social media, Downie is seen joining the bands onstage for a rendition of Blue Rodeo's "Lost Together.''

A smiling Downie held a piece of paper as he stood by one of the microphones to contribute backing vocals.



Downie has a history of collaborating with the Sadies and recorded the 2014 album "And the Conquering Sun'' with the band.

Downie revealed in May that he has glioblastoma, an incurable and rare form of brain cancer.

The father of four, whose 53rd birthday is Monday, has most recently been promoting his "Secret Path'' solo multimedia project, which recounts the life of 12-year-old Chanie Wenjack, who died in 1966 after running away from a residential school.

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Michael Buble Son 'Progressing Well' In Cancer Treatment

February 3, 2017, 8:12 am

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NEW YORK - Michael Buble says his three-year-old son Noah "has been progressing well during his treatment" for cancer.

The Canadian singer and his wife, Argentine TV actress Luisana Lopilato, say in a statement Friday that "doctors are very optimistic about the future for our little boy." They say Noah has been brave during the battle and they "continue to be inspired by his courage."

Can't believe my little man is 3 years old today !! Happy birthday Noah /Spider-Man. Feliz cumpleaños ! Your mommy And I love you so much ! #loveofmylife #proud #papa

A photo posted by Michael Bublé (@michaelbuble) on Aug 27, 2016 at 6:31am PDT

The family announced Noah's illness in November, but have not disclosed what kind of cancer he is fighting.

At the time, the couple said they were putting their careers on hold to focus on the toddler's health.

They also have another son, Elias, who turned one last month.



Buble is originally from Burnaby, B.C.

With previous files

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Tanya Tagaq's Facebook Account Suspended Over Sealskin Coat Photo

February 3, 2017, 8:12 am

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Facebook is apologizing for suspending the account of award-winning Inuk throat singer Tanya Tagaq after she posted a photo of a sealskin coat.

Tagaq, who is from Nunavut, said she was notified that her account was being blocked for 24 hours after she shared a friend's photo of a young man wearing the coat, along with the hashtags #eatseal and #wearseal.

Tagaq said Facebook emailed her late Thursday afternoon to apologize after she raised the issue on social media.

"They said one of their members 'accidentally' removed the post and banned me,'' she wrote on Twitter. "Thx for supporting.''



Meg Sinclair, spokeswoman for Facebook, said the company is sorry for the mistake, which it did not explain.

"The enforcement action was made in error and we fixed it as soon as we were able to investigate,'' she said in an emailed statement. "Our team processes millions of reports each week, and we sometimes get things wrong.''

Tagaq, a longtime defender of the Inuit seal hunt, said animal-rights activists and others who criticize the hunt are hurting a traditional and sustainable livelihood.

"The Arctic is a vast place. Groceries are terribly expensive. Many live in poverty,'' Tagaq wrote in a message to The Canadian Press from Nuuk, Greenland, where she was preparing for a concert.

Tanya Tagaq performs songs from her new album at a private event at the Fehely Fine Art gallery in Toronto, May 20, 2014. (Photo: J.P. Moczulski/CP)

"We have no other resources other than non-renewable energy. We need to export something. We need to live. To pay rent.''

Hovak Johnston, the woman who made the coat, said Inuit use every part of the seal and fur would be discarded if not used in coats.

"Inuit are really good with reusing stuff and not wasting and making sure that we try to use everything that is good for the environment —not something that's plastic or synthetic,'' Johnston said from her home in Yellowknife.

Johnston said she made the coat for her teenage son, who posted the picture on Facebook and had the picture reposted by Tagaq, a family friend.

Tanya Tagaq performs on stage during the second day of Womad Festival July 24, 2010 in Wiltshire, England. (Photo: Getty Images)

Tagaq, who combines throat singing with elements of alternative rock and ambient music, won the 2014 Polaris Music Prize for her album "Animism.'' She has sparred many times online with opponents of the seal hunt.

When she accepted the Polaris prize, she again challenged opponents.

"People should wear and eat seal as much as possible because, if you can, imagine an indigenous culture thriving and surviving on sustainable resources, wearing seal and eating it. It's delicious and there's lots of them,'' she said in her acceptance speech.

"I really believe that if hipsters can make flower beards 'in', then you can do it with seal.''

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Sweden's 'Feminist Government' Sticks It To Trump With New Climate Law

February 3, 2017, 8:21 am

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STOCKHOLM — Sweden's Deputy Prime Minister has posted on Facebook an all-woman photo including herself signing a proposal for the country's new climate law — a photo many online commentators have taken as a direct swipe at Donald Trump.

Friday's picture shows Isabella Lovin seated in front of the document surrounded by seven female members of her staff.

Just signed referral of Swedish #climate law, binding all future governments to net zero emissions by 2045. For a safer and better future. pic.twitter.com/OqOO2y8BU6

— Isabella Lövin (@IsabellaLovin) February 3, 2017

Swedish media say it resembles photos of U.S. President Donald Trump in the Oval office surrounded by his male advisors.


President Donald Trump signs an executive order in the Oval Office of the White House on Jan. 23. (Photo: Saul Leob/AFP/Getty Images)

Lovin said the picture was to show "we are a feminist government,'' leaving it "to the observer to interpret the photo.''

The Swedish government describes itself on its website as "feminist,'' putting "equality between women and men at the heart of national and international work.''

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Tove Lo Says Masturbation Is Nothing Scary. We Agree.

February 3, 2017, 8:53 am

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Ladies, there's nothing scary about pleasuring yourself and Swedish singer Tove Lo is here to remind women to embrace their sexuality — and forget the haters along the way.

In an interview with Time Out New York on Tuesday, the 29-year-old pop singer told the site she won't stop flashing people at her concerts (she has been saying this for a while) and definitely won't apologize for masturbating in own music video.

“Seriously, we can see a guy get shot in the head without any problems. Yes, I’m masturbating, but why is female sexuality so scary?,” she told the site.


Tove Lo attends the Y100's Jingle Ball 2016 - PRESS ROOM at BB&T Center.

The video she is referring to is her 2016 release of "Fairy Dust," where she masturbates on a bed during the end credits. The video was initially banned by YouTube when it was released.



After the ban, Lo went on Twitter to express her frustration, using the hashtag #imnotevennaked.

"So I did release #FairyDust today but it's been taken down cause of @YouTubes policies on sexual content. HA. #imnotevennaked," she wrote last fall.

So I did release #FairyDust today but it's been taken down cause of @YouTubes policies on sexual content. HA. #imnotevennaked

— Tove Lo (@ToveLo) October 31, 2016

She also talked about working on that specific scene with Time Out.

"I was the least nervous. I wouldn’t have done it if I wasn’t sure I could,” she said. “They filmed all the way through... after the third [take] I said, 'Guys, I don’t have one more in me. I’m done!'"



Lo also talked about the pressures of apologizing every time she flashes a crowd, something she feels she needs to do because of her sex.

"The crowds flash me back — guys and girls. I shouldn’t need to apologize. Because I’m a woman, I have to. There’s so much more to me than the vagina stuff.”



And she's right: There tends to be a double standard when it comes to men's and women's sexuality. As Teen Vogue points out, the #FreeTheNipple movement is one of the biggest examples of this.

And experts (and women) will tell you, when it comes to the female orgasm, it's more than just vaginal intercourse.

The key? Stick to the clitoris.

Read Lo's full interview here.

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Hudson's Bay Co. Making Bid To Take Over Macy's: Report

February 3, 2017, 8:57 am

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TORONTO — Hudson's Bay Co. is declining comment after a report that the Canadian retailer is making a bid to take over Macy's Inc.

"We do not comment on rumour or speculation,'' Tiffany Bourre, an HBC spokeswoman, said in an email.

The Wall Street Journal, citing unnamed sources that it said were familiar with the matter, reported that the two retail giants are in preliminary talks.


A Macy's banner hanging at the store's flagship location in Manhattan. (Photo: Shutterstock)

Trading of Macy's shares on the New York Stock Exchange was halted briefly to control market volatility. Trading stopped at 10:07 a.m. ET and resumed about seven minutes later.

Macy's shares on the New York Stock Exchange soared on the news, rising more than seven per cent by late morning. Earlier in the day, it reached a peak price of US$34.37, an increase of nearly 12 per cent over the previous day's close.

HBC has acquired a number of companies in recent years, including Saks Inc. and Gilt.

Macy's did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

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Idris Elba Gets The The Best Dating Advice From Kids

February 3, 2017, 9:21 am

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Idris Elba is on a mission to find and woo a Valentine — and he has the most adorable help.

The actor and father of two consulted a panel of miniature wingmen and wingwomen to help him plan a romantic Valentine's date for the winner of his Omaze contest.




In early January, Elba revealed he partnered with non-profit W.E. Can Lead to help raise funds for the education and well-being of young girls in Africa by offering up entries in exchange for donations.




Despite admitting to having never been on dates, the little advisors seemed to have a lot of opinions on what Elba should and shouldn't do. And for the most part, the kids' advice made sense.

One young charmer even scolded the actor, telling him "It doesn’t matter about you, it matters about the girl." While another told him to put on a bad boy persona “because if you’re good, then you might have to wear glasses, suspenders, and ugly trousers.”

We doubt ugly trousers would stop anyone from accepting a date with the suave actor.

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