Down Payment For Mortgage Increases to 10% On Homes Over $500K

The federal government is increasing the minimum down payment required to buy a home for more than $500,000 in an effort to cool the red-hot housing markets in Toronto and Vancouver, but some economists say the impact on housing activity will be minimal.

Finance Minister Bill Morneau made the announcement in Ottawa on Friday. "We are looking at ways to ensure our market is stable and we want to make sure people are making the appropriate decision as they buy a new home," Morneau said during a news conference.

Starting in February, CMHC will require a 10 per cent down payment on the portion of any mortgage it insures over $500,000.

Edmonton Eskimos Beat Ottawa Redblacks to Win 14th GreyCup

After a ten year drought, Edmonton Eskimos won their fourteenth Grey Cup. Thanks to an aggressive coach they have in person of Chris Jones. Jordan Lynch scored a one-yard touchdown on third down with 3:22 left, sending the Edmonton Eskimos to a 26-20 victory over the Ottawa REDBLACKS in the 103rd Grey Cup presented by Shaw.

Mike Reilly who was named MVP threw touchdown passes to Adarius Bowman and Akeem Shavers while completing 21 of 25 passes for 269 yards, while Edmonton’s defence allowed only four second-half points to guide the Eskimos to their first Grey Cup since 2005.

Canadian Toy Testing Council Shut Down After 63yrs For Insolvency

Children play during a 2010 Canadian Toy Testing Council event to announce its top toy picks. (Pawel Dwulit/CP)

The Canadian Toy Testing Council known for testing toys for children since 1952 has shut down after members were unable to secure financial backing. The council operates through a network of through families in the Ottawa region who would take the toys home and judge them on design, durability, safety and playability.

The group also produced an annual pre-Christmas list of top toys and books.

But last year the volunteer-run organization did not operate its toy testing program or produce its annual list because of what it described as funding challenges.

In a news release Tuesday, the organization said it had been under financial stress for several years.

Canada Revenue Agency filings for the council show the organization's revenue was cut in half from 2011 to 2012, to $52,328 from $98,743, and the group could not recover. The council reported revenue of $46,101 in 2014.

Federal Government Cut Funding For Sex Crime Prevention Program

CBC

The federal government is cutting funds for a program designed to prevent the most dangerous, high-risk sex offenders from repeating their crimes, just as its own five-year study has found the program dramatically improves public safety and saves money.

The 18 Circles of Support and Accountability (COSA) programs across the country now have about 700 trained volunteers who help safely reintegrate offenders from prison back into the community.

Most sites are now preparing to close after funding from the Correctional Service of Canada ends March 31.

Newfoundland Suspends Participation In All Trade Agreements Over Feud With Ottawa

Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Paul Davis. CP

Sue Bailey, The Canadian Press
Newfoundland and Labrador says it is suspending its participation in all trade agreements because of its dispute with Ottawa over a promised federal-provincial fisheries fund.

The provincial government says the federal government has failed to honour its commitment to provide $280 million in exchange for the province relinquishing minimum processing requirements for fish plants as part of a free trade deal with Europe.

Game of Trade: Canada fights back in Buy America feud

Canadian and American flags fly in Point Roberts, Wash. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press)

Ottawa has invoked a rarely used anti-sanctions law after Alaska refused to void Buy America purchasing rules in the rebuilding of a B.C. ferry terminal.

The Canadian government signed an order Monday under the Foreign Extraterritorial Measures Act, barring companies from complying with the requirement that only U.S. steel be used on the project in Prince Rupert, B.C., Trade Minister Ed Fast said.

The Foreign Extraterritorial Measures Act, a federal anti-sanctions law, has been used only once, in 1992, to counter the U.S. trade embargo on Cuba.

The law gives the federal Attorney General the power to issue orders, making it illegal for bidders on the project to comply with the Buy America rules.

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US Oil Gas Methane Regulations Won't Be Matched By Ottawa

Getty

Bruce Cheadle, The Canadian Press
Natural Resources Minister Greg Rickford says he welcomes tough new U.S. oil and gas regulations on methane emissions announced by the White House and calls Canada a "willing partner" — but not one ready to immediately match the American move.

The Obama administration said Wednesday it plans to use its regulatory power to cut methane emissions by between 40 and 45 per cent from 2012 levels by the year 2025.

Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas, far more potent than carbon dioxide, and is emitted in significant volumes in flaring and venting from oil and gas operations.

The announcement came while Rickford was in Washington making yet another pitch in support of TransCanada's proposed Keystone XL pipeline.

"Any time the United States is thinking about regulations in coal or methane, it tells me two things," Rickford said at a news conference in the U.S. capital.

"One: Canada is a willing partner. And two: That this is an opportunity for Canada and the United States and Mexico, in a trilateral sense, to bring North American opportunities and solutions to challenges we face in energy."

Ottawa Teen prostitution pimp leader Kailey Oliver-Machado sent to adult prison

Ottawa Courthouse

CBC News
An 18-year-old Ottawa girl who led an operation that trafficked other teenagers using social media such as Facebook and Twitter will serve the remainder of her sentence in an adult prison, a judge determined today. 15 at time of arrest and now 18, Ottawa teen has just under 3 years left in sentence

Kailey Oliver-Machado was sentenced in November to 6½ years in a correctional facility, but Crown and defence lawyers argued over whether she should serve the time in prison or at a youth facility.​

Justice Diane Lahaie heard the arguments from both sides on Jan. 6 and said she needed more time to consider the decision.

On Wednesday, she said Oliver-Machado did a good job finishing her high school diploma while in custody, but a federal penitentiary is in her best interest because she has finished all the rehabilitation courses at the youth facility she has been in since June 2012.

Lahaie also said Oliver-Machado needs special staff and an individual rehabilitation plan so she can be reintegrated back into the community once her sentence is over.

Where’s the party? Maple Leaf Flag turning 50

A Canadian Maple Leaf flag flies near the Peace tower on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Feb.15, 2012. Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press

Lee-Anne Goodman  The Canadian Press

With the 50th birthday of Canada’s beloved Maple Leaf flag just a month away, some are wondering why there there’s been so little fanfare from the federal government.

Canadian Heritage says National Flag of Canada Day will be marked by educational activities and special events, including at the annual Winterlude festivities in Ottawa in the weeks to come.

The department also says community groups and schools are being encouraged to mark the anniversary throughout the year, although it didn’t immediately say how much it was spending on the flag’s birthday.

But the party-planning appears to pale in comparison to a multimillion-dollar effort to mark Canada’s 150th birthday in 2017, and $5.2 million that was spent to mark the bicentennial of the War of 1812.

Police arrest third Ottawa man on terror charges linked to Larmond brothers

Pedestrian make their way across Parliament Hill in Ottawa on October 31, 2013. CP

Joe Lofaro MetroThe RCMP have arrested a third Ottawa man on terrorism-related charges.

Suliman Mohamed, 21, was charged with participating in the activities of a terrorist group following an arrest made by the RCMP’s Ottawa Integrated National Security Enforcement Team (INSET).

Police say this arrest is linked to the Jan. 9 arrest of twin brothers Ashton and Carlos Larmond. The brothers lived in the Overbrook area of Ottawa and were the subject of a lengthy national security investigation by the RCMP.

Because of the purported link between the three men, Mohamed was also charged with conspiracy to participate in terrorist activity with the other two accused.

Ottawa family wants $500,000 ‘dowry’ back after young couple splits

The two split after a year and a half of marriage and entered a bitter dispute over a gift the groom's family gave Banifatemi -- half ownsership of a $1-million home.

Torstar News Service
She was a beautiful, young exchange student from Iran. He was a handsome, well-spoken Canadian from a well-heeled Iranian family in Ottawa.

They met in calculus class at Carleton University, fell in love and just over a year later, the two 20-somethings got hitched in a lavish ceremony in Toronto attended by both their families.

But the April 1 — April Fool’s Day — marriage proved prophetic, says the groom’s family.

In keeping with Iranian tradition, the groom’s family gave the bride a generous gift — half ownership of a $1-million Ottawa home — a “dowry” that is now the source of a bitter dispute between the now-separated couple and their families.

Last week an Ottawa judge dismissed the husband’s family’s claims for an order that the bride, 23-year-old Shakiba Banifatemi, transfer her portion of the property back to her ex’s parents. The judge also dismissed claims for orders that she reimburse them for the cost of the wedding — around $50,000, the groom’s mother says — and return any wedding gifts she received.

Excuseme! Ottawa, Ontario at odds over Rouge Park

Jim Robb, walking through Toronto’s Rouge Park in November, says the park tours that he – as manager of Friends of the Rouge Watershed – leads school children on may be the only exposure to real nature they have all year.

Dave Pearce stands atop a steeply eroding slope in farthest-east Toronto. Dozens of metres below, the Rouge River sweeps west through the sedimentary hills before continuing south to Lake Ontario.

The forest conservationist with the Wildlands League takes in the scene of water, rocks, trees and unobstructed sky. It’s a view not normally enjoyed in a city. He sees the deep slice of green as an invaluable part of a growing region.

“Our urban and new Canadians are increasingly separated from the natural world,” he says. “This valley is easy and affordable to get to. It can be further restored and protected to be an entry point to show people what nature can be in Canada.”

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NHL - Detroit Red Wings Nyquist’s late overtime goals burries Ottawa Senators

Craig Anderson #41 of the Ottawa Senators makes a pad save on a break-away against Darren Helm #43 of the Detroit Red Wings. (Photo by Jana Chytilova/Freestyle Photography/Getty Images)

Darren Desaulniers | CP
Gustav Nyquist didn’t want his Detroit Red Wings to go to the shootout, that’s why he decided to do it all himself in overtime.

Nyquist scored at 4:12 of extra time as the Red Wings defeated the Ottawa Senators 3-2 on Saturday night.

Nyquist carried the puck around the Senators’ zone for close to 30 seconds, circling Ottawa’s net three times before launching a shot from the slot for the winner.

“It was good. Nice to get the win in OT. We haven’t been as successful in the shootout as we want so it’s nice to get the win coming back,” Nyquist said of the win.

Ottawa couple son stranded in India after immigration application error

CBC
A couple from India with permanent resident status is fighting to change Canada's immigration laws after being separated from their three-year-old son over what they describe as an application error.
Bhavna Bajaj, who now lives in Ottawa, told CBC News she was pregnant when she and her husband Aman Sood applied for permanent residency in 2011.

By the time the Canadian government accepted their application last year, they had a new son, Daksh.
The couple said their immigration consultant told them to head to Canada and sponsor their son after they arrived.

But Bajaj said once they landed, they were told they had broken the law by not revealing they had a son in India.

"We are crying every day, craving for our child," Sood said.

Wish list for the seven NHL Canadian teams

The Montreal Canadiens are currently sitting atop the Atlantic Division standings with 46 points, thanks in large part to goaltender Carey Price. (Richard Wolowicz/Getty Image

Paul McGaughey, CBC 
Montreal Canadiens
It might be tough to say that a team is in need of something when they are sitting at the top of the division standings -- which is currently the case for the Canadiens.

However, the Tampa Bay Lightning have equalled Montreal's 46 points and the Detroit Red Wings and Toronto Maple Leafs are also in striking distance with 45 and 43 points respectively.

For the Canadiens to separate themselves from the pack in the Atlantic, it may come down to a simple equation: they don't allow a lot of goals, ranking sixth at 2.37 per game, but they also aren't exactly an offensive juggernaut, ranking 19th in the NHL at 2.60 goals-for per game.

On the surface at least, that doesn't seem to leave much wiggle room for error.

Ottawa Premier Kathleen Wynne Makes CNN's 'Most Inspiring Women' List

Lucas Oleniuk via Getty Images

Zi-Ann Lum | Huff
U.S. network CNN has named Kathleen Wynne as one of its “most inspiring women of 2014.”

The Ontario premier was acknowledged for her role in politics as the province's first female to have the role, and as the first “openly gay head of government.” Other politicians on the list include Burmese Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi and President Joyce Banda of Malawi.

Halifax’s Ellen Page is the only other Canadian who also made the longlist. The actor came out earlier this year in a Human Rights Campaign's conference speech.

In May, Wynne opened up about her sexuality in an interview with the Toronto Star. She praised the comfort that the Charter of Rights and Freedoms brings to her and her partner Jane Rounthwaite.

Ottawa Senator's Curtis Lazar named captain of Canada world junior hockey team

KELSEY PATTERSON Canadian press
The always good-humoured Ottawa Senators rookie on Monday was named captain of Canada’s junior hockey team for the upcoming world championship in Toronto and Montreal.

“I’m very honoured to have this opportunity, and I’m going to take full advantage of it and go out there and play hard for my country,” Lazar told reporters at a hockey charity event in Montreal. “I know there’s a lot of responsibility that comes along with this, but I’m just going to try to take it in stride and be myself.”

Federal government posts $3.2B deficit for October

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper responds to a question during question period in the House of Commons in Ottawa on December 3, 2014. Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press

Stephanie Levitz | The Canadian PressThe federal Conservatives’ pre-election promises targeted at families are already starting to take a toll on the country’s books.

The new income splitting plan and the doubling of the children’s fitness tax credit helped create a $3.2 billion deficit in October, according to data released by the Finance Department on Monday.

That’s twice as fat a deficit than would otherwise have been the case. The tax changes resulted in a $1.6-billion adjustment to revenue and, without that, Ottawa would have posted a deficit of just $1.6-billion for the month.

The Conservatives had pledged in the 2011 election campaign to introduce income splitting for families. This fall, they rolled out a slightly-amended version, as well as an increase to the fitness tax credit, both of which families can claim on their 2014 taxes, and just in time for the 2015 election.

Ottawa slain military Canada becomes News maker of the Year

Warrant Officer Patrice Vincent and Cpl. Nathan Cirillo were killed in cold blood on home soil for simply wearing a soldier's uniform

Colin Perkel | The Canadian PressTwo Canadians killed in cold blood on home soil for simply wearing a soldier’s uniform have been selected the country’s Newsmaker of the Year for 2014.

Warrant Officer Patrice Vincent and Cpl. Nathan Cirillo, whose senseless murders in October shook the country, were the top choice of editors and news directors surveyed by The Canadian Press.

“It’s very sad but very deserved,” Vincent’s eldest sister Louise Vincent said in her first interview since his funeral.

“First it was a family death and after that we realized that his death was not only ours.”

Indeed, the two unsuspecting and unarmed soldiers quickly became household names for reasons Canadians could barely fathom.

Alberta wants federal government to lift immigration lid

John CotterThe Canadian Press
Alberta wants the federal government to lift the lid on the number of economic immigrants it can nominate each year for permanent residence so it can better meet its growing labour needs.

Jobs Minister Ric McIver said the province has sent a letter to federal Citizenship and Immigration Minister Chris Alexander.

“I would like the federal government to take the cap off of the maximum number of provincial nominees that we can appoint so that we can bring in the people that we need,” McIver said in an interview Monday.

“We think we are going to be 96,000 workers short by 2023 and most of those (are for) skilled and good-paying jobs.”

McIver said the number of economic immigrants allowed into Alberta should be driven by labour market evidence and local information so the province can better react to its own circumstances.