TMCnet News

The Canadian Press Budget for Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2009
[December 09, 2009]

The Canadian Press Budget for Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2009


(Canadian Press DataFile Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) The following is a complete list of coverage plans for top news from The Canadian Press. If you have any questions, contact CP's National Desk at 416-507-2150.

Copy moves by 18:00 ET unless otherwise noted; all times ET.

Editors: Throughout December, The Canadian Press is moving year-end and decade-end stories and showcasing them throughout the National budget. These stories are indicated by all-caps YEAR and DECADE keyword slugs and _ unless otherwise noted _ are written to stand for use throughout the holiday period.



For queries about non-Canadian Press syndicated copy, call the Specials Desk at 416-507-2152.

CLIMATE CHANGE OTTAWA _ The United Nations weather agency has delivered a sobering forecast at pivotal climate talks in Copenhagen that could turn up the heat on Canada. The World Meteorological Organization reported Tuesday that this decade will probably rank as the warmest on record. The news comes as the Harper government faces heavy criticism at home and abroad to do more to fight climate change. 740 words. By Steve Rennie. BC-Climate-Cda. 2nd Writethru UNDATED -- Inuit people deserve a share of any international fund created to help countries adapt to the effects of a warming planet, says a top Inuit leader. Mary Simon, part of Canada's Copenhagen delegation and the head of the country's main Inuit organization, says money should be made available to populations at risk from climate change in both developing and developed countries. 545 words . By Bob Weber. BC-Climate-Inuit. 1st Writethru.


COPENHAGEN, Denmark _ This decade is on track to become the warmest since records began in 1850, and 2009 could rank among the top-five warmest years, the UN weather agency reported Tuesday on the second day of a pivotal 192-nation climate conference. For central Africa and southern Asia this will probably be the warmest year, but overall 2009 will ``be about the fifth-warmest year on record,'' said Michel Jarraud, secretary general of the World Meteorological Organization. Only the United States and Canada experienced cooler conditions than average. 1334 words. By Charles J. Hanley. See Photo. Climate. 8th Writethru.

TORONTO _ Ontario won't be able to meet its own reduction targets for greenhouse gases to help fight climate change, the province's environmental watchdog said Tuesday. Even if the Liberal government does everything it says it plans to do to cut its emissions, it still won't meet its targets for 2014 or 2020, said Environmental Commissioner Gord Miller. His report may deflate Ontario's crusade to get Ottawa to set tougher emission-reduction targets as provincial and federal leaders head to Copenhagen for a United Nations summit on climate change. 820 words. By Maria Babbage. Ont-Climate-Change. 3rd Writethru.

OTHER GENERAL VANCOUVER - The four RCMP officers who fatally confronted Robert Dziekanski at Vancouver's airport fell short of expectations and their repeated used of a Taser was inappropriate, says the force's independent watchdog. The Commissioner for Public Complaints Against the RCMP issued his report Tuesday into the death of Dziekanski at Vancouver's airport two years ago. 1178 words. By James Keller. BC-RCMP-Complaints-Dziekanski. 9th Writethru.

HALIFAX _ James Delorey, the Nova Scotia boy who died in hospital after miraculously surviving two nights lost in the frozen wilderness, was remembered Tuesday as a calm and quiet child whose big brown eyes did most of the talking. The seven-year-old succumbed to severe hypothermia less than a day after he was found unconscious in a densely wooded area of Cape Breton, about a kilometre from his home. Paul MacDonald, the principal at Delorey's school in nearby Sidney, said the little boy couldn't speak because he had autism, but that didn't stop him from leaving a big impression on his teachers and classmates. 708 words. By Michael MacDonald. See CP Video, Photos. BC-NS-Autistic-Boy. 6th Writethru.

OTTAWA _ An unprecedented letter from 23 former ambassadors is a fresh blow to the Harper government over the Afghan detainee controversy. The ex-diplomats condemned Conservative attacks on the credibility of diplomat Richard Colvin, saying it threatens to cast a chill over Canada's foreign service. The NDP quickly called for the resignation of Defence Minister Peter MacKay. 775 words. By Murray Brewster. See Photos. BC-Afghan-Abuse-Cda. 1st Writethru OTTAWA _ The stress of combat in war-torn Afghanistan hasn't stopped Canadian soldiers from showing up for work, according to new figures on sick days from the Canadian Forces. In fact, the data suggests overall sick leave has been trending downwards since 2004. 629 words By Tobi Cohen. BC-Soldier-Sick-Leave. 1st Writethru OTTAWA _ Taxpayers are being asked to pay for a big jump in the prime ministerial budget, in part to pay for more staff and resources as the government begins sending out videos of Stephen Harper. 600 words. By Bruce Cheadle. BC-Harper-Videos.

WASHINGTON_ Justices on the U.S. Supreme Court are asking tough questions about the fraud conviction of Canadian business mogul Conrad Black, suggesting the federal law that helped convict him is too vague. Black, who's serving a 6 1/2-year prison sentence for mail fraud and obstruction of justice, wasn't present for the hearing at the highest court in the land because he cannot be released on bail. Family members, including his daughter, Alana, were in attendance. 900 words. By Lee-Anne Goodman. BC-U.S.-Cda-Black. Moves Business and National. 2nd Writethru.

CALGARY - A Canadian mine in Mexico has been shut down over environmental concerns, while new details are emerging about how three men arrested in the death of a vocal anti-mining activist are connected to the Calgary company.The temporary closure of the Blackfire Exploration mine, revealed by a government official Tuesday, is another twist in a case some say symbolizes the anger of local people who feel Canadian companies are destroying their pristine ancestral land for profit. 791 words. By Shannon Montgomery. Mexico-Activist-Killed. PRECEDES SAN CRISTOBAL DE LAS CASAS, Mexico. 2nd Writethru.

GATINEAU, Que. _ It took the deadpan, I-don't-suffer-fools-gladly style of broadcast regulator Konrad Von Finckenstein to pinpoint what many Canadians might be feeling about the bewildering cable-versus-TV battle. ``Why are we frightening consumers, why are putting out big figures, rather than trying to figure out how to solve this problem? The problem is we want to keep a viable Canadian TV system,'' the chairman of the Canadian Radio-television Commission (CRTC) asked a row of cable and satellite executives Tuesday. 640 By Jennifer Ditchburn. BC-CRTC-TV-Cable-Fight. Moves Entertainment and National. 3rd Writethru.

TORONTO - People born with only part of a hand, and those who lose part of a hand through amputation or an accident, will soon have a new option in prosthetics. A company announced Tuesday the availability in Canada of ProDigits, describing the fully articulating fingers as the world's first powered prosthesis for partial hand amputees - in effect, the first available bionic fingers. 667 words. By Sheryl Ubelacker. See Photos, Video. Also moves Lifestyles. BC-Robotic-Fingers.

TORONTO - The British Medical Journal, researchers from the Cochrane Review and Britain's Channel 4 TV network are questioning the value of the class of flu drugs to which the medication Tamiflu belongs, saying there is little evidence to show the drugs reduce complications of seasonal flu in otherwise healthy adults. But the World Health Organization says the conclusion is what WHO has said all along about the drugs - they have a modest impact on the severity and duration of bouts of flu in healthy people. That doesn't mean they shouldn't be used in severely ill people suffering from pandemic flu, the WHO said. 850 words. By Helen Branswell. BC-Flu-Tamiflu-Questioned. 1st Writethru.

WINNIPEG -- For a few weeks this spring, the world's attention was focused on a cluster of remote First Nations communities in northern Manitoba. As critically ill residents were airlifted daily to hospital, the reserves appeared to be at the Canadian epicentre of the H1N1 flu outbreak. The World Health Organization pointed to Canada as an example of how the virus took a harsher toll on people facing poverty, and aboriginal leaders are saying the outbreak should be a wake-up call to people about the squalid living conditions, lack of accessible health care and poor education on Canadian reserves. 800 words. By Chinta Puxley. BC-YEAR-Flu-Aboriginals.

TORONTO _ Toronto police were searching for a male suspect Tuesday in the slaying of a 45-year-old Toronto woman who was shot dead in front of her little girl. The two-year-old child, who was in a vehicle nearby, was not injured during the Monday night shooting and police say she is in a ``safe place.'' 721 words. By Susanna Kelley. BC-Woman-Killed-Toddler. 5th Writethru.

TORONTO _ Toronto police and the family of a Toronto man who was beaten up then run over by a black SUV and left for dead in October are offering a $75,000 reward for information leading to the conviction of the killers of Christopher Skinner. Just steps away from where the 27-year-old man was attacked, they appealed for the killers to do the right thing and turn themselves in. 500 words. By Pat Hewitt. BC-Hit-Run-Reward. Moves Regional (C). 2nd Writethru.

VANCOUVER - The B.C. Court of Appeal has opened the door for the federal government to share blame with tobacco companies for smoking-related health-care costs incurred by the province. But the decision handed down today only gives the tobacco companies a very narrow opening to have Ottawa share financial responsibility in the massive health-care cost recovery case. 596 words. By Tamsyn Burgmann. BC-Tobacco-Lawsuit. 1st Writethru.

INTERNATIONAL: Note: Stories about the international climate-change conference in Denmark are being showcased on the National budget.

WASHINGTON _ The general leading the expanded war in Afghanistan tells Congress he can succeed with President Barack Obama's 30,000 troop surge, even though he had originally recommended more troops. In Afghanistan, President Hamid Karzai says it may be five years before his army is ready to take on insurgents _ a blunt warning that the planned exit of American troops beginning 18 months from now will grind slowly for years. 800 words. By Anne Gearn and Robert Burns. US-US-Afghanistan. Moved.

See also: US-Afghanistan-Differences. Moved Datafile.

US-US-General-Bin-Laden. Moved.

BAGHDAD _ A suicide car bomb flattened a court building and an explosives-rigged ambulance blew down walls like dominos near the Finance Ministry during a wave of co-ordinated attacks Tuesday that targeted high-profile symbols of Iraqi authority. At least 127 people were killed. It was the third such attack in recent months. Coming on the day that officials set elections for March 7, the bombings appear part of a campaign by Sunni militants to undermine the pro-western government. 900 words. By Brian Murphy. See Photo. ML-Iraq. Moved.

See also: Iraq-Deadliest-Attacks-Glance. Moved Datafile.

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan _ The FBI is sending a team to Pakistan and India as part of an inquiry into a Chicago man accused of plotting against a Danish newspaper and sizing up targets ahead of last year's deadly terrorist attacks in Mumbai, India's financial capital. Pakistan's role in alleged plots spanning three countries has increasingly come under scrutiny as new details emerge about the case and suspect David Coleman Headley's links to the country. 900 words. By Kim Gamel. AS-Pakistan-Terror-Probe. Moved.

See also: Chicago-Terrorism-Charges. Moved Datafile.

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras _ Gunmen on motorcycles ambushed and killed Honduras' top anti-drug official in the capital Tuesday, just two months before he planned to retire and move to Canada. Police said the assailants have fled. 300 words. By Freddy Cuevas. LT-Honduras-Official-Killed. Moved.

TEHRAN _ Hard-line militiamen throwing stones and firing tear gas storm a crowd of thousands of university students protesting for a second straight day. Iran has arrested 200 people and is warning of tougher action against the opposition. Masked motorcyclists harass the top opposition leader, who angrily dares them, ``Beat me, kill me!'' 700 words. By Nasser Karimi and Lee Keath. See Photo. ML-Iran. Moved.

BRUSSELS, Belgium _ European Union foreign ministers called Tuesday for the resumption of talks between Israel and the Palestinians and urged them to make Jerusalem the shared capital of two nations. Israel had strongly objected to an earlier Swedish draft resolution which explicitly stated that east Jerusalem _ the disputed part of the holy city _ should be the capital of a Palestinian state, and warned the move would damage the EU's ability to be a Mideast mediator. 500 words. By Slobodan Lekic. EU-EU-Mideast. Moved.

SYDNEY, Australia _ An Australian coroner said Tuesday that participation in an intense self-help course led a woman to suffer a psychotic breakdown before she stripped naked and leaped to her death from an office window in front of horrified co-workers. The coroner's findings come four years after 34-year-old Rebekah Lawrence's death in Sydney, providing a sense of relief to family members who had long argued the young woman never would have killed herself if not for her participation in a seminar called The Turning Point. 750 words. By Kristen Gelineau. See Photo .AS-Australia-The-Turning-Point. Moved.

HIGHLIGHTED ON THE NATIONAL BUDGET The following stories, which carry foreign placelines but are of specific interest to Canadian readers, move on both the International and National wires and are highlighted on the National budget: _ US-Cda-Black.

_ Climate-Cda.

_ Ont-Climate-Change.

_ Climate-Inuit.

_ Afghan-Cda-Abuse.

BUSINESS MONTREAL _ Forestry company Tembec Inc. (TSX:TMB) says it will put its locked out newsprint mill in Pine Falls, Man. up for sale. The mill, which has an annual capacity of about 200,000 tonnes, has been shut down since Sept. 1, when the company locked out its 250 workers there in a dispute over wage cuts. 576 words. BC-Tembec-Pine-Falls, 2nd Writethru. Moved.

TORONTO _ The Bank of Nova Scotia (TSX:BNS) saw its fourth-quarter net income nearly triple but even that wasn't enough to please at least one analyst, who predicted a poor reception by investors after Scotiabank announced its results on Tuesday.Scotiabank, the last of Canada's six big banks to report its fourth-quarter results, reported net income of $902 million or 83 cents per share for the quarter ended Oct. 31. That was up from a year-ago net profit of $315 million or 28 cents per share. 768 words. By B.H. McKenna. BC-Scotiabank, 4th Writethru. Moved. Will be Updated.

UNDATED _ The Northern Ontario city of Timmins will be left with the gaping economic loss of about 700 well-paying jobs after global mining company Xstrata PLC announced the closure of copper and zinc operations there next May. ``It's going to be a huge challenge,'' Mayor Tom Laughren said Tuesday. 706 words. By LuAnn LaSalle, Diana Mehta. BC-Smelter-Xstrata, 5th Writethru. Moved.

UNDATED _ Cameco Corp. (TSX:CCO) said Tuesday it has signed a deal to sell its remaining stake in Centerra Gold Inc. (TSX:CG) for $872 million.The uranium miner said a syndicate of underwriters led by CIBC World Markets Inc. and RBC Capital Markets have agreed to purchase the 88.6 million shares of Centerra held by Cameco at a price of $10.25 per share. 500 words. By Lauren Krugel. BC-Cameco-Centerra, 1st Writethru. Uubudgeted story moved.

TORONTO _ The Bank of Canada held the line on interest rates again Tuesday and the prospects appear good for the next several months on stable borrowing costs until at least next spring. However, economists are starting to call for higher rates later next year, perhaps as much as a point or more, to qwell inflationary pressures in the economy caused in part by the billions of dollars in infrastructure spending and a recovering housing market. If rates go higher, it could squeeze homebuyers who have taken on larger mortgage debt at variable rates and hurt other borrowers in the economy. 700 words. By Sunny Freeman. BC-Interest-Rate-Outlook. Moves National and Business.

TORONTO _ A heated battle between Canwest Global Communications Corp. (TSXV:CGS) and its investment partner Goldman Sachs grew a little more tense on Tuesday when a Canwest lawyer suggested the fight over its specialty television assets could hinder the restructuring of the entire company.Lyndon Barnes told a judge presiding over the media conglomerate's court-supervised restructuring that a disagreement with Goldman over the ownership of a division that holds specialty TV assets is a move by Goldman to gain an unfair advantage in the process. 585 words. By David Friend. BC-Canwest, 3rd Writethru. Moved.

WASHINGTON _ More of America's largest companies will shrink their staffs than will hire in the next six months, according to the latest survey of their CEOs. By Daniel Wagner. BC-US-Economy, Budget. Moved.

NEW YORK _ Oil prices dipped below US$73 a barrel Tuesday on a stronger U.S. dollar and a slew of economic data that did not indicate a quick rebound in demand from big energy users or from consumers.Reports from Britain and Germany showed that international manufacturing remains weak. And U.S.-based economists noted that while America's jobless numbers improved last week, that doesn't necessarily mean consumer spending or energy consumption will return any time soon. 362 words. By Chris Kahn. Oil-Prices, 3rd Writethru.

CHICAGO _ The supersized recession that was a boon for business last year caught up further with McDonald's Corp. (NYSE:MCD) in November, as high unemployment ate into sales. While the world's largest burger chain is still faring better than its competitors, who've increasingly been pushing value menus and discounts of their own, the restaurant's fortunes likely won't improve unless the U.S. economy does. 650 words. By Ashley M. Heher. BC-US-McDonald's-Sales, Budget. Moved UNDATED _ United Airlines is buying its first new jets since 1998, splitting an order for 50 planes between the Airbus A350 and the Boeing 787. The new planes will cost billions and reduce United's international flying as it replaces old 747s and 767s with smaller, more fuel-efficient planes. 600 words. By Joshua Freed. BC-United-Airlines-Plane-Orders. Moved.

SHANGHAI _ China extended its lead over the U.S. as the world's biggest auto market in November, with production and sales more than doubling from a year earlier to both surpass 1 million vehicles. 400 words. By Elaine Kurtenbach. BC-AS-China-Auto-Sales, 1st Writethru. Moved The Canadian Press is also following: TORONTO _ The Toronto stock market finished sharply lower Tuesday as the resource heavy TSX was hit by sliding commodity prices as the U.S. dollar strengthened and investors also worried about downgrades to government credit ratings.The S&P/TSX composite index dropped 120.7 points to 11,368.93 as the Bank of Canada said it was leaving interest rates unchanged at 0.25 per cent. 854 words. By Malcolm Morrison. Dollar-Markets.

LEWISPORTE, N.L. _ Woodward's Oil Ltd has purchased a fuel terminal in Lewisport, N.L., from Imperial Oil (TSX:IMO) for an undisclosed price. The privately held Woodward's said it's delighted to add a significant business interest in its home province of Newfoundland and Labrador. 146 words. BC-Imperial-Oil-Woodwards, 1st Writethru.

BELLEDUNE, N.B. _ The head of a New Brunswick port authority says the province has promised to compensate for revenue that would be lost if the port were to lose its biggest customer, NB Power, as a result of the proposed sale of the utility to Hydro-Quebec.Rayburn Doucett, president and CEO of the Belledune Port Authority, said in an interview Tuesday he's been given assurance that the port will continue to have sufficient income to justify going ahead with a $66-million expansion. 281 words. NB-Power-Sale-Port.

MONTREAL _ Peak Financial Group announced Tuesday it is acquiring 100 per cent of Promutuel Capital Financial Services, which will join Peak's four other member companies.Financial details between the two privately held companies were not disclosed. The final agreement is to be ratified Dec. 31. 140 words. Peak.

MONTREAL _ Women's clothier Reitmans (Canada) Ltd. (TSX:RET) third-quarter profits fall to $18.9 million, 28 cents per share, from year-ago $23 million, 32 cents per share, in the year-ago period; sales relatively flat at $270.7 million, same-store sales down 2.2 per cent. 250 words. BC-Reitmans.

MONTREAL _ Caisse de depot et placement du Quebec sells all its common shares in Atlantic Power Corp. (TSX: APT), representing nearly 19 per cent of the total, for $121.9 million. Purchasers were an unidentified group of investors. 200 words. BC-Caisse-Atlantic-Power.

MONTREAL _ Garda World Security Corp. (TSX:GW) said Tuesday it had been awarded a US$100-million contract from the U.K. Foreign and Commonwealth Office to provide security services for the British Embassy and its offices in Iraq. Under the three-year contract, Garda World will provide mobile security for embassy personnel travelling throughout Iraq as well as static security to the British Embassy in Baghdad and embassy offices in Basra. 205 words. BC-Garda-World, 1st Writethru.

MONTREAL _ Freewest Resources Canada Inc. (TSXV:FWR) has again advised its shareholders to reject a revised ``final'' takeover offer from Noront Resources Ltd. (TSX:NOT). The Freewest board, which supports a rival bid from Cliffs Natural Resources Inc. (NYSE:CLF), said the Noront takeover offer is inadequate and the Cliffs offer provides the opportunity to have a piece of a much larger mining company. 152 words. BC-Freewest-Noront, 1st Writethru.

MONTREAL _ Mitec Telecom Inc. (TSX:MTM), a provider of radio frequency products for the telecommunications and satellite communications industry, announced Tuesday a wider second-quarter loss as revenues declined 32 per cent from a year earlier. BC-Mitec, 1st Writethru. Moved.

MONTREAL _ Women's clothier Reitmans (Canada) Ltd. (TSX:RET.A) saw third-quarter profits decline 17.8 per cent as the chain suffered through a continuing slump in retail spending by consumers, though sales remained relatively unchanged. BC-Reitmans, 1st Writethru.

OTTAWA _ The Bank of Canada is keeping its rates at historic lows, warning that while there are signs the economy is on the upswing, ``significant fragilities remain.'' Those fragilities manifested themselves in an economy that grew less than analysts expected in the third quarter of the year, and inflation that has been slightly higher than the central bank expected. 422 words. By Steve Rennie. BC-Bank-of-Canada, 3rd Writethru. Moved OTTAWA _ The annual rate of housing starts reached 158,500 in November, up more than 1,000 from October. The Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corp. reports the increase came largely on the strength of a solid increase in singles starts. 125 words. BC-CMHC-Housing, 1st Writethru.

TORONTO _ Vector Aerospace (TSX:RNO) is set to increase its earnings and revenues as the aircraft services company diversifies its markets and cashes in on strong demand from the military for helicopter repairs and upgrades, CEO Declan O'Shea said Tuesday. 500 words. By John Valorzi. BC-Vector-Aerospace. Moved.

TORONTO _ Sales software developer Hosted Data Transaction Solutions Inc. (TSX:HDX) said Tuesday it has agreed to buy cash machine operator Cash N Go Ltd. for an undisclosed amount, more than doubling its potential annual revenue. BC-Hosted-Data-Cash-N-Go, 1st Writethru. Moved.

TORONTO _ Royal Bank of Canada (TSX:RY) lowers rates on mortgage rates with terms of one, four and five years and leaves rest unchanged. BC-Mortgage-Rates.

TORONTO _ The Ontario Securities Commission has begun proceedings against Coventree Inc. (NEX:COF.H) and two current and former officers of its staff in relation to the company's participation in the Canadian asset-backed commercial paper market. Coventree, a little-known financial services company until the market collapsed in August 2007, had been the largest non-bank arranger of third-party Canadian ABCP. The company is now winding down its operations. 298 words. BC-Coventree, 1st Writethru.

TORONTO _ Canadian forest and paper companies continue to face challenging business conditions, suffering an aggregate loss of more than $600 million in the third quarter, according to consultant PricewaterhouseCoopers. BC-PwC-Forestry, 1st Writethru. Moved.

TORONTO _ Urbana Corp. (TSX:URB.A) said Tuesday it has bought an additional membership in the Chicago Board Options Exchange for US$2.5 million to bring the company's total to 24 CBOE memberships. BC-Urbana-CBOE. Moved Datafile only.

TORONTO _ North American Palladium Ltd. (TSX:PDL) said Tuesday it has started to restart operations at its Lac des Iles mine in northwestern Ontario and expects to produce its first concentrate in the second quarter of 2010. The company said it plans to hire approximately 150 people, increasing the operation at the mine to 180 employees when the mine resumes operations. 212 words. North-American-Palladium.

TORONTO _ Timminco Ltd. (TSX:TIM) said Tuesday it has signed a deal to issue 900,000 shares to settle $1.2 million owed to a supplier.The issuance of the shares will decrease Advanced Metallurgical Group N.V.'s ownership in Timminco from 46 per cent to approximately 45.7 per cent. 77 words. Timminco-Debt.

TORONTO _ IBI Income Fund (TSX:IBG.UN) said Tuesday it has signed a deal to sell its facility management business to Helios Group Utilities and Facilities Management Inc. Financial terms of the deal were not immediately available. 82 words. IBI-Income-Fund.

TORONTO _ First Quantum Minerals Ltd. (TSX:FM) said Tuesday it has signed a deal with BHP Billiton to buy the Ravensthorpe nickel operation in Australia for US$340 million.Ravensthorpe was completed in 2007, however operations were suspended in January due to low nickel prices. 258 words. First-Quantum-Australia.

TORONTO _ Actuate Corp. has signed a deal to buy business software company Xenos Group Inc. (TSX:XNS) for $37.7 million in cash, the companies said Tuesday.Under the deal, U.S.-based Actuate will pay $3.50 for each share in Xenos, which closed up a penny at $2.10 on the Toronto Stock Exchange before the deal was announced. 178 words. Actuate-Xenos.

BURLINGTON, Ont. _ Evertz Technologies Ltd.'s (TSX:ET), an equipment provider to the television broadcast industry, saw its fiscal second-quarter profits cut nearly half as weakness in North America drove revenue down 20 per cent.The company announced Tuesday its net income for the three months ended Oct. 31 totalled $17.5 million or 23 cents a share. That compared with $34.1 million or 46 cents a share in the same period last year. BC-Evertz-Technologies, 1st Writethru. Moved.

WINNIPEG _ The Winnipeg-based Boyd Group Income Fund (TSX:BYD.UN) has acquired Big Sky Autobody, the operator of four collision repair centres in Arizona. Boyd, which is the largest operator of collision repair centres in Canada, also says it's opening a new location in Georgia. 171 words. BC-Boyd-Group, 1st Writethru.

WINNIPEG _ A call centre in Winnipeg is laying off 500 workers.Workers at Convergys Corp. say they were told the layoffs will start at the end of December and continue until March. 104 words. Call-Centre-Layoffs.

REGINA _ Alliance Grain Traders (TSX: AGT) has signed a deal to buy Parent Seed Farms for $10 million in cash and stock. AGTI said Tuesday it would pay $9 million in cash and another $1 million in shares for the bean and pulse processor based in St. Joseph, Man. BC-Alliance-Grain-Traders, 1st Writethru. Moved.

EDMONTON _ Carfinco Income Fund (TSX:CFN.UN), which makes vehicle loans to consumers unable to obtain financing through traditional lenders, has announced a special combined cash and unit distribution equal to 16.91 cents per unit. BC-Carfinco. Moved.

CALGARY _ Western Energy Services Corp. (TSXV:WRG) has lined up a new management team and $7 million in financing to help take advantage of growth opportunities in the energy services industry, the company announced Tuesday. BC-Western-Energy, 1st Writethru. Moved.

CALGARY _ Total Energy Services Inc. (TSX:TOT) says it has agreed to pay $44.5 million, subject to adjustments, to buy the oilfield services, rental and transportation business currently conducted by DC Energy Services Inc. of Calgary. BC-Total-Energy, 1st Writethru. Moved.

CALGARY _ Junior oil and gas explorer Antler Creek Energy Corp. (TSXV:AFE) posts a full-year loss of $174,049 compared with a loss of $124,429 in fiscal 2008. Both losses amounted to eight cents a share. Petroleum and natural gas revenues totalled $178,855 compared with none last year. BC-Antler-Creek.

CALGARY _ Opti Canada Inc. (TSX:OPC) said Tuesday it plans a $120-million capital program for 2010.The spending includes about $92 million to cover Opti's share for Phase 1 of its Long Lake oilsands project including sustaining capital for its steam-assisted gravity drainage operation. 112 words. Opti-Canada-Capex.

CALGARY _ Husky Energy Inc. (TSX:HSE) said Tuesday that it has hit natural gas with an exploration well in the South China Sea.The well on Block 29/26 tested at an equipment restricted rate of 55 million cubic feet per day, the Calgary-based energy company said. 74 words. Husky-Energy.

HONG KONG _ The Hudson's Bay Co., owner of such well-known banners as the Bay, Zellers, Home Outfitter and Lord & Taylor, has formed a global sourcing partnership with Hong Kong-based consumer goods exporter Li & Fung Ltd. BC-Hudson's-Bay-Fung, 1st Writethru. Moved.

LONDON _ Rambler Metals and Mining PLC's (TSXV:RAB) first-quarter loss widened to 289,246 British pounds (C$500,772) compared with year-earlier's loss of 212,542 pounds, the gold and copper miner said Tuesday. BC-Rambler, 1st Writethru. Moved.

SPORTS TIGER WOODS OCOEE, Fla. _ Tiger Woods' mother-in-law is released from the hospital after being taken by ambulance from the golfer's home with stomach pains. She was in the same hospital where Woods was treated after he crashed his car outside his home last month. 600 words. By Tamara Lush. See Photos. GLF-Tiger-Woods, 9th Writethru. Moved Sports and International.

UNDATED _ A passenger at Heathrow stares for the longest time at an ad showing Tiger Woods walking through tall grass with a club in hand. ``I can't believe,'' the passenger says. If this episode ever ends, one thing seems clear: No one will ever look at this guy the same way. 600 words. By Doug Ferguson. GLF-On-The-Fringe. Moved.

OLYMPICS EDMONTON _ Calgary's Cheryl Bernard looks to continue her undefeated run at the Canadian Olympic curling trials Tuesday. Bernard, who's skipped her team to three consecutive victories, leads the eight-team field. The tournament winner will represent Canada at the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver. 600 words. See Photos. By Sunny Dhillon. BC-OLY-CUR-Trials-Women. Short item Moved. Will be writethru.

EDMONTON _ Glenn Howard hasn't exactly been dominating his opponents but the skip from Coldwater, Ont., has played well enough to take sole possession of first place at the Canadian Olympic curling trials. 585 words. By Bill Graveland. See Photos. OLY-CUR-Trials-Men, 1st Writethru, Moved. Will be updated after eveing draw.

EDMONTON _ While some of the competitors at the Canadian Olympic curling trials have their hands full simply trying to land takeouts on the ice, others are busy using theirs to take out dirty diapers. A number of the women, and some of the men, competing in Edmonton this week have young children. 600 words. By Sunny Dhillon. BC-OLY-CUR-Trials-Kids. Moved.

UNDATED _ They gaze into each other's eyes, tenderly clasp hands, the music starts, and for the next four minutes Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir skate as if there's no-one else in the building. But it wasn't always so. For the first year of what would eventually flourish into a medal-winning partnership, Virtue and Moir rarely spoke to one another. 1,400 words. See Photo CPT105. By Lori Ewing. OLY-FIG-Profile-Virtue-Moir. Moved.

CALGARY _ Defender Delaney Collins fell short in her bid to crack the Canadian Olympic women's hockey team roster as the 32-year-old from Pilot Mound, Man., was released Tuesday.Collins, who was an alternate defenceman on the 2006 Olympic team, has played in five world championships for Canada. She won two silver and three gold. 600 words. By Donna Spencer. HKO-OLY-Canada-Women, 1st Writethru. Moved.

LAUSANNE, Switzerland _ Elimination of endurance events in track cycling and inclusion of mixed doubles in tennis are up for consideration this week by the International Olympic Committee.At a two-day meeting starting Wednesday, the IOC executive board will make final rulings on requests by sports federations for the addition or removal of disciplines and events for the 2012 London Games. 652 words. By Stephen Wilson. OLY-IOC-Meeting. Moved Datafile only.

ASPEN, Colo. _ Lindsey Vonn is supposed to win Olympic gold medals, sell products for companies and boost her sport's popularity in the U.S. In short, be skiing's answer to Michael Phelps. ``It is a lot of pressure,'' she says. 600 words. By Howard Fendrich and Pat Graham. See AP Photos. OLY-SKI-Vonn-Pressure. Moved.

HOCKEY TORONTO _ It was the kind of moment where Toronto Maple Leafs coach Ron Wilson didn't have to try very hard to be optimistic. Standing in front of hundreds of kids on an outdoor rink Tuesday, he said he thinks his 14th-place team will make a run at the playoffs. 600 words. By Chris Johnston. See Photos CHY101-111. HKN-Optimistic-Leafs. Moved.

See also: _ HKO-World-Canada-Messier, 1st Writethru. Moved.

UNDATED _ The Atlanta Thrashers see it as an opportunity to get a piece of the spotlight. One of the NHL's surprising teams hasn't got very much attention this season, but expects that to change during a road trip through Canada. 600 words. By Chris Johnston. HKN-Thrashers-Trip. Moved.

UNDATED _ The United States hopes to have a 3-0 record when it faces Canada on New Year's Eve at the world junior hockey championship. The Americans have high hopes for the Dec. 26-Jan. 5 tournament in Regina and Saskatoon that their team led by Vancouver Canucks prospect Jordan Schroeder and Windsor Spitfires defenceman Cam Fowler can take home a medal for the first time since 2007. 650 words. By Bill Beacon. See Photo CPT105. HKO-World-Junior-U.S. Moved.

FOOTBALL ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. _ Kyle Williams doesn't mince words when assessing the Buffalo Bills' near season-long run of fourth-quarter collapses. To put it bluntly, the defensive tackle said Monday, if not for ``our own stupidity,'' Buffalo (4-8) might still have more to play for entering the final month of the season. Instead, the Bills are all but mathematically eliminated from playoff contention in a year in which the AFC East race is suddenly up for grabs with New England (7-5) struggling to hold onto first place. 576 words. By John Wawrow. FBN-Bills-What's-Left?. Moved.

NEW YORK _ Chris Spielman's wife was never impressed by the honours her husband received as a star linebacker at Ohio State and in the NFL. The College Football Hall of Fame was another matter. Stefanie Spielman didn't live to see Chris' induction, dying after a long fight with breast cancer. 600 words. By Ralph D. Russo. See AP Photos. FBC-Hall-of-Fame. Moved.

INDIANAPOLIS _ Bill Polian was the architect of the only team that went to four straight Super Bowls. He won a Super Bowl in 2006 and now has put together a Colts team with a record-tying 21 consecutive regular-season wins. How does he do it? With a simple philosophy. 600 words. By Michael Marot. See Photos. FBN-Building-A-Winner. Moved.

GREEN BAY, Wis. _ Say this much for the Packers: Even if they haven't learned how to minimize most of the problems that have hounded them all year, they've learned how to rebound from them. 700 words. By Chris Jenkins. FBN-Persistent-Packers. Moved.

GOLF UNDATED _ For all the amazing numbers connected with Annika Sorenstam, from her 54 victories on the LPGA Tour in one decade to becoming the only woman to shoot 59, it was one simple swing with a four-wood that turned the once-shy Swede into a one-name athlete.The club carried the weight of an entire gender that Thursday at Colonial in 2003 when Sorenstam drew it back and sent her tee shot down the 10th fairway, becoming the first woman in 58 years to tee it up on the PGA Tour. 990 words. By Doug Ferguson. GLF-Athlete-of-Decade-Sorenstam. Moved.

COOLUM, Australia _ Now that John Daly has his weight problem sorted out, he figures a movie about his up-and-down career _ and life _ might not be far behind.Just before heading out to the revamped Hyatt Regency resort course for a practice round ahead of the Australian PGA, the slimmed-down Daly, who has lost 115 pounds, entertained an early morning news conference Tuesday with his cinematic plans based on a new book he would write himself. 569 words. By Dennis Passa. GLF-Daly-the-Movie. Moved.

OTHER SPORTS INDIANAPOLIS _ Always on the prowl at the winter meetings, the World Series champion New York Yankees close in on a three-team deal that would bring star centre-fielder Curtis Granderson from Detroit. 700 words. By Ronald Blum. See AP Photos. BBO-Winter-Meetings.

See also: _ BBO-Hall-of-Fame-Harvey. Moved.

PHOENIX _ Danica Patrick signs with JR Motorsports and will make her stock car racing debut in an ARCA race Feb. 6 at Daytona International Speedway. The IndyCar sensation will later drive in NASCAR's second-tier Nationwide Series. 700 words. By Andrew Bagnato. See AP Photos. CAR-NASCAR-Danica-Patrick, 2nd Writethru. Moved.

UNDATED _ The UFC heavyweight division promises to get a little more entertaining Saturday night when Paul (The Headhunter) Buentello returns to the fold. The 35-year-old from Austin, Tex., was last seen in the cage at UFC 57 in February 2006 when he scored a second-round TKO over Gilbert Aldana. Now Buentello is back, looking to cut Stefan (Skyscraper) Struve down to size on the undercard of UFC 107 at the FedExForum in Memphis. 600 words. By Neil Davidson. MMA-UFC-107-Buentello. Moved.

See also: _ MMA-UFC-109. Moved.

LONDON, England _ Real Madrid, AC Milan and Bayern Munich clinched their places in the next round of the Champions League on Tuesday.The trio, European champions a total 20 times between them, advanced alongside CSKA Moscow after their final group matches. 640 words. By Stuart Condie. SOC-Champions-League-Roundup. Moved.

ENTERTAINMENT TORONTO _ The opening scene of Chris Bosh's new documentary, ``First Ink,'' shows the hoopster cruising around Toronto, with city lights shining off the gleaming hood of his car while a soundtrack blares the same sample over and over: ``Rep T-Dot till they bury me.'' Sounds like the feel-good movie of the year for Raptors fans nervous about the four-time all-star's impending free agency. And Bosh, for his part, says he has grown to appreciate playing north of the border. 1,000 words. By Nick Patch. See Photo DBC205-209. FILM-Chris-Bosh. Moved.

TORONTO _ INXS has announced a new album featuring a group of guest singers and a world tour that will kick off with a show at the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver.Following a two-year hiatus from touring, INXS has been in the studio collaborating with ``some of the best-known singers from across the world,'' according to a representative from the band. 400 words. By Nick Patch. MUSIC-INXS-JD-Fortune, 1st Writethru. Moved.

WINNIPEG _ Guitarist Randy Bachman says fans who rocked out to Bachman-Turner Overdrive in the 1970s ain't seen nothing yet. With a lawsuit hanging over their heads, Bachman and bassist Fred Turner are going on the road again as Bachman & Turner in the hopes of reaching a new generation of fans, officially announcing their world tour in Bachman's hometown of Winnipeg Tuesday. 600 words. By Chinta Puxley. BC-MUSIC-Bachman-Turner. Moved.

TORONTO _ Guests will wax nostalgic over the retro cartoons of Doug Wright, coo over Mark Reid's collection of Canuck photographs and cackle for Aislin's cartoons. The Canadian spirit imbues a wide range of new coffee-table books that make grand gifts or displays for guests this holiday season. 500 words. By Victoria Ahearn. See Photo. BOOKS-Cdn-Coffee-Table. Moved.

TORONTO _ When Tony Hawk launched his namesake video-game series a decade ago on the PlayStation, he figured that it might be a niche game that skateboarders might enjoy. Ten years and more than 12 sequels later, ``Tony Hawk's Pro Skater'' is an institution, with Hawk's name standing as a sports gaming brand rivalled only by John Madden. And Hawk never saw it coming. 500 words. By Nick Patch. BC-GAMES-Tony-Hawk. Moved.

LOS ANGELES _ Hollywood picked the right decade to go over the rainbow.In an era that brought harsh reality home with the war on terror and an economy gone bust, Hollywood became more of a dream factory than ever, embracing fantastic escapism at a time when audiences needed it most. 782 words. By David Germain. See Photos. US-Decade-Film. Moved.

POTOMAC, Md. _ Stanley Karnow, the Pulitzer Prize-winning historian and longtime foreign correspondent, is trying to think of a good title for a planned memoir.One candidate: ``Interesting Times.'' 1522 words. By Hillel Italie. See Photos. US-Books-Stanley-Karnow. Moved datafile only.

LOS ANGELES _ A colossal budget, visionary technology and a down-to-the-wire workload on a film whose fortunes are a real question mark.James Cameron has been here before on little ditties called ``Terminator 2: Judgment Day'' and ``Titanic.'' In case anyone's forgotten how that worked out for him, ``Titanic'' stacked up 11 Academy Awards, best picture and director among them, and a record $1.8 billion worldwide at the box office. 1458 words. By David Germain. See Photos. US-Film-Cameron's-Avatar. Moved.

LIFESTYLES TORONTO _ In a snapshot of a home decked out for a holiday celebration, wrapped gifts tucked under trimmed trees and tables laden with treats are typically part of the mix. But while festive decor and tantalizing edibles can offer a feast for the senses, they may also serve as potential hazards to those of the four-legged variety. From food to foliage, animal experts outline the seasonal staples that should be strictly paws-off, and offer tips for those considering leaving their pets in the care of others during the holidays. 650 words. By Lauren La Rose. See CP Photos CPT300-304. BC-Holidays-Pet-Proofing. EDs: Stands for this week's Life Focus. Moved.

UNDATED _ Plastic ornaments, strands of electricity-hogging lights, trees chopped down by the millions: Christmas decorating isn't exactly known as environmentally friendly. But, say design experts, there are plenty of ways to bring the sparkle and style of the season into your home without increasing your carbon footprint. 857 words. By Melissa Rayworth. See AP Photo NYLS408. US-FEA-Homes-Designer-Eco-Holidays. Moved.

New York;New York;United States _ A bottle of fragrance is an almost irresistible gift to give: It's a luxury item that might not break the bank; it's personal and long-lasting; the packaging is beautiful _ and those right angles on the boxes make it a breeze to wrap. Fragrance, though, is also a very personal present, leaving it with the potential to be a hit or miss. There are the pleasant smells that remind one of a happy childhood memory or a favourite vacation, and the not-so-pleasant reminders of grandma's stuffy attic or flowers given by a love lost. 944 words. By Samantha Critchell. See Photos. US-FEA-Fashion-Fragrance-Gifts. Moved.

UNDATED _ Clydette Alsup-Egbers is leading a research project aimed at putting the fun back into gardening. By planting directly into plastic or paper bags containing potting soil, she says, gardening can be cheaper, quicker, more productive and a whole lot simpler. 609 words. By Dean Fosdick. See AP Photos NYLS406-407. US-FEA-Gardening-In-A-Bag. Moved.

NEW YORK _ If colour is any guide, we'll be moving into vacation mode in 2010 with the world awash in tropical turquoise, forecasters say.Turquoise was selected as the colour of 2010 by Pantone, a company that supplies and tracks colour for fashion and home decor, among other industries. Fashion insiders agreed the colour is on the rise. 675 words. By Samantha Critchell. See AP Photos NYLS201-209. US-FEA-Fashion-Color-2010. Moved.

SKOWHEGAN, Me. _ Tasting maple syrup is a lot like tasting wine. Sniff the aroma, take a sip, hold it on your tongue and savour it for a moment to register the sensation. At the International Maple Grading School, syrup is serious stuff. At a time when syrup production has boomed to its highest levels in decades, students here learn the sappy sweet nuances of the trade, such as how syrup flavour can be affected by soil type, weather, tree health, production practices and numerous other factors. 676 words. By Clarke Canfield. See AP Photos MERB103-109. US-Syrup-School. Also moved Business.

WASHINGTON, D.C. _ At first glance, the animals in three small, white-painted wooden buildings in John Celia's backyard look like the street birds that get little respect in cities all over the world.But look a little closer and you see that these pigeons are different: clean, sleek, shapely, and with an alert spark in their eye. 723 words. By Linda Lombardi. See AP Photos NYLS501-502. US-FEA-Pets-Pigeons. Moved.

UNDATED _ When Jory Langner finds time for a field trip during an upcoming visit to Washington, he won't have to ask local birders where to find candidates to add to his life list of birds sighted.All he'll have to do to is pull out his iPhone and fire up BirdsEye, a new bird-finding application that gives users instant access to recent reports of birds spotted near their location, tells them where to look for specific birds, and keeps track of their lists of all the birds they've ever seen. 826 words. By Mary Esch. See Photos. NY-Bird-Finder. Moved.

(c) 2009 The Canadian Press

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]