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The minority Harper government is arming for political battle this fall rather than seeking peace, dismissing the chances of a deal with the NDP to avoid an election and warning its defeat would jeopardize a popular home-renovation tax credit.

Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff has shaken up Canada’s political calendar this week by announcing he will now seek to defeat the 10 1/2-month-old Harper government at the first opportunity – a move that could send the country to the polls in October or November.

The New Democrats have offered a lifeline to the Tories, however, saying they’re willing to consider propping up the Conservatives if the government adopts some NDP policies. Jack Layton’s party has not released a wish list but has said its priorities include regulating credit-card interest rates.

But Wednesday, senior Conservative cabinet minister Jason Kenney appeared to rule out a deal with the NDP. He told a Calgary radio station that he cannot envision Mr. Layton and the Tories finding sufficient common ground to reach an agreement that would see the New Democrats prop up the Conservative government. The Prime Minister himself later echoed that sentiment.

“Look. We’ve always tried to demonstrate willingness to co-operate with the opposition parties. We did in the last budget. But we’re not for sale to the highest bidder, least of all the NDP,” Mr. Kenney told Calgary radio-show host Dave Rutherford.

“It’s a party of hard-core left-wing ideologues … It’s not like a moderate, centre-left party. These folks, they drink their own Kool-Aid right? So I don’t think we can see a realistic arrangement with the NDP.”

Even as they eschewed co-operation with the NDP, the Tories were privately spreading the word through the media that they hope to try to engineer events so that the Liberals defeat them by voting against a $1.3-billion home-renovation tax credit this fall.

Such a move would sow confusion about the future of the tax credit – even though the Liberals have vowed to reintroduce it should they form government – and bolster the Tory campaign theme that an election brings uncertainty.

The plan would unfold like this: The Conservatives are planning to introduce a ways and means motion after the House of Commons resumes in mid-September that paves the way for the second budget implementation bill stemming from the January 27 budget. This will contain everything not passed in the first budget bill, including the home-renovation tax credit, a measure the Tories held back from passage earlier this year.

A vote on the budget ways and means motion will be a confidence vote – the defeat of which can topple the government – and the Tories will attempt to force the Liberals to either blink or strike down a motion that gives effect to the tax credit.

The Canada Revenue Agency Wednesday declined to say how this would affect the tax credit but Conservatives plan to argue this would jeopardize the home-renovation measure, which rebates Canadians up to $1,350 for upgrades undertaken. “If that is defeated, then Canada Revenue Agency can no longer administer it,” one senior Tory said.

The Liberals protest that this ploy is dishonest because even if they defeat the Tories on the budget motion they would reintroduce the measure and pass it should they win power.

“This is just a Conservative game,” Liberal finance critic John McCallum said. “We are 100 per cent committed to the home-renovation tax credit and will ensure the appropriate legislation is there so people get their tax credit.”

Toronto Dominion Bank chief economist Don Drummond, a former federal Finance Department official, said an election would create some “uncomfortable” uncertainty regarding the program. However, he says as long as the measure is ultimately approved by Parliament before the 2010 tax filing season, the credit would not be affected.

“If I was the Commissioner [of the Canada Revenue Agency], I would just stay cool and leave it in limbo,” Mr. Drummond said. “People won’t be filing until February, March and April of 2010 anyhow. So I’d probably just say ‘Hey, I’m waiting to see what happens before the end of the year.’ ”

Speaking to reporters in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., Prime Minister Stephen Harper urged opposition parties to support the home-renovation tax credit when it comes up for a vote this fall in the Commons.

“I think we’re all a little bit surprised by some of these developments after support being given to the budget, support is now being withdrawn halfway through the budget year and there are still budget measures to be passed,” he said. “This government remains committed to that tax credit.”

Mr. Harper said he’s also not holding out much hope for a deal with the NDP – one that could keep his party in office and forestall the fourth federal election in sixth years.

The Prime Minister noted that the NDP has regularly voted against measures even when they addressed New Democrat priorities such as skills training.

“The NDP has been very proud of the fact, and Mr. Layton says it over and over again that in four years he has never once supported the government on anything important,” the Prime Minister said.

“So you know, that’s their position. If it changes, you know, if people want to work together on this that will help the economy, we’re willing to do that, but we have no indication of that from Mr. Layton.”

Separately, Bloc Québécois Leader Gilles Duceppe said he won’t shy away from triggering an election this fall but was non-committal on whether he would help the Liberals bring down the Conservatives.

Jason Kenney, the Conservative citizenship, immigration and multiculturalism minister, held a press conference Friday on behalf of the federal public security ministry to announce more than $220,000 in funding to enhance security for local Jewish community organizations.

“Crime prevention is a priority for our government and we recognize the particular importance of preventing hate-motivated crime,” Kenney said to reporters at Federation CJA headquarters. “The reality today is that Canada isn’t immune from violent acts that targets individuals or groups based on their race, ethnicity, culture, religion or identity.

“According to Statistics Canada, nearly 800 hate crimes were reported across Canada in 2007 alone… Hate-motivated crime often leaves more than just physical damage — it can put an entire community into a state of fear or anxiety.”

The funding is part of the $3 million, three-year Communities At Risk: Security Infrastructure Pilot Program (SIP), which has provided funding to communities that are especially vulnerable or have been attacked by racists and anti-Semites . Over the past few years, Jewish schools like United Talmud Torah in St. Laurent and institutions like the YM-YWHA Jewish Community Centre have been attacked. Other targets here and across the country have included mosques and First Nations institutions.

This year, the federal government is providing funding to Beth Jacob de Rav Hirshprung School in Outremont ($47,000), the girls’ school Beth Rivkah Academy ($9,750), Centre de la Petite Enfance des Écoles Juives populaires et des Écoles Peretz in Côte St. Luc ($14,700), Communauté Sepharade Hekhal-Shalom Synagogue in St. Laurent ($9,550), Congregation Beth Tikvah in Dollard des Ormeaux ($14,618), Hebrew Academy in Côte St. Luc ($25,400), Rabbinat Sépharade du Québec ($12,400), Shaare Zedek Congregation in NDG ($7,285), Solomon Schechter Academy ($11,700) and the YM-YWHA JCC in Snowdon ($70,600).

The government provides part of the funding, while the rest come from the organizations themselves. The funds are for security assessments (25 percent of the total cost), security equipment and hardware, minor construction costs and security training costs.

Adam Atlas, president of Quebec Jewish Congress (formerly Canadian Jewish Congress, Quebec region), praised the funding, saying it made him “especially proud to be a Canadian”.
“We are grateful your government has chosen to invest in the safety and security of all of its citizens. We see this as an expression of a commitment to freedom and liberty.”

article by Joel Goldenberg

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Like the 33 before it, the 34th Toronto International Film Festival will boast a lot of sexy celebrity power to complement its serious lineup of films.

The 2009 guest list is topped by Oscar nominees George Clooney, Matt Damon, Ellen Page and Penelope Cruz, terrific talents who also send fans’ hearts a-flutter.

Clooney is coming in for two films. Along with Ewan McGregor, who will join him on the red carpet, Clooney co-stars in Grant Heslov’s comedy thriller The Men Who Stare at Goats. Clooney also has the lead role in Jason Reitman’s Up in the Air, the Canadian’s first film since the Oscar-nominated Juno.

Damon is attending the filmfest as the title star of Steven Soderbergh’s The Informant! Page, drawing on her Nova Scotia roots, stars in Drew Barrymore’s feature directorial debut, Whip It. Page is a small-town Texas girl who finds a way to deal with her misfit personality by joining a roller-derby league. Cruz is coming back to Toronto as the star of flamboyant filmmaker Pedro Almodovar’s latest opus, Broken Embraces.

Fest organizers announced the roster of 500-plus guests yesterday, with the usual caveat that individuals might drop out before the fest starts on Sept. 10. But the celebrity list is part of the festival’s acknowledgement that stars provide the sizzle while the films provide the substance.

The list also includes Viggo Mortensen, Liam Neeson, Keanu Reeves, Oprah Winfrey, Nicolas Cage, Jeff Bridges, singer-actress Mariah Carrey, pop star Neil Diamond and Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York.

Neeson will be on hand for the premiere of Atom Egoyan’s Chloe, the film he was shooting in Toronto when Natasha Richardson suffered her fatal accident on a ski slope north of Montreal. Neeson rushed to his partner’s side, arranged for transport to New York, and sat with her while she died of brain injuries.

Winfrey is coming in as the producer of festival entry Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire. The cast of the awkwardly titled drama includes Carey in a role that required her to strip away her glamour.

The Duchess will do the fest schmooze as co-producer of The Young Victoria, the English-language debut for Quebec filmmaker Jean-Marc Vallee of C.R.A.Z.Y. reknown. Ferguson’s daughter, the Princess Beatrice, has a small role as a lady-in-waiting.

The complete list of celebrities is pretty wild. While there is just one famous Clive — Clive Owen; and one famous David — David Duchovny; there are two famous Colins — Colin Firth and Colin Farrell; two famous Bills — Bill Nighy and Bill Murray; and five famous Michaels — filmmaker Michael Moore with actors Michael Douglas, Michael Cera, Michael Sheen and Sir Michael Caine.

Other name actors include Danny DeVito, Danny Glover, Chris Rock, Mads Mikkelsen, Peter Sarsgaard, Kevin Spacey, Rob Lowe, Willem Dafoe, Aidan Quinn, Bryan Brown, Brian Cox and Woody Harrelson.

Eccentric rapper Snoop Dogg is also on the list, as is Til Schweiger, whose career is juiced because he is on-screen today in Quentin Tarantino’s Inglourious Basterds.

Among name actresses, Natalie Portman, Jennifer Connelly, Jennifer Garner, Julianne Moore, Eva Green, Demi Moore, Abbie Cornish, Sissy Spacek, Tilda Swinton, Ally Sheedy, Miranda Richardson, Lisa Kudrow, Isabella Rossellini, Emily Blunt, Emily Mortimer and Kristin Scott Thomas have all said yes to invitations. So did actress-director Drew Barrymore.

Besides Juno co-stars Page and Cera, celebrated Canadians include Don McKellar, Colm Feore, Elias Koteas, Jacob Tierney, Jay Baruchel, Arsinee Khanjian and Gordon Pinsent.

Among well-known directors, the guest list includes Steven Soderbergh, George Romero, Atom Egoyan, Guy Maddin, Jean-Pierre Jeunet, Ridley Scott, Tyler Perry, Lee Daniels, Werner Herzog, the idiosyncratic American brothers, Joel and Ethan Coen, and Portuguese legend Manoel de Oliveira, who is 100 years old and still making films.

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Unscrupulous immigration consultants at the U.S. border are preying on asylum seekers heading to Canada by selling them bogus application forms for use in making refugee claims, officials say.

Refugee groups in both countries warn claimants they are not required to purchase or bring application forms when they show up at border crossings to file a claim.

All documents are provided free by immigration officers and bear a Government of Canada logo, officers said.

“You do not need to buy any forms to claim refugee status in Canada,” warned the Canadian Council for Refugees in a posting on their website.

“Some organizations and ‘immigration consultants’ have produced their own forms and are charging people money to buy these forms or to fill them out.”

Officials said the forms can sell for $200 and more, a considerable amount of money for a refugee.

The “homemade” forms are useless and will not help with Canadian immigration authorities, the group said.

Some “immigration consultants” and “pastors” claim they have special arrangements to work with different (refugee) groups and may try to charge money for services, the website said.

“This is completely dishonest,” the group said. “Some may even try to charge you money to obtain the groups’ services.”

Claimants are also told they cannot “exchange” U.S. documents for a Canadian “permit” and should check to find out if they’ll be allowed in Canada or they can be returned to the U.S. and possibly detained.

Patrizia Giolti, of the Canada Border Services Agency, said her officials are looking into the reports.
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