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Good news report from Canada

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24 July 2008

28 June was the 28th day of the twelfth month of the 2nd year of Canadian national consciousness rising to invincibility, as indicated by the following press reports:

28 June 2008

The Globe and Mail on Canada becoming the land of global citizens (28 June 2008) The dawn of our country's 141st birthday breaks over a Canada with a generation of new adults who have moved decisively beyond nationalism to embrace a kind of transcendent planetary supranationalism. We are becoming the land of global citizens. It appears to be occurring within a broad consensus. A recent Environics poll found nearly 70 per cent of respondents thought it was a positive thing for Canada's image that three million Canadians live outside the country. And hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions, live as immigrant transnationals: maintaining a cultural and even physical presence in both Canada and the countries that they, or their families, may have left years earlier. A huge majority of young Canadians—as well as a majority of all adult-age cohorts—say they want to live, study or work abroad, according to the same Environics poll done earlier this year. An increasing portion of Canada's international trade comprises Canadian Diaspora entrepreneurs doing commerce with their original homelands. Does it mean a new Canada is emerging, wrapped in air travel, e-mail, mobile phones, and the Internet, with still the presence, if not a greater presence than before, of crystallized Canadian values that bind us together? The firm evidence of common values is found consistently in national polls. In her fascinating study of second-generation Indo-Canadian immigrants, University of Saskatchewan sociologist Kara Somerville portrays young people who think comfortably of themselves as belonging to both cultures, visiting India regularly, in constant touch by e-mail and telephone with family and friends. Radha Rajagopalan, 26, born in Peterborough, Ont., the daughter of Indian immigrants, talks about both her Canadianism and her pride in maintaining a grounding in the rich Indian culture in which she grew up. Ms Rajagopalan, an aspiring filmmaker with a postgraduate degree in environmental studies, is truly a Canadian of the 21st century.

CBC News - Revenues $2B higher than budgeted: Sask. finance minister (27 June 2008) Saskatchewan finished the fiscal year with its biggest-ever budget surplus—C$641 million. Although spending was up by about C$246 million in the fiscal year that ended 31 March, the province took in C$2 billion more than it had budgeted in the spring of 2007 (on record revenue of C$9.84 billion). Much of the extra cash—C$810 million—came from commodities whose prices have been soaring. Even with extra spending, the province took in C$1.3 billion more than it paid out. Half of that went to the province's rainy day fund and the other half went to debt reduction. The government finds itself wondering how it will spend all the extra funds, Finance Minister Rod Gantefoer said, adding he's open to ideas. 'The premier has asked us all to go out into our constituencies and across the province through the course of the summer and solicit advice from our constituents and the people of Saskatchewan.'

The Financial Post - $20-Billion opportunity for banks (28 June 2008) Tax-free savings accounts (TFSA), announced by Ottawa in February, were approved by Parliament last week. As of January, Canadians can shelter up to C$5,000 a year in the new taxfree accounts. 'At ING Direct, we're ecstatic, said Peter Aceto, chief executive of the online bank. From a standing start in 1997, ING Direct now has about 1.6 million customers in Canada and about C$24 billion in assets. Interest in the new accounts is high, Mr Aceto said. Last week, the bank posted to its web site information about the new savings accounts that received 18,000 web hits within a couple of days. Unlike registered retirement savings plans, TFSAs were set up primarily to help Canadians save for the short term, for car purchases, vacations, or home renovations, for instance. TFSAs can invest in mutual funds, stocks and bonds, as well as GICs. Income will be tax-free, as will capital gains or dividends on stocks in the TFSA. Withdrawals will also be tax-free. And unused contribution room can be carried forward. 'In 10 years, each Canadian will have C$50,000 of contribution room within their TFSA, which is quite significant,' said Colette Delaney, senior vice-president at Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce.

The Edmonton Journal on innovative electric vehicle built by an Edmonton engineer (28 June 2008) Edmonton electronics engineering technologist, Nap Pepin, has built Canada's first BugE, a single-occupancy three-wheeler that runs on battery power. Pepin said it's also the first BugE that runs on lithium iron phosphate battery technology and an AC motor. Pepin said he chose to base his prototype on the BugE vehicle from the US because of its lightweight design. On his first test five weeks ago, Pepin said his BugE travelled close to 200 kilometres on a single battery charge and reached a maximum speed of 130 kilometres an hour, accelerating from zero to 97 km/h in about seven seconds. And using an electricity output of 7.2 kilowatt hours, it's an extremely energy-efficient vehicle, with the fuel-consumption equivalent of 628 miles per gallon or about 0.47 litres per 100 kilometres. The vehicle is also equipped with a regenerative braking system that recoups energy while decelerating, returning the energy to the batteries. In total, he spent C$15,000, which Pepin said proves it should be no problem for car manufacturers to produce practical and economically viable electric vehicles at a reasonable cost.

The Ottawa Citizen - Golf course shows the greener way (28 June 2008) Canada's top environmentally managed golf course, Clear Lake Golf Course, in Riding Mountain National Park in Manitoba, is as beautiful a course as you can imagine. Emerald green fairways tumble between tall evergreens and roughs of wildflowers border perfect greens. But this is a course that runs on solar power, biodiesel and compost—loads and loads of compost. Food waste from the pro shop and the clubhouse restaurant is composted along with 2,000 pounds of clippings that are collected off the greens each week. 'The food waste and clipping are a huge source of lush, green nitrogen . . . ,' says Greg Holden, course superintendent. 'We turn the mixture every week and end up with 6,000 to 7,000 pounds of finished compost per year. We've turned waste into a resource. . . . we've made an 85 per cent reduction in what goes to landfill just by composting.' Mr Holden has also arranged to pick up the used cooking oil from 13 area restaurants and drive it to a processing facility, and then uses the biofuel to power his mowers and other lawncare equipment. When he first arrived at the course, his goal was to meet the standards of the Audubon Co-operative Sanctuary Program, with measures such as wildflowers in the roughs. 'A golf course can be a wonderful habitat for wildlife,' he says. But in the years since, he's done far more. 'We've now gone leaps and bounds beyond the Audubon program.' The course is seen as a huge success—valued by golfers for its velvety greens and by environmentalists for its green initiatives.

The Canadian Press - Calgary imam gets unique perspective of Canadians as he walks across country (28 June 2008) A Calgary Imam is getting a unique perspective of Canada in his multi-faith walk against all forms of violence. Syed Soharwardy, founder of the Islamic Supreme Council of Canada and Muslims Against Terrorism, is six weeks into his journey that began 20 April in Halifax and will end in Victoria sometime in October. Along the way, he says, he has encountered the good side of Canadians in terms of tolerance and acceptance. 'It gave me a picture of what Canadians are, what they are all about and they are such a nice people,' he told The Canadian Press. Soharwardy, who was born and raised in Pakistan, has been an outspoken critic of international terrorism and any kind of violence. He is also a long-time participant in interfaith groups that share a similar stand against aggression. ' . . . Every religion, including Islam, is against violence,' Soharwardy said. 'My biggest nightmare before I started was Quebec because I do not know French,' he said. 'But I tell you, I got more love in Quebec than any other place. I said to my wife, 'If God gives me a little money, I will buy a house in Quebec.' '

These are a few of the news reports reflecting Canada's rising invincibility from the growing Yogic Flying groups across Canada and the Invincible America Assembly at Maharishi University of Management and Maharishi Vedic City, USA.

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

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