TORONTO (Reuters) – The Canadian government is open to the idea of including additional economic stimulus in its next budget if the European debt crisis threatens to derail the country’s relatively successful recovery.

“We stand ready to respond again in a flexible and pragmatic manner if the economic challenges from beyond our shores begin to threaten jobs and the economy here,” Finance Minister Jim Flaherty said in a speech in Toronto.

TORONTO, Nov 23 (Reuters) – The Liberal government of
Ontario cut its growth, revenue and reserve targets on
Wednesday, but said it is still on track to balance its budget
in six years, without lowering total program spending.

In its autumn economic statement, the government of
Canada’s most populous province said its timetable for
eliminating its 2011-12 deficit of C$16 billion ($15.2 billion)
by 2017-18 remains intact, as do medium-term targets.

TORONTO, Nov 22 (Reuters) – The Liberal government of
Ontario, Canada’s industrial heartland, renewed its vow on
Tuesday to eliminate its C$16 billion ($15.4 billion) budget
deficit in six years, while also affirming some expensive
spending promises made in the recent provincial election.

In the Speech from the Throne, which opened the first
session of the legislature since the Oct. 6 vote, Lieutenant
Governor David Onley read the government’s outline of its
plans, including tuition cuts for college and university
students, tax credits for seniors, and some lower taxes for
families and businesses.

TORONTO, Nov 22 (Reuters) – The Liberal government of
Ontario, Canada’s industrial heartland, renewed its vow to
eliminate its C$16 billion ($15.4 billion) budget deficit in
six years on Tuesday, while also affirming some expensive
spending promises made in the October provincial election.

In the Speech from the Throne that opened the first session
of the legislature since the Oct. 6 vote, Lieutenant Governor
David Onley read the government’s outline of its plans,
including tuition cuts for college and university students, tax
credits for seniors, and some lower taxes for families and
businesses.

TORONTO (Reuters) – Jennifer McLagan doesn’t necessarily want to shock readers with her new cookbook “Odd Bits: How to Cook the Rest of the Animal” but she’s really good at doing just that.

In the first recipe called Headcheese for the Unconvinced she explains how to shave or singe the little hairs off a pig’s head before submerging it in brine with its cut-off ear and foot.

TORONTO (Reuters) – Canada’s public healthcare system is becoming too expensive but could offer better value without drastic cuts or abandoning its state-funded structure, one of the country’s most influential economists said on Thursday.

Changes needed include more treatment of patients outside of hospitals – through family doctors and home care, for example – and by offering more private services paid for by the public purse, said Don Drummond, a former Toronto-Dominion Bank chief economist and federal finance official.

TORONTO, Nov 8 (Reuters) – Housing starts in Canada were
higher than forecast in October, supported by low interest
rates, but analysts see a slowdown coming as the global
economic outlook darkens.

Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp (CMHC) said on Tuesday
there were 207,600 starts in October on a seasonally adjusted
annualized basis. That was up from 195,000 forecast by analysts
in a Reuters poll ECONCA>, but still down from an upwardly
revised 208,800 units in September.

TORONTO, Nov 8 (Reuters) – Canadian housing starts slipped
in October, but came in higher than expectations, as low
interest rates and condominium building helped offset the
impact of negative global economic news.

Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp (CMHC) said on Tuesday
that starts slipped to seasonally adjusted annualized rate
207,600 units in October from an upwardly revised 208,800 units
in September.

TORONTO (Reuters) – After months of hype and speculation, French-American celebrity chef Daniel Boulud confirmed he will open a restaurant and bar in the new Toronto Four Seasons hotel which will open next year.

Boulud, the 56-year-old award-winning force behind a growing empire of more than a dozen restaurants in North America, Europe and Asia, unveiled plans for Cafe Boulud and d Bar in Toronto on Thursday.

TORONTO, Oct 26 (Reuters) – Ontario’s economy contracted
0.3 percent in the second quarter after seven consecutive
quarterly gains, raising the risk Canada’s most populous
province could slip into recession.

A government report released on Wednesday showed Canada’s
manufacturing powerhouse, which relies heavily on the shipment
of autos and parts to the United States, saw exports decline
1.4 percent, while imports increased 1.2 percent in the second
quarter.