OTTAWA, May 10 (Reuters) – The value of Canada’s imports and
exports both dipped in March on weaker energy prices, but
analysts said growing export volumes meant the outlook for trade
was brighter than it looked.

Statistics Canada said on Thursday the trade surplus rose to
C$351 million ($351 million) from $273 million in February as
imports declined at a faster rate than exports.

OTTAWA, May 8 (Reuters) – Canada is acting too slowly to
combat climate change and has little chance of achieving its
modest 2020 target for cuts in greenhouse gas emissions,
Parliament’s environmental watchdog said on Tuesday.

The report by Environment Commissioner Scott Vaughan is
awkward for the right-of-center Conservative government, which
green activists say is more interested in industrial development
than in protecting the environment.

OTTAWA (Reuters) – FIFA president Sepp Blatter has expressed concern about the slow pace of preparations for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil and said he wanted the delays to be made up as soon as possible.

But Blatter – who is meeting top Brazilian officials next week to discuss progress – was also confident Brazil would be ready to host the 32-team tournament despite the challenges.

OTTAWA, May 4 (Reuters) – FIFA president Sepp Blatter has
expressed concern about the slow pace of preparations for the
2014 World Cup in Brazil and said he wanted the delays to be
made up as soon as possible.

But Blatter – who is meeting top Brazilian officials next
week to discuss progress – was also confident Brazil would be
ready to host the 32-team tournament despite the challenges.

OTTAWA, May 1 (Reuters) – Canada still wants to buy F-35
fighter jets made by Lockheed Martin, the head of the
air force said on Tuesday, despite an official report that
blasted the way military officials selected the plane.

Canada announced in July 2010 it would buy 65 of the Joint
Strike Fighters, which have been hit by a string of cost
overruns and delays. Ottawa did not hold an open competition.

OTTAWA, April 30 (Reuters) – Canada’s economy unexpectedly
shrank in February, disappointing markets and cooling talk that
the Bank of Canada could start raising interest rates in the
near future.

Statistics Canada said gross domestic product dropped by 0.2
percent in February from January, surprising analysts who had
been expecting a 0.2 percent increase.

OTTAWA, April 24 (Reuters) – Bank of Canada Governor Mark
Carney repeated on Tuesday that the central bank might have to
increase interest rates and he continued to fret about the high
levels of debt that Canadians are taking on.

Carney used an appearance at the House of Commons finance
committee to stress the central bank’s recent message that rates
could have to go up despite global economic uncertainty.

OTTAWA (Reuters) – Al Qaeda’s new focus on “lone wolf” tactics is making it tough for Western intelligence agencies to prevent terror attacks, the head of Canada’s spy service said on Monday.

In a rare admission that al Qaeda’s switch to “individual jihad” was posing problems, the head of Canada’s spy service said lone wolves are tough to detect because they do not belong to a larger network that might attract attention.

OTTAWA, April 20 (Reuters) – A drop in Canada’s year-on-year
inflation rate to an 18-month low in March will not delay
interest rate hikes by the Bank of Canada, which is paying
closer attention to economic growth, analysts said on Friday.

Statistics Canada said the annual inflation rate fell to 1.9
percent in March from 2.6 percent in February, the lowest level
since the 1.9 percent recorded in September 2010. Analysts had
forecast a rate of 2.0 percent.

OTTAWA, April 19 (Reuters) – Canada’s export credit agency
released an upbeat outlook for 2012 on Thursday, forecasting 7.1
percent growth in exports on the back of “outstanding” momentum
fueled in part by a strong U.S. recovery.

Export Development Canada (EDC) also said exports would grow
by 7.3 percent in 2013 and predicted a real, sustainable global
recovery would start toward the end of 2012.