Jan 26 (Reuters) – Below are top stories from select Canadian newspapers. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not guarantee their accuracy.
THE GLOBE AND THE MAIL:
– With the House of Commons closed, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s Conservatives and Michael Ignatieff’s Liberals are addressing voters directly in what is shaping up to be a battle between jobs and restraint.
– Nations calling themselves “Friends of Haiti” have made a 10-year commitment to help the devastated island nation recover from the earthquake and emerge from the depths of poverty.
BUSINESS AREA:
— More than a year after Royal Dutch Shell delayed its decision on a major new oil sands expansion RDSa.LRDSb.L is moving further away from Canada’s richest crude oil resource. Shell will dramatically slow its future growth in the Fort McMurray area, according to CEO Peter Voser. He said high costs in the oil sands are why the company is diverting exploration money to other parts of the world.
– The funeral insurance company in Ontario and British Columbia is preparing for a marketing push to convince consumers to prepay for their funeral so they don’t get hit by the new harmonized sales tax.
– More Canadians are running out of unemployment benefits without finding work, a national report says. Many of them have to turn to savings, loans, family members or social assistance for financial help.
FINANCIAL POST:
– Profits at Canadian companies rose last quarter for the first time since the start of the recession, but strong expectations for the coming year will be difficult to achieve, CIBC World Markets said in a report.
– Prime Minister Stephen Harper is leading a Canadian contingent to Switzerland on Tuesday for the influential World Economic Forum, where he is expected to clarify Canada’s agenda and priorities for recovering the global economy, combating climate change and helping rebuild Haiti.
“Coffeeaholic. Lifelong alcohol fanatic. Typical travel expert. Prone to fits of apathy. Internet trailblazer.”