TORONTO (AP) – Beginning Monday, Iraqis across Canada will be able to register to vote in their native country’s first election since dictator Saddam Hussein was ousted.

But while daily reports of car bombings and assassinations pose a threat to voter turnout in Iraq on Jan. 30, election officials here are already anticipating problems at Canadian polling booths.

Only five voting stations have been set up for Canada’s estimated 25,000 eligible Iraqi voters – three in Toronto, one in Ottawa and one in Calgary.

“It is not a perfect operation by any means and Canada in particular obviously has large issues with geography,” said Ian Smith, head of the Canadian branch of the International Organization for Migration’s out-of-country voting program.

But Smith said those three cities cover at least 80 percent of eligible voters, and insisted turnout would be high.

There may also be more eligible voters than expected. Election officials based eligibility on the Iraqi-Canadian population from the 2001 census, and Smith said it has been difficult to establish a more precise figure.

Voters must also register in person, meaning two separate trips to the polls.



Powerful blizzard expected to blanket Atlantic Canada overnight

HALIFAX (AP) – Atlantic Canadians trying to get to work Monday morning were expected to face treacherous conditions, as forecasters predicted Sunday that a blizzard would sweep across the region overnight.

A blizzard warning was in effect for Nova Scotia, southern New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island.

Environment Canada said the storm would start creeping across Nova Scotia before midnight.

The province was to be blanketed with more than 15 inches of snow, accompanied by winds gusting to about 55 miles per hour.

Conditions were expected to be further complicated Monday by rain, freezing rain and a drop in temperatures in northern parts of the province.

Prayer service remembers explosion victims

TROIS-RIVIERES, Quebec (AP) – Residents came from across central Quebec Sunday to pray for victims of powerful explosions that killed a woman and flattened parts of an historic neighborhood.

Faithful packed a church in the Pointe-du-Lac neighborhood for two Catholic Masses in which a priest thanked firefighters, police and ambulance technicians for their work during the disaster Friday.

Pauline Chouinard, 69, was killed and six others were injured in the fire and explosions in this city about 80 miles northeast of Montreal.

About 40 people were evacuated from their homes Friday. Most were staying with relatives. The explosions occurred during the evacuation.

Gaz Metropolitain, the province’s main natural-gas utility, will launch an inquiry to find out how natural gas leaked into underground sewers and whether it played a role in the initial fire.



Newfoundland dispute with Ottawa over offshore money renews island nationalism

ST. JOHN’S, Newfoundland (AP) – The Maple Leaf is back on provincial flag poles, but it’s the traditional tricolor flag of Newfoundland that’s really flying – off the shelves, that is.

Retailers have been unable to keep up with demand for the pink, white and green flag of pre-Confederation Newfoundland as the province battles Ottawa over offshore oil revenues.

“As soon as we get them in, we sell them all,” said Heather Stone, a manager at the Downhomer shop in St. John’s, which sells Newfoundland products.

The pre-Confederation flag has experienced a revival over the past three decades.

But as the provincial government pushes Ottawa to shield offshore revenues from any clawback on its share of equalization payments, Newfoundlanders have become particularly keen for the pink, white and green.

There’s been a run on flags, T-shirts, mugs and key chains since Premier Danny Williams ordered down Canadian flags just before Christmas to pressure Ottawa for a new offshore deal. He ordered the Maple Leaf back up last week.

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