Subaru’s 2014 Forester was the only vehicle to get the top “good” rating in the results released May 16, 2013. The 2013 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport was rated as “acceptable.” But fast-selling models such as the Ford Escape, Honda CR-V and Jeep Wrangler received only “marginal” or “poor” ratings from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

Small and midsize SUVs, which get decent gas mileage and have the cargo and passenger space of larger SUVs, are among the fastest-growing segments of the U.S. auto market. Sales grew 50 per cent from 2005 to last year, when U.S. consumers bought more than 2.5 million of them, according to Ward’s AutoInfoBank.

The IIHS ratings are influential because many auto shoppers find them while researching vehicles on the Internet. The group says its crash tests and ratings are designed to get automakers to improve the crash worthiness of their vehicles.

The ratings are for the institute’s “small overlap” crash test that covers only 25 per cent of a vehicle’s front end. The test was added to the IIHS evaluations last year, with the institute aiming to push automakers into bolstering the crash resistance of their vehicles.

The group’s tests are more stringent than the U.S. government’s full-width front crash test. The institute says that in many vehicles, a crash affecting one-quarter of the front end misses the main structures designed to absorb the impact of a crash. Yet such crashes account for nearly a quarter of the collisions that cause serious or fatal injuries to people in the front seats, IIHS said.

The new Ford Escape, the top-selling small SUV so far this year, got a “poor” overall rating, while Honda’s CR-V, the No. 2 seller, got a “marginal” rating. Toyota’s RAV-4, another big seller, hasn’t done the testing yet because Toyota asked for a delay to improve the vehicle’s structure, the IIHS said.

Other SUVs getting “poor” ratings were the Jeep Patriot, Buick Encore, Kia Sportage and Hyundai Tuscson, the institute said. The BMW X1, Nissan Rogue, Mazda CX-5, Volkswagen Tiguan and Jeep Wrangler two-door all got “marginal” ratings.

Ford said in a statement that the Escape is safe because it is equipped with advanced safety features and a structure designed to manage the impact of a crash. But the company said it takes new developments in crash performance seriously.

The Forester and Outlander Sport each received the IIHS’ coveted “Top Safety Pick Plus” award because they performed well in multiple tests including the small offset crash. Many of the other SUVs, including the Escape and CR-V, won “Top Safety Pick” designations, but didn’t get the “plus” due to their performance in the small offset tests. Only 20 vehicles across all car segments have received the IIHS “Top Safety Pick Plus” award.

“With the redesigned Forester, Subaru’s engineers set out to do well in our new test, and they succeeded,” Joe Nolan, the institute’s vice-president of vehicle research, said in a statement. “This is exactly how we hoped manufacturers would respond to improve protection.”

All SUVs tested, except the Forester, were 2012 or 2013 models. The institute said tests of 2012 models were valid because no significant design changes were made between model years.

Honda said in a statement that the CR-V earned a Top Safety Pick award, which was the best when it was introduced in 2011. The company would not comment when asked if it’s reworking the CR-V so it does better in the small offset test.

Chrysler said the Wrangler and Patriot both meet or exceed all government safety requirements and perform well in real-world driving. Like most of the vehicles tested, both were designed before the IIHS added the small offset test.

The IIHS tests have a big impact on car-buying decisions because people are concerned about safety when they shift to smaller vehicles, said Jeff Schuster, senior vice-president of auto sales forecasting for LMC Automotive, an industry consulting firm. People buy the small SUVs, which also are called crossovers, or CUVs, because they perceive them to be safer than cars, he said.

The test results “could impact sales of these models, but more so with families and with parents purchasing these for their kids,” he said in an email.

IIHS conducts its small offset test by crashing vehicles into a fixed 5-foot-tall barrier at 40 mph to simulate collisions with a utility pole or tree. The institute gives vehicles demerits when the structure intrudes into the passenger compartment, or if a crash dummy suffers injuries to head, neck, chest or other parts of the body. The group also measures how well seat belts and air bags protect people. “Good” is the top rating, followed by “acceptable,” then “marginal” and “poor.”

IIHS is a non-profit research group funded by auto insurance companies.

Aon’s 2013 Terrorism and Political Violence Map points to a continued threat of a terrorist attack or political violence as 44 percent of countries measured have an identifiable risk of terrorist attacks. This trend is especially prevalent in African and the Northern African countries. Despite 19 countries showing improved terrorism and political violence ratings, including the U.K. and Germany, data and analysis reflected by the map suggest continued and growing awareness is needed for businesses looking to expand.

The three perils measured indicate the different forms of political violence most likely to be encountered by businesses:

• Terrorism and sabotage
• Strikes, riots, civil commotion and malicious damage to property
• Insurrection, revolution, rebellion, mutiny, coup d’etat, war and civil war.

Color-coded ratings of the 200 countries and territories measured act as a gauge for the overall intensity of the risk of terrorism and political violence to business in each country.

Neil Henderson, head of Aon Risk Solutions’ Crisis Management Terrorism team, said, “Terrorism is having an increasing impact on today’s global organizations and terrorist attacks are now regarded as a foreseeable risk. An attack not only on, but near an organisation’s premises can result in human casualties, property damage, business interruption, legal liability issues and long term damage to brand and reputation. The Aon Terrorism and Political Violence Map is one of a range of Aon tools that allow data and fact-based insight to support and advise companies in their efforts to be increasingly resilient in today’s quickly evolving and volatile environment. This insight allows our clients to plan overseas expansion or international growth.”

Henry Wilkinson, head of the Intelligence and Analysis practice at Risk Advisory, added, “The global economic crisis, shifting geopolitical balances and two years of unusually high levels of civil upheaval present challenges and opportunities for businesses looking to expand. North and West Africa and the Middle East stand out as regions of increasing risk. Civil wars in Libya and Syria in particular have contributed to violent risks in nearby countries. Egypt returns to the highest risk rating this year due to persistent civil tumult, political instability and terrorism. While Northern Europe has seen some improvements, evident in the U.K.’s improved rating, fiscal and economic pressures mean businesses in Southern European countries still face a higher level of risk associated with civil disruption.”

The data shows:

• 11 upgrades (increased risk ratings), including Argentina, Egypt and Jordan.
• 19 downgrades (decreased risk ratings), including Germany, Italy and the U.K..
• 44 percent of countries measured have an identifiable threat of terrorism, with the worst affected being Afghanistan, India, Iraq, Nigeria, Pakistan, Russia, Somalia, Syria, Thailand and the Yemen.
• Europe has the most positive regional outlook, with 47 percent of the countries with lowered risk ratings this year. This reflects receding civil unrest associated with the financial and economic crises. Limited incidents of terrorism outside of Greece and Northern Ireland also accounted for lowered risk scores.
• Lingering after-effects of the Arab Spring on regional security and stability remain evident. The Middle East is the most unstable region, with 64 percent of its countries attaining high or severe risk ratings, reflecting terrorism, unrest and conflict risks.
• The Middle East and North Africa region witnessed the highest proportion of countries with a terrorism and sabotage peril, at 85 percent.

Methodology and resources

The map measures political violence and terrorism in 200 countries and territories to help companies assess the risk levels of exchange transfer, political violence and terrorism. Produced by Aon in collaboration with global risk management consultancy The Risk Advisory Group plc, the Aon Terrorism and Political Violence Map reflects data recorded by Terrorism Tracker*, Aon WorldAware* and an expert assessment of the security situation. Each country is assigned a threat level, starting at negligible, and rising through low, medium, high and severe.

Terrorism threat is defined as an assessment of the intent and capability for terrorist groups to stage attacks and the likelihood they will succeed.

The map can be accessed at http://www.aon.com/terrorismmap

“We’re very proud to be able to bring Coast Capital Insurance Services into our family of companies. It is a tremendous organization that has the same commitment to community as we do,” said Scott Tannas, President and CEO of Western. “This is the largest deal we’ve negotiated to date and will help us solidify our presence throughout the B.C. market. We look forward to building on the traditions of great service and community support that Coast Capital has established.”

“At Coast Capital we’re proud of all that our insurance subsidiary and its employees have accomplished. When we decided to concentrate our resources on our core banking business, our goal was to find a partner who could help CCIS grow further and reach its full potential,” said Tracy Redies, CEO of Coast Capital. “Coast Capital and Western have similar values and a commitment to our people, our customers and our communities. In Western, we saw a strong entrepreneurial spirit and customer service focus which we believe will help build the CCIS business, and their dedicated focus on insurance will provide more opportunities for employees. Most importantly though, this allows more banking and insurance services to be offered to our collective customers as we look for more opportunities to expand our businesses and serve customers in our markets.”

Under the terms of the agreement between Western and Coast Capital, CCIS branches will continue to operate under the CCIS name and branding for at least two years. Western will continue to employ all of CCIS’s 242 staff members while working with Coast Capital to enhance banking and insurance offerings to both Western and CCIS customers. The deal is expected to close in July 2013.

Western Financial Group is a subsidiary of Desjardins Group (Desjardins), the largest co-operative financial group in Canada. Desjardins and Coast Capital have developed close ties over several years which were further enhanced with the signing of a memorandum of understanding in April 2013 regarding principles of co-operation to share expertise in products and services which will benefit both organizations.

“Desjardins Group welcomes this important acquisition that will reinforce Western Financial Group’s leadership role in Western Canada’s insurance market,” said Monique F. Leroux, Chair of the Board, President and CEO of Desjardins Group. “This opportunity also builds on our partnership with Coast Capital Savings as we look for more opportunities to bring the great benefits of the financial services co-operative model to more Canadians.”

The paper, part of the institution’s quarterly Bank of Canada Review, says the evidence so far is that slashing interest rates and flooding markets with money through quantitative easing and other extraordinary measures appear to have worked.

The global Great Recession was stopped in its tracks and economies and financial markets have mostly stabilized.

But as central banks start pulling back their stimulative measures, as the U.S. is currently contemplating, the damage left behind in some sectors might become more apparent, the paper says.

And there is a danger central banks won’t be able to manage the exit properly, leading to losses in their balance books, loss of confidence and high inflation.

The paper makes clear that most of the risk lies in jurisdictions where central banks have gone to extraordinary lengths to rescue their economies, such as Europe, Japan and the United States.

But some of the challenges also apply to Canada. While Bank of Canada never introduced quantitative easing, it did take interest rates to historic lows and continues to keep them there, a policy that punishes savers and rewards borrowers.

A C.D. Howe Institute report Wednesday also looked at the low interest rate policy in Canada and concluded that it has led to economic distortions, including high household debt and home prices, while wrecking havoc on savers, pension funds and insurance companies.

The C.D. Howe paper urged the Bank of Canada to start hiking rates immediately.

“All of CPPIB’s diverse investment programs played a part in delivering the Fund’s substantial increase in assets in fiscal 2013,” said Mark Wiseman, President & Chief Executive Officer, CPP Investment Board (CPPIB). “We are leveraging this growth to build the foundation for a leading global investment organization, positioning CPPIB to create enduring value for all contributors and beneficiaries in the decades ahead.”

In the ten-year period up to and including fiscal 2013, CPPIB contributed $75.1 billion in cumulative net investment income to the Fund after operating costs.

“While the strength of public equity markets was the leading factor in the solid annual return this year, CPPIB’s active investment programs also contributed to the portfolio’s performance,” said Mr. Wiseman. “Indeed, we took full advantage of our deep internal capabilities, exceptionally long investment horizon, and global scale and scope to complete a number of sizeable and complex transactions that will continue to generate value in the years to come.”

During fiscal 2013, CPPIB completed 36 transactions of over $200 million each in 11 countries around the world. Highlights for the year include:

Private Investments

• A debt agreement with Formula One Group to finance US$400 million of a US$1.0 billion private high-yield loan through CPPIB Credit Investments Inc. Formula One is an iconic global sports management organization that holds the rights to the FIA Formula One World Championship.

• The acquisition of Suddenlink Communications alongside BC Partners and Suddenlink management for US$6.6 billion. Suddenlink is the seventh largest cable broadband company in the United States with over 1.4 million customers and thousands of commercial clients.

• The US$1.1 billion acquisition from Tomkins of its Air Distribution division, a leading manufacturer of air ventilation system components. Tomkins is an industrial holding company co-owned by CPPIB and Onex Corporation.

• Two direct private equity secondaries investments, where we have provided liquidity to limited partners in an existing private equity fund: a US$654 million commitment to the Behrman Capital PEP L.P. Fund; and the investment of US$541 million to acquire a portfolio of four primarily food assets while anchoring the Kainos Capital fund.

• The acquisition of a 49.99% interest in Grupo Costanera with an equity investment of $1.14 billion. Grupo Costanera is the largest urban toll road operator in Chile, with five major urban highways in a 188-kilometre network.

Public Market Investments

• The acquisition of TMX Group Inc., as part of a consortium of Canadian financial institutions, to create Canada’s largest vertically integrated, multi-asset class exchange group. CPPIB’s equity investment was $250 million.

Real Estate Investments

• A joint venture with Lend Lease Corporation and the Australian Prime Property Fund Commercial to develop and hold two premium-grade, energy-efficient waterfront office towers at the Barangaroo South Project in Sydney, Australia. CPPIB committed 50% or A$1.0 billion of the equity for the project.

• A joint venture with Global Logistic Properties Limited and two other institutional investors to significantly expand CPPIB’s real estate holdings in Brazil. CPPIB committed US$362 million for the joint acquisition of two logistics portfolios.

• An additional US$365 million equity commitment to the Japan Development Venture, a logistics joint venture with Global Logistic Properties Limited originally formed in 2012. CPPIB’s equity investment in this joint venture now totals US$566 million.

Petro America Corp. founder Isreal Owen Hawkins and his associates were accused of illegally selling unregistered stock in Petro America from 2008 through 2010, much of it to poor investors. Prosecutors said investors were told the company had $284 billion in assets and that they’d be rich once it went public.

Hawkins was convicted of conspiracy, securities fraud, aggravated currency structuring, money laundering and two counts of wire fraud. He could be sentenced to up to 20 years in prison for the most serious charge, wire fraud.

Hawkins, who had been out of jail on bond, was taken into custody immediately after the hearing and the government moved to have his bond revoked. The court set a bond hearing for next week to rule on the government’s motion.

Hawkins’ co-defendants: Teresa Brown, Johnny Heurung, William Miller and Martin Roper, each were convicted of conspiracy to commit fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. All were released pending sentencing.

The five were accused of selling $7.2 million worth of unregistered stock and targeting poor investors who weren’t qualified to purchase shares. Under federal securities law, a person must have a net worth of at least $1 million or an annual income of $200,000 for the last two years to qualify as an accredited investor and be allowed to take part in high risk investments such as Petro America.

Hawkins called Petro America “The People’s Company,” and told investors his goal was to win a Nobel Prize for creating massive wealth.

Prosecutors said much of the stock was sold through a group of pastors called the Minister’s Alliance, or “White Hat Guys” because of the white fedoras Hawkins gave them. They say the ministers also served as Hawkins’ personal security force.

Hawkins, who represented himself at the trial, told jurors the company was legitimate and had real assets, and the only reason it didn’t go public was because the federal government wanted to destroy it.

Attorneys for some of his co-defendants expressed disappointment May 15, 2013 in the verdicts and vowed to appeal the decision to the 8th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals.

On May 15, 2013, Brown also was convicted of securities fraud and six counts of wire fraud, Miller was convicted of money laundering and wire fraud, and Heurung was convicted of one count of wire fraud. Nine others who were charged in the case pleaded guilty to conspiracy and are awaiting sentencing.

Attendance at this AGM is by invitation only.

During this AGM, mutual policyholders will hear from management, receive the financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2012, and vote on the appointment of the external auditor and the election of directors.

As previously reported, Economical is waiting for regulations from the federal Department of Finance that are required in order to proceed with the company’s previously announced demutualization process. Accordingly, there will not be a vote by mutual policyholders on a demutualization proposal at the June 24 AGM.

About Economical Insurance

Founded in 1871, Economical Insurance is one of Canada’s leading property and casualty insurers, with more than $1.8 billion in premiums and more than $4.7 billion in assets. Based in Waterloo, this Canadian-owned and operated company services the insurance needs of more than one million customers through 17 branches and service offices across the country. In 2010, Economical announced its decision to become the first federally-regulated mutual property and casualty insurance company to demutualize. Economical Insurance conducts business under the following brands: Economical Insurance, Economical, Western General, Economical Select, Perth Insurance, Family Insurance Solutions, Federation Insurance and Economical Financial.

ICBC Psychologist John Vavrik Says Drivers May… by tvnportal

Cst. Tim Schewe (Ret.) runs DriveSmartBC, a community web site about traffic safety in British Columbia. For 25 years he was an officer with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, including five years on general duty, 20 in traffic and 10 as a collision analyst responsible of conducting technical investigations of collisions. He retired from policing in 2006 but continues to be active in traffic safety through the DriveSmartBC web site, teaching seminars and contributing content to newspapers and web sites.

“Not everyone knows how deposit insurance coverage works,” said CDIC President and CEO Michele Bourque. “We want to show Canadians that by following a few simple rules, they can protect their deposits in the event their bank fails.”

The two-minute video, posted on YouTube, combines animation and simple language to provide a brief overview of CDIC coverage.

Ms. Bourque said CDIC will distribute the videos on USB memory sticks to financial advisors to help explain deposit insurance to their clients.

“Financial advisors play an essential role in providing Canadians with the information they need to make sound financial decisions,” said Ms. Bourque. “We encourage them to show this brief video to their clients to help start a conversation about protecting their deposits.”

“This video does a terrific job in educating consumers about deposit insurance and what is and isn’t covered. It’s important for Canadians to have peace of mind knowing that their savings are protected in the unlikely event that a CDIC member institution fails,” said Greg Pollock, President & CEO, Advocis, The Financial Advisors Association of Canada.

Deposit insurance is an important aspect of personal financial management. CDIC works with Advocis, the Registered Deposit Brokers Association and other groups to promote knowledge of deposit insurance, particularly through continuing education. Financial advisors seeking a copy of the video can send an email request to info@cdic.ca.

CDIC is a federal Crown corporation that provides deposit insurance against the loss of eligible deposits with its member institutions in the event of their failure. Eligible deposits are automatically covered to a limit of $100,000 per insured category at each member institution. CDIC members include most Canadian chartered banks, loan and trust companies, federally-regulated credit unions as well as associations governed by the Cooperative Credit Associations Act. CDIC is entirely funded by premiums assessed on its member institutions and does not receive public funds.

Visit www.cdic.ca for more information.

In 2012, State Farm had 3,670 dog bite claims and paid out more than $108 million as a result. The Canadian Safety Council estimates there are 460,000 dog bite incidents each year with children under 10 years of age the most common victims; a recent study by the  Canadian Journal of Emergency Medicine concludes dog bites account for more injury-related emergency department visits than do injuries associated with playgrounds, all-terrain vehicles, rollerblading or skateboards; and The Humane Society of Canada says someone suffers a dog bite every minute.

Dog bites can cause both physical and emotional damage to victims and considerable cost to communities. Dog Bite Prevention Week, May 19 to 25, is held to help educate the public on how to act safely around dogs by understanding their behaviour.

In Canada, of the 3 provinces State Farm does business in, Ontario is tops for State Farm dog bite claims. In 2012, 33 claims were made paying out a record $2,421,814, surpassing the previous high of $1,178,000 in 2007. In 2011, 25 claims were reported and $917,670 was paid out in Ontario. Alberta had 1 reported claim in 2012, paying out $16,250, while no claims were reported in New Brunswick by State Farm customers.

In the U.S the top 5 states for State Farm dog bite claims were:

State                Claims              Estimated payout

California           451                   $17.1 million

Illinois                337                   $9.0 million

Texas                  236                   $4.3 million

Ohio                    235                   $5.0 million

Pennsylvania     165                   $4.5 million

And consider these statistics provided by the U.S. National Dog Bite Prevention Week® Coalition:

• The Insurance Information Institute estimates that in 2012, insurers across the United States paid nearly $489 million in dog bite claims
• The American Academy of Pediatrics states that more than half of all dog bite victims are children; approximately 400,000 receive medical attention every year
• The American Society for Reconstructive Microsurgery reports that there were 27,752 reconstructive procedures performed in 2012 to repair injuries caused by dog bites
• The United States Postal Service® reports that 5,879 postal carriers were bitten or attacked by dogs in 2012
• The American Humane Association™ reports that unsupervised newborns are 370 times more likely than an adult to be killed by a dog

State Farm urges caution around all dogs, including family pets. Remember, a responsible dog owner should:

• NEVER leave a baby or small child alone with a dog, even if it is a family pet. Children are often bitten by a dog in their own household
• Make sure your pet is socialized as a young puppy so it feels at ease around people and other animals
• Never put your dog in a position where it feels threatened or teased
• Walk and exercise your dog regularly to keep it healthy and provide mental stimulation
• Use a leash in public to ensure you are able to control your dog
• Regular veterinary visits are essential to regulating the health of your dog. A sick or injured dog is more likely to bite
• Be alert. If someone approaches you and your dog while out on a walk, caution them to wait before petting the dog, giving your pet time to be comfortable with the stranger

A dog’s tendency to bite depends on factors like heredity, obedience training, socialization, health, and the victim’s behaviour. There are good dogs and bad dogs within every breed, just as there can be responsible and irresponsible owners of each breed. That’s why State Farm does not refuse insurance based on the breed of dog a customer owns, unless that breed is prohibited by provincial or municipal law. Under the right circumstances, any dog might bite.

States should cut their threshold for drunken driving by nearly half – from .08 blood alcohol level to 0.5 – matching a standard that has substantially reduced highway deaths in other countries, a U.S. safety board recommends. That’s about one drink for a woman weighing less than 120 lbs., two for a 160 lb. man.

More than 100 countries have adopted the .05 alcohol content standard or lower, according to a report by the board’s staff. In Europe, the share of traffic deaths attributable to drunken driving was reduced by more than half within 10 years after the standard was dropped, the report said.

NTSB officials said it wasn’t their intention to prevent drivers from having a glass of wine with dinner, but they acknowledged that under a threshold as low as .05 the safest thing for people who have only one or two drinks is not to drive at all.

A woman weighing less than 120 pounds can reach .05 after just one drink, studies show. A man weighing up to 160 pounds reaches .05 after two drinks. A drink is defined as 12 ounces of beer, four ounces of wine, or one ounce of 80-proof alcohol.

Alcohol concentration levels as low as .01 have been associated with driving-related performance impairment, and levels as low as .05 have been associated with significantly increased risk of fatal crashes, the board said.

New approaches are needed to combat drunken driving, which claims the lives of about a third of the more than 30,000 people killed each year on U.S highways _ a level of carnage that that has remained stubbornly consistent for the past decade and a half, the board said.

“Our goal is to get to zero deaths because each alcohol-impaired death is preventable,” NTSB Chairman Deborah Hersman said. “Alcohol-impaired deaths are not accidents, they are crimes. They can and should be prevented. The tools exist. What is needed is the will.”

An alcohol concentration threshold to .05 is likely to meet strong resistance from states, said Jonathan Adkins, an official with the Governors Highway Safety Association, which represents state highway safety offices.

“It was very difficult to get .08 in most states so lowering it again won’t be popular,” Adkins said. “The focus in the states is on high (blood alcohol content) offenders as well as repeat offenders. We expect industry will also be very vocal about keeping the limit at .08.”

Even safety groups like Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) and AAA declined Tuesday to endorse NTSB’s call for a .05 threshold. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which sets national safety policy, stopped also short of endorsing the board’s recommendation.

“NHTSA is always interested in reviewing new approaches that could reduce the number of drunk drivers on the road, and will work with any state that chooses to implement a .05 BAC law to gather further information on that approach,” the safety administration said in a statement.

The board recommended NHTSA established “incentive grants” designed to encourage states to adopt the lower threshold.

A study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has estimated that 7,082 deaths would have been prevented in 2010 if all drivers on the road had blood alcohol content below .08 per cent.

The lower threshold was one of nearly 20 recommendations made by the board, including that states adopt measures to ensure more widespread use of use of alcohol ignition interlock devices. Those require a driver to breathe into a tube, much like the breathalyzers police ask suspected drunken drivers to use.

The board has previously recommended states require all convicted drunken drivers install the interlock devices in their vehicles as a condition to resume driving. Currently, 17 states and two California counties require all convicted drivers use the devices.

However, only about a quarter of drivers ordered to use the devices actually end up doing so, the board said. Drivers use a variety of ways to evade using the devices, including claiming they won’t drive at all or don’t own a vehicle and therefore don’t need the devices, the board said.

The board recommended the safety administration develop a program to encourage states to ensure all convicted drivers actually use the devices. The board also recommended that all suspected drunken drivers whose licenses are confiscated by police be required to install interlocks as a condition of getting their licenses reinstated even though they haven’t yet been convicted of a crime.

Courts usually require drivers to pay for the devices, which cost about $50 to $100 to buy plus a $50 a month fee to operate, staff said.

The board has previously called on the safety administration and the auto industry to step up their research into technology for use in all vehicles that can detect whether a driver has elevated blood alcohol without the driver breathing into a tube or taking any other action. Drivers with elevated levels would be unable to start their cars.

But the technology is still years away.

Studies show more than 4 million people a year in the U.S. drive while intoxicated, but about half of the intoxicated drivers stopped by police escape detection, the NTSB report said. The board also recommended expanded use of passive alcohol devices by police. The devices are often contained in real flash lights or shaped to look like a cellphone that officers wear on their shirt pockets or belts. If an officer points the flashlight at a driver or the cellphone-like device comes in close proximity to an intoxicated driver, the devices will alert police who may not have any other reason to suspected drunken driving.

The use of the devices currently is very limited, the report said.

The municipalities of Bracebridge, Huntsville, Minden Hills, Bancroft, Kawartha Lakes, South Algonquin, Markstay-Warren and Ramara declared states of emergency in April and the Canadian Red Cross has been on-site to assist in the recovery efforts. Over 1000 homes were affected with Red Cross volunteers working closely with community officials and assisting families who are in need of shelter, food, personal services and information.

“Several municipalities have been impacted by spring flooding and we know how difficult this is for the hundreds of families displaced by these floods,” explains Zac Stevenson, Community Relations Specialist for State Farm. “At State Farm, we make it our business to help people recover from the unexpected and we hope that our support of the Canadian Red Cross can help these families in restoring order to their everyday lives.”

This State Farm donation is in addition to the funds already donated to the Canadian Red Cross this year to support their various disaster recovery efforts across Canada. State Farm supports the efforts of the Red Cross as they continue to assist affected individuals and their communities in moving forward with flood recovery.

For more information see Flood Preparedness and Preventing Water Damage in Your Home.

This weekend another sports related concussion lawsuit has hit the media. This time its the NHL making headlines.

The family of late enforcer, Derek Boogaard, hasfiled a wrongful death claim against the NHL arguing the League is responsible for brain damage the feared fighter sustained in his years playing professional hockey.  He had at least 66 on ice fights in his professional career.

Such lawsuits are becoming more commonplace in the world of professional sports.  These lawsuits are often grounded in the theory that sports organizations allow athletes to compete while undermining or concealing the risk of injury.  So what does this have to do with MMA?  It is likely a foreshadowing of things to come.  More importantly, it is a good opportunity to get ahead of a potential problem for the betterment of the sport.

The NHL and NFL are mature leagues with a lengthy history.  There are generations of retired athletes with long term data to draw from comparing these athletes to retired members of the general population.  One pattern that is becoming clearer is that of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy and its relationship to long term involvement in contact sports.  Athletes who experience repetitive brain trauma over their careers have a greater chance of developing this degenerative disease.   The relationship of brain dysfunction and exposure to repeated sub-concussive trauma is also becoming better understood. As the long term health of more retired athletes is studied, a greater understanding of this pattern occurs.

While there is clearly homework to be done in terms of this link and MMA, the one thing the UFC and other MMA organizations can learn from these lawsuits is to get ahead of the curve.  There is nothing to gain by taking an ostrich approach to brain trauma.  Instead MMA leagues should take meaningful steps to acknowledge these risks head on and encourage their athletes to learn about the full known risks that come with participation.  As retired Canadian MMA fighter Nick Denis demonstrated, not all fighters agree to carry on with a career in MMA after learning of the risks.  Failing to facilitate athlete’s appreciation of CTE and other long term consequences not only undermines informed participation, it can also lead to the legal troubles that are now plaguing the NHL and NFL.

Dana White, president of the UFC, has, to his credit, done much for the growth of MMA and aiding in the creation of its regulatory framework.  However, in the process the plain speaking promoter has made some foolish representations along the lines of MMA being the ‘safest sport in the world’.  This hyperbole can be forgiven by the average fan who understands that Dana is speaking from a desire to assist the growth of the sport and refuting political resistance such as the well worn ‘human cockfighting’ soundbite.  Such reckless statements, however, can have an unintended impact in the legal context if a fighter who is diagnosed with CTE turns to legal action.

Organizations will be best served by not undermining these risks.  Concussive injury should not be downplayed as it was by the flippant attitude shown to Matt Mitrione in face of his voiced concussive concerns in season 10 of TUF.  While this may have made for better ratings, encouraging an attitude which undermines concussive injuries is not in the long term interests of athletes nor MMA organizations.  If this attitude is pervasive in the organization there could be unwanted legal repercussions down the road.  Stake holders should not wait for the legal floodgates to open before addressing this issue.

Consulting firm KPMG has made 19 recommendations to improve the province’s disaster response.

The government says its accepts all the suggestions and has implemented many of them already, including improvements to its emergency alert system.

A report last spring by a retired RCMP supervisor said residents weren’t warned about safety risks or evacuation plans in the days before the fires destroyed roughly one-third of the community.

Some people complained that they weren’t given enough warning and, when they realized they had to evacuate, were forced to turn around because some roads were closed.

More than 500 homes and buildings were destroyed at an estimated cost of $1 billion.

Companies recognize potential risks posed by natural catastrophes yet have insufficient mitigation plans in place. This is the key finding of a survey on ‘Natural catastrophes: business risks and preparedness’, presented May 7, 2013 by Zurich Insurance Group (Zurich). The study, conducted in January 2013 by the Economist Intelligence Unit and sponsored by Zurich, continues the Group’s research into understanding and mitigating risks.

The research polled 170 executives from medium-sized and large companies around the world, and confirms a widespread perception among organizations that natural catastrophes are becoming both more frequent and more severe, and that commensurate importance is assigned to assessing and mitigating the associated risks.

Survey respondents say that business disruption from a natural catastrophe would encompass multiple aspects of the enterprise, with the most severe threats confronting continuity of IT support, business-critical functions and supply-chain logistics. The research suggests that there is significant room for improvement in company planning and continuity endeavours. This is true for business-critical functions and is a serious concern for IT functions in particular.

U.S. legislation winding its way through Congress would allow Canadians aged 55 and older to spend up to 240 days – about eight months – in the country without a visa, 58 days longer than the current 182-day annual limit.

The provision is not yet law, but it has the backing of powerful New York Sen. Charles Schumer, who was recently one of the leading voices to speak out against a rejected proposal to impose a border crossing fee on Canadians.

In a New York Times article published over the weekend, a spokesman for Schumer is quoted as supporting the Canadian proposal, along with relaxing visa requirements on nationals from several other countries.

“Each of these provisions makes individual sense on the merits,” the spokesman is quoted as saying. “They each solve inequities in the existing immigration law.”

The Canadian Snowbird Association says it has been pushing for the change for years. A previous bill died in committee, but association researcher Evan Rachkovsky said he believes the latest proposal stands a good chance of passage. The Senate version of the bill could be voted on this summer.

Rachkovsky said his organization has talked to more than 100 members of the U.S. Congress _ Democrats and Republicans alike _ and has found wide support for the proposal.

“That it’s attached to comprehensive immigration reform, I think that increases the likelihood of it becoming law,” he said. “We definitely remain optimistic.”

Canadians represent a major boost to the economy in the U.S., particularly southern states such as Florida. Recently the state dropped a provision requiring an annual international drivers permit after objections raised from the strong Canadian lobby.

In 2011, more than 44 million Canadians travelled to the U.S., spending more than $16.5 billion.

As well, Canadians are by far the largest foreign buyers of residential real estate in the U.S., purchasing an estimated $20 billion of housing in 2012 alone.

Rachkovsky said a major reason for seeking the change is that Canadians who spend the winter in the southern U.S. often complain to his association that after exhausting the 182 days for any calendar year, they were precluded from shorter trips to visit relatives and friends in border states.

“Having an extra two months will give them greater flexibility,” he said.

Some stumbling blocks to the practicality of spending eight months of the year in the U.S. remain.

Health coverage from Ontario, British Columbia and Manitoba permits a maximum of seven months per year outside the country, while for Quebec, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Nova Scotia, among others, the limit is the equivalent of six months.

“We always monitor legislation impacting Canada very closely, and we support any efforts to increase trade and tourism between our two countries,” a spokesman for the Department of Foreign Affairs said in response to an email query.

Canada also has a rule that allows Americans to spend a maximum of six months north of the border.

With a possible June election hanging in the balance, Liberal volunteers fanned out to 30 GO stations in the greater Toronto area Monday morning to hand out 25,000 brochures promoting the budget’s pledge for a 15 per cent cut in auto insurance rates.

There’s nothing unusual about Liberal caucus members paying for promotional material after a budget, said Finance Minister Charles Sousa, who had not seen the brochure.

“It’s important for the people of Ontario to appreciate what this budget has and what it talks about,” said Sousa.

“What is essential for all to understand is what’s at stake, and this budget has a number of initiatives that are important to the people of Ontario, auto insurance being one.”

The front side of the Liberal handout features a picture of Premier Kathleen Wynne under the title “Positive Change,” along with a banner across the bottom proclaiming “15 per cent off auto insurance.”

The other side talks about forcing insurers to offer lower rates, an idea the Liberals adopted to try to get NDP leader Andrea Horwath and her party to support the budget and avoid an election.

It is just one of a number of NDP ideas in the Liberal budget. Others include higher welfare rates, increased spending on homecare services and a new program to help young people find jobs.

Wynne said Monday they were all issues the government has in common with the New Democrats.

“We have been talking about those things all along,” Wynne told Ottawa radio station CFRA. “She (Horwath) put some specific demands in place … but they were all areas that we were already looking at.”

Horwath said she’s not worried the government is already campaigning as if the car insurance cuts were a Liberal idea.

“The government can take whatever actions it wants to try and convince the public, but I think what the public really wants to see is some real tools put in place to make sure that this isn’t all just smoke and mirrors and rhetoric,” said Horwath.

“One thing we know for sure from the discussions we’ve been having with Ontarians, is they’re tired of the status quo that wastes their money and doesn’t give them the results they deserve.”

The Progressive Conservatives said the glossy handouts promoting the minority government’s budget are proof the Liberals will do anything to avoid an election.

“This seems to be a Liberal Party that is so desperate to cling to power they’re going to use any kind of tactic to protect their jobs,” said PC Leader Tim Hudak.

“I’m very concerned that we saw a potential $1 billion used to cancel gas plants in Oakville and Mississauga in order to save Liberal seats, and now they’re going to spend $1 billion to buy the support of the NDP.”

Horwath, who has been frustrating the Liberals by taking time to consult the public before deciding if the NDP can support the budget, said voters are fed up with the hundreds of millions of dollars wasted by the government.

People want to see proof the Liberals “actually learned their lessons on eHealth, Ornge, and on the gas plants, and that they’re prepared to be accountable,” said Horwath.

Hudak, meanwhile, wants the NDP to support a non-confidence motion over the cancelled gas plants and defeat the minority Liberal government, automatically triggering an election.

The vote on the budget is expected in the last week of May, but the PC’s “want of confidence motion” is not expected to ever be called for a vote in the legislature because the Liberals would have to agree to the debate first, and that won’t happen.

“Desjardins Insurance is introducing an innovative and personalized technology that helps transform the traditional model of car insurance. By tailoring premiums to individual driving habits in addition to traditional predictive factors such as age, gender, type of vehicle and home location, drivers can now take control of their savings,” said Sylvie Paquette, President and COO of Desjardins General Insurance Group. “Ajusto is one step that makes car insurance more affordable for good drivers in Ontario.”

Ajusto is a free and voluntary program available to all Ontario car owners who drive a vehicle made in 1998 or later with limited exceptions. The savings begin when participating customers join the program and are applicable upon renewal of their insurance policy. The program measures three factors to determine cost savings:

• Distance travelled annually (up to 10 per cent off)
• Extent and frequency of hard braking and acceleration (up to 10 per cent off)
• Time of day the vehicle is driven (up to 5 per cent off)

Premiums will not increase as a result of participating in the program nor will it result in any other adverse effects.  Customers can opt-out of the program at any time and without penalty.

“Savings with Ajusto are in addition to other savings offered by Desjardins Insurance.  Our studies show that our employees who participated in a pilot program were on track to achieve an average additional savings of 12 per cent,” said Ken Lindhardsen, Vice-President of Claims Operations and Legal Counsel. “When combined with other Desjardins Insurance savings, Ajusto represents the ultimate form of personalized insurance.”

Ajusto customers receive a small wireless telematics device that is quick and easy to install in the vehicle’s diagnostic port, which is usually located under the steering wheel. Customers canthen track their driving habits and savings online. The information on the online dashboard, which is only accessible by the customer, includes a detailed graphic of the customer’s driving habits that is updated daily. The discount is calculated monthly.

The data collected by Ajusto is subject to strict privacy policies and is not used for any other commercial purposes. The data featured on the dashboard is analyzed by Desjardins Insurance on a confidential basis solely to determine savings.

Desjardins Insurance also offers a similar program, Intelauto, to clients of The Personal Insurance Company, a Canadian leader in group insurance. Ajusto and Intelauto are currently the only usage-based insurance programs to be approved by the Financial Services Commission of Ontario (FSCO) after passing a stringent review process. Both programs are also being launched today in Quebec, and will be offered in other provinces, following regulatory approvals.

While usage-based insurance programs are common in the United States, Britain and Europe, the Ajusto and Intelauto programs are a made in Canada solution. The wireless telematics device was developed by iMetrik, a Montreal-based technology company, and both programs run on Canada’s largest high-speed mobile network with Bell.

For detailed information on the Ajusto and Intelauto programs, please visit http://www.ajusto.com/qc/en or www.intelauto.ca.

For an overview of Ajusto, go to www.youtube.com/mouvementdesjardins.