Gavilan Aircraft The Gavilan (sparrow-hawk in Spanish) http://www.gavilanaircraft.comhe deHavilland Beaver. President Peter Jaimes, is seeking to set up a manufacturing facility for Gavilan Aircraft of Canada in Montreal whose solid reputation as a centre of excellence for aeronautical manufacture and technology would be considered an asset to greater success in the sale of this reliable, multi-purpose (cargo/passenger/ambulance/aerial mapping, etc.) aircraft. The economy As the U.S. dollar continues to decline versus world currencies, Canada’s trade surplus declines to keep pace. Although the BSE crisis has had some effect, U.S. barriers to softwood lumber trade appear to have had little or none. The trend is expected to continue in the foreseeable future Quebec/Canada politics With no real leaders sparking the imagination, the country remains divided. The Conservative party does not have the means to fund an early election, so it appears that the Martin (Liberal) government will continue for a while longer. Some predict that the report of the Gomery Commission, which is due to be released toward the end of this year, will trigger the defeat of the Martin government early in 2006. The absence of vision, leadership and good government at all levels is somewhat worrisome and possibly acts as a deterrent to attracting competent candidates. There are even some who question the possible negative effect of this malaise on the buying habits of the Canadian consumer. [Note: The March 31 Maisonneuve MediaScout leads with an indicative commentary on leadership at the federal level: In an otherwise disheartening news day, MediaScout is encouraged to point out an example of — gasp! — Canadian leadership. No, not on Parliament Hill, that would be too revolutionary. The feat might seem incomprehensible, considering the Martin government’s complete inability to sound decisive about anything, yet Frank McKenna, the new Canadian ambassador to the United States, has taken a stand. … Speaking with American callers on C-SPAN, McKenna blasted the myth … that some of the 9/11 hijackers entered the US via Canada; warned that Canada will build its own meat-processing industry if the beef ban persists, causing jobs to flee north; and reminded Americans that they shouldn’t boil our relationship down to what “a few loose cannons” have said about President Bush, since the US has its fair share of [censored]ants too (not that he used those words). Can you believe it? Three messages. Three positions. Three clearly communicated ideas. All delivered under fire. Somebody contact the Prime Minister’s Office. We may have finally found a leader.] Oil prices There are predictions that the price of oil will reach fifty-six to sixty dollars, depending on who offers the prediction and the time range involved. There are differences of opinion as to whether Hubbert’s Peak http://www.hubbertpeak.com/4E4061BE35.htm[/url] of the announcement was encouraging, it was notable that our beloved New York Times relegated the item to Science and printed a cursory culling from a much more detailed Reuters story. REPORT ON THE ECONOMY: http://www.wednesday-night.com/Jacques-Report.asp