(TLN) Laval’s executive-committee has announced that four lots along the Rivière-des-Mille-Îles near the Arthur Sauvé bridge in northwestern Laval are being acquired by the city for the purposes of setting up a new riverside park.

“Protecting natural areas while expanding access to them by citizens helps make Laval a city that is urban in nature,” commented Mayor Marc Demers. “The west of the island will soon be enriched by a magnificent park alongside the river.”

According to the city, the acquisition of the lands will allow the consolidation of lots already owned by Laval in the area to link up the old Riviera beach and the Arthur Sauvé bridge, while allowing for the creation of a roadside halt with possible beach access on the Rivière-des-Mille-Îles. The purchase is costing the city $1.4 million.

Offshore tax cheats have something more to worry about. Two banks have agreed to give the federal revenue minister information from the accounts of a Caribbean financial institution to help the government crackdown on Canadian tax evaders.

The Federal Court of Canada has approved federal requests for seven years’ worth of transaction information from the Royal Bank of Canada and Citibank, N.A., related to accounts in the name of Cayman National Bank Ltd.

The Royal Bank and Citibank—neither of which opposed the federal demands—have 120 days to hand over records from Jan. 1, 2009, through Dec. 31, 2015, including account statements, deposit slips, cheques, bank drafts and wire transfer orders.

The Canada Revenue Agency plans to comb through the data to see if Canadian residents are using the Canadian dollar accounts, opened by Cayman National Bank, to transfer funds to Canada and avoid reporting taxable income from their foreign holdings.

The move is part of the government’s ongoing efforts to fight offshore tax evasion, said revenue agency spokesman David Walters. “The CRA is committed to combating the abusive use of offshore jurisdictions and protecting the integrity of the Canadian tax system.”

In an affidavit filed with the Federal Court, David Letkeman, an auditor with the agency’s offshore compliance section, says past investigations have confirmed that Canadian residents use accounts with foreign financial institutions to hide taxable income.

“In my experience, the expectation of such persons is that the CRA would not discover the entities, accounts and omitted income.”

In this case, the revenue agency has not yet identified Canadians suspected of an offshore tax dodge.

However, Letkeman says the agency was alerted to the possible Cayman ruse by a Canadian woman who voluntarily disclosed her dealings through a special program that allows those who come forward to avoid prosecution.

Documents showed the woman’s funds flowed from the Cayman Islands—through Cayman National Bank’s correspondent account with the Canadian branch of Citibank, N.A.—to a Canadian bank account in her name.

As a result of the revenue agency’s review, she was ordered to pay a total of more than $1.2 million plus interest for unreported capital gains related to offshore property.

The revenue agency acknowledges that some of the information it seeks from the two banks may already be in its possession as a result of federal measures that in 2015 introduced mandatory reporting of international electronic funds transfers of $10,000 or more.

However, the agency says, audits have revealed cases where Canadian residents attempting to conceal income and assets had periodically paid themselves “allowances” of less than $10,000 from offshore accounts.

Walters said the latest court actions are unrelated to the so-called Panama Papers trove of leaked data, which exposed the offshore dealings of many high-profile people around the globe.

The English actor & Musician Kenny Baker who played R2-D2 with the Star Wars films for so many years, has died after a 2 year battle with a lung condition.  Baker, who stood 3 ft 8 in (112 cm) tall, was 81, and died just eleven days before his 82nd birthday. He will truly be missed to all young and old.

Sagan Lewis, who played the character Dr. Jacqueline Wade on NBC’s St. Elsewhere, died on Sunday. Lewis was battling with Cancer for several years.  She passed away at her home in New York.  Her other TV credits include M*A*S*H, Moonlighting and Homicide: Life on the Street.

Product description

This recall involves Hampton Bay Fall River swivel dining and lounge chairs. The chairs are made of steel with a round swivel base and arm rests. The chairs have a red or green cushion, or are prepared for a custom slipcover with white liner fabric covering the cushions. Chairs were sold in either sets of two or as part of patio sets, which included accompanying patio tables.

Hazard identified

The base of the chair can break during normal use, posing a fall hazard to consumers.

Brown Jordan Services has received 21 reports of the swivel chair breaking in Canada, and no reports of injuries. Health Canada has not received any reports of consumer incidents or injuries to Canadians related to the use of this product.

Brown Jordan Services has received 410 reports of the swivel chairs breaking in the United States, including 16 reports of injuries.

Number sold

Approximately 16,000 Units of the affected products were sold or available for sale exclusively at The Home Depot and Home Depot Online in Canada. Approximately 265,000 units of the affected products were sold or available for sale in the United States.

Time period sold

The affected products were sold from October 2012 through January 2015.

(SOURCE: Government of Canada)

This recall involves certain Kohler portable generators.  The generators have black frame assemblies and blue fuel tanks with the name “Kohler” printed on a sticker on the fuel tank. Only generators with serial number 4528733735 or lower, and a manufacture date prior to 06 2016, representing the months and year of manufacture, are included in this recall. The affected products are CSA certified with CSA certification file number 261378.

Model numbers, serial numbers, spec number and manufacturing date codes are on a silver label placed on each generator on the lower black frame assemblies.

Hazard identified

The affected generators have a wiring error, posing an electric shock hazard to consumers.

Neither Health Canada nor Kohler Power Systems has received any reports of incidents or injuries related to the use of the portable generators in Canada or in the United States.

Number sold

Approximately 230 units of the recalled products were sold at distributors across Canada. Approximately 5200 units were sold in the United States.

Time period sold

The recalled products were sold from June 2014 through May 2016 in Canada and the United States.

(SOURCE: Government of Canada)