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Monthly News

© 2013 Classroom Ready. All rights reserved.

SASKATCHEWAN

APRIL 2013www.classroomready.comFOR GRADES 8, 9 & 10

FEATURE 6Don’t Be Fooled This April

ENVIRONMENT 5The BP Oil Spill Trial

INTERNATIONAL 4Castro Era Drawing To A Close

INTERNATIONAL 3Who Will Be The Next Pope?

NATIONAL 2Taxes In Canada

SASKATCHEWAN 1Train Finds New Home


SASKATCHEWAN EDITION • LEVEL 2 CLASSROOM READY MONTHLY NEWS • APRIL 2013

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WORD POWER

1

VINTAGE: Representing an earlier period of history.

For 38 years, kids and those young at heart have enjoyed riding the colour-

ful miniature train at Saskatoon’s Kinsmen Park. However, the be-loved old ride didn’t have a place in the city’s multimillion-dollar plans to renovate and update the park. So the train ran its loop around Kinsmen Park for the last time on September 3, 2012.

Instead of sending the old train to the scrap heap, the City of Saskatoon put it up for sale. Luckily for those who enjoy the ride, it has found a warm, new home. Country Fun Farms, a 70-acre interactive farm located 10 kilometres east of Prince Albert, bought the ride for $10,000. They purchased the train, including the engine, three passenger cars, and caboose, as well as thousands of feet of track.

Ken and Shirley Remus own Country Fun Farms. For them, the ride is a part of history, an im-portant Saskatchewan landmark and memory. Riding the train is a tradition they hope to keep alive

for future generations.“My kids rode it and my grand-

kids rode it,” said Shirley Remus, “Ken and I drove into the city last summer on our day off just to ride it. It’s a Saskatchewan icon, not just Saskatoon... it’s enjoyed by kids all over the province.”

The miniature train was among several rides introduced to the park in the 1970s to make the park a fun destination for fami-lies. The train ride was especially popular, and even featured a wheelchair accessible caboose.

The couple will make some minor repairs to the train and add some covers for the rail cars. They hope to get the ride back up and running at their farm by this summer. The train will comple-ment other attractions at Country Fun Farms, including a petting barn, vintage carousel, mini golf course, and nature trail.

Meanwhile, the renovation plans for Kinsmen Park in Saska-toon include new rides, a larger ferris wheel, an ice skating loop, a water park, and a long slide. The

miniature train will be replaced by a longer train ride that will run the route of the former Kinsmen Park horse racing track. The extensive renovations are made possible by a $5-million dona-tion from Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan Inc. The revamped park is scheduled to open in 2014.

DID YOU KNOW?

Kinsmen Park is Saskatoon’s old-est park, having been around for over 100 years.

Train Finds New Home



WORD POWER

THE GREAT DEPRESSION: A period of extreme economic hardship that affected almost all industrialized countries during

the 1930s. During this time, large numbers of businesses went bankrupt and many people struggled with unemployment and poverty.

Many people circle the date April 30 on their calendars with

a certain amount of dread. That is because midnight on April 30 is the deadline to submit your income taxes to the government.

Income taxes are the main way that governments receive money. Both individuals and businesses have to pay the government a certain percentage of the money they make (which is their income) every year. In Canada, the amount of income tax is progressive, meaning that people and busi-nesses that make more money not only pay more taxes, but they also pay a higher percentage of their income than those who make less.

During the early part of Canadian history, the federal government didn’t rely on income taxes at all. Instead most of its income came from tariffs. Tariffs are taxes on the import and export of goods. At that time the govern-ment’s main expenses were things like national defence and the building of railways.

Even though other countries, such as the United States and Great Britain, charged income taxes, Canada intentionally avoided doing so. It wanted to attract immigrants to settle the country, and used low taxes as an incentive.

Income taxes were fi nally introduced in Canada in 1917. They were intended as a tempo-rary means to fund the country’s involvement in World War I. While the war eventually ended, income taxes never went away.

At fi rst, the government kept charging income tax because of the large debt it still owed from World War I. Then the Great De-pression hit in the 1930s. Faced with the widespread hardship caused by the Depression, govern-ments around the world, including Canada, took on a larger role in helping citizens deal with un-employment, lack of education, and poverty. During this time, Canada’s federal taxes doubled and most provinces also started collecting personal income tax.

Today income taxes are used to fund the government’s social safety net. Taxes pay for public education and Medicare, ensuring that all Canadians have access to a decent education and quality health care. They also pay for welfare, Employment Insurance, and Old Age Security, and in this way help people to deal with the challenges of poverty, unemploy-ment, and old age. Taxes are seen as an important tool in redistrib-uting wealth to create a fair and stable society, while avoiding the extremes of poverty and wealth that can eventually lead to injus-tice and confl ict.

DID YOU KNOW?

Alberta is the only province with a fl at income tax. This means that everyone pays the same percent-age of income no matter how much they make.

Taxes In Canada

© 2013 Classroom Ready. All rights reserved.2



WORD POWER

On February 28, 2013, Pope Benedict XVI resigned as leader of the

Catholic Church. The resignation surprised

many. No pope in the last 600 years has resigned. Most believe the job is for life. Pope Benedict, however, said he decided to resign due to poor health.

During the next few weeks, a new pope will be chosen by the College of Cardinals, the Church’s most senior offi cials. Only cardi-nals under the age of 80 can vote. There are 115 such cardinals from 69 different countries, and they will gather for a special meeting called a conclave. This conclave will be held in the famed Sistine Chapel in Vatican City.

At the conclave, the cardinals will discuss who they think the next pope should be. They will then cast secret ballots, four times a day, until one candidate manages to receive more than two-thirds of the votes. The conclave can sometimes last for days or even for weeks before a pope is chosen.

Whoever takes on the job as pope will face challenges. In recent years, the Catholic Church has been rocked by scandals. Also, the Catholic Church is con-cerned over its declining number of followers in Europe and North America.

There is also what has been called the ‘two pope problem’ triggered by Benedict’s resigna-tion. Although Benedict has resigned, problems could arise if groups become unhappy with the new pope’s policies. They could very well turn to the old pope for support—creating a political crisis within the Church. Benedict has announced his “unconditional reverence and obedience” to whomever the next pope will be, to minimize this possibility.

In the past, all popes have been of European descent, and most have been Italian. Some think the next pope should come from Latin America or Africa, where the Church is growing the fastest. The cardinals will also have to decide whether they want

a ‘traditionalist’—someone who will defend the old ways of the Church—or a ‘reformer’—some-one who will consider changes, such as allowing women to join the priesthood.

Among the leading candidates for pope is a Canadian, Marc Ouellet. Other strong possibilities are two Italians, Angelo Scola and Gianfranco Ravasi. Odilo Scherer of Brazil and Leonardo Sandri of Argentina are two potential candi-dates from South America.

Update: After fi ve ballots, on March 13, Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina was elected as the new pope. He has taken Francis I as his papal name.

DID YOU KNOW?

About 1.2 billion people belong to the Catholic Church. Of this number, 42 percent are from Latin America.

Who Will Be The Next Pope?

www.classroomready.com 3



WORD POWER

4

ONE-PARTY COMMUNIST STATE: In Cuba, there is only one political party, the Com-munist Party. It controls the government and doesn’t allow any form of opposition.

COLD WAR: Military and political tension between the U.S. and the Soviet Union from 1947 to 1991.

DIPLOMATIC: Having to do with the system by which nations carry on relations be-tween each other by building up trade, and making treaties.

Among the people of Cuba, the name has inspired many to adoration and

some to hatred. For Americans, the name has often represented a threat. For more than fi ve de-cades, someone named “Castro” has been Cuba’s leader, but that may soon change.

The Castro era began in 1959 when Fidel Castro led a revolution that overthrew the existing Cuban government. Castro took control of Cuba, turning the country into a one-party communist state with close ties to the Soviet Union.

This led to tensions with the United States. At the time, the U.S. was in the middle of a Cold War with the Soviet Union. Ameri-cans were alarmed at having a communist neighbour only 100 miles from the shores of Florida. The U.S. tried several times to have Fidel Castro overthrown, including sponsoring a failed in-vasion at the Bay of Pigs. To this day, the U.S. has no diplomatic or economic ties with Cuba.

Even after the Soviet Union

collapsed in 1991, the Castros have hung on to power. Poor health fi nally caused Fidel Castro to step down in 2008 at the age of 81. His brother, Raul Castro, took over. Raul was a part of the 1959 revolution and has been a key member of the Cuban government ever since. The 82-year-old Raul announced that he will step down from power in the year 2018. This opens the door for the fi rst Cuban leader not named Castro since 1959.

The likely successor is 52-year-old fi rst vice president Miguel Diaz Canel Bermudez. As a long-time supporter and member of the Castro government, it is unlikely that Mr. Diaz-Canel will bring in radical changes, but as a younger leader, he is seen as representing a new generation. He will be Cuba’s next leader by 2018, provided he can stay in favour for the next fi ve years. Several potential successors to the Castro regime have suddenly found themselves out of favour with the Castros, and banished

from Cuban political life. Diaz-Canel’s chances seem good, as he is the fi rst person to be offi cially named as inheritor to the Castro legacy.

For years, Cuba has relied on Venezuela for support. President Hugo Chávez of Venezuela was a huge supporter of Fidel Castro, but he recently died from cancer. The new Venezuelan leader may not be as willing to offer support, so Cuba may have to look else-where.

DID YOU KNOW?

In 1976, Pierre Trudeau became the fi rst Canadian prime minister to offi cially visit Cuba. Castro was among the world leaders in attendance at Trudeau’s funeral in Montreal in 2000.

Castro Era Drawing To A Close



WORD POWER

5

DEFENDANT: The person or group charged with an offence; the ones who are defend-ing themselves.

PROSECUTOR: A lawyer who works for the government in putting on trial in a court of law those persons who have been charged with a crime.

Three years ago, on April 20, 2010, an explosion on the oil rig Deepwater

Horizon in the Gulf of Mexico killed 11 workers. It also started a mas-sive, underwater oil spill. About 4.9 million barrels of oil gushed up from the sea fl oor, making the disaster the worst marine oil spill in history.

The oil spill killed sea life and damaged beaches and coast-lines. Businesses lost money due to a drop in tourism. Fishermen couldn’t make a living because so many fi sh and shellfi sh died. The health of people living in the area has been threatened by toxins in the oil.

Now that the oil spill is over and the clean-up is mostly fi nished, the focus has shifted to two key questions. People and governments want to know who is to blame and how much should they pay.

These questions will be considered at a trial that is just beginning in a courtroom in New Orleans. The U.S. Department of

Justice; the Gulf states of Louisi-ana, Alabama, Mississippi, and Florida; and representatives of private individuals and business-es harmed by the oil spill have all joined together in a lawsuit. The main defendant is the British-based oil company that operated the Deepwater Horizon oil rig, BP.

If BP is found to be “grossly negligent” in causing the oil spill, it could face the largest fi ne in history. This could total up to $17.6 billion. The prosecutors from the Gulf states are also demanding another $34 billion to pay for the long-term effects of the oil spill.

BP accepts some of the blame. The company has already paid $4.5 billion to settle criminal charges and another $7.8 billion to the people and businesses affected by the spill. However, BP executive Lamar McKay says others are to blame as well. He points to Transocean, the com-pany that owned the Deepwater Horizon rig, and Halliburton, the company that provided the ce-

ment for the oil well.Government lawyers, however,

believe BP is the main culprit behind the disaster. They say the company was reckless and tried to cut too many costs, sacrifi cing safety to make more profi t.

The trial will attempt to fi nd the causes of the oil spill, assign blame, and determine fi nes. The legal process will take several months to complete.

DID YOU KNOW?

BP used to be the world’s second-biggest oil company. Since the disaster, it has fallen to fourth place.

The BP Oil Spill Trial



WORD POWER

6

PERPETRATOR: Someone who does some-thing bad or is guilty of something.

BBC: The British Broadcasting Corporation; a TV, radio, and news media organization based in the United Kingdom.

If someone tells you some-thing that is hard to be-lieve—like aliens have

landed in Texas or the Canadian government has gotten rid of the GST—check the date. If it is April 1, then you should double check the facts of the story.

April 1 has become the day for hoaxes and practical jokes big and small. It is called April Fools’ Day because it is the day you try and trick someone into believing or doing something foolish. It isn’t an actual holiday, but it is recog-nized in many countries around the world.

No one knows for sure how the tradition began. Some point to the Iranian tradition of people playing tricks on each other on the 13th day of the Persian New Year, which falls on April 1 or 2. This tradition, called Sizdah Bedar, dates back to 536 BC. Others suggest the origins may relate to the ancient Roman festival of Hilaria, which was celebrated with amusements and games on March 25.

Some think April Fools’ may be related to a calendar contro-versy. In the old days, Europeans considered New Year’s Day to be March 25. The new year was cel-ebrated with a week-long festival ending on April 1. In the sixteenth century, Europeans began switch-ing to the new Gregorian calendar, which placed New Year’s Day on January 1. It took many years for the changeover to be complete and many Europeans still used the old date up to the late eigh-teenth century. It is thought that April Fools’ evolved from making fun of the uninformed people who still celebrated the new year on April 1.

Although the day centres around practical jokes, some cultures have unique traditions. In France, Belgium, Italy, and French-speaking Canada it is common for people to try and stick a paper fi sh on someone’s back without them noticing. If successful, the perpetrator shouts “April fi sh!”

One of the more famous April

Fools’ Day hoaxes was perpetrated by the BBC. In 1957, the BBC ran a news story showing Swiss farmers harvesting spaghetti from trees. Many viewers called in asking how they could grow their own spaghetti tree.

More recently, the Vancouver Courier newspaper fooled readers with a fake April 1 story saying that the city was building an un-dersea bicycle tunnel that would cost more than $340 million. The tunnel would allow cyclists to see undersea wildlife while commut-ing to and from work.

DID YOU KNOW?

April Fools’ Day is also called All Fools Day.

Don’t Be Fooled This April



Monthly News Q & A

7

SASKATCHEWAN

Train Finds New Home1. Why is the old train being removed from Kinsmen Park?

2. Where has the old train found a new home? For what will it be used?

3. When did the train fi rst come to Kinsmen Park and what was its purpose?

4. What will the Country Fun Farm do to get the train running?

5. What new facilities are planned for Kinsmen Park?

CRITICAL THINKING

1. Can you think of any special place that represents family fun or summer fun for you? Has a place you really liked changed? What do these places represent for you?

2. Why do corporations like the Potash Corporation donate money to improve a park?



Monthly News Q & A

8

NATIONAL

Taxes In Canada1. What is the link between taxes and April 30?

2. Explain what we mean when we say that Canadian taxes are “progressive.”

3. How did Canada make most of its public funds in the early days of its history?

4. Why did the Canadian government implement income tax in 1917 and why did they never remove it?

5. What is income tax used for now?

CRITICAL THINKING

1. How could extremes of poverty and wealth lead to injustice and social confl ict?

2. What happens in countries that have less of a “social safety net” than Canada?



Monthly News Q & A

9

INTERNATIONAL

Who Will Be The Next Pope?1. Why did the pope resign and why is this so unusual?

2. How is the new pope chosen?

3. What challenges will the new pope face?

4. What is the two-pope problem and how does Benedict plan to defuse it?

5. What are some of the choices the cardinals will face when choosing a new pope?

CRITICAL THINKING

1. Why do you think all the popes so far have been from Europe? Why might it be important for the new pope to be from somewhere else?

2. More than one billion people belong to the Catholic Church. What percentage of the people in the world is this?



Monthly News Q & A

10

INTERNATIONAL

Castro Era Drawing To A Close1. How and when did Fidel Castro take power in Cuba? How old was he?

2. What was the Cold War? When did it happen?

3. How did the U.S. try to de-stabilize Communism in Cuba?

4. Why did Fidel step down? Why is his brother resigning as of 2018?

5. Who will the next leader likely be? What qualifi es him for the job?

CRITICAL THINKING

1. Describe the type of government in Cuba. Why was this government a threat to the U.S. during the Cold War? Do you think it is still a threat?

2. What are your impressions of Cuba? If you have been there, write a brief description of your holiday.



Monthly News Q & A

11

ENVIRONMENT

The BP Oil Spill Trial1. What damage was caused by the 2010 BP oil spill?

2. Who is bringing a lawsuit against BP?

3. To what extent is BP taking responsibility for the disaster?

4. What do government lawyers feel is the cause of the disaster?

5. What work will be done at the trial?

CRITICAL THINKING

1. Some people think because of the diffi culty of spill clean-up, oil drilling shouldn’t be allowed in the ocean. What do you think? Why do companies choose to drill in such diffi cult places?

2. The focus seems to be on how much money BP should pay to make up for its carelessness. Is there any-thing other than paying money that they could be required to do?



Monthly News Q & A

FEATURE

Don’t Be Fooled This April1. Describe the roots of April Fools’ Day in Persia.

2. What parallels are there between the ancient Roman Hilaria and April Fools’ Day?

3. Describe the calendar switch that may have affected April Fools’ Day.

4. What is an April Fools’ tradition in French-speaking Canada?

5. How did the BBC trick people in 1957?

CRITICAL THINKING

1. What is the best April Fools’ joke you have experienced? If you can’t think of any in the past, write at least one way you can think of to fool someone.

2. Do you think April Fools’ Day is a good idea? What are the benefi ts?

12



The Papal Conclave

13

Once the conclave has started, the cardinals are sworn to secrecy. They are not allowed to communicate with anyone except other cardinal electors. They are searched for cell phones and pagers and all connections to the outside world are removed. They remain in the Vatican until the new pope is elected. The secrecy ensures the cardinals are kept free from any unnecessary infl uence.

The cardinals vote once on the opening day, and four times a day after that, two each morning and two each after-noon, until a two-thirds majority is reached. With 115 electors, it will take 77 votes. Votes are made by secret paper ballot, which are burned after each round. Black smoke signals that no decision has been reached. White smoke and bells signal that a new pope has been chosen.

After three days, if there is no winner, they take a day off for prayer. If the three days of voting-one day off pattern continues for more than a month, the choices are cut to the two leading candidates. Any baptized Roman Catholic male can be elected as pope, but every pope since 1378 has been chosen from among the cardinals.

Once the two-thirds majority is reached, the elected person is asked for his consent. Then the new pope will look out over St. Peter’s Square as he is introduced with the phrase, “Habemus Papam!” (Latin for, “We have a pope!”), before he gives his fi rst blessing.

Conclaves usually only last a few days. The longest one in the past 200 years was only fi ve days. The shortest conclave ever was 10 hours, in October 1503, while the longest papal election ran from November 1268 to September 1, 1271.

1. Why are the cardinals sworn to secrecy?

2. How often do the cardinals vote?

3. How many votes are needed to reach the two-thirds majority?

4. What happens after each vote?

5. What happens after the elected person gives his consent?



14

Crossword PuzzleSolve the crossword puzzle using the following clues. Note that the answers are words that have been used in the articles in this issue.

Created with Discovery Channel School’s PuzzleMaker.

ACROSS2. A lawyer who works for the government in putting on

trial in a court of law those persons who have been charged with a crime.

5. Military and political tension between the U.S. and the Soviet Union from 1947 to 1991. (2 words)

6. Cuba is a one-party _______________ state.7. Having to do with the system by which nations carry on

relations between each other by building up trade, and making treaties.

8. The person or group charged with an offence; the ones who are defending themselves.

DOWN1. On February 28, 2013, Pope _______________ XVI

resigned as leader of the Catholic Church.3. Someone who does something bad or is guilty of

something.4. Midnight on _______________ 30 is the deadline

to submit your income taxes to the government.5. The Catholic cardinals will gather for a special meet-

ing called a _______________.



A political cartoon uses symbols to exaggerate an opinion in a humorous way. The main purpose of the cartoon is to show you the artist’s point of view on a situation.

For each element in the image above, write a point or two about the element or how it relates to the rest of the image.

The newspaper

The people

Put all of the elements together and explain in your own words what the cartoon is saying.

Political Cartoon

15



16

Map Activity: Italy1. Locate and label the following countries:

ITALY ALBANIA ALGERIAAUSTRIA BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA BULGARIACROATIA FRANCE GREECEHUNGARY KOSOVO MACEDONIAMONTENEGRO ROMANIA SERBIASLOVENIA SPAIN SWITZERLANDTUNISIA

2. Locate and label the following cities:Rome Bern LjubljanaSarajevo Tirana ViennaZagreb

3. Locate and label the following islands:Balearic Islands Corsica Sardinia

Sicily

4. Locate and label the following bodies of salt water:Adriatic Sea Ionian Sea Mediterranean Sea

5. Create a colour legend for your map with the following:Italy Other Countries Salt Water

6. Draw and label the compass bearing.

7. Label your map:Italy and Neighbouring Countries



www.classroomready.com ssssssssssererererererererererererrerererereeee vvvvevev d.17

Map Activity: Italy



18

HEMISPHERESShade the hemispheres to which Italy belongs.

NW E

S

FLAGColour the fl ag as follows: three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and red.

SIZEDraw an object representing the size of Canada and another representing the size of Italy.

Canada Italy

AT A GLANCEFill in the following information from the paragraph above.

Area:

Population:

Currency:

Flag Colour:

NEIGHBOURSUse the map to help you fi ll in the countries bordering Italy.

Looking at ItalyItaly is part of the continent of Europe. It is a peninsula that extends in the centre of the Mediterranean Sea, northeast of Tunisia. Italy is slightly smaller than half the size of Manitoba at 301,340 square kilometres. Italy is located 42 degrees north of the equator, giving it a climate that is mostly Mediterranean. Italy has a population of 61,262,254 (July 2012 est.) and a currency called the euro (EUR) that is equal to about 1.35 Canadian dollars.



Monthly News TriviaStudents can work individually or in a group.

1. What is the largest city in Cuba?

A. Santiago de CubaB. HavanaC. Santa ClaraD. Las Tumas

2. Who claimed Cuba in 1492?

A. Ferdinand MagellanB. Hernando CortezC. Vasco Da GamaD. Christopher Columbus

3. How many people live in Cuba?

A. 11 millionB. 18 millionC. 27 millionD. 41 million

4. What is the literacy rate in Cuba?

A. 61 percentB. 74 percentC. 81 percentD. 99 percent

5. Who is the president of Cuba?

A. Raul CastroB. Valeriano WeylerC. Maximo GomezD. Fidel Castro

6. What type of government does Cuba have?

A. DemocracyB. EmpireC. Communist stateD. Monarchy

7. What is the capital city of Cuba?

A. Santiago de CubaB. HavanaC. Santa ClaraD. Las Tumas

8. What is the life expectancy at birth in Cuba?

A. 57B. 68 C. 78D. 85

9. When did Fidel Castro step down as president?

A. 2005B. 2008C. 2010D. 2012

10. When did Cuba gain independence?

A. 1902B. 1926C. 1945D. 1967

19



Monthly News QuizMatch the word on the left to the correct defi nition on the right. (4 marks)

_____ Cold War A. Someone who does something bad or is guilty of something.

_____ Defendant B. The person or group charged with an offence; the ones who are defending themselves.

_____ Perpetrator C. A lawyer who works for the government in putting on trial in a court of law those persons who have been charged with a crime.

_____ Prosecutor D. Military and political tension between the U.S. and the Soviet Union from 1947 to 1991.

Answer the following true or false questions. (4 marks)

1. Income taxes were introduced in 1945.

True False

2. On February 28, 2013, Pope Benedict XVI resigned as leader of the Catholic Church, due to poor health.

True False

3. The Castro era began in 1959 when Fidel Castro led a revolution that overthrew the Cuban government.

True False

4. If BP is found to be “grossly negligent” in causing the oil spill, it could face the largest fi ne in history, up to $2 billion.

True False

Complete the following statements in the spaces provided. (4 marks)

1. Midnight on ____________________ is the deadline to submit your income taxes to the government.

2. No pope in the last ____________________ years has resigned.

3. Fidel’s brother, ____________________, took over.

4. About ____________________ million barrels of oil gushed up from the sea fl oor, making the disaster the worst marine oil spill in history.

20



Monthly News Answer KeySASKATCHEWAN 1

Train Finds New Home1. Why is the old train being removed from Kinsmen

Park?The Park is being renovated and updated.

2. Where has the old train found a new home? For what will it be used?It has been bought by Country Fun Farms, a family attraction near Prince Albert. The train will comple-ment other attractions at Country Fun Farms, including a petting barn, vintage carousel, mini golf course, and nature trail.

3. When did the train fi rst come to Kinsmen Park and what was its purpose?The miniature train was among several rides intro-duced to the park in the 1970s to make the park a fun destination for families.

4. What will the Country Fun Farm do to get the train running?The buyers will make some minor repairs to the train and add some covers for the rail cars, and are hoping to get it up and running by summer.

5. What new facilities are planned for Kinsmen Park?The park will have new rides, a larger ferris wheel, an ice skating loop, a water park, and a long slide. The miniature train will be replaced by a longer train ride that will run the route of the former Kins-men Park horse racing track.

NATIONAL 2Taxes In Canada1. What is the link between taxes and April 30?

April 30 is the last day that Canadians can fi le their income taxes for the year without paying a penalty.

2. Explain what we mean when we say that Cana-dian taxes are “progressive.”

This means that people and businesses who make more money not only pay more taxes, but they also pay a higher percentage of their income than those who make less.

3. How did Canada make most of its public funds in the early days of its history?In the early days most of its income came from tariffs on imports and exports.

4. Why did the Canadian government implement in-come tax in 1917 and why did they never remove it?The taxes were intended as a temporary means to fund the country’s involvement in World War I. At fi rst the government kept charging income tax because of the large debt it still owed from World War I. Then the Great Depression hit in the 1930s and the government had to take on a larger role in helping citizens deal with unemployment, lack of education, and poverty.

5. What is income tax used for now?Today income taxes are used to fund the govern-ment’s social safety net. Taxes pay for public education and Medicare, ensuring that all Canadi-ans have access to a decent education and quality health care. They also pay for welfare, Employment Insurance, and Old Age Security.

INTERNATIONAL 3Who Will Be The Next Pope?1. Why did the pope resign and why is this so un-

usual?He resigned because of poor health. This is un-usual because he is the fi rst pope in 600 years to resign. Traditionally popes keep their jobs for life.

2. How is the new pope chosen?He is chosen by the College of Cardinals, 115 car-dinals from 69 different countries who gather for a special meeting called a conclave in the Sistine Chapel. At the conclave, the cardinals discuss who

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Monthly News Answer Key

they think the next pope should be. They will then cast secret ballots, four times a day, until one can-didate manages to receive more than two-thirds of the votes. The conclave can sometimes last for days or even for weeks before a pope is chosen.

3. What challenges will the new pope face?In recent years, the Catholic Church has been rocked by scandals. The Catholic Church also is concerned over its declining number of followers in Europe and North America.

4. What is the two-pope problem and how does Benedict plan to defuse it?Since popes have traditionally stayed in offi ce until they died, in living memory there have never been two popes alive at the same time. Offi cials are afraid that if people disagree with the new pope’s policies, they will appeal to the old pope and this could cause divisions. Benedict has announced his “uncondi-tional reverence and obedience” to whomever the next pope will be, to minimize this possibility.

5. What are some of the choices the cardinals will face when choosing a new pope?The cardinals need to decide whether to elect a conservative or a progressive pope. Faced with falling membership, there may be a push to elect someone who will revise rules about such contro-versial issues as the role of women in the church. They will also have to decide where the new pope should be from. Popes have always been European, but there are large Catholic constituencies in many other countries.

INTERNATIONAL 4Castro Era Drawing To A Close1. How and when did Fidel Castro take power in

Cuba? How old was he?Fidel took power by overthrowing the existing Cuban government in 1959. He was 81 in 2008, so that means he was born in 1927, so was 32 years old when he took power.

2. What was the Cold War? When did it happen?The Cold War was a time of military and political tension between the U.S. and the Soviet Union from

1947 to 1991.

3. How did the U.S. try to de-stabilize Communism in Cuba?The United States tried several times to have Fidel Castro overthrown, including sponsoring a failed invasion at the Bay of Pigs. The U.S. cut off dip-lomatic and economic ties with Cuba and hasn’t reinstated them.

4. Why did Fidel step down? Why is his brother resigning as of 2018?Fidel stepped down because of poor health. His brother is 82 and so one would think age is a factor in his planned resignation.

5. Who will the next leader likely be? What qualifi es him for the job?The likely successor is fi rst vice president Miguel Diaz Canel Bermudez. Mr. Diaz-Canel is 52 years old and a long-time supporter and member of the Castro government.

ENVIRONMENT 5The BP Oil Spill Trial1. What damage was caused by the 2010 BP oil spill?

The oil spill killed sea life and damaged beaches and coastlines. Businesses lost money due to a drop in tourism. Fishermen lost money and the health of people living in the area has been threatened by toxins in the oil.

2. Who is bringing a lawsuit against BP?The U.S. Department of Justice; the Gulf states of Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, and Florida; and representatives of private individuals and business-es harmed by the oil spill are bringing the lawsuit.

3. To what extent is BP taking responsibility for the disaster? It is accepting the blame to a certain extent and has already paid $4.5 billion to settle criminal charges, and another $7.8 billion to the people and business-es affected by the spill. However, BP says others are to blame as well, including Transocean which owned the Deepwater Horizon rig, and Halliburton, which provided the cement for the oil well.

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4. What do government lawyers feel caused the disaster?Government lawyers believe BP is the main culprit behind the disaster. They say the company was reckless and tried to cut too many costs, sacrifi cing safety to make more profi t.

5. What work will be done at the trial?The trial will attempt to fi nd the causes of the oil spill, assign blame, and determine fi nes.

FEATURE 6Don’t Be Fooled This April1. Describe the roots of April Fools’ Day in Persia.

There is an Iranian tradition of people playing tricks on each other on the 13th day of the Persian New Year, which falls on April 1 or 2. This tradition, called Sizdah Bedar, dates back to 536 BC.

2. What parallels are there between the ancient Roman Hilaria and April Fools’ Day?Hilaria was celebrated by the ancient Romans with amusements and games on March 25. It is a festi-val for fun, at the end of winter. People are feeling lighter by the time the long dark days of winter are over.

3. Describe the calendar switch that may have af-fected April Fools’ Day.In the old days, Europeans considered New Year’s Day to be March 25. The new year was celebrated with a week-long festival ending on April 1. In the sixteenth century, Europeans began switching to the new Gregorian calendar, which placed New Year’s Day on January 1. It took many years for the changeover to be complete and many Europeans still used the old date up to the late eighteenth century. It is thought that April Fools’ evolved from making fun of the uninformed people who still celebrated the new year on April 1.

4. What is an April Fools’ tradition in French-speak-ing Canada?In French-speaking Canada it is common for people to try to stick a fi sh on someone’s back without them noticing. If successful, the perpetra-tor shouts “April fi sh!”

5. How did the BBC trick people in 1957?They ran a news story showing Swiss farmers har-vesting spaghetti from trees. Many viewers called in asking how they could grow their own spaghetti tree.

The Papal Conclave (Page 13)

1. Why are the cardinals sworn to secrecy? The secrecy ensures the cardinals are kept free from any unnecessary infl uence.

2. How often do the cardinals vote?The cardinals vote once on the opening day, and four times a day after that, two each morning and two each afternoon, until a two-thirds majority is reached.

3. How many votes are needed to reach the two-thirds majority?With 115 electors, it will take 77 votes.

4. What happens after each vote?Votes are made by secret paper ballot, which are burned after each round. Black smoke signals that no decision has been reached. White smoke and bells signal that a new pope has been chosen.

5. What happens after the elected person gives his consent?The new pope will look out over St. Peter’s Square as he is introduced with the phrase, “Habemus Papam!” (Latin for, “We have a pope!”), before he gives his fi rst blessing.

Crossword Puzzle (Page 14)

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Political Cartoon (Page 15)

The newspaperThe newspaper headline says, “Pope Resigns” and talks about how he is making way for someone else as he is getting too old.

The peopleThe man is Prince Charles and the woman is Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom. He is calling her attention to the newspaper story.

Put all of the elements together and explain in your own words what the cartoon is saying.The pope just resigned from his position at the age of 85. He is getting older and his health isn’t doing well, so he feels it is best that he steps down so someone else can be appointed to the position. Queen Elizabeth is currently 86 years old and she is not showing any signs that she is thinking of stepping down. Her son, Prince Charles, is next in line to the throne. He may be wondering if it is ever going to happen and hoping that she will make the same decision as the pope.

Monthly News Trivia (Page 19)

1. What is the largest city in Cuba? B. Havana

2. Who claimed Cuba in 1492?D. Christopher Columbus

3. How many people live in Cuba? A. 11 million

4. What is the literacy rate in Cuba? D. 99 percent

5. Who is the president of Cuba? A. Raul Castro

6. What type of government does Cuba have?C. Communist state

7. What is the capital city of Cuba? B. Havana

8. What is the life expectancy at birth in Cuba?C. 78

9. When did Fidel Castro step down as president?B. 2008

10. When did Cuba gain independence? A. 1902

Monthly News Quiz (Page 20)

MATCH WORDSCold War D. Military and political tension between the U.S. and the Soviet Union from 1947 to 1991.

Defendant B. The person or group charged with an offence; the ones who are defending themselves.

Perpetrator A. Someone who does something bad or is guilty of something.

Prosecutor A lawyer who works for the government in putting on trial in a court of law those persons who have been charged with a crime.

TRUE OR FALSE1. Income taxes were introduced in 1945.

False. 1917

2. On February 28, 2013, Pope Benedict XVI re-signed as leader of the Catholic Church, due to poor health.True

3. The Castro era began in 1959 when Fidel Castro led a revolution that overthrew the Cuban gov-ernment.True

4. If BP is found to be “grossly negligent” in caus-ing the oil spill, it could face the largest fi ne in history, up to $2 billion.False. $17.6 billion

FILL IN THE BLANKS1. Midnight on APRIL 30 is the deadline to submit your

income taxes to the government.

2. No pope in the last 600 years has resigned.

3. Fidel’s brother, RAUL CASTRO, took over.

4. About 4.9 million barrels of oil gushed up from the sea fl oor, making the disaster the worst marine oil spill in history.

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