Winter storm causes havoc across Canada, disrupts holiday travel

Strong winds, freezing rain and heavy snowfall closed schools, cut power to homes and cancelled flights across Canada on Friday as a powerful winter storm swept across the country, prompting authorities to warn people to stay indoors ahead of worsening conditions. The storm is connected to the same freezing weather system that has enveloped much of the United States ahead of the Christmas holiday weekend, thwarting travel plans and leaving more than a million homes and businesses without power. The storm was expected to affect about two-thirds of all Canadians as it moves across Canada's two most populous provinces, Ontario and Quebec, toward Atlantic Canada, said Environment Canada meteorologist Steve Flisfeder in Toronto. "Every winter we expect storms (but) this one is significant," he said. "We're seeing differing weather types that are all leading to different impacts ... affecting a very large population base in a short time span." Canada's second-largest carrier WestJet Airlines proactively cancelled all flights at airports in Toronto, Ottawa and the province of Quebec, citing bad weather. The largest carrier, Air Canada, also warned of delays and cancellations.<br/>