In the news today, Feb. 27

Jody Wilson-Raybould is warning that she won’t be able to speak freely today about everything concerning the SNC-Lavalin affair when she appears before the House of Commons justice committee. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau issued an order-in-council Monday waiving solicitor-client privilege and cabinet confidentiality provisions. In a letter Tuesday, Wilson-Raybould admitted that the waiver covers only her time as justice minister and attorney general. She says she can’t discuss any communications she had after she was moved to veterans affairs, her subsequent resignation from cabinet and the presentation she gave to cabinet last week that appeared to bring her back into the Liberal fold.

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BILL TO EASE JURY SECRECY CLEARS HURDLE

The House of Commons justice committee has approved a bill that would ease secrecy by allowing former jurors to discuss all aspects of a stressful criminal trial with a mental-health professional. Private member’s bill C-417, introduced by Conservative MP Michael Cooper, is now slated to return to the Commons for third-reading debate. The bill would amend a Criminal Code section enacted in 1972 to help make the jury room a confidential forum that encourages frank debate among jurors. The government says the section does not forbid discussing emotions during jury deliberations or the evidence that was presented in court, but does bar disclosure of information such as opinions expressed, arguments made and votes cast.

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B.C. DOCTOR WARNS AGAINST DEADLY MUSHROOM

A doctor is warning British Columbia residents about a deadly mushroom variety that is spreading along the Pacific coast. Dr. Omar Ahmad of Island Health says the so-called death cap mushroom can easily be mistaken for edible varieties and is responsible for 90 per cent of the world’s mushroom-related fatalities. Ahmad says people who eat death caps can experience abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhea within six to 12 hours. But he says a false recovery phase follows up to three days later and can prevent people from seeking medical help as toxins attack the liver and possibly the kidneys.

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NORWEGIAN POLITICIAN TO VISIT MOOSE JAW, SASK.

A Norwegian politician is flying halfway around the world to visit Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan and the prairie city’s rival moose statue. Linda Henriksen is the deputy mayor of a municipality in the Scandinavian country that recently bucked Moose Jaw’s Mac the Moose off top spot as the world’s tallest moose statue. Moose Jaw has launched a campaign to reclaim the title by making Mac’s rack a little taller. Henriksen says she sees the trip as a chance for the two communities to form a new relationships and potential tourism partnerships. Henriksen arrives tonight and is to spend a week touring Moose Jaw and attending her first live hockey game.

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ALSO IN THE NEWS:

— Statistics Canada will release its consumer price index for January, and payroll employment, earnings and hours results for December.

— Pre-trial motions continue today in the case of David and Collet Stephan, charged in the meningitis death of their 19-month-old son.

— Utility company Hydro One will announce plans to invest in significant infrastructure upgrades in the Ottawa region.

— Torstar Corp. holds conference call to discuss its fourth-quarter financial results.

The Canadian Press

by Canadian Press

In the news today, Feb. 27

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