Seven stories in the news for today, June 28

Seven stories in the news for Wednesday, June 28

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FEDS CONFIDENT OF SOFTWOOD VICTORY

New U.S. anti-dumping duties on Canadian softwood announced this week were lower than expected and that has Natural Resources Minister Jim Carr hoping Washington is finally accepting that Canada isn’t subsidizing the industry. The U.S. boosted the import duties on Canadian softwood in the belief the industry is selling wood in the U.S. at rates lower than in Canada. Canada says there are no subsidies at all.

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Community talk

Information session planned for new arena and multiplex facility

15h ago

Trades in Sask.

Skilled trades need not limited to building homes

Apr 17, 2024

Raising concerns

Battlefords and Meadow Lake MPs weigh in on new federal budget

Apr 17, 2024

TRUDEAU: LIBERALS INHERITED $18B DEFICIT

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says his Liberal government has been keeping its promise to be fiscally responsible and blames the previous Conservative administration for being at least partly responsible for higher-than-expected deficits. He says the Liberals have remained consistent with their election promise to add about $10 billion in new spending for 2016-17, their first full year in office. But Trudeau argues that the Liberals had to deal with a baseline deficit of $18 billion after coming to power.

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JURY TO GET FINAL INSTRUCTIONS IN ALBERTA MURDER TRIAL

The fate of an man charged with killing a father, his toddler and a senior in Alberta is expected to be handed to a jury today. Derek Saretzky, 24, faces three counts of first-degree murder in the 2015 deaths of Terry Blanchette, his two-year-old daughter Hailey Dunbar-Blanchette and 69-year-old Hanne Meketech five days earlier. Saretzky has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

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TOUGH ROAD AHEAD FOR SARETZKY JURY: ADVOCATE

The Alberta jury in the Derek Saretzky triple murder trial has a difficult road ahead even after they finish their deliberations, says a former juror who suffered PTSD from his time in the jury box. Mark Farrant, who spent five months at a 2014 murder trial in Toronto and was later diagnosed with PTSD, is now an advocate for the need to provide counselling for jurors hearing horrific cases. Farrant says the Saretzky jurors have been bombarded with horrific images and it takes a toll every day.

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MONTREAL SUSPECT IN U.S. AIRPORT STABBING BACK IN COURT

A Montreal man accused of stabbing an airport police officer in Flint, Michigan, returns to court today to learn if he’ll remain in custody. But Amor Ftouhi, 49, is unlikely to be granted bond because of the serious charges and the fact he resides outside the U.S. Ftouhi is charged with committing violence at an airport by stabbing Lt. Jeff Neville in the neck a week ago. Neville was released from a hospital Monday.

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CANCER-DETECTING PROBE AIDS TUMOUR REMOVAL: STUDY

Canadian researchers have developed a fibre-optic probe that can detect errant cancer cells within healthy tissue during brain tumour surgery with close to 100 per cent accuracy and sensitivity. The hand-held, pen-like instrument, known as a Raman spectroscopy probe, is able to differentiate between cancer cells and healthy cells. The research is published in the journal Cancer Research.

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CHIEF’S ‘LAMENT FOR CONFEDERATION’ REMEMBERED

As Canada celebrates its 150th birthday, Chief Dan George’s family and friends are urging Canadians to reflect on his moving and visionary speech, “A Lament for Confederation.” The acclaimed actor and former Tsleil-Waututh Nation Chief delivered the address at Canada’s centennial celebration in Vancouver on July 1st, 1967. The speech forcefully critiques Canada’s treatment of indigenous people and calls on First Nations to “seize the white man’s instruments of success” to rise again.

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ALSO IN THE NEWS TODAY:

— Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada will provide an update on their response to the opioid crisis.

— Italian President Sergio Mattarella will meet with Prime Minister Trudeau in Ottawa before visiting Montreal.

— B.C. Finance Minister Mike de Jong will deliver his 2016-17 fiscal update.

— The team representing Canada in this year’s Invictus Games will be announced in Toronto.

— Canadian singer Michael Buble will be honoured at a ceremony by Gov. Gen. David Johnston at Rideau Hall.

— Ken Pagan, who tossed a beer can towards a Baltimore outfielder during a Blue Jays playoff game in 2016, will be sentenced.

The Canadian Press