In the news today, Feb. 23

Feb 23, 2018 | 12:45 AM

Six stories in the news for Friday, Feb. 23

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SYSTEM FAILED TINA FONTAINE, SAY INDIGENOUS LEADERS

A walk will be held in Winnipeg today to honour Tina Fontaine, a day after the man accused of killing her was found not guilty. A jury acquitted Raymond Cormier, 56, of second-degree murder after 11 hours of deliberation. The verdict was met with anger and sadness by Indigenous leaders who say the 15-year-old girl was completely let down by the social safety net that was supposed to protect her.

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SENTENCING DECISION TODAY IN LA LOCHE SHOOTING

A judge is expected to decide today whether a young man who shot and killed four people at a school and a home in northern Saskatchewan should be sentenced as an adult or a youth. He cannot be identified because he was just shy of his 18th birthday when he committed the crimes in La Loche. A sentencing hearing had been held in Meadow Lake, Sask., but the judge will make her ruling in La Loche.

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WYNNE, COUILLARD IN WASHINGTON TO TALK TRADE

Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne and Quebec’s Philippe Couillard will discuss trade with the governors of several U.S. states today in Washington, D.C.  Some governors have proven to be influential voices in the effort to save NAFTA. The governors are in the U.S. capital for their annual winter meetings.

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CANADA CALLED OUT ON INDIGENOUS HEALTH

Canada’s appalling record on Indigenous health is undermining its efforts to be a global health leader. That’s according to research published in The Lancet, one of the world’s most prestigious medical journals. It is showcasing the Canadian medical system and calls on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to start backing up his lofty rhetoric about Indigenous health with concrete action.

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TRUCE CALLED IN B.C.-ALBERTA TRADE WAR

Alberta and B.C. have called a truce of sorts in their dispute over the flow of oil through pipelines from one province to the other. B.C. Premier John Horgan says the courts will decide if his province has the legal power to restrict the flow of oil that would increase if the Trans Mountain pipeline extension goes ahead. Alberta’s Premier Rachel Notley says she is confident the courts will rule in favour of her province.

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RECORD DAY FOR CANADA AT THE PYEONGCHANG GAMES

First it was B.C.’s Kelsey Serwa winning gold and best friend Brittany Phelan of Quebec capturing silver in the women’s skicross final. Then Kaetlyn Osmond of Marystown, N.L., captured a bronze medal in women’s figure skating — Canada’s 27th medal overall — one more than the 26 Canada had won in Vancouver in 2010. In Pyeongchang this morning, the Kevin Koe rink dropped a 7-5 decision to Switzerland in the bronze medal match in men’s curling.

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ALSO IN THE NEWS TODAY:

— Prime Minister Justin Trudeau continues his visit to India.

— The Royal Bank will release its first-quarter results.

— StatsCanada will release the consumer price index for January.

— Ontario NDP Leader Andrea Horwath will lay out some of her campaign priorities in Toronto.

— N.L. Premier Dwight Ball announces changes regarding the harassment free workplace policy for core government departments.

— The consortium behind Montreal’s new Champlain Bridge will provide an update on the project.

 

The Canadian Press