The Monday news briefing: An at-a-glance survey of some top stories | iNFOnews | Thompson-Okanagan's News Source
Subscribe

Would you like to subscribe to our newsletter?

Current Conditions Sunny  11.9°C

The Monday news briefing: An at-a-glance survey of some top stories

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau meets firefighters, members of the Canadian Forces and RCMP officers in Williams Lake, B.C., on Monday July 31, 2017. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Highlights from the news file for Monday, July 31

———

TRUDEAU THANKS CREWS FOR EFFORTS FIGHTING B.C. FIRES: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau thanked those on the front lines of British Columbia's firefighting efforts as he stopped in Williams Lake on Monday. Trudeau addressed about 250 people from the fire service, police and military who have been helping keep the wildfires from overrunning communities in what has been a devastating fire season. He thanked the workers on behalf of all Canadians for "stepping up," saying it is reassuring for people to see everybody pulling together. The prime minister said different levels of government will work in the coming months to set things back to normal for communities damaged by fires. Dozens of homes have been lost as hundreds of fires have burned around the province. Several hundred residents cheered as Trudeau and Premier John Horgan emerged from a local recreation centre, and the cheering grew even louder as the fire service personal filed out of the building. Thousands of Williams Lake residents returned to their homes over the weekend after they were forced to leave July 15 when a fast-moving fire encroached on their community.

———

WHITE HOUSE SAYS SCARAMUCCI OUT AS TRUMP'S COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR: The White House says Anthony Scaramucci is leaving his job as communications director to give U.S. President Donald Trump's new chief of staff a "clean slate." That's according to a statement by the press secretary. Scaramucci "felt it was best" and wants to give John Kelly "the ability to build his own team," the statement says. Kelly was sworn in Monday as chief of staff. Scaramucci has been in the spotlight since he was first announced as communications director earlier this month. The New Yorker magazine published an interview Thursday in which Scaramucci went on a profanity-laden tirade against Reince Priebus, then chief of staff. Sean Spicer, who resigned as press secretary the day of Scaramucci's hiring, used the same "clean slate" language to explain his own departure 11 days ago. Spicer was in the White House Monday and has said he is helping during the communications transitions.

———

POLITICIANS ARE REPLACEABLE, CHRISTY CLARK SAYS: Former British Columbia premier Christy Clark says she thought about quitting as leader of her party a few times since the election night and feels her departure will give the Liberal party a chance to renew itself. Clark told reporters Monday there's nothing worse than a politician who doesn't know when it's time to go because they feel like they are irreplaceable. She says the timing is good for both her and her party, because she doesn't believe there will be an election in the fall. Her son Hamish stood by her during the news conference and he says it's going to be fun having his mom back, adding they have already purchased tickets to the theatre. Clark's resignation is effective Friday, and she will also be giving up her seat in the legislature. She says she has no immediate job plans but would like to get some gardening done and adds she doesn't anticipate going back to politics.

———

B.C. GOVERNMENT TO REVIEW REAL ESTATE MEASURES: British Columbia's new housing minister says she is reviewing the tax on foreign buyers of Vancouver real estate and the province's interest-free loan program to first-time homebuyers. In an interview, Selina Robinson says she and provincial Finance Minister Carole James are analyzing whether those measures brought in by the previous Liberal government were effective in stabilizing Vancouver's housing market and improving affordability. Before they won the May election, the NDP promised to bring in an annual two per cent tax on vacant properties, but Robinson says that too is under review. A year ago, the Liberal government implemented a 15 per cent tax on foreign nationals purchasing property in Metro Vancouver in an effort to cool skyrocketing house prices. From June 10 until Aug. 1, 2016 — one day before the tax took effect — 13.2 per cent of all property transfer transactions in Metro Vancouver involved foreign buyers, according to data from the B.C. Finance Ministry. From Aug. 2, 2016, until the end of last year, that figure fell to 2.6 per cent. The Multiple Listing Service composite benchmark price for all properties in Metro Vancouver was $998,700 in June, an increase of 7.9 per cent from the same month last year.

———

NATIONAL REVIEW URGED FOR INDIGENOUS HEALTH: Two researchers who documented unwanted tubal ligations and "inherent racism" experienced by Indigenous women navigating the health-care system in Saskatoon say a national review is needed to determine if other Aboriginal women have experienced similar trauma. Yvonne Boyer, a lawyer and a Canada Research Chair at Manitoba's Brandon University, and Dr. Judith Bartlett, a physician and researcher, released a report last week outlining how Indigenous women from Saskatoon and surrounding areas were coerced into having their Fallopian tubes clamped or severed after giving birth in a hospital. The experience of the women in Saskatchewan is likely not limited to the province, Boyer said, adding Indigenous Peoples have experienced racism and discrimination all over the country, including in accessing health services. A broader review would help determine the extent of discrimination across Canada, Bartlett said. The report says most of the women did not understand tubal ligations were permanent, noting they thought the procedure was a form of birth control that could be reversed.

———

OLYMPIC DECISION SHOULD WAIT, CALGARY CITY STAFF SAYS: Calgary's city administration says a decision should not be made on bidding for the 2026 Winter Games until the costs of doing so are better understood. A report highlighting some of the unanswered questions surrounding a potential bid is going before this week's council meeting. It echoes a bid exploration committee's conclusion last week that it's feasible for 1988 Olympics host city to have another turn, but it can't say yet whether it would be prudent. Municipal bureaucrats say right now it's impossible to predict the risks of a bid. Some of the unknowns include details of the 2026 bid process, what is in the yet-to-be-released host city contract and how other orders of government and the International Olympic Committee may be able help offset the costs. The administrators' report also raises concerns about the city exceeding an appropriate level of debt if it were to move forward with a bid. They are recommending the city consult with the Canadian Olympic Committee and the bid exploration committee to work out next steps.

———

BOYS TREATED GIRLS' PHOTOS LIKE BASEBALL CARDS, COURT HEARS: Six young Nova Scotia men treated the sexual integrity of girls as young as 13 like "bartering chips or baseball cards" when they shared intimate images of them without their consent, the Crown argued in its sentencing recommendations. The boys, who are all from the Bridgewater area, have admitted to forming a private Facebook group where they decided to exchange photos of at least 20 girls, ranging in age from 13 to 17, without their consent. They were scheduled to be sentenced Monday, but the case was adjourned until Sept. 6, due in part to the fact that one of the accused did not comply with the requirements of a pre-sentence report. Defence lawyers had also asked for more time after the Crown submitted a brief outlining proposed penalties. The 21-page document, submitted in Bridgewater provincial court, says the young men should be prohibited from using social media sites like Twitter, Facebook and Snapchat. It recommends against jail time, but says the six young men should be on probation for two years, with the possibility of reducing that.

———

COMMUNITY MARKS DECADE SINCE QUEBEC GIRL'S DISAPPEARANCE: Ten years to the day that a young Quebec girl named Cedrika Provencher disappeared from her home and was later killed, her grandfather is trying to ensure other children aren't the victims of similar attacks. The young girl was just nine when she vanished in 2007 from near her home in Trois-Rivieres, halfway between Montreal and Quebec City. More than eight years later, her remains were found in a wooded area. To date, there have been no arrests in her disappearance and slaying. Cedrika's grandfather, Henri Provencher, unveiled plans Monday to create a non-profit research centre aimed at preventing child abduction that will be linked to a foundation he helped set up in his granddaughter's name several years ago. The independent centre will follow up on projects of the separate Cedrika Provencher Foundation, but will be open to suggestions from other organizations or individuals interested in submitting their ideas on preventing the abuse of children.

———

COP ASSAULT A 'VERY SERIOUS BREACH,' JUDGE SAYS: An Ontario judge has cleared a man on a drunk driving charge after finding that he was assaulted by a Toronto police officer while waiting to take a breathalyzer test after his arrest. In a decision released earlier this month, Ontario Court Judge Joseph Bovard says the assault on Jong-Won Jung constituted a "very serious breach" of his rights and as a result, the test results cannot be admitted as evidence. Bovard also said he could not believe the testimony of the two officers who carried out the arrest, calling it vague and evasive and suggesting they were "not forthright with the court." He further noted that one of the officers, Const. Amanpreet Gill, "demonstrated a belligerent and demeaning attitude" towards Jung at times — for example, telling him to urinate in the back seat of the police cruiser when he expressed an urgent need for a bathroom. Jung was arrested last year after he failed a late-night roadside breath test and both he and his girlfriend were taken to the police station. The court decision says Jung took a first breath test at the station and was struck by Gill while waiting, handcuffed to a bench, to take a second test.

———

CBC TO REVEAL DETAILS FOR 'THE NATIONAL': CBC's "The National" plans to reveal its new anchors on Tuesday, giving viewers more insight into the direction it hopes to take with its flagship news program. The announcement comes after the public broadcaster said that it is revamping the format of the hour-long nightly news package. Among the changes, CBC News has already confirmed it will put more than one host in the anchor seat as it looks to appeal to a younger and more diverse audience. Veteran broadcaster Peter Mansbridge stepped down from "The National" earlier this month after nearly 30 years as an anchor and chief correspondent. CBC has been scouting candidates from within and outside the organization in recent months, leading to speculation over who could take one of the broadcaster's most coveted jobs. On the list of expected favourites are CBC veterans like Ian Hanomansing and Rosemary Barton, while other viewers have suggested foreign correspondent Adrienne Arsenault as a potential contender. The revamped edition of "The National" is slated to debut in mid-October.

News from © The Canadian Press, 2017
The Canadian Press

  • Popular kelowna News
View Site in: Desktop | Mobile