Nine stories in the news today, May 18

Nine stories in the news for Thursday, May 18

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CANADA BACKS CALL FOR MAGNITSKY ACT

Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland says the government has agreed to create a so-called Magnitsky Act to expand Canada’s international sanctions law to target gross human rights violators. In the House of Commons last night, Freeland said human rights are a non-partisan issue and she looks forward to working with the opposition on this initiative. Whistleblower Sergei Magnitsky died in a Moscow prison in 2009 after accusing officials of a $230-million tax fraud.

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UPDATED

Steam-powered passenger train passed through Medicine Hat on Friday

5h ago

Medicine Hat Public Library Comic Con taking place May 4

8h ago

Young minds, big ideas: Elementary students learn about urban planning with 'Box City'

Apr 25, 2024

ONTARIO AUTISM PROGRAM TO OFFER DIRECT FUNDING

Ontario families of children with autism will be able to choose between using government-funded services or receiving funding to pay for private therapy, as part of an overhauled program, The Canadian Press has learned. The Liberal government is set to announce today that the $533-million Ontario Autism Program beginning next month will soon include a direct funding option, something families have long been clamouring for.

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TRANSGENDER COMMUNITY URGES TRAVEL RULES CHANGE

The transgender community and the federal NDP are urging the Trudeau government to change a travel regulation that could prevent transgender people from boarding planes. The federal regulation prohibits airlines from transporting anyone who does not appear to be of the gender indicated on the identification presented. Justin Trudeau expressed support for the change before becoming prime minister.

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FEDERAL CARBON TAX PLAN EXPECTED TODAY

Provinces have until the end of 2018 to introduce a price on carbon or Ottawa will impose its own model instead, a technical paper on the federal carbon-pricing scheme will say today. It proposes giving provinces three options for pricing carbon: legislate their own levy on emissions starting at $10 a tonne, legislate their own cap-and-trade system, or use a hybrid model largely based on Alberta’s program.

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BORDER AGENCY WATCHDOG STUDY UNDERWAY

The Trudeau government has hired a former top public servant to study options for more robust oversight of Canada’s border agency — the latest sign the agency could soon have new people looking over its shoulder. Former Privy Council clerk Mel Cappe expects to complete his report by the end of the month on whether enhanced review of the Canada Border Services Agency is needed and, if so, how that could best be accomplished.

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STUDY FLAGS TERRORISM CROWDFUNDING CONCERNS

Canada’s money-laundering watchdog is studying the use of crowdfunding platforms by suspected terrorists and says there is a “significant challenge” in trying to identify such transactions. The Fintrac report, obtained by The Canadian Press through an Access to Information request, says there is a lack of information in electronic fund transfer reports on contributors to crowdfunding campaigns.

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BERNIER AND O’LEARY PITCH AS TORY TWO-FER

Celebrity businessman Kevin O’Leary dropped out of the Conservative leadership race and pledged to back Quebec MP Maxime Bernier’s campaign all the way to decision day, but the duo are also working on a plan for afterwards. Bernier says that if he wins, he expects to continue having O’Leary as part of his inner political circle for the next two years and then perhaps persuade him to run for a seat in the House of Commons.

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TEEN IN SCHOOL SHOOTING SAYS HE WASN’T BULLIED

A sentencing hearing for a teen gunman in a deadly shooting at a home and a school in northern Saskatchewan is seeing a police interview with the shooter. In the hours-long video, an officer asks the teen if he ever felt bullied and the teen says no. The teen has pleaded guilty to two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of second-degree murder and seven counts of attempted murder for the shooting in La Loche in January 2016.

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JUDGE TO DELIVER VERDICT IN WIFE’S MURDER

A judge is to deliver a verdict today for a man who says he was acting in self-defence when he strangled his wife and buried her body in their basement almost five years ago. Allan Shyback, 40, is charged with second-degree murder and causing an indignity to a human body in the slaying of 31-year-old Lisa Mitchell, who was last seen alive in Calgary in October 2012.

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ALSO IN THE NEWS TODAY:

— Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will meet with Washington Governor Jay Inslee in Seattle before visiting B.C.

— The Transportation Safety Board of Canada will release its investigation report into a 2015 Air Canada crash landing in Halifax.

— Statistics Canada will update Canada’s international transactions in securities, employment insurance and travel data for March.

— The Canadian Taxpayers Federation will release a report with updated calculations on gas taxes.

— Alberta’s environment minister will announce energy-efficiency incentives to businesses, non-profits and institutions.

— Federal Transport Minister Marc Garneau will give a speech in Edmonton on the future of freight rail.

— The Fraser Institute will release a new study examining Canada’s health-care system wait times and what they cost patients.

The Canadian Press