By Canadian Press

In the news today, June 18

Jun 18, 2019 | 2:30 AM

Four stories in the news for Tuesday, June 18

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TRANS MOUNTAIN DECISION DEADLINE TODAY

The federal government is widely expected to green light the Trans Mountain expansion project a second time today but, even with a Yes vote, construction is likely weeks, if not months away. The federal cabinet will be reconsidering the project at its weekly meeting this morning, nine months after the Federal Court of Appeal shelved the original approval, citing faulty Indigenous consultations and environmental reviews. Any decision isn’t likely to be announced until after the markets close for the day. Trans Mountain Canada, the federal Crown corporation now running the pipeline and which will oversee the expansion, says if the expansion is approved again, there are still a number of regulatory and commercial steps that have to happen before construction can restart.

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IN THE COMMUNITY

Medicine Hat's Mustard Seed adding new shelter spaces at Alberta government's request

4h ago

HOLIDAYS

Medicine Hat Kiwanis hosting Christmas dinner, applications due Friday

10h ago

IN THE COMMUNITY

'Compassionate Friends' offer peer support for bereaved in Medicine Hat

Dec 11, 2024

ELECTION TOOL LOOKS AT ETHNIC VOTE IMPACTS

A new tool launching today will help voters learn what federal issues are resonating in ethnic media and the potential effect on voting in this fall’s election. Andrew Griffith, a former director general with the Immigration Department, has partnered with Mirems — a firm that monitors and translates stories from over 800 ethnic media outlets. Together, they created a website called Diversityvotes.ca, that ties comprehensive statistics about Canada’s minority communities with ethnic media stories. Andres Machalski, president of Mirems, says he hopes the initiative will allow new and native-born Canadians to have a better understand the political issues being discussed and how they resonate among different ethnic groups.

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INQUEST INTO TEEN’S OVERDOSE TO CONTINUE TODAY

The father of a Victoria teen who died of a overdose last year says he wasn’t convinced of his son’s growing drug dependency until the boy was found unresponsive and had to be revived with Narcan, an opioid overdose medication. Brock Eurchuk made the comments Monday during a public inquest into his son Elliot’s death and will continue his testimony today. The BC Coroners Service called the inquest in March, saying the public has an interest in hearing the circumstances of 16-year-old Elliot’s death. His mother, Rachel Staples, told the five-person jury about her family’s efforts to help their son recover from serious sports injuries, saying it made him addicted to pain medications and eventually street drugs.

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FORMER VANCOUVER OFFICER FACES NEW EXPLOITATION CLAIMS

A former Vancouver police detective has been accused of kissing and groping two victims in a sex trafficking case while acting as their support worker. Separate civil claims filed in B.C. Supreme Court on Monday allege James Fisher used his position of trust, power and authority over the women to sexually and psychologically exploit them. The allegations have not been proven in court, no statements of defence have been filed and Fisher could not be reached for comment. Fisher was sentenced last year to 20 months jail after pleading guilty to breach of trust and sexual exploitation related to a teenage girl and a woman.

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ALSO IN THE NEWS:

— RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lucki will appear before the House of Commons health committee today as part of a study on forced sterilization of women in Canada.

— Library and Archives Canada makes an announcement today on the design of the first federal net-zero carbon facility.

— The trial continues today for David and Collet Stephan, who are accused of failing to provide the necessaries of life in the death of their son Ezekiel from meningitis.

— Statistics Canada will release today its monthly survey of manufacturing for April.

The Canadian Press