By Canadian Press

In the news today, Sept. 4

Sep 4, 2019 | 7:31 AM

Five stories in the news for Wednesday, Sept. 4

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COURT RULING ON PIPELINE APPEALS DUE

The Federal Court of Appeal is to reveal today whether a new set of legal challenges to the Trans Mountain pipeline project can proceed. The federal government has twice approved a plan to twin an existing pipeline from Alberta’s oilpatch to the B.C. coast. Last year the Federal Court of Appeal tore up the original approval, citing both an insufficient environment review and inadequate consultations with Indigenous communities. The Liberals say they fixed both problems and approved the expansion a second time in June. Environment groups still say there are not adequate protections for endangered marine species that will be affected by tanker traffic picking up oil from a terminal in suburban Vancouver.

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LIVE UPDATES

Road construction, detours and traffic in Medicine Hat

6h ago

In the community

Medicine Hat public library screening movie to open discussion on addiction and recovery

22h ago

IN THE COMMUNITY

London Drugs' senior loneliness program back for ninth year

23h ago

BLOOD CANCER SURVIVAL RISING FASTEST: STATS

New statistics suggest the survival rate for blood cancer is outpacing the survival rate of any other cancer. The Canadian Cancer Society released data this morning that says overall survival rates have improved to 63 per cent — up eight percentage points since the early 1990s. The most gains have been among common blood cancers, including non-Hodgkin lymphoma, multiple myeloma and leukemia. The survival rate for these cancers increased 16 to 19 percentage points. Researchers say that’s largely due to advancements in precision medicine, which are customized treatments based on a person’s genes or other unique features of the cancer the person has. Society An estimated 21,000 Canadians are expected to be diagnosed with blood cancer in 2019, representing about 10 per cent of all cancer diagnoses that year.

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CENTRAL BANK TO MAKE INTEREST RATE DECISION

The Bank of Canada will announce later this morning whether it will follow other global central banks in lowering the overnight interest rate amid concerns about a weakening global economy. Governor Stephen Poloz is widely expected to hold the rate at 1.75 per cent as the bank delivers its first policy announcement — or public commentary of any kind — since early July. Many market analysts are expecting a shift in tone from the Bank of Canada that will crack open the door to a possible rate cut — or rate cuts — in the final months of 2019. They will be scouring the bank’s accompanying analysis of the global economy’s deterioration and what it means for Canada. 

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MAN IN TERROR CASE ORDERED RELEASED FROM DETENTION

A British Columbia man who glorified terrorism by the Islamic State group in multiple Facebook posts has been ordered released from immigration detention by the Federal Court nearly a year after the Immigration and Refugee Board deemed him inadmissible and a security risk to Canada. The court upholds a decision made in August by the immigration division of the board, which ordered Othman Hamdan released. Hamdan has been in custody since September 2017, when the Canadian Border Services Agency arrested him on the same day he was acquitted of terrorism-related charges based on Facebook posts calling for so-called lone-wolf attacks. The border agency said it would comment on the court decision today.

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STUDENTS LAUNCH GET-OUT-THE-VOTE PUSH

A nationwide get-out-the-vote campaign targeting post-secondary students launches today, aiming to maintain gains in turnout at the polls among the nation’s youngest voters. The Canadian Alliance of Student Associations, in concert with three dozen student associations, will hold events and all-party debates and hit the streets with teams to make sure students are engaged during the campaign and plan to vote on Oct. 21. CASA ran a similar campaign during the 2015 campaign, but this time around it has expanded efforts to include digital voting reminders through emails and text messages to students who ask for the alerts. In its first effort, some 42,000 students told the association that they planned to vote — a number the group hopes to improve upon this time with the help of 36 campus associations.

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ALSO IN THE NEWS:

— A sentencing hearing is expected to continue today for a former Toronto pastor convicted of manslaughter in the death of his pregnant wife.

— Gender Equality Minister Maryam Monsef will an announcement today in Peterborough, Ont., on human trafficking.

— Statistics Canada releases its merchandise trade figures for July.

The Canadian Press