By Canadian Press

In the news today, August 9

Aug 9, 2019 | 2:21 AM

Four stories in the news for Friday, August 9

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COMMUNITY SEARCHES FOR ANSWERS AFTER MANHUNT ENDS

The residents of Gillam, Manitoba are grappling with questions about how a massive manhunt for two murder suspects from B.C. ended in the unforgiving terrain surrounding their community. The bodies of the suspects were discovered Wednesday morning in dense brush near the shoreline of the Nelson River, within a kilometre from where several items linked to the two young men were found last week. Autopsies are being conducted in Winnipeg to confirm the remains are those of Kam McLeod, 19, and Bryer Schmegelsky, 18, from Port Alberni, B.C. The teens were suspects in the killings of  three people in northern B.C. last month.

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RETIRED MOUNTIE SAYS ANSWERS COULD COME IN HOMICIDES

A former RCMP assistant commissioner says investigators should be able to provide some answers about three homicides in northern B. C. even though the two suspects in the case are believed to be dead. The manhunt for Kam McLeod and Bryer Schmegelsky ended Wednesday when two bodies were found in dense brush in northern Manitoba. Mounties have said it could be difficult to determine a motive if the suspects can’t be interviewed. Peter German, who retired from the RCMP in 2012, agrees it will be hard, but says there is already some key evidence available that speaks to motive. German says at least one of the suspects seemed to be highly influenced by violent video games.

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MUNK LEADERS’ DEBATE PROPOSED FOR OCT. 1

A proposed leaders’ debate on foreign policy already has one confirmed participant, with Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer quickly accepting an invitation to join in the Munk Debates event scheduled for Oct. 1. The Munk Debates, which organizes several events on different issues each year,  has announced its plans for a federal election debate involving the leaders of the Liberals, the Conservatives, the NDP and the Green Party. The group says the event will go ahead once all four party leaders confirm their attendance, with a Sept. 24 deadline for replies.

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INUK WOMAN BIKES ACROSS CANADA RAISING SUICIDE AWARENESS

Hannah Tooktoo, an Inuk mother from Nunavik, Que., got off her bike Thursday, 55 days after pedalling across Canada to raise awareness about the suicides that are ravaging her community. Tooktoo, 24, started her journey in Victoria without knowing if she’d be able to finish. Eight weeks later, she arrived in Montreal’s downtown Cabot Square square to cheers and applause from supporters. “It has been really good for me — for my body, for my soul,” said the visual arts student from Montreal’s Dawson College. She called her tour, “Anirnimi Kipisina,” which means “Do not cut your life short ” in Inuktitut.  Tooktoo has so far raised $22,531 from online donors.

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ALSO IN THE NEWS:

— Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer takes part in a coffee & conversation event with the Sydney, N.S. Chamber of Commerce.

— Statistics Canada to release its labour force survey for July.

— Health Canada officials provide an update on steps toward national pharmacare.

— Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. to release preliminary housing starts data for July.

— Small Business Minister Mary Ng in London, Ont., to announce federal investments in support of local women entrepreneurs.

— Chrystia Freeland, Minister of Foreign Affairs, will meet with workers and businesses in Calgary, Alberta, and discuss the benefits of the new NAFTA. ———

The Canadian Press