In The News is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to kickstart your day. Here is what’s on the radar of our editors for the morning of Oct. 19 …
What we are watching in Canada …
Mounties are mourning one of their own after an RCMP officer was fatally stabbed at a homeless campsite in Burnaby, British Columbia.
Deputy Commissioner Dwayne McDonald says the death Tuesday of Const. Shaelyn Yang, 31, will be felt by her colleagues who say goodbye to their loved ones each day when they go to work to serve their communities.
Police say Yang was partnered with a city employee when an altercation broke out at a campsite and she was fatally stabbed.
A suspect, who was shot and seriously injured, was being treated in hospital.
Burnaby Mayor Mike Hurley says the city worker who was with Yang was “deeply shaken” and the city is offering support to affected staff.
Homicide detectives are investigating the death, while the Independent Investigations Office of B.C., which looks into any incidents of serious harm or death involving police, is also reviewing what happened.
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Also this …
A coroner’s inquest into the death of an Indigenous teen whose body was found near a group home in Hamilton, Ontario, will begin hearing closing arguments today.
The inquest examining the death of Devon Freeman has heard the 16-year-old was reported missing from the Lynwood Charlton Centre group home in the Flamborough area of Hamilton in the fall of 2017 and found dead in April of 2018.
The inquest, which began three weeks ago, has explored systemic issues that played a role in the teen’s death, including public policy and legal issues related to Indigenous children and youth in the child-welfare system.
Jurors have heard testimony from many people who were involved in Freeman’s life, including child welfare experts, a children’s aid worker, the teen’s psychiatrist and his grandmother.
Closing arguments are expected to conclude on Thursday.
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And this …
Statistics Canada is expected to release September inflation numbers this morning.
In August, Canada’s annual inflation rate slowed to 7.0 per cent, largely driven by the price of gasoline falling, but the cost of groceries continued to climb.
RBC expects the annual inflation rate to come in at 6.7 per cent for September.
At the same time, the bank says core measures of inflation, which are less volatile, are unlikely to decline because of strong demand for services in the economy.
The latest CPI report will come one week ahead of the Bank of Canada’s next interest rate decision.
What we are watching in the U.S. …
U.S. President Joe Biden will announce the release of 15 million barrels of oil from America’s strategic reserve today as part of a response to recent production cuts announced by OPEC+ nations.
That’s according to senior administration officials who spoke Tuesday on the condition of anonymity to outline Biden’s plans. He will also say more oil sales are possible this winter, as his administration rushes to be seen as pulling out all the stops ahead of next month’s midterm elections.
The strategic reserve now contains roughly 400 million barrels of oil, its lowest level since 1984.
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What we are watching in the rest of the world …
The United Nations Security Council is expected to vote today on a resolution that would demand an immediate end to violence and criminal activity in Haiti.
According to the final draft obtained by The Associated Press, the resolution would impose sanctions on influential gang leader Jimmy “Barbecue” Cherizier and other Haitian individuals and groups who engage in actions that threaten the peace, security or stability of the Western Hemisphere’s poorest country.
Daily life in Haiti began to spin out of control last month just hours after Prime Minister Ariel Henry said fuel subsidies would be eliminated.
The impoverished nation has been gripped by inflation, violence and protests, with political instability simmering since the 2021 assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moise.
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On this day in 1957 …
Maurice (Rocket) Richard of the Montreal Canadiens became the first NHL player to score 500 career goals. He did it in 863 games. Richard retired in 1960 with a then-record 544 goals. He died of abdominal cancer on May 27, 2000.
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In entertainment …
A man with a distinctive back tattoo is suing Cardi B, with his lawyers saying he was humiliated after the rapper allegedly misused his likeness for her sexually suggestive mixtape cover art.
Kevin Michael Brophy has filed a $5 million copyright-infringement lawsuit against the Grammy-winning musician in federal court in Southern California.
Brophy alleges that he did not consent to such a use of his likeness. Cardi B was in court and is fighting the allegations.
Cardi B, who is expected to testify during the trial, is fighting the allegations.
She has said an artist used only a “small portion” of the tattoos without her knowledge.
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Did you see this?
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says she is apologizing for what she calls “ill-informed comments on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.”
In April, Smith said the only answer for Ukraine is neutrality, adding that she understands why Russia would have a concern with a western-aligned Ukraine armed with nuclear weapons on its doorstep.
Ukraine surrendered its nuclear weapons in the 1990s.
In February, she wrote that two regions of Ukraine feel more affinity to Russia.
On Monday, Alberta’s Opposition NDP called on her to apologize for her “tone deaf” and “cruel” remarks, noting that Alberta is home to about a quarter of all Canadians of Ukrainian heritage.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 19, 2022
MONTREAL – Quebec’s ombudsperson is warning that public services are becoming “dehumanized” in the province amid a rise in demand for them.
Marc-André Dowd released his annual report today, which highlights several examples of people receiving inadequate care across the health network in the 12 months leading to March 31.
One dying man who lived alone was denied help cleaning his cat’s litter box by his local health clinic, a service Dowd says should have been given for “humanitarian reasons.”
Dowd also describes staff at a long-term care home feeding residents “mechanically” and talking among each other — despite health ministry guidelines directing staff to maintain eye contact with residents.
The ombudsperson says his office received a record number of problems to investigate across the province’s public services — 24,867 compared with 22,053 last year.
He says his office investigated 13,358 cases between April 2023 and March of this year.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 19, 2024.
OTTAWA – French President Emmanuel Macron will visit Canada next week after a planned trip in July was cancelled amid political turmoil in France.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced in a statement today that Macron will be in Canada Wednesday and Thursday after the leaders attend the United Nations General Assembly in New York City.
Trudeau will welcome Macron in Ottawa on Wednesday, where they are expected to discuss collaboration on geopolitical issues including their ongoing support for Ukraine.
They are also expected to discuss ways to strengthen the response to emerging threats, such as disinformation.
In Montreal, Trudeau intends to show off the city’s artificial intelligence sector, while both countries reaffirm their commitment to work with counterparts on responsible use of AI.
The leaders will also discuss promoting the French language ahead of the Francophonie summit being held in France next month.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 19, 2024.
Health Canada has authorized Novavax’s updated COVID-19 vaccine that protects against currently circulating variants of the virus.
The protein-based vaccine, called Nuvaxovid, has been reformulated to target the JN.1 subvariant of Omicron.
It will replace the previous version of the vaccine, which targeted the XBB.1.5 subvariant of Omicron.
Health Canada recently asked provinces and territories to get rid of their older COVID-19 vaccines to ensure the most current vaccine will be used during this fall’s respiratory virus season.
Earlier this week, Health Canada approved Moderna’s updated mRNA COVID vaccine.
It is still reviewing Pfizer’s updated mRNA vaccine, with a decision expected soon.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 19, 2024.
Canadian Press health coverage receives support through a partnership with the Canadian Medical Association. CP is solely responsible for this content.
Note to readers: This is a corrected story. A previous version erroneously described the Novavax vaccine as an mRNA shot.
