By Canadian Press

The Tuesday news briefing: An at-a-glance survey of some top stories

Nov 1, 2016 | 1:45 PM

Highlights from the news file for Tuesday, Nov. 1

MORNEAU SAYS DEBT TO RISE BY BILLIONS: Finance Minister Bill Morneau says the country is on track to pile another $31.8 billion onto the national debt over the next five years. Morneau says that’s largely due to the “new norm” of slower economic growth. In a fall economic statement Tuesday, he also announced the creation of a new infrastructure bank meant to counteract the slump. Fresh projections predict the treasury will run a total of $114.9 billion in deficits between 2016-17 and 2020-21.

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STATCAN SAYS ECONOMY GREW IN AUGUST: Statistics Canada says the economy grew by 0.2 per cent in August, reinforcing expectations that the country is poised for a rebound in the third quarter. The measure of real gross domestic product in August matched the expectations of economists, according to Thomson Reuters, and it came as the July figure was revised lower to show an increase of 0.4 per cent compared with an initial reading of 0.5 per cent. Economists note that the results so far put the economy on track for a strong bounce back for the third quarter.

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closing arguments

Crown refutes self-defence claims for Nanaimo woman on trial for murder/dismembering ex-boyfriend

4h ago

rental rules

Thousands of short-term rentals go back to long-term May 1: B.C. government

7h ago

sweet sounds

Nanaimo woman tries to coax trapped killer calf out of tidal lagoon with her violin

12h ago

VARIABLE-RATE MORTGAGES ON THE RISE: TD Bank has raised the interest rate it charges customers with variable-rate mortgages amid the changes to the mortgage insurance rules announced by Ottawa last month. The big Canadian bank increased its TD Mortgage Prime rate to 2.85 per cent from 2.7 per cent, effective Tuesday. TD says it regularly reviews its rates and adjusts them based on a number of factors, including the cost that the bank pays to fund mortgages.

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POLOZ LOOKS TO OTTAWA TO ADDRESS DEBT RISKS: Bank of Canada governor Stephen Poloz says risks from household debt and the housing market will be better addressed by the government’s recent policy moves, not by adjusting interest rates. Speaking in 
Vancouver on Tuesday, the head of Canada’s central bank said adjusting interest rates is a “very blunt tool,” which has widespread effects. Household debt levels have hit record levels in recent years and housing markets have boomed, helped by low interest rates.

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OFFICER TESTIFIES AT PYTHON TRIAL: An RCMP officer says a 45-kilogram python lunged, snapped its jaws, and made “growling noises” when it was forced back into its pen after killing two sleeping boys. Const. Stephane Dugas described the scene on the morning of Aug. 5, 2013, shortly after Jean-Claude Savoie, who is facing trial for criminal negligence in the boys’ deaths, called 911. Dugas told a New Brunswick jury that he found Savoie wearing a bloody shirt, two boys who were beyond medical help, and a 4.7-metre snake in the laundry room.

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OFFICIAL SAYS MUSKRAT FALLS FLOODING MUST BEGIN SOON: The man in charge of the Muskrat Falls megaproject says that unless a controversial reservoir is flooded within three weeks, its construction site could be inundated with water from the Churchill River as winter sets in and temperatures plunge. Stan Marshall, CEO of Nalcor Energy, says the Crown corporation is keen to start flooding this weekend, but it is anxiously waiting for provincial approval. He says he’s concerned the hydroelectric project could be put at risk if the reservoir isn’t ready in time for winter freeze-up.

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CORRIVEAU GUILTY OF FRAUD: Former Liberal organizer Jacques Corriveau has been found guilty of three fraud-related charges in connection with the federal sponsorship program. The 83-year-old Corriveau was charged with fraud against the government, forgery and laundering proceeds of crime between 1997 and 2003. His lawyer says Corriveau is in poor health, and his wife will be making a presentation to the court with regard to his sentencing.

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MAILBOXES GETTING NEW LOCKS: After an “unacceptable” number of complaints about frozen mailboxes, Canada Post is replacing the locks on thousands of community mailboxes stretching from Eastern Ontario into Quebec and the east coast. Customers whose mailbox locks are being replaced will be sent a new set of keys about two weeks before the change is made. The previous locks were particularly susceptible to freezing rain and flash freezes — but the new locks have been tested to withstand such conditions.

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B.C. COURT APPROVES CHRISTIAN LAW SCHOOL: A private British Columbia university is one step closer to opening a Christian law school. The B.C. Court of Appeal has ruled a move by the province’s law society to deny accreditation to future law graduates of Trinity Western University is “unreasonable.” At issue is a so-called community covenant that all Trinity Western students must sign that bans sexual intimacy outside of heterosexual marriage. The Law Society of B.C. has argued the policy discriminates against members of the gay and lesbian community.

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CLINTON CAMPAIGNS WITH WOMAN DISSED BY TRUMP: Hillary Clinton is campaigning alongside former Miss Universe Alicia Machado, who was criticized by Donald Trump for gaining weight after winning her pageant title. Machado says Trump “does not respect women” and “just judges us on our looks.” As she introduced Clinton at an event Tuesday in Florida, Machado urged voters to send the message in the election that Trump isn’t going to get away with his insults toward women. After Clinton raised Trump’s treatment of Machado during the first presidential debate, he defended his position and stepped up his criticism of Machado.

The Canadian Press