By Canadian Press

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

Dec 19, 2016 | 1:00 PM

Highlights from the news file for Monday, Dec. 19

FEDS UP HEALTH-CARE FUNDING OFFER TO $11.5B AND 3.5% OVER 10 YEARS: Finance Minister Bill Morneau says the federal government has been unable to reach a deal with the provinces and territories on health-care funding. The federal government sweetened its offer earlier Monday in the face of withering criticism from the provinces, but they couldn’t reach an agreement. Morneau offered $11 billion over 10 years for home care and mental health, on top of a 3.5 per cent annual increase in health transfers to the province. That was up from the $8 billion and 3.5 per cent that was on the table at the start of the day. The provinces accused the Trudeau government of refusing to negotiate a new federal health-care funding framework, instead putting forward what the regional ministers consider a lacklustre take-it-or-leave-it offer.

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AT LEAST 9 DEAD IN BERLIN AFTER TRUCK RAMS INTO CHRISTMAS MARKET: A truck rammed into a crowded Christmas market in central Berlin on Monday evening, killing at least nine people as it tore through tables and wooden stands. Police said the driver was arrested nearby. The truck crashed into the market outside the capital’s popular Christmas market at the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church. Police said they were still investigating whether the crash was an accident or an attack. But it came less than a month after a U.S. State Department calling for caution in markets and other public places, saying extremist groups including Islamic State and al-Qaida were focusing “on the upcoming holiday season and associated events.”

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time served

Nanaimo man caught with over 30g of illicit drugs avoids additional jail time

8h ago

big return

Senior women's box lacrosse returns to Nanaimo after 10+ year absence

9h ago

environmental impacts

Accidental pump activation causes minor oil slick in Nanaimo marina

11h ago

RUSSIAN AMBASSADOR TO TURKEY ASSASSINATED IN ANKARA: The leaders of Turkey and Russia say the killing of the Russian ambassador to Turkey was aimed at ruining Russia-Turkey ties. A gunman shot and killed the ambassador at a photo exhibition in the Turkish city of Ankara on Monday. The gunman shouted, “Don’t forget Aleppo! Don’t forget Syria!” He shot ambassador Andrei Karlov repeatedly before police gunned him down. Russia has been involved in the destruction of rebel-held areas in Aleppo on behalf of the Syrian government.

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B.C. RECORDS 128 OVERDOSE DEATHS IN NOVEMBER: The number of overdose deaths related to illicit drugs in British Columbia leapt to 755 by the end of November, a more than 70-per-cent jump over the number of fatalities recorded during the same time period last year. The BC Coroners Service says the powerful opioid fentanyl remains present in a high number of the fatalities and was detected in 374 of the cases, or about 60 per cent of the deaths. In November, 128 people died from illicit drug use, an average of more than four a day. The highest number of deaths previously recorded for a single month was 82 in January.

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NEWFOUNDLAND MOURNS DEATH OF WOMAN SHOT IN JORDAN: The mayor of the small town of Burgeo, N.L., says she was stunned to learn of the death of a popular teacher killed in a terrorist attack in Jordan. Sixty-two-year-old Linda Vatcher used to live in the community before moving with her husband and two sons to Corner Brook, N.L., about a decade ago. Burgeo Mayor Barbara Barter says Vatcher travelled to the Middle East to spend Christmas with her son Chris, who was reportedly teaching in the United Arab Emirates. He was injured in Sunday’s attack. 

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VW CANADA DIESEL SETTLEMENT COULD BE WORTH $2.1B: Volkswagen has reached a tentative agreement that could be one of the largest consumer settlements in Canadian history. The $2.1-billion agreement would compensate Canadian owners of VW diesel vehicles caught in a global scandal over rigged emissions data. The Competition Bureau says Volkswagen and its affiliate, Audi Canada, have agreed to pay another $15 million for false or misleading marketing claims used to promote certain vehicles with 2.0-litre diesel engines. 

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FEDS WANT ‘MOOT’ EXPAT VOTING-BAN CASE HALTED: The federal government argues in new filings that proposed legislation granting long-term Canadian expats the right to vote will render a court fight over the issue moot. As a result, the government is calling for a year-long adjournment of a Supreme Court of Canada hearing — set for February — in which two expats were expected to challenge parts of the Canada Elections Act that have disenfranchised them. At issue in the legal battle is a ban on Canadians’ voting in federal elections if they have lived abroad more than five years. The government says putting the case on hold until the top court’s 2018 winter session would respect Parliament’s role in deciding important public policy issues.

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MONTREAL ORGANIZED CRIME FIGURE GETS 14 YEARS: Raynald Desjardins, a reported leading figure in Montreal’s organized crime networks with ties to the notorious Rizzuto family, was sentenced to 14 years in prison Monday. Superior Court Justice Andre Vincent agreed to the sentence, which was jointly recommended by the Crown and defence. Desjardins, 61, pleaded guilty last year to a reduced charge of conspiracy to commit murder. In exchange for the plea, the Crown removed the first-degree murder charge. The charges were related to the 2011 assassination of Salvatore Montagna, who was reportedly trying to take a leading role in a Montreal-based organized crime network.

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BOMBARDIER RESPONDS TO BRAZIL’S TRADE CHALLENGE: Bombardier pushed back against Brazil after it vowed Monday to launch a trade challenge against Canada over financial support for the aerospace and transportation company. Bombardier spokesman Olivier Marcil says the Montreal-based company is confident that all investments in the company “are fully compliant” with all World Trade Organization rules and regulations. Bombardier responded after Brazil’s Foreign Ministry issued a statement saying support for the company is incompatible with WTO rules and affects its Brazilian rival. Ottawa is looking to invest US$1 billion, which Brazil says is designed to ensure the viability of the new commercial jet by supporting sales at artificially reduced prices.

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INDIAN ACR SEX-DISCRIMINATION SUIT IN COURT: A woman’s long quest to be recognized as an Indian goes before Ontario’s top court Tuesday in a constitutional challenge that asserts she and others like her are victims of discrimination. At issue is a federal government policy that a father whose name does not appear on his child’s birth certificate is not an Indian. This includes cases of rape or incest, or where the man simply disavows his child. The result is that the child can lose several rights, such as being able to live on a reserve and access free post-secondary education. Tens of thousands of people are believed to be in this situation.

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The Canadian Press