By Canadian Press

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

Jan 3, 2017 | 1:45 PM

Highlights from the news file for Tuesday, Jan. 3

REPORT SAYS TOP EXECS EARN 193 TIMES THE AVERAGE WORKER: Before lunchtime Tuesday, Canada’s highest-paid CEOs were projected to earn as much as the average working person does all year, says a report released by a think-tank that tracks executive compensation. Economist Hugh Mackenzie says the top 100 CEOs are getting an average annual paycheque worth $9.5-million, which is 193 times the average annual industrial wage. Mackenzie, who penned the report for the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, says the problem lies with the way CEOs earn the money, often with stock grants and options. He’s calling on Ottawa to end the tax break for proceeds from stock options. 

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SCHEER CALLS ON O’LEARY TO JOIN RACE BEFORE FRENCH DEBATE: Conservative leadership hopeful Andrew Scheer is accusing possible candidate Kevin O’Leary of trying to avoid an all-French debate in two weeks. Scheer released a statement Tuesday urging the Montreal-born businessman to formalize his candidacy and participate in the Quebec City event Jan.17. He says it’s obvious O’Leary wants to join the race and that he has an obligation to all French-speaking Conservatives to take part in the debate. Some Conservatives believe it is essential that Stephen Harper’s replacement has the ability to speak French. The celebrity businessman and reality TV host doesn’t speak the language and has stated he doesn’t need to in order to communicate with Quebecers.

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Making an impact

Nanaimo woman publishes books to open awareness of neurodiverse children

3h ago

iconic voice

Legendary hockey broadcaster Bob Cole, a welcome voice for a half-century, dead at 90

10h ago

first response

New staffing model on Gabriola Island hires local paramedics for enhanced patient care

15h ago

CROWN TO APPEAL RULING OVERTURNING OLAND’S MURDER CONVICTION: New Brunswick prosecutors say they will ask the Supreme Court of Canada for leave to appeal a court ruling overturning Dennis Oland’s murder conviction — while the defence says it may ask the top court for an outright acquittal. Oland was convicted in 2015 of the second-degree murder of his multi-millionaire father, but that verdict was overturned by the New Brunswick Court of Appeal in October. The appeal court ruled the trial judge erred in his instructions to the jury, and ordered a new trial in the bludgeoning death of prominent businessman Richard Oland, whose body was found in his Saint John office in July 2011. Lawyers are still waiting for the full, printed and translated decision of the Court of Appeal, which is to be released on Jan. 12.

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JUDGE SAYS TRAVIS VADER’S RIGHTS NOT VIOLATED: A judge is questioning the credibility of a man convicted of killing two missing Alberta seniors and dismissed part of a constitutional argument that his rights were violated in custody. A sentencing hearing continued Tuesday for Travis Vader, who was convicted of manslaughter in the 2010 deaths of Lyle and Marie McCann of St. Albert, Alta. Vader testified over several days that his rights were violated with an unlawful strip search, was denied proper access to a lawyer and was assaulted by guards and subjected to other cruel conditions while behind bars. Justice Denny Thomas dismissed part of the application dealing with the strip search and said written reasons would come later.

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HUNDREDS OF VETS WILL FEEL CUT TO MEDICAL POT: Nearly three-quarters of veterans whose medical marijuana is paid for by the federal government get more than three grams per day, while one in three receives the maximum daily allotment of 10 grams. The figures are contained in an internal Veterans Affairs Canada audit, which comes as the government prepares to tighten the rules around weed for veterans, including reducing the daily limit from 10 grams to three. The government cites skyrocketing costs and a lack of scientific evidence about the drug’s medical benefits in defending its decision to scale back the amount it will cover, which the audit suggests will affect hundreds of veterans. But critics have questioned how the government decided on three grams per day, while raising concerns about the impact on veterans who require more than that to deal with physical or mental injuries. The new rules are scheduled to take effect in May.

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HALIFAX FAMILY FLEES AFTER HOUSE WAS FIREBOMBED: A couple and their two children were forced to flee their Halifax home after it was firebombed, leaving neighbours — who said their well-manicured corner of the city’s west end is typically a quiet, safe place — bewildered. No one was injured in the spectacular fire, which saw flames roaring out the front windows, but the building is badly damaged. The family, which includes a 12-year-old girl and a seven-year-old boy, escaped into the cold with only the clothing they were wearing, and some didn’t have boots or shoes on, said Red Cross spokesman Dan Bedell. A tenant living in an upstairs apartment was not home at the time, he said. Const. Dianne Penfound said police believe the building, at the corner of Chebucto Road and Quinn Street, was deliberately set on fire at about 11:30 p.m. Monday.

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PROVINCES DIG IN HEELS ON HEALTH FUNDING: The federal government’s push to close bilateral health-funding deals with individual provinces and territories appears to be losing momentum. After talks to establish a national funding framework fell apart last month, the feds reached side deals with New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador. But health and finance ministers from the 10 other provinces and territories are now repeating their call on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to meet face to face with the premiers to resume those discussions. In a letter to their federal counterparts, they say they rejected Ottawa’s latest offer — increasing health transfers by 3.5 per cent per year and $11.5 billion in targeted funding over 10 years — because it simply wasn’t enough. Trudeau spokeswoman says there are no immediate plans for a first ministers meeting on health.

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VIDEO SHOWS MAN BELIEVED TO BE NIGHTCLUB ATTACKER IN TURKEY: An eerie video emerged Tuesday of a man believed to be the attacker who killed 39 people in a mass shooting at a nightclub, showing him taking a selfie as he silently toured Istanbul’s most famous square. It wasn’t immediately clear if the video was made before or after the New Year’s massacre at the Reina nightclub, or how it was obtained. The gunman, who hasn’t been publicly identified, is still at large. Media reports said the gunman flew to Istanbul from Kyrgyzstan with his wife and children on Nov. 20. From there, they drove to the Turkish capital, Ankara, before arriving two days later in Konya. The family rented a studio in Konya. The Hurriyet newspaper said the gunman returned to Istanbul Dec. 29.

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FRIENDS REMEMBER WOMAN KILLED IN ISTANBUL ATTACK: A friend of an Ontario woman killed in an attack on a Turkish nightclub remembers her as a happy person who was always smiling. Ahmed Atrakchi said Alaa Al-Muhandis was part of the tight-knit team at Looloo Auto Sales, a car dealership her family ran in Milton, Ont. “She was a great person, always happy, always a big smile on her face and she will forever be loved and remembered,” an emotional Atrakchi said Tuesday. Al-Muhandis was one of 39 people killed when a gunman opened fire at a nightclub in Istanbul during a New Year’s party. Nearly 70 others were wounded in the attack. The funeral for the 29-year-old mother of two young children is planned for 12 p.m. Sunday at the Shahrayar Centre in Mississauga, Ont., according to a family friend who didn’t want to be named.

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ALBERTA CITY’S RIGHT TO REFUSE ANTI-ABORTION AD UPHELD: An abortion rights group is hailing a court ruling that says a city in northwest Alberta has the legal right to refuse to run a graphic anti-abortion ad on its transit buses. The ad proposed by the Canadian Centre for Bio-Ethical Reform (CCBR) included pictures of fetuses and the words “Abortion kills children. End the killing.” Justice C. S. Anderson of Court of Queen’s Bench ruled against CCBR’s application to quash the decision by the City of Grande Prairie, Alta. Anderson says the city’s decision was reasonable because the ad would have likely caused psychological harm to women who have had an abortion or are considering one. The judge also wrote that the ad would have caused fear and confusion among children.

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The Canadian Press