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Six stories in the news for today, July 27

Jul 27, 2017 | 1:30 AM

Six stories in the news for Thursday, July 27

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CANADIAN MILITARY TROLLS TRUMP ON TRANSGENDER ISSUE

U.S. President Donald Trump has declared that he is reinstating a ban on transgender people serving in uniform, after the Obama administration lifted the ban last year.  the Canadian Forces lifted its own ban on transgender people and LGBT members following a court case in 1992 — a fact the Forces has highlighted on its Twitter account. “We welcome (Canadians) of all sexual orientations and gender identities,” the military tweeted under a picture of three sailors playing instruments at a recent Pride parade. “Join us!”

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B.C. PREMIER TO TALK SOFTWOOD IN WASHINGTON, D.C.

B.C. Premier John Horgan is set to meet with some of the Trump administration’s top trade officials today in Washington, D.C, to try to resolve the Canada-U.S. softwood lumber trade dispute. Horgan will have meetings with U.S. Trade Secretary Robert Lighthizer, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross and Dave Reichert, a congressman from Washington State. Lighthizer is regarded as Trump’s top official in the upcoming NAFTA talks.

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MORE EVACUATIONS ORDERED IN B.C. WILDFIRE ZONE 

More people have been forced to flee their homes as wildfires continue to burn across British Columbia. A rapidly-moving fire near Monte Lake, east of Kamloops, prompted an evacuation order covering 39 properties last night. Another 58 properties were placed on evacuation alert, which means residents may need to leave at a moment’s notice. The BC Wildfire Service have said conditions are ripe to make the fire situation worse in the coming weeks.

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FAMILIES CALL FOR RESET ON MMIW INQUIRY

The families of missing and murdered Indigenous women say a national inquiry has already failed and are calling for “a hard reset” on the process. Many made emotional pleas Wednesday as two of the inquiry commissioners appeared at the Assembly of First Nations annual meeting in Regina to explain the inquiry process, including how to register and give testimony. One commissioner admitted the inquiry has been in “crisis mode” for several weeks, but said she doesn’t believe it’s failing women.

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GENETICALLY MODIFIED SALMON PROJECT WILL FACE ASSESSMENT

The federal government says a proposal to produce the world’s first genetically modified salmon for human consumption in P.E.I. will undergo an environmental assessment. Environment Minister Catherine McKenna says any plan by AquaBounty Technologies to manufacture or grow out its AquAdvantage salmon at Rollo Bay, P.E.I., would be subject to all the requirements under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act.

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NO CHARGES AFTER JUSTIN BIEBER CLIPS MAN WITH PICKUP TRUCK

Canadian pop star Justin Bieber struck a photographer with his pickup truck on Wednesday night while driving way from a church service in California. Beverly Hills police Sgt. Matthew Stout told the Los Angeles Times that Bieber remained at the scene and “fully co-operated” with officers and that no citations were issued.  The incident comes just days after the Stratford, Ont., native cancelled the rest of his Purpose World Tour “due to unforeseen circumstances.”

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ALSO IN THE NEWS TODAY:

— The Assembly of First Nations will conclude its annual general meeting in Regina.

— Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will join a roundtable with business, union and local politicians in Alma, Que.

— Statistics Canada will release the payroll employment, earnings and hours figures for May.

— Companies reporting results today include Barrick Gold, Agnico Eagle Mines, Maple Leaf Foods, AltaGas, ATCO Ltd., and Cenovus Energy.

— Forest products company Tembec Inc. will hold a special shareholder vote on the friendly takeover bid by Rayonier Advanced Materials.

— The Nova Scotia government will release its audited financial statements for the fiscal year that ended March 31.

— Suspended Bridgewater, N.S. Police Chief John Collyer appears in court charged with sexually assaulting a 17-year-old girl.

— Sentencing hearing expected in Vancouver for the human-smuggling case involving Tamil migrants aboard the MV Ocean Lady in 2009.

— The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society will launch a campaign in defense of wild salmon.

 

The Canadian Press