By Canadian Press

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

Nov 4, 2016 | 1:45 PM

Highlights from the news file for Friday, Nov. 6

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SECURITY REVIEW TO WEIGH CSIS POWERS, SAYS GOODALE: Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale says a federal review of national security will consider whether Canada’s spy service should be able to sift through the kind of personal data it kept illegally for years. Goodale said Friday the notion that the Canadian Security Intelligence Service should avoid stashing away information about innocent people is a “fundamental principle of Canadian privacy.” But the minister appeared to leave the door open to one day giving CSIS the legal authority to keep and analyze electronic data about individuals who do not pose a security threat. “I want to hear the professional advice on both sides,” Goodale said.

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QUEBEC COURT SEALS DATA FROM JOURNALIST PHONE: A Quebec judge has ordered data collected from the cellphone of a La Presse columnist sealed. The Montreal newspaper was in court Friday to ensure the phone numbers of Patrick Lagace’s sources are kept confidential and that Montreal police don’t have access. La Presse reported this week it had learned at least 24 surveillance warrants were issued for Lagace’s phone this year at the request of police. Montreal and Quebec provincial police have admitted that several journalists were placed under surveillance and had their cellphone logs tapped.

STRETCHED THIN

'Trying to do this with very scarce resources:' City investigating costs to expand Nanaimo CSO program

12h ago

independent league

'This is really a player-driven decision:' VIJHL shifts to independent league

14h ago

stores closed

Retailer London Drugs closes stores in Western Canada due to 'cybersecurity incident'

18h ago

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JOBLESS RATE REMAINS UNCHANGED: October’s job numbers are out and the results are a mixed bag. Overall, 44,000 new jobs have been added but one senior economist cautioned the results show Canada is struggling to spur income growth. 67,000 new part-time jobs balanced out a loss of 23,000 full-time positions. The unemployment rate was unchanged at seven per cent. 

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TRADE ENVOY PRAISES FREELAND WALKOUT: The European Union’s envoy to Ottawa is praising Canada’s trade minister for walking out of negotiations for a transatlantic trade deal last month. Marie-Anne Coninsx praised Freeland’s efforts in helping to overcome opposition of the Belgian region of Wallonia.  Freeland came under fire from the opposition Conservatives for her exit who described it as a meltdown. Coninsx says everything Freeland has done has been helpful in finding a solution.

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LNG PROJECT ANNOUNCED IN BRITISH COLUMBIA:  B.C. Premier Christy Clark says she welcomes word that a liquefied natural gas development is proceeding near Squamish. Woodfibre LNG’s development is the province’s first LNG project. The $1.6-billion development will create 650 jobs during construction and 100 operational jobs over its estimated lifespan of 25 years. Clark says the project will create good, sustainable, environmentally-sound, high-paying jobs.

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JUROR DISMISSED IN PYTHON TRIAL: A juror was dismissed Friday from the trial of a man whose escaped python killed two young brothers in New Brunswick. Proceedings in Jean-Claude Savoie’s criminal negligence trial were initially delayed but resumed when the judge announced the removal of the juror for an undisclosed reason. The trial will resume next weekend.

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CALGARY MAYOR TRIES FOR THIRD TERM: The man who was at the helm for record-breaking floods that devastated Calgary and southern Alberta is going for a third term. Mayor Naheed Nenshi was first elected in 2010 and re-elected in 2013. He announced he is running again in next year’s election because there is a lot more work to do.   

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U.S. PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION ENTERS HOME STRETCH: Hillary Clinton’s campaign manager says Clinton is building a “firewall” in states with early voting. In a conference call with reporters, Robby Mook touted early voter turnout in North Carolina, Florida and Nevada. He said the campaign is working to “build up a lead that Donald Trump is incapable of overcoming.” Meanwhile Trump’s legion of followers is growing confident of his victory in the presidential race — and many say they would refuse to accept his defeat. They are reinforced by tightening poll numbers and renewed scrutiny of Clinton’s emails just days before Election Day.

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CNN RATINGS WINNER IN CANADA WITH PRESIDENTIAL COVERAGE: The votes haven’t been counted in the American presidential race but CNN can already claim victory in the ratings race in Canada.  The American cable news network has seen ratings soar in Canada in the run up to the presidential election. For the final presidential debate last month, CNN saw its share of Canadian viewers climb above the 1.5 million mark in overnight estimates. That dwarfs the overnight estimates registered by CBC and CTV.

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CORNER GAS LANDMARK DEMOLISHED:  The Saskatchewan gas station that was the inspiration for the television series “Corner Gas” has been demolished.  The station had become a landmark in the town of Rouleau, south of Regina, where they filmed the show. But it was built as a movie set, not a real gas station and had fallen into disrepair over the last few years. Rouleau Mayor Grant Clark says the town and the show’s producers looked at several options to maintain the building, but couldn’t come up with anything affordable. “Corner Gas” shot its last show seven years ago.

The Canadian Press