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Five stories in the news today, March 3

Mar 3, 2017 | 12:30 AM

Five stories in the news for Friday, March 3:

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TRUDEAU TO DISCUSS OPIOID CRISIS

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will discuss the opioid crisis when he holds a roundtable discussion with health professionals and first responders today. Trudeau is into the second day of a visit in British Columbia after meeting with Premier Christy Clark on Thursday.

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CANDIDATE ABANDONS LIBERAL NOMINATION CONTEST

A candidate for a Liberal nomination in a Toronto-area riding has pulled out of tomorrow’s vote saying the race has been unfairly run. Juanita Nathan says the nomination in the riding of Markham-Thornhill has been set up to favour one of her rivals, a senior staffer in Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s office. The party say that all aspects of the nomination process followed the rules.

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NDP CANDIDATE WINS SASKATOON BYELECTION

The NDP captured a provincial byelection in Saskatchewan last night. Dr. Ryan Meili claimed for the NDP the seat previously held by Saskatchewan Party MLA Roger Parent, who died of cancer last November. Meili took about 54 per cent of the vote while Saskatchewan Party candidate Brent Penner, a former Saskatoon police officer, was second with 40 per cent.

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NB ELECTORAL REFORM COMMISSIONER TO RELEASE FINDINGS

New Brunswick’s electoral reform commission will release its final report today. The commission looked at a number of possible changes, including fixed election dates, electronic voting, and whether the voting age should be lowered to 16 years old.

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ALBERTA EYES INTERVENER STATUS ON B.C. PIPELINE

The Alberta government wants a seat at the table in any future legal fight over the Trans Mountain pipeline. The $6.8-billion Trans Mountain project would triple the capacity of the line from the Edmonton area to Metro Vancouver. The project has the green light from the National Energy Board, the federal government, and the B.C. government, but faces legal challenges from environmental groups, municipalities and First Nations.

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ALSO IN THE NEWS TODAY:

— Video court appearance for ex-nurse Elizabeth Wettlaufer, accused of killing eight seniors and attempting to murder four others.

— A bail hearing is held in Montreal for Hisham Saadi, who is charged in connection with bomb threats at Concordia University.

— Quebecer Karine Gagne is to return to a court in the Bahamas on charges of sexual assault against a 15-year-old boy on a cruise ship.

— Christopher Calvin Garnier, accused of killing an off-duty Truro police constable, appears in Halifax court for allegedly breaching bail conditions.

 

The Canadian Press