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

Mar 29, 2017 | 3:15 PM

Highlights from the news file for Wednesday, March 29

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UK FILES FOR EU DIVORCE AFTER 44 YEARS: Britain filed for divorce from the European Union on Wednesday, with fond words and promises of friendship that could not disguise the historic nature of the schism. Prime Minister Theresa May triggered the two-year divorce process in a six-page letter to EU Council President Donald Tusk, vowing that Britain will maintain a “deep and special partnership” with its neighbours in the bloc. In response, Tusk told Britain: “We already miss you.”

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ENVOY SAYS RIGHTS KEY TO CANADA-CHINA TRADE DEAL: John McCallum, Canada’s newly arrived ambassador to China, says human rights and labour standards will form part of any potential free trade agreement between the two countries. McCallum tells The Canadian Press he’s seen lots of enthusiasm in Canada for a deal with China and he’s keen to pursue deeper economic ties when, and if, the time comes. But not at the expense of human rights, he says. Canada and China haven’t formally started trade negotiations and are still in an exploratory phase that includes a round of consultations by Ottawa.

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LIBERALS TRY TO SELL CHILD-CARE BUDGET PLAN: The federal Liberals are putting on a political press to sell their child-care budget pledge, calling it ambitious in the face of questions about whether the funding is too modest to make a significant difference for families. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said his government’s pledge would have a “huge” impact on low- and modest-income families, calling it a “historic investment.” The Liberals have promised to spend $7.5 billion over a decade on child care, starting with $500 million in the new fiscal year that starts this weekend and increasing to $870 million annually by 2026 to fund spaces in provinces and territories, as well as indigenous child care on and off-reserve. For advocates who have waited years for the federal government to kick in cash to help expand and subsidize child-care services, the money is seen as a start, but far from enough to cover the whole country.

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TIME UP FOR CONSERVATIVE MEMBERSHIP SIGN-UPS: Conservative leadership candidates are shifting their attention from signing up new members to locking in their all-important votes now that Wednesday’s crucial membership deadline has passed. Businessman, reality-TV star and leadership upstart Kevin O’Leary was among the first out of the blocks to declare his membership total after the midnight cut-off, declaring he had enlisted 35,336 members in 69 days. Lisa Raitt told supporters in an email she’s signed up at least 10,613 members, while Kellie Leitch said her campaign brought in 30,038 new memberships. The accuracy of the numbers is difficult to verify; the party doesn’t expect to release an official total until some time in April, and even then it will be difficult to clearly link new members with specific campaigns.

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CANADIAN COAL PRODUCTION HITS 30-YEAR LOW: The National Energy Board says Canadian coal production dropped to a three-decade low last year as demand waned. Production came in at 60.4 million tonnes, a 12 per cent decline since 2013, and well off the peak of about 79 million tonnes reached in 1997, the NEB said Wednesday. About half of Canadian production is thermal coal used in power generation, which is expected to see a steady decline as the country moves to largely phase out coal-fired power plants by 2030.

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CENOVUS BUYING MOST OF CONOCOPHILLIPS’ CANADIAN ASSETS: Calgary-based Cenovus Energy (TSX:CVE) says it will spend $17.7 billion to acquire most of the Canadian assets of ConocoPhillips, making the Houston-based company the latest international player to exit the oilsands. Cenovus CEO Brian Ferguson is calling it a “transformational acquisition.” The deal includes ConocoPhillips’s 50 per cent interest in the FCCL Partnership, an oilsands venture between the two companies in northern Alberta, as well as the majority of ConocoPhillips’s Deep Basin conventional assets in Alberta and British Columbia. Combined, the assets have forecast 2017 production of approximately 298,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day.

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RANDAL DOOLEY’S DAD TO DO COMMUNITY SERVICE: A man convicted of killing his son in a horrific case of child abuse will be allowed to temporarily leave prison while supervised to perform community service, which he said was part of an effort to atone for his crime. Edward (Tony) Dooley has been granted a series of escorted absences over the course of six months from the Beaver Creek Institution, a minimum- and medium-security facility in Gravenhurst, Ont., where he is currently serving a life sentence. In a hearing before two members of the Parole Board of Canada on Wednesday, Dooley said that while nothing can erase the harm he has caused, he sees the community work as a way to “give back something.”

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DENNIS OLAND’S LAWYERS ARGUE FOR ACQUITTAL: Dennis Oland’s lawyers have asked the Supreme Court of Canada to acquit him of second-degree murder based on five issues of “public importance.” They say in documents filed with the court that his conviction was unreasonable, and argue evidence given by a trial witness was at odds with the Crown’s assertion that Oland murdered his multimillionaire father in July 2011. Oland was convicted of second-degree murder in 2015 and sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole for 10 years. The provincial appeal court ordered a new trial last October. The defence is cross-appealing the Crown’s application seeking a restoration of Oland’s conviction.

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VIA RAIL WEBSITE DERAILS FROM YOUTH TRYING TO BUY $150 PASS: Via Rail says “high demand” has derailed sales of a $150 youth pass for unlimited travel across Canada in July. The Canada 150 Youth Pass, which is intended to coincide with celebrations in honour of the country’s sesquicentennial, went on sale Tuesday. But a company spokeswoman says sales were temporarily suspended “due to high demand.” The pass is intended for young people between the ages of 12 and 25. But students who are 26 and older with a valid International Student Identity Card (ISIC) can also purchase it. In the promotion announced in February, pass holders can travel coast to coast in economy class but must book using the Escape fare category, which is subject to seat availability.

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The Canadian Press