By Canadian Press

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

Dec 21, 2017 | 3:30 PM

Highlights from the news file for Thursday, Dec. 21

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MEMORIAL HELD FOR SHERMANS: Thousands of people attended a memorial on Thursday for billionaire philanthropists Barry and Honey Sherman, who were found dead in their Toronto home nearly a week ago. The Shermans’ children say coping with the speculation surrounding their parents’ deaths has compounded the pain of losing their parents. Police have said the Shermans died of “ligature neck compression” and have called the deaths suspicious. The Shermans’ son Jonathon says it has all been a terrible, shocking adjustment.

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OPPOSITION WANT TRUDEAU TO REPAY SOME CHRISTMAS VACATION COSTS: The Opposition parties say Prime Minister Justin Trudeau should repay all or part of the transportation and security costs for a Christmas vacation to the Aga Khan’s private Bahamian island last year. The trip cost taxpayers more than $200,000. Ethics commissioner Mary Dawson found the prime minister violated four different provisions of the Conflict of Interest Act. The Tories and New Democrats say Trudeau owes it to taxpayers to repay the bill. The Prime Minister’s Office says Trudeau paid the cost of his and his family’s flights to and from Nassau but would not disclose the precise tab.

National

Ottawa to remove 30% investment cap for Canadian pension funds

3h ago

Budget woes

Golf and curling centre faces grim season without financial boost

6h ago

Raiders AGM

Raiders impact on Prince Albert local economy continues to go up: AGM report

Dec 12, 2024

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MAN FOUND GUILTY OF KILLING NOVA SCOTIA POLICE OFFICER: A Halifax jury has found a man guilty of punching and strangling Nova Scotia police officer Catherine Campbell. The jury rejected Christopher Garnier’s claim that the off-duty officer died accidentally during rough sex. Garnier was convicted of second degree murder, which comes with an automatic life sentence. A hearing to determine Garnier’s parole eligibility is scheduled for May.

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HELICOPTER CRASH MAY HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY LOOSE TOOL BAG: The Transportation Safety Board says it appears that an improperly secured tool bag hit the rear rotor of a helicopter that subsequently crashed in eastern Ontario last week. The board says its preliminary investigation into the crash suggested the tool kit carried on a platform outside the helicopter owned by electrical utility Hydro One was the main cause of the deadly incident.

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CANADA AVOIDS CRITICIZING TRUMP OVER EMBASSY MOVE: Canada abstained from a vote in the United Nations that criticized U.S. President Donald Trump for his decision to move the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. The UN voted 128-9 in favour of a resolution declaring the U.S. president’s recognition of Jerusalem as the Israeli capital to be null and void. Canada was among the 35 countries that abstained. Canada was left in a difficult position because Trump had threatened to retaliate against countries that supported the resolution.

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COUGAR HUNTING IN ALBERTA POPULAR, BIOLOGIST SAYS: A wildlife biologist says cougar hunting is not only legal but quite popular in Alberta during the late fall and early winter. Mark Boyce of the University of Alberta says there are at least 2,500 cougars in the province.  He says there is an annual quota of up to 155 cougars that can be killed by residents each winter season in Alberta. Another 30 cats can be hunted by non-residents. The issue surfaced after an Alberta-based host of an outdoor TV show triggered outrage online when he bragged about hunting a big cat earlier this month.

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FIRST NATIONS ELDER CRITICAL OF CANADIAN TIRE SEARCH: The family of a First Nations elder says he was humiliated when a Canadian Tire employee in Saskatchewan stopped him and searched him this week. Gordon Albert of the Sweetgrass First Nation was in North Battleford shopping for a gift with his family. Albert’s wife Marlene says an anti-theft device at the door beeped as they left and Albert was searched. The store manager denied race had anything to do what happened but Albert’s son disagrees.

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FORMER MONTREAL CONDUCTOR ACCUSED OF SEXUAL ASSAULT: Four performers say renowned conductor Charles Dutoit sexually assaulted them, telling The Associated Press he physically restrained them, forced his body against theirs and caused other non-consensual contact. The Swiss-born maestro has not responded to multiple efforts to contact him. The performers — three opera singers and a classical musician — contend the attacks took place between 1985 and 2010 in five different cities in the U.S. Dutoit, who had a 25-year run with the Montreal Symphony Orchestra, did not immediately respond to multiple attempts by the AP to reach him.

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The Canadian Press