In the news today, Jan. 28

Federal politicians will be on election footing as they resume parliamentary business today. They’ll be gathering in a new, temporary House of Commons in the refurbished West Block while the iconic Centre Block undergoes renovations expected to take at least 10 years. With an election set for Oct. 21, partisan elbows should be sharper than ever. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau can expect a lot of heat over Canada’s deteriorating relations with China, which resulted in his weekend firing of Canada’s ambassador in Beijing, John McCallum.

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SINGH STAKES NDP LEADERSHIP ON RISKY BYELECTION

N-D-P Leader Jagmeet Singh finally has a shot at a Parliament seat with next month’s byelection in B.C’s Burnaby South riding, but it’s a risky bet with his political future at stake. The New Democrats narrowly won the riding by about 550 votes in 2015 and experts say losing the byelection would likely end Singh’s leadership. But Singh says he isn’t worried about his own political future — he’s worried about the future of Canada, and he’s confident that if he continues to work hard he’ll win.

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BERNIER NAMES CANDIDATE FOR BYELECTION

People’s Party of Canada Leader Maxime Bernier has chosen a candidate to represent his party in its first-ever Quebec election. Bernier was in the Montreal area yesterday to launch the campaign of Canadian Army veteran James Seale, who will be on the ballot for Bernier’s fledgling party in the federal byelection in Outremont on Feb. 25. Seale, a member of the armed forces for more than 30 years, says he was attracted to the party because of Bernier’s promise to increase investment in Canada’s defence.

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SENTENCING HEARING TO BEGIN FOR TRUCK DRIVER IN BRONCOS CRASH

A sentencing hearing is to begin today for the truck driver who caused the deadly Humboldt Broncos bus crash. The collision last April at a rural intersection in Saskatchewan killed 16 people and injured 13 others on the junior hockey team’s bus. Jaskirat Singh Sidhu of Calgary has pleaded guilty to all 29 counts of dangerous driving laid against him. He faces a maximum sentence of 14 years for each charge of dangerous driving causing death and 10 years for each dangerous driving causing bodily harm offence.

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WIDOW OF MOSQUE VICTIM WINS COMPENSATION

The widow of one of the victims of Quebec City’s mosque shooting has won her battle for compensation. Lawyer Marc Bellemare says Khadija Thabti and her children have been recognized as victims of crime by the provincial body that compensates them. Bellemare says it means Thabti will be reimbursed for lost income and travel fees, and can obtain the psychological help she needs. Thabti’s husband, Aboubaker Thabti, was one of the six men who were killed when a gunman stormed a Quebec City mosque on Jan. 29, 2017.

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ALSO IN THE NEWS:

— New Brunswick’s child and youth advocate will release a report entitled Behind Closed Doors: A Story of Neglect.

— The Federation of Canadian Municipalities’ Big City Mayors’ Caucus meets in Ottawa.

— Sex assault/assault case of seven students from St. Michael’s College School is due court in Toronto.

— B-C Premier John Horgan will make an announcement regarding the B.C. Mining Jobs Task Force.

— Sentencing hearing in Vancouver for Garry Handlen for the 1978 murder of Monica Jack.

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The Canadian Press

by Canadian Press

In the news today, Jan. 28

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