In the news today, March 15

Former House of Commons sergeant-at-arms Kevin Vickers is expected to announce today if he intends to seek the Liberal leadership in New Brunswick. The retired ambassador to Ireland has been touted as a possible candidate to replace former premier Brian Gallant as party leader. He has been travelling the province over the last two weeks to hear from residents before announcing his decision. Vickers took to social media on Wednesday to announce that he would address the media today at noon in Newcastle, N.B. He was hailed as a hero for helping to end the 2014 attack on Parliament Hill.

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JURY TO RESUME DELIBERATIONS A FATHER’S MURDER TRIAL

A Newfoundland jury is expected to resume deliberations this morning at the trial of a man accused of the first-degree murder of his five-year-old daughter. Trent Butt is accused in the death of his daughter Quinn at his Carbonear, N.L., home in April 2016. After closing arguments and the judge’s charge Thursday, the jury deliberated for about four hours before retiring for the evening. Butt testified at the St. John’s, N.L., trial that he did not remember killing Quinn, but said he found himself over her body and concluded he must have suffocated her. Crown lawyer Lloyd Strickland said the killing was a calculated plan to inflict suffering on her mother, his estranged wife.

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ONTARIO EDUCATION ANNOUNCEMENT EXPECTED

The Ontario government is expected to make an announcement today that lays out its plans for the education sector, potentially including issues such as class sizes, sex education and teacher hiring. Union leaders say they have not yet been given any details, but they expect to see cuts to help address a multibillion-dollar provincial deficit. The government has been consulting since January on class sizes and teacher hiring practices, including asking whether hard caps on class sizes should continue. It’s also been gathering feedback on a new sex-education curriculum, promising that a new one will be ready for the fall.

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EXPERTS WARN OF ONLINE ANTI-VACCINE POSTS

Some Canadian experts are unhappy with an online post by the wife of an NHL star, suggesting vaccines for children should be spread out or even delayed until later age. Angela Price, a prominent lifestyle blogger and the wife of Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price, raised eyebrows this week with an Instagram post. But she followed up in a lengthy blog post Thursday in which said she isn’t anti-vaccine and that her kids received all the necessary shots — just not at the recommended times. Timothy Caulfield, a Canada research chair in health law and policy at the University of Alberta, says posts like Price’s are problematic because they can increase hesitancy about vaccines.

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ALSO IN THE NEWS:

— Vancouver businessman David Sidoo says he will plead not guilty today to a fraud charge in connection with an alleged college admissions scam.

— The city of Halifax will be unveilling the Gord Downie tribute sculpture.

— Gov. Gen. Julie Payette will meet with United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

— The Canadian Real Estate Association is expected to release home sales figures for February.

— Statistics Canada will release its monthly survey of manufacturing for January.

The Canadian Press

by Canadian Press

In the news today, March 15

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