In the news today, March 25

Justin Trudeau delivered a campaign-style speech in Vancouver-Kingsway riding last night as he introduced former TV news anchor Tamara Taggart as the riding’s Liberal candidate in the fall federal election. The prime minister went after Andrew Scheer, saying the Conservative Party leader “doesn’t get” that the way to grow the country and the economy is by investing in people and communities. He also accused Sheer of hoping to continue the policies of former prime minister Stephen Harper by giving tax breaks to the wealthy while cutting programs for the middle and lower classes.

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JUDGE TO RULE ON OMAR KHADR’S SENTENCE

An Alberta judge is expected to rule today on whether a war crimes sentence for former Guantanamo Bay prisoner Omar Khadr should be declared expired. The eight-year sentence imposed in 2010 would’ve ended last October had Khadr remained in custody. But the clock stopped ticking when a judge freed him on bail in 2015 pending Khadr’s appeal of his military conviction. Khadr’s case has ignited divisive debate among Canadians over terrorism, human rights and the rule of law since it was revealed in 2017 that Ottawa settled a lawsuit filed by him for a reported $10.5 million.

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FORMER AFGHANISTAN HOSTAGE BOYLE FACES TRIAL

Former Afghanistan hostage Joshua Boyle is slated to be in Ontario court today to face trial on several assault charges. Boyle and his American wife, Caitlan Coleman, were taken hostage in 2012 by a Taliban-linked group while on a backpacking trip. The couple were freed by Pakistani forces in October 2017, along with the three children they had in captivity. Boyle was arrested by Ottawa police in December that year and charged with offences including assault, sexual assault, unlawful confinement and causing someone to take a noxious substance.

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ELDERLY CANADIAN COUPLE FOUND DEAD IN FLORIDA

Police in Florida have launched a double homicide investigation after an elderly Canadian couple was found dead in their mobile home on Friday. The Broward County Sheriff’s Office says neighbours of Marc and Rita Gagne discovered the couple’s bodies in their home in Pompano Beach, north of Ft. Lauderdale. The neighbours had become worried after not seeing the couple for a few days, and entered through an unlocked door to discover what police called a gruesome scene.

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INQUEST INTO FATAL STAGE COLLAPSE TO START

An inquest begins today into the fatal stage collapse at a Radiohead concert in Toronto nearly seven years ago. The band’s drum technician, Scott Johnson, was killed when a massive structure crashed down on him on June 16, 2012 — just hours before Radiohead was set to take the stage at Downsview Park. Charges in the case were stayed because the case took too long to get to trial. The inquest, which is expected to hear from roughly 25 witnesses, will examine the circumstances around Johnson’s death, but will not assign blame.

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ALSO IN THE NEWS:

— The Nova Scotia Nurses’ Union holds a news conference in Dartmouth to discuss escalating concerns voiced by nurses across the province.

— People’s Party of Canada Leader Maxime Bernier delivers an update on the selection of candidates for the next election.

— What’s expected to be the largest donation ever will be made to the University of Toronto today.

— Federal Finance Minister Bill Morneau speaks in Calgary about the 2019 budget at an event hosted by the Economic Club of Canada.

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The Canadian Press

by Canadian Press

In the news today, March 25

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