The Thursday news briefing: An at-a-glance survey of some top stories
Highlights from the news file for Thursday, Sept. 15
____
CANADIAN HELD IN CHINA RELEASED: A Canadian man jailed in China on espionage charges has been released, a federal official said Thursday. Kevin Garratt lived in China for about 30 years, conducted Christian aid work and ran a popular coffee shop near China’s border with North Korea. He and his wife Julia were arrested just over two years ago, although she was released on bail about six months later. In January, he was indicted on accusations of spying for Canada and stealing Chinese state secrets. During his recent visit to China, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau indicated that he had raised the case during his talks with Chinese leaders.
Advertisement
____
MAN FOUND GUILTY OF KILLING ALBERTA COUPLE: The son of an Alberta couple who disappeared six years ago says the second-degree murder conviction handed down in their deaths is a relief. Bret McCann says the family will probably never know exactly what happened the day his parents Lyle and Marie vanished, but said he hopes that some day their bodies will be found. Justice Denny Thomas said Thursday there was no reasonable doubt that Travis Vader killed the McCanns during a robbery. Vader’s DNA and a fingerprint were found in the McCanns’ SUV. The conviction carries an automatic life sentence, but a hearing still needs to be held to determine Vader’s parole eligibility.
____
GRAHAM JAMES GRANTED FULL PAROLE: Ex NHL star and sex abuse survivor Theoren Fleury says if victims of pedophiles are looking for closure from the justice system, in many cases it will never happen. He weighed in after convicted sex offender Graham James was granted full parole Thursday in Laval, Quebec. For his part James apologized for his deeds and has called them “horrific.” The now 64-year-old James is serving a federal sentence for sexually assaulting hockey players he coached in the late 1980s and early ’90s with the Swift Current Broncos of the Western Hockey League.
____
Advertisement
HOUSEHOLD DEBT HITS NEW RECORD: The amount Canadians owe compared with how much they earn hit a new record in the second quarter. TD Bank economist Leslie Preston says low interest rates have made borrowing more attractive, especially for homebuyers, and she predicts the debt ratio could continue to trend a little higher in the next few quarters. The Bank of Canada has identified household debt as a key risk to the economy.
____
MP MUSES ABOUT MAKING OTTAWA OFFICIALLY BILINGUAL: A Liberal MP is trying to start a debate on the merits of making Ottawa an officially bilingual city. Denis Paradis says he would like the House of Commons committee he chairs to explore the idea. The idea has come up before, sparking debate between those who want stronger protections for the rights of the minority French-speaking community in Ottawa and those who fear it would cost too much and further restrict access to jobs.
____
WALMART STEPS UP PRESSURE AGAINST VISA: Walmart Canada says it will no longer accept Visa at any of its Manitoba stores starting next month. It’s part of Walmart’s battle with the credit card giant over the fees retailers must pay, which it says are too high. Walmart said in June that it would stop accepting Visa at its more than 400 Canadian stores, arguing that it unfairly pays more than $100 million annually in credit card fees. It started phasing out Visa at its store earlier this summer.
Advertisement
____
NDP WRAPS UP CAUCUS: NDP leader Tom Mulcair has wrapped up a party caucus meeting with a dim view of the Trudeau government. He accuses the Liberals of lacking substance and says the New Democrats will hold them to account. With a new session of Parliament set to open on Monday, the NDP has several challenges to overcome, including declines in poll numbers and membership. Many party members are hoping an upcoming leadership race will boost the party’s popularity.
____
GOVERNMENT IMPROVES LABELLING ON SOME PHARMACEUTICALS: Health Canada has released updated labelling standards for over-the-counter products containing acetaminophen. The idea is to try to reduce the risk of liver damage. The department says the changes will include clearer instructions on packages that encourage using the lowest possible dose, not exceeding the recommended daily amount of 4,000 mg for adults and not using products for more than five days for pain or three days for a fever. Acetaminophen is commonly used in a wide range of non-prescription and prescription drugs, including opioid painkillers.
____
Advertisement
TRUMP SAYS NO PRESCRIPTION SHOULD BE NEEDED FOR BIRTH CONTROL: Donald Trump says he thinks women should be able to obtain birth control without a prescription. He told “The Dr. Oz Show” that for many women, getting a prescription can be challenging. But an official with the Planned Parenthood Action Fund is warning that making birth control prescription-free could make it too expensive for millions of women. That’s because insurance doesn’t cover over-the-counter drugs.
__
UN SECRETARY GENERAL SAYS LIFE-SAVING DRUGS NEED TO BE MORE AFFORDABLE: UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon’s office says it hopes a new report he commissioned will help make life-saving drugs more affordable for vulnerable people. Spokesman Matthias Gillmann says Ban doesn’t necessarily endorse this week’s report of a high-level UN panel that calls for changes to international intellectual property rules that keep lower-priced generic drugs off the market longer. But he hopes it stimulates discussion at this weekend’s Global Fund conference in Montreal, which the secretary general will attend along with philanthropist Bill Gates and the Irish rock star and activist Bono. The two day event will try to raise US$13 billion to replenish the Global Fund’s fight against AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria for the next three years.
____
____