PM not saying whether or not "Jihadi Jack" can come back to Canada

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau isn’t saying whether or not “Jihadi Jack” will be allowed back into Canada. Jack Letts is an accused ISIS fighter and dual Canadian-British citizen who just had his British citizenship revoked. Trudeau did tell reporters today the government is committed to prosecuting those who travel to support terrorist organizations.

Government granting Venezuelans passport exemption

The federal government has made a deal that will let Venezuelans with expired passports stay in Canada. The CBC is reporting the agreement is because of the ongoing bureaucratic struggles in the South American nation. That’s created situations where students on visas or permanent residents here haven’t been able to get updated papers.

Investigation underway into link between vaping, lung illnesses

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control is looking into whether or not a group of lung illnesses can be traced back to vaping. There have been nearly 100 reports in 14 states, but with no evidence of infectious disease. The symptoms, found mostly in younger people, include fatigue, coughing, and shortness of breath.

Prince Andrew denies Epstein sex crimes connection

Prince Andrew is denying he took part in any of Jeffrey Epstein’s alleged sex crimes. The millionaire, who killed himself in jail a little over a week ago, was facing sex-trafficking charges. The prince’s denial comes after a photo published by British media it said showed Andrew inside a mansion Epstein owned, waving goodbye to a woman. Epstein, a registered sex offender, socialized with many high-profile people.

Study suggests lower IQs for children whose mothers were exposed to higher fluoride

Mothers exposed to higher levels of fluoride in their tap water during pregnancy have children with lower IQs. That’s according to a new York University study. The study involved 512 mother-child pairs from across Canada. It was done as part of an effort to figure out if fluoride should be considered a neurotoxin.

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Feds release details of program aimed at helping people buy a first home

Details of the federal government’s First Time Home Buyer Incentive program were released today.

If certain conditions are met it would pay up to 10 per cent of the price of a first home starting in September. Those conditions include earning less than $120,000 a year and being able to come up with the minimum amount needed to secure an insured mortgage.

Four people shot at Raptors title celebration

Two people are in custody after gun violence marred the jubilation in Toronto today.

Four people were shot as what’s believed to be a crowd in the millions gathered to celebrate the Raptors’s first ever NBA championship.

Police say the victims have serious, but non-life threatening injuries.

Court challenge already launched over Quebec religious symbols law

It took less than a day for a court challenge of Quebec’s controversial new law to be filed.

Passed last night, Bill 21 prevents public servants from wearing religious symbols during the work day. The challenge has been launched by The National Council of Canadian Muslims and the Canadian Civil Liberties Association.

Poll: most Canadians agree missing, murdered Indigenous women a genocide

A new poll suggests a majority of Canadians agree that the tragedy of missing and murdered Indigenous women amounts to genocide.

Fifty-three per cent of respondents agreed the issue is part of an “ongoing genocide” that has been centuries in the making.

Tree that inspired children’s classic “The Lorax” has fallen

The tree that’s believed to have inspired Dr. Seuss’s classic “The Lorax” has fallen.

The Monterey cypress in La Jolla, California, believed to be between 80 and 100 years old, could be seen by Seuss from his home there. The plan is to plant another tree in its spot.

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Feds release details of program aimed at helping people buy a first home

Details of the federal government’s First Time Home Buyer Incentive program were released today.

If certain conditions are met it would pay up to 10 per cent of the price of a first home starting in September. Those conditions include earning less than $120,000 a year and being able to come up with the minimum amount needed to secure an insured mortgage.

Teenager shot at Raptors' championship rally

Some violence marred a joyous occasion in Toronto today.

A 17-year-old girl was shot as hundreds of thousands of people lined the city’s streets for the Raptors’ first-ever championship parade and rally. The violence triggered a stampede of people fleeing the area and a temporary suspension of the festivities.

Court challenge already launched over Quebec religious symbols law

It took less than a day for a court challenge of Quebec’s controversial new law to be filed.

Passed last night, Bill 21 prevents public servants from wearing religious symbols during the work day. The challenge has been launched by The National Council of Canadian Muslims and the Canadian Civil Liberties Association.

Poll: most Canadians agree missing, murdered Indigenous women a genocide

A new poll suggests a majority of Canadians agree that the tragedy of missing and murdered Indigenous women amounts to genocide.

Fifty-three per cent of respondents agreed the issue is part of an “ongoing genocide” that has been centuries in the making.

Tree that inspired children's classic "The Lorax" has fallen

The tree that’s believed to have inspired Dr. Seuss’s classic “The Lorax” has fallen.

The Monterey cypress in La Jolla, California, believed to be between 80 and 100 years old, could be seen by Seuss from his home there. The plan is to plant another tree in its spot.

The post First Time Home Buyer program details released, Raptors celebration marred by shooting appeared first on My Grand Forks Now.

Feds release details of program aimed at helping people buy a first home

Details of the federal government’s First Time Home Buyer Incentive program were released today.

If certain conditions are met it would pay up to 10 per cent of the price of a first home starting in September.

Those conditions include earning less than $120,000 a year and being able to come up with the minimum amount needed to secure an insured mortgage.

Court challenge already launched over Quebec religious symbols law

It took less than a day for a court challenge of Quebec’s controversial new law to be filed.

Passed last night, Bill 21 prevents public servants from wearing religious symbols during the work day.

The challenge has been launched by The National Council of Canadian Muslims and the Canadian Civil Liberties Association.

Poll: most Canadians agree missing, murdered Indigenous women a genocide

A new poll suggests a majority of Canadians agree that the tragedy of missing and murdered Indigenous women amounts to genocide.

Fifty-three per cent of respondents agreed the issue is part of an “ongoing genocide” that has been centuries in the making.

The post First Time Home Buyer program details released, New Quebec law already challenged in court appeared first on My Grand Forks Now.

Study shows 9 in 10 Canadians have fallen for "fake news" online

A new study shows that nearly nine in 10 Canadians has been fooled by fake news.

The study looked at the growing distrust of the internet and the role that social media plays in that. The study reports 89 per cent of respondents in Canada said that social media is to blame for their distrust of the internet.

"Grassroots, anti-corporation" group behind negative Scheer ads during Raptors game

A group called Engage Canada was responsible for the anti-Andrew Scheer ads during last night’s Raptors game.

The organization describes itself as a grassroots movement fighting against corporate dominance. They claimed the Conservative leader would follow in Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s footsteps by cutting healthcare and education if elected Prime Minister in the fall.

Climate change could kill one sixth of ocean life by the century's end

If climate change keeps going the way it is, it’ll have a huge impact on the world’s marine life.

A new study shows that for every degree Celsius hotter the oceans get the total mass of marine life will fall by five per cent. That means one sixth of the ocean’s creatures would be gone by the close of this century.

New study shows white meat not any better than red for cholesterol reduction

Substituting white meat for red isn’t doing anything to reduce your cholesterol.

That’s the findings of University of California, San Francisco doctors. They studied 113 people on controlled diets.

The group came to the conclusion that people who want to reduce their cholesterol should get more protein from plants and reduce meat altogether.

Island of the Yukon Coast eroding six times faster than before due to climate change

Researchers say a Canadian Arctic island is eroding faster and faster.

The island, off the Yukon coast, is shrinking at a rate of six times more than its average in the last six and a half decades. The researchers say longer summers caused by the warming climate are to blame.

The post 9 in 10 Canadians tricked into believing fake news says study, white meat doesn’t help to lower cholesterol appeared first on My Grand Forks Now.

Canadian actor upset at Ontario Premier Doug Ford

Canadian actor Kiefer Sutherland wants Ontario Premier Doug Ford to stop using his late grandfather Tommy Douglas’s name and image as part of what he calls his ”political agenda.”

Sutherland’s request is in response to a recent tweet by Ford, in which he shared an op-ed penned by one of his cabinet ministers comparing the Ford government’s fiscal policies to that of Tommy Douglas. Sutherland says while his grandfather was fiscally responsible, his accomplishments didn’t come at the expense of social and human services to those in need.

Pilot dead after helicopter crashes on Manhattan rooftop

The New York City Fire Department says the pilot is dead after a helicopter crashed on a Manhattan skyscraper rooftop.

It does not appear anyone else was on board when the crash happened Monday afternoon. Governor Andrew Cuomo tells reporters that a fire began when the aircraft hit, but it was brought under control and there are no reports of injuries to people in the tower.

Conservative Leader says “genocide” not the right word to use regarding Indigenous people

Conservative leader Andrew Scheer says “genocide” is not the right word to describe what’s happened to generations of Indigenous women and girls in Canada.

Speaking on Parliament Hill, Scheer says the deaths and abuse inflicted on Indigenous women are “heartbreaking.” However, he says the word “genocide” would mean inviting international action and scrutiny and that’s not warranted.

Ottawa announces plan to ban harmful single-use plastics

The federal government has announced a plan to ban harmful single-use plastics like drinking straws, but Conservative leader Andrew Scheer says it’s just a ploy to distract from what he calls “Liberal scandals.”

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he commends cities and provinces where bans have taken hold or are in the works.

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Theresa May folds to pressure from her party to resign

Theresa May made the decision to resign as the Prime Minister effective June 7. She gave into the pressure from her conservative party which was forcing her to either step down or enter a contest to be the next Prime Minister. The new leader will try to secure Britain’s exit from the EU, something May was unable to do.

Court to decide fate of Trans Canada Pipeline

British Columbia will find out if a law preventing the Trans Mountain pipeline to run through the province is unconstitutional. The decision will affect Alberta and its efforts to transport oil overseas. B.C.’s argues it is protecting the land and rivers from hazardous substances. Alberta and federal government think British Columbia is just trying to delay the pipeline.

China willing to talk with U.S. over settling trade war

China apparently wants to get a trade deal done with the U.S. but said it will impose more countermeasures if the dispute continues. Chinese officials aren’t happy with the United States recently blacklisting Huawei technologies. President Trump said it is possible to include the telecommunications company in a trade deal.

The post Britain’s Prime Minister resigns; Decision on whether Trans Mountain Pipeline is unconstitutional will come Friday appeared first on My Grand Forks Now.

Pork prices set to rise

A disease in China is expected to spike the price of pork all around the world.

The country is experiencing an outbreak of African swine fever which is killing thousands of pigs. Experts say China now has to import more pork products from other countries which will create more demand here in Canada.

Feds taking Facebook to task over privacy violations

Canada’s Federal Privacy Commissioner is looking to take Facebook to court for breaking a number of privacy laws.

This comes after an investigation the commissioner says shows the company allowed things like unauthorized access, and had no proper oversight when it comes to apps and privacy. Facebook is disputing the investigation.

Government banning industry from marine-protected regions

The federal government is bringing the quality of Canada’s marine conservation areas into line with international standards.

The oil and gas industry as well as mining, waste dumping and bottom trawling will no longer be allowed in all of the country’s marine protected areas.

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Oilsands carbon emissions higher than first thought

New data shows that carbon emissions from Alberta’s oilsands may be on average 64 per cent higher than the oil companies report themselves.

This comes from air samples from the area analysed by Environment Canada. The numbers mean that the country’s total greenhouse gas rates would be about 2.3 per cent higher than previously thought.

ISIS Claims Responsibility for Sri Lanka attacks

The Islamic State is claiming responsibility for the suicide attacks in Sri Lanka over the weekend.

The bombings are believed to be in retaliation for the New Zealand shooting that killed 50 people in a mosque. ISIS’s news agency called the bombers “Islamic State fighters.”

Philippines presidents threatens war with Canada over garbage

The President of the Philippines is threatening to declare war on Canada.

Rodrigo Duterte says Canada needs to pick up garbage a Canadian company dumped there six years ago. He added that he’d send the trash back himself if it isn’t collected as early as next week.

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CRA wrote off $133m in back taxes for one tax payer

A Canadian taxpayer got a $133 million break from the CRA, but the agency won’t say who it was.

The CBC got its hands on a memo from last fall that showed the entire amount of owed back taxes was written off. It’s not clear if the writeoff went to a company or an individual.

Sri Lanka stepping up military's wartime powers

The president of Sri Lanka is giving the nation’s military sweeping wartime powers following a series of deadly bombings there. Churches and hotels were the targets, with 290 killed and 500 hurt.

The powers will allow officials to detain and interrogate suspects without a court order and enforce an 8:00pm curfew.

US stepping up pressure on Iran

The United States is putting an end to exemptions from sanctions for five countries that import Iranian oil.

Those countries are China, Japan, South Korea, India and Turkey. The move is another part of the Trump administration’s tough stance on Iran and is an attempt to damage the nation’s economy.

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