In the news today, Nov. 21 – CP

Source: The Canadian Press
Nov 21, 2018 

Four stories in the news for Wednesday, Nov. 21

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OLAND TO ENTER NOT GUILTY PLEA, FACE TRIAL AGAIN

Dennis Oland is expected to enter a plea of not guilty this morning, as the murder trial for his father’s death gets under way. Oland will be re-arraigned in a Saint John courtroom, before the much-delayed case proceeds to opening statements and possibly the first witnesses. The murder trial will be heard by Justice Terrence Morrison alone. It is the second time Oland will face trial for the second-degree murder of his father, multimillionaire Richard Oland. His 2015 conviction was overturned on appeal and a new trial was ordered.

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FISCAL UPDATE TO LAY OUT COMPETITIVENESS PLAN

The federal government will release a fall economic update later today that will seek to close the loop on some of its outstanding mandate commitments, leaving the door open for the Liberals to use next year’s budget as their 2019 election platform. The document will also include Finance Minister Bill Morneau’s long-awaited plan to help Canada compete for investment dollars, which many warn has become increasingly difficult following major tax and regulatory changes in the United States.

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PETS FORGOTTEN IN DISASTER PLANS: RESEARCHER

A Calgary researcher says the 2016 Fort McMurray wildfire shows how often pets are overlooked in disaster planning. Mount Royal University’s Kim Williams interviewed people involved in Canada’s costliest natural disaster, including first responders, politicians, evacuees and animal welfare workers. Of the 40,000 pets there at the time, between 1,200 and 1,500 had to be left behind. Williams is recommending an electronic database of pets’ health records and that an animal welfare expert should be included in emergency operations centres during disasters.

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ASSAULT DETAILS IN EX-CFL PLAYER’S COURT HEARING

A woman who was beaten by former Saskatchewan Roughrider Justin Cox says she feared for her life the day he broke her nose and left her bloody and bruised. The former defensive back pleaded guilty in September to assault causing bodily harm for the August 2017 attack. His ex-girlfriend says Cox began assaulting her in the parking lot of a Regina mall and continued to beat her as he drove. The Crown is asking for one year of jail time, probation, anger management and substance abuse training. Cox is to be sentenced in early December with a date to be set next week.

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ALSO IN THE NEWS:

_ Matthew Vincent Raymond, accused of killing four people including two Fredericton police officers, is due back in court today. The judge is to rule on application for assessment to determine fitness.

_ The National Energy Board will hear oral traditional evidence from Indigenous groups in Calgary as part of its review of the marine shipping impacts of the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion.

_ Statistics Canada will release its wholesale trade figures for September.

INDEX: NATIONAL