In the news today, April 23

It’s election day in Prince Edward Island and voter turnout is expected to be strong. More than 36 per cent of eligible voters have already cast their ballots in the advance polls, in a province that traditionally sees voter turnout at more than 80 per cent. The Greens and leader Peter Bevan-Baker are hoping to turn strong support in opinion polls into victories and build on the two seats they held prior to the campaign. The Liberals have governed the Island since 2007, including the last four years under Premier Wade MacLauchlan who is hoping to continue efforts to bolster the province’s economy.

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OILSANDS CARBON OUTPUT MAY BE UNDERESTIMATED

New federal research suggests greenhouse gas emissions from Alberta’s oilsands may be significantly higher than industry reports. In a study published Tuesday, Environment Canada scientists say four major oilsands mines are releasing an average of about one-third more carbon dioxide per barrel of oil than they report — a crucial number used for everything from determining national emissions levels to calculating carbon tax. Lead author John Liggio and his colleagues analyzed air monitoring samples captured in a series of flights above the four sites during the course of a month in 2013. Suncor’s facility was 13 per cent over its estimated emissions.

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TORONTO MARKS ANNIVERSARY OF DEADLY VAN ATTACK

Ceremonies and vigils are planned today to honour those killed or injured in last year’s deadly van attack in north Toronto. The City of Toronto is holding an event at the Mel Lastman Square Amphitheatre at 1:30 p.m. to coincide with the time of the April 23, 2018 incident that left 10 dead and 16 injured. In the hours before the ceremony, the city is expected to install temporary signs in the area to commemorate what it has dubbed the “Yonge Street Tragedy” until permanent memorials are created. The city says consultations on the memorials will begin this spring.

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MAN WHO KILLED DAUGHTER, 5, TO BE SENTENCED

A Newfoundland man who killed his five-year-old daughter in what the Crown said was a calculated plan to inflict suffering on his estranged wife will be sentenced today. A jury convicted Trent Butt of first-degree murder in March in the death of his daughter Quinn. The conviction carries an automatic life sentence with no chance of parole for 25 years. A provincial Supreme Court justice is expected to deliver the details of Butt’s sentence on Tuesday morning.

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NEW COMMEMORATIVE LOONIE UNVEILED TODAY

The Royal Canadian Mint is unveiling a new commemorative loonie today meant to mark what it calls a key milestone for lesbian, gay, transgender, queer and two-spirited people in the country. The agency says the new one-dollar coin pays tribute to Parliament’s passing of legislation that “initiated the decriminalization of homosexuality in Canada.” It says the coin, which will be presented in Toronto today, celebrates “50 years of progress for LGBTQ2 Canadians.” But historians and advocates are raising concerns about the message behind the new loonie, saying it mistakenly suggests equality has been achieved and largely as a result of the federal government’s actions.

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ALSO IN THE NEWS:

— Democratic Institutions Minister Karina Gould announces the next phase of the Canada Summer Jobs program.

— Finance Minister Bill Morneau speaks at an event hosted by the Royal Canadian Mint in recognition of the progress made in the journey to equal rights for LGBTQ2 Canadians.

— Kegan Muxlow to appear in court on charge of second-degree murder in the death of Nathan Hutt during an alleged home invasion. Muxlow was subsequently charged with attempted murder in a separate “loosely related” event early that day.

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The Canadian Press

by Canadian Press

In the news today, April 23

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