By Canadian Press

The Thursday news briefing: An at-a-glance survey of some top stories

Nov 2, 2017 | 1:45 PM

Highlights from the news file for Thursday, Nov. 2

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U.S. PROCUREMENT PROPOSAL WOULD GUT SECTION OF NAFTA: A Canadian diplomat says a Trump administration proposal to limit access to American procurement contracts would leave that section of NAFTA meaningless. The official told a trade symposium in Ottawa on Thursday that the Buy American proposal is one of the American demands that Canada can’t swallow.

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WOMAN CHARGED IN DEATHS OF THREE NEWBORNS: A woman is facing three counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of three of her children. Quebec provincial police say a search of the woman’s home northwest of Montreal led police to the bodies of three newborns stemming from different pregnancies. Police say the woman was to appear in court on Thursday.

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FATHER OF NINE AMONG VICTIMS IN HIGHWAY PILEUP: A veteran truck driver and father of nine was one of three people killed in a pileup on a highway north of Toronto this week. Benjamin Dunn was one of three people who died in the crash on Highway 400. Nikiyah Mulak-Dunn says her family is in shock and disbelief. Police have not publicly identified those killed in Tuesday’s crash.

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WORKPLACE HARASSMENT COMPLAINTS NOT HANDLED PROPERLY: Federal consultations on workplace harassment and violence have found incidents are both under reported and not properly handled when they are reported. Three-quarters of those surveyed in the consultations said they recently reported harassment, sexual harassment or violence, but two-fifths of those complaints were never addressed.

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OFFICIALS LOOKING AT KEEPING THE HOLOCAUST MONUMENT OPEN DURING WINTER: Officials in Ottawa are looking at ways to keep the National Holocaust Monument open during winter. The National Capital Commission has said that clearing the site of snow and ice risks damaging it so it was slated to close this fall and re-open in the spring. Questions have been raised about why a monument specifically designed for visitors to walk through wasn’t built or budgeted for with snow and ice in mind. 

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TRUDEAU BACKS PAYETTE’S REMARKS ON SCIENCE:  Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is giving Gov. Gen. Julie Payette high marks for not hiding her passion for science after she used a speech to criticize people who question climate change or believe in creationism. Payette made the comments in Ottawa this week to several hundred scientists and researchers at the annual convention of the Canadian Science Policy Centre. She questioned how some people could still believe that “divine intervention” created life or that personality is defined by astrology. Trudeau says his government is grounded in science and applauded the strength of Payette’s convictions in defending science as part of the foundation of a successful society.

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SUPREME COURT DECISION BRINGS B.C. SKY RESORT CLOSER TO REALITY: The Supreme Court of Canada has ruled that approval of a ski resort in southeastern B.C. in a region held sacred by Indigenous people doesn’t violate their constitutional right to freedom of religion. The decision means the development near the community of Invermere could be a step closer to reality. Perry Bellegarde, the national chief of the Assembly of First Nations, says the decision shows a lack of awareness and understanding about the sacred nature of the land.

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RETRIAL OF DENNIS OLAND TO OCCUR IN OCTOBER: A member of one of New Brunswick’s best known families will face a new trial for the death of his father next October. The trial of Dennis Oland will begin Oct. 10. Oland was convicted in 2015 of the death of Richard Oland, but New Brunswick’s appeal court ordered a new trial, citing legal errors in the judge’s instructions to the jury. 

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LEGAL EXPERTS DOUBT TRUMP’S TWEETS ON BIKE PATH ATTACK WILL AFFECT PROSECUTION: U.S. President Donald Trump’s tweets calling for the death penalty in the Halloween bike path attack in New York City that killed eight people could legally be cited as a symptom of widespread government bias. But experts say it’s unlikely they’ll become a speed bump in the prosecution. A Fordham Law School professor says judges can weed out bias and will reject any defence claims about it.

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SENIOR ONLINE EXECUTIVE EXPRESSES GRATITUDE TO CANADA: The head of the parent company of Google is praising Canada’s innovations in the area of artificial intelligence. Alphabet Inc. chairman Eric Schmidt says his company is enormously thankful to Canadians for the contributions. He calls it a major driver to his company’s corporate success. 

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The Canadian Press