Highlights from the news file for Monday, Sept. 25
———
PRINCE HARRY, MEGHAN MARKLE APPEAR TOGETHER: Prince Harry and his girlfriend Meghan Markle chose to make their debut as a couple in Toronto, making an unexpected but highly anticipated appearance together at the international competition spearheaded by the young royal. The prince and Markle, a Toronto-based actor in the legal drama "Suits," held hands Monday afternoon as they walked toward Toronto's city hall to take in one of the sporting events for the Invictus Games. Both were dressed casually in jeans, the prince pairing it with a black polo shirt while his girlfriend wore a pale button-down shirt.
———
CHELSEA MANNING DENIED ENTRY TO CANADA: The former U.S. soldier who leaked thousands of classified military documents says she's been barred from entering Canada as a result of her criminal record. Chelsea Manning posted a letter from Canadian immigration officials online Monday detailing the reasons she was denied entry at a Quebec border crossing late last week. Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale suggested Monday he'd think hard before overruling a border officer's decision that saw Manning turned away from Canada last week.
———
U.S. NEGOTIATOR DEFENDS PACE OF NAFTA TALKS: The man heading up the U.S. negotiating team for the new North American Free Trade Agreement said Monday he sees no issue with the pace of the talks, now in their third round this week in Ottawa. John Melle, the U.S. chief negotiator, said they have been working very hard. But the fact that the U.S. has not yet laid all its cards on the table has prompted many trade experts and stakeholders to predict there is no way the three countries can strike a deal by the end of the year.
———
FEDERAL AGENCIES CAN USE TORTURE-TAINTED INFO: New federal directives say Canada's national police, spy and border agencies will be allowed to use information that was likely extracted through torture in order to prevent loss of life or injury. It means the RCMP, Canadian Security Intelligence Service and Canada Border Services Agency could use torture-tainted information with the aim of stopping a terrorist attack. However, the directives released Monday prohibit disclosing or requesting information from a foreign agency such as a police or intelligence service when there's a serious risk that doing so could result in someone being abused.
———
SINGH APPEARS TO LEAD NDP FUNDRAISING: NDP leadership hopeful Jagmeet Singh appears to have the fundraising lead among his fellow competitors as the race to replace Tom Mulcair inches closer to its finale. The most recent round of fundraising reports from the candidates show the Ontario legislator has raised $618,779 since entering the race in May. That's far more than the $374,146 pulled in by Ontario MP Charlie Angus or the $250,937 raised by Manitoba MP Niki Ashton, who both launched their campaigns much earlier.
———
TRUDEAU SAYS TAX CHANGES WON'T STIFLE GROWTH: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the government is figuring out how to ensure the proposed small business tax changes will make the tax code fair without stifling growth for small businesses and start-ups. The Liberals have been saying for weeks that the proposals circulated in a discussion paper by Finance Minister Bill Morneau in July were meant for discussion and the final legislation will take into account feedback from Canadians. The consultation period on the proposals ends next week and how soon after the extent of the changes will be known is causing anxiety for business and for politicians getting an earful.
———
B.C. SEEKS INPUT ON MARIJUANA RULES: The British Columbia government is turning to the public before recreational marijuana is legalized for input on protecting children, making roads safer and keeping criminals out of the pot industry. Once marijuana is legalized next July, the provinces will regulate the retail sale of marijuana and can upgrade traffic safety laws to protect people on the roads from cannabis-impaired drivers. Solicitor General Mike Farnworth says he wants help shaping public health and safety issues in the public consultation process, which will also include a telephone survey.
———
AFRICAN NOVA SCOTIANS TO GET LAND TITLE HELP: The Nova Scotia government says it is poised to help black residents who have struggled for decades to gain clear title to land that has been in their families since many arrived as Loyalists in the 1800s. African Nova Scotian Affairs Minister Tony Ince issued a brief statement Monday saying an announcement for "new supports" will be made Wednesday in Cherry Brook, a predominantly African Canadian community east of Halifax. The Nova Scotia government provided land to black and white Loyalists, but the Crown didn't provide land titles for black settlers, creating long-standing confusion over ownership in 13 predominantly black communities.
———
AMBER ALERT SUSPECT APPEARS IN COURT: The 41-year-old father at the heart of an Amber Alert in Quebec earlier this month was hunched over, eyes fixed to the ground as he made his first appearance in court Monday. He never raised his eyes as he briefly appeared before a judge in Saint-Jerome, Que., after being returned to the province from an Ontario hospital where he was recovering from an alleged suicide attempt in police custody. Quebec police issued an Amber Alert for the suspect's six-year-old boy after they discovered the body of the child's mother earlier this month north of Montreal. Ontario Provincial Police arrested the suspect 10 days ago near Renfrew, Ont.
———
NORTH KOREAN DIPLOMAT SAYS TRUMP HAS DECLARED WAR: North Korea's top diplomat said Monday that U.S. President Donald Trump's weekend tweet was a "declaration of war" and North Korea has the right to retaliate by shooting down U.S. bombers, even in international airspace. It was the latest escalation in a week of undiplomatic exchanges between North Korea and the U.S. during the UN General Assembly's annual ministerial meeting. Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho said that by tweeting that North Korea's leadership led by Kim Jong Un "won't be around much longer," Trump "declared the war on our country."
———
The Canadian Press
