Six stories in the news today, Aug. 28

By The Canadian Press

Six stories in the news today, Aug. 28 from The Canadian Press:

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HARPER SWINGS HAMMER AT TRUDEAU BUILDING PLAN

Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau set out to build some campaign momentum Thursday with a big-ticket, multibillion-dollar infrastructure plan, which an animated Stephen Harper spent much of his day trying to tear down. Trudeau’s plan would see $125 billion spent over 10 years on infrastructure upgrades across Canada through three years of “modest deficits.”

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B.C. CREWS BRACE FOR MORE WILDFIRE ACTIVITY

About 1,600 people in southern British Columbia remain on evacuation alert as fire crews brace for winds to carry in trouble from wildfires in neighbouring Washington state. Fire information officer Kevin Skrepnek says Grand Forks and Christina Lake residents could be asked to leave at a moment’s notice if winds blow embers from the 195-square-kilometre Stickpin blaze across the border into B.C.

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LETTER BOMB SUSPECT AWAITS BAIL DECISION

A man accused of sending a letter bomb that severely injured a Winnipeg lawyer will have to wait a little longer to hear if he will be released on bail. A day-long hearing Thursday was not long enough to hear all the arguments in Guido Amsel’s case. It is scheduled to resume Sept. 2. Amsel is facing more than a dozen criminal charges in the July 3 explosion.

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BANKS GRILLED OVER MORTGAGE VERIFICATION

Some of Canada’s biggest banks are defending their verification practices for mortgage applications in light of recent news that mortgage lender Home Capital Group Inc. cut ties with dozens of brokers over fraud allegations. A number of mortgage brokers have called for tighter industry rules after Home Capital announced in July that it was suspending 45 brokers over allegations that they falsified client incomes on mortgage loan applications.

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ALBERTA TO FLESH OUT DETAILS OF ROYALTY PROGRAM

More details are coming today on the Alberta government’s review of oil and gas royalties and on those who will conduct it. Industry players will be keenly interested in who will be joining Dave Mowat, head of Crown-owned bank ATB Financial, on the panel. Mowat and Energy Minister Marg McCuaig-Boyd will also clarify the panel’s mandate and invite the public to get involved.

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CELINE DION RETURNS TO BRIGHT LIGHTS OF VEGAS STAGE

Back to perform in Las Vegas for the first time since taking a year off to care for her ailing husband, Celine Dion says her love songs have taken on a whole new meaning. “I’ve been singing them for so long … but now I mean it,” the Quebec singing star told reporters at the Colosseum in Caesars Palace before taking the stage for her revamped show, Celine.

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ALSO IN THE NEWS …

— Closing arguments expected in Halifax court in constitutional battle over inter-provincial beer sales.

— A B.C. Supreme Court judge will deliver decision on costs related to the David Pickton case.

— Scotibank will release its quarterly results.

— Statistics Canada will update industrial product and raw materials figures for July.

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