Four stories in the news today, May 2

By The Canadian Press

Four stories in the news today from The Canadian Press:

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OTTAWA PAYS $75 MILLION FOR LAC-MEGANTIC DISASTER

The federal government quietly spent $75 million to settle with victims and creditors affected by the Lac-Megantic rail disaster — a contribution that also shielded it from lawsuits related to the catastrophe. The money was part of a $460-million settlement fund which involved 24 other defendants. The conflagration ignited by the 2013 oil-train derailment levelled much of the Quebec community’s core area and killed 47 people.

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CROWN WANTS MAN WHO KILLED CHILDREN DECLARED HIGH RISK ACCUSED

A B.C. Court will hear arguments today on whether new controls should be put on a man who killed his three young children eight years ago. Allan Schoenborn was found not guilty on account of a mental disorder in 2010, but the Crown wants him designated as a “high-risk accused.” Schoenborn’s lawyers say they intend to contest the move arguing it’s unconstitutional. The hearing comes just ahead of Schoenborn’s annual hearing before the B.C. Review Board, which last year granted him escorted day passes into the community.

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ALBERTA NDP MARK FIRST YEAR IN POWER

It’s been a year since the Alberta New Democrats scored a stunning election victory and took power for the first time in the party’s history. Since then Premier Rachel Notley has laid the foundation to fundamentally remake the economy of a province battered by low oil prices. Notley hopes the plan will result in a greener economy, higher oil prices via a pipeline to a coast and more knowledge-based industries. The government brought in a climate-change plan that will impose a broad-based carbon tax on heating and gasoline to pay for green initiatives as Alberta caps emissions on oilsands and phases out coal-fired electricity.

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INVICTUS GAMES GET ROYAL PUSH

Royalty comes to Toronto today as Prince Harry attends events marking the countdown to the 2017 Invictus Games. Harry will address servicemen and servicewomen, veterans and their families during a launch ceremony for next year’s games in Toronto. He’ll be joined by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at the event. The Prince founded the Games, which feature competition for wounded, injured and sick troops. And the Toronto Games are being touted as featuring more competitors and more sports than ever before.

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