Six stories in the news for today, July 28

By The Canadian Press

Six stories in the news for Friday, July 28

———

PEARSON AIRPORT GROUND CREWS ON STRIKE

About 700 ground crew workers at Toronto’s Pearson International Airport are on strike after rejecting a contract offer. The baggage handlers, cargo handlers and other workers are employed by Swissport, which services 30 airlines at the airport including Transat and Sunwing, but not Air Canada or Westjet. The strike could delay some flights, but the Greater Toronto Airports Authority has said it has a plan in place to deal with a strike.

———

AFN CHIEFS WANT CHANGES TO MMIW INQUIRY

Assembly of First Nations chiefs have rejected a call for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to replace the commissioners on the national inquiry into missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls. However, the chiefs, who were gathered in Regina on Thursday, did pass a resolution calling for changes to the inquiry, asking the federal government to reset and alter its mandate and process.

———

CANADA-U.S. SOFTWOOD PACT CLOSE: B.C. PREMIER

British Columbia Premier John Horgan says Canada and the United States are close to reaching a softwood lumber trade deal that could come as early as next month. Horgan made the prediction during a conference call from Washington, D.C., after two days of meetings with American trade officials and Canada’s ambassador to the U.S. B.C. produces about half of Canada’s softwood lumber.

———

WOMAN SOUGHT BY POLICE IN CALGARY MURDERS FOUND

Calgary police say a woman they had been seeking in a quadruple homicide earlier this month has been taken into custody in Toronto. Yu Chieh Liao, who goes by Diana Liao, is considered a person of interest in killings police have described as brutal and ruthless. Police say Liao is wanted on a Canada-wide warrant for fraud. Three people were found dead in a burned out car on July 10. The car’s owner was found dead two days later.

———

OTTAWA POLICE ARREST DOUBLE-MURDER SUSPECT

Ottawa police have arrested a suspect in the shooting deaths of two men on Monday. Alam Gabriel Buoc, 33, have been the subject of a nationwide warrant until his arrest on Thursday night. He was being sought in connection with the deaths of Abdulrahman Al-Shammari and Dirie Olol and the wounding of a third man who remains in serious condition. Buoc is due in court Friday to face two charges of first-degree murder and one of attempted murder.

———

OIL INDUSTRY RETURNS LEASES TO ALBERTA

It’s another sign of the times for Alberta’s oil sands. In the past two years the industry has returned explorations leases to the provincial government that make up an area larger than Prince Edward Island. Observers are surprised by the size of the lease returns, something they’re chalking up to industry cost-cutting and disinterest in spending to develop new prospects when there’s no money to build projects already on the books.

———

ALSO IN THE NEWS TODAY:

— Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will visit Kenora, Ont., and Winnipeg as he continues his summer tour of the country.

— Statistics Canada will release the gross domestic product by industry for May.

— Transportation giant Bombardier will release its second-quarter results.

— Other companies reporting today include Fortis, Domtar, Imperial Oil, TransCanada, George Weston Ltd., and Eldorado Gold.

— An IRB detention hearing will be held for men found in a shipping container in Montreal’s port.

— The New Brunswick select committee on cannabis holds its final public meeting in Fredericton to gather input.

— The Just For Laughs festival holds a red carpet event in Montreal featuring Jim Carrey and other comedians.

Top Stories

Top Stories

Most Watched Today