Five stories in the news for today, Aug. 29

Five stories in the news for Tuesday, Aug. 29

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NEW BRUNSWICK PREMIER MAKING FINAL SOFTWOOD PITCH

New Brunswick’s premier heads to Washington today to meet with a member of U.S. President Donald Trump’s cabinet in a push to have his province exempt from hefty duties on softwood lumber exports to the United States. In June, the U.S. Department of Commerce hit Canada with additional duties, leaving the industry facing average duties of about 27 per cent. The decision exempts the other three Atlantic provinces, but not New Brunswick.

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MOTHER OF BABY KILLED IN EDMONTON FIRE GRATEFUL FOR SUPPORT

The mother of a five-month-old baby boy who died in an Edmonton house fire says she is touched by the support she is receiving from everyone. Angie Tang says in a brief statement that she is especially thankful for a GoFundMe page that has been set up for her and her son, Hunter. Police have said the fire was purposely set. Two people face several charges, including second-degree murder and arson, and are to appear in court on Friday.

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LEGAL MARIJUANA MUST BE COMPETITIVE: BLAIR

The Liberal MP overseeing marijuana legalization says there is an overwhelming national consensus that legal marijuana must be priced, taxed and made available competitively with the black market. Bill Blair says the provinces agree that more needs to be done to better protect children and to take away revenues from organized criminals. Canada plans on legalizing recreational marijuana by July 2018.

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TOO MANY MEN IN TRADES OVERDOSING: DOCTOR

British Columbia health officials say men who work in the trades between 19 and 59 are experiencing too many overdoses. Chief medical health officer Dr. Victoria Lee of Fraser Health says men who are injured on the job and placed on pain medication sometimes become addicted to illicit drugs and die alone because they felt too vulnerable to reach out. Lee says a workshop is planned next month to explore ways of helping workers burdened by shame.

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FEDS ROLL OUT STUDENT PLACEMENT FUNDS

The federal government is rolling out millions in new spending to help thousands of students heading back to campus find work during their studies. The Liberals had promised to spend $73 million over four years for this purpose with the money supposed to start flowing a year ago. But the spending was delayed until this academic year to sign funding deals with employer groups that will provide spots to students.

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ALSO IN THE NEWS TODAY:

— Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation will release its second-quarter Financial Report.

— Scotiabank, BMO Financial Group and Laurentian Bank will release their third-quarter results.

— Cordell Brown, father of a five-month-old baby who died in an Edmonton house fire, to appear in court on an unrelated charge.

— The Coalition for Quebec’s Future will wrap up a two-day caucus meeting in Shawinigan, Que.

— Statistics Canada will release the industrial product and raw materials price indexes for July.

— Gov. Gen. David Johnston and Mrs. Sharon Johnston will host a State luncheon for King Abdullah ll ibn Al Hussein of Jordan.

— Fisheries Minister Dominic LeBlanc hosts the 22nd North Atlantic Fisheries Ministers’ Conference in Shediac. N.B.

— Federal Science Minister Kirsty Duncan makes a clean technology funding announcement in Dartmouth, N.S.

— Airbnb and Quebec Tourism Minister Julie Boulet will discuss a new agreement on home-sharing in the province.

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