In the news today, Feb. 1

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PM TRUDEAU CONTINUES TOWN HALL TOUR

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau face more tough questions from Canadians at a town hall event in Winnipeg last night. The prime minister was grilled about the environment, foreign policy, immigration and other issues at last night’s event, which followed a meeting with his youth advisory council. The prime minister’s town hall tour moves to Edmonton tonight and Nanaimo, B.C. on Friday.

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ONTARIO PCs TO NAME NEW LEADER MARCH 10

Ontario’s Progressive Conservative party will select a new leader to replace Patrick Brown on March 10. There is currently only one candidate in the running to replace Brown — Toronto politician Doug Ford. The party has been in turmoil since last week when Brown resigned after vehemently denying sexual misconduct allegations which have not been independently verified by The Canadian Press.

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‘O CANADA’ GOING GENDER NEUTRAL

A bill changing the lyrics to the national anthem has now passed both houses of Parliament, after a voice vote in the Senate Wednesday evening. The bill, which changes the line “in all thy sons command” to “in all of us command,” now requires only formal royal assent to become law. The change was the dying wish of Liberal MP Mauril Belanger, who had Lou Gehrig’s disease, to make the anthem gender neutral.

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REPORT: WOMEN UNNECESSARILY SUFFERING FROM HEART DISEASE

The Heart and Stroke Foundation has issued a new report saying Canadian woman are “unnecessarily suffering and dying from heart disease” because of a system that is ill-equipped to diagnose, treat and support them. “Women are under-researched, under-diagnosed and under-treated, under-supported and under-aware … and we need to smash this glass ceiling,” said CEO Yves Savoie.

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IMMIGRANT COUPLE GIVES $60M TO ARCTIC FUND

A Canadian couple says a decision to donate $60 million — the bulk of their wealth — to a fund aimed at promoting Arctic innovation was inspired by a deep love for the Far North and the people who live there. Seven years after founding the Arctic Inspiration Prize, Arnold Witzig and Simi Sharifi are handing over their fortune to a trust fund that distributes millions of dollars every year to northern groups whose work improves the quality of life for their community members.

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ALSO IN THE NEWS TODAY:

— Online and telephone voting begins to elect a new leader of the B.C. Liberal Party.

— Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer will make a policy announcement in Ottawa.

— The Supreme Court of Canada will render decisions in nine leave to appeal applications.

— Companies reporting results today include Saputo Inc. and Resolute Forest Products Inc.

— Court hearing in Halifax regarding Lorne Grabher’s compliant about a decision to revoke his GRABHER licence plate.

The Canadian Press

by Canadian Press

In the news today, Feb. 1

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