Nigel Wright, former chief of staff to Prime Minister Stephen Harper, arrives at the courthouse in Ottawa on Thursday, Aug. 13, 2015 for his second day of testimony at the criminal trial of embattled Sen. Mike Duffy. (Fred Chartrand/CP)
Nine stories in the news today, Aug. 19:
ANOTHER DAY OF GRILLING FOR NIGEL WRIGHT
Stephen Harper‘s former chief of staff faces another day on the stand at the Mike Duffy trial. Tuesday’s testimony from Nigel Wright regarding the prime minister’s current chief of staff and election director, Ray Novak, directly contradicted statements made by the Conservative campaign on whether Novak was privy to Wright’s secret $90,000 repayment of Duffy’s contested expenses in 2013.
FIVE RESERVES IN COURT OVER TRANSPARENCY LAW
Lawyers for the federal government are to be in court today to persuade a judge to force five First Nations to open their books to the public. The reserves are protesting the government’s transparency law, which since last year requires all First Nations to post their salaries and audited financial statements online.
B.C. OYSTERS RECALLED
Oysters harvested off the B.C. coast and sold for raw consumption are being recalled due to a possible bacterial contamination. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency says there have been an unspecified number of illnesses linked to eating the raw oysters.
NO SIGN OF RUMOURED B.C. WILDFIRE VIDEO
Days after a wildfire destroyed 30 homes in southeast B.C., rumoured video of a tossed cigarette that sparked the blaze has yet to be found. An evacuation order caused by the Rock Creek blaze remains in place for 137 homes, down from 333 last week, but the aggressive fire still has not been contained.
$12 MILLION CALGARY LISTING HIGHEST SINCE 2009
Luxury home sales in Calgary have taken a hit this year thanks to slumping oil prices, but that isn’t preventing Sotheby’s from listing a $12.25 million home today. The asking price for the 10,000-square-foot home, owned by Calgary developer Jim Quinn, is the highest the city has seen since 2009, says Sotheby’s International Realty Canada.
ALSO IN THE NEWS
New Brunswick Premier Brian Gallant delivers a breakfast speech to the Fredericton Chamber of Commerce.
The Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police holds a closing news conference at its annual meeting in Montreal.
Statistics Canada releases travel figures between Canada and other countries for June.
Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne will make an announcement at the Toronto East General Hospital.