News

Panda gives birth to two cubs at Toronto Zoo; won’t be on display for 5 months

TORONTO — A panda on loan from China gave birth to two cubs Tuesday morning, but the Toronto Zoo says the public won't be able to see them for a few months as they face a critical time for their survival.

The cubs — the first weighs just under 188 grams and the second 115 grams — were born between 3:30 and 3:45 a.m., and "are doing very well," said zoo spokeswoman Jennifer Tracey.

The zoo has no immediate plans to show or even name the cubs.

"They're so small and so vulnerable at this age we don't want to get ahead of ourselves," said Tracey.

Their mother, Er Shun — who is on loan from China along with a male panda named Da Mao — is showing "excellent maternal instincts," she said.

"Er Shun has been an amazing mom today. For a first-time mom she is doing really, really well."

The first 30 days of life are critical, Tracey said.

The zoo has been swapping the cubs between their mother's care and an incubator set up in a quarantined room next to the panda's maternity ward, which is closed to the public.

Chris Dutton, the zoo's head of veterinary services, previously said allowing Er Shun to care for two cubs at a time would likely lead to the death of one due to neglect.

There are two keepers from China in town to help with the cubs' neonatal care.

Tracey said the zoo has the capability to broadcast live from the maternity ward, but hasn't made any plans to do so yet. In the meantime, she said, the public will receive updates through videos and photographs via social media.

Giant pandas are born blind and the cubs are pink with short, thin white fur. The cubs are about 1/900th of the size of their mother, making them among the smallest newborn mammals compared to their mother.

Sperm from three different donors — Da Mao and two pandas in China — was used during the one-day fertility window back on May 14, and it's unclear whether the cubs are twins.

"At this time zoo staff do not know the sex of the cubs and have not confirmed which panda is the father. It may be several months before we are able to determine the sex and paternity of the cubs," the zoo said. 

Zoo staff began conducting regular ultrasounds on Er Shun and announced the pregnancy in late September.

The zoo said it's the first time giant pandas have been born in Canada.

Staff have said the cubs, if they survive, will live at the zoo for about two years and will likely return to China once they are weaned from Er Shun. Er Shun and Da Mao arrived from China in 2013 and are slated to move to the Calgary Zoo in 2018.

It will be a difficult road ahead. Two cubs were born in Washington's National Zoo in August and one cub died four days later. The zoo said the cubs' mother didn't take to the cub-swapping.

The National Zoo said the mortality rate for panda cubs in human care in their first year is 26 per cent for males and 20 per cent for females.

Liam Casey amd Paola Loriggio, The Canadian Press

Next Man Up: With playoff berth secure, short-handed Whitecaps visit FC Dallas

With a playoff spot already secure, the Vancouver Whitecaps want to create some positive energy over the final two games of the regular season.

That could be difficult when head coach Carl Robinson can barely fill out a team sheet.

The Whitecaps (15-12-5) visit FC Dallas (15-10-6) on Wednesday night in the back end of a home-and-home series that saw the clubs play to a scoreless tie at B.C. Place Stadium on Oct. 6.

The result was enough to clinch Vancouver's second straight playoff berth, but a rash of injuries coupled with international call ups means that the Whitecaps travelled to Frisco, Texas, without a full compliment of players.

"Sometimes things are taken out of your hands. There's only one thing you can do — role your sleeves up and work," said Robinson. "We're like that as a group, as a club. We don't make excuses. We've got other players coming in. We've got a strong squad, I've said that from Day 1. The squad's really being tested at the moment."

Among the walking wounded for Vancouver is captain Pedro Morales and fellow midfielders Nicolas Mezquida, Mauro Rosales and Cristian Techera, while a host of others are also nursing various bumps and bruises.

"We've got guys hurting, but it's no excuse at this point in the season," said Whitecaps goalkeeper David Ousted. "The guys coming in for the injured players need to step up and show why they're here."

To make matters worse, Kendall Waston was away with Costa Rica for a friendly against the United States on Tuesday, while fellow defender Sam Adekugbe and midfielders Kianz Froese and Marco Bustos were with Canada for a game against Ghana. 

Robinson said he didn't know if any of those four will be available to play for him on Wednesday, while striker Darren Mattocks was with Jamaica for that country's friendly in South Korea.

"Without giving too much away, we've probably got 16, 17 healthy bodies," said Robinson.

The Whitecaps are a pedestrian 2-4-2 in Major League Soccer since the middle of August, but still managed to get into the post-season with two games to spare thanks to some stumbles from the teams around them.

"I don't think we want to coast into the playoffs," said Vancouver defender Jordan Harvey. "We want to build some momentum. We're without a doubt going for three points (on Wednesday). Are we disappointed if we get a draw? Probably not, but the goal is to get three points and build momentum."

The Whitecaps have lost all five visits to Dallas in franchise history, including last season's playoff defeat at Toyota Stadium.

"We've had some trouble there. My history there with other teams is we've won," added Harvey. "With this team and the talent we have, it's definitely possible."

The Whitecaps currently sit third in the Western Conference, a point back of first-place Dallas, which has a game in hand, and the Los Angeles Galaxy, who also have two games remaining. Sporting Kansas City is two points back of Vancouver with a game in hand, while the Seattle Sounders are three points back with two matches to go.

The top two teams in each conference get byes in the first round, while No. 3 hosts No. 6 and No. 4 hosts No. 5 in one-game playoffs, meaning that Vancouver's main focus is getting into at least one of the first four spots.

"Games at this stage of the season are very tight no matter who they're between," said Robinson. "With two games to go we're in. Now we've just got to regroup, refocus, get our minds right and see where we go from here."

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Joshua Clipperton, The Canadian Press

Alberta climate panel has some reading to do with hundreds of policy submissions

CALGARY — Alberta's climate change advisory panel asked — and energy companies, trade associations, unions, think tanks and every-day Albertans answered.

The panel received close to 500 submissions following their request for public comment on what the government should consider when drafting its climate change policy. Everyone from climate-change skeptics to diehard greens represented.

Suggestions from those in favour of stronger action on climate change included switching all traffic lights to roundabouts to reduce idling, banning motorized lawn mowers and leaf blowers and giving nuclear power a chance. 

The most common requests, however, centred around more government funding for research, a faster phaseout of coal-fired power plants, more renewables and a price on carbon emissions.

"Please, Please, Please find a way to establish a 'SIGNIFICANT' price on fossil carbon emissions in Alberta!," suggested someone named Robert, whose full name was blocked out, as they were on many of the submissions.

Environmental groups made a variety of suggestions on what that carbon price should be, with the Pembina Institute recommending a $40 per tonne price next year, rising $10 a tonne every year for the first 10 years, while the Suzuki Foundation suggested a more modest $30 price, increasing by $10 a year for five years before a review.

Those advocating for a carbon price have allies in some oilsands companies, with Cenovus Energy, Shell, and Suncor among those supporting a widespread tax on carbon.

"A carbon price is the single most effective way to change the investment and operating decisions that drive real emissions reductions," Suncor said in its submission. 

Other oilsands players like Nexen and Husky Energy instead expressed support for a continuation of the current specified gas emitter regulations, with Husky saying Alberta shouldn't impose any more penalties until its competitors adopt an equivalent price on carbon.

As to phasing out coal-fired power plants, many environmental groups have called for their total elimination by 2025 or 2030, but power producers have put forth their own, more long-term solutions.

Power generators TransAlta, Atco Ltd., and Maxim Power Corp. have recommend that coal emissions be cut by 20 per cent immediately and then their reduction obligations should be considered met. The gap in energy generation would be filled by natural gas, and eventually replaced with renewables with a goal of 15 per cent of electricity from renewables by 2020 and rising from there.

Power-distributor Enmax recommends restricting coal power plant production to 25 per cent below capacity starting next year, and then allowing the full phaseout to run its current course of a complete elimination by 2066. Capital Power is calling for a 50 per cent emissions reduction from coal plants by 2030.

And while energy companies didn't go so far as to question the premise of the need to reduce emissions, many members of the public did.

"Time will come you and your panel of shills shall be exposed. Treachery as this carries massive consequences," wrote Ian.  

"There is nothing wrong with a wait-and-see approach to climate change," wrote Pieter. 

Chuck said human-caused climate change is a theory with little hard evidence, and the government shouldn't threaten investment because of it.

"Stable policy is essential for sustained capital investment. Don't screw it up," said Chuck.

Possibly the most common comment, however, amounted to expressions of gratitude for being invited to give input by the province's first NDP government.

John, who wrote in to suggest that people should be able to sell energy from their personal solar panels back to the grid, said he had never given feedback to the government before.

"Thank you for the opportunity to provide input. I am 62 and this is the first time I have ever done so."

___

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Ian Bickis, The Canadian Press

Neighbour testifies about Turcotte’s change in demeanour prior to slayings

SAINT-JEROME, Que. — A former neighbour of a Quebec man charged with killing his young children has testified that he showed a flash of anger in him as he discussed the breakup of his marriage.

"You don't know me," Johanne Leclair quoted Guy Turcotte as saying as they chatted in 2009, not long before the slayings.

Turcotte, 43, has pleaded not guilty to two counts of first-degree murder in the killings of his son Olivier, 5, and daughter Anne-Sophie, 3, but has admitted to causing the deaths on Feb. 20, 2009.

She told jurors Tuesday the flash was a sudden change in his demeanour — one she'd never witnessed while living next door to him and his ex-wife since 2003 as well as often babysitting the two youngsters.

Turcotte had come to see her to ask if she could watch the kids on Feb. 21, 2009 — the day after they'd eventually be killed.

Leclair testified that Turcotte confided in her that his separation from Isabelle Gaston, the children's mother, was difficult.

She said he described a run-in with Gaston's new boyfriend, Martin Huot, at the couple's former home, in which the latter was punched in the face.

Leclair said she tried to reason with Turcotte, reminding him he was a public figure with a career as a cardiologist at the Saint-Jerome hospital.

"I told him: 'this isn't possible, Guy, you are so nice," she testified.

"He said, 'You do not know me' with a look I had never seen," she said, describing an anger in him. "I didn't know this look."

She testified that Turcotte emphasized the words by pointing his finger at her, a gesture Leclair said frightened her and led her to back off.

Earlier on Tuesday, a police investigator who searched Turcotte's laptop said the accused looked on the Internet for material related to suicide and methanol in the days leading up to the slayings.

Provincial police investigator Michel Dufour conducted the search, testifying the word 'suicide' did not come up prior to Feb. 15, 2009 — the same date Turcotte's laptop was used to gain access to what was described as a discussion forum on suicide.

Dufour's examination also turned up searches on methanol — a toxic alcohol — and thylene glycol.

The jury has heard Turcotte arrived at the hospital the morning after the slayings with an unknown level of toxic alcohol in his bloodstream.

A container of windshield washer fluid — which contains methanol — was seized by police in the bathroom of the family home.

Turcotte's lawyer, Pierre Poupart, attempted Tuesday to discredit the information gathered as incomplete, error-laden and incomprehensible.

"Pages and pages of inexplicable scribbles," Poupart said at one point about the computer records filed in evidence.

Stephanie Marin, The Canadian Press

Wynne says Ontario may drop provincial pension if Trudeau’s Liberals win Oct. 19

TORONTO — Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne suggested Tuesday that her government would drop the idea of a provincial pension plan if Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau becomes the next prime minister.

Wynne couldn't convince the Harper government to enhance the Canada Pension Plan, so her Liberal government introduced an Ontario Retirement Pension Plan that would mirror the CPP, essentially doubling deductions and benefits.

If Trudeau wins the Oct. 19 election and is willing to improve the CPP, that would address her concerns about people without a workplace pension plan not having enough money to live on when they retire, said Wynne.

"If we have a partner in Justin Trudeau to sit down and work out what they're looking at as an enhancement to CPP, that was always my starting point, that was the solution," she said.

Trudeau is campaigning on a promise to expand the CPP and to return the age of eligibility for old age security to 65 from 67, and said he'd begin talks with the provinces on improving the CPP within three months of taking office.

New Democrat Leader Tom Mulcair also promises to enhance the CPP, and says he'd convene a First Ministers' meeting on improving the pension plan within six months of forming government. Like the Liberals, the NDP would also return the age for OAS eligibility to 65.

Ontario's pension plan, scheduled to begin Jan. 1, 2017, will require mandatory contributions of 1.9 per cent of pay from employers and a matching amount from workers — up to $1,643 a year — at any company that does not offer a pension.

As Wynne campaigned with federal Liberal candidates in the Toronto area Tuesday, she insisted she was not worried her attacks on Stephen Harper's Conservatives will make it hard to work with them if they're re-elected.

"Well, you know, it seems to me that before the federal election campaign started there was a little bit of a challenge working with Stephen Harper, but obviously I will continue to try to do that if Stephen Harper is the prime minister," she said to cheers and laughter from Liberal supporters.

Wynne, who has been the most vocal premier in the federal campaign and has clashed repeatedly with Harper over the Ontario pension plan, said the provinces need a government in Ottawa that will work with them on retirement security, climate change, infrastructure and the Syrian refugee crisis.

"I will work with whomever is the prime minister, but I really believe that in this country, at this moment, we have an opportunity to elect a prime minister who understands that working with the provinces and territories is in the best interests of the country," she said.

Ontario voters historically have supported different parties in government at the federal and provincial levels, but Wynne isn't worried about campaigning herself out of a job in the next provincial election.

"I think the opportunity we have right now is to have a federal government and a provincial government that are on the same page, that are actually pulling in the same direction, and that's exactly what I'm looking forward to," she said.

Wynne also defended her decision to campaign heavily for her Liberal cousins in the federal election as "standing up for the people of Ontario," and said she didn't need to take a vacation day from her duties as premier to do it.

"I work seven days a week, so this is part of the work that I do."

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Keith Leslie, The Canadian Press

After starting season with groin strain, Sens goalie Hammond cleared for duty

OTTAWA — Finally cleared for action, Andrew Hammond is looking forward to proving he's still the goaltender that backstopped the Ottawa Senators during last season's improbable run to the playoffs.

The 27-year-old missed the first two weeks of the season with a groin strain, but he took part in practice Tuesday morning and declared he was ready to play should he be called upon on the Senators' two-game road trip that features stops in Columbus and Pittsburgh.

"To be honest I was surprised when they told me probably two weeks, but I think we're coming in a little shy of that," Hammond said of his injury. "I feel like I've always been someone who kind of heals quickly so to have it drag on longer than I thought (was hard). In my mind I thought I was going to be ready for the opener, and obviously when it comes to be the day before and you're really not close you kind of get a little discouraged."

The Senators (2-1-0) know this two-game road trip will be a good challenge, as Pittsburgh and Columbus will be hungry after slow starts to the season.

The goaltender nicknamed "Hamburglar" rose to prominence last season after compiling a 20-1-2 record in relief of Craig Anderson and Robin Lehner, who were both injured. He was instrumental in the Senators advancing to the playoffs and was rewarded for his performance in the off-season with a three-year contract.

Hammond suffered the injury Oct. 1 and was expected to miss at least two weeks. Having never experienced a groin injury, Hammond admits it was difficult to play the waiting game.

"That was maybe part of the reason I didn't know really what to expect," he said. "It really is the first time going through a groin injury and it is more common for goalies, but for me it's something that I've never had to deal with."

Hammond is confident that with the time and work done over the past two weeks he can keep from getting injured again.

"We have a regimen for me now going forward, and I've been sticking to that over the last two weeks," Hammond said. "To be perfectly honest I feel a little bit better now than I did before and just putting a little bit more emphasis on those muscles in your body. Obviously I'm kind of seeing the benefits of that now."

Senators coach Dave Cameron didn't say exactly when he expects to give Hammond his first start, but with the Senators playing back-to-back against the Blue Jackets and Penguins he said, "he'll probably get a game somewhere."

With Hammond ready, the Senators reassigned rookie Matt O'Connor to Binghamton of the American Hockey League. O'Connor made his NHL debut Sunday in a 3-1 loss to the Montreal Canadiens.

Notes — Forward Curtis Lazar's status was unclear after he was seen hobbling after blocking a shot during Sunday's game. He missed Tuesday's practice for a maintenance day, but is expected to travel with the team. Shane Prince would get an opportunity to play his first game of the season should Lazar be unable to play on the upcoming trip. ... Cameron said he would also like to see defenceman Chris Wideman get his first game.

Lisa Wallace, The Canadian Press

Canadian women’s hockey team young in goal for Four Nations Cup tournament

CALGARY — Canada will be green in goal at the Four Nations Cup women's hockey tournament.

Hockey Canada has announced the country's 22-player roster for tournament Nov. 4-8 in Sundsvall, Sweden.

Canada is the defending champion having beaten the U.S. women 3-2 in a shootout in last year's final in Kamloops, B.C. Finland and host Sweden round out the field for the annual tournament.

Goaltenders Emerance Maschmeyer of Bruderheim, Alta., and Erica Howe of Orleans, Ont., have fewer than five career starts for the national team between them.

Canada's roster includes seven players who won Olympic gold in 2014 in Sochi, Russia: Marie-Philip Poulin, Meghan Agosta, Natalie Spooner, Jennifer Wakefield, Rebecca Johnston, Laura Fortino, Lauriane Rougeau.

Those players minus Agosta, along with forwards Jillian Saulnier, Bailey Bram, Jessica Campbell, Emily Clark, Sarah Davis and defenders Courtney Birchard, Brigette Lacquette and Halli Krzyzaniak, won a silver medal at the women's world championship in April.

Maschmeyer, 21, dressed for two games at the world championship, but did not play in the tournament.

Defencemen Sarah Edney of Mississauga, Ont., and Renata Fast of Burlington, Ont., as well as forwards Sarah Lefort of Ormstown, Que., Sarah Nurse of Hamilton and Sarah Potomak of Aldergrove, B.C., will make their national-team debuts in Sweden.

Agosta, Canada's leading scorer and tournament MVP at the 2010 Winter Olympics, returns to the national team after taking police training in Vancouver last winter.

Left off the Four Nations roster were Sochi veterans Hayley Wickenheiser, Haley Irwin, Jocelyne Larocque, Brianne Jenner, Melodie Daoust, Tara Watchorn and goaltender Charline Labonte. Those players participated in the national team's September camp.

Goaltender Shannon Szabados, Canada's winning goalie in both the 2010 and 2014 Olympic finals, is playing men's pro hockey for the Southern Professional Hockey League's Columbus Cottonmouths.

Canada will be coached by 1998 Olympian Laura Schuler of Toronto.

Donna Spencer, The Canadian Press

Gas prices rise and fall over the Thanksgiving Long Weekend

Baseball fan critically injured in fight outside Dodger Stadium following playoff game

LOS ANGELES — A fight outside Dodger Stadium after a playoff game left a fan critically injured and police searching for suspects in the latest round of violence at the ballpark.

The victim was hospitalized Tuesday, but few other details about the Friday night brawl were available, including the person's age and gender, Los Angeles police Officer Ricardo Hernandez said.

The fight broke out around 10:30 p.m. in a parking lot after the Dodgers lost the opening game of the National League Division Series to the New York Mets, 3-1.

An argument between fans quickly escalated into violence, Hernandez said. It wasn't clear whether those involved were fans of rival teams. Detectives were interviewing witnesses and reviewing stadium surveillance footage, Hernandez said.

Dodger spokesman Steve Brener said Tuesday that the team had no comment.

Security at Dodger Stadium came under national scrutiny after a 2011 attack in the parking lot on opening day left San Francisco Giants fan Bryan Stow with brain damage. Two men — Marvin Norwood and Louie Sanchez — pleaded guilty in the beating and went to prison.

Stow sued the Dodgers and their former owner Frank McCourt, blaming them for the attack because of insufficient security and lighting. A jury faulted the team, along with Sanchez and Norwood, and awarded Stow nearly $18 million after a six-week trial in 2014.

The Associated Press

Fort St. John Mayor Lori Ackerman to speak at this year’s LNG Conference

Turcotte murder trial resumes with more Crown testimony following brief hiatus

SAINT-JEROME, Que. — A former cardiologist on trial in the stabbing deaths of his two young children searched the Internet for material related to suicide and methanol in the days leading up to the slayings.

Guy Turcotte's jury trial is hearing today that his laptop computer was searched by provincial police investigator Michel Dufour, who noted the search terms.

Dufour says the word 'suicide' did not come up prior to Feb. 15, 2009 — the same date Turcotte's laptop was used to gain access to what was described as a discussion forum on suicide.

Turcotte has pleaded not guilty to two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of his son Olivier, 5, and daughter Anne-Sophie, 3, but has admitted to causing their deaths on Feb. 20, 2009.

The trial resumed today after sitting for just a few days last week due to jurors being unavailable.

Dufour's examination of the computer also turned up searches on methanol — a toxic alcohol — and on ethylene glycol.

The jury has heard Turcotte arrived at the hospital the morning after the slayings with an unknown level of toxic alcohol in his bloodstream.

A container of windshield washer fluid — which contains methanol — was seized by police in the bathroom of the family home.

Turcotte's lawyer, Pierre Poupart, attempted Tuesday to discredit the information gathered as incomplete, error-laden and incomprehensible.

"Pages and pages of inexplicable scribbles," Poupart said at one point about the computer records filed in evidence.

The Canadian Press

Harper’s putting cash on table as Conservatives bid to stall Liberal momentum

OTTAWA — Conservative Leader Stephen Harper is literally putting cash on the table in an effort to halt the momentum of Justin Trudeau's Liberals in the closing days of the federal election campaign.

With less than a week until Canadians go to the polls next Monday, the Conservatives have twice staged low-tech stunts designed to illustrate how much they say Liberal tax changes will cost voters as Harper attempts to pick apart the Liberal platform.

Harper played the role of game show host again Tuesday morning at a partisan rally in west-end Toronto, calling out Liberal tax increases as a pizza store owner placed bills on a table to the backdrop of a loudly ringing cash register.

"The tax hikes the Liberals talk about, they are not just numbers in a pamphlet," said the prime minister, without jacket or tie and with his blue shirt sleeves rolled up. "They are real dollars and I want to show you again today what the payroll tax hikes look like."

Conservative party videographers took tight shots as the pizza store owner laid bills on a table to repeated "Ka-Chings!"

"Hand it over, Dino," Harper coached. "I hope you counted that carefully."

The Conservatives staged a similar display on the Thanksgiving weekend and the stunt appears destined for party advertising in the closing days of this extraordinary 78-day campaign, the longest in modern Canadian history.

All three major party leaders were in the Greater Toronto Area on Tuesday morning as polls continue to suggest an electorate in flux and swathes of seat-rich Ontario up for grabs.

Trudeau ventured into an NDP-held riding in Toronto to make the pitch that the Liberal platform is the most progressive on offer in this election. The Liberal pitch came a day after the party launched an open appeal to former Progressive Conservatives to join their fold.

Trudeau appears to be trying to peel off voters from both the New Democrats and Tories, while hoping to win over strategic voters who might see an incumbent NDP MP as the best vehicle for removing Harper's Conservatives from office.

"You do have a choice — multiple choices," Trudeau said. "I won't pretend that you don't.

"To suggest otherwise would be arrogant and an insult to your intelligence, so I'm not asking you to look at the polls. I'm asking you to look at our platform."

NDP Leader Tom Mulcair, framed by a crowd of partisans waving orange "STOP HARPER" signs, spoke to a rally in Oshawa, Ont., just east of Toronto. He continued to maintain that New Democrats are only a few dozen seats short of unseating the Conservatives — notwithstanding that every party starts with zero seats when Parliament is dissolved and a new general election campaign begins.

"Mr. Trudeau in this campaign has spent more time going after the NDP than he's spent going after Stephen Harper," Mulcair charged. "I challenge Mr. Trudeau to start taking on Stephen Harper."

Harper is visiting the highly-symbolic Toronto riding of Etobicoke-Lakeshore, where former Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff lost his seat in the 2011 campaign en route to the worst Liberal electoral drubbing in party history.

Etobicoke is also Ford country, as in the well-known Toronto city councillors Rob and Doug Ford, both of whom were in attendance for Harper's morning rally.

Bruce Cheadle, The Canadian Press

Harper ‘betrayed and abandoned’ me in insect-infested cell, journalist says

TORONTO — Freed journalist Mohamed Fahmy lashed out at Prime Minister Stephen Harper on Tuesday, accusing him of washing his hands of his case when intervention with the highest levels of the Egyptian government was most needed.

Speaking at a news conference in Toronto, Fahmy said he initially refused to believe Harper was not bringing his full weight to bear on Egyptian authorities.

"While you here citizens in Canada and around the world clearly understood the urgency of the situation we faced in prison in Egypt, the Harper government did not," Fahmy said.

"Sitting in that prison cell, it was difficult not to feel betrayed and abandoned by Prime Minister Harper."

Instead of taking action to lean on the Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, Fahmy said Harper turned the case over to lower-level members of his government who simply didn't have the power to help.

Fahmy, 41, was the Cairo bureau chief for Al-Jazeera English when he was arrested in Egypt in 2013 with two colleagues. He was ultimately convicted of terror-related charges and sentenced to three years in prison in a widely condemned retrial this year for airing what a court described as "false news'' and coverage biased in favour of the now-banned Muslim Brotherhood.

Fahmy, who finally arrived in Toronto on Sunday after el-Sisi pardoned him, said he met Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau on Monday evening and planned a meeting with NDP Leader Tom Mulcair on Tuesday to talk about issues of media freedom and the wrongful imprisonment of journalists.

He said both opposition leaders had tried to help as best they could during his long ordeal, while members of the Conservative government were unwilling to talk to him or his lawyers.

"There are no words to describe when you are wrongfully convicted and sitting in a cold cell infested with insects nurturing a broken shoulder," Fahmy said. "But when you're there, your only hope is that your prime minister will do everything in his power to get you out of there."

A senior government official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, has said Harper did indeed speak with Egypt's president and sent several letters on Fahmy's behalf.

Fahmy said if that happened, he was "thankful" but he said Harper should have been "more transparent" about making such a call. There's little doubt Canada's stance was "very mild." He also accused former foreign affairs minister John Baird of prolonging his incarceration when he said Canada would not prosecute Fahmy if Egypt kicked him out.

Despite his strong language, Fahmy said he was not endorsing anyone for the Oct. 19 election.

He also drew attention to other journalists who remain in prison for simply doing their jobs and he blasted Al-Jazeera — he is suing the network — for failures and distortions he said led to his imprisonment.

Fahmy, who moved to Canada with his family in 1991, has said he plans to take up a position as an adjunct professor at the University of British Columbia's school of journalism in Vancouver. He is also writing a book about his experiences.

 

Colin Perkel, The Canadian Press

Grande Prairie RCMP looking for suspect in robbery

Ontario allows self-driving cars on provincial roads for testing purposes

WATERLOO, Ont. — Ontario will allow testing of self-driving cars on provincial roads starting next year, but only with a human operator who can take over in case of problems.

The government says the pilot project will allow companies to conduct research and development in Ontario, and help bring automated vehicles to market.

The self-driving vehicles are capable of detecting the surrounding environment using artificial intelligence, sensors and global positioning systems.

The government says automated and connected-vehicle technologies can improve fuel efficiency and help reduce traffic congestion, greenhouse gas emissions and driver distraction.

Toyota announced last week that it hopes to have a self-driving car on the road in Japan by 2020.

 

 

 

 

The Canadian Press

Amanda Lang leaving CBC for another TV opportunity

TORONTO — CBC's senior business correspondent Amanda Lang is leaving the public broadcaster.

Editor-in-Chief Jennifer McGuire says Lang is pursuing "a new opportunity outside the CBC in television" and plans to "devote more time to her writing" with a book expected next year.

Lang joined the CBC in 2009 as one half of "The Lang & O'Leary Exchange," which was renamed "The Exchange with Amanda Lang" after Kevin O'Leary left the show.

Lang was also part of the team bringing business news to "The National."

McGuire announced the departure in a memo to staff Tuesday morning.

"Amanda's two decades of experience as a business reporter furthered our commitment to quality business coverage," McGuire stated.

Her last day with the CBC will be Friday. Business journalist Bruce Sellery will host her show for the next two weeks.

Lang's tenure in recent months was tainted by allegations of impropriety, although a CBC review concluded she abided by journalistic standards.

In early January, media website Canadaland alleged that she tried to "sabotage" a 2013 story about the Royal Bank of Canada and its use of temporary foreign workers.

The report said the bank sponsored some speeches or events at which Lang spoke and that Lang had a "serious relationship" with a bank board member. Lang said she disclosed the relationship to the CBC.

The CBC came to Lang's defence and said her paid speaking appearances were approved and did not violate any rules. However, in late January, the CBC said it would no longer approve any paid appearances by its on-air journalistic employees.

Then in March, the CBC said after a review it had concluded that Lang abided by journalistic standards during her involvement with that 2013 story.

Lang previously worked for various newspapers, including the Globe and Mail and the National Post, and anchored with CNN in New York and the Business News Network.

Lang and McGuire were not immediately available for comment.

The Canadian Press

NewsAlert: Amanda Lang leaving CBC for another TV job

TORONTO — Amanda Lang has left CBC to pursue another opportunity in television, says a memo to staff.

CBC Editor-in-Chief Jennifer McGuire says Lang also plans to "devote more time to her writing" and notes she'll publish a book next fall.

Lang joined CBC in 2009 as one half of "The Lang & O'Leary Exchange," and as part of the team bringing business news to "The National."

More to come.

The Canadian Press

John Gibbons looks to make most of Jays resources in Toronto’s playoff comeback

ARLINGTON, Texas — Down 2-0 in the American League Division Series, Blue Jays manager John Gibbons did not look his normal relaxed self in the visiting manager's office at Globe Life Park.

A persistent hacking chest cold was no doubt responsible for the grey look. But Toronto's predicament wasn't helping. One more slip-up and the Jays' dream season was over.

"It has happened fast," Gibbons acknowledged. "I think a week ago today we were sitting down in Tampa taking the Sports Illustrated (cover) picture."

Two wins later, the series with Texas is even and Toronto can dispatch the Rangers on Wednesday from the comfort of its home stadium.

Gibbons has made some hard decisions along the way in the pressure-filled playoff cauldron where three losses can quickly trump the 93 wins in the regular season.

Prior to Game 3, he was asked whether his first foray into the post-season had proved more challenging than expected.

"I don't know if it's harder than you imagine, it's definitely more intense. I don't know. I can't really answer that yet. I've loved every minute of it but there's definitely a different feel in these games than your normal games," he said.

"But it's still baseball. You still have to execute, you still have to do your thing."

In the leadup to the post-season, Gibbons looked after his players.

He let them celebrate the franchise's long-awaited return to the playoffs. He gave them time off to recover. He handed the ball to veteran LaTroy Hawkins in the game that clinched the AL East title. And in another sign of respect, he gave Mark Buehrle a bonus start in a bid to reach 200 innings pitched for the 15th straight season.

With the season on the line Monday, Gibbons played hardball.

Despite being up 7-1, he pulled R.A. Dickey after he yielded a single with two outs in the fifth, denying the 40-year-old knuckleballer a win in his first-ever post-season start.

He inserted David Price, effectively using up the Game 1 starter in a relief role.

Both players relished the chance to go back to Toronto with the series still alive but neither seemed too chuffed about how they got there.

With Brett Cecil injured and fellow left-hander Aaron Loup unavailable because of a family matter, Gibbons had few southpaw options against a Texas batting order bristling with five lefties.

When he was taken out, Dickey was facing the meat of the Rangers order with left-hander Shin-Soo Choo and Adrian Beltre, who had a combined four hits in the game, with lefties Prince Fielder and Mitch Moreland to follow with Josh Hamilton on deck.

"What we didn't want to happen is a couple guys on base," said Gibbons. "Choo comes up. And R.A. has been known to give up the fly balls, launch it. Maybe if that should happen now they're right back in the game."

Dickey was asked whether he thought the move meant his manager didn't trust the knuckeball.

"I sure hope not," he answered. "I would hate to think that's the case. It feels good when a manager believes in you.

"Today was kind of a precarious situation, you know? It's a do-or-die game, you know. We've got a bazooka (Price) in the bullpen, so you try to see both sides as a diplomat."

Those on Gibbons' side will argue he made the most of his resources, utilizing Price in the form of a flame-retardant in Game 4 while leaving Game 5 in the red-hot, confident hands of Marcus Stroman.

"That's the best part about our team," first baseman Chris Colabello explained. "We don't have to rely on one guy. We don't have to rely on one bat. We don't have to rely on one pitcher. I think that's what has made us special all year." 

"A team win, that's what I was looking for," said Gibbons.

Mission accomplished.  

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Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press

Panda gives birth to two cubs at Toronto Zoo

TORONTO — The highly anticipated birth of two giant panda cubs at the Toronto Zoo was being hailed Tuesday as a Canadian first.

The zoo said the cubs were born between 3:30 and 3:45 a.m., the first weighing just under 188 grams and the second 115 grams.

Their mother, Er Shun — who is on loan from China along with a male panda named Da Mao — is showing "excellent maternal instincts" and has been given time to bond with each cub as they take turns in an incubator, the zoo said.

All three appear to be doing well, the zoo said, and will be monitored around the clock in the panda maternity ward, which is closed to the public.

"The tiny cubs are very vulnerable at this size, so the next several hours and days will be critical to their survival," the zoo said in a statement.

Giant pandas are born blind and the cubs are pink with short, thin white fur. The cubs are about 1/900th of the size of their mother, making them among the smallest newborn mammals compared to their mother.

Sperm from three different donors — Da Mao and two pandas in China — was used during the one-day fertility window back on May 14, and it's unclear whether the cubs are twins.

"At this time zoo staff do not know the sex of the cubs and have not confirmed which panda is the father. It may be several months before we are able to determine the sex and paternity of the cubs," the zoo said. 

Zoo staff began conducting regular ultrasounds on Er Shun and announced the pregnancy in late September.

The zoo said it's the first time giant pandas have been born in Canada.

Staff have said the cubs, if they survive, will live at the zoo for about two years and will likely return to China once they are weaned from Er Shun.

Er Shun and Da Mao arrived from China in 2013 and are slated to move to the Calgary Zoo in 2018.

 

Paola Loriggio, The Canadian Press