In the news today, March 22

A truck driver who caused the deadly Humboldt Broncos crash is to be sentenced in a Saskatchewan courtroom today. Jaskirat Singh Sidhu of Calgary pleaded guilty earlier this year to 29 counts of dangerous driving. Sidhu barrelled through a stop sign and into the path of the junior hockey team’s bus at a rural Saskatchewan intersection last April. Sixteen people were killed and 13 were injured. The Crown wants the 30-year-old sentenced to 10 years in prison, while the defence says other cases suggest a range of 1 1/2 to 4 1/2 years is appropriate.

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TRUCK DRIVER LIKELY TO FACE DEPORTATION: LAWYER

An immigration lawyer says the truck driver who caused the deadly Humboldt Broncos bus crash in Saskatchewan is likely to be deported to India right after he serves his sentence. Lorne Waldman, who is based in Toronto and is not involved in the case, says there’s little 30-year-old Jaskirat Singh Sidhu can do to remain in Canada. Waldman says permanent residents such as Sidhu cannot remain in the country if they commit a crime for which the maximum sentence is at least 10 years or their jail sentence is more than six months.

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‘ROBOT’ DEVICE HELPS BABIES COPE WITH PAIN

Researchers in British Columbia have designed a “robot” that helps reduce pain for premature babies in a neonatal intensive care unit. Lead inventor and occupational therapist Liisa Holsti said the Calmer device is a rectangular platform that replaces a mattress inside an incubator and is programmed with information on a parent’s heartbeat and breathing motion. The pad on top resembles a skin-like surface. The aim is to help babies cope with pain through touch instead of medication as much as possible while they’re exposed to multiple procedures, such as the drawing of blood, which can be done multiple times a day over several months.

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B.C. GROUP WANTS TO CREATE HATE ATLAS OF CANADA

An advocacy organization based in B.C. says it wants to map hatred and discrimination across Canada in a move that is prompting a warning from one civil liberties group. The Morgane Oger Foundation has issued a call for volunteers to help build the Canadian Atlas of Populist Extremism, to be known as CAPE. It says the mapping tool will tie together extremist groups and people regularly associated with them, and also map hate crimes across Canada. Micheal Vonn of the B-C Civil Liberties Association says it’s possible the project will be helpful, legal and a positive research tool, but warns there could be privacy issues involved in posting individuals’ information online.

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NUGGETS RECALLED OVER SALMONELLA CONCERN

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has announced a recall of a frozen breaded chicken product over fears of salmonella contamination. The agency says Sofina Foods Inc. is recalling Janes brand Pub Style Chicken Nuggets from the marketplace. The recall affects 800-gram packages with a best before date of December 15th. The CFIA says there have been “illnesses associated with the consumption of this product,” but it doesn’t offer any more details. It’s the third time this year the agency has announced a recall on frozen chicken nuggets, after previous notices affecting Compliments brand and Crisp & Delicious brand products.

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ALSO IN THE NEWS:

— The Union of National Employees holds a rally in front of the Prime Minister’s Office to call on the federal government to address issues with the Phoenix pay system.

— Statistics Canada releases the consumer price index for February and retail sales figures for January.

— Premier Doug Ford and Ontario Transportation Minister Jeff Yurek will make an announcement about the Ottawa LRT.

The Canadian Press

by Canadian Press

In the news today, March 22

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