In the news today, April 8

Astronaut David Saint-Jacques will become the first Canadian spacewalker in 12 years when he embarks on a roughly seven-hour mission planned for today. Canadian Space Agency robotics flight controllers will provide support while he performs his mission with NASA astronaut Anne McClain. Saint-Jacques’ spacewalk comes on his first posting to the International Space Station. It’s set to begin just after 8 a.m. EDT, and will involve several tasks, including upgrading the station’s communication system and connecting cables to give Canadarm2 an alternative power source.

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COAST GUARD STRUGGLING DUE TO OLD FLEET

Reduced search-and-rescue coverage, ferry-service disruptions, cancelled resupply runs to Arctic and coastal communities and nearly $2 million in lost navigational buoys. New documents obtained by The Canadian Press show those are among the impacts that communities and business are starting to feel due to the Canadian Coast Guard’s aging fleet. And the problems are expected to get worse: the documents warn that more than a third of the coast guard’s large vessels have exceeded their expected lifespans and many won’t survive until replacements arrive.

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ONTARIO REALTORS CALL FOR END TO “BULLY” OFFERS

Ontario’s realtors want the province to ban so-called “bully” offers that they say give some home buyers an unfair advantage. “Bully” offers are submitted by a buyer ahead of a seller’s established offer date, a move usually made to avoid competing with other buyers and pressure the seller into accepting the bid. Ontario Real Estate Association President Karen Cox says banning the practice will ensure that all interested buyers are able to make a fair offer on a home and allow sellers to carefully consider all bids.

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AI POISED TO REVOLUTIONIZE HEALTH CARE

It’s already crept into many aspects of everyday life, from powering digital assistants like Siri and Alexa to personalizing entertainment choices on streaming services like Netflix to the development of autonomous vehicles. Now artificial intelligence is poised to revolutionize key aspects of how doctors practise medicine and the ways in which patients are diagnosed and treated. AI systems, specifically machine learning, have the ability to analyze massive sets of anonymized patient data and look for patterns in a way that the human brain cannot begin to approach.

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ALSO IN THE NEWS:

— Court hearing in Halifax on possible bankruptcy proceedings for QuadrigaCX.

— The Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights is holding Ottawa press conference marking 25th anniversary of Rwandan genocide.

— Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. will release preliminary housing start data for March.

— The BC Conservative Party will announce its new leader.

— Vancouver trial is expected to begin for Andrew Barry, charged with the Dec. 25, 2017 second-degree murders of his two daughters.

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The Canadian Press

by Canadian Press

In the news today, April 8

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