In the news today, May 28

Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer says if he is elected prime minister in the fall, he’ll want to make sure the CBC is telling enough Canadian stories. Scheer tells The Canadian Press he’d like to scrutinize the national public broadcaster to see that it’s fulfilling its mandate. He pointed to an increased focus on American politics on CBC platforms in recent years. When asked whether he would reduce government funding to the CBC, Scheer did not directly answer, saying that he has only ever promoted the idea of ensuring the broadcaster is doing the work it is mandated to do.

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CLOSING ARGUMENTS IN ‘SISTER WIVES’ MURDER TRIAL

Lawyers are to present their closing arguments today at the Winnipeg trial of a man accused of killing a woman whose body was found in a barrel. Perez Cleveland, 46, has pleaded not guilty in the 2016 death of 42-year-old Jennifer Barrett. Court has heard that Cleveland shared a house with his adult daughter and five women who were described by one of them as “sister wives.” Four of the women testified that they experienced extreme physical abuse, surveillance and manipulation in the home. The Crown has said that Cleveland became convinced Barrett was cheating, so he tortured her for days before she was killed.

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TWO DEAD AFTER PLANE CRASH IN YUKON

The Transportation Safety Board says two people have died in a plane crash in Yukon. Spokesman Jon Lee says the single-engine Cessna 170 crashed into trees shortly after taking off from the airport in Whitehorse on Monday afternoon. Lee says it happened about 600 metres from the end of the runway, and that there was a fire afterward. He says neither of the plane’s two occupants survived. The privately registered aircraft had been on its way to Anchorage, Alaska. A team of investigators with the TSB that is based in Edmonton will head to Whitehorse today.

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AS THEY TURN 85, DIONNE SISTERS REFLECT ON CHILDHOOD FAME

Today marks the birthday of the five Canadian babies who became known as the Dionne Quintuplets. There are only two survivors of the miraculous births. And Annette and Cecile Dionne — who are 85 — are warning of the dangers young people face when their lives are exploited at an early age like theirs were. They commented at a time when pint-sized content creators dubbed “kidfluencers” are growing in numbers on social media. The sisters have a warning for parents: childhood is a precious time that shouldn’t be exploited for profit.

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ALSO IN THE NEWS:

— The House of Commons agriculture committee will hold a news conference today about its study of mental health challenges facing Canadian farmers, ranchers and producers.

— Robert Andrew Leeming to appear in court on second-degree murder charges in the deaths of Calgary woman Jasmine Lovett and her toddler daughter.

— Canadian Armed Forces holds a court martial for retired corporal C.R. McGregor, accused of seven charges, including sexual assault, voyeurism and possession of a device for surreptitious interception of private communications.

The Canadian Press

by Canadian Press

In the news today, May 28

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