In the news today, Sept. 10

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HOSPITAL TESTING YOUTH SUICIDE PREVENTION PROGRAM

Rising youth suicide rates have prompted doctors at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto to launch a clinical trial aimed at testing whether involving families in treatment could prevent deaths across the country. The six-week program involves adolescents who showed up at the hospital’s emergency department before or after they attempted to take their own lives, and recruitment will continuing into next year. Child and adolescent psychiatrist Dr. Daphne Korczak says randomized trials aren’t as common for mental health problems, especially those involving children, but that’s the gold standard for trials testing medications, for example, and the team is aiming to come up with a standardized strategy.

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MANITOBANS GO TO THE POLLS TODAY

Brian Pallister is seeking a second mandate for his Progressive Conservatives in the Manitoba election today with a to-do list that includes further cost cuts and reduced taxes. Pallister won 40 of 57 seats, the largest majority government in Manitoba in a century, in 2016 after the former NDP government raised the provincial sales tax and angered voters. Pallister reversed the tax increase in July and launched the election campaign a month later, more than a year ahead of schedule. Opinion polls have consistently suggested a sizable lead for the Tories provincewide, but a tight race with the NDP in Winnipeg, where most of the seats are. The New Democrats have focused on Pallister’s health-care reforms throughout the four-week campaign and have promised to reverse some of the changes.

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FEDERAL TORIES READY TO LAUNCH LEADER’S TOUR

The Conservative campaign machine revs up in earnest this week, with two events scheduled tomorrow in places where the party aims to increase its support come the Oct. 21 vote. Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer will fuel up the tank on his campaign bus for a first stop in Trois-Rivieres, Que., one of several Quebec ridings into which the party has been pouring resources to win seats it’s never held in its modern incarnation. From there, Scheer is to move on to the Toronto area, specifically the riding of Vaughan-Woodbridge, newly created for the 2015 election and won by the Liberals. The geographical area, however, had previously been represented by Conservative and former top Toronto cop Julian Fantino. All three federal parties have been in campaign mode for weeks, despite the fact an election has yet to be officially called.

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DOCUMENTARY LOOKS AT MEDICAL CARE FOR INDIGENOUS KIDS

Alanis Obomsawin releases her 53rd film at the Toronto International Film Festival today. Her film, “Jordan River Anderson, The Messenger,” examines the legacy of a boy from Norway House Cree Nation who was born with a rare muscle disorder. Jordan spent the five years of his life in a Winnipeg hospital because the federal and provincial governments could not agree who should pay for his transfer to home-based care. The case inspired a 2007 law known as Jordan’s Principle, which was supposed to guarantee equal access to health care and services but was continually ignored in ensuing years. The film will also screen at the FIN Atlantic International Film Festival in Halifax, the Calgary International Film Festival, and Vancouver International Film Festival, with more festivals to come.

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ALSO IN THE NEWS:

— Trial continues today for David Petersen after he pleaded not guilty on a charge of uttering threats against Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Parliament.

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

— A public inquest will be held today into the death of Ryan Donard. RCMP said Donard was running from officers when he went into the Fond du Lac River. His body was later found in the water.

— Finance Minister Carole James will provide an update today on B.C.’s fiscal outlook.

The Canadian Press

by Canadian Press

In the news today, Sept. 10

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