By Canadian Press

Canada told to back crash allegations and a new $5 bill; In The News for Jan. 10

Jan 10, 2020 | 2:54 AM

In The News is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to kickstart your day. Here is what’s on the radar of our editors for the morning of Jan. 10:

What we are watching in Canada …

TEHRAN — Iran is denying allegations that a jetliner that crashed outside Tehran was brought down by an Iranian missile strike and is calling on Canada and the United States to share any information they have.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said intelligence from multiple sources indicates the Ukraine International Airlines flight, carrying at least 63 Canadians, was hit by an Iranian surface-to-air missile. 

Both Trudeau and U.S. President Donald Trump said a strike might have been unintentional.

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Ali Abedzadeh, the head of the country’s national aviation department, denied those allegations today in a news conference in Tehran.

The state-run IRNA news agency quoted a Foreign Ministry spokesman as saying Iran has invited both Ukraine and the Boeing company to participate in the investigations, and is also welcoming experts from other countries’ whose citizens died in the crash.

Transport Minister Marc Garneau said Thursday that Canada would offer technical assistance in the crash investigation and the Transportation Safety Board said it appointed an expert to monitor the progress of the Iranian investigation.

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Also this …

OTTAWA — Canada is expected to cap 2019 with a stronger jobs report in December than the weak performance in the prior month.

Economists on average expect the addition of about 25,000 jobs and the unemployment rate dipping to 5.8 per cent, according to financial markets data firm Refinitiv.

That compared to a surprise loss of 71,200 jobs in November and a 5.9 per cent jobless rate to mark the worst monthly drop since the financial crisis.

Statistics Canada will release its labour market results on the same day that the U.S. is expected to say about 150,000 jobs were added south of the border.

Even with November’s significant job losses, the Canadian labour market added 293,000 new jobs in the first 11 months of the year.

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What we are watching in the U.S. …

WASHINGTON — The Democratic-controlled House has approved a resolution asserting that U.S. President Donald Trump must seek approval from Congress before engaging in further military action against Iran.

The war powers resolution is not binding on Trump and would not require his signature.

But House Speaker Nancy Pelosi nonetheless insists it “has real teeth” because “it is a statement of the Congress of the United States.”

Trump claims he has no obligation to give lawmakers advance warning, saying Democrats like Pelosi — his words — “want us to tell them so they can leak it to their friends in the corrupt media.”

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ICYMI (In case you missed it) …

Bank of Canada governor Stephen Poloz says the central bank is working on plans for a new $5 bill.

Speaking in Vancouver, Poloz says the bank will soon be launching public consultations about who should appear on the new bill.

Sir Wilfrid Laurier, Canada’s first francophone prime minister, is currently featured on the $5 note. 

The consultations will be similar to those that led to the choice of Viola Desmond for the $10 bill which began circulation in 2018.

Desmond, a Nova Scotia civil rights pioneer and businesswoman, was selected by the finance minister to be on the $10 bill after an open call for nominations for iconic women who could appear on a bank note.

Poloz says this time the bank will be asking Canadians to nominate any historic Canadian they think may be worthy to be on the new bill.

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Know your news …

What was the name of the Canadian ambassador who helped shelter six staff of the U.S. embassy over 79 days during the Islamic Revolution in Iran in 1979? The story was recreated in the 2012 movie “Argo,” starring Ben Affleck.  

(Keep scrolling for the answer)

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On this day in 1977 …

Canada expelled five Cubans, including three diplomats, following an RCMP spy investigation.

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Entertainment news …

TORONTO — The acclaimed Canadian drama film “The Body Remembers When the World Broke Open” has won another major honour.

The Toronto Film Critics Association has given the Indigenous story, which was written and directed by Kathleen Hepburn and Elle-Maija Tailfeathers, its 2019 Rogers Best Canadian Film Award.

The prize, which comes with $100,000, was presented at a gala Thursday night.

Tailfeathers also stars, alongside Violet Nelson, in the story of two Indigenous strangers from different social backgrounds who bond over the course of one night.

Nelson plays a pregnant young woman fleeing an abusive relationship.

The runners-up for the best Canadian film award were “Antigone” by Sophie Deraspe and “Firecrackers” by Jasmin Mozaffari.

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Know your news answer …

Ken Taylor, with help from the CIA, planned to have the six U.S. staffers leave Iran using a cover story that they were in country to film a movie.

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 10, 2020.

The Canadian Press