Women on boards and fire station pizza pies; that’s for In-The-News for Oct. 3

The debate, hosted by the private TVA television network and newspaper Le Journal de Montreal, pushed Scheer right into uncomfortable territory with its first question, about abortion.

That gave Yves-Francois Blanchet, leader of the Bloc Quebecois, the chance to press the Conservative leader to elaborate on his personal views.

And now with another major debate behind them, the federal party leaders are scattering today.

Scheer is taking his campaign to Atlantic Canada, Singh is in Toronto, Greens’ Elizabeth May and the People’s Party’s Maxime Bernier are on their respective home turfs — May on Vancouver Island and Bernier in Quebec’s Beauce region.

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Also this …

New research says job growth from clean energy will dramatically outpace that from fossil fuels over the next decade.

But that’s only if future Canadian governments maintain or increase attempts to fight climate change.

“The fast lane is clean energy,” said Merran Smith of Clean Energy Canada, a think tank based at Simon Fraser University in British Columbia. “This is where we’re seeing job growth.”

Earlier this year, the group released research that found Canada’s clean-energy sector — which encompasses renewable energy and energy conservation — had already produced 300,000 jobs by 2017.

Using recognized economic modelling tools, it suggests that direct jobs from clean energy will grow at a rate of 3.4 per cent a year between 2020 and 2030. That’s nearly four times the Canadian average.

The same models suggest fossil fuel industries will slowly lose jobs over that time.

“Canada’s not making the choice — the world is making that choice,” she said. “Canada is in the game and needs to stay in the game by moving forward on climate action.”

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ICYMI (In case you missed it) …

HALIFAX — A brown pelican swept into Cape Breton by post-tropical storm Dorian appears to be boat-hopping its way south.

Darren Stevens, a herring fishermen, took photos of the pelican while the bird perched on the bow of his vessel on Tuesday, about 60 kilometres east of Halifax.

The pelican — rarely seen in Nova Scotia — gained a following among birdwatchers and photographers in Cape Breton after Dorian swept hundreds of birds northwards, away from their natural habitats.

However, as the weather cooled, there were worries the bird could be harmed if people fed it and prolonged its stay.

The bird, nicknamed “Dorian” by some, has decreased some of these worries by heading for the fleets on the eastern shore.

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What we are watching in the U.S. …

Bernie Sanders’ campaign says the Democratic presidential candidate had a heart procedure for a blocked artery and was cancelling events and appearances “until further notice.”

The 78-year-old Vermont senator experienced chest discomfort during a campaign event Tuesday and sought medical evaluation. Two stents were “successfully inserted,” and Sanders “is conversing and in good spirits,” according to the campaign. He’s recovering at a Las Vegas hospital.

Sanders tweeted on Wednesday afternoon that he was “feeling good. I’m fortunate to have good health care and great doctors and nurses helping me to recover.”

Then, sounding one of his favourite themes from the campaign trail, he added: “None of us know when a medical emergency might affect us. And no one should fear going bankrupt if it occurs. Medicare for All!”

The Democratic field’s oldest candidate, Sanders sometimes jokingly refers to his age at town halls and other events, especially when interacting with younger participants. He is one of three candidates over age 70 in the Democratic primary, which has spurred debate over whether the party should rally behind a new generation of political leaders. Sanders’ health issue is certain to revive that discussion in the weeks before the next presidential debate this month.

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What we are watching in the rest of the world …

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s legal saga has reached a critical stage in Israel.

Prosecutors began a pre-indictment hearing for the long-serving Israeli leader beginning a lengthy legal process that threatens to end his career and has paralyzed the country’s political system.

Netanyahu’s lawyers sat down with Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit for 11 hours of discussions that will determine whether criminal charges will be pressed against the prime minister in a series of corruption cases. If formal charges are filed, Netanyahu, who denies any wrongdoing, could come under heavy pressure to step down.

Netanyahu did not appear at Wednesday’s hearing, sending instead a high-powered 10-member legal team. As they entered the Israeli Justice Ministry, his lawyers ruled out a plea bargain and expressed confidence that the charges would be dropped.

“We are going to present not only the evidence everyone is aware of but also new evidence. We are sure that once we present our findings there will be no choice but to close the case,” Netanyahu attorney Amit Haddad said.

Throughout the day, Netanyahu took to social media to make the case for his innocence, defiantly pledging that the case against him would “fall apart.”

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On this day in 1986 …

Ground was officially broken on Toronto’s SkyDome stadium, the new home of the Toronto Blue Jays.

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Weird and wild …

SLAVE LAKE, Alta. — A mix-up in a pizza order from a northern Alberta fire hall resulted in a tasty treat this week for some firefighters and police in Texas.

The crew at the Lesser Slave Regional Fire Service decided to buy dinner for first responders who attended a talk Monday at its fire hall on post-traumatic stress disorder.

Firefighter Jordan Lampertz tells CTV Edmonton he quickly searched what he thought was the phone number for a Slave Lake restaurant called Alimo’s Pizzaria and ordered 18 large pies.

But he was puzzled when a San Antonio number later showed up in his call display and he realized he had actually reached Alamo Pizza and Wings in San Antonio.

Lampertz authorized payment for the order and asked that it be delivered to first responders in the southern Texas city so it would not go to waste.

The San Antonio Fire Department later posted a comment, saying next time any of the Alberta firefighters are in their city, Alamo Pizza is on them.

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In the workplace ...

TORONTO — A new study shows female surgeons in Ontario earn less per hour than their male peers.

The is despite the province’s clearly defined fee-for-service system.

The study, published today in the medical journal JAMA Surgery, analyzed data from more than 1.5 million surgical procedures.

It found that overall, women make 24 per cent less per hour while operating, a gap linked to the types of surgeries they typically perform.

The research found women perform far fewer of the highest-paid primary procedures, and are often driven towards less lucrative specializations.

When the 200 most common procedures were analyzed based on earnings per hour, the researchers found female surgeons performed more than a quarter of the least lucrative ones but less than six per cent of the highest-paid ones.

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Celebrity news …

NEW YORK — Jim Carrey has set his sights on the literary world.

The Canadian actor has written a novel called “Memoirs and Misinformation,” Alfred A. Knopf has announced.

Along with co-author Dana Vachon, Carrey takes on celebrity, acting, romance and some other subjects he’s familiar with. The publisher is calling the book a “fearless and semi-autobiographical deconstruction of persona.”

Carrey, 57, is known for films such as “Dumb and Dumber” and “Man on the Moon.”

“Memoirs and Misinformation” is scheduled for publication next May.

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 3, 2019.

The Canadian Press

by Canadian Press

Women on boards and fire station pizza pies; that’s for In-The-News for Oct. 3

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