Six stories in the news today, Feb. 13

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FINANCE PREPARING GENDER-BASED BUDGET ANALYSIS

When the Trudeau government delivered its fall economic statement, most of the fanfare focused on infrastructure spending and attracting foreign investment. But the statement also promised that the government would publish a gender-based analysis of all future budgetary measures. That caused a flurry of excitement among those whose work touches on issues affecting women and girls — and they’re now anxiously awaiting the results of the commitment.

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PARTY IDENTITY AT STAKE IN LEADER RACES: EXPERTS

The federal NDP leadership race has its first contestant, along with what some experts say will be a campaign of soul-searching to map out the party’s future identity. B.C. MP Peter Julian has announced his bid to replace Tom Mulcair as party leader. Max Cameron, a political scientist at UBC, notes Julian has signalled a desire to move the NDP back towards the left of the political spectrum. At the same time, Cameron suggests candidates for the Conservative leadership are being pushed to the right as the governing Liberals occupy the centre ground.

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NOVA SCOTIA LEGISLATURE BACK IN SESSION TONIGHT

The Nova Scotia teachers dispute heads to the province’s legislature tonight. The governing Liberals are planning to introduce legislation to end the impasse that’s seen teachers reject three contract offers and launch a work-to-rule campaign. The province’s Opposition leader has called for tonight’s emergency session to be delayed because of a severe storm that has prompted the provincial government to close its mainland offices.

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CLOSING ARGUMENTS COMING IN GARLAND MURDER TRIAL

Prosecutors and lawyers for Douglas Garland will begin their final arguments today in the 57-year-old man’s first degree murder trial in Calgary. Garland is accused in the disappearance of Alvin and Kathy Liknes and their five-year-old grandson Nathan O’Brien. Their bodies have never been found. Garland is charged with first degree murder, he has pleaded not guilty.

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IBM’S WATSON FIGHTING CYBERCRIME

A year after IBM began teaching its Watson computer system to fight cybercrime, the company is making the platform available for use. A new app called IBM QRadar Advisor is now available to help determine the seriousness of a cyber threat. The University of New Brunswick is one of dozens of customers around the world who’ve been testing the app. David Shipley, UNB’s director of strategic initiatives for information technology services, says research that would take him half a day takes Watson mere minutes.

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The Canadian Press

by Canadian Press

Six stories in the news today, Feb. 13

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