Five stories in the news today, Dec. 15

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RESIDENTS UNACCOUNTED FOR IN ONTARIO FIRST NATIONS FIRE

Ontario Provincial Police say the residents of a home engulfed in flames on a southern Ontario First Nation remain unaccounted for. The fire broke out late Wednesday morning on the Oneida Nation of the Thames, southwest of London. Police have not yet indicated how many people are unaccounted for, nor have they released any information on their ages of genders.

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UNION: INMATES INJURED IN SASK. PRISON RIOT

A lockdown remains in place at the Saskatchewan Penitentiary following what a spokes for the guards’ union calls “a flat-out riot.” James Bloomfield of the Union of Canadian Correctional Officers says there were serious injuries and several inmates were taken to hospitals. He said late Wednesday that authorities had regained control of the institution in Prince Albert.

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DETAILS OF RCMP COLD WAR PHONE-TAPPING EMERGE

The federal government secretly gave RCMP officials the authority to tap telephone calls without court oversight during the Cold War, newly unearthed documents show. The program, codenamed “Picnic,” began as an emergency effort during the Korean War, but federal agencies collaborated with telephone companies in 1954 to continue the wiretaps, says Dennis Molinaro, who teaches history at Ontario’s Trent University.

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STATOIL SELLS OILSANDS ASSETS TO ATHABASCA OIL

Calgary-based Athabasca Oil Corp. has struck a deal to buy the northern Alberta oilsands assets of Norwegian oil giant Statoil ASA for up to $832 million. The surprise agreement includes Statoil’s six-year-old Leismer thermal oilsands project, which uses steam to produce 24,000 barrels per day of bitumen from wells, and its proposed Corner oilsands project, plus associated infrastructure.

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ALSO IN THE NEWS TODAY:

— Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan will participate in a London meeting of defence ministers from the coalition battling ISIL.

— A protest will be held in support of Aleppo in front of the Russian Consulate in Montreal.

— Science Minister Kirsty Duncan will make an announcement in Ottawa regarding new asbestos measures.

— Statistics Canada will release the monthly survey of manufacturing for October and latest population estimates.

— In New York, Bombardier will hold its Investor Day and discuss its turnaround plan.

— Final arguments will be heard in a lawsuit seeking compensation for former Mount Cashel Orphanage residents.

— Nova Scotia Finance and Treasury Board Minister Randy Delorey presents a budget forecast update.

— Several accused in an animal abuse case involving Chilliwack Cattle Sales are scheduled to appear in court.

— Marijuana activists will hold a news conference about opening dispensaries in Montreal.

The Canadian Press

by Canadian Press

Five stories in the news today, Dec. 15

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