Five stories in the news today, Jan. 16

Five stories in the news for Monday, Jan. 16

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TRIAL BEGINS TODAY FOR MAN CHARGED IN DEATHS OF THREE PEOPLE:

A man facing first degree murder charges in the disappearance of an Alberta couple and their grandson goes on trial today. Douglas Garland, 56, was arrested after Alvin and Kathy Liknes and five-year-old Nathan O’Brien vanished from the couple’s Calgary home in June 2014. Their bodies have not been found. Police have said there was evidence of a violent encounter in the Liknes home.

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OXFAM REPORT ZEROES IN ON WEALTH INEQUALITY IN CANADA

An Oxfam report says Canada’s two richest people have the same amount of wealth as the poorest 30 per cent of the entire country combined. The report by the international aid group says the wealth of billionaire businessmen David Thomson and Galen Weston equals that of about 11 million Canadians. The findings were part of a larger report that found the world’s eight richest people have as much wealth as the poorest 50 per cent of the world’s population.

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CRTC LOOKS AT EXPANDING 911

Canada’s broadcast regulator holds hearings this week into expanding 911 service across Canada to allow Canadians to send text and video messages to emergency responders. But some advocates say new regulations are only the beginning. A group called the Canadian Interoperability Technology Interest Group says police services will need to train 911 operators to deal with an influx of text messages as well as potentially disturbing pictures and videos likely to be relayed by both witnesses and victims. And there will be a need to upgrade technology.

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MILITARY SUPPORT UNIT SHORT STAFFED

Dozens of positions at the military’s oft-criticized support unit for ill and injured service members, including those suffering from post traumatic stress disorder and other psychological injuries, are empty. National Defence says it’s trying to fill the vacancies at the Joint Personnel Support Unit, which was short 73 staff members — or about 17 per cent of its workforce — in December. It’s also implementing fixes to ensure that after years of problems and complaints the unit can provide the best care possible to military personnel. Most of the changes are expected to be complete by this summer.

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PEI ARTIST OVERLOOKED FOR DECADES FINALLY GETS CREDIT DUE

For decades her creations have been wrongly attributed to male artists, however, after a two-year investigation the daughter of a former Prince Edward Island lieutenant governor is finally getting credit long overdue. Charlottetown’s Confederation Centre Art Gallery opened its “Introducing Caroline Louisa Daly” exhibit over the weekend. Some of the pieces have been part of the gallery’s permanent collection since the 1960s, but the show marks Daly’s debut as the artist behind the works.

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