Tentative Deal Reached Between Mail Carriers Union and Canada Post
After months of negotiations, Canada Post and its largest union have reached a tentative agreement.
The Canadian Union of Postal Workers, Canada Post and Labour Minister MaryAnn Mihychuk (mih-HY'-chuk) say they will not release details on the agreements until employees ratify the tentative deal.
Major sticking points included keeping defined benefit pension plans for newer workers and addressing pay equity issues between rural mail carriers -- most of whom are women -- and urban letter carriers.
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Canola Dockage Restriction Deadline Extended
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says existing dockage rules with China on canola exports have been extended beyond a September 1st deadline as the two countries continue to negotiate a long-term solution.
Dockage refers to foreign material such as weeds, and the two countries disagree on acceptable levels in Canada's canola exports to China.
China's ambassador to Canada Luo Zhaohui has stated China buys 87 per cent of its canola from Canada because of its good quality and production -- but warned China can always look elsewhere.
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Mother Charged in Infant Death
A Manitoba mother is facing charges that include two counts of abandoning a child and one of criminal negligence causing death.
22-year-old Julienne Towers of Thompson is also charged with failure to provide the necessities of life.
Police say they were sent to a home in Thompson for a 3 month old infant in medical distress. The infant was taken to hospital but later died.
Police say a one year old child was also taken to hospital as a precaution.
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Men Switched at Birth Prompt Health Canada to Offer Free DNA Tests
Health Canada says it is offering free DNA tests following the discovery of four men who were switched at birth at a hospital in northern Manitoba.
The tests are being offered to anyone who was born at the federally run Norway House hospital in the mid-1970s.
Health Canada spokesman Eric Morrissette says the department has started reviewing the hospital's historical files and an independent third party will soon be tasked to investigate the mix-ups.
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Canadian Blood Services Looking for Donors
Canada needs blood donors.
Summer months tend to be lean for donations, according to Tracy Smith, Associate director of donor relations for Manitoba and Saskatchewan.
"People are going out to the lake or the cabin. They're kind of distracted from their normal schedules. Unfortunately that doesn't apply to the hospital patients."
Canadian Blood Services is trying to fill 32,000 donor appointments by Labour Day. 8,000 of those are in Manitoba.
Smith says those are slowly being filled. Permanent blood donor clinics are located in Brandon and Winnipeg.
