In the news today, Aug. 3

Six stories in the news for Friday, Aug. 3

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TRUDEAU LIBERALS SCALE BACK CARBON TAX

The federal government is scaling back its carbon pricing plan for heavy industrial emitters in a bid to cut greenhouse gas production without creating an incentive for companies to simply up and leave Canada altogether. Last week, Environment Minister Catherine McKenna quietly set out a new plan for industrial emitters which produce more than 50,000 tonnes of greenhouse gases each year, reducing the amount of emissions on which they will have to pay a carbon price.

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IRREGULAR BORDER CROSSERS COST AT LEAST $270 MILLION

The federal government has spent over $270 million on irregular border crossers over the last year and a half, according to government figures submitted to the parliamentary budget office. The Immigration Department spent more than $117 million since early 2017 and the RCMP says it has spent over $7.3 million since June 2017. Canada Border Services Agency reports it spent about $54.5 million and the Immigration and Refugee Board has spent just under $17 million.

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AIMIA REJECTS AIR CANADA TAKEOVER BID

Takeover negotiations between Aeroplan operator Aimia Inc. and Air Canada broke off Thursday just hours before a midnight deadline Thursday. Aimia said Air Canada and its three financial partners raised their initial bid for its loyalty plan to $325 million, but Aimia wants $450 million.Air Canada said last week that TD Bank, CIBC and Visa Canada wanted to buy the Aeroplan loyalty business to allow customers to transfer their points to its own platform in 2020.

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CREWS MAKING HEADWAY WITH ONTARIO FOREST FIRE

Officials say firefighters “continue to make excellent progress” in tackling a massive forest fire know as Parry Sound 33 in northeastern Ontario. The fire began on July 18 and has burned through more than 100 square kilometres of forest. The Ministry of Natural Resources says no new fires were discovered Thursday, but there were still 47 active fires across the northeast and 21 remain out of control.

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COOKING OIL MAY HELP COMBAT FOODBORNE BACTERIA

Canadian researchers say cooking oil may be the key to helping prevent the spread of foodborne bacteria such as salmonella, Listeria and E. coli. Many foods produced on an industrial scale include raw ingredients that are mixed together in large stainless steel machines that can be difficult to clean, according to a study published in the journal ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces.

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MONTREAL MODEL KNOWN AS ‘ZOMBIE BOY’ DIES

The agency that represents a Quebec model known for his head-to-toe tattoos and a role in Lady Gaga music video “Born This Way” says he has died. Dulcedo Management confirmed on its Facebook page the death of 32-year-old Rick Genest, who was better known as Zombie Boy. Lady Gaga posted a message on her Twitter account Thursday night calling the death of her friend “beyond devastating.”

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ALSO IN THE NEWS TODAY:

— Toronto Mayor John Tory and Minister of Border Security Bill Blair will provide an update on housing for asylum seekers.

— Federal Conservative Party Leader Andrew Scheer visits Amherst, N.S., and Moncton, N.B.

— Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland attends a gathering of Asian nations in Singapore.

— Loyalty rewards company Aimia Inc. will release its second-quarter results.

— Statistics Canada will release Canadian international merchandise trade figures for June. (8:30 a.m. at www.statcan.gc.ca)

— Alberta Premier Rachel Notley will make a health care announcement in Calgary.

— Jill Yoneda will try to swim 70 kilometres across the Georgia Strait in B.C. in support of Canuck Place Children’s Hospice.