In the news today, Jan. 21

Three stories in the news for Monday, Jan. 21

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KEEP CAMPAIGN POSITIVE, PM TELLS MPs

Justin Trudeau sharpened his core re-election message on Sunday, telling his MPs to present a positive message to Canadians while he branded his Conservative opponents as a detached party of the elite. The prime minister delivered a campaign-style speech at the start of a two-day Liberal caucus retreat on Parliament Hill, characterizing his party as a beacon of hope for Canadians in a world of upheaval. At the same time, Trudeau attacked the opposition Conservatives as a party rooted in the past and mired in the divisiveness of its former leader, Stephen Harper.

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VAN KOEVERDEN WINS LIBERAL NOMINATION

Former Olympic flag-bearer Adam van Koeverden will carry the Liberal banner into the next federal election, after securing the nomination in the southern Ontario riding of Milton. The 36-year-old kayaker, whose four Olympic medals are the most by any Canadian paddler, will be looking to defeat deputy Conservative leader Lisa Raitt, who’s held the riding since 2015. A website laying out the details of van Koeverden’s candidacy says his campaign will focus on traditional Liberal values with an emphasis on youth, sport, physical education and healthy communities.

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INMATE SUES OVER ‘SARDINE-CAN-STYLE’ VAN TRIP  

A federal inmate who says he was shackled in a cramped transport van for almost eight hours — despite a heart condition and other ailments — is suing the government for compensation. The lawsuit comes after a federal ombudsman called the prison service’s escort vans inhumane and unsafe, and recommended they be replaced. Edwin Nott, a 65-year-old inmate who identifies as Metis and uses a walker, is serving a six-year sentence at the medium-security Bath Institution in eastern Ontario. He’s seeking $1 million for his alleged pain and suffering.

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ALSO IN THE NEWS:

— Federal Transport Minister Marc Garneau will meet with his provincial counterparts in Montreal

— The federal Liberal Caucus Retreat continues on Parliament Hill.

— Health Canada will provide a technical briefing in Ottawa on the new Canada’s Food Guide.

— OPSEU president will reveal new research into how Ontarians feel about Premier Doug Ford and his policies.

— Edmonton trial of American Jason Steadman on first-degree murder charge in the 2016 death of Edmonton limo driver Dwayne Demkiw.

— NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh in Burnaby, B-C  to make a housing announcement.

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The Canadian Press