Six stories in the news today, Aug. 19

Six stories in the news today, Aug. 19 from The Canadian Press:

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ANOTHER DAY OF GRILLING AHEAD FOR NIGEL WRIGHT

Stephen Harper’s former chief of staff faces another day on the stand at the Mike Duffy trial. Tuesday’s testimony from Nigel Wright regarding the prime minister’s current chief of staff and election director, Ray Novak, directly contradicted statements made by the Conservative campaign on whether Novak was privy to Wright’s secret $90,000 repayment of Duffy’s contested expenses in 2013.

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FIVE RESERVES IN COURT OVER TRANSPARENCY LAW

Lawyers for the federal government are to be in court today to persuade a judge to force five First Nations to open their books to the public. The reserves are protesting the government’s transparency law, which since last year requires all First Nations to post their salaries and audited financial statements online.

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B.C. OYSTERS RECALLED DUE TO CONCERNS ABOUT BACTERIA

Oysters harvested off the B.C. coast and sold for raw consumption are being recalled due to a possible bacterial contamination. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency says there have been an unspecified number of illnesses linked to eating the raw oysters.

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STILL NO SIGN OF RUMOURED B.C. WILDFIRE VIDEO

Days after a wildfire destroyed 30 homes in southeast B.C., rumoured video of a tossed cigarette that sparked the blaze has yet to be found. An evacuation order caused by the Rock Creek blaze remains in place for 137 homes, down from 333 last week, but the aggressive fire still has not been contained.

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AS CRUDE DROPS, OILPATCH TOWNS FEEL THE PINCH

Oil prices are the lowest they’ve been since the Great Recession and mayors in Alberta’s oilpatch are noticing the difference.”The barber says that he has less customers coming in,” says Tom Tarpey, mayor of Peace River, population 7,000.

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$12 MILLION CALGARY LISTING HIGHEST SINCE 2009

Luxury home sales in Calgary have taken a hit this year thanks to slumping oil prices, but that isn’t preventing Sotheby’s from listing a $12.25 million home today. The asking price for the 10,000-square-foot home, owned by Calgary developer Jim Quinn, is the highest the city has seen since 2009, says Sotheby’s International Realty Canada.

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ALSO IN THE NEWS …

— New Brunswick Premier Brian Gallant delivers a breakfast speech to the Fredericton Chamber of Commerce.

— The Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police holds a closing news conference at its annual meeting in Montreal.

— Statistics Canada releases travel figures between Canada and other countries for June.

— In Toronto, a concussion education tool for kids and parents will be launched.

— Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne will make an announcement at the Toronto East General Hospital.