Six stories in the news today, July 6

Six stories in the news today from The Canadian Press:

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KENNY WILL SEEK ALBERTA PC LEADERSHIP: SOURCES

Sources say Alberta Conservative MP Jason Kenney is making the jump to provincial politics. Two people with knowledge of the former federal cabinet minister’s plans say he will announce today in Calgary that he is seeking the leadership of Alberta’s Progressive Conservatives.

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POSSIBLE POSTAL LOCKOUT LOOMS ON FRIDAY

The clock is ticking down to a halt in postal services as early as Friday if Canada Post and the Canadian Union of Postal Works cannot work out a new contract for some 50,000 mail carriers. Canada Post issued a 72-hour lockout notice yesterday. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he isn’t considering a back-to-work bill right away, saying it is not the “immediate responsibility” of governments “to be heavy-handed” in labour disputes.

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GOVERNMENT TO UPDATE INDUSTRY ON FIGHTER JETS

Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan will shed some light today on how the government plans to replace Canada’s aging fighter jets when he speaks to defence and aerospace industry officials. But the update won’t include an announcement on what aircraft will replace the Canada’s CF-18s. Sajjan’s spokeswoman says the minister will instead lay out what “short-term next steps” the government intends to take on the file.

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TRADE FIGURES COULD GIVE GLIMPSE OF FIRE DAMAGE

Statistics Canada is expected to provide a first glimpse into the economic damage wrought by the wildfires in Fort McMurray, Alta., when it releases its international trade figures for May later today. The results are expected to show exports were hurt by the shutdown of several oilsands operations due to the massive fire, which forced the evacuation of a city of 80,000.

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THIRD ANNIVERSARY OF LAC-MEGANTIC TRAIN EXPLOSION

Today marks the third anniversary of the train disaster that killed 47 people in the Quebec community of Lac-Megantic. A citizens group dedicated to rail safety is holding a news conference this morning in nearby Nantes. It was on July 6, 2013 that a train transporting oil derailed and exploded in the town. The accident led to tougher regulations with regard to transporting oil by rail.

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FINAL FOUR BECKONS FOR RAONIC AT WIMBLEDON

Canada’s Milos Raonic will aim to book a spot in the Wimbledon semifinals today when he faces No. 28 Sam Querrey of the U.S. Raonic, who had advanced to Wimbedon final four in 2014, advanced to the quarter-finals on Monday by defeated Belgian David Goffin in five sets.

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