The Monday news briefing: An at-a-glance survey of some top stories

Highlights from the news file for Monday, Sept. 19

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TRUDEAU SAYS CANADA WON’T REST ON SYRIAN REFUGEES: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says it’s not enough to applaud Canada’s acceptance of almost 31,000 Syrian refugees since last year. He told a UN conference he co-hosted Monday in New York that Canada and all countries have a responsibility to do more to help solve the global refugee and migration crisis. Trudeau made the remarks while announcing Canada would spend an additional $64.5 million over the next several years to support people affected by humanitarian crises around the world.

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POLICE CAPTURE MAN SOUGHT IN NEW YORK-AREA BOMBINGS: An Afghan immigrant wanted for questioning in the bombings that rocked a New York City neighbourhood and a New Jersey shore town was captured Monday after being wounded in a gun battle with police that erupted when he was discovered sleeping in a bar doorway, authorities said. Ahmad Khan Rahami, 28, appeared conscious, his upper right arm bandaged and bloodied, as he was loaded into an ambulance in Linden, N.J.

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CANADIAN, 2 ITALIANS ABDUCTED IN LIBYA, SAY REPORTS: Global Affairs Canada says it is aware of “the troubling, yet unconfirmed” report of the abduction of a Canadian citizen in Libya. Local government officials in the southern city of Ghat say three foreign engineers who worked for an Italian construction company were abducted by unidentified assailants early in the morning. Italy’s foreign ministry has confirmed two Italians were among those kidnapped.The statement from the Ghat municipality quoted Mayor Koumani Mohammed Saleh as saying that al-Qaida is not behind the abduction.Saleh said the abduction of the engineers was carried out by a small outlawed group.

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FORMER STATCAN CHIEF QUESTIONS LIBERAL PLEDGE OF MORE INDEPENDENCE: The country’s former chief statistician is casting doubt on the Liberal government’s promised commitments to Statistics Canada based on its handling of an issue that forced his sudden departure last week. Wayne Smith quit Friday after losing a battle over Statistics Canada involvement in a five-year-old — and controversial — central IT department, Shared Services Canada. Smith told Prime Minister Justin Trudeau last month he would resign if the issue wasn’t resolved to his liking.The government took Smith up on his offer, staying silent until last week when he received a letter from the clerk of the Privy Council, the highest-ranking official in the federal civil service, that accepted his resignation.

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OMBUDSMAN MAPS TRANSITION SYSTEM FOR ILL, INJURED TROOPS: The military ombudsman has, for the first time, literally mapped out the numerous hurdles which ill and injured soldiers are forced to jump as they leave the Canadian Forces and re-enter civilian life. The resulting flow charts, published Monday, are a jumble of boxes and arrows that ombudsman Gary Walbourne says underline the need for a simpler transition system for service members whose careers are cut short by injury or illness. The mapping exercise is part of a joint investigation by Walbourne and Veterans Ombudsman Guy Parent into the much-maligned transition system, which has been the subject of thousands of complaints over the years.

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OTTAWA SAYS CPP TO STING IN NEAR TERM, HELP IN LONG TERM: The federal government expects the proposed expansion of the Canada Pension Plan to curb economic and employment growth slightly in the short term before boosting both of them in the long run. New data released by the Finance Department says CPP changes will have a temporary impact on jobs – lowering current employment-growth projections by up to 0.07 per cent – and trim the forecast for real gross domestic product growth by up to 0.05 per cent. But over the long term, the government predicts the pension changes will result in increased GDP growth of up to 0.09 per cent and a 0.06 per cent increase in employment.

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CINDY BLACKSTOCK SAYS FEDS FAIL TO ADDRESS DISCRIMINATION: Advocate Cindy Blackstock says she is floored the federal government is defending its actions on First Nations child welfare while its fails to recognize the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal has found it non-compliant with legally binding decisions. Indigenous Affairs Minister Carolyn Bennett says the government is reviewing a compliance order from the quasi-judicial body issued last week. Blackstock, executive director of the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society, says the government’s response to the tribunal’s latest findings are consistent with past government statements and fail to acknowledge the harm caused by Canada’s ongoing discrimination.

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WOMAN CONVICTED IN DEATH OF STEPDAUGHTER GETS LIFE SENTENCE: An Ontario woman consumed by her religious beliefs not only turned a blind eye to the violence her husband inflicted on his daughter, but encouraged the abuse that led to the girl’s death, a judge found Monday in sentencing her to life in prison with no chance if parole for 16 years. Elaine Biddersingh, 55, may herself have suffered on occasion at the hands of her husband Everton but she was his partner in the abuse that made Melonie Biddersingh’s life “a living hell,” Justice Ian MacDonnell said in his decision. Biddersingh was convicted in June of second-degree murder in the death of Melonie,17.

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EAST COAST LAWYERS FIGHT CHANGE TO TOP COURT: Trial lawyers from across Atlantic Canada are taking Ottawa to court to ensure the region keeps its traditional Supreme Court of Canada seat, saying Prime Minister Justin Trudeau can’t change the custom without the approval of every province and territory. Trudeau has said regional representation among the top court’s judges is important, but he has yet to commit to replacing a retired justice from Nova Scotia with someone from the same region, arguing that other forms of diversity are just as important. The Atlantic Provinces Trial Lawyers Association said Monday it is seeking an order from the Nova Scotia Supreme Court that would require Ottawa to amend the Constitution if it wants to drop regional representation as constitutional convention.

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MINNESOTA MALL STABBING’S POTENTIAL TERRORISM RAISES FEARS: The stabbings of nine people at a Minnesota mall look to be the work of a “lone attacker,” officials said Monday, and federal authorities are looking at whether it was a potential act of terrorism in an the immigrant-rich state that has struggled to stop the recruiting of its young men by groups including the Islamic State.”We haven’t uncovered anything that would suggest other than a lone attacker at this point,” St. Cloud Police Chief Blair Anderson said at a news conference with Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton. “If that changes, we will be transparent about that.”

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CLINTON SAYS TRUMP GIVES ‘AID AND COMFORT’ TO ISLAMIC EXTREMISTS: Hillary Clinton accused Donald Trump of giving “aid and comfort” to Islamic terrorists Monday, declaring after a weekend of violent attacks in three states that his anti-Muslim rhetoric helps groups like ISIL recruit new fighters. Trump showed no sign of changing, casting “many” foreigners coming to the U.S. as a “cancer within.” While much of the foreign policy establishment has rallied around Clinton, Trump’s anti-immigrant rhetoric, promises to close U.S. borders and vows to aggressively profile potential terrorists have fuelled his presidential bid. On Monday, he hit hard on those points, calling for tougher policing, including profiling foreigners who look like they could have connections to terrorism or certain Middle Eastern nations.