In the news today: McGill asks police for help, Trans Mountain expansion starts up

Here is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to bring you up to speed on what you need to know today…

Montreal police asked to clear McGill protestors

Officials at McGill University are awaiting word from Montreal police, following a request to help clear a pro-Palestinian encampment on the school grounds.

The call for assistance comes after efforts to persuade the protesters to end what the school has called an illegal action failed.

The demonstrators say they have no intention of dismantling their tents until McGill, as well as nearby Concordia University, divests from all companies that are “profiting from genocide.”

A spokeswoman for the police has confirmed the request was received, and options on how to respond are being weighed.

The encampment, which was erected on Saturday, follows a wave of similar protests on campuses across Canada and the United States linked to the Israel-Hamas war.

Trans Mountain expansion ready to ship oil

Wednesday marks the official start date of the long-awaited $34-billion Trans Mountain oil pipeline expansion project.

Crown corporation Trans Mountain Corp. says as of Wednesday, the expanded pipeline from Alberta to the B.C. coast will be transporting crude oil.

The project involved twinning an existing pipeline that runs from Alberta to the B.C. coast.

It took more than four years to construct, and was one of the most costly infrastructure projects in Canadian history.

The expansion increases the Trans Mountain system’s shipping capacity from 300,000 barrels per day to 890,000 barrels per day, and will help open up global export markets for Canadian oil.

Deadly 401 crash investigation continues

The investigation continues into a fatal collision that occurred during a high-speed police chase on the wrong way of Highway 401, located to the east of Toronto, on Monday night.

Monica Hudon of Ontario’s Special Investigations Unit confirmed with the media Tuesday that officers initiated the chase after noticing a cargo van they believed was involved in a liquor store robbery.

The chase initially began on the streets of Durham region before shifting to the 401, with both the van and the police travelling westward in the eastbound lanes.

According to Hudon, around 20 minutes after the chase began, six vehicles were involved in a crash.

She also confirmed that two grandparents and their infant grandchild, who have not been identified, were travelling in a civilian vehicle and were killed during the collision, while another person was taken to the hospital with serious injuries.

Hudon noted that since the investigation is in its early stages, it is too soon to say if the police pursuit was called off before the suspect van got onto the highway.

Cenovus, First Nations partner to address housing

To date, a $50 million housing initiative by Cenovus Energy has funded 121 new homes in northern Alberta Indigenous communities.

The program was announced in January 2020 when Cenovus committed to building homes in the six First Nations and Métis communities closest to its oilsands operations.

Many community residents had been living in run-down, overcrowded and sometimes unsafe housing conditions.

While Cenovus provides the funding, Indigenous communities are responsible for procuring the homes and distributing them to local families.

Building homes in remote Indigenous communities presents all kinds of challenges, from a lack of labour and materials to utility-related difficulties.

Saskatoon police set to begin landfill search

Police and specialized dogs are set to start searching Saskatoon’s landfill for a woman who has been missing for more than three years.

Mackenzie Lee Trottier was 22 when last seen in December 2020.

Police have said that during their investigation devices were seized and information has pointed officers to a specific part of the landfill.

The area is about 930 cubic metres in size and one metre deep.

The multi-agency search, which is to include help from Calgary police and RCMP, is slated to last 33 days.

Cam McBride, the deputy chief for Saskatoon police, has said Trottier is considered a missing person until direct information indicates otherwise.

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N.L. fisherman says leg broken by police at protest

A 52-year-old fisherman from rural Newfoundland is spending fishing season on land after he says a police officer broke his left leg in three places during a protest that shut down the provincial government.

Richard Martin says a member of the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary grabbed him from behind and threw him to the ground during a fish harvesters protest at the provincial legislature building in St. John’s in March.

He says his leg slammed against the curb, breaking his femur in three places, and he’s now on crutches for at least three months.

Martin said in an interview that the province’s police watchdog agency has contacted him and is investigating what happened.

The Royal Newfoundland Constabulary said Tuesday it cannot comment on specific cases.

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 1, 2024

The Canadian Press