LOCAL
Toronto Mayor Rob Ford has said he has smoked “a lot” of marijuana, but did not provide details about when that drug use took place. The admission comes on the heels of Justin Trudeau’s admission that he smoked pot three years ago, and Kathleen Wynne’s admission that she smoked very infrequently, but not once in the last 35 years. [Globe and Mail]
A ten-month-old girl drowned in an apartment in Parkdale. Police are conducting an investigation, but so far no charges have been laid. [National Post]
The CNE and Toronto Health have closed two more food booths out of concern for safety. Bourbon Street Grill and Bao 360 Shanghai Express will remain closed for the rest of the CNE. [National Post]
NATIONAL
An aspiring lawyer was awarded $300,000 after tripping on a curb and hurting her shoulder. Michelle Botosh successfully sued two construction companies and the city for not having signs indicating construction was ongoing. [National Post]
An English-language schoolboard in Montreal says enrolment will drop to an all time low of 10,000 since 2000. It attributed some of its losses to an exodus from the expensive downtown core, though the main culprit is the “Quebec language laws” says official Michael Cohen. [National Post]
Sammy Yatim’s family hired a prominent civil rights lawyer Wednesday, just as an internal review into his shooting death hit an internal snag when the retired judge assisting with it withdrew amid controversy. Mr. Falconer is well-known for his work representing members of families who have died with interactions with police. [Globe and Mail]
INTERNATIONAL
President Obama made the case Wednesday for a limited military strike against Syria to deter future use of chemical weapons, but added that he had not made a decision yet. He said US officials believe Assad was responsible for the chemical weapons attack and that the Syrian rebels had no role in them. [Globe and Mail]
President Obama marked the 50th anniversary of Martin Luther King’s “I have a dream” speech by saying American inequality has left the dream unfulfilled. The President’s speech ranged across gay equality, women’s rights and immigration reform. [The Guardian]
Fukushima radiation has devastated the fishing industry in Japan. The Fukushima nuclear plant suffered triple meltdowns after the massive earthquake and tsunami struck in March 2011. [CBC]
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