LOCAL
The Globe and Mail’s use of anonymous sources in a story about Toronto councillor Doug Ford’s alleged ties to the drug trade was justifiable, the Ontario Press Council ruled in a decision that dismissed concerns about the reporting. Doug dismissed the council as stacked with “cronies” from the Toronto Star and Globe and Mail, and when asked by host John Oakley why he didn’t sue the papers if the information was inaccurate, he said “I could go after them, [but]I have a job to do.” [Globe and Mail]
After two years of construction, delays and $130 million in costs, Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada opened to the public Wednesday. The aquarium, billed as the country’s largest, is home to more than 13,000 aquatic animals and 450 different species held in nearly six million litres of water. [Globe and Mail]
Mayor Rob Ford, accused of bullying by a once-close ally, used a picture of an unnamed figure, head down on a desk, to blast city workers who slack off on the job. The mayor threatened to fire the employee in question and the responsible manager. [Globe and Mail]
NATIONAL
The Harper government pleged to introduce balanced-budget legislation that requires governments to stay in the black during “normal economic times,” and “concrete timelines” for eliminating a deficit after an “economic crisis.” The messages came Wednesday in the throne speech, read in Parliament by Governor General David Johnston. [National Post]
The marijuana vending machine is coming to Canada, says a U.S. company that developed the world’s first automatic pot dispenser. The devices, which automatically fill cannabis orders and spit out a vial with the requested product, are actually designed to add security to the legally sensitive process. [National Post]
A Canadian man has pleaded guilty in the United States to two terrorism offences in connection with the Tamil Tigers. Piratheepan Nadarajah, from Brampton, Ont., admitted to a conspiracy to acquire anti-aircraft missiles and attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization. [CBC]
INTERNATIONAL
U.S. President Barack Obama has signed a measure into law reopening the federal government and averting a potential default. The Senate voted 81-18 to send the measure to the Republican-controlled House of Representatives, which passed it late Wednesday night 285-144. [CBC]
The National Security Agency has been extensively involved in the U.S. government’s targeted killing program, collaborating closely with the CIA in the use of drone strikes against terrorists abroad. While citing documents provided by Snowden – the American is hiding out in Russia after being granted asylum there – the Washington Post reported that it was withholding many details about the drone-strike missions at the request of U.S. intelligence officials. [CBC]
Inspectors from the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, the agency based in The Hague that is responsible for policing a global ban, have reached 11 of Syria‘s 20 sites, the agency said Wednesday. They verified their contents and begun destroying equipment at six. [New York Times]
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