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Afternoon News: Tuesday, October 20, 2020

Montsion Verdict:

An Ottawa judge has acquitted a police Constable in the death of a Somali man during a violent arrest, saying he could not conclusively find the blows caused the man’s fatal heart attack.

Ontario Court Justice Robert Kelly found Constable Daniel Montsion not guilty of manslaughter, aggravated assault and assault with a weapon in the death of Abdirahman Abdi, 37.

Prosecutors alleged punches delivered by Montsion, while wearing reinforced gloves, caused facial injuries that precipitated Abdi’s death in July 2016. Kelly found there was reasonable doubt that Montsion caused Abdi’s facial injuries or death, or that he used excessive force.

COVID-19 Ottawa:

Ottawa Public Health is reporting 78 new confirmed COVID-19 cases, and one more death related to the virus Tuesday.

6166 cases have been reported here throughout the pandemic, with 745 active, and 5117 resolved. 304 people in the city have now died from COVID-19 complications.

COVID-19 Ontario:

Across Ontario, 821 new confirmed cases, and three more deaths, are being reported Tuesday.

The province has recorded 65,896 cases throughout the pandemic, with 3,053 deaths, and 56,606 cases resolved.

Meanwhile, Premier Doug Ford says he would like to see more people with symptoms getting tested in virus hotspots.

Ford says the province has set up additional testing units in Ottawa, Toronto, Peel and York Regions. But he says people seem to be holding back from getting an assessment.

Dance Classes Can Resume:

Dance classes are being allowed to resume, with certain restrictions, here in Ottawa, as well as in other COVID hotspots.

The classes weren’t allowed to operate after the province imposed stricter regulations, which included closing gyms, in these areas. The Ontario government says it’s now clarifying that classes for teaching or training amateur and professional dancers are permitted to operate, provided certain conditions are met.

Nova Scotia Nation Chief Vows to Launch Lobster Fishery:

The leader of a Cape Breton First Nation says his community is planning a self-regulated lobster fishery similar to the one on the province’s southwestern shore that has sparked violent opposition from non-Indigenous harvesters.

Chief Terry Paul, who is seeking re-election as leader of Membertou, says his band is preparing to launch a moderate livelihood fishery.

In southwestern Nova Scotia, additional RCMP were recently deployed to respond to the at-times violent dispute that began last month when the Sipekne’katik First Nation launched a small-scale commercial fishery outside of the federally designated season.

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