Five stories in the news today, April 6

Five stories in the news today from The Canadian Press:

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KELLIE LEITCH TO MAKE TORY BID OFFICIAL TODAY

Ontario MP Kellie Leitch is set to officially launch her bid for the Conservative leadership. The Canadian Press has learned Leitch will submit her application to the party today. Quebec MP Maxime Bernier is expected to jump into the race on Thursday.

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MULCAIR HINTS THAT 70 PER CENT SUPPORT MIGHT BE ENOUGH

NDP Leader Tom Mulcair is suggesting a 70 per cent result at his leadership review would enable him to stay on. The party’s constitution calls for a secret ballot at a leadership convention, which begins Friday in Edmonton. If more than 50 per cent of the ballots call for new leadership, a vote must be held within a year. Mulcair told The Canadian Press in an interview that he will “continue to work tirelessly” to get the best possible result.

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SNOWDEN: WHISTLEBLOWERS KEY TO CHANGE

A trove of leaked data about offshore tax havens in Panama highlights more than ever the vital role of the whistleblower in a free society, says Edward Snowden. The former U.S. intelligence contractor said Tuesday in a video conference from Moscow that the so-called Panama Papers, which were given to journalists by an anonymous source, demonstrate that “change doesn’t happen by itself.” Snowden was speaking from exile on a panel organized by Simon Fraser University examining online data gathering.

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COMMISSION WORKS TO BREAK DOWN WALL ON CARBON

The chairman of Canada’s Ecofiscal Commission has a message for Brad Wall as the Saskatchewan premier and high-profile carbon-tax opponent embarks on his third straight majority mandate. “If you have a stated goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions — and Saskatchewan does — the most cost-effective way to do it is carbon pricing. Period,” says Chris Ragan, the McGill University economist who acts as the non-partisan commission’s chief spokesman.

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ONTARIO FIRM TO DEVELOP SPACE-MINING TOOL

A northern Ontario company is being awarded a Canadian Space Agency contract to work on a multi-purpose device that’s designed for future mining on the moon and Mars. Deltion Innovations Ltd. of Capreol will develop the combination drill and rotary multi-use tool, which it describes as a space-age Swiss Army knife.

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ALSO IN THE NEWS TODAY…

— A public celebration will be held at Rexall Place in Edmonton ahead of the Oilers final game at the arena.

— The Parliamentary Budget Officer will post a new report entitled “Budget 2016: Key Issues for Parliamentarians.”

— The Canadian Wind Energy Association hosts a forum in Gatineau, Que., to discuss the future of wind energy.

— Federal Natural Resources Minister Jim Carr will speak at the inaugural Ontario Natural Resources Forum in Toronto.