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Iran has begun to make a wave of arrests after its military shot down a Ukrainian plane filled with Iranians and Iranian-Canadians.

Protests have rocked the country for days as Iranians express dissatisfaction that the regime – even inadvertently – killed its own people.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau suggested yesterday that those on the plane would not have been killed if not for escalations in region. “This is something that happens when you have conflict and war," he said on Global News. "Innocents bear the brunt of it.”

Kevin McCarthy, top Republican in the U.S. House, said the Prime Minister better not be putting any blame for the deaths on Americans.

“There’s no blame here for America. America stood up once again for freedom. Iran went past a red line they had not gone before: Killing a U.S. citizen. Iran shot down an innocent commercial airliner. There’s no doubt where the blame lies,” Mr. McCarthy told reporters in Washington.

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TODAY’S HEADLINES

Finance Minister Bill Morneau says it’s up to Ottawa to spend more if there’s an economic downturn, given that the Bank of Canada doesn’t have much room to lower its already-low interest rate.

Innovation Minister Navdeep Bains says the government is committed to its promise to get telecom companies to lower cellphone bills by 25 per cent, and has two main levers to do so: controlling the sale of wireless spectrum and requiring giants to lease more space to smaller competitors.

B.C. Premier John Horgan says the Coastal GasLink pipeline must be built. “The courts have confirmed that this project can proceed, and it will proceed. The rule of law must prevail,” he told reporters. The natural gas company got the agreements of the elected First Nation chiefs along the pipeline’s route, but it is being opposed by the hereditary leaders of the Wet’suwet’en Nation.

Survivors of Indigenous day schools can now apply for compensation.

The U.S. House of Representatives will vote on Wednesday to send the articles of impeachment to the Senate, setting up the trial of President Donald Trump.

And Mr. Trudeau says Canadians are quite interested with the prospect of royals Meghan and Harry moving to Canada part-time, though there are a lot of details to work out, such as security costs. “I think most Canadians are very supportive of having royals be here, but how that looks and what kind of costs are involved, there are still lots of discussions to have,” Mr. Trudeau said.

Campbell Clark (The Globe and Mail) on the investigation into the plane shot down in Iran: “The big questions, [Transportation Safety Board] officials said, are no longer really about what happened – everyone agrees Ukraine International Airlines PS752 was shot down by Iranian surface-to-air missiles. The critical questions now are how it happened and why it happened.”

Robyn Urback (The Globe and Mail) on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s performance in the aftermath of the plane crash: “Mr. Trudeau’s personal statements have also hit just the right notes; he has been outraged for those who need to see their anger reflected in leadership, and sorrowful for those who need to see their pain acknowledged and understood.”

Globe and Mail editorial board on the prospect of Meghan and Harry coming to Canada: “Canadians like their monarchy, and visits by the Queen and other members of the Royal Family tend to produce outpourings of public enthusiasm. But while the people who embody the Crown pay visits from time to time, they don’t set up a home on the premises. A royal living in this country does not accord with the long-standing nature of the relationship between Canada and Britain, and Canada and the Crown.”

John Ibbitson (The Globe and Mail) on why, if Meghan and Harry want to immigrate to Canada, it’s the Duchess of Sussex who should take point: “With Harry as the principal applicant, the path would become more difficult. The Express Entry program gives preference to younger applicants with work experience in Canada. At 35, he is a bit old, and has not worked here. Neither can he provide a degree or diploma from an accredited Canadian university or college. The immigration law firm of Green and Spiegel calculates that, under Canada’s points system, Prince Harry’s score ‘is not competitive for an invitation to apply at this time.’"

André Picard (The Globe and Mail) on who should be the next Canadian on the five-dollar bill: “Bank of Canada Governor Stephen Poloz says the central bank is planning public consultations to determine whose image should appear on a revamped $5 bill. No need. Only one nomination is required. The clear, logical, long-overdue choice: Terrance Stanley Fox.”

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