In the news today, Aug. 26

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Four stories in the news for Monday, Aug. 26

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LIBERALS LAUNCH “CHOOSE FORWARD” CAMPAIGN

The federal Liberals have decided on a slogan they hope will resonate with voters and best represent their political brand as they roll out their campaign for the October election. A release from the party says “Choose Forward” is the official campaign theme that will be stamped on a series of national ads featuring Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. The party says the ads, which begin airing on television this week, will be part of “a comprehensive and digitally-integrated campaign that also includes featured stories from Canadians.”

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THE UNUSUAL SUSPECTS: B.C.’S MIDDLE-CLASS GANGS

The gang conflict in B.C.’s Lower Mainland is unlike any other in North America because many young members come from middle to upper-class homes. A report commissioned by Surrey’s former mayor found many gang members aren’t driven by poverty, but instead by a desire to belong, to be protected or to emulate the gangster lifestyle flashed by other teens on social media. In fact, the situation is so different in B-C that some say many of the groups toting guns and dealing drugs there are not really gangs at all. Local police say that while some gang members might be immigrants, their parents sold property abroad, bought million-dollar homes and buy their kids whatever car they want.

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HOW THE ‘GANGSTER’ LABEL HURTS FAMILIES IN B.C.

A B.C. woman who lost her cousin in a shooting that police have called gang-related says the label has hurt her family and made it harder for them to grieve. Jessica Sherman’s cousin Harwin Baringh was 18 when he was found shot dead in Abbotsford, slumped over in the driver’s seat of an S-U-V. She says she doesn’t believe he was involved in a gang but he may have naively befriended someone who was, and she firmly believes the bullets that killed him were meant for someone else. Some might assume she’s naive or in denial, but experts have questioned whether “gang” is the right term in B.C. and others note that even minor involvement can get youth killed.

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NEW THERAPY AIMS TO REWIRE BRAIN INJURIES

A Calgary clinic is offering new technology aimed at helping people with brain injuries rewire neural connections. A portable device that sits on the surface of the tongue delivers mild, high-frequency electrical impulses as the patient undergoes daily physiotherapy. The device was approved by Health Canada last November. The clinic’s director says Canada is the only country to have approved the therapy clinically. Isaac Kohtakangas was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2011 and has balance issues as a result. He says he’s hoping the device will help improve his gait and balance, and allow him walk without a cane. The therapy is also available in B-C and Quebec, but there are waiting lists.

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ALSO IN THE NEWS:

— Transport Minister Marc Garneau makes a funding announcement in Montreal under the National Crime Prevention Strategy.

— Federal Environment Minister Catherine McKenna announces Government of Canada support for green jobs for youth.

— A public memorial is held in Calgary for MP Deepak Obhrai.

— Small Business Minister Mary Ng in Surrey, B.C. to announce federal investments in women entrepreneurs.

— Andrew Berry stands trial in Vancouver for the second-degree murder of his daughters.

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