Former justice minister Jody Wilson-Raybould says she came under “consistent and sustained” pressure – including veiled threats – from the Prime Minister’s Office, the Privy Council Office and the finance minister’s office to halt a criminal prosecution of Montreal engineering giant SNC-Lavalin. Testifying Wednesday to the House of Commons justice committee, Wilson-Raybould said she believes she was shuffled out of the justice portfolio because she refused to give in. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, his senior staff, the clerk of the Privy Council and others repeatedly “hounded” her to end the prosecution, she said, and this went on for months after the director of public prosecutions, Kathleen Roussel, rejected the idea of negotiating a remediation agreement with SNC-Lavalin – and long after Wilson-Raybould unequivocally informed them she would not intervene to override Roussel’s decision — Canadian Press

Canada Radar at 4.15 p.m. Wednesday

The storm system which has left Wednesday’s snow seems two to three hours away from leaving Toronto behind.

Air Canada has temporarily suspended all service to India due to the closure of Pakistani airspace The company confirmed the suspension in a statement on Wednesday morning. A flight en route to Delhi from Toronto turned back while over the Atlantic Ocean. It is due to return to Toronto this afternoon. Pakistan and India are on high-alert after India launched an attack on Pakistani extremists earlier in the week. Pakistan says it shot down two Indian warplanes after they crossed the boundary between the two nuclear-armed rivals in the disputed territory of Kashmir on Wednesday.

Chico/TPS

Toronto Police Operations has posted the theft of Chico on Sunday from Yonge St. and Eglinton Ave. where he was tied up waiting for his owner to return. Chico is 7 to 8 years-old, a black pug/chihuahua. Anyone with information is asked to call (416) 808-5300

UPDATE: The Toronto Police Service would like to thank the public for their assistance locating a stolen dog. On Sunday, February 24, 2019, a dog named “Chico” was tied to a fence in the area of Yonge Street and Eglinton Avenue. The owner had left the dog unattended for less than a minute and when he returned, the dog was gone. See previous release. On Saturday, March 9, 2019, at approximately 8:30 p.m., the dog was located safely and in good health.

There isn’t much to say except that Wednesday’s snow seems like more than enough. The 10 a.m. shot of Accuweather’s Canada Radar indicates the size of the storm. Snow is expected fall until into the evening. The predictions are for 10 to 15 cm, maybe 20 cm in some areas.

Monday is Pink Shirt Day in many Canadian schools, communities and workplaces. The idea is Canadian but it has spread to many countries. Pink Shirt Day originated in 2007 after two Nova Scotia teenagers encouraged their fellow students to wear pink T-shirts in support of a pupil who was being bullied. Mayor John Tory was scheduled to join the Toronto Wolfpack rugby team and an anti-bullying organization to celebrate the day at St. Mary’s Catholic School. Other poltical leaders and citizens are doing similar activities.

HOCKEY PLAYER TAUNTED FOR RACE IN QUEBEC

A Quebec hockey league has apologized to a black player who says he and his family left a game in St. Jerome before the third period because they were being taunted with racist remarks from the stands. Jonathan Diaby, 24, is a defenceman for the Marquis de Jonquière, a team in the Ligue Nord-Américaine de Hockey, a Quebec-based, semi-professional independent hockey league. CBC

Jason Peddle, Toronto Police Vulnerable Persons Coordinator, will speak Thursday (February 28) on keeping seniors safe from fraud and scams. This is part of the Making Connections Luncheon series conducted at the Sprint Senior Care Centre at 140 Merton St. It begins at 11.30 and lunch is free. (416) 630-7000.

The CBC says the Ontario government has announced the creation of a central agency called Ontario Health to oversee the health-care system. It is described as a “super-agency” that will dissolve the 14 Local Health Integration Networks (LHINs) and merge their duties with those of six provincial health agencies, including Cancer Care Ontario and eHealth Ontario. Other agencies to be consolidated are Trillium Gift of Life Network, Health Shared Services, Health Quality Ontario and HealthForce Ontario Marketing and Recruitment Agency. Health Minister Christine Elliott made the announcement Tuesday morning.

Mason Rupke, 4

Interest in the musings of a Barrie-area lad, Mason Rupke, 4, as he struggles through hockey practice has become a huge Internet sensation. Views to the video posted by his dad Jeremy are heading towards five million since Friday. So enjoy. Oh yes, Mason wants to go to McDonald’s when this is over.

The Toronto Zoo is showing off a newly-born zebra foal. Mom Tori, 8 years, gave birth to the male foal early February 13. Both mom and foal are doing well and are staying indoors for a while at the zebra habitat which is not open to the public at this time.

A special weather statement has been issued warning of as much as 15 cm of snow on Wednesday. It says a low pressure system from the Midwestern States will bring the snow starting early Wednesday. Total snowfall amounts of 10 to 15 cm are possible with locally higher amounts especially near the shore of Lake Ontario.