Billionaire Ken Thomson, Canada’s richest person whose worldwide business empire once included the Canadian newspaper chain founded by his father, has died at age 82, the Globe and Mail reported today.

THE winner of Canada’s election began facing the challenge yesterday of pushing his agenda of tax cuts and more defence spending through a parliament he does not control.

Canada’s Conservative Party leader Stephen Harper has set his sights on two traditional Liberal Party strongholds – Ontario and Québec – as support for his party surged in one poll but fell in another with only five days before the country elects a new government.

Bernie Ecclestone has been accused of “extortion” over his decision to axe the Canadian Grand Prix over a tobacco advertising row.