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Good evening.

The Lead

Ontario Premier Doug Ford declared Friday that he’s “not interested” in the upcoming federal election, and doesn’t care about who wins — comments made one week after federal Conservative leader Andrew Scheer appeared to dodge questions about Ford at an event in Toronto.

“I don’t care if it’s green, orange, red, purple, blue,” Ford told reporters at an announcement in Kitchener on Friday.

“Whoever gets in, I’m going to work with them.”

Responding to questions about Scheer appearing to distance himself from the premier, Ford replied, “I don’t know about distancing himself. You could say that about me, too. You could say I’m distancing myself from the federal government in this election.”

Victoria Gibson reports.

In Canada

Changes are coming to the way drug prices are set.

The Trudeau government announced changes overhauling the “basket” of countries used as a comparison when setting drug prices, granting more discretion to the federal patented drug regulator.

Health Minister Ginette Petitpas Taylor on Friday introduced the final amendments to promised changes to patented medicines regulations. Countries the Patented Medicine Prices Review Board uses to compare prices will be reworked to ones that more closely reflect Canada in terms of population, economy and health care system.

Ottawa says the changes meant to lower drug prices will help pave the way for the implementation of a national pharmacare system. Marco Vigloitti reports.

Meanwhile, the federal Conservative platform for the 2019 election will not include a tax rebate for parents who send their kids to private and independent schools.

A spokesperson for Andrew Scheer confirmed in an email statement that the Tory leader would not move ahead with the tax credit because of the large budget deficits recorded by the Trudeau government in recent years.

During the 2017 leadership campaign, Scheer promised to offer a $4,000 income tax deduction for parents who send their kids to private schools. In recent weeks, critics have raised the plan in warning against voting for the Tories, arguing the tax credit was an unnecessary subsidy to already wealthy parents. Vigliotti has the story.

In Quebec, François Legault remains one of Canada’s most popular premiers almost a year after forming government, with satisfaction ratings over 60 per cent. Despite his government’s controversial law aimed at Muslim women wearing head veils sparking condemnation outside of Quebec, a Forum Research poll found the policy enjoys a 64 per cent approval rating in Quebec.

The opposition has also split between the Quebec Liberals and the Parti Québécois, making Legault a dominant force with no demise in sight. Kevin Dougherty reports.

As well, a man who gained brief notoriety for his unusual poll station protest of a woman who swore her oath of Canadian citizenship while wearing a niqab is now running as a candidate for the People’s Party of Canada. Records show Ken Finlayson is representing the People’s Party in Kamloops-Thompson-Cariboo.

Finlayson garnered attention in 2015 when he wore cowboy attire complete with a bandana shielding his face to vote at an advance polling station in Edmonton in the federal election. Charlie Pinkerton reports.

Lastly, organizers for a national event to hold more than 100 local candidate debates on the environment during the federal election campaign have moved their scheduled date as a result of the party leaders’ debate.

Environmental group GreenPAC said their “100 Debates on the Environment” will instead be held on Oct. 3. It was originally planned for Oct. 7 but last week it was announced that the English-language leaders’ debate is set to be held on that day. Jolson Lim reports.

The Rebel to Rabble Review: Sounding the alarm over right-wing extremism

The Sprout: Ontario farmer found guilty of negligence in son’s death on farm

The Drilldown: Expanded Arctic oil and gas moratorium to remain in place until end of 2021

In Other Headlines

Canadian right-wing party calls for end to ‘official multiculturalism’ (Reuters)

B.C. man held in Syria after seeking adventure now released (Reuters)

Ford calls mental health patient detained for killing roommate an ‘animal’ (Canadian Press)

Internationally

Reuters reports that police deployed tear gas and pellets against at least 10,000 people in Kashmir protesting a move by India to strip the disputed territory of special status. The protest took place shortly after Friday prayers in the Muslim-majority region as a strict communications curfew remains in effect.

Seeking to tighten its grip on the region also claimed by neighbouring Pakistan, India this week scrapped the territory’s right to create its own laws.

The Associated Press reports that few in Afghanistan believe a presidential election scheduled for next month will occur as the U.S. and Taliban inch closer to a peace deal. Few candidates have openly campaigned after the Taliban last week attacked the office of President Ashraf Ghani’s running mate on the opening day of the campaign.

BBC News reports that China has ordered Hong Kong-based airline Cathay Pacific to suspend any staff who support pro-democracy protests in the territory. Beijing’s demand coincides with a peaceful rally at Hong Kong’s airport, where thousands occupied a terminal. Cathay also faced pressure online after China’s state-run press fuelled a #BoycottCathayPacific hashtag.

The broadcaster also reports that Chinese authorities have declared a red alert as a powerful typhoon heads towards the eastern coast. Typhoon Lekima battered Taiwan with winds of more than 190km/h and is due to make landfall in China on Saturday.

Lastly, the New York Times reports that U.S. President Donald Trump said now is the time for Congress to come together and pass new laws for “meaningful” background checks on gun purchasers. The president said Republican Senate majority leader Mitch McConnelll was “on board.”

Featured Opinion

Alan Freeman: Ignore flawed Fraser Institute report, Canadians get a good deal on taxes

The Kicker

A fart prompted a speaker at a regional assembly in Kenya to suspend debate.

According to BBC News, a heated debate about market stalls was disrupted by a foul smell and furious finger-pointing, local reports say.

“Honourable Speaker, one of us has polluted the air and I know who it is,” an assembly member said.

Eventually, the speaker reportedly instructed members to step outside and asked officials to bring in air fresheners. Debate soon resumed.

See you Monday.