PRESS DIGEST- Canada-Feb 7

Feb 7 (Reuters) - The following are the top stories from selected Canadian newspapers. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

THE GLOBE AND MAIL

* Canada is overhauling its citizenship laws, raising the bar for people to apply to become Canadian and increasing penalties for those who scam the system. ( Href="Link">http://link.reuters.com/hav66v)

* A coalition of journalists is urging Canada's government to step up pressure on Egyptian officials to release three journalists, including a Canadian, who have been jailed in Egypt for more than a month. ( Href="Link">http://link.reuters.com/kav66v)

Reports in the business section:

* Baytex Energy Corp BTE.TO has ended a long drought of big acquisitions by Canadian oil companies, launching a $1.8-billion bid for an Australian-based firm to give it a position in a Texas shale oil formation that is key to surging U.S. crude output. ( Href="Link">http://link.reuters.com/wav66v)

NATIONAL POST

* A former member of the Canadian Forces has been arrested at Canadian Forces Base Wainwright in Denwood, Alberta, after allegedly posting a threat on a social media site. Military officials say the man in his 40s had a loaded 9mm Beretta in his possession when he was taken into custody on Wednesday. ( Href="Link">http://link.reuters.com/zav66v)

* Canada's Industry Minister James Moore is expected to flesh out details of Canada's new space plan on Friday, which could eventually see Canadian hardware and possibly even a Canadian bound for the moon. ( Href="Link">http://link.reuters.com/bev66v)

FINANCIAL POST

* Typo Products said BlackBerry BB.TO is trying to hold a monopoly over smartphone keyboards, and that it shouldn't have to take its new iPhone case off the market. The company, co-founded by "American Idol" host Ryan Seacrest, has filed documents in a California court defending itself against a patent infringement lawsuit. ( Href="Link">http://link.reuters.com/fev66v)

* Civil liberties activists in British Columbia have filed complaints against Canada's spy agency and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police for allegedly snooping on opponents of the Northern Gateway pipeline. The BC Civil Liberties Association alleges the spying activities include illegal searches of private information, and says some of the details were shared with oil and energy companies and the National Energy Board. (http://link.reuters.com/hev66v)

(Compiled by Shubhankar Chakravorty in Bangalore)

((shubhankar.c@thomsonreuters.com)(within U.S. +1 646 223 8780; outside U.S. +91 80 6749 3428)(Reuters Messaging:)(shubhankar.c.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))

Keywords: PRESS DIGEST CANADA/