PRESS DIGEST- Canada-Jan 29

Jan 29 (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

* A national Muslim organization is demanding Prime Minister Stephen Harper publish a retraction and apology on his government website for a chief spokesman's comments that the group says linked it to terrorists. The National Council of Canadian Muslims, which is now challenging Harper to prove this allegation, has filed a notice of libel saying it intends to sue Harper and Prime Minister's Office director of communications Jason MacDonald for comments made earlier this month. ( Href="Link">http://link.reuters.com/vys46v)

* Toronto homeowners should expect taxes to rise between 2.23 percent and 2.75 percent, say several city councillors involved in eleventh-hour negotiations to find the 23 votes needed to pass a 2014 budget this week. The final tax hike will be higher than the 1.75 percent recommended by the city's executive committee, most councillors agree. ( Href="Link">http://link.reuters.com/qat46v)

Reports in the business section:

* Mobilicity is assessing two "serious" takeover offers as part of its sales process, with Telus Corp T.TO and Quebecor Inc QBRb.TO emerging as the leading bidders for the struggling wireless carrier. ( Href="Link">http://link.reuters.com/bat46vs)

* BlackBerry Ltd BB.TO has launched a new feature that it can boast even the latest iPhones don't have, FM radio. A new version of the BlackBerry 10 operating system, which the Waterloo, Ontario-based company says includes hundreds of enhancements and new features, started being rolled out on Tuesday by mobile carriers in Canada. ( Href="Link">http://link.reuters.com/cat46v)

NATIONAL POST

* Ontario's lowest paid workers will get a raise this year when the $10.25 an hour minimum wage is hiked for the first time in four years, government sources said on Monday. A special advisory panel set up to look at ways of adjusting the minimum wage will recommend it be tied to the inflation rate, and that businesses get four months warning of any increases, said various sources. ( Href="Link">http://link.reuters.com/cys46v)

* Veterans Affairs Minister Julian Fantino appeared to add insult to injury late on Tuesday in firmly rejecting the pleas of ex-soldiers to halt the impending closure of eight of the department's regional offices. ( Href="Link">http://link.reuters.com/tat46v)

FINANCIAL POST

* Canadian airline stocks nosedived on Tuesday on fears the rapid decline in the loonie would undercut the earnings of Air Canada ACb.TO and WestJet Airlines Ltd WJA.TO . The Canadian dollar fell below 90 cents against the U.S. dollar on Tuesday as worries about emerging market economies continued. ( Href="Link">http://link.reuters.com/mys46v)

* The chief executive of Osisko Mining Corp OSK.TO thinks the hostile bid for his company is not only bad for his shareholders, but negative for other investors in the gold mining space. Speaking at the TD Securities Mining Conference in Toronto, Sean Roosen said if offers as low as Goldcorp Inc's

G.TO $2.6-billion hostile bid become acceptable in the sector, then it is hard to see how portfolio managers can make money investing in emerging growth stories like Osisko. (http://link.reuters.com/nys46v)

(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/