Good morning from the CTV newsroom.

Here are five need-to-know stories from Canada and around the world: Senator Don Meredith says he won't resign after a scathing ethics report; Kevin O'Leary is alleging a rival's leadership campaign is engaging in fraud and vote-rigging; legal experts and business advocates are questioning a new anti-spam law which will allow Canadians to sue companies; Canadian researchers had a hand in new cholesterol drugs up for discussion at a conference in Washington; and St. Patrick's Day shirts are causing controversy online.

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1. Meredith speaks out: Sen. Don Meredith apologized to his wife, children, fellow senators and "all Canadians" over a sex scandal involving a teenage girl. Speaking out for the first time since a scathing ethics report issued last week by Senate ethics officer Lyse Richard, the embattled politician said he is not ready to resign.

2. Accusations fly: Federal Conservative leadership candidate Kevin O’Leary has issued a statement alleging that a rival’s campaign is engaging in fraud and vote-rigging by using untraceable prepaid credit cards to sign up fake members. The Conservative party says an investigation is underway.

3. Anti-spam rights expanded: A new provision of Canada’s anti-spam law, set to take effect on July 1, will grant Canadians the right to sue companies they believe are violating the rules for unsolicited emails. But some legal experts and business advocates are questioning whether the so-called private right of action is necessary.

4. Canadian hand in new cholesterol drugs: As the world's leading cardiovascular experts gather in Washington for a conference today, they'll highlight a new class of cholesterol drugs developed thanks to an important Canadian discovery. Nabil Seidah, and a team of scientists in Montreal, discovered an enzyme that is a powerful regulator of bad cholesterol. Once they discovered that, drugs could be made to counteract it.

5. St. Patrick's Day controversy: As revellers get ready to celebrate St. Patrick's Day, Amazon and Canadian retailers are facing a backlash over shirts that promote drinking and reference the Black Lives Matter movement.