PRESS DIGEST-Canada - Dec 1

Dec 1 - 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

Barrick Mining ABX.TO said on Monday it was exploring an initial public offering of a subsidiary that would hold its North American gold assets amid a record rally in bullion prices.

Benjamin Bergen, a leading advocate for the Canadian technology industry, is leaving his post at the Canadian Council of Innovators to head the lobby group for the private capital sector

Canadian province Alberta's proposal to open up private billing for surgery could be lucrative for some providers, but it is unlikely to create much new capacity in the system, according to physicians.