March 9 (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
** Strong demand for the Boeing (NYSE:BA) 787 among the world's airlines has created a profitable sideline for Air Canada AC.TO . The Canadian airline sold two of its newest planes last year for C$351 million ($260 million) and leased them back, recording a C$19 million gain on sale, and expects to sell and lease back more 787s this year, chief financial officer Michael Rousseau said.
** The Montreal-based president of CCM Hockey says the announcement that owner Adidas AG ADSGn.DE plans to sell the brand is a "great opportunity" for the long-time Canadian brand to increase its hockey-equipment market share.
** Money manager Sprott Inc SII.TO launched a hostile $3.1 billion takeover offer Wednesday for Central Fund of Canada Ltd CEFa.TO , the latest battle in Sprott's two-year campaign to unite rival gold and silver bullion funds.
NATIONAL POST
** As BlackBerry Ltd BB.TO vies to position itself as a leader in secure automotive systems, its QNX software has turned up on a list of potential targets for the Central Intelligence Agency to hack, according to documents released by WikiLeaks. Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec is investing $700 million for a 30 percent stake in GE's Water & Process Technologies business. The Quebec pension giant is teaming up on the deal with Paris-based SUEZ, which will contribute its existing industrial water business to GE Water and will own 70 percent of the combined water treatment operation. Canadians support the construction of the Keystone XL oil pipeline and, at the same time, want their government to uphold their commitments to the Paris climate agreement even if the U.S. reneges, a survey from the Angus Reid Institute showed. ($1 = 1.3524 Canadian dollars)