Six stories in the news today, June 9

Six stories in the news today from The Canadian Press:

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SENATE VOTES TO AMEND ASSISTED DYING BILL

The Senate has voted to allow suffering Canadians who are not near death to seek medical help to end their lives, knocking out the central pillar of the federal government’s proposed new law on medically assisted dying. Senators voted 41-30 to delete a requirement that a person’s natural death must be “reasonably foreseeable.” Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould earlier signalled that the government is unlikely to accept such an amendment.

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PQ ELECTION SHOOTING: TRIAL BEGINS TODAY

A murder trial is set to begin today for the man accused in the deadly shooting the night the Parti Quebecois was elected in 2012. Richard Henry Bain faces six charges, including first-degree murder in the death of lighting technician Denis Blanchette.

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GORDON STUCKLESS SET TO BE SENTENCED TODAY

The man at the heart of the Maple Leaf Gardens sex abuse scandal is expected to learn his fate today, more than two years after pleading guilty to 100 charges for the crimes he committed against young boys decades ago. Gordon Stuckless, who was also convicted of two additional charges of gross indecency linked to two of the 18 victims, is set to be sentenced in a Toronto courtroom.

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CANADIAN ACADEMIC JAILED IN IRAN

The federal government says it is working with allies to help free a university professor from Montreal who has been jailed in Iran’s notorious Evin prison. Homa Hoodfar’s niece says her 65-year-old aunt was arrested Monday after conducting academic research on women in the country. Hoodfar, a professor at Montreal’s Concordia University, is an anthropologist and often studies issues surrounding feminism and the role of woman in Middle Eastern societies.

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REPORT RAISES RED FLAGS ON CHILD LABOUR

A new report says Canadian consumers may be unwittingly buying goods made by child labourers. And those who want to make ethical buying decisions are largely in the dark about what companies are doing to prevent child labour in their supply chains, says the World Vision Canada report to be released today.

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ARTHUR KENT WINS DEFAMATION LAWSUIT

Former television war correspondent Arthur Kent choked back tears Wednesday after winning an eight-year-old lawsuit against one of Canada’s largest media companies over a column that called him “Dud Scud.” A judge ruled that Postmedia and its former columnist Don Martin defamed Kent while he was running for a seat in the Alberta legislature in 2008. Kent was awarded a total of $200,000 in damages.

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