Six stories in the news today, May 30

Six stories in the news for Tuesday, May 30

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TRUDEAU CONTINUES OFFICIAL VISIT TO ITALY TODAY

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will continue his official visit to Italy today, where he will meet Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni and deliver an address to parliamentarians. Trudeau is promoting cultural and economic ties between the two countries, including the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement between Canada and the European Union. Trudeau met with Pope Francis on Monday, and says he asked the pontiff to apologize for the role the Catholic Church played in the tragedy of residential schools.

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HEARINGS OF MISSING INDIGENOUS WOMEN INQUIRY START TODAY

The first family hearings of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls begin today in Whitehorse. Forty families are registered to testify before the commissioners in both public and private hearings between today and Thursday. Commissioners will be examining and reporting on the causes of violence against indigenous women and girls by scrutinizing practices, policies and institutions, including policing and child welfare.

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MINISTER SAYS FIGHTING FAMINE STARVES TERRORISM

Canada’s international development minister says famine-ravaged countries in Africa and the Middle East will breed terrorism if the world can’t help feed their people and give them hope. Marie-Claude Bibeau says Canadians may want to do the compassionate thing and help ease the suffering of 20 million people in Nigeria, South Sudan, Yemen and Somalia. The government has launched a matching fund for famine relief in those four countries. It will match donations made to registered charities over the period of March 17 to June 30.

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B.C. NEW DEMOCRATS TO VOTE ON DEAL WITH GREENS

The B.C. New Democrats are scheduled to vote today on a deal the party made with the Greens to pave the way for the formation of a new minority government. A Green party team has been negotiating with the NDP and Christy Clark’s Liberals since the May 9 election didn’t produce a clear winner. Premier Christy Clark has signalled she isn’t ready to immediately release her grip on power. She has promised to say more today after consulting her caucus.

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NOVA SCOTIANS HEADING TO THE POLLS TODAY

After a 30-day campaign, Nova Scotians will head to the polls today to elect the province’s next government. The major-party leaders fanned out across the province on Monday trying to sway undecided voters in the final hours before the provincial election. The NDP and Progressive Conservatives were once again focused on health care, with both parties challenging Premier Stephen McNeil’s track record.

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CLOSING ARGUMENTS IN NURSE MANSLAUGHTER TRIAL

Closing arguments are expected to begin today in the manslaughter trial of an Ontario nurse who took a woman off life support without a doctor’s order. Joanna Flynn is also charged with criminal negligence causing death in connection with the events of March 2, 2014. Flynn was working in the intensive care unit of Georgian Bay General Hospital in Midland, Ont., that night and acted as Deanna Leblanc’s primary care nurse.

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ALSO IN THE NEWS TODAY:

— Statistics Canada releases the balance of international payments for the first quarter and the industrial product and raw materials prices indexes for April.

— The Parliamentary Budget Officer posts a new report entitled “Following the Dollar – Tracking Budget 2016 Spending and tax Measures.”

— Alberta Children’s Services Minister Danielle Larivee tables new child protection act in the legislature.

— Three-week trial scheduled to begin for former RCMP inspector Tim Shields, who faces one count of sexual assault.

— Scotiabank, Laurentian Bank among companies reporting second-quarter earnings.

— Prince Harry attends the London launch of the U.K. team selected for the 2017 Invictus Games, which will take place in Toronto.