The IWK reportedly stated that clothing is removed from patients who are at a high risk of harming themselves, but maintains that Miss Parsons “was not stripped nor strip-searched by two men while in our care.”

A former patient alleges that she was forced to strip in front of male and female staff, but was not searched, when she attended the unit for treatment four years ago.  The patient attests that Miss Parsons told her that she felt “violated” when the two men “were stripping her of her clothes.”

Wilson stated that when deciding which areas to fund, the Ministry considers research, other jurisdictions, and resource constraints, but stated that there lacks adequate research on the effectiveness and long-term effects of the surgery.

The Nova Scotia Rainbow Action Project (NSRAP) finds that the province is discriminating against transgender people by forcing them to either pay for treatment or move to a province that funds the surgery, even when a doctor deems surgery medically necessary.  NSRAP estimates that 6-8 Nova Scotians require the surgery per year, at a cost of $30,000-60,000 each.

The case, Association for Molecular Pathology v. Myriad Genetics, No. 12-398, concerned patents by Myriad Genetics on BRCA1 and BRCA2, genes that correlate with an increased risk of hereditary breast and ovarian cancer.

The patents were opposed by a group of scientists and doctors, who argued that their research and ability to help patients were hindered by the patents. The test for detecting the genes at issue reportedly cost over $3,000, partly as a result of Myriad’s patents.

While manipulating a gene to create something not found in nature is an invention eligible for patent protection, the Court ruled that Myriad’s discovery of the precise location and sequence of the genes at issue did not constitute a “human-made invention”.

Writing for the Court, Justice Thomas explained: “A naturally occurring DNA segment is a product of nature and not patent eligible merely because it has been isolated…It is undisputed that Myriad did not create or alter any of the genetic information encoded in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes.” Myriad had argued that the patents were valid in light of the time and research put into identifying the genes, each containing a few thousand nucleotides on chromosomes containing tens of millions of nucleotides each.

If found to be valid, the patents would have given Myriad the exclusive right to isolate an individual’s BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes and to synthetically create BRCA cDNA.

The decision leaves the door open for companies to profit from their research by, for example, patenting methods for isolating genes. In this case, the Court found that the processes used by Myriad to isolate BRCA1 and BRCA2 are well-understood by geneticists.

The purpose of the Bill is “to ensure that end-of-life patients are provided care that is respectful of their dignity and their autonomy and to recognize the primacy of wishes expressed freely and clearly with respect to end-of-life care”

Bill 52 outlines a number of conditions that must be met before a patient receives medical aid to die. Specifically, it requires that the patient be 18 years or older, suffer from an incurable illness, an advanced state of irreversible decline in capacity, and constant and unbearable physical or psychological pain which cannot be relieved in a manner the person deems tolerable.

The Bill requires the medical aid to be administered by a physician.

Section 241(b) of the Criminal Code prohibits euthanasia and assisted suicide. Attorney General Rob Nicholson stated that the federal government will review the implications of the proposed legislation, noting that “a large majority” of parliamentarians voted not to change the laws in 2010.

If it passes, Bill 52 will be the first of its kind in Canada.

Staff Sgt. John Guigon noted that “Any written material that describes a sexual act between or involving a person under the age of 18 is considered child pornography.” Section 163.1 of the Criminal Code of Canada includes “any written material, visual representation or audio recording that advocates or counsels sexual activity with a person under the age of eighteen years that would be an offence under this Act.”

The 15 year-old allegedly sent the messages from his mother’s iPhone,  and the 14 year-old girl complained of receiving 25 calls from the same number. The girl had been receiving the text messages, some of which threatened her, for over a month. She did not recognize the number and reported the incident to school staff.

Police in the area cautioned that there have been over a dozen similar incidents reported this year, and have spoken out about the issue.

On May 27th, Tssessaze stopped breathing and died at the nursing station in the community of Lac Brochet despite desperate pleas by phone from the attending nurses to airlift Tssessaze to see a doctor in Thompson.

Her mother, Laura, told CBC News that her daughter has used a tracheal tube for the last eight years following injury in a house fire. According to Laura, this tube was removed by Tssessaze’s doctor in Winnipeg without any explanation.

Tssessaze had trouble breathing upon her return to Lac Brochet and visited the nursing station several times. According to Laura, the nurses repeatedly called for a medevac from Thompson to fly to the Northlands Denesuline First Nation at Lac Brochet to transport the Tssessaze back for treatment. The Tssessaze family maintains that the nurses were turned down.

Instead, the family was told that a doctor would fly into Lac Brochet on May 28th as part of regular rounds and would see Lisa at that time. On the 27th, Lisa made her final trip to the nursing station. She collapsed on the floor just inside the door of the nursing station, struggling to breathe. Nurses’ efforts to resuscitate her failed. The autopsy later revealed that Lisa died of pneumonia.

The Tssessaze family and Manitoba’s northern chiefs believe the real cause of death was negligence, and have called for an inquest.  Community leaders stated that Lisa is the third person from Lac Brochet in the last three years to die from insufficient medical care.

Grand Chief David Harper of Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak, which represents 30 northern First Nations, said “she never gave up on life but it was like Health Canada did. They gave up on her. The system failed her.”

Manitoba Health has confirmed it is investigating the death.

The rule apparently makes it difficult to recruit international students, who are often forced to be cut from the team or sit out from games.  Only two foreign students are permitted to play in varsity basketball games.

The Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association will vote on a motion that would extend restrictions to other varsity sports this week, according to CBC News, while  Holland College and the Civil Liberties Association, which has been in communication with its vice-president, reportedly hope that the motion will be defeated.

The matter is currently before a certification hearing at the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia to determine whether the lawsuit can be launched against the government as a class action.  Lawyers representing the alleged victims and the government are reportedly arguing as to whether the affidavits filed by the class consists of a fair and truthful account, or whether they are speculative and based on hearsay.

The Committee for the Administration of Justice has confirmed it will send observers to the main protest march, to be held on June 15, two days before the official summit begins. An ICTU official stated that he was concerned that the “security overkill would result in the prevention of a legitimate right to protest.”

On Monday, the Canadian Soccer Federation suspended the Québec Soccer Federation following its refusal to reverse its position on turbans. In a statement released on its website, the Canadian Soccer Federation explained:“The Québec Soccer Federation’s inaction has forced us to take measures in order to ensure soccer remains accessible to the largest number of Canadians.”

Marois has reportedly stated that “the Québec federation has the right to establish its own regulations” and that it is an “autonomous [organization], not subject to the Canadian Federation.”

The Québec Soccer Federation has called an emergency meeting to discuss the ban on Tuesday evening. The meeting will reportedly be closed to the public.