Good evening, let’s start with today’s top stories:
Dennis Oland is found not guilty of second-degree murder in the death of his father
Dennis Oland has been found not guilty of second-degree murder in the 2011 bludgeoning death of his father, multimillionaire businessman and Moosehead brewing scion Richard Oland.
In delivering his decision in a New Brunswick courthouse today, Justice Terrence Morrison said there were too many missing pieces of the puzzle to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Oland’s lawyer said his client’s immediate plans are to “mentally regroup” and spend quality time with his family.
It’s the second trial for Oland, who was charged in 2013 and found guilty by a jury in 2015. That verdict was overturned on appeal, and this trial was held before a judge alone.
Oland, who has always maintained his innocence, was the last known person to have seen his father alive. Richard Oland was found face-down in a pool of blood in his office with dozens of wounds to his head, neck and hands.
Context: For more on the Richard and Dennis Oland story, check out Eric Andrew-Gee’s 2016 story, Beer, money, sex and murder: How the Oland business dynasty was shaken to its core.
CannTrust has appointed the lead of special committee to investigate hidden cannabis
The board of CannTrust Holdings has hired law firm McCarthy Tétrault and appointed a U.S. sporting-goods executive to lead a special committee that is investigating how the company illegally grew 12,700 kilograms of cannabis in unlicensed facilities, and who knew about it.
Background: Health Canada inspectors are auditing CannTrust after discovering it grew cannabis in five unlicensed rooms over a five-month period in its greenhouse in Pelham, Ont.
What’s at stake: Sanctions could range from penalties for management to the cancellation of the company’s cannabis production licences, which would effectively shut down the business.
Possible next steps: The special committee is also expected to hire an investment bank to advise it on how to proceed. A speculative media report surfaced yesterday about early efforts to find a buyer for the company or its assets.
Families of Canadians who are trapped in Syria are urging Ottawa to bring their relatives home
Family members of Canadians trapped in Syrian camps after the crumbling of the Islamic State are urging the federal government to bring them home.
There are 33 Canadians stuck in northeastern Syria, including 18 children and nine women, according to Amarnath Amarasingam, an assistant professor at Queen’s University who researches extremism.
Ottawa has come under pressure to repatriate Canadians who travelled to Syria to join the Islamic State – some of whom had children while they were there – as other countries bring home their citizens with onetime links to the terrorist group.
Japanese arson suspect reportedly believed the animation studio stole his novel
Shinji Aoba, the man suspected of torching an animation studio and killing 33 people, carried out the attack because he believed his novel had been plagiarized, Japanese public broadcaster NHK reported today.
It also said he had served time in prison for robbing a convenience store and had received care for mental illness.
Meanwhile, animation fans gathered at the site of Japan’s worst mass killing in nearly two decades, laying flowers and offering prayers. The suspect had reportedly shouted “Die!” before dousing the entrance to Kyoto Animation headquarters with what appeared to be gasoline and setting it ablaze.
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ALSO ON OUR RADAR
Sexual-harassment complaints soar amid ‘frat-boy culture’ in airline industry: Complaints citing sex in the flight industry have more than doubled over the past decade or so, totalling 118 in 2014-18, according to the Canadian Human Rights Commission.
Yesterday, the Supreme Court of Canada refused to hear WestJet’s arguments to quash a proposed class-action lawsuit, which accuses the airline of failing to provide a harassment-free workplace for women.
Laurentian Bank ending teller services: An era is about to end at the Laurentian Bank, with customers no longer having access to teller services as of Monday in most branches. Six rural locations will continue to offer these services until September.
Bankruptcy trustee launches probe as investors seek $7-million: An Ontario bankruptcy trustee has launched an investigation after a developer failed to pay millions of dollars owed to investors who financed a housing development north of Toronto.
Titans crew member dies in special-effects accident: Warren Appleby, a special-effects co-ordinator for the DC Universe TV series Titans, was killed in an accident in a Toronto facility during a test for the show.
Rohan Dennis says he 'reluctantly’ withdrew from the Tour de France: In a statement his Bahrain Merida team released today, cyclist Rohan Dennis said he “reluctantly” withdrew from the Tour de France yesterday, but provided little indication as to why he left the race and went off the radar for more than an hour.
Read more: Canadian Michael Woods, a rookie at 32, savoring every moment of first Tour de France
MARKET WATCH
North American stock markets ended the week lower on mixed second-quarter corporate results and waning expectations of an aggressive interest rate cut by the U.S. Federal Reserve later this month.
On Wall Street, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 68.77 points to 27,154.20, the S&P 500 lost 18.50 points to close at 2,976.61 and the Nasdaq Composite dropped 60.75 points to 8,146.49.
The S&P/TSX composite index closed down 8.29 points to 16,485.94.
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TALKING POINTS
The Liberals’ election playbook: Paint the Conservatives as intolerant
“Whenever the opportunity arises, the Liberals will portray the Conservatives as intolerant. How intolerant? That will depend on how much the Tories mess up, and how much trouble the Grits are in.” - John Ibbitson
Yes, Canada should ban conversion therapy
“By supporting laws and legislation to ban conversion therapy across Canada, we are doing more than just making a statement; we may be saving lives from the untold horrors of psychological abuse, victimization, life-long trauma and suicide.” - Kristopher Wells, associate professor, MacEwan University
Is the Trump presidency just a real-life revenge movie?
“The United States is a country of optics; he looks and sounds like the angry wrecking ball who is going to make someone pay. A man for our times.” - Don Gillmor, author
LIVING BETTER
For many of us, summertime means road trip. But in a country this vast, which route to you choose? Here are five classic Canadian road trips to consider. They include:
- Unforgettable mountain drive: The almost 290-kilometre stretch between Banff and Jasper in Alberta features spectacular views of the Rockies and wildlife species in their natural habitat.
- Incredible coastal trip: Take the time to explore the sights and take nature tours along the roughly 500-km route from Victoria to Port Hardy B.C.
LONG READ FOR A LONG COMMUTE
How a kosher supervisor was dismissed for living with a non-Jewish woman
It was Sunday morning and Shimon Lipovenko was on his way to work when the rabbi phoned and asked to meet at a community centre. At the meeting, the cleric wanted to know whether the Toronto man was living with a non-Jewish woman. When he said yes, he was fired.
Lipovenko was a mashgiach, a supervisor who certifies that food served at banquet halls, hotels or wedding venues follows Jewish dietary rules. The rabbi told him that he had lost the trustworthiness for his job.
His dismissal raises unusual, compelling legal questions, experts say. They say cases in which the employer invokes religious exemptions are rare, and this one is even more intriguing because it pits one religious interpretation against another. Read Tu Thanh Ha’s full story here.
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