The Wednesday news briefing: An at-a-glance survey of some top stories

Highlights from the news file for Wednesday, June 22:

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BRITAIN IN EU GOOD FOR FREE TRADE DEAL: TRUDEAU: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Wednesday he wants to see Britain remain in the European Union so it can continue to be a strong voice in support of trade and economic prosperity. Britain has always been a strong and positive voice in the EU on Canada’s lucrative free trade deal with the EU, the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement, said Trudeau, who wants to see that remain the case after Thursday’s pivotal British referendum that will decide whether the country remains part of the 28-country bloc. His remarks came as more than 100 people crammed the sidewalk in front of the British High Commission in Ottawa to pay tribute to slain British MP Jo Cox.

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BREXIT RIVALS FACE FINAL DAY OF CAMPAIGNING: Campaigners on both sides of the crucial vote on whether Britain should remain in the European Union began the final frantic day of campaigning on Wednesday, crisscrossing the country to make impassioned pleas to the undecided. Prime Minister David Cameron outlined his vision for a future with Britain retaining its place in the 28-country bloc, bristling at the notion that the country would be headed in the wrong direction if it stayed in. He flatly rejected the notion that the institution is moribund.

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NHL TO EXPAND TO LAS VEGAS: The NHL is officially rolling the dice on Las Vegas. Commissioner Gary Bettman says the league’s board of governors has accepted an expansion bid from Las Vegas with the new team to begin play in the 2017-18 season. He says the vote was unanimous. The decision means Quebec City is left out in the cold despite having a brand new arena as part of its application to become the 31st NHL franchise.

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DRONES ARE LATEST BUZZ AT CANADA POST: It’s a little early to tell if the idea will fly, but Canada Post is starting to look at the role of drones in making deliveries. The post office is quietly exploring the possibility of small, unmanned aerial vehicles one day helping get the mail to where it needs to go, said Jon Hamilton, a Canada Post spokesman. In the post office’s 250-year history, the manner of getting letters and parcels to Canadians has evolved from a couple of horses to trains, trucks and planes – so it makes sense to eye lightweight, remote-controlled aircraft, he said.

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TRUDEAU CLAIMS EARLY SUCCESS, MORE TO BE DONE: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he’s had to repeatedly remind his over-enthusiastic cabinet that their new Liberal government has a four-year mandate “and we can’t expect to accomplish everything within the first few months.” As he summed up the first session of Canada’s 42nd Parliament on Wednesday, Trudeau maintained that his government fulfilled three big economic commitments before the summer recess but still has a lot of work to do. His critics contend that it’s taken less than nine months for the old Liberal arrogance to return.

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APPLICATION FOR ASSISTED DEATH WITHDRAWN: A Newfoundland and Labrador lawyer says a client who was seeking the province’s first court-approved assisted death will likely get his wish within the next month. Lawyer Kyle Rees had made a court application for an unidentified client who has suffered from prostate cancer for a number of years. Rees says a hearing was held last week on the matter, but the application was withdrawn on Wednesday because the man’s physician was satisfied that he meets the requirements of Bill C-14, passed on Friday.

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WILDROSE TELLS KENNEY THEY HAVE LEADER: Calgary MP Jason Kenney’s rumoured plan to come home to Alberta to lead a united right is shaping up to be a bumpy ride. After the Progressive Conservatives made clear Tuesday they are looking for a leader but aren’t keen to merge, the Wildrose caucus announced Wednesday it’s happy to link up but only under its banner and with its leader, Brian Jean, calling the shots. “We welcome anyone willing to get involved with Brian Jean’s efforts to consolidate conservatives,” the Wildrose caucus said in a statement.

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AUTHOR STEVEN GALLOWAY FIRED FROM UBC: The University of British Columbia says the chair of its creative writing program is no longer employed by the school over what it calls an “irreparable breach of trust.” In a statement, the school says acclaimed writer Steven Galloway was suspended in November of last year while an investigation was completed over what it said were serious allegations of misconduct. Additional complaints were also received after he was suspended and former B.C. Supreme Court justice Mary Ellen Boyd was appointed to conduct an investigation. Details of those allegations weren’t released.

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LONDON, ONT., MAYOR BACK AT WORK AFTER SCANDAL: The mayor of London, Ont., says he’s returning to work a week after temporarily stepping aside in the wake of admitting a brief “inappropriate personal relationship” with the deputy mayor. Saying “what occurred should never have happened,” Matt Brown told a news conference Wednesday that it is time for him to return to work. Last week, Brown said in a statement that during a period of intense workload, he developed “a close working relationship and ultimately an inappropriate personal relationship” with deputy mayor Maureen Cassidy. Cassidy resigned as deputy mayor last Tuesday.

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SUSPECT CHARGED AFTER WOMEN IN HIJAB ATTACKED: A 38-year-old London, Ont. woman was charged after a woman wearing a hijab was punched and spat on in a supermarket. Police say the victim was shopping with her four-month-old son Monday when they were approached by a woman who began yelling at them. Police say they arrested a 38-year-old woman and charged her with assault. They are not releasing her name.