Good evening,
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Trump says he will press China on Canada’s behalf at G20
U.S. President Donald Trump vowed today he would press Chinese President Xi Jinping over Beijing’s detention of two Canadians – Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor – following the December arrest in Vancouver of Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou at the request of the U.S.
Trump said he would do whatever he could when he meets Xi at next week’s G20 summit in Japan.
He and Trudeau further discussed the ratification of the revamped North American trade deal, which Trump has dubbed the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).
The Prime Minister is also set to meet with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the country’s most powerful Democrat, and Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on Capitol Hill.
While plans are under way for the NBA champions Toronto Raptors to meet Trudeau, Trump was non-committal about a White House visit.
Ontario Premier Ford shuffles cabinet
Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced a new cabinet today, moving several ministers out of their roles only a year into the term. Among those moved:
- Finance Minister Vic Fedeli has been removed from the role after the controversy over spending cuts. He becomes Minister of Economic Development Job Creation and Trade.
- Lisa MacLeod has been removed from her role as Minister of Children and Social Services, after battles with parents groups over the overhaul of autism funding. She moves to tourism, culture and sport.
- Attorney-General Caroline Mulroney, who has faced opposition over budget cuts to Legal Aid Ontario, moves to transportation.
- Also out is Education Minister Lisa Thompson, amid battles with school boards over the government’s plan to increase class sizes. She will become Minister of Government and Consumer Services.
The shuffle came as the government looks to reset after lagging poll numbers, communications missteps and several instances of the Premier being booed at events, most recently at the Raptors victory parade.
Airbnb likely removed thousands of Canada’s rental homes, study finds
More than 31,000 homes were rented out so often on Airbnb in 2018 that they were likely removed from Canada’s long-term rental market, a McGill University study finds.
As the popularity of short-term rentals has soared, the effect on rental supply in cities, towns and rural areas has grown.
Small towns and cities are grappling with an explosion of Airbnb activity that threatens local rental supply. Since smaller communities have less leverage, housing affordability could continue to worsen.
More homeowners have turned to Airbnb to generate rental income. Long-term rental income is well understood by mortgage lenders, but short-term operations can land owners in trouble.
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WHAT ELSE IS ON OUR RADAR
Iran shot down a U.S. drone amid heightened tensions over the collapsing nuclear deal. The drone incident marks the first direct Iranian-claimed attack on the U.S military amid the crisis.
Hudson’s Bay CEO has won a shareholder vote on a $29.4-million pay package, irking minority investors. The retailer took the unusual move of barring media from attending the annual meeting.
Desjardins says the personal information of 2.9 million members was shared outside of the organization. The Quebec-based financial institution says the breach resulted from illegal use of its internal data by an employee who has since been fired.
Canada lost 2-1 to the Dutch at the Women’s World Cup. The team will face either the top-ranked U.S. or No. 9 Sweden in the round of 16 Monday.
The Tampa Bay Rays receive permission from Major League Baseball to explore splitting home games with Montreal. A sourced report said the plan would see the Rays play early-season home games in Florida and the rest of the year in Montreal.
B.C. Conservative MP Mark Warawa has died after his battle with cancer. In April, Warawa announced his diagnosis and in May he made an emotional farewell to the House of Commons.
MARKET WATCH
World stock markets gained today, with the U.S. benchmark S&P 500 hitting a record closing high, while the Federal Reserve signalled potential interest rate cuts as soon as its next meeting.
On Wall Street, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 249.17 points to 26,753.17, the S&P 500 gained 27.72 points to 2,954.18 and the Nasdaq Composite added 64.02 points to 8,051.34.
In Toronto, the S&P/TSX composite index rose 63.04 points to 16,574.83.
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TALKING POINTS
TSN’s revolutionary all-women coverage of the Women’s World Cup
“What truly deserves attention, apart from Canada’s excellent performance so far, is TSN’s all-female coverage. It’s astonishing to see. It shouldn’t be, but it is. If you’ve only experienced the traditional form of male-dominated TV coverage of major sports events, you might look at this twist and ask, ‘What madness is this?’” - John Doyle
Inuit have a plan to tackle climate change
“Inuit are climate leaders, but we want to do better. Our 51 communities still rely on diesel generation for power. Sustainable energy solutions that are made and implemented in Inuit Nunangat demonstrate our commitment to a low-carbon society alongside Canadian and global commitments.” - Natan Obed, president of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami
LIVING BETTER
How ‘The Pump’ can help give your muscles – and ego – a quick boost
"If you’re reading this in the hope of becoming a bronzed beach god in time for those sweltering dog days, I’ve got some bad news: It’s already June, and that ship has sailed. Keep working and focus on next summer. If, however, you’ve been putting in the hours and you’ve already built an appreciable amount of muscle that’s not hidden underneath a smooth layer of fat, keep reading, because you’re a prime candidate for taking advantage of the vainglorious lifter’s best friend – “the pump.”
For more on the muscle move immortalized by Arnold Schwarznegger in the 1977 documentary Pumping Iron, read here.
LONG READ FOR A LONG COMMUTE
Hong Kongers in Canada seek to distance themselves from China
Chris Chiu didn’t consciously think about his identity as a Hong Kong native until about a decade ago, when the political climate started to change in the city.
But Chiu, who immigrated three decades ago to live in Canada where he has been considered a Chinese Canadian, has recently been reflecting with pride on his heritage as a Hong Konger.
Many people with Hong Kong roots have been trying to avoid being identified with China after several major political events in the region in recent years. This month’s protests over the Hong Kong government’s plans, now shelved, to enter into a formal extradition agreement with China have underlined those differences.
Many Hong Kongers still think of themselves as Chinese in terms of race or ethnicity. But the desire to distinguish themselves from people from China has become acute.
Evening Update is written by Katrya Bolger. If you’d like to receive this newsletter by e-mail every weekday evening, go here to sign up. If you have any feedback, send us a note.