Busy day? Here are five stories popular with Globe readers to help you catch up
Report shows glaring lack of female voices on Canadian city councils
A new report from the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives ranked the country’s 25 largest cities based on their female-friendliness. The report looked at factors such as economic security and education, but the political statistics were the most telling of the balance of power, Erin Anderssen writes.
Several cities have very little female representation on city councils. This may be because of the cost of campaigning or cuts to the non-profit sector, which helps cultivate many upcoming municipal politicians.
Overall, Victoria, B.C., took first place on the list, largely because of a high percentage of comfortable public-sector jobs and a high ratio of female-to-male employment.
Alberta’s major cities, Edmonton and Calgary, landed near the bottom, largely because of significant pay gaps and the fact that men are dominant in the oil, gas and construction industries.
Bank of Canada cuts key rate as economy contracts, exports stall
The Bank of Canada is cutting its key interest rate by a quarter percentage-point, citing a larger-than-expected first half contraction and a “puzzling” stall in non-energy exports, Barrie McKenna reports.
This puts the rate at 0.5 per cent. It’s the second cut this year, and bank officials blame faltering global growth, disinflation and low oil prices, though they're stopping short of calling it a recession.
The Canadian dollar fell more than a cent in the wake of the decision. Banks also cut borrowing costs, with Toronto-Dominon Bank cutting its prime rate Wednesday morning by 10 basis points to 2.75 per cent.
Greece’s PM suffers political blow as minister resigns ahead of bailout vote
Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras suffered a key political defection just before the parliamentary vote that will decide whether Greece is thrown an €86-billion ($120-billion) lifeline or faces imminent economic collapse, Eric Reguly reports.
Deputy finance minister Nadia Valavani resigned hours before a vote was called to accept or reject an austerity-heavy bailout deal, saying it was “impossible” for her to serve a government that had backtracked on its vow against austerity.
Her exit exposes deep divisions within the party, which was elected in January on an anti-austerity platform, and will inevitably trigger political turmoil and possibly new elections.
In the meantime, Mr. Tsipras will likely win the impending vote.
Canadians struggling with prescription drug costs: poll
A study on the relationship between Canadians and pharmaceuticals was released Wednesday, coinciding with a premiers’ meeting in St. John on the same subject. As Jane Taber reports, the results show an overwhelming support for a national pharmacare program.
Here are some key findings from the 1,556-person survey:
- Nearly one-quarter of Canadians say they or someone in their home can’t afford prescribed drugs
- Thirty-six per cent of the Canadians surveyed reported they know someone having trouble paying their drug costs
- Atlantic Canadians and British Columbians struggle the most
- One in five Canadians spend $500 or more a year on prescriptions
- Nearly half of those surveyed are worried they won’t be able to afford drug costs 10 years from now
- Of those surveyed, 91 per cent were in favour of a national pharmacare program
However, despite these problems, many surveyed also voiced concerns that a national pharmacare program would lead to drug abuse, and many said they weren’t willing to fund such a program through hiked taxes.
Woman gets probation for indecent act on Halifax-bound flight
Alicia Elizabeth Lander, 26, has been sentenced to nine months’ probation for committing an indecent act on a Halifax-bound flight in 2014.
At the trial, a flight attendant testified that Lander and a man used a coat to cover their laps and then fondle each other.
Lander was also handed a six-month conditional sentence for assaulting a police officer, committing an act of mischief and causing a disturbance at Halifax Stanfield International Airport.
“It could be described as the action of a spoiled 12-year-old who is used to getting her own way,” said Judge Timothy Gabriel when handing down her sentence. “I think you understand...that your actions were childish but you are an adult and in the adult world actions have consequences.”