In this June 22, 2016, file photo, Border Patrol agent Eduardo Olmos walks near the secondary fence separating Tijuana, Mexico, background, and San Diego. U.S. President Donald Trump will direct the Homeland Security Department to start building a wall at the Mexican border. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull, file)The Associated Press
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TODAY'S TOP STORIES
Trump's 'build a wall' plan takes hold
Whatever you think of his actions, Donald Trump is sticking to his promise to upend the status quo. On Wednesday, he signed executive orders aimed at building a wall along the Mexican border and deporting illegal immigrants. As for the feasibility of a wall, that's another matter entirely: Expect land-ownership battles and possible pushback from lawmakers over costs. On top of that, illegal immigration from Mexico has slowed to the point that experts don't think building a wall would have any impact. The news has advocates urging Canada to maintain its commitment to open borders. Trump's anti-immigration stance, combined with policy change, will likely mean more Mexican immigrants and refugees making their way to Canada, experts say.
Related: Half of Canada will be immigrants, or children of, by 2036: Statscan
Read more: Trump's first days leave no doubt he'll deliver on vow to upend status quo
For subscribers: Trump's stand on immigration could work in Canada's favour
Canada embraces immigration
While the U.S. focuses inward, half of Canada will be made up of immigrants or children of immigrants come 2036. That's according to Statistics Canada projections which also predict more than a quarter of the country will have a mother tongue other than English or French. What Trump is missing, "what Canadian policy makers have embraced, is that immigration will become an increasingly vital pillar of economic growth for advanced economies over the next decade or more," David Parkinson writes (for subscribers).
A federal-provincial trade deal is close to reality
Ottawa and the provinces are only "weeks" away from announcing an internal free-trade deal, but some issues such as beer and wine sales won't be addressed until a later time. One reason for urgency is that parts of the Canada-European Union trade deal might come into effect this year. Without a federal-provincial agreement in place, companies in Europe could wind up with better access to our markets than Canadian firms.
More than $1-billion in Canadian hotels are being sold
British Columbia's public pension fund manager is selling its portfolio of hotels, which includes Delta properties across Canada. The properties, valued at more than $1-billion, are being sold to a private investor with ties to Hong Kong. While many international investors turn to scooping up hotels in North America, AirBnB continues to pose a threat to the industry (for subscribers).
Actress Mary Tyler Moore passes away
Feminist role model Mary Tyler Moore, who played Mary Richards on the iconic 1970s sitcom The Mary Tyler Moore Show, died yesterday at the age of 80. "You could write a thesis on the way [the show] has infiltrated pop culture," Marsha Lederman writes. "Mary Richards in one way or another was godmother to so many women we have since watched on TV or in movies."
MORNING MARKETS
Global markets are on the upswing in the aftermath of the Dow Jones industrial average topping the 20,000 milestone Wednesday and the S&P/TSX composite coming close to a record showing. Tokyo's Nikkei gained 1.8 per cent Thursday, Hong Kong's Hang Seng 1.4 per cent, and the Shanghai composite 0.3 per cent. In Europe, London's FTSE 100, Germany's DAX and the Paris CAC 40 also rose. New York futures were also higher. Benchmark Brent crude was up 50 cents a barrel by 4 a.m. ET. U.S. light crude was up 40 cents.
THE LOOKAHEAD
A former Montreal mayor learns his fate
A judge is set to rule this morning on whether Michael Applebaum is guilty on corruption-related charges. It's alleged that he received $60,000 in bribes from developers during his time as a borough mayor, between 2007 and 2012. He took over as interim mayor of Montreal after Gérald Tremblay resigned in the wake of Quebec's Charbonneau corruption inquiry. Applebaum's term as mayor lasted just seven months, until he was arrested in June, 2013.
WHAT EVERYONE'S TALKING ABOUT
Trump's TPP gift to China
"The likely death of the Trans-Pacific Partnership ... fits in with Chinese [President Xi Jinping's] grand plan of supplanting the United States as the indispensable country with which Japan, Australia, and increasingly Canada, must curry favour. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his economic advisers, led by McKinsey & Co. China guru Dominic Barton, seem not to have a problem with this. They only see the upside of China's rise, as if its human-rights abuses, growing militarism and disregard for the rule of law aren't so bad." – Konrad Yakabuski
Should Calgary host the 2026 Winter Olympics?
"Do Canadians care about the future of the Olympic Games? Can we derive value for decades to come from the sporting venues? Will we benefit from a boosted global profile? If the answer to even one of these questions is yes, the strict economic analysis alone should not be our guide." – Todd Hirsch (for subscribers)
Alternative medicine and a parent's duty of care
This week, an Alberta judge "found a parent guilty of criminal negligence for failing to provide basic medical care. The lack of medical care resulted in the child's death. … In this case, the trial judge did what judges are meant to do: send a clear message as to what is and what isn't legal. We hope it will resonate beyond her Calgary courtroom. Alternative remedies don't create, in the White House's memorable phrasing, "alternative facts." Donald Trump can't have those. Neither can parents." – Globe editorial
HEALTH PRIMER
It's time to educate people about ageism
Older people don't like being patronized, but it happens all the time. Ageism is the "most tolerated" form of social prejudice in Canada, according to a recent report. One step family members can take to fix this problem is to include seniors in the decision-making process instead of making assumptions about their needs.
MOMENT IN TIME
Maher Arar wins a $10.5-million apology
Jan. 26, 2007: It was the largest compensation package ever awarded by the Canadian government to someone it had wronged. But Maher Arar, an engineer with Canadian and Syrian citizenship, had suffered a horrendous injustice. While flying to Canada from Tunis in 2002, he was detained in New York on suspicion of being linked to al-Qaeda. The Americans deported him to Syria where he spent a year in a cell the size of a grave, sharing space with rats between bouts of torture. His wife launched a campaign for his release and, in October, 2003, he was freed to return home. Three years later, a commission of inquiry found that the U.S. deportation was likely linked to inaccurate information provided by Canadian officials. The Canadian government issued a formal apology along with $10.5-million – the cost of Mr. Arar's year in hell. – Gloria Galloway
Morning Update is written by Arik Ligeti.
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