Good evening, let’s start with today’s top stories:
Derek Chauvin sentenced to 22½ years for the murder of George Floyd
A Minnesota judge has sentenced former police officer Derek Chauvin to 22½ years in prison for the murder of George Floyd during an arrest in May, 2020, on a Minneapolis sidewalk, video of which sparked global protests.
Chauvin had been found guilty in April of unintentional second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter after a trial that was widely seen as a watershed moment in the history of U.S. policing.
Video of Chauvin, who is white, kneeling on the neck of Floyd, a 46-year-old Black man in handcuffs, for more than nine minutes caused outrage around the world and the largest protest movement seen in the United States in decades.
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Trudeau expresses ‘openness’ to independent investigation of residential schools
At a press briefing today, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said there is an “openness” to do whatever is necessary to support Indigenous communities who are seeking the truth about what happened at residential schools. His remarks follow the discovery of the remains of children in unmarked graves at a former residential school in Kamloops, B.C., and the former Marieval school at Cowessess First Nation in Saskatchewan.
Separately, the Missionary of Oblates of Mary Immaculate, the Catholic religious order that operated 48 residential schools, including those two, says it will disclose all historical documents in its possession.
Meanwhile, the Prime Minister is resisting calls to fire Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Carolyn Bennett over a text message to independent MP Jody Wilson-Raybould that he acknowledges was “wrong” and “hurtful” and harmed his government’s progress on reconciliation.
Opinion: A call to Canadians: Help us find every burial site. Prove you are who you claim to be - Tanya Talaga
Watch: Cowessess First Nation: “Stand by us, as we heal and we get stronger”
Montreal Canadians advance to Stanley Cup final; fans riot in streets of Montreal
Last night, the Montreal Canadiens beat the Las Vegas Golden Knights 3-2 in overtime to advance to the Stanley Cup finals for the first time in 28 years. But the action wasn’t just on the ice: Police fired tear gas into a rowdy, celebrating crowd surrounding the Bell Centre, and say they have made 15 arrests.
Not everyone, however, is cheering that the Habs are the Canadian Original Six contender. As Cathal Kelly writes, the Canadiens advancing is the latest, and worst, of a series of grinding, low-key humiliation for the Toronto Maple Leafs.
The Canadiens will meet the winner of tonight’s Game 7 between the Tampa Bay Lightning and the New York Islanders. Check back later tonight at GlobeSports.com for the score and highlights.
The Delta variant is ‘latest hurdle’ as Canadian COVID-19 modelling warns of surge
Federal COVID-19 modelling warns the Delta variant could make a possible fourth wave of the pandemic worse than initially thought. Health officials say the Delta variant is the “latest hurdle” to the country’s fight in the pandemic, and could cause hospital capacity to be exceeded if it takes hold throughout the fall and winter. Catch up on the COVID-19 news today here.
Read more:
- British study of nine recent entertainment events found they led to no major COVID-19 outbreaks
- Companies drop plans to sublease space as more workers want to return to the office
Who is Iran’s president-elect Ebrahim Raisi?
This week, Ebrahim Raisi, who as deputy prosecutor for Tehran was a member of the four-person “Death Commission” in 1988, became the president-elect of Iran. Many believe he is being prepared to succeed the aging Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as the country’s Supreme Leader, potentially putting him in a position to chart the country’s direction for decades to come.
ALSO ON OUR RADAR
Ottawa adds two groups to terror list: The Trudeau government has put two more right-wing extremist groups, Three Percenters and Aryan Strikeforce, and American neo-Nazi James Mason to its list of terrorist entities as it tries to counter the rise of white nationalist violence.
Sunwing lands $100-million bailout: The federal government will lend Sunwing Airlines and Sunwing Vacations as much as $100-million to provide refunds to customers whose trips were cancelled during the pandemic. That’s in addition to a loan worth $348-million Ottawa made to the airline and tour operator earlier this year.
Guilty verdict in St. Michael’s assault trial: A teenage boy has been found guilty of gang sexual assault, sexual assault with a weapon and assault in a case involving another student at St. Michael’s College School in Toronto.
Giuliani law licence suspended: A court has suspended Rudy Giuliani from practising law in New York because he made false statements while trying to get courts to overturn Donald Trump’s loss in the presidential race.
On today’s The Decibel podcast: Asia correspondent Nathan VanderKlippe discusses China’s family-planning policies: While it’s encouraging some people to have more children, some Muslim Uyghurs of the western Xinjiang province are subject to different rules.
And just in time for the weekend: Test your mental mettle with this brain-twisting assortment of word, logic and number puzzles by Fraser Simpson - including his giant Canada Day crossword puzzle.
MARKET WATCH
The S&P 500 ended the week at a record high today, lifted by Nike and several banks, while weaker-than-expected inflation data eased worries about a sudden tapering in stimulus by the U.S. Federal Reserve. The TSX closed higher as oil prices climbed to their highest since October, 2018.
The S&P/TSX Composite Index gained 15.14 points or 0.07 per cent to end at 20,230.26, just short of its all-time high of 20,231.32 on June 15.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 237.02 points or 0.69 per cent to 34,433.84, the S&P 500 climbed 14.21 points or 0.33 per cent to 4,280.70, and the Nasdaq Composite slipped 9.32 points or 0.06 per cent to close at 14,360.39.
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TALKING POINTS
Want more women in the military? First clean it up
“The sexual misconduct scandals in the Canadian Armed Forces manage to be shocking, confusing and endless, all at the same time. It’s like a horror movie franchise with countless sequels, each with its own particular gruesome twist.” - Elizabeth Renzetti
Justin Trudeau is prime minister, not president. There’s a big difference
“In suing the Speaker – a case involving a question of the supremacy of Parliament over its own affairs, which the courts should decline to hear – the Trudeau government appears to be mistaking itself for a U.S. presidential administration. That’s not how Canadian government works.” - Globe Editorial
Eliminating barriers for transgender customers should be an urgent priority for banks and other businesses
“Banks need to have clear rules, properly train their staff and eradicate any internal practices that create double standards for some customers. Moreover, all lenders should address customers by their chosen names.” - Rita Trichur
LIVING BETTER
Canadians who are eager to be part of the first wave of travellers to head abroad once border restrictions ease should pay close attention to what their travel insurance will and will not cover, experts say. In particular, travellers should confirm that their policy covers trip cancellation and COVID-19-related health emergencies, according to the Travel Health Insurance Association of Canada said.
TODAY’S LONG READ
Case of Morrisseau fakes raises issues of racism, identity
Norval MorrisseauAlex Waterhouse-Hayward/The Globe and Mail
The Art Gallery of Ontario collection includes an early self-portrait by the Ojibwa artist Norval Morrisseau depicting a naked man encircled by seven fanged serpents. Art historian Carmen Robertson was discussing this bold work in a recent online curator’s talk when someone in the virtual audience asked an awkward question: How did she know it was real?
Robertson cited the painting’s impeccable credentials but added that the authenticity of Morrisseau’s work was always a question. “Sadly, we can’t study Morrisseau, can’t talk about Morrisseau without the elephant in the room - that is, the fakes and forgeries,” she said.
That long-lived elephant trumpeted again this week when a Quebec lawyer posted a notice on his website seeking collectors who have purchased paintings they believe may be inauthentic as he prepares a lawsuit against dealers. Meanwhile, the OPP and the Thunder Bay Police Service continue to pursue a criminal fraud investigation into an alleged ring of counterfeiters.
Fourteen years after the artist’s death, an ugly stain of fakery and racism continues to mar the achievements of the great innovator who revolutionized First Nations art in Canada. In an era where the legitimacy of Indigenous culture is considered paramount, one of its purest voices is being muffled and warped. Read Kate Taylor’s full story here.
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