Good evening, let’s start with today’s top stories:
The latest on wildfires in Nova Scotia and Alberta
Firefighters continue to battle a growing blaze in the Halifax area, as gusting winds and more dry weather are expected to worsen the raging wildfire that has already burned at least 150 homes.
As of today, there were three wildfires burning out of control in Nova Scotia and about 18,000 people forced from their homes by mandatory evacuation orders.
In the West, residents of Fort Chipewyan, a small community in Northern Alberta, have been airlifted to safety as an “out of control” wildfire burns at its perimeter. The hamlet with a population of about 800 includes the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation, Mikisew Cree First Nation, Fort Chipewyan Métis Nation and the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo.
Alberta continues to be under a state of emergency with fires burning in central and northern parts of the province. There were 64 active blazes early today, with 16 considered out of control.
A summer forecast by the Weather Network warns Western wildfires will likely continue to be “a major concern,” with higher-than-normal temperatures expected when the second fire season ramps up in July and peaks in August.
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Canada’s economy outperforms in first quarter, raising pressure on Bank of Canada ahead of next week’s rate decision
The Canadian economy grew at an annualized rate of 3.1 per cent in the first quarter, more than analysts had expected, which adds pressure on the Bank of Canada to raise interest rates again, perhaps as early as next week.
The momentum appears to have continued into April, with a preliminary estimate from Statistics Canada showing stronger-than-expected growth.
Bay Street analysts had forecast annualized first-quarter growth of 2.5 per cent, while the central bank eyed 2.3-per-cent growth.
Numerous analysts said the numbers could pull the central bank off the sidelines after it paused its rate-hike campaign in January. The bank’s next rate decision is on June 7.
Read more: “The stars are aligned” for at least one more Bank of Canada rate hike: How economists and markets are reacting to today’s surprisingly strong GDP data
Commons votes to ask David Johnston to step aside as special rapporteur
Opposition parties have adopted an NDP motion calling on the Liberal government to remove David Johnston as special rapporteur on Chinese foreign interference and to instead set up an independent public inquiry.
The non-binding motion passed in the Commons by 174 to 150, with Liberal MPs voting against the measure.
The former governor-general must now decide whether he should resign or stay on in the face of the vote of non-confidence and an expression of the will of the majority of MPs in the minority Parliament.
ALSO ON OUR RADAR
Russia reports strikes: Russia says Ukrainian artillery hit a Russian town for a third time this week and drones struck two oil refineries in an uptick in attacks on Russian territory as Ukraine prepares a Western-backed push to end Moscow’s invasion. There was no immediate comment from Ukraine on the Russian reports.
Debt-ceiling nail-biter: The U.S. House of Representatives is due to vote later today on a bill to lift the government’s US$31.4-trillion debt ceiling, a critical step to avoid a destabilizing default that could come early next week without congressional action.
Canadians in Syria: The Federal Court of Appeal has overturned a judge’s declaration that four Canadian men being held in Syrian camps are entitled to Ottawa’s help to return home, ruling that Ottawa is not obligated under the law to repatriate the men.
New GM for Leafs: The Toronto Maple Leafs have named Brad Treliving as general manager, less than two weeks after firing Kyle Dubas. Last month, Treliving parted ways with the Calgary Flames after nine seasons.
Papa Pacino: Oscar-winning actor Al Pacino is expecting his fourth child at the age of 83, with 29-year-old Noor Alfallah. Just weeks ago, it was revealed that his contemporary, Robert De Niro, 79, had welcomed his seventh child.
MARKET WATCH
U.S. stocks closed down today as a deal to raise the federal debt ceiling headed toward a crucial vote in Congress, while unexpectedly strong labor market data rattled investors who fear the Federal Reserve may hike interest rates again in June. Canada’s main stock index followed sentiment lower in a broad-based selloff.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 134.51 points or 0.41 per cent to 32,908.27, the S&P 500 lost 25.69 points or 0.61 per cent to end at 4,179.83 and the Nasdaq Composite dropped 82.14 points or 0.63 per cent to 12,935.29.
The S&P/TSX Composite Index declined 167.46 points or 0.85 per cent to 19,572.24. The loonie traded at 73.66 U.S. cents.
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TALKING POINTS
MPs should be debating interference, not David Johnston’s honour
“And the very fact that the debate on foreign interference was focused on faith in the character of one man seemed like pretty solid evidence that there is, in fact, a governance problem.” – Campbell Clark
Toronto Blue Jays reliever Anthony Bass’s apology for homophobic social media post is a sink or swim moment
“Bass’s apology was so perfunctory, so by-the-numbers that had he cracked the smallest grin in the middle of it, you’d have assumed it was a satire of sports apologies.” – Cathal Kelly
Read more: Pride Toronto director says Blue Jays have an opportunity to turn negative into positive after Bass apology
LIVING BETTER
Living with your parents as a young adult used to be derided as a failure to launch. But with housing costs at sky-high levels, staying longer at home is becoming common financial advice for Canadians in their 20s. In several large and medium-sized cities, a 22-year-old setting aside what would have been rent money could accumulate six-digit savings by about the age of 30 – possibly for a down payment. But financial planners caution that the decision shouldn’t be all about money – take into account lifestyle and mental-health considerations, too.
TODAY’S LONG READ
With the Foo Fighters new album But Here We Are, Dave Grohl works through profound loss
Dave Grohl on stage during a concert in Gilford, N.H., on May 24.Scarlet Page
At a star-studded tribute to Taylor Hawkins last year at London’s Wembley Stadium, a parade of drummers celebrated and stepped in for the late Foo Fighters timekeeper. For the final song, however, the seat at the kit was empty. Hawkins could be seen as both eminently replaceable and utterly irreplaceable in the space of one show.
Singer-guitarist Dave Grohl works through sorrow on the new Foo Fighters album, But Here We Are, a title that speaks to an unforeseen situation at hand. The band’s 11th album is a melodic-rock expression of grief that comes in the wake of not only the sudden loss of Hawkins at the age of 50 but also the death of songwriter Grohl’s mother, Virginia, as well.
Grohl rages, roars, whispers and reflects on an emotional riptide of a record. The album is a longing for an unrecapturable past and the imagining of a future with a colossal hole in it. A mother, of course, is irreplaceable. Perhaps a drummer is as well: It is believed that former Nirvana drummer Grohl took over the backbeat chores himself on the new album. Read the full story by Brad Wheeler.
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