Good evening, let’s start with today’s top stories:
Hong Kong’s Democratic Party tried to reach a middle ground with Beijing. Now, it’s out in the cold
Lo Kin-hei was something of a rarity when he first entered politics after university graduation. Though Hong Kong has a storied pro-democracy movement, young people have long been seen as apathetic.
Lo later became, at 36, the youngest-ever chairman of the Hong Kong Democratic Party last year. Now, he counts himself among more than 200 district councillors who resigned this week from the municipal bodies. He said the current political environment has made it untenable for him to stay on.
Their departures were sparked by the introduction of a “patriotism” test that all candidates who run for office will be subject to – a prerequisite that is expected to shut out most pro-democracy councillors.
Opinion: As tensions rise with China, we need to keep old Cold War lessons in mind. John Ibbitson writes
Canada’s central bank reins in bond purchases and raises inflation projections
The Bank of Canada raised its inflation forecast and pulled back on its bond-buying program, citing its expectation that the economy is due for rapid growth in the second half of 2021.
It cut government bond purchases to a target of $2-billion a week, down from $3-billion. Its policy rate, meanwhile, was held at 0.25 per cent. The central bank reaffirmed that it does not expect a rate increase before the second half of 2022.
“Falling COVID-19 cases, progress on vaccinations and easing containment restrictions all point to a strong pickup in the second half of this year,” the bank said in its decision.
Five men confirmed dead in crane collapse
The RCMP confirmed a fifth body that had been buried in the rubble was recovered late Tuesday night. A specialized search-and-rescue team from Vancouver was dispatched to Kelowna, B.C., where a construction crane had toppled from a 25-storey building.
Authorities said the man was killed when the arm of the crane fell, hitting the building he was working in. Three of the four other men died at the scene, while the fourth died in hospital. Another person suffered minor injuries but has since been released.
WorkSafeBC, the BC Coroners Service and the Kelowna RCMP are investigating the cause of the collapse.
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ALSO ON OUR RADAR
COVID-19 cluster at Olympic hotel raises concerns week before Games begin: A COVID-19 outbreak at a Japanese hotel that’s housing dozens of Brazilian Olympic team members has raised alarm about the spread of more clusters with just more than a week to go before the Games kick off.
Parts of Amazon rainforest shift from absorbing carbon dioxide to emitting it: Deforestation and the acceleration of warmer temperatures have contributed to change in the carbon balance of the Amazon, where portions of the rainforest are now emitting more carbon dioxide than they absorb.
Apple’s potential ‘buy now, pay later’ plan triggers tumble in sector shares: Rumblings that Apple is reportedly developing a service that allows consumers to opt for a repayment plan for their purchases dragged down shares in the “buy now, pay later” sector. That industry has had a good run during the pandemic, with online customers shopping around for easier repayment options.
Canadiens sign assistant coach to three-year extension: Luke Richardson and the Montreal Canadiens have agreed to work together for three more years, a move that was announced after the team promoted Dominique Ducharme to full head coach.
In latest Decibel: Though phone technology has rapidly evolved, the system that powers some of the most important calls we make hasn’t. That’s why there’s a push under way to introduce “next-generation 9-1-1,” which would allow callers to send photos or text messages, and help authorities better trace where cellphone calls are coming from.
Manitoba’s Indigenous Relations Minister resigns cabinet post: Eileen Clark has quit as the province’s Minister of Indigenous Relations in the wake of comments Premier Brian Pallister made last week defending people who came to Canada, saying they didn’t set out to destroy things upon arrival, but arrived to build a life.
MARKET WATCH
In the United States, the S&P 500 ended with a gain after briefly hitting an intra-day record in a choppy session on Wednesday, as investors balanced worries about inflation with reassuring comments from Fed Chair Jerome Powell. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.13 per cent to end at 34,933.43 points, while the S&P 500 gained 0.12 per cent to 4,374.38. The Nasdaq Composite dropped 0.22 per cent to 14,644.95.
The TSX, however, ended with a loss, buckling under the weight of lower oil prices that sent energy stocks tumbling.
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TALKING POINTS
More than leadership or policy, it’s the Conservative temperament that’s putting off voters
“If the besetting sin of Liberals is smarmy sanctimoniousness, the Conservative equivalent is a chippy defensiveness, an adolescent petulance, a conviction that the cards are perpetually stacked against them.” - Andrew Coyne
Who should pay when projects fail after Indigenous rights claims?
“The Constitution designates the provinces to authorize most development and resource extraction. If this authority and these land claims are disputed by Indigenous nations, the burden must fall on governments to exercise their power to resolve these issues or bear the consequences.” - Shiri Pasternak, professor of criminology at Toronto’s X University
LIVING BETTER
Six Canadian destinations to unwind and shake off pandemic stress
Pandemic burnout has earned us all a bit of reprieve from the stresses of managing the day-to-day risks of living with the threat of COVID-19. Now that much of the country is on its way to reopening – and welcoming out-of-town visitors – here are some spots to consider if you’re hoping for a stress-free getaway.
TODAY’S LONG READ
As many return to prepandemic life, families still grieving loved ones struggle to move forward
Raheela Ayaz at home in Toronto.Christopher Katsarov/The Globe and Mail
Raheela Ayaz is determined to get some work done, but whenever she opens her laptop, she finds herself sobbing.
Her mind refuses to settle on anything other than her late husband Mukhtar Ahmed, the body-building truck driver – and later, doting father – she fell in love with just 2½ years before he died of COVID-19 in late April. He was 37.
“Every day I am promising myself, ‘I’ll start a new day,’” Ayaz, 38, said, adding that each day, something she sees can readily remind her of Ahmed and she misses him all over again. “It will take time.”
While Ayaz and her 18-month-old son, Issa, mourn inside their Etobicoke condo, a new dawn is breaking outside. Read the full story by Kelly Grant and Simran Singh.
Evening Update is written by Beatrice Paez. 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.