Good evening, let’s start with today’s top stories:
Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly said today she is concerned about the safety of India’s diplomats over what she called an “unacceptable” poster for a coming protest in Toronto, the latest in a string of problems that have increased tension between Ottawa and New Delhi over Sikh separatists in Canada.
The protest will be in memory of Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was killed last month in a shooting in Surrey, B.C. Nijjar was a vocal opponent of India and supporter of an independent Sikh state, but police say they have found no link to India in their investigation into his death.
Joly said yesterday that Canada takes its international obligations to uphold the safety of foreign diplomats “very seriously,” adding that Canada is in touch with Indian officials about the promotional materials for the protest.
New Delhi has long accused Canada of harbouring extremists who want to carve out a state within India, but Ottawa says that freedom of speech means groups can voice political opinions if they don’t use violence.
Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly arrives at the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade to appear as a witness, in Ottawa, on June 8.Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press
Corrections head personally alerted Mendicino’s office before Bernardo transfer, documents reveal
As confusion reigned about who was informed that serial killer Paul Bernardo was being transferred to a medium-security prison, the head of Canada’s federal prison system wrote to Public Safety Canada officials insisting the appropriate notification protocols had been followed.
E-mails appear to show Correctional Service of Canada Commissioner Anne Kelly was not clear on how or why Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino had not been informed before Bernardo was moved out of maximum security.
Israeli troops begin leaving Jenin camp, hours after Palestinian attacker wounds eight in Tel Aviv
The Israeli military began withdrawing troops from a militant stronghold in the occupied West Bank late today, security officials said, winding down on one of Israel’s biggest West Bank military operations in years. The intense, two-day operation saw more than 1,000 troops deployed and it killed at least 12 Palestinians, confiscated hundreds of weapons and left a wide swath of damage in its wake.
But heavy fighting between Israeli troops and Palestinian militants continued in parts of the Jenin refugee camp, delaying the planned pullout. Thousands of people were evacuated from the camp.
Earlier today, a Hamas militant rammed his car into a crowded Tel Aviv bus stop and began stabbing people, wounding eight. The attacker was killed by an armed bystander. Hamas said the attack was revenge for the Israeli offensive.
Rogers offers departure packages to employees after Shaw takeover
Rogers Communications Inc. is launching a voluntary departure program while it looks to eliminate overlapping roles in the wake of its $20-billion takeover of Shaw Communications Inc. The telecom is offering packages to employees in certain areas of the business if they decide to leave the company.
Rogers CEO Tony Staffieri announced the program in a memo to employees today. The company did not specify how many people it expects to apply, but noted that applications will be subject to approval.
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ALSO ON OUR RADAR
Federal grocery rebate this week: The grocery rebate to help combat rising food costs will be available to eligible Canadians tomorrow, alongside the next quarterly GST/HST credit payment. The federal government is doubling the one-time GST rebate for lower-income Canadians. Here is who is eligible and how to get it.
Ontario quietly moving ahead to sell beer in corner stores: The closed-door consultation process is being launched as a fall deadline looms for a decision on the future role of the brewing industry’s Beer Store chain.
Federal judges investigated for misconduct lose right to challenge proceedings in court: The loss of automatic access to the Federal Court to review disciplinary proceedings leaves the fate of judges largely in the hands of an administrative body of their peers that has in recent years been strongly criticized for unfairness.
Why mass layoffs haven’t become a bigger trend – yet: Today’s layoffs, particularly as companies struggle with higher debt-servicing costs and tougher economic conditions, could be a harbinger of darker days in the job market.
Facebook parent Meta to launch Twitter challenger app: Threads is expected to be released on Thursday and will allow users to retain followers from photo-sharing platform Instagram, and keep the same username.
Lack of B.C. transplant surgeons means donated kidneys are sent elsewhere: In British Columbia, only four surgeons do all the transplants at two Vancouver hospitals. Kidneys that can’t be used are getting shipped to other provinces.
Cineplex says Competition Bureau’s lawsuit should be dismissed: Cineplex said a case launched by the Competition Bureau against the theatre chain over movie ticket fees should be dismissed because it’s based on a “mischaracterization.”
Alberta tornado that damaged homes rated rare, violent twister: Researchers rated the twister as a four on the Enhanced Fujita, or EF, scale of wind-damage intensity, which is one short of the maximum rating of five.
MARKET WATCH
Canada’s main stock index rose today to its highest closing level in one and a half months as investors weighed China’s move to curb exports of chipmaking materials and despite data that showed a deeper contraction in the domestic factory sector. U.S. markets were closed today for the Independence Day holiday.
The S&P/TSX Composite Index was up 49.58 points or 0.25 per cent to 20,204.87. The loonie traded at 75.60 U.S. cents.
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TALKING POINTS
Don’t swallow the promise of weight-loss drugs whole hog
“Prescription drugs have a place in our medical response to obesity, but they need to be used judiciously. Ultimately, it’s the quantity and quality of what goes into our mouths (and stomachs) that matters.” - André Picard
Canada urgently needs to release its Holocaust-related records
“Though the records in Canada of the Holocaust and its perpetrators are old, their release is urgent. We will soon no longer be able to keep the memory of the Holocaust alive through the testimony of survivors – we will have to rely on the records. Yet, efforts to get the release of Holocaust-related records have gone nowhere.” - David Matas
LIVING BETTER
Can preserving memory be as simple as taking a one-a-day multivitamin? While the beneficial effect of a standard multivitamin on cognitive aging has yet to be confirmed, nutritionist and writer Leslie Beck breaks down a new study that adds to growing evidence that certain nutrients are needed to support an aging brain.
TODAY’S LONG READ
Michael Harvey in the Quidi Vidi area of St. John's, Nfld.Alex Spracklin/The Globe and Mail
A political scandal in Newfoundland gave rise to the country’s most transparent FOI system
Access laws, also known as freedom of information laws, exist in jurisdictions across the country, and require public institutions to disclose information in response to formal requests, with limited exceptions. When these laws were implemented, they were considered an essential underpinning of democracy – ensuring that the public was fully apprised of what and why the government takes certain courses of action.
Compared with many other Canadian jurisdictions, Newfoundland and Labrador is a promised land. The vast majority of access requests it receives are completed within a month. In the 2020-21 fiscal year, no fees for access requests were charged. And the number of requests has soared since 2015 – a sign that getting information has never been easier and that the public is engaging with its government.
The story of Newfoundland and Labrador serves as a powerful example that access systems do not have to embrace the entropy and culture of secrecy that seems to pervade virtually every other province, territory and the federal government. In most jurisdictions, access only ever moves inexorably in one direction: toward greater delays, more redactions and less transparency for the public. Read the full story by Tom Cardoso and Robyn Doolittle.
Evening Update is written by Mahdis Habibinia. 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.