Good evening, let’s start with today’s top stories:
Trudeau and Singh battle for the progressive mantle as the campaign enters its final week
As party leaders entered the final week of the federal election campaign, the Liberals and New Democrats targeted their pitch to progressive voters.
What it means: The term progressive is loosely defined, but generally refers to centre-left policies and socially liberal viewpoints.
Liberal leader Justin Trudeau said the election is a choice between is the cost-cutting Conservatives or a progressive government led by his party. “In terms of the NDP and the Greens, remember this: If you want progressive action, you need a progressive government, not a progressive opposition."
With Trudeau now frequently using the term on the campaign trail, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh joked: “I hope he’s encouraging people to vote for me. Because that’s the real progressive alternative for people.”
Context: Check out our explainer for where the four major parties stand on jobs and Employment Insurance.
Opinion: Trudeau wearing a bulletproof vest this past weekend is nothing new, according to history teacher and author J.D.M. Stewart: Prime ministers have always been under threat.
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The latest on U.S. President Donald Trump, his lawyer Rudy Giuliani and the impeachment probe
George Kent testified before lawmakers in an impeachment inquiry against U.S. President Donald Trump today, another undercut of White House efforts to stonewall the Democratic-led investigation.
He’s the second career diplomat to testify as part of the probe after being subpoenaed. The White House and State Department ordered them not to appear.
The investigation is focused on a July 25 phone call in which Trump pressed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to look into unsubstantiated allegations against former vice-president Joe Biden, a political rival, and his son, Hunter Biden.
Hunter Biden has denied doing anything improper in past work for a Ukrainian energy company, but expressed regret over how it has been used to attack his father.
Also today came word that Trump’s personal attorney Rudy Giuliani will not co-operate with the impeachment inquiry, according to his lawyer.
Separately, Giuliani says he was paid $500,000 for work he did for a company co-founded by the Ukrainian-American businessman arrested last week on campaign finance charges. The businessman, Lev Parnas, is a close associate of Giuliani and was involved in his effort to investigate Joe Biden.
Turkey pushes ahead with its offensive in Syria
Turkey pressed ahead with its offensive in northern Syria today, despite U.S. sanctions and growing calls for it to stop. Meanwhile, Syria’s Russia-backed army moved on the key city of Manbij that was abandoned by U.S. forces in a retreat ordered by U.S. President Donald Trump.
Trump announced a set of sanctions yesterday – mainly a hike in steel tariffs and a pause in trade talks. Today, a senior U.S. official said Washington would threaten more sanctions to persuade Turkey to reach a ceasefire. The UN Security Council will likely meet tomorrow to discuss the latest developments, diplomats said.
GM and striking union workers are close to a deal, sources say
General Motors and the United Auto Workers union are near a deal to end a 30-day strike in the United States that has cost the automaker about US$2-billion after CEO Mary Barra and president Mark Reuss took part in contract talks, according to two people briefed on the matter.
GM and the union have agreed to terms on most issues but were finalizing the wording on some matters, the sources said. A deal will likely be announced tomorrow.
ALSO ON OUR RADAR
Appeal in the Alberta meningitis case: The Crown is appealing the not guilty verdict in the case of David and Collet Stephan, the Alberta couple charged with failing to provide the necessaries of life to their 19-month-old son Ezekiel, who contracted bacterial meningitis in 2012.
Swiss airline grounds Airbus A220 jets: Pratt & Whitney recommended checks on engines on Airbus A220 aircraft and some Embraer jets after a Geneva-bound jet diverted to Paris with an engine problem, prompting the grounding of the rest of Swiss International Air Lines’ A220 fleet.
LeBron James makes first public comments about pro-democracy tweet: LeBron James believes Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey “was either misinformed or not really educated on the situation” regarding the potential consequences of his actions when he tweeted in support of Hong Kong’s pro-democracy protests.
Buffett-linked business to start work on Alberta wind farm: BHE Canada, a subsidiary of American investment guru Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway Energy, says it will break ground on a $200-million, 117.6-megawatt wind farm in southeastern Alberta next year.
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nominees named: The late musical icons Whitney Houston and the Notorious B.I.G. are among the 16 acts nominated for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s 2020 class.
MARKET WATCH
Wall Street stocks rose today on strong U.S. corporate results and a possible deal to avoid a disorderly British exit from the European Union. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 237.44 points to 27,024.80, the S&P 500 gained 29.53 points to end at 2,995.68 and the Nasdaq Composite added 100.06 points to close at 8,148.71.
Canada’s main stock index inched higher, led by gains in the shares of cannabis company Aphria following upbeat quarterly results. The Toronto Stock Exchange’s S&P/TSX composite index closed up 3.23 points at 16,418.39.
Looking for investing ideas? Check out The Globe’s weekly digest of the latest insights and analysis from the pros, stock tips, portfolio strategies and what investors need to know for the week ahead. This week’s edition includes ETF-beating mutual funds, investment-killing costs and taking profits in a soaring stock.
Got a news tip that you’d like us to look into? E-mail us at tips@globeandmail.com. Need to share documents securely? Reach out via SecureDrop.
TALKING POINTS
First and foremost, the homeless need housing
“While the housing-first approach is not a panacea, it’s certainly preferable to our well-ingrained approaches such as shelters, which, by providing only temporary accommodation, perpetuate homelessness.” - André Picard
The NBA’s China crisis is proof that economic diplomacy is no slam dunk
“The fires of nationalism are stoked and carefully controlled by the Chinese government, which uses the ensuing protests to pressure foreign companies to conform with Beijing’s policies, effectively exporting China’s repression to the west.” - David Mulroney, Canada’s former ambassador to China
The St. Louis Blues aren’t visiting the White House for a political rally, it’s just a work trip
“We seem to have forgotten one of the unavoidable compromises of life. Over the course of yours, you will occasionally have to consort with people you don’t like. That’s part of what work is – learning to co-exist with people who aren’t your best buddies.” - Cathal Kelly
LIVING BETTER
While you may think packing light is the best option, there are extra items that savvy travellers should pack. They include:
- Meds: A mechanical issue with a plane or catastrophic weather event may mean you’re stranded for days, so pack more medication that you think you’ll need.
- Bags: Empty zip-close bags can come in handy for storing snacks, confining leaky bottles or holding a wet bathing suit.
- Credit cards: You always want a backup in case your preferred card doesn’t work or gets lost or stolen.
LONG READ FOR A LONG COMMUTE
Days are numbered for trees in Toronto’s Regent Park
Tall linden, maple, spruce, honey locust and pine trees cluster at the corner of Sackville Street and Gerrard Street East in Toronto. Farther east stand more linden and maple trees; on Sumach Street, a towering silver maple tree dwarfs a two-storey red brick dwelling. These trees have grown since the 1950s, but their days are numbered. Toronto Community Housing, which owns the properties, plans to cut the trees down in Phases 4 and 5 of the redevelopment of Regent Park.
The Regent Park “revitalization,” begun in 2006, aims to take a 28-hectare neighbourhood of subsidized housing that, while leafy, feels isolated from Toronto – and reintegrate it into the city. A 2006 survey counted 1,400 trees. A 2007 city plan prescribed “retention and relocation of existing trees where possible, and the planting of new public trees on all public street rights-of-way.” The plan called for 1,600 new trees. A city rendering of the redevelopment depicts a cyclist riding along a street so thick with trees it resembles a forest.
The reality is different. More than a decade into the project the developer, Daniels Corp., has built new streets and replaced two-storey homes with mid-rise buildings, but retained few trees. There are no signs that trees have been moved. Hundreds of new trees have gone in. Some appear bushy and green; many others struggle. And residents are grappling with the reality that their tree canopy is less healthy than before. Read Peter Kuitenbrouwer’s full story here.
Some of the trees planted by the corner of Oak and Sackville streets in Regent Park are showing signs of distress and may very well be dying. (Photo by Fred Lum/The Globe and Mail)Fred Lum/the Globe and Mail
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