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Canada’s spy agency has been reaching out for the first time ever to MPs and senators from all major parties to warn them about influence operations being carried out by China and other adversarial states.
The Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) has become increasingly alarmed about efforts by China and its agents of influence to covertly cultivate relations with elected officials to gain sway over parliamentary debates and government decision-making.
The Parliament buildings are seen in Ottawa, Monday, April 27, 2020.Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press
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Alberta, Saskatchewan schools face staffing shortages as Omicron infections rise
Schools in Alberta and Saskatchewan, facing staffing shortages owing to the Omicron variant of COVID-19, are struggling to find enough substitute teachers to fill the void, forcing boards to reassign employees such as teacher-librarians and consultants to classrooms in order to keep functioning.
In Calgary and Edmonton, more than 2,500 teachers and other staff members were absent Monday, when Alberta reopened schools after extending the winter break by a week. By noon, two of Calgary’s public schools had shifted five classes to online learning. In Saskatchewan, where students returned last week, schools are surviving by shuffling employees into temporary roles.
The staffing crunch on the Prairies came as Ontario confirmed that students in the province would resume in-person classes next Monday as planned.
- André Picard: Of course schools should remain open. It’s the ‘how’ that matters
- Editorial: Canada has enough vaccine to give a shot to every child. So why isn’t that happening?
- Opinion: Online education can be a great way for children to learn if we do it right
Rogers appoints Staffieri as president and chief executive
Tony Staffieri, who took over as interim president and CEO of Rogers Communications Inc. after a high-stakes battle for control of the wireless giant, will keep the top job, while two more executives will depart in a continuing overhaul of the company’s upper ranks.
Staffieri took over from Joe Natale after a power struggle that divided one of Canada’s wealthiest families and landed in a B.C. courtroom.
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ALSO ON OUR RADAR
U.S. warns against travel to Canada because of COVID-19 surge: The United States has designated Canada among the world’s most dangerous countries for COVID-19, warning against trips north at a time when Omicron infections are spreading rapidly on both sides of the border.
- Peel Public Heath says it doesn’t have resources to investigate workplace outbreaks as employees are sounding the alarm
- Support growing among European governments for COVID-19 vaccine mandates as Omicron cases surge
Health agency did not seek advice on data collection, privacy watchdog says: The Public Health Agency of Canada did not seek the watchdog’s guidance before gathering location data from millions of mobile phones, the office of Canada’s Privacy Commissioner said yesterday. The collection of data, which the health agency used to analyze travel patterns and inform its policy and messaging during the pandemic, has raised concerns from a parliamentary committee on privacy and ethics, which is expected to hold an emergency meeting later this week.
- Campbell Clark: A government that misses Step One in transparency sparks a tizzy about “surveillance”
U.S., Russia make little headway in NATO talks: High-stakes talks between the United States and Russia ended yesterday without any evident progress on the key issues of Ukraine and NATO, as Russia warned again of a potential military response if its security demands were not met.
Discount brokerages to start charging for mutual fund trades: Do-it-yourself investors will soon have to pay fees for mutual fund trades on certain discount brokerages, as companies prepare to recoup losses from regulatory changes that will no longer allow online trading platforms to sell mutual funds with embedded charges known as trailing commissions.
Safety doors failed in New York City high-rise fire: Officials in New York are investigating why safety doors did not close when a fire broke out in a Bronx high-rise. The malfunctioning doors allowed thick smoke to rise through the tower and kill 17 people, including eight children, in the city’s deadliest blaze in more than 30 years.
MORNING MARKETS
World stocks steady: Global stocks edged up and bond yields clung to recent highs on Tuesday as investors awaited U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell’s appearance before the Senate Banking Committee, hoping for clues to the timing of expected policy tightening. Around 5:30 a.m. ET, Britain’s FTSE 100 was up 0.56 per cent. Germany’s DAX and France’s CAC 40 gained 1.19 per cent and 1.28 per cent, respectively. In Asia, Japan’s Nikkei fell 0.90 per cent. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng lost 0.03 per cent. New York futures were positive. The Canadian dollar was trading at 79.07 US cents.
WHAT EVERYONE’S TALKING ABOUT
Andrew Willis: “Expect to be surprised by the identity, and background, of some of the next generation of leaders at Canada’s largest companies.”
Cathal Kelly: “You don’t need to be pro or anti anything to sympathize with Djokovic’s situation. Anyone who has had even a glancing run-in with arbitrary authority – and that’s everyone – knows how this feels. And no one likes it.”
TODAY’S EDITORIAL CARTOON
Brian GableBrian Gable/The Globe and Mail
LIVING BETTER
What is the best way to track my food intake?
Many people enter the new year committed to improving their diet, often with the goal of losing weight. Tracking your food intake can be a useful tool to help you accomplish both. Whether you choose to track digitally or use a food journal comes down to your goals and personal preference. Here’s a rundown of the pros and cons of each to help you decide what’s right for you.
MOMENT IN TIME: JANUARY 11, 1935
Amelia Earhart with her Lockheed Vega surrounded by a crowd after she became the first woman to fly solo from Hawaii to California in 1935. Courtesy Air and Space Museum. (AP Photo)Courtesy Air and Space Museum via AP
Amelia Earhart flies solo from Hawaii to U.S. mainland
It was 4:45 p.m. on this day in 1935, and Amelia Earhart’s little red airplane was quivering on the runway at Honolulu’s Wheeler Field. Earhart was attempting the first solo crossing between Hawaii and California, and though torrential rain threatened to delay the flight, the skies cleared suddenly, and mechanics wheeled her aircraft out. The trip was, for some, a reckless and unnecessary risk. The Honolulu Star-Bulletin called for authorities to stop it. Another editorial admonished that if the famed aviator “must get her thrills,” she should find a way that wouldn’t require men to rescue her. Earhart wore a jaunty brown flying suit as she climbed into the cockpit and opened the throttle. At 37, she’d accumulated too many firsts to mention, smashing records for altitude, speed and distance, making history as both a woman and a flier. There were worrisome moments and fears she was lost in the fog, but she touched down in Oakland at 1:31 p.m. the next day. She was tired and filthy, her eyes sore from the glare of the sky. But she laughed when asked about the criticism of her historic flight. “You know, women always have burdens,” she said. Jana G. Pruden
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