Morning Update: The latest on China and Huawei; wildfires in Alberta; Raptors’ bench wakes up

Good morning,

These are the top stories:

Huawei, China and the Canadian detainees: Here’s a look at the latest

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is now facing bipartisan U.S. calls to ban Huawei Technologies from 5G just as his government sends a delegation to Beijing to push for the release of two Canadians detained after the Vancouver arrest of executive Meng Wanzhou.

Mark Warner, the Democratic vice-chair of the U.S. Senate intelligence committee, is siding with President Donald Trump in saying Huawei is an “indirect agent” of China’s Communist Party. Still, Warner acknowledged that Trump’s earlier move to impose tariffs on Canadian steel though a “national-security” provision has hurt U.S. efforts to push Western governments on a Huawei ban over national-security concerns. (for subscribers)

Trudeau, meanwhile, is using stronger language on the China front, saying Canadians Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor were “arbitrarily detained” for “political reasons.” Beijing, he said, is trying to “get its own way on the world stage and Western countries and democracies around the world are pulling together to point out that this is not something that we need to continue to allow.”

A delegation of Canadian MPs and senators are in China, where they’re bringing up the plight of Kovrig and Spavor. “I think that it’s very clear that this is a very difficult moment in the relationship between Canada and China,” said Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland, whose parliamentary secretary is among those abroad raising the case. China has rejected meetings with more senior Canadian officials.

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A major wildfire in Alberta has forced 5,000 people to evacuate

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The Chuckegg Creek blaze, about 740 kilometres north of Edmonton, is the worst of six fires that are out of control in Alberta. So far, no properties have been damaged thanks to winds blowing away from the town of High Level. Roughly 90 firefighters from Alberta are already working to halt the fire, with crews from other provinces on their way.

There have already been 430 wildfires since March as hot, dry and windy weather plagues the northern part of the province – and the fire danger is expected to increase. “We need to be prepared for the long haul this summer,” Premier Jason Kenney said.

The early start to the wildfire season is also affecting B.C., which is mobilizing its wildfire-fighting teams sooner. The province, which declared states of emergency in 2017 and 2018, has also nearly doubled its base budget for firefighting to speed up response times for bringing in contract crews on the ground and in the air.

Disabled Canadians are pushing for Ottawa to pass an accessibility bill

More than a thousand people and non-profit groups have sent letters to MPs in a last-ditch effort. If Parliament doesn’t pass Bill C-81 before the summer break, there’s a risk the legislation could face long delays with the federal election set for the fall.

Bill Adair, a spokesperson for a group of 96 organizations, says the bill would “identify, remove and prevent” accessibility barriers in agencies and programs that fall under federal jurisdiction. The bill would force agencies to fix building designs, recognize various forms of sign language and provide services like long-range bus transportation. In turn, the changes could help narrow the unemployment gap for disabled people.

The preliminary phase of the inquiry into veteran Lionel Desmond’s murder-suicide has begun

The provincial probe will examine what happened leading up to Jan. 3, 2017, when Desmond, a retired corporal who served in the Afghan war, shot and killed his wife, his 10-year-old daughter and his mother. The tragedy happened hours after he sought psychiatric care at a nearby hospital. Desmond had been diagnosed with PTSD and struggled to navigate provincial and Veterans Affairs systems to get the support he needed. (for subscribers)

In June, 2017, The Globe investigated what happened to Desmond – and the pressing need to better support soldiers suffering from PTSD.

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ALSO ON OUR RADAR

What’s driving B.C.’s high gas prices? B.C.’s energy regulator has been tasked with coming up with the answers, and Premier John Horgan says the agency will have the power to investigate price fixing along with other possible factors. The opposition Liberals want Horgan to reduce gas taxes now that prices are hovering at $1.70 a litre in Vancouver. (for subscribers)

Restaurants across Canada say online-delivery service DoorDash placed them on its site without their consent. More than 30 owners and managers spoke with The Globe, saying that the practice raises questions about food safety while also hurting their ability to protect their brand. (for subscribers)

Ottawa’s proposed ‘digital charter’ will include heavy fines and data-collection restrictions for companies that violate privacy laws. Tech giants already face fines of $10,000 to $100,000 per incident under regulations introduced last fall. But Ottawa may look at further penalties for the most serious privacy violations. (for subscribers)

MORNING MARKETS

Stocks mixed

Global stocks were slightly lower on Wednesday as investors sought safety in bonds, the Japanese yen and Swiss franc in muted trade amid renewed worries over the U.S.-China spat after reports Washington has another Chinese tech firm in its sights. Tokyo’s Nikkei was flat while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng was up slightly. The Shanghai Composite was down 0.5 per cent. In Europe, London’s FTSE 100 was up 0.4 per cent, Germany’s DAX 0.3 per cent, and the Paris CAC 40 0.1 per cent at about 7 a.m. ET. New York futures were down marginally. The Canadian dollar was at 74.72 US cents.

WHAT EVERYONE’S TALKING ABOUT

The entire Raptors squad finally showed up – and handed Milwaukee a dose of self-doubt

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Cathal Kelly: “This may have been the first time this entire playoffs that we have seen the Raptors, as an aggregate, operating at the peak of their powers. Toronto’s shortened bench in particular was tremendous – 48 points vs. the Bucks’ 23. As a result, the Raptors didn’t steamroll Milwaukee. They trash-compacted them, steadily applying pressure throughout the game until the Bucks popped in the fourth quarter. It finished 120-102.”

Why I welcome Vancouver’s housing crash

Gary Mason: “It’s difficult to regard the housing correction we are now witnessing without seething. Anyone who was looking could see something wasn’t right with the market a few years ago. … The real estate and development industry knew exactly what was happening, but had become so intoxicated from the giant profits being realized it wanted nothing to do with policies that might bring the party to an end.” (for subscribers)

Conrad Black’s comeback: from the slammer to redemption

Lawrence Martin: “Black’s outsize character is one that rails against the Canadian stereotype of restraint in most every way. He has no chance of finding widespread favour. Having paid the penalty of years of incarceration for his crimes is not enough. But the pardon, unwarranted as so many presidential pardons are, marked another big step in his rehabilitation. This is not a popular comeback story – from the slammer to redemption – of note.” (for subscribers)

TODAY’S EDITORIAL CARTOON

LIVING BETTER

Do starter homes still make financial sense?

Here’s one reason why personal finance columnist Rob Carrick thinks starter homes are a gamble: “there’s a presumption that house prices will rise a lot and enable the buyer to sell at a nice profit in a few years. That is by no means guaranteed, though. In a weak or stagnant housing market, you could find your home is worth the same or less than you paid a few years earlier.”

The alternatives? “Save longer to buy a home with room to accommodate your life now and in a few years, or figure out a way to make that starter home work for the longer term.”

MOMENT IN TIME

Vancouver Canucks join NHL

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May 22, 1970: The Vancouver Canucks joined the NHL on this day in 1970, which marked the end of a long battle by the city’s hockey champions to get into the league. A group of businessmen led by former Vancouver mayor Fred Hume bid for one of the six expansion franchises the NHL added in 1967, but was rejected. At the same time, the league accepted poorly financed teams such as the Oakland Seals. It soon came out that the Toronto and Montreal owners were not interested in sharing Hockey Night In Canada rights fees three ways rather than two. Vancouver interests pressed on and in 1968, with the help of Labatt Brewing Co., a loan of $680,000 was made to the financially strapped Seals. The understanding was that if the loan was not repaid within one year, the team could move to Vancouver. However, the NHL made a similar deal and promise with the Knox brothers of Buffalo. When the Vancouver people protested, they were promised a team in the next expansion. So were the Knox brothers, who wound up selling their interest in the Seals. Thus both Vancouver and Buffalo joined the NHL for the 1970-71 season.​ – David Shoalts

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