Morning Update: Trudeau Foundation to review controversial China-linked donation

Good morning,

The Pierre Elliot Trudeau Foundation is planning an outside review of a controversial Beijing-linked donation after concerns were raised internally about possible wrongdoing.

Sources with ties to the Trudeau Foundation say the organization’s leadership is divided on how to handle the 2016 gift after it was reported by The Globe and Mail that the Chinese government was behind it as part of an influence operation to curry favour with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

Since the Globe report, senior staff and board members who joined the foundation after 2016 have discovered that the donor of record was Millennium Golden Eagle International, a Chinese state-affiliated company run by billionaire Zhang Bin. They have also learned that associated tax receipts may not be accurate. Zhang is a political adviser to the government in Beijing and a senior official in China’s network of state promoters around the world.

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Saskatchewan on alert for tuberculosis risk to children

Health authorities in Saskatchewan are cautioning doctors and nurses to watch for tuberculosis in children as a number of First Nations reserves have seen an unusual rise in cases. An increase in the infectious disease is also occurring in other parts of the country and around the world.

There have been at least three deaths linked to TB outbreaks in Black Lake, Fond du Lac and Pelican Narrows. Many of the active TB cases diagnosed in Saskatchewan’s northern First Nations communities in 2022 were in children under 16.

Early detection efforts were largely neglected the past few years as health authorities around the world focused on controlling the COVID-19 pandemic, allowing the disease to spread.

Bank of Canada holds steady on borrowing costs, keeping key rate unchanged

In a widely anticipated move, the Bank of Canada kept its benchmark lending rate unchanged at 4.5 per cent yesterday, stressing its plan to pause rate hikes after eight consecutive increases.

Central bank economists expect inflation to fall rapidly in the coming months. However, Governor Tiff Macklem warned that it may take longer than previously expected to get inflation back to the bank’s 2-per-cent target, and he suggested that interest rates may need to remain elevated for some time.

• David Parkinson: It’s a long way back to 2-per-cent inflation
• Opinion: Bank of Canada was right to hold interest rates steady, even if that was difficult

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Also on our radar

Federal workers vote for strike mandate: More than 100,000 federal public servants could walk off the job this week after they voted to give their union a mandate to strike. The strike vote is the latest development in the labour dispute between Ottawa and the union representing the workers.

Ottawa hits Afghan-refugee milestone: The federal government has surpassed a milestone in its Afghan refugee program as more than 30,000 refugees from the country are now in Canada. But many Afghans remain stranded in Afghanistan and Pakistan having waited more than a year for a flight to Canada without receiving any explanation for the delay.

Fix cross-border prescription sales, Ozempic maker says: The company that manufactures Ozempic for Canada is calling on the federal government to regulate cross-border sales after officials in British Columbia uncovered an online operation that was selling the diabetes medication to U.S. residents. The drug became popular after it was touted on social media to help with weight loss.

Glitch a personal slight for some Tim Hortons customers: Tim Hortons Roll Up the Rim contest made headlines for all the wrong reasons when a number of Canadians who thought they had each won a $10,000 prize last month were told by the coffee and doughnut chain that it was a mistake caused by a technical glitch in the app. Each winner was told they would, instead, be given a $50 gift card.

Morning markets

Markets gain on rate optimism: Global shares rose on Thursday, while the U.S. dollar held near two-month lows after U.S. inflation data suggested the Federal Reserve may soon be finished raising interest rates. Around 5:30 a.m. ET, Britain’s FTSE 100 edged up 0.02 per cent. Germany’s DAX and France’s CAC 40 gained 0.07 per cent and 1.02 per cent, respectively. In Asia, Japan’s Nikkei closed 0.26-per-cent higher while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng added 0.17 per cent. New York futures were positive. The Canadian dollar was up at 74.62 US cents.

What everyone’s talking about

Lawrence Martin: “All said, Mr. Trudeau’s progressive mission has been for the most part accomplished. But the leadership style of the Prime Minister and his leftish thrust has alienated great numbers. He’s an overexposed lightning-rod PM, an acoustically irritating source of tension whose welcome seems to have just about worn out.”

Rob Carrick: “The ideal outcome would be a slowdown in the economy that falls short of a recession yet cools the job market and keeps housing in check. Unfortunately, getting where we need to go means having to say goodbye to some of today’s biggest wins in personal finance.”

Today’s editorial cartoon

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Living better

Secrets to making the perfect meringue dessert

Pavlova meringues are easy to make and their texture is the best for loading on creams, fruits or chocolate. Food columnist Lucy Waverman shares her no-fail recipe for this delicious dessert.

Moment in time: April 13, 1964

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Sidney Poitier becomes first black man to win best acting Oscar

When Hattie McDaniel became the first African American to be nominated and win a 1939 Academy Award, for best supporting actress, it might have been thought that Black performers had made a breakthrough in Hollywood. Incorrect. This was #OscarsSoWhite even before the hashtag had been invented. Through a combination of racially stereotyped roles and outright discrimination, it wasn’t until 1958 that a Black man, Sidney Poitier, was nominated for best actor in a leading role. He won that award on this day in 1964 for his portrayal of an itinerant handyman who helped nuns in Lilies of the Field. Mr. Poitier, born in Miami but raised in the Bahamas, was a man of immense talent and uncommon grace. In his Oscar acceptance speech, he gave thanks to the producers with a subtle nod to his predecessors. “Because is it a long journey to this moment, I am naturally indebted to countless numbers of people.” Was Mr. Poitier’s win finally proof of Hollywood’s acceptance of racial equality? Incorrect again. It wasn’t until 2001 before another Black man – Denzel Washington – won an Oscar for best actor. That year was also the first year a Black woman – Halle Berry – won an Oscar for best actress. Philip King

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