Good morning,
Donald Trump has declared victory at the NATO summit. “We have a very powerful, very strong NATO, much stronger than it was two days ago,” the U.S. President said at the end of the two-day meeting of leaders in the military alliance. European countries, which have typically spent much less than the U.S. on defence, agreed to increase their spending more rapidly to hit a target of 2 per cent of their GDP. The antagonism that Mr. Trump showed to his allies on the first day of the meeting made observers wonder whether the United States would even be prepared to leave the North Atlantic military alliance that it founded after the Second World War. Doing so would be complicated.
This is the daily Politics Briefing newsletter, written by Chris Hannay in Ottawa and James Keller in Vancouver. If you’re reading this on the web or someone forwarded this e-mail newsletter to you, you can sign up for Politics Briefing and all Globe newsletters here. Have any feedback? Let us know what you think.
TODAY’S HEADLINES
The Vatican’s ambassador to Canada told a private gathering of politicians and diplomats that Pope Francis is open to a gesture of reconciliation with the country’s Indigenous people for the Catholic Church’s role in the abuse of children at residential schools. MPs had previously voted to suggest he formally apologize, but the Pope had resisted those calls.
The Bank of Canada continues to ratchet up their interest rates.
Venezuelan Canadians say it is getting more difficult to bring their family to the country to visit, because government officers are assuming they won’t want to go back home to Venezuela during the country’s political and economic crisis.
The British investigation into political parties’ use of voter data is fuelling criticism that parties in Canada aren’t subject to privacy laws. Canada’s Liberal government has so far resisted calls to end the current exemption political parties have when it comes to privacy legislation.
Federal NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh says Ottawa needs to intervene to ensure Greyhound buses continue to serve rural and remote communities.
Transport Minister Marc Garneau says his department will require seatbelts on newly built highway buses — an issue that has been receiving more attention in the wake of the Humboldt Broncos crash in Saskatchewan.
The federal Fisheries Department says it’s beefing up its officers and patrol vessels as new regulations designed to protect whales, dolphins and porpoises take effect on every coast.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s new government has set its sights on short-term priorities that include dismantling environmental programs and ending the strike at York University. The list doesn’t include several issues that Mr. Ford said would be at the very top of his agenda after taking office. However, the Progressive Conservative Premier has forced out the CEO and board at Hydro One.
The B.C. government has signed agreements with 31 marijuana producers to provide the drug once it’s legal this fall.
What happens if (or when) Newfoundland and Labrador goes bankrupt?
And a retired engineer in Winnipeg is facing a disciplinary hearing by his profession’s regulatory body for offering an opinion about the length of amber lights at traffic stops.
Konrad Yakabuski (The Globe and Mail) on the U.S. Supreme Court: “Yet, there is nothing in Judge Kavanaugh’s 12 years and roughly 300 decisions as a federal appeals court judge in the District of Columbia that could justify the outrage of left-wing Democrats for whom any Trump nominee would be unacceptable. “
John Ibbitson (The Globe and Mail) on Donald Trump: “But Mr. Trump’s excesses could damage Republican re-election prospects in November’s midterms and in 2020. The tariff wars are bad for business. The cruelty of his decision to separate the children of border-crossers from their parents ignited a firestorm of protest.”
Andrew Willis (The Globe and Mail) on Hydro One: “So the Premier has, in essence, pushed out the board and the CEO. Who will he recruit to replace them? He’s likely to get second-tier talent.”
Michael Dougherty (The Globe and Mail) on Greyhound cuts: “The loss of bus service across the West and North of Canada will deny many their only chance to experience the grandeur of our land.”
Alex Neve (The Globe and Mail) on Canada’s visa system: “Right from the outset the very notion of visas and who needs them points to differential treatment for people coming from countries that are wealthier, have closer trade and other relationships with Canada, and are fortunate enough not to face situations of war and serious human-rights abuses.”
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Editor’s note: Editor's note: The original edition of this newsletter incorrectly stated that Jean-Nicolas Beuze wrote an op-ed on Canada’s visa system. In fact, it was Alex Neve. This version has been updated.
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Chris Hannay
James Keller