Good evening, and happy Friday
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
The British Columbia Court of Appeal came to a unanimous decision today that the province’s proposed plan to limit the amount of heavy oil flowing west to the ocean would be unconstitutional because only Ottawa has such oversight of the federally owned and regulated Trans Mountain pipeline.
As Mike Hager reports from Vancouver, the decision by the five justices bolsters the efforts of Alberta to ensure the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion gets built, but the decision is widely expected to be appealed to the Supreme Court of Canada. The justices stated both levels of government can play a role in environmental protection, but B.C.'s plan threatened to usurp the role of the National Energy Board, which is at the centre of the federal regulatory regime of “interprovincial undertakings" such as pipelines and railways.
This is the daily Evening Update newsletter. If you’re reading this on the web, or it was forwarded to you from someone else, you can sign up for Evening Update and more than 20 more Globe newsletters on our newsletter signup page.
British Prime Minister Theresa May reacts as she turns away after making a speech in the street outside 10 Downing Street in London. Ms. May says she'll quit as UK Conservative leader on June 7, sparking contest for Britain's next prime minister.Alastair Grant/The Associated Press
Theresa May announces resignation, will step down June 7
British Prime Minister Theresa May announced today she would step down as Prime Minister and as leader of the Conservative Party on June 7, expressing “deep regret” at her failure to guide the U.K. through its exit from the European Union, saying she had done all she could to win approval for a withdrawal agreement.
Ms. May spoke in front of a podium at No. 10 Downing St. As she teared up she added: “I will shortly leave the job that has been the honour of my life to hold. The second female prime minister, but certainly not the last. I do so with no ill will but with enormous and enduring gratitude to have had the opportunity to serve the country I love.”
The contest to replace her has already begun and a new leader is expected to be in place by the end of July. The front runner is former Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, who has been bitterly critical of Ms. May’s approach to Brexit.
Supreme Court orders new trial in death of Cindy Gladue
The Supreme Court of Canada has ordered Bradley Barton to face a new manslaughter trial in the 2011 death of Cindy Gladue. The court unanimously cited the original trial judge’s failure to hold a rape-shield hearing, in the absence of the jury, on whether the victim’s sexual activity a night earlier with Mr. Barton could be introduced as evidence. However, the court was split over whether Mr. Barton should be tried for first-degree murder and manslaughter, or manslaughter only.
The court also said the trial had failed to respect Ms. Gladue’s privacy and dignity, in part by the use of repeated references to her as “native” or a prostitute, rather than by her name, and in part by the trial judge’s failure to instruct jurors on the limited uses of evidence about the previous night’s sexual activity.
Kenyan court upholds criminalizing same-sex relationships
Kenya’s High Court has refused to strike down colonial-era laws that criminalize homosexual acts defying human rights groups that had challenged Kenya’s anti-gay laws, calling them a violation of constitutional rights, including the right to privacy and the right to human dignity. Several other African nations – Mozambique, Angola and Seychelles – have recently decriminalized homosexual activity, and India’s courts issued a similar ruling last year. This month, Taiwan became the first Asian country to legalize same-sex marriage, and a majority of judges on Brazil’s top court said they would outlaw discrimination based on sexuality.
Raptors one win away from NBA finals after stealing Game 5 from Bucks
Kawhi Leonard had 35 points and a new personal-best nine assists and Fred Van Vleet scored a career-high 21, including seven three-pointers, as the Toronto Raptors stole a 105-99 Game-5 victory over the No.1-seeded Milwaukee Bucks. It was Toronto’s third consecutive win in the Eastern Conference Finals, a series they began with two consecutive losses. The Raps can seize a spot in the Finals versus the reigning champion Golden State Warriors with a win in Toronto on Saturday.
WHAT ELSE IS ON OUR RADAR
- Former cabinet ministers Jody Wilson-Raybould and Jane Philpott revealed on Twitter this afternoon they will each hold a press conference Monday to make announcements about their respective political futures.
- Canadian teen Felix Auger-Aliassime, the No. 4 seed from Montreal, edged top-seeded Nikoloz Basilashvili of Georgia 2-6, 7-6 (3), 6-4 in semi-final action at the ATP Tour 250 clay-court event. The win sends Auger-Aliassime, 18, into tomorrow’s final of the Lyon Open against unseeded Benoit Paire of France.
- Environment Minister Catherine McKenna says Ottawa will impose the federal carbon tax on Albertans “as soon as possible” after Premier Jason Kenney’s government kills the provincial tax next week. (The Canadian Press)
- Harvey Weinstein, women who accused him of sexual misconduct, his former film studio’s board members and the New York Attorney-General’s office have reached a tentative US$44-million deal to resolve lawsuits and compensate alleged victims of the Hollywood producer, The Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday, citing people it said were familiar with the matter. (Reuters)
- U.S. President Donald Trump has granted Attorney-General William Barr new powers to review and potentially release classified information related to the origins of the Russia investigation, a move aimed at accelerating Barr’s inquiry into whether U.S. officials improperly surveilled Trump’s 2016 campaign. (The Associated Press)
- Three Indian climbers and one Nepali guide died on Mount Everest in the past couple of days, taking to seven the total number killed or missing on the world’s highest mountain in this year’s climbing season, Nepali officials said. (Reuters)
- A new survey on gun control has found a majority of Canadians support limiting access to handguns and assault weapons, countering a federal government survey that came to the opposite conclusion and faced allegations of tampering. (The Globe and Mail)
MARKET WATCH
Canada’s main stock index ended a two-day skid as a flash of optimism on trade lifted oil prices, but not enough to prevent the worst week for crude this year. The S&P/TSX composite index closed up 65.43 points, or 0.4 per cent, to 16,230.04. World equity markets rebounded on Friday from the previous day’s sharp fall, boosted after U.S. President Donald Trump said complaints against China’s Huawei Technologies might be resolved within the framework of a Sino-U.S. trade deal. On Wall Street, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 98.14 points, or 0.39 per cent, to 25,588.61, the S&P 500 gained 4.14 points, or 0.15 per cent, to 2,826.38 and the Nasdaq Composite added 8.73 points, or 0.11 per cent, to 7,637.01.
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
Justin Trudeau and the Liberals are scaremongering over abortion
"Despite many dire predictions, during a decade in office the Harper government wouldn’t go near near the issue, and today’s Conservatives won’t either. The party’s official policy says that a Conservative government “will not support any legislation to regulate abortion.” Even in Alberta, where the pro-life movement is unusually vigorous, the new Premier, Jason Kenney, says he would not “bring forward legislative measures on abortion.” — Margaret Wente
Five reasons Canada’s Digital Charter will be a bust before it even gets going
“At the launch of Canada’s new Digital Charter on May 20, federal Innovation Minister Navdeep Bains described “data” as akin to “new electricity” on Twitter. ... And it looks like the expectations shaping the Digital Charter will be derailed very quickly.” — Kean Birch
The Canada-China crisis is a game of chess, and Ottawa needs to stop playing it with checker pieces
“Calls for Canada to escalate sanctions against China at the United Nations or World Trade Organization are morally pleasing, but futile. Yes, Chinese actions are infuriating – but when has a middle power taken on a great power in a fist fight and won?” — Tves Tiberghien
LIVING BETTER
Naomi Scott as Jasmine and Mena Massoud as Aladdin in Disney’s live-action adaptation of ALADDIN, directed by Guy Ritchie.Photo Credit: Daniel Smith/Walt Disney Studios
New movies in theatres and on Netflix and VOD, from the nightmare fuel of Aladdin to four-star feminist comedy Booksmart
Start your weekend planning early with The Globe and Mail’s guide to every feature film arriving this weekend, from would-be blockbusters to under-the-radar indies. We have reviews of the feminist teen comedy Booksmart, the Gordon Lightfoot biodoc and Disney’s live-action Aladdin.
How 120 shipping containers turned into a retail and community hub in downtown Toronto
Situated on a City of Toronto-owned lot on the north-west corner of Front and Bathurst, Stackt, a retail, culinary and cultural destination constructed out of 120 new and reclaimed shipping containers, has more than 30 containers devoted to retail and services, both long and short term. There’s the Jacki Lang Affordable Design gallery, which stocks a collection of graphic art printed and produced in Toronto, concept flower shop Carmel Floral and an Endy Lodge featuring the Canadian brand’s mattresses and sleep products. On the food and beverage side, sample sweets from Donut Monster, stay hydrated with Flow Alkaline Spring Water and pick up a vegan dish from YamChops Plant-Based Butcher and Market. The Belgian Moon mobile brewery, operated by Six Pints Specialty Brewing, will be whipping up small batches of beer on site that can be sipped in their sunny beer garden.
LONG READ FOR A LONG COMMUTE
Vicky MilnerMay Truong/Supplied
The Canadian Arts & Fashion Awards class of 2019
The Canadian Arts & Fashion Awards will celebrate the country’s style stars on May 30. We have profiles of three figures in the Canadian fashion industry who are part of the 2019 Canadian Arts and Fashion Awards on May 30. This founder, curator and nominated designer will each lend their sense of flair to the festivities.
Evening Update is written by Michael Snider. If you’d like to receive this newsletter by e-mail every weekday evening, go here to sign up. If you have any feedback, send us a note.