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WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Cambridge Analytica, firm at centre of Facebook data scandal, shutting down
Cambridge Analytica, the Britain-based political consulting company, will be shutting down, as will SCL Group, its parent company. The consultancy is at the centre of the privacy scandal that saw the improper use of data from 87 million Facebook users, including more than 600,000 Canadians. The company was hired by U.S. President Donald Trump’s 2016 election campaign and has embroiled social media giant Facebook in a scandal that has hurt its reputation and its stock price. Facebook is now the subject of multiple investigations in various jurisdictions and has pledged to review how it handles user data in response to the revelations. The decision to shut down SCL Group and Cambridge Analytica was reportedly taken because both companies were losing clients and faced rising legal fees over the Facebook investigation. The companies will now begin bankruptcy proceedings.
If you need to get caught up on Cambridge Analytica, Facebook and the other companies involved in the story, we’ve created a guide on the topic.
War between Israel, Iran unlikely: Hezbollah
Nawar Sahili, a senior Hezbollah MP in Lebanon, says that he doesn’t believe that conflict between Iran and Israel is imminent or even likely. Hezbollah, a political and military movement backed by Iran, was tangled in a war against Israel in 2006. Mr. Sahili, who may become a cabinet minister after Sunday’s election in Lebanon, also said that Hezbollah would be ready to fight against Israel if a war does begin. The comments come after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a televised address in which he shared evidence which he says shows how Iran lied about its nuclear program. Chagai Tzuriel, the director-general of Israel’s Ministry of Intelligence, was in Ottawa this week to seek Canada’s support to reopen the Iran nuclear deal. Mr. Tzuriel spoke to officials at Global Affairs Canada and the Privy Council Office but did not say whether the Canadians shared Israel’s viewpoint. A source told The Globe that Canada is non-committal about deciding to join Israel and the U.S. in its attempts to exert pressure on Iran to renegotiate the deal, which was signed in 2015.
The Globe and Mail Editorial Board writes that Canada should re-engage with Iran, carefully: “Canada’s citizens keep dying in Iranian jails, and Iran has repeatedly launched cyberattacks against Canadian targets. Our country suspended formal diplomatic relations with the theocratic regime in 2012. Against this backdrop, the recent Globe and Mail report that Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland is prepared to host Iranian representatives on Canadian soil, possibly soon, might feel counterintuitive. But Ms. Freeland’s willingness to engage Iran is the right move. Sometimes grown-ups must speak to and do business with people they don’t like.”
MedReleaf seeking buyer as cannabis industry consolidates: sources
MedReleaf Corp., an Ontario-based grower of medical marijuana, has contacted larger industry players about a sale, sources told The Globe and Mail. The most serious of these discussions is being held with Aurora Cannabis Inc. If Aurora purchases MedReleaf it would create the largest cannabis company in Canada by market capitalization ahead of Ottawa’s plan to legalize recreational use of the drug later this year. A deal has not been finalized and it is uncertain if an agreement will be reached, but if one does get done it will be the most recent in a series of purchases by Aurora. MedReleaf has also reportedly been in conversations with Aurora’s rivals Canopy Growth Corp. and Aphria Inc. (for subscribers)
Conservative MP Gord Brown dies of a heart attack
Gordon Brown, the Conservative MP for the eastern Ontario riding of Leeds-Grenville-Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, died of a heart attack today, leaving his colleagues across the House of Commons in shock. The 57-year-old died in his office on Parliament Hill after returning from an early morning hockey game. “Gord was loved in our caucus. He was a consummate team player,” veteran Conservative MP Ed Fast said. “He was lovable and way too young to die. He had so much more to give to Canada and unfortunately he is gone.” Parliamentarians gave their tributes earlier today in the House of Commons and observed a moment of silence. Mr. Brown is the third MP to die of a heart attack while working in Ottawa in recent years. In 2016, Alberta MP Jim Hillyer died at the age of 41. In 2014, former finance minister Jim Flaherty died at the age of 64. Mr. Brown is survived by his wife Claudine Courtois and his sons Tristan and Chance.
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MARKET WATCH
Canada’s main stock index, the Toronto Stock Exchange’s S&P/TSX composite index, ended Wednesday higher, closing up 0.06 per cent at 15267.93. The S&P/TSX was lifted up by strong performance in the energy sector, which offset losses in the financial sector. Four of the index’s 10 main groups ended higher. South of the border on Wall Street, the S&P 500 finished the day at 2,635.63, down 0.72 per cent. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell by 0.72 per cent to close at 23,924.57, while the Nasdaq Composite lost 0.42 per cent to finish the day’s trading session at 7,100.90.
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WHAT’S TRENDING ON SOCIAL
Vivian Xie, a 13-year-old, just aced her first year at the University of Prince Edward Island. She’s on track to finish her university degree in biology before she can legally get behind the wheel of a car. She hopes to become a veterinarian.
TALKING POINTS
Hassan Diab is another Canadian let down by our government
“Prof. Diab spent more than three years in the infamous Fleury-Mérogis Prison. He was kept in solitary confinement. He missed his children’s milestones and lost precious moments with his family. He lost his academic career. If it were not for the ‘legal mission’ of some high-ranking government lawyers, working so hard to criminalize him, he would have been in Ottawa, attending the birth of his son and walking his daughter to her first day at school. Today, the only thing we can do to help him and his family mourn this loss is to call for a full public inquiry into the shameful actions of Canadian government officials.” — Monia Mazigh
Is Hong Kong turning into Asia’s censored city?
“Under the Basic Law, Hong Kong is expected to enact national security laws to criminalize treason, secession, sedition, subversion, theft of state secrets and foreign political interference. Criminalizing advocacy of independence may fit neatly in the anti-secession legislation. China is impatient for Hong Kong to act. Wang Zhimin, director of China’s Liaison Office here, pointedly said recently that ‘Hong Kong is the only place in the world without national security legislation.’ But great care needs to be taken. Hong Kong is a global financial centre and the free flow of information is vital. Any law curbing free speech will be seen as the thin end of the wedge. Hong Kong likes to be known as Asia’s world city but if national security is used to shut people up, it may end up being known as Asia’s censored city.“ — Frank Ching
Ontario needs an evidence-based strategy to expand housing supply
“In the longer term, the Ontario government should launch a New Zealand-type inquiry to examine ways that the land-use planning system in the Toronto region is affecting housing costs and look at ways to reform the system to counter price pressures by making the system more flexible and receptive to market demands. Ontario’s housing-affordability challenges may have temporarily abated, but they’re not going away. It’s up to policy makers to put forward an evidence-based strategy to increase housing supply.” — Frank Clayton
LIVING BETTER
Cooking has long been the domain of adults, but teaching children how to cook can build confidence and community. Health Canada, which is expected to introduce its revamped food guide later this year, is set to encourage people to learn more about what goes into what they eat and sharing that knowledge with their families. Cooking can help children develop healthy relationships with food, lessons that will last beyond childhood.
LONG READ FOR A LONG COMMUTE
Inside Manulife’s plan for a massive Asian expansion
Roy Gori, Manulife’s new CEO, sees the company’s future growth coming from Asia’s burgeoning middle class. Unfortunately, so do many of his competitors. Born in Sydney, Australia, he’s determined to show that Manulife is in a period of “transformational change.”(for subscribers)
Evening Update was written by Mayaz Alam. 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.