Good evening, let’s start with today’s top stories:
Developments in the Israel-Hamas war
Canada has voted in favour of a non-binding resolution at the United Nations General Assembly that calls for “an immediate humanitarian ceasefire” between Israel and Hamas.
Global calls for a ceasefire - including a joint statement from the leaders of Canada, Australia and New Zealand early in the day- are leaving Israel and its main ally, the United States, increasingly isolated.
Even that alliance appeared to be on shakier ground, as U.S. President Joe Biden said that Israel is losing support over its “indiscriminate” bombing of Gaza and that Benjamin Netanyahu should change.
Meanwhile, Israeli forces continued to carry out strikes across Gaza today, as the military pressed ahead with an offensive that officials say could go on for weeks or months.
In the U.S., Harvard University’s governing body said today that its president, Claudine Gay, will remain leader of the Ivy League school following her comments last week at a congressional hearing on antisemitism.
Some lawmakers and donors had called for Gay to step down, following the resignation of Liz Magill as president of the University of Pennsylvania on Saturday.
Analysis: U.S. campus antisemitism debate reinforces perception universities have become havens for radical thinking- David Shribman
Opinion: Washington’s support of the war in Gaza damages its claim to moral leadership - Josh Paul
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Zelensky in Washington to shore up support for Ukraine’s war effort
Developing story: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky returned to Capitol Hill to appeal to leaders in Congress for U.S. aid for his fighters in the war with Russia.
But after hours of talks, additional support appeared in grave doubt as Zelensky arrived at the White House to meet with President Joe Biden.
Republicans are insisting on linking any more money to strict U.S.-Mexico border security changes that Democrats decry. Biden has been calling for a US$110-billion aid package for Ukraine, Israel and other national security needs.
NDP calls for fine on House Speaker
House of Commons Speaker Greg Fergus should be fined for questionable conduct that saw him provide a video tribute to the former interim leader of the Ontario Liberals, raising questions about his impartiality, NDP House Leader Peter Julian says.
A committee of MPs is looking into the matter after hearing witnesses this week, but Julian gave a preview of the NDP position ahead of the MP’s report, expected Thursday. He did not reveal what the committee believes may be an appropriate amount for a fine.
Julian also said it would be appropriate for the Speaker to apologize – something Fergus has previously done in the Commons and before a committee hearing yesterday.
ALSO ON OUR RADAR
Homicide ruling: Jurors at a coroner’s inquest into the death of a mentally ill man at an Ontario jail have recommended the province create a corrections watchdog, as they ruled Soleiman Faqiri’s death a homicide.
Kenneth Law charges announced: The lawyer for the Ontario man accused of sending lethal substances to people who later took their own lives says his client will plead not guilty to new murder charges.
Alberta under fire over coal: Five coal companies are suing Alberta for a combined $10.8-billion, claiming the government’s coal policy reforms have cost them billions in lost investment and potential revenues and have made mining the land they leased all but impossible.
Sticky U.S. inflation: While the consumer price index in the United States ticked lower last month, core inflation - excluding food and energy costs - increased by 0.3 per cent, slightly faster than in October. That will likely keep the Federal Reserve on guard against inflation as it meets this week.
COP28 OT: A standoff between countries that want a dramatic phaseout of planet-warming fossil fuels and those that don’t pushed the climate summit into overtime today. But organizers were about to float another try at compromise.
MARKET WATCH
U.S. stocks closed at fresh highs of the year after inflation data did little to alter views for the timing of a rate cut by the Federal Reserve, as investors awaited the central bank’s last policy decision of the year tomorrow. Canada’s main stock index moved in the opposite direction as a drop in oil prices weighed on energy shares .
The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 173.01 points or 0.48 per cent to 36,577.94, the S&P 500 gained 21.26 points or 0.46 per cent to 4,643.70 and the Nasdaq Composite added 100.91 points or 0.70 per cent to end at 14,533.40.
The S&P/TSX Composite Index fell 84.52 points or 0.42 per cent to 20,233.84. The dollar traded at 73.56 U.S. cents.
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TALKING POINT
What if ‘Axe the Tax’ leaves most Canadians worse off?
“As strange as it sounds, most Canadians are getting more money rebated back to them from the federal carbon tax than they pay in taxes.” - Tony Keller
LIVING BETTER
In July last year, Health Canada announced new regulations for supplemented foods to help better protect consumer safety, including new labelling on packaging. Here’s what to know about supplemented foods, their ingredients and what the labels tell you.
TODAY’S LONG READ
How ‘the Brooklyn of Vancouver’ ended up as a prize on The Price is Right
Pattullo Bridge and SkyBridge over the Fraser River, New Westminster, BC Photo credit: Tourism New WestminsterTourism New Westminster
When The Price is Right offered up “an amazing trip to beautiful Canada!” as a prize on a recent episode, the photo on the screen showed Vancouver’s Stanley Park. Over the show’s theme music (the soundtrack to many Canadians’ childhood sick days), the announcer added that the package included round trip airfare from Los Angeles to Vancouver.
And then? “Head to New Westminster, British Columbia, in your rental car!”
New West, as we call it out here, is on the Fraser River, about a half-hour from the City of Vancouver on the SkyTrain (or by rental car). It is a heavily residential area sometimes described, aspirationally, as the Brooklyn of Vancouver. On its website, Tourism New Westminster calls the city “Metro Vancouver’s Best-Kept Secret.” Not exactly a tourist hotspot. Read the full story by Marsha Lederman
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