Good evening, let’s start with today’s top stories:
The parliamentary committee probing Hockey Canada’s handling of an alleged sexual assault involving members of the 2018 national junior team must now decide whether to force the organization to hand over its internal report on the matter.
MPs issued an order to obtain the report in March, but later put that demand on hold after concerns were raised by Hockey Canada’s lawyers that turning it over could potentially harm a police investigation in London, Ont., if any details were made public.
But with criminal charges now filed against five players, some MPs want to examine the report as part of their own investigation into Hockey Canada.
“I would like to see it,” said Conservative MP Kevin Waugh, vice-chair of the committee. “We’ve got to have closure on this. There is still a cloud of mistrust around Hockey Canada. There’s a lot of unanswered questions.”
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Uyghur Canadians pull out of public inquiry into foreign interference
An organization representing Uyghur Canadians is withdrawing from the public inquiry into foreign interference, a development that threatens to undermine Commissioner Marie-Josée Hogue’s ability to hear testimony from all vulnerable diaspora communities facing persecution from China.
The Uyghur Rights Advocacy Project wrote to Justice Hogue Wednesday to serve notice it is formally withdrawing because she granted party standing to former Ontario Liberal cabinet minister Michael Chan, now deputy mayor of Markham, Ont., and independent MP Han Dong. This type of standing means they can cross-examine witnesses and gain access to all evidence collected, including that presented to the inquiry outside of hearings.
Canadian economy regains momentum, boosting odds of soft landing
The Canadian economy ended last year picking up speed, seemingly shaking off a period of stagnation brought on by high interest rates.
Real GDP grew 0.2 per cent in November, outpacing a previous estimate of 0.1 per cent, Statistics Canada said today in a report. According to the agency’s preliminary estimate, the economy accelerated to a 0.3-per-cent gain in December.
The GDP report suggests the Canadian economy grew at an annualized rate of roughly 1 per cent in the fourth quarter, rebounding from a contraction in the summer quarter.
In other economic news, Paul Beaudry, Bank of Canada’s former deputy governor, says he thinks the central bank won’t start cutting interest rates until July – later than markets are predicting.
Cineplex pulls South Indian film screenings after incidents of threats, intimidation and talk of turf war
Cineplex and CinéStarz have pulled showings of a South Indian-language film after individuals opened fire at four cinemas in the Greater Toronto Area last week.
It was the latest of several incidents of intimidation related to Tamil, Telegu and Malayalam blockbusters. Videos obtained by The Globe and Mail show a person in a hoodie shooting a gun multiple times through the passenger window of a vehicle at the entrances of Cineplex locations in Scarborough and Vaughan. In a different video, the driver fires at a Cineplex in Brampton, as well. A theatre in Richmond Hill was also targeted by gunfire. The police says the shootings happened in the early hours of the morning.
The videos were sent to cinemas ahead of the Jan. 24 premiere of Malaikottai Vaaliban, a fantasy-action epic. Film distributors have contended that a turf war is being waged and that a group of individuals is trying to control the lucrative market for South Indian-language films in Canada to ensure films are run in favoured cinemas.
International students living in Canada react to Ottawa’s visa cap
International students in Canada are feeling hopeful but also frustrated over the recently announced federal cap on study permits.
As they face crowded accommodations and the struggle to find work to pay for their fees and cost of living, some see the cap as welcome relief. But others also worry that the new rules may change Canada’s welcoming attitude toward international students.
In other education news, Ontario Premier Doug Ford says he does not want to raise postsecondary tuition, even though colleges and universities are struggling financially.
International students Gurpreet Kaur, 24, and Riya Bharwal, 26 from India attend Cestar College in North York, which has a public-private partnership with Lambton College, on Jan. 24, 2024.Sarah Palmer/The Globe and Mail
ALSO ON OUR RADAR
The latest in the Middle East: Witnesses said Israel had stepped up air strikes on Gaza City in the north, and bombarded parts of Khan Younis in the south, despite what appeared to be the most serious peace initiative for months in the Israel-Hamas war. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the government is “actively engaged” after a Palestinian-Canadian was reported missing in the Gaza Strip.
- Marsha Lederman: The alleged actions of some UNRWA workers are despicable. But aid must continue to flow to Gaza
Homebuying costs lower for some cities: While there have been sizable home price drops in many Canadian cities over much of 2022 and 2023, soaring borrowing costs over that period have, until recently, wiped out any affordability gains for homebuyers. But with lenders lowering fixed rates on new five-year mortgages over the past two months, that’s beginning to change.
What’s next for Myanmar?: The country’s opposition National Unity Government and three allied ethnic militias published a joint declaration calling for the “annihilation of the military dictatorship and establishment of a federal democratic union.” The document calls for an end to military involvement in politics, along with the scrapping of the 2008 constitution drafted by the junta.
Final report into Lionel Desmond: An inquiry into the 2017 triple-murder suicide of the Afghan war veteran found there was a lack of information sharing between the military and health care professionals who treated him in the days leading up to the incident.
EU heads urge more Ukraine support: The leaders of five European Union countries urged their neighbours and allies to ramp up military support for Ukraine, while defence ministers debated ways to help meet the country’s ammunition shortfall. And, Russia and Ukraine said they had completed another large prisoner exchange despite the plane crash last week that Moscow says was carrying 65 Ukrainian soldiers ahead of a similar swap.
MARKET WATCH
U.S. and Canadian stocks closed sharply lower today after the Federal Reserve held interest rates steady.
The S&P/TSX composite index was down 205.99 points at 21,021.88 while the Dow Jones industrial average was down 317.01 points at 38,150.30. The S&P 500 index was down 79.32 points at 4,845.65. The Nasdaq composite was down 345.89 points at 15,164.01.
The Canadian dollar traded for 74.41 cents US, according to XE.com.
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TALKING POINTS
Trump and Haley appear to be swapping personalities to get ahead in U.S. presidential race
“As the two candidates for the Republican presidential nomination double down on their efforts in South Carolina – which on Feb. 24 holds its vitally important primary – Mr. Trump is struggling, against his instincts and past practices, to become a unifier while Ms. Haley, battling her own milder style and inclinations, is fighting to become a divider.” – David Shribman
The Federal Court’s Emergencies Act ruling isn’t what some Canadians think it is
“It is in fact a cautious and deferential ruling, reached with great reluctance, on narrow, technical and, in places, curiously reasoned grounds. It may survive appeal, but that is by no means certain.” – Andrew Coyne
A delay is not enough: Ottawa should withdraw its MAID law for the mentally ill
“Such uncertainty does not diminish the very real suffering of someone afflicted with mental illness. It does not diminish the need to ensure that adequate public resources are devoted to treating mental illness.” – The Editorial Board
The slow decline of the news industry is bad news for democracy
“More and more, there seems to be a class divide when it comes to the news media. There are those (the monied and educated) who can afford subscriptions that give them access to top-quality reporting and those who can’t, driving many in this group to seek their information elsewhere, often in cesspools of misinformation and propaganda.” – Gary Mason
LIVING BETTER
Four tips for taking your workout on vacation
Going on a trip doesn’t have to mean leaving your workout routine behind. The key to taking your fitness regimen on the road is making it easy. Body-weight exercises are extremely effective – and don’t require you to pack any equipment. If you are going to take anything, resistance bands are a great, lightweight piece of workout gear to bring along on your journey. Read the full guide on how to adapt your workout for vacation.
TODAY’S LONG READ
Far-right groups feed on Ireland’s anger at asylum seekers, Ukrainians and lack of housing
Housing shortages in Dublin have left more people living on the streets in tents. Far-right groups have blamed asylum seekers for making the problem worse.Anna Liminowicz/The Globe and Mail
Unlike many other countries in Western Europe, Ireland hasn’t had a significant far-right movement. Years of Irish emigration has given the country a global outlook. But in the past two years, influencers have been sharing misinformation about crime and the country’s housing shortage to stoke anger and resentment toward newcomers. It has led to growing anger at Middle Eastern and African asylum seekers and Ukrainian refugees. (Since 2022, Ireland has welcomed almost 100,000 people fleeing the Russian invasion of Ukraine.) Read Paul Waldie’s report on Ireland’s shift toward the right.
Evening Update is written by Prajakta Dhopade. 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.