Evening Update: Johnson’s win spurs talk of another Scottish referendum

Good evening, let’s start with today’s top stories:

Johnson wins, Brexit looms, but U.K. still seems as divided as ever

With all of the results counted, Boris Johnson’s Conservative Party has won 365 seats, giving them a majority of 80 seats in the House of Commons. That’s the party’s best showing since 1987 and it clears the way for Mr. Johnson to pursue his Brexit deal with the European Union, writes Paul Waldie in London. Johnson spoke of a “new dawn” and urged the people of the United Kingdom to “find closure and to let the healing begin,” but already there are divisions forming. Nicola Sturgeon, head of the Scottish National Party, which won 48 of Scotland’s 59 seats, said the result was a clear mandate for a second referendum on Scottish independence. Late Friday, Johnson responded, saying he opposed a new independence referendum and said the previous vote in 2014 must be respected.

Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn announced on Friday that he will not lead the party in the next election, but he stopped short of saying when he will resign. He insisted the party’s policies remain popular, but he said Labour was hampered by the country’s deep divisions over Brexit.

Investors welcomed the election result and the value of the pound jumped to its highest level against the U.S. dollar since May, 2018. Its jump – as much as 2.5 per cent – versus the dollar put it on course for its biggest one-day gain in nearly three years.

Opinion: With the election of Boris Johnson, Brexit will get done – but the fuss and bother isn’t over – Simon Usherwood

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Trudeau issues mandate letters

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has issued detailed to-do lists to his cabinet today in “mandate letters” posted online. (You can read them all on Parliament’s website). His opening lines in every letter remind ministers the Liberals have a minority government and that finding ways to co-operate with other parties and provincial governments will be critical. One letter that jumps out is to Finance Minister Bill Morneau, to whom Trudeau lays out a number of fiscal priorities, including reducing the federal debt relative to the size of Canada’s economy, and reviewing the mortgage stress test. Trudeau asks Health Minister Patty Hajdu to immediately introduce regulations to cut down on the number of teens who vape, and Justice Minister David Lametti to move quickly to respond to a recent court ruling on medically assisted death.

Conservative Party fires executive director, launches internal review over private-school fees

The Conservative Party has fired Dustin van Vugt, the party director who took responsibility for having the party pay for the private school tuition fees of some of Andrew Scheer’s children, Robert Fife and Marieke Walsh report from Ottawa. Citing sources not authorized to speak publicly, The Globe reports the party is also launching a review of how expenses are handled. Mr. Scheer resigned as leader of the party on Thursday as revelations of the payments came to light.

Power Corp. proposes buyout of Power Financial as Desmarais brothers retire

After 23 years at the helm, Paul Desmarais, Jr. and André Desmarais will retire from their roles as co-CEOs of Power Corp. of Canada amid a company overhaul that will simplify its corporate structure by eliminating the current dual-holding-company structure and consolidate ownership of the group’s financial-services operating companies. Jeffrey Orr, president and CEO of affiliate Power Financial, will become president and CEO of Power Corp. Upon completion of the reorganization, Power Corp. will own all of the Power Financial common shares.

U.S. House committee approves impeachment charges against Trump

Democrats took Republican President Donald Trump to the brink of impeachment Friday when they approved two charges against him over his efforts to pressure Ukraine to investigate Democratic political rival Joe Biden. The House Judiciary Committee voted 23-17 to approve articles of impeachment charging Trump with abusing the power of his office and obstructing attempts to investigate him for it. It is expected Trump will become the third president to be impeached when the full Democratic-led House votes on the charges, likely next week. However, the finals step involves a trial in the Republican-controlled Senate, which requires a two-thirds majority to convict. The Republicans have shown no signs of wanting to remove Trump from office.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Supreme Court justices meet Friday to consider whether Trump can keep his personal financial records private. The cases will test how the justices view Trump’s arguments that the subpoenas are a threat to the presidency. The court has a 5-4 conservative majority including two Trump appointees, Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh.

Opinion: The Trump team has turned impeachment into a partisan sham​ – Lawrence Martin

Dominic Barton draws on past experiences as he adjusts to new role as Canada’s ambassador to China

Dominic Barton, Canada’s ambassador to China, told a group of foreign students at Tsinghua University weeks after the Trudeau government declared him its new emissary to China about his philosophy of leadership, including his views that corporate leaders must be bold, devote attention to human resources and be sensitive to the global frustrations with inequality. He shed light on his background and his high-profile decision to come to China at a moment of pointed difficulty between the two countries. He also described a broader view of China that aligns with demands from Canada’s corporate establishment, which wants a rapid end to tensions and a return to business as usual, reports Nathan VanderKlippe from Beijing.

ALSO ON OUR RADAR

U.S. and China agree to roll back tariffs in ‘phase one’ trade deal: U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese officials offered no specific details on the amount of U.S. agricultural goods Beijing had agreed to buy. The agreement covers intellectual property, technology transfer, agriculture, financial services, currency, and foreign exchange.

Canadians’ debt burden rises, sparking concern: The household debt load rose to 175.9 per cent in the third quarter, from 175.4 per cent in the second quarter, according to seasonally adjusted figures released Friday by Statistics Canada. At the same time, the percentage of after-tax income used for debt payments has risen to a record 14.96 per cent. Half of that goes toward the interest portion.

Second phase of air passenger protections addresses flight cancellations, delays: As of Dec. 15, passengers whose flights have been delayed for reasons within an airline’s control are entitled to compensation of as much as $1,000, as well as food, drinks and accommodation for overnight stays.

Samsung’s telecom network division enters Canada with 5G Videotron deal: The South Korean company’s entry brings another player into a space currently dominated by China’s Huawei and its European rivals, Finland’s Nokia Corp. and Sweden’s Ericsson.

Lawyers for Quadriga customers ask RCMP to exhume founder Gerald Cotten’s body: The letter from Miller Thomson LLP, dated Dec. 13 and sent on behalf of the exchange’s users, said an autopsy of the body is necessary to “confirm both its identity and the cause of death.”

MARKET WATCH

The close: Global stocks gain, oil rises, but caution lingers on U.S.-China deal

Global equity markets and oil prices rose on Friday after China and the United States agreed on an initial trade deal that rolls back some U.S. tariffs in exchange for China’s increased purchase of farm goods, coming just ahead of a deadline for a new round of U.S. tariffs. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 3.46 points, or 0.01 per cent, to 28,135.51, the S&P 500 gained 0.2 points, or 0.01 per cent, to 3,168.77 and the Nasdaq Composite added 17.56 points, or 0.2 per cent, to 8,734.88.

Canada’s main stock index also rose on Friday as increasing optimism about a trade truce has fueled a rally in global equities. TSX was less than 1 per cent below the record high it hit last month. The Toronto Stock Exchange’s S&P/TSX composite index was up 56.23 points, or 0.33 per cent, at 17,003.13.

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TALKING POINTS

Legions of young Alberta men are unemployed and feel ostracized. What could go wrong?

“Historically speaking, disenfranchised hordes of young men who can’t find work and can pin their misfortune on a particular target do not make for the happiest of endings. This is not a warning that the Nazis are coming, but a suggestion that we ought to take this anxiety seriously.” – Robyn Urback

Never mind the GDP. How are the people doing?

"There is a profound disconnect in the air, and it smells like something burning. We are told to care about things that no longer seem to have any connection to reality. On one hand, we hear good or bad numbers related to our country’s primary gauge of success – gross domestic product – as if GDP has any meaning at all for the average person’s life. On the other, we try to process the burning and melting and flooding, a collective trepidation that psychologists have labelled ‘eco-anxiety.’ " – Elizabeth Renzetti

Owning your own home may be overrated, but it’s still pretty awesome

“There is a certain irony, if not tragedy, in the fact that government policies that subsidize home purchases only end up making the dream of home ownership ever more elusive for millions of Canadians by driving up prices.” – Konrad Yakabuski

LIVING BETTER

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Celebrity Secret Santa (Globe Books edition)

We had 20 artists, politicians, executives and, of course, authors draw a name for our first-ever holiday gift exchange. There was just one rule: books only (not their own). What book would Chrystia Freeland give Alex Trebek? What would Allen Lau of Wattpad give Heather Reisman of Indigo? Read on to find out.

Lucy Waverman shares the secrets to cooking duck

Many people are afraid to cook duck at home. They are worried about the large quantity of fat that is expelled, or that it will overcook and dry out. Both concerns are easy to handle. There are also benefits to cooking your own duck. Duck fat makes the best roast potatoes. The skin, re-crisped in the oven, makes a salad soar, and the carcass makes a strong broth. With all these possibilities, how could you not want to try it?

What’s new in theatres and streaming this week

6 Underground, now available to stream on Netflix, is Michael Bay’s first film away from the traditional studio system. It’s also his best action movie in more than a decade, a riotous and delirious assault on the senses. Opening in theatres today, Jumanji: The Next Level is conceptually the same movie as its predecessor, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, but it’s still entertaining and genuinely funny. And the best reason to watch Clint Eastwood’s Richard Jewell is Paul Walter Hauser’s performance as the Atlanta security guard wrongly suspected of the deadly 1996 Centennial Olympic Park bombing. See more of our reviews of the latest films.

LONG READ FOR A LONG COMMUTE

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Can Family Feud save the CBC? Survey says …

The Canadian edition of Family Feud, hosted by the comedian Gerry Dee, is coming to the CBC next week. Critics have complained that the series, in which two families compete against each other for $10,000 by trying to guess the most popular answers to survey questions (ex: “Name a phrase overheard at a singles’ bar") was lowbrow fare that didn’t belong on the public broadcaster.

Feud arrives as the CBC is under pressure to demonstrate that it can provide both value-for-money and some connective tissue for a country concerned about its unity. The re-election of the Liberals, which boosted funding during its first government, in 2016, has pushed off fears of cuts or changes that a Conservative government might have made, but that reprieve won’t last forever.

A classic programming strategy is behind the move to air the retooled classic: Even as audiences migrate en masse to on-demand viewing, the bulk of TV programs are still watched when they air on what is known as linear television. And CBC needs something to boost flagging ratings in its 7-11 p.m. prime-time block.

Family Feud Canada will play Mondays through Thursdays, premiering Dec. 16 at 8 p.m. before moving the next week into its regular 7:30 p.m. slot, where it will serve as a lead-in for some of the network’s marquee programming, including Murdoch Mysteries and Kim’s Convenience. Will Canadians tune in, especially when they can still watch the U.S. version with its built-in audience and well-established host?

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