Good evening, and happy Canada Day long weekend. The evening update newsletter will not be delivered on Monday, July 1, but will be back in your inbox Tuesday. Have a great weekend.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Leaked internal report says Ford government botched new autism program, misled public about the waiting list
A highly critical report on changes to Ontario’s autism program has been leaked to The Globe and Mail and says the Progressive Conservative government purposely spread misinformation about the costs and the backlog for treatment to justify a funding model that would leave families “destitute.”
As education reporter Caroline Alphonso and Queen’s Park reporter Laura Stone detail, the leaked memo characterizes the Ontario government’s repeated assertions that 23,000 children were on a list waiting for services was “unverified and is likely inaccurate.” The leaked document was written by one of the government’s own members and was obtained by The Globe through an anonymous source.
The report, prepared by Toronto-area MPP Roman Baber, is addressed to Premier Doug Ford and Dean French, Mr. Ford’s former chief of staff. The report says that Mr. Ford and Mr. French requested in April that Mr. Baber review the program.
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Ontario court upholds federal government’s carbon-pricing law
The federal government has won another court challenge to their carbon pricing. In a 4-1 decision, the Ontario Court of Appeal said carbon pricing falls within Ottawa’s powers to address matters of national concern under the “peace, order and good government” clause. As energy reporter Shawn McCarthy reports, the Ontario government had argued that the federal government had exceeded its jurisdiction by applying a tax on greenhouse gas emissions. The court found that the carbon price is not technically a tax because it is meant to achieve a regulatory result and the revenues are returned to jurisdictions in which they are collected.
For more information and background on the carbon tax, read our explainer: Canada’s carbon tax: A guide to who’s affected, who pays what and who opposes it
Trudeau, Xi share brief chat on first day of G20
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Chinese President Xi Jinping were seated beside each other during the first day of the G20 summit in Osaka, Japan, but video footage from a working lunch showed the two leaders barely interacting. Mr. Trudeau and Mr. Xi greeted each other prior to the interaction in the footage, government officials said and had “brief, constructive interactions.”
Meanwhile, Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland told a news conference Canada is fortunate to have assembled a “broad international coalition” of countries who support Canada and believe arbitrary detentions are harmful and said said China has been hearing about the detention of two Canadians from a range of countries.
Democratic candidates delivering scripted lines show a party struggling to define itself
Twenty U.S. presidential candidates this week delivered a vivid portrait of the new Democratic Party and a vivid contrast to the man they hope to defeat 16 months from now, David Shribman writes in an analysis of the so-far two Democratic debates.
After 240 minutes of conversation and contention several questions lingered. Ultimately, while each of the candidates came to the Miami stage with the challenge of making a strong first impression to a nationwide television audience, the effect of those efforts was to show a party struggling to define itself in the Trump era.
For a full account of the second debate, which featured former Vice President Joe Biden and Senators Kamala Harris and Bernie Sanders, read Adrian Morrow’s account: Harris draws first blood of Democratic primary forcing front-runner Biden on defensive over race
Europe fries as record heat hits France
France, Spain and other European nations are battling a record-setting heat wave that has already claimed several lives. Several countries have reported record temperatures this week, and France hit its all-time heat record Friday: 45.1 C in the small southern town of Villevieille, according to French media. In Spain, where temperatures peaked above 43 degrees for the second day, wildfires raged across 60 sq km of land in the northeastern Tarragona province.
WHAT ELSE IS ON OUR RADAR
- More Canadians take pride in the things that affect them today than they do in their country’s history, a survey from the Association for Canadian Studies suggests. The online poll found that 73 per cent of respondents see universal health care as a very important source of personal or collective Canadian pride, while 70 per cent are proud of their Canadian passport. (The Canadian Press)
- An avowed white supremacist who drove his car into a crowd of counterprotesters during a white nationalist rally in Virginia was sentenced to life in prison Friday on hate-crime charges. James Alex Fields Jr. of Maumee, Ohio, had pleaded guilty in March to the 2017 attack that killed one person and injured more than two dozen others. (The Associated Press)
- SNC-Lavalin Group Inc. has chosen a trial by judge as the Canadian engineering giant prepares to defend itself on charges of bribery and fraud amid a shake up of its corporate strategy in the months ahead. Lawyers for the Montreal-based company told a Quebec court during a brief hearing that the company would select to have its case heard by a judge alone and not a jury, a spokeswoman for the engineering firm confirmed. The company is not required to give a reason for its decision. (The Globe and Mail)
- Montreal forward Chris Boucher headlines the Toronto Raptors roster for the upcoming NBA Summer League. The 6-foot-10 Boucher is coming off a standout 2018-19 season with Raptors 905 in the developmental G League. Guard Jordan Loyd and forward Malcolm Miller, who also saw limited time with the Raptors last season, will join Boucher on the summer roster. (The Canadian Press)
- The Town of Sussex in New Brunswick has cancelled its Canada Day parade Monday, but the the town’s community services director insists it has more to do with the calendar than a lack of patriotism. “I would expect it is a product of Canada Day being on a Monday this year and providing for a true long weekend. I expect people have made other plans for their Canada Day which may include travelling elsewhere or spending time at their cottage,” Jason Thorne said. (The Canadian Press)
MARKET WATCH
Canada’s main stock index capped June off on a high note ahead of the holiday weekend. The S&P/TSX composite index closed up 74.47 points to 16,382.20. In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was up 73.38 points at 26,599.96. The S&P 500 index was up 16.84 points at 2,941.76, while the Nasdaq composite was up 38.49 points at 8,006.24. The Canadian dollar traded at an average of 76.41 cents US, up from an average of 76.27 cents US on Thursday — a four-month high.
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TALKING POINTS
Canada must shape the future, not merely respond to it
In my research, I’ve been considering some of the most influential and innovative tools for anticipating, planning for, and preventing conflicts before they happen. One of these was peacekeeping. Another, the Responsibility to Protect doctrine. Another, the Vancouver Principles on preventing the recruitment and use of child soldiers. All of these are extraordinary ideas that originated in Canada. This led me to thinking about what we, as citizens of Canada, owe each other and the world. — Retired general and senator Roméo Dallaire
Could there be a Donald Trump in Canada?
Today, the differences between [Canada and the United States] feels far greater than they did in 1964. The U.S. has become polarized and Canada did not. Instead of envying Americans for their power and wealth, we dread the United States for what it has become. Meanwhile, Canada’s sense of self has never been stronger. This year we can celebrate Canada Day with a mixture of thanks and relief – and also gratitude, because we are extremely unlikely to breed a Trump-like figure of our own. — Margaret Wente
Two black thumbs, one green tree: A story for the future
I hadn’t realized all the ways that urban forests help mitigate the effect of climate change ... That made me look at [our new] Freeman [Maple tree] differently. No longer a sad sapling, it’s now a part of an army fighting for the future. Which means that I can no longer hold up my two toxic thumbs as an excuse. I’ve got to try to keep this thing alive, so I’ll be over here with a hose if you need me. Until then, have a green and happy Canada Day. — Elizabeth Renzetti
LIVING BETTER
Spider-Man: Far from Home is the third-best Spider-Man film you’ll see all year, probably
Deputy Arts Editor and film reviewer Barry Hertz weighs in on the newest Marvel offering: “If you only see one Spider-Man film this year … go stream Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. But if you only see two Spider-Man films this year … well, I mostly loathed Avengers: Endgame, but the brief moments featuring Spidey himself were zippy. So: if you only see three Spider-Man films this year … then yeah, go watch Spider-Man: Far from Home.”
What will it take to make Made in Canada the standard in the fashion industry?
Reporter Nathalie Atkinson profiles Kristi Soomer, who started a Toronto-based ethical clothing brand seven years ago. Ms. Soomer’s goal for her brand, called Encircled, was to create a high-quality capsule wardrobe concept for women made from sustainable materials and manufactured in Canada. Priorities were fair treatment of workers and using sustainable fabrics that are knit and dyed locally. By all accounts, Encircled is a roaring success. Even facing issues such as finding local factories and managing a fractured supply chain, today Encircled is a seven-figure business.
LONG READ FOR A LONG COMMUTE
ROBmag July, 2019 feature spread on FreshiiThe Globe and Mail
Fall of the romaine empire: Who’s to blame for Freshii’s wilting fortunes?
Freshii founder Matthew Corrin launched his healthy-food restaurant in 2005 at the age of 23 and a little more than a decade later, he was on the cusp of restaurant greatness. His initial public offering in January, 2017, was a smashing success amid a sluggish industry and the company hit a valuation of close to $400-million. But today, despite despite boasting nearly 450 stores in 16 countries, Freshii’s stock price has fallen 80 per cent. Freshii’s biggest problem? According to analysts, Corrin’s performance since the IPO, and his brash style, have eroded credibility with public markets. As Joe Castaldo writes in this month’s ROB Magazine, “For now, Corrin seems intent on restoring Freshii back to growth himself, even if the market has abandoned him. He is no longer the young, swaggering 20-something who can impress with a better idea for fast food. He’s reached the limits of hustle. What remains now is the less glamorous work of fixing the operations and reversing the decline in same-store sales, quarter after quarter, and proving he can deliver results again.”
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.
Editor’s note: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated Kristi Soomer's Toronto-based ethical clothing brand as "Encircle"; however, the company name is "Encircled". This version has been corrected.