Good evening, let’s start with today’s top stories:
A former Libyan ambassador to Canada has been arrested in his home country after safeguarding documents pertaining to the billions of dollars the late dictator Moammar Gadhafi stashed in Canadian bank accounts and to a Toronto penthouse owned by his son Saadi Gadhafi.
Fathi Baja served as Libya’s top envoy in Canada from 2013 to 2017. He divulged to The Globe and Mail earlier this year that he kept the cache of documents after leaving Ottawa because he was concerned the money and luxury property could fall into the hands of corrupt officials. Baja was detained Sunday afternoon by the Internal Security Agency in Benghazi after he refused to turn over the confidential records to Libyan officials, according to a person familiar with the matter. The Globe is not identifying the source, who was not authorized to speak publicly about the matter, because their safety is at risk.
Separately, the United Nations panel of experts on Libya confirmed The Globe’s previous reporting about Saadi Gadhafi’s secret plan to sell his Toronto penthouse in violation of a global asset freeze. It also disclosed that it is investigating the Turkish government’s involvement with him. These developments come at a critical time for Libya, which is preparing to hold its first democratic elections since Col. Gadhafi was ousted and killed in 2011.
This is the daily Evening Update newsletter. If you’re reading this on the web, or it was sent to you as a forward, you can sign up for Evening Update and more than 20 more Globe newsletters here. If you like what you see, please share it with your friends.
Exclusive: RCMP probes alleged misconduct in outsourced CBSA contract
The RCMP is probing allegations of misconduct involving an outsourced IT project at the Canada Border Services Agency after two tech entrepreneurs who performed work for the agency warned senior officials about improper contracting practices and cozy relationships between the public service and private firms. The allegations stem from a relatively small contract – valued at less than $500,000 – but the money flowed from a larger $21.2-million contract for general services that was also used by the agency to fund outsourcing work related to the ArriveCan app.
Wab Kinew set to become first First Nations provincial premier in Canada
Wab Kinew, the leader of Manitoba’s New Democratic Party, is set to become Canada’s first First Nations provincial premier after winning a majority government in yesterday’s election. Kinew, 41, is a former rapper, broadcaster, author and university administrator who took over Manitoba’s NDP six years ago. He won yesterday’s election after a bitter campaign during which he defended himself from attacks by the incumbent Progressive Conservatives over a troubled past that included criminal charges – a history that he openly acknowledged as an important factor in turning his life around as he talked about negative stereotypes about Indigenous people.
- Incoming Manitoba premier Wab Kinew says focus turns to fixing health care
- Ottawa puts more money toward studying possible Winnipeg landfill search
ALSO ON OUR RADAR
Censorship in China: One Chinese runner embraced another seconds after her victory, with the resulting images going viral. Until, that is, the censors noticed a juxtaposition created by the lane numbers pasted to the women’s shorts, which together could be read as “64,” one of the most forbidden terms on the Chinese internet.
Neo-Nazis: An Ontario memorial to the Waffen SS Galicia division, the Ukrainian Nazi-led unit, is seeing white nationalist and neo-Nazi visitors after one of the division’s veterans received a standing ovation in Parliament last month. There are now renewed calls for the monument to be torn down.
No smoking, please: The U.K. Prime Minister today proposed raising the legal age to buy cigarettes by one year, every year, until it eventually becomes illegal for the whole population of England.
Air travel: WestJet is stopping its flights between Toronto and Montreal for six months, starting late October and resuming in late April.
Mind the gap: Turns out a software upgrade was behind a massive outage yesterday on CN Rail lines that delayed thousands of Toronto-area commuters during the evening rush hour, according to CN.
MARKET WATCH
Major U.S. stock indexes ended higher today, a day after selling off. Canada’s main stock index ended nearly unchanged, as gains were capped by a sharp drop in oil prices that weighed on energy shares amid global growth concerns.
The Toronto Stock Exchange’s S&P/TSX composite index ended up 13.89 points, or 0.1 per cent, at 19,034.81, after posting yesterday its lowest closing level in one year.
The S&P 500 gained 34.30 points, or 0.81 per cent, to end at 4,263.75 points, while the Nasdaq Composite gained 176.54 points, or 1.35 per cent, to 13,236.01. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 127.17 points, or 0.39 per cent, to 33,129.55.
The Canadian dollar traded for 72.76 cents US compared with 72.93 cents US yesterday.
Got a news tip that you’d like us to look into? E-mail us at tips@globeandmail.com. Need to share documents securely? Reach out via SecureDrop.
TALKING POINTS
Wab Kinew’s win in Manitoba signals the lighting of the Anishinaabe’s eighth fire
“There are those who say that an eighth fire has now been lit, signalling a new beginning and the potential of enduring harmony between settlers and Indigenous Peoples. Mr. Kinew’s victory gives us hope that this is now true.” – Tanya Talaga
The odds are still so stacked against women in banking, and it’s embarrassing for us all
“History shows that women who rise to the top often have to walk what is dubbed a glass cliff. Translation: They are more likely to get hired when organizations are in trouble or at risk, and are therefore thrust into a risky and precarious position.” – Tim Kiladze
The CRTC’s latest regulatory decision is sending a chill through the Canadian podcast world
“On Friday, the CRTC issued the first of its decisions related to its new powers under the Online Streaming Act (Bill C-11). These were primarily about establishing the size of the playing field and how many players will be on it. It decided to go big.” – Peter Menzies
Law firm’s new measure against activist investors waters down shareholder rights
“As it stands now, far from furthering shareholder transparency, shareholder protection and democracy as its proponents claim, the model bylaw has the effect of delaying the express wishes of shareholders with respect to directors.” – Catherine McCall
LIVING BETTER
Road trips can be environmentally friendly, and the effort is worth the impact
Jennifer Foden and her partner planned a road trip from British Columbia to Alberta earlier this year, with the goal of making it as planet-friendly as possible. Between carbon offsets and renting an electric vehicle, it was more work and more money – but as Foden writes, it was worth it.
- More coverage: Don’t forget to cast your vote for the best Thanksgiving side.
TODAY’S LONG READ
Tropical and native to Canada, the pawpaw fruit is all the rage for those in the know
Paul DeCampo tends to the Pawpaw fruit tree in his front yard in York, ON on August 25th, 2023.Duane Cole/The Globe and Mail
This small chartreuse-hued fruit has a custardy flesh and tastes like a blend of banana, mango and pineapple. People line up at farmers’ markets, join Facebook groups and even choose to grow it themselves. The pawpaw is making a comeback, and we’re here for it.
Evening Update is written by Maryam Shah. 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.