Good evening, let’s start with today’s top stories:
The federal government has agreed to the certification of a national class-action lawsuit which is seeking damages for a system alleged to incentivize the removal of First Nations children from their families and communities, placing them in out-of-home care.
Perry Bellegarde, National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations, takes part in an event on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Tuesday, July 7, 2020, to sign a protocol agreement to advance First Nations' exercise of jurisdiction over child and family services. Indigenous children and their relatives harmed by chronic underfunding of child-welfare services on reserves are a step closer to resolving claims for compensation.Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press
In February, the Assembly of First Nations filed a federal class-action lawsuit to seek damages for thousands of First Nations children and families. This certification indicates a possibility the federal government will negotiate a settlement.
It will be critical for Canada to act in good faith in the upcoming negotiations and to provide fair compensation for all who suffered harm, Perry Bellegarde, National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations said. “Only then can we bring closure to this sad chapter in our history.”
In opinion:
- Historical recognition of residential schools is a start. Now it’s up to Canadians to never forget - Eugene Arcand
Kenosha visit
Also on Thursday, U.S. Presidential candidate Joe Biden visited the family of Jacob Blake, the Black man who was shot multiple times in the back by police who remains in hospital. The shooting of Blake resulted in days of sometimes violent protests in Kenosha, Wisconsin, and the death of two demonstrators.
Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden is greeted with an elbow bump as he meets with community members at Grace Lutheran Church in Kenosha, Wis., Thursday, Sept. 3, 2020.Carolyn Kaster/The Associated Press
Biden’s visit comes two days after President Trump’s visit to Kenosha on Tuesday, though the President did not meet with Blake’s family during his visit.
Both Biden’s and Trump’s visits were greeted with mixed reactions. On Tuesday, Trump toured buildings damaged during protests and later made comments comparing police shootings with golf. Later in the day, Biden plans to host a public discussion with community representatives about community safety. Trump’s campaign manager, Bill Stepien, called Biden’s visit inappropriate, saying it was “injecting politics into a really serious situation that president helped solve.”
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ALSO ON OUR RADAR
Party lines: More than 100 Republican and Independent politicians will endorse Joe Biden for the U.S. Presidency, today. According to organizers of the effort, notable endorsements will include the former Republican governors of Michigan, Massachusetts and New Jersey.
Making moves: Home prices and sales in Toronto increased this August, amid factors including pent-up demand and low interest rates. The average home price in Toronto is now $951,404, according to the Toronto Regional Real Estate Board (TRREB).
Protests: Demonstrations have begun in Rochester, New York, after a video was released this morning showing the March arrest of Daniel Prude, a Black man who died by asphyxiation after police put a hood over his head as he knelt on the ground, handcuffed and naked.
In decline: Canada trails behind other wealthy nations on measures of childhood health and wellbeing, according to two new studies released by UNICEF and the University of Calgary. The UNICEF study ranked Canada 30th out of 38 comparable countries on the wellbeing of children and youth under 18, while the University of Calgary study found threats to children such as food insecurity, mental illness, and abuse to have increased over the course of the pandemic.
Denied: The poisoning of Alexey Navalny, the Russian opposition politician who is currently hospitalized in Germany, has resulted in “predictable” outcry by Western politicians. The Globe’s senior international correspondent, Mark MacKinnon, reports that despite the headlines, it’s unlikely the condemnation will change Russia’s approach.
MARKET WATCH
Wall Street suffered its worst day since June on Thursday, as investors dumped high-flying technology stocks on concern about their astronomical valuations on a day fresh economic data signalled a long and difficult recovery.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 808.17 points, or 2.78 per cent, to 28,292.33, the S&P 500 lost 125.84 points, or 3.51 per cent, to 3,455 and the Nasdaq Composite dropped 598.34 points, or 4.96 per cent, to 11,458.10.
While losses were tamer in Toronto, some of the Canadian market’s best performers this year were also hit with a bout of profit-taking. The S&P/TSX Composite Index fell 249.06 points, or 1.49 per cent, to 16,448.90
Looking for investing ideas? Check out The Globe’s weekly digest of the latest insights and analysis from the pros, stock tips, portfolio strategies and what investors need to know for the week ahead.This week’s edition includes dividend share shopping, GICs in demand and rethinking bank stocks.
TALKING POINTS
COVID-19 is severing a lifeline of immigration Canada needs to survive. Here’s what we can do to repair it
John Ibbitson: “Converting students, temporary foreign workers and asylum claimants into permanent residents could ease the shortfall of immigrants until Ottawa can get the overseas applications process back on stream, air travel fully resumes and barriers between countries come down. If they come down.”
Our public health heroes are suddenly under attack. And it’s wrong
Gary Mason: “I understand that our provincial health officers aren’t immune from criticism. Nor are they perfect. They are trying to figure this thing out as they go along. There is no mistake-free playbook they can follow. But at the end of the day, it’s up to all of us to follow protocols that allow us to be safe. It’s not Dr. Henry’s responsibility to keep each and every one of us healthy – it’s ours.”
LIVING BETTER
At this stage of the pandemic, almost every country has issued guidance recommending mask-wearing in public – including Canada. For a refresher on how to correctly wear your mask, or perhaps a not-so-subtle primer you can send to your mask-hesitant (or worse) friends, The Globe’s former health editor Paul Taylor has an updated guide to how to maximize the effectiveness of facial masks.
TODAY’S LONG READ
In the weeks following the catastrophic explosion in the port of Beirut, Lebanon’s young people have come together, volunteering to sweep away debris, repair homes and shops, and ultimately rebuild the city.
A group of young Lebanese improvised a concert in the damaged area of Gemmayzeh, in Beirut, Lebanon, on August 16, 2020. The area used to be the nightlife district of the capital.Rafael Yaghobzadeh/The Globe and Mail
Now, they are getting ready to address what seems to be an even greater challenge: reforming the Lebanese political system.
As the Globe’s senior international correspondent Mark MacKinnon reports, Lebanon’s economic crisis, in full swing even prior to the pandemic, has come to a head. In a country deeply divided along sectarian lines, political revolution is a tenuous aim - but that won’t stop Beirut’s youth from trying.
Evening Update is written by Claire Porter Robbins. 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.