Good evening, let’s start with today’s top stories:
Ontario’s new Housing Minister, Paul Calandra, will be launching a “complete review” of the province’s protected Greenbelt, Premier Doug Ford announced today, one day after previous minister Steve Clark resigned.
The review would not affect talks between the government and developers building housing on land already removed from the protected area, Ford said, adding that the review will consider another 700 requests from developers and municipalities to remove even more land from the Greenbelt.
In a damning report last month, the Auditor-General said the process for removing land from the Greenbelt was “biased” and “favoured certain developers.”
Clark quit yesterday after vowing to stay on despite the Integrity Commissioner’s finding that he violated ethics rules by not overseeing his chief of staff, Ryan Amato, who the Auditor-General said had altered criteria so parcels of land suggested by certain developers were included in the Greenbelt process.
- The Editorial Board: The (possibly fatal) flaw in Doug Ford’s Greenbelt plan
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Criminal trial begins for Ottawa trucker convoy’s two key organizers
The criminal trial for Ottawa convoy organizers Tamara Lich and Chris Barber began today. Crown prosecutor Timothy Radcliffe said in an opening statement that their case is not about their political views but rather the means they employed.
While the defence may argue that Lich and Barber were exercising their rights to freedom of expression and freedom of assembly, the Crown intends to point to evidence that they went far beyond those rights, Radcliffe said. Barber’s lawyer, meanwhile, said she took issue with the Crown’s use of the word “occupation” to describe the January, 2022, protest that gridlocked Canada’s capital.
Lich and Barber face charges of mischief, obstructing police and intimidation of Parliament, as well as one charge of counselling for each of those three offences. Justice Heather Perkins-McVey is presiding over the trial, which is expected to run into October.
Hong Kong same-sex couples must receive ‘legal recognition,’ top court rules
Hong Kong’s Court of Final Appeal has ordered the government to create a framework to legally recognize same-sex partnerships, a partial victory that stops short of marriage equality.
The five-member panel ruled in a split decision that the failure to provide recognition for same-sex unions is a violation of the constitutional right to privacy guaranteed by Hong Kong’s Bill of Rights. The government was given two years by the court to create and enact the legislation.
The ruling ends activist and former lawmaker Jimmy Sham’s five-year legal battle and comes after several incremental judgments fostering greater protections for LGBTQ people in Hong Kong.
ALSO ON OUR RADAR
No quick end for sale of Teck’s coal unit: Canadian mining company Teck Resources is surprised at the global interest it has received to purchase its coal business, suggesting that Swiss company Glencore will face a competitive bidding process.
Rogers countersues former CEO: In a statement of defence and counterclaim filed in court today, the company alleges that Joe Natale persistently attempted to “subvert corporate governance and his fiduciary duties for his personal gain.” The telecom is also arguing that he should pay back some of the severance he has already received.
What to know about COVID-19 heading into fall: COVID infections and related hospital admissions are creeping up again, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada. But experts say there is no reason to panic.
Stranded partygoers get to leave Burning Man : Wait times for tens of thousands of Burning Man partygoers trying to exit the mud-caked northern Nevada desert are shrinking after flooded roads left them stranded for days.
Pierre Poilievre to attend first policy convention as Conservative leader: The challenge for Poilievre will be to present a compelling image to both Quebeckers and the rest of Canada, all while managing fractious policy business that could undermine the party’s recent gains in popularity. The convention begins Thursday in Quebec City.
Trial begins for man charged in deaths of Muslim family in London, Ont.: Nathaniel Veltman, accused of deliberately hitting the Afzaal family with his truck as they were out for a walk on the evening of June 6, 2021, pled not guilty to four counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder.
MARKET WATCH
U.S. and Canadian stocks closed lower on Tuesday, pressured by rising Treasury yields as investors assessed prospects for the Federal Reserve’s interest rate path.
In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was down 195.74 points at 34,641.97. The S&P 500 index was down 18.94 points at 4,496.83,while the Nasdaq composite was down 10.86 points at 14,020.95.
The S&P/TSX composite index was down 131.60 points at 20,413.76.
The Canadian dollar traded for 73.38 cents US compared with 73.64 cents US on Friday.
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TALKING POINTS
What would Congress impeach Biden for? So far it’s not clear
“Indeed, the tenure of House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, a Republican representative, may be more in jeopardy in this juncture than is [Joe] Biden, for whom no obvious example of ‘treason, bribery or other high crimes or misdemeanours’ is apparent.” – David Shribman
What can the ‘de-privatization’ of lab services in Alberta teach us about private health care delivery?
“An important lesson here is that this constant flip-flopping and futzing around serves no one. We need to get the petty politics out of health care. And we need to recognize that stability is important, especially for workers.” – André Picard
Why a soft landing for the Canadian economy is within reach
Already, data is showing that Canada will avoid a recession this year altogether, a stunning development that few would have believed when the Bank of Canada began raising interest rates last year. – Tu Nguyen
LIVING BETTER
Seven ways to reset your diet for back-to-work
After a summer of vacations and likely a relaxed diet, it’s time to reset your nutrition as you prepare to go back to work or school. Leslie Beck shares strategies to help provide your brain the fuel and nutrients it needs to perform at its peak. Try to incorporate low-glycemic carbs into your diet. That includes large-flake and steel-cut oats, quinoa and brown rice. Sneak in vitamin E – it’s tied to better cognitive performance. That may mean snacking on sunflower seeds, almonds or hazelnuts. Read the rest of her advice.
TODAY’S LONG READ
My son is starting high school –and he still doesn’t have a smartphone
Drew Shannon/The Globe and Mail
“My son just turned 14 and he does not have a smartphone,” writes Katherine Johnson Martinko of Port Elgin, Ont. “When he graduated from Grade 8, he was the last kid in his class without one. This is a unique distinction that he does not appreciate one bit. In fact, it comes up on a daily basis and mostly consists of the same conversation on repeat. He asks for a phone now that he’s going to high school, I say no, he asks why, I explain (yet again), he pushes back, and then I end the discussion by asking him to find me a study that shows phone use to be beneficial for teens. So far, he’s been unable to come up with any substantial evidence to make me change my mind, while conveniently educating himself on the very issues that concern me.”
“‘You can choose to do things differently when you’re a parent,’” I tell him. “‘But based on the extensive research I’ve done into teens and phones and social media, I would not be doing you any favours by letting you have one at this point.’”
“This does not resolve our debate – no 14-year-old will ever admit his mother is right – but it’s not long before he gets distracted by the many (screen-free) activities that fill his busy days and we move on. His question, however, lingers with me. I can’t help but wonder if I’m being too stubborn or unfair.” Read the full first-person essay.
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