Good evening, let’s start with today’s top stories:
One has to wonder if the Prime Minister cast a weary eye southward on Monday when he said updated federal modelling was showing continued progress in the effort to control the spread of COVID-19.
Justin Trudeau said the lockdown restrictions Canadians have lived with through the spring have worked to get the coronavirus under control. But he said the country could still be at risk, and pointed out that hotspots continue to be a problem in a few areas of the country, most notably in parts of Saskatchewan, Toronto, Montreal and around the border town of Windsor, Ont.
The Prime Minister’s comments came as the public-health situation continued to deteriorate in the United States and other countries, leading some to roll back economic reopenings as cases surged. In New Jersey, Governor Phil Murphy said plans to resume indoor dining this Thursday have been postponed indefinitely. And, in a rare break from near-total support for Donald Trump, some Republican lawmakers are defying the President and donning face masks – and are encouraging other Americans to do the same.
Canada’s Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Theresa Tam added Monday that as restrictions ease, it will be even more important for Canadians to maintain physical distancing and good hand-washing practices to keep case counts down to help with contact tracing and to not overburden the health care system.
Government modelling now estimates there will be between 104,000 and 108,000 cases countrywide by July 12, and between 8,545 and 8,865 deaths by the same date.
Tam said people under the age of 40 account for a greater proportion of cases, and that there has been steep declines in case numbers for people over 80 years old in recent weeks.
Meanwhile, the government also said Monday that a continuing review of the federal response to COVID-19 will feed into plans for responding to a potential second wave of coronavirus. Trudeau admitted that with hindsight, there are plenty of things that Ottawa might might have done differently or sooner, but he didn’t get into specifics.
He says the federal government will be able to respond with sufficient fiscal firepower if Canadians are once again forced into another lockdown. Trudeau said the government is planning for the worst and hoping for the best.
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The Calgary skyline is seen on Friday, Sept. 15, 2017.Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press
Alberta Premier Jason Kenney said Monday the province will cut business taxes and pump $10-billion into infrastructure projects in an effort to lift its economy out of the financial crisis caused by the pandemic. Roads, health care, schools and other areas will be the targets for infrastructure spending, the Premier said.
The Premier said there will also be sweeteners for technology firms, and other sector-specific initiatives.
Kenney has lowered Alberta’s corporate tax rate to 10 per cent from 12 per cent, and had planned to drop it further to 8 per cent in the coming years, but the Premier said it will now be done immediately.
Alberta Finance Minister Travis Toews is set to unveil an economic update in August, but Kenney has already said emergency spending so far on the pandemic has increased this year’s budget deficit to $20-billion from about $7-billion.
ALSO ON OUR RADAR
Tim Hortons’ mobile app sparks privacy concerns: Canada’s federal privacy watchdog is teaming up with provincial counterparts to investigate Tim Hortons’ use of data, following a report on how its mobile app tracked users’ movements – in some cases in the middle of the night, or when they were nowhere near a Tim Hortons.
Cirque du Soleil files for creditor protection: Cirque du Soleil filed for creditor protection on Monday and unveiled a plan that would see its current owners and the Quebec government inject US$300-million to restart the entertainment company, while forcing lenders to take a haircut.
U.S. Supreme Court strikes down strict Louisiana abortion law: The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday struck down a Louisiana law that placed restrictions on doctors who perform the procedure. The 5-4 ruling saw conservative Chief Justice John Roberts joining the four liberal justices. But Roberts indicated his vote was a reluctant one and signalled he may back other abortion restrictions in future cases, with some legal challenges already in the pipeline.
White couple points guns at protesters marching in St. Louis: A white couple stood outside their mansion and pointed guns at protesters in St. Louis as the group marched toward the mayor’s home to demand her resignation. Mark McCloskey, 63, told a TV station that he and wife, Patricia, both personal injury lawyers, were facing an “angry mob” on their private street and feared for their lives Sunday night.
New species of bee named after Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield: A Saskatchewan scientist has named a new species of bee after Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield. Cory Sheffield says he came across a unique-looking female bee while cataloguing insect specimens in a collection with the Royal Saskatchewan Museum in Regina. The museum’s curator of invertebrate zoology says that after examining the specimen for a second time, he determined it to be a new species of bee, and named it Andrena hadfieldi.
MARKET WATCH
Canada’s main stock index gained on Monday as energy stocks were lifted by higher oil prices. The Toronto Stock Exchange’s S&P/TSX composite index was up 1.32% to 15,389.72.
On Wall Street, stocks closed higher as investors were optimistic about an economic rebound helped by a stimulus package and Boeing shares surged as the plane maker begins test flights for the grounded 737 Max. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 2.32% to 25,595.05, the S&P 500 gained 1.47% to 3,053.31 and the Nasdaq Composite added 1.2% to 9,874.15.
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TALKING POINTS
We deserve details on Champagne’s Chinese bank ties
“As a minister of the Crown, Mr. Champagne should expect scrutiny of his finances. His intentions are irrelevant when it comes to matters of national security. That’s exactly what this controversy was all about and why he still needs to get down to the nitty-gritty.” – Rita Trichur
Dear Donald: Thanks for the new immigration wall. Love, Canada
“Things are shifting in Canada’s favour, in part thanks to Mr. Trump. If American firms are unable to hire the best and bring them to the U.S., that will benefit their Canadian competitors. It may also motivate some U.S. firms to get around immigration restrictions by offshoring operations to Canada.” – Globe editorial
Canada must wait for the U.S. to control its first wave before our economy can fully recover
“The Canadian economy remains heavily dependent on trade with the United States. The longer it takes the American economy to recover from the lockdowns, the longer it will take the Canadian economy as well. Crowded hospitals in Phoenix and Houston mean higher unemployment and slower growth in Toronto and Vancouver.” – John Ibbitson
We had a good run, but things are about to get weird for sports journalists
“You won’t be able to huddle with those people any more or talk to them on the elevator or have lunch together. Everyone’s doing think pieces on the topic “How Will Work Change?” Best I can tell, it’s going to become a lot more like 1984. Tromp in, stare at your screen, march out, keep your distance, at all times obey Big Brother’s instructions.” – Cathal Kelly
LIVING BETTER
Year of the RV: How to choose the best motorhome for a stay-in-Canada vacation
Say goodbye to far-away vacation destinations or even cross-border travel, this summer is going to be all about exploring Canada’s own backyard. And what better way to do that than in an RV. Here are a few tips on how to choose the best motorhome for you and your family for that stay-in-Canada adventure.
TODAY’S LONG READ
Dancers Kevin Jesuino of Calgary and Vanesa Garcia-Ribala Montoya from Les Grands Ballets perform in The Globe and Mail's Canada Day collaboration with dance companies, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and the Canadian Opera Company.©2020 Sasha Onyshchenko / Kravetz Photographics; Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity
Step into the light: Dancers join The Globe for a Canada Day tribute in distanced times
“There is a crack in everything/that’s how the light gets in.”
The Leonard Cohen song Anthem has enjoyed a sort of revival during the pandemic with many across social media sharing the lyrics above. In celebration of Canada Day and Canadian culture, The Globe and Mail has partnered with nine leading arts organizations to produce a video honouring this country’s dance companies and Cohen’s song.
Evening Update is written by Rob Gilroy and Omair Quadri. 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.