Good evening, let’s start with today’s top stories:
The foreign-interference inquiry heard testimony today that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau didn’t accept CSIS warnings about MP Han Dong and possible Chinese interference in Don Valley North riding in 2019.
A CSIS report summary tabled at the inquiry alleged that China compelled students to vote for Mr. Dong’s nomination under the threat of losing their student visas and possible consequences for their families back home. The inquiry has heard testimony that CSIS provided a classified briefing in Sept. 28, 2019, to Liberal Party officials, who received national-security clearances, about alleged irregularities in the nomination that Mr. Dong won. He went on to win the Liberal riding in the Oct. 21 election but resigned from the Liberal caucus last year to sit as an Independent after allegations arose about controversial conversations he had with China’s consul-general.
Jeremy Broadhurst, national campaign manager in 2019 and now senior adviser to Mr. Trudeau, told the public inquiry today that he briefed the Prime Minister a day after the CSIS briefing and told him that nothing should disqualify Mr. Dong as a Liberal candidate.
Mr. Broadhurst felt it was important to let Mr. Trudeau know about the CSIS allegations, but he also told the Prime Minister that party officials in Don Valley North did not substantiate the CSIS allegations. Read more here.
- Related: PMO, top ministers and senior officials received 34 briefings on foreign interference since 2018, CSIS says
For Palestinians in Ramallah, Eid brings no prospect of joy under the shadow of war
Pigeons fly as a Palestinian man sells crafts ahead of Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan, in Ramallah on April 8, 2024.ZAIN JAAFAR/Getty Images
Food has been in such short supply in Gaza that the rituals of Ramadan brought little change to their diets. The beginning of Eid tomorrow, which means “feast,” now brings no prospect of joy. Few Palestinians will celebrate, as the war in Gaza hits the six-month mark. There, the death count continues to climb as people pull bodies from the rubble of Khan Younis after the withdrawal of Israeli forces on Sunday. More than 33,000 people have been killed in Gaza since Oct. 7, according to Palestinian authorities. Now in Palestinian territories outside Gaza, an atmosphere of sombre solidarity surrounds Eid al-Fitr.
- Also: Israeli ceasefire proposal fails to meet demands but is under review, Hamas says
- Related: Germany rejects allegations that it’s facilitating acts of genocide in Gaza at UN court
Ontario city seeks easier means of removing officials after councillor’s offensive comments
Pickering is pushing for new rules to make it easier to remove someone from elected office after months of increasing dysfunction at city hall. This comes after a councillor sparked criticism for denouncing Black History Month, posing with a far-right German politician and describing herself as “a modern-day slave” when council docked her pay.
Now, council has passed a motion asking the Ontario Human Rights Commission to intervene, kicking off a process that could lead to judges having the power to remove councillors for discriminatory behaviour. But any change would take multiple steps, including changing the Municipal Act. One expert called such an amendment a confusing and “far-out” possibility. Read more here.
Former BoC governor Mark Carney warns of ‘slower and shallower’ rate cuts
Former Bank of Canada and Bank of England governor Mark Carney warned that central banks may cut interest rates more slowly and by less than many expect as monetary policy adjusts to a new era defined by structurally higher inflation. In a speech last night, he said central banks are likely to start lowering interest rates this year as inflation continues to decline.
“But expect those cuts to be slower and shallower,” he said. “And what’s more relevant, for most companies and individuals and households, is that in the medium-term, rates are going to be higher [than before], and are going to be higher because of structural things, and you better be prepared for that.”
The Bank of Canada’s next rate decision is tomorrow.
- Elsewhere: Higher for longer after all? U.S. investors see Fed rates falling more slowly
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ALSO ON OUR RADAR
Ukraine power plant: An explosion today caused by an alleged drone attack at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, Europe’s largest nuclear plant in Ukraine, didn’t pose a direct threat to safety but underscored the “extremely serious situation” at the facility, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency.
New prime ministers in Ireland and Iceland: Simon Harris became Ireland’s youngest ever prime minister today. Meanwhile in Iceland today, Bjarni Benediktsson, head of the pro-business, right-wing Independence Party, said he will become the country’s next prime minister.
Oldest human ever?: If a new claim by Peru officials is true, then the world’s oldest person may be a 124-year-old man born in 1900 and living in central Peru.
Music milestones: Beyonce became the first Black woman to hit No. 1 on the Billboard country albums chart today with her latest album “Act ll: Cowboy Carter.”
Bookish news: Novels from Asia, Europe and South America were among six finalists announced today for the International Booker Prize for translated fiction. The shortlist includes Argentine writer Selva Almada’s Not a River; German author Jenny Erpenbeck’s Kairos; and Brazilian writer Itamar Vieira Junior’s Crooked Plow.
- Also, three Canadians were shortlisted for the Carol Shields Prize for fiction
Post-eclipse: Restaurants on yesterday’s eclipse path of totality saw a jump in sales, according to payments company Square, which said eateries in Niagara Falls, Ont. using their tech saw 404-per-cent higher sales than the average Monday in 2024.
Summer travel: Global airlines are staring at a summer with travel demand expected to surpass pre-pandemic levels while aircraft deliveries drop sharply because of production problems at Boeing and Airbus.
MARKET WATCH
The S&P 500 posted nominal gains today, a day ahead of major inflation data, weighed down by financial stocks as investors braced for major U.S. banks to kick off earnings reporting season on Friday. The TSX ended higher thanks mostly to a rally in materials stocks, propelled by gains in gold and copper prices.
The S&P/TSX composite index ended up 101.48 points at 22,361.78. The Dow Jones industrial average was down 9.13 points at 38,883.67. The S&P 500 index was up 7.52 points at 5,209.91, while the Nasdaq composite was up 52.68 points at 16,306.64.
The Canadian dollar traded for 73.65 cents US.
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TALKING POINTS
Canada’s new defence policy commits to exploring, instead of committing
“Given how long it took to release this defence policy update, one would assume that the government had plenty of time to explore and should be ready to act. The deteriorating global security environment, too, would surely suggest that we need less exploration and more deciding. Alas, Ottawa still needs time to ponder.” - Philippe Lagassé and David Perry
In defiance of the West, the Taliban will stone women in public again
“As stakeholder government and international bodies navigate their relationship with the Taliban, it is imperative that they consider the Taliban’s failures to provide legal protections for its population, and their targeted abuse of women.” - Ruchi Kumar
Requiring age-verification for porn won’t save children from online harm. But it will invade our privacy
“We can all agree that young people deserve protection from harm, so keeping kids safe online is a position that politicians are quick to endorse; support for anti-porn bills offers an easy route to positive PR. But good intentions don’t make for good laws.” - Maggie MacDonald
LIVING BETTER
Eight tax tips for first-time filers
If you don’t file your taxes, you could miss out on hundreds of dollars every few months.iStockPhoto / Getty Images
Filing a tax return for the very first time? Prepare yourself to catch up on a mountain of new information. The Canadian tax code is complicated, and you’ll be asking questions such as what happens if you file late? Or what’s the difference between a deduction and a credit? We spoke with a couple of tax experts to find out what first-timers need to know before filing.
TODAY’S LONG READ
Attacks on Suez shipping come when Egypt can least afford a disaster
A tanker crosses the Gulf of Suez towards the Red Sea before entering the Suez Canal, in El Ain El Sokhna in Suez, Egypt, September 25, 2020.Amr Abdallah Dalsh/Reuters
The Suez Canal transformed Egypt’s economy. Today, as global trade picks up after the lows of the pandemic, the seemingly endless income generated by the canal is at grave risk. The Houthis, an Iranian-backed Shia political and military force in western Yemen, at the entrance to the Red Sea, have attacked dozens of commercial ships that they claim, sometimes mistakenly, have connections to Israel or its allies. European bureau chief Eric Reguly reports here.
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.