Good evening, let’s start with today’s top stories:
Vladimir Putin addresses Russia after Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin issues defiant statement
President Vladimir Putin addressed Russia in his first appearance after a brief insurrection by armed mercenaries this weekend. He thanked the country for unity and also thanked the mercenaries for halting their mutiny. Earlier in the day, the head of the Wagner Group made a statement in an audio recording defending his group’s mutinous actions on Saturday, saying he acted “to prevent the destruction of the Wagner private military company” and in response to an attack on a Wagner camp that killed about 30 of his fighters.
Tension between Yevgeny Prigozhin and Russia’s top military leaders that has bubbled beneath the surface of the war for months flared up this weekend when the mercenary group left Ukraine, seized military headquarters in a southern Russian city and moved toward Moscow before turning around after less than 24 hours.
Prigozhin and his soldiers are to move to Belarus and receive amnesty, according to the Kremlin, in a deal brokered by the Belarusian President. The Wagner chief’s actual whereabouts are unclear.
Read more:
- Opinion: After the Wagner rebellion, Putin’s rivals are likely eyeing his throne
- Opinion: The Wagner mutiny shows Putin’s war isn’t just a tragedy for Ukraine – it’s a disaster for Russia
- Opinion: Wagner Group’s Yevgeny Prigozhin is now caught in a game of Belarusian chess
- Analysis: Putin regime looks weaker than ever after aborted Wagner rebellion
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RCMP urges Ottawa to lift ban on sale of retired police vehicles introduced after N.S. mass shooting
The RCMP says that a ban by the federal government on selling decommissioned police vehicles and parts is too broad and is causing the national force to lose $13-million a year in revenue.
The ban came after two incidents of police impersonation (including when a gunman in Nova Scotia created a look-alike patrol car as part of a horrific killing rampage). In both cases, the vehicles were former police cars, purchased from the government’s auction service.
The RCMP has repeatedly complained internally to the Minister of Public Safety that the ban is too broad and should be lifted on all equipment except for patrol cars, as it’s causing financial issues and a storage crunch.
Toronto to get new mayor as residents vote in first election without incumbent since 2014
Torontonians head to the polls today to choose a new mayor after John Tory’s resignation.
Affordability and public safety were the major issues during the campaign as the city becomes increasingly more expensive, and after a series of violent incidents made headlines.
While voter turnout was dwindling in past elections, advance polls suggest a renewed interest from residents. Nearly 12 per cent more votes were cast in the advance polls than in October’s election. Polls close at 8 p.m. ET and voters will choose from a record 102 mayoral hopefuls. It’s the first election since 2014 where there is no incumbent, guaranteeing a new leader.
- Live blog: Follow live updates from Toronto as voters choose a new mayor
- The top candidates in the Toronto mayoral election, and what their platforms look like
- Opinion: Why John Tory and Doug Ford were wrong to intervene in Toronto mayoral by-election
ALSO ON OUR RADAR
Secret Canada: Nova Scotia was the first place in Canada to pass a freedom of information law, but today the system is “barely” functioning, says the province’s Information and Privacy Commissioner Tricia Ralph.
Funerals begin for victims of Manitoba bus crash: Sixteen of the seniors on the bus, who were from Dauphin and the surrounding area, died in the crash, while nine others remain in hospital, including four in critical care. Now, funerals are beginning for those killed in the fiery crash.
Ex-Unifor president Jerry Dias on life after the bribery allegations: Dias spoke exclusively to The Globe and Mail about what ended his nine years at the helm of Canada’s largest private-sector union, one with clout in boardrooms, provincial capitals and Parliament Hill.
Cost of building skyrocketing: Sky-high construction costs for residential real estate across much of Canada are worsening the country’s housing affordability problem and creating maintenance and insurance issues for homeowners.
Nova Scotia’s health care staffing: A small town is asking the Nova Scotia government to take action after a patient died at a local hospital where there was no doctor on duty.
Shooter in Colorado LGBTQ+ nightclub attack sentenced to life in prison: A 23-year-old was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole after pleading guilty today to murder and other crimes in a 2022 shooting that killed five people at a gay nightclub in Colorado Springs.
MARKET WATCH
TSX rebounds as energy rallies but still headed for second-quarter decline
Canada’s main stock index rallied today as higher oil prices boosted energy shares and investors awaited domestic inflation data that could offer clues on the Bank of Canada’s policy outlook.
The S&P/TSX composite index was up 169.09 points or 0.87 per cent at 19,587.32.
In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was down 12.72 points or 0.04 per cent at 33,714.71. The S&P 500 index was down 19.51 points or 0.45 per cent at 4,328.82, while the Nasdaq composite was down 156.74 points or 1.16 per cent at 13,335.78
The Canadian dollar traded for 76.04 cents US, compared with 75.76 cents US on Friday.
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TALKING POINTS
Slow walking on the path to reconciliation
“But here’s the thing about governments: They can move slowly and they can move quickly, depending on what suits their agendas. And when it comes to reconciliation, it seems they’re all too happy to coast – until their interests are in play.” – The Editorial Board
The cure for Canada’s housing crisis? Boost immigration
“Immigrants don’t simply occupy existing housing. Fact is, they built most of our current housing stock and could build even more.” – Irfhan Rawji, Daniel Bernhard
LIVING BETTER
Five healthy foods to add to your summer diet
Leslie Beck has suggestions on how to freshen up your summer diet with locally grown, in-season produce. Gooseberries, for example, are available from late June through August and make great additions to fruit salads and yogurt parfaits. Ranging from sweet to tart, these berries have a lot to offer when it come to nutrition. One cup of these small berries delivers 6.5 g of fibre and 42 mg of vitamin C, one-half of a day’s worth of the antioxidant nutrient. See her four other recommendations.
TODAY’S LONG READ
How the music industry is changing its tune on climate change
Brighid Fry of the Toronto band Housewife poses for a photograph in Toronto, on June 17, 2023.Christopher Katsarov/The Globe and Mail
Festival season has begun in Canada but as artists take the stage outdoors, climate change has become hard to ignore.
Smoke from wildfires in British Columbia, Alberta, Quebec, Nova Scotia and elsewhere has deteriorated air quality and made breathing – and singing – more difficult. The smoke floated to the U.S. and even prompted cancellations of outdoor events.
This is adding fuel to the growing efforts within the music industry to fight climate change. The Globe’s Jeffrey Jones reports on how musicians are weaving their efforts into their art as well as instilling them into the business.
Todays’ Evening Update is written by Prajakta Dhopade. 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.