Good evening, let’s start with today’s top stories:
Military sexual assault cases will be moved to civilian justice system, Defence Minister says
The investigation and prosecution of sexual misconduct cases in the Canadian Armed Forces will be moved from the military justice system to the civilian system, Defence Minister Anita Anand said today.
The decision follows recommendations by former Supreme Court justice Louise Arbour that were sent to former defence minister Harjit Sajjan on Oct. 20. Arbour is in the midst of a broad investigation into sexual misconduct and harassment in the Canadian Armed Forces and the Department of National Defence.
Arbour’s letter said recent allegations of historical sexual misconduct against senior CAF leaders and related Canadian Forces National Investigation Services probes have led her to conclude that “immediate remedial actions are necessary” to restore trust in the Forces.
Explainer: Which of Canada’s top military officers are accused of sexual misconduct so far? A continuing list
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Afghans who worked alongside Canadian military will be left on the streets of Kabul when safe houses close
Funding for a network of sanctuaries housing Afghans who worked alongside the Canadian military is about to run out, forcing families out of hiding and into streets controlled by the Taliban.
In one Kabul safe house recently visited by The Globe and Mail, 19 families – almost 100 people in all – are about to lose the only protection they have had since the Taliban took over the country in August.
Several among the group, which includes former translators, guards, cooks and their relatives, told The Globe they had no idea where they would be staying after non-governmental organization Aman Lara stops paying for their accommodations.
Ontario pledges more nurses, long-term care beds and support for highways in economic update
Ontario is promising to spend $342-million on “upskilling” thousands of nurses and personal support workers for the health care system, with $57.6-million beginning in 2022-23 to hire 225 nurse practitioners to work in long-term care homes.
The fall economic statement, a kind of mini-budget the government releases in November, lays out a long list of already-announced measures, including Premier Doug Ford’s pledge this week to raise the minimum wage to $15.
The province has also agreed to double its funding commitment to support searches for burial sites near residential schools, for a total of $20-million over the course of three years.
Ottawa pledges to end financing for foreign fossil-fuel projects in 2022
The federal government is pledging to end all of its foreign financing for fossil-fuel projects in 2022.
The decision, announced this morning at COP26 as part of an agreement with about 20 other countries, is the latest effort by Ottawa to use the United Nations climate conference to push back against Canada’s international image as a robust supporter of the oil and gas industry.
The Liberals had previously signalled some intention to end foreign fossil-fuel support through agreements made with the Group of 20, but never before with a specific date.
Read more:
- Scientists call on Canada to study North Atlantic’s role in global climate
- COP26 climate conference live updates | Countries vow to prioritize clean energy finance, phase out coal
Listen to The Decibel: B.C.’s new plan to stop old-growth logging
ALSO ON OUR RADAR
Regulator will allow banks, insurers to raise dividends effective immediately: Canada’s banking regulator will allow banks and insurers to raise dividends and buy back shares effective immediately, lifting restrictions that have capped payouts to shareholders and compelled banks to stockpile extra capital during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Growth in B.C. Premier John Horgan’s throat was cancerous: British Columbia Premier John Horgan says a biopsy has shown a growth in his throat was cancerous, adding that his prognosis is good and he expects to make a full recovery.
Air Canada CEO sets off firestorm in Quebec over language comments: Air Canada’s chief executive officer apologized and pledged to improve his French following a wave of criticism from political leaders in both Ottawa and Quebec for comments he made that he doesn’t speak the language and had no immediate plans to learn it.
BCE profit climbs, revenue flat as demand for new phones cools: BCE Inc. is reporting flat revenue for the third quarter as subscription gains and greater ad spending are offset by slower demand for new wireless devices.
Lightspeed shares crushed on sales forecast, wiping out more than $5-billion in market cap: Lightspeed Commerce Inc. stock has plummeted 30 per cent, wiping out more than $5-billion in market capitalization, after the company released a revenue forecast for the next several months that was below what investors were expecting.
MARKET WATCH
The S&P 500 and Nasdaq rose to record highs today as chipmaker stocks surged following Qualcomm’s strong financial forecast and investors digested the U.S. Federal Reserve’s decision to start reducing its monthly bond purchases. Canada’s main stock index also closed at a record high.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average slid 33.35 points or 0.09 per cent to 36,124.23, the S&P 500 rose 19.61 points or 0.42 per cent to 4,680.18 points, and the Nasdaq Composite gained 128.73 points or 0.81 per cent to 15,940.31.
The S&P/TSX Composite Index added 77.03 points or 0.36 per cent to close at 21,342.13.
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TALKING POINTS
Re-elect-me-please Doug Ford is the Ontario worker’s new best friend
“It appears that ‘workers’ are to Canadian conservative parties what ‘the middle class’ has been to Liberals over the last few years; a group to which the majority self-identify, ripe for targeted policy proposals and election-time campaigning.” - Robyn Urback
Aaron Rodgers is showing us sports is the canary in the anti-vaxx coalmine
”It’s become clear that despite all the hard talk, no major league has an actual vaccine policy. The leagues will do what they can to make life difficult for employees who won’t comply, but they aren’t prepared to force anything.” - Cathal Kelly
LIVING BETTER
If you’ve been diagnosed with atrial fibrillation, your doctor may recommend that you cut back on your alcohol consumption – or abstain altogether. A growing body of research suggests that even moderate drinking can trigger A-fib in people who are susceptible to the heart-rhythm disorder. Left untreated, A-fib can have catastrophic consequences, including heart failure. Treatments can be less effective in patients that continue to drink alcohol on a regular basis.
TODAY’S LONG READ
In India and Canada’s international student recruiting machine, opportunity turns into grief and exploitation
Charanveer Singh of Mandour village, left, quit a factory job to focus on his studies, and hopes to join his extended family in Brampton. Leaving is a risky option but 'there is nothing for him here,' says his mother, Jaspreet Kaur, right.PRIYANKA PARASHAR/The Globe and Mail
Bringing Indian students to Canada has become a lucrative business spanning two continents. In India, there are language schools, recruiters, immigration consultants and lenders, all of whom have profited handsomely from the study-abroad craze. Once students arrive in Canada, post-secondary institutions, landlords, immigration consultants and employers profit from their growing presence.
But the status of these students – residents, but not immigrants; workers, but only allowed up to 20 hours of employment a week; tenants, but often not leaseholders – means they fall between the cracks, say advocacy groups.
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