Good evening, let’s start with today’s top stories:
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says Bell Media job cuts that will affect hundreds of journalists are a “garbage decision” by a corporation that should know better. At a health care-related news conference today, he denounced what he called an erosion of quality local journalism at a time when people need it more than ever.
“It’s eroding our very democracy,” Mr. Trudeau said. “I’m furious. This is a garbage decision.”
Earlier this week, Bell Media’s parent company, BCE Inc., said it was cutting nine per cent of its work force in a move that will affect 4,800 positions overall.
Supreme Court upholds law affirming Indigenous right to self-government
The Supreme Court has upheld a federal law affirming that Indigenous peoples have a right to self-government under Canada’s Constitution, which includes the authority to write their own child-welfare laws.
Quebec had referred the question of the constitutionality of the 2019 law, called an Act Respecting First Nations, Inuit and Métis Children, Youth and Families, to the courts, arguing that Ottawa had exceeded its jurisdiction. The Supreme Court’s 8-0 ruling says that the law’s purpose was to protect the well-being of Indigenous children and families through culturally appropriate services, thereby advancing reconciliation.
“For most of Canada’s history, lawmakers have wrongly imposed a policy of assimilation” on Indigenous peoples, the ruling said, citing intergenerational trauma caused by the residential schools and Sixties Scoop of Indigenous children.
Read more from Sean Fine here.
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Federal government signs $3.1-billion health care deal with Ontario
Ontario Premier Doug Ford has signed a $3.1-billion deal with the federal government to improve access to primary health care. Ontario is now the fifth province to sign on for its share of a $200-billion health accord offered to the provinces last year. British Columbia, Alberta, Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia have also signed deals.
Ontario has promised to fill health-care shortages by hiring hundreds of new family doctors and nurse practitioners, as well as thousands of nurses and personal support workers, with plans to make it easier for internationally trained doctors and health workers to practice by simplifying the licensing process.
Canadian economy added 37,300 jobs in January; unemployment rate down to 5.7%
Canada’s economy kicked off the year with a flurry of new jobs, but hiring was concentrated in the public sector and in part-time work. Employment rose by 37,000 last month, and the unemployment rate fell a tick to 5.7 per cent, the first decline in just over a year, Statistics Canada said today. Financial analysts were expecting an increase of 15,000 jobs last month, after a tepid gain in December.
- Read more: How markets and economists are reacting to Canada’s strong job data
ALSO ON OUR RADAR
Canada Post: Canada Post is set to increase the price of stamps by seven cents, to 99 cents, for stamps purchased in a booklet, coil or pane. The price hikes, subject to regulatory approvals, would take effect on May 6.
Shopify: Shopify is hiking the base price of its advanced subscription plan and raising credit card fees. New merchants on an annual Plus plan will pay US$2,500 monthly instead of the current US$2,000.
Gaza: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the evacuation of Rafah, the last refuge for hundreds of thousands of Palestinians in Gaza, ahead of an expected ground invasion. A day earlier, the U.S. said it wouldn’t support any military operation launched in Rafah without consideration for civilians.
- Related: Undercover Israeli killings in West Bank hospital may be war crimes, UN experts say
Russia: In his interview with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, President Vladimir Putin pushed the U.S. to urge Ukraine to sit down for talks. He also said Russia is open to negotiating a prisoner swap that could free Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich.
- How cheap drones are transforming Ukraine’s war against Russia
- Opinion: In his bizarre interview with Tucker Carlson, Putin drew on Soviet propaganda techniques
- Canadians won’t be fooled by Putin propaganda on Ukraine, Trudeau says
Business: Globalive founder Anthony Lacavera is leading a bid to buy embattled Wealth One Bank, a Toronto-based financial institution that’s subject to extraordinary national-security conditions imposed by the federal Finance Minister.
Pakistan election results: Former Pakistani prime minister Nawaz Sharif said he would talk to other groups to form a coalition government since his party had failed to win a clear majority on its own in yesterday’s national elections. His rival Imran Khan, meanwhile, also claimed victory after his supporters, who ran as independents when his party was barred from the polls won the most seats overall.
MARKET WATCH
Megacaps rally pushes S&P 500 to first close above 5,000 milestone
The S&P 500 closed above 5,000 for the first time on Friday and Nasdaq briefly traded above 16,000, with boosts from megacaps and chip stocks, including Nvidia as investors bet on artificial intelligence technology and eyed strong earnings data. Canada’s main stock index climbed to a one-week high, led by technology and financial shares.
The S&P 500 index was up 28.70 points at 5,026.61, while the Nasdaq composite was up 196.95 points at 15,990.66. The S&P/TSX composite index closed up 89.96 points at 21,009.60.
The Dow Jones industrial average was down 54.64 points at 38,671.69.
The Canadian dollar traded for 74.28 cents US, compared with 74.26 cents US on Thursday.
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TALKING POINTS
I was a family doctor, until I couldn’t do it any more. I fear that too many others will follow suit
“I practise in Ontario. In 2022, Doug Ford’s government told us to lean in. They told family doctors to work seven days a week, including evenings. But we can’t lean in, not any more.” - Ferrukh Faruqui
Jagmeet Singh is super serious this time
“Pity Jagmeet Singh’s communications staff, constantly tasked with finding new language for the same empty threat the NDP Leader has been making for years.” - Robyn Urback
The spirit of Florida’s ‘Don’t Say Gay’ laws seems to be spreading in Alberta
“‘Don’t say gay, unless a parent signs a consent form’ is not an educational approach worthy of this century.” - Eric M. Adams
LIVING BETTER
Understanding the reality of broken heart syndrome
Thomas R. Verny suggests that there are many benefits to be gained by a viewing the heart as the centre of the human personality.Illustration by Drew Shannon
Broken heart syndrome, also known as stress cardiomyopathy, was first detailed in 1990 in Japan. The condition is usually the product of trauma, such as a sudden illness or the loss of a loved one. The hypothesis is that a sudden surge of stress hormones shock the heart, triggering changes. But with all that said, Thomas R. Verny, a clinical psychiatrist, writes that he doesn’t believe this is an adequate explanation.
TODAY’S LONG READ
In Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, basketball builds Indigenous sisterhood on the court
AMR players Laura Lewis and Joleen Mitton high-five while doing sit ups together at a practice.Paige Taylor White/The Globe and Mail
The All My Relations basketball team, founded by three Indigenous women around 20 years ago in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, brings together various First Nations and backgrounds, with players ranging in age from 16 to 41. Soon, they will test their teamwork at the coming All Native Basketball Tournament in Prince Rupert.
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.