Good evening, let’s start with today’s top stories:
After a weekend of mostly peaceful protests around the world against police violence and racism, Justin Trudeau said Monday that police officers wearing body cameras would be a “significant step” toward transparency.
The Prime Minister said the federal government has jurisdiction over the RCMP but many other provincial and municipal forces should be looking at greater transparency measures as well. He said the issue of body cameras would come up during talks with the premiers later this week.
The country has faced increased scrutiny in recent days over police conduct, such as a First Nations leader in Alberta who said he was beaten by police over an expired licence plate. An independent and internal investigation is also underway after a video captured an Inuk man being struck by the door of a truck driven by an RCMP officer.
Meanwhile, the continuing fallout over the death of George Floyd reached Capitol Hill in Washington on Monday, where U.S. Democrats unveiled a sweeping overhaul of police oversight. Before introducing the measures, House and Senate Democrats held a moment of silence at the Capitol’s Emancipation Hall, reading the names of Floyd and others killed during U.S. police interactions. They knelt for eight minutes and 46 seconds – the length of time prosecutors say Floyd was pinned under a white police officer’s knee before he died – now a symbol of police brutality and violence.
The Justice in Policing Act would limit legal protections for police, create a national database of excessive-force incidents and ban police choke holds, among other changes, according to an early draft. It is the most ambitious change to law enforcement sought by Congress in years.
“We cannot settle for anything less than transformative structural change,” said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
And, there’s developing policing news from Toronto and Alberta this afternoon. In Canada’s largest city, police chief Mark Saunders announced his resignation, effective July 31. Saunders did not provide reasons for the timing of his pending resignation, which is happening months before his contract was due to expire.
The 37-year veteran experienced run-ins with some of the city’s most marginalized communities during his more than five years as chief.
Saunders was named chief in April 2015, succeeding now-federal Public Safety Minister Bill Blair.
In Edmonton, Alberta’s police watchdog says two RCMP officers have been charged in connection to the death of a 31-year-old man.
The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team says Corporal Randy Stenger and Constable Jessica Brown of the Whitecourt RCMP detachment have both been charged with one count each of criminal negligence causing death. Clayton Crawford, who was 31, was found dead inside his car with multiple gunshot wounds after a confrontation with police in July, 2018.
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ALSO ON OUR RADAR
Ottawa planning fines, imprisonment for fraudulent CERB claims: The federal government is planning to legislate fines and jail time for individuals who submit fraudulent claims under the Canada Emergency Response Benefit, while also adjusting the eligibility rules of the $60-billion program that provides income support to workers affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The changes are contained in a draft bill obtained by The Globe and Mail that has not yet been introduced in Parliament.
Ontario bans commercial evictions for some small businesses: Ontario has joined British Columbia, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia in announcing a ban on commercial evictions for some businesses. Ontario’s program will run from June through August, and comes after months of pressure from entrepreneurs who’ve been unable to pay rent because of pandemic shutdowns.
Ontario to increase social gatherings to 10, allows certain regions to reopen patios, hair salons: Ontario also announced Monday its “Stage 2” reopening plan, which will allow outdoor patios, hair salons and other services to reopen but only in certain areas of the province – not Toronto – while increasing social gatherings to 10 people in every region. Starting Friday, 24 of out the province’s 34 public health regions will be allowed to open more businesses and resume some outdoor activities.
Francois Legault sticks to position that systemic racism doesn’t exist in Quebec: A day after demonstrators in Montreal criticized François Legault for his refusal to acknowledge systemic racism in the province, the Quebec premier is holding firm on his position. Legault said today he’s committed to implementing a plan to stamp out racism in the province and expects details in the coming days. But Legault said he doesn’t want to get drawn into a war over the term “systemic,” nor does he want it to turn into a trial of Quebecers.
‘Limited exemption’ will allow family members of citizens and permanent residents to enter Canada: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Monday that Ottawa is bringing in a “limited exemption” to allow immediate family members of Canadian citizens or permanent residents to come to Canada. Non-essential travel across the border was first restricted to all on March 21 for a 30-day period in an effort to stem the transmission of the novel coronavirus. The restriction was extended until May 21, and had been extended again until June 21.
Scientists say lockdowns prevented millions of COVID-19 cases and warn against loosening measures: Two separate studies are showing that the public-health approaches taken in several countries show that lockdowns were highly effective at reducing the transmission of the novel coronavirus and prevented hundreds of millions of additional cases. The authors say their numbers should be used by leaders who are weighing how much to loosen restrictions as the global pandemic nears the six-month mark.
Migrant farm workers detail dangerous pandemic conditions: In Ontario, more than 420 migrant farm workers have tested positive for COVID-19 across at least six farm operations and, on Monday, an expected report by the Migrant Workers Alliance for Change (MWAC) details complaints levelled on behalf of 1,162 migrant workers – the majority of them in Ontario – since the onslaught of the pandemic. The migrant worker rights group, along with health experts, say governments of all levels must immediately ramp up health and safety protections for migrant farm workers.
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MARKET WATCH
Canada’s main stock index rose on Monday as small-cap energy stocks made huge gains after news of news of OPEC+ extending its oil output cuts from earlier this year. The S&P/TSX Composite Index closed up 0.76% to 15,964.53.
On Wall Street, U.S. stocks climbed and the Nasdaq hit a record high close confirming a bull market that began on March 23. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 1.71%, to 27,574.43, the S&P 500 gained 1.21%, to 3,232.46 and the Nasdaq Composite added 1.13%, to 9,924.75.
Looking for investing ideas? Check out The Globe’s weekly digest of the latest insights and analysis from the pros, stock tips, portfolio strategies and what investors need to know for the week ahead. This week’s edition includes Rallying bank stocks, strong dividend bets and grab 2% interest while you can.
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TALKING POINTS
Canada will pay the price for neglecting our foreign policy
“The problem, of course, is that Canada’s highly permissive security environment is deteriorating. It will not collapse overnight, but the convergence of multiple trends means that over the next few years, the country will not be able to avoid paying the price of its foreign policy decisions anymore.” - Thomas Juneau, associate professor at the University of Ottawa’s Graduate School of Public and International Affairs
To avoid another pandemic, we must have more respect for the natural world
“Let us realize we are part of, and depend upon, the natural world for food, water and clean air. Let us recognize that the health of people, animals and the environment are connected. Let us show respect for each other, for the other sentient animals and for Mother Nature. For the sake of the well-being of our children and theirs, and for the health of this beautiful planet Earth, our only home.”- Jane Goodall, primatologist and founder of the conservation organization The Jane Goodall Institute
Without the clarity they need, Alberta’s oil sands producers are being set up to fail
“Without credible and long-term policy on the issue, we risk seeing investors shy away from Canada’s energy sector. If investors do not understand Canada’s pathway for meeting GHG targets, they will be unable to assess the financial risks facing GHG-emitting operations.”- Grant Bishop, associate director of research at the C.D. Howe Institute
Falling sales and rising debt do not bode well for the V-shaped recovery theory propelling the rally
“The stock market seems to have gotten way ahead of itself, all the more so since the pandemic has not disappeared. As the lockdowns come off, the chances of a second wave of COVID-19 infections can only rise. Meanwhile, corporate debt rises, pinching the equity. This will not end well.” – Eric Reguly, columnist
LIVING BETTER
As summer nears and many Canadians are still dealing with pandemic restrictions, many outdoor enthusiasts have discovered COVID camping – also known as lamping, pamping and bamping. Social media feeds are full of pictures of families setting up tents in living rooms, on patios and in backyards challenging themselves to change up routines and try something new.
TODAY’S LONG READ
In fighting climate change, an opportunity to create a vibrant network of neighbourhoods
Andy Yan sees the positive in a negative situation – using the pandemic lockdown as an opportunity for cities to make a difference to decrease greenhouse-gas emissions. The Vancouver urban planner is advocating for land-use reform and a new community vision to position work, home and shopping much closer together, with clusters of vibrant neighbourhoods.
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.