Good evening, let’s start with today’s top stories:
After a tense weekend of anti-racism protests across the United States, President Donald Trump took aim at some U.S. governors, calling them“weak” for not cracking down harder on the lawlessness that has unfolded in cities from coast to coast.
Trump told the nation’s governors in a video conference that they “look like fools” for not deploying even more National Guard members. “Most of you are weak,” he said. “You’ve got to arrest people, you have to track people, you have to put them in jail for 10 years and you’ll never see this stuff again.”
The protests are in reaction to the death of George Floyd, a black man who died in Minneapolis last week after pleading for air while a white police officer pressed a knee on his neck. Officer Derek Chauvin was charged with third-degree murder in Floyd’s death, and an autopsy report on Monday concluded that Floyd died of asphyxiation due to neck and back compression.
At one point early in the weekend, the protests surrounding the White House prompted the Secret Service agents to rush President Trump to a bunker in one of the highest alerts on the White House complex since the Sept. 11 attacks in 2001.
Here in Canada, Quebec authorities condemned weekend looting and vandalism in Montreal that resulted in 11 arrests and dozens of businesses damaged. Speaking on Monday, Premier François Legault called on Quebeckers to fight racism, but denied the existence of systemic discrimination in his province.
“All humans are equal, are all the same, regardless of the colour of their skin,” said Legault, who described Floyd’s death as “shocking and revolting.”
In contrast, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau bluntly stated Monday that “anti-black racism is real” and “systemic discrimination is real.”
On Monday, George Floyd’s brother pleaded for peace in the streets as the U.S. braced for another round of violence and protests.
Keep up to date on the protests news with our guide here.
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In coronavirus news:
Ottawa moves up gas tax payments to cities: The federal government is moving up its gas-tax payment transfers to Canadian municipalities as an interim measure to help cities with the budget shortfalls created by the COVID-19 pandemic. The federal gas tax fund is an annual transfer payment from Ottawa to municipalities that is worth a total of about $2.2-billion annually. Unlike transfers for specific projects, municipalities have much more flexibility to decide how the funds will be used.
How many Canadians have already been affected by COVID-19? Dr. Prabhat Jha, director of the Centre for Global Health Research at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto, is leading one of the first large-scale surveys in the country that will examine participants’ blood for antibodies that are specific to the virus that causes COVID-19. Because so many cases of COVID-19 are thought to have gone unreported, a large survey using antibody tests is seen as the only way to gauge the true extent of the pandemic in Canada.
A first taste of dining in the coronavirus era: As restaurants reopen in B.C., Alexandra Gill takes stock of the new reality — masks, extra sanitation — and notes: “The ability to dine out again is definitely a welcome pleasure, but the onus is on customers to use common sense and keep themselves safe.”
In the U.K., sunshine — and worry: As the United Kingdom moves toward easing restrictions, several British health experts worry that the government is moving too fast and that the public is growing uninterested in the outbreak, especially as the unseasonably warm weather continues
ALSO ON OUR RADAR
Federal Court of Appeal says Cirque du Soleil founder must pay tax on his trip to the International Space Station: Guy Laliberté's trip to the International Space Station – which came with what the court called a “once-in-a-lifetime” price tag of $41.8-million – was largely personal, making it a taxable benefit and not a business expense, the Federal Court of Appeal has determined. The Cirque du Soleil founder spent 12 days in space and on the ISS in 2009, while he was still the controlling shareholder of the Montreal-based live entertainment company. Mr. Laliberté first paid for the trip through a personal holding company but later charged all but $4-million of the cost to Creations Meandres, the top operating company of Cirque du Soleil.
Bird strike may have caused fatal Snowbirds plane crash: A preliminary investigation report says a close look at video footage of the plane just before the May 17 crash showed a bird very close to the plane’s right engine intake “during the critical phase of take-off.” The crash near Kamloops killed Air Force Captain Jenn Casey, a public-affairs officer riding as a passenger, and seriously injured the pilot.
Trudeau rejects Trump suggestion to readmit Russia to G7: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has rejected Donald Trump’s latest proposal to readmit Russia to the G7, saying on Monday that nothing has changed since the G7 ejected Russia from what was then the G8 in 2014, over its annexation of territory from Ukraine.
MARKET WATCH
Stocks higher as recovery signs soothe protest, pandemic worries: Canadian stocks closed higher on Monday, with financials and energy posting solid gains, while cannabis company Canopy Growth tumbled 8 per cent amid analyst downgrades following disappointing quarterly results last week. U.S. stocks also posted gains as signs of U.S. economic recovery helped offset jitters over increasingly violent social unrest amid an ongoing pandemic and rising U.S.-China tensions.
The S&P/TSX Composite Index rose 39.71 points, or 0.26%, at 15,232.54. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.37% to end at 25,476.05 points, while the S&P 500 gained 0.38%, to 3,055.75. The Nasdaq Composite climbed 0.65% to 9,551.67.
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TALKING POINTS
Pro athletes eager to be on right side of history join race protests
“Today’s athletes are on the internet all day, every day having all sorts of opinions, the majority of them either silly or mercantile. So when something big happens – say, America’s biggest cities start combusting – it’s difficult to pretend you’ve misplaced your phone or go dark. It used to be that what you said was weighed against you. Now, your silence implicates you.” - Cathal Kelly, sports columnist
Returning B.C. kids to class this year would be a colossal waste of time
“In our opinion, rather than trying to salvage the current school year, the government, school boards and teachers should have been putting all their efforts this spring into preparing for September.” - Hamish Telford, associate professor of political science at the University of the Fraser Valley and Rob Peregoodoff, director of learning services at the University of British Columbia’s Sauder School of Business.
Canada’s elder-care crisis grinds away in our jails, too
“Things are tense inside Canada’s prisons. Staff are walking into a powder keg every morning, and need to serve double-duty as long-term care workers. Many inmates are locked in their cells 23 hours a day. Medical services have been suspended and crucial medication is in short supply. We need to stop making things worse.” - Justin Ling, Toronto-based freelance journalist
As China and the U.S. spar, Hong Kong has been caught in the crossfire
“The ball is now in China’s court. It is important that, in the coming weeks, Chinese officials involved in the drafting process listen carefully so that, when the bill is promulgated, it will be seen as a law defending national security and nothing more. If China wants to enhance its image in the world through soft power, this represents one of the best opportunities to do so.” - Frank Ching, Hong Kong-based journalist
To overcome racism, we need to be more than merely good. We must raise our voices
“We all came into this world the same way – as humans. No one is born to be racist and none of us sees colour at first. I believe there are far more good people than bad people, but sometimes the good must do more than simply be good. They must overwhelm the bad.” – Masai Ujiri, president of the Toronto Raptors
LIVING BETTER
Five dietary mistakes making you gain weight in the pandemic
If you’re packing on the pounds during lockdown, you’re not alone. While for many people, staying at home has meant a steady fare of home-cooked meals and more time for exercise, those new habits may not be enough to hold your weight steady. Dietician Leslie Beck provides a look into five ways you may be sabotaging your diet, with tips for avoiding common pitfalls.
TODAY’S LONG READ
What the death of Ontario’s green energy dream can teach other provinces about the challenges ahead
Under the government of Premier Doug Ford, Ontario has aborted a decade-long transition to renewable energy. It has even moved to terminate two nearly completed wind farms, raising doubts about its motives but leaving few doubts about its resolve. Now, it should be a cautionary tale for communities that want to use COVID-19 relief to build sustainable infrastructure. The Globe’s Matthew McClearn explores renewable energy history in Ontario and where it’s headed.
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