Good evening, let’s start with today’s top stories:
Control of the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate remained up in the air Wednesday as states continued to tally votes in tight races across the country.
Republicans were expected to easily assume a majority in the U.S. House of Representatives. But slow vote counts and tight results have so far prevented a definitive determination of who will control either chamber of Congress.
The Republicans needed an additional five House seats and one Senate seat to dislodge the Democrats. They have so far gained several seats in the House but lost one in the Senate. Here’s what you need to know about the confirmed wins and the undecided races so far.
More election coverage:
- Analysis by David Shribman: Republican midterm victories more of a ripple than a wave
- Lawrence Martin: The U.S. midterm elections could be a death knell for Trump
Russia orders withdrawal from Ukrainian city of Kherson
Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu on Wednesday ordered his troops to withdraw from the west bank of the Dnipro River in the face of Ukrainian attacks near the southern city of Kherson, a significant retreat and potential turning point in the war.
Ukrainian officials were cautious about the announcement, saying some Russian forces were still in Kherson.
The city of Kherson was the only regional capital Russia had captured since its invasion in February and the retreat from the strategically important prize would be a major setback for Moscow.
Read more:
- Canadian veteran from Saskatchewan killed fighting in eastern Ukraine
- As Iran supplies military aid to Russia, it’s not time for Western allies to waver, Ukraine’s Defence Secretary says
- Russian exodus to Georgia shakes a former Soviet state walking a political tightrope
More than 100 tow truck companies refused to help RCMP clear Coutts blockade, document says
The RCMP requested help from more than 100 tow truck companies in Canada and the United States to dismantle the Coutts, Alta., border blockade but they all refused, says an RCMP report tabled with the inquiry examining the federal government’s invocation of the Emergencies Act.
Protesters opposed to COVID-19 restrictions began blocking the international border crossing on Jan. 29 – just one day after convoys of similarly motivated protesters arrived in downtown Ottawa.
The RCMP had planned to take enforcement action and remove the blockading vehicles in Coutts on Feb. 1, but local tow truck companies withdrew their assistance because they were concerned about negative attention and comments on social media, according to the RCMP report.
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ALSO ON OUR RADAR
Canadians hit by Meta layoffs: Facebook owner Meta Platforms Inc. began laying off 11,000 people worldwide Wednesday, including in Canada, becoming the latest tech giant to dramatically slash costs after years of rapid growth in the sector.
Bridging Finance under RCMP investigation: The Royal Canadian Mounted Police have launched a criminal investigation into Bridging Finance Inc., the private lender that was placed into receivership in 2021 and whose collapse is estimated to result in $1.3-billion worth of losses for investors.
Pierre Poilievre holds press conference, in rare move: Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre defended his practice of largely avoiding reporter questions on Parliament Hill Wednesday, as he took part in Vancouver in a rare news conference with journalists.
Rogers income falls by 24 per cent in first full quarter since summer network outage: Rogers Communications Inc.’s July outage weighed on its third-quarter results, but executives called its impact “isolated” amid a wave of higher demand for wireless and mobile services boosting Canada’s telecommunications industry.
Doctors in Ontario recommend masking ahead of anticipated tough viral season: Ontario doctors are advising the public to wear masks indoors and keep up with vaccinations amid a worsening respiratory illness season that’s hitting children particularly hard.
Joly on coming Indo-Pacific strategy: Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly is warning businesses against deepening their ties with China as part of a long-anticipated Indo-Pacific strategy, which she says is coming by early December.
MARKET WATCH
U.S. and Canadian stocks ended sharply lower on Wednesday in a broad selloff across sectors ahead of key inflation data that could influence the path of future interest rate hikes by the Federal Reserve.
In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was down 646.89 points or 1.95 per cent at 32,513.94. The S&P 500 index was down 79.54 points or 2.08 per cent at 3,748.57, while the Nasdaq composite was down 263.03 points or 2.48 per cent at 10,353.18.
The S&P/TSX composite index was down 316.06 points or 1.61 per cent at 19,344.25.
The Canadian dollar traded for 74.18 cents US compared with 74.40 cents US on Tuesday.
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TALKING POINTS
What ails Canadian health care? Bloated bureaucracies, for starters
“Why anyone would think it would now be a good idea to expand the federal bureaucracy’s oversight of health care in Canada is beyond reason. Yet, that is what Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government is proposing.” – Konrad Yakabuski
Climate change demands a united, global response. Rich countries aren’t doing enough
“We are all connected, and arguably never more so than when it comes to the climate emergency. We can feel a (false) sense of safety and security in our North American bubble, but halfway across the world, vulnerable nations are enduring the consequences of our overconsumption, right now.” – Marsha Lederman
Hockey Canada must face its sins – but how does the organization rebuild?
“The Hockey Canada brand has been critically devalued. Is it irreparable? Time will tell, but we don’t think so.” – Norm O’Reilly, Rick Burton
LIVING BETTER
Recession-beating tips for the job market, housing, investing and cost of life
The Stress Test podcast has gathered advice from four experts on how to prepare for the changes in the job and housing markets, investing and the cost of living. For instance, on expert recommends that if cash-flow is tight, it might be wise to eschew putting money away into a savings account one month if it means avoiding using a credit card, while interest rates are so high. Listen to the full episode for more tips.
TODAY’S LONG READ
Illustration by Ashley Floréal
David Suzuki isn’t going anywhere: ‘We need to be warriors’
Audiences were surprised in October to hear David Suzuki was retiring from his CBC series The Nature of Things. Even though he’s 86. Even though he’s been hosting it for 43 years, literally half his life. And though the environmental crisis is more dire than ever – “I have moments where I’m literally weeping,” he admits – he won’t give into despair. “That’s a luxury we can’t afford,” he says. “Without action there is no hope.” Here are highlights from his hour-long conversation with Johanna Schneller.
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.