Good evening, let’s start with today’s top stories:
Officials have been left grappling with vexing questions about who is responsible for investigating the international disaster, one day after revelations that the Titan submersible sank to the ocean floor during a dive to survey the Titanic wreckage and imploded.
It was not entirely clear Friday who would have the authority to lead what is sure to be a complex investigation involving several countries. OceanGate Expeditions, the company that owned and operated the Titan, is based in the U.S. but the submersible was registered in the Bahamas. OceanGate is based in Everett, Washington, but closed when the Titan was found. Meanwhile, the Titan’s mother ship, the Polar Prince, was from Canada, and the people on board the submersible were from England, Pakistan, France, and the U.S.
The submersible had been missing since late Sunday, when it was reported overdue about 700 kilometres south of St. John’s. All five passengers and crew were presumed dead Thursday soon after a crew guiding a remotely operated vehicle spotted the Titan’s wreckage about 500 metres from the Titanic’s bow. OceanGate Expeditions’ chief executive, Stockton Rush, died with British adventurer Hamish Harding, French Titanic expert Paul-Henri Nargeolet and prominent Pakistani businessman Shahzada Dawood and his son, Suleman.
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The Titan submersible, operated by OceanGate Expeditions to explore the wreckage of the sunken Titanic off the coast of Newfoundland, dives in an undated photograph.OCEANGATE EXPEDITIONS/Reuters
Ukraine says its forces have advanced in south, halted Russian offensive in east
Ukraine’s armed forces are advancing in the south after halting a Russian offensive toward the cities of Kupiansk and Lyman in the east of the country on Friday, a senior Ukrainian defence official said.
Ukraine is in the early stages of its most ambitious counterattack since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, and says it has retaken eight villages, its first substantial gains on the battlefield for seven months. However, Russia still holds swathes of territory in eastern and southern Ukraine, and Ukrainian forces have yet to push to the main defensive lines that Russia has had months to prepare.
Ukrainian artillerymen fire a 2A36 Giatsint-B field gun toward Russian positions near Avdiivka in the Donetsk region on June 23, 2023, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine.GENYA SAVILOV/AFP/Getty Images
Military releases names of Air Force captains killed in Chinook helicopter crash
The military has released the names of the two Royal Canadian Air Force members who died in a helicopter crash in eastern Ontario on Tuesday. Capt. David Domagala and Capt. Marc Larouche were taking part in a nighttime training exercise near Garrison Petawawa when their CH-147F Chinook helicopter crashed into the Ottawa River.
Two other crew members survived the crash and were treated in hospital for minor injuries.
Captains David Domagala, left, and Marc Larouche are seen in a composite image of two undated handout photographs.HO/The Canadian Press
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ALSO ON OUR RADAR
Ontario, Quebec accountants made take-it-or-leave-it demands before quitting national group: Before they pulled out of a national alliance this week, the groups representing accountants in Ontario and Quebec told Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada that they wanted more provincial control and board representation in the national body, the CPA Canada head says.
Jamie Irving steps down as Postmedia executive chair: Jamie Irving is stepping down as executive chair of Postmedia Network Canada Corp. after less than six months in the role. The country’s largest newspaper chain is dealing with a heavy debt load and a tumultuous media climate.
Federal Court upholds lobbying watchdog’s ruling that cleared two former Freeland aides: The Federal Court has upheld a Lobbying Commissioner ruling that cleared two former political aides of Chrystia Freeland of breaching lobbying rules.
Air Canada pilots to seek big wage gains in contract talks: Contract talks kicked off this week between Air Canada and the union representing its 4,500 pilots, bargaining the union hopes will bring big wage gains to keep pace with the significant raises won by counterparts at WestJet Airlines and U.S. carriers.
Former mayors share how the job has changed and the toll of governing during a pandemic: Being mayor of a large Canadian city is to take on a mammoth and often unappreciated job – one that is now occupied by new faces in most of the country’s biggest municipalities.
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MARKET WATCH
Canada’s main stock index dropped on Friday as the price of oil stayed below US$70 a barrel and losses in the base metal and battery metal stocks weighed on the Toronto market.
The S&P/TSX composite index was down 162.67 points at 19,418.23.
In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was down 219.28 points at 33,727.43. The S&P 500 index was down 33.56 points at 4,348.33, while the Nasdaq composite was down 138.09 points at 13,492.52.
The Canadian dollar traded for 75.76 cents US compared with 75.99 cents US on Thursday.
The August crude oil contract was down 35 cents at US$69.16 per barrel and the August natural gas contract was up 14 cents at US$2.84 per mmBTU.
The August gold contract was up US$5.90 at US$1,929.60 an ounce and the July copper contract was down nine cents at US$3.80 a pound.
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TALKING POINTS
Legault’s coalition with God
“The province’s Catholic traditions are seen to be an integral part of its identity – to be cherished and celebrated – while other religions are unwelcome in the public sphere. The CAQ has banned teachers from wearing religious symbols, and prohibited schools from setting aside prayer spaces for Muslim students, all in the name of secularism. Yet, the Premier’s encomium to Catholicism on Twitter suggests that not all religions are considered equal in his eyes, or those of the state he represents.” – Konrad Yakabuski
More than this: Cancer is terrifying on its own, but navigating this journey while queer is especially complex
“Cancer is an injustice all on its own, but I’m mindful of the other layers of navigating this illness as a queer woman of colour. In both my work and personal life, I’ve seen the health care system’s continuing lack of openness in discussing and prioritizing the sexual health of the LGBTQ community.” – Farrah Khan
LIVING BETTER
A parent’s outdoor SOS kit: 10 must-haves to keep kids busy this summer
From a foldable water table to a solar print kit, here are 10 ways to occupy the kids (and give yourself a break) this summer.
TODAY’S LONG READ
A look at Parliament’s Centre Block renovations, Canada’s largest-ever heritage project
Chris Nelson of Nelson and Garrett Lighting talks about the restoration and fabrication of lights during a media tour of the Centre Block restoration project on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on June 22, 2023.Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press
Once a year, Public Services and Procurement Canada takes journalists on a tour of the Centre Block to provide a tangible sense of where things stand with what has been described as Canada’s largest-ever heritage project, with goals such as removing hazardous materials and improving accessibility at the forefront. Thursday’s four-hour visit – there were tours in English and French – was underscored by certain milestones that have been met on the renovations.
Evening Update is written by Emerald Bensadoun. 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.