Good morning,
After a tense night for both United Conservative Party and New Democratic Party supporters in Alberta, Rachel Notley called Danielle Smith late last night to concede the provincial election. Smith’s UCP delivered a majority despite losing some cabinet ministers.
In Alberta, it takes 44 seats to win a majority. At the start of the campaign there were 60 UCP MLAs, 23 from the NDP, two independents and two vacant seats. The final count from last night is 49 seats for the UCP and 38 for the NDP.
This year’s campaign was unusually close in a province where conservative parties have long held power. It played out under unique circumstances: a polarizing new UCP leader, Smith, who took over for scandal-plagued Jason Kenney in October 2022; a wildfire emergency in some regions and a province emerging from the worst of the pandemic with a battered health care system.
United Conservative Party supporters react to results coming in at the UCP election night party in Calgary.TODD KOROL/Reuters
This is the daily Morning Update newsletter. If you’re reading this on the web, or it was forwarded to you from someone else, you can sign up for Morning Update and more than 20 other Globe newsletters on our newsletter signup page.
Several homes burned in Halifax wildfire, more than 16,000 evacuated
As high winds continue to whip up flames in the suburbs of Halifax, Nova Scotians are only beginning to learn the scale of the damage to homes evacuated over the weekend.
No deaths or injuries have been reported, but Premier Tim Houston told reporters yesterday that “dozens of structures” have burned down or been significantly damaged. The uncontrolled blaze continues to burn in and around the communities of Upper Tantallon, Pockwock and Hammonds Plains, and more than 16,000 residents have been forced from their homes.
CSIS confirms third opposition MP targeted by China
NDP MP Jenny Kwan has added her voice to calls for the federal government to set up a public inquiry on foreign interference in politics after the country’s spy service confirmed she was targeted by China.
Kwan is the third such MP, joining Conservatives Erin O’Toole and Michael Chong. Speaking to reporters yesterday, Kwan said her activism on behalf of opponents of the Chinese regime put her on the target list.
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said the party will table a motion today to renew the call of opposition parties for a public inquiry, headed by a judge with subpoena powers and allowing for cross-examination of witnesses. The opposition also wants David Johnston removed as special rapporteur after his initial report said no public inquiry was needed.
Got a news tip that you’d like us to look into? E-mail us at tips@globeandmail.com Need to share documents securely? Reach out via SecureDrop
Also on our radar
Kyiv, Moscow hit with drone attacks: Air-raid sirens in Kyiv blasted again this morning local time, for the third straight day, as Russia launched dozens of drones and missiles at Ukraine’s capital. Ukraine retaliated with its own attack on Moscow, damaging several buildings, Russia said.
Uganda introduces death penalty for LGBTQ ‘offenders’: Uganda’s President yesterday approved one of the world’s harshest anti-gay laws, with penalties ranging up to life imprisonment and even the death penalty. Uganda already has a law to criminalize homosexuality, but many of its politicians have been pushing for more than a decade to toughen the law.
Quebec battery-parts plant gets $300-million in government funds: Bécancour, Que., will be home to a new factory run by General Motors supplying two of its electric vehicles with essential battery materials. The federal and Quebec governments will together support the plan with about $300-million in support.
Vegas earns berth in Stanley Cup Final: The Vegas Golden Knights, an expansion franchise just a few years ago, became NHL Western Conference champions for the second time last night by beating the Dallas Stars 6-0. Vegas will play the Florida Panthers for the Stanley Cup starting Saturday.
Morning markets
Traders await next move on U.S. debt deal: The U.S. dollar steadied after climbing to a two-month high and European stocks flattened on Tuesday as relief that a possible default by the U.S. government had been averted gave way to concern that the deal could face a rocky path through Congress. Around 5:30 a.m. ET, Britain’s FTSE 100 was down 0.18 per cent. Germany’s DAX gained 0.48 per cent. France’s CAC 40 slid 0.20 per cent. In Asia, Japan’s Nikkei finished up 0.30 per cent. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng added 0.24 per cent. New York futures were positive. The Canadian dollar was slightly higher at 73.69 US cents.
What everyone’s talking about
Are gambling ads harmful? You can bet on it
“The potential harms are many, especially to problem gamblers, a small but not insignificant minority (just over 300,000 people in Canada): Runaway debt, stress to families, anxiety, depression, and even suicide. Enticing children and teens into gambling can also set them up for a lifetime of problems.” – André Picard
We need to lose the ‘poor seniors’ argument when talking about policy for retirees
“Multiple voices have lately called for something to be done about rules that require registered retirement savings plans to be converted to RRIFs by the end of the year you turn 71, with mandatory minimum amounts withdrawn every year. A common argument is that the current RRIF rules increase the risk of seniors running out of money, which is an exaggeration.” – Rob Carrick
Pierre Poilievre is right about one thing: Special rapporteur is a fake job
“Mr. Johnston’s real job was to make this problem go away, and therein lies the problem: the decision to hold a public inquiry is an inherently political one, for which the Prime Minister alone is accountable. He cannot depoliticize a political decision by handing it off to a non-elected person, and the fact that he has tried to do so has stalled the conversation about foreign interference.” – Lori Turnbull
Today’s editorial cartoon
Illustration by Brian Gable
Living better
The rise of illicit online payday lenders: Non-stop collection calls, no licence and no address
A slew of websites are offering Canadians payday-like loans while flouting consumer-protection laws and regulations across the country, leaving borrowers vulnerable to unlawful practices, harassment and privacy concerns.
These online lenders usually offer amounts of $250 to $1,500, without a credit check, often promising money within minutes via e-transfer. The lenders examined by The Globe and Mail often drastically understated the interest rate they were charging, set up loan terms far longer than the maximum allowed for licensed payday lenders and prompted borrowers to roll over their high-interest loans, despite provincial rules forbidding such rollovers for payday loans. Erica Alini and Irene Galea report on an alarming trend.
Moment in time: May 30, 1431
Joan of Arc is burned at the stake
UniversalImagesGroup/Getty Images
There is no part of Joan of Arc’s story that is easy for a non-medieval mind to comprehend, least of all her execution by burning at the stake. She was born to a French peasant family, in the midst of a decades-long conflict between France and England. In her early teens, she began claiming that saints were appearing to her in visions. Charles, the French dauphin, was fighting off an English claim to the throne of his late father, Charles VI. Joan, impelled by visions, secured an audience with him and delivered good news: She had come to help him achieve his coronation. The dauphin did what any responsible medieval ruler would do, and had his theologians check her out. Convinced she was channelling some kind of helpful power, he commissioned a suit of armour for her and sent her into battle, where her zeal raised morale and turned the tide in his favour. Was it also God’s will that Joan’s miraculous touch would wear off, resulting in her capture by the English, who would judge her a heretic and consign her, at the age of about 19, to her famous fate? Centuries later she was made a saint. Steve Kupferman
Read today’s horoscopes. Enjoy today’s puzzles.
If you’d like to receive this newsletter by e-mail every weekday morning, go here to sign up. If you have any feedback, send us a note.