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After almost a week of delay thanks to bureaucratic complications and chaotic on-the-ground conditions, evacuation flights from Kabul for Canadian nationals and Afghan refugees will resume.
In addition to Canadian citizens and members of a group of about 6,000 Afghans who are connected with Canada because they or their family members worked as support staff for diplomats or the military, Canada will also be flying out foreign nationals and Afghans destined for other countries, as part of an agreement with allies. In turn, allies will be flying out Canadians, as well as Afghans headed for Canada.
Listen: Who are the Taliban now?
Read: Taliban violently suppress more protests as economic challenges loom
Afghans celebrate the 102nd Independence Day of Afghanistan with the national flag in Kabul on August 19, 2021.WAKIL KOHSAR/AFP/Getty Images
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Royal Bank of Canada becomes first Big Six bank to require vaccination for staff to work in office
All staff in Canada and the U.S. must be fully vaccinated by Oct. 31 in order to return to offices, branches and other RBC buildings.
In a memo sent to staff on Thursday afternoon, RBC’s chief human-resources officer Helena Gottschling said the decision to require vaccination proof was driven by “concerning developments related to the Delta variant and evolving government guidance.”
All of Canada’s six largest banks have encouraged employees to get a COVID-19 vaccine, and some have helped hold clinics to deliver shots. But RBC is the first to require vaccinations for all staff working on-site, in anticipation of a gradual return to offices that could start this fall.
Who is most desperate to return to the office? Age plays major factor
For many young people, remote work means sitting alone in their bedrooms and staring at faces on Zoom calls before being plunged into hours of alienating solitude. COVID-19 vaccine rollouts and lifting restrictions could give them a chance for some of the face-to-face networking they’re craving.
But companies are learning that the work force is increasingly divided. Older employees, who have to juggle children, commutes and eldercare, found working from home a welcome reprieve and a chance for balance.
Globe reporter Irene Galea looks into how workplaces are reconciling the needs of both cohorts.
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ALSO ON OUR RADAR
B.C.’s giant wooden map will reappear after 25 years in storage: There’s finally a plan for the 6,000-square-foot wooden topographical map of British Columbia that was once one of the most popular attractions at Vancouver’s annual Pacific National Exhibition.
War and displacement after coup leave farmers in Myanmar unable to plant: From Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok, respectively, Nu Nu Lusan and Emily Fishbein report on the more than 220,000 people across Myanmar who have fled their homes amid armed conflict – many of whom are farmers whose livelihoods have been left in dire straits by the pandemic.
Phillip Tallio, in jail for 37 years for murder, has appeal rejected by B.C. court: The high-profile appeal raised issues of police tunnel vision in a small First Nations community.
Long-term care, housing take centre stage in federal election campaign: On the campaign trail yesterday the Liberals promised big spending in Canada’s long-term care system – $9-billion over five years; NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh talked about the party’s plans to put an end to private, for-profit facilities; and Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole says if elected, his party would work with the private sector to convert unneeded office space into housing.
Read the latest Federal Election 2021 coverage from The Globe
MORNING MARKETS
Global shares hit: Global shares have fallen for the fifth straight day, fueled by investor concerns over the delta variant, waning vaccine efficacy, and concerns over Chinese growth. In a flight to safety, the dollar held firm. Just before 6 a.m. ET, Britain’s FTSE 100 fell 0.3 per cent. Germany’s DAX and France’s CAC 40 were down 0.3 per cent and 0.2 per cent, respectively. In Asia, Japan’s Nikkei lost 1 per cent. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng fell 1.8 per cent. New York futures were down. The Canadian dollar dropped to an eight-month low of C$1.2949, down 0.8 per cent against its U.S. counterpart.
WHAT EVERYONE’S TALKING ABOUT
Indigenous leaders have shown remarkable grace in the wake of horrifying discoveries
“The lesson from our past should be about our country’s unwillingness to listen to Indigenous people, and the direction of our future must be to pay attention to their memories.” - Ken Coates
Immigration isn’t an election issue and that’s something to celebrate
“While anti-immigration sentiment is poisoning the democratic well in the United States and Europe, polls show that, for most Canadians, immigration is a non-issue.” - John Ibbitson
This election, the Conservatives finally have a credible climate plan. But is it good enough?
“Is the Conservative climate plan credible? Yes – somewhat. Is it the most credible plan? No.” - The Globe Editorial Board
Erin O’Toole campaigns on not being Andrew Scheer, but a Tory platform plank gave the Liberals an easy target
“When Mr. O’Toole declared himself to be an anti-Scheer on Wednesday and called himself pro-choice many times on Thursday, it was his way of putting a 10-foot pole between himself and the abortion issue.” - Campbell Clark
Unions are out of step with the public on vaccine mandates
“There are all sorts of people being required to get vaccinated. Why do some feel they are so special they shouldn’t have to?” - Gary Mason
TODAY’S EDITORIAL CARTOON
Brian Gable/The Globe and Mail
LIVING BETTER
What are the back-to-work office etiquette rules?
“Eighteen months away from typical office life has proven to be enough time for workers to reflect on whether the unwritten rules of North American corporate culture still make sense,” writes Alex Cyr.
From dress code to meetings, Cyr looks into how things could change.
MOMENT IN TIME: AUG. 20, 1882
Tchaikovsky 1812 Overture debuts in Moscow
Stephen Barlow conducting the Bournemouth Sympathy Orchestra and Chorus during a performance of 1812 Overture by Tchaikovsky at Classic FM Live at London's Royal Albert Hall, October 8, 2019.Matt Crossick/Press Association Pictures via Reuters Connect
On this day in 1882, audiences heard Tchaikovsky’s exuberant 1812 Overture for the first time. The 15-minute orchestral piece, written by the composer in just six weeks, commemorates the success of the Russian army in defending against Napoleon’s invading troops in 1812, and has since become famous for its bombastic live cannon fire. The overture starts with a soft hymn, standing in for the Russians’ quiet prayers for military success. This is followed by the flamboyant French anthem La Marseillaise, which clashes against Russian folk songs, representing the battles between the two nations. La Marseillaise gradually retreats, and hymnal tunes bring the overture to a close, the Russians’ prayers answered. The piece was commissioned to be performed at the opening of a Moscow cathedral also commemorating the military victory, but construction was slower than expected, and the overture instead made its debut in a tent outside the building instead of the main square before it. Tchaikovsky felt the piece was too theatrical, calling it “very loud and noisy and completely without artistic merit, obviously written without warmth or love.” Ironically, the overture’s pizzazz has been its staying power, as it is widely referenced in pop culture today. - Irene Galea
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