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The federal government is planning to hand over thousands of previously undisclosed documents containing information on eight former residential schools to the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation.
In an interview, Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Marc Miller said the government has come to the conclusion that continuing to withhold the documents would be a breach of Ottawa’s “moral duty” to survivors of the schools.
Ottawa has released other documents on residential schools to the Winnipeg-based NCTR in the past. Miller said the government believes those prior releases fulfilled its legal duties, but that it now feels obligated to go further. This latest release will amount to about 12,000 pages.
- ICYMI: Ontario to release 1,800 death records of Indigenous children
Children's shoes and stuffed animals sit on the steps as a tribute to the missing children of the former Mohawk Institute Residential School, in Brantford, Ont., Nov. 9, 2021.COLE BURSTON/AFP/Getty Images
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Myanmar court sentences deposed leader to four years in prison
76-year-old Aung San Suu Kyi, who has been held largely incommunicado since the military seized power in February, was found guilty of incitement and violating coronavirus restrictions and handed a four-year jail term.
Charles Santiago, a Malaysian lawmaker and chair of the ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHRI), described the verdict against Ms. Suu Kyi as “a travesty of justice” that shows “contempt” for the Five-Point Consensus reached by Myanmar and other ASEAN member states in April this year, which called for an immediate cessation of violence among other commitments.
New Canadian COVID-19 travel rules spark turmoil at airports and criticism from WHO
New federal travel rules, criticized by many scientists and health experts, have left some Canadians stranded in southern Africa while forcing others to spend unexpected time in a war-torn country on their way home.
Under a new rule imposed last month, Canadians are prohibited from using a COVID-19 test from any southern African country if they are returning to Canada from one of those countries. Instead, they must obtain a molecular test from a third country – a rule that has obliged some Canadians to stop in Ethiopia on their way home, despite federal advisories against travel to Ethiopia because of its civil war.
Scientists and other experts have sharply criticized Canada’s refusal to accept tests from southern Africa. South African laboratories are considered world class and detected the new Omicron variant before any other country did, they noted.
More COVID-19 coverage:
- Opinion: Canada’s new airport testing rules are needlessly confusing
- Non-medical exemptions for COVID-19 vaccines pose challenges for Canada’s human-rights commissions
- What preliminary data might tell us about the Omicron variant’s future in Canada
- John Ibbitson: Canada should resist urge to drop the hammer on the unvaccinated – at least for now
Ukraine’s defence minister urges military support from Canada, U.S. and Britain – even if it’s outside NATO
Canada, the United States and Britain should work together to provide military aid to Ukraine in its standoff with Russia, Ukraine’s defence minister said in an interview, warning that steps to deter Russian President Vladimir Putin from invading were necessary now because “it will be too late after.”
Oleksii Reznikov said he detected a split within the NATO military alliance over how far to go in supporting Ukraine. Canada, the U.S., and Britain were more willing to challenge Putin’s aggressive behaviour, he said, while countries like Germany and France were hesitant because they were concerned about maintaining their economic relationships with Russia.
If necessary, Reznikov said, “Anglo-Saxon allies” should consider acting outside NATO, in providing weapons and other support to Ukraine’s “battle-ready” military. What its land forces lack, he said, are immediate upgrades to its air defence, naval and electronic warfare capabilities in the face of the threat posed by the massive Russian military force amassed near Ukraine’s borders.
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ALSO ON OUR RADAR
Bank of Canada’s rate decision expected to balance employment gains against Omicron risk: Economists increasingly expect Canada’s central bank to begin raising interest rates as early as April, as employment rebounds, wage growth picks up and inflation remains well above its target range. Still, concerns about the Omicron variant, coupled with the impact of B.C.’s floods, will hang over its rate decision on Wednesday, forcing the bank to balance positive labour market developments against an uncertain economic outlook, analysts said.
- David Parkinson: Freeland must tread carefully in debate on Bank of Canada’s inflation mandate
Conservative Leader O’Toole calls for probe of dissident Alberta MP over alleged staff mistreatment: The House of Commons is being asked to investigate complaints of workplace harassment against Alberta MP Shannon Stubbs, including an allegation that she had two employees paint her house. Erin O’Toole’s office went to the Commons Human Resources office and the Administration office Friday after The Globe inquired about the large turnover among Stubbs’s staff. Stubbs denied the allegations of abusive behaviour, saying she is a victim of a political hit job in retaliation for being one of the dissidents in the Conservative caucus calling for an early Conservative leadership review vote.
First Nations’ response to B.C. floods held up as a model to help mitigate damage from future disasters: Halalt First Nation, like dozens of communities across B.C.’s south coast hit by an unprecedented atmospheric river last month, was quickly overwhelmed. The toll of the disaster was severe, but the extent of the damage was much less compared to when it experienced a smaller flood in January, 2020. That’s largely thanks to the efforts of an impromptu coalition of agencies that took an all-hands-on-deck approach.
- When floods came to B.C.’s Nicola Country, a horse sounded the alarm – but saving the day was another job entirely
University students not fully back to in-person classes, but return to campus life is in sight: Many of Canada’s largest universities, including the University of Toronto, Western and the University of British Columbia, plan to offer more on-campus activities and in-person lectures next term, as they face pressure from students eager for a return to something resembling prepandemic campus life. But it’s a balancing act: schools have to weigh the benefits of live lectures against possible health risks.
Listen to The Decibel: Thirty-two years have passed since the École Polytechnique massacre, which left 14 women dead and spurred a debate about gun control in Canada. Since then, various pieces of legislation have made some efforts to prevent more mass shootings but stopped short of complete bans on certain weapons. The Globe and Mail’s Patrick White clarifies which guns are legal, how Canada’s laws compare to those in the U.S. and what reforms gun-control advocates are pushing for.
MORNING MARKETS
European markets see cautious gains: European stocks opened higher on Monday in a tentative rebound from last week when the spread of the COVID-19 Omicron variant and expectations of tighter U.S. monetary policy rocked global markets. Just before 5:30 a.m. ET, Britain’s FTSE 100 was up 0.61 per cent while Germany’s DAX and France’s CAC 40 rose 0.19 per cent and 0.30 per cent, respectively. In Asia, Japan’s Nikkei fell 0.36 per cent. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng lost 1.76 per cent. New York futures were mostly higher. The Canadian dollar was trading at 78.10 US cents.
WHAT EVERYONE’S TALKING ABOUT
Ottawa starts to implement its new climate agenda – with a whole lot of details still to come
“Not only have the Liberals yet to indicate what future targets for reduced emissions might be; they are also a long way from figuring out what sort of model they will use to set and enforce them.” – Adam Radwanski
Edward Rogers won control but squandered a chance to diversify Rogers Communications’ board
“Rogers is already this country’s largest wireless carrier, and as such, it should set an example for the rest of the business community on matters of equity and inclusion at all levels of the company. Instead, it appears to be taking a step backwards and allowing itself to be eclipsed by its chief rivals, Telus Corp. and BCE Inc., on board diversity.” – Rita Trichur
In Aline, Quebec’s greatest ambassador, Celine Dion, finally gets the big-screen treatment she deserves
“Most Quebeckers, even those not particularly enamoured of her power ballads or personality, remain understandably defensive of the diva often referred to in the francophone media as ‘notre Céline nationale.’ The local use of the possessive determiner to describe Ms. Dion should be the first sign to any foreigner that toying with her image is not an exercise to be undertaken lightly.” – Konrad Yakabuski
TODAY’S EDITORIAL CARTOON
David Parkins/The Globe and Mail
LIVING BETTER
Canada’s book retailers offer great gift ideas for the holidays
From Munro Books in Victoria to Montreal’s Librairie St-Henri Books, booksellers offer their insight into 2021 and share a couple of good gift ideas for the holiday season.
MOMENT IN TIME: The joy of toys, 1926
Two young boys admire toys in Christmas window of a Toronto department store on Dec. 25, 1922.John Boyd/The Globe and Mail
For more than 100 years, photographers and photo editors working for The Globe and Mail have preserved an extraordinary collection of 20th-century news photography. Every Monday, The Globe will feature one of these images. This month, it’s the joy of toys.
Traditionally (as in, before everything required batteries), Christmas toys were handmade, maybe carved or knitted or constructed. It was a simple way to recognize the festive spirit of generosity. For generations in Canada, the Eaton’s Christmas catalogue ushered in the season of toy buying, but also perpetuated the idea of one set of toys for boys and one for girls: toy soldiers, cars, sports gear for little Jack; dolls, dishes, maybe a puzzle for little Jill. Yet, in the above photo from December, 1926, from The Globe’s John Boyd, young boys stare longingly at dolls in a department store window. Boys playing with dolls? Why not? Good toys are timeless. They should be solidly made, not frustrating to use and should inspire kids to play or solve problems. The main thing is that they be enjoyable. Kids just want to have fun. That’s traditional, too. Philip King
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