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A Liberal Party member warned Han Dong that the Canadian Security Intelligence Service was watching him, shortly after the spy agency briefed the party in the fall of 2019 on alleged Chinese state interference in the nomination contest of Don Valley North, according to a senior national-security official.
The Foreign Interference Commission heard testimony earlier that CSIS provided a classified briefing on Sept. 28, 2019, to Liberal Party officials about alleged irregularities in the nomination that Dong won on Sept. 12 of that year. Dong went on to win the Don Valley North riding in the Oct. 21, 2019, general election.
A summary of a CSIS report tabled at the inquiry last week alleged China had compelled students to vote for Dong’s nomination under the threat of losing their student visas and possible consequences for their families back home. The summary also alleged some students carried false documents.
- CSIS Director recalled after PMO staff say they weren’t told about China interference in 2019 and 2021 elections
- Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to testify at foreign interference inquiry
- Campbell Clark: PMO staffers say intelligence reports on foreign interference fuzzier than advertised
Han Dong appears as a witness at the Public Inquiry Into Foreign Interference, April 2, 2024, in Ottawa.Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press
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Ontario awarded four cities millions for meeting housing goals after count tallied long-term care beds
The cities of Peterborough, Brantford, Sudbury and North Bay are receiving extra money from the Ontario government for exceeding their housing targets. But they were only able to do so because of the province’s decision to include long-term care beds in calculations.
Long-term care beds accounted for 9 per cent of the overall provincial total of 109,011 new homes last year, allowing Premier Doug Ford’s government to say it reached 99 per cent of its 110,000 target.
But Frank Clayton, co-founder of the Centre for Urban Research and Land Development at Toronto Metropolitan University, says the government’s decision to include long-term care beds is tantamount to “cooking the books” and goes against established definitions used by Statistics Canada and other experts.
For Palestinians in West Bank and Gaza, Eid brings no prospect of joy under the shadow of war
On the day before Eid al-Fitr, most Palestinians would normally be buying sweets, meats and toys for their children. But this year as the war rages in Gaza, most are struggling to contemplate even the idea of a festive end to Ramadan.
Palestinians will observe Eid today, but it is a celebration few will celebrate, arriving the same week as the six-month mark of war in Gaza. There, the death count continues to mount as people pull bodies from the rubble of Khan Younis after the withdrawal of Israeli forces on Sunday. Palestinian authorities have counted more than 33,000 people killed in Gaza since Oct. 7.
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Also on our radar
Canadian banks caught in ESG backlash: Two Canadian banks are in the crosshairs of an anti-ESG U.S. state treasurer. West Virginia State Treasurer Riley Moore has boycotted Toronto-Dominion Bank for a purported stand against fossil fuels and given the Bank of Montreal a pass after it removed a policy that restricted lending to new coal projects.
Mark Carney warns of ‘slower and shallower’ rate cuts: Former Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney warned yesterday that central banks may cut interest rates more slowly and by less than many expect, as monetary policy will have to adjust to a new era defined by structurally higher inflation. The Bank of Canada’s next rate decision is today, and most analysts expect the central bank to keep its benchmark rate steady at 5 per cent, although they’re watching for a shift in tone that could set the stage for rate cuts over the summer.
Drug overdose of kids in government care a ‘crisis,’ Alberta youth advocate says: Drug poisonings among children and youth under government care or receiving government supports is one of the most frequent causes of death in recent investigations undertaken by Alberta’s Office of the Child and Youth Advocate, which concluded some of the deceased began using illicit substances as young as 12.
African hunger rises amid drought and war: Across much of Africa, food prices are soaring and hunger is rising because of drought and climate change. In southern Africa, people are struggling with crop failures and higher inflation. In countries such as Sudan, Ethiopia, Niger, Burkina Faso, Mali and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, war and conflict are making food much scarcer and costlier, and malnutrition is growing. Humanitarian agencies are trying to help, but their budgets are squeezed.
Calgary’s Stampede Elm witnessed city’s transformation: The Stampede Elm, which had been a fixture in Calgary for roughly 125 years, just north of the Saddledome arena, was cut down Monday to clear the site for a new event centre. City experts determined the tree would be unlikely to survive relocation, so a construction crew put an end to its long life in Victoria Park, where it had witnessed Calgary’s transformation from cowtown to booming metropolis.
The 125-year-old American elm tree, known as Stampede Elm, in a parking lot near downtown Calgary.Todd Korol/The Globe and Mail
Morning markets
World stocks traded higher and bonds and currencies steadied, largely unfazed by ratings agency Fitch downgrading its China outlook, while traders awaited crucial U.S. inflation data due later in the day.
In early trading, Britain’s FTSE 100 was up 0.59 per cent, Germany’s DAX advanced 0.77 per cent and France’s CAC 40 rose 0.57 per cent.
While Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index gained 1.85 per cent to close at 17,139.17, Japan’s Nikkei slid 0.48 per cent to 39,581.81.
The dollar traded at 73.70 U.S. cents.
What everyone’s talking about
Philippe Lagassé and David Perry: “Given how long it took to release this defence policy update, one would assume that the government had plenty of time to explore and should be ready to act. The deteriorating global security environment, too, would surely suggest that we need less exploration and more deciding. Alas, Ottawa still needs time to ponder.”
Editorial: “Given the poor results, Canadian Tire did something very rare for a major public company: it did not pay cash bonuses to its executives, even though there was the ready excuse of poor weather. This is unusual, but it shouldn’t be. Withholding bonuses in a bad year is good corporate governance and a worthwhile example for other companies to follow. Boards owe it to their shareholders and employees to ensure that executive pay is actually aligned with performance.”
Today’s editorial cartoon
Illustration by David Parkins
Living better
As wellness tops travellers’ to-do lists, hotels offer sleep therapy, IV therapy and more
As more and more travellers look to do away with the packed itineraries and long to-see lists, high-end health retreats that prioritize sleep, mindful movement and relaxation are becoming more popular. Whether your journey is aided by longevity-centric therapies, psychedelics or mentorship from a former Buddhist nun, here are five luxury wellness experiences across the globe to inspire your next getaway.
Moment in time: April 10, 1956
Dickie Moore, Bernie Geoffrion and goalie Jacques Plante lift coach Toe Blake after the Montreal Canadiens beat Detroit Red Wings 3-1 to win the Stanley Cup, April 10, 1956.Bettmann/Getty Images
Montreal Canadiens win first of five consecutive Stanley Cups
The Stanley Cup playoffs for the 1955-56 National Hockey League season pitted old foes against one another. For the fourth time in five years, the Montreal Canadiens played the Detroit Red Wings in the final. History was not on Montreal’s side: Detroit had won the previous three Cup meetings (1952, 1954 and 1955). But Montreal’s regular-season performance offered hope. The Canadiens had not only topped the standing, winning 75 per cent of their games, but had easily taken the head-to-head season series against the Red Wings. In fact, Montreal, with new coach Toe Blake behind the bench, was the Cup favourite. The Canadiens won a high-scoring first game at home and then easily won the second. The Red Wings took Game 3 in Detroit, but then Montreal goaltender Jacques Plante posted a shutout in Game 4. The series ended on this day in 1956 with Montreal skating to a 3-1 victory on home ice to take the best-of-seven series 4-1. Mr. Plante and centre Jean Béliveau, with 19 points, were the stars of the playoff series. The Canadiens would win the next four Stanley Cups, five in a row, a record that has never been matched. Bill Waiser
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