Morning Update: Hospitals pressed to the limit as third wave grows; In Ireland, Brexit rage builds

Good morning,

Canada’s Chief Public Health Officer warns of a worsening situation across the country. Theresa Tam said Sunday intensive care admissions have jumped by 23 per cent over the past seven days compared with the week before.

Record numbers of COVID-19 cases in Ontario are prompting most hospitals in the Greater Toronto Area to shut down their pediatric units, clearing space and staff for coronavirus patients as the situation in provincial hospitals is more dire now than at any time in the pandemic.

Quebec reported a 25-person jump in hospitalizations – numbers the province’s Health Minister described as “worrisome.” B.C. has recorded 974 cases of the variant that originated in Brazil, the highest in Canada. Of those cases, there are at least 197 of the variant cases in Whistler.

Also read:

• Planning and trust led to COVID-19 vaccination success in Northern Ontario First Nations
• Opinion: The pandemic has forced us all to subtract from our lives. That’s not necessarily a bad thing
• Opinion: To get the mental health care I needed, I had to break my traditional mindset

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Ireland: Brexit rage threatens hard-won but fragile peace

Loyalist rage has been building for months across Northern Ireland and it boiled over this week as hundreds took to the streets almost every night. Cars were set on fire, and police were pelted with bricks and petrol bombs.

There’s growing concern that bored, disgruntled young people have lost faith in all authority figures. They are disgruntled by what they have called a biased police force, a disinterested government and favouritism for nationalists who want to end British rule. However, most outrage is focused on Brexit. Nationalists dismiss the accusations and blame paramilitary leaders for orchestrating the violence.

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Liberals tie election timing to vaccine rollout

The party wrapped its virtual national convention on Saturday with a campaign-style speech from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. The three-day gathering focused on campaign readiness and his key organizers spent the convention framing the timing and rationale for a possible return to the polls.

Meanwhile, Jagmeet Singh took aim at the Liberal government also sounding like a campaign battle cry ahead of a possible election later this year. The NDP convention was plagued with hiccups and frustrations and Singh’s focus on the Grits stood in contrast to Trudeau who made nary a mention of New Democrats in his own convention keynote speech.

• Opinion: Political parties are setting up female candidates to fail
• John Ibbitson: Policy landmine on Israel less of a threat to NDP than climate policy is to Tories
• Campbell Clark: After virtual Liberal convention, there’s no hiding the party’s hunger for an election now

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ALSO ON OUR RADAR

Experts sound the alarm on Canada’s outdated 9-1-1 system: Canada’s emergency communications system was designed for landline phones of the 1970s and is unable to receive or analyze the kinds of data produced by modern communications technology.

Apartment of Russian investigative journalist raided: Roman Anin, chief editor of the Vazhnikh Istorii website, is considered a witness in a criminal case for violation of privacy. The news website said the actions were likely connected to a story about one of President Vladimir Putin’s closest associates.

Hideki Matsuyama wins Masters: He made history as the first male golfer from Japan to win a major championship. Matsuyama held on after knocking one in the water at the 15th, shooting a 1-over 73 to win the Masters by one stroke.

Laurentian professors in precarious spot: Tenured professors at Laurentian University expect to know today whether they will be laid off as part of an extraordinary restructuring at the insolvent and debt-burdened school.

MORNING MARKETS

World stocks sink: Global stock markets sank on Monday as investors waited to see whether U.S. earnings would justify sky-high valuations, while a rally in bonds could be tested by what should be strong readings for U.S. inflation and retail sales this week. MSCI’s All Country World Index, which tracks stocks across 49 countries, was down 0.25% after the start of European trading, off Friday’s record high. Britain’s FTSE 100 fell 0.9%, Germany’s DAX slipped 0.1% and France’s CAC 40 fell 0.2%. Italy’s FTSE MIB was the sole gainer, up 0.05%. Earlier in Asia, Tokyo’s Nikkei edged down 0.6%. South Korean stocks were near flat.

Looking for investing ideas? Check out The Globe’s weekly digest of the latest insights and analysis from the pros, stock tips, portfolio strategies and what investors need to know for the week ahead. This week’s edition includes Canadian companies hiking dividends, big bank stock pick and tax deduction checklist.

WHAT EVERYONE’S TALKING ABOUT

Naheed Nenshi leaves behind a historic legacy as Calgary mayor

Gary Mason: “He is a shining example of the pluralistic marvel that is Canada. But he can also speak to the distance we still need to travel to bridge the racial divides that undermine our potential.”

Can Joe Biden keep both AOC and Joe Manchin happy? Not likely

Konrad Yakabuski: “The reservations each has about President Joe Biden’s US$2.3-trillion infrastructure plan and US$2.5-trillion tax proposal foreshadow a bruising fight ahead for the new administration.”

TODAY’S EDITORIAL CARTOON

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LIVING BETTER

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Home gyms are all some buffs need during pandemic

The shift in fitness is real. There’s been a loss of community from the gym and shared, sweat-filled spaces. But for many, the home fitness experience might be here to stay and they won’t relinquish it when they reach the post-pandemic world.

Independent instructors have made the shift to online, too, and plan to keep it that way. Peloton, the wired spinning service that brought high-end gyming into the home at exactly the right time, has become the holy grail of pandemic fitness, earning US$1.8-billion in total revenue in its most recently completed fiscal year.

• Also read: A slower, quieter hive of meditative activity

MOMENT IN TIME: News photo archive

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The Juno Awards, 1985

For more than 100 years, photographers and photo librarians have preserved an extraordinary collection of 20th-century news photography for The Globe and Mail. Every Monday, The Globe features one of these images. This month, we’re marking the 50th anniversary of the Juno Awards, which will be broadcast on May 16 on CBC.

Yessiree, Bobs and Bettys, sometimes performers who seem like novelty acts at first have astonishing staying power – and talent. Globe photographer Edward Regan caught k.d. lang in 1985 as she bopped around onstage after winning the most promising female vocalist Juno. “I was living with a gay boy and he had a wedding dress,” lang recalled in a recent interview with CBC. She had borrowed the gown to poke some fun at the award category. Then she composed herself and promised in her acceptance speech to “continue to sing for only the right reasons.” Over the three decades since, she’s taken some brave and quirky turns in her career, which has included collaborations with the greats (Roy Orbison, Tony Bennett and many more) along with four Grammys and five more Junos. John Daly

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