A sign directs evacuees at a centre where food and shelter are being provided for those forced from their homes due to the wildfires burning in suburban Halifax on May 30, 2023.Darren Calabrese/The Canadian Press
Good morning,
Wildfires that officials say are the worst they have ever seen remain out of control in the Halifax area, destroying more than 150 homes as more than 16,000 people remain evacuated and the province put a ban on all activity in forests.
About 146 firefighters and three helicopters are working to contain the largest blaze and protect homes in an area covering at least 788 hectares, and the intensity isn’t expected to let up, provincial and municipal fire officials said yesterday.
Meanwhile, Halifax officials are facing questions about a 2021 report from the municipality’s Auditor-General that said three now-evacuated subdivisions had inadequate provisions for fire safety.
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.
Extreme risks of AI include human extinction, experts say
A group of researchers and executives most familiar with artificial intelligence, as well as developing the technology for market, believes global leaders need to mitigate the risks of AI in the same way they prepare for nuclear annihilation or infectious disease.
The warning came yesterday in a 22-word statement endorsed by more than 350 industry leaders including Geoffrey Hinton, Yoshua Bengio, and OpenAI chief executive officer Sam Altman. The statement reads:
“Mitigating the risk of extinction from AI should be a global priority alongside other societal-scale risks such as pandemics and nuclear war.”
China’s purpose was to suppress votes, former Tory leader says
Former Conservative party leader Erin O’Toole elaborated in the House of Commons yesterday on his recent CSIS briefing on foreign election interference.
According to the MP, the spy agency said he was targeted by a Chinese Communist Party operation intended to misinform him and suppress his party’s voters. O’Toole then took the opportunity to lay blame at the feet of the Liberal government.
“The problem does not lie with our proud, hard-working intelligence agencies,” he said. “It lies in the willful blindness of senior figures in this government and in the senior offices that advise it.”
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
Ottawa hopes for collaboration as Danielle Smith vows to stop federal energy and climate policies
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith pledged to put a stop to two of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s marquee energy policies in her election night victory speech, but the federal government believes it can bridge the divide by promising federal cash to pay for the required power grid investments and by making separate concessions to the oil and gas industry.
Ukrainian drones threaten Moscow
Hours after its capital, Kyiv, was attacked by missiles and drones launched from Russia, Ukraine appears to have returned fire on Tuesday in the form of drones aimed at Moscow. Air defences fended off the worst of the attacks, Russia’s military said, but some buildings were damaged. The attacks continued on Wednesday.
Globe publisher warns of possible C-18 overreach
Phillip Crawley, publisher of The Globe and Mail, was among the news industry leaders warning senators in a committee hearing that Bill C-18, as currently worded, could threaten journalistic independence by compelling news organizations to divulge information to regulators.
Morning markets
Markets await vote on U.S. debt deal: Global shares fell on Wednesday ahead of a crucial vote in Washington on the U.S. debt ceiling, while commodities came under pressure after data highlighted faltering growth in China’s economy. Just after 5:30 a.m. ET, Britain’s FTSE 100 was down 0.16 per cent. Germany’s DAX and France’s CAC 40 lost 0.35 per cent and 0.48 per cent, respectively. In Asia, Japan’s Nikkei closed down 1.41 per cent. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng lost 1.94 per cent. New York futures were weaker. The Canadian dollar as down at 73.33 US cents.
What everyone’s talking about
With Danielle Smith’s win, the Wildrose Party has firm control of Alberta
“The great civil war that has torn the conservative movement in Alberta asunder for the past 15 years must now be declared over. Wildrose won. That rural-libertarian faction is now directing the foot soldiers in the big conservative tent. The party is led by a former Wildrose leader, surrounded by a Wildrose brain trust, and energized by a cadre emboldened by the zeal of victory.” – Jen Gerson
With Alberta election over, Danielle Smith must formally toss out her provincial pension plan idea
“Presumably, an Alberta pension plan could change at the whim of one government – maybe even the government that chose to enact it. Politicians, when seeking re-election, aren’t always looking at the long-term best interests of their constituents.” – Anthony Pizzino
Given recent history, it’s clear something is broken on the Canadian end of the NHL
“Vegas has the benefit of playing to an audience that does not take joy out of ripping them for decisions they haven’t made yet, or have just made. Unlike up here, people judge the Vegas hockey team based on outcomes, not Instagram polls. Up here, we do it differently. Losing isn’t a habit so much as a tradition.” – Cathal Kelly
Today’s editorial cartoon
Editorial cartoon by Brian Gable published May 31, 2023.Illustration by Brian Gable
Living better
A ‘be prepared’ checklist for vacationers
Rob Carrick’s travel checklist, published today in his Carrick on Money newsletter, can help to minimize stress while you’re away – whether on a summer vacation or an extended trip of the kind favoured by snowbirds.
Moment in time: May 31, 1997
Confederation Bridge opens
ANDREW VAUGHAN/The Canadian Press
Confederation Bridge, the longest in the world crossing ice-covered water, opened to much fanfare on this day in 1997. The bridge featured a 13-kilometre road that winds over the whitecaps of the Northumberland Strait, connecting Prince Edward Island with New Brunswick. For the first time, motorists could drive onto the island without taking a ferry. The federal government christened it Confederation Bridge, nixing a recommendation by a panel to name it Abegweit Crossing. Abegweit, the anglicized colonial term for Epekwitk, is a Mi’kmaq word that means “cradled in the water,” and was the word Mi’kmaq people of the Atlantic provinces had used for thousands of years to refer to PEI. A day before the official opening of Confederation Bridge, John Joe Sark of the Mi’kmaq Grand Council led a Mi’kmaq ceremony to name the bridge after his people – an effort that was largely forgotten until recently. A year ago, amid pressing calls across the country for reconciliation, PEI lawmakers called on Ottawa to change the name to Epekwitk Crossing. Mr. Sark, upon his death in January at 77, was referred to as a “builder of bridges” for his lifelong efforts at reconciliation and defending Indigenous rights. The bridge has not yet been formally renamed. Lindsay Jones
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.