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Striking federal public-sector workers will continue to receive their regular salaries until at least May 10, the federal government said yesterday, but will likely see reduced pay at a later date for the days they spent on the picket line.
Public Services and Procurement Canada, the federal department in charge of employee salaries, said confusion around whether workers would continue to get paid was because pay processing becomes much more complex once a strike extends beyond five consecutive days.
More than 100,000 federal public sector workers have been on strike since April 19, as the government and the union representing the workers try to reach a deal for a new collective agreement.
PSAC workers and supporters gather on a picket line in Ottawa on Thursday, April 20, 2023.Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press
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Difficult to secure military aircraft landing spots in Sudan for evacuation, Trudeau says
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said yesterday that securing landing spots for Canadian military aircraft in Sudan is not easy as Ottawa is relying on allies to evacuate its citizens out of the country.
As fierce fighting continues in Sudan, countries around the world have been scrambling to rescue their citizens. Britain, France, Italy, Japan, Egypt, Jordan, Spain, the Netherlands and South Korea have reportedly landed aircraft in Sudan in the last week.
So far, Ottawa has not reported sending a military aircraft into Sudan, where about 1,700 Canadian citizens are located, according to records at the Department of Global Affairs.
Peel Police investigate Ontario man shipping substance used in suicides
Peel Regional Police said yesterday that they are investigating reports that a Toronto-area man ran a business selling sodium nitrite, a legal but potentially lethal substance used by some to kill themselves.
The Times of London reported yesterday that a man named Kenneth Law shipped the substance to people in Britain and the United States, and that those shipments factored into several deaths, including a 17-year-old boy in the U.S. and four British citizens in their 20s and 30s.
When contacted by The Globe and Mail, Law said he is selling a legal product and that he has no control over how his customers choose to use it.
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Also on our radar
Teck still unsure of vote outcome: Teck Resources said yesterday senior executives did not know which way a vote to split the company by shareholders would go, suggesting the outcome was too close to call and leaving the future of the Vancouver company in the dark.
Biden makes 2024 election run official: U.S. President Joe Biden has set the stage for another showdown with Donald Trump as he launched his bid for a second term, warning the country that “MAGA extremists” are working to take away Americans’ rights.
- David Shribman: The launch of Biden’s fourth presidential bid reflects a stark contrast with the man he used to be
Ottawa to drop list of banned weapons: Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino said yesterday that the federal government will ditch its legislated list of banned assault-style weapons, but move ahead with a new amendment to its gun-control bill.
Calgary strikes arena deal: The city of Calgary has struck a deal with the owners of the Flames hockey team and the provincial government to build a $1.2-billion arena close to downtown. The agreement comes after years of haggling between the city and Calgary Sports and Entertainment Corp. over a new sports centre to replace the Scotiabank Saddledome.
Rental rates soar across country: For many Canadians, a way to save money is living with roommates. But even that is not a surefire bet anymore as rental rates are soaring across the country, forcing many renters to pay $1,000 or more per month for a bedroom in a shared home.
For an upcoming Mother’s Day feature, The Globe and Mail wants to hear your stories behind a favourite dish made by your mom or other caregiver that you still love today. If you’d like to share a story about a beloved dish from childhood, fill out the form at the bottom of this article and send us a photo of the dish by emailing audience@globeandmail.com. Responses accompanied by a photo will be prioritized.
Morning markets
World markets mixed: Global stock markets moved in opposite directions on Wednesday, as European investors responded to strain in the U.S. banking sector but Wall Street futures rose on bullish updates from Microsoft and Google parent Alphabet. Just before 5:30 a.m. ET, Britain’s FTSE 100 fell 0.32 per cent. Germany’s DAX and France’s CAC 40 lost 0.50 per cent and 0.66 per cent, respectively. In Asia, Japan’s Nikkei finished down 0.71 per cent. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng gained 0.71 per cent. New York futures were positive. The Canadian dollar was steady at 73.38 US cents.
What everyone’s talking about
Marsha Lederman: “Believers in fairness might cheer at the thought of Mr. Carlson’s downfall and that huge withdrawal from Fox’s bank account, but it is a hollow triumph that does not resolve the massive problem it perpetuated. As the U.S. hurtles toward the 2024 presidential election, the fake-news horse is out of the barn and Fox is not required to do much to rectify that.”
Cathal Kelly: “If you’ve been watching the Leafs your whole life, Tuesday night’s third-period, three-goal comeback in Tampa was not exciting. It was more disorienting. You have believed for most of your life that things go one way – that water runs downhill. As Morgan Rielly saucered in the tying goal from the blueline, you were watching water do a 180 and start climbing the wall. After Alex Kerfoot tipped in the winner, you may have had trouble getting up off the couch. It was getting hard to tell which way was up. Nothing’s changed yet and, sure, they’ve been in this position before, but it does feel different, doesn’t it?”
Today’s editorial cartoon
Editorial cartoon by David Parkins, April 26, 2023.Illustration by David Parkins
Living better
How buying an EV may save you thousands at tax time
Canada doesn’t have a tax credit for electric vehicles, but if you’re self-employed or use your car for work and have turned down the $5,000 federal incentive, you can write off thousands of dollars on the price of a new EV. Here’s how to do that.
Moment in time: April 26, 1858
Peter and Nancy Lester were passengers on the first ship carrying Black immigrants from California to British Columbia.Courtesy of Royal BC Museum
First ship carrying Black Californian immigrants lands in B.C. at request of premier
On this day in 1858, the first ship carrying Black immigrants from California landed in British Columbia. Their voyage was in response to an invitation by then-governor of Vancouver Island James Douglas. Born to a Scottish father and a free woman of Barbadian-Creole heritage in what is now Guyana, Douglas knew Black Californians faced a hostile environment at home and were searching for a place to settle. At the same time, he aimed to dampen any possible prospects or threats of annexation by the U.S. by increasing the community’s numbers (B.C. did not become a province until 1871). As a result, hundreds of Black immigrants arrived and settled throughout the British colony in places such as Victoria and Saanich. But despite fleeing racism in the U.S., the newcomers faced discrimination in their adopted home as well. While some continued to live in B.C., others returned south of the border over the course of the next decade. More than a century later, in 1977, the federal government acknowledged this immigration to B.C. as an event of national historical significance. Maryam Shah
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