Good morning,
Thousands of people blazed a trail of orange across the country on Thursday to mark the inaugural National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, a day to reflect on the past and present harms endured by Indigenous peoples.
The bright orange hue, which has become a badge of solidarity honouring residential-school survivors, was everywhere: on participants’ shirts, their flags, their ribbon skirts. Many who took part in events said the day was about reflecting, listening and learning, but that moving toward truth and reconciliation goes beyond a single day of commemoration. Survivors, they said, must be central to the process.
The federal statutory holiday was created in response to one of 94 calls to action in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s final report, released in 2015. Calls for an official observance were bolstered over the past year by the discoveries of unmarked graves near the sites of four former residential schools. While the grim finds have retraumatized survivors, they have also validated what many had known for decades about those institutions’ legacy of abuse and forced assimilation.
Read more:
- Editorial: A day of remembrance is good. Fixing the legacy of residential schools is better
- How to show unity with Indigenous communities
- Trudeau flies to Tofino for a break with family as Canada marks first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
A child stands by a wall of 'Every Child Matters' artwork during the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation in Ottawa on Thursday, Sept. 30, 2021.Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press
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Energy shortages lead to rolling blackouts in China
China is grappling with a power crunch that threatens to hurt economic growth and exacerbate product shortages that have disrupted global supply chains in recent months.
Surging coal and gas prices – in addition to rising demand for electricity amid a boom in manufacturing and exports – have contributed to severe power shortages across China. Some areas have experienced rolling blackouts, and factories have been forced to close or suspend operations during certain hours to conserve power. Suppliers for Tesla and Apple, for example, have reportedly been forced to halt production.
Analysts fear that the knock-on effects could damage the wider Chinese economy, potentially posing an even bigger issue than any problems caused by the collapse of Evergrande, the real estate giant that’s dominated headlines in the past month.
Explainer: Is there a global energy shortage or is it a coincidence of regional crises?
Alberta, B.C., Saskatchewan ask Ottawa for one-shot Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines to boost uptake
Alberta, Saskatchewan and British Columbia are asking the federal government for tens of thousands of doses of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine for people who are uncomfortable with mRNA technology, even though billions of doses have been safely administered.
The one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine is less effective against COVID-19 than the vaccines made by Pfizer and Moderna using mRNA technology. Canada’s independent immunization advisory group recommends mRNA vaccines because they are not linked to rare cases of serious blood clots, which viral vector vaccines like the one from J&J have been.
The federal government does not have any J&J doses on hand. It shelved its first batch earlier this year after issues of quality control were reported at the company’s manufacturing facility in Baltimore, Md. The vaccine is among four approved for use in Canada, and all are considered safe and effective, although it has not yet been used.
More COVID-19 coverage:
- Calgary ICU nurse dies of apparent drug overdose after working on front lines of the pandemic
- Flight attendants exhausted by pandemic-fuelled rise in passenger bad behaviour
- John Ibbitson: Any member of Parliament who is not vaccinated against COVID-19 isn’t fit for elected office
- Listen to The Decibel: Why nursing homes in Quebec crumbled under COVID-19′s first wave
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ALSO ON OUR RADAR
Supreme Court to rule on Ontario’s move to slash Toronto city council: Canada’s top court will rule Friday on the constitutionality of Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s decision to reduce the size of Toronto’s city council during the 2018 municipal election. The 2018 campaign was already under way when the provincial legislature passed a law that reduced the number of council seats in Toronto to 25 from 47, aligning them with federal ridings.
Bombardier books US$534-million order for 20 Challenger 3500 jets: Bombardier has secured an order for 20 Challenger 3500 private jets from an undisclosed customer, an early sign that its decision to redesign that model was the right move. The deal is valued at US$534-million, based on the list price of the aircraft, the Montreal-based company said, with final prices subject to fluctuation, depending on discounts and customization requests.
COVID-19 made these homeowners leave big cities behind. As the pandemic eases, will they be back?: For many Canadians who decamped to a small town or suburb during the pandemic, it was a chance to escape the urban grind. But as cities reopen, and employers call workers back to the office, some are taking stock of their lifestyles and surroundings once again.
Books on the ground: Canada to send nine authors to mostly virtual Frankfurt Book Fair: Frankfurter Buchmesse, billed as largest event of its kind worldwide, and where Canada is this year’s official Guest of Honour, will play host to nine Canadian authors for readings and interactive appearances. Attendees include: Quebec’s Michel Jean and Alberta’s Vivek Shraya. At the fair’s grounds and digitally, Canadian culture will be in the spotlight under the theme Singular Plurality, a nod to the country’s eclecticism and multiculturalism.
MORNING MARKETS
World stocks struggle: European stocks sank to two-month lows on Friday after slides in Asia and on Wall Street, with rising euro zone inflation compounding investor fears over surging prices combining with sputtering growth. Just after 5:30 a.m. ET, Britain’s FTSE 100 fell 0.71 per cent. Germany’s DAX and France’s CAC 40 were off 0.76 per cent and 0.75 per cent, respectively. In Asia, Japan’s Nikkei finished down 2.31 per cent. Markets in China and Hong Kong were closed. New York futures were weaker. The Canadian dollar was trading at 78.76 US cents.
WHAT EVERYONE’S TALKING ABOUT
China’s use of force and coercion to drive up its COVID-19 vaccination rate is not the answer
“Vaccinating a large portion of the population against COVID-19 is a critical step toward curbing the pandemic – within China and around the world. But setting population percentage targets without clear protections for people’s rights opens up the possibility of authorities abusing the quota to force jabs. And this is exactly what has played out in recent months across the country.” - Yaqiu Wang, China researcher at Human Rights Watch.
The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed the myth of universal public health care in Canada
“Our health care system was under severe strain before the pandemic. COVID-19 has exacerbated its multiple problems and added a slew of new ones to the pile. Provincial governments eliminated thousands of acute care and ICU hospital beds after Ottawa slashed health care transfers to the provinces in the 1990s. Many provinces cut capital spending on health care infrastructure, including hospitals, after the 2008 recession and never restored it.” - Konrad Yakabuski
TODAY’S EDITORIAL CARTOON
Brian Gable/The Globe and Mail
LIVING BETTER
Fall is prime time to plant perennials, bulbs, trees and shrubs
For most avid gardeners, fall marks an opportunity to plant bulbs, perennials, shrubs and new trees. If spring is about spending time outdoors and planting, fall is perfect for making additions such as removing underperformers or diseased plants and laying a foundation for a healthy, vibrant garden in six months’ time.
MOMENT IN TIME: Oct. 1, 1962
Johnny Carson hosts first Tonight Show
Johnny Carson performs his monologue, circa 1970s.NBC / Photofest
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