Good morning,
These are the top stories:
In counting domestic-violence deaths, Canada’s records don’t add up
Nadia El-Dib, 22, was the lively middle child of four daughters. She was studying to be a legal assistant at the South Alberta Institute of Technology. She dreamt about going to law school.
On March 25, 2018, Ms. El-Diblm left a Calgary shisha bar with Adam Bettahar, an ex-boyfriend. Her body was found hours later in a suburban backyard. She had been shot twice and stabbed more than 40 times.
Her family didn’t know that her ex-boyfriend had been harassing her after their break-up.
Ms. El-Dib’s family now wants to raise awareness of domestic violence. But the way that data on these crimes is gathered in Canada makes this hard. As researchers seek to create a national database of domestic homicide data, varying privacy legislation and recording practices across provinces stand in the way.
Trudeau owns up to missteps over SNC-Lavalin as Scheer calls for investigation
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau recognized he made mistakes in handling SNC-Lavalin’s call for a settlement on fraud and bribery charges, but dismissed the Conservatives Party’s claim that the actions were criminal.
Mr. Trudeau previously refused to apologize after Ethics Commissioner Mario Dion released a report that found the Prime Minister violated the Conflict of Interest Act in his dealings with the Quebec engineering firm.
Conservative Party Leader Andrew Scheer yesterday called on the RCMP to revisit the report, noting there are strong grounds for a probe into whether the Prime Minister obstructed justice.
Meanwhile, SNC-Lavalin’s credit rating was downgraded to junk status by Standard & Poor’s, which cited the potential for the company to lose more money on construction and engineering contracts.
Elections Canada defends rules on climate change ads
Elections Canada has stood by its policy that to run election ads about climate change, environmental groups will have to follow rules that some critics say would silence them.
Earlier this summer, Maxime Bernier, leader of the People’s Party of Canada, expressed doubt over whether climate change is human-caused or requires urgent action. As a result, groups that, during the campaign, promote the broad scientific evidence that there is a growing climate crisis will fall under Elections Canada rules, requiring them to register with the agency, submit audits of activity and name their donors.
Responding to Elections Canada’s latest rule, Gary Mason writes: "Scientific fact should not be considered partisan, whether it aligns with a particular party’s views or not.”
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ALSO ON OUR RADAR
Hong Kong leader pushes for dialogue over protests: Chief Executive Carrie Lam confirmed the government would “immediately” set up a platform to talk with protesters and probe complaints against police.
Federal Court approves Indian day schools class-action settlement: Survivors will be able to apply for individual compensation for harms, including physical and sexual abuse, connected to attending one of the federally run institutions.
NYPD officer in Eric Garner’s death fired: After a five-year investigation, Daniel Pantaleo was sacked over the 2014 chokehold death of an African-American man whose dying words “I can’t breathe” became a rallying cry for anti-police brutality protesters.
Ford government criticized over close lobbyist ties: The president of the Cambridge Progressive Conservative Riding Association says it is “alarming” that the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party’s election-readiness committee is dominated by lobbyists, according to a copy of an e-mail obtained by The Globe and Mail.
U.S. prisons chief removed after Epstein’s death: U.S. Attorney-General William Barr removed Hugh Hurwitz yesterday amid mounting proof that guards at Epstein’s jailhouse neglected their responsibility to keep him from ending his life.
Twitter, Facebook take down fake Chinese accounts to undermine Hong Kong protests: The social media giants said yesterday they had dismantled a state-backed online campaign that was traced to China.
MORNING MARKETS
Stocks muted
European shares followed their Asian counterparts higher on Tuesday as investors bet possible monetary and fiscal stimulus measures would help stave off a major global economic downturn. Tokyo’s Nikkei was up 0.5 per cent, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng was down 0.2 per cent and the Shanghai Composite was down 0.1 per cent. In Europe, London’s FTSE 100, Germany’s DAX and the Paris CAC 40 were up between 0.1 and 0.3 per cent at 6 a.m. ET. New York futures were up marginally. The Canadian dollar was at 75.05 US cents.
WHAT EVERYONE’S TALKING ABOUT
Why Tories backtracked on private school tax credit
John Ibbitson: “As Canada becomes ever-more culturally diverse, the number of parents who want to send their students to independent schools is bound to grow. But beyond the philosophical question of to what extent public funding should support independent schools, there is a major problem with the tax credit: It would mark a new and dangerous intrusion by the federal government into an area of provincial jurisdiction.”
As champions of liberty, G7 leaders must speak out on Hong Kong
Colin Robertson: "As the guardians of international covenants and the rules-based order, G7 leaders have a duty to Hong Kong. As the champions of democracy they have an obligation to tell Chinese leadership that we value not just economic liberties but political ones as well.”
Why Donald Trump may dodge a recession
Niall Ferguson: “Elected to the most powerful job in the world, [Donald Trump] has spent the past two and a half years not just flapping his wings, but wildly swinging his fists, as if intent on starting a global tornado. And yet the consequences of the gorilla’s antics have been remarkable for their smallness. Prophesies of political and financial disaster have proved wrong. Until now.”
TODAY’S EDITORIAL CARTOON
By David ParkinsDavid Parkins/The Globe and Mail
LIVING BETTER
Many children get nervous about the first day of school.
The best way to stop children from stressing is to recognize their feelings and tell them that it’s normal. Remind them that they have successfully managed new situations before. If they are nervous about meeting new people, do some “First Day of School” role play.
For more tips on how to help kids cope with back-to-school stress, read here.
MOMENT IN TIME
Eaton’s files for bankruptcy
TO42:RETAILING-EATONS:TORONTO,ONTARIO,27FEB97 - One of Canada's oldest department store retailers, Eaton Co Ltd, said on February 27 it had filed for codepurt protection from its creditors as it tries to restructure its retail operations. The privately-owned Toronto based company said it also had arranged C$55 million in new financing from a major financial institution. The company's flagship store at Toronto's Eaton Center is shown here February 27. mb/ Photo by Mike Blake REUTERSMike Blake/Reuters
Aug. 20, 1999
“Rags to riches to rags. That’s what it is,” is how one passer-by described the history of Eaton’s to a Globe and Mail reporter, as the news spread of the 130-year-old retailer’s bankruptcy. What started with Timothy Eaton’s 1869 purchase of a dry-goods store in downtown Toronto, would eventually build a family fortune and a brand embedded in Canadian culture. Canadian children’s classic The Hockey Sweater is based on a mixed-up order from (what else?) the Eaton’s catalogue. The chain eventually grew so large it represented more than half of all retail sales in Canada, and employed 70,000 people. But by the 1990s, competition in the retail market had intensified and Eaton’s was racking up losses. After a 1997 restructuring, the chain focused on high-end fashion in an attempt to attract younger shoppers. It didn’t work. Late on a Friday night, Eaton’s management found out a potential buyer for the company was pulling out of talks. Within a week, Eaton’s announced it would seek creditor protection. New owner Sears Canada would fail in its attempt to give the brand a second, hipper life with a lower-case E and no apostrophe. By 2002, Eaton’s – or eatons – was no more. -- Susan Krashinsky Robertson
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