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WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
B.C. takes Alberta to court over law to restrict oil supplies to the province
The B.C. government is taking Alberta to court over a law that could reduce the export of gasoline west, saying it’s unconstitutional.
The so-called turn-off-the-taps law was passed by Alberta’s former NDP government as part of an effort to see the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion built to the B.C. coast.
Alberta premier Jason Kenney brought the legislation into force shortly after being sworn in this week, saying that, while he doesn’t intent to use it now, he will if B.C. stands in the way of the expansion.
Caster Semenya loses her challenge of new testosterone rules for female athletes
Caster Semenya, a two-time Olympic 800-metre gold medalist has lost her challenge of regulations that will force her to restrict her testosterone levels in future races The ruling did acknowledge, however, that there are “serious concerns” around the fairness of applying the new limits.
The ruling means that female athletes with naturally high testosterone levels will be forced to use medication to suppress their levels if they want to compete in several track events.
The panel of judges that arrived at the 2-1 arbitration decision includes Hugh Fraser of Canada.
Opinion: “One way or the other, the Olympic movement will be forced to declare itself here. It is about to play host to a divisive global argument about what a 'woman’ is, at least as the term applies at the highest levels of sport.” - Cathal Kelly
Read more: Canadian cyclist Kristen Worley’s memoir, Woman Enough: How a Boy Became a Woman & Changed the World of Sport, chronicles her own trailblazing path, from self-realization and transition to the battle for fair and inclusive treatment in sport.
Ottawa to exempt some oil sands projects from reviews if Alberta maintains emissions cap
The federal government will exempt non-mining oil sands projects from impact-assessment reviews as long as Alberta’s new United Conservative Party government maintains the province’s legislated cap on greenhouse gas emissions from the oil sands (for subscribers).
In documents released today, the government spells out which proposed projects would be subject to federal review under the Impact Assessment Act, a hotly contested bill that will overhaul the way Ottawa approves major resource projects.
Its decision to exempt non-mining oil sands projects avoids a bruising political battle with Premier Jason Kenney over the issue.
Opinion: “There is big difference between making the case for new pipelines and taking aim at anyone or anything that might stand in the way of them. Mr. Kenney may be giving voice to the frustrations of many Albertans. But it won’t do a thing to change anyone’s mind.” - Konrad Yakabuski
Ottawa doubles loan program for farmers hit in canola row with China
The Canadian government has unveiled a financial aid package for canola growers hit by Chinese restrictions on Canada’s biggest crop.
China has withdrawn import licences for major canola sellers, in what is believed to be retaliation for Canada’s arrest of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou at the request of the United States. Since the Dec. 1 arrest, two Canadians have been detained in China, also in apparent retaliation, and two others sentenced to death on drug-related charges.
B.C. landowners not being told property could go to First Nation
More than 3,000 private properties in British Columbia could be swept up in land claims by two First Nations, but those landowners are being kept in the dark about that possibility as Ottawa and the two bands litigate the claims:
- The Cowichan Nation Alliance has laid claim to a tract on the south side of Richmond, B.C. that includes an estimated 200 privately held properties.
- The Haida Nation is seeking title over Haida Gwaii, an archipelago off the coast of British Columbia, a decision that could affect 3,285 private properties.
It is unknown what would happen to the properties if the claims are successful. There is no previous case in Canada where a court has ordered that private property should be included in lands covered by Aboriginal title.
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ALSO ON OUR RADAR
Natural gas producer collapses: The collapse of natural gas producer Trident Exploration threatens to more than double the inventory of orphan oil and gas wells in Alberta, which is already struggling with a spike in unfunded cleanup costs (for subscribers).
Julian Assange sentenced: WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has been sentenced to 50 weeks in prison by a British court for skipping bail when he sought refuge in Ecuador’s London embassy to avoid extradition to Sweden over an allegation of rape, which he denies.
U.S. Attorney-General Barr testifies: Private tensions between US. Justice Department leaders and special counsel Robert Mueller’s team broke into public view as Attorney-General William Barr pushed back at complaints over his handling of the Trump-Russia investigation report while testifying today.
Equestrian Ian Millar retires: Canadian equestrian Ian Millar has retired from international show jumping competition, ending an illustrious career that included multiple Grand Prix titles and an Olympic silver medal in 2008 (for subscribers).
U.S. Fed holds rates steady: The U.S. Federal Reserve held interest rates steady today - despite President Donald Trump’s call for a cut - as policy makers took heart in continued job gains and economic growth (for subscribers).
U.K. politician fired over Huawei leaks: British Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson has been fired after an investigation into leaks from a secret government meeting about the Chinese telecom giant Huawei, but he denied any involvement in the case.
MARKET WATCH
U.S. stock markets fell today as comments from Federal Reserve chairman Jerome Powell cast doubt on whether the central bank’s next move would be a rate cut.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average slid 162.77 points to 26,430.14, the S&P 500 lost 22.10 points to end at 2,923.73 and the Nasdaq Composite dropped 58.13 points to 8,049.64.
Meanwhile, resource stocks pushed Canada’s main stock index lower. The Toronto Stock Exchange’s S&P/TSX composite index closed down 77.98 points at 16,502.75.
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LIVING BETTER
Whether you’re looking to put more plant-based food on your plate, or just want an easy and delicious dish for dinner tonight, check out this recipe for an Indian-inspired take on Sloppy Joes (for subscribers). Omit the butter on the buns, and you’ve got a vegan-friendly entrée to share with friends.
(Photo by Tara O'Brady for The Globe and Mail)Tara O'Brady/The Globe and Mail
LONG READS FOR A LONG COMMUTE
Tree rings show human effect on climate goes back more than a century
In 1896, Swedish chemist Svante Arrhenius made a prescient calculation that showed the vast quantities of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere by burning coal and other fossil fuels would eventually cause the planet to get warmer.
Little did he realize that the effect he described was already under way and being dutifully recorded by a ready-made monitoring system distributed around the globe in the form of trees.
Now scientists have tapped into that record and demonstrated that the human effect on Earth’s climate can be traced back to the turn of the last century, when it began leaving its indelible mark on the growth patterns of tree rings. Read Ivan Semeniuk’s full story here.
Age rings are shown on a cut section of a Coastal Redwood tree at Muir Woods National Monument in California. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
Nearly one in five new specialist doctors can’t find a job after certification, survey shows
Nearly one in five newly certified specialists cannot find a full-time job in Canada, a situation that is leading some young doctors to decamp to the United States while patients in this country languish on waiting lists.
The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada says 19 per cent of specialists who passed their certification exams in 2017 reported being unable to find a job right away, with neurosurgeons, radiation oncologists and orthopedic surgeons the likeliest to be unemployed, according to its survey results released today.
For Canadian patients who sometimes wait months or years for a coveted specialist appointment, it is difficult to understand why the health-care system is turning away eager new doctors who have more than a decade of taxpayer-supported education and training under their belts.
While doctors’ personal preferences about where to work are part of the explanation, the Royal College and other specialist leaders blame the disconnect on a shortage of public funding for necessities such as operating-room time, recovery beds and nursing support. Read Kelly Grant’s full story here.
The grim job market for orthopedic surgeons in the Maritimes is one of the reasons Daryl Dillman chose to take a year of further training as a fellow at an Indianapolis hospital. (Photo by AJ Mast for the Globe and Mail)AJ Mast/The Globe and Mail
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