Good evening,
So far this year, more residents of B.C. have died due to drug overdoses than COVID-19.
Since the novel coronavirus came to B.C. at the end of January, 167 British Columbians have died of complications from the virus.
Meanwhile, in the month of May alone, at least 170 provincial residents died from drug overdoses.
The BC Coroners Service reported the grim statistic today on the public-health epidemic of overdoses. Those deaths have been fueled by the “extreme” concentrations of fentanyl in the illict drug supply, which in turn has been exacerbated, authorities say, by the COVID-19 pandemic. Closed borders and other public-health measures brought in to slow the spread of the virus have disrupted the supply chain and caused the drugs to be cut with different substances and increased their toxicity.
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ALSO ON OUR RADAR
Problems in the police force: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he still has confidence in RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lucki, though he disagrees with her about the extent to which the Mounties are affected by systemic racism. Trudeau said police forces need to address their racism. Lucki, in an interview with The Globe and other media outlets yesterday, said she “struggled” with the term systemic racism and thought there were no widespread issues within the force.
Remembering Chantel Moore: A young indigenous woman who was killed by police in New Brunswick was remembered for her warm smile and kindness to family members at a funeral service today. A coroner’s inquest has now been called into Moore’s death.
The debate on Parliament Hill: Trudeau also rejected a call for the House of Commons to resume more-frequent sittings. He also blamed the Conservatives for torpedoing the government’s hastily introduced bill that included jail terms for fraudulent Canada Emergency Response Benefit claims; it also included new payments for Canadians with disabilities. The Conservatives said they rejected the bill only because they weren’t given enough time to debate it.
The rise in the coronavirus: And as the Canadian and U.S. governments decide whether to reopen the border between the two countries, Canada may have reason to be cautious: a new analysis indicates cases of the novel coronavirus are still on the rise in half of U.S. states.
MARKET WATCH
Canada’s main stock index dropped on Thursday as falling oil prices hit energy stocks. The S&P/TSX Composite Index lost 4.1 per cent% to 15,050.92
On Wall Street, all three major U.S. indexes plummeted as investors reacted to fear of a second virus wave and a gloomy economic outlook by the Federal Reserve. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 6.88 per cen% to end at 25,132.25 points, while the S&P 500 lost 5.87 per cen% to 3,002.97 and the Nasdaq Composite dropped 5.19 per cent to 9,500.39.
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TALKING POINTS
The World Health Organization’s main job is communication. It flubbed that, again
“That’s what makes this miscommunication so particularly egregious: the WHO is supposed to be a trusted global source for accurate information about what we know, or don’t, about COVID-19. If it can’t do that properly, where will we look for guidance during coming second waves and global efforts like vaccine coordination and distribution? The WHO is only as useful as the credibility it wields, and that credibility takes a hit with mistakes like this.” – Robyn Urback
Reconciliation means Canadians have a duty to remember the injustice of residential schools
“That most Canadians will never know about the [Independent Assessment Process] is a travesty. Without abundant data – to add a quantifiable dimension to the horrors of residential schools and remind us of the consequences of racist public policy – we fear that more tragedies are inevitable.” – Cindy Hanson and Leah Levac
LIVING BETTER
The pandemic has most Canadians spending more time at home than ever before, and one consideration is the quality of air you’re breathing. Here are some options to make sure you’re not getting as much mould, dust and pollen in your lungs as you were before.
TODAY’S LONG READ
Getting tired of COVID-19? Wouldn’t a good movie take your mind off the pandemic? Well, how about a movie about ... the pandemic? Studios are racing to produce the first true Hollywood blockbuster about this real-life disaster, with Michael Bay possibly the first to begin shooting a story about life in lockdown later this month. Before fictional films are released, though, there will be the wave of documentaries. Globe and Mail film writer Barry Hertz has more.
Evening Update is written by Chris Hannay, with Omair Quadri. If you’d like to receive this newsletter by e-mail every weekday evening, go here to sign up. If you have any feedback, send us a note.