Good evening, let’s start with today’s top stories:
Federal government to appeal court ruling that struck down Canada-U.S. refugee pact
Ottawa is appealing a court ruling that struck down the Safe Third Country Agreement on refugees between Canada and the United States, Public Safety Minister Bill Blair says.
The Federal Court of Canada ruled last month that elements of the law underpinning the pact violate the constitutional guarantee of life, liberty and security. Under the agreement, Canada and the U.S. recognize each other as safe places to seek protection.
It means Canada can turn back potential refugees who arrive at land ports of entry along the Canada-U.S. border on the basis they must pursue their claims in the U.S., the country where they first arrived.
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The Conservative leadership race: the candidates, policies and many similarities between the leading contenders
The Conservative leadership race draws to a close this weekend, with the new leader to be announced Sunday night. Former cabinet minister Peter MacKay and MP Erin O’Toole are the front-runners in what’s expected to be a close race. Lawyer Leslyn Lewis and MP Derek Sloan are also running.
Whoever wins could soon find themselves running for Prime Minister. With the WE Charity controversy and the sudden exit of former finance minister Bill Morneau weighing on his minority government, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau asked for the House of Commons to be prorogued until Sept. 23. When Parliament returns, the Speech from the Throne will lead to a confidence vote and, potentially, an election.
Read about the candidates, their policies and the challenges ahead here.
Opinion: “Canadians are not looking to relitigate old debates about abortion and same-sex marriage. They are looking for a government that can provide relief during a pandemic, sound economic policy during the recovery and a brighter future for their kids.” - Konrad Yakabuski
The latest in U.S. politics: postmaster testifies, Trump loses bid to delay handover of tax returns and more
Postmaster General Louis DeJoy was pressed about mail delivery disruptions at a Senate hearing today, and said he had “no idea” mailboxes and sorting machines were being removed, sparking a public uproar. But his responses raised fresh questions about how the Postal Service will ensure timely delivery of ballots for the November election. He told senators he has zero plans to restore the equipment removed, saying they are “not needed.”
Separately, a federal judge has denied Donald Trump’s request to delay allowing the Manhattan district attorney to obtain his tax returns while the U.S. President appeals. The judge, who yesterday rejected Trump’s arguments that the grand jury subpoena from district attorney Cyrus Vance was “wildly overbroad,” said Trump failed to justify a stay.
Last night, the Democratic National Convention wrapped up with Joe Biden vowing to end the United States’s “season of darkness” as he formally accepted the party’s nomination for president. The Republican National Convention is scheduled for next week.
Analysis: Biden’s middle-ground speech pitched him as the nation’s pastor, but will the public buy it? - David Shribman
Opinion: Saint vs. Satan: With his uplifting preacher’s sermon, Biden sets the election stakes - Lawrence Martin
Approval given to transport Putin critic to Germany for treatment after suspected poisoning
After a day of delay, allies of Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny say they have permission to transport him to a specialist hospital in Berlin tomorrow, where he will be treated after a suspected poisoning left him in a coma.
How and where Navalny would receive medical care was the subject of furious negotiations throughout today, while he remained on a ventilator and a plane sent by a German charity sat waiting.
Navalny, who gained fame by investigating and blogging about corruption among Russia’s business and political elite, is considered the biggest threat to President Vladimir Putin’s hold on power. Putin has made little secret of his animosity toward the opposition leader.
ALSO ON OUR RADAR
COVID-19 in Canada: Property owners and organizers can be fined $2,000 for hosting events in violation of public health orders in British Columbia, under stronger penalties announced today. In Quebec, a 19-year-old has died from complications linked to the coronavirus, marking the first time someone in the province under the age of 20 has succumbed to the disease.
Raptors beat Nets: The defending NBA champion Toronto Raptors beat the Brooklyn Nets this afternoon in commanding fashion 117-92, pushing their opponents to the brink of elimination with a 3-0 series lead.
Lori Loughlin, husband going to jail: Actress Lori Loughlin must serve two months in prison and her fashion designer husband, Mossimo Giannulli, must serve five months for paying half a million dollars in bribes in the college admissions scandal after a federal judge accepted the couple’s plea deal.
Megan Thee Stallion names shooter: More than a month after she was shot in the feet after a party in the Hollywood Hills, Megan Thee Stallion has said for the first time that Canadian hip-hop artist Tory Lanez was the person who pulled the trigger.
MARKET WATCH
The S&P 500 and Nasdaq closed at record highs today, as data pointed to some pockets of strength in the U.S. economy.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 190.60 points or 0.69 per cent to 27,930.33, the S&P 500 gained 11.65 points or 0.34 per cent, to 3,397.16 and the Nasdaq Composite added 46.85 points or 0.42 per cent to end at 11,311.80.
Canada’s main stock index ended with a loss on weakness in oil and other commodities. The S&P/TSX Composite Index dropped 88.91 points or 0.54 per cent to 16,517.85.
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TALKING POINTS
Why the Liberal Party has such a taste for backbiting
“It is a party where powerful men (and it is always men) constantly fight to be the alpha – harnessing different ideological strains within the large, creaking machine to undermine each other.” - Jonathan Malloy, Carleton University.
One way to save restaurants: Work where you eat
“Restaurants, bars and food halls have enough room to create co-working spaces that can be prebooked and time-allotted. A meal, a meeting and a boost to both morale and the hospitality industry.” - Amy Rosen, journalist and cookbook author
LIVING BETTER
Margaret Atwood is returning to host the next Globe and Mail Book Club and has selected as her author-guest Thomas King, winner of the Governor-General’s Award and the RBC Taylor Prize. During the livestream discussion on Sept. 24, Atwood plans to discuss an overview of King’s career, rather than focus on a specific book. Participants are encouraged to read three books: the novel Indians on Vacation, to be published this month; The Inconvenient Indian: A Curious Account of Native People in North America; and Obsidian, the latest in his Thumps DreadfulWater mystery series.
Related: You can read an excerpt from Thomas King’s The Inconvenient Indian here.
TODAY’S LONG READ
For second time in eight years, a coup in Mali has been led by a U.S.-trained soldier
For the second time in eight years, a U.S.-trained military officer has emerged as the leader of a coup in Mali, sparking new questions about the effectiveness of security training programs that Canada has repeatedly supported.
Colonel Assimi Goita, who participated in a U.S.-led training exercise last year and graduated from a separate U.S. training course in 2016, has declared himself the chairman of the junta that arrested Mali’s president and prime minister and seized control of the West African country this week.
A coup in Mali in 2012 was led by Captain Amadou Sanogo, who received U.S. training on six separate occasions. Read Geoffrey York and Steven Chase’s full story here.
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