Good evening, let’s start with today’s top stories:
The European Union’s smallest country, Malta, this week declared it had achieved herd immunity – a rare victory in the continent’s 15-month battle against COVID-19.
The rest of the world will be watching Malta closely, wondering whether its declaration of victory is premature. Several countries with high vaccination rates – among them Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Seychelles and Chile – are struggling to contain new COVID-19 surges even though the math says they should be on the verge of herd immunity, which is defined as the level at which enough people have been vaccinated to stop the virus from spreading. Among the most vaccinated countries, only Israel, where 57 per cent are fully vaccinated, is not seeing new outbreaks.
Herd immunity is proving frustratingly elusive, with many epidemiologists, virologists and public-health officials warning that it may come a lot later than expected – or not come at all – making summer opening plans uncertain.
Read more:
Trudeau backs Biden effort to identify origin of COVID-19
Canadian-made COVID-19 vaccine trial in N.S. having trouble finding participants
Opinion: Older Canadians should be getting their second vaccine doses, right now
People wearing protective face masks walk in the city main street as non-essential shops and services reopen for business after a seven-week-long shutdown because of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, in Valletta, Malta April 26, 2021. REUTERS/Darrin Zammit LupiDARRIN ZAMMIT LUPI/Reuters
Liberals’ new greener-homes grant aims to boost energy efficiency – and attract climate-friendly voters
The federal Liberals are launching what is likely to be one of their more crowd-pleasing climate-related programs, despite criticism from experts about how effective it will be.
Six months after it was first promised in the fall economic statement, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced today that his government is ready to start giving Canadians up to $5,000 for energy-efficiency retrofits to their homes.
Digital services tax could raise more revenue than Ottawa forecast, PBO says
The federal government’s plan for a new digital-services tax on multinational corporations could generate almost a billion dollars more in revenue than expected, according to a report from Parliamentary Budget Officer Yves Giroux.
Canada is proposing a 3-per-cent tax on revenues collected from Canadian users by online companies such as Google and Facebook that have worldwide revenues of at least €750-million and Canadian revenues of more than $20-million. Ottawa has said the tax would apply to social-media companies, as well as online marketplaces and advertising services.
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ALSO ON OUR RADAR
Ontario teachers, families struggle with uncertainty over return to classrooms: With only a month left in the Ontario school year, some parents, teachers and doctors are voicing their frustration with the uncertainty of whether students will be able to return to their classrooms. The government is expected to announce whether in-person classes will resume before the end of the school year by June 2, when the province’s stay-at-home order lifts.
Canadian film industry a picture of health in the pandemic: It’s anything but quiet on the set these days in Canada. Diligent (and expensive) adherence to health and safety protocol has film and television production surging during the virus’s persistent third wave and with low reports of COVID-19 incidents.
Maple Leafs can exorcise playoff demons with overdue series win: The Toronto Maple Leafs have a chance to win their first playoff series in 17 years tonight and move a little closer to winning the franchise’s first Stanley Cup in 54 years in Game 5 of their series against the Montreal Canadiens. The Leafs lead the series 3-1.
MARKET WATCH
Canada’s main stock index closed at its third straight record high today, boosted by gains in the energy sector as well as better-than-expected earnings for three major banks. The S&P/TSX Composite Index rose 0.15 per cent to 19,774.41.
On Wall Street, U.S. stocks advanced slightly, as data showing improvement in the labour market helped bolster expectations in the economic recovery. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.4 per cent to 34,459.77, the S&P 500 gained 0.11 per cent to 4,200.8 and the Nasdaq Composite dropped 0.01 per cent to 13,736.38.
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TALKING POINTS
Why Quebec’s Bill 96 is a gift to Alberta’s Jason Kenney
“[Jason Kenney] insists the province has not received a fair shake in Confederation, especially given its outsized economic contribution to the country. He set up a Fair Deal Panel to explore ways Alberta might better assert its independence in a manner that gives it greater control over its destiny. ... Now the Premier has Bill 96 to wave around and possibly a new slogan: What’s good for Quebec should be good for Alberta.” - Gary Mason
How many more Joyce Echaquans must lose their lives before real change comes?
“The inquest heard that Ms. Echaquan and members of her community were afraid to go to the hospital because of the reputation of the nurses. Imagine, being petrified of hospitals because of racism – in Canada.” - Tanya Talaga
LIVING BETTER
Going solo: How to set yourself up for financial success if you’re single
How much does it cost to be single? And how do you set yourself up for financial success with half the earning power? On this episode of the Stress Test podcast, we hear from a 34-year-old woman who experienced a breakup and realized the importance of having financial independence regardless of her relationship status – and figured it out. Plus, Rob Carrick speaks to Bridget Casey, founder of personal-finance blog Money After Graduation, for money advice specific to singles.
TODAY’S LONG READ
A old-growth logging protester waits to be loaded into a police vehicle after RCMP made more than 25 arrests outside an exclusion zone near the Caycuse river on southern Vancouver Island on Tuesday, May 25, 2021.Jesse Winter/The Globe and Mail
Fairy Creek blockade 2021: What you need to know about the anti-logging protest in B.C.
Since last week, RCMP have arrested more than 100 people blockading logging roads in a Vancouver Island valley, in a protest that is shaping up to be the largest act of civil disobedience over logging in British Columbia in decades. Much of it is taking place in Premier John Horgan’s riding. As Mr. Horgan’s government drafts a new old-growth forestry model for the entire province, the battle over Fairy Creek is putting a spotlight on the management of a shrinking base of ancient forests.
Evening Update is written by 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.