Good morning. Canada’s freedom of information watchdog is calling on the federal government to stop relying on legal exemptions to wrongly withhold records. More on that below, plus the latest on ceasefire negotiations in the Middle East and updates from the Alberta Health Services investigation. Let’s get to it.
The Peace Tower on Parliament Hill in Ottawa.Justin Tang/The Canadian Press
TOP STORY
Ottawa abusing access to information law, watchdog says
The latest: The Information Commissioner says some federal departments are abusing exemptions to Canada’s access to information law as an excuse to withhold documents. Information Commissioner Caroline Maynard said there should be a presumption in favour of releasing information, rather than withholding it.
What’s next: By the end of June, the watchdog had an inventory of 2,294 complaints that had yet to be determined. Maynard thinks the exemption should be rewritten, and that an update to the Access to Information Act is long overdue.
Smoke rises in Gaza City Sunday.Dawoud Abu Alkas/Reuters
World
Israel and White House working on ceasefire plan
The latest: The military wing of Hamas said on Sunday that it had lost contact with two Israeli hostages held in Gaza City. They called on Israel to pull troops back and suspend air strikes to retrieve the captives. The Israeli military did not directly comment on the request but made clear it had no plans to halt its advances.
What’s next: The fate of the two hostages could cast a shadow over the meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday. In today’s White House meeting, Trump is expected to share a new proposal for ending the conflict.
What else: Netanyahu broadcast his UN speech to Gaza, but most residents couldn’t hear it. Check back here for breaking news and context.
Chef Zach Keeshig pours dry ice over his famous Chaka Tart with Sour Cherry Gelee called the "misty" at Naagan Restaurant.Chloe Lukas/The Globe and Mail
How We Live
This Indigenous chef is working for a Michelin star
The latest: Zach Keeshig wants to be the first Indigenous chef in North America to earn a nod from Michelin, the restaurant-rating juggernaut. At his restaurant, Naagan, you can enjoy a meticulously plated 12-course journey through his Ojibwa heritage. But the barrier to his goal is not the quality of his dishes, it’s the lack of familiarity with Indigenous cuisine among the culinary cognoscenti.
What’s next: Despite the roadblock for young Indigenous chefs, Keeshig’s ambitions are global. This fall, he is off to Greece and New York, eager to collaborate with any open-minded chefs he can find. As for Indigenous food on Uber Eats? Perhaps, after the star.
What else: Basque-style pumpkin cheesecake is the easiest dessert you’ll make this fall.
Investigation
AHS officials were also directors at company tied to supplier
The latest: Two of the most senior purchasing officials at Alberta Health Services in 2022 were also briefly directors of a numbered company with ties to a supplier that has been awarded hundreds of millions of dollars in business by the health agency, The Globe and Mail has found.
What was found: Corporate filings show that in October, 2022, Jitendra Prasad and Blayne Iskiw – both of whom then worked as senior procurement officials at AHS – were directors of a numbered company with a person named Khalil Mraiche. Two people by that name are relatives of Sam Mraiche, the owner of MHCare Medical Corp., an equipment and drug supplier that has done more than $600-million in business with the Alberta health authority since the pandemic.
What’s next: Probes are being conducted by the RCMP, a retired judge – who is leading an inquiry on behalf of the Alberta government – and the province’s Auditor-General.
Last week: A Globe and Mail story published last week disclosed for the first time the details of a separate 2024 conflict-of-interest review ordered by Athana Mentzelopoulos, the authority’s then chief executive officer. That inquiry looked at Prasad’s and Iskiw’s ties to private companies during their time in AHS’s purchasing department, and focused largely on their relationship with a private surgical provider.
Foreign businesses face backlash across Africa
The latest: A growing number of Africans are resentful of the expanding presence of Chinese traders in markets and shops, and the mood has triggered a surge of protests, arrests, government restrictions and social-media outrage. China has rapidly become the biggest trading partner of most African countries, but at a grassroot level, the dramatic growth of Chinese shopkeepers and small mining companies is increasingly controversial.
What else: Taiwan has signalled that it is willing to use its dominance of the semiconductor-chip industry as a pressure tactic against countries that challenge its geopolitical interests. Taipei sent shock waves through South Africa last week when it announced restrictions on its chip exports to the country, triggering fears of massive job losses in South African factories.
Back home: Geography and destiny — Can Canada truly spurn the U.S. and be more European?
Bookmarked
- World news: Moldova’s pro-EU party trounced the pro-Russian opposition in a high-stakes election.
- Baseball: Alejandro Kirk’s grand sense of occasion gives Blue Jays licence to soar, as they clinch the division crown after 13-4 win over Rays.
- Sculpture: A Montreal artist is suing San Francisco over its plans to remove his public piece.
- For your finances: How the Canadian stock market became great again.
- Conversation starter: A climate activist went to jail for vandalism, but found compassion among his cellmates.
The Quote
My performances changed after phones with video cameras were introduced. It was detrimental to my enjoyment of a show, because I was thinking about the fact someone could watch it later and I would start doubting myself and not performing in a free and open manner.
Musician John Samson Fellows and a growing number of Canadian artists seek to foreground togetherness, and encourage sustained attention. They are “ticket masters” on a different scale: Canadian musicians are doing shows their own way.
The Shot
Research is nascent, but psychedelics have been linked to all kinds of potentially positive outcomes, including relief from anxiety, depression and PTSD.Illustration by Myriam Wares
The executives and entrepreneurs are not all right – and an increasing number of them are turning to psychedelic treatments to help cope with the chaos.