Good morning. The grandmother of two Nova Scotia children, who have been missing since May, is calling for a public inquiry into their disappearance. More on that below, plus looking ahead to Trump-Putin peace talks and Atlantic Canada’s wildfires. Let’s get to it.
Belynda Gray looks at photos of the children while sitting at her kitchen table in Middle Musquodoboit, N.S. on Aug. 1.Darren Calabrese/The Globe and Mail
TOP STORY
Grandmother of Jack and Lilly Sullivan calls for public inquiry
The latest: Belynda Gray says Nova Scotia’s child protection system needs to lift the veil of secrecy around how the provincial government responded to concerns about the home life of her grandchildren, Jack, 4, and Lilly, 6. She also says the RCMP need to explain how they handled the early stages of their investigation.
Context: Two Nova Scotia children, Jack and Lilly Sullivan, have been missing since May. The Globe and Mail previously reported that a child protection worker visited the children’s home in Lansdowne, N.S., in the months before their disappearance, after concerns were raised by someone at their school, but the findings of that investigation are shielded by privacy laws.
RCMP: The Mounties have consistently said they have not uncovered any evidence the children were abducted, and stand by a decision not to issue an Amber Alert when the children first went missing.
Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) and U.S. President Donald Trump shake hands before a meeting in Helsinki on July 16, 2018.BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/Getty Images
World
European allies want Ukraine’s involvement in Trump-Putin peace talks
The latest: European countries have rallied behind Ukraine, saying there can’t be peace without Kyiv’s involvement in talks, ahead of an upcoming meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin. Trump suggested a peace deal could include the “swapping of territories” between Russia and Ukraine, to end the war.
What’s next: Trump announced the “highly anticipated meeting” on Truth Social last Friday, which was the deadline he had set for Putin to agree to a ceasefire or face sanctions. The sit-down is set to take place on Friday, Aug. 15 in Alaska.
On the ground: Ukraine’s military said on Sunday that it had struck an oil refinery in Russia’s Saratov region in an overnight drone attack.
The shift from high school to postsecondary can bring a wave of emotions for parents, regardless of whether their child is moving away for school.Illustration by Salini Perera
How We Live
Tips to help prepare your teen for postsecondary life
The latest: In a few weeks, many parents will be sending their teens to college or university for the first time – whether their kid is heading to a school far from home or staying in the nest (for now). Experts say part of the purpose of first year is for students to experiment and figure things out as they go, but we have some tips to share for how parents can guide and support them through the transition.
What else: We asked students themselves: What is it really like to be a modern university student? And what advice do you wish you received?
Shopping: What items your freshman student really needs for their dorm
Opinion: The art of letting go as our kids venture into adulthood
Immigration
Ottawa has yet to launch program for granting residency to low-wage workers
The latest: After announcing a new immigration stream last year to grant permanent residency to low-wage workers already in Canada, Ottawa has yet to formally launch the program. It was not included in last month’s version of the government’s forward regulatory plan, which details coming changes to federal immigration rules and programs over the next three years.
The context: The plan for low-wage workers was informally announced in April, 2024. Consultations were set to begin last year on amending immigration laws. The program was meant to target TEER 4 and TEER 5 jobs; examples of those occupations include delivery service drivers, caregivers, and food production and retail workers.
Wildfires
Grief and uncertainty in Newfoundland, as fires grow
The latest: Crews are battling four fires across the province which have forced hundreds of people to evacuate their communities. The largest fire originated in Kingston on the Avalon peninsula and had grown to nearly 5,000 hectares by Sunday morning, Premier John Hogan said in a press briefing. Meanwhile, dry conditions have prompted Nova Scotia officials to ban most activities in the woods on provincially-owned land.
What else: The Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre declared the 2025 wildfire season the second-worst on record, topped only by the fires of 2023. So far this year, fires have covered 72,000 square-kilometres, about the size of New Brunswick, the agency said.
Bookmarked
- Middle East: Israel has stepped up its Gaza bombing, killing six journalists
- Politics: Métis Nation of Ontario received nearly $1-billion in federal funding over 20 years, data show.
- For your finances: The USMCA agreement may be circling the drain. Time to fill the trade sink elsewhere, writes Eric Reguly.
- Conversation starter: Why the em dash is attracting unfair suspicion.
- Sports: The tennis world hails Victoria Mboko’s meteoric rise.
The Quote
By simply appearing in masculine spaces, Mr. Trump was able to win a battle for the hearts of young men that the Democratic Party largely appeared uninterested in fighting for at all.
Sam Eagan, a New York-based journalist covering politics, sports and masculinity, writes about how the UFC became America’s most important (and misunderstood) political powerhouse.
The Shot
From left to right: Chef Hugh Corcoran, Lady Frances Armstrong-Jones and Oisín Davies at The Yellow Bittern restaurant in London.Betty Laura Zapata/The Globe and Mail
The Yellow Bittern is a retro restaurant and communist kitchen with a few simple rules: Don’t be a freeloader, no cellphones, no meals on evenings or weekends. Britons are delighted – when they’re not offended.