A mock North Korea's Scud-B missile, right, and South Korean missiles are displayed at Korea War Memorial Museum in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2017. In a first, North Korea on Tuesday fired a midrange ballistic missile designed to carry a nuclear payload that flew over Japan and splashed into the northern Pacific Ocean, officials said. The aggressive missile launch _ likely the longest ever from the North _ over the territory of a close U.S. ally sends a clear message of defiance as Washington and Seoul conduct war games nearby. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)The Associated Press
TOP STORIES
North Korea fires missile over Japan, escalating tensions in 'grave threat'
North Korea fired a ballistic missile over Japan's northern Hokkaido island into the sea early on Tuesday, prompting warnings to residents to take cover and drawing a sharp reaction from Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. "North Korea's reckless action is an unprecedented, serious and a grave threat to our nation," Abe told reporters.
The U.S. disarmament ambassador said Washington still needed to do "further analysis" of the launch, but it will be the subject of a U.N. Security Council meeting later in the day.
Trudeau pledges to end to Indian Act in cabinet shuffle
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is pledging to end the Indian Act – legislation that currently allows the federal government to control most aspects of Indigenous life including land, band administration, resources, education and health.
The announcement came as part of a cabinet shuffle, which is part of an effort to signal the Liberal government's commitment to better the lives of Indigenous people.
Jane Philpott, the former health minister, will now oversee healthcare, clean drinking water, poor housing and other well-being issues affecting Indigenous peoples. Carolyn Bennett, who was originally in charge of the old Indigenous Affairs department, will head the job of killing the 1876 Indian Act.
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More chaos in Houston as Harvey floodwaters rise to rooflines
Floodwaters have reached the rooflines of single-storey homes in Houston and rain continues to pour down on the fourth-largest U.S. city. Rescuers raced in helicopters, boats and trucks to aid stranded citizens from the floods. The storm is responsible for at least seven confirmed deaths so far and many more people are missing. Mandatory evacuation was ordered for suburbs surrounding Houston, and questions began to swirl about why the mayor of the sprawling metropolis had not done the same.
Meanwhile, gasoline prices rose as a result of the storm's impact on the Texas refining sector, although the extent of the damage has yet to be determined.
Quebec prepares to open classrooms to children of asylum seekers
This week, Quebec will welcome the children of asylum seekers into its classrooms, one of several measures the provincial government is rolling out to accommodate the influx of people, many of whom are still living in temporary shelters.
The undertaking highlights the challenges behind the broad government effort to house, school and help sustain the high number of asylum claimants who have surged into the province. On Wednesday, Quebec will begin distributing $2.5-million in monthly welfare cheques to about 4,000 claimants. The operation is being carried out at the Montreal convention centre, known as the Palais des congrès.
Trump may begin process of pulling U.S. out of NAFTA to pressure Canada, Mexico
U.S. President Donald Trump is signalling that he might start the process of pulling his country out of the North American free-trade agreement as a way of pressuring Canada and Mexico to agree to concessions in the renegotiation of the deal.
In a highly unusual move, Mr. Trump appeared to spontaneously reveal this key part of his strategy for the ongoing NAFTA talks during an unrelated press conference Monday.
Under Article 2205 of NAFTA, any country can withdraw after giving six months' notice. Triggering the process, however, would not necessarily lead to a pull-out: It would only give the United States the option of withdrawing after the six-month period elapsed.
MORNING MARKETS
Stocks are tumbling across the globe amid rising tensions after North Korea fired a ballistic missile over Japan's northern Hokkaido island into the sea early on Tuesday, with Europe suffering hefty losses and New York set to open weaker. Tokyo's Nikkei lost 0.5 per cent, and Hong Kong's Hang Seng 0.4 per cent, while the Shanghai composite gained 0.1 per cent. In Europe, London's FTSE 100, Germany's DAX and the Paris CAC 40 were down by between 1.3 and 1.7 per cent by about 4:35 a.m. ET. New York futures were also down, and the Canadian dollar was well above 80 cents (U.S.), having dipped just below that mark at one point. Gasoline extended gains for a sixth session and crude oil traded near $47 a barrel after flooding from Tropical Storm Harvey shut refineries in Texas, with energy firms bracing for a second hit.
WHAT EVERYONE'S TALKING ABOUT
I've had it with the monument wars
"The virtuous vigilantes of the left are out to vilify all dead white males who were tainted by the common attitudes and beliefs of their time. ... Some of this revisionism is healthy. Most is not. The monument wars are also alienating millions of ordinary citizens who think history should be left alone and don't want to see their statues trampled and torn down." –Margaret Wente
Trudeau's shuffle reveals two truths about Liberal cabinet
"Monday's cabinet shuffle reveals two weaknesses in the Trudeau government: an indifferent, if reasonably stable, front bench outside its core team of top performers, and a real problem in Alberta.
An enfeebled ministry is typical of modern governments everywhere. The ever-accelerating pace of events concentrates power in the leader's office. Justin Trudeau had promised a return to true cabinet government, in which autonomous ministers operated as a powerful committee chaired by the prime minister. In reality, power rests in only a few hands. The second problem is, for Liberals, chronic. Mr. Trudeau hopes to hold and, if possible, expand his beachhead of four Alberta MPs. Instead, thanks to expulsions and shuffles, he risks losing that toehold." – John Ibbitson
Metrolinx should make decisions based on facts, not the whim of a minister
Again and again in Toronto, powerful politicians have intervened to make sure that favourite transit projects get built, whether the facts justify them or not. It really should end. Political leaders should set the broad goals of the transit system and round up the money to build it, then leave the details to the experts. A minister ought to know better than to use his muscle to favour a stop in his own backyard that might win him political advantage. – Marcus Gee
HEALTH PRIMER
A health Q&A can go a long way for your doctor
The impact our lifestyle practices have on our risk of developing a chronic disease is still a surprise to many. We make thousands of seemingly small decisions each week that hold tremendous power over our health. Recognizing the influence of daily rituals is vital to maintaining good health. Sharing these details with your clinician will affect the quality of the care you receive. – Dwight Chapin
MOMENT IN TIME
Film star Ingrid Bergman dies on her birthday
Aug. 29, 1982: Ingrid Bergman, the three-time Academy Award winner best
known for her role in Casablanca, had been battling breast cancer for almost a decade, but the Swedish-born actress didn't let that stop her from portraying Golda Meir, the Israeli prime minister, in the 1982 TV movie A Woman Called Golda. She told no one about her illness while filming the biopic, despite being in constant pain. Her daughter, Isabella Rossellini, described the role as perfect for her mother, who was constantly looking for different, intriguing parts to play: "She wanted to be without roots, free to fly everywhere." She died shortly after filming finished – on her 67th birthday. In the months after her death, she won an Emmy and a Golden Globe for her performance in A Woman Called Golda. –Rosa Saba
Morning Update is written by Megan Marrelli. If you'd like to receive this newsletter by e-mail every weekday morning, go here to sign up. If you have any feedback, send us a note.