Good evening, let’s start with today’s top stories:
Domestic assault may have preceded Nova Scotia mass shooting, RCMP say
Nova Scotia RCMP say the the deadliest mass shooting in the country’s history began when the gunman assaulted his common-law wife, and that she escaped into the woods before he went on his bloody rampage.
It’s the first time a detailed account of the killings has been released by police, who are investigating 22 homicides committed over a huge swath of rural Nova Scotia by a 51-year-old denturist who had a collection of guns and former police vehicles.
RCMP Superintendent Darren Campbell, the officer in charge of support services for the Nova Scotia RCMP, said the woman has become a “significant key witness” in their investigation, and that she’s been cooperating while she recovers from injuries she received that night.
Nova Scotia issues emergency alert after reports of shots fired near Halifax
An emergency alert was issued in Nova Scotia, where RCMP say they are responding to reports of shots fired in a wooded area around a Halifax subdivision, and another report of gunshots in the area.
People in the area are being advised to stay where they are, and not to travel unless told otherwise.
It is not known whether anyone has been injured.
RCMP issued the alert at about 4:15 p.m. ADT, after an earlier report the RCMP were investigating unconfirmed reports of shots fired in the community of Hammonds Plains, outside Halifax.
“Police are currently on scene in the wooded area between Haliburton Hills and Highland Park Heights Subdivisions in Halifax Regional Municipality in relation to a report of shots fired. There has been an additional report of shots fired in the Omega Court area of Hubley…” the emergency alert read.
Read more:
- Nova Scotia mass shooting: What we know so far about the victims, suspect and timeline of events
- Recordings of first responders reveal frantic bid to help victims of Nova Scotia shooting
CORONAVIRUS
Ottawa will work with provinces, territories on guidelines to start reopening economy
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says some regions of the country have been hit harder during the pandemic than others and getting back to normal will not happen overnight or be as simple as “flipping a switch.”
“We are a federation and we have to adapt our response to the realities and challenges of each province and territory,” he said. “It will require a lot of co-ordination at the national level and our government will be there to do that work.”
Rather, Trudeau said the federal government would work with the provinces and territories on principles and guidelines on steps to reopen the economy.
World leaders launch initiative to accelerate fight against COVID-19; U.S. not involved
World leaders pledged on Friday to accelerate work on tests, drugs and vaccines against COVID-19 and to share them around the globe, but the United States did not take part in the launch of the World Health Organization (WHO) initiative.
The aim of what is hailed as a “landmark collaboration” is to speed development of safe and effective drugs, tests and vaccines to prevent, diagnose and treat COVID-19, the lung disease caused by the novel coronavirus – and ensure equal access to treatments for rich and poor.
Canada’s prison ombudsman says coronavirus isolation is ‘extremely concerning’ for inmates
Measures to curb the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country’s prisons violate their human rights even if authorities are acting in the context of a public health emergency, Canada’s prison ombudsman said on Friday.
In a lengthy assessment, Ivan Zinger said strict isolation of inmates has put them in difficult circumstances, although he did not address specific incidents of unrest said to be related to the pandemic.
ALSO ON OUR RADAR
Don’t do this: Don’t inject disinfectants, health officials leapt to warn on Friday, reacting to U.S. President Donald Trump’s comment that disinfectants perhaps could be injected or ingested to fight COVID-19. His suggestion even prompted the maker of Lysol to warn its product should never be used internally.
MARKET WATCH
Canada’s main stock index closed higher, with another rally in crude oil prices providing support. The S&P/TSX composite index capped a wild week by closing higher for a fifth consecutive week, gaining 169.27 points Friday at 14,420.36.The June crude contract was up 44 cents at US$16.94 per barrel.Wall Street rallied on Friday, led higher by Apple and Microsoft as investors finished a turbulent week of trading and some states prepared to relax coronavirus-related lockdowns. In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was up 260.01 points at 23,775.27. The S&P 500 index was up 38.94 points at 2,836.74, while the Nasdaq composite was up 139.77 points at 8,634.52.
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TALKING POINTS
Derek Sloan won’t be the next Conservative leader, but his populist rhetoric is still a concern
John Ibbitson: "It’s tempting to just ignore the Facebook video in which he asked of Theresa Tam, the Chief Public Officer of Health: ‘Does she work for Canada or for China?’
“But this is a difficult time. Hundreds of thousands of people have lost their jobs, leaving many angry and fearful. Most of the rest will see their standard of living decline, their taxes go up, the value of their homes decrease, their economic insecurity increase.”
COVID-19 should be a wake-up call for seniors. After the pandemic, it’s time for planning
Sandra Martin: “Having a viable plan for the rest of our lives is the best retort to our overprotective adult children. On my bucket list of things I don’t want to experience any time soon – how about never – are exotic cruises and long-term care homes.”
Gary Bettman stands firm on the idea of a DIY NHL season
Cathal Kelly: "While insisting that nothing has been decided, Bettman is on a media push to see how his decisions are going over.
The highlight is the league’s determination not to give up on the current season. If done in proper order, that would mean there’s about 3 1/2 months of 2019-20 hockey still to be played, including hurry-up training camps. If that started tomorrow – which it won’t – that would take us into August, butting the NHL up against the start of the next season."
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP, Mary AltafferMary Altaffer/The Associated Press
LIVING BETTER
Theatre mentorship website GhostLight aims to keep artists, audiences connected
Top stage talents Seana McKenna and Dion Johnstone, author Margaret Atwood and former governor-general and broadcaster Adrienne Clarkson are among the many Canadian cultural figures rallying around a new theatre mentorship website called GhostLight.
Set to officially launch in May, the online venture will provide free training to theatre artists while the country’s theatres are shut because of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as glimpses behind the curtain to curious theatregoers.
Graham Abbey, a Stratford Festival star who co-founded the site with fellow actor Dylan Trowbridge, likens GhostLight to a cross between Masterclass.com and the TV talk show Inside the Actors Studio.
TODAY’S LONG READ
First person: I’m figuring out how to teach my children about fasting for Ramadan
“Like many of my fellow Muslims, I was taught about the importance of fasting from a young age. After fasting for a few days each Ramadan, by the time I reached puberty, I was expected to partake in the ritual. My parents never threatened me or punished me into fasting. They taught by example that fasting is about empathy. Rather than through their words, they demonstrated through their actions that we fast to foster empathy. We fast to feel the hunger of the poor. We fast as a reminder that not everyone has full bellies before they go to bed or start school in the morning. We fast to increase our awareness of ourselves, our God and one another.
‘Isn’t it hard?’
‘Why do you do it?’”
Javeed Sukhera thinks back to when he first learned why he was asked to fast, what he learned from his parents and what he now needs to teach his child.
Evening Update is written by Jamie Ross. 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.
Jamie Ross