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A Hong Kong national-security officer threatened a Hong Konger seeking refuge in Canada after he went back on a deal to spy for China on the prodemocracy movement in Vancouver, according to an audio recording obtained by The Globe and Mail.
In a February, 2024 recording of the telephone conversation provided to The Globe, an unnamed national-security-department officer complains that the man is not “co-operating with us” and issues veiled threats: “How is your life? … You will have consequences.” The Globe is not identifying the individual whose family is at grave risk in Hong Kong.
This is one of the rare instances where a recording has surfaced of someone being intimidated in Canada by a Chinese state-security official. Dissidents, however, have been warning for years that Beijing has been bullying Hong Kong prodemocracy supporters as well as Uyghurs, Tibetans and Falun Gong practitioners abroad.
Edmund Wan, who is also known as "Giggs," poses for a photograph in Vancouver, on May 12, 2023.DARRYL DYCK/The Canadian Press
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New populist parties exploit economic stagnation in South Africa
The eroding popularity of the African National Congress, which has ruled the country since apartheid ended in 1994, is opening the door for a new era of coalitions in South Africa, featuring a slew of smaller parties that never had a taste of power before. The ANC is still projected to win Wednesday’s election, but it seems likely to fall below 50 per cent for the first time in a national vote.
While the ANC can maintain its grip on national power by negotiating a deal with one or two moderate parties, it will struggle to form coalitions in key regions such as Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal, the two most populous provinces, where its support has sharply deteriorated.
This, in turn, could give lucrative leverage to the Patriotic Alliance and other small parties. The PA has already tested the strategy at the municipal level. In Johannesburg last year, the party manoeuvred itself into an ANC-led coalition government – and now the PA’s Kenny Kunene, known as the “Sushi King,” is in charge of the transport portfolio in the country’s biggest city, giving him control of bus and road contracts.
Supporters watch on while waiting for President of the ruling African National Congress (ANC) and South African President, Cyril Ramaphosa to speak during the ANC Siyanqoba Rally held inside at FNB Stadium on May 25, 2024 in Johannesburg, South Africa.Chris McGrath/Getty Images
SickKids’ new partnership with nearby hospitals has reduced surgical waiting times by 10 per cent for patients
In an effort to get its backlogs under control to reduce waiting times for surgery, diagnostic assessments and specialist appointments, Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children has been trying new, innovative approaches – and they’re starting to bear fruit.
Children and teens across Canada still face long waits, a reality that was exacerbated by the pandemic and is putting the long-term health of many pediatric patients at risk. But this month, the number of children waiting for surgery has fallen below 6,000 for the first time since November, 2022.
The exterior of the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, is photographed on Jan. 21, 2021.Fred Lum/The Globe and Mail
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Also on our radar
Palestinian medics say Israeli air strike kills 22 in Gaza’s Rafah as displaced people are hit: Palestinian medics said an Israeli air strike killed at least 22 people Sunday when it hit tents for displaced people in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, and “numerous” others were trapped in the flaming debris.
Critically endangered orcas in B.C. are struggling to navigate in a sea of shipping noise: Our need for transportation and shipping is causing a kind of pollution that’s invisible (and in this case, inaudible) to humans. What does all this noise mean for the 75 or so Southern Resident Killer Whales left in existence?
With a glut of office space, Windsor is betting on new measures to lure tenants back downtown: Cities across Canada may be struggling with the same problem of empty downtown office buildings, but Windsor, Ont., stands far apart with the country’s highest commercial vacancy rate – and it has now embarked on an ambitious plan to reverse the fortunes of its blighted core.
Commercial real estate’s last best hope, industrial and storage properties, hit by oversupply – and investors are spooked: Two years into the most intense campaign of interest rate hikes in decades, commercial real estate’s last bastions of support are faltering, with industrial and storage property owners succumbing to oversupply and slowing demand.
Canada making progress in creating flourishing hydrogen sector, but some challenges remain: Canada’s goal of creating a flourishing hydrogen sector is making progress, with tax credits likely to become law in the next few months.
B.C. wireless ultrasound maker Clarius gets boost from deal with Swiss drug giant Novartis: Swiss pharma giant Novartis AG has struck a deal with Vancouver medical device maker Clarius Mobile Health Corp. to put hundreds of its wireless hand-held ultrasound scanners in the hands of rheumatologists across Canada, enabling quicker diagnoses of a common form of arthritis.
Morning markets
Trading on global markets was muted today with U.S. and British markets closed for public holidays as investors take a cautious stance ahead of key inflation data from the United States and Europe later this week.
Overseas, the pan-European STOXX 600 inched higher by 0.06 per cent in morning trading. Germany’s DAX rose 0.16 per cent while France’s CAC 40 advanced 0.17 per cent.
In Asia, Japan’s Nikkei closed 0.66 per cent higher at 38,900.02, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng gained 1.17 per cent to 18,827.35.
The Canadian dollar was trading at 73.21 U.S. cents.
What everyone’s talking about
Canada needs to seize a global LNG export opportunity
“The rise of LNG as a key component of global energy markets is not just a fleeting trend; it’s a clarion call for Canada to act swiftly and decisively. The question is not whether Canada should join the LNG export race, but how quickly we can take the lead.” – Lance Mortlock
Caitlin Clark’s arrival brings much-needed theatre and pettiness to the WNBA
“In the pictures, Clark is shown slumped so far back in her seat that she is practically horizontal – a pose that suggests she is trying not to soak up all the attention while simultaneously not wanting to seem too cool for everyone else at school. Those are some awkward photos.” – Cathal Kelly
Today’s editorial cartoon
David Parkins/The Globe and Mail
Living better
This Father’s Day, put your best and most groan-worthy dad joke to the test
Both funny and groan-worthy, everyone has their own favourite dad joke, the one that they pull out on extra-long road trips or at the dinner table on holidays. And now, we want you to put it to the test. We’re asking readers to share the dad jokes that elicit the hardest eye rolls among friends and family. Are you a pun master? A wordplay savant? Is there a joke passed down between generations? We want to hear from you.
The best jokes will go head to head against a collection of AI-generated dad jokes in a quiz, so bring your best, and be unique. Share your best dad joke below, or by sending an e-mail to audience@globeandmail.com.
Moment in time: Famous Dutch-Canadians
Fort Chambly, by Cornelius Krieghoff.Supplied
For more than 100 years, photographers and photo editors working for The Globe and Mail have preserved an extraordinary collection of news photography. Every Monday, The Globe features one of these images. This month, we’re showcasing the relationship between Canada and the Netherlands.
The positive influence of Dutch-born Canadians has been prevalent for hundreds of years, as seen in luminaries ranging from Olympic medallists (Ted-Jan Bloemen) to army generals (Roméo Dallaire). In the field of arts, one of the first influencers was painter Cornelius Krieghoff, born in Amsterdam in 1815. After a peripatetic life, including moving to Montreal in 1846 and Toronto in 1847, he eventually settled in Quebec City for 11 highly productive and profitable years before leaving in 1862. Originally known for his sketches, he turned his attention to oils and became known as a genre painter. Krieghoff found inspiration in the Quebec countryside and the rich colours of its landscapes and ordinary people enjoying themselves amid the vivid scenery. His works now fetch hundreds of thousands of dollars, but at one time he sold his paintings door-to-door in Montreal for $5 to $10. Many art critics believe his paintings are the foundation of Canadian art. Philip King.
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