Morning Update: India won’t assist probe into Sikh activist’s slaying until it sees evidence, High Commissioner says

Good morning,

India is not co-operating with the RCMP’s investigation into the murder of a Sikh separatist leader in B.C., despite contentions from a federal official that India is aiding the probe, the country’s High Commissioner to Canada says.

Additionally, Sanjay Kumar Verma told The Globe and Mail that India will not be providing information to investigators until Canada shares evidence it has gathered into the slaying of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was gunned down in Vancouver on June 18, 2023.

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Ottawa to extend foreign homebuyers’ ban for two more years

Ottawa is extending its ban on foreign ownership of Canadian housing for two more years, though housing experts argue the measure won’t make homes more affordable for average Canadians families.

Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland announced Sunday that the government plans to to continue the ban, which had been set to expire next year, to January, 2027. Two weeks ago, the federal government announced a cap on international students allowed into Canada, another attempt to improve the housing crisis by restricting demand for Canadian homes from outside Canadian borders.

The federal government introduced legislation to close the door on foreign ownership in 2022, preventing any non-Canadian businesses, as well as individuals who are not Canadian citizens or permanent residents, from buying homes in cities or towns across the country. The ban also included vacant land that was zoned residential.

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U.S. warns of further retaliation if Iran-backed militias continue their attacks

The United States is warning Iran and the militias it arms and funds that it will conduct more attacks if American forces in the Mideast continue to be targeted, but that it does not want an “open-ended military campaign” across the region.

The White House national security adviser delivered the warning during a series of interviews with TV news shows after the U.S. and Britain on Saturday struck 36 Houthi targets in Yemen. The Iran-backed militants have fired on American and international interests repeatedly in the wake of the Israel-Hamas war.

Meanwhile, Palestinian gunmen kept up attacks against Israeli forces on Sunday in the Gaza Strip’s two main cities, weeks after they were overrun by troops and tanks, in a sign Hamas still maintains some control ahead of any potential truce.

Read more:

• A look at the key players in the Middle East conflict as fears of an all-out regional war grow
• An argument over the Middle East conflict leaves a Jewish student hospitalized in Berlin
• Latest wave of U.S., Britain strikes on Yemen’s Houthis had support of Canada

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London, Ont., police to address sex-assault charges against five former world junior hockey players for first time

The case involving five players on Canada’s 2018 national junior hockey team accused of sexual assault will make its first appearance in a London, Ont., courtroom today, signifying a new phase in a multiyear scandal that has enveloped the national game.

The initial court appearance marks the beginning of what is expected to be a lengthy legal process examining a 2018 incident, where a young woman alleges she was sexually assaulted by multiple players after a Hockey Canada fundraising event. London police will then hold a news conference Monday afternoon, addressing the charges for the first time.

Police have charged five members of the 2018 team with sexual assault, including several who recently played in the NHL prior to taking leaves from their respective teams. The five players are Michael McLeod and Cal Foote of the New Jersey Devils, Carter Hart of the Philadelphia Flyers, Dillon Dubé of the Calgary Flames, and Alex Formenton, a former member of the Ottawa Senators who has played the past two seasons in Switzerland. Mr. McLeod also faces a second charge of being party to sexual assault.

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Also on our radar

Colorado Democrats plead for federal action as migrant surge tests ‘more humane approach’ to newcomers: With nearly 4,000 people in shelters, and more coming by the day, the city of Denver estimates US$180-million in spending on migrants – about 10 per cent of its entire municipal budget – this year alone. Nathan VanderKlippe reports on a city overwhelmed and divided on how to treat the huge numbers of people crossing into the U.S.

The 2024 Grammys: Best, worst and most quotable moments: The performance by Joni Mitchell at this year’s Grammy Awards was expected. The appearance of another Canadian icon was a shocker. “I love you right back,” Celine Dion said to adoring, visibly gobsmacked fans including Taylor Swift and Miley Cyrus. Public appearances are rare for the singer who suffers from stiff person syndrome, a neurological disorder that has her career in limbo.

Inflation’s last mile to Bank of Canada’s 2-per-cent target could be a long and winding road: After surging to a four-decade high in 2022, the annual pace of inflation in Canada is back within striking distance of the Bank of Canada’s target. The key question now is how long it will take to traverse the final leg down.

Canada tops China in global rankings for battery supply chains, research firm says: Canada dethroned China last year as the world’s most promising jurisdiction for manufacturing lithium-ion batteries such as those used in electric vehicles, according to a global ranking released Monday.

ESG isn’t dead, it’s just evolving: ESG is dead. Long live ESG. The acronym, encompassing environmental, social and governance principles, has gone from the hottest finance trend to a topic best avoided at some business gatherings in three short years.

Morning markets

Markets waver: World stocks wavered on Monday, pulled in different directions by a scorching U.S. jobs report that dashed expectations of a near-term interest rate cut from the U.S. Federal Reserve, geopolitical tensions and volatile trading in China. Around 5:30 a.m. ET, Britain’s FTSE 100 edged up 0.33 per cent. Germany’s DAX rose 0.03 per cent while France’s CAC 40 slid 0.07 per cent. In Asia, Japan’s Nikkei added 0.54 per cent. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng lost 0.15 per cent. New York futures were negative. The Canadian dollar was lower at 74.16 US cents.

What everyone’s talking about

I started a business, I did everything right, and I still failed

“If I had better understood the inequalities in entrepreneurship, I would have been more prepared for the challenges I faced, and less anxious and less stuck in my head. Today, a decade later, I don’t believe we’re much further along in discussing these realities. Too much of the focus is on cultivating an entrepreneurial mindset rather than focusing on the challenges and inequalities that can shape the experience of business owners and affect their success.” – Rob Csernyik

Stagnant investments in training and research compromise Canada’s economic growth

“Canada faces the reality that our stagnant approach to investing in training and R&D is jeopardizing the attraction and retention of talent. There are approximately 300,000 graduate students (doctoral and master’s) and post-doctoral scholars (researchers with a PhD) across this country. They work full-time conducting research while training to be leaders in technology, innovation and education. They tackle some of the world’s greatest challenges, including curing disease, mitigating climate change, designing electric vehicles, creating resilient economies and building livable societies.” – Marc Johnson

Today’s editorial cartoon

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Living better

Valentine’s Day gift guide: 10 thoughtful Canadian finds to spoil your loved ones

Whether you’re celebrating Valentine’s or Galentine’s Day, here are 10 style-conscious gift ideas from Canadian makers and brands. Starting at $14, here’s a thoughtful find to fit every budget, and one splurge that will show loved ones that they’re always on your mind, any time of day.

Moment in time: June 2, 1954

Violet King, the first Black woman admitted to the Alberta Bar, and to practice law in Canada

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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 unsung firsts for Black Canadians.

Violet King, the first Black woman to become a lawyer in Canada and the first Black graduate of the University of Alberta’s law school, was a pioneer through and through. She descended from parents and grandparents who moved from the U.S. to the prairie north of Calgary in the early 1900s. Those who survived the winters, isolation and racism were the makers and dreamers. That’s what Ms. King was, said Jo-Anne Henry, her daughter. “She knew in high school she wanted to be a criminal lawyer at a time when there were no lawyers that she could see who looked like her.” Ms. King was called to the Alberta Bar in 1954. “People told me it wasn’t a good idea for a girl to be a lawyer, particularly a coloured girl, so I went ahead,” she said. She practised law in Calgary and Ottawa before moving to the U.S. to become an executive with the YMCA. She died of cancer in 1982 at age 52. Eric Atkins.

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