By Canadian Press

In the news today: Third confidence vote today, foreign interference panel continues

Oct 2, 2024 | 1:17 AM

Here is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to bring you up to speed…

House of Commons to vote on capital gains changes

For the third time in seven days the House of Commons will vote on a confidence measure today, but this one comes from the government itself.

The Liberals have called for a vote on the proposed changes to the capital gains tax that they announced in the spring budget.

The capital gains inclusion rate was adjusted in June and the motion before the House today will allow the government to introduce the legislation to formalize the changes.

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Most Canadians who make more than $250,000 in profits in a single year from capital income like the sale of secondary properties or stock options will now pay more in tax on that income.

Interference inquiry to hear from diaspora members

A federal commission of inquiry into foreign interference expects to hear today from more than a dozen diaspora community members.

The individuals are slated to take part in a series of panels on issues ranging from civil liberties and racism to public awareness and disinformation.

The commission will also make a presentation on its public consultation process.

Officials from the RCMP and Global Affairs Canada are among those scheduled to appear later in the week.

Saskatchewan election campaign moves into Day 2

Saskatchewan’s general election campaign moves into its second day today with both main parties staking out competing visions for the province.

The Saskatchewan Party’s Scott Moe kick-started the race by promising broad-based tax relief to reduce personal income taxes.

He says the average family of four would save $3,400 over four years.

The NDP’s Carla Beck has said it’s time for change, arguing the government has been incompetent at managing money.

Beck has pledged to pause the gas tax for six months and scrap the provincial sales tax from children’s clothes and some grocery items, while not raising other taxes.

Manitoba legislature reconvenes with budget debate

Manitoba politicians are returning to the legislature today following their summer break.

The NDP government will focus part of its effort on getting its omnibus budget bill passed into law.

The bill, which enacts many of the changes in the spring budget, has come under fire from the Opposition Progressive Conservatives for being too broad.

The government inserted non-budget items into the bill, including a measure that would forbid employers from using replacement workers during labour disputes.

Ontario teacher shortage to worsen in 2027: docs

Ontario is staring down a teacher shortage as retirements and student enrolment are both on the rise, and the Ministry of Education expects the situation will start to get even worse in 2027.

The warning is contained in a series of briefing documents for the new minister of education, obtained by The Canadian Press through a freedom-of-information request.

Many school boards in Ontario and elsewhere are experiencing challenges recruiting and retaining enough qualified teachers, the document says, and in Ontario the issue is particularly felt in areas such as French and tech education.

Word of teacher supply and demand struggles is not new to the unions representing Ontario’s teachers, who say one of the main issues is working conditions, including violence in classrooms, too few special education supports, and not enough money for classroom supplies.

La Nina weather pattern could ease B.C. drought

British Columbia’s nagging drought could be eased by an incoming weather pattern that may bring a colder and wetter than normal winter, says Sean Fleming, an adjunct UBC professor of atmospheric sciences.

The prolonged drought has caused wildfires to burn year-round, forced some communities to ration water supplies and dangerously lowered water levels in rivers, impacting salmon runs.

Citing the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Fleming, who works in UBC’s Department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, said early projections show a 71 per cent chance that an La Nina weather pattern will move in.

Retiring pastor reflects on social justice efforts

After the hymns and quiet prayers of a Sunday morning, Rev. Rhonda Britton sat in the silence of her 192-year-old Black church in Halifax, reflecting on what it’s meant to guide her congregation for 17, often challenging, years.

An important moment for her congregation came last year, when New Horizons Baptist Church reopened after the COVID-19 pandemic and four years of construction, complete with new offices, comfortable chairs rather than wooden pews, and a non-profit wing dedicated to community and church programs.

The physical renewal of her church building complements the years she spent working to transform society, speaking truth to power, and battling for social justice.

Recovered Emily Carr painting heading to auction

When New York-based art dealer Allen Treibitz went to a barn sale in the Hamptons a few months ago, a painting hanging in the old structure immediately caught his eye.

The artwork depicting a carved grizzly bear atop a memorial totem pole bore the signature of iconic Canadian painter Emily Carr, but Treibitz was unfamiliar with her work and legacy. Still, he said he knew there was something special about it.

“It stood out from everything else in that barn,” the 61-year-old, who has been dealing art for more than 40 years, said in a video call.

Treibitz purchased the painting for US$50 and after doing some preliminary research he realized its value was likely much greater.

The painting will be auctioned on Nov. 20 in Toronto, with its value estimated at $100,000 to $200,000.

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 2, 2024

The Canadian Press