In the news today: Toronto Police investigate protest that led to cancelled reception

Here is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to bring you up to speed on what you need to know today…

Toronto Police reviewing protest that prompted cancellation of PM’s reception

Investigators with the Toronto Police are reviewing whether illegal activity occurred during a weekend protest that led to the cancellation of a reception hosted by the prime minister for a visiting G7 leader, the force said Sunday.

The Saturday evening event at the Art Gallery of Ontario was meant to cap off a day of meetings between Justin Trudeau and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in Toronto, but it was abruptly cancelled after demonstrators shouting pro-Palestinian slogans blocked entrances to the building and prevented many attendees from getting in.

Trudeau’s office said Saturday neither he nor Meloni were able to enter the venue, which briefly went into lockdown. International Development Minister Ahmed Hussen was seen walking for two blocks with a police escort to find an unoccupied entrance.

BoC to announce rate decision as economy weakens

The Bank of Canada is expected to maintain its key interest rate at five per cent this week and continue preaching patience to those eagerly awaiting rate cuts.

The central bank on Wednesday will likely give more clues on how the latest inflation and GDP figures will inform its path on interest rates.

The Canadian economy grew at an annualized rate of one per cent in the fourth quarter, which exceeded economists’ expectations and the central bank’s forecast.

Here’s what else we’re watching …

City of Prince Rupert says 19 eagles dead at landfill due to ‘deleterious’ substance

The City of Prince Rupert says 19 eagles are dead after someone dumped an unknown “deleterious substance” at a local landfill on Friday.

The city says it’s investigating and trying to identify the substance while the clean up began the day it was discovered.

It says it also hired an environmental consultant to help identify the substance and help with a “long-term action plan.”

The city says the spill happened at the facility’s liquid waste site and was contained to a pond and didn’t spread elsewhere throughout death of the eagles was “devastating” and felt deeply by staff.

Montreal winter second-warmest on record

From a green Christmas to a hibernating bear’s early wake-up, Montreal’s 2023-24 winter season has been the second-warmest since record-keeping began in 1871, an Environment Canada meteorologist said.

Gregory Yang said the mean temperatures for December, January and February were each approximately four degrees warmer than the “climatological means” recorded over the 30-year period between 1981 and 2010.

Yang said the city experienced a record-breaking high of 14.9 degrees on Feb. 27, and the overall winter temperature was surpassed only by the 2001-2002 season.

“The records go back since 1871, so that’s pretty long,” he said.

No carbon rebate worries those with low incomes

Some low-income residents in Saskatchewan say they’re worried they won’t be able to make ends meet if they don’t get the federal government’s carbon rebates.

Ottawa has said it will no longer send rebates to Saskatchewan residents, because the province has stopped remitting the federal carbon levy on natural gas.

The province denies people are better off with the rebates, saying people spend more on levies than what they get back.

Federal byelection in O’Toole’s former riding

A federal byelection is being held today in the Ontario riding of Durham to fill the seat left vacant by former Conservative leader Erin O’Toole.

O’Toole served as official Opposition leader from August 2020 until February 2022 and left his seat last spring. He was first elected as a member of Parliament in 2012.

Jamil Jivani, a lawyer and commentator, is running for the Conservatives to replace O’Toole.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Mar. 4, 2024.

The Canadian Press