Good morning. A small congregation is still searching for answers after a synagogue shooting on Judaism’s holiest day of the year. More on that below, along with Parliament’s legislative changes and UN meeting updates.
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Police work the scene of a Sunday evening shooting outside the Sons of Jacob Synagogue in Belleville, Ont., on Sept. 21.Sammy Kogan/The Globe and Mail
TOP STORIES
Shooting at Belleville, Ont. synagogue on Yom Kippur
A shooting at a small synagogue on a residential street in Belleville, Ont., left a police officer in critical condition and bullet holes in the building’s stained-glass windows as worshippers gathered on Sunday night to mark Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish calendar.
The details: A 29-year-old man armed with a shotgun opened fire on a policeman stationed outside the Sons of Jacob synagogue, initiating a shootout, said Kristy Denette, spokeswoman for the Special Investigations Unit. The agency handles cases involving Ontario police that result in death or serious injury.
Watching: The suspect was also injured and is in hospital in life-threatening condition, according to the SIU. The officer, Constable Jeff Smith of the Belleville Police Service, is in critical but stable condition.
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Prime Minister Mark Carney during question period on Parliament Hill on Sept. 21.Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press
Ottawa introduces sweeping legislation on first day back
On the first day back to parliamentary sittings the federal government introduced sweeping legislative changes aimed at reducing labour disruptions in federally regulated sectors and speeding up project approvals.
The changes: The new federal review rules represent a partial dismantling of environmental policies that were previously criticized by the energy sector. At more than 240 pages, the omnibus legislation references changes to about two dozen different federal laws.
The critics: The bill’s labour code changes appear inspired by high-profile labour disruptions in recent years. And they’re drawing the ire of unions and labour experts, who say that the amendments will effectively dilute federal employees’ right to strike.
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B.C. Premier David Eby delivers remarks at the Union of B.C. Municipalities convention in Vancouver, on Sept. 18.Rich Lam/The Canadian Press
British Columbia Conservatives regroup
Four dissident MLAs are rejoining the BC Conservatives as the province’s Opposition attempts to bolster its ranks ahead of a possible snap election and just a day after its leader resigned.
Who else: Former BC Conservative leader John Rustad was also invited to rejoin the party’s caucus, just days after he was expelled by Kerry-Lynne Findlay. Her resignation followed weeks of upheaval with 13 defections or expulsions.
Opinion: Is David Eby about to gamble away his government?
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Law enforcement personnel provide security near the United Nations Headquarters in New York, on Sept. 21.LEONARDO MUNOZ/AFP/Getty Images
World leaders gather for annual UN meeting
This week’s annual high-level gathering at the UN General Assembly in New York will discuss AI, climate change and the cost of living. It will also touch on the major wars in Iran, Gaza, Ukraine, Sudan, Congo and Myanmar.
From Canada: Carney, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, European Council President António Costa and Kenyan President William Ruto are launching an effort to strengthen international co-operation called Partners for Multilateralism.
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Governor of Ituri province Gaby Kasongo Mulumba receives the first dose of the Ervebo Ebola vaccine at an Ebola vaccination center in Bunia, Congo, on Sept. 19.Dieudonne Dirole/The Associated Press
Canadian vaccine aims to fight Ebola in Congo
Congolese authorities have begun rolling out a Canadian-developed vaccine in an attempt to protect 20,000 health workers from a fast-rising Ebola outbreak, but Ottawa could be doing more to develop vaccines that are effective for the current virus, experts say.
The details: The vaccine, known as Ervebo and manufactured by Merck, was first developed at the National Microbiology Laboratory in Winnipeg. Its protective value against the Bundibugyo Ebola virus – the cause of the latest outbreak – is unknown, but health authorities have decided to try it in a large-scale study. There are no proven vaccines for Bundibugyo.
The Take
From a broader perspective, the Iran war has also shaken confidence in the Gulf’s reputation as an island of relative stability in a Middle East habitually wracked by conflict. For a country like Saudi Arabia looking to attract international investment for its Vision 2030 economic reform program, that could be a problem.
— Dennis Horak, Canada’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia and Yemen from 2015 to 2018
Saudi Arabia is caught between Iran and a hard place, writes Dennis Horak.
The Shot
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Trimming cymbals at the Sabian factory in Meductic, N.B.Chris Donovan/The Globe and Mail
This New Brunswick-based family business has been banging out cymbals for discerning clients since 1981.
The Wrap
What else we’re following
At home: Ontario says it will standardize commercial truck driver training after a scathing Auditor-General report that identified widespread issues with instruction and licensing.
Abroad: Children in Gaza have returned to in-person school for the first time in three years, though many are in damaged or makeshift school buildings and tents.
At home and abroad: A fourth Marineland whale has died after it was relocated from the shuttered Niagara Falls park.
British Columbia: The B.C. government has filed a lawsuit against OpenAI over the Tumbler Ridge mass shooting.
Deals: Denmark, Greenland and the U.S. are to sign an agreement on Greenland’s security today.
Negotiating: Mexico is charting its own path in pursuit of a trade deal with U.S., with one source confirming the desire on both sides to reach an agreement by the midterms.
Consuming: As Buy Canadian apps explode in popularity, here’s how to know which one to use.
Editor’s note: In Friday’s edition of the newsletter, we stated that Donald Trump would see Canada’s associate membership with the European Union as a hostile act. That wasn’t quite right; the U.S. President said he could see it as a hostile act. We’ve updated the newsletter accordingly.