Good morning. Sources shed a little light on Ottawa’s process to find a new envoy to Beijing. More on that below, along with updates on WestJet resuming operations and how to include fun on your agenda.
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Martin Cauchon is pictured in 2015 in Quebec City.Jacques Boissinot/The Canadian Press
TOP STORIES
Carney looks to influential outsiders for Beijing embassy
Three sources told The Globe that Martin Cauchon, a former Liberal cabinet minister and vice-chair of the Canada China Business Council lobby group, is under consideration to be Ottawa’s envoy to Beijing – and that he has said he’s up for the job.
The others: The sources say other high-profile names that have been under consideration include Canadian Olympic Committee chief executive officer David Shoemaker, former Newfoundland and Labrador premier Brian Tobin and former B.C. premier Christy Clark.
The context: The government is expected to name a new ambassador to China in the coming weeks. Both countries are working to mend fractured diplomatic and economic ties while Prime Minister Mark Carney has set out to double non-U.S. exports globally over the next decade.
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WestJet flight attendants strike at Vancouver International Airport in Richmond, B.C., on Sunday.ETHAN CAIRNS/The Canadian Press
WestJet’s strike is over, but delays are not
Flight attendants with WestJet are returning to work following a roughly one-day-long strike. The Canadian Union of Public Employees said in a news release on Monday that a tentative agreement will be presented to its members for a ratification vote, but details of the deal were not immediately available.
The passengers: The company cautioned that travellers’ patience would still be required in the coming days. Those flying with WestJet won’t likely be accessing flights any time soon as the airline says it will take several days to get up and running.
Canada slashes its UN peacekeeping forces
Ottawa’s decision to slash its troop contribution to United Nations missions is sparking concern that the cuts will undermine its new Africa strategy and jeopardize its long-standing peacekeeping traditions.
The details: By the middle of next year, Canada will withdraw its peacekeepers from UN missions in Congo, South Sudan, Kosovo and Cyprus and sharply reduce its role in a multinational mission in the Sinai, the Department of National Defence said.
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Smoke rises from the Bradley Creek wildfire, as seen looking northwest from the city of Vernon, B.C., on Aug. 1.BC Wildfire Service/Reuters
B.C. wildfires force more evacuations
Wildfires burning around Okanagan Lake have forced more evacuation orders and alerts. Many residents rushed to escape over the weekend as prolonged drought in the region and strong winds helped the fires spread.
Elsewhere: Europe is sweltering through a hot summer, as is the U.K., which recorded its driest July in nearly two centuries. Firefighters are still battling major wildfires in Greece and France.
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The Eccleston family decided to inject more joy into the calendar. They play together on a playground in Guelph, Ont., on July 18.Gabriel Hutchinson/The Globe and Mail
Can you actually ‘schedule’ fun?
Canadians spend a meagre 1.3 per cent of each day on hobbies, arts and leisure, according to Statistics Canada. So, while scheduled fun might sound like an oxymoron, families can often end up deprioritizing downtime activities, according to Ann Douglas, Ottawa Valley-based author of Happy Parents, Happy Kids.
The trend: As the pace of modern life accelerates, more families are deliberately setting squares aside on the calendar for unstructured days with no goals or agendas. Turns out, the downtime accomplishes something important: relaxation.
The Take
The sight of one of Canada’s richest people musing publicly over how to deny democratic representation to the elderly while quintupling it for the wealthy got a lot of folks fairly riled up.
— Andrew Coyne, Globe columnist
One person, one vote is a basic democratic principle. We should try it some time, writes Andrew Coyne.
The Shot
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Artist Bria Fernandes stands in front of her mural Dreamscape, in Winnipeg.EBUNOLUWA AKINBO/The Globe and Mail
Bria Fernandes is bidding farewell to Winnipeg, but her paintings and murals are a lasting love letter that have helped define the city’s soul.
The Wrap
What else we’re following
At home: Canada’s next journey to space is about to begin as Joshua Kutryk, a 44-year-old native of Fort Saskatchewan, Alta., prepares for liftoff.
Abroad: U.S. President Donald Trump said that talks with Iran were “going on right now” but Iran denied that any negotiations were being held.
Play: The European soccer body has threatened FIFA with legal action over its president’s failed plan to sell a stake in future World Cup profits to private investors.
Game: Consumer electronics from cellphones to gaming devices are getting more expensive as data centres that power AI drive up the cost of memory.
Remote investment: More Canadian cottage buyers plan to sell their property, instead of owning it for the long haul and passing it down.
Remote care: A breakdown in dental care in the Northwest Territories has prompted governments consider dental therapy as part of the solution.