Queen condolences, jobs numbers: In The News for Friday, Sept. 9, 2022

Succession to her eldest son, now known as King Charles III, is automatic.

Testimonials from Canadian politicians poured in after the news of the Queen’s death, with Prime Minster Justin Trudeau calling her one of his “favourite people”, who served Canadians with “strength and wisdom.”

At Rideau Hall, Gov. General Mary Simon signed the book of condolences ahead of it being made available to the public. Simon, who delivered part of her tribute in her first language, Inuktitut, said people would be sharing words of remembrance in “countless languages around the world.”

An official book of condolences can also be signed online.

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Also this …

Statistics Canada is expected to release its August jobs numbers today.

The labour force survey will offer a look at the current jobs market, which the Bank of Canada has said is one of the drivers of the country’s “overheated” economy.

The unemployment rate in July was 4.9 per cent, the lowest on record with comparable data going back to 1976.

RBC is expecting that number to tick up slightly to 5 per cent, with a predicted 5,000 jobs added in August.

The survey comes days after the Bank of Canada again hiked interest rates, with economists forecasting an economic slowdown on the horizon.

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What we are watching in the U.S. …

Investigative reporter Jeff German took on the powerful in four decades of writing about the Las Vegas underworld and government corruption.

But police say it was one of his latest targets, a county administrator, who fatally stabbed German last weekend.

The killing came months after German had written about bullying, favoritism and an inappropriate relationship within an obscure public office.

Authorities said Thursday that DNA at the crime scene linked Clark County Public Administrator Robert Telles to the killing.

Police arrested him Wednesday after a brief standoff at his home. Telles was the focus of German’s reporting in the Las Vegas Review-Journal as he sought reelection.

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What we are watching in the rest of the world …

Britain’s new king prepared to meet with the prime minister Friday and address a nation mourning Queen Elizabeth II, the only British monarch most of the world had known and a force of stability in a volatile age.

The country began a 10-day mourning period Friday, with bells tolling around Britain and 96 gun salutes planned in London – one for each year of the queen’s long life.

King Charles III, who spent much of his 73 years preparing for the role, takes the throne in an era of uncertainty for both his country and the monarchy itself.

On his first full day of duties Friday, he is expected to return to London, meet Prime Minister Liz Truss, appointed just days earlier, and deliver a speech to the nation at a time when many Britons are preoccupied with an energy crisis, the soaring cost of living, the war in Ukraine and the fallout from Brexit.

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On this day in 2015, Queen Elizabeth II became the longest reigning monarch in British history, serving as sovereign for 23,226 days (about 63 years and 7 months), according to Buckingham Palace, surpassing Queen Victoria, her great-great-grandmother.

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In entertainment …

Filmmakers are challenging the way Indigenous love stories have previously been portrayed with the release of two projects that explore romantic relationships and sensuality at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival.

The film “Stellar” tells the story of two people who seek comfort and connection during a single night in a dive bar.

Writer and director Darlene Naponse says she wanted to showcase the strength of touch in community — an act that was tarnished by the abuses carried out through colonialism.

Friday marks the second day of TIFF, after Indigenous rock icon Buffy Sainte-Marie kicked off the official opening Thursday with a performance.

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Did you see this?

The Griffin Poetry Prize is doubling its purse to $130,000 by consolidating its Canadian award category into one global competition.

For more than two decades, the Griffin has annually honoured poets in two categories — one Canadian, one international — with prestigious prizes that in recent years have been worth $65,000 apiece.

The Griffin announced Thursday that it’s combining the awards into a single prize, billed as the world’s largest for a first-edition single collection of poetry written in or translated into English.

Toronto benefactor Scott Griffin dismissed concerns that the elimination of a dedicated Canadian award could hurt the chances of homegrown poets to gain recognition both nationally and in the global literary scene.

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 9, 2022.

The Canadian Press

by Canadian Press

Queen condolences, jobs numbers: In The News for Friday, Sept. 9, 2022

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