Top Stories – Apr 11 – Rate Steady?

The Bank of Canada is expected to hold its key interest rate steady tomorrow as inflation continues to slow. So far this year, growth and job numbers are coming in stronger than expected, even as the Bank’s interest rate sits at 4.5%, its highest since 2007. In March, the Canadian economy added 35,000 jobs, bringing the total number of jobs gained over the last six months to almost 350,000.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says she’s under investigation by the provincial ethics commissioner into whether she interfered in the administration of justice in relation to a covid prosecution. Smith has faced renewed accusations of interference in the justice system after a leaked phone call was released almost two weeks ago in which she is heard discussing an active criminal case with the accused.

More than 200 Russian and Ukrainian soldiers have returned home in a prisoner swap. It was made up of 106 Russians and 100 Ukrainians. More than half of the 80 men and 20 women soldiers who returned to Ukraine have serious injuries, illnesses or had been tortured according to government officials.

There’s a growing trend of online encrypted drug dealing that a study says needs more attention by police. Richard Frank, an associate professor of criminology at Simon Fraser University says they found almost 17 tonnes of drug products were trafficked in eight markets. He says the first cryptomarket was identified around 2010, and while police work to shut down sites whenever possible, it has been “like whack-a-mole” ever since.

Alberta RCMP say an officer has died after being injured in a crash early yesterday. The officer is a member of the Strathcona County detachment, which is just east of Edmonton. Last month, two Edmonton police officers were shot and killed while responding to a family dispute.

Demographers are unsure exactly when India will take the title as the most populous nation in the world because they’re relying on estimates to make their best guess. But they know it’s going to happen soon, if it hasn’t occurred by now. Both China and India have more than 1.4 billion people, and combined they make up more than a third of the world’s 8 billion.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s chief of staff will testify this week before a parliamentary committee looking into the issue of foreign interference in Canadian elections. Katie Telford will appear at the committee on Friday after the Liberals launched a filibuster that spanned several meetings in an attempt to keep her from appearing. The committee’s study follows recent media reports that allege China tried to meddle in the 2019 and 2021 elections

Sleep County Canada says it will buy Casper Sleep’s Canadian operations. The deal comes as the number of e-commerce companies selling compressed and rolled mattresses in boxes that ship directly to customers has soared in recent years. Sleep Country bought online mattress firm Endy in 2018.

Investigators for many agencies continue looking into the circumstances where four people were killed by a lone gunman in a Louisville, Kentucky Bank yesterday. The gunman was shot by police who were on the scene within 3 minutes. Eight people including two police officers were injured, one of the officers had just been sworn in two weeks ago. There have been more than 140 mass shootings where at least four people have been killed or injured, in the United States so far this year.

Sports

At the Women’s World Hockey Championships in Brampton, two late goals including a controversial one from the Americans tied the game against Canada at 3 and sent it to overtime and then a shootout with Canada winning 4-3. We’ll play in the quarterfinals on Thursday.

The Vancouver Canucks began their final road trip of the season in Los Angeles last night with a 3-0 loss. They’re in Anaheim tonight at 7.

Toronto Blue Jays have their home-opener just after 4 today as they begin three games against Detroit. So far this season the Jays have six wins and four losses.