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S&P/TSX35,041.86▼1.70%10/7USD/CAD1.43▲0.21%10/7S&P 5007,801.77▼0.22%10/7WTI$88.28▼1.30%10/7Gold$4,140.70▼1.11%10/7
Health · LawSource ✓ Justice Minister Sean Fraser's remarks as quoted · Press ✓ 6 outlets

Ottawa will not expand assisted dying to mental illness alone. The exclusion stays, with no end date

Justice Minister Sean Fraser said the government will drop the March 2027 expansion and bring in legislation to keep the ban on medical assistance in dying where mental illness is the sole basis.

The federal government has decided not to go ahead with a planned expansion of medical assistance in dying to people whose only condition is a mental illness. Justice Minister Sean Fraser made the announcement on Wednesday in the foyer of the House of Commons, saying Canada has decided not to move forward with the expansion that is scheduled in the Criminal Code. CBC News, Global News, The Globe and Mail and Toronto Life all reported it. The exclusion, in place since 2021 and renewed several times, was due to expire in March 2027. Mr. Fraser said the government will introduce legislation to keep it in force on an indeterminate basis, with a bill expected in the coming weeks.

He tied the decision to a June report of a parliamentary committee that recommended an indefinite exclusion, a recommendation co-signed by Conservative and Liberal members, and to his department's own review. "While there is not a perfect consensus on this issue," he said, "we believe this is the correct approach at this particular time." Four senators had objected to the committee process as flawed. Much of the medical community supports the decision, while some assisted-dying advocates are unhappy, and CBC reports at least one court challenge to the exclusion is pending in Ontario.

The announcement settles a question that has hung over provincial health systems for years. The Conservatives had a private member's bill on the same subject before the House on Wednesday; the outcome of that vote was not available at press time. A single-outlet report of the decision circulated earlier in the week; the minister's own remarks now confirm it.

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By the numbers
March 2027Date the current exclusion was due to expire (CBC, Global News)
2021Year Parliament first made the temporary exclusion (CBC)
4Senators who objected to the June committee process (CBC, National Newswatch)
Markets · CanadaSource ✓ Canadian Press close report · Press ✓ 4 outlets · oil and gold settlements from DailyDrop's quote feed

The TSX falls 1.7% to a two-and-a-half-month low as the loonie slips to about 70 US cents

Canada's main stock index lost 607.65 points to close at 35,041.86, a drop of 1.70% and the lowest close in two and a half months, according to Investing.com and The Canadian Press. In late-morning trading it was down 615.69 points at 35,033.82. The loonie slid to about 70.14 US cents from 70.29 on Tuesday, which works out to C$1.4257 per U.S. dollar. Investing.com attributed the currency's weakness to a stronger U.S. dollar and higher bond yields; U.S. 10-year Treasury yields were testing 24-year highs that day.

In New York the S&P 500 slipped 0.22% to 7,801.77. West Texas Intermediate settled near US$88.28, down 1.3%, and gold near US$4,140.70, down 1.1%. The TSX had risen 0.37% on Tuesday and sits below the 36,458 it closed at on Aug. 10, a record at the time.

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Word of the day
YieldMarkets

The annual return an investor earns from holding a bond to maturity, shown as a percentage. When bond prices fall, yields rise. A higher yield makes shares look less attractive and pulls money out of stocks.

Politics · UnitySource ✓ Musk's post and premiers' replies as reported · Press ✓ 5 outlets

Elon Musk calls on Quebec, Alberta and Saskatchewan to leave Canada. Premier Moe answers: "No"

Elon Musk posted on X on Wednesday that Quebec should separate from Canada and that Alberta and Saskatchewan should too, saying they would be better off, according to The Globe and Mail, CTV News and Global News. He was reacting to Quebec's premier-designate saying that his dream of Quebec independence will be realized one day. Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe quote-replied with a single word, "No." Alberta Premier Danielle Smith's office said that her government, caucus and party support Alberta remaining in Canada. Mr. Moe has called himself a committed Canadian, although he has said he would not stop residents from seeking a vote if they meet the province's rules.

The post lands 12 days before Albertans vote on whether to stay or begin a process toward a binding separation vote. Mr. Musk, who holds Canadian citizenship, had earlier said in April that Alberta should leave. Separately, Prime Minister Mark Carney said Ottawa is tracking allegations of foreign interference in the Alberta vote, the Toronto Star reported.

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Industry · TradeSource ✓ federal statements as reported · Press ✓ 5 outlets

Joly threatens the "full force of the law" over Stelco. Cleveland-Cliffs' boss rules out a government takeover

A day after giving Cleveland-Cliffs five days to explain its layoffs at Stelco, Industry Minister Mélanie Joly sharpened her tone. She said Ottawa will use the full force of the law if the company does not honour the job commitments it made under the Investment Canada Act when it bought the Hamilton steelmaker, Global News reported. CBC quoted her warning the company not to support American tariffs and then blame the job cuts on an act of God. The Globe and Mail reported that Cleveland-Cliffs chief executive Lourenço Goncalves dismissed the idea of nationalizing Stelco as Ottawa pushes to preserve jobs.

The layoffs, which the company announced on Sept. 28, affect up to 500 workers in Hamilton and Nanticoke. They begin in Hamilton on Friday.

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Politics · AlbertaPress ✓ 5 outlets · court outcome not yet known

Alberta's NDP asks a court to restore its access to the voter list. Smith says new legislation is coming

With 12 days to go before the Oct. 19 referendum, the Alberta NDP is in court over new provincial rules that limit the voter information Elections Alberta may share with political parties. Under the rules, parties receive only counts of voters by area, instead of names, addresses and phone numbers as before. The rules were issued as an order-in-council, a cabinet regulation that does not need a vote in the legislature. The NDP argues the change goes beyond the government's authority and that scrutineers, who watch the voting and counting for the parties, need full information to catch duplicate voting. A lawyer for the province told the court that scrutineers do not need that detail, because counting is the job of elections officials.

The government says the change is temporary, set to expire at the end of the year, and follows a privacy breach this spring that involved a separatist group. Premier Danielle Smith brushed off the court fight on Wednesday and said legislation to protect voters' information is coming, Global News reported. CBC reported on the application Tuesday night. No ruling had been issued by press time.

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In brief
  • Michigan Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers calls for an end to the Canada tariff fight, a break from the line from Mr. Trump, three outlets reportedThe Globe and Mail · Toronto Star · CTV News
  • Defence minister delivers a pro-Canada message in Alberta and highlights $8 billion in funding; CTV calls it a defence deal worth billionsGlobal News · CTV News
  • Joly warns Cleveland-Cliffs not to back U.S. tariffs and then blame Stelco job cuts on an "act of God"CBC News · Global News
  • Tennessee inmate Christa Pike is awake and speaking after her failed execution, her lawyers sayCBC News · CTV News
  • Israelis mourn on the third anniversary of the Oct. 7 attacks, and the date still divides Canadian campusesCBC News · Toronto Star
  • Leafs' Gavin McKenna scores his first NHL goal; Matthews wins it in overtime, 5–4 over NashvilleGlobal News · Toronto Star
  • Eva Marie Saint, Oscar-winning star of On the Waterfront, dies at 102CBC News · Global News
Seven minutes every evening, one front page — see About

Unverified — what we could not confirm

"Assisted dying for mental illness starts in March." It will not. Mr. Fraser said Ottawa will not proceed with the expansion and will legislate to keep the exclusion in place (CBC, Global News, Globe and Mail).
"Ottawa is nationalizing Stelco." No such plan has been announced. Ms. Joly threatens legal action; Cleveland-Cliffs' chief executive dismissed the idea of a takeover (Globe and Mail, Global News).
"Alberta and Saskatchewan back Musk's call to separate." Both governments rejected it: Mr. Moe replied "No," and Ms. Smith's office says it supports Alberta staying in Canada (CTV, CP24, Global News).
Glossary · dotted words — economics, law, security and science terms explained in the context of the story. The list grows every day.
INSIDEOttawa will not expand assisted dying to mental illness alone. The exclusion stays, with no end dateHealth · LawThe TSX falls 1.7% to a two-and-a-half-month low as the loonie slips to about 70 US centsMarkets · CanadaElon Musk calls on Quebec, Alberta and Saskatchewan to leave Canada. Premier Moe answers: "No"Politics · UnityJoly threatens the "full force of the law" over Stelco. Cleveland-Cliffs' boss rules out a government takeoverIndustry · TradeAlberta's NDP asks a court to restore its access to the voter list. Smith says new legislation is comingPolitics · Alberta