Good morning. A mechanism that was introduced to improve the justice system is now being criticized for potentially denying justice to victims. More on that below, plus Ukraine peace talks and updates on the trade war. Let’s get to it.

The latest: Strict criminal trial deadlines, known as Jordan deadlines, are derailing about 10,000 cases a year, according to the latest Statistics Canada data. Among them are hundreds of sexual assaults and eight homicide cases. Especially in such cases, stays or withdrawn charges can cause anguish for victims.

Context: Canada’s justice system has been plagued by delays for decades. In the landmark 2016 Jordan decision, the top court created make-or-break deadlines for criminal trials. Unless there are exceptional circumstances, criminal trials must be completed in provincial courts within 18 months from the day a person is charged, and within 30 months in superior courts.

What’s next: The federal government and the three biggest provinces are calling on the Supreme Court to provide some leeway on Jordan deadlines. The case is to be heard in Ottawa on Thursday. Ottawa is also planning to table legislative changes by mid-December to address serious cases tossed because of unreasonable delays.

The latest: U.S. and Ukrainian negotiators met in Florida as President Donald Trump seeks to broker peace deal. Officials from both countries spoke on Sunday aiming to find an endgame to the war between Russia and Ukraine. Diplomats have focused on revisions to a proposed U.S.-authored plan that was developed in negotiations between Washington and Moscow.

Context: Right before the weekend, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced the resignation of his chief of staff, Andrii Yermak, after Yermak’s residence was searched by anti-corruption investigators. Yermak was also the country’s lead negotiator in talks with the U.S.

What’s next: The high-level negotiations in Florida came days before Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, will be in Moscow to meet with Russian leader Vladimir Putin.

The latest: Multitasking is bad for our brains and our work. The constant overwhelm can lead to cardiovascular stress and even a state of a high-functioning depression. The Globe spoke with Israa Nasir, a New York-based therapist and author of Toxic Productivity, about the cultural pressure to multitask and a newer shift toward “mono-tasking” instead.

What’s next: Sometimes the performance pressure of the holidays can outweigh the pleasure. But writer Tara O’Brady has some ideas to shed the worry of entertaining while keeping its glow by subtracting before you add. Here’s why you shouldn’t host like a pro this season.

The latest: Over the weekend, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith walked a thin line at the annual United Conservative Party convention trying to appease pro-independence sentiment in the room while also touting a new energy deal with Ottawa. She also leaned on ideas using the Alberta Sovereignty Within a United Canada Act, which has not been tested in court.

What’s next: Ottawa says it is “not impossible” to maintain a tanker ban in Northern B.C. waters while building a new oil pipeline to its coast from Alberta, and that talks are being prepared to discuss a potential way forward.