Business – Brandon Sun

Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Sean Fraser responds to a question during question period in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2022. As Canada plans to significantly ramp up its immigration levels in the coming years, some policy experts are worried about potential effects on health care, housing and the labour market. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

Liberal minister says Canada needs more immigration as targets get mixed reviews

Nojoud Al Mallees, The Canadian Press 5 minute read Friday, Jan. 13, 2023

OTTAWA - As Canada plans to significantly ramp up its immigration levels in the coming years, some policy experts are worried about potential effects on health care, housing and the labour market.

But Immigration Minister Sean Fraser insists that Canada needs more newcomers to address labour shortages and demographic changes that threaten the country's future.

"If we don't continue to increase our immigration ambition and bring more working-age population and young families into this country, our questions will not be about labour shortages, generations from now," Fraser said in an interview with The Canadian Press.

"They're going to be about whether we can afford schools and hospitals."

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Designer Thom Browne bests Adidas in court battle of stripes

Larry Neumeister And Jocelyn Noveck, The Associated Press 4 minute read Preview

Designer Thom Browne bests Adidas in court battle of stripes

Larry Neumeister And Jocelyn Noveck, The Associated Press 4 minute read Thursday, Jan. 12, 2023

NEW YORK (AP) — Smiling, fashion designer Thom Browne emerged from a New York courthouse Thursday victorious over sportswear giant Adidas in a grand battle over signature stripes.

Browne told The Associated Press that he hopes the preservation of his striped designs on luxury athletic clothing and accessories inspires others whose work is challenged by larger clothing producers.

“It was important to fight and tell my story," Browne told The Associated Press after a Manhattan federal court jury sided with him. Adidas had claimed that the striped designs used by Thom Browne Inc. were too similar to its own three stripes.

“And I think it’s more important and bigger than me, because I think I was fighting for every designer that creates something and has a bigger company come after them later,” he said.

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Thursday, Jan. 12, 2023

Fashion designer Thom Browne, right, arrives at Manhattan federal court in New York, Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Shaw sees revenue, income decline in first quarter of fiscal 2023

The Canadian Press 2 minute read Preview

Shaw sees revenue, income decline in first quarter of fiscal 2023

The Canadian Press 2 minute read Thursday, Jan. 12, 2023

CALGARY - Shaw Communications Inc. says revenue for its first quarter ended Nov. 30, 2022 saw revenue decrease by 1.2 per cent year over year.

The Calgary-based company says net income for the quarter was down 14.3 per cent, with earnings per share at 34 cents, down from 39 cents a year earlier.

Shaw added approximately 13,800 new wireless customers, driving wireless service revenue up by 5.4 per cent to $252 million. Wireline revenue was down 2.7 per cent to $1.03 billion.

The company says it received an extension from the Toronto Stock Exchange to hold its annual general meeting as late as April 11 as it waits for news on whether its takeover by Rogers Communications Inc. will go through.

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Thursday, Jan. 12, 2023

A Shaw Communications sign is shown at the company's headquarters in Calgary, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2015. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh

Burning Man latest foe of ‘green energy’ project in Nevada

Scott Sonner, The Associated Press 4 minute read Preview

Burning Man latest foe of ‘green energy’ project in Nevada

Scott Sonner, The Associated Press 4 minute read Thursday, Jan. 12, 2023

RENO, Nev. (AP) — Add Burning Man to the list of plaintiffs challenging one of the growing number of “green energy” projects in the works in Nevada.

Lithium mines aimed at boosting production of electric vehicle batteries and geothermal power plants that tap underground water to produce renewable energy are at various stages of planning and development in the nation’s top gold mining state.

Environmental groups, Native American tribes and ranchers are among those who’ve filed lawsuits over the past two years seeking to block individual projects.

They say that while they support reductions in greenhouse gas emissions to help combat climate change, the commercial developments on public land in Nevada were approved illegally and will have their own environmental and cultural consequences.

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Thursday, Jan. 12, 2023

How technology used by NASA on Mars could reduce emissions from Canada’s oilsands

Amanda Stephenson, The Canadian Press 4 minute read Preview

How technology used by NASA on Mars could reduce emissions from Canada’s oilsands

Amanda Stephenson, The Canadian Press 4 minute read Thursday, Jan. 12, 2023

CALGARY - The same technology used to search for signs of ancient life on Mars could be key to reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the Canadian oilsands.

At least that's what members of the Pathways Alliance — an industry consortium of this country's six largest oilsands companies — appear to believe. On Thursday, the group announced Impossible Sensing Energy, the Calgary-based affiliate of U.S. space exploration company Impossible Sensing, as the winner in an industry-sponsored global competition aimed at helping to accelerate the widescale use of steam-reducing technologies in oilsands operations.

The company won with a proposal to use optical imaging technology, adapted from its Sherloc system currently installed on the Mars Rover, in an oilsands application.

Just as optical imaging can be used to search for faint traces of potential carbon-based past life on Mars, it can also detect precise amounts of carbon-based solvents in the oil production stream, said Ariel Torre, co-founder and CEO of Impossible Sensing Energy.

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Thursday, Jan. 12, 2023

The Sherloc technology currently installed on the Mars Rover is shown in a handout photo. Proponents say the same technology that is used to search for signs of ancient life on Mars can be used to help decarbonize the oilsands. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-NASA/JPL **MANDATORY CREDIT**

New, taller Barbie doll is aimed at kids as young as 3

Leanne Italie, The Associated Press 4 minute read Preview

New, taller Barbie doll is aimed at kids as young as 3

Leanne Italie, The Associated Press 4 minute read Thursday, Jan. 12, 2023

NEW YORK (AP) — Love her or loathe her, Barbie has been transformed again, this time into a version for children as young as 3.

Gone is the contentious hourglass figure for My First Barbie, which launched Thursday ahead of July's live-action film about the icon starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling.

The slightly softer-bodied Barbie follows on the high heels of tall, petite and curvy iterations that were released five years ago in a massive makeover.

My First Barbie is 13.5 inches tall, 2 inches taller than traditional Babs, with a larger waist that de-emphasizes the bust line (it remains in place, however), and flesh-tone modesty undergarments permanently attached.

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Thursday, Jan. 12, 2023

This image released by Mattel shows a child playing with Teresa, a My First Barbie, a new doll made specifically for children as young as 3. It is 13.5 inches tall, with a broader waste that de-emphasizes the bust line, with flesh-tone modesty undergarments permanently attached. (Mattel via AP)

US official warns of risks posed by heavy electric vehicles

Tom Krisher, The Associated Press 4 minute read Preview

US official warns of risks posed by heavy electric vehicles

Tom Krisher, The Associated Press 4 minute read Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2023

DETROIT (AP) — The head of the National Transportation Safety Board expressed concern Wednesday about the safety risks that heavy electric vehicles pose if they collide with lighter vehicles.

The official, Jennifer Homendy, raised the issue in a speech in Washington to the Transportation Research Board. She noted, by way of example, that an electric GMC Hummer weighs about 9,000 pounds (4,000 kilograms), with a battery pack that alone is 2,900 pounds (1,300 kilograms) — roughly the entire weight of a typical Honda Civic.

“I’m concerned about the increased risk of severe injury and death for all road users from heavier curb weights and increasing size, power, and performance of vehicles on our roads, including electric vehicles,” Homendy said in remarks prepared for the group.

The extra weight that EVs typically carry stems from the outsize mass of their batteries. To achieve 300 or more miles (480 or more kilometers) of range per charge from an EV, batteries have to weigh thousands of pounds.

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Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2023

FILE - Jennifer Homendy of the National Transportation Safety Board speaks during a news conference, Oct. 3, 2019, in Windsor Locks, Conn. On Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2023, Homendy, the chairwoman of the National Transportation Safety Board, said she is concerned about the risk that heavy electric vehicles pose if they collide with lighter vehicles. (AP Photo/Chris Ehrmann, File)

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Film helps renew search for 1st Black Navy pilot’s remains

Thalia Beaty, The Associated Press 3 minute read Preview

Film helps renew search for 1st Black Navy pilot’s remains

Thalia Beaty, The Associated Press 3 minute read Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2023

The film “Devotion” reignited efforts to repatriate the remains of Jesse Brown, America's first Black Navy pilot, who died in 1950 after having to crash land his damaged plane during the Korean War.

Fred Smith, the founder of Memphis-based FedEx, financed the film about Brown because he thought Brown deserved wider recognition, a feeling his surviving relatives share, and lobbied the Trump administration to support the search efforts after consulting with Brown’s daughter, Pamela.

“I’m still determined to try to get Jesse Brown home and put him where he ought to be in Arlington (National Cemetery),” Smith said. “Among the other heroes of the republic next to his wingman, Tom Hudner.”

Smith's daughters, Rachel and Molly, who produced the film, met members of Brown's family at the 2018 funeral of Hudner, who received the Medal of Honor after attempting to rescue Brown. Hudner returned to North Korea in 2013 in an attempt to locate Brown's remains, but was unsuccessful.

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Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2023

FILE - This circa 1950 photo provided by the U.S. Navy shows Jesse Brown in the cockpit of an F4U-4 Corsair fighter at an unidentified location. In December 2022, FedEx founder Fred Smith gifted the proceeds from the film “Devotion,” which he financed, that tells the story of groundbreaking Naval aviators Brown and Thomas Hudner. The proceeds will fund in part scholarships for the children of Navy service members studying STEM. (U.S Navy via AP, File)

U.S. travel problems affecting transborder flights: Air Canada, WestJet

Tara Deschamps, The Canadian Press 4 minute read Preview

U.S. travel problems affecting transborder flights: Air Canada, WestJet

Tara Deschamps, The Canadian Press 4 minute read Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2023

TORONTO - Air Canada and WestJet encouraged travellers headed to or from the U.S. to check their flights before going to the airport after a key computer outage at the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration caused delays.

WestJet said six flights were delayed Wednesday morning because of the computer outage and none were cancelled, while Air Canada said the outage would have an effect on its transborder operations, but that it was not possible to determine the extent of the delays.

The FAA issued a grounding order for all departing aircraft Wednesday morning due to a problem with what is known as the Notice to Air Missions System (NOTAMs). The order remained in place until just before 9 a.m. ET.

Before commencing a flight, pilots are required to consult NOTAMs, which list potential adverse impacts on flights, from runway construction to the potential for icing. The system used to be telephone-based, with pilots calling dedicated flight service stations for the information, but has moved online.

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Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2023

People travel to the United States of America at Pearson International Airport in Toronto, Friday, Dec. 3, 2021. Air Canada warned travellers to check their flights before heading to the airport as troubles caused by a key computer outage at the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration caused delays. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette

Canada cheers USMCA win as Trudeau wraps Mexico visit singing praises of free trade

James McCarten, The Canadian Press 6 minute read Preview

Canada cheers USMCA win as Trudeau wraps Mexico visit singing praises of free trade

James McCarten, The Canadian Press 6 minute read Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2023

MEXICO CITY - Canada and Mexico basked Wednesday in the glow of a major trade win over the United States as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau wrapped up a trilateral summit aimed at charting a course for North American excellence.

The dispute panel's decision, telegraphed for months but only released once the summit was over, declared the American interpretation of foreign content rules for autos "inconsistent" with the terms of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement.

The ruling put a bow on Trudeau's final day in the bustling Mexican capital, which happened to be all about shoring up Canada's economic and diplomatic ties with Mexico, a relationship too often obscured by the country that separates them.

"We're going to look forward to working with the United States — that's what this dispute settlement process is all about," said International Trade Minister Mary Ng, who was among those travelling with Trudeau.

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Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2023

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador walks with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as he arrives at the National Palace for the North American Leaders Summit Tuesday, January 10, 2023 in Mexico City, Mexico. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

Q&A: FedEx founder, veteran Fred Smith offers unusual gift

Thalia Beaty, The Associated Press 6 minute read Preview

Q&A: FedEx founder, veteran Fred Smith offers unusual gift

Thalia Beaty, The Associated Press 6 minute read Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2023

Fred Smith, the founder of FedEx, believes that if you've done well, you should give back to the public interest.

The 78-year-old Marine Corps veteran stepped down as FedEx's CEO last year, but remains its executive chairman. The billionaire rarely publicizes his and his family's philanthropic donations, but agreed to speak about a recently announced gift to the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation that he and the foundation estimate could grow in value to $65 million over time.

“The thing that’s interested me are the institutions and the causes not the naming or the recognition,” Smith told The Associated Press.

The structure of the gift is unusual. Smith, who says he's “the biggest movie mogul nobody’s ever heard of,” financed the production of the film “ Devotion,” which tells the story of two Navy pilots in the Korean War. Jesse Brown, the first Black man to be a pilot in the Navy, and another naval aviator, Tom Hudner, flew together in a mission near the Chosin Reservoir in North Korea in 1950.

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Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2023

Parks Canada says decision to restrict private vehicles at Moraine Lake necessary

The Canadian Press 5 minute read Preview

Parks Canada says decision to restrict private vehicles at Moraine Lake necessary

The Canadian Press 5 minute read Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2023

LAKE LOUISE, Alta. - A decision to restrict personal vehicles at one of the most popular tourist destinations in Banff National Park was required to balance the growing number of visitors with protecting the environment, says a Parks Canada official.

The federal agency announced Friday that it was closing the Moraine Lake road to most personal vehicles and would require visitors to take its shuttles, local transit, or commercial vehicles to visit the iconic blue alpine lake and its nearby climbing routes and hiking trails.

Environmental groups said it's a good start to protect the ecological integrity of the national park, while some — including some Alberta politicians — said it could reduce visitor access to the popular tourist area.

Premier Danielle Smith said she's disappointed the province wasn't told about the decision.

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Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2023

Paddle boarders are seen on Moraine Lake in Lake Louise, Alta., in June 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward

Via Rail apologizes for holiday travel disruptions, communication failures

The Canadian Press 2 minute read Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2023

MONTREAL - Via Rail Canada is apologizing to travellers for extensive delays and cancellations over the holiday period as it offers refunds and travel credits.

Railway CEO Martin Landry says in a statement that beyond not having met the expectations of customers, Via Rail has not lived up to its own standards.

The railway says the combination of a severe winter storm and the derailment of a freight train led to disruptions between Dec. 23 and 26, particularly along the Québec City–Windsor corridor and elsewhere in Eastern Canada.

It says that while some factors were beyond its control, it should have been more forthcoming in sharing information about train delays and in communicating updates.

Hydro-Québec president Sophie Brochu announces resignation before end of 5-year term

Stéphane Rolland, The Canadian Press 3 minute read Preview

Hydro-Québec president Sophie Brochu announces resignation before end of 5-year term

Stéphane Rolland, The Canadian Press 3 minute read Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2023

MONTREAL - The president and CEO of Quebec's hydro utility announced on Tuesday she will step down on April 11 after less than three years on the job.

In a letter sent to Hydro-Québec employees, Sophie Brochu did not give a reason for leaving before the end of her five-year mandate but said it was time to “pass the baton.”

“I’m extremely grateful to have had the opportunity to work toward the advancement of this great government corporation as part of such a competent and committed team,” Brochu said in a separate news release.

Brochu noted that her arrival at the utility coincided with the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2023

Sophie Brochu, listens to proceedings at an annual meeting in Montreal, Tuesday, March 22, 2016. Brochu, the president and CEO of Quebec's electric utility, announced she will step down from her post on April 11.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson

U.S. President Joe Biden to visit Canada in March, PMO says as ‘Three Amigos’ meet

James McCarten, The Canadian Press 7 minute read Preview

U.S. President Joe Biden to visit Canada in March, PMO says as ‘Three Amigos’ meet

James McCarten, The Canadian Press 7 minute read Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2023

MEXICO CITY - Justin Trudeau and Joe Biden tied up a pair of bilateral loose ends Tuesday: one for Canadians who frequently cross the Canada-U.S. border, the other for a certain U.S. president who has yet to do so.

The Nexus trusted-traveller program, on ice in Canada for nearly a year due to an outstanding dispute over U.S. border agents on foreign soil, is ramping back up, albeit in an altered and somewhat less convenient form.

The new program, jointly run by the Canada Border Services Agency and U.S. Customs and Border Protection, will be up and running by the spring, Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino and U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said in a joint statement.

That option "will include CBSA interviews at reopened enrolment centres in Canada and separate CBP interviews in Canadian airport preclearance locations for departing applicants," the statement said.

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Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2023

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau meets with U.S. President Joe Biden at the Summit of the Americas, in Los Angeles, Calif., on June 9, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

Tips on shady finances ‘may not get investigated’ amid police constraints: RCMP note

Jim Bronskill, The Canadian Press 4 minute read Preview

Tips on shady finances ‘may not get investigated’ amid police constraints: RCMP note

Jim Bronskill, The Canadian Press 4 minute read Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2023

OTTAWA - The RCMP says many tips from Canada's financial intelligence agency about possible crimes "may not get investigated" due to a lack of policing resources and conflicting priorities.

The Mounties make the candid admission in a briefing note prepared for Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino on the working relationship between the national police force and the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada, known as Fintrac.

The Canadian Press used the Access to Information Act to obtain the briefing memo, which was approved by RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lucki last Sept. 1.

The RCMP receives financial intelligence from Fintrac, which could shed light on money laundering or terrorist financing, in two ways.

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Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2023

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