U.S. officials discussed hitting Canada with trade sanctions over Quebec's language law

CBC
Tue, June 11, 2024 

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau attends a bilateral meeting with Quebec Premier Francois Legault in Montreal on March 15, 2024. The government of Canada is tracking U.S. concerns about Quebec's new language law, a federal official confirmed. 

\(Christinne Muschi/The Canadian Press - image credit)


U.S government officials have discussed behind closed doors the possibility of imposing trade sanctions on Canada over Quebec's controversial Bill 96 language law, CBC News has learned.

Documents obtained by CBC News under the U.S. freedom of information law also reveal that American government officials are being told that the implementation of Bill 96 could result in fewer American products being shipped to Canada — not just to Quebec.

According to the documents, officials from the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) have debated whether the legislation — which includes provisions that could affect things like commercial signs, trademarks and labels on products — contravenes trade agreements between Canada and the United States.

U.S. officials have discussed in private whether the restrictions in Bill 96 constitute a technical barrier to trade, a breach of trade-related intellectual property rights or a violation of Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, and whether those breaches would justify trade sanctions.

The documents, which cover the period of November 2022 to late January 2024, don't reveal whether USTR officials have reached a conclusion on trade sanctions.

Asked for an update, USTR deputy press secretary Catherine White pointed to the readout of a meeting between Canadian and American trade officials in January, which mentions U.S. government concerns about Bill 96.

Jean-Pierre Godbout, spokesperson for Global Affairs, said the Canadian government is "closely following developments."

"The Government of Canada is aware of the concerns expressed by various stakeholders regarding Quebec's amendments to the Charter of the French Language as modernized under Bill 96 and accompanying regulations," Godbout wrote in an e-mailed response. "We have shared these concerns with the Government of Quebec and continue to closely follow developments."

Quebec Education Minister Jean-François Roberge said Wednesday was a 'great day' because he was announcing a possible return to normality for students in September.

Quebec Language Minister Jean-François Roberge is preparing the final regulations for Bill 96. (Radio-Canada)

Thomas Verville, spokesperson for provincial French Language Minister Jean-François Roberge, gave little indication of what the Quebec government thinks of the USTR's internal discussions of trade sanctions.

"We are still at the stage of enacting the regulation. It will soon be final," he wrote. "We held a consultation period to gather all the comments."

Bill 96, which tightens up Quebec's language laws, was given final assent on June 1, 2022 and draft regulations to implement the legislation were made public on Jan. 10, 2024. The final regulations to implement Bill 96 are expected to be made public in coming weeks.

A number of provisions of Bill 96, including those on trademarks, are set to go into effect in June 2025.

Bill 96 was among the subjects raised by American officials during a Jan. 24 meeting between USTR senior adviser Cara Morrow and her Canadian counterpart Rob Stewart, deputy minister for international trade.
Industry pressing Washington for action

In its readout from the meeting, the USTR's office said Morrow "shared concerns about trademark provisions of Quebec's Bill 96 and their potential implications for U.S businesses, including small and medium-sized enterprises."

The documents obtained by CBC News show that Bill 96 has been on the U.S government's radar since at least November 2022, and the International Trademark Association (INTA) has been urging the U.S. government to raise their concerns about Bill 96 with the Canadian government and to consider trade sanctions against Canada.

On Dec. 12, 2023, INTA organized a meeting between USTR officials, including Morrow, and executives from several large corporations who outlined their concerns with Bill 96. The companies included Stanley Black & Decker, Hershey, Microsoft, Marriott, Agilent Technology, Cody and Proctor & Gamble.

The Microsoft logo is pictured at the Mobile World Congress 2023 in Barcelona, Spain, on March 2, 2023. Microsoft and Meta have released initiatives designed to help voters know when they see a political ad containing altered images, video or audio. Meta owns Facebook and Instagram and says it will put labels on political ads created using artificial intelligence.

Microsoft is one of the major American multinationals with concerns about Bill 96. (Joan Mateu Parra/The Associated Press)

"Of note, they want USTR to investigate 'a complaint for a violation of an international agreement' or bring a Section 301 action against Canada," wrote deputy assistant U.S. trade representative Jacob Ewerdt.

In e-mail exchanges and briefing notes, INTA's director of government relations Jenny Simmons wrote that even if U.S. companies want to register their trademarks in Canada before Bill 96's provisions take effect in 2025, they can't because the Canadian Intellectual Property Office — which registers trademarks in Canada — has a four-year backlog of applications.

In a separate document, a coalition of "businesses, practitioners and trade associations" warned the U.S. government that Bill 96 could affect the products available in Canada.

"The Quebec consumer is who will be hurt, as they will either be deprived of goods available to others or will pay higher prices to recoup compliance cost," the document says.

"In some instances, where distribution models are more national, withdrawing from Quebec may also mean withdrawing from Canada entirely. As a result, consumers in other provinces may also see fewer options on their shelves."

People take part in a protest against Bill 96 in Montreal on May 26, 2022. A Quebec Superior Court judge has temporarily struck down two articles of the province's new language law, saying they could prevent some English-speaking organizations from accessing justice through the courts.
(Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press)

USTR officials pointed out that while Canada is responsible for trade agreements, Bill 96 is a provincial law.

"A complicating factor is that our counterparts are federal and Bill 96 is Quebecian [sic]," Ewerdt wrote to Simmons on Dec. 14, 2023. "It is as if Canada would come to the USTR with a law in Wisconsin — we could figure it out if needed, but it's not something that we commonly deal with."

Simmons suggested that pressure from Washington could force the Canadian government to act.

"I appreciate that this is a provincial issue," she wrote. "But given that it puts Canada in a position of noncompliance with various international obligations, and directly impacts U.S. exports to all of Canada, I think that the federal gov't has no choice but to deal with this, especially if pressured by the U.S."

Another USTR official, Jennifer Stradtman, suggested she was skeptical about the chances of bringing trade sanctions to bear.

"There is no obligation in the WTO about language use," she wrote on Dec. 19. "I can't see raising an issue in TBT [technical barriers to trade] because a different language is required. Sometimes we ask for stickering in that case, but we don't claim a trade violation or request dispute."

There was no mention of trade sanctions in the USTR's talking points for the January meeting with Canadian officials, but concerns about Bill 96 were included.

"U.S companies that sell products and services in Canada are generally supportive of Quebec's Charter of the French Language, but some of the amendments threaten to seriously limit some trademarked products and services in Quebec, and potentially all of Canada," says the briefing memorandum for that meeting.

Simmons told CBC News that INTA is continuing to talk with U.S. government officials about its concerns but it does not know if the USTR will support its call for trade sanctions.

"To date, I have not heard one way or the other what the thinking is of USTR," she said. "They remain engaged, which we're very grateful for."

Simmons said INTA has been meeting in recent months with Quebec government officials and is waiting to see if its concerns are addressed in the final regulations.

Mark Warner, who practises international business law, said Bill 96 hadn't been on his radar as a potential trade conflict with the U.S.

While Warner said he believes Bill 96 is low on the list of frequent Canada-U.S trade irritants, such as automobile rules of origin and softwood lumber, it's still something Canada should keep an eye on.

"I don't think it's a priority to [the U.S.] right now but I would think it is something that you would want to watch," he said.

Eliane Ellbogen, an expert in trademark law in the Montreal office of the law firm Fasken, said Bill 96 presents a number of problems for businesses with trademarks. She said its provisions conflict with federal trademarks law and Fasken is studying a possible constitutional challenge.

Alberta government dissolves controversial energy 'war room'

CBC
Tue, June 11, 2024 

Former Alberta premier Jason Kenney, centre, addresses attendees at a press conference to announce the launch of the Canadian Energy Centre at SAIT in Calgary on Dec. 11, 2019, flanked by former energy minister Sonya Savage, left, and Tom Olsen, managing director of the Canadian Energy Centre. Kenney opened the province's energy war room to fight what he called a campaign of lies about the province's energy industry. 

(Greg Fulmes/The Canadian Press - image credit)More


The Alberta government is shutting down the Canadian Energy Centre — the controversial energy "war room" — and shuffling its duties into a government department.

The office of Brian Jean, minister of energy and minerals, confirmed to CBC that the centre will be integrated into the intergovernmental relations department.

The statement to CBC says that the centre "is an important advocate for Canada and Alberta's long-term position as a safe, clean and responsible energy supplier and will continue to increase the public's understanding of the role oil and gas plays globally in a secure energy future."


"After careful consideration, we will be integrating the mandate of the CEC into Intergovernmental Relations (IGR). Resources such as CEC assets, intellectual property, and researchers will now be supporting IGR in order to seamlessly continue this important work."

The CEC, also known as the "war room," was founded by the Jason Kenney government in 2019 to fight what it called misinformation about the province's energy industry.

Tom Olsen was the CEC's CEO from its founding. He has not yet responded to a request for comment from CBC News.

A history of controversy

The centre was established to promote the energy industry and counter what it deemed to be misinformation. Among its actions that grabbed headlines were accusing the New York Times of bias and attacking the makers of a children's film featuring Bigfoot for what it felt was an anti-oil message.

The centre has published a series of articles on its website. Sources contacted for those stories have told media organizations, including The Canadian Press, that staff identified themselves on the phone as reporters.

The Canadian Association of Journalists' then-president Karyn Pugliese said in 2019 that members of the centre should stop calling themselves reporters and described the CEC as a government-hired PR firm.

The centre also had to change its initial logo in 2019 after it was revealed the logo already represents an American tech company.

While the centre was taxpayer-funded, it was designated as a private corporation and exempt from freedom of information legislation, including information regarding expenditures and awards contracts.

'Waste of taxpayer money'

The centre operated on an initial $30-million-per-year budget, which was slashed by 90 per cent in March 2020 at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

A portion of the centre's funding came from industry fees paid to the government's Technology Innovation and Emissions Reduction (TIER) program. The remaining funding came from money set aside for government advertising campaigns.

The centre's most recent annual report showed it signed a $22-million contract for a media campaign last fiscal year. That was about three times its entire government grant from the previous year.

Andrew Leach, a professor of economics and law at the University of Alberta, said the money spent on the centre could've been used elsewhere.

"This is all done under governments that came in promising fiscal oversight and value for money, etc. And then … we don't have a lot of transparency, and that was by design," Leach said in an interview on Tuesday.

"I think the dollars could have been spent, for example, figuring out how to clean up Alberta's regulatory system so that we are tracking and prepared for holding companies to account for the reclamation liabilities that were dealing with the oil sands … the environmental risks of tailings bonds, put the money there, not into a series of ads and rolling billboards."

NDP MLA Nagwan Al-Guneid said in an interview that shutting down the war room was long overdue.

"We have asked the government, the UCP government, for years, to shut down this agency," said Al-Guneid who is the opposition critic for energy and climate.

"This decision right now just proves that this has been a colossal waste of taxpayer money. So we haven't seen how this agency or this war room, how did it really help the Alberta energy sector in any measurable way?"

Al-Guneid said the Alberta NDP would ask the auditor general of Alberta to investigate the use of funds by the centre.

Leach said now that the centre is being integrated into a provincial ministry, the Smith government can be forthcoming by providing an accounting of the centre's activities.

"We're going to publish the reports of the activities of this, what is now an arm of the government, and explain to Albertans where that money's gone, or we're going to ask the auditor general to do it, to do what they would have been able to do had this been set up in this way in the first place."


Alberta’s energy 'war room,' known for Bigfoot movie feud, getting brought in-house

Lisa Johnson
Tue, June 11, 2024 



EDMONTON — Alberta's energy “war room” – the oft-ridiculed agency famous for its feud with a children’s Bigfoot cartoon – is being retooled and brought in-house directly under Premier Danielle Smith's office.

“The Canadian Energy Centre is an important advocate for Canada and Alberta’s long-term position as a safe, clean and responsible energy supplier,” the province’s Energy Ministry said Tuesday in a statement.

“(But) after careful consideration, we will be integrating the mandate of the (centre) into Intergovernmental Relations."

In Alberta’s cabinet, the intergovernmental relations portfolio is handled by the premier.

The statement said the centre's assets, intellectual property and researchers will be moved over to the intergovernmental relations office.

A senior government source said three of the six current employees of the Canadian Energy Centre will remain in their roles.

The source said the centre's branding and website will remain the same. Most of the agency’s budget is devoted to advertising.

The Canadian Energy Centre was the formal name given to a corporation created by former United Conservative premier Jason Kenney in 2019.

Kenney characterized it as a “war room” that would fight back, in real-time, against what it deemed to be unfounded criticism of Alberta’s oil and gas industry.

There was controversy from the start as the centre was structured in such a way as to shield it from public freedom of information searches.

The centre came out of the gate with a $30-million budget but drew fire almost immediately for using someone else’s trademarked logo and for having staff members refer to themselves as reporters instead of public employees.

It also posted, and later apologized for, a series of social media messages about the New York Times, saying the newspaper had been “called out for antisemitism countless times” and had a “very dodgy” track record.

In March 2021, the centre – and by extension Kenney’s government -- was widely ridiculed after it launched a campaign against “Bigfoot Family,” a Netflix cartoon featuring talking animals and a domesticated sasquatch battling an oil magnate determined to blow up an Alaskan wildlife preserve to gain easy access to petroleum.

The "war room" urged followers to tell Netflix the movie is “brainwashing our kids with anti-oil and gas propaganda.”

The sasquatch debate spilled onto the floor of the legislature, with the Opposition accusing Kenney’s government of turning Alberta into a laughingstock.

“Which investors in Zurich do you think were swayed by your brave stand against a child’s cartoon character?” NDP Leader Rachel Notley chortled in Kenney’s direction.

Kenney shot back, “I’m sure (the NDP) are cheering on the propaganda in that Netflix story, but we’re correcting the record as we should.”

The Bigfoot film director thanked the province, saying the movie had been sinking on the Netflix viewing list but soared back into the top 10 due to the controversy.

Change had been in the works for months.

Alberta Energy Minister Brian Jean's most recent mandate letter from Smith, published last July, called on him to review the Canadian Energy Centre.

Nagwan Al-Guneid, the NDP’s Opposition energy critic, characterized the change as a massive waste of public funds.

“Since 2019, the UCP have wasted over $66 million of taxpayer money on this failed war room," said Al-Guneid in a statement.

She said that money could have gone to fund the province's carbon tax on large emitters, which in turn could have been funnelled into more technology to reduce emissions.

Al-Guneid said the NDP will ask the province's auditor general to investigate.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 11, 2024.

Lisa Johnson, The Canadian Press

Trudeau says kids denied a Pride flag at their schools have one on Parliament Hill

A Pride flag flies on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on June 8, 2023. 

(Sean Kilpatrick / THE CANADIAN PRESS)

Stephanie Taylor
The Canadian Press
Updated June 8, 2023 

OTTAWA -

Children who do not see a Pride flag at their schools should know one is flying for them on Parliament Hill, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Thursday, as he condemned the sharp rise in laws curtailing the rights of transgender people across the United States.

Trudeau hoisted the flag that celebrates the LGBTQ2S+ community at an event where he was joined by MPs from all political parties, marking the eighth time he has done so since being elected to power in 2015.

"We all thought it would get easier after that moment," he said, referring to the first time the flag was raised on the Hill in Ottawa.

“But we've been reminded by a rise in anger, hatred and ignorance and intolerance, that things getting easier is not automatic.”

The prime minister echoed other speakers who warned of the discrimination faced by members of the LGBTQ2S+ community, both online and in their daily lives.

It has grown worse in recent years as conservative groups, particularly in the U.S., protest drag queen performances and fight to take away gender-affirming care for transgender people, especially minors.

The speakers underscored that Canada is not immune to such sentiments, given such protests are also happening in the country,with Trudeau saying “transphobia, biphobia, homophobia are all on the rise.”

Among the issues speakers pointed to were proposed changes by New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs' government that seek to change some school rules around LGBTQ2S+ students. One such change would mean that students younger than 16 who identify as transgender and non-binary would not be allowed to officially change their names or pronouns without parental consent.

Higgs's Progressive Conservative government has defended the move as fulfilling the wishes of parents, but it has been met with backlash.

NDP MP Blake Desjarlais, a co-chair of the recently-founded parliamentary Pride caucus comprised of federal lawmakers from the LGBTQ2S+ community, said Thursday that Canada was witnessing extremism pushed by individuals who are trying to take away others' rights.

“We will not accept going backwards,” said Desjarlais, who is two-spirit.

“We are not here to make kids queer. We are here to make sure queer kids are not made into dead kids. That is why the raising of this flag today is not only a symbol of our love for community, it is also a symbol that we will be unrelenting in our discovery of who we are.”

During his address, the prime minister saidattempts have been made to stop Pride celebrations and noted that over the past few weeks, Canadians have watched as people try to remove books about gender and sexuality from schools.

That is cruel to children who struggle with questions about their identities or live in homes where such questions are not met with love, said Trudeau.

The Brandon School Division in southern Manitoba recently voted against a call to remove books with LGBTQ2S+ content from its libraries.

Trudeau also said students are often the ones fighting for the Pride flag to be hoisted at their schools, and in some places, those efforts have been denied.

Such was the case for the York Catholic District School Board, which voted last week against flying the flag outside its main office.

Addressing students who are without a Pride flag, the prime minister said: “I'm here to say even though the flag may not fly at your school, know that it proudly flies here, in your seat of government.”

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh and Green Party Leader Elizabeth May both attended the ceremony. Melissa Lantsman, who serves as deputy leader for the Conservatives and is lesbian, also attended.

At a separate news conference on Parliament Hill, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said he was up late filibustering the Liberals' budget in the House of Commons the previous night when asked why he didn't attend.

“I believe every Canadian, regardless of who they are, regardless of their race, sexuality, gender, deserves to be safe,” he said Thursday, adding that if a Canadian commits violence against another, “they should be thrown in the slammer.”

Poilievre characterizes his job as Conservative leader as to promote freedom for all Canadians. Speaking in Winnipeg last week, he wished Canadians “a happy Pride month,” saying “our freedom is something in which all of us can take pride.”

He did not answer, however, when asked whether he plans to attend an event, with festivities spanning the country until the end of the month.

On Twitter, Sport Minister Pascale St-Onge accused Poilievre of being “all talk and no action” for being “nowhere to be seen” during the morning's event.

“A leader's greatness is measured by their ability to rally everyone around them. His absence today speaks volumes. Now, more than ever, we must fight against the rising hate towards 2SLGBTQI+ people.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 8, 2023.

LGBTQ Canadians facing a rising tide of hatred, Trudeau says

Trudeau warns of increase in anti-LGBTQ activity at Pride flag-raising ceremony on Parliament Hill

Richard Raycraft · CBC News · Posted: Jun 08, 2023 11:58 AM MDT | Last Updated: June 8, 2023

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau takes part in a Pride flag-raising event on Parliament Hill on Thursday, June 8, 2023. (Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press)

Social Sharing

In a speech at a Pride flag-raising ceremony on Parliament Hill Thursday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that hatred of LGBTQ people is on the rise in Canada.

The rainbow-coloured flag is now flying in front of the Parliament Buildings to mark Pride Month. The Liberal government started the annual tradition in 2016. In his speech, Trudeau warned that the climate for LGBTQ people has worsened since then.

"When we first raised the Pride flag on Parliament Hill seven years ago, I think we all thought it would get easier from that moment," Trudeau said.

"Transphobia, biphobia, homophobia, they're all on the rise. It's been difficult to watch people and institutions still continue to reject who you are, to try to deny members of our communities the rights to be seen and heard and celebrated."

The federal government announced $1.7 million in funding for six LGBTQ rights groups in conjunction with the ceremony. Women, Gender Equality and Youth Minister Marci Ien announced emergency funding earlier this week to help cover rising security and insurance costs for Pride festivals.

The number of police-reported hate crimes related to sexual orientation rose 64 per cent in 2021 over the previous year, says Statistics Canada.

• Ottawa to provide $1.5M in emergency funding to ensure Pride festivals stay safe across Canada

• Higgs threatens election to quell rebellion over Policy 713

Trudeau said anti-LGBTQ hatred is spreading from the United States into Canada. He cited several recent controversies, including attempts to disrupt Pride celebrations and remove books on sexual orientation and identity from school libraries, and some schools refusing to raise the Pride flag.

"In too many places, it's kids who have to fight to have the Pride flag raised, and in some places it's been denied," Trudeau said.

"And to those kids I'm here to say, even though the Pride flag may not fly at your school, know that it proudly flies here in your seat of government."

Trudeau added that most Canadians support the LGBTQ community.

"We are reminded all too often … whether it's online or celebrating Pride or [in] our daily lives, that hatred still has a very loud voice," he said.

"But I think we also need to be reminded that those loud voices do not represent the vast, vast majority of Canadians.

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Trudeau condemns 'rising hate' against LGBTQ+ people as Pride flag raised on Parliament Hill

"In the last year, we've seen too many people — including some politicians — showing that they're willing to target vulnerable trans youth, to deny them the freedom to seek life-saving gender-affirming care, all for narrow political gain."


Author of the article:
The Canadian Press
Published Jun 03, 2024 • 

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Women and Gender Equality and Youth Minister Marci Ien raise the Pride flag during an event on Parliament Hill, in Ottawa, Monday, June 3, 2024. 

PHOTO BY ADRIAN WYLD /The Canadian Press

OTTAWA — As the Pride flag was raised over Parliament Hill Monday morning, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau condemned what he called “rising hate” against LGBTQ+ people in Canada, particularly transgender youth.

“In the last year, we’ve seen too many people — including some politicians — showing that they’re willing to target vulnerable trans youth, to deny them the freedom to seek life-saving gender-affirming care, all for narrow political gain,” he said.

Premiers in New Brunswick and Saskatchewan have introduced changes to the way schools must deal with children who change their pronouns or names.

Broadly speaking, the policies require educators to get parental consent to use a child’s preferred name or pronouns at school if they are under 16, while parents of older students must be notified of such changes.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith’s government has proposed similar changes to pronoun and name policies in schools, along with a plan to ban gender-affirming medical treatment for some transgender youth and ensure there are sports leagues only for biologically female players.

Critics say these policies put transgender and nonbinary students at risk of being outed without their consent and can cause serious harm.

Jordan Ames-Sinclair, a Cree youth and the two-spirit policy lead for the Assembly of First Nations, said homophobia and anti-Indigenous racism are both on the rise in Canada.

“The beginning of Pride is a joyous occasion. However, I cannot discuss how far we’ve come as a community without acknowledging the lived realities of so many young queer and (two-spirit) people in Canada today.”

Ames-Sinclair thanked political leaders in attendance, while warning of another reality in which leaders are “committed to backwards policy proven to harm the 2SLGBTQIA+ community.”

Trudeau said when he was the first prime minister to march in Pride parades in 2016, people questioned if his participation was relevant.

“This summer, nobody’s going to ask me that question,” he said.

The federal government set aside $1.5 million in its recent budget for Fierte Canada Pride to cover the rising security and insurance costs of Pride events this summer. The group received the same amount last year and distributed it to 50 Pride organizations.

Trudeau lamented the need for that funding, and said it is a reminder of “how vigilant we need to be.”

Sen. Rene Cormier, co-chair of the Canadian Pride Caucus, noted that more than 60 countries around the world still criminalize homosexuality and said Canada stands out as a beacon of hope for many despite the challenges.

“It might be the time for Canada to have a special envoy to advance the human rights of 2SLGBTQIA+ persons,” he said, as the small crowd in front of the Peace Tower cheered.

“At a time when issues of sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression are under high tension in our country and elsewhere, due to the unprecedented rise in hatred toward 2SLGBTQIA+ communities, we are at a crossroads. We must be there, speak out and act.”

WHY CANADA IS NOT THE U$A

'Canada's Drag Race: Canada vs. the World' named best reality TV, (IRONY) competition show in the country

"It feels so good to see these talents go on and have these giant careers," showrunner Trevor Boris says

Elisabetta Bianchini

June 1, 2024


Brooke Lynn Hytes and Justin Trudeau on Canada's Drag Race: Canada vs. The World on Crave

Canada is making its mark on the Drag Race franchise, with Canada's Drag Race: Canada vs. The World winning big at the 2024 Canadian Screen Awards. At Friday's gala, the show won the award for Best Reality/Competition Program or Series, beating The Amazing Race Canada, Big Brother Canada, Canada's Ultimate Challenge and Best in Miniature.

"What we always pay homage to is that this is a community that has existed for decades, for a long time, and finally giving voice to the queens all over, not just in Canada, but in the U.S. and all over the world," executive producer Laura Michalchyshyn told reporters. "RuPaul has broken barriers that are insanely, insanely impressive."

Canada's Drag Race has also busted through barriers as a part of the wider international franchise, with producing partners at World of Wonder Productions. As Michalchyshyn highlighted, the Canadian Drag Race shows, "do as well if not better" than many of the Drag Race franchises.


"It performs not just in Canada, but everywhere else," Michalchyshyn stressed.

TORONTO, ONTARIO - MAY 31: (L-R) Michelle Mama, Trevor Boris and Laura Michalchyshyn pose with the Best Reality/Competition Program or Series Award during the 2024 Canadian Screen Awards at CBC Broadcast Centre on May 31, 2024 in Toronto, Ontario. (Photo by Jeremy Chan/Getty Images)

Throughout Canada's Drag Race history, Canadian queens have become some of the most beloved in the entire franchise, including Brooke Lynn Hytes, Jimbo and Priyanka.

"I used to do on air stuff and people always talk about, there's no star system in Canada, I love that in drag it really does feel like there is," showrunner and executive producer Trevor Boris said.

"Jimbo just won the U.S. All Stars. That is huge. Priyanka is on etalk and on We're Here on HBO. ... You see people like Miss Fiercalicious was on [The Traitors Canada]. ... It feels so good to see these talents go on and have these giant careers. I think it's amazing."

Executive producer Michelle Mama added that Canada has an "edge" in the Drag Race world with its unique comedy.

"There's sort of an outsider kind of sitting on top of the elephant's head, and influenced by the U.K., so we have our own sense of humour and I think when you put that into the Drag Race blender, it's magic," Mama highlighted.

Brooke Lynn Hytes on Canada's Drag Race Season 4 on Crave
How to watch 'Canada's Drag Race' and 'Canada's Drag Race: Canada vs. The World'

Canada's two Drag Race shows, Canada's Drag Race and Canada's Drag Race: Canada vs. The World are both available to stream on Crave.

A jet missing since 1971 was found submerged in Vermont's Lake Champlain

LISA RATHKE
Updated Tue, June 11, 2024 

In this May 2024 image provided by Garry Kozak, remains of what experts believe to be is a 10-seat Jet Commander aircraft, rest on the floor of Lake Champlain off Juniper Island, Vt. Fifty-three years after a private plane carrying five men disappeared on a snowy Vermont night, experts believe they have found the wreckage of the long lost jet in Lake Champlain. The corporate jet disappeared shortly after departing the Burlington, Vt., airport for Providence, R.I., on Jan. 27, 1971. (Garry Kozak via AP)More

Fifty-three years after a private plane carrying five men disappeared on a snowy Vermont night, experts believe they have found the wreckage of the long lost jet in Lake Champlain.

The corporate jet disappeared shortly after departing the Burlington airport for Providence, Rhode Island, on Jan. 27, 1971. Those aboard included two crew members and three employees of a Georgia development company Cousins Properties, who were working on a development project in Burlington.

Initial searches for the 10-seat Jet Commander turned up no wreckage and the lake froze over four days after the plane was lost. At least 17 other searches happened, until underwater searcher Garry Kozak and a team using a remotely operated vehicle last month found wreckage of a jet with the same custom paint scheme in the lake close to where the radio control tower had last tracked the plane before it disappeared. Sonar images were taken of the wreck found in 200 feet (60 meters) of water near Juniper Island.

“With all those pieces of evidence, we're 99% absolutely sure,” Kozak said Monday.

The discovery of the wreckage gives the families of the victims “some closure and answers a lot of the questions they had,” he said.

While relatives are grateful and relieved that the plane has been found, the discovery also opens up more questions and old wounds.

“To have this found now ... it’s peaceful feeling, at the same time it’s a very sad feeling,” Barbara Nikitas, niece of pilot George Nikita, said in an interview with The Associated Press on Tuesday. “We know what happened. We’ve seen a couple of photos. We’re struggling I think with that now.”

Frank Wilder's father, also Frank Wilder, was a passenger on the plane.

“Spending 53 years not knowing if the plane was in the lake or maybe on a mountainside around there somewhere was distressing," said Wilder, who lives outside of Philadelphia. "And again, I'm feeling relieved that I know where the plane is now but unfortunately it's opening other questions and we have to work on those now.”

When the ice melted in the spring of 1971, debris from the plane was found on Shelburne Point, according to Kozak. An underwater search in May of 1971 was unable to find the wreckage. At least 17 other searches happened, including in 2014, according to Kozak. At that time, authorities were spurred by curiosity after the Malaysia Airlines plane disappearance that year with the hope that new technolog.y would find the wreck but it did not.

Barbara Nikitas, who lives in southern California and her cousin Kristina Nikita Coffey, who lives in Tennessee and is the daughter of George Nikita, spearheaded recent search efforts and contacted other victims' relatives.

What was fascinating in reconnecting with the group was “everybody had pieces of the pie and the puzzle that when we started sharing information and sharing documents what we got was a much greater both understanding and perspective of the information, how we were all impacted by this,” said Charles Williams, whose father, Robert Ransom Williams III, an employee of Cousins Properties, was on the plane.

He called Kozak a hero for his dedication to finding the plane. After the 2014 search was unsuccessful, Kozak became intrigued and searched a sonar survey of the lake taken by the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum and Middlebury College. He found four anomalies on the lake floor. Then in 2022, a colleague, Hans Hug of Sonar Search and Recovery in Exeter, New Hampshire, and his friend who has an ROV, said they wanted to look for the plane, Kozak said. The team found a plane but it turned out to be a military aircraft. Last winter Kozak searched the sonar survey again and found another anomaly, which the team discovered last month was likely the plane wreckage.

The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating to verify if it is the plane, Williams said. The NTSB doesn't do salvage operations, which would be expensive, Williams said.

“Whether there is tangible remains, and I hate to say it that way, and worth disturbing that's a decision that we'll have to figure out later, and part of what we're unpacking now,” he said. “It's hard when you start to think about that.”

The relatives of the victims plan to hold a memorial now that they know where the plane is located.

___

This story has been updated to correct the name of the company to Cousins Property, not Cousin's Property and corrects the name of George Nikita's niece. It is Barbara Nikitas, not Barbara Nikita.

Why the EU might be about to make Chinese electric cars more expensive

Theo Leggett - BBC international business correspondent
Tue, June 11, 2024 

Chinese firms are said to be able to make electric cars for 25% less than their European and US rivals [Getty Images]


With China accused of selling electric cars at artificially low prices, the European Union is widely expected to hit them with tariffs this week.

The BYD Seagull is a tiny, cheap, neatly styled electric vehicle (EV). An urban runabout that won’t break any speed records, but nor will it break the bank.

In China, it has a starting price of 69,800 yuan ($9,600; £7,500). If it comes to Europe, it is expected to cost at least double that figure due to safety regulations. But that would still be, by electric car standards, very cheap.

For European manufacturers that is a worrying prospect. They fear the little Seagull will become an invasive species, one of a number of Chinese-built models poised to colonise their own markets at the expense of indigenous vehicles.

China’s domestic auto industry has grown rapidly over the past two decades. Its development, along with that of the battery sector, was a major component of the “Made In China 2025” strategy, a 10-year industrial policy launched by the Communist Party in Beijing in 2015.

The result has been the breakneck development of companies like BYD, now vying with Tesla for the title of the world’s biggest manufacturer of electric vehicles. Established giants such as SAIC, the owner of the MG brand, and Volvo’s owner Geely, have also become big players in the EV market.

Last year, more than eight million electric vehicles were sold in China – about 60% of the global total, according to the International Energy Agency’s annual Global EV Outlook.

For policymakers in Europe and the US, however, this is a cause for concern. With Chinese brands having plenty of surplus capacity and moving into international markets, they fear their own companies will be unable to compete. They claim hefty subsidies for domestic production allow Chinese firms to keep prices at a level other firms will struggle to match.

According to a report by the Swiss bank UBS, published in September, the Chinese advantage is real. It suggested that BYD could produce cars at some 25% lower cost than the best of the legacy global carmakers.

It said BYD and other Chinese firms were “set to conquer the world market with high-tech, low-cost EVs for the masses”.

Meanwhile, earlier this year, the Alliance for American Manufacturing warned that the introduction of cheap Chinese cars could be an “extinction-level event” for the US auto industry. It called for a “dedicated and concerted effort to turn those imports back”, concluding that there was “no time to lose”.

Last month, the US took decisive action. The Biden administration raised its tariff on imports of Chinese battery-powered cars from 25% to 100%. Sales of Chinese-made EVs in the US are currently negligible; with the new tariffs, they are likely to stay that way.

The move was part of a wider package of measures targeting imports from China that has been condemned by Beijing as "naked protectionism".

At the same time, the US is subsidising its own car industry, through tax incentives that make domestically-produced vehicles cheaper to buy.

The EU appears to be taking a more moderate approach, despite tough rhetoric.

In her state of the Union address in September last year, the European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen announced an investigation into Chinese imports.

“Global markets are now flooded with cheaper Chinese electric cars," she said.

“Their price is kept artificially low by huge state subsidies. This is distorting our market.”

The initial results of that investigation are now imminent.

It is widely expected that the Commission will provisionally raise duties on EVs imported from China, from the standard level of 10% for third country imports to between 20 and 25%.

Ursula von der Leyen has accused China of selling EVs for artificially low prices [Getty Images]

According to Matthias Schmidt of Schmidt Automotive Research, this would be a rather more proportionate response than the US move.

“The 100% tariff is just pure protectionism, regressive and stifles innovation, and prevents a competitive landscape for the consumer," he says.

“If the EU imposes tariffs of no more than 25%, it will be more about levelling the playing field, and evening out the 30% cost advantage Chinese manufacturers have."

Nevertheless, tariffs could hurt European companies as well as helping them.

Firstly, they would not just affect Chinese brands. For example, BMW’s iX3 electric SUV is built at a factory in Dadong and exported to Europe. The company also intends to import large quantities of Chinese-made electric Minis.

Both models would be subject to the tariffs, leaving the manufacturer to absorb the extra cost, or raise prices. The US manufacturer Tesla would also be affected, as it builds cars in Shanghai for export to Europe.

Secondly, although European makers have invested heavily in production in China in recent years, in partnership with local manufacturers, a number of them still export high-value models to Chinese markets.

If China wanted to retaliate by imposing its own hefty tariffs, these shipments could be targeted.

European carmakers are worried about retaliatory moves by the Chinese government [Getty Images]

Small wonder then, that executives at European carmakers have been distinctly lukewarm about the EU’s initiative.

Earlier this year, Volkswagen Group’s chief executive Oliver Blume warned that the introduction of tariffs was “potentially dangerous”, because of the risk of retaliation.

Last month BMW boss Oliver Zipse told investors “you could very quickly shoot yourself in the foot” by engaging in trade battles, adding “we don’t think that our industry needs protection”.

Ola Källenius, chief executive of Mercedes-Benz has gone a step further, publicly calling for tariffs on Chinese EV imports to be lowered rather than raised, to encourage European companies to do a better job.

Support for the EU investigation has largely come from France. Yet even among French manufacturers, there is doubt as to whether tariffs are the correct approach.

Carlos Tavares, head of the Stellantis group which includes Peugeot, Citroen, Vauxhall/Opel and DS, has described them as “a major trap for countries that go down that path”.

He has warned that European carmakers are in a "Darwinian" struggle with their Chinese rivals, something that is likely to have social consequences as they pare back costs in an effort to compete.

Renault’s chief executive Luca de Meo, meanwhile, says “we are not in favour of protectionism, but competition must be fair”.

He has called for the adoption of a strong European industrial policy to promote the sector, taking inspiration from policies launched by the US and China – in an effort to compete with both.

Meanwhile, the UK is looking on with interest. The head of the country’s trade watchdog, the Trade Remedies Authority, has previously made it clear he would be ready to set up an investigation into Chinese EVs, if ministers or the industry wanted it.

So far it is understood no such request has been made. Ultimately, as a deeply political issue, it will be something for the next government to address, after the election.

What higher tariffs may give Europe is more time for both car manufacturers and policymakers to adapt to the challenge from China.

But many within the industry acknowledge that if Europe is to remain a major player in the global automotive sector, it will have to do much more than simply set up barricades at home.

Calgary energy company told to abandon hundreds of wells after ongoing care problems

The Canadian Press
Mon, June 10, 2024 

CALGARY — A Calgary energy company has been ordered to abandon close to 1,000 wells, pipelines and other facilities over concerns about care and maintenance of the sites.

But questions remain about whether Tallahassee Exploration will be able to pay for the multimillion-dollar reclamation plan the provincial regulator has ordered the company to submit. Phone numbers for the Calgary company's office were not in service Monday.

In an order issued Monday, the Alberta Energy Regulator told the company it has 60 days to complete the first stage of cleanup for 693 wells, 146 entire pipelines and 75 facilities.

"Abandonment work, including surface abandonment and removal of cement pads, debris and produced liquids associated with the wells, must be completed in accordance with (regulatory) requirements," the order says.

The company also has 30 days to submit a detailed plan for how it will complete remediation.

"Tallahassee has not demonstrated it is capable of providing reasonable care and measures to protect public safety and the environment and is unable to meet its regulatory and end-of-life obligations," says the order.

The regulator first issued an order in September for the company to clean up its sites.

Another order was issued in November, demanding the company provide financial information and forbidding company officials from being on its site without approval from the Orphan Well Association.

The association is an industry-funded group that cleans up wells for which no solvent owner can be found. As of June 1, it had 2,647 sites in its inventory, which didn't include Tallahassee assets.

Tallahassee will remain the owner of those assets although the Orphan Well Association retains control of their care and custody. Tallahassee remains responsible for all costs incurred by the association.

Lawyer and regulatory watchdog Drew Yewchuck said about 300 of Tallahassee's wells are inactive and are likely to wind up as orphans. The rest could be sold off to producers comfortable with low-producing assets.

"The (association) will be doing care and maintenance until the bankruptcy process completes and the wells are either officially transferred to the (association) or they find some other buyer willing to take them.

"(Tallahassee) can't close or abandon them. They don't have the money."

The Parliamentary Budget Office estimates the average cost of cleaning up a well at $78,000, although some experts consider that figure low. Still, that figure would put the cost of remediating all of Tallahassee's wells at more than $54 million, not including the pipelines or other facilities.

If Tallahassee is unable to meet its requirements, the regulator can pursue other companies that own shares in the wells.

"Where the licensee is no longer able or unwilling to meet their regulatory requirements, the (regulator) looks to other responsible parties to execute the remaining closure obligations," said regulator spokeswoman Coral Hulse in an email.

The regulator can also issue fines, pursue court action or prevent individuals in a non-compliant company from owning or operating an energy company in Alberta.

Tallahassee has a long history of regulatory and financial problems.

In 2019, the Alberta Energy Regulator rated the company's liability-to-asset ratio at less than half of what it considered stable. Still, the regulator approved Tallahassee's purchase of assets from other troubled energy companies the following year, even as the Northwest Territories was blocking Tallahassee's purchase of wells in its jurisdiction.

Tallahassee failed to pay its regulatory levy and its orphan well levy in 2020, payments required of all energy operators in Alberta. Also, it did not meet the mandatory reclamation spending targets the regulator set in 2022.

Earlier this year, British Columbia's regulator fined the company $40,000 for improperly managing gas wells, and Alberta fined it for failing to report its emissions of methane, a potent greenhouse gas.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 10, 2024.

The Canadian Press

PROFITEERING

Canada's Competition Bureau obtains court orders in investigation into Loblaw, Sobeys owners

Rosa Saba, The Canadian Press

The Competition Bureau says it has obtained two court orders requiring the parent companies of Loblaws and Sobeys to hand over information related to its investigation into alleged anticompetitive conduct. Shoppers at a west-end Toronto Sobeys grocery store, Sunday, June 26, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graeme Roy

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The Competition Bureau has obtained two court orders requiring the parent companies of Loblaws and Sobeys to hand over information related to its investigation into alleged anticompetitive conduct. 

The bureau is investigating the use of property controls in the grocery sector, which are clauses in lease agreements that restrict other potential tenants and their activities.

The bureau said these controls are hampering competition in the grocery sector.

The competition commissioner applied in Federal Court in May to order Empire Cos. Ltd. and George Weston Ltd. to hand over records about real estate holdings, lease agreements, customer data and other records.

The bureau said Tuesday this information will help determine whether Sobeys and Loblaw are imposing anticompetitive restrictions that negatively affect competition in the grocery industry. It said there is no conclusion of wrongdoing at this time. 

Spokespeople for Empire and George Weston did not immediately respond to requests for comment. 

Empire previously pushed back against the investigation, saying in a separate court application that the probe gives the commissioner “the appearance of a lack of independence." It denied that property controls are anticompetitive. 

In May, the Competition Bureau said it had filed a motion to strike Empire’s application for judicial review.

Spokeswoman Sarah Brown confirmed Tuesday that motion was granted, but said Empire is appealing the decision. 

Loblaws’s parent company is co-operating with the bureau’s review, spokeswoman Catherine Thomas said in May on behalf of George Weston Ltd.

"Restrictive covenants are very common in many industries, including retail. They help support property development investments, encouraging opening of new stores and capital risk-taking," she said in a statement at the time. 

The commissioner’s probe is focused on the companies’ operations in Halifax, but also more broadly across the country.

The court documents filed in May describe Empire’s and George Weston’s holdings in real estate investment trusts, or REITs, which count the companies’ own grocery banners as major tenants.

Through a subsidiary, Empire holds a 41.5-per-cent interest in Crombie Real Estate Investment Trust, while George Weston has a controlling ownership interest of 61.7 per cent in Choice Properties Real Estate Investment Trust.

The Competition Bureau revealed its investigation into the use of property controls in the grocery sector in February.

At the time, deputy commissioner Anthony Durocher told a House of Commons committee that property controls could be holding back growth for independent grocery stores and chains, and could also be a barrier for foreign players looking to enter the Canadian market.

Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne has said he's looking for a foreign grocery to enter Canada and boost competition. 

-- With files from Darryl Greer

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 11, 2024.

Loblaws boycott: These Canadian

 shoppers say they’re done with the

 grocery giant forever

The boycott of Loblaw-affiliated stores was started by a

 group on Reddit who wanted to pressure the chain

 during the month of May. It's still going for some

 shoppers

Elianna Lev
Tue, June 11, 2024

Loblaw chairman Galen Weston is frequently subjected to direct criticism by Canadian shoppers taking part in the boycott.


What started out as a May-long boycott of Loblaw and its affiliated stores across the country is still going strong for many Canadian shoppers who are vowing to shun the grocery giant and its chains indefinitely.

"Loblaws Is Out of Control," the Reddit group that organized and launched the initial boycott, is now encouraging Canadians who are able to take part to continue the boycott of the giant's stores, like the flagship Loblaws, Shoppers Drug Mart, Real Canadian Superstore, No Frills and Zehrs, among others.

The Reddit forum was launched in November by Emily Johnson of Milton, Ont., and now boasts nearly 90,000 members. The organizers of the boycott chose to target Loblaw and its affiliates, rather than other grocery chains like Sobeys or Metro, because of its tremendous reach. By the giant's own data, more than 90 per cent of Canadians live within 10 kilometres of at least one of Loblaw's 2,400 stores.

Yahoo Canada spoke to several people who are members of the Reddit group "Loblaws Is Out of Control" who said they are continuing their boycott past the month of May, into June, and indefinitely. Six Canadians spoke to us about why they're doing it and how they're managing to avoid the grocery and drug store empire long term.

I'm amazed at how this boycott has succeeded and brought together so many Canadians who probably otherwise disagree on many issues.

The following testimonials were shared with Yahoo Canada by Canadian shoppers across the country who are members of the "Loblaws Is Out of Control" Reddit forum. Some entries have been edited for length and clarity.

Grace Wong is a 58-year-old who lives in Edmonton, Alta., with her partner and 19-year-old son. She owns a computer repair shop. A recent post of hers on the "Loblaws Is Out of Control" subreddit garnered lots of attention when she announced she'd used up all her PC Optimum points and would be closing her account.

Suzanne is a 63-year-old who lives alone in London, Ont. She is a retired lawyer.

Melanie is a 61-year-old who lives alone in Winnipeg, Man. She is retired.

PJ is a 65-year-old who lives alone in Victoria, B.C. She is a customer service associate.

Erin is a 46-year-old who lives alone in Campbell River, B.C. She is a social worker.

Rick is a 69-year-old who lives in St. Johns, Nfld., with his wife and adult son.

Real Canadian Superstore in Edmonton.  (Photo by Artur Widak/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Canadians shoppers learned of Loblaws boycott from Reddit

Grace: I learned about the boycott pretty much how everyone else did — on social media. I joined the subreddit, and I thought they made a lot of good points.

Suzanne: There's a widening gap between rich and poor in this country. I feel that corporations like Loblaw are deliberately and directly contributing to that. In one month, the Reddit community has done more to raise awareness and fight back than any level of government has. I refuse to set foot [in the stores of] any Weston-owned company. They have lied to Canadians and scammed us for decades.

Melanie: I joined the boycott because it was obvious to me that things had gotten out of hand. I was not aware of how crazy they'd gotten until I started learning from my fellow boycotters.

PJ: I'm amazed at how this boycott has succeeded and brought together so many Canadians who probably otherwise disagree on many issues. I've been part of boycotts in the past but never one so successful and impactful.

Erin: I remember on one of the Reddit groups, someone posted a picture of Christmas ornaments that were $80. I remember looking at that and thinking, ‘If that’s $80, how much is Christmas dinner?’ Then the whole "Loblaws Is Out of Control" started and I learned about all the things like shrinkflation, and the bread price fixing, and I was finally annoyed enough ... And it’s been really cool to watch it sort of taking off.

It was obvious to me that they'd gotten out of hand. I was not aware of how crazy they'd gotten until I started learning from my fellow boycotters.

Longueuil,Quebec,Canada-Loblaws supermarket from parking lot
The straw that broke the camel's back: Why Canadian shoppers have had enough of Loblaws

Grace: My grocery bill every month, even though it’s just three people, is absolutely horrific.

Suzanne: It makes no financial sense to pay for the privilege of shopping at a chain that treats customers as if they were criminals. I despise the self checkouts and refuse to use them for two reasons; Widespread automation obviates the need for a human employee, costing someone a job. And second, I don't work there, so why would I do this myself?

Melanie: It was actually back near the end of last year that I blew off Superstore. I did up a cart and thought ‘Geez that's rather high.' I did a matching cart at Walmart and Walmart won. I did it once more after the new year and same thing. I haven't given them anything since.

PJ: As a senior, I'm incensed at price gouging. When I started seeing people in that subreddit posting photos of prices at Loblaws I couldn't believe how badly they treat their customers. Every grocery chain dances that fine line between not losing customers, and making the biggest profit they can. But Loblaws does it with such contempt for its customers.

Erin: I just did a big grocery shop because I just moved…if I had gone to Superstore, it would have been close to $1,000, but at Walmart it was $400. I was shocked. I don’t think I’ll ever go back.

When I started seeing people in that subreddit posting photos of prices at Loblaws I couldn't believe how badly they treat their customers.

Toronto, Canada - August 26, 2021: A Costco delivery truck on the street in Toronto, Canada. Costco is an American corporation which operates a chain of membership-only big-box retail stores.

Life 'has gotten easier' since the boycott, with 'plethora' of choice

Grace: The nice thing about living in a large metro area, there’s lots of options. I shop at Sobeys, organic markets, HMart, which carries all the same stuff as T&T, and Costco.

Suzanne: I have been impacted by the boycott positively only. I have saved in excess of $400 this month alone and will continue to shop at the London food co-op. London has a few independent markets, and I go to a butcher shop run by one guy who learned the business in his country of origin, Hungary. He sells beautiful bacon. For $8.99/lb, you get actual fresh, thick cut bacon. At Loblaws and its affiliates, you'd pay $14 for a package of whisper thin fat with very little meat on it. I spend much less there for better quality food and I'm supporting a small business. For produce, I use a delivery service where a $40 box will feed two households — mine and my neighbour's — for roughly a week.

Melanie: Canadian families are just trying to eat. I'm lucky that I can afford to shop where ever I want, really. Groceries are cheaper everywhere that isn't Loblaws, Sobeys, Safeway and Save On. It's not that far out of anyone's way here — especially with cheap delivery ... My shopping habits are limited to who will deliver. I now have three deliveries every week: Giant Tiger, Dollarama and Walmart.

PJ: There's a plethora of choices here, I'm really lucky. Victoria also has a Chinatown with lots of affordable fresh produce. I can't drive due to a vision issue and I've become a ninja shopper, scouring the flyers every week, planning my food buying around loss-leader items, planning my bus trips, and calculating how much I can carry. It's very satisfying to score great deals. And if I can do that, anyone with a car can do it much more easily.

Erin: Loblaws is at least $6 for pickup, and at least $10 plus tip for delivery. At Walmart it’s free to pick up, which means now I don’t have to plan my grocery shopping. I can literally put an order in while I'm sitting at work and pick it up after work, it doesn’t cost me anything. Life has gotten easier because of this boycott.

Rick: I've been using local markets, butchers, bakers, farmers markets, Walmart and Costco. I moved my prescriptions to Costco and found big savings.

I spend much less there for better quality food and I'm supporting a small business.

Loblaws CEO Per Bank is photographed at a Suppliers Summit in Toronto, Thursday, May 16, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young

Loblaw grievances pile up for Canadian shoppers

Grace: For me, it was sort of a game to see how many [PC Optimum] points I could get. But if I’m spending thousands of dollars to get $100 in points, is that worth it? Maybe not. Now that I’ve used all the points I’m cancelling my PC Optimum membership.

Suzanne: I am going out of my way to avoid [Loblaw-affliated stores]. I'm terminally ill and have a substantial amount of expensive prescriptions - those were transferred to [a local] pharmacy that offers free delivery and substantially lower dispensing fees. I think they have lost this chunk of customers forever. There's no way to win me back. I also cancelled my PC credit card. [They employ] practices that are emblematic of the arrogance and contempt with which they view their own customers ... like selling underweight and expired food, to cutting the discount on expiring food from 50 per cent off to 30 per cent off.

Melanie: I got a lovely steak yesterday that I wouldn't dare get from Superstore. The attitude of [Loblaw Chair Galen] Weston and [CEO Per] Bank are over the top and they are so dismissive and condescending.

PJ: People have realized that Loblaws stores charge on average 25 to 30 per cent higher prices for the same items ... assuming that [customers] will just suck it up and pay too much.

Erin: I remember when Superstore first came to where I lived, they were the cheapest. You could save money shopping there. I don’t know when it changed, but it changed.

Rick: It's simple economics ... You can get one deodorant for $9.99 at Shoppers Drug Mart, or five of the same at Costco for $14.99!

I think they have lost this chunk of customers forever. There's no way to win me back. I also cancelled my PC credit card.

These Canadians say they will boycott Loblaw forever

Suzanne: I will keep boycotting them forever. I have a responsibility to do my bit for my son's generation and those that follow to at least give them a fighting chance to have a comfortable life.

Melanie: When I think of all the money that Loblaws has literally stolen from Canadian families on food of all things it makes me sick. Like many, I won't give them my money ever again.

PJ: I’m choosing to keep boycotting for purely selfish reasons: More money in my bank account at the end of the month. I don't see this as anything but a permanent boycott. Once you've altered your routine and learned a new store layout, once you've brought home produce that costs 30 per cent less and it lasts a week in the fridge, why would anyone go back? Only a masochist would.

Erin: Canadians can really make change. The boycott is working. The more people that join, the faster and more efficient it will work.

Grace: I’m boycotting permanently because I’m getting sick and tired of paying so much for what seems like not an awful lot, and finding out after the fact that you go shop elsewhere and you can get it for a hell of a lot cheaper than Loblaws.

Rick: I'm not going back because I'm saving too much money and meeting local businesses.

When I think of all the money that Loblaws has literally stolen from Canadian families on food of all things it makes me sick.