Good afternoon everyone.
I’m not going to pretend like I understand what’s happening at TIFF this week but I went to the world premiere of the Swiped last light and really enjoyed it. That’s mostly because I’m a sucker for dramatized founder stories and young enough to not know a world without dating apps. I don’t think everyone will appreciate that the story is told solely though co-founder Whitney Wolfe’s point of view, but considering that was the goal of making this movie I think Rachel Lee Goldenberg and Lilly James nailed it.
In today’s newsletter: A working theory about who’s been cutting down speed cameras, Wealthimple and National Bank are backing a Canadian-dollar stablecoin, half of all Canadians support getting rid of the temporary foreign worker program.
Vanity Fair is stepping up its TIFF coverage. I’d be surprised if local outlets haven’t noted this year’s buzzy and star-studded party at the Four Seasons.
Call me crazy but I think Doug Ford might be cutting down all the speed cameras. Our premier has made no secret of his love for cars and the people who drive them, and this week he’s taking aim at the speed cameras that have generated $45 million in fines for the city this year and faced 800 incidents of reported vandalism in the process. I would also remind you that the province is taking an argument over bike lanes on busy streets to the Ontario Superior Court and is still seriously talking about building a 55-kilometre tunnel under the 401.
Some recent “wins” for drivers include cutting taxes on gas, removing tolls on the Highway 407 East, and eliminating license plate renewal fees and stickers.
Wealthsimple and National Bank are backing a Canadian-dollar stablecoin.
Main takeaway from the Apple event is the validation of cross body phone straps. So many of you owe me an apology. Also, anyone who buys the new iPhone Air (5.6 millimetres thick) will need this to prevent it from blowing away.
The Globe and Mail is doing a New Yorker-style push into tote bags for new subscribers. I like it! I can’t find them online but I’m being targeted with new ads.
Nearly half of all Canadians support getting rid of the temporary foreign worker program. Pierre Poilievre clearly wasting no time since winning back his parliament seat two weeks ago. It’ll be interesting to follow this debate and what happens next: the conversation largely centres around the known failures of the program but has intensified as the youth unemployment rate rises. Abacus Data says it could develop into one of the most divisive political issues right now.
Canadian companies are getting serious about going after scammers. I call people on a daily basis who start the conversation by telling me they don’t usually answer their phones because scam calls are so pervasive, which is wild to me.
SSENSE is temporarily protected from having to pay designers that sell though its platform. The rage on social media is very real and escalating.
Ben Mulroney will fill in as a host on Global News’ political affairs show. He says he will still be his true self on the Ben Mulroney Show, his new radio show.
There’s a new CEO leading Pamela Anderson’s skincare brand, Sonsie.
Her Majesty’s Pleasure re-launched its membership as a members club. So many brands are taking a fresh look on loyalty these days, where customers are rewarded by being invited into a whole world of “exclusive” launches and events.
Who would’ve though casinos are a hotspot for money laundering. The federal agency responsible for cracking down on financial crimes is stepping up its oversight on the country’s casinos, with 50 investigations opened in the last year. Last week, the CNE Casino was fined nearly $200,000 for failing to asses the risks of money laundering or terrorist financing, which it’s planning to appeal.
Toronto-based Lisa Gozlan is pushing into city charm bracelets. Will point out the obvious and funny thing here by saying Toronto is not (yet) included.
