In The News is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to kickstart your day. Here is what’s on the radar of our editors for the morning of Dec. 9 …
What we are watching in Canada …
A new report says food prices in Canada are expected to rise to record highs next year.
Canada’s Food Price Report predicts the average family of four will pay an extra $966 for food in 2022, for a total annual grocery bill of nearly 15-thousand dollars.
That’s a seven per cent rise compared to this year, the biggest jump ever predicted by the report.
Sylvain Charlebois, lead author and Dalhousie University professor, says the era of cheap food has ended.
He says prices have been rising steadily since 2010 but the pandemic accelerated that trend.
The report says key drivers pushing up food prices next year include supply chain disruptions, labour market issues and adverse weather events.
It says soaring food prices will contribute to rising food insecurity in Canada, which could leave food banks struggling with higher costs just as demand for their services increases.
The report says the biggest price hikes will be in the dairy aisle and on restaurant menus, which are both expected to see price increases of six to eight per cent.
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Also this …
It’s hard to imagine a more dramatic backdrop as President Joe Biden’s virtual Summit for Democracy gets underway today: authoritarianism looming large over Ukraine, Taiwan — and the United States itself.
Biden and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will kick off the proceedings this morning, hosting government officials, civil society advocates and business leaders from more than 110 countries, including Canada.
It comes with the world nervously watching two of the summit’s most glaring absences — Russia and China — flex their military muscles at two woefully undermatched neighbours.
Biden has threatened economic sanctions should Russia invade Ukraine, while Blinken has called a Chinese incursion into Taiwan a “potentially disastrous decision.”
Then, of course, there’s that other elephant in the Zoom room: what happened on Capitol Hill on Jan. 6.
For Americans, democracy is under siege at home, with former president Donald Trump widely expected to seek the job again in 2024 — regardless of whether he actually wins the election.
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What we are watching in the U.S. …
NEW YORK _ A former boyfriend of a woman who says she was paid to give sexual favours to Jeffrey Epstein, starting at age 14, corroborated parts of her account Wednesday at the sex trafficking trial of the millionaire’s longtime companion, Ghislaine Maxwell.
The man, identified only as Shawn to protect the identity of his ex-girlfriend, said on multiple occasions in the early 2000s he drove three girls he knew to Epstein’s estate in Palm Beach, Florida.
He would wait in the car for an hour until the teenagers would emerge with $100 bills.
The girls included a woman who testified on Tuesday only as Carolyn to protect her privacy. She had told the jury she made hundreds of dollars giving sexualized massages to Epstein, and that Maxwell had fondled her and told her she “had a great body.”
Shawn said he and Carolyn used some of the cash to support their drug habit.
The testimony came as the government neared the end of its case against Maxwell, who has denied charges she instructed teenagers to give Epstein sexual messages at the millionaire’s residences in Florida, New York and elsewhere.
Maxwell’s lawyers have said she’s being made a scapegoat for sex crimes committed by Epstein, who briefly went to jail in a child prostitution case in 2008, and then killed himself after he was hit with new charged in 2019.
The last of four key accusers was expected to testify Thursday, before the government rests its case. The defence is set to start its case next week.
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What we are watching in the rest of the world …
HONG KONG _ Hong Kong tycoon and prominent pro-democracy activist Jimmy Lai and two others were convicted Thursday for their roles in last year’s banned Tiananmen candlelight vigil, amid a crackdown on dissent in the city and Beijing’s tightening political control.
Lai, together with Chow Hang-tung, a vice chairperson of the now-defunct vigil organizer the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, and activist and former reporter Gwyneth Ho were convicted for either taking part in or inciting others to join the candlelight vigil in 2020.
They are among 24 activists who were charged over their roles in the unauthorized assembly in Victoria Park on June 4 last year, during which thousands of people gathered to light candles and sing songs in the park despite police warnings that they may be breaking the law.
The Hong Kong Alliance previously organized a candlelight vigil in the city’s Victoria Park on June 4 each year to mark the bloody crackdown on protesters campaigning for more democracy in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square in 1989.
Last year, authorities banned the protest for the first time in three decades, citing social distancing restrictions and public health risks due to the coronavirus. The protest was also banned this year.
Prior to the ban, massive crowds attended the annual candlelight vigil and it was the only large-scale public commemoration on Chinese soil of the 1989 crackdown in Beijing.
Lai was found guilty of inciting others to take part, while Ho was convicted for knowingly participating in the assembly. Chow, a barrister, was convicted for both inciting and participating in the vigil. The trio had previously pleaded not guilty to the charges, and will be sentenced at a later date.
Most of the activists who had been charged over the banned vigil had previously pleaded guilty, including outspoken activist Joshua Wong, who was given 10 months in jail for his participation in the vigil. He was already in jail serving time after previously being found guilty of other charges related to his activism.
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On this day in 1755 …
The first post office in Canada opened in Halifax. A city stationer had begun an informal service the previous year, but in 1755 the British post office, in an attempt to improve military communication between Britain and North America, started a monthly packet run to New York. From there, any available vessel carried mail to Halifax, until 1788, when regular packets called in the port.
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In entertainment …
LOS ANGELES _ Mayim Bialik and Ken Jennings will continue as tag-team hosts of “Jeopardy!” through the rest of this season
“We’re so pleased to have such an excellent and experienced team in front of and behind the camera as we head into 2022!” producer Sony Pictures Television said Wednesday. Michael Davies will remain the show’s executive producer, Sony said.
Last September, Bialik and Jennings were announced as interim hosts after Sony’s efforts to replace the late Alex Trebek ran aground. Mike Richards, who’d been the show’s executive producer, got the host job and then lost it _ and soon after, his producing role _ when his past questionable podcast comments resurfaced.
Jennings, the record-holder for longest “Jeopardy!” winning streak, is a consulting producer on the show. Bialik has already been chosen to host “Jeopardy!” prime-time and spinoff series, including a new college championship.
“Jeopardy!” used a series of guest hosts, including Richards, for shows filmed after Trebek’s death. The beloved host died in November 2020 of cancer.
The show is in its 38th season, with new episodes scheduled to air until July 29, 2022.
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ICYMI …
IOC President Thomas Bach can’t escape repeated questions about Peng Shuai and issues raised by two video calls the IOC has had with her.
The calls were aimed at conveying a message that Peng was safe despite being absent from public view after the three-time Olympic tennis player accused a top Chinese politician of sexual assault almost six weeks ago.
The questions keep coming, even overshadowing a diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympics called by Canada, the United States, Britain, Australia, and Lithuania.
Bach has acknowledged that Peng’s situation is “fragile.” He is in the midst of three days of executive board meetings in Switzerland focused on the opening of the Games in Beijing on Feb. 4. But many of the questions at the daily press briefings are about Peng.
“You have to respect this human being,” Bach said Wednesday. “And in such a fragile situation (that) Peng Shuai is in, you have to make all the efforts to build trust. To engage in a human relationship. And this, as you can appreciate, is not easy in a video call.”
Bach said the IOC initiated both calls with Chinese sports officials. He said the IOC was open to more calls and did not rule out an “independent” party being involved. Tennis legend Martina Navratilova was suggested to Bach.
Bach said Peng’s wishes had to be respected, and he said she has asked for privacy.
No transcript of the calls was provided by the IOC, and Bach has never mentioned her sexual assault allegations against former Politburo Standing Committee member Zhang Gaoli.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 9, 2021.
TORONTO – Hundreds of Taylor Swift fans lined up outside the gates of Toronto’s Rogers Centre Wednesday, with hopes of snagging some of the pop star’s merchandise on the eve of the first of her six sold-out shows in the city.
Swift is slated to perform at the venue from Thursday to Saturday, and the following week from Nov. 21 to Nov. 23, with concert merchandise available for sale on some non-show days.
Swifties were all smiles as they left the merch shop, their arms full of sweaters and posters bearing pictures of the star and her Eras Tour logo.
Among them was Zoe Haronitis, 22, who said she waited in line for about two hours to get $300 worth of merchandise, including some apparel for her friends.
Haronitis endured the autumn cold and the hefty price tag even though she hasn’t secured a concert ticket. She said she’s hunting down a resale ticket and plans to spend up to $600.
“I haven’t really budgeted anything,” Haronitis said. “I don’t care how much money I spent. That was kind of my mindset.”
The megastar’s merchandise costs up to $115 for a sweater, and $30 for tote bags and other accessories.
Rachel Renwick, 28, also waited a couple of hours in line for merchandise, but only spent about $70 after learning that a coveted blue sweater and a crewneck had been snatched up by other eager fans before she got to the shop. She had been prepared to spend much more, she said.
“The two prized items sold out. I think a lot more damage would have been done,” Renwick said, adding she’s still determined to buy a sweater at a later date.
Renwick estimated she’s spent about $500 in total on “all-things Eras Tour,” including her concert outfit and merchandise.
The long queue for Swift merch is just a snapshot of what the city will see in the coming days. It’s estimated that up to 500,000 visitors from outside Toronto will be in town during the concert period.
Tens of thousands more are also expected to attend Taylgate’24, an unofficial Swiftie fan event scheduled to be held at the nearby Metro Toronto Convention Centre.
Meanwhile, Destination Toronto has said it anticipates the economic impact of the Eras Tour could grow to $282 million as the money continues to circulate.
But for fans like Haronitis, the experience in Toronto comes down to the Swiftie community. Knowing that Swift is going to be in the city for six shows and seeing hundreds gather just for merchandise is “awesome,” she said.
Even though Haronitis hasn’t officially bought her ticket yet, she said she’s excited to see the megastar.
“It’s literally incredible.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 13, 2024.
OTTAWA – Via Rail is asking for a judicial review on the reasons why Canadian National Railway Co. has imposed speed restrictions on its new passenger trains.
The Crown corporation says it is seeking the review from the Federal Court after many attempts at dialogue with the company did not yield valid reasoning for the change.
It says the restrictions imposed last month are causing daily delays on Via Rail’s Québec City-Windsor corridor, affecting thousands of passengers and damaging Via Rail’s reputation with travellers.
CN says in a statement that it imposed the restrictions at rail crossings given the industry’s experience and known risks associated with similar trains.
The company says Via has asked the courts to weigh in even though Via has agreed to buy the equipment needed to permanently fix the issues.
Via said in October that no incidents at level crossings have been reported in the two years since it put 16 Siemens Venture trains into operation.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 13, 2024.
LAVAL, Que. – The Japanese owner of 7-Eleven says it has received a new management buyout proposal from a member of the family that helped found the company, offering an alternative to the takeover bid from Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc.
The proposal for Seven & i Holdings Co. Ltd. is being made by Junro Ito, who is a vice-president and director of the company, and Ito-Kogyo Co. Ltd., a private company affiliated with him.
Terms of the non-binding offer by Ito were not disclosed.
In a statement Wednesday, Seven & i said its special committee has been reviewing the proposal with its financial advisers.
Stephen Hayes Dacus, chair of the special committee and board of directors of the company, said the company is committed to an objective review of all alternatives as it considers the proposals from Ito and Couche-Tard as well as the company’s stand-alone opportunities.
“The special committee and the company board will continue to engage with all parties in a manner designed to maximize value and will continue to act in the best interests of the company’s shareholders and other stakeholders,” he said in a statement.
The company noted that Ito has been excluded from all discussions within the company related to the offer and the bid by Couche-Tard.
Quebec-based Couche-Tard made a revised offer for Seven & i last month after an earlier proposal was rebuffed by the Japanese firm because it was too low and did not fully address U.S. regulatory concerns.
It did not respond to a request for comment about Ito’s offer.
RBC Capital Markets analyst Irene Nattel said the latest development underscored her belief that a Couche-Tard deal with Seven & i is a “low probability event.”
“Assuming attractive pricing and a fully-funded transaction, the potential privatization from a friendly Japanese group would seemingly provide investors with the value creation event they seek,” said Nattel, adding that it would skirt potential competition issues in the U.S. and concerns around the foreign takeover of a core local entity for Japanese regulators.
Couche-Tard has argued its proposal offers clear strategic and financial benefits and has said it believes the two companies can reach a mutually agreeable transaction.
However, the Japanese company has said there are multiple and significant challenges such a transaction would face from U.S. competition regulators.
Couche-Tard operates across 31 countries, with more than 16,800 stores. A successful deal with Seven & i could add 85,800 stores to its network.
Seven & i owns not only the 7-Eleven chain, but also supermarkets, food producers, household goods retailers and financial services companies.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 13, 2024.
