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Canada’s sports minister on Pride, rise in LGBTQ2S+ hate

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For Sport Minister Pascale St-Onge, Pride month feels different this year. It’s a sentiment that’s being expressed by many in the LGBTQ2S+ community in the wake of a rise in hate and attempts to “push back” on the progress made, but she sees it as an opportunity for Canadian politicians, high-profile athletes and others with platforms to “stand up.”

“There is a difference this year… We need to talk about it,” St-Onge said. “I think it’s more important now than ever, that people that are in the public space, that we stand up and stand against what we’re seeing right now… Whatever athletes, or sports organizations or people with a public voice, we need to use that space to bring positivity and support to the queer and trans community.”

St-Onge made history in 2021, becoming Canada’s first openly lesbian member of the federal cabinet. In an exclusive sit-down interview with CTV News, the minister spoke about her experience in office so far, what’s worrying her about the current climate, and where she sees ways for the federal government to do more.

The minister told CTV News that when she started out in her current role, after a nail-biter race to win her riding of Brome-Missisquoi, Que., she felt some hesitancy about being typecast or perceived by her sexual orientation, but now she’s feeling more of a responsibility to speak out.

“I think it’s time for people who do believe in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, who do believe that we have the greatest country in the world… I think it’s time for us to stand up and take a stand and be strong,” she said, suggesting the LGBTQ2S+ community and allies need to be ready to take steps to shore up Canada’s protections.

Coming from her position as minister of sport, St-Onge would also like to see Canadian sports organizations use their platforms for good.

In recent months, high-profile athletes come under scrutiny for anti-LGBTQ2S+ comments, and the NHL has said it would re-evaluate its Pride nights after several players refused to wear Pride-themed jerseys this past season.

“It’s something that I would have never thought that we’d see,” St-Onge said of the recent headlines, “Because a year ago or two years ago, it wasn’t even being questioned.”

She said the sports organizations and the athletes that are “making a lot of money and that have the privilege of having a voice should use it for positive reinforcement,” and not to try to roll back rights.

St-Onge said she has conversations regularly, including with Canada’s national teams about how to make sport more inclusive. It’s a challenge that’s seen the minister face some tough questions as parliamentarians have dug into the issue of safe sport and certain organizations’ serious mishandling of allegations of misconduct and abuse.

After being sworn in, St-Onge said she wanted to bring a new perspective to government decision-making. It’s a goal she said she thinks has been achieved by bringing her unique life experiences to policy conversations at the cabinet table and liaising with minister Marci Ien who leads on LGBTQ2S+ files, as well as her fellow queer cabinet, caucus, and parliamentary colleagues.

And, while St-Onge looks positively at the government’s record and work on LGBTQ2S+ files, she identifies the need for legislation to better protect people online as one main outstanding area where she thinks the Liberals need to do more to protect this community and others.

The government has already committed to tabling online harms or “only safety” legislation. After extensive consultations and reworking, the bill meant to ensure behaviour that is not acceptable in reality is not permitted online, is expected to be coming to the House of Commons in the fall.

While she has experienced some of the online vitriol herself, what is “preoccupying” her is thinking about the young people who are coming out or questioning their identities being exposed to attacks and harmful messaging online.

St-Onge attributes the uptick in hate directed towards minority groups to “a push from extremist groups” trying to “regress” the freedoms and protections that decades of advocates had fought for, as well as foreign governments trying to “attack countries like ours that have better freedoms. ”

Last fall, Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly summoned Russia’s ambassador over anti-LGBTQ2S social media posts, including one directed at St-Onge.

“We need to be aware of that, we need to acknowledge that this is happening… And we need to keep on moving our policies and legislation forward,” St-Onge said. “There is something that’s happening and it’s hard to explain, but everybody is feeling it and everybody is seeing it.”

Going forward, St-Onge is hoping to see more members of the LGBTQ2S+ community get involved in politics, and in the interim she’s calling on all political parties to show up at Pride events this season, something so far Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has been non-committal on.

Last weekend he told reporters asking about his Pride plans that he would “be joining with all Canadians to celebrate the fact that gays and lesbians have the freedom in this country to live their lives, and raise their families in peace, in safety, and in acceptance,” but would let them know how he’ll be doing that celebrating, once his schedule is set.

“It’s time that all of us in the House of Commons, that we commit to protecting our freedoms and rights and the rights of the queer and trans community. It’s when things are hard and when people are trying to push back on the progress that we’ve made, that we need to be united and be strong, and say that as political leaders, we are going to protect our laws, and we’re going to protect communities,” St-Onge said.

 

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Saskatchewan NDP’s Beck holds first caucus meeting after election, outlines plans

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REGINA – Saskatchewan Opposition NDP Leader Carla Beck says she wants to prove to residents her party is the government in waiting as she heads into the incoming legislative session.

Beck held her first caucus meeting with 27 members, nearly double than what she had before the Oct. 28 election but short of the 31 required to form a majority in the 61-seat legislature.

She says her priorities will be health care and cost-of-living issues.

Beck says people need affordability help right now and will press Premier Scott Moe’s Saskatchewan Party government to cut the gas tax and the provincial sales tax on children’s clothing and some grocery items.

Beck’s NDP is Saskatchewan’s largest Opposition in nearly two decades after sweeping Regina and winning all but one seat in Saskatoon.

The Saskatchewan Party won 34 seats, retaining its hold on all of the rural ridings and smaller cities.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.



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Telus prioritizing ‘most important customers,’ avoiding ‘unprofitable’ offers: CFO

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Telus Corp. says it is avoiding offering “unprofitable” discounts as fierce competition in the Canadian telecommunications sector shows no sign of slowing down.

The company said Friday it had fewer net new customers during its third quarter compared with the same time last year, as it copes with increasingly “aggressive marketing and promotional pricing” that is prompting more customers to switch providers.

Telus said it added 347,000 net new customers, down around 14.5 per cent compared with last year. The figure includes 130,000 mobile phone subscribers and 34,000 internet customers, down 30,000 and 3,000, respectively, year-over-year.

The company reported its mobile phone churn rate — a metric measuring subscribers who cancelled their services — was 1.09 per cent in the third quarter, up from 1.03 per cent in the third quarter of 2023. That included a postpaid mobile phone churn rate of 0.90 per cent in its latest quarter.

Telus said its focus is on customer retention through its “industry-leading service and network quality, along with successful promotions and bundled offerings.”

“The customers we have are the most important customers we can get,” said chief financial officer Doug French in an interview.

“We’ve, again, just continued to focus on what matters most to our customers, from a product and customer service perspective, while not loading unprofitable customers.”

Meanwhile, Telus reported its net income attributable to common shares more than doubled during its third quarter.

The telecommunications company said it earned $280 million, up 105.9 per cent from the same three-month period in 2023. Earnings per diluted share for the quarter ended Sept. 30 was 19 cents compared with nine cents a year earlier.

It reported adjusted net income was $413 million, up 10.7 per cent year-over-year from $373 million in the same quarter last year. Operating revenue and other income for the quarter was $5.1 billion, up 1.8 per cent from the previous year.

Mobile phone average revenue per user was $58.85 in the third quarter, a decrease of $2.09 or 3.4 per cent from a year ago. Telus said the drop was attributable to customers signing up for base rate plans with lower prices, along with a decline in overage and roaming revenues.

It said customers are increasingly adopting unlimited data and Canada-U.S. plans which provide higher and more stable ARPU on a monthly basis.

“In a tough operating environment and relative to peers, we view Q3 results that were in line to slightly better than forecast as the best of the bunch,” said RBC analyst Drew McReynolds in a note.

Scotiabank analyst Maher Yaghi added that “the telecom industry in Canada remains very challenging for all players, however, Telus has been able to face these pressures” and still deliver growth.

The Big 3 telecom providers — which also include Rogers Communications Inc. and BCE Inc. — have frequently stressed that the market has grown more competitive in recent years, especially after the closing of Quebecor Inc.’s purchase of Freedom Mobile in April 2023.

Hailed as a fourth national carrier, Quebecor has invested in enhancements to Freedom’s network while offering more affordable plans as part of a set of commitments it was mandated by Ottawa to agree to.

The cost of telephone services in September was down eight per cent compared with a year earlier, according to Statistics Canada’s most recent inflation report last month.

“I think competition has been and continues to be, I’d say, quite intense in Canada, and we’ve obviously had to just manage our business the way we see fit,” said French.

Asked how long that environment could last, he said that’s out of Telus’ hands.

“What I can control, though, is how we go to market and how we lead with our products,” he said.

“I think the conditions within the market will have to adjust accordingly over time. We’ve continued to focus on digitization, continued to bring our cost structure down to compete, irrespective of the price and the current market conditions.”

Still, Canada’s telecom regulator continues to warn providers about customers facing more charges on their cellphone and internet bills.

On Tuesday, CRTC vice-president of consumer, analytics and strategy Scott Hutton called on providers to ensure they clearly inform their customers of charges such as early cancellation fees.

That followed statements from the regulator in recent weeks cautioning against rising international roaming fees and “surprise” price increases being found on their bills.

Hutton said the CRTC plans to launch public consultations in the coming weeks that will focus “on ensuring that information is clear and consistent, making it easier to compare offers and switch services or providers.”

“The CRTC is concerned with recent trends, which suggest that Canadians may not be benefiting from the full protections of our codes,” he said.

“We will continue to monitor developments and will take further action if our codes are not being followed.”

French said any initiative to boost transparency is a step in the right direction.

“I can’t say we are perfect across the board, but what I can say is we are absolutely taking it under consideration and trying to be the best at communicating with our customers,” he said.

“I think everyone looking in the mirror would say there’s room for improvement.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.

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Canada Post to launch chequing and savings account with Koho

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Two years after the failed launch of a lending program, Canada Post is making another foray into banking services.

The postal service confirmed Friday that it will be offering a chequing and savings account in partnership with Koho Financial Inc.

The accounts will be launched nationally next year, though Canada Post employees will be offered early access as the product is tested.

Canada Post spokeswoman Lisa Liu said in a statement that there are gaps in the banking and savings products available that the Crown corporation looks to fill.

“Canada Post is uniquely positioned to fill some of these demands. Many of our existing financial products help meet the needs of new Canadians and those living in rural, remote and Indigenous communities, but we believe more is required.”

The MyMoney offering will be a spending and savings account where customers will be able to choose between features like high interest rates, cashback rewards and credit-building tools.

A document briefly posted to the Canadian Union of Postal Workers website said it would use a prepaid, reloadable Mastercard that will use money from the account like a debit card but offer the features of a Mastercard.

It said there will be a range of account tiers, including no-fee accounts and paid accounts with more features.

The plans comes after Canada Post launched a lending program with TD Bank Group in late 2022, only to shut it down weeks later because of what it said were processing issues.

Liu said the postal service has since been exploring other possible financial service offerings.

“Utilizing what we’ve learned, we are making a strategic shift from loans toward products more aligned with our core financial service products.”

The new account will be delivered with financial technology company Koho. A few months ago the company paired with Canada Post to allow its customers to deposit cash into their account through post offices.

Koho is also working to secure a Canadian banking license to expand its services.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.



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