A Toronto restaurant has sent Ontario Premier Doug Ford a $431 invoice for beer they say will spoil as a result of the provincewide shutdown.
Michael Hunter, co-owner of Antler Kitchen & Bar in the city’s west end, told CP24 that he sent the premier an invoice for two kegs of beer he purchased after being told Toronto restaurants could reopen their patios.
“We haven’t been buying draft beer because we can’t sell draft for our curbside pickup and takeout, so for the patio weekend we decided okay, we’re open for the patio, now let’s buy these kegs,” Hunter said. “We tapped the kegs, hooked them up to our lines, had the lines cleaned, only for a week later told now we have to shut down.”
“Once a keg is opened, it has a shelf life.’
Two weeks ago restaurants in the grey zone of Ontario’s COVID-19 lockdown framework were allowed to reopen their patios. The news was highly anticipated by businesses in Toronto and Peel Region that had been shuttered to in-person dining all winter.
But with the announcement of a provincewide shutdown, those same restaurants now have to close their outdoor dining areas.
Under the new regulations that went into effect at midnight, in-person dining—both indoors and outdoors—is prohibited.
“These openings and closings after two weeks, they have an effect on us,” Hunter said, adding that the invoice is a “statement” and doesn’t include the cost of additional food and staff hired.
“We’re more in debt today than we were two weeks ago before we were told we could open the patio.”
In a letter sent along with the invoice for $431.55, Antler Kitchen & Bar says that the reopening of patios “was a path for our business to survive.”
“You say you care about Toronto’s restaurants,” the letter to Ford says. “And we know you care about beer. So we’re sending an invoice to you for two kegs worth of beer that will spoil because of this shut down. We bought them because you said we could re-open.”
“So now that you’ve closed us down, we know you will be glad to cover the cost and take them off our hands. They might go down well at the next cabinet meeting.”
Hunter said that while he isn’t a medical expert, the service industry, along with other businesses completely shuttered during the shutdown, has been hardest hit during the pandemic.
“It’s literally just been a nightmare.”
A spokesperson for the premier did not comment on the invoice, but said that the government recognizes that the pandemic “has had a devastating impact on all Ontarians.”
“At a time when case counts are increasing unsustainably and intensive care units are immensely strained, risking care, the hard decision to implement the emergency brake provincewide was necessary and the right thing to do. We must continue to respect the advice and recommendations of public health officials and the Chief Medical Officer of Health.”
Indoor dining has been prohibited in all grey zone regions since the inception of the Ontario COVID-19 lockdown framework in early November.
Areas such as Toronto and Peel Region have never left the grey zone, while other Ontario public health units have moved back and forth among the five tiers.
In the red zone, which is just below the grey zone, indoor dining was allowed with a 10-person limit.
At the same time outdoor dining was given the green light in the grey zone, the province made adjustments to the red zone allowing restaurants to operate at either 50 per cent capacity or up to 50 people, whichever one is reached first with a two-metre distance between customers.
The provincewide shutdown that started on April 3 is expected to last at least a month.
Most job search advice is cookie-cutter. The advice you’re following is almost certainly the same advice other job seekers follow, making you just another candidate following the same script.
In today’s hyper-competitive job market, standing out is critical, a challenge most job seekers struggle with. Instead of relying on generic questions recommended by self-proclaimed career coaches, which often lead to a forgettable interview, ask unique, thought-provoking questions that’ll spark engaging conversations and leave a lasting impression.
Your level of interest in the company and the role.
Contributing to your employer’s success is essential.
You desire a cultural fit.
Here are the top four questions experts recommend candidates ask; hence, they’ve become cliché questions you should avoid asking:
“What are the key responsibilities of this position?”
Most likely, the job description answers this question. Therefore, asking this question indicates you didn’t read the job description. If you require clarification, ask, “How many outbound calls will I be required to make daily?” “What will be my monthly revenue target?”
“What does a typical day look like?”
Although it’s important to understand day-to-day expectations, this question tends to elicit vague responses and rarely leads to a deeper conversation. Don’t focus on what your day will look like; instead, focus on being clear on the results you need to deliver. Nobody I know has ever been fired for not following a “typical day.” However, I know several people who were fired for failing to meet expectations. Before accepting a job offer, ensure you’re capable of meeting the employer’s expectations.
“How would you describe the company culture?”
Asking this question screams, “I read somewhere to ask this question.” There are much better ways to research a company’s culture, such as speaking to current and former employees, reading online reviews and news articles. Furthermore, since your interviewer works for the company, they’re presumably comfortable with the culture. Do you expect your interviewer to give you the brutal truth? “Be careful of Craig; get on his bad side, and he’ll make your life miserable.” “Bob is close to retirement. I give him lots of slack, which the rest of the team needs to pick up.”
Truism: No matter how much due diligence you do, only when you start working for the employer will you experience and, therefore, know their culture firsthand.
“What opportunities are there for professional development?”
When asked this question, I immediately think the candidate cares more about gaining than contributing, a showstopper. Managing your career is your responsibility, not your employer’s.
Cliché questions don’t impress hiring managers, nor will they differentiate you from your competition. To transform your interaction with your interviewer from a Q&A session into a dynamic discussion, ask unique, insightful questions.
Here are my four go-to questions—I have many more—to accomplish this:
“Describe your management style. How will you manage me?”
This question gives your interviewer the opportunity to talk about themselves, which we all love doing. As well, being in sync with my boss is extremely important to me. The management style of who’ll be my boss is a determining factor in whether or not I’ll accept the job.
“What is the one thing I should never do that’ll piss you off and possibly damage our working relationship beyond repair?”
This question also allows me to determine whether I and my to-be boss would be in sync. Sometimes I ask, “What are your pet peeves?”
“When I join the team, what would be the most important contribution you’d want to see from me in the first six months?”
Setting myself up for failure is the last thing I want. As I mentioned, focus on the results you need to produce and timelines. How realistic are the expectations? It’s never about the question; it’s about what you want to know. It’s important to know whether you’ll be able to meet or even exceed your new boss’s expectations.
“If I wanted to sell you on an idea or suggestion, what do you need to know?”
Years ago, a candidate asked me this question. I was impressed he wasn’t looking just to put in time; he was looking for how he could be a contributing employee. Every time I ask this question, it leads to an in-depth discussion.
Other questions I’ve asked:
“What keeps you up at night?”
“If you were to leave this company, who would follow?”
“How do you handle an employee making a mistake?”
“If you were to give a Ted Talk, what topic would you talk about?”
“What are three highly valued skills at [company] that I should master to advance?”
“What are the informal expectations of the role?”
“What is one misconception people have about you [or the company]?”
Your questions reveal a great deal about your motivations, drive to make a meaningful impact on the business, and a chance to morph the questioning into a conversation. Cliché questions don’t lead to meaningful discussions, whereas unique, thought-provoking questions do and, in turn, make you memorable.
Nick Kossovan, a well-seasoned veteran of the corporate landscape, offers “unsweetened” job search advice. You can send Nick your questions to artoffindingwork@gmail.com.
CALGARY – Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. reported a third-quarter profit of $2.27 billion, down from $2.34 billion in the same quarter last year.
The company says the profit amounted to $1.06 per diluted share for the quarter that ended Sept. 30 compared with $1.06 per diluted share a year earlier.
Product sales totalled $10.40 billion, down from $11.76 billion in the same quarter last year.
Daily production for the quarter averaged 1,363,086 barrels of oil equivalent per day, down from 1,393,614 a year ago.
On an adjusted basis, Canadian Natural says it earned 97 cents per diluted share for the quarter, down from an adjusted profit of $1.30 per diluted share in the same quarter last year.
The average analyst estimate had been for a profit of 90 cents per share, according to LSEG Data & Analytics.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 31, 2024.
CALGARY – Cenovus Energy Inc. reported its third-quarter profit fell compared with a year as its revenue edged lower.
The company says it earned $820 million or 42 cents per diluted share for the quarter ended Sept. 30, down from $1.86 billion or 97 cents per diluted share a year earlier.
Revenue for the quarter totalled $14.25 billion, down from $14.58 billion in the same quarter last year.
Total upstream production in the quarter amounted to 771,300 barrels of oil equivalent per day, down from 797,000 a year earlier.
Total downstream throughput was 642,900 barrels per day compared with 664,300 in the same quarter last year.
On an adjusted basis, Cenovus says its funds flow amounted to $1.05 per diluted share in its latest quarter, down from adjusted funds flow of $1.81 per diluted share a year earlier.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 31, 2024.