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Morning Column

The Cyber-Highway to Dubai

Right now, the global business community at large is very curious to discover the charm of Dubai, and what it is about its business community that works so well. The outside world wants to know who these people are, how they run their projects, and what they do exactly that is so grand and magical.

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Talking Pictures

A.J. Jacobs: My year of living biblically

TED - Speaking at the most recent EG conference, author, philosopher, prankster and journalist A.J. Jacobs talks about the year he spent living biblically -- following the rules in the Bible as literally as possible

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Envionmental Challenge

Woodstock and Blackout Day challenges Ontarians to “have fun with the lights out” on Aug. 14th!

WOODSTOCK – The city of Woodstock, in partnership with the Blackout Day group, is once again challenging Ontarians to “have fun with the lights out” on August 14th. Why August 14th?

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US - Cost of Government

Cost of Government Day Includes $1.16 Trillion in Regulations

New Report, Video Reveal Government’s “10,000 Commandments”

Washington, D.C.,—What goes up and doesn’t come down? The federal budget and the cost of federal regulations. A new report finds that the cost of federal regulations on consumers at a staggering $1.16 trillion in 2007.

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Aquisition

Skyline purchases The Co-operators office building portfolio

GUELPH - Guelph-based companies Skyline and The Co-operators Group are pleased to announce that Skyline has acquired six high quality commercial properties from The Co-operators Group, including Co-operators General Insurance Company (CGIC) on behalf of Skyline Apartment REIT at a purchase price of $81,400,000.

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Health Education

Wellness Education at Centre of New Conestoga Program

Kitchener/Waterloo/Guelph - Wellness and healthy living are becoming more than just an individual concern - they can have measurable, positive results for communities, workplaces, schools and families. Conestoga College, the area*s largest source for health education, is expanding its vision and scope from a focus on health to one on health and wellness.

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Communications

Owen Media Partners and Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters sign new long-term publishing agreement for Canadian Trade Index, Canada's highest trafficked industrial directory

MISSISSAUGA - Owen Media Partners and Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters (CME) are pleased to announce the signing of a new, long-term agreement that will feature Owen Media Partners as the exclusive publisher of CME's Canadian Trade Index (CTI).

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Appointment

Professional Golfer and Experienced Course Designer Dan Pohl Named VP of VIP Golf Operations for Verona Golf Company

SCOTTSDALE, AZ - Professional golfer and course designer Dan Pohl is the new Vice President of VIP Golf Operations for Verona Golf Company, an innovative new resort style country club and international membership program launched earlier this month.

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Manufacturing

Northstar Aerospace, Inc. creates 70 jobs at three North American sites

CHICAGO, IL - Northstar Aerospace, Inc. will create approximately 70 new jobs at its Anderson, Indiana, Chicago, Illinois and Windsor, Ontario sites to ramp up production of gears, components and spare parts for the CH-47 Chinook helicopter and Rolls-Royce programs.

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New Library

Plans for West Side YMCA and Library Facility Get Council Go Ahead

Waterloo – Waterloo City Council approved the schematic designs for the west side library and family YMCA facility, and the legal agreements with the YMCA and the University that will pave the way for the project to move forward.

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Coming Soon

The Aud will overflow with Great Big Sea this November

KITCHENER - Canada's Celtic rock sensations Great Big Sea (GBS) will make a memorable splash when they perform at the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium Complex on Nov. 20, 2008. Showtime is 8 p.m.

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Travel between other countries

Visitors made 2.3 million trips to Canada in May 2008, up 0.4% from the previous month.

Statscan - Travel from the United States edged up 0.3% from April. Residents of countries other than the United States made 404,000 overnight trips to Canada, up 0.7% from April.

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Deal

LaserQC Enters into Global Distribution Agreement with Amada America, Inc.

WATERLOO - Virtek Vision International Inc. announced the appointment of Amada America, Inc., a subsidiary of the Amada Co., Ltd. of Kanagawa, Japan, as a non-exclusive worldwide distributor of Virtek's LaserQC under the FabriVISION Laser Product brand.

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Independent Business

Small business supports Premiers' commitment to labour mobility in Canada

OTTAWA - In response to news that the Council of the Federation has reached an agreement on labour mobility in Canada, the Canadian Federation of Independent Business offers its support and congratulations.

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Food Shortage

Prof to Take Part in Food Crisis Panel

Guelph - A University of Guelph professor is among a group of Canadian leaders invited to participate in a special panel discussion on the global food crisis July 23 in Toronto.

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Technology - Library

Open Text's Enterprise Library Services Certified for Windows Server 2008

Certification Demonstrates Continued Leadership in Supporting Latest Microsoft Technologies

CHICAGO - Open Text(TM) Corporation, a global leader in enterprise content management (ECM), announced that its Enterprise Library Services offering has received the Certified for Windows Server 2008 designation. The announcement demonstrates Open Text's continued leadership as an early supporter of the latest Microsoft technologies.

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Aquisition

SkyPower Expands Development Operations in the United States

TORONTO - SkyPower, a Lehman Brothers Company, is expanding its operations in the United States as part of a strategy to continue growing its portfolio of renewable energy projects. The company is establishing offices in Omaha, Nebraska, from which it will explore new renewable energy opportunities to serve select States and communities.

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Morning Column

Get Ready - The Ripple Effect is Coming
A Quantum Solution to an Economic Problem
By Kim Marcille

Economists are predicting that the escalating price of oil and gas will have a ripple effect that will continue to impact businesses and families. Consumers will spend even less than they are now, as the price of heating their homes, getting to work and buying groceries will bite further into their already stressed budgets. Businesses will spend less trying to meet their numbers.

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Technology

Natural Convergence Announces Silhouette Release 4.0 to Critical Acclaim

OTTAWA -- Natural Convergence Inc. (NCI) has introduced its latest release which delivers high value features that contribute directly to a service provider's bottom line.

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Union Prosperity

United Steelworkers' President Leo W. Gerard to address green jobs, industrial strategy at Great Lakes Cities Meeting in Toronto July 18

TORONTO - United Steelworkers' (USW) International President Leo W. Gerard will speak today, Friday July 18 at the Sheraton Centre, Toronto, at 9 a.m. during a session on how to maintain and build on the region's position as the third largest regional economy in the world.

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Energy Education

Students display product designs for energy harvesting, healthy aging to improve quality of life

WATERLOO - Engineering students at the University of Waterloo will display product designs to improve the quality of life for as many people as possible, focusing on healthy aging and harvesting ambient energy for mobility, living and communications.

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Replacing Buzz

CAW Ontario Health Care Council Endorses Lewenza and Kennedy

TORONTO - The CAW Ontario Health Care Council Executive Board unanimously endorsed the candidacy of Ken Lewenza for the position of national president and Peter Kennedy for the position of national secretary-treasurer, during the most recent meeting of the board on July 15.

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Food Crises

Food Prices Steady, Inflation Push Eases-FAO

“Food commodity prices have now stabilised after surging early this year while a weak dollar may reduce inflationary pressures in many countries …Economist Abdolreza Abbassian of the Rome-based UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) told Reuters in a telephone interview.

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Energy

Researchers develop two-stage process for optimal biohydrogen production

Researchers have combined the efforts of two kinds of bacteria to produce hydrogen in a bioreactor, with the product from one providing food for the other. According to an article in the August issue of Microbiology Today, this technology has an added bonus:

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Mining

DUMONT establishes advisory committee in Alberta and Saskatchewan

TORONTO - Dumont Nickel Inc. is pleased to announce that it has approved the establishment of an Advisory Committee to assist Dumont with development of its mineralized shale Properties in Alberta and Saskatchewan.

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Deal

Héroux-Devtek signs letter of agreement to manufacture structural components for new Bell Helicopter 429 program

FARNBOROUGH, United Kingdom - Héroux-Devtek Inc. announced that its Aerostructure Division has signed a letter of agreement with Bell Helicopter Textron.

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New motor vehicle sales

After three consecutive months of declines, new motor vehicle sales rose slightly in May.

Statscan - Consumers purchased 145,224 new vehicles in May, an increase of 1.1% from April. Shifting consumer preferences away from trucks to passenger cars has been the main factor in determining the direction of new motor vehicle sales in Canada so far this year.

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Beer Maker

Brick Brewing Co. is proud to call Kitchener-Waterloo home

WATERLOO - As a regional brewer of award winning premium quality beers, Brick Brewing Co. is proud to call Kitchener-Waterloo home. Brick Brewery's story is a simple one of a love between a man and his beer.

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Monthly Survey of Manufacturing

In 2002 prices, manufacturing sales edged up 0.2% to $47.2 billion in May.

Statscan - Current dollar manufacturing sales rose 2.7% to $51.4 billion. This was the largest increase since March 2007 and the fourth increase in five months.

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Morning Column

Incremental Changes, Exponential Results: Making the Right Small Changes Can Inspire Passionate Performance
By Jay Forte

The more closely an employee is connected to his role (he likes what he does) and the more personally the employee is connected to his manager (has a strong relationship) the better he performs.

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Canadian Social Trends

Life in metropolitan areas: A profile of perceptions of incivility in the metropolitan landscape
by Leslie-Anne Keown

Statscan - “Signs of crime,” which criminologists often call incivility, range from evidence of drug dealing and drug use to garbage littering the neighbourhood.

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Energy Retail

CanSIA welcomes retailer to help harness solar energy for Canadian consumers

OTTAWA – The Canadian Solar Industries Association welcomed new member The Home Depot Canada Inc. this month, noting the company is the first major retailer to join its ranks.

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Finance Banking

Canadian Bankers Association-Time for a Canadian Securities Commission; Passport System of Regulation Falls Short

TORONTO - In its submission to the Expert Panel on Securities Regulation, the Canadian Bankers Association (CBA) today called for the federal government to create a single securities regulator, a Canadian Securities Commission, to enhance Canada's competitive advantage internationally.

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Awards & Recognition

Human rights video awards for Blacksheep Strategy

WINNIPEG - Multiple honours have been awarded to the video created for the Friends of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights, "Forever Changed."

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Money

11% Growth in 3 Months puts TNS over 12,000 ATMs!

TORONTO - Canada's largest white label ATM processor, announced that it has exceeded 12,000 mark of the 3rd Party ATMs installed on its network. Since 1996 TNS has gained the confidence of Independent Sales Organizations (ISOs) across Canada, enabling Canadian ISOs to grow and manage their own ATM portfolios.

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Distribution

Marketwire Finalizes Expansion of Its Asia Pacific News Distribution and Media Management Infrastructure

Recent Acquisition in Hong Kong, Expanded Resources in China, and New Media Data Research Facilities in Manila and Beijing Offer Industry-Leading Asia-Market Solutions for Communications Professionals

TORONTO - Marketwire, a full-service newswire and communications workflow solutions provider, announces completion of its expanded Asia Pacific news distribution platform and media contact database.

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Culture

Guelph Arts Council Seeks Help in Public Art Inventory

Guelph - Thanks to a 2007 grant from the Musagetes Fund at the Guelph Community Foundation, Guelph Arts Council is embarking on a public art awareness project this summer.

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Education Recognition

World's leading water expert receives national achievement award

Waterloo - University of Waterloo geographer Bruce Mitchell, one of the top water-management researchers in the world, is this year's winner of the Massey Medal, named after a former governor general of Canada.

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Technology

DALSA CEO Provides Business Update

Waterloo - DALSA Corporation announced Monday July 14, 2008 that the positive results reported in its core business over recent quarters are continuing with particular strength reported within Digital Imaging.

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Award Recognition

imason Honored as 2008 Microsoft Partner of the Year for Custom Development Solutions, Application Infrastructure Development

Toronto — On july 16, 2008, imason proudly announced it has won the 2008 Microsoft Partner of the Year award for Custom Development Solutions, Application Infrastructure Development.

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Philanthropy

Community Foundation Grants Support After-School Programs

Kitchener/Waterloo - House of Friendship gratefully acknowledges receiving four grants from the Kitchener and Waterloo Community Foundation that will greatly assist its After-School Programs and one that will go to the general operating fund.

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Talking Picture

Helen Fisher: The brain in love

TED - Why do we crave love so much, even to the point that we would die for it? To learn more about our very real, very physical need for romantic love, Helen Fisher and her research team took MRIs of people in love -- and people who had just been dumped.

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Cambridge Festival

Mill Race Festival – still improving after 16 years!

CAMBRIDGE — The streets of downtown Cambridge will once again be filled with unique musical sounds and colourful dancers as the Mill Race Festival of Traditional Folk Music kicks off for its 16th year.

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Morning Column

Planning for the Coming Boom
By Patrick Astre

And the darkest hour, Is just before dawn. It seems that way sometimes, doesn't it? That the darkness of an economic slowdown will never end until it swallows your business like a pelican gulping down a fish.

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Communication

Experts gather to examine dimensions of the "Information Overload" problem

TORONTO - Building on decades of helping companies and people more easily and quickly share information, Xerox Canada, in tandem with Xerox Corporation has signed on as a founding corporate member of the Information Overload Research Group, which is dedicated to boosting workplace productivity by fighting information overload.

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BioTechnology

GDG Environnement, leader in the biological control of mosquitoes and black flies has a smooth sail and enters the TSX Venture exchange !

TROIS-RIVI?RES, QC - Mr. Jean-Guy Lanouette, president of GDG Environnement, was quite proud to announce, this morning to the press, that his company is now listed on the TSX venture exchange. GDG's share can be traded, under the ticker "GDG", after a reverse takeover was finalized on April 24, 2008 with Theseus Capital Inc., a start-up capital company.

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Health in the Work Place

Survey finds growing concern about the impact of mental health issues in the workplace but lack of awareness in the Executive Suite

TORONTO - A survey of over 450 Canadian organizations conducted by Mercer in conjunction with The Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health (CAMIMH) found that mental health issues are a growing concern for employers.

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Environment

Conservation group applauds the Ontario government's landmark Boreal forest announcement

Toronto - Ontario Nature applauds Monday's landmark announcement by the Ontario government to implement measures to protect the province's northern boreal region.

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Philanthropy

DB Schenker's Canada-Wide Food Drive a Resounding Success

Logistics Services Provider Collects Over 40,000 Kilos of Food for Local Food Banks Across the Country

MISSISSAUGA - Schenker of Canada Ltd., one of the leading logistics service providers to the food industry, today announced that its first ever cross-Canada Food Drive challenge was met with great enthusiasm by the company's employees, customers and partners.

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Aquisition

Questrade to Acquire eNorthern

Solidifying its #1 ranking as Canada's fastest-growing online brokerage, Questrade acquires Northern Securities' online division

TORONTO - Questrade Inc. announced it has reached agreement with Northern Securities to acquire the investment bank's online division clients (eNorthern). The transition of eNorthern brokerage clients to Questrade will take place on August 1st, 2008.

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Technology

Apple Sells One Million iPhone 3Gs in First Weekend

CUPERTINO, California— Apple® announced on Monday that it sold its one millionth iPhone™ 3G on Sunday, just three days after its launch on Friday, July 11. iPhone 3G is now available in 21 countries—Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK and the US—and will go on sale in France on July 17.

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Video Talk

Freeman Dyson: Let's look for life in the outer solar system

TED - Physicist Freeman Dyson suggests that we start looking for life on the moons of Jupiter and out past Neptune, in the Kuiper belt and the Oort cloud. He talks about what such life would be like -- and how we might find it.

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Environment

World's fastest response oil containment system hits Canadian waters

First-of-its-kind response system helps prevent environmental damage caused by oil spills

TORONTO - Today, Ontario-based environmental protection technology leader Murrenhil Corporation launched the world's fastest response oil containment system, designed to reach and trap an oil spill within minutes, protecting our oceans, lakes, rivers, streams and coastal areas from ecological disaster.

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Video Talk

Clay Shirky: Institutions vs. collaboration

In this prescient 2005 talk, Clay Shirky shows how closed groups and companies will give way to looser networks where small contributors have big roles and fluid cooperation replaces rigid planning.

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Quarterly Retail Commodity Survey

Retail sales in the first quarter of 2008 amounted to $92.5 billion, up 6.0% over the first quarter of 2007.

Statscan - All commodities posted year-over-year increases with the exception of housewares, which recorded a slight decline in sales.

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Seniors as Mentors

New 'KnowledgeShare' program links senior mentors with youth

Waterloo-Wellington - The Waterloo Wellington Training & Adjustment Board has begun a new program that will match retired seniors to serve as business mentors with young people.

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Trading

NASDAQ Captures More Trading in NYSE-listed Securities Than the New York Stock Exchange for the First Time

NEW YORK - The NASDAQ OMX Group, Inc. announced The NASDAQ Stock Market has captured for the first time a greater share of trading in NYSE-listed stocks than the New York Stock Exchange.

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Entrepreneurship

The Fraser Institute: Canadian Provinces Trail U.S. States on Key Indicators of Entrepreneurship

VANCOUVER - Canadian provinces are failing to keep up to U.S. states on some of the most important measures of entrepreneurial activity, according to a new study released today by independent research organization the Fraser Institute.

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AeroSpace

Government of Canada Reconfirms Investment in Bombardier's CSeries

OTTAWA - The Government of Canada today reconfirmed its commitment of up to $350 million in support of research and development costs of Bombardier Inc.'s CSeries commercial aircraft program.

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Energy

Guelph Hydro Merger Survey

Guelph - Chamber of Commerce Advocacy group had informative meeting with Guelph Hydro July 10, 2008, with many of questions answered particularly with regards to competitiveness and the 20 year business plan.

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Education

David Fransen appointed Consul General of Canada in Los Angeles

WATERLOO - The University of Waterloo and Institute for Quantum Computing are congratulating David Fransen, executive director of IQC, on his appointment as the new Consul General of Canada in Los Angeles.
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Appointment

Preston Manning Appointed to the Council of Canadian Academies

OTTAWA - The Honourable Jim Prentice, Minister of Industry, today announced the appointment of Mr. Preston Manning to the Council of Canadian Academies.

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Education Bankruptcy

Student loan debt? Now forgivable via bankruptcy

Kitchener-Waterloo — If you have a large student loan debt that is more than seven years old, you can now have it forgiven by a bankruptcy, according to personal insolvency professionals at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC).