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New Deal

Nokia and Qualcomm Enter Into a New Agreement

- Companies Agree to Settle All Litigation -

ESPOO and SAN DIEGO - Nokia and Qualcomm announced that they have entered into a new agreement covering various standards including GSM, EDGE, CDMA, WCDMA, HSDPA, OFDM, WiMAX, LTE and other technologies.

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Consumer Price Index

Fuelled by higher gasoline prices, consumer prices rose 3.1% in the 12-months ending June 2008

Statscan - This is compared with the 2.2% gain recorded in May. June's increase was the largest since September 2005. Consumer prices excluding gasoline rose 1.8% in the 12 months to June.

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Stock Exchange

NASDAQ OMX Group to Complete Acquisition of The Philadelphia Stock Exchange

NASDAQ OMX to Broaden Its Entry Into Derivatives Market

NEW YORK - The NASDAQ OMX Group, Inc, announced that it intends to complete its acquisition of The Philadelphia Stock Exchange, expanding The NASDAQ OMX Group's presence in the derivatives market.

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Funding Innovation

DRIVING THE INNOVATION ECONOMY IN KITCHENER-WATERLOO

Ontario Government Building Ontario’s Innovation-Driven Economy

Kitchener/Waterloo - Research aimed at improving Ontario’s air quality by reducing vehicle emissions and searching for ways to help older adults overcome memory loss are two of the 10 projects at Wilfrid Laurier University and the University of Waterloo that will receive $1,400,000 in funding from the province’s Early Researcher Awards program.

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Healthcare

Dietitians' advice key in battle against diabetes

TORONTO, ON. Dietitians of Canada (DC) applauds the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long Term Care and the Ministry of Health Promotion for helping Ontarians prevent and manage diabetes.

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Morning Column

Choose Innovation Over Complexity: Three Solutions
by John Mariotti

"Innovate or die" is a commonly used phrase to describe the urgency of innovation to drive growth. But there's a problem, which most managers commonly cite: "We have no time or resources left for true innovation.

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State of Industry

Canadian Corporate Real Estate Executives Facing a New Reality of Labour Shortages, Complex Location Decisions, Carbon Footprint Accountability

TORONTO - According to CoreNet Global's 2008 State of the Industry Report, competition for a reduced labour pool, worker-centric location decisions and the sustainability wave are the future of Corporate Real Estate (CRE).

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Study

The Fraser Institute: Study Shows More Needs to Be Done to Reduce Red Tape and Ease Labour Shortage in Alberta's Oil Sands

CALGARY, ALBERTA - The recent agreement among Canada's premiers to harmonize job credentials and certification should help improve labour mobility but much more needs to be done, particularly at the federal level, in order to help reduce labour shortages across the country, according to a new Fraser Institute report.

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Recognition

CIGI fellow wins ACUNS book award

Dr. Ramesh Thakur awarded for the best book on United Nations

Waterloo – The Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI) is pleased to announce that its Distinguished Fellow Ramesh Thakur has won a prestigious Friends of ACUNS book award, which is presented annually to an author who has demonstrated outstanding research and writing on the United Nations (UN).
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Hospitality

SKYLINE BOUTIQUE HOTELS AND RESORTS SIP, SWIRL AND SAVOUR TWO VQA RESTAURANT AWARDS

Toronto - Skyline Boutique Hotels and Resorts is proud to announce that The Martini Bar located in the Pantages Hotel Toronto Centre has been awarded a 2008 Gold VQA Restaurant Award of Excellence and Eight Wine Bar and Restaurant located in the Cosmopolitan Toronto Hotel and Spa has been awarded a VQA Award of Excellence for 2008.

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Scholarship Winner

Laurier social work student wins inaugural Hilary M. Weston Scholarship

Waterloo - For Laurier Masters of Social Work student Bharati Sethi, being named one of the first recipients of the Ontario government’s Hilary M. Weston Scholarship means more than recognition and financial reward.

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World Relief

Canadian government commits $9.4 million to Canadian Lutheran World Relief projects

WINNIPEG - The Canadian government has shown its support for the community development work of Canadian Lutheran World Relief (CLWR) by endorsing the agency's 2008-2013 program proposal and committing almost $9.4 million to the $12.5 million cost.

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Subprime woes

Class action suit commenced against CIBC

Investors seek billions in compensation, citing misrepresentations and negligence in relation to CIBC's U.S. subprime investments

TORONTO - Investors who purchased common shares of the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce ("CIBC") between May 31, 2007 and February 28, 2008 have launched a multi billion dollar class action suit against CIBC and several former and current officers and directors.

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Investor Sentiment

Manulife Investor Sentiment Index rises slightly as investors adjust

Interest eases in real estate; only stocks stay in negative territory

WATERLOO - Canadians generally say they kept positive about investing in the past quarter, despite daily news about volatile equity markets, rising gas and food prices plus U.S. sub-prime lending woes, according to a national poll for Manulife Financial, Canada's leading insurance and wealth management company.

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Leveraging Distribution

3M Canada and IDENTEC SOLUTIONS Combine Forces

DALLAS, TX - 3M Canada and IDENTEC SOLUTIONS announced a strategic partnership that recognizes 3M Canada as a distribution partner for IDENTEC SOLUTIONS' technology.

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Education - Private School Closure

Closure of Private Career College Welcomed

Government Must Find Spaces in Public System for Goodwin Inc. Students

Toronto—The Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities announced that it has ordered the Goodwin College of Technology and Management Inc. to cease operations because the 'Private Career College' was offering unapproved programmes and operating an unregistered campus.

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Healthcare

Chiropodists and Podiatrists support Labour Mobility in Canada!

WATERLOO - The Canadian Federation of Podiatric Medicine says the labour mobility agreement is a perfect fit for the profession of chiropody and podiatry in Canada.

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Appointment

NCR Appoints New Sales Director of Financial Self-Service for Western Canada

Former Fujitsu sales professional has a successful track record in marketing automated teller machines to banks and credit unions in Western Canada and Ontario

MISSISSAUGA, ON – NCR Corporation (NYSE: NCR) today announced the appointment of Abe Ellorin as NCR’s new Western Canada sales director of financial self-service.

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Union Vote

CAW to hold Special Convention to Elect New National President

TORONTO - CAW delegates representing local unions from across the country will gather in Toronto on September 6th to elect a new national president, following the announcement of Buzz Hargrove to retire.

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Appointment

Sierra Systems Names Joe O'Leary Chief Operating Officer

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA - Sierra Systems Group Inc., a leading information technology and management consulting services company, has appointed Joe O'Leary as Chief Operating Officer. He will be responsible for leading and growing Sierra's service lines and industry practices.

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Accreditation Healthcare

Kuwait chooses Accreditation Canada to develop national accreditation program

OTTAWA - Accreditation Canada International has been commissioned to develop the national accreditation program for the Kuwait Ministry of Health. The Ministry intends to implement an accreditation program for healthcare quality and to ensure national standards developed specifically for Kuwait are followed.

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Aquisition

Cookie Jar Entertainment to Acquire American Greetings' Strawberry Shortcake and Care Bears Properties

Companies reach definitive settlement of litigation relating to Cookie Jar's acquisition of DIC Entertainment

CLEVELAND, OHIO AND TORONTO, ONTARIO - American Greetings Corporation (NYSE:AM) and Cookie Jar Entertainment announced a transaction through which Cookie Jar will acquire from American Greetings the Strawberry Shortcake and Care Bears properties for $195 million.

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New Museum

Firm selected for new Guelph Civic Museum design

GUELPH, ON, –The Ventin Group Ltd. has been selected to design the Loretto Convent conversion to the new Guelph Civic Museum.

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Lack of Transparency

Federal budget process lacks transparency, says national accountants' association in new report

TORONTO - The Certified General Accountants Association of Canada (CGA-Canada) says it's time for greater transparency around the budget process, particularly with so-called surprise surpluses.

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Shareholder Value

Virtek Pursues Value Maximizing Alternatives for Shareholders

WATERLOO - Virtek Vision International Inc., announced July 23, 2008 that its Board of Directors is considering a number of alternatives aimed at maximizing shareholder value.

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Talking Pictures

Martin Seligman: Why is psychology good?

TED - Martin Seligman talks about psychology -- as a field of study and as it works one-on-one with each patient and each practitioner. As it moves beyond a focus on disease, what can modern psychology help us to become?

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Productivity

Relative productivity levels in Canada and the United States 1994 to 2003

Statscan - Labour productivity was lower in Canada than in the United States during the late 1990s and early 2000s, largely because of differences in multifactor productivity.

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Nationalist

Soft talk and reason – not hyper-nationalist rhetoric – is the path for Canada in the Arctic

TORONTO – Canadian interests in the Arctic are ill-served by politicians and nationalists who fuel a flag-waving fervor instead of pursuing concrete policies in the circumpolar world, says Whitney Lackenbauer

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Human Resources

Executives Say Interpersonal Abilities Most Valued Communication Skill

TORONTO - Your grade-school teacher was right: Not playing well with others can keep you from getting ahead, particularly at work. In a recent survey, almost half (45 per cent) of chief financial officers (CFOs) said interpersonal abilities are the most important communication skill for financial professionals.

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Going Green

BMW Group Canada Announces New Green Headquarters in Richmond Hill.

WHITBY - BMW Group Canada announced that it will relocate its corporate headquarters to a custom built green facility at the intersection of Highway 404 and Major Mackenzie Drive in Richmond Hill.

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Finance

M&T Bank to Enter Canadian Commercial Market

BUFFALO, N.Y., - M&T Bank Corporation (NYSE: MTB), one of the top 20 U.S. commercial banks, will open a commercial banking office in Ontario to serve Canadian businesses.

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Record Attempt

Guelph Residents encouraged to participate in World’s Longest BBQ, August 2

National event celebrates Canadian agriculture and cuisine

GUELPH – Guelph residents are invited to support the 2008 World’s Longest BBQ by firing up their backyard grills for locally sourced food on Saturday, August 2.

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Energy

ARISE Technologies' PV Cell Plant in Germany Starts 24/7 Manufacturing

WATERLOO - ARISE Technologies Corporation, which is dedicated to becoming a leader in high-performance, cost-effective solar technology, today announced that its new PV (photovoltaic) cell manufacturing plant in Bischofswerda, Germany has started full production by manufacturing 24 hours a day, 7 days per week.

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Wireless Aucton Winners

15 Companies Bid Almost $4.3 Billion for Licences for New Wireless Services

OTTAWA - Consumers and businesses will be the winners in a more competitive wireless market. Industry Canada today announced that 282 licences have been conditionally assigned to 15 companies in the Auction of Spectrum Licences for Advanced Wireless Services and Other Spectrum in the 2 GHz Range.

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Union Vote

Steekworkers vote 94 per cent to back bargaining committee in negotiations with University of Guelph

GUELPH - Members of the United Steelworkers' (USW) Local 4120 have voted 94 per cent to support their bargaining committee in the campaign to achieve a new collective agreement with the University of Guelph before a deadline of August 13.

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Health Care

Solving Mental Health Problems by Turning Research Into Action

Government of Canada announces $4.4 million to improve mental health of Canadians

Winnipeg – Funding of $4.4 million from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) was announced July 18, 2008 by Steven Fletcher, MP for Charleswood-St. James-Assiniboia and Parliamentary Secretary for Health, on behalf of Tony Clement, Minister of Health.

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Health Care

Laurier psychology professor wins prestigious Early Researcher Award

Research has implications for understanding and assisting people with brain injuries

WATERLOO — A psychology professor at Wilfrid Laurier University has received a prestigious Early Researcher Award from the Ontario Ministry of Research and Innovation.

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Environment

First Countries Named to Benefit from Forest Carbon Partnership Facility

14 developing and 9 industrialized countries formally join partnership to reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD)

WASHINGTON – Fourteen states have been selected as the first developing country members of an innovative partnership and international financing mechanism to combat tropical deforestation and climate change.

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Quarterly Results

Apple Reports Record Third Quarter Results

Revenue Up 38 Percent Year-Over-Year
Mac Sales Reach All-Time High

CUPERTINO, California— —Apple® announced financial results for its fiscal 2008 third quarter ended June 28, 2008. The Company posted revenue of $7.46 billion and net quarterly profit of $1.07 billion, or $1.19 per diluted share.