News Archive

Porsche Brings Car Race Series to Canada

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 03:59:40 +0530

Porsche is bringing a new racing series to Canada. The Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Canada is a single-make series designed to develop new drivers and prepare them for the American Le Mans Series.

The inaugural 2011 series will consist of three events. The first event will be held May 14-15th at Calabogie Motorsports Park, the second on June 3-5 at Circuit ICAR and the series will end with July 23-24th at Mobil 1 Presents the Grand Prix of Mosport. This new series is a collaboration between Porshe Cars Canada, Porsche Motorsport North America and the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA).

The Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Canada series will consist of racing only Porche 911 GT3 Cup cars, a car similar to Porsche 911s including employing the same engine that holds identical 450 bhp power output and 8,500 rpm engine speed.

“Canada has always been a part of the Porsche motorsport family," said Joe Lawrence, President and CEO of Porsche Canada, in a statement. "Canada was the stage for one of the most competitive one-make Porsche series in the 1980s and Mosport has hosted the American IMSA GT3 Challenge every year. It's great to once again have a Canadian series and Porsche Canada looks forward to playing a more active role in the worldwide Porsche motorsport community."

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Management, promotion and supply of the series will be managed between the three partners.

"This is a great opportunity to promote driver development and provide veteran drivers a professional racing experience in Canada," said IMSA Vice President of Operations Scot Elkins, in the same statement. "We look forward to working with PMNA and Porsche Cars Canada to build this new racing series."

Spring Election Imminent in Wake of No-Confidence Vote

Fri, 25 Mar 2011 09:51:13 +0530

Opposition parties came together early Friday afternoon in a historic vote of no-confidence toward the Conservative government. The Conservative government was held in contempt of Parliament in a 156 to 145 vote which will lead to the fourth federal election in the past seven years.

The Liberals, New Democrats and Bloc Quebecois formed a united front against Harper’s government. After the vote passed Harper announced that he will visit the Governor General’s residence Saturday morning to dissolve the 40th Parliament and begin the inevitable start of opposition election campaigns.

After leaving the House of Commons, Stephen Harper warned of continuing economic instability.

"The global economy is still fragile. Canada's recovery has been strong but it needs to remain our focus. That's why the economy has been and will continue to be the No. 1 priority for me as prime minister and for all the members of our Conservative government. This is what Canadians expect of us in Parliament, all of us,” said Harper.

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When asked if a potential coalition government may form with the spring election, Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff did not deny collaboration with opposition parties.

” Unfortunately, Mr. Ignatieff and his coalition partners in the NDP and Bloc Quebecois made abundantly clear that they had already decided they wanted to force an election instead — Canada's fourth election in seven years, an election Canadians had told them clearly that they do not want,” continued Harper.

This vote is a historical event as it is the sixth vote of non-confidence in Canadian history.

No More Confidence in Stephen Harper’s Conservative Parliament

Thu, 24 Mar 2011 07:21:06 +0530

Stephen Harper, the Prime Minister of Canada and leader of the Conservative party, may have to step down on Friday. Opposing parties of the Conservatives in Parliament are threatening a no-confidence vote.

Some speculate that it is inevitable, and that if Steven Harper was on the US reality show The Apprentice Harper would hear Donald Trump’s infamous words “You’re Fired.”

Harper's troubles started long before opposition sparked Tuesday, but with the introduction of budget legislation it has since increased. His proposed corporate tax cuts and the plans of spending $9 billion on US-made fighter jets with the additional plans to spend another $5 billion on maintenance was met with extreme opposition.

Opposing parties are frustrated with the Conservative Parliament. This is due to the government’s failure to produce documentation and therefore, hide details of core spending priorities, the belief that they have broken election laws, and that a former Tory staffer has recently been accused of influence peddling.

On the other hand, Canada’s economy, specifically the stock exchange and the Canadian dollar strength, could all be in direct result from Conservative rule. Pushing Harper out of office may have detrimental effects on Canada’s rebounding economy.

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Although chances are slim, tomorrow may bring about an historical event for Canadian Parliament. Historically no-confidence votes are rare. In the last 144 years the event has only happened 5 times.

Currently the Conservatives holds 143 seats in Parliament in comparison to Liberals 77, New Democrats 36, and the Bloc Quebecois 47.

Stay tuned for Business Review Canada’s multi-part series covering this transpiring event.

Harry Winston’s Predicts a Glittering 2011

Wed, 23 Mar 2011 08:39:45 +0530

Toronto based luxury diamond retailer Harry Winston expects higher sales and profits as demands rise for luxury items. As the global economy rebounds, Winston forecasts diamonds demand to climb in Asia, based off of 169 per cent holiday sale increase.

This comes after the announcement of a larger than expected quarterly profit Tuesday. Profits of $9.9 million in the fourth quarter may be what led to this prediction of an increase in sales. That additional fourth quarter boost increases Winston’s 2010 profits to 215.4 million.

Additionally, this year, Harry Winston plans to focus on its watch business because of the higher profitability it acquires compared to other Winston products. Part of this plan is to introduce both more affordable and more expensive timepieces.

“Going forward, we expect increased demand for luxury jewellery and timepieces to continue, supported by the strong wealth trend we've seen in various markets around the world,” Frederic De Narp, head of Harry Winston's retail segment, to The Globe and Mail. “While there will be variations in our quarterly results depending upon product needs and investment, we continue to expect a positive overall trend and remain on track with our goals.”

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On Winston’s mining, the company plans to open more pits in the upcoming years while also starting new exploration drilling projects to provide a higher grade diamonds.

“Rough diamond pricing is now comfortably ahead of its pre-recession highs and polished diamond prices are making significant gains as competition for supply replaces the polisher's need to sell,” said Robert Gannicott, the Winston’s chairman and CEO.

With all this new focus and higher demand, Harry Winston expects an estimated 35-40 per cent growth in retail sales for 2011.

In Light of Japan, Canadian Nuclear Power Plant Project Comes Under Fire

Tue, 22 Mar 2011 04:00:00 +0530

Hearings began Monday on the proposed expansion of Ontario’s Darlington nuclear plant. With Japan’s nuclear crisis continually unfolding, environmental opposition attempts to suspend talks.

The concern comes in light of Japan’s recent earthquake and tsunami disaster which wreaked havoc on its Fukushima nuclear power plant. Workers continue to battle explosions and power outages in an effort to prevent nuclear meltdown.

The Darlington nuclear plant proposal advocates the construction of two new reactors at the plant, with plans for the reactors to go into service in 2018.

Regarding the Japan disaster, the Lake Ontario Waterkeeper non-profit organization doesn’t believe there is enough information about the Dalrington expansion to move forward. "The nuclear crisis in Japan underscores the importance of detailed planning and meticulous scrutiny. The Darlington New Nuclear Plant hearing offers neither. We don't even know what kind of reactors will be used," said President, Mark Mattson in a statement.

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“By moving forward without knowing which reactors OPG will use, without sworn testimony, and without waiting to learn the tragic lessons from Japan’s crisis at Fukushima Daiichi, the legitimacy of this quasi-judicial hearing is in question,” Mattson persisted in a second statement.

The big concern for Lake Ontario Waterkeeper organization lies with how the nuclear plant will affect drinking water supplies."Lake Ontario provides drinking water to 7-million people in two countries. We can't afford to get this wrong,” explained Mattson.

Hearings will continue for three weeks in Ontario to allow the public to voice opinions and concerns.

To Become Energy Superpower, Canada Needs National Energy Policy

Mon, 21 Mar 2011 05:08:12 +0530

Today, on Shell’s 100th anniversary of operations in Canada, Shell Canada’s President called for a national energy approach to pave Canada’s way toward becoming a global energy leader.

"Canada's emergence as a global energy superpower hinges on the country's ability to develop a truly national approach to energy," said Lorraine Mitchelmore, Shell Canada President and Country Chair. "A national energy strategy will support a balanced approach to strengthening the economy, improving the environment, and turning environmental stewardship into economic advantage."

Mitchelmore continued that although Canada has all the hallmarks of an energy superpower, the right strategy is not in place to push Canada toward that goal. "Developing that strategy requires collaboration among all stakeholders - energy companies, governments, communities and NGOs. We need to agree on an approach to energy that meets our respective needs and benefits Canada as a whole. We at Shell Canada firmly believe that a collaborative approach is possible, but we must start the process as soon as possible."

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For Canada to succeed, Shell believes that such a strategy must include fiscal and regulatory measures to promote the country’s international competitiveness. "As a deep-rooted Canadian company, we have a vested interest in the future of the country's energy industry and its economy. We also understand both the Canadian and the global energy markets, and as part of the global Shell organization, we have access to technology, knowledge and best practices that we can apply locally to support Canada's effort to succeed globally," said Mitchelmore.

Shell has been in Canada since 1911 and has approximately 8,000 employees across the country. Shell produces natural gas and is Canada’s largest producer of sulphur.

Glam Media Buys Canadian Advertising Agency

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 04:42:03 +0530

Glam Media, a vertical media company with more than 1,500 fashion oriented lifestyle websites, announced yesterday that is purchasing Toronto based BBS Media. Creating Glam Media Canada, BBS Media co-founders will become VPs of the new entity and run advertising sales.

BBS Media is a leading online media company that specializes in Canadian advertising. “BBS was founded to help advertisers more effectively engage with passionate consumer audiences across a range of lifestyle categories in Canada,” said Brian Fields, VP of Glam Media Canada in an official statement. “Combining our intimate approach to building brand advertising online with Glam Media’s focus on premium content from journalists, authors and publishers, and their considerable resources and technology, will usher in the next generation of digital advertising solutions that promote stronger brand engagement in Canada.”

According to The Globe and Mail, combined, the companies receive 17 million unique visitors monthly in Canada. Glam Media’s most popular sites are Glam.com and Brash.com while BBS’s clients include Forbes, Washington Post Digital, and Haper’s Bazaar.

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With this acquisition, Glam plans to introduce GlamAdapt, an ad-serving platform, to Canada. This platform will provide Canadian brands full access to Glam resources. Brands in Canada will be able to deliver customizable ads to desirable target markets within Canada and globally.

“Glam has repeatedly proven that the best way to help brands reach specific audiences online is to curate high quality content based on what consumers are already interested in and love to read,” said Jeff Thibodeau, Vice President and Director of Digital for MediaCom Interaction in the same statement. “Glam Canada’s model of providing a platform for brands to directly engage with highly social audiences is exactly what advertising brands need.”

Furthermore, Glam Media Canada will be creating a new website, Glam.ca in the summer. Glam.ca will employ Canadian-based editors and writers to offer quality lifestyle content.

Air Canada Cuts Flights

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 04:54:52 +0530

Air Canada announced Wednesday that they will be cutting flights for 2011 in light of sustained high fuel costs. The airline still expects to increase its 2011 domestic capacity, but at a slower rate than before.

Unrest in the Middle East has spiked oil prices globally. This price rise has affected many industries and companies are starting to adjust their 2011 plans accordingly.

Part of Air Cananda’s plan to reduce costs is to suspend unprofitable routes by May 1st. These routes were deemed unprofitable by Air Canada because of this high fuel price climate and include Ottawa to Thunder Bay, Ottawa to Washington Dulles, Montreal to Washington Dulles, Calgary to Chicago, Calgary to San Francisco and Calgary to London, ONT. Customers will be offered alternative flights and routes to reach those destinations. This reduction will take place throughout the rest of the year with minimal impact to customers, says the airline.

Adjusting fares to unpredictable market conditions, Air Canada may still increase fuel surcharges or make other adjustments to capacity if required.

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The airline still believes the North American economy will continue to recover in 2011. Additionally, Air Canada speculates that the Canadian dollar will continue to rise in value globally. Therefore, Air Canada still expects to be profitable in the upcoming year.

This statement comes a week and a half after Air Canada announced its reinstatement of routes to Toronto Island. With the global fuel economy continuing to be volatile, it will be interesting to see if other airlines follow Air Canada’s cost reduction process in the coming weeks.

TD Raises Canada’s Economic Growth Forecast

Wed, 16 Mar 2011 06:12:33 +0530

The Canadian economy is doing better than expected, reports TD Bank. With this economic development taken into account, TD Economics now expects the Canadian Economy to grow by 3 per cent—half a percent higher than the previous estimate.

The Canadian economy has entered the New Year on a stronger foothold than envisioned. This upward revision on economic growth reflects an improved U.S. outlook and an increased appetite for Canadian commodities, such as automobiles and industrial goods. This solid momentum is expected to carry forward through the first half of the year.

This upward estimate projects a favourable spending climate for consumers. Improving employment opportunities and household prosperity are likely to support more consumer spending. With continued drive on the employment front, household savings will likely improve.

This growth can also potentially lead to an increase in business investment. TD Bank speculates that non-residential construction will be supported by declining office vacancy rates and resource expansions. Machinery and equipment business investment will also remain fruitful through 2011 and 2012. Additionally, the Canadian dollar’s rise in the financial market will make business and construction opportunities more available. With all these opportune situations, corporate profits are expected to rise at a steady pace.

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Although this economic forecast sounds advantageous, there are still risks that could materialize over the next few years to negatively impact this predicted economic upturn. Issues such as house value, global inflation, and spreading unrest in the Middle East are just a few situations that could still unpredictably change the global economic market.

Toronto to Offer Greener Public Transportation: Bike Sharing

Wed, 16 Mar 2011 05:07:50 +0530

The City of Toronto and the Public Bike System Company (PBSC) announced Tuesday the official launch of the BIXI Toronto program. Starting May 3rd with 1,000 bikes, 80 BIXI stations, and 1,500 docking points, BIXI will revolutionize Toronto’s downtown public transportation.

“The BIXI Toronto program is an exciting new cycling initiative that will encourage more bicycle trips in the downtown core. It is also a great example of public-private partnership to benefit Toronto residents and visitors," said Councillor Denzil Minnan-Wong, Chair of the City's Public Works and Infrastructure Committee, in a statement.

PBSC , the developing organization of the award-winning BIXI program, operates bike sharing programs on three continents and is North America’s first large-scale bike sharing system. BIXI is designed to compliment public transit. Intended to be used for one way trips of less than 30 minutes, the BIXI bike can be picked up or dropped off at any downtown bicycle docking station anytime year round.

Passes for use range for rental opportunities from a month to a year. The program is relatively cheap as a year pass costs only $95. Once a pass is purchased, customers receive their BIXI key and are then able to use any bike at any station on the network. There’s also an option for non-members to purchase a 24-hour pass. Bicycles taken out longer than 30 minutes are applicable to a trip fee.

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“We are happy to count Toronto among the three Canadian cities where the BIXI service will be available in 2011," said Roger Plamondon, Chairman of the PBSC board, in the same statement. "More than 1,200 Torontonians purchased an annual membership last fall, five months before the program's launch. We are convinced that Torontonians will quickly adopt the BIXI bikes as a convenient and economical way to get around.”

Official Internet Explorer 9 Version Released

Tue, 15 Mar 2011 05:55:03 +0530

Released at midnight last night, Microsoft has launched IE9. Boasting stronger filters against malware, Internet Explorer hopes to compete against leading browsers Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox.

Microsoft debuted the new web browser at South by Southwest, an annual music, film and interactive conference held in Austin, Texas. The beta version of IE9, released last year, is Microsoft’s most downloaded beta browser of all time, with already more than 40 million downloads.

"The best experience of the Web is on Windows with Internet Explorer 9," said Dean Hachamovitch, corporate vice president of Windows Internet Explorer at Microsoft, in a press release. "Today, the Web can unlock the power and performance of the best PC hardware through Windows and Internet Explorer 9. Websites also can act more like applications within Windows 7, with features such as Pinned Sites. In less than a year, Internet Explorer 9 went from early preview to final release with the help of hardware partners and the Web community."

This new version, Microsoft claims, is not a just a redesign of Internet Explorer 8. Rebuilt from the ground up, Internet Explorer 9 boasts radical speed and graphics. A big supporter of hardware-accelerated programming language HTML5, Internet Explorer 9 developers will be able to build faster, more complicated websites that better utilize Windows 7.

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"What people care about on the Web is their sites, not their browser. That's why Internet Explorer 9 is about making those sites shine. The browser is the theater, and the sites people visit are the play, and that is what Internet Explorer 9 makes better — your favorite sites," said Ryan Gavin, senior director of Windows Internet Explorer at Microsoft, in a statement.

This latest version of Internet Explorer is available for download at http://www.beautyoftheweb.com/

White Tiger Gold to Buy Century Mining

Mon, 14 Mar 2011 06:18:08 +0530

White Tiger Gold is purchasing Century Mining Corporation for $742 million. The merger will create a single company with exposure to three of the top six global producing countries. The board of directors from each company have unanimously agreed to the deal.

“White Tiger is very pleased to make this opportunity available to Century shareholders to create a global, mid-tier gold producer. The newly formed company will feature a robust portfolio of production, development and exploration assets which we expect will have greater access to the financial markets. This is a very good deal for the shareholders of White Tiger and Century, designed to create value,” said Dr. Geoffrey Cowley the CEO of White Tiger in a statement.

Combined, the companies predict their respective projects to bring in around 111,000 to 121,000 ounces of gold in 2011. With mining locations in Canada, Russia and the US, the united company will have a large diversified portfolio encompassing both underground and open pit projects.

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“On behalf of the board and management of Century, we are fully and unanimously supportive of the Business Combination. We believe the combination of Century and White Tiger should provide financial stability to progress Century's Lamaque and San Juan mining operations. In addition, the combination affords Century shareholders with the opportunity to benefit from the tremendous potential of the gold mining industry in Russia,” said Daniel Major, the President and CEO of Century in a statement

England-based White Tiger Gold, under the agreement, will pay 0.4 shares for every Century Mining share.

Voting on this proposed business combination is expected to occur with White Gold Mining and Century shareholders on May 12, 2011.

$7.3 Million for the World’s Most Expensive Poker Set

Sat, 12 Mar 2011 05:00:00 +0530

London based Geoffrey Parker, game and bespoke gift manufacturing company, has created the world’s most expensive poker set. Costing around $7.3 million, the poker set is made for serious poker enthusiasts.

The set comes housed in a genuine alligator skin case finished in a customer’s color choice. Locks, hardware and combination on the case are made of 18 karat white gold. The case has suede lining with an 18 karat gold and diamond frame.

Inside, playing cards are held by four platinum-plated decks. According to the Luxist, the set also includes 384 poker chips. Made of 18 karat white gold with inlaid stingray skin shagreen, customers have the choice of what embossed value each poker chip features. The edge of each chip is set with precious stones including white or black diamonds, sapphires, rubies and emeralds based on the color of the chip. There’s also an 18 karat white gold dealer button for game playing.

Pre-orders have already started with a delivery estimate of six to nine months.

Featuring an estimated 22,364 precious stones in all, a total of 1,012 carats, this poker set is exceptionally unique. Taking stone and gold market fluctuations into perspective, prices may change over time.

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The Geoffrey Parker company has created games since 1958. Starting with leather bound books, owner Geoffrey Parker was commissioned to make a chessboard. From this commission, he found the craftsmanship interesting and easy to the growing group of craftsmen he employed. This interest eventually led to the game manufacturing company that thrives today.

Gas Prices Lower in Wake of Japan Quake

Fri, 11 Mar 2011 06:12:23 +0530

Oil prices have dropped today, after an almost three week upward climb, because of a massive earthquake disaster in northern Japan. An earthquake created 10-meter tsunami hit the Japanese coast causing wide spread devastation and refinery closures.

Oil markets have been volatile recently in response to unrest in Libya and the Middle East. This unfortunate news from Japan, the third largest oil importer in the world, has slowed down the upward oil price hike. Jumping 24 percent since the middle of February according to the Canadian Press, this oil price rise has led to frustration at the gas pump. Factors affecting oil price include Libya’s unrest, which has forced a lot of the country’s oil production to shut down leading to higher worldwide gas prices. Other protests in surrounding countries, such as Saudi Arabia—the world’s largest oil exporter, have market speculators worried about oil production disruptions.

This recent Japanese disaster shut down Japanese refineries, leading to a lower fuel demand for Japan and lower oil prices. Japanese companies affected include JX Nippon Oil and Energy Corp and Cosmo Oil Co. Refineries around Japan have been shut down due to fires or power outages, although damage extent has not yet been determined.

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This impact’s longevity on the oil industry remains undetermined. As the market remains focused on the Middle East, these lower prices may only be temporary.

It is obvious the oil industry is still extremely volatile and can easily be affected by unexpected events. As unrest continues in the Middle East and North Africa, there are probably undetermined repercussions still yet to come.

Roland Iten and Bugatti Pair Up to Make Limited Edition Belt Buckle

Thu, 10 Mar 2011 05:00:00 +0530

Roland Iten, a producer of fine and precise mechanical belt buckles, has teamed up with Bugatti automaker to create a mechanical belt buckle mechanism. Reminiscent of luxury watches, the belt buckle is designed with Geneva style watch mechanisms that lead toward an extremely precise fit.

Bugatti is debuting the belt buckle at the 81st Salon International de l’Auto et Accessoires Geneve in Genva Switzerland. This R22 Mk.I-22mm, the “Bugatti edition” is solid white gold while its mechanical buckle is micro-customizable. Completely precise to the centimeter, the buckle can come in a specific custom sizes including a fairly specific 87.29 cm.

According to The Watch Lounge, the precision of this Bugatti edition mechanical belt buckle allows for a 22mm expansion but can be adjusted within that range to the exact waist measurement. This is possible because of the incredible reverse engineered “engrenage” invention inside the buckle.

The buckle has exactly 100 solid white gold components with rose gold, lightweight titanium and stainless steel accents. Assembled by R Magnin Bijouterie, Roland Iten supervised the creation of every one of these twenty two limited edition Bugatti buckles personally, making them ultra-exclusive.

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“When you turn the ignition of a Bugatti, it doesn’t roar into action like so many sports cars, it turns over flawlessly, a sound that reveals the highest level of tuning and results in phenomenal car speeds of over 400 km/h,” explained Iten to The Watch Lounge. The mechanical accessory was designed with Bugatti specifically to perform to the same grade of excellence.

Appealing to watch and mechanical precision lovers alike, the R22 Mk.I-22mm “Bugatti edition” is sure to be a truly luxury belt buckle.

YouTube Buys Next New Network to develop online video network

Tue, 08 Mar 2011 06:23:38 +0530

Google purchased Next New Networks yesterday for about $50 million in a move calculated to develop the scope and quality of its online video portal YouTube.

Next New Network is a web production startup that makes video content specifically for online viewing and categorizes them into online television networks. The New York based network produces videos both in house and from independent filmmakers and has received over two billion views since its start in 2007. According to their website, Next New Network “bring(s) together the best elements of TV programming and Internet philosophy to allow viewers to contribute, share and distribute content.”

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The company has over 5.7 billion subscribers and is one of the top YouTube content providers. Some of Next New Network’s more popular channels include: Barely Political, Channel Frederator, Fast Lane Daily, and Indy Mogul. In addition, YouTube's top two most-watched videos in 2010 came from Next New Networks. They were The Gregory Brothers' "Bed Intruder Song,"and The Key of Awesome's Ke$ha parody, "Glitter Puke"with over 110 million views combined.

YouTube Next is a program that will focus on the training and development of YouTube video partners and was launched the same day Next New Network was bought.

"The YouTube Next team and programs will expand our partner meet-ups and community events, increase investment in partner education and training and launch new capabilities in audience development," said Tom Pickett, director of Google's Global Content Operations and YouTube Next.

YouTube plans to use Next New Networks as a “laboratory for experimentation and innovation” with a “wide variety of content partners and emerging talent” says Picket.

Creators and producers of original content will earn money from their videos through the YouTube Partner Program which allows marketers to display ads next to the videos.

"At YouTube, we're focused on building a great technology platform for creators, and so we leave the actual creation of great videos to the people who do it best: our partners," Pickett added.

YOUTUBE VIDEOS MENTIONED IN ARTICLE
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Air Canada to Offer Flights to Toronto Island

Tue, 08 Mar 2011 05:00:00 +0530

Air Canada will soon provide travelers with more Toronto flight options and travel advantages. Airline service offered for the first time since 2006, flights will be available to and from the Toronto Island Airport and there will be 15 daily non-stop flights from Toronto to Montreal.

Tickets went on sale yesterday, Monday March 7th, after an Air Canada announcement Friday. This service opportunity came from an agreement with Porter Airlines, who owns the terminal, and the Toronto Port Authority.

“We are very pleased that these negotiations have been successful,” said Geoff Wilson Toronto Port Authority CEO and President in a statement. “Opening the airport to new carriers is a key element of our long-term business plan, and can only serve the best interests of the passengers who love the easy access of our downtown airport.”

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Flights will start on May 1st, 2011 and will use Bombardier Dash 8 Q-400 aircrafts.

“Air Canada is extremely pleased to return to Toronto Island and expand the range of travel options for our customers. This unique service between downtown Toronto and Montreal will provide more choice and added convenience for our customers travelling between Canada's two largest cities," said Ben Smith, Air Canada’s Executive Vice-President and Chief Commercial Officer in a statement.

Air Canada offers flight services from 60 communities to more than 175 destinations on five continents. The airline is the founder of Star Alliance most comprehensive air transportation network. Customers will be able to collect frequent flier miles on the new flights.

Poll Shows That Canada is Becoming More Popular Among Countries

Mon, 07 Mar 2011 06:23:55 +0530

Canada is feeling the love again as a BBC GlobeScan survey shows that Canada’s positive ratings have risen 5 percent from last year.

GlobeScan polled 28,619 people across 27 countries between Dec. 2, 2010, and Feb. 4, 2011 with a margin of error ranging from 2.8-4.9 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

On average, 57 percent of those polled gave Canada a positive response, 12 percent gave a negative response, and the rest responded neutrally. Last year, Canada’s ratings lost four percent in popularity from 57 to 53 percent. Despite this loss, Canada is generally considered to be one of the most positively viewed countries second only to Germany, who was polled as number one.

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Canada’s rise back to the top has calmed the nerves of some who worried that Canada would get the dreaded “bad reputation” so difficult to shake off.
GlobeScan’s founder Doug Miller voiced his relief, saying, “It's restored a blip that we were actually rather worried about because once people start noticing you in a negative way, your reputation is a lot more easily lost than won."

Popular high profile events such as the 2010 Winter Olympics and June’s G20 summit in Toronto have raised Canada’s ratings. Also, recent unrest in Libya and other Middle Eastern countries have major nations such as the U.S. eyeing Canada’s oil reserves with great interest and favor.

However, the negative ratings probably stem from the Canadian government’s cutting aid to Africa as well as a perceived lack of commitment to climate change. According to Jim Peterson, Canada’s former minister of international trade, the rejection of Canada’s seat on the U.N. Security Council was due to its cutting aid to Africa.

The biggest positive shifts have been with nations with which Canada has close relationships with such as the U.S., the United Kingdom, and Mexico. 82 percent of Americans, 78 percent of the United Kingdom, and 50 percent of Mexico gave Canada a positive rating. This was a 15, 16, and 13 percent increase from last year from these countries.

Also countries with a majority of Muslim gave a more positive viewpoint of Canada this year, rising from a mostly negative opinion last year to a mostly positive opinion this year. Most notably Turkey’s review of Canada rose from 16 percent favorability last year to 32 percent this year.

Other countries such as Pakistan felt more ambivalent about Canada, with 17 percent of those polled giving a positive rating and 18 percent giving negative feedback.
Not surprisingly, Kenya’s negative opinions increased to 24% and Brazil’s positive perceptions dropped to 48% this year from 60% last year.

Still it seems that for Canada, popular opinion seems to be on the steady increase. Canada is still loved.

George Weston Raises Food Prices

Mon, 07 Mar 2011 05:00:00 +0530

Canadians will see a result of global skyrocketing food prices fairly soon. George Weston Limited, holding company of Loblaws, warns of an on average 5 percent food price hike, starting April 1st.

As companies are hit with soaring prices from wheat, sugar and oil, food distributors are transferring some of the wholesale price increase to customers.

Competitors are expected to follow suit. Metro Inc, Sobeys, and Weston owned Loblaws all are starting to increase prices to maintain profit margins.

The price inflation of food commodities are circulating globally. Hitting a second straight record high in February, the UN reports that demand from fast growing nations as well as natural disaster supply disruptions are part of what led to this surprising price increase. Food markets affected include wheat, rice, dairy, oils, meat and more.

As of yet, Canadian grocers have been hardly affected, but this may change soon. It is speculated that food inflation will reach in between five and seven percent later this year.

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According to the Globe and Mail, Loblaws president, Allan Leighton, is not interested in falling into a price hike cycle that will lead to trying to entice customers back to the chain later with heavy discounting. “I’m not counting on a lot of inflation in the first six months,” he said. “I think people will proceed cautiously. And certainly, we’re only interested in passing prices through where there’s a cost behind them.”

Food items at Weston affiliates that Canadians should expect price increases for are bread, cookie and cake products.

Unique Weekend Getaway: the Quebec Ice Hotel

Sun, 06 Mar 2011 05:00:00 +0530

Constructed each year entirely of ice, the Quebec Ice Hotel is a truly unique experience. The only ice hotel in North America, the hotel is open from January to April. This year, guests can enjoy an overnight stay amongst the ice until March 20th.

Everything about this unique hotel is made of ice including the chandeliers, furniture and even dinner plates. The hotel is designed like an igloo with four foot thick ice walls encompassing an almost fantasy ambiance. There are also hot tubs and saunas to keep guests warm as they experience an overnight stay in this winter wonderland.

As guests check-in, guides talk them through the experience with tips on keeping warm and tours throughout the hotel. Beds in each hotel room have a solid ice base with a wooden box spring and mattress. Since temperatures are kept around -3 to - 5 degrees Celcius, a cozy arctic sleeping bag is delivered nightly to rooms for a comfortable experience. All guests staying at the ice hotel are also simultaneously booked into a nearby four star accommodation in case it just gets too cold.

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Enjoy an ice cocktail served in a glass sculpted of ice at the Ice Hotel’s cathedral shaped bar. There’s also a 60 foot ice slide for those young or lighter hearted to enjoy. The hotel is picturesque and beautifully designed, with yearly themes and carvings in each room.

The Quebec Ice Hotel provides an extremely exclusive experience. For those wanting winter adventures, this hotel is the place to stay. Room rates range from $180-500 a night, online reservations can be made at http://www.icehotel-canada.com/