In the news today: Trudeau expected to appoint new labour minister

Here is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to bring you up to speed…

Flight issues expected after global tech outage

Toronto Pearson International Airport says a global technology outage that caused disruptions around the world early Friday morning could lead to flight delays and cancellations throughout the day.

It said the outage is causing tech disruptions to some airlines and that travellers should contact their airlines directly for specific flight information.

Porter Airlines said it is cancelling its flights until 12 p.m. ET due to the outage.

Meanwhile, Air Canada said there is no major impact to its operations, adding it is monitoring the situation closely.

The issue grounded flights, knocked banks offline and media outlets off air on Friday in a massive disruption that affected companies and services worldwide.

Cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike says the issue believed to be behind the outage was not a security incident or cyberattack.

Trudeau expected to appoint new labour minister

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is expected to appoint a replacement for outgoing labour minister Seamus O’Regan, whose resignation is effective today.

O’Regan announced Thursday he was stepping down from the Liberal cabinet for family reasons, though he intends to continue sitting as an MP until the next federal election.

Trudeau’s office did not indicate whether a new cabinet member would be appointed or if other ministers would be affected.

A source with knowledge of the matter, who would only speak under condition of anonymity, says a broader cabinet shuffle is not expected to take place.

The Prime Minister’s Office previously confirmed that the cabinet would hold a brief meeting today for the first time since the Liberals’ surprising loss in a Toronto byelection last month.

Here’s what else we’re watching…

ATCO seeks profits hearing delay for appeals

A prominent Alberta utility is seeking to delay a hearing on appropriate remedies for gas and electricity rates the province’s utilities regulator says were neither reasonable nor justified.

ATCO Utilities, in a letter sent late last month to the Alberta Utilities Commission, disagrees with the commission’s ruling and says it’s premature to proceed until appeal processes are complete.

ATCO Gas delivers natural gas to 1.3 million customers — about 82 per cent of Alberta homes and businesses. ATCO Electric delivers power to about 230,000 customers in north and east-central Alberta.

In June 2023, Alberta’s Utilities Consumer Advocate asked the commission to look into profits made by the two companies in 2021 and 2022.

Like other Alberta utilities, the companies operate under a series of five-year agreements with the regulator that permit them to make a rate of profit within an agreed-upon range.

If actual profits exceed that range, the utility must prove they came from increased efficiency or greater productivity. If it can’t, the regulator may conclude the design of the five-year deal is flawed.

New 911 system ‘Halley’s comet moment’ for safety

An upgrade to 911 systems in Ontario is setting the stage for more efficient emergency responses, in what one official calls “public safety’s Halley’s comet moment.”

The new system – called Next Generation 9-1-1 – replaces decades-old analog technology in emergency communication centres with a digital network, allowing dispatchers to get to urgent calls faster and laying the groundwork for receiving texts, photos, and videos from callers in the future.

Emergency service providers countrywide are supposed to eventually upgrade their systems under a directive by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission, and that work is well underway in parts of Ontario.

In Toronto, police said they had completed their first phase of the 911 modernization. In Peel Region and London, Ont., emergency responders started using the initial version of the system referred to as NG911 earlier this year.

Not only does the new software make responding to calls more efficient, it also allows Toronto’s 911 call centres to all operate at the same time, making service disruptions less likely.

Plant-based milk brands should apologize: marketer

A marketing expert says two brands that recently had to recall plant-based milk contaminated with Listeria can come back from the outbreak, but they have to move quickly to regain consumer trust.

David Pullara says both Danone and Walmart should apologize swiftly for the recalled Silk and Great Value products.

The marketing instructor at York University’s Schulich School of Business says the fact that Canada is days into the recall period without hearing a “sorry” means the companies are already behind in rebuilding consumer confidence.

Pullara says the companies should use then-CEO Michael McCain’s approach to Maple Leaf Foods’ 2008 Listeria outbreak as a template. McCain offered a sincere apology, resolved to find out what went wrong and promised not to let it happen again.

Twelve people, including 10 in Ontario, one in Quebec and one in Nova Scotia have fallen ill after drinking the products.

Consumers ‘win’ with grocery code: Kraft Heinz

A grocery code of conduct could stabilize food prices in the future and encourage more investment in the Canadian food industry, according to the president of Kraft Heinz Canada.

“It creates a better trade environment for both the supplier and the retailer, but I think at the end of the day, the consumer is winning,” said Simon Laroche in an interview with The Canadian Press.

Progress on the nearly complete grocery code stalled last year as it became clear that some major grocers had reservations. Loblaw joined earlier this year after some changes to the proposed guidelines. This week, Walmart and Costco confirmed their support, which means all the country’s major grocers are now on board.

Laroche said he’s happy to hear the grocers are on board with the code, and believes it will be a positive thing for consumers and for the industry.

Canada might be still finalizing its code, but Laroche has already seen what it could do for a country with a concentrated grocery market. Before moving into his current role last year, Laroche spent several years leading Kraft Heinz’s business in Australia, New Zealand, Japan and Korea. Australia has had a code of conduct since 2015.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 19, 2024.

The Canadian Press