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Canada hosts global plastic treaty negotiations

A group of delegates will spend the week in the nation's capital comparing notes on why plastic is, in fact, not so fantastic. 

Driving the news: Ottawa will play host to delegates from 174 countries this week for the fourth round of United Nations plastic treaty negotiations. The committee will look to make progress on a plastic-reduction agreement ahead of final talks in South Korea in November. 

Sit, roll over, stay, choose your legal guardian

New laws in B.C. regarding pet custody are further proof that pets really are the new kids.

Driving the news: A provincial court ordered that custody of a golden retriever named Stella must be split week-to-week between her two owners who had broken up. It’s a landmark first ruling under new B.C. laws designating pets as family members, not property, in separation cases.

Québec Amazon warehouse attempts to unionize

Things coming to Canada this year: Shake Shack, the Eras Tour, and… a unionized Amazon warehouse? 

What happened: The DXT4 Amazon warehouse in Laval, Québec, could soon be the first in Canada to unionize after the Confédération des syndicats nationaux (CSN) — one of Québec's largest trade union federations — filed an application to represent 200 workers there.

A novel theory about the economy suggests rates need to come down to beat inflation

Central banks have a simple formula for fighting inflation: raise interest rates, wait for the economy to weaken and demand to fall, and inflation will soon follow suit. 

What if the formula is wrong?

Catch up: Some experts are making the case that higher interest rates are now driving stubborn inflation that’s sticking around both in the U.S. and Canada.

Feds pitch reluctant global grocery chains on move to Canada

The federal government is sending out invites asking foreign grocery chains to come to Canada, but like a sad birthday party, it’s doubtful anyone will show up.

Catch-up: Canada’s Industry Minister is trying to lure 12 different foreign grocery chains to set up shop in the Great White North, part of an effort to increase competition in the grocery sector, per The Wall Street Journal.

TikTok ban bill gets a shot in the arm

The TikTok bill is moving along with a tried-and-true strategy in U.S. politics: group a contentious bill with a bunch of unrelated stuff that’s more likely to pass. 

What happened: Tonight, the U.S. House of Representatives is expected to take another run at a bill that would force TikTok’s Chinese parent company, ByteDance, to divest the app or face a ban. 

Dan Skilleter on wealth inequality in Canada

 On this week’s episode of Free Lunch by The Peak, we sat down with Dan Skilleter from Social Capital Partners to talk about why Canada isn't that much more equal than the U.S.  

What to do this weekend

Swiss neutrality faces new tests

Switzerland is famous for keeping its nose out of the business of other countries, but some citizens are worried it’s starting to pick sides. 

What happened: Swiss parliament voted against joining an international task force to enforce sanctions against Russia. The decision comes as lawmakers and citizens grapple with what it means to be a neutral country in an increasingly tense Europe.

Meta’s new AI is about to be everywhere

Don’t get distracted by Mark Zuckerberg’s new look — Meta’s AI news is worth paying attention to.
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