Walgreens and CVS join Walmart in asking customers not to carry guns: Friday Wake-Up Call - AdAge.com

Just briefly
Brand-friendly: “The U.S. Open is evolving, and becoming more brand-friendly, by design,” Ad Age’s Brian Braiker writes. It’s got 21 official sponsors, including Emirates Airlines, J.P. Morgan Chase/Chase Bank and American Express. That’s up from 19 last year. And there are plenty of brands in the concession stands too; Grey Goose is selling something called a Frozen Honey Deuce for $20. 

New job: General Motors has named Cadillac marketing chief Deborah Wahl as its global chief marketing officer, “a position that hasn't been filled since 2012,” Automotive News reports. Wahl previously spent three years as CMO of McDonald's USA. 

Quote of the day: The Interactive Advertising Bureau’s Tech Lab doesn’t expect Apple to support its efforts to create new standards for tracking internet users. “They historically have shown that they don’t play well with others,” the IAB Tech Lab’s Jordan Mitchell says. Read more by Ad Age’s George P. Slefo.

Ad of the day: If you’re a fan of “Rudy,” the feel-good football movie from 1993, you’ll be happy to know that it’s getting a mini-sequel, courtesy of KFC and Wieden & Kennedy. As Ad Age’s Jessica Wohl reports, actor Sean Astin reprises the role of the title character in a KFC commercial, but he’s simultaneously playing Colonel Sanders. If you think it sounds wacko, you’re correct. Just watch it. 

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2019-09-06 10:00:00Z
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States to Launch Google, Facebook Antitrust Probes - The Wall Street Journal

The Google probe is expected to be announced Monday. Photo: thomas peter/Reuters

By

John D. McKinnon

John D. McKinnon
The Wall Street Journal
• Biography
• @johndmckinnon
• John.McKinnon@wsj.com

Sept. 6, 2019 5:30 am ET

WASHINGTON—State attorneys general are formally launching separate antitrust probes into Facebook Inc. FB 2.01% and Alphabet Inc. GOOG 2.54% ’s Google unit starting next week, according to people familiar with the matter, putting added pressure on tech giants already under federal scrutiny.

The Google probe is expected to be announced at a news conference outside the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday, with a bipartisan group of about three dozen state attorneys general joining the effort, the people said.

The investigation will be led by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, a Republican, the people said. The attorneys general will examine the impact of Google on digital advertising markets, this person said, as well as potential harms to consumers from their information and ad choices being concentrated in one company.

Share Your Thoughts

Would you support a joint antitrust investigation of major tech firms? Why or why not? Join the conversation below.

Separately, an overlapping bipartisan group of attorneys general led by New York Attorney General Letitia James, a Democrat, is organizing a probe into social media company Facebook, according to these people.

“We continue to engage in bipartisan conversations about the unchecked power of large tech companies,” Ms. James said in a statement to the The Wall Street Journal when asked for comment on the probe. “The attorneys general involved have concerns over the control of personal data by large tech companies and will hold them accountable for anticompetitive practices that endanger privacy and consumer data.”

Facebook recently agreed to shell out $5 billion to settle Federal Trade Commission allegations that it repeatedly used deceptive disclosures and account settings to lure users into sharing personal information, and remains under federal scrutiny for issues including whether it acquired companies such as Instagram to stave off competition.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton will lead the investigation into Google. Photo: Tony Gutierrez/Associated Press

Facebook declined to comment.

Google, which is facing a Justice Department antitrust probe, said it is cooperating with the inquiries.

“Google’s services help people every day, create more choice for consumers, and support thousands of jobs and small businesses across the country,” said Google spokesman Jose Castañeda. “We continue to work constructively with regulators, including attorneys general, in answering questions about our business and the dynamic technology sector.”

The action by the attorneys general, which has been anticipated for weeks, could possibly be expanded to other companies beyond Google and Facebook, some of the people said.

Public opinion polls suggest Americans are increasingly growing disenchanted with tech companies, in particular social media platforms, even as they remain hooked on their services.

One of the main concerns among regulators, lawmakers and state attorneys general is the dominant role a handful of big tech companies have in commerce and communications.

New York Attorney General Letitia James is organizing the probe into Facebook. Photo: Mary Altaffer/Associated Press

“The extreme concentration in the technology industry is bad for the consumer, and in our opinion it’s bad for America,” Tennessee Attorney General Herbert Slatery III said at a June hearing on antitrust concerns in the tech industry, flanked by two other state attorneys general. “The concentration has stifled innovation with market distortions [in] research and development, as entrepreneurs avoid competing with Google and Facebook and other tech giants. So we need to do something about that.”

For now, it appears unlikely the state and federal investigations will be formally coordinated. But the federal enforcers have been meeting with state attorneys general, and closer cooperation could develop as the probes move forward.

“The FTC values our cooperative relationship with the AGs and routinely coordinates on tech and antitrust issues,” a spokeswoman for the FTC said.

The Justice Department didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

The participation of so many attorneys general of both parties in the probe is potentially worrisome for the big tech companies. About 20 attorneys general were involved in the federal government’s last major tech antitrust case, against Microsoft Corp. , two decades ago.

Microsoft eventually agreed to an array of conditions in that case, including making the Windows platform more accessible to third-party software developers.

At a minimum, the attorneys general’s involvement this time is sure to add complexity and cost for the companies. For instance, the state attorneys are often able to extract large fines in antitrust cases, in circumstances where federal enforcers can’t.

The involvement of the attorneys general also lends a bipartisan gravitas to the antitrust probes, making it harder for the companies to attack them as politically motivated.

At the same time, the state attorneys will face the challenge of coordinating complex investigations among so many offices. Some attorney general offices, particularly in smaller states, also lack the personnel and resources to throw into the demanding job.

The Department of Justice is investigating the U.S.'s largest tech firms for allegedly monopolistic behavior. Roughly 20 years ago, a similar case threatened to destabilize Microsoft. WSJ explains.

Write to John D. McKinnon at john.mckinnon@wsj.com

Copyright ©2019 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 87990cbe856818d5eddac44c7b1cdeb8

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2019-09-06 09:30:00Z
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Bank of Canada offers a reminder of what it really cares about: inflation - Financial Post

It’s been so long since inflation was a story, it’s easy to forget that at the end of the day, prices are all the Bank of Canada is allowed to care about.

Policy makers sought to remind us of that this week.

When the central bank left interest rates unchanged on Wednesday, it emphasized that inflation was right at its rough target of two per cent. And the first speech by one of the institution’s leaders since early July was based on, you guessed it, the Bank of Canada’s latest thinking about inflation.

Deputy Governor Lawrence Schembri told a crowd at the Halifax Chamber of Commerce on Thursday that he and his colleagues remain confident that the link between economic growth and prices still holds. He flagged new Bank of Canada research that concludes that inflation rises and falls as the economy accelerates and slows, according to various price measures, which suggests that the Phillips curve still applies in Canada.

That’s a bigger deal than it probably sounds. The inverse relationship between employment and inflation, identified by New Zealander William Phillips in the late 1950s, is a subject of consternation among economists and investors. In many countries, including the United States, price pressures have been subdued, despite unprecedented monetary stimulus. Weak inflation was one of the reasons the Federal Reserve gave for cutting interest rates in July. In Japan and Europe, deflation is the bigger worry.

For some reason, the situation in Canada is different. The central bank noted that inflation was on target when it opted to leave interest rates unchanged this week. The dollar rose after that decision, at least in part because officials provided no hint that they were anxious to cut interest rates in response to the trade wars. That was a bit of a surprise. There was a widespread belief that the Bank of Canada would be forced to respond to the same pressures that prompted so many of its peers to cut interest rates this summer.

“Canada isn’t an island unto itself,” Darcy Briggs, a portfolio manager at Franklin Bissett Investment Management, said.

Very true. Schembri said the “trade war remains our primary concern and the biggest risk to our forecast,” adding that “things could get worse internationally, which would deliver a complex shock to our economy affecting both supply and demand.” Canadian business investment plunged the second quarter as U.S. President Donald Trump escalated his fight with China and demand for exports wobbled. “It is harder to see that there is going to be an immediate resolution,” Schembri said at a press conference after his speech.

Still, it’s possible that we’ve been discounting the Bank of Canada’s resolve to achieve its inflation target, officially the midpoint between one per cent and three per cent. Prices have been so stable, for so long, the public’s focus naturally shifts to more obvious concerns, such as stagnant wages and the U.S. president’s Twitter feed.

The Bank of Canada, however, only has one concern, as per its official marching orders from the federal government.

Schembri noted that the gap between current economic output and what the central bank estimates the economy can achieve without sparking inflation is “essentially closed.” You didn’t hear much about that ahead of this week’s policy announcement.

Instead, the emphasis was on when the Bank of Canada would follow all of the other central banks that have cut interest rates this year. Schembri’s remarks suggest the Canadian policy makers won’t follow until they see evidence of real trouble. That will test Bay Street’s commitment to the current consensus that rates are headed lower at the central bank’s next policy meeting at the end of October.

“Because of the persistently low inflation experienced in several major countries, some observers have gone so far as to declare the Phillips curve dead,” Schembri said. “Here at home, though, our experience has been different … The evidence of a close correlation between underlying inflation and the output gap bolsters our confidence in our inflation projections and in our framework for conducting monetary policy.”

Bottom line: Trump has shaken business confidence, and he causes politicos to lose their heads on a daily basis, but he hasn’t managed to break the faith of Canada’s central bank in its approach to economic oversight. Based on what it could see and reasonably project, an interest-rate cut would have risked faster inflation and tempted households to resume bingeing on debt.

So policy makers decided to wait for more information rather than take out insurance that it couldn’t prove was necessary. The benchmark rate is lower than inflation, anyone renewing their five-year mortgage today is doing so at a lower rate than he or she accepted previously, and exporters still are getting a boost from a favourable exchange rate. There is still stimulus in the system.

“The stance that we decided on yesterday is consistent with achieving our inflation target over the next two years,” Schembri told reporters. “We do think it provides sufficient stimulus to the Canadian economy to offset the dampening effects of the global trade war.”

• Email: kcarmichael@nationalpost.com | Twitter: carmichaelkevin

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September 06, 2019 at 03:28AM

Ride-hail in Kelowna? - Kelowna News - Castanet.net

Photo: Facebook

Uride has applied to the Transportation Safety Board to operate in several markets outside the Lower Mainland, including Kelowna.

Founder and CEO Cody Ruberto says all the paperwork has been submitted to the province, and it'll be about four to eight weeks before a decision is made. 

Uride launched in Thunder Bay, Ont. in April 2017.

"Basically, we operated in Thunder Bay for one year just to learn how to make ridesharing work in a smaller market," says Ruberto. "Then from there, there was a lot of communities across Canada that had been having major problems with transportation. We really want to help solve them and prevent impaired driving across the country."

After Thunder Bay, Uride expanded into Chatham-Kent, North Bay, Sudbury and Winnipeg. Ruberto has further expansions planned for Humboldt, Kelowna, Nanaimo, Prince George, Vancouver, Victoria and Kamloops.

"We're really looking forward to it."

Like similar ridesharing companies, Uride has an app people can download to request a ride. 

"It's a really seamless way to get a ride," says Ruberto. "You can watch the vehicle in real-time."

The next step is getting enough drivers for each market. Ruberto encourages anyone thinking of making a little extra income on the side to apply online (you can find the application here). Drivers will need their Class 4 licence, he notes.

"The more people we can get on the platform, the lower wait times will be."

If all goes according to plan, Uride could be up and running by the fall.

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September 06, 2019 at 06:00AM

CANADA: Airlines hit with $45K in fines in first crackdown under passenger bill of rights - SooToday

Just over two months after the Canadian government tightened air traveller protections, four major airlines were fined for not complying with the rules.

WestJet, Air Canada, Porter Airlines and Air Transat were all hit with penalties on Aug. 27.

It’s the first round of fines from the Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) since phase-one of the federal Air Passenger Protection Regulations came into effect on July 15.

The new regulations were set out to help Canadian travellers who run into a myriad of problems with their airlines, including flight bumping, tarmac delays and damaged luggage.

It also made airlines obligated to communicate more clearly with passengers.

In each of the violations, the carriers failed to properly display newly-mandated notices to passengers.

WestJet was fined a total of $17,500 for seven violations of this rule, while Air Canada was hit with a $12,000 fine for five violations.

Both Air Transat and Porter Airlines were hit with $7,500 fines for three violations each.

The end result — 18 penalties for a total of $45,000.

According to the regulations, airlines operating flights to or from a Canadian airport must display a notice at check-in desks, self-service machines and boarding gates about the new rules. The notice should read:

“IF you are denied boarding or your baggage is lost or damaged, you may be entitled to certain standards of treatment and compensation under the Air Passenger Protection regulars. For more information about your passenger rights please contact your air carrier or visit the Canadian Transportation Agency’s website.”

The violations were found at several airports, including Calgary International Airport and Quebec City Jean Lesage International Airport.

Air Canada said the implementation of the new regulations has been a “complex” process for airlines. The company said it is “reviewing” the CTA’s decision.

“We had to review and adjust more than 400 individual items and procedures across our entire system in order to comply with the requirements of the first phase of the regulations alone,” spokesperson Peter Fitzpatrick said in a statement.

“With new rules of such complexity, there are always questions of interpretation, so we are reviewing the CTA’s decision. Nonetheless, it is Air Canada’s intention to fully abide by the APPR and we have put in place the necessary policies and procedures to ensure compliance.”

The CTA says the deadline for airlines to pay the fines is Sept. 30.

“The CTA continues to actively monitor compliance with APPR,” a media spokesperson said in a statement to Global News. “The CTA will post additional notices of violations, as they are issued.”

Air passenger rights advocates have largely criticized the so-called passenger “bill of rights.” The penalty system has not been immune to criticism.

Gabor Lukacs, the founder of Air Passenger Rights, said the fines are merely “symbolic.”

He noted that the 18 fines of $2,500 per violation are a small percentage of the maximum penalty the CTA could levy.

“Each fine carries a maximum penalty of $25,000. So, the maximum penalty that could have been issued here is 18 (violations) multiplied by $25,000, making $450,000,” he told Global News.

“The amount of $2,500 per violation is ridiculous. It shows that the fines were issued only to make headlines, and not to foster compliance.”

Lukacs’ group has launched a campaign to improve the air passenger’s rights. The group claims the rules “make this worse” for travellers and don’t do enough to hold carriers accountable.

“The fines are used as smoke and mirrors to cover up real, ongoing issues about airlines systematically misleading the public about their rights,” he said.

“The system is clearly broken.”

The second phase of the so-called passenger “bill of rights” won’t come into effect until December.

At that time, regulations surrounding compensation for flight cancellations and seating for families will be ushered in.

Air Canada and Porter Airlines are among a group of carriers seeking to axe the new rules.

The group of 17 airlines filed a legal challenge, arguing that the bill of rights violate international standards and should be rendered invalid.

- Global News

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September 06, 2019 at 07:55AM

Lululemon Jumps as Sales Growth Defies Apparel Industry Weakness - BNNBloomberg.ca

Lululemon Athletica Inc. (LULU:UN) climbed in late trading after boosting its annual profit forecast yet again and posting another quarter of brisk sales growth, showing the yogawear maker is still avoiding the weakness that’s pummeled other North American apparel retailers.

• Comparable sales -- a closely watched measure in the industry-- rose 17 per cent on a constant-currency basis in the latest quarter, above the 12 per cent estimate compiled by Consensus Metrix. The result marks the seventh straight quarter it’s been above 10 per cent -- a rare achievement in retail.
• Lululemon now sees profit of US$4.63 to US$4.70 a share this year, 12 cents more than its previous forecast, despite earlier warnings that increased use of air freight will trim margins.

Key Insights

• The Vancouver-based company’s 10th consecutive profit beat is another sign that demand for US$98 yoga pants and US$68 men’s tank tops remains strong. Chief Executive Officer Calvin McDonald said the company made progress in all of its main areas of focus.
• E-commerce, which boasts higher profit margins than traditional sales, continues to underpin the company’s growth. Comparable online sales climbed by 31 per cent on a constant-currency basis in the period, and those sales represent a bigger piece of total revenue than they did a year earlier.

Market Reaction

• Lululemon shares rose as much as 5.8 per cent in late trading. The stock, which has 20 buy recommendations from analysts, has advanced 55 per cent this year through Thursday’s close.

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September 06, 2019 at 03:31AM

Ontario drivers can now use digital copies of their insurance on a phone - MobileSyrup