The financial institution says the unemployment fee seemingly rose to five.9 per cent, up from 5.8 per cent in December.
Canada’s labour market has cooled considerably during the last 12 months as excessive rates of interest have weighed on the economic system.
Economists count on this development to proceed in 2024, which may push the unemployment fee even larger.
30% of Canadians utilizing AI instruments: ballot
Despite worries synthetic intelligence lacks empathy and might be coming to steal their jobs, a rising variety of Canadians are turning to AI instruments, a brand new ballot suggests.
Thirty per cent of Canadians now use synthetic intelligence instruments, the Leger ballot advised, up from 25 per cent a 12 months in the past, although two-thirds of respondents mentioned the prospect of getting them of their lives is horrifying.
The ballot of 1,614 Canadians reveals a definite divide between how younger and older individuals view AI — 58 per cent of these 18 to 34 reported utilizing AI instruments, in comparison with simply 13 per cent of these 55 and older.
Christian Bourque, government vice-president of Leger, mentioned the quantity of people that have been uncovered to or interacted with AI might be larger than reported, as a result of some people will not be conscious they’re utilizing it. An internet site might need a chatbot introduce themselves as Dave, for instance — and the consumer could not understand Dave isn’t an actual person.
From farm to flyer: world pressures on groceries
Over the previous 12 months, the CEOs of Canada’s largest grocery chains have turn out to be acquainted faces to lawmakers learning meals costs.
Executives have confronted questions from MPs and battled accusations of profiteering as their earnings rise.
But specialists say the primary components which have pushed grocery costs up over the previous couple of years are world.
“The supply chains we have depended on for many decades now have come under massive stresses over the last five years — COVID, conflict, climate change being the most notable examples of big global macro stresses — and that is translated into broad-based inflation for all goods across the global economy,” mentioned Evan Fraser, director of the Arrell Food Institute on the University of Guelph.
Consumers are conscious about will increase in meals prices as a result of different prices, particularly housing, are additionally skyrocketing, mentioned Fraser, and so meals costs have turn out to be emblematic of a wider downside.
Police chief’s apology lacking key items: specialists
A southwestern Ontario police chief’s apology this week for the time it took to put sexual assault expenses towards 5 skilled hockey gamers marked an necessary step in acknowledging hurt however lacked key components wanted to show full accountability and rebuild belief, specialists say.
In a information convention that drew nationwide consideration Monday, London, Ont., police Chief Thai Truong apologized to a complainant and her household on behalf of the power for taking practically six years to cost 5 then-members of Canada’s 2018 world junior hockey staff.
Shannon Moore, a professor at Brock University whose analysis focuses on restorative justice and trauma-informed coverage, follow and pedagogy, says whereas the chief did properly to acknowledge the delay and that the hurt it brought on goes “far beyond” the complainant, and appeared honest in expressing his remorse, “there are many more pieces that are needed” as a way to assist restore a few of the hurt performed.
An efficient apology must mirror the “whole truth of the harm caused,” and that goes past simply the time it took to put expenses, Moore mentioned. “It’s also what happened to just lead to this delay – what actions weren’t taken, which actions were taken.”
Progressive teams excluded from Chinatown parade
Progressive and LGBTQ+ teams say they’ve been excluded from Vancouver’s Lunar New Year parade in Chinatown this weekend, with one among their representatives saying they have been instructed it was due to a ban on “political activism.”
Chinatown Together, organized by neighborhood activist Melody Ma, and LGBTQ+ group Lunar New Year For All say their functions to march within the Spring Festival Parade on Sunday have been rejected by the committee that runs the occasion.
The parade marks the 12 months of the dragon, which begins on Saturday.
Ma posted a letter on social media that she says got here from the parade’s organizers, telling her that approval of Chinatown Together’s participation had been rescinded as a result of “political activism finds no place within the spirit of the event.”
The letter dated Feb. 3 says the parade is “dedicated to a sense of unity” and is deliberately distanced from spiritual or political affiliations.
Canadian manufacturers hope to attain with Swift followers
Most Canadian corporations locked of their Super Bowl advert area lengthy earlier than anybody knew the Kansas City Chiefs would make it to the ultimate match, however specialists say a lot of these manufacturers will probably be trying to rating massive with the viewers drawn in by the staff’s most well-known fan: Taylor Swift.
The American pop star has been within the highlight at Kansas City’s NFL video games since she first cheered on her tight finish boyfriend Travis Kelce towards the Chicago Bears in September. Many of her followers have since turn out to be rabid soccer watchers, attributing Swift with getting them into the sport.
Those followers symbolize a profitable alternative for manufacturers to department out past their typical targets — males between the ages of 18 and 35 — and attain tween, teen, Gen Z and millennial ladies, who are likely to drive most choices round which items households purchase, advertising and marketing specialists say.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first revealed Feb. 9, 2024
The Canadian Press
