Premier Ford to break up Peel Region within 3 years: source
CBC
23-05-17 22:38
Ontario Premier Doug Ford is planning to dissolve Peel Region, which is made up of Mississauga, Brampton and Caledon, within the next three years, according to an anonymous source connected to his government. Peel currently manages regional services, including health schemes, recycling and paramedics across the three municipalities. Separation could lead to disputes over the funding of infrastructure. Mississauga Mayor Bonnie Crombie has been arguing that independence would allow the city to save $1bn over a decade, leading to greater efficiencies.
During Tesla's annual meeting, Elon Musk announced plans for the first traditional advertising campaign for the electric vehicle manufacturer. Although Musk has previously relied on his celebrity status and social media activity, he suggested that Tesla was willing to 'try out a little advertising and see how it goes'. Musk highlighted that Tesla is not immune to the macroeconomic pressures facing the world today and demonstrated that the role of traditional advertising techniques may still prove useful in today's marketing practices to communicate to a potential and existing a customer base. Despite the popularity of Tesla products, the CEO noted that the company can no longer assume ever-increasing demand while also dealing with rising competition from other companies. Musk acknowledged that the advertising campaign for Tesla would emphasise the safety, affordability and technological features of Tesla's vehicles.
Ontario to dissolve Region of Peel, government sources say
The Toronto Star
23-05-17 21:46
The Canadian province of Ontario is dissolving the Region of Peel, which includes the municipalities of Mississauga, Brampton and Caledon, in a move that will result in the largest cities, Mississauga and Brampton, becoming independent cities. It is unclear what will happen to the smaller municipality of Caledon. Peel Region is responsible for essential services like paramedics and recycling across the three municipalities. Mississauga Mayor Bonnie Crombie has welcomed the move, saying her city will save CAD1bn ($750m) over 10 years, while Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown believes there must be proper consideration of infrastructure.
South Korean authorities are taking measures to stem "tech leakage" to rival China, with Seoul creating a database of chip engineers working for South Korean companies to monitor their travel in and out of the country. Seoul has set up several investigatory bodies to combat leaks spontaneously hiring foreign staff, often through patents. Illegal hiring practices, patent infringements and the theft of intellectual property is being tackled with tougher punishments and easier ways to report suspected violations. The same edition of Nikkei Asia details increased South Korean-Chinese competition for technology experts and top-level executives. According to South Korea’s National Intelligence Service, the number of confirmed National Core Technology leaks has risen steadily over the past five years. In terms of technology investment, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company recently pledged $100bn to expand over the next three years as part of a strategy to diversify its manufacturing base away from Taiwan.
New car import rules which come into force in January may pose a threat to the UK's struggling car manufacturers. As of next year, all cars exported from the UK into the European Union must contain 45% of their components by value from either the UK or the EU. Vehicles that do not meet this threshold will face a 10% duty when heading for the Continent. The rules were designed to encourage firms to establish supply chains nearer home, however, the UK has failed to establish a battery industry, meaning car executives fear that the deadline will be an "existential threat". Industry experts have warned that the new regulations could cause the closure of such sites as Stellantis's Vauxhall van factory at Ellesmere Port. The rules will also make industry-based technologies, such as professional wireless communication devices, more important when conducting automotive research and development.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford is planning to separate Mississauga and Brampton from Peel municipal region by 2026. The move follows a long campaign for independence by Mississauga, whose residents pay 60% of the region's costs but have half the amount of sway over its administration. Ford has confirmed that his cabinet has already approved the plan, with legislation to follow. The move has been welcomed by Mississauga Mayor Bonnie Crombie, but Brampton's Mayor Patrick Brown has warned of an estimated $1bn worth of shared infrastructure being lost as a result of the application.
Japanese investors are to add more than $22bn to the UK economy, including new offshore wind power and clean energy projects such as hydrogen. Japanese trading house Marubeni is set to invest around £10bn for the purpose. However, UK car manufacturing is struggling, with foreign companies such as Ford, Jaguar Land Rover, German car industry lobby group VDA, and European automaker Stellantis all warning that they could close UK factories if Brexit trade rules are not lessened to allow the supply of batteries for electric vehicles.
Private healthcare is costing twice as much as public healthcare in Quebec, while a CBC report has revealed that public hospitals are paying private agencies up to eight times the standard rate for their services. This discrepancy has been made worse by the Ford government’s refusal to elevate nurse One’s $37.10 an hour pay grade, instead capping wage hikes at 1% since 2019, while private nurses are earning around double. This trend is pitting public interest against private enterprise and has the potential to be the political scandal that damages Premier Doug Ford’s government.
Stellantis, formerly PSA, has warned that if the UK and EU do not adjust the so-called rules of origin requirements for the automotive industry, they may be forced to close their factory at Ellesmere Port in north-west England. These tariffs are set to rise to 10% for exports next year. This story shows that Brexit is becoming a ‘live’ issue again, especially as Sir Keir wants to arrest the slow death of the car industry, but doesn’t want to join a customs union with the EU? It raises broader questions about how ambitious the UK should be in the five-year review of the TCA in 2025, and with EU relations more generally. The Windsor framework deal has unblocked relations with Brussels but the Windsor framework still needs to be delivered in practice.
ARC Automotive is refusing to recall potentially exploding airbag inflators that are present in the vehicles of more than 33 million people in the US. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has demanded the recall of the units, which have been linked to two deaths and at least seven injuries, and has claimed that the inflators have been found to be defective following an eight-year investigation. Automakers, including Chevrolet, BMW, Ford and Porsche, have sought clarity from the NHTSA. No manufacturer has so far identified an issue affecting all 67 million inflators, necessitating a recall, according to ARC.
Ontario is set to dissolve the Region of Peel, including Mississauga, Brampton and Caledon, several years after the mayors of Mississauga have asked for the move. Many believe the move is necessary because Mississauga has been paying more than its fair share into the regions. Ontario Premier Doug Ford said the goal of the dissolution is to ensure the municipalities have equal or better service, while Mississauga Mayor Bonnie Crombie says she expects Mississauga to save $1bn over the next decade in becoming independent. The dissolution could take several years and will likely be overseen by a transition board.
The UK will ensure it produces batteries for electric vehicles domestically, finance minister Jeremy Hunt said on 7 July. The comments came the day after carmakers warned that insufficient production could hit investment in the country, while Stellantis said it would face tariffs when exporting electric vans to the EU from 2022.
Ontario to table legislation Thursday as source says Peel Region will be dissolved
CBC
23-05-18 13:47
The Canadian province of Ontario is set to submit legislation that could see Pickering Region break apart into separate municipalities, including Mississauga and Brampton. The two cities are expected to form independent entities within three years of the legislation's passage. Municipal Affairs Minister Steve Clark will introduce the bill at Queen's Park, with support from local mayors Bonnie Crombie and Patrick Brown. Despite agreeing on the need for separate municipal authorities to promote domestic infrastructure development, the two mayors disagree on how Peel is to be divided and shares of infrastructure spending reimbursed.
Tata Motors-owned Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) is deciding between Spain and the UK as the location for its electric vehicle battery factory, a move seen as critical for the future of Britain's car production in the face of a looming ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars. The UK is believed to have offered financial support for the gigafactory, with Chancellor Jeremy Hunt suggesting earlier this week that the country is in line for good news on the EV industry. JLRs biggest competitor, Nissan, is the only other UK company with a domestic battery supply.
Actor Harrison Ford appeared with his wife and co-star Phoebe Waller-Bridge at the Cannes Film Festival ahead of the premier of his new film Indiana Jones and The Dial of Destiny. He was also given an honorary Palme d’Or award at the festival, thanking the crowd and spoke of how he had 'seen his life flash before his eyes'. Ford also confirmed that Dial of Destiny would be his last appearance as Indiana Jones, with the movie not directed by Stephen Spielberg.
Harrison Ford returned to Cannes for the premiere of the latest Indiana Jones movie, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. Directed by James Mangold, the fifth movie in the series also stars Mads Mikkelsen and Phoebe Waller-Bridge. Taking place in 1969, Indiana Jones is sent to find a dial that can change the course of time along with his goddaughter and must battle against a Nazi. Ford, who reprised his Indiana Jones role after 15 years, has stated this would be his last. The film was released to wider audiences in late June.
The "AM for Every Vehicle Act" has been introduced yesterday at the US House of Representatives and the Senate. The legislation would demand the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to mandate car manufacturers to include AM radio for most vehicles at no extra cost. This follows a trend of some automakers completely removing AM radios from newer cars and replacing it with newer features such as the internet radio. The bill mentions the important role AM radio has played in emergencies to facilitate communication, particularly in rural areas where Internet access might not be available when emergencies strike.
The Governor of Tennessee, Governor Bill Lee, is modernising the state's community oversight boards by replacing the panels with review committees that have no power to investigate police misconduct allegations. The new law takes effect on 1 July, with the boards being transformed into police advisory and review committees that only allow mayor-appointed members to refer complaints to law enforcement internal affairs units, rather than independently investigating the complaints. The move has raised concerns over the lack of accountability and oversight, with Democratic lawmakers and local officials having earlier opposed the move.
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, which had its world premiere at this year's Cannes Film Festival, comes nearly two decades after the fourth in the Indiana Jones movie franchise. Director James Mangold's film has been criticised for lacking the spark and bravado of the earlier movies, with critics highlighting the generic and clunky staging of action sequences and that even body language was lacking comparable energy. Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny follows Harrison Ford as Dr Henry Jones who is unexpectedly called back into the field to help track down a mystical artefact from the depths of history.
The Cannes Film Festival has been swept up in "Indiana Jones fever" as the film's star Harrison Ford attended the premiere of his latest outing as the whip-cracking explorer. Ford and his wife Calista Flockhart walked the red carpet for the world premiere of “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” before entering a packed theater with adoring fans. An honorary Palme d’Or awaited Ford, who was visibly emotional after a clip reel of his career highlights was played. The festival's early days had been dominated by attention on Johnny Depp and his comeback. The festival runs until 27 May.
