Fired for singing in anti-masked faces
Discover more from Twelve Thirty Six
Vancouver Canucks owner Francesco Aquilini made it clear that the hockey team’s anthem singer since 2001 was out of that job, even before his appearance at an anti-masker rally. During the event, Mark Donnelly described his sacking as censorship, but a British soccer writer of the same name was the unintended recipient of tweets about it.
Dishes will skip another chip
Queen’s Park stepped in to suspend a partnership that would find LCBO products delivered by SkipTheDishes, following a backlash from businesses that first received permission in March to deliver alcohol. The bigger picture of how the pandemic has ravaged many small restaurants was outlined in a Globe and Mail feature by Jen Agg.
“Pornhub pushes back against accusations that it allows child sexual abuse materials.” New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof challenged Justin Trudeau to look into its content moderation policy. MindGeek, the Montreal-based parent company of Pornhub, has largely avoided Canadian media scrutiny.
Set against economic reset
Michael Sabia is the new top bureaucrat of Canada’s finance ministry. The previous deputy chief, Paul Rochon, stepped down from that job soon after the deficit was detailed. But these names don’t mean much in a world of memes, where Chrystia Freeland talking about the “pre-loaded stimulus” served as grist for the opposition:
Doug Chappell dead at 77. The bassist from pioneering 1960s Toronto rock band The Mid-Knights went on to a music industry career that included signing Colin James, Rita MacNeil and the Northern Pikes to Virgin Records Canada. Chappell later headed Mercury/Polydor, the company where Shania Twain ended up moving the most units.
Finally, a seven-figure shoot
Wayne Gretzky is the face of a 1979 rookie card set for a potential $1-million sale by Dallas-based Heritage Auctions, whose expert explained to the Toronto Star why this particular incarnation has been valued that high. It also reflects the sports card revival of the pandemic, which further extends to gambling on traces of old bubble gum dust:
