Zellers gets a second shot at shutting down
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The clearance centres run by Hudson’s Bay were given a familiar name in 2013, when Target Canada overhauled many of the other Zellers. Two that remain, in Ottawa and Toronto, are now giving up that ghost. It comes at a time when HBC is likely about to go private, while its current management is cutting back hours at department stores.
Baby Archie still flies for free
Buckingham Palace took the rare step of heeding gossipy reports that followed Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s visit to Canada House in London, to thank this country for a calm B.C. holiday. The Sun’s story on them relocating to Canada was acknowledged within the realm of accuracy—quite the coup for the U.S. launch of the legacy tabloid.
Beard pundits activate to ponder the PM. Reuters ran a story about Justin Trudeau’s facial hair. Comparisons to Pierre’s 1979 minority government grizzle were evoked, even if it won’t be long for this world.
Longing for ’80s-style Toronto
While the Toronto Star was dusting off a trove of photos from 1986, residents of Kensington Market were talking about adopting heritage conservation district status to sustain its spirit from that era. Meanwhile, writer David Kendall recently secured heritage designation for a stretch of homes that he partly owns:
“Why have we allowed #YongeDundas to degrade into a cesspool?” A chaotic video from Kevin Frankish, who used to host Citytv’s Breakfast Television overlooking Yonge-Dundas Square, sparked Twitter talk about what can be done better with the downtown Toronto space. Y-D Square’s account retaliated by promoting its virtues.
Fired by a company of tools
Fastenal branch manager Hussien Mehaidli tweeted about how the company cheaped out on holiday gifts for Canadian employees like him: a $5.99 bottle of BBQ sauce, rather than the “box filled with junk food” received by American colleagues. Mehaidli was legally terminated for the gripe, but the coverage has led to wondering if management overreacted:
Alberta will lose three old weekly newspapers. Postmedia confirmed that the Edson Leader and Hinton Parklander will join the Lacombe Globe in ceasing to exist due to losses. At the same time, News Media Canada posted a list of organizations that will be funded as part of a federal bailout, although many other details remain a mystery
Finally, last train to Schitt’s
Schitt’s Creek launched its final season with fanfare on both sides of the border, thanks to past seasons streaming on Netflix—success that CRTC chair Ian Scott thinks can be repeated through regulation. No such rules were required for Eugene Levy to realize that the show became the only thing that selfie seekers were referencing to him in public:
