Dealer of the Week: Mehdi Moghareh

Free Press arts team shares books for passing the dog days

When most people mention a “summer read” or a “beach book,” the types of writing they’re referring to is lighter fare most of us would consider enjoyable but not overly profound: think cosy mysteries, historical bodice rippers, otherworldy romantasies, fast-paced whodunits, chilling (but not too chilling) horror and, notably as of late, romance novels of all persuasions — perhaps, say, between two hockey players?

But not everyone dives into such popular picks over the summer months. Here’s what the Free Press arts and life team has been poring over in the past months…

Temporary Palaces, by Jeff Miller

If you spent your youth in the late 1990s/early 2000s going to protests, making zines, DIY art or punk rock — or, failing that, reading about it all in Adbusters magazine — and consider yourself a hopeless romantic, this new novel from Nova Scotia’s Jeff Miller is for you. Themes of idealism, artistic integrity, heartbreak and shared trauma are all on the menu for this will-they-won’t they pairing of punk rocker Ben and visual artist Alex, set amid the squats of Ottawa and the art lofts of Montreal.

Five Things: PM Carney explains why Canada left the U.S. negotiating table

OTTAWA - Canada is preparing to hit the U.S. with dollar-for-dollar tariffs in response to new 50 per cent duties on $28 billion worth of Canadian products that took effect when talks between the two nations collapsed as negotiations neared the finish line. 

Prime Minister Mark Carney was quiet publicly during the final days of negotiations, but now has now explained his rationale for telling the Canadian negotiating team, led by Canada-U.S. Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc and chief negotiator Janice Charette, to leave the table.

Restrictions on further trade deals

"The U.S. Introduced at the last hours, in the last hours, efforts to restrict our ability to have other trade deals. You heard me say a moment ago, what we've accomplished in the past year, 20 new deals, economic and security partnerships, the prospect of doubling our market access because we believe in free trade. We're the partner of choice in many respects for countries around the world and the Americans wanted to restrict that. They had language that what they wanted to restrict that, unacceptable," Carney said during a press conference on Parliament Hill.

Cool spots for more summer sweets

You scream, I scream, we all scream for ice cream. Missed seeing your favourite ice cream joint in last month’s Chill Out feature? Cheer up: we’ve compiled our reader suggestions below.

Despite the cooler weather and slight drizzle, it’s still summer and there’s time to to grab a scoop or two of your favourite flavours. So what are you waiting for?

Living up to its name Not a Waffle (2-709 Corydon Avenue) serves ice creams not in traditional waffle cones but heaped into Japanese taiyaki, a fish-shaped sturdy cake. Ice cream flavours on offer include the ever-popular ube, sakura and matcha in soft serve and for hard scoops there are vanilla, chocolate brownie, cookie dough and something called heavenly heart, which is a chocolate and almond combo. The soft serves are on until October this year so there’s still time if you’d like to give this a try.

Our readers simply adore Dug & Betty’s (309 Rue Des Meurons) for their ice cream fix. Made in small batches, popular flavours include sour cherry and chocolate, strawberry balsamic honey and black pepper and lemon meringue pie. There are seven dairy-free options, including soy chocolate caramel cookie dough and oatmeal apple caramel crunch.

Options for selling U.S. alcohol in Canada

U.S. President Donald Trump had threatened to impose tariffs of 50 per cent by Aug. 19 on over 500 Canadian items worth $28 billion. This would threaten 56,000 Canadian jobs and five per cent of our exports.

Executive exodus continues at Shared Health with three recent departures

Manitoba’s provincial health authority is looking for its fourth chief financial officer since 2023 and additional replacements after the recent departures of three executives.

Dealer of the Week: Mehdi Moghareh

SALES REP: Mehdi Moghareh

DEALERSHIP: Vickar Nissan

NO. OF YEARS: three years

FAVOURITE MODEL: 2014 GT-R