Author says Trump’s ‘Lake America’ order driving hits to guide on ditching U.S. tech

FREDERICTON - Canadian author Paris Marx says there's been a renewed interest in his list of alternatives to U.S. technology since President Donald Trump signed an order renaming Lake Ontario to "Lake America."

Marx, who hosts the Tech Won't Save Us podcast and is based in St. John's, N.L., maintains a catalogue of email services, mobile phones and other tech created by firms outside the United States.

For example, he suggests Switzerland's Proton for its email, cloud storage and password manager. There's also a phone alternative he recommends called Fairphone that runs on an open-source European operating system and was made in the Netherlands.

And, of relevance, Marx offers map alternatives in his "Getting off US tech" guide, such as Estonia's Organic Maps, OpenStreetMap out of the United Kingdom and the Dutch-made Here WeGo.

Beware invasive, ‘frightening’ waterhemp

There’s a threat lurking on the edge of Manitoba farmers’ fields this fall that’s even scarier than the escalating trade war with their biggest customer.

Provincial extension advisers are warning farmers to watch for a weed known as “tall waterhemp,” which, true to its name, may already be towering above ready-to-harvest crops.

Those wispy tentacles waving in the breeze look pretty innocuous from a distance. But this highly invasive member of the pigweed family produces hundreds of thousands of seeds that are just itching for dispersal through farmers’ combines and across their fields.

Each of those tiny seeds — one small pill container filled halfway holds 44,000 — can produce plants with stems the width of saplings and heights of two to five metres. One or two plants can quickly turn into a patch. If waterhemp takes over a field, it can choke out the growing crop and cut yields by more than 90 per cent.

The silent stalker overtaking our sidewalks

I used to joke that I’d probably die in a McPhillips slip lane, run over by a car with a driver looking left for other traffic while turning right. Odds are pretty high on it being by an e-bike or e-scooter now.

We can’t control the economy, we can control how we treat people

There is a lot happening in the world right now that can leave Canadians feeling unsettled.

Our nation’s relationship with the United States feels less predictable, trade relationships are changing and businesses are trying to understand what tariffs, economic uncertainty and political decisions could mean for them. Employees are also wondering what all of this might mean for their jobs, families and financial security.

The difficult part is most of us have very little control over these bigger issues. Most business owners cannot influence international trade policy, and employees certainly cannot. We can pay attention, plan where we can and make good decisions based on the information available to us, but ultimately there are many things happening around us that are outside our control.

That can be an uncomfortable place to be. It can also be a good reminder to focus our energy on the things we can influence, particularly how we treat the people around us.

Trump’s tariff tantrum, geopolitical turmoil could be blessings in disguise for Manitoba’s diversified economy

It’s early July and Warren Luky’s second last day before he retires as president of United Steelworkers Local 6166. After a career at the bargaining table and in and around mineshafts, Luky speaks candidly as he fires up a barbecue at his Thompson home.

Luky, who represents 472 miners at Vale’s Thompson mining operation along with other northern labourers, is quite aware of the buzzwords currently attached to his trade and the region.

Phrases like “Arctic sovereignty,” “trade diversification,” “Indigenous-led” and “critical minerals” have caught on with politicians of all stripes over the past couple years as federal and provincial governments tout the need for greater Canadian sovereignty, with the push for major infrastructure projects declared a matter of national interest.

In light of the bitter collapse in trade negotiations between Canada and the U.S. on Aug. 21 — a historic blow to cross-border relations — these phrases are bound to become more contagious.

Privacy watchdog takes Google to court in long-running ‘right to be forgotten’ case

OTTAWA - Canada's privacy commissioner is asking the Federal Court to order Google to de-list specific search results, after Google refused to comply with the watchdog’s recommendations.

Privacy commissioner Philippe Dufresne's office said a year ago that Google wouldn't implement its recommendation to de-list specific articles in the search results for an individual's name.

The case, which has been ongoing since 2017, involves articles about a criminal charge that was dropped, which the individual said caused direct harm, including social stigma, lost job opportunities and physical assault.

The watchdog recommended Google de-list the articles for searches of that individual's name, though they would continue to be available online and appear in results for other search terms.

New Brunswick banning student phone use in public schools

FREDERICTON - New Brunswick is banning elementary students from using their phone or other mobile devices during the school day starting in September.

The province's Liberal government says the same restriction will apply to high school students starting in February.

A news release says social media sites will also be blocked on school devices and internet networks.

But officials say students will be allowed to use their personal laptops and tablets at school for educational purposes.

Interprovincial trade barriers falling but challenges remain: experts

The collapse of talks with the United States has added urgency to reducing trade barriers within Canada, but experts say it's not a simple fix.

Efforts to boost interprovincial trade have ramped up recently, including at a meeting this week of federal, provincial and territorial trade officials in Iqaluit.

In a communique released late Thursday, ministers agreed that the suspension of negotiations with the U.S. means it's more critical than ever to strengthen the economy at home.

As part of that push, nine provinces agreed last month to allow direct-to-consumer alcohol sales across provincial boundaries.

Meta settlement should be first of many

Who knew? A massive company knew its products were harmful to children and teens, and not only kept its products on the market, but worked to make them more addictive, to build their own profits.

Manitoba Hydro’s strategy: Deny, deny, deny

Here’s a good story… A man walks into your office and says, “Have I got a deal for you! I want $3 billion (plus perhaps a bit more) to build you something that you might use three or even four times a year, for maybe 30-60 hours each time. Sign here.”

Canada is bolstering its defense industry as US relations fray. A boom is on for local contractors

TORONTO (AP) — As Canada moves to reduce its dependence on American military suppliers, the push is on display inside a Toronto garment factory.

Hunched over sewing machines, two workers rapidly stitch together pieces of camouflage-patterned fabric and Velcro strips. In the next room, workers snip stray threads as they inspect the finished product: helmet covers for the Canadian military.

The factory is assembling uniforms for Wuxly, a luxury parka maker that is among a flurry of Canadian companies branching into defense contracting. As Canadian military spending surges, others are developing remote sensors for the country's vast Arctic region, making drones to resupply soldiers, and building autonomous robots.

The boom in the defense sector reflects Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney's vow to strengthen the country's economic self-sufficiency amid fraying relations with Washington, including a fresh escalation this week with new rounds of tariffs.

Researchers tracking Manitoba monarchs migrating to Mexico

Thirty monarch butterflies were outfitted with trackers at the Living Prairie Museum this week as part of a national effort to help preserve the endangered species, marking the first time the new technology has been used in Manitoba.

A look at major lawsuits against Meta and other social media companies over harms to kids

A settlement announced Wednesday between Meta and dozens of states resolves one of its biggest legal fights, but the social media giant is still facing litigation elsewhere over its products' effects on young people's mental health.

The deal cut short a landmark trial in federal court in Oakland, California, where the Instagram and Facebook parent company was fighting claims that it deliberately designed features that get children addicted. The agreement calls for Meta to pay out up to $18 billion and make a changes to how their platforms are operated, with new guardrails for kid safety.

It is one of many courtrooms around the country where Meta, TikTok, Snapchat and YouTube have been defending themselves against allegations their platforms have negatively impacted children’s mental health or otherwise hurt them.

Here is a look at some of the biggest cases against social media companies.

Smart Suite lets families of children with disabilities learn how adaptive design, tech can improve their lives

The first thing Zoe Versteeg did after rolling into the living room was to change the hue-lighting colour to match the shade of her lavender glasses. The smile that spread across her face was nearly as bright as the lights in the room.

“It’s just joy, immediate joy when she sees something happening. She’s like, ‘I control that, I got to do that,’” Elsien Versteeg, Zoe’s mother, said. “Her being able to make those decisions on her own, she can just do it herself now.”

Zoe, who is 13 and non-verbal, uses eye-gaze technology to communicate and control both her wheelchair and an array of smart devices. Versteeg and Zoe were at the official opening of the Rehabilitation Centre for Children’s new Smart Suite on Aug. 26, where the team behind the project was demonstrating the breadth of adaptive design and technologies available locally for families of children with disabilities to provide them with greater independence.

The Versteegs use many of the devices in their own home near New Bothwell.

Canadian Army looking for surveillance, cargo-drop drone suppliers

OTTAWA - The federal government has put out a small shopping list for new drones for the Canadian Army, which includes land and aerial drones that can deliver cargo and supply munitions to troops.

It's also looking for aerial surveillance and reconnaissance drones, including some specifically designed to operate in "extreme cold" Arctic environments.

Ottawa has issued a batch of five tenders under the army's Minerva initiative, a program designed to integrate drones into its operations.

“The Canadian Army soldier will face an increasingly complex and dangerous battlespace in the future," one of the drone tenders said.

Lucky Charms and Trix go au naturel as General Mills ditches artificial colors

General Mills said Wednesday it has removed artificial colors from all its U.S. cereals, including Lucky Charms and Trix.

The Minneapolis company has shifted to fruit- and vegetable-based dyes as well as colors derived from spices like turmeric and paprika to give its cereals their customary bright colors.

“This achievement reflects how we are evolving with consumer needs while continuing to offer food that tastes great, delivers quality and provides value,” said Bethany Quam, General Mills’ president of cereal, in a statement.

General Mills said 90% of its U.S. retail products are now free of artificial dyes. Products that still contain artificial colors, like some Betty Crocker cake mixes and Fruit Roll-Ups, will transition to natural dyes by the end of 2027, the company said.

Winnipeg police body cams to feature AI translator

The Winnipeg Police Service will begin testing an artificial intelligence translation tool on Thursday, adding the feature to its body-worn camera pilot project.

The translation tool works with more than 50 languages and will initially be used by the 40 front-line officers who began testing the cameras in June.

When a button is pressed, the device will recognize the language being spoken and translate it into English. The officer can respond in English or French and have the device translate their words into the language spoken by the other person.

“What it effectively does is allow that immediate transfer of communication to occur, without having to find a translator,” said George Labossière, WPS deputy chief of operations.

A robot sprinter shatters a 100-meter record again as sparks fly at China’s robot competition

BEIJING (AP) — A robot sprinter broke another 100-meter record on Wednesday at a showcase of China’s growing technological prowess.

The record ended China’s five-day World Humanoid Robot Games, in its second year in Beijing, in which more than 2,000 humanoid robots competed in Olympics-style events including soccer, boxing and running.

The winning robot finished the 100 meters in 8.64 seconds, breaking a record for the second straight day. A robot ran 8.86 seconds Tuesday, after another clocked 9.39 seconds four days earlier — all at the Games.

For comparison, the men’s 100-meter world record is 9.58 seconds, set by Usain Bolt in 2009.

Buy Canadian: Purchasing patriotism sees renewed push amid rising tariffs

Buy Canadian sentiment is seeing a resurgence across the country as backlash to U.S. tariffs grows.

Consumers eager to support local products and businesses are swapping shopping tips and resources online as some retailers renew labelling of tariffed or homegrown goods in stores.

The Canada List, a website that ranks thousands of products sold in Canada based on their contribution to the Canadian economy, has seen a dramatic rise in traffic in recent days, founder Matthew Shane said in an interview Wednesday.

"My back-of-the-envelope calculation is daily traffic is actually up 10,000 per cent since Friday," Shane said, adding thousands of people are signing up for the newsletter daily. "It's a strong indication that the Canadian public is increasingly engaged in these trade tensions."

Grocers revive signage to indicate tariff-affected items, Canadian products

Canadian grocers are adding more signage to highlight homegrown products as trade tensions escalate between Canada and the United States.

Loblaw says it is bringing back the T symbols to its grocery shelf labels to signal products that have seen price increases due to tariffs, replicating its response from last year when the tariff war first began.

Customers will start noticing the T symbols on a small number of products, which will grow as tariffs are applied across more categories, Loblaw chief executive Per Bank wrote in a LinkedIn post on Tuesday.

"And one commitment is especially important: Loblaw will not benefit from tariffs," he said.

Meta reaches landmark $18 billion settlement with states in trial over teen social media addiction

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Meta agreed Wednesday to pay up to $18 billion and add stronger child-safety measures to its Facebook and Instagram platforms as part of a landmark legal settlement that ended a trial over teen social media addiction and settled claims filed by nearly every state.

The settlement resolved a pivotal case years in the making that sought to hold the tech giant accountable for the role its platforms played in undermining children’s mental health. The effort targeted features designed to hook young people’s attention.

The agreement “institutes real change, real transparency, real protections for children and teens across the country,” California Attorney General Rob Bonta said.

If approved by the court, the deal will stop an avalanche of litigation by states against Meta, although the company still faces lawsuits from individuals and school districts throughout the U.S. For the states, the settlement delivers money for mental-health programs for kids, including after-school or summer activities and digital literacy counselors.

Arts & Life team taste-tests new Kraft concoction

Prepare your tongue for the ultimate thrill, as Kraft Dinner has once again veered wildly out of its box and into new territory.