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Reports on the soaring cost of paper prices in Canada. Increasingly bitter struggle between cash-strapped publishers and the pulp-and-paper industry that supplies them; Impact of rising paper prices on readers; Decline in number of trees to be harvested; No sign of any newsprint supplies emerging to relieve the pressure on publishers.

Explains how Canada's pulp and paper makers have grown fat on cheap trees, cheap power and political largesse, and describes how to make them more competitive in the 90s. Niche marketing; Embracing new technologies; Diversification; Modernization; Environmental pressure; What is weakening the industry; Integration; Globalization; Conservation.

The article discusses the impact of the crisis in asset-backed commercial paper financing on Baffinland Iron Mines Corp., a Canadian company that sought short-term financing through the investments. Factors leading to the collapse of the Canadian commercial paper market are discussed, including lack of transparency and the inability of credit rating agencies to evaluate the assets.

The article discusses that a financial crisis in Canada has begun because non-bank asset-backed commercial paper has become illiquid in the amount of about $7 billion Canadian dollars. Investors are unable to get their money out for use causing major write-downs. No new investors are stepping up to allow rollover to occur and more paper to be issued.

The article discusses the collapse of the asset-backed commercial paper (ABCP) market in Canada. One company holding frozen ABCP wants the government to investigate ABCP dealers, including Coventree Inc. A memorandum issued to dealers by Coventree on July 24, 2007 may have provided material information investors say should have been shared with them.

Discusses Canada's new federal and provincial crackdown on pollution caused by pulp and paper mills. Comments by environmentalists and paper industry executives; Pollutants such as organochlorines, furans, and dioxins; Cost of complying with the new regulations; Alberta-Pacific Forest Industries Inc.; Friends of the Athabasca (Athabasca, Alta.).

The article presents information on the use of plastics in food packaging in Canada. A 2008 study by research firm Boustead and Associates shows that the paper bags and compostable plastic bags used more energy, water and fossil fuel than traditional polyethylene plastic bags. It is stated that presently, plastic packaging accounts for an estimated 10 percent of the Canadian household waste stream.

Evaluates the paper and forest products industries in Canada as of July 8, 2002. Topic of stock prices in the industries; Mention of the Toronto Stock Exchange Paper and Forest Index; Suggestion that Domtar Inc, a producer of paper, might present fewer risks for investors; Discussion of the lumber industry.

Presents information on the performance of stocks in the paper and forest products industry in 2001 in Canada. Discussion of how real consumption of pulp and paper products has continued to fall since January 2001; Concern that profits in the industry could sink even further; Mention of Slocan Forest Products Ltd.; Performance of Bowater Inc.

Focuses on John Weaver, president and chief executive officer of Abitibi-Consolidated, the world's largest newsprint producer. Problems that have hit the industry; Biographical information; His short term and long term plans for the Canadian company. INSET: From mills to millstones.

This article presents the author's views on Canada's asset-backed commercial paper (ABCP) trusts. ABCPs are short-term papers for funding investments in longer-term assets. The author reflects on problems with Canadian ABCP trusts in the frozen market and why investors are angry and want to know who to blame for their losses. The author also notes the importance of confidence in Canada's financial system.

Focuses on Canadian paper company Abitibi, the world's largest newsprint producer. Background on the company, which traces its history through its six founding companies, primarily Abitibi-Price, Stone Consolidated and Donohue; Comments of Chief Executive officer John Weaver; Financial details; Expansion of the company; Exports.

Offers information about Cascades Inc., a paper company that supports paper recycling programs in Kingsey Falls, Quebec.

The article reports on a bioactive paper being designed in Canada, which would help protect humans from bacteria and viruses. The Sentinel Bioactive Paper Network consists of Canadian universities, government and business partners researching the antibacterial product. The hope is for a paper that can detect, warn and destroy bacteria upon contact. Data from the Public Health Agency of Canada is provided and network director Bob Pelton quoted.

The article presents a guide to packaging machinery, equipment, supplies and services companies in Canada, categorized according to the products or services they offer. Adhesive Application Systems Inc. and Capmatic Ltd. offer adhesives. Curwood Packaging (Canada) Ltd. offers bacon packages. Firing Industries Ltd. and Krones Inc. offer bag emptying machines.

The article mentions the popularity of the luxurious wool cashmere which comes from the Asian mountain goat, chyangra. Karl Spilhaus, president of the Boston-based Cashmere and Camel Hair Manufacturers Institute, says "It's probably the finest animal fibre that's really in commercial production. It is also a finite resource--less than 20,000 tons annually--so you can't find a bargain in cashmere, any more than you could in gold or diamonds." The wool also makes great men's clothing. "The most common items are the cashmere sweater, the cashmere scarf and the cashmere sports blazer," says Larry Rosen, chairman and CEO of Canadian men's wear retailer Harry Rosen. Cashmere is so universally associated with luxury that it seems marketers will try to tie any product in with its allure. In 1999, Canadian paint company Sico Inc. launched a high-end interior latex line called Cashmere. Last year, Scott Paper launched a new toilet paper called Cashmere from Cottonelle. The company commissioned eight Canadian designers to come up with the "White Cashmere" collection for the launch of the toilet paper last August, their extravagant one-off runway creations got plenty of attention. Scott Paper now plans to change its brand name from Cottonelle to Cashmere by 2007. Toronto designer Tam Boyko of Heaven Cashmere was one of the contributing designers. Her shawl-collared women's wrap cardigan is the only piece from last year's White Cashmere collection that's available for sale.

Presents Canadian business news for December 7, 1998. SkyDome Corp.'s filing for court protection from its creditors; The resignation of two directors from the board of Livent Inc., the Toronto-based live theater company that has filed for bankruptcy protection; United States employment growth compared to Canada's between 1889 and 1997; Provincial securities administrators as close to reaching an agreement on a national system of securities; New York-based International Paper to purchase Union Camp Corp.

Says the month-long strike that shut down most of the B.C. pulp-and-paper industry ended when the mills agreed to drop demands to abolish a floating holiday. The new contract includes a base wage increase of 6.5 percent over two years.

The article offers the author's facetious views about the changed design of the Canadian $20 bill as of February 2013. Topics include how the banknotes are printed on a polymer material rather than paper, the Bank of Canada's deputy governor Tiff Macklem, and concerns that the leaf depicted on the notes is a Norway maple leaf instead of a Canadian sugar maple leaf.

This article focuses on the news that a pulp mill was going bankrupt and how it would affect the community. Even though I work in New Brunswick--not exactly crime central in Canada--we've had our share of murderers, pedophiles and pot-carrying premiers. Since the province's economy is largely based on natural resources, I've edited my fair share of boom-and-bust stories from here and elsewhere. Stories about disgruntled forestry workers in northern New Brunswick replaced by mechanical harvesters and stories about angry protests over the closure of the cod fishery in Newfoundland. Along with the 400 direct jobs, economists predicted at least another 200 indirect jobs would shortly disappear. I envisioned people sitting at their kitchen tables, crunching numbers: the mortgage, car payment, groceries, electricity, Christmas presents, kids' clothing.

Mentions 'Sitting Pretty: The History of the Toilet,' an exhibit at the West Parry Sound District Museum in Northern Ontario. Debate concerning how to hang toilet paper; Popularity of the exhibit.

Profiles Canadian newspaper publishers David Black and Conrad Black. The competition between the two; How each got his start in the newspaper business; Careers of both; Biographical information.

Examines Canada's most unusual paper shuffle, involving New Brunswick's Irving family and their newspapers, `Telegraph Journal' and `Evening Times Globe.' Brothers Jack, Arthur and J.K. Irving; Valerie Millen, general manager, hired to halt the papers' financial slide and make them better; Editor Neil Reynolds; Details; The effect on the province of New Brunswick. INSETS: No business too big or too small (Irving family businesses);All the news that's fit to revile.

This article presents an editorial on how the National Bank of Canada held to a system of credit rating in the midst of the credit crunch. The author maintains National did the right thing when the market for non-bank asset-backed commercial paper (ABCP) froze in August, 2007, and the Montreal, Quebec-based bank bought up pools of debt from funds it controls and through its subsidiary, Altamira Investment Services.

Focuses on Emmie Leung, chief executive officer of International Paper Industries Ltd. of North Vancouver, British Columbia. The success the company has had since 1993; How she got into the business; Company revenues for 1998.

Discusses Saint John, N.B., residents' complaints about the sulphurous fumes emitted by the Irving Pulp and Paper Mill, owned by billionaire K.C. Irving and his family. Provincial Environment Minister Vaughn Blaney's call for closure of the plant; Measures to reduce the emissions; High unemployment and concern over jobs; Comments by residents and city and provincial officials.

The article examines why Canadian legislators assign the majority of securities enforcement and regulation to self-regulatory organizations (SROs) and ad hoc committees. The problem of asset-backed commercial paper being linked to poor investments that required individuals to seek short-term loans is discussed. It is also attested that the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) is guilty of mistreating investors due to conflicts of interest.

The article looks at the polymer bills released by the Bank of Canada in 2011, discussing the public's initial disdain for the design and the discovery in 2013 of several counterfeit bills, despite the currency's anti-counterfeiting measures.

Examines the reasons why more than 35 Canadian firms have issued new shares recently to cash in on a sudden surge of interest in new share issues. Why investors are interested; What various companies will do with the money raised; Lenders' policis; Revival of stock trading among small Canadian investors; Concern about corporate earnings and cash flow; Petro-Canada stock; Montreal-based pulp-and-paper producer Domtar Inc.

The article looks at the history of Sunday newspapers in Canada. Topics include secularization of Canadian labor laws in the 1970s which allowed for Sunday deliveries, the financial situations of newspaper publishers as more people read their news through digital media, and cancellations of Sunday newspaper editions in Canada as of June 2012.

Advises that Thomson Newspapers Corp. put several of its daily papers in Canada up for sale as part of a restructuring plan. Aim of Dick Harrington, president and CEO of Thomson, to transform the company into a marketing and communications company; Names of newspapers on the block.

Focuses on a deal between Canada's Southam Inc. and Sun Media Corp. Southam to buy `The Financial Post' from Sun Media; How both sides benefit from the deal; How it affects Canadian print journalism; Comments from the companies' executives.

The article discusses investigation into the Canadian Border Services Agency's (CBSA) handling of refugee claimant cases, focusing on the organization's conduct regarding immigrants who died in its custody. Topics include the suicide of deported hotel maid Lucia Vega Jimenez, the death of illegal immigrant and convicted fraudster Maxamillion Akamai, and allegations that the CBSA released Akamai in order to avoid dealing with his imminent death.

Focuses on Alberta Education, winner of the 1998 Canadian Information Productivity Awards. Development of a system for record keeping; How schools in Alberta are connected to each other and to the Internet; How the system has helped make administration more efficient. INSET: Human Resources Development Canada.

This article briefly discusses news relating to direct mail marketing in Canada. The development of a direct mail marketing periodical called "Sorted News" by the Canada Post is described. The potential for an increasing volume of direct mail marketing in Canada following the establishment of a do-not-call list that limits telemarketers is noted. The plans for a direct marketing campaign by the Royal Bank of Canada are also described.

This article focuses on Canada's environmental campaign to cut the use of plastics bag use. By 2012, Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty hopes for a 50% voluntary reduction in plastic bag use. This 50% amounts to about 1 billion plastic bags, which will result in a loss of $20 million for plastic manufacturer PCL Packaging.

Profiles forensic accountant Tedd Avey, the Toronto-based president of Kroll Consulting Group. Details on his job, which is to uncover any suspicious accounting practices of companies; Differences between a forensic accountant and a regular accountant; Observation that venture capitalists and potential business partners are increasingly hiring forensic accountants to investigate companies before they enter a contract, merge, or invest; Details on infamous cases Avey has investigated.

Reports that Canadian forestry giant Abitibi-Consolidated will return to work in December of 1998 after a five month strike by the Communications, Energy, and Paperworkers Union. How the company hopes to regain customers; Percentage of the North American newsprint production that Abitibi-Consolidated was responsible for before the strike; What the union was able to get from the company.

The article focuses on the corporate formality of annual reports. Of particular focus is a report published by Enterprise.com, a Belgium-based consultancy, which ranks 300 international companies based on their annual reports, and how Canadian businesses ranked. Overall, eighteen Canadian companies made the list, with Telus Corp. ranking first. Factors the report considered when compiling the rankings included performance reporting, financial review and management discussion of strategy.

Focuses on the decision of Conrad Black, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Hollinger International Inc., to sell a large number of newspapers and serial publications owned by his company. Speculation as to which papers are for sale; Effect of the decision on the company's stock price; Canadian companies that are expected to purchase local papers; Outlook for the Internet strategy of Hollinger.

Focuses on layoffs at the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. (CBC). Comments by Mike Sullivan of the Communications Energy and Paperworks Union of Canada; CBC president Robert Rabinovitch's plan to reshape the CBC; Plans to follow up layoffs with the integration of the CBC's new services; The effect on employee morale of Rabinovitch's opposition to new license conditions imposed by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC).

Discusses the possible results of a readership study of Canada's 'The Globe and Mail' and 'The National Post.' Marketing strategy of the 'Post's' publisher Conrad Black to give away free papers to boost subscriptions; Leak of readership numbers from the Newspaper Audience Databank (NASbank) that the 'Globe's' readership numbers are down; Speculation about whether the owners of the 'Globe' will sell.

Argues that tariffs on steel are unnecessary in Canada. Complaints of Canadian steel companies about low prices of imported steel; Benefits of low priced steel for consumers and manufacturers; Recovery from low steel prices due to overcapacity and weak markets; Opinion that the government should focus on importers who illegally dump steel.

Examines how proposed social program reforms in Ottawa are sparking a storm of controversy. Human Resources Minister Lloyd Axworthy's 89-page discussion paper which calls for sweeping changes in several critical areas; Dissension within Liberal ranks about the scope of the changes that threatens to under mine Axworthy; Brouhaha over leaked cabinet briefing note to `The Toronto Star'; Debate over unemployment insurance and more. INSET: Rewriting the rule book.

Examines the reasons for the current downturn in Canada's forest products industry. Threat to Canada's economy; Plans to shut down the Spruce Falls Paper and Power Co. in Kapuskasing, Ont.; Downturn in Quebec, Ont., the Atlantic provinces, and British Columbia; Spending cuts and environmental standards; De-inking plants; Newsprint maker, Abitibi-Price Inc. of Toronto; Noranda Forest Inc. of Toronto; More.

Profiles a number of executives in the lumber industry in Canada. Softwood lumber tariffs; Kruger Incorporated's acquisition of Scott Paper Limited in Montreal, Quebec; Cascades Incorporated and Boralex Incorporated in Drummondville, Quebec; Tolko Industries in Vernon, British Columbia; Others.

In this article the author surveys the Canadian timber industry as it stood in early 2008. A number of experts state that the market for wood and paper products is poor and that investment in timber stocks would be unwise. The purchase of tracts of trees by large institutional investors is described. Some timber stocks and mutual funds are recommended.

The article offers information on the environmental initiatives of Canadian companies that made it to the 2010 Green 30 list of "Canadian Business" magazine. Global human resources consulting and outsourcing firm Hewitt Associates compiled the information provided by the organizations. Highlighted are the key programs, practices, values, leadership behaviours, and actions that enabled the companies to earn high marks from their staff.

The changes have been anything but conservative at Canada's unabashedly right-wing national daily. After months of speculation that CanWest Global Communications Corp. was set to fold its perennially money-losing National Post, the paper was granted a reprieve. Ken Whyte, editor-in-chief, and Martin Newland, his deputy--the duo behind the Post's cheeky mixture of agenda-driven news, pointed commentary and unapologetic fluff, have left to pursue unspecified "opportunities." Leonard Asper, CanWest chief executive, announced a three-year plan to make the paper profitable and appointed his older brother David to oversee the flagship. Matthew Fraser, a media commentator and journalism professor with no previous management experience, was named editor-in-chief. More and more Post reporters have been showing up on TV screens, and the content of the chain's daily papers across the country has become increasingly standardized--a trend that seems sure to intensify as the company struggles to get out from under a $3.6-billion debt load.

Focuses on Canada's dominant newspaper owner CanWest Global Communications Corp. and the role of president and chief executive officer Leonard Asper and founder and executive chairman Izzy Asper. Scrutiny they are receiving based on the question of what they will do with the assets; Goals of the media company, which has been a family enterprise; Issue of debt; Controversy surrounding its plan to publish centrally written editorials in the major Southam papers.