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Canadian Business--known to its fans as, simply, CB--has reported on the country's most important leaders and companies for the last 93 years. With this edition, we are thrilled to unveil [...]

Most reclusive millionaire business men lives of Canada are discussed. Joseph Brunett, Joseph Kruger, Marcel Adams, etc. lives are detailed.

An overview of the services of Grameen Bank is presented. The bank, which was founded by Mohammed Yunus, lends money to the poorest people in the world. The loans are based on trust, yet they are paid back in 98% of the time. Trends show that American bankers who claimed that they were doing the same thing were actually laying the groundwork for a financial crisis.

Companies that typically buy many patents then seek out successful companies to sue for infringement hold back innovation. The End Software Patents group points out that a company that operates a website could already be infringing over 4,300 patents. The Wrights brothers' monopoly over flying machines in the early 20th century is an example of how patents hold back emerging industries.

StickK is an online program that signs people into contracts and put money at stake if they fail to meet the goals written on their contracts, such as losing weight or quitting smoking. Norway's Government Pension Funds, which saves and invest 96% of petroleum revenue outside of the country. Other self-control types of programs are presented.

Scientists have been talking about geo-engineering, or the use of technology to manipulate Earth's climate, due to global warming. Paul Crutzen, a climate scientist, believes that sulphate particles could be pumped directly into the upper atmosphere in order to produce a cooling effect. Critics, on the other hand, believe that altering the Earth's climate could have disastrous consequences.

Charisma is not a very useful attribute for a chief executive officer, and it can be expensive, disruptive, and disastrous to a company. There is no correlation between the charisma of a CEO and a company's performance. Charisma also holds the potential for abuse.

The emerging trend on payment systems is discussed. Radiohead, a rock group, decided to release their album on the Internet, and allowed fans to download it for whatever price they wanted. Statistics show that the band earned approximately $10 million from downloads in the first few weeks. Studies were also conducted to determine trends in restaurant tipping. Results show that interpersonal connections affect pay-what-you-want business models.

Six Sigma is being used by 40% of companies in Canada that is designed to help companies achieve higher efficiencies. But the program neglects individual contributions of employees, and S&P 500 data shows that companies started trailing upon implementation of Six Sigma. Why the program doesn't work, and how it can stiffle a company's sense of innovation, are analyzed.

British Columbia Premier Gordon Campbell says that the province is in a strong position to implement the carbon tax due to its strong economy and balanced books. Campbell adds that the carbon tax plan will make the province's income tax and corporate taxes lower than any other jurisdiction in Canada.

Vancouver-based Valcent Products and Green Solutions are working on a process to cultivate and extract the oil from algae. The research is conducted at a 4,000-square foot test facility in an El Paso, Texas. Details of the production process are presented.