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‘Amazing Race Canada' Maker Insight Productions Promotes Trio To Co-Chief Content Officer Roles

‘Amazing Race Canada' Maker Insight Productions Promotes Trio To Co-Chief Content Officer Roles

Yahoo29-05-2025

EXCLUSIVE: Canada's Insight Productions has promoted a trio of execs to Co-Chief Content Officer.
Erin Brock, Lindsay Cox and Mark Lysakowski have all assumed the role, effective immediately, with the three overseeing the Amazing Race Canada and Big Brother Canada producer's output. Alongside CEO and Chairman John Brunton, they will also steer strategic planning and expansion plans. All three continue to report to Brunton.
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Between them, the trio oversee the likes of Big Brother, now in its 12th season; The Amazing Race (11 seasons of Canada's highest-rated Canadian series of all time); Canadian Idol; Canada's Ultimate Challenge; The Tragically Hip: A National Celebration; The JUNO Awards; Battle of the Blades; Stronger Together and Tous Ensemble.
In further news, Alison Popowich, who assists with corporate strategy and planning, has been named Director of Corporate Affairs.
'With heartfelt thanks to the best, most dedicated team in the business, these promotions position Insight to do our best work domestically as we continue to expand our international development and production slates, and our business around the world,' said Brunton.
Insight recently announced casting is underway for Paramount+ series Canada Shore (working title), the local version of MTV's Jersey Shore. Brock is serving as showrunner.
Today's news also follow Brunton and Michel St-Cyr, executive producer and founding shareholder of Groupe Fair-Play, partnering their companies to develop and produce projects in both official Canadian languages across multiple genres including formats, variety, live specials, competition reality, and social experiment, potentially shooting English and French versions concurrently.
The partnership, initiated and overseen by Brunton and Cox, sees the two companies developing original content to expand their footholds domestically and internationally.
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Map Shows Best Cities To Live in Right Now
Map Shows Best Cities To Live in Right Now

Newsweek

time2 hours ago

  • Newsweek

Map Shows Best Cities To Live in Right Now

Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Denmark, Australia and Switzerland are home to some of the world's best cities to live in, a new study has shown. Copenhagen has been named the world's most livable city in 2025, according to the Economist Intelligence Unit's (EIU) Global Liveability Index, displacing Vienna in Austria, which came second after a three-year run at the top. The Danish capital achieved perfect scores of 100 in stability, education, and infrastructure, pushing it from second place to first in a global assessment of 173 cities. The EIU's annual index evaluates cities across 30 indicators grouped into five categories, which include stability, health care, culture and environment, education, and infrastructure. While the average global score remained unchanged from 2024 at 76.1 out of 100, the report noted a persistent decline in global stability, driven by rising geopolitical tensions and civil unrest. "Copenhagen's rise to the top underscores the power of consistent investment in public goods," said Matt Watkins, a public affairs strategist and policy analyst, told Newsweek. He consults cities across the United States and a few other nations on urban development, economic mobility and quality-of-life strategies. Melbourne in Australia placed fourth, continuing its strong performance in the rankings, with two other Australian cities—Sydney and Adelaide—also among the top 10. Other cities filling out the top 10 slots included Auckland in New Zealand, Osaka in Japan, and Vancouver in Canada. Watkins noted: "Livability is a choice. These outcomes do not emerge by chance. They happen when governments commit to universal baselines that ensure quality of life—things like clean public transit in Zurich, affordable child care in Copenhagen, strong public education in Melbourne, and access to green space in Auckland." North American cities overall remained in the highest tier of livability, with all 21 assessed scoring above 80. Two Canadian cities, Calgary and Toronto, also experienced drops. "We have lowered the health care scores for all four Canadian cities in our index," the EIU report noted. All three cities in the United Kingdom in the index—London, Manchester, and Edinburgh—saw their placements fall in the wider ranking due to widespread riots and rising homelessness. Stock image: Houses line the Nyhavn canal in Copenhagen, the Danish capital. Stock image: Houses line the Nyhavn canal in Copenhagen, the Danish capital. Getty "Walkability is a common thread among the world's most livable cities," Watkins said. "When people can safely and easily walk to schools, grocery stores, parks, and transit, everything else becomes more connected—public health improves; small businesses thrive; emissions drop; and community life flourishes." The EIU highlighted that, while stability declined globally, other aspects of urban life have improved. "Scores for health care, education and infrastructure all saw marginal improvements on average," the report said. Cities in the Middle East and North Africa region showed the most-notable gains, particularly in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, due to significant advancements in health care and education. Watkins emphasized that high-quality infrastructure alone isn't what makes a city truly livable. "What makes a city truly livable is not just infrastructure, but connection," he said. He added: "The most-livable cities foster a sense of belonging—through public spaces that invite gathering; services that reduce isolation; and policies that help people put down roots. Whether it is Vienna's cultural investment or Vancouver's focus on inclusivity, these cities recognize that social cohesion is as important to well-being as hospitals and transit lines." Watkins added that the world's most-livable cities succeed because they treat livability as a public mandate. He said: "These places remind us that good governance is not just about efficiency; it is about creating conditions where people can move freely, connect easily, and live with dignity." Top 10 Most Liveable Cities 1. Copenhagen, Denmark 2. Vienna, Austria 3. Zurich, Switzerland 4. Melbourne, Australia 5. Geneva, Switzerland 6. Sydney, Australia 7. Osaka, Japan 8. Auckland, New Zealand 9. Adelaide, Australia 10. Vancouver, Canada Source: A ranking by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) based on an assessment of 30 indicators grouped into five categories, including stability, health care, culture and environment, education, and infrastructure. Do you have a travel-related video or story to share? Let us know via life@ and your story could be featured on Newsweek.

Carney travelling to Europe for security, defence talks with EU, NATO
Carney travelling to Europe for security, defence talks with EU, NATO

Hamilton Spectator

time4 hours ago

  • Hamilton Spectator

Carney travelling to Europe for security, defence talks with EU, NATO

OTTAWA - Prime Minister Mark Carney will depart for Europe on Sunday for back-to-back summits where he is expected to make major commitments for Canada on security and defence. Carney will be joined by Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand, Defence Minister David McGuinty and secretary of state for defence procurement Stephen Fuhr at the EU and NATO summits, where military procurement and diversifying supply chains will top the agendas. The international meetings come as Canada looks to reduce its defence procurement reliance on the United States due to strained relations over tariffs and President Donald Trump's repeated talk about Canada becoming a U.S. state. Carney will fly first to Brussels, Belgium, starting the trip with a visit to the Antwerp Schoonselhof Military Cemetery where 348 Canadian soldiers are buried. He will also meet with Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever, European Council President António Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. At the EU-Canada summit, Anand and McGuinty are expected to sign a security and defence agreement with the EU in what one European official described Friday as one of the most ambitious deals Europe has ever signed with a third country. The agreement will open the door to Canada's participation in the ReArm Europe initiative, allowing Canada to access a 150-billion-euro loan program for defence procurement, called Security Action for Europe. An EU official briefing reporters on Friday said once the procurement deal is in place, Canada will have to negotiate a bilateral agreement with the European Commission to begin discussions with member states about procurement opportunities. A Canadian official briefing reporters on the summit Saturday said the initial agreement will allow for Canada's participation in some joint procurement projects. However, a second agreement will be needed to allow Canadian companies to bid. At the EU-Canada summit, leaders are also expected to issue a joint statement to underscore a willingness for continued pressure on Russia, including through further sanctions, and call for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza. After Brussels, Carney heads to The Hague in the Netherlands for the NATO leaders' summit on Tuesday and Wednesday. There, Carney will meet with the King of the Netherlands and later with leaders of Nordic nations to discuss Arctic and transatlantic security. At the NATO summit, Carney will take part in bilateral meetings with other leaders. The summit agenda includes a social dinner hosted by the king and queen of the Netherlands and a two-and-a-half hour meeting of the North Atlantic Council. NATO allies are expected to debate a plan to hike alliance members' defence spending target to five per cent of national GDP. NATO data shows that in 2024, none of its 32 members spent that much. The Canadian government official who briefed reporters on background says the spending target and its timeline are still up for discussion, though some allies have indicated they would prefer a seven-year timeline while others favour a decade. Canada hasn't hit a five- per- cent defence spending threshhold since the 1950s and hasn't reached the two per cent mark since the late 1980s. NATO says that, based on its estimate of which expenditures count toward the target, Canada spent $41 billion in 2024 on defence, or 1.37 per cent of GDP. That's more than twice what it spent in 2014, when the two per cent target was first set; that year, Canada spent $20.1 billion, or 1.01 per cent of GDP, on defence. In 2014, only three NATO members achieved the two per cent target — the U.S., the U.K., and Greece. In 2025, all members are expected to hit it. Any agreement to adopt a new spending benchmark must be ratified by all 32 NATO member states. Former Canadian ambassador to NATO Kerry Buck told The Canadian Press the condensed agenda is likely meant to 'avoid public rifts among allies,' describing Trump as an 'uncertainty engine.' 'The national security environment has really, really shifted,' Buck said, adding allies next door to Russia face the greatest threats. 'There is a high risk that the U.S. would undercut NATO at a time where all allies are increasingly vulnerable.' Trump has suggested the U.S. might abandon its mutual defence commitment to the alliance if member countries don't ramp up defence spending. 'Whatever we can do to get through this NATO summit with few public rifts between the U.S. and other allies on anything, and satisfy a very long-standing U.S. demand to rebalance defence spending, that will be good for Canada because NATO's good for Canada,' Buck said. Carney has already made two trips to Europe this year — the first to London and Paris to meet with European allies and the second to Rome to attend the inaugural mass of Pope Leo XIV. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 22, 2025.

Bank of Canada hoping for better look at ‘complicated' inflation picture
Bank of Canada hoping for better look at ‘complicated' inflation picture

Hamilton Spectator

time4 hours ago

  • Hamilton Spectator

Bank of Canada hoping for better look at ‘complicated' inflation picture

OTTAWA - The Bank of Canada will get a fresh look at national inflation figures this week — a picture that's been particularly murky as of late amid tax changes and trade wars. Statistics Canada is expected to publish its consumer price index for May on Tuesday. Financial data shows the consensus among economists is that inflation ticked up to 1.8 per cent year-over-year last month. April figures showed the annual inflation rate slowed sharply to 1.7 per cent, thanks largely to a drop in gasoline prices tied to the end of the consumer carbon price. Benjamin Reitzes, BMO's managing director of Canadian rates and macro strategist, said he expects inflation cooled two ticks to 1.5 per cent in May. He pointed to a slowing in shelter inflation and a smaller jump in gas prices compared with the same time last year for the easing. But it won't be just the headline number the Bank of Canada is parsing as it attempts to set its benchmark interest rate in an increasingly uncertain world. 'The reality is, they don't just look at one number. They look at a number of different inflation metrics to really try and figure out what the underlying trend is,' Reitzes said. Bank of Canada governor Tiff Macklem called the current inflation picture 'complicated' in a speech to the St. John's Board of Trade in Newfoundland and Labrador on Wednesday. The 'firmness' in underlying inflation lately might be early signs of the trade war with the United States impacting inflation, he said. The central bank has so far been dogged by uncertainty tied to the tariff dispute, holding its policy rate steady at 2.75 per cent twice in a row as it waits for clarity on how the trade restrictions will impact inflation. While the tariffs and counter-tariffs themselves are likely to drive up prices for businesses, it's not yet clear to the bank how quickly companies will pass those costs on to customers. Resulting slowdowns in the economy could also see businesses and consumers rein in spending, keeping inflationary pressures relatively tame. Katherine Judge, senior economist at CIBC Capital Markets, said inflation likely inched higher because of tariffs. 'The acceleration in the monthly pace will be largely tied to food prices that are picking up counter-tariff impacts and core goods prices that could begin to reflect broader tariffs,' she said in a note to clients on Friday. 'We expect rent inflation to decelerate after a surprising jump in April, and in line with industry data, leaning against food price increases.' Judge noted the upcoming inflation reading will reflect adjustments Statistics Canada made to its CPI basket, but said such changes don't usually have a meaningful impact on the headline number. Reitzes said it's been hard to pinpoint the impact of tariffs on the inflation data. 'The Bank of Canada is certainly watching for that, though,' he said. 'The army of economists they have working for them will be kind of teasing through all of that data and looking for any signs of that.' Food inflation has been a bit stronger in recent months, which Reitzes noted is one area where Canada is applying counter-tariffs. But he also said that could be a lagged impact from weakness in the Canadian dollar at the start of the year now filtering into food prices. Another source of noise in the inflation data is tax changes from the federal government in the early part of the year. First, Ottawa's two-month GST holiday skewed price data on a range of groceries, gifts and household staples, and now the end of the consumer carbon tax is driving down headline inflation. But that impact is only going to last for a year and will fall out of the inflation comparison after 12 months. Macklem said the central bank is increasingly putting weight on CPI measures that strip out influences from tax changes to give it some clarity. He noted Wednesday that inflation excluding taxes was 2.3 per cent in April — stronger than the central bank was expecting. Macklem also signalled Wednesday that the Bank of Canada is scrutinizing its own preferred measures of core inflation a little more closely. Those core inflation figures are now running above three per cent, but Macklem also warned there's 'potentially some distortion' that could be 'exaggerating' price pressures. Alternative measures of core inflation are coming in lower, so he said the bank is looking at a range of factors as it gauges where inflation is heading next. 'There is some unusual volatility. So how temporary or persistent this is, I think remains an open question,' Macklem said. The Bank of Canada will get a look at two inflation reports before its next interest rate decision on July 30. If inflation shows signs of remaining well contained in those releases, Reitzes said the Bank of Canada might find a window to lower interest rates to boost the economy in the face of tariffs. 'They'll probably take that opportunity, but inflation needs to provide them with that,' he said. 'And at the moment it is not doing so.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 22, 2025.

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