Weekly News Recap: March 6, 2020

Weekly News Recap: March 6, 2020

A man wearing a face mask rides a bicycle on a bridge over Yangtze River in Wuhan, the epicentre of the novel coronavirus outbreak in China. (Reuters)

Confidence is going after Moby Dick in a rowboat and taking tartar sauce with you. -- Zig Ziglar

This week's highlights

Last week's most popular stories

Inspiring

  • The boss who put everyone on 70K (BBC) "In 2015, the boss of a card payments company in Seattle introduced a $70,000 minimum salary for all of his 120 staff - and personally took a pay cut of $1m. Five years later he's still on the minimum salary, and says the gamble has paid off." 2/28/20

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News

  • MacEwan University names new president (Edmonton Journal) EDMONTON STORY Congrats to Dr. Trimbee and welcome back to Alberta! "A former deputy minister with Advanced Education has been named as MacEwan University’s next president. On Aug. 1, Dr. Annette Trimbee will take on the role as president and vice-chancellor of the [university]. 3/3/20

  • UCP government to fast-track visas for tech entrepreneurs, unveil full plan for boosting tech sector this summer (Calgary Herald) ALBERTA STORY Nice! "In last week’s provincial budget, the Alberta government said it will create a specialized Startup Visa Stream that will offer fast-track processing with a bridge to permanent residency to qualified graduates of top U.S. universities, if they commit to launching a startup enterprise in the province. Similar fast-track opportunities will be offered to foreign nationals who have graduated from Alberta’s post-secondary institutions under a new Foreign Graduate Entrepreneur Program." 3/3/20

  • SAIT students help Paul Brandt rebuild his 1973 Airstream trailer (CBC) CALGARY STORY "Brandt bought the trailer about a year-and-a-half ago and stripped it to its shell, and then realized rebuilding would be the tricky part. 'So I decided to enlist some help,' Brandt told the Calgary Eyeopener. He hopes the trailer will become a storytelling and community gathering space." 3/3/20

  • Burman University celebrates Black History Month with living art gallery (Lacombe Online) LACOMBE STORY Very cool exhibit. "Burman University celebrated the end of Black History Month on Sunday, March 1st, at the Lakeview Residence Building. It wasn’t your average celebration, but rather a gallery called ‘Black Expression,’ created to celebrate the unique and exciting proponents of black culture." 3/2/20

  • NAIT plans to reduce staffing by up to 240 jobs (CBC) EDMONTON STORY "A 6.8 per cent funding cut from the provincial government is prompting NAIT to eliminate between 190 and 240 [jobs]. Through a combination of voluntary buyouts and involuntary layoffs, NAIT will reduce its staff by seven-to-nine [per cent]. 3/2/20

  • This Vancouver man will be the oldest qualified runner at the 2020 Boston Marathon (CBC) VANCOUVER STORY "Vancouverite Rod Waterlow enjoys running marathons, but it's the fear of death that really keeps him going. Waterlow, 82, trains three days a week no matter the weather or how he feels about hitting the trails that day. 'There are days when I just don't want to get up, and I think maybe I won't go today,' Waterlow said, sitting next to a pastel-coloured sofa in his modest west-side home. 'And that's the beginning of the end really.'" 3/1/20

  • Mr. PG logs 60 years as Prince George's beloved mascot (CBC) PRINCE GEORGE STORY Prince George is my hometown. I love Mr. PG. "Sure, he could think about early retirement now that he's 60, but the giant, gangly lumberjack mascot for Prince George, B.C., isn't showing any signs of sitting down on the job. Mr. PG made his debut at the Rotary International Conference in downtown Prince George in 1960 [...]. Since then there have been several iterations of the mascot [...]. And now, he welcomes visitors to the city at the intersection of Highways 16 and 97 with his big smile, round nose and wooden posture." 2/29/20

  • Fallout from coronavirus outbreak triggers 25% decrease in China's carbon emissions (CBC) "In the midst of China's COVID-19 epidemic, the conditions for an unprecedented climate experiment have emerged. Climate researchers can measure in real time what happens to carbon emissions when one of the world's largest economies is suddenly stalled, with entire cities locked down, highways emptied, airplanes grounded, factories shuttered and millions of people confined to their homes. A continent away, from his base in Helsinki, Finland, Lauri Myllyvirta was able to piece together industry and financial data sources and satellite imagery to calculate the epidemic's impact on emissions: a decrease of about 25% in three weeks." 2/28/20

  • Calgary Chamber says solving climate change must be top priority (Edmonton City News) CALGARY STORY "Calgary’s Chamber of Commerce is now sending a strong message – if things don’t change, investors won’t change their minds on putting their money into Calgary. In a statement the Chamber said, 'to quote Teck directly, Frontier could not move forward because we, as a province and as a country, have been unable to have a framework in place that reconciles resource development and climate change.' By making climate change a top priority the Chamber believes it will show investors that Alberta is proactively working to serve global interests and not just their own – signalling a change that could lead to prosperity instead of extinction." 2/28/20

  • SAIT to eliminate 230 positions in wake of fresh UCP budget cuts (CBC) CALGARY STORY "SAIT is issuing layoff notices in the wake of the UCP's 2020 budget, which introduced further cuts to post-secondary education in Alberta. SAIT CEO and president David Ross announced that 230 positions are being eliminated — 80 of those are vacancies that won't be [filled]." 2/28/20

  • Tantoo Cardinal, Ryan Reynolds, Catherine O'Hara win Governor General's Performing Arts Awards (CBC) CANADIAN STORY Congrats to all! "This year's Governor General's Performing Arts Awards will be a star-studded affair, with internationally renowned actors Ryan Reynolds, Catherine O'Hara and Tantoo Cardinal among the laureates." 2/27/20

  • All-female broadcast crew to work NHL game between Flames, Golden Knights (CBC) Nice work Sportsnet! "An all-female broadcast team will cover an NHL game between the Calgary Flames and Vegas Golden Knights on Sportsnet next week. Play-by-play announcer Leah Hextall, game analyst Cassie Campbell-Pascall, and reporter Christine Simpson will work the March 8 game in Calgary to cap the broadcaster's week of programming recognizing International Women's Day." 2/27/20

  • Kenney pledges $100M toward Red Deer hospital improvements (Red Deer Advocate) RED DEER STORY Nice! "Premier Jason Kenney has committed $100 million toward improvements at Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre as part of the first phase of improvements to the facility." 2/26/20

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Books to read

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Seven life and career hacks -- one for each day of the week

  1. How to prepare for the coronavirus like a pro (MIT Technology Review) Don't panic. But do prepare. Good advice. 2/28/20

  2. 7 Evening Habits That Can Help You Decompress After a Busy Day (Mind Cafe) I need to do more of #2 and #3 and definitely #6. Oh, much more of #6. 2/20/20

  3. Tired all the Time? If Your Diet is the Problem, it’s also the Solution (Lifestyle) As a diabetic, I often have sugar imbalances. That said, even if you are not diabetic, you might too. For me, the worst part...mood swings. 2/20/20

  4. 5 Exercises A Personal Trainer Wishes You Would Skip (Refinery 29) I am very happy to say that my Orange Theory trainers opt for most of the alternatives. Nice work OTF! 2/14/20

  5. How To Start Losing Weight Immediately (Noteworthy) Honestly, the simple ideas are often the best. No big reveals here but don't be fooled, she is onto something. 2/4/20

  6. Don’t Make This Common Salary Negotiation Mistake. It Can Easily Backfire (Inc.) I honestly don't know what to think about this advice. But it did get me thinking. 2/3/20

  7. The Psychology of Self Efficacy (Live Your Life On Purpose) Is your self efficacy higher or lower than your skills? 5/21/19

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Uncommon knowledge

  • 'That's super exciting': New study finds this 'mini-Neptune' exoplanet could be potentially habitable (CBC) Only 125 light-years from earth ;-) "New research suggests K2-18b, a 'mini-Neptune' that lies roughly 125 light-years from Earth, could be potentially habitable. Mini-Neptunes are planets less massive than Neptune, with barely any core or solid surface but with a thick hydrogen-helium atmosphere. However, there has been debate over whether these types of planets could host an environment that could be potentially habitable." 3/4/20*

  • New Wrinkle Added to Cosmology’s Hubble Crisis (Quanta Magazine) We need better cosmic photo radar. :-) "A problem confronts cosmology: Two independent measurements of the universe’s expansion give incompatible answers. Now a third method, advanced by an astronomy pioneer, appears to bridge the divide." 2/26/20

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Opinion

  • Peter Nunoda: Talk of changing RDC team names reinforced the importance of listening (Red Deer Advocate) RED DEER STORY "[People] are emotionally invested in what happens at Red Deer College. This is a very positive thing. It means that people from across central Alberta and beyond – those who have been connected to RDC in some way – truly care about the college, what happens here and how it will impact themselves and those they care about. It also means that we have to put a premium on listening to people. When it comes to the names of our athletics teams, we didn’t reach out to the community to ask your feedback on what Red Deer University Athletics should look like, before initially deciding that we would change the names." 2/29/20

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Philanthropic personalities

  • San Francisco Consultant Kay Sprinkel Grace Named Outstanding Fundraising Professional of the Year (AFP Global) Kay is an icon on in our profession. Congrats to Kay and to AFP. "Kay Sprinkel Grace, FAFP, author, international speaker and one of the most respected voices in the fundraising profession, has been named the 2020 Outstanding Fundraising Professional by the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP). The Outstanding Fundraising Professional award is the highest honor that AFP bestows upon one of its members, recognizing effective, creative and stimulating leadership, as well as the practice and promotion of ethical fundraising. Grace will receive the award [...] at AFP ICON 2020, the largest conference of professional fundraisers in the world, in Baltimore, Md." 3/1/20*

  • Naheed Nenshi falls back to earth (Macleans) CALGARY STORY This is an honest look at Mayor Nenshi. And, I congratulate him for being willing to be vulnerable. Nice work Macleans. Nice Work Mr. Mayor. "Calgary is mired in year five of a punishing economic downturn, and Nenshi still wears scars from a gruelling 2017 re-election bid, during which his rival made his arrogance and other character flaws a ballot question. He often didn’t want to go to council meetings last year, Nenshi tells Maclean’s in a revealing interview, with their partisan sniping and complaints from councillors who bemoan his penchant for freewheeling debates, or who just don’t trust him. He’s suffered self-doubt about his leadership style, yet is reluctant to change. And the man renowned for his lively Twitter use—check often, comment often, joust often—has effectively unplugged. His @nenshi account is now as conventional and dull as any politician’s." 2/26/20

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Philanthropic controversy

  • Donor Beware, The pitfalls of participating in a donation tax shelter (Canadian Accountant) CANADIAN CONTENT "The Canada Revenue Agency has been actively auditing donations to various registered charities for what is called 'tax shelter donation schemes.' The CRA describes tax shelter donation schemes as syndicated donation arrangements that were deemed to have the primary or secondary purpose of reducing the taxes of the donors." 2/28/20

  • School name change in Prince George sparks community backlash (CBC) PRINCE GEORGE STORY "The name of a school that's still under construction in Prince George is causing some controversy in the community. When the school was first announced in 2017, it was designated Kelly Road Secondary, the same name as a school right next to it that the new building will ultimately replace. But this week, the school board unanimously voted to change the name of the school to Shas Ti Secondary, to reflect Indigenous traditions on that land." 3/27/20

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Trends and shifts

  • OPINION | Women in the energy sector still an endangered species (CBC) ALBERTA STORY "As of 2018, only nine per cent of the available board seats and 11 per cent of executive roles in the oil and gas industry were held by women. The energy services sector didn't fare any better, with women comprising eight per cent of its executives and 13 per cent of its board members. Those who make it into the industry find it particularly challenging to advance in operational roles, which are often a way station on the path to an executive-level position. 'Once women in operations reach the senior manager level, they suffer in comparison to men in every way — hiring, attrition and promotion,' noted a 2019 paper by McKinsey & Company, a management consulting firm." 3/3/20

  • Barclays under investor pressure over fossil fuel stance (The Guardian) "Barclays is facing increasing pressure over its environmental stance after one of its top 25 investors came out in favour of a shareholder resolution urging the bank to stop lending to fossil fuel companies." 3/3/20

  • YVR predicts a decline of up to 1.3M travellers in 2020 amid coronavirus spread (CBC) VANCOUVER STORY "As fears over the coronavirus continue to grow across Canada and globally, the Vancouver International Airport is already feeling the impact and preparing for big losses in 2020. The airport predicts it will see up to 1.3 million fewer travellers passing through its terminals this year, a financial hit for the airport, airlines and businesses that operate inside." 3/2/20

  • Exclusive: Norway wealth fund could blacklist four major climate culprits (Reuters) "Norway’s $1 trillion wealth fund will exclude four companies for their vast emissions of greenhouse gases, or at least put them on probation to force them to change, the chairman of its ethics watchdog told Reuters." 3/1/20

  • Even if geoengineering can help mitigate climate change, is it ethical? (CBC) "The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and scientists from around the world have said it time and again: CO2 emissions need to be radically reduced in order to stop the world from warming to a point where it will trigger catastrophic climate change. But radical reductions aren't in place right now, which is why some scientists and policymakers are considering a controversial option: geoengineering, or the deliberate manipulation of the environment. The discussion has recently taken centre stage as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in the U.S. received $4 million to research geoengineering, with no confirmation as to what that might look like." 2/27/20

  • Agriculture programs change with the times (University Affairs) CANADIAN CONTENT "All echo a similar perspective: that Canada’s agriculture faculties are becoming, with surprisingly little fanfare, and often under-appreciated by students and colleagues, among the most exciting hubs of interdisciplinary collaboration on Canadian campuses, drawing an increasingly urban student body less interested in tilling soil and more interested in questions of social justice, food security and what Dr. Fraser calls 'the moral mission of feeding the world.'" 2/26/20

  • New Zealand makes first donation to Fiji climate relocation fund (Reuters) "New Zealand [...] made a pioneering international donation to a fund to help Fijian communities forced to move by rising seas and extreme weather driven by climate change. The $2 million donation, part of a broader $150 million package of climate change assistance to Fiji, aims to support efforts already underway to resettle people at risk from sea level rise and other climate-related threats." 2/26/20

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Stats and facts

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Reports and studies

  • Top Economists Study What Happens When You Stop Using Facebook (Cal Newport) "'Deactivation caused small but significant improvements in well-being, and in particular in self-reported happiness, life satisfaction, depression, and anxiety. The researchers report this effect to be around 25-40% of the effect typically attributed to participating in therapy.' [...] In the most recent issue of the prestigious American Economic Review, a group of well-known economists published a paper titled 'The Welfare Effects of Social Media.' It presents the results of one of the largest randomized trials ever conducted to directly measure the personal impact of deactivating Facebook." 2/29/20

  • The giving sector’s $5.8b annual contribution shows a changing picture (Philanthropy New Zealand) "The New Zealand Support Report, produced by JBWere in collaboration with Philanthropy New Zealand, estimates philanthropy, grantmaking and volunteering contribute $5.8b to New Zealand annually. Based on 2018 figures, the report says philanthropy and grantmaking** contributed $3.8b, and volunteering a further $2b." 2/27/20

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Large gifts

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Welcome to our recap of the week's news, articles, and information of note. ViTreo Group Inc. provides this information for the benefit of our clients, associates, staff, partners, and stakeholders. The content is collected and curated by ViTreo partner Vincent Duckworth. If you would like to submit a link for consideration, please send an email to info@vitreogroup.ca

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