Smith says she sees a ‘breakthrough' in talks with Americans on energy
WASHINGTON - Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says there's been a 'breakthrough' in conversations with American lawmakers and Trump's administration on Canada's role in the United States' quest for energy dominance.
Smith says it's important that Americans also understand Canada's contributions to other U.S. industries like agriculture and manufacturing as the two countries work toward a new economic relationship.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Japan Forward
2 hours ago
- Japan Forward
Fuji Media Turns to Shimizu for Post-Scandal Overhaul
このページを 日本語 で読む Fuji Media Holdings (FMH) new president, Kenji Shimizu, is pledging sweeping reforms to restore trust and reinvent the business after an industry scandal earlier this year. The network was rocked in January by a scandal involving former pop idol Masahiro Nakai, which exposed an opaque corporate culture at Fuji TV Fuji's initial closed-door handling of the misconduct allegations drew intense public criticism, forcing an open apology and a third-party probe into the company's governance. The fallout prompted a broad shake-up of Fuji's leadership and internal policies, including the resignation of top executives and the appointment of Shimizu as president to lead an urgent reform effort In a candid interview with The Sankei Shimbun , Shimizu, set to take over as president of FMH on June 25, acknowledged deep-rooted issues at the heart of recent scandals. He outlined a reform agenda aimed at restoring trust and revitalizing Fuji's content business. At the core of the recent problems, said Shimizu, was the "rigidity and homogeneity" in Fuji's personnel system. Over time, this led to an environment where "no one could speak up, even when they sensed something was wrong." He pointed to structural reforms already underway, including a reconstituted board with a majority of independent outside directors and a higher ratio of women. These, he said, would significantly improve governance transparency. When asked about the lingering influence of Hisashi Hieda, the former chairman who served for over 40 years on the board, Shimizu dismissed concerns. "There is absolutely no influence from Mr Hieda on the new leadership team," he affirmed. He added that Fuji has introduced stricter retirement policies and abolished its advisor system to ensure board independence. Kenji Shimizu, President of Fuji TV, during an interview (©Sankei by Yasuhiro Yajima). On the decision to reject a shareholder proposal from the American investment fund Dalton Investments, Shimizu said the company conducted interviews with all director candidates, including those proposed by Dalton, and applied the same selection process. "We saw no reason to increase the board size or change direction. The current team offers both balance and effectiveness." Asked whether profits from Fuji's real estate division have led to complacency in the media arm, Shimizu defended the group's strategy. The real estate and tourism businesses have evolved dramatically, he noted. But the real issue is the "low profitability of media content," which he intends to address head-on. Reflecting on past missteps, Shimizu admitted that Fuji "hasn't done enough to monetize its content." He said the company needs to move away from planning shows just for TV broadcast and start designing projects with broader revenue streams in mind, from streaming and theatrical releases to merchandising and gaming. "If we stop assuming terrestrial TV is the default outlet, our creative horizons will widen." Shimizu emphasized that his ultimate goal as president is for Fuji to grow while contributing to society. "Profit is just a means," he said. "A company that doesn't help solve social problems or improve something has no reason to exist." Drawing on his background in anime production, Shimizu said he never saw animation as something just for children. "Kids are sharp," he explained. "They don't fall for cheap tricks. They evaluate entertainment honestly." Producing Dragon Ball and Chibi Maruko-chan, he said, taught him valuable lessons about pacing, emotional storytelling, and understanding an audience. He recalled how Dragon Ball captivated viewers with its explosive speed — "a new villain appears, and by the next panel, he's already sliced down." With Chibi Maruko-chan, the challenge was entirely different: bringing to life a still world frozen in the psychological landscape of author Momoko Sakura. To preserve that vision, he built a writing team of women from the same generation as Sakura. Shimizu also discussed managing the fallout of the recent scandal. Fuji has done everything possible to avoid passing costs onto its affiliates or production partners, he noted. Even when sponsors pulled out, Fuji continued to fully fund production. "Supporting our partners and stakeholders is a responsibility we won't compromise on," he said. Interview by Katsutoshi Takagi Author: The Sankei Shimbun このページを 日本語 で読む
Canada Standard
3 hours ago
- Canada Standard
Big investors leaving U.S. markets amid trade wars, rising U.S. debt: FT
BEIJING, June 6 (Xinhua) -- Big institutional investors are leaving the United States as U.S. administration's trade wars and the country's rapidly mounting government debt have shaken confidence in American assets, according to a Financial Times report on Thursday. "The U.S. president's erratic trade policy has shaken global markets in recent months, sparking a sharp sell-off in the U.S. dollar and leaving Wall Street stocks lagging far behind European rivals this year," said the report posted online. A top executive at a big American private capital firm described the White House's so-called "liberation day," when the U.S. administration unveiled sweeping tariffs on Washington's trading partners, as "a wake-up call to a lot of people that they were overweight the U.S.," leaving institutional investors reviewing the extent of their holdings in the country, it said. The report cited Caisse de depot et placement du Quebec, Canada's second-largest pension fund, as saying that it would reduce its exposure to the United States and increase investments in Britain, France and Germany. New York-based investment firm Neuberger Berman has made 65 percent of its private equity co-investments in Europe this year, up from 20-30 percent in recent years, according to Joana Rocha Scaff, its head of European private equity. "We have started to see the early signs of investors shifting away from the U.S.," Richard Oldfield, chief executive of UK asset manager Schroders, told the Financial Times.
CTV News
4 hours ago
- CTV News
CTV National News: Elon Musk and Trump lashing out against each other
Watch A war of words is beginning to emerge between U.S. President Trump and Elon Musk following the billionaire's White House exit. Joy Malbon has the details.
