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Looking for a great gift for a Dad or a Grad in your life this June? Tech Expert Marc Saltzman has you covered!
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CBC
an hour ago
- CBC
Thunder Bay Public Library appoints Indigenous relations advisor
The Thunder Bay Public Library has appointed Stephanie MacLaurin as its new senior advisor of Indigenous relations, a key leadership role aimed at advancing the library's commitment to reconciliation and the decolonization of public spaces. MacLaurin, who is Anishinaabe from Fort William First Nation and a lifelong resident of Westfort, brings more than eight years of professional experience to the position. Their background includes work in governance, Indigenous political science, mental health and post-secondary education. In the new role, MacLaurin will oversee the Indigenous Services Department. They will liaise with the Indigenous Advisory Council and other community partners. Their work will support the implementation of the library's Relationship-Building and Reconciliation Action Plan, which was developed in 2018 with guidance from the advisory council. The plan outlines the library's commitment to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's Calls to Action and a broader effort to decolonize library practices and spaces. That includes providing educational resources, supporting Indigenous knowledge preservation and reviewing library policies. "A new job isn't just a fresh start," says MacLaurin. "It's the opening chapter of a story waiting to be written with passion, purpose and possibility. Stepping into this new role feels like stepping into the life I've been working towards." MacLaurin says they were drawn to the role by its emphasis on community engagement, something they missed in a previous position. "When I moved into my last position that I left for this job, I lost that kind of community component," they said. "I found myself looking at a role that was possibly all-encompassing for the interests that I have in my life right now." MacLaurin said the role immediately clicked for them. They have already identified three early priorities a few weeks into the role: strategic planning for the Indigenous Services Department; building relationships with Indigenous organizations and leadership; and contributing to policy analysis alongside library management. MacLaurin emphasized the importance of libraries being welcoming, inclusive spaces for Indigenous community members and organizations. "I found myself at Mary J. and Brodie a lot throughout my years, sitting at the table, doing research here, whether it was writing, finding the peace that you get within a library. So I would hope that this is something that Indigenous people could experience here and that they're finding peace and comfort." Raili Roy, director of community development at the library, said the team is excited to welcome MacLaurin. "They stood out as an exceptional candidate," Roy said. "We feel very fortunate to have the opportunity to work with them. We have much meaningful and rewarding work ahead." MacLaurin replaces Robyn Medicine who held the role for nearly a decade. Medicine passed away in February. During her time in the role, Medicine established Indigenous Knowledge Centres across all branches. "Robyn did an incredible job in this role and she has so much love from the community," they said. MacLaurin isn't sure yet which programs created by Medicine will remain. "But I really couldn't imagine just removing all of the hard work that she did." MacLaurin said they're hoping to build a place that is grounded in belonging, education and reconciliation.


CBC
an hour ago
- CBC
Alberta to allow liquor sales as early at 6:30 a.m. during this year's Calgary Stampede
The Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission will once again extend the hours that alcohol can be legally sold during this year's Calgary Stampede. "Bars, restaurants and lounges in the city of Calgary have the option to start liquor service at 8 a.m. during the 2025 Stampede, which runs from July 4 to 13," the provincial agency said Tuesday in a news release. The changes are a "blanket approval" that applies to all Class A, B and C liquor licensees, the AGLC said. This includes bars, lounges, taprooms and convention centres within Calgary. "Licensees do not have to apply for this particular extension, which is for early service only," the agency said. Closing hours for liquor service are not changing. Liquor licensees along the Stampede Parade route can start selling alcohol even earlier — at 7 a.m. — on the morning of the parade, July 4. In addition, private events held in the city during the Stampede that obtain permission from the AGLC may start alcohol sales as early as 6:30 a.m. "Hours for special events are determined on a case-by-case basis," the agency said. The AGLC regularly changes alcohol-service hours during major international sporting events or major community events. It has extended the sales hours for the Stampede annually since 2014.


Globe and Mail
2 hours ago
- Globe and Mail
Bill Ackman's Bold Bet: Why Uber Is His Top Holding
When a high-profile investor like Bill Ackman makes a bold portfolio move, it's worth paying attention. And in 2025, Ackman did exactly that: Earlier this year, he revealed a massive stake in Uber Technologies (NYSE: UBER), a move that made the rideshare platform his largest holding. Uber has long been a controversial stock, burning cash in its early years, dogged by regulatory battles, and constantly trying to prove its business model was sustainable. But that narrative is quickly changing. With strong free cash flow, a growing delivery business, and upside from autonomous vehicle partnerships, Uber looks like a very different company today. Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now. Continue » Ackman's conviction is clear. As of this spring, Uber accounted for nearly 19% of Pershing Square's equity portfolio. And based on how the business is performing, he may be right to go big. A transformed cash cow Uber's first-quarter 2025 results showed the company firing on all cylinders. Revenue rose 14% year over year to $11.5 billion, and adjusted EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization) climbed 35% to $1.9 billion. Further, Uber's net income was a substantial $1.8 billion. This profitability, which is in stark contrast to the billions of dollars the company was losing per year as recently as 2020, isn't a one-off. Over the trailing 12 months, Uber has generated nearly $8 billion in free cash flow. It ended the quarter with $6.0 billion in cash, cash equivalents, and short-term investments. For a business that was once known for burning capital and endless losses, this robust profitability marks a massive turnaround. Importantly, Uber's business benefits from two significant growth drivers: mobility (ride-hailing) and delivery (services primarily booked through the company's Uber Eats app). Both of these segments are performing well, and both are nearly equal in size, with first-quarter revenue from mobility at $21.2 billion and revenue from delivery at $20.4 billion. Measured in constant currency, mobility and delivery gross bookings during Q1 rose 20% and 18% year over year, respectively. Ackman's $2 billion vote of confidence Bill Ackman didn't just buy a little Uber stock -- he loaded up. According to Pershing Square's latest portfolio update, Uber represents 18.5% of his investment firm's U.S.-traded equity assets. He bought 30.3 million shares, worth around $2 billion. "We believe that Uber is one of the best managed and highest quality businesses in the world," Ackman said in a post on X in February. A look at Uber's strong fundamentals helps show why the investor is so upbeat about the stock. Business momentum like this, when combined with the stock's cheap valuation, is rare. Self-driving ambitions without the heavy lifting While Uber previously attempted to build its own autonomous vehicle unit, it has since pivoted to a more capital-efficient strategy. Instead of owning the technology outright, Uber has partnered with leaders in the autonomous vehicle space like Waymo and Aurora to bring robotaxis onto its platform. This partnership model reduces costs and risk, while still allowing Uber to tap into what could be a multi-billion-dollar market. Waymo's autonomous vehicles are already live on Uber's platform in select markets, and the company expects this coverage to expand throughout 2025 and beyond. As self-driving tech matures, Uber's platform-first model could prove to be a key competitive advantage. It doesn't need to win the autonomous vehicle hardware race -- it just needs to be the go-to place for consumers to hail those vehicles. Uber has come a long way from its pre-IPO days of deep losses and uncertain economics. Today, it's a profitable, growing business with a defensible market position and exciting upside in autonomous transportation. Ackman's $2 billion stake signals confidence not just in where Uber is, but where it's going. For long-term investors looking for a durable compounder, Uber may finally be ready for the spotlight. Sure, the stock has already surged more than 200% over the last three years. But there may be more room to run. While there's always risk of technological disruption as well-capitalized competitors Tesla and Alphabet eye the space, the stock's low price-to-earnings ratio of under 15 at the time of this writing suggests that investors have arguably already priced these risks in. While there's no guarantee that Uber is able to overcome what will likely be an intensely competitive market in the coming years, it has already proven to investors it can face challenges head-on and come out stronger. It can likely do it again. Should you invest $1,000 in Uber Technologies right now? Before you buy stock in Uber Technologies, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Uber Technologies wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $656,825!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $865,550!* Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor 's total average return is994% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to172%for the S&P 500. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join Stock Advisor. See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of June 2, 2025 Suzanne Frey, an executive at Alphabet, is a member of The Motley Fool's board of directors. Daniel Sparks and/or his clients have positions in Tesla. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Alphabet, Tesla, and Uber Technologies. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.