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Globe and Mail
7 days ago
- Business
- Globe and Mail
Games without frontiers
In the months leading up to last year's Stanley Cup playoffs, the marketing whizzes at Boston Pizza pondered what might make a good campaign centred around the Canadian teams that were participating. They settled on the idea of getting Canadians to set aside their own team affinities and cheer for whichever squad north of the 49th made it to the finals – assuming one did. The company knew it was risky. Its own research showed it would be difficult for many to put aside their deep-seated passion for their own team and cheer for someone they normally cheered against – which last season ended up being the Edmonton Oilers. Still, the restaurant chain pressed onward. 'We knew we were walking on sensitive ice but not thin ice, if that makes any sense,' Boston Pizza's vice-president of marketing, James Kawalecki, said in an interview. The organization produced a smart, well-received ad that began by highlighting the many missed opportunities Canadian NHL teams had to win the cup in recent years, stretching back to the Vancouver Canucks' Stanley Cup run in 1994. The narrator said it was time to try something different to reverse the curse. 'This playoffs, let's cheer with the fans we've always cheered against.' The Edmonton Journal newspaper responded with a story under the headline: News flash: Edmonton doesn't care if Oilers are Canada's team. The author, Robert Tychkowski, wrote: '… Boston Pizza can run all the commercials about fans of all Canadian teams banding together in national harmony it wants – rivals don't cheer for each other. Nor should they.' Well, then. Which brings us to this year's finals, which begin on Wednesday, and again feature the Oilers against the same team they faced for last year's cup, the Florida Panthers. Will Canadian hockey fans temporarily set aside their NHL allegiances to cheer on the Oilers' bid to bring the cup back to Canada after 32 years? Will the swell of national pride in the face of threats by U.S. President Donald Trump make that easier? Or will separatist musings coming out of Alberta complicate that issue for people? So much to ponder. In April, the Angus Reid Institute dug into the question of whether fans of the Vancouver Canucks or Toronto Maple Leafs or any Canadian NHL team could clap, holler and scream in support of players on a rival Canadian squad. The survey found that 71 per cent would cheer for 'any' Canadian team to win the cup, not just their own. That represented a seven-point increase over the previous year and a 14-point hike since 2016. An event that may have injected some juice into the current situation is the 4 Nations Face-Off, which was held in February. Animosity between the Canadians and the Americans spilled over in their first meeting, where there were several fights to start the game, ultimately won by the U.S. They would meet again in the final, which was clinched in overtime by Canada on a goal by superstar Oiler forward Connor McDavid. The warm feelings many Canadians felt toward him then could easily extend to the Stanley Cup finals, making it easier to cheer for his Edmonton team against Florida. That said, if Wayne Gretzky, generally considered the greatest hockey player of all time and whose best years were with Edmonton, shows up to cheer on his old team, things could get complicated. Gretzky's association with Trump, whom he considers a good friend, has not gone over well in Canada. Nor has the fact that he refused to speak out against the President's repeated assertions that he'd like to make Canada a 'cherished 51st state.' In the same April Angus Reid polling, the firm found that 45 per cent of those surveyed have a negative view of Gretzky. In 2011, a Harris-Decima poll showed that only one in 16 Canadians had an unfavourable view of the Great One. Gretzky might be advised to watch this series on TV. Meantime, Shachi Kurl, president of the Angus Reid Institute, doesn't think the current political situation playing out in Alberta will negatively affect support for the Oilers. 'While separatist sentiment in Alberta is drawing strong pushback both outside and inside the province, it's hard to see those who'd prefer to keep the country together venting their annoyance at the Oilers,' Kurl said. 'While the perfect data crosstab of separatism by hockey fandom by Oilers hate does not exist, one can draw a few conclusions.' On that front, she said, Edmonton is not exactly ground zero for secessionism. And the thirst for a Canadian team to finally bring home the cup doubtlessly surpasses any separatist backlash that may exist against the team. 'Although the team may not benefit from public displays of Alberta Premier Danielle Smith in the stands,' Kurl said. As always, the question of fan support for NHL teams is complicated by other factors. Many in eastern parts of the country rarely watch the Oilers play because of the time-zone difference. How well a person knows a team and its players can influence their decision to support them or not. Then there are fans of the Calgary Flames. The intra-provincial rivalry between the Oilers and the Flames makes any support for the other – regardless of the circumstances (see Stanley Cup) or maybe even more so because of them – extremely difficult. Although, some might make an exception on the basis of provincial pride. The folks at Boston Pizza, meantime, have come up with a new campaign for this season's playoffs, one that doesn't ask Canadians to cheer for an NHL rival but rather suggests they get ready for the cup to return north of the border. The ad shows actors in raincoats and goggles getting ready to uncork Champagne bottles when the cup celebration the ad is manifesting to happen eventually occurs. 'This country is ready to pop,' one of them says. In an earlier playoff ad that Boston Pizza ran last month, there are echoes of the current political discourse. 'This is our game and we're not giving it back,' the narrator says at one point. Kawalecki said that was intentional. 'If the cup isn't in Canada it's in the U.S. and that isn't right,' he said. 'It's been too long. We need to bring the cup back to where it belongs. We need to fight for what is ours.' Q+A: Will the Oilers win the Stanley Cup? Ask our hockey experts your playoff questions Excitement, nervousness and a sense of déjà vu grips Edmonton At Vancouver's unofficial Oilers bar, Edmonton fans find a little piece of home during the playoffs Oilers-mania runs deep in this remote Dene community
Cision Canada
02-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Cision Canada
INTRODUCING: HIGH TEA FOR DADS, BOSTON PIZZA'S FANCIEST EVENT YET
Boston Pizza is rolling out the royal carpet for dads this Father's Day TORONTO, June 2, 2025 /CNW/ - After decades of the same old neck ties and tech gadgets, this Father's Day weekend, Boston Pizza is serving up a gift Dad never saw coming. Introducing High Tea at BP, a limited-time spin on the traditional tea party that swaps scones for pizza slices, cucumber sandwiches for crispy wings, and steeped leaves for draught beer. This fancy affair gives a whole new meaning to 'pinkies up' and an unforgettable experience for Dad. Because they deserve the royal treatment too. "We love the tradition of elegant high teas for moms but saw a gap in these fine dining moments for dads. Then we started to think: why not create a special tradition just for dads that's uniquely theirs, Boston Pizza-style," says Niels van Oyen, Director of Marketing, Boston Pizza International. "High Tea at BP is our playful twist on a tradition that's long overdue for a dad-friendly upgrade. It's a fun, unexpected way of saying thanks for everything he does, with bold bites and a touch of elegance." Served on tiered trays and crisp white tablecloths, this limited-edition spread features BP classics like NY Sicilian Squarefooter pizza, Cactus Cut Potatoes, mini Bandera Bread sandwiches, wings and ribs, all paired with ice-cold beer poured straight from a teapot. To cap off the special day, High Tea guests will receive a pack of complimentary golf balls, ensuring dad goes home with a gift too. High Tea at BP is available over Father's Day weekend, June 14 and 15, at select Boston Pizza locations across Canada. Reservations can be made by calling one of the participating locations. For more information about High Tea at BP and where you can find it, visit Boston Pizza is the premier casual dining brand in Canada. The first Boston Pizza restaurant opened in Edmonton, Alberta in 1964 and over 60 years later Boston Pizza proudly remains a 100% Canadian company serving communities from coast-to-coast-to-coast. It boasts a vast network of local franchise owners who collectively operate the largest number of dining rooms, sports bars, and patios across the nation, complemented by robust takeout and delivery services. Boston Pizza International Inc. has been recognized as a Franchisees' Choice Designation winner and a Platinum Member of Canada's 50 Best Managed Companies for many years, and has received awards from Great Place To Work in the categories of Best Workplaces: in Canada – 100-999 Employees, in British Columbia, in Retail & Hospitality, for Mental Wellness, for Women, for Giving Back, and with Most Trusted Executive Teams.
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
INTRODUCING: HIGH TEA FOR DADS, BOSTON PIZZA'S FANCIEST EVENT YET
Boston Pizza is rolling out the royal carpet for dads this Father's Day TORONTO, June 2, 2025 /CNW/ - After decades of the same old neck ties and tech gadgets, this Father's Day weekend, Boston Pizza is serving up a gift Dad never saw coming. Introducing High Tea at BP, a limited-time spin on the traditional tea party that swaps scones for pizza slices, cucumber sandwiches for crispy wings, and steeped leaves for draught beer. This fancy affair gives a whole new meaning to 'pinkies up' and an unforgettable experience for Dad. Because they deserve the royal treatment too. "We love the tradition of elegant high teas for moms but saw a gap in these fine dining moments for dads. Then we started to think: why not create a special tradition just for dads that's uniquely theirs, Boston Pizza-style," says Niels van Oyen, Director of Marketing, Boston Pizza International. "High Tea at BP is our playful twist on a tradition that's long overdue for a dad-friendly upgrade. It's a fun, unexpected way of saying thanks for everything he does, with bold bites and a touch of elegance." Served on tiered trays and crisp white tablecloths, this limited-edition spread features BP classics like NY Sicilian Squarefooter pizza, Cactus Cut Potatoes, mini Bandera Bread sandwiches, wings and ribs, all paired with ice-cold beer poured straight from a teapot. To cap off the special day, High Tea guests will receive a pack of complimentary golf balls, ensuring dad goes home with a gift too. High Tea at BP is available over Father's Day weekend, June 14 and 15, at select Boston Pizza locations across Canada. Reservations can be made by calling one of the participating locations. For more information about High Tea at BP and where you can find it, visit About Boston Pizza Boston Pizza is the premier casual dining brand in Canada. The first Boston Pizza restaurant opened in Edmonton, Alberta in 1964 and over 60 years later Boston Pizza proudly remains a 100% Canadian company serving communities from coast-to-coast-to-coast. It boasts a vast network of local franchise owners who collectively operate the largest number of dining rooms, sports bars, and patios across the nation, complemented by robust takeout and delivery services. Boston Pizza International Inc. has been recognized as a Franchisees' Choice Designation winner and a Platinum Member of Canada's 50 Best Managed Companies for many years, and has received awards from Great Place To Work in the categories of Best Workplaces: in Canada – 100-999 Employees, in British Columbia, in Retail & Hospitality, for Mental Wellness, for Women, for Giving Back, and with Most Trusted Executive Teams. SOURCE Boston Pizza International Inc. View original content to download multimedia:
CBC
27-05-2025
- Business
- CBC
Julie Green on YWCA NWT's new downtown daycare proposal
A Yellowknife women's organization has applied to the City of Yellowknife to build a new daycare, after abandoning a previous proposal after it was initially rejected by the city. YWCA NWT wants to open a new space for 56 children in the three empty lots next to Boston Pizza on 48th Street downtown. Julie Green is the president of the NWT YWCA. She spoke to Trailbreaker host Hilary Bird about the plans for the daycare. This interview has been edited for clarity and length. Can you tell us more about your latest daycare proposal? We put in an expression of interest document to [the Department of Education, Culture and Employment] around Christmas, and they were giving away five portables that were used at William McDonald School as classrooms for children. During the rebuild, the school, they acquired these portables... and then the school opened and then they didn't need the portables anymore. So we put in an expression of interest and we were granted them provisionally. Then we needed to find somewhere to put the portables, which are four classroom modulars and one bathroom modular. So we made an offer that was accepted on those three lots on 48th Street. What is your plan going forward now? What special permission would you need from the city to move this project forward? We need a variance and a development — a variance of the bylaw and a development permit. So what we're working on right now is the variance. The city bylaw for that area of Yellowknife has a minimum height requirement for buildings of two stories, and the modulars are one storey and they're not stackable. So we have applied for a variance and our architect has designed a facade for the modulars that make them look very attractive. They don't look just like boxes and it also raises the height of the streetscape to just about two storeys. In the fall, CBC spoke with the YWCA and the city about a different YWCA proposal to build a daycare. It would have been located in Niven Lake neighbourhood. The city surprised the YWCA by rejecting that application, citing traffic concerns. What made you decide to just walk away from that project and not perhaps put pressure on the city to try and resolve it? We met with the city to try and resolve that issue, and ultimately, they provided us with a letter that said this wasn't going to happen. There was no point doing a traffic study. The traffic situation with the way that corner of Haener and Moyle Drive is designed makes it unsuitable for the kind of pick up and drop off that would be required at a daycare. Why is this project so important to the NWT YWCA? Our mission is to uplift women and help them realize their full potential. And so a woman who can't find daycare in order to pursue whatever else she wants to do in her life — education, work, painting, whatever it is, is really limited in doing that if she's unable to find daycare. So we're very interested in making daycare available for families, women in particular, to thrive. Everybody gets what they need out of the situation. The children get licensed professional daycare. The parents have time to go and do what they need to do without worrying about how their children are being cared for. Do you have a sense of when, if everything goes as planned, as when you could open this facility? I wish I had an exact date for you. The agreement we have with ECE about acquiring those modulars is that we would have a daycare open by the end of March. And so that's our goal, that's what we're working towards. So at some point in the future, we'll be able to tell the public how they can apply for the daycare and the cost and and all of those other details. The YWCA NWT is hosting an open house tonight at 6 p.m. at Gotı̨li Kǫ̀ [5011 54th Street], where architectural drawings of the new daycare will be available to the public to view.
Global News
21-05-2025
- Business
- Global News
Forensic audit into City of Richmond gift card spending expanded to last decade
Amid a police investigation into spending, a forensic audit at Richmond City Hall has been expanded to review the past decade. That decision came during a City of Richmond General Purposes Committee meeting on Tuesday afternoon, at which Councillor Kash Heed put forward a motion calling for the review to go back to 2015. 2:06 RCMP investigating Richmond City gift card program It was approved unanimously, with Councillor Bill McNulty commenting, 'it's on everyone's mind in the city, it doesn't matter if you go to McDonald's or you go shopping.' Story continues below advertisement Following a months-long Global News investigation, the city admitted being unable to reconcile $295,000 worth of restaurant gift cards bought in 2022, 2023 and 2024. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy One employee has been fired. That person's emails were contained in the results of Global News' freedom of information request. Among the emails raising questions was one which stated, 'We need to order more…We need 75 Keg asap. $50 value, bonuses on top. We also need 50 white spot asap $50 value, bonuses on top.' Another email said, 'We have a somewhat urgent order for GCs. I'd like to have them by end of day tomorrow. I can pick up from anywhere. We need: 25 x $100 Boston Pizza.' Also among the emails, 'I know we just ordered but I think we need a different denomination of WS cards. Can you order 60x $100 cards excluding bonuses. Optically, I think it looks better if each restaurant card is in the same amount.' And, there was this one, 'Here is my 2023 statement of account you can see the values spent already this year. Based on the amounts spent already to the various suppliers, do you want to send me a revised gift card request?' Story continues below advertisement When asked how much might be unaccounted for over a decade, and if that could reach a million dollars, Heed responded, 'that's a possibility.' 'I'm not discounting anything at this particular time, given the fact as to what has come to the forefront,' he added. The scandal has prompted four municipal councillors in the region to renew calls for the province to reinstate B.C.'s municipal auditor general. They have also launched a petition. 'This petition today finally gives the public the opportunity to actually participate and have their voice heard,' New Westminster Councillor Daniel Fontaine said. As the investigation continues, it remains undetermined if others could be fired or if there could be criminal charges.
