Weekly News Recap: April 4, 2025

Weekly News Recap: April 4, 2025

Vases donated to the British Museum by the Sir Percival David Foundation. Photo: © The Trustees of the British Museum.

Art is the stored honey of the human soul. -- Theodore Dreiser

SOME GOOD NEWS

TOP TEN STORIES OF THE WEEK

  1. Calgary launches innovation strategy to drive resilience and $28 billion in growth (Digital Journal) CALGARY STORY Thank you Calgary Economic Development and Platform. "Calgary is stepping into a new phase of economic development with the launch of a city-wide innovation strategy designed to organize its growing tech and innovation ecosystem and prepare for a decade of anticipated growth. Unveiled today at Calgary Economic Development’s 2025 Report to the Community, Calgary’s Innovation Strategy sets out a 10-year roadmap projected to create up to 187,000 jobs and contribute more than $28 billion in economic activity by 2034."

  2. Calgary Folk Music Festival drops the needle despite exchange-rate sour note (CBC) CALGARY STORY Even music festivals are affected. "[The Festival's artistic director Kerry Clarke] said 'there's a lot of moving pieces with a festival of this size. A lot of negotiation, a lot of back and forth. Michael Kiwanuka was out, then he was in, then he was out, now he is in. So a lot of juggling and negotiation,' she said. 'The volatile situation south of the border with tariffs and a punishing exchange rate affects decision-making in Calgary', Clarke explained."

  3. VIDEO: Major automotive donation made to Lethbridge Polytechnic (Global News) LETHBRIDGE STORY Congrats to all. "On what U.S. President Donald Trump has referred to as ‘Liberation Day,’ ’worldwide tariffs have been enacted by Canada’s southern neighbours. While there is still a fog of uncertainty clouding the view, Lethbridge’s automotive industry leaders are driving forward in the face of adversity. The Lethbridge Auto Dealers Association (LADA) has donated $113,600 to Lethbridge Polytechnic to ensure support for up-and-coming mechanics. The Lethbridge Polytechnic Board of Governors Matching Endowment initiative will add $100,000, brining the total to $213,600. The money will be used for student awards and new equipment."

  4. From Harvey McKinnon: In 40 years, I've given many hundreds of lectures, trainings and keynotes. I've never cancelled a talk until now. Here's why. My letter to the AFP. (LinkedIn) CANADIAN STORY I also feel unsafe in travelling to the U.S. and I have chosen to not attend our international conference this year. Harvey invited me to post his LinkedIn post here, which I am happy to do. "I have been honoured to speak at the AFP International Conference dozens of times. These gatherings have been annual highlights for me, offering cherished opportunities to reconnect with friends and colleagues many of whom rank among my favourite people in the world. However, recent developments in the United States have led me to this decision. There have been multiple reports of foreign nationals, including Canadians, facing arbitrary detention upon entering the United States. For instance, Canadian actress Jasmine Mooney was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for 12 days under inhumane conditions while attempting to renew her work visa. Four German nationals (3 with tourist visas and one a permanent US resident) have also been detained. No doubt there are many others."

  5. VIDEO: Stir stick to detect if your drink is spiked developed by UBC researchers (Global News) VANCOUVER STORY This is #Awesome. "Researchers at the University of British Columbia have developed a tool to help people determine if their drinks have been spiked. Spikeless, which looks like an ordinary stir stick, is capable of detecting common drink spiking drugs like GHB and ketamine within 30 seconds, potentially preventing assaults. GHB, or gamma-hydroxybutyric acid, and ketamine are tasteless and odourless, so detecting them is nearly impossible."

  6. VIDEO: Fashion and sports: Women athletes more empowered than ever to express themselves (CBC) CANADIAN STORY About time. "As the business of women's sports continues to grow, the ability for players to express themselves on and off the field of play has closely followed. In addition to gaining long-overdue respect for their athletic abilities, women athletes are establishing themselves in the fashion space more than ever before through avenues like magazine covers and lucrative brand deals — and even tunnel walks. 'In fashion and sports, the men used to have all of the fun. From the '90s until now, tunnel walks [were] very male dominated,' Andrea Rose, a sports stylist in Toronto, told CBC Sports."

  7. A U.S. brain drain could be Canada's brain gain (CBC) CANADIAN STORY #SilverLinings "Over the last few months, academics and scientists in the U.S. have been scrambling to keep their footing on swiftly eroding ground, amid massive Donald Trump-ordered funding cuts and new restrictions. But although a weakening of the American scientific community has far-reaching impacts on the global academic landscape, experts say one side effect could be top talent from the U.S. coming to Canada. Already, some researchers, academics and scientists are making the journey — and some provinces and organizations in Canada are looking to reap the benefits."

  8. Dianne Kipnes’ impact on the U of A (Gateway) EDMONTON STORY Dr. Kipnes passed in December 2024. I know the Kipnes family and​ she is deeply missed. RIP Dianne. We will not see your like again. "Dianne Roberta Kipnes — one of Edmonton’s most well-known philanthropists — was a devoted supporter of the University of Alberta. Her passing has been felt deeply by the U of A community. Along with her husband, Irving Kipnes, Dianne made numerous contributions to the arts, business, and medical research through the Dianne and Irving Kipnes Foundation. Several of Dianne’s philanthropic contributions went to the U of A. She has a personal connection to the university, as she worked in the psychiatric walk-in clinic at the U of A Hospital from 1984–94. The U of A jointly awarded Dianne and Irving an honorary doctorate of laws from the U of A in 2009. Irving is also a U of A alumnus."

  9. Drumheller's mega-popular tourist-luring dinosaur faces extinction. Now, the fight is on to save her (CBC) DRUMHELLER STORY #Nooooo "Tyra the Tyrannosaurus, the lovable landmark that towers over the Drumheller skyline in the heart of the Canadian Badlands, is facing an extinction-level event. The 25-metre-high attraction — billed as the World's Largest Dinosaur, and the backdrop to hundreds of thousands of tourist photos over a quarter of a century — is set to become history by 2029. But the fight over her fate may have just begun in this town that sits northeast of Calgary."

  10. College has never felt more uncertain for America’s teens (Vox) "In recent weeks, colleges and universities have found themselves at the center of the Trump administration’s efforts to reshape American society and culture. As the administration extracts concessions from universities and seeks to deport students based on their participation in protests, experts are raising questions about the future of the American academy and the country’s larger place on the world stage. A lot of rising college freshmen have a different, more basic anxiety, however: They just want to know if they’ll be able to pay for school."

SEVEN LIFE AND CAREER HACKS

  1. VIDEO: THE ART OF HERDING SHEEP with sheepdog Bruce | Ireland | Local Legends | Brad Leone (YouTube) This is 23 minutes of unbridled fun.

  2. Bold and Boundary-Pushing: How to Dress Like David Bowie (Literary Hub) I miss him everyday.

  3. Rewind and be kind: what happens if you do one act of kindness every day? (The Guardian) You can't go wrong being kind.

  4. We Asked 11 Sommeliers: What Glassware Do You Use at Home? (VinePair) Such amazing glassware!

  5. The 15 Best Cocktail Recipes to Make in Spring 2025 (Punch) All of these look amazing but I really want to try the Rhubarb Gimlet and the Bebbo.

  6. Make a Smile Your Personal Signifier (Gents Cafe) Great interview with a cool style guy.

  7. VIDEO: The Best Photographer You've Never Heard Of (YouTube) If you are interested photography and art history, this is for you.

TOP THREE GIFTS OF THE WEEK

  1. Donation driving arrhythmia research is close to Western grad’s heart (Western News) LONDON STORY "Thanks to a $1.35-million gift from the H₂HCo (Here to Help, Co.) Foundation [...] Tang has assembled a team of world-leading experts in cardiac electrophysiology, cardiac imaging, medical biophysics and radiation oncology at Western and LHSCRI to test the safety and effectiveness of this improved technique."

  2. £1bn gift transfer to British Museum given green light (Government of the United Kingdom) This is the largest gift to a museum in UK history. #Wow "In November 2024, the Trustees of the Sir Percival David Foundation announced they were to make a permanent donation of their collection of Chinese ceramics to the British Museum. The collection numbers around 1,700 pieces estimated at around £1bn."

  3. TO Live Secures $2.275M Donation To Revitalize The George Weston Recital Hall (Broadway World) TORONTO STORY "TO Live today has secured a historic $2.275 million donation from the Weston Group of Companies to fund essential renovations that will preserve the George Weston Recital Hall as a premier venue for live performance in Toronto."

LAST WEEK'S MOST POPULAR STORIES

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