The South Bayview Bulldog

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The speculation about the future of Rexall drugstores in Canada is hot. Four months after the Globe and Mail pondered the prospects for takeover of the Canadian owned chain, the Financial Post is doing the same. Quoting an analyst, the Post says Empire Co Ltd., owners of Sobey’s, might be a buyer. This may make sense in  light of Loblaws ownership of Shoppers Drug Mart. But the Post also suggests there is a chance both Loblaws and Jean Coutu might try for Rexall. That possibility would surely set up a lively anti-competition review since both firms already own a lot of drugstores. Rexall boss Schreiber seen as agent of possible takeover 

Abdul Aldabous, the Scarborough teen arrested on a peace bond last week, has been required to turn over his passport and stop Internet activity with known ISIS supporters in Canada. Specifically, Mr. Aldabous must not talk to a  Winnipeg man and Muslim convert, Aaron Driver, 24, who is also under a bond to keep the peace. Aldabous was arrested by the RCMP’s Integrated National Security Enforcement Team on Thursday in connection with his apparent ISIS sympathies.  The 18-year-old was released after posting a $15,000 surety and agreeing to abide by a dozen conditions. This case is one of a few in which people have been served with a bond in the context of terrorism concerns. Previous story. 

Telegraph  VW uses trickery to mislead U.S. over diesel emissions

The Quebec-based corner store mammoth Alimentation Couche-Tard (Power Night Owl) will phase out the name Mac’s and replace it in Canada with the  U.S. brand name Circle K. This will begin in 2017 according to a news release from the Laval headquarters of the firm Tuesday. Circle K is already Couche-Tard’s most widely used store banner, primarily in the United States plus 12 other countries. The announcement was made ahead of Couche-Tard’s annual meeting for shareholders.

In what appears to be a terrorist related or ransom plot of some kind, eleven armed men have stormed ashore near midnight at the quiet southern Philippines resort known as Holiday Ocean View on Samal Island. They abducted two Canadian men as well as the Norwegian manager of the resort and a Filipino woman. They attempted to take others, but their prey escaped by leaping off their moored yachts into the water and swimming away. The Canadian, identified in the linked CBC story, are retired resource industry executives.

AL-QAEDA, COMMUNIST GUERRILLAS?

The CBC says no group has claimed responsibility but Muslim and communist rebels, al-Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf militants and criminal syndicates have been active for years in the restive southern region due to weak law enforcement in rural areas despite years of on-and-off government crackdowns. CBC  Below is video of the actual kidnapping from surveillance video at the resort.

A wonder to behold as David Price pitched a superb game and Justin Smoak doubled to drive home Bautista. Jays lead the Yanks in the AL Esst by 3.5 games.

Volkswagen has apologized for what appears to be a rank attempt to lie to both the government and car buyers over the emission levels of VW cars with diesel engines. The apology applies both in Canada and the U.S. Das Fibbing involved software installed by VW to make it seem like the vehicles emitted less pollution than they really did during emissions testing. Really. It is an extraordinary bit of trickery that has VW in a lot of hot water with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Because of the stink, so to speak, VW has cancelled sale of diesel model cars in the U.S. and Canada. That includes the Jetta, Golf and Beetle. There is no word on what is to be done for owners of the half a million or so VWs on U.S. roads or in Canada.

Cadillac Fairview has decided to put its initials in front of the well-known names of its shopping malls, it seems. Toronto Eaton Centre is to become  CF Toronto Eaton, Sherway Gardens, the CF Sherway Gardens. It’s just thrilling.