AGP Executive Report

Government Transparency: A Canadian-linked push for “Open by Default” highlights how access-to-information can force Ottawa to publish more, after critics say secrecy is undermining trust. Public Sector & Pay Equity: South Korea’s public-institution gender pay gap fell below 20% for the first time, while the private-sector gap stays much wider—another reminder that policy wins don’t automatically fix workplace culture. Canadian Publishing & Books: Gail Anderson-Dargatz’s new novel The Atlas Keeper leans into time travel and self-discovery, following Elsie Campbell as an atlas sends her to turning points in her life. Tech & Privacy: LG smart TVs were found logging voice prompts and capturing audio with the screen off, raising fresh questions about consent and surveillance in everyday devices. Community & Culture: Winnipeg’s Sikh community held its Nagar Kirtan despite hateful graffiti, with police investigating. Mining & Research: Raptor Metals begins core sampling at its Chester Project in New Brunswick to expand assay data for copper and other metals. Sports (Canada): NHL analysis points to two market pressures affecting Canadian teams, including player moves to lower-tax U.S. markets.

Canadian Publishing & Booksellers: Canadian booksellers are raising alarms about AI “book shredding” tied to suspicious bulk orders, as the fight over how texts are used and licensed heats up. Local Education: Quebec’s Jacques-Ouellette school is showing what inclusive learning looks like in practice, adapting instruction for students with visual impairments through braille, large print, and case-by-case supports. Arts & Culture: A new Fringe Festival play, “Declaration,” has been written by former U.N. and Pennsylvania state treasurer Joe Torsella, using the 1776 document as a lens on democracy under pressure. Sports & Community: Vancouver’s Nat Bailey playoffs are back with 75-cent hotdogs, while a separate sports note marks the death of wrestling legend Bill Dundee. Public Safety: Two people died in a plane crash in Kananaskis Country; the TSB is leading the investigation. Indigenous News: The Enoch Cree Nation is mourning filmmaker Georgina Lightning after her death in an accident at the Indian Relay weekend.

Quebec Culture Fight: Fans and actors rallied to save “Les Simpson,” after Corus’s Télétoon dropped Quebec dubbing rights for the next season—arguing the local version is part of Quebec identity. Publishing & Community Tech: A Quebec cooperative’s model inspired new research on sharing-economy service exchanges that can confirm compatible locations without exposing exact addresses, aiming to cut surveillance risk. Bookworld Canada Picks Up the Thread: A new science-writing review highlights how real research is less “Eureka!” and more “Where is it?”—a reminder that everyday work drives breakthroughs. Sports (Canada): Metro Vancouver ousted its top executive weeks before an election, while the Blue Jays kept pushing toward a playoff wild-card tie. Reminder of 9/11: A reflective piece weighs how to remember without getting consumed—an anniversary theme that’s resonating across Canadian media. Local Safety: Winnipeg police are investigating hateful threats targeting the Nagar Kirtan event.

AI Culture Debate: Canadian audiences are being pulled into the AI optimism vs anxiety conversation, with podcasters trading arguments about jobs, learning, and what “human” means as the tech build-out accelerates. Lake Ontario Fall Plans: A fresh guide urges Canadians to enjoy Lake Ontario this fall—Toronto Islands trips, ferries, beaches, and island escapes before winter. Books & Reading Life: Ann Patchett weighs in on “You are what you read,” plus a spotlight on backlist picks meant to “transform you,” while Squamish Public Library reports a record summer reading club and new school-year supports. Publishing & Community Events: Cookscamp in B.C. keeps growing as a knowledge-sharing hub for chefs and cookbook culture. Film & Storytelling: TIFF-bound buzz continues with Andrew Haigh’s “A Long Winter” and other screen projects, including literary adaptations and festival premieres. Sports (Canadian angle): The Blue Jays’ late-season push and Labour Day CFL matchups keep fans asking questions and placing bets.

US Open Watch: Defending champ Carlos Alcaraz and No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka cruised into the last 16, setting up Alcaraz vs. Tommy Paul next. Quebec Secularism: Quebec’s expanded secularism law is forcing universities and transit agencies to shut prayer rooms and rewrite staff rules, with institutions warning about unclear enforcement. Publishing & Books: Canadian booksellers are raising alarms about AI “book shredding” tied to suspicious bulk orders. Cartography & Power: The UN backed a new “Correct the Map” standard using Equal Earth, reshaping how Africa, Europe and North America look—and how people think about global influence. Local Community Life: Hamilton and other municipal services posted Labour Day closures and schedule changes. Culture & Film: TIFF is set to host the world premiere of Hyderabad theatre director Mohammad Ali Baig’s “Chand Tara.” Sports Science: A Toronto-based researcher is helping MLB pitchers reduce career-ending elbow injuries.

Identity & Privacy: A dark-web service reportedly sold Canadian and U.S. driver’s license scans, including the infrared/ultraviolet images banks use for checks, prompting multiple class actions and FBI attention. Publishing & Bookselling: Canadian booksellers are warning about AI “book shredding” after suspicious bulk orders raise fears for inventory and print culture. TV/Streaming Romance: Heated Rivalry Season 2 keeps stacking its cast, adding Paul Gross, Kevin Zegers and Milla Jovovich, with the show drawing from Rachel Reid’s Game Changers novels. Sports Media: WWE contract talks are in the spotlight again, with reports on pay-cut requests to Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods. Community Reading: Libraries and local groups are pushing events and staged readings tied to major anniversaries, including a Sept. 11 benefit performance at a Tamaqua library. Arts & Culture: The fall movie slate is ramping up, with major releases and TIFF buzz driving attention to book-to-screen adaptation chatter.

Canadian Publishing & Booksellers: Canadian booksellers are raising alarms about AI “book shredding” tied to suspicious bulk orders, warning it could disrupt inventory and livelihoods. Indigenous Rights & Reading: A new Tyee Podcast episode revisits the Cowichan decision and argues Indigenous title can coexist with private property—pushing back on fears that it means homes will be lost. Culture & Media (Canada): The University of Toronto’s Jeffrey Rosenthal and colleagues examine superstition around Friday the 13th and full moons, using probability to debunk “bad luck” myths. Arts Calendar (Vancouver): Culture Queue spotlights September events across film, visual arts, theatre, music and community, including the Vancouver Queer Film Festival. Tech & Publishing Workflow: A student newsroom describes how it uses Google Drive plus Wagtail, and why editors want better tools for fast, collaborative publishing. Cybersecurity: Thomson Reuters says an unauthorized party accessed sensitive files tied to its C-Track court platform, affecting Ontario court records. Local Book/Community Events: A Simcoe County author is promoting a new book at a weekend event, with more local programming listed for libraries and community spaces.

Canadian Currency Update: The Bank of Canada unveiled the final design of the new $20 bill featuring King Charles III, with a shifting security strip and other anti-counterfeiting upgrades set to enter circulation in early 2027. Trade & Agriculture: With U.S. sales halted by a new 50% tariff on Canadian honey, beekeepers are pivoting to the domestic market as Ottawa prepares matching counter-tariffs. Publishing & Books: Michelle Good’s Eliza Sunshine tops this week’s Canadian fiction list, while Cory Doctorow’s The Reverse Centaur’s Guide to Life After AI stays No. 1 in Canadian nonfiction for a 10th straight week. Screen & Storytelling: Crave/HBO Max’s Heated Rivalry adds Kevin Zegers, Paul Gross and Milla Jovovich for season 2, based on Rachel Reid’s Game Changers series. Tech & Security: An ID verification breach is under investigation after scans of about 150 million U.S. and Canadian documents surfaced on a Russian dark web forum. Arts & Culture: Polaris Music Prize’s festival heads to Sudbury for a Northern Sound Exchange event at Knox Hall on Sept. 4.

Streaming & Adaptations: Netflix is set to debut its limited-series take on John Steinbeck’s East of Eden this October, with Florence Pugh leading a multi-generational retelling that’s already drawing debate over how much a seven-episode run can capture. Montreal & Academia: Former mayor Valérie Plante is joining Université de Montréal as a guest expert, lecturing and mentoring in public affairs and international policy. AI, Art & Archives: Colombian filmmakers Bibiana Rojas Gómez and Juan David Cárdenas bring “audiovisual anarchivism” to The End of Times, a hybrid documentary premiering at Venice Critics’ Week that blends family recordings with AI and fiction. Canadian Publishing/Media Business: Amazon Kids+ has picked up Do Not Watch This Show for the US and Canada, based on Andy Lee’s book series. Tech & Privacy: Thomson Reuters says an unauthorized party accessed backup files tied to its C-Track case management system, affecting court records in multiple US states and Canada. Climate: UN-backed reporting warns the world is set to overshoot the Paris 1.5°C goal and that fossil-fuel phaseout may be understated.

Canadian Publishing & Books: Canadian thriller author Linwood Barclay’s new novel “Not a Word” leads the Toronto Star fiction bestseller lists, while Jennifer Hillier’s “Heart of Glass” and Liane Moriarty’s “Big Little Truths” also land high on Canadian and original fiction rankings. History Prize: Toronto author Jonathan Cheng and University of Toronto professor Eric T. Jennings are shortlisted for the Cundill History Prize (Cheng for “Korean Messiah,” Jennings for “Vanilla”). Indigenous & Community Reading: A new children’s book initiative and literacy push continues to ripple through Canada, including local coverage of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library impact. AI & Copyright in Canada’s Music World: SOCAN has sued Suno in Federal Court, alleging the AI music platform copied human-created songs without consent or compensation. Film/TV with Canadian ties: Crave’s Owen Hart documentary is headed to film festivals after a London screening, and the hockey drama “Heated Rivalry” filmed in London, Ontario-area locations. Comics & Zines: Winnipeg’s Prairie Comics Festival returns for its 10th anniversary, spotlighting independent creators and panels on comics and social change.

Canada–U.S. trade tensions: An Indiana opinion piece argues the “trade war” with Canada is misguided, citing big export losses after Trump’s tariff push. Workplace rights: Ford will pay $2.3M to settle race and national-origin harassment claims at its Buffalo Stamping Plant, with training and security upgrades. Alberta politics: Mail-in ballots went out for Alberta’s Oct. 19 referendum on staying in Canada, alongside immigration and health-care access questions; polling shows immigration measures far outpacing separation. Health-care staffing: Ontario faces long ultrasound wait times as a sonographer shortage drives delays and burnout, with vacancy and retention concerns flagged by industry groups. Books & culture: VIFF returns Oct. 1–11 with 162 features and a strong Asian cinema lineup, including manga adaptation Look Back and premieres across multiple countries. Literary community: An Oxford author’s family-history project reconnects him with Saskatchewan relatives near Conquest. Indigenous arts: Melody McArthur expands her storytelling across music, theatre, and justice, including recent Ottawa performances.

Vancouver Book Award: Ladysmith’s Ruby Smith Diaz and UVic grad Garth Mullins made the shortlist for the Vancouver Book Award, with $3,000 prize money and a Nov. 21 winner announcement at Vancouver Public Library. Publishing & books: A new children’s book, Tuutarjuk: The Spirit of String Figures, brings Inuit string-game lore to ages 9–13, while Toronto’s Dundurn Press will publish Janice Hobbs Martell’s Dusted: The Men of the McIntyre Powder Experiment in April 2027. Media policy: Quebec’s “pay by bank” shift is driving more checkout payments via firms like PayDirectNow, and California lawmakers advanced refundable tax credits aimed at keeping local newsrooms staffed. Tech & regulation: At a G20 meeting, the U.S. pushed the “Carolina Principles” to avoid new AI rules, while Canada’s broader AI debate continues to focus on adoption and oversight. Industry news: Bombardier agreed to acquire MHI Canada Aerospace assets in Mississauga, adding aerostructure capacity and about 750 employees.

Used-book trade under AI pressure: Canadian booksellers are dealing with “mysterious” bulk orders amid fears companies are buying physical titles to scan and then destroy them for AI training, after U.S. reporting tied destructive book scanning to Anthropic-style efforts. TIFF 2026 spotlight: A Canadian film adaptation of David Bezmozgis’s “The Betrayers” is among the homegrown projects lined up for Toronto International Film Festival, with directors pointing to how shifting geopolitics keeps stories newly relevant. Fall reading list: CBC Books rounds up must-read Canadian nonfiction for the season, including memoirs and essay collections from major names. Vancouver’s colonial reckoning: The Museum of Vancouver highlights decolonial exhibits tied to the city’s colonial past and Indigenous land history. Sports-to-books crossover: Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library continues to expand in Canada through library partnerships, keeping free books in kids’ hands.

Literacy & Libraries: Edmonton Public Library is leaning hard into Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library via its Ready. Set. Read! partnership, with kids calling the monthly mailings “Dolly’s books.” Community Reading: Wood Buffalo is launching its first Read Across Wood Buffalo Day on Sept. 25, inviting schools, libraries, bookstores and families to host readings, author visits and exchanges. Publishing/Books & Culture: Plenitude Magazine’s Summer Poetry Contest is underway, with judge Misha Solomon discussing poetry as a queer art form ahead of a Sept. 21 deadline. Local Governance: Kelowna’s 2026 local election nomination period opens Sept. 1, with paperwork due Sept. 11 and deposits required. Environment & Conservation: Alberta unveiled a new conservation licence plate, with proceeds earmarked for fish and wildlife enhancement through the Alberta Conservation Association. Public Safety Tech: Wikwemikong Tribal Police Service is rolling out automated licence plate readers to help identify vehicles tied to specific alerts.

Federal Politics: Voters head to the polls Monday for three federal byelections in Ontario (Beaches–East York), Quebec (Chicoutimi–Le Fjord) and B.C. (North Vancouver–Capilano), with the Quebec race expected to be the tightest as the Liberals and Bloc vie to replace former Conservative MP Richard Martel. AI & Media: Two 1960s media theorists are being dusted off to explain where generative AI is taking us, framing AI as a new kind of medium rather than just a tool. Books & Culture: Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is spotlighted for its global push to get free books into kids’ hands, including in Canada since 2006. Publishing/Arts Industry: SOCAN’s plan to acquire CMRRA is framed as a major shift for how Canadian gospel artists collect reproduction royalties. Canada–U.S. Tensions: Google Maps updates Lake Ontario to “Lake America” for U.S. users, while Mapquest says it won’t follow. Health & Care: New research argues deprescribing guidance needs to be as practical as prescribing—so clinicians actually use it.

Canada-U.S. Trade Tensions: Maine Gov. Janet Mills published an Op-Ed in the Toronto Star urging Canadians to push Washington to de-escalate Trump’s trade war, warning tariffs will hit border businesses and jobs. Mapping Politics: After Trump renamed Lake Ontario “Lake America,” Google Maps updated for U.S. users, while Mapquest refused to change and offered custom-name tools instead. Media Language Row: A CBC memo telling staff not to call 9/11 “terrorist” sparked backlash; CBC later adjusted guidance for 9/11 wording. Toronto Health & Housing: TCHC says there are no documented health concerns from contaminants at the Swansea Mews site as demolition proceeds. Indigenous Power Plan Blocked: The U.S. DOE halted a proposed tribal transmission corridor meant to bring reservation power to market, citing reliability and cost concerns. Mental Health Treatment: A look at ketamine clinics and the debate over how well ketamine works for treatment-resistant depression. Bookworld Canada angle: Local reading culture: North Bay’s Greg the Band released its debut album “Going Up?” and played the Bay Block Party—another reminder of how Canadian arts communities keep building.