AGP Executive Report

Municipal Politics: St. Catharines councillor Joe Kushner, Canada’s longest-serving, is retiring after nearly 50 years, with a new biography marking his “frugal” legacy. Arts & Culture: Dolly Parton’s death at 80 sparked fresh attention on her philanthropy and literacy work, while CNN apologized after a tribute mistakenly used an impersonator’s photo. Publishing & Books: Erin A. Craig’s new novel Our Strange Duet retells The Phantom of the Opera from Christine’s point of view, arriving Sept. 1. AI & Creative Rights: Canadian artists and songwriters are pushing for consent, transparency and pay as AI music training expands; a federal consultation on AI transparency runs to Sept. 23. Health & Equity: A study finds Black Canadians face racism and restrictive rules when trying to donate blood. Tech & Industry: Alberta’s AI data-centre plans are drawing scrutiny over distance-from-homes, plus power and water concerns. Trade & Sovereignty: Trump’s “Lake America” order is rejected by Canada as the U.S.-Canada tariff fight escalates.

Ottawa Arts & Events: History Ottawa’s next ticketed show has been pushed from Sept. 4 to Feb. 6, 2027, with no explanation given. Literacy & Community: Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library continues to be felt across Canada, with Brantford-area partners and volunteers crediting the program for putting books in kids’ hands and keeping family reading alive. Local Politics: Brantford council candidate Dave Wrobel is running while facing eight charges tied to alleged Municipal Elections Act finance breaches from his 2022 run. Sports Growth: The women’s Northern Super League is expanding, including a planned Winnipeg team in 2027 and major new investment backing the league’s push for bigger crowds and development. Publishing & Culture Events: An Ottawa queer literature night is set for Sept. 23 at Perfect Books, featuring Plenitude Magazine authors and book sales. Canada–U.S. Trade Tensions: Prime Minister Mark Carney says Canada refused to “trade away” sovereignty during talks, after Trump signed an order renaming Lake Ontario “Lake America” amid the tariff fight. Health & Back-to-School: B.C.’s health officer urges families to check immunization records and book catch-up shots as measles transmission remains a concern.

Canadian Publishing & Literacy: Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library continues to ripple through Canada and beyond, with multiple reports highlighting how her book-gifting model is expanding and how local programs are celebrating her legacy after her death at 80. Entertainment Adaptations: Crave’s romance hit Heated Rivalry is returning for season two, adapting Rachel Reid’s The Long Game—a reminder of how Canadian publishing IP keeps turning into screen stories. Broadcast & Media: TNA IMPACT airs tonight from Brampton, with confirmed Knockouts finals and match segments—another example of Canadian production feeding global entertainment schedules. Industry & Business (Tech/Research): Critical Resources says it’s partnering with Australia’s CSIRO to scale up its battery manufacturing process, reflecting the broader push to move lab breakthroughs into production. Local Arts & Community: A steady stream of Canadian event roundups and library programming points to continued demand for community-based culture and reading initiatives.

Canadian Publishing & Books: British secondhand booksellers report mystery bulk buys of obscure titles, with sellers suspecting AI training and “destructive scanning” after a U.S. fair-use ruling involving Anthropic. Kids’ Literacy: Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library continues to expand her legacy, with reporting that the program has gifted hundreds of millions of free books worldwide, including hundreds of thousands in Canada. Awards & Youth Literature: The Canadian Children’s Book Centre named finalists for 2026 awards, including Vancouver Island author Gregor Craigie for historical fiction for young people. Quebec Schools & Health: Quebec’s public health institute says vaccination rates for school-age children have stayed stable post-COVID, easing fears of further declines. Tech & Work (Canada): Asure Software says its Luna AI now handles HR/payroll tasks like PTO requests and document-signing follow-ups for employers and employees in the U.S. and Canada. Misinformation Watch: CBC warns of a fake CBC-style story shared on LinkedIn using Jim Balsillie to promote an AI crypto scheme—Balsillie says he’s not involved.

Canada–U.S. Trade War: Ottawa’s tariff fight with Washington is escalating after talks collapsed, with the U.S. moving to 50% duties on autos and car parts and Canada planning dollar-for-dollar retaliation—raising worries for shoppers and specific sectors like dairy and honey. Publishing & Books: Canadian producer Marlo Miazga is turning her memoir, Ground Control: Losing My Child to Suicide (Random House Canada), into a CBC documentary, Ground Control, with a Toronto-based production company and a spring 2027 delivery. Literacy Legacy: Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library—built on her childhood literacy struggles—will keep sending free books to eligible children after her death at 80, with tributes highlighting the program’s reach in Canada and beyond. Canadian Culture/Arts: A new Glagolitic research-creation project in Toronto links an ancient script to media literacy education ahead of a Sept. 9 exhibition. Sports (Canada-linked): Canada’s Yvonne Ejim helped secure a spot for the 2028 Olympic qualifying tournament, while Canadian football and hockey coverage continues to track roster and leadership moves.

Canadian Children’s Book Centre Awards: Finalists for the 2026 CCBC Awards were announced, with 32 young people’s titles nominated across six prizes, from picture books to YA and nonfiction. Local Author Spotlight: North Island readers can catch a preview of Yvonne Maximchuk’s debut mystery, Murder Rides a Gale Force Wind, at the Courtenay Library on Sept. 10. Publishing & Industry: Joseph Bell released the 2026 Visual Effects & Animation World Atlas as a free digital download, tracking workforce and company data with a Vancouver–Los Angeles comparison. Bookworld Canada Picks Up Pop Culture: Tegan Quin’s new middle-grade graphic novel Merry Christmess lands as a holiday story about family chaos and bringing parents together. Comics for Winter: Ryan North’s Avengers vs. X-Men is set for Marvel’s Winter Break Special 2026, with Wolverine kicking off an ice-hockey-themed showdown.

Canada–U.S. Trade War: Mark Carney says Canada is “at war” after talks collapsed, with retaliatory tariffs planned “dollar for dollar” as shoppers weigh whether to “buy local” and B.C. grocery prices feel the squeeze. Publishing & Books: Toronto author Stacey Soans launches Fairways & Femininity, linking golf to leadership; Meg Keene pushes back on pressure to “hide” Jewish identity in mainstream publishing and plans a new imprint; and a new Canadian book, 4th Origin, argues clergy should not treat human-origins debates as the same kind of knowledge as science. Culture & Media: Australia’s recorded-music industry bars fully AI-generated tracks from official charts, while Venice adds Gaza documentary NAZA to its Golden Lion competition. Sports & Events: Ottawa hosts the 2026 Canoe Kayak Canada Sprint Nationals with 1,200+ athletes, and WWE RAW comes to the Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa.

Publishing & Author Tour: Romance hitmaker Rachel Reid is taking her deluxe hardcover edition of Heated Rivalry on an eight-city Canadian tour, starting in Montreal (Sept. 28), then Vancouver (Oct. 5), Ottawa (Oct. 7) and ending in Toronto (Oct. 13) at Massey Hall with Mattea Roach. AI in Education: A new debate is heating up in Canadian law schools as some universities move to restrict laptops, tablets and phones, arguing it boosts focus and integrity while critics warn blanket bans are hard to enforce and don’t teach responsible AI use. Trade & Tariffs: U.S.-Canada negotiations are still in the spotlight as Vice President JD Vance attacks Ottawa over “unreasonable” demands and Canada signals dollar-for-dollar retaliation, with tariffs again threatening key sectors. Tech & Reading Culture: Microsoft is pushing browser referrals via its Rewards program, while Crunchyroll expands English dubs for One Piece—a reminder of how quickly entertainment and publishing ecosystems keep shifting. Community Accessibility: CNIB’s Mobile Hub is heading to Moosomin, Sask., with assistive-tech demos, peer support and advocacy sessions at the public library Sept. 2.

Canadian Publishing & Books: A Prince George author’s new novel, Flies, uses a vigilante-killer premise to shift focus onto the men who enable youth sex abuse—framed as an awareness story rather than a revenge thriller. Community Libraries: Dr. Thomas John “Jock” Murray and family donated books they authored to the Murray Family Library in Pictou, calling libraries “centres of knowledge” that keep communities connected. Literary Spotlight: Maggie O’Farrell’s Land examines the Great Famine’s long aftershocks, arguing the real story is how trauma and power structures hardened in the years after. Education & Reading Culture: TanenbaumCHAT (Toronto) and the Ottawa Jewish Community School both welcome new heads of school, with plans that include Jewish joy, safety, and expanded Israeli/Zionist programming. Tech & Books: A report claims AI firms are shredding books after scanning them, prompting calls for stronger oversight. Canada–U.S. Trade: Trade talks collapsed over “fine print” disputes, triggering 50% U.S. tariffs and Canada’s retaliation—an economic shock that could ripple into publishing and book distribution.

Trade War Fallout: Mark Carney’s Canada-U.S. tariff fight is escalating after the U.S. moves to 50% duties on Canadian goods, with Washington warning Canada would be “foolish” to think it can win; Carney says Canada will respond “dollar for dollar” as the Sept. 8 timeline looms. Publishing & AI Demand: Booksellers report a sudden boom in niche, long-shelved titles being bought one-by-one by overseas agents tied to U.S. tech giants—fueling AI language models. Local Arts & Theatre: Théâtre du Nouvel-Ontario’s 2026–27 season opens Oct. 23 under “Revealing the Invisible,” including Frétillant et agile. Music in Ontario: The Lightfoot Band brings Gordon Lightfoot’s hits to Sudbury Aug. 26 at Place des Arts. Community Housing Push: A letter urges Canadians to act now as the next national housing strategy is being developed, citing homelessness rising since 2018.

Publishing & Books: Ize Press announced four new releases at Anime NYC, including Whale Star: The Gyeongseong Mermaid and more titles expanding into Spanish publishing and tabletop gaming. Reading & Health: A new piece argues that fiction reading boosts brain and social skills, linking storybooks to empathy and better social understanding. Tech & E-readers: A Canadian listing leak suggests Asus’s upcoming “Googlebook” Chromebook line could be pricey, with one model spec’d at 16GB RAM and 500GB storage. Libraries & Literacy: Alberta’s Red Deer Public Library is using facility dog Katja to help kids build reading confidence by simply sitting with them during read-alouds. Canada–U.S. Trade: Prime Minister Mark Carney says Canada is “at war” after the U.S. moves on 50% tariffs, with retaliatory tariffs planned for Sept. 8—an issue that will ripple through Canadian goods, including cultural and publishing imports. International Education: Canada–India education ties are shifting toward long-term talent, skills and research collaboration, not just student mobility.

Trade War Fallout: Prime Minister Mark Carney says Canada was “attacked” after the U.S. pushed unacceptable last-minute demands, then Canada suspended talks and will match Trump’s 50% tariffs “dollar for dollar” starting Sept. 8, with retaliation aimed at protecting workers and key industries. Publishing & Books: Advocacy groups are urging the FTC to investigate AI firms that allegedly scan and shred physical books for training, raising fresh questions about competition and access to print culture. Canadian Publishing Expansion: Ize Press announced new releases at Anime NYC, including Whale Star: The Gyeongseong Mermaid and more Solo Leveling formats, with plans to expand into Spanish-language publishing and tabletop gaming. Book Culture & Reading: A Canadian library initiative is spotlighted for its French-craft inspired approach, while another story points to booming secondhand book sales tied to AI-era demand. Entertainment (Book-to-Screen): Apple TV’s Dark Matter, based on Blake Crouch’s novel, is climbing streaming charts ahead of Season 2.

Canada–U.S. Trade Shock: New 50% U.S. tariffs on about $20B of Canadian goods kicked in after talks collapsed, with PM Mark Carney suspending negotiations and vowing Canada will match “dollar for dollar,” putting CUSMA’s future in doubt. EU Sanctions Watch: The EU is preparing a sanctions package targeting Israel over the West Bank E1 settlement project, including possible labeling rules and academic/security cutbacks. Publishing & Media Pressure: A new report warns “metrics anxiety” is reshaping LGBTQIA+ journalism, pushing outlets toward pageviews over public interest. Book & Reading Picks: A roundup of fresh children’s books for August 2026 highlights new releases for ages 3–12. Sports on the Page: WWE SmackDown highlights (Toronto) and CFL game previews dominated sports coverage, while a Canadian memoir spotlighted climber Barry Blanchard’s new book. Community & Safety: Edmonton’s Nanaksar Sikh Gurdwara was rocked by an armed attack that left two men stabbed and a suspect arrested.

Manga & Publishing: Dark Horse announced new English releases tied to Hideyuki Kikuchi and Yoshitaka Amano’s Vampire Hunter D—including Rose Princess (March 2027) and Fortress of Blood (Dec. 16), plus a spring 2027 comic adaptation of H.P. Lovecraft’s The Case of Charles Dexter Ward. Canada–U.S. Trade Talks: Negotiators are racing against a looming midnight deadline to avoid steep U.S. tariffs, with Canada signalling dairy supply management stays put while questions remain over areas like lumber and agriculture. Local Culture & Community: Toronto’s Church Street car-free pilot wraps up Friday, with businesses and officials calling it a “huge success” for foot traffic and street life. Sports Media & Books/Pop Culture: Netflix’s Anime NYC panel locked in a Sept. 29 premiere for LEGO ONE PIECE and confirmed a Feb. 2027 debut for its One Piece anime remake. Public Safety: RCMP will review Alberta chiefs’ call for a treason probe into Premier Danielle Smith, while Edmonton police investigate a stabbing at an area Sikh temple.

Canadian Publishing & Books: Sudbury author Liisa Kovala (A.L. Jensen) released the third Hygge House cosy mystery, Murder by Nordic Design, in eBook and paperback, leaning into Scandinavian-inspired small-town charm and design. Local Book Culture: Sudbury’s Cinefest Sudbury International Film Festival announced early 2026 programming, including Starsuckers (shot in Sudbury), a satire of celebrity worship culture. Indigenous Voices in Publishing: A Miss Indigenous Canada commentary argues “culture” shouldn’t be treated like a costume and calls out education and public institutions for failing to address cultural genocide and residential school denialism. Mining & Research (Canada’s knowledge economy): Laurentian University will lead a national AI-ready effort to digitize Canada’s geological record via the Canadian Digital Core Library, supported by Creative Destruction Lab funding. First Nations & Industry: The Gitxsan Huwilp Government withdrew support for Seabridge Gold’s KSM mine in B.C.’s Golden Triangle, demanding deeper consultation with First Nations. Sports/Media Crossover: Prime Video recast God of War’s Kratos with Dave Bautista after Ryan Hurst’s injury, with production set to resume in Vancouver.

Book Publishing & Culture: A new book, A Losing Hand: The Human Cost of Canada’s Gambling Epidemic, by Rob Csernyik (Sutherland House) digs into debt, addiction, mental health and suicide tied to Canada’s gambling industry, arguing governments are incentivized to expand it. Indigenous Language & Kids’ Books: Mangeshig Pawis-Steckley’s children’s title Mooz/Moose uses Nishnaabemwin alongside English to help young readers learn language early, inspired by his late grandmother. Books to Screen in Canada: Heated Rivalry is now landing in classrooms at UVic, with courses examining the show’s themes and how the novels became TV. Queer Law & Literature: UVic’s Faculty of Law is also using the series for a seminar on law and queer joy, identity, sports, race and colonialism. International Publishing Policy: Australia passed a news-publisher levy law for major tech platforms unless they strike deals—another pressure point for Canada’s own streaming/news ecosystem. Community Reading Spaces: Toronto’s Book Bar is highlighted as a buzzy addition to the city’s literary scene.