job interviews

Apr. 13, 2026:

This is in Jan. 2026.

The College Bistro:

Pros:

1. The hours are day time 8am -4 or 5pm.

The night is 4-9pm, so it's not that late.

2. There is a bus and an LRT to get there.

3. The pay is $15/ hr.

The tips are if you work more hours, you get more percentage of the tips.

4. The duties are make coffee, sandwiches, bowls, and washing dishes.  There is some food prep like cutting chicken.

5. There is free coffee and food on shift.

Cons: 

1. The mild con is that since it's a school, you will probably be laid off from Apr. -Aug.

My opinion: I would work there if I got hired.

Apr. 18, 2026:

This is in Feb. 2026.

The Sandwich Shop #3: This was on Kijiji.

Pros:

1. Mon. -Fri. 9:30 am -9pm.  It's quiet in the evenings, and we can start cleaning early.  At 9pm, you can leave.

Sat. and Sun. is 11am -7pm.

2. The pay is $15/hr.

3. The discount on the food is 50% off.

4. The duties are making sandwiches, food prep, and cleaning.

5. It's not that busy, so it's not going to be too hard.

Cons:

1. The commute is 1 bus, and the LRT, and another bus.  There's effort.

This is a 33 min ride so it's not that long of a ride.

My opinion: I was kind of "eh" as in not that interested in working here.  I would try out the job.

Jun. 28, 2026 The Hotel Banquet Server job: This is at my old Hotel Restaurant job.  This was on Indeed.

Pros:

1. The hours are 4:30 pm -9pm.  Evenings and weekends.  The shifts are 6-7 hrs.

2. The pay is $15/hr.  There is automatic gratuities like 18% for order.

3. The discount on the food is 25% off.

4. The duties are setting tables for dining and the conferences.

Cons:

1. This is a mild con of that I have to take 2 buses and 1 hr 7 min ride to get there.

2. This is an events- based job so it is inconsistent hours..  A busy week is 4 shifts.  There is 1 shift or none in a week.

My opinion: I would work there if I got hired.

The Health Food Restaurant: This was on Indeed.

Pros:

1. The hours are:

11am -2pm

8:45am -1:45pm

11am -7pm

5:30pm -10pm

2. This was really close by like 1 bus and a 15 min. ride.

3. The pay is $15/hr. The tips are monthly.  This is based on how many hours you work.

4. There is a free meal on shift. 

5.The duties are taking the customer's orders, chopping veggies and food prep, and making the orders of salads, bowls, sandwiches, and wraps.

Cons:

1. This is a mild con.  I work by myself for 1 hr after 2pm and another worker comes by at 3pm.

2. It can get busy with orders from Skip the Dishes, Uber Eats, and Door Dash.

My opinion: I would work there if I got hired.

Jul. 5, 2026 The Hotel Banquet Server job #2: This is in downtown.

Pros:

1. I told them I was available from 8AM- 9PM.

2. This was really close by like 1 bus and a 15 min. ride.

3. The pay is $18/hr. The tips are 18%.

4. The discount is 50% off meal on shift. 

5. The duties are serving food and setting tables.

6. The uniforms are all black.

Cons:

1. This is a mild con.  The job is part -time and casual.  This depends on how many reservations and the events happening in downtown.  The summer time is busy.

My opinion: I would work there if I got hired.

This is in Mar. 2026.

The Optometrist Clinic: This was on Indeed.

Pros:

1. The hours are Mon and Fri 1-6PM.  30 min unpaid break.  Sat 9AM-4PM.

2. There are 2 buses to get there.

3. The pay is $18/hr.

4. The duties are to greet and register the customers.  You do the testing of eye exams and take photos.

The computer program is called Visualize and you schedule on there.

You call patients, sell frames, and cleaning. 

Cons:

1. This is a mild con.  This seems kind of hard to learn how to use the computer program.

My opinion: I would work there if I got hired.

The Sushi Restaurant: This was a very short interview because the woman speaks Korean and a little English.

Pros: 

1. This was in downtown.

Cons:

1. The woman who is the cook and manager said she was looking for someone who can speak Korean.

The Restaurant and Bakeshop:

Pros: 

1. The hours are Wed -Fri. 10AM-4PM. Sat and Sun. 11AM -2PM.

2. This was in my neighborhood.  I can walk or the bus ride is a few min. long.

3. The pay is $15/hr.

Cons: none.

My opinion: I would work there if I got hired.

The Hat Store: I applied on their website.

Pros:

1. The hours are not too late, like they close at 8PM.  This is part -time like 15-18 hrs/ week.

2. There are 2 buses to get there.

3. The pay is $15/hr.

4. I can do the till.  

I would have to learn how to use the machine to stitch onto a hat.

Cons:

1. I would have to work there by myself.  I would have to be trained in all this before I could work by myself.

The Jamaican Restaurant: This was on Kijiji.

Pros:

1. The hours are Mon -Fri. 11AM -9PM.  Sat and Sun are 10AM-9PM.

2. There are 2 buses to get there.

3. The pay is $15/hr.  

After 3 months there will be a raise to $17/hr.

The tips are divided by shift.

4. There is a free meal on shift.

5. The duties are food prep like cut veggies, cook rice, and put food in the oven.

I have to take orders, cleaning, and opening and closing the store.

There is serving, and putting orders for Uber Eats and Door Dash.

Cons: None.

My opinion: When I wrote down the address I thought it was avenue.  When I got off the bus, I called the restaurant and he said it was street.

I had to walk a lot and take these buses.  I thought it was close by, but it was really far away.  At least I still attended the interview like 30 min later.

Wed. Jul. 8, 2026 Leo polls:

Marianne F, Winnipeg, Manitoba, would like to know:

Have you ever been on a cruise ship?

No

68.80% (3136)

Yes

31.20% (1422)

My opinion: No, but I want to.

Fri. Jul. 10, 2026:

Sarah L, Beaver creek, Yukon, would like to know:

Do you prefer sweet or savoury ?

Sweet

53.33% (2902)

Savoury

46.67% (2540)

My opinion: Savoury.

"Long lineups in central Alberta to sign petition for province to leave Canada"/ "'Rock solid' majority opposed to Alberta independence: Abacus Data poll"

Jan. 15, 2026 "Long lineups in central Alberta to sign petition for province to leave Canada": Today I found this article by Nadeer Hashmi, Lina Elsaadi on CBC:

Large crowds of people lined up around the block outside a pair of packed community halls in central Alberta on Wednesday night, 

to attend town meetings focused on the idea of the province seeking independence from Canada. 

The events were held in Red Deer and Eckville and were organized by the Stay Free Alberta campaign.

 Attendees could hear more about the campaign for a referendum on independence 

and also sign a petition pushing for such a referendum.

A common theme among people who showed up at the events was a desire for change.

“I don’t think that we’re heard here in Alberta as they are in the East, and we want to see some change,” said Sara Moberg, who lined up to sign the petition in Red Deer.

The petition was brought forward by Mitch Sylvestre, CEO of the Alberta Prosperity Project. Sylvestre, 

who spoke to attendees at the event in Eckville, 

got approval from Elections Alberta in December to start collecting signatures.

Stay Free Alberta has nearly four months to gather close to 178,000 signatures.

Moberg said her motivation was rooted in concern for the future.

“I want to see change for my kids,” 

she said. 

“I don’t want them to carry all the debt that’s going to happen if we keep what we have right now. 

“I want my kids to see that I stood for something I believed in.”

Tracy Worthington was also at the Red Deer event. She said she’s hoping Albertans will choose “independence and the ability to govern ourselves without any federal overreach.”

Brandie Bowman said she is confident the group will reach the required number of signatures.

“The lines are there everywhere, at every event. It doesn’t matter if it’s a small town, a big city or a medium-sized city,” she said.

Bowman also spoke about grievances like being tired of 

equalization payments, a

and why she thinks sovereignty feels like a viable option.

“Jobs, 

homes …

 the ability to actually develop all of our resources,” 

she said. 

“Not just 

oil and gas, 

but our agriculture, 

critical minerals, 

forestry,

 … everything is hidden behind red tape.”

Already over 2,000 canvassers

Sylvestre said he is ecstatic about the turnout he has seen since he was able to start collecting signatures.

“All this hall will be full,” Sylvestre told CBC News shortly before the speeches were delivered in Eckville. 

“They will be lined up around the building to sign. And that's been what we're seeing every night.”

Sylvestre said his campaign already has over 

2,000 canvassers 

and is a “true grassroots movement.”

Sylvan Lake resident Darwin Graff was at the event in Eckville. He said he believes if the campaign is successful in posing its referendum question to Albertans and then they vote to separate from Canada, 

he thinks Alberta could face some hard times at first. 

“But once that stability is placed back into the province again, 

I think Alberta is going to thrive,” 

he said.

“With the oilsands as a staple, we've got other resources as well, that are gonna play a role in that as well.”

The next petition signing events are scheduled for Friday in Okotoks, Drayton Valley and the James River Bridge area. More than 20 such events are planned across the province in the coming weeks.

Last year, Sylvestre applied to have a similar referendum question heard: 

"Do you agree that the province of Alberta shall become a sovereign country and cease to be a province in Canada?"

That question was later deemed unconstitutional by an Alberta judge. But late last year, the provincial government passed amendments to Bill 14, 

which allows for citizen initiatives to go ahead even if their constitutionality has not been assessed.

Around the same time, the “Forever Canadian” petition was verified as successful by Elections Alberta, with over 400,000 votes. It asks the opposing question: 

"Do you agree that Alberta should remain within Canada?"

That petition, launched by former deputy premier Thomas Lukaszuk could trigger a referendum, but he has previously said his goal is to have Premier Danielle Smith ask the petition’s question in the legislature and have MLAs vote on it.

Sylvestre told CBC News that the number of signatories to the petition would not be shared until the end of the collection period.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/red-deer-alberta-independence-petition-9.7047779

Mar. 6, 2026 "'Rock solid' majority opposed to Alberta independence: Abacus Data poll": Today I found this article by Jennifer Keiller on CBC:

About a quarter of Albertans support the province leaving Canada, 

but the majority — nearly two-thirds — are against it, 

according to a new poll from Abacus Data. 

The poll also suggests that more than half of Albertans believe Premier Danielle Smith would vote in favour of separation in a referendum, 

despite Smith’s repeated position that she prefers a strong and sovereign Alberta, within a united Canada. 

Abacus surveyed 1,000 Albertan adults between Feb. 20 and 25. That followed Smith’s televised address to the province on Feb. 19, where she discussed frustrations with federal policies and laid the groundwork for additional referendum questions. 

The poll was conducted online with a random sample. The margin of error for a comparable probability-based sample of the same size is plus or minus 3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20. 

Twenty-six per cent support independence

Twenty-six per cent of respondents said they either 

strongly 

or somewhat support an independent Alberta, 

with 64 per cent either 

strongly 

or somewhat disagreeing. 

Nine per cent of respondents were undecided. 

The numbers are similar to a recent survey on separation by the Angus Reid Institute.

The Abacus poll also suggests many are firmly entrenched in their position. 

Of those opposed to separation, 

56 per cent said they were strongly against it. 

Thirteen per cent of those in support were strongly in favour.

“There is this majority opinion in the province that I think is probably rock solid, 

and despite a significant effort to persuade them, 

they're not likely going to move,” 

said David Coletto, founder and CEO of Abacus Data. 

Support for independence was highest in rural areas outside of Edmonton and Calgary, 

with 35 per cent of respondents in favour. 

Groups most highly opposed to the idea include 

Albertans aged 60 and over 

and women. 

Of the respondents who voted for the NDP in the last provincial election, 

82 per cent oppose independence. 

The numbers are a little closer among those who voted UCP in 2023 

— 42 per cent support independence, 

while 48 per cent oppose it. 

Mitch Sylvestre, CEO of separatist group Alberta Prosperity Project, 

said he thinks there are many Albertans who would not be inclined to share their honest opinions with a pollster, 

and that his group is hearing from many in favour of separation.

“Polls are irrelevant, as far as we're concerned here. We're not paying attention to them,” he told CBC News.

"We're going to go talk to every Albertan one at a time," he said. 

"And by the time the vote comes, we'll have talked to a lot of Albertans.

 And, you know, maybe they'll understand what we're talking about and maybe they won't. 

And you know what, I've always said, this is a democratic process, so I'll live with the results."

Coletto said respondents always have the option to say they are unsure. 

He said the poll is reflective of the current moment in time, 

and numbers could shift in the lead-up to a referendum, if it is to be held. 

The citizen initiative petition, of which Sylvestre is the proponent, asks: 

“Do you agree that the province of Alberta should cease to be a part of Canada to become an independent state?”

It needs 177,732 signatures collected by May 2 in order to trigger a referendum. 

If that happens, 

it would be added to the ballot for the Oct. 19 referendum announced by Smith last month. 

Perceptions around Smith's separation position

The poll also asked respondents how they thought some political leaders would vote in a referendum on separation. 

Fifty-three per cent said they thought Smith would vote in favour of separation, 

the highest of the five leaders presented as options in the poll.

Twenty-nine per cent said they believed Smith would vote to remain in Canada, 

while 18 per cent were unsure. 

“I have been very clear: I support a strong and sovereign Alberta within a united Canada," Smith said in a statement.

While it does not reflect Smith's actual voting intention, 

Coletto said the question was asked to shed light on the perceptions Albertans have about her.

“I do think that the question itself, while atypical, 

I think gives us a lot of insight into how Albertans feel what her position is, 

despite what she might be saying 

or how she's saying it,” 

said Coletto. 

Sylvestre said he has also heard Smith maintain a clear position.

“I would suggest that at some point we have to take her at her word that she is actually not in support of Alberta independence,” 

said Sylvestre. 

Twenty-two per cent of respondents said they thought Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre would vote in favour of Alberta separation. 

Poilievre has also said he is in favour of a united Canada.  

Sixteen per cent said they believed former Alberta premier Jason Kenney would vote to separate, 

while seven per cent and six per cent said the same of former premier Rachel Notley 

and current Alberta NDP leader Naheed Nenshi, 

respectively. 

The Abacus polling also looked at whether attitudes would shift if Poilievre were prime minister. 

The results suggest about half would feel the same in their position, 

while 23 per cent would be less supportive of separation. 

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/abacus-data-alberta-separation-poll-9.7116515

"Lululemon shares drop as forecast cut spotlights challenges for incoming CEO"/ "Groupe Dynamite share price sinks 36% despite Q1 profit and revenue up from year ago"

Jun. 8, 2026 "Lululemon shares drop as forecast cut spotlights challenges for incoming CEO": Today I found this article on BNN Bloomberg:

June 5 - Lululemon Athletica shares fell about 8 per cent on Friday after the athleisure wear maker cut its annual profit forecast, 

fanning worries over the pace of its turnaround 

and shifting focus to the challenges awaiting the incoming CEO.

The selloff highlights growing investor unease over the once high-flying yoga wear brand, 

following a proxy battle with founder Chip Wilson 

and a series of product missteps 

that have dented its image, 

ahead of former Nike executive Heidi O’Neill taking over in September.

“Brand momentum is fading, 

share losses are building, 

and sales per foot are deteriorating .... 

The damage under the prior CEO is 

significant 

and long lasting,” 

Jefferies analysts said, adding that the company needs 

a full strategic reset 

under the new CEO.

Brand pressure, lackluster innovation

In the quarter, Lululemon attributed the sales weakness in part to a spike in 

“negative commentary” across media and social platforms, 

linked to a months-long proxy fight in which founder Wilson criticized the company’s leadership. 

It also blamed product launches that failed to resonate with its core affluent female shopper.

Wilson, who is one of the company’s biggest independent shareholders, 

had accused the brand of having lost its “cool” factor, 

with leaders keen to “replicate mass-market, lower quality athletic retailers.”

The negative sentiment has been compounded by stumbles in 

product innovation,

including complaints that its US$108 “Get Low” leggings were see-through, 

alongside earlier issues with fit and design in recent launches.

The Vancouver-based company, 

whose leggings cost up to US$178, is in the early stages of a turnaround, 

ramping up discounting on older inventory 

and revamping marketing as tariffs squeeze margins.

Valuation slides

Its shares fell to an over seven-year low of US$109.36, 

adding to a bruising 12-month stretch in which the stock has lost nearly two-thirds of their worth.

The company forecast a drop in second-quarter sales for the first time since the pandemic,

prompting at least nine brokerages to cut their price target on the stock. 

The median PT has fallen to US$149 from US$205 three months ago.

Growth has also been stifled by newer, fast-growing players in the space such as 

Alo, 

Vuori 

and Skims in the U.S., 

even as China remains a bright spot for Lululemon.

For the full year, 

profit is now expected to slide up to 17 per cent following a 9 per cent drop in 2025 

and operating margin is seen contracting 380 basis points to 16.1 per cent, the lowest since 2006, according to brokerage William Blair.

Against this backdrop, attention is turning to incoming CEO O’Neill, with investors closely watching whether she can revive product innovation and restore momentum in the U.S.

The company’s valuation multiple has compressed to around 10 times forward earnings, well below 22.85 for Nike and 15.10 for Adidas , according to LSEG data.

“Now that the CEO transition path is set, 

fundamentals come back into view 

and they are not good,” 

said BNP Paribas analyst Laurent Vasilescu.

(Reporting by Akriti Shah, Kanishka Ajmera and Savyata Mishra in Bengaluru; Editing by Vijay Kishore and Devika Syamnath)

https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/business/2026/06/08/lululemon-shares-drop-as-forecast-cut-spotlights-challenges-for-incoming-ceo/

Jun. 16, 2026 "Groupe Dynamite share price sinks 36% despite Q1 profit and revenue up from year ago": Today I found this article by Tara Deschamps on BNN Bloomberg:

Shareholder confidence in Groupe Dynamite Inc. took a hit Tuesday 

as the company’s share price plunged almost 36 per cent, 

despite the retailer recording a significant jump in profit and revenue during its most recent quarter. 

The Montreal-based apparel company’s share price closed the trading day down $26.70 to $47.74, 

after it reduced its net new store openings 

and missed some analysts’ expectations.

The disappointment didn’t escape CEO Andrew Lutfy.

“I could feel the energy on the line is certainly a little less enthusiastic than prior calls, 

but I just want to put it out there 

— listen, I mean we’re delivering on the guidance,” 

he said as he wrapped a call with analysts. 

“As a matter of fact, we’re raising the guidance.”

The outlook he was referring to raised Groupe Dynamite’s expectations for its adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization margin to between 38.25 and 39.50 per cent compared with earlier expectations for 37.75 to 39.25 per cent.

But it also dropped the number of net new store openings to between eight and 10, 

rather than the previously forecast 10 to 12, 

and was coupled with the closure of two more stores.

“Now to be clear, those two stores were profitable. 

They simply were not profitable enough to our standards,” 

Lutfy said. 

“So we’ve decided to do the right thing for our business 

and close those two stores a little bit sooner than expected.”

The move will bring the brand’s closures to 16 this year, 

which he admitted is “certainty on the high side,” 

but he said the number will decline in the next couple of years.

Chris Li, a Desjardins analyst, pointed out the brand had 

“modestly lowered” its net new store openings, 

but he still considered the company’s financial performance recently “a strong start to the year.”

RBC analyst Irene Nattel also categorized the results as “strong,” 

but said they left some wanting more.

“Markets were generally expecting better-than-forecast results, although concern had recently been creeping in around magnitude of better-than-expected results/momentum,” she wrote in a note to investors.

Groupe Dynamite’s first-quarter profit was $51.7 million or 45 cents per diluted share, 

up from $27.3 million or 24 cents per diluted share in the same quarter last year.

On an adjusted basis, the company earned 50 cents per diluted share in the period ended May 2, up from 25 cents per diluted share a year ago.

Revenue for the quarter totalled $310.6 million, up from $226.7 million in the same prior-year quarter.

The increases came as customers increasingly scooped up dresses and tops from Dynamite 

and fleece, activewear, camisoles and bootie shorts from Garage, 

president and chief operating officer Stacie Beaver said.

“The only category I would say is soft … is denim and there’s just not much new in that category right now,” she said on the same call as Lutfy. 

“Denim shorts is picking up with the weather, but as a trend, we’re not seeing much in long-leg denim right now.”

Despite the softness in denim, average customers are overall pretty resilient, she argued.

“She’s coming back more. She’s spending more. Her lifetime value is more to us,” Beaver said.

The strength of the brand’s customers is showing up at a time when shoppers have every reason to pare back purchases or become more discerning about price. 

That’s because many brands are passing on the cost of 

U.S. tariffs 

and the wars in the Middle East 

and Europe 

to customers. 

Others who haven’t been hit yet are raising prices as they brace for 

the free trade agreement between Canada, the U.S. and Mexico 

to be renegotiated 

or scraped altogether 

this summer.

Meanwhile, Groupe Dynamite has been able to make its historically small markdown rate even lower without angering customers.

“There doesn’t seem to be any pushback in terms of 

pricing, 

supply, 

demand, 

all that kind of stuff,” 

Lutfy said.

The top 20 per cent of his company’s customer base is

“still seemingly in a good place in terms of disposable income”

 and the overall shopper is “still in really good shape,” 

he said.

---

Tara Deschamps, The Canadian Press

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 16, 2026.

https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/business/company-news/2026/06/16/groupe-dynamite-share-price-tumbles-despite-q1-profit-and-revenue-up-from-year-ago/