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Gas Is Still $1.81 a Litre: Why Pump Prices Won't Fall (and What to Do Before Winter)

  Canadians hoping for relief at the pump got bad news heading into this week: it isn't coming soon. The national average for regular gas was $1.81 a litre on Friday, according to Kalibrate, with provincial averages ranging from $1.557 in Alberta to $2.156 in Newfoundland, per GasBuddy. That's after a big policy move. On Friday the G7 announced plans to release 100 million barrels of oil right away, starting with diesel. Brent crude dipped on the news, then climbed back to about US$102 a barrel by the afternoon. Don't expect the release to show up at your station, because crude is only half the story. Crude oil explains only half your pump price Wood Mackenzie's Jim Mitchell says crude makes up 50 to 60 per cent of the retail price of gas. The rest is the cost of refining it, and that's where the squeeze is. Bank of Canada Governor Tiff Macklem pointed to damaged refining capacity worldwide in a Sept. 21 speech, noting that pump prices reflect crude roughly US$40 a ...
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France’s Smoky Past Clears the Air: A New Era of Public Health

Once synonymous with effortless cool, the image of the cigarette-wielding French intellectual or screen siren is going up in smoke. France, long romanticized for its laissez-faire relationship with tobacco, is taking decisive steps to extinguish public smoking once and for all.

In a bold public health push, the French government has announced sweeping new restrictions that will ban smoking in most public spaces by 2026. Beaches, public parks, forests, and even outside schools will soon be smoke-free zones. The plan includes stiff fines for violators and a new generation of “non-smoking zones,” reflecting a cultural pivot toward wellness and prevention.

This shift marks a turning point in a country where smoking has long held a cultural cachet. The iconic Gauloises cigarette, once a symbol of national identity, is now being traded for health campaigns and nicotine cessation programs. It’s not just about curbing addiction—it’s about reshaping public space, safeguarding youth, and challenging the legacy of an old habit deeply woven into the national image.

As France clears the air, it’s rewriting what cool looks like in the 21st century. Think mindfulness, clean lungs, and a little less secondhand smoke in your café au lait.



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