Happy National Paperclip Day to all who observe. In honour of this important occasion, I want to recall one of Canada’s best paperclip-related stories: that of Kyle MacDonald who, way back in 2005, made a series of increasing trades that began with single red paperclip and ended with an actual, honest-to-goshness house. It only took him 14 trades to accomplish! A truly inspiring tale, unless you’re still struggling to save up that down payment, in which case you’ll agree that everyone involved, other than Kyle, was an idiot.

– Kat Angus, Deputy Editor

The takeaway: North American indices had a mixed week. The TSX slipped as Iran ceasefire talks brought oil prices down and hit Canadian energy stocks, while US indices mostly rose. The standout story was Micron (NASDAQ: MU), which crossed US$1 trillion in market cap for the first time on Tuesday – the share price jumped 19% and is up more than 70% in May alone, all because the AI industry needs more chips. Micron is now one of only 14 companies ever to hit that threshold, joining a club that didn’t even exist a decade ago.

Welp, Alberta will hold a vote this fall on whether to remain in Canada, following a citizen-led petition that collected more than 300,000 signatures, nearly double the 178,000 required. Premier Danielle Smith announced the referendum last week, though her official stance is that she wants Alberta to stay, just with a lot more autonomy. (You mean this is all political theatre?! You don't say.)

It’s worth noting that the October 19 vote isn't a direct separation vote. It’ll ask whether Alberta should begin the legal process to hold an actually binding vote later – so, the beginnings of a concept of a plan. Prime Minister Carney called it undemocratic and insisted Alberta is "essential" to Canada.

Messaging from the UCP is muddled, too – this week, party president Rob Smith (no relation) told The Globe and Mail that most members would likely vote to leave and the party wouldn't pick sides. Premier Smith publicly overruled him Wednesday, with the party issuing a statement that it has always supported remaining in Canada. And we've always been at war with Eurasia!

On the bright side, if Alberta does end up leaving Canada, at least the drive from Saskatchewan to British Columbia will get a lot shorter.

by Shilpashree Jagannathan

This is an excerpt of an article originally run in full on The Margin.

I don’t really know how to cook without tomatoes. They used to be a routine purchase – usually around the $1.50 to $2 a pound range, never expensive enough to make me hesitate or even notice. One of my staple dishes is South Indian tomato rasam, a spicy, tangy, soup-like dish made with tomatoes, lentils, herbs, and Indian spices – my kids love it. So when I saw tomatoes at Food Basics had reached $3.99 a pound, it didn’t feel like the price of just one vegetable had gone up. It felt like my entire way of cooking was suddenly out of reach.

My mom and grandma advised me to compare prices, change stores, swap ingredients, and be flexible when an ingredient becomes expensive. But in the produce aisle, I realized the advice didn't work, because tomatoes are the soul of rasam. It assumes that I have time, transportation, and access to multiple stores, plus a way to cook with different ingredients, for a dish that's as comforting as rasam. It also assumes that just any tomato will do.

So I gave in and started comparing prices with other stores, but the more I looked, the less useful the comparison felt. Online, I found Food Basics listing hothouse red tomatoes at $3.99/lb, No Frills with Roma at $2.99/lb and beefsteak at $3.99/lb, and Walmart with Roma at roughly $1.90/lb. Prices can change quickly and differ by location, delivery platform, and store, but the exercise didn't make me feel like a smarter shopper. It just made me realize how much grocery advice depends on having options.

The cheapest tomato was technically a solution to my problem, but it wasn't always the right tomato for what I was cooking. For rasam, I usually use hothouse tomatoes; if those are not available, I use tomatoes on the vine. That preference isn't fancy – it's taste, texture, and what I know works for rasam. It's the kind of cooking logic that has nothing to do with finding the lowest price.

Read more

Kat Angus, Deputy Editor: Tell me, dear reader, how often has this happened to you? You enter a bathroom and fumble for the light switch, except that the first light switch your hand finds, the one closest to the door, actually turns on the loud, annoying bathroom fan. Turns out it’s the NEXT light switch that turns on the lights, ya dummy!

Or maybe that first switch does turn on the light. Because there’s no way for you to know for sure beforehand, is there? Our society lacks standardization when it comes to the assignment of bathroom switches, so it’s just up to the whims of the electrician which one will actually illuminate the room. Every time you try to turn on the lights, you risk the jump scare of the fan. It’s chaos.

“But what about the switches in bathrooms you use all the time?” you may be asking. Irrelevant! I’m still never able to remember the proper switch order, even in my own house. It’s like when we had to insert USBs the correct way – somehow, whatever I choose is always wrong. And, at least to me, it’s obvious that the switch closest to the door should always turn on the light. I need to see what’s in the room before I know which other switches are necessary, right?

I know this seems like a momentary setback with a quick solution, but this affliction has followed me for decades, and it’s death by a thousand cuts. Well, I say NO MORE! It’s time for the government to stop ignoring this national nightmare and finally enact laws requiring the light switch closest to the bathroom door to control the lights. No exceptions.

Don’t even get me started on those “vertical light switch panel” people. Freaks, the lot of ‘em.

(Shazia ran the Ottawa Half-Marathon last Sunday and we are all very proud of her.)

If you liked this newsletter, hated this newsletter, or are totally indifferent to it, hit the reply button and tell us why! We’re so lonely.

This week’s contributors: Shilpashree Jagannathan (writer), Tyler Haw (audience engagement), Jenna Zaitchik (senior creative designer), Shazia Khan (social media strategy manager), Kat Angus (deputy editor), and Eric Wainwright (editor in chief).

Important Legal Disclosures
"The Margin" is a financial news and media platform published by QuestMedia Inc. and is a member of the Questrade Group of Companies. Questrade Group of Companies means Questrade Financial Group and its affiliates that provide deposit, investment, loan, securities, mortgages and other products or services. Our editorial team operates independently, though "The Margin" may promote Questrade services and receive promotional benefits when users click provided links or open accounts.
Not Investment Advice & Risk Warning: All content is for informational and educational purposes only. "The Margin" is not a registered investment adviser or broker-dealer. Nothing published constitutes a recommendation, solicitation, or offer to buy or sell any security, or to engage in any investment strategy. Trading securities—especially on margin—involves significant risk and can result in the loss of your entire investment. Please consult a qualified financial or tax professional before making any investment decisions.
Limitation of Liability: Content and market data are provided "as is" without warranties of any kind. "The Margin" and its affiliates assume no liability for your trading results or data inaccuracies. Contributors to "The Margin" may hold positions in the securities discussed.
Your personal information is handled in accordance with the Questrade Financial Group Privacy Policy. You may withdraw your consent to receive these emails at any time by clicking "unsubscribe."