A Saskatchewan court ruled that a thumbs-up emoji (👍) can actually validate a contract.  

What happened: The case involved a grain buyer looking to purchase flax and a farmer who responded to his request. The buyer texted the farmer a prospective contract, asking him to confirm it. The farmer replied with a thumbs-up emoji, but never shipped the grains.

While losing a case in the Supreme Court might sound like a big deal for most people, it’s just another day in the life of the world’s biggest footwear brands. 

What happened: The US Supreme Court has refused to hear a complaint by Nike in a  decade-long sneaker design dispute with its archrival Adidas, per Reuters.  

Even though it’s making headlines, lab-grown chicken is the least of the plant-based meat industry’s concerns right now. 

Driving the news: Plant-based meat is the latest victim of high-interest rates and inflation, with a rash of startups lining up for the slaughterhouse as investments dry up, production costs surge, and shoppers looking to cut grocery bills opt for the real, cheaper thing.  

This week, the groups representing accountants in Ontario and Quebéc told Canada’s national accounting organization, “it’s not you, it’s us… well, it’s also you.” 

Driving the news: CPA Ontario and Québec CPA Order have made the dramatic decision to withdraw from Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada, per The Globe and Mail. 

If you thought 37$ chicken breasts were bad, just wait until we tell you about Canada Bread.

Driving the news: One of Canada’s biggest bread producers, Canada Bread, plead guilty to a years-long price inflation scheme unveiled by a Competition Bureau crackdown. The firm will be on the hook for a $50 million fine—the highest ever imposed by a Canadian court. 

If you were disappointed by the new grocer “code of conduct” for being light on details around how the new rules would actually be enforced, this might be some welcome news. 

We have, as they say, some personal news. 

What happened: The Peak has agreed to sell to ZoomerMedia for an aggregate purchase price of $5 million, the companies announced yesterday. 

Shopify employees were once known for their loyalty and reverence for the company, but that was before people started getting fired. 

Shopify is facing a class action lawsuit that alleges the company dialled back on hefty severance sums offered to laid-off employees. Shopify says the offers were miscalculated, but ex-employees are asking for a $130 million apology, per the Canadian Press.   

Our high-level bank earnings summary: “Not great, but things could be worse.” 

Four of Canada’s Big Five banks—TD, RBC, BMO, and Scotiabank—missed estimates this week as tough economic conditions force lenders to put aside more money to prepare for borrowers falling behind on their repayments.