American executives are worried about Canada, Vaping ads go up in smoke, and more top news

The news Canadian professionals are talking about now, curated by LinkedIn’s editors. Join the conversation by clicking the hashtags below.

Executives are losing confidence in their American subsidiaries in Canada, with sentiment reaching its lowest since polling began in 2017. In a survey by Nanos Research, leaders of these subsidiaries shared a weakening sales picture in Canada, a decrease in hiring and they don't expect the Canadian economy to strengthen over the next six months. Global trade tensions — heightened by the U.S. and China — the fallout from Brexit, and the uncertainty of the new North American Free Trade Agreement, are all contributing factors to their grim outlook. ? Here’s what people are saying.

As concerns rise across Canada about the health risks of e-cigarettes, vaping ads and promotions will soon be banned from convenience stores and gas stations in Ontario. Although the ads will still be allowed on public transit and billboards, officials hope the move, effective Jan. 1, will prevent young people from being “exposed and influenced.” Alberta’s government also recently vowed to introduce a new tax on vaping products, while B.C. last month said it would restrict the number of vendors allowed to sell e-cigarette products. ? Here’s what people are saying.

Alberta will cut 2,100 public sector jobs by 2023 and slash its budget by $1.3 billion, in efforts to eliminate its $8.7 billion deficit. Health, education and social service budgets will be frozen, and grants to municipalities will be cut by up to 50 per cent. Years of slow economic growth have caused layoffs and budget cuts throughout the province, and Alberta’s Finance Minister said “boom times” won't return any time soon. ? Here’s what people are saying.

Mackenzie, B.C., once a forestry industry "lifeblood," is in crisis as 25 of the province’s lumber mills have shuttered and 6,000 in the province have lost jobs. Mackenzie residents have banded together in a fight to save their town — a group of them are lobbying the provincial government to reduce stumpage, the fee owed to the government to cut trees. They believe this could help mills reduce costs, and maybe even help some reopen. Lumber analysts say eight more mills will likely close by 2025, spelling a "very uncertain future for towns like Mackenzie and many others in B.C.," the CBC reports. ? Here’s what people are saying.

Companies are beginning to make their interview processes easier for people on the autism spectrum. The changes come as companies create employee programs to support neurodiversity, which is the recognition that minds differ and result in a range of strengths and weaknesses. One advocacy group told the BBC that overly-general job descriptions and those that emphasize social skills can be barriers for people on the autism spectrum. Similarly, vague interview questions — like those asking about career aspirations — can be difficult for some people to decipher. ? Here’s what people are saying.

Idea of the Day: Firms today are evolving more rapidly and radically than ever before, with profound implications for their growth, profitability and returns, writes David Hunt, president and chief executive at PGIM.

“Customers, employees, regulators and shareholders are holding them accountable to a broader set of community values that go well beyond maximizing quarterly earnings.”

What's your take on today’s stories? Share your thoughts in the comments.

— Riva Gold