China warms to Canadian meat, oil and gas workers have nowhere to go, 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.

China says it will allow Canadian meat into the country for the first time since June. China – one of Canada's largest export markets – had paused Canada's beef and pork imports for five months, saying it contained a banned additive and came with fake inspection certificates. While some take the move as a sign of improved Canada-China relations, analysts caution it may be mostly due to an outbreak of African swine fever that has cut into China's pork supply. The impasse over canola shipments will not be affected. ? Here’s what people are saying.

Pressure is building in Canada’s oilpatch. Some 7,600 jobs are at risk in the industry this year, says Petroleum Labour Market Information, and despite high hopes for renewable energy, the sector isn’t growing fast enough to absorb lost jobs. Transitioning workers from fossil fuels to clean energy is complex and requires more than just retraining, the Financial Post reports. Hundreds of oil and gas positions are shed each month – Husky Energy reduced its staff in October – and roughly 50,000 jobs have been lost since oil prices collapsed in 2014. ? Here’s what people are saying.

Ryan Holmes, chief executive and founder at Hootsuite, has announced that he will step down from his post after 11 years and has started looking for a replacement. The Vancouver-based social media company facilitates the management and analytics of multiple social media accounts. Analysts say the company is worth about $750 million. In April, Hootsuite reportedly laid off an estimated 100 workers. ? Here’s what people are saying.

Xerox is considering a bold takeover bid for personal computer maker HP, reports The Wall Street Journal, citing anonymous sources. The copier maker is said to be mulling a cash-and-stock offer for HP, which has a US$27 billion market value and is more than three times the size of Xerox. The move comes after Xerox ended its 57-year tie-up with Fujifilm, offloading its stake for $2.3 billion. A union between the two household names could benefit both companies as they battle the decline in printing, said the Journal. ? Here’s what people are saying.

At the heart of the global economic slowdown lies one industry, reports The Financial Times – the motor industry. Both a “culprit and victim,” the auto sector shrank last year for the first time in a decade, accounting for a large chunk of the global economy and trade growth slowdowns, according to the IMF. While it predicts a small uptick in global trade next year, the group warns that could be jeopardised if car makers get caught in the crossfires of the U.S.-EU trade spat. The U.S. will decide next week whether to impose 25% tariffs on auto imports. ? Here’s what people are saying.

Idea of the Day: Trust is the bedrock upon which all lasting relationships are built, writes Harriet Green, CEO and Chairman of IBM Asia Pacific.

“It’s about creating the psychological safety that encourages people to be open and honest in what they share, and to be able to give their trust with confidence.”

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

— Riva Gold