Scotiabank Caribbean plan scrutinized, Canada to lose 12,500 energy jobs, 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.

The Bank of Nova Scotia's plans to sell its assets in the Caribbean to Trinidad and Tobago-based Republic Financial Holdings Ltd. have been flagged by watchdogs as "anticompetitive." The sales were intended to help the bank strengthen operations in its North American markets by withdrawing from other international regions, including the Caribbean. ? Here’s what people are saying.

Canada's oil and gas sector will lose 12,500 jobs this year, a 23% drop from 226,500 jobs in 2014 to 173,300 jobs, a new report forecasts. The decline in jobs is attributed to "low commodity prices, a decline in investment spending, and uncertainty about getting oil and gas to market due to full export pipelines." Alberta is expected to be hit the hardest, while British Columbia is forecast to lose the fewest. ? Here’s what people are saying.

Uber will look to raise around $10 billion through its initial public offering, reports Reuters, citing people familiar with the matter. The ride-hail giant could publicly file as soon as Thursday and begin trading on the New York Stock Exchange in May, according to reports. Uber’s anticipated IPO — expected to be the year's biggest — comes weeks after Lyft’s. Uber was last valued at $76 billion in the private market and is seeking a valuation of between $90 billion and $100 billion.? Here’s what people are saying.

Facebook and Google are back under the spotlight. The tech giants attended a congressional hearing Tuesday over the rise of racism on their platforms, just as other governments, including Canada and the U.K., consider industry regulation. Their proposals include empowering officials to fine tech companies and sue their executives for failing to rein in illegal or damaging content. A host of other nations, including Australia and New Zealand, have enacted or are considering similar laws. ? Here’s what people are saying.

Canada is in no rush to ratify the new United States-Mexico-Canada trade deal, said Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland, because the existing NAFTA deal remains. Freeland said ratifying the new NAFTA through legislation was not as urgent as previous government bills to ratify recent trade deals with the European Union and Pacific Rim countries. Canada is also considering whether to update its retaliatory tariffs to U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminum. The U.S. tariffs remain in place, despite the new NAFTA deal being reached last October. ? Here’s what people are saying.

Idea of the Day:  Young people need to not only have the skills to compete for jobs, they need to know how to demonstrate them to prospective employers, says Girls With Impact CEO Jennifer Openshaw.

“Today more than ever, employers are asking: can you show me what you’ve done?”

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

— Carmel Melouney and Jessica Hartogs