“C.D.” claimed he suffered anxiety, nightmares and panic attacks after his name appeared on a list of alleged aggressors that circulated on Facebook pages “Dis son nom” (say his name) and “Victims voices,” as well as on Facebook-owned Instagram. The man, who said he has a common Quebec name and that there was no indication he was the target of the allegations, nonetheless said his friends and wife asked him about it. Though the list was eventually removed from the sites, it was still readily accessible. “Social media, notably those owned by Facebook, are not appropriate forums for [sexual misconduct] victims to obtain justice, given the inability to verify and validate the veracity of the anonymous allegations,” reads the class-action request, which was filed in the Superior Court of Quebec. (La Presse)

Talking point: Similar allegations have hit Quebec’s cultural and political milieux over the last several weeks—with some of the alleged perpetrators also pushing back. Notably, Bloc Québécois leader Yves-François Blanchet said he hasn’t ruled out legal action against a Facebook group that published allegations that he attempted to exchange cocaine for sex in the bathroom of a Montreal bar in 1999.

The federal government contract will see the Beijing-based company—known as the “Huawei of airport security”—supply Canadian embassies with walk-through X-ray machines. (National Post)

Talking point: Nuctech is state-owned and founded by the son of Hu Jintao, the former general secretary of the Chinese Communist Party. Its comparison to Huawei invites concerns about competition and national security similar to those that surround the Shenzhen-based telecom giant, whose fate in Canada’s 5G networks is still being decided. The request for proposals on which Nuctech bid stated the contract would go to the lowest bidder. Critics say the process disadvantages Canadian firms and others that may have better technology, but can’t compete against state-subsidized rivals. Nuctech’s successful bid follows efforts by U.S. officials to persuade European governments to stop working with the Chinese firm, citing threats to Western security and business.

Chinese ambassador Liu Xiaoming said Britain’s decision to ban the use of Huawei equipment in its 5G networks over national security concerns will cause other Chinese firms to reconsider doing business in the U.K. A spokesperson for the country’s foreign ministry echoed the warnings, saying the decision compromised “the safety of Chinese investment in the U.K.” Chinese state media, meanwhile, called for “public and painful” retaliation against Britain for its decision. (Reuters, The Guardian)

Talking point: The U.K.’s relations with China have suffered in recent weeks, after Beijing imposed a sweeping national security law on Hong Kong, a former British colony, which the U.K. has strongly opposed. The ban, however, is more directly tied to new U.S. sanctions on Huawei that could further compromise the security of the firm’s equipment. The decision, for which U.S. President Donald Trump has claimed credit, leaves Canada as the only Five Eyes country without any restrictions on the Shenzhen-based telecom firm’s involvement in its 5G networks. While Ottawa hasn’t said whether it will follow suit, U.K. Digital Minister Oliver Dowden said Canada has conducted a similar security analysis as the one Britain used to reach its decision to restrict the firm. The fallout in the U.K. offers a glimpse at what Canada may face if it sides with its closest allies. Investment and trade between Canada and China has already suffered in the wake of Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou’s arrest in Vancouver in late 2018. China denies that the drop in business is related to the arrest, though Beijing’s response to the U.K. decision suggests there could be further strain on China-Canada business relations in the event of a Huawei ban.

The electric-vehicle manufacturer’s stock gained 233 per cent this year, increases that have forced some traders to close their short positions to avoid further losses. Nikola, a Tesla competitor, is having a similar effect, said research firm S3 Partners. (Bloomberg)

Talking point: Short sellers dropping their positions helps boost Tesla’s stock price, and its trading volumes could increase even further if it’s added to the S&P 500 Index, as some analysts predict it soon will be. If the company maintains its current valuation for two more weeks, CEO Elon Musk is due to receive an options package worth US$1.8 billion; his awards last year already made him the best-compensated public-company boss in the U.S. in 2019, per Bloomberg. Runner-up Tim Cook of Apple made less than a quarter as much. Tesla’s stock was up more than 10 per cent in late Friday trading.

Europe’s antitrust regulator is preparing to launch a four-month probe into Google’s US$2.1-billion acquisition of Fitbit, unless the Alphabet subsidiary makes decisions to address privacy and competition concerns, such as by signing a binding pledge to not use Fitbit’s health and wellness data for advertising. Google has until July 13 to make concessions. (Reuters)

Talking point: Last week the EU regulator sent 60-page questionnaires to Google and Fitbit’s rivals, asking them to assess how the acquisition will affect the digital health-care space. This concern has been shared among advocacy groups, which have warned that if the merger is approved, Google could exploit Fitbit’s data-collection capabilities to strengthen its online advertising business. Google said last year that it would not use Fitbit’s data for ads. A decision from EU antitrust regulators on whether or not to clear the deal is expected by July 20. Australian regulators are probing the acquisition over similar concerns, with a decision expected August 13.