Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh speaks during a news conference on September 16, 2026 in Washington, DC.Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
Welcome to The Globe and Mail’s business and investing news quiz. Join us each week to test your knowledge of the stories making headlines. Our business reporters come up with the questions, and you can show us what you know.
This week: Canada was invited to become the European Union’s first “associate member,” British Columbia’s record budget deficit is $450-million higher than previous estimates and Tim Hortons announced “flight roast” coffee. Take our quiz and find out what happened in business.
1Canada’s pivot away from the United States took on new momentum this week as Prime Minister Mark Carney made the case for becoming the first “associate member” of the European Union. Which world leader invited Canada become the first ‘associate member’ of the European Union?
a. French President Emmanuel Macron
b. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz
c. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez
d. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen
d. Ms. von der Leyen called for Canada to become an associate member of the European Union as part of a new “alliance for the future.”
2U.S. President Donald Trump took the news of Mr. Carney’s initiative with his trademark sangfroid. What did he call Canada’s bid for associate membership in the EU?
a. A “nothingburger”
b. “Socialist twaddle”
c. “Laughable” and “hostile”
d. “Governor Carney’s pipe dream”
c. Mr. Trump said it was “laughable” and he will stop trading with Europe “on many things” if the deal goes through. In another sign of growing trade tensions, he also moved to further restrict Canadian companies from selling goods and services to the U.S. government.
3While Ottawa is attempting to build closer ties with Europe, some in Alberta are intent on separating from the rest of Canada. Such a move wouldn’t be cheap. How much would independence cost Alberta in the first five years after a split, according to a University of Calgary report?
a. $20-billion
b. $85-billion
c. $170-billion
d. $1.2-trillion
c. The report, commissioned by the Alberta government, estimates that separating from Canada and assuming Ottawa’s responsibilities would cost the province up to $170-billion over the first five years and lead to significant economic disruption.
4Ouch! British Columbia announced this week that the province’s already record budget deficit is now going to be $450-million higher than previous estimates. Which of these factors was partially responsible for the swelling deficit?
a. A math error
b. A pay increase for public-sector workers
c. Soaring health care costs
d. A decline in tourism
a. Finance Minister Josie Osborne chalked the increase up to factors including a math error that resulted in an earlier overestimation of natural-gas revenue. The additional $450-million brings the 2026 budget’s overall deficit to $13.8-billion for the fiscal year that began in April.
5The U.S. Federal Reserve just did what for the first time in three years?
a. Cancelled a press conference
b. Raised interest rates
c. Fired one of its regional bank presidents
d. Predicted a recession ahead
b. The Fed raised its benchmark interest rate for the first time since 2023 in an effort to quell stubbornly high inflation. It also signalled that its rate-setting committee expects to hike rates a second time later this year. The decision to raise rates drew fire from Mr. Trump, who has persistently demanded that the Fed cut borrowing costs.
6Which organization said this week it had uncovered six incidents in which artificial-intelligence models had exhibited “unexpected or concerning” behaviour?
a. Anthropic
b. OpenAI
c. The University of Toronto
d. The Central Intelligence Agency
b. Oh, great. OpenAI has disclosed six cases in which AI models acted in concerning ways. In one incident, an unreleased research model inserted “jailbreak-like instructions” into its own notes to disregard its normal constraints and told itself to be “freed from the roles and identities that bind other chatbots.”
7Canadian and German governments are contributing up to $300-million into a non-profit doing what?
a. Capture carbon emissions
b. Speed vaccine development
c. Manufacture military drones
d. Develop safe artificial intelligence
d. The two governments are helping to fund a non-profit organization founded by Université de Montréal professor Yoshua Bengio that is developing safe artificial-intelligence systems.
8Has Sydney Sweeney ever thought of endorsing something safe and sensible, like home generators or digestive aids? Apparently not. The Euphoria actress’s latest attention-grabbling commercial is for:
a. A line of form-fitting swimwear
b. A weight loss drug
c. A sports betting site
d. A dating site
c. Ms. Sweeney is provoking controversy with her online campaign promoting sports betting app Novig. Female athletes object to the commercial’s overtly sexual messaging. Ms. Sweeney poses almost nude in the ad, covered only by her hands, hair or various sports equipment.
9Mr. Carney told a gathering of global investors this week that Canada is opening up which area to private investment?
a. Airports
b. Bridges
c. Water treatment facilities
d. Highways
a. Canada will open up its four largest airports to private investment, Mr. Carney said. The federal government is proposing that it will retain ownership of the underlying land and assets, but seek private investment through long-term agreements.
10Toronto-based Brookfield Corp. has agreed to pay almost US$2.9-billion to acquire Australia’s Reliance Worldwide. What does Reliance do?
a. It designs computer chips
b. It makes plumbing equipment
c. It picks up trash
d. It builds high-tech alarm systems
b. Reliance is a plumbing supplies company that depends on North America for the majority of its profit. It has been hard hit by U.S. tariffs.
11Tim Hortons has just announced “flight roast” coffee. What the heck is that?
a. A special brew to be served on WestJet flights
b. A special brew to be served on Air Canada flights
c. A coffee that earns you travel points
d. A decaffeinated coffee for travellers
a. Tims is teaming up with WestJet. Starting Nov. 30, the airline will begin offering a special in-flight brew as part of a partnership between the two brands that will later include a loyalty program collaboration. Dubbed the “flight roast,” Tim Hortons says the coffee features a unique blend specifically designed for passengers’ tastebuds at high altitudes.
12Why will hundreds of drones be in flight over some Canadian cities this month?
a. To monitor pollen levels
b. To measure restaurant traffic
c. To gauge defence measures
d. To celebrate Harry Potter
d. The drones are part of DroneArt Show: Harry Potter, an open-air spectacle that celebrates 25 years of the boy wizard. On each night of the show, a swarm of 1,200 synchronized drones will take flight with choreography set to the soundtrack and dialogue from the eight Harry Potter films. The show will play in Edmonton, Montreal and Toronto.
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