Snow falls in the Rockies and southern Alberta

On Wednesday, rain turned into snow in southern Alberta, with Pincher Creek and Blairmore getting up to five centimetres before it became rain again. It also snowed at higher elevations in the Rockies for most of the afternoon.

Lethbridge, Claresholm and Pincher Creek had the highest precipitation.

The blast of winter came as welcome news for ski resorts.

Tanya Otis, spokeswoman for Sunshine Village Ski and Snowboard Resort, said it snowed about two centimetres between 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.

Similarly, the snow was coming down at higher elevations further west.

Most of the ski resorts in the Rockies open in November.

Shoppers Drug Mart customers target of Canada-wide scam

Ontario - A telephone scam that claims to be connected to Shoppers Drug Mart is sweeping the nation with people in Ontario and in New Brunswick worried about the security of their personal information.

CBC News has spoken to several people who received the calls over the past month.
They say the calls appear to originate from local numbers and once answered, a recorded message tells recipients they have won a free trip from Shoppers Drug Mart.
Individuals are then connected to a live operator who asks for their credit card information.
Shoppers Drug Mart spokeswoman Lana Gogas said the company, recently purchased by Loblaw Inc., has contacted the RCMP to investigate.
Many stores, including some in Ottawa, have also posted signs warning customers about the scam.
Gogas said the company would never ask for credit card information over the phone.
"We are just telling people that this is indeed fraud. Shoppers Drug Mart would never ask for credit card information over the phone, ever. The contest that they are referring to does not even exist at Shoppers Drug Mart currently," she said.
"If anybody is worried about or has provided personal information they [should] just contact their credit card provider immediately."
The RCMP has told people to contact the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre with any complaints.

Rogers to offer its own credit card

TORONTO - Rogers Communications Inc. (TSX:RCI.B) has received approval from regulators to start offering its own credit card.

The telecommunications giant announced Friday that the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions has granted it an order to commence and carry on business.

Rogers will start offering its credit card in 2014 but a select group of customers will be able to use the card sooner as part of a pilot program.

Although the card will be available to everyone, Rogers customers who use the card will be able to accumulate loyalty points, under the Rogers First Rewards program.

The credit card is the primary focus of Rogers Bank, which was incorporated earlier this year.

Edmonton mayoral candidates at glance

Oil fall to near US$108 after Britain refrains from backing action against Syria

The price of oil fell to near US$108 a barrel Friday after British lawmakers refused to approve military action against Syria, easing concerns about international intervention in the country's civil war.

By early afternoon in Europe, benchmark oil for October delivery was down 77 cents to $108.03 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract fell $1.30 to close at $108.80 a barrel on Thursday.

Britain's parliament on Thursday refused to go along with Prime Minister David Cameron's plan to intervene in Syria, whose government is suspected of a chemical weapons attack earlier this month that killed more than 300 civilians.

Another hurdle in forming an international coalition to undertake a military strike against Syria took place at the U.N., when Russia blocked British efforts to force a resolution approving action.

Syria is not a major oil producer but a widening conflict there could affect major producers in the region or disrupt supply routes.

"The surprise out of the UK took out some premium in crude oil although the question remains as to whether the current supply-disruption premium currently in the market is for Syria or for Libya," said analyst Olivier Jakob of Petromatrix in Switzerland.

Earlier this week, Libya's deputy oil minister, Omar el-Shakmak, said the country was currently exporting between 300,000 and 320,000 barrels a day, a fifth of the 1.6 million barrels it regularly exported before the 2011 war that overthrew dictator Moammar Gadhafi.

The export drop was due to protests by security guards protecting Libya's oil industry and infrastructure shutdowns.

Jakob said Libya's supply disruption was "a very significant event."

Traders were also looking ahead to the release later Friday of information on U.S. consumer spending in July, one of the key indicators of economic activity.

Brent crude, the benchmark for international crudes, was down 21 cents to $114.95 a barrel on the ICE Futures exchange in London.

In other energy futures trading on Nymex:

— Wholesale gasoline was down 1.89 cents to $2.9117 per gallon.

— Heating oil lost 1.11 cents to $3.1772 per gallon.

— Natural gas dropped 1.3 cents to $3.605 per 1,000 cubic feet.

If Verizon never comes: Three Canadian wireless industry takeaways

The Friday before a long weekend is probably not the best time to hold a rally, but a rally to build support for the big three telecom carriers in their war against Verizon’s possible entry into Canada? That was truly a bad call.

And yet, as I write these words, members of the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union and the Canadian Auto Workers (now called Unifor) are getting ready to set up in the middle of downtown Toronto. “No to Verizon!” the poster reads, with an ‘X’ crossed out over the U.S. telecom giant’s name as though it were a ballot. This comes just a few days after Verizon reportedly began trying to buy out its longtime partner Vodofone’s stake in its wireless operation.

This is a $130 billion transaction which some analysts believe may diminish the chances of the company entering Canada and bidding in the forthcoming wireless spectrum auction after all. Though of course no one knows anything for sure, it’s worth thinking about what a Verizon-free Canada would mean, and what we’ve learned so far:

Incumbents are one of the most powerful political parties in Canada:
Forget the Conservatives and their Liberal attack ads. The “Fair for Canada” campaign brought together major carriers to exercise their influence at an unprecedented scale and seemingly relentless vigor. If they can work this hard to coordinate their public relations efforts, why couldn’t they do more to satisfy Canadians’ desires for better pricing and network coverage?

Industry Canada needs a backup plan: As much as you could admire Minister James Moore’s tough-guy stance against the pressure from Bell, Telus and Rogers, it’s clear that the government’s hopes have been nearly as high as some consumers. Having failed to create a viable fourth national player following previous auctions, the possibility of Verizon coming in represented a chance to save face. Time to start thinking about how to empower the regional carriers and local competition if another foreign juggernaut fails to show interest in our spectrum auction.

Expectations have been irrevocably raised:
Had the Verizon issue never developed, most everyday Canadians would probably never have taken notice of the next spectrum auction, or wondered whether anyone would rise up to replace the financially struggled incumbent alternatives we briefly enjoyed with Public Mobile, Mobilicity and Wind Mobile. The Fair for Canada campaign, meanwhile, suggests that consumers would be far better off with market that continues to be dominated by the established oligarchs. Should Verizon fail to appear, they’ll need to prove it.

We’ll know in due time whether the notion of entering Canada was just a “bargaining” chip Verizon was using with Vodofone, as some have described it. What this summer proved, however, is that everyone from the incumbents to Industry Canada are gambling over the future of quality wireless service across Canada. With or without Verizon, those are still important stakes sitting on the table.

6 costly mistakes to avoid when shopping at warehouse clubs

While warehouse clubs can offer price benefits, for many, shopping visits to these clubs can perpetuate a cycle of overbuying and overusing - shopping habits that are inconsistent with saving money in the long run.

If you're trying to stick with a budget each month and always seem to spend too much on groceries, make sure to avoid these six costly mistakes when shopping at warehouse clubs:

1. Buying perishables in bulk. Unless you're absolutely certain that your household will go through that 10 pound bag of oranges in a few days, or eat that multi-pack of guacamole within a week, you will end up wasting money buying fruits, vegetables and other perishables in bulk. Get into the habit of meal planning for the week so you have an accurate idea of the amount of ingredients you will actually need. Unless you can cook or eat all of that fresh produce and items that expire over the course of a few days or a week, most of that purchase could end up in the dumpster.

2. Depending on the warehouse club for all your groceries. Don't depend on the warehouse club for most or all of your grocery purchases. Make note of what items you can get for a good price, and plan on making a trip to a regular grocery store where you can use store coupons and take advantage of weekly deals and specials on items you know you will use.

3. Shopping without a list. You make a list for groceries and household supplies to keep yourself on track, so why not do the same when shopping at a warehouse club? Even though you might find some great deals and markdowns going from aisle to aisle at the club, buying items you don't really need or can't use right away won't save you money. Therefore, make a shopping list of items you need just like you would for a grocery store run so you can keep your budget on track and avoid those tempting impulse buys.

4. Ignoring the online selection. Many warehouse club websites carry even more inventory - and less expensive alternatives - than the items you see in the store, and some also offer free shipping and other online deals. When you're shopping for non-perishable items and larger items that you might want delivered to your home, consider the benefits of placing your order online instead. You can buy everything from patio furniture and bar stools, to kitchen supplies and bulk baked goods online at a discounted price. Compare your selections to the prices at other retail stores and online retailers to make sure you really are getting the best deal.

5. Forgetting about expiration dates on processed items. Buying in bulk only saves you money when you don't end up with bags of groceries that expire before you can use them. Even those highly-processed and packaged foods have expiration dates, though some won't expire for a few months. Still, it's a good idea to make note of expiration dates on everything from chips and candy, to breads and meats. Think about how long it will really take to get through that box of candy or family pack of deli meat, and make sure you're buying items that won't expire any time soon.

6. Failing to compare prices. Shopping at a warehouse club can make you feel more comfortable buying more of a certain item or buying a particular brand because you think you're paying a discounted price. However, this is not always the case. Make sure you're pricing out those bulk buys per item and can compare those prices to the grocery store or other retailers. If you're buying high-end items such as televisions, computers, car accessories or household appliances, do a price check and make sure you're comparing the exact same make and model. Some warehouse clubs may carry older models or items that are on sale or eligible for a rebate elsewhere. You might even find a better selection on high-end items if you shop at a specialty retailer such as a home goods store or electronics store. Do some research before splurging for that HDTV or furniture set.