Dec. 3, 2025 "Thomson, Weston families win Hudson’s Bay charter auction: retailer": Today I found this article by Tara Deschamps on BNN Bloomberg:
TORONTO — Hudson’s Bay Co. has chosen the new owners of the royal charter that created the company more than 350 years ago.
Holding companies belonging to the Thomson and Weston families were named the winners Wednesday after making an uncontested $18-million bid for the 1670 document.
They will donate it to a group of four museums.
The purchase is subject to court approval as part of the Hudson’s Bay insolvency proceedings.
The announcement confirms reporting from The Canadian Press, which previously revealed no one came forward to bid against the Thomsons and Westons in the Dec. 3 sale hosted by the shuttered retailer and its financial adviser Reflect Advisors.
When the deal closes, the families plan to donate the charter immediately and permanently to
the Archives of Manitoba,
the Manitoba Museum,
the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau, Que.,
and the Royal Ontario Museum.
They will donate another $5 million to support the charter’s preservation
and help maintain public access to the document.
Future support has also been promised by the Desmarais family and Power Corp. of Canada, along with the Hennick Family Foundation.
The charter is among the country’s most significant artifacts because it was
King Charles II’s way of granting HBC control over one-third of modern Canada
and laying the groundwork for mass colonialism.
It’s likely no one else made a play for the charter because the Thomsons and Westons are two of the country’s richest and most powerful families, making them difficult to face off against.
The Thomsons made their fortune in the media business and once owned a controlling stake in HBC.
The Westons are known for their ties to grocery giant Loblaw Cos. Ltd. and department store Holt Renfrew.
Thomas Caldwell, the head of investment firm Urbana Corp. and a former governor of the Toronto Stock Exchange, once mulled placing a bid for the charter but decided not to participate when the families started making offers.
“I like to joke that my patriotism wanes when we get into double-digit millions,” he told The Canadian Press in a late November email.
“The goal was to have the charter remain in Canadian hands in a museum here.
Given the Westons and Thomsons are co-operating to do just that, then the goal is achieved.”
It took the families months to unite and offer a joint bid for the charter, which HBC is selling to put a dent in the more than $1 billion it owed when it filed for creditor protection and closed all its stores earlier this year.
Originally, HBC planned to have Heffel Fine Art Auction House sell the charter but changed its mind in July, when the Westons offered $12.5 million for it through their holding company, Wittington Investments Ltd. They wanted to donate the charter to the Canadian Museum of History, a Crown corporation.
HBC was readying to call off the auction and accept the Westons’ offer until David Thomson’s firm DKRT Family Corp. came forward.
DKRT said it had been sitting on the sidelines awaiting an auction it thought should take place. If HBC reverted to its original plan, DKRT would start the bidding at $15 million and if it won, hand the charter to the Archives of Manitoba.
HBC decided to go along with that plan and booked a court hearing to get permission to execute it. When an unsolicited offer from a mystery bidder emerged just before the court date, it instead called off the hearing.
Later, that bid was revealed to be the joint Thomson-Weston offer, which HBC decided to use as a starting auction price.
When no one decided to square off against the families, they became the de facto winners.
The result pleased Caroline Dromaguet, president and CEO of the Canadian Museum of History.
She said her organization was honoured to be one of the four institutions entrusted with “a defining part of Canada’s history” and promised the museum would take the job of preserving and sharing the charter “very seriously.”
“This donation ensures that Canadians from coast to coast to coast will have the opportunity to
learn from,
access
and connect
with this pivotal piece of our national story,”
she said in a statement.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 3, 2025.
Tara Deschamps, The Canadian Press
Dec. 11, 2025 "Court approves $18M sale of 350-year-old HBC royal charter to Thomsons, Westons": Today I found this article by Tara Deschamps on CBC:
Two of Canada's wealthiest families have cleared the final hurdle on the road to buying and donating the royal charter that created the Hudson's Bay Co.
Ontario Superior Court Judge Peter Osborne gave the shuttered retailer permission Thursday to sell the 355-year-old document to holding companies belonging to the Thomson and Weston families for $18 million.
The families plan to donate the charter immediately and permanently to the Archives of Manitoba, the Manitoba Museum, the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau, Que., and the Royal Ontario Museum.
Each of the organizations has already agreed to accept the charter, which was issued by King Charles II on May 2, 1670, and allowed for the creation of HBC, which was then a fur-trading business.
The five-page vellum document was pivotal for the country, because it granted HBC control over one-third of modern Canada during its colonization,
centuries before Confederation.
It was put up for auction because Hudson's Bay filed for creditor protection in March and has since closed all of its stores; the defunct company has been selling off its trove of 4,400 pieces of art and artifacts to pay back those owed money.
Osborne approved Thursday an extension of HBC's creditor protection period to March 31.
The Thomsons, who made their money in the media business, and the Westons, who are giants in the grocery and retail world, were the lone bidders in the charter auction, but a court had to approve their joint purchase before it could take place.
The court approval of the charter's sale ends a saga that has kept HBC lawyers and financial advisers busy for months.
They initially planned to auction off the document before Weston firm Wittington Investments Ltd. stepped forward in July with a $12.5-million offer to buy the charter and donate it to the Canadian Museum of History, a Crown corporation.
HBC was prepared to accept the Weston offer, but then David Thomson's firm DKRT Family Corp. argued it had been waiting for an auction to make its own $15-million starting bid. It wanted the Archives of Manitoba to own the charter.
HBC decided to revert back to the auction plan and let Thomson make the opening bid, until both families teamed up to make an $18-million bid.
Reflect Advisors, HBC's financial advisers, reached out to 150 people or companies to see if they would top the bid. HBC said no one was willing, making the Thomson and Weston bid the de facto winner.
"Reflect did its utmost to try to generate a competitive auction but,
when we finally got to that point,
in light of the joint bid
and the increased purchase price,
no one else wanted to participate,"
HBC lawyer Ashley Taylor said in court Thursday.
Nevertheless, "We were left, I think, in a very good place," he said.
Asad Moten, a lawyer for the attorney general of Canada, agreed, saying the Thomson and Weston plan was beneficial because it kept the charter in Canada and ensured it will be accessible to the public.
The charter has been kept in a protective box in storage since the creditor protection case began, and before that, it was in a private office, Moten said.
Before it is moved anywhere, the Canadian Conservation Institute will examine it to assess its condition and make recommendations on next steps, Moten said.
The Thomsons and Westons have said the four institutions they will donate the charter to will be designated "custodians" and will share the document equally. However, the families would like the charter to first go on display in Winnipeg, where HBC opened its first department store in 1881.
How exactly the charter is shared will be decided through a Thomson and Weston-requested consultation process with Indigenous groups, museums, universities, archives, subject matter experts and the public.
However, a term sheet, which was filed with the Ontario Superior Court and signed by the donors and recipients, offers a range of possibilities.
Among them is an arrangement where each institution gets the charter for "rotating multi-year periods on a mutually agreed-upon schedule."
Other organizations not named custodians could exhibit the charter and unidentified "associated artifacts" as part of a national tour, the document said.
When the charter isn't on exhibit at one of the four custodial institutions, the term sheet said the custodian organizations could perhaps display high-quality replicas of the artifact.
The term sheet also contemplates a website being created to showcase
the charter
and digital renderings of other artifacts and documents
and periodic symposia
being hosted to teach people about the charter "and its significance to the nation, Canadian history, and Indigenous peoples over centuries."
The Thomsons and Westons have agreed to donate $5 million to help fund these efforts and keep the charter preserved and shared with the public.
Future support has also been promised by the Desmarais family and Power Corp. of Canada, along with the Hennick Family Foundation.
The Desmarais family is behind Power Corp., which has a controlling stake in insurer GreatWest Lifeco and IGM Financial.
The Hennick family founded real estate firm Colliers International.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/hbc-royal-charter-sold-thomsons-westons-9.7011794
There is 1 blog post this week. I have been busy. Maybe next week, there will be 2 more blog posts.
Jeral A, Toronto, Ontario, would like to know:
Have you ever cried when a celebrity passed away?
No 70.74% (3007)
Yes 29.26% (1244)
"The brief life of The Gavel Pub, Edmonton's attempt at a courthouse-themed bar"/ "Missing your favourite lunch spot? How food courts are emerging from the pandemic"
Halle Berry is paying tribute to her co-star Adan Canto, a Mexican actor best known for his roles in "Designated Survivor" and the superhero drama "X-Men: Days of Future Past."
Canto died Monday after succumbing to appendiceal cancer, the actor's publicist Jennifer Allen confirmed to USA TODAY in an emailed statement Tuesday. He was 42.
Most recently, Canto starred as Arman Morales on the Fox crime drama "The Cleaning Lady."
“The Cleaning Lady" is currently filming its third season. Canto was unable to participate in the production due to his illness, but he was hoping to rejoin later in the season.
https://ca.yahoo.com/news/adan-canto-designated-survivor-x-212824322.html
My opinion: I was shocked and saddened that he died. I didn't know he was sick. I usually don't read too much about celebrities. I love him on The Cleaning Lady. He was hot in the tall, dark, and handsome way.
https://badcb.blogspot.com/2024/01/the-brief-life-of-gavel-pub-edmontons.html
Jan. 11, 2024: I need to process this.
This affects me:
1. I really like Adan. He's hot and talented. He was really good on The Cleaning Lady.
2. He is on one of my favorite TV shows The Cleaning Lady.
Apr. 24, 2024 The Cleaning Lady season 3:
S3 Ep 1 "Arman": He was in 1 scene. His character gets kidnapped.
At the end of the ep: "This season is dedicated to our beloved friend ADAN CANTO."
S3 Ep 6 "El Reloj": Arman is in the car with the bad guys. The Bad Guy points a gun at Thony who is in the other car and driving by.
Arman hits the bad guy's arm and some shots fired.
The bad guy's car drives off a cliff.
At the end of the ep: "In loving memory of ADAN CANTO."
S3 Ep 7 "Velorio": Arman's wake. There are a few clips of him in previous episodes.
At the end of the ep: "In loving memory of ADAN CANTO."
I feel really sad after watching these 2 episodes.
Valerie P, Hamilton, Ontario, would like to know:
Does your workplace host a holiday event in December, such as a meal or team activity?
Yes 45.83% (2045)
Not applicable 37.05% (1653)
No 17.12% (764)
Dec. 7, 2025 Fun personality quiz: I was listening to one of those online event series. I always post the links on my Facebook page:
Chelsea Maker
Presentation:
Reflective Alchemy, Transforming the Way You See Yourself
Chelsea Maker is a shamanic practitioner, vocalist, and creator of Astralwork, a modern pathway for safe, grounded, substance-free journeying. Her work weaves ancient energetic practices, intuitive reflection, and the power of the voice to guide people into deeper connection with their inner wisdom. Through her workshops, one-on-one sessions, and guided journeys, Chelsea helps clients dissolve fear-based patterns, open their intuitive channels, and reclaim parts of themselves that have been dormant or unseen.
Her approach is rooted in presence, embodiment, and spiritual clarity. She specializes in helping others access altered states of consciousness safely, facilitating emotional release, nervous system calm, and personal transformation. Chelsea’s gift lies in making profound spiritual work feel accessible, grounded, and empowering.
As an artist and teacher, she blends sound, energy, and storytelling to create experiences that reconnect people with their truth and their purpose. Her work supports those who are ready to meet themselves honestly, expand their spiritual practice, and step into the fullest expression of who they are.
This is a personality quiz:
1. What is your favorite color? Give 3 reasons why.
2. What is your favorite animal? Give 3 reasons why.
3. What is your favorite body of water? Like a lake, river. Give 3 reasons why.
4. What is thing that you find beautiful? Like a flower. Give 3 reasons why.
The reasons:
1. This reveals your aura and your personality.
2. These are the qualities you want in a partner.
3. This describes your sexuality.
4. This is what you're seeking
https://makingmiracleshappenseries.com/2025-chelsea-maker-day-3/
https://makingmiracleshappenseries.com/episodeguideday3/
https://www.instagram.com/frankincensed/?hl=en
Sat. Dec. 13, 2025:
Shaheer A, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, would like to know:
What are your favorite snacks to enjoy while watching a movie?
Both sweet and salty 41.55% (3267)
Salty snacks 38.00% (2988)
I don’t snack while watching movies 13.42% (1055)
Sweet snacks 7.03% (553)
Schwartz Brothers Bakery Organic Everything Bagel Chips, 425 g
My opinion: This tastes like croutons because of the hard bread and the seasoning.
This costs $12.99 so I find this kind of expensive. This was $3 off so we paid $ 9.99
