I'm very sad to report that Shift magazine has laid off its entire staff in a last ditch effort to find a niche in the Canadian marketplace.

Shift has repeatedly been in the middle of financial maelstroms. Last October it was launched by a new owner, Normal Networks in the States. That meant greater circulation, but it also translated into higher distribution and operating costs. Normal Networks tried to sell off Shift earlier this year. Sorry no takers.

Like Canadian Airlines, Shift employees decided to take a gamble and become equity shareholders. They took a one-third cut in pay and have been trying to find an American buyer. Again -- No takers.

The current plan is to turn things around and return Shift to its original roots -- pure Canadiana. But that depends on finding a Canadian partner to help keep this troubled mag afloat. I hope Shift finds its footing. It's a fine publication. Much worthier than many of sleazy techno-rags currently gracing magazine racks. And just to show you how true blue those Shifters are, staff will continue to work without pay, just to make sure the November edition hits the streets.

Know-How Economy?: As you can see by the woes of Shift, no one in this dotcom era has a fix on what success means these days. And what exactly is "the Knowledge Economy"? No one seems to know for sure, but Jean Chretien and Paul Martin are campaigning hard on the theme that they're the ones to lead Canada into the new millennium and the Knowledge Economy.

Along that theme but unrelated to the election, Nova Knowledge is sponsoring a series of debates on "Millennium Issues for the Knowledge Economy." The subtitle is even more probing: "The 700 Million Dollar Question: Progress or a Step Backwards?"

"Lively debate is not the only goal of M.I.K.E. 2000; challenging popular myths in the knowledge economy and drawing leaders together from all sectors to discuss them are equally important." Lots of guest speakers are lined up and the first debate is scheduled for Wednesday morning (with two more to follow, Nov. 23 and Dec. 5)

Fine Tuning: Most food critics agree that Lumiere, in Vancouver on West Broadway, is one of Canada's best restaurants. Earlier this year I spent a small fortune on the seafood tasting menu at this joint, and got to see for myself what all the fuss was about. The meal featured 10 small, exquisite courses using the freshest ingredients on the West Coast, with the most delicate and flavourful sauces -- using French recipes as a starting point, with a detour to Japan and points west -- and dashing in with the most imaginative use of local herbs and spices. Now I may get to learn how it's done. Instead of writing a cookbook first, executive chef Rob Feenie -- also the consulting chef at New York's hot Le Régence Hotel Plaza Athénée hotel -- has hopped onto the tube with a new series called New Classics (the Food Network at 1 p.m. and 9 p.m. ET). It might not have all the sizzle of The Iron Chef, or the wide appeal of Martha Stewart, but he's Canadian and he's ours.