MONTREAL — The COVID-19 pandemic has led to massive declines in public transit ridership across Canada, yet many cities decided to maintain service levels this year, while others even chose to expand.
Not long after the global health crisis reached Canada, rates of public transit use across the country dropped by about 85 per cent, according to prof. Matti Siemiatycki of University of Toronto’s geography and planning department.
The transportation policy expert said there were fears transit agencies in Canada would have to make drastic service cuts. “Public transit networks have been among the most impacted sectors in the economy from the pandemic,” he said in a recent interview.
Instead, provincial and federal funding rescued the country’s transit systems from the verge of collapse, he said. In the United States, however, public transit systems are facing the “dreaded transit death spiral,” Siemiatycki said, where cuts lead to further declines in ridership, which lead to further cuts and declines.
Washington, D.C., and Boston have announced major service cuts. In New York City, the local transit authority said in mid-November it may be forced to cut bus and subway service by 40 per cent and lay off more than 9,000 workers.
In contrast, Toronto and Montreal are expanding their transit systems. Luc Tremblay, CEO of the Montreal Transit Corp. said in a recent interview Montreal chose to maintain service levels in 2020 at 2019 levels — despite the fact ridership is about 65 per cent of what it was before COVID-19 hit.
Montreal, Tremblay said, made that choice so service is available when riders decide to return. “It’s the key,” he explained. “Build it and they will come.”
On Dec. 15, as Quebec imposed more COVID-19-related restrictions to stop a surge in infections across the province, the government announced a major expansion to the city’s light rail system. Twenty-three new stations will be added to the commuter rail network, with construction set to begin in 2023.
In the country’s largest city, the Toronto Transit Commission said service during the week of Dec. 4 was at 95 per cent of pre-pandemic levels. The transit agency said it will maintain the same level of service in 2021. The Ontario government is also moving forward with a $28-billion plan to expand transit in the Toronto area.
In British Columbia, transit agencies will receive more than $1 billion in federal and provincial funding to maintain service levels. Federal money also helped Winnipeg’s public transit agency fill a gap in its budget after ridership — and fare revenue — declined.
Marco D’Angelo, president and CEO of the Canadian Urban Transit Association, a trade association that represents the country’s public transit agencies, said service across the country is currently about 87 per cent of pre-COVID levels.
“Systems are not planning to reduce service, but that will likely change unless governments extend financial support,” he said in an email.
Siemiatycki said that while ridership is down, the health crisis has shown the importance of public transit. “Even through the pandemic, transit played a critical role in our economies,” he said. “Transit was a lifeline service for people to reach their front-line place of employment.”
Daniel Bergeron with Montreal’s public transit authority said he expects the pandemic-induced decline in ridership to have an almost $1-billon impact on the agency’s budget between 2020 and 2022. He said government subsidies will help cover most of the shortfall, but added that expenses will need to be cut and improvements put off in order to continue to offer service at 2019 levels.
When the pandemic is over, people will move around differently, he said, adding that he expects service to increase outside traditional peak periods. People working from home will be more likely to take trips during the day instead of at rush hour, he said.
“In the short term, there’s uncertainty,” he said. “But in 10, 20 years, it will be a new normal but still normal. We may have a bit more working from home, but it’s not open to everybody.”
People will still have to go to work in shops, restaurants and manufacturing facilities, and he thinks people will still want to go out to restaurants and go shopping downtown.
“Good quality of life is not living near a highway,” Bergeron said. “Nice neighbourhoods usually come with good public transport services.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 16, 2020.
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This story was produced with the financial assistance of the Facebook and Canadian Press News Fellowship.
In today’s Big Story podcast, it’s as ambitious as any Canadian government has been so far—but is it enough? A new climate plan rolled out by Justin Trudeau last week takes aim at some real metrics for change. So how would it directly impact your life, and your wallet?
What else is the government doing to move us into the future? How much depends on cooperation from the provinces? And is this another target we make plans for but never hit, or is this a real, bold step towards climate action?
The latest numbers of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Canada as of 4 a.m. ET on Tuesday Dec. 16, 2020.
There are 475,214 confirmed cases in Canada.
_ Canada: 475,214 confirmed cases (75,580 active, 385,975 resolved, 13,659 deaths).*The total case count includes 13 confirmed cases among repatriated travellers.
There were 6,352 new cases Tuesday from 57,193 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 11 per cent. The rate of active cases is 201.07 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 46,179 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 6,597.
There were 106 new reported deaths Tuesday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 792 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is 113. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.3 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 36.34 per 100,000 people.
There have been 12,691,950 tests completed.
_ Newfoundland and Labrador: 359 confirmed cases (20 active, 335 resolved, four deaths).
There were zero new cases Tuesday from 429 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 0.0 per cent. The rate of active cases is 3.83 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of seven new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is one.
There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is 0.77 per 100,000 people.
There have been 67,744 tests completed.
_ Prince Edward Island: 89 confirmed cases (16 active, 73 resolved, zero deaths).
There were zero new cases Tuesday from 911 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 0.0 per cent. The rate of active cases is 10.19 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of five new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is one.
There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is zero per 100,000 people.
There were six new cases Tuesday from 1,370 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 0.44 per cent. The rate of active cases is 5.87 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 43 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is six.
There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is 6.69 per 100,000 people.
There was one new case Tuesday from 407 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 0.25 per cent. The rate of active cases is 6.18 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there has been 18 new case. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is three.
There were zero new reported deaths Tuesday. Over the past seven days there has been one new reported death. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is zero. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.02 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 1.03 per 100,000 people.
There were 1,741 new cases Tuesday from 11,592 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 15 per cent. The rate of active cases is 198.13 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 12,536 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 1,791.
There were 38 new reported deaths Tuesday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 258 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is 37. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.43 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 89.23 per 100,000 people.
There were 2,275 new cases Tuesday from 38,272 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 5.9 per cent. The rate of active cases is 116.92 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 13,486 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 1,927.
There were 20 new reported deaths Tuesday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 184 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is 26. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.18 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 27.41 per 100,000 people.
There were 271 new cases Tuesday from 2,595 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 10 per cent. The rate of active cases is 420.75 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 2,159 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 308.
There were nine new reported deaths Tuesday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 88 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is 13. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.92 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 37.09 per 100,000 people.
There were 194 new cases Tuesday from 1,343 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 14 per cent. The rate of active cases is 357.95 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 1,835 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 262.
There were seven new reported deaths Tuesday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 32 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is five. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.39 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 8.34 per 100,000 people.
There were 1,341 new cases Tuesday. The rate of active cases is 472.37 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 11,299 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 1,614.
There were 11 new reported deaths Tuesday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 104 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is 15. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.34 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 17.02 per 100,000 people.
There were 520 new cases Tuesday. The rate of active cases is 215.51 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 4,745 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 678.
There were 21 new reported deaths Tuesday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 125 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is 18. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.35 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 13.17 per 100,000 people.
There were zero new cases Tuesday from 50 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 0.0 per cent. The rate of active cases is 2.45 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of one new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is zero.
There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is 2.45 per 100,000 people.
There was one new case Tuesday from 143 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 0.70 per cent. The rate of active cases is 15.62 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there has been seven new case. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is one.
There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is zero per 100,000 people.
There were two new cases Tuesday from 81 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 2.5 per cent. The rate of active cases is 116.04 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 38 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is five.
There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is zero per 100,000 people.
There have been 5,033 tests completed.
This report was automatically generated by The Canadian Press Digital Data Desk and was first published Dec. 16, 2020.
The latest numbers of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Canada as of 4 a.m. ET on Monday Dec. 15, 2020.
There are 468,862 confirmed cases in Canada.
_ Canada: 468,862 confirmed cases (75,842 active, 379,467 resolved, 13,553 deaths).*The total case count includes 13 confirmed cases among repatriated travellers.
There were 6,731 new cases Monday from 75,433 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 8.9 per cent. The rate of active cases is 201.77 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 45,808 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 6,544.
There were 80 new reported deaths Monday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 776 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is 111. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.29 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 36.06 per 100,000 people.
There have been 12,634,757 tests completed.
_ Newfoundland and Labrador: 359 confirmed cases (23 active, 332 resolved, four deaths).
There was one new case Monday from 395 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 0.25 per cent. The rate of active cases is 4.41 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there has been eight new case. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is one.
There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is 0.77 per 100,000 people.
There have been 67,315 tests completed.
_ Prince Edward Island: 89 confirmed cases (17 active, 72 resolved, zero deaths).
There were zero new cases Monday from 643 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 0.0 per cent. The rate of active cases is 10.83 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of five new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is one.
There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is zero per 100,000 people.
There were five new cases Monday from 952 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 0.53 per cent. The rate of active cases is 5.87 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 44 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is six.
There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is 6.69 per 100,000 people.
There was one new case Monday from 411 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 0.24 per cent. The rate of active cases is 7.72 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there has been 22 new case. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is three.
There were zero new reported deaths Monday. Over the past seven days there has been one new reported death. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is zero. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.02 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 1.03 per 100,000 people.
There were 1,620 new cases Monday from 9,900 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 16 per cent. The rate of active cases is 196.31 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 12,359 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 1,766.
There were 25 new reported deaths Monday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 256 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is 37. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.43 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 88.78 per 100,000 people.
There were 1,940 new cases Monday from 55,224 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 3.5 per cent. The rate of active cases is 113.86 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 12,887 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 1,841.
There were 23 new reported deaths Monday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 174 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is 25. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.17 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 27.27 per 100,000 people.
There were 241 new cases Monday from 5,769 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 4.2 per cent. The rate of active cases is 422.87 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 2,133 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 305.
There were nine new reported deaths Monday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 92 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is 13. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.96 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 36.44 per 100,000 people.
There were 267 new cases Monday from 1,657 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 16 per cent. The rate of active cases is 372.94 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 1,826 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 261.
There were two new reported deaths Monday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 31 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is four. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.38 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 7.75 per 100,000 people.
There were 1,887 new cases Monday. The rate of active cases is 483.22 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 11,685 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 1,669.
There were 14 new reported deaths Monday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 102 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is 15. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.33 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 16.77 per 100,000 people.
There were 759 new cases Monday. The rate of active cases is 218.66 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 4,791 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 684.
There were seven new reported deaths Monday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 120 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is 17. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.34 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 12.76 per 100,000 people.
There was one new case Monday. The rate of active cases is 9.79 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there has been five new case. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is one.
There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is 2.45 per 100,000 people.
There were zero new cases Monday from 334 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 0.0 per cent. The rate of active cases is 13.39 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of six new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is one.
There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is zero per 100,000 people.
There were nine new cases Monday from 148 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 6.1 per cent. The rate of active cases is 126.35 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 37 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is five.
There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is zero per 100,000 people.
There have been 4,952 tests completed.
This report was automatically generated by The Canadian Press Digital Data Desk and was first published Dec. 15, 2020.
In today’s Big Story podcast, a moratorium on evictions in Ontario was once part of Premier Doug Ford’s plan to “make sure you and your family can stay in your home during this difficult time.” But that moratorium didn’t last forever and the past month has seen a torrent of virtual eviction hearings, with tenants often left frustrated, confused and in tears by the process.
What happened to “no COVID-19 evictions” in Ontario? Why have so many been happening at once? What are the opposition at Queen’s Park and activists on the ground doing to stop it? And what are the real problems with tenant rights in Canada’s largest province?
GUEST: NDP MPP Suze Morrison, Official Opposition Critic for Tenant Rights
OTTAWA — A new poll suggests a majority of Canadians support the idea of a lockdown on non-essential businesses and services during the holidays to fight a surge in new COVID-19 cases across the country.
Sixty-five per cent of respondents in the poll conducted by Leger and the Association for Canadian Studies said they supported a general lockdown in their province during Christmas and New Year’s to tackle the pandemic versus 29 per cent who opposed the idea.
Leger executive vice-president Christian Bourque expressed surprise at the seemingly strong support, which was largely the same no matter the respondent’s age or where in Canada they lived.
“I expected it to be a 50-50 type thing because we’re already under some pretty severe restrictions as it is,” Bourque said. “With the holidays coming up, Canadians are basically saying: `Buckle up. There’s a few weeks left.’ ”
To that end, 51 per cent respondents believed the worst of the pandemic is currently upon the country while 29 per cent felt it is yet to come. Only 10 per cent felt the worst had past and a similar number did not know.
Those numbers perhaps reflect the continuing surge in cases, including in parts of the country that were previously almost untouched. They also coincide with new modelling from the Public Health Agency of Canada suggesting the country could top 575,000 cases and nearly 15,000 deaths by Christmas.
Despite the surge, Bourque said he would have expected the arrival of the first Health Canada-approved COVID-19 vaccine and the start of a mass-vaccination campaign this week to have created more of a sense of optimism.
“But people are saying: ‘We’re not there yet,’ ” he said.
At the same time, despite the excitement surrounding the arrival of those Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine doses, attitudes around getting inoculated remained largely unchanged.
Sixty-six per cent of respondents said they planned to get a shot when it becomes available to them, which was roughly the same as when the pollsters asked the same question in previous weeks. Sixteen per cent said they had no plans to get a vaccine while 18 per cent did not know.
That suggests some continued hesitancy when it comes to the vaccine.
Similarly, 31 per cent said they would take the first vaccine that becomes available while 44 per cent want to wait until others are on offer, which was similar to previous weeks. Twelve per cent had no plans to get vaccinated and 14 per cent did not know.
The poll of 1,528 adult Canadians in an online panel was conducted from Dec. 11 to Dec. 13 and cannot be assigned a margin of error because internet-based polls are not considered random.
RELATED: Everything you need to know about coronavirus
In The News is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to kickstart your day. Here is what’s on the radar of our editors for the morning of Dec. 14 …
What we are watching in Canada …
MONTREAL — The first shipments of the COVID-19 vaccine have arrived in Canada.
Some of the country’s initial 30,000 doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines touched down last night, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced on Twitter, sharing a photo of a plane being unloaded.
“This is good news,” he said. “But our fight against COVID-19 is not over. Now more than ever, let’s keep up our vigilance.”
The plane touched down at Mirabel International Airport in Montreal.
The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines are bound for 14 distribution sites across the country, across all 10 provinces, and more doses are expected to cross the border today.
Quebec is expected to be the first province to administer the vaccine, saying it’s prepared to start inoculating residents of two long-term care homes as early today.
Other provinces say they’ll vaccinate long-term care residents and front-line health-care workers later in the week.
—
Also this …
OTTAWA — It’s out of the political frying pan and into the fire today for the Trudeau government’s bill to expand access to medically assisted dying.
Opening debate on Bill C-7 begins tonight in the Senate, where the government has no control over independent-minded, less-partisan senators who appear determined to amend the legislation.
In the House of Commons, the minority government faced delay tactics from a majority of Conservative MPs who vehemently oppose expanding assisted dying to intolerably suffering people who are not already near death.
But, with the Bloc Quebecois and NDP backing the bill, its eventual passage last Thursday was assured; the government did not have to make any significant amendments and it faced no political pressure to do more to help Canadians access medical assistance in dying (MAID).
That is about to change in the Senate, where the government will face a flurry of amendments from both sides of the equation: senators who think the bill is unconstitutional because it goes too far and those who think it’s unconstitutional because it doesn’t go far enough.
Adding urgency to the situation, senators are being pressed to put the bill through all the legislative hoops by Friday, the court-imposed deadline for revamping Canada’s assisted dying regime.
—
And this…
While some families don’t want pandemic reminders to cloud Christmas within their own homes, others are finding whimsical ways to incorporate COVID-related elements into their rituals.
London, Ont., mom Ursula Goncalves is leaving hand sanitizer for Santa this year, placing a bottle next to the milk and cookies her eight-year-old daughter Halina and six-year-old son Daniel usually set out for the clandestine gift-giver.
Dr. Todd Cunningham, a child psychology expert at the University of Toronto, says adding pandemic themes to our merry festivities can be helpful by reinforcing messages kids have been hearing for months.
“We’ve talked often about ways of keeping ourselves safe,” he said. “So it would make sense to them in terms of our current context to (incorporate) those things.”
It also isn’t surprising some kids are expressingconcern for Santa’s safety, Cunningham added, especially if they understand his advanced age might make him more susceptible to the virus.
So it’s a good thing Santa is a magical being, as some of Canada’s top doctors have clarified.
B.C.’s Dr. Bonnie Henry said recently Kris Kringle is likely immune to COVID-19, while Prince Edward Island’s Dr. Heather Morrison announced that Santa and Mrs. Claus had been granted essential worker status along with their elves and reindeer.
Sheri Madigan, a child development researcher at the University of Calgary, says introducing COVID safety elements may help calm worried youngsters, and further their understanding of the virus.
—
ICYMI …
Former prime minister Brian Mulroney is recovering after undergoing an emergency surgery on Friday.
A family spokesman says the “urgent procedure” was a “complete success” and Mulroney was released from hospital this afternoon.
Mulroney is 81.
His daughter Caroline Mulroney, who is Ontario’s minister of transportation, says her dad is “feeling better and is now resting at home.”
She thanked everyone for their good wishes.
Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole and former Liberal cabinet minister Jody Wilson-Raybould are among those offering support.
—
What we are watching in the U.S. …
WASHINGTON — Presidential electors are meeting across the United States today to formally choose Joe Biden as America’s next president.
Today is the day set by law for the meeting of the Electoral College.
In reality, electors meet in all 50 states and the District of Columbia to cast their ballots.
The results will be sent to Washington, and tallied in a Jan. 6 joint session of Congress over which Vice-President Mike Pence will preside.
The electors’ votes have drawn more attention than usual this year because President Donald Trump has refused to concede the election and continued to make baseless allegations of fraud.
—
Also this …
WASHINGTON — Donald Trump says he’s reversing an administration directive to vaccinate top government officials against COVID-19 while public distribution of the shot is limited to front-line health workers and people in nursing homes and long-term care facilities.
The U.S. president made the announcement in a tweet last night, hours after his administration confirmed that senior U.S. officials, including some White House aides who work in close proximity to Trump, would be offered vaccines as soon as this week under federal continuity of government plans.
It was not immediately clear what effect Trump’s tweet would have on the government’s efforts to protect top leadership.
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What we are watching in the rest of the world …
BRUSSELS — European Union chief negotiator Michel Barnier says he still has the firm belief that a Brexit trade agreement is possible, and has whittled the outstanding disputes to be settled ahead of the New Year to just two.
Barnier said today the nine-month negotiations have come down to finding settlements on fair-competition rules and fishing rights, no longer mentioning issue of the legal mechanisms for resolving future disputes that also long dogged the negotiations.
Both sides are teetering on the brink of a no-deal Brexit departure, but have committed to a final push ahead of Jan. 1, when a transitional period following Britain’s Jan. 31 departure from the bloc is to end.
—
Also this …
BERLIN — The German government is calling on citizens to forgo Christmas shopping two days before the country heads into a hard lockdown that will shut most stores, tighten social distancing rules and close schools across the country.
Economy Minister Peter Altmaier said he hoped people would only buy what they really needed, like groceries, adding that “the faster we get these infections under control, the better it is for everyone.”
The country’s central disease control centre reported 16,362 new cases today — that’s about 4,000 cases more than a week ago.
Germany will step up the country’s lockdown measures beginning Wednesday and running to Jan. 10.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 14, 2020
01 – The Royal Canadian Legion named Debbie Sullivan of Saint John, N.B., as this year’s Silver Cross mother. Her son, navy Lt. Chris Saunders, was killed at the age of 32 when a fire broke out aboard his submarine 16 years ago.
01 – Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland was cleared of COVID-19. She got tested after her COVID Alert phone app told her she’d been near an infected person.
02 – Former federal cabinet minister Peter MacKay announced he is quitting politics. MacKay had been spending the fall pondering his political future after finishing second to Erin O’Toole in the Conservative party leadership contest.
02 – For the first time, an HIV self-test was approved for use in Canada. The one-minute, finger-prick blood test manufactured by Richmond, B.C.-based bioLytical Laboratories was granted a medical device licence by Health Canada. Experts have said self-testing is critical to increasing access to life-extending treatments and preventing the spread of infection in Canada.
02 – Canadian aviation pioneer Max Ward died. A family friend said he collapsed at his home in Edmonton and died in hospital, 20 days short of his 99th birthday. Northerners still credit Ward for helping to open up the Northwest Territories when he worked as a Yellowknife bush pilot. He built his business into a regional carrier, then into Wardair, at one time Canada’s largest charter airline.
03 – Toronto rapper Drake earned his 21st No. 1 hit on Billboard’s R&B/hip-hop songs chart, with his song “Laugh Now Cry Later.” The milestone broke a record held by two legendary performers, Aretha Franklin and Stevie Wonder, who each had 20 songs top the chart.
03 – One of the strangest U.S. presidential campaigns in history came to an end. Despite fears of clashes at polling places, chaos sparked by the coronavirus pandemic and confusion due to disinformation and swiftly changing voting rules, millions across the country cast ballots in a historically contentious election with few problems.
04 – Democrat Joe Biden took the battleground states of Michigan and Wisconsin, bringing him just six electoral college votes away from the presidency. Biden said at an afternoon press conference that he expected to win the presidency, though he stopped short of outright declaring victory.
05 – A Minnesota judge ruled that all four Minneapolis police officers charged in George Floyd’s death would be tried together and that the trial will be held locally. Judge Peter Cahill turned down defence requests to move the trial, rejecting their argument that pre-trial publicity would make it impossible for the four men to get a fair trial.
05 – General Motors announced it would resume making pickup trucks at its assembly plant in Oshawa, Ont. The company made the announcement after it reached a tentative contract with Unifor overnight.
05 – The first Black baby doll to have an Afro was inducted into the U.S. National Toy Hall of Fame. Baby Nancy was launched in 1968 by Operation Bootstrap, a non-profit Black community self-help organization that emerged in the aftermath of the Watts riots in Los Angeles. Other 2020 inductees included sidewalk chalk and the wooden block game Jenga.
06 – Nunavut recorded its first confirmed case of COVID-19. Health officials began contact tracing and a rapid response team was dispatched to the Hudson Bay community of Sanikiluaq. Everyone in the community of about 850 people was urged to stay home and limit contact with others.
06 – Democrat Joe Biden said he was already preparing to assume the presidency even though he had not been declared the winner. During a prime-time address, Biden cited his lead in key states such as Georgia and Pennsylvania as reasons for his confidence.
07 – Manitoba’s government decided to extend the province’s state of emergency for another 30 days.
07 – Joe Biden won the U.S. presidential election, clinching his victory in the electoral college over President Donald Trump. In his first address, Biden pledged to be a president “who seeks not to divide but to unify.” With the win, Kamala Harris became the first woman and first person of colour to be elected vice-president. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he looked forward to helping the Biden administration tackle the world’s greatest challenges.
08 – Alex Trebek, one of Canada’s most famous citizens and the legendary host of iconic quiz show “Jeopardy!” died at 80. The show’s Twitter account said Trebek died at home, surrounded by family and friends. He had revealed in March 2019 that he’d been diagnosed with Stage 4 pancreatic cancer. Trebek kept working, recording new episodes of “Jeopardy!” until late October. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Canadians had “lost an icon.”
08 – Canadian hockey pioneer Howie Meeker died at age 97. Meeker won the Calder Trophy as the NHL’s top rookie in 1947 and went on to win the Stanley Cup on four occasions over eight seasons with the Toronto Maple Leafs. He also had a 30-year broadcasting career.
08 – The final ballot count for B.C.’s Oct. 24 provincial election confirmed the New Democrats will govern the province with 57 of 87 seats in the legislature. Premier John Horgan said he was “humbled and honoured” by the support British Columbians showed his party.
09 – Pfizer said preliminary data suggested its COVID-19 vaccine may be 90 per cent effective in preventing the virus. Pfizer’s senior vice-president of clinical development said the company decided to reveal the early data in an effort to offer some hope in the midst of the global health crisis.
10 – The Manitoba government forced non-essential stores to close and banned social gatherings in an effort to stop a surge of COVID-19 cases. Premier Brian Pallister said the province was at a critical point in its fight against the virus.
10 – The man charged with 10 counts of first-degree murder and 16 counts of attempted murder in the Toronto van attack pleaded not guilty. Lawyers for Alek Minassian asked the court to find him not criminally responsible for his actions on April 23, 2018, when he drove the vehicle down a busy sidewalk. The judge hearing the case said the trial would turn on Minassian’s state of mind at the time, since he had admitted in court to carrying out the attack.
11 – Remembrance Day was marked with scaled-down ceremonies across the country because of COVID-19. The Royal Canadian Legion told Canadians not to attend ceremonies in person.
12 – A $50-million foundation to help survivors of the ’60s Scoop was ceremonially launched. Its aim is to help heal the damage done by taking Indigenous children from their families and placing them in non-Indigenous homes. Establishment of the foundation was part of a class-action settlement with the federal government.
13 – China finally issued congratulations to U.S. president-elect Joe Biden. Beijing, along with Moscow, had not immediately joined the international throng that congratulated Biden after he and running mate Kamala Harris secured enough electoral college votes to unseat Donald Trump. A spokesman for the Chinese foreign ministry said “We respect the choice of the American people.”
13 – The Miami Marlins hired Kim Ng as their general manager, making her the highest-ranking woman in baseball operations in the major leagues and the second female general manager for a men’s team in a major professional sport in North America. Jo-Anne Polak held the position with the now-defunct Ottawa Rough Riders of the CFL from 1988-91. Ng started her Major League Baseball career as an intern 30 years ago and won three World Series rings while spending 21 years in the front offices of the Chicago White Sox, New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers.
16 – Hackers targeted the City of Saint John, N.B., with a cyberattack. Officials said the “significant” intrusion into the city’s computer system forced an emergency shutdown.
16 – Canada’s COVID-19 case count topped 300,000 — less than a month after it crossed the 200,000 threshold.
16 – Former federal finance minister Bill Morneau was appointed a senior fellow at Yale University’s Jackson Institute for Global Affairs. He will also teach a graduate course on global economic policy-making in the spring semester.
17 – The federal Conservatives demanded that the Trudeau government side with Canada’s allies and reject 5G technology from China. Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole said the Liberals must also crack down on the improper influence of China on Chinese-Canadians, though he acknowledged there could be an economic cost to Canada’s actions.
17 – The head of the World Health Organization said Canada deserves praise for its efforts to fight COVID-19. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus also said distributing any vaccine would be among the most daunting logistical efforts since the Second World War.
18 – American pharmaceutical giant Pfizer said new numbers from its ongoing COVID-19 vaccine study suggest the shots are 95 per cent effective. The announcement came just a week after the company first revealed preliminary results. Initially, Pfizer and German partner BioNTech said the vaccine was more than 90 per cent effective.
18 – A jet grounded worldwide after two crashes that killed 346 people, including 18 Canadians, was cleared to fly again. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration said it would certify the Boeing 737 Max jet to fly after a comprehensive and methodical 20-month review process. Boeing said it overhauled anti-stall software that pushed the nose down repeatedly on both planes that crashed, overcoming the pilots’ struggles to regain control. Transport Minister Marc Garneau said Canada would impose different requirements than the U.S., including added procedures on the flight deck and before takeoff.
19 – A team of scientists from Oxford University and drugmaker AstraZeneca said their COVID-19 vaccine shows a robust immune response in healthy adults aged 56-69 and people over 70. Phase 2 study results found the vaccine is as effective for older people as it is for the younger demographic, and that it produced few side-effects.
19 – RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lucki insisted there is no room in the federal police force for hateful, misogynistic or homophobic attitudes. Her comments came after an independent report found the force’s “toxic” culture tolerates such attitudes. The report from former Supreme Court justice Michel Bastarache concludes that change must be initiated from outside the RCMP, and it’s past time for the federal government to take meaningful and radical action.
19 – Newly released data on emergency COVID-19 aid showed some of the country’s highest income earners used a key benefit for workers. Figures from the Canada Revenue Agency show nearly 115,000 people who earned between about $100,000 and $200,000 last year applied for the $2,000-a-month Canada Emergency Response Benefit.
20 – Canada’s ambassador to China met virtually with Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, who have been detained in China since December 2018. Their arrests came not long after Canada detained Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou in Vancouver. Global Affairs Canada said Ambassador Dominic Barton was granted on-site virtual consular access to Kovrig and Spavor. The federal government said no further information could be disclosed about the meetings.
20 – A Fredericton jury found 50-year-old Matthew Raymond not criminally responsible due to a mental disorder for the 2018 killings of four people. The families of Donnie Robichaud, Bobbie Lee Wright and police constables Robb Costello and Sara Burns hugged each other and sobbed after the verdict was announced. Raymond bowed his head and wiped away tears but said nothing.
20 – A celebrated journalist, historian, world traveller and fiction writer who became a pioneer of the transgender movement died at 94. Jan Morris was a prolific and accomplished author and journalist who wrote dozens of books on a variety of subjects.
20 – Pfizer asked U.S. regulators to allow emergency use of its COVID-19 vaccine. Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech also submitted applications in other countries — Canada included.
21 – Canada and Britain announced a new trade deal, beating the Dec. 31 Brexit deadline that would have triggered new tariffs on a range of Canadian exports. Britain is Canada’s fifth-largest trading partner, with $29 billion in two-way merchandise trade in 2019.
22 – Justin Bieber and Shawn Mendes kicked off the 2020 American Music Awards with a performance of their new duet ”Monster.” The Weeknd won favourite soul/R&B male artist, favourite soul/R&B album for ”After Hours” and favourite soul/R&B song for ”Heartless.”
23 – British pharma company AstraZeneca and Oxford University said their COVID-19 vaccine showed positive results. Late-stage trials indicated the coronavirus vaccine was up to 90 per cent effective, giving public health officials hope they may soon have access to a vaccine that is cheaper and easier to distribute than some of its rivals.
23 – The premiers of Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador announced they would temporarily pull out of the so-called “Atlantic Bubble” for two weeks amid a resurgence of COVID-19 cases in Atlantic Canada.
23 – After weeks of delay, the U.S. government finally acknowledged president-elect Joe Biden was the “apparent winner” of the Nov. 3 election, clearing the way for co-operation on a transition of power.
24 – Canada reached another agreement with a pharmaceutical company to buy doses of a potential COVID-19 treatment. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the federal government bought 26,000 doses of an unnamed drug co-developed by Vancouver’s AbCellera Biologics and Eli Lilly, with an option to buy thousands more. The two companies announced last March they were co-operating on developing a treatment using antibodies from a patient who had already had the illness.
24 – Two swing states certified Democrat Joe Biden as the winner of the U.S. presidential election. Both Nevada and Pennsylvania formally declared their results from the Nov. 3 vote.
24 – Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Canada’s lack of vaccine-production facilities meant we would likely receive our COVID-19 vaccines after countries like the U.S., Germany and the U.K. But Trudeau said Ottawa was working with the provinces and the military to ensure vaccines are distributed across the country as soon as they are delivered.
24 – Indigenous hockey pioneer Fred Sasakamoose died after a presumed case of COVID-19. His son, Neil, said the 86-year-old died in a Prince Albert, Sask., hospital after several days of fighting the virus. Fred Sasakamoose played 11 games with the Chicago Blackhawks in 1953-54, becoming one of the first Indigenous players in the then-six-team NHL.
25 – The Weeknd blasted the Grammy Awards as “corrupt,” after the Canadian pop star walked away with zero nominations. The three-time Grammy winner criticized the Recording Academy on Twitter after he was snubbed, despite having one of the year’s biggest albums with “After Hours.” Fellow Canadian Justin Bieber earned four nominations.
25 – Argentine soccer “Golden Boy” Diego Maradona died at the age of 60. Maradona was among the best players in history and led his country to the 1986 World Cup title before later struggling with cocaine use and other health problems. He captivated fans over a two-decade career and famously scored the “Hand of God” goal, in which he punched the ball into England’s net during the 1986 World Cup quarterfinals.
26 – Federal health officials said Canada now has purchase agreements with seven COVID-19 vaccine producers. Deputy chief public health officer Dr. Howard Njoo said most were in the final stages of testing before they can go to Health Canada for approval.
26 – Quebec’s highest court declared that a provision of the Criminal Code that allows for life sentences to be served consecutively is unconstitutional. The decision effectively reduced the sentence given to the man who murdered six people in a Quebec City mosque in 2017. Alexandre Bissonnette, who is 30, was sentenced in February 2019 to life in prison with no possibility of parole for 40 years. With concurrent sentences, he will be eligible to apply for parole after serving 25 years.
26 – AstraZeneca and Oxford University acknowledged a manufacturing error in their COVID-19 vaccine, raising questions about preliminary results reported earlier that showed the vaccine to be 90 per cent effective.
26 – New Brunswick became the latest Atlantic province to opt out of the so-called bubble, and demand anyone entering the province self-isolate for 14 days. The province also introduced heightened public health measures in the Fredericton area.
27 – The Governor General’s office announced 114 new inductees to the Order of Canada, including Olympians Scott Moir and Tessa Virtue, Indigenous writer Thomas King and winemaker John Peller.
27 – Justin Trudeau said most Canadians should receive the COVID-19 vaccine by September 2021. The prime minister said Canada’s vaccine distribution program would be led by former NATO commander Maj.-Gen. Dany Fortin.
29 – Dave Prowse, the man behind the mask of Darth Vader in the original “Star Wars” trilogy, died at 85. Prowse was a weightlifter before taking up acting and was noticed by director George Lucas. Although physically perfect for the Vader part, his lilting English West Country accent was considered less ideal, and the lines were re-recorded by James Earl Jones.
29 – The federal government extended the myriad travel restrictions and rules meant to curb the spread of COVID-19. Public Safety Minister Bill Blair and Health Minister Patty Hajdu said the rules, first imposed near the beginning of the global outbreak, would now be in effect until Jan. 21, 2021, for travellers entering Canada from a country other than the United States. Among the rules is a requirement for anyone entering the country to self-isolate for 14 days.
30 – Merriam-Webster’s choice for its 2020 word of the year was a no-brainer. The dictionary chose “pandemic,” which started to trend on merriam-webster.com as early as January and again in February. On March 11, when the World Health Organization declared a global pandemic, lookups on the site for pandemic were about 115,000 — 800 per cent higher than a year before. This year’s runners-up included coronavirus, quarantine, asymptomatic, mamba, kraken and malarkey.
30 – With the federal deficit closing in on $400 billion this fiscal year, the Trudeau Liberals said there is even more spending ahead. The fall economic update delivered by Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland looks beyond the pandemic, to where the Liberals see the economy going a few years from now. The government’s fall economic update proposes to send extra child-benefit payments to families with young children next year as well as cash for skills training and to create new jobs. It also plans to inject another $100 billion into the economy over three years once the pandemic is over.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 15, 2020.
TORONTO — Ontario says it will administer the province’sfirst COVID-19 vaccination today.
Premier Doug Ford’s office says a health-care worker will receive the first dose at a hospital in Toronto.
The first shots will be administered at the University Health Network.
The province was to receive 6,000 doses of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine this weekend, and plans to give them to approximately 2,500 health-care workers in the first phase of its immunization plan.
Half the shots will be administered this week and the other half will be intentionally held back to give the same workers a required second dose 21 days later.
Ford has said health-care workers, long-term care residents, and their caregivers will be among the first to receive the vaccine.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 14, 2020.
Conspiracy theories, including those propagated by the once-fringe QAnon movement, have gained traction as the COVID-19 pandemic fuels fear, social and economic insecurity, and mistrust in authorities, experts in Canada say.
The reach and visibility of QAnon have grown as its followers’ beliefs mix with misinformation and debunked claims related to the pandemic, said Amarnath Amarasingam, a fellow with the Global Network on Extremism and Technology and a professor in the school of religion at Queen’s University.
It’s hard to say where the discredited QAnon belief system begins and ends, he said, describing it as a multifaceted conspiracy theory that’s become increasingly overarching since the first so-called “Q drop,” a post by an anonymous user called Q on the online forum 4chan in late 2017.
QAnon draws on and fuels an array of beliefs, he said, from anti-Semitism to white nationalism to the idea that U.S. President Donald Trump is secretly working to take down a cabal of corrupt, Satan-worshipping liberal elites who are abusing and trafficking children for sex.
It’s so absurd it should be the perfect conspiracy theory to ignore, said Amarasingam.
But Trump’s refusal to denounce QAnon has pushed it into the mainstream, where its ideas are being cherry-picked and sprinkled throughout various movements, including those opposing public health rules aimed at fighting the spread of COVID-19, he said.
QAnon has become almost “socio-religious,” said Amarasingam, as some believers view Q as a prophet who arrived to wake up the sleeping masses. At the same time, Q’s posts are often cryptic and vague, empowering followers to find meaning and apply it to their local concerns.
That makes QAnon nimble. It’s most prevalent in the U.S., he said, but signs of QAnon have cropped up online or at rallies in at least 70 countries as people take what they need and leave the rest.
“They’ll take the anti-deep state stuff,” he said. “But they might leave behind the satanic cabal and the child enslavement aspect.”
It’s as though QAnon’s followers don’t need Q or Trump anymore; the movement has become a parasite that feeds on broader conspiratorial thinking about “the all-powerful elite that are harming little people,” he said.
Anti-mask and anti-vaccination movements are among those drawing from QAnon as a kind of “floating resource,” Amarasingam said.
And Canada is not immune, he said.
QAnon message boards were set alight after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told a United Nations conference this fall that the pandemic is an opportunity to “reset” and reimagine economic systems to address challenges such as poverty and climate change, said Amarasingam.
“They interpreted it as a kind of slip-up,” he said. “Like it was showing evidence that there was this master plan at work, that COVID could have indeed been a hoax that was planned by powerful elites to then bring about all these new economic and social changes, or large-scale societal shifts.”
The reframing of the fallout from the pandemic as an anti-government conspiracy theory is dangerous, said Amarasingam, because it could affect whether people get vaccinated and follow public health rules.
A report by the Institute for Strategic Dialogue, a think tank focused on extremism and polarization, found Canada is among the top four countries driving QAnon content on Twitter, alongside the United States, the U.K. and Australia.
The Manitoba man accused of breaking through a gate at the Rideau Hall near the residences of the prime minister and the Governor General this summer while heavily armed had posted QAnon-related content on social media, said Peter Smith, a researcher with the Canadian Anti-Hate Network.
An Ontario-based woman was responsible for popularizing the QAnon-related conspiracy theory that wardrobes and other furniture sold by the company Wayfair arrived with a trafficked child inside, he said.
And a web-based show run by a Montreal man who spreads QAnon content and false claims about COVID-19 is popular across French-speaking Europe, said Smith. The show was recently banned from Facebook and YouTube.
Twitter has taken steps to crack down on QAnon-related accounts and content, while groups were removed and banned from Facebook in October.
Smith said Q told followers to use “camouflage” and many moved to sites like Parler, which bills itself as the “world’s premier free speech platform.” Others popped up again on Facebook under names like “Cue,” he said.
QAnon came alive when disinformation was already surging on social media, said Dr. Ghayda Hassan, the director of the Canadian Practitioners Network for the Prevention of Radicalization and Extremist Violence.
“The speed of access of information does not give us time to validate it,” said Hassan, a clinical psychologist who also serves as co-chair on the UNESCO initiative on the prevention of violent radicalization.
And the pandemic has created conditions that stir up conspiratorial thinking, she said, including fear, social and financial insecurity, a sense of being controlled and a shaken trust in government and health authorities.
So, why do people believe in what may seem weird or insane to another?
They’re trying to find meaning, said Hassan.
In times of crisis, “we need to understand why this is happening, and often finding a cause involves scapegoating,” she said.
QAnon relies on certain facts that exist, she added, pointing to child abuse.
“It’s just how these facts are connected together that appears totally illogical to us.”
Hassan said people pick and choose what makes sense to them from within the QAnon universe, spurring its growth.
“It takes on the colour of whatever discourse is prevalent in whatever area.”
Hassan noted she will be watching for the effects of social isolation once COVID-19 outbreaks are under control and public health rules are relaxed.
Although we might think people will be eager to connect with each other again, she said, sometimes the opposite happens.
“That is an increase in isolation, but also a deterioration of interpersonal and social skills and capacities.”
Hassan wants better media literacy education and stronger standards for how social networking companies manage content on their platforms.
Amarasingam, meanwhile, said he’s been part of discussions with major social media companies about how to tackle content related to the Islamic State and al-Qaida, which is in some ways easier to handle than misinformation.
“When it was ISIS beheading videos, you can make that decision pretty quickly,” he said. “But when you talk about (Make America Great Again) or when you talk about lockdown content, it’s not always so clear-cut.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 11, 2020.
This story was produced with the financial assistance of the Facebook and Canadian Press News Fellowship.
The latest numbers of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Canada as of 4:00 a.m. ET on Friday, Dec. 11, 2020.
There are 442,069 confirmed cases in Canada.
_ Canada: 442,069 confirmed cases (73,225 active, 355,735 resolved, 13,109 deaths).*The total case count includes 13 confirmed cases among repatriated travellers.
There were 6,739 new cases Thursday from 91,423 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 7.4 per cent. The rate of active cases is 194.8 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 45,800 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 6,543.
There were 126 new reported deaths Thursday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 702 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is 100. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.27 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 34.87 per 100,000 people.
There have been 12,317,829 tests completed.
_ Newfoundland and Labrador: 354 confirmed cases (20 active, 330 resolved, four deaths).
There was one new case Thursday from 507 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 0.20 per cent. The rate of active cases is 3.83 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there has been 14 new case. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is two.
There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is 0.77 per 100,000 people.
There have been 65,840 tests completed.
_ Prince Edward Island: 84 confirmed cases (13 active, 71 resolved, zero deaths).
There were zero new cases Thursday from 1,450 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 0.0 per cent. The rate of active cases is 8.28 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 11 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is two.
There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is zero per 100,000 people.
There were four new cases Thursday from 1,308 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 0.31 per cent. The rate of active cases is 6.59 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 50 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is seven.
There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is 6.69 per 100,000 people.
There were four new cases Thursday from 502 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 0.80 per cent. The rate of active cases is 9.65 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 26 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is four.
There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is 0.9 per 100,000 people.
There were 1,842 new cases Thursday from 11,552 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 16 per cent. The rate of active cases is 188.78 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 11,778 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 1,683.
There were 33 new reported deaths Thursday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 227 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is 32. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.38 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 87 per 100,000 people.
There were 1,983 new cases Thursday from 59,788 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 3.3 per cent. The rate of active cases is 111.44 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 13,037 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 1,862.
There were 35 new reported deaths Thursday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 159 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is 23. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.16 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 26.57 per 100,000 people.
There were 292 new cases Thursday from 2,437 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 12 per cent. The rate of active cases is 392.85 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 2,196 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 314.
There were 13 new reported deaths Thursday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 98 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is 14. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 1.02 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 32.93 per 100,000 people.
There were 324 new cases Thursday from 1,571 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 21 per cent. The rate of active cases is 398.65 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 1,979 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 283.
There were four new reported deaths Thursday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 21 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is three. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.26 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 6.39 per 100,000 people.
There were 1,566 new cases Thursday from 5,964 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 26 per cent. The rate of active cases is 461.26 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 12,031 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 1,719.
There were 13 new reported deaths Thursday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 91 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is 13. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.3 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 15.24 per 100,000 people.
There were 723 new cases Thursday from 6,184 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 12 per cent. The rate of active cases is 207.54 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 4,639 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 663.
There were 28 new reported deaths Thursday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 106 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is 15. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.3 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 11.57 per 100,000 people.
There were zero new cases Thursday from 28 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 0.0 per cent. The rate of active cases is 24.48 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of eight new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is one.
There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is 2.45 per 100,000 people.
There were zero new cases Thursday from 90 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 0.0 per cent. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of zero new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is zero.
There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is zero per 100,000 people.
There were zero new cases Thursday from 42 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 0.0 per cent. The rate of active cases is 108.3 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 31 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is four.
There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is zero per 100,000 people.
There have been 4,756 tests completed.
This report was automatically generated by The Canadian Press Digital Data Desk and was first published Dec. 11, 2020.
Kids in Canada need greater access to up-to-date media literacy education to help them navigate what’s real and what’s fake or misleading online, experts say.
The rise of social media has led to the proliferation of misinformation and disinformation, which is spread intentionally,said Dr. Ghayda Hassan, a clinical psychologist and the director of the Canadian Practitioners Network for the Prevention of Radicalization and Extremist Violence.
“Because of the speed of access to information, cognitively, people do not have time to process and to validate the kind of information they receive, so there are a lot of biases that interfere,” said Hassan, who is also a UNESCO co-chair for the prevention of radicalization.
“The fact that information is often on social media propagated by individuals that we may like, that we may trust or that we may directly know, gives them more credibility,” she said in an interview.
The COVID-19 pandemic is stoking fear and fuelling social and economic instability, creating conditions that intensify conspiratorial thinking, she said, adding she’s concerned that young people are particularly vulnerable.
Hassan is calling for stronger standards for how social media companies manage content on their platforms and a national strategy and mandatory curriculums covering digital media literacy in schools.
“It has to become obligatory material, just as you teach math to kids.”
School curriculums in each province and territory have included media literacy for nearly 20 years, but the material largely hasn’t been updated to reflect how media has changed since the 1990s, said Matthew Johnson, the director of education for the Ottawa-based non-profit MediaSmarts.
“The model today is not of a distribution chain, but of a network that is functionally infinite,” he said. “In theory, anybody on YouTube can have as large an audience as a TV news network or a world leader.”
Tools and signals that may have worked on stories from traditional print and broadcast media in the past, such as bylines or photo credits, may not be as useful for authenticating information on social media.
Some of those signals or markers of reliability, such as a professional-looking website, may even be counterproductive, said Johnson.
“That’s often extremely misleading,” he said. “The people who intentionally spread misinformation or disinformation know that we look at that, and so they will put a lot of effort into making something that looks good.”
The extent to which media literacy is actually taught varies by province and territory, said Johnson. For example, B.C. has what he called an excellent digital literacy curriculum, but it’s not mandatory. In Ontario, where media literacy is part of the evaluated language arts curriculum, he said it receives the least classroom time among other components.
“We don’t have any good recent data about what teachers are actually teaching and what students are actually learning at a national level.”
MediaSmarts offers parents, teachers and students tips for authenticating information, from fact-checking tools to finding and verifying original sources and checking others to assess the veracity and intent of a story.
It draws on key concepts in media and digital media literacy, including that digital media has unexpected audiences, that online experiences are shaped by the social networks and search engines themselves, and that what we do online can have real-world impacts.
Joyce Grant is a freelance journalist and the co-founder of TeachingKidsNews.com, a website she describes as a transparent source of news for kids that also helps them understand how credible news is made and how to spot content that’s deceptive or misleading.
“Fake news, as it gets better, starts to better mimic journalism. So, really, what it comes down to now is critical thinking,” said Grant, who began delivering in-class media literacy workshops around a decade ago.
She aims to help youth recognize echo chambers or silos on social media and break out of them by seeking out diverse sources of information.
The goal is also a healthy skepticism that asks, “What seems off about this? What is missing? Where are the points of view? Why did this person write this article or post?” said Grant.
“All of a sudden the light comes on, and then, yeah, they’re all over it … nobody wants to be fooled, right?”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 11, 2020.
This story was produced with the financial assistance of the Facebook and Canadian Press News Fellowship.
A first ministers meeting Thursday that was supposed to be devoted to long-term, federal health care funding seems destined to be taken over by a more urgent priority: surviving the COVID-19 pandemic.
Premiers asked for the meeting in September and wanted it focused exclusively on their unanimous demand that Ottawa add at least $28 billion a year to its annual health transfer payment to provinces and territories.
But while Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he’s willing to discuss the issue, he has been clear that getting through the pandemic is more pressing, as far as he’s concerned.
As host of the daylong meeting, he’s scheduled the first half to focus on the rollout of vaccines to inoculate Canadians against COVID-19, the first of which is slated to begin delivery next week.
The second half of the meeting, to be conducted via teleconference, will be devoted to health care funding and improving health care in general.
On Wednesday, premiers were scaling back expectations, saying it will take multiple meetings to come to any resolution on health transfers.
Ontario’s Doug Ford is hoping to persuade Trudeau to commit to a resolution in time for increased funding to be included in the next federal budget.
The premiers’ demand for more health care cash comes as the federal government is facing an unprecedented deficit approaching $400 billion, with more billions yet to be doled out to help Canadians weather the pandemic and the shattered economy to eventually bounce back.
So premiers can hardly be surprised that Trudeau doesn’t seem in any rush to deal with their decades-long complaint that Ottawa is not paying its fair share of annual health care costs.
The federal government this year will transfer to the provinces nearly $42 billion for health care, under an arrangement that sees the transfer increase by at least three per cent each year.
But the premiers contend that amounts to only 22 per cent of the actual cost of delivering health care and doesn’t keep pace with yearly cost increases of about six per cent.
They want Ottawa to increase its share to 35 per cent and maintain it at that level, which would mean an added $28 billion this year, rising by roughly another $4 billion in each subsequent year.
In calculating the federal share, the premiers include only the cash transfers they get from Ottawa. They do not include the billions in tax transfers they also get — essentially tax room vacated by the feds so that provinces and territories can increase their taxes to help pay for health care.
In a 2008 report, the auditor general of Canada pegged the value of the tax transfer for health care at $12.6 billion.
Nor do the premiers include any of the money the federal government has transferred to them specifically to combat the COVID-19 health crisis.
On top of the annual transfer this year, the federal government has given the provinces an extra $19 billion to help them cope with the fallout from the pandemic, including more than $10 billion specifically for pandemic-related health-care costs.
Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland promised $1 billion more for long-term care homes, which have been hardest hit by the pandemic, in her fiscal update last month.
The federal government has also spent billions purchasing personal protective equipment, rapid testing kits and lining up purchases of potential vaccine candidates.
Trudeau has noted repeatedly that Ottawa has footed the bill for 80 per cent of all the money spent by governments in Canada to fight COVID-19.
But the premiers say all that extra money is one-off; what they need is an increase in annual health transfers to ensure stable, predictable, long-term funding.
The latest numbers of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Canada as of 4:00 a.m. ET on Thursday Dec. 10, 2020.
There are 435,330 confirmed cases in Canada.
_ Canada: 435,330 confirmed cases (72,336 active, 350,011 resolved, 12,983 deaths).*The total case count includes 13 confirmed cases among repatriated travellers.
There were 6,295 new cases Wednesday from 78,579 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 8.0 per cent. The rate of active cases is 192.44 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 45,555 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 6,508.
There were 116 new reported deaths Wednesday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 658 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is 94. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.25 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 34.54 per 100,000 people.
There have been 12,226,406 tests completed.
_ Newfoundland and Labrador: 353 confirmed cases (20 active, 329 resolved, four deaths).
There was one new case Wednesday from 366 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 0.27 per cent. The rate of active cases is 3.83 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there has been 13 new case. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is two.
There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is 0.77 per 100,000 people.
There have been 65,333 tests completed.
_ Prince Edward Island: 84 confirmed cases (13 active, 71 resolved, zero deaths).
There were zero new cases Wednesday from 1,311 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 0.0 per cent. The rate of active cases is 8.28 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 12 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is two.
There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is zero per 100,000 people.
There were six new cases Wednesday from 1,173 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 0.51 per cent. The rate of active cases is 7.31 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 57 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is eight.
There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is 6.69 per 100,000 people.
There was one new case Wednesday from 599 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 0.17 per cent. The rate of active cases is 9.53 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there has been 28 new case. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is four.
There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is 0.9 per 100,000 people.
There were 1,728 new cases Wednesday from 10,169 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 17 per cent. The rate of active cases is 181.82 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 11,406 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 1,629.
There were 36 new reported deaths Wednesday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 224 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is 32. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.38 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 86.61 per 100,000 people.
There were 1,890 new cases Wednesday from 46,958 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 4.0 per cent. The rate of active cases is 110.45 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 12,878 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 1,840.
There were 28 new reported deaths Wednesday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 138 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is 20. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.14 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 26.33 per 100,000 people.
There were 279 new cases Wednesday from 2,296 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 12 per cent. The rate of active cases is 390.52 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 2,271 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 324.
There were 18 new reported deaths Wednesday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 96 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is 14. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is one per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 31.98 per 100,000 people.
There were 302 new cases Wednesday from 1,240 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 24 per cent. The rate of active cases is 400.78 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 1,917 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 274.
There were five new reported deaths Wednesday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 18 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is three. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.22 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 6.05 per 100,000 people.
There were 1,460 new cases Wednesday from 6,551 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 22 per cent. The rate of active cases is 462.08 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 12,319 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 1,760.
There were 13 new reported deaths Wednesday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 92 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is 13. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.3 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 14.94 per 100,000 people.
There were 619 new cases Wednesday from 7,723 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 8.0 per cent. The rate of active cases is 203.69 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 4,609 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 658.
There were 16 new reported deaths Wednesday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 90 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is 13. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.25 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 11.02 per 100,000 people.
There were zero new cases Wednesday from 66 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 0.0 per cent. The rate of active cases is 24.48 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of nine new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is one.
There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is 2.45 per 100,000 people.
There were zero new cases Wednesday from 62 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 0.0 per cent. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of zero new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is zero.
There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is zero per 100,000 people.
There were nine new cases Wednesday from 65 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 14 per cent. The rate of active cases is 123.78 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 36 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is five.
There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is zero per 100,000 people.
There have been 4,714 tests completed.
This report was automatically generated by The Canadian Press Digital Data Desk and was first published Dec. 10, 2020.
VANCOUVER — Lynne Smith’s daily visits to a long-term care home ended abruptly after a COVID-19 outbreak three weeks ago but she jumped at the chance to work at the facility that is hiring family members so she can see her husband.
“I felt so powerless and unhelpful. Laundry and being in dietary and being a housekeeper are not really my forte but I mean, I’ll do anything.” Smith said. “I’ll wash dishes, I’ll clean toilets.”
Smith’s husband, Derrick Smith, 72, has been living at Menno Place in Abbotsford, B.C., since February 2018 after moving there from another facility following a stroke and brain surgery.
Menno Place is recruiting residents’ families because so many employees have been diagnosed with COVID-19 in an outbreak that started on Nov. 17 after one resident became ill following treatment in hospital.
Smith said she’d visited her husband daily with their dog, Chester, even as they were forced to see each other through a window when visits were limited.
“I’ll do it for free. Just get me in there so I could help somebody,” said Smith, who had already been doing some of her husband’s laundry and cleaned his hearing aids and teeth.
Karen Biggs, CEO of Menno Place, said 31 residents and 21 staff had become ill on a unit that is home to 45 people but the care home began putting together a plan to hire families after the first few infections to avoid a staffing crisis that has hit other facilities.
“We’re getting very, very tight because staff are going off sick or they’re going off with pending swabs,” she said of those awaiting the results of COVID-19 tests.
The home’s director of human resources, the manager of housekeeping and laundry and the executive director of finance have come in on days off to work for staff who were sick or doing extra duties for patients confined to their rooms, Biggs said.
Menno Place had been trying to hire staff for months, she said.
“Because of the single-site order, it’s very, very hard to recruit people right now,” Biggs said of a policy by the provincial health officer for staff in care homes to work in only one facility to reduce the risk of COVID-19 spreading from place to place, as was the case earlier in the pandemic.
Biggs said 54 applicants, including residents’ grandchildren, had responded to a request on the facility’s website to work in laundry service, delivering food trays to rooms and doing housekeeping duties because of enhanced cleaning requirements during the outbreak.
Two people have so far been hired to do housekeeping, including a former care aide who once worked at Menno Place and whose mother is a resident at the facility, Biggs said, adding families in Alberta whose loved ones also live there have inquired about whether they’d need to quarantine for two weeks before starting work.
Residents’ families would get the same safety training offered to other employees around infection control and the use of personal protective equipment, she said.
The added bonus is those who work at the facility would get to see their loved one while cleaning their room, for example, but not having direct contact with them.
“I’d clean spotless If my mother was on the unit,” Biggs said.
Isobel Mackenzie, the advocate for seniors in British Columbia, said Menno Place seems to be the first long-term care facility in Canada to hire families.
The important role of families who help with everything from feeding to helping care for their loved ones has been acknowledged during the pandemic, she said, adding getting to see people while working at a care home may be the only hope for those who have been forced to stay away.
“I think Menno Place is showing a flexibility and ingenuity around how to get some extra hands in there quickly.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 10, 2020.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that a small number of the most vulnerable in Canada could get Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine before the holidays.
Here are five things to know about the vaccine’s rollout:
Who will get the vaccine first?
The Public Health Agency of Canada is overseeing the vaccine distribution to the provinces, but provincial governments decide who gets it and when, and puts in place the plan for that to happen.
The National Advisory Committee on Immunizations last week recommended priority be given to residents and workers in long-term care homes, front-line health workers, people over the age of 80 and adults living in Indigenous communities.
But, remote locations, including northern Indigenous reserves, won’t be getting the Pfizer vaccine for now because of the need to keep it so cold before it is ready for use.
Health Canada approvals
Everything hinges on Health Canada approving the Pfizer vaccine, with a decision expected on that in the coming days.
Trudeau said that if approval comes by the end of the week, Canadians will begin getting vaccinated next week.
How much of the vaccine will Canada get?
Trudeau said Monday the contract with Pfizer and its German partner, BioNTech, was adjusted this week to reflect that up to 249,000 doses of their vaccine will be delivered to Canada before the end of December.
Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Andrew Furey said he anticipates receiving 1,950 doses at the receiving site in St. John’s next week.
Quebec Health Minister Christian Dube said four shippers with about 4,000 doses are to go to Quebec next week, which will be distributed to long-term care homes and residential seniors’ homes first.
That would be enough to vaccinate about 2,000 people to start, with Dube saying more doses will arrive between Dec. 21 and Jan. 4, enough to vaccinate between 22,000 and 28,000 people.
Retired Gen. Rick Hiller, who is leading Ontario’s vaccine task force, said a very small number of doses would land in that province next week, but that he anticipates 2.4 million doses in the first three months of next year.
How will be the Pfizer vaccine be distributed?
Pfizer is shipping its doses from its manufacturing plant in Puurs, Belgium, directly to 14 receiving sites in each province that are equipped with at least one ultralow temperature freezer.
There are two delivery sites in Ontario, Quebec, British Columbia and Alberta, and one in each of the other six provinces. None of the early shipments are headed for the territories.
Canada and the provinces enacted a “dry run” Monday, with empty boxes shipped from Belgium to test Canada’s readiness.
Most provinces indicated they are ready now to receive the vaccine, including having ultralow temperature freezers set up at the receiving sites.
Temperature issues
Pfizer’s vaccine has to be kept frozen below -70 C until just before it is diluted to be injected into a patient.
The company has developed special thermal shipping boxes that can carry the doses, packed on dry ice, for up to 10 days.
The shippers can be used as temporary storage on sites where the vaccines are going to be injected as well. In between they must be stored in ultralow temperature freezers.
The vaccine can be kept in a refrigerator, at temperatures between 2 C and 8 C for up to five days, and then at room temperature for no more than two hours.
Each shipping box is equipped with a GPS-enabled thermal tracker to monitor the location and temperature during shipping.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 7, 2020.
In today’s Big Story podcast, this is the time of year when Canadians traditionally up their giving. But a lot of that tends to happen in person. This year, Covid-19 has made that tough. And the big picture isn’t much better: In a year of economic hardship, fewer Canadians have money to spare for charity, and more Canadians than usual need the help these organizations provide.
How has the pandemic hit charities? What have they done to adjust to “these unprecedented times”? And how can Canadians who do have the means get their money where it needs to be for the holidays?
GUEST: Bruce MacDonald, President and CEO of Imagine Canada
The latest numbers of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Canada as of 4:00 a.m. ET on Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2020.
There are 423,054 confirmed cases in Canada.
_ Canada: 423,054 confirmed cases (71,542 active, 338,735 resolved, 12,777 deaths).*The total case count includes 13 confirmed cases among repatriated travellers.
There were 6,499 new cases Monday from 91,974 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 7.1 per cent. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 44,915 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 6,416.
There were 84 new reported deaths Monday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 647 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is 92. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.25 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 33.99 per 100,000 people.
There have been 12,069,537 tests completed.
_ Newfoundland and Labrador: 351 confirmed cases (28 active, 319 resolved, four deaths).
There were zero new cases Monday from 243 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 0.0 per cent. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 13 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is two.
There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is 0.77 per 100,000 people.
There have been 64,611 tests completed.
_ Prince Edward Island: 84 confirmed cases (14 active, 70 resolved, zero deaths).
There were four new cases Monday from 719 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 0.56 per cent. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 12 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is two.
There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is zero per 100,000 people.
There were eight new cases Monday from 1,036 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 0.77 per cent. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 71 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 10.
There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is 6.69 per 100,000 people.
There were two new cases Monday from 389 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 0.51 per cent. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 35 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is five.
There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is 0.9 per 100,000 people.
There were 1,577 new cases Monday from 12,046 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 13 per cent. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 10,805 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 1,544.
There were 22 new reported deaths Monday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 221 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is 32. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.37 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 85.76 per 100,000 people.
There were 1,925 new cases Monday from 43,803 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 4.4 per cent. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 12,742 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 1,820.
There were 26 new reported deaths Monday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 142 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is 20. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.14 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 26.07 per 100,000 people.
There were 325 new cases Monday from 6,895 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 4.7 per cent. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 2,306 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 329.
There were 12 new reported deaths Monday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 95 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is 14. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.99 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 29.72 per 100,000 people.
There were 273 new cases Monday from 1,737 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 16 per cent. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 1,848 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 264.
There was one new reported death Monday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 13 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is two. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.16 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 5.11 per 100,000 people.
There were 1,735 new cases Monday from 24,878 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 7.0 per cent. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 12,124 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 1,732.
There were 16 new reported deaths Monday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 90 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is 13. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.29 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 14.44 per 100,000 people.
There were 647 new cases Monday. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 4,914 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 702.
There were seven new reported deaths Monday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 86 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is 12. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.24 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 10.39 per 100,000 people.
There were zero new cases Monday. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of seven new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is one.
There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is 2.45 per 100,000 people.
There were zero new cases Monday from 62 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 0.0 per cent. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of zero new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is zero.
There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is zero per 100,000 people.
There were three new cases Monday from 166 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 1.8 per cent. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 38 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is five.
There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is zero per 100,000 people.
There have been 4,625 tests completed.
This report was automatically generated by The Canadian Press Digital Data Desk and was first published Dec. 8, 2020.
Throngs of former students have been unable to reach Canada’s loans centre, which is working through a backlog of more than 30,000 applications for repayment assistance.
The phone lines for the National Student Loans Service Centre have been clogged since a pandemic-induced moratorium on student loan collections lifted at the end of September, the agency said, pointing to a message on its website warning about long wait times and dropped calls.
“We’re currently experiencing unprecedented call volumes and are receiving a higher than usual volume of (repayment assistance plan) applications,” said spokeswoman Isabelle Maheu.
The agency said it saw 169,000 RAP applications between Oct. 1 – when loan payments resumed – and late November. Of those, 30,600 had yet to be processed.
The plan protects borrowers from having to repay their Canada Student Loan until they are earning at least $25,000 per year, and caps payments for those over the threshold.
But current and former students said their issues with the service centre go beyond long wait times.
Jaylen Bastos, a master’s student at the University of British Columbia, has been trying in vain to reach someone at the centre after receiving an email in mid-October about payments resuming.
Bastos, who uses the gender-neutral pronouns they and them, said they called every week, but could never get through.
And throughout November, they said, calls resulted in a message saying the phones were overloaded.
But even so, on Dec. 1, the service automatically withdrew $400 from their account.
“They just took money out of my account on the same day that I had to pay rent, and I was not expecting it to happen. So I was like, ‘Oh, okay, now I just have to come up with $400 extra during this pandemic, which is questionable for income for everyone,” they said.
Bastos tried calling their bank to see if it could do anything about it, but no luck, they said.
“It’s super frustrating, because there’s no options, right? There’s only one number to call, they don’t accept email, there’s no other way to access this service or get in contact with anyone,” they said.
For the foreseeable future, Bastos said, they’ll keep calling the centre in an effort to get through — and take screenshots after each failed attempt to show they did their due diligence.
The service centre said it’s still experiencing a high volume of calls, but that call centre capacity has increased, so students are able to get through again — though that hasn’t been Bastos’ experience.
The agency spokeswoman also said calls are higher in part because autumn is when new graduates are expected to start repaying their loans.
There are also more calls because of enhanced security protocols introduced after a “cyber incident” that affected a number of government departments, Maheu said.
“Clients that require assistance to access their online account due to increased security measures are a significant portion of the borrowers calling the NSLSC,” she said.
The latest numbers of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Canada as of 4:00 a.m. ET on Monday Dec. 7, 2020.
There are 415,182 confirmed cases in Canada.
_ Canada: 415,182 confirmed cases (73,379 active, 329,138 resolved, 12,665 deaths).*The total case count includes 13 confirmed cases among repatriated travellers.
There were 6,261 new cases Sunday from 71,793 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 8.7 per cent. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 43,146 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 6,164.
There were 76 new reported deaths Sunday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 601 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is 86. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.23 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 33.69 per 100,000 people.
There have been 11,977,563 tests completed.
_ Newfoundland and Labrador: 351 confirmed cases (30 active, 317 resolved, four deaths).
There were four new cases Sunday from 234 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 1.7 per cent. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 14 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is two.
There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is 0.77 per 100,000 people.
There have been 64,368 tests completed.
_ Prince Edward Island: 80 confirmed cases (11 active, 69 resolved, zero deaths).
There were four new cases Sunday from 546 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 0.73 per cent. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of eight new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is one.
There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is zero per 100,000 people.
There were four new cases Sunday from 849 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 0.47 per cent. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 78 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 11.
There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is 6.69 per 100,000 people.
There were four new cases Sunday from 502 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 0.80 per cent. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 39 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is six.
There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is 0.9 per 100,000 people.
There were 1,691 new cases Sunday from 10,235 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 17 per cent. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 10,561 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 1,509.
There were 24 new reported deaths Sunday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 222 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is 32. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.37 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 85.5 per 100,000 people.
There were 1,924 new cases Sunday from 57,313 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 3.4 per cent. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 12,563 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 1,795.
There were 15 new reported deaths Sunday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 124 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is 18. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.12 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 25.89 per 100,000 people.
There were 383 new cases Sunday. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 2,323 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 332.
There were 14 new reported deaths Sunday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 94 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is 13. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.98 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 28.84 per 100,000 people.
There were 409 new cases Sunday from 2,114 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 19 per cent. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 1,900 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 271.
There were four new reported deaths Sunday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 14 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is two. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.17 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 5.02 per 100,000 people.
There were 1,836 new cases Sunday. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 12,122 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 1,732.
There were 19 new reported deaths Sunday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 82 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is 12. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.27 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 14.07 per 100,000 people.
There were zero new cases Sunday. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 3,490 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 499.
There were zero new reported deaths Sunday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 65 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is nine. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.18 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 9.7 per 100,000 people.
There were zero new cases Sunday. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of nine new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is one.
There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is 2.45 per 100,000 people.
There were zero new cases Sunday. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of zero new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is zero.
There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is zero per 100,000 people.
The military, health workers and government officials will go through a practice run today of the complex plan to deliver COVID-19 vaccines across the country.
The first vaccine, made by Pfizer-BioNtech, could be approved for use in Canada as early as this week.
And Major-General Dany Fortin, who’s leading the military through the vaccine distribution process, says the dry run is intended to get everyone involved comfortable with the intense requirements of handling a vaccine that has to be kept below minus 70 Celcius at all times.
The national operations centre quarterbacking the effort is looking at two phases of a vaccine rollout, starting with about six million doses this winter — enough to vaccinate three million people with two doses each.
The military could be called upon to fly doses on short order from Europe, the U.S. or elsewhere, and to help get them to remote, northern and coastal communities.
But the military remains as much in the dark as everyone else about the specific timing for the doses to start arriving.
One child asks for a coat for her dog in case her family gets evicted. Another girl hopes Santa can bring her pet medication he needs. Another wishes for enough dog food.
A charity that provides subsidized pet care, including food hampers and medical treatment, for low-income residents is receiving Christmas letters from children asking for help for their furry friends.
Parachutes for Pets in Calgary has delivered 2,000 pet food hampers since the COVID-19 pandemic hit in March. But demand, especially during the second wave of the pandemic, is taking its toll on both the organization and those receiving help.
“Instead of Santa I wanted to write to you guys. My dog Badger is really cute and my best friend. He needs pills or he gets really, really sick. Could you bring me his pills for my Santa gift? I’ve been really good and so has he,” reads a letter signed Hanna and Badger.
The organization says it has received 14 letters from children in the last week that normally would have gone to Santa.
“My Christmas wish this year is a coat for my dog Max. Mom says we can’t pay rent after this month and I want Max to be warm if we have to stay in our car,” wrote Kaylee.
“I have a warm coat and I think one would be good for him to stay warm. Please tell Santa this is my only wish. Merry Christmas.”
Melissa David, who founded the charity, said the messages from the kids are heartbreaking.
“Instead of writing to Santa, they’ve written to us. Their Christmas wish is either for their dog to get medication and their dog to get food, so they don’t have to share their meal with them.”
David said the charity referred Kaylee’s mom, who was at risk of being evicted, with an agency to deal with her rent arrears.
She said the charity made it through the first wave of the pandemic, but the resurgence of COVID-19 in the last months has resulted in demands coming at a “fast and furious rate.”
“This second wave is going to cripple us. The amount of additional homeless with pets and domestic violence incidents involving pets is astronomical,” David said.
People are still donating food items, she said, but there’s also a need for cash, which is in short supply.
“This (pandemic) in addition to everyday challenges that are still here, such as cancer and illness, is really making it difficult for people to keep their pets at a time they can’t afford mentally to lose them.”
David said she is reaching out in desperation since there are limits on what help the charity can arrange.
“We were passed over for most COVID grants because animals were not considered essential.”
There are also messages asking for help from physically abused women who are afraid to leave their pets behind.
“They want to take their pet with them. They’re at the lowest of lows and they don’t leave with anything but the clothes on their back. And if that pet stays, statistics are 80 per cent that it will be tortured or killed or used as some sort of revenge by the abuser.”
The head of the Calgary Women’s Emergency Shelter said crisis calls between April and September were up nearly 65 per cent compared with the year before.
Shelter CEO Kim Ruse confirms many women stay where they are for fear of their pets being harmed.
“Not having a place for pets to go often stops women from leaving abusive and dangerous situations,” Ruse said. “Many are unaware that there are options for keeping pets safe while finding safety for themselves and their children.”
She said the agency does have pet-friendly rooms to accommodate small animals.
“Allowing pets in the shelter will help provide emotional and healing support for women and their children during their stay.”
The latest numbers of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Canada as of 4:00 a.m. ET on Friday Dec. 4, 2020.
There are 396,270 confirmed cases in Canada.
Canada: 396,270 confirmed cases (69,255 active, 314,608 resolved, 12,407 deaths).*The total case count includes 13 confirmed cases among repatriated travellers.
There were 6,495 new cases Thursday from 86,875 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 7.5 per cent. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 43,173 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 6,168.
There were 82 new reported deaths Thursday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 608 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is 87. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.23 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 33.01 per 100,000 people.
There have been 11,739,689 tests completed.
Newfoundland and Labrador: 340 confirmed cases (29 active, 307 resolved, four deaths).
There were zero new cases Thursday from 420 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 0.0 per cent. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 13 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is two.
There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is 0.77 per 100,000 people.
There have been 63,583 tests completed.
Prince Edward Island: 73 confirmed cases (five active, 68 resolved, zero deaths).
There was one new case Thursday from 584 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 0.17 per cent. Over the past seven days, there has been three new case. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is zero.
There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is zero per 100,000 people.
There were 11 new cases Thursday from 1,300 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 0.85 per cent. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 86 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 12.
There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is 6.69 per 100,000 people.
There were six new cases Thursday from 1,179 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 0.51 per cent. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 55 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is eight.
There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is 0.9 per 100,000 people.
There were 1,470 new cases Thursday from 11,594 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 13 per cent. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 9,638 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 1,377.
There were 30 new reported deaths Thursday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 208 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is 30. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.35 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 84.33 per 100,000 people.
There were 1,824 new cases Thursday from 51,144 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 3.6 per cent. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 12,385 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 1,769.
There were 14 new reported deaths Thursday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 137 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is 20. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.13 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 25.48 per 100,000 people.
There were 367 new cases Thursday from 2,804 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 13 per cent. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 2,463 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 352.
There were 11 new reported deaths Thursday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 87 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is 12. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.91 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 25.78 per 100,000 people.
There were 262 new cases Thursday from 1,696 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 15 per cent. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 1,882 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 269.
There was one new reported death Thursday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 14 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is two. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.17 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 4.6 per 100,000 people.
There were 1,854 new cases Thursday from 8,049 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 23 per cent. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 11,145 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 1,592.
There were 14 new reported deaths Thursday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 65 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is nine. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.21 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 13.15 per 100,000 people.
There were 694 new cases Thursday from 7,929 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 8.8 per cent. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 5,449 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 778.
There were 12 new reported deaths Thursday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 97 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is 14. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.27 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 9.48 per 100,000 people.
There have been 815,367 tests completed.
Yukon: 50 confirmed cases (20 active, 29 resolved, one deaths).
There was one new case Thursday from 89 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 1.1 per cent. Over the past seven days, there has been 11 new case. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is two.
There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is 2.45 per 100,000 people.
There were zero new cases Thursday from 48 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 0.0 per cent. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of zero new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is zero.
There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is zero per 100,000 people.
There have been 6,482 tests completed.
Nunavut: 198 confirmed cases (75 active, 123 resolved, zero deaths).
There were five new cases Thursday from 39 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 13 per cent. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 43 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is six.
There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is zero per 100,000 people.
There have been 4,384 tests completed.
This report was automatically generated by The Canadian Press Digital Data Desk and was first published Dec. 4, 2020.
In today’s Big Story podcast, we have more doses on order per capita than any other nation. But we also have no real domestic production capacity. If you ask the Liberals, we’re among the world leaders in terms of when Canadians can expect to be vaccinated. If you ask the Conservatives, we’re well behind our peer countries already.
Who is telling the truth? What are the facts on the COVID-19 vaccines Canada has ordered? What needs to happen next? And when will needles start going into arms on Canadian soil?
he trial of a teen boy accused of sexually assaulting two fellow students at a renowned Toronto high school is set to continue Thursday.
The teen has pleaded not guilty to two counts each of gang sexual assault, sexual assault with a weapon and assault with a weapon in connection with two incidents at St. Michael’s College School in the fall of 2018.
Earlier this week, court viewed part of a video in which one of the complainants, also a teen boy, told police about an October 2018 incident in the school’s locker room.
In the video, the complainant recalled hearing a group of students laugh as they held back his arms and sexually assaulted him with a broom handle after football practice.
The role of the accused was not specified in the portion of the video played in court, and the complainant did not mention him by name in that part of the footage.
More of the video is expected to be shown in Thursday’s hearing, which is taking place in court and over videoconference.
Court has heard there were two sexual assaults on campus in 2018 when boys involved with a school football team pinned down two different victims and sexually assaulted them with a broom handle in a locker room.
Three teens have already pleaded guilty to sexual assault with a weapon and assault with a weapon for their roles in the incidents and have been sentenced to two years of probation.
One of them also pleaded guilty to making child pornography for recording one of the sex assaults in a video that was then shared within the school and beyond.
Another student received a two-year probationary sentence with no jail time after pleading guilty. The charges against two other students were dropped.
None of the teens involved in the case – including the accused, the complainants and some witnesses – can be identified under prov.isions of the Youth Criminal Justice Act.
The trial began in March but was on hold for several months due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In today’s Big Story podcast, it’s a cycle that repeats itself in many ecosystems where humans live: Harmony, profit, imbalance and then a desperate need to fix things. When wild salmon runs around Wuikinuxv, BC, dwindled to almost nothing, the local grizzly bears grew hungry — and dangerous to humans. Now the salmon are returning, but the community must find a way to manage both the fish and bear populations, and keep the forest healthy.
The latest numbers of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Canada as of 4:00 a.m. ET on Thursday Dec. 3, 2020.
There are 389,775 confirmed cases in Canada.
Canada: 389,775 confirmed cases (67,564 active, 309,886 resolved, 12,325 deaths).*The total case count includes 13 confirmed cases among repatriated travellers.
There were 6,307 new cases Wednesday from 79,492 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 7.9 per cent. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 42,309 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 6,044.
There were 114 new reported deaths Wednesday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 615 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is 88. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.23 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 32.79 per 100,000 people.
There have been 11,652,814 tests completed.
Newfoundland and Labrador: 340 confirmed cases (30 active, 306 resolved, four deaths).
There was one new case Wednesday from 319 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 0.31 per cent. Over the past seven days, there has been 16 new case. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is two.
There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is 0.77 per 100,000 people.
There have been 63,163 tests completed.
Prince Edward Island: 72 confirmed cases (four active, 68 resolved, zero deaths).
There were zero new cases Wednesday from 354 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 0.0 per cent. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of two new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is zero.
There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is zero per 100,000 people.
There were 17 new cases Wednesday from 2,340 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 0.73 per cent. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 89 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 13.
There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is 6.69 per 100,000 people.
There were six new cases Wednesday from 1,062 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 0.56 per cent. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 61 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is nine.
There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is 0.9 per 100,000 people.
There were 1,514 new cases Wednesday from 9,764 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 16 per cent. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 9,632 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 1,376.
There were 41 new reported deaths Wednesday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 210 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is 30. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.35 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 83.97 per 100,000 people.
There were 1,723 new cases Wednesday from 42,779 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 4.0 per cent. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 12,039 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 1,720.
There were 35 new reported deaths Wednesday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 144 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is 21. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.14 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 25.39 per 100,000 people.
There were 277 new cases Wednesday from 2,336 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 12 per cent. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 2,477 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 354.
There were 14 new reported deaths Wednesday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 86 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is 12. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.9 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 24.97 per 100,000 people.
There were 237 new cases Wednesday from 1,342 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 18 per cent. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 1,935 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 276.
There were two new reported deaths Wednesday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 16 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is two. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.19 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 4.51 per 100,000 people.
There were 1,685 new cases Wednesday from 13,989 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 12 per cent. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 10,368 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 1,481.
There were 10 new reported deaths Wednesday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 61 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is nine. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.2 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 12.83 per 100,000 people.
There were 834 new cases Wednesday from 5,062 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 16 per cent. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 5,642 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 806.
There were 12 new reported deaths Wednesday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 98 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is 14. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.28 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 9.25 per 100,000 people.
There have been 807,438 tests completed.
Yukon: 49 confirmed cases (19 active, 29 resolved, one deaths).
There were two new cases Wednesday from 63 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 3.2 per cent. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 10 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is one.
There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is 2.45 per 100,000 people.
There were zero new cases Wednesday from 37 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 0.0 per cent. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of zero new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is zero.
There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is zero per 100,000 people.
There have been 6,434 tests completed.
Nunavut: 193 confirmed cases (80 active, 113 resolved, zero deaths).
There were 11 new cases Wednesday from 45 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 24 per cent. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 38 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is five.
There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is zero per 100,000 people.
There have been 4,345 tests completed.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 3, 2020.
Canada’s prime minister says the government will not lift a ban on non-essential travel with the United States until the COVID-19 outbreak is under control not only here at home, but around the world.
“Until the virus is significantly more under control everywhere around the world, we’re not going to be releasing the restrictions at the border,” said Trudeau at his daily briefing on Tuesday.
Canada and the U.S. agreed to the ban in March and have continued to roll it out on a monthly basis ever since.
Visits such as vacations, day trips and cross-border shopping excursions have been forbidden in an effort to limit the spread of the virus.
The travel ban does not apply to those who must cross to ensure the continued flow of goods and essential services, including truckers and hospital staff.
This comes as almost 100,000 people remain hospitalized in the U.S. as states and cities search for answers and look to implement strict new health measures the curve the spread of the virus.
Recently, top public health expert in the U.S., Dr. Anthony Fauci, admitted the country was “not in a good place” following a spike in numbers that coincided with American Thanksgiving and excessive travel.
Trudeau, meanwhile, said the federal government has added certain exemptions to reunite extended family members.
“We are incredibly lucky that trade in essential goods, in agricultural products, in pharmaceuticals is flowing back and forth as it always has.”
Nunavut’s two-week lockdown to slow the spread of COVID-19 is to end Wednesday as the territory continues to see a drop in new cases.
Dr. Michael Patterson, Nunavut’s chief public health officer, said earlier this week that schools, businesses and workplaces could reopen.
Restrictions are to lift in all communities except Arviat, which has 76 active cases and will remain shut down for at least two more weeks.
Patterson says that’s because his team hasn’t determined if community transmission there is ongoing.
The Canadian Red Cross is on the ground in Arviat to help people self-isolate and to contact trace.
Rankin Inlet and Whale Cove, in the same region as Arviat along the west cost of Hudson Bay, still have active COVID-19 cases, but no evidence of community transmission.
Nunavut had 93 active infections and 89 recovered cases on Tuesday for a total of 182.
The territory had not had any cases at all until early November.
The latest numbers of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Canada as of 4:00 a.m. ET on Wed. Dec. 2, 2020.
There are 383,468 confirmed cases in Canada.
_ Canada: 383,468 confirmed cases (66,369 active, 304,888 resolved, 12,211 deaths).*The total case count includes 13 confirmed cases among repatriated travellers.
There were 5,329 new cases Tuesday from 97,680 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 5.5 per cent. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 41,024 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 5,861.
There were 81 new reported deaths Tuesday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 593 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is 85. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.23 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 32.49 per 100,000 people.
There have been 11,573,322 tests completed.
_ Newfoundland and Labrador: 339 confirmed cases (33 active, 302 resolved, four deaths).
There was one new case Tuesday from 324 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 0.31 per cent. Over the past seven days, there has been 16 new case. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is two.
There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is 0.77 per 100,000 people.
There have been 62,844 tests completed.
_ Prince Edward Island: 72 confirmed cases (four active, 68 resolved, zero deaths).
There were zero new cases Tuesday from 760 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 0.0 per cent. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of three new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is zero.
There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is zero per 100,000 people.
There were 10 new cases Tuesday from 3,165 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 0.32 per cent. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 88 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 13.
There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is 6.69 per 100,000 people.
There were seven new cases Tuesday from 1,065 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 0.66 per cent. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 58 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is eight.
There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is 0.9 per 100,000 people.
There were 1,177 new cases Tuesday from 8,376 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 14 per cent. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 9,218 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 1,317.
There were 28 new reported deaths Tuesday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 197 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is 28. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.33 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 83.49 per 100,000 people.
There were 1,707 new cases Tuesday from 33,508 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 5.1 per cent. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 11,689 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 1,670.
There were seven new reported deaths Tuesday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 144 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is 21. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.14 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 25.15 per 100,000 people.
There were 282 new cases Tuesday from 2,201 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 13 per cent. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 2,549 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 364.
There were 16 new reported deaths Tuesday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 80 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is 11. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.83 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 23.95 per 100,000 people.
There were 181 new cases Tuesday from 1,444 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 13 per cent. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 1,862 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 266.
There were four new reported deaths Tuesday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 14 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is two. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.17 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 4.34 per 100,000 people.
There were 1,307 new cases Tuesday from 27,600 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 4.7 per cent. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 9,948 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 1,421.
There were 10 new reported deaths Tuesday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 59 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is eight. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.19 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 12.6 per 100,000 people.
There were 656 new cases Tuesday from 18,967 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 3.5 per cent. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 5,546 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 792.
There were 16 new reported deaths Tuesday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 99 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is 14. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.28 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 9.01 per 100,000 people.
There were zero new cases Tuesday from 170 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 0.0 per cent. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of nine new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is one.
There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is 2.45 per 100,000 people.
There were zero new cases Tuesday from 42 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 0.0 per cent. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of zero new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is zero.
There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is zero per 100,000 people.
There was one new case Tuesday from 58 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 1.7 per cent. Over the past seven days, there has been 38 new case. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is five.
There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is zero per 100,000 people.
There have been 4,300 tests completed.
This report was automatically generated by The Canadian Press Digital Data Desk and was first published Dec. 2, 2020.
The trial of a teen accused of sexually assaulting two students at a prestigious Toronto high school is set to resume today.
The former student of St. Michael’s College School has pleaded not guilty to two counts each of gang sexual assault, sexual assault with a weapon and assault with a weapon.
The charges relate to incidents that occurred on campus in the fall of 2018. The trial began in March.
Court has previously heard there were two sexual assaults at the school in 2018 when boys involved with a school football team pinned down two different victims and sexually assaulted them with a broom handle in a locker room.
Three teens have already pleaded guilty to sexual assault with a weapon and assault with a weapon for their roles in the incidents and have been sentenced to two years of probation.
One of them also pleaded guilty to making child pornography for recording one of the sex assaults in a video that was then shared widely within and outside the school.
Another student received a two-year probationary sentence with no jail time after pleading guilty. The charges against two other students were dropped.
Neither the accused teen, the perpetrators or the victims can be identified under provisions of the Youth Criminal Justice Act.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 1, 2020.
The latest numbers of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Canada as of 4 a.m. ET on Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2020.
There are 378,139 confirmed cases in Canada.
_ Canada: 378,139 confirmed cases (66,037 active, 299,972 resolved, 12,130 deaths).*The total case count includes 13 confirmed cases among repatriated travellers.
There were 6,103 new cases Monday from 63,070 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 9.7 per cent. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 40,584 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 5,798.
There were 66 new reported deaths Monday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 609 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is 87. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.23 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 32.27 per 100,000 people.
There have been 11,475,642 tests completed.
_ Newfoundland and Labrador: 338 confirmed cases (36 active, 298 resolved, four deaths).
There was one new case Monday from 247 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 0.40 per cent. Over the past seven days, there has been 17 new case. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is two.
There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is 0.77 per 100,000 people.
There have been 62,520 tests completed.
_ Prince Edward Island: 72 confirmed cases (four active, 68 resolved, zero deaths).
There were zero new cases Monday from 846 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 0.0 per cent. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of three new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is zero.
There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is zero per 100,000 people.
There were 15 new cases Monday from 2,564 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 0.59 per cent. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 115 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 16.
There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is 6.69 per 100,000 people.
There were six new cases Monday from 1,079 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 0.56 per cent. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 56 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is eight.
There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is 0.9 per 100,000 people.
There were 1,333 new cases Monday from 8,655 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 15 per cent. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 9,165 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 1,309.
There were 23 new reported deaths Monday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 214 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is 31. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.36 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 83.16 per 100,000 people.
There were 1,746 new cases Monday from 38,117 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 4.6 per cent. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 10,991 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 1,570.
There were eight new reported deaths Monday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 151 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is 22. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.15 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 25.1 per 100,000 people.
There were 342 new cases Monday from 9,003 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 3.8 per cent. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 2,738 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 391.
There were 11 new reported deaths Monday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 76 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is 11. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.79 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 22.78 per 100,000 people.
There were 325 new cases Monday from 2,451 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 13 per cent. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 1,856 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 265.
There were two new reported deaths Monday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 10 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is one. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.12 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is four per 100,000 people.
There were 1,733 new cases Monday. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 9,756 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 1,394.
There were eight new reported deaths Monday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 65 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is nine. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.21 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 12.38 per 100,000 people.
There were 596 new cases Monday. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 5,831 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 833.
There were 14 new reported deaths Monday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 93 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is 13. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.26 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 8.7 per 100,000 people.
There were two new cases Monday. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of nine new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is one.
There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is 2.45 per 100,000 people.
There were zero new cases Monday from 53 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 0.0 per cent. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of zero new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is zero.
There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is zero per 100,000 people.
There were four new cases Monday from 55 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 7.3 per cent. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 47 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is seven.
There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is zero per 100,000 people.
There have been 4,242 tests completed.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 1, 2020.
OTTAWA — A new poll suggests most Canadians aren’t currently worried that people in other countries might get a COVID-19 vaccine first.
Thirty-seven per cent of respondents to a survey conducted by Léger and the Association for Canadian Studies say they are very concerned that Canada may not receive doses of a new COVID vaccine as early as the United States.
“That’s not necessarily low, but I think most pundits would have expected this number to be much higher,” said Léger executive vice-president Christian Bourque.
Meanwhile, 48 per cent say they are not concerned about getting a vaccine first and 10 per cent say they don’t care at all or are not planning to get vaccinated anyway.
Getting a vaccine before other countries doesn’t seem to be “a major (issue for the Liberal government), which is contrary to what we might have thought … when the prime minister actually said that we would not be the first ones to get doses,” Bourque said.
The amount of concern regarding getting a COVID-19 vaccine first varies along party lines, with 45 per cent of self-identified Conservative supporters saying they are very concerned that Canada may not receive doses of a new COVID vaccine at the same time as other countries. Only 38 per cent of Liberal supporters say they are concerned.
“The Conservative voters have the highest rate of people who say they’re very concerned about not getting (a vaccine) first,” said Bourque. “It’s probably just because they tend to have a negative view or perspective on the Trudeau government, period.”
Furthermore, with the likelihood of multiple vaccines arriving over a period of time, just 28 per cent of respondents said they will take the first vaccine they can get, while 45 per cent said they will wait for other vaccines to become available.
Forty-one per cent of respondents say they want the vaccine to be mandatory for all Canadians and 55 per cent say it should be given on a voluntary basis.
But the poll suggests that the vast majority of Canadians want people entering Canada to be vaccinated against COVID-19, with 83 per cent of respondents saying vaccines should be required. Also, nearly two-thirds of those surveyed said employers should be able to demand that workers be vaccinated.
The poll suggests that 65 per cent of Canadians intend to take a COVID-19 vaccine when it’s approved by Health Canada and available for free while 17 per cent say they don’t intend to.
“That proportion used to be a bit higher, closer to 70 per cent in the spring. Since then it’s gone down,” said Bourque. “Over the past three months, when we’ve actually asked the question again, it is fairly stable in the mid-60s.”
“It really seems that two thirds of us are kind of committed to this idea of getting the vaccine when it’s available.”
The poll of 1,516 adult Canadians in an online panel was conducted fromNov. 26 to Nov. 29 and cannot be assigned a margin of error because internet-based polls are not considered random.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 30, 2020
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This story was produced with the financial assistance of the Facebook and Canadian Press News Fellowship.
In today’s Big Story podcast, it seemed like a prank posted to social media—but there are witnesses who confirmed that the advertised fight night between McGill University students actually happened. Nobody was hurt, and it might have been a harmless enough story, but it illustrates the challenges first-year students are facing this year in dorms that they joke have become their prisons.
A prominent Canadian forecaster says the country’s residents could experience everything from winter wonderlands to spring-like spells in the months ahead.
The Weather Network says cooler Pacific Ocean temperatures off the coast of South America, also known as “La Niña,” will create a strong jet stream separating warm southern air masses from their colder northern counterparts.
Chief Meteorologist Chris Scott says this means most Canadians can brace for a wildly variable winter with major departures from seasonal norms.
In British Columbia and the Prairies, for instance, Scott says forecasters are calling for above-average snowfall levels and temperatures below seasonal norms.
He says major swings in both temperatures and precipitation levels are on tap for Ontario, Quebec and the Atlantic provinces, with stretches of both extreme cold and unusually mild air forecast alongside a mix of storms and dry spells.
Scott says Newfoundland and Labrador and northern Canada are slated to buck the trend, with the eastern-most province set to experience a more typical winter while colder than average conditions are expected across all three territories.
But Scott said the long-term patterns may not be evident at first, since the December forecast is calling for conditions that defy the overall forecasts. In broad strokes, he predicted an overall milder month for western Canada with more wintry conditions likely in Ontario and points east.
“It’s going to be quite a winter,” Scott said in a telephone interview. “A lot of extremes within the given regions. And if you’re talking to your friends or family back east or out west, you’re probably going to have a very different experience from week to week as the weather changes across the country.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 30, 2020.
OTTAWA – The federal Liberals will provide Canadians with a long-awaited update on the health of federal finances later today, and potentially unveil a suite of new spending.
Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland will deliver the fall economic statement in the House of Commons this afternoon after markets close.
The economic statement should have a full accounting of pandemic spending so far, and the depth of this year’s deficit, which in July was forecast at a historic $343.2 billion amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Estimates vary of how deep a deficit the Liberals will unveil today, with a Scotiabank report Friday saying a range of $400 billion to $450 billion is possible.
The government is under pressure to help out industries like travel and restaurants that may take longer to recover from the pandemic.
Observers are keeping a close eye on how much spending space new promises take up, which could limit the government’s capacity to spend in next year’s budget before deficits become permanent.
The government is also expected to reveal a small step today towards a national child-care system.
Newly released documents have shed light on the secret government talks and debate that took place ahead of a Canadian warship’s passage through a sensitive waterway near China last year.
Those discussions included a private meeting between the top bureaucrats at the Department of National Defence and Global Affairs Canada, weeks before HMCS Ottawa sailed through the Taiwan Strait.
Defence officials were also told to keep quiet about the frigate’s trip in September 2019, three months after Chinese fighter jets buzzed two other Canadian ships making the same voyage.
And they were ordered to keep the Privy Council Office, the department that supports the prime minister, in the loop as the Ottawa was making its way through the waterway.
The unusual level of attention from the highest levels of government laid out in the documents, obtained by The Canadian Press through access to information, underscores the sensitivities surrounding the trip.
That is because while much of the world considers the 180-kilometre strait to be international waters, Beijing claims ownership of the strait separating mainland China from Taiwan.
Beijing, which regards the self-ruled island of Taiwan as a rogue province, has repeatedly condemned such passages by foreign warships from the U.S., Canada and elsewhere as illegal.
HMCS Ottawa ended up sailing through the Taiwan Strait twice in early September. Media reports at the time said the frigate was shadowed by the Chinese navy.
The heavily redacted memo to Global Affairs deputy minister Marta Morgan dated Aug. 7, 2019 starts by saying the Defence Department was looking for a risk assessment for the Ottawa’s planned transit.
Defence Department deputy minister Jody Thomas “has also requested a meeting with you on Aug. 12 to discuss this deployment,” the memo adds.
While HMCS Ottawa was in the region at the time helping enforce United Nations sanctions against North Korea, the memo noted that the frigate was due to make a port visit in Bangkok in mid-September.
Defence officials have publicly stated that the decision to have the Ottawa sail through the strait was because the route was the fastest way for the frigate to reach Bangkok from its position near North Korea.
The memo backs that assertion, noting that going around Taiwan would add one or two days to the trip each way.
Yet it also says the navy’s presence in the South China Sea, of which the Taiwan Strait is a part, “has demonstrated Canadian support for our closest partners and allies, regional security and the rules-based international order.”
Global Affairs ultimately agreed to the Ottawa’s sailing through the strait, but called on defence officials to keep the trip quiet, in large part because of fears the trip would coincide with the federal election campaign.
“Finally, GAC will ask DND to ensure that it keeps PCO informed as this naval deployment progresses,” the memo adds.
Former Canadian ambassador to China David Mulroney described the discussions leading up to the Ottawa’s transit of the Taiwan Strait as “an illustration of smart and effective consultation producing the right decision.”
“It is tremendously important that China sees that, in addition to the United States, other serious countries like Canada will not be intimidated into surrendering the Taiwan Strait and Taiwan itself to China’s complete control,” he said.
“The RCN, working closely with Global Affairs, is promoting the national interest and asserting our sovereignty from the far side of the world.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 27, 2020.
Black Friday, the one-day shopping bonanza known for its big bargains and large crowds, has arrived.
While rising COVID-19 cases and weeks of staggered deals have muted the usual fanfare of the shopping event, retailers are banking on today’s sales to bolster their bottom line.
Retail analysts say some bargain hunters are still expected to shop in brick-and-mortar stores, where possible, in the hopes of snagging a doorbuster deal.
But they say the majority of this year’s Black Friday purchases are expected to be made online.
Eric Morris, head of retail at Google Canada, says e-commerce in Canada has doubled during the pandemic.
He says given ongoing lockdowns and in-store capacity limits, online sales are expected to be strong today and remain heightened over the holiday shopping season.
Indeed, big box stores, which often attract the largest lineups and crowds on Black Friday, have moved most promotions online.
Yet although Black Friday’s top sellers tend to be big-ticket electronics, some shoppers might be on the hunt for deals on more basic items.
Lisa Hutcheson, managing partner at consulting firm J.C. Williams Group, says some shoppers may take advantage of today’s sales to “stock up and hunker down for the winter.”
Black Friday, which started as a post-Thanksgiving sale in the United States, has gained in popularity in Canada in recent years.
It’s also become an increasingly important sales event for retailers, along with Cyber Monday, overshadowing Boxing Day.
Robin Sahota, managing director and Canadian retail lead for professional services firm Accenture, says retailers might be saving some special discounts for Cyber Monday.
“It’s going to be a day where retailers look to add some sweeteners to entice consumers, particularly with the pull forward of Black Friday,” he says. “I think folks will be seeking out something special on Cyber Monday.”
In The News is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to kickstart your day. Here is what’s on the radar of our editors for the morning of Nov. 27 …
What we are watching in Canada …
Black Friday, the one-day shopping bonanza known for its big bargains and large crowds, has arrived.
While rising COVID-19 cases and weeks of staggered deals have muted the usual fanfare of the shopping event, retailers are banking on today’s sales to bolster their bottom line.
Retail analysts say some bargain hunters are still expected to shop in brick-and-mortar stores, where possible, in the hopes of snagging a doorbuster deal.
But they say the majority of this year’s Black Friday purchases are expected to be made online.
Eric Morris, head of retail at Google Canada, says e-commerce in Canada has doubled during the pandemic.
He says given ongoing lockdowns and in-store capacity limits, online sales are expected to be strong today and remain heightened over the holiday shopping season.
Indeed, big box stores, which often attract the largest lineups and crowds on Black Friday, have moved most promotions online.
Yet although Black Friday’s top sellers tend to be big-ticket electronics, some shoppers might be on the hunt for deals on more basic items.
Lisa Hutcheson, managing partner at consulting firm J.C. Williams Group, says some shoppers may take advantage of today’s sales to “stock up and hunker down for the winter.”
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Also this …
REGINA — Group sports are suspended in Saskatchewan starting today and no more than 30 people are allowed to gather inside public venues as the province tries to contain its spread of COVID-19.
The cap applies to bingo halls, worship services, casinos, and receptions for weddings and funerals.
The Saskatchewan Party government announced added health measures on Wednesday after weeks of rising cases that have driven up hospitalizations.
Although formal competition is prohibited, athletes and dancers who are 18 years old and younger can still practise in groups of eight if they stay far enough apart and wear masks — now required in all indoor fitness facilities.
No more than four people can sit together at a bar or restaurant and tables must be three metres apart if they are not separated by a barrier.
Large retail stores have to cut their capacity by half.
The measures are to be in place until Dec. 17.
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What we are watching in the U.S. …
Americans are marking the Thanksgiving holiday amid an unrelenting pandemic that has upended traditions at dinner tables all around the country.
Zoom and FaceTime calls are fixtures this year, and people who have lost family members to the virus are keeping an empty seat to honour their loved ones.
Far fewer volunteers will help at soup kitchens or community centres.
A Utah health department has been delivering boxes of food to residents who are infected with the virus and can’t go to the store.
A New York nursing home is offering drive-up visits for families of residents struggling with celebrating the holiday alone.
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What we are watching in the rest of the world …
SEOUL — South Korea’s spy agency has told lawmakers that North Korea executed at least two people, banned fishing at sea and locked down its capital as part of frantic anti-coronavirus steps.
The lawmakers cited the National Intelligence Service as saying that North Korea also ordered diplomats overseas to refrain from any acts that could provoke the United States because it is worried about president-elect Joe Biden’s expected new approach toward the North.
One lawmaker cited the agency as saying North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is displaying excessive anger and taking irrational measures over the pandemic and its economic impact.
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On this day in 1998 …
Hells Angels kingpin Maurice (Mom) Boucher was acquitted of killing two Quebec prison guards.
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ICYMI …
A Venezuelan woman who believes she was used as part of Jason Kenney’s argument not to lockdown restaurants in Alberta remembers her encounter with the premier as less dramatic than he suggested.
Carolina De La Torre says Kenney got her central feelings correct, but she said she did not break down into tears the way Kenney recalled.
“No crying,” the 57-year-old woman said with a laugh during a phone interview Thursday.
She also said it was Kenney who approached her Calgary food court booth called Arepas Ranch for lunch in October, not the other way around as the premier told it.
After weeks of mounting COVID-19 cases, as more than 1,000 new cases and 16 deaths were reported on Tuesday, Kenney announced new rules that included making indoor private social events illegal.
During the news conference, Kenney gave an example of how much a lockdown would hurt businesses by telling the story of a Venezuelan refugee he met.
“A couple of weeks ago, I was in my constituency, at a little food court thing and a new Albertan, a refugee from Venezuela socialism, came up to me,” Kenney said.
“She had just opened a little food kiosk, she recognized me, she came up to me, and she broke down in tears in front of me saying, ‘sir, I put my entire life savings as a refugee into this business, we’re struggling to pay the bills, if you shut me down, I’m going to lose it all, everything, and I’ll be in abject poverty.’”
“For some, perhaps, it is a little bit too easy to say just flick a switch. Shut them down,” Kenney said.
“I would ask people who have the certainty of a paycheque to think for a moment about those individuals whose entire life savings are tied up in businesses.”
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 27, 2020
In The News is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to kickstart your day. Here is what’s on the radar of our editors for the morning of Nov. 26 …
What we are watching in Canada …
TORONTO — Ontario health officials are expected to release new COVID-19 projections today.
It will be the first time they have released such data since sending the province’s two biggest virus hot spots — Toronto and Peel Region — into lockdown earlier this week.
Two weeks ago, the province unveiled modelling that showed Ontario could see as many as 6,500 new daily cases of COVID-19 by mid-December unless steps are taken to limit the spread of the virus.
It said the province would reach 2,500 new daily cases by that time if the growth rate was at three per cent, or 6,500 if the growth rate was at five per cent.
At the time, Dr. Adalsteinn Brown, one of the experts behind the projections, said a five per cent growth rate was “slightly optimistic.”
Premier Doug Ford announced he would lower thresholds for imposing stricter COVID-19 measures under the province’s colour-coded restrictions system the following day.
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Also this …
Quebec’s highest court is scheduled to deliver its ruling today on appeals to the life sentence of Alexandre Bissonnette, who shot and killed six men in a Quebec City mosque in 2017.
Bissonnette was sentenced in February 2019 to life in prison without the possibility of parole for 40 years.
Both sides appealed the ruling: the defence said the killer should be allowed a parole hearing in 25 years while the Crown said 40 years wasn’t enough, and Bissonnette should not have the possibility to leave prison before 50 years.
And in Toronto, a psychiatrist is expected to testify for the defence in the murder trial for a man who drove a van down a crowded Toronto sidewalk, killing 10 people.
Alek Minassian has pleaded not guilty to 10 counts of first-degree murder and 16 counts of attempted murder.
The defence argues the 28-year-old from Richmond Hill, Ont., should be found not criminally responsible for his actions on April 23, 2018, due to autism spectrum disorder.
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What we are watching in the U.S. …
WASHINGTON — A big Biden family Thanksgiving is off the table for president-elect Joe Biden because of the pandemic.
In remarks billed as a Thanksgiving address to the nation, the Democrat urged Americans to “hang on” and not “surrender to the fatigue” after months of coping with the virus.
He noted that public health officials have asked Americans to give up many of the traditions that make Thanksgiving special, like big indoor family get-togethers.
Biden said he knows how hard it is to give up family traditions but that it’s very important this year given the spike in virus cases, averaging about 160,000 a day.
He urged everyone to wear masks, practice social distancing and limit the size of groups, calling it a “patriotic duty” until a vaccine is approved.
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What we are watching in the rest of the world …
SEOUL — The operator of an online chat room in South Korea was sentenced today to 40 years in prison for blackmailing dozens of women, including minors, into filming sexually explicit video and selling them to others.
The Seoul Central District Court convicted Cho Ju-bin, 24, of violating the laws on protecting minors and organizing a criminal ring, court spokesman Kim Yong Chan said.
The court ruled Cho “used various methods to lure and blackmail a large number of victims into making sexually abusive contents and distributed them to many people for an extended period,” Kim said. “
He particularly disclosed the identities of many victims and inflicted irreparable damages to them.”
Cho has maintained he only cheated victims into making such video but didn’t blackmail or coerce them, forcing some of the victims to testify in court.
Kim said the court decided to isolate Cho from society for a prolonged period in consideration of his attitude and the seriousness and evil influence of his crime.
Both Cho and prosecutors, who had requested a life sentence, have one week to appeal.
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On this day in 1917 …
The National Hockey League was founded in Montreal with Frank Calder as president. The NHL replaced the National Hockey Association. Its first teams were the Montreal Canadiens, Montreal Wanderers, Toronto Arenas, Ottawa Senators and Quebec Bulldogs.
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In entertainment …
There’s a rose-coloured opportunity for would-be hoteliers looking to flaunt their wealth in small-town Canada.
A landmark location from the beloved CBC sitcom “Schitt’s Creek” hit the market Wednesday, offering buyers the chance to re-enact the show’s riches-to-rags saga for a listing price of $2 million.
The Hockley Motel in Mono, a town of about 8,000 people northwest of Toronto, served as the exterior set for the Rose family’s home on the Emmy Award-winning series.
The listing presents the 6.7-acre riverside property as a fixer-upper that would appeal to travellers seeking rural refuge from the commotion and contagion risk of city life in the COVID-19 era.
It’s a sales pitch that may sound familiar to “Schitt’s Creek” fans who have followed the Rose family as they refurbished their motel-turned-home in a town they once purchased as a joke, said property owner Jesse Tipping.
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ICYMI …
ABBOTSFORD, B.C. — A school superintendent in British Columbia is apologizing to an Indigenous mother whose daughter was given an assignment to find something good about the infamous residential school system.
Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission detailed how the residential school system played a central role in perpetrating cultural genocide against Indigenous people.
Krista MacInnis says she was reduced to tears when her daughter asked for help on the Grade 6 assignment from William A. Fraser Middle School in Abbotsford.
MacInnis says she asked her daughter to erase the work she had done, which included the web address for a blog post entitled “Balancing the Biased ‘Genocide’ Story About Residential Schools.”
MacInnis says she’s since heard from the superintendent of the Abbotsford school district, Kevin Godden, who told her as a person of colour he was outraged by the assignment her daughter received.
MacInnis says she’s heard from the school’s principal, who told her he has spoken with the teacher responsible for the assignment and they would both like to apologize to the mother and her daughter.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 26, 2020
Across the world, people are living through a pandemic the likes of which has not been seen for over 100 years.
While there is little doubt that 2020 and the COVID-19 crisis will be remembered as a dark chapter, it is an extraordinary time in human history and one that is being documented extensively by almost everyone with a smartphone.
One of Canada’s most renowned photographers has taken it upon himself to curate thousands of such images submitted on social media by Canadians across the country, to capture how COVID-19 has altered every facet of their existence.
“It all started when I was looking at photos from the Spanish flu,” George Pimentel said.
With all events cancelled due to the pandemic, including the Toronto International Film Festival where Pimentel has snapped some of his most iconic images, he was left with time on his hands and a desire to do something meaningful with it.
“I thought it’s so important to document the historical value of this pandemic … to archive this for the future. I want to be able to look back at the photos one day and maybe get a sense of what time was like back then,” he explained.
Pimentel began by photographing life during the pandemic for himself — everything from gymnastics practice in a park to a physically distanced visit with his father. Hearing people’s stories as he photographed them has been both heart wrenching and eye opening, he said.
As he started creating a photo essay on his Instagram account, Pimentel began to feel that it was vital to see how others across the country were experiencing the pandemic and get a glimpse of it through their lenses.
To make his vision a reality, he decided to use social media as a hub to gather images from all walks – whether or not they were professional photographers. He began asking people to use #CanadaCOVIDPortrait to share their photos with him on Instagram in hopes of creating a country-wide archive.
“The power of social media — everyone started hash-tagging their photos. We had over 5,000 images come in. It was overwhelming,” he said.
Pimentel said the story of COVID in Canada has so many different chapters — frontline workers, businesses, families, and the elderly to name a few — and the photos he received told rich stories of their real life experiences.
“Each photo tells a story and has the diversity of Canada, from west coast to east coast, we wanted to show everything. There’s photos from Indigenous [people] and Black Lives Matter,” he said, adding that they are all strung together by the common thread of hope and resilience.
“We had over 5,000 images come in.”
Those photos are now part of the ‘Portraits in COVID Times: Documenting a Nation in Change’ exhibit at the Harbourfront Centre in Toronto.
View some of the images from the exhibit below: Photos provided by George Pimentel
Open Gallery10 items
The exhibit itself is one of the many things impacted by COVID-19. With indoor events and gatherings now prohibited, the outdoor format and large scale was a deliberate and necessary decision in order to make the exhibit accessible to as many people as possible.
“There’s no other exhibit like this,” Pimentel stated. “You can see the exhibit from the streetcar, while you’re riding your bike, while you’re walking down here.”
Habourfront Chief Programming Officer Iris Nemani said Pimentel’s vision for the project was in perfect harmony with the centre’s own goals of engaging with the community and bringing them innovative, COVID-safe programming during a time when their extensive roster of events had to be cancelled.
“How could we use our 10 acres and really create a visual art canvas for the community to engage artists and to also have relevant conversations? What George brought to us was absolutely a current conversation that was so poignant,” she explained.
For the first time, the entire façade of the main Harbourfront building has been taken over for a single exhibit of black and white photographs.
“Our offices are closed, so it was a non-issue for the people working inside the building. This was a moment to do something that was really impactful and large scale, so we just said let’s take over all the windows,” Nemani said.
“There’s no events going on inside and we felt like the only way to do it is outdoors and the best way to do it is to bring it out to the community,” Pimental added. “We’re just so lucky that the Harbourfront has such a great space.”
But even with the entire building covered, there are still more stories to tell. A second site along the waterfront has been chosen for Part 2 of the exhibit, expected to be completed next week.
“When [people] come down, they’re going to see that maybe they can relate to this.”
It will run along Queens Quay near Rees Street on 200 feet of lineal hoarding that will display an additional 30 images in colour.
“This is for the community, both that live here and those who are coming down here, and a way to bring some reflection for what we are all going through together,” Nemani said.
Pimentel added that he hopes the images will help people find common ground during what has been an incredibly divisive and polarizing time for the country.
“When [people] come down, they’re going to see that maybe they can relate to this. The most important thing is maybe they can learn from this and just see how the other side live. And really be sensitive to the issues …and lets all be kinder, it’s COVID,” he said.
Most people across Canada can expect an interruption Wednesday by an emergency public alert that will be broadcast on television, radio and sent to mobile devices as part of a countrywide test of the system.
The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission says all provinces and territories, except Nunavut, will get the alerts, but people will not be required to take action.
The exact time of the test will vary depending on the province or territory.
The agency says testing the national public alerting system is aimed at checking performance and reliability “to ensure it operates as intended in the event of a life-threatening situation.”
For a wireless device to receive a test alert, the CRTC says it must be connected to an LTE wireless or a newer wireless network, it must be wireless public alerting compatible and equipped with a recent Canadian version of its operating software.
If a mobile device meets these conditions and does not receive the test, the CRTC encourages Canadians to contact their service provider.
Testing the system, which hasn’t always gone according to plan, started in 2018.
It was supposed to be fully operational under regulator orders by April 6, 2018. But that year in Quebec, it didn’t sound at all. Many wireless subscribers in Ontario also didn’t receive it.
“Since January 2019, hundreds of emergency alert messages were successfully transmitted by emergency management officials to warn Canadians of a potentially life-threatening situation,” the CRTC said in its statement Tuesday. “These alerts have been credited with saving lives.”
This summer, Ontario Provincial Police used the system to alert Lanark County residents that an armed man was at large after a body was found in a motel room.
That alert came about three months after a denturist went on a shooting rampage in Portapique, N.S., killing 22 people. The RCMP was criticized for not using the system.
Quebec City police also faced backlash last month for not using the system to warn the public about a sword-wielding individual roaming the streets, killing two people and injuring five others.
In The News is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to kickstart your day. Here is what’s on the radar of our editors for the morning of Nov. 25 …
What we are watching in Canada …
The Ontario government is expected to spell out its guidelines today for celebrating the upcoming winter holidays as the COVID-19 pandemic continues.
Toronto and Peel Region are currently under the grey or lockdown level in the province’s tiered COVID-19 alert system, with those restrictions to stay in place at least until the week of Christmas.
Public health measures under the lockdown level include a ban on indoor gatherings except with those in the same household, as well as closing down restaurants for all but takeout and delivery.
The province’s top doctor said earlier this week it seemed unlikely the situation would improve in those regions enough over 28 days to warrant moving them to the red alert level, which is one level lower.
In Alberta, tougher COVID-19 restrictions were announced Tuesday that included limits on social gatherings and less face-to-face class time for students.
Premier Jason Kenney said there are to be no indoor gatherings, but people who live alone can have up to two personal contacts.
He says students in grades 7 through 12 will transition next week to at-home learning and the school holiday break will be extended from Dec. 18 to Jan. 11.
Banquet halls, conference centres and concert venues must also close.
Kenney added that anyone who can work from home should do so and masks will be mandatory in workplaces in Edmonton, Calgary and surrounding areas. The measures will be in effect for three weeks and re-evaluated after that.
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Also this …
A review of the Catholic archdiocese of Montreal’s handling of complaints against a pedophile priest is to be released today.
The archdiocese enlisted former Quebec Superior Court justice Pepita Capriolo to examine the church’s response to complaints against former priest Brian Boucher.
Archbishop Christian Lepine is expected to speak about the report, tabled in September, at a news conference today.
Lepine requested the review himself, saying he wanted to establish who knew what in relation to Boucher’s crimes.
Boucher was sentenced in March 2019 to eight years in prison for abusing two boys after being found guilty in one case and pleading guilty in the other.
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What we are watching in the U.S. …
U.S. President Donald Trump says he is not giving up his fight to overturn the election results, even as agencies across the federal government begin to support president-elect Joe Biden’s incoming administration.
Career federal officials are opening the doors of agencies to hundreds of transition aides ready to prepare for Biden’s Jan. 20 inauguration.
And on Tuesday, Trump signed off on allowing Biden to receive the presidential daily brief, the highly classified briefing prepared by the nation’s intelligence community for the government’s most senior leaders.
An administration official said logistics on when and where Biden will first receive the briefing were still being worked out.
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What we are watching in the rest of the world …
The European Union has committed to be “creative” in the final stages of the Brexit trade negotiations but warned that whatever deal emerges, the United Kingdom will be reduced to “just a valued partner,” far removed from its former membership status.
EU Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said “genuine progress” has been made on several issues.
And she said that on the divisive issues of fisheries, governance of any deal and the standards the U.K. must meet to export into the EU, the bloc is “ready to be creative, but we are not ready to put into question the integrity of the single market.”
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On this day in 2010 …
Steven Chand, 29, convicted of trying to raise funds for the so-called Toronto 18 terror plotters, was sentenced to 10 years in prison. He had been in jail since June 2006 but because of credit for time served, he only had to serve another seven months and 10 days.
—
In entertainment …
The Weeknd angrily slammed the Grammy Awards, calling them “corrupt” after the Canadian pop star walked away with zero nominations despite having multiple hits this year.
The three-time Grammy winner criticized the Recording Academy on Tuesday after he was severely snubbed, despite having one of the year’s biggest albums with “After Hours” and being tapped as the Super Bowl halftime headline performer. He also topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart with “Blinding Lights” and “Heartless.”
“The Grammys remain corrupt,” the singer said on Twitter. “You owe me, my fans and the industry transparency.”
The harsh words come less than a year after the Recording Academy’s ousted CEO accused the group that determines nominations in the top categories of having conflicts of interest and not engaging in a transparent selection process.
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ICYMI …
A researcher from the University of Alberta is being recognized for her innovation that uses the sharp edges on salt crystals to destroy COVID-19 droplets on reusable masks.
Ilaria Rubino, a recent PhD graduate, says a solution of mostly salt and water is used to coat the first or middle layer of the mask.
As the liquid from the droplets evaporates, she says the salt crystals grow back as spiky weapons, which damage the bacteria or virus within five minutes.
Rubino collaborated with a researcher at Georgia State University in Atlanta to advance the project she started five years ago.
She is being recognized today with an innovation award from Mitacs, a not-for-profit organization that honours researchers from academic institutions.
The salt-coated mask is expected to be available commercially next year after regulatory approval.
Rubino says it could also be used to stop the spread of other infectious illnesses, such as influenza.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 25, 2020
A new national survey by Women’s Shelters Canada offers a glimpse into the experiences of front-line workers and women fleeing violence during the COVID-19 pandemic, with reports of clients facing more violence that is also increasing in severity.
The Shelter Voices survey says 52 per cent of 266 participating shelters reported seeing clients who were experiencing either somewhat or much moresevere violence, as public health measures aimed at fighting COVID-19 increase social isolation, while job losses fuel tension over financial insecurity in many households.
Violence “was also happening more frequently, or abusers who hadn’t used violence in the past were suddenly using violence,” said Krys Maki, the research and policy manager for Women’s Shelters Canada.
The survey also found 37 per cent of shelters reported changes in the type of violence clients faced, including increased physical attacks resulting in broken bones, strangulation and stabbings.
Shelters and transition houses that did not report changes in the rates or type of violence were often located in communities that had seen fewer cases of COVID-19, the report notes.
The data show public health restrictions have a “huge impact on women and children who are living with their abusers,” said Maki.
The survey says 59 per cent of shelters reported a decrease in calls for help between March and May, when people were asked to stay home, and businesses, workplaces and schools shut their doors.
From June to October, “as soon as things started up again, we see a huge increase in crisis calls and requests for admittance,” said Maki.
The survey includes responses from shelters and transition houses in rural and urban areas in every province and territory.
Just over half of the shelters in population centres with 1,000 to 29,999 residents reported increases in crisis calls between June and October, said Maki, compared with 70 per cent of shelters in urban centres with populations between 100,000 and just under a million.
Women in smaller communities may be more hesitant to reach out for help, said Maki, “because everybody knows everyone, and everyone knows where the shelter is, too.”
While the survey shows women are facing more severe violence at home, at the same time, 71 per cent of shelters reported reducing their capacity in order to maintain physical distancing and other public health measures aimed at stopping the spread of COVID-19.
It was more common that shelters in large population centres had to cut their capacity.
To continue serving women remotely,82 per cent of shelters and transition houses reported purchasing new technology, such as tablets, phones and laptops, although limited cell service and internet connectivity pose challenges in rural and remote areas.
For many shelters, financial difficulties increased throughout the pandemic, as 38 per cent reported raising significantly less money compared with last year.
The shelters were mostly appreciative of the federal government’s emergency funding in response to COVID-19, with some reporting it kept them open, while others said they had to lay off staff because the money didn’t go far enough.
The federal government announced last month it would double the initial amount it was providing to gender-based violence services in response to the pandemic for a total of $100 million, some of which has been distributed through Women’s Shelters Canada.
The survey found more than three quarters of the shelters faced staffing challenges during the pandemic. That’s not surprising, the report notes, since women make up the majority of shelter workers and have been trying to balance paid work with childcare and other family responsibilities during lockdown periods.
The release of the survey results on Wednesday coincides with the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.
The Canadian Centre for Women’s Empowerment is also working to have Nov. 26 recognized each year to raise awareness about economic abuse.
So far, the cities of Ottawa, Brampton, Parry Sound and Kingston have signed on in Ontario, while Victoria and Comox, B.C., will also mark the day.
There is little data about economic abuse in Canada, said Meseret Haileyesus, who founded the centre, although the shelter survey showed clients were subject to increasing coercion and control tactics, including limited access to money.
A survivor’s debt load, credit rating, and their ability to access housing and educational opportunities may be affected for years, long after they’ve left an abusive relationship, Haileyesus said.
The centre is working with MP Anita Vandenbeld on a petition urging lawmakers to expand the strategy to end gender-based violence to include economic abuse. It also wants Statistics Canada to begin collecting data and studying economic abuse.
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This story was produced with the financial assistance of the Facebook and Canadian Press News Fellowship.
Salt that crystallizes with sharp edges is the killer ingredient in the development of a reusable mask because any COVID-19 droplets that land on it would be quickly destroyed, says a researcher who is being recognized for her innovation.
Ilaria Rubino, a recent PhD graduate from the department of chemical and materials engineering at the University of Alberta, said a mostly salt and water solution that coats the first or middle layer of the mask would dissolve droplets before they can penetrate the face covering.
As the liquid from the droplets evaporates, the salt crystals grow back as spiky weapons, damaging the bacteria or virus within five minutes, Rubino said.
“We know that after the pathogens are collected in the mask, they can survive. Our goal was to develop a technology that is able to inactivate the pathogens upon contact so that we can make the mask as effective as possible.”
Rubino, who collaborated with a researcher at Georgia State University in Atlanta to advance the project she started five years ago, was recognized Tuesday with an innovation award from Mitacs. The Canadian not-for-profit organization receives funding from the federal government, most provinces and Yukon to honour researchers from academic institutions.
The reusable, non-washable mask is made of a type of polypropylene, a plastic used in surgical masks, and could be safely worn and handled multiple times without being decontaminated, Rubino said.
The idea is to replace surgical masks often worn by health-care workers who must dispose of them in a few hours, she said, adding the technology could potentially be used for N-95 respirators.
The salt-coated mask is expected to be available commercially next year after regulatory approval. It could also be used to stop the spread of other infectious illnesses, such as influenza, Rubino said.
Dr. Catherine Clase, an epidemiologist and associate professor of medicine at McMaster University in Hamilton, said the “exciting” technology would have multiple benefits.
Clase, who is a member of the Centre of Excellence in Protective Equipment and Materials in the engineering department at McMaster, said there wasn’t much research in personal protective equipment when Rubino began her work.
“It’s going to decrease the footprint for making and distributing and then disposing of every mask,” she said, adding that the mask could also address any supply issues.
The Public Health Agency of Canada recently recommended homemade masks consist of at least three layers, with a middle, removable layer constructed from a non-woven, washable polypropylene fabric to improve filtration.
Conor Ruzycki, an aerosol scientist in the University of Alberta’s mechanical engineering department, said Rubino’s innovation adds to more recent research on masks as COVID-19 cases rise and shortages of face coverings in the health-care system could again become a problem.
Ruzycki, who works in a lab to evaluate infiltration efficiencies of different materials for masks and respirators, is also a member of a physician-led Alberta group Masks4Canada, which is calling for stricter pandemic measures, including a provincewide policy on mandatory masks.
In The News is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to kickstart your day. Here is what’s on the radar of our editors for the morning of Nov. 24 …
What we are watching in Canada …
EDMONTON — Alberta’s chief medical officer of health says COVID-19 has become like a snowball rolling down a hill, picking up size and speed, and threatening to overwhelm the health system.
Dr. Deena Hinshaw says immediate action is needed to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus.
Premier Jason Kenney and select cabinet ministers were to meet with Hinshaw, and new measures are expected to be announced today.
Alberta, once a leader in how to prepare for and contain the virus, has in recent weeks become a national cautionary tale.
There have been well over 1,000 new cases a day for five straight days, and there are more than 300 patients in hospital and more than 60 in intensive care.
Kenney has said he wants targeted measures to control the virus while keeping businesses as open as possible.
Others, including some doctors, say the focus needs to be on a sharp clampdown, even for a short period.
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Also this …
A new poll by Leger and the Association for Canadian Studies suggests many Canadians are gaining weight because they’re eating more and exercising less during COVID-19 pandemic.
Thirty-two per cent of respondents said they have gained weight since March, while 15 per cent said they lost weight over that time.
Jack Jedwab, president of the Association for Canadian Studies, says this is one of the collateral effects of the pandemic, as the survey suggests there is a link between weight gain and fear of COVID-19.
Forty-six per cent of respondents who said they are very afraid of COVID-19 gained weight during the pandemic.
Forty-four cent of those who expressed that level of fear said they have been exercising less than they did before the pandemic and about 46 per cent said they were eating more than usual.
The online survey of 1,516 Canadians was conducted Oct. 29-31 and cannot be assigned a margin of error because internet-based polls are not considered random samples.
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What we are watching in the U.S. …
The U.S. General Services Administration has ascertained that president-elect Joe Biden is the “apparent winner” of the Nov. 3 election.
President Donald Trump, who had refused to concede the election, said Monday that he is directing his team to co-operate on the transition but is vowing to keep up the fight.
The move clears the way for the start of the transition from Trump’s administration and allows Biden to co-ordinate with federal agencies on plans for taking over on Jan. 20.
An official said Administrator Emily Murphy made the determination after Trump efforts to subvert the vote failed across battleground states, most recently in Michigan, which certified Biden’s victory Monday.
And today, Biden is preparing to formally announce his national security team to the nation.
Those being introduced during an afternoon event are among Obama administration alumni whose roles in the upcoming administration signal Biden’s shift away from the Trump administration’s “America First” policies.
The picks include former Secretary of State John Kerry to take the lead on combating climate change. Outside the realm of national security and foreign policy, Biden is expected to choose former Fed chair Janet Yellen as the first woman to serve as treasury secretary.
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What we are watching in the rest of the world …
China’s latest trip to the moon is another milestone in the Asian powerhouse’s slow but steady ascent to the stars.
China became the third country to put a person into orbit a generation ago and the first to land on the far side of the moon in 2019.
The Chang’e 5 mission, launched today, will be the first to bring back moon rocks and debris since a Soviet mission in 1976.
Future ambitions include a permanent space station and putting people back on the moon more than 50 years after the U.S. did.
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On this day in 2002 …
Quebec Premier Bernard Landry announced that the May 24th Quebec holiday, “La fete de Dollard,” would henceforth be known as “La Journee nationale des Patriotes.” The name was changed to honour the movement that contributed to the Rebellions of 1837-38 in Lower Canada and became an early symbol of French-Canadian nationalism.
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In entertainment …
Anne Murray wasn’t sure her singing voice was still intact until a few months ago.
The famed Canadian crooner had left her most-cherished instrument largely unchecked while in retirement, aside from belting out a song here and there while doing household chores.
But last summer, she decided to dust off her guitar to see whether her trademark lush alto voice could still carry a tune.
Murray says she performed a few of her old songs “just for the fun of it,” and was pleased to learn her famous pipes are still humming.
The winner of 24 Junos and four Grammys swore off recording new music more than a decade ago, but she recently compiled several of her classic tracks for a new holiday album.
“The Ultimate Christmas Collection” brings together 22 songs pulled from Murray’s various Christmas albums, including “Joy to the World, “Blue Christmas” and “Baby, It’s Cold Outside,” with Michael Buble.
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ICYMI …
A Quebec municipality that had planned to cull about 15 white-tailed deer in the coming days relented late Monday amid pressure on officials to relocate the animals.
Longueuil Mayor Sylvie Parent said in a statement the threat of people intervening or attempting to thwart the cull has forced the city to consider other options.
Parent noted the plan to capture and slaughter the deer, approved by Quebec’s Forests, Wildlife and Parks Department, was supported by a “broad consensus within the scientific community.”
But given the circumstances, she’s asking the city’s top civil servant to come up with a plan to move the deer from Michel-Chartrand Park to a sanctuary authorized by provincial officials.
Parent’s announcement came hours after an animal rescue group and a lawyer who champions animal rights urged the Montreal-area city to reconsider its plan to kill half the white-tailed deer in the park and donate the meat to a food bank.
The organization, Sauvetage Animal Rescue, along with well-known Montreal lawyer Anne-France Goldwater, had urged Parent to consider its own plan to relocate the animals to a sanctuary, free of charge.
Ultimately, the city relented but Parent said the deer situation would need to be resolved quickly.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 24, 2020
In The News is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to kickstart your day. Here is what’s on the radar of our editors for the morning of Nov. 23 …
What we are watching in Canada …
OTTAWA — Businesses struggling to pay the bills because of the COVID-19 pandemic will be able to start applying today for a long-awaited new commercial rent-relief program offered by the federal government.
The new Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy replaces an earlier rent-support program for businesses introduced in the spring that saw little pickup because it relied on landlords to apply for help.
The new program will cover up to 65 per cent of rent or commercial mortgage interest on a sliding scale based on revenue declines, with an extra 25 per cent available to the hardest-hit firms.
Federal cabinet ministers will highlight the program during a news conference this morning in which they will also open two initiatives designed to help businesses owned by Black Canadians.
The Canadian Federation of Independent Business, which represents thousands of small companies across the country, is welcoming the new rent program as long overdue for firms hard hit by COVID-19.
However, it is criticizing the government for not opening it to businesses that would have qualified for the previous rent-relief program, but could not access federal funds because their landlords chose not to apply.
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Also this …
OTTAWA — N-D-P MP Laurel Collins is reviving a call for the environment commissioner to be a stand-alone officer of Parliament.
Collins is pushing a motion at the environment committee to pull the position out of the Office of the Auditor General and make it a separate entity.
The Victoria MP says the commissioner needs its own dedicated staff to ensure it can fulfil its mandate.
She says the commissioner used to perform up to five environmental audits annually but has just one underway this year and two planned for 2021.
The Liberal government of former prime minister Jean Chrétien created the position in 1995, but did not meet a campaign promise to make it an office independent from the auditor general.
The motion from Collins is nearly identical to one passed by the same committee 13 years ago but the request was never fulfilled.
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ICYMI …
OTTAWA — Canada and Britain struck a new trade deal on Saturday, allowing the long-standing partners to trumpet a commercial triumph in the face of the economic devastation wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The interim deal beat the looming Dec. 31 Brexit deadline, replacing Canada’s current agreement with Britain under the European Union that covers trade between the two countries.
Announced amid a virtual gathering of G-20 leaders, the interim pact is a placeholder that buys Canada and Britain another year to reach a more comprehensive agreement while also warding off a no-deal scenario that would have triggered new tariffs on a range of Canadian exports on Jan. 1
But few details were released about the new agreement. Breaking with past practice during trade negotiations, there were no pre-announcement briefings for journalists and no text was released.
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What we are watching in the U.S. …
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U-S President Donald Trump’s campaign has filed plenty of lawsuits in six states as he tries to upend an election he lost to Democrat Joe Biden.
The strategy may have played well in front of TV cameras, but it’s proved a disaster in court, where judges uniformly have rejected claims of vote fraud.
The latest case ended Saturday, when a federal judge in Pennsylvania said Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani presented only “speculative accusations” and no proof of rampant corruption in the vote.
A law school professor says the suits threaten the future of elections because so many Americans believe the claims being made by Trump’s team.
Meanwhile, Biden is expected to nominate Antony Blinken as secretary of state, according to multiple people familiar with the Biden team’s planning.
If nominated and confirmed, Blinken would be a leading force in Biden’s bid to reframe the U.S. relationship with the rest of the world after four years in which Trump questioned longtime alliances.
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What we are watching in the rest of the world …
LONDON — AstraZeneca says late stage trials of its COVID-19 vaccine developed with Oxford University were “highly effective’’ in preventing disease.
The results are based on interim analysis of trials in the U.K. and Brazil of the vaccine developed by Oxford University and manufactured by AstraZeneca.
The drugmaker reported today that no hospitalizations or severe cases of COVID-19 were diagnosed in those receiving the vaccine.
“These findings show that we have an effective vaccine that will save many lives. Excitingly that one of our dosing regimens may be around 90 per cent effective,’’ said Professor Andrew Pollard, the chief investigator for the trial.
Two other drugmakers, Pfizer and Moderna, last week reported preliminary results from late-stage trials showing that their COVID-19 vaccines were almost 95 per cent effective.
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In entertainment …
LOS ANGELES — Taylor Swift won her third consecutive artist of the year prize at last night’s American Music Awards.
She beat out Canadians Justin Bieber and The Weeknd for the top award, while also winning favourite music video and favourite pop/rock female artist.
Though The Weeknd lost artist of the year, he still kicked off his all-star week as a big winner: Days before he’s expected to land multiple Grammy nominations, the pop star dominated the 2020 American Music Awards with multiple wins.
The Toronto native won favourite soul/R&B male artist, favourite soul/R&B album for “After Hours” and favourite soul/R&B song for “Heartless.
The Weeknd didn’t break character throughout last night’s three-hour show with his gauze-wrapped face, which matched the vibe of his recent album and music videos where he appears blooded and bruised.
He was one of several artists who appeared live at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles for the fan-voted awards show. Others taped performances because of the pandemic.
Bieber and fellow Canuck pop star Shawn Mendes opened the show with a performance of their new duet “Monster.”
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 23, 2020
A forensic psychiatrist is set to testify for the defence on Monday in the murder trial for the man who killed 10 people after driving a van down a crowded Toronto sidewalk.
Dr. John Bradford is set to provide his evaluation of Alek Minassian, who has pleaded not guilty to 10 counts of first-degree murder and 16 counts of attempted murder.
CityNews reporter Adrian Ghobrial is covering the trial, follow his tweets below:
Minassian argues he should be found not criminally responsible due to autism spectrum disorder for his actions on April 23, 2018.
He has admitted to planning and carrying out the attack and his state of mind at the time is the sole issue at trial.
Another psychiatrist has testified that Minassian’s autism spectrum disorder left him fixated on mass killings and vulnerable to the ramblings of an American mass murderer.
Dr. Rebecca Chauhan assessed Minassian over three days in September 2018. She testified on Wednesday that his autism spectrum disorder left him struggling to understand emotions and vulnerable to the online writings of mass killer Elliot Rodger, who killed six people in a 2014 attack near the campus of the University of California.
She testified Thursday that Minassian told her he read Rodger’s manifesto almost daily between January and April, 2018.
After assessing him, she wrote in her report that Minassian started reading about mass murders and became interested in the subject in high school. “He would fanaticize about shooting people every three to four months,” she wrote.
Dr. Chauhan was brought on by Dr. Bradford because he wanted a second opinion on Minassian’s autism diagnosis.
The defence case rests on the argument that his autism spectrum disorder meant he couldn’t fully understand the consequences of his actions during the attack.
The court has heard that Minassian has told various doctors his motivation for the attacks ranged from notoriety to revenge against society for years of rejection by women to anxiety over starting a new job.
OTTAWA — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will pitch the economic benefits of fighting climate change and doing business with Canada as he meets with counterparts from both sides of the Pacific during today’s Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation leaders’ summit.
Yet the degree to which the prime minister’s sales pitch will even be heard by APEC leaders remains unclear as Canada’s tensions with China and the much bigger dispute between Beijing and Washington threaten to overshadow the meeting.
Trudeau hinted at his planned approach to the summit during a speech on Thursday that was followed by a question-and-answer session in which Ottawa’s tense ties with Beijing and relationship with the White House figured prominently.
The summit, which is being hosted by Malaysia but held online because of COVID-19, is supposed to focus on the pandemic, particularly its economic impacts and what actions the members can take to mitigate those now and recover afterward.
Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Donald Trump will be among the participants, with the latter likely marking one of his last such international gatherings following this month’s presidential election.
This year’s meeting also comes days after China joined nearly a dozen other Asian countries along with Australia and New Zealand in inking what is being billed as the world’s largest free-trade agreement, which excludes Canada and U.S.
Trudeau stopped short Thursday of saying Canada was interested in joining the new Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, but instead suggested Ottawa would be watching to see how Beijing behaves in the trade deal.
China “is an important player in the global economy that we need to try and include and get to play by better international rules,” the prime minister said during the question-and-answer session during the APEC CEO Dialogue on Thursday.
“So if the RCEP deal is able to actually start to create level playing fields, that’s going to be something very, very interesting. So we’re going to watch carefully.”
Trudeau during the same session defended the detention of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou, who is facing extradition to the U.S. to face fraud charges, and whose case has become a weeping sore in the relationship between Canada and China.
The prime minister also indicated that he planned to not only push back against growing protectionism around the world, particularly during the pandemic, but also call for more of the benefits of free trade and globalization reach everyday people.
Much of the attention, however, will be on Trump and Xi. The former has refused to concede this month’s U.S. presidential election to challenger Joe Biden, and has made a point in the past of calling out China on trade and security.
The Trump administration during the last APEC summit in 2018 refused to sign off on a final statement over those same issues.
The APEC meeting today will be followed this weekend by the G20 leaders’ summit, which is being hosted by Saudi Arabia and will also focus on responding to the economic damage wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic.
While the first G20 leaders’ summit held in 2008 was aimed to ensure a unified international response to the financial crisis that year, experts say the ensuring 12 years have seen growing polarization around the world along with more populism and instability.
“We’re in a geopolitically polarized environment that’s not getting any better,” said Fen Hampson, chancellor’s professor at Carleton University’s Norman Paterson School of International Affairs.
“And unless there is a will on the part of the great powers to co-operate even at a minimum, you’re just not going to see a whole lot of action. So yes, you may get a communique. But it’s likely to be quite anodyne.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 20, 2020.
The mayor of a town on Ontario’s Manitoulin Island says the community is reeling after a shooting that left a police officer and a civilian dead Thursday.
Dan Osborne, mayor of Gore Bay, says news of the incident quickly spread through the small island community yesterday.
He says it’s the kind of place where everyone knows everyone, and the loss is “devastating.”
Ontario’s police watchdog said yesterday it is investigating the shooting, which took place after the officer was called to a property in Gore Bay.
The Special Investigations Unit said the call was related to an “unwanted man” on the property.
It said the officer, identified as Const. Marc Hovingh, was shot dead after he arrived, while the man on the property died in hospital.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 20, 2020.
In The News is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to kickstart your day. Here is what’s on the radar of our editors for the morning of Nov. 20 …
What we are watching in Canada …
OTTAWA — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will amplify his plea for Canadians to stay home as much as possible after alarming new projections for the spread of COVID-19 in Canada are released today.
The updated projections are expected to forecast a dramatic rise in cases over the next few weeks — to as much as 60,000 new cases a day by the end of the year — if Canadians don’t strictly limit their contact with people outside their households.
Trudeau is to hold a news conference after the latest modelling is unveiled by chief public health officer Dr. Theresa Tam this morning.
To underscore the importance of minimizing contacts, Trudeau will conduct the news conference outside his home, Rideau Cottage — the site of his daily briefings during the first wave of the deadly pandemic last spring.
He ended that practice over the summer when the pandemic went into a bit of a lull and, throughout the fall until now, he has joined Tam and select ministers at news conferences on Parliament Hill once or twice a week.
Tam has already warned that Canada is on track to hit more than 10,000 cases per day by early December if Canadians maintain their current rate of contacts outside their household.
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Also this …
TORONTO — Ontario is expected to release new public health measures today to fight the surging spread of COVID-19 in hot spot regions.
Premier Doug Ford said earlier this week that the restrictions will affect Toronto, Peel, and York Region where virus cases have been increasing in recent weeks.
Ontario’s chief medical officer of health has made recommendations to Ford’s cabinet which is expected to make a decision this morning ahead of the afternoon announcement.
Dr. Barbara Yaffe says keeping schools open remains a priority.
Ford has repeatedly said in recent days that he will take targeted action in the hot spot regions, but he would not hesitate to use full lockdowns if necessary.
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And …
The mayor of a town on Ontario’s Manitoulin Island says the community is reeling after a shooting that left a police officer and a civilian dead Thursday.
Dan Osborne, mayor of Gore Bay, says news of the incident quickly spread through the small island community yesterday.
He says it’s the kind of place where everyone knows everyone, and the loss is “devastating.”
Ontario’s police watchdog said yesterday it is investigating the shooting, which took place after the officer was called to a property in Gore Bay.
The Special Investigations Unit said the call was related to an “unwanted man” on the property.
It said the officer, identified as Const. Marc Hovingh, was shot dead after he arrived, while the man on the property died in hospital.
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What we are watching in the U.S. …
New York’s attorney general has sent a subpoena to the Trump Organization for records related to consulting fees paid to his daughter Ivanka Trump as part of an investigation into the president’s business dealings.
That’s according to a law enforcement official who spoke Thursday to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.
The New York Times reported that a similar subpoena was sent to U.S. President Donald Trump’s company by the Manhattan district attorney, who is conducting a parallel probe.
Ivanka Trump tweeted that the subpoenas were “harassment pure and simple.”
The Times reported that the president reduced his company’s tax liability by deducting some consulting fees as a business expense.
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On this day in 1877 …
Edmonton obtained its first telegraph service.
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In entertainment …
Actor Richard Schiff, who appears on the Vancouver-filmed TV series “The Good Doctor,” has been released from hospital after being treated this week for COVID-19.
The 65-year-old American performer tweeted the update from his verified account Thursday, saying his wife and co-star on the medical drama, Sheila Kelly, was picking him up from the hospital.
Schiff said earlier this week on Twitter that he was being treated with the antiviral medication remdesivir, oxygen and steroids, three weeks after testing positive along with Kelly while filming the latest season of the series.
In an Instagram post last week, Kelly said they did not contract the virus on the set.
“The Good Doctor,” which airs on ABC and CTV, was continuing filming in Vancouver as of last week.
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In business …
Postmedia has notified unionized employees in Vancouver that it wants to reduce salary expenses there by 15 per cent through a voluntary buyout program or layoffs.
Unifor Local 2000 represents Postmedia employees at the Vancouver Province and Vancouver Sun — separate daily newspapers in British Columbia’s biggest city.
The number of Postmedia employees involved with the downsizing wasn’t immediately available.
It’s the latest cost-cutting initiative this year at Canada’s largest newspaper group, which also owns the National Post, Toronto Sun and other digital and print publications.
Conventional media businesses across Canada saw a major drop in advertising revenue after the COVID-19 closures in the pandemic’s first wave.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 20, 2020
Canada and Britain say they are in the final stages of negotiating a new trade deal before a Dec. 31 deadline.
That would prevent Canadian products from seafood to steaks and autos from being slapped with new tariffs when Britain leaves the European Union.
The spokeswoman for Trade Minister Mary Ng says Canada is hard at work on an interim agreement with Britain to replace the pact with the European Union that currently covers trade between the two countries.
“We understand that time is short. That’s why Canada is at the table, working hard to get a good agreement to ensure continuity, predictability and stability for Canadian businesses, exporters, and workers,” Youmy Han said in a statement to The Canadian Press.
“A deal is within reach and we continue to work with the U.K. to move this forward.”
Britain’s decision to leave the EU after its Brexit referendum means that the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement, or CETA, will no longer apply to the country at the end of the year.
Han said Canada is seeking “a transitional agreement based on CETA as an interim measure once the Brexit period ends” but that government negotiators won’t finalize anything “that isn’t the best deal possible for Canadians.”
A spokesman for Britain’s international trade department said it is committed to “seeking to secure a continuity trade deal with Canada before the end of the (Brexit) transition period, and trade talks are at an advanced stage and progressing well.”
A deal would protect the $33-billion trading relationship between the two countries and “will provide stability for British exporters and act as a stepping-stone to a deeper trading relationship with Canada in the future,” said the British statement.
Trevor Kennedy, the policy director of the Business Council of Canada, said Britain remains a key European trading partner for Canada, and if a new deal isn’t reached Canadian firms will lose out on the market access they secured under CETA.
Japan and South Korea have already rolled over their old EU trade deals with Britain, while Australia, New Zealand and the U.S. are working on new agreements, Kennedy told the House of Commons trade committee this week.
“Some of these talks appear to be advanced and if (they) are in place without a transitional deal for Canada, it could result in Canadian firms losing their market share and first-mover advantage that we secured under CETA.”
Mark Agnew, the international policy director for the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, said that without a new bilateral deal tariffs of at least 10 per cent on Canadian exports such as lobster, beef and autos would kick in on Jan. 1, 2021.
“The short answer is that Brexit matters for Canadian businesses,” Agnew told the trade committee.
Canada’s trade negotiators have amassed vast experience meeting tight deadlines and overcoming late-breaking obstacles in landing trade deals other than CETA. Canada risked being frozen out of a new North American trade pact in 2019 after the U.S. and Mexico reached their own agreement, forcing Canada to scramble.
Canada also engaged in some tough 11th-hour talks with Japan and others in 2018 to finalize the 11-country Pacific Rim deal known as the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership. That negotiation was thrown into flux after President Donald Trump pulled the U.S. out of the deal in 2017, which left Canada and the 10 remaining countries to find a way to repair their pact without the world’s largest economy as a member.
Britain, meanwhile, has for decades deferred its trade negotiation work to EU officials in Brussels. The British have had to build a new trade department since the country voted in its June 2016 referendum to leave the EU.
Britain formally left at the end of January but the two parties have lived under an 11-month transition period, which for Canada has meant CETA continued to apply to its trade relations with Britain.
In the meantime, Britain has been forced to negotiate a series of new trade agreements with the EU and others, under the cloud of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Steve Verheul, Canada’s chief trade negotiator, told the Commons trade committee in early November that talks with Britain ramped up this past summer.
“We think we’re fairly close to the finish line, but we’re not quite there,” Verheul said. “As you can imagine, in any kind of trade negotiation, the most difficult parts are the ones you deal with at the very end.”
Canada’s approach was to import as much of the existing CETA pact as possible into a new bilateral agreement.
“A lot of the issues were very easy, but there are a handful of issues where we do have to have actual negotiations to reach a landing zone,” Verheul said.
Verheul said one sticking point was working out the specific levels of market access for various Canadian products. Another revolved around “issues related to temporary entry of business people for business purposes.”
In today’s Big Story podcast, the proposal is called the Great Barrington Declaration, and while it’s couched in lots of scientific language, herd immunity is what it boils down to. It has support from a group of scientists and is scoffed at by many, many more.
But during a time when Canada’s various COVID-19 regulations, thresholds, protocols and half-lockdowns can seem incredibly confusing, the Barrington approach offers a simple answer. Especially as a dark winter looms and it feels easier to just give up. What do we know about herd immunity? Why is it so attractive? And if it’s too dangerous to consider, what are our other options to get through the months ahead?
GUEST: Andre Picard, health reporter, The Globe and Mail
In The News is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to kickstart your day. Here is what’s on the radar of our editors for the morning of Nov. 19 …
What we are watching in Canada …
Ontario’s health minister is suggesting Canada could start receiving millions of doses of COVID-19 as soon as January.
Christine Elliott said in question period that the country is set to get four million doses of the Pfizer vaccine between January and March as well as two million doses of Moderna’s vaccine.
She said that 1.6 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine and 800,000 of the Moderna vaccine are destined for Ontario.
When asked directly to confirm the dates and numbers, federal Health Minister Patty Hajdu would only say it was “really exciting” that Canada is well-positioned to receive millions of doses from both companies.
In Alberta, Health Minister Tyler Shandro announced on Twitter that the province is expecting its per capita share of 465,000 doses from Pfizer and 221,000 from Moderna, with the first shipments to arrive early in the new year.
The news comes as some provinces begin to impose restrictions to try to control spikes in COVID-19 cases.
As of today, no more than five people will be allowed to gather inside homes in Saskatchewan for the next four weeks.
There will be no visits with seniors and others living in long-term care and personal care homes except for compassionate reasons.
Mandatory mask use in public indoor areas has been expanded to the entire province instead of only in communities of more than 5,000.
Yukon’s premier says as of Friday, everyone entering the territory other than critical services workers will be required to self-isolate for two weeks due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Premier Sandy Silver also says the government no longer recommends any non-essential travel outside the territory.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford and B.C.’s health officer are expected impose further health restrictions this week.
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Also this …
Environment Minister Jonathan Wilkinson will show Canadians his path to net-zero emissions today.
Wilkinson will be tabling climate legislation in the House of Commons to fulfil an election promise to be more aggressive in cutting greenhouse gases.
The legislation will include legally-binding five-year targets for reducing emissions.
Wilkinson promises that the new plan will cut more emissions by 2030 than Canada promised in the Paris accord.
And it will show a path to net zero by 2050, meaning any emissions still produced 30 years from now are absorbed, rather than left in the atmosphere to contribute to global warming.
Canada has set multiple goals for curbing emissions over the last three decades but to date has never met a single one of them.
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What we are watching in the U.S. …
Georgia election officials expect to release a report today on a hand tally of the presidential race.
They have repeatedly said they expect it to affirm Democrat Joe Biden’s narrow lead over Republican President Donald Trump.
The secretary of state’s office expects to put out a report on the results by midday.
The hand recount of about five million votes stemmed from an audit required by a new state law and wasn’t in response to any suspected problems with the state’s results or an official recount request.
The state has until Friday to certify results that have been certified and submitted by the counties.
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What we are watching in the rest of the world …
Chinese President Xi Jinping is calling for closer international co-operation on making a vaccine for the coronavirus available.
Xi spoke today in an address delivered via video at an event at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum. Xi said: “To beat the virus and promote the global recovery, the international community must close ranks and jointly respond to the crisis and meet the tests.”
He said co-operation would include closer co-ordination on policies for development and distribution of a vaccine.
Chinese companies Sinovac and Sinopharm are in the late stages of testing vaccines, putting them among nearly a dozen companies at or near that level of development.
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On this day in 1954 …
The United States and Canada announced the construction of a radar warning system across northern Canada.
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In entertainment …
CTV will air a two-hour nighttime Santa Claus parade special this year, featuring remote performances from an array of artists, including Dolly Parton.
The broadcaster says the “Original Santa Clause Parade” was pre-taped over three days on a closed route at Canada’s Wonderland, and without spectators, in order to adhere to local COVID-19 health and safety protocols.
CTV normally airs the parade live-to-tape.
Guest performers for the nationally televised special on Dec. 5 also include Kelly Clarkson and Brett Eldredge, as well as Meghan Trainor.
Reggae star Shaggy will perform with Markham, Ont.-born actress-turned-singer Aviva Mongillo, known by her stage name Carys.
Edmonton’s Ruth B. and the Toronto Symphony Orchestra will also be among the performers on the Christmas-themed broadcast, while Melissa Grelo of “The Social” and Kelsey McEwen of “Your Morning” will host.
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ICYMI …
Use of the word “Micmac” on city signs, buildings and other municipal assets in Halifax is under review.
Regional council has unanimously endorsed a motion by councillor Sam Austin requiring city staff to review how the word is used and to produce a report. Micmac is an anglicized version of the Indigenous word for the Mi’kmaq First Nation.
Austin, who represents Dartmouth Centre, says the term is outdated, adding that his motion was based on recommendations from the city’s Cornwallis task force.
The task force was created in 2018 to propose changes to the way Halifax remembers its founder, Edward Cornwallis, the British officer accused of practising genocide against Indigenous people in the 18th century.
“It’s been a simmering issue as to whether or not it’s an appropriate use of the word,” Austin says. “With the Cornwallis task force it seemed like the right time to take a look at this.”
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 19, 2020
In today’s Big Story podcast, at least in the spring, there was a summer to come and some sort of certainty — restaurants would stay closed until COVID-19 was under control. This Fall, in most places in Canada, neither of those things are true. Opening plans and case thresholds are constantly shifting, while cities and provinces have different opinions about what should be open and when.
Beyond all that, of course, there are climbing COVID case counts, which means that even open restaurants are far from guaranteed enough business to survive. So…will they? How many will make it? And what can we (and governments at all levels) do to help them get through?
WASHINGTON, D.C. — A tweet seeking to distance Elections Canada from the use of electronic voting equipment has earned a like from the president of the United States.
Despite a lack of evidence, Donald Trump is accusing a Canadian maker of vote-counting machines of conspiring against him in the Nov. 3 presidential election.
He’s now dragged Canada’s independent elections administrator into the fray.
Elections Canada tweeted Monday that it has never used tabulation equipment made by Dominion Voting Systems or anyone else in its 100-year history.
Trump retweeted the agency today in an effort to further cast doubt on the company, which was founded by Canadian partners and has offices in Toronto and Denver.
Dominion officials have categorically denied the president’s claims.
“THIS SAYS IT ALL,” Trump tweeted Tuesday after Elections Canada pointed out that it only uses paper ballots that are counted by hand.
“Elections Canada does not use Dominion Voting Systems,” the agency’s Monday tweet read. “We do not use machines to count ballots.”
Elections Canada issued another tweet Tuesday pointing out that Monday’s posting was only intended to note they don’t use vote-counting machines “and should not be construed as anything other than that.”
Dominion, founded in Toronto in the aftermath of the voting debacle that followed the 2000 U.S. election, has been pushing back hard against spiralling conspiracy theories fuelled by the president, his supporters and Trump-friendly media outlets.
“Dominion Voting Systems categorically denies false assertions about vote-switching issues with our voting systems,” the company declares in an all-caps headline on its website.
“An unsubstantiated claim about the deletion of 2.7 million pro-Trump votes that was posted on the internet and spread on social media has been taken down and debunked by independent fact-checkers.”
The website also cites last week’s declaration by the cybersecurity wing of the Department of Homeland Security that the 2020 election was “the most secure in American history.”
Despite failing to win the necessary number of electoral votes and falling more than five million votes short of Democratic challenger Joe Biden, Trump has steadfastly refused to concede the election.
Biden, for his part, has called Trump’s intransigence “embarrassing” and warned Monday that the current administration’s refusal to co-operate with his transition team could worsen the death toll from the COVID-19 pandemic.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 17, 2020.
A new poll suggests the proportion of Canadians planning to get vaccinated for COVID-19 is on the rise after encouraging initial results from Pfizer’s vaccine trial.
Sixty-nine per cent of respondents said they plan to get inoculated against the novel coronavirus once Health Canada approves a vaccine that is broadly available and free, according to a survey by Léger and the Association for Canadian Studies.
The number is a jump from the 63 per cent who said they would take up such an offer one month ago, and a return to levels of vaccine enthusiasm reported in a similar poll in July.
Nonetheless, 22 per cent of respondents said they did not intend to receive doses of the Pfizer vaccine in particular if it were ready in the spring, despite early results that suggest a 90 per cent efficacy rate. Another 22 per cent said they did not know.
Léger executive vice-president Christian Bourque attributed the apprehension to lack of familiarity with the pharmaceutical giant rather than a wave of anti-vaccination fever.
“It worries me that if the vaccine or vaccines were available, we might have 20 per cent of Canadians who would reject it,” he said in an interview.
“I think the public authorities will need a concerted communications effort to convince Canadians to jump on the bandwagon.”
Nonetheless, only nine per cent of respondents said they think vaccines are dangerous and should not be taken or given. Meanwhile, 79 per cent said they do not hold such a belief.
The proportion of Canadians who expect anti-pandemic measures to remain in place even after a vaccine becomes widely available is also notably high, Bourque said.
Nearly two-thirds said they anticipated that requirements such as physical distancing, limited social gatherings and face masks in public spaces would continue after vaccination becomes widespread, while one in four weren’t sure.
“It’s not like it’s going to be that great night where everybody parties all night long. People will still want themselves and their neighbours to be disciplined about this,” Bourque said.
The proportion of Canadians opposed to mandatory vaccination remains higher than earlier this year, with only 42 per cent in favour — roughly in line with figures from last month but down from the nearly 60 per cent who supported the idea in May.
Conducted Nov. 13 to 15, the online poll surveyed 1,522 Canadians. It cannot be assigned a margin of error because internet-based polls are not considered random samples.
In today’s Big Story podcast, the province went more than seven months as the last COVID-19-free spot in North America, but the past weeks have seen one case turn into a couple of dozen. Why did the bubble work so well for so long? What are the unique dangers the virus poses to Northern communities? How will officials try to reign in spread now that the virus is here? And what can we learn from how long the bubble kept Nunavut safe?
In today’s Big Story podcast, almost two weeks after the American election, leading social media platforms are inundated with false claims about the results. Claims that are supported and amplified by Donald Trump and key members of his administration. After talking tough regarding disinformation in the months leading up to the election, and even slapping warnings on the president’s posts, have Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok lived up to their promises?
And the big question: Will Twitter ever ban Donald Trump? Where would their business be without him?
GUEST: Jesse Hirsh, researcher and futurist, metaviews.ca
For the second time this month, there’s promising news from a COVID-19 vaccine candidate: Moderna said Monday its shots provide strong protection, a dash of hope against the grim backdrop of coronavirus surges in the U.S. and around the world.
Moderna said its vaccine appears to be 94.5 per cent effective, according to preliminary data from the company’s still ongoing study. A week ago, competitor Pfizer Inc. announced its own COVID-19 vaccine appeared similarly effective — news that puts both companies on track to seek permission within weeks for emergency use in the U.S.
Dr. Stephen Hoge, Moderna’s president, welcomed the “really important milestone” but said having similar results from two different companies is what’s most reassuring.
“That should give us all hope that actually a vaccine is going to be able to stop this pandemic and hopefully get us back to our lives,” Hoge told The Associated Press.
“It won’t be Moderna alone that solves this problem. It’s going to require many vaccines” to meet the global demand, he added.
A vaccine can’t come fast enough, as virus cases topped 11 million in the U.S. over the weekend — 1 million of them recorded in just the past week. The pandemic has killed more than 1.3 million people worldwide, more than 245,000 of them in the U.S.
Still, if the Food and Drug Administration allows emergency use of Moderna’s or Pfizer’s candidates, there will be limited, rationed supplies before the end of the year. Both require people to get two shots, several weeks apart. Moderna expects to have about 20 million doses, earmarked for the U.S., by the end of 2020. Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech expect to have about 50 million doses globally by year’s end.
Moderna’s vaccine, created with the National Institutes of Health, is being studied in 30,000 volunteers who received either the real vaccination or a dummy shot. On Sunday, an independent monitoring board broke the code to examine 95 infections that were recorded starting two weeks after volunteers’ second dose — and discovered all but five illnesses occurred in participants who got the placebo.
The study is continuing, and Moderna acknowledged the protection rate might change as more COVID-19 infections are detected and added to the calculations. Also, it’s too soon to know how long protection lasts. Both cautions apply to Pfizer’s vaccine as well.
But Moderna’s independent monitors reported some additional, promising tidbits: All 11 severe COVID-19 cases were among placebo recipients, and there were no significant safety concerns.
The main side effects were fatigue, muscle aches and injection-site pain after the vaccine’s second dose, at rates that Hoge characterized as more common than with flu shots but on par with others such as shingles vaccine.
The Cambridge, Massachusetts, company’s vaccine is among 11 candidates in late-stage testing around the world, four of them in huge studies in the U.S.
Both Moderna’s shots and the Pfizer-BioNTech candidate are so-called mRNA vaccines, a brand-new technology. They aren’t made with the coronavirus itself, meaning there’s no chance anyone could catch it from the shots. Instead, the vaccine contains a piece of genetic code that trains the immune system to recognize the spiked protein on the surface of the virus.
The strong results were a surprise. Scientists have warned for months that any COVID-19 shot may be only as good as flu vaccines, which are about 50 per cent effective.
Another steep challenge: distributing doses that must be kept very cold. Both the Moderna and Pfizer shots are frozen but at different temperatures. Moderna announced Monday that once thawed, its doses can last longer in a refrigerator than initially thought, up to 30 days. Pfizer’s shots require long-term storage at ultra-cold temperatures.
OTTAWA — A proposed bill banning forcing someone into therapy to alter their sexual orientation is turning into a political fundraising tool.
Conservative MP and failed leadership candidate Derek Sloan is asking his supporters to help him raise $25,000 for his re-election bid on the strength of his effort to fight the bill, currently before the House of Commons.
Sloan has long been opposed to the legislation, and used it during his leadership campaign to rally supporters in the social-conservative wing of the party by suggesting it amounted to child abuse.
He alleges, among other things, that bill would criminalize private conversations, which the Liberals say it will not do.
Sloan was among seven Tory MPs who refused to back the bill in the Commons, a fact the Liberals noted in their own recent fundraising pitch.
Their email warned that Sloan and his colleagues — and by extension Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole — aren’t willing to stand up for the rights of all Canadians.
The Liberals say forcing people into so-called conversion therapy causes immense harm and the practice must be banned.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 12, 2020.
ST. JOHN’S, N.L. — Newfoundland and Labrador public health officials have issued advice for those looking to stay COVID-safe while marauding around town with underwear on the outside of their clothes.
At a news conference Thursday, the province’s chief medical officer of health asked residents to stick to their households of close contacts while mummering this holiday season.
Mummering is a popular Christmas tradition in Newfoundland and Labrador in which revellers go door to door, completely disguised, often with underwear over their clothes.
It’s common for mummers to pad their behinds and wear pillowcases or doilies over their faces with the eyes cut out.
Mummers first ask if they’re allowed in and then burst into homes to dance, sing and drink while the host tries to guess who they are.
Health authorities in the province are also advising that people will have to maintain six feet between themselves and Santa Claus this year, meaning children will not be able to sit on his knee.
Shane Mills, a St. John’s-based film director, jokes that when it comes to mummers, this year he’ll be following the protocols he learned from years of watching horror movies.
“If you’re wearing a pillow case and banging on my door, I’m not letting you in,” he said in a Facebook message.
Mills said he has always been fascinated by the terrifying, macabre idea of strangers showing up unannounced, staring out through dark holes cut out of old cloth.
His film crew Grind Mind is working on their second horror film inspired by the Newfoundland tradition, “Mummering Legends,” and they’re due to start filming in January.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 12, 2020.
Two months after the City of Ottawa scrambled to expand its COVID-19 testing options to deal with a massive spike in demand, it is now set to cut back on hours at testing sites this weekend because far fewer people are showing up for a swab.
The decline mirrors what is happening in much of the rest of the country, with average daily testing numbers down more than 25 per cent compared to a month ago, even as positive cases soar.
On Oct. 15, the Public Health Agency of Canada reported an average of 77,000 COVID-19 tests had been completed each day over the previous week, the highest it had ever been. That fell to an average daily count of 61,000 a week ago, and to below 55,000 this week.
In mid-October, Canada had about 2,300 new cases of COVID-19 diagnosed each day. This week, that number grew to above 4,000.
Ontario, which on Thursday recorded its fifth record case total in the last six days, was aiming to have 68,000 tests daily by the middle of November. It hasn’t hit 40,000 tests once in those six days, and twice dropped below 30,000 tests per day.
The province averaged 38,273 tests per day in October, and this month so far the daily average is 33,870.
British Columbia averaged 9,369 tests last month. So far in November the average daily test number is 8,553.
In many provinces the testing numbers bounce around dramatically. In Quebec, the province tested 30,919 people on Nov. 5. Three days later, the dropped below 19,000. By Nov. 10, it was back up over 30,000.
Dr. Howard Njoo, the deputy chief public health officer, said last week the decline could be because local health authorities were offering testing to almost anyone who asked for it earlier this fall, regardless of whether they had symptoms or possible exposure to an infected person.
“I think people are now recognizing that the best approach could or should be more focused that it may not be the best use of resources and it may actually sort of slow down the testing for those who actually need it,” he said Nov. 6.
Ontario’s testing system was unruly in September, forcing the province to massively expand hours and locations of testing sites, make an appointment booking process, and changed the criteria so people without symptoms didn’t clog the lines.
In Ottawa, the testing task force that in September was begging people not to get tested unless they had symptoms began last week to beg people to go get a test. Today, the weekend hours at one of the city’s main testing sites are being cut from 11 hours a day to eight because so many appointments were going unfilled.
Ottawa public health chief Dr. Vera Etches said weekends have become particularly slow. She said the overall numbers have come back a bit from earlier in November and didn’t express alarm that not enough people are being tested, saying it could be due to Ottawa’s declining infection rate.
Ottawa has mostly bucked Ontario’s trend of rising cases, with the infection rate falling from 70 per 100,000 people in mid-October to 38 this week. Toronto’s grew from 57 to almost 100 over that time.
“You know, if the virus level is dropping, there may be more people without symptoms or fewer people with symptoms presenting to be tested,” Etches said.
But she said she still wants people to know if they have symptoms, even very mild ones, getting a test is the responsible thing to do because “we have to detect as much COVID as possible.”
“And so it is one of the things we’re watching and we continue to work with our partners that run the testing system to try to explore more,” she said.
“Why are people coming? Why are they not coming? You know, these are these are things that’s worth exploring for sure.”
In today’s Big Story podcast, this is part four of a five-part series in collaboration with The Narwhal. There are no viable solutions to stop the tide of selenium leaching into Canadian and U.S. water from a 100-kilometre stretch of coal mines near Elk Valley, B.C., which are owned and operated by mining giant Teck Resources. Deformed fish, a potential fish population collapse and contaminated drinking water signal more trouble to come…
Today is the day Manitoba goes into a self-imposed economic and social hibernation to try to bring surging COVID-19 numbers back under control.
The province has been struggling to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus since it started spiking in recent weeks after a summer lull.
Gatherings are limited to five people, but the restriction does not apply to those who live in the same household.
Churches can’t hold in-person services and non-essential stores and restaurants are limited to curbside pickup and delivery.
Bars, museums and theatres are closed and recreational activities suspended, although schools remain open.
The province reported 5,676 active cases on Wednesday, the deadliest day of the pandemic for Manitoba, with nine new deaths for a total of 123.
It’s the largest per-capita caseload of active infections in the country.
Tighter public health orders had already been brought in for some areas, notably Winnipeg, but chief public health officer Dr. Brent Roussin said earlier this week that the targeted approach was not working.
The sharp rise in cases and, with it, a record number of hospitalizations has put the health-care system under strain. Intensive care beds, including those occupied by non-COVID-patients, are running close to capacity.
There have been outbreaks in long-term care homes and hospitals, and widespread community transmission.
“We need to flatten our COVID curve and we need to do that now,” Premier Brian Pallister said Tuesday as he announced the widespread slowdown which is to last as long as four weeks.
EDMONTON, Australia — A former track coach and official from Ottawa has been arrested on sex crime charges involving five teenage boys who were with the Edmonton Olympic Track and Field Club decades ago.
The Edmonton Police Service says Kenneth Porter, who is 72, was a coach in Edmonton at the time of the allegations between 1976 and 1980.
Porter has been charged with five counts of indecent assault and five counts of gross indecency based on the Criminal Code at the time.
Police say the charges are linked to track meets that were held in Calgary and Edmonton.
Porter has been released from custody and is to appear in Edmonton court on Dec. 7.
Edmonton police say they started the investigation in April 2019, the same month the Ottawa Lions Track and Field Club announced the expulsion of Porter from the organization.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 10, 2020.
OTTAWA — Canadians are being encouraged to stay home this morning while they mark the service and sacrifice of those who have given their lives to defend the country.
The solemnity of Remembrance Day is butting up against the threat posed by COVID-19.
The Royal Canadian Legion is explicitly discouraging Canadians from attending Remembrance Day ceremonies in person this year and instead asking people to watch on TV or online.
The legion is promising to include many of the traditional elements of the ceremonies, such as the playing of the Last Post, the singing of In Flanders Fields, and flybys of military aircraft.
There will also be a special emphasis on the 75th anniversary of the end of the Second World War after many commemorations planned for earlier this year in Europe and elsewhere were cancelled because of the pandemic.
But most observances of Canada’s wartime sacrifices are expected to be extremely small, including in Ottawa, where the legion is planning to have only 100 people in place of the 30,000 who normally turn out for the national ceremony.
Many other legion branches across the country have also prepared stripped-down ceremonies, with parades by veterans and serving military personnel cancelled and wreaths laid before the events.
Private ceremonies are also being planned by long-term care facilities that are home to some of Canada’s oldest surviving veterans, many of whom might normally attend a local commemoration but who are at particularly high risk due to COVID-19.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Tuesday encouraged Canadians to mark Remembrance Day despite the pandemic.
“Even though we can’t gather as we usually do, we can always show our support for our veterans by wearing a poppy and watching the ceremonies online on Remembrance Day,” he said in French.
“Thinking of Remembrance Day, let’s pay homage to our veterans who have given us so much and to those who continue to serve today.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 11, 2020.
Fewer people plan to participate in Remembrance Day ceremonies or wear poppies this year, according to a poll from Historica Canada that also suggests knowledge of Canadian military history is dwindling.
The poll found that roughly 71 per cent of respondents will wear a poppy, down from 85 per cent last year; and 28 per cent of people will attend ceremonies either online or in person, down from 41 per cent last year.
Anthony Wilson-Smith of Historica Canada says those findings are understandable, given global pandemic, but the bigger issue, not attributable to COVID-19, is the declining knowledge of military history.
The poll conducted by Ipsos found that four in ten Canadians feel they know more about American military history than that of Canada — climbing from one-third of Canadians last year.
Meanwhile 16 per cent of Canadians never learned about Canada’s key conflicts in school — including the First World War, Second World War, Korean War and October Crisis.
It also found that 45 per cent of respondents think they know about the history of Black, Indigenous, and racialized groups in Canadian military service, but only 14 per cent could correctly identify the country’s only all-Black battalion – the No. 2 Construction Battalion.
Wilson-Smith says this year is a particularly good opportunity to brush up on Canadian military history, in part because of COVID-19.
“The pandemic, which calls for a greater sense of unity, which puts people under unprecedented conditions no one’s ever really lived through before, I wouldn’t go so far as to say it’s like a wartime condition, but it calls on some of the same qualities,” he said.
“Remembrance Day has always been a time for both reflecting on loss and also, frankly, on our good fortune. And this year is a year of remembering that we have lived through difficult times before — in fact more difficult during 1939 to 45 than we’re living through today.”
It’s also a poignant Remembrance Day given the toll the pandemic has taken on veterans.
It’s difficult for many veterans to apply for federal support this year because they can’t see doctors. And those who have applied face long wait times to find out if they qualify for assistance as the government slowly works its way through a backlog of claims.
Veterans’ organizations such as the Royal Canadian Legion are also struggling financially, closing branches across the country while waiting for federal assistance.
Wilson-Smith said those looking to brush up on their Canadian military history can check out resources from Historica, or those provided by Heritage Canada.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 10, 2020.
In today’s Big Story podcast, this is part two of a five-part series in collaboration with The Narwhal. Canada’s westernmost province markets itself as ‘Super, Natural, B.C.,’ but more than 2,000 species of animals and plants are at risk of disappearing — and unlike six other provinces, British Columbia still has no endangered species law, despite the NDP’s election promise to introduce one
OTTAWA — As Canadians are set to mark Remembrance Day this week, concerns are being voiced about military veterans struggling with the effects of COVID-19.
Oliver Thorne, executive director of the Vancouver-based Veterans Transition Network, says the pandemic is taking a financial, emotional and physical toll on those suffering from service-related injuries.
Worries about disabled Canadian veterans first emerged in the spring as the country went into lockdown due to the pandemic.
Some of that eased as summer saw many of those restrictions lifted, but the second wave and looming winter have resurrected those fears.
The concerns run the gamut from injured veterans not being able to get the physiotherapy or rehabilitation they need, to those with post-traumatic stress disorder missing out on in-person therapy and support.
For years, veterans suffering from PTSD have been told not to isolate themselves, but instead get out of their homes and connect with support programs.
Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole — a veteran himself — is urging anyone struggling because of the pandemic to reach out to family, friends or support networks.
Pfizer says an early peek at its vaccine data suggests the shots may be 90% effective at preventing COVID-19, indicating the company is on track later this month to file an emergency use application with U.S. regulators.
Monday’s announcement doesn’t mean a vaccine is imminent: This interim analysis, from an independent data monitoring board, looked at 94 infections recorded so far in a study that has enrolled nearly 44,000 people in the U.S. and five other countries.
Pfizer Inc. did not provide any more details about those cases, and cautioned the initial protection rate might change by the time the study ends. Even revealing such early data is highly unusual.
“We’re in a position potentially to be able to offer some hope,” Dr. Bill Gruber, Pfizer’s senior vice president of clinical development, told The Associated Press. “We’re very encouraged.”
Authorities have stressed it’s unlikely any vaccine will arrive much before the end of the year, and limited initial supplies will be rationed.
The shots made by Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech are among 10 possible vaccine candidates in late-stage testing around the world — four of them so far in huge studies in the U.S. Another U.S. company, Moderna Inc., also has said it hopes to be able to file an application with the Food and Drug Administration later this month.
Volunteers in the final-stage studies, and the researchers, don’t know who received the real vaccine or a dummy shot. But a week after their second required dose, Pfizer’s study began counting the number who developed COVID-19 symptoms and were confirmed to have the coronavirus.
Because the study hasn’t ended, Gruber couldn’t say how many in each group had infections. Doing the math, that would mean almost all the infections counted so far had to have occurred in people who got the dummy shots.
Pfizer doesn’t plan to stop its study until it records 164 infections among all the volunteers, a number that the FDA has agreed is enough to tell how well the vaccine is working. The agency has made clear that any vaccine must be at least 50% effective.
No participant so far has become severely ill, Gruber said. Nor could he provide a breakdown of how many of the infections had occurred in older people, who are at highest risk from COVID-19.
Participants were tested only if they developed symptoms, leaving unanswered whether vaccinated people could get infected but show no symptoms and unknowingly spread the virus.
FDA has required that U.S. vaccine candidates be studied in at least 30,000 people. In addition to adequate numbers of older adults, those studies must also include other groups at high risk, including minorities and people with chronic health problems.
And it told companies they must track half their participants for side effects for at least two months, the time period when problems typically crop up. Pfizer expects to reach that milestone later this month, but said Monday no serious safety concerns have been reported.
Because the pandemic is still raging, manufacturers hope to seek permission from governments around the world for emergency use of their vaccines while additional testing continues — allowing them to get to market faster than normal but raising concerns about how much scientists will know about the shots.
The FDA’s scientific advisers last month said they worry that allowing emergency use of a COVID-19 vaccine could damage confidence in the shots and make it harder to ever find out how well they really work. Those advisers said it’s critical these massive studies are allowed to run to completion.
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The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
In today’s Big Story podcast, almost everything the President of the United States has been saying since election day is false. His family and supporters are following suit. How is the internet handling a flood of misleading claims and outright lies? What makes the post-election disinfo so hard to debunk? How did we end up so far down this rabbit hole and is it even possible to climb back out?
GUEST: Jane Lytvynenko, Disinformation Reporter, BuzzFeed News
Statistics Canada says the pace of job growth slowed in October as the economy added 84,000 jobs in the month compared with 378,000 in September.
The unemployment rate was 8.9 per cent compared with 9.0 per cent in September.
The average economist estimate was for a gain of 100,000 jobs in October and an unemployment rate of 8.8 per cent, according to financial data firm Refinitiv.
FAIRFAX, Va. — With his room to manoeuvre rapidly dwindling, U.S. President Donald Trump is lashing out with threats of legal action as Joe Biden closes in on the Oval Office.
The Trump campaign is mobilizing supporters and lawyers alike in battleground states where the process of counting votes plodded late into the night Wednesday.
After claiming the 26 electoral votes in Wisconsin and Michigan, Biden was well within striking distance of the 270 electors needed to claim the presidency.
That prompted a flurry of Republican lawsuits in those two states as well as all-important Pennsylvania, where Trump supporters were expected to stage protests today.
Tense protests erupted at various locations where election officials were counting votes Wednesday, including Detroit and Philadelphia.
Media reports suggest the Trump team is also considering legal action in Nevada and Arizona, two other critical pieces of the electoral puzzle.
Biden was nursing a lead of fewer than 8,000 votes in Nevada, and a three-point lead in Arizona, a significant prize that landed under Trump’s name in 2016.
As the midnight hour approached Wednesday night, Trump was still leading narrowly in Pennsylvania, Georgia and North Carolina.
Both campaigns seamlessly transitioned their fundraising efforts from pre-election solicitations to asking for money to help bankroll the coming court fights.
Trump’s Twitter feed was laden Wednesday with complaints that the protracted process of counting mail-in ballots amounted to an effort to stack the deck in Biden’s favour.
Many of the president’s missives were flagged by Twitter as containing disputed or outright misleading election information.
Tuesday’s vote was held against an unprecedented backdrop: a pandemic that has killed more than 232,000 Americans and triggered a debilitating economic crisis in a year also marked by fierce public outrage over the country’s racial divide.
Record-setting mail-in voting, which Trump has been railing against for months, made for an especially unpredictable election night. Biden has been leading the mail-in ballot count by a ratio of roughly three to one.
Anxiety about Trump’s next moves lured protesters and activists to the streets outside the White House for a second straight night, fearful that the incumbent president might try to claim an unjust victory.
“It’s a basic rule of elections that people should get to vote when they are eligible to vote, and that those votes should be counted,” said Jessica Mason, a public policy analyst in Washington, D.C.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 5, 2020.
In today’s Big Story podcast, as of Wednesday night, things looked relatively positive for Joe Biden’s bid for the presidency. But Donald Trump’s team is filing lawsuits, demanding recounts, or halted counts, and looks like it plans to scrap tooth and nail to win the election in the courts no matter the results on the ground. How successful that attempt will be depends on the judges themselves—but either way it outs the leaders of democracies around the world, including Canada, in a tough position until someone concedes.
How would a protracted court battle for the American presidency impact Canada? What changes if Biden wins cleanly? What will Trump’s mark on America’s international reputation be if he is a one-term president? And what if he actually manages to find his way to a victory?
GUEST: Balkan Devlen, senior fellow at McDonald Laurier Institute, Superforecaster for Good Judgment, Inc.
It’s morning in America, but not the calm one once showcased in a famous U.S. presidential ad.
Americans are waking up to uncertainty about their political leadership as the outcome of the bitterly contested 2020 presidential election remains unclear.
The final results were likely in the hands of a few key states as the counting of millions of mail-in or early ballots complicated what is normally a relatively swift process of election night vote tallies.
In a speech just before 1 a.m. ET, Democratic challenger Joe Biden told supporters he was feeling good about where his campaign was: “on track to win this election.”
President Donald Trump, the Republican incumbent, moved quickly on Twitter to knock Biden down, saying his campaign was up “big.”
As polls closed Tuesday, Trump was handed unsurprising wins in solidly Republican districts, with Biden scooping up comfortably Democratic states as well.
Trump also picked up the battleground states of Texas, Florida, Iowa and Ohio, while Biden carried New Hampshire and Minnesota.
But as of 2 a.m., several states remained too close to call, including Arizona, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.
The election took place against the backdrop of a historic crises: the COVID-19 pandemic that killed more than 232,000 Americans and decimated the economy.
Both men had sought to paint the other as unfit to govern through those challenges and their aftermath.
Deep divisions exposed by the election, along with efforts by Trump’s campaign to cast doubt on the mail-in process, had raised fears of protests or clashes marring election day.
But few problems were reported as Americans waited hours to cast their votes in person, though court challenges by both campaigns remained underway.
Trump, however, cast further doubt when on social media early this morning he suggested his rivals were “trying to steal the election.”
Twitter hid the post, warning its content could be misleading.
In a speech not long after that, Trump essentially declared himself the winner and vowed to take his fight to the U.S. Supreme Court.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 4, 2020
In today’s Big Story podcast, no, the US election is not what spawned this question. New research in a field called ‘simulation theory’ pegs the odds that we’re just AI creations in somebody’s supercomputer at about 50-50. Really? How can we possibly determine this? What does simulation theory propose? What evidence do we have? Will we ever really find out? And could humanity one day create a simulation of our own?
Miss Vickie’s Canada is voluntarily recalling a number of brands and bag sizes of its Kettle Cooked Potato Chips after pieces of glass were found in the bags.
The affected potato chips were sold in Ontario, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, and internet sales.
The bags were sold through food vending machines and retail locations such as grocery stores and Costco. The package sizes range from multipacks of 24 grams all the way up to 500 grams
“A small number of consumer concerns related to this matter have been reported to date. One minor dental injury has been reported to-date,” Miss Vickie’s said in a statement. ” Our organization is working closely with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) to coordinate the recall.
In today’s Big Story podcast, is Democracy on the ballot in the American election tonight? How real is the threat of violence at the polls? What happens if Donald Trump squeaks out a reelection victory? What happens if Joe Biden blows him out but Trump refuses to concede? What could the courts do with a close election? And what does America’s election mean for democracies around the world, like Canada’s, where millions will be watching and waiting to see what happens to their ally?
People across Canada will be gathering Tuesday night to watch the results of the divisive U.S. presidential election.
Watching particularly closely will be Americans living here.
Given the COVID-19 pandemic, most get-togethers will be virtual but some in-person events are planned.
A spokeswoman for Democrats Abroad says the organization is holding a Canada-wide Zoom watch party.
She says more than 400 people have said they will attend with others expected to join as well.
Several pubs and restaurants across the Prairies are hosting some form of election-night party.
It’s unlikely, however, that even those hanging in all night will know whether Republican President Donald Trump keeps the White House or loses it to Democrat former vice-president Joe Biden. Most experts believe it will still take days if not months to get the final results of the vote.
People are excited and anxious, not just about the election, but also when the results will be known, said Jennifer Phillips with the Vancouver chapter of Democrats Abroad.
“We are accustomed to knowing who won the election on election night,” Phillips said. “We usually see an unofficial media projection.”
The good thing about virtual gathering, she said, was that it allows people to connect from across Canada.
The election comes at a time when Canadians’ view of the United States has distinctly soured. One recent poll found more than three in five Canadians have an unfavourable view of the U.S. Polls have also suggested about two-thirds of Canadians were hoping to see Biden win.
Democrats Abroad have been especially busy in recent months urging the estimated 620,000 expatriates in Canada to get out and vote. Especially in border swing states such as Michigan, Americans living in Canada could have tipped the scales of the presidential vote.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has expressed hope for a “smooth transition or a clear result” from the election.
“If it is less clear, there may be some disruptions and we need to be ready,” Trudeau said.
WASHINGTON, Wash. — George Washington’s “last great experiment” faces an existential litmus test beginning Tuesday as the bristling polarities of an energized, outraged and well-armed body politic finish weighing in on who should be the next American president.
Theirs may not be the final word.
Be it because of Donald Trump, COVID-19 or Black Lives Matter, Americans seem all in, for once, on the 2020 vote: more than 92 million ballots have already been cast, two-thirds of the total turnout from four years ago.
Thanks to the pandemic, mail-in voting has shattered records. But it takes time to count those votes, and Trump — who sows baseless fears of electoral fraud at every turn — has repeatedly signalled he’ll take his battle with Joe Biden from the campaign trail to the courtroom.
The Texas Supreme Court on Sunday rejected a two-pronged GOP effort to get 127,000 drive-thru votes thrown out in largely Democratic Harris County, a challenge that has also been filed in federal court.
Republicans also tried unsuccessfully last week to convince the Supreme Court to fast-track a decision on Philadelphia’s three-day extension for counting absentee ballots.
It all points to a president with no plans to concede defeat Tuesday, regardless of outcome. Indeed, Axios reported Sunday that Trump wants to declare victory on election night, even before such a result is clear.
Against this backdrop, meanwhile, Americans have been engaged in another time-honoured tradition of U.S. democracy: buying guns.
Demand for virtually everything in stock has been off the charts since the onset of the pandemic in March, said Dan Aldridge, the owner of Maxon Shooter’s Supplies and Indoor Range in Des Plaines, Ill.
That includes handguns, long guns and ammunition — in particular the hollow-tipped rounds that are specifically designed for self-defence, as well as Maxon’s three-a-day firearms training classes.
“In the past, buying surges were driven by fears of anti-gun legislative changes — ‘They’re going to ban this, they’re going to ban that, I better load up.’ It’s different this time,” Aldridge said.
“It’s people that are truly concerned about personal safety.”
The first nine months of the year saw 28.8 million background checks — a necessary step to obtain a handgun in 22 states and D.C. — initiated in the U.S., FBI data show, a record total that has already surpassed 2019’s full-year tally of 28.4 million.
The Trace, a U.S. media website dedicated to analyzing gun issues, estimates 1.92 million guns were purchased in September, the sixth-highest month on record and a 67 per cent increase over the same period last year.
That could mean a polarized, angry and heat-packing electorate suddenly being confronted with an inconclusive or even disputed election outcome after months of COVID-induced cabin fever — a period that’s already been marked by dramatic displays of civil unrest over the country’s deep-seated racial divide.
“I think you have a fear among a good percentage of Americans that something bad could be coming,” said Ryan Williams, a criminal justice professor at the University of Illinois Springfield.
“And they don’t know what that is. They don’t know what that looks like.”
Walmart briefly pulled guns and ammunition from store shelves Thursday, citing a risk of “isolated civil unrest” — a decision that may have been linked to recent racial tensions in Philadelphia.
But the U.S. retail giant quickly reversed itself Friday on the grounds that recent incidents “have remained geographically isolated.”
In downtown Washington, D.C., businesses that endured a raucous summer of social-justice protests marred by looting and vandalism were again protecting storefronts over the weekend, hoisting sheets of plywood in front of plate glass windows as if bracing for a looming hurricane.
The candidates, meanwhile, were in barnstorming mode over the weekend.
Trump hosted nine rallies over the two days, four of them alone in Pennsylvania, the blue-collar battleground that’s worth 20 electoral votes and is widely expected to play a pivotal role in determining the final outcome.
So too will Florida, Georgia, Michigan, Iowa and North Carolina, the five states Trump visited Sunday. All five landed under his name in 2016, and all five are in play this time around.
On Monday, the president returns to Pennsylvania and North Carolina, with a stop in Wisconsin before one final event in Grand Rapids, Mich.
Joe Biden, meanwhile, has been setting a more modest pace — partly to keep safety concerns to a minimum, but also to take advantage of a tactic that has been a cornerstone of the Democratic campaign: let Trump be Trump.
The former vice-president visited Michigan on Saturday with his old boss, Barack Obama, before moving on to Ohio and Pennsylvania, where he’ll be on Monday.
Ironically, a steady decline of public faith in institutions like the federal government has exacerbated the instability that risks undermining the election, the Canadian-born Williams said.
And for millions of Americans, particularly those living near the poverty line, the pandemic has only served to deepen that distrust.
In Canada, “there’s basic agreement on what the government’s there for and why we need them. I haven’t seen that here,” Williams said.
The deaths of Breonna Taylor, George Floyd and countless others at the hands of police — Walter Wallace Jr. became the latest victim last week in Philadelphia — have also served to undermine that faith, he added.
“That really breaks away and wears down people’s idea that somebody is there to protect me, protect my life, protect my property,” he said.
“When that is gone, Americans will go protect themselves.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 2, 2020.
In today’s Big Story podcast, why don’t more Canadians know about the criminal masterminds behind some of Canada’s most legendary capers? A new audiobook, True North Heists, tells the tales of some of the most outlandish capers ever committed on Canadian soil. Actor Colm Feore (Bon Cop Bad Cop, Trudeau) dramatically weaves together “in the moment” storytelling with interviews with those with deep knowledge of the heists themselves, including law enforcement officers, writers and the criminals themselves. You might know the stories of some legendary American thefts, but you might not know these ones. And yes, there’s maple syrup involved.
GUEST: Geoff Siskind, executive producer, True North Heists.
OTTAWA — Twenty-five years ago today, Quebec came within a small margin of separating from Canada.
The referendum on Oct. 30, 1995, saw 4.7 million Quebecers vote on whether the province should “become sovereign,” yielding a razor-thin victory for the “No” side that garnered less than 51 per cent of the ballots.
The question pitted premier Jacques Parizeau and Bloc Québécois leader Lucien Bouchard against prime minister Jean Chrétien and provincial Liberal leader Daniel Johnson, culminating in a “unity rally” hastily arranged by the “No” side in Montreal three days before the vote in an attempt to turn the tide.
The vote was the second referendum in 15 years and considered the high-water mark of the separatist movement, coming on the heels of two failed constitutional accords and nearly two decades after the Parti Québécois first swept to power.
Today the PQ is at one of the lowest points in its history, ranking fourth out of four parties in the Quebec national assembly, where it holds only nine out of 125 seats.
But the Bloc, which also stands for a sovereign Quebec, remains broadly popular as questions around Quebecers’ distinct identity continue to simmer, and holds 32 seats in the House of Commons.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 30, 2020.
In today’s Big Story podcast, in a normal year, the start of November would mark the beginning of the prestige movie push, with award hopefuls, franchise films and feel-good family flocks crowding theatres. This year though, there’s almost nothing left on the calendar and the top-grossing box office list features rereleases of films from the 1990s.
Hollywood has been hoarding its blockbusters in preparation for a vaccine and a return to normal life in 2021…but what if that doesn’t happen quickly enough? How long can studios sit on their biggest films in hopes of a return? Why is the system built to rely so much on a handful of megamovies that need to earn billions in order to be worth making at all? And when will our host finally get to see Duneand Black Widow?
GUEST: Norm Wilner, senior film writer at NOW Magazine, host of Someone Else’s Movie
In The News is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to kickstart your day. Here is what’s on the radar of our editors for the morning of XXX. X …
What we are watching in Canada …
As spooky season reaches its climax in a particularly frightening year, some historians argue the COVID-19 pandemic offers an opportunity to explore a different side of Halloween.
The holiday has no fixed meaning and has been celebrated differently over the centuries, so there’s a deep well of traditions to draw from — including some that honour the dead, said Nick Rogers, a professor at York University who wrote the book on the history of Halloween.
The holiday is linked to Mexico’s Day of the Dead, which has some of Halloween’s celebratory spirit but is also a day to remember loved ones who have died.
“Halloween is about everything you want to avoid in a pandemic. It’s about scaring us. It’s about risk-taking. It’s about inversion,” he said. “…In a way, Day of the Dead is a much better holiday for addressing these things.”
Officials across the country have said that those who want to celebrate Halloween will need to make sacrifices — of varying degrees, depending on location — in order to keep their loved ones safe.
Those in some COVID-19 hot spots have been urged to forego trick-or-treating altogether, while others in regions with few cases are being told to keep their parties small.
For instance, in Quebec — Canada’s COVID-19 epicentre — children will be permitted to trick-or-treat with members of their own household, but adults can’t celebrate in groups.
British Columbia’s top doctor has also ruled out massive Halloween bashes, saying families need to keep gatherings to their immediate households and their “safe six,” though trick-or-treating is still a go.
Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador have given trick-or-treating the green light as well, so long as people keep a physical distance from those not in their household.
Meanwhile, Ontario and New Brunswick are taking a regional approach to holiday regulations, barring trick-or-treating in hot spots.
“COVID sucks. What can I say, it’s terrible,” Premier Doug Ford said earlier this month, as he announced the rules. “We need to work together this Halloween to protect Christmas.”
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Also this …
Much of Canada is set to turn back the clocks at 2 a.m. Sunday, giving people an extra hour of sleep in exchange for darker evenings as winter sets in.
But experts say the end of daylight time may feel a little different this year as the COVID-19 pandemic has upended our usual schedules.
Some professors predict the time-warping nature of the crisis could ease the autumnal adjustment, while a critic says the one-hour shift may compound the discombobulation of life under lockdown.
While the seasonal tradition continues to be a source of fervid contention, University of Toronto medical professor Donald Redelmeier says we have much bigger worries this year.
Redelmeier says the supposed negative side-effects of clock switching will be eclipsed, if not alleviated, by the global upheaval of the pandemic.
But Wendy Hall, a professor emeritus at the University of British Columbia’s school of nursing, says the switch to standard time will only exacerbate sleep disruptions linked to the COVID-19 crisis.
Psychology professor Steve Joordens says the change in light patterns could provide a natural sense of structure by making people feel more energized in the morning and ready for bed at an earlier hour.
Yukon moved to permanent daylight time in March, and lawmakers in British Columbia, Alberta and Ontario are considering measures to do away with the twice-yearly time change.
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What we are watching in the U.S. …
When Joe Biden was last in Iowa, his campaign was on the verge of collapse and he was soundly trounced in the caucuses.
He returns today as the Democratic nominee, believing he’s just days away from becoming president-elect.
Iowa is among the clutch of GOP-leaning states that Biden is trying to bring back into the Democratic column.
He’ll also swing through Wisconsin today while his running mate, Kamala Harris, courts voters in Texas.
Trump, meanwhile, is playing defence in Michigan and Wisconsin. The president and Biden will both be in Minnesota, a longtime Democratic state that Trump is trying to flip.
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What we are watching in the rest of the world …
HANOI —U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has wrapped up a five-nation anti-China tour of Asia in Vietnam as the fierce American presidential election race enters its final stretch.
With just four days left in the campaign in which China has been a central theme, Pompeo visited Hanoi today ostensibly to celebrate 25 years of U.S.-Vietnam relations.
But as he has at his previous stops in India, Sri Lanka, the Maldives and Indonesia, Pompeo’s main aim was to shore up support for pushing back on China.
The Trump administration has made confronting China, its handling of the coronavirus pandemic, human rights record and aggressiveness towards its smaller neighbours one of its main foreign policy priorities.
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On this day in 2001 …
After 63 years of selling music to Canadians, the Sam the Record Man retail chain declared bankruptcy. But Sam Sniderman’s sons Jason and Bob bought the company’s assets from a bankruptcy trustee and re-opened the Toronto flagship store in 2002, but it closed in June 2007.
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In sports …
TORONTO — Ontario’s minister of sport is expected to have updates today on bids to host FIFA World Cup games and the Commonwealth Games in the province.
Lisa MacLeod will be speaking at the Empire Club of Canada in downtown Toronto this afternoon.
She said earlier this month that the Ministry of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries would be making announcements about those international sporting events by the end of October.
Canada is co-hosting the 2026 World Cup along with Mexico and the United States but the venues for the men’s soccer tournament have yet to be named.
A committee has also been formed to put together a bid for Hamilton to host the Commonwealth Games in 2026.
The quadrennial Commonwealth Games features 6,500 elite athletes and coaches from 71 countries competing in summer sport.
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ICYMI …
VANCOUVER — The maker of Canada Dry ginger ale has agreed to pay more than $200,000 to settle a class-action lawsuit launched by a B.C. man who alleged he was misled by marketing suggesting the soda had medicinal benefits.
A B.C. Supreme Court decision on costs released Monday shows Victor Cardoso claimed he bought Canada Dry on the basis it was “made from real ginger,” but the marketing was false and it contained none.
The decision says Cardoso later conceded that the soda contains small amounts of ginger derivatives, but he continued to allege that the company’s representations of its product were false.
The soda’s maker, Canada Dry Mott’s Inc., denied the allegations and any liability.
Under the settlement agreement, the company is not required to change its labelling or advertising for products marketed in Canada.
The class-action followed similar lawsuits in the United States, which saw the company drop the “made from real ginger” line from its products sold there.
OTTAWA — A new Statistics Canada report says communities with the most visible minorities had the highest mortality rates during the first wave of COVID-19.
The report’s authors say it is more evidence that the pandemic is disproportionately affecting visible minorities, who are more likely to live in overcrowded housing and work in jobs that put them more at risk of exposure to COVID-19.
In the four biggest provinces — which account for 99 per cent of the deaths from COVID-19 between March and July — death rates from COVID-19 were twice as high in communities where more than one in four people identify as a visible minority, compared with communities where less than one per cent of residents did.
In Ontario and Quebec, the rates were 3.5 times as high in communities where more than one-fourth of residents identify as visible minorities.
Nearly 8,800 people died in the first wave of the pandemic in Canada, 94 per cent of them in Quebec and Ontario.
Canadian and provincial public health agencies did not collect much data on race of patients with COVID-19 at first, so Statistics Canada used the national database on deaths and census data on visible minorities and neighbourhoods to compile the report.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 28, 2020.
OTTAWA — The day after Americans go to the polls to choose their next president, the United States will become the first and only country in the world to withdraw from the Paris climate change pact.
Whether that withdrawal becomes permanent will depend on who wins that election — Donald Trump, who is behind the withdrawal, or Joe Biden, who has promised to put the U.S. back into the agreement as soon as possible.
For Canada, having the U.S. back in the Paris pact, and the resulting domestic U.S. policies on the environment that will follow, could both open markets for Canadian clean energy technology, and level the playing field for Canadian companies competing against Americans with fewer environmental regulations and taxes.
Experts and observers say even a U.S. outside the Paris agreement may ultimately end up in the same place, with state governments going it on their own, renewable energy prices becoming more attractive, and global investors increasingly viewing carbon footprints as a critical element in their investment decisions.
“It all depends on what the policies are that you put in place,” said Gary Mar, president of the Canada West Foundation.
“Canadian companies are already paying carbon taxes. And so if their competition in the United States was compelled to do the same thing then it would make it a more level playing field for Canadians to enter into the marketplace.”
In the last four years, Canada has in some places slowed or amended its own environment policies to reflect concerns American companies not regulated in the same way might hurt Canada’s competitiveness.
That includes methane regulations — which Canada delayed by three years when Trump paused similar targets in the U.S. — and limiting the carbon pricing on industries that face heavy competition from U.S. firms that don’t pay the same kind of tax.
If Trump stays in office, Canada will continue to measure its environmental regulations against competition in the U.S. facing less regulation. If Biden wins, he hasn’t just promised to rejoin Paris, he has pledged to use the power of the United States to influence, or even name and shame, countries that aren’t doing their part to slow climate change.
Gerald Butts, vice-chairman at the political-risk consultancy Eurasia Group and former principal secretary to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, said Biden’s climate policies are the most aggressive any American presidential candidate has ever proposed.
That includes eliminating fossil fuels from the U.S. power grid by 2050, and using the power of the federal procurement system to spur growth in electric vehicles.
Butts said Biden’s plan would not only put pressure on the world, including Canada, to up its climate game, it opens a “big opportunity to grow the Canadian clean energy and clean-tech footprint in the United States.”
“It tilts the scales toward renewable energy and decarbonization in the United States in a way that no potential president has ever attempted to put his or her thumb on the scale,” said Butts.
“We’ve got a lot of hydro power, we’ve got a lot of nuclear power, we’ve got a lot of low- to zero-emissions electricity here. And that’s a real opportunity.”
Canadian mining could also benefit. Canada produces 14 of the 19 metals and minerals needed for solar panels and Quebec is home to one of the 10 biggest lithium mines in the world.
Butts said a Biden presidency might have negative effects Canada’s fossil-fuel sector. Biden has promised to halt the Keystone XL pipeline between Alberta and Nebraska, for instance.
That project, which was killed by Barack Obama when Biden was his vice-president, was revived by Trump and is supported by the Trudeau Liberals. Lack of pipeline space to ship more oil has left Canadian producers to accept significant discounts for their product, and limited growth.
Earlier this year, Alberta Premier Jason Kenney threw his province’s fiscal weight behind Keystone, with a $1.5-billion equity investment and a $6-billion loan guarantee.
Even under Trump, the pipeline has hit snags in the courts over its environmental impact, and construction on the U.S. portion has been halted.
Christopher Sands, director of the Canada Institute at the Wilson Center political think tank in Washington, D.C., said the pipeline has taken on an outsized role in the U.S. climate fight, as it was something environment groups could seize on.
But he said it’s possible that if Biden starts moving aggressively on other climate fronts, the pipeline may fall in importance.
Mar says that Biden may ultimately see the pipeline as a good thing for a transition period. The U.S. has sanctions against Venezuela, including oil imports, and he said it is cheaper for the U.S. to get oil from Canada through a pipeline than it is to seek other sources in the Middle East.
Sands is also careful to point out that Trump’s anti-climate rhetoric may be overshadowed by the economic opportunities of clean energy that a pro-development president cannot resist.
And even when and where he doesn’t, state governments and the private sector are moving on climate policies without him, said Mar.
“They might happen more quickly with the Biden administration, but I think again, because of the importance of states, even under Trump, I think that trend line will still continue,” Mar said.
Trump halted regulations to insist automakers produce more fuel-efficient vehicles, but a number of states and several automakers are sticking to the plan without him.
Trump has also done everything he can to “bring back king coal”, rolling back environmental regulations that made coal less palatable.
But cheaper natural gas and renewable sources of energy are crowding coal out of the market, and since Trump took office coal production has fallen almost 20 per cent, and coal’s share of the U.S. power grid fell from about one-third to less than one-quarter.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 29, 2020.
More than 10,000 Canadians have died due to COVID-19, a grim milestone reached by a pandemic that is far from over.
Twenty-eight new deaths reported in Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba and Alberta pushed the death toll to 1,001 on Tuesday.
Canada crossed the threshold of 5,000 deaths on May 12, a little over two months after the first death was reported.
COVID-19 case counts slowed across the country through the summer, but have taken a big jump in many areas this fall, with new daily highs reached regularly in Central and Western Canada.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called the pandemic a “horrific national tragedy,” and warned that Canadians should brace for more.
“Families have lost loved ones, been devastated by these tragedies, and we need to know that there are more tragedies to come,” he told a briefing in Ottawa.
The death toll has climbed much more slowly since April and May, when outbreaks in long-term care homes and a lack of medical knowledge about the novel coronavirus resulted in a higher proportion of fatal infections.
However, the pandemic has grown deadlier over the past month. More than 600 COVID-19-related fatalities have been reported in October so far compared with 165 COVID-19 in September, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada.
Ontario reported 827 new cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday, and four new deaths due to the virus.
Quebec, where residents in its biggest cities will have to live with partial lockdowns for at least another four weeks, reported 963 new cases of COVID-19 and 19 more deaths.
Manitoba tallied its highest daily number of COVID-19 cases since the pandemic began, with health officials reporting 184 new infections on Tuesday and three more deaths.
Alberta reported another two deaths from COVID-19.
The pandemic’s second wave could jeopardize large gatherings with friends and family over Christmas after a reined-in Thanksgiving.
“It’s frustrating knowing that unless we’re really, really careful, there may not be the kinds of family gatherings we want to have at Christmas,” Trudeau said.
He sought to spur hope ahead of a “tough winter.”
“We will get through this. Vaccines are on the horizon. Spring and summer will come and they will be better than this winter,” he said.
But the current situation he summed up with a single verb.
“This sucks. It really, really does.”
The prime minister encouraged residents to continue to follow the advice of local health authorities, despite frustrations over conflicting information on Halloween as well as varying COVID-19 testing requirements for students.
Dr. Theresa Tam, Canada’s chief public health officer, has suggested hockey sticks as a tool to hand out Halloween treats, while others are resorting to candy chutes or self-serve stations. But the Ontario government has recommended against trick-or-treating in parts of the province that have been hardest hit by the resurgence of the novel coronavirus.
Meanwhile, school reopening plans sowed confusion about what symptoms in students demanded COVID-19 tests, triggering massive lineups at assessment centres and overwhelming laboratories where the tests are processed.
And Quebec Premier Francois Legault had his own ideas Tuesday about the prospects for a festive holiday in December.
“I really hope and I’m confident that in 28 days we’ll be able to maybe not have big parties, for Christmas, but to be able to see our families,” he said in his own briefing.
In Prince Edward Island, chief public health officer Dr. Heather Morrison had unwelcome news for residents hoping to reunite with family from outside the Atlantic bubble over the December holidays.
“While we are always evaluating our decisions and guidance using the best available evidence, I do not expect right now that we will be reducing the 14-day self-isolation requirement prior to the Christmas holiday season,” she told a briefing in Charlottetown.
Under their bubble arrangement, the Atlantic provinces limit who can enter and require people who do come in from outside the region to quarantine for two weeks.
Mixed messaging threatens to chip away at trust in public health advice, said Tim Sly, an epidemiologist and professor emeritus at Ryerson University’s School of Public Health.
Dance studios in Ontario’s “hot zones” have been allowed to stay open, while gyms have been forced to shutter along with cinemas, casinos and performing arts venues, he noted.
“Quite honestly I don’t know why a distinction is made between those two,” Sly said.
Trudeau said circumstances have changed since the spring, when little was known about the novel coronavirus and there was one main message: “Everyone stay home.”
“We can be a little more targeted (now). But yeah, that means a little more complicated in our messages,” he said Tuesday.
Epidemiologists across the country have stressed the need for massive testing in order to stop the spread of the virus.
Sly pointed to Germany as a model, despite a recent spike in case numbers. Authorities there have made both rapid testing and “open public testing,” which lets asymptomatic people access tests, crucial weapons in the war against viral resurgence.
“Testing is absolutely key and, at the other end after the fact, contact tracing. And we’ve been not prepared for these things – behind the 8-ball,” Sly said.A proximity interaction occurs when one device is within 50 metres of another device for more than five minutes in a given hour, she said.
While McGahan praised Canadians, she also said the worrisome side of the study is that this may be the best we can do.
The proximity data is already really low, she said, considering that the average family household in Canada has 2.9 people.
“In many parts of Canada, and certainly on average, proximity is still low,” McGahan said.
“It doesn’t look like by shutting down everything again, having broad restrictions on our mobility, that we’re going to be able to get much more reduction in social interactions.”
She said the researchers are now planning to incorporate medical and economic data in an effort to tease out any associations.
In today’s Big Story podcast, you might think that it’s gang-related shootings in Toronto that drive gun-violence statistics in the province. You’d wind up surprised. A new study examined in detail firearms-related injuries and deaths in Ontario for 15 years, from 2002-2016. What the authors found was that while urban gun violence drives headlines, a larger part of the problem happens outside of the spotlight, outside of the cities, in quiet, lonely places…
GUEST: Dr. Natasha Saunders, co-author of Firearm-related injuries and deaths in Ontario, Canada, 2002–2016: a population-based study
VANCOUVER — Testimony will continue today in the Meng Wanzhou court case in Vancouver.
The lawyers for the Huawei executive are trying to show her arrest two years ago was unlawful and she should not be extradited to the U.S. for alleged fraud.
An RCMP officer who arrested Meng testified Monday, saying a plan for police to board her plane and arrest her immediately upon landing in Vancouver was merely a suggestion.
Const. Winston Yep says it was an idea shared by text message from another officer — and one that Yep didn’t believe was wise because it could compromise public safety.
Instead, he agreed in a meeting with Canada Border Services Agency officials that Meng should go through customs and screening before the arrest.
The witnesses called to testify in court this week have been requested by Meng’s defence, but a lawyer for the Attorney General of Canada was the first to question Yep.
About 10 witnesses are expected to testify this week.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 27, 2020.
In today’s Big Story podcast, our government has spent hundreds of billions of dollars supporting Canadians through this pandemic. They’re deep in debt — but how worried should they be? Traditional economic policy would have the Liberals reign in spending and make some cuts as soon as they can to try to mitigate the damage. Otherwise we might find ourselves hit by massive inflation. A newer economic theory, however, would urge the government to spend as much as needed as long as Canadians are struggling and simply print money as necessary to pay for it.
OK, that’s a simplification of modern monetary theory, but it gets at the basic point. Maybe we don’t need to worry about how much debt we rack up?
In today’s Big Story podcast, Annamie Paul made history earlier this month when she became the first Black woman to lead a Canadian party when she became the successor to Elizabeth May. Now that the party is hers though, where is she going to take it? How can she bring the Green Party’s branding beyond “the environment”? How will her party hold the Liberals to account without forcing an election Canada doesn’t need? And how does she hope to snap Canadian voters out of their Liberal-versus-Conservative approach?
GUEST: Annamie Paul, leader of the Green Party of Canada
A Niagara-area dog has been identified as the first in Canada to test positive for COVID-19.
But experts say this doesn’t mean pet owners should panic.
A veterinary internal medicine specialist with the University of Guelph told the Toronto Star, the dog belongs to a household where four out of six members tested positive for the coronavirus.
Scott Weese adds the dog had no symptoms and had a low viral load, suggesting dogs remain at a relatively low risk of becoming ill or passing the virus onto others.
Weese has tested 45 dogs since the start of the pandemic.
Last week, the province’s office of the Chief Veterinarian said people with COVID-19 symptoms should try to ‘exercise the same infection control precautions’ with their pets as they would people.
In today’s Big Story podcast, it’s called Six Mile Beach, and it sits in a remote part of British Columbia. It’s not on any of the tourism brochures. You need to know how to find it to get there, but once you do, it’s stunningly beautiful. You can stand well out from shore and a sand bar makes it feel like you’re walking on top of the water. It’s a secret spot worth savouring.
And every so often, someone dies. And no level of government wants to be responsible for those deaths.
Television viewers across the United States and Canada might well wonder tonight why living room couches don’t come with seat belts.
After last month’s interruptive, insult-riddled debate performance against Joe Biden, Donald Trump has a chance to redeem himself — though observers don’t expect him to try.
Instead, they’re bracing for another show of vintage Trump, one in which he’ll seek to be heard even in spite of his muted microphone.
The Commission on Presidential Debates will be cutting off the opposing mic during two-minute opening statements before each 15-minute segment.
Tonight’s debate, hosted by Belmont University in Tennessee, will be moderated by NBC News correspondent Kristen Welker.
Topics will include American families, race relations, climate change, national security and leadership.
Trump’s campaign manager Bill Stepien called the decision to cut off microphones an attempt by the commission “to provide advantage to their favoured candidate.”
In fact, the commission said in a statement this week, it’s designed to level the playing field for the two candidates.
“One may think they go too far, and one may think they do not go far enough,” the statement said.
“We are comfortable these actions strike the right balance, and that they are in the best interest of the American people, for whom these debates are held.”
During last month’s clash in Ohio, Trump interrupted, antagonized and irritated his Democratic rival from the outset, vexing moderator Chris Wallace and eliciting an exasperated plea for order from Biden himself: “Will you shut up, man?”
And that was only the first 15 minutes.
It was hardly the most cutting insult of the night — Biden called Trump a “clown” and America’s worst-ever president, while Trump branded his rival a drug-addled socialist and the Biden family a criminal enterprise.
But the “shut up” line emerged as the sound bite of the night, a fact that experts say offers clues into Biden’s best strategy.
“My advice to Biden would be to do exactly that — have a few pithy one-liners. But they also have to be presidential,” said Will Stewart, a former Progressive Conservative operative who’s now a senior vice-president with Hill+Knowlton Strategies in Toronto.
“I think ‘Shut up, man’ was the wrong approach. I think it was tone-deaf; it sank to Donald Trump’s level. It’s also not presidential. And I don’t care if you don’t like Donald Trump, you respect the office of president.”
This time, Biden would do well to ignore the president’s “buzz saw” approach, or at least find a way to short-circuit it, said Stewart, who is no stranger to the rituals of debate prep.
As for Trump, the mission — should he choose to accept it — is a relatively easy and simple one, say veterans of debate strategy: stop being such a jerk.
Performing better than the public expects, which is Job 1 in a political debate, ought to be easy when the expectations of Trump likely couldn’t sink lower.
On that, the experts agree. Also on this: don’t hold your breath.
“I expect to see Trump very aggressive, fighting like someone who is behind in the polls and knows he needs to make up ground,” said Gerald Butts, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s former principal secretary.
A recent study suggests the novel coronavirus can live on human skin for up to nine hours, but experts say those findings aren’t as alarming as they sound.
The study by Japanese researchers, published earlier this month in the science journal Clinical Infectious Diseases, looked at how long viruses can survive on human skin based on samples collected from cadavers about a day after death.
The findings suggest that the virus that causes COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, can remain active for 9.04 hours – nearly five times longer than the survival time of the pathogen that causes the flu.
The study also showed that an 80 per cent ethanol-based sanitizer can kill the novel coronavirus in a matter of 15 seconds.
Cynthia Carr, an epidemiologist in Winnipeg, says that’s her main take-away from the study.
“It’s an important public health message to remind people that even though the virus can last basically a full workday in a lab setting, you can quickly get rid of it if you just wash your hands,” she said.
“It’s not about panicking and having a full-body shower every time you get home. It’s about remembering that if the virus is on your hand and you wipe your nose or put your fingers in your mouth, that’s where the opportunity is to get infected.”
Colin Furness, an infection control epidemiologist at the University of Toronto, says people are less likely to contract COVID-19 from touching a surface than from having close contact with an infected person.
He suspects the reason for that has to do with the viral dose on surfaces versus that in droplets or aerosols. Coming into contact with small viral load on a surface likely won’t result in a severe infection, he says, adding that our bodies may fight off a very mild case without us even realizing we have it.
“I don’t think (this study) is anything we need to be too concerned about,” Furness said. “If it were, clinically we would be seeing that touch matters a lot more. And we’re not.”
Furness says public health strategies over the last few months have emphasized mask-wearing and avoiding gatherings “because they matter more.”
However, even someone who’s asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic can transmit the virus, so Furness says it’s still important to wash your hands on a regular basis.
“I don’t want anyone thinking that touch doesn’t matter at all. You can still pick up the virus from touch,” Furness said. “And you can pick up a different virus during COVID that weakens your body, and then if you do get COVID you can have a worse outcome.”
The experts say it’s also important to remember that studies done in lab settings, under perfectly controlled conditions, don’t necessarily translate to the outside world.
Carr said the study in Japan was done in warm, humid conditions, which the virus is known to thrive in.
Using skin samples from immobile cadavers could also play a role in how long the virus remained on that surface, she added.
“My understanding is that the virus is relatively fragile,” Carr said. “So I don’t know how long it would be detectable on your hand in a real-life situation where you’re moving around.”
Plenty of lab studies have been conducted since the pandemic began showing how long the novel coronavirus can survive on different surfaces. Another recent one found the virus could live on banknotes for up to 28 days.
But Furness says to take that with a grain of salt.
“It’s almost like a little perverse competition to see who can keep COVID alive the longest, and I don’t think that’s fair,” he said. “Saying it can survive on a banknote for several days – OK, when the banknote is in the dark not being disturbed, and with perfect humidity and so on and so forth. That’s when it becomes a bit dodgy.”
And detecting the virus on a surface isn’t the same as determining whether it’s strong enough to infect someone, Carr warned.
“That’s where we have a lack of knowledge,” she said. “It could be (detectable) for nine hours, six hours, 12 hours, but again the main take-away for me is how quickly it can be eradicated if you just wash your hands.”
For Furness, the interesting part of the Japan study was its comparison to the regular flu virus, which lasted on average slightly less than two hours on skin surfaces.
He says that may provide a potential clue as to why the novel coronavirus is so transmissible.
“It sheds a little bit of light on the fact that this is a tough customer, that this is a relatively hardy virus compared to flu,” he said. “And it would help explain why this is so much more contagious than something like the flu.”
In today’s Big Story podcast, Trick or Treating is cancelled in some Ontario hotspots, and it’s easy to be upset on behalf of the kids and wonder why. After all, we’ve been told the safest things are done outside, wearing masks. This seems like something that kids—who are also in closed school rooms all week—should be allowed to do. And this is the problem of communication during this pandemic—when numbers in Ontario and elsewhere have been climbing for a month but death rates and hospitalizations haven’t kept pace with the spike.
The more we learn about COVID-19, the more our understanding of risk and recommended best practices evolve. But the more you change the messaging, the less people can follow it. So when we’re in the middle of a spike and we’re hearing we should all be extra cautious, holding off on Halloween may be more of a communications problem than a safety issue.
GUEST: David Fisman, epidemiologist, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto
OTTAWA — Canada’s national annual inflation rate was 0.5 per cent in September, Statistics Canada says. The agency also released rates for major cities, but cautioned that figures may have fluctuated widely because they are based on small statistical samples (previous month in brackets):
— St. John’s, N.L.: 0.7 per cent (-0.4)
— Charlottetown-Summerside: 0.1 per cent (-0.3)
— Halifax: -0.5 per cent (-0.4)
— Saint John, N.B.: 0.1 per cent (-0.3)
— Quebec City: 0.5 per cent (0.6)
— Montreal: 0.2 per cent (0.4)
— Ottawa: 1.2 per cent (0.9)
— Toronto: 0.2 per cent (-0.4)
— Thunder Bay, Ont.: 0.5 per cent (-0.5)
— Winnipeg: 0.3 per cent (0.0)
— Regina: 0.9 per cent (0.5)
— Saskatoon: 1.0 per cent (0.6)
— Edmonton: 1.2 per cent (0.6)
— Calgary: 1.4 per cent (0.6)
— Vancouver: 0.1 per cent (-0.2)
— Victoria: 1.1 per cent (0.1)
— Whitehorse: 0.3 per cent (-0.9)
— Yellowknife: -0.8 per cent (-1.3)
— Iqaluit: -0.7 per cent (-2.3)
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 21, 2020, and was generated automatically.
Restaurants in Nova Scotia are cutting lobster from their menu in support of Mi’kmaq fishers, who have been targeted with violence in a dispute with commercial harvesters.
Matt Boyle, co-owner of Dear Friend bar in Dartmouth, N.S., said today he removed the lobster roll from his menu as a way to raise awareness to the conflict between Indigenous and non-Indigenous fishers.
Boyle says he received some backlash on social media but says his patrons and colleagues in the local bar community have been supportive.
Kourosh Rad, owner of Garden Food Bar in Halifax, says his restaurant will keep the crustacean off the menu until he can buy the product from Indigenous fishers.
Commercial fishers are angry the Mi’kmaq have started a self-regulated lobster fishery that harvests the animals outside the federally regulated fishing season.
The RCMP is investigating a fire over the weekend that destroyed a lobster pound in Middle West Pubnico containing the lobster catch of Mi’kmaq fishers.
VICTORIA — The British Columbia government says it’s assessing whether there’s any tsunami risk to the province after a 7.5-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of the Alaska Peninsula today.
Emergency Information B.C. says in a tweet its threat assessment is in progress.
The National Tsunami Warning Center in the United States issued tsunami warnings for a swath of communities following the quake off Sand Point, Alaska.
It says the quake was centred 92 kilometres southeast of Sand Point at a depth of 40 kilometres.
The Alaska Earthquake Center said the quake was widely felt in communities along the southern coast, including Sand Point, Chignik, Unalaska and the Kenai Peninsula.
It said a magnitude 5.2 aftershock was reported 11 minutes later, centred roughly in the same area.
Public safety officials in King Cove sent out an alert urging residents in the coastal area to move inland to higher ground.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 19, 2020.
The Quebec town synonymous with the cancer-causing fibre asbestos has voted for a new name: Val-des-Sources.
Mayor Hugues Grimard said Monday night during a live-streamed council meeting that Val-des-Sources won with 51.5 per cent of the vote after three rounds.
Asbestos residents over the age of 14 and local property owners were eligible to cast their votes for the new name of the town, located about 130 km east of Montreal.
The name Val-des-Sources was officially adopted by council and Grimard said it will be proposed to the provincial government for approval.
Asbestos helped make Canada one the world’s leaders in asbestos exports. The Jeffrey mine, once Canada’s largest, closed in 2012.
The town of over 7,000 residents has been looking to shed its association with the toxic mineral due to its negative impact on people’s health.
Canada’s COVID-19 caseload is nearing the 200,000 mark, with the majority of new infections in Quebec this weekend.
Public health officials reported 1,803 new cases across the country today, for a total of 198,127.
Quebec accounted for 1,094 of those new cases, marking the third day in a row the province has had more than 1,000 infections.
Quebec Health Minister Christian Dube tweeted that the number of hospitalizations in the province continues to rise and urged residents to “break the wave to slow this down” and “protect the most vulnerable.”
Ontario had the second-highest number of new cases today, with 658 reported, while Manitoba had 44.
New Brunswick posted five new cases and Nova Scotia had two, both of which are said to be related to travel outside Atlantic Canada.
Canada’s chief public health officer, Dr. Theresa Tam, said in a statement that the country must remain united “to get all of Canada back on a ‘slow burn”’ and reduce cases of COVID-19 infection “to manageable levels.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 18, 2020.
In today’s Big Story podcast, in the early days of the pandemic, it was fun to compare crude work-from-home setups. Eight months later, with no end in sight, the novelty is long gone. What’s changed about the traditional career over the past year? How can workers do more than try to get through the day and move on with their careers? What does every manager need to be doing to support them? And how are you supposed to network over Zoom?
GUEST: Dr. Sonia Kang, Canada Research Chair in Identity, Diversity, and Inclusion at the University of Toronto; Host of For The Love of Work
China said Monday that it has complained to Canada for allegedly condoning anti-China comments that appeared in Canadian media following controversial remarks made by the Chinese ambassador.
Ties between the countries are at their lowest point in years amid China’s outrage over Canada’s detention of a top executive of Chinese telecoms giant Huawei. Last week, China’s ambassador to Canada, Cong Peiwu, branded pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong as violent criminals and said if Canada grants them asylum it would amount to interference in China’s internal affairs.
“If the Canadian side really cares about the stability and the prosperity in Hong Kong, and really cares about the good health and safety of those 300,000 Canadian passport-holders in Hong Kong, and the large number of Canadian companies operating in Hong Kong SAR, you should support those efforts to fight violent crimes,” Cong said last week in a video news conference from the Chinese Embassy in Ottawa.
Cong was asked whether his remarks amounted to a threat, to which he replied, “That is your interpretation.”
On Saturday, the Toronto Sun published an editorial calling on Cong to either apologize or leave Canada. “It’s not enough for the Trudeau government to publicly scold Cong,” the paper said. “If he won’t apologize and retract his threats, boot him back to Beijing.”
Cherie Wong, the executive director of Alliance Canada Hong Kong, a group that advocates for Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement, called Cong’s comment a “direct threat” to all Canadians.
“It should not be lost on Canadians living in Hong Kong or China, they could be next. Ambassador Cong suggested so himself,” Wong said.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian did not identify specific comments that he said resulted from a deliberate misinterpretation of Cong’s remarks, but said Canadian leaders “did not verify, but also condoned the anti-China comments spreading across the nation and made groundless accusations against China.”
“We express strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition to it and have lodged solemn complaints with the Canadian side,” Zhao told reporters Monday at a daily briefing.
Protests against the Hong Kong and mainland Chinese governments swelled last year, and Beijing clamped down on expressions of anti-government sentiment in the city with a new national security law that took effect June 30.
The law outlaws subversive, secessionist and terrorist activity, as well as collusion with foreign powers to interfere in the city’s internal affairs. The U.S., Britain and Canada accuse China of infringing on the city’s freedoms.
At the news conference, Cong also flatly rejected Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s assertion that China is engaging in coercive diplomacy by imprisoning two Canadian men in retaliation for the arrest of a Chinese Huawei executive on an American extradition warrant. The executive, Meng Wanzhou, is living under house arrest in Vancouver while her case wends through a British Columbia court.
In December 2018, China imprisoned two Canadian men, Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, and charged them with undermining China’s national security. Convicted Canadian drug smuggler Robert Schellenberg was also sentenced to death in a sudden retrial shortly after Meng’s arrest.
OTTAWA — At least a dozen new projects to go after online hate are being funded through Ottawa’s anti-racism strategy today.
Diversity Minister Bardish Chagger says 85 projects are getting money through the anti-racism action program.
That program is part of the $45 million the federal government set aside in 2019 for the anti-racism strategy.
The Liberals promised to double the funding for the strategy in the 2019 election campaign but that has not yet happened.
Projects to target online hate were given priority in the action program and a dozen were approved, including one by the Canadian Anti-Hate Network that will get $268,000 to monitor extreme-right groups and report illegal activities to police.
There are also projects to combat racism within policing, and to break down systemic barriers in employment hiring practices.
This report by The Canadian Press was first publishedOct. 15, 2020.
In today’s Big Story podcast, most Canadians didn’t learn much about slavery in Canada in history class. Curriculums in this country have mostly focused on the Underground Railroad and largely glossed over the fact that slavery was legal here. That history explains much about the blatant racism that still exists in this country today, but it also explains far less obvious things about the everyday lives of many Black Canadians. We’re starting to confront that history now, but we have a long way to go.
GUEST: Charmaine A. Nelson is the Tier I Canada Research Chair in Transatlantic Black Diasporic Art and Community Engagement at NSCAD University. She will direct the first-ever institute for the study of Canadian Slavery.
Percy Schmeiser, a Saskatchewan farmer who became famous during his legal battle with biotech giant Monsanto, has died.
John Schmeiser said his father died quietly Tuesday afternoon at the age of 89.
He had Parkinson’s disease, his son said Wednesday.
Percy Schmeiser, who was from Bruno, Sask., came into the spotlight in the late 1990s after he was sued and taken to court by Monsanto for using its genetically modified canola seeds without a licence.
He denied intentionally using the company’s herbicide-resistant Roundup Ready seeds, saying they could have blown over from a neighbour’s farm or passing trucks.
The case went to the Supreme Court of Canada, which ruled that he infringed on Monsanto’s patent but did not have to pay damages to the company.
His death comes days after a movie about his life, simply called “Percy,” was released.
Oscar winning actor Christopher Walken stars as Schmeiser in the film that hit select theatres Friday in Toronto, Vancouver, Winnipeg, Regina and Saskatoon. It is to be released in other cities throughout the fall.
In a statement Wednesday, producer Daniel Bekerman said the filmmaking team developed a profound respect and admiration for Schmeiser.
“We are deeply saddened to learn of his passing. The Schmeiser family are wonderful people and we send our love to them,” Bekerman said.
“We are honoured to play a part in telling the story of a man who stood by his principles in the face of tremendous adversity.”
Schmeiser’s story has also been controversial. Some in the agriculture industry have criticized the “Percy” trailer on social media, saying it contains inaccuracies, including its depiction of Schmeiser as innocent.
In an interview earlier this month, “Percy” director Clark Johnson said such arguments are fair, but the movie is meant to “to get a debate and a conversation going.”
“If you want to take the position that he knew all along and he did it on purpose, take that position, that’s fine,” Johnson told The Canadian Press.
But he said he doesn’t think Schmeiser would risk everything he owned “to make up this lie.”
Schmeiser’s son said a private service will be held for the family, He declined to comment further.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 14, 2020.
In today’s Big Story podcast, unless you’re lucky enough to live in some of the areas of Canada that are largely free of Covid-19, you’re likely staring down a long few months spent isolated from most of the community and spent largely inside your house. The case numbers are rising. We’re told it’s not safe to socialize indoors and we’re just weeks away from the first deep freeze and snowstorm.
It can feel like a lot—if you let it. That’s not us pep-talking you. It’s science. There are people who live so far north that winter dominates their lives; who live with darkness during the day for weeks at a time. And if you survey those people about winter, well, you’d find they’re better at dealing with it than you are. So, what’s their secret?
A new report on the mental health of Canadian workers suggests loneliness is worse for many people than the fear of dying from COVID-19.
Morneau Shepell’s overall mental health index for September was down 10.2 points from its pre-2020 benchmark. The reading in August was down 11.2 points from the benchmark, while July was down 10.4 points.
While the financial impact of the pandemic and getting ill with COVID-19 were the most prevalent concerns, people who identified loneliness as a concern had the lowest mental health score at minus 25.8.
That was even lower than the score of minus 17.7 for those who cited a fear of dying from COVID-19 as a worry.
Morneau Shepell’s latest monthly report on its mental health index is based on online responses collected Aug. 21 to 30, before the recent surge of COVID cases.
The polling industry’s professional body says online surveys cannot be assigned a margin of error because they do not randomly sample the population.
In today’s Big Story podcast, we don’t have to look as far as New Zealand to find examples of how the battle against COVID-19 can be won. We have a success story right here in Canada, where the so-called Atlantic Bubble has held up very well over the past several months, and where life is mostly back to normal. There is even hockey, with fans in the stands and everything.
So how can the rest of Canada follow the Atlantic Bubble’s example? Is it even possible for larger provinces? How have they managed to stamp out COVID-19, and what kind of price have they paid for doing so?
GUEST: Greg Mercer, Atlantic Canada reporter, The Globe and Mail
VANCOUVER — An actor is sharing his gratitude towards a Vancouver service specializing in finding lost rings after losing his own wedding band, kicking off a panicked search attempt.
Jon Cryer, known for his role in the television series Two and a Half Men, was walking along Vancouver’s seawall to meet up with castmates, on Friday when he lost his wedding ring.
“I pulled my hand out of my pocket and heard a ‘ping!’ To my left. I walked a couple more steps and realized my wedding ring was gone…,” he wrote on Twitter.
Cryer said he frantically searched for the missing wedding band but rain and a lack of working lamp posts hindered his efforts.
Losing the ring was especially hard, due to COVID-19 travel restrictions restricting him from seeing his wife regularly while filming in Vancouver, he wrote.
He returned Saturday to search through a muddy section of grass he believed the ring could be in, but didn’t have any luck.
Cryer turned to a company called the Ring Finders, that specialize in searching for rings and other lost valuables, to help him in his quest.
“In my mind, I’m thinking ‘there’s a 95 per cent chance it was probably dropped where someone could’ve seen it’,” said Chris Turner, who founded the company in 2009.
But the pair were lucky.
Turner says it took him three minutes to locate the ring using a metal detector.
The ring was found buried in a clump of grass near to where Cryer had searched on Saturday.
“This one surprised me. The odds of that ring making it to the grass, not only the grass, the deepest part of the grass … I was just astonished. I was like ‘the gods are on his side for sure’,” he said.
Cryer said he’s stunned at how quickly the ring was found.
“I’m still beside myself,” he wrote on Twitter.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 13, 2020.
In today’s Big Story podcast, you have heard plenty of dire predictions and seen hundreds of horrible photographs. The Earth is in trouble, there’s no doubt. But when coverage of climate change always focuses on so-called “disaster porn,” it can create a self-fulfilling prophecy. How can reporters covering the very real danger we’re facing avoid fostering a sense of inevitability among the people we need to make changes?
GUEST: Sheril Kirshenbaum, host of NPR’s Serving Up Science
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will announce today more federal funding for food banks across Canada to help them meet the surge in demand for their services caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Trudeau revealed plans for the “big announcement” Thursday night as he took part in a virtual, cross-country town hall with people who run or volunteer at food banks.
As a second wave of the pandemic sweeps the country and with the approach of Thanksgiving and Christmas, he predicted that food banks will be under more pressure to feed those who can’t afford groceries or are afraid to venture outside their homes to get them.
During the height of the first wave back in April, the federal government gave $100 million to national, regional and local organizations that work to alleviate food insecurity, including Food Banks Canada, the Salvation Army and Community Food Centres Canada.
Trudeau is expected to announce another similar infusion of federal funds to help such groups continue to meet demand, which has exploded during the pandemic along with unemployment.
During the town hall, Trudeau was thanked profusely and repeatedly for the first instalment and heard stories about how food banks have used the funds to find creative ways to help more people even as the pandemic has caused a shortage of volunteers and food supplies.
“I’ll give you guys a sneak preview,” Trudeau told food bank workers.
“I’ll be making a big announcement tomorrow about more supports that you should stay tuned for. But I know that the work you’re doing is incredible. We need to make sure that you have the tools to keep being able to say ‘yes’ when people ask for help.”
In today’s Big Story podcast, our neighbour is in trouble. Whatever the results of the American election on November 3, there’s only a small chance they won’t be contested. The upheaval could last for months. It could get violent. It could fracture America.
All of this obviously impacts Canada, so what are we doing to prepare? What should we be doing? How can our government gameplan for whatever happens in the coming months, and what are the best-case and worst-case scenarios for Canada if chaos reigns to the south?
GUEST: Balkan Devlen, senior fellow at McDonald Laurier Institute, Superforecaster for Good Judgment, Inc.
Alia Youssef and Mohamed El-Sawah have been in a long-distance relationship for the better part of a year, though they live just a 35-minute drive apart.
Youssef lives in Windsor, Ont., El-Sawah in a suburb of Detroit, Mich.
When the Canada-U.S. border was closed in March due to COVID-19, they were forced to place many of the cultural and religious traditions important to their Egyptian, Muslim engagement on hold. Youssef has yet to meet her husband-to-be’s parents in person. The two have been looking at wedding venues and getting to know each other’s families over video calls.
“We’re engaged with no rings, let’s call it that,” El-Sawah said in a phone interview on Wednesday.
Couples like Youssef and El-Sawah have been in a grey area since pandemic-related travel restrictions came into effect, unable to reunite due to their unmarried status. But some hope appeared last week when Ottawa announced it would ease some border restrictions.
Starting Thursday, romantic partners of Canadians can apply to enter the country, with documentation proving at least a year-long relationship. Extended family members including grandparents, adult children and grandchildren and those seeking entry for compassionate grounds may also apply.
Specifics on who qualifies, what documents are required and how to apply will be defined in greater detail on Thursday.
It’s a welcome avenue for couples whose lives have been placed on hold for the last eight months. Youssef, El-Sawah and others in international engagements can now proceed cautiously with their wedding plans – factoring in quarantine requirements, work obligations and limits on other relatives allowed to travel and participate.
“We’re really happy, but it’s just now we have to take what we have and work with it,” Youssef said.
The pair plan to reunite in December, when El-Sawah can take the required two weeks off from work. At the end of his quarantine, they hope to finally exchange rings and hold a small engagement party, though El-Sawah will be the only member of his biological family there.
While Ottawa has stressed that nobody should make travel plans until they’ve been approved under the program, some have eagerly started booking accommodations and packing their bags.
Sarah Campbell of Stratford, Ont., cried tears of happiness at the announcement. She’s been separated from her fiance Jacob Taylor during the pandemic and through a cancer diagnosis this July.
Campbell and Taylor, who lives in Bath, England, are gathering documents showing proof of their relationship in anticipation of the soon-to-be-announced requirements.
“We’re hoping he can be here by Saturday,” she said in a telephone interview. “Jacob is ready to go.”
If everything goes according to plan, they hope to be married by the end of the month — the day after Taylor’s quarantine ends.
Kaylee Carson of Cleveland, Ohio, also moved quickly after hearing the news. She snapped up an available Airbnb in Barrie, Ont., where her Canadian fiance Darren Quesnel works.
“I went ahead and booked,” Carson said by phone. “I’m going to be there for two months, so I just booked the first month and I figured if I’m not there by then he can just go stay at the Airbnb until I get there.”
She’s happy an end to their separation is in sight, though the eventual wedding date in the U.S. is still to be determined.
“It’s just a relief to know that I’m going to get to go see him,” she said.
David Poon has been running a campaign along with other families not covered by the former travel exemptions, asking Ottawa to adapt immigration measures to accommodate those left out. He said participants are grateful the government found a solution.
“We know that it was an incredibly difficult problem to solve,” he said from Ireland, where the Canadian doctor is currently staying with his partner.
The key demand – allowing adult children and non-married couples to reunite in Canada – has been won, but Poon said the biggest hurdle remaining for the approximately 7,500 people involved in the campaign is inability for many to take time off work to quarantine. Those on temporary visas also face challenges bringing their loved ones to Canada.
He stressed that the campaign isn’t fighting quarantine rules, but looking for a solution so more people can take advantage of the program – like requiring the Canadian partner to isolate once their significant other leaves the country, no matter the length of their stay.
The uncertainty of waiting and the challenges of planning a wedding long-distance during a pandemic have been painful, El-Sawah said. But the experience has brought the couple together on a deeper level, and convinced him beyond a doubt that he’s found a soul mate and life partner in Youssef.
“It affirmed my love for this woman,” he said. “The silver lining to me is I know a thousand per cent, a million per cent that she’s the one and she’s willing to put the effort. Whatever life throws at us, we’ll be able to handle it.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 7, 2020.
The latest numbers of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Canada as of 1 a.m. EDT on Oct. 8, 2020:
There are 173,124 confirmed cases in Canada.
_ Quebec: 81,914 confirmed (including 5,906 deaths, 67,735 resolved)
_ Ontario: 55,945 confirmed (including 2,988 deaths, 47,613 resolved)
Netflix Canada is increasing some of its prices again.
The streaming giant says the basic plan for subscribers remains unchanged at $9.99 a month, but the standard monthly plan is going up by one dollar to $14.99, and the premium by two dollars to $18.99.
Netflix says it’s implementing the price increase so it “can invest more in films and shows as well as the quality of members’ product experience.”
The company says new members who sign up will see the updated prices effective immediately.
The new charges will roll out to existing members according to their billing cycle over the coming weeks.
Existing members will be notified about the change via email and the Netflix app 30 days before the new prices are applied to them.
Netflix has cancelled some of its programming recently due to COVID-19 pandemic-related issues, including “Glow,” “The Society” and “I Am Not Okay With This.”
The company’s last price increase in Canada was announced in November 2018. At that time it bumped up the basic monthly plan by a dollar to $9.99, the standard by $3 to $13.99, and the premium by $3 to $16.99.
The basic plan lets subscribers watch on one screen at a time at a lower-quality resolution. The standard plan allows two screens with high-definition resolution. And the premium offers four-screen usage and ultra HD, 4K video.
“Canadians have never had more choices when it comes to entertainment and we’re more committed than ever to delivering an experience that exceeds their expectations,” Netflix said in a statement about Thursday’s price increase.
“Members tell us how much they value variety and we’re updating our prices so that we can continue to invest in more shows and films. As always we will continue to offer a range of plans so that people can pick a price that works for their budget.”
Netflix launched in Canada in September 2010, charging $7.99 for unlimited TV shows and movies per month.
The Canadian Armed Forces is lifting the veil of secrecy over the number of troops with COVID-19, as the military gets ready for fresh calls to help out during the second wave of the pandemic.
In its first full update since mid-March, the military revealed Tuesday that a total of 222 Canadian service members have contracted COVID-19 since the pandemic began.
That includes 24 active cases. The others have been resolved.
Defence Department spokesman Daniel Le Bouthillier said no military members had died from the illness.
This is the first time the public has known the scope of infections in the Canadian Armed Forces since March 20, when officials said they would stop sharing such details. There were three cases at that time.
The military did later reveal that 55 of the more than 1,600 soldiers deployed into long-term care facilities in Ontario and Quebec in the spring had become infected with the novel coronavirus.
But it refused to provide overall figures for the nearly 100,000-strong force, with officials expressing concern the information could be used by foreign adversaries hoping to take advantage of the pandemic.
“Leadership is closely monitoring the extent of COVID-19 in the defence team,” the Department of National Defence said on its website Tuesday after publishing the new figures.
It went on to credit “the rigorous application of public health measures” and other risk-mitigation strategies for “effectively containing the spread of the virus amongst our personnel.”
The release of the figures came as senior defence officials told the Armed Forces to be ready for new orders as the number of cases of COVID-19 across Canada continues to rise.
In a message to the troops, chief of defence staff Gen. Jonathan Vance and Jody Thomas, deputy minister at the Defence Department, warned the situation “is different and more complex than we faced in March.”
As a result, they said, new orders are coming soon to “to refocus our efforts, and position National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces for success this fall.”
In the meantime, “we must accept that we now live in an environment that will remain altered by COVID-19 for the foreseeable future. To succeed in this environment, we must reject complacency.”
OTTAWA — Federal lawyers are telling the Supreme Court of Canada it would be a miscarriage of justice to grant a new trial to two men accused of plotting to crash a Via Rail train.
Raed Jaser and Chiheb Esseghaier were found guilty in 2015 of terror-related charges arising mainly from an alleged al-Qaida-inspired scheme to derail a passenger train travelling between the United States and Canada.
Both men appealed their convictions, with counsel for Jaser and a court-appointed lawyer for Esseghaier arguing the jury at the trial was improperly constituted.
In August last year, the Ontario Court of Appeal ordered a fresh trial for the men on grounds the jury was indeed chosen incorrectly.
The Supreme Court is scheduled to review the appeal court’s decision in a hearing this afternoon.
In a written submission to the court, the Crown argues the convictions should not be overturned on the basis of a highly technical error in the jury selection process that did not cause any prejudice to fair trial rights.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 7, 2020.
IQALUIT, Nunavut — Nunavut has confirmed nine positive cases of COVID-19 at the Hope Bay gold mine in the western part of the territory.
The Nunavut government announced the positive cases in a news release this evening.
Another four presumptive positive cases have also been identified and are pending testing at a lab in southern Canada.
Last week, the territory declared eight presumptive positive cases of COVID-19 at the mine, which is located 125 kilometres southwest of Cambridge Bay.
The release says the government is still working to determine whether the cases at the mine will count as the first in the territory.
It also says twelve people remain in isolation and all non-critical travel to and from the mine is on hold.
There are no Nunavut residents currently working at the fly-in only mine.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct 5, 2020.
Canadians are divided about whether to let the COVID-19 pandemic disrupt their plans for upcoming holidays and seasonal events, a new poll suggests.
The poll, conducted by Leger and the Association for Canadian Studies, comes as COVID-19 cases are surging and public health authorities are pleading with Canadians in places with rising case counts to avoid contact with anyone outside their immediate families or at least to stick to small social circles.
The results suggest that message is only partially getting through.
Respondents with children who went door to door for Halloween last year were closely divided on whether to let them go trick-or-treating again this year, with 52 per cent saying they won’t and 48 per cent saying they will.
The poll found sharp regional variations, however. About two-thirds of respondents in Atlantic Canada, which has been relatively untouched by COVID-19’s resurgence, said they will let their kids go out. In harder-hit Ontario and Quebec, two-thirds said they won’t.
Those kids who do go trick-or-treating will find slimmer pickings, with 49 per cent of respondents nationwide saying they won’t open their doors this year to hand out candy.
Again, Atlantic Canadians were more likely to say they’d give out treats; in Ontario and Quebec, trick-or-treaters seem set for sparse pickings. In Ontario, 24 per cent of respondents said they’ll give out treats. In Quebec, just 13 per cent.
Respondents were also divided about celebrating Thanksgiving this coming weekend, with 40 per cent of respondents saying the pandemic is causing them to change their plans — and an equal percentage saying it is not. Another 20 per cent said they don’t usually celebrate Thanksgiving in any event.
As for the Christmas holiday season, 49 per cent said they’ll change their plans, 44 per cent said they won’t. Another eight per cent said they don’t usually celebrate that holiday.
Those who intend to change their plans were asked to describe how. They were allowed to give multiple answers.
Seventy-four per cent said they’ll celebrate with close or immediate family members to keep their social interactions to a minimum, 54 per cent said they’ll limit celebrations to a smaller number of visitors, 40 per cent plan to issue strict instructions against kissing, hugging or handshaking, and 37 per cent plan to avoid air travel.
Thirty per cent said they’ll hold virtual celebrations and 25 per cent said they won’t attend religious services or celebrations they would otherwise have gone to. Nineteen per cent said they plan to cancel celebrations altogether.
The online poll of 1,523 adult Canadians was conducted Oct. 2 to 4. It cannot be assigned a margin of error because internet-based polls are not considered random samples.
Almost three-quarters of respondents — 72 per cent — said Canada has already entered the second wave of the pandemic, up 10 points since just last week.
There was less division over how governments should respond to the second wave of the deadly coronavirus that causes COVID-19.
Fifty-three per cent said high-risk businesses and activities should be shut down while others should remain open for the time being. Another 28 per cent said as many businesses as possible should be kept open while we see how the second wave progresses, while 14 per cent favoured a near-total lockdown similar to that imposed last spring.
Fully 85 per cent said they’d support shutting down bars, nightclubs and casinos, while 74 per cent would support shutting down movie theatres and all amateur sports, including school sports.
Sixty-seven per cent would back shutting down places of worship, 61 per cent interprovincial travel, 52 per cent schools and universities, 52 per cent visits to long-term or personal care homes, 47 per cent parks and playgrounds, 46 per cent restaurants and offices, 44 per cent shopping malls and 33 per cent retail stores.
MONTREAL — Canada’s top public health officer is urging people to plan ahead to make sure this year’s Thanksgiving holiday is safe during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dr. Theresa Tam says indoor gatherings should be kept small, especially in parts of the country where infection rates are high.
She says people celebrating outdoors should follow physical distancing guidelines and encouraged people to avoid sharing food and other objects during their meals.
Tam is also suggesting that Canadians opt for virtual Thanksgiving dinners instead of in-person gatherings.
Tam’s suggestions come as new COVID-19 case numbers surge in several parts of the country, most notably Quebec and Ontario.
Quebec reported more than 1,000 new diagnoses for the third straight day on Sunday, while Ontario has recorded more than 500 cases every day for the past week.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 4, 2020.
In today’s Big Story podcast, if all goes well, sometime in the next six months, one of the many Covid-19 vaccine candidates will receive approval for human use. It will be a day to celebrate. The end of the pandemic will at long last be in sight.
But what happens next? Who gets the first doses? The second batch? How do you actually vaccinate billions and billions of people, quickly and safely? A vaccine isn’t the end of the road, as today’s guest will tell us, it’s more like an off-ramp.
Baked Chicken (Turkey) Katsu with Cucumber Salad & Ginger Cabbage
“Katsu” is Japanese for “cutlet” and these crispy, panko-crusted chicken cutlets make for a delightfully comforting meal. The comfort comes from the contrast of the crunch of the cutlet’s crust against the sweet-salty taste of the katsu sauce and the ice-cold refreshing nature of the cabbage, but also in the virtue of this dish. If ordered in a restaurant, your chicken katsu would be deep-fried, but here the cutlets are oven-baked, minimizing the fat used.
Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 18 minutes
Ingredients:
Cucumber Salad & Cabbage:
1 English cucumber, thinly sliced on a mandolin
2 Tbsp (30 mL) rice wine vinegar
1 tsp (5 mL) sesame oil
½ tsp (2 mL) table salt
4 cups (1 L) finely sliced green cabbage (sliced on a mandolin)
For the cucumber salad, toss the cucumber with the rice vinegar, sesame oil and salt, and chill until ready to eat. Chill the thinly sliced cabbage in ice-water to crisp for 20 minutes, then drain and pat dry with kitchen towels just before serving, then toss with the ginger and juice of 1 lemon. Cut the lemon into 6 wedges and chill.
For the sauce, whisk together the ketchup, soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce, and pour into 6 little serving dishes.
Toast the panko in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring often, until lightly browned, about 8 minutes, then stir in the butter until melted. Set aside to cool.
Preheat the oven to 400F (200C). Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper and place a wire rack over top.
Slice the chicken breasts into ¾-inch (18 mm) slices against the grain. Place 1 to 2 slices in a cut-open resealable plastic bag and pound with a meat mallet (or the bottom of a pot) until it is just under ½-inch (12 mm) thick and chill until ready to cook.
Set up 3 flat bowls —the first for the flour, the second for the egg wash, and the third for the toasted panko breadcrumbs. Add a little salt and pepper to each bowl and stir in. Dip each of the chicken cutlets into the flour, shake off the excess, then into the egg and, finally, into the panko, coating it thoroughly. Set the breaded cutlets on the wire rack set over the baking sheet and bake until golden brown and crispy, about 18 minutes. Check that the chicken is cooked through by cutting into a cutlet. If the juices run clear, it’s done.
To serve, slice each cutlet into 5 strips and serve with cooked Japanese rice, the Tonkatsu sauce, cucumber salad, and a mound of the drained cabbage. Sprinkle the toasted sesame seeds over the cutlets, cucumber salad and cabbage and serve with a wedge of lemon.
MAE’S BROCCOLI CHEDDAR SALAD
Serves 6
Prep Time: Under 15 minutes
Cook Time:
1/4 cup (40 g) raisins
1/4 cup (40 g) dried cranberries
3 cups (750 mL) broccoli florets, cut into very small pieces
4 strips cooked bacon, chopped
1 green onion, sliced
1/3 cup (80 mL) mayonnaise
3 tbsp (45 mL) sour cream
1 tbsp (15 mL) lemon juice
1 cup (110 g) coarsely grated medium Cheddar cheese
salt and pepper
Soak raisins and dried cranberries in hot tap water for a minute or two, to soften. Drain and reserve.
Toss broccoli**, bacon and green onion together. In a separate bowl, stir mayonnaise, sour cream and lemon juice and stir into broccoli mixture. Add cheddar cheese, raisins and dried cranberries and season to taste.
Chill until ready to serve.
**To make the broccoli easier to digest and brighten its colour, it can be blanched in boiling, salted water for 30 seconds and then shocked in an ice bath before draining well.
United States President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump have tested positive for the virus that causes COVID-19. Here is a look as some Canadian politicians who have tested positive or needed to isolate themselves and get tested for COVID-19:
Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole _ O’Toole and his wife tested positive for the virus last month, not long after O’Toole won the leadership of the party. It’s believed he contracted the virus from a staffer who was in his immediate circle. He emerged from quarantine this week to deliver his official reply to the Liberals’ throne speech. “We all have to be very cautious,” he said upon his return.
Yves-Francois Blanchet _ The Bloc Quebecois leader and his wife also tested positive for the virus last month. He returned to Parliament the same day as O’Toole saying he was lucky to have caught a mild case of the illness. “Some people go through it much more painfully than I did,” he said. “I was very, very, very lucky. Some people die of that thing.”
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau _ Trudeau’s wife Sophie Gregoire Trudeau tested positive for COVID-19 on March 12 after a trip to the United Kingdom. The prime minister subsequently went into a 14-day isolation at home with his three kids, just as the pandemic lockdown was beginning in Canada. Trudeau remained in isolation for almost a month, not returning to Parliament Hill until April 8. He never developed symptoms and never got tested for COVID-19, but says he will take an antibody test when they are widely available.
Bill Morneau _ The former federal finance minister was one of at least eight MPs who were tested for COVID-19 and self-isolated after meeting with United Nations World Food Program executive director David Beasley in Ottawa on March 11 and March 12. Beasley met privately with Morneau, attended a reception and appeared at a House of Commons committee. He tested positive for COVID-19 about a week later. Liberal Anita Vandenbeld, NDP Heather McPherson, and Conservatives David Sweet, Mike Lake and Randy Hoback are among those who isolated after coming into contact with Beasley. None tested positive.
Kamal Khera _ The Brampton-West Liberal MP was the first Canadian politician to test positive for COVID-19 on March 25. Khera developed flu-like symptoms and was tested the next day. She was one of the MPs who met with Beasley, though her office said it was not clear where she contracted the virus.
Seamus O’Regan _ The federal minister of natural resources was tested and self-isolated in early March after developing a bad cold. He had earlier gone to a mining conference in Toronto attended by more than 23,000 people from around the world. At least three people at the conference tested positive for COVID-19, but O’Regan was not among them.
Francois-Philippe Champagne _ The foreign affairs minister was tested for COVID-19 in March after falling ill following a trip overseas. He tested negative.
Mary Ng _ The international trade minister went into isolation March 11 on the advice of her doctor after a persistent cough, and her asthma, were causing her problems. She tested negative.
Jagmeet Singh _ The NDP Leader isolated himself in March out of an abundance of caution when he experienced mild cold symptoms.
Anthony Housefather _ The Montreal Liberal MP put himself into isolation in mid-March after returning from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee conference in Washington, D.C. the first three days of March. A Toronto resident who also attended the conference tested positive after returning home.
Sylvie Parent _ The mayor of Longueuil, Que., on Montreal’s south shore, tested positive for COVID-19 this week. Her positive test has led to the isolation and testing of at least seven other Quebec politicians, including three provincial cabinet ministers and Montreal Mayor Valerie Plante.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 1, 2020.
In today’s Big Story podcast, you’re a good citizen, so you probably toss your plastic into the recycling bin. Especially if it has those little recycling arrows on it. Why wouldn’t you? Public service campaigns have been telling you to do this forever? But what if those campaigns were a lie, designed to make you feel better about the plastic you use? What is plastic recycling was never going to be effective, except at selling more plastic?
GUEST: Laura Sullivan, NPR News investigative correspondent
Health Canada has given the green light to a rapid test for COVID-19.
The department posted news of the approval of the Abbott Diagnostics ID Now test this afternoon, a day after the government said it had a deal to buy nearly eight million of the tests from the company.
The deal was conditional on Health Canada’s approving the tests, which it has done today.
The test has been in use in the United States for several months already.
Abbott’s website says the test can produce results in less than 13 minutes in the same place a nasal swab is taken from a patient.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford, who has been calling for quicker approval from the federal government on rapid testing, called the announcement a “great first step” when it comes to expanded testing options in Canada.
“What we need now is more information about when we can expect the federal government to deliver these units where they’re needed most, including remote and indigenous communities, long-term care homes and other congregate care settings at highest risk of experiencing outbreaks,” Ford said in a statement.
“We don’t have a moment to spare as cases continue to rise.”
Ford also called on the federal government to approval additional rapid test kits such as the BinaxNOW antigen test from Abbott, which has already been approved for use in the United States. That test is described as a highly portable credit card sized test kit that provides results in 15 minutes.
In Question Period, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the approved tests would be distributed to provinces and territories “in the coming weeks.”
Health Canada has emergency authority to quickly approve tests for COVID-19 and has been under increasing pressure to allow the use of rapid testing in Canada as cases surge and Canadians are sometimes waiting days to get their test results.
In today’s Big Story podcast, September was a month for rising COVID-19 case counts in British Columbia. October will be a month for an election. Why now? That depends on who you ask. The NDP claim they need a mandate to govern more responsively during a pandemic. Their opponents say it’s a power grab because the NDP’s poll numbers are high.
What will British Columbians think? Will they punish the NDP for forcing them to the polls? Will they lock in a government they appear to approve of? And how do you run an election in a pandemic anyway? What will be different about this one, and how can other provinces learn from what happens in B.C. this October?
Warning: The story and video contain details that are graphic and may be disturbing.
The Mohawk Institute in Brantford is one of two remaining residential schools in Ontario. Other such buildings have been torn down or converted, but the hope is that this location is preserved for better understanding and learning. Breakfast Television is the first media to walk through this building since undergoing renovations, with host Melanie Ng taken on the tour.
Each room, each wall, and each door holds within it decades of pain and suffering. Carley Gallant-Jenkins, a coordinator for “Save The Evidence,” speaks of its history. Established in 1831, children from Six Nations were taken away from their parents and brought here to assimilate — with the goal of eliminating their Indigenous cultures and language.
Entering the various rooms, Gallant-Jenkins points out what would occur in each, starting with the boys’ side of the building.
“Teachers and faculty who worked here would pull boys out of their beds at night, bring them down here, make them fight, and they’d watch through windows,” Gallant-Jenkins says.
“The boy who lost would have to clean up afterwards. The boy who won would get extra perks,” she adds, referring to the ‘fight hallway.’
Moving to the boiler room, we learn that physical and sexual abuse often took place in these types of areas because of how loud they were.
“One of the girls’ roles was to do laundry for students and the surrounding community,” Gallant-Jenkins says.
“They were hired out from the school to do the community’s laundry; the school was profiting off of their labour.”
The cafeteria, which was a gathering space where siblings could catch a glimpse of one another, was separated by gender and number.
“They did do their best to try and separate family units,” Gallant-Jenkins says.
In 1970, The Mohawk Institute closed its doors but reopened two years later as the Woodland Cultural Centre. It was deemed a local historic site so that decisions would remain within the hands of the community.
The centre was designed to promote First Nations culture and heritage. After a major flood in 2013 caused severe damage to the building, the community voted to rebuild it.
“If this is a pile of rubble with a plaque in front of it saying what it was, it’s not the same as walking through these hallways and standing where these children stood,” Gallant-Jenkins says when asked why the decision to restore the building was made.
The “Save The Evidence” campaign cost millions of dollars. The ideal timeline was for the building to open its doors again in 2020, but fundraising efforts were hampered due to the COVID-19 pandemic. With hundreds of thousands more to raise, organizers are now hoping for a 2022 opening.
“I think I want people, personally, to be left with the resilience, to see what happened to these people, and to see where these communities are today,” Gallant-Jenkins says.
Click here for more information on the Save The Evidence campaign.
Click here to join a virtual tour of your own, for a small fee to support fundraising efforts.
In today’s Big Story podcast, cases are increasing exponentially. Hospital admissions are beginning to follow them. The doctors who oversee ICUs are nervous. And the public is looking for clear rules they can follow—only those seem to vary by public health unit.
Dr. Michael Warner runs an ICU in Toronto. He can see the line from his hospital’s COVID-19 assessment centre stretching down the road from his office. Along with other doctors and epidemiologists, he’s been sounding warning bells about how close COVID-19 is to being out of control all over again. So what needs to happen now?
A Quebec woman accused of sending a ricin-laced threat to President Donald Trump has been ordered to remain in U.S. custody.
District Court Judge Kenneth Schroeder Jr. says Pascale Ferrier was clearly capable of causing harm when she tried to cross the Canada-U. S. border last week.
Ferrier, 53, was arrested while attempting to enter the United States at the Peace Bridge border crossing in Buffalo.
Timothy Lynch of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Buffalo says Ferrier had a semi-automatic handgun and 294 rounds of ammunition at the time.
Lynch also says experts in Canada found traces of ricin in a mortar and pestle recovered from her apartment in Montreal.
Ferrier’s lawyer, Fonda Kubiak, entered a plea of not guilty on behalf of her client and insisted she is entitled to the presumption of innocence.
IQALUIT, Nunavut — Nunavut is reporting seven presumptive cases of COVID-19 at a mine in the western region of the territory.
Dr. Michael Patterson, the territory’s chief public health officer, says in a news release that the seven cases are at Hope Bay gold mine, 125 kilometres southwest of Cambridge Bay.
Patterson’s office is waiting for test results to come back from a southern lab.
Nunavut confirmed two cases of the virus at Hope Bay on Sept.19, but the government says there is no established link between them and the seven presumptive cases announced today.
The release says the presumptive cases and all known contacts are isolating.
The Nunavut government’s rapid response team has been deployed.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 28, 2020
The Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) established to support Canadians financially impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic ended on Sunday.
The federal income assistance program provided more than 8.5 million individuals with $2,000 a month starting April 6.
In its place is employment insurance (EI), which the government says the majority of people will go on.
Anyone who applied for and received the CERB through Service Canada and is eligible for EI is supposed to be automatically transitioned over to employment insurance. Anyone who applied and received the CERB through the CRA would need to apply anew for EI, if they qualify.
The government says the first payment will come the week of Oct. 11. About 80 per cent are expected to receive payments by Oct. 14; a further 10 per cent within the first two weeks.
The $500-a-week floor on benefits in EI, or $300 per week floor for new parents using the extended-leave option, will be taxable. Jobless benefits through this EI program will be available for at least 26 weeks, and claimants will be allowed to earn more than they did under the CERB — up to $38,000 annually, before being completely cut off.
The threshold to qualify for EI has been reduced to 120 hours of insurable work for those coming back into the system that has been nearly dormant since March.
The government says 2.8 million people will qualify for EI as of Monday.
Three new benefits have also been added:
The Canada Recovery Benefit: $500 per week for up to 26 weeks to self-employed workers or those not eligible for EI but still need income support.
Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit: $500 per week for up to two weeks, for those who cannot work because they are sick or must self-isolate for reasons related to COVID-19.
Canada Recovery Caregiving Benefit: $500 per week for up to 26 weeks per household to eligible workers who cannot work because they must care for children or family members due to the closure of schools, day cares or care facilities.
Click here for more info on federal financial assistance.
Meanwhile cases continue to soar in Ontario, adding to fears of another potential lockdown.
On Friday, Premier Ford ordered bars and restaurants to close by midnight and ordered all strip clubs to close.
In today’s Big Story podcast, if you think that parents are nervous about Back To School, imagine how the kids are feeling. You’re going back to school, or maybe trying to learn from home. You’re not allowed to hang out with your friends except with masks and at a distance, yet you’re still supposed to share rooms with them. Your teachers are masked. They’re measuring space between your desks. You’re worried about a virus you could spread to your parents and grandparents. And you’re supposed to go on with your school year as best you can.
That’s…not easy. So how are kids coping? We spoke to one, and got some advice.
Sentencing arguments are expected to begin Friday in the case of an off-duty Toronto police officer convicted of assault in the beating of a young Black man.
Const. Michael Theriault and his brother, Christian Theriault, were charged with aggravated assault and obstruction of justice in connection with the December 2016 incident in Whitby, Ont.
Prosecutors alleged the Theriault brothers chased Dafonte Miller, then 19, and beat him with a metal pipe, leaving him with a ruptured eye and several other injuries.
The defence argued the pair wanted to arrest Miller after catching him and his friends breaking into the Theriault family truck.
They alleged Miller was the one armed with a pipe and the brothers were forced to defend themselves.
In a widely watched virtual hearing in June, Ontario Superior Court Justice Joseph Di Luca said he couldn’t rule out the possibility that self-defence played a role in the early portion of the encounter.
It was during that part of the incident that Miller sustained the eye injury that warranted the aggravated assault charge, Di Luca said.
However, the judge said the self-defence argument fell apart shortly afterwards when Michael Theriault grabbed a roughly metre-long pipe and hit Miller in the head as the young man was trying to flee.
Theriault was thus acquitted of aggravated assault but convicted of the lesser charge of assault.
The officer was also found not guilty on the obstruction of justice charge, and his brother was cleared of all charges.
Michael Theriault’s lawyers had filed an application to vacate the verdict, arguing assault was not listed as an option on the indictment and should not have been available for a guilty verdict.
Di Luca dismissed the application earlier this month and released his reasons for doing so on Wednesday.
In the decision, the judge said the defence’s bid was not based on fresh evidence or a change in law, but rather on a new legal argument that was not raised during closing arguments “despite there having been ample opportunity to do so.”
He noted that the argument that he made an error in law is one that should be left to the Appeal Court.
The judge also took issue with the defence’s interpretation of aggravated assault, which he said would lead to a “fundamental change” in the hierarchy of assault-related offences.
“Ultimately, I see no reason to depart from the settled understanding of the offence of aggravated assault, which situates the offence consistently and cohesively within a scheme of offences against the person,” Di Luca wrote.
The Crown is also challenging the verdict, arguing Di Luca “erred in his analysis and assessment of the defence of self-defence.”
Miller and his family are expected to give victim impact statements during Friday’s hearing in Oshawa. The sentencing decision is expected to come at a later date.
The case has spurred numerous protests against anti-Black racism and police discrimination.
In today’s Big Story podcast, last week, an unlikely research project made a startling discovery: Phosphine gas in the atmosphere of Venus. That’s something that, as far as we know, is created by living organisms. Our efforts to find signs of life on other worlds, and a lot of our space dreaming in general, tend to focus on Mars. But all of a sudden we need to take a closer look at our other planetary neighbour.
So how can we find out if there’s really life right next door? What do we know about Venus and why has it been so hard to figure out so far? What else could possibly cause the presence of Phosphine and what would it mean, to space exploration and everything else, if this is really true?
GUEST: Neel Patel, space reporter, MIT Technology Review
More than 400 schools in Quebec and another 153 in Ontario are reporting at least one case of coronavirus disease.
The figures from the group COVID Ecoles Quebec and the Ontario government come as authorities across Canada battle a second wave of COVID-19.
Data from Ontario show cases among people in their 20s have risen sharply in recent months.
One expert attributes the increase among younger Canadians in part to the reopening of schools and universities.
Several provinces and universities have warned of stiff fines for violating anti-COVID restrictions.
However, Quebec says it will not allow police to enter homes without a warrant to break up gatherings that violate the measures.
In all, COVID has killed about 9,250 people in Canada, as the cumulative case count edged toward the 150,000 mark.
Quebec, with more than 69,000 cases, has accounted for about 48 per cent of the total cases but 63 per cent of the deaths. Ontario’s more than 48,000 reported cases account for 33 per cent nationally, and 31 per cent of fatalities
On Wednesday, Quebec reported 471 new cases. Another four reported deaths from the novel coronavirus brought the province’s total fatalities to 5,809.
Ontario, which has shown a steady increase in new cases since mid-August after months of declines, reported 335 new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday and another three deaths. Almost 70 per cent of the new cases were in people under the age of 40, the province’s health minister, Christine Elliott, said.
Concern is also mounting as more long-term care homes in Ontario, brutally hit by the virus earlier in the year, report outbreaks. Almost 70 per cent of fatalities have been among those aged 80 and older and another 27 per cent were 60 to 79 years of age.
While older people and those with underlying health conditions are generally more susceptible to severe illnesses from SARS-CoV-2, younger people can spread the contagious disease _ often before showing any symptoms.
Ontario data indicate the number of new cases among people in their 20s has reached similar levels to those seen among people in their 80s in mid-April. Along with school reopenings, Dr. Brian Ward, a professor of medicine at McGill University, cited bars and parties as key factors, along with a “general sense of invulnerability” among younger people.
“COVID fatigue also clearly plays a role,” Ward said.
The worrisome upward trend in new cases — particularly among younger people — comes as the federal Liberal government gets set to lay out its plan to take on a second wave of COVID-19 as part of its speech from the throne Wednesday. Public health officials have warned a return to strict lockdowns might be required to curb a pandemic resurgence.
Stringent lockdowns implemented in the spring caused unprecedented economic disruption, prompting the federal government to spend tens of billions of dollars on wage and other business supports as unemployment skyrocketed. Some of those spending programs, however, are set to end but the government has promised replacements.
OTTAWA — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is promising to do more to help provinces respond to soaring demands for COVID-19 testing but there is still no indication of when the government will approve the tests that can deliver results in mere minutes.
The promise of aid for testing comes in the speech from the throne read in Ottawa today.
Canadians across the country are finding it harder to get tested for COVID-19, as demand soars and the capacity to swab people and test those swabs in labs is maxed out.
A Health Canada spokesman says the department is making it a priority to review six proposals for rapid-testing systems but that none has yet been approved.
The government says in the throne speech that as soon as the tests are approved it will do everything it can to deploy them quickly.
But two Ottawa public health experts say the rapid tests can help reduce the burden on the system even if they aren’t as accurate as the government would normally like.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 23, 2020.
here will be a dramatic resurgence of COVID-19 cases in Canada unless people limit contact with others in coming days, the country’s chief public health officer warns.
“We don’t want it to go up a giant ski hill,” Dr. Theresa Tam said Tuesday as she described the potential for a sharp upward curve.
The Public Health Agency of Canada released its latest modelling Tuesday, predicting up to 155,795 cases and up to 9,300 deaths by early October if the current trajectory of the epidemic continues.
The message throughout the presentation was clear: everyone needs to act now to limit their contacts or things will get worse.
“Canada is at a crossroads and individual action to reduce contact rates will decide our path,” said a presentation deck released Tuesday.
Federal Health Minister Patty Hajdu echoed that advice as she urged people to think carefully before accepting invitations to social gatherings.
“All of us have the future in our hands,” she said Tuesday during a media briefing in Ottawa.
She also said, however, that the spread of the novel coronavirus is not the same across the country, or even across single provinces, so determining whether restrictions need tightening demands a “surgical approach.”
Meanwhile, Canada has now committed more than $1 billion to buy doses of COVID-19 vaccines after securing a fifth deal with Sanofi and GlaxoSmithKline Tuesday.
Procurement Minister Anita Anand said Tuesday that Canada has a deal in place to buy up to 72 million doses of their experimental vaccine candidate, which is just starting the second of three trial phases this month.
In all, Canada has committed $1 billion to buy at least 154 million doses of vaccines from five different companies, and most of that money will not be refunded even if the vaccines never get approved.
“We need to make a substantial investment in order to ensure that Canada is well positioned to secure access to the successful vaccine or vaccines,” she said in an interview with The Canadian Press.
“The way in which we are doing that is to bet on multiple horses at the same time in order to ensure that as one or more of those horses crosses the finish line, we have access to those vaccines.”
Canada has signed deals with Moderna, Pfizer, Novavax, Johnson & Johnson and now Sanofi and GlaxoSmithKline, all of which are among some of the most promising vaccines, but none of which have completed all the required clinical trials, or been approved for use in Canada.
On Sept. 3, Sanofi and GlaxoSmithKline said their vaccine candidate was going to begin Phase 1/2 trials which will test it on 440 individuals. The hope is the vaccine will be ready for the third and final phase of trials by the end of the year, and approved for use in the first half of 2021.
Moderna has a vaccine in Phase 3 trials, and Pfizer’s is in a combined Phase 2 and 3 trial. Novavax is in a Phase 2 trial, while Johnson & Johnson is in a Phase 1/2 trial.
Most clinical trials have three phases to ensure the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine or drug being developed.
Each level of trials adds more volunteers on whom the drug is tested, looking for adverse health effects and whether the vaccine does cause a person to develop antibodies that can protect against COVID-19.
Anand said Canada has also signed an agreement with Gilead Sciences and McKesson Canada to get 150,000 vials of remdesivir, the only antiviral drug that has proven effective at treating patients with COVID-19. Health Canada approved the drug for use on COVID-19 patients at the end of July.
The doses will begin arriving at Canadian hospitals this month.
Canada has also joined the international vaccine co-operative known as the COVAX Facility, which is bringing together wealthy countries with low- and middle-income countries to collectively invest in doses of vaccines.
It has not yet announced how much money it will contribute, a figure that was to have come last week but has been delayed. Anand says Canada remains committed to COVAX and more details will be coming soon.
Canada has chosen to participate in both parts of the COVAX program. The first is for any country to join to get access to vaccines, and the second is a fund for wealthy countries to help low-income countries participate.
The Canadian Coalition for Global Health Research and the Canadian Society for International Health have both criticized Canada for acting to buy doses of vaccine for itself, hindering efforts to ensure vaccines that are successful are distributed fairly around the world.
GAVI, the Vaccine Alliance, said Monday that 64 wealthy countries had joined the COVAX Facility, including Canada. The United States has not joined.
The centre of post-tropical storm Teddy made landfall in eastern Nova Scotia this morning, delivering another round of punishing winds and heavy rain to a province that has already had plenty of both.
Meteorologists say the storm arrived near Sheet Harbour, about 115 kilometres east of Halifax, around 8 a.m. local time.
The large storm was churning out winds over 100 kilometres per hour as it neared the coastline.
On Hart Island, which is north of Canso at the eastern edge of the mainland, a peak gust of 81 kilometres per hour was recorded at 8 a.m.
Overnight, thousands of homes and businesses across Nova Scotia lost power.
By 9 a.m., about 9,000 Nova Scotia Power customers were still in the dark — a number that doubled in two hours.
Schools were closed, public transit in Halifax was suspended, many flights were cancelled but no major damage was reported _ aside from downed and damaged trees and power lines.
Citizens living in high-risk locations in the Sambro area, Peggy’s Cove and along the eastern shore were asked by Halifax Regional Municipality to make plans immediately to self-evacuate.
The storm was reclassified as a post-tropical storm overnight, but that change doesn’t mean Teddy has become a weakling. The designation refers to the structure of the storm, not its strength.
On Tuesday, the Canadian Hurricane Centre and provincial officials made it clear that the storm surge ahead of Teddy was their main concern, especially with 10-metre waves in the forecast.
Though residents were warned to stay away from the coast, photos on social media and on web cameras showed plenty of gawkers on the rocks at Peggy’s Cove and near the sprawling beaches at Lawrencetown, an area east of Halifax.
“Over the last number of years, we’ve lost a lot of people who have gone to the coast to watch those waves,” said Bob Robichaud, meteorologist with the Canadian Hurricane Centre in Halifax.
Officials in Halifax have suspended the city’s municipal bus and harbour ferry services. Garbage collection was also cancelled for today.
Nova Scotia Power has 300 crews standing by to handle power outages — 170 of them from other Atlantic provinces.
The storm was expected to track over eastern Nova Scotia, the eastern half of Prince Edward Island and southwestern Newfoundland.
Though residents of southwestern Newfoundland have been warned to watch for a storm surge later today, the wind and rain wasn’t expected to pose much of a threat.
Marine Atlantic, the Crown corporation that operates the ferry service linking Nova Scotia with Newfoundland, has cancelled all sailings across the Cabot Strait.
ST. HUBERT, Que. — A woman suspected of sending envelopes containing the poison ricin, which were addressed to the White House and other places in Texas and may have come from Canada, is expected to appear in federal court in Buffalo, New York, today.
Officials in the U.S. say the letter going to Washington, D.C., had been intercepted earlier this week before it reached the White House.
The Mounties raided the woman’s home in Montreal on Monday and said they didn’t know if she lived there, but added that there was a clear link between her and that residence.
The RCMP’s Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, Explosives team is leading the operation with support from local police and firefighters.
The home is located in a multi-unit building on Vauquelin Blvd. in St-Hubert, Que., bordering a forest and not far from an airport.
Canadian law enforcement was called in to help the FBI investigate after American authorities found evidence the suspicious letter to the White House had originated in Canada.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 22, 2020.
OTTAWA — A new survey suggests the recent rise in new COVID-19 cases across Canada comes with a similar increase in support for the mandatory wearing of masks in public places.
The online survey by Leger and the Association for Canadian Studies says 83 per cent of respondents feel governments should order people to wear a mask in all indoor public spaces.
That represented a 16 per cent increase from July, before the recent rise in COVID-19 cases has sparked concerns many parts of the country are entering the dreaded second wave of the pandemic.
Even more — 87 per cent — felt wearing a mask was a civic duty because it protects others from COVID-19 while 21 per cent felt it was an infringement on personal freedoms, a decline of six per cent from July.
As for the anti-mask protests that have happened in various parts of the country in recent weeks, 88 per cent of respondents said they opposed the demonstrations while 12 per cent supported them.
The online poll was conducted Sept. 18 to 20 and surveyed 1,538 adult Canadians. It cannot be assigned a margin of error because internet-based polls are not considered random samples.
WASHINGTON — A woman suspected of sending an envelope containing the poison ricin, which was addressed to White House, has been arrested at the New York-Canada border, three law enforcement officials told The Associated Press on Sunday.
The woman was taken into custody by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers and is expected to face federal charges, the officials said.
The letter addressed to the White House appeared to have originated in Canada, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police have said. It was intercepted at a government facility that screens mail addressed to the White House and President Donald Trump and a preliminary investigation indicated it tested positive for ricin, according to the officials.
The officials were not authorized to discuss the ongoing investigation publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.
Michael Balsamo, Eric Tucker And Colleen Long, The Associated Press
HALIFAX — Weather warnings have been issued for virtually all of Atlantic Canada as Hurricane Teddy advances toward the East Coast.
A tropical storm watch is now in effect for the Atlantic coastlines of mainland Nova Scotia and Cape Breton, where the storm could make landfall on Tuesday night.
Environment Canada says strong winds, heavy rain and pounding surf are in the forecast, with the storm’s expected track now encompassing all of mainland Nova Scotia and Cape Breton.
Though Teddy will likely transition to a post-tropical storm as it closes in on the region, it is expected to churn out gusts in excess of 80 to 100 kilometres per hour.
The highest rainfall amounts are likely to be north and west of Teddy’s eventual track, which is expected to take the storm over Nova Scotia, the eastern half of Prince Edward Island and over southwestern Newfoundland.
Rainfall amounts in these areas could exceed 50 millimetres, with some areas getting as much as 75 to 100 mm.
Rain ahead of Teddy will likely reach Nova Scotia by Tuesday afternoon and will continue in many areas into Wednesday.
Earlier this morning, the Category 2 hurricane was about 315 kilometres south-southeast of Bermuda, producing maximum sustained winds at 165 kilometres per hour.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 21, 2020.
British Columbia is introducing a new saline gargle test for students from kindergarten to Grade 12 to help make COVID-19 testing easier for children and teenagers.
Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said B.C. is one of the first places in the world to use a mouth rinse gargle test for the new coronavirus.
“Unlike the (nasal) swab, this is a new saline gargle where you put a little bit of saline water, that is sterile water, in your mouth, you swish it around and spit it into a little tube,” she said at a news conference Thursday.
“This test is kind of cool and something we’ve had in the works for a while. This new method is more comfortable, particularly for our younger children.”
It is developed by a B.C. company, which reduces the province’s dependency on the global supply chain, she said.
Henry described the test as more efficient, which shortens the long lineups and wait times.
Getting tested is key in the fight against the pandemic and the test will make it easier to collect samples from young people, she said.
The test can be done without a health professional by parents or children themselves.
With schools reopening, Henry said the focus of this new and “easier” method of testing will be on children until there are more supplies.
“And we’re hoping to make it more broadly available as we go forward.”
The province announced a record daily high of 165 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday and one additional death, bringing the death toll to 220.
There has been a total of 7,663 cases of COVID-19 in the province.
The uptick is caused by a combination of increased testing, awareness and contact tracing, Henry said.
“Remember that today’s cases are people who have been exposed over the last two weeks.”
The province tested 7,674 people for COVID-19 on Wednesday, the highest number of COVID-19 tests ever conducted in B.C. in a single day.
Health Minister Adrian Dix reminded people to keep groups small and limit social gatherings.
“So, this weekend, and as we plan for Thanksgiving in the fall months ahead, let us once again close ranks on COVID-19, and change its course,” he said.
In today’s Big Story podcast, in 1988, Toronto lawyer Clayton Ruby represented the family of a young man named Michael Wade Lawson. Though neither Ruby, the family or anyone else involved at the time knew it, it’s a case that’s had a profound impact on how police forces in Canada’s largest province do — and don’t — hold themselves accountable.
Michael Wade Lawson, you see, was 17 — a young Black man who was shot and killed by the police. After his death, amid a public outcry, Ontario’s Special Investigations Unit was created, to investigate cases of police misconduct that resulted in injury or death to civilians. And that’s where today’s story begins.
VICTORIA — The British Columbia government is expected to reveal how it plans to stimulate an economic rebound from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Premier John Horgan and Finance Minister Carole James are scheduled to release details today of the $1.5-billion economic recovery plan.
Last week, James announced the province’s most recent financial numbers from April to June project an economic decline of 6.7 per cent for this year.
She said the budget is forecast to post a deficit of almost $13 billion for the 2020-21 fiscal year.
The Opposition Liberals have accused the NDP government of being too slow in responding to the economic devastation of the pandemic, noting other provinces released their plans months ago.
The announcement comes as daily cases of COVID-19 surpass 100 and amid speculation that Horgan is considering calling an early election ahead of next fall’s fixed date.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 17, 2020.
In today’s Big Story podcast, this November, accused killer Alek Minassian will face trial for the 2018 Toronto van attack that killed 10 people and injured 16. In the aftermath of that attack, we learned that Minassian subscribed to the incel ideology — which has been linked to mass killings around the world.
Incels entered the public consciousness as lonely people obsessed with other people’s sex lives. But in recent years they’ve become increasingly deadly. How do young men find themselves radicalized into the incel subculture online? Where are they slipping through the cracks? And how can we respond more effectively to signs of violence before it happens?
OTTAWA — As fretful Canadian parents mull sending their children to school or opting for at-home learning, there are countries where no school at all is the only option.
One is Lebanon, where the fallout from the massive Aug. 4 port explosion in Beirut will keep tens of thousands of children out of classrooms because their schools were levelled or severely damaged.
Peter Simms, the education adviser for Plan International Canada, says a lost year of school is threatening to compound the “toxic stress” that young people in Lebanon were already experiencing after surviving the explosion.
In Lebanon, 180 schools were damaged in the blast and that will keep 85,000 students out of classrooms.
The United Nations estimates 1.5 billion children were adversely affected by COVID-19 school closures.
Aid agencies such as World Vision and Save the Children say the education vacuum is exposing girls, especially, to rising violence and sexual exploitation.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 15, 2020.
VANCOUVER — Air quality in the Vancouver area has improved slightly but an advisory on smoke that drifted north from wildfires in the United States was still in effect on Tuesday.
The advisory was initiated on Sept. 8 for Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley Regional District because of smoke from fires in Washington and Oregon.
Metro Vancouver says while the air quality did improve slightly, ground-level smoke still remains and it is expected to remain through the week.
It says a change in the weather on Friday may help improve the air quality through the weekend.
A fire at a timber wharf continued to burn in New Westminster on Tuesday after catching fire on Sunday night, which Metro Vancouver says was causing “considerable local smoke.”
Canada Post cancelled delivery services for several parts of British Columbia on Monday because of the wildfire smoke and deliveries remained suspended for some communities on Tuesday including Castlegar, Duncan, the Okanagan Valley, Trail and White Rock.
The corporation said air quality over central and southern B.C. made delivery unsafe for its workers.
It resumed deliveries in other parts of central and southern British Columbia but warned there could be delays.
Environment Canada also maintained poor air quality advisories for a large swath of the southern part of the province.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 15, 2020.
The looming prospect of a second wave of COVID-19 this fall has governments cautiously monitoring daily infection rates as economies restart and students return to school.
A widespread return of economic and social restrictions that closed businesses and schools and cancelled public events in March is not the preferred option, but there may be no choice, say politicians and health officials.
“The last thing that anyone wants is to have to once again shut down our economies and suspend our lives to try and counter a massive second wave,” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said last week.
He stressed public vigilance to fight the pandemic, frequent hand washing, mask wearing and physical distancing, because “as we’re seeing with cases rising across the country, we are not out of the woods.”
Winnipeg epidemiologist Cynthia Carr said Canadians should brace for more restrictions and shutdowns if COVID-19 cases continue to rise, even without the arrival of a second wave.
“There could still be a large increase in cases related to behaviour and that gives government opportunity to go, ‘OK, what are we going to change now to get the transmission back under control?’” she said. “That’s where government will need to focus.”
British Columbia ordered the immediate closure of nightclubs and banquet halls last week after daily COVID-19 case numbers were consistently above 100, with many infections traced to young people out socializing at events where alcohol was served.
Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry also ordered bars, pubs, lounges and restaurants to cut off alcohol sales at 10 p.m. and close by 11 p.m., unless serving only food.
Henry said she took “draconian” measures in March to slow infections, and closing nightclubs and halls is a necessary step now.
“I think we need to all start rethinking about what we need to do to get us through the next few months as a community together, and these are some of the things that we’ll need to put aside for now,” she said at a news conference.
Last week in Quebec, the government said police can hand out tickets ranging between $400 and $6,000 to those who don’t have a face covering in indoor public spaces or on public transit.
The province also announced several measures in addition to the fines, including the banning of karaoke and obliging bars to keep registers of clients as infection numbers rise.
Carr said other public health officials will look at increasing restrictions to limit COVID-19 transmission.
“The more opportunity you give the virus to spread again, the more it will take that opportunity,” she said.
Carr, a private consultant who advises governments and communities on health policy, said the arrival of a second wave of COVID-19 will cause widespread fear because it signals the virus has changed its behaviour.
“That’s where the scariest parts are,” she said. “If the virus starts to mutate and become different and impact, for example, much younger people significantly.”
But Carr said increasing restrictions are inevitable in a second wave or uptick in COVID-19 cases.
Economics professor James Brander said politicians and health officials should carefully weigh the impact of imposing more restrictions or shutdowns on the economy in the event of a second wave or increasing infection rates.
“What you want is the low hanging fruit,” said the public policy expert at the University of British Columbia’s Sauder School of Business.
Governments were too harsh on the economy in March and with hindsight should now consider more targeted restriction options, including shutting down bars, preventing large gatherings and requiring more aggressive mask-wearing policies, Brander said.
Carr said pandemic control involves juggling three areas: health, the economy and social well-being.
“The best decision is typically related back to controlling as much as possible the transmission so that economies can get back to thriving and that people can maintain social well-being.”
A new survey suggests there are Canadians who believe that warnings from public officials about the threat of COVID-19 are vastly overblown.
Almost one-quarter of respondents in an online poll made public today by Leger and the Association for Canadian Studies say they believe public health and government officials exaggerate in their warnings, including about the need for measures like physical distancing to slow the spread of the pandemic.
Regionally, respondents in Alberta were more likely to believe the threat was embellished, followed by Atlantic Canada and Quebec, with Ontario at the bottom.
Broken down by age, younger respondents were more likely than those over 55 to believe statements were being exaggerated.
The online poll was conducted Sept. 11 to 13 and surveyed 1,539 adult Canadians. It cannot be assigned a margin of error because internet-based polls are not considered random samples.
Leger executive vice-president Christian Bourque says the results may explain something else that came up in the survey: That a majority of respondents said they have relaxed how strictly they adhere to public health recommendations.
Aline Chretien may have been the most influential political figure Canadians never knew.
She was often seen at political events – a petite, elegant figure standing demurely at the side of her gregarious husband, former prime minister Jean Chretien – but was seldom heard. At least not publicly.
Behind the scenes though, she was Chretien’s confidante and most trusted adviser, his “Rock of Gibraltar,” as he always called her.
Aline Chretien died surrounded by family Saturday morning at her home in Shawinigan, Que., a family spokesman said Sunday. She was 84. A cause of death was not specified.
“Prime Minister Chretien, I think, would be the first to say that without her he never would have been prime minister,” says long-time Chretien aide Eddie Goldenberg.
“She knew very well that she had not been elected herself so she didn’t try to take the limelight. She felt that would be the wrong thing to do. She felt her role was to be supportive and … to be very candid with advice and she could do that best in private.”
Aline was instrumental in all Chretien’s seminal political decisions: to stay in the federal arena despite appeals in the 1960s to run for a seat in Quebec’s National Assembly; to quit politics in 1986 after losing the Liberal leadership to John Turner; to return to the fray in 1990; and to go for a third consecutive mandate in 2000.
She even arguably saved Chretien’s life on Nov. 5, 1995, when a jackknife-wielding, mentally unstable intruder broke into the prime minister’s official residence in the middle of the night. After encountering him in the hall outside their bedroom, Aline Chretien slammed and locked the door before calling the RCMP guardhouse and waking her husband, who then famously armed himself with a soapstone carving of a loon.
It was Aline who advised Chretien to recruit academic and future Liberal leader Stephane Dion to his cabinet after Canada’s near-death experience in the 1995 referendum on Quebec independence.
And throughout his 40 years in federal politics, it was Aline who warned him when she thought he was too loud or too aggressive or embarking on what she considered the wrong course of action.
“Those of us who worked for prime minister Chretien knew sometimes, if there was a problem, that she was, (as) I called it, the last court of appeal,” recalls Goldenberg.
“We could call her and say, ‘I’d like it if you could talk to your husband about something because he’s not listening to anybody else.’ And he sure listened to her – always.”
Aline Chaine and Chretien grew up in blue-collar families, just a few blocks apart in the Quebec pulp-and-paper town of Shawinigan. But their love affair began with a chance encounter on a bus when Aline Chaine was 16, two years younger than her eventual husband.
Chretien credits Aline with restraining some of his more boisterous youthful impulses and instilling him with self-discipline.
Aline had dreamed of studying languages at university but went instead to secretarial school at 16 so she could help support the Chaine family.
She adopted a similar support role once married to Chretien, staying home to raise daughter France and sons Hubert and Michel. During Jean Chretien’s early years in federal politics, she stayed in Shawinigan, where she was his eyes and ears in the riding.
But she never stopped her education. She became quadralingual, learning as an adult to speak English, Italian and Spanish in addition to French. She became an accomplished pianist, studying with the Royal Conservatory of Music.
And she did eventually make it to university in 2010 – as the first chancellor of Laurentian University in Sudbury.
In her autobiography, former U.S. first lady Hillary Clinton described Aline as “intelligent, sharply observant and elegant.”
But despite travelling the world with her husband and rubbing shoulders with some of the planet’s most powerful leaders, Aline always maintained close contact with family and lifelong friends in Shawinigan. The couple kept a home at nearby Lac des Piles, where Aline spent her final days.
In a rare interview with Maclean’s magazine in 1994, Aline described herself as “Madame Tout le Monde” – Mrs. Everybody.
She recounted calling her husband in a fury in 1973 when the federal Liberal government of the day was debating a cut in family allowances.
“I said `Jean, if you touch that, you’ll be in trouble. This is the only money some women in Shawinigan have got for themselves.’ You can have, as I did, a Madame Tout le Monde point of view when you are at home, listening to the radio with your kids.”
Peter Donolo, who was communications director for Chretien when he was Opposition leader and during his first term as prime minister, says Aline had refined taste in art and music but was totally unpretentious and never forgot her roots and, thus, kept her husband “grounded.”
“She was never impressed by wealth or power,” Donolo says. ” She could see through phonies in like a nanosecond.”
The first time he met Aline, Donolo says, she asked him about his young family and then advised him: “Remember, it’s very important that you not ignore your family while you’re working in politics because, after everything is done, all you have left is your family.”
She was, Donolo says, the love and “mainstay” of Chretien’s life for almost 70 years.
“I can’t think of a stronger bond between husband and wife that’s lasted this long and is as intimate and close.”
Aline and Jean Chretien marked their 63rd wedding anniversary on Sept. 10, just days before she died.
Family spokesman Bruce Hartley said only a private ceremony is being planned for now because of restrictions associated with COVID-19, with a public memorial planned for sometime in the future.
VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) — Masks will be mandatory at Starbucks’ across Canada starting Monday.
A post on the company’s website says the move was made as part of a “continued commitment to prioritize the health and well-being of partners (employees) and customers and to control the spread of COVID-19.”
Masks, or other face coverings, will be required at all “company-owned café locations in Canada.”
Those without masks will be allowed to order at drive-thrus, or pickup curbside.
“The company is committed to playing a constructive role in supporting health and government officials as they work to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. All decisions are grounded in partner and customer care and safety, based on facts and science, and communicated with transparency,” the website says.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has agreed to hold a virtual first ministers meeting on federal health care transfers to the provinces and territories.
His agreement during a conference call with premiers Thursday came one day after Quebec’s Francois Legault and Ontario’s Doug Ford issued a joint call for a significant increase in the funding Ottawa sends them to help cover mushrooming health care costs.
The federal government has already committed to transferring $19 billion to the provinces to help them cope with the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic, including some $10 billion for health-related expenses.
But Legault and Ford pointed out that money is a one-time transfer and argued that what the provinces need is sustainable, long-term funding to cover the ballooning costs of new technologies, drugs and an aging population, as well as ongoing pandemic-related costs.
They did not put a price tag on their demand but said a significant increase to the annual transfer is needed.
The federal government will transfer almost $42 billion to provinces and territories for health care in the current fiscal year under an arrangement that sees the transfer increase by at least three per cent each year.
Legault argued that the federal contribution covers only 21 per cent of the cost of delivering universal health care, well down from the 50 per cent share originally agreed to decades ago.
Trudeau has been holding conference calls almost every week with provincial and territorial leaders since the pandemic shut down the country in mid-March.
While those calls — 18 of them as of Thursday — have covered a range of issues, he has now agreed to devote one meeting entirely to the health transfers issue. His office says no date has been set for that call but it is likely to take place before Sept. 23, when Trudeau’s government will issue a throne speech laying out its plan for economic recovery.
Trudeau is to join Ford on Friday for IAMGOLD’s ground-breaking ceremony for their Cote Gold Project in northern Ontario, about 130 kilometres southwest of Timmins.
During construction, the project, which involves international and local First Nations partners, is expected to create more than 1,000 jobs, as well as 450 full-time jobs once completed.
Trudeau is expected to tout the project as a sign that the economy, flattened by COVID-19, is starting to get back on its feet.
OTTAWA — The demise of WE’s Canadian operations won’t take the heat off Prime Minister Justin Trudeau over his government’s decision to hire the charity to run a now-defunct student volunteer program.
NDP MP Charlie Angus says WE’s announcement Wednesday that it is shuttering its Canadian operations only underscores the lack of due diligence done by the government before handing administration of the program over to an organization that was evidently in financial distress.
Two months before the government gave the contract to WE in late June, Angus notes that the organization had laid off hundreds of staff and replaced almost its entire board of directors, which had been denied access to the charity’s financial reports.
Angus says WE was “desperate” and cashed in on its connections to Trudeau, his family and his former finance minister, Bill Morneau, in order to persuade them to pay the organization to run the student service grant program.
Trudeau himself has been a featured speaker at half a dozen WE events and his wife, mother and brother have been paid hundreds of thousands of dollars over the years in expenses and speaking fees.
Trudeau and Morneau have apologized for not recusing themselves from the decision to pay WE up to $43.5 million to administer the program and are both under investigation by the federal ethics watchdog for possible breaches of the Conflict of Interest Act.
“WE shutting down doesn’t make the Liberals’ scandal go away,” said Angus.
The government insists it was bureaucrats who recommended that WE was the only organization capable of administering the massive national program. However, thousands of documents released by the government suggest public servants may have been nudged to look at WE by their political masters.
Two House of Commons committees were in the midst of investigating the deal and another two committees were preparing to launch separate investigations when Trudeau prorogued Parliament last month, putting an end to the committees’ work.
However, the WE affair is likely to continue dogging the government when Parliament reopens on Sept. 23 with the demise of the organization’s Canadian operations only adding fuel to the fire.
Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole said Wednesday that WE must hand over all the documents requested by the finance committee about the student service grant program.
The program was supposed to cover up to $5,000 in education costs for students who volunteered during the COVID-19 pandemic. The government initially pegged the cost of the program at $912 million but the sole-source deal with WE put the cost at $543 million.
The deal stipulated that WE was not to make money on the program. The charity has repaid the full $30 million the government gave it to launch the program and has said it will not seek reimbursement for some $5 million in expenses incurred before WE withdrew from the deal in early July amid political controversy.
The organization had already been struggling due to the pandemic-related shutdown but the questions about the student volunteer program prompted many of its corporate sponsors to cut their ties with the charity.
WE said Wednesday it plans to lay off 115 Canadian staff and sell all its property in Canada in the coming months, including its landmark $15-million Global Learning Centre in downtown Toronto, which opened in 2017.
It follows news last month that WE would be laying off dozens of employees in Canada and the United Kingdom.
The net profits will be put in an endowment fund that will be overseen by a new board of governors and used to complete several projects in communities in Latin America, Asia and Africa that were started by WE but remain unfinished.
The fund will also cover the operating costs of several large-scale infrastructure projects, such as a hospital and college in Kenya and an agricultural centre in Ecuador. However, no new projects or programs will be launched.
All future WE Day events are also being cancelled. The organization says it will no longer have staff to work with teachers, though existing resources will be digitized and available online. WE says it was active in 7,000 schools across Canada.
Shutting down its Canadian operations “shows just how much trouble WE was in and how badly they needed this bailout from their Liberal friends,” Angus said.
“They’ve have been in economic freefall for months. This was a group that fired its board of directors for asking too many questions about its finances. The question is why didn’t the government see this before handing them over a contract worth millions?”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 10, 2020.
Massive crowds and parties in an eastern Ontario university town have drawn criticisms from local residents and formal calls for greater co-operation to curb the spread of COVID-19.
Police and city officials in Kingston, Ont., said they’ve had to close a popular pier and beach due to crowding and issue a number of tickets since thousands of students flooded back into the city earlier this month. Local residents said they’ve also taken to the streets to break up parties in recent days.
Jeff Masuda, a Queen’s University professor, spent the early morning hours of Sunday on the long weekend trying to get dozens of Queen’s students — his neighbours — to stop partying and to abide by COVID-19 laws.
It didn’t work.
The maskless group shouted, drank and tossed beer bottles while hanging out outside and ignoring physical distancing guidelines, he said. Some yelled at the two police officers who were called to the area to deal with them, he said, while others took off to continue the night elsewhere.
Masuda walked around his neighbourhood near campus and said there were parties everywhere, including an abandoned hospital site where the same officers had shown up to deal with more revellers.
It didn’t seem like police were doing much, he said.
“There were hundreds of students mixing together across the university district,” he said.
“So now we are left in a position to wait and hope for the best. If COVID came, it’s already spread.”
The region has gone largely unscathed by COVID-19. There is currently one active case of the disease and 112 cases in total since the novel coronavirus made it to Canada. No one has died from the disease.
Kingston has a large student population even during the pandemic. While Queen’s University has limited in-person learning to about 6,600 students, or a quarter of its total population, many students learning online have returned to the city.
That has left Masuda, a professor of kinesiology and health, frustrated with the city’s plan to deal with partying students.
“Whatever plan was put in place, it failed,” Masuda said.
“It was a massive breach of COVID guidelines in the community.”
Mayor Bryan Paterson said the city, the local public health agency, police and Queen’s are doing their best.
Hundreds of Queen’s students flocked to a nearby beach and Gord Downie Pier, which led the city to issue an order to enforce physical distancing through threat of fines, Paterson said.
But police told the mayor there were simply too many people to enforce distancing, so the mayor closed the area through an emergency order on the weekend.
The number of visitors to the area had significantly increased last week after students returned to the city.
“Any other year, that would be OK, we designed and built that area for crowds of people to enjoy, but during a pandemic it’s too much,” Paterson said.
Last month, the mayor vowed to crack down on the massive parties Queen’s students have become known for.
City council approved the use of “administrative monetary penalties” that include fines for shouting, amplified sound coming from speakers and parties.
Bylaw and police officers have been out using the new laws, largely in the university district, officials said.
Since Aug. 28, the city said it has issued 45 such penalties for amplified sound, two for yelling or shouting and one nuisance party charge.
Kingston police said they laid five such charges over the long weekend.
“We’re trying to be proactive to make sure we can curb anything before it lights up here in Kingston, that’s the last thing we want,” Const. Ash Gutheinz said of cases of COVID-19.
Queen’s, for its part, said it’s been sharing all public health protocols with students and was “deeply concerned” to hear of what Masuda witnessed.
“Queen’s takes the safety of our community very seriously,” the university said in a statement. “We want to assure the community that we will continue to impress upon our students the importance of adhering to public health guidelines during these challenging times.”
Masuda said the city and the school should have engaged residents to help.
“We’re willing to put in more effort to do our part as neighbours to help the students help themselves,” he said.
The mayor said he shares the frustration of residents such as Masuda.
“This is a big challenge, I understand that, and if community members are able to help or to reach out to student neighbours, I think that’s actually a great idea,” Paterson said.
Masuda said he has since spoken to his student neighbours.
“They have been contrite and apologetic,” he said.
“With hindsight, I think many of them regret what has happened.”
OTTAWA — A new survey suggests that while Canadians are divided over removing statues of politicians who harboured racist views or pushed racist policies, many oppose the “spontaneous” toppling of statues of Canada’s first prime minister, John A. Macdonald.
The poll by Leger and the Association for Canadian Studies follows the controversial tearing down and vandalism of a Macdonald statue in Montreal last month by activists angry over his anti-Indigenous views and policies.
Half of respondents said they oppose the idea of removing statues or monuments to politicians who espoused racist views or implemented racist policies while 31 per cent said they support such moves and 19 per cent did not know.
The divide was smaller when it came to streets, schools and other public institutions bearing the names of historic figures shown to have been racist, with 47 per cent against renaming them and 34 per cent in favour.
Yet 75 per cent of respondents to the poll conducted by Leger and the Association for Canadian Studies were against the Montreal-style “spontaneous” tearing down of Macdonald statues by activists while only 11 per cent said they were in favour.
Leger executive vice-president Christian Bourque says the numbers suggests Canadians are more supportive of a deliberate process of dealing with such statues — and take a dim view of activists taking matters into their own hands.
The online survey of 1,529 Canadians took place Sept. 4 to 6. An internet poll cannot be given a margin of error because it is not a random sample.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 9, 2020.
Plans are being made across the country for how to safely send students back to school in the fall as the COVID-19 pandemic continues.
Here is a look at what the various provinces have said about getting kids back to classes.
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BRITISH COLUMBIA
British Columbia has laid out its plan for studies to resume in “learning groups” this fall. School districts are to post final back-to-school details online by Aug. 26.
Back to class: Schools were initially scheduled to welcome students back full time on Sept. 8, but the province announced it is pushing back the restart date by two days to Sept. 10.
Groups: Students will be sorted into learning groups to reduce the number of people they come in contact with. For elementary and middle school students, groups will be no larger than 60 people. Secondary school groups will be capped at 120.
Physical distancing: Students and staff don’t need to maintain physical distancing within their learning group, but contact should be minimized. Outside the group, physical distancing is required. Students should be more spaced out in classrooms.
Masks: Students and staff will not be required to wear masks in schools, but the province says it’s a “personal choice that will always be respected.” It says provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry recommends non-medical masks be worn by adults and older students when they are unable to physically distance like in hallways and on buses.
New routines: The province is urging schools to stagger recess, lunch and class transition times and take students outside whenever possible.
Transportation: Middle and high school students are asked to wear masks on buses. Students should be assigned seats, and a transparent barrier may be used to separate the driver.
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ALBERTA
The province is planning to fully reopen schools from kindergarten to Grade 12 this fall. Measures will be tightened if an outbreak occurs and class sizes could be reduced to 20.
Back to class: School will be back in session with extra safety measures, but the province says there are programs to support remote and alternative learning.
Groups: Schools should sort students into cohorts by class when possible to minimize contact with others.
Physical distancing: Physical distancing is recommended when possible. Rooms should be rearranged to increase space between desks.
Masks: Masks will be mandatory for staff and many students in some school settings. Students in Grades 4 to 12 must wear masks in all common areas, such as hallways and on buses. Staff are required to wear masks whenever physical distancing cannot be maintained. Mask use will be optional for kids in kindergarten through Grade 3. The government says all students and staff will receive two reusable masks as part of the policy.
Transportation: Parents are asked to bring their children to school if they can. Students who take the bus will sit in the same seat every day.
New routines: Schools are advised to consider a “no sharing policy,” with each student bringing their own supplies. Class, lunch and recess schedules will be staggered.
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SASKATCHEWAN
Saskatchewan first unveiled a set of back-to-school guidelines in June, but released more details and made some changes in August.
Back to class: Students will return to class on Sept. 8 after the province pushed the date back from as early as Sept. 1
Groups: Groups of students and staff members assigned to them should stick together throughout the day and try not to mingle with other groups. Schools should aim to minimize the number of different instructors who interact with students throughout the day.
Physical distancing: Officials say maintaining physical distance is “less practical” for younger children, and the focus should be on limiting physical contact. Officials suggest limiting hugs and hand holding and suggest using alternative greetings such as air high fives. Schools are also to have dedicated quarantine areas where symptomatic students can go before they are picked up by parents.
Masks: The province says it’s up to school boards to decide whether to make masks mandatory for students and staff. The chief medical health officer advises Grade 4 to 12 students should wear them in busy areas such as hallways and on buses.
Transportation: Parents should take their kids to school when possible, and pickup and drop-offs should happen outside. Students using school transportation should be assigned seats, and a partition may be used to separate the driver.
New routines: Start times, recess, lunch and class transitions may be staggered to allow for more space for physical distancing. Schools should rearrange their classrooms to space out students. Students and staff are asked to bring hand sanitizer. In school public health visits for routine vaccinations will include COVID-19 testing, with parental consent.
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MANITOBA
The Manitoba government says students are going back to the classroom on Sept. 8 with new guidelines.
Back to class: All students from kindergarten to Grade 8 are to have in-class instruction five days a week. High school students will also be in class full time, however, there may be some days of remote learning.
Groups: When physical distancing isn’t possible, students will have to be organized into cohorts of no more than 75, and minimize contact with others. In these cases, there must be at least one metre between their desks.
Physical distancing: The province says students are required to maintain a two-metre distance to “the greatest extent possible.” When it isn’t possible, physical barriers may be an option. Spaces should be arranged to encourage separation.
Masks: Masks are strongly recommended for students in Grades 5 to 12. They are required when taking the bus.
Transportation: Masks are required for students Grade 5 and up, as well as drivers, on buses. Parents are encouraged to transport their children to school if they can.
New routines: Lunch and recess are to be staggered to minimize congestion, and in many cases teachers will change classrooms instead of students.
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ONTARIO
Ontario students will be back in class September, but their schedules and class sizes may vary depending on where they live.
Back to class: Elementary students and many high schoolers will be in school five days a week in standard class sizes. However, secondary students at two dozen boards that are higher risk will only attend class half the time, and will spend the rest of the week working on “curriculum-linked independent work.” Parents will also have the option to keep their kids out of class, and boards must provide options for remote learning.
Groups: For high schoolers in high-risk districts, class sizes will be capped at 15. Meanwhile, elementary students won’t be broken up into smaller groups, but will be grouped into cohorts and their exposure to different teachers will be limited.
Physical distancing: While Education Minister Stephen Lecce said the aim is to keep students one metre apart from each other, a guidance document says only that schools should promote “as much distancing as possible” rather than being strictly enforced.
Masks: Masks will be mandatory for students in Grades 4 through 12, and will be strongly encouraged for younger kids when they’re in indoor common areas. Staff will be expected to wear masks.
Transportation: Some school boards may have more than one student assigned to a seat. When physical distancing isn’t possible, masks will be mandatory for students in Grades 4 to 12, and younger students will be encouraged but not required to do the same.
New routines: Students in some districts will have to pre-register for in-person schooling. Some schools may limit or even ban visitors, including parents. Breaks will be scheduled to allow students to wash their hands.
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QUEBEC
All elementary and high school students in Quebec will be required to attend class in September unless they have a doctor’s note indicating they’re at high risk of COVID-19 complications or they live with someone at risk. Those students will be allowed to study remotely.
Back to class: Class attendance is mandatory for elementary and high school students. For Grades 10 and 11, schools have the option of alternating schedules where students attend one day out of every two — as long as schools cannot maintain stable classroom bubbles. Grade 10 and 11 students are encouraged to attend classes as much as possible.
Groups: Each classroom will be its own bubble and students will not be required to maintain a two-metre distance between classmates.
Physical distancing: Students will need to keep a two-metre distance from all school staff, as well as all other students outside their classroom bubble. There are no physical distancing requirements for children or teachers in pre-school.
Masks: All students in Grade 5 and up — as well as all school staff — must wear a mask inside all common areas of the school except the classroom. Masks can also be removed when students are eating.
Transportation: No more than 48 students will be allowed on a school bus, with no more than two students sitting on the same bench. Preschool and elementary school students are strongly encouraged to wear masks, while older students are required to wear them.
New routines: When schools return in the fall, teachers will move from classroom to classroom, but students will stay put.
Backup plans: In the event of an outbreak in one class, the entire classroom bubble will be sent home to continue studies remotely. Authorities are also putting together an emergency protocol in the event of a second wave to ensure instruction continues online if entire schools are again forced to close. Ideas include quickly distributing tablets or laptops to students needing them and establishing a digital platform to continue courses and maintain communication.
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NEW BRUNSWICK
The province has outlined a set of requirements schools must follow in developing their plans for the fall.
Back to class: Students in kindergarten to Grade 8 are to attend school full time, while those in Grades 9 to 12 are to be taught using a combination of in-class and remote instruction. At-home course work can include online learning, guided projects and experiential education.
Groups: For kindergarten through Grade 2, group sizes will be reduced to about 15, wherever possible. Group sizes should also be shrunk for Grades 3 to 5. Grades 6 to 8 will resume at regular class sizes. Students in Grades 9 to 12 will not be grouped because of their schedules and course options.
Physical distance: Grade 9 to 12 classrooms are required to maintain a one-metre distance, while a two-metre distance is recommended in common areas at all grade levels.
Masks: All students will be required to bring a mask to school, but masks will not be mandatory inside the classroom. Students in Grade 6-12 must wear masks on the school bus and in common areas of school buildings, while children in kindergarten to Grade 5 are encouraged to do so. Teachers for kindergarten to Grade 8 can choose whether they want to wear a mask or shield in the classroom while teachers for Grades 9-12 will be required to wear one when they cannot physically distance from students.
Transportation: Curtains will be installed inside school buses to separate drivers from students. If physical distancing is not possible, drivers will be required to wear a mask or face shield. Students must sit in the same seat every day. Students in kindergarten to Grade 5 will sit alone or with a member of their household. Students in Grades 6-12 wearing masks will sit two to a seat, and if they are sitting alone or with a member of their household, they do not have to wear a mask.
New routines: Arrivals, breaks and lunches are to be staggered. Public access to school buildings will be limited, and students, staff and visitors may also be subject to screening. High school students will be expected to have their own laptop or similar device, and some subsidies will be available. Drinking fountains will be replaced with water bottle-filling stations.
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PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND
Schools on the Island are preparing to welcome all students back to class, while drafting backup plans for remote studies if required.
Back to class: Schools are to reopen for teachers and staff on Sept. 1 and for students on Sept. 8.
Groups: Students will be organized into cohorts when possible and limit their exposure to others.
Physical distancing: Students will be taught about the importance of physical distancing, and extra teaching and cleaning staff may be hired. Schools are also asked to reduce class sizes as much as possible, reconfigure classrooms and make use of spaces such as libraries and multipurpose rooms.
Masks: The province says all staff and students in Grades 7-12 are “strongly recommended” to wear masks when physical distancing cannot be maintained. Students from kindergarten through Grade 6 may wear masks when physical distancing is impossible. Staff interacting with children who have complex medical needs are strongly recommended to wear face shields and gloves.
Transportation: Parents are asked to take their kids to school whenever possible. To reduce the number of riders on buses, schools may add vehicles and routes or implement walk-to-school programs. It is strongly recommended that all students and drivers wear masks on the bus.
New routines: P.E.I. education authorities are revising curricula for this school year to make up for learning gaps caused by lockdown constraints. Schools will stagger schedules to minimize congestion. The provincial school food program will be expanded next year in keeping with public health precautions. Elementary school students will stay in their classrooms for lunch.
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NOVA SCOTIA
Education Minister Zach Churchill says the province’s objective is for schools to return to 100 per cent capacity in the fall, but its plan includes measures to address the possible onset of a second wave of COVID-19.
Back to class: The province aims to have all elementary and high school students in classrooms by Sept. 8.
Groups: Students will be asked to keep to cohorts.
Physical distancing: Students and staff will be encouraged to maintain a two-metre distance whenever possible. Lecture rooms will be reorganized to increase space between desks.
Masks: Masks are not required in classrooms, but students and staff may choose to wear them. While it’s recommended that they bring their own, masks will be provided to those who don’t have one. Staff and students in Grades 10 to 12 must wear masks when physical distancing is difficult.
Transportation: Students who take the school bus will be required to wear non-medical masks.
New routines: Only students and staff will be permitted to enter school buildings. When possible, teachers will be asked to move their classes outdoors. Students will be asked to bring their own computers to school, and the province says it has acquired an additional 14,000 devices for those with limited access to technology.
Backup plans: If a COVID-19 outbreak occurs during the academic year, schools will move to a blended learning model with smaller class sizes and home learning for older students.
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NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR
The province’s back-to-school plan aims to maximize in-class attendance with the option of a return to remote learning if the COVID-19 risk increases.
Back to class: The province’s plan outlines three scenarios — in-class instruction, remote learning or a combination of both, depending on the COVID-19 risk in a particular community.
Groups: Cohorting by class is recommended when it’s feasible, but students’ schedules shouldn’t be disrupted to support smaller groupings.
Physical distancing: Schools should aim to create a two-metre distance between desks, or as much distance as possible. However, provincial authorities say these precautions should not interfere with the daily school routine, and strict physical distancing should not be “over-emphasized” to children, because it is not practical and can cause psychological harm.
Masks: The province does not recommend masks for children, but says their use should not be “stigmatized” for those that choose to wear them. Staff will not be required to wear masks if physical distancing is possible.
Transportation: It will be up to school districts to determine their transportation operations, considering precautions such as assigning seats and separating the driver with a physical divider.
New routines: All students must bring their own supplies in keeping with a “no sharing” policy. Parents will be allowed to accompany kindergarteners for their first day. It says suggestions will be provided to school administrators to accommodate parents.
Backup plans: In the event of moderate-to-widespread transmission of COVID-19, school districts will move to online learning. Classroom attendance should be limited to about 50 per cent when the COVID-19 risk in a community is considered low to moderate. Newfoundland and Labrador says it will spend $20 million to purchase laptops for teachers and students in Grades 7 through 12 to support remote learning.
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YUKON
The territorial government says it’s making plans for the next school year that include flexibility around the number of students in classes if there’s a second wave of COVID-19 or increased risk of transmission. It says each school will determine how it will adjust its operations to meet those guidelines, and school principals and staff are expected to share that information prior to September.
Back to class: Preliminary plans indicate that in rural communities, all students will return to school full time. In Whitehorse, however, kids in kindergarten through Grade 9 will return to full-day in-school instruction, while Grades 10 to 12 will spend half their day in the classroom, and the rest learning remotely.
Groups: Class sizes may be smaller to meet safety restrictions.
Masks: Wearing masks is a personal choice.
Transportation: Bus school and schedules will be posted to the territory’s website.
New routines: Schedule shakeups may mean that some students won’t have their regular teacher or the same classmates. School meal programs may be adapted with new safety measures and pickup options.
Backup plans: The territory has outlined a spectrum of school options if the risk to the community increases, ranging from rotating schedules to suspension of face-to-face learning.
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NORTHWEST TERRITORIES
All N.W.T. schools have submitted plans to reopen their doors this fall. The territory says education authorities are taking a flexible approach in their planning to account for a potential second wave of COVID-19 in the fall.
Back to class: While plans will vary from school to school, the territory will offer in-person instruction whenever possible, while ensuring alternative options are available.
Groups: Students in kindergarten through Grade 6 will be in classroom “bubbles,” and won’t have to practise physical distancing within these groups.
Physical distancing: For Grades 7 to 9, students are asked to maintain a one-metre distance from each other, and two-metre distance from staff. Grade 10 to 12 students are asked to allow for two metres of distance from their peers and instructors.
Masks: Students of all ages may be required to wear masks in situations where physical distance cannot be practised, such as moving through the hallways.
Transportation: There may be changes to bus schedules, and all riders will be required to wear masks.
New routines: More time will be spent learning outside. School hours and schedules may also look different. Students are asked to label personal items and not share.
Backup plans: The territory says schools are preparing to shift between in-person, distance and blended learning at short notice should there become active COVID-19 cases.
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NUNAVUT
The territory has released a four-stage plan for reopening schools based on the risk of the novel coronavirus in a community.
Back to class: There are no reported COVID-19 cases in Nunavut, so all schools are set to reopen this fall with enhanced cleaning and safety precautions.
Groups: It is recommended that schools cohort students by class and limit mixing as much as possible.
Physical distancing: Distance requirements will depend on what stage a community is in, and will primarily be achieved by limiting school attendance.
Masks: In most cases, the use of masks is not recommended for children. If there are exceptions, parents will be notified, and masks will be provided.
Transportation: As it stands, bus schedules are set to resume. Students older than 13 may be required to wear masks.
New routines: Group activities will be limited. Students won’t be allowed to share food in lunchrooms.
Backup plans: The territory says schools could go part-time if contact tracing were to identify a possible source of COVID-19. All schools would be closed if community transmission were to take place.
This report was first published by The Canadian Press on Aug. 31, 2020.
Canada’s chief public health doctor says a slow but steady increase in the number of people testing positive for COVID-19 is a cause for concern.
Dr. Theresa Tam says today the average daily number of people testing positive over the last week is 545 — a 25 per cent increase over the previous week which saw a daily average of 435, and 390 a week before that.
That number increased every day over the last week prompting Tam to remind Canadians not to get complacent about their risk of contracting the novel coronavirus.
Overall, in the last week, 3,955 people tested positive across Canada, and 28 people died of COVID-19.
That compares to 3,044 positive tests and 44 deaths in the week prior.
Tam says most Canadians are following public health advice and that has allowed Canada to keep the COVID-19 pandemic “under manageable control” but says she is concerned about the uptick in positive cases.
“This is a concern and a reminder that we all need to maintain public health measures to keep COVID-19 on the slow-burn path that we need,” she said in a statement.
“As we enter the fall, Canadians will need to be even more vigilant about following public health guidance, particularly as the cold weather shifts activities indoors.”
She said people need to assess both their personal risk if they contract COVID-19, and the risk of severe illness in people in their household or their COVID-19 bubble.
Any event people want to attend should be assessed to determine what COVID-19 precautions are in place and if the event can allow for social distancing or the use of masks, she added.
As of today, 131,895 people have tested positive for COVID-19 in Canada, and 9,145 people have died. Almost nine in 10 people diagnosed with COVID-19 have recovered.
OG Anunoby hit a buzzer-beating three-pointer to give the Toronto Raptors new life in the NBA playoffs.
Kyle Lowry had 31 points and found Anunoby with a precision crosscourt pass with 0.5 seconds on the clock to lift the Raptors to a thrilling 104-103 victory over the Boston Celtics on Thursday.
The victory sliced the Celtics’ lead to 2-1 in their best-of-seven series.
Fred VanVleet had 25 points, Pascal Siakam, who’s struggled in the NBA restart, had 11 of his 16 points in the third quarter, and Anunoby, who missed all of Toronto’s historic post-season run last year after an appendectomy, finished with 12 points.
Kemba Walker poured in 29 points to top Boston, while Jaylen Brown had 19 and Jayson Tatum finished with 15.
The Raptors dodged a massive bullet, as no team has ever come back from being down three games to win a series.
Game 4 is Saturday.
Lowry played like he had no intention of leaving Disney World yet, carrying Toronto with little support through a first half that saw a seven-point lead evaporate into a 10-point deficit at halftime.
But the Raptors locked down on the defensive end after the break, and six consecutive stops sparked a 21-9 run, capped by a Siakam three-pointer, that finally had the Raptors back on top with 3:40 to play in the third.
The quarter closed on a controversial call when Brad Wanamaker kneed Lowry in the groin while driving to the hoop late in the third quarter, leaving Lowry curled on the court in pain. Both he and coach Nick Nurse were livid, but after the officials reviewed the play Lowry was called for a defensive foul, and Wanamaker’s basket and free throw put Boston up 80-76 with one quarter left.
The Raptors were finally moving the ball well in the fourth quarter, and when Norm Powell drilled a three with 6:29 to play, Toronto took a two-point lead.
A cutting dunk by Brown capped an 8-0 Celtics run for a four-point Boston lead with 3:02 left. Lowry muscled to the hoop to make it a one-possession game heading into the final two minutes. The Raptors’ six-time all-star answered a Brown dunk with another hard-fought lay-in with a minute left, then VanVleet drove to the hoop to tie it up, but Walker found a wide-open Daniel Theis under the hoop for an uncontested dunk with 0.5 on the clock.
It looked like game over until Anunoby took the pass from Lowry to score.
Only six per cent of teams had ever come back from 0-2 to win a series, including the Raptors last season. With Kawhi Leonard in the lineup, they lost their first two to Milwaukee in the conference finals but then won four straight to advance to the Finals.
The big difference in bubble basketball though is that Toronto would have played this game and Saturday’s on the parquet floor of Boston’s TD Garden having given up homecourt advantage. But in the NBA bubble, homecourt advantage means 300 virtual fans, and little else.
No matter which venue, Boston has had the answer for the NBA champions all season, losing just once in the previous six meetings, including three previous wins in the NBA bubble.
Lowry, who’d scored 30 points in Toronto’s lone win over Boston this season, pushed the pace from the tipoff, scoring 15 points in a first quarter that saw the Raptors lead by seven. Walker hit a three-pointer at the buzzer and the Celtics led 33-28 to end the quarter.
The woeful shooting that’s plagued the Raptors throughout this series continued in the second quarter. They shot 3-for-13 from distance, and trailed by as many as 10 points in the quarter, and Walker again hit a buzzer-beater to end the quarter and Boston went into the locker-room up 57-47.
The Celtics led wire to wire to easily win the series opener 112-94. Boston edged the Raptors 102-99 in Game 2.
In today’s Big Story podcast, it was a program created at unimaginable speed under incredible circumstances. And it has helped millions of Canadians. But six months later—two months longer than initially planned—the federal government is ending the Canadian Emergency Relief Benefit. So what’s next?
Expanded EI qualifications, new programs for those who don’t qualify for EI and other efforts aimed at supporting workers still impacted by COVID-19. Who qualifies? For how much? How quickly and for how long? And what do you need to prepare to apply? We’ve got a guide to post-CERB Canadian government help.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau continues his virtual tour of Canada today, with electronic visits to the Atlantic provinces.
He conducted a virtual tour of British Columbia on Wednesday, meeting with Premier John Horgan and consulting with business and environmental leaders about how to ensure a green economic recovery from the devastating impact of the pandemic.
Trudeau is planning to unveil what he promises will be a bold recovery plan in a throne speech re-opening Parliament on Sept. 23. The speech will be put to a confidence vote, which could potentially result in the defeat of Trudeau’s minority Liberal government.
With the possibility of a fall election in mind, today’s Atlantic tour appears to have a more political flavour. Trudeau is to be joined by local Liberal MPs as he visits businesses that have used various federal emergency aid programs to stay afloat during the health crisis.
He’ll be speaking with Newfoundland and Labrador’s Liberal premier, Andrew Furey, before moving on to the maritime provinces.
He is scheduled to speak to the owner and employees of Louisbourg Seafoods in Nova Scotia, which used the emergency wage subsidy to continue operations during the pandemic.
Next stop, Distillerie Fils du Roy in New Brunswick, an Acadian company that switched from producing spirits to hand sanitizer during the pandemic to supply governments and essential workers, with the help of a federal emergency loan program.
Trudeau will then conduct a virtual visit of Tronosjet Maintenance Inc., a Prince Edward Island aerospace company that has been producing disposable 3D printed protective caps for ear thermometers to address shortages at a local hospital and is hoping to develop additional testing equipment.
He is also scheduled to give interviews to several local radio shows.
Trudeau normally uses the summer to travel the country and engage in outreach with community leaders and voters outside the Ottawa bubble. But apart from the occasional forays to Toronto, Montreal and communities near Ottawa, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic this year has put a severe crimp in his usual cross-country travels.
Like other political leaders, Trudeau has been forced to find other ways to conduct regional outreach.
In today’s Big Story podcast, one of the goals of the movement to defund the police is to limit a police force’s ability to acquire expensive, military-style equipment. Even if that movement is successful, however, the police have other ways of funding their purchases. It doesn’t get much attention, but police foundations across Canada have in recent years used money given to them by corporate donors to help police purchase everything from a patrol boat to an armoured vehicle and a drone program.
None of those purchases needed the approval of city hall or the public. None of them was open and transparent. And none of them would have been stopped by defunding the police department. In fact, as defunding the police gains momentum, these foundations will become more attractive to police departments and more outrageous to people who worry about preferential treatment for donors.
Plans are being made across the country for how to safely send students back to school in the fall as the COVID-19 pandemic continues.
Here is a look at what the various provinces have said about getting kids back to classes.
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BRITISH COLUMBIA
British Columbia has laid out its plan for studies to resume in “learning groups” this fall. School districts are to post final back-to-school details online by Aug. 26.
Back to class: Schools were initially scheduled to welcome students back full time on Sept. 8, but the province announced it is pushing back the restart date by two days to Sept. 10.
Groups: Students will be sorted into learning groups to reduce the number of people they come in contact with. For elementary and middle school students, groups will be no larger than 60 people. Secondary school groups will be capped at 120.
Physical distancing: Students and staff don’t need to maintain physical distancing within their learning group, but contact should be minimized. Outside the group, physical distancing is required. Students should be more spaced out in classrooms.
Masks: Students and staff will not be required to wear masks in schools, but the province says it’s a “personal choice that will always be respected.” It says provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry recommends non-medical masks be worn by adults and older students when they are unable to physically distance like in hallways and on buses.
New routines: The province is urging schools to stagger recess, lunch and class transition times and take students outside whenever possible.
Transportation: Middle and high school students are asked to wear masks on buses. Students should be assigned seats, and a transparent barrier may be used to separate the driver.
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ALBERTA
The province is planning to fully reopen schools from kindergarten to Grade 12 this fall. Measures will be tightened if an outbreak occurs and class sizes could be reduced to 20.
Back to class: School will be back in session with extra safety measures, but the province says there are programs to support remote and alternative learning.
Groups: Schools should sort students into cohorts by class when possible to minimize contact with others.
Physical distancing: Physical distancing is recommended when possible. Rooms should be rearranged to increase space between desks.
Masks: Masks will be mandatory for staff and many students in some school settings. Students in Grades 4 to 12 must wear masks in all common areas, such as hallways and on buses. Staff are required to wear masks whenever physical distancing cannot be maintained. Mask use will be optional for kids in kindergarten through Grade 3. The government says all students and staff will receive two reusable masks as part of the policy.
Transportation: Parents are asked to bring their children to school if they can. Students who take the bus will sit in the same seat every day.
New routines: Schools are advised to consider a “no sharing policy,” with each student bringing their own supplies. Class, lunch and recess schedules will be staggered.
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SASKATCHEWAN
Saskatchewan first unveiled a set of back-to-school guidelines in June, but released more details and made some changes in August.
Back to class: Students will return to class on Sept. 8 after the province pushed the date back from as early as Sept. 1
Groups: Groups of students and staff members assigned to them should stick together throughout the day and try not to mingle with other groups. Schools should aim to minimize the number of different instructors who interact with students throughout the day.
Physical distancing: Officials say maintaining physical distance is “less practical” for younger children, and the focus should be on limiting physical contact. Officials suggest limiting hugs and hand holding and suggest using alternative greetings such as air high fives. Schools are also to have dedicated quarantine areas where symptomatic students can go before they are picked up by parents.
Masks: The province says it’s up to school boards to decide whether to make masks mandatory for students and staff. The chief medical health officer advises Grade 4 to 12 students should wear them in busy areas such as hallways and on buses.
Transportation: Parents should take their kids to school when possible, and pickup and drop-offs should happen outside. Students using school transportation should be assigned seats, and a partition may be used to separate the driver.
New routines: Start times, recess, lunch and class transitions may be staggered to allow for more space for physical distancing. Schools should rearrange their classrooms to space out students. Students and staff are asked to bring hand sanitizer. In school public health visits for routine vaccinations will include COVID-19 testing, with parental consent.
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MANITOBA
The Manitoba government says students are going back to the classroom on Sept. 8 with new guidelines.
Back to class: All students from kindergarten to Grade 8 are to have in-class instruction five days a week. High school students will also be in class full time, however, there may be some days of remote learning.
Groups: When physical distancing isn’t possible, students will have to be organized into cohorts of no more than 75, and minimize contact with others. In these cases, there must be at least one metre between their desks.
Physical distancing: The province says students are required to maintain a two-metre distance to “the greatest extent possible.” When it isn’t possible, physical barriers may be an option. Spaces should be arranged to encourage separation.
Masks: Masks are strongly recommended for students in Grades 5 to 12. They are required when taking the bus.
Transportation: All students, drivers and any other passengers on school buses will be required to wear masks. Parents are encouraged to transport their children to school if they can.
New routines: Lunch and recess are to be staggered to minimize congestion, and in many cases teachers will change classrooms instead of students.
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ONTARIO
Ontario students will be back in class September, but their schedules and class sizes may vary depending on where they live.
Back to class: Elementary students and many high schoolers will be in school five days a week in standard class sizes. However, secondary students at two dozen boards that are higher risk will only attend class half the time, and will spend the rest of the week working on “curriculum-linked independent work.” Parents will also have the option to keep their kids out of class, and boards must provide options for remote learning.
Groups: For high schoolers in high-risk districts, class sizes will be capped at 15. Meanwhile, elementary students won’t be broken up into smaller groups, but will be grouped into cohorts and their exposure to different teachers will be limited.
Physical distancing: While Education Minister Stephen Lecce said the aim is to keep students one metre apart from each other, a guidance document says only that schools should promote “as much distancing as possible” rather than being strictly enforced.
Masks: Masks will be mandatory for students in Grades 4 through 12, and will be strongly encouraged for younger kids when they’re in indoor common areas. Staff will be expected to wear masks.
Transportation: Some school boards may have more than one student assigned to a seat. When physical distancing isn’t possible, masks will be mandatory for students in Grades 4 to 12, and younger students will be encouraged but not required to do the same.
New routines: Students in some districts will have to pre-register for in-person schooling. Some schools may limit or even ban visitors, including parents. Breaks will be scheduled to allow students to wash their hands.
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QUEBEC
All elementary and high school students in Quebec will be required to attend class in September unless they have a doctor’s note indicating they’re at high risk of COVID-19 complications or they live with someone at risk. Those students will be allowed to study remotely.
Back to class: Class attendance is mandatory for elementary and high school students. For Grades 10 and 11, schools have the option of alternating schedules where students attend one day out of every two — as long as schools cannot maintain stable classroom bubbles. Grade 10 and 11 students are encouraged to attend classes as much as possible.
Groups: Each classroom will be its own bubble and students will not be required to maintain a two-metre distance between classmates.
Physical distancing: Students will need to keep a two-metre distance from all school staff, as well as all other students outside their classroom bubble. There are no physical distancing requirements for children or teachers in pre-school.
Masks: All students in Grade 5 and up — as well as all school staff — must wear a mask inside all common areas of the school except the classroom. Masks can also be removed when students are eating.
Transportation: No more than 48 students will be allowed on a school bus, with no more than two students sitting on the same bench. Preschool and elementary school students are strongly encouraged to wear masks, while older students are required to wear them.
New routines: When schools return in the fall, teachers will move from classroom to classroom, but students will stay put.
Backup plans: In the event of an outbreak in one class, the entire classroom bubble will be sent home to continue studies remotely. Authorities are also putting together an emergency protocol in the event of a second wave to ensure instruction continues online if entire schools are again forced to close. Ideas include quickly distributing tablets or laptops to students needing them and establishing a digital platform to continue courses and maintain communication.
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NEW BRUNSWICK
The province has outlined a set of requirements schools must follow in developing their plans for the fall.
Back to class: Students in kindergarten to Grade 8 are to attend school full time, while those in Grades 9 to 12 are to be taught using a combination of in-class and remote instruction. At-home course work can include online learning, guided projects and experiential education.
Groups: For kindergarten through Grade 2, group sizes will be reduced to about 15, wherever possible. Group sizes should also be shrunk for Grades 3 to 5. Grades 6 to 8 will resume at regular class sizes. Students in Grades 9 to 12 will not be grouped because of their schedules and course options. Students up to Grade 8 will also be kept in classroom bubbles to prevent COVID-19 transmission.
Physical distance: Grade 9 to 12 classrooms are required to maintain a one-metre distance, while a two-metre distance is recommended in common areas at all grade levels. Students up to Grade 8 will be allowed to interact within the classroom without physical distancing, but they will be required to keep a two-metre distance from anyone while outside their class bubble.
Masks: Mask-wearing will be required in common areas and on school buses for students in Grade 6 and up, and it will be encouraged for younger students. Masks won’t be required inside classrooms. Teachers for kindergarten to Grade 8 can choose whether they want to wear a mask or shield in the classroom, while teachers for Grades 9-12 will be required to wear one when they cannot physically distance from students.
Transportation: Curtains will be installed inside school buses to separate drivers from students. If physical distancing is not possible, drivers will be required to wear a mask or face shield. Students must sit in the same seat every day. Students in kindergarten to Grade 5 will sit alone or with a member of their household. Students in Grades 6-12 wearing masks will sit two to a seat, and if they are sitting alone or with a member of their household, they do not have to wear a mask.
New routines: Arrivals, breaks and lunches are to be staggered. Public access to school buildings will be limited, and students, staff and visitors may also be subject to screening. High school students will be expected to have their own laptop or similar device, and some subsidies will be available. Drinking fountains will be replaced with water bottle-filling stations. The government says singing and music classes will be allowed, but should take place outdoors as much as possible and students will be asked to sing softly. Children in kindergarten to Grade 8 will be allowed to share instruments, while students in Grades 9 to 12 must maintain physical distancing and can share instruments only if they’re disinfected between each use.
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PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND
Schools on the Island are preparing to welcome all students back to class, while drafting backup plans for remote studies if required.
Back to class: Schools are to reopen for teachers and staff on Sept. 1 and for students on Sept. 8.
Groups: Students will be organized into cohorts when possible and limit their exposure to others.
Physical distancing: Students will be taught about the importance of physical distancing, and extra teaching and cleaning staff may be hired. Schools are also asked to reduce class sizes as much as possible, reconfigure classrooms and make use of spaces such as libraries and multipurpose rooms.
Masks: The province says all staff and students in Grades 7-12 are “strongly recommended” to wear masks when physical distancing cannot be maintained. Students from kindergarten through Grade 6 may wear masks when physical distancing is impossible. Staff interacting with children who have complex medical needs are strongly recommended to wear face shields and gloves.
Transportation: Parents are asked to take their kids to school whenever possible. To reduce the number of riders on buses, schools may add vehicles and routes or implement walk-to-school programs. It is strongly recommended that all students and drivers wear masks on the bus.
New routines: P.E.I. education authorities are revising curricula for this school year to make up for learning gaps caused by lockdown constraints. Schools will stagger schedules to minimize congestion. The provincial school food program will be expanded next year in keeping with public health precautions. Elementary school students will stay in their classrooms for lunch.
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NOVA SCOTIA
Education Minister Zach Churchill says the province’s objective is for schools to return to 100 per cent capacity in the fall, but its plan includes measures to address the possible onset of a second wave of COVID-19.
Back to class: The province aims to have all elementary and high school students in classrooms by Sept. 8.
Groups: Students will be asked to keep to cohorts.
Physical distancing: Students and staff will be encouraged to maintain a two-metre distance whenever possible. Lecture rooms will be reorganized to increase space between desks.
Masks: Masks are not required in classrooms, but students and staff may choose to wear them. While it’s recommended that they bring their own, masks will be provided to those who don’t have one. Staff and students in Grades 10 to 12 must wear masks when physical distancing is difficult.
Transportation: Students who take the school bus will be required to wear non-medical masks.
New routines: Only students and staff will be permitted to enter school buildings. When possible, teachers will be asked to move their classes outdoors. Students will be asked to bring their own computers to school, and the province says it has acquired an additional 14,000 devices for those with limited access to technology.
Backup plans: If a COVID-19 outbreak occurs during the academic year, schools will move to a blended learning model with smaller class sizes and home learning for older students.
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NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR
The province’s back-to-school plan aims to maximize in-class attendance with the option of a return to remote learning if the COVID-19 risk increases.
Back to class: The province’s plan outlines three scenarios — in-class instruction, remote learning or a combination of both, depending on the COVID-19 risk in a particular community.
Groups: Cohorting by class is recommended when it’s feasible, but students’ schedules shouldn’t be disrupted to support smaller groupings.
Physical distancing: Schools should aim to create a two-metre distance between desks, or as much distance as possible. However, provincial authorities say these precautions should not interfere with the daily school routine, and strict physical distancing should not be “over-emphasized” to children, because it is not practical and can cause psychological harm.
Masks: The province does not recommend masks for children, but says their use should not be “stigmatized” for those that choose to wear them. Staff will not be required to wear masks if physical distancing is possible.
Transportation: It will be up to school districts to determine their transportation operations, considering precautions such as assigning seats and separating the driver with a physical divider.
New routines: All students must bring their own supplies in keeping with a “no sharing” policy. Parents will be allowed to accompany kindergartners for their first day. It says suggestions will be provided to school administrators to accommodate parents.
Backup plans: In the event of moderate-to-widespread transmission of COVID-19, school districts will move to online learning. Classroom attendance should be limited to about 50 per cent when the COVID-19 risk in a community is considered low to moderate. Newfoundland and Labrador says it will spend $20 million to purchase laptops for teachers and students in Grades 7 through 12 to support remote learning.
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YUKON
The territorial government says it’s making plans for the next school year that include flexibility around the number of students in classes if there’s a second wave of COVID-19 or increased risk of transmission. It says each school will determine how it will adjust its operations to meet those guidelines, and school principals and staff are expected to share that information prior to September.
Back to class: Preliminary plans indicate that in rural communities, all students will return to school full time. In Whitehorse, however, kids in kindergarten through Grade 9 will return to full-day in-school instruction, while Grades 10 to 12 will spend half their day in the classroom, and the rest learning remotely.
Groups: Class sizes may be smaller to meet safety restrictions.
Masks: Wearing masks is a personal choice.
Transportation: Bus school and schedules will be posted to the territory’s website.
New routines: Schedule shakeups may mean that some students won’t have their regular teacher or the same classmates. School meal programs may be adapted with new safety measures and pickup options.
Backup plans: The territory has outlined a spectrum of school options if the risk to the community increases, ranging from rotating schedules to suspension of face-to-face learning.
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NORTHWEST TERRITORIES
All N.W.T. schools have submitted plans to reopen their doors this fall. The territory says education authorities are taking a flexible approach in their planning to account for a potential second wave of COVID-19 in the fall.
Back to class: While plans will vary from school to school, the territory will offer in-person instruction whenever possible, while ensuring alternative options are available.
Groups: Students in kindergarten through Grade 6 will be in classroom “bubbles,” and won’t have to practise physical distancing within these groups.
Physical distancing: For Grades 7 to 9, students are asked to maintain a one-metre distance from each other, and two-metre distance from staff. Grade 10 to 12 students are asked to allow for two metres of distance from their peers and instructors.
Masks: Students of all ages may be required to wear masks in situations where physical distance cannot be practised, such as moving through the hallways.
Transportation: There may be changes to bus schedules, and all riders will be required to wear masks.
New routines: More time will be spent learning outside. School hours and schedules may also look different. Students are asked to label personal items and not share.
Backup plans: The territory says schools are preparing to shift between in-person, distance and blended learning at short notice should there become active COVID-19 cases.
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NUNAVUT
The territory has released a four-stage plan for reopening schools based on the risk of the novel coronavirus in a community.
Back to class: There are no reported COVID-19 cases in Nunavut, so all schools are set to reopen this fall with enhanced cleaning and safety precautions.
Groups: It is recommended that schools cohort students by class and limit mixing as much as possible.
Physical distancing: Distance requirements will depend on what stage a community is in, and will primarily be achieved by limiting school attendance.
Masks: In most cases, the use of masks is not recommended for children. If there are exceptions, parents will be notified, and masks will be provided.
Transportation: As it stands, bus schedules are set to resume. Students older than 13 may be required to wear masks.
New routines: Group activities will be limited. Students won’t be allowed to share food in lunchrooms.
Backup plans: The territory says schools could go part-time if contact tracing were to identify a possible source of COVID-19. All schools would be closed if community transmission were to take place.
This report was first published by The Canadian Press on Sept. 2, 2020.
In today’s Big Story podcast, it’s already something some people try to avoid—and the thought of spending hours in a courtroom with others, masked or not, doesn’t make jury duty any more appealing. But jury trials are returning this month, and so jury questionnaires are already on the way to mailboxes.
But what’s being done to keep jurors safe? To make it worthwhile for them to serve? And to mitigate that added burden on any disruption to work or home life that comes with COVID-19? Should we be trying to make jury trials function well enough, or take this opportunity to rethink jury duty forever?
GUEST: Mark Farrant, CEO of the Canadian Juries Commission
In today’s Big Story podcast, the practice of solitary confinement in Canada had been found to violate inmates’ human rights. The government had been given a year to fix it, and last December, the year was almost up.
Since then, a lot has changed in the world. But it seems not a lot has changed in our prison system. And if anything had really changed, we likely wouldn’t know, because the government won’t tell us. It won’t even tell the panel it appointed to watch over its work. Why?
OTTAWA — Most Canadians know very little about new Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole but a new poll suggests his personal qualities and policy positions could eventually give his party a boost.
Fifty-two per cent of respondents said they didn’t know enough about O’Toole to say whether they have a positive or negative impression of the new leader, who took the helm of the Official Opposition one week ago.
But 21 per cent had a favourable impression while 18 per cent had an unfavourable impression.
Moreover, the poll, conducted Aug. 28 to 30 by Leger and the Association for Canadian Studies, found there was no bump in support for the Conservatives following O’Toole’s leadership victory.
Support among decided voters for the Conservatives actually dropped one point to 29 per cent versus the previous week. Liberal support also dropped, by three points, to 35 per cent, with the NDP moving up three points to 21 per cent and the Greens down one point to five per cent.
The online survey of 1,521 Canadians cannot be assigned a margin of error because internet-based polls are not considered random samples, but all those changes are small.
“We’re still at the Erin Who? stage.”
In Quebec, the poll found the Bloc Quebecois ahead with 34 per cent support to the Liberals’ 30 per cent, the NDP’s 18, the Conservatives’ 14 and the Greens’ two per cent.
“There’s no O’Toole effect on Conservative voting for now because, for the most part, we’re still at the Erin Who? stage,” said Leger executive vice-president Christian Bourque.
Still, the poll asked respondents if they’d be more or less likely to consider voting Conservative based on various O’Toole attributes and policy positions. And those results suggest he could eventually become more of an asset to his party as he becomes better known, although he could face some regional challenges particularly with regard to his energy policies.
Forty-four per cent said they’d be more likely to consider voting Conservative once informed that O’Toole is personally in favour of a woman’s right to choose to have an abortion and supports same-sex marriage. Twelve per cent said they’d be less likely.
Respondents were not asked about O’Toole’s vow to allow socially conservative MPs to express their views, put forward private members’ bills and vote freely on matters of conscience.
A plurality (29 per cent nationally and 44 per cent in Quebec) were more likely to consider supporting the Conservatives when told that O’Toole was born in Montreal and is bilingual, although the fluency of his French has been questioned.
A plurality also were more likely to consider voting Conservative when told that O’Toole is a former member of the Canadian Armed Forces, advocates a harder line against China, supports building new pipelines and is opposed to a carbon tax.
However, a regional divide was apparent over his energy policies. His stance sat particularly well with respondents in Alberta and Manitoba/Saskatchewan but a strong plurality of respondents in Quebec said his support for pipelines made them less likely to consider voting Conservative while Quebecers were almost evenly split over his opposition to a tax on carbon (23 per cent more likely to vote Conservative versus 21 per cent less likely).
The fact that Alberta Premier Jason Kenney endorsed O’Toole in the leadership contest was the only overall negative, with 20 per cent nationally saying it made them less likely to vote Conservative and 15 per cent saying they’d be more likely. Even in Alberta, 34 per cent said Kenney’s support made them less likely to consider O’Toole’s party federally, to 26 per cent who said they’d be more likely.
“He’s clearly not ready yet.”
Bourque said the results suggest an openness towards O’Toole but he said the new leader’s ultimate success will depend on his ability to distance himself personally from the socially conservative wing of the Conservative party (whose support was a decisive factor in his leadership victory), and on his ability to sell his energy policies in vote-rich central Canada.
All told, Bourque said the poll suggests O’Toole needs time to make himself known to Canadians and would be wise not to try to defeat Justin Trudeau’s minority Liberal government this fall.
“He’s clearly not ready yet.”
Should there be an election this fall in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, 78 per cent of respondents said all Canadians should have the option of voting by mail.
A humpback whale is seen just outside of Hartley Bay along the Great Bear Rainforest, B.C. Tuesday, Sept, 17, 2013. The head veterinarian at the Ocean Wise Marine Mammal Centre and the Vancouver Aquarium says if animals are unable to forage with gear restricting either the mouth or impairing ability to dive and swim, then they will starve to death. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward
VANCOUVER — Marine mammal specialists and whale rescue groups say they’re not sure how much fishing gear three entangled humpback whales spotted off the coast of British Columbia are still carrying, leaving experts worried.
Paul Cottrell, the Pacific marine mammals co-ordinator for the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans, says while rescuers managed to get some gear off one of the animals, they are not sure how the other two are faring.
He says the first whale, known as Checkmate, was spotted last week and has a trap and line running through its mouth. However, because someone had cut off a buoy attached to the gear, Cottrell says rescuers haven’t been able to attach a line to the animal and help it.
He says another yet-to-be-named whale has a fishing net over its head and was last seen more than three weeks ago.
Cottrell says rescuers managed to remove more than 60 metres of fishing line off a third whale named X-ray, but the animal was also last seen more than three weeks ago so they don’t know how it is faring.
Martin Haulena, head veterinarian at the Ocean Wise Marine Mammal Centre and the Vancouver Aquarium, says if animals are unable to forage because of gear either restricting their mouth or impairing their ability to dive and swim, they will likely starve to death.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 30, 2020.
People take part in a Driving While Black protest in Montreal, Sunday, Aug 30, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes
MONTREAL — Djennie Dorvilier still remembers the excitement of getting a brand new car after graduating from college 20 years ago, using the money she saved from working night shifts at McDonald’s.
She also remembers being stopped nine times for random police checks within the first month and a half of owning her new car, a 2000 Mazda Protege.
“I was even told it’s because I didn’t look like someone who could afford such a car,” Dorvilier said at a protest in Montreal on Sunday.
Dorvilier was among a convoy of nearly 60 Black motorists who drove to Quebec Premier Francois Legault’s office in the suburb of L’Assomption, about an hour outside the city, to protest racial profiling.
The demonstration, titled “Driving While Black,” comes amid a widespread movement to bring attention to police treatment of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and people of colour) communities.
“Now people are listening, but we’ve been going through this for many years. It’s important to raise awareness about, when you’re racialized, how you’re treated by the police when stopped while driving your car,” Dorvilier said.
The demonstrators eventually made it to Legault’s office, where they read out their demands from a letter detailing 10 ways to stop Black people from being targeted by police while driving.
The proposals include a call to revise Quebec’s Guide to Police Practices to eliminate any act that allows officers to discriminate or racially profile anyone they come across.
The guide was in the news last week, when the province’s Ministry of Public Security unveiled guidelines to make sure that police stops aren’t racially motivated. But the move was met with criticism by some advocacy groups who said they weren’t consulted.
The province’s human rights commission ruled at the end of 2019 that the city of Montreal should stop police checks as they “disproportionately affect certain groups.”
Fo Niemi, executive director of the Centre for Research Against Race Relations, said Sunday he’s been receiving complaints from people across the province — including as far west as Gatineau — about police checks. He said there’s a growing number of them coming from suburban areas, where more and more Black people are moving.
“We have some people being stopped practically two, three times a months just because they drive a flashy car,” Niemi said. “To the point where one of our clients has to basically change his car.”
Vladimir Dorceus said he has lost track of the amount of times he has been pulled over for a random check by police in his Black BMW. Dorceus brought his nine-year old son to Sunday’s event to show him how Black people can come together to protest the issue.
“Even if he’s young, I think he has to be informed of the situation. Because he’s a young Black person who lives in Montreal and it could happen to him in the future,” Dorceus said.
Josue Corvil, who was elected as a city councillor for the Montreal borough of Saint-Michel in late 2018, said he remembers being stopped by police who were unaware of his work for the city last year.
He said he doesn’t believe all police officers are racist, but he feels some of their ways must be changed in order for better relations to be had between Black people and police.
“It’s very frustrating to be stopped,” Corvil said.
Legault’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Sunday.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 30, 2020.
A supporter holds a sign for the Green Party of Canada as a group of candidates and supporters marched towards a discussion on climate with Green Party leader Elizabeth May in Toronto, Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2019. The field of contenders vying to become leader of the federal Green Party just got a little smaller. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Cole Burston
OTTAWA — The field of contenders vying to become leader of the federal Green Party just got a little smaller.
Nova Scotia computer scientist and veteran Judy Green is withdrawing from the race and throwing her support behind fellow candidate David Merner of British Columbia.
Green’s withdrawal follows a battle just to get on the ballot after the party’s vetting committee rejected her candidacy in early June, before she successfully appealed the decision.
Green did not say in her Facebook post announcing her withdrawal on Sunday why she was stepping down from the race, which will see a new leader elected to replace Elizabeth May in October.
But party records released earlier this month showed that she was outside the top five in terms of fundraising among the party’s nine leadership hopefuls.
The records showed Toronto lawyer Annamie Paul was far and away the fundraising leader, as she had pulled in about one-third of all the money donated during the leadership race.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 30, 2020.
Facing a national moment fraught with racial turmoil and a deadly pandemic, President Donald Trump accepted his party’s renomination on a massive White House South Lawn stage Thursday night, boasting of helping African Americans and defying his own administration’s pandemic guidelines to address a tightly packed, largely maskless crowd.
As troubles churned outside the gates, Trump painted an optimistic vision of America’s future, including an eventual triumph over the coronavirus pandemic that has killed more than 175,000 people, left millions unemployed and rewritten the rules of society. But that brighter horizon can only be secured, Trump asserted, if he defeats Democrat Joe Biden.
Trailing Biden in opinion polls, he blistered the former vice president’s record and even questioned his love of America.
“We have spent the last four years reversing the damage Joe Biden inflicted over the last 47 years,” Trump said.
Presenting himself as the last barrier protecting an American way of life under siege from radical forces, Trump declared that “Joe Biden and his party repeatedly assailed America as a land of racial, economic, and social injustice.”″
“So tonight, I ask you a very simple question: How can the Democrat Party ask to lead our country when it spends so much time tearing down our country?” Trump said. “In the left’s backward view, they do not see America as the most free, just, and exceptional nation on earth. Instead, they see a wicked nation that must be punished for its sins.”
As his speech brought the scaled-back Republican National Convention to a close, Trump’s incendiary rhetoric risked inflaming a divided nation reeling from a series of calamities, including the pandemic, a major hurricane that slammed into the Gulf Coast and nights of racial unrest and violence after Jacob Blake, a Black man, was shot by a white Wisconsin police officer.
He was introduced by his daughter Ivanka, an influential White House adviser, who portrayed the famously bombastic Trump as someone who shaken up Washington with little record for norms or niceties.
“Dad, people attack you for being unconventional, but I love you for being real. And I respect you for being effective,” she said.
The president spoke from a setting that was both familiar and controversial. Despite tradition and regulation to not use the White House for purely political events,a huge stage was set up outside the executive mansion, dwarfing the trappings for some of the most important moments of past presidencies. The speaker’s stand was flanked by dozens of American flags and two big video screens.
Trying to run as an insurgent as well as incumbent, Trump rarely includes calls for unity, even in a time of national uncertainty. He has repeatedly, if not always effectively, tried to portray Biden — who is considered a moderate Democrat — as a tool of the radical left, fringe forces he has claimed don’t love their country.
The Republicans claim that the violence that has erupted in Kenosha and some other American cities is to be blamed on Democratic governors and mayors. Vice President Mike Pence on Wednesday said that Americans wouldn’t be safe in “Joe Biden’s America.”
That drew a stern rebuke from his predecessor in the post.
“The problem we have right now is that we are in Donald Trump’s America,” said Biden on MSNBC. “He views this as a political benefit to him, he is rooting for more violence not less. He is pouring gasoline on the fire.”
Both parties are watching with uncertainty the developments in Wisconsin and cities across the nation with Republicans leaning hard on support for law and order — with no words offered for Black victims of police violence — while falsely claiming that Biden has not condemned the lawlessness. Rudy Giuliani, Trump’s personal attorney and New York City’s former mayor, declared that Democrats’ “silence was so deafening that it reveals an acceptance of this violence because they will accept anything they hope will defeat President Donald Trump.”
Though some of the speakers, unlike on previous nights, offered notes of sympathy to the families of Black men killed by police, Giuliani also took aim at the Black Lives Matter movement, suggesting that it, along with ANTIFA, was part of the extremist voices pushing Biden to “execute their pro-criminal, anti-police policies” and had “hijacked the protests into vicious, brutal riots.”
In today’s Big Story podcast, a special episode of the Big Story looks at what has happened in sports over the past 48 hours and asks a question: If it isn’t business as usual, and talking won’t get things done, what will?
The Wisconsin officer who shot a Black man, Jacob Blake seven times in the back has been identified as a seven-year veteran of the Kenosha Police Department, the state Department of Justice said Wednesday.
Officer Rusten Sheskey shot Blake, 29, while holding onto his shirt after officers first unsuccessfully used a taser and as Blake leaned into his vehicle during an incident Sunday evening, the agency’s news release said.
State agents later recovered a knife from the driver’s side floorboard of the vehicle, the release said. A search of the vehicle located no additional weapons.
No charges were announced and the state Department of Investigation was continuing to investigate.
The shooting set off three nights of unrest in the city midway between Milwaukee and Chicago. Two people were shot and killed during protests Tuesday night.
With the fall semester just days away, international students enrolled in Canadian universities are raising concerns about the impact of COVID-19 on their studies, their wallets, and their futures.
A group of international students currently enrolled at the University of Toronto have created the International Student Advocacy Network (ISAN) to present their concerns and demands to university officials.
They say the toll COVID-19 is taking on them, like their fees, is disproportionately higher than domestic students.
“They have increased fees by an average of 5.4 per cent for the coming year and that decision was made after the World Health Organization (WHO) announced the global pandemic,” Anna BML Carneiro, coordinator at ISAN, says.
The group says the fee increase is not justified considering a majority of classes are being taught online and is demanding that the university roll back the hike.
“Losing the opportunity to network, to meet different people on campus, to use different resources … everything that makes the campus experience and the university experience so rich for us and makes it worth it coming here is no longer available,” Carneiro says.
ISAN has approached several University officials’ offices and are waiting to hear back as the deadline to register and pay fees approaches.
“We didn’t get a single response. The responses from the students have been very positive – we’ve got the support of various student groups and other campus bodies. The student union has been collaborating with us. But unfortunately we haven’t had a response from administration,” Carneiro explains.
The University of Toronto tells CityNews that incidental fees that cover on-campus experiences have been reduced.
“[They have] been adjusted accordingly to reflect that so much of university life will now be off-campus,” Joseph Wong, Vice-President, International at University of Toronto, says.
However, he says the international tuition fee increase is in line with their normal, annual fee increase. He adds that moving to online learning is not necessarily less expensive.
“We have had to invest significant amounts in terms of new education technology, academic divisions have been bringing in educational technology specialists, faculty instructors have been reworking their courses, in fact adding new elements to their courses that would likely not have occurred had the pandemic not occurred,” Wong says.
Wong also says classrooms are being fitted for a “dual delivery” system, with some students in class while others join online. They have had to be revamped with new equipment including hardware like mics and screens to accommodate both in-class and online learning.
“We want to create, as much as possible, an in-person like experience for all of the students and that requires huge investments. So you look at the renovated room — just the cost of hardware itself to make this happen and to continue to have a really high quality educational experience for our students requires resources,” he explains.
However, while all students, domestic and international, will benefit from the improvements, the only one’s facing a fee hike are international students, who already pay up to seven times the domestic tuition.
“Our domestic students, their fees or the expenses incurred to buy the same educational experience for them is subsidized by the government,” Wong says.
“Given the realities of where the levels of those subsidies are, they’re such that we’ve had to continue to increase our international student tuition — as we would normally. This is not an extraordinary increase, this is just part of our regular stepped increase.”
Along with a disruption in current studies, international students may also find their futures in limbo as some may not be able to fulfill the eligibility criteria for the Post Graduation Work Permit program (PGWP) thanks to COVID-19 travel restrictions.
The length of a PGWP is dependent on the length of the program in which a student is enrolled.
In it’s latest update to eligibility criteria, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) says students enrolled in an eight or 12 month program, which starts between May and September 2020, can now complete their entire program online from outside Canada and still be eligible for a PGWP.
Those in longer programs can study online from abroad until April 30, 2021 and will have no time deducted from the length of a future post-graduation work permit — but they must still complete 50 per cent of their program while physically present in Canada.
For those currently outside the country, returning to Canada to fulfill that criteria might be tricky, as they have to prove their travel is “non-discretionary” or essential. With many universities offering courses online, proving it is essential for them to be physically present in Canada could be complicated.
Ziah Sumar, an immigration lawyer with Long Mangalji LLP, says some international students may be allowed to return based on other criteria — for example, if an international student moved to Canada and was already living here and went back home for a vacation.
“IRCC has said that the “non-discretionary” [criteria] includes people who are already living in Canada. Technically by IRCC’s definition they should be able to travel back to Canada,” she says.
“With that being said, the IRCC says they “may” be able to and in the end the final decision is up to the border services officer.”
The IRCC confirms on its website that “a border services officer will make the final decision on whether your reason for travelling to Canada is non-discretionary or non-optional.”
Both University of Toronto and Ryerson University say international students will be provided with documentation to prove their travel is essential should they wish to return.
CityNews reached out to the IRCC to confirm whether those documents would be sufficient proof to re-enter the country and they would only say that the criteria for entry for international students remain the same.
OTTAWA — Newly minted Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole’s ability to manage social conservatives in his caucus and party will be put to an early test this fall when the Liberal government reintroduces legislation on medical assistance in dying.
And it will be tested again when the government reintroduces a bill to ban conversion therapy, a discredited and traumatic practice aimed at repressing non-heterosexual behaviours or to make a person’s gender identity match the sex assigned at birth.
Both bills are controversial among social conservatives, who proved to be a decisive factor in O’Toole’s victory early Monday in the Conservative leadership race.
And O’Toole himself has raised concerns about them, notwithstanding his declared position as a pro-choice Conservative and LGBTQ rights advocate.
O’Toole has promised to put an end to the ambiguity on issues like abortion and gay rights that bedevilled his predecessor, Andrew Scheer, while respecting the right of social conservatives to express their views.
He’ll get a chance to square that circle this fall as the government rushes to pass a bill to amend the law on assisted dying to conform with a court ruling last fall, which struck down a provision that allows only individuals already near death to end their lives with medical help.
The bill was first introduced in February but it was still in the initial stage of the legislative process when Parliament was adjourned in mid-March due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
It died on the order paper when Prime Minister Justin Trudeau prorogued Parliament last week but the government intends to reintroduce it shortly after Parliament resumes on Sept. 23.
The court, which initially gave the government six months to change the law, has since granted two extensions. The government now has until Dec. 18 and Justice Minister David Lametti’s office says the government is determined to meet that deadline.
“Our government has every intention of meeting the court’s deadline,” said spokeswoman Rachel Rappaport.
O’Toole voted against the original bill that legalized assisted dying following a landmark Supreme Court ruling on the subject. In his leadership platform, he courted social conservatives by promising to protect “the conscience rights of all health care professionals whose beliefs, religious or otherwise, prevent them from carrying out or referring patients for services that violate their conscience.”
That promise flies in the face of a unanimous Ontario Court of Appeal ruling in May 2019, which said doctors who have moral objections to providing health services like abortion or assisted death must provide patients with an “effective referral” to another doctor.
Conservative MP Derek Sloan, an avowed social conservative who finished last in the four-person leadership contest, went a step further in his platform. He promised to claw back equalization payments from provinces that don’t guarantee the conscience rights of health care professionals.
Leslyn Lewis, another unabashed social conservative who finished a strong third in the race, promised to stop the expansion of assisted dying to “new categories” of Canadians.
Between them, Lewis and Sloan scooped up more than 40 per cent of the votes cast. When they were dropped off the ballot, thousands of their supporters moved to O’Toole, propelling him to a decisive third-ballot victory over Peter MacKay.
At his first news conference Tuesday since winning the leadership, O’Toole brushed off a Liberal dare to prove he’s not in the pocket of social conservatives by booting Sloan out of the Conservative caucus.
Liberals accused Sloan of having made anti-choice, anti-LGBTQ comments, among them that the bill to ban conversion therapy is tantamount to legalized “child abuse.”
That bill was introduced in March, one week before Parliament was adjourned for the pandemic. There is as yet no timetable for reintroducing it but Rappaport said, “we will absolutely be moving forward with that commitment.”
Some nine municipalities, including Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver, have passed bylaws banning conversion therapy. Ottawa city council is to vote on a motion today urging the federal government to quickly reintroduce the bill to ban the practice nationally.
Rappaport said the Liberal government hopes “all political parties will join us in defending the rights of LGBTQ2 Canadians and unequivocally support a ban on conversion therapy.”
But if O’Toole is true to his word to respect the views of Sloan and other social conservatives in his caucus, unequivocal Conservative support for the bill is unlikely.
O’Toole himself raised eyebrows during the leadership race when he appeared to suggest that the bill doesn’t respect the right of religious leaders to have conversations with “members of their flock” about sexual orientation or gender identity.
His campaign later clarified that O’Toole supports a ban on “coercive, degrading actions that seek to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity” but has concerns about the way the legislation was drafted.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 26, 2020.
OTTAWA — Newly elected Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole will speak to reporters today for the first time since his victory in the leadership race.
His plan for a news conference after the results were announced was scuttled after delays in vote counting pushed the reveal into the wee hours of Monday morning.
O’Toole spent his first day on the job meeting with senior members of the party, including former leader Andrew Scheer, as he strives to refresh the Opposition Leader’s Office and the party’s front benches.
A key strategy for the O’Toole campaign had been to focus on the fact that he had a seat in the House of Commons and was ready to start the work to defeat the Liberal government right away.
He and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau did speak Monday, a call both sides said was cordial and touched on the rigours of a campaign as well as also the prorogation of Parliament.
It’s set to return on Sept. 23 with a throne speech laying out the minority Liberal government’s post-pandemic plan and will be followed by a confidence vote.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 25, 2020.
In today’s Big Story podcast, it’s perhaps the worst news you can imagine getting—and the only way to make it worse is to get it via videoconference in the midst of a pandemic. COVID-19 has forced sudden changes to the medical system, and created a flood of new health questions for anyone at risk. But do we have the answers? How do we give patients the care they need for life-threatening illnesses, and the support they need to fight through them, when we’re still learning about a new virus?
OTTAWA — Among Erin O’Toole’s jobs in the military was navigating a Sea King helicopter over the skies of Canada, and now he takes on the challenge of journeying through political terrain as the new leader of the federal Conservative party.
O’Toole, 47, grew up in a political home. His father was a longtime member of the Ontario legislature, but after leaving the military where he served in the Royal Canadian Air Force, the younger O’Toole built a career outside of politics before jumping into the fray himself in a 2012 byelection.
For the next five years, he steadily built up his political profile, including as veterans affairs minister. In the wake of the 2015 election that saw the Conservatives lose power, he decided to take a run at the top job when it became vacant after the resignation of Stephen Harper.
He finished third in the 2017 race, and it was his supporters who ultimately handed Andrew Scheer the victory that year.
Among the top finishers in that contest, O’Toole would go on to stand alone among those who remained close to Scheer going forward.
While Maxime Bernier, who placed second, quit and formed his own party, and fourth-place Brad Trost was forced to fight for a new nomination to run again as an MP, which he lost, O’Toole was rewarded with the plum post of foreign affairs critic.
He used it to keep building a brand, becoming a hawk on China policy and an early adopter of the right wing’s aversion to what became known as “cancel culture,” a movement that broadly refers to historical or contemporary figures being shunned for their actions or opinions.
Taking that road helped O’Toole build the connections in the party’s more right-wing camps and he would spend this leadership campaign leaning on them.
For the campaign, he adopted an aggressive posture, riffing off U.S. President Donald Trump’s call to “make America great again” by adopting a pledge to “take Canada back.”
While at one point he was expected to run away with the race in Alberta, an early stumble on energy policy that saw him promise to end fossil fuel subsidies, but then reverse his position, cost him some support.
But overall, his tone was a marked difference for a man who had been brought into cabinet in 2015 partially because he was known to be an affable and calm communicator who could smooth over strained relations with the veterans community.
He didn’t entirely eschew presenting a gentler side, showcasing his wife and children often in campaign videos. As COVID-19 forced so many operations to move digital, his daughter Mollie was trained up on how to work a video camera, while his son Jack helped him prepare for virtual meetings.
His children and his wife Rebecca, to whom he has been married for 20 years, joined him for the results.
In one of his last messages in the campaign, O’Toole described the party to a family of sorts, comparing the leadership race to a long Thanksgiving dinner where disparate views were aired but the contenders would come together in the end.
He vowed to lead that cause in his speech Monday morning.
“You put your faith in me to lead this historic party and I am honoured and humbled. I promise you, I will not let you down.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 24, 2020.
In today’s Big Story podcast, the past six months have featured a lot of speculation about what the pandemic has done to the average workday for those lucky enough to have a job that can be done at home. Now we have some real data on how the lives of millions of workers have changed.
Are we working more or less? Are our meetings getting longer? What are we missing about the office? How can companies adapt to what their workforce needs? And what strategies we’re learning now will stick around?
GUEST: Jeff Polzer, Professor of Human Resource Management, Harvard Business School
PENTICTON, B.C. — An evacuation order for a fire in the southern interior of British Columbia has been rescinded while other areas are still seeing raging blazes.
Kim Wright, southeast fire centre information officer with the BC Wildfire Service, says the Solomon Mountain wildfire is under control.
The fire about four kilometres north of Beaverdell had prompted an evacuation alert by the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary.
However, the Doctor Creek fire near a village located at the southern end of Columbia Lake is now estimated to be 30 square kilometres in size.
Wright says the fire has been very aggressive partly because of the dryness of fuels in the area.
She says fighting the flames has been challenging for crews because of the steep and rocky terrain.
Wright says 40 firefighters, heavy equipment and helicopters have been working to contain the blaze.
The BC Wildfire Service says of the 543 fires recorded since April in the province, more than one-quarter have been sparked in the past seven days.
The service’s website shows many of the 154 fires this week were caused by lightning, and almost three dozen are listed as out of control.
The weather office called for a 60 per cent chance of showers with a risk of thunderstorms in the Penticton region Friday afternoon.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 21, 2020.
In today’s Big Story podcast, Anne With An E is a reimagining of Lucy Maude Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables tales. It ran for three seasons, and then got cancelled. And the fans took it personally.
This isn’t a conversation about Anne With An E, though, it’s a conversation about what happens when popular culture becomes a political identity.
PENTICTON, B.C. — A third wildfire near a village at the southern end of Columbia Lake in British Columbia has been added to a list of wildfires of note and prompted an evacuation order on Wednesday.
The BC Wildfire Service says the Doctor Creek fire about 25 kilometres southwest of Canal Flats was estimated to be four square kilometres in size and was expected to grow.
The Regional District of East Kootenay issued an evacuation order for 10 properties in the Findlay Creek area affected by the fire.
The service says the fire was caused by lightning with 20 firefighters and a 20-person crew on the ground responding to it, adding that heavy equipment was en route.
The Christie Mountain fire near Penticton prompted the evacuation of 319 properties on Tuesday.
The blaze remained at 14 square kilometres after it was spotted a day earlier burning above Skaha Lake, not far from the city’s boundary.
Karla Kozakevich, chairwoman of the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen, said one home had burned in the wildfire.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 20, 2020.
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In The News is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to kickstart your day. Here is what’s on the radar of our editors for the morning of Aug. 20 …
What we are watching in Canada …
A third wildfire near a village at the southern end of Columbia Lake in British Columbia has been added to a list of wildfires of note and prompted an evacuation order on Wednesday.
The BC Wildfire Service says the Doctor Creek fire about 25 kilometres southwest of Canal Flats was estimated to be four square kilometres in size and was expected to grow.
The Regional District of East Kootenay issued an evacuation order for 10 properties in the Findlay Creek area affected by the fire.
The service says the fire was caused by lightning with 20 firefighters and a 20-person crew on the ground responding to it, adding that heavy equipment was en route.
The Christie Mountain fire near Penticton prompted the evacuation of 319 properties on Tuesday.
The blaze remained at 14 square kilometres after it was spotted a day earlier burning above Skaha Lake, not far from the city’s boundary.
Karla Kozakevich, chairwoman of the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen, said one home had burned in the wildfire.
—
Also this …
Federal prosecutors are being instructed to criminally prosecute only the most serious drug possession offences and to find alternatives outside the criminal justice system for the rest.
The directive is contained in a new guideline issued by the director of public prosecutions, Kathleen Roussel.
“The approach set out in this guideline directs prosecutors to focus upon the most serious cases raising public safety concerns for prosecution and to otherwise pursue suitable alternative measures and diversion from the criminal justice system for simple possession cases,” it states.
In all instances, the guideline says alternatives to prosecution should be considered if the possession offence involves a person enrolled in a drug treatment court program or an addiction treatment program supervised by a health professional.
The same applies in cases that involve a violation of bail conditions and can be addressed adequately by a judicial referral hearing, as well as cases where the offender’s conduct can be dealt with by an approved alternative measure, including Indigenous and non-Indigenous “restorative justice” responses.
The guideline says criminal prosecution for possession of a controlled substance “should generally be reserved for the most serious manifestations of the offence.” It says cases would be considered serious if a person caught in possession of an illegal drug was engaged in conduct that could endanger the health or safety of others.
—
What we are watching in the U.S. …
Former President Barack Obama warned that American democracy could falter if President Donald Trump is reelected, a stunning rebuke of his successor that was echoed by Kamala Harris at the Democratic Convention Wednesday night as she embraced her historic role as the first Black woman on a national political ticket.
Obama, himself a barrier breaker as the nation’s first Black president, pleaded with voters to “embrace your own responsibility as citizens – to make sure that the basic tenets of our democracy endure. Because that’s what is at stake right now. Our democracy.”
Throughout their convention, the Democrats have summoned a collective urgency about the dangers of Trump as president. In 2016, they dismissed and sometimes trivialized him. Now they are casting him as an existential threat to the country. The tone signals anew that the fall campaign between Trump and Joe Biden, already expected to be among the most negative of the past half century, will be filled with rancour and recrimination.
Yet on the third night of the Democrats’ four-day convention, party leaders also sought to put forward a cohesive vision of their values and policy priorities, highlighting efforts to combat climate change and tighten gun laws. They drew a sharp contrast with Trump, portraying him as cruel in his treatment of immigrants, disinterested in the nation’s climate crisis and over his head on virtually all of the nation’s most pressing challenges.
Democrats also demonstrated a hope that Biden, a 77-year-old white man, can revive the coalition that helped put Obama into office, with minorities, younger voters and college-educated women blunting Trump’s lock on many white and rural voters.
The evening marked a celebration of the party’s leading women, including remarks from Hillary Clinton, the first woman to become a major ticket presidential nominee; House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who challenged Biden during the primary and is now supporting his campaign.
Harris, a 55-year-old California senator and the daughter of Jamaican and Indian immigrants, addressed race and equality in a personal way Biden cannot when he formally accepts his party’s presidential nomination on Thursday.
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What we are watching in the world …
Hundreds of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday rallied against the U.S.-brokered deal to normalize ties between Israel and the United Arab Emirates.
Protesters burned Israeli and American flags, trampled on posters of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Donald Trump, and chanted “normalization is betrayal to Jerusalem and Palestine.”
Unlike Palestinian protesters last Friday near the Al Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem’s Old City who also burned posters of the Emirati crown prince, the Gaza demonstrators stopped short of burning symbols of the UAE — apparently not to antagonize the Gulf Arab country, where tens of thousands of Palestinians work and live.
The demonstrators in Gaza City also voiced support for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas for his rejection of President Donald Trump’s Mideast plan, which the Palestinians say unfairly favours Israel.
The protest was organized by the militant Hamas group, which rules the Gaza Strip, and other factions.
Khalil al-Hayya, a senior Hamas official, denounced the Israeli-Emirati deal.
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On this day in 2016 …
Iconic Canadian rockers The Tragically Hip played their final show to a sold-out crowd at the K-Rock Centre in the band’s hometown of Kingston, Ont. It was broadcast live by the CBC and more than 400 public screenings were held across the country. In late 2015, frontman Gord Downie was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer and died Oct. 17, 2017.
—
In entertainment news …
“Schitt’s Creek” star and co-creator Daniel Levy is taking a free University of Alberta course called Indigenous Canada — and he wants others to join him.
The Toronto-raised actor, writer and showrunner promoted the online course in a video on his social media.
Levy says he recently signed up for the course, which has 12 lessons that explore Indigenous histories and contemporary issues in Canada.
The university’s website says the course is told from an Indigenous perspective and highlights national and local Indigenous-settler relations.
Levy said he plans to host weekly discussions with the course professors, starting this Sunday afternoon.
“I thought if I am going to sign up and learn, maybe some other people would want to join me and we could do this as a group,” Levy says in his social media video.
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Wierd and wild …
A mysterious beverage advertised in a newspaper from the 1800’s is available for sipping once again.
Paul Fairie, a community health research at the University of Calgary, regularly peruses old digitized newspapers and posts on Twitter the oddities he comes across.
In June, he found an 1883 edition of the Calgary Herald with the phrases “buy Cronk,” “Cronk is the drink” and — simply — “Cronk” interspersed between news articles.
Social media users began posting photos of antique Cronk bottles and someone unearthed a recipe for Dr. Cronk’s Sarsaparilla Beer.
Cold Garden Beverage Company decided to try brewing the drink, and 1,800, 375-millilitre bottles went on sale Wednesday.
There was a lineup soon after the brewery opened.
Brewer Trevor Cox says it took two tries to get the taste right, because the wrong kind of molasses was used the first time.
Cox says Cronk tastes like an herbal liqueur that’s diluted and fizzy.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 20, 2020
The Canadian Press
For more Breakfast Television, check us out on YouTube! Click the link below to watch.
In today’s Big Story podcast, the nation’s federal government has seen a high-profile resignation, a historic appointment, a prorogation of parliament in the middle of a pandemic, the release of 5,000 pages of documents concerning the government’s latest scandal, the promise of a reset and the threat of a fall election. Just another lazy August weekend in Ottawa.
So why did the Liberals prorogue parliament? What will happen when it returns? Did Bill Morneau resign or was he fired? And what will Chrystia Freeland include in what is expected to be an ambitious plan for economic recovery?
For more Breakfast Television, check us out on YouTube! Click the link below to watch.
In today’s Big Story podcast, what the Toronto Raptors are attempting has never been done before— they’re trying to shed a superstar and get even better. When the reigning champs begin the NBA Playoffs Monday against Brooklyn, they’ll do so with a better winning percentage than they managed with Kawhi Leonard shutting down opponents and filling the bucket.
What makes this group so special? How do they go about winning games against teams that feature Hall of Famers at the top of their rosters? What will they have to do to thrive in a star-driven playoff series? What’s their biggest weakness? And can they really, actually win another NBA title?
A man holds a picture of Chantel Moore during a healing gathering at the B.C. Legislature in Victoria on June 18, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito
FREDERICTON — A law firm representing the estate of Chantel Moore has filed a pair of complaints with the New Brunswick Police Commission in connection with her death.
One complaint targets the Edmundston police officer directly involved in the shooting of 26-year-old Moore, an Indigenous woman killed during a wellness check June 4. The other is against a senior Edmundston police officer regarding comments made on live television in the hours following the shooting.
Lawyer T.J. Burke said Wednesday he filed the complaints under the provincial Police Act at the direction of his clients.
Moore was fatally shot after she allegedly lunged at an officer with a knife. Quebec’s independent police watchdog is investigating because New Brunswick does not have its own police oversight agency.
“We wanted to bring these up right away because we don’t trust (that) the New Brunswick Police Commission is going to file a complaint … and we don’t think the chief of police in Edmundston will do it,” Burke said in an interview. “As civilians, lawyers, we did it on behalf of the estate of Chantel Moore.”
The commission is an independent board of citizens that oversees complaints involving seven municipal police services and two regional police forces in the province. New Brunswick’s Police Act generally provides one year for complaints to be filed.
“New Brunswick police officers are subjected to civil proceedings where they can be disciplined by an oversight commission,” Burke said.
In the case of the police officer directly involved in the shooting, Burke said the complaint requests he be sanctioned and removed from his job. If criminal charges result from the watchdog’s probe into Moore’s killing, however, the case would delay any hearing into the complaint.
Moore’s family wants the complaint against a high-ranking Edmundston police officer pursued immediately, Burke said.
That officer offered a public apology for laughing when asked a question during a CTV News interview in the aftermath of Moore’s shooting. Burke said that considering no criminal charges will result from that incident, the complaint should be pursued by the commission right now.
“We believe the laughter was injurious to not only to the family, to New Brunswickers, but to Canadians all alike and believe that it falls well below the standards a high-ranking officer should hold in office,” Burke said, adding the family didn’t accept the apology.
Edmundston Police Chief Alain Lang said in an email Wednesday, “The entire matter is presently under investigation and we have no further comments to make.”
Moore’s killing was the first of two deaths involving Indigenous people in the span of about one week in the province. Rodney Levi, 48, was killed by the RCMP near the Metepenagiag Mi’kmaq Nation, on June 12.
The Mounties have said a suspect carrying knives was jolted with a stun gun, but that failed to subdue him. He was shot when he charged at officers, police said. Levi’s death is also under investigation by the Quebec watchdog.
New Brunswick has announced a coroner will hold separate inquests into both deaths.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published on Aug. 12, 2020.
A man wears a face mask as he sits in a park in Montreal, Sunday, August 9, 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic continues in Canada and around the world. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes
The latest numbers of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Canada as of 4 a.m. on Aug. 13, 2020:
Farm owners Francois Daoust and Melina Plante, left, are seen in their greenhouse with summer employee Florence Lachapelle in Havelock, Que., on Thursday, April 23, 2020. Nineteen-year-old Florence Lachapelle was among hundreds of Quebecers who tried their hand at planting seeds and harvesting produce this summer, replacing migrant workers who were unable to leave their countries because of the COVID-19 pandemic. And while Lachapelle spent long days working the fields on Francois D’Aoust’s farm in Havelock, Que., too few other Quebecers took up the call to help the province’s struggling agricultural industry. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson
MONTREAL — Nineteen-year-old Florence Lachapelle was among hundreds of Quebecers who tried their hand at planting seeds and harvesting produce this summer, replacing migrant workers who were unable to leave their countries because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
And while Lachapelle spent long days working the fields on Francois D’Aoust’s farm in Havelock, Que., too few other Quebecers took up the call to help the province’s struggling agricultural industry.
Despite a recruiting drive by the provincial government in April, the lack of labour this season has forced farmers to cut production or leave food rotting in the fields.
Unfortunately for Lachapelle, she fell ill with mononucleosis after two months and returned home to Montreal. She said the work was very demanding with so few migrant workers available.
“They’re professionals and we’re simply not,” Lachapelle said in a recent interview.
D’Aoust said he hired a handful of people to work alongside Lachapelle, who were out of work in other sectors such as communications, film and the restaurant industry. But once their opportunities returned, he said, they left for their better-paying jobs.
“Not a lot of people are used to (physical) work all day,” D’Aoust said in a recent interview. “It’s just not the kind of work that we do. It’s rare that people are in shape and can (work) all day in the field.
“People that are farmers, themselves, in their country, surely they are at an advantage.”
D’Aoust and his wife, Melina Plante, have hired the same four Guatemalan seasonal workers year after year. But this year the farmhands were stuck at home at the beginning of Quebec’s farming season due to travel restrictions their country imposed to limit the spread of COVID-19.
He said it takes inexperienced Quebecers up to three times as long to do farm work compared to a migrant worker. That meant he had to pay locals to do less work, eating into his profits.
D’Aoust slashed production at his farm, Les Bontes de la Vallee, by 60 per cent this year because he and his wife figured they would only have migrant workers later in the harvest season.
Two Guatemalan workers eventually made it on D’Aoust and Plante’s farm — but the financial damage to the business was done. “What we hope is to pass through this difficult period without too much loss and start again next year,” he said. “We just want to stay alive.”
For Michel Ricard, who owns 60 hectares of farmland in Saint-Alexis-de-Montcalm, about 60 kilometres north of Montreal, he said he’s going to lose a lot money and food this year because migrant workers from Mexico and Guatemala haven’t been able to arrive.
By the end of August, Ricard said he expects to lose approximately $100,000 dollars worth of cucumbers because he has no one to pick them.
Experienced foreign workers are “essential for the future, for me, and for the majority of growers of vegetables,” he said in a recent interview.
“The people from Guatemala are able to work from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. It’s not a problem. Sometimes I need to stop them because they want to continue, but sometimes I say ‘that’s enough for today.’”
Local workers haven’t been much help to him, he said. Ricard had his daughter post a message on Facebook to reach out to prospective farmhands, but he said only eight came through for him.
“It was impossible,” Ricard said.
The Union des producteurs agricoles, which represents about 42,000 Quebec farmers, says there are close to 2,000 fewer migrant workers on Quebec farms than usual. Despite the UPA’s efforts to lure Quebec workers through a recruiting drive, just under 1,400 were assigned to Quebec farms this year.
“It didn’t replace, really, the foreign workers,” UPA President Marcel Groleau said in a recent interview. “It helped on some issues … but those workers are not trained and can’t really replace the foreign workers that are trained and have experience on farms.”
Farmers such as D’Aoust and Ricard say migrant farmhands are willing to work longer hours, even for minimal pay.
Groleau said the federal government’s emergency response benefit, which offers up to $2,000 a month to many people who have lost jobs, has encouraged Quebecers to stay away from the gruelling field work.
“When you can get two thousand dollars a month sitting at home,” Groleau said, “it’s not really interesting to go on a farm and work a little bit for minimum wage.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 13, 2020.
In today’s Big Story podcast, should you drive, take the train or fly? Where should you stay when you arrive? Can you use public bathrooms — and how do you do it safely? Are airlines still enforcing social distancing inside planes? Do you need to wipe down your tray table? Can you ride in a car with another family if you all wear masks?
Travel is about getting outside of our comfort zone — which means something much different in 2020. But for those of us with loved ones in other cities, provinces and countries, it might be a necessity, either due to an emergency or just for our own mental health. So, how do you assess risk when you’re on the road? And if you are going to travel, how do you do it safely?
OTTAWA -— Conservative leader Andrew Scheer is expected to mark a political milestone today: his final time rising in the House of Commons as leader of Her Majesty’s Loyal Opposition.
Today’s Commons sitting is one of two scheduled for August, but the second comes after party members will elect Scheer’s replacement, bringing an end to the long and sometimes painful process for Scheer that began just after last fall’s federal election.
That the House is sitting at all this month though is something Scheer himself took some credit for Tuesday as he briefly reflected on his achievements during a news conference.
He argued that Commons sittings, committee hearings and the chance to propose improvements to government programs all came from the Opposition’s push for more accountability from the Liberals as they rolled out their COVID-19 response.
While the Liberals haven’t taken the Tories up on all their ideas, they did agree to some, he said.
“We haven’t missed a beat, we’ve been right there,” he said.
It is perhaps fitting for Scheer that he counts among his legacies the fight to ensure Parliament’s work could continue during an unprecedented time.
In addition to being an MP from Regina since 2004, he also served as the Speaker of the House of Commons from 2011 to 2015.
It was after the Tories lost government in 2015, and the subsequent resignation of then-leader Stephen Harper, that Scheer decided to go for the leadership job.
He won in 2017, eking out a very narrow victory over fellow MP Maxime Bernier.
He spent the next two years trying to gain recognition across the country, while shoring up the party’s war chest and policy playbook in order to defeat the Liberal government in the Oct. 2019 election.
But despite the Liberals struggling with several scandals that reduced them to a minority, he failed to outright bring them down.
That failure was linked in part to Scheer’s personal inability to clearly articulate his position on social conservative issues. There were also factors that ate away at his credibility -— a claim to being an insurance salesman when he never completed the licensing requirements and not disclosing he was a dual American-Canadian citizen.
Some, including Scheer, argued that increasing the Conservatives’ seat count and besting the Liberals’ share of the popular vote was a success.
But the knives came out for Scheer almost immediately after election day.
Among the jabs: party insiders leaked an internal argument over Scheer using party funds to pay for his kids’ private religious schooling, a fact unknown to many of the party’s executives.
Giving grassroots members more oversight and control over how the party spends the money has been a talking point for leadership candidates during the ensuing campaign.
The vote is taking place by mail, and all ballots must be back by Aug. 21. A winner is expected to be announced within days, and very likely before the next sitting of the Commons on Aug. 26.
Candidates Erin O’Toole and Derek Sloan are both MPs, so could easily slide into the Opposition leader’s seat —- and the official residence of Stornoway -— if they win.
Neither of the other two candidates, Peter MacKay and Leslyn Lewis, currently holds a seat in the Commons. Should either of them win, they would likely appoint someone to lead the party in the Commons until they could win their own spot.
While a by-election is looming in the riding of York Centre, thanks to the resignation of the Liberal MP there, neither Lewis nor MacKay’s campaigns have committed to having their candidate run for that seat.
Whomever wins, Scheer has set them up for success, said Chris Warkentin, an Alberta MP who was one of Scheer’s earliest backers for leadership.
“Those of us who are close to Andrew know of his love and passion for his family, our country and our Conservative team,” Warkentin said.
“Our party is united, his family is intact and he will continue to fight to build a better country. That’s a legacy of leadership he can be proud of.”
OTTAWA — A new opinion survey suggests Donald Trump’s recent decision to slap a tariff on Canadian raw aluminum is garnering poor reviews on both sides of the border.
In a web survey conducted by polling firm Leger and the Association for Canadian Studies, 58 per cent of American respondents said they disagreed with the 10 per cent import tax.
In what comes as less of a surprise, 90 per cent of Canadians who took part in the survey objected to the White House’s tariff.
The survey was conducted Aug. 7 to 9 among 1,513 Canadians and 1,003 Americans, 18 or older, who were recruited from an online panel.
Since polls created from internet panels are not random samples, the survey cannot be assigned a margin of error.
The polling firm says that using data from the 2016 census, results were weighted according to age, gender, language spoken, region, level of education and presence of children in the household in order to ensure a representative sample of the population.
Trump announced last week he was reimposing a tax on Canadian raw aluminum because Canada had broken a promise not to flood the U.S. market with the product.
Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland vehemently denied the dumping claim and said Canada would soon retaliate with $3.6 billion in tariffs on American items that contain aluminum.
“In imposing these tariffs, the United States has taken the absurd decision to harm its own people at a time its economy is suffering the deepest crisis since the Great Depression,” she said.
“Any American who buys a can of beer or a soda or a car or a bike will suffer.”
The comments might help explain why 28 per cent of Americans surveyed said they somewhat disagreed with Trump’s move, while 30 per cent said they totally disagreed.
Jean-Marc Leger, president of the survey firm, suggested the numbers reflect a lack of a clear rationale for the action by the mercurial U.S. president.
“Why the 10 per cent? Why at this moment?” he said. “It looks like another impulsive decision.”
Sixty-nine per cent of Canadians who participated in the survey said they completely disagreed with the tariff, with 21 per cent somewhat opposed.
Seventy per cent of Canadian respondents said Ottawa should fight back by imposing tariffs of its own on U.S. products.
The trade spat shattered the brief harmony between Ottawa and Washington that followed a successful renegotiation of the North American free trade agreement.
While nearly two-thirds of Americans told Leger that Canada and the U.S. benefit equally from their commercial exchanges, only 38 per cent of Canadians supported the notion.
Trump has also proposed banning popular video-sharing platform TikTok on national security grounds due to its corporate ties to China.
Forty-six per cent of American respondents supported the idea.
Fifty-four per cent of Canadians said they believed the Chinese government was using TikTok to spy on people. But only about one-third said Ottawa should outlaw the platform.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 11, 2020.
Air Canada is revamping its Aeroplan loyalty program in an effort to make it easier to use.
The airline says it will be an simple transition for Aeroplan members who will maintain the same account number, but go from earning miles to earning points in the new plan starting Nov. 8.
All Aeroplan miles will automatically be honoured under the new program on a one-to-one basis.
Among the other changes, additional airline surcharges, including fuel surcharges, on all flight rewards with Air Canada will be eliminated.
The airline says plan members will also be able to combine Aeroplan points with others in their household, for free.
Air Canada spun off Aeroplan as part of a restructuring of the airline, but then reacquired the loyalty program in 2019.
A Canada Post employee climbs into a mail truck in Halifax on July 6, 2016. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darren Calabrese
As brick and mortar stores were forced to close up shop during the early days of the COVID-19 lockdown, Canada Post was busier than ever as online shopping went into overdrive.
In April and May, even as the volume of mail dropped significantly due to a reduction in direct advertising mail, the agency reported “Christmas-level” volumes of parcels. The surge was a result of Canadians staying home during the pandemic and turning to online retailers for everyday essentials that would usually be picked up on a grocery run.
“We saw parcel levels that we would normally only see around Christmas — we would deliver up to two-million parcels in one day — that’s what we would see around Cyber Monday, Black Friday week sales,” says Jon Hamilton, spokesperson for Canada Post.
Hamilton says as the weeks in lockdown progressed, people began expanding their online shopping to other, more unusual items.
“Things like barbecues and patio sets. We even saw a pair of kayaks go through our facilities,” says Hamilton.
In addition to the surge in volume, new safety protocols like social distancing within postal processing facilities led to further delays and substantial backlogs, well beyond expectations.
“Nobody develops a processing facility to keep people six-feet apart,” says Hamilton. “We had to put those changes in place and make sure employees were sticking with it — and they have, they’ve done an incredible job.”
The Mississauga processing plant has become somewhat notorious for delays in recent months, with many sharing memes and complaints online about their parcels being stuck there indefinitely.
Hamilton says the reason that particular facility is jammed up is that most of the online shopping orders in Canada are fulfilled in the GTA.
“If you’re buying something in Canada, most of it is packaged and shipped out of Toronto – so the gateway up in Mississauga is a big facility [for that].”
Coupled with the increase in local packages, international parcels — especially those coming from China — were delayed due to flights being grounded. China Post sent their items by ship, which took considerably longer.
In order to keep up with the influx and changes due to COVID-19, the agency implemented many of the measures they usually use only during the December holiday season, but with added safety restrictions.
Temporary employees, who are usually hired when seasonal relief is needed, were brought in and trained in safety protocols to ensure round-the-clock processing stayed on track. Deliveries continue to be made on weekends as well.
In addition, Hamilton said the agency has been leveraging their entire network and capacity at different locations to move parcels through faster. So while a parcel from a particular retailer may usually take a specific route, for example through the Mississauga plant, during the pandemic it could have been routed through Montreal to get it to you sooner.
While delivery guarantees are still suspended, Hamilton says they have managed to catch up to some degree and parcel delays have now been significantly reduced to just a few days.
He says they’ve made a lot of progress over the last month as postal workers have become accustomed to the new COVID-safe workflow and have been processing and delivering at record levels.
The agency also worked with customers who use Canada Post for their businesses to better manage the sudden growth of parcels from them as well — to the tune of a 400 to 500 per cent increase from some.
The easing of restrictions and stores reopening has also seen many go back to shopping at retail stores, which has helped take some of the pressure off the postal service.
“We’re still at high numbers though,” says Hamilton. “In June we delivered 75 per cent more parcels than we would in a typical June.”
Hamilton says the ability to track parcels helps ease a lot of frustration for customers and says not to panic if you suddenly see no movement on the tracking page.
“When you’re backlogged at a facility … when [your parcel] is stuck in a truck and can’t get into the facility … it seems to go into a bit of a black hole. But it’s just waiting to go through the processing facility, which never stops — it’s just that there’s more in line in front of it,” he says.
Despite the backlog, Hamilton still encourages people to also continue supporting small businesses that may have just started selling online and rely on Canada Post to deliver their goods.
“Please continue to do that, we are going to get those items to you. It might take a little bit longer but the impact is huge for those small businesses,” he says.
Hamilton adds that customers have been largely understanding and have shown their support for postal workers with notes on their mailboxes and signs in their windows.
“There is a level of patience out there that is good to see,” he says.
For those running low on patience, Hamilton reiterates that they are doing their absolute best, but they need to put safety first and will follow public health guidelines even if it means delays have to continue.
“We’ll continue to look at our processes and how we can make this better, how can we learn for the future,” says Hamilton. “One thing is clear — Canadians are going to do more and more online shopping,” he says, adding that e-commerce has become vital to businesses of all sizes.
“We have to continue to improve because we carry the bulk of online shopping in Canada.”
Quebec Education Minister Jean-Francois Roberge speaks during a news conference on the COVID-19 pandemic, Tuesday, June 2, 2020 at the legislature in Quebec City. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jacques Boissinot
MONTREAL — The Quebec government is set to unveil its COVID-19 strategy for a return to class today as schools prepare to reopen in less than a month.
Education Minister Jean-Francois Roberge has been under pressure to provide updated details, as other provinces have done in recent weeks.
Parents have raised several concerns including questions about remote learning, smaller class sizes and details of how another COVID-19 shutdown would be handled.
Under Quebec’s back-to-school strategy announced in June, the government said students across the province would return to class full time from pre-school to Grade 9, with in-class bubbles of six children and physical distancing.
Teachers would move between classrooms and maintain a two-metre distance from students.
For students in Grades 10 and 11, the current plan offers them the choice to go back full time or attend classes in person once every two days.
School boards are responsible for creating contingency measures should a COVID-19 outbreak occur.
Roberge, Health Minister Christian Dube and Dr. Horacio Arruda, Quebec’s director of public health, will take part in today’s news conference in Montreal.
On Friday, Arruda explained the general approach to the return to school.
“If our expectation is to have no cases in schools, that’s nearly impossible,” he said.
He added it is more important to make sure COVID-19 outbreaks are not widespread in schools when they do occur.
This story by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 10, 2020.
Elections Canada says voter turnout in last fall’s federal election was actually slightly higher than the 2015 election. A sample ballot box is seen ahead of the 2019 federal election at Elections Canada’s offices in Gatineau, Que., Friday, Sept. 20, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang
OTTAWA — Elections Canada says voter turnout in last fall’s federal election was actually slightly higher than the 2015 election.
The independent agency initially reported a slight decline in turnout, to 67 per cent from 68.3 per cent in 2015.
But it now says that turnout was actually up by 0.9 per cent.
The new estimate comes from an Elections Canada study based on the number of eligible electors who cast ballots in the past two federal elections.
The agency says the study is more accurate than the way voter turnout has been calculated in the past, based on a sample survey of registered voters.
Because voter registration rates vary from election to election, the agency says it can be misleading to compare turnout from different elections based on registered voters.
The study does not change the estimate that 67 per cent of eligible Canadians voted last November.
But it does recalculate the 2015 result, estimating turnout in that election was 66.1 per cent — more than two points lower than initially reported.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 6, 2020.
Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Corey Crawford (50) stands prior to taking on the Edmonton Oilers in NHL Stanley Cup qualifying round action in Edmonton, Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Codie McLachlan
EDMONTON — The Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation says its server provider has increased capacity for its online 50/50 raffle for Friday’s hockey game.
On Wednesday, the draw “shattered an all-time record” and had to close early after it reached the server provider’s maximum allowable ticket sales.
The Oilers Entertainment Group says the final jackpot for Game 3 of the Oilers-Blackhawks series was more than $5.4 million, with one lucky winner taking home about $2.7 million.
No winner has yet been announced.
Janet Riopel, board chair for the Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation, says the online raffles have exceeded her expectations.
She adds that the foundation’s server provider has been able to increase capacity by two-and-a-half times.
She says half the funds are used by the foundation to support organizations focused on vulnerable populations in downtown Edmonton and youth sports throughout northern Alberta.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 6, 2020
HALIFAX — During more than six years as Nova Scotia premier, Stephen McNeil earned a reputation as an ardent fiscal conservative who wasn’t shy about taking on the province’s public sector unions.
Until the COVID-19 pandemic upended every province’s finances earlier this year, McNeil could boast about delivering five consecutive balanced budgets.
Last week, when the 55-year-old Liberal leader announced the province’s projected deficit had reached $853 million, he returned to a familiar theme by warning public sector employees it was time for them to dampen their wage expectations.
“We have to get back and focusing on those fundamentals, things that allowed us as a province to get into the good fiscal position we were in,” he said at the time. “All of us are going to play a role in this, and that means all of those in the public sector are going to have to play a role too.”
McNeil won back-to-back majority governments in 2013 and 2017, largely by promising and delivering on platforms that focused on keeping provincial spending in check. The platforms weren’t sexy, but they won votes.
The 12th of 17 children, McNeil said he learned about frugality and perseverance after his father died. McNeil was only eight years old at the time. His mother, Theresa, had to raise 17 children on her own.
“She had no driver’s licence and hadn’t worked outside the house,” McNeil said in 2013. “The next morning, she woke up and said, ‘We’re it.’ We were all looking at her.”
As the former owner of an appliance repair business, McNeil often talked about how his experience running a small business gave him a keen appreciation for the financial challenges that most Nova Scotians face.
“I didn’t train to be the premier,” he said before the 2013 election. “I was out working. I made my living carrying a tool box.”
Throughout his first term, the premier took aim at the public sector, repeatedly reminding Nova Scotians that public sector wages had increased 11.5 per cent over the previous seven years — well above the increases seen in the private sector.
In April 2014, his government forced 2,400 striking nurses back to work by introducing legislation that required all health-sector unions to draft essential services agreements before any job action could occur.
And in February 2017, he imposed a contract on 9,400 public school teachers, ending a two-month work-to-rule campaign.
Union leaders were enraged.
“Of course, we all remember the unions rallying around Province House,” McNeil told reporters Thursday after he stunned the province by announcing his sudden decision to leave public life.
“I think for the first five years, I don’t think I had a (legislative) session where there wasn’t some form of a protest — but that’s governing.”
The Liberals won a reduced majority in May 2017, but it was clear the premier’s get-tough approach with the public sector was not the main reason for the government’s loss of seven seats.
Instead, critics focused on the fact that McNeil had failed to deliver on a promise to make sure every Nova Scotian had access to a family physician. At the time, about 100,000 Nova Scotians were still looking for a doctor. By last month, that number had fallen to 45,000.
During his second term, McNeil made a point of investing in health care. The $2-billion redevelopment of the QEII Health Sciences Centre in Halifax has been described as the largest health-care project in the province’s history.
A soft-spoken man with an imposing 6-foot-5 frame, McNeil could appear stern when fielding questions from the media. But that perceived lack of warmth never bothered the premier.
“Some might see me as a bit stiff and not as jovial as I really am,” he said in 2013.
McNeil won praise for his steady leadership during the past five months, but one moment of anger in April spoke volumes about the his otherwise low-key personality.
Struggling to find the words to persuade Nova Scotians they had to limit their travel to reduce the spread of the novel coronavirus, McNeil raised his voice during a news conference, saying: “Stay the blazes home!”
His folksy expression went viral. The phrase soon appeared on coffee cups, T-shirts and an endless loop of social media memes.
In the end, McNeil said Thursday it was time to move on after 17 years in provincial politics — and 13 years as Liberal leader.
After attending a cabinet meeting, he said he had planned to leave politics in the spring, but the pandemic prompted him to stay on the job.
Later in the day, McNeil issued a brief statement that showed his softer side.
“We have accomplished so much together,” he said. “I may not have always gotten it right. But here’s what I know for sure: we are better together and being kind matters.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 6, 2020.
BEIJING — China has sentenced a third Canadian citizen to death on drug charges amid a steep decline in relations between the two countries.
The Guangzhou Municipal Intermediate Court announced Xu Weihong’s penalty on Thursday and said an alleged accomplice, Wen Guanxiong, had been given a life sentence.
Death sentences are automatically referred to China’s highest court for review.
The brief court statement gave no details but local media in the southern Chinese city at the heart of the country’s manufacturing industry said Xu and Wen had gathered ingredients and tools and began making the drug ketamine in October 2016, then stored the final product in Xu’s home in Guangzhou’s Haizhu district.
Police later confiscated more than 120 kilograms (266 pounds) of the drug from Xu’s home and another address, the reports said. Ketamine is a powerful pain killer that has become popular among club goers in China and elsewhere.
Relations between China and Canada soured over the arrest of Meng Wanzhou, an executive and the daughter of the founder of Chinese tech giant Huawei, at Vancouver’s airport in late 2018. The U.S. wants her extradited to face fraud charges over the company’s dealings with Iran. Her arrest infuriated Beijing, which sees her case as a political move designed to prevent China’s rise as a global technology power.
In apparent retaliation, China detained former Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig and Canadian entrepreneur Michael Spavor, accusing them of vague national security crimes.
Soon after, China handed a death sentence to convicted Canadian drug smuggler Robert Schellenberg in a sudden retrial, and in April 2019, gave the death penalty to a Canadian citizen identified as Fan Wei in a multinational drug smuggling case.
China has also placed restrictions on various Canadian exports to China, including canola seed oil, in an apparent attempt to pressure Ottawa into releasing Meng.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said there was no connection between Xu’s sentencing and current China-Canada relations.
“I would like to stress that China’s judicial authorities handle the relevant case independently in strict accordance with Chinese law and legal procedures,” Wang said at a daily briefing Thursday. “This case should not inflict any impact on China-Canada relations.”
Like many Asian nations, China deals out stiff penalties for manufacturing and selling illegal drugs, including the death penalty. In December 2009, Pakistani-British businessman Akmal Shaikh was executed after being convicted of smuggling heroin, despite allegations he was mentally disturbed.
“Death sentences for drug-related crimes that are extremely dangerous will help deter and prevent such crimes,” Wang said. “China’s judicial authorities handle cases involving criminals of different nationalities in accordance with law.”
The Canadian government is providing $5 million in humanitarian assistance to help the citizens of Lebanon who are reeling from a devastating explosion Tuesday that killed hundreds and left thousands more injured.
Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Francois-Philippe Champagne says $1.5 million will go to the Lebanese Red Cross to provide food, shelter and emergency medical services.
“Canada stands with the people of Lebanon in this harrowing time,” tweeted Champagne.
“We will continue to monitor the situation on the ground closely. We stand ready to provide additional assistance, as appropriate.”
New Democrat international development critic Heather McPherson says the humanitarian aid is gravely needed and the Lebanese people will require significant international support.
McPherson says beyond assisting with immediate food, medical, and other needs, the federal government must take concrete action to assist the international community’s long-term humanitarian efforts.
As international aid flights began to arrive in Beirut, investigators probing the deadly blast focused Wednesday on possible negligence in the storage of tons of a highly explosive fertilizer in a waterfront warehouse.
The blast killed 135 people and injured about 5,000 others.
The investigation is focusing on how 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate, a highly explosive chemical used in fertilizers, came to be stored at the facility for six years, and why nothing was done about it.
The Port of Beirut and customs office is notorious for being one of the most corrupt and lucrative institutions in Lebanon where various factions and politicians, including Hezbollah, hold sway.
Losses from the blast are estimated to be between $10 billion to $15 billion, Beirut Gov. Marwan Abboud told Saudi-owned TV station Al-Hadath, adding that nearly 300,000 people are homeless.
Hospitals were overwhelmed by the injured. One that was damaged in the blast had to evacuate all its patients to a nearby field for treatment.
It was the worst single explosion to strike Lebanon, a country whose history is filled with destruction _ from a 1975-1990 civil war, conflicts with Israel and periodic terrorist attacks.
MONTREAL — The packages of mysterious seeds that have been making unsolicited appearances in mailboxes across North America are drawing attention to an online review scam that has recently appeared in Canada.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency warned gardeners last week not to plant any seeds they received in the mail without ordering, warning that they could be from invasive species or even carry pests.
While Canadian authorities have not provided an update, the United States Department of Agriculture has suggested the seeds may be part of a “brushing” scam, where sellers send unsolicited items to random customers and then post fake positive reviews online.
Jessie St-Cyr, a spokeswoman with the Better Business Bureau, says this type of scam has recently begun popping up in Canada.
She says sellers send light or inexpensive items to people so they appear to be verified customers when reviews are posted online in their names.
While customers usually aren’t charged for the items, she said recipients should change their passwords for online retail sites and verify bank statements to ensure fraudsters aren’t accessing sensitive information, such as credit card numbers.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 5, 2020
In The News is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to kickstart your day. Here is what’s on the radar of our editors for the morning of Aug. 5.
What we are watching in Canada …
Nearly half of Canadians would support an election being called if the federal watchdog finds Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to have violated the Conflict of Interest Act again over the WE charity affair, a new poll suggests.
The survey by Leger and the Association for Canadian Studies also suggests the WE controversy has taken a bite out of Trudeau’s popularity, as well as that of the federal Liberal party, putting the Conservatives within striking distance of victory.
“To me these are numbers that will certainly worry or concern the Liberals at this moment because even though it’s in the summer, this is raising a lot of eyebrows,” said Leger executive vice-president Christian Bourque.
The online poll of 1,531 adult Canadians took place July 31 to Aug. 2, in the days following Trudeau’s appearance before a parliamentary committee to answer questions about the deal with WE. It cannot be assigned a margin of error because internet-based polls are not considered truly random.
The survey results come as federal ethics commissioner Mario Dion is investigating both Trudeau and Finance Minister Bill Morneau over whether they broke conflict-of-interest rules in relation to the government’s decision to give the WE organization a sole-sourced contract to run a $912-million student-volunteer program.
Trudeau was previously found to have broken the Conflict of Interest Act for accepting two paid family vacations from the Aga Khan and for improperly pressuring Jody Wilson-Raybould, who was then attorney general, to halt the criminal prosecution of Montreal engineering giant SNC-Lavalin.
—
Also this …
A Canadian company is telling the government today that its trials of a potential COVID-19 vaccine on animals completely blocked the virus, but it must conduct human trials to know whether it has found a possible cure for the pandemic.
And a leading health-care expert says the findings are promising even though they haven’t been peer-reviewed.
Providence Therapeutics says it needs federal funding to move forward, but it has not heard back from the Trudeau government since May, the month after submitting a $35-million proposal to conduct first-stage human trials.
Providence has told the government it could deliver five million doses of its new vaccine by mid-2021 for use in Canada if it were able to successfully complete human testing, but it has heard nothing.
Eric Marcusson, the San Francisco-based co-founder of Providence and its chief science officer, says the company has concluded testing on mice that showed its vaccine was able to block the entry of the novel coronavirus into their cells.
Successful tests in animals can provide proof of the concept behind a potential new medicine or vaccine before trials in ever-larger groups of human subjects determine how well the drug works in the body and whether it has harmful side-effects.
Trials in humans are expensive and usually time-consuming.
—
ICYMI (in case you missed it) …
The deep valleys scarred into the surface of Mars under thick sheets of ice show that the planet once mirrored the Canadian High Arctic, says a new study.
Published Monday in the journal Nature Geoscience, the study says many of the valley networks carved into the surface of Mars were formed by water melting beneath glacial ice. It means there were fewer free-flowing rivers than previously thought.
Study author Anna Grau Galofre, a former University of British Columbia PhD student in the department of Earth, ocean and atmospheric sciences, said about 3.5 billion years ago the Martian surface looked like the surface of Canada 20,000 years ago.
“We’re talking about a planet that’s painted like a brother of Earth,” she said.
Grau Galofre and her team compared surface data of Mars with that of Devon Island in the Canadian Arctic.
The study describes Devon Island as a cold, dry, polar desert, where the glaciers and their retreat imitate what took place on Mars billions of years ago.
“Imagine ice sheets that are kilometres thick, really, really thick,” she said.
“If you were to just lift the ice sheet and see below, you would see a landscape. And this landscape is constituted of several different channels, expanded pathways like the plumbing of the ice.”
—
What we are watching in the U.S. …
At least five people were killed as Tropical Storm Isaias spawned tornadoes and dumped rain Tuesday along the U.S. East Coast after making landfall as a hurricane in North Carolina, where it caused floods and fires that displaced dozens of people.
Two people died when Isaias spun off a tornado that struck a North Carolina mobile home park. Another person died in Pennsylvania when their vehicle was overtaken by water and swept downstream. Two others were killed by falling trees toppled by the storm in Maryland and New York City, authorities said.
Isaias sustained top winds of up to 65 mph (105 kph) more than 18 hours after coming ashore, but it was down to 50 mph max winds as of 8 p.m. EDT Tuesday, according to the National Hurricane Center. The storm’s centre was passing through the middle of Vermont, moving north-northeast at about 40 mph (65 kph).
As Isaias sped northward, flooding threats followed. The Schuylkill River in Philadelphia was projected to crest early Wednesday at 15.4 feet (4.7 metres), its highest level in more than 150 years. By Tuesday night, the river had already topped its banks in low-lying Manayunk, turning bar-lined Main Street into a coffee-colored canal.
Aerial video by WRAL-TV showed fields of debris where rescue workers in brightly colored shirts picked through splintered boards and other wreckage of the Windsor, North Carolina, mobile home park where two people were killed. Emergency responders searching the area Tuesday afternoon found no other casualties, and several people initially feared missing had all been accounted for, said Ron Wesson, chairman of the Bertie County Board of Commissioners. He said about 12 people were hospitalized.
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What we are watching in the rest of the world …
A massive explosion rocked Beirut on Tuesday, flattening much of the city’s port, damaging buildings across the capital and sending a giant mushroom cloud into the sky. More than 70 people were killed and 3,000 injured, with bodies buried in the rubble, officials said.
It was not clear what caused the blast, which struck with the force of a 3.5 magnitude earthquake, according to Germany’s geosciences centre GFZ, and was heard and felt as far away as Cyprus more than 200 kilometres (180 miles) across the Mediterranean. Lebanon’s interior minister said it appeared that a large cache of ammonium nitrate in the port had detonated.
The sudden devastation overwhelmed a country already struggling with both the coronavirus pandemic and a severe economic and financial crisis.
For hours after the explosion, the most destructive in all of Lebanon’s troubled history, ambulances rushed in from around the country to carry away the wounded. Hospitals quickly filled beyond capacity, pleading for blood supplies, and generators to keep their lights on.
For blocks around the port, bloodied residents staggered through streets lined with overturned cars and littered with rubble from shattered buildings. Windows and doors were blown out kilometres (miles) away, including at the city’s only international airport. Army helicopters helped battle fires raging at the port.
Interior Minister Mohammed Fahmi told a local TV station that it appeared the blast was caused by the detonation of more than 2,700 tons of ammonium nitrate that had been stored in a warehouse at the dock ever since it was confiscated from a cargo ship in 2014. Witnesses reported seeing an orange cloud like that which appears when toxic nitrogen dioxide gas is released after an explosion involving nitrates.
Videos showed what appeared to be a fire erupting nearby just before, and local TV stations reported that a fireworks warehouse was involved. The fire appeared to spread to a nearby building, triggering the more massive explosion, sending up a mushroom cloud and generating a shock wave.
—
Also this…
Philippe Tawileh was with his wife and children watching television after dinner when they heard a blast and felt the house shake.
The family of five who live in Byblos (Jbeil), about 40 kilometres north of Beirut in Lebanon, rushed to look out the window but couldn’t see anything, Tawileh said in a WhatsApp interview Tuesday night.
“We felt like an earthquake and we heard the blast. It was very loud, big, huge.”
That’s when he turned on the news while simultaneously scrolling through his social media to find out what was happening.
Tawileh’s 22-month-old son, Alexandre, was born in Montreal and is a Canadian citizen. His two other children are nine-year-old Andrew and eight-year-old Adriana.
His wife, Rawane Dagher, who is a pediatrician, recently accepted a job at a hospital in Montreal. They are waiting for their documents to immigrate, which have been delayed by the pandemic, he said. His parents and brother live in Quebec.
—
This report by The Canadian Press was first published on August 5, 2020.
OTTAWA — A Canadian company is telling the government today that its trials of a potential COVID-19 vaccine on animals completely blocked the virus, but it must conduct human trials to know whether it has found a possible cure for the pandemic.
And a leading health-care expert says the findings are promising even though they haven’t been peer-reviewed.
Providence Therapeutics says it needs federal funding to move forward, but it has not heard back from the Trudeau government since May, the month after submitting a $35-million proposal to conduct first-stage human trials.
Providence has told the government it could deliver five million doses of its new vaccine by mid-2021 for use in Canada if it were able to successfully complete human testing, but it has heard nothing.
Eric Marcusson, the San Francisco-based co-founder of Providence and its chief science officer, says the company has concluded testing on mice that showed its vaccine was able to block the entry of the novel coronavirus into their cells.
Successful tests in animals can provide proof of the concept behind a potential new medicine or vaccine before trials in ever-larger groups of human subjects determine how well the drug works in the body and whether it has harmful side-effects.
Trials in humans are expensive and usually time-consuming.
Mario Ostrowski, the University of Toronto professor of medicine and immunology whose laboratory performed the animal trials, said he supports the results and says they are on par with tests of vaccine candidates from the American pharmaceutical firm Moderna and Germany’s BioNTech.
All three companies use the same new mRNA vaccine technology and last week, Moderna began a 30,000-person human trial after receiving hundreds of millions of dollars from the U.S. government.
The U.S. has also committed to pay Germany’s BioNTech and its American partner Pfizer $1.95 billion to produce 100 million doses if their vaccine candidate proves safe and effective in humans.
The mRNA vaccine technology involves using a key fragment of genetic material instead of working with an inactive sample of live virus.
“We have been testing the prototype vaccine in animal studies,” Ostrowski told The Canadian Press. “When we give the vaccine to mice, it is safe and makes a very strong immune response and very potent antibodies.”
Ostrowski said that the strength of the antibodies found in the mice appeared to neutralize the virus better than other similar vaccine candidates have at the same testing stage.
“Another point is that the Providence vaccine is very similar to the Moderna vaccine in the U.S. and the German (BioNTech) vaccines, both showing excellent results,” added Ostrowski, who practices at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto.
Brad Wouters, the executive vice-president of the Toronto-based University Health Network, said he has seen the new Providence data and it looks promising, but it needs to be peer-reviewed.
“The fact that the vaccine has created neutralizing antibodies means that the mouse immune system is reacting to the vaccine and producing antibodies that block the ability of the virus to infect cells,” Wouters said in an emailed response to questions.
“This suggests the results are better than even they were expecting.”
But Wouters added that the Providence data needs a full peer review, and that under normal circumstances he wouldn’t even be commenting publicly on research at this stage unless it were accompanied by a published peer review.
“This is the normal and correct way for this to happen. But as you have seen, COVID-19 is breaking traditions and they (Providence) are certainly not the first to release information from experimental research in advance of publication,” said Wouters, who is also the senior scientist at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre.
Alberta Sen. Doug Black has urged Ottawa to fund Providence so it can develop a domestic COVID-19 vaccine to lessen the risk Canadians will have wait in line for a foreign-made pandemic cure.
Several health-care professionals have also written to Innovation Minister Navdeep Bains to urge him to make up his mind on the Providence proposal.
The company plans to release the results publicly on Wednesday at the same time it delivers them to several relevant government departments.
“We’re still blocking the virus 100 per cent. Nothing gets in,” Marcusson said in a telephone interview from San Francisco, where he has been living in lockdown since March as the pandemic exploded in California.
“There’s no doubt this vaccine needs to be tested in humans because the results in mice are really that exceptional. This has the chance to be an extremely effective vaccine, but we won’t know for sure until we get into humans,” he said.
Marcusson is a 20-year veteran of the American biotechnology sector and had founded his own consultant business before meeting Providence chief executive Brad Sorenson in 2014. The two founded Providence in 2015 to develop cancer vaccines but it has pivoted to COVID-19. Marcusson said 20 per cent of his work remains outside the company as a consultant.
Black and several health experts say the government must move forward with a made-in-Canada vaccine because there have been troubling signs that a vaccine produced abroad likely wouldn’t be available to Canadians until much later.
Canada has already funded a the partnership between China’s CanSino Biologics and Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia but China has held up shipments of the vaccine that it was supposed to send to Dalhousie researchers by the end of May to start human trials.
“They’ve already been burned a couple of times with masks not getting across the border from the U.S. and a vaccine that they helped fund not getting into the country because it was held up at customs in China,” said Marcusson.
“So, this is a vaccine that can be made in Canada for Canadians,” he added. “It would be nice if that wasn’t important, but it is important, and they need to realize this and fund a Canadian solution to this problem.”
EDMONTON — It’s a diagnosis that took 75 million years.
Canadian researchers who included specialists from surgeons to paleontologists have identified what they say is the first known cancer in a dinosaur. The conclusion not only sheds light on the history of what is still one of humanity’s most feared diseases, but also hints at how the ancient lizards may have lived with — and protected — each other.
“Dinosaurs might seem like these mythical creatures, larger than life and powerful,” said the Royal Ontario Museum’s David Evans, one of the co-authors of a paper on the finding published in The Lancet.
“But they were living, breathing animals that were afflicted with some of the same injuries and diseases that we see in animals and humans today.”
The Centrosaur fossil was originally collected in the 1970s from a bone bed in Alberta’s badlands. The area has provided hundreds of samples of the horned dinosaur.
Paleontologists originally assumed a growth on a leg bone was evidence of a break. That’s where it stayed until a chance conversation between Evans and Mark Crowther, chairman of McMaster University’s medical faculty and a dinosaur enthusiast.
The two got talking about evidence of dino diseases. That led to an expedition to Alberta’s Royal Tyrrell Museum, which has hundreds of fossils that show signs of injury.
The team eventually focused its attention on one fossilized leg bone.
It was examined by cancer specialists, subjected to microscopic analysis and a high-resolution CT X-ray scan.
“This is a bone-forming lesion — it’s laying down bone,” said co-author Seper Ekhiari, an orthopedic surgery resident at McMaster.
“(That) eliminated infection right away because infection doesn’t form new bone.”
It wasn’t a repaired break either. New bone around fractures forms in predictable layers.
“The bone is very disorganized and doesn’t have any clear pattern,” Ekhiari said.
The growth extended all the way down the bone, which a fracture scar wouldn’t do. Holes in the fossil suggested large, disorderly blood vessels, which cancerous tissues are known to develop.
Finally, the fossil was compared to a human leg bone with bone cancer.
“It’s striking how similar the microscope slides are,” said Ekhiari.
The conclusion? Osteosarcoma, a cancer that still afflicts more than three out of every million humans today.
Ekhiari said the dinosaur was very sick.
“A tumour that had extended this far in a human would almost certainly have metastasized elsewhere. It’s very likely the individual would have been in pain.”
Ekhiari found himself feeling for his ancient patient.
“We all share a similar body plan and we all share a common ancestor. This would have been a gentle herbivorous animal trying to keep up with the herd.”
And yet, cancer didn’t kill it. Nor did a hungry meat-eating dinosaur preying on the slow and the weak.
Because the fossil was found with so many others, Evans is confident the sick dino died with large numbers of its fellows in a natural event such as a flood, which raises an intriguing possibility.
“We know these dinosaurs were highly social,” he said. “Many horned dinosaurs lived in big herds. They were often living with members of their extended family.
“There’s a benefit to living with those groups. It wouldn’t be surprising to me that the herd would have protected these sick and weak and lame individuals.
“It would be completely speculative,” Evans said. “But it wouldn’t be impossible.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 3, 2020
Any shareholder who’s ever endured hours of travel to attend a company’s annual meeting is in for good news in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Experts say the success of AGMs taken virtual this year will likely translate into more options for online and teleconference participation at future events — provided that some technical bugs can be ironed out and with the caveat that full shareholder participation is necessary.
Most corporations are required to meet once a year with their shareholders to deal with routine matters such as electing the board of directors, choosing an auditor and approving the minutes of the last meeting. There is typically a presentation on company accomplishments from the CEO, and shareholders usually have an opportunity to ask questions.
The pandemic’s eruption at the start of AGM season this year forced many companies to cancel their in-person events and figure out how to use technology for a virus-free meeting. The online migration was a scramble for most, as Canadian organizations have been much slower to adopt virtual meetings than their counterparts in the United States. Before this year, only a handful of Canadian companies had done so.
Nonetheless, most of the response to the virtual meetings has been positive, in part because shareholders recognize the unusual circumstances, said Kevin Thomas, CEO of the Shareholder Association for Research and Education (SHARE), a Canadian not-for-profit advisory firm that often helps sponsor minority shareholder proposals to be voted on at AGMs.
“The challenge is that participation at some of these (virtual) meetings has been limited — the ability to ask questions has been limited by the company to either written questions in advance or sometimes no questions,” he said. “In some cases, the ability to log in has been quite complicated.”
He added the virtual events lack some intangible benefits to attending a meeting in person, such as being able to have informal chats with directors, company executives and fellow shareholders.
“I think there are some bugs to work out. But the potential for online meetings, if they allow for full shareholder participation, is actually probably positive.”
As of July 28, 583 AGMs had been held by companies listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange, according to figures compiled by Hansell LLP of Toronto, a corporate advisory law firm. That’s down almost 22 per cent from the same time last year, as some companies took advantage of pandemic-related deadline extensions offered by regulators.
Hansell partner Susan Kushneryk said she expects more virtual AGMs will take place in the future for two reasons _ people may be hesitant to attend crowded events even if the pandemic is under control and the convenience of being able to dial in or catch a meeting online has now been well demonstrated.
“If you’re invested in a company based in Calgary and you live in Kelowna (B.C.), now, if that company is having a virtual AGM, it may be you’re able to attend for the first time since you’ve held those shares,” she said.
“So there’s a real benefit there.”
Virtual AGMs in Canada and the U.S. were generally well operated and well-received by shareholders but there were also a few instances where technology failed or meeting organizers “turned off the mic” to stymie troublesome input, said Peter Kimball, head of North American advisory services for Maryland-based ISS Corporate Solutions.
“There are some high-profile examples of big companies’ (AGMs) that either shareholders had difficulty getting in or they had difficulty finishing what they wanted to say,” he said, adding investors remain “wary” of the use of the technology in future meetings.
In Canada, Hansell found 54 per cent of the meetings were virtual only, which means that shareholders could attend remotely by phone or computer but couldn’t vote or ask questions in real time. Votes were collected ahead of the meeting.
About a quarter — 26 per cent — were traditional physical AGMs, where shareholders could vote ahead of time or attend in person to vote or ask a question.
Thirteen per cent of the meetings were what it called “limited hybrid,” where participants could remotely ask questions but couldn’t vote. Just two per cent were the “full hybrid” model, where participants could vote and ask questions at the meeting, whether in person or remotely.
Technology itself was a barrier at times, Kimball said.
Some meetings had to be rescheduled because of “plumbing issues,” he said _ the company providing the service didn’t have enough bandwidth to actually do the job, though that shortcoming likely could be addressed in future.
He added that activist shareholders who sponsor proposals on topics such as executive compensation or setting environmental targets are as split on the subject of remote meetings as the rest of the shareholders _ some love them and some hate them.
Toronto-based Barrick Gold Corp. has allowed investors to participate in person and remotely in its annual general meetings since 2018 but its AGM in early May had to be made virtual format only because of restrictions on large public gatherings.
It has vowed to return to its full hybrid meeting format next year.
“Our total meeting attendance actually went up in 2020 compared to our hybrid (physical and in-person) meeting in 2019,” said spokeswoman Kathy du Plessis in an email, adding the feedback from shareholders has been positive.
“Excluding Barrick personnel, this year we had 152 attendees on the online portal compared to 100 in total in 2019, 42 people at the physical meeting and 58 people online.”
WINNIPEG — A Winnipeg woman is recovering after being attacked by a Muskie while swimming with her family at a fishing resort.
The attack happened on July 25 at the North Star Village, in Minaki, Ont., north of Kenora.
Kim and Terry Driver, seasonal regulars and experienced anglers, went for a swim to cool off.
Kim Driver says she was standing in water up to her chest when she felt a sharp pain in her leg, and when she looked down she saw what looked like an alligator head.
A muskellunge, or Muskie, more than one metre long, had grabbed hold of her calf.
She says when she was hauled out of the water, blood was pouring out the back of her leg.
“Once it bit me it started flailing me through the water and then took me under,” she said.
“I started kicking, and I guess obviously punching it, because I have cuts on my hands, and then it let go and I came back up screaming that I needed help – something had bit me.”
Terry Driver said rescuers threw a towel over her head so she wouldn’t see the extent of the wound.
“It looks just like an alligator attack,” Terry Driver said, adding the gash was nearly 18 centimetres wide.
Kim Driver said she now requires plastic surgery to repair her calf – a process that will take more than six weeks.
But the attack has left more than just physical scars on her leg. Kim said she is emotionally scarred from the attack.
“I can’t sleep at night,” she said. “I have horrible nightmares and I wake up in a sweat and screaming – it was scary.”
According to the Canadian Encyclopedia, the muskellunge is the largest member of the pike family and is one of the most prized fishes by anglers.
It says although some fish exceeding 1.8 metres and 45 kilograms were once known, most modern specimens are much smaller. (CTV Winnipeg, The Canadian Press)
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 30, 2020.
OTTAWA — The WE controversy that has been dogging the Liberals is expected to continue to follow Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his government after Trudeau’s appearance before a House of Commons committee Thursday.
Opposition MPs on the Commons finance committee are now pushing to hear from more junior staffers in the prime minister’s office, and demanding access to cabinet documents.
They want more detailed answers about why WE Charity began working on and incurring expenses for the now-abandoned student-volunteering program on May 5, when it had not yet been approved by cabinet.
Trudeau’s chief of staff Katie Telford told the committee that another Trudeau aide talked to WE that same day, though she said he referred WE to the public service to talk about anything substantial.
WE’s Craig and Marc Kielburger have said those permanent officials told WE it could incur expenses before being awarded the agreement.
They said they wanted to get the program going quickly, and started work knowing they could lose money if cabinet said no.
In the rare appearance by the prime minister at the committee Thursday, Trudeau said he had initially pushed back when he learned the public service had chosen WE Charity to run the Canada Student Service Grant in early May.
He said he knew his own and his family’s long-standing ties to the WE organization would lead to significant scrutiny and wanted to ensure all due diligence was done.
The prime minister testified that he didn’t learn WE had been chosen by the public service to run the program until May 8, which was just hours before the arrangement was to be taken to cabinet for approval.
That’s when, Trudeau said, he put the brakes on the deal.
“WE knew that the selection of WE Charity would be closely scrutinized. We wanted to make sure that the process and decision were the best possible in the circumstances, so I decided to pull the CSSG proposal from the cabinet agenda for May 8 so that further work could be done,” Trudeau told the committee.
“We pulled the item from the agenda so that we could be doing the right thing, the way.”
The public service later came back on May 21 to reaffirm its recommendation that WE was the only organization that could run the student-volunteer program, Trudeau said.
Telford testified that the civil servants presented it as a “binary choice” — either they moved ahead with WE Charity to deliver the program or they wouldn’t go ahead with it at all.
Trudeau acknowledged his family’s involvement with WE: his mother, brother and wife have participated in and spoken at WE events, and have been paid hundreds of thousands of dollars in fees and expenses, although he testified the amounts were not previously known to him.
He stressed that he did not have any conversations with the Kielburger brothers during this time and that WE Charity did not receive any preferential treatment by him or anyone else in the government.
He also says he didn’t talk to his staff about WE Charity or its proposed involvement in the volunteering program until May 8, although he has since learned policy staff in his office had been working with the Privy Council Office and other departments, and they knew that WE Charity was under consideration to run the effort.
The prime minister and Telford also both noted that Sophie Gregoire Trudeau’s work with WE, including a podcast on mental wellness, has been unpaid except for expenses covered by the organization, all of which had been cleared by the ethics commissioner.
The Conservatives and NDP have called on federal ethics watchdog Mario Dion to widen his probe of Trudeau to include these expenses.
Dion is already investigating Trudeau and Finance Minister Bill Morneau for possible violations of the Conflict of Interest Act for not recusing themselves during cabinet discussions about the WE deal.
Meanwhile, the Canada Student Service Grant is now unlikely to be part of the $9-billion student aid program Ottawa is rolling out this summer, Trudeau said, adding that he regrets how the whole affair has unfolded.
WHITEHORSE — Yukon is set to move into its next phase of managing the COVID-19 pandemic, easing restrictions on so-called family bubbles, social gatherings and sports.
The government announced Wednesday that starting Aug. 1, Yukon residents can increase their household bubbles from one additional family to another 15 people in three to five families.
Indoor social gatherings remained limited at 10 with physical distancing required, although events in rented spaces with a maximum of 50 people will be allowed as long as the rules are followed.
Seated outdoor events with 100 people, such as weddings, will also be allowed.
Athletes will be able to return to play and the territory says public health officials will meet with sports organizations to plan a safe return to activities this fall.
Yukon Premier Sandy Silver says his government will continue to take a measured approach to lifting restrictions based on the advice of the chief medical officer of health.
The territory says this will be the longest of the reopening stages, lasting until a vaccine is developed to prevent the novel coronavirus.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 29, 2020.
In today’s Big Story podcast, a landmark ruling last week found that sending refugee claimants back to the United States under the Safe Third Country Agreement violates their human rights—and a federal judge has given the government six months to fix or terminate the policy. What does this mean for the US-Canada border? For the thousands of refugees every year that arrive in the United States then try to make it to Canada?
To understand this agreement you have to go back to the months after 9/11, when immigration and border security were undergoing massive changes. And to understand why the agreement has been invalidated in court, you need to look at what’s changed at the border in the years since then.
GUEST: Sharry Aiken, Professor of Immigration Law, Queen’s University
In today’s Big Story podcast, there are at least 102 kids. Most of them are Indigenous. Over seventeen years their money was stolen from their bank accounts, pushing them into poverty, homelessness and worse. And nobody noticed. Nobody cared.
A multimillion dollar settlement from the BC government admits that this happened, and attempts to make up for the failures with at least $25,000 per victim. But no criminal charges have been filed. No inquiry is forthcoming. And the details of how this happened gives us a look into just how unfair the system that’s supposed to help these kids can be.
VANCOUVER – Mara Soriano says her knees buckled as a two Good Samaritans handed her a bag containing a brown teddy bear in a red-and-white dress and white jacket.
For the past four days Soriano has walked up and down Vancouver alleyways, looked under dumpsters, put up posters and responded to every email and tweet that she thought could lead her back to a teddy bear that carried her late mother’s voice.
Last night she sobbed with joy when she was reunited with the bear.
Celebrities including Ryan Reynolds and George Stroumboulopoulos each promised rewards for its return.
Marilyn Soriano was diagnosed with cancer about 10 years ago when Mara was 18 and died last June.
She gave her daughter the bear in December 2017.
It was put together at Build-A-Bear and featured glasses and a jacket like the ones she used to wear.
Soriano says she got an email last night from someone who said they had the bear and wanted to return it to her and met up with two people at a safe location.
She says the bear is in perfect condition.
When she gets married next summer, Soriano says the bear will have a special seat at the front where her mom would have been.
But for the next few days, she’s going to carry the bear around and planned to go to sleep with it last night.
As the clock ticks down to September, a new poll suggests many Canadian parents are on the fence about whether to send their kids to school if and when classrooms are reopened.
The poll by Leger and the Association for Canadian Studies comes as provincial governments are working on how to get students back into classrooms, most of which have been shuttered since mid-March due to COVID-19.
Fifty-nine per cent of respondents with children said they would send their kids to school if there is some type of classroom instruction at least a few days a week. But 18 per cent said they would keep children at home while the remaining 23 per cent said they didn’t know.
“This will require a lot of flexibility from employers in the fall”
The Leger online poll of 1,517 Canadians over age 18 — of which 391 were parents with children in their households — took place July 24 to 26. The poll cannot be given a margin of error because it is not a random sample.
“We’re five weeks away from what’s a normal back-to-school time and still a quarter of parents don’t know what they’ll do,” Leger vice-president Christian Bourque said, adding: “A lot of it is still up in the air because provinces have really not made all their decisions.”
Many provinces have yet to decide whether to reopen schools and, if so, whether to do so full-time or with some type of hybrid model involving some in-class instruction possibly bolstered by online courses.
Parents in Quebec were most likely to say they planned to send their children back to school. The province reopened schools outside Montreal in the spring, with voluntary attendance. Parents in Alberta were most likely to keep their kids home while those in B.C. were most likely to be undecided.
Parents were more united on implementing safeguards to prevent students and teachers from contracting COVID-19, including mandatory temperature checks for children (82 per cent support), protective masks for school staff (81 per cent) and screening questionnaires (77 per cent).
Two-thirds were also supportive of students having to wear masks. Support for the measure was strongest in Ontario, which has seen a resurgence in COVID-19 cases in the past week, and weakest in Atlantic Canada, which has seen far fewer cases.
“All of this in terms of trying to protect staff and children seems to be making sense to parents,” Bourque said. “People still feel the importance of safety first, protection first, over the fun of being in school.”
Respondents were also asked how they would respond to a student or teacher in their child’s class testing positive for COVID-19. Forty-five per cent said they would respond by following the school’s advice, while half said they would keep them home for at least two weeks (30 per cent) or indefinitely (20 per cent).
“We’re five weeks away from what’s a normal back-to-school time and still a quarter of parents don’t know what they’ll do.”
And while many parents had plans for juggling some type of school schedule or model that will see students stay at home at least part of the time, 13 per cent said they did not know what they would do and 16 per cent said they would alternate going into work with a spouse.
“This will require a lot of flexibility from employers in the fall because most people expect that we will be confronted with some type of hybrid model of how our children go back to school,” Bourque said.
Forty-one per cent of all respondents said they would be more worried about personally contracting COVID-19 if schools reopen while 48 per cent said it did not change their fears either way. Bourque suggested that was a reflection of already-high concerns about the illness.
Fifty-seven per cent of respondents said they were somewhat or very afraid of getting COVID-19 versus 41 per cent who were not.
NHL hockey returns Tuesday after a months-long hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Montreal Canadiens are in Toronto to take on the Maple Leafs and the Edmonton Oilers meet the Calgary Flames at Rogers Place as part of today’s three-game exhibition schedule that kicks off Phase 4 of the league’s return-to-play plan.
The Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers square off in Toronto in today’s other game.
Edmonton and Toronto are serving as hub cities for the 24 NHL teams that are returning to action, though the Canadiens and Flames are listed as the home teams tonight.
Each team will play an exhibition game at Scotiabank Arena or Rogers Place between today and Thursday before the playoff qualification round begin on Saturday.
The NHL suspended its season March 12 due to the spreading global pandemic and announced its four-stage return plan May 26.
Quebecers who have spent the summer missing the Goliath’s 170-foot drops are in luck.
The sky-high ride was among more than 40 attractions in operation this weekend as Six Flags Entertainment Corp. reopened its La Ronde amusement park in Montreal following a months-long closure to stop the spread of COVID-19.
But the park — and a handful of its counterparts across Canada — are looking a lot different these days as operators unveil a slew of measures meant to keep guests safe.
“There used to be thousands and thousands of people walking around, huge lineups and crowds and all that, but this is not what you will see when you get to La Ronde because this is a new reality,” said spokesperson Karina Thevenin.
La Ronde opened in preview mode on Saturday and Sunday, along with this coming Friday. It will host a few exclusive days for members and seasons pass holders on Aug. 1 and 2 before welcoming the general public.
La Ronde has rolled out a new online reservation systems that helps it restrict capacity and stagger entry times, so guests can easily physically distance.
When they arrive, guests are asked to don a mask and to step through a thermal imaging system that will measure body temperature and help the park weed out guests who may have COVID-19 symptoms.
While queuing for rides, guests will see footprints and markers on the ground, helping them to keep six feet or more apart, and rides will also have seats blocked off to aid with physical distancing.
While the Fuji-Q Highland amusement park near Tokyo has asked guests to “scream inside your heart” and not out loud to stop the spread of COVID-19, Thevenin said guests are free to make noise as long as they are wearing a mask.
“I tried a roller coaster with a mask on and it works just fine,” Thevenin said. “I was screaming to my heart’s content.”
Meanwhile, Calaway Park in Calgary has kept six high-velocity rides, including Vortex, Ocean Motion, Free Fallin’ and Wave Rider, closed to stop the spread of droplets.
Out of 32 rides, 26 have reopened and six — Dodgem, Storm, Air Gliders, Bumble Blast, Sky Wynder and Dream Machine — require guests to wear a mask, said Bob Williams, the park’s general manager.
Calaway also upped its sanitizations, so rides are cleaned after every cycle, and staff wear face masks and sometimes, also shields.
Calaway settled on what COVID-19 precautions to take at the park by conferring with public health officials and consulting with other theme parks, though few have reopened in Canada.
Canada’s Wonderland, just outside Toronto in Vaughan, and Galaxyland at the West Edmonton Mall both remain closed.
Over in Cavendish, P.E.I, the Sandspit Amusement Park has been open since June 26 with increased precautions and an approach “like a barbeque where you start low and go slow,” said Matthew Jelley, the president of Sandspit operator, Maritime Fun Group.
The park is operating at about 15 per cent capacity, but it took at least 10 days for it to attract even that many guests, he said.
Instead of charging guests who wanted to go on rides and letting the rest in free, Jelley said everyone must now pay admission.
It was a hard choice to make, but one that was necessary because the park has 365 days of expenses even though it isn’t welcoming guests year-round, he added.
It’s a reality Shelley Frost, chief executive of Playland-operator Pacific North Exhibition, knows well.
The Vancouver park, she said, wasn’t able to accommodate end-of-school or graduation parties and had to open on July 17, far later than it usually would.
“We do about $60 million a year between the fair and our year-round events like concerts and festivals and we already have a confirmed loss of about $52 million of that, so we’ve been doing a lot of layoffs and austerity measures,” said Frost.
The park has yet to hit its reduced capacity rates, but guests are slowly returning to ride the Tea Cups, Sea to Sky Swinger and Bug Whirled.
The park will soon open bigger rides like a wooden roller coaster that Frost hopes will attract teens, but she is keeping her expectations muted.
“We were very excited to be able to be a little ray of hope for things getting close to being you being back to normal, but we are very cognizant of the fact that people are very different in terms of how comfortable they are.”
HALIFAX — People are gathering at a Halifax park today to demand a public inquiry into the Nova Scotia mass shootings.
The gathering at Victoria Park comes less than a week after the province unveiled a plan for a panel review into the massacre.
Organizers say a 22-minute general strike will begin at noon local time to honour the 22 victims who were killed last April.
Several local women’s rights advocates, as well as Dartmouth South MLA Claudia Chender, of Nova Scotia’s New Democrats, are expected to speak at the rally.
Many of the victims’ families have called for a public inquiry into what happened during the shootings on April 18 and 19 and what led to the rampage.
Activists, lawyers, Nova Scotia opposition parties and federal senators from across Canada have also joined that call over the past several months.
But the federal and Nova Scotia governments said last week that a three-person panel would be set up to review the massacre.
That review body will be led by Michael MacDonald, a former chief justice of Nova Scotia, and includes former federal Liberal cabinet minister Anne McLellan, and Leanne Fitch, the former chief of police in Fredericton.
Nova Scotia Premier Stephen McNeil said that he believes the panel will be able to get the answers that the victims’ families are demanding.
He also told reporters that the panellists will be able to ask his government for assistance should they need it.
But critics have criticized a perceived lack of transparency and say the panel does not have enough power to lead an in-depth investigation.
The organizers of Monday’s rally expressed hope that they will be able to pressure Ottawa and Halifax to reverse course and ultimately order a public inquiry.
“We need systemic and structural change to come from this,” Martha Paynter, one of the event organizers, said in an interview on Saturday.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 27, 2020.
If the past three months without a service dog have been a challenge for Ann Moxley, the next year seems poised to be a struggle.
The Victoria resident, who lives with physical disabilities, used to rely on her faithful companion Gretzky for a variety of household tasks. She fondly recalls times when Gretzky would pick up a wallet that slipped from her pocket or retrieve a toque and mittens blown into the road by a gust of wind.
But Moxley has been without his support since his death from a rare liver condition in April. And since the COVID-19 pandemic has caused Canada’s service dog training schools to halt or suspend their programs, she isn’t scheduled to meet his successor until at least July 2021.
“It’s hard, it’s all I can do to exist,” Moxley said in an interview. “It’s incredibly lonely.”
Moxley plans to get her new companion from Lions Foundation of Canada Dog Guides, a school based in Oakville, Ont., that trains service animals to support people with a range of physical and sensory disabilities.
Chief Executive Officer Beverly Crandell said COVID-19 has forced the school to cancel in-person training classes, adding more names to an already-lengthy waiting list of people eager for service dog support.
She said while dogs have been successfully placed in foster homes while classes are on-hold, addressing the needs of their future human partners has proven much more complex.
“Clients are a different story,” Crandell said. “… They have been put on hold.”
Figures provided by the school estimate approximately 80 disabled Canadians have had their training deferred due to the pandemic. Officials said the school is offering virtual support to its existing clients and looks forward to the day when it can “create more life-changing matches for people with disabilities.”
Pandemic-related setbacks also abound at Canadian Guide Dogs for the Blind, an Ottawa-area training facility that cancelled all in-person classes at the end of March when public health-related lockdowns took effect across the country.
Manager of Development Alex Ivic said the school has had to explore alternatives to replace the residential model at the heart of its usual training program. Local clients, for instance, began receiving home-based training in May.
Ivic said the campus reopened to students last month, though only one person at a time is allowed to occupy the residence.
“The pandemic gave us new challenges,” Ivic said. “We had to push everything back and the wait times for those waiting for a dog are variable.”
Moxley anticipates additional struggles when she’s finally cleared to train with a new dog, saying COVID-19-related restrictions make the prospect of travelling from Victoria to Oakville daunting and possibly risky.
Canada’s service animal training schools don’t generally receive government support, relying instead on charitable donations to stay afloat. Both the Lions school and Canadian Guide Dogs for the blind said the financial squeeze caused by the pandemic adds another dimension to their struggles to keep going during a time of upheaval.
But Ivic, for one, remains optimistic, saying schools are committed to matching successful service dog teams while preserving the health of all concerned.
“I hope things will go back to normal one day to train multiple clients at once,” he said. “I know there will be changes in our protocols to keep people safe,” Ivic said.
CALGARY — A Calgary man facing terrorism charges is to make a court appearance today.
Hussein Sobhe Borhot, who is 34, is charged with participation in activity of a terrorism group and commission of an offence for a terrorist group.
Investigators from the RCMP’s Integrated National Security Enforcement Team allege the accused travelled to Syria between May 2013 and June 2014 to join Islamic State militants.
They allege the group trained him for the purpose of enhancing its ability and that Borhot knowingly committed the offence of kidnapping while working with the militants.
Borhot has been ordered held in custody.
RCMP say the investigation continues and further charges and arrests are possible.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 24, 2020
MONTREAL — A look at what provincial police revealed Wednesday about the deaths of Norah and Romy Carpentier and their father:
– At 9:30 p.m. on July 8, Martin Carpentier, 44, is driving with his daughters Norah, 11, and Romy, 6, when they are in a serious car crash in St-Apollinaire, Que.
– Police accident analysts concluded Carpentier tried to regain control of the car and the crash was not deliberate.
– The father and daughters are last seen crossing the highway into a wooded area. Carpentier is barefoot and is carrying one of the girls.
– They walk south into the woods, covering 1.7 kilometres before reaching an empty trailer. DNA evidence puts Carpentier inside the trailer, and police believe the girls were still with him. He steals items, including a shovel and a lighter.
– About 750 metres further south, the bodies of Norah and Romy are found on July 11. Autopsy results show the girls had been injured in the crash but died from being struck with a blunt object by Carpentier.
– The search for Carpentier continues for another nine days before his body is found July 20, about 5.5 kilometres from where the crash occurred. Police had searched the area on July 10 and July 17 without finding him. His body was found near a ladder in a dense forested area.
– The investigation has concluded that all three family members were dead within 12 hours of the crash.
– Investigators received roughly 1,000 tips and visited 700 buildings.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 22, 2020.
BRIDGEWATER, N.S. — The search continues today in Nova Scotia’s South Shore for a fugitive accused of stabbing a police sergeant, assaulting a woman and injuring a police dog.
Tobias Charles Doucette, who is in his 30s, was charged with attempted murder after he allegedly struck an officer in the neck with an edged weapon when police responded to a domestic violence call Monday night at the Bridgewater Hotel.
The suspect allegedly fled on foot.
An RCMP dog and handler located Doucette briefly Tuesday, but the suspect escaped, fleeing into the woods on foot off Highway 331 in Conquerall Bank, N.S.
Police say the dog was stabbed with a stick during the encounter.
They wouldn’t say whether Doucette was known to police, but cautioned that members of the public should avoid contact if they encounter him.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 23, 2020
Finance Minister Bill Morneau will appear Wednesday before a House of Commons committee that is probing a cancelled agreement for WE Charity to run a student-volunteer program.
Morneau has apologized for not recusing himself from the cabinet discussions and vote on the agreement, given his daughters have ties to WE — including one who works in an administrative arm of the organization.
He will be the latest cabinet minister to be grilled over the aborted deal that would have seen WE receive more than $43.5 million to oversee a program with a budget of up to $912 million.
Morneau, like Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, is being investigated by the federal ethics watchdog for possible violations of conflict of interest rules.
On Tuesday, Canada’s top bureaucrat said he couldn’t see not having the finance minister and prime minister involved in discussions about a program as big in scope and price as the Canada Student Service Grant program.
The program proposed paying students up to $5,000 toward education costs based on the number of hours they volunteer.
The Liberals have said the non-partisan public service recommended going with WE as it was the only organization in the country to administer a program as quickly and as broadly as what the government wanted.
In early July, the organization handed back control of the program to the government amid the controversy about its connections to Trudeau. The organization has paid speaking fees to his mother and brother.
The finance committee also heard Tuesday from the head of the Public Service Alliance of Canada that public servants could have delivered the program, while lawyer Joshua Mandryk raised concerns about effectively paying students below minimum wage and calling it volunteering.
The Canadian Federation of Students is calling on the government to abandon the program and push all the money into an emergency benefit for out-of-work students.
The group warns students may be unable to accumulate enough hours to receive grants because it’s almost August and there is no clarity on when the program will launch.
“Students have waited for this program to roll out since April and now they’re told they have to wait even longer,” national chair Sofia Descalzi said in a statement.
MONTREAL — Quebec provincial police will hold a news conference later today to shed light on the circumstances surrounding the deaths of two young sisters and their father in St-Apollinaire, southwest of Quebec City.
Provincial police announced on Twitter on Monday night they found what they believed is the body of Martin Carpentier in the same search area they had looked during an intense 10-day manhunt.
Police said it appeared Carpentier took his own life, but did not provide further details or say how he had gone undetected for 12 days.
The discovery came nearly two weeks after Carpentier’s car was involved in a crash on the evening of July 8 in the small town, but neither he nor daughters Norah and Romy Carpentier were inside the vehicle when responders reached the scene.
An Amber Alert was triggered the next day, but lifted on July 11 when the bodies of Norah, 11, and Romy, 6, were found in the woods nearby. Police have not yet released their cause of death.
On Monday afternoon, hundreds gathered outside the funeral of the two girls, which took place in their hometown of Levis, Que.
The availability this afternoon will take place at Quebec provincial police headquarters in Montreal.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 22, 2020.
Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek says if his current treatment for Stage 4 pancreatic cancer doesn’t work, he’ll probably stop pursuing medical intervention.
In his touching new memoir, The Answer Is … Reflections on My Life, the Sudbury, Ont.-raised TV personality writes that “quality of life was an important consideration” in the decision.
The seven-time Emmy Award winner says he and his wife, Jean Currivan, and their two children had “a good cry” when he told them.
Trebek adds he’s “lived a good, full life,” knows he’s nearing the end of it, and is “not afraid of dying.”
The 79-year-old, who lives in Los Angeles and turns 80 on Wednesday, announced his cancer diagnosis in March 2019 and has continued to work on Jeopardy! throughout his treatment.
His new memoir looks back on his life and career, and gives up-to-date reflections on his health, the world, and the COVID-19 pandemic.
The ever-poised quiz-show legend has kept viewers updated on his cancer treatment with social-media videos in which he’s often on the Jeopardy! set wearing a suit and speaking in a positive tone.
But in the book he admits there are moments when he regrets going public with his diagnosis, noting he feels “a lot of pressure to always be tough.”
Trebek, who is usually private about his personal life, writes about his vulnerable moments and the toll cancer has taken on his body.
He says there are days when he’s been “a basket case” before taping.
But as soon as he gets onstage, “it all changes suddenly. I’m myself again. I feel good,” he writes.
“No matter how I feel before the show, when I get out there it’s all forgotten because there’s a show to be done. Work to do.”
Trebek writes about getting his affairs in order and talking to his doctor about hospice care.
As for retirement, he says he knows there will come a time when he won’t be able to host as well as the job demands.
“Whenever it gets to that point, I’ll walk away,” he writes.
The Answer Is … Reflections on My Life (Simon & Schuster) also has photos of Trebek as it runs down his upbringing with his younger sister Barbara and parents George Edward Terebeychuk and Lucille Lagace.
His father was a Ukrainian immigrant and chef at a hotel, and his French-Canadian mother tended the house and spent about a year and a half in a sanatorium being treated for tuberculosis. They eventually separated.
During and after his philosophy studies at the University of Ottawa, Trebek started announcing and hosting for CBC radio and TV, on programs including “Music Hop” and the quiz show “Reach for the Top.”
He eventually moved to Los Angeles, landing many hosting gigs on game shows including The Wizard of Odds, High Rollers and Battlestars.
Trebek made his debut as Jeopardy! host in 1984 and has become a mainstay for weekday family viewing and a beloved figure in pop-culture, inspiring several impersonations of him that he addresses in the book.
Jeopardy! fans will delight in Trebek’s reflections on his favourite moments and contestants on the show, and his thoughts on whether certain strategies help in winning.
Trebek also peppers the chapters with salty language, offering fun tidbits on his famous moustache and “expensive hairpiece.”
Each chapter title begins with What Is … in a nod to the Jeopardy! format, in which clues are presented in the form of answers and contestants have to say their guess in the form of a question.
The final chapter breaks from the format with: The Answer Is … Life.
Trebek writes he’d like to be “remembered first of all as a good and loving husband and father,” and for helping people perform at their best.
“Because that was my job. That is what a host is supposed to do.”
British Columbia’s provincial health officer says a higher number of COVID-19 cases over the last three days means the province could experience a rapid rebound of infections after successfully “bending the curve.”
Dr. Bonnie Henry said Monday that B.C. recorded 102 cases of the virus since Friday because people have increased their contacts to 20 or 30 people in some cases, from a low of three to four, so it’s time to “pay attention now.”
Henry said she’s concerned the province is at a “tipping point” and it’s more challenging for public health workers to do contact tracing when an infected person has socialized with a high number of people.
Gatherings should be limited to six people, mostly outdoors, and people should know who they’re connecting with as well as have a “contact keeper” in case someone in a group becomes ill, she said.
“There are hundreds of people exposed over the last few weeks,” she said of events mostly involving young people at private parties in Kelowna, where more than 60 cases have now been connected.
“We know the more people get ill the more chances, even young people, will have severe illness (and) will end up in hospital and unfortunately some people will die,” Henry said, adding it could include members of the community who work in hospitals and long-term care facilities to whom the virus is transmitted.
B.C. has recorded a total of 3,300 cases of COVID-19 and 189 deaths.
A survey of over 394,000 British Columbians indicates younger people between the ages of 18 to 29 are experiencing more mental health and financial concerns, Henry said.
Many are not working due to the pandemic in jobs including arts and entertainment, accommodation, food services and retail.
Overall, 62 per cent of respondents indicated they’re concerned about the health of a vulnerable family member.
The survey also suggests only 67 per cent of people stay home from work when they’re sick, and Henry said there’s a need to address the reasons behind that.
Health Minister Adrian Dix said the 102 cases over three days, representing an average of 34 cases a day, may not be a lot compared with other jurisdictions in Canada but they’re enough to cause discomfort in a province that could reverse its positive trend on the pandemic.
“It is, I think, a sobering reminder of how fleeting success can be when we turn our backs on COVID-19,” he said, adding British Columbians need to recommit to measures such as physical distancing.
“There’s a place for common sense but right now there’s a need for COVID sense and to use it.”
COLUMBIA ICEFIELD, Alta. — The president of the company that runs the bus tours at the Columbia Icefield between Banff and Jasper said changes will be made, if necessary, after a rollover on the glacier killed three people and sent two dozen to hospital.
The cause of the accident hasn’t been determined. The off-road bus rolled off the road to the glacier Saturday afternoon and came to rest on a rocky slope, its six huge tires pointed up at the sky.
The RCMP, Occupational Health and Safety and the Transportation Safety Board spent Sunday milling about the vehicle, which slid about 50 metres down a steep embankment coming to rest near the glacier.
It’s unclear how soon it will be removed from its current location but an internal investigation is underway as well.
“We started right away to review what happened, what is our process with our protocol at every step and so we’re doing that internally but we are also working with the external teams to ensure that gets a fulsome review,” said Dave McKenna, the president of the Banff Jasper Collection by Pursuit, which operates the tours and its fleet of 22 vehicles.
The RCMP said the cause of the accident still isn’t known and the snow coach, called an Ice Explorer, will receive a full mechanical inspection.
The red and white big-wheeled buses regularly take tourists up a rough rocky road onto the Athabasca Glacier in Jasper National Park.
In all, 27 people were aboard when it crashed.
Alberta Heath Services said, of the 24 survivors, 14 had life-threatening head or pelvis injuries. Five others were in serious condition with broken bones and the remaining five suffered minor injuries.
McKenna said the Ice Explorers are offroad vehicles and seatbelts are not required. They aren’t allowed on highways and have a top speed of 40 kilometres an hour.
He said once the investigation is complete, Pursuit will implement any changes that might be part of recommendations for things like seatbelts.
“We will wait until the investigation is over and we will listen to all the recommendations and anything we’re required to do.”
Tours have been offered on the glacier since 1969 and the current type of Ice Explorers have been used since the early 1980s but are constantly upgraded.
“We average about 480,000 visitors a year and we’ve been operating these vehicles since the early 80s. We’ve had over 16 million passengers safely taken out on to the ice over all these years. No major incidents,” McKenna said.
“Over 39 years of course there’s a few bumps but nothing serious with fatalities or critical injuries.”
Angela Bye was on one of the coaches just before Saturday’s accident. She said she never worried about her safety.
“We were in the exact same vehicle, hours before. It’s like being in a school bus with really tall seats. The seats are way more padded than a school bus. They explained how it ran. How the wheels work,” she said.
“I felt very safe.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 20, 2020.
Walmart Canada plans to invest $3.5 billion over the next five years to improve service in stores and on the web, renovate 150 stores and build two new distribution centres.
The retail giant says the investment will create hundreds of construction jobs in Canada and forge partnerships with Canadian high-tech companies.
Future technology initiatives include the use of payment on mobile devices so that customers can pay for purchases anywhere in the store.
The company also aims to soon offer a complete merchandise pick-up service at about 270 branches, or 70 per cent of its locations in Canada.
Renovations to more than one-third of its stores will be completed over three years.
Walmart is also planning to spend $1.1 billion to speed up the flow of products by building two new distribution centres, in Vaughan, Ont. and Surrey, B.C., as well as renovating an existing centre in Cornwall, Ont.
“Today’s significant investment will position us for future growth and make Walmart Canada even better for our associates and our customers,” says Horacio Barbeito, president and CEO.
ST-APOLLINAIRE, Que. — Quebec provincial police continue to search for the father of two young girls found dead last weekend in a rural area southwest of Quebec City.
Police say 44-year-old Martin Carpentier may be desperate and looking for materials to ensure his survival.
They say they have found evidence Carpentier was in a trailer in the area where police have focused their search since the bodies of Norah and Romy Carpentier, aged 11 and six, were discovered last Saturday.
They’re asking residents of Lotbiniere, Que., and surrounding areas west of Quebec City to check their cottages, trailers or buildings for signs of a break-in, such as missing or moved clothing, food or equipment.
Police are also suggesting citizens search in pairs or with a police escort and to call 911 if they see any signs of the missing man.
Investigators have said the girls and their father were believed to have been in a serious car crash on Highway 20 in St-Apollinaire, Que., last Wednesday, but there was nobody inside the vehicle when they arrived on scene.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published on July 17, 2020
Since the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, researchers have been looking at convalescent plasma as a way to battle the virus.
Clinical plasma trails are now underway through the Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute (LTRI), located at Mount Sinai hospital in Toronto.
What is convalescent plasma?
Blood is essentially made up of three components – red blood cells, white blood cells and plasma.
When a person gets infected with a virus, their immune system launches a response and antibodies are created to fight off the virus. Convalescent plasma refers to plasma obtained from the blood of such a person, which contains those antibodies after they’ve recovered.
How is the clinical trial conducted?
The LTRI clinical trial is called “Conquer” and began just over a month ago – approximately five months after COVID-19 first made it’s appearance. Usually, clinical trials take several years to develop.
The trial is conducted on patients who have been admitted to hospital with a severe case of COVID-19 and require oxygen.
Patients are approached by a research coordinator to determine if they are eligible for the trial. They then explain the trial, its benefits, and risks.
“The majority of people that come into hospital really want to be part of the clinical trial,” said Dr. Michael Fralick, a clinician scientist working on the Conquer trial.
Once enrolled, patients are then randomized to receive either convalescent plasma or standard of care – which refers to the regular course of hospital treatment for COVID-19, without convalescent plasma.
“If an individual is diagnosed with COVID-19, their immune system will mount a response and their immune system will generate these antibodies. The goal with giving them plasma is to give them that … extra boost of antibodies to help them fight the infection,” Fralick explained.
So far, about 40 patients have been enrolled in the clinical trial across different hospitals in Toronto and the province.
Is it working?
Fralick said preliminary data is encouraging and suggested there might be a benefit to administering convalescent plasma to COVID-19 patients — citing a study in China that had to be cut short because they simply ran out of patients to enroll.
Convalescent plasma is known to be safe, but the current trials are aiming to find out whether it’s actually effective in the fight against COVID-19.
As the study is still in the early stages, it’s still wait and watch.
“In order for us to know – is this curative or not – we need results from the clinical trial,” Fralick said. “Is it life saving? The only way we’ll know that is by completing the clinical trial Mt. Sinai is involved with as well as other clinical trials of this treatment.”
Fralick said they have to resist the temptation to look at the data too early — more patients need to be recruited into the study to get a definitive answer.
“There’s risks with everything in medicine. So we want to make sure that this has clear benefits before we roll it out to anyone who gets COVID-19 and is hospitalized.”
How can you donate plasma?
In order to donate plasma to be used in the clinical trials, there are some basic criteria that need to be met:
You must be under the age of 67
You must be completely recovered from COVID-19
A month has passed since your recovery
Convalescent plasma is collected by Canadian Blood Services.
If I donate plasma, can they tell me if I had COVID-19?
Convalescent plasma donations are accepted from people who have recovered from COVID-19.
Testing for antibodies is able to detect residual traces of COVID-19, but currently, this type of testing is not aimed at determining whether or not a person had the virus. Tests to detect only whether a person had the virus in the past are currently not available.
Dr. Anne-Claude Gingras, Senior Investigator of serology testing at LTRI, said there’s not much the average person can do with that information.
“You don’t know what that means in terms of – will it protect you from further infection?” she said.
She said the serology testing currently underway at LTRI is working to determine among other things:
A better way to measure whether a person had the virus in order to track population health
What type and how much of the antibodies were generated, when and how fast they were generated and how long they stay in the system and whether all those values relate to good vs. bad outcomes
Whether those antibodies will prove to be protective if the person were to get infected again and how long would they last
How this knowledge will further inform how to respond if one is infected again
Antibody testing is also being conducted to determine how prevalent the virus is in the Canadian population. Dr. Gingras said the LTRI study is associated with a government pilot program that is testing about 100,000 samples acquired through blood donations.
While each individual will not be called back with results, the findings of the study “should indicate whether they think that the prevalence rate is higher or lower than people have been guessing,” Dr. Gingras explained.
The results of that study are expected within a few weeks.
WE Charity is restructuring its operations weeks after its sole-sourced contract with the government shone a spotlight on the organization at the centre of an ethics investigation of the prime minister.
The charity says it will return to its roots by prioritizing international development work focused on children and their families.
But after 25 years of rapid growth, WE Charity says its structure is too complicated and needs to be more transparent.
A formal review will be conducted by experts Korn Ferry to streamline its operations and clearly separate the social enterprise from the charitable entities. The firm will also review the board of directors for diversity, inclusion and independence.
A chief risk and compliance officer independent from management will be hired to oversee all risk management, regulatory and governance compliance.
Avis Glaze, an international leader in the field of education, and McCarthy Tetrault LLP will conduct a workplace review.
David Onley, the former lieutenant governor of Ontario, will join become an executive adviser to provide advice on the transformation and implement Korn Ferry’s recommendations.
“By making these changes within our organization, WE can move forward to the next 25 years of impact focused on what matters most: the communities and youth we serve,” it said in a news release.
Federal ethics commissioner Mario Dion is investigating Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for a potential conflict of interest after he failed to recuse himself from a decision to award a $900-million student-aid program to WE even though his mother, brother and wife received a combined $283,400 for a number of appearances at the organization’s events.
TORONTO — The silence inside the Campbells’ home west of Toronto has grown like a cancer in the weeks since April 6.
That’s when D’Andre Campbell, one of six siblings who live in the Brampton, Ont., home with their parents, called 911 on himself and was later shot dead by police.
Before that night, laughter filled the house, along with the sounds of D’Andre Campbell’s footsteps. He was the only one who wore shoes inside the house, his mother recalls, and the sound telegraphed his movements at all hours of the day.
“I miss those footsteps,” says Yvonne Campbell, as tears fall into her face mask.
D’Andre Campbell’s family still does not know why he called 911 that night. The province’s police watchdog, the Special Investigations Unit, says officers from Peel Regional Police were dispatched to a “domestic situation,” but the family says the 26-year-old was no threat to anyone that day.
Two officers fired stun guns at Campbell before another officer fired his gun multiple times, according to the SIU, which has taken over the investigation. The SIU says a knife was recovered at the scene.
The Campbells, who are Black, say several of them witnessed D’Andre’s death in the kitchen of their home, where he used to eat some of his favourite foods: spaghetti, lasagna and ice cream.
“My brother bled out there instantly and he didn’t do anything wrong,” says Campbell’s sister, Michelle.
Three months later, the family says they have yet to hear from both the SIU and Peel police.
“I need justice for my son, I need answers,” Yvonne Campbell says in a recent interview at the office of the family’s lawyers — Jeremy Solomon and Mary DeRose — who are contemplating litigation.
The family did not want to discuss details of D’Andre Campbell’s death due to the possibility of a civil action. But they want the public to know about his life.
Nearly 10 years ago, when D’Andre Campbell was 17, doctors diagnosed him with schizophrenia. The family noticed he became quiet and withdrawn.
“He got very paranoid, so I knew something was off,” Yvonne Campbell says.
Doctors prescribed him medication, she says, and he lived the vast majority of his life symptom-free — smiling, laughing and listening to music.
He worked for four years at a company’s shipping and receiving department and was doing well for a time, Yvonne Campbell says, but at some point he “got a little edgy” and was given some time off.
He returned briefly to work, then stopped.
“I didn’t really pressure him to work because I know his situation,” his mother says. “I’d rather he be home.”
The young man became a homebody, only leaving to go to the store, buy lottery tickets or to celebrate his birthday in mid-December at his favourite restaurant, Mandarin.
He felt safe in his home, the family says, and often did not go on vacation with them.
The family says they called 911 on several occasions in the past when D’Andre Campbell hit a “peak,” which usually indicated his medication was no longer working.
“He’d be back and forth, wouldn’t sit down and always thought there was something there,” Michelle Campbell says.
Calling 911 was “the only way we can get him to see a doctor, he willingly won’t want to go, so we have to call police and then he’ll go,” Michelle Campbell says. He’d spend a few days in hospital and then be fine.
The family say they want answers, but the SIU investigation into the young man’s death could take up to a year to conclude.
“The system is screwed up,” Michelle Campbell says. “Three months later and we still don’t know anything. It’s not fair and I don’t have any faith in the investigation.”
The family wants to know the contents of the 911 call along with the name of the officer who killed D’Andre Campbell. They also want that officer to talk to the SIU and provide his notes, which the watchdog agency says he has not done.
The SIU says they’ve interviewed four officers who witnessed the killing, but legally cannot compel the officer who shot D’Andre Campbell to be interviewed or give over his notes due to a regulation in the provincial Police Services Act.
Spokeswoman Monica Hudon says the agency only recently received results from the Centre of Forensic Science for items of evidence and received the post-mortem results last week.
“While the SIU recognizes it is important to resolve cases in a timely manner, the thoroughness of the investigation must take precedence over the length of time it takes to finish an investigation,” Hudon says.
The Campbells also want to see changes to the way police respond to calls involving people who struggle with mental illness.
“They definitely shouldn’t be going with guns,” says Michelle Campbell, adding officers should be wearing body cameras.
Yvonne Campbell wants police to say they’re sorry for her son’s death.
“The police have torn my family apart,” she says. “They haven’t even apologized, or offered condolences.”
Peel police did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The youngest Campbell sibling, 10-year-old Claudius Jr., is struggling to cope with the sudden death of his brother, who would often offer him late-night snacks. Now the boy often cries alone in his room.
“Sometimes he doesn’t want to sleep by himself so he comes into my room and I put on the TV till he falls asleep,” says Michelle Campbell, the eldest of the siblings at 29, as she wipes tears from her face.
Dajour Campbell, wearing a shirt with his late brother’s image on it, says time has lost its meaning.
“It’s been the same day on repeat. I don’t feel like getting out of my bed,” the 22-year-old says. “It doesn’t feel like the same house.”
Yvonne Campbell says she tries to fill the silence with music to keep thoughts of what happened to her son at bay.
“It’s very hard,” she says. “Every day we get up looking for answers and there are no answers.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 16, 2020.
HAMILTON — A union representing Ontario health-care workers says it will announce “political action” this morning in response to the province potentially extending its emergency powers.
The Ontario Council of Hospital Unions, a division of the Canadian Union of Public Employees, will be making the announcement at Hamilton General Hospital.
A spokeswoman for the union confirms that 98 per cent of its membership voted in favour of some form of political action over the weekend.
The Progressive Conservative government introduced a bill last week that would allow it to keep some emergency measures in place in the months ahead.
Health-care workers, including nurses, say the orders suspend their collective bargaining agreement with the province.
Union president Michael Hurley says while that was acceptable in the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s now a detriment to health-care workers.
Hurley says a suspended agreement means hospital staff may have their shifts changed, be moved from site to site, or have vacation requests denied.
He suggested last week that the union’s action could take many forms, including wearing stickers to work, organizing a rally or even an interruption of work.
“No one wants to turn their attention from providing patient care to having to defend some basic workplace rights,” said Hurley on Friday. “That’s the last thing anyone wants to do, so we’re hoping that the government reconsiders its position.”
Canadian trials have just begun for a prospective COVID-19 vaccine but its Quebec-based manufacturer is already downplaying its potential impact.
Dr. Bruce Clark, president and CEO of the biopharmaceutical company Medicago, cautions observers against holding unrealistic expectations that his product — or any of the numerous vaccines in development globally — will bring the pandemic to a screeching halt.
“Whatever vaccine we get in this first round — unless it’s a miracle — it’s not going to be perfect,” says Clark, whose company began trials for its proposed vaccine Monday in Quebec City.
“It’s going to have to undergo development, it’s going to take probably years to come up with an understanding of the right vaccine, the right approach. It’s not the panacea.
“To assume that we can have, in 18 months, the solution to a pandemic that comes around once in a generation, is naive.”
So much is still unknown about COVID-19, notes Clark, including how it may manifest during the flu season later this year.
He suspects a more likely scenario is that a vaccine will offer only part of the solution, along with new therapeutics and ongoing public health interventions.
Medicago’s first phase of clinical trials will test a plant-based product on 180 healthy men and women, aged 18 to 55.
The randomized, partially blinded study uses technology that does not involve animal products or live viruses like traditional methods.
Clark notes that vaccine developers typically use chicken eggs to propagate a virus, but Medicago uses recombinant technology involving the genetic sequence of a virus, with living plants as the host.
The resulting virus-like particles mimic the shape and dimensions of a virus, which allows the body to recognize them and spark an immune response.
Clark says the plant-based approach is significantly faster and offers more consistent results than egg-based or cell-based methods.
While it takes five to six months to propagate a virus in eggs, the plant-based technique requires just five to six weeks, he says.
“In a pandemic, something like COVID, if you’re able to cut that much time off development, you have a substantial impact on public health.”
Meanwhile, Clark says viruses are prone to mutations as they adapt and grow in an egg, which could result in a vaccine that doesn’t exactly match the circulating virus. In contrast, “a plant is a plant,” and that makes production easily scalable.
“One plant behaves like 100,000 plants,” he says.
The trial will evaluate three different dosages alone, or with one of two adjuvants provided by GlaxoSmithKline and Dynavax. An adjuvant can boost the effectiveness of a vaccine for a better immunological response, thereby reducing the required dose, Clark adds.
He hopes to know the effectiveness of the adjuvants and dosing by October, and then kick off a second, more targeted trial phase involving about 1,000 participants.
Clark says the third phase would involve about 15,000 to 20,000 subjects, and may be a global study, depending on circumstances of the pandemic.
If the vaccine is successful, Clark points to another uncertainty.
Because the company’s commercial plant is across the border in Durham, N.C., he says there’s no guarantee of a Canadian supply.
“‘Guarantee’ is a strong word,” says Clark. “Strange things happen to borders in the context of a pandemic.”
Such border complications were made clear to Canadians in April when Prime Minister Justin Trudeau complained about problems with incomplete or non-existent deliveries of critical COVID-19 supplies. At the time, U.S. President Donald Trump ordered U.S. producers to prioritize the domestic market.
Clark suggested similar hurdles could impact vaccine distribution, putting immediate pressure on Medicago to complete construction of a large-scale manufacturing facility in its home base of Quebec City.
“Certainly, we need a facility in Canada,” Clark says.
“There’s no guarantee on the easy flow of materials back and forth across the border should we have a successful vaccine. We have to keep the focus on completing the Canadian facility so that we have domestic capacity. I think this is what most countries are concerned about.”
By the end of 2023, the Quebec City plant is expected to be able to produce up to one billion doses of the COVID-19 vaccine annually.
Until then, Medicago says it expects to be able to make approximately 100 million doses by the end of 2021, assuming its trials are successful.
Clark says countries must temper any nationalist agendas that might emerge with a viable vaccine and acknowledge that the fight against COVID-19 is global.
Meeting that demand would require multiple manufacturers, multiple distribution routes, and lots of co-operation, he says, possibly through the World Health Organization.
“There has to be some ability to share those around and distribute, whether that’s through an entity like the WHO, or something equivalent.”
Teachers in Ontario’s northern school boards are sounding the alarm about back-to-school plans, saying the region’s vast geography and sparse population present challenges not considered in southern parts of the province.
School boards provincewide are still in the process of developing contingency plans for September, and while the teachers say reopening will be hard for everyone, they note that the general guidelines developed by the Ministry of Education don’t take into account the lack of resources in the Far North.
“We want to be in the schools. We want to be delivering quality education,” said Kim Douglas, president of the local elementary teachers’ union for the Keewatin-Patricia District School Board. “(But) I don’t think they have enough equipment, enough cleaning, enough help to even allay the fears that people are feeling, going back into the school.”
The Dryden, Ont.-based union representative, who spent three decades as a teacher, said schools in her board are few and far between, and have scant staff.
In one school, she said, there’s one full-time teacher, a part-time teacher and an education assistant. There’s no administrator, which raises a new host of problems during a pandemic.
“When there’s no administrator on site, and a kid gets sick, what do you do?” Douglas said. “Who’s gonna be responsible for that child?”
But the barriers to remote learning are also greater up north, she said.
“A lot of us don’t have Wi-Fi abilities at our homes,” Douglas said. “We pay an exorbitant amount of money to get Wi-Fi. And for us to do online learning, it’s been a challenge for many members. I’ve had members who have paid upwards of $700 for their Wi-Fi, just to do the distance learning.”
And while she noted that the risk of contracting COVID-19 in her region is relatively low, many people live along the Trans-Canada Highway and could be coming into contact with truckers and other travellers who have recently been in coronavirus hotspots.
Louis Clausi, a representative for the northeastern unit of the Ontario English Catholic Teachers Association who was a high school teacher for 20 years, said the geography in his board is also an issue.
“For me to even drive from one end of my board to the other, to go from Kapuskasing to Cobalt, is a six-hour drive,” he said. “It’s hard for the board to organize such a large area and to deal with all these specific issues.”
He listed daycare and busing as two areas of particular concern.
And he said in his region, it’s even more important to come up with a plan quickly — some schools are due to resume in late August because they take a break in October for the hunt.
Education Minister Stephen Lecce has said boards are expected to prepare plans for three scenarios come September: regular in-class instruction with physical-distancing measures in place, full-time remote learning, and a hybrid model blending both approaches.
Lecce later said he expects all students to start the 2020-21 school year with the blended model, which will see no more than 15 students in class attending on alternating days or weeks.
But more recently, he’s expressed a preference for fully in-class learning and said it’s looking increasingly likely that it will be possible.
“That data’s fluid, but it’s moving in the right direction,” Lecce said late last week. “It gives us promise about our reopening plan to get to where those boards, a lot of parents and every member of our caucus wants to go — which is day-to-day learning. Our kids need it.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 13, 2020.
Nicole Thompson and Michelle McQuigge, The Canadian Press
ST-APOLLINAIRE, Que. — Quebec provincial police continued to search through the night for the father of two girls whose bodies were found Saturday in a small town southwest of Quebec City.
The bodies of Norah and Romy Carpentier, aged 11 and 6, were located in a wooded area in the community of St-Apollinaire, Que.
The girls had last been seen on Wednesday and became the subject of an Amber Alert the next day.
On Sunday, the manhunt for their father, Martin Carpentier, 44, had authorities tightening the search in a thickly wooded area near where the young sisters from Levis, Que. were found.THE CANADIAN PRESS
Residents had helped with the searches until Saturday, but police asked people to stay away from the area Sunday to let officers work.
The attention of the entire province has been on the case, especially in the town of just over 6,000 people where it’s playing out.
Police have said the girls and their father were believed to have been in a car crash on Highway 20 in St-Apollinaire on Wednesday evening.
Investigators said the car was heading east when it skidded into the median, flipped over and landed on the shoulder on the opposite side of the highway.
But police did not find any occupants inside the car when they arrived.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 13, 2020.
PRINCE GEORGE, B.C. — The RCMP say the bodies of three people have been found at the scene of a motel fire in downtown Prince George, B.C.
Cpl. Craig Douglass says emergency services were called to the Econo Lodge City Centre Inn on Victoria Street around 9 a.m. Wednesday.
He says fire crews tackled the blaze, which engulfed a portion of the building, while police assisted with staff and guests who evacuated the structure.
At about 12:30 p.m., Douglass says personnel clearing the building found the three bodies, but he did not have details about their identities.
Douglass says an investigation is underway and determining the cause of the fire will take some time.
The RCMP are also working to determine if anyone is missing, but Douglass says with so many people fleeing the area and others gathering to observe the blaze, that has been difficult.
“You can imagine a scene like this is chaos,” he says.
The BC Coroners Services says it has begun a fact-finding investigation, but it is in its early stages and no other information can be released at this time.
“We are investigating to determine who died, and to investigate how, where, when and by what means,” spokesman Andy Watson says.
— By Amy Smart in Vancouver.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 8, 2020.
The Toronto Raptors are on their way to Orlando Thursday but fan-favorite Fred VanVleet has Canada in his heart and on his mind. He ventured into the small business world a few years ago as he is one of many of the Raptors who have their own clothing line. Even though he isn’t in Toronto he is encouraging people to support small businesses in their community during the pandemic.
“I own my own small business so it definitely hits home for me,” VanVleet told CityNews from Florida. “I know what it takes to run a small business. I know the challenges that come with that, the hustle and drive that you have to have to keep up. It’s so important for me to spend, and to shop small. It’s something that I just live every day, it’s is something I believe in.”
VanVleet recently teamed up with American Express for their Shop Small campaign and even though he hasn’t been in Toronto in a few months, he wants to make sure the city is taking care of each other.
“That’s one of the things I love about Toronto’s is the small businesses and you know, it just gives the city a culture and a vibe. Because of the year that we’ve had 2020 hasn’t been kind to anybody. I’ve seen personally, how Canada and especially Toronto, come together, we saw last year when we won.”
“One of the most incredible moments of my life was that parade. And just the people celebrating so if I can try to get some of that energy going with the people and encourage people to shop small and to spend the money with businesses that they love. They can recirculate those funds and get the economy going and help people that are in need and these business owners, you know, have probably taken a big hit this year.”
There is one place, in particular, he has been missing in Toronto.
“I really miss my barber right now,” VanVleet said with a laugh. “Shout out to my barber Brian at Throne Barbershop, I’ve been missing him since I haven’t been able to be in Toronto for almost four months now.”
Before flying to Florida, the 26-year-old was in self-quarantine with his girlfriend and their two kids. He admits it was the longest he has ever been at home since he was a kid.
“It was nice. I was able to be there all day every day, every second. I got to help with the baths and the lunches and putting them to bed. We got a lot closer over that time which made it even hard to leave.”
The Raptors were in the Fort-Meyers – Naples, Florida area for the last two weeks before immersing themselves in the NBA Bubble in Orlando, where they hope to defend their title. During that time his teammate Kyle Lowry didn’t speak to the media and no photos were taken of the veteran NBA All-Star.
“No comment, no comment, I can’t comment on his whereabouts,” VanVleet joked. “He’s here, no worries. Raptors fans will be happy when they see him lace-up with us.”
The Raptors will host the Los Angeles Lakers when their season resumes in Orlando on August 1st.
Montreal police are to announce a new policy on street checks today, months after a damning independent report found evidence of systemic bias linked to race in who they decide to stop.
Last October, Police chief Sylvain Caron said he was humbled and alarmed by the numbers but stressed that it was a reflection of a lack of policy.
The authors crunched three years worth of police data to come up with their conclusions, which they stopped short of conclusively describing as racial profiling.
Street checks involve officers stopping a person and recording their information regardless of whether an offence has been committed.
The report last fall suggested that people from certain racialized groups were much more likely than others to be stopped by police.
It found that Indigenous women were 11 times more likely to be questioned than their white counterparts; that Black and Indigenous Montrealers were between four and five times more likely to be subjected to stops while those of Arab descent were twice as likely to be stopped.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published on July 8, 2020.
OTTAWA — Dozens of groups and individuals working to protect privacy, human rights and civil liberties want the Trudeau government to ban the use of facial-recognition surveillance by federal law-enforcement and intelligence agencies.
In an open letter to Public Safety Minister Bill Blair, they call the technology “highly problematic,” given its lack of accuracy and invasive nature, and say it poses a threat to Canadians’ fundamental rights.
They tell the minister that in the absence of meaningful policy or regulation governing facial recognition, it cannot be considered safe for use in Canada.
The letter is signed by Tim McSorley, national co-ordinator of the Ottawa-based International Civil Liberties Monitoring Group, and Laura Tribe, executive director of Open Media, who are spearheading the campaign.
It is endorsed by 29 other prominent groups including Amnesty International Canada, the Canadian Federation of Students, the Canadian Muslim Lawyers Association and Privacy International, as well as 46 academics, researchers, lawyers and other civil society members.
The letter also calls on the government to initiate a meaningful, public consultation on all aspects of facial-recognition technology in Canada and to establish clear, transparent policies and laws regulating its use, including reforms to federal privacy law.
The letter comes as concerns mount over police killing and mistreatment of Black and Indigenous people, prompting widespread discussion about curbing the powers and resources of law-enforcement agencies.
“At a time like this, the public should be certain of the fact that their rights and freedoms are protected,” the letter says.
The federal privacy commissioner said this week that U.S. firm Clearview AI will stop offering its facial-recognition services in Canada in response to an investigation by the commissioner and three provincial counterparts.
Clearview AI’s technology worries many privacy advocates because it apparently allows for the collection of huge numbers of images from various sources with the aim of helping police forces, financial institutions and other clients identify individuals.
Clearview’s retreat includes an indefinite suspension of the company’s contract with the RCMP, its last remaining client in Canada.
Federal officials have also used photo-matching technology to pinpoint people — all wanted on immigration warrants — who used false identities to apply for travel documents.
But the letter to Blair says inadequate regulation of facial recognition and a lack of information means it is impossible to know which police forces and intelligence agencies are using the tool, and to what ends, including during protests.
It cites studies that have found the technology to be inaccurate and especially prone to misidentifying the faces of women and people with darker skin.
“These errors can lead already marginalized communities to be even more likely to face profiling, harassment and violations of their fundamental rights,” the letter says.
This is particularly concerning given the technology’s use in situations where biases are common, including when individuals are travelling and crossing borders as well as in the context of criminal investigations, and national security and anti-terrorism operations, it says.
“If, as federal officials have said, the Canadian government is serious about ending racial disparities in policing, banning facial recognition surveillance is a clear first step.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 8, 2020.
A new poll suggests turbulence ahead for airlines seeking public support for their current COVID-19 plans.
Seventy-two per cent of Canadians surveyed by Leger and the Association for Canadian Studies say they’re not comfortable flying since a decision by some airlines to relax their own in-flight physical distancing requirements.
As of July 1, Air Canada and WestJet both ended policies blocking the sale of adjacent seats.
The measure was seen to align with a guidance document for the aviation industry issued by Transport Canada in April to help curb the spread of COVID-19.
Among other things, the department had suggested passengers should be widely spaced when possible, though they did not make it mandatory.
Airlines, however, are required to make passengers and air crews wear masks.
Only 22 per cent of those surveyed said they’re comfortable getting aboard with no in-flight physical distancing and a requirement to wear masks.
There’s more to it to keep flights safe, WestJet said in a statement last week after critics attacked its plan.
“What makes an airplane, and the entire journey, safe is the layers of enhanced cleaning, the wearing of masks and the hospital-grade HEPA filters that remove 99.999 per cent of all airborne particles,” the airline said.
“The hygiene standards we have now are world-class and backed by industry experts.”
Critics have also previously pounced on the airlines for another move: refusing to fully refund tickets for flights cancelled due to the pandemic.
Thousands of people have beseeched Transport Minister Marc Garneau to compel airlines to issue refunds, but he has refused, arguing that mandating reimbursements from a sector that’s lost more than 90 per cent of its revenue would cripple the industry.
But 72 per cent of those polled say they totally oppose his decision.
In lieu of refunds, the airlines have offered vouchers but the poll suggests that it may take a while before people will rebook previously cancelled trips: 85 per cent of those surveyed told pollsters they have no plans to travel outside the country by the end of the year.
The survey polled 1,517 people and can’t be assigned a margin of error because online polls are not considered truly random.
Pollsters were in the field between July 3 and 5, a historically popular few days for Canadians and Americans to be on the move between the two countries, given the July 1 Canada Day holiday and the U.S.’s July 4 Independence Day.
But the border remains closed to non-essential traffic, and the majority of Canadians surveyed said they feel it needs to stay that way. The current mutual closure agreement is due to expire July 21.
Of Canadians polled, 86 per cent said they totally disagreed with re-opening the border at the end of July, allowing Americans back into the country.
Americans seem more eager both to head north and to welcome Canadians south; 50 per cent agreed the border should re-open and 36 per cent disagreed.
The potential for cross-border transmission of the virus has been a key factor in the decision to keep the border closed. Currently, rates of COVID-19 infection in the U.S. continue to climb, while in Canada the curve appears to be on a downward trajectory nearly everywhere.
Still, the survey suggests Canadians don’t feel they are out of the woods. Thirty-nine per cent believe the worst is yet to come, while 35 per cent believe the worst of the crisis has passed.
In the U.S., 42 per cent of those surveyed felt the darkest days are ahead, 25 per cent believe the U.S. is in the middle of the worst part now while 21 per cent think that’s already passed.
In today’s Big Story podcast, the organization was supposed to distribute more than $900 million in student grants, but the reaction when the deal was announced was immediate and intense. There’s now an ethics investigation and WE has walked away from the plan. What happened? Why did the Liberals agree to this, and what should they have known about the organization before announcing it would be handling nearly a billion dollars of taxpayer money?
Lac-Megantic will mark the seventh anniversary of a tragic rail disaster that claimed 47 lives by inaugurating a long-planned memorial space.
On July 6, 2013, a runaway train hauling tanker cars loaded with volatile crude oil barrelled into the town of 6,000, derailed and exploded, destroying a large part of the Quebec town’s downtown area.
The memorial — which has taken three years to construct — will be set up at the site of the former Musi-Cafe in the heart of the city, where staff and patrons made up many of the victims.
The project, designed by architects Pierre Thibault and Jerome Lapierre, was created with the objective of everyone being able to remember, in their own way, the community-changing event, the city said in a statement.
Given the COVID-19 pandemic and physical distancing measures, the inauguration will be broadcast on Facebook, with several guests attending in person and residents invited to visit in the days and weeks to come.
As per tradition, the bells of Ste-Agnes Church will ring at noon in tribute to the victims.
The city says it has obtained written confirmation from Canadian Pacific Railway that no train will run in Lac-Megantic on July 6.
Mayor Juile Morin says it was the least that could be done out of respect for citizens who still have to watch trains passing through the heart of the city daily.
Morin says the city wants the authorization to be renewed in perpetuity, even after a railway bypass is built and the downtown rails are dismantled.
Provinces and territories have been releasing plans for easing restrictions that were put in place to limit the spread of COVID-19.
Here is what some of the provinces have announced so far:
Newfoundland and Labrador
On July 3, Newfoundland and Labrador joined the other Atlantic provinces in lifting travel restrictions within the region.
Residents of Newfoundland and Labrador, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island can now travel to any of the other three provinces without self-isolating for 14 days after arriving.
Visitors from provinces and territories outside the region are still required to self-isolate for 14 days and adhere to local entry requirements. However, once the self-isolation period has passed, those visitors will also be allowed to travel within the Atlantic region.
The premiers of Newfoundland and Labrador and New Brunswick have also hinted restrictions could soon be lifted for visitors from the rest of Canada if all goes well.
The province has also said it would begin allowing provincial historic sites to reopen, starting July 4. All sites will have one-way flow patterns for visitors, with designated entrance and exit doors where possible.
The province entered “Alert Level 3” on June 8 in its five stage reopening plan. It means groups of up to 20 people are now permitted, as long as they observe physical distancing. Up to 19 people are allowed on public transit.
Private health clinics, such as optometrists and dentists, can open, as well as medium-risk businesses such as clothing stores and hair salons.
Eleven government service centres reopened to offer in-person services that can be booked by appointment, including written tests, driver exams and identification photos.
During Level 4, some businesses such as law firms and other professional services were allowed to reopen along with regulated child-care centres, with some restrictions.
Outdoor games of tennis were allowed to resume, though players must bring their own equipment and not share it.
At Level 2, businesses with performance spaces and gyms are to reopen, while Level 1 would represent “the new normal.”
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Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia and the other Atlantic provinces lifted travel restrictions within the region on July 3.
Residents of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador and Prince Edward Island can now travel to any of the other three provinces without self-isolating for 14 days after arriving.
The province has also increased the limits on gatherings organized by recognized business or community organizations. That includes weddings, funerals, cultural events, concerts, festivals, dance recitals and faith-based gatherings, which, as of July 3, increased to 250 people if they’re outdoors and 200 — with maximum 50 per cent capacity — if they’re indoors. In either case, physical distancing is still required.
The province announced on June 26 that all bars and restaurants could resume operating at full capacity and serve customers until midnight. However, establishments must continue to adhere to physical distancing rules.
The province is also allowing private campgrounds to operate at 100 per cent capacity. Provincial campgrounds reopened June 15 at reduced capacity to ensure a minimum of six metres between individual sites.
All public pools can now reopen with physical distancing for lane swimming and aquafit classes.
These events do not include family gatherings, which remain limited to a 50-person maximum with physical distancing.
The province earlier announced that Nova Scotians could start gathering in close social groups of up to 10 without physical distancing.
Licensed child-care centres and family daycare homes reopened across the province on June 15.
Nova Scotia has allowed summer day camps for children to open as long as they have a plan to follow public health measures.
Most businesses ordered shut in late March were allowed to reopen on June 5. The list of businesses includes bars and restaurant dining rooms, hair salons, barber shops, gyms and yoga studios, among others.
Some health providers were also able to reopen, including dentistry, optometry, chiropractic and physiotherapy offices.
The province has said there will be no return to school this year.
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Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island and the other Atlantic provinces lifted travel restrictions within the region on July 3.
The province has now moved into Phase 4 of its reopening strategy.
Households can gather in groups of up to 15 indoors and up to 100 people can congregate in larger venues. People can also gather for religious services of up to 50, or up to 100 in larger churches.
More personal services are also available and casinos are reopening.
Under Phase 3, which began June 1, in-house dining at restaurants was allowed. Small groups were permitted to participate in recreational and some sporting activities and libraries got the green light to reopen. Gatherings of up to 15 people indoors and 20 people outdoors and the reopening of child-care centres were also allowed.
As well, family and friends could once again visit residents at long-term care homes, though the visits require an appointment and must take place outdoors.
People wanting to travel to seasonal residences can apply to do so, and will be put through a risk assessment before approval. Seasonal residents will also to be tested for COVID-19 before completing two weeks in self-isolation after arriving in the province.
Under Phase 2, non-contact outdoor recreational activities were permitted, and retail businesses could reopen with physical distancing and select health-service providers.
Priority non-urgent surgeries resumed on May 1.
The P.E.I. legislature resumed May 26.
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New Brunswick
New Brunswick and the other Atlantic provinces lifted travel restrictions within the region on July 3.
Its premier has also hinted restrictions could soon be lifted for visitors from the rest of Canada if all goes well.
The province moved to the yellow phase of its COVID-19 recovery plan on May 22, allowing barbers and hair stylists to reopen as well as churches and fitness facilities. Dental care, massage, chiropractors and other “close contact” businesses and services could also reopen.
But the Campbellton region, which extends from Whites Brook to the Belledune, had to take a step backwards to the “orange” level on May 27. Residents were told to once again avoid contacts outside their two-household bubble. Non-regulated health professionals and personal service businesses that opened May 22 also had to close again. And people should only be travelling in and out of Zone 5 for essential reasons.
Further restrictions were lifted on June 5. Outdoor gatherings of up to 50 people were allowed, as well as indoor religious services of up to 50 people, low-contact team sports and the opening of a long list of facilities including swimming pools, gyms, rinks, water parks, and yoga and dance studios.
Under New Brunswick’s latest recovery rules, Canadian residents can now visit family members or properties they own in the province, provided they self-isolate for 14 days — or the duration of their visit if it’s less than two weeks.
As well, New Brunswick residents no longer need to self-isolate when returning from work in another Canadian province or territory.
All organized sports can resume with appropriate physical distancing and sanitizing. Overnight camps can reopen and indoor visits can resume at long-term care facilities for one visitor at a time, or two if one of the visitors needs help.
The cap on the number of people who can gather in controlled venues — including churches, swimming pools and rinks — has been lifted, but crowd numbers will be limited by the ability to maintain physical distancing.
Masks in any building open to the general public are required except for children under the age of two, children in daycare and people who can’t wear face coverings for medical reasons.
Retail businesses, offices, restaurants, libraries, museums and seasonal campgrounds were earlier allowed to reopen providing they have clear plans for meeting public health guidelines.
The final phase, which officials have said will probably come only after a vaccine is available, is to include large gatherings.
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Quebec
Premier Francois Legault says masks will be mandatory for all public transit users as of July 13.
Legault says following a two-week grace period ending July 27, anyone without a mask will not be permitted onto a public transit system anywhere in the province.
Quebec reopened several sectors and relaxed the rules for indoor gatherings on June 22, particularly impacting the Montreal area.
Restaurants can reopen in the greater Montreal and Joliette areas while indoor gatherings of up to 10 people from three households are now permitted in these regions, like elsewhere in Quebec.
Gyms, arenas, cinemas, concert venues and places of worship can reopen across the province with a maximum capacity of 50 people for indoor gatherings.
Day camps across the province have also reopened, with physical distancing. Sleep-away summer camps won’t be allowed to reopen until next year.
Residents of long term care homes that don’t have active COVID-19 cases were earlier allowed to receive visitors inside, meet people outdoors and participate in group activities.
They were also allowed to leave the facilities unaccompanied for more than 24 hours. Volunteers and hairdressers were also allowed inside the facilities.
On May 25, some retail businesses reopened in the greater Montreal area, while retail stores outside Montreal reopened on May 11.
Parks and pools have also been allowed to reopen across the province with certain restrictions.
Sports teams resumed outdoor practices on June 8, and matches can resume at the end of the month. That includes baseball, soccer and any other sports that can be played outdoors.
Quebec’s construction and manufacturing industries have resumed operations with limits on the number of employees who can work per shift. Elementary schools and daycares outside Montreal reopened on May 11, but high schools, junior colleges and universities will stay closed until September.
Elementary schools in the greater Montreal area are to remain closed until late August.
Courthouses across the province were permitted to reopen on June 1, with limited seating capacity and Plexiglas barriers protecting clerks and judges.
Camping is now allowed outside the Montreal and Joliette regions, as are cottage rentals.
Checkpoints set up to slow the spread of COVID-19 came down on May 18 in various parts of Quebec, including between Gatineau and Ottawa.
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Ontario
Ontario’s courts will resume in-person proceedings today (July 6) after being shuttered for months due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Ministry of the Attorney General has said courtrooms will reopen gradually, with the goal of having all courtrooms operational by November 1.
Torontonians riding public transit must now wear face coverings to prevent the spread of COVID-19 — the new rule going into effect July 2.
Toronto city council voted to make wearing masks mandatory in public indoor settings, with the bylaw coming in to effect on July 7.
Mayor John Tory says the temporary bylaw will not affect social gatherings.
Mayors from the Greater Toronto and Hamilton area asked Premier Doug Ford to make masks mandatory across Ontario, but the premier rejected the idea.
Ferry service between Toronto and the Toronto Islands resumed on June 27 but at only 50 per cent capacity to allow for physical distancing.
The Toronto Zoo also reopened and the province said it was loosening some restrictions around indoor sports and fitness to enable amateur and professional athletes to train.
Ontario’s two most heavily populated regions had more businesses open their doors on June 24 as Toronto and Peel moved into Stage 2 of Ontario’s pandemic reopening framework.
All regions of the province except the southwestern communities of Leamington and Kingsville have now officially entered Stage 2.
Businesses given the green light to resume operations in Toronto and Peel include hair stylists, pools and tour guide services.
Restaurants are also allowed to reopen their patios for dine-in service, though no one is yet allowed to be served indoors.
Meanwhile, the limit on social gatherings increased from five to 10 provincewide. Restrictions on wedding and funeral ceremonies were also eased. The number of people allowed to attend an indoor ceremony is restricted to 30 per cent capacity of the venue, while outdoor events are limited to 50 people. However, the number of people allowed to attend all wedding and funeral receptions remains at 10.
Ontarians can resume visiting loved ones in long-term care homes, as long as they test negative for COVID-19.
All construction has resumed, with limits also lifted on maintenance, repair and property management services, such as cleaning, painting and pool maintenance.
Golf courses can reopen though clubhouses can only open for washrooms and take-out food. Marinas, boat clubs and public boat launches can also open, as can private parks and campgrounds for trailers and RVs whose owners have a full season contract, and businesses that board animals.
Short-term rentals including lodges, cabins, cottages, homes and condominiums were allowed to resume operations on June 5.
The Ontario government says students will likely return to school in September with a mix of in-class and remote learning, though boards will develop various scenarios, depending on how COVID-19 is spreading at that point. Premier Doug Ford has said there won’t be a one-size-fits-all approach in schools, but parents provincewide will have the option of sending their children back to class or keeping them learning remotely.
This summer’s Honda Indy Toronto has been cancelled.
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Manitoba
Several more restrictions were eased in Manitoba on June 21.
Restaurants and bars no longer have to operate at half capacity, however tables must be two metres apart or have a physical barrier in between them. Non-smoking bingo halls and video lottery terminal lounges can also reopen at 50 per cent capacity.
Child care centres and retail stores can return to normal capacity, and people arriving in Manitoba from the other western provinces, northern territories and northwestern Ontario no longer have to self-isolate for 14 days.
Larger public gatherings are also allowed.
Instead of a cap of 25 people indoors and 50 outdoors, people can fill up to 30 per cent of the capacity of any venue as long as they can be split into groups of 50 indoors or 100 outdoors. Each group must be able to enter and exit separately.
On June 1, the province eased a ban on people visiting loved ones in personal care homes. Homes can now offer outdoor visits with a maximum of two guests per resident. Visitors will be screened upon arrival and must practice physical distancing.
Amateur sports and recreation programs, as well as bowling alleys, have been allowed to resume operations.
Elementary and high schools will not reopen this school year.
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Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan’s top doctor says his advice on wearing masks to protect against COVID-19 could change in the coming months.
Wearing a mask in Saskatchewan isn’t mandatory now, but chief medical health officer Dr. Saqib Shahab says it may become a rule if there’s an uptick in transmission rates.
Saskatchewan is expanding its COVID-19 guidelines for visitors to long-term care homes. Starting July 7, health officials say residents of long-term care homes can have two family members or support persons for visits, with one person allowed in the facility at a time.
Patients in intensive care and those receiving palliative care can have two people present at the same time, as long as they keep physical distance.
Visitors are expected to follow health-care guidelines, such as wearing masks, to protect others against the spread of COVID-19.
Saskatchewan moved into the latest phase of its reopening strategy on June 22.
Under Phase 4.1 camping in national parks can resume, but by reservation only.
Youth camps can reopen, but for day use only, and with guidelines for preventing the spread of COVID-19, including the constant disinfection of play structures and monitoring of children for coronavirus symptoms.
Outdoor sports like soccer, softball and flag football can resume, though full-contact sports remain prohibited, as does competitive play, tournaments and inter-provincial travel for games.
Shared equipment must be disinfected frequently, while congratulatory gestures, such as high fives and handshakes, are not permitted.
Saskatchewan’s outdoor swimming pools and spray parks can reopen with physical distancing, maximum capacity, and stringent cleaning rules in effect.
Though they can now do so, some municipalities, including Regina and Saskatoon, have said they won’t be reopening their outdoor pools right away.
The province is also doubling the allowable size of indoor public and private gatherings to 30 people where space allows for two metres between participants.
The third phase of Saskatchewan’s reopening plan started June 8 with the province lifting a ban on non-essential travel in the north.
More businesses were also allowed to reopen, including places of worship and personal care services such as nail salons, tattoo parlours and gyms.
Up to 150 people or one-third the capacity of a building, whichever is less, can attend church services, including weddings and funerals.
Outdoor graduations can be held with a maximum 30 graduates per class and an overall attendance of 150 people. The previous limit was 15 people indoors and 30 people outdoors.
Restaurants and bars can open at half capacity, with physical distancing between tables, and child-care centres can open their doors to a maximum of 15 kids.
The second part of Phase 4 is expected to include reopening guidelines for indoor pools, rinks, libraries, museums, galleries, movie theatres, casinos and bingo halls. A date for Phase 4.2 has yet to be announced.
In Phase 5, the province will consider lifting restrictions on the size of public gatherings.
The Saskatchewan government says students will return to regular classes in September.
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Alberta
In Alberta, everything from gyms and arenas to spas, movie theatres, libraries, pools and sports activities got the green light to reopen on June 12.
More people were also allowed to book campsites and sit in restaurants at the same time.
Fifty people can now gather indoors and up to 100 can congregate outside.
Among the other activities allowed to go ahead are casinos and bingo halls, community halls, instrumental concerts, massage, acupuncture and reflexology, artificial tanning and summer schools.
Major festivals and sporting events remain banned, as do nightclubs and amusement parks. Vocal concerts are not being allowed, given that singing carries a higher risk of COVID-19 transmission.
Alberta aims to have students back in classrooms this September though Education Minister Adriana LaGrange says a final decision will be made by Aug. 1.
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British Columbia
British Columbia announced on June 30 that it would allow visitors in to long-term care homes.
Government health restrictions were eased to permit one designated person to see a long-term care resident after being limited to virtual meetings or phone calls since March.
The province allowed hotels, motels, spas, resorts, hostels and RV parks to resume operating on June 24.
Premier John Horgan said the province has been successful at flattening the curve on COVID-19, which means it can ease more health restrictions and gradually move into the third phase of its reopening plan.
He said the province is able to open more industries, institutions and recreation areas, but gatherings must remain at 50 people or less.
The government allowed a partial reopening of the B.C. economy starting May 19.
The reopenings are contingent on organizations and businesses having plans that follow provincial guidelines to control the spread of COVID-19.
Parents in B.C. were given the choice of allowing their children to return to class on a part-time basis starting June 1. The government said its goal is for the return of full-time classes in September, if it’s safe.
Conventions, large concerts, international tourism and professional sports with a live audience will not be allowed to resume until either a vaccine is widely available, community immunity has been reached, or effective treatment can be provided for the disease.
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Nunavut
Nunavut, which now has one presumptive case of COVID-19, implemented a wide range of public health measures to keep residents safe. But some have since been relaxed.
Gyms and pools are available for solo workouts and lap swims.
Dental, physiotherapy, massage and chiropractic clinics, as well as offices and stores can open with appropriate safety measures.
Individuals may visit galleries, museums and libraries, and daycares are open.
Outdoor gatherings of up to 50 people are permitted while indoor gatherings are limited to 10 people. Territorial parks are being reopened for outdoor activities only and municipal playgrounds have also reopened.
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Northwest Territories
The Northwest Territories announced on May 12 a three-phase reopening plan.
The plan includes more gatherings and the possible reopening of some schools and businesses. However, the territory’s borders remain closed indefinitely to non-residents and non-essential workers.
There are several requirements that must be met before any measures are relaxed: there must be no evidence of community spread; travel entry points in the territory are strong and secure; risks are reduced from workers coming into the territory; and expanded community testing is available.
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Yukon
New guidelines have been released for long-term care facilities that will allow for visits with one designated person at a pre-set location outdoors.
The territory also said bars with an approved health and safety plan could reopen at half capacity under certain other restrictions starting June 19.
Territorial parks and campgrounds have also reopened.
Two households of up to 10 people in total are currently able to interact with each other as part of a “household bubble.”
Travel restrictions between Yukon and B.C. were lifted July 1 under the second phase of the territory’s pandemic restart plan. Travellers between the province and territory are no longer required to self-isolate for 14 days.
Residents of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut can now enter Yukon without quarantining, as long as they travel directly from one of the territories or through B.C.
All residents of Canada who live outside Yukon, B.C., the Northwest Territories and Nunavut must self-isolate for 14 days in Whitehorse when they arrive in the territory.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 6, 2020
In today’s Big Story podcast, warning bells were sounding. Some of the country’s leading scientists were writing urgent emails to politicians and public health units. There was an emergency coming. It was going to get bad. We should take action now.
Still, Canada waited to take steps such as closing borders, securing PPE and planning for a massive wave of COVID-19. Compared to our neighbours to the south, we’ve handled the crisis fairly well—but what could we have done with an extra month to plan? How many lives and millions of dollars could we have saved? Who sounded the warnings, and who listened? And who didn’t?
Atlantic Canadians are closely eyeing travel requirements and coronavirus case numbers across the region as the four provinces prepare to open their borders to their neighbours Friday, an experiment that’s prompted excitement and anxiety among residents.
COVID-19 cases in the region have dwindled in recent weeks, and the four provinces have agreed to waive isolation requirements among the group to boost their economies and offer social support to residents.
While many tourism operators and those missing family and friends celebrated the news, others have criticized the bubble over fears that the virus will rebound.
An online petition asking Newfoundland and Labrador to keep its borders closed has generated nearly 15,000 signatures this week.
“Our province has been slowly healing and going back to normal, we want to keep it that way,” the petition reads. “This is not the time.”
Dr. Janice Fitzgerald, chief medical officer of health, addressed fears that the province is moving too fast in a news conference this week, pointing to low case numbers while encouraging residents to trust in science.
Her Nova Scotian counterpart, Dr. Robert Strang, also shared a message to anxious residents in a statement on Thursday encouraging them to continue following health guidelines.
“I know many people are still nervous about this virus. Our visitors may be, too,” Strang’s statement said. “We can make their visits a safe experience for everyone by being patient and kind, by practising good hand hygiene, distancing and by wearing a mask when you can’t stay six feet apart.”
Nova Scotia, the most populous province in the region, has reported three new COVID-19 cases this week, two related to travel to the U.S. and the third involving a temporary worker who arrived from outside Canada.
Speaking after a cabinet meeting Thursday, Premier Stephen McNeil addressed concerns about the bubble, telling Nova Scotians the economic opportunity won’t come at the expense of their health.
“Our tourism sector needs this, and we need to try to make it work, but I want to reassure all of you that if we see a spike of COVID, we will re-evaluate,” McNeil said.
St. John’s resident David Brake was in the process of planning a late-July trip to Prince Edward Island with his two children on the eve of the travel bubble’s opening.
While he would usually plan a vacation further afield, Brake decided to take advantage of the travel bubble this year and visit a new province, scheduling a flight to Halifax, with plans to stop in New Brunswick on the way to the Island.
He said he’s confident that the trip will be safe for his family given the low coronavirus case numbers at the moment.
But he’s pondering how his holiday might be perceived by neighbours upon his return, with many Newfoundlanders still skeptical about whether it’s safe to venture off the island that has so far beaten back the virus.
“If I’m not isolated because nobody asked me to, am I going to be a pariah for two weeks? Are my children going to be a pariah for two weeks?” he wondered.
For those planning trips to another province, some identification and preventive measures will be required.
Adults travelling to Nova Scotia must show proof of residency in one of the four provinces in order to enter without having to isolate for 14 days.
Prince Edward Island is asking visitors to fill out a form with details including proof of residence, health declarations and planned arrival and departure dates for each person.
Marine Atlantic, a Crown corporation running ferry services between Newfoundland and Labrador and Nova Scotia, said it’s seen a spike in bookings, with 3,000 reservations booked in the first six days following the Atlantic bubble announcement.
A statement said the bump “exhausted” capacity, which had been limited to allow for proper distancing and adherence to public health measures. The company will be slowly increasing passenger limits in coming weeks.
While tourism operators welcomed the news, some say the Atlantic bubble won’t bring in enough revenue for their businesses to survive.
Carol Alderdice, president of the Tourism Industry Association of New Brunswick, said visitors from within the region won’t be enough to help struggling businesses through the difficult year.
She said Atlantic Canadians typically account for just over 30 per cent of tourism visits in the province, and most operators are eager to see restrictions on entry eased for visitors from elsewhere in Canada, especially Ontario and Quebec.
“It’s definitely not enough to make up for the season, absolutely not,” Alderdice said from Fredericton.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 2, 2020.
An analysis of data from civilian police watchdogs in Canada shows that most of their investigations do not result in charges against officers.
Charges were laid or forwarded to Crown prosecutors for consideration in three to nine per cent of the cases opened by the provincial agencies, a review by The Canadian Press of their most recent annual reports largely covering 2018 and 2019 found.
Seven provinces have independent police oversight agencies that probe cases of death and serious injury that could be the result of police action or inaction, however, the data was incomplete for some units.
Erick Laming, a PhD candidate at the University of Toronto who studies police use of force and its impacts on Indigenous and Black communities, said the numbers can be interpreted in two ways.
They may be taken to mean that watchdogs cast wide nets in their investigations and officers in most cases were justified in their use of force. But they can also be seen as evidence that the agencies are toothless against a legal system that makes it difficult to prosecute officers, he said.
Under the Criminal Code, a police officer is justified in using force in a lawful arrest as long as the officer acts on “reasonable and probable grounds and uses only as much force as reasonably necessary in the circumstances.”
If they fear for their life or someone else’s and that fear is deemed reasonable, they are typically cleared, he said.
“They have a very long rope when you think about it,” Laming said.
Civilian oversight agencies are relatively new. Apart from 30-year-old Ontario’s Special Investigations Unit, which closed 416 cases and charged officers in 15 of them in 2018, most have been introduced in the past decade.
They’re a welcome addition to police oversight, given that the alternative sees police or watchdogs from outside jurisdictions conduct investigations, Laming said.
“When you have another police service going in to investigate that has no connection to that area, it’s problematic,” he said.
But the agencies aren’t perfect, Laming said. They typically have a high threshold for defining “serious injury” so anything that doesn’t end in hospitalization is excluded from an investigation, he said.
The use of former police officers as investigators is also seen by some as a built-in bias, while Laming said they should strive to include more Indigenous, Black and other investigators of colour.
A Canadian Press review found that of the 167 members involved in these units, 111 are former police officers.
And only some of the agencies are empowered to lay charges themselves, while others can only share the results of their investigations with the Crown, Laming said.
Felix Cacchione, director of Nova Scotia’s Serious Incident Response Team, said officers are expected to use a “continuum of force” when responding to a call.
“The first part of that continuum is trying to reason with the person, calm them down, diffuse the situation verbally and then it progresses from there,” he said.
Cacchione’s team recorded the highest rate of charges among the provincial units, with four charges laid in 44 cases opened in 2018-19. The charges represent nine per cent of all cases opened that year — although charges were laid in 22 per cent of the cases that resulted in investigations.
“If a peace officer or a person assisting a peace officer is in a situation that poses a threat of grievous bodily harm, then that peace officer or person assisting can use as much force as necessary to prevent the threat from being a reality,” he said.
If an officer enters an empty church and there’s a person 12 metres away “ranting and raving” with a knife, that’s not enough to justify the use of force, said Cacchione. If the person is two metres away with a butcher’s knife, that’s considered a real threat, he said.
Cacchione worked as a criminal defence lawyer for decades before taking the job at the civilian agency in 2018. He said he was shocked to learn police training involves aiming for the centre body mass of someone posing a threat.
“Whenever I would hear someone being shot six, seven, eight, nine times by a police officer, I would think, well what’s going on, this is excessive. Why didn’t they shoot the person in the knee or the arm?”
He said he learned officers are trained that way because they’re likely to miss an arm or a leg. Cacchione recalled watching an instructor with a timer order an officer to shoot the centre body mass three times, then the head twice on the count of three.
“That takes just 2.4 seconds,” he said.
Based on what he’s learned, Cacchione said he believes there should be a greater involvement of mental health workers where possible, although there’s not always time in dynamic situations.
Adam Palmer, president of the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police, said there are many levels of oversight in Canada, ranging from police boards for municipal forces to complaint commissioners and other bodies.
He would welcome the introduction of civilian oversight bodies for incidents of death or serious harm in jurisdictions that don’t have them yet, he said.
“I’m definitely in favour of it,” said Palmer, who is also chief constable of the Vancouver Police Department.
Data from the Independent Investigations Office of B.C. shows Palmer’s police department was investigated 30 times last year, a large number relative to other forces in B.C. The next highest source of complaints was the RCMP’s Surrey and Prince George detachments, with six investigations each.
Although Vancouver with a population of 630,000 is marginally larger than Surrey at 520,000, Palmer attributed the high number of incidents to Vancouver’s role as a hub city that is a destination for people from across the region, rather than training or officer conduct.
In the vast majority of cases, officers were not charged and Palmer said that shows they operated legally.
Nobody wants to see anyone injured during an interaction with police, but it’s unrealistic to expect that’s entirely avoidable, he said.
“Sometimes to get in there and save somebody’s life or assist someone in need you will need to use physical force,” he said. “Not every case will be de-escalated.”
Harsha Walia, executive director of the BC Civil Liberties Association, said oversight of the police wouldn’t need to be reviewed if there was a broader shift to reduce the scope and scale of the departments, including the removal of mental-health calls from their mandate.
“It’s clear we need other solutions,” she added.
When officers are involved in a violent incident, they should be held to a higher standard than other citizens, said Walia.
“There have to be different standards in place based on the power dynamic,” she said.
Provinces and territories have been releasing plans for easing restrictions that were put in place to limit the spread of COVID-19.
Here is what some of the provinces have announced so far:
Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador is joining the other Atlantic provinces in lifting travel restrictions within the region today, with an agreement that’s causing a mix of anxiety and excitement among people in the region.
Residents of Newfoundland and Labrador, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island can now travel to any of the other three provinces without self-isolating for 14 days after arriving.
The premiers of Newfoundland and Labrador and New Brunswick have hinted restrictions could soon be lifted for visitors from the rest of Canada if all goes well.
The province said Tuesday that it will begin allowing provincial historic sites to reopen, starting July 4.
All sites will have one-way flow patterns for visitors, with designated entrance and exit doors where possible.
The province entered “Alert Level 3” on June 8 in its five stage reopening plan. It means groups of up to 20 people are now permitted, as long as they observe physical distancing. Up to 19 people are allowed on public transit.
Private health clinics, such as optometrists and dentists, can open, as well as medium-risk businesses such as clothing stores and hair salons.
Eleven government service centres reopened to offer in-person services that can be booked by appointment, including written tests, driver exams and identification photos.
During Level 4, some businesses such as law firms and other professional services were allowed to reopen along with regulated child-care centres, with some restrictions.
Outdoor games of tennis were allowed to resume, though players must bring their own equipment and not share it.
At Level 2, businesses with performance spaces and gyms are to reopen, while Level 1 would represent “the new normal.”
The four Atlantic provinces have also announced plans to ease interprovincial travel restrictions, creating a so-called “bubble” as the region has reported relatively few new COVID-19 infections in recent weeks.
As of July 3, residents of Atlantic Canada will be allowed to travel within the region without having to self-isolate for two weeks when arriving in another province.
Visitors from provinces and territories outside the region will still be required to self-isolate for 14 days and adhere to local entry requirements. However, once the self-isolation period has passed, those visitors will also be allowed to travel within the Atlantic region.
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Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia and the other Atlantic provinces are lifting travel restrictions within the region today, causing a mix of anxiety and excitement among people in the region.
Residents of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador and Prince Edward Island can now travel to any of the other three provinces without self-isolating for 14 days after arriving.
The province is also increasing the limits on gatherings organized by recognized business or community organizations today. That includes weddings, funerals, cultural events, concerts, festivals, dance recitals and faith-based gatherings, which will increase to 250 people if they’re outdoors and 200 — with maximum 50 per cent capacity — if they’re indoors. In either case, physical distancing is still required.
The province announced on June 26 that all bars and restaurants could resume operating at full capacity and serve customers until midnight. However, establishments must continue to adhere to physical distancing rules.
The province is also allowing private campgrounds to operate at 100 per cent capacity. Provincial campgrounds reopened June 15 at reduced capacity to ensure a minimum of six metres between individual sites.
All public pools can now reopen with physical distancing for lane swimming and aquafit classes.
These events do not include family gatherings, which remain limited to a 50-person maximum with physical distancing.
The province earlier announced that Nova Scotians could start gathering in close social groups of up to 10 without physical distancing.
Licensed child-care centres and family daycare homes reopened across the province on June 15.
Nova Scotia has allowed summer day camps for children to open as long as they have a plan to follow public health measures.
Most businesses ordered shut in late March were allowed to reopen on June 5. The list of businesses includes bars and restaurant dining rooms, hair salons, barber shops, gyms and yoga studios, among others.
Some health providers were also able to reopen, including dentistry, optometry, chiropractic and physiotherapy offices.
The province has said there will be no return to school this year.
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Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island and the other Atlantic provinces are lifting travel restrictions within the region today.
The province moved into Phase 4 of its reopening strategy over the weekend.
Households can now gather in groups of up to 15 indoors and up to 100 people can congregate in larger venues. People can also gather for religious services of up to 50, or up to 100 in larger churches.
More personal services are also available and casinos are reopening.
Under Phase 3, which began June 1, in-house dining at restaurants was allowed. Small groups were permitted to participate in recreational and some sporting activities and libraries got the green light to reopen. Gatherings of up to 15 people indoors and 20 people outdoors and the reopening of child-care centres were also allowed.
As well, family and friends could once again visit residents at long-term care homes, though the visits require an appointment and must take place outdoors.
People wanting to travel to seasonal residences can apply to do so, and will be put through a risk assessment before approval. Seasonal residents will also to be tested for COVID-19 before completing two weeks in self-isolation after arriving in the province.
Under Phase 2, non-contact outdoor recreational activities were permitted, and retail businesses could reopen with physical distancing and select health-service providers.
Priority non-urgent surgeries resumed on May 1.
The P.E.I. legislature resumed May 26.
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New Brunswick
New Brunswick and the other Atlantic provinces are lifting travel restrictions within the region today, causing a mix of anxiety and excitement among people in the region.
Its premier has also hinted restrictions could soon be lifted for visitors from the rest of Canada if all goes well.
New Brunswick marked one week since it last saw a positive case on Tuesday.
The province moved to the yellow phase of its COVID-19 recovery plan back on May 22, allowing barbers and hair stylists to reopen as well as churches and fitness facilities. Dental care, massage, chiropractors and other “close contact” businesses and services could also reopen.
But the Campbellton region, which extends from Whites Brook to the Belledune, had to take a step backwards to the “orange” level on May 27. Residents were told to once again avoid contacts outside their two-household bubble. Non-regulated health professionals and personal service businesses that opened May 22 also had to close again. And people should only be travelling in and out of Zone 5 for essential reasons.
Further restrictions were lifted on June 5. Outdoor gatherings of up to 50 people were allowed, as well as indoor religious services of up to 50 people, low-contact team sports and the opening of a long list of facilities including swimming pools, gyms, rinks, water parks, and yoga and dance studios.
Under New Brunswick’s latest recovery rules, Canadian residents can now visit family members or properties they own in the province, provided they self-isolate for 14 days — or the duration of their visit if it’s less than two weeks.
As well, New Brunswick residents no longer need to self-isolate when returning from work in another Canadian province or territory.
All organized sports can resume with appropriate physical distancing and sanitizing. Overnight camps can reopen and indoor visits can resume at long-term care facilities for one visitor at a time, or two if one of the visitors needs help.
The cap on the number of people who can gather in controlled venues — including churches, swimming pools and rinks — has been lifted, but crowd numbers will be limited by the ability to maintain physical distancing.
Masks in any building open to the general public are required except for children under the age of two, children in daycare and people who can’t wear face coverings for medical reasons.
Retail businesses, offices, restaurants, libraries, museums and seasonal campgrounds were earlier allowed to reopen providing they have clear plans for meeting public health guidelines.
The final phase, which officials have said will probably come only after a vaccine is available, is to include large gatherings.
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Quebec
Premier Francois Legault says masks will be mandatory for all public transit users as of July 13.
The premier says following a two-week grace period ending July 27, anyone without a mask will not be permitted onto a public transit system anywhere in the province.
Quebec reopened several sectors and relaxed the rules for indoor gatherings on June 22, particularly impacting the Montreal area.
Restaurants can reopen in the greater Montreal and Joliette areas while indoor gatherings of up to 10 people from three households are now permitted in these regions, like elsewhere in Quebec.
Gyms, arenas, cinemas, concert venues and places of worship can reopen across the province with a maximum capacity of 50 people for indoor gatherings.
Day camps across the province have also reopened, with physical distancing. Sleep-away summer camps won’t be allowed to reopen until next year.
Residents of long term care homes that don’t have active COVID-19 cases were earlier allowed to receive visitors inside, meet people outdoors and participate in group activities.
They were also allowed to leave the facilities unaccompanied for more than 24 hours. Volunteers and hairdressers were also allowed inside the facilities.
On May 25, some retail businesses reopened in the greater Montreal area, while retail stores outside Montreal reopened on May 11.
Parks and pools have also been allowed to reopen across the province with certain restrictions.
Sports teams resumed outdoor practices on June 8, and matches can resume at the end of the month. That includes baseball, soccer and any other sports that can be played outdoors.
Quebec’s construction and manufacturing industries have resumed operations with limits on the number of employees who can work per shift. Elementary schools and daycares outside Montreal reopened on May 11, but high schools, junior colleges and universities will stay closed until September.
Elementary schools in the greater Montreal area are to remain closed until late August.
Courthouses across the province were permitted to reopen on June 1, with limited seating capacity and Plexiglas barriers protecting clerks and judges.
Camping is now allowed outside the Montreal and Joliette regions, as are cottage rentals.
Checkpoints set up to slow the spread of COVID-19 came down on May 18 in various parts of Quebec, including between Gatineau and Ottawa.
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Ontario
Torontonians riding public transit must wear face coverings to prevent the spread of COVID-19, as of Thursday.
The Toronto Transit Commission made the rule last month, but it’s only now coming into effect.
Toronto city council voted to make wearing masks mandatory in public indoor settings, with the bylaw coming in to effect on July 7.
Mayor John Tory says the temporary bylaw will not affect social gatherings.
Mayors from the Greater Toronto and Hamilton area asked Premier Doug Ford on Monday to make masks mandatory across Ontario, but the premier rejected the idea.
Ferry service between Toronto and the Toronto Islands resumed on June 27 but at only 50 per cent capacity to allow for physical distancing.
The Toronto Zoo also reopened and the province said it’s loosening some restrictions around indoor sports and fitness to enable amateur and professional athletes to train.
Ontario’s two most heavily populated regions had more businesses open their doors on June 24 as Toronto and Peel moved into the next stage of the province’s COVID-19 recovery plan.
The two regions officially entered Stage 2 of the pandemic reopening framework, joining nearly all the rest of the province that began ramping up activities on June 19. All regions of the province except the southwestern communities of Leamington and Kingsville have officially entered Stage 2.
Businesses given the green light to resume operations in Toronto and Peel include hair stylists, pools and tour guide services.
Restaurants are also allowed to reopen their patios for dine-in service, though no one is yet allowed to be served indoors.
Meanwhile, the limit on social gatherings increased from five to 10 provincewide. Restrictions on wedding and funeral ceremonies were also eased. The number of people allowed to attend an indoor ceremony is restricted to 30 per cent capacity of the venue, while outdoor events are limited to 50 people. However, the number of people allowed to attend all wedding and funeral receptions remains at 10.
Ontarians can resume visiting loved ones in long-term care homes, as long as they test negative for COVID-19.
All construction has resumed, with limits also lifted on maintenance, repair and property management services, such as cleaning, painting and pool maintenance.
Golf courses can reopen though clubhouses can only open for washrooms and take-out food. Marinas, boat clubs and public boat launches can also open, as can private parks and campgrounds for trailers and RVs whose owners have a full season contract, and businesses that board animals.
Short-term rentals including lodges, cabins, cottages, homes and condominiums were allowed to resume operations on June 5.
The Ontario government says students will likely return to school in September with a mix of in-class and remote learning, though boards will develop various scenarios, depending on how COVID-19 is spreading at that point. Premier Doug Ford has said there won’t be a one-size-fits-all approach in schools, but parents provincewide will have the option of sending their children back to class or keeping them learning remotely.
This summer’s Honda Indy Toronto has been cancelled.
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Manitoba
Several more restrictions were eased in Manitoba on June 21.
Restaurants and bars no longer have to operate at half capacity, however tables must be two metres apart or have a physical barrier in between them. Non-smoking bingo halls and video lottery terminal lounges can also reopen at 50 per cent capacity.
Child care centres and retail stores can return to normal capacity, and people arriving in Manitoba from the other western provinces, northern territories and northwestern Ontario no longer have to self-isolate for 14 days.
Larger public gatherings are also allowed.
Instead of a cap of 25 people indoors and 50 outdoors, people can fill up to 30 per cent of the capacity of any venue as long as they can be split into groups of 50 indoors or 100 outdoors. Each group must be able to enter and exit separately.
On June 1, the province eased a ban on people visiting loved ones in personal care homes. Homes can now offer outdoor visits with a maximum of two guests per resident. Visitors will be screened upon arrival and must practice physical distancing.
Amateur sports and recreation programs, as well as bowling alleys, have been allowed to resume operations.
Elementary and high schools will not reopen this school year.
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Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan’s top doctor says his advice on wearing masks to protect against COVID-19 could change in the coming months.
Wearing a mask in Saskatchewan isn’t mandatory now, but chief medical health officer Dr. Saqib Shahab says it may become a rule if there’s an uptick in transmission rates.
Saskatchewan moved into the next phase of its reopening strategy on June 22.
Under Phase 4.1 camping in national parks can resume, but by reservation only.
Youth camps can reopen, but for day use only, and with guidelines for preventing the spread of COVID-19, including the constant disinfection of play structures and monitoring of children for coronavirus symptoms.
Outdoor sports like soccer, softball and flag football can resume, though full-contact sports remain prohibited, as does competitive play, tournaments and inter-provincial travel for games.
Shared equipment must be disinfected frequently, while congratulatory gestures, such as high fives and handshakes, are not permitted.
Saskatchewan’s outdoor swimming pools and spray parks can reopen with physical distancing, maximum capacity, and stringent cleaning rules in effect.
Though they can now do so, some municipalities, including Regina and Saskatoon, have said they won’t be reopening their outdoor pools right away.
The province is also doubling the allowable size of indoor public and private gatherings to 30 people where space allows for two metres between participants
The third phase of Saskatchewan’s reopening plan started June 8 with the province lifting a ban on non-essential travel in the north.
More businesses were also allowed to reopen, including places of worship and personal care services such as nail salons, tattoo parlours and gyms.
Up to 150 people or one-third the capacity of a building, whichever is less, can attend church services, including weddings and funerals.
Outdoor graduations can be held with a maximum 30 graduates per class and an overall attendance of 150 people. The previous limit was 15 people indoors and 30 people outdoors.
Restaurants and bars can open at half capacity, with physical distancing between tables, and child-care centres can open their doors to a maximum of 15 kids.
The second part of Phase 4 is expected to include reopening guidelines for indoor pools, rinks, libraries, museums, galleries, movie theatres, casinos and bingo halls. A date for Phase 4.2 has yet to be announced.
In Phase 5, the province will consider lifting restrictions on the size of public gatherings.
The Saskatchewan government says students will return to regular classes in September.
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Alberta
In Alberta, everything from gyms and arenas to spas, movie theatres, libraries, pools and sports activities got the green light to reopen on June 12.
More people were also allowed to book campsites and sit in restaurants at the same time.
Fifty people can now gather indoors and up to 100 can congregate outside.
Among the other activities allowed to go ahead are casinos and bingo halls, community halls, instrumental concerts, massage, acupuncture and reflexology, artificial tanning and summer schools.
Major festivals and sporting events remain banned, as do nightclubs and amusement parks. Vocal concerts are not being allowed, given that singing carries a higher risk of COVID-19 transmission.
Alberta aims to have students back in classrooms this September though Education Minister Adriana LaGrange says a final decision will be made by Aug. 1.
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British Columbia
British Columbia announced on Tuesday that it would allow visitors in to long-term care homes. Provincial long-term care homes had been restricting visitors since March.
Isobel Mackenzie, B.C.’s advocate for seniors, said people were in tears after hearing government health restrictions will be eased to permit one designated person to see a long-term care resident after being limited to virtual meetings or phone calls since March because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The province allowed hotels, motels, spas, resorts, hostels and RV parks to resume operating on June 24.
Premier John Horgan said the province has been successful at flattening the curve on COVID-19, which means it can ease more health restrictions and gradually move into the third phase of its reopening plan.
He said the province is able to open more industries, institutions and recreation areas, but gatherings must remain at 50 people or less.
The government allowed a partial reopening of the B.C. economy starting May 19.
The reopenings are contingent on organizations and businesses having plans that follow provincial guidelines to control the spread of COVID-19.
Parents in B.C. were given the choice of allowing their children to return to class on a part-time basis starting June 1. The government said its goal is for the return of full-time classes in September, if it’s safe.
Conventions, large concerts, international tourism and professional sports with a live audience will not be allowed to resume until either a vaccine is widely available, community immunity has been reached, or effective treatment can be provided for the disease.
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Nunavut
Although Nunavut still has no confirmed cases of COVID-19, the territory did implement a wide range of public health measures to keep residents safe.
Some have since been relaxed.
Gyms and pools are available for solo workouts and lap swims.
Dental, physiotherapy, massage and chiropractic clinics, as well as offices and stores can open with appropriate safety measures.
Individuals may visit galleries, museums and libraries, and daycares are open.
Outdoor gatherings of up to 50 people are permitted while indoor gatherings are limited to 10 people. Territorial parks are being reopened for outdoor activities only and municipal playgrounds will be reopened, the government of Nunavut said in a statement on Monday.
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Northwest Territories
The Northwest Territories announced on May 12 a three-phase reopening plan.
The plan includes more gatherings and the possible reopening of some schools and businesses. However, the territory’s borders remain closed indefinitely to non-residents and non-essential workers.
There are several requirements that must be met before any measures are relaxed: there must be no evidence of community spread; travel entry points in the territory are strong and secure; risks are reduced from workers coming into the territory; and expanded community testing is available.
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Yukon
New guidelines have been released for long-term care facilities that will allow for visits with one designated person at a pre-set location outdoors.
The territory also said bars with an approved health and safety plan could reopen at half capacity under certain other restrictions starting June 19.
Travel restrictions will be lifted between Yukon and B.C. after July 1 under the second phase of the territory’s pandemic restart plan. After that date, travellers between the province and territory will no longer be required to self-isolate for 14 days.
Residents of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut will be also allowed to enter Yukon without quarantining, as long as they travel directly from one of the territories or through B.C.
Territorial parks and campgrounds have also reopened.
Two households of up to 10 people in total are currently able to interact with each other as part of a “household bubble.”
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 1, 2020
A Calgary police officer loudly tells an Indigenous man to put his hands on the roof of his car and, within seconds, the situation escalates to yelling. Body-worn camera video from the officer’s chest then shows the man’s head pushed into his vehicle.
Herbert Daniels, 67, made a freedom of information request to get the video of his arrest, saying it demonstrates excessive force.
Using the arrest of Daniels as an example, many politicians have been calling for wider use of police body cameras in the wake of global protests calling to defund police, claiming the technology increases accountability.
There is, however, no consistent evidence that the cameras reduce police violence.
A study in the Criminology & Public Policy journal published last year looked at 70 other studies into body-worn cameras and found the technology had statistically insignificant impacts on police and citizen behaviour.
“(Cameras) will not be an easy panacea for improving police performance, accountability, and relationships with citizens,” the study said.
A trial published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America in 2019 also found the cameras “did not meaningfully affect” police behaviour on outcomes that include complaints and use of force.
A six-month study by Western Australia Police Force in 2016 actually found a small increase in use-of-force incidents when officers wore the cameras.
Minneapolis police officers involved in the May arrest of George Floyd were wearing body cameras as one of them knelt on the Black man’s neck for several minutes and he died.
Data is still emerging in Canada about the efficacy of the cameras. Since 2010, many police forces have implemented pilot projects but most abandoned them later, saying they didn’t provide value for what they cost to both purchase the devices and store the data. Calgary is the only large police force to so far adopt the technology for front-line officers.
A final report into an Edmonton pilot project, which ran from 2011 to 2014, said the cameras had a potential for positive outcomes. But it found concerns about policy and no quantitative evidence that the cameras had an impact on complaints against officers.
“Body-worn cameras not only create concerns about the public’s privacy rights but can also affect how officers relate to people in the community, the community’s perception of the police, and expectations about how police agencies should share information,” the report said.
There have also been pilot projects in Toronto, Thunder Bay and Montreal. Montreal found the cameras had little impact on police interventions and there were significant logistical and financial challenges.
Some smaller forces have cameras for a few officers. Fredericton police have six and the force in Medicine Hat, Alta., has 10.
Recently, many communities have changed their positions on cameras. Toronto Mayor John Tory said he expects to have cameras on officers by the fall and Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante said the technology will be adopted as soon as possible. The RCMP has also committed to outfitting some officers with cameras.
Nunavut is pushing forward with a pilot project for cameras after a bystander recorded footage of police using a car door to knock a man over during an arrest.
Erick Laming is a Shabot Obaadjiwan First Nation PhD candidate in criminology at the University of Toronto. He also researches police use of force and oversight.
He said he’s concerned the technology is being rushed by politics and not empirical data.
“We have to look at how police respond to (situations),” he said. “It’s not really the body camera.”
Laming said there isn’t transparency about police force policies on cameras, such as ensuring public privacy, who gets access to the video or when officers are required to turn them on.
Sgt. Travis Baker leads the body camera project for the Calgary police, which has equipped about 1,150 officers with cameras.
City council originally approved $5 million to get the cameras and to fund an eight-year contract with Axon, an American company that supplies the gear and stores the data. All video is uploaded into a cloud-based storage system based in Ontario and only officers involved in an investigation get access to the video related to it, Baker said.
Before the cameras were rolled out, the Calgary force conducted a privacy impact assessment, Baker said. Broadly speaking, the policy says officers are required to record any interaction they have with the public.
An evaluation of the project is underway, with information about use-of-force and complaints to be released later this year. Baker, however, said all officers have embraced the technology.
He said the cameras hold police and the public accountable.
“We truly see it as a tool,” Baker said. “It gathers evidence at a level that is unprecedented. It keeps absolutely everybody engaged and honest in the interaction.”
Provinces and territories have been releasing plans for easing restrictions that were put in place to limit the spread of COVID-19.
Here is what some of the provinces have announced so far:
Newfoundland and Labrador
The province said Tuesday that it will begin allowing provincial historic sites to reopen, starting July 4.
All sites will have one-way flow patterns for visitors, with designated entrance and exit doors where possible.
The province entered “Alert Level 3” on June 8 in its five stage reopening plan. It means groups of up to 20 people are now permitted, as long as they observe physical distancing. Up to 19 people are allowed on public transit.
Private health clinics, such as optometrists and dentists, can open, as well as medium-risk businesses such as clothing stores and hair salons.
Eleven government service centres reopened to offer in-person services that can be booked by appointment, including written tests, driver exams and identification photos.
During Level 4, some businesses such as law firms and other professional services were allowed to reopen along with regulated child-care centres, with some restrictions.
Outdoor games of tennis were allowed to resume, though players must bring their own equipment and not share it.
At Level 2, businesses with performance spaces and gyms are to reopen, while Level 1 would represent “the new normal.”
The four Atlantic provinces have also announced plans to ease interprovincial travel restrictions, creating a so-called “bubble” as the region has reported relatively few new COVID-19 infections in recent weeks.
As of July 3, residents of Atlantic Canada will be allowed to travel within the region without having to self-isolate for two weeks when arriving in another province.
Visitors from provinces and territories outside the region will still be required to self-isolate for 14 days and adhere to local entry requirements. However, once the self-isolation period has passed, those visitors will also be allowed to travel within the Atlantic region.
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Nova Scotia
The province announced on June 26 that all bars and restaurants could resume operating at full capacity and serve customers until midnight. However, establishments must continue to adhere to physical distancing rules.
The province is also allowing private campgrounds to operate at 100 per cent capacity. Provincial campgrounds reopened June 15 at reduced capacity to ensure a minimum of six metres between individual sites.
All public pools can now reopen with physical distancing for lane swimming and aquafit classes.
On Friday (July 3), Nova Scotia will increase the limits on gatherings organized by recognized business or community organizations. That includes weddings, funerals, cultural events, concerts, festivals, dance recitals and faith-based gatherings, which will increase to 250 people if they’re outdoors and 200 — with maximum 50 per cent capacity — if they’re indoors. In either case, physical distancing is still required.
These events do not include family gatherings, which remain limited to a 50-person maximum with physical distancing.
The province earlier announced that Nova Scotians could start gathering in close social groups of up to 10 without physical distancing.
Licensed child-care centres and family daycare homes reopened across the province on June 15.
Nova Scotia has allowed summer day camps for children to open as long as they have a plan to follow public health measures.
Most businesses ordered shut in late March were allowed to reopen on June 5. The list of businesses includes bars and restaurant dining rooms, hair salons, barber shops, gyms and yoga studios, among others.
Some health providers were also able to reopen, including dentistry, optometry, chiropractic and physiotherapy offices.
The province has said there will be no return to school this year.
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Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island moved into Phase 4 of its reopening strategy over the weekend.
Households can now gather in groups of up to 15 indoors and up to 100 people can congregate in larger venues. People can also gather for religious services of up to 50, or up to 100 in larger churches.
More personal services are also available and casinos are reopening.
Under Phase 3, which began June 1, in-house dining at restaurants was allowed. Small groups were permitted to participate in recreational and some sporting activities and libraries got the green light to reopen. Gatherings of up to 15 people indoors and 20 people outdoors and the reopening of child-care centres were also allowed.
As well, family and friends could once again visit residents at long-term care homes, though the visits require an appointment and must take place outdoors.
People wanting to travel to seasonal residences can apply to do so, and will be put through a risk assessment before approval. Seasonal residents will also to be tested for COVID-19 before completing two weeks in self-isolation after arriving in the province.
Under Phase 2, non-contact outdoor recreational activities were permitted, and retail businesses could reopen with physical distancing and select health-service providers.
Priority non-urgent surgeries resumed on May 1.
The P.E.I. legislature resumed May 26.
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New Brunswick
New Brunswick marked one week since it last saw a positive case on Tuesday.
The province moved to the yellow phase of its COVID-19 recovery plan back on May 22, allowing barbers and hair stylists to reopen as well as churches and fitness facilities. Dental care, massage, chiropractors and other “close contact” businesses and services could also reopen.
But the Campbellton region, which extends from Whites Brook to the Belledune, had to take a step backwards to the “orange” level on May 27. Residents were told to once again avoid contacts outside their two-household bubble. Non-regulated health professionals and personal service businesses that opened May 22 also had to close again. And people should only be travelling in and out of Zone 5 for essential reasons.
Further restrictions were lifted on June 5. Outdoor gatherings of up to 50 people were allowed, as well as indoor religious services of up to 50 people, low-contact team sports and the opening of a long list of facilities including swimming pools, gyms, rinks, water parks, and yoga and dance studios.
Under New Brunswick’s latest recovery rules, Canadian residents can now visit family members or properties they own in the province, provided they self-isolate for 14 days — or the duration of their visit if it’s less than two weeks.
As well, New Brunswick residents no longer need to self-isolate when returning from work in another Canadian province or territory.
All organized sports can resume with appropriate physical distancing and sanitizing. Overnight camps can reopen and indoor visits can resume at long-term care facilities for one visitor at a time, or two if one of the visitors needs help.
The cap on the number of people who can gather in controlled venues — including churches, swimming pools and rinks — has been lifted, but crowd numbers will be limited by the ability to maintain physical distancing.
Masks in any building open to the general public are required except for children under the age of two, children in daycare and people who can’t wear face coverings for medical reasons.
Retail businesses, offices, restaurants, libraries, museums and seasonal campgrounds were earlier allowed to reopen providing they have clear plans for meeting public health guidelines.
The final phase, which officials have said will probably come only after a vaccine is available, is to include large gatherings.
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Quebec
Premier Francois Legault says masks will be mandatory for all public transit users as of July 13.
The premier says following a two-week grace period ending July 27, anyone without a mask will not be permitted onto a public transit system anywhere in the province.
Quebec reopened several sectors and relaxed the rules for indoor gatherings on June 22, particularly impacting the Montreal area.
Restaurants can reopen in the greater Montreal and Joliette areas while indoor gatherings of up to 10 people from three households are now permitted in these regions, like elsewhere in Quebec.
Gyms, arenas, cinemas, concert venues and places of worship can reopen across the province with a maximum capacity of 50 people for indoor gatherings.
Day camps across the province have also reopened, with physical distancing. Sleep-away summer camps won’t be allowed to reopen until next year.
Residents of long term care homes that don’t have active COVID-19 cases were earlier allowed to receive visitors inside, meet people outdoors and participate in group activities.
They were also allowed to leave the facilities unaccompanied for more than 24 hours. Volunteers and hairdressers were also allowed inside the facilities.
On May 25, some retail businesses reopened in the greater Montreal area, while retail stores outside Montreal reopened on May 11.
Parks and pools have also been allowed to reopen across the province with certain restrictions.
Sports teams resumed outdoor practices on June 8, and matches can resume at the end of the month. That includes baseball, soccer and any other sports that can be played outdoors.
Quebec’s construction and manufacturing industries have resumed operations with limits on the number of employees who can work per shift. Elementary schools and daycares outside Montreal reopened on May 11, but high schools, junior colleges and universities will stay closed until September.
Elementary schools in the greater Montreal area are to remain closed until late August.
Courthouses across the province were permitted to reopen on June 1, with limited seating capacity and Plexiglas barriers protecting clerks and judges.
Camping is now allowed outside the Montreal and Joliette regions, as are cottage rentals.
Checkpoints set up to slow the spread of COVID-19 came down on May 18 in various parts of Quebec, including between Gatineau and Ottawa.
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Ontario
Starting today, Torontonians riding public transit must wear face coverings to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
The Toronto Transit Commission made the rule last month, but it’s only now coming into effect.
Toronto city council voted to make wearing masks mandatory in public indoor settings, with the bylaw coming in to effect on July 7.
Mayor John Tory says the temporary bylaw will not affect social gatherings.
Mayors from the Greater Toronto and Hamilton area asked Premier Doug Ford on Monday to make masks mandatory across Ontario, but the premier rejected the idea.
Ferry service between Toronto and the Toronto Islands resumed on June 27 but at only 50 per cent capacity to allow for physical distancing.
The Toronto Zoo also reopened and the province said it’s loosening some restrictions around indoor sports and fitness to enable amateur and professional athletes to train.
Ontario’s two most heavily populated regions had more businesses open their doors on June 24 as Toronto and Peel moved into the next stage of the province’s COVID-19 recovery plan.
The two regions officially entered Stage 2 of the pandemic reopening framework, joining nearly all the rest of the province that began ramping up activities on June 19. All regions of the province except the southwestern communities of Leamington and Kingsville have officially entered Stage 2.
Businesses given the green light to resume operations in Toronto and Peel include hair stylists, pools and tour guide services.
Restaurants are also allowed to reopen their patios for dine-in service, though no one is yet allowed to be served indoors.
Meanwhile, the limit on social gatherings increased from five to 10 provincewide. Restrictions on wedding and funeral ceremonies were also eased. The number of people allowed to attend an indoor ceremony is restricted to 30 per cent capacity of the venue, while outdoor events are limited to 50 people. However, the number of people allowed to attend all wedding and funeral receptions remains at 10.
Ontarians can resume visiting loved ones in long-term care homes, as long as they test negative for COVID-19.
All construction has resumed, with limits also lifted on maintenance, repair and property management services, such as cleaning, painting and pool maintenance.
Golf courses can reopen though clubhouses can only open for washrooms and take-out food. Marinas, boat clubs and public boat launches can also open, as can private parks and campgrounds for trailers and RVs whose owners have a full season contract, and businesses that board animals.
Short-term rentals including lodges, cabins, cottages, homes and condominiums were allowed to resume operations on June 5.
The Ontario government says students will likely return to school in September with a mix of in-class and remote learning, though boards will develop various scenarios, depending on how COVID-19 is spreading at that point. Premier Doug Ford has said there won’t be a one-size-fits-all approach in schools, but parents provincewide will have the option of sending their children back to class or keeping them learning remotely.
This summer’s Honda Indy Toronto has been cancelled.
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Manitoba
Several more restrictions were eased in Manitoba on June 21.
Restaurants and bars no longer have to operate at half capacity, however tables must be two metres apart or have a physical barrier in between them. Non-smoking bingo halls and video lottery terminal lounges can also reopen at 50 per cent capacity.
Child care centres and retail stores can return to normal capacity, and people arriving in Manitoba from the other western provinces, northern territories and northwestern Ontario no longer have to self-isolate for 14 days.
Larger public gatherings are also allowed.
Instead of a cap of 25 people indoors and 50 outdoors, people can fill up to 30 per cent of the capacity of any venue as long as they can be split into groups of 50 indoors or 100 outdoors. Each group must be able to enter and exit separately.
On June 1, the province eased a ban on people visiting loved ones in personal care homes. Homes can now offer outdoor visits with a maximum of two guests per resident. Visitors will be screened upon arrival and must practice physical distancing.
Amateur sports and recreation programs, as well as bowling alleys, have been allowed to resume operations.
Elementary and high schools will not reopen this school year.
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Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan’s top doctor says his advice on wearing masks to protect against COVID-19 could change in the coming months.
Wearing a mask in Saskatchewan isn’t mandatory now, but chief medical health officer Dr. Saqib Shahab says it may become a rule if there’s an uptick in transmission rates.
Saskatchewan moved into the next phase of its reopening strategy on June 22.
Under Phase 4.1 camping in national parks can resume, but by reservation only.
Youth camps can reopen, but for day use only, and with guidelines for preventing the spread of COVID-19, including the constant disinfection of play structures and monitoring of children for coronavirus symptoms.
Outdoor sports like soccer, softball and flag football can resume, though full-contact sports remain prohibited, as does competitive play, tournaments and inter-provincial travel for games.
Shared equipment must be disinfected frequently, while congratulatory gestures, such as high fives and handshakes, are not permitted.
Saskatchewan’s outdoor swimming pools and spray parks can reopen with physical distancing, maximum capacity, and stringent cleaning rules in effect.
Though they can now do so, some municipalities, including Regina and Saskatoon, have said they won’t be reopening their outdoor pools right away.
The province is also doubling the allowable size of indoor public and private gatherings to 30 people where space allows for two metres between participants
The third phase of Saskatchewan’s reopening plan started June 8 with the province lifting a ban on non-essential travel in the north.
More businesses were also allowed to reopen, including places of worship and personal care services such as nail salons, tattoo parlours and gyms.
Up to 150 people or one-third the capacity of a building, whichever is less, can attend church services, including weddings and funerals.
Outdoor graduations can be held with a maximum 30 graduates per class and an overall attendance of 150 people. The previous limit was 15 people indoors and 30 people outdoors.
Restaurants and bars can open at half capacity, with physical distancing between tables, and child-care centres can open their doors to a maximum of 15 kids.
The second part of Phase 4 is expected to include reopening guidelines for indoor pools, rinks, libraries, museums, galleries, movie theatres, casinos and bingo halls. A date for Phase 4.2 has yet to be announced.
In Phase 5, the province will consider lifting restrictions on the size of public gatherings.
The Saskatchewan government says students will return to regular classes in September.
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Alberta
In Alberta, everything from gyms and arenas to spas, movie theatres, libraries, pools and sports activities got the green light to reopen on June 12.
More people were also allowed to book campsites and sit in restaurants at the same time.
Fifty people can now gather indoors and up to 100 can congregate outside.
Among the other activities allowed to go ahead are casinos and bingo halls, community halls, instrumental concerts, massage, acupuncture and reflexology, artificial tanning and summer schools.
Major festivals and sporting events remain banned, as do nightclubs and amusement parks. Vocal concerts are not being allowed, given that singing carries a higher risk of COVID-19 transmission.
Alberta aims to have students back in classrooms this September though Education Minister Adriana LaGrange says a final decision will be made by Aug. 1.
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British Columbia
British Columbia announced on Tuesday that it would allow visitors in to long-term care homes. Provincial long-term care homes had been restricting visitors since March.
Isobel Mackenzie, B.C.’s advocate for seniors, said people were in tears after hearing government health restrictions will be eased to permit one designated person to see a long-term care resident after being limited to virtual meetings or phone calls since March because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The province allowed hotels, motels, spas, resorts, hostels and RV parks to resume operating on June 24.
Premier John Horgan said the province has been successful at flattening the curve on COVID-19, which means it can ease more health restrictions and gradually move into the third phase of its reopening plan.
He said the province is able to open more industries, institutions and recreation areas, but gatherings must remain at 50 people or less.
The government allowed a partial reopening of the B.C. economy starting May 19.
The reopenings are contingent on organizations and businesses having plans that follow provincial guidelines to control the spread of COVID-19.
Parents in B.C. were given the choice of allowing their children to return to class on a part-time basis starting June 1. The government said its goal is for the return of full-time classes in September, if it’s safe.
Conventions, large concerts, international tourism and professional sports with a live audience will not be allowed to resume until either a vaccine is widely available, community immunity has been reached, or effective treatment can be provided for the disease.
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Nunavut
Although Nunavut still has no confirmed cases of COVID-19, the territory did implement a wide range of public health measures to keep residents safe.
Some have since been relaxed.
Gyms and pools are available for solo workouts and lap swims.
Dental, physiotherapy, massage and chiropractic clinics, as well as offices and stores can open with appropriate safety measures.
Individuals may visit galleries, museums and libraries, and daycares are open.
Outdoor gatherings of up to 50 people are permitted while indoor gatherings are limited to 10 people. Territorial parks are being reopened for outdoor activities only and municipal playgrounds will be reopened, the government of Nunavut said in a statement on Monday.
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Northwest Territories
The Northwest Territories announced on May 12 a three-phase reopening plan.
The plan includes more gatherings and the possible reopening of some schools and businesses. However, the territory’s borders remain closed indefinitely to non-residents and non-essential workers.
There are several requirements that must be met before any measures are relaxed: there must be no evidence of community spread; travel entry points in the territory are strong and secure; risks are reduced from workers coming into the territory; and expanded community testing is available.
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Yukon
New guidelines have been released for long-term care facilities that will allow for visits with one designated person at a pre-set location outdoors.
The territory also said bars with an approved health and safety plan could reopen at half capacity under certain other restrictions starting June 19.
Travel restrictions will be lifted between Yukon and B.C. after July 1 under the second phase of the territory’s pandemic restart plan. After that date, travellers between the province and territory will no longer be required to self-isolate for 14 days.
Residents of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut will be also allowed to enter Yukon without quarantining, as long as they travel directly from one of the territories or through B.C.
Territorial parks and campgrounds have also reopened.
Two households of up to 10 people in total are currently able to interact with each other as part of a “household bubble.”
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 1, 2020
Three children under the age of five are dead following a tractor accident Wednesday evening southeast of Montreal.
Provincial police say seven other people were injured in the mishap in Notre-Dame-de-Stanbridge, about 55 kilometres southeast of Montreal.
The injured include three children whose lives are not believed to be in danger, and four adults, two of whom are in critical condition.
The accident occurred shortly before 7 p.m. as the farm tractor was apparently carrying 10 people and pieces of wood in its front shovel.
Provincial police spokeswoman Anik Lamirande says that for unknown reasons, all the people were suddenly thrown from the shovel.
Police say alcohol could have been a factor in the accident, and the tractor’s driver, a man in his 30s, has been arrested and is expected to appear in court later today.
COVID-19 means the true north is not entirely free this Canada Day, but a new survey suggests that’s not going to change how many people mark the holiday.
Leger Marketing and Association for Canadian Studies surveyed Canadians asking whether, given all that’s gone on in the last three months with the COVID-19 pandemic, they’ll be more or less likely to find a way to celebrate this year.
For 42 per cent of those polled, this Canada Day will be no different than any other.
Sixteen per cent overall of those surveyed are feeling that true patriot love — they say they’re more likely this year to find a way to celebrate, even if it’s just a small gathering.
The feeling is strongest in B.C., the province widely seen as weathering the COVID-19 storm better than others. There, 22 per cent say they’re more likely to party.
But 38 per cent overall in Canada are standing on guard, saying it’s actually less likely they’ll mark the holiday.
In Ontario, still struggling with pockets of oubtreaks, 44 per cent say they’re less likely to mark the occasion, and the figure is the same for those in Alberta.
In the U.S., where there is a surge of outbreaks and some states have even revised their opening plans, 39 per cent of those polled say it’s less likely they’ll mark their own national holiday, the Fourth of July.
For 35 per cent of Americans, their plans are unchanged, while 18 per cent say they’re more likely to celebrate.
The poll surveyed 1,524 Canadians and 1,002 Americans online between June 26 and June 28 and cannot assigned a margin of error because internet polls are not considered truly random.
As both countries get set to celebrate, there is more of a divide when it comes to how they’re feeling about their respective nations.
Of those polled, 90 per cent say they’re proud to be Canadian, compared to 74 per cent of Americans.
For Americans, it is a phrase rooted in the Declaration of Independence that gives them the most pride: life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness — 93 per cent said that was the thing that made them most proud to be American.
For Canadians, the slightly less cinematic slogan of “peace, order and good government” was also at the top of the list, as was universal health care, the natural landscape and equal rights.
Mid-way through the rankings? Political leadership. Fifty-five per cent of Canadians surveyed said it was Prime Minister Justin Trudeau who makes them proud, compared to 42 per cent who feel the same about U.S. President Donald Trump.
Provinces and territories have been releasing plans for easing restrictions that were put in place to limit the spread of COVID-19.
Here is what some of the provinces have announced so far:
Newfoundland and Labrador
The province entered “Alert Level 3” on June 8 in its five stage reopening plan. It means groups of up to 20 people are now permitted, as long as they observe physical distancing. Up to 19 people are allowed on public transit.
Private health clinics, such as optometrists and dentists, can open, as well as medium-risk businesses such as clothing stores and hair salons.
Eleven government service centres reopened to offer in-person services that can be booked by appointment, including written tests, driver exams and identification photos.
During Level 4, some businesses such as law firms and other professional services were allowed to reopen along with regulated child-care centres, with some restrictions.
Outdoor games of tennis were allowed to resume, though players must bring their own equipment and not share it.
At Level 2, businesses with performance spaces and gyms are to reopen, while Level 1 would represent “the new normal.”
The four Atlantic provinces have also announced plans to ease interprovincial travel restrictions, creating a so-called “bubble” as the region has reported relatively few new COVID-19 infections in recent weeks.
As of July 3, residents of Atlantic Canada will be allowed to travel within the region without having to self-isolate for two weeks when arriving in another province.
Visitors from provinces and territories outside the region will still be required to self-isolate for 14 days and adhere to local entry requirements. However, once the self-isolation period has passed, those visitors will also be allowed to travel within the Atlantic region.
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Nova Scotia
The province announced on June 26 that all bars and restaurants could resume operating at full capacity and serve customers until midnight. However, establishments must continue to adhere to physical distancing rules.
The province is also allowing private campgrounds to operate at 100 per cent capacity. Provincial campgrounds reopened June 15 at reduced capacity to ensure a minimum of six metres between individual sites.
All public pools can now reopen with physical distancing for lane swimming and aquafit classes.
On Friday (July 3), Nova Scotia will increase the limits on gatherings organized by recognized business or community organizations. That includes weddings, funerals, cultural events, concerts, festivals, dance recitals and faith-based gatherings, which will increase to 250 people if they’re outdoors and 200 — with maximum 50 per cent capacity — if they’re indoors. In either case, physical distancing is still required.
These events do not include family gatherings, which remain limited to a 50-person maximum with physical distancing.
The province earlier announced that Nova Scotians could start gathering in close social groups of up to 10 without physical distancing.
Licensed child-care centres and family daycare homes reopened across the province on June 15.
Nova Scotia has allowed summer day camps for children to open as long as they have a plan to follow public health measures.
Most businesses ordered shut in late March were allowed to reopen on June 5. The list of businesses includes bars and restaurant dining rooms, hair salons, barber shops, gyms and yoga studios, among others.
Some health providers were also able to reopen, including dentistry, optometry, chiropractic and physiotherapy offices.
The province has said there will be no return to school this year.
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Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island moved into Phase 4 of its reopening strategy over the weekend.
Households can now gather in groups of up to 15 indoors and up to 100 people can congregate in larger venues. People can also gather for religious services of up to 50, or up to 100 in larger churches.
More personal services are also available and casinos are reopening.
Under Phase 3, which began June 1, in-house dining at restaurants was allowed. Small groups were permitted to participate in recreational and some sporting activities and libraries got the green light to reopen. Gatherings of up to 15 people indoors and 20 people outdoors and the reopening of child-care centres were also allowed.
As well, family and friends could once again visit residents at long-term care homes, though the visits require an appointment and must take place outdoors.
People wanting to travel to seasonal residences can apply to do so, and will be put through a risk assessment before approval. Seasonal residents will also to be tested for COVID-19 before completing two weeks in self-isolation after arriving in the province.
Under Phase 2, non-contact outdoor recreational activities were permitted, and retail businesses could reopen with physical distancing and select health-service providers.
Priority non-urgent surgeries resumed on May 1.
The P.E.I legislature resumed May 26.
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New Brunswick
New Brunswick moved to the yellow phase of its COVID-19 recovery plan on May 22, allowing barbers and hair stylists to reopen as well as churches and fitness facilities. Dental care, massage, chiropractors and other “close contact” businesses and services could also reopen.
But the Campbellton region, which extends from Whites Brook to the Belledune, had to take a step backward to the “orange” level on May 27. Residents were told to once again avoid contacts outside their two-household bubble. Non-regulated health professionals and personal service businesses that opened May 22 also had to close again. And people should only be travelling in and out of Zone 5 for essential reasons.
Further restrictions were lifted on June 5. Outdoor gatherings of up to 50 people were allowed, as well as indoor religious services of up to 50 people, low-contact team sports and the opening of a long list of facilities including swimming pools, gyms, rinks, water parks, and yoga and dance studios.
Under New Brunswick’s latest recovery rules, Canadian residents can now visit family members or properties they own in the province, provided they self-isolate for 14 days — or the duration of their visit if it’s less than two weeks.
As well, New Brunswick residents no longer need to self-isolate when returning from work in another Canadian province or territory.
All organized sports can resume with appropriate physical distancing and sanitizing. Overnight camps can reopen and indoor visits can resume at long-term care facilities for one visitor at a time, or two if one of the visitors needs help.
The cap on the number of people who can gather in controlled venues — including churches, swimming pools and rinks — has been lifted, but crowd numbers will be limited by the ability to maintain physical distancing.
Masks in any building open to the general public are required except for children under the age of two, children in daycare and people who can’t wear face coverings for medical reasons.
Retail businesses, offices, restaurants, libraries, museums and seasonal campgrounds were earlier allowed to reopen providing they have clear plans for meeting public health guidelines.
The final phase, which officials have said will probably come only after a vaccine is available, is to include large gatherings.
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Quebec
Quebec reopened several sectors and relaxed the rules for indoor gatherings on June 22, particularly impacting the Montreal area.
Restaurants can reopen in the greater Montreal and Joliette areas while indoor gatherings of up to 10 people from three households are now permitted in these regions, like elsewhere in Quebec.
Gyms, arenas, cinemas, concert venues and places of worship can reopen across the province with a maximum capacity of 50 people for indoor gatherings.
Day camps across the province have also reopened, with physical distancing. Sleep-away summer camps won’t be allowed to reopen until next year.
Residents of long term care homes that don’t have active COVID-19 cases were earlier allowed to receive visitors inside, meet people outdoors and participate in group activities.
They were also allowed to leave the facilities unaccompanied for more than 24 hours. Volunteers and hairdressers were also allowed inside the facilities.
On May 25, some retail businesses reopened in the greater Montreal area, while retail stores outside Montreal reopened on May 11.
Parks and pools have also been allowed to reopen across the province with certain restrictions.
Sports teams resumed outdoor practices on June 8, and matches can resume at the end of the month. That includes baseball, soccer and any other sports that can be played outdoors.
Quebec’s construction and manufacturing industries have resumed operations with limits on the number of employees who can work per shift. Elementary schools and daycares outside Montreal reopened on May 11, but high schools, junior colleges and universities will stay closed until September.
Elementary schools in the greater Montreal area are to remain closed until late August.
Courthouses across the province were permitted to reopen on June 1, with limited seating capacity and Plexiglas barriers protecting clerks and judges.
Camping is now allowed outside the Montreal and Joliette regions, as are cottage rentals.
Checkpoints set up to slow the spread of COVID-19 came down on May 18 in various parts of Quebec, including between Gatineau and Ottawa.
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Ontario
Ferry service between Toronto and the Toronto Islands resumed on June 27 but at only 50 per cent capacity to allow for physical distancing.
The Toronto Zoo also reopened and the province said it’s loosening some restrictions around indoor sports and fitness to enable amateur and professional athletes to train.
Ontario’s two most heavily populated regions saw more businesses open their doors on June 24 as Toronto and Peel moved into the next stage of the province’s COVID-19 recovery plan.
The two regions officially entered Stage 2 of the pandemic reopening framework, joining nearly all the rest of the province that began ramping up activities on June 19. All regions of the province except the southwestern communities of Leamington and Kingsville have officially entered Stage 2.
Businesses given the green light to resume operations in Toronto and Peel include hair stylists, pools and tour guide services.
Restaurants are also allowed to reopen their patios for dine-in service, though no one is yet allowed to be served indoors.
Meanwhile, the limit on social gatherings increased from five to 10 provincewide. Restrictions on wedding and funeral ceremonies were also eased. The number of people allowed to attend an indoor ceremony is restricted to 30 per cent capacity of the venue, while outdoor events are limited to 50 people. However, the number of people allowed to attend all wedding and funeral receptions remains at 10.
Ontarians can resume visiting loved ones in long-term care homes, as long as they test negative for COVID-19.
All construction has resumed, with limits also lifted on maintenance, repair and property management services, such as cleaning, painting and pool maintenance.
Golf courses can reopen though clubhouses can only open for washrooms and take-out food. Marinas, boat clubs and public boat launches can also open, as can private parks and campgrounds for trailers and RVs whose owners have a full season contract, and businesses that board animals.
Short-term rentals including lodges, cabins, cottages, homes and condominiums were allowed to resume operations on June 5.
The Ontario government says students will likely return to school in September with a mix of in-class and remote learning, though boards will develop various scenarios, depending on how COVID-19 is spreading at that point. Premier Doug Ford has said there won’t be a one-size-fits-all approach in schools, but parents provincewide will have the option of sending their children back to class or keeping them learning remotely.
Ontario schools are to remain closed for the rest of the current school year.
This summer’s Honda Indy Toronto has been cancelled.
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Manitoba
Several more restrictions were eased in Manitoba on June 21.
Restaurants and bars no longer have to operate at half capacity, however, tables must be two metres apart or have a physical barrier in between them. Non-smoking bingo halls and video lottery terminal lounges can also reopen at 50 per cent capacity.
Child care centres and retail stores can return to normal capacity, and people arriving in Manitoba from the other western provinces, northern territories and northwestern Ontario no longer have to self-isolate for 14 days.
Larger public gatherings are also allowed.
Instead of a cap of 25 people indoors and 50 outdoors, people can fill up to 30 per cent of the capacity of any venue as long as they can be split into groups of 50 indoors or 100 outdoors. Each group must be able to enter and exit separately.
On June 1, the province eased a ban on people visiting loved ones in personal care homes. Homes can now offer outdoor visits with a maximum of two guests per resident. Visitors will be screened upon arrival and must practice physical distancing.
Amateur sports and recreation programs, as well as bowling alleys, have been allowed to resume operations.
Elementary and high schools will not reopen this school year.
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Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan moved into the next phase of its reopening strategy on June 22.
Under Phase 4.1 camping in national parks can resume, but by reservation only.
Youth camps can reopen, but for day use only, and with guidelines for preventing the spread of COVID-19, including the constant disinfection of play structures and monitoring of children for coronavirus symptoms.
Outdoor sports like soccer, softball and flag football can resume, though full-contact sports remain prohibited, as does competitive play, tournaments and inter-provincial travel for games.
Shared equipment must be disinfected frequently, while congratulatory gestures, such as high fives and handshakes, are not permitted.
Saskatchewan’s outdoor swimming pools and spray parks can reopen with physical distancing, maximum capacity, and stringent cleaning rules in effect.
Though they can now do so, some municipalities, including Regina and Saskatoon, have said they won’t be reopening their outdoor pools right away.
The province is also doubling the allowable size of indoor public and private gatherings to 30 people where space allows for two metres between participants
The third phase of Saskatchewan’s reopening plan started June 8 with the province lifting a ban on non-essential travel in the north.
More businesses were also allowed to reopen, including places of worship and personal care services such as nail salons, tattoo parlours and gyms.
Up to 150 people or one-third the capacity of a building, whichever is less, can attend church services, including weddings and funerals.
Outdoor graduations can be held with a maximum 30 graduates per class and an overall attendance of 150 people. The previous limit was 15 people indoors and 30 people outdoors.
Restaurants and bars can open at half capacity, with physical distancing between tables, and child-care centres can open their doors to a maximum of 15 kids.
The second part of Phase 4 is expected to include reopening guidelines for indoor pools, rinks, libraries, museums, galleries, movie theatres, casinos and bingo halls. A date for Phase 4.2 has yet to be announced.
In Phase 5, the province will consider lifting restrictions on the size of public gatherings.
The Saskatchewan government says students will return to regular classes in September.
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Alberta
In Alberta, everything from gyms and arenas to spas, movie theatres, libraries, pools and sports activities got the green light to reopen on June 12.
More people were also allowed to book campsites and sit in restaurants at the same time.
Fifty people can now gather indoors and up to 100 can congregate outside.
Among the other activities allowed to go ahead are casinos and bingo halls, community halls, instrumental concerts, massage, acupuncture and reflexology, artificial tanning and summer schools.
Major festivals and sporting events remain banned, as do nightclubs and amusement parks. Vocal concerts are not being allowed, given that singing carries a higher risk of COVID-19 transmission.
Alberta aims to have students back in classrooms this September though Education Minister Adriana LaGrange says a final decision will be made by Aug. 1.
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British Columbia
British Columbia allowed hotels, motels, spas, resorts, hostels and RV parks to resume operating on June 24.
Premier John Horgan said the province has been successful at flattening the curve on COVID-19, which means it can ease more health restrictions and move into the third phase of its reopening plan.
He said the province is able to open more industries, institutions and recreation areas, but gatherings must remain at 50 people or less.
The government allowed a partial reopening of the B.C. economy starting May 19.
The reopenings are contingent on organizations and businesses having plans that follow provincial guidelines to control the spread of COVID-19.
Parents in B.C. were given the choice of allowing their children to return to class on a part-time basis starting June 1. The government said its goal is for the return of full-time classes in September, if it’s safe.
Conventions, large concerts, international tourism and professional sports with a live audience will not be allowed to resume until either a vaccine is widely available, community immunity has been reached, or effective treatment can be provided for the disease.
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Nunavut
Although Nunavut still has no confirmed cases of COVID-19, the territory did implement a wide range of public health measures to keep residents safe.
Some have since been relaxed.
Gyms and pools are available for solo workouts and lap swims.
Dental, physiotherapy, massage and chiropractic clinics, as well as offices and stores can open with appropriate safety measures.
Individuals may visit galleries, museums and libraries, and daycares are open.
Outdoor gatherings of up to 50 people are permitted while indoor gatherings are limited to 10 people. Territorial parks are being reopened for outdoor activites only and municipal playgrounds will be reopened, the government of Nunavut said in a statement on Monday.
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Northwest Territories
The Northwest Territories announced on May 12 a three-phase reopening plan.
The plan includes more gatherings and the possible reopening of some schools and businesses. However, the territory’s borders remain closed indefinitely to non-residents and non-essential workers.
There are several requirements that must be met before any measures are relaxed: there must be no evidence of community spread; travel entry points in the territory are strong and secure; risks are reduced from workers coming into the territory; and expanded community testing is available.
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Yukon
New guidelines have been released for long-term care facilities that will allow for visits with one designated person at a pre-set location outdoors.
The territory also said bars with an approved health and safety plan could reopen at half capacity under certain other restrictions starting June 19.
Travel restrictions will be lifted between Yukon and B.C. after July 1 under the second phase of the territory’s pandemic restart plan. After that date, travellers between the province and territory will no longer be required to self-isolate for 14 days.
Residents of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut will be also allowed to enter Yukon without quarantining, as long as they travel directly from one of the territories or through B.C.
Territorial parks and campgrounds have also reopened.
Two households of up to 10 people in total are currently able to interact with each other as part of a “household bubble.”
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 30, 2020
VANCOUVER — A 17-year-old British Columbia student has been documenting the personal experiences of strangers around the world during this pandemic one photograph at a time.
Asalah Youssef of Langley Fine Arts School said the Screenshots of Home project came about from a yearning to create and connect with people who are united in isolation.
“I mean, the whole world was told to stay at home,” she said.
Youssef said she was seeing people connect virtually, which got her thinking about photography in a different way.
“I put down my regular camera, pushed my Canon camera to the side and picked up my phone to start photographing people virtually.”
Since April, she has photographed 45 people from different parts of the world including Lebanon, the United States, London, Costa Rica, Tanzania, Ecuador, France, Mexico and Israel.
The teen reaches out to people through Instagram, tells them about her project and asks if they want to participate, she said, adding that she met some people through friends.
“The beginning is just us having a conversation because, as you can imagine, I’m asking something quite personal of them — to have a FaceTime call and to document them and photograph them.”
She eventually leads them through lighting, posing, and where to position their phone, then takes a screen shot, Youssef explained.
“It’s a beautiful collaboration between me and someone who, most of the time, I have never met before.”
The clarity of the photos surprised her, she said with a laugh.
“Sometimes you can see the glitchiness of the photograph and, you know what, I kind of embrace that because I think… it’s telling of the way it was taken,” she said.
“But sometimes you can’t even tell it’s on FaceTime, which is also quite beautiful.”
These photographs, Youssef said, are helping her stay in the present, embrace and work with the situation, and look for joy and beauty in the every day.
“It is highlighting the more personal part of this pandemic and the experience of quarantining at home. A hundred years from now, people are going to look at these photographs and see all different experiences and get a really personal look into this pandemic.”
Youssef noted that one of the most memorable shoots was a woman in the state of New Jersey who is a fashion designer and has been getting through the pandemic and lockdown by creating pieces of clothing and masks.
“She said to me during the shoot ‘creativity cannot be quarantined’. She was such a bright and colourful person and it was really lovely leaving the conversation just feeling so filled, like my cup was full having this conversation with a fellow artist I had never met before who I connected with during this time.”
Another conversation Youssef said touched her was with a woman in France who lost her father during quarantine.
“She couldn’t hold his hand and she was saying how absolutely devastating that was and how much emotion that brought up for her. Her photo is her leaning up against a wall and you can feel that emotion through it.”
Youssef said her mother and she were recently having a conversation about “how cool it would be” to do a second instalment of Screenshots of Home, where she visits the same people in person once everyone gets through it.
“That would be quite special. You never know.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 29, 2020.
Provinces and territories have been releasing plans for easing restrictions that were put in place to limit the spread of COVID-19.
Here is what some of the provinces have announced so far:
Newfoundland and Labrador
The province entered “Alert Level 3” on June 8 in its five stage reopening plan. It means groups of up to 20 people are now permitted, as long as they observe physical distancing. Up to 19 people are allowed on public transit.
Private health clinics, such as optometrists and dentists, can open, as well as medium-risk businesses such as clothing stores and hair salons.
Eleven government service centres reopened to offer in-person services that can be booked by appointment, including written tests, driver exams and identification photos.
During Level 4, some businesses such as law firms and other professional services were allowed to reopen along with regulated child-care centres, with some restrictions.
Outdoor games of tennis were allowed to resume, though players must bring their own equipment and not share it.
At Level 2, businesses with performance spaces and gyms are to reopen, while Level 1 would represent “the new normal.”
The four Atlantic provinces have also announced plans to ease interprovincial travel restrictions, creating a so-called “bubble” as the region has reported relatively few new COVID-19 infections in recent weeks.
As of July 3, residents of Atlantic Canada will be allowed to travel within the region without having to self-isolate for two weeks when arriving in another province.
Visitors from provinces and territories outside the region will still be required to self-isolate for 14 days and adhere to local entry requirements. However, once the self-isolation period has passed, those visitors will also be allowed to travel within the Atlantic region.
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Nova Scotia
The province announced on June 26 that all bars and restaurants could resume operating at full capacity and serve customers until midnight. However, establishments must continue to adhere to physical distancing rules.
The province is also allowing private campgrounds to operate at 100 per cent capacity. Provincial campgrounds reopened June 15 at reduced capacity to ensure a minimum of six metres between individual sites.
All public pools can now reopen with physical distancing for lane swimming and aquafit classes.
On Friday (July 3), Nova Scotia will increase the limits on gatherings organized by recognized business or community organizations. That includes weddings, funerals, cultural events, concerts, festivals, dance recitals and faith-based gatherings, which will increase to 250 people if they’re outdoors and 200 — with maximum 50 per cent capacity — if they’re indoors. In either case, physical distancing is still required.
These events do not include family gatherings, which remain limited to a 50-person maximum with physical distancing.
The province earlier announced that Nova Scotians could start gathering in close social groups of up to 10 without physical distancing.
Licensed child-care centres and family daycare homes reopened across the province on June 15.
Nova Scotia has allowed summer day camps for children to open as long as they have a plan to follow public health measures.
Most businesses ordered shut in late March were allowed to reopen on June 5. The list of businesses includes bars and restaurant dining rooms, hair salons, barber shops, gyms and yoga studios, among others.
Some health providers were also able to reopen, including dentistry, optometry, chiropractic and physiotherapy offices.
The province has said there will be no return to school this year.
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Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island moved into Phase 4 of its reopening strategy over the weekend.
Households can now gather in groups of up to 15 indoors and up to 100 people can congregate in larger venues. People can also gather for religious services of up to 50, or up to 100 in larger churches.
More personal services are also available and casinos are reopening.
Under Phase 3, which began June 1, in-house dining at restaurants was allowed. Small groups were permitted to participate in recreational and some sporting activities and libraries got the green light to reopen. Gatherings of up to 15 people indoors and 20 people outdoors and the reopening of child-care centres were also allowed.
As well, family and friends could once again visit residents at long-term care homes, though the visits require an appointment and must take place outdoors.
People wanting to travel to seasonal residences can apply to do so, and will be put through a risk assessment before approval. Seasonal residents will also to be tested for COVID-19 before completing two weeks in self-isolation after arriving in the province.
Under Phase 2, non-contact outdoor recreational activities were permitted, and retail businesses could reopen with physical distancing and select health-service providers.
Priority non-urgent surgeries resumed on May 1.
The P.E.I legislature resumed May 26.
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New Brunswick
New Brunswick moved to the yellow phase of its COVID-19 recovery plan on May 22, allowing barbers and hair stylists to reopen as well as churches and fitness facilities. Dental care, massage, chiropractors and other “close contact” businesses and services could also reopen.
But the Campbellton region, which extends from Whites Brook to the Belledune, had to take a step backwards to the “orange” level on May 27. Residents were told to once again avoid contacts outside their two-household bubble. Non-regulated health professionals and personal service businesses that opened May 22 also had to close again. And people should only be travelling in and out of Zone 5 for essential reasons.
Further restrictions were lifted on June 5. Outdoor gatherings of up to 50 people were allowed, as well as indoor religious services of up to 50 people, low-contact team sports and the opening of a long list of facilities including swimming pools, gyms, rinks, water parks, and yoga and dance studios.
Under New Brunswick’s latest recovery rules, Canadian residents can now visit family members or properties they own in the province, provided they self-isolate for 14 days — or the duration of their visit if it’s less than two weeks.
As well, New Brunswick residents no longer need to self-isolate when returning from work in another Canadian province or territory.
All organized sports can resume with appropriate physical distancing and sanitizing. Overnight camps can reopen and indoor visits can resume at long-term care facilities for one visitor at a time, or two if one of the visitors needs help.
The cap on the number of people who can gather in controlled venues — including churches, swimming pools and rinks — has been lifted, but crowd numbers will be limited by the ability to maintain physical distancing.
Masks in any building open to the general public are required except for children under the age of two, children in daycare and people who can’t wear face coverings for medical reasons.
Retail businesses, offices, restaurants, libraries, museums and seasonal campgrounds were earlier allowed to reopen providing they have clear plans for meeting public health guidelines.
The final phase, which officials have said will probably come only after a vaccine is available, is to include large gatherings.
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Quebec
Quebec reopened several sectors and relaxed the rules for indoor gatherings on June 22, particularly impacting the Montreal area.
Restaurants can reopen in the greater Montreal and Joliette areas while indoor gatherings of up to 10 people from three households are now permitted in these regions, like elsewhere in Quebec.
Gyms, arenas, cinemas, concert venues and places of worship can reopen across the province with a maximum capacity of 50 people for indoor gatherings.
Day camps across the province have also reopened, with physical distancing. Sleep-away summer camps won’t be allowed to reopen until next year.
Residents of long term care homes that don’t have active COVID-19 cases were earlier allowed to receive visitors inside, meet people outdoors and participate in group activities.
They were also allowed to leave the facilities unaccompanied for more than 24 hours. Volunteers and hairdressers were also allowed inside the facilities.
On May 25, some retail businesses reopened in the greater Montreal area, while retail stores outside Montreal reopened on May 11.
Parks and pools have also been allowed to reopen across the province with certain restrictions.
Sports teams resumed outdoor practices on June 8, and matches can resume at the end of the month. That includes baseball, soccer and any other sports that can be played outdoors.
Quebec’s construction and manufacturing industries have resumed operations with limits on the number of employees who can work per shift. Elementary schools and daycares outside Montreal reopened on May 11, but high schools, junior colleges and universities will stay closed until September.
Elementary schools in the greater Montreal area are to remain closed until late August.
Courthouses across the province were permitted to reopen on June 1, with limited seating capacity and Plexiglas barriers protecting clerks and judges.
Camping is now allowed outside the Montreal and Joliette regions, as are cottage rentals.
Checkpoints set up to slow the spread of COVID-19 came down on May 18 in various parts of Quebec, including between Gatineau and Ottawa.
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Ontario
Ferry service between Toronto and the Toronto Islands resumed on June 27 but at only 50 per cent capacity to allow for physical distancing.
The Toronto Zoo also reopened and the province said it’s loosening some restrictions around indoor sports and fitness to enable amateur and professional athletes to train.
Ontario’s two most heavily populated regions saw more businesses open their doors on June 24 as Toronto and Peel moved into the next stage of the province’s COVID-19 recovery plan.
The two regions officially entered Stage 2 of the pandemic reopening framework, joining nearly all the rest of the province that began ramping up activities on June 19. All regions of the province except the southwestern communities of Leamington and Kingsville have officially entered Stage 2.
Businesses given the green light to resume operations in Toronto and Peel include hair stylists, pools and tour guide services.
Restaurants are also allowed to reopen their patios for dine-in service, though no one is yet allowed to be served indoors.
Meanwhile, the limit on social gatherings increased from five to 10 provincewide. Restrictions on wedding and funeral ceremonies were also eased. The number of people allowed to attend an indoor ceremony is restricted to 30 per cent capacity of the venue, while outdoor events are limited to 50 people. However, the number of people allowed to attend all wedding and funeral receptions remains at 10.
Ontarians can resume visiting loved ones in long-term care homes, as long as they test negative for COVID-19.
All construction has resumed, with limits also lifted on maintenance, repair and property management services, such as cleaning, painting and pool maintenance.
Golf courses can reopen though clubhouses can only open for washrooms and take-out food. Marinas, boat clubs and public boat launches can also open, as can private parks and campgrounds for trailers and RVs whose owners have a full season contract, and businesses that board animals.
Short-term rentals including lodges, cabins, cottages, homes and condominiums were allowed to resume operations on June 5.
The Ontario government says students will likely return to school in September with a mix of in-class and remote learning, though boards will develop various scenarios, depending on how COVID-19 is spreading at that point. Premier Doug Ford has said there won’t be a one-size-fits-all approach in schools, but parents provincewide will have the option of sending their children back to class or keeping them learning remotely.
Ontario schools are to remain closed for the rest of the current school year.
This summer’s Honda Indy Toronto has been cancelled.
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Manitoba
Several more restrictions were eased in Manitoba on June 21.
Restaurants and bars no longer have to operate at half capacity, however tables must be two metres apart or have a physical barrier in between them. Non-smoking bingo halls and video lottery terminal lounges can also reopen at 50 per cent capacity.
Child care centres and retail stores can return to normal capacity, and people arriving in Manitoba from the other western provinces, northern territories and northwestern Ontario no longer have to self-isolate for 14 days.
Larger public gatherings are also allowed.
Instead of a cap of 25 people indoors and 50 outdoors, people can fill up to 30 per cent of the capacity of any venue as long as they can be split into groups of 50 indoors or 100 outdoors. Each group must be able to enter and exit separately.
On June 1, the province eased a ban on people visiting loved ones in personal care homes. Homes can now offer outdoor visits with a maximum of two guests per resident. Visitors will be screened upon arrival and must practice physical distancing.
Amateur sports and recreation programs, as well as bowling alleys, have been allowed to resume operations.
Elementary and high schools will not reopen this school year.
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Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan moved into the next phase of its reopening strategy on June 22.
Under Phase 4.1 camping in national parks can resume, but by reservation only.
Youth camps can reopen, but for day use only, and with guidelines for preventing the spread of COVID-19, including the constant disinfection of play structures and monitoring of children for coronavirus symptoms.
Outdoor sports like soccer, softball and flag football can resume, though full-contact sports remain prohibited, as does competitive play, tournaments and inter-provincial travel for games.
Shared equipment must be disinfected frequently, while congratulatory gestures, such as high fives and handshakes, are not permitted.
Saskatchewan’s outdoor swimming pools and spray parks can reopen with physical distancing, maximum capacity, and stringent cleaning rules in effect.
Though they can now do so, some municipalities, including Regina and Saskatoon, have said they won’t be reopening their outdoor pools right away.
The province is also doubling the allowable size of indoor public and private gatherings to 30 people where space allows for two metres between participants
The third phase of Saskatchewan’s reopening plan started June 8 with the province lifting a ban on non-essential travel in the north.
More businesses were also allowed to reopen, including places of worship and personal care services such as nail salons, tattoo parlours and gyms.
Up to 150 people or one-third the capacity of a building, whichever is less, can attend church services, including weddings and funerals.
Outdoor graduations can be held with a maximum 30 graduates per class and an overall attendance of 150 people. The previous limit was 15 people indoors and 30 people outdoors.
Restaurants and bars can open at half capacity, with physical distancing between tables, and child-care centres can open their doors to a maximum of 15 kids.
The second part of Phase 4 is expected to include reopening guidelines for indoor pools, rinks, libraries, museums, galleries, movie theatres, casinos and bingo halls. A date for Phase 4.2 has yet to be announced.
In Phase 5, the province will consider lifting restrictions on the size of public gatherings.
The Saskatchewan government says students will return to regular classes in September.
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Alberta
In Alberta, everything from gyms and arenas to spas, movie theatres, libraries, pools and sports activities got the green light to reopen on June 12.
More people were also allowed to book campsites and sit in restaurants at the same time.
Fifty people can now gather indoors and up to 100 can congregate outside.
Among the other activities allowed to go ahead are casinos and bingo halls, community halls, instrumental concerts, massage, acupuncture and reflexology, artificial tanning and summer schools.
Major festivals and sporting events remain banned, as do nightclubs and amusement parks. Vocal concerts are not being allowed, given that singing carries a higher risk of COVID-19 transmission.
Alberta aims to have students back in classrooms this September though Education Minister Adriana LaGrange says a final decision will be made by Aug. 1.
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British Columbia
British Columbia allowed hotels, motels, spas, resorts, hostels and RV parks to resume operating on June 24.
Premier John Horgan said the province has been successful at flattening the curve on COVID-19, which means it can ease more health restrictions and gradually move into the third phase of its reopening plan.
He said the province is able to open more industries, institutions and recreation areas, but gatherings must remain at 50 people or less.
The government allowed a partial reopening of the B.C. economy starting May 19.
The reopenings are contingent on organizations and businesses having plans that follow provincial guidelines to control the spread of COVID-19.
Parents in B.C. were given the choice of allowing their children to return to class on a part-time basis starting June 1. The government said its goal is for the return of full-time classes in September, if it’s safe.
Under the part-time plan, for kindergarten to Grade 5, most students will go to school half time, while grades 6 to 12 will go about one day a week.
Conventions, large concerts, international tourism and professional sports with a live audience will not be allowed to resume until either a vaccine is widely available, community immunity has been reached, or effective treatment can be provided for the disease.
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Nunavut
Although Nunavut still has no confirmed cases of COVID-19, the territory did implement a wide range of public health measures to keep residents safe.
Some have since been relaxed.
Gyms and pools are available for solo workouts and lap swims.
Dental, physiotherapy, massage and chiropractic clinics, as well as offices and stores can open with appropriate safety measures.
Individuals may visit galleries, museums and libraries, and daycares are open.
Outdoor gatherings of up to 25 people are permitted. Territorial parks and municipal playgrounds may reopen.
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Northwest Territories
The Northwest Territories announced on May 12 a three-phase reopening plan.
The plan includes more gatherings and the possible reopening of some schools and businesses. However, the territory’s borders remain closed indefinitely to non-residents and non-essential workers.
There are several requirements that must be met before any measures are relaxed: there must be no evidence of community spread; travel entry points in the territory are strong and secure; risks are reduced from workers coming into the territory; and expanded community testing is available.
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Yukon
New guidelines have been released for long-term care facilities that will allow for visits with one designated person at a pre-set location outdoors.
The territory also said bars with an approved health and safety plan could reopen at half capacity under certain other restrictions starting June 19.
Travel restrictions will be lifted between Yukon and B.C. after July 1 under the second phase of the territory’s pandemic restart plan. After that date, travellers between the province and territory will no longer be required to self-isolate for 14 days.
Residents of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut will be also allowed to enter Yukon without quarantining, as long as they travel directly from one of the territories or through B.C.
Territorial parks and campgrounds have also reopened.
Two households of up to 10 people in total are currently able to interact with each other as part of a “household bubble.”
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 29, 2020
OTTAWA — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says Canadian companies are now producing so much personal protective equipment needed in the fight against COVID-19 that Canada is almost at the point of being self-sufficient.
He’ll underscore that contention today with a visit to a Kanata, Ont., brewery that has retooled to make hand sanitizer during the pandemic.
The visit to Big Rig Brewery, which has used the federal wage subsidy to rehire workers, is also intended to emphasize Trudeau’s repeated plea to businesses to take advantage of the program to get back on their feet. It’s his third visit in as many weeks to a company that’s used the subsidy to hire back laid off employees.
Today’s visit underlines comments Trudeau made during a pre-taped interview that aired Thursday evening at the online Collision tech conference.
He touted the various federal financial support programs aimed at helping businesses survive the pandemic-induced economic shutdown and to promote innovation to help fight the disease.
And he said many Canadian companies have taken advantage of those programs to retool and start producing masks, gowns, ventilators, sanitizer and other personal protective equipment.
Indeed, Trudeau said so many have stepped up that “even as, like every country, we’re having to import massive amounts of PPE because we didn’t have enough from the beginning, we’re now getting to a place where we’re close to self-sufficient on that and able to turn around and share with the world, particularly the developing world.”
Having a secure domestic supply will be particularly important if there is a second wave of the deadly virus that causes COVID-19 in the fall, triggering another wild, global scramble for PPE.
China is the dominant supplier of PPE. With the outbreak starting in that country, there was a severe shortage of equipment as the disease first started spreading around the world in March. Countries were out-bidding one another for supplies that were often never delivered.
But the Public Services and Procurement Canada website says Canada has still not received anywhere near the quantities of PPE that have been ordered.
As of June 16, 55.7 million face shields had been ordered but only 17.6 million received; more than one billion pairs of gloves ordered but only 42.3 million received; 126.6 million gowns ordered but only 4.6 million received; 20.4 million litres of hand sanitizer ordered but just 7.1 million litres received.
As well, Canada had ordered 121.9 million of the coveted N95 respirators and 340.8 million surgical masks, just 12.9 million and 110.9 million of which respectively had been received. Of the 40,328 ventilators ordered, just 367 had been received.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 26, 2020.
Provinces and territories have been releasing plans for easing restrictions that were put in place to limit the spread of COVID-19.
Here is what some of the provinces have announced so far:
Newfoundland and Labrador
The province entered “Alert Level 3” on June 8 in its five stage reopening plan. It means groups of up to 20 people are now permitted, as long as they observe physical distancing. Up to 19 people are allowed on public transit.
Private health clinics, such as optometrists and dentists, can open, as well as medium-risk businesses such as clothing stores and hair salons.
Eleven government service centres reopened to offer in-person services that can be booked by appointment, including written tests, driver exams and identification photos.
During Level 4, some businesses such as law firms and other professional services were allowed to reopen along with regulated child-care centres, with some restrictions.
Outdoor games of tennis were allowed to resume, though players must bring their own equipment and not share it.
At Level 2, businesses with performance spaces and gyms are to reopen, while Level 1 would represent “the new normal.”
The four Atlantic provinces also announced plans Thursday to ease interprovincial travel restrictions, creating a so-called “bubble” as the region has reported relatively few new COVID-19 infections in recent weeks.
As of July 3, residents of Atlantic Canada will be allowed to travel within the region without having to self-isolate for two weeks when arriving in another province.
Visitors from provinces and territories outside the region will still be required to self-isolate for 14 days and adhere to local entry requirements. However, once the self-isolation period has passed, those visitors will also be allowed to travel within the Atlantic region.
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Nova Scotia
Provincial campgrounds reopened June 15 at reduced capacity to ensure a minimum of six metres between individual sites. Private campgrounds had already been given the green light to reopen, but only at 50 per cent capacity. They must also ensure public health protocols are followed, including adequate distancing between campsites.
Licensed child-care centres and family daycare homes also reopened across Nova Scotia on June 15.
On May 29, Premier Stephen McNeil announced a new gathering limit of 10 people, doubling the limit of five that was imposed in late March. The limit is the same indoors and outdoors, with exceptions for outdoor weddings and funeral services which can have 15 people.
Nova Scotia has allowed summer day camps for children to open as long as they have a plan to follow public health measures.
Most businesses ordered shut in late March were allowed to reopen on June 5. The list of businesses includes bars and restaurant dining rooms, hair salons, barber shops, gyms and yoga studios, among others.
Some health providers were also able to reopen, including dentistry, optometry, chiropractic and physiotherapy offices.
McNeil earlier said there would be no return to school this year.
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Prince Edward Island
The province moved into the third phase of its reopening plan June 1, which allows such things as in-house dining at restaurants, small groups to participate in recreational and some sporting activities and libraries to reopen. Phase three also allows gatherings of up to 15 people indoors and 20 people outdoors and the reopening of child-care centres.
As well, family and friends can visit residents at long-term care homes. The visits require an appointment and must take place outdoors.
Prince Edward Island Premier Dennis King said people wanting to travel to seasonal residences could apply, and would be put through a risk assessment before approval. Seasonal residents were also to be tested for COVID-19 before completing two weeks in self-isolation after arriving in the province.
Under Phase 2, non-contact outdoor recreational activities were permitted, and retail businesses could reopen with physical distancing and select health-service providers.
Priority non-urgent surgeries resumed on May 1.
The P.E.I legislature resumed May 26.
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New Brunswick
New Brunswick moved to the yellow phase of its COVID-19 recovery plan on May 22, allowing barbers and hair stylists to reopen as well as churches and fitness facilities. Dental care, massage, chiropractors and other “close contact” businesses and services could also reopen.
But the Campbellton region, which extends from Whites Brook to the Belledune, had to take a step backwards to the “orange” level on May 27. Residents were told to once again avoid contacts outside their two-household bubble. Non-regulated health professionals and personal service businesses that opened May 22 also had to close again. And people should only be travelling in and out of Zone 5 for essential reasons.
Further restrictions were lifted on June 5. Outdoor gatherings of up to 50 people were allowed, as well as indoor religious services of up to 50 people, low-contact team sports and the opening of a long list of facilities including swimming pools, gyms, rinks, water parks, and yoga and dance studios.
Under New Brunswick’s latest recovery rules, Canadian residents can now visit family members or properties they own in the province, provided they self-isolate for 14 days — or the duration of their visit if it is less than two weeks.
As well, New Brunswick residents no longer need to self-isolate when returning from work in another Canadian province or territory.
All organized sports will resume with appropriate physical distancing and sanitizing. Overnight camps will reopen and indoor visits will resume at long-term care facilities for one visitor at a time, or two if one of the visitors needs help.
The cap on the number of people who can gather in controlled venues — including churches, swimming pools and rinks — has been lifted, but crowd numbers will be limited by the ability to maintain physical distancing.
Masks in any building open to the general public are required except for children under the age of two, children in daycare and people who cannot wear face coverings for medical reasons.
Retail businesses, offices, restaurants, libraries, museums and seasonal campgrounds were earlier allowed to reopen providing they had clear plans for meeting public health guidelines.
The final phase, which officials have said will probably come only after a vaccine is available, is to include large gatherings.
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Quebec
Quebec reopened several sectors and relaxed the rules for indoor gatherings Monday, particularly impacting the Montreal area.
Restaurants can reopen in the greater Montreal and Joliette areas while indoor gatherings of up to 10 people from three households are now permitted in these regions, like elsewhere in Quebec.
Gyms, arenas, cinemas, concert venues and places of worship may reopen across the province with a maximum capacity of 50 people for indoor gatherings.
Day camps across the province reopened Monday, with physical distancing. Sleep-away summer camps won’t be allowed to reopen until next year.
Residents of long term care homes that don’t have active COVID-19 cases were earlier allowed to receive visitors inside, meet people outdoors and participate in group activities.
They were also allowed to leave the facilities unaccompanied and remain out for more than 24 hours. Beginning Friday, volunteers and hairdressers will also be allowed inside the facilities.
On May 25, some retail businesses reopened in the greater Montreal area, while retail stores outside Montreal reopened on May 11.
Parks and pools have also been allowed to reopen across the province with certain restrictions.
Sports teams resumed outdoor practices on June 8, and matches can resume at the end of the month. That includes baseball, soccer and any other sports that can be played outdoors.
Quebec’s construction and manufacturing industries have resumed operations with limits on the number of employees who can work per shift. Elementary schools and daycares outside Montreal reopened on May 11, but high schools, junior colleges and universities will stay closed until September.
Elementary schools in the greater Montreal area are to remain closed until late August.
Courthouses across the province were permitted to reopen on June 1, with limited seating capacity and Plexiglas barriers protecting clerks and judges.
Camping is now allowed outside the Montreal and Joliette regions, as are cottage rentals.
Checkpoints set up to slow the spread of COVID-19 came down on May 18 in various parts of Quebec, including between Gatineau and Ottawa.
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Ontario
Ontario’s two most heavily populated regions saw more businesses open their doors Wednesday as Toronto and Peel moved into the next stage of the province’s COVID-19 recovery plan.
The two regions officially entered Stage 2 of the pandemic reopening framework, joining nearly all the rest of the province that began ramping up activities on June 19.
Windsor-Essex remains the only region not cleared to move to the next phase, due to stubbornly high COVID-19 case numbers on farms in the region.
Businesses given the green light to resume operations in Toronto and Peel include hair stylists, pools and tour guide services.
Restaurants are also allowed to reopen their patios for dine-in service, though no one is yet allowed to be served indoors.
Meanwhile, the limit on social gatherings increased from five to 10 provincewide. Restrictions on wedding and funeral ceremonies across the province were also eased. The number of people allowed to attend an indoor ceremony is restricted to 30 per cent capacity of the venue, while outdoor events are limited to 50 people. However, the number of people allowed to attend all wedding and funeral receptions remains at 10.
Ontarians can resume visiting loved ones in long-term care homes, as long as they test negative for COVID-19.
All construction has resumed, with limits also lifted on maintenance, repair and property management services, such as cleaning, painting and pool maintenance.
Golf courses can reopen though clubhouses can only open for washrooms and take-out food. Marinas, boat clubs and public boat launches can also open, as can private parks and campgrounds for trailers and RVs whose owners have a full season contract, and businesses that board animals.
Short-term rentals including lodges, cabins, cottages, homes and condominiums were allowed to resume operations on June 5.
The Ontario government says students will likely return to school in September with a mix of in-class and remote learning, though boards will develop various scenarios, depending on how COVID-19 is spreading at that point. Premier Doug Ford said there won’t be a one-size-fits-all approach in schools, but parents provincewide will have the option of sending their children back to class or keeping them learning remotely.
Ontario schools are to remain closed for the rest of the current school year.
This summer’s Honda Indy Toronto has been cancelled.
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Manitoba
Several more restrictions were eased in Manitoba on Sunday.
Restaurants and bars no longer have to operate at half capacity, however tables will have to be two metres apart or have a physical barrier in between them. Non-smoking bingo halls and video lottery terminal lounges can also reopen at 50 per cent capacity.
Child care centres and retail stores can return to normal capacity, and people arriving in Manitoba from the other western provinces, northern territories and northwestern Ontario no longer have to self-isolate for 14 days.
Larger public gatherings are also allowed.
Instead of a cap of 25 people indoors and 50 outdoors, people can fill up to 30 per cent of the capacity of any venue as long as they can be split into groups of 50 indoors or 100 outdoors. Each group must be able to enter and exit separately.
On June 1, the province eased a ban on people visiting loved ones in personal care homes. Homes can now offer outdoor visits with a maximum of two guests per resident. Visitors will be screened upon arrival and must practice physical distancing.
Amateur sports and recreation programs, as well as bowling alleys, have been allowed to resume operations.
Elementary and high schools will not reopen this school year.
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Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan moved into the next phase of its reopening strategy Monday.
Under Phase 4.1 camping in national parks can resume, but by reservation only.
Youth camps can reopen, but for day use only, and with guidelines for preventing the spread of COVID-19, including the constant disinfection of play structures and monitoring of children for coronavirus symptoms.
Outdoor sports like soccer, softball and flag football can resume, though full-contact sports remain prohibited, as does competitive play, tournaments and inter-provincial travel for games.
Shared equipment must be disinfected frequently, while congratulatory gestures, such as high fives and handshakes, are not permitted.
Saskatchewan’s outdoor swimming pools and spray parks can reopen with physical distancing, maximum capacity, and stringent cleaning rules in effect.
Though they can now do so, some municipalities, including Regina and Saskatoon, have said they won’t be reopening their outdoor pools right away.
The province is also doubling the allowable size of indoor public and private gatherings to 30 people where space allows for two metres between participants
The third phase of Saskatchewan’s reopening plan started June 8 with the province lifting a ban on non-essential travel in the north.
More businesses were also allowed to reopen, including places of worship and personal care services such as nail salons, tattoo parlours and gyms.
Up to 150 people or one-third the capacity of a building, whichever is less, can attend church services, including weddings and funerals.
Outdoor graduations can be held with a maximum 30 graduates per class and an overall attendance of 150 people. The previous limit was 15 people indoors and 30 people outdoors.
Restaurants and bars can open at half capacity, with physical distancing between tables, and child-care centres can open their doors to a maximum of 15 kids.
The second part of Phase 4 is expected to include reopening guidelines for indoor pools, rinks, libraries, museums, galleries, movie theatres, casinos and bingo halls. A date for Phase 4.2 has yet to be announced.
In Phase 5, the province will consider lifting restrictions on the size of public gatherings.
The Saskatchewan government says students will return to regular classes in September.
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Alberta
In Alberta, everything from gyms and arenas to spas, movie theatres, libraries, pools and sports activities got the green light to reopen on June 12.
More people were also allowed to book campsites and sit in restaurants at the same time.
Fifty people can now gather indoors and up to 100 can congregate outside.
Among the other activities allowed to go ahead are casinos and bingo halls, community halls, instrumental concerts, massage, acupuncture and reflexology, artificial tanning and summer schools.
Major festivals and sporting events remain banned, as do nightclubs and amusement parks. Vocal concerts are not being allowed, given that singing carries a higher risk of COVID-19 transmission.
Alberta aims to have students back in classrooms this September though Education Minister Adriana LaGrange says a final decision will be made by Aug. 1.
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British Columbia
British Columbia allowed hotels, motels, spas, resorts, hostels and RV parks to resume operating on Wednesday.
Premier John Horgan said the province has been successful at flattening the curve on COVID-19, which means it can ease more health restrictions and gradually move into the third phase of its reopening plan.
He said the province is able to open more industries, institutions and recreation areas, but gatherings of people must remain at 50 people or less.
The provincial government allowed a partial reopening of the B.C. economy starting May 19.
The reopenings are contingent on organizations and businesses having plans that follow provincial guidelines to control the spread of COVID-19.
Parents in B.C. were given the choice of allowing their children to return to class on a part-time basis starting June 1. The government said its goal is for the return of full-time classes in September, if it’s safe.
Under the part-time plan, for kindergarten to Grade 5, most students will go to school half time, while grades 6 to 12 will go about one day a week.
Conventions, large concerts, international tourism and professional sports with a live audience will not be allowed to resume until either a vaccine is widely available, community immunity has been reached, or effective treatment can be provided for the disease.
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Nunavut
Although Nunavut still has no confirmed cases of COVID-19, the territory did implement a wide range of public health measures to keep residents safe.
Some have since been relaxed.
Gyms and pools are available for solo workouts and lap swims.
Dental, physiotherapy, massage and chiropractic clinics, as well as offices and stores can open with appropriate safety measures.
Individuals may visit galleries, museums and libraries, and daycares are open.
Outdoor gatherings of up to 25 people are permitted. Territorial parks and municipal playgrounds may reopen.
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Northwest Territories
The Northwest Territories announced on May 12 a three-phase reopening plan.
The plan includes more gatherings and the possible reopening of some schools and businesses. However, the territory’s borders remain closed indefinitely to non-residents and non-essential workers.
There are several requirements that must be met before any measures are relaxed: there must be no evidence of community spread; travel entry points in the territory are strong and secure; risks are reduced from workers coming into the territory; and expanded community testing is available.
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Yukon
New guidelines have been released for long-term care facilities that will allow for visits with one designated person at a pre-set location outdoors.
The territory also said bars with an approved health and safety plan could reopen at half capacity under certain other restrictions starting June 19.
Travel restrictions will be lifted between Yukon and B.C. after July 1 under the second phase of the territory’s pandemic restart plan. After that date, travellers between the province and territory will no longer be required to self-isolate for 14 days.
Residents of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut will be also allowed to enter Yukon without quarantining, as long as they travel directly from one of the territories or through B.C.
Territorial parks and campgrounds have also reopened.
Two households of up to 10 people in total are currently able to interact with each other as part of a “household bubble.”
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 24, 2020
Provinces and territories have been releasing plans for easing restrictions that were put in place to limit the spread of COVID-19.
Here is what some of the provinces have announced so far:
Newfoundland and Labrador
The province entered “Alert Level 3” on June 8 in its five stage reopening plan. It means groups of up to 20 people are now permitted, as long as they observe physical distancing. Up to 19 people are allowed on public transit.
Private health clinics, such as optometrists and dentists, can open, as well as medium-risk businesses such as clothing stores and hair salons.
Travel within the province is also permitted, including to second homes, parks and campgrounds. And 11 government service centres will reopen to offer in-person services that can be booked by appointment, including written tests, driver exams and identification photos.
During Level 4 some businesses such as law firms and other professional services were allowed to reopen along with regulated child-care centres, with some restrictions.
Outdoor games of tennis were allowed to resume, though players must bring their own equipment and not share it.
Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Janice Fitzgerald has said the province could move to the next alert level by as soon as today (June 22nd).
At Level 2, businesses with performance spaces and gyms are to reopen, while Level 1 would represent “the new normal.”
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Nova Scotia
Provincial campgrounds reopened June 15 at reduced capacity to ensure a minimum of six metres between individual sites. Private campgrounds had already been given the green light to reopen, but only at 50 per cent capacity. They must also ensure public health protocols are followed, including adequate distancing between campsites.
Licensed child-care centres and family daycare homes also reopened across Nova Scotia on June 15.
On May 29, Premier Stephen McNeil announced a new gathering limit of 10 people, doubling the limit of five that was imposed in late March. The limit is the same indoors and outdoors, with exceptions for outdoor weddings and funeral services which can have 15 people.
Nova Scotia has allowed summer day camps for children to open as long as they have a plan to follow public health measures.
Most businesses ordered shut in late March were allowed to reopen on June 5. The list of businesses includes bars and restaurant dining rooms, hair salons, barber shops, gyms and yoga studios, among others.
Some health providers were also able to reopen, including dentistry, optometry, chiropractic and physiotherapy offices.
McNeil earlier said there would be no return to school this year.
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Prince Edward Island
The province moved into the third phase of its reopening plan June 1, which allows such things as in-house dining at restaurants, small groups to participate in recreational and some sporting activities and libraries to reopen. Phase three also allows gatherings of up to 15 people indoors and 20 people outdoors and the reopening of child-care centres.
As well, family and friends can visit residents at long-term care homes. The visits require an appointment and must take place outdoors.
Prince Edward Island Premier Dennis King said people wanting to travel to seasonal residences could apply, and would be put through a risk assessment before approval. Seasonal residents were also to be tested for COVID-19 before completing two weeks in self-isolation after arriving in the province.
Under Phase 2, non-contact outdoor recreational activities were permitted, and retail businesses could reopen with physical distancing and select health-service providers.
Priority non-urgent surgeries resumed on May 1.
The P.E.I legislature resumed May 26.
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New Brunswick
New Brunswick moved to the yellow phase of its COVID-19 recovery plan on May 22, allowing barbers and hair stylists to reopen as well as churches and fitness facilities. Dental care, massage, chiropractors and other “close contact” businesses and services could also reopen.
But the Campbellton region, which extends from Whites Brook to the Belledune, had to take a step backwards to the “orange” level on May 27. Residents were told to once again avoid contacts outside their two-household bubble. Non-regulated health professionals and personal service businesses that opened May 22 also had to close again. And people should only be travelling in and out of Zone 5 for essential reasons.
Further restrictions were lifted on June 5. Outdoor gatherings of up to 50 people were allowed, as well as indoor religious services of up to 50 people, low-contact team sports and the opening of a long list of facilities including swimming pools, gyms, rinks, water parks, and yoga and dance studios.
Under New Brunswick’s latest recovery rules, Canadian residents can now visit family members or properties they own in the province, provided they self-isolate for 14 days — or the duration of their visit if it is less than two weeks.
As well, New Brunswick residents no longer need to self-isolate when returning from work in another Canadian province or territory.
All organized sports will resume with appropriate physical distancing and sanitizing. Overnight camps will reopen and indoor visits will resume at long-term care facilities for one visitor at a time, or two if one of the visitors needs help.
The cap on the number of people who can gather in controlled venues — including churches, swimming pools and rinks — has been lifted, but crowd numbers will be limited by the ability to maintain physical distancing.
Masks in any building open to the general public are required except for children under the age of two, children in daycare and people who cannot wear face coverings for medical reasons.
Retail businesses, offices, restaurants, libraries, museums and seasonal campgrounds were earlier allowed to reopen providing they had clear plans for meeting public health guidelines.
The final phase, which officials have said will probably come only after a vaccine is available, is to include large gatherings.
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Quebec
Quebec reopened several sectors and relaxed the rules for indoor gatherings Monday, particularly impacting the Montreal area.
Restaurants can reopen in the greater Montreal and Joliette areas while indoor gatherings of up to 10 people from three households are now permitted in these regions, like elsewhere in Quebec.
Gyms, arenas, cinemas, concert venues and places of worship may reopen across the province with a maximum capacity of 50 people for indoor gatherings.
Day camps across the province reopened Monday, with physical distancing. Sleep-away summer camps won’t be allowed to reopen until next year.
Residents of long term care homes that don’t have active COVID-19 cases were earlier allowed to receive visitors inside, meet people outdoors and participate in group activities.
They were also allowed to leave the facilities unaccompanied and remain out for more than 24 hours. Beginning Friday, volunteers and hairdressers will also be allowed inside the facilities.
On May 25, some retail businesses reopened in the greater Montreal area, while retail stores outside Montreal reopened on May 11.
Parks and pools have also been allowed to reopen across the province with certain restrictions.
Sports teams resumed outdoor practices on June 8, and matches can resume at the end of the month. That includes baseball, soccer and any other sports that can be played outdoors.
Quebec’s construction and manufacturing industries have resumed operations with limits on the number of employees who can work per shift. Elementary schools and daycares outside Montreal reopened on May 11, but high schools, junior colleges and universities will stay closed until September.
Elementary schools in the greater Montreal area are to remain closed until late August.
Courthouses across the province were permitted to reopen on June 1, with limited seating capacity and Plexiglas barriers protecting clerks and judges.
Camping is now allowed outside the Montreal and Joliette regions, as are cottage rentals.
Checkpoints set up to slow the spread of COVID-19 came down on May 18 in various parts of Quebec, including between Gatineau and Ottawa.
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Ontario
Ontario’s two most heavily populated regions will see more businesses open their doors today as Toronto and Peel move into the next stage of the province’s COVID-19 recovery plan.
The two regions officially enter Stage 2 of the pandemic reopening framework, joining nearly all the rest of the province that began ramping up activities on June 19.
Windsor-Essex remains the only region not cleared to move to the next phase, due to stubbornly high COVID-19 case numbers on farms in the region.
Businesses given the green light to resume operations in Toronto and Peel today include hair stylists, pools and tour guide services.
Restaurants are also allowed to reopen their patios for dine-in service, though no one is yet allowed to be served indoors.
Meanwhile, the limit on social gatherings increased from five to 10 provincewide. Restrictions on wedding and funeral ceremonies across the province were also eased. The number of people allowed to attend an indoor ceremony is restricted to 30 per cent capacity of the venue, while outdoor events are limited to 50 people. However, the number of people allowed to attend all wedding and funeral receptions remains at 10.
Ontarians can resume visiting loved ones in long-term care homes, as long as they test negative for COVID-19.
All construction has resumed, with limits also lifted on maintenance, repair and property management services, such as cleaning, painting and pool maintenance.
Golf courses can reopen though clubhouses can only open for washrooms and take-out food. Marinas, boat clubs and public boat launches can also open, as can private parks and campgrounds for trailers and RVs whose owners have a full season contract, and businesses that board animals.
Short-term rentals including lodges, cabins, cottages, homes and condominiums were allowed to resume operations on June 5.
The Ontario government says students will likely return to school in September with a mix of in-class and remote learning, though boards will develop various scenarios, depending on how COVID-19 is spreading at that point. Premier Doug Ford said there won’t be a one-size-fits-all approach in schools, but parents provincewide will have the option of sending their children back to class or keeping them learning remotely.
Ontario schools are to remain closed for the rest of the current school year.
This summer’s Honda Indy Toronto has been cancelled.
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Manitoba
Several more restrictions were eased in Manitoba on Sunday.
Restaurants and bars no longer have to operate at half capacity, however tables will have to be two metres apart or have a physical barrier in between them. Non-smoking bingo halls and video lottery terminal lounges can also reopen at 50 per cent capacity.
Child care centres and retail stores can return to normal capacity, and people arriving in Manitoba from the other western provinces, northern territories and northwestern Ontario no longer have to self-isolate for 14 days.
Larger public gatherings are also allowed.
Instead of a cap of 25 people indoors and 50 outdoors, people can fill up to 30 per cent of the capacity of any venue as long as they can be split into groups of 50 indoors or 100 outdoors. Each group must be able to enter and exit separately.
On June 1, the province eased a ban on people visiting loved ones in personal care homes. Homes can now offer outdoor visits with a maximum of two guests per resident. Visitors will be screened upon arrival and must practice physical distancing.
Amateur sports and recreation programs, as well as bowling alleys, have been allowed to resume operations.
Elementary and high schools will not reopen this school year.
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Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan moved into the next phase of its reopening strategy Monday.
Under Phase 4.1 camping in national parks can resume, but by reservation only.
Youth camps can reopen, but for day use only, and with guidelines for preventing the spread of COVID-19, including the constant disinfection of play structures and monitoring of children for coronavirus symptoms.
Outdoor sports like soccer, softball and flag football can resume, though full-contact sports remain prohibited, as does competitive play, tournaments and inter-provincial travel for games.
Shared equipment must be disinfected frequently, while congratulatory gestures, such as high fives and handshakes, are not permitted.
Saskatchewan’s outdoor swimming pools and spray parks can reopen with physical distancing, maximum capacity, and stringent cleaning rules in effect.
Though they can now do so, some municipalities, including Regina and Saskatoon, have said they won’t be reopening their outdoor pools right away.
The province is also doubling the allowable size of indoor public and private gatherings to 30 people where space allows for two metres between participants
The third phase of Saskatchewan’s reopening plan started June 8 with the province lifting a ban on non-essential travel in the north.
More businesses were also allowed to reopen, including places of worship and personal care services such as nail salons, tattoo parlours and gyms.
Up to 150 people or one-third the capacity of a building, whichever is less, can attend church services, including weddings and funerals.
Outdoor graduations can be held with a maximum 30 graduates per class and an overall attendance of 150 people. The previous limit was 15 people indoors and 30 people outdoors.
Restaurants and bars can open at half capacity, with physical distancing between tables, and child-care centres can open their doors to a maximum of 15 kids.
The second part of Phase 4 is expected to include reopening guidelines for indoor pools, rinks, libraries, museums, galleries, movie theatres, casinos and bingo halls. A date for Phase 4.2 has yet to be announced.
In Phase 5, the province will consider lifting restrictions on the size of public gatherings.
The Saskatchewan government says students will return to regular classes in September.
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Alberta
In Alberta, everything from gyms and arenas to spas, movie theatres, libraries, pools and sports activities got the green light to reopen on June 12.
More people were also allowed to book campsites and sit in restaurants at the same time.
Fifty people can now gather indoors and up to 100 can congregate outside.
Among the other activities allowed to go ahead are casinos and bingo halls, community halls, instrumental concerts, massage, acupuncture and reflexology, artificial tanning and summer schools.
Major festivals and sporting events remain banned, as do nightclubs and amusement parks. Vocal concerts are not being allowed, given that singing carries a higher risk of COVID-19 transmission.
Alberta aims to have students back in classrooms this September though Education Minister Adriana LaGrange says a final decision will be made by Aug. 1.
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British Columbia
British Columbia allowed hotels, motels, spas, resorts, hostels and RV parks to resume operating on Wednesday.
Premier John Horgan said the province has been successful at flattening the curve on COVID-19, which means it can ease more health restrictions and gradually move into the third phase of its reopening plan.
He said the province is able to open more industries, institutions and recreation areas, but gatherings of people must remain at 50 people or less.
The provincial government allowed a partial reopening of the B.C. economy starting May 19.
The reopenings are contingent on organizations and businesses having plans that follow provincial guidelines to control the spread of COVID-19.
Parents in B.C. were given the choice of allowing their children to return to class on a part-time basis starting June 1. The government said its goal is for the return of full-time classes in September, if it’s safe.
Under the part-time plan, for kindergarten to Grade 5, most students will go to school half time, while grades 6 to 12 will go about one day a week.
Conventions, large concerts, international tourism and professional sports with a live audience will not be allowed to resume until either a vaccine is widely available, community immunity has been reached, or effective treatment can be provided for the disease.
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Nunavut
Although Nunavut still has no confirmed cases of COVID-19, the territory did implement a wide range of public health measures to keep residents safe.
Some have since been relaxed.
Gyms and pools are available for solo workouts and lap swims.
Dental, physiotherapy, massage and chiropractic clinics, as well as offices and stores can open with appropriate safety measures.
Individuals may visit galleries, museums and libraries, and daycares are open.
Outdoor gatherings of up to 25 people are permitted. Territorial parks and municipal playgrounds may reopen.
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Northwest Territories
The Northwest Territories announced on May 12 a three-phase reopening plan.
The plan includes more gatherings and the possible reopening of some schools and businesses. However, the territory’s borders remain closed indefinitely to non-residents and non-essential workers.
There are several requirements that must be met before any measures are relaxed: there must be no evidence of community spread; travel entry points in the territory are strong and secure; risks are reduced from workers coming into the territory; and expanded community testing is available.
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Yukon
New guidelines have been released for long-term care facilities that will allow for visits with one designated person at a pre-set location outdoors.
The territory also said bars with an approved health and safety plan could reopen at half capacity under certain other restrictions starting June 19.
Travel restrictions will be lifted between Yukon and B.C. after July 1 under the second phase of the territory’s pandemic restart plan. After that date, travellers between the province and territory will no longer be required to self-isolate for 14 days.
Residents of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut will be also allowed to enter Yukon without quarantining, as long as they travel directly from one of the territories or through B.C.
Territorial parks and campgrounds have also reopened.
Two households of up to 10 people in total are currently able to interact with each other as part of a “household bubble.”
—
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 24, 2020
TORONTO — A new study finds the proportion of Canadian COVID-19 deaths that have occurred in long-term care facilities is about twice the average of rates from other developed nations.
The analysis released today by the Canadian Institute for Health Information provides a damning snapshot of senior care as of May 25, when LTC residents made up 81 per cent of all reported COVID-19 deaths in the country compared to an average of 42 per cent among all countries studied.
The data compares Canada’s record to that of 16 other countries in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. The proportion of LTC deaths ranged from less than 10 per cent in Slovenia and Hungary to 31 per cent in the United States to 66 per cent in Spain.
At 5,324, the reported number of LTC deaths in Canada was near the average but data varied widely among countries: from 28 in Australia to 30,000 in the U.S., with more than 10,000 in France, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom.
Researchers point to limitations that prevent some comparisons — countries vary in COVID-19 testing and reporting practices, and in their definition of long-term care.
In addition, COVID-19 cases are often under-reported and in the case of Italy, data was available from only 52 per cent of the nursing homes operating in the country.
Nevertheless, Tracy Johnson, CIHI’s director of health systems analysis and emerging issues, says the data offers valuable insight into a tragedy many families, caregivers and residents have been trying to illustrate since the pandemic began.
Johnson notes countries that implemented additional LTC precautions at the same time as standard stay-at-home orders had fewer LTC infections and deaths.
That includes Australia, Austria and Slovenia, which ordered broad LTC testing and training, isolation wards to manage clusters, surge staffing, specialized teams and personal protective equipment.
Johnson says the findings suggest such measures could be key to mitigating the impact of a possible second wave.
But for now, she notes several of Canada’s hardest-hit facilities are still grappling with the devastating fallout of existing infections.
OTTAWA — The federal government is to launch a program today aimed at encouraging students to volunteer in the fight against COVID-19 — more than two months after first announcing it and just in time for those who haven’t been able to find a summer job.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is also expected to announce a substantial increase in funding for a host of other existing programs, like Canada Summer Jobs, aimed at creating thousands of new opportunities for youth.
Back in April, Trudeau announced creation of the Canada Student Service Grant, a way of giving students who can’t find a summer job a chance to earn some money while volunteering in “national service” activities related to fighting the pandemic.
Eligible students are to receive grants of $1,000 to $5,000 to support the costs of post-secondary education in the fall.
The amount of each grant is dependent on the time devoted to volunteer work.
The grant program was part of a multi-pronged, $9-billion investment by the federal government to cushion the economic impact of the pandemic on young people.
“Volunteering can be a fantastic way to build skills, make contacts or just give back,” Trudeau said at the time. “If you’re volunteering instead of working, we’re going to make sure that you have support too.”
Ever since, students and organizations that rely on volunteers have been anxiously awaiting details, worried that the window for their summer activities was rapidly narrowing.
Today’s launch of the “I want to help” online platform will finally provide more information about who’s eligible for the grants, the number of hours needed to qualify for various levels of grant money, how to apply and how applications will be assessed.
It will also include a list of not-for-profit organizations for which volunteer work will be compensated.
Sale of T-shirts on Walmart Canada’s website with the words “All Lives Matter” printed across the front has drawn furor from social media users.
The company is also selling T-shirts with “Blue Lives Matter” and “Irish Lives Matter” printed across them.
In a statement, Walmart Canada says it stands against any form of racism or discrimination and promotes listening, seeking to understand and embracing individual differences.
It says a third-party marketplace has a number of items with variations on the phrase “lives matter,” and it will review those items to ensure compliance with Walmart’s terms and conditions.
But several social media users called out the company, with one Twitter user identified as Farzana Khan asking Walmart to remove the T-shirts, calling them “disgusting.”
Another user, Beth MacDonnell, also called for their removal asking “who approved this?”
The report by The Canadian Press was first published on June 23, 2020.
In The News is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to kickstart your day. Here is what’s on the radar of our editors for the morning of June 24 …
What we are watching in Canada …
TORONTO — Ontario’s two most heavily populated regions will see more businesses open their doors today as Toronto and Peel move into the next stage of the province’s COVID-19 recovery plan.
The two regions officially enter Stage 2 of the pandemic reopening framework, joining nearly all the rest of the province that began ramping up activities over the past two weeks.
Windsor-Essex remains the only region not cleared to move to the next phase, due to stubbornly high COVID-19 case numbers on farms in the region.
Businesses given the green light to resume operations in Toronto and Peel today include hair stylists, pools and tour guide services.
Restaurants are also allowed to reopen their patios for dine-in service, though no one is yet allowed to be served indoors.
In all cases, the Ontario government says proper physical distancing measures must be maintained to prevent a spike in COVID-19 cases.
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Also this …
OTTAWA — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will be among some 600 prominent politicians, business leaders and journalists featured at one of the world’s largest tech conferences.
The two-day Collision conference begins today and Trudeau is to take part in a question and answer session with a Financial Times editor on Thursday.
The conference — billed as Collision from Home this year — is taking place virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to the Collision website, more than 32,000 people from 140 countries are expected to join the conference.
Trudeau’s session, which was recorded in advance, focuses on Canada’s response to the pandemic, with particular emphasis on the role of science and innovation in fighting the deadly novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19 and attempts to find treatments and an eventual vaccine.
Among the other featured speakers are Microsoft president Brad Smith, World Health Organization director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Netflix chief production officer Greg Peters and Canadian author Margaret Atwood.
Trudeau is taking a break today from his daily pandemic briefing outside Rideau Cottage to quietly celebrate St. Jean Baptiste Day, Quebec’s Fete nationale.
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ICYMI (In case you missed it) …
Sale of T-shirts on Walmart Canada’s website with the words “All Lives Matter” printed across the front has drawn furor from social media users.
The company is also selling T-shirts with “Blue Lives Matter” and “Irish Lives Matter” printed across them.
In a statement, Walmart Canada says it stands against any form of racism or discrimination and promotes listening, seeking to understand and embracing individual differences.
It says a third-party marketplace has a number of items with variations on the phrase “lives matter,” and it will review those items to ensure compliance with Walmart’s terms and conditions.
But several social media users called out the company, with one Twitter user identified as Farzana Khan asking Walmart to remove the T-shirts, calling them “disgusting.”
Another user, Beth MacDonnell, also called for their removal asking “who approved this?”
—
What we are watching in the U.S. …
CHARLESTON, S.C. — Several hundred people gathered in Marion Square, in the historic South Carolina city of Charleston, today to watch the removal of a statue of former vice-president and slavery advocate John C. Calhoun.
Just before 1 a.m. local time, workers using cranes began to bring the statue down from its 30-metre monument in downtown Marion Square.
In the wake of protests and unrest, city council members voted Tuesday to remove the statue and place it permanently at “an appropriate site where it will be protected and preserved.”
The city council voted 13-0 Tuesday evening on a resolution to remove the statue.
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What we are watching elsewhere in the world …
BEIJING — China appears to have tamed a new outbreak of the coronavirus in Beijing, once again demonstrating its ability to quickly mobilize vast resources by testing nearly 2.5 million people in 11 days.
But elsewhere in the world, cases were surging. India reported a record daily increase of nearly 16,000 new cases. Mexico also set a record with more than 6,200 new cases.
In the U.S., increases over the past few days have jumped to near the level of the outbreak’s previous peak in April. Several states set single-day records, including Arizona, California, Mississippi, Nevada and Texas.
Worldwide, more than 9.2 million people have contracted the virus, including more than 477,000 who have died.
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Today in 1880 …
“O Canada,” with music by Calixa Lavallee and French lyrics by Judge A.B. Routhier, was performed for the first time at the Skaters’ Pavilion in Quebec City.
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In sports …
TORONTO — Former Calgary Flames star Jarome Iginla headlines the list of first-time eligible players for selection to the Hockey Hall of Fame today.
The class of 2020 will be unveiled this afternoon after the selection committee meets.
Iginla had 1,300 points in 1,554 career NHL games and helped Canada win gold at the Olympics in 2002 in Salt Lake City and 2010 in Vancouver.
At the latter Winter Games, Iginla made the pass to Sidney Crosby for the golden goal in overtime against the United States.
Other players eligible for the first time include Marian Hossa and Shane Doan.
Fans of the Senators will be anxious to see if longtime Ottawa captain Daniel Alfredsson gets the nod in his fourth year on the ballot.
Former Canadian women’s team forward Jennifer Botterill and goalie Kim St-Pierre also are eligible this year.
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In entertainment …
New seasons of “Transplant” and “Jann” are among the shows bound for CTV as Bell Media navigates COVID-19 pandemic shutdowns and vows to increase representation and diversity in its content.
The company announced its upcoming lineup on Tuesday, including a second season of the hit homegrown medical drama “Transplant,” starring Hamza Haq as a Syrian doctor building a new life in Canada. An air date hasn’t been announced.
And the Canadian comedy “Jann,” from singer-songwriter-actress Jann Arden, will premiere a second season this fall and has been renewed for a third.
New shows on the CTV docket include “Filthy Rich,” starring Kim Cattrall as the wife of a wealthy patriarch, played by Gerald McRaney, whose sudden death reveals his secret life.
There’s also Chuck Lorre’s new comedy “B Positive,” starring Thomas Middleditch and Annaleigh Ashford as an unlikely duo who bond during his search for a kidney donor.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 24, 2020.
In today’s Big Story podcast, today is the 35th anniversary of the Air India bombing, which killed 329 people, 280 of them Canadian citizens. In the immediate tragedy, the terrorist attack was seen largely as a foreign incident. As recently as 2007, not even half of Canadians considered it a “Canadian” tragedy. Why did the largest mass murder of Canadians in the country’s history remain for so long a story about India and Ireland? And how have things changed in the past decade to reframe it?
GUEST: Chandrima Chakraborty, Professor, Department of English and Cultural Studies, McMaster University
Two-thirds of Canadians don’t want to relax physical distancing rules imposed to curb the spread of COVID-19, a new poll suggests.
And even if they were relaxed, a strong majority wouldn’t be comfortable taking part in activities that would bring them closer to other people, like going to a movie theatre.
Sixty-six per cent of respondents to the poll, conducted by Leger and the Association for Canadian Studies, said two metres should remain the safe distance kept between people, as recommended by Canada’s public health authorities.
Just 12 per cent favoured reducing the distance to 1.5 metres, as is required in many European countries, and only 10 per cent favoured a reduction to one metre, the minimum recommended by the World Health Organization.
If the physical distancing rule were reduced to one metre, just 40 per cent said they’d be comfortable dining in a restaurant, 28 per cent going to a movie theatre, 24 per cent to a gym and 21 per cent to a bar or night club.
“We’ve been schooled on two metres for over three months now,” said Leger executive vice-president Andrew Enns.
“It’s difficult for Canadians to now suddenly start to be convinced that it’s OK to make that a closer distance.”
The online poll of 1,521 adult Canadians was conducted June 19 to 21. It cannot be assigned a margin of error because internet-based polls are not considered random samples.
Enns said the reluctance to get closer with their fellow Canadians reflects a “very persistent level of anxiety” about the deadly new coronavirus that causes COVID-19, despite a steady decline in the number of new cases in Canada.
Just 43 per cent of respondents said they believe the first wave of the pandemic is over and 74 per cent think there’ll be a second wave, according to the poll. And 51 per cent said they are very or somewhat afraid of contracting COVID-19.
Forty-two per cent said they believe the worst of the crisis is over but an equal number said we’re in the worst of it now or the worst is yet to come (10 per cent and 32 per cent, respectively).
Almost half (46 per cent) said they find it very or somewhat stressful to leave the house and go out in public.
Sixty-two per cent said it will take time before life returns to normal, while 28 per cent said it will never return to normal.
All those measures of continued anxiety about COVID-19 are likely contributing to people saying “I’m not going closer than two metres because this thing’s not over,” Enns said.
Health Canada has recalled three more hand sanitizer brands because they say it contains industrial-grade ethanol that has not been authorized to use in hand sanitizers in Canada.
The original recall was issued earlier this month and was expanded on Monday to include Gel Antiseptique Pour Les Mains, Germzero, and Tekare Instant Hand Cleanser Gel. Click here for a full list of the recalled products.
“Industrial-grade ethanol contains impurities that are not found in the type of ethanol approved for use in manufacturing hand sanitizers, such as technical-grade, food-grade or pharmaceutical-grade ethanol. In addition, chemicals that may not be approved for use in hand sanitizers are added to industrial-grade ethanol,” Health Canada says in a release.
It warns that frequent use of these products can result in dry skin, causing irritation or cracking.
“Since industrial-grade ethanol has not been approved for use in hand sanitizers in Canada, the department has not reviewed it for safety or efficacy.”
Consumers are advised to stop using the products immediately and return them to their local pharmacy for proper disposal.
Quebec, Saskatchewan and Manitoba are all easing more of the restrictions they implemented to slow the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Quebec, which accounts for just over half of Canada’s COVID-19 cases, is reopening several sectors today, impacting the Montreal area in particular.
Restaurants can open again in the greater Montreal and Joliette areas while indoor gatherings of up to 10 people from three households are now permitted in these regions, as they have been elsewhere in Quebec since last week.
Day camps, along with gyms, arenas, cinemas, concert venues and places of worship can reopen across the province with a maximum capacity of 50 people for indoor gatherings.
Meanwhile, Saskatchewan moves to Phase 4.1 of its reopening strategy today, which allows camping in national parks to resume, but by reservation only.
Youth camps can reopen, but for day use only, and with guidelines for preventing the spread of COVID-19, including the constant disinfection of play structures and monitoring of children for coronavirus symptoms.
Outdoor sports like soccer, softball and flag football can resume, though full-contact sports remain prohibited, as does competitive play, tournaments and inter-provincial travel for games.
Shared equipment must be disinfected frequently, and no high-fiving or handshakes are allowed.
Saskatchewan’s outdoor swimming pools and spray parks can also reopen with physical distancing, maximum capacity, and stringent cleaning rules in effect.
However, some municipalities, including Regina and Saskatoon, have said they won’t be reopening their outdoor pools right away.
The province is also doubling the allowable size of indoor public and private gatherings to 30 people where space allows for two metres between participants.
Manitoba moved to relax more of its restrictions yesterday.
Restaurants and bars no longer have to operate at half capacity, however, tables must be two metres apart or have a physical barrier between them.
Non-smoking bingo halls and video lottery terminal lounges can also reopen at half capacity.
Child care centres and retail stores can return to normal capacity, and people arriving in Manitoba from other western provinces, northern territories and northwestern Ontario no longer have to self-isolate for 14 days.
Larger public gatherings are also permitted. People can now fill up to 30 per cent of the capacity of any venue as long as they can be split into groups of 50 indoors or 100 outdoors.
By the end of Sunday Canada’s COVID-19 case total stood at 101,337, including 8,430 deaths and 63,886 cases resolved.
In The News is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to kickstart your day. Here is what’s on the radar of our editors for the morning of June 22 …
What we are watching in Canada …
OTTAWA — Canada’s top military and civilian defence officials have apologized for not responding sooner to questions about systemic racism in the Department of National Defence and Canadian Armed Forces.
The apology is in a letter written by Defence Department deputy minister Jody Thomas and chief of defence staff Gen. Jonathan Vance and distributed to troops and Defence Department employees on Friday.
The letter coincides with a wave of anti-racism demonstrations and sentiment in the U.S. and Canada following the killing of an unarmed Black man, George Floyd, in the U.S. by white police officers last month.
Thomas and Vance go on to reveal that military police are investigating reports of a service member spreading anti-Black pictures in Quebec.
They also acknowledge that racism is a real problem many Defence Department and military members experience on a daily basis — and that past efforts to curb it have been unsuccessful.
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Also this …
OTTAWA — The Mexican government says it will resume sending farm workers to Canada after securing promises for more inspections and oversight to curb outbreaks of COVID-19.
At least two Mexican men have died and hundreds more have fallen ill with COVID-19 in recent weeks on farms across the country.
The situation led Mexico to temporarily stop allowing workers to leave for Canada, sending shock waves through the agricultural sector, which is highly dependent on foreign labour.
But the Mexican government says it has now struck a deal with the federal Liberal government that will lead to improvements in the temporary foreign worker program.
In a press release late Sunday, Mexico says Canada has committed to increased inspections, as well as more support for Mexican officials and workers to identify and report unsafe working conditions.
A working group will also be set up with Mexican and Canadian government officials to deal with the issue.
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And this …
Quebec, Saskatchewan and Manitoba are all easing more of the restrictions they implemented to slow the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Restaurants can open again in the greater Montreal and Joliette areas while indoor gatherings of up to 10 people from three households are now permitted in these regions, as they have been elsewhere in Quebec since last week.
Day camps, along with gyms, arenas, cinemas, concert venues and places of worship can reopen across the province with a maximum capacity of 50 people for indoor gatherings.
Meanwhile, Saskatchewan moves to Phase 4.1 of its reopening strategy today, which allows camping in national parks to resume, but by reservation only.
Youth camps can reopen, but for day use only, while outdoor sports like soccer, softball and flag football can resume, though full-contact sports remain prohibited.
Saskatchewan’s outdoor swimming pools and spray parks can also reopen and the province is doubling the allowable size of indoor public and private gatherings to 30 people.
Manitoba moved to relax more of its restrictions yesterday, allowing restaurants, bars, child care centres and retail stores to operate at full capacity.
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What we are watching in the U.S. …
SEATTLE — Police in Seattle say one person has been wounded in the second shooting in Seattle’s protest zone in less than 48 hours.
The shooting happened late Sunday night in the area near Seattle’s downtown known as CHOP, for “Capitol Hill Occupied Protest.”
A pre-dawn shooting Saturday had left a 19-year-old man dead and another person critically injured.
Meanwhile, two people have been killed and seven others wounded in a shooting in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Charlotte police initially tweeted early today that one person had died at the scene and several others had gunshot wounds, but they later said that two people were confirmed dead.
They also said that five other people were hit by vehicles after the shooting.
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What we are watching in elsewhere in the world …
NEW DELHI — The world is recording the largest daily increases yet in coronavirus cases, with infections soaring in India’s rural villages after migrant workers fled major cities.
Infections slowed in China and South Korea, suggesting progress in stemming their newest outbreaks.
South Korea reported 17 new cases of COVID-19 today, the first time its daily jump came down to the teens in nearly a month, but the mayor of Seoul, the capital, warned new restrictions might be imposed.
The nine new cases in Beijing was the least recorded in over a week.
Tallies by the World Health Organization and Johns Hopkins University show the number of coronavirus infections worldwide approaching 9 million, with more than 468,000 deaths.
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And in sports …
TALLADEGA, Ala. — NASCAR is investigating after a noose was found in the garage stall of Bubba Wallace at the race in Talladega, Alabama.
Wallace is the only full-time Black driver in NASCAR’s top Cup Series.
Two weeks ago, he successfully pushed for NASCAR to ban the Confederate flag at its tracks and properties.
NASCAR says it is “outraged” and said there is no place for racism in NASCAR.
Wallace says he was saddened but undeterred.
The series races at Talladega on today after a one-day rain delay.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 22, 2020.
China has charged two detained Canadians with spying, escalating tensions between the two countries following the arrest in Vancouver 18 months ago of a senior Huawei executive wanted on U.S. charges.
Chinese prosecutors said Friday that Michael Kovrig was charged in Beijing on suspicion of spying for state secrets and intelligence.
Michael Spavor was charged in Dandong city near the North Korean border on suspicion of spying for a foreign entity and illegally providing state secrets.
The charges were announced by China’s highest prosecutor’s office in brief social media posts.
Asked what evidence China had against the two, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said only that each is charged with “secretly gathering state secrets for overseas forces with particularly serious consequences.”
“The facts are clear and the evidence solid and sufficient,” Zhao told reporters at a daily briefing. Zhao gave no details.
Both men have been held since December 2018 in a move seen as an apparent attempt to pressure Canada to release Meng Wanzhou, a top executive at Chinese tech giant Huawei.
China has denied any explicit link between her case and the lengthy detention of the two Canadian men, but outside experts see them as tied and Chinese diplomats have strongly implied a connection.
The daughter of Huawei’s founder was arrested at Vancouver’s airport on Dec. 1, 2018, at the request of U.S. authorities who want her on fraud charges, which she and the company have denied.
Meng is out on bail as hearings are ongoing in B.C. Supreme Court after a judge rejected the first set of arguments from her lawyers late last month in a bid to set her free.
Associate Chief Justice Heather Holmes ruled Meng’s alleged offences would constitute a crime in Canada and the case should proceed.
The next round of legal arguments is set to focus on whether Meng’s arrest was unlawful and whether the U.S. records of the case contain misstatements or omissions.
The Chinese embassy in Ottawa denounced Holmes’s decision and called once more for Meng’s immediate release.
Foreign Affairs Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne responded in turn by calling for the release of the two “arbitrarily detained” Canadian men.
Kovrig is an ex-diplomat who was working for the International Crisis Group and Spavor is an entrepreneur who did business in North Korea.
They have been in Chinese prisons since they were arrested nine days after Meng’s arrest.
The conditions under which the two Canadians are being held has been the subject of scrutiny.
Kovrig and Spavor had no access to lawyers or their families as of May, with the exception of a phone call the Chinese embassy said Kovrig was allowed to make to his sick father in mid-March.
At the same time, the embassy said Kovrig and Spavor were being provided with better food to strengthen their immunity against the novel coronavirus.
It said detention centres were closed due to the epidemic, so Kovrig and Spavor were receiving more frequent letters and parcels to ensure their contact with Canadian diplomats in China.
The allegations against Meng, who is Huawei’s chief financial officer, date back to 2013.
The U.S. is seeking to extradite Meng on fraud charges based on allegations she lied to HSBC about Huawei’s relationship with Skycom, a telecommunications company in Iran, putting the bank at risk of violating American sanctions against that country.
But in a case management memo dated June 12, Meng’s lawyers assert their client delivered a presentation to an HSBC banker in Hong Kong that included statements about Huawei’s business activities in Iran, and the statements were omitted from U.S. records of the case.
They argue Meng’s statements provided the bank with “the material facts it needed to know in order to assess whether there was any risk to HSBC in continuing to provide banking services to Huawei, including processing U.S. dollar transactions related to Huawei’s commerce in Iran.”
The tensions between Canada and China have spilled over into trade between the two countries as China suspended imports of Canadian canola.
Earlier this month, Huawei’s ambitions to be a player in Canada’s 5G network were very much cast in doubt after two of the country’s three largest telecom companies announced partnerships with the Chinese company’s European rivals.
Bell Canada announced on June 2 that Sweden-based Ericsson will be its second supplier of the radio access network equipment — a major component in fifth-generation wireless networks — following its choice of Finland’s Nokia in February.
Later in the day, Telus Corp., which uses Huawei equipment extensively in its current network, announced that it too had selected Ericsson and Nokia for its 5G network needs.
Huawei is the world’s biggest supplier of network gear used by phone and internet companies.
The announcements come as Ottawa continues its review of Huawei’s role in Canada’s 5G networks over security concerns due to suspicions about the company’s relationship with China’s government.
The United States has warned Canada, the United Kingdom and other allies that it will limit intelligence sharing with countries that have Huawei equipment in their 5G networks — citing its potential use for spying by China, an allegation Huawei denies.
OTTAWA — Statistics Canada says retail sales fell by more than a quarter in April as motor vehicle and parts dealers took the largest hit due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The agency says retail sales fell 26.4 per cent to $34.7 billion in April leaving them down 33.6 per cent since physical distancing measures were implemented in mid-March.
Economists on average had expected a drop in April of 15.1 per cent, according to financial markets data firm Refinitiv.
While essential services like grocery stores remained open, most retailers did not offer in-store shopping in April due to public health restrictions meant to slow the spread of the pandemic.
However, many retailers started or expanded their online presence and curbside pick-up services in response to the closures.
Statistics Canada says online sales surged to a record high, representing 9.5 per cent of the total retail market.
TULSA, Okla. — Black Americans are gathering today to mark the anniversary of an emancipation that came two and a half years late — liberty that many say feels like it never came at all.
It’s been 155 years since slaves in Texas learned of their freedom on June 19, 1865, nearly 30 months after Abraham Lincoln issued his famous Emancipation Proclamation on Jan. 1, 1863.
In 2020, as protests against racially motivated police brutality continue in cities and towns across the U.S., Black activists say Juneteenth will be even more bittersweet.
That’s especially true in Tulsa, the scene of a race riot in 1921 that many historians consider the single worst eruption of racial violence in American history.
It’s also where President Donald Trump has chosen to relaunch his presidential re-election campaign.
Trump’s “Keep America Great” rally was originally scheduled to take place today, but it was later rescheduled for Saturday —a controversy the president credits for making what he calls an otherwise unknown holiday “very famous.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 19, 2020.
The federal Liberal government avoided defeat with help from the NDP on Wednesday as the two joined forces to pass a multibillion-dollar spending bill in the House of Commons and avert a summer election.
The result had been considered a foregone conclusion after the Liberals assured the New Democrats’ support – and their own survival – by extending Tuesday the $2,000-a-month Canada Emergency Response Benefit another eight weeks.
In return, the NDP supported the government in passing the supplementary spending estimates – some $87 billion in planned government spending, most of which is aimed at pandemic-related support for Canadians and businesses.
Only about $6 billion actually involves new spending; the other $81 billion had already been approved by Parliament.
Because the Liberals hold only a minority of seats in the House of Commons, they needed the support of at least one party to pass the spending bill or risk plunging the country into an election.
Any bill involving government spending is typically considered a confidence matter. A government that fails to win a vote of confidence in the Commons is deemed defeated.
“The prime minister says he has heard us and is extending support through CERB through the summer,” NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said in a statement prior to the estimates being approved.
“This is what we were calling for in the short term. We’ll keep working to make sure help is there for Canadians who need it in the long term.”
Trudeau announced Tuesday that the CERB would be extended to a maximum of 24 weeks instead of 16 weeks for people who lost their jobs or saw their hours slashed due to the pandemic.
The extension means the first cohort of applicants who signed up in April and were set to max out their payment periods in early July won’t have to worry if they have no jobs to go back to over the summer or are unable to work because of health reasons.
Yet while the supplementary estimates were approved – on division, which means with some opposition but no recorded vote – there was still no resolution to an emergency aid bill that stalled last week as the government butted heads with opposition parties.
That bill included measures to deliver a one-time, tax-free benefit of up to $600 to Canadians with disabilities, an expansion to the wage subsidy program and fines or jail time for Canadians who deliberately defraud the CERB program.
The government needed unanimous consent to quickly pass the bill in a matter of hours last week but none of the opposition parties would support it.
It then offered to deal with the disability benefit separately, which was supported by the NDP and the Bloc but the Conservatives blocked that idea.
The bill remained on the order paper Wednesday, meaning the government could have theoretically tried again, but that wasn’t in the cards.
The government will instead try to work out other ways to deliver the disability benefit and other measures without needing legislation.
The approval of the supplementary estimates followed almost five hours of parliamentary debate that was preceded by Singh being kicked out of the House of Commons for calling a Bloc Quebecois MP racist over an NDP motion on systemic racism in the RCMP.
The debate coincided with news that Canada had lost its bid to win a temporary seat at the United Nations’ Security Council, which prompted several sharp exchanges between the Conservatives and Liberals over the cost of the campaign.
The prime minister was not present for the proceedings, which mark the end of an unprecedented parliamentary sitting that saw the House of Commons – like much of the rest of the country – all but shut down because of COVID-19.
Trudeau instead left it to his ministers to respond to opposition questions and concerns, including Conservative complaints about a lack of transparency and accountability over the government’s response to the pandemic.
The Conservatives and Bloc had been calling for the resumption of Parliament rather than the special COVID-19 committee that has been holding hybrid hearings for the past few weeks with some MPs attending in person and others virtually.
The Liberals announced Wednesday that they will provide a “snapshot” of the country’s economy on July 8.
HALIFAX — Several advocacy groups in Nova Scotia say 20 provincial inmates who shifted to community housing during the COVID-19 crisis could lose their residences by the end of the month unless a fresh source of funding can be found.
A release from the John Howard Society of Nova Scotia, the Elizabeth Fry Society of Mainland Nova Scotia, and Coverdale Courtwork Society says the groups have been providing emergency housing in two hotels for the inmates, and helping them gradually find other accommodations.
The inmates have also been receiving support and services from on-site staff during the pandemic thanks to the Affordable Housing Association of Nova Scotia, which was receiving money from the federal Reaching Home program.
However, the agencies say the program — supported by Employment and Social Development — is wrapping up its support, and without some other source of about $60,000 per month, the assistance to the inmates would end this month.THE CANADIAN PRESS
Emma Halpern, the regional advocate of the Elizabeth Fry Society of Mainland Nova Scotia, says the groups are looking for help from the provincial Justice Department to help keep the inmates from a return to jail or life on the street.
She says a request has been sent asking for at least three months of support to give the societies more time to find housing for the former inmates.
Halpern says to date there has been no recidivism among the 33 people who have used the program.
To date, 13 have found supported housing where they could continue to meet the conditions of their release. However, Halpern says the agencies haven’t been able to find housing for the remaining clients yet.
“As of June 30, we could have people going back to jail because they have nowhere to live, and their conditions require them to have somewhere to live,” she said.
“Could we just keep some funds so we could find a way to resettle those people?”
She said most of those released from provincial facilities were “released either because of compromised immune systems or … they were there because they didn’t have an address and we sometimes use jail as a homeless shelter.”
Mary Doucette, a 64-year-old woman who used the program and now has her own apartment, said she thanks God it was there for her.
“There was no place for me and (police) called the Elizabeth Fry Society and they put me in a hotel and kept me there until they found me an apartment,” Doucette said in an interview.
“The support was there. Everything you needed was there. You weren’t left on your own.”
Ashley Avery, executive director of the Coverdale Courtwork Society, said it would save the province money to help continue the program.
She said the average daily cost per adult in custody is $271 per day, while the program has been operating at about $125 per day.
“Not only is this model incredibly successful, it is cost-effective,” Avery wrote in a news release.
A spokeswoman for the Nova Scotia Department of Justice referred all questions to the federal government, which did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 18, 2020.
The stakes are high tonight for the four contenders for leadership of the Conservative party as they face off in what’s likely the final debate of the race.
All four will be fresh off last night’s French-language debate, a nearly two hour event that largely saw Erin O’Toole and Peter MacKay dominate in heated exchanges on everything from carbon taxes to abortion.
But tonight, the other two candidates are aiming to score some points of their own.
Both Leslyn Lewis and Derek Sloan acknowledged that with only basic French skills they could only go so far in the first event.
But Lewis says the English language debate will put the four on more equal footing and potentially help her continue building the momentum she’s had behind her campaign in recent days.
Sloan says his goal is to show he is “ready to rumble” and suggested he will aim to bolster his support in the West.
Conservative party members will elect a new leader at some point after Aug. 21, the deadline to return their ballots by mail.
During the French debate, MacKay repeatedly went after O’Toole, calling him an “angry man,” accusing him of flip-flopping on his platform and pushed him on the fact he wouldn’t say whether he was in favour or against abortion.
O’Toole grew increasingly angry, accusing MacKay of being a liar, and said afterwards he was frustrated by MacKay’s attacks, calling them divisive and disappointing.
MacKay suggested they’d presented a fair exchange of ideas to Francophone voters.
In The News is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to kickstart your day. Here is what’s on the radar of our editors for the morning of June 17 …
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N.B. Premier meets with First Nations leaders …
FREDERICTON — New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs will likely face some tough questions today when he meets with First Nations leaders.
The meeting follows the deaths of two Indigenous people were shot by police.
First Nations leaders have come forward to say there should be some kind of Indigenous-led investigation into the deaths.
Imelda Perley, a well-known elder, says some kind of Indigenous presence would ensure cultural sensitivity.
Earlier this week, the national chief of the Assembly of First Nations, Perry Bellegarde, said Indigenous people in New Brunswick are feeling mistrust about the existing investigation.
The ongoing probe is being led by Quebec’s independent police watchdog agency, known as the BEI, because New Brunswick has no oversight body of its own.
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Inflation figures on tap …
OTTAWA — Statistics Canada is set to release its latest inflation reading today.
The consumer price index for May reflects a month that saw the gradual reopening of businesses that were shut due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Economists on average expect the consumer price index to remain unchanged compared with a year ago — meaning an inflation rate of zero.
That would compare with a year-over-year decline of 0.2 per cent in April, when energy prices plunged.
The consumer price index measures price changes for a fixed basket of goods and services.
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COVID-19 in Ontario …
TORONTO — Insurance companies have provided $685 million in relief to Ontario drivers using their cars less during the COVID-19 pandemic, but the province’s finance minister says more should be done.
The regulatory body says about 70 per cent of policy holders are receiving some form of relief, with an average savings of $150.
The Financial Services Regulatory Authority says the $685 million in relief amounts to about five per cent of the total annual premiums Ontario drivers pay.
Finance Minister Rod Phillips says 10 out of the 14 major insurance companies have provided rebates to customers.
Phillips announced a regulatory change in April to enable the companies to provide auto insurance premium rebates to consumers for up to 12 months after the emergency has ended.
Phillips says he will look at the companies not supporting their customers and will publicly name them if necessary.
“I believe there’s still more that can be done,” he said in an interview. “I don’t believe all of the companies are participating at the level that they should.”
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Cue the debate …
OTTAWA — Four federal Conservative party leadership candidates face off against each other for the first time tonight in a race that’s been repeatedly upended by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Tonight’s debate, being held in French, will be followed by another one tomorrow in English, both taking place in downtown Toronto and livestreamed online.
None of the four candidates — Leslyn Lewis, Peter MacKay, Erin O’Toole and Derek Sloan — are fluently bilingual.
So tonight’s debate will be a key indicator if any of them can adequately manage to debate the issues in one of the country’s official languages.
MacKay’s French is expected to be under the microscope, with his campaign having made several mistakes earlier on in the race that made him the subject of much mockery in Quebec.
But eyes are also on Lewis, the lone non-politician of the bunch who has been steadily gaining support in recent days, and the debate marks a debut of sorts for her in the broader public eye.
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India-China clash …
A clash high in the Himalayas between the world’s two most populated countries claimed the lives of 20 Indian soldiers in a border region that the two nuclear armed neighbours have disputed for decades, Indian officials said Tuesday.
The clash in the Ladakh region Monday — during which Indian officials said neither side fired any shots — was the first deadly confrontation between India and China since 1975. Experts said it would be difficult for the two nations to ease heightened tensions.
The Indian and Chinese troops fought each other with fists and rocks, Indian officials said on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to disclose the information.
The Indian Army initially said in a statement that three Indian soldiers had died, but later updated the number to 20 and said 17 “were critically injured in the line of duty at the standoff location and exposed to sub-zero temperatures in the high altitude terrain.” The statement did not disclose the nature of the soldiers’ injuries.
China accused Indian forces of carrying out “provocative attacks” on its troops without offering more details and did not disclose if any of its soldiers died.
After the clash, the two sides “disengaged” from the area where the fighting happened, the Indian Army statement said.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 17, 2020
Statistics Canada says inflation pulled back even further in May as businesses shut due to the COVID-19 pandemic began to reopen slowly.
The agency says the consumer price index fell 0.4 per cent compared with a year ago, making it the second month in a row for negative inflation after a 0.2 per cent drop for April.
Prices rose in four of the eight major components on a year-over-year basis.
Transportation prices contributed the most to the overall decline, mainly because of lower gas prices compared with May last year.
Statistics Canada says that excluding gasoline, the consumer price index rose 0.7 per cent, the smallest increase since January 2013.
Economists on average expected the consumer price index to remain unchanged compared with a year ago – meaning an annual inflation rate of zero.
Provinces have been releasing plans for easing restrictions that were put in place to limit the spread of COVID-19.
Here is what some of the provinces have announced so far:
Newfoundland and Labrador
The province entered “Alert Level 3” on June 8 in its five stage reopening plan. It means groups of up to 20 people are now permitted, as long as they observe physical distancing. Up to 19 people are allowed on public transit.
Private health clinics, such as optometrists and dentists, can open, as well as medium-risk businesses such as clothing stores and hair salons.
Travel within the province is also permitted, including to second homes, parks and campgrounds. And 11 government service centres will reopen to offer in-person services that can be booked by appointment, including written tests, driver exams and identification photos.
During Level 4 some businesses such as law firms and other professional services were allowed to reopen along with regulated child-care centres, with some restrictions.
Outdoor games of tennis were allowed to resume, though players must bring their own equipment and not share it.
Pet grooming services began operating May 25, with companies ordered to ensure their employees have personal protective equipment.
Municipal parks, golf courses and driving ranges as well as recreational hunting and fishing were also allowed to reopen in previous weeks.
Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Janice Fitzgerald says the province could move to the next alert level by June 22nd.
At Level 2, businesses with performance spaces and gyms are to reopen, while Level 1 would represent “the new normal.”
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Nova Scotia
Provincial campgrounds reopened June 15 at reduced capacity to ensure a minimum of six metres between individual sites. Private campgrounds had already been given the green light to reopen, but only at 50 per cent capacity. They must also ensure public health protocols are followed, including adequate distancing between campsites.
Licensed child-care centres and family daycare homes also reopened across Nova Scotia June 15.
On May 29 Premier Stephen McNeil announced a new gathering limit of 10 people, doubling the limit of five that was imposed in late March.
Physical distancing of two metres is still required, except among members of the same household or family “bubble.” The limit is the same indoors and outdoors, with exceptions for outdoor weddings and funeral services which can have 15 people.
The gathering limit also applies to arts and culture activities such as theatre performances and dance recitals, faith gatherings, and sports and physical activity. Businesses such as theatres, concerts, festivals and sporting activities also must adhere to the 10-person limit.
Nova Scotia has allowed summer day camps for children to open as long as they have a plan to follow public health measures to guard against COVID-19. The plans must cover areas such as increased cleaning, staggered pick up and drop off times and the screening of staff and campers.
Most businesses ordered shut in late March were allowed to reopen on June 5, if they have a plan that follows physical distancing protocols. The list of businesses includes bars and restaurant dining rooms, hair salons, barber shops, gyms and yoga studios, among others.
Some health providers were also able to reopen, including dentistry, optometry, chiropractic and physiotherapy offices. Veterinary services can resume business along with some unregulated professions, such as massage therapy, podiatry and naturopathy.
McNeil earlier said there would be no return to school this year. However, the province has announced an exemption to allow some public celebrations for high school graduations. Strict physical distancing rules will apply, and the exemption will last until June 30.
Trails and provincial and municipal parks can reopen along with garden centres, nurseries and similar businesses, but playground equipment is still off limits.
Public beaches have reopened along with outdoor activities like archery, horseback riding, golf, paddling, boating and tennis, with the proviso that social distancing and hygiene be maintained. Sportfishing is permitted and people can attend boating, yacht or sailing clubs for the purpose of preparing boats for use.
Drive-in religious services are now allowed, if people stay in their cars, park two metres apart and there are no interactions between people.
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Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island Premier Dennis King says people wanting to travel to seasonal residences must apply, and those will be put through a risk assessment before approval. Seasonal residents will also be tested for COVID-19 before completing the two weeks they must spend in self-isolation after arriving in the province.
The province moved into the third phase of its reopening plan June 1, which allows such things as in-house dining at restaurants, small groups to participate in recreational and some sporting activities and libraries to reopen. Phase three also allows gatherings of up to 15 people indoors and 20 people outdoors and the reopening of child-care centres.
As well, family and friends can visit residents at long-term care homes. The visits require an appointment and must take place outdoors.
Under phase 2, non-contact outdoor recreational activities were permitted, and retail businesses could reopen with physical distancing measures in place.
Priority non-urgent surgeries and select health-service providers, including physiotherapists, optometrists and chiropractors, resumed on May 1.
The P.E.I legislature resumed May 26.
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New Brunswick
New Brunswick moved to the “yellow phase” of its COVID-19 recovery plan on May 22, allowing barbers and hair stylists to reopen as well as churches and fitness facilities. Dental care, massage, chiropractors and other “close contact” businesses and services could also reopen.
But the Campbellton region, which extends from Whites Brook to the Belledune, had to take a step backwards to the “orange” level on May 27. Residents were told to once again avoid contacts outside their two-household bubble. Non-regulated health professionals and personal service businesses that opened May 22 also had to close again. And people should only be travelling in and out of Zone 5 for essential reasons.
Restrictions in the yellow phase of the province’s recovery plan were lifted on June 5. The activities now allowed include outdoor gatherings of up to 50 people, indoor religious services of up to 50 people, low-contact team sports and the opening of a long list of facilities including swimming pools, gyms, rinks, water parks, and yoga and dance studios.
People must now wear face coverings in any building open to the general public. Children under the age of two, children in daycare and people who cannot wear face coverings for medical reasons are exempt from the requirement.
Licensed daycares started reopening May 19. Children don’t have to wear masks or maintain physical distancing but are being kept in small groups.
Anyone who has travelled outside of New Brunswick will not be allowed to visit early learning and child-care facilities for 14 days.
Retail businesses, offices, restaurants, libraries, museums and seasonal campgrounds were earlier allowed to reopen providing they have clear plans for meeting public health guidelines. The resumption of elective surgeries was also part phase two of the province’s reopening plan.
Phase one, which started on April 24, allowed limited play on golf courses as well as fishing and hunting. Post-secondary students could return if it was deemed safe by the school, and outdoor church services were again permitted, providing people remain in their vehicles and are two metres apart.
The final phase, which will probably come only after a vaccine is available, will include large gatherings.
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Quebec
Quebec began allowing outdoor gatherings with a maximum of 10 people from three families with social distancing in place on May 22.
On May 25 some retail businesses reopened in the greater Montreal area. Quebec reopened retail stores outside Montreal on May 11.
Parks and pools can reopen across the province but are still be subject to physical distancing and other health measures
Day camps across the province will be allowed to open as of June 22, with physical distancing and other COVID-19 health measures in effect. That means smaller groups of children and frequent handwashing. Sleep-away summer camps won’t be allowed to reopen until next year.
Sports teams resumed outdoor practices on June 8, and matches can resume at the end of the month. That includes baseball, soccer and any other sports that can be played outdoors. But players will have to keep a safe distance between them.
Lottery terminals have reopened after being shut down on March 20 with sales moving to online only.
Quebec’s construction and manufacturing industries have resumed operations with limits on the number of employees who can work per shift. Elementary schools and daycares outside Montreal reopened on May 11, but high schools, junior colleges and universities will stay closed until September.
Elementary schools in the greater Montreal area will remain closed until late August.
Courthouses across the province were permitted to reopen on June 1, with limited seating capacity and Plexiglas barriers protecting clerks and judges.
Camping is now allowed outside the Montreal and Joliette regions, as are cottage rentals.
Hairdressers, nail salons and other personal care businesses in the Montreal area reopened June 15. These types of businesses, along with shopping malls, located outside the Montreal area were allowed to reopen earlier this month.
Checkpoints set up to slow the spread of COVID-19 came down on May 18 in various parts of Quebec, including between Gatineau and Ottawa.
Meanwhile, Quebecers hoping to drive to Iles-de-la-Madeleine this summer will be permitted to travel through New Brunswick to Prince Edward Island to take the ferry as of June 26. Quebec travellers will need to get a document permitting the trip and they won’t be able to cross the provincial borders without it.
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Ontario
All regions of Ontario except for Toronto, Peel and Windsor-Essex will be in Stage 2 of the province’s phased reopening plan as of June 19.
The current pandemic restrictions will stay in place for the Greater Toronto and Hamilton areas, which have a high concentration of COVID-19 cases. Border regions such as Windsor-Essex, Lambton County and Niagara, as well as Haldimand-Norfolk, which has seen an outbreak among migrant workers, are also barred, for the time being, from moving to Stage 2.
The second stage includes restaurant patios, hair salons and swimming pools. Child-care centres across Ontario can also reopen.
Meanwhile, the limit on social gatherings increased from five to 10 provincewide, but people must still stay two metres away from anyone outside their own household. The new guidelines mean physical distancing does not need to be practised between members of the same circle.
Restrictions on wedding and funeral ceremonies across the province are also being eased as part of the phased reopening during the COVID-19 pandemic. The number of people allowed to attend an indoor ceremony is restricted to 30 per cent capacity of the venue, while outdoor events are limited to 50 people. However, the number of people allowed to attend all wedding and funeral receptions remains at 10. Participants must follow health and safety protocols, including physical distancing from people not from the same household or their established 10-person social circle
Ontario began its first stage of reopening May 19 by lifting restrictions on surgeries. Most retail stores with a street entrance were also allowed to reopen with physical distancing restrictions, and curbside pickup and delivery.
Ontarians can now resume visiting loved ones in long-term care homes, with restrictions in place, including that they test negative for COVID-19.
The Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario says the profession is in Stage 2 of its three-phase reopening plan. Dentists had previously only been allowed to practice emergency or urgent care on patients in-person but can now offer other essential services with enhanced precautions.
All construction has resumed, with limits also lifted on maintenance, repair and property management services, such as cleaning, painting and pool maintenance.
Golf courses can reopen though clubhouses can only open for washrooms and take-out food. Marinas, boat clubs and public boat launches can also open, as can private parks and campgrounds for trailers and RVs whose owners have a full season contract, and businesses that board animals.
Other businesses and services included in the stage one reopening included regular veterinary appointments, pet grooming, pet sitting and pet training; libraries for pickup or deliveries; and housekeepers and babysitters.
Drive-in movie theatres and batting cages reopened May 31 with physical distancing measures in effect.
Short-term rentals including lodges, cabins, cottages, homes and condominiums were allowed to resume operations on June 5.
Backcountry campers returned to provincial parks June 1 with certain stipulations. No more than five people can occupy a single campsite, unless they live in the same household. Provincial parks also expanded permission for picnics and off-leash pet areas.
Ontario schools will remain closed for the rest of the school year and this summer’s Honda Indy Toronto has been cancelled.
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Manitoba
The Manitoba government has lifted its one-month limit on people’s prescription drug supplies, allowing people to again get prescriptions filled or refilled for 90 days.
Its health offices, including dentists, chiropractors and physiotherapists can also reopen. Retail businesses can reopen at half occupancy providing they ensure physical spacing.
Museums and libraries can reopen, but with occupancy limited to 50 per cent.
Playgrounds, golf courses and tennis courts have reopened as well, along with parks and campgrounds.
On May 22 the province began allowing groups of up to 25 people indoors and 50 people outdoors.
On June 1, the province eased a ban on people visiting loved ones in personal care homes. Homes can now offer outdoor visits with a maximum of two guests per resident. Visitors will be screened upon arrival and must practice physical distancing.
Community centres and seniors’ clubs are also getting the go-ahead with limits on customer capacity and rules for physical distancing.
Bars, tattoo parlours, dine-in restaurants, fitness clubs and pools could reopen June 1 under limited capacity.
Elementary and high schools stopped in-class instruction in March and will not reopen this school year. But they were allowed, as of June 1, to offer tutoring or student assessments in small groups. Some extracurricular sports and other activities can restart.
At universities and colleges, some specific instruction such as labs and arts studios can resume for up to 25 students and staff at a time.
Amateur sports and recreation programs, as well as bowling alleys, can also resume operations.
A ban on non-essential travel to the province’s north was also eased starting June 1. Southern residents can now travel directly to cottages, campgrounds and parks, but are being told to avoid visiting northern communities.
Film productions can resume, as well as outdoor religious services with no crowd limits providing people stay in their vehicles.
Movie theatres and casinos must remain closed. Concerts, professional sporting events and other large public gatherings won’t be considered until at least September.
Manitoba extended its province-wide state of emergency until mid-June, to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.
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Saskatchewan
The third phase of Saskatchewan’s reopening plan started June 8 with the province lifting a ban on non-essential travel in the north.
More businesses can also reopen, including places of worship, personal care services such as nail salons, tattoo parlours and gyms.
Saskatchewan has increased the size of gatherings allowed for church services and graduation ceremonies.
The government says up to 150 people or one-third the capacity of a building, whichever is less, can attend church services, including weddings and funerals.
The province says outdoor graduations can be held with a maximum 30 graduates per class and an overall attendance of 150 people. The previous limit was 15 people indoors and 30 people outdoors.
Restaurants and bars can open at half capacity, with physical distancing between tables, and child-care centres can open their doors to a maximum of 15 kids.
The province’s five-phase plan started May 11 with dentists, optometrists and other health professionals allowed to resume services. Phase 1 also included reopened golf courses and campgrounds.
Phase 4 could see arenas, swimming pools and playgrounds opening, while in Phase 5, the province would consider lifting restrictions on the size of public gatherings.
The Saskatchewan government says students will return to regular classes in September.
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Alberta
In Alberta, everything from gyms and arenas to spas, movie theatres, libraries, pools and sports activities got the green light to reopen on June 12.
More people were also allowed to book campsites and sit in restaurants at the same time.
Fifty people can now gather indoors and up to 100 can congregate outside.
Among the other activities allowed to go ahead are casinos and bingo halls, community halls, instrumental concerts, massage, acupuncture and reflexology, artificial tanning and summer schools.
The 50 per cent capacity for campgrounds has been lifted, and all sites are to open for reservations by the end of the month.
There is no cap on people attending worship services as long as they physically distance and practise proper hand-washing and other hygiene protocols.
Restaurants can open at full capacity, but no more than six people are allowed per table.
Major festivals and sporting events remain banned, as do nightclubs and amusement parks. Vocal concerts are not being allowed, given that singing carries a higher risk of COVID-19 transmission.
Alberta aims to have students back in classrooms this September with some health measures in place to deal with COVID-19.
Education Minister Adriana LaGrange says a decision will be made by Aug. 1.
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British Columbia
The provincial government allowed a partial reopening of the B.C. economy starting May 19.
The reopening plans are contingent on organizations and businesses having plans that follow provincial guidelines to control the spread of COVID-19. Hotels, resorts and parks will follow in June.
Parents in B.C. were given the choice of allowing their children to return to class on a part-time basis starting June 1. The government said its goal is for the return of full-time classes in September, if it’s safe.
Under the part-time plan, for kindergarten to Grade 5, most students will go to school half time, while grades 6 to 12 will go about one day a week. A mix of online and classroom post-secondary education is planned for September.
Conventions, large concerts, international tourism and professional sports with a live audience will not be allowed to resume until either a vaccine is widely available, community immunity has been reached, or effective treatment can be provided for the disease.
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Northwest Territories
The Northwest Territories announced on May 12 a three-phase reopening plan, but the government didn’t say when it would be implemented.
The plan includes more gatherings and the possible reopening of some schools and businesses. However, the territory’s borders remain closed indefinitely to non-residents and non-essential workers.
There are several requirements that must be met before any measures are relaxed: there must be no evidence of community spread; travel entry points in the territory are strong and secure; risks are reduced from workers coming into the territory; and expanded community testing is available.
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Yukon
In the Yukon new guidelines have been released for long-term care facilities that will allow for visits with one designated person at a pre-set location outdoors.
The territory also says bars with an approved health and safety plan can reopen at half capacity under certain other restrictions starting June 19.
Travel restrictions will be lifted between Yukon and B.C. after July 1 under the second phase of the territory’s pandemic restart plan. After that date, travellers between the province and territory will no longer be required to self-isolate for 14 days.
The territory says monitoring the status of neighbouring jurisdictions will determine if it’s safe to further lift restrictions.
Yukon has been gradually easing pandemic restrictions since May 15 with dine-in restaurants, day cares and recreational centres reopening.
Territorial parks and campgrounds have also reopened.
Two households of up to 10 people in total are currently able to interact with each other as part of a “household bubble.”
The territory’s reopening plan outlines five phases including a period after a vaccine is available.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 16, 2020
In The News is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to kickstart your day. Here is what’s on the radar of our editors for the morning of June 16 …
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Police poll …
OTTAWA — More Canadians are questioning their trust in the police as protests against racism and police brutality sparked by the killing of George Floyd last month sweep across North America, a new poll suggests.
While the majority of Canadians remain largely trusting of their law-enforcement agencies, the Leger and Association for Canadian Studies survey shows a noticeable drop in the number who said they trusted the police somewhat or a lot in recent months.
Seventy per cent of survey respondents over the weekend indicated they trusted the police a lot or somewhat — a decline of nine percentage points from May and 11 points from April.
The decline coincides with the May 25 killing of Floyd, a Black man, by white police officers in Minneapolis, which was captured on video and has since sparked anti-racism protests in the U.S. and Canada as well as calls for changes to police conduct.
“It does signal that a percentage of Canadians are asking themselves questions about how police forces are doing their work,” Leger executive vice-president Christian Bourque said of the survey results.
On that score, the poll found that 90 per cent of respondents were in favour of police wearing body cameras while 87 per cent supported providing more hours of training for officers on relations with visible minorities.
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Helicopter plan …
OTTAWA — The Canadian military is promising today to share its plan for getting Cyclone helicopters back in the air after a deadly crash off the coast of Greece in April.
Officials have not revealed what caused the Cyclone known as Stalker 22 to crash, killing six service members.
A preliminary report released last week said only that the helicopter did not respond as the crew expected before it went down in the Ionian Sea while coming in for a landing on HMCS Fredericton.
The investigation is now focusing on what the military has described as “aircraft systems and human factors.”
The entire Cyclone fleet was put on what the military called an “operational pause” after the crash as a precaution.
At a briefing in Ottawa, military officials are to talk about how and when the pause ends.
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COVID-19 in Canada …
TORONTO — Whistle while you work to help Ontario bounce back from the COVID-19 pandemic — but please, don’t sing.
That’s the gist of the message coming from the provincial government, which has included explicit bans on singing — even dancing — in parts of its plan to reopen businesses temporarily shuttered by the deadly outbreak.
Stage 2 of Ontario’s economic recovery plan contains numerous guidance documents for sectors cleared to resume or expand their operations.
The guidance prepared for restaurants and bars states that both singing and dancing are banned in the outdoor seating areas where customers are currently allowed to gather in limited numbers.
Documents state singing is also banned in child-care settings and discouraged in places of worship that were given the green light to open their doors across Ontario last week.
The provincial ministry of health says the anti-crooning commandments are rooted in science, and doctors with expertise in the matter agree.
“It’s gross to think about, but every time we talk, we’re spitting into the world around us,” said Dr. Isaac Bogoch, an infectious disease physician and scientist with the Toronto General Hospital.
“And if we’re singing, shouting or breathing heavily, we’re likely expelling more saliva and nasal secretions … and if someone’s infected, then those secretions will shed more virus.”
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Baseball battle …
NEW YORK — Commissioner Rob Manfred says there might be no major league season after a breakdown in talks between teams and the union on how to split up money in a season delayed by the coronavirus pandemic. The league also said several players have tested positive for COVID-19.
Two days after union head Tony Clark declared additional negotiations futile, Deputy Commissioner Dan Halem sent a seven-page letter to players’ association chief negotiator Bruce Meyer asking the union whether it will waive the threat of legal action and tell MLB to announce a spring training report date and a regular season schedule.
These were just the latest escalating volleys in a sport viewing disagreements over starting the season as a preliminary battle ahead of bargaining to replace the labour contract that expires on Dec. 1, 2021.
“It’s just a disaster for our game, absolutely no question about it,” Manfred said during an appearance on ESPN that included the heads of the other major U.S. professional leagues. “It shouldn’t be happening, and it’s important that we find a way to get past it and get the game back on the field for the benefit of our fans.”
Spring training was stopped because of the pandemic on March 12, two weeks before opening day, and the sides reached an agreement on March 26 on how to revise their labour deal to account for the virus.
Since then, the hostility has escalated to 1990s levels as the sides exchanged offers. MLB claims teams can’t afford to play without fans and pay the prorated salaries called for in the March deal, which included a provision for “good-faith” negotiations over the possibility of games in empty ballparks or neutral sites.
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People queue outside shops in England…
Long lines stretched along streets across England as shops selling items considered as nonessential during the coronavirus pandemic, such as sneakers and toys, welcomed customers on Monday for the first time since the U.K. was put into lockdown in late March.
Starved of the retail experience for the best part of three months, shoppers generally appeared to abide by the social distancing requirement to stay two meters (6-1/2 feet) apart as they awaited their turn to enter the stores.
Not everywhere, though — pushing and shoving was evident at the NikeTown store on Oxford Street, London’s world-famous shopping mecca, at its reopening.
For friends Dionne Sumner and Olivia Copeland, both 25, it was a far more orderly experience when they waited to get into their local budget clothes retailer Primark in Liverpool. Arriving at the store at 8:30 a.m., they queued for about 15 minutes before getting in.
“This has been planned, we’ve been really missing it,” Copeland said after spending more than 200 pounds ($250). “It is nice to get back out, it’s better than being stuck in the house.”
Monday’s reopening of shops, from department stores to booksellers and electronic retailers, only applies to England. Scotland and Wales are taking a more tentative approach to the easing of the coronavirus restrictions. Northern Ireland’s stores reopened last week. England also saw zoos, safari parks and drive-in cinemas reopen on Monday.
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COVID-19 in entertainment…
For the fourth time in its history, the Oscars are being postponed. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and the ABC Television Network said Monday that the 93rd Academy Awards will now be held April 25, 2021, eight weeks later than originally planned because of the pandemic’s effects on the movie industry.
The Academy’s Board of Governors also decided to extend the eligibility window beyond the calendar year to Feb. 28, 2021, for feature films, and delay the opening of the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures from December until April 30, 2021.
“Our hope, in extending the eligibility period and our Awards date, is to provide the flexibility filmmakers need to finish and release their films without being penalized for something beyond anyone’s control,” said Academy President David Rubin and Academy CEO Dawn Hudson in a joint statement.
Karey Burke, the president of ABC Entertainment, added: “We find ourselves in uncharted territory this year and will continue to work with our partners at the Academy to ensure next year’s show is a safe and celebratory event.”
The 12th annual Governors Awards has also been cancelled. The event, in which honorary Oscars are bestowed to previously announced recipients, is generally held in Los Angeles during the second week of November. The untelevised event is a major gathering for many of the year’s awards hopefuls.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 16, 2020
Provinces have been releasing plans for easing restrictions that were put in place to limit the spread of COVID-19.
Here is what some of the provinces have announced so far:
Newfoundland and Labrador
The province entered “Alert Level 3” on June 8 in its five stage reopening plan. It means groups of up to 20 people are now permitted, as long as they observe physical distancing. Up to 19 people are allowed on public transit.
Private health clinics, such as optometrists and dentists, can open, as well as medium-risk businesses such as clothing stores and hair salons.
Travel within the province is also permitted, including to second homes, parks and campgrounds. And 11 government service centres will reopen to offer in-person services that can be booked by appointment, including written tests, driver exams and identification photos.
During Level 4 some businesses such as law firms and other professional services were allowed to reopen along with regulated child-care centres, with some restrictions.
Outdoor games of tennis were allowed to resume, though players must bring their own equipment and not share it.
Pet grooming services began operating May 25, with companies ordered to ensure their employees have personal protective equipment.
Municipal parks, golf courses and driving ranges as well as recreational hunting and fishing were also allowed to reopen in previous weeks.
Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Janice Fitzgerald says the province could move to the next alert level by June 22nd.
At Level 2, businesses with performance spaces and gyms are to reopen, while Level 1 would represent “the new normal.”
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Nova Scotia
Provincial campgrounds are to reopen today (June 15) at reduced capacity to ensure a minimum of six metres between individual sites. Private campgrounds had already been given the green light to reopen, but only at 50 per cent capacity. They must also ensure public health protocols are followed, including adequate distancing between campsites.
Licensed child-care centres and family daycare homes will also reopen across Nova Scotia today (June 15).
On May 29 Premier Stephen McNeil announced a new gathering limit of 10 people, doubling the limit of five that was imposed in late March.
Physical distancing of two metres is still required, except among members of the same household or family “bubble.” The limit is the same indoors and outdoors, with exceptions for outdoor weddings and funeral services which can have 15 people.
The gathering limit also applies to arts and culture activities such as theatre performances and dance recitals, faith gatherings, and sports and physical activity. Businesses such as theatres, concerts, festivals and sporting activities also must adhere to the 10-person limit.
Nova Scotia has allowed summer day camps for children to open as long as they have a plan to follow public health measures to guard against COVID-19. The plans must cover areas such as increased cleaning, staggered pick up and drop off times and the screening of staff and campers.
Most businesses ordered shut in late March were allowed to reopen on June 5, if they have a plan that follows physical distancing protocols. The list of businesses includes bars and restaurant dining rooms, hair salons, barber shops, gyms and yoga studios, among others.
Some health providers were also able to reopen, including dentistry, optometry, chiropractic and physiotherapy offices. Veterinary services can resume business along with some unregulated professions, such as massage therapy, podiatry and naturopathy.
McNeil earlier said there would be no return to school this year. However, the province has announced an exemption to allow some public celebrations for high school graduations. Strict physical distancing rules will apply, and the exemption will last until June 30.
Trails and provincial and municipal parks can reopen along with garden centres, nurseries and similar businesses, but playground equipment is still off limits.
Public beaches have reopened along with outdoor activities like archery, horseback riding, golf, paddling, boating and tennis, with the proviso that social distancing and hygiene be maintained. Sportfishing is permitted and people can attend boating, yacht or sailing clubs for the purpose of preparing boats for use.
Drive-in religious services are now allowed, if people stay in their cars, park two metres apart and there are no interactions between people.
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Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island Premier Dennis King says people wanting to travel to seasonal residences must apply, and those will be put through a risk assessment before approval. Seasonal residents will also be tested for COVID-19 before completing the two weeks they must spend in self-isolation after arriving in the province.
The province moved into the third phase of its reopening plan June 1, which allows such things as in-house dining at restaurants, small groups to participate in recreational and some sporting activities and libraries to reopen. Phase three also allows gatherings of up to 15 people indoors and 20 people outdoors and the reopening of child-care centres.
As well, family and friends can visit residents at long-term care homes. The visits require an appointment and must take place outdoors.
Under phase 2, non-contact outdoor recreational activities were permitted, and retail businesses could reopen with physical distancing measures in place.
Priority non-urgent surgeries and select health-service providers, including physiotherapists, optometrists and chiropractors, resumed on May 1.
The P.E.I legislature resumed May 26.
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New Brunswick
New Brunswick moved to the “yellow phase” of its COVID-19 recovery plan on May 22, allowing barbers and hair stylists to reopen as well as churches and fitness facilities. Dental care, massage, chiropractors and other “close contact” businesses and services could also reopen.
But the Campbellton region, which extends from Whites Brook to the Belledune, had to take a step backwards to the “orange” level on May 27. Residents were told to once again avoid contacts outside their two-household bubble. Non-regulated health professionals and personal service businesses that opened May 22 also had to close again. And people should only be travelling in and out of Zone 5 for essential reasons.
Restrictions in the yellow phase of the province’s recovery plan were lifted on June 5. The activities now allowed include outdoor gatherings of up to 50 people, indoor religious services of up to 50 people, low-contact team sports and the opening of a long list of facilities including swimming pools, gyms, rinks, water parks, and yoga and dance studios.
People must now wear face coverings in any building open to the general public. Children under the age of two, children in daycare and people who cannot wear face coverings for medical reasons are exempt from the requirement.
Licensed daycares started reopening May 19. Children don’t have to wear masks or maintain physical distancing but are being kept in small groups.
Anyone who has travelled outside of New Brunswick will not be allowed to visit early learning and child-care facilities for 14 days.
Retail businesses, offices, restaurants, libraries, museums and seasonal campgrounds were earlier allowed to reopen providing they have clear plans for meeting public health guidelines. The resumption of elective surgeries was also part phase two of the province’s reopening plan.
Phase one, which started on April 24, allowed limited play on golf courses as well as fishing and hunting. Post-secondary students could return if it was deemed safe by the school, and outdoor church services were again permitted, providing people remain in their vehicles and are two metres apart.
The final phase, which will probably come only after a vaccine is available, will include large gatherings.
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Quebec
Quebec began allowing outdoor gatherings with a maximum of 10 people from three families with social distancing in place on May 22.
On May 25 some retail businesses reopened in the greater Montreal area. Quebec reopened retail stores outside Montreal on May 11.
Parks and pools can reopen across the province but are still be subject to physical distancing and other health measures
Day camps across the province will be allowed to open as of June 22, with physical distancing and other COVID-19 health measures in effect. That means smaller groups of children and frequent handwashing. Sleep-away summer camps won’t be allowed to reopen until next year.
Sports teams resumed outdoor practices on June 8, and matches can resume at the end of the month. That includes baseball, soccer and any other sports that can be played outdoors. But players will have to keep a safe distance between them.
Lottery terminals have reopened after being shut down on March 20 with sales moving to online only.
Quebec’s construction and manufacturing industries have resumed operations with limits on the number of employees who can work per shift. Elementary schools and daycares outside Montreal reopened on May 11, but high schools, junior colleges and universities will stay closed until September.
Elementary schools in the greater Montreal area will remain closed until late August.
Courthouses across the province were permitted to reopen on June 1, with limited seating capacity and Plexiglas barriers protecting clerks and judges.
Camping is now allowed outside the Montreal and Joliette regions, as are cottage rentals.
Hairdressers, nail salons and other personal care businesses in the Montreal area can reopen today (June 15). These types of businesses, along with shopping malls, located outside the Montreal area were allowed to reopen earlier this month.
Checkpoints set up to slow the spread of COVID-19 came down on May 18 in various parts of Quebec, including between Gatineau and Ottawa.
Meanwhile, Quebecers hoping to drive to Iles-de-la-Madeleine this summer will be permitted to travel through New Brunswick to Prince Edward Island to take the ferry as of June 26. Quebec travellers will need to get a document permitting the trip and they won’t be able to cross the provincial borders without it.
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Ontario
Most Ontario regions outside the Toronto and Hamilton area were allowed to reopen more businesses on June 12 as the province moved to Stage 2 of its reopening strategy. The second stage includes restaurant patios, hair salons and swimming pools. Child-care centres across Ontario can also reopen.
Meanwhile, the limit on social gatherings increased from five to 10 provincewide, but people must still stay two metres away from anyone outside their own household. The new guidelines mean physical distancing does not need to be practised between members of the same circle.
Restrictions on wedding and funeral ceremonies across the province are also being eased as part of the phased reopening during the COVID-19 pandemic. The number of people allowed to attend an indoor ceremony is restricted to 30 per cent capacity of the venue, while outdoor events are limited to 50 people. However, the number of people allowed to attend all wedding and funeral receptions remains at 10. Participants must follow health and safety protocols, including physical distancing from people not from the same household or their established 10-person social circle
The current pandemic restrictions will stay in place for the Greater Toronto and Hamilton areas, which have a high concentration of COVID-19 cases. Border regions such as Windsor-Essex, Lambton County and Niagara, as well as Haldimand-Norfolk, which has seen an outbreak among migrant workers, are also barred, for the time being, from moving to Stage 2.
Ontario began its first stage of reopening May 19 by lifting restrictions on surgeries. Most retail stores with a street entrance were also allowed to reopen with physical distancing restrictions, and curbside pickup and delivery.
Ontarians can now resume visiting loved ones in long-term care homes, with restrictions in place, including that they test negative for COVID-19.
The Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario says the profession is in Stage 2 of its three-phase reopening plan. Dentists had previously only been allowed to practice emergency or urgent care on patients in-person but can now offer other essential services with enhanced precautions.
All construction has resumed, with limits also lifted on maintenance, repair and property management services, such as cleaning, painting and pool maintenance.
Golf courses can reopen though clubhouses can only open for washrooms and take-out food. Marinas, boat clubs and public boat launches can also open, as can private parks and campgrounds for trailers and RVs whose owners have a full season contract, and businesses that board animals.
Other businesses and services included in the stage one reopening included regular veterinary appointments, pet grooming, pet sitting and pet training; libraries for pickup or deliveries; and housekeepers and babysitters.
Drive-in movie theatres and batting cages reopened May 31 with physical distancing measures in effect.
Short-term rentals including lodges, cabins, cottages, homes and condominiums were allowed to resume operations on June 5.
Backcountry campers returned to provincial parks June 1 with certain stipulations. No more than five people can occupy a single campsite, unless they live in the same household. Provincial parks also expanded permission for picnics and off-leash pet areas.
Ontario schools will remain closed for the rest of the school year and this summer’s Honda Indy Toronto has been cancelled.
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Manitoba
The Manitoba government has lifted its one-month limit on people’s prescription drug supplies, allowing people to again get prescriptions filled or refilled for 90 days.
Its health offices, including dentists, chiropractors and physiotherapists can also reopen. Retail businesses can reopen at half occupancy providing they ensure physical spacing.
Museums and libraries can reopen, but with occupancy limited to 50 per cent.
Playgrounds, golf courses and tennis courts have reopened as well, along with parks and campgrounds.
On May 22 the province began allowing groups of up to 25 people indoors and 50 people outdoors.
On June 1, the province eased a ban on people visiting loved ones in personal care homes. Homes can now offer outdoor visits with a maximum of two guests per resident. Visitors will be screened upon arrival and must practice physical distancing.
Community centres and seniors’ clubs are also getting the go-ahead with limits on customer capacity and rules for physical distancing.
Bars, tattoo parlours, dine-in restaurants, fitness clubs and pools could reopen June 1 under limited capacity.
Elementary and high schools stopped in-class instruction in March and will not reopen this school year. But they were allowed, as of June 1, to offer tutoring or student assessments in small groups. Some extracurricular sports and other activities can restart.
At universities and colleges, some specific instruction such as labs and arts studios can resume for up to 25 students and staff at a time.
Amateur sports and recreation programs, as well as bowling alleys, can also resume operations.
A ban on non-essential travel to the province’s north was also eased starting June 1. Southern residents can now travel directly to cottages, campgrounds and parks, but are being told to avoid visiting northern communities.
Film productions can resume, as well as outdoor religious services with no crowd limits providing people stay in their vehicles.
Movie theatres and casinos must remain closed. Concerts, professional sporting events and other large public gatherings won’t be considered until at least September.
Manitoba extended its province-wide state of emergency until mid-June, to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.
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Saskatchewan
The third phase of Saskatchewan’s reopening plan started June 8 with the province lifting a ban on non-essential travel in the north.
More businesses can also reopen, including places of worship, personal care services such as nail salons, tattoo parlours and gyms.
Saskatchewan has increased the size of gatherings allowed for church services and graduation ceremonies.
The government says up to 150 people or one-third the capacity of a building, whichever is less, can attend church services, including weddings and funerals.
The province says outdoor graduations can be held with a maximum 30 graduates per class and an overall attendance of 150 people. The previous limit was 15 people indoors and 30 people outdoors.
Restaurants and bars can open at half capacity, with physical distancing between tables, and child-care centres can open their doors to a maximum of 15 kids.
The province’s five-phase plan started May 11 with dentists, optometrists and other health professionals allowed to resume services. Phase 1 also included reopened golf courses and campgrounds.
Phase 4 could see arenas, swimming pools and playgrounds opening, while in Phase 5, the province would consider lifting restrictions on the size of public gatherings.
The Saskatchewan government says students will return to regular classes in September.
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Alberta
In Alberta, everything from gyms and arenas to spas, movie theatres, libraries, pools and sports activities got the green light to reopen on June 12.
More people were also allowed to book campsites and sit in restaurants at the same time.
Fifty people can now gather indoors and up to 100 can congregate outside.
Among the other activities allowed to go ahead are casinos and bingo halls, community halls, instrumental concerts, massage, acupuncture and reflexology, artificial tanning and summer schools.
The 50 per cent capacity for campgrounds has been lifted, and all sites are to open for reservations by the end of the month.
There is no cap on people attending worship services as long as they physically distance and practise proper hand-washing and other hygiene protocols.
Restaurants can open at full capacity, but no more than six people are allowed per table.
Major festivals and sporting events remain banned, as do nightclubs and amusement parks. Vocal concerts are not being allowed, given that singing carries a higher risk of COVID-19 transmission.
Alberta aims to have students back in classrooms this September with some health measures in place to deal with COVID-19.
Education Minister Adriana LaGrange says a decision will be made by Aug. 1.
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British Columbia
The provincial government allowed a partial reopening of the B.C. economy starting May 19.
The reopening plans are contingent on organizations and businesses having plans that follow provincial guidelines to control the spread of COVID-19. Hotels, resorts and parks will follow in June.
Parents in B.C. were given the choice of allowing their children to return to class on a part-time basis starting June 1. The government said its goal is for the return of full-time classes in September, if it’s safe.
Under the part-time plan, for kindergarten to Grade 5, most students will go to school half time, while grades 6 to 12 will go about one day a week. A mix of online and classroom post-secondary education is planned for September.
Conventions, large concerts, international tourism and professional sports with a live audience will not be allowed to resume until either a vaccine is widely available, community immunity has been reached, or effective treatment can be provided for the disease.
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Northwest Territories
The Northwest Territories announced on May 12 a three-phase reopening plan, but the government didn’t say when it would be implemented.
The plan includes more gatherings and the possible reopening of some schools and businesses. However, the territory’s borders remain closed indefinitely to non-residents and non-essential workers.
There are several requirements that must be met before any measures are relaxed: there must be no evidence of community spread; travel entry points in the territory are strong and secure; risks are reduced from workers coming into the territory; and expanded community testing is available.
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Yukon
In the Yukon new guidelines have been released for long-term care facilities that will allow for visits with one designated person at a pre-set location outdoors.
The territory also says bars with an approved health and safety plan can reopen at half capacity under certain other restrictions starting June 19.
Travel restrictions will be lifted between Yukon and B.C. after July 1 under the second phase of the territory’s pandemic restart plan. After that date, travellers between the province and territory will no longer be required to self-isolate for 14 days.
The territory says monitoring the status of neighbouring jurisdictions will determine if it’s safe to further lift restrictions.
Yukon has been gradually easing pandemic restrictions since May 15 with dine-in restaurants, day cares and recreational centres reopening.
Territorial parks and campgrounds have also reopened.
Two households of up to 10 people in total are currently able to interact with each other as part of a “household bubble.”
The territory’s reopening plan outlines five phases including a period after a vaccine is available.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 15, 2020
In The News is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to kickstart your day. Here is what’s on the radar of our editors for the morning of June 15 …
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COVID-19 in Canada …
OTTAWA — A key body the Liberals vowed to create to help resolve systemic inequities in Canada’s housing system remains unstaffed, with delays in appointments chalked up to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The national housing council and a related advocate were created, on paper, as part of the Liberal government’s decade-long housing strategy that was put into law last year.
Applications closed in mid-October but the positions hadn’t been filled by the time the pandemic struck Canada in mid-March.
An online notice from early April says the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. still hopes to establish the council this year, but suggests a delay due to COVID-19.
The notice said the federal government was “focused on addressing this crisis” given the “uncertain and evolving circumstances related to COVID-19.” The notice added that appointing the council “remains a priority for the government.”
Two months later and with the backdrop of promises by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to address systemic racism and inequities in Canada, appointments have not been made.
Leilani Farha, global director of The Shift, a group that advocates for the right to housing, said the council and advocate could be playing a large role in how governments respond to the pandemic.
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Also this …
ABBOTSFORD, B.C. — Trans Mountain estimates as much as 1,195 barrels, or 190,000 litres, of light crude spilled from its pipeline pumping station in Abbotsford, B.C.
While an investigation is ongoing, the Crown-owned company said in a statement the cause of the spill appears to be related to a fitting on a one-inch, or 2.5-centimetre, piece of pipe.
The statement said the pipeline restarted on Sunday afternoon, after all safety protocols were completed.
It said the spill was fully contained on Trans Mountain property, the free-standing oil has been recovered and it will be disposed of at an approved facility.
Sumas First Nation Chief Dalton Silver said the spill happened just south of a cultural and burial ground of great significance to their people.
He said in a statement Sunday that it’s the fourth time in 15 years that there has been a spill from the pipeline on their land.
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In Case You Missed It …
MIRAMICHI, N.B. — A former provincial ombudsman says the recent police shootings of two Indigenous people in New Brunswick have left him feeling distraught over the lack of police training on dealing with mental health issues, like those presented by the two victims.
“I’ve long felt that police are not really well equipped to deal with these kind of cases,” Bernard Richard said in an interview Sunday.
“In most provinces (including New Brunswick), there are crisis intervention units that are available around the clock to respond to these types of situations.”
However, there has been no indication whether police sought the help of mental health experts before the deadly shootings in Edmundston and near Metepenagiag Mi’kmaq Nation, west of Miramichi.
“That would be one of the first questions I would have to ask,” said Richard, who served as the province’s ombudsman from 2004 to 2011 and now advises six Mi’kmaq First Nations in New Brunswick on child protection issues.
“I was a bit stunned that, in both these cases, the primary response was police, and they felt it necessary to use lethal force.”
And in both cases, police were called to deal with people who appeared to be suffering from mental health challenges, Richard said.
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What we’re watching in the U.S. …
WASHINGTON, D.C. —Senate Republicans are poised to unveil an extensive package of policing changes that includes new restrictions on police choke holds and other practices as President Donald Trump signals his support following the mass demonstrations over the deaths of George Floyd and other black Americans.
Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, the sole African American Republican in the Senate, has been crafting the package set to roll out Wednesday. While it doesn’t go as far as a sweeping Democratic bill heading toward a House vote, the emerging GOP legislation shares similar provisions as Congress rushes to respond.
With Trump set to announce executive actions on law enforcement as soon as Tuesday, the crush of activity shows how quickly police violence and racial prejudice are transforming national party priorities.
“I think we’re going to get to a bill that actually becomes law,” Scott said Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” Scott said the choke hold, in particular, “is a policy whose time has come and gone.”
The GOP package is one of the most extensive proposed overhauls to policing procedures yet from Republicans, who have long aligned with Trump’s “law and order” approach but are suddenly confronted with a groundswell of public unrest in cities large and small over police violence.
Over the weekend, the shooting death of Rayshard Brooks during a routine stop by a white officer in Atlanta led to an outcry, more protests and the police chief’s swift ouster.
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What we’re watching in the elsewhere…
SEOUL — South Korea’s president called on North Korea to stop raising animosities and return to talks, saying Monday the rivals must not reverse the peace deals that he and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un reached during 2018 summits.
President Moon Jae-in’s efforts to defuse rising animosities came after North Korea threatened Friday to destroy an inter-Korean liaison office located in North Korea and take unspecified military steps against South Korea.
If North Korean were to take such actions it would be a serious setback to Moon’s efforts toward Korean reconciliation and finding a negotiated solution to the North Korean nuclear issue.
“North Korea must not sever communications and create tensions to turn back the clock to a past confrontational period,” Moon said during a meeting with top presidential advisers, according to his office. “We must not push back the pledges of peace that Chairman Kim Jong Un and I made.”
Moon, a liberal who met Kim three times in 2018, was a driving force behind now-dormant diplomatic efforts between Pyongyang and Washington, including the summit between Kim and President Donald Trump in Singapore in 2018.
During two of the three inter-Korean summits, Moon and Kim agreed to achieve denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and take other steps to boost exchanges and dial down military tensions. Those summits initially helped to improve their countries’ ties significantly, before their relations became strained again after the breakdown of a second Kim-Trump summit in Vietnam in early 2019.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 15, 2020
OTTAWA — A drive to make the RCMP’s workforce more diverse stalled last year as the Mounties struggled to become fully representative of the communities they police, newly available statistics show.
The national police force’s report on employment equity for 2018-19 says the diversity of its overall workforce had “not changed by any significant measure” from the previous year.
The proportion of women, visible minorities and disabled people also remained lower than the rates found in the general Canadian workforce, while the proportion of Indigenous employees was a notable exception.
The report, recently tabled in Parliament, says diversity has traditionally been a challenge for police forces in Canada, and the RCMP is no exception.
The killing of a Black man by police in Minnesota has set off a global wave of calls for law-enforcement agencies to address entrenched racism and the oppression of minorities.
RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lucki acknowledged the police force can improve, but she stopped short of endorsing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s assessment that it faces systemic racism.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 12, 2020.
CALGARY — Restaurateur Leslie Echino laughs at the notion that even as Alberta lifts many more COVID-19 restrictions her business could return to anywhere close to normal.
Restaurants, bars, lounges and cafes will no longer be limited to half capacity starting today, although they will still have to follow distancing rules and seat no more than six people per table.
That means Echino won’t be able to squeeze any more customers into Annabelle’s Kitchen’s 70-square-metres of space in Calgary’s Marda Loop neighbourhood.
“It doesn’t change one single spot in my restaurant,” she said. “I cannot put any more bums in seats.”
The restaurant had a pre-pandemic capacity of 52, but can only hold 18 to 20 with physical distancing. Reducing the required spacing by half a metre, as other countries have done, could help accommodate a few more.
Overhead costs such as rent and utilities have been deferred, but not reduced. Echino said the restaurant would be devastated without a patio that doubles its capacity and draws customers in warm weather.
She added she doesn’t see the restaurant industry ever returning to its traditional dine-in model, and businesses will have to diversify long term with catering, curb-side pickup and delivery.
Arts Commons, a multi-venue theatre complex in downtown Calgary, is also rethinking its post-pandemic future, even though some performances can resume.
Instrumental concerts are being allowed, but respiratory droplets that might carry the novel coronavirus mean there still won’t be vocal performances. Performing groups can have up to 50 members.
Arts Commons president Alex Sarian said there’s no timeline for shows to resume.
“The last thing we want, both as an institution and as a sector, is for a second wave to be traced back to an artistic gathering,” he said. “That would be devastating.”
Sarian said Arts Commons is exploring ways to showcase the arts this summer through outdoor or livestreamed events — an especially important offering with travel still largely off the table.
“While we’re grateful to be given the opportunity to start thinking about reopening, we also have to look at our business model and figure out collectively when does it truly make sense to really start opening the floodgates?”
Indoor recreation, fitness and sports facilities can also reopen, including gyms, arenas and pools.
Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi said not to expect any city-run facilities to be running today, aside from perhaps some outdoor dry pads for sports like ball hockey.
“We laid off 15 per cent of our staff. We didn’t hire our seasonal workers,” he said. “You can’t turn around on a dime. When the province announces on Tuesday, you just can’t have all those people hired by Friday.”
The City of Edmonton is reviewing how recreation centres, arenas, pools and libraries may open and says they might be phased in over time or continue on hold.
“The reopening of facilities is very complex and given the financial impacts of the pandemic, some services will not return this season,” the city said.
Libraries are allowed to unlock their doors, as well, but Calgary is waiting until June 23 to reopen in three locations. If that goes well, more branches will be added in the following weeks.
Also today, health services such as acupuncture, massage and reflexology can take clients, as can nail, skin and tanning salons.
Movie theatres, bingo halls, team sports and casinos (minus table games) are also set to reopen.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 12, 2020
In The News is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to kickstart your day. Here is what’s on the radar of our editors for the morning of June 12 …
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COVID-19 in Canada …
Alberta and Ontario are taking the next steps to reopening and getting life as close to normal as possible while COVID-19 lurks.
Alberta Premier Jason Kenney says everything from casinos, gyms and arenas to spas, movie theatres and pools will be allowed to reopen starting today.
Fifty people will be allowed to gather indoors and up to 100 will be able to congregate outside.
Ontario is allowing child-care centres to reopen as of today.
Child-care operators say they received a 20-page document with all the new rules for operating on Tuesday — hours after the province publicly announced centres could open.
Operators and advocates say there is no way most can implement a host of new COVID-19-era rules to open with just a few days’ notice.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford says any centres that aren’t ready just shouldn’t open.
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Also this …
A drive to make the RCMP’s workforce more diverse stalled last year as the Mounties struggled to become fully representative of the communities they police, newly available statistics show.
The national police force’s report on employment equity for 2018-19 says the diversity of the RCMP’s overall workforce had “not changed by any significant measure” from the previous year.
The proportion of women, visible minorities and disabled people also remained lower than the rates found in the general Canadian workforce, while the proportion of Indigenous employees was a notable exception.
“Diversity has traditionally been a challenge for police forces in Canada, and the RCMP is no exception,” says the report, recently tabled in Parliament.
The killing of a Black man by police in Minnesota has set off a global wave of calls for law-enforcement agencies to fundamentally address entrenched racism and the oppression of minorities.
RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lucki has acknowledged her police force can improve. But she has stopped short of endorsing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s assessment that the force, like all Canadian institutions, faces systemic racism.
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COVID-19 in the U.S. …
States are rolling back lockdowns, but the coronavirus isn’t done with the U.S.
Cases are rising in nearly half the states, according to an Associated Press analysis, a worrying trend that could intensify as people return to work and venture out during the summer.
In Arizona, hospitals have been told to prepare for the worst. Texas has more hospitalized COVID-19 patients than at any time before. And the governor of North Carolina said recent jumps caused him to rethink plans to reopen schools or businesses.
There is no single reason for the surges. In some cases, more testing has revealed more cases. In others, local outbreaks are big enough to push statewide tallies higher. But experts think at least some are due to lifting stay-at-home orders, school and business closures, and other restrictions put in place during the spring to stem the virus’s spread.
The increase in infections pulled stocks down sharply Thursday on Wall Street, dragging the Dow Jones Industrial Average more than 1,800 points lower and giving the S&P 500 its worst day in nearly three months. The infections deflated recent optimism that the economy could recover quickly from its worst crisis in decades.
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COVID-19 in entertainment …
Reduced crowd scenes. Fewer people on set. COVID-19 testing. Handwashing stations.
Those are some of the health and safety protocols Canadian film and TV producers are mulling over for their projects as provinces including British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario and Quebec ease pandemic restrictions that shut down the industry in mid-March.
But despite such measures, many independent producers can’t set a date to roll cameras yet because of a key issue: insurance.
The Canadian Media Producers Association says insurance companies that service the film and TV industry are excluding from their new production policies any coverage for COVID-19 on a go-forward basis.
That means a large number of Canadian productions that didn’t have insurance policies in place before COVID-19 — including the long-running series “Heartland” — can’t take the financial risk of starting up only to have the virus shut down the project.
The CMPA recently developed a proposal with a “market-based solution” to the problem asking the federal government to serve as a backstop.
The proposal says producers would pay premiums to access COVID-19 coverage, which would go into a dedicated pot to pay for potential claims. The government would only contribute financially, through a proposed $100-million backstop, if the funds generated though the sale of the policies were insufficient to cover the claims made.
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Also this…
Bell Media pulled Jessica Mulroney’s reality series “I Do, Redo” off the air Thursday after the celebrity stylist was accused by Sasha Exeter of threatening the Toronto lifestyle influencer’s career and trying to “silence a Black woman” during the anti-Black racism movement.
Exeter said in an Instagram video Wednesday that the dispute started when she put out a call on social media for her peers to use their platform to support Black voices.
Exeter said Mulroney, who had not been speaking up about the movement on social media at that time, mistook her call to action for a personal attack and threatened her in writing last week.
Exeter accused Mulroney of lashing out at her several times since then, including a claim that she was speaking with companies about Exeter’s behaviour, which could jeopardize any potential brand partnerships.
“That’s a threat to my livelihood — and for her to threaten me, a single mom, a single Black mom, during a racial pandemic blows my mind,” said Exeter, who used to be an acquaintance of Mulroney’s. “It’s absolutely unbelievable.”
The media company issued a statement Thursday saying it had removed Mulroney’s show, which recently launched its first season, from all of its platforms.
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COVID-19 in sports …
The NHL and NHL Players’ Association have given the go-ahead for teams to open training camp on July 10.
The league and union have already approved a 24-team playoff format, but still need to decide on testing and health and safety protocols along with potential host cities for the games.
“I think safety’s first and foremost,” Pittsburgh Penguins forward Jake Guentzel said earlier this week. “I still think there’s a lot to go into it.”
Camps are expected to last two weeks, if not slightly longer. Under this timeline, exhibition games could begin as soon as July 24 with playoff games starting roughly a week later.
Setting a July 10 start for camps allows players to make arrangements to return to their home cities in light of quarantine regulations in the U.S. and Canada.
Commissioner Gary Bettman said recently 17 per cent of the league’s players were overseas.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 12, 2020
More than two-thirds of Canadians believe discrimination is common in the country and another 61 per cent think systemic or institutional racism exists in Canada.
The poll from Abacus Data examined the way Canadians see discrimination and racism, as anti-Black racism protests continue across the globe in response to the death of George Floyd.
In Quebec and the Atlantic provinces, just over 50 per cent think systemic racism exists in Canada, meaning there are barriers or obstacles for people of some races that don’t exist for others. While in Ontario and Alberta, the number was higher at around 65 per cent.
The poll found respondents think Muslims, Black people, Transgender and Indigenous people were most likely to experience discrimination with over 75 per cent of Canadians believing they experience discrimination in society.
The Abacus Data survey randomly sampled 1,750 Canadian adults between June 5-10 and is considered accurate to within plus or minus 2.31 percentage points.
A similar poll was conducted back in 2016 and since then, those thinking Black people were likely to experience “a lot of” discrimination increased by nine per cent, Indigenous people by seven per cent, and people of Asian descent increased six per cent. Those thinking Muslims were likely to experience “a lot of” discrimination decreased by nine per cent.
Premier Doug Ford recently came under fire for comments that Canada doesn’t have the “systemic, deep roots” of racism that the U.S. does. He later walked back on those remarks, acknowledging systemic racism exists in Ontario and across the country.
Anti-Black racism protests have been happening around the world, including multiple demonstrations in Toronto, since the death of George Floyd, who died after a white Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee into his neck for over eight minutes, even after he stopped moving.
OTTAWA — Federal prison chaplains are stepping up a bid to negotiate their first collective agreement to secure better wages and working conditions.
The chaplains, who provide spiritual care to federal inmates across Canada, are applying to the government for conciliation to help reach an agreement.
The United Steelworkers union represents about 180 chaplains representing a variety of faiths and spiritual practices following a 2019 decision to unionize.
Negotiations for a deal began in February but chaplaincy services have since been curtailed due to concerns about the spread of COVID-19 in federal prisons.
As a result, chaplains have been forced to turn to government-assistance programs for income support.
The union says chaplains have not seen improvements to wages and working conditions since at least 2016.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 11, 2020.
In The News is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to kickstart your day. Here is what’s on the radar of our editors for the morning of June 10 …
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COVID-19 in Canada …
Parliament’s spending watchdog will detail today the possible costs associated with extending and changing the Canada Emergency Response Benefit.
Budget officer Yves Giroux’s report scheduled to be released this morning comes as the House of Commons is set to discuss proposed changes to the COVID-19 pandemic-related aid.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Tuesday that his government wants to rework how it doles out the 2,000-a-month benefit and get more people back to work, while also cracking down on fraud.
The most recent federal figures show 8.41 million people have applied for the CERB, with $43.51 billion in payments made as of June 4.
The figures surpassed anything the government originally expected, which is why the Finance Department recently updated its spending projections to put a $60-billion price tag on the measure, up from $35 billion.
Costs could go up if the government were to agree to extend benefits between the 16-week maximum, which the first cohort of recipients will hit early next month.
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Also this …
The non-partisan spirit that has allowed Parliament to swiftly pass emergency legislation during the COVID-19 pandemic seems likely to come to an abrupt end today.
And that could leave in limbo a number of promised measures, including benefits for disabled Canadians and expansion of the wage subsidy program to include seasonal workers and some additional businesses.
The Trudeau government’s latest bill — which would also impose penalties for fraudulently claiming the Canada Emergency Response Benefit — appears to have no support among the main opposition parties.
Without unanimous consent, the government will not be able to pass the bill this afternoon after just a few hours of debate, as it has done with four previous pandemic-related bills.
The NDP is balking at the prospect of Canadians who fraudulently claimed the $2,000-a-month CERB being fined or sent to jail — despite Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s assurances that the punishment is aimed at those who knowingly and deliberately defraud the government, not those who make honest mistakes.
The Conservatives are holding out for a full resumption of House of Commons business.
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Alberta set to reopen …
EDMONTON — After taking a small step toward reopening its economy last month, Alberta is embarking on a giant leap forward.
Premier Jason Kenney says everything from gyms and arenas to spas, movie theatres, libraries, pools and sports activities are being given a green light as of Friday.
More people will be allowed to book campsites and sit in restaurants at the same time.
Fifty people will be allowed to gather indoors and up to 100 will be able to congregate outside.
Kenney said Alberta has continued to flatten the COVID-19 curve. There are 355 active cases, with 44 people in hospital and five of those in intensive care. There have been 149 deaths.
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Leafs hit the ice …
TORONTO — Walking into the Maple Leafs’ practice facility represented a small return to normalcy for John Tavares.
Toronto’s captain also got an immediate glimpse of how different life looks as the NHL moves forward in hopes of completing its pandemic-hit season.
Testing, hygiene, masks when not exercising and observing physical distancing rules are all part of a new normal as the league enters Phase 2 of its return-to-play protocol — the second of four steps with an eye towards resuming play this summer.
But Tavares quickly realized the time constraints of having roughly 45 minutes for off-ice workouts and 40 minutes of skating for these voluntary sessions with a small groups of teammates.
“The intensity is there. There’s a ton of benefit, there’s no doubt,” he said on a video conference call with reporters Tuesday. “But to just give you an example, after (Monday) I brought my sticks home so I could tape them up (and) save time at the rink. And even for guys to get some manual therapy after developing some soreness on the ice, the windows are fairly small.
“But overall, the actual work we were able to get in and being out on the ice and in the gym is going to go a long way in helping us prepare and get ready.”
Tavares skated with Ilya Mikheyev, Jake Muzzin and Jack Campbell on Monday and Tuesday, with Cody Ceci and Mitch Marner expected to join later this week to complete their six-man group.
Six other Leafs — Zach Hyman, Alexander Kerfoot, William Nylander, Morgan Rielly, Travis Dermott and minor-league goalie Joseph Woll — make up the other group confirmed to have hit the ice for the sessions that are closed to the media.
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Greta Thunberg has climate message for Canada …
Teenage climate activist Greta Thunberg is urging developing island nations to use the upcoming United Nations Security Council election as leverage to push Canada and Norway to step up their games on climate change.
The 17-year-old from Sweden has become one of the most recognized climate activists in the world with her climate strike movement growing into a global phenomenon last year.
She is the headline signatory on a letter to UN ambassadors of small island developing states, which says that Canada and Norway both give lip service to climate action but remain steadfast in their commitment to expand fossil fuel production and subsidizing oil companies.
“For the young generation who will inherit the consequences of these decisions, it is critical that those who claim to be leading on climate action are held to account for decisions they are making back at home,” the letter reads.
Three other youth climate activists and 22 global climate scientists also signed the letter, including Eddy Carmack, a recently retired Fisheries and Oceans Canada scientist who was awarded the Order of Canada this year for his work on climate change.
The letter asks the ambassadors to raise the issue with Canada and Norway “and demand that they unite behind the science” of climate change, commit to no new oil and gas exploration or production, and phase out their existing production.
Canada is going up against Norway and Ireland for the two seats available in next week’s election to the prestigious UN body. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has devoted a lot of political capital to trying to win the spot.
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Confusion reigns as UN scrambles mask, virus spread advice…
It’s an issue that’s been argued about for months, both by experts and by people strolling through parks all over the world: Can people who don’t feel sick spread the coronavirus, and if so should we all be wearing masks to stop it?
Even the World Health Organization can’t seem to get it straight. On Tuesday the U.N. health agency scrambled to explain seemingly contradictory comments it has made in recent days about the two related issues.
The confusion and mixed messages only makes controlling the pandemic that much more difficult, experts say.
“If you are giving them confusing messages or they’re not convinced about why they should do something, like wear masks, they will just ignore you,” said Ivo Vlaev, a professor of behavioural sciences at the University of Warwick.
The communications debacle highlighted WHO’s change to its longstanding mask advice — a revision that was made months after many other organizations and countries already recommended people don masks.
On Friday, WHO changed its mask advice, recommending that people wear fabric masks if they could not maintain social distancing, if they were over age 60 or had underlying medical conditions. Part of the reasoning, WHO officials said, was to account for the possibility that transmission could occur from people who had the disease but weren’t yet symptomatic.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 10, 2020
OTTAWA – The non-partisan spirit that has allowed Parliament to swiftly pass emergency legislation during the COVID-19 pandemic seems likely to come to an abrupt end today.
And that could leave in limbo a number of promised measures, including benefits for disabled Canadians and expansion of the wage subsidy program to include seasonal workers and some additional businesses.
The Trudeau government’s latest bill — which would also impose penalties for fraudulently claiming the Canada Emergency Response Benefit — appears to have no support among the main opposition parties.
Without unanimous consent, the government will not be able to pass the bill this afternoon after just a few hours of debate, as it has done with four previous pandemic-related bills.
The NDP is balking at the prospect of Canadians who fraudulently claim the $2,000-a-month CERB being fined or sent to jail — despite Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s assurances that the punishment is aimed at those who deliberately defraud the government, not those who make honest mistakes.
The Conservatives are holding out for a full resumption of House of Commons business.
Provinces have been releasing plans for easing restrictions that were put in place to limit the spread of COVID-19.
Here is what some of the provinces have announced so far:
Newfoundland and Labrador
The province entered “Alert Level 3” on June 8 in its five stage reopening plan. It means groups of up to 20 people are now permitted, as long as they observe physical distancing. Up to 19 people are allowed on public transit.
Private health clinics, such as optometrists and dentists, can open, as well as medium-risk businesses such as clothing stores and hair salons.
Travel within the province is also permitted, including to second homes, parks and campgrounds. And 11 government service centres will reopen to offer in-person services that can be booked by appointment, including written tests, driver exams and identification photos.
During Level 4 some businesses such as law firms and other professional services were allowed to reopen along with regulated child-care centres, with some restrictions.
Outdoor games of tennis were allowed to resume, though players must bring their own equipment, and not share it.
Pet grooming services began operating May 25, with companies ordered to ensure their employees have personal protective equipment.
Municipal parks, golf courses and driving ranges as well as recreational hunting and fishing were also allowed to reopen in previous weeks.
At Level 2, businesses with performance spaces and gyms are to reopen and Level 1 would represent “the new normal.”
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Nova Scotia
On May 29 Premier Stephen McNeil announced a new gathering limit of 10 people, doubling the limit of five that was imposed in late March.
Physical distancing of two metres is still required, except among members of the same household or family “bubble.” The limit is the same indoors and outdoors, with exceptions for outdoor weddings and funeral services which can have 15 people.
The gathering limit also applies to arts and culture activities such as theatre performances and dance recitals, faith gatherings, and sports and physical activity. Businesses such as theatres, concerts, festivals and sporting activities also must adhere to the 10-person limit.
Private campgrounds can now reopen, but only at 50 per cent capacity and they must ensure public health protocols are followed, including adequate distancing between campsites.
Provincial campgrounds are scheduled to open June 15 at reduced capacity to ensure a minimum of six metres between individual sites.
Licensed child-care centres and family daycare homes will also reopen across Nova Scotia on June 15.
Most businesses ordered shut in late March were allowed to reopen on June 5, if they have a plan that follows physical distancing protocols. The list of businesses includes bars and restaurant dining rooms, hair salons, barber shops, gyms and yoga studios, among others.
Some health providers will also be able to reopen, including dentistry, optometry, chiropractic and physiotherapy offices. Veterinary services will be allowed to operate along with some unregulated professions, such as massage therapy, podiatry and naturopathy.
McNeil earlier announced there would be no return to school this year. However, the province has announced an exemption to allow some public celebrations for high school graduations. Community organizations, businesses or municipalities are being allowed to hold celebrations to recognize graduates because of the loss of traditional graduation ceremonies. Strict physical distancing rules will apply. The exemption will last from June 8 to June 30.
Trails and provincial and municipal parks can reopen along with garden centres, nurseries and similar businesses, but playground equipment is still off limits.
Public beaches have reopened along with outdoor activities like archery, horseback riding, golf, paddling, boating and tennis, with the proviso that social distancing and hygiene be maintained. Sportfishing is permitted and people can attend boating, yacht or sailing clubs for the purpose of preparing boats for use.
Drive-in religious services are now allowed, if people stay in their cars, park two metres apart and there are no interactions between people.
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Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island has extended its public health emergency until June 14.
Premier Dennis King says people wanting to travel to seasonal residences must apply, and those will be put through a risk assessment before approval. Seasonal residents will also be tested for COVID-19 before completing the two weeks they must spend in self-isolation after arriving in the province.
The province moved into the third phase of its reopening plan June 1, which allows such things as in-house dining at restaurants, small groups to participate in recreational and some sporting activities and libraries to reopen. Phase three also allows gatherings of up to 15 people indoors and 20 people outdoors and the reopening of child-care centres.
As well, family and friends can visit residents at long-term care homes. The visits require an appointment and must take place outdoors.
Under phase 2, non-contact outdoor recreational activities were permitted, and retail businesses could reopen with physical distancing measures in place.
Priority non-urgent surgeries and select health-service providers, including physiotherapists, optometrists and chiropractors, resumed on May 1.
The P.E.I legislature resumed May 26.
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New Brunswick
New Brunswick moved to the “yellow phase” of its COVID-19 recovery plan on May 22, allowing barbers and hair stylists to reopen as well as churches and fitness facilities. Dental care, massage, chiropractors and other “close contact” businesses and services could also reopen.
But the Campbellton region, which extends from Whites Brook to the Belledune, had to take a step backwards to the “orange” level on May 27. Residents were told to once again avoid contacts outside their two-household bubble. Non-regulated health professionals and personal service businesses that opened May 22 also had to close again. And people should only be travelling in and out of Zone 5 for essential reasons.
Restrictions in the yellow phase of the province’s recovery plan were lifted on June 5. The activities now allowed include outdoor gatherings of up to 50 people, indoor religious services of up to 50 people, low-contact team sports and the opening of a long list of facilities including swimming pools, gyms, rinks, water parks, and yoga and dance studios.
Starting June 9, people must wear face coverings in any building open to the general public. Children under the age of two, children in daycare and people who cannot wear face coverings for medical reasons are exempt from the requirement.
Licensed daycares started reopening May 19. Children don’t have to wear masks or maintain physical distancing but are being kept in small groups.
Anyone who has travelled outside of New Brunswick will not be allowed to visit early learning and child-care facilities for 14 days.
Retail businesses, offices, restaurants, libraries, museums and seasonal campgrounds were earlier allowed to reopen providing they have clear plans for meeting public health guidelines. The resumption of elective surgeries was also part phase two of the province’s reopening plan.
Phase one, which started on April 24, allowed limited play on golf courses as well as fishing and hunting. Post-secondary students could return if it was deemed safe by the school, and outdoor church services were again permitted, providing people remain in their vehicles and are two metres apart.
The final phase, which will probably come only after a vaccine is available, will include large gatherings.
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Quebec
Quebec began allowing outdoor gatherings with a maximum of 10 people from three families with social distancing in place on May 22.
On May 25 some retail businesses reopened in the greater Montreal area. Quebec reopened retail stores outside Montreal on May 11.
Parks and pools can reopen across the province but are still be subject to physical distancing and other health measures
Day camps across the province will be allowed to open as of June 22, with physical distancing and other COVID-19 health measures in effect. That means smaller groups of children and frequent handwashing. Sleep-away summer camps won’t be allowed to reopen until next year.
Sports teams resumed outdoor practices starting June 8, and matches can resume at the end of the month. That includes baseball, soccer and any other sports that can be played outdoors. But players will have to keep a safe distance between them.
Lottery terminals have reopened after being shut down on March 20 with sales moving to online only.
Quebec’s construction and manufacturing industries have resumed operations with limits on the number of employees who can work per shift. Elementary schools and daycares outside Montreal reopened on May 11, but high schools, junior colleges and universities will stay closed until September.
Elementary schools in the greater Montreal area will remain closed until late August.
Courthouses across the province were permitted to reopen on June 1, with limited seating capacity and Plexiglas barriers protecting clerks and judges.
Camping is now allowed outside the Montreal and Joliette regions, as are cottage rentals.
Shopping malls, nail salons and other personal care centres are also reopening, but only outside Montreal. Hairdressers, nail salons and other personal care businesses will be able to open in the Montreal area on June 15.
Meanwhile, checkpoints set up to slow the spread of COVID-19 came down on May 18 in various parts of Quebec, including between Gatineau and Ottawa.
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Ontario
Ontario has extended its emergency orders until June 19.
The orders include banning gathering in groups larger than five and the continued closure of child care centres, bars and restaurants except for take-out and delivery, libraries except for curbside pick-up or delivery, and theatres. Playgrounds, public pools and splash pads will also remain closed under the orders.
The province recently extended its state of emergency until June 30.
Ontario began its first stage of reopening May 19 by lifting restrictions on surgeries. Most retail stores with a street entrance were also allowed to reopen with physical distancing restrictions, and curbside pickup and delivery.
The Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario says the profession is in Stage 2 of its three-phase reopening plan. Dentists had previously only been allowed to practice emergency or urgent care on patients in-person but can now offer other essential services with enhanced precautions.
All construction can resume, with limits also lifted on maintenance, repair and property management services, such as cleaning, painting and pool maintenance.
Golf courses can reopen though clubhouses can only open for washrooms and take-out food. Marinas, boat clubs and public boat launches can also open, as can private parks and campgrounds for trailers and RVs whose owners have a full season contract, and businesses that board animals.
Other businesses and services included in the stage one reopening include regular veterinary appointments, pet grooming, pet sitting and pet training; libraries for pickup or deliveries; and housekeepers and babysitters.
Drive-in movie theatres and batting cages reopened May 31 with physical distancing measures in effect.
Short-term rentals including lodges, cabins, cottages, homes and condominiums were allowed to resume operations on June 5.
Backcountry campers returned to provincial parks June 1 with certain stipulations. No more than five people can occupy a single campsite, unless they live in the same household. Provincial parks also expanded permission for picnics and off-leash pet areas.
Ontario schools will remain closed for the rest of the school year and this summer’s Honda Indy Toronto has been cancelled.
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Manitoba
The Manitoba government has lifted its one-month limit on people’s prescription drug supplies, allowing people to again get prescriptions filled or refilled for 90 days.
Its health offices, including dentists, chiropractors and physiotherapists can also reopen. Retail businesses can reopen at half occupancy providing they ensure physical spacing.
Museums and libraries can reopen, but with occupancy limited to 50 per cent.
Playgrounds, golf courses and tennis courts have reopened as well, along with parks and campgrounds.
On May 22 the province began allowing groups of up to 25 people indoors and 50 people outdoors.
On June 1, the province eased a ban on people visiting loved ones in personal care homes. Homes can now offer outdoor visits with a maximum of two guests per resident. Visitors will be screened upon arrival and must practice physical distancing.
Community centres and seniors’ clubs are also getting the go-ahead with limits on customer capacity and rules for physical distancing.
Bars, tattoo parlours, dine-in restaurants, fitness clubs and pools could reopen June 1 under limited capacity.
Elementary and high schools stopped in-class instruction in March and will not reopen this school year. But they were allowed, as of June 1, to offer tutoring or student assessments in small groups. Some extracurricular sports and other activities can restart.
At universities and colleges, some specific instruction such as labs and arts studios will be able to resume for up to 25 students and staff at a time.
Amateur sports and recreation programs, as well as bowling alleys, are on the list to resume operations.
A ban on non-essential travel to the province’s north was also eased starting June 1. Southern residents can now travel directly to cottages, campgrounds and parks, but are being told to avoid visiting northern communities.
Film productions can also resume, as well outdoor religious services with no crowd limits providing people stay in their vehicles.
Movie theatres and casinos must remain closed. Concerts, professional sporting events and other large public gatherings won’t be considered until at least September.
Manitoba has extended a province-wide state of emergency until mid-June, to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.
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Saskatchewan
The third phase of Saskatchewan’s reopening plan started June 8. The province is lifting a ban on non-essential travel in the north. More businesses are also being allowed to open, including places of worship, personal care services such as nail salons and tattoo parlours, as well as gyms. Restaurants and bars can open at half capacity, with physical distancing between tables. And child-care centres can also open their doors to a maximum of 15 kids.
The province’s 10-person gathering limit also increases to 15 people indoors and to 30 people outside.
The province’s five-phase plan started May 11 with dentists, optometrists and other health professionals allowed to resume services. Phase 1 also included reopened golf courses and campgrounds.
Phase 4 could see arenas, swimming pools and playgrounds opening, while in Phase 5, the province would consider lifting restrictions on the size of public gatherings.
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Alberta
Alberta has completed the first phase of its economic relaunch. Retail shops, restaurants, day cares, barber shops, hair salons, farmers markets and places of worship have reopened with some conditions.
Outdoor gatherings are currently limited to 50 people, and indoor gatherings to 15.
The next phase is scheduled to begin June 19 with the reopening of stage and movie theatres, spas and services like manicures, pedicures and massages.
Alberta allowed some scheduled, non-urgent surgeries to start on May 11.
Service provided by dentists, physiotherapists and other medical professionals are also permitted. Golf courses reopened May 2, though pro shops and clubhouses remain shuttered.
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British Columbia
The provincial government allowed a partial reopening of the B.C. economy starting May 19.
The reopening plans are contingent on organizations and businesses having plans that follow provincial guidelines to control the spread of COVID-19. Hotels, resorts and parks will follow in June.
Parents in B.C. were given the choice of allowing their children to return to class on a part-time basis starting June 1. The government said its goal is for the return of full-time classes in September, if it’s safe.
Under the part-time plan, for kindergarten to Grade 5, most students will go to school half time, while grades 6 to 12 will go about one day a week. A mix of online and classroom post-secondary education is planned for September.
Conventions, large concerts, international tourism and professional sports with a live audience will not be allowed to resume until either a vaccine is widely available, community immunity has been reached, or effective treatment can be provided for the disease.
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Northwest Territories
The Northwest Territories announced on May 12 a three-phase reopening plan, but the government didn’t say when it would be implemented.
The plan includes more gatherings and the possible reopening of some schools and businesses. However, the territory’s borders remain closed indefinitely to non-residents and non-essential workers.
There are several requirements that must be met before any measures are relaxed: there must be no evidence of community spread; travel entry points in the territory are strong and secure; risks are reduced from workers coming into the territory; and expanded community testing is available.
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Yukon
Travel restrictions will be lifted between Yukon and B.C. after July 1 under the second phase of the territory’s pandemic restart plan.
After that date, travellers between the province and territory will no longer be required to self-isolate for 14 days.
The territory says monitoring the status of neighbouring jurisdictions will determine if it’s safe to further lift restrictions.
Yukon has been gradually easing pandemic restrictions since May 15 with dine-in restaurants, day cares and recreational centres reopening.
Territorial parks and campgrounds will open for the summer next week.
Two households of up to 10 people in total are currently able to interact with each other as part of a “household bubble.”
The territory’s reopening plan outlines five phases including a period after a vaccine is available.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 9, 2020
In The News is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to kickstart your day. Here is what’s on the radar of our editors for the morning of June 9 …
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COVID-19 in Canada …
A new poll suggests Canadians are increasingly wearing protective face masks as they emerge from months of isolating at home to curb the spread of COVID-19.
And it suggests that fear of a second wave of infections as bad or worse than the first wave may be behind their increased caution.
Just over half of respondents to the Leger and Association for Canadian Studies survey said they have worn masks to go grocery shopping, 45 per cent to go to the pharmacy, 17 per cent at work, 14 per cent on public transit and 12 per cent when they’ve gone for walks.
In each case, the percentage saying they have worn masks has gone up by two to eight points in one week.
Fifty-three per cent — up two points — said masks should be mandatory in public and confined spaces.
The online poll, conducted June 5 to 7, surveyed 1,523 adult Canadians; it cannot be assigned a margin of error because internet-based polls are not considered random samples.
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Also this …
Ontario Premier Doug Ford is expected to announce the province’s plan to reopen child-care centres today.
Ford says the plan will help support parents who are returning to work as Ontario’s economy gradually reopens.
Ford said Monday that most Ontario regions outside the Toronto area will be allowed to open more businesses and activities on Friday.
Restaurant patios, hair salons and swimming pools will reopen as the province takes a regional approach to restarting the economy.
The limit on social gatherings will increase from five to 10, but people must still stay two metres away from anyone outside their own household.
Some child-care centres in the province have remained opened throughout the pandemic to provide free service to the families of essential workers.
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ICYMI (In case you missed it) …
Two RCMP officers have been charged in the shooting death of a 31-year-old man in northern Alberta almost two years ago.
Cpl. Randy Stenger and Const. Jessica Brown of the Whitecourt RCMP detachment were arrested Friday and were each charged with one count of criminal negligence causing death, the province’s police watchdog said Monday.
The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) said that Clayton Crawford died from multiple gunshot wounds inside a car after a confrontation with police on July 3, 2018.
Mounties had been investigating another shooting the day before at a home in Valhalla Centre, Alta., about 65 kilometres northwest of Grande Prairie. ASIRT said the officers were looking for a witness or possible victim in that case, when they discovered a man sleeping in the driver’s seat of a vehicle parked at a rest stop near Whitecourt.
During the confrontation, the vehicle was “put into motion” and one officer fired a service pistol while the other discharged a carbine rifle, the agency said.
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Toronto police chief stepping down …
Three days after kneeling publicly in solidarity with anti-racism protesters in downtown Toronto, the city’s police chief announced his plans Monday to step down this summer.
Mark Saunders, whose contract was set to expire in eight months, told a news conference he would leave his job on July 31. He said after decades of serving in the force, he wanted to spend more time with his family.
“I look forward to being a full-time dad and a full-time husband that’s not an exhausted byproduct that walks through the door at the end of the day,” he said.
The surprise announcement comes amid growing anti-racism protests triggered by the death of George Floyd — a black man who died last month in Minneapolis after a white police officer pressed his knee into his neck for several minutes.
The protests that started in the U.S. have since spread to cities around the world, including Toronto, where thousands have taken to the streets to demand police reform.
Saunders, the department’s first black chief, took over the organization in 2015 after three decades on the job, including many as a homicide detective.
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Thousands mourn George Floyd…
The last chance for the public to say goodbye to George Floyd drew thousands of mourners Monday to a church in Houston where he grew up, as his death two weeks ago continues to stoke protests in America and beyond over racial injustice, and spurred France to abruptly halt the use of police choke holds.
Reflecting the weight of the moment, the service drew the families of black victims in other high-profile killings whose names have become seared in America’s conversation over race — among them Eric Garner, Michael Brown, Ahmaud Arbery and Trayvon Martin.
“It just hurts,” said Philonise Floyd, George Floyd’s brother, sobbing as he ticked off some of their names outside The Fountain of Praise church. “We will get justice. We will get it. We will not let this door close.”
Under a blazing Texas sun, mourners wearing T-shirts with Floyd’s picture or the words “I Can’t Breathe” — the phrase he said repeatedly while pinned down by a Minneapolis police officer — waited for hours to pay their respects as Floyd’s body, dressed in a brown suit, lay in an open gold-colored casket. Some sang “Lean on Me” and Houston’s police chief bumped fists and embraced others in line. Funeral home spokeswoman La’Torria Lemon said at least 6,000 attended the service.
Some knew Floyd in the nearby housing projects where he grew up. Others travelled hours or drove in from other states. Those who couldn’t make it whipped up their own tributes: In Los Angeles, a funeral-style procession of cars inched through downtown as the viewing began in Houston. In Tennessee, residents of Memphis held a moment of silence.
Bracy Burnett approached Floyd’s casket wearing a homemade denim face mask scrawled with “8:46? — the length of time prosecutors say Floyd, who was black, was pinned to the ground under a white officer’s knee before he died.
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U.S. not investigating Prince Andrew…
Attorneys representing Britain’s Prince Andrew say they’ve been assured by the U.S. Department of Justice that he is not a target in the investigation of the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The firm, Blackfords LLP, said U.S. authorities requested the help of the son of Queen Elizabeth II for the first time in January after having investigated Epstein for 16 years. He has offered three times to do so — contrary to the statements of U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman, the firm said.
“Importantly, the DOJ advised us that the Duke is not and has never been a ‘target’ of their criminal investigations into Epstein and that they sought his confidential, voluntary co-operation,’’ the attorneys said.
The firm issued the unusual statement after reports in Britain’s Sun newspaper and on NBC that American authorities had formally requested that Andrew answer questions on the matter. He categorically denies wrongdoing and has repeatedly insisted that he was willing to co-operate with U.S. authorities.
Berman has instead said that Andrew has provided “zero co-operation” to the American investigators who want to interview him as part of their sex trafficking probe.
The contrasting views of what is going on behind the scenes came after The Sun newspaper reported that the DOJ submitted a mutual legal assistance request to Britain’s Home Office. Such requests are used in criminal cases under a treaty and are generally used when material can’t be obtained on a police co-operation basis.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 9, 2020
Provinces have been releasing plans for easing restrictions that were put in place to limit the spread of COVID-19.
Here is what some of the provinces have announced so far:
Newfoundland and Labrador
The province enters “Alert Level 3” today (June 8) in its five stage reopening plan. It means groups of up to 20 people are now permitted, as long as they observe physical distancing. Up to 19 people are allowed on public transit.
Private health clinics, such as optometrists and dentists, can open, as well as medium-risk businesses such as clothing stores and hair salons.
Travel within the province is also permitted, including to second homes, parks and campgrounds. And 11 government service centres will reopen to offer in-person services that can be booked by appointment, including written tests, driver exams and identification photos.
During Level 4 some businesses such as law firms and other professional services were allowed to reopen along with regulated child-care centres, with some restrictions.
Outdoor games of tennis were allowed to resume, though players must bring their own equipment, and not share it.
Pet grooming services began operating May 25, with companies ordered to ensure their employees have personal protective equipment.
Municipal parks, golf courses and driving ranges as well as recreational hunting and fishing were also allowed to reopen in previous weeks.
At Level 2, businesses with performance spaces and gyms are to reopen and Level 1 would represent “the new normal.”
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Nova Scotia
On May 29 Premier Stephen McNeil announced a new gathering limit of 10 people, doubling the limit of five that was imposed in late March.
Physical distancing of two metres is still required, except among members of the same household or family “bubble.” The limit is the same indoors and outdoors, with exceptions for outdoor weddings and funeral services which can have 15 people.
The gathering limit also applies to arts and culture activities such as theatre performances and dance recitals, faith gatherings, and sports and physical activity. Businesses such as theatres, concerts, festivals and sporting activities also must adhere to the 10-person limit.
Private campgrounds can now reopen, but only at 50 per cent capacity and they must ensure public health protocols are followed, including adequate distancing between campsites.
Provincial campgrounds are scheduled to open June 15 at reduced capacity to ensure a minimum of six metres between individual sites.
Licensed child-care centres and family daycare homes will also reopen across Nova Scotia on June 15.
Most businesses ordered shut in late March were allowed to reopen on June 5, if they have a plan that follows physical distancing protocols. The list of businesses includes bars and restaurant dining rooms, hair salons, barber shops, gyms and yoga studios, among others.
Some health providers will also be able to reopen, including dentistry, optometry, chiropractic and physiotherapy offices. Veterinary services will be allowed to operate along with some unregulated professions, such as massage therapy, podiatry and naturopathy.
McNeil earlier announced there would be no return to school this year. However, the province has announced an exemption to allow some public celebrations for high school graduations. Community organizations, businesses or municipalities are being allowed to hold celebrations to recognize graduates because of the loss of traditional graduation ceremonies. Strict physical distancing rules will apply. The exemption will last from June 8 to June 30.
Trails and provincial and municipal parks can reopen along with garden centres, nurseries and similar businesses, but playground equipment is still off limits.
Public beaches have reopened along with outdoor activities like archery, horseback riding, golf, paddling, boating and tennis, with the proviso that social distancing and hygiene be maintained. Sportfishing is permitted and people can attend boating, yacht or sailing clubs for the purpose of preparing boats for use.
Drive-in religious services are now allowed, if people stay in their cars, park two metres apart and there are no interactions between people.
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Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island has extended its public health emergency until June 14.
Premier Dennis King says people wanting to travel to seasonal residences must apply, and those will be put through a risk assessment before approval. Seasonal residents will also be tested for COVID-19 before completing the two weeks they must spend in self-isolation after arriving in the province.
The province moved into the third phase of its reopening plan June 1, which allows such things as in-house dining at restaurants, small groups to participate in recreational and some sporting activities and libraries to reopen. Phase three also allows gatherings of up to 15 people indoors and 20 people outdoors and the reopening of child-care centres.
As well, family and friends can visit residents at long-term care homes. The visits require an appointment and must take place outdoors.
Under phase 2, non-contact outdoor recreational activities were permitted, and retail businesses could reopen with physical distancing measures in place.
Priority non-urgent surgeries and select health-service providers, including physiotherapists, optometrists and chiropractors, resumed on May 1.
The P.E.I legislature resumed May 26.
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New Brunswick
New Brunswick moved to the “yellow phase” of its COVID-19 recovery plan on May 22, allowing barbers and hair stylists to reopen as well as churches and fitness facilities. Dental care, massage, chiropractors and other “close contact” businesses and services could also reopen.
But the Campbellton region, which extends from Whites Brook to the Belledune, had to take a step backwards to the “orange” level on May 27. Residents were told to once again avoid contacts outside their two-household bubble. Non-regulated health professionals and personal service businesses that opened May 22 also had to close again. And people should only be travelling in and out of Zone 5 for essential reasons.
Restrictions in the yellow phase of the province’s recovery plan were lifted on June 5. The activities now allowed include outdoor gatherings of up to 50 people, indoor religious services of up to 50 people, low-contact team sports and the opening of a long list of facilities including swimming pools, gyms, rinks, water parks, and yoga and dance studios.
Starting June 9, people must wear face coverings in any building open to the general public. Children under the age of two, children in daycare and people who cannot wear face coverings for medical reasons are exempt from the requirement.
Licensed daycares started reopening May 19. Children don’t have to wear masks or maintain physical distancing but are being kept in small groups.
Anyone who has travelled outside of New Brunswick will not be allowed to visit early learning and child-care facilities for 14 days.
Retail businesses, offices, restaurants, libraries, museums and seasonal campgrounds were earlier allowed to reopen providing they have clear plans for meeting public health guidelines. The resumption of elective surgeries was also part phase two of the province’s reopening plan.
Phase one, which started on April 24, allowed limited play on golf courses as well as fishing and hunting. Post-secondary students could return if it was deemed safe by the school, and outdoor church services were again permitted, providing people remain in their vehicles and are two metres apart.
The final phase, which will probably come only after a vaccine is available, will include large gatherings.
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Quebec
Quebec began allowing outdoor gatherings with a maximum of 10 people from three families with social distancing in place on May 22.
On May 25 some retail businesses reopened in the greater Montreal area. Quebec reopened retail stores outside Montreal on May 11.
Parks and pools can reopen across the province but are still be subject to physical distancing and other health measures
Day camps across the province will be allowed to open as of June 22, with physical distancing and other COVID-19 health measures in effect. That means smaller groups of children and frequent handwashing. Sleep-away summer camps won’t be allowed to reopen until next year.
Sports teams can resume outdoor practices starting today (June 8), and matches can resume at the end of the month. That includes baseball, soccer and any other sports that can be played outdoors. But players will have to keep a safe distance between them.
Lottery terminals have reopened after being shut down on March 20 with sales moving to online only.
Quebec’s construction and manufacturing industries have resumed operations with limits on the number of employees who can work per shift. Elementary schools and daycares outside Montreal reopened on May 11, but high schools, junior colleges and universities will stay closed until September.
Elementary schools in the greater Montreal area will remain closed until late August.
Courthouses across the province were permitted to reopen on June 1, with limited seating capacity and Plexiglas barriers protecting clerks and judges.
Camping is now allowed outside the Montreal and Joliette regions, as are cottage rentals.
Shopping malls, nail salons and other personal care centres are also reopening, but only outside Montreal. Hairdressers, nail salons and other personal care businesses will be able to open in the Montreal area on June 15.
Meanwhile, checkpoints set up to slow the spread of COVID-19 came down on May 18 in various parts of Quebec, including between Gatineau and Ottawa.
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Ontario
Ontario has extended its emergency orders until June 19.
The orders include banning gathering in groups larger than five and the continued closure of child care centres, bars and restaurants except for take-out and delivery, libraries except for curbside pick-up or delivery, and theatres. Playgrounds, public pools and splash pads will also remain closed under the orders.
The province recently extended its state of emergency until June 30.
Ontario began its first stage of reopening May 19 by lifting restrictions on surgeries. Most retail stores with a street entrance were also allowed to reopen with physical distancing restrictions, and curbside pickup and delivery.
The Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario says the profession is in Stage 2 of its three-phase reopening plan. Dentists had previously only been allowed to practice emergency or urgent care on patients in-person but can now offer other essential services with enhanced precautions.
All construction can resume, with limits also lifted on maintenance, repair and property management services, such as cleaning, painting and pool maintenance.
Golf courses can reopen though clubhouses can only open for washrooms and take-out food. Marinas, boat clubs and public boat launches can also open, as can private parks and campgrounds for trailers and RVs whose owners have a full season contract, and businesses that board animals.
Other businesses and services included in the stage one reopening include regular veterinary appointments, pet grooming, pet sitting and pet training; libraries for pickup or deliveries; and housekeepers and babysitters.
Drive-in movie theatres and batting cages reopened May 31 with physical distancing measures in effect.
Short-term rentals including lodges, cabins, cottages, homes and condominiums were allowed to resume operations on June 5.
Backcountry campers returned to provincial parks June 1 with certain stipulations. No more than five people can occupy a single campsite, unless they live in the same household. Provincial parks also expanded permission for picnics and off-leash pet areas.
Ontario schools will remain closed for the rest of the school year and this summer’s Honda Indy Toronto has been cancelled.
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Manitoba
The Manitoba government has lifted its one-month limit on people’s prescription drug supplies, allowing people to again get prescriptions filled or refilled for 90 days.
Its health offices, including dentists, chiropractors and physiotherapists can also reopen. Retail businesses can reopen at half occupancy providing they ensure physical spacing.
Museums and libraries can reopen, but with occupancy limited to 50 per cent.
Playgrounds, golf courses and tennis courts have reopened as well, along with parks and campgrounds.
On May 22 the province began allowing groups of up to 25 people indoors and 50 people outdoors.
On June 1, the province eased a ban on people visiting loved ones in personal care homes. Homes can now offer outdoor visits with a maximum of two guests per resident. Visitors will be screened upon arrival and must practice physical distancing.
Community centres and seniors’ clubs are also getting the go-ahead with limits on customer capacity and rules for physical distancing.
Bars, tattoo parlours, dine-in restaurants, fitness clubs and pools could reopen June 1 under limited capacity.
Elementary and high schools stopped in-class instruction in March and will not reopen this school year. But they were allowed, as of June 1, to offer tutoring or student assessments in small groups. Some extracurricular sports and other activities can restart.
At universities and colleges, some specific instruction such as labs and arts studios will be able to resume for up to 25 students and staff at a time.
Amateur sports and recreation programs, as well as bowling alleys, are on the list to resume operations.
A ban on non-essential travel to the province’s north was also eased starting June 1. Southern residents can now travel directly to cottages, campgrounds and parks, but are being told to avoid visiting northern communities.
Film productions can also resume, as well outdoor religious services with no crowd limits providing people stay in their vehicles.
Movie theatres and casinos must remain closed. Concerts, professional sporting events and other large public gatherings won’t be considered until at least September.
Manitoba has extended a province-wide state of emergency until mid-June, to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.
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Saskatchewan
The third phase of Saskatchewan’s reopening plan starts today (June 8). The province is lifting a ban on non-essential travel in the north. More businesses are also being allowed to open, including places of worship, personal care services such as nail salons and tattoo parlours, as well as gyms. Restaurants and bars can open at half capacity, with physical distancing between tables. And child-care centres can also open their doors to a maximum of 15 kids.
The province’s 10-person gathering limit also increases to 15 people indoors and to 30 people outside.
The province’s five-phase plan started May 11 with dentists, optometrists and other health professionals allowed to resume services. Phase 1 also included reopened golf courses and campgrounds.
Phase 4 could see arenas, swimming pools and playgrounds opening, while in Phase 5, the province would consider lifting restrictions on the size of public gatherings.
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Alberta
Alberta has completed the first phase of its economic relaunch. Retail shops, restaurants, day cares, barber shops, hair salons, farmers markets and places of worship have reopened with some conditions.
Outdoor gatherings are currently limited to 50 people, and indoor gatherings to 15.
The next phase is scheduled to begin June 19 with the reopening of stage and movie theatres, spas and services like manicures, pedicures and massages.
Alberta allowed some scheduled, non-urgent surgeries to start on May 11.
Service provided by dentists, physiotherapists and other medical professionals are also permitted. Golf courses reopened May 2, though pro shops and clubhouses remain shuttered.
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British Columbia
The provincial government allowed a partial reopening of the B.C. economy starting May 19.
The reopening plans are contingent on organizations and businesses having plans that follow provincial guidelines to control the spread of COVID-19. Hotels, resorts and parks will follow in June.
Parents in B.C. were given the choice of allowing their children to return to class on a part-time basis starting June 1. The government said its goal is for the return of full-time classes in September, if it’s safe.
Under the part-time plan, for kindergarten to Grade 5, most students will go to school half time, while grades 6 to 12 will go about one day a week. A mix of online and classroom post-secondary education is planned for September.
Conventions, large concerts, international tourism and professional sports with a live audience will not be allowed to resume until either a vaccine is widely available, community immunity has been reached, or effective treatment can be provided for the disease.
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Northwest Territories
The Northwest Territories announced on May 12 a three-phase reopening plan, but the government didn’t say when it would be implemented.
The plan includes more gatherings and the possible reopening of some schools and businesses. However, the territory’s borders remain closed indefinitely to non-residents and non-essential workers.
There are several requirements that must be met before any measures are relaxed: there must be no evidence of community spread; travel entry points in the territory are strong and secure; risks are reduced from workers coming into the territory; and expanded community testing is available.
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Yukon
Travel restrictions will be lifted between Yukon and B.C. after July 1 under the second phase of the territory’s pandemic restart plan.
After that date, travellers between the province and territory will no longer be required to self-isolate for 14 days.
The territory says monitoring the status of neighbouring jurisdictions will determine if it’s safe to further lift restrictions.
Yukon has been gradually easing pandemic restrictions since May 15 with dine-in restaurants, day cares and recreational centres reopening.
Territorial parks and campgrounds will open for the summer next week.
Two households of up to 10 people in total are currently able to interact with each other as part of a “household bubble.”
The territory’s reopening plan outlines five phases including a period after a vaccine is available.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 8, 2020
In The News is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to kickstart your day. Here is what’s on the radar of our editors for the morning of June 8 …
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What we are watching in Canada …
HALIFAX — More than seven weeks after a man disguised as a Mountie killed 22 people in rural Nova Scotia, the RCMP have finally hinted at what may have motivated one of the worst mass killings in Canadian history.
Last week, RCMP Supt. Darren Campbell told a briefing that a behavioural analysis of the killer determined he was an “injustice collector” — a term that is well known among criminologists.
Michael Arntfield, a professor and criminologist at Western University in London, Ont., says injustice collectors are disproportionately middle-aged males who have tabulated an inventory of every perceived slight over the course of their lives.
They can nurture grudges for years. They often feel cheated or disrespected by others, even though there may be no evidence to support those beliefs. And these negative thoughts often get stuck on an endless, self-fulfilling loop.
Witness statements, documents and police disclosures confirm the killer, 51-year-old Gabriel Wortman, displayed many of these traits — though not all the time.
Wortman killed 13 people in Portapique before slaying another nine people the following day in several communities in northern and central Nova Scotia. He was fatally shot by a Mountie at a gas station in Enfield, N.S.
In a police document used to obtain a search warrant, one witness described Wortman as a smart psychopath who had been abused as a boy and was paranoid about the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Also this …
MONTREAL — Thousands hit Montreal streets again Sunday to speak out in turn against racism, systemic discrimination and police brutality, following other Canadian communities that held marches this weekend.
Participants from different communities and of all ages crowded into a downtown Montreal square to listen to a cross-section of activists, community leaders, sports personalities and politicians before snaking peacefully through downtown Montreal to Dorchester Square, chanting “black lives matter” and “no justice, no peace” among other slogans.
They took a symbolic knee during the march — the second Sunday in a row the city has hosted one since the release of a video showing a white Minneapolis police officer kneeling on the neck of a black man, George Floyd, for nearly nine minutes.
Floyd fell still and died, the officer’s knee still on his neck.
His death has sparked demonstrations denouncing racism, violence and police impunity right across the globe and well-attended events were held Saturday in several Canadian cities, including Toronto, St. John’s, Calgary and London, Ont.
In Montreal, demonstrators called out Quebec Premier Francois Legault for his belief the province doesn’t have a systemic racism problem.
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ICYMI (In case you missed it) …
Canada’s public safety minister says the government will be paying close attention to the independent inquiry into allegations of racism and police brutality brought forward by a First Nations chief, while another minister called the chief’s account “deeply troubling.”
Public Safety Minister Bill Blair, who is a former Toronto police chief, says in a tweet that the government is “deeply concerned” by the allegations, which were made Saturday by Athabasca Chipewyan Chief Allan Adam.
Adam told a news conference that he was beaten by RCMP officers and that his wife was manhandled in March when police stopped him for an expired licence plate outside a casino in Fort McMurray.
The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team, an independent body which investigates deaths or injuries involving police, said later that day that it will investigate the incident.
Adam is facing charges of resisting arrest and assaulting police, and RCMP say the officers needed to use force during the arrest.
Indigenous Services Minister Marc Miller says in a tweet that he’s spoken twice with Adam this weekend, and that he was disturbed by what the chief told him.
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What we are watching in the U.S. …
Calls for deep police reforms gained momentum as leaders in the city where George Floyd died at the hands of an officer pushed to dismantle the entire department.
Floyd’s death sparked nationwide protests demanding a reckoning with institutional racism that have sometimes resulted in clashes with police, but many officers took a less aggressive stance over the weekend when demonstrations were overwhelmingly peaceful.
Two weeks after Floyd, an out-of-work black bouncer, died after a white Minneapolis officer pressed a knee on his neck for several minutes, a majority of the Minneapolis City Council vowed to dismantle the 800-member agency.
The state of Minnesota has launched a civil rights investigation of the Minneapolis Police Department, and the first concrete changes came when the city agreed to ban chokeholds and neck restraints.
Protesters nationwide are demanding police reforms and a reckoning with institutional racism in response to Floyd’s death, and calls to “defund the police” have become rallying cries for many.
Cities imposed curfews as several protests last week were marred by spasms of arson, assaults and smash-and-grab raids on businesses. But U.S. protests in recent days have been overwhelmingly peaceful — and over the weekend, several police departments appeared to retreat from aggressive tactics.
On Sunday, Floyd’s body arrived in Texas for a third and final memorial service, said Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo. A viewing is planned for today in Houston, followed by a service and burial Tuesday in suburban Pearland.
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What we are watching around the world …
LONDON — Travellers to Britain are now being required to go into quarantine for two weeks — a sweeping measure meant to halt the further spread of COVID-19.
Starting Monday, all passengers will be asked to fill in a form detailing where they will self-isolate, with only a few exceptions. Those who fail to comply with the quarantine rules could be fined.
Ryanair chief executive Michael O’Leary says the quarantine will cause “untold devastation” for the country’s tourism industry — not just on the airlines.
He told the BBC that hotels, visitor attractions and restaurants will also be hurt, and thousands of jobs will be lost.
New Zealand, meanwhile, says it has eradicated the coronavirus from its shores after health officials reported that the final person known to have contracted an infection had recovered.
It’s been 17 days since the last new case was reported in New Zealand, and Monday also marked the first time since late February that there have been no active cases. Health officials caution that new cases could be imported into the country, which has closed its borders to everybody but citizens and residents, with some exceptions.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 8, 2020
June is PRIDE month. In order to support the shift towards inclusion and equality, Breakfast Television is listing the top Canadian resources for LGBTQ2SA+ individuals.
Community/Support Resources
Kind: Ottawa based organization that simply provides a space where LGBT+ people can just be. They also provide personal and peer support, as well as various resources for those in need.
Egale: Canada’s leading organization for LGBTQI2S people and issues. We improve and save lives through research, education, awareness, and by advocating for human rights and equality in Canada and around the world. Our work helps create societies and systems that reflect the universal truth that all persons are equal and none is other.
Qmunity: Through publications, multimedia materials, one-on-one consultations, and interactive workshops, our Diversity and Inclusion Experts help individuals, families, businesses, schools, and service providers to identify and avoid discriminatory behaviours and to explore the complexity, fluidity, and potential of sexual and gender diversity.
LGBT Youthline: LGBT Youth Line is a Queer, Trans, Two-Spirit* youth-led organization that affirms and supports the experiences of youth (29 and under) across Ontario. We do this by providing anonymous peer support and referrals; training youth to provide support to other youth; and providing resources so youth can make informed decisions.
Youthsafe.net: Provides links to information and resources, in Alberta, for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transsexual (“LGBT”) people and allies. The website is focused on services for youth and young adults.
DailyStrength Lesbian and Gay Groups: Online chat rooms with a focus on the daily issues gay and lesbian people face, both between partners in a relationship and others.
It Gets Better Project: A nonprofit organization with a mission to uplift, empower, and connect lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer youth around the globe. Growing up isn’t easy, especially when you are trying to affirm and assert your sexual orientation and/or gender identity. It can be a challenging and isolating process – but, the good news is, no one has to do it alone.
Religious Affiliated Resources
Galva-108: This website is provided by the Gay & Lesbian Vaishnava Association, a nonprofit religious organization offering positive information and support to LGBTI Vaishnavas and Hindus, their friends, and other interested persons.
Gaychurch.org: This website provides resources to those who are looking for gay-affirming Christian churches. They provide a list of gay-affirming churches throughout the U.S. and Canada, as well as information on homosexuality and the bible and same-sex marriage.
The United Church of Canada: The United Church affirms that gender and sexuality are gifts of God and that all persons are made in the image of God. We welcome into full membership and ministry people of all sexual orientations and gender identities. The United Church is opposed to discrimination against any person on any basis by which a person is devalued
Salaam Canada:Provides resources for those who identify as both Muslim and queer/trans. They provide monthly meetings, peer support and advocacy initiatives.
Transfaith:TransACTION is a Transgender Curriculum For Churches and Religious Institutions by Barbara Satin and the Institute for Welcoming Resources/NGLTF is an interactive curriculum.
Family Resources
COLAGE:Unites people with lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and/or queer parents and caregivers into a network of peers and supports them as they nurture and empower each other to be skilled, self-confident, and just leaders in our collective communities.
Gay Parent Magazine:They are the leader in LGBT parenting resources since 1998. GPM’s focus is to support and empower LGBTQ parents and LGBTQs wishing to become first-time parents. On our pages, parents speak candidly about their experiences with adoption, foster care, egg and sperm donors, surrogacy, parenting with an ex, coming out after being in a straight marriage, co-parenting, divorce and custody issues, and discrimination.
LGBT+ Family Coalition: The LGBT+ Family Coalition is a community rights organization that advocates for the social and legal recognition of sexual- and gender-diverse families.
Gender Creative Kids:The Transgender Children’s Association Canada began in 2010 and offers a variety of resources to support and educate creative children and their families. We work in various circles with young people who are questioning, non-binary or transgender. By providing support, information and networking opportunities for parents, students, teachers, educators, health professionals, researchers, activists and young people across Canada, we hope to help transform the world into a safe space, rewarding and pleasant.
PFLAG Canada: Pflag Canada is a national charitable organization, founded by parents who wished to help themselves and their family members understand and accept their LGBTQ2S children. They provide resources, host events and help set up Pflag chapters in various regions.
Health-Related Resources
Canadian Aids Society:Committed to fighting the spread of aids through education and awareness. They provide resources for people across Canada living with HIV/AIDS or who simply want to be better educated.
Growth House: Growth House provides information and resources for end of life issues for LGBT+ families. Discrimination does not end with life so they provide resources for safe spaces and grief counselling for those impacted by an LGBT+ death.
Rainbow Couch: This UK based organization provides online/over the phone psychotherapy sessions for LGBT+ community members. The Rainbow Couch works with gender, sexual and relationship diversity: it is for you, whether you’re lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (LGBT), in or out of the closet, heterosexual, monogamous, non-monogamous, kinky or a sex worker. You can be assured of sex-positive therapy that accepts you the way you are and the way you choose to live your life.
The Trevor Project – Trevor Chat: The Trevor Project is the leading national organization providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer & questioning (LGBTQ) young people under 25.
Drug Rehab – LGBT Addiction Guide:Provides resources and information on substance abuse issues within the LGBT+ community. The LGBT+ people are at a higher risk for substance abuse and addiction than heterosexual people.
NEDA Feeding People: Information on eating disorders within the LGBT+ population. LGBTQ+ identified folks experience unique stressors that may contribute to the development of an eating disorder. While there is still much research to be done on the relationships between sexuality, gender identity, body image, and eating disorders, we know that eating disorders disproportionately impact some segments of the LGBTQ+ community.
Native Youth Sexual Health Line: The Native Youth Sexual Health Network (NYSHN) is an organization by and for Indigenous youth that works across issues of sexual and reproductive health, rights and justice throughout the United States and Canada.
Entertainment Resources
After Ellen:Works the lesbian/bi pop culture beat with a fun, feminist perspective on film, television, music, books, and sports. We also cover lifestyle issues like lesbian sex and dating, coming out, and our take on the current political climate as it affects our community.
YoHomo: The leading site for the cities LGBTQ2SA+ events and stories.
LGBT+ Homelessness Resources
LGBTQ2S Toolkit:Their mission is to make it better for LGBTQ2S youth experiencing homelessness. They provide this toolkit with resources and information on homelessness throughout the LGBT Youth community.
The 519 Housing Services: This Toronto based community centre has resources and programs for LGBT+ community members in the housing crisis. Along with housing services they also host a LGBTQ2S+ Roommate Mixer, which occurs on the first Wednesday of every month between 4 and 6pm.
Have any suggestions for our list? email them to feedback@breakfasttelevision.ca!
In The News is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to kickstart your day. Here is what’s on the radar of our editors for the morning of June 5 …
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What we are watching in Canada …
Demonstrators plan to march from Parliament Hill through Ottawa streets in mid-afternoon today to honour black lives lost at the hands of police.
A similarly themed Toronto march is slated to proceed south in the early afternoon from the Bloor-Yonge subway station, circling back north to city hall.
The demonstrations follow days of protests across the United States after a video showed Minneapolis police killing a black man, George Floyd, unleashing a torrent of anger over persistent racism.
A police officer knelt on Floyd’s neck for nearly nine minutes while he pleaded that he couldn’t breathe.
The Ottawa event is being organized by No Peace Until Justice, formed by a young black woman.
The group says its goal is to bring together black activists and organizations and allies to stand in solidarity against police brutality and societal racism.
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Also this …
Statistics Canada will provide a new snapshot today of the job market as it stood last month with expectations that figures will show a continued bleeding of jobs due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
More than three million jobs were lost over March and April as restrictions to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus were put in place.
The average economist estimate is for the loss of 500,000 jobs in May and for the unemployment rate to rise to 15.0 per cent, according to financial markets data firm Refinitiv.
If that happens, it will push the unemployment rate past the 13.1 per cent set in December 1982 to its highest level in more than four decades of comparable data.
The actual figure will be influenced by how many people gave up looking for a job because they are not counted in the unemployment rate.
In April, the unemployment rate would have been 17.8 per cent instead of 13 per cent had the report counted among the unemployed those who stopped looking for work — likely because the economic shutdown has limited job opportunities.
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COVID-19 in Canada …
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is to offer premiers billions in federal funding to help them safely reopen provincial and territorial economies without triggering an explosive second wave of COVID-19 cases.
Trudeau is expected to present the offer to premiers during their weekly conference call today — the twelfth such call since the pandemic sent the country into lockdown in mid-March.
Precise details, including how to allocate each province’s share of the cash, are to be negotiated in the coming days, but federal officials hope agreements can be reached quickly to get the money flowing fast.
The offer comes with some strings attached, according to federal officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss it publicly.
Trudeau is offering to transfer the money to provincial and territorial governments, provided they agree to spend it on a number of areas the federal government considers necessary to reduce the risk of a second surge of the deadly coronavirus.
They include testing, contact tracing, personal protective equipment, bolstering municipalities, helping the most vulnerable Canadians and strengthening the health care system, possibly including improving conditions in long-term care homes linked to more than 80 per cent of the deaths in Canada so far.
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What we are watching in the U.S. …
Celebrities, musicians and political leaders gathered in front of George Floyd’s golden casket Thursday for a fiery memorial service for the man whose death at the hands of police sparked global protests, with a civil rights leader declaring it is time for black people to demand, “Get your knee off our necks!”
The service — the first in a series of memorials set for three cities over six days — unfolded in Minneapolis at a sanctuary at North Central University as a judge a few blocks away set bail at $750,000 each for the three fired police officers charged with aiding and abetting murder in Floyd’s death.
“George Floyd’s story has been the story of black folks. Because ever since 401 years ago, the reason we could never be who we wanted and dreamed to be is you kept your knee on our neck,” the Rev. Al Sharpton said in a fierce eulogy. “It’s time for us to stand up in George’s name and say, ‘Get your knee off our necks!’”
Floyd, a 46-year-old out-of-work bouncer, died May 25 after a white police officer, Derek Chauvin, put his knee on Floyd’s neck for several minutes as he lay handcuffed on the pavement, gasping that he couldn’t breathe. Chauvin has been charged with murder, and he and the others could get up to 40 years in prison.
From coast to coast, and from Paris and London to Sydney and Rio de Janeiro, the chilling cellphone video of Floyd’s slow death has set off turbulent and sometimes violent demonstrations against police brutality, racism and inequality. Some protests continued Thursday.
Those gathered at the Minneapolis tribute stood in silence for 8 minutes, 46 seconds, the amount of time Floyd was alleged to be on the ground under the control of police.
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COVID-19 in Sports …
The NHL’s return-to-play plan came into even sharper focus Thursday.
If the league is able to resume the pandemic-hit 2019-20 season this summer, its playoffs will feature the usual four rounds of best-of-seven series after the qualifying portion of the schedule.
The NHL announced the 24-team format last week, but had yet to iron out some of the specifics, including whether or not the first two rounds of the playoffs would be best-of-five or best-best of seven.
Meanwhile, the NBA’s Board of Governors has approved a 22-team format for restarting the league season in late July at the Disney campus near Orlando, Florida.
The format calls for each team playing eight games to determine playoff seeding plus the possible utilization of a play-in tournament for the final spot in the Eastern Conference and Western Conference post-season fields. The National Basketball Players Association has a call on Friday to approve the plan as well.
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ICYMI (In case you missed it) …
Tomas Manasek says he’s thrilled that his beliefs about Alberta independence didn’t end up costing him his personalized FREE AB licence plate.
Manasek won a battle to get a licence plate initially rejected by the Alberta Registrar of Motor Vehicles.
A rejection letter said the plate didn’t fit within the department’s guidelines.
“They said it doesn’t fit with the guidelines of the program and that they have a right to refuse anything deemed inappropriate. I guess asking for freedom and democracy is deemed inappropriate,” Manasek said.
Manasek, an Alberta Independence Party candidate in last year’s provincial election, fought the ruling with help from the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms.
“This plate is not offensive. It’s not vulgar, so I fail to see any reasons for the rejection,” he says
“My personal views shouldn’t make a difference. I think our democracy is strong enough to be generous. I’m entitled to my views and I am entitled to promote them.”
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 5, 2020
As protests over the death of George Floyd continue across the globe, here at home a new poll has found that most Canadians feel prejudice against visible minorities in our country is a “serious problem.”
In this poll, which was conducted by Dart and Maru/Blue, 69 per cent of respondents said prejudice is a “serious problem.” On the other spectrum, 31 per cent said they didn’t see it as a critical problem — with four per cent saying it isn’t a problem at all. This view was found more often in British Columbia and Quebec.
However, 70 per cent of those asked thought race relations are generally good throughout Canada, especially in their own neighbourhood and community or municipality. As well, 68 per cent surveyed said they believe race relationship with the local police department are also generally good.
“The issue that this poll really started to look at was – do Canadians overall see it? Do they feel it? Do they believe that it exists?” John Wright, a pollster for Dart and Maru/Blue, explained.
“They do believe it exists but they’re not experiencing it, they’re not feeling it, they’re not recognizing it in terms of where they are and I guess, some would say, that’s because they don’t come into contact with it. They’re relationships are different.”
Of those who said they believed race relations in Canada are “generally bad,” the majority (32 per cent) live in Alberta, followed by Atlantic Canada (27 per cent).
Ontario landed roughly in the middle when asked both questions, with 68 per cent saying “generally good” and 25 per cent saying “generally bad.”
But are we better in Canada than we were in 2010?
Only three out of 10 people asked said yes. One third said they felt race relations have improved in their municipalities and one third said they felt relationships with local police was better. The poll found the majority of those who voted positively lived in Quebec.
When it comes to police, Ontario is most likely to say race relations with local police is worse than it was 10 years ago, followed by Alberta.
Overall Quebec felt it has the best, and most improved race relations across the country while Alberta has the worst race relations.
As well, men aged 55 and up — who have a post-secondary school education and earn more than $100,000 a year — are more likely (55 per cent) to believe race relations were much better across Canada than younger Canadians between the age of 18 and 37, and women.
The survey was conducted among 1,525 randomly selected Canadian adults who are members of Maru/Blue’s online panel on June 3. It is considered accurate to within plus or minus 3.9 percentage points.
Provinces have been releasing plans for easing restrictions that were put in place to limit the spread of COVID-19.
Here is what some of the provinces have announced so far:
Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador announced on May 29 that “bubbles” that had been limited to two households could invite six additional people into their circle.
Small gatherings for funerals, burials and weddings had already been allowed with a limit of 10 people following physical distancing rules. However, parties or other social gatherings are still banned.
Outdoor games of tennis have been allowed to resume, though players must bring their own equipment, and not share it.
Pet grooming services began operating May 25, with companies ordered to ensure their employees have personal protective equipment.
Municipal parks, golf courses and driving ranges can open and recreational hunting and fishing are permitted.
The province is in “alert level four” in its five-level reopening plan, allowing some businesses such as law firms and other professional services to reopen along with regulated child-care centres, with some restrictions.
At Level 3, private health clinics, such as optometrists and dentists, will be allowed to open, as well as medium-risk businesses such as clothing stores and hair salons. Overnight camping will also be permitted at level three, though there’s no word yet when that will happen.
At Level 2, some small gatherings will be allowed, and businesses with performance spaces and gyms are to reopen.
Level 1 would represent “the new normal.”
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Nova Scotia
On May 29 Premier Stephen McNeil announced a new gathering limit of 10 people, doubling the limit of five that was imposed in late March.
Physical distancing of two metres is still required, except among members of the same household or family “bubble.” The limit is the same indoors and outdoors, with exceptions for outdoor weddings and funeral services which can have 15 people.
The gathering limit also applies to arts and culture activities such as theatre performances and dance recitals, faith gatherings, and sports and physical activity. Businesses such as theatres, concerts, festivals and sporting activities also must adhere to the 10-person limit.
Private campgrounds can reopen, but only at 50 per cent capacity and they must ensure public health protocols are followed, including adequate distancing between campsites.
Provincial campgrounds are scheduled to open June 15 at reduced capacity to ensure a minimum of six metres between individual sites.
Most businesses ordered shut in late March will be allowed to reopen June 5, if they have a plan that follows physical distancing protocols. The list of businesses includes bars and restaurant dining rooms, hair salons, barber shops, gyms and yoga studios, among others.
Some health providers will also be able to reopen, including dentistry, optometry, chiropractic and physiotherapy offices. Veterinary services will be allowed to operate along with some unregulated professions, such as massage therapy, podiatry and naturopathy.
McNeil earlier announced there would be no return to school this year, and a decision on reopening daycares would be made by June 8.
Trails and provincial and municipal parks can now reopen along with garden centres, nurseries and similar businesses, but playground equipment is still off limits.
Public beaches have reopened along with outdoor activities like archery, horseback riding, golf, paddling, boating and tennis, with the proviso that social distancing and hygiene be maintained. Sportfishing is permitted and people can attend boating, yacht or sailing clubs for the purpose of preparing boats for use.
Drive-in religious services are now allowed, if people stay in their cars, park two metres apart and there are no interactions between people.
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Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island has extended its public health emergency until June 14.
Premier Dennis King says people wanting to travel to seasonal residences must apply beginning June 1, and those will be put through a risk assessment before approval. Seasonal residents will also be tested for COVID-19 before completing the two weeks they must spend in self-isolation after arriving in the province.
The province moved into the third phase of its reopening plan June 1, which allows such things as in-house dining at restaurants, small groups to participate in recreational and some sporting activities and libraries to reopen. Phase three also allows gatherings of up to 15 people indoors and 20 people outdoors and the reopening of child-care centres.
As well, family and friends can visit residents at long-term care homes. The visits require an appointment and must take place outdoors.
Under phase 2, non-contact outdoor recreational activities were permitted, and retail businesses could reopen with physical distancing measures in place.
Priority non-urgent surgeries and select health-service providers, including physiotherapists, optometrists and chiropractors, resumed on May 1.
The P.E.I legislature resumed May 26.
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New Brunswick
New Brunswick moved to the “yellow phase” of its COVID-19 recovery plan on May 22, allowing barbers and hair stylists to reopen as well as churches and fitness facilities. Dental care, massage, chiropractors and other “close contact” businesses and services could also reopen.
But the Campbellton region, which extends from Whites Brook to the Belledune, had to take a step backwards to the “orange” level on May 27. Residents were told to once again avoid contacts outside their two-household bubble. Non-regulated health professionals and personal service businesses that opened May 22 also had to close again. And people should only be travelling in and out of Zone 5 for essential reasons.
Restrictions in the yellow phase of the province’s recovery plan will be lifted beginning June 5. The activities include outdoor gatherings of up to 50 people, indoor religious services of up to 50 people, low-contact team sports and the opening of a long list of facilities including swimming pools, gyms, rinks, water parks, and yoga and dance studios.
Licensed daycares started reopening May 19. Children don’t have to wear masks or maintain physical distancing but are being kept in small groups.
Anyone who has travelled outside of New Brunswick will not be allowed to visit early learning and child-care facilities for 14 days.
Retail businesses, offices, restaurants, libraries, museums and seasonal campgrounds were earlier allowed to reopen providing they have clear plans for meeting public health guidelines. The resumption of elective surgeries was also part phase two of the province’s reopening plan.
Phase one, which started on April 24, allowed limited play on golf courses as well as fishing and hunting. Post-secondary students could return if it was deemed safe by the school, and outdoor church services were again permitted, providing people remain in their vehicles and are two metres apart.
The final phase, which will probably come only after a vaccine is available, will include large gatherings.
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Quebec
Quebec began allowing outdoor gatherings with a maximum of 10 people from three families with social distancing in place on May 22.
On May 25 some retail businesses reopened in the greater Montreal area. Quebec reopened retail stores outside Montreal on May 11.
Parks and pools can reopen across the province but are still be subject to physical distancing and other health measures
Day camps across the province will be allowed to open as of June 22, with physical distancing and other COVID-19 health measures in effect. That means smaller groups of children and frequent handwashing. Sleep-away summer camps won’t be allowed to reopen until next year.
Lottery terminals are also reopening after being shut down on March 20 with sales moving to online only.
Quebec’s construction and manufacturing industries have resumed operations with limits on the number of employees who can work per shift. Elementary schools and daycares outside Montreal reopened on May 11, but high schools, junior colleges and universities will stay closed until September.
Elementary schools in the greater Montreal area will remain closed until late August.
Courthouses across the province were permitted to reopen starting June 1, with limited seating capacity and Plexiglas barriers protecting clerks and judges.
Camping is now allowed outside the Montreal and Joliette regions, as are cottage rentals.
Shopping malls, nail salons and other personal care centres are also reopening, but only outside Montreal.
Hairdressers, nail salons and other personal care businesses will be able to open in the Montreal area on June 15.
Meanwhile, checkpoints set up to slow the spread of COVID-19 came down on May 18 in various parts of Quebec, including between Gatineau and Ottawa.
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Ontario
Ontario began its first stage of reopening May 19 including lifting restrictions on retail stores and surgeries.
The province says workplaces can begin to reopen but working from home should continue as much as possible.
The Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario says the profession is currently in Stage 2 of its three-phase reopening plan. Dentists had previously only been allowed to practice emergency or urgent care on patients in-person but can now offer other essential services with enhanced precautions.
All construction can resume, with limits also lifted on maintenance, repair and property management services, such as cleaning, painting and pool maintenance.
Most retail stores with a street entrance can reopen with physical distancing restrictions, and curbside pickup and delivery.
Golf courses can reopen though clubhouses can only open for washrooms and take-out food. Marinas, boat clubs and public boat launches can also open, as can private parks and campgrounds for trailers and RVs whose owners have a full season contract, and businesses that board animals.
Other businesses and services included in the stage one reopening include regular veterinary appointments, pet grooming, pet sitting and pet training; libraries for pickup or deliveries; and housekeepers and babysitters.
Drive-in movie theatres and batting cages reopened May 31 with physical distancing measures in effect.
Backcountry campers returned to provincial parks June 1 with certain stipulations. No more than five people can occupy a single campsite, unless they live in the same household. Provincial parks will also expand permission for picnics and off-leash pet areas.
Premier Doug Ford earlier announced that Ontario schools would remain closed for the rest of the school year.
Meanwhile, this summer’s Honda Indy Toronto has been cancelled.
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Manitoba
The Manitoba government has lifted its one-month limit on people’s prescription drug supplies, allowing people to again get prescriptions filled or refilled for 90 days.
Its health offices, including dentists, chiropractors and physiotherapists can also reopen. Retail businesses can reopen at half occupancy providing they ensure physical spacing.
Museums and libraries can reopen, but with occupancy limited to 50 per cent.
Playgrounds, golf courses and tennis courts have reopened as well, along with parks and campgrounds.
On May 22 the province began allowing groups of up to 25 people indoors and 50 people outdoors.
On June 1, the province eased a ban on people visiting loved ones in personal care homes.
Homes can now offer outdoor visits with a maximum of two guests per resident. Visitors will be screened upon arrival and must practice physical distancing.
Community centres and seniors’ clubs are also getting the go-ahead with limits on customer capacity and rules for physical distancing.
Bars, tattoo parlours, dine-in restaurants, fitness clubs and pools could reopen June 1 under limited capacity.
Elementary and high schools stopped in-class instruction in March and will not reopen this school year. But they were allowed, as of June 1, to offer tutoring or student assessments in small groups. Some extracurricular sports and other activities can restart.
At universities and colleges, some specific instruction such as labs and arts studios will be able to resume for up to 25 students and staff at a time.
Amateur sports and recreation programs, as well as bowling alleys, are on the list to resume operations.
A ban on non-essential travel to the province’s north was also eased starting June 1. Southern residents can now travel directly to cottages, campgrounds and parks, but are being told to avoid visiting northern communities.
Film productions can also resume, as well outdoor religious services with no crowd limits providing people stay in their vehicles.
Movie theatres and casinos must remain closed. Concerts, professional sporting events and other large public gatherings won’t be considered until at least September.
Manitoba has extended a province-wide state of emergency until mid-June, to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.
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Saskatchewan
The Saskatchewan government’s five-phase plan to reopen its economy started May 11 with dentists, optometrists and other health professionals allowed to resume services. Phase 1 also includes reopened golf courses and campgrounds.
Under phases 2 and 3 the province says restaurants, gyms and nail salons can start reopening on June 8. Restaurants will be allowed to operate at half capacity and restrictions will also lift on some personal care services, childcare centres and places of worship. The government also plans to increase its 10-person gathering limit to 15 people indoors and to 30 for those outdoors.
Phase 4 could see arenas, swimming pools and playgrounds opening, while in Phase 5, the province would consider lifting restrictions on the size of public gatherings.
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Alberta
Alberta has completed the first phase of its economic relaunch. Retail shops, restaurants, day cares, barber shops, hair salons, farmers markets and places of worship have reopened with some conditions.
Outdoor gatherings are currently limited to 50 people, and indoor gatherings to 15.
The next phase is scheduled to begin June 19 with the reopening of stage and movie theatres, spas and services like manicures, pedicures and massages.
Alberta allowed some scheduled, non-urgent surgeries to start on May 11.
Service provided by dentists, physiotherapists and other medical professionals are also permitted. Golf courses reopened May 2, though pro shops and clubhouses remain shuttered.
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British Columbia
The provincial government allowed a partial reopening of the B.C. economy starting May 19.
The reopening plans are contingent on organizations and businesses having plans that follow provincial guidelines to control the spread of COVID-19. Hotels, resorts and parks will follow in June.
Parents in B.C. were given the choice of allowing their children to return to class on a part-time basis starting June 1. The government says its goal is for the return of full-time classes in September, if it’s safe.
Under the part-time plan, for kindergarten to Grade 5, most students will go to school half time, while grades 6 to 12 will go about one day a week. A mix of online and classroom post-secondary education is planned for September.
Conventions, large concerts, international tourism and professional sports with a live audience will not be allowed to resume until either a vaccine is widely available, community immunity has been reached, or effective treatment can be provided for the disease.
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Northwest Territories
The Northwest Territories announced on May 12 a three-phase reopening plan, but the government didn’t say when it would be implemented.
The plan includes more gatherings and the possible reopening of some schools and businesses. However, the territory’s borders remain closed indefinitely to non-residents and non-essential workers.
There are several requirements that must be met before any measures are relaxed: there must be no evidence of community spread; travel entry points in the territory are strong and secure; risks are reduced from workers coming into the territory; and expanded community testing is available.
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Yukon
Travel restrictions will be lifted between Yukon and B.C. after July 1 under the second phase of the territory’s pandemic restart plan.
After that date, travellers between the province and territory will no longer be required to self-isolate for 14 days.
The territory says monitoring the status of neighbouring jurisdictions will determine if it’s safe to further lift restrictions.
Yukon has been gradually easing pandemic restrictions since May 15 with dine-in restaurants, day cares and recreational centres reopening.
Territorial parks and campgrounds will open for the summer next week.
Two households of up to 10 people in total are currently able to interact with each other as part of a “household bubble.”
The territory’s reopening plan outlines five phases including a period after a vaccine is available.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 4, 2020
In The News is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to kickstart your day. Here is what’s on the radar of our editors for the morning of June 4 …
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American anti-racism protests …
Prosecutors charged three more police officers in the death of George Floyd and filed a new, tougher charge against the officer at the centre of the case, delivering a victory to protesters who have filled the streets from coast to coast to fight police brutality and racial injustice.
The most serious charge was filed against Derek Chauvin, who was caught on video pressing his knee to Floyd’s neck and now must defend himself against an accusation of second-degree murder. The three other officers at the scene were charged for the first time with aiding and abetting second-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.
All four were fired last week. If convicted, they could be sentenced to up to four decades in prison.
Chauvin was initially charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. Those charges still stand.
The new second-degree murder charge alleges that Chauvin caused Floyd’s death without intent while committing another felony, namely third-degree assault. It carries a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison, compared with a maximum of 25 years for third-degree murder.
The other officers — Thomas Lane, J. Kueng and Tou Thao — face the same maximum penalties for aiding and abetting. All three men were in custody by Wednesday evening. Chauvin was arrested last week and is still being held.
The multiple charges against each officer would offer a jury more options to find them guilty.
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Anti-racism in Canada …
B.C. Premier John Horgan is calling on the federal government to lead an anti-racism program, saying fighting racism needs a nationwide plan to ensure the participation and support of Canadians.
The premier said Wednesday he will lobby for a national anti-racism program during a conference call with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his fellow premiers Thursday.
Horgan said he’s horrified by the death of George Floyd in the United States and saddened by the unfolding situation as protests continue in cities across America.
“We are pretty clear in B.C. that again we are wanting to push as hard as we can for national approaches to these vexing problems,” he said at a news conference. “We have enough to deal with here in B.C. by ourselves, but if we are aided by a federal program and a federal initiative that has us all working together from coast to coast to coast, I think that lifts up all Canadians.”
Horgan said a federal plan, supported by the provinces, will add strength to messages of anti-racism in Canada.
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COVID-19 in Canada …
Federal prison chaplains say the spiritual needs of inmates have become an unnecessary casualty of the COVID-19 pandemic at a time when offenders are feeling particularly vulnerable and alone.
The Correctional Service of Canada is allowing only emergency in-person visits from chaplains to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus.
The correctional service says it is ensuring inmates have access to spiritual guidance from chaplains via telephone or other technology as a temporary alternative.
The chaplains, however, say few inmates even know about such options, let alone have a chance to use them. In some cases, technological hurdles are preventing prisoners from connecting with chaplains.
It means many inmates no longer have regular contact with a person they trust, said one chaplain who works with offenders at a federal prison in Ontario.
“It’s just not a good situation and the tensions are rising, and there’s a lot of fear and isolation,” she said in an interview.
“They need something to reach out to, and have something there.”
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Also this …
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will take part today in his third international summit in a week as Canada campaigns for a coveted seat on the UN’s Security Council on a platform of helping to rebuild the post-pandemic world.
Today’s summit, hosted by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, is aimed at ensuring poor countries will have ready access to an eventual vaccine for the deadly coronavirus that causes COVID-19.
Trudeau will be joining leaders from 50 countries and major organizations, including philanthropists Bill and Melinda Gates, at the international pledging conference, which hopes to raise nearly $10 billion for GAVI, the Vaccine Alliance — the leading agency for distributing vaccines to less-developed countries.
He has already announced Canada’s five-year, $600-million pledge to GAVI, which has immunized 760 million children and prevented 13 million deaths in the world’s poorest countries since 2000.
Trudeau’s participation in today’s virtual conference comes one day after he delivered an address to a virtual summit of the Organisation of African, Caribbean, and Pacific States.
He told that summit Canada is committed to helping developing countries, hardest hit by the pandemic, to survive the crisis — underlining a message he delivered last week when he co-hosted a United Nations-sponsored conference aimed at developing a co-ordinated global recovery plan that leaves no country behind.
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Nova Scotia shooting update …
Nova Scotia RCMP are expected to provide an update today on their investigation into the mass killing in April that claimed the lives of 22 victims.
It’s been more than a month since the Mounties have held such a briefing — though the police force did provide an update in a statement on May 11.
Investigators have yet to reveal key details about the shooting rampage, which started late on April 18 and continued for the next 13 hours across northern and central Nova Scotia.
Among other things, police have offered few details about the weapons the killer used or how he obtained them.
They have said three of the four semi-automatic weapons came from the United States.
Gun control advocates say details about the firearms are important to the discussion surrounding the federal government’s move to ban 1,500 military-style assault firearms.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 4, 2020
OTTAWA — The Department of National Defence stands accused of trying to take advantage of the COVID-19 pandemic to withhold information from Parliament and Canadians.
There has been widespread concern about federal departments failing to respond to access-to-information requests since the crisis first started in earnest in March, but the Opposition Conservatives say the problem is much worse at the Defence Department.
“By far National Defence is the worst offender,” said Conservative defence critic James Bezan. “There seems to be a systemic breakdown in being transparent in the department, or there’s intentional disregard for what Canadians have been requesting.”
The allegation stems from the department’s failure in recent months to respond to a large number of questions on the order paper, which are one of the primary means for members of Parliament to get information about the inner workings of federal departments.
Departments have 45 days to respond to order paper questions, which include everything from the number of veterans receiving government-subsidized Viagra to how much the government spent on advertising to the number of RCMP officers by province.
Yet in more than a dozen recent requests, the Defence Department did not respond. One of those asked how many government ships had broken down in the last year. While the Canadian Coast Guard provided a response, the Defence Department did not.
“During the unprecedented COVID-19 situation, public servants are required to work remotely and have limited access to the tools and files requested,” the department wrote in response to a recent request by Conservative MP Lianne Rood.
Bezan also flagged concerns about testimony from parliamentary budget officer Yves Giroux to a House of Commons’ committee last week about the watchdog’s request for updated information on the government’s plan to invest billions in new military kit.
“We were supposed to get the information on time to provide parliamentarians with an update,” Giroux told the standing committee on government operations and estimates on Friday.
“May was the target date for us, but we didn’t get the information on time. … We were told it will be delayed by a couple of weeks, but we have not received it yet.”
The Liberal government’s defence policy unveiled in 2017 promised $553 billion in defence spending over the next two decades, though it has been slow in getting that money out the door.
The Defence Department acknowledged it had failed to respond to 17 order paper questions in April and May and was unable to provide the information that Giroux asked to see about the planned defence spending, citing COVID-19 as the reason.
“Work on the request the PBO referred to has, in fact, been impacted by COVID-19 given the requirements for our analysts to work from secure systems inaccessible from home,” Defence Department spokesman Daniel Le Bouthillier said an in email.
He went on to blame personnel having “limited access to certain records and databases” and “key military staff” being tasked with supporting the government’s COVID-19 response for not responding to the order paper question.
At the same time, Le Bouthillier said officials did respond to 12 order paper questions while Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan’s office said officials helped the budget officer analyze the cost of the military’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic in April.
“The Department of National Defence and the women and men of the Canadian Armed Forces have been working around the clock helping Canadians during this pandemic,” Sajjan’s spokesman, Todd Lane, said in a statement.
“Despite the challenges that the pandemic has posed, we remain committed to transparency and being accountable to Parliament.”
Bezan nonetheless accused the government and department of failing to provide information to Canadians and parliamentarians, whose job is to hold the government to account.
“At the beginning (of the pandemic), I would say they had the right to make those decisions,” he said. “But we’re getting to a point now that this has become a government and Minister Sajjan, in particular, stonewalling the accountability aspect of his role.”
If there are legitimate concerns, he added, efforts should be underway to install proper protocols and provide adequate safety equipment to let defence officials return to their offices and “fulfil the obligations the government has to Parliament.”
Treasury Board President Jean-Yves Duclos, who is responsible for public access to government information, sent a letter to his cabinet colleagues last week reminding them of the need for transparency even during the COVID-19 pandemic
The message followed calls from information commissioner Caroline Maynard, the Canadian Association of Journalists and an ad-hoc accountability group for concrete actions to ensure transparency during the crisis.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 3, 2020.
In The News is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to kickstart your day. Here is what’s on the radar of our editors for the morning of June 3 …
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American anti-racism protests …
Undeterred by curfews, protesters streamed back into the nation’s streets Tuesday, hours after President Donald Trump pressed governors to put down the violence set off by George Floyd’s death and demanded that New York call up the National Guard to stop the “lowlifes and losers.”
But most protests passed peacefully, and while there were scattered reports of looting in New York City, the country appeared calmer by late Tuesday than it did a day earlier, when violence swept through multiple cities.
The president, meanwhile, amplified his hard-line calls from Monday, when he threatened to send in the military to restore order if governors didn’t do it.
“NYC, CALL UP THE NATIONAL GUARD,” he tweeted. “The lowlifes and losers are ripping you apart. Act fast!”
One day after a crackdown on peaceful protesters near the White House, thousands of demonstrators massed a block away from the presidential mansion, facing law enforcement personnel standing behind a black chain-link fence. The fence was put up overnight to block access to Lafayette Park, just across the street from the White House.
“Last night pushed me way over the edge,” said Jessica DeMaio, 40, of Washington, who attended a Floyd protest Tuesday for the first time. “Being here is better than being at home feeling helpless.”
The crowd remained in place after the city’s 7 p.m. curfew passed, defying warnings that the response from law enforcement could be even more forceful. But the protest lacked the tension of the previous nights’ demonstrations. The crowd Tuesday was peaceful, even polite. At one point, the crowd booed when a protester climbed a light post and took down a street sign. A chant went up: “Peaceful protest!”
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COVID-19 in Canada …
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will continue today to make the case for a co-ordinated global response to cushion the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the world’s poorest countries.
He’ll be among the leaders and heads of state to deliver remarks during a virtual summit of the Organization of African, Caribbean, and Pacific States (OACPS).
Among other things, he is expected to promise that Canada will partner with developing countries, which stand to be the hardest hit by the pandemic, and help to rally the world behind measures like debt relief to help them survive the crisis.
That is similar to the message Trudeau delivered last week while co-hosting a major United Nations summit, alongside UN secretary general Antonio Guterres and Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness.
Without a global co-ordinated recovery plan, the UN estimates the pandemic could slash nearly US$8.5 trillion from the world economy over the next two years, forcing 34.3 million people into extreme poverty this year and potentially 130 million more over the course of the decade.
While no country has escaped the economic ravages of the deadly novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19, developing countries, already in debt distress before the pandemic, cannot afford the kinds of emergency benefits and economic stimulus measures undertaken in wealthy, industrialized countries like Canada.
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And this …
Nova Scotia’s largest nursing home is planning for a future of private rooms to keep residents safe, but it has taken a wrenching pandemic death toll to create the shift — and it remains unclear whether government will fund a long-term fix.
“We’re currently down to fewer than 25 rooms with shared accommodations at the Halifax campus,” Janet Simm, the Northwood facility’s chief executive, said in a recent interview.
That’s a huge shift from before the pandemic when more than 240 residents lived in two- or three-person units. Now, fewer than 50 people remain in the shared spaces, some of whom are couples or others who specifically request a roommate, Simm said.
But the facility’s desire to create more space, which its board sought for years before the pandemic, unfolded through tragedy rather than design.
COVID-19 illnesses spread among the 485 residents after asymptomatic workers brought the virus there in early April, and Simm says the bulk of the 53 who had died, as of Tuesday, and the 240 infected were in shared units.
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COVID-19 in sports …
Khari Jones doesn’t have to look far for a reminder that racism exists in Canada.
The Montreal Alouettes head coach divulged during a teleconference Tuesday he received death threats while he was the quarterback of the CFL’s Winnipeg Blue Bombers because of his interracial marriage. Jones is black and his wife, Justine, is white.
An emotional Jones — speaking just over a week after a white policeman kneeled on the neck of a black man, resulting in a tragic death in Minneapolis — said the threats came in the form of letters that remain in his possession.
“It’s just a reminder you always have to be on alert a little bit,” Jones said. “It could’ve been one person but one is still too many and to do that on the basis of a person’s skin colour is horrible.
“Every once in a while, every blue moon I take a look at them. They never found the person who wrote the letters — he used a fake name — but he’s still out there, people like him are still out there. That was 20-something years ago and it’s still happening.”
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Interest rate announcement looms …
The Bank of Canada is expected to keep its key interest rate unchanged this morning on the first day of governor Tiff Macklem’s tenure.
Economists expect the central bank will maintain its target for the overnight rate at 0.25 per cent, which former governor Stephen Poloz has repeatedly said is as low as it can go.
Poloz and the bank’s governing council would have met over the past few days and finalized the rate decision last night.
Macklem likely would have been part of the meetings, but it’s unlikely that the language of the rate announcement will fully capture his views.
Instead of focusing on the rate itself, experts say they will be paying close attention to the language used in the rate announcement about the expected path for the economy in the coming weeks and months.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 3, 2020
OTTAWA — As protesters keep up their anti-racism rallies on both sides of the border, top health officials are hoping they don’t forget about the risk of COVID-19.
Canadian health officials are not suggesting people avoid protests, but they are stressing the importance of hand sanitizer and masks.
With physical distance being nearly impossible in some of these settings, rally-goers may have to find other ways to try to keep themselves safe.
Protests have taken place in several Canadian cities in the aftermath of a black man dying last week in Minneapolis after a white police officer pressed a knee into his neck.
George Floyd’s death has sent throngs into the streets in several U.S. and Canadian cities to decry systemic racism and police brutality.
Meanwhile, House of Commons Speaker Anthony Rota is scheduled today to appear at a committee on procedure and House affairs.
He is expected to discuss the hybrid parliament and how it is functioning during the pandemic.
The Senate finance committee also meets today with many major industry leaders set to appear.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 2, 2020
In The News is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to kickstart your day. Here is what’s on the radar of our editors for the morning of June 2 …
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American anti-racism protests …
Wielding extraordinary federal authority, President Donald Trump threatened the nation’s governors that he would deploy the military to states if they did not stamp out violent protests over police brutality that have roiled the nation over the past week. His announcement came as police under federal command forced back peaceful demonstrators with tear gas so he could walk to a nearby church and pose with a Bible.
Trump’s bellicose rhetoric came as the nation convulsed through another round of violence over the death of George Floyd at a time when the country is already buckling under the coronavirus outbreak and the Depression-level unemployment it has caused. The president demanded an end to the heated protests in remarks from the White House Rose Garden and vowed to use more force to achieve that aim.
If governors throughout the country do not deploy the National Guard in sufficient numbers to “dominate the streets,” Trump said the U.S. military would step in to “quickly solve the problem for them.”
“We have the greatest country in the world,” the president declared. “We’re going to keep it safe.”
A military deployment by Trump to U.S. states would mark a stunning federal intervention rarely seen in modern American history. Yet the message Trump appeared to be sending with the brazen pushback of protesters outside the White House was that he sees few limits to what he is willing to do.
Some around the president likened the moment to 1968, when Richard Nixon ran as the law-and-order candidate in the aftermath of a summer of riots, capturing the White House. But despite his efforts to portray himself as a political outsider, Trump is an incumbent who risks being held responsible for the violence.
Minutes before Trump began speaking, police and National Guard soldiers began aggressively forcing back hundreds of peaceful protesters who had gathered in Lafayette Park, across the street from the White House, where they were chanting against police brutality and Floyd’s death in Minneapolis. As Trump spoke, tear gas canisters could be heard exploding.
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Also this …
As protesters keep up their anti-racism rallies on both sides of the border, top health officials are hoping they don’t forget about the risk of COVID-19.
Canadian health officials are not suggesting people avoid protests, but they are stressing the importance of hand sanitizer and masks.
With physical distance being nearly impossible in some of these settings, rally-goers may have to find other ways to try to keep themselves safe.
Protests have taken place in several Canadian cities in the aftermath of a black man dying last week in Minneapolis after a white police officer pressed a knee into his neck.
George Floyd’s death has sent throngs into the streets in several U.S. and Canadian cities to decry systemic racism and police brutality.
Meanwhile, House of Commons Speaker Anthony Rota is scheduled today to appear at a committee on procedure and House affairs.
He is expected to discuss the hybrid parliament and how it is functioning during the pandemic.
The Senate finance committee also meets today with many major industry leaders set to appear.
—
COVID-19 in Ontario …
Ontario is expected today to extend its state of emergency until June 30.
The measure bans gatherings larger than five people.
It also orders the closure of some businesses such as restaurants and bars, except if they offer takeout or delivery.
If the vote passes, the measure — which had been set to expire today — will be extended for another 28 days.
Ontario declared a state of emergency on March 17 as COVID-19 cases began to climb in the province.
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COVID-19 in sports …
It looks like hockey fans will be able to cheer on their favourite NHL team this summer but Canadians have issued a collective shrug about whether the Stanley Cup is hoisted on their home ice.
Less than one-quarter of those who took part in a recent survey said it was very important that a Canadian city be host to some of the playoffs.
The web survey, conducted by polling firm Leger and the Association for Canadian Studies, found 47 per cent thought it wasn’t important that the puck drop in a Canadian arena.
The NHL plans to resume its 2019-20 season, brought to a halt in March by the COVID-19 pandemic, with games played in two hub cities.
Edmonton, Vancouver and Toronto are among the 10 possible locations, but Canada’s mandatory 14-day quarantine for people entering the country remains in place and could scuttle the prospect of hockey north of the 49th parallel.
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Snowbird crash investigation …
Military investigators are pointing to video footage as the reason they suspect a bird strike was been responsible for last month’s deadly Snowbird plane crash in British Columbia.
The crash was May 18, shortly after two of the Snowbirds’ iconic Tutor jets took off from the Kamloops Airport while participating in a cross-country tour aimed at boosting Canadians’ morale during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Video posted to social media shortly after the crash showed one of the planes climbing a few seconds after leaving the runway before rolling over in the air and plummeting into a residential neighbourhood.
The crash killed Capt. Jenn Casey, the Snowbirds’ public-affairs officer who was riding as a passenger, while the pilot, Capt. Richard MacDougall, sustained serious but non-life-threatening injuries. Both ejected from the plane seconds before it hit the ground.
No one on the ground was seriously hurt.
In a preliminary report released Monday, investigators confirmed that a close examination of video showed a bird very close to the plane’s right engine intake “during the critical phase of take-off.”
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 2, 2020
This weekend, we saw a wave of support against police brutality and demonstrations in response to the death of George Flloyd, who died after a Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee into Floyd’s neck. We are not victimless in Canada; Police violence and discrimination happens across our nation. In order to effectively support those affected in Canada, there are organizations and resources available for Canadians that we can engage with closer to home.
“To be a platform upon which black communities across Toronto can actively dismantle all forms of anti-black racism, liberate blackness, support black healing, affirm black existence, and create freedom to love and self- determine.”
“Black Lives Matter Vancouver, BC is a chapter of the international movement for Black lives. We are a political advocacy group that works from the mandate of the official Black Lives Matter platform that calls for an end to police brutality and aims to lift up Black voices.”
“The Black In BC Mutual Aid team is concerned by the lack of race-based and ethnocultural data collected in regards to the COVID-19 pandemic and in the health sector as a whole. ”
“The Hogan’s Alley Society (HAS) is a non-profit organization composed of civil rights activists, business professionals, community organizations, artists, writers and academics committed to daylighting the presence of Black history in Vancouver and throughout British Columbia.”
“Founded by members of Winnipeg’s Black community, Black Space Winnipeg is a grassroots, organization that fosters organic dialogue on everyday experiences of being Black. Spreading perspectives of Afrocentrism, and Pro-Black conversation, Black Space Winnipeg creates safe spaces for people of colour through hosting community events, artist demonstrations and workshops. Black Space Winnipeg challenges anti-Black racism and discrimination, building inclusivity across all sectors in Winnipeg for Black people.”
“TAIBU Community Health Centre provides primary health care and related services for Black populations across the Greater Toronto Area as its priority population and residents of the local community of Malvern. Recognizing that systemic oppression has fostered conditions of ill-health with Black communities, we strive to deliver these services through intersectional, equity based and culturally affirming practices which promote holistic wellness, health education, and prevention.”
“Black Artists’ Network in Dialogue (BAND) is dedicated to supporting, documenting and showcasing the artistic and cultural contributions of Black artists and cultural workers in Canada and internationally.”
“Black Youth Helpline serves all youth and specifically responds to the need for a Black youth specific service, positioned and resourced to promote access to professional, culturally appropriate support for youth, families and schools. Services are driven by the voices of participants who call the “Helpline.” Can I help you? Are therefore not simply spoken words. We are passionate about making a difference.”
“We are a city-wide collaboration of community organizations and programs across the Toronto area — committed to reducing gun violence. Our focus is on educational awareness, advocacy and engagement initiatives.”
A Montreal anti-racism protest demanding justice for a black Minnesota man who died following a police intervention last week degenerated into clashes between police and some demonstrators on Sunday night.
About three hours after a march that snaked its way through downtown Montreal on Sunday afternoon had ended, Montreal police declared the gathering illegal after they say projectiles were thrown at officers who responded with pepper spray and tear gas.
Tensions flared after the formal rally had concluded and some demonstrators made their way back to the starting point, in the shadow of Montreal police headquarters downtown.
Windows were smashed, fires were set and the situation slid into a game of cat-and-mouse between pockets of protesters and police trying to disperse them.
Demonstrators had gathered to denounce racist violence and police impunity – both in the U.S. and at home in Montreal.
George Floyd died in Minneapolis on Monday after pleading for air while a white police officer pressed a knee on his neck.
His death has sparked nightly protests in major U.S. cities.
The Montreal rally was a solidarity gathering with American anti-racism activists, but organizers say it is also an opportunity to express their own anger at the treatment of racialized people in Quebec and elsewhere in Canada.
Some of the names invoked included names of black men killed during Montreal police interventions in recent years.
“It’s important for everyone to be here today so that we can have a lot of voices to say the George Floyd event is not a singular event,” said Marie-Livia Beauge, one of the event organizers. “It keeps happening and it’s happening here in Montreal so to be here together is to show solidarity and denounce the injustice.”
The gathering drew Montrealers of all stripes and backgrounds, holding posters with slogans. Protesters chanted “Black lives matter” and “I can’t breathe” – what Floyd was caught on video saying.
They took a knee in unison several times in solidarity with the movement.
But when Montreal police called on protesters to disperse, some refused.
Leah Blain, 20, chose to continue demonstrating and was part of a group trying to reach police headquarters when she was met with pepper spray.
“We were just standing here, we were showing our support and this is what happens, the police support a system that’s against us, so if you support them, you’re against us,” she said.
Vincent Mousseau, a social worker and community organizer, called out Montreal Mayor Valerie Plante, who earlier Sunday had condemned “violence, racism and systemic discrimination” in a series of tweets.
Mousseau cautioned against empty words from leaders.
“In fighting this, we need to ensure our movements are not co-opted to stifle our anger with their kind word and simultaneous inaction,” Mousseau said.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, organizers repeatedly told people to spread out, trying to find a spot where a two-metre distance could be maintained.
Despite a majority of people wearing masks and organizers squirting hand sanitizer, the numbers attending made distancing impossible.
The location adjacent to Montreal police headquarters was packed, with police closely guarding the building that houses their brass.
Dr. Horacio Arruda, Quebec’s director of public health, told Radio-Canada on Sunday evening that he recognized the importance of the cause but urged hand washing and for anyone exhibiting symptoms to let health authorities know they attended the protest.
Around the start of the demonstration, Montreal police took the unusual step of issuing a tweet saying they were dismayed by the death of George Floyd.
“Both the action taken and the inaction of the witnesses present go against the values of our organization,” the force tweeted calling on for a peaceful demonstration.
“We respect the rights and the need of everyone to speak out against this violence and will be by your side to ensure your safety,” the police said.
The Montreal rally followed one in Toronto on Saturday, which remained peaceful.
So too did Sunday’s rally in Vancouver, where thousands gathered outside the city’s art gallery, waving signs and chanting their support of the Black Lives Matter movement and Floyd.
Tristan Miura, who held up a skateboard painted with the words “injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere,” said he hopes Vancouver will reflect on the protesters’ message.
“Vancouver has always been quite liberal and very open about what they feel is wrong in the community,” said Miura. “I think Vancouver, as a whole, is taking this time to reflect on past issues and preventing further issues from occurring.”
Others hoped it would spark a larger reaction in Canada.
“I hope this is just the start,” said Chance Lovett. “I hope this is just the beginning of a larger conversation and a larger movement.”
Vancouver police said there have been no arrests during the event.
CREMONA, Alta. — A cacophony of bellowing cattle makes it hard to hear the other hoof drop, but rancher Bruce Bird knows that it’s coming.
Bird runs a cow-calf operation and had to shout to be heard during annual branding last week on his ranch near Cremona, 80 kilometres northwest of Calgary.
Over a hundred calves were run through a chute and locked onto a table to have ear tags applied and a mark seared onto their sides.
The COVID-19 pandemic hasn’t had a serious effect on Bird yet, but he’s anticipating it will be tougher when the calves are sold in the fall.
“Absolutely, we’re going to get hit eventually,” he said. “There’s usually a big ripple effect prolonged. It’s a long, long gradual time until it can rectify itself.”
“There’s some marketing issues, some commodity issues … that are really slow to hit us. But when it hits us, it hits us extra hard.”
A concern for Bird and neighbour Chelsey Reid, who farms with her husband, Scott, is a backlog of beef at feedlots.
The Cargill plant in High River, Alta., shut down for two weeks due to a COVID-19 outbreak there and is now operating at about 60 per cent capacity. The JBS plant in Brooks, Alta., reduced its operations to just one shift a day until recently. The two meat-packers process 70 per cent of Canada’s beef.
“There’s always what we call the fall run. That’s when there’s always a lot of beef on the market, but we always have the capacity for it, so it’s not that big of a problem,” Reid said.
“If people aren’t able to sell their calves this fall, that’s going to be a real problem.”
Reid said the uncertainty is the most unsettling part.
“Our farms are just sort of carrying on as they always have. Anything that’s going to be negative … is going to be happening come this fall and probably in 2021,” she said.
“A lot of us young farmers have a lot of payments that we’re tied into, so it definitely is worrisome. It’s a lot of money that we definitely rely on.”
Tom Thorlakson said there are animals at his family’s feedlot near Airdrie that were supposed to have been shipped to meat plants in mid-April.
“We have cattle that we wish were gone. We’re not buying anything,” said Thorlakson, vice-president of Thorlakson Feedyards.
There are 14,000 cattle at the feedlot and feed costs are running to about $1 million a month, he said.
“When are we ever going to know when the plants will be up to full capacity? It will be the ever-going threat we’re living with right now.”
Thorlakson said he’s heard the cattle backlog could exist until December. And although his family feedlot will be OK, it won’t be the same for others.
“It pushes it back to the rancher right? If a lot of the guys are not buying, the guys selling their calves will be getting a lot less money for them because there’ll be less demand,” he said.
“There’s going to be a lot of guys in hardship.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 1, 2020
OTTAWA — As COVID-19 cases continue to decline in much of the country, some provinces are moving today to loosen more of the restrictions they implemented to slow the spread of the pandemic.
British Columbia is giving parents the option of sending their children back to school on a part-time basis.
For kindergarten to Grade 5, most students will go to school half time, while grades 6 to 12 will attend classes about one day a week. The government has said its goal is for the return of full-time classes in September.
Manitoba is easing a raft of restrictions, including its ban on people visiting loved ones in personal care homes, though safeguards such as screening visitors and maintaining physical distancing will apply.
Community centres, seniors clubs, fitness clubs, dine-in restaurants, bars, bowling alleys, pools, amateur sports and recreation programs can also reopen with limits on customer capacity and rules for physical distancing.
Film productions are being allowed to resume and a ban on non-essential travel to the province’s north is being eased.
In Ontario Drive-in movie theatres and batting cages were allowed to reopen Sunday, and today campers can return to provincial parks, with certain stipulations.
Meanwhile, Prince Edward Island is moving into the third phase of its reopening plan, which allows in-house dining at restaurants as well as the reopening of child-care centres and libraries. Also allowed now are outdoor visits with residents at long-term care homes, certain recreational and sporting activities and gatherings of up to 15 people indoors and 20 outdoors.
In Ottawa this morning, Prime Minister Trudeau will resume his daily briefings on the pandemic after taking the weekend off.
On Sunday Canada’s total number of confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases stood at 90,929 — 739 more than the day before — with the vast majority of cases in Quebec and Ontario. Some 48,854 cases were listed as being resolved, while the number of deaths from the illness rose by 222 to 7,295.
In The News is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to kickstart your day. Here is what’s on the radar of our editors for the morning of May 29 …
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COVID-19 in Canada …
The federal government is pumping millions more into helping remote and rural Indigenous communities cope with the COVID-19 crisis.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is expected to announce today significant new funding for First Nations, Inuit and Metis communities, part of which is intended to help them bolster their public health response to the pandemic.
That could include measures such as hiring more health care workers, building isolation facilities or purchasing medical supplies and equipment.
Another part of the funding is to go to financial support for residents living in these remote communities to help cover the pandemic-induced increase in their cost of living.
And a third part is to be dedicated to helping the communities build women’s shelters, amid reports that domestic violence has spiked as families have been forced to isolate themselves to curb the spread of the deadly virus that causes COVID-19.
The new funding is on top of the $305-million Indigenous Community Support Fund, which the federal government created in March to help First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities prepare for and cope with the pandemic.
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Also this …
Statistics Canada is expected to report today that economic growth swung negative in March and the first quarter as a whole due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The average economist estimate is for a nine-per-cent drop in gross domestic product for March, while the average estimate for the first quarter as a whole is for a GDP pullback at a annualized pace of 10 per cent, according to financial markets data firm Refinitiv.
The agency said real gross domestic product was essentially unchanged in February as it was hit by teacher strikes in Ontario and rail blockades across many parts of the country.
Declines in educational services and disruptions in the transportation and warehousing sector offset growth in other areas.
In a preliminary estimate for March released last month, Statistics Canada said the economy posted a nine per cent decline as business came to a standstill due to measures taken to slow the spread of the pandemic.
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In the United States …
Cheering protesters torched a Minneapolis police station that the department was forced to abandon as three days of violent protests spread to nearby St. Paul and angry demonstrations flared across the U.S over the death of George Floyd, a handcuffed black man who pleaded for air as a white police officer kneeled on his neck.
A police spokesman confirmed late Thursday that staff had evacuated the 3rd Precinct station, the focus of many of the protests, “in the interest of the safety of our personnel” shortly after 10 p.m. Livestream video showed the protesters entering the building, where fire alarms blared and sprinklers ran as blazes were set.
Protesters could be seen setting fire to a Minneapolis Police Department jacket.
Late Thursday, President Donald Trump blasted the “total lack of leadership” in Minneapolis. “Just spoke to Governor Tim Walz and told him that the Military is with him all the way. Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts,” he said on Twitter.
A visibly tired and frustrated Frey made his first public appearance of the night at City Hall near 2 a.m. and took responsibility for evacuating the precinct, saying it had become too dangerous for officers there. As Frey continued, a reporter cut across loudly with a question: “What’s the plan here?”
“With regard to?” Frey responded. Then he added: “There is a lot of pain and anger right now in our city. I understand that … What we have seen over the past several hours and past couple of nights here in terms of looting is unacceptable.”
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Also this …
If trade deals were football players, Canada’s agreement with the United States and Mexico would have been considered a second-stringer a year ago compared to President Donald Trump’s original Hail Mary effort to secure a new pact with China.
But now that COVID-19 has rendered China an international pariah and touched off a global movement to “reshore” manufacturing capacity, the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement suddenly finds itself in the spotlight — and under pressure to bring home a win.
“Serendipitous is the right word,” said Pedro Antunes, chief economist of the Conference Board of Canada, of the political and economic conditions that will greet the USMCA when it comes into force July 1.
“There’s a lot of talk of shortening supply chains, bringing supply chains domestically, and I see that as playing out in favour of Canada’s relationship with the U.S. — perhaps strengthening that relationship and those trade ties within North America, within Canada and with the U.S. economy.”
The agreement — known in official Canadian circles as CUSMA or ACEUM, T-MEC in Mexico and “the new NAFTA” pretty much everywhere else — was forged during an arduous 13 months in 2017 and 2018, long before “pandemic” would become a household word across North America. This summer, it will make its debut in a world dramatically different than that of its predecessor.
In the U.S., where Trump is shrugging off a COVID-19 death toll that surpassed 100,000 on Wednesday and aggressively cheerleading a rapid return to business as usual, the White House is now clearly counting on the USMCA, as well as its signatories, to help lead the North American recovery.
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COVID-19 in sports…
Canada’s top health official says proposals are being reviewed from sports leagues looking to resume play —including the NHL.
But Dr. Theresa Tam says the mandatory 14-day quarantine for people entering the country remains in place for now.
Tam says that protecting Canadians remains the key objective when considering a resumption of activities that were suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic, including professional sports.
Tam’s comments came two days after the NHL announced its plans to resume its 2019-20 season, which calls for games to be played out of two hub cities.
Edmonton, Vancouver and Toronto are among the 10 cities shortlisted by the NHL as potential locations.
But deputy commissioner Bill Daly has said those markets would be out of the running if the mandatory quarantine at Canada’s international border remains in place.
Alberta Premier Jason Kenney has sent a letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for assistance in coming up with a solution.
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COVID-19 in entertainment …
Organizers of the Toronto International Film Festival say they’re still planning to have some type of physical festival this year.
But TIFF executive director and co-head Joana Vicente says “it’s definitely going to look different.”
Vicente says like many festivals during the COVID-19 pandemic, TIFF is developing a digital platform for its annual movie marathon.
Her comments echo those TIFF made last month, when it said it was still planning to go ahead with the festival from Sept. 10-21, but was also exploring new ways to screen films.
“We’re developing, of course, as everyone else, a digital platform for the festival and at the same time we’re still planning to have some physical festival,” Vicente says.
“It’s definitely going to look different,” she says. “We’re trying to figure out how we can still deliver incredible experiences to our audience, and that’s really front and centre.”
Vicente spoke Thursday, along with TIFF artistic director and co-head Cameron Bailey, in a live video conference panel for We Are One: A Global Film Festival.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 29, 2020
Statistics Canada says the economy in the first quarter had its worst showing since 2009 as steps taken to slow the spread of COVID-19 forced businesses across the country to close their doors and lay off workers.
Statistics Canada says gross domestic product fell at an annualized rate of 8.2 per cent in the first three months of 2020.
The collapse came as gross domestic product for March fell 7.2 per cent as restrictions by public health officials and school closures began rolling out during the month.
The average economist estimate is for a nine per cent drop in gross domestic product for March, while the average estimate for the first quarter as a whole is for a GDP pullback at a annualized pace of 10 per cent, according to financial markets data firm Refinitiv.
VANCOUVER — A loss in court for Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou has prompted another round of legal arguments in her attempt to avoid extradition to the United States on fraud charges.
Associate Chief Justice Heather Holmes of the B.C. Supreme Court ruled Wednesday the charges Meng faces in America could also be a crime in Canada and the case should proceed, a decision that one legal expert says puts the rule of law above political pressures.
“If you turn a blind eye in the favour of political outcomes, you’re sacrificing the rule of law and then you do become subject to China’s allegation or criticism that this is all political,” said Robert Adamson, who teaches business law at the Beedie School of Business at Simon Fraser University.
Meng’s arrest by the RCMP at the Vancouver airport in December 2018 placed Canada in the middle of rising tensions between the U.S. and China, and two Canadians, ex-diplomat Michael Kovrig and entrepreneur Michael Spavor, were detained in China nine days later. They remain in custody.
Meng is accused of misrepresenting Huawei’s relationship with Skycom Tech Co. and making false statements to HSBC, putting the bank at risk of violating U.S. sanctions against Iran.
Her lawyers argued that Meng’s conduct could not constitute fraud in Canada because it related to American sanctions that Canada doesn’t apply, while the Attorney General of Canada told the court the fraud allegations could be argued without reference to the U.S. sanctions.
Justice Holmes found the U.S. sanctions are relevant to the issue of double criminality, but it wasn’t enough to dismiss the case.
“The essence of the alleged wrongful conduct in this case is the making of intentionally false statements in the banker-client relationship that put HSBC at risk. The U.S. sanctions are part of the state of affairs necessary to explain how HSBC was at risk, but they are not themselves an intrinsic part of the conduct,” she wrote in her decision.
“For this reason, I cannot agree with Ms. Meng that to refer to U.S. sanctions in order to understand the risk to HSBC is to allow the essence of the conduct to be defined by foreign law. Canada’s laws determine whether the alleged conduct, in its essence, amounts to fraud.”
A broad definition of double criminality helps avoid unforeseen consequences, said Adamson, a member of the Canadian Bar Association.
He said a narrower definition of double criminality could stop extradition hearings at preliminary junctures and limit Canada’s ability to extradite as well as ask for someone to be extradited here.
Vancouver extradition lawyer Gary Botting took a different view, saying Justice Holmes’s ruling creates a “hybrid” way of looking at double criminality by importing some, but not all of the context of the U.S. sanctions.
The Supreme Court of Canada has made plain that they prefer to say, “fraud is fraud, theft is theft,” said Botting, adding that’s “more or less what Holmes has followed.”
However, by importing some, but not all of the context of the sanctions, Botting said Justice Holmes “made a mistake of the law.”
“It can’t be both ways. In other words, this is an appealable judgement, in my view.”
In the next phase of the proceedings, the court will hear arguments about whether Meng’s arrest was unlawful.
Her lawyers have alleged the Canada Border Services Agency, the RCMP and the Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted a “covert criminal investigation” at the airport and violated Meng’s charter rights.
Border officers seized Meng’s cellphones, tablet and other devices and wrote down her passcodes, which were then handed to the RCMP.
The Crown has told the court that when the border agency learned of its mistake it told the RCMP that the codes couldn’t be used or shared because they were obtained during the agency’s examination.
It said officials followed the law and there’s no proof that Meng was illegally arrested.
Botting said he believes Meng’s rights were violated.
“Whether that amounts to a stay of proceedings or not is entirely, again, up to the judge.”
Adamson disagreed, saying he hasn’t seen “any strong evidence” of her rights being violated, and from what he understands, that argument from her defence team isn’t as strong as the double-criminality argument was.
“That is, if Ms. Meng and her defence team had a better change of this case coming to a conclusion it was more likely to be on the double-criminality issue and not on this abuse of process,” he said.
Canada’s Justice Minister David Lametti will still have the final say on whether Meng should be extradited to the U.S.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 28, 2020.
In The News is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to kickstart your day. Here is what’s on the radar of our editors for the morning of May 28 …
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COVID-19 in Canada …
The Team Canada spirit that has prevailed among first ministers during the COVID-19 crisis will be put to the test today as Justin Trudeau broaches with premiers two topics that fall squarely within provincial jurisdiction: the operation of long-term care homes and paid sick leave for workers.
The prime minister has promised federal support in both areas but his offer has met with a mixed reaction from provincial and territorial leaders.
He has also promised to raise the issues tonight, when he conducts his eleventh first ministers’ conference call.
So far, those calls have been notable for their collegial, collaborative spirit as prime minister and premiers all work as one to cushion the impact of the deadly pandemic on Canadians’ health and the country’s economy.
But there are signs that team spirit may be starting to give way to the usual regional tensions and jurisdictional spats that have historically bedevilled federal-provincial relations in Canada.
Quebec Premier Francois Legault, whose province has always jealously guarded its jurisdiction against perceived federal intrusions, is lukewarm about Trudeau’s promise to ensure 10 days of paid sick leave for workers who fall ill with COVID-19 or are required to go into quarantine after exposure.
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Fallout from Meng Wanzhou case…
The two Canadians imprisoned in China could face retaliation because Wednesday’s court ruling in the Meng Wanzhou case didn’t go the way the People’s Republic would have liked, experts are warning.
The Chinese embassy in Ottawa angrily denounced the decision by Justice Heather Holmes in the extradition case of the Huawei executive, who is wanted on fraud charges in the United States, as it once more called for her immediate release.
Canada held firm, with Foreign Affairs Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne calling for the release of the two “arbitrarily detained” Canadian men.
Michael Kovrig, an ex-diplomat working for the International Crisis Group, and Michael Spavor, an entrepreneur who did business in North Korea, have been in Chinese prisons with no access to lawyers or their families since they were arrested nine days after Meng’s arrest by the RCMP in December 2018.
They are accused of violating China’s national security interests, and they have been denied even the regular monthly visits by Canadian diplomats since January because of COVID-19 restrictions on Chinese prisons.
But some analysts say their treatment could get a lot worse, especially based on recent Chinese government statements leading up to the ruling.
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COVID-19 in sports…
Alberta Premier Jason Kenney wants the federal government to help clear the way for NHL players to come to Edmonton.
His counterpart in British Columbia, John Horgan, says his province isn’t interested in making any concessions.
The two premiers had markedly different responses to the NHL’s plan to resume the 2019-20 season, in which teams would play at two hub cities, one for each conference.
Edmonton and Vancouver, as well as Toronto, are three of the 10 cities still in the running to be host cities, should the plan come to fruition. But the NHL said Tuesday the Canadian government’s mandatory 14-day quarantine for anyone entering the country would make markets north of the 49th parallel a non-starter during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Kenney responded by sending a letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in which he encouraged the federal government to deem professional athletes and team staff as essential workers — similar to what U.S. officials announced late last week.
Horgan, however, said the government won’t be making any concessions in a jurisdiction that has done well to minimize infections.
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Trump on Twitter…
President Donald Trump, the historically prolific tweeter of political barbs and blasts, threatened social media companies with new regulation or even shuttering on Wednesday after Twitter added fact checks to two of his tweets. He turned to his Twitter account — where else? — to tweet his threats.
The president can’t unilaterally regulate or close the companies, and any effort would likely require action by Congress. His administration has shelved a proposed executive order empowering the Federal Communications Commission to regulate technology companies, citing concerns it wouldn’t pass legal muster. But that didn’t stop Trump from angrily issuing strong warnings.
Tech giants “silence conservative voices,” he claimed on Twitter early Wednesday. “We will strongly regulate, or close them down, before we can ever allow this to happen.” Later, also on Twitter, he threatened, “Big Action to follow.”
Press secretary Kayleigh McEnany told reporters that Trump would sign an executive order relating to social media companies but provided no further details. White House strategic communications director Alyssa Farah said Trump would sign it Thursday.
In his tweet, he repeated his unsubstantiated claim — which sparked his latest showdown with Silicon Valley — that expanding mail-in voting “would be a free for all on cheating, forgery and the theft of Ballots.”
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Helicopter remains, wreckage found…
The Canadian Armed Forces has located the remains of some of the military members who died last month when the helicopter they were in crashed in the Mediterranean.
A Canadian search and recovery team working with the United States Navy discovered the remains early Wednesday morning, not far from where they also located a large piece of the helicopter’s fuselage, the military said in a written statement.
“This is encouraging news,” said Lt.-Gen. Mike Rouleau, the commander of Canadian Joint Operations Command.
“We do not leave our fallen behind, and recovering Stalker 22’s crew is of the utmost importance to all of us in the Canadian Armed Forces and the Department of National Defence.”
The CH-148 Cyclone helicopter, known as Stalker 22, crashed in the Ionian Sea April 29, killing four members of the air force and two from the navy. The helicopter was returning to HMCS Fredericton after a training flight and crashed within full view of the ship, which was in the Mediterranean participating in a NATO mission.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 28, 2020
Natasha Burtenshaw-deVries lives in one of several apartments in a converted house in Brantford, Ont., that doesn’t have central air conditioning.
Her mom purchased her “a bit of a pity gift” of a window air-conditioning unit, and Burtenshaw-deVries invested in several stand up fans during the year she’s lived there.
As central Canada prepares for another day of stifling heat, some employees working from home are missing their air-conditioned workspaces. The mercury in parts of Ontario is hovering around 30 C. Environment Canada has issued heat warnings this week for much of the province.
Burtenshaw-deVries said she was able to receive some reprieve from the heat last summer by working in an air-conditioned office.
This year, with many offices shifting to work-from-home during the COVID-19 pandemic, that is no longer an option for her.
“So far it hasn’t been too bad, to be honest,” she said, noting her hand would get sticky and slide off her mouse a lot, but she didn’t feel her productivity dropped yet.
She’s added cooler snacks, like Popsicles, into her repertoire, and wants to learn how to make iced coffee to help alleviate the heat.
Burtenshaw-deVries said she feels very fortunate to have the resources, from a financial and space perspective, to make the situation as comfortable as possible for herself.
“I’m really worried about a lot of people who don’t have that option,” she said.
Seniors who may not have air conditioning, for example, are being told to stay at home and may not have the money to buy fans, she said.
“How do we find the balance between everything this summer?”
She noted work-from-home employees who can typically take an air-conditioned break at a cafe, mall or co-working space, no longer have those options.
While not yet necessary, she’s contemplated whether it may be possible to shift her work hours if the heat becomes a much bigger problem.
“There’s just a part of me that thinks, you know, ‘I don’t know if I’m going to be able to be productive at like one o’clock in the afternoon when it’s 35 or 40 degrees out.’”
The heat wave shines a light on the need for open communication and trust between employees and employers, said Karen Pastakia, partner, human capital consulting at Deloitte Canada.
“People may look for alternate work schedules,” she said, and ask for some flexibility over the summer months.
“I would anticipate that, that will be a real dialogue that starts to happen over the coming weeks.”
Janet Mayhew lives in an Ottawa apartment in a three-story walk-up with her daughter. She’s lived there for nine years without central air and windows that don’t accommodate for a portable unit.
She has several ceiling and stand-up fans throughout the apartment, and strategically closes the windows and blinds during the day, and opens them at night.
“That seems to do the trick,” she said.
Mayhew, who enjoys working from home, said she “certainly did love the AC at the office and not having that right now is unfortunate.”
She’s relying on ice water with lemon, as well as wearing comfy, loose clothing to help keep her cool and is in the market for a new fan.
Like Burtenshaw-deVries, Mayhew is more concerned for vulnerable populations and said it’s good the city is providing cooling stations.
“I’m not really worried about myself. There are definitely people who are suffering more than I am.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published on May 27, 2020.
In The News is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to kickstart your day. Here is what’s on the radar of our editors for the morning of May 27 …
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COVID-19 in Canada …
Members of Parliament will make history today as a few dozen of them gather in the House of Commons, where they’ll be joined by the other 300-odd MPs participating via videoconference.
The new hybrid of in-person and virtual proceedings goes into effect today after the NDP joined forces Tuesday evening with the Liberals to waive normal sittings of the House of Commons for another four months while the country continues to grapple with the COVID-19 crisis.
Instead, they voted in favour of a government motion to continue with an expanded version of the special COVID-19 committee that has acted as a stand-in for the chamber over the past month.
The committee has been meeting twice a week virtually and once a week with a small group of MPs physically present in the Commons.
Starting today, all special committee meetings will be a mix of virtual and in-person, with most MPs participating via big screens set up on either side of the Speaker’s chair.
And there’ll be four meetings each week, Monday to Thursday, until mid-June.
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Also this …
Simon Nisbet is convinced that if he hadn’t moved his mother out of her long-term care home, she would never have left alive.
He said daily visits to her window at Orchard Villa in Pickering, Ont., led to a mounting list of concerns as a deadly COVID-19 outbreak swept through the home, killing dozens of residents.
He alleged his 89-year-old mother’s call bell lay disconnected on the floor of her room, not far from where he consistently saw trays of untouched food. Staff, he said, were unable to tell him what she’d had to eat or drink and rarely provided updates on the evolving outbreak.
After she was officially diagnosed with the novel coronavirus herself, Nisbet said he could tell from the look in her eyes that she was deteriorating quickly and needed to be transferred to a local hospital for better care.
By the time she got there, Nisbet said she had sustained serious kidney damage due to dehydration. While she appears to have recovered from COVID-19, she remains in hospital in fragile health.
When a bombshell report from the Canadian Armed Forces outlining a litany of problems at five long-term care homes including Orchard Villa was released on Tuesday, Nisbet said he was not surprised.
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COVID-19 in the U.S. …
In the rubble of buildings and lives, modern U.S. presidents have met national trauma with words such as these: “I can hear you.” “You have lost too much, but you have not lost everything.” “We have wept with you; we’ve pulled our children tight.”
As diverse as they were in eloquence and empathy, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton and Barack Obama each had his own way of piercing the noise of catastrophe and reaching people.
But now, the known U.S. death toll from the coronavirus pandemic is fast approaching 100,000 on the watch of a president whose communication skills, potent in a political brawl, are not made for this moment.
Impeachment placed one indelible mark on Donald Trump’s time in the White House. Now there is another, a still-growing American casualty list that has exceeded deaths from the Vietnam and Korean wars combined. U.S. fatalities from the most lethal hurricanes and earthquakes pale by comparison. This is the deadliest pandemic in a century.
Actual deaths from COVID-19 are almost certainly higher than the numbers show, an undercount to be corrected in time.
At every turn Trump has asserted the numbers would be worse without his leadership. Yet the toll keeps climbing. It is well beyond what he told people to expect even as his public-health authorities started bracing the country in early April for at least 100,000 deaths.
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COVID-19 around the world …
Dominic Cummings helped Boris Johnson win power by pitting the people against the elite. Johnson’s Conservative administration has branded itself “the People’s Government.”
The prime minister’s populist appeal has been hammered by news that, as the coronavirus outbreak raged, chief adviser Cummings drove 250 miles (400 kilometres) to his parents’ house while he was falling ill with suspected COVID-19 — allegedly flouting lockdown rules that the government had imposed on the rest of the country.
Cummings says he travelled to the family farm in northeast England so that his nieces could care for his 4-year-old son if he and his wife both became sick. But that explanation cut little ice with many Britons, who say they have endured isolation, anxiety and sometimes loss in order to follow government advice to “Stay Home … Save Lives.”
On Tuesday, junior Scotland minister Douglas Ross quit Johnson’s Conservative government, saying “the vast majority of people” didn’t agree with Cummings’ action.
“I have constituents who didn’t get to say goodbye to loved ones; families who could not mourn together; people who didn’t visit sick relatives because they followed the guidance of the government,” Ross wrote in a resignation letter. “I cannot in good faith tell them they were all wrong and one senior adviser to the government was right.”
Johnson, however, appears determined to hang onto an aide who has been dubbed “Boris’ brain,” even if it fractures his government and erodes Britain’s response to the pandemic.
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COVID-19 in entertainment …
JK Rowling is publishing a new story called “The Ickabog,” which will be free to read online to help entertain children and families stuck at home during the coronavirus pandemic.
The “Harry Potter” author said Tuesday she wrote the fairy tale for her children as a bedtime story over a decade ago. Set in an imaginary land, it is a stand-alone story “about truth and the abuse of power” for children from 7 to 9 years old and is unrelated to Rowling’s other books.
Rowling said the draft of the story had stayed in her attic while she focused on writing books for adults. She said her children, now teenagers, were “touchingly enthusiastic” when she recently suggested retrieving the story and publishing it for free.
“For the last few weeks I’ve been immersed in a fictional world I thought I’d never enter again. As I worked to finish the book, I started reading chapters nightly to the family again,” she said.
“’The Ickabog’s first two readers told me what they remember from when they were tiny, and demanded the reinstatement of bits they’d particularly liked (I obeyed).”
The first two chapters were posted online Tuesday, with daily instalments to follow until July 10.
The book will be published in print later this year, and Rowling said she will pledge royalties from its sales to projects helping those particularly affected by the pandemic.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 27, 2020
More than half of Canada’s national parks — including Banff in Alberta, Pacific Rim in British Columbia and Cape Breton Highlands in Nova Scotia — are to reopen June 1.
Minister of Environment Jonathan Wilkinson says 29 of the 48 national parks will open for day use, and there will be access to washrooms.
“It’s an opportunity for folks, particularly those who live reasonably close to national parks, to be able to get out in nature in a manner that can allow physical distancing,” he told The Canadian Press.
All national parks, historic sites and marine conservation areas have been closed for weeks to slow the spread of COVID-19.
Wilkinson said parks such as Banff, Jasper and Waterton in Alberta will open day-use areas and trails to visitors.
In Banff, the town and many of its businesses have been preparing to reopen on June 1.
“This has been devastating for our town that relies solely on tourism as our economy,” said Mayor Karen Sorensen, adding it was difficult to ask visitors to stay away.
“We wanted to make sure we had protocols in place to make it safe not only for our community, but also for our visitors.”
The town’s council decided Monday to close two blocks of its often-crowded main street, Banff Avenue, to vehicle traffic to make more room for pedestrians.
“If … people need to line up to get into one of our businesses on Banff Avenue, there will be space,” said Sorensen. “There will be space for some outdoor patio seating and some outdoor retailing opportunities and there will still be space for outdoor pedestrian flow.”
Banff is the country’s busiest national park, with about four million visitors annually.
Other national parks reopening June 1 include Riding Mountain in Manitoba and Grasslands in Saskatchewan.
Wilkinson said some parks, including many in Northern Canada, will remain closed to reduce travel to areas sensitive to the spread of COVID-19.
“There’s also some of the parks that are co-managed with First Nations, like Haida Gwaii, where the First Nation has asked that the park not be reopened,” he said.
Camping, he said, will still not be allowed in national parks until at least June 21.
“Camping is going to be something that a lot of Canadians are going to look at, given that travelling outside the country is going to be particularly challenging,” said Wilkinson.
The British Columbia Parks website crashed soon after it opened summer bookings for provincial campsites Monday, while Alberta Parks saw nearly 40,000 campsite bookings on its first day of offering rebookings.
Many provincial governments have reopened camping for June 1, but are only allowing their own residents to reserve spots to prevent non-essential travel.
Wilkinson said Parks Canada will have protocols in place once they allow camping, but the agency doesn’t plan to put in restrictions by province.
“We are a national agency that belongs to all people who live in this country,” he said. “We will be telling people that they need to be paying attention to the travel guidance of their respective province or territory.”
Some governments have restricted travel in and out, while others have asked people not to travel to their jurisdictions.
Wilkinson said there could be restrictions on a park-by-park basis.
“In some cases, we’ll be opening more things because we think it’s set up in a way that can accommodate physical distancing,” he said. “In others, where there are some … trails that are extremely busy, we may not open those because we can’t allow for safe usage.”
Other possibilities could include setting limits on how many people can visit at a time or closing parking lots at popular areas.
Wilkinson said he realizes Canadians have been through a lot in recent months.
“Many have stuck very, very close to home,” he said. “One of the key things for us is trying to give Canadians opportunities to get out, as summer comes, to enjoy nature.
“It’s part of what Canada is for most Canadians.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published on May 27, 2020
History was made on Citytv’s Breakfast Television this morning as singing trio CZN was announced the winner of Canadian Family’s Got Talent.
The competition came to a stunning finale as Simon Cowell of America’s Got Talent infamy awarded the Toronto, Ontario trio with the award Tuesday morning.
Simon had some complimentary words to say to the group. “I have to tell you, what you did – I think you’re very current, I think you’re very cool, I think you’re very likeable. Most importantly talented, creative, inventive – and I can’t wait to meet you in person”
The reaction: priceless.
“We’re so grateful. There’s so many talented people in this competition. So for Simon to crown us the winner is incredible,” said Matthew Novary Joseph as his teammates jumped and fist-pumped in the background. “To have someone like him say that, and invite us to do that, is astounding. We’re so happy. The next step is to make music. And that’s freeing, to be able to be given that vote of confidence.”
CZN consists of CJ Capital, Seth Zosky, and Matthew Novary Joseph. Their sound features a unique blend of RnB, Rap and Pop with catchy hooks and harmonies. The group has released 5 singles to date with their song titled ‘TIMEZONE‘ hitting over 25,000 streams.
Remarkably, this award was further sweetened by an announcement by Cowell himself, stating that the winner of this competition would automatically claim a spot on America’s Got Talent’s next season.
“I could make a case that every one of those three could be the winner. In the end I went with my gut, but that’s not to say anyone here has walked away as a loser,” Cowell said.
“Congratulations. You’ve all done great. I loved all three acts. Canada DOES have talent.”
The month-long contest on the expanded national hour of Breakfast Television included thousands of entries from across the country, with more than 30,000 votes from Canadians online.
Season 15 of America’s Got Talent premieres tonight on Citytv.
OTTAWA — The federal government will update Canadians today on the results of the mad scramble to procure personal protective equipment _ just as demand is poised to skyrocket with more people returning to work and public health officials preparing for a potential second wave of COVID-19 infections.
As of May 19, data posted by Public Services and Procurement Canada showed only a fraction of the millions of gloves, masks, face shields, ventilators and litres of hand sanitizer ordered by the federal government had so far been received.
For example, of 29,570 ventilators ordered, only 203 had been received.
When it comes to the coveted N95 respirator mask that’s the standard-issue covering for the heath-care profession, upwards of 104 million have been ordered but just less than 12 million received and, of those, 9.8 million didn’t meet Canadian standards.
The equipment has been in high demand worldwide, with every country competing for scarce supplies from a limited number of suppliers, mostly in China. In what’s been described as a “wild west” battle, some confirmed orders have been snatched out from under Canada’s nose by other countries willing to pay more.
Even so, officials argue that the federal government has so far been able to deliver everything that the provinces and territories have requested.
The Canadian Forces say 36 members working in long-term care homes in Ontario and Quebec have now become sick with COVID-19.
That’s up from 28 cases of the novel coronavirus among those troops less than a week ago.
The military has been deployed to nursing homes in the two provinces to reinforce workers overwhelmed by the illness, unable to keep up with residents’ needs because of all the protective measures they need to take, or off work because they’re ill themselves.
Much of their work is tasks such as food service and moving and maintaining equipment, with some medical staff also serving in the homes.
Fourteen of the military members with COVID-19 are in Ontario and 22 of them are in Quebec.
When the Forces started reporting the number of positive cases, they said they’d update the figures every two weeks but have revised that plan to give new numbers every day.
A heat wave engulfing large swaths of Ontario and Quebec is forcing cities such as Toronto to rethink how they offer relief in light of restrictions meant to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus.
Libraries, community centres and pools — spaces where residents can traditionally go to cool down — remain closed due to COVID-19-related health measures as temperatures are expected to soar above 30C for several days.
In Toronto, where hundreds of such spaces were identified as a heat relief network last year, officials say they will open six emergency cooling centres across the city.
They say the centres are meant as a “last resort” for residents who don’t have access to a cool space, adding strict infection prevention and control protocols will be in place.
The city says more spaces will be designated as emergency cooling centres soon as it announces its full, adjusted heat relief strategy.
Environment Canada has issued a heat warning for much of southern and eastern Ontario, as well as special weather statements related to heat for parts of the province and most of Quebec.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published on May 26, 2020.
CALGARY — Gordon Kelter has something to fear more than not having a bed to sleep in at night — catching COVID-19.
“Worried about catching it? Are you kidding me?” said Kelter as he searched behind some dumpsters for his backpack on a recent night in Calgary’s downtown East Village neighbourhood.
Kelter, who has been homeless for years, said he has started to sleep on a friend’s couch until the pandemic blows over.
He has slept in some awful places, including concrete parkades, he said. But the risk of contracting the novel coronavirus has him avoiding shelters.
“It’s not like I like to sleep on the streets. It’s awful,” he said.
“I won’t go near the Drop-In Centre. The COVID really freaked me out.”
In the drizzling rain one night last week, clusters of people were hunkered under bridges, behind restaurants, in doorways and across from the locked gates of the city’s Drop-In Centre.
Chaz Smith, founder of the not-for-profit Be The Change YYC homeless outreach team, was out walking with volunteers Chris Macnab and Jake Tremblay.
They were wheeling a wagon full of bag lunches, including meal replacements, vitamin powder and granola. They also handed out socks, emergency blankets, tarps and tents.
“The tents and tarps are running bare. We’ve handed out about 50 tents the past little bit,” Smith said, who was himself homeless for five years.
Those out on the streets now are scared, he said.
“We used to have a small amount of rough sleepers who are sleeping outside overnight. And now the majority of all the people you see are actually sleeping outside,” he said.
“When we ask why aren’t you staying in shelters, they’ll just say either they can’t get in or they’re afraid to catch COVID.”
Across from the Drop-In Centre, wooden pallets piled with bedding lay under blue, white and green tarps tied to a chain-link fence. Bicycles and overflowing shopping carts were locked to the fence. Loud rap music was blaring.
One man, with blood flowing from a gash on his head, struggled to his feet and hobbled away while holding up his pants. A woman under the tarps screamed at the outreach workers and threw bag lunches back at them.
“What’s going on tonight?” wondered Smith. “Everyone’s so negative.”
There have been a total of 24 cases of COVID-19 at Calgary shelters since the pandemic began: 12 at the Drop-In Centre, 10 at Alpha House and two at the Salvation Army shelter. Ten people have recovered and 14 infections remain active.
Trisha Bearspaw was standing on a loading dock behind a shuttered restaurant. The 35-year-old was homeless for 10 years and now lives in a group home, but continues to hang out downtown with her boyfriend, who is still on the streets.
She tested positive for COVID-19 and spent a week in hospital in early April, but says she is fully recovered.
“It was crushing, like I couldn’t breath. It felt like someone was sitting on my chest. That’s how bad it was.”
She knows there’s a chance she could catch the virus again, she said.
“I know it’s a risk, but I know that I have the antibodies,” she said. “If I get it again, I’ll beat it again.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 25, 2020
In The News is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to kickstart your day. Here is what’s on the radar of our editors for the morning of May 25 …
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COVID-19 in Canada …
OTTAWA — The House of Commons is meeting today to decide, again, how it’s going to function as COVID-19 restrictions gradually lift across the country.
The governing Liberals are proposing four sittings a week of a special committee to talk about the pandemic and how the government is responding to it, using a hybrid system with some MPs in the Commons chamber in Ottawa and others participating by video conference.
They would also have four days scattered through the summer when MPs could press cabinet ministers on other issues.
The Liberals appear to have the NDP’s broad backing for the plan, which would be enough to get it passed today.
The Conservatives have been pushing for many more normal sittings of the Commons, with full-blown question periods and a chance to debate legislation, though with a limited number of MPs in the room to reduce the risks of spreading the novel coronavirus.
The House of Commons has been working on how to hold debates and votes with some MPs participating remotely, but hasn’t yet solved technical and security challenges.
Also this …
OTTAWA — An ad-hoc transparency group is calling on governments to make crucial records related to the COVID-19 pandemic open by default as a measure of accountability to Canadians.
The Canadian COVID-19 Accountability Group urges public officials to proactively release documents concerning health and safety enforcement, scientific and public health research, and contracts, grants, and loans provided to companies and organizations.
The coalition includes academics, lawyers and representatives of groups including the Whistleblowing Canada Research Society and Anti-Corruption and Accountability Canada.
In a report released today, it says the COVID-19 pandemic has demanded dramatic action, both politically and financially, to slow the spread of the disease.
But the coalition says public and private bodies have been less than transparent with the news media and the public about those actions.
The group echoes a recent call from federal information commissioner Caroline Maynard for agencies to release pandemic-related records they create without prompting.
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COVID-19 in the U.S. …
WASHINGTON — The White House has announced a ban on travel to the U.S. from Brazil due to the spread of coronavirus in Latin America’s hardest-hit country.
Press secretary Kayleigh McEnany says the ban applies to foreign nationals who have been in Brazil in the 14 days before they sought to travel to the United States.
McEnany cast it as a move by President Donald Trump “to protect our country.”
Trump had already banned travel from the United Kingdom, Europe and China, all of which have been hit hard by the virus.
Brazil has reported more than 347,000 COVID-19 cases, second behind the U.S. in the number of infections, according to a Johns Hopkins University count.
Brazil also has recorded more than 22,000 deaths, fifth-most in the world. There have been more than 97,000 U.S. deaths.
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COVID-19 around the world …
PARIS — The number of people hospitalized with the virus in France rose slightly Sunday, the first daily increase since mid-April when France’s infections peaked.
The rise — from 17,178 people hospitalized Saturday to 17,185 Sunday — comes almost two weeks after France started gradually relaxing its confinement measures.
The number of people in intensive care with the virus dropped again Sunday for the 46th consecutive day to 1,655, down from more than 7,000 in mid-April.
The figures were released by the national health agency DGS, which did not release an updated death toll Sunday.
France is one of the hardest-hit nations by the virus, with some 28,000 deaths in hospitals and nursing homes.
Protests are planned today at nursing homes accused of mishandling the virus crisis.
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COVID-19 in sports …
Tom Brady delivered the shot of the match by holing out from the fairway, while Tiger Woods didn’t miss a fairway and earned some revenge on long time rival Phil Mickelson.
Sunday’s exhibition match featuring two of golf’s greatest with two of the NFL’s greatest quarterbacks turned out to be as entertaining as the real thing.
It was called, “The Match: Champions for Charity,” and it was the second and final TV exhibition before the PGA Tour returns for real at Colonial in just over two weeks.
Woods, who was paired with Peyton Manning, won 1-up over the Brady-Mickelson duo.
The goal was to raise $10 million for COVID-19 relief funds, however, online donations sent the total climbing toward about twice that much. And the value of trash-talking rights for Woods and Manning — priceless.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 25, 2020
1broken down into 10 pieces, breasts cut in half whole chicken
¼ cupall-purpose flour
¼ cupcorn starch
¼ cuprice flour
2 tspMontreal steak spice
500mlbuttermilk
2 tspkosher salt
for frying vegetable oil
for garnish maldon salt
METHOD
In an appropriate vessel combine buttermilk and 2 tsp salt. Place chicken in buttermilk brine for minimum two hours but best overnight. Meanwhile combine flours and steak spice. Using a large pot heat two inches of oil to 350 degrees. Drain chicken piece by piece from brine and press into flour. Shake off excess and place gently in fryer, fry in batches to avoid overcrowding and dropping the temperature of the oil too much. Remove chicken once an internal thermometer registers 165F and sprinkle gently with maldon salt.
Provinces have been releasing plans for easing restrictions that were put in place to limit the spread of COVID-19.
Here is what some of the provinces have announced so far:
Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador lifted some of the public health restrictions imposed to slow the spread of COVID-19 on May 11.
The province has entered “alert level four” in its five-level reopening plan, allowing some businesses such as law firms and other professional services to reopen along with regulated child-care centres, with some restrictions.
Small gatherings for funerals, burials and weddings are also permitted with a limit of 10 people following physical distancing rules.
Municipal parks, golf courses and driving ranges can open and recreational hunting and fishing are permitted. Officials are reminding people that the new rules do not allow for parties or other social gatherings.
The province is loosening restrictions in a series of “alert levels” descending from five. The current alert level is to remain in place for at least 28 days.
At Level 3, private health clinics, such as optometrists and dentists, are to be permitted to open, as well as medium-risk businesses such as clothing stores and hair salons.
At Level 2, some small gatherings will be allowed, and businesses with performance spaces and gyms are to reopen.
Level 1 would represent “the new normal.”
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Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia Premier Stephen McNeil has announced there will be no return to school this year. He also says a decision on whether daycares will reopen will be made by June 8. Nova Scotia has eased some public health restrictions, however, directives around physical distancing and social gatherings remain in place.
Trails and provincial and municipal parks can now reopen along with garden centres, nurseries and similar businesses, but playground equipment is still off limits.
Public beaches also reopened along with outdoor activities like archery, horseback riding, golf, paddling, boating and tennis, with the proviso that social distancing and hygiene be maintained.
Sportfishing is permitted and people can attend boating, yacht or sailing clubs for the purpose of preparing boats for use. Drive-in religious services are now allowed, if people stay in their cars, park two metres apart and there are no interactions between people.
The government has also announced the loosening of some restrictions and introduced a “family bubble” policy, allowing two immediate family households to come together without physical distancing.
The province is following federal health guidelines and the chief medical officer of health has stressed that the number of new COVID-19 cases caused by community transmission must drop to few or no cases for at least two weeks — ideally 28 days — before an economic recovery plan is implemented.
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Prince Edward Island
P-E-I is accelerating its Renew PEI Together plan. Phase two of the plan will still begin today (May 22) as scheduled, but the third phase will now begin June 1 instead of June 12.
Phase three will allow gatherings of up to 15 people indoors and 20 people outdoors, organized recreational activities and the opening of child-care centres and in-room dining. Members of a household can currently gather indoors with up to five other people.
Other precautions, such as physical distancing remain in place.
Screening also continues at points of entry into the province and all people coming into P.E.I. are required to isolate for 14 days. Priority non-urgent surgeries and select health-service providers, including physiotherapists, optometrists and chiropractors, resumed on May 1.
The Renew P.E.I. Together plan also allows outdoor gatherings and non-contact outdoor recreational activities of no more than five individuals from different households.
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New Brunswick
New Brunswick is set to move to the next phase of its COVID-19 recovery plan today (May 22), and it could mean some hair cuts are imminent. The “yellow phase” means barbers and hair stylists can reopen as well as churches and fitness facilities. Dental care, massage, chiropractors and other “close contact” businesses and services will also be allowed to open their doors.
Licensed daycares were permitted to start reopening May 19. Children don’t have to wear masks or maintain physical distancing, but are being kept in small groups.
Anyone who has travelled outside of New Brunswick will not be allowed to visit early learning and child-care facilities for 14 days.
Retail businesses, offices, restaurants, libraries, museums and seasonal campgrounds were earlier allowed to reopen under certain conditions. Those include having an operational plan that explains how they are meeting public health guidelines including physical distancing, hand hygiene and allowing staff to remain home when ill. Outdoor gatherings of up to 10 people were allowed if physical distancing is respected. And the resumption of elective surgeries was also part phase two of the province’s reopening plan.
Phase one, which started on April 24, allowed limited play on golf courses as well as fishing and hunting. Post-secondary students were allowed to return if it was deemed safe by the school, and outdoor church services were again permitted, providing people remain in their vehicles and are two metres apart.
The final phase, which will probably come only after a vaccine is available, will include large gatherings.
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Quebec
Quebec will allow day camps across the province to open as of June 22, with physical distancing and other COVID-19 health measures in effect. That means smaller groups of children and frequent handwashing. As for sleep-away summer camps, the province says they won’t be allowed reopen until next year.
Quebec reopened retail stores outside Montreal on May 11.
Lottery terminals are also reopening after being shut down on March 20 with sales moving to online only.
Quebec’s construction and manufacturing industries have resumed operations with limits on the number of employees who can work per shift. Elementary schools and daycares outside Montreal reopened on May 11, but high schools, junior colleges and universities will stay closed until September.
Elementary schools in the greater Montreal area will remain closed until late August.
Premier Francois Legault says public health conditions haven’t been met in the area hardest hit by the coronavirus, so Montreal daycares will also remain closed until at least June 1.
Officials haven’t made a firm decision about retail businesses, which are scheduled to reopen May 25.
Meanwhile, checkpoints set up to slow the spread of COVID-19 came down on May 18 in various parts of Quebec, including between Gatineau and Ottawa.
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Ontario
Ontario began its first stage of reopening May 19 including lifting restrictions on retail stores and surgeries.
The province says workplaces can begin to reopen but working from home should continue as much as possible.
All construction can resume, and limits will be lifted on maintenance, repair and property management services, such as cleaning, painting and pool maintenance.
Most retail stores that have a street entrance can reopen with physical distancing restrictions, such as limits on the number of customers in a store and providing curbside pickup and delivery.
Golf courses can reopen though clubhouses can only open for washrooms and take-out food. Marinas, boat clubs and public boat launches can also open, as can private parks and campgrounds for trailers and RVs whose owners have a full season contract, and businesses that board animals.
Other businesses and services included in the stage one reopening include regular veterinary appointments, pet grooming, pet sitting and pet training; libraries for pickup or deliveries; and housekeepers and babysitters.
Premier Doug Ford earlier announced that Ontario schools will remain closed for the rest of the school year.
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Manitoba
The Manitoba government has lifted its one-month limit on people’s prescription drug supplies, allowing people to again get prescriptions filled or refilled for 90 days.
Its health offices, including dentists, chiropractors and physiotherapists can also reopen. Retail businesses can reopen at half occupancy providing they ensure physical spacing.
Restaurants can reopen patios and walk-up service.
Museums and libraries can also reopen, but with occupancy limited to 50 per cent.
Playgrounds, golf courses and tennis courts reopened as well, along with parks and campgrounds.
Starting today (May 22), the province will allow groups of up to 25 people indoors and 50 people outdoors.
The province also plans to ease a ban on people visiting loved ones in personal care homes. By the end of next week, homes will be allowed to offer limited, outdoor visits with a maximum of two guests per resident.
Visitors will be screened on their arrival and will have to continue to practice physical distancing.
A second phase is to begin no earlier than June 1. That’s when restaurants would be allowed to open indoor dining areas and non-contact children’s sports would resume.
On May 21 Premier Brian Pallister released a draft plan for the second phase of reopenings, however, no date was set for the changes. Pallister said there would be public consultation and the plan could be pushed back if pandemic numbers rise.
The province’s chief public health officer, Dr. Brent Roussin, said a decision on a date for the changes would likely come soon.
Some places, such as cinemas, theatres and concert venues, will remain closed. But bars, tattoo parlours, dine-in restaurants, fitness clubs and pools would be allowed to open their doors again under limited capacity.
Youth and adult sports would resume along with film productions. Religious services could be conducted outdoors with no crowd limits if people remain in their vehicles.
Mass gatherings such as concerts and major sporting events will not be considered before September. Meanwhile, Manitoba has extended a province-wide state of emergency until mid-June, to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.
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Saskatchewan
The Saskatchewan government’s five-phase plan to reopen its economy started May 11 with dentists, optometrists and other health professionals allowed to resume services. Phase 1 also includes reopened golf courses and campgrounds.
Under phases 2 and 3 the province says restaurants, gyms and nail salons can start reopening on June 8. Restaurants will be allowed to operate at half capacity and restrictions will also lift on some personal care services, childcare centres and places of worship.
The government also plans to increase its 10-person gathering limit to 15 people indoors and to 30 for those outdoors. The increase wasn’t supposed to happen until a later date.
Phase 4 could see arenas, swimming pools and playgrounds opening.
In Phase 5, the province would consider lifting restrictions on the size of public gatherings.
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Alberta
Alberta has increased the limit for outdoor gatherings to 50 people – up from 15.
The province allowed stores, restaurants, daycares and hair salons to reopen across much of the province on May 14. But hair salons and restaurant dining rooms can’t reopen in Calgary and Brooks until May 25.
Restaurants can only open at half capacity.
Premier Jason Kenney says if the first stage of reopening goes well, the next phase – which includes movie theatres and spas – could go ahead on June 19.
Alberta allowed some scheduled, non-urgent surgeries to start on May 11.
Service provided by dentists, physiotherapists and other medical professionals are also permitted. Golf courses reopened May 2, though pro shops and clubhouses remain shuttered.
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British Columbia
The provincial government allowed a partial reopening of the B.C. economy starting May 19.
The reopening plans are contingent on organizations and businesses having plans that follow provincial guidelines to control the spread of COVID-19. Hotels, resorts and parks will follow in June.
Parents in B.C. will be given the choice of allowing their children to return to class on a part-time basis in June. The government says its goal is for the return of full-time classes in September, if it’s safe.
Under the part-time plan, for kindergarten to Grade 5, most students will go to school half time, while grades 6 to 12 will go about one day a week. A mix of online and classroom post-secondary education is planned for September.
Conventions, large concerts, international tourism and professional sports with a live audience will not be allowed to resume until either a vaccine is widely available, community immunity has been reached, or effective treatment can be provided for the disease.
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Northwest Territories
The Northwest Territories announced on May 12 a reopening plan that contains three phases, but the government didn’t say when it would be implemented.
The plan includes more gatherings and the possible reopening of some schools and businesses. However, the territory’s borders remain closed indefinitely to non-residents and non-essential workers.
There are several requirements that must be met before any measures are relaxed: there must be no evidence of community spread until today; travel entry points in the territory are strong and secure; risks are reduced from workers coming into the territory; and expanded community testing is available.
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Yukon
The territory’s reopening plan outlines five phases including a period after a vaccine is available.
The plan’s “restart” phase began May 15, with businesses that were ordered to close allowed to reopen as long as they submit an operational plan.
Two households of up to 10 people in total are also able to interact with each other as part of a “household bubble.”
But bars and restaurants that offer dine-in services won’t be allowed to reopen until the chief medical officer of health lifts restrictions.
The territory’s borders also remain closed but residents are allowed to travel throughout Yukon more easily.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 22, 2020
OTTAWA — Canada’s contribution to peacekeeping has reached what is believed to be an all-time low, even as the Liberal government makes its final push to secure a coveted seat on the United Nations Security Council.
UN figures show there were 35 Canadian military and police officers deployed on peacekeeping operations at the end of April. That represented the smallest number since at least 1956, according to Walter Dorn, a peacekeeping expert at the Canadian Forces College in Toronto.
The figures are all the more striking given the Liberal government’s past promises to contribute up to 600 military members and 150 police officers as part of a broader effort to increase Canada’s support to UN peacekeeping.
Canada instead had only 25 Armed Forces members in the field at the end of April, as well as 10 police officers. The military personnel were scattered between UN missions in Mali, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Cyprus and the Middle East. The police officers are all in Mali.
The decline coincides with the COVID-19 pandemic, which has resulted in fewer overseas deployments for the Canadian Armed Forces and the suspension of many activities, including the occasional provision of a transport plane to UN operations in Africa for the time being.
It also comes as the Liberal government heads into the home stretch of its campaign for a UN Security Council seat, where Canada is up against Norway and Ireland for two non-permanent spots at the influential table.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has been lobbying fellow leaders in the lead-up to a vote at the General Assembly next month, saying the body will play an especially important role in charting a course for the post-pandemic world.
Yet Canada’s bid could be hurt by the fact both Norway and Ireland had more peacekeepers deployed on UN missions at the end of April. Ireland had 474 peacekeepers in the field while Norway had far fewer, but still nearly twice as many as Canada with 65.
“Canada’s low level of peacekeeping participation is highly detrimental to our bid for a seat,” Dorn said. “In fact, you could call it the Achilles heel of the bid. In its past successful bids, Canada used its then-high level of participation to support the bids.”
Dorn said COVID-19 does provide a legitimate reason to pause some military movement and activities, with the UN similarly suspending operations because of the pandemic, but that is not the whole story.
“This Canadian low point is a reflection of Canada’s poor position before the crisis began,” he said.
Canada had 46 peacekeepers in the field at the end of February, before the pandemic hit the country hard in March.
That represented a dramatic drop from the 167 deployed overseas at the end of February 2019, the high point under the current Liberal government. That was when Canada had a military helicopter detachment deployed in Mali.
Two senior UN peacekeeping officials underscored in an op-ed last month the importance of peacekeeping operations, particularly as COVID-19 presents a new challenge to poor countries in Africa and elsewhere that were already struggling with peace and stability.
“If — or more likely when — the COVID-19 virus further spreads in countries already weakened by war and poverty, it will not only threaten the lives of the thousands, but could also tip the balance from tenuous peace back to conflict and despair,” wrote Atul Khare and Jean-Pierre Lacroix.
“To extend the global fight against COVID-19 to areas struggling to emerge from conflict, we need to continue sustaining and promoting peace and stability.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 22, 2020.
In The News is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to kickstart your day. Here is what’s on the radar of our editors for the morning of May 22 …
—
COVID-19 in Canada …
OTTAWA — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will be under pressure today to detail how the federal government will help provinces massively scale up testing for COVID-19 as the country slowly begins to come back to life.
Trudeau reiterated Thursday evening his offer of federal help on testing and contact tracing during his weekly conference call with premiers — repeating an offer he first made a week ago and which the Prime Minister’s Office says was well received.
Yet despite that offer, the provinces and territories combined are testing fewer than 30,000 Canadians every day — less than half the available testing capacity that chief public health officer Theresa Tam has said should be the target.
The lack of testing is particularly problematic in the two largest provinces, which account for some 80 per cent of the COVID-19 cases across the country.
Ontario has fallen far short of its goal of 16,000 tests per day, with the province completing 10,506 tests on Tuesday.
In Quebec, home to more than half Canada’s COVID-19 deaths, 9,582 tests were completed on Monday, according to the latest figures.—
Also this …
OTTAWA — Researchers in Canada say the best early warning system for a second wave of COVID-19 could be right beneath our feet — in the sewers.
Several other countries have taken to testing wastewater for signs of the novel coronavirus as an indication of flare-ups in their communities.
Now researchers are beginning to look at the option in Canada.
Given that some people can pass the virus on without even knowing they have it, health officials say testing large portions of the population will be key for detecting and quashing any new community spread of COVID-19.
Canada has struggled to keep up with the volume of tests needed to do that.
Mike McKay with the Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research says scientists across the country are now testing wastewater to see if it could be a viable way to alert public health officials to new outbreaks.
—
COVID-19 in the U.S. …
WASHINGTON,D.C. — As the coronavirus pandemic stretches on, Americans’ views of the federal and state government response to the crisis are starting to sour — yet President Donald Trump’s personal approval rating has remained steady.
A new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research shows that 41 per cent of Americans approve of the president’s job performance, while 58 per cent disapprove.
That’s consistent with opinions of Trump before the pandemic, as well as throughout his more than three years in office.
The survey highlights one of the remarkable features of Trump’s tenure as president: Despite a steady drumbeat of controversies, an impeachment trial and now a historic public health crisis, few Americans have changed their views of him.
He’s failed to increase his support in any measurable way, yet he also has retained the approval of his core backers, including the overwhelming majority of Republicans.
—
COVID-19 around the world …
MOSCOW — In Russia, there are no daily public displays of gratitude for its doctors as there are in the West during the coronavirus crisis.
Instead, Russian medical workers face mistrust, low pay and even hostility.
The COVID-19 outbreak has put enormous pressure on them, and they say they are battling both the virus and a system that fails to support them.
Doctors who try to speak out about a lack of protective equipment and dire working conditions face intimidation, are accused of lying, and some are being fired or even face prosecution.
Officials and news reports also say more than 9,400 medical workers have gotten the virus in the past month, and more than 70 have died.
—
COVID-19 in entertainment …
The Stratford Festival says despite efforts to rescue its finances from the impact of COVID-19 the organization still has a $20-million hole in its budget.
Carol Stephenson, chairwoman of the board at the festival, has asked the House of Commons standing committee on finance for $8 million to help get the arts organization back on its feet.
She says the rest of the shortfall can be raised through donations from the private sector.
Stratford was to roll out 15 productions in four theatres, including Colm Feore’s “Richard III” as the inaugural show at the new $70-million Tom Patterson Theatre, before the closure of its theatres in March.
—
COVID-19 in sports …
Jason Dorrington was looking forward to playing for six softball teams this summer, until recreational sports across the country ground to a halt due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Individual, non-contact sports like golf and tennis have been given the green light to play in Quebec and Ontario this week. However, team sports such as soccer, baseball, basketball and flag football, must wait until they have been deemed safe to play by their respective governments.
“It sucks,” Dorrington said. “I look forward to it every year to get together with the boys all the time. I play five, six times a week. Gives me something to do.”
For organizations like AK-Rec, a Montreal basketball recreational league with nearly 800 participants through nine recreational divisions in gyms across the city, they’ve already cancelled their summer leagues and it is possible they may not see any action until early January 2021.
“It’s gone from a healthy revenue stream to zero,” says AK-Rec owner and founder Ariel Kincler.
The issue of contact, or lack thereof, may pose a challenge for some recreation leagues once they return.
John Stellato, president and director of the Quebec Calcetto Soccer League, feels it might not be possible to have participants follow every physical distancing measure as they play. However, he said he will supply masks and encourage players to wear their own gloves.
It’s the behaviour of players in dugouts that worries Montreal Softball League president Gil Di Gregorio.
Teammates high-fiving each other, sharing water bottles and spitting out sunflower seeds might be a thing of the past until a vaccine is deployed.
Kincler thinks having players swabbed before taking to the court might be a solution once his league resumes. But the damage may already be done by then.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 22, 2020
Face masks are dangerous to the health of some Canadians and problematic for some others.
In recommending people wear masks in public to prevent the spread of COVID-19, national chief public health officer Theresa Tam has also warned against judging those who can’t wear them.
“Be very aware of those with different types of cognitive, intellectual disabilities, those who are hearing impaired and others,” Dr. Tam said.
“Don’t assume that someone who isn’t wearing a mask or is wearing something different doesn’t have an actual reason for it.”
Asthma Canada president and CEO Vanessa Foran said simply wearing a mask could create risk of an asthma attack.
She said if a mask inhibits the ability of someone to breathe in any way, they recommend not wearing one.
Foran suggests asthmatics wear a mask in their home for 20 minutes to test their comfort level before venturing out, and also to head out in cooler weather.
“Wearing masks means breathing hot and humid air, so that can trigger asthma symptoms,” she said.
“We say if they cannot wear a mask, they must ensure they’re maintaining physical distancing and practising good hand hygiene.”
Foran said people with severe allergies might also find wearing a mask difficult at this time of year.
Autism Canada family support representative Dominique Payment said adults and children with the spectrum disorder have trouble with sensory processing, as well as tactile, olfactory and nervous-system hypersensitivity that wearing a mask could aggravate.
“It could cause some serious challenges,” she said. “Because their senses are so heightened, it affects everything.”
Payment has two children on the autism spectrum. One is anxious about masks because he associates them with having his teeth cleaned at the dentist, which he dislikes.
“Unfortunately this whole COVID situation and everyone wearing masks can cause some anxiety for these children because they are associating with not-so-positive experiences,” she said.
Payment said having children put a mask on a favourite stuffed animal, or choosing fabric colour and pattern for a mask, could help prepare them to wear one.
The deaf can’t read lips covered by an opaque mask, which also muffles sound for those who are hearing impaired.
Clovis Bernard wrote in a post on the Canadian Hard of Hearing Association website earlier this month that situations are difficult to navigate in this pandemic.
“The new reality is that it is recommended to wear a mask or a face covering while going out, to reduce the community spread of the coronavirus,” Bernard wrote.
“Unfortunately, it also covers up the faces that we rely so much on for understanding people.
“Maybe you are nervous about asking people to pull down their masks so you can understand them, but it is as if you are asking them to expose themselves to a health risk.”
He said in his experience, most people are more than willing to lower their masks for a quick second for you provided the circumstance is safe to do so.
The Alaska-based company Rapid Response PPE has developed face masks with clear shields so hearing-impaired people can see facial cues and lip movement.
In The News is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to kickstart your day. Here is what’s on the radar of our editors for the morning of May 21 …
—
COVID-19 in Canada …
The federal government will provide today more financial support to help off-reserve Indigenous People weather the COVID-19 pandemic.THE CANADIAN PRESS
The additional funding comes amid criticism that the Trudeau government has largely ignored the plight of thousands of Indigenous people who live off-reserve and in urban centres.
Many of them were already among Canada’s most vulnerable before the pandemic hit in mid-March — struggling with poverty, homelessness, food insecurity and mental health and addiction issues.
The Congress of Aboriginal People, which represents some 90,000 off-reserve and non-status Indigenous people, has gone to court over what it says is the “inadequate and discriminatory” funding it has received compared to that given to organizations representing First Nations, Inuit and Metis communities.
In mid-March, the federal government created the $305-million Indigenous Community Support Fund, the vast majority of which went to organizations representing First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities to help them prepare for and cope with the pandemic.
Only $15 million of that was allotted for off-reserve organizations, even though they serve more than half of Canada’s Indigenous population. Of that, CAP, which is seeking $16 million in funding, received just $250,000.
“The amount CAP has received for our constituents across Canada is a slap in the face,” the group’s national chief, Robert Bertrand, told a Commons committee last week.
—
Also this …
Face masks are dangerous to the health of some Canadians and problematic for some others.
In recommending people wear masks in public to prevent the spread of COVID-19, national chief public health officer Theresa Tam has also warned against judging those who can’t wear them.
“Be very aware of those with different types of cognitive, intellectual disabilities, those who are hearing impaired and others,” Dr. Tam said.
“Don’t assume that someone who isn’t wearing a mask or is wearing something different doesn’t have an actual reason for it.”
Asthma Canada president and CEO Vanessa Foran said simply wearing a mask could create risk of an asthma attack.
She said if a mask inhibits the ability of someone to breathe in any way, they recommend not wearing one.
—
COVID-19 in the U.S. …
Republican political operatives are recruiting “extremely pro-Trump” doctors to go on television to prescribe reviving the U.S. economy as quickly as possible, without waiting to meet safety benchmarks proposed by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to slow the spread of the new coronavirus.
The plan was discussed in a May 11 conference call with a senior staffer for the Trump reelection campaign organized by CNP Action, an affiliate of the GOP-aligned Council for National Policy. A leaked recording of the hourlong call was provided to The Associated Press by the Center for Media and Democracy, a progressive watchdog group.
CNP Action is part of the Save Our Country Coalition, an alliance of conservative think tanks and political committees formed in late April to end state lockdowns implemented in response to the pandemic. Other members of the coalition include the FreedomWorks Foundation, the American Legislative Exchange Council and Tea Party Patriots.
A resurgent economy is seen as critical to boosting President Donald Trump’s reelection hopes and has become a growing focus of the White House coronavirus task force led by Vice-President Mike Pence.
Tim Murtaugh, the Trump campaign communications director, confirmed to AP that an effort to recruit doctors to publicly support the president is underway, but declined to say when the initiative would be rolled out.
“Anybody who joins one of our coalitions is vetted,” Murtaugh said Monday. “And so quite obviously, all of our coalitions espouse policies and say things that are, of course, exactly simpatico with what the president believes. … The president has been outspoken about the fact that he wants to get the country back open as soon as possible.”
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COVID-19 around the world …
Italy’s restaurants and pizzerias, for foodies the world over a key reason to visit, are facing an existential threat. Those that didn’t fold after 10 weeks of a strict coronavirus lockdown are emerging to find that new social distancing requirements might yet drive them out of business.
While Italians reveled this week in being able to sit down to a plate of spaghetti alle vongole (spaghetti with clams) at their local trattoria for the first time since March, a slew of studies suggest that as many as a third of Italy’s bars and restaurants risked closing. The reasons? Financial losses already incurred by the lockdown, a projected tourism downturn, reduced table capacity and Italians’ own fears about eating out.
Venice’s famed Harry’s Bar — the birthplace of the Bellini cocktail of white peach juice and prosecco — has closed until further notice.
“We can’t think about opening with just five or six people” allowed inside at a time, owner Arrigo Cipriani said.
Milan chef Matteo Fronduti, who won the first Italian edition of “Top Chef,” announced that his Manna restaurant wouldn’t reopen for now, given lingering questions about the continued risk of contagion and the Italian government’s confusing regulations for restaurants.
Only when those questions were answered, Fronduti said, would he consider reopening Manna, which features unusual, wildly named dishes like “Against the wear and tear of modern life,” (artichokes, raw jumbo shrimp and lemon) and “All talk” (spaghetti, broccoli rabe, herring and horseradish).
—
COVID-19 in entertainment …
The Wu-Tang Clan is raising money to help three Ottawa charities “Triumph” over COVID-19.
The New York City-based rap collective announced its official partnership with the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario, the Ottawa Food Bank and the Ottawa Mission shelter this morning.
The group is selling T-shirts, hand sanitizer, and meals through their online 36 Chambers store, with proceeds from all three items going to the charities.
The Wu-Tang Clan began supporting the Ottawa Food Bank on April 2, after they were tagged in a tweet by Adam Miron, a local businessman.
The group replied to Miron’s tweet saying they had contributed to the Food Bank and encouraging others to join them.
The rap group says that led to an additional $280,000 being donated within the next 48 hours.
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COVID-19 in sports …
Commissioner Randy Ambrosie says the earliest the CFL can start the 2020 season is September.
Ambrosie also says a cancelled 2020 season remains a possibility due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Please note that we are not announcing or promising a return this fall,” he said. “We are just letting our fans know this remains one of the remaining possible scenarios for 2020.
“A cancelled season is also possible. Again, it’s too soon to make a sure call at this point.”
The CFL is also changing its ’20 Grey Cup plans.
Regina was scheduled to host this year’s game, but instead has been awarded the 2022 contest.
If there’s an abbreviated 2020 season, the Grey Cup finalist with the best regular-season record will host the CFL championship game.
“It has become increasingly clear we will not be able to host a traditional Grey Cup and Grey Cup Festival, certainly not with the size and scope that has become customary,” Ambrosie says.
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ICYMI (in case you missed it) …
It took only minutes for runners and T-shirts marking the 40th anniversary of Terry Fox’s Marathon of Hope to sell out.
Adidas Canada had promoted the sale of Orion sneakers similar to the classic, three-stripe runner worn by Fox throughout his marathon journey.
A few minutes after the online-only sale of the $130 shoes and $40 T-shirts started Wednesday, Adidas posted an advisory asking customers to “stay tuned for a restock.”
Adidas Canada says on its site that all net proceeds from the sale will go to The Terry Fox Foundation.
Fox began his run on April 12, 1980 in St. John’s, N.L., and was forced to end it 143 days later in Northern Ontario after cancer spread to his lungs.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 21, 2020
In mid-March, the government created the $305-million Indigenous Community Support Fund, most of which went to organizations representing First Nations, Inuit and Metis communities to help them prepare for and cope with the pandemic.
Only $15 million of that was allotted for off-reserve organizations, even though they serve more than half of Canada’s Indigenous population, and of that, CAP, which is seeking $16 million, received just $250,000.
“The amount CAP has received for our constituents across Canada is a slap in the face,” the group’s national chief, Robert Bertrand, told a Commons committee last week.
The additional funding Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is to announce today is expected to go to organizations that serve the off-reserve Indigenous population, such as the National Association of Friendship Centres.
The association says it has been delivering food, dealing with increased domestic violence, caring for elders and helping off-reserve Indigenous people find safe shelter and transportation and apply for emergency aid benefits, despite little financial help from Ottawa.
Association president Christopher Sheppard-Buote last week told the Commons committee that people not living on a First Nation reserve or in an Inuit or Metis community feel “unseen” by the federal government during the pandemic.
However, other emergency aid programs created for the general population — including the $2,000 per month Canada Emergency Response Benefit and the 75-per-cent wage subsidy program — are available to eligible off-reserve Indigenous people.
As well, the government announced in April up to $306.8 million to help small- and medium-sized Indigenous businesses, and to support Indigenous institutions that offer financing to these businesses.
At that time, the government said the funding — providing short-term, interest-free loans and non-repayable contributions — would help some 6,000 Indigenous-owned businesses survive the pandemic.
Provinces have been releasing plans for easing restrictions that were put in place to limit the spread of COVID-19.
Here is what some of the provinces have announced so far:
Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador lifted some of the public health restrictions imposed to slow the spread of COVID-19 on May 11.
The province has entered “alert level four” in its five-level reopening plan, allowing some businesses such as law firms and other professional services to reopen along with regulated child-care centres, with some restrictions.
Small gatherings for funerals, burials and weddings are also permitted with a limit of 10 people following physical distancing rules.
Municipal parks, golf courses and driving ranges can open and recreational hunting and fishing are permitted. Officials are reminding people that the new rules do not allow for parties or other social gatherings.
The province is loosening restrictions in a series of “alert levels” descending from five. The current alert level is to remain in place for at least 28 days.
At Level 3, private health clinics, such as optometrists and dentists, are to be permitted to open, as well as medium-risk businesses such as clothing stores and hair salons.
At Level 2, some small gatherings will be allowed, and businesses with performance spaces and gyms are to reopen.
Level 1 would represent “the new normal.”
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Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia Premier Stephen McNeil has announced there will be no return to school this year. He also says a decision on whether daycares will reopen will be made by June 8. Nova Scotia has eased some public health restrictions, however, directives around physical distancing and social gatherings remain in place.
Trails and provincial and municipal parks can now reopen along with garden centres, nurseries and similar businesses, but playground equipment is still off limits.
Public beaches also reopened along with outdoor activities like archery, horseback riding, golf, paddling, boating and tennis, with the proviso that social distancing and hygiene be maintained.
Sportfishing is permitted and people can attend boating, yacht or sailing clubs for the purpose of preparing boats for use. Drive-in religious services are now allowed, if people stay in their cars, park two metres apart and there are no interactions between people.
The government announced the loosening of some restrictions and introduced a “family bubble” policy, allowing two immediate family households to come together without physical distancing.
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Prince Edward Island
P-E-I is accelerating its Renew PEI Together plan. Phase two of the plan will still begin May 22 as scheduled, but the third phase will now begin June 1 instead of June 12.
Phase three will allow gatherings of up to 15 people indoors and 20 people outdoors, organized recreational activities and the opening of child-care centres and in-room dining. Members of a household can currently gather indoors with up to five other people.
Other precautions, such as physical distancing remain in place.
Screening also continues at points of entry into the province and all people coming into P.E.I. are required to isolate for 14 days. Priority non-urgent surgeries and select health-service providers, including physiotherapists, optometrists and chiropractors, resumed on May 1.
The Renew P.E.I. Together plan also allows outdoor gatherings and non-contact outdoor recreational activities of no more than five individuals from different households.
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New Brunswick
New Brunswick’s education minister said licensed daycares can begin reopening May 19. Children won’t have to wear masks or maintain physical distancing, but they will be in small groups.
Anyone who has travelled outside of New Brunswick will not be allowed to visit early learning and child-care facilities for 14 days.
Meanwhile, the province has allowed more businesses and services to reopen.
Retail businesses, offices, restaurants, libraries, museums and seasonal campgrounds can do so under certain conditions.
Those include having an operational plan that explains how they are meeting public health guidelines including physical distancing, hand hygiene and allowing staff to remain home when ill.
Outdoor gatherings of up to 10 people are also allowed if physical distancing is respected.
The resumption of elective surgeries is also part of the province’s phase two of its reopening plan.
The third phase will allow regular church services, dentistry work and the reopening of fitness centres.
The final phase, which will probably come only after a vaccine is available, will include large gatherings.
Phase one, which started on April 24, allowed limited play on golf courses as well as fishing and hunting.
Post-secondary students were allowed to return if it was deemed safe by the school, and outdoor church services were again permitted, providing people remain in their vehicles and are two metres apart.
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Quebec
Quebec reopened retail stores outside Montreal on May 11.
Lottery terminals are also reopening after being shut down on March 20 with sales moving to online only.
Quebec’s construction and manufacturing industries have resumed operations with limits on the number of employees who can work per shift. Elementary schools and daycares outside Montreal reopened on May 11, but high schools, junior colleges and universities will stay closed until September.
Elementary schools in the greater Montreal area will remain closed until late August.
Premier Francois Legault says public health conditions haven’t been met in the area hardest hit by the coronavirus, so Montreal daycares will also remain closed until at least June 1.
Officials haven’t made a firm decision about retail businesses, which are scheduled to reopen May 25.
Meanwhile, checkpoints set up to slow the spread of COVID-19 came down on May 18 in various parts of Quebec, including between Gatineau and Ottawa.
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Ontario
Ontario began its first stage of reopening May 19 including lifting restrictions on retail stores and surgeries.
The province says workplaces can begin to reopen but working from home should continue as much as possible.
All construction can resume, and limits will be lifted on maintenance, repair and property management services, such as cleaning, painting and pool maintenance.
Most retail stores that have a street entrance can reopen with physical distancing restrictions, such as limits on the number of customers in a store and providing curbside pickup and delivery.
Golf courses can reopen though clubhouses can only open for washrooms and take-out food. Marinas, boat clubs and public boat launches can also open, as can private parks and campgrounds for trailers and RVs whose owners have a full season contract, and businesses that board animals.
Other businesses and services included in the stage one reopening include regular veterinary appointments, pet grooming, pet sitting and pet training; libraries for pickup or deliveries; and housekeepers and babysitters.
Premier Doug Ford announced that Ontario schools will stay closed for the rest of the school year.
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Saskatchewan
The Saskatchewan government’s five-phase plan to reopen its economy started May 11 with dentists, optometrists and other health professionals allowed to resume services. Phase 1 also includes reopened golf courses and campgrounds.
Phase 2 will give the green light to retail businesses and salons.
Restaurants and gyms could open in Phase 3, but with limited capacity.
Phase 4 could see arenas, swimming pools and playgrounds opening.
In Phase 5, the province would consider lifting restrictions on the size of public gatherings.
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Manitoba
The Manitoba government has lifted its one-month limit on people’s prescription drug supplies, allowing people to again get prescriptions filled or refilled for 90 days.
Its health offices, including dentists, chiropractors and physiotherapists can also reopen. Retail businesses can reopen at half occupancy providing they ensure physical spacing.
Restaurants can reopen patios and walk-up service.
Museums and libraries can also reopen, but with occupancy limited to 50 per cent.
Playgrounds, golf courses and tennis courts reopened as well, along with parks and campgrounds.
A second phase is to begin no earlier than June 1. That’s when restaurants would be allowed to open indoor dining areas and non-contact children’s sports would resume.
Mass gatherings such as concerts and major sporting events will not be considered before September. Meanwhile, Manitoba has extended a province-wide state of emergency until mid-June, to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.
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Alberta
Alberta has increased the limit for outdoor gatherings to 50 people – up from 15.
The province allowed stores, restaurants, daycares and hair salons to reopen across much of the province on May 14. But hair salons and restaurant dining rooms can’t reopen in Calgary and Brooks until May 25.
Restaurants can only open at half capacity.
Premier Jason Kenney says if the first stage of reopening goes well, the next phase – which includes movie theatres and spas – could go ahead on June 19.
Alberta allowed some scheduled, non-urgent surgeries to start on May 11.
Service provided by dentists, physiotherapists and other medical professionals are also permitted. Golf courses reopened May 2, though pro shops and clubhouses remain shuttered.
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British Columbia
The provincial government allowed a partial reopening of the B.C. economy starting May 19.
The reopening plans are contingent on organizations and businesses having plans that follow provincial guidelines to control the spread of COVID-19. Hotels, resorts and parks will follow in June.
Parents in B.C. will be given the choice of allowing their children to return to class on a part-time basis in June. The government says its goal is for the return of full-time classes in September, if it’s safe.
Under the part-time plan, for kindergarten to Grade 5, most students will go to school half time, while grades 6 to 12 will go about one day a week. A mix of online and classroom post-secondary education is planned for September.
Conventions, large concerts, international tourism and professional sports with a live audience will not be allowed to resume until either a vaccine is widely available, community immunity has been reached, or effective treatment can be provided for the disease.
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Northwest Territories
The Northwest Territories announced on May 12 a reopening plan that contains three phases, but the government didn’t say when it would be implemented.
The plan includes more gatherings and the possible reopening of some schools and businesses. However, the territory’s borders remain closed indefinitely to non-residents and non-essential workers.
There are several requirements that must be met before any measures are relaxed: there must be no evidence of community spread until today; travel entry points in the territory are strong and secure; risks are reduced from workers coming into the territory; and expanded community testing is available.
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Yukon
The territory’s reopening plan outlines five phases including a period after a vaccine is available.
The plan’s “restart” phase began May 15, with businesses that were ordered to close allowed to reopen as long as they submit an operational plan.
Two households of up to 10 people in total are also able to interact with each other as part of a “household bubble.”
But bars and restaurants that offer dine-in services won’t be allowed to reopen until the chief medical officer of health lifts restrictions.
The territory’s borders also remain closed but residents are allowed to travel throughout Yukon more easily.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 20, 2020
In The News is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to kickstart your day. Here is what’s on the radar of our editors for the morning of May 20 …
—
COVID-19 in Canada …
The federal government is beefing up efforts to persuade businesses to rehire workers now that Canada’s economy is starting to emerge from the COVID-19 lockdown.
It is expected today to unveil more details of its promised loan program for large corporations and commercial rent relief for small- and mid-sized businesses.
That includes more information on how businesses can apply for the programs and what conditions will apply.
Today’s focus follows last week’s extension of the 75 per cent wage subsidy for three months, to the end of August, and Tuesday’s announcement that the government is expanding the eligibility criteria for its small business loan program.
The latter program provides interest-free loans of $40,000 for eligible small businesses to cover costs like rent and utilities, with the possibility of forgiving one-quarter of the amount if it is paid off by the end of 2022.
Tuesday’s fix extended the program to companies that don’t have traditional payrolls, such as family-run businesses that pay themselves in dividends and companies that employ only contractors.
“This is about getting people back to work and giving businesses the confidence to reopen, rehire and even grow because the way our economy will recover and the way our country will remain resilient and successful is by getting Canadians back to work,” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Tuesday.
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In other Canadian news …
Statistics Canada is expected to report that the consumer price index decreased in April, the first full month the economy was gripped by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Economists on average had expected a reading of negative 0.28 per cent for April, according to financial markets data firm Refinitiv.
That’s a further decline from March when the annual pace of inflation in Canada was 0.9 per cent, marking the biggest one-month decrease in more than a decade.
It was down from 2.2 per cent in February as the price of oil collapsed and the economy then ground to a halt when governments ordered the closure of non-essential businesses in mid-March to slow the spread of COVID-19.
The Consumer Price Index measures price changes for a fixed basket of goods and services that are divided into eight major components.
These are food, shelter, household operations, furnishings and equipment, clothing and footwear, transportation, health and personal care, recreation, education and alcoholic beverages, tobacco products and recreational cannabis.
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Also this …
As provinces take their cautious first steps to allow people back into local businesses, a new poll suggests most Canadians don’t think province-wide measures are the best way to reopen the economy.
The latest poll on the COVID-19 pandemic by Leger and the Association for Canadian Studies suggests only 35 per cent of people thought restrictions should be loosened for entire provinces.
In contrast, 47 per cent thought those decisions should apply to specific regions within each province. Just 18 per cent said reopening measures should apply to all of Canada at once.
Still, just over half of those polled said they trust provinces to make the call about what businesses should reopen and when, whereas about one-third said that should be up to Ottawa and 14 per cent said local governments should decide.
That is essentially what happened in Quebec, where the provincial government delayed the planned reopening of schools, daycares and businesses in the Greater Montreal area for one week because of the particularly high COVID-19 infection rate in the area and a shortage of health-care workers.
The proportion of people who said they would like decisions to be made region by region were highest in that province at 73 per cent, followed by Alberta at 52 per cent.
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COVID-19 in the U.S. …
President Donald Trump emphatically defended himself against criticism from medical experts that his announced use of a malaria drug against the coronavirus could spark wide misuse by Americans of the unproven treatment with potentially fatal side effects.
Trump’s revelation a day earlier that he was taking hydroxychloroquine caught many in his administration by surprise and set off an urgent effort by officials to justify his action. But their attempt to address the concerns of health professionals was undercut by the president himself.
He asserted without evidence that a study of veterans raising alarm about the drug was “false” and an “enemy statement,” even as his own government warned that the drug should be administered for COVID-19 only in a hospital or research setting.
“If you look at the one survey, the only bad survey, they were giving it to people that were in very bad shape,” Trump said. That was an apparent reference to a study of hundreds of patients treated by the Department of Veterans Affairs in which more of those in a group who were administered hydroxychloroquine died than among those who weren’t.
“They were very old. Almost dead,” Trump said. “It was a Trump enemy statement.” During a Cabinet meeting, he elicited a defense of his practice from other officials, including VA Secretary Robert Wilkie who noted that the study in question was not conducted by his agency.
But the drug has not been shown to combat the virus in a multitude of other studies as well. Two large observational studies, each involving around 1,400 patients in New York, recently found no COVID benefit from hydroxychloroquine. Two new ones published last week in the medical journal BMJ reached the same conclusion.
No large, rigorous studies have found the drug safe or effective for preventing or treating COVID-19.
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COVID-19 around the world …
President Donald Trump’s declaration that he was taking a malaria drug of dubious effectiveness to help fend off the coronavirus will likely be welcomed in India.
Trump’s previous endorsement of hydroxychloroquine catalyzed a tremendous shift in the South Asian country, spurring the world’s largest producer of the drug to make much more of it, prescribe it for front-line health workers treating the virus and deploy it as a diplomatic tool, despite mounting evidence against using the drug for COVID-19.
Trump said Monday that he was taking hydroxychloroquine as a measure of protection against the virus. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, however, has cautioned against using it outside of hospitals because of the risk of serious heart problems.
Suhhil Gupta, a pharmacist in New Delhi, said Tuesday that Trump’s announcement shouldn’t carry any weight in India.
“He’s not a pharmacist. His statements are not relevant to the field,” Gupta said.
Still, India’s policy on the decades-old drug, used to prevent malaria and treat lupus and rheumatoid arthritis, drastically changed after Trump tweeted in March that the drug, used together with an antibiotic, could be “game changers” in the fight against the pandemic. India’s health ministry quickly approved it as a prophylactic for health care workers and others at high risk of infection, and as a treatment for critically ill patients.
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In non-COVID-19 entertainment news …
Alanis Morissette is among the special guests set to appear in next week’s finale of the new incarnation of “Fraggle Rock” on Apple TV Plus.
The Ottawa-born singer-songwriter will appear along with several other stars in the sixth instalment of “Fraggle Rock: Rock On!” next Tuesday.
She’ll sing the classic “Fraggle Rock” theme song, along with Common, Jason Mraz, Neil Patrick Harris, Tiffany Haddish, and Ziggy Marley.
The original 1980s version of the children’s puppet series from the Jim Henson Company was filmed in Toronto.
The new U.S.-shot series features mini episodes that have appeared every Tuesday for free on the streaming service since last month.
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COVID-19 in sports …
Alberta’s Jason Kenney is the latest premier to make a pitch for his province to host National Hockey League games should the league resume play.
The league suspended its season in February and is now eyeing a format to complete it with an improvised playoff scenario. One possibility is a tournament of 24 teams spread over two hub cities.
Kenney says he is working with the Edmonton Oilers on a proposal to be a host city and expects to be discussing the issue later this week with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman.
He says Edmonton would be a prime location, given it has low COVID numbers and a new downtown rink with a hotel attached to provide an isolation safe zone for players.
“I think we’ve got a tremendous pitch to make,” Kenney says.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 20, 2020
OTTAWA — Businesses in some provinces begin reopening today as the government eases restrictions aimed at curbing the COVID-19 pandemic.
While a number of them spent the long weekend preparing for the reopening, some businesses say they’re still trying to figure out the new guidelines.
Ontario and British Columbia have given the go-ahead to certain retail stores to open their doors today as the provinces take the first step in their reopening plans.
B.C.’s provincial health officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry, is asking both customers and busineses to take it slow.
The May long weekend, which is usually a start to summer, was dampened after a Snowbird plane crashed in British Columbia on Sunday while on a cross-country tour meant to impart hope during the pandemic.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is scheduled to hold his first news conference since the crash today at 11 a.m. ET at Rideau Cottage.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published on May 19, 2020.
In The News is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to kickstart your day. Here is what’s on the radar of our editors for the morning of May 19 …
—
COVID-19 in Canada ….
Businesses in some provinces spent the long weekend preparing to reopen ahead of an easing of restrictions aimed at curbing the COVID-19 pandemic, even as others said they’re not yet ready to throw open their doors.
Ontario has given the green light to certain retail stores to open their doors today as the province enters the first stage of its reopening plan.
The construction industry has also been given the go-ahead to resume operations, and some surgeries will be allowed to proceed.
Some stores, however, said they’re holding off on reopening their doors for now despite the provincial permission, citing health and financial concerns.
Peter Birkemoe, who owns The Beguiling comic book shop in Toronto, said the business has been doing well with online orders and, as of last week, curbside pickup. Safely reopening the store would take more resources to serve fewer customers, which would represent “a big step backwards,” he said.
While he misses interacting with customers face to face, Birkemoe said it’s not worth jeopardizing his health and that of his staff, or the work they’re currently doing.
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In other Canadian news …
A team of military investigators arrived in British Columbia on Monday to begin searching for answers into Sunday’s deadly Snowbird crash, which the aerobatic team’s commander described as a confluence of “worst-case scenarios, and it became our absolute worst nightmare.”
The eight-member flight investigation team was deployed from Ottawa to Kamloops, where one of the Snowbirds’s famed Tutor jets went down shortly after takeoff. The Snowbirds had been in the midst of a cross-country tour aimed at boosting morale during the COVID-19 pandemic.
One Canadian Armed Forces member, Capt. Jennifer Casey, a public affairs officer from Halifax, was killed while another, Capt. Richard MacDougall, who was piloting the aircraft, sustained serious but non-life threatening injuries.
During a news conference at 15 Wing Moose Jaw in Saskatchewan, where the Snowbirds are based, team commander Lt.-Col. Mike French said the cross-country tour known as Operation Inspiration has been suspended while the team’s Tutor jets are subject to an “operational pause.”
French would not speculate on the cause of the crash, but insisted that safety is the Snowbirds’ “No. 1 priority.” He added that each aircraft is torn down and rebuilt about every two years and subject to regular maintenance and checks prior to every flight.
“Our priorities are always the safety of the public, the safety of our personnel and then the protection of our equipment and property,” he said, adding what happened Sunday was “the confluence of all those worst-case scenarios and it became our absolute worst nightmare.”
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Also this …
Joe Biden’s campaign lobbed a spanner into Alberta’s post-pandemic economic recovery strategy Monday with a promise to rip up U.S. President Donald Trump’s approvals for the Keystone XL pipeline if the former vice-president succeeds in taking over the White House next year.
Campaign officials finally ended the presumptive Democrat nominee’s months of self-imposed silence on how he would handle the politically sensitive expansion project, an ambitious, 1,900-kilometre heavy-oil line that would move 830,000 barrels of Alberta bitumen each day over the Canada-U.S. border to refineries on the U.S. Gulf Coast.
It wouldn’t be the first time that Biden has stood in the way of the Calgary-based TC Energy expansion. As vice-president, he was a key member of Barack Obama’s administration, which slow-walked the project — championed by the former Conservative government — throughout Obama’s second term before finally blocking construction outright shortly after the Liberals were elected in 2015.
“Stopping Keystone was the right decision then and it’s still the right decision now. In fact, it’s even more important today,” policy director Stef Feldman said in a written statement, first reported by Politico.
Trump, meanwhile, has spent “every day of his presidency” ignoring the looming climate crisis, making matters worse by pulling the U.S. out of the Paris accord, weakening national fuel standards, and rolling back regulations for air and water pollution, Feldman continued.
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COVID-19 in the U.S. …
President Donald Trump said that he is taking a malaria drug to protect against the coronavirus, despite warnings from his own government that it should only be administered for COVID-19 in a hospital or research setting due to potentially fatal side effects.
Trump told reporters he has been taking the drug, hydroxychloroquine, and a zinc supplement daily “for about a week and a half now.” Trump spent weeks pushing the drug as a potential cure or prophylaxis for COVID-19 against the cautionary advice of many of his administration’s top medical professionals. The drug has the potential to cause significant side effects in some patients and has not been shown to combat the new coronavirus.
Trump said his doctor did not recommend the drug to him, but he requested it from the White House physician.
“I started taking it, because I think it’s good,” Trump said. “I’ve heard a lot of good stories.”
The White House physician, Dr. Sean Conley, said in a statement released through the White House press office that, after “numerous discussions” with Trump about the evidence for and against using hydroxychloroquine, “we concluded the potential benefit from treatment outweighed the relative risks.”
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COVID-19 around the world …
The World Health Organization bowed to calls from most of its member states to launch an independent probe into how it managed the international response to the coronavirus, which has been clouded by finger-pointing between the U.S. and China over a pandemic that has killed over 300,000 people and levelled the global economy.
The “comprehensive evaluation,” sought by a coalition of African, European and other countries, is intended to review “lessons learned” from WHO’s co-ordination of the global response to COVID-19, but would stop short of looking into contentious issues such as the origins of the new coronavirus. U.S. President Donald Trump has claimed he has proof suggesting the coronavirus originated in a lab in China while the scientific community has insisted all evidence to date shows the virus likely jumped into humans from animals.
In Washington, Trump on Monday faulted WHO for having done “a very sad job” lately and said he was considering whether to cut the annual U.S. funding from $450 million a year to $40 million.
“They gave us a lot of bad advice, terrible advice,” he said. “They were wrong so much, always on the side of China.”
WHO’s normally bureaucratic annual assembly this week has been overshadowed by mutual recriminations and political sniping between the U.S. and China. Trump has repeatedly attacked WHO, claiming that it helped China conceal the extent of the coronavirus pandemic in its early stages. Several Republican lawmakers have called on WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus to resign.
U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said Monday it was time to be frank about why COVID-19 has “spun out of control.”
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Also this…
The coronavirus outbreak disrupted what had been big plans to mark the 40th anniversary of the eruption of Mount St. Helens in Washington state.
The peak in the Cascade Mountain Range blew its top on May 18, 1980, killing 57 people, blasting more than 1,300 feet (396 metres) off the top of the mountain and raining volcanic ash around for hundreds of miles.
But there will be no public observances at the volcano on Monday. Oregon Public Broadcasting reports the main highway into the national volcanic monument is closed due to COVID-19 and the multiple visitor centres and museums that had planned remembrances are also shuttered.
“We’ve been thrown for quite a loop here,” said Washington State Parks interpretive specialist Alysa Adams. “Please stay tuned for next year because I think we’re going to take all of this energy and passion and turn it into something productive for the 41st anniversary.”
Several agencies are presenting talks and experiences online.
The Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, Pacific Northwest Seismic Network and Washington State Parks scheduled separate 40th-anniversary live stream presentations Monday night.
The eruption produced huge, black and grey clouds of ash that rose more than 80,000 (24,384 metres) feet and eventually poured tiny granules of debris in cities and towns throughout the Northwest. The peak, which had experienced many smaller eruptions on the weeks preceding the big event. Within minutes of a 5.1 earthquake that hit at 8:32 a.m. on May 18, 1980, the volcano’s north flank collapsed, triggering the largest landslide in recorded history. The explosion scorched and flattened about 230 square miles (450 square kilometres) of dense forest.
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ICYMI (In case you missed it)
As British Columbia begins to reopen and reduce social distancing guidelines, life hasn’t changed much for Spencer Wilson.
Wilson is one of the roughly 54 lighthouse keepers working across B.C.’s 27 manned lighthouses, stretching from the southern tip of Vancouver Island up to near the Alaska border.
Living conditions vary for each lighthouse, but keepers work in pairs to ensure an entire day is covered.
“It stops us from having any ‘Shining’ moments,” said Barry Tchir, the regional vice-president of the union representing lighthouse keepers.
Wilson, 48, has been working as a lighthouse keeper since October.
“It takes a certain type of personality to do it,” Wilson said from his station at Boat Bluff, a remote lighthouse on B.C.’s north coast that has been operating since 1906.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 19, 2020
Long lines of people waiting to get into big-box and grocery stores were an early phenomenon of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Another type of queue has emerged and it’s not for toilet paper.
Cars lined up for doughnuts and, more recently, for ice cream and burgers at drive-thrus have backed up traffic at various locales in Canada.
Rob Ladouceur and his wife waited in their car on three consecutive days at a new Peters’ Drive-In in Edmonton for burgers, shakes and fries.
They drove away empty-handed each time.
The couple gave up the first time when cars were backed up for almost a kilometre. They were turned away the next two days because the restaurant closed before their car made it to the window.
They were oh-so-close on their third attempt.
“We’d been waiting an hour and 10 minutes and were only four or five cars back of getting in,” Ladouceur said.
Peters’ declined an interview request from The Canadian Press.
The novelty of a new location opening contributed to the backlog of cars, but Ladouceur believes the COVID-19 pandemic stretched the line. People weren’t allowed to walk in to order, so the drive-thru was the only option.
Ladouceur suggested he, like most people, just wanted to get out and do something fun.
“And some of that is going and getting an awesome shake and a burger and some fries from Peters’, right?” he said.
“It’s important that people continue to follow the guidelines around physical and social distancing, but at the same time I get … the psychology behind wanting to feel normal a little bit. I think that’s what it was for us.”
The Winnipeg ice-cream shop Bridge Drive-In closed its drive-thru just two days after opening because of traffic congestion that created friction with neighbours.
People also waited over two hours in their cars to pick up a box of doughnuts in Mississauga, Ont.
And gardening, considered a non-risky outdoor activity after a long winter, created a backlog at an Ontario greenhouse when it opened recently.
Mike Priest was assigned a curbside pickup time to collect a gift card and hanging basket at Bradford Greenhouse in Barrie.
That took an hour and 20 minutes.
“We had been assigned a time to show up, arrived right on time and saw about 10, 15 cars,” Priest said in a message to The Canadian Press.
“Figured that wasn’t too bad until we got near the front of the line and realized it was just a line to get into the main line, which was over 100 cars long.”
James Danckert, a University of Waterloo psychology professor who specializes in boredom, says long lines for non-essential items may be born out of people’s desire to wrest back part of their pre-pandemic lives.
“The pain of lining up is something that you’re willing to undergo because you get the freedom to do the thing you haven’t been able to do for eight weeks,” Danckert said.
“The routines in our daily life before all this happened at least had some variety to them.”
Want to know if there’s a lengthy lineup — human or automobile — before you go to the store? There’s an app for that.
Mike Kolb of Aurora, Ont., whipped up a web-based app after seeing shoppers waiting outside a Costco at 7 a.m. in April.
The crowd-sourced Lineups.live relies on people inputting the length of a line or the amount of time they wait in real time — not waiting until they get home to do it.
“There are a couple hundred people every day … that are actually entering data,” Kolb said.
Kolb said he’s had 410,000 visits in four weeks. Wait times at big-box, grocery, convenience and liquor stores have been the most sought-after information.
“It went viral across Toronto and then across Canada,” Kolb said. “I’ve put in a few enhancements, but I don’t know how long lineups are going to last.
“If lineups are going to be a thing of the future, then I will upgrade it.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 15, 2020
In The News is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to kickstart your day. Here is what’s on the radar of our editors for the morning of May 15 …
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COVID-19 in Canada ….
OTTAWA — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is expected to announce today an extension to the federal government’s 75 per cent emergency wage subsidy — just as businesses across the country are taking the first cautious steps towards reopening after a two-month, pandemic-induced shutdown.
He is also expected to announce significant financial support for thousands of medical researchers whose work is unrelated to the COVID-19 crisis.
The $73-billion wage subsidy program was initially slated to run until June 6.
Trudeau last week said it would be extended and today he’ll reveal for how long. The extension is expected to be for at least an extra month.
Under the program, the federal government is currently picking up the tab for 75 per cent of an eligible company’s payroll — up to a maximum of $847 per week per employee — from March 15 to June 6.
Eligible companies are those that saw revenues drop by 15 per cent in March or 30 per cent in April and May.
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In other Canadian news …
WALKERTON, Ont. — As the May long weekend approached 20 years ago, E. coli in the drinking water of Walkerton, Ont., began making people in the town fall ill.
By the time the ordeal was over, seven would be dead and 2,300 others were sickened.
The town had planned to mark the anniversary this past week, but the COVID-19 pandemic scuttled those plans.
Residents say the service would have been a celebration of how far the town of 5,000 has come since those dark days.
But some worry the lessons learned about drinking-water safety are slowly being forgotten.
They point to the scores of similar places, including Indigenous communities, where water still isn’t safe to drink.
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Also this …
Winnipeg native Gord Kudlak is being remembered as a jokester and musician with a lot of friends.
But Kudlak died alone of a heart attack in the intensive care unit at St. Boniface Hospital on Good Friday.
Not even his wife was allowed to comfort him at his bedside.
His brother, 71-year-old Norm Kudlak, lives alone and says there’s been no funeral or family support during the pandemic and he’s worried about his mental and physical well-being.
Psychologists, social workers and researchers are also concerned about the long-term impact of grief and have formed the Canadian Grief Alliance, which is asking the federal government for $100 million in community grief programs.
Health Canada says the Wellness Together Canada portal it recently launched can be used to help people work through the grief they’re experiencing after the loss of a loved one.
However, the portal does not include any specific modules on grief.
Shelly Core, head of the Canadian Virtual Hospice, which convened the alliance, says grief has become complex during the pandemic and many isolated people need to connect with a grief counsellor, even just over the phone.
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COVID-19 in the U.S. …
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Democratic-controlled House is pressing ahead with votes on another massive rescue bill that would pump almost $1 trillion to states and local governments, renew $1,200 cash payments for individuals, and extend a $600 weekly supplemental federal unemployment benefit.
Today’s measure — with a $3 trillion-plus price tag — promises to pass largely along party lines.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has loaded the 1,815-page measure with a slew of Democratic priorities, and it has earned a White House veto threat and a scathing assessment from top Republicans like Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who called it “a totally unserious effort.”
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COVID-19 in the sports world …
Canada’s men’s basketball team will still get a chance to qualify at home for an Olympic berth.
FIBA announced Thursday that four Olympic qualifying tournaments for the Tokyo Games, including one in Victoria, will be held between June 29 and July 4, 2021.
Victoria was originally scheduled to hold a last-chance qualifying tournament June 23-28, but was postponed by the COVID-19 pandemic that also pushed the 2020 Olympics back a year.
Canada, Greece and China will make up Group A in Victoria, while Uruguay, Czech Republic and Turkey will make up in Group B.
The tournament winner will lock down an Olympic berth.
Croatia, Lithuania and Serbia will host the other tournaments.
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The new normal …
The Toronto Zoo will be a “drive-thru experience” when it gets the green light to open its gates to visitors.
Spokeswoman Amanda Chambers says the zoo’s 3.4-kilometre route goes above and beyond the Ontario government’s framework to reopen the province.
“The pre-booked driving route would allow guests to see the zoo’s animals from the comfort and safety of their own vehicle,” Chambers said.
She did not say whether the format would be temporary.
Pivoting to drive-thru is one of numerous options zoos and aquariums are contemplating as they figure out how to safely reopen now that the spread of COVID-19 is slowing across much of Canada.
“While it varies from facility to facility, there are some commonalities amongst them,” says Jim Facette, executive director of Canada’s Accredited Zoos and Aquariums.
He says the organization’s members are looking at providing masks to visitors, having them walk along a predetermined route or having people pre-book timed visits online, limiting the number of guests and reducing the number of cash outlets.
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ICYMI (In case you missed it)
A Toronto brewery pleading with consumers to bring back their empty bottles.
Steam Whistle Brewery says restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic have led to a decline in bottle returns, leaving it with a potential shortage just as sales are expected to ramp up for spring and summer.
Tim McLaughlin, the company’s vice-president of marketing, says there could be “rolling shortages” of Steam Whistle beer in the coming months unless it’s able to recover and reuse more empties.
He says the company used up an entire year’s worth of new bottles to make up for the lack of returns, and it’ll take months for a new order to be delivered.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 15, 2020
Provinces have been releasing plans for easing restrictions that were put in place to limit the spread of COVID-19.
Here is what some of the provinces have announced so far:
Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador lifted some of the public health restrictions imposed to slow the spread of COVID-19 on Monday. The province is entering “alert level four” in its five-level reopening plan, allowing some businesses such as law firms and other professional services to reopen along with regulated child-care centres, with some restrictions. Small gatherings for funerals, burials and weddings are also permitted with a limit of 10 people following physical distancing rules. Municipal parks, golf courses and driving ranges can open and recreational hunting and fishing are permitted. Officials are reminding people that the new rules do not allow for parties or other social gatherings.
The province is loosening restrictions in a series of “alert levels” descending from five. The current alert level is to remain in place for at least 28 days. At Level 3, private health clinics, such as optometrists and dentists, are to be permitted to open, as well as medium-risk businesses such as clothing stores and hair salons. At Level 2, some small gatherings will be allowed, and businesses with performance spaces and gyms are to reopen. Level 1 would represent “the new normal.”
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Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia Premier Stephen McNeil announced on Friday that there will be no return to school this year. He also said a decision on whether daycares will reopen will be made by June 8. Nova Scotia has eased some public health restrictions, however, directives around physical distancing and social gatherings remain in place. Trails and provincial and municipal parks can now reopen, but playground equipment will continue to be off limits. Garden centres, nurseries and similar businesses can open, and while golf driving ranges can open, courses will remain closed. Sportfishing is permitted and people can attend boating, yacht or sailing clubs for the purpose of preparing boats for use. Drive-in religious services will be allowed, as long as people stay in their cars, they are parked two metres apart and there are no interactions between people.
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Prince Edward Island
Members of a household can now gather indoors with up to five other people. Other precautions, such as physical distancing remain in place. Screening also continues at points of entry into the province and all people coming into P.E.I. are required to isolate for 14 days. Priority non-urgent surgeries and select health-service providers, including physiotherapists, optometrists and chiropractors, resumed on May 1 under The Renew P.E.I. Together plan. The plan also allows outdoor gatherings and non-contact outdoor recreational activities of no more than five individuals from different households.
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New Brunswick
New Brunswick is allowing more businesses and services to open as it launches the second phase of its COVID-19 recovery plan. Daycares, retail businesses, offices, restaurants, libraries, museums, seasonal campgrounds and ATV trails can reopen immediately under certain conditions. Those include having an operational plan that explains how they are meeting public health guidelines including physical distancing, hand hygiene and allowing staff to remain home when ill. Two-household “bubbles” remain in place, but now outdoor gatherings of up to 10 people are also allowed if physical distancing is respected. The resumption of elective surgeries is also part of phase two. The third phase will allow regular church services, dentistry work and reopened fitness centres. The final phase, which will probably come only after a vaccine is available, will include large gatherings. Phase one, which started on April 24 allowed limited play on golf courses as well as fishing and hunting. Post-secondary students were allowed to return if it was deemed safe by the school, and outdoor church services were again permitted, providing people remain in their vehicles and are two metres apart.
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Quebec
Quebec reopened retail stores outside Montreal on Monday while those in the greater Montreal region are to reopen May 25. For the second time, the province pushed back the reopening of retail stores in the greater Montreal area by another week. Premier Francois Legault said the province will keep close tabs on the situation in the city before deciding whether stores, daycares and elementary schools can reopen later this month. Elsewhere in Quebebc, lottery terminals have begun to reopen after being shut down on March 20 with sales moving to online only. Schools and daycares outside Montreal reopened on Monday, but schools, junior colleges and universities are to stay closed until September. Quebec’s construction industry also reopened on Monday. Manufacturing resumed operations on Monday with limits on the total number of employees who can work per shift.
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Ontario
Premier Doug Ford is expected to provide more details today on the first stage of Ontario’s reopening plan. He says the plan will include reopening more low-risk workplaces, seasonal businesses and essential services. Stage 1 in the province’s reopening framework also includes allowing more people to gather at certain events such as funerals. It would also permit hospitals to resume some non-urgent surgeries. On May 6, the province announced it was allowing non-essential retail stores to open for curbside pickup. Garden centres and nurseries were allowed to reopen Friday, while hardware stores and safety supply stores were allowed to reopen Monday. Ontario also extended its COVID-19 state of emergency to June 2. The state of emergency is dealt with separately from the emergency orders, recently extended to May 19, which cover closures of bars and restaurants except for take-out and delivery, theatres, outdoor amenities such as playgrounds, and child care centres. Ontario has previously announced that publicly funded schools will be closed until at least May 31, and Ford said that news on child care centres and schools is coming early next week.
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Saskatchewan
The Saskatchewan government’s five-phase plan to reopen parts of its economy started Monday with dentists, optometrists and other health professionals being allowed to resume services. Phase 1 also includes reopened golf courses and campgrounds. Phase 2 will give the green light to retail businesses and salons. Restaurants and gyms could open in Phase 3, but with limited capacity. Phase 4 could see arenas, swimming pools and playgrounds opening. In Phase 5, the province would consider lifting restrictions on the size of public gatherings.
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Manitoba
The Manitoba government is lifting its one-month limit on people’s prescription drug supplies. As of Monday, people will be able to get prescriptions filled or refilled for 90 days, which was the previous limit. Last Monday Manitoba allowed health offices, including dentists, chiropractors and physiotherapists to reopen. Retail businesses were allowed to reopen at half occupancy as long as they ensure physical spacing. Restaurants could reopen patios and walk-up service. Museums and libraries also reopened, but with occupancy limited to 50 per cent. Playgrounds, golf courses and tennis courts reopened as well, along with parks and campgrounds. A second phase is to begin no earlier than June 1. That’s when restaurants would be allowed to open indoor dining areas and non-contact children’s sports would resume. Mass gatherings such as concerts and major sporting events will not be considered before September.
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Alberta
Alberta will allow stores, restaurants, daycares, and hair salons to reopen across much of the province today. But hair salons and restaurant dining rooms will reopen in Calgary and Brooks on May 25. Restaurants can only open at half capacity and a 15-person limit on public gatherings remains in force. Premier Jason Kenney says if the first stage of reopening goes well, the next phase — which includes movie theatres and spas — could go ahead on June 19. Alberta allowed some scheduled, non-urgent surgeries to start Monday. Service provided by dentists, physiotherapists and other medical professionals are also to be permitted. Golf courses reopened May 2, though pro shops and clubhouses remain shuttered.
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British Columbia
The provincial government is allowing a partial reopening of the B.C. economy starting May 19, the day after the Victoria Day holiday. All of the government’s reopening plans are contingent on organizations and businesses developing plans that follow provincial guidelines to control the spread of COVID-19. Hotels, resorts and parks will follow in June. A mix of online and classroom post-secondary education is planned for September, along with classes returning for students in kindergarten to Grade 12. Conventions, large concerts, international tourism and professional sports with a live audience will not be allowed to resume until either a vaccine is widely available, community immunity has been reached, or effective treatment can be provided for the disease.
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Northwest Territories
The Northwest Territories announced Tuesday a reopening plan that contains three phases, but the government did not say when it would be implemented. The plan includes more gatherings and the possible reopening of some schools and businesses. However, the territory’s borders remain closed indefinitely to non-residents and non-essential workers. There are several requirements that must be met before any measures are relaxed. Those include that there must be no evidence of community spread until May 15, travel entry points in the territory are strong and secure, risks are reduced from workers coming into the territory, and expanded community testing is available.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 13, 2020
Copious use of hand sanitizer and disinfectant is crucial in the fight against the coronavirus, but it could be setting Canada back in the battle against superbugs.
Microbiologists say antimicrobial resistant organisms, or superbugs, are a pandemic on the same scale as COVID-19, though it will play out on a much longer timeline.
Antimicrobial resistance was directly responsible for 5,400 deaths in 2018, according to a recent report by the Council of Canadian Academies.
If nothing is done, by 2050 there could be as many as 140,000 preventable deaths, and Canada’s health-care costs associated with antimicrobial resistance could grow to $8 billion per year.
That’s why some of the images of the COVID-19 pandemic have been so disturbing for Dr. Lori Burrows, a professor of biochemical science at McMaster University.
“I was a little freaked out by watching tanker trucks full of disinfectant being sprayed all over the street in some countries,” she said. “It seems a little excessive to me.”
Some experts worry even strictly necessary efforts to destroy the novel coronavirus linked to COVID-19 could actually drive some bacteria to become more resistant.
The government was set to release its pan-Canadian action plan to tackle antimicrobial resistance this year.
Health Minister Patty Hajdu was questioned about the plan at the House of Commons health committee in early March, before the COVID-19 pandemic struck Canada full force.
“We’ve been committing to using antimicrobials responsibly,” she told the committee. “As you know, though, right now there is a surge on hand sanitizer, which is not helpful in terms of the work that we’re doing to reduce the use of things that contribute to the growth of antimicrobials.”
Though washing hands with soap or alcohol-based sanitizers has no known effect on superbugs, other types of sanitizers and disinfectants can contribute to bacteria that resist antimicrobials.
The use of drugs during the pandemic could also have an effect, said Dr. Gerry Wright, director of the Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research at McMaster University.
“Any time that we’re facing a rise in infections of the kind that we’re seeing with COVID-19 … we run the risk of bacterial infections at the same time,” Wright said.
Secondary bacterial infections are common in patients with severe upper respiratory symptoms, he said, which lead doctors to prescribe antibiotics. And increased use of antibiotics leads to an increase in antimicrobial resistance.
It’s not clear if antibiotic use in the general public has gone up or down during the pandemic because Canada doesn’t gather real-time data.
It could be that people are less likely to seek out medical care of any kind, but a rise in virtual doctor visits could also lead physicians to prescribe antibiotics without testing for bacterial infections first, said Dr. Andrew Morris, medical director of the Sinai Health System-University Health Network Antimicrobial Stewardship Program.
We won’t know either way until after the pandemic passes, he said.
It does seem that more people are taking unproven medications to fight COVID-19 though, particularly south of the border where President Donald Trump has advocated for the preventative use of some drugs.
“We actually have physicians and patients clamouring for the drug, when we actually have no idea if the drug even helps,” Morris said.
“It’s really set us back, because we’ve been saying for a very long time that antimicrobials should be used when we know that they help. It should not be widely and indiscriminately used.”
Like the novel coronavirus, superbugs know no borders and can travel the globe at incredible speed, leaving Canada vulnerable to the actions of people elsewhere in the world.
To make matters worse, few pharmaceutical companies are investing in new antibiotics because they’re not as profitable as drugs people are prescribed on an ongoing basis.
The experts said Canada’s new plan to fight the problem will need to come with money for increased surveillance, data collection and research if it’s going to make any difference in this second, but potentially just as deadly pandemic.
OTTAWA — Canada is slowly beginning to emerge from its COVID-19 cocoon, with the federal government poised to announce a gradual reopening of national parks and heritage sites, and more provinces taking the first halting steps toward a return to normal.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Environment Minister Jonathan Wilkinson are expected to announce today plans to begin a phased-in opening of federal parks and historic sites across the country.
Since the deadly virus that causes COVID-19 sent the country into lockdown in mid-March, all national parks and historic sites have been closed, with visitor services and all motor vehicle access suspended.
The gradual reopenings are to be accompanied by measures designed to ensure the safety of visitors and workers.
The plan involves some 38 parks and 171 historic sites, including lighthouses, forts, canals and monuments, that are administered by Parks Canada.
However, none of them are expected to be open in time for the coming long weekend.
Alberta, meanwhile, begins implementing today the first phase of its relaunch strategy, with retail stores, hair salons, museums, daycares and day camps allowed to open, with restrictions. Restaurants and cafes can also reopen but only at half capacity.
The reopenings apply across the province, except in Calgary and Brooks, which will have to wait until May 25.
Calgary’s rate of infection is more than twice that of the provincial average and Brooks is struggling with a spike in cases linked to a meat-packing plant in the city.
Premier Doug Ford is set to disclose today the details for the first stage of Ontario’s reopening, although it’s not expected to be implemented for some time yet. The first stage is expected to include some seasonal businesses, low-risk workplaces and essential services.
Although Ontario’s case load has been trending downward, the province’s chief public health officer, Dr. David Williams, said earlier this week it’s not falling rapidly enough yet to allow for first stage re-openings.
Quebec, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and British Columbia have all taken some tentative first steps toward reopening their economies. But Nunavut, the Northwest Territories and Yukon have not yet lifted restrictions.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 14, 2020.
CALGARY — A judge is to deliver a verdict today for a man charged with killing his young daughter five years ago.
Oluwatosin Oluwafemi, 44, has pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder in the 2014 death of four-year-old Olive Rebekah Oluwafemi.
The trial heard that Oluwafemi called his wife at work on the afternoon of Dec. 19, 2014, and she rushed to their Calgary home to find him performing CPR on their daughter.
A paramedic testified that when he arrived the girl was unconscious, not breathing and in cardiac arrest. He said he received no explanation from the people in the home about what happened.
Crown prosecutor Donna Spaner said in her closing arguments before Justice Suzanne Bensler that there may only be circumstantial evidence, but common sense makes it clear that Oluwafemi killed his child.
“He assaulted her in a manner that included multiple blows, punches, kicks and/or slaps. The assaultive behaviours culminated with an event of force that caused the catastrophic damage to her neck, to her cervical spine,” Spaner told court.
The trial was also told that a simple fall would not have caused the severity of the girl’s injuries, which were equivalent to her jumping head first into a swimming pool and hitting her head.
Oluwafemi, who had lost his job months earlier, was the only person in the home looking after the child, Spaner noted.
Oluwafemi’s lawyer, Rebecca Snukal, said there was no proof her client did anything to the little girl, who was an active child and got bumps and bruises from her rough play.
Snukal reminded the judge that the girl’s mother testified she sometimes disciplined the child by pulling her ears, hitting the palm of her hand with a flip-flop, smacking her or yelling.
Oluwafemi was arrested in Ontario a year after the girl died. He had moved to the community of Keswick to be closer to family.
Originally from Nigeria, he was working as a mining engineer for NorWest Corp. but was laid off about two months before his daughter’s death.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 13, 2020
In The News is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to kickstart your day. Here is what’s on the radar of our editors for the morning of May 13 …
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COVID-19 in Canada ….
OTTAWA — The federal government will disclose details today of nearly $1 billion in emergency aid to be doled out to small businesses through its six regional economic development agencies.
The government announced several weeks ago the creation of a new Regional Relief and Recovery Fund but did not reveal much in the way of detail, apart from the overall amount of $962 million.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Economic Development Minister Melanie Joly are expected to fill in some of the blanks today, including how much money each of the six regional agencies — for the West, North, Atlantic, Quebec and northern and southern Ontario — are to receive and what each plans to do with it.
Each agency is expected to take a somewhat different approach to its share of the fund, targeting small businesses most in need in each region.
Overall, the fund is to commit $675 million to support regional economies, businesses, organizations and communities and another $287 million to support the national network of community futures development corporations, which are to specifically target small businesses and rural communities across the country.
The fund is intended to cushion the financial blow experienced by businesses and organizations to allow them to continue their operations, including paying their employees, during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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In other Canadian news …
CALGARY — A judge is scheduled to deliver a verdict today in the case of a Calgary man charged with killing his young daughter.
Oluwatosin Oluwafemi has pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder in the death of four-year-old Olive Rebekah in 2014.
The trial heard that Oluwafemi called his wife at work, and she rushed home to find him performing C-P-R on their daughter.
A paramedic testified that when he arrived the girl was unconscious, not breathing and in cardiac arrest.
He said he received no explanation from the people in the home about what happened.
The Crown says the case is largely circumstantial — that the little girl died of multiple blunt force trauma, and the only other person in the home at the time was her father.
The defence told the trial that there’s no proof the man did anything to the child.
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In case you missed it …
TORONTO — The Canadian National Exhibition has been cancelled by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The annual summer spectacle joins a slew of large public events sidelined by the outbreak, which also forced the cancellation of Toronto’s Pride Parade and Caribbean Carnival, the Calgary Stampede, live Canada Day events in Ottawa and music festivals across the country.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford broke the news at a televised press conference Tuesday, when he reminisced about his own treasured memories at the family-friendly cavalcade of amusement rides, agricultural exhibits and food.
“These are some of the sacrifices that we’re facing as a society,” Ford said. “It’s something part of our culture here, part of our heritage going back over 100 years, so I’m going to miss it.”
The Canadian National Exhibition Association said Tuesday the cancellation was “the right decision during this critical time to protect the health of all Canadians.”
This is only the second time in the fair’s 142-year history that it has cancelled all events. The last time was the Second World War, when the site was transformed into a training and recruitment centre.
The CNE is one of the largest fairs in North America and attracts more than 1.4 million visitors each year.
The 18-day event had been slated to run Aug. 21 to Sept. 7.
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COVID-19 in the U.S. …
It appears the dispute between Tesla and San Francisco Bay Area authorities over the reopening of a factory in the face of coronavirus shutdown orders is coming to an end.
The Alameda County Health Department announced on Twitter today that the Fremont, Calif., plant will be able to go beyond basic operations this week and start making vehicles this coming Monday — as long as it delivers on worker safety precautions that it agreed to.
It wasn’t clear from the statement whether Tesla would face any punishment for reopening Monday in defiance of county orders.
In Washington, the U.S. government’s top infectious disease expert issued a blunt warning that cities and states could see more COVID-19 deaths and economic damage if they lift stay-at-home orders too swiftly.
As Dr. Anthony Fauci testified by video to a Senate committee, his cautions on Tuesday marked a sharp contrast to President Donald Trump, who is pushing to right a free-falling economy.
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COVID-19 around the world …
BEIJING — China reported seven new cases of the coronavirus today. Six of them were in the northeastern province of Jilin where authorities have raised alert levels and suspended rail connections to once county where a cluster of unknown origin has appeared over recent days.
Another 754 people are in treatment for being suspected cases or for having tested positive but not shown symptoms, while 104 people are in hospital undergoing treatment.
China has reported a total of 4,633 deaths among 82,926 cases.
On Tuesday, local media reported the government would conduct tests on all 11 million residents of Wuhan, the central industrial city where the virus was first detected late last year.
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COVID-19 in sports …
The Vancouver Whitecaps got back to training Tuesday, albeit via voluntary individual workouts at the club’s practice facility.
Still it was a welcome return for 16 players, who each had a quarter of a field to work in during their hour-long outdoor sessions. Another nine are slated to go Wednesday at the team’s training centre at the University of British Columbia.
The players had been on their own since March 12 when MLS suspended play two weeks into the 2020 season due to the global pandemic.
“”It was special … especially on the mental side,” said Whitecaps head coach Marc Dos Santos. “Just to have the players being together and slowly seeing each other, even if it’s on another side of the field.”
“I think it’s a very important step,” he added. “It’s Step 1, cleats going on the grass, touching the ball, seeing their teammates around, seeing coaches back around. It’s a beginning.”
Toronto FC started individual workouts Monday. The Montreal Impact are looking to join them after having their initial request rejected by Montreal Public Health.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 13, 2020
In The News is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to kickstart your day. Here is what’s on the radar of our editors for the morning of May 12 …
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COVID-19 in Canada ….
OTTAWA — Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland says Ottawa and Washington are working on plans to deal with an increase in cross-border traffic as states and provinces begin reopening.
There’s currently a Canada-U.S. ban on non-essential travel, which is set to next week.
British Columbia is allowing a partial reopening of its economy starting May 19, right after the Victoria Day long weekend.
The mayor of the provincial capital says the city wants to lend some support by spicing up the downtown core.
Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps said Monday the recipe for a successful restaurant recovery during the COVID-19 pandemic could involve adding outdoor patios, parking lots, sidewalks and even streets to allow for physical distancing.
Vancouver’s council is also preparing to debate the issue today.
Ontario, one of the provinces hardest hit by COVID-19, is expected to extend its state of emergency to June 2, as retail stores were allowed to partly reopen.
The provincial legislature will sit today, while also holding question period again.
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Also this …
OTTAWA — As restrictions to prevent the spread of COVID-19 persist, a new survey suggests more than half of Canadians find it stressful to venture out in public.
In a web survey conducted by polling firm Leger and the Association for Canadian Studies, 57 per cent of respondents said leaving their home for a public space caused anxiety.
While the figures were relatively consistent across the country, they reached a high of 64 per cent in Ontario and a low of 48 per cent in Alberta.
In comparison, 64 per cent of American respondents said they found it somewhat or very stressful to go out in public during the pandemic.
The survey was conducted May 8 to 11 among 1,526 Canadians and 1,004 Americans, 18 or older, who were randomly recruited from an online panel.
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COVID-19 in the U.S. …
WASHINGTON — U.S. President Donald Trump is insisting that his administration has “met the moment” and “prevailed” on coronavirus testing.
The president’s latest assertions come as governors across the country continue to call on the federal government to do more to boost the testing supply to meet the requirements needed to begin “reopening” the nation.
The White House itself has become a potent symbol of the risk facing Americans everywhere by belatedly ordering everyone who enters the West Wing to wear a mask.
That directive comes after two aides tested positive for COVID-19 late last week.
Trump himself continues to appear in public without a mask, as he did during his news conference Monday.
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COVID-19 around the world …
ATHENS — Across Europe and beyond, parliaments have had to adapt their operations to stop the new coronavirus spreading through the corridors of power.
Social distancing, online debates, masks, plexiglass, hazard tape — each country’s legislature has adopted its own measures.
A plexiglass barrier has been installed around the speaker’s podium in Greece and Britain’s House of Commons now features hazard tape and red “no sitting” signs.
Italy’s prime minister was heckled for removing his mask to speak.
Lebanon moved its entire parliamentary session into a cavernous theatre, and in Spain, a cleaner disinfecting the speakers’ microphone gained sudden online celebrity status.
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COVID-19 in sports …
MANCHESTER, England — Abandoning the English Premier League season prematurely was discussed by clubs as a potential option on Monday even as the government cleared a path to resuming the competition in June if there is no new spike in coronavirus infections.
While spectators will not be allowed into stadiums for some time, the British government embraced the return of professional sports in contrast to rulings by French and Dutch authorities who have banned any events until September.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson told the House of Commons that restoring some sports “could provide a much-needed boost to national morale” after being shut down as Britain went into lockdown in March.
But the fate of the Premier League is in doubt partly because clubs cannot all agree on the plan, advanced by police, to play only in neutral stadiums. The opposition is led by relegation-threatened clubs who discovered on Monday that their final placings could be determined without playing another game.
“It was the first time we discussed curtailment,” Premier League chief executive Richard Masters said after a conference call with clubs. “It’s still our aim to finish the season but it’s important to discuss all the options with our clubs.”
No conclusions were reached on whether that would involve finalizing the league standings based on a points-per-game formula as the French league did before declaring Paris Saint-Germain champion.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 12, 2020
There’s only been a handful of confirmed sightings of Asian hornets in North America, but the swarm of ominous headlines has taken on biblical proportions.
In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the arrival of so-called ‘murder hornets’ made it feel like 2020 was the butt end of a cruel joke. Not only did we have a deadly virus to contend with, but we were now suddenly facing an imminent invasion of mammoth bees loaded with heart-stopping venom?
It was fodder for some amusing social media memes as the battered public pictured a masochistic supreme being unleashing a cherry-on-the-top plague upon us when we were already beaten down by the cruelness of COVID-19.
But according to one of Canada’s most renowned bee experts, the reality is far more mundane and innocuous.
Matthias Buck has been the assistant curator of Invertebrate Zoology at the Royal Alberta Museum since 2009. Before that he spent nearly a decade as the curator of the insect collection at the University of Guelph.
“I’m an expert on these groups of wasps,” Buck said. “I’m kind of one of the very few people in North America that studied these creatures for a living.”
Buck is adamant that the Asian hornet doesn’t deserve its ‘murder’ moniker.
“Putting labels on species like that just leads to fear and irrational reactions,” he argues. “They are not aggressive, they will sting only when their nests get disturbed or when they otherwise feel under duress, like if you harass them or you grab one or if one flies under your jacket and then is in a confined space, they will feel threatened and they will sting. They will never attack you completely unprovoked. It just doesn’t make sense biologically. They are not out there to pick a fight.”
That doesn’t mean he thinks they’re the bee’s knees. Buck acknowledges that the largest known hornet species packs a wallop of venom that could prove life-threatening to those with allergies. But the largest concern is an economic sting.
The predatory Asian hornet targets honey bees, which could impact several related industries.
“The main concern would be for beekeepers because it would start a certain economic damage,” he noted. “But it would not wipe out beekeeping, because it’s not doing it other areas of the world. China is a major honey producer worldwide and they have the hornet … but it will inflict a certain economic damage.”
“They will never attack you completely unprovoked. It just doesn’t make sense biologically. They are not out there to pick a fight.”
One of the things that makes Asian hornets so unique is the same thing that makes them such a formidable threat to honey bees.
“Unlike most other social wasps, (Asian hornets) are able to communicate the location of a food source like a beehive to their nestmates,” Buck explained. “And when they attack a beehive it’s a coordinated attack.
“Only because they have developed that ability are they able to take down a beehive, otherwise they wouldn’t be able to do that.”
“The ecosystem here is perfectly able to function without honey bees,” he adds, noting that honey bees are not native to North America. “But we have certain crops that are heavily dependent on honey bee pollination.”
How dangerous are they to humans?
While the impressive size of Asian hornets makes them quite conspicuous and easy to avoid, it also means they’re loaded with a considerable amount of venom.
“They are slightly (more dangerous than other hornets) because the quantity of venom is higher,” Buck said. “The toxicity of the venom is not higher. It’s definitely not the most toxic venom, but the quantity is higher so therefore it would typically take fewer stings to get you into trouble.
“The biggest danger is to people that have allergic reactions. If you’re allergic, one sting would totally be enough to get you into a life-threatening situation. Otherwise it’s going to be a heck of a pain, but you will live.”
Buck said it would take dozens of stings to threaten the life of a healthy, non-allergic person — a situation that would likely only take place if you disturbed a nest and didn’t have the ability to flee.
He adds that Asian hornets nest in the ground, so it is conceivable that a person or pet could unknowingly disturb a nest. But usually, the sheer size of the hornets provides ample warning and incentive to steer clear.
“They are very large so they are easy to see,” he explained. “A lot of the stinging incidents happen, like with yellow jackets, when they are relatively small and easy to overlook. These ones are not easy to overlook. They are so big people notice them and people’s instinctive reaction is to get out of the way and that’s a good reaction, especially when you are around a nest. Always give them their space and you will be fine. ”
Buck also points out that the nests would only be found in heavily wooded areas.
“They are not going to be become established in downtown Toronto.”
Are they coming to Ontario?
Asian hornets have been confirmed in British Columbia, but they’re not widespread and Buck doesn’t think they’ll become established enough to spread to Ontario.
“Now they might have a foothold in B.C. (but) before it would be able to spread to Ontario it would have to have a thriving population in B.C. otherwise they won’t spread that quickly.
“If they are very rare in B.C. then the likelihood of one getting carried to Ontario is fairly low.”
“They have to keep an eye on it in the west and should do everything they can to try to exterminate it because it’s never a good thing to have exotic species become established. It should always be avoided.”
Buck explained how the insects can inadvertently be introduced to new regions of the world.
“What typically happens is they (are transported) as stowaways accidentally. Because of the shipping of goods, worldwide trade, they end up in a shipping container or on a truck or on a rail car and then they can get transported around.”
The bee expert doesn’t just find all the sensational ‘murder hornet’ headlines inflammatory and annoying, he also thinks they can be dangerous.
“One of my fears is that it will cause a backlash against some of the native species that are beneficial and not a concern. And that is very regrettable.
“I see a lot of false reports coming now about people thinking they have seen one. They are not in Ontario. They’ve been found in B.C. Their chances of now, just one year after they first showed up in B.C., showing up in Ontario are extremely low.
“They are fascinating,” he concludes. “Like all social insects they have fascinating behaviours. It’s just because honey bees are one of their preferred prey that puts them in our bad books, but that doesn’t mean they are bad. In nature they all have their own role and their own purpose.
Canadian musician Bryan Adams is facing criticism for what many are calling a racist post on social media.
Adams was supposed to be starting a series of shows at London’s Royal Alert Hall.
A post on his Instagram account from Monday states: “Tonight was supposed to be the beginning of a tenancy of gigs at the @royalalberthall, but thanks to some f—ing bat eating, wet market animal selling, virus making greedy bastards, the whole world is now on hold.”
A video of himself singing Cuts Like a Knife is posted alongside the caption.
The tirade was also posted on Twitter with a link to the Instagram post, but the tweet has since been deleted. The Instagram post was still as of Tuesday morning.
“He might have to re-release ‘Please Forgive Me’ after this rant #BryanAdams,” one person wrote on Twitter.
“It’s a good thing you have zero relevance in today’s world. What songs from the 80’s were you going to sing? Or were you going to play songs off your new album that no one listens to?,” another person wrote.
Adams has not commented or issued a statement since the post.
The musician was one of the many Canadians to perform in the COVID-19 charity concert “Stronger Together: Tous Ensemble” on April 25.
VANCOUVER — Provinces hit hardest by COVID-19 have ramped up testing capacity as they plan to reopen their economies, but infectious disease experts say there will be recurring outbreaks without more robust testing, contact tracing and quarantine services across the country.
A Canadian Press analysis of provincial data over a seven-week period starting in late March shows the provinces with the highest number of infections — British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, Quebec and Nova Scotia — each faced their own unique epidemics, with different positivity and mortality rates based on the number of confirmed cases.
Those provinces also took different approaches to determining who to test and when, decisions that were at least partly influenced by their ability to scale up lab capacity as well as the resources some had available to do tests.
“The rationing has become less prominent each week as availability of testing capacity has increased,” said Dr. Peter Phillips, a clinical professor in the division of infectious diseases at the University of British Columbia. “Testing is not easy access like buying chewing gum across the country, but it’s a lot more accessible.”
Canada’s chief public health officer, Dr. Theresa Tam, has said reopening schools and businesses relies on testing and the ability of public health departments to trace the contacts of positive cases. Physical distancing also remains critical since people who aren’t experiencing symptoms can spread the disease.
More than a million people in Canada have been tested for the novel coronavirus, with over 61,000 positive tests as of Friday.
Alberta has been a testing front-runner with 3,950 tests completed per 100,000 people between Jan. 23, when testing began, and last Thursday. More than 174,300 tests in total were completed in the province to that point.
That province’s cumulative per capita testing is bested only by the Northwest Territories. The territory of just under 45,000 had completed the equivalent of 4,184 per 100,000 residents as of Thursday.
Ontario had completed more than 397,000 tests at the same point, which amounts to just under 2,700 tests per 100,000 people. However, in the last week Ontario surpassed Alberta’s number of daily tests per capita.
Alberta has still completed nearly six times the number of tests for every person who has died due to COVID-19 compared with Ontario — a measure Phillips said is useful to assess the extent of testing relative to the true size of the epidemic.
Nova Scotia had completed 3,462 tests per 100,000 residents as of Thursday, Quebec had done 3,173, and B.C. had conducted 2,054 tests per 100,000 people.
As of Friday, Quebec had 36,150 cases of COVID-19, Ontario 19,598, Alberta 6,098, B.C. 2,315 and Nova Scotia had 1,008.
Phillips said Quebec’s high proportion of positive tests is an indicator that significant transmission is still happening. As of Thursday, more than 13 per cent of the nearly 271,000 tests completed in Quebec yielded positive results.
By comparison, as many as one in four tests come back positive in the United Kingdom and New York, a proportion Phillips called “very disturbing.” Countries that are bringing the epidemic under control are seeing “very few of their tests coming back positive,” he said.
As public health restrictions are eased, Phillips said the provinces and territories must maintain a low threshold for testing in order to detect and isolate COVID-19 cases quickly and avoid large outbreaks and exponential growth in cases during a second wave.
To stop transmission, provinces will need to test “very liberally” to identify cases, and not just the symptomatic ones, he said.
Testing also goes hand in hand with contact tracing, which involves isolating and questioning each person who tests positive about any behaviour that might have caused the virus to spread.
“The contacts should be tested because that may identify other people, which will then trigger more contact tracing on those people who are testing positive,” said Phillips, adding that not all the provinces with a higher number of cases have taken that approach.
The extent to which people who are directed to self-isolate or enter quarantine are being monitored across Canada is also unclear, he said.
Other jurisdictions that are closer to the origin point of the virus in Wuhan, China, such as Hong Kong and Taiwan, have done better than Canada when it comes to keeping COVID-19 cases and fatalities at bay, said Phillips.
He attributes that success in no small part to contact tracing enhanced by mobile apps, which have sparked a privacy debate in Canada.
Phillips said COVID-19 moves too fast for conventional public health measures alone and privacy is not the only concern.
“What about the liberties of uninfected Canadians who are at substantial risk of dying here?” he asked.
Phillips also expressed concern that public health departments are underfunded and overloaded, especially in Ontario and Quebec, which are still reporting hundreds of new cases each day.
“COVID-19 is the biggest thing this country has had since 1918,” said Phillips, referring to the flu pandemic that killed at least 50 million people around the world. “And for strange reasons, the public health department, which is our main defence, doesn’t seem to be getting a big funding rescue package.”
A spokesperson for the Public Health Agency of Canada said it’s slated to receive $230 million of the $1.1 billion Ottawa has committed to public health measures in the wake of COVID-19.
The federal government also allocated $500 million to support the provinces and territories, but the Finance Department did not respond to questions about how much money is going to contact tracing and quarantine services.
The chief of the microbiology division of the Nova Scotia Health Authority agreed with Phillips, saying public health is one of the first places provinces have looked to cut spending over time.
“It takes a lot of human resources to do good old contact tracing,” said Dr. Todd Hatchette. “So if you don’t fund it appropriately, you’re not going to get the biggest bang for your buck.”
Here is a look at the approach to testing in the five provinces with the most cases of COVID-19:
British Columbia
Although B.C.’s handling of the epidemic has garnered praise, the province has consistently been testing at a lower level than the other four hardest-hit provinces.
The Ministry of Health said in an email that labs have the capacity to complete around 6,500 tests per day, and 82 collection sites across B.C. are well stocked with supplies.
But last week, daily tests completed in B.C. ranged from around 1,800 to 2,800.
B.C. initially began testing symptomatic people who had travelled to areas of China affected by the novel coronavirus. In mid-March, the province expanded testing to include health-care workers, residents of long-term care facilities and hospital patients with respiratory symptoms, as well as people connected to a cluster or outbreak.
Starting April 8, clinicians could order COVID-19 tests, but daily testing didn’t increase until later in the month, when provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry announced updated guidelines that emphasized testing anyone with new respiratory or COVID-19 compatible symptoms, however mild.
There were more than 15,230 tests completed in B.C. between April 4 and 17, and just under 29,630 in the following two weeks between April 18 and May 1.
The latest guidelines also prioritize testing for residents of remote or Indigenous communities, people living in congregate settings, such as work camps, correctional facilities and shelters, as well as people who are homeless and essential service providers.
Henry said there’s no specific number of tests that must be done each day, but it’s important to test the right people.
Phillips agreed there isn’t a magic number, but he said there’s increasing evidence that people who came into contact with a case should be tested even if they are not experiencing symptoms and regardless of whether they are connected to an outbreak.
“I suspect there could be more testing in B.C., for sure, and I think as we move towards opening up commerce and getting back to something closer to normal, the testing threshold should be kept low, so that we’re not missing any transmission in the community.”
The B.C. Centre for Disease Control says people who aren’t experiencing symptoms don’t require a test, even if they are a contact of a confirmed case or a returning traveller who is self-isolating at home.
Phillips said declining admissions to intensive care due to COVID-19 indicate the size of the epidemic in B.C. is smaller than it was several weeks ago.
Henry said B.C. plans to ramp up testing heading into the fall, when there will be more respiratory illness circulating, including influenza.
Alberta
Alberta has boasted of having one of the highest testing capacities globally and says further expansions are key to its economic relaunch strategy.
“Our decisions about opening businesses and resuming activities require us to have the most accurate and detailed information possible,” Health Minister Tyler Shandro said recently.
Dr. Ameeta Singh, an infectious diseases specialist at Edmonton’s Royal Alexandra Hospital, said “if things continue as they are, we should be good to go.”
Singh, also a University of Alberta clinical professor, suggested the province’s centralized health and laboratory systems — versus patchwork regional authorities elsewhere — could be one reason for its high testing rate.
Alberta has the capacity to complete up to 7,000 tests a day but has recently been averaging under 4,000. The province aims to expand its daily capacity to 16,000 by June.
Until mid-April, testing was limited to certain vulnerable groups or symptomatic people with recent travel history or contact with confirmed cases.
Since then, anyone with a cough, shortness of breath, runny nose or fever could get a test. And last week, the list of symptoms was expanded to include less common ones, such as loss of taste and smell, and digestive problems.
The number of tests surged from about 28,000 completed between April 4 and 17 to nearly 61,000 between April 18 and May 1.
“The criteria that have been established in this province are very reasonable and based on good scientific principles,” said Singh.
Chief medical officer Deena Hinshaw said the province doesn’t intend to constantly max out its testing capacity but aims to have slack in the system for potential surges.
She said fewer tests are being done because transmission rates are lower with everyone in lockdown. But as the economy reopens, all types of viruses will start spreading again.
“The actual number of people that we test, that is reflective of who is feeling ill, who are in outbreak settings, those who are close contacts. But it’s not reflective of the success or failure of our testing program,” Hinshaw said Thursday.
“The success of our testing program is that we can respond to demand, we can respond to surges and that’s what we’re making sure we have put in place.”
Alberta Health says the province will look at whether it needs to further expand its testing criteria as the economy reopens in stages.
Ontario
Canada’s most populous province initially lagged behind the rest of the country when it came to testing for COVID-19. It faced criticism for having a low per capita testing rate amid the country’s second-most severe outbreak of the novel coronavirus, next to Quebec.
At first, Ontario didn’t have enough assessment centres, then it lacked the lab capacity to process the tests, then it ran low on key chemicals needed for testing. It managed to clear a backlog of tests that at one point reached 11,000.
By early April, Ontario was conducting fewer than 4,000 tests per day, although it had the capacity to complete 13,000. Shortly afterwards, public health officials issued new guidelines, expanding testing for front-line health workers and long-term care residents.
A spokesman for the Health Ministry said updated guidelines for testing have lowered the threshold to ensure more people can be tested, adding that clinicians are also instructed to use their discretion when referring people for testing.
Recently, the province has been conducting the most tests per day among the hardest-hit provinces in terms of both volume and per capita.
But in mid-April, Ontario changed how it compiles testing data. It switched from reporting the number of people tested to the number of tests performed, making it difficult to get a clear picture of the shift in the scope of testing.
Dr. Camille Lemieux, chief of family medicine at the University Health Network in Toronto, said that change in reporting — combined with co-ordination issues between labs and ongoing confusion in community assessment centres over who gets sent for testing — means officials may not have the best information on the status of the epidemic at this pivotal time.
Bottlenecks still occur at some labs while others could be processing the tests, and the turnaround time for test results varies between labs, which means “the way we’re counting is not truly in real time the way it should be,” she said.
“It’s really important to know what accurate numbers are as we’re looking to reopen and scale back up,” said Lemieux, who is also the medical lead for Toronto Western Hospital’s assessment centre.
As Ontario gradually loosens its COVID-19 restrictions, the province should take a two-pronged approach to limit the risks of a devastating second wave of infection, she said.
The first prong consists of broader and more consistent testing of health-care workers, regardless of whether they show symptoms. The other is expanded community testing that includes “anybody who wants or needs to be tested,” even if they show minimal or no symptoms, as well as randomized testing, said Lemieux.
That will help identify so-called hotspots of the virus, she said, comparing them to the smoldering embers that remain after a house fire has been put out. If those hotspots aren’t identified, they’re “going to flare right back up again,” she said.
A spokesperson for the Health Ministry said Ontario has created a network of public, hospital and private labs that work together to ensure tests are processed efficiently.
“This includes redirecting the overflow of specimens from one lab to another as well as monitoring and managing limited testing supplies such as reagents,” Christian Hasse said in an email.
“There has also been a significant investment made in new machines and new technologies in both the hospitals and public health laboratories. The labs have never worked together as a system before, so this is also an opportunity for us to build a better provincewide approach to COVID-19 testing.”
Quebec
Quebec is the epicentre of the COVID-19 epidemic in Canada and trails Alberta, Nova Scotia and Ontario in terms per capita tests completed each day, though it has tested more people per capita cumulatively than Ontario and B.C.
Nima Machouf, an epidemiologist and professor at the University of Montreal’s school of public health, said much of Quebec’s testing data reflects the shortages of testing materials and capacity the province experienced.
“Quebec’s testing strategy was guided by a lack of tests,” she said in a phone interview.
“The ideal would be to test massively since the beginning, but we didn’t have the tests in hand to do it.”
As a result, she said the province kept its testing criteria narrow, focusing on segments of the population where there were likely to be more positive cases: symptomatic travellers at first, then their contacts who fell ill in the community, then health workers and people associated with long-term care homes.
The actual rate of community infection in Quebec is likely much higher than the tests reflect, said Machouf, given that infected people can be asymptomatic.
“Everywhere, not only in Quebec, but in Canada and around the world, it’s only the tip of the iceberg we’re seeing.”
On Friday, the number of deaths in Canada was highest in Quebec at 2,725, with the majority occurring in seniors’ residences or long-term care homes.
While hospitalizations and death rates are often cited as the most reliable way to assess and compare outbreaks across different jurisdictions, Machouf said they also reflect which segment of the population is getting ill.
“Given that we have more and more elderly people infected, that will result in more hospitalizations and deaths.”
Machouf praised Quebec’s method of diagnosing cases and deaths through “epidemiological link,” meaning they are counted as COVID-19 cases in the absence of testing if the person showed symptoms after known exposure to the virus.
She said the strategy, which saves tests for those who need them, means that Quebec’s declared death rates are likely fairly accurate, since they include patients who never got a test but who died likely after contracting the virus.
The Quebec government has said it will massively ramp up testing, promising 14,000 to 15,000 per day as the province gradually allows businesses and schools to reopen.
Machouf said it will be “very important” that this strategy includes testing not only people with symptoms, but also their contacts and random members of the population to find out how many people might be spreading the virus without showing symptoms.
She said the true extent of the outbreak will likely only be known much later, once testing to determine how many people have developed antibodies, which indicates they’ve recovered from COVID-19, becomes more widespread.
Phillips said antibody testing is easier and less expensive to scale up than the methods used to test for active COVID-19 infections, and it will be valuable to assess which groups of people were most affected by the disease.
But, he said, the vast majority of people are still susceptible to future waves of the virus because 50 to 70 per cent of the population must be infected to attain so-called herd immunity.
“The idea of going to herd immunity without a vaccine, you know, it’s a pipe dream.”
Nova Scotia
Dr. Todd Hatchette of the Nova Scotia Health Authority said an “aggressive” approach to COVID-19 case management has been key to Nova Scotia’s mitigation of the epidemic.
All of the contacts of a person who is confirmed to have the disease are tested, whether they are symptomatic or not, said Hatchette, who also credited Nova Scotians for staying home to help stem the spread.
The province just received equipment that would allow for between 2,500 and 3,000 tests to be completed each day, he said, though it’s testing below capacity now that flu season is over and there are fewer people with symptoms compatible with COVID-19.
There were 7,353 tests completed in Nova Scotia between March 21 and April 3, increasing to 10,912 between April 4 and April 17, and dropping back down to 9,730 in the last two weeks of April.
The province continues to trail only the Northwest Territories and Alberta when it comes to the number of tests completed per capita so far, though its daily per capita test rate dropped below Ontario and Alberta last week.
Like other provinces, Nova Scotia started out testing and contact tracing symptomatic people with recent travel histories, and then dropped the travel requirement and modified the list of symptoms that trigger testing, said Hatchette.
“Other jurisdictions still (only) test symptomatic people. We did do more asymptomatic testing associated with known cases, whether that’s known individual cases in the community or part of outbreak clusters. The testing has been aggressive.”
Hatchette said Nova Scotia’s comparatively small population meant the vast majority of testing is concentrated in one lab, which is an advantage over more populous provinces.
“This virus, nobody knew about it in December, so all of these tests had to be developed and validated and … it’s easier to do that in one location or a very small number of locations before sort of broadening out the testing.”
Hatchette said he has regular meetings with the Canadian Public Health Lab Network to discuss challenges and share ideas, and the group is “not afraid to share the lessons learned early on to make sure that we can help each other.”
How testing can support the relaxing of physical distancing in the coming months is a “hot topic of discussion” across Canada, he said, noting lab and swabbing capacity are still factors and it’s impossible to test the entire population.
“But if we have our surveillance programs in place so that we protect the most vulnerable and target the places where outbreaks occur more frequently, so hospitals, long-term care facilities (and) homeless populations, then hopefully that risk is lowered significantly so it doesn’t translate to further community-based spread.”
— With files form Paola Loriggio in Toronto, Morgan Lowrie in Montreal and Lauren Krugel in Calgary.
Some significant steps will be taken Monday in the slow process of lifting restrictions imposed to limit the spread of the coronavirus pandemic in Canada.
Quebec, which accounts for more than half of the country’s novel coronavirus cases, is reopening elementary schools and daycares outside the Montreal area.
Students will be subject to physical distancing and frequent handwashing while school officials follow public health guidelines for cleaning and disinfection.
Attendance, however, is not mandatory, and two school boards have told The Canadian Press that most of their students will be staying home for now.
Quebec is also allowing most retail stores outside Montreal to open Monday, but pushed back the opening date for schools and other businesses in the hard-hit metropolis to May 25 as case numbers there remained high.
Meanwhile, Ontario is allowing non-essential retail stores to open for curbside pickup, after letting hardware and safety supply stores to reopen on the weekend.
It’s also opening its provincial parks, though visitors must adhere to physical distancing rules and park camping grounds, beaches and playgrounds will remain closed.
Alberta is also planning to allow some retail stores to open this week, while Saskatchewan and Manitoba began to gradually reopen last week.
British Columbia is phasing in the reopening of its economy with certain health services, retail outlets, restaurants, salons and museums resuming some operations in mid-May.
On the other side of the country, Newfoundland and Labrador is allowing some medical procedures to resume today, as well as low-risk activities, such as golf, hunting and fishing. Low-risk businesses, including garden centres, and professional services such as law firms can also reopen.
As of this morning Canada had recorded 68,848 confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases, including 4,871 deaths and 32,109 cases resolved.
In The News is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to kickstart your day. Here is what’s on the radar of our editors for the morning of May 11 …
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COVID-19 in Canada ….
Some significant steps will be taken today in the slow process of lifting restrictions imposed to limit the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada.
Quebec, which accounts for more than half of the country’s novel coronavirus cases, is reopening elementary schools and daycares outside the Montreal area.
Students will be subject to physical distancing and frequent handwashing while school officials follow public health guidelines for cleaning and disinfection.
Attendance, however, is not mandatory, and two school boards have told The Canadian Press that most of their students will be staying home for now.
Quebec is also allowing most retail stores outside Montreal to open today.
Meanwhile, Ontario is allowing non-essential retail stores to open for curbside pickup today, and is also opening its provincial parks, though with some restrictions.
Alberta is also allowing some retail stores to open this week, while on the other side of the country, Newfoundland and Labrador is allowing some medical procedures to resume today, as well as low-risk activities, such as golf, hunting and fishing. Low-risk businesses, including garden centres, and professional services such as law firms can also reopen.
As of this morning Canada had recorded 68,848 confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases, including 4,871 deaths and 32,109 cases resolved.
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Also this …
MONTREAL — A Cargill meat-processing plant south of Montreal is closing its doors after at least 64 workers tested positive for COVID-19.
The outbreak in Chambly, Que., marks the second time the company has experienced a COVID-19 closure at one of its facilities in Canada.
A spokeswoman for the union representing the workers said the Cargill plant will close temporarily as of Wednesday so all its workers can be tested.
Roxane Larouche said 171 workers were sent home last week as a preventative measure, and 30 of them have tested negative. The testing is expected to last until Friday, and the plant will reopen once there are enough uninfected employees to run it safely.
Cargill said the 64 workers represent 13 per cent of the workforce at the plant. The company said three employees have recovered.
The workplace had implemented safety measures for employees, including installing plexiglass between workers where possible, staggering arrival and departure times and providing masks, visors and safety glasses, Larouche confirmed.
A Cargill beef-packing plant in High River, Alta., reopened last Monday after a two-week shutdown.
More than 900 of 2,000 workers at that plant have tested positive for the novel coronavirus.
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COVID-19 in the U.S. …
WASHINGTON — U.S. Vice-President Mike Pence is self-isolating after an aide tested positive for the coronavirus last week.
An administration official says Pence is voluntarily keeping his distance from other people in line with CDC guidance.
The official says Pence has repeatedly tested negative for COVID-19 since his exposure but is following the advice of medical officials.
Pence’s move comes on the heels of three members of the White House coronavirus task force placing themselves in quarantine after being exposed to someone at the White House who had the virus.
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COVID-19 around the world …
PARIS — The French began leaving their homes and apartments today for the first time in two months without permission slips as the country began cautiously lifting its virus strict lockdown.
In Paris, crowds packed into some subway lines and train stations despite new social distancing rules. Clothing shops, hair salons and real estate agencies were among businesses large and small reopening today, albeit with strict precautions to keep coronavirus at bay.
Teachers were returning to prepare classes to welcome students later in the week, but in limited numbers.
But Health Minister Olivier Veran held out the possibility of a re-confinement if infections rise again.
France is among the countries hardest hit by the virus, with more than 26,000 deaths in hospitals and nursing homes.
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COVID-19 in sports …
JACKSONVILLE, Florida — UFC President Dana White wanted a major fight card weeks ago. He was confident his team could pull it off whether it took place on a tribal land, on a private island or in any of the 10 states offering to host it.
Coronavirus testing. Fan-free arena. Social distancing. Self-isolation. White looked at all those unprecedented details that seemed too complex and too risky to some outsiders as merely extra challenges.
But White and the UFC look like the big winners following their big show at Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville Saturday night. And UFC 249 could serve as a blueprint for other sports leagues around the U.S. and the world as they start to resume during a global pandemic.
The NFL, NBA, NHL, Major League Baseball and NASCAR, all of them had to have an eye on how the UFC approached and handled the first major human-centric sporting event in the U.S. since the new coronavirus shuttered much of the country nearly two months ago.
The UFC created a 25-page document to address health and safety protocols, which included disinfecting the octagon between bouts and mandating tests and masks for nearly everyone in attendance.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 11, 2020
OTTAWA — Virtual sittings of the House of Commons and parliamentary committees are causing headaches for interpreters — literally.
Coping with iffy audio quality, occasional feedback loops, new technology and MPs who speak too quickly has resulted in a steep increase in interpreters reporting workplace injuries, according to the union that represents some 70 accredited interpreters who translate English into French and vice versa.
Those injuries include acute acoustic shock, tinnitus, headaches, nausea, sleeplessness, mental fog and inability to concentrate.
Commons Speaker Anthony Rota has been doing his best to help by reminding MPs repeatedly to wear headsets, which provide better audio quality, and to speak more slowly.
But that advice clashes with another change that has resulted from the move to virtual proceedings during the COVID-19 pandemic: strict limits on the amount of time allowed to question ministers and for them to give answers.
To make the most of their five-minutes worth of questions, some MPs are asking a series of rapid-fire questions, which can leave ministers with only a few seconds of matching time in which to attempt to answer.
“I had a long conversation yesterday …,” Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland began to say Thursday before being cut off in her response to a short question about whether there have been any discussions with the United States about re-opening the border.
Canadians were destined never to find out with whom she’d had that long conversation as her questioner, Conservative MP Todd Doherty, switched to another topic for a different minister on his next question.
Rota implored MPs at several time to “please speak at a reasonable pace” for the sake of the interpreters.
“This is just how fast I speak when we’re in the House of Commons,” responded Conservative MP Raquel Dancho at one point, who promised to “try to speak more slowly.”
Earlier in the week, interpreters and the union representing them, the Canadian Association of Professional Employees, appealed to MPs on the procedure and House affairs committee, which is studying ways to move to a fully virtual Parliament, to help minimize the problems.
CAPE president Greg Phillips told the committee that more injuries were reported by interpreters in April alone than were reported in all of 2019.
Virtual proceedings are more of strain on interpreters at the best of times, requiring them to work shorter shifts. That, combined with the steep increase in injuries, sick leave and requests for transfer to non-virtual assignments during the pandemic, has resulted in a shrinking pool of available interpreters, Phillips said.
“We are getting close to our worst-case scenario,” he said.
Due to technological challenges, the interpreters are not able to work from home but must come to Parliament Hill. But Phillips said about 40 of the 70 interpreters on staff are unable to come to work due to child care and other COVID-19-related issues.
There are about 60 accredited freelance interpreters who can help fill the gaps. But even so, Phillips said they are getting “dangerously close” to being unable to keep up with the demand for translation services required to keep officially bilingual parliamentary proceedings operable.
Interpreter Nicole Gagnon told the committee that because MPs are using different technologies to connect with virtual proceedings, sound quality is often problematic and sometimes results in loud feedback loops that cause acute acoustic shock for the interpreters, who all wear headsets.
Symptoms of acoustic shock are similar to those caused by a concussion, she said, adding that the effects are cumulative so it takes longer to recover each time it occurs.
Phillips said interpreters have also reported suffering “residual and long-lasting beating sound, pounding in sharp bursts in the ear drum.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 8, 2020.
Provinces have been releasing plans for easing restrictions that were put in place to limit the spread of COVID-19.
Here is what some of the provinces have announced so far:
Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador plans to loosen some public health restrictions in a series of “alert levels” descending from five. The move to Level 4 on May 11 is to allow some medical procedures to resume as well as low-risk activities, such as golf, hunting and fishing. Low-risk businesses, including garden centres, and professional services such as law firms are to reopen at this level. Alert Level 4 is to remain in place for at least 28 days. At Level 3, private health clinics, such as optometrists and dentists, are to be permitted to open, as well as medium-risk businesses such as clothing stores and hair salons. At Level 2, some small gatherings will be allowed, and businesses with performance spaces and gyms are to reopen. Level 1 would represent “the new normal.”
On Tuesday, legislators passed a bill giving peace officers’ the power to transport people who fail to respect health directives to departure points from the province. The amendment to the Public Health Protection and Promotion Act comes the day after a travel ban came into effect barring anyone but permanent residents and asymptomatic workers in key sectors from entering the province.
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Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia has eased some public health restrictions, however, directives around physical distancing and social gatherings remain in place. Trails and provincial and municipal parks can now reopen, but playground equipment will continue to be off limits. Garden centres, nurseries and similar businesses can open, and while golf driving ranges can open, courses will remain closed. Sportfishing is permitted and people can attend boating, yacht or sailing clubs for the purpose of preparing boats for use. Drive-in religious services will be allowed, as long as people stay in their cars, they are parked two metres apart and there are no interactions between people.
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Prince Edward Island
Priority non-urgent surgeries and select health-service providers, including physiotherapists, optometrists and chiropractors, resumed on May 1 under The Renew P.E.I. Together plan. The plan also allows outdoor gatherings and non-contact outdoor recreational activities of no more than five individuals from different households. But screening is to continue at points of entry into the province and all people coming into P.E.I. are required to isolate for 14 days.
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New Brunswick
Premier Blaine Higgs put the first phase of his four-phase reopening plan into action on April 24. It allows limited play on golf courses as well as fishing and hunting. Two families are allowed to interact as part of a so-called “two-family bubble.” Post-secondary students can return if it’s deemed safe by the school, and outdoor church services can be held, if people remain in their vehicles and are two metres apart. The second phase is to see the resumption of elective surgeries and the reopening of daycares, offices, restaurants, ATV trails and seasonal campgrounds. The third phase will allow regular church services, dentistry work and reopened fitness centres. The final phase, which will probably come only after a vaccine is available, will include large gatherings.
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Quebec
Quebec reopened retail stores outside Montreal on Monday while those in the greater Montreal region are to reopen May 25. For the second time, the province pushed back the reopening of retail stores in the greater Montreal area by another week. Premier Francois Legault said the province will keep close tabs on the situation in the city before deciding whether stores, daycares and elementary schools can reopen later this month. Elsewhere in Quebebc, lottery terminals began to reopen Monday after being shut down on March 20 with sales moving to online only. Legault has set May 11 as reopening day for schools and daycares outside greater Montreal. High schools, junior colleges and universities are to stay closed until September. Quebec’s construction industry is to completely start up May 11, while manufacturing companies are to resume operations the same day with initial limits on the total number of employees who can work per shift.
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Ontario
The province announced Wednesday it is allow non-essential retail stores to open for curbside pickup next week. Premier Doug Ford says garden centres and nurseries will also be allowed to open on Friday, and hardware stores and safety supply stores will be allowed to reopen on Saturday. He says those stores will be expected to follow the same public health measures as grocery stores and pharmacies currently do, such as physical distancing, offering contactless payment and sanitizing surfaces. Ontario also extended its emergency orders, which include the continued closure of non-essential businesses. The emergency orders, which were set to expire Wednesday, have now been extended for another two weeks, to May 19. They also include a prohibition of public gatherings of more than five people, the closure of bars and restaurants except for take-out and delivery, libraries, theatres and concert venues, outdoor amenities such as playgrounds, and child care centres. The province has separately announced that publicly funded schools will be closed until at least May 31. Ontario liquor stores are expanding store hours that were reduced in March, rolling out the earlier opening and later closing times in stages until they apply to all stores in the first week of June.
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Saskatchewan
The Saskatchewan government’s five-phase plan to reopen parts of its economy started Monday with dentists, optometrists and other health professionals being allowed to resume services. Phase 1 also includes reopened golf courses and campgrounds. Phase 2 will give the green light to retail businesses and salons. Restaurants and gyms could open in Phase 3, but with limited capacity. Phase 4 could see arenas, swimming pools and playgrounds opening. In Phase 5, the province would consider lifting restrictions on the size of public gatherings.
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Manitoba
Manitoba allowed Monday health offices, including dentists, chiropractors and physiotherapists to reopen. Retail businesses are to reopen at half occupancy as long as they can ensure physical spacing. Restaurants can reopen patios and walk-up service. Museums and libraries opened Monday, but occupancy is to be limited to 50 per cent. Playgrounds, golf courses and tennis courts are to reopen as well, along with parks and campgrounds. A second phase is to begin no earlier than June 1. That’s when restaurants would be allowed to open indoor dining areas and non-contact children’s sports would resume. Mass gatherings such as concerts and major sporting events will not be considered before September.
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Alberta
Alberta plans allowed some scheduled, non-urgent surgeries to start Monday. Service provided by dentists, physiotherapists and other medical professionals are also to be permitted. Golf courses reopened May 2, though pro shops and clubhouses remain shuttered. On May 14, retail businesses, such as clothing, furniture and bookstores, are to be allowed to reopen gradually. Cafes and restaurants with no bar service will also be allowed to run at half capacity. The second phase also includes potential kindergarten to Grade 12 classes — with restrictions — and the reopening of movie theatres and theatres, again, with restrictions. The third phase would see nightclubs, gyms, pools, recreation centres and arenas reopen, all with restrictions. There is no timeline for the final two phases.
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British Columbia
The province is phasing in the reopening of its economy with certain health services, retail outlets, restaurants, salons and museums resuming some operations in mid-May. All of the government’s reopening plans are contingent on organizations and businesses developing plans that follow provincial guidelines to control the spread of COVID-19. Hotels, resorts and parks will follow in June. A mix of online and classroom post-secondary education is planned for September, along with classes returning for students in kindergarten to Grade 12. Conventions, large concerts, international tourism and professional sports with a live audience will not be allowed to resume until either a vaccine is widely available, community immunity has been reached, or effective treatment can be provided for the disease.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 7, 2020
The Canadian economy lost almost two million jobs in April, a record high, as the closure of non-essential services to slow the spread of the coronavirus devastated the economy and forced businesses to shutter temporarily.
The loss of 1,993,800 comes on top of more than one million jobs lost in March.
Statistics Canada says the unemployment rate soared to 13.0 per cent as the full force of the pandemic hit compared with 7.8 per cent in March.
It was the second highest unemployment rate on record.
Economists on average had expected the loss of four million jobs and an unemployment rate of 18 per cent, according to financial markets data firm Refinitiv.
VANCOUVER — Getting around Stanley Park since the pandemic struck is a new experience for Tom Green.
Roads that weave through the urban forest in Vancouver have been closed to traffic, making space for residents to get fresh air at a physical distance.
“It’s become a cycling and walking paradise and you can hear the birds better,” said the climate solutions policy analyst for the David Suzuki Foundation.
Mobility data released by Apple suggests enormous declines in personal transportation since COVID-19 began its spread in Canada.
Users of the company’s Maps app made 80 per cent fewer requests for directions on transit between Jan. 13 and May 4 across the country. Requests from drivers dropped 42 per cent, while walkers dropped 40 per cent during the same period.
It’s a shift that one expert says places communities at a crossroads. There’s an opportunity to encourage healthier forms of transportation after the crisis subsides but there’s also a lot at stake, said Meghan Winters, an associate professor of health sciences at Simon Fraser University in nearby Burnaby.
“I think the biggest challenge that will face our cities is that we’re not going to recover in terms of transit,” Winters said.
Data from post-lockdown China suggests more people are driving, she said.
In Canada, already cash-strapped transit agencies are facing sharp revenue declines and with a new public aversion to shared spaces that could extend into the long-term.
The Toronto Transit Commission has temporarily laid off 1,200 employees amid an 85 per cent drop in ridership. In Metro Vancouver, TransLink says it is losing around $75 million each month due to reductions in ridership and lost fuel tax revenue.
Service cuts are manageable in neighbourhoods where alternate routes are available but there’s a question about equity if some routes are cut permanently. Not everyone can drive and people with disabilities, teens and seniors could lose vital links to groceries and medical appointments, Winters said.
Cities aren’t designed to handle significant increases in congestion unless a large portion of the economy shifts to more permanent work-from-home arrangements, she said.
But there’s also an opportunity as more people bike and walk on roads without traffic in many places. People who don’t normally cycle have been able try it out in a safer way and could continue riding under the right conditions, she said.
“If there’s one silver lining here, it’s that we’ve been in a place that isn’t as car-centric, that doesn’t have that same congestion, pollution, noise, stressors. And people have been out in their communities noticing different things, hearing different things, feeling safer on their streets,” Winters said.
But it will take a co-ordinated effort for cities to hold onto that change, she said.
“They’ll have to invest in ensuring that walking and cycling continue to feel like safe activities for people.”
In the short-term, police in several jurisdictions said they’ve seen a large drop in road accidents during the pandemic, but also more dangerous driving on the open roads.
“We’re definitely seeing lighter volumes of traffic at all hours of the day throughout the entire city,” said Sgt. Jason Kraft of the Toronto Police Service.
At the same time, between March 23 and April 27, stunt driving charges in the city rose almost 10 times to 220 compared with the 32 over the same period last year. Speeding tickets rose to 5,900 from 5,500, Kraft said.
“Drivers are choosing to double and sometimes triple the posted speed limit,” he said. “Our public roads are not your personal race track.”
Since March 21, Edmonton police have seen about 100 incidents of people driving at least 50 kilometres an hour over the speed limit. The highest was a motorist driving 214 km/h in a 100 km/h zone, spokeswoman Cheryl Voordenhout said.
By the end of March, Edmonton had recorded a 30 per cent decrease in traffic volume, while there was a 30 per cent increase in speeding of more than 20 kilometres per hour over the limit, Voordenhout said.
Environmentalists are watching how reduced flights and traffic will affect global emissions.
Official figures won’t be available for some time, but estimates suggest that global emissions still haven’t dropped enough to meet commitments in the Paris Agreement on climate change, Green said.
Globally, models suggest an annual decline of about six to eight per cent in energy use and greenhouse gas emissions in 2020. Emissions would have to come down by the same rate every year in order to meet the targets, he said.
“While it’s a drop in emissions right now, the remaining emissions are still very, very high and of course the level of CO2 in the atmosphere is what’s built up over decades,” he said, noting last month was the hottest April on record.
“So we haven’t solved the climate crisis this way.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 7, 2020.
Provinces have been releasing plans for easing restrictions that were put in place to limit the spread of COVID-19.
Here is what some of the provinces have announced so far:
Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador plans to loosen some public health restrictions in a series of “alert levels” descending from five. The move to Level 4 on May 11 is to allow some medical procedures to resume as well as low-risk activities, such as golf, hunting and fishing. Low-risk businesses, including garden centres, and professional services such as law firms are to reopen at this level. Alert Level 4 is to remain in place for at least 28 days. At Level 3, private health clinics, such as optometrists and dentists, are to be permitted to open, as well as medium-risk businesses such as clothing stores and hair salons. At Level 2, some small gatherings will be allowed, and businesses with performance spaces and gyms are to reopen. Level 1 would represent “the new normal.”
On Tuesday, legislators passed a bill giving peace officers’ the power to transport people who fail to respect health directives to departure points from the province. The amendment to the Public Health Protection and Promotion Act comes the day after a travel ban came into effect barring anyone but permanent residents and asymptomatic workers in key sectors from entering the province.
—
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia has eased some public health restrictions, however, directives around physical distancing and social gatherings remain in place. Trails and provincial and municipal parks can now reopen, but playground equipment will continue to be off limits. Garden centres, nurseries and similar businesses can open, and while golf driving ranges can open, courses will remain closed. Sportfishing is permitted and people can attend boating, yacht or sailing clubs for the purpose of preparing boats for use. Drive-in religious services will be allowed, as long as people stay in their cars, they are parked two metres apart and there are no interactions between people.
—
Prince Edward Island
Priority non-urgent surgeries and select health-service providers, including physiotherapists, optometrists and chiropractors, resumed on May 1 under The Renew P.E.I. Together plan. The plan also allows outdoor gatherings and non-contact outdoor recreational activities of no more than five individuals from different households. But screening is to continue at points of entry into the province and all people coming into P.E.I. are required to isolate for 14 days.
—
New Brunswick
Premier Blaine Higgs put the first phase of his four-phase reopening plan into action on April 24. It allows limited play on golf courses as well as fishing and hunting. Two families are allowed to interact as part of a so-called “two-family bubble.” Post-secondary students can return if it’s deemed safe by the school, and outdoor church services can be held, if people remain in their vehicles and are two metres apart. The second phase is to see the resumption of elective surgeries and the reopening of daycares, offices, restaurants, ATV trails and seasonal campgrounds. The third phase will allow regular church services, dentistry work and reopened fitness centres. The final phase, which will probably come only after a vaccine is available, will include large gatherings.
—
Quebec
Quebec reopened retail stores outside Montreal on Monday while those in the greater Montreal region are to reopen May 18. The province pushed back the reopening of retail stores in the greater Montreal area by one week. Lottery terminals began to reopen Monday after being shut down on March 20 with sales moving to online only. Premier Francois Legault has set May 11 as reopening day for schools and daycares outside greater Montreal. The city is to follow suit on May 19, but attendance won’t be mandatory. High schools, junior colleges and universities are to stay closed until September. Quebec’s construction industry is to completely start up May 11, while manufacturing companies are to resume operations the same day with initial limits on the total number of employees who can work per shift.
—
Ontario
The province announced Wednesday it is allow non-essential retail stores to open for curbside pickup next week. Premier Doug Ford says garden centres and nurseries will also be allowed to open on Friday, and hardware stores and safety supply stores will be allowed to reopen on Saturday. He says those stores will be expected to follow the same public health measures as grocery stores and pharmacies currently do, such as physical distancing, offering contactless payment and sanitizing surfaces. Ontario also extended its emergency orders, which include the continued closure of non-essential businesses. The emergency orders, which were set to expire Wednesday, have now been extended for another two weeks, to May 19. They also include a prohibition of public gatherings of more than five people, the closure of bars and restaurants except for take-out and delivery, libraries, theatres and concert venues, outdoor amenities such as playgrounds, and child care centres. The province has separately announced that publicly funded schools will be closed until at least May 31. Ontario liquor stores are expanding store hours that were reduced in March, rolling out the earlier opening and later closing times in stages until they apply to all stores in the first week of June.
—
Saskatchewan
The Saskatchewan government’s five-phase plan to reopen parts of its economy started Monday with dentists, optometrists and other health professionals being allowed to resume services. Phase 1 also includes reopened golf courses and campgrounds. Phase 2 will give the green light to retail businesses and salons. Restaurants and gyms could open in Phase 3, but with limited capacity. Phase 4 could see arenas, swimming pools and playgrounds opening. In Phase 5, the province would consider lifting restrictions on the size of public gatherings.
—
Manitoba
Manitoba allowed Monday health offices, including dentists, chiropractors and physiotherapists to reopen. Retail businesses are to reopen at half occupancy as long as they can ensure physical spacing. Restaurants can reopen patios and walk-up service. Museums and libraries opened Monday, but occupancy is to be limited to 50 per cent. Playgrounds, golf courses and tennis courts are to reopen as well, along with parks and campgrounds. A second phase is to begin no earlier than June 1. That’s when restaurants would be allowed to open indoor dining areas and non-contact children’s sports would resume. Mass gatherings such as concerts and major sporting events will not be considered before September.
—
Alberta
Alberta plans allowed some scheduled, non-urgent surgeries to start Monday. Service provided by dentists, physiotherapists and other medical professionals are also to be permitted. Golf courses reopened May 2, though pro shops and clubhouses remain shuttered. On May 14, retail businesses, such as clothing, furniture and bookstores, are to be allowed to reopen gradually. Cafes and restaurants with no bar service will also be allowed to run at half capacity. The second phase also includes potential kindergarten to Grade 12 classes — with restrictions — and the reopening of movie theatres and theatres, again, with restrictions. The third phase would see nightclubs, gyms, pools, recreation centres and arenas reopen, all with restrictions. There is no timeline for the final two phases.
—
British Columbia
The province is phasing in the reopening of its economy with certain health services, retail outlets, restaurants, salons and museums resuming some operations in mid-May. All of the government’s reopening plans are contingent on organizations and businesses developing plans that follow provincial guidelines to control the spread of COVID-19. Hotels, resorts and parks will follow in June. A mix of online and classroom post-secondary education is planned for September, along with classes returning for students in kindergarten to Grade 12. Conventions, large concerts, international tourism and professional sports with a live audience will not be allowed to resume until either a vaccine is widely available, community immunity has been reached, or effective treatment can be provided for the disease.
—
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 7, 2020
Provinces have been releasing plans for easing restrictions that were put in place to limit the spread of COVID-19.
Here is what some of the provinces have announced so far:
Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador plans to loosen some public health restrictions in a series of “alert levels” descending from five. The move to Level 4 on May 11 is to allow some medical procedures to resume as well as low-risk activities, such as golf, hunting and fishing. Low-risk businesses, including garden centres, and professional services such as law firms are to reopen at this level. Alert Level 4 is to remain in place for at least 28 days. At Level 3, private health clinics, such as optometrists and dentists, are to be permitted to open, as well as medium-risk businesses such as clothing stores and hair salons. At Level 2, some small gatherings will be allowed, and businesses with performance spaces and gyms are to reopen. Level 1 would represent “the new normal.”
On Tuesday, legislators passed a bill giving peace officers’ the power to transport people who fail to respect health directives to departure points from the province. The amendment to the Public Health Protection and Promotion Act comes the day after a travel ban came into effect barring anyone but permanent residents and asymptomatic workers in key sectors from entering the province.
—
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia has eased some public health restrictions, however, directives around physical distancing and social gatherings remain in place. Trails and provincial and municipal parks can now reopen, but playground equipment will continue to be off limits. Garden centres, nurseries and similar businesses can open, and while golf driving ranges can open, courses will remain closed. Sportfishing is permitted and people can attend boating, yacht or sailing clubs for the purpose of preparing boats for use. Drive-in religious services will be allowed, as long as people stay in their cars, they are parked two metres apart and there are no interactions between people.
—
Prince Edward Island
Priority non-urgent surgeries and select health-service providers, including physiotherapists, optometrists and chiropractors, resumed on May 1 under The Renew P.E.I. Together plan. The plan also allows outdoor gatherings and non-contact outdoor recreational activities of no more than five individuals from different households. But screening is to continue at points of entry into the province and all people coming into P.E.I. are required to isolate for 14 days.
—
New Brunswick
Premier Blaine Higgs put the first phase of his four-phase reopening plan into action on April 24. It allows limited play on golf courses as well as fishing and hunting. Two families are allowed to interact as part of a so-called “two-family bubble.” Post-secondary students can return if it’s deemed safe by the school, and outdoor church services can be held, if people remain in their vehicles and are two metres apart. The second phase is to see the resumption of elective surgeries and the reopening of daycares, offices, restaurants, ATV trails and seasonal campgrounds. The third phase will allow regular church services, dentistry work and reopened fitness centres. The final phase, which will probably come only after a vaccine is available, will include large gatherings.
—
Quebec
Quebec reopened retail stores outside Montreal on Monday while those in the greater Montreal region are to reopen May 18. The province pushed back the reopening of retail stores in the greater Montreal area by one week. Lottery terminals began to reopen Monday after being shut down on March 20 with sales moving to online only. Premier Francois Legault has set May 11 as reopening day for schools and daycares outside greater Montreal. The city is to follow suit on May 19, but attendance won’t be mandatory. High schools, junior colleges and universities are to stay closed until September. Quebec’s construction industry is to completely start up May 11, while manufacturing companies are to resume operations the same day with initial limits on the total number of employees who can work per shift.
—
Ontario
The province allowed a small list of mostly seasonal businesses to reopen Monday. They include garden centres with curbside pick-ups, lawn care and landscaping companies, and automatic car washes. All will have to follow physical distancing measures. Last month, Ford released a three-step plan for slowly reopening Ontario’s economy, but it did not include a timeline. It said Stage 1 could include opening select workplaces and parks, allow more people at certain events such as funerals, and hospitals to resume some non-urgent surgeries. Stage 2 could include opening more businesses and outdoor spaces, while Stage 3 would include opening all work places and further relaxing rules on public gatherings — though large ones such as sporting events and concerts would still be restricted.
—
Saskatchewan
The Saskatchewan government’s five-phase plan to reopen parts of its economy started Monday with dentists, optometrists and other health professionals being allowed to resume services. Phase 1 also includes reopened golf courses and campgrounds. Phase 2 will give the green light to retail businesses and salons. Restaurants and gyms could open in Phase 3, but with limited capacity. Phase 4 could see arenas, swimming pools and playgrounds opening. In Phase 5, the province would consider lifting restrictions on the size of public gatherings.
—
Manitoba
Manitoba allowed Monday health offices, including dentists, chiropractors and physiotherapists to reopen. Retail businesses are to reopen at half occupancy as long as they can ensure physical spacing. Restaurants can reopen patios and walk-up service. Museums and libraries opened Monday, but occupancy is to be limited to 50 per cent. Playgrounds, golf courses and tennis courts are to reopen as well, along with parks and campgrounds. A second phase is to begin no earlier than June 1. That’s when restaurants would be allowed to open indoor dining areas and non-contact children’s sports would resume. Mass gatherings such as concerts and major sporting events will not be considered before September.
—
Alberta
Alberta plans allowed some scheduled, non-urgent surgeries to start Monday. Service provided by dentists, physiotherapists and other medical professionals are also to be permitted. Golf courses reopened May 2, though pro shops and clubhouses remain shuttered. On May 14, retail businesses, such as clothing, furniture and bookstores, are to be allowed to reopen gradually. Cafes and restaurants with no bar service will also be allowed to run at half capacity. The second phase also includes potential kindergarten to Grade 12 classes — with restrictions — and the reopening of movie theatres and theatres, again, with restrictions. The third phase would see nightclubs, gyms, pools, recreation centres and arenas reopen, all with restrictions. There is no timeline for the final two phases.
—
British Columbia
British Columbia hasn’t released its reopening plan, however, Premier John Horgan is promising details today.
—
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 6, 2020
The Canadian military is to hold a special ramp ceremony Wednesday at Canadian Forces Base Trenton to repatriate remains of a service member and honour all six who died in a helicopter crash off the coast of Greece.
The Cyclone helicopter carrying six Armed Forces members crashed into the Ionian Sea on April 29. Defence officials have said it was returning to HMCS Fredericton at the end of a NATO training mission.
The remains of Sub-Lt. Abbigail Cowbrough were recovered while the other five service members on board are missing and presumed dead. The remains of one other person have been recovered but not yet identified.
Those service members whose remains were not recovered will be represented by military headgear resting on pillows to be carried by fellow military members.
Following the ceremony, a procession will proceed down the Highway of Heroes from Trenton to Toronto.
“Despite the challenges presented by the current COVID-19 environment and the need to maintain physical distancing, 8 Wing/CFB Trenton is committed to a dignified and respectful repatriation for our fallen aviators and sailors,” the Canadian Armed Forces said Tuesday.
Physical distancing protocols have been built into the ceremony, the military said. Except for pallbearers, all CAF members on parade will remain two metres apart.
All in attendance will be wearing masks and gloves will be worn by pallbearers and those unable to physically distance.
While such processions have traditionally been accompanied by crowds gathering along the highway to show their support and honour those who have died, the Ontario government is asking people to watch it from home because of COVID-19.
In The News is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to kickstart your day. Here is what’s on the radar of our editors for the morning of May 5 …
—
COVID-19 in Canada …
OTTAWA — The Trudeau government is expected to face a grilling today from opposition parties over its handling of the COVID-19 crisis.
A small number of MPs are to convene for a once-a-week, in-person sitting of the House of Commons and they are expected to zero in on the perceived deficiencies of the billions of dollars in emergency aid programs the federal government has implemented to cushion the economic impact of the pandemic.
Among the criticisms, the outraged reaction of Canadian farmers to the $252 million in support announced Tuesday for the agri-food sector — far less than the $2.6 billion deemed necessary by the Canadian Federation of Agriculture.
Trudeau will not be in the Commons to deflect the criticism — he is to be at a base in Trenton, Ont., for a repatriation ceremony for the six members of the Forces who died in last week’s helicopter crash off the coast of Greece.
Nor will he be giving his usual morning briefing on the COVID-19 crisis.
The absence of the prime minister and lack of any new announcements will shift the focus from what the government is doing to combat the pandemic to what opposition parties contend it is doing wrong.
—
In other Canadian news …
OTTAWA — The Canadian military is to hold a special ramp ceremony today at Canadian Forces Base Trenton to repatriate remains of a service member and honour all six who died in a helicopter crash off the coast of Greece.
The Cyclone helicopter carrying six Armed Forces members crashed into the Ionian Sea on April 29. Defence officials have said it was returning to HMCS Fredericton at the end of a NATO training mission.
The remains of Sub-Lt. Abbigail Cowbrough were recovered while the other five service members on board are missing and presumed dead. The remains of one other person have been recovered but not yet identified.
Those service members whose remains were not recovered will be represented by military headgear resting on pillows to be carried by fellow military members.
Following the ceremony, a procession will proceed down the Highway of Heroes from Trenton to Toronto.
—
Also this …
HIGH RIVER, Alta. — A moment of silence is planned at the Cargill meat packing plant near High River, Alberta, today to honour an employee who died of COVID-19.
Hiep Bui, who was 67, worked at the Cargill slaughterhouse for 23 years and was responsible for picking out beef bones from hamburger meat.
She became ill on her shift on a Friday, was hospitalized the next day and died on the Sunday.
The plant, which employs 2,000 people, reopened Monday after a two-week shutdown due to a COVID-19 outbreak.
Bui’s husband, Nga Nguyen, told reporters at her memorial that he hadn’t heard from Cargill.
Cargill says it has now reached out to him and described Bui as a “long-time employee, trusted colleague and friend.”
—
COVID-19 in the U.S. …
WASHINGTON — A senior government scientist is alleging that the Trump administration failed to prepare for the onslaught of the coronavirus in spite of his repeated warnings earlier this year.
Dr. Rick Bright, former director of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, also alleges in his whistleblower complaint that he was reassigned to a lesser role because he resisted political pressure to allow widespread use of hydroxychloroquine.
U.S. President Donald Trump has pushed the malaria drug as a treatment for COVID-19, but the Food and Drug Administration now warns doctors against prescribing it except in hospitals and research studies.
—
COVID-19 around the world …
NEW DEHLI — Health officials are rushing to contain the spread of the coronavirus in India’s southern city of Chennai.
A large cluster has been identified among people at one of the country’s largest markets for fruit, vegetables and flowers.
The busy Koyambedu market is central to the food supply chain in Tamil Nadu and neighbouring states.
It had remained open through India’s nationwide lockdown but was shut after the viral cluster was detected.
Tamil Nadu has confirmed more than 4,000 cases and says many of the new cases are linked to the market.
The cluster contributed to India’s biggest single-day increase in virus infections yet, 3,900 cases and 195 deaths.
—
COVID-19 in Sports
TORONTO — Ontario Premier Doug Ford says the Toronto Maple Leafs’ parent company has been in contact with the province about the possibility of Canada’s biggest city serving as a so-called “hockey pod” for teams should the NHL resume its season.
Speaking at his daily COVID-19 media briefing Tuesday, Ford said Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment has reached out, but hasn’t provided any details about a potential proposal.
The NHL, which was forced to pause its schedule March 12 amid the COVID-19 pandemic, has been looking at plans to centralize groups of teams in low-risk centres in hopes of resuming the 2019-20 campaign this summer.
Under one rumoured proposal, fans wouldn’t be allowed in arenas and teams would be sequestered in hotels. There were 189 games left in the regular season when the NHL halted play.
Ontario’s chief medical officer of health, Dr. David Williams, said he’s interested to see what the NHL and other leagues eventually propose for a resumption of play.
—
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 6, 2020
In The News is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to kickstart your day. Here is what’s on the radar of our editors for the morning of May 5 …
—
COVID-19 in Canada …
OTTAWA — The Trudeau government is expected to announce today significant, targeted financial support for farmers hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The announcement will come just as some farmers are making decisions about whether to plant crops and others are considering whether they need to cull their cattle, pigs and poultry because of the reduced capacity of meat processing plants, which have proven particularly vulnerable to the spread of the deadly coronavirus that causes COVID-19.
The federal government has taken some small steps to cushion the blow to farmers but Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau has been promising for several weeks that more aid is coming.
The Canadian Federation of Agriculture has been warning that financial assistance is urgently needed to protect against food shortages in Canada.
Two weeks ago, the federation urged the government to make food security a top priority, second only to protecting the health of Canadians.
—
In other Canadian news …
OTTAWA — Crew members on board a Halifax-class frigate personally witnessed last week’s helicopter crash that killed six Canadian Armed Forces members off the coast of Greece, the Department of National Defence has confirmed.
The revelation Monday follows initial military reports that the Cyclone helicopter was missing after contact with HMCS Fredericton was lost, suggesting the aircraft was far from the warship when it went down in the Ionian Sea.
It also comes as the Forces prepares to hold a ramp ceremony on Wednesday for those on board the Cyclone even though the remains of five of the fallen have not been recovered and identified.
Defence Department spokesman Daniel Le Bouthillier confirmed to The Canadian Press that some of the crew on board HMCS Fredericton watched as the Cyclone helicopter went into the water while returning from a NATO training exercise.
Le Bouthillier did not say how many crew members saw the crash nor did he say how close the helicopter was from the frigate at the time. However, he said “as part of their investigation, the flight-safety investigation team will conduct interviews with these eyewitnesses.”
The investigation team is proceeding without information from the Cyclone’s flight-data and voice recorders, which Le Bouthillier said have already been airlifted back to Canada and are now being analyzed by the National Research Council.
—
Also this …
VANCOUVER — The head of a Vancouver biotech firm says there’s another valuable shield available in the fight against the COVID-19 virus which could buy time as researchers race to develop a vaccine to fight the virus.
Carl Hansen of AbCellera Biologics says the company’s platform has already identified 500 disease-fighting antibodies in the blood sample of one of the first patients to recover from the virus in the United States.
Those discoveries could be used to create medicine for vulnerable populations until a vaccine is available.
AbCellera is partnering with pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly to develop a treatment for COVID-19 with the goal of beginning clinical trials in July.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced $175 million in funding for AbCellera this weekend.
The funding will also cover the company’s plans to build technology and infrastructure for antibody therapies against future pandemic threats.
—
COVID-19 in the U.S. …
WASHINGTON — The Trump administration is making ever louder pronouncements casting blame on China for the COVID-19 pandemic, aiming to sidestep domestic criticism of the president’s own response, tarnish China’s global reputation and give the U.S. leverage on trade and other aspects of U.S.-China competition.
President Donald Trump has vowed to penalize China for what U.S. officials have increasingly described as a pattern of deceit that denied the world precious time to prepare for the pandemic. The opening salvo isn’t in the form of tariffs or sanctions, but in a one-sided accounting of China’s behaviour that could yank the Chinese lower on the global reputation metre.
The State Department, the Department of Homeland Security and the White House have all launched public efforts in recent days to lay bare what they say is clear evidence that China tried to mask the scale of the outbreak and then refused to provide critical access to U.S. and global scientists that could have saved lives.
Trump and allies repeat and express confidence in an unsubstantiated theory linking the origin of the outbreak to a possible accident at a Chinese virology laboratory. U.S. officials say they are still exploring the subject and describe the evidence as purely circumstantial. But Trump, aides say, has embraced the notion to further highlight China’s lack of transparency.
—
COVID-19 around the world …
SEOUL — South Korea has reported its lowest daily increase in coronavirus cases since Feb. 18 as the country restarts professional sports and prepares to reopen schools.
The three fresh infections and two more virus-related deaths bring South Korea’s totals to 10,804 cases and 254 fatalities.
Infections have slowed over the past month amid tightened border controls and waning transmissions in the worst-hit city of Daegu, which reported zero new cases today.
Schools will reopen in phase starting with high school seniors on May 13.
The pro baseball season started without fans in the stands, while soccer will kick off under similar conditions on Friday.
—
COVID-19 in Entertainment
MONTREAL — Quebecor Inc. says it wants to “rescue” Cirque du Soleil by purchasing a controlling stake in the struggling company and bringing its ownership back home to Quebec.
In a letter sent to four federal ministers from Quebec, the telecommunications company says it is in funding talks with Quebec’s pension fund manager as well the Fonds de Solidarite FTQ and the Royal Bank of Canada.
Quebecor says in a separate press release it is ready to spend “several hundred million dollars” to revive operations at the circus producer, which has halted all 44 shows worldwide and laid off 95 per cent of its employees amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The conglomerate adds that it has been unable to obtain financial details for Cirque du Soleil, citing “blockage” by management.
Cirque du Soleil is reported to be exploring various options to stay solvent, with debt restructuring and bankruptcy protection among the potential options.
—
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 5, 2020
OTTAWA — As provinces start to tiptoe toward normalcy by gently lifting restrictions aimed at slowing the spread of COVID-19, a new poll suggests Canadians are largely happy with the pace.
People in most provinces taking steps to reopen were between 60 and 70 per cent supportive of those moves, while 16 to 30 per cent would like to see their government slow down a little.
Some provinces have already begun loosening physical distancing measures put in place as the growth in the number of COVID-19 cases started picking up steam in March.
In Quebec, which has the highest number of COVID-19 cases in Canada, the province is allowing some retail stores to reopen outside of Montreal with an eye to reopen the manufacturing and construction sectors next week. On Monday it pushed back the reopening of non-essential stores in the Montreal area at least another week.
Ontario, with the second-highest number of confirmed cases in the country, is allowing the partial reopening of some seasonal businesses. Manitoba has gone even further, allowing slightly restricted access to libraries, museums, and restaurant patios.
But in Alberta, which plans to allow certain retail stores, restaurants and daycare centres to reopen as early as May 14, people seem less comfortable with how quickly things are moving.
There, 50 per cent of respondents would like the province to slow down.
The poll, conducted by Leger and the Association for Canadian Studies between May 1 and 3, surveyed 1,526 adult Canadians and 1,002 adult Americans randomly recruited from its online panel. The internet-based survey cannot be assigned a margin of error because online polls are not considered random samples.
“Alberta is a bit different,” said Christian Bourque, vice-president of Leger.
“Everywhere else people seem to be in tune with what their governments have announced.”
Bourque was surprised by the latest results, considering similar polls in the last weeks indicated Canadians wanted to see major milestones hit before physical distancing measures were lifted, such as the development of a vaccine or a two-week period without new cases.
“I expected people to be even more cautious than they are,” he said.
In the latest poll, 28 per cent said they would be comfortable lifting restrictions if there are only sporadic cases and no pressure on the health-care system.
One reason for the acceptance of provincial plans to gradually reopen may be the steady support and trust respondents have expressed in their governments, which have remained high throughout the Canadian epidemic, Bourque said.
That’s in stark contrast to the United States, where 43 per cent of respondents expressed satisfaction with measures put in place by President Donald Trump to fight COVID-19. In Canada, 77 per cent of respondents said they were satisfied with what Ottawa is doing.
The other reason may be that people are starting to slip when it comes to following the rules.
In general, the poll suggests Canadians’ fear of themselves or a loved one contracting the virus is lower than it was at the end of March. And while 27 per cent of Canadians said they did not comply with at least one of the public health measures two weeks ago, that number grew to 35 per cent in the latest poll.
That’s mainly because people are a little more likely to visit friends and family now, Bourque said. Last week only 16 per cent reported doing that and this week it was 18 per cent.
“More people now find it harder to do everything governments are asking them to do,” he said.
VANCOUVER — Bored and isolated students are spending too many hours online and some have started using more substances, but all students will need extra emotional support when classes resume, says a psychiatrist who specializes in youth mental health.
Dr. Shimi Kang said that while teens typically question authority and act impulsively some are now self-medicating with substances or ignoring physical distancing measures as a way to deal with anxiety resulting from the pandemic.
“I would encourage schools to start with social emotional programming and talk about things like coping skills right in that first week going back, talk about what coping skills people used at home, what they can do now as they’re reintegrating,” said Kang, a clinical assistant professor at the University of British Columbia’s department of psychiatry.
She said academics will have to take a back seat to allowing students to express their thoughts and emotions as part of so-called social emotional learning that is already part of many curriculums across the country as a way to teach students to manage their emotions, learn empathy and compassion and to build resilience as part of a life-long practice.
That type of learning, which is separate from providing mental health supports, may involve students’ response to what’s happening in their community or around the world and being aware of how they would cope with certain situations, Kang said.
“If there’s anything that this pandemic has shown, it is that life skills get us through. It is the adaptability, the resiliency, the communication skills, the emotional regulation skills, the ability to problem solve and have optimism in the face of difficulty. That’s where we need to put our focus.”
It’s no longer good enough for schools to jam in a lesson on social emotional learning to meet the criteria, she said, advising that it should be incorporated into the overall kindergarten-to-Grade 12 curriculum.
Chris Markham, executive director of the non-profit Ontario Physical and Health Education Association, said part of the response to COVID-19 should involve a plan for all provinces to strengthen the social emotional learning components of their curriculums.
“The broader conversation pre-COVID was still on strengthening this curriculum — B.C.’s, Alberta’s, Ontario’s, they’ve all got it somewhere,” he said of most jurisdictions across the country.
“At this point in time maybe the shiny coin in all of this is how important all those skills are to enabling kids to be resilient and for them to thrive, sometimes in situations that are completely out of their control. This should be a wake-up call to us,” Markham said.
“Right now, we’re trying to facilitate a conversation with the province about doing that,” Markham said of Ontario, adding he recently discussed the importance of students’ well-being with Education Minister Stephen Lecce.
Lecce said in a tweet on April 30 that he’d spoken with Markham about “our strong commitment to supporting the health and well-being of every Ontario student through COVID-19.”
Ontario’s Ministry of Education said in an email it has heard from parents and various groups “who have told us to prioritize well-being and mental health of our students. In collaboration with our education sector partners, we will continue to prioritize well-being and mental health when discussing the transition back to school.”
Shelley Morse, president of the Canadian Teachers’ Federation, said teachers should be prepared to provide “trauma-informed practices” in response to students’ needs, especially those who may be living in fear from having witnessed domestic violence or experienced food shortages during the pandemic.
“We have to make sure that when they come back, we’re ready to debrief and deal with those situations and worry about the content at a later time,” she said. “We know we’re going to have students with trauma, even trauma from going back into the classroom with all the unknowns.”
So far, only Quebec has announced plans to reopen schools in mid-May for primary students.
Morse said it’s hard to know how younger children will react to seeing teachers in personal protective equipment, if they choose to wear it, as well as not being permitted to get close to the classmates they haven’t seen in two months.
“I’m a little concerned about Quebec,” she said. “I’m not sure that they’ve had proper time for that return to school.”
The Ministry of Education in Quebec said in a statement that teachers would be vigilant in providing support to students who need it.
“This increased vigilance will also help detect students who have experienced trauma and those who will develop symptoms after returning to class,” it said.
British Columbia’s ministry said in an email that its social emotional learning program, called Core Competencies, is a central foundation of the curriculum.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 4, 2020.
OTTAWA — A much anticipated new phase in the COVID-19 pandemic starts today with several provinces beginning the process of slowly loosening some of their lockdown restrictions.
Quebec, which accounts for more than half of Canada’s coronavirus cases, including deaths from the illness, is reopening retail stores outside Montreal while those in the greater Montreal area are to reopen on May 11.
Ontario, the other epicentre for the virus, is allowing a small list of mostly seasonal businesses to reopen, including garden centres with curbside pick-ups, lawn care and landscaping companies, and automatic car washes.
Manitoba’s museums, libraries and retail businesses — including restaurant patios — can re-open today, though at only half capacity. The province, along with Saskatchewan and Alberta, are also letting non-essential medical activities, such as dentistry and physiotherapy to resume.
British Columbia has yet to release its reopening plan, however, Premier John Horgan is promising details this week.
The Maritime provinces, where COVID-19 caseloads have been trending downward, began relaxing some restrictions over the past week, primarily in the areas of public health services and outdoor recreation.
Meanwhile, Newfoundland and Labrador plans to loosen some of its public health and recreation restrictions on May 11.
It must be noted that even though some lockdown restrictions are being eased, physical distancing rules and guidelines still apply.
Canada has now recorded 59,474 confirmed cases of COVID-19, including 3,682 deaths and 24,921 cases resolved.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 4, 2020.
In The News is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to kickstart your day. Here is what’s on the radar of our editors for the morning of May 4 …
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COVID-19 in Canada …
A new phase in the COVID-19 pandemic starts today with several provinces beginning the process of slowly loosening some of their lockdown restrictions.
Quebec, hardest hit of all provinces by coronavirus, is reopening retail stores outside Montreal while those in the greater Montreal area are to reopen next week.
Ontario, the other epicentre for the virus, is allowing a small list of mostly seasonal businesses to reopen, including garden centres with curbside pick-ups, lawn care and landscaping companies, and automatic car washes.
Manitoba’s museums, libraries and retail businesses — including restaurant patios — can re-open today, though at only half capacity. The province, along with Saskatchewan and Alberta, are also letting non-essential medical activities, such as dentistry and physiotherapy to resume.
B.C. has yet to release its reopening plan, however, details are expected this week.
The Maritime provinces, where COVID-19 caseloads have been trending downward, began relaxing some restrictions over the past week, while Newfoundland and Labrador plans to loosen some public health and recreation restrictions on May 11.
Though some restrictions are being eased, physical distancing rules still apply.
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In other Canadian news …
VANCOUVER — A British Columbia psychiatrist specializing in youth mental health says academics will initially need to take a back seat to students’ emotional needs when schools reopen across the country.
Doctor Shimi Kang says some students have taken to using substances to self medicate during the pandemic while others are spending far too much time online outside of their schoolwork or ignoring physical distancing needs.
She says teens in particular are having a tough time coping with the disruptions and uncertainty brought on by COVID-19.
Most schools already have a way to help them when they resume classes, but Kang says so-called social emotional learning aimed at teaching students how to be more aware of their emotions and becoming more resilient must now be made a priority.
Shelley Morse, president of the Canadian Teachers’ Federation, echoes that sentiment and says some students will have experienced trauma without support from the usual connections they make at school.
Morse says she’s concerned Quebec may not be prepared to deal with such issues as primary schools reopen this month, though the Education Ministry there says teachers will be vigilant in supporting students.
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Also this …
MISSION, B.C — A justice advocacy group says it wants prisoners at a federal institution in Mission, British Columbia ravaged by a COVID-19 outbreak to know there are people in the community fighting for their safety.
Meenakshi Mannoe of the Vancouver Prison Justice Day Committee says members were rallying outside Mission Institution Sunday and making noise from their cars or at a safe physical distance.
The committee is calling for the urgent care of all prisoners across Canada and the immediate release of detainees to ensure adequate physical distancing and quarantine measures.
Mannoe says inmates’ sentences should not include exposure to a potentially fatal respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus.
The group is also calling for broader testing of all prisoners, and daily updates with details of the situation for their family members.
Mission Institution is experiencing the largest prison outbreak in Canada. The B.C. government said Saturday that 133 inmates and staff have tested positive for COVID-19.
Across Canada, 290 federal inmates have been infected, with 155 having recovered, according to federal figures released Saturday.
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COVID-19 in the U.S. …
WASHINGTON — The Senate will gavel in today as the coronavirus rages.
The senators face a deepening national debate over how best to confront the deadly pandemic and its economic devastation.
With the House staying away due to the health risks, but the 100 senators meeting for the first time since March, the conflicted Congress reflects an uneasy nation.
Tops on the Senate agenda isn’t the next virus aid package, but confirming President Donald Trump’s nominees.
Senate Republicans are reluctant to spend more money on virus relief and are counting on the country’s re-opening to kick start the economy and reduce the need for aid.
But House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is quietly crafting the next relief package and Democrats say more must be done.
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COVID-19 around the world …
There are signs today the coronavirus pandemic is easing significantly in some parts of Europe but getting worse in India and Russia.
While people around the world started taking advantage of an easing in lockdowns to enjoy the outdoors, health experts warned of a potential second wave of infections unless testing is expanded dramatically.
As Italy prepared to reopen parks and public gardens today, health officials reported 174 deaths, the lowest number since a national lockdown began on March 10.
Like Italy, Spain has seen a significant downward trend in reported new cases. And Belgium was also relaxing some of its lockdown measures, confident enough that the outbreak there was on the wane.
But in India, new infections have been rising rapidly. The lockdown of the country’s 1.3 billion people was extended two more weeks, but with some measures relaxed, as reported cases reached 42,000 with nearly 1,400 deaths.
And in Russia, new reported cases exceeded 10,000 for the first time, bringing total cases to about 135,000 with nearly 1,300 deaths.
Meanwhile, in Britain, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he got so sick from the coronavirus that doctors had discussed what to say if he had died.
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COVID-19 in Entertainment
NEW YORK — Lesley Stahl says that instead of covering COVID-19 news for C-B-S News, she’s become part of the story.
The “60 Minutes” correspondent says she’s finally feeling better after a battle with COVID-19 left her in the hospital for a week.
Stahl says she fought pneumonia caused by the virus for two weeks before being admitted, a journey she says left her “really scared.”
Stahl is 78, and is the dean of correspondents at the C-B-S newsmagazine.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 4, 2020.
In The News is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to kickstart your day. Here is what’s on the radar of our editors for the morning of May 1 …
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COVID-19 in Canada …
OTTAWA —The federal government will be under pressure today to explain what it’s doing to prevent COVID-19 from spreading like wildfire through First Nations reserves and remote Inuit communities in the North.
Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Carolyn Bennett, Indigenous Services Minister Marc Miller and Northern Affairs Minister Dan Vandal are scheduled to be grilled by MPs at a virtual meeting of the House of Commons Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee.
Their appearance comes one day after Nunavut identified its first positive case of COVID-19 in Inuit community of Pond Inlet on Baffin Island.
First Nations reserves and remote communities are considered among the most vulnerable areas in the country, due to often over-crowded living conditions that make physical distancing next to impossible and the lack of ready access to health-care services.
Even as the infection rate appears to be slowing down in most of the country and provinces are taking the first cautious steps toward reopening their economies, chief public health officer Dr. Theresa Tam warned Thursday about the growing risk to Indigenous communities.
“I am also concerned about increasing numbers of COVID-19 in First Nations communities in several provinces,” she said.
“We must get ahead of things to protect and support these communities, ramping up testing and contact tracing to find where chains of transmission are occurring.”
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In other Canadian news …
OTTAWA — The search for five Canadian service members enters the third day today after a helicopter crashed off the coast of Greece during a NATO training mission.
Chief of the defence staff Gen. Jonathan Vance confirmed Thursday the body of one sailor, Sub-Lt. Abbigail Cowbrough of Nova Scotia, had been recovered.
The six were aboard a Cyclone helicopter that went down Wednesday as it was returning to the Halifax-based frigate HMCS Fredericton.
The Canadian military is deploying a flight investigation team to determine the cause of the crash.
Allied warships and aircraft are also helping the Canadian military find the other service members and the missing helicopter in the Ionian Sea.
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Also this …
CHARLOTTETOWN — Prince Edward Island is poised today to become the second province to cautiously begin a gradual return to normal.
It will restart priority, non-urgent health-care services, including some elective surgeries and certain health providers, including physiotherapists, optometrists and chiropractors. And it will begin allowing outdoor gatherings and non-contact outdoor recreational activities of no more than five individuals from different households.
P.E.I. follows New Brunswick’s move last week to allow limited golfing, fishing and hunting; interactions between two families; and a return to school for post-secondary students.
Saskatchewan, Alberta and Manitoba are also planning to ease some restrictions.
Quebec, which has seen the largest number of COVID-19 cases and deaths, is set to reopen retail stores outside Montreal on Monday, with those in Montreal to follow on May 11. Schools and daycares outside Montreal are set to re-open May 11 as well.
The federal government, in collaboration with the provinces and territories, unveiled earlier this week national guidelines for re-opening shuttered businesses and allowing Canadians to resume more normal activities.
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COVID-19 in the U.S. …
Essential workers will strike nationwide on May Day to demand safer conditions during the coronavirus outbreak, while other groups plan rallies against tight stay-at-home orders they say are crippling the U.S. economy.
Organizers say employees of Amazon, Whole Foods, Target and FedEx have become the unexpected frontline workers of the pandemic.
Workers will walk off the job or call out sick to demand unpaid time off work, hazard pay, sick leave, protective gear and cleaning supplies.
Meanwhile, protesters will take to the streets in cities nationwide to demand states loosen shelter-in-place rules and “reopen.”
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COVID-19 around the world …
ROME — When Italian Premier Giuseppe Conte said the government would relax some parts of a nationwide coronavirus lockdown, residents entering an eighth week of home confinement dove for their dictionaries.
Conte announced that starting May 4, people in Italy will be permitted to travel within their home regions for visits with their “congiunti.” That’s Italian for either relatives, relations or kinsmen.
Italy’s cooped-up citizenry, therefore, sought clarification. Which relatives? What relation? Would a second-cousin count as kin? A brother-in-law?
Conte sought to clear up the confusion, but he created more.
He said he meant that Italians will be able to visit “relatives, and those with whom they have relationships of steady affection.”
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COVID-19 in sports …
Female athletes, particularly hockey players, will be interested to see if the federal government provides pandemic bailout money to the Canadian Football League.
A men’s professional league that pays an average salary of $80,000 asking for as much as $150 million in taxpayer money has those from the defunct Canadian Women’s Hockey League contemplating the disparity.
A pandemic didn’t shutter the CWHL last year, but the sheer size of CFL’s financial ask is mindboggling to former goaltender Liz Knox.
“We’re asking for peanuts compared to a $150-million ask,” Knox told The Canadian Press on Thursday.
“When the CWHL was folding, we were talking in the hundreds of thousands (of dollars) to get us in the clear so the league didn’t have to fold.
“We’re talking two or three CFL salaries. That would made the difference of us literally surviving or not.”
Former CWHL commissioner Jayna Hefford told The Canadian Press in an email “there were conversations” with the federal government about financial aid to save the league before it went under in the spring of 2019.
Commissioner Randy Ambrosie says the CFL’s long-term future would be in peril if the 2020 season was wiped out by COVID-19.
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Your quarantine stream …
Cinemas are staying closed in the midst of the pandemic, but some of Hollywood’s biggest movie stars will be glowing bright on streaming platforms in May.
Here’s a rundown of other standout titles heading to streaming services in May:
“I Know This Much is True”
Mark Ruffalo plays identical twin brothers whose turbulent relationship has endured the many demons of their troubled family. But when an incident at a public library leaves one of them committed to an asylum for his paranoid schizophrenia, the other brother goes to great lengths to contend with his own past. (Crave/HBO, May 10)
“Space Force”
Steve Carell reunites with Greg Daniels, the writer who revamped “The Office” for American audiences, for a space-race satire in the vein of “Dr. Strangelove.” The supporting cast is stacked with scene stealers, including John Malkovich, Fred Willard and Jane Lynch. (Netflix, May 29)
“Peanut Butter Falcon”
A troubled crab fisherman, played by Shia LaBeouf, who’s on the lam encounters a young man with Down syndrome who escaped an assisted living facility and is headed to Florida in hopes of meeting his wrestling hero. (Crave/HBO)
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 1, 2020.
TORONTO – The C.D. Howe Institute’s Business Cycle Council says Canada has entered a recession due to the economic devastation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a report released today, the council says the economy peaked in February before the steps taken to slow the spread of the coronavirus brought the economy to a standstill.
A commonly used definition for a recession is two consecutive quarters of negative quarter-over-quarter economic growth.
However, the C.D. Howe council defines a recession as a pronounced, persistent, and pervasive decline in aggregate economic activity and it looks at both GDP and employment as its main measures.
It says by that measure, the preliminary economy data suggests the country has entered a recession.
The March jobs report showed more than a million jobs were lost in the month, while a preliminary estimate by Statistics Canada suggests the economy contracted by nine per cent in the same month.
VANCOUVER — As a senior physician at St. Paul’s hospital, Dr. Del Dorscheid has a special view of how COVID-19 is affecting patient care beyond the pandemic.
Unlike other parts of the hospital, the intensive care unit he oversees has not been emptied in anticipation of a surge of cases. Staff treat COVID-19 and non-virus patients alike, and continue to support families as they come to terms with critical illness.
Dorscheid also runs a provincial asthma clinic for about 1,200 patients virtually.
“Even if I’m here in the ICU, in the background I still have other patients who need to be cared for. It gives me an interesting out-patient and in-patient experience as to what COVID is doing to health care in this province,” Dorscheid said.
His asthma patients are terrified of entering a hospital and even if they did, most out-patient testing has been shut down. The novel coronavirus has limited huge portions of the non-COVID population from accessing timely and appropriate out-patient care they need, he said.
Death is ever present in the ICU. Normally, about 85 per cent of admitted patients survive, Dorscheid said.
The doctors and nurses who care for the critically ill already understand death is a reality. But COVID-19 has added an emotional burden to their work.
The grieving room is now empty, and the rooftop garden is no longer a place for goodbyes. Dorscheid said he’s struggled with how to provide the same compassionate care to families under limitations imposed during the pandemic.
“For me it’s very important to have the physical contact with those individuals. I see their body language, I see who the matriarch, the patriarch is, you see all of that,” he said.
There is also a spiritual purpose to their work, he said.
“We’re all going to die, and that’s not something to be scared of. What we want to protect is the understanding of that individual and what they meant to those persons’ lives, and that passing can be gracious and comfortable and actually a very beautiful thing.”
Dorscheid and his team recently made special arrangements for the children of a patient who didn’t have COVID-19 to say goodbye before he died.
Only two family members would be allowed per day for a maximum of two days, a formula rooted in disease modelling. A nurse would meet them at the hospital door. They would be screened, gloved and gowned, and informed not to touch anything — not even their father.
“I still struggled with that a bit. At least they get to see him. But I mean, the number of family members who will take their hand, kiss their forehead and say goodbye — they can’t do that anymore,” he said.
“People die alone now.”
Dying alone is something staff at St. Paul’s in the city’s downtown core have long resisted. The hospital treated HIV patients in the 1980s and 1990s when others shut their doors. Today, patients include Vancouver’s most marginalized. About one third of Dorscheid’s patients have no family.
“The nurses and doctors of this hospital understand that and we kind of become surrogate family and make sure that person has great care, whether it’s in life or in death.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 30, 2020.
In The News is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to kickstart your day. Here is what’s on the radar of our editors for the morning of April 30 …
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COVID-19 in Canada …
OTTAWA — Canadians will get an update today on two of the costliest emergency aid programs the federal government has initiated to help them weather the COVID-19 crisis.
The parliamentary budget officer is scheduled to post a costing note on the 75 per cent wage subsidy — a program the government expects to cost $73 billion and which it has called the largest economic policy in Canada since the Second World War.
Yves Giroux is also expected to post a costing note on the Canada Emergency Response Benefit, which is providing $2,000 a month for four months to Canadians forced out of work due to the pandemic.
The government has estimated the cost of that program at $35 billion, but has expanded the eligibility criteria several times to add those initially left out, including workers earning up to $1,000 per month, seasonal workers and those who have exhausted their regular employment insurance benefits.
In total, the federal government has so far poured $145 billion into emergency aid and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has promised more to come, including for seniors.
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In other Canadian news …
OTTAWA — The search continues today for a Canadian military helicopter that crashed into the Mediterranean Sea while participating in a NATO exercise off the coast of Greece.
Greek state broadcaster ERT was first to report that a Canadian military helicopter had gone down in the water between Italy and Greece on Wednesday.
The broadcaster later said one body had been found and five others on board were missing.
The Canadian Armed Forces says the Cyclone was deployed on board the Halifax-class frigate HMCS Fredericton.
Cyclone helicopters carry a crew of four, including two pilots, a tactical operator and a sensor operator with space for several passengers.
They are primarily based on naval vessels and used for hunting submarines, surveillance and search and rescue.
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Also this …
REGINA — Kelly Knowles is a hair stylist in Regina who could go back to work next month, but right now her son’s daycare is only accepting children of essential workers.
She says without a daycare, she can’t start booking clients in her salon.
Experts say provinces planning to relax public health restrictions around COVID-19 and reopen businesses have to first deal with the issue of child care.
Jennifer Robson, a professor in political management at Carleton University, says without child care, parents with young kids who have the chance to go back to work will have to decide who stays home.
And she says often because of gender roles and a gap in pay, it’s women.
Robson says for the economy to fully recover and household incomes to rebound, women need to get back to work and child care is essential for that.
Lindsay Tedds, a professor of economics at the University of Calgary, says most women have already borne the brunt of the pandemic and, without child-care, that could be exacerbated.
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COVID-19 in the U.S. …
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A memo sent to California police chiefs says Gov. Gavin Newsom will order all beaches and state parks closed starting Friday to curb the spread of the coronavirus.
The California Police Chiefs Association sent the bulletin to its members Wednesday evening. Association President Eric Nunez said it was sent to give chiefs time to plan ahead of Newsom’s expected announcement today.
Most state parks already are closed and many communities have shut their beaches, but some of those open in Ventura and Orange counties attracted large crowds last weekend, drawing Newsom’s ire. He called them an example of “what not to do” if the state wants to continue its progress in fighting the virus.
In Washington, the federal government’s physical distancing guidelines are soon to expire, and President Donald Trump says he’s not extending them.
Trump’s adviser and son-in-law, Jared Kushner, is predicting that the country will be “really rocking again” by July.
The White House’s “30 Days to Slow the Spread” guidelines expire today.
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COVID-19 around the world …
JERUSALEM — Physical distancing doesn’t come naturally in Israel. But the country, known for its informal, in-your-face mentality, seems to be setting a new standard for public demonstrations in the age of coronavirus.
During the past two weekends, thousands of people have gathered in organized geometric patterns in Tel Aviv’s central square to comply with social distancing rules as they express their anger over the continued rule of a prime minister charged with serious crimes.
The demonstrations, resembling a vast glowing human matrix in stunning aerial photos, have become a poignant symbol of the country’s duelling political and health challenges.
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COVID-19 in sports …
TORONTO — Toronto Mayor John Tory has been in a similar spot to where CFL commissioner Randy Ambrosie finds himself today.
And just like when he was commissioner during troubling times before the turn of the century, Tory believes the CFL can survive its latest crisis.
On Tuesday, Ambrosie divulged the CFL is asking the federal government for up to $150 million in federal assistance due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The proposal involves $30 million now to manage the current affect the novel coronavirus outbreak has had on league business, and up to another $120 million if the 2020 campaign is cancelled.
Ambrosie added the league’s long-term future would be in peril if the season was wiped out.
Tory served as a volunteer CFL commissioner from 1996-2000. During his first season, the league did not have enough cash to pay Edmonton Eskimos and Toronto Argonauts players in the Grey Cup game in Hamilton.
Fortunately, Tim Hortons provided the league with extra funds to ensure the players’ cheques would clear.
“I’ve seen it at that level of despair,” Tory said. “We came back from that to the point where the league was very strong over the last number of years.
“It’s just now this pandemic has (brought) many very well-run organizations to their knees and the CFL has the same kind of problems many other businesses in Canada have.”
In 1997, the CFL faced another financial crisis that threatened its survival. But the league secured a much-needed US$3-million loan as part of a partnership with the NFL that it ultimately repaid, with interest.
So, Tory isn’t surprised to hear the CFL is having problems once again.
“The fact they’ve turned to government, to me, would be part of what I think they should do.”
But Tory said that’s not all the CFL could be doing to help remedy the situation.
“To me, I think they should show a little, good old-fashioned CFL creativity,” he said. “Turn to the TV networks and say, ‘OK, what can you do,’ because the TV networks are the beneficiary of having this great Canadian game that attracts a lot of interest around the country.”
Then Tory would look to CFL owners.
“I’d say, ‘OK, what can you do,’ knowing some of them in places like Regina are community owners and they can’t do as much,” Tory said. “But there could be something, I think, the owners could do collectively.”
Tory would also get CFL fans involved.
“If you sort of do the math, I think I’m right in saying they’d have about 100,000 fans a week,” he said. “Maybe you could have a bit of a campaign among the fans with each buying sort of a membership into the CFL.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 30, 2020.
TORONTO – The Canadian Football League is asking the federal government for up to $150 million in financial assistance due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
CFL Commissioner Randy Ambrosie told The Canadian Press on Tuesday that the league’s proposal involves three phases: $30 million now to manage the impact the novel coronavirus outbreak has had on league business; additional assistance for an abbreviated regular season; and up to another $120 million in the event of a lost 2020 campaign.
The CFL hasn’t given up on staging a 2020 season but it has postponed the start of training camps — which were to open next month.
It has also and pushed back the beginning of the regular season — which was scheduled to begin June 11 — to early July, at the earliest.
Many provincial governments already have said there will not be sports events with large crowds this summer.
In The News is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to kickstart your day. Here is what’s on the radar of our editors for the morning of April 29 …
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COVID-19 in Canada …
OTTAWA — The House of Commons will be asked today to give rapid approval to legislation authorizing $9 billion in promised financial assistance for students facing bleak summer job prospects in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.
But whether the Trudeau government will get the unanimous consent needed to expedite the bill’s approval in a matter of hours today remained to be seen late Tuesday.
The government was continuing negotiations with opposition parties on details of the bill, which was shared with them on the weekend.
Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer has said his party wants changes that would ensure the legislation includes incentives for young people to take available jobs, rather than stay home and collect the emergency aid.
A government official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly about the negotiations, says the governing Liberals are open to changing the bill.
New Democrat and Green MPs have also been pushing for the aid package to be expanded to include international students who remain in Canada over the summer.
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In other Canadian news …
FORT McMURRAY, Alta. — Officials with the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo say the flooding in the northern Alberta city of Fort McMurray remains a critical situation, with the mayor calling it a one-in-century disaster made all the more complicated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
A 25-kilometre ice jam is causing major flooding, forcing nearly 13,000 people from their homes in the downtown.
Data shows the Clearwater River was still rising Tuesday and the Athabasca River had only dropped by about four centimetres.
More than 6,000 people have registered at two evacuation centres and the municipality says the number is expected to grow.
Evacuees are being put up in hotels and work camps so they can continue to follow the COVID-19 physical distancing requirements.
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COVID-19 in the U.S. …
WASHINGTON — U.S. President Donald Trump says his administration is considering requiring travellers on certain international flights to undergo temperature and virus checks.
Trump says it hasn’t been determined yet whether the federal governor or the airlines would conduct the testing, and “Maybe it’s a combination of both.”
Trump’s comments Tuesday came during a White House event touting a loan program designed to help small businesses weather the coronavirus pandemic, the Paycheck Protection Program. He said the Small Business Administration has processed more loans in 14 days than it has in the previous 14 years.
Also Tuesday, unions in the U.S. meat packing industry said Trump is jeopardizing lives and prioritizing cold cuts over workers’ health.
Trump signed an executive order under the Defence Production Act to classify meat processing as critical infrastructure during the coronavirus outbreak. The goal is to try to prevent a shortage of chicken, pork and other meat on supermarket shelves.
More than 20 meatpacking plants have closed temporarily because of the outbreak. At least 20 workers have died.
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COVID-19 around the world …
BEIJING — China is taking another step toward returning to business as normal by scheduling its most important political meeting of the year for late May.
The National People’s Congress was supposed to convene in March but was called off as COVID-19 sickened thousands of people, filling hospitals and disrupting daily life in the country where the pandemic began.
The Congress meeting will start on May 22, and an advisory body will convene a day earlier.
It wasn’t immediately clear whether the 3,000 or so delegates would come to Beijing as usual or if the meeting would be held virtually through videoconferencing.
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COVID-19 in sports …
The Spanish government says professional athletes in the country can resume training individually next week.
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez says “basic” training for professional athletes will be permitted beginning Monday. It’s the start of the first phase of the plan aimed at easing the lockdown measures that have been in place since March 14.
High-performance sports facilities will be allowed to reopen in the second phase of the plan, which will begin as early as May 11, depending on the situation in each province.
Sanchez did not say when sports competitions, such as the domestic soccer league, are expected to resume.
The Spanish league has said it doesn’t plan to restart before the end of May. The league has already sent clubs a detailed protocol with safety guidelines on how to return to practice.
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COVID-19 in entertainment …
Canada’s deputy chief public health officer appears in a new educational video series on YouTube.
Dr. Howard Njoo sits down to answer questions about COVID-19 by some of Canada’s top YouTube creators in four videos, three of which are now available.
YouTube says the content is a collaboration with the Public Health Agency of Canada.
The company says the series is “an effort to share factual, authoritative information with a younger audience that may not be consuming news via more traditional sources.”
Creators in the videos include Simply Nailogical, an Ottawa-based crime statistics analyst for the Canadian government whose YouTube channel features nail art.
Then there are do-it-yourself entrepreneurs The Sorry Girls and Peter McKinnon, a Toronto-based photographer who poses questions to Njoo from his paramedic cousin.
Upcoming participants include Jay Machalani, a bilingual Quebec-based creator and medic for the Canadian Forces who posts on the channel jayaddict.
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COVID-19 and your food …
McDonald’s Canada says it will start importing beef as Canada’s beef supply chain struggles to meet current demand amid COVID-19.
The restaurant chain, which prides itself on using only Canadian beef, says in a statement that its change in policy is due to limited processing capacity at Canadian suppliers, such as a Cargill Inc. plant near High River, Alta.
Cargill has shuttered operations temporarily after a worker died from the COVID-19 coronavirus and hundreds of other employees tested positive.
McDonald’s says in a statement it will start sourcing beef from its pre-approved suppliers and facilities outside of Canada effective immediately.
The company says it is also temporarily removing its Angus burgers from menus in Canada — though restaurants may sell them until supplies run out.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 29, 2020.
BRAMPTON, Ont. – Loblaw Companies Ltd. reported its first-quarter profit rose compared with a year ago as shoppers stockpiled supplies due to the pandemic, however it said costs also rose as it ramped up spending to protect its workers and customers.
The company, which owns Loblaws grocery stores and the Shoppers Drug Mart chain, says it earned a profit attributable to common shareholders of $240 million or 66 cents per share for the 12-week period ended March 21.
That compared with a profit of $198 million or 53 cents per share in the same quarter last year.
Revenue totalled $11.8 billion, up from nearly $10.7 billion in the first quarter of 2019.
Food retail same-stores sales rose 9.6 per cent, while drug retail same-store sales climbed 10.7 per cent as pharmacy same-store sales rose 10.6 per cent and front store same-store sales gained 10.7 per cent.
On an adjusted basis, Loblaw says it earned $352 million or 97 cents per share, up from $290 million or 78 cents per share a year earlier.
While researchers across the planet race to find a vaccine for coronavirus, a new poll suggests Canadians are divided over whether getting it should be mandatory or voluntary — setting up a potentially prickly public health debate if a vaccine becomes available.
The federal government has committed tens of millions of dollars to help find or create a vaccine for the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19, the respiratory illness that has infected at least 48,000 Canadians and killed more than 2,700.
Yet the poll conducted by Leger and the Association for Canadian Studies found that while 60 per cent of respondents believe people should be required to get the vaccine once it is ready, the other 40 per cent think it should be voluntary.
While that doesn’t mean only 60 per cent would get the vaccine themselves, Leger executive vice-president Christian Bourque nonetheless said he would have expected much higher support for a mandatory vaccine given the scale and scope of the pandemic.
“It’s almost as if it’s seen as just another flu vaccine,” Bourque told The Canadian Press. “I myself would have expected a higher number given the severity, given the crisis we’re in. But Canadians are kind of divided on this.”
The Leger poll was conducted April 24 to 26 and surveyed 1,515 adult Canadians recruited from Leger’s online panel. The internet-based survey cannot be assigned a margin of error because online polls are not considered random samples.
Older Canadians, who are most at risk of serious harm from COVID-19, were more likely to support a mandatory vaccine. Respondents who identified themselves as likely to vote Liberal were also most likely to agree with a mandatory vaccine while those leaning Conservative were least likely.
Bourque suggested this was a reflection of ideological differences seen throughout the crisis: those on the left of the political spectrum are more willing to accept government intervention than those on the right who prioritize personal freedoms.
The poll also looked for the first time at what activities Canadians would feel comfortable doing once government restrictions imposed because of COVID-19 are finally lifted, including returning to their offices, shopping, dining out and attending concerts and sporting events.
The results, which comes as many provinces are unveiling tentative plans and timelines for easing restrictions, was a mixed bag. Respondents were comfortable with some activities but not others, particularly those involving large groups of people in the same place.
The majority (58 per cent) felt they would be comfortable allowing in-home renovations by contractors, going to farmers’ markets (57 per cent) and shopping at the mall (53 per cent). And only 15 per cent said they would not be comfortable returning to their own workplaces.
Yet only 45 per cent said they would be comfortable eating in a restaurant while 24 per cent would feel comfortable going to the gym, 23 per cent flying on an airplane and 21 per cent attending a large gathering such as a concert or sports event.
“The ones that are at the top, these are activities where people feel they can manage some form of social distancing,” Bourque said.
The poll also indicated the level of trust and satisfaction Canadians feel toward their leaders and public-health officials has remained consistently high since a similar poll was conducted the previous week. The number who were afraid of catching COVID-19 also remained unchanged.
Yet the number of respondents who admitted to breaking at least one of the guidelines around managing COVID-19, such as practising physical distancing, going out only for necessities and washing their hands more often, was found to have increased to 33 per cent from 27 per cent.
“To me it’s an indication that they’re looking for deconfinement news because they’re starting to slack off a little bit on what they should be allowed to do,” Bourque said. “I think if there is no plan for deconfinement, people will start to become more delinquent.”
VANCOUVER — Restaurants struggling to survive during the COVID-19 crisis have turned to take-out and delivery, but the fees charged by food-delivery companies are eating away their bottom line, some operators say.
Physical distancing measures have decimated dine-in service, which accounts for most industry revenue, said Mark von Schellwitz, a vice-president of the non-profit Restaurants Canada.
Margins are typically less than five per cent at the best of times, he said, and delivery platforms can take up to 30 per cent commission.
Companies including Uber Eats, DoorDash and SkipTheDishes say they’re offering restaurants various supports and the opportunity to keep serving customers, while maintaining their own operations.
“We think they need to sharpen their pencils to reduce the fees … or an increasing number of members will be asking us to implement some sort of a fee cap,” said von Schellwitz, pointing to the temporary 15 per cent cap on commissions established in San Francisco this month.
Terrence Feng owns and operates Kin Kao, a Thai restaurant along Vancouver’s Commercial Drive that previously generated about 15 per cent of its revenue with take-out and 10 to 12 per cent through delivery.
Now, delivery accounts for 50 to 60 per cent and the rest is take-out, said Feng.
“We were basically at break even, if we’re lucky, given the current commission rates.”
Feng said profits have improved in the last couple of weeks because DoorDash cut its commission fees in half for local restaurants on April 13. The commission rate can vary by restaurant, and Feng said Kin Kao now pays 14 per cent.
DoorDash said its investment of up to $100 million to cut the fees will continue through the end of May.
Kin Kao is still paying 28 per cent commission on sales through Uber Eats, said Feng.
Uber said in a statement that it’s supporting restaurants in a sustainable manner by waiving delivery fees for customers, thereby generating more orders. It said commission fees help cover operating costs and to reduce them would make it difficult to maintain a safe and reliable platform.
Both Uber and DoorDash are also waiving commission fees for orders placed through the app that are picked up in person.
Gino Herring, the general manager of Vancouver Italian restaurant Sprezzatura, said they had never used food delivery platforms before the pandemic, but quickly adopted Uber Eats, DoorDash and SkipTheDishes.
Dine-in service accounted for 90 per cent of the restaurant’s revenue, said Herring, and now it’s about 80 per cent from delivery.
Although he’s pleased with sales, Herring said the companies’ fees are “aggressive” and local restaurants aren’t in a position to negotiate.
“It’s a bit predatory, but we operate at the behest of those apps,” he said.
SkipTheDishes is Canada’s largest food delivery network, headquartered in Winnipeg. CEO Kevin Edwards said the company has a vested interest in ensuring its vendors make it through the pandemic.
“It certainly doesn’t do Skip any good to have any restaurants struggling,” he said.
The company initially offered restaurants a 15 per cent rebate on commissions before increasing the rebate to 25 per cent through the end of May. It’s also offering reduced fees for restaurants that use their own delivery staff when an order is made through its app.
Edwards said his company will think about how it can enhance its support for local vendors, but he’s not sure what form it would take, and the company also has to ensure its own viability.
“Our net revenue is not nearly what people believe it to be and taking 25 per cent and applying it to a rebate obviously changes that,” he said.
Foodora announced Monday that it’s closing Canadian operations next month, saying Canada is a highly saturated market for online food delivery and the company was unable to reach a level of profitability sustainable enough to continue operations.
Feng said local restaurants that don’t have any other way to get food to customers are “handcuffed” to the delivery apps, while struggling to turn a profit during the pandemic.
“If everybody stood up in the industry and said, ‘You know what, that’s too much’ … then I think they’d be way more willing to play ball. But when they know that 95 per cent of their clients can’t do anything about it, they can flex their muscle a little big more, right?”
Edmonton chef Paul Shufelt avoided delivery apps when he opened The Workshop Eatery, opting for an in-house delivery system instead.
In early April, Shufelt posted a video on Facebook breaking down the costs of running a restaurant and how commission fees can affect the bottom line. It’s since garnered more than 586,000 views and Shufelt said he’s heard from hundreds of restaurant operators who are struggling with the fees.
Shufelt said for many restaurants, reliance on delivery is likely here to stay, even after physical distancing restrictions are loosened.
“I think that’s going to make things really hard for restaurant owners who already barely make enough to keep the doors open.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 28, 2020.
Federal politicians will be facing off in Ottawa on Tuesday but it will look much different than usual.
Members of Parliament will be holding their first virtual meeting since a majority of parties in the House of Commons agreed to hold just one in-person and two online meetings each week to respect health advice during the coronavirus pandemic.
In the past, small committees have met through video link, but never have all 338 MPs been asked to debate online like this.
This massive Zoom meeting will see the opposition hold the government to account and Conservatives say they are ready to question the Liberals on emergency stockpiles, gaps in the emergency benefits, and the restart of the economy.
“The Liberals have been slow to react, and their failures have cost Canadians,” Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer said.
“The Prime Minister owes Canadians an explanation and a plan to fix his mistakes.”
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said the economic restart needs to be a slow and cautious process.
“If we get this wrong, everything we have sacrificed over the past many weeks could have been in vain,” he explained.
This is not technically a sitting of the House, so it will be a different format.
MPs will be allowed a five-minute time slot to ask multiple questions of the prime minister and his cabinet.
On Wednesday, politicians will debate and vote on the government’s $9-billion aid package for students, but that will happen in person with a limited number of MPs.
OTTAWA — Despite a surge in demand due to COVID-19, many distress centres across Canada are dangerously close to folding thanks to major declines in both volunteers and revenue.
Stephanie MacKendrick, CEO of Crisis Services Canada, which runs the only national suicide-specific helpline in Canada, says community distress centres across the country have seen 30 to 50 per cent more crisis calls since the pandemic began.
Yet they have also seen fewer volunteers, with some reporting a loss of up to 90 per cent.
While centres have started turning to paid staff to make up the difference, their cash flows have also been hit hard as their main sources of revenue — training and workshops — have dried up overnight due to the pandemic.
MacKendrick calls this the “perfect storm” for these centres, with many now struggling to stay afloat.
MacKendrick says that is why her organization has asked Ottawa to provide $15 million in emergency funding to keep distress centres from having to close their doors.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 27, 2020.
Some key developments are coming this week in the country’s relentless struggle with the coronavirus pandemic.
They begin Monday with businesses being allowed to apply for the federal government’s $73 billion wage subsidy program.
Companies that qualify will get a subsidy worth 75 per cent of each employee’s wages, up to $847 per week, retroactive from March 15 to June 6. And for those organizations that can, the government is asking employers to fill in the remaining quarter.
First payments are expected to arrive by the end of next week.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will be talking about that, as well as some other coming initiatives, at his daily coronavirus briefing.
In The News is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to kickstart your day. Here is what’s on the radar of our editors for the morning of April 27 …
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COVID-19 in Canada …
Some key developments are coming this week in the country’s relentless struggle with the COVID-19 pandemic.
Starting today businesses can apply for the federal government’s $73 billion wage subsidy program.
Companies that qualify will get a subsidy worth 75 per cent of each employee’s wages, up to $847 per week, retroactive from March 15 to June 6. And for those organizations that can, the government is asking employers to fill in the remaining quarter.
First payments are expected to arrive by the end of next week.
Later this week, Quebec and Ontario, which account for the vast majority of Canada’s COVID-19 cases, are expected to unveil frameworks for reopening their locked down economies.
Saskatchewan, Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick have already announced tentative timelines for a return to some semblance of normality.
Despite evidence of some flattening COVID-19 curves, both politicians and public health officials are stressing the need for a cautious, go slow approach to guard against a surge of second wave infections.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has also said that none of the recovery plans hinge on people being immune to catching COVID-19 twice.
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In other Canadian news …
OTTAWA — Despite a surge in demand due to COVID-19, many distress centres across Canada are dangerously close to folding thanks to major declines in both volunteers and revenue.
Stephanie MacKendrick, CEO of Crisis Services Canada, which runs the only national suicide-specific helpline in Canada, says community distress centres across the country have seen 30 to 50 per cent more crisis calls since the pandemic began.
Yet they have also seen fewer volunteers, with some reporting a loss of up to 90 per cent.
While centres have started turning to paid staff to make up the difference, their cash flows have also been hit hard as their main sources of revenue — training and workshops — have dried up overnight due to the pandemic.
MacKendrick calls this the “perfect storm” for these centres, with many now struggling to stay afloat.
MacKendrick says that is why her organization has asked Ottawa to provide $15 million in emergency funding to keep distress centres from having to close their doors.
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Also this …
These are trying times for Canada, but we’re all in this together and hope is on the horizon.
Such was the message of last night’s “Stronger Together, Tous Ensemble,” a star-studded show of support and solidarity for those on the front lines in the fight against the COVID-19 crisis.
A who’s who of Canadian artists, athletes, authors, activists and even astronauts appeared from their respective locations during the 90-minute broadcast benefit.
Many English and French Canadian broadcasters aired the show on dozens of T-V, streaming and radio platforms.
The event was centred around a 150-million dollar fundraising campaign for Food Banks Canada.
Artists who appeared included singers Celine Dion, Michael Buble, and Anne Murray, who addressed her home province of Nova Scotia, which is reeling from a recent shooting rampage.
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COVID-19 in the U.S. …
WASHINGTON — After two months of frantic response to the coronavirus, the White House is planning to shift President Donald Trump’s public focus to the burgeoning efforts aimed at easing the economic devastation caused by the pandemic.
Days after he publicly mused that scientists should explore the injection of toxic disinfectants as a potential virus cure, Trump has now rejected the utility of his daily task force briefings, where he has time and again clashed with scientific experts. Trump’s aides are aiming to move the president onto more familiar — and safer, they hope — ground: talking up the economy, in tighter controlled settings.
It’s a political imperative as allies have seen an erosion in support for the president. What had been his greatest asset in the re-election campaign, his ability to blanket news headlines with freewheeling performances, has become a daily liability. At the same time, new Republican Party polling shows Trump’s path to a second term depends on the public’s perception of how quickly the economy rebounds from the state-by-state shutdowns meant to slow the spread of the virus.
Some states have started to ease closure orders, and Trump is expected to begin to highlight his administration’s work in helping businesses and employees.
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COVID-19 around the world …
— Some countries and U.S. states are starting to ease COVID-19 lockdown restrictions and focus on fixing their battered economies.
In Spain, the streets echoed again with joyful cries as the nation let children go outside for the first time in six weeks.
In Italy, the premier laid out a long-awaited timetable for getting back to normal, announcing that factories, construction sites and wholesale supply businesses can resume activity as soon as they put safety measures in place.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is going back to work today at 10 Downing St. after being hospitalized with the coronavirus.
Johnson spent a number of days in intensive care and after he got out thanked health-care workers for saving his life.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 27, 2020.
Pre-heat a pan on hi-heat, to it add the oil and immediately add the chicken, stir and make sure to break up the chicken as much as possible.
Once the juices have dried up add the garlic and the ginger and sauté for a minute add the peppers.
Add the hoisin, soy, vinegar, cook for a minute and taste for correct seasoning, serve at once with a stack of lettuce leaves. Garnish with matchstick potatoes, some toasted peanuts or crispy cereal.
Canada’s farmers markets, traditionally reliant on bustling crowds paying cash for locally produced food, seem particularly ill-suited to the age of physical distancing.
But those in the industry say business is surprisingly robust as they find ways to stay afloat in the present while hopefully modernizing the field for the future.
Farmer Dave Kranenburg said he’s never been busier despite not setting foot at a traditional market for weeks.
When faced with the prospect of losing 95 per cent of his annual revenue due to pandemic-related shutdowns, the co-owner of Kendal Hills Farm near Orono, Ont., set about creating an online alternative to the sorts of spaces that allowed him to make a living prior to the outbreak.
By teaming up with at least 35 nearby farmers, Kranenburg and his partner set up a virtual farmers market. Shoppers can browse a list of what local food growers expect to have on hand in the coming week and arrange to have their purchases either delivered to their homes or dropped off at a handful of regional businesses.
Kranenburg said the notion of turning the farm into a local food hub had been under discussion for years, but seemed like nothing more than a pipe dream until circumstances caused by COVID-19 forced their hand.
“At first it was very, very scary around what it meant for the future of my farm and small food businesses,” Kranenburg said in a telephone interview. “It’s morphed into a very exciting and hopeful period now. A lot of us are hoping that … it’s not just an emergency solution. It’s addressing some of the challenges we’ve always faced as farmers.”
Kranenburg said he and others in the field have long struggled with the distribution side of the business, noting that spending time driving to markets, restaurants and other potential customers significantly decreases the amount of time farmers can spend raising crops and animals.
By creating a food hub and contracting out the deliveries to students looking for work, Kranenburg said that problem has been addressed through the virtual market.
Some traditional markets have also had to adopt virtual practices to reach their usual patrons while they’re heeding public health advice and remaining at home.
Evergreen Brickworks, a popular year-round market in central Toronto, now allows customers to order and pick up boxes filled with local produce, bread and cheese.
Others have adopted a community-supported agriculture model that sees customers pay at the start of the season for a share of the year’s harvest.
But Kranenburg and other market regulars said there’s still a need for traditional spaces to buy and sell local goods, though concedes the constraints of the public health crisis may change how those spaces look and operate.
A list of directives prepared by Farmers’ Markets Ontario outlines some of the new measures that will be in place once markets reopen for business. The organization said only food should be available for sale in order to comply with government emergency legislation that shutters non-essential businesses but allows food retailers to keep their doors open.
The list also says stalls will have to be sufficiently spaced out to allow for proper physical distancing protocols, and customer traffic should be monitored or managed to keep patrons safe.
Food samples and reusable containers should be banned, the directives say, adding that hand sanitizing stations and washrooms will have to be readily available and properly maintained.
“Markets should not be viewed as a place to linger or socialize and should be viewed as a ‘shop and go’ market,” Catherine Clark, executive director of Farmers’ Markets Ontario, said in an email. “It won’t be business as usual.”
But the head of an industry group in Atlantic Canada said that may well prove to be a boon rather than a drawback.
Justin Cantafio, executive director of the Farmers’ Markets of Nova Scotia Co-Operative, said it has been exhilarating to see how quickly markets across the province have embraced online sales and other alternative sales methods.
He said challenges remain for markets in more remote communities that may not be able to tap into the same resources, but said the months ahead will hopefully see the industry as a whole become more innovative than it has been for years.
“We have a great new tool in the form of these online stores, but we’re also going to have a unified people seeking being together again after being isolated for so long,” Cantafio said.
“A farmers market is going to be that perfect blend of that cultural vibrancy and abundance mixed with the ability to get your food and necessities in one place. I think a farmers market will be one of the most important institutions moving forward if we play our cards right.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 24, 2020.
HALIFAX — A source close to the investigation says a killer’s murderous rampage across Nova Scotia began with him attacking and binding his girlfriend, and that she managed to escape and eventually give crucial details to police.
The woman was in a domestic dispute with Gabriel Wortman and was beaten and allegedly bound in some way Saturday night before she managed to get away from a residence in Portapique, N.S., the source said.
The source said the woman hid, but emerged early in the morning to provide police with the critical information that the 51-year-old denturist was driving a replica RCMP patrol vehicle and wearing a police uniform.
The details are the latest to emerge about the chaos that ensued as police in rural Nova Scotia sought the gunman as he went about the province killing people in five communities and setting homes on fire.
The search for the suspect stretched from late Saturday night to Sunday morning, when the death toll rose to 22 as the gunman, wearing an authentic RCMP uniform, evaded police in his replica RCMP cruiser.
RCMP could not immediately be reached for comment on the reports but have said they will release a detailed account of the April 18-19 incidents later this morning.
Police have also said he didn’t have a firearms licence for the guns he was using, though how Wortman obtained the weapons remains unclear.
Audio recordings of first responders communicating on two-way radios provide a glimpse of the frantic attempts to help the first victims found Saturday at 10:40 p.m. amid burning homes in the village of Portapique.
On one of the recordings, stored on the Broadcastify website, first responders dispatched to the scene along Highway 2 tell the dispatcher they can see something burning in the distance.
“I’m seeing huge flames and smoke from where we are,” says one, minutes before the dispatcher says police have discovered a gunshot victim on Portapique Beach Road.
Within the next 20 minutes, the extent of the carnage comes into sharp focus as police call for more ambulances — twice.
It’s unclear exactly how many people were killed along Portapique Beach Road, which includes many seasonal and permanent homes along the picturesque north shore of Cobequid Bay.
Police confirmed Wednesday that the suspect managed to escape from a perimeter they had set up around the rural area, but they didn’t realize he was gone until some time between 7 a.m. and 8 a.m. on Sunday when his girlfriend revealed details about the fake police car.
At 8:02 a.m., police issued an alert on Twitter saying they were looking for an active shooter in the Portapique area.
Over a 12-hour period, the 51-year-old Halifax man killed the 22 victims — some he knew, others he met randomly as he fled.
His victims include an RCMP officer, two nurses, two correctional officers, a family of three, a teacher and some of his neighbours in Portapique.
Heavily armed RCMP officers fatally shot him at a gas station in Enfield, N.S., about 90 kilometres south of Portapique at around 11:30 a.m. on Sunday.
Police said the gunman acted alone during his violent rampage, but investigators said they are trying to determine whether anyone assisted him before the shooting began.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 24, 2020.
Quick and Easy Paper Marbling with lifestyle expert Tamara Robbins Griffith:
This is a great craft that Noah and I have done a couple of times, and I love the simplicity relative to the sophistication of final results! If you use a harder cardstock, it can be turned into really nice greeting cards, or pop the artwork into an inexpensive frame with matting and it will be sure to impress.
Supplies:
• Shaving cream
• Food coloring
• White cardstock or watercolor paper
• Wooden skewer, toothpick or other utensil
• Ruler or shower squeegee
Instructions:
1. Spray shaving cream onto a cookie sheet or similar pan with a lip.
2. Level out shaving cream with a spatula.
3. Squirt food colouring onto the surface of your shaving cream.
4. Swirl designs into your shaving cream using the wooden skewer or any other tool. Have fun and experiment here!
5. Lay your paper down on the shaving cream and pat it gently so all of paper is covered on the underside with shaving cream.
6. Gently pull off your paper and lay it down with the shaving cream side up.
7. Scrape off excess shaving cream with a metal ruler or shower squeegee and let the paper dry.
Infectious disease experts say provinces looking to relax restrictions related to coronavirus need to consider their neighbours.
Prince Edward Island, where the caseload is low, is aiming to ease measures put in place to slow the spread in late April and reopen businesses in mid-May.
The Saskatchewan government is to outline a plan Thursday for how some businesses and services could be allowed to resume next month if the number of cases stays low.
Dr. Craig Jenne, an infectious disease researcher at the University of Calgary, said easing restrictions in one province could present challenges for others.
“Many provinces in Canada have no hard borders,” he said in an interview with The Canadian Press. “Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba — we are not exactly islands where we can cut off travel between provinces.
“We are going to have to make sure we’re on the same page with this.”
As of Wednesday, Saskatchewan had recorded 326 cases, including four deaths, but less than 20 per cent of cases were considered active.
The province’s chief medical health officer has said any easing of restrictions would have to be done carefully.
Next door, in Alberta, there are more than 3,000 cases, including 66 deaths.
Dr. Stephanie Smith, an associate professor in infectious diseases at the University of Alberta, said it may make sense for provinces with a low number of cases to consider letting up on COVID measures.
“When they do that, the most important thing is that they still have an ability to identify new cases and new contact tracing,” she said. “(They need) really robust testing and tracing so that you can identify any new patients and make sure they are actually self-isolating.
“It’s important in terms of ensuring you don’t get into an uncontrolled situation again.”
Jenne added that outbreaks in High River, Alta., and several long-term care homes show how quickly a situation can change once the novel coronavirus starts spreading.
“As soon as we let our vigilance down in screening and isolation … we will see a spike back in Canadian communities, we will see an increase in cases, we will see an increase in hospitalizations and, unfortunately, we will see an increase in deaths once these hotspots start popping up.”
For example, an outbreak at Imperial Oil’s Kearl oilsands project in northeastern Alberta has been linked to cases in Saskatchewan, British Columbia, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia.
“This virus does not travel in the air,” said Jenne. “It travels on people and the more people move between provincial borders and even within their own community, this is how this virus gets around.”
Jenne and Smith said that’s why social distancing has been so effective in reducing the number of cases in Canada.
Each province and territory has different approaches for how to limit the spread of COVID-19.
Manitoba has set up checkstops on major highways to help inform travellers about public health measures in place.
Some jurisdictions such as New Brunswick and the northern territories have restricted non-residents from entering or require anyone who comes into the province to self-isolate for up to 14 days.
Valorie Crooks, a geographer who specializes in health services research at Simon Fraser University, said it would be difficult to control movement across provincial boundaries.
“It raises a whole lot of questions about how you enforce and what kinds of abilities you have to enforce measures you put in place,” she said.
Crooks added that it would be easier to protect populations in the North or on Canada’s islands, but it’s simply not practical to patrol every road between provinces.
Both infectious disease experts said closing the border with the United States has been an effective tool, but Jenne noted it’s not a perfect solution.
“It has to be done in concert with everything else, including high levels of screening, contract tracing and self-isolation within communities,” said the professor.
“Closing a border alone is really a false sense of security if it’s not coupled with enhanced measures.”
The latest round of government projections related to the coronavirus pandemic includes an increasingly common phrase — reaching the peak. But what exactly does that mean? Some experts weigh in:
What does it mean to reach a peak in a pandemic?
Infectious disease and statistical modelling specialists say to reach the peak in a pandemic curve means that the number of new cases has begun to level off rather than continuing on a sharp upward trajectory. Such a scenario is playing out this week in Ontario, where public health officials said the province was experiencing the peak of the outbreak in the broader community despite registering some sharp single-day spikes in the number of new cases. The peak has not yet arrived in the province’s long-term care system, where roughly half of all cases and deaths have occurred.
“Peaks are not a single day,” said Steini Brown, dean of the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto, as he presented the province’s latest projections on Monday. “They’re not a nice single sort of spike. They can be a little bit bumpy, they can be prolonged for a period of time, particularly given public health interventions.”
Brown said pandemic curves are usually symmetrical in nature — a sharp increase of cases is followed by the plateau or peak, which then gives way to a decline in new diagnoses.
Where in Canada is that actually happening?
While Ontario may be experiencing the peak of community transmission right now, several provinces are already ahead of the game. Public health officials in British Columbia said last week that they had succeeded in flattening the curve, meaning they’re past the peak of new COVID-19 cases. Provinces and territories such as Manitoba, Saskatchewan and the Yukon are posting single-digit increases each day, while New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador have gone several days in a row without any new cases at all.
Canada’s chief public health officer, Dr. Theresa Tam, has said the national curve is bending but has yet to flatten. Those figures are still fuelled by data out of Quebec and Ontario, the epicentres of the national outbreak. The premier of Quebec, which has recorded more than 20,100 of Canada’s roughly 38,000 cases, has said the peak has lightly been reached outside of the province’s hard-hit long-term care homes.
This is all good news, right?
Yes and no. Dr. Isaac Bogoch, infectious diseases physician and scientist with the Toronto General Hospital, says it’s very encouraging to see the rate of new infections begin to level off. But he says peak times also promise to place the maximum strain on the health-care system, as cases continue to mount at a pace not seen during earlier stages of the outbreak.
Jianhong Wu, distinguished research professor of mathematics at York University, said other risks come with pandemic peaks.
“At these times, the level of infections is highest,” he said. “The number of cases is not necessarily the number of infections.”
Wu noted that disparity is even more evident in parts of the country with lower testing levels, noting those provinces with higher capacity will also uncover more cases.
During a peak period, he said, Canadians stand a higher chance of contracting the virus.
Does this mean normal life can resume soon?
No. Both Wu and Bogoch said physical distancing measures are more important than ever during peak times in order to ensure the number of cases begins to decline as expected.
“Imagine you’re in a car and you put your foot on the gas and are driving faster and faster,” Bogoch said. “When you get onto the highway and you’re going 100 kilometres an hour, that’s not the time to open the door and jump out of the car. You have to actually slow down.”
What are the most useful stats to keep an eye on?
The many facts and figures presented in government briefings are all valuable in tracking Canada’s response to COVID-19, according to both Bogoch and Wu. But for a member of the public wanting only to focus on the highlights, they agree tracking the growth rate of cases over time should provide an adequate snapshot. Both caution against focusing on single-day stats and suggest looking at the overall trend to see if cases are climbing, peaking or declining over time.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 22, 2020.
The COVID-19 pandemic has affected every province and territory. Canada’s chief public health officer and her provincial counterparts are encouraging people to wash their hands, give each other space and wear a mask if they are sick or a homemade one if they believe they could have been exposed to the virus and are not showing any symptoms.
Ottawa has put money into health-care research and the economy. It has also put restrictions on international travel and is mandating 14-day quarantines for travellers returning to Canada to try to limit spread of the novel coronavirus.
The border with the U.S. has been closed to all non-essential traffic.
Classes are suspended or cancelled at schools throughout the country.
Each province and territory also has its own emergency measures to detect cases and prevent spread of the virus.
Here’s a look at some of the ways different jurisdictions are responding:
British Columbia
B.C. declared a provincial state of emergency on March 18, a day after announcing a public health emergency, and it has been extended to April 28.
The measure gives the province authority to take any action necessary to protect people and communities, including charging people who ignore public health orders.
The province has also prohibited reselling essential supplies such as food and cleaning material.
The B.C. government has announced steps to improve health-care services that include bringing in 55 new ambulances, five more fixed-wing planes or helicopters and housing options that will help people self-isolate in their home communities.
The government said its also bringing in new and faster virus testing technology — taking less than 45 minutes to complete — in an attempt to quickly stop the spread of the virus.
On April 19, B.C. police and enforcement officers start issuing $2,000 tickets for price gouging and reselling essential supplies during the state of emergency.
All parking fees at B.C. hospitals have been cancelled during the pandemic to ensure safer access for patients and staff.
Officials have prohibited gatherings of more than 50 people in one place, including restaurants, schools, places of worship, theatres, casinos, sports arenas and outdoor venues.
That has forced the cancellation of the annual TD Vancouver International Jazz Festival in June.
All provincial parks are also closed.
The Vancouver park board says cars are being banned from most roads in Stanley Park to give cyclists, walkers and joggers more room.
Officials have also issued fire restrictions as the wildfire season begins.
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Alberta
Alberta declared a public health emergency on March 17.
The province has given law enforcement agencies full authority to enforce orders and issue fines for violations.
There are restrictions on mass gatherings of more than 15 people, both indoors and outdoors at places of worship, weddings or funerals. Any gathering must allow people to keep the two-metre distance from others.
All non-essential businesses have been ordered closed, including personal service providers, clothing stores and furniture stores.
Albertans are prohibited from attending public or private recreational and entertainment facilities. Restaurants have been ordered closed, except for takeout or delivery. Casinos are closed.
Vehicle access to provincial parks and public lands is prohibited to visitors.
Albertans who have been ordered to quarantine cannot leave their property for 14 days. And if they live in apartment buildings they are not allowed to use the elevators.
There’s also a new restriction on visitors at nursing homes, long-term care facilities and hospitals — although exceptions could be made if a child is in hospital or a woman is about to give birth.
On April 13, the province expanded its eligibility for COVID-19 testing to anyone with symptoms of the illness. Testing can be done for anyone who has a fever, cough, runny nose, shortness of breath or a sore throat.
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Saskatchewan
Premier Scott Moe declared a provincial state of emergency on March 18.
It directs all orders from the chief medical health officer be followed and gives police the authority to enforce them.
Public gatherings are limited to no more than 10 people.
Nightclubs, bars and lounges are closed, but they are allowed to provide takeout food or alcohol.
Recreational and entertainment facilities are closed. Personal service providers such as tattoists, hairdressers, estheticians and relaxation masseuses cannot operate.
Dental, optometrist, chiropractic and podiatry clinics are closed — except for emergencies.
Saskatchewan has updated its public health orders to say long-term and personal care homes should ensure staff only work at one facility.
All employees at long-term care facilities are having their temperatures checked and are being monitored for COVID-19.
Health officials say there’s no evidence livestock or pets can be infected with or transmit COVID-19, but it hasn’t been ruled out. They suggest anyone with the virus avoid contact with animals, as well as people, until more information is available.
The Saskatchewan government is promising one-time emergency bursaries to post-secondary students whose studies and jobs have been affected the pandemic.
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Manitoba
The Manitoba government declared a provincewide state of emergency on March 20 and has extended it until May 17.
The province has limited public gatherings to no more than 10 people.
That includes any indoor or outdoor spot, places of worship or family events such as weddings and funerals.
No visitors are allowed in long-term care facilities and hospitals, though exceptions may be made in hospitals for compassionate reasons.
Public events marking the province’s 150th birthday have been postponed and the long running Dauphin Countryfest is cancelled this year.
The province is instituting fines for people who don’t follow public safety orders during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Non-essential travel to the province’s north and to remote communities is being restricted to help reduce the spread of COVID-19.
There are some exceptions, including for people who travel for medical care or work, people who share child custody, and people who deliver goods and services.
Non-essential businesses have been ordered to close. Salons, spas, bars and other establishments were closed as of April 1. Restaurants can remain open for takeout or delivery only.
The closures do not affect health-care facilities, government services and other institutions.
Bingo and gaming venues as well as wellness centres and gyms are closed.
The province is letting people hurt by the COVID-19 economic fallout avoid penalties and interest on some utility payments and property taxes. There’s also a freeze on all rent increases until at least May 31.
Employers across the province will also get a refund on their workers’ compensation premiums to help them handle the economic fallout from COVID-19. Premier Brian Pallister said employers will get a credit equal to 20 per cent of last year’s premiums, worth a total of $37 million in May.
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Ontario
Ontario has extended its state of emergency for another 28 days.
The order closes non-essential businesses and child-care centres until May 12.
Premier Doug Ford says Ontario’s schools will not re-open on May 4.
All business except those deemed essential have been shut down.
The province will allow curbside pick up and delivery of cannabis.
All industrial construction except for essential projects, such as hospitals, has been halted.
All bars and restaurants, except for takeout and delivery, have been closed.
Also closed are recreational facilities, public libraries, private schools, licensed child-care centres, movie theatres and concert venues.
Any public events of more than five people, including parades, events and services at places of worship, are prohibited, and provincial parks are closed.
The City of Toronto has also closed playgrounds, sports fields, off-leash dog parks, skateboard parks and picnic areas. Parking lots attached to parks are closed.
The province says it will also quadruple COVID-19 testing capacity to 16,000 by May 6.
On April 17, the province expanded eligibility for free emergency child care to include workers in developmental services, victim services, violence against women services, children’s aid societies, probation and parole officers and staff in homeless shelters. The program was initially set up for health-care workers, first responders and correctional officers.
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Quebec
Quebec declared a public health emergency on March 13 and renewed it a week later.
The government has reduced non-priority services and prohibited indoor and outdoor gatherings.
All festivals, sporting and cultural events scheduled for this summer are cancelled or postponed.
Tennis Canada says the Rogers Cup women’s tennis tournament scheduled for Aug. 7 to 16 in Montreal will return to the city in August 2021.
Police set up checkpoints curtailing access to eight remote regions. All non-essential travel to much of cottage country north of Montreal, and to Charlevoix, northeast of Quebec City is also banned.
Quebec has prohibited non-essential visits to hospitals, residential and long-term care centres or between children in foster families and their biological families.
Designated clinics have been opened for anyone displaying COVID-19 symptoms.
To give retail employees a break, stores are closed on Sundays in April, with only pharmacies, gas stations, convenience stores and takeout restaurants remaining open on those days.
Montreal’s mayor has also declared a state of emergency to help authorities better manage the spread of COVID-19 among the city’s homeless.
On April 18, 125 military personnel with medical expertise geared up to deploy to long-term care homes in the Montreal area after Premier Francois Legault asked Ottawa for assistance. The homes have been especially hard hit by the pandemic.
A few days later, Quebec delayed all non-urgent activities in hospitals until the beginning of May to allow more medical professionals to work full time in long-term care homes.
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New Brunswick
A state of emergency was declared in New Brunswick on March 19.
Businesses serving food and beverages have been restricted to takeout and delivery. Lounges and clubs are forbidden from allowing customers to enter.
Customers are not allowed to enter retail businesses, unless they serve food, medication, fuel or other essential supplies.
Many health services — such as chiropractors, dentists and optometrists — are prohibited from seeing patients in person unless absolutely necessary.
No gatherings larger than 10 people are allowed and residents are urged to stay home as much as possible. They are also asked to delay non-essential errands.
Any unnecessary travel into New Brunswick is prohibited.
All playgrounds in the province are closed, but some public parks and walking trails remain open as long as physical distancing measures are followed.
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Nova Scotia
The province of Nova Scotia declared a state of emergency on March 22 and it has been extended to April 19.
It set out a 14-day rule for self-isolation and self-quarantine for people returning from outside Canada.
All schools and daycares are closed. Long-term care facilities and care homes are closed to visitors.
Casinos have closed and no business is allowed to operate a video lottery terminal.
Restaurants are restricted to takeout and delivery service only. Drinking establishments are closed.
There are also restrictions on health professionals such as chiropractors and dentists.
Two mobile assessment centres have been established to do community-based testing.
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Prince Edward Island
Premier Dennis King declared a public health emergency on March 16.
It included an order to Islanders to refrain from attending any public gatherings and a closure of libraries, child-care facilities, gyms and schools.
Hospitals have restricted visitors — although one visitor is allowed at a time to see patients in palliative care, intensive care, neonatal intensive care, obstetric and pediatric units.
All long-term care facilities continue to fully restrict visitors.
Measures also include fines for anyone who doesn’t comply with a direction to self-isolate.
The public health officer recommends people who are self-isolating stay on their own property when outside.
The government is working to open an out-patient clinic to allow for increased testing and to ease the load on hospitals.
Officials have also deferred provincial property tax and fee payments until the end of the year.
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Newfoundland and Labrador
The province declared a public health emergency on March 18.
It includes the closure of most businesses — with the exception of grocery stores, pharmacies, gas stations and other stores considered essential.
Gatherings of more than 10 people are not allowed. That includes funerals and weddings.
Anyone arriving from outside the province is required to self-isolate for 14 days.
Health officials have the authority to restrict the rights and freedoms of people in a time of crisis. People who violate orders face fines.
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Yukon
Yukon declared a state of emergency on March 27.
The government has placed enforcement officers at the Whitehorse airport and at its boundaries to get details of travellers’ self-isolation plans, their contact information and to look for any symptoms of COVID-19.
Yukon residents flying into Canada with COVID-19 symptoms must quarantine at their arrival destination, and those without symptoms are ordered to self-isolate for 14 days when they get home.
Yukon has asked everyone arriving in the territory, including mine workers, to self-isolate for 14 days.
Yukon beefed up its border control measure on April 17, giving enforcement officers the authority to deny non-essential travellers from entering.
The government has closed bars and limited social gatherings to 10 people or less.
Recreation facilities, libraries, museums and visitor centres are closed.
Long-term care facilities are closed to visitors and volunteers, while all non-urgent or routine services, including lab tests, X-rays, physiotherapy and occupational therapy are suspended.
All dentists must also suspend non-urgent treatment until further notice.
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Northwest Territories
The Northwest Territories declared a public health emergency on March 18, which has now been upgraded to a state of emergency.
It requires anyone who arrives in the territory from outside its boundary to self-isolate for 14 days.
Travel through all points of entry into the territory — both air and road — is prohibited.
The orders exclude essential service workers such as medical professionals or emergency services.
The territory has asked that all indoor and outdoor gatherings be cancelled — regardless of size or number.
Many businesses, including tour operators, gyms, museums and theatres, have been ordered to close.
The government has said it will help Indigenous families who want to head out on the land as an alternative to physical distancing. It will provide a $2.6-million grant to help families buy the proper gear and supplies to head out to fishing and hunting camps.
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Nunavut
Nunavut declared a public health emergency on March 20.
It has no known cases of COVID-19, but it has restrictions in place.
There is a mandatory 14-day self-isolation period at one of four locations in southern Canada for any resident that wants to return to Nunavut.
Critical employees who need to return to work must apply for an exemption.
All non-essential medical travel has been cancelled.
Public gatherings, including at playgrounds or parks and at religious, cultural or spiritual services is prohibited.
School staff in Iqaluit are working to ensure students in the capital of Nunavut don’t go hungry because of closed classrooms. They’re continuing to provide breakfasts to children in a way that follows physical distancing rules.
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Sources: Provincial and territorial government websites
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 22, 2020
In The News is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to kickstart your day. Here is what’s on the radar of our editors for the morning of April 22 …
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COVID-19 in Canada …
OTTAWA — The federal government is expected to announce today more significant financial support for students and other young Canadians struggling to stay afloat and find jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The new measures are intended to target support at young people who have fallen through the cracks of other emergency financial assistance.
Some students, for instance, have complained that they don’t qualify for the Canada Emergency Response Benefit.
It provides $500 a week for up to 16 weeks to Canadians who have lost their jobs due to the pandemic and had an income of at least $5,000 in the previous 12 months — criteria that doesn’t apply to many students.
Today’s measures are in addition to some steps the federal government has already taken to specifically help young people weather the health crisis.
It has put a six-month, interest-free moratorium on student loan repayments.
It has also bolstered the Canada Summer Jobs program in a bid to encourage employers to hire young workers for essential jobs.
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In other Canadian news …
HALIFAX — As family and friends try to figure out how to mourn their loved ones in the aftermath of Sunday’s rampage in Nova Scotia, more questions are emerging about the way police issued warnings during the killings.
The RCMP provided Twitter updates with the active shooter on the loose.
However, no public agency issued an emergency alert that automatically pops up on all smart phones and televisions — even though the provincial alert system had recently been used to advise people to maintain physical distancing because of COVID-19.
Premier Stephen McNeil has said the system wasn’t used because no request was received at the Emergency Management Office from the RCMP.
Last night, McNeil acknowledged more could have been done, telling CTV Atlantic that he wished the details could have been communicated with more agencies in hindsight.
At least 22 people died because of the shooter.
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Also this …
TORONTO — Pediatricians are urging parents to maintain their children’s vaccination schedule amid the COVID-19 scare.
They’re worried a dip in inoculation rates could jeopardize herd immunity for a host of other ailments.
Doctor Shaun Morris, staff physician in infectious diseases at Toronto’s SickKids Hospital, says many children and young people are almost certainly behind on their shots as some families avoid medical facilities for fear of catching COVID-19.
At the same time, he notes that opportunities to inoculate have dwindled as family clinics scale down hours, switch to virtual care or shutter their offices completely.
Meanwhile, school-based immunization clinics have been postponed indefinitely along with the school closures.
A spokeswoman for the Canadian Paediatric Society says school and daycare closures remove one of the most powerful motivators parents have to keep their kids up-to-date.
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COVID-19 in the U.S. …
WASHINGTON — Congress is sprinting to approve a $483 billion coronavirus aid package.
The deal backed by the White House would replenish a small-business payroll fund and pump more money into hospitals and testing programs.
U.S. President Donald Trump is urging swift passage this week.
The bill is Washington’s fourth in response to the crisis, but it’s not expected to be the last.
Lawmakers are taking unprecedented steps to confront the virus and prop up communities nationwide during the health crisis.
The Senate approved the package Tuesday. The House is asking lawmakers to return for a Thursday vote.
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COVID-19 around the world …
There are over 70 million people worldwide who have been driven from their homes by war and unrest. Up to 10 million are packed into refugee camps and informal settlements.
Almost none have been tested for the coronavirus.
In Syria’s war-ravaged Idlib, there’s only one small health facility to receive suspected cases.
In Bangladesh, aid workers are racing to build isolation facilities in the world’s largest refugee camp.
In two camps in Kenya, Somalis who survived decades of famine and war fear the worst is yet to come.
With little testing in camps, the virus can spread unchecked until people start showing symptoms. An outbreak would be catastrophic — and could prolong the pandemic.
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COVID-19 and grocery-store employees …
DELTA, B.C. — Grocery-store employees are recognized as essential workers during the COVID-19 pandemic, but experts say the virus has highlighted their low pay and lack of protections.
Rafael Gomez, with the Centre for Industrial Relations and Human Resources at University of Toronto, says unionized employees make more, but there’s pressure from big-box stores to keep the wages lower.
Sobeys, which operates FreshCo and other stores including IGA and Thrifty Foods, is among employers including Loblaw that are offering the temporary extra pay.
Sobeys spokeswoman Jacquelin Weatherbee says all employees are also receiving a bonus of $50 a week as part of their essential work.
While employees are now behind plexiglass shields at checkouts, Paul Meinema, president of the United Food and Commercial Workers union, says masks, gloves and face shields are also needed to protect other workers.
He says one of the union’s biggest concerns is the number of customers allowed into the stores a one time, leaving too many customers in aisles as employees stock shelves.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 22, 2020.
VANCOUER, B.C. — Public health officials need to do more to help Canada’s homeless population as encampments and tent cities grow across the country during the COVID-19 pandemic, an advocate says.
The comments come as B.C. cities struggle to find adequate solutions to look after their homeless populations.
Fourteen people were arrested Sunday over allegations they broke in to Lord Strathcona Elementary, a school on Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside.
A group calling itself the Red Braid Alliance was part of the protest over what its members said was a plan to highlight a demand for housing.
Alliance member Listen Chen said she wasn’t hopeful that the city would address the homeless problem.
“The city and the province both have the emergency powers to requisition every single empty hotel room in the city and to shelter people,” she said.
“The city of Vancouver is negotiating with individual landlords to open up units, but I don’t expect hotel landlords are lining up to open their rooms to a stigmatized population.”
Those arrested, ranging from young adults to seniors, face charges of break and enter, Sgt. Aaron Roed with the Vancouver Police Department said.
The growth of such tent cities are a natural occurrence when homeless residents feel unsafe about their living conditions, and the COVID-19 pandemic has heightened those feelings, said Tim Richter, the president of the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness.
“If they don’t want squats, if they don’t want expanded rise in encampments then there needs to be a much better and safer response to homelessness today,” Richter said in an interview. “The necessary protections that public health is recommending for every other Canadian need to be in place for people experiencing homelessness.”
Victoria has requested the provincial government requisition its empty hotels to house its homeless population while in Vancouver, a camp at Oppenheimer Park has swelled to nearly 100 people with nearby residents concerned about violence they say is occurring in the park.
Homeless populations have different health risk factors than other citizens, such as underlying respiratory concerns and poor health, Richter said, adding that increases the possibility of an outbreak sweeping through the sites.
“The fact we have so many people at great risk of this disease for no other reason than lack of a home and access to adequate health care tells you we’ve got a pressing housing emergency in our country,” said Richter.
B.C.’s provincial health officer said she is aware of those concerns.
“We have two emergencies that we’re dealing with,” said Dr. Bonnie Henry, during a media briefing Monday. “The one, our overdose crises, has been compounded in many ways particularly for those who are homeless and under-housed, people who have substance use disorders, it has been compounded by the restrictions we’ve put in place to deal with the pandemic.”
The province announced a cross-ministerial team last week, headed up by Minister of Social Development and Poverty Reduction Shane Simpson, aimed at finding housing solutions.
Simpson called for patience when asked about the group’s concerns.
“I understand the urgency, frustration and barriers that people experiencing homelessness are facing right now. We are working to increase supports and will have more to say in the coming days. That being said, I cannot condone breaking the law and occupying a school at any time,” he said in a statement.
Both Henry and Simpson said they expect an announcement on housing to be made within the next few days.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 21, 2020.
In The News is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to kickstart your day. Here is what’s on the radar of our editors for the morning of April 21 …
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COVID-19 in Canada …
OTTAWA — The federal government is expected to unveil today more financial support for vulnerable Canadians struggling to weather the COVID-19 pandemic.
Poor, disabled, homeless and seniors are among those who have been particularly hard hit by the health, social and economic ravages of the deadly virus as Canadians abide by orders to keep physical distance from one another and all but essential businesses are shut down.
Today’s measures are on top of previously announced moves to provide financial support to the homeless, women’s shelters, children’s counselling and local organizations that provide practical support to seniors, such as delivering groceries or medication.
The government is also expected to provide more details today about the timing and roll-out of the massive $73-billion wage subsidy program.
Among other things, the government is expected to provide details to businesses on how to apply for the subsidy.
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In other Canadian news …
HALIFAX — The death toll from a killing rampage in Nova Scotia could rise today.
Nineteen people were confirmed dead as of yesterday following Sunday’s tragedy, but police expect the number of victims to go up.
Police say the 16 crime scenes include five burned buildings where it is feared additional bodies will be found inside.
RCMP Chief Supt. Chris Leather said he expects the number of victims to increase in the days ahead.
The murder and arson rampage finally ended when active shooter Gabriel Wortman was shot dead Sunday by RCMP officers in Enfield, N.S., next to the gas pumps at a service station.
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Also this …
TORONTO — Hospitals facing urgent COVID-19 needs are banding together to close funding “gaps” for their institutions and embattled health-care workers.
Dubbed “The Frontline Fund,” the national campaign seeks donations on behalf of more than 100 institutions across the country for supplies, staff support and research.
Organizers say the money would help hospitals source personal protective equipment and ventilators, fund drug trials and vaccine research, and provide mental-health support to exhausted staff.
Ten per cent of funds will also go towards the northern territories and Indigenous health.
Steering committee member Caroline Riseboro, also CEO of Trillium Health Partners Foundation, says COVID-19 has raised unique needs that “wouldn’t necessarily be addressed through government funding.”
Examples of how the money could be spent include extra scrubs so caregivers can change their clothes before going home, or hotel rooms for front-line staff with immune-compromised relatives so they don’t have to fear bringing the virus home with them.
Organizers say $8.5 million has already been promised by lead corporate partners.
That includes five million dollars from the Canadian Medical Association Foundation, $2.5 million from Maple Leaf Foods and $1 million from TD Bank Group.
Riseboro says the goal is to raise $50 million. Canadians can donate at www.frontlinefund.ca.
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COVID-19 in the U.S. …
WASHINGTON — Both Republican and Democratic governors say the White House must do more to help states carry out the coronavirus testing that’s needed before they can ease up on stay-at-home orders.
The governors pushed back Monday on U.S. President Donald Trump’s assertion that Democrats are playing what he called “a very dangerous political game” by insisting there is a shortage of tests for coronavirus.
Supply shortages have stymied U.S. testing for weeks. The needs range from basic supplies like swabs and protective gear to highly specialized laboratory chemicals for analyzing patient results.
Meanwhile, the Trump administration and congressional leaders are insisting a final deal is in reach on an aid package for small businesses that could exceed $450 billion, but both sides have been struggling for days to push an agreement across the finish line.
As small businesses suffer from a coronavirus-impaired economy, Trump says he hopes to see a Senate vote later today.
Most of the funding would go to replenish a payroll loan program that’s out of money.
Trump is also saying that he will sign an executive order “to temporarily suspend immigration into the United States” because of COVID-19.
He is offering no details on what he is referring to and the White House did not immediately elaborate on Trump’s tweeted announcement.
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COVID-19 around the world …
BANGKOK — The World Health Organization said today that rushing to ease coronavirus restrictions will likely lead to a resurgence of the illness, a warning that comes as governments start rolling out plans to get their economies up and running again.
“This is not the time to be lax. Instead, we need to ready ourselves for a new way of living for the foreseeable future,” said Dr. Takeshi Kasai, the WHO regional director for the Western Pacific.
He said governments must remain vigilant to stop the spread of the virus and the lifting of lockdowns and other social distancing measures must be done gradually and strike the right balance between keeping people healthy and allowing economies to function.
Step-by-step reopenings were underway in Europe, where the crisis has begun to ebb in places such as Italy, Spain and Germany.
Australia said today that it will allow the resumption of non-urgent surgeries from next week as health authorities grow more confident that hospitals there won’t be overwhelmed by COVID-19 patients.
The reopenings come as politicians grow weary of soaring unemployment numbers and the prospect of economic depression. Asian shares followed Wall Street lower today after U.S. oil futures plunged below zero because of a worldwide glut as factories, automobiles and airplanes sit idled.
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In other international news …
SEOUL — The South Korean government says Kim Jong Un appears to be handling North Korea’s affairs as usual after rumoured surgery.
The presidential Blue House says it had no information about the rumours on Kim’s health.
Speculation often surfaces about North Korea’s leadership based on attendance at important state events. Kim missed the celebration of his late grandfather Kim Il Sung on April 15, the country’s most important holiday.
His last public appearance was at a political meeting April 11 and state media reported he sent messages and gifts more recently.
A U.S. official said the White House was aware before the reports appeared late Monday that Kim’s health might be precarious. The official said the U.S. had information that Kim may have undergone surgery and that complications may have rendered him “incapacitated or worse.”
But, the official stressed that the U.S. had nothing to confirm the surgery had taken place or that any complications had occurred.
The U.S. official, who was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity, would not elaborate on where the information came from or when it had been received. The White House and State Department had no comment.
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COVID-19 and Ramadan …
This week is usually when kids in the Muslim community get excited about an annual trip to see the full moon that marks the start of Ramadan.
But Cindy Jadayel, a member of the Mosque of Mercy in Ottawa, says it will be one of many community events that will be cancelled during Ramadan this year.
The month of Ramadan, in which Muslims go without food or drink from sunrise to sunset every day, often features gatherings where families and friends break fast and pray together.
It’s set to start on Thursday based on the Islamic lunar calendar, and will last until May 23.
The moon sighting trip follows an early tradition where religious leaders would declare the start of the new month when a full moon was spotted. Those events, as well as nightly congregational prayers and community events at the mosque, will be cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Jadayel says not having the community aspect of Ramadan this year is going to be challenging.
She says people will have to work harder this year to have families happier in the home because we can’t go out and celebrate with others.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 21, 2020.
The federal government is expected to unveil today more financial support for vulnerable Canadians struggling to weather the COVID-19 pandemic.
Poor, disabled, homeless and elderly people are among those who’ve been particularly hard hit by the health, social and economic ravages of the deadly virus as Canadians abide by orders to keep physical distance from one another and all but essential businesses are shut down.
Today’s measures are on top of previously announced moves to provide financial support to the homeless, women’s shelters, children’s counselling and local organizations that provide practical support to seniors, such as delivering groceries or medication.
The government is also expected to provide more details today about the timing and roll-out of the massive $73-billion wage subsidy program.
Among other things, the government is expected to provide details to businesses on how to apply for the subsidy.
Officials told the Commons finance committee last week that online applications are to open April 27 and they expect to have processed 90 per cent of claims by May 4, with payments starting to roll out later that week.
The subsidy is retroactive to March 15 and available to companies that lost 15 per cent of their revenue in March or 30 per cent in April or May. The federal government will pay eligible companies 75 per cent of the first $58,700 earned by each employee, up to $847 per week for up to 12 weeks.
The government is hoping the wage subsidy will prompt companies to rehire vast swaths of the millions of Canadian workers who have asked for emergency federal aid since the pandemic brought the global economy to a virtual standstill.
TORONTO — Allan Gotlieb, a long-time public servant who was Canada’s ambassador to the United States during the Regan administration, has died.
He was 92.
A death notice says Gotlieb died of cancer and Parkinson’s disease at his home in Toronto on Saturday.
A long-time public servant and companion of the Order of Canada, Gotlieb became deputy minister of the department of communications in 1968 and was later named deputy minister of manpower and immigration.
He became the ambassador to the United States in 1981, and held the position throughout Ronald Regan’s administration.
Gotlieb penned five books, including “The Washington Diaries,” recounting his time in the U.S. capital.
He is survived by his sister Judith Shotten, his daughter Rachel and son Marc, along with six grandchildren.
He is predeceased by his daughter Rebecca.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 20, 2020.
OTTAWA — The House of Commons is poised to re-open today despite the coronavirus pandemic thanks to an impasse between the four main political parties.
The Liberals announced Sunday that they had an agreement with the NDP and Bloc Quebecois to have 32 MPs meet in the House in person each Wednesday starting this week, with up to two virtual sessions also added for MPs to ask questions of the government.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told reporters it would be “irresponsible” to resume parliamentary sittings at a time when health experts are urging Canadians to limit their movement and work from home as much as possible to prevent the pandemic from spreading.
The House of Commons has already moved some business online with two parliamentary committees conducting hearings by video conference. The British Parliament is also poised to adopt a hybrid approach in wich some MPs will grill ministers in person while others participate online.
But Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer rejected the proposal, suggesting there remained many unanswered questions about holding a virtual sitting of the House of Commons and insisting on three in-person sittings per week.
Negotiations were still underway Sunday evening, but all four parties needed to agree to prevent the House from officially resuming on Monday. The question then will be how many MPs show up and what they will discuss.
The government had suggested that if an agreement wasn’t reached, the House of Commons would resume business as usual with all 338 MPs and their staff, along with Parliament Hill clerks, interpreters, security and cleaners, returning to work in Ottawa.
Scheer, however, noted only 20 MPs need to be in the House for a sitting. He has accused the Liberals of misleading Canadians to put pressure on Opposition parties to accept fewer in-person sessions to hold the government to account for its pandemic response.
Except for two single-day sittings to pass emergency aid bills, Parliament has been adjourned since mid-March. Those two sessions were held with a limited number of Parliament Hill staff, which Scheer said could be easily replicated to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
The NDP was preparing to have three MPs, including Leader Jagmeet Singh and deputy leader Alexandre Boulerice, in the House of Commons on Monday if a deal could not be reached.
The political wrangling in Ottawa came as provincial health authorities reported at least 117 more deaths from COVID-19, bringing the national total to 1,587.
Yet while Ontario and Quebec also reported hundreds more positive tests, bringing the national total to more than 35,000, New Brunswick as well as Newfoundland and Labrador reported no new cases.
In The News is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to kickstart your day. Here is what’s on the radar of our editors for the morning of April 20 …
NOVA SCOTIA SHOOTER …
RCMP say 17 people are dead, including one of their officers, after a man who at one point wore a police uniform and drove a mock-up cruiser went on a rampage across northern Nova Scotia in one of the deadliest killing sprees in Canadian history.
An RCMP officer, Const. Heidi Stevenson, is counted among the dead.
Investigators say the alleged shooter, identified as 51-year-old Gabriel Wortman, was also killed after police intercepted him at a gas station in Enfield, N.S.
His death is now being investigated by a police watchdog.
Meanwhile, RCMP are probing exactly how the weekend rampage unfolded.
Premier Stephen McNeil described the massacre as “one of the most senseless acts of violence in our province’s history.”
“I never imagined when I went to bed last night that I would wake up to the horrific news that an active shooter was on the loose in Nova Scotia,” McNeil said in Halifax on Sunday.
In a series of tweets, he added that all Nova Scotians would be affected by the tragedy.
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COVID-19 in Canada …
The House of Commons is poised to re-open today despite the COVID-19 pandemic thanks to an impasse between the four main political parties.
The Liberals announced Sunday that they had an agreement with the NDP and Bloc Quebecois to have 32 MPs meet in the House in person each Wednesday starting this week, with up to two virtual sessions also added for MPs to ask questions of the government.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said it would be “irresponsible” to resume sittings at a time when health experts are urging Canadians to limit their movement and work from home as much as possible to prevent the pandemic from spreading.
But Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer rejected the proposal, suggesting there remained many unanswered questions about holding a virtual sitting of the House of Commons and insisting on three in-person sittings per week.
Negotiations were still underway Sunday evening, but all four parties needed to agree to prevent the House from officially resuming on Monday.
The question now is how many MPs show up and what they will discuss.
—
Also this …
Tossing and turning in the middle of the night. Lying awake for lengthy stretches. Waking up groggy.
The COVID-19 pandemic seems to be messing with a number of peoples’ ability to get a good night’s sleep these days. And sleep experts aren’t surprised by that.
David Samson, an assistant professor of anthropology at the University of Toronto, believes our restless nights can be caused by our bodies’ fear response to the coronavirus outbreak.
“When fear becomes chronic, you have a mismatch scenario (regarding) your perception of fear, and that creates an inability to fall asleep,” Samson TOLD The Canadian Press. “With COVID-19, the threat isn’t actually a lion or a rival group seeking to take your resources, it’s invisible. And humans simply aren’t very well-evolved to fight off invisible enemies.”
Amanda Jewson, a sleep consultant in Toronto, blames pandemic-related sleep struggles on our bodies’ physiological response to stress and anxiety.
She says hormones like cortisol and adrenaline spike when we’re afraid, and that makes it difficult to get proper rest.
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COVID-19 in the U.S. …
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump says he will use the Defence Production Act to increase manufacturing of swabs used to test for the coronavirus.
Many governors have for weeks urged the White House to further evoke federal powers to increase private industry’s production of medical supplies as health officials work to slow the spread of the virus.
Trump has generally been reluctant to do so. But the president said during a briefing Sunday evening that he would use the measure to increase production of swabs and that he would soon announce that production reaching 10 million per month.
To emphasize the point, Trump waved a swab in front of reporters. Trump also said Vice-President Mike Pence would hold a call with governors on Monday to discuss testing and send a list of lab facilities in their states.
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COVID-19 around the world …
BERLIN — The European Center for Disease Control says the continent now has more than 1 million confirmed cases and almost 100,000 deaths from the new coronavirus.
According to a tally posted on the ECDC website Sunday, Spain had the most cases in the region with 191,726, followed by Italy, Germany, Britain and France.
It listed Italy as having the most deaths in Europe, with 23,227, followed by Spain, France, Britain and Belgium.
According to the tally, Europe accounts for almost half the global case load and more than half the total deaths.
—
COVID-19 in entertainment…
NEW YORK — Organizers of Saturday’s “One World: Together At Home” special say nearly $128-million was raised to fight the COVID-19 outbreak.
Most of the money came from corporate sponsors lined up before the special.
It was intended as a message of support for medical personnel and essential workers and a pick-me-up for those quarantined at home.
Lady Gaga, who curated the special, opened with a peppy version of the Charlie Chaplin song “Smile.”
Canadian artists Celine Dion, Shawn Mendes, and Michael Buble made appearances.
The Rolling Stones, Elton John, Stevie Wonder, Keith Urban, Kacey Musgraves, Taylor Swift, Eddie Vedder, Billie Joe Armstrong, Lizzo, John Legend with Sam Smith and Billie Eilish with Finneas were among the other performers.
Beyoncé was a surprise guest who spoke about how the virus is disproportionately affecting the black community.
—
NEW YORK — Another Broadway star has been hit by COVID-19.
Canadian actor Nick Cordero had to have his right leg amputated because of complications from COVID-19.
His wife says the Tony Award-nominated actor survived the surgery, and is now resting and recovering.
The 41-year-old Cordero was placed in intensive care at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles on March 31st.
Cordero’s credits include “Bullets Over Broadway,” which earned him his Tony nod.
—
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 20, 2020.
Lawyers are strengthening their calls to thin prison populations following the first death related to COVID-19 at a federal institution.
The Correctional Service of Canada said in a statement that an inmate from Mission Institution in B.C. died Wednesday from an apparent complication related to the novel coronavirus.
The medium-security institution has been one of the hardest hit prisons during the pandemic, where 54 inmates and eight correctional officers have tested positive for the virus.
The inmate, whom the agency did not identify, died at Abbotsford Regional Hospital where a mobile medical unit has been deployed to provide additional capacity to treat prisoners.
“Given the size of the inmate population it was almost inevitable, but it doesn’t make it any less tragic,” said criminal defence lawyer John Hale, who is vice-president of the Criminal Lawyers’ Association.
The correctional service said it was the first death from the novel coronavirus among federally sentenced inmates in the country.
Public Safety Minister Bill Blair said in a statement the government is looking at further measures to ensure that inmates, staff and communities are as safe and healthy as possible during the pandemic.
The correctional service has already suspended work releases for offenders and visits from the public and volunteers.
“Our greatest responsibility is keeping Canadians safe _ that includes those in our correctional institutions,” Blair said.
“We know the unique vulnerabilities facing correctional institutions during this public-health crisis. The situation around COVID-19 is both challenging and rapidly evolving, and our response will continue to adapt as required to prevent further tragic loss of life.”
The inmate’s next of kin has been notified and the BC Coroners Service will review the circumstances of death, the correctional service said.
A total of 145 inmates have tested positive for COVID-19 at federal prisons.
The largest outbreaks have occurred at the Mission prison and Joliette Institution in Quebec, where 48 inmates and 34 correctional officers have tested positive for the virus.
Hale said it’s time to “aggressively depopulate” jails and prisons as much as possible in the interest of public safety.
He pointed to an affidavit by physician and epidemiologist Dr. Aaron Orkin that the Criminal Lawyers’ Association has circulated to its 1,600 members for use in court.
Orkin’s affidavit says an outbreak in prisons or jails would be no different than the spread of the virus on cruise ships or at long-term care facilities involving close quarters where outbreaks have proven “near impossible” to contain.
It’s extremely likely that COVID-19 will arrive in nearly every correctional facility in Canada, which means almost all inmates will be exposed in one way or another, the document says.
“The only available method to substantially reduce the resulting infections and deaths is therefore to reduce the population in those settings.”
Hale said not every inmate is an appropriate candidate for release, but many are.
“Obviously there are people in the jails who are dangerous and need to be kept in to protect the community, but there are a lot of people in jail who are not dangerous who could be either serving a sentence or awaiting trial outside of jail,” Hale said.
Hale said judges have granted release to two of his clients, including one man who was awaiting trial at a minimum-security provincial facility centre in Ottawa.
“He was really concerned because he was in an open area, he didn’t have his own cell,” he said.
The facility had about 30 beds, each about a foot apart from one another. Although most of the beds had been vacated, about 10 inmates remained and they still had to share showers, sinks and other facilities, Hale said.
Donna Turko said she’s concerned about her own clients at both the medium- and minimum-security institutions in Mission, B.C.
She is trying to convince the parole board to grant them a temporary release or parole by exception, which would allow for their release based on unforeseen circumstances at the time of their sentencing.
But she said the bureaucratic system of applying for parole is showing its weaknesses in an emergency.
The situation has been complicated further because she hasn’t been able to reach her medium-security clients since last week and her minimum-security clients since Tuesday, she said.
“They’re not sentenced to death, they’re not sentenced to come out of prison with lung and other permanent afflictions because they were exposed to COVID,” she said.
“The question I have is, is it too little too late?”
Turko said she hopes a response she received from the Department of Justice Thursday promising to assign a lawyer “without delay” to address her concerns with the parole board means things might start moving.
The Correctional Service of Canada did not immediately respond to questions about why the inmates could not be reached.
COVID-19 has been confirmed at several other prisons by the federal government and the Union of Canadian Correctional Officers.
The Federal Training Centre in Laval, Que., counts 25 inmates and four correctional officers who are sick.
Also, in Quebec, 10 inmates and 15 officers tested positive at the Port-Cartier Institution, alongside two new correctional officer cases at the Drummond Institution.
Eight inmates and one officer are sick with coronavirus at Grand Valley Institution for Women in Ontario.
MONTREAL — The Quebec government has suggested that reopening schools and daycares could be a way to both kick-start its economy and slow the transmission of coronavirus in the province.
Quebec’s public health director, Horacio Arruda, told a news conference last Friday it was “very excessively rare” for children to develop severe symptoms from COVID-19. Allowing them to catch the virus and become immunized would help the wider society, he said.
“Because the more children will be, in my opinion, naturally immunized by the disease, the less they will become active vectors with older people,” Arruda said.
Evidence that children infected with the novel coronavirus rarely develop serious symptoms of the disease has led to talk of exposing students to the virus as a quasi-vaccination strategy and a way of building herd immunity — a type of resistance to the disease’s spread within society.
Premier Francois Legault has floated the idea of reopening schools and daycares before May 4, if COVID-19 hospitalizations stabilize, so adults can return to work without worrying about finding care for their children.
But his comments sparked indignation among teachers’ unions and parents, who talked about logistical nightmares of opening schools too soon and the threat of kids transmitting the virus to their older relatives.
Health experts also question that strategy and say there are larger ethical questions that need to be considered.
Alison Thompson, a professor at University of Toronto’s faculty of pharmacy, said letting children be exposed in schools to COVID-19 is a far cry from a mandatory vaccination program.
“It’s not just a matter of building immunity — they have to get sick first,” she said in a recent interview, calling the proposal a “sickness strategy.”
Erin Strumpf, a professor in the department of epidemiology at McGill University, said Arruda’s strategy follows the same logic as a vaccination program. When people receive a vaccine, they are given a weakened form of the virus, allowing their immune system to build antibodies to kill it.
The more people in a society are vaccinated against a virus, the fewer people are around to transmit it to a vulnerable person.
Strumpf, however, questioned whether Arruda’s strategy would build a sufficient herd immunity in society to protect the most vulnerable. Schools should eventually be opened for other reasons, she explained, but immunizing children is a side benefit.
Reopening schools would allow more people to go back to work and to ensure children from disadvantaged backgrounds have access to proper education, she said: “It would level the playing field.”
But the logistics of allowing daycares as well as primary and secondary schools to open are not obvious.
Josee Scalabrini, president of the federation that represents the majority of Quebec’s teachers, questioned how older and vulnerable teachers can be protected from infected students and how physical distancing can be maintained in crowded classrooms, cafeterias and school buses.
Thompson recognizes that closing schools hurts the economy, but she said opening up the schools too quickly poses many problems. She noted that children are major vectors of pathogens.
“This is not immunity acquired through vaccine,” she said. “This would be naturally acquired immunity, and it’s hard to know how they would acquire that without posing a great risk to the adults that they are in contact with.”
Legault has since tempered some of his initial optimism about opening schools before May 4. He now says the schools will stay closed until public health officials agree to open them and until he has the assurance that there is no risk to children and teachers.
But the premier said Thursday that COVID-19 hospitalizations “are under control” and he is preparing a plan to open up the economy. “We will start with companies. We want to do it in a very gradual way, in an intelligent way,” he said.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 17, 2020.
In The News is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to kickstart your day. Here is what’s on the radar of our editors for the morning of April 17 …
COVID-19 in Canada …
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will be under pressure today to flesh out his promise to do more to protect the elderly in long-term care homes, which have been hardest hit by the deadly COVID-19 pandemic.
Trudeau promised earlier this week that the federal government would provide funding to top up the wages earned by essential workers in nursing homes who earn less than $2,500 a month.
That promise was the subject of discussion during a conference call among first ministers late Thursday.
No details of the call were immediately forthcoming, other than a brief summary of the discussion issued by the Prime Minister’s Office which said first ministers “agreed on the urgent need to ensure long-term care facilities have the resources they need to protect the health and well-being of their residents and workers.”
Since the salaries paid to workers in long-term care homes fall under provincial jurisdiction, Trudeau has been clear whatever the federal government does must be in collaboration with the provinces.
Seniors Minister Deb Schulte told CBC News late Thursday that the federal government will boost transfer payments to the provinces and territories, to allow them to top up wages. She did not say how much money Ottawa is prepared to ante up.
—
Also this …
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau tried to let Donald Trump down gently, warning that Canada is still a long way from being ready to agree to relax mutual travel restrictions along its border with the United States.
Trudeau said he discussed the issue with the U.S. president during a videoconference with fellow G7 leaders, and the two agreed, given the unique relationship between the two countries, that they would continue to take a different approach to managing bilateral travel with each other from the ones they use with the rest of the world.
That does not mean, however, that a decision to relax the travel ban is imminent, he added.
“The work that we continue to do to keep our citizens safe, while co-ordinating very carefully, is unlike our approaches with other countries around the world. There’s a recognition that as we move forward, there will be special thought given to this relationship,” Trudeau said.
“But at the same time, we know that there is a significant amount of time still before we can talk about loosening such restrictions.”
Trump, who often makes it abundantly clear that he’s in a hurry to get the American economy back on its feet, seemed to suggest Wednesday that his impatience might well extend to the northern border — a shift in the usual balance of anxieties that has tended to define the Canada-U.S. relationship.
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COVID-19 in the U.S. …
President Donald Trump and some of his officials are flirting with an outlier theory that the new coronavirus was set loose on the world by a Chinese lab that let it escape. Without the weight of evidence, they’re trying to blame China for sickness and death from COVID-19 in the United States.
“More and more, we’re hearing the story,” Trump says. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo adds, “The mere fact that we don’t know the answers — that China hasn’t shared the answers — I think is very, very telling.”
A scientific consensus is still evolving. But experts overwhelmingly say analysis of the new coronavirus’ genome rules out the possibility that it was engineered by humans, as some conspiracy theories have suggested.
Nor is it likely that the virus emerged from a negligent laboratory in China, they say. “I would put it on a list of 1,000 different scenarios,” said Nathan Grubaugh of Yale University, who studies the epidemiology of microbial disease.
Scientists say the virus arose naturally in bats. They say the leading theory is that infection among humans began at an animal market in Wuhan, China, probably from an animal that got the virus from a bat.
Even so, Pompeo and others are pointing fingers at an institute that is run by the Chinese Academy of Sciences and has done groundbreaking research tracing the likely origins of the SARS virus, finding new bat viruses and discovering how they could jump to people.
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COVID-19 around the world …
The British government announced that a nationwide lockdown imposed to slow the spread of the new coronavirus will remain in place for at least three more weeks, as health officials said the U.K.’s coronavirus outbreak — one of Europe’s worst — was nearing its peak.
Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said “any change to our social distancing measures now would risk a significant increase in the spread of the virus.”
The lockdown has been in place since March 23. Schools, pubs, restaurants and most shops are closed, and most people are allowed to leave home only for essential errands or exercise.
Medical officials say the outbreak in the U.K. is reaching its peak but it’s too early to loosen restrictions on daily life.
Chief Scientific Officer Patrick Vallance said that while transmission of the virus has been dramatically reduced, “we run the risk of a second peak” if the lockdown is loosened now.
As of Thursday, 13,729 people have died in U.K. hospitals after testing positive for coronavirus, an increase of 861 from a day earlier. That number still understates the true toll of the pandemic since those figures do not include hundreds, and maybe thousands, of virus-related deaths in nursing homes and other settings.
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COVID-19 in entertainment…
Chris McKhool still has many questions about how the federal government will support Canadian artists in the latest update to the COVID-19 emergency benefits program — but for now he’s trying to stay focused on the music.
The violinist in Sultans of String, a three-time Juno nominated act, has spent the past several weeks in a holding position as he wondered if accepting live streaming performance spots that paid a couple hundred bucks might disqualify him from the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB).
He got a somewhat clearer answer on Wednesday after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau expanded the reach of CERB to include support for people who are still working, but earning $1,000 or less per month, meaning McKhool could start accepting those gigs with confidence.
“I can still be an artist because of this, that’s how I feel,” McKhool said.
“It’s a huge burden lifted off me, that I don’t have to worry about whether or not I can be performing.”
But he’s still unclear on the specifics around getting paid, including whether the Canada Revenue Agency will claw back more of his earnings than anticipated in the future. Similar questions have echoed across Facebook groups dedicated to musicians and others in the creative community.
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COVID-19 in springtime…
When nature is at its brightest this year, it needs to be hidden from sight.
Parks and woods in Belgium, like in much of Europe, are a riot of colour and scents in springtime, many so magnificent they would draw far too thick a crowd in the times of a pandemic.
So some are closed, or parking areas are off limits and non-locals are banned from visiting. Many tourists are sent back and some are even fined if they won’t take no for an answer.
The extraordinary measures are felt deeply as bluebells are in bloom in the Hallerbos forest, some 15 kilometres (10 miles) south of Brussels. In a good year, up to 100,000 tourists come to gaze in wonder at its vast purple carpet under the beech trees.
“This pains the heart badly,” Halle mayor Marc Snoeck told the Associated Press. “This goes against anything that we normally work for.”
During the annual April Bluebell Festival, the throngs on weekends or sunny days are so big that social distancing would become impossible along the walking paths. During their three-week stretch of flowering, the bluebells attract tourists from as far as China and the United States.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 17, 2020.
WestJet is planning to lay off up to 1,700 pilots as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, which has shuttered commercial airline travel.
The union representing the pilots with WestJet, WestJet Encore and Swoop says the first 700 layoffs will take effect May 1 with an additional 1,000 layoffs coming June 1.
The layoffs will be done in reverse seniority order, meaning those pilots who were hired most recently will be the first to be furloughed.
“Issuing layoffs, in response to this crisis, has always been a last resort for WestJet; however, the impact of COVID-19 on the aviation industry is colossal, and WestJet is making difficult but necessary decisions to right-size our airline to weather the crisis,” the airline said in a statement.
WestJet adds that almost three-quarters of its fleet has been grounded due to the dramatic reduction in flying due to COVID-19.
Air Canada said plans to rehire 16,500 laid-off workers via Ottawa’s emergency wage subsidy program after they were let go under a cost reduction program that saw nearly half of the airline’s 36,000 employees lose their jobs.
Air Canada has suspended most international flights until June, while Air Transat and Sunwing Airlines have cancelled all trips until May 31 due to the pandemic.
In The News is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to kickstart your day. Here is what’s on the radar of our editors for the morning of April 16 …
COVID-19 in Canada …
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is expected to announce today more financial help for small businesses struggling to survive the COVID-19 pandemic that has brought much of Canada’s economy to a standstill.
It’s likely to involve some changes to the eligibility rules for the Canada Emergency Business Account program that banks and credit unions began delivering last week.
Under the program, the federal government is backing interest-free loans of up to $40,000 for businesses with annual payrolls between $50,000 and $1 million.
One-quarter of each loan will be forgivable if the remainder is paid off by the end of 2022.
Some small and medium-sized businesses with payrolls just under or just over the threshold have complained that they’re not eligible for the loans.
In a motion passed Saturday during an emergency sitting of the House of Commons, the federal government effectively promised to expand the loan program.
It promised to implement additional measures that would be partially refundable and have “the primary objective of maintaining jobs and reducing debt related to fixed costs, while maintaining access to liquidity in the form of loans.”
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Also this …
The Royal Canadian Air Force is hoping to address a critical shortage of experienced pilots by scooping up some of the hundreds of commercial pilots whose jobs have been negatively affected by the COVID-19 crisis.
Commercial carriers across Canada furloughed hundreds of pilots, technicians and other staff last month as the airline industry struggled with plummeting demand due to travel restrictions and other fallout from the global pandemic.
Airlines such as Air Canada and WestJet have since been able to rehire the majority of their employees with help from federal wage subsidies, but there remains great uncertainty around when staff will actually return to work as most flights remain grounded.
That is where the military wants to make the most of a bad situation.
Even before COVID-19, the Air Force had been reaching out to former military pilots who had left for commercial gigs in recent years in the hopes of enticing them back into uniform as it faced a shortage of more than 200 experienced aviators.
The shortfall, which saw Air Force commanders walking a delicate line between keeping enough seasoned aviators available to train new recruits and lead missions in the air, coincided with significant growth in the global commercial airline sector.
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COVID-19 in the U.S. …
Citing the coronavirus, Donald Trump is threatening unprecedented action — adjourning both houses of Congress — to entice the Senate to approve more of his nominees.
In recent years, Congress has refused to fully adjourn during most breaks precisely to prevent the president from making recess appointments. Little or no business is conducted in such “pro-forma sessions,” but they give members of both chambers of Congress the chance to go back home without going into recess.
It’s a process lawmakers also employed to thwart President Barack Obama’s nominees.
Trump says he’s had enough and warns that he will seek to adjourn both chambers of Congress if lawmakers don’t formally declare a proper recess. That way, he could appoint some nominees without the Senate’s approval. Trump said, “Perhaps it’s never been done before, nobody’s even sure if it has, but we’re going to do it.”
The Constitution does not spell out a unilateral power for the president to adjourn Congress. It states only that he can decide on adjournment if there is a dispute over it between the House and Senate. Such a disagreement does not now exist, nor is it likely to arise.
Constitutional scholar Jonathan Turley said on Twitter the Constitution gives a president authority in “extraordinary occasions” to convene or adjourn Congress. However, he said, “This power has never been used and should not be used now.”
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COVID-19 around the world …
In the six days after top Chinese officials secretly determined they likely were facing a pandemic from a new coronavirus, the city of Wuhan at the epicenter of the disease hosted a mass banquet for tens of thousands of people; millions began travelling through for Lunar New Year celebrations.
President Xi Jinping warned the public on the seventh day, Jan. 20. But by then, more than 3,000 people had been infected during almost a week of public silence, according to internal documents obtained by The Associated Press and estimates based on retrospective infection data.
The delay from Jan. 14 to Jan. 20 was neither the first mistake made by Chinese officials at all levels in confronting the outbreak, nor the longest lag, as governments around the world have dragged their feet for weeks and even months in addressing the virus.
But the delay by the first country to face the new coronavirus came at a critical time — the beginning of the outbreak. China’s attempt to walk a line between alerting the public and avoiding panic set the stage for a pandemic that has infected almost 2 million people and taken more than 126,000 lives.
“This is tremendous,” said Zuo-Feng Zhang, an epidemiologist at the University of California, Los Angeles. “If they took action six days earlier, there would have been much fewer patients and medical facilities would have been sufficient.”
However, another epidemiologist, Benjamin Cowley at the University of Hong Kong, noted that it may have been a tricky call. If health officials raise the alarm prematurely, it can damage their credibility — “like crying wolf” — and may cripple their ability to mobilize the public, he said.
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COVID-19 in entertainment…
Shania Twain, Lady Antebellum, and Luke Combs are among the headliners set to perform from their homes for a five-night broadcast event next week in support of Canada’s COVID-19 relief efforts.
ET Canada, in partnership with the Canadian Country Music Association and the CCMA Foundation, will present “Canada Together: In Concert.”
The series premieres Monday and will air weeknights on “ET Canada” on Global, turning the entertainment news show into mostly performance-based episodes for the week.
The event will also air simultaneously on Corus country radio stations Country 105, CISN Country 103.9 and Country 104.
All proceeds raised will be donated equally between Food Banks Canada and the Unison Benevolent Fund to support Canadians during the pandemic.
Monday’s episode includes remote performances from Twain with Dallas Smith, Lindsay Ell, and High Valley.
A total of 20 acts are participating through the rest of the week, with others including Brett Kissel, Dean Brody, Gord Bamford, James Barker Band, and MacKenzie Porter.
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COVID-19 in sports…
Some golf courses in British Columbia are open or about to open and Alberta golf clubs want to do the same despite the reluctance of provincial health officials to give the green light.
Winter loosening its grip on Alberta has the province’s golf industry lobbying to let courses open with protocols and restrictions in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
“We for sure realize golf is not the most important thing in the world, but we want to be part of the solution,” says Calgary’s Barry Ehlert, owner of six courses in the Windmill Golf Group.
“We do think there are other things coming down the pipe at us like mental health, economic drivers, the forty-two thousand jobs that golf represents.”
The Alberta chapter of National Allied Golf Associations said in a recent letter to its members that “NAGA Alberta will be working closely with the Alberta Government in seeking an exception like the courses in B.C.”
An online petition on change.org calling for Alberta golf courses to be exempt.
Alberta’s chief medical officer of health wasn’t ready to give the all-clear to golf, however.
“I would say to golfers the same thing I would say to other Albertans, which is to trust we are looking very closely at our numbers, and that as we get to a point where we can think about easing restrictions, outdoor recreation is certainly on that list of things to be considered,” says Dr. Deena Hinshaw.
“But at this time, we’re not yet at that point yet where we can start easing off.”
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 16, 2020.
The RBC Canadian Open, one of the jewels of the national sports calendar, has been cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The PGA Tour announced the cancellation of the tournament as part of its revamped 2020 schedule. The four-day competition was scheduled to begin June 11 at St. George’s Golf and Country Club in Toronto.
The Canadian Open, first contested in 1904, is the third-oldest continuously running tournament on the PGA Tour behind the British Open and the U.S. Open.
It’s the first time the tournament has been cancelled since 1944, when it missed a second straight year due to the Second World War. It was also scrapped from 1915-18 because of the First World War.
The Canadian Open becomes the latest major annual late spring or summer sporting event in Canada to be wiped out or postponed because of COVID-19. The Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal and the Queen’s Plate in Toronto will not run on their scheduled June dates, while the Rogers Cup women’s tennis tournament in Montreal, scheduled for August, will not be held in 2020.
Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy won the title last year at the Hamilton Golf and Country Club. The last Canadian to win the tournament was Pat Fletcher in 1954.
A cancellation seemed increasingly likely in recent weeks as the pandemic worsened. Three regional qualification tournaments set for mid-May were scrapped last month.
Toronto Mayor John Tory recently announced the city was cancelling its permits for all public gatherings up until June 30.
The edict didn’t apply to sporting events held on private property — like MLB’s Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre, the NBA’s Raptors and NHL’s Maple Leafs at Scotiabank Arena, or the Canadian Open itself at St. George’s in the city’s west end.
“Obviously it’s not an easy decision and there’s very valid reasons for things getting cancelled or postponed,” golfer Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont., said before the cancellation was official. “It’s an event that I’ve been looking forward to all year, really.
“It’s so much fun to play in front of the Canadian fans, the support’s incredible at the RBC Canadian Open.”
The tournament is scheduled to return to St. George’s in 2024. The venue has hosted the event on five occasions, most recently in 2010.
The city edict cancelled a two-night concert series planned for tournament week. The Chainsmokers and Keith Urban were scheduled to perform at a nearby school.
If the tournament had gone ahead as scheduled, construction on the course would have had to begin later this month, another hurdle for making the Canadian Open’s original start date.
The CP Women’s Open is still on the LPGA Tour schedule. It’s slated for Sept. 3-6 at Shaughnessy Golf and Country Club in Vancouver.
South Korea’s Jin Young Ko won last year’s tournament at Magna Golf Club in Aurora, Ont.
Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., won in 2018 at Regina’s Wascana Country Club. She become the first Canadian to win the tournament since Jocelyne Bourassa in 1973.
Vicki Kap’s family thought she had a cold but less than two days after arriving in hospital she was placed on a ventilator and died of coronavirus.
Her daughter, Jody Brouwer, said Kap, 75, started having trouble breathing before being taken by ambulance to a hospital in Sarnia, Ont., where she would spend a week before dying in the intensive care unit.
“Mom didn’t wish to be on a ventilator for more than four days if she wasn’t making any progress,” Brouwer said, adding her parents had end-of-life conversations because her father has stage-four bowel cancer and was presumed to have the virus.
“We were told with my mom that she’ll be on a breathing apparatus for the rest of her life, she’ll never be able to go home, she’ll be going to a nursing home if they kept her on a ventilator for months.”
Kap’s heart was going into distress before she died on March 29, three days after she would have celebrated her 54th wedding anniversary with her husband Frank, Brouwer said. She was her husband’s sole caregiver at their home while he waited to go into hospice.
She believes her parents contracted the virus after having coffee with friends who had returned from Portugal in early March. The friends were asymptomatic then, but later became sick themselves.
Brouwer’s uncle and his wife from nearby Strathroy had travelled with the couple and also became sick, one of eight people in their circle of family and friends who contracted the virus, Brouwer said.
Her uncle, Martin Postma, died two days before her mother and had also been on a ventilator, his wife said.
Mieke Postma said her family decided to take her husband off the ventilator after nine days because they feared his quality of life would be poor if he survived.
“He didn’t really show much improvement over that time. If anything, it got worse with his kidneys completely failing,” Postma said, adding her husband’s heart was also affected.
Kap had minor chronic obstructive pulmonary disease but was otherwise in good health, said Brouwer, who has questions about what’s being learned about the use of ventilators.
Doctors around the world have little data from limited studies. Much of the research includes patients still on the breathing machines, with no information on long-term outcomes for those who may survive.
Kap ended up in hospital after her nephew, Jeff Cain, spoke with her by phone and realized her breathing was laboured.
Cain, who is a former respiratory therapist, said he dropped off a small device called a pulse oximeter outside Kap’s home so she could place it on her finger to measure the level of oxygen saturation in her blood and go to hospital if the level was too low.
Cain said both of his parents were also diagnosed with COVID-19 and are recovering well.
“I know a gentleman in the same community who came off the ventilator this week,” he said.
“My mom asked, ‘Is this automatically a death sentence?’ I said, ‘No, it depends on what else is going on.’ ”
Thomas Piraino, a respiratory therapist in the intensive care unit at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto, said patients are placed on ventilators after developing a lung injury called acute respiratory distress syndrome.
Those with a condition like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, as in Kap’s case, have reduced air flow to the lungs and could be provided with non-invasive oxygen therapy depending on the severity of infection from COVID-19 by the time they get to hospital, said Piraino, who oversees the integration of clinical research and the practice of mechanical ventilation at St. Michael’s.
“They could be at an early stage where when you put the tube in, the lungs are very compliant, like a balloon that can inflate very nicely. Or they could be at a stage where they have much more stiff lungs and it’s more challenging to ventilate them,” he said.
By then, the lungs may be akin to a sponge that has hardened, impeding oxygen from flowing to air sacs called alveoli and making it impossible to breathe, Piraino said. A medical coma is induced at that point before a tube is inserted into a patient’s windpipe so a ventilator can deliver oxygen and take over breathing.
“In terms of why (the virus) gets to that point it’s a number of components and we’re still trying to learn about it because it has only been around for a few months.”
Small studies from around the world are showing mixed results about survival rates for COVID-19 patients. They include limited data and involve patients who are still on the machines so it’s not known if they will survive or what their long-term outcome or quality of life will be if they start breathing on their own.
For example, a study published recently in the Journal of the American Medical Association of 1,591 patients across hospitals in Lombardy, Italy, showed 68 per cent were placed on a ventilator and 26 per cent of them died.
It said 58 per cent of the patients remained on a ventilator when the nearly five-week study was completed on March 25.
“Every single study that’s getting published right now is in the midst of it all so it’s helpful to see where people are at but it doesn’t really give us an overall view,” Piraino said, adding concerns range from whether patients should have been ventilated earlier or if intubation happened too soon.
“Most people that go on a ventilator come off a ventilator. With COVID we just don’t know.”
Mortality rates from studies so far are between 26 per cent and 70 per cent, he said.
Dr. Michael Curry, an emergency room doctor at Delta Hospital in the Vancouver area, said he has seen studies citing mortality rates as high as 80 per cent, depending on the data being used.
“Ventilators can be life-saving for some people that are going to die without a ventilator,” he said. “A ventilator can buy them time for the body to fight off infection and they can do well after the ventilator is discontinued. But for a big chunk of people put on a ventilator they’re not ever going to come off it, at least not alive.”
Curry said Canada has about seven or eight ventilators per 100,000 people and there is no shortage of the breathing machines, which require high staffing levels of doctors, nurses and respiratory therapists.
“What’s going to happen in the future we don’t know. But we have seen from countries like Spain and Italy that there could be a dramatic demand for ventilators if we don’t get a handle on this disease soon,” he said.
The federal government has announced plans to order 30,000 ventilators.
COVID-19 has sickened thousands of Canadians from coast to coast and killed hundreds.
Here are the stories of some of those who have lost their lives:
Vicki Kap
SARNIA, Ont. — Vicki Kap was known for her love of family, which for her included former refugees she invited into her home for decades before she died from COVID-19.
Jody Brouwer, Kap’s daughter, remembers growing up with a Cambodian couple and their two children living in their basement.
Vicki and Frank Kap opened their hearts and their home to people from around the globe, including Nicaragua, El Salvador and Syria before her death at age 75.
“We’ve got a big extended family from all countries of the world,” Brouwer says.
The woman known for her big smile spent the last four years caring for Frank, who has stage-four bowel cancer and is waiting to go into hospice while grieving for his wife.
The couple would have celebrated their 54th wedding anniversary on March 26, when Kap was on a ventilator. She died three days later.
Family was the focus on her last day, too, as she lay in a medically induced coma.
Brouwer and her brother John Kap were at their mother’s bedside wearing head-to-toe personal protective equipment. Her children shared stories with Kap and videos of her grandchildren.
—
Martin Postma
STRATHROY, Ont. — Martin Postma’s wife considers the last month with her husband before his death a gift as they spent time enjoying the sights of Portugal.
Mieke Postma says her 74-year-old husband had diabetes but was in otherwise good health before he developed a cough, had the chills and quickly became increasingly weak.
At that point, he barely had enough energy to make it onto the stretcher when an ambulance arrived to take him to their local hospital in Strathroy before he was transferred the next day to University Hospital in nearby London.
Postma was surprised her husband even had the energy to phone her from the emergency department to say doctors were planning to put him on a ventilator.
But she says that last conversation, before his death on March 27 in the intensive care unit, was also a gift from the man she’d married 52 years earlier.
A retired nurse, Postma says she considered the quality-of-life her husband would have had if he had survived as his kidneys shut down on a ventilator and his other organs also began to fail.
Just before the family decided to discontinue treatment on the ventilator, Postma was told her husband’s survival rate would be about 10 per cent, and if he did survive, he would need lifelong care.
“That hit me between the eyes. I thought, ‘That’s not good.’ “
—
Noble (Butch) Gullacher
REGINA — Noble Gullacher was a family man who loved watching his sons play basketball and his grandchildren play soccer.
Gullacher, known by family and friends as Butch, was a diabetic who was waiting for a kidney transplant when he was diagnosed with COVID-19 on March 19.
The 69-year-old died April 10 in a Regina hospital.
Gullacher was a husband, a father to two sons and a grandfather to their three children.
“He was a good dad, but he was a really wonderful grandfather,” said his wife, Kathleen Gullacher. “He loved his family.”
She said they are a close-knit family which regularly gathers for Sunday night dinners.
Gullacher also loved race cars and trap shooting.
“He liked to be active,” she said. “He loved to be out and doing things.”
Gullacher was retired after being a conductor with CP Rail for 35 years.
—
Deb Diemer
CALGARY — Mike and Deb Diemer were expecting 2020 to be the best year of their lives.
Then, on March 19 Deb Diemer was diagnosed with COVID-19. She died on March 30.
“My in-laws have lost a daughter, my sisters-in-law have lost a sister, I’ve lost a wife and my daughter has lost her mom,” Diemer said.
Doctors had always followed his wife’s health closely after she was diagnosed with primary pulmonary hypertension in 1986.
Diemer said she was able to keep the disease in check with medication until late 2001. She was able to get a double-lung transplant months later in 2002.
About six weeks before her death she got a kidney transplant with a donation from her older sister, Kathy Ziegler.
Diemer said his wife only experienced mild COVID-19 symptoms and her doctors recommended she stay home to recover, since she wasn’t having difficulty breathing and could speak in full sentences.
But she deteriorated quickly and went into medical distress at home, he said. Doctors later told him that she had died within hours of the virus attacking her heart.
“My wife is an Irish redhead and she never backed down from a fight,” Diemer said.
“Every time, she didn’t complain. She just faced whatever she had to face and kept going. We thought she was going to beat COVID-19, too.”
—
Wade Kidd
WINNIPEG — Wade Kidd had an absolute love for life.
His family said in a statement that Kidd started developing flu-like symptoms on March 18 and was admitted to hospital on March 27 where his condition deteriorated quickly.
The grandfather, father and husband died on April 2, about a month before his 55th birthday.
Kidd had some underlying health concerns, however, in general he was healthy and active, his family said.
He could fix anything and enjoyed camping. He was a loving husband and proud father to his two sons. His love for his two young grandchildren knew no bounds, his family said.
“His monster hugs made us feel safe and his easygoing manner kept us calm in stressful times,” his wife wrote.
Kidd was a private person, but the family wanted to share his story. His family said they hope it will convince everyone to stay home so further families don’t have endure what they are facing, mourning without the ability to have a funeral.
“He was a steady ship in a crazy storm, and now he is gone. Now that storm threatens to swallow us whole.”
—
Shawn Auger
HIGH PRAIRIE, Alta. — Shawn Auger, a father of three, died March 30 at the age of 34.
His wife, Jennifer Auger, says her husband started developing symptoms on March 13 and was diagnosed on March 16. He was hospitalized shortly after and died March 30.
She says he was particularly affected because by the disease he was asthmatic.
“He was also a big guy, like a teddy bear,” she says.
Shawn Auger was involved in youth hockey and worked at the Youth Assessment Centre in High Prairie, Alta., about 370 kilometres northwest of Edmonton. His wife says a position was created especially for him to help youth transition out of the facility.
“That job, he loved it,” she said. “He loved it because he got to meet new people, talk to the youth and mean something to them.”
She says her husband first went to school to become a police officer and served in various placements, including at the Edmonton Institution, before he decided to work with young people.
“He wanted to work with the youth … to make a difference, so they didn’t end up in jail or anything like that.”
She says she and her husband recently bought a house in the High Prairie area to renovate and turn into a group home.
It’s something she plans to continue in his memory.
“Through all this, we did not lose Shawn,” she says. “We gained a fighting, caring, wonderful angel … and he is still working from beyond.”
—
Alice Grove
NORTH BATTLEFORD, Sask. — Alice Grove was a 75-year-old widow who lived alone on a farm in west-central Saskatchewan.
Her sister Eleanor Widdowson says Grove, a former nurse’s aide at Saskatchewan Hospital, was having breathing difficulties and collapsed in her home on March 28. She died in hospital the next day.
The sisters last saw each other on March 13 when they met for coffee in nearby North Battleford.
Widdowson believes her sister contracted the virus on one of her many trips into the city.
“We had warned her and warned her and warned her to stay at home,” Widdowson told Saskatoon radio station CKOM. “But she’d get lonely. Anyone would, living out on a farm by themselves.”
Grove’s battle with COVID-19 was hampered by diabetes, says Widdowson. Grove had also survived a battle with cancer.
Ultimately, Widdowson says she made the decision to remove Grove from life support.
“You have to be sensible about it and not take treatment away from a possible 35-year-old that can get better, when you know the 75-year-old lady’s not going to get better.”
—
Dr. Denis Vincent
NORTH VANCOUVER, B.C. — Dr. Denis Vincent is being remembered as a dedicated dentist who made patient care and safety his top priority.
Vincent was 64 when he died on March 22 after attending the Pacific Dental Conference, which drew about 15,000 people.
Family lawyer Bettyanne Brownlee says Vincent was diligent in adhering to recommended practices for infection control throughout his more than 40-year career. He was quarantining himself when he died.
She says Vincent cared deeply about people, had a great sense of humour, and his two great loves were skiing and sailing with friends and family.
“He was enormously proud of his sons, who will keep their memories close as they come to terms with the absence of their father from their adult lives,” Brownlee says.
—
Mariette Tremblay
MONTREAL — Mariette Tremblay’s granddaughter says her 82-year-old grandmother was a caring woman who was loved by all.
In the Facebook post, Bibianne Lavallee says her grandmother had suffered from respiratory problems and, when the virus struck, she was vulnerable. Her death was reported by Quebec health authorities on March 18.
Lavallee says Tremblay took ill before Quebec began taking exceptional measures to combat the spread of the virus.
“Unfortunately, by the time all of the measures were announced and taken, it was too late to spare my grandmother,” Lavallee says. “When her diagnosis was announced, she was already doomed.”
Lavallee urges people to follow recommendations of public health officials.
“We didn’t have a chance to save Grandma. But you have the chance to make a difference now that we know; now that we know the damage caused by this pandemic,” she says.
“Everything must be done to prevent human tragedies like the one we are experiencing from continuing to multiply. We want the death of my grandmother, the first victim in Quebec of COVID-19, to help save lives.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 9, 2020.
OTTAWA — Donald White was shaving when his friend ran in excitedly to tell his unit the news: The war was over.
The evening of May 8, 1945, White and his fellow Royal Canadian Dragoons were parked at a bivouac about 30 kilometres from the German port city of Wilhelmshaven. Canada had been at war with Nazi Germany for nearly six years. And now his friend was saying that the BBC was reporting on the wireless radio in their Staghound armoured car that the war was over?
“We thought he was just pulling our legs,” the now-95-year-old White recalls in an interview from his home in Oshawa, Ont. “I was shaving and I was going to drown him in the shaving water for being a smartass. It was maybe five minutes later the officer came in and informed us.”
White was supposed to have been in the Netherlands this week, a guest of honour in a commemoration of the Dragoons’ role in liberating the Dutch city of Leeuwarden exactly 75 years ago on April 15. The trip was to be first of two to the Netherlands, the second planned for early next month to mark Canada’s role in liberating the country.
Instead, White is home in suburban Toronto. Having already devastated lives and livelihoods around the world, COVID-19 is also affecting remembrance efforts by forcing the cancellations of key commemorative events such as the 75th anniversaries of the Liberation of the Netherlands and Victory in Europe Day, when Nazi Germany surrendered to the Allies.
“I feel disappointed like everybody,” White said. “We planned for it and looked forward to it and I think probably my biggest disappointment was not only the celebrations, but I’ve gotten to know people over there. It’s like going to meet old friends.”
The federal government was planning to send a large delegation of veterans, family members, current military members and students to the Netherlands for 10 days at the start of May for the two commemorations, but those have since been postponed indefinitely. Other commemorations such as for the Battle of the Atlantic have also been put on hold or cancelled for this year.
“The well-being of veterans and staff is of utmost importance,” Veterans Affairs Canada said in a recent statement. “In line with advice about the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) from various health and safety authorities, the government of Canada will not be sending a delegation overseas and will not be hosting commemorative ceremonies in the Netherlands as planned.”
The Department of National Defence sent out its own message this month to active service personnel who were preparing to head to the Netherlands for the events to stand down and focus on preparing to respond to calls for help for COVID-19, a natural disaster or both at once.
The First Canadian Army was responsible for clearing the Netherlands of German forces in the final weeks of the war. The effort is largely overshadowed in Canada by D-Day and other major Second World War battles, but more than 1,300 Canadians were killed and 4,300 were wounded during weeks of grinding fighting as the Germans were pushed back.
In the process, the Canadians saved up to a million Dutch from starvation and sickness, says historian Mark Zuehlke, who wrote a book entitled “On to Victory: The Canadian Liberation of the Netherlands, March 23-May 5, 1945,” and the Canadians earned the Netherlands’ undying gratitude.
The European country has sent tulips — 1.1 million last year — to Canada each year since the war and hosted parades to honour the Canadians who were there. The country has also typically played host to Canada during V-E Day commemorations, which was followed by the surrender of Japan in August 1945, formally ending the Second World War. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was expected to attend this year’s event.
White has previously met Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte and Princess Margriet, who was born in Ottawa in 1943 where the Dutch royal family was staying in exile, at previous commemorations in the Netherlands. This year, his three children were planning to attend with him. Veterans Affairs is still planning to send a delegation of veterans to the Netherlands once the pandemic passes. But when that will be is anyone’s guess.
“How does anybody plan anything until we know when we’re going to be able to deal with this problem we have right now, this infection?” White said.
Zuehlke was working with Veterans Affairs Canada to organize several tours of the Netherlands for Canadians during the commemorations before they were cancelled and said he expects the events to be postponed to next year. Some of the elderly veterans who had planned to go this year won’t be able to make it.
Still, despite his disappointment at not going, White could also see some similarities in how a crisis — whether a world war or a pandemic — can engender faith while bringing a country and society together to face it.
“It’s terrible what’s going on and we’re being inconvenienced and that, but I think we gotta do what we’re told we’re supposed to do, hoping for the best,” he said. “And that’s probably like we did during the war. We hoped for the best, right?”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 14, 2020.
OTTAWA — Most Canadians want to see significant progress in the fight against COVID-19 before they would feel comfortable with people being allowed to return to work, a new poll suggests.
The poll says 29 per cent of Canadians believe restrictions on workplace and leisure activities should only be lifted once the country is free of any new cases for at least two weeks.
One-quarter of respondents said they would want to see only sporadic cases being discovered before such restrictions are lifted, and assurance there is no pressure on the health system.
Just over 20 per cent think Canadians should continue to physically isolate and stay away from work until there is a vaccine to protect against the virus.
The poll, conducted by Leger and the Association for Canadian Studies between April 9 and 12, surveyed 1,508 adult Canadians and 1,012 adult Americans randomly recruited from its online panel. The internet-based survey cannot be assigned a margin of error because online polls are not considered random samples.
“We wanted to look at that aspect because we’re now in that phase where people are starting to reconsider when are we going back to normal,” said Christian Bourque, executive vice-president of Leger.
“They seem to be favouring the mid- to long-term more than the short-term,” he said.
Recently released federal projections show that it could be mid-summer, or even late summer, before the first wave of Canada’s epidemic is over, and that is the best-case scenario.
As for a vaccine, that is likely still many months away.
Canadians seem highly dedicated to obeying the rules set out by public health, as 98 per cent of the poll respondents said they abide by social distancing.
Until current restrictions are lifted, 40 per cent say they would report someone whose is not obeying public health rules, with the largest number of would-be snitches in the Atlantic provinces, at 50 per cent, and Quebec, at 48 per cent.
“It’s as if Canadians are saying, not that we’re comfortable … but that we feel it’s the right thing for now and maybe a few weeks more” Bourque said.
Those results show a serious departure from Canada’s neighbours to the south, where 46 per cent say they would not report rule-breakers to the authorities.
The United States has become the new worldwide epicentre of the COVID-19 outbreak, and has now reported more deaths than any other country.
But attitudes there about physical distancing and public health measures appear more lax than in Canada, according to the poll results.
Pollsters offered a list of public health measures, including staying two meters away from others, and only going out for necessities.
They found the rate of non-compliance with at least one of those measures in the U.S. was 46 per cent, compared to 26 per cent in Canada.
“It probably explains in part why we’re doing so much better than our southern neighbour,” Bourque said.
Sixty-five per cent of Canadians polled were fearful about the impact our southern neighbours could have on the pandemic here.
Americans are decidedly less worried about how the Canadian epidemic is playing out, with only 19 per cent concerned that it will impact their country.
People in the states also appear far less satisfied with measures put in place by President Donald Trump, with only 44 per cent in support. In Canada, the federal government is enjoying 76 per cent support for the measures it’s institutes to right the virus.
Bourque said Canadians’ trust in institutions appears to be helping in Canada.
On Monday, Canada’s chief public health officer Dr. Theresa Tam said Canada’s epidemic curve is starting to show positive signs, as the growth of cases begins to slow down.
It is also helping Canada’s Liberal party, which is enjoying growing support for its response to the pandemic, he said.
The pollsters asked who respondents would vote for if an election was held today, compared to responses from January 22, before the COVID-19 crisis hit Canada.
Opposition parties have seen a slight decline in support among decided voters, whereas Liberal support has climbed to 39 per cent from 31 per cent earlier this year.
VANCOUVER — As a registered nurse in the emergency department at St. Paul’s Hospital in Vancouver, Zoe Manarangi Bake-Paterson wonders whether she’ll be the same after the COVID-19 pandemic subsides.
There’s palpable stress in the department, she says, as she and her colleagues prepare for a surge of cases that may or may not arrive.
“It feels like we’re in a lifeboat in the ocean waiting for the tsunami to arrive,” Manarangi Bake-Paterson says.
“I just wonder how this will change me or change my co-workers in our practice or in our personal lives, because I think it’s a lot that’s going to come our way. I just wonder, when we come through the other side, how different will we be?”
St. Paul’s has long been at the forefront of treating Vancouver’s most vulnerable.
In the 1980s, it was one of the few treatment centres for HIV-positive patients in British Columbia. Today, many of its patients are residents of the Downtown Eastside, which has been the epicentre of an overdose crisis.
More than a dozen health workers at the hospital agreed to be interviewed by The Canadian Press and described how the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting them and their work.
They shared feelings of uncertainty, fear, hopefulness and solidarity.
Even if B.C. is successful at slowing COVID-19’s spread, several nurses say they are bracing for a possible outbreak in the Downtown Eastside where so many are homeless and physical distancing is a challenge.
The hospital is closed to anyone except patients and staff now.
Beds have been vacated and triage has been overhauled so that patients with respiratory symptoms can be isolated immediately.
Staff receive updated directions — sometimes hourly — as new evidence about the outbreak emerges. They rehearse urgent intubations after their shifts and adjust to working in zero pressure rooms.
Potential COVID-19 cases appear in the emergency department in many different ways.
“It kind of looks like pneumonia. They’re short of breath, usually pretty high fevers and they tend to deteriorate pretty quickly, the people who are really not doing well,” says registered nurse Duncan McTavish.
Other patients seem OK, so it’s hard to tell, he says.
In some ways, the novel coronavirus is like a phantom in the emergency department.
Staff don’t typically find out if a patient has COVID-19 after taking swabs. Patients may be sent home with instructions to manage their symptoms or be in intensive care by the time the test results come in.
The spectre that anyone could carry the virus has changed the way nurses think about everything they do.
“Every single action I take I have to think about,” McTavish says. “What kind of mask I need and if I enter the room, swab this person, leave again — I have to make sure I’ve changed my gloves and washed my hands between every single step.
“We do that all the time, but certainly the awareness of that right now is really heightened.”
Nurses wear goggles, suffocating surgical masks and other gear all through their shifts.
“People have been joking about how their skin is already feeling abrasions because of this constant friction with the masks,” says Manarangi Bake-Paterson.
Registered nurse Rachel Mrdeza says she had never really thought about the gear she wears as protection, but now she’s keenly aware that it’s her shield.
Feelings in the hospital swing like a pendulum, she says.
On one side, staff are worried for patients and loved ones. On the other, they’re uplifted by the roaring cheers for health workers that ripple through the city at the same time every night and by the donations of food and other supplies that have been dropped off.
“At those times it feels so incredibly joyous to experience that,” Mrdeza says.
There’s also a feeling of unity among staff.
“Even in the masks where you can’t see people’s smiles and glasses are fogged up and … there is this physical disconnect, it feels like we’re in this together,” Manarangi Bake-Paterson says.
Many have had to make personal sacrifices or have had tough conversations with their families about what would happen if they got sick.
Registered nurse Leah Ventura says she waved hello outside her parents’ window the other day because she couldn’t go in.
Amanda Hickey, a clinical nurse leader, says her mother recently moved to a care home and Hickey hasn’t been able to see her in more than a month.
“That’s been really tough.”
Registered nurse Maria Alonzo says her heart sank when she woke up one day with a body ache, fever and dry throat. One of the physicians she works with contracted the coronavirus and she’s in contact with potential cases every day.
As a single mom who lives with her 73-year-old mother, Alonzo had trouble expressing the relief she felt when she tested negative.
“I actually cried when I got my result,” she says. “Every time I go to work my fear is 200 per cent, because I always think of my son, my mom who lives with me. What would happen if I got sick?”
Still, Alonzo says she’ll continue to work every day alongside thousands of other health workers.
In many ways, the emergency department nurses’ jobs haven’t changed at all. They are still responsible for providing the best care they can and they have a system in place to do so.
Registered nurse Erica Wong urges everyone to keep following public health protocols that will give nurses the best chance at success.
“So far we’re doing OK, but that can change any second. Just continue to be cautiously optimistic. We are all in this together,” she said.
“We just need to keep going.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 14, 2020
Federal officials are due to provide an update Monday on measures for seniors, home care and temporary foreign workers during the COVID-19 crisis.
The Prime Minister’s Office says the news will come from public health officials and cabinet ministers — not Justin Trudeau, who’s taking the day off from public appearances.
The expected update comes after a weekend that saw Quebec’s premier rebuke a long-term care home where 31 residents have died in less than a month.
Francois Legault says there was “gross negligence” at Residence Herron, where five of the deaths are definitively linked to COVID-19.
Authorities first inspected Residence Herron on March 29, three days after word of the first death, and found the residence “deserted” as staff had walked off the job.
The province’s coroner will investigate, as will police.
Numerous other long-term care homes across the country are experiencing outbreaks of the novel coronavirus, including Pinecrest Nursing Home in Bobcaygeon, Ont., which has seen 29 of its residents die in recent weeks.
And on Saturday, Bloc Quebecois Leader Yves-Francois Blanchet raised concern about temporary foreign workers arriving in Canada to work on farms.
The federal government has exempted migrant workers from COVID-19 travel restrictions because of their importance to the economy. Officials have said they’ll face health screening before travelling to Canada and will isolate for 14 days once they get here.
But Blanchet says he believes those rules don’t go far enough.
Despite coronavirus shutdowns and public health appeals to stay home, Toronto’s parks have remained busy. The city says it’s still having the same conversation every day with hundreds of people who are not taking physical distancing seriously. But that comes as no surprise to Dr. Rehman Abdulrehman.
“What we’re asking people to do is a very large task,” says Abdulrehman, a clinical and consulting psychologist based in Winnipeg. “We’re not just staying indoors, we’re cutting out every single element that makes us human, that ties us to one another.”
While Toronto’s normally busting, now empty and eerily quiet streets show us that behaviours can change. Our new COVID-19 reality also makes it glaringly apparent we have simply never experienced anything like this before.
“That uncertainty can both make people increasingly anxious or increasingly complacent,” Abdulrehman says.
You can still go for a walk through the city’s parks. But amenities like playgrounds and park benches are off-limits. And from officials, the message remains: if you are going out, you’re supposed to keep at least two metres away from anyone you don’t live with. It’s the kind of close contact the city is trying to eliminate to reduce the chances of spreading the virus.
Getting caught breaking those rules could cost you up to $1,000. But with no frame of reference for this pandemic, our new normal becomes harder to enforce.
“The whole uncertainty of not knowing what we’re dealing with is really contributing to that,” says Abdulrehman. “Add to that…public health messages take a while to enforce.”
Take for instance smoking rates in Canada. Approximately half of Canadians smoked in 1965 according to the University of Waterloo, compared to about 15 per cent in 2017. Driving down those rates has taken years of messaging from public health experts. “We don’t have that luxury of time,” Abdulrehman says.
Bylaw officers have handed out more than one hundred tickets since April 4, all involving people mingling in groups and in closed areas.
“It makes sense that people are having a hard time with it. The dilemma is where people might take a complacent point of view that this is not going to impact them.” Abdulrehman suggests changing that point of view may take more than a fine.
“One of the things we could do is be very clear and very specific. If we’re not interpreting things in the correct way,” he says, “it’s definitely going to impact our emotions which will impact our behavioural choices.”
A rapid, portable testing device for COVID-19 developed by an Ottawa company has received approval from Health Canada.
The device, which was developed by Spartan Bioscience, is a handheld DNA analyzer that allows hospitals and other institutions to independently test patients and receive results without having to send the samples away to a provincial or national lab.
The device comes with its own test cartridges and proprietary swabs, which are manufactured in Ottawa.
The test can be administered by “non-laboratory personnel” in places such as airports, border crossings, doctors’ offices, pharmacies, clinics, and remote communities.
In a release, the company said the tests can now be shipped to “Spartan’s federal and provincial government partners starting immediately.”
“We are grateful to the Government of Canada for working closely with us to expedite the review and approval process,” Paul Lem, CEO of Spartan Bioscience, said in a release.
“We are ready to start shipping our portable COVID-19 test to the federal and provincial governments, and to make them widely available to Canadians.”
A worldwide shortage of medical swabs has slowed down the traditional testing, which is especially being felt in Ontario. Until recently, the province has had the lowest testing rate for COVID-19 in Canada.
You can dye these hardboiled eggs, and they’ll keep in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. If you’re using them as decorations, don’t leave them out of the fridge longer than 2 hours.
MIX: Litre of water + 2 tablespoons of white vinegar
Dye with Beets (pink)
boil a litre of water with 2 table spoons of white vinegar
4 cups chopped beets
Let simmer for 30 mins, then strain, let mixture cool and place eggs in mixture for 30 mins, or longer for deeper tones
Dye with Cabbage (light blue)
Boil litre of water with 2 tablespoons of white vinegar
Add 3 cups of purple or red cabbage and simmer for 30 mins, let mixture cool and add eggs
Allow eggs to soak overnight (in the fridge) for the brightest blue
Dye with Tumeric (yellow)
Boil litre of water with 2 tablespoons of white vinegar
Add 3 tablespoons of turmeric, let simmer for 30 minutes. Let mixture cool and add eggs. Let it soak until the desired colour is reached.
Julia and Mimi’s Plant-Based Butter Tarts:
Plant-based meets patriotic with this Canadian classic. Rich, flaky, perfectly sweet – a dozen may not be enough.
125 mL 4 oz plus 2 Tbsp. Becel® unsalted plant-based bricks, divided
45 mL 3 Tbsp. iced water
10 mL 2 tsp. white vinegar, divided
125 mL 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
60 mL 1/4 cup corn syrup
30 mL 2 Tbsp. pure maple syrup
1 egg
5 mL 1 tsp. vanilla extract
125 mL 1/2 cup chopped pecans
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400°F (205°C). Grease 12 nonstick muffin cups; set aside. Combine flour with salt in medium bowl.
Cut in Becel® with pastry blender or fingertips, just until large crumbs begin to form.
Whisk water with 1 tsp. (5 mL) vinegar. Add just enough water mixture to flour mixture to form dough, while stirring flour mixture with fork.
Shape into a ball, then cover with plastic wrap; flatten dough into a disc.
Refrigerate at least 30 minutes.
Whisk brown sugar, corn syrup, maple syrup, egg, remaining 2 Tbsp. (30 mL) melted Becel, vanilla and remaining tsp (5 mL) vinegar.
Roll dough on lightly floured surface about 0.5 cm thick. Cut out 12 (4-in/10 cm) circles, using a lightly floured glass or circle cutter. Press circles into prepared muffin cups.
Fill cups evenly with pecans, then brown sugar mixture. Bake 10 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 375°F (190°C). Bake an additional 10 minutes or until deep golden.
Let stand in pan 2 minutes, then remove to wire rack and cool completely.
VANCOUVER — British Columbia’s former provincial health officer says he has “grave concerns” about reduced services because of COVID-19 for people struggling with drug addiction, while the manager of a supervised consumption site in Toronto says people are feeling abandoned.
Dr. Perry Kendall declared an ongoing public health emergency in B.C. four years ago as the province led the country with a record number of overdose deaths fuelled by the opioid fentanyl.
Services were ramped up through more overdose prevention and supervised consumption sites in B.C. as was distribution of take-home kits of naloxone, a medication used to reverse overdoses.
“We were making steps and strides in addressing stigma and creating access to a continuum of care, from harm reduction to medication assistance or to recovery, if that was your goal,” said Kendall, who is co-interim executive director of the BC Centre on Substance Use.
He said widespread job losses and more homelessness due to physical distancing at shelters have created even greater challenges for those battling substance use.
“Hopefully we’ll have the courage and the political will and the money to try and address it when we come through the other side of this. There are very, very, very vulnerable people out there and stigma is still raging.”
Kendall said recent amendments to the federal Controlled Drugs and Substances Act were a positive move for illicit drug users as doctors can now prescribe a broader range of safer substances, such as stimulants, benzodiazepines and hydromorphone, for those with an addiction to opioids.
However, there aren’t enough prescribers despite a BC Centre on Substance Use program that has offered online training since 2017 in addiction medicine, nor adequate linkages to care, he said.
The province is trying to increase access to addiction care through a phone line of experts, including doctors, nurses and pharmacists.
“We’re working now to set that up as quickly as we can because of this double challenge of the COVID pandemic on top of the opioid overdose epidemic,” said Kendall, who recently returned from retirement to serve on a COVID-19 advisory committee to the provincial health officer.
Jen Ko, program manager of the South Riverdale Community Health Centre in Toronto, said some of the nine overdose prevention and supervised consumption sites in the city have seen their hours cut, including one run by Toronto Public Health after an outbreak of COVID-19 among staff in late March.
“Folks are really isolated, really abandoned,” Ko said, adding that drop-in and meal programs have been suspended for the most vulnerable people, who can no longer make their usual social connection with employees wearing personal protective equipment.
“A lot of the things that people come to the service for are the human services, the connection to the staff, the conversation and support but being in PPE (means) nobody can tell who is who.”
Dr. Rita Shahin, associate medical health officer for Toronto Public Health, said one supervised injection site was closed temporarily on March 18 because of lineups and large groups gathered outside the building.
She said in an email the number of booths where drug users inject their own substances has also been reduced to two from six to maintain physical distancing.
There have also been cases of COVID-19 among staff, including those at the site, Shahin said.
Toronto had its highest number of overdose fatalities in a year last month, when 19 people died, she said.
“We want to encourage people not to use drugs alone, have a naloxone kit on hand and use a supervised consumption service if possible.”
Dr. Mark Lysyshyn, deputy chief medical health officer for the Vancouver Coastal Health authority, said some overdose prevention sites were temporarily closed due to concerns over physical distancing. But others, including the supervised injection facility Insite, continued operating as essential services that don’t require such measures.
Lysyshyn is concerned that visits to the sites have dropped by half in recent weeks.
“Some of this was because we had those temporary closures but it could also be that people are afraid to come to them because they’re worried that they will be exposed to COVID, so the alternative is to use drugs alone, which we know is a super dangerous activity.”
Two weeks ago, police in Vancouver responded to eight suspected overdose deaths, the highest number since August after a decline in fatalities over the past year, the city said.
Lysyshyn said access to illicit drugs has been more difficult for users with the Canada-U.S. border closed to non-essential travel, but the new prescribing guidelines have been positive.
“We may see that has helped people and that will move ahead the safe supply programs that were being proposed before the pandemic.”
Kirsten Duncan, a social worker in addiction medicine in acute care at Royal Jubilee Hospital in Victoria, said the resources discharged patients were referred to have mostly shut down though some have been offering online support.
“But the population we quite often deal with is street entrenched and quite often doesn’t have access to telephones and doesn’t have access to computers,” she said.
“These groups that have huge histories with trauma already, let alone the trauma of the fentanyl crisis, I can’t imagine what another crisis on top of things will do.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 9, 2020.
MONTREAL — Researchers from across Canada will collaborate on a vast clinical trial to study whether the plasma of recovered patients can be used to treat COVID-19.
The study, the largest to date ever done on the subject, will include about 50 Canadian institutions, including 15 in Quebec.
“It’s a therapy to treat the illness,” said one of the lead researchers, Dr. Philippe Begin of Montreal’s CHU Ste-Justine hospital.
“We’re talking about passive immunizations, while with a vaccine we’re talking about active immunization.”
Passive immunization consists of transfusing plasma from patients who have recovered from COVID-19 — called convalescent plasma — to patients in the early stages of the illness in order to provide protective antibodies and hopefully limit the severity of symptoms.
Plasma is the liquid portion of the blood that contains the antibodies that protect against illness.
Begin cited the proverb, “Give a man a fish and feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and feed him for a lifetime.” Teaching someone to fish, he said, would be the equivalent of a vaccine that prompts the body to make its own antibodies.
But with no vaccine available, convalescent plasma is the best alternative.
“But now we don’t have time, because we don’t yet know how to fish, so we can’t really teach it,” he said. “So the idea is that we just give the antibodies created by someone else.”
The approach was used before the development of vaccines to combat epidemics, and it’s not the first time the idea of using convalescent plasma has been raised in the fight against COVID-19. But thus far, the evidence in favour remains largely anecdotal and of poor scientific quality.
The study will include researchers from the Universite de Montreal, the Jewish General Hospital in Montreal, Hema-Quebec, McMaster University, and Sunnybrook and SickKids hospitals in Toronto, among others.
Begin admitted researchers are running “a little blind” when it comes to the use of plasma.
“We don’t have a ton of studies that tell us, it takes this kind of antibody, or this amount of plasma,” he said.
The best way to get answers is to assemble as much data as possible, as quickly as possible, he said.
“We want to go fast, and the best way to go fast is have several of us following the same protocol to put all the data together,” he said.
“We have colleagues in other countries who are interested and with whom we share our protocols.”
Plasma will be collected about a month after a patient recovers, when antibody levels are at their highest. COVID-19 was first reported in Quebec in late February, and the number of potential donors in the province remains low, although it’s growing.
Therefore, the researchers have decided the convalescent plasma will be reserved for those who are suffering from the illness, although it’s not out of the question that it could be offered later to at-risk groups, such as health-care workers, as a preventive measure.
The study is expected to last about three months and involve more than 1,000 patients.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 9, 2020
WestJet is going to tap into the federal government’s emergency wage subsidy program to re-hire more than 6,000 workers.
The Calgary-based airline announced last month that it was reducing its staff by 50 per cent with all its international flights grounded and its domestic schedule cut back drastically.
But the company can put those people back on the payroll with Ottawa offering to cover 75 per cent of wages under the federal government’s stimulus efforts.
WestJet CEO Ed Sims made the announcement over social media on Wednesday night.
“We are pleased to announce that, after substantial discussions with the federal government, that we’ll be bringing almost 6,400 employees back on the WestJet payroll once the government has approved the Canadian Emergency Wage Subsidy program.”
However, Sims noted that it the move doesn’t mean people will be back on the job right away.
“This does not automatically mean that they will be coming back to work, as there may simply not be enough work there for them, but it will help them make ends meet.”
Sims added that he was grateful for the work by the Canadian government for implementing tools that will keep businesses running “through these most challenging of times.”
CALGARY — Melissa David has seen the toll pandemic-related financial and physical strain can have on pet owners.
She runs a charity called Parachutes for Pets, which provides subsidized pet care including food hampers and medical care, for low-income residents.
“We put out 200 hampers the last two weeks of March. Normally we do about 25 a month to older people,” Bond said.
“People were literally sending us pictures of their last cup of food in their dog bag. We’re like okay we’re going to have to pool our resources and try to do what is absolutely urgent for the next month or so or however long this goes on.”
David feels strongly about making sure pets are taken care of during the COVID-19 outbreak. After all, she relies on her three dogs for support.
“They’re absolutely my lifeline. Just having their companionship and their support. My husband’s a truck driver so he’s not always home so having them is huge.”
Humane Canada, which represents humane societies and SPCAs across the country, is urging Canadians to consider their pets as part of their emergency preparedness.
“First of all, I’ve got to have enough in the house if I have to be quarantined then I need a couple of weeks of medicine and a couple of weeks of litter; a couple of weeks of food for my animals,” said Barbara Cartwright, the CEO of Humane Canada in Ottawa.
“What happens if I get sick and I get incapacitated or hospitalized? What’s the plan for my pet? Who will take care of them?” she asked.
“We’re recommending that people have at least three contacts that they can call upon to take care of their animals should they end up being hospitalized or they can no longer care for their own animals.”
Cartwright said the current pandemic has reinforced how important pets are in people’s lives. She said people also have to make sure that their furry friends observe social distancing from other animals and humans because in rare cases the animal can become infected as well.
“There’s no evidence that they can transmit to us but there is growing concern that we have to protect our pets from either getting it from other animals or getting it from other humans,” she said.
“If we’re sick we need to stay away from our animals.”
Jeanette Simeonid of Calgary spends nearly every waking moment with her two French bulldogs. One is a year old, the other is three-and-a-half months.
“I think I would go nuts if I didn’t have them because at least I can take a break and go for a walk if I need to just to get some fresh air and they totally keep you company. There’s always someone to talk to, to laugh with,” she said.
“I don’t know what I would do without them. You’re never alone. Even if you’re quarantined you’re never alone.”
Joanne Ginter, a senior psychologist with Sundancer Psychological Services in Calgary, said one of the best ways to deal with anxiety or depression during the pandemic is to have a routine, and that’s something pets require from their owners.
“The pets give you a schedule, which I think is very important for people because schedules help with anxiety, schedules help with depression. It gives us something to do during the day,” she said.
“The pets give you connection to another living being,” Ginter said.
“Any time that you feel out of control it helps if you have someone else to care about and pets give you that.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 8, 2020.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is expected to announce Wednesday further measures to financially support entrepreneurs, small businesses and young people who aren’t eligible for previously unveiled emergency federal aid programs.
Among other things, Trudeau is expected to announce a retooled Canada Summer Jobs program aimed at helping students find work in those industries that haven’t shut down due to the deadly COVID-19 pandemic.
The federal government has already unveiled the $24-billion Canada Emergency Response Benefit for people who’ve lost their jobs and a $71-billion wage subsidy program for companies that have lost 30 per cent of their revenues because of the health crisis.
But in the rush to get those programs up and running as fast as possible, eligibility rules were set that threaten to leave hundreds of thousands of Canadians without financial assistance.
An analysis by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives last week estimated one-third of unemployed Canadians, about 862,000, won’t get help from employment insurance or the CERB. Another 390,000 will get some help, but below the $500 per week under the CERB.
Among those who may be left out are contract or gig economy workers who want to keep small jobs or who can’t afford to go without work for two weeks to qualify for the emergency benefit.
Volunteer firefighters or municipal politicians who receive an honorarium for their work, even if they have lost their day jobs due to COVID-19, could also be shut out.
Trudeau has repeatedly affirmed that more help is coming for those who’ve fallen through the cracks between the emergency aid programs announced so far.
Treasury Board President Jean-Yves Duclos said Tuesday that the government is moving into the “second stage” of its financial assistance.
The government is “considering other actions to help other people that may not have lost all their income but may have, may be working in conditions where they don’t have the income that the $2,000 (per month) CERB would otherwise provide,” Duclos said.
To qualify for the CERB, a worker must have earned at least $5,000 in the last year, seen their income drop to zero as a result of COVID-19, and either not worked — or don’t expect to work — for 14 days in the initial four-week period.
Small businesses have complained that the 30 per cent revenue loss required to be eligible for the 75 per cent wage subsidy is too restrictive and will leave out many companies.
The government was still in discussions late Tuesday with opposition parties about the details of the wage subsidy program, which needs to be approved by Parliament.
The first economic aid package, approved by a skeleton Parliament last month, became the subject of controversy when opposition parties discovered the Liberals were seeking extraordinary powers to spend, tax and borrow without parliamentary approval for almost two years.
What was supposed to be a brief return of Parliament, which has been adjourned since mid-March, turned into a day-long marathon of behind-the-scenes negotiations with opposition parties before the bill was finally passed in the wee hours of the morning.
This time, the government is hoping to avoid a repeat of that experience by negotiating the wage subsidy details with opposition parties in advance and only recalling Parliament once a consensus is reached.
Trudeau is expected to provide today an update on the progress of those discussions.
When the International Convention of Alcoholics Anonymous was cancelled to prevent the spread of COVID-19, it became clear the fellowship had to start getting creative.
The conference, originally scheduled for the first weekend of July, would have seen nearly 50,000 members meet in Detroit to share experiences and lessons in their shared struggles with addiction. But restrictions on public gatherings forced the cancellation of that event, as well as weekly meetings in countless communities.
“We just went, ‘Oh my God, this is real. Like, this is really real,’” said one AA member, who is also the alternate general service delegate for Area 82, which serves Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador.
“We were hopeful that this wasn’t going to be too long and then we got an email from General Service Office saying that the international world convention was cancelled,” she said.
Alcoholics Anonymous groups often meet in legion halls, churches, or other public meeting spaces. Those buildings have been closed by public health officials across Canada to help the slow the spread of the novel coronavirus.
Finding alternatives to in-person meetings has been a challenge.
The teleconferencing app Zoom has become a popular alternative because it allows people to call in from a land line.
However, for the first few weeks of physical distancing, AA was posting the co-ordinates of its Zoom meetings online and making them open to the public, which led to several incidents of online “trolls” posting graphic photos in the chatroom or harassing participants in other ways.
Passwords have since become the norm. But in a decentralized organization where anonymity is a central tenet, it’s hard enough to get the word out about online meetings, let alone passwords.
“I was in bed and my phone started ringing and it didn’t stop ringing for about three hours because people were trying to figure out how to find passwords for meetings because we didn’t have passwords the day before,” said the AA member who, as a service delegate, had her number posted on the area website. “That was a little learning curve.”
Another challenge is that AA works on the principle of attraction rather than promotion.
Members not only remain anonymous, but abide by the idea that the organization should have no opinion on outside issues. AA also never endorses or offers financial support or prestige to any outside organizations.
That makes it exceptionally difficult to announce that all meetings have moved online. Even for one member to be interviewed for this article, it required a vote by local members that then had to be approved by AA’s General Service Office in New York.
In the Atlantic region, AA has reached out to doctor’s offices, hospitals, and detox centres where addicts might wind up. Public service announcements have also gone out on community cable channels and radio stations.
The general service delegate says that to simulate the socialization of in-person gatherings, the Zoom meetings usually open 30 minutes early and people stay on long after the formal portion of the meeting is done.
“We miss hugging and handshakes. And, you know, Joe always brought cookies,” she said. “But we’re trying our best.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 7, 2020.
With donation bins overflowing and in some cases surrounded by illegally dumped garbage, Diabetes Canada has issued an open letter to community leaders and elected officials to help raise awareness about the issue.
The association, which stopped donation pickups on March 23 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, said the bin situation is “posing a serious health and safety issue.”
Many Canadians have used their extra time at home to declutter in recent weeks. However, with thrift stores closed and most bins taped off or full, there are few options available to donate items.
Diabetes Canada said it does not have the financial resources to deploy staff to clean the rubbish around its over 5,000 bins around the country.
The association said it has contacted government agencies to help remove the garbage, but efforts have been unsuccessful.
“Diabetes Canada donation bins are overflowing and some are becoming a dumping ground for well-meaning citizens who want to support our work,” the open letter said.
The donation pickup stoppage resulted in the temporary layoff of over 500 staffers, the association said.
Canadians remained aboard the COVID-19-stricken Coral Princess cruise ship on Sunday, a full day after some passengers were allowed on dry land.
New guidelines from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control saying cruise passengers shouldn’t board commercial planes have limited who is allowed off the ship, Princess Cruises said in a statement, adding that only those with imminent chartered flights can disembark.
“This will unfortunately result in further delays in disembarkation and onward travel for many guests as we work through this complex, challenging and unfortunate situation,” the statement said.
Only those bound for Australia, the U.K. and California have been allowed to leave the ship.
North Vancouver resident Sanford Osler said he and his wife are more than ready to head home, and they hope the federal government will help speed up the process.
“Princess says they will try to a arrange a chartered flight for us, but we are calling on Canada to send a plane down for us,” Osler said in an email.
The couple is among 97 Canadian passengers aboard the ship, which left Santiago, Chile, on March 5 and docked in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on Friday.
Osler said the last time he was on dry land was March 13, and passengers have been confined to their rooms for nearly a week.
“We’re still healthy but do want to get off this ship and get home,” said Osler, 70.
Two people aboard the ship have died, and 12 have tested positive for COVID-19, Princess Cruises has said. Still more are experiencing flu-like symptoms.
Global Affairs said Sunday that apart from the Coral Princess, it knows of 49 Canadian passengers and eight Canadian crew members on seven ships.
It said it isn’t aware of any of those people testing positive for the novel coronavirus.
Cruise ships have been a hotbed for the novel coronavirus beginning in February, when the largest outbreak outside mainland China was aboard the Diamond Princess ship, also operated by Princess Cruises.
The Diamond Princess was quarantined for two weeks in Yokohama, Japan, because of the virus. Ultimately, about 700 of the 3,700 people aboard became infected in what experts pronounced a public-health failure. They cite the close quarters and frequent socialization as contributing to the spread.
The federal government eventually evacuated 129 Canadians from the ill-fated ship and brought them to eastern Ontario for quarantine on Feb. 21, but 47 Canadians infected by the virus had to stay behind in Japan for treatment.
More recently, Canadians on the MS Zaandam and MS Rotterdam, arrived in Canada on a plane chartered by operator Holland America.
The COVID-19 pandemic has affected every province and territory. Medical officers of health and Canada’s chief public health officer are encouraging people to wash their hands, give each other space and wear a mask if they’re sick.
Ottawa has put money into health-care research and the economy. It has also put restrictions on international travel and is enforcing 14-day quarantines for travellers returning to Canada to try to limit spread of the novel coronavirus.
Classes are suspended or cancelled at schools throughout the country.
Each province and territory also has its own emergency measures to detect cases and prevent spread of the virus.
Here’s a look at some of the ways different jurisdictions are responding:
British Columbia
B.C. declared a provincial state of emergency on March 18, a day after announcing a public health emergency.
The measure gives the province authority to take any action necessary to protect people and communities, including charging people who ignore public health orders.
The province has also prohibited reselling essential supplies such as food and cleaning material.
All parking fees at B.C. hospitals starting April 1 will be cancelled to ensure safer access for patients and staff.
Officials have prohibited gatherings of more than 50 people in one place, including restaurants, schools, places of worship, theatres, casinos, sports arenas and outdoor venues.
Some provincial parks are closed.
Officials have also issued fire restrictions as the wildfire season begins.
Premier John Horgan says he is extending the state of emergency through the end of April 14.
—
Alberta
Alberta declared a public health emergency on March 17.
The province has given law enforcement agencies full authority to enforce orders and issue fines for violations.
There are restrictions on mass gatherings of more than 15 people, both indoors and outdoors at places of worship, weddings or funerals. Any gathering must allow people to keep the two-metre distance from others.
All non-essential businesses have been ordered closed, including personal service providers, clothing stores and furniture stores.
Albertans are prohibited from attending public or private recreational and entertainment facilities. Restaurants have been ordered closed, except for takeout or delivery. Casinos are closed.
Vehicle access to provincial parks and public lands is also prohibited to visitors.
Albertans who have been ordered to quarantine cannot leave their property for 14 days. That also bars people who live in apartments to use the elevators.
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Saskatchewan
Premier Scott Moe declared a provincial state of emergency on March 18.
It directs all orders from the chief medical health officer be followed and gives police the authority to enforce them.
Public gatherings are limited to no more than 10 people.
Nightclubs, bars and lounges are closed, but they are allowed to provide takeout food or alcohol.
Recreational and entertainment facilities are closed. Personal service providers such as tattoists, hairdressers, estheticians and relaxation masseuses cannot operate.
Dental, optometrist, chiropractic and podiatry clinics are closed — except for emergencies.
—
Manitoba
The Manitoba government declared a provincewide state of emergency on March 20.
The province has limited public gatherings to no more than 10 people, down from an earlier limit of 50.
It includes any indoor or outdoor spot, places of worship or family events such as weddings and funerals.
Non-essential businesses have been ordered to close. Salons, spas, bars and other establishments will be closed starting Wednesday. Restaurants can remain open for takeout or delivery only.
The closures do not affect health-care facilities, government services and other institutions.
Bingo and gaming venues as well as wellness centres and gyms are closed.
The province is also letting people hurt by the COVID-19 economic fallout avoid penalties and interest on some utility payments and property taxes.
—
Ontario
Ontario declared a state of emergency on March 24.
All business except those deemed essential have been shut down.
All industrial construction except for essential projects, such as hospitals, has been halted.
All bars and restaurants, except for takeout and delivery, have been closed.
Also closed are recreational facilities, public libraries, private schools, licensed child-care centres, movie theatres and concert venues.
Any public events of more than 50 people, including parades, events and services at places of worship, are prohibited.
Provincial parks are closed.
The City of Toronto has also shut down playgrounds, sports fields, off-leash dog parks, skateboard parks and picnic areas. Parking lots attached to parks are closed.
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Quebec
Quebec declared a public health emergency on March 13 and renewed it a week later.
The government has reduced non-priority services and prohibited indoor and outdoor gatherings.
On March 28, the Quebec government ordered police to set up checkpoints, severely curtailing access to eight remote regions. The restrictions have since been extended banning all non-essential travel to much of cottage country north of Montreal, and to Charlevoix, northeast of Quebec City.
Quebec has also prohibited non-essential visits to hospitals, residential and long-term care centres or between children in foster families and their biological families.
Designated clinics have been opened for anyone displaying symptoms.
To give retail employees a break, stores will be closing on Sundays in April, with only pharmacies, gas stations, convenience stores and takeout restaurants remaining open on those days.
Montreal’s mayor has also declared a state of emergency to help authorities better manage the spread of COVID-19 among the city’s homeless.
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New Brunswick
A state of emergency was declared in New Brunswick on March 19.
Businesses serving food and beverages have been restricted to takeout and delivery. Lounges and clubs are forbidden from allowing customers to enter.
Customers are not allowed to enter retail businesses, unless they serve food, medication, fuel or other essential supplies.
Many health services — such as chiropractors, dentists and optometrists — are prohibited from seeing patients in person unless absolutely necessary.
No gatherings larger than 10 people are allowed and residents are urged to stay home as much as possible.
Any unnecessary travel into New Brunswick is prohibited.
—
Nova Scotia
The province of Nova Scotia declared a state of emergency on March 22.
It set out specific rules for self-isolation and self-quarantine for people returning from outside Canada.
All schools and daycares are closed. Long-term care facilities and residential care facilities are closed to visitors.
Casinos have closed and no business is allowed to operate a video lottery terminal.
Restaurants are restricted to takeout and delivery service only. Drinking establishments are closed.
There are also restrictions on health professionals such as chiropractors and dentists.
—
Prince Edward Island
Premier Dennis King declared a public health emergency on March 16.
It included an order to Islanders to refrain from attending any public gatherings and a closure of libraries, child-care facilities, gyms and schools.
Measures announced a week later included fines for anyone who doesn’t comply with a direction to self-isolate.
The public health officer recommends people who are self-isolating stay on their own property when outside.
The government is working to open an out-patient clinic to allow for increased testing and to ease the load on hospitals.
—
Newfoundland and Labrador
The province declared a public health emergency on March 18.
It includes the closure of most businesses — with the exception of grocery stores, pharmacies, gas stations and other stores considered essential.
Gatherings of more than 10 people are not allowed. That includes funerals and weddings.
Anyone arriving from outside the province is required to self-isolate for 14 days.
Health officials have the authority to restrict the rights and freedoms of people in a time of crisis. People who violate orders face fines.
—
Yukon
Yukon declared a state of emergency on March 27.
Yukon residents flying into Canada with COVID-19 symptoms must quarantine at their arrival destination, and those without symptoms are ordered to self-isolate for 14 days when they get home.
Yukon has asked everyone arriving in the territory, including mine workers, to self-isolate for 14 days.
The government has closed bars and limited social gatherings to 10 people or less.
Recreation facilities, libraries, museums and visitor centres are closed. School classes are suspended until at least April 15.
Long-term care facilities are closed to visitors and volunteers, while all non-urgent or routine services, including lab tests, X-rays, physiotherapy and occupational therapy are suspended.
All dentists must also suspend non-urgent treatment until further notice.
—
Northwest Territories
The Northwest Territories declared a public health emergency on March 18, which has now been upgraded to a state of emergency.
It requires anyone who arrives in the territory from outside its boundary to self-isolate for 14 days.
Travel through all points of entry into the territory — both air and road — is prohibited.
The orders exclude essential service workers such as medical professionals or emergency services.
The territory has asked that all indoor and outdoor gatherings be cancelled — regardless of size or number.
Many businesses, including tour operators, gyms, museums and theatres, have been ordered to close.
The government said it will help Indigenous families who want to head out on the land as an alternative to physical distancing. It will administer a $2.6-million grant to help families buy the proper gear and supplies to head out to fishing and hunting camps.
—
Nunavut
Nunavut declared a public health emergency on March 20.
It has no known cases of COVID-19, but it has restrictions in place.
There is a mandatory 14-day self-isolation period at one of four locations in southern Canada for any resident that wants to return to Nunavut.
Critical employees who need to return to work must apply for an exemption.
All non-essential medical travel has been cancelled.
Public gatherings, including at playgrounds or parks and at religious, cultural or spiritual services is prohibited.
—
Sources: Provincial and territorial government websites
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 6, 2020
The agency is trying to keep demand from overwhelming its online and telephone systems.
More than two million Canadians lost their jobs in the last half of March as businesses across the country were forced to close or reduce their operations to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus.
Others are unable to work because they are required to self-isolate at home, or need to look after children whose schools and daycares are closed.
Finance Minister Bill Morneau anticipates the wage benefit will cost the government $24 billion.
People born in April, May and June can apply Tuesday, those born in July, August or September can apply Wednesday and applications are accepted Thursday from people born in October, November and December. Friday, Saturday and Sunday will be open to anyone.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Sunday Canadians who sign up for direct deposit could get their first payment before the end of the week. It’s anticipated direct deposit applicants will get money within three to five days, while those who opt for printed cheques will get money in 10 days.
“While we still have a lot of work to do, we’re making good progress on getting you the support you need as quickly as possible,” Trudeau said.
However, opposition parties say there are some glaring holes in the aid that is leaving some people in need out of the program completely.
Conservative finance critic Pierre Poilievre said there are “serious design and delivery flaws” that should be fixed.
Poilievre said some small business owners who paid themselves with dividends don’t qualify because they won’t have $5,000 of employment income in 2019 as the benefit requires. Further, he said a worker who has lost most of their income but still has one contract or a handful of clients won’t qualify for any money because you can’t have any current income in order to be eligible.
“They are effectively banned from doing any amount of work that might help keep their business open,” he said.
Poilievre said there are some easy fixes, including adjusting the wage benefit down slightly if a worker earns some income, much like happens when someone is collecting employment insurance but manages to find work temporarily.
He also wants small business owners to be viewed as employees for the purposes of the emergency response benefit.
NDP MPs Peter Julian and Gord Johns wrote to Morneau Sunday also asking for changes, including to address the fact the benefit provides an incentive not to work at all.
They said workers who have lost most but not all of their shifts, or lost one part-time job but not the other, “are living on significantly reduced incomes” but won’t qualify for the benefit.
“The consequences are that they are now asking to be laid off or furloughed so that they can access the CERB,” they wrote. “This is causing significant disruptions to normal business, to essential services, and to community contributions on local economies.”
Opposition parties also want more clarity on the government’s biggest aid program, the $71 billion, emergency wage subsidy, that will cover up to 75 per cent of wages for businesses that choose to keep employees on the payroll rather than laying them off.
Poilievre said it is going to take too long for businesses to see any of that money, and some of them won’t survive that long.
The Conservatives and NDP both want the government to reconsider the requirement for businesses to show a 30 per cent drop in revenue in order to qualify.
To be eligible for the emergency benefit, workers must have earned at least $5,000 in 2019, or in the 12 months before applying. The benefit is the same for everyone regardless of previous income, and is a less complicated application process than for employment insurance.
Emmy and Grammy-winning musician and songwriter Adam Schlesinger, known for his work with his band Fountains of Wayne and on the TV show “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend,” died Wednesday after contracting the coronavirus, his attorney said.
Schlesinger died at a hospital in upstate New York, his longtime lawyer Josh Grier told The Associated Press. It is not clear where or how Schelsinger, a 51-year-old father of two, contracted the virus. He had been sedated and on a ventilator for several days.
Schlesinger was nominated for 10 Emmys for writing comical songs across several television shows, winning three. He was nominated for an Academy Award for writing the title song to the 1997 Tom Hanks-directed movie “That Thing You Do.”
Raised in New York and Montclair, New Jersey, Schlesinger formed Fountains of Wayne, named for a lawn ornament store in Wayne, New Jersey, in 1995 with his classmate from Williams College Chris Collingwood.
With Schlesinger playing bass and singing backup and Collingwood playing guitar and singing lead, and the two men co-writing songs, the band known for its sunny harmonies and synthesis of pop, rock punk and comedy would have hits in 1996 with “Radiation Vibe” and 2003 with “Stacy’s Mom.” The latter was nominated for a Grammy.
Schlesinger would then drop behind the scenes and go on to be known for his writing.
He won the 2009 Grammy for best comedy album for writing the songs on “A Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift of All!” a companion to a TV Christmas special with songs performed by Stephen Colbert and Elvis Costello.
In recent years he was known along with the show’s star Rachel Bloom as one of the songwriters behind “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend,” the musical comedy series on the CW.
Last year, Schlesinger, Bloom and Jack Dolgen won an Emmy for the show’s song, “Antidepressants Are So Not A Big Deal.”
In The News is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to kickstart your day. Here is what’s on the radar of our editors for the morning of April 2 …
COVID-19 in Canada …
One of Canada’s largest veterans’ organizations is urging the federal government to automatically approve the roughly 44,000 outstanding applications for disability benefits from injured veterans to help them better deal with the COVID-19 crisis.
The call from the National Council of Veteran Associations, which represents more than 60 veteran groups, comes amid fears about the financial and emotional toll the pandemic is taking on veterans struggling with mental and physical wounds.
Veterans Affairs Canada says staff are still processing claims as they work from home and that there are no immediate plans to automatically approve the backlog, which was already a source of frustration and anger for many veterans forced to wait years for support even before COVID-19.
But the COVID-19 crisis presents yet another barrier for veterans to get their applications approved, said council chairman Brian Forbes, who is also executive director of The War Amps Canada and a member of Veterans Affairs Minister Lawrence MacAulay’s policy advisory group.
“It was bad enough as far as the backlog and the delays and the number of new claims (before COVID-19),” Forbes said in an interview “And then when you put the coronavirus on top of it, you’ve got a perfect storm. Things are just not getting done.”
—
Also this …
Thousands of people smiled, laughed, shook hands and conversed at one of the largest dental conferences in North America last month unaware of a deadly virus circling among them.
More than 15,000 attendees, presenters or vendors were part of the Pacific Dental Conference at the Vancouver Convention Centre in early March. Six days later, public health officials sent out a warning: an attendee had tested positive for COVID-19.
More positive tests followed. A dentist from British Columbia, Dr. Denis Vincent, died two weeks after the convention.
In the days and weeks that followed, positive cases linked to the conference popped up across Canada: at least 32 in B.C., nine in Alberta and three in Saskatchewan.
It’s not known how many people were infected with the novel coronavirus at the convention because not all regions have provided that information.
—
COVID-19 in the U.S. …
President Donald Trump is resisting calls to issue a national stay-at-home order to stem the spread of the new coronavirus despite his administration’s projections that tens of thousands of Americans are likely to be killed by the disease. One by one, though, states are increasingly pushing shutdown orders of their own.
Trump said Wednesday he wants to give governors’ “flexibility” on whether a stay-at-home policy is the best option for their constituents, but acknowledged that he’s looking at limiting air and rail travel between hot spots within the United States. The president remains hesitant to press a unified policy even after the White House released “sobering” new projections on Tuesday that 100,000 to 240,000 Americans will likely succumb to the coronavirus even if current social distancing guidelines are maintained.
Surgeon General Jerome Adams said Wednesday the nation’s federalist system leaves much of the authority on how to properly respond to catastrophes to individual state governors and local officials.
“We trust the governors and the mayors to understand their people and understand whether or not they feel like they can trust the people in their states to make the right decisions,” Adams said on ABC’s “Good Morning America.”
On Wednesday alone, five more states — Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Nevada and Pennsylvania — added or expanded their stay-at-home orders.
—
COVID-19 around the world …
The Taliban said the group was ready to declare a cease-fire in areas of Afghanistan under its control if they are hit by a coronavirus outbreak.
The announcement follows a U.N. Security Council statement Tuesday urging Afghanistan’s warring parties to heed the U.N. secretary-general’s call for an immediate cease-fire to respond to the pandemic and ensure the delivery of humanitarian aid throughout the country.
“If, God forbid, the outbreak happens in an area where we control the situation then we will stop fighting in that area,” Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Muajhed told The Associated Press.
The Taliban have also said they would guarantee the security of health and aid workers travelling to their areas offering assistance to prevent the spread of the new virus.
It wasn’t clear how many cases would need to be confirmed in any given area for the insurgent group to announce a cease-fire and there was no immediate response from the government.
—
COVID-19 in sports
Wimbledon was cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic, the first time since World War II that the oldest Grand Slam tennis tournament won’t be played.
The All England Club announced after an emergency meeting that the event it refers to simply as The Championships is being scrapped for 2020.
Wimbledon was scheduled to be played on the club’s grass courts on the outskirts of London from June 29 to July 12.
Instead, the next edition of the tournament will be June 28 to July 11, 2021.
Also Wednesday, the ATP and WTA announced that the men’s and women’s professional tennis tours would be suspended until at least July 13. They already had been on hold through June 7.
Wimbledon first was held in 1877 and has been contested every year since, with the exception of two stretches: from 1915-18 because of World War I, and from 1940-45 because of World War II.
—
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 2, 2020.
OTTAWA — Canada Revenue Agency employees know a giant spotlight will be pointed at them come Monday.
That’s when they begin the monumental task of delivering on historic federal benefits meant to mitigate the disastrous economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Normally at tax time the agency has between 3,000 and 4,000 employees working the phones at call centres across the country. But this is no normal year.
More than 1,000 CRA employees have volunteered to bolster those numbers and take calls from an estimated 300,000 Canadians per day who are expected to inquire about the government’s $2,000-a-month Canada Emergency Response Benefit.
Those calls will be fielded from the kitchens, living rooms and home offices of the agency’s employees, who have like so many Canadians been forced to work from home as part of Canada-wide efforts to lessen the spreading of the novel coronavirus.
Marc Briere, national president of the Union of Taxation Employees, which represents most CRA workers, says it’s a historic challenge, and one that he hopes will show Canadians they are not just tax collectors.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 2, 2020.
U.S. President Donald Trump says there are plans to remove nearly 250 Canadians from two cruise ships and get them back to Canada.
The U.S. Coast Guard has directed all cruise ships to remain at sea where they may be sequestered “indefinitely” during the coronavirus pandemic, but Trump said Canada is coming to get the Canadians from the MS Zaandam and its sister ship the Rotterdam.
“We’re taking the Canadians off and giving them to Canadian authorities. They’re going to bring them back home,” Trump said at his daily press briefing on Wednesday.
Trump said the same is true for citizens of the United Kingdom on the ships.
The president said states have been reluctant to take cruise guests, but he feels the U.S. is obligated to help. He said at a minimum, the U.S. will send medical teams on board.
“You have people that are sick on those ships and states don’t want to take them,” Trump said.
“They have enough problems right now and they don’t want to take them, but we have to from a humane standpoint. We don’t have a choice. I don’t want to do that, but we have to. People are dying.”
According to the U.S. Coast Guard, cruise ships must also be prepared to send any severely ill passengers to the countries where the vessels are registered.
The rules, which apply to any vessel carrying more than 50 people, were issued in a March 29 safety bulletin signed by Coast Guard Rear Admiral E.C. Jones, whose district includes Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and Puerto Rico.
But Trump said Tuesday he was going to speak with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis about whether to allow the Zaandam and the Rotterdam, one of which has seen four people die and 200 passengers and crew report flu-like symptoms, to dock.
Global Affairs Canada said in a statement that there are 97 Canadian passengers on the Zaandam and 150 Canadians on the Rotterdam. At this time, no COVID-19 cases have been confirmed among Canadian passengers.
“We continue to engage with the passengers and Holland America to co-ordinate travel for Canadian citizens back to Canada upon disembarkation,” Global Affairs said.
The Zaandam, which set sail in early March on a South American cruise, is carrying sick passengers and crew, while passengers not showing symptoms were transferred to the Rotterdam, which was sent to the region to help. Both ships have cleared the Panama Canal and are sailing toward Florida. Two of four deaths on the Zaandam have been blamed on COVID-19 and nine people have tested positive for the novel coronavirus, the company said.
Catherine McLeod, an Ottawa resident who was recently transferred to the Rotterdam from the Zaandam, said the captain came on the internal television system last night and “proposed a toast to world health and our safe return home.”
Champagne and sweets were left outside each passenger’s doors.
The Rotterdam captain “is a class act, so was the captain of the Zaandam,” McLeod said in an email. “This guy has made some excellent speeches regarding his and the crew’s devotion to getting us out of here healthy.”
The ship was off the northwest coast of Cuba by late Wednesday morning. McLeod said passengers have been told they’ll reach Florida by Thursday morning.
“We were told that Holland America would arrange for our transportation home, and received a call yesterday from guest services asking our destination,” McLeod said.
They remain hopeful they won’t be stranded at sea.
DeSantis said he expected a resolution Wednesday after speaking with Trump, but port authorities later said discussions between the company and officials over the terms of docking were ongoing and they did not expect to update Broward County commissioners on Wednesday as it was foreseen at the Tuesday meeting.
DeSantis maintained Florida’s health care system is stretched too thin to take on the ships’ coronavirus caseload, but he said he would accept the 49 Florida residents on board.
“My concern is simply that we have worked so hard to make sure we have adequate hospital beds,” he said.
Holland America said in a statement Wednesday night that it is awaiting confirmation to disembark guests from both ships in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. The company said both ships are scheduled to arrive at the boundary of U.S. waters early Thursday and will remain there while waiting for clearance.
The ships are on the Port Everglades docking schedule for Thursday afternoon at 1 and 1:30 p.m. ET.
Holland America also said guests fit to travel would transfer straight from ships to flights so they can return home. The approximately 45 guests who still have mild illness would continue to isolate on board. For the estimated less than 10 people needing critical care, Holland America says it has secured approval from a local health system partner that will accept them for treatment.
More than two dozen cruise ships are either lined up at Port Miami and Port Everglades or waiting offshore, the Miami Herald reported. Most have only crew aboard, but several still carry passengers and are steaming toward ports in southern Florida. Carnival notified the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Tuesday that it has more than 6,000 passengers still at sea.
Under normal conditions, when a passenger or crew member become too ill for the ship’s medical team to care for, they call the Coast Guard to provide a medical evacuation to an onshore hospital. Under the new rules, sick passengers would be sequestered indefinitely on board.
“This is necessary as shore-side medical facilities may reach full capacity and lose the ability to accept and effectively treat additional critically ill patients,” the Coast Guard memo said.
The document requires all ships in U.S. waters to report their numbers of sick and dead on board each day or face civil penalties or criminal prosecution.
Cruise ships with sick passengers must consult with the Coast Guard, which may now recommend keeping the sick person on board. The Coast Guard will decide if a transfer is absolutely necessary, but the cruise line would be responsible for arranging on-shore transportation and hospital beds.
With files from Liam Casey in Toronto and The Associated Press
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