BC-Daily Register

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The Associated Press

Latest Stories

  • Muslim teachers in Quebec disappointed as landmark religious symbols ruling faces appeal

    Amar Al-Shakfa dropped off her CV at a Montreal school on Wednesday, a day after learning English school boards would be exempt from the province's ban on religious symbols under a new court ruling. Al-Shakfa, a 25-year-old Montrealer who wears a hijab, believed the decision meant she could get a job in an English public school when she graduates later this year. "I was very excited. I was jumping all around. It was unexpected for me," Al-Shakfa said in an interview. Her hopes, however, were dashed hours later, when it became clear that the ban will remain in effect pending an appeal. "It's just so frustrating. It's so crazy that they are doing all this for a piece of fabric," she said. The Quebec Superior Court ruling declared Tuesday that Bill 21, the provincial law banning teachers from wearing religious symbols at work, interfered with minority language education rights protected by the Constitution. Appeal blunts exemption ruling A spokesperson for the English Montreal School Board said the board started hearing from applicants like Al-Shakfa soon after the decision landed. "We were quite excited and started receiving calls from people who we were going to proceed and interview," said Mike Cohen. Quebec Justice Minister Simon Jolin-Barrette said the province would appeal the decision shortly after it was announced. (Jacques Boissinot/The Canadian Press) He noted the board, like most educational institutions in the province, is coping with a shortage of teachers. But the Quebec government has signalled it will appeal the decision, effectively freezing it from having any effect until the case is heard again at a higher court, which could take at least a year. Al-Shakfa, is still hoping to get a job in Quebec. She studied environmental science at Montreal's Concordia University, and is nearly finished her master's in education at McGill University. But for now she has set her sights on trying to find a position teaching science in a private school, where the religious symbols ban doesn't apply. "I was born in Canada," she said. "Teaching was always my passion so it's not going to stop me." Ruling highlights diversity in English system Other than the exemption for English schools, the Superior Court decision largely left Bill 21 intact. But that exemption sparked outrage in nationalist circles, prompting concerns the judge was allowing the anglophone community to disobey laws passed by Quebec's National Assembly. On Wednesday, the legislature unanimously passed a motion saying its laws "apply everywhere in Quebec." In carving out the exception for Anglo schools, Justice Marc-André Blanchard highlighted the importance these schools place on "celebrating religious and ethnic diversity." This diversity, he said, represented an asset to both students and other teachers, and was an integral part of the anglophone community's culture. WATCH | How Quebec's religious symbols law has changed the lives of three teachers: Elsewhere in the decision, Blanchard noted the effects of the religious symbols ban would be felt in particular by Muslim women who wear the hijab. Bill 21 violated both their religious freedoms and freedom of expression, Blanchard said. But, he added, because the government invoked the notwithstanding clause, those violations can't be used as grounds for invalidating the law. Minority language education rights, on the other hand, are not subjected to the override clause. Limited options, progress stunted With no prospect of relief from the ban in the near future, many Muslim teachers are now being forced to confront, yet again, feeling excluded from Quebec social life. Maha Kassef, who wears a hijab and teaches at a French elementary school on Montreal's West Island, was able to keep her job after the law passed in 2019 because of a grandfather clause. But she can't be promoted or work anywhere else in the province without being forced to remove her headscarf. Students and staff at Westmount High School show their support for the court ruling against parts of Bill 21. The high school is part of the English Montreal School Board, one of the plaintiffs in the case. (Ryan Remiorz/The Canadian Press) Kassef had aspirations of becoming a principal. Instead, she works part-time as a homeroom teacher for grades 2 and 4. "It's weird, but I've done everything that any Quebecer does in their life," she said. "To be presented with something like this, it just made me feel like I'm less of a person, less of a human being." Nadia Zaidi resigned from her job as an elementary school teacher last year, even though the grandfather clause allowed her to keep working. "I would never have the courage to one day explain to my students that I was able to keep my hijab [only] because I was hired a couple of years ago," she said. Zaidi said she is considering leaving Quebec with her family because of the law. "You realize that in the province you grew up in, you no longer feel at the same level as everybody else just because of my faith and because I choose to wear a hijab," Zaidi said.

  • Israel intensifying air war in Syria against Iranian encroachment

    Israel has dramatically expanded air strikes on suspected Iranian missile and weapons production centres in Syria to repel what it sees as a stealthy military encroachment by its regional arch-enemy, Western and regional intelligence sources say. Capitalising on a longtime alliance with Syria, Iran is moving parts of its advanced missile and arms industry into pre-existing underground compounds to develop a sophisticated arsenal within range of Israeli population centres, according to Israeli and Western intelligence sources and Syrian defectors. Israel tolerated the entry of thousands of Iranian militia fighters from Lebanon, Iraq and Afghanistan into Syria to fight alongside President Bashar al-Assad against insurgents seeking to topple his authoritarian family rule.

  • Father of 21-year-old student who fell into sea at Flatrock recounts harrowing tragedy

    Don Jayasinghe stands near a search and rescue operation on Thursday afternoon in Flatrock, a day after his son Supul slipped on rocks near the water and fell in.(Terry Roberts/CBC) Supul Jayasinghe had just closed the books on his final exam at Memorial University. To celebrate, the 21-year-old biology student and his family strolled along the Flatrock coast Wednesday evening, soaking up the sun. "We simply looked around [at] the sea," Don Jayasinghe, Supul's father, told CBC News Thursday at the very place where a family outing took a tragic turn in just a matter of seconds. Don Jayasinghe said his son, running after the family dog Neo, slipped on the rocks and ended up in the water as his parents looked on. "No, don't go son, don't go there," Jayasinghe recalled shouting. His father said Supul, surprised by ending up in the water, initially took the fall lightly. "But when he was trying to come out ... whatever he touched, slipped," Jayasinghe said. His son tumbled in the waves as the current carried him further out from shore. This photo of Supul Jayasinghe, sent to CBC by his family, was taken minutes before the young man slipped and fell into the water.(Submitted by Don Jayasinghe) "I was following him, talking to him. And suddenly he understood it is difficult. He asked my help, 'Dad, help me,'" Jayasinghe said. His father tried to throw the dog's leash to Supul, and nearly fell into the water himself. His son seemed to float, treading water, as darkness fell. Ten minutes later, he vanished. 'He's gone' Supul's family expressed stoic acceptance of their loss Wednesday, speaking openly to CBC about the ordeal. "I am a Buddhist. So everything happens with a reason. So therefore I have the courage still to stand and talk to you," Jayasinghe said. "What has happened has happened … He's gone." Jayasinghe described his son as a "very beautiful soul," a well-rounded young man who excelled in sports and at school. He volunteered and had aspirations in medicine, and as a teenager even earned a private pilot's licence and a spot in the local Alberta paper, according to his tearful mother, Chandima. The search continues for a 21-year-old man who went into the ocean in Flatrock Wednesday night. (Ted Dillon/CBC) Supul dreamed one day about joining Doctors Without Borders, travelling the world to help the sick, his father said, even saying he'd give up his salary to locals who needed it more. "That's how he was ... all the time he was thinking [of] other people, not himself." The Jayasinghe family moved to Canada from Sri Lanka to encourage that dream. They spent years in Ontario, then Alberta, before settling in Newfoundland and Labrador in 2017. "So far," Jayasinghe said, "we don't have any idea what's next." The father, standing near the shore that took his son, implored others to stay vigilant near the icy water. "Young people, please listen to your parents ... don't ignore their advice," he said firmly. "Because if our son heard our words — 'come back, come back, don't go there, don't go there' — he would have been still alive today." As of Thursday afternoon, rescuers haven't yet deemed the operation a recovery mission. If that happens, and if a body is eventually found, the family says it won't change how they feel. "It doesn't return our son," Jayasinghe said. "Our son is gone forever." Search continues in air and at sea The sea and air search continues Thursday, as the young man's parents and friends remain at the scene. A spokesperson from the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary was expected to speak with reporters early Thursday afternoon. A helicopter from 103 Search and Rescue Squadron in Gander, a Canadian Coast Guard ship from St. John's as well as Royal Newfoundland Constabulary officers spent Wednesday night searching the area, after police were alerted to the missing person. Officers arrived in the Flatrock area around 8:15 p.m., according to an RNC report, with the Cormorant helicopter arriving shortly afterward. They scoured the coastline and waters, at times using flares to illuminate the area. A Canadian Coast Guard Zodiac was on scene Thursday morning as search parties organized to resume their efforts.(Jonny Hodder/CBC) Just after 2 a.m., police announced on Twitter they had scaled back their search efforts, focused on the water and shoreline, until daylight. By daybreak, both a Canadian Coast guard vessel and Zodiac were present at the scene, with a command centre from the Rovers Search and Rescue from Paradise also set up. Read more articles from CBC Newfoundland and Labrador

  • Mother relieved in-person school to resume in small town Sask. after challenges with remote learning

    A Saskatchewan mother is relieved after hearing her children will be back to in-person learning on Monday. Brooklyn Karnes-Herbst is working full-time in Regina, her husband is working full-time as a subcontractor and four of their five children are doing remote learning in their community of Pangman, Sask. Pangman is about 90 kilometres south of Regina. It's a busy time for the blended family. Most of the children — who are aged three, eight, eight, 10 and 10 — are forced to learn on tablets because the family doesn't have the means to buy laptops for each of them. "It's tough because you want to be as positive as you can for them. But when you're also not really feeling the positivity and when the teachers are showing their frustrations, it's really hard," Karnes-Herbst said. Karnes-Herbst said it's important they take precautions and stay safe, but they need to balance that with the mental health and quality of learning for students. She said she's relieved the South East Cornerstone School Division is letting some classrooms return to in-person learning with precautions on April 26. Learning on tablets, iPhone, with slow Internet Karnes-Herbst currently works from home two days a week and her grandmother watches the children on the other days. Internet access and connectivity is tough in the small town. "Now, when you get everyone from that area, phone calls are dropping. People can't connect," she said. "The links for their Teams conversations don't come through." It's honestly making sure that they don't feel at fault because none of this is their fault. - Brooklyn Karnes-Herbst Karnes-Herbst said it's been incredibly tough on the teachers as well, because they're trying to organize tests or assignments yet children's internet connections cut out. She said she's working to help her children understand it's OK if technology fails. "It is what it is," she said. "It's honestly making sure that they don't feel at fault because none of this is their fault." No masks at home but less learning: Children "It's kind of just even more stressful than at school," Carter Karnes, aged 10, said of learning at home. When the school closed, Carter and his brother Nixon, also 10, were told to take their textbooks home but not much else. Karnes-Herbst said the boys weren't told there was a positive case within the school. "I was like, what? Why are we doing remote learning? Because everybody was here at school today. The kindergarten's, every single person in their classes were there," Nixon said. Nixon Karnes has to currently learn on a tablet in Brooklyn Karnes-Herbst bedroom so that he doesn't have many distractions around. (Google Meet) Nixon works on a laptop and Carter on a tablet, both in Brooklyn's bedroom. Blake, eight, is at the kitchen counter with an iPhone 6 and Parker, also eight, at the breakfast nook on a tablet. The two couldn't be close together due to feedback from being in the same meeting. "It's a little bit of both, easy and hard," Parker said. Meanwhile, Blake said he likes that he doesn't need to wear a mask when at home, but both he and Parker agreed they learn more in school. Carter, Parker and Blake all mentioned they miss their friends. Blake Herbst had to learn for some time on an iPhone because the family didn't have the means to buy a new laptop. (Google Meet) Karnes-Herbst said her older boys are feeling overwhelmed also because of the amount of homework that comes with remote learning. Karnes-Herbst said the average person doesn't know how tough this is. "We've never received anything from the school board asking us if we would be willing to have our children still attend," she said. "We understand that we're taking that risk simply because their mental status and their learning abilities are so much more in-person than on the Internet." Karnes-Herbst 's children school has about 60 students in Kindergarten to Grade 12. It has its first positive case in early April during the entire pandemic. "So to clump us in with Weyburn and Estevan is really unfortunate because as a small community, we've had very little cases within even the community," Karnes-Herbst said. "So now you've taken everything away from my kids, including school." Karnes-Herbst said the importance of schools shows how teachers need to be vaccinated sooner. On Tuesday, the provincial government announced teachers could start booking appointments to be vaccinated late next week. "Their education is huge and it's on the line right now and that's not fair to these kids."

  • ‘A number of people’ died of COVID-19 before they could be admitted to hospital: Ontario’s chief coroner

    Ontario’s chief coroner Dr. Dirk Huyer said Thursday that “a number of people” in Ontario have died of COVID-19 before they could be admitted to hospital, adding that such deaths are “new, unfortunate and sad.”

  • Bank of Canada offers fresh hints that interest rates will rise next year as economy surges

    A reassurance from the Bank of Canada that "interest rates will be low for a long time," as the bank's governor, Tiff Macklem, told us last year, appears to have been revised. New signs of a strong recovery — including the bank's prediction of a stunning global growth rate of nearly seven per cent this year — plus indications that the underlying foundation of the Canadian economy has not suffered serious damage from the COVID-19 pandemic, mean the central bank is scaling back on monetary stimulus. Not only did Macklem reveal that he is slowing the rate of bond purchases, but rock-bottom interest rates — what the bank calls "the effective lower bound" — are forecast to come to an end sooner than expected. "We remain committed to holding the policy interest rate at the effective lower bound until economic slack is absorbed so that the two per cent inflation target is sustainably achieved," the Bank of Canada said in its Wednesday statement. "Based on the bank's latest projection, this is now expected to happen some time in the second half of 2022. Ending low-rate commitment Scaling back bond purchases — this time from $4 billion to $3 billion a week — tends to affect longer-term rates, while a hike in the Bank of Canada's overnight rate affects variable mortgages and things like lines of credit. While the bank did not officially announce an increase in so many words, ending a commitment to hold rates down was seen by economists and financial reporters as exactly that. "Can someone please ask Governor Macklem if he means to expressly state they expect a 2022 rate hike with this statement?" tweeted Frances Donald, global chief economist at Manulife Investment Management, "because that's a reasonable interpretation, but I can't believe it's the intention." Asked by reporters more than once at Wednesday's news conference to clarify the statement, Macklem did not withdraw it, although he underlined the uncertainty and said the bank would be guided by a broad analysis of economic conditions, not by any predetermined date. While economists and borrowers may have been surprised by the possibility of a Bank of Canada rate hike as soon as 2022, clearly Macklem saw the prospect of reduced stimulus as a reason for celebration, not anxiety, because it was just one more indicator that the economy was on the mend. Bank of Canada governor Tiff Macklem is optimistic about the economy, projecting 6.75 per cent growth globally this year and 6.5 per cent in Canada. 'We're looking for a complete recovery,' he said at Wednesday's remote meeting with reporters.(Blair Gable/Reuters) "There are brighter days ahead," Macklem told reporters at Wednesday's news conference, projecting 6.75 per cent growth globally this year and 6.5 per cent in Canada. "Canadians and Canadian businesses have been impressively resilient to the pandemic." An economic growth rate of nearly seven per cent is seen as unusually high for an advanced economy and will reflect roaring consumer demand as restrictions lift this autumn, plus a new wave of fiscal stimulus from Ottawa, the provinces and from south of the border. Macklem said there remained many uncertainties as he and the bank's Governing Council, which advises him, struggle to understand a recession unlike any other they have seen. They have been fooled before. Last year, the central bank warned of a deep recession that would lead to "scarring" — in other words, long-term damage to the underlying economy. Growth despite lockdown But that's not the way things turned out, Macklem said. Instead, an expansion into the digital space — the growing use of computers and software in new areas of the economy — means economic growth continued, even as many traditional face-to-face businesses were in lockdown due to the pandemic. Following the 2008 recession, many government handouts and much stimulus went directly to business, but this time fiscal spending on things such as child care and further digital expansion will actually boost productivity, working its way up through the wider economy. Repeatedly asked about Canada's overheated real estate market, Macklem warned once again that buyers should not count on the idea that prices will continue to go up at current extraordinary rates. The central banker suggested that new higher stress tests imposed two weeks ago, as well as a new federal tax on vacant properties, will slow the market. Others have suggested that rising interest rates would have an even stronger impact on many Canadians who have taken on mortgages and other loans that are very high compared with their incomes. Jobs for low-wage workers are still well below pre-pandemic levels, while the job market for everyone else has recovered, and more.(Monetary Policy Report Apr 2021/Bank of Canada) One of the indicators Macklem said the central bank would use to finally decide whether to cut back on monetary stimulus was whether people at the lowest end of the income ladder had been able to find work in a divided, K-shaped, recovery. "There's a chart in the Monetary Policy Report that shows low-wage workers ... are about 20 per cent below their pre-pandemic levels," he said. The chart shows that higher-wage workers have already exceeded pre-pandemic employment. WATCH | Bank of Canada governor Tiff Macklem's forecast for Canada's economy: As with any forecast, there are many unknowns. Will the economy triumph over the third wave of the pandemic as well as it did over the second? Will vaccine take-up allow us to reach herd immunity? "We're looking for a complete recovery," Macklem said. "We're not going to count our chickens before they hatch." Follow Don Pittis on Twitter @don_pittis

  • 3 new cases of COVID-19 in N.L., with 4 new recoveries

    Newfoundland and Labrador is reporting three new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday. (Patrick Butler/Radio-Canada) As Newfoundland and Labrador's neighbours find themselves battling a COVID-19 spike, the Health Department is reporting three new cases on Thursday. According to a media release from the department, one case is a man in his 60s in the Eastern Health region, related to travel within Canada. The two other cases are in the Western Health region: a woman between 20 and 39 years old and man under 20 years old. Both cases are close contacts to a previously known case. Contact tracing by public health is underway. Anyone considered a close contact has been advised to quarantine. Related to one of the new cases, public health is asking passengers who travelled on Air Canada Flight 8996 from Halifax to St. John's on Tuesday to arrange COVID-19 testing. Passengers can complete the online self-assessment tool or call 811. The department is also reporting four new recoveries: one in the Eastern Health region and three in Western Health. For the first time in more than two weeks, the province's caseload has dropped — by one, to 26. Nobody is in hospital due to the virus. To date, 130,909 people have been tested, including 468 since Wednesday's update. The Health Department says an investigation into a case reported April 8 in the Eastern Health region was unable to identify the source. "This is called a non-epidemiologically linked case and indicates that there is, or was, an unknown case of COVID-19," reads Thursday's media release. "This could happen for any number of reasons, including the individual may have been asymptomatic and recovered, the individual may have left the province or the individual did not seek testing." The Department of Health is also advising rotational workers of COVID-19 outbreaks at worksites in Alberta: Cenovus Foster Creek. Suncor Fort Hills. Syncrude Aurora. The department says it was notified about the outbreaks by the Public Health Agency of Canada as workers include people from Newfoundland and Labrador. Rotational workers with these projects who have returned to Newfoundland and Labrador in the last two weeks now must self-isolate and distance themselves from household members, call 811 to arrange testing and complete the full 14-day self-isolation period, regardless of test result. Phase 2 vaccinations Elsewhere, Nova Scotia added 38 cases overnight, its highest daily count since the early days of the pandemic. Premier Iain Rankin said Wednesday the province was seeing early signs of community spread, further endangering the prospect of a mid-May Atlantic bubble reopening date. On Wednesday, Newfoundland and Labrador Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Janice Fitzgerald said three of the province's four regional health authorities will deliver an open call Monday for workers — including air crew and truck drivers who travel outside the province — to book vaccine appointments. The fourth, Labrador-Grenfell Health, has already started vaccinating rotational workers. Health Minister John Haggie said he's looking at a mid-May wrap-up for Phase 2, when health regions will invite appointments from all Phase 2 groups. Haggie said 31 per cent of Newfoundland and Labrador's eligible population had been vaccinated with at least one dose as of Tuesday night, with deliveries expected to increase substantially in May and June. Read more from CBC Newfoundland and Labrador

  • The legal war between the Saudis and their former spymaster

    The family of a former top Saudi intelligence official who is living in exile and locked in an international feud with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman say they have become pawns in the kingdom’s efforts to bring the spy chief home. Now, an attempt by the family to appeal the convictions has failed, according to Saudi authorities. The Jabri family alleges that Saudi authorities interfered in the legal process, including circumventing appeals proceedings, which Riyadh denies.

  • N.B. COVID-19 roundup: 19 new cases in five zones, nine cases confirmed at care home

    The province reported 19 new cases of COVID-19 in five zones Thursday, prompting calls from Premier Blaine Higgs and Dr. Jennifer Russell for people to step up vaccination appointments and strictly observe Public Health guidelines around travel and self-isolation. Nine of the new cases are at a care home in Grand Falls, in Zone 4, where an outbreak was declared Wednesday. An outbreak was also declared at Murray Street Lodge in Grand Bay-Westfield in the Saint John region Wednesday. On Thursday, Higgs noted that "only 59 per cent of long-term care workers have chosen to be vaccinated," compared with more than 90 per cent of residents and about 90 per cent of workers at regional health authorities. "It is essential that in the coming weeks, more long-term care workers get vaccinated," Higgs said at a live-streamed update. He also singled out truck drivers as a group that must step up vaccination efforts. Russell stressed the importance of following travel and self-isolation guidelines, particularly as new variants loom. "We are very, very, very concerned about the arrival of variant from India," which has already been identified in Quebec and other provinces, Russell said. "Family members should not pick you up from the airport," Russell said. "They should not handle your dishes from delivered meals. The risk is just too high." Union president doubts Higgs's numbers The president of the New Brunswick Council of Nursing Home Unions says she's skeptical of the numbers Premier Blaine Higgs provided at Thursday's update regarding the percentage of long-term care home workers who have been vaccinated. In detailing the growing outbreak at Pavillon Beau-Lieu care home in Grand Falls, Higgs said "only 59 per cent of long-term care workers have chosen to be vaccinated," compared with about 90 per cent of workers at regional health authorities. "It's a concern," Higgs said. "Fortunately, the residents are over 90 per cent vaccinated, so the residents are protected but we need to ensure the long-term care employees remain protected. We're encouraging them to protect themselves, because they are providing a service to a vulnerable population, and also they risk infecting others in the community." In an interview after the update, council president Sharon Teare questioned that figure. "How did they reach that number, how is that data collected to get to that number they arrived at? Because I have not heard the hesitancy that would match that number." Teare said the "inconsistent" planning of the rollout and clinics for care workers, as well as limited information provided about the vaccines, hurt the compliance rates initially. Of the 51 nursing homes that fall under the New Brunswick Council of Nursing Home Unions, "not one of the nursing homes have had an outbreak. Not one," she said. "It's a unionized facility, so when we're talking about workers in ... non-unionized facilities, what is lacking there? A big key is education." Stricter enforcement of isolation rules could be coming New, stricter enforcement measures, such as mandatory hotel stays for travellers arriving in New Brunswick, could soon be implemented to ensure isolation guidelines are being followed. "This is under very active consideration," Premier Blaine Higgs said at Thursday's live COVID-19 update. "We're meeting now daily ... it may become a reality." Higgs said that as the province counts down the 10 weeks till everyone has been vaccinated, there is evidence that the existing rules aren't being followed. "We have seen cases" where travellers go home from the airport with family "and isolate with the family and then the family becomes infected," he said, noting a person can test negative upon arrival in New Brunswick and then become positive days later. "We're at the tipping point right now," Higgs said. "Rather than saying 'Oh, I'm fine I don't need to worry about this, I didn't have a problem.' Just assume you have a problem, and act accordingly … Let's just hang in there for the next 10 weeks, so we can get back to a summer in New Brunswick." Maine not sharing vaccines for now Premier Blaine Higgs said Thursday he has asked the governor of Maine to see if New Brunswick truckers can be vaccinated when they're in that state. This would be similar to the partnership between Manitobia and North Dakota announced Tuesday. Jackie Farwell, spokesperson for the Maine Department of Health and Human Services, said Maine is keeping its vaccines for its residents for now because the state's allocation is based on its population. "Demand for the vaccine continues to outpace supply in the state," Farwell said, although she did not close the door on future sharing. "We expect to engage with our Canadian colleagues in the future to discuss cross-border collaboration with respect to vaccinations once supply for the vaccine increases." The municipal election will go ahead May 10 in all but the Edmundston-Haut Madawaska region, which is still under lockdown, Dr. Jennifer Russell said Thursday.(Government of New Brunswick) 19 new cases, in five zones Dr. Jennifer Russell announced 19 new cases Thursday, including nine at the Pavillon Beau-Lieu special care home in Grand Falls, where an outbreak of one case was declared Wednesday. Moncton region, Zone 1, two cases: an individual 30 to 39 an individual 60 to 69 Both cases are travel-related, including one temporary foreign worker. Saint John region, Zone 2, three cases: two people 20 to 29 an individual 30 to 39 All three cases are travel-related. Fredericton region, Zone 3, two cases: an individual 30 to 39 an individual 80 to 89 One case is travel-related and the other is under investigation. Edmundston region, Zone 4, 11 cases: an individual 19 or under an individual 40 to 49 an individual 70 to 79 six people 80 to 89 two people 90 or over All 11 cases are contacts of previously confirmed cases. Nine of the 11 cases are connected to the outbreak in Pavillon Beau-Lieu, a special care home in Grand Falls. It is not believed that these cases are related to the outbreak in the Edmundston area. Bathurst region, Zone 6, one case: an individual 50-59. This case is travel-related. The number of confirmed cases in New Brunswick is 1,823. Since Wednesday, 11 people have recovered for a total of 1,642 recoveries. There have been 34 deaths, and the number of active cases is 146. Fifteen patients are hospitalized, including five in an intensive care unit. A total of 280,010 tests have been conducted, including 1,299 since Wednesday's report. Elsewhere in Atlantic Canada There are currently 146 active cases in the province.(CBC News) Lockdown to be reassessed on Monday Public Health has recommended to cabinet that the Edmundston area remain in lockdown for now, with a reassessment on Monday. "We recognize that Zone 4 has been making progress and cases are slowly decreasing, but we need to wait a few more days to ensure this trend continues," Dr. Jennifer Russell, chief medical officer of health, said Thursday. "There are still untraced cases in the Edmundston region that pose a risk, so for now the areas that are in lockdown and at the orange level will remain there." Dr. Jennifer Russell shared a graphic showing "why we remain concerned" about the outbreak in Edmundston region on Thursday. The graphic indicates the confirmed cases in the current outbreak, including three large clusters of cases with confirmed linkages, and a number of cases with no connection to any other known case. (Government of New Brunswick) Municipal elections to go ahead May 10, in most zones Municipal elections will be held across New Brunswick on May 10, Dr. Jennifer Russell said at Thursday's COVID-19 update. However, "like so much else in the past year, this election campaign will look and feel different from what we have experienced in the past," she said. Campaigning guidelines have been provided for candidates, including using social media or leaflet dropoffs to get their message out. In yellow and orange-phase zones, candidates can campaign door-to-door "but if you do, please ... wear a mask, maintain two metres of physical distance at all times, and do not go into voters' homes," Russell said. The election will not go ahead in Edmundston-Haut Madawaska region, which is still in lockdown, the province later clarified. Public Health to hold live Q&A session on Friday New Brunswickers will have a chance to ask the province's chief medical officer of health their questions about COVID-19, vaccines and the situation in the Edmundston region, Zone 4, on Friday. A Q&A session will be live-streamed at 1:30 p.m. on the Government of New Brunswick's Youtube channel, and residents are being asked to submit their questions now to be asked at the session. Dr. Jennifer Russell and Dr. John Tobin, head of the family medicine department in Zone 4 for the Vitalité Health Network, will both be participating in the Q&A session, according to posts on the gnb.ca Twitter account and Government of New Brunswick Facebook page. Residents can submit their questions on either of these platforms. Dozens of questions have already been posted, on topics ranging from self-isolation rules after vaccination to the safety of the AstraZeneca vaccine. Potential exposure notifications Saint John: Holy Spirit Parish (Saint Matthews worship site), 45 Dollard Dr., Saint John, on Sunday, April 18 between 11 a.m. and noon. The church has closed for two weeks as a preventive measure, and St. Rose of Lima Church (part of Holy Spirit Parish) will also be closed for the next two weeks, until May 8-9. Service New Brunswick, 15 King Square North, on April 15 between 3 p.m. and 3:45 p.m. Rocky's Sports Bar, 7 Market Square, on April 15 between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. Edmundston and region: E.& P. Sénéchal Center, Vitalité Health Network vaccination clinic, 60 Ouellette St., Grand Falls, on Monday, April 19 between1:15 p.m. and 7 p.m. Familiprix, 131 de l'Église St., on April 8, between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Jean Coutu, 77 Victoria St., Edmundston on April 16, between 1: 30 p.m. and 2 p.m.; on April 14, between noon and 12:45 p.m.; and on April 12, between 3 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. Public Health also identified a traveller who may have been infected while on the following flights on April 14 and 15: Air Canada Flight 8970 – from Ottawa to Montreal, departed at 6:28 a.m. on April 14. Air Canada Flight 8898 – from Montreal to Moncton, departed at 8:14 a.m. on April 14. Air Canada Flight 318 – from Calgary to Montreal, departed at 11:53 a.m. on April 15. Air Canada Flight 8906 – from Montreal to Moncton, departed at 7:08 p.m. on April 15. People who were at these areas are eligible to be tested for COVID-19, even if they are not experiencing symptoms. What to do if you have a symptom People concerned they might have COVID-19 symptoms can take a self-assessment test online. Public Health says symptoms shown by people with COVID-19 have included: Fever above 38 C. New cough or worsening chronic cough. Sore throat. Runny nose. Headache. New onset of fatigue, muscle pain, diarrhea, loss of sense of taste or smell. Difficulty breathing. In children, symptoms have also included purple markings on the fingers and toes. People with one of those symptoms should: Stay at home. Call Tele-Care 811 or their doctor. Describe symptoms and travel history. Follow instructions.

  • The Oscars are this weekend: They'll look a lot different than they did last year

    The Oscars are finally being handed out this weekend after being delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and public health restrictions against gathering and travel.

  • Activists wait for RCMP to clear old-growth logging blockades on Vancouver Island

    A group of activists say they have no intention of ending their anti-logging blockades on Vancouver Island, despite a court injunction and opposition from the political leadership of the Pacheedaht First Nation. Since August, dozens of people have blocked access to roads in Fairy Creek to prevent Teal Cedar, a division of the Teal-Jones Group, from logging the old-growth forest within its 595-square-kilometre tenure. But a B.C. Supreme Court judge granted the company an injunction against the protesters earlier this spring, writing that police would be necessary to ensure the order is respected. When CBC News visited the area this week, activists, who call themselves forest defenders, said they and hundreds of supporters are ready to be arrested by the RCMP. "I think they thought we were just going to go away," protester Duncan Morrison said. "We are here for the long haul until Fairy Creek is protected." A series of camps have been set up in strategic locations to prevent logging trucks from moving in, with kitchens, outhouses and shelters for sleeping. A legal defence fund has also been established. Shawna Knight says she's ready to be arrested if the RCMP move in to clear the Fairy Creek blockades. (Dillon Hodgin/CBC) Protester Shawna Knight says she's prepared to be arrested in order to protect trees that have been growing there for hundreds of years. "The biodiversity they provide and the habitat they provide, there's nowhere else like it in the world … That's why they're so special," she said. The term "old growth" in B.C. refers to trees that are generally 250 years or older on the coast and 140 years or older in the Interior. Sierra Club B.C. estimates that more than 140,000 hectares of old-growth forest is logged each year in the province. Industry representatives say old-growth logging is vital to B.C.'s $12 billion-a-year forestry sector. "Old growth in certain areas is critical for the annual harvest," said Bob Brash, executive director of the Truck Loggers Association. "The less that everybody harvests, the less that they can support the sawmills, the less that they can support the value-added plants, the less revenue that comes to the province." Teal Cedar estimates the trees in its Fairy Creek tenure are worth about $10 million. The protest camps at Fairy Creek include kitchens, outhouses and shelters for sleeping.(Dillon Hodgin/CBC) The Fairy Creek operation sits on the traditional territory of the Pacheedaht First Nation, which has signed agreements with the company, and a revenue-sharing agreement with the province for all timber cut on their land. In a written statement earlier this month, Pacheedaht Hereditary Chief Frank Queesto Jones and Chief Coun. Jeff Jones asked outside protesters to stand down. "All parties need to respect that it is up to Pacheedaht people to determine how our forestry resources will be used," the statement said. But other community members have joined the protest. "Our political elite have been duped," Pacheedaht Elder Bill Jones said. "You don't cut down the forest. You leave it up and you go there and pray and meditate." His niece Kati George-Jim, also known as xʷ is xʷ čaa, is also waiting for police to arrive. "It is really difficult as an Indigenous person and a person who has relationships to these territories to witness, because it pulls on family divides and pulls on how colonialism has impacted our people," she said. The RCMP have yet to say when they will act on the injunction and clear the roads for logging trucks. Pacheedaht Elder Bill Jones says his First Nation's political leaders have been 'duped' by commercial interests. (Dillon Hodgin/CBC)

  • Alberta MLAs who spoke out against COVID-19 restrictions spark debate over whose views are being heard

    The 16 Alberta MLAs who argued against tighter COVID-19 restrictions in an open letter recently have sparked debate and frustration in some of the communities they represent. They said their constituents have told them the restrictions the province has imposed to contain the spread of the coronavirus have gone on for too long and have caused too much hardship. "We have heard from our constituents, and they want us to defend their livelihoods and freedoms as Albertans," the letter read in part. It's been two weeks since the United Conservative Party backbenchers, who represent dozens of small towns, mountain resorts and farming communities across Alberta, signed the letter against their own government's decision earlier this month to return to Step 1 of Alberta's public health orders. Step 1 includes, among other measures, an end to indoor service at restaurants, bars and cafés and limited customer capacity in stores. Since then, the mayors of two communities have spoken out, raising questions about whom the MLAs are listening to: Is it the proverbial squeaky wheel they're hearing from — a vocal minority representing a small group — or the broader views of the communities they represent? The letter came out as the number of COVID-19 cases in the province surged to levels not seen in months — highlighting the rift between those who argue Albertans need to follow public health orders for a bit longer and those who say it's time to get back to living without restrictions. Cases rising at a rate of 1,000 a day Since the letter came out, the province has had at least 1,000 new cases of COVID-19 every day. The mayors of Banff and Canmore — two communities in MLA Miranda Rosin's riding of Banff-Kananaskis — fired off their own letters claiming they were not consulted before their region's representative signed the letter. Both communities have seen an uptick in active cases and want tighter controls. Canmore Mayor John Borrowman and Banff Mayor Karen Sorensen say they were not consulted by their MLA, who signed a letter opposing a return to tighter COVID-19 restrictions. (Bryan Labby/CBC) "I was disappointed that the MLA didn't at least reach out to myself as the mayor of Canmore to get a sense of what's going on here," said John Borrowman. Banff Mayor Karen Sorensen said she was also not approached. "I don't know who she spoke to in Banff, in the constituency, but she makes reference to speaking to her constituency, and we did not have that conversation," she said. Canmore resident Jeff Campney called the MLA's action "untoward." "I would say the message for her is, don't make statements and don't speak on my behalf because you can't speak for me unless you ask me my opinion." The mayor of Canmore spoke out against its United Conservative Party MLA for opposing a return to tighter COVID-19 restrictions. The town of 14,000 currently has 73 active cases of COVID-19.(Bryan Labby/CBC) Banff currently has 138 active cases, or 1,025 per 100,000 people — the second highest per capita rate in the province. Canmore has 73 active cases, or 441 per 100,000 people. A spokesperson for Rosin said she is not available for an interview. CBC News reached out to a number of municipalities represented by the 16 MLAs — only a few responded. "The city of Airdrie is following the guidelines set forth by the province and will continue to do so," said Peter Brown, the mayor of Airdrie. The mayor of Didsbury, which is represented by Speaker Nathan Cooper, says the issue wasn't discussed by council because Cooper apologized for signing the letter and said he "crossed the line." The mayor of nearby Olds says the town has followed public health guidelines — and will continue to work with Cooper to move "forward in a positive fashion to seeing COVID-19 being contained and seeing our economy rebound and grow." Heated debate among residents The issue of whether people were consulted by the 16 MLAs wasn't the main point of contention at Airdrie's Nose Creek Park. A spirited debate started after the CBC asked people about the letter and whether they support their MLA, Angela Pitt, who is also Alberta's deputy Speaker. Glenis Sheeler, who says she's never worn a face mask or used hand sanitizer during the pandemic and doesn't know of anyone who's contracted COVID-19, says she has "much respect" for Pitt. "We've had enough; the country's had enough. It's time to stop the silliness, and it's time to get back to living," Sheeler said. John Martz, standing, engages in an impromptu debate with Glenis Sheeler, in green jacket, over the effectiveness of COVID-19 restrictions in Airdrie, Alta., on April 16. (Bryan Labby/CBC) John Martz, who was within earshot, jumped into the discussion. Martz, who said he has cancer and a weakened immune system, said it's important for everyone to follow public health measures. "If you're going to take that risk of getting it, that's your choice, but I'm looking at it from my position as being immunocompromised, and all it takes is somebody's ignorance to make me sick to the point where I may not recover," he said. Sheeler said she doesn't believe the information from the province's chief medical officer of health and wants to see proof the health restrictions work. She says more attention should be placed on the toll the pandemic is taking on mental health, including risks of suicide. Whom should MLAs represent? The 16 MLAs said they signed the letter after hearing from their constituents, but some of their critics say they need to be clearer about whom they consulted and how representative those voices are. Garth Rowswell, the MLA for Vermilion-Lloydminster-Wainwright, told CBC in an email that the majority of the "correspondence and communication" he received "was overwhelmingly from those frustrated with the lockdowns and by no apparent end to it." Duane Bratt, a political science professor at Mount Royal University in Calgary, says the debate over the letter raises questions about the role of an MLA and to what degree they should represent all of their constituents, including government officials with whom some residents might not agree. Duane Bratt is a political scientist at Mount Royal University in Calgary. He says MLAs who signed a letter opposing tighter COVID-19 restrictions should be more transparent about whom they consulted before they signed the letter.(Bryan Labby/CBC) "If you're going to claim you're representing the riding, and you've got important groups in the riding saying, 'Actually, you're not representing us, and you didn't even consult us.' That's something different," said Bratt. Jared Wesley, a political scientist at the University of Alberta, says research shows that if elected officials receive 10 calls on one side of an issue, they can assume about 100 times that number share the same position. "So this could very well be the case where MLAs seem to be reflecting back the noisiest of their citizens, which is not anything new in Canadian politics." He says there's a message to Albertans: start asking more questions of candidates for public office before they get to the legislature. "Who do these folks feel like they represent? Do they represent people like me? Do they represent the broader community? What type of approach will they take to that representation when they get to Edmonton and sit in the legislature?" Cypress-Medicine Hat MLA says he has strong support Drew Barnes, the MLA for Cypress-Medicine Hat, is the only one from the group of 16 who agreed to an interview. He says the support he's received since the letter came has been overwhelmingly positive. "We're dealing with so many other crisis situations in addition to COVID, from mental health to physical health to economic and spiritual health. And people are grateful that I spoke up for that." MLA Drew Barnes, shown during the campaign for the 2019 provincial election when he was running for the UCP in the redrawn riding of Cypress-Medicine Hat. He won the riding again after first being elected as its MLA under the Wildrose Party banner in 2012.(Helen Pike/CBC) Barnes says it hasn't been a one-sided conversation. "I've listened to everyone." He says the MLAs' goal is to protect medically vulnerable people, ramp up vaccinations and be safe while loosening restrictions to help people who are struggling financially and emotionally. Bryan Labby is an enterprise reporter with CBC Calgary. If you have a good story idea or tip, you can reach him at bryan.labby@cbc.ca or on Twitter at @CBCBryan.

  • Expert says Saskatchewan should consider more targeted vaccine plan as variants surge

    SASKATOON — Nazeem Muhajarine says he feels a sense of relief after receiving his first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine last week at a centre in Saskatoon. "It was just so well-organized and run. I felt completely safe," Muhajarine said in an interview. The professor of community health and epidemiology at the University of Saskatchewan said the province is making great strides quickly getting shots into arms, but he's concerned some people are being left behind. Premier Scott Moe touted during question period Wednesday that Saskatchewan is leading the country when it comes to administering first vaccinations. "Our way through this pandemic, everyone's plan to get through this pandemic, is to get everyone vaccinated as quickly as possible," Moe said. More than 365,000 doses of vaccine have been given in Saskatchewan. Health officials say 52 per cent of residents over the age of 40 have received their first shot. It puts Saskatchewan — with a population of just under 1.18 million — ahead of other provinces when it comes to doses delivered per capita. Data from a COVID-19 vaccination tracker, run by University of Saskatchewan students using federal and provincial data, suggests the province in outpacing Ontario and Quebec. Moe credits his Saskatchewan Party’s "robust vaccination plan," which he says will be augmented in the coming days. Eligibility for all vaccines is being lowered to 44 on Thursday, except for in the north where it will go down to 40. It’s expected to drop to 40 for the general population by Wednesday. Muhajarine said there's much to applaud about the vaccine rollout. The choice, initially, to use age-based eligibility meant it was easy to understand and targeted those who were more likely to experience severe outcomes if infected, he said. Drive-thru COVID-19 vaccination clinics have also been successful, said Muhajarine. One providing mass immunizations in Regina as the capital has became a hot spot for variants has expecially worked well. Muhajarine said his own experience shows that organization at larger mass vaccination sites is also commendable. However, the professor said now that vulnerable senior populations are immunized and there are highly contagious new strains, the province may be missing the mark. Getting the most vaccinations out fastest is just part of a good public health response, he said, but surging infections and hospitalizations mean the response should now be targeted to those most affected. "Workplace spreads and outbreaks have been quite prevalent," Muhajarine said. "That's been a huge contributor in Regina and has been a contributor in Saskatoon as well." There were 231 new cases in Saskatchewan on Wednesday and four more deaths, including a person in their 30s another in their 40s. The others were over 70. There were 185 people in hospital and 49 in intensive care. Provincial public health orders were tightened recently as officials warned the more transmissible variant strains were becoming dominant. Muhajarine said the recent deaths of influential Cree teacher Victor Thunderchild, 55, in Prince Albert and well-known chef Warren Montgomery, 42, in Regina are examples of people in high-risk work environments who weren’t able to get vaccinations under the age-eligibility plan. He said Saskatchewan should consider following Ontario and Manitoba, which are pivoting vaccination plans to target neighbourhoods where people have a higher risk of contracting the virus. It should also consider socio-economic factors, including how many residents are in a household and the type of jobs people have, he added. One example would be neighbourhoods with multi-generational households and where many people work service jobs facing the public. Congregate living facilities such as shelters and correctional centres would be another, he said. Muhajarine said teachers and other essential workers should also get priority. Every region in the country is seeing benefits to targeting areas and occupations where the pandemic's third wave has taken hold, he suggested "That is not something to be trivialized in this kind of complex and mass undertaking." This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 21, 2021. — By Kelly Geraldine Malone in Winnipeg The Canadian Press

  • Russia orders troop pullback but keeps weapons near Ukraine

    MOSCOW — Russia's defence minister on Thursday ordered troops back to their permanent bases following massive drills amid tensions with Ukraine, but said they should leave their weapons behind in western Russia for another exercise later this year. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy welcomed the Russian pullback along their border. After watching the drills, Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu declared the manoeuvrs in Crimea and wide swathes of western Russia over and ordered the military to pull the troops that took part in them back to their permanent bases. “I consider the goals of the snap check of readiness fulfilled,” Shoigu said. “The troops have shown their capability to defend the country and I decided to complete the drills in the South and Western military districts.” Shoigu said the troops should return to their bases by May 1, but he ordered their heavy weapons kept in western Russia for another massive military exercise. The weapons were remaining at the Pogonovo firing range in the southwestern Voronezh region 160 kilometres (100 miles) east of the border with Ukraine. The Russian troop buildup near Ukraine that came amid increasing violations of a cease-fire in war-torn eastern Ukraine raised concerns in the West, which urged the Kremlin to pull its forces back. A Ukrainian soldier was killed Thursday by separatist fire in the east, bringing the number of Ukrainian troops killed this year to 32. The U.S. and NATO have said the Russian buildup near Ukraine was the largest since 2014, when Russia annexed Crimea and threw its support behind separatists in Ukraine’s eastern industrial heartland of Donbas. Ukraine’s president applauded the Russian troops' pullback. “The reduction of troops on our border proportionally reduces tension,” Zelenskyy said on Twitter. He noted that Ukraine remains vigilant but “welcomes any steps to decrease the military presence and deescalate the situation in Donbas.” Earlier this week, Zelenskyy offered to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Donbas to defuse tensions. Putin responded in televised remarks Thursday, saying if the Ukrainian leadership wants to settle the conflict in Donbas, it should first engage in talks with separatist leaders there and only after that discuss it with Russia. If Zelenskyy wants to discuss normalizing ties with Russia, he's welcome to come to Moscow, the Russian leader said. The Russian military hasn't reported the number of additional troops that had been moved to Crimea and parts of southwestern Russia near Ukraine, and it wasn't immediately clear from Shoigu's statement if all of them will now be pulled back. The Russian Defence Ministry said the manoeuvrs in Crimea involved more than 60 ships, over 10,000 troops, around 200 aircraft and about 1,200 military vehicles. The exercise featured the landing of more than 2,000 paratroopers and 60 military vehicles on Thursday. Fighter jets covered the airborne operation. Shoigu flew in a helicopter over the Opuk firing range in Crimea to oversee the exercise. He later declared the drills over, but ordered the military to stand ready to respond to any “adverse developments" during NATO's Defender Europe 2021 exercise. The NATO drills began in March and are to last until June. “NATO has significantly intensified its military activities in the region,” Shoigu said. “Intelligence gathering has increased and the intensity and scope of operational training has been growing. One of the alliance's main coalition groups is being deployed in the Black Sea region." Russia long has bristled at the deployment of NATO's forces near its borders and stepped up its drills as relations with the West have sunk to post-Cold War lows over the annexation of Crimea, Russian meddling in elections, hacking attacks and other issues. Last week, Russia has announced that it would close broad areas of the Black Sea near Crimea to foreign navy ships and state vessels until November, a move that drew Ukrainian protests and raised Western concerns. Russia also announced restrictions on flights near Crimea this week. Moscow has rejected Ukrainian and Western concerns about the troop buildup, arguing that it’s free to deploy its forces anywhere on Russian territory. But at the same time, the Kremlin sternly warned Ukrainian authorities against trying to use force to retake control of the rebel east, where seven years of fighting with Russia-backed separatists have killed more than 14,000 people. The Kremlin says Russia could be forced to intervene in eastern Ukraine to protect civilians in the region. Amid the tensions, Ukraine's president on Wednesday signed a law allowing the call-up of reservists for military service without announcing a mobilization. Vladimir Isachenkov, The Associated Press

  • Who have provinces pegged to receive COVID-19 vaccines in the coming weeks?

    As COVID-19 vaccine supplies ramp up across the country, most provinces and territories have released details of who can expect to receive a shot in the coming weeks. The military commander handling logistics for Canada's vaccine distribution program says there will be enough vaccine delivered to give a first dose before Canada Day to every adult who wants one. Maj.-Gen. Dany Fortin says that's if provinces follow the advice to delay second doses up to four months. He also cautions that it is dependent on having no production delays again. Health Canada anticipates a total of 36.5 million doses from Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna and the AstraZeneca vaccine from the Serum Institute of India by June 30. Most Canadian provinces have suspended use of the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine in people under age 55, acting on an advisory committee's concerns about a possible link between the shot and rare blood clots. However, Ontario and Alberta have lowered the age eligibility to those 40 and older. There are approximately 31 million Canadians over 16, and no vaccines are approved for anyone younger than 16. Here's a list of the inoculation plans throughout Canada: Newfoundland and Labrador Health officials say vaccinations have begun for first responders. Pre-registration for COVID-19 vaccines has opened for people aged 70 or older and for home-support workers. Last month Newfoundland and Labrador extended the interval between the first and second doses of the COVID-19 vaccine to four months. Public health officials said the change would help them vaccinate 40,000 more people with a single dose by the end of March. --- Nova Scotia All Nova Scotians who want a vaccination should be able to get their first shot by late June, chief medical officer of health Dr. Robert Strang announced on April 9. The original target was September. Strang also said that as of April 9, Nova Scotians 65 years of age and older became eligible to receive their first dose. As well, the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine is still available for those 55 to 64 years old. The province is also planning to use mobile van clinics to vaccinate about 900 people who work at or use homeless shelters in the Halifax area. Public health is partnering with pharmacists and doctors to provide the vaccines at 25 locations. Nova Scotia, meanwhile, has added front-line police officers to the list of people eligible for vaccination during the second phase of the province's rollout plan, joining groups such as long-haul truck drivers and hospital workers over the age of 60. --- Prince Edward Island Health officials in Prince Edward Island say they will shift their focus to getting a first dose of COVID-19 vaccine to all adults by July 1, even if it means delaying the second shot for some. P.E.I., meantime, has joined suspended administering the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine to people under age 55 due to concerns about a possible link between the shot and rare blood clots. --- New Brunswick New Brunswick health officials say people 70 and older, a caregiver or a family member acting on their behalf can now make an appointment for a vaccine at a pharmacy. Health-care professionals who have close contact with patients, and people with complex medical conditions are also eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. The province says all residents of long-term care homes have been offered at least one dose of vaccine. As of March 19, all residents of First Nations communities aged 16 or older were given access to their first dose of vaccine. Workers who regularly travel across the border, including regular commuters, truckers and rotational workers are also eligible to receive vaccines. --- Quebec Quebec has expanded access to COVID-19 vaccines to Montrealers who are essential workers or who have chronic illnesses. Essential workers such as teachers and first responders can now book an appointment after providing proof of employment. Quebec has also opened vaccination appointments for anyone over the age of 60 across the province. Quebecers between the ages of 55 and 79 can now receive an Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine at walk-in clinics. The province has said it will be lowering the age for AstraZeneca, although it's not clear what that age will be. Quebec's director of public health says a recommendation from the province's immunization committee is expected soon and could be put into effect this week. Officials announced on April 8 the first 13 companies that will operate clinics in their workplaces, with each site able to vaccinate up to 25,000 people between May and August. Participating companies include National Bank, Bell, and Groupe CH, owner of the Montreal Canadiens NHL team. The clinics will be located in eight different health regions and should be operational by May 1. Montreal's airport authority will partner with Air Canada and Bombardier to create a vaccination hub that will operate two sites at the departure level of the airport terminal and in a nearby Bombardier hangar. --- Ontario Ontario is expanding the number of residents eligible to receive the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine. Starting Tuesday, those 40 and older can start receiving the shot. The previous cutoff age was 55. Shots will be available through pharmacies and primary care providers. But Premier Doug Ford’s office warned Monday that provincial officials have warned that the next two shipments of the Oxford-AstraZeneca shot to the province could be delayed. Ford’s office says he has reached out to “international allies” for help acquiring more supply of the vaccine for the province. Ontario, meantime, is doubling the number of pharmacies involved in the provincial vaccine effort. Some 1,400 pharmacies in COVID-19 hot spots are now offering the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine. The province says it hopes to add another 100 pharmacies to the vaccine effort by the end of the month. Some residents of Toronto and Peel Region aged 50 and older can now book their COVID-19 vaccine appointments. Toronto says people who live in hot spot neighbourhoods can book an appointment to get their shot. The Ontario government said beginning April 5, people aged 60 and over could book their vaccine appointments in every region. --- Manitoba Manitoba is using the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines for First Nations people aged 30 and up and others aged 50 and up. These are available through a few channels including so-called supersites in larger communities. Health officials plan to continue reducing the age minimum, bit by bit, over the coming months. The province is also allowing anyone 40 and over to get an Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine through pharmacies and medical clinics, subject to availability. Manitoba opened its vaccination program Wednesday to all front-line police officers and firefighters across the province, regardless of age. The province is also planning to release a list of high-risk zones on Friday. Any adults who live in those zones will be eligible, as will workers in those areas in certain jobs that involve dealing with the public, such as teachers, grocery store workers and restaurant employees. Manitoba has now given at least one dose to roughly 26 per cent of the population aged 18 and over. The province estimates all adults in the province could have a first dose of by mid-June. --- Saskatchewan The Saskatchewan Health Authority is booking vaccinations for residents 48 and older. The minimum age drops to 40 for people living in the Far North. Additional health-care workers are eligible for shots: staff in private doctors’ offices, private digital imaging clinics, community labs and the Saskatchewan cancer agency. The province has also expanded the vaccine delivery plan for people in more vulnerable groups to include all pregnant women and 16- and 17-year-olds who are considered clinically extremely vulnerable. Saskatchewan has also dropped the age at which people can receive the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine to 40 from 55, although the premier says there are less than 9,000 doses available. There are drive-thru and walk-in vaccination clinics in communities across the province. However, drive-thru sites in Regina and Saskatoon have been temporarily suspended due to limited supply. --- Alberta Albertans born in 2005 or earlier with high-risk underlying health conditions are eligible for shots. The next phase of health-care workers can also book appointments: physicians, nurses, pharmacists, dentists, their office staff, lab workers, practicum students in clinical areas, as well as health workers on First Nations reserves and Metis settlements. Previously, shots have been available to front-line health workers, staff and residents in supportive living facilities, Albertans born in 1956 or earlier and First Nations, Inuit and Metis people born in 1971 or earlier. More than 250 pharmacies are offering immunizations. Ten physicians clinics across the province are also providing shots as part of a pilot project, which could be expanded in May. The province has also lowered the minimum age for the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine to 40 from 55. Alberta has said it is extending the time between the first dose and the second to four months. Health Minister Tyler Shandro has said the province expects to offer all Albertans 18 and over a first dose of vaccine by the end of June. --- British Columbia The province is lowering the eligibility age for people to register for COVID-19 vaccinations. The Ministry of Health says more than 1.8 million people are eligible to register for vaccines this week through the province's Get Vaccinated program. The ministry says people 40 years old and older were invited to register Monday, with those 35 and older signing up Tuesday and 30 and older Wednesday. Those 25 and older can register Thursday and 18 and above can sign up Friday. Once registered, users receive a confirmation code. They then wait for an email, text or call telling them they're eligible and can book their vaccine appointment using that code. B.C. has joined other provinces in lowering the age for those eligible to receive the Oxford-AstraZeneca shot to 40. Adults living and working in Whistler started receiving their COVID-19 vaccinations on April 12. Firefighters, police and paramedics, meanwhile, are being vaccinated with the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines alongside staff at schools and childcare centres. --- Nunavut Nunavut has opened vaccinations to anyone 18 and older. The territory expects to finish its vaccine rollout of first and second doses by the end of April. --- Northwest Territories The Northwest Territories is also providing vaccine to those 18 and older and expects to finish its rollout by the end of April. --- Yukon The Yukon government says 71 per cent of the territory's eligible resident have received their first COVID-19 vaccination as it makes plan for returning students and seasonal workers to get their shots. Dr. Brendan Hanley, Yukon's chief medical officer of health, says students returning to Yukon, along with seasonal workers, would be able to get the COVID-19 vaccine during their mandatory self-isolation, provided they test negative for the virus after taking a rapid test. --- This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 22, 2021. The Canadian Press

  • COVID-19 long-hauler files human rights complaint against former employer

    Rob Kinston was fired from his job as a marketing manager at Kawartha Credit Union in Peterborough, Ont., last October. His employment insurance benefits run out in September.(Submitted by Rob Kingston) After struggling for months with debilitating symptoms typical of COVID-19 "long-haulers," Rob Kingston was called into a meeting in October and told by his employer that his services were no longer required. "I was devastated," said Kingston, 49, a former marketing manager at Kawartha Credit Union in Peterborough, Ont. Now, in a case that's drawing the attention of other long-haulers, Kingston has complained to the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario, claiming discrimination on the basis of a disability. He's demanding his job back, plus lost income and $50,000 in compensation "for mental distress and for injury to dignity, feelings and self-respect." A statement from Kingston's former employer did not comment specifically on the case, saying only that "Kawartha Credit Union values all of their employees and adheres to all applicable legislation and best practices." Symptoms persisted According to his complaint, Kingston first fell ill with COVID-19-like symptoms in March 2020, and by the following month he had a sustained body temperature above 38 C, requiring him to take a week and a half off work. After he returned, he began having long-haul COVID-19 symptoms including brain fog, debilitating fatigue, loss of smell, a racing heartbeat and tremors. Kingston tested negative for COVID-19 in early April 2020. An antibody test in December also came back negative, however neither test indicates conclusively that he didn't contract the virus. They have a legal obligation to support and accommodate employees like Rob who are going through a very difficult medical journey. - Gregory Ko, Rob Kingston's lawyer Kingston said he reported his worsening condition to his supervisor, and in late August his doctor issued a note ordering him to take several more weeks off work. On Oct. 1, 10 days after his second return, he was fired. According to his complaint, Kingston lost his job just months after receiving a glowing performance review that said he'd "exceeded expectations." "Rob went from being a superstar in the workplace ... and then six months later [they] let him go," said Gregory Ko, Kingston's lawyer. "They have a legal obligation to support and accommodate employees like Rob who are going through a very difficult medical journey." According to Kingston's claim, rather than offer disability benefits, his former employer required him to use up his vacation time to cover some of his leave. Along with the compensation, Kingston's complaint also asks that Kawartha Credit Union undergo human rights training. "We want to send this message that employees in Ontario have the right to be free from discrimination, and they shouldn't be losing their jobs because of this medical condition," said Ko. Suzie Goulding is a founder of COVID Long-Haulers Support Group Canada.(CBC) Case attracting attention The case is attracting the attention of other long-haulers including Suzie Goulding, one of the founders of COVID Long-Haulers Support Group Canada. Goulding said she hopes Kingston's human rights complaint will shed more light on the double tragedy of people in their situation, who not only suffer through the illness, but also risk financial ruin as a result. "The people who have long-haul have been forgotten," said Goulding. "This needs to be a recognition that people are suffering, they're losing their jobs, and something really needs to be done." Goulding's group is pushing for federal guidelines for diagnosis and treatment, as in the United Kingdom. She believes that formal recognition of the illness will help ensure fairer treatment of sufferers by their employers. Goulding also believes there should be benefits set aside for long-haulers who lose their jobs and don't know when they'll be able to re-enter the workforce. Kingston's employment insurance benefits run out in September. "I try not to think about that," said Kingston, who shares custody of one daughter. "That's terrifying for me to think that I'm still going to be in that situation."

  • COVID spike in Nova Scotia leads to month-long 'circuit breaker' lockdown for Halifax

    HALIFAX — Atlantic Canada's largest city is going back into COVID-19 lockdown after Nova Scotia on Thursday reported its highest single-day case count since last spring. Premier Iain Rankin said month-long "circuit breaker" restrictions were necessary for Halifax and surrounding communities after 38 new infections were reported, bringing the number of active cases in the province to 111. Rankin said the new restrictions begin at 8 a.m. Friday and will remain in place until at least May 20. "Our case numbers are rising too rapidly," he told reporters. "Make no mistake, there is a lot at stake here." Thursday's case count was the highest since April 23, 2020, when health officials reported 55 infections. Officials have identified 102 cases since last Friday. Thirty-three of the new infections reported Thursday were identified in the Halifax area, where officials said there is community spread. The new restrictions limit outdoor and indoor gatherings to five people and prohibit large gatherings, including social events, festivals, sports and wedding receptions. People are asked not to travel into or out of the Halifax area unless it is absolutely necessary. Travel will be allowed for school, work, health care and legal requirements. Most schools and all childcare centres remain open, but several schools in the Dartmouth, N.S., area will close on Friday and students will move to at-home learning for the next two weeks. Chief medical officer of health Dr. Robert Strang said while public schools in the rest of the province will continue with in-person learning, masks will be mandatory for all students. Previously, masks were necessary for Grades 4 and up. Restaurants and licensed establishments in the Halifax area will close Friday for in-person dining and retail businesses and malls will be limited to operating at 25 per cent capacity. As well, no visitors or volunteers will be allowed inside long-term care facilities, except for designated care providers. "This situation scares me but I know we have the ability to regain control," Strang said. Officials said 19 of Thursday's cases in Halifax involved close contacts of previously reported infections, 10 were under investigation and four were related to foreign and domestic travel. All of the remaining cases in the province were related to travel. Nova Scotia's new travel rules went into effect Thursday morning, prohibiting non-essential travel into the province from anywhere in the country other than Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador. The outbreak also led the province to cancel next month's women's world hockey championship set for Halifax and Truro, N.S. It is the second consecutive year that tournament has been cancelled because of the pandemic. On Thursday, Rankin said the tournament was "not essential." "I'm a hockey fan," he said. "I'm not happy with the decision but we have to put public safety first." This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 22, 2021. Keith Doucette, The Canadian Press

  • Desmond inquiry: ex-manager of veterans clinic said it lacked psychiatric resources

    PORT HAWKESBURY, N.S. — A former manager with a clinic for veterans in Nova Scotia told an inquiry Thursday the facility had a shortage of psychiatric services when a former soldier was referred there. Derek Leduc, the former health services manager for the Operational Stress Injury Clinic in Nova Scotia, testified at the inquiry investigating events that led Afghanistan war veteran Lionel Desmond to kill himself and three of his family members in 2017. "We had very limited psychiatric resources at that time," Leduc said of the clinic during Thursday's proceedings. Leduc said a "building wait list" of clients seeking to access the facility's specialized services did delay care. Inquiry counsel Shane Russell asked Leduc if "there was a supply and demand bottleneck on these resources" in the fall of 2016 when Desmond was referred for care, and Leduc said there was. "You were cutting off some of the demand coming through the door, and the rationale was that you couldn't meet it," Russell said. The clinic eventually recommended to Veterans Affairs Canada that prospective clients might be able to get quicker access to resources through the community. At the time, the clinic only had one psychiatrist who was working part-time. Leduc said Desmond's case was put on hold while the occupational stress injury clinic determined if he had a family doctor. A former nurse at the clinic, Natasha Tofflemire, previously told the inquiry that the clinic put his file on hold on Oct. 6, 2016 while it waited to hear back from Desmond's case manager with Veterans Affairs about the family doctor. Tofflemire said the federal agency did not call back about Desmond’s file, and she left her job about a week after his case was put on hold. The inquiry previously heard Desmond was diagnosed with severe post-traumatic stress disorder and major depression in 2011 and received four years of treatment before he left the Canadian Armed Forces in 2015. During an earlier hearing, Zimmer noted Desmond was complaining of worsening PTSD symptoms when he showed up at a hospital emergency room in Antigonish, N.S., on Oct. 24, 2016. Zimmer read from hospital files showing Desmond was feeling angry, sleep-deprived, overwhelmed, depressed and paranoid when he spoke to doctors in the emergency ward. Desmond also talked about his inability to navigate the systems set up by Veterans Affairs. On Jan. 3, 2017, the former infantryman killed his 31-year-old wife, Shanna, their 10-year-old daughter, Aaliyah, and his 52-year-old mother, Brenda, before turning the gun on himself in Upper Big Tracadie, N.S. This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 22, 2021. — — — This story was produced with the financial assistance of the Facebook and Canadian Press News Fellowship. The Canadian Press

  • NATO to hold summit in bid to repair U.S. ties amid Russia tensions

    The NATO military alliance will hold a summit on June 14 in Brussels, Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on Thursday, in the hope of repairing transatlantic ties under U.S. President Joe Biden amid growing tensions with Russia. After a bruising four years under Donald Trump, who said that the Western alliance was "obsolete" and used NATO summits to portray an organisation in crisis, Biden is seeking to renew ties with the other 29 NATO allies, offering close cooperation. "This is a unique opportunity to reinforce NATO as the enduring embodiment of the bond between Europe and North America," Stoltenberg said.

  • P.E.I. getting more than 47,000 extra doses of the Pfizer vaccine in May and June

    CHARLOTTETOWN — Prince Edward Island says it will receive double the number it expected of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines in May and June. Chief medical officer of health Dr. Heather Morrison says the extra 47,430 doses will mean more people will get their first doses sooner and others won't have to wait as long for booster shots. She says health officials expect to be able to offer everyone a booster shot no later than 12 weeks after their first dose. Starting next week, people in their 40s can begin booking vaccination appointments on the Island. Morrison is reporting one new case of COVID-19 today, involving a person who arrived in the province from outside Atlantic Canada. There are now 12 active reported cases in the province. This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 22, 2021. The Canadian Press