Blinken ends Trump's human rights agenda

Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday formally scrapped a blueprint championed by the Trump administration to limit U.S. promotion of human rights abroad to causes favored by conservatives. (March 30)

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  • What you need to know about COVID-19 in Ottawa on Tuesday, April 13

    Recent developments: What's the latest? Quebec Premier François Legault says special rules in place for Gatineau and its immediate surroundings will now be expanded to include the entire Outaouais region, starting Thursday and lasting until at least April 26. WATCH LIVE | Quebec's pandemic update starts at 1 p.m. ET: Ottawa is reporting 194 more COVID-19 cases and no more deaths. The Outaouais has 245 new cases, and for the second straight day, health authorities in Leeds, Grenville and Lanark are reporting another death. CHEO, eastern Ontario's children's hospital in Ottawa, says it's preparing to accept intensive care patients up to age 40 who'd otherwise be transferred outside Ottawa. It's the first time in CHEO's 47-year history that the hospital is admitting adult patients. How many cases are there? The region is in a record-breaking third wave of the pandemic that includes more dangerous coronavirus variants, straining hospitals and test sites. As of Tuesday, 20,267 Ottawa residents have tested positive for COVID-19. There are 2,617 known active cases, 17,174 resolved cases and 476 deaths. Public health officials have reported more than 37,300 COVID-19 cases across eastern Ontario and western Quebec, including more than 31,800 resolved cases. Elsewhere in eastern Ontario, 157 people have died. In western Quebec, the death toll is 178. Akwesasne has had more than 580 residents test positive, evenly split between its northern and southern sections. Kitigan Zibi has had a spike of about 15 cases late last week. It had about 20 confirmed cases before this. Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory has had 11, with one death. CBC Ottawa is profiling those who've died of COVID-19. If you'd like to share your loved one's story, please get in touch. What can I do? Eastern Ontario: Ontario is under a stay-at-home order until at least the first week of May. People can only leave home for essential reasons such as getting groceries or health care and exercising. They're asked to only leave their immediate area or province if it's absolutely necessary. Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson has said bylaw officers will inspect stores and respond to complaints about homes and parks. WATCH | Staff studying 8 p.m. Ottawa park curfew: The vast majority of indoor gatherings are prohibited, with exceptions for people who live together and those who live alone and pair up with one other household. Outdoor gatherings have to be essential, masked and distanced. Most non-essential businesses can only offer curbside pickup. Access to malls is restricted, and big-box stores can only sell essential items. Gyms and personal care services must close, while restaurants are only available for takeout and delivery. Ontario is indefinitely moving to online learning after April break. Daycares remain open for now. WATCH | Reaction to the latest school closures: Local health units and communities can also set their own rules, as Prince Edward County's is doing around travel and Kingston is doing for Breakwater Park. Western Quebec Premier François Legault has said the situation is critical in Gatineau and is asking people there to only leave home when it's essential. Schools, gyms, theatres, personal care services and non-essential businesses are closed until April 26 in Gatineau and in the MRC des Collines-de-l'Outaouais, which almost entirely surrounds the city. As of Wednesday, that covers the entire region. Private gatherings are banned, except for a person who lives alone seeing one other household. Distanced outdoor exercise is allowed in groups up to eight people and masks are mandatory if people mix households. The curfew starts at 8 p.m. People in the Outaouais are asked to only have close contact with people they live with, be masked and distanced for all other in-person contact and only leave their immediate area for essential reasons — under threat of a fine if they go to a yellow or green zone. Distancing and isolating The novel coronavirus primarily spreads through droplets that can hang in the air. People can be contagious without symptoms, even after getting a vaccine. Coronavirus variants of concern are more contagious and are spreading quickly. This means it is important to take precautions now and in the future like staying home while sick — and getting help with costs if needed — keeping hands and surfaces clean and maintaining distance from anyone you don't live with, even with a mask on. WATCH | Variants and outdoor spread: Masks, preferably ones that fit snugly and have three layers, are mandatory in indoor public settings in Ontario and Quebec. OPH says residents should wear masks outside their homes whenever possible. Masks are mandatory in the Outaouais if people are sitting outside with someone they don't live with and can't keep two metres apart. A man in a matching manga-themed mask and outfit stands on Wellington Street in Ottawa April 1, 2021. He told CBC it cost about $100 online.(Andrew Lee/CBC) Health Canada recommends older adults and people with underlying medical conditions and/or weakened immune systems get help with errands. People have to show proof of a recent negative COVID-19 test to enter Canada by land without a fine and have to pay for their stay in a quarantine hotel if entering by air. Anyone with COVID-19 symptoms should self-isolate, as should those who've been ordered to do so by their public health unit. The length varies in Quebec and Ontario. Vaccines Four COVID-19 vaccines have been deemed safe and approved in Canada. Canada's task force said first doses offer such strong protection that people can wait up to four months to get a second. About 468,000 doses have been given out in the Ottawa-Gatineau region since mid-December, including about 204,000 doses to Ottawa residents and about 84,000 in western Quebec. Eastern Ontario Ontario is now in Phase 2 of its vaccine rollout, with the first doses during Phase 1 generally going to care home residents and health-care workers. All health units in eastern Ontario are now vaccinating people age 60 and older at their clinics. People can book appointments online or over the phone. People who are above or turning age 55 can contact participating pharmacies for a vaccine appointment. That list grew by more than 100 locations on Monday. Phase 2 includes people with underlying health conditions this month, followed by essential workers who can't work from home in May. Phase 3 should involve vaccinating anyone older than 16 starting in July. Ottawa transit workers protest for early access to the COVID-19 vaccine on April 12, 2021.(Francis Ferland/CBC) Local health units have some flexibility in the larger framework, so check their websites for details. The province has opened up appointments for people age 50 to 54 in the K1T, K1V and K2V "hot spot" postal codes, though supply is currently limited. This should soon include all education workers and staff in large workplaces. Separately, some Ottawans in certain priority neighbourhoods can check their eligibility online and call the city at 613-691-5505 for an appointment. Indigenous people over age 16 in Ottawa can make an appointment the same way. Western Quebec Quebec also started by vaccinating people in care homes and health-care workers. The vaccination plan now covers people age 60 and older. People age 55 to 79 can line up in their vehicles to get a ticket for a walk-up appointment at Gatineau's Palais des Congrès. That will be followed by local essential workers and people with chronic illnesses. Officials expect everyone who wants a shot to be able to get one by by Fête nationale on June 24. People who qualify can make an appointment online or over the phone. Pharmacists there will also be giving shots. Symptoms and testing COVID-19 can range from a cold-like illness to a severe lung infection, with common symptoms including fever, a cough, vomiting and loss of taste or smell. Children tend to have an upset stomach and/or a rash. If you have severe symptoms, call 911. Mental health can also be affected by the pandemic, and resources are available to help. In eastern Ontario: Anyone seeking a test should book an appointment. Ontario recommends only getting tested if you have symptoms, if you've been told to by your health unit or the province, or if you fit certain other criteria. People without symptoms but who are part of the province's targeted testing strategy can make an appointment at select pharmacies. This week that includes school staff and students. Travellers who need a test have very few local options to pay for one. Check with your area's health unit for clinic locations and hours. Some are offering pop-up or mobile clinics. In western Quebec: Tests are strongly recommended for people with symptoms and their contacts. Outaouais residents can make an appointment in Gatineau at 135 blvd. Saint-Raymond or 617 ave. Buckingham. They can check the wait time for the Saint-Raymond site. People line up to enter the COVID-19 test site on boulevard Saint-Raymond in Gatineau, Que., in April 2021. (Hugo Belanger/Radio-Canada) There are recurring clinics by appointment in communities such as Maniwaki and Petite-Nation. Call 1-877-644-4545 with questions, including if walk-in testing is available nearby. First Nations, Inuit and Métis: First Nations, Inuit and Métis people, or someone travelling to work in a remote Indigenous community, are eligible for a test in Ontario. Akwesasne has a COVID-19 test site by appointment only and a curfew of 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. Anyone returning to the community on the Canadian side of the international border who's been farther than 160 kilometres away — or visited Montreal — for non-essential reasons is asked to self-isolate for 14 days. People in Pikwakanagan can book a COVID-19 test by calling 613-625-1175. Anyone in Tyendinaga who's interested in a test can call 613-967-3603 and in Kitigan Zibi, 819-449-5593. Inuit in Ottawa can call the Akausivik Inuit Family Health Team at 613-740-0999 for service, including testing and vaccines, in Inuktitut or English on weekdays. For more information

  • 3 vaccinated hospitalized COVID patients 'a bit surprising,' says epidemiologist

    An epidemiologist says it's "a bit surprising" three people hospitalized in New Brunswick for COVID-19 had been vaccinated, including someone who had two doses before the onset of symptoms. Raywat Deonandan, an associate professor at the University of Ottawa, says the clinical trials showed some vaccinated people still got sick, but that the vaccines "had a 100 per cent chance of keeping vaccinated people out of the hospital." But clinical trial numbers are always more optimistic than real-life situations, he said, noting the COVID-19 vaccines were tested on only tens of thousands of people, and now they're being distributed to tens of millions of people globally. So some hospitalizations were "bound to happen eventually," said Deonandan. Three hospitalizations out of the more than 120,000 adult New Brunswickers who received at least one dose as of last week — or roughly 0.002 per cent — is about the rate he would expect, he said. Deonandan anticipates a "vanishingly small number" of vaccinated people may also eventually die from COVID-19. "This is all about probability, not certainties," he said. "What we have done a poor job of explaining is vaccines are not bulletproof vests." They're merely a mitigation tool. And until we achieve so-called herd immunity, with between 70 and 90 per cent of the population inoculated to protect others who aren't immunized, they're the best one we've got. "The message is, if you get vaccinated, your probability of anything bad happening to you, COVID-related, is now vanishingly small, but not zero." Dr. Jennifer Russell, the province's chief medical officer of health, said the risk of hospitalization, ICU admission and death from COVID-19 are greatly reduced by the vaccine, but all New Brunswickers will continue to be at risk until around June 15, when the province hopes to have everybody vaccinated with one dose.(Government of New Brunswick) It's a message the province's chief medical officer of health has stressed in recent days since she took many people by surprise by announcing last Thursday that three hospitalized COVID patients were vaccinated. It takes two to three weeks for the vaccine to take effect and for the person to build up immunity, Dr. Jennifer Russell had said. "I don't want people to get a false sense of security that they're immune to COVID-19 once they've had a vaccine," she told CBC News on Friday. "And even after two doses of vaccine, we know that the risk of getting COVID is not zero." People need to continue to follow Public Health guidelines, such as wearing a mask and physical distancing, even if they've been vaccinated, she said. On Saturday, when CBC News asked how many of the hospitalized patients had been fully vaccinated, Russell confirmed the even more surprising news that one person had received both doses. On Tuesday, pressed for clarification on conflicting information, Department of Health spokesperson Bruce Macfarlane said the person received the first dose more than 14 days before the onset of symptoms, but the second shot was less than seven days prior to symptom onset. "In this case the second dose is not considered active yet, so the person still has the equivalent of one dose protection," Macfarlane said in an email. The other two people had received a single dose each — one of them more than 14 days before symptom onset and the other, less than 14 days prior, he said. 'Very unlikely' 3 are young, healthy Michael Grant, a professor of immunology and associate dean of biomedical science at Memorial University in St. John's, acknowledged it's "a concern" people are still being hospitalized when the vaccine rollout is underway. And it comes when there's already "skepticism" about vaccines, he said. "It's been a bit of a public relations nightmare with the AstraZeneca vaccine, with what would appear to be a bit of flip-flopping as better information become becomes available." But Grant thinks it's "very unlikely" these cases are due to a vaccine failure in young, healthy people. He contends there's "very little evidence anywhere else" that people who have been fully vaccinated and developed immunity from that vaccination are at risk for severe infection. "So unless there's something very peculiar occurring in New Brunswick, I don't think there should be any sort of generalization that people can be fully vaccinated, develop a good immune response and still be at risk for severe illness," said Grant. Dr. Michael Grant, a professor of immunology at Memorial University in St. John's, said it's been a 'hard psychological blow' for the population to be told once everybody's had the vaccine, we can start to go back to to a normal life, and then to hear some restrictions may have to remain in place even after most people have been vaccinated. (CBC) Why some vaccinated people are ending up in hospital and what kind of people this happens to is more difficult to nail down, however. Grant noted the vaccine studies were conducted on otherwise healthy individuals, so it's still too soon to know how some groups of people will respond. But there is some evidence that older people do not respond as well to the vaccine, so they may remain "somewhat susceptible" to the coronavirus, he said. If people are taking immunosuppressive or anti-inflammatory medications to treat certain conditions at the time they receive the vaccine, the drugs can reduce the response they make against the vaccine, said Grant. A couple of studies with cancer survivors who are on some form of maintenance therapy or whose immune system hasn't recovered from chemotherapy have shown they respond "very poorly" to one dose of the vaccine. "And there will be very, very rare cases where people do make an immune response against the vaccine and still get infected with the virus somehow and develop illness," he said. No vaccines perfect Deonandan said all vaccines have a failure rate. He pointed to the annual flu vaccine, which usually has an efficacy of 40 to 70 per cent. "And yet we never complained when we got the flu vaccine and saw hey, some people got the flu," he said. "But, you know, people aren't afraid of the flu because we don't hear about the thousands who die every year of the flu." The probability of vaccine failure — or the probability of detecting vaccine failure — increases as the prevalence of the disease increases, said Deonandan. Every vaccinated person still has a very small chance of transmitting and getting the disease. This may increase with the highly transmissible COVID variants, including the two now confirmed in New Brunswick — the variant first reported in the U.K. and the variant first detected in South Africa. But they have to be exposed to the disease first. Their chance of being exposed varies with the prevalence of the disease in the community. So if the prevalence is high, then the risk of exposure is high. "So this is all a population game. This is getting sufficient immunity into a sufficient number of people with the understanding that not everybody is going to be perfectly immune." Interpret numbers carefully How we interpret and communicate the numbers is important, said Deonandan. He offered as an example a high school of 100 people, where 99 of them are vaccinated against the measles with a vaccine that has a one per cent failure rate. If an outbreak infects the one person who didn't get vaccinated and the one person whom the vaccine failed to protect, half of those two people were vaccinated. "So you could look at that statistic and say, 'Oh, my God, I've got a 50-50 chance of getting measles if I got vaccinated," he said. But that's incorrect. "You have a one per cent chance of getting measles if you got vaccinated. So it depends on how you view the numbers. This is really important." A couple of months after more than half the population has been immunized, Deonandan expects the probability of community transmission will be so low that the vaccine failure rates will be "irrelevant." Grant encourages people to continue to get immunized. "The vast majority of cases, there's very strong evidence that having the vaccine is going to protect you against developing severe illness," he said.

  • Alberta's top doctor says new restrictions loom as COVID-19 cases continue to spike

    EDMONTON — Alberta’s chief medical officer of health says new public-health restrictions might be needed if high daily COVID-19 case counts continue. Dr. Deena Hinshaw says high numbers of infections usually start affecting hospitals three to four weeks afterward. She said it’s imperative not to overwhelm hospitals so that they can still handle other emergencies and surgeries during the pandemic. “We don’t have, right now, the level of vaccine protection to prevent people who get sick from needing to go to hospital,” Hinshaw said Tuesday. “We have to make sure that we’re watching within the coming week to 10 days about what those cases look like and consider -- if our trajectory continues on a steep upward climb -- whether those additional measures will be needed.” Hinshaw declined to speculate on what the restrictions could be. She said that would depend on data and other factors. Hinshaw reported 1,081 new cases on Tuesday, the seventh consecutive day of counts above 1,000. The rise is being driven by more contagious variants, which now make up 52 per cent of the province's 15,087 active cases. There were 402 people in hospital, 88 of them in intensive care. The numbers are inching into the red-line territory reached before Christmas when total active cases soared past 21,000 and there were close to 900 people in hospital. That forced health officials to cancel surgeries, move patients, double-bunk critical care cases, and prep a field hospital at the University of Alberta. Currently, Alberta does not allow indoor social gatherings and outdoor get-togethers are capped at 10 people. Retail store customer capacity is at 15 per cent and restaurants are closed to dine-in service, although patios remain open. Entertainment venues, including casinos, museums, movie theatres and libraries, remain closed. Gyms cannot hold group fitness activities. Premier Jason Kenney faces opposition from some quarters — even within his own caucus — and is being pressed to ease up on public-health measures on the grounds they are onerous and unnecessary. Kenney said restrictions need to be in place a bit longer until vaccination rates reach critical mass. Alberta has delivered 970,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses. “We’ve ramped up our vaccination campaign to deliver up to 40,000 doses a day and we’ll soon be able to deliver as many as 70,000 a day,” Kenney said earlier Tuesday. “With natural immunity from those who have already been infected and the protective shield of vaccines, we will hopefully be able to see a return to normal by summer.” Kenney, answering questions from the Opposition NDP in the house, also announced that COVID-19 had reached into his office. “I’m aware of two members of my staff who have tested positive and are in self-isolation, as are their close contacts,” said Kenney. “They’re rigorously following all of the appropriate protocols.” Kenney also announced businesses affected by COVID-19 shutdowns will soon be able to apply for more aid -- another payment of up to $10,000 from the Small and Medium Enterprise Relaunch Grant program. That is on top of the maximum $20,000 made available under previous phases of the program. The money will also be available to businesses that began operating since March 2020, as well as to hotels, taxis, and ride-hailing services. NDP Leader Rachel Notley said the money is not enough, pointing out that Ontario offers up to $40,000 per business. “(Alberta’s program) is a mile wide and an inch deep,” Notley told the house. Kenney countered by saying his government has provided other supports, such as deferring and freezing property taxes, and deferrals for utility payments and workers' compensation premiums. This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 13, 2021 Dean Bennett, The Canadian Press

  • Chinese premier calls for more communication between China, U.S.

    China and the United States should step up their communication while managing their differences and respecting each other's core interests, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang told a group of senior U.S. executives on Tuesday. China hopes the United States could work with China to meet each other halfway, said Li at a virtual conference with presidents and chief executives from more than 20 large U.S. companies.

  • 2 of 3 puppies still missing after weekend break-in, say Surrey RCMP

    One of three American bulldogs that were stolen during a break-and-enter in Surrey has been recovered, according to Surrey RCMP, but the dogs' owners are still trying to find the other two puppies. The theft happened Saturday afternoon at a house on 8 Avenue, near 176 Street, while the residents weren't home. According to police, a member of the public got in touch after realizing the puppy they bought at a car show in Mission over the weekend was one of the stolen dogs, Rosie. "We're glad that we got this one puppy back for the family," said Sgt. Elanore Sturko. "We're grateful that this person who had the puppy reached out to us." Sturko said the person also provided further information to investigators, and it's possible the two dogs that remain at large were also sold at the car show. Anyone with information is asked to contact Surrey RCMP or Crime Stoppers if they wish to remain anonymous.

  • Yukon headed for minority government as two main parties in a tie

    WHITEHORSE — Yukon is headed toward a minority government with the Liberal and Yukon parties tied with the same number of seats after Monday's election. With all of the votes counted, the Liberal and Yukon parties had eight seats each, and the NDP had won two seats. The riding of Vuntut Gwitchin is slated for a judicial recount after Liberal candidate Pauline Frost, the territory's health and environment minister, was tied with New Democrat Annie Blake at 78 votes each. No other candidates ran in the riding. Elections Yukon said the recount is scheduled to be held on Thursday. If the race is still tied after the recount, Yukon's Elections Act says the winner will be determined by drawing lots. Ten seats were needed for a majority government. Yukon Liberal Leader Sandy Silver called it an "interesting result," but said the party would wait to see the recount results of Vuntut Gwitchin before making further statements. "Now, more than ever, Yukoners have told us that we need to work together, and we will," he said Monday night at a news conference in Dawson City. The Liberals came into the election looking to build on their surprise 2016 majority win. Silver had urged Yukoners to not change the course in this election, pitching his government’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic as one of the reasons his party should continue to lead the territory. Yukon Party Leader Currie Dixon said Monday's results showed more support for his party and its platform. Like Silver, Dixon said he would be closely watching the results of the judicial recount. "The tie result in Vuntut Gwitchin creates a considerable degree of uncertainty," he said. "Until we see the results of that tie break, we will have to remain interested in the final outcome." Dixon noted the Liberals will be given the first chance to form a government, but the Yukon Party would be pushing forward its agenda and priorities. New Democrat Leader Kate White, who pitched her party as a progressive alternative to her two main rivals, said Monday's result showed residents want political parties to work together. Opposition politicians had questioned the decision to hold an election during the pandemic, particularly as the territory worked through its COVID-19 vaccination rollout. Monday's race was the fifth election in Canada during the pandemic, and the first that didn't result in a majority win for the governing party. In New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Saskatchewan and British Columbia, all the governing parties went on to form majority governments after calling an election. — By Nick Wells in Vancouver. This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 12, 2021. The Canadian Press

  • N.B. COVID-19 roundup: Atlantic bubble postponed until May 3

    The reopening of the Atlantic bubble has been postponed until at least May 3 over concerns about a surge in new cases of COVID-19. In a news release Tuesday afternoon, the Council of Atlantic Premiers announced the decision was made given the spike in new cases and the emergence of more transmissible forms of the virus. "Given the recent surge in cases of COVID-19 in parts of Atlantic Canada and the emergence of more transmissible forms of the virus, the Council of Atlantic Premiers has agreed to delay the reopening of the Atlantic Bubble by at least two weeks, to May 3rd, 2021," says the release. "The decision is based upon expert advice from the region's Chief Medical Officers of Health." The release said the relaxation of travel restrictions will be "closely monitored" and may change at any time based on public health advice regarding conditions in the region. Premier Blaine Higgs repeated this later in an interview on Power & Politics, saying a May opening is not guaranteed. The bubble, which would allow travel among the four Atlantic Canadian provinces without the need to self-isolate, was originally supposed to open on April 19, But on Tuesday morning, Higgs was already casting doubt on that happening, citing the growing number of variant cases. Speaking to reporters prior to the latest announcement, Higgs said he was keen on seeing the bubble reopen, but added there would be risks associated with it. "If we mitigate that with vaccines, that makes it more secure for us to open," Higgs said. The postponement of the bubble also came after Nova Scotia, Premier Iain Rankin announced earlier Tuesday that travellers from New Brunswick will once again have to self-isolate for 14 days when they enter Nova Scotia. 'Not writing off summer' As for the when borders could open up to the rest of Canada, Higgs said early July is still the goal. "I don't think that's in jeopardy at this point," Higgs said Tuesday. However, he cautioned, that will very much depend on vaccines rolling out as planned, and "on us reaching that 75 per cent [of the population vaccinated] level." "We are short on vaccines, there's no question about it." As well, Higgs noted, "we are seeing some major outbreaks in other provinces, and that all weighs into it too, of course." "But I'm not writing off summer, because so many people are depending on us to be in a position to travel freely again in our province and in our country … So I'm pushing for that too." There are currently 132 active cases in the province.(CBC News) 4 new cases reported Public Health reported four new cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday, affecting two zones. The cases break down in this way: Saint John region, Zone 2, one case: An individual 60 to 69 Edmundston region, Zone 4, three cases: Two people 20 to 29 An individual 40 to 49 All four people are contacts of previously confirmed cases. The number of confirmed cases in New Brunswick is 1,736. Since Monday, 17 people have recovered for a total of 1,570 recoveries. There have been 33 deaths, and the number of active cases is 132. Eighteen patients are hospitalized, including 13 in intensive care. A total of 269,256 tests have been conducted, including 1,160 since Monday's report. Higgs urges truck drivers to get vaccinated Premier Blaine Higgs says it's "very important" to get all rotational workers and truck drivers vaccinated to reduce New Brunswick's vulnerability at the border. But only 800 out of 3,000 truck drivers in the province have been vaccinated more than two weeks after the group was allowed to book vaccination appointments, Higgs said Tuesday. "I will put an urge out to drivers right now," he said. "We need their help." According to the premier, vaccines have been set aside for the drivers, but pharmacies are using them on others because not enough drivers are booking appointments. During the first week, only 100 drivers in New Brunswick received their first dose. WATCH | Higgs said with only 800 out of 3,000 truck drivers vaccinated in New Brunswick, the province is at risk "That's a risk to us right now," said Higgs. Jean-Marc Picard, the executive director of the Atlantic Provinces Trucking Association, said it's not a simple task for truck drivers to book appointments when they're travelling all week. "They leave at 5 a.m. or 4 a.m. They're gone most of the week. They only have a two-day window to have an appointment." Picard also said part of truckers' response has to do with vaccine hesitancy. "We're going to see that from all corners of the province, but I know there are some truck drivers that won't get it, and it is their choice." The trucking association suggested Public Health set up portable vaccine stations at specific scales with a lot of traffic. The idea would be similar to the COVID-19 testing station that was set up at the Saint-Jacques at the Quebec-New Brunswick border last summer, which was quite successful, according to Picard. "I think this would help them with the numbers that they're looking for." The association was to have a call with Public Health on Tuesday night to discuss this plan's viability. About 175 trucking companies are part of the association and of these, 60 per cent are in New Brunswick. Education Minister Dominic Cardy apologized for the last-minute decision to postpone in-person classes this week. But he said the decision was made to protect the thousands of students against the respiratory disease.(Submitted by the Government of New Brunswick) Cardy apologizes for last-minute decision to halt in-person classes New Brunswick's education minister says he's pleased with Public Health's decision to halt the return to full-time classes for high school students, despite the short notice. Public Health Minister Dorothy Shephard announced the delay Saturday afternoon — just two days before daily, in-person classes were to resume. She said the decision was made as a precaution. "We've got to protect the health and safety of students and staff," Education Minister Dominic Cardy said Tuesday. He apologized for the last-minute change of plans, which caught teachers, staff and parents by surprise. The decision was also a difficult one for government officials to make, he said. "Having a last-minute change like this, even if I think it was absolutely the right thing to do, having it happen at the last minute causes a lot of stress." He said the decision was reversed because the all-party COVID cabinet committee was concerned about COVID-19 case numbers going up in northwestern New Brunswick, and hundreds of thousands of students and staff who could become vulnerable to the variant first reported in the United Kingdom but now in the province. "The decision making around these tables is always complicated and you're always trying to balance hundreds of different pieces of information," he said. Cardy said he couldn't provide specific details about the decision to postpone classes in cabinet and the all-party COVID cabinet committee, citing confidentiality concerns. "I can say I am really happy we are sticking with the blended system at least for a few more weeks," he said. Last week Cardy received a message on Twitter, asking why high schools were opening on Monday, given the COVID-19 situation. He responded by saying it was a strong recommendation by Public Health to resume classes. "Please contact them to share your concerns. I have," he said. On Tuesday, Cardy told Information Morning Fredericton, said he couldn't share what he was discussing with Public Health. He did say, Public Health previously felt the province was in a situation to return to classes full time, and there were concerns about the impact on students' mental under the current, alternating-days arrangement. Some students are not having a positive educational experience. "It's always a balance from Public Health's side and anyone else's side," he said. Cardy said the decision for high school students to return to in-person classes full time will be made the last week of April. "The best thing to do was to leave high schools alone for at least a few more weeks," he said. Cardy wouldn't say whether he favoured students staying home for the remainder of the school year, but he expected a shift back to full-time classes would be a challenge. "I'm very comfortable that students are at home and very happy that that extra layer of risk hasn't been added to the province's efforts to fight back against COVID." A 'new era' of COVID-19 Dr. Jennifer Russell, New Brunswick's chief medical officer of health, said residents need to prepare for a new era of the COVID-19 pandemic. There has been an uptick of the UK variant confirmed across New Brunswick and the province announced two new cases of the South African variant in the Saint John region on Monday. Since two cases were properly self-isolating, Russell is hopeful those particular cases won't spread. Because of the variants, Russell said contact tracing will be 72 hours in advance of a person showing symptoms of COVID-19 instead of 48 hours. Dr. Jennifer Russell, New Brunswick's chief medical officer of health, says the COVID-19 variants has created a new era for the pandemic.(Submitted by the Government of New Brunswick) "We really need people to get tested even if you have really mild symptoms." Variants increase in translatability, severe symptoms, reinfections and mortality. "You can pretty much lump them all together," she said. "They're all very concerning." Although vaccines aren't 100 per cent effective, she said it's important for more people to get the COVID-19 vaccine to prevent more hospitalizations. More people in their 20s, 30s and 40s are getting the variant. Right now, Russell said the province can absorb more COVID-19 patients, but Public Health is trying to avoid that as much as possible. "Just that heightened worry on a constant basis is very draining," she said. 10 new cases reported Monday Ten new cases were reported Monday, affecting two zones in New Brunswick. The presence of the variant first detected in South Africa was also confirmed. The number of confirmed COVID cases during the pandemic is 1,732. Since Sunday, 13 people had recovered for a total of 1,553 recoveries. There have been 33 deaths There are currently 145 active cases in the province.(CBC News) The number of active cases is 145. Eighteen patients are hospitalized, including 13 in an intensive care unit. A total of 268,096 tests have been conducted, including 737 since Sunday's report. The number of people who've received at least one dose of a vaccine is 136,494 — more than 20 per cent of those eligible. These doses include 625 administered since Sunday, according to the province's dashboard published Monday afternoon. More possible exposures Edmundston area: April 8 and 9, National Bank, (111 de l'Église St., Edmundston) April 9 between 12:00 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. – Shoppers Drug Mart (160 Hébert Blvd., Edmundston) April 8 between 6:30 a.m. and 7:00 a.m., April 7 between 6:30 a.m and 7:00 a.m., and April 6 between 6:30 a.m. and 7:00 a.m. – Tim Hortons (262 Isidore-Boucher Blvd., St-Jacques) April 7 between after 6:00 p.m., April 6 after 6:00 p.m. – Epicerie Chez ti-Marc (256 Isidore-Boucher Blvd., St-Jacques) April 7 between 10:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m., and April 6 between 10:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. – Dollarama (787 Victoria St., Edmundston) April 7 between 10:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m., and April 6 between 10:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. – NB Liquor, (575 Victoria St., Edmundston) April 7 between 10:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. – Jean Coutu (177 Victoria St., Edmundston) April 7 between 6:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. – Subway (180 Hébert Blvd., Edmundston) April 7 between 6:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. – Atlantic Superstore (577 Victoria St., Edmundston) April 6 between 6:30 a.m. and 7:00 a.m. – Scotiabank (75 Canada Rd., Edmundston) March 26 to April 8 – Napa Auto Parts - (260 Canada St., Edmundston) March 20 to April 9, Atlantic Superstore (577 Victoria St., Edmundston) April 5 at 11 a.m. – Shoppers Drug Mart (160 Hébert Blvd., Edmundston) April 1 – Royal Bank (48 Saint-François St., Edmundston) March 31 between 12 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. – Scotiabank (75 Canada Rd., Edmundston) March 30 between 12 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. – Scotiabank (75 Canada Rd., Edmundston) March 29 between 8:45 a.m. and 4 p.m. – Scotiabank (75 Canada Rd., Edmundston) Moncton region: April 8 between 4:45 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. – COSTCO Wholesale customer service (140 Granite Drive, Moncton) April 6 between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. – YMCA Vaughan Harvey, (30 War Veterans Ave., Moncton) April 4 between 10 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. – Moncton Wesleyan Church (945 St. George Blvd., Moncton) April 3 between 8:00 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. – Kelseys Original Roadhouse (141 Trinity Dr., Moncton) April 1 between 12 p.m. and 1 p.m., April 3 between 1 p.m. and 1:30 p.m., April 6 between 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m., April 8 between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. – CF Champlain (477 Paul St., Dieppe) Fredericton region: March 31 – Murray's Irving Big Stop (198 Beardsley Rd., Beardsley) Saint John region: April 9 between 2:10 p.m. and 2:40 p.m., GAP Factory East Point, (15 Fashion Dr., Saint John) April 9 between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. – McAllister Place, 519 Westmorland Rd., Saint John April 8 between 12 p.m. and 1 p.m., – McAllister Place, 519 Westmorland Rd., Saint John April 8 between 1:15 p.m. and 2 p.m. – Service New Brunswick, 15 King Square North, Saint John April 1 between 6 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. – YMCA of Greater Saint John (191 Churchill Blvd., Saint John) 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.

  • Criticism over Ontario's mixed messaging as schools ordered to shift online

    Global News Queen’s Park bureau chief Travis Dhanraj explains Ontario’s shift to online learning after days of mixed messaging by government officials.

  • First Nations denounce New Brunswick government's move to end tax agreements

    FREDERICTON — New Brunswick First Nations say the province's announcement Tuesday that existing tax collection agreements will not be renewed is an insult and a crushing attack on their economic viability. "The decision to tear up these tax agreements is unfair and offensive when the premier has yet to show First Nations any morsel of fairness throughout his tenure as leader of this province," Madawaska Chief Patricia Bernard said in a statement on behalf of the Wolastoqey Nation in New Brunswick. She said the government's only interest is to see "how much more money it can leech from our resources, be it natural or financial." The decision to end the agreements follows a court ruling last month that said the province has an obligation to share with First Nations carbon tax revenues collected and remitted by on-reserve retailers. Premier Blaine Higgs said Tuesday the province won't appeal that ruling but added the current tax agreements are outdated and have proven to be unfair. "The existing tax agreements are independent of Aboriginal and treaty rights and were developed before (Harmonized Sales Tax) and carbon tax," Higgs said at a news conference in Fredericton. "No other province in Canada has tax agreements, and this is completely unique to New Brunswick." The agreements date back to 1994 and were intended to provide tax fairness for businesses on and off reserve. Before that, businesses on First Nations land were not collecting taxes from non-Indigenous customers. Under the agreements, the province would rebate 95 per cent of the first $8 million collected in provincial sales tax on tobacco, gasoline and other fuels, and 70 per cent on amounts above $8 million. In the late 1990s, the agreements were refunding approximately $28,000 annually, but they have grown at a rapid rate, hitting a peak of $47 million in 2019-20. Higgs said about $44 million will be refunded to First Nations communities this year, but it is not spread equally among them. The premier said nearly 40 per cent of that money will go to just two per cent of the First Nation population. "This is money that would have gone to support hospitals, schools, social programs and roads to benefit all New Brunswickers, including First Nations," Higgs said. "Our existing arrangement is clearly unsustainable, and our province cannot afford to ignore it any longer." Some of the agreements will expire in 90 days and others end next year, and Aboriginal Affairs Minister Arlene Dunn said the government is committed to working with First Nations on what she called modern economic partnerships. She said that might include revenue sharing from natural resources or partnerships on issues such as housing and economic development. Dunn admitted the method of informing all the chiefs of the decision was not ideal. "I'm hoping they'll come to the table and pick up the phone and call me," Dunn said. The chiefs say they need to discuss the situation and decide how to proceed. But they were not impressed by how the news was delivered. Mi'kmaq leaders said the government has hit a new low in its relationship with Indigenous people in the province. A statement from Mi'gmawe'l Tplu'taqnn Inc., which represents the province's nine Mi'kmaq communities, said media were briefed on the news before Finance Minister Ernie Steeves held a brief phone call with the chiefs. "Minister Steeves read a statement, refused to take questions and hung up on the chiefs," their statement said. One chief, George Ginnish of Natoaganeg, called the treatment by the government "completely disrespectful." Green Leader David Coon says Higgs should have addressed concerns through a renegotiation of the tax agreements. “The premier is rejecting them, just as he rejected the need for an inquiry into systemic racism, or the need to write Indigenous rights into the Crown Lands and Forests Act," said Coon. "Under this government, any hope for reconciliation has evaporated." This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 13, 2021. Kevin Bissett, The Canadian Press

  • Use-of-force expert testifies that Chauvin justified in deadly arrest of Floyd

    MINNEAPOLIS (Reuters) -Defense attorneys in the murder trial of Derek Chauvin on Tuesday called an expert witness who testified that the former Minneapolis police officer was justified and reasonable in his use of force during his arrest of George Floyd. After 11 days of testimony by prosecution witnesses, Eric Nelson, lead attorney for Chauvin, called Barry Brodd, a private consultant in the use of force by law enforcement who said Chauvin was following his training during the encounter. His testimony contradicted several prosecution witnesses, including the city police chief, who earlier in the trial said Chauvin had no justification for kneeling on the 46-year-old Black man's neck for more than nine minutes.

  • Deployment of EU electric vehicle charging stations too slow, auditors say

    The European Union's deployment of charging infrastructure for electric vehicles is not quick enough to meet the bloc's targets, EU auditors said on Tuesday. The European Court of Auditors (ECA) looked at how the European Commission supports member states in expanding electrical charging infrastructure as well as how it manages EU funding. It found that availability of public charging stations varies significantly between member states and that payment systems are not harmonised, forcing drivers to use multiple subscriptions or payment methods to charge their cars if they travel in different EU countries.

  • Georgia lawmaker's legal work targeted again over voting law

    WASHINGTON, Ga. — Protesters are trying to get a Georgia state representative fired by cities and counties that pay him to be their attorney, citing his role in pushing through a voting law that adds restrictions. The Washington City Council voted 4-2 to ask Rep. Barry Fleming to resign Monday, WJBF-TV reports. It's not clear if the city can immediately fire the Republican from Harlem because Washington has a contract with Fleming's law firm. “We want to make sure that every vote counts and we want to make sure that every person is heard," said Wilkes County Democratic Party chair Kimberly Rainey, among protesters demanding Fleming's resignation. “These kinds of bills are voter suppression. There’s no other way to say it and it hurts people that are disenfranchised already.” Fleming earlier stepped down as attorney for Hancock County after he was targeted by protesters there for his work on Georgia's sweeping voting overhaul. Fleming led the House Committee on Election Integrity and proposed the final form of Senate Bill 202, which Gov. Brian Kemp signed into law hours after the Senate agreed to House changes. Opponents say the bill will cut the ability of Democrats and minorities to vote. It requires people to present proof of identification to request an absentee ballot, cuts the number of days for requesting a ballot, shortens early voting before runoff elections, provides for fewer drop boxes than were allowed under emergency rules during the pandemic, allows for the state to take over local election offices and bars people from handing out food and water to voters in line within 150 feet (45 metres) of a polling place. Supporters say the bill was demanded by Republican voters alarmed by former President Donald Trump's claims about fraud and make absentee balloting more secure, provide a permanent legal basis for drop boxes and expand the number of mandatory weekend early voting days. Fleming denies that he's trying to keep anyone from voting and said he believes the law will withstand multiple lawsuits that have been filed seeking to overturn it. Georgia has faced a backlash since Gov. Kemp signed the law, with Delta Air Lines and the Coca-Cola Co. criticizing it and Major League Baseball yanking its All-Star Game from the Atlanta Braves stadium in Cobb County. Kemp and many other Republicans have counterattacked, c laiming big businesses are hurting minorities they claim to care about. Fleming’s district includes parts of Columbia and McDuffie counties, but does not include Washington. He also serves as city attorney for Harlem, Lincolnton, and Greensboro and is the county attorney for Burke, Putnam and Glascock counties. A similar protest was planned in Burke County on Tuesday. The Nation reports Hancock County and Washington have paid Fleming's law firm $382,000 in the last three years. Fleming defended a 2015 effort to purge voter rolls in the Hancock County seat of Sparta. He also wrote an opinion piece in The Augusta Chronicle last November that called mail-in absentee ballots “always-suspect” and likened them to “the shady part of town down near the docks you do not want to wander into because the chance of being shanghaied is significant.” The Associated Press

  • Russia says troop buildup near Ukraine is a response to NATO

    MOSCOW — Russia's defence minister said Tuesday that the country's massive military buildup in the west was part of readiness drills amid what he described as threats from NATO. Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said the manoeuvrs in western Russia that have worried neighbouring Ukraine and brought warnings from NATO would last for another two weeks. Speaking at a meeting with the top military brass, Shoigu said the ongoing exercise was a response to what he claimed were continuous efforts by the United States and its NATO allies to beef up their forces near Russia's borders. In the past three weeks, the Russian military has deployed two armies and three airborne formations to western regions “as a response to the alliance's military activities threatening Russia,” the defence minister said. “The troops have shown their full readiness to fulfil tasks to ensure the country's security,” he said. The U.S. and its allies have sounded alarm about the concentration of Russian troops along the border with Ukraine and increasing violations of a cease-fire in eastern Ukraine, where Russia-ba?ked separatists and Ukrainian forces have been locked in a conflict since Moscow’s 2014 annexation of Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula. More than 14,000 people have died in fighting in eastern Ukraine, and efforts to negotiate a political settlement have stalled. The chief of NATO on Tuesday called the recent Russian deployment the largest concentration of troops near the Ukraine border since 2014. The White House said U.S. President Joe Biden voiced concern over the Russian buildup and “called on Russia to de-escalate tensions,” during a phone call Tuesday with Russian President Vladimir Putin. In separate meetings with Ukraine’s foreign minister, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg strong support for Ukraine and warned Russia against pressing ahead with its troop buildup along the former Soviet republic’s eastern border. Amid the recent tensions, the United States notified Turkey that two U.S. warships would sail to the Black Sea on April 14 and April 15 and stay there until May 4 and May 5. The U.S. Navy ships have made regular visits to the Black Sea in past years, vexing Moscow. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov denounced the latest deployment as “openly provocative,” adding that “American ships have absolutely nothing to do near our shores.” “They are testing our strength and playing on our nerves,” Ryabkov said in remarks carried by Russian news agencies. “Seeing itself as the Queen of the Seas, the U.S. should realize that the risks of various incidents are very high. We warn the U.S. that it should stay away from Crimea and our Black Sea coast for their own benefit.” NATO chief Stoltenberg expressed the Western military alliance’s “unwavering” support for Ukraine during a news conference on Tuesday with Ukraine's foreign minister, calling the Russian movements “unjustified, unexplained and deeply concerning.” The Kremlin has argued that Russia is free to deploy its troops wherever it wants on its territory and has repeatedly accused the Ukrainian military of “provocative actions” along the line of control in the east and of planning to retake control of the rebel regions by force. Ryabkov reaffirmed Tuesday that “if there is any escalation, we will do everything to ensure our own security and the security of our citizens whenever they are,” adding that “Kyiv and its Western curators will bear all the responsibility for the consequences of that hypothetical escalation.” Vladimir Isachenkov, The Associated Press

  • Yukon reports 1 new COVID-19 case, expands exposure notice for April 3 Air North flight

    Yukon reported one new case of COVID-19 Monday night, as health officials expanded an exposure notification related to an April 3 Air North flight. The case is a Whitehorse resident and is linked to a previously announced case involving an out-of-territory worker who travelled to Yukon, the territorial Department of Health and Social Services said in a Monday night news release. The person is self-isolating at home and contact tracing is underway, says the release. This is Yukon's 75th confirmed case since the start of the pandemic. Exposure notice issued for Whitehorse airport terminal Yukon health officials also expanded a possible exposure notification for Air North flight 4N538 after "receiving further information related to the previous notification," according to the release. Anyone who was on the April 3 flight from Vancouver to Whitehorse that departed at 1:35 p.m. and arrived at 3:59 p.m. and who has COVID-19 symptoms should get tested. Anyone who was on the flight but doesn't have symptoms can also get tested. Additionally, anyone who was at the Erik Nielsen Whitehorse International Airport terminal between 4 and 5 p.m. on April 3 should self-monitor for symptoms and get tested if any arise, says the release. Everyone who was on the April 3 flight should continue to follow their self-isolation plans, the release says. They can leave isolation to get a COVID-19 test, but must resume isolating after they've been tested. Health officials say anyone experiencing COVID-19-like symptoms should self-isolate, take the online assessment, and arrange for a test by calling 867-393-3083 or booking online.

  • Cancer patient 'knocked on every door' to book quicker 2nd COVID-19 shot she was entitled to

    A London, Ont., woman undergoing cancer treatment says she had to jump through hoops before she was able to book a second COVID-19 vaccination, even though she's exempt from the typical months-long wait for a second dose. "There's no help navigating this system from anybody," said Barb MacQuarrie. "I've knocked on every door that I can possibly think of." In February, MacQuarrie, 63, was diagnosed with colorectal cancer. She's currently in treatment and set to start chemotherapy later this month. Keen to get vaccinated as soon as possible, she got her first dose of the AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine on March 20 in Toronto as part of a pilot project to expand vaccination distribution to Ontario pharmacies. The vaccine requires a second dose, which the manufacturer recommends be given anywhere from four to 12 weeks after the first shot. In early March, the provincial and federal governments extended to four months the interval between the first and second doses of the two-dose COVID-19 vaccines approved in Canada. This was done to maximize the number of people getting a level of protection from an initial inoculation, with community spread rampant and vaccine supply limited. However, there are exemptions for people with underlying health conditions to avoid the wait and get a second dose within the timeframe recommended by the manufacturer. Ontario's Vaccine Clinical Advisory Group (VCAG) says cancer patients "receiving active treatment" are among those exempt from the extended vaccine interval. Vaccine eligibility rules posted on the Middlesex-London Health Unit's website follow these guidelines. From pharmacy to pharmacy So with an exemption, MacQuarrie said, she was eligible for a second shot as early as April 17, but had a difficult time trying book an appointment. The pharmacy in Toronto where she received the first shot wouldn't schedule her second, but said it would call her if the vaccine supply improves. MacQuarrie said it was clear the pharmacist wasn't aware of the exemptions. She called other pharmacies and, at first, got similar responses. She said there was also confusion among her care providers about the exemptions and how to get the second shot ahead of others waiting to get their first. She tried to explain her quandary to the local health unit, but said she couldn't get through. "I've spent every day last week calling the health unit multiple times," she said. "I could not even get to the point where I could be put on hold. I just got a message that call volumes were too high and to please hang up and call again." Dr. Alex Summers, associate medical officer of health for the Middlesex-London Health Unit (MLHU), said people with exemptions can can book their second appointment when they get their first shot. While he couldn't comment on the situation MacQuarrie faced with the pharmacy, Summers said operators of the COVID-19 booking phone line for vaccination clinics (226-289-3560) are aware of the exemptions that allow cancer patients to schedule a second vaccination without the longer wait time. If I were exposed, I would in turn be exposing everyone at the cancer clinic at the same time. - Barb MacQuarrie The potential delay in getting a second shot was a concern for MacQuarrie. She lives with her son, who works in a front-line job. "If I were exposed, I would in turn be exposing everyone at the cancer clinic at the same time," she said. Finally, a London pharmacist on Monday told MacQuarrie she qualifies for an exemption and offered to help her schedule a second dose. She doesn't have an appointment yet; getting one depends on everything from the vaccine supply to number of other people trying to make bookings. MacQuarrie was keen to get her first and second doses to ensure she has maximum immunity when she beings cancer treatment later this month.(Dado Ruvic/Reuters) Angeline Ng of the Ontario Pharmacists Association (OPA) admitted the program to distribute the AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine in pharmacies has not been perfect. Ng said her group sent out detailed information to pharmacies informing them about the program. However, she said, not every pharmacy is an OPA member and it's possible messages were missed in the rapid rollout. MacQuarrie said she's told her story to CBC News as a cautionary tale to ensure pharmacists, health-care providers and cancer patients know about exemptions. "I had to do a lot of research and advocacy for myself to get this far," she said. "That will not be possible for many or even most cancer patients. We still have a problem that urgently needs a solution."

  • COVID-19 vaccination won't break your fast this Ramadan, say experts

    As Muslims begin their second month-long fast under a COVID-19 Ontario-wide lockdown — this time with vaccines available — some wonder whether they should be getting the shot while fasting. The fasting period, from dawn to sunset, each day of the holy month of Ramadan starts Tuesday and includes no food or drink, prompting some members of Ontario's Muslim community to turn to religious and health experts for guidance. Aarij Anwer, interim imam and Islamic education co-ordinator with the London Muslim Mosque, said community members have asked him if they are permitted to get vaccinated while fasting. "The question very frequently asked is, "I got an appointment during the fasting hours. Can I take the vaccine while fasting?" The answer is, "Yes, you should take it as it does not affect the fast." Tackling misinformation Anwer said he's trying to tackle any confusion and misinformation, as well as encourage Muslims to get vaccinated. London Muslim Mosque members, as well as other Muslims worldwide, are going through their second Ramadan starting Tuesday since the pandemic began over a year ago.(Maram Hijazi/CBC) "That is something that we are encouraging Muslims to take, as part of their commitment to their faith, as part of their commitment to their well-being." Referring to Islamic agencies in North America and internationally, Anwer said there is the understanding that "non-nutritious injections, for example vaccines, have no effect on the fast and will not invalidate the fast. A person can take this and their fast will continue to be intact." Nour Al-Farawi, a primary-care nurse practitioner, said it's important for everyone, including Muslims, to get vaccinated as soon as they're able to, even if it's during the month of Ramadan. "It is well established that intramuscular injection is not a form of sustenance or food, and therefore is permissible," he said. "I do want to stress we are in the third wave of this pandemic and it's important, now more than ever, to keep ourselves and others around us safe and healthy, and this vaccine rollout is unlike any we may have experienced in the past," she said. For those concerned about possible vaccine side-effects while fasting, Al-Farawi said most are mild and do not last long. "If there's anything that's stopping you, make sure you're making an informed decision before you decide not to get [the vaccine]. I can't stress enough that it's very important at this time." Keeping well during fasting period The Canadian Muslim COVID-19 Task Force, which provides culturally appropriate guidance and messaging around the coronavirus, echoed that advice. "This year, the COVID-19 vaccine will likely be available to many individuals during the month of Ramadan," the task force's website reads. "Everyone is recommended to get vaccinated as soon as they are eligible, and without delay." The Canadian Muslim COVID-19 Task Force, which provides culturally appropriate guidance and messaging around the coronavirus to Muslim communities, recommends people get vaccinated 'as soon as they are eligible, and without delay.'(Kate Dubinski/CBC News) Under the task force's guidelines, it notes that getting tested for COVID-19 while fasting, or taking the vaccine, doesn't break a fast. "It is not necessary to eat before or right after vaccination. Staying hydrated and eating nourishing suhoors [meal before sunrise] will help ensure that we are staying well for activities during Ramadan, including vaccination," the website reads. The task force says individuals are permitted to stop fasting if they get side-effects after getting the shot and feel they will worsen. COVID-19 vaccination clinics in Middlesex-London are open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. ET daily; all appointments can be booked in advance through the covidvaccinelm.ca website or by phone at 226-289-3560.

  • Yukon's election shows why every vote matters — especially for Justin Trudeau's Liberals

    It can't get much closer than this. Yukon's territorial election on Monday ended in a tie — in more ways than one. Premier Sandy Silver's Yukon Liberals and the opposition Yukon Party under Currie Dixon finished the night with eight seats apiece. Kate White's Yukon New Democrats won two seats. That leaves one seat left to be decided: the northern riding of Vuntut Gwitchin, where the Liberal and NDP candidates each wound up with 78 votes. If a recount doesn't decide the outcome, a random draw will. Either way, the Liberals will get the first crack at governing and the NDP will hold the balance of power in an almost evenly-divided minority assembly. It's hard to find a more complete demonstration of why every vote matters. It's something the federal Liberals might want to think about too, as they work to keep Yukon's single federal riding in their column. Elections in Yukon have been quite close lately. The margin between the first and third parties has been shrinking over the last four territorial elections. In 2006, the conservative Yukon Party finished first with 40.6 per cent of the vote, with the NDP in third at 23.6 per cent — a gap of 17 points. That margin decreased to 15 points in 2011 and 13 points in 2016. The unofficial count from Monday has the Yukon Party in first with 39.4 per cent of the nearly 18,000 ballots cast, with the Liberals at 32.3 per cent and the NDP at 28.2 per cent. Just over 11 percentage points divide first from third. Things have been tight at the federal level as well, with two of the last three elections being decided by fewer than 200 votes. Liberal Leader Sandy Silver (centre) watches results pour in from outside the Liberal Party HQ in Dawson City, Yukon, Monday night.(Julien Gignac/CBC) There hasn't been a huge amount of variation in party support over the last few Yukon territorial elections. The Yukon Party has registered between 39 and 41 per cent of the popular vote in four of the last five elections — the one exception being when it lost power in 2016. The NDP has scored between 26 and 33 per cent in five of the last six elections, putting Monday's result well within their average over the last two decades. The Liberals, however, have swung from as little as 25 per cent of the vote in 2011 to 43 per cent in 2000. Before 2016's election brought Silver to the premier's office, the Liberals had only ever won a single election in Yukon. Whether they win re-election as a territorial government for the first time in the party's history will depend on that count in Vuntut Gwitchin. Result bodes well for Erin O'Toole's Conservatives A territorial election can't tell us much about a federal election. If Silver's Liberals do secure that ninth seat, they'll be the fifth incumbent government to be re-elected during the pandemic. (While Silver might continue governing even if he ends up tying the Yukon Party in seats, it wouldn't quite count as an election "win".) If Prime Minister Justin Trudeau decides to call a federal election this spring or summer, it will be because he thinks his government can be the sixth to win re-election. In that sense, the Yukon result could turn out to be part of a broader pattern. More specifically, however, the results in the territorial vote can tell us a little bit about what to expect in the next federal vote in Yukon. Consider this historical fact: the party that won the most votes in a territorial election in Yukon has won the Yukon riding in the subsequent federal election 60 per cent of the time. The Conservatives last won the federal Yukon seat in 2011, but came up just 153 votes short in the 2019 federal election. After a good showing for the conservative Yukon Party in Monday's territorial election, Erin O'Toole's Conservatives will hope to take the seat when a federal vote is next held.(Sean Kilpatrick / Canadian Press) That winning record improves to 67 per cent if we exclude Audrey McLaughlin's victory in 1993, when she was both the MP for Yukon and the federal NDP leader. The Yukon Party (which had changed its name to disassociate itself from the Progressive Conservatives) was in government at the time. The winning record of parties sharing a political brand improves to 78 per cent (or 88 per cent, excluding the McLaughlin case) in cases where territorial and federal elections were held within about a year of each other. So history suggests that Erin O'Toole's Conservatives could be the favourites to win Yukon if a federal election is held in the next few months. The result in the federal riding was close in 2019, when the Liberals' Larry Bagnell defeated the Conservatives' Jonas Jacot Smith by only 153 votes. Between the 2016 and 2021 territorial elections, the net swing from the Liberals to the Yukon Party was nearly 2,500 votes. The federal Conservatives need just a fraction of that to defeat Bagnell. One seat is unlikely to make that much of a difference in a national federal election. But Trudeau's Liberals can't afford to lose any seats if they are hoping to win a majority government. The CBC's Poll Tracker estimates the Liberals would win around 174 seats if an election were held today — just four more than they need for a majority government. With such a slim margin for error, the Liberals can't really afford to lose any of the seats they hold now — in Yukon or anywhere else.

  • 'Systemic discrimination' contributed to failings in Toronto police missing-person cases, report finds

    An independent review of the Toronto police force's handling of missing-person cases, including the victims of serial killer Bruce McArthur, has found that "systemic discrimination" contributed to failings in a number of investigations. That's one of the many takeaways from a massive report led by former judge Gloria Epstein that was released Tuesday morning. You can read the full report here. Epstein found there were "serious flaws" in how missing-person cases have been handled in Toronto, and notes that "the police could have done better. "To be clear, we are past the time for conversation only," she wrote. "The public is entitled to insist on transformative change with measurable, sustainable outcomes, timelines for completion, and accountability." "Intent" to discriminate is not the issue here, Epstein said. "Proper missing persons investigations should not depend on whose voices are the loudest or most empowered in sounding the alarm," she said. The review was ordered in the summer of 2018 after the arrest of serial killer Bruce McArthur but did not initially include his crimes in order to preserve his right to a fair trial. Its scope was later expanded to include that case after McArthur pleaded guilty to eight counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of eight men with ties to Toronto's Gay Village. These men were victims of serial killer Bruce McArthur. Top row, from left to right, Skandaraj Navaratnam, 40, Andrew Kinsman, 49, Selim Esen, 44, and Abdulbasir Faizi, 44. Bottom row, from left to right: Kirushna Kumar Kanagaratnam, 37, Dean Lisowick, 47, Soroush Mahmudi, 50, and Majeed Kayhan, 58.(Toronto Police Service/CBC) The review focused on those eight men, as well as Tess Richey, a young woman whose body was found in an outdoor stairwell by her mother, and Alloura Wells, a transgender woman found dead in a ravine. The issues identified in the report include a lack of communication within the police service, between the force and the police board, and with the community — as well as an often unnecessary amount of secrecy that undermined public trust. Epstein also found investigations were inconsistent, and in many instances, "basic investigative steps were overlooked or delayed," while searches were at times "disorganized, incomplete or poorly documented." Mistrust of police In her report, Epstein found that some police officers had misconceptions or stereotypical ideas about the LGBTQ community, and that police also failed to keep the public informed. "My extensive engagement with community members and organizations confirmed that many people deeply mistrust the Toronto police. This long-standing mistrust may not be directly related to missing person cases but is often rooted in systemic or overt bias or discrimination," she wrote. WATCH | Former judge says conducting review changed her outlook: At a news conference, Epstein said she is well-aware her recommendations come at a time when there are increasing calls to reduce the police budget, and that the pandemic has placed immense stress on resources. "But the failure to act comes at a much more substantial cost," she said. At a news conference Tuesday afternoon, Police Services Board Chair Jim Hart said the board accepts all of the review's findings and is committed to implementing its recommendations. Hart said it is "difficult for us" to see the many ways in which the board and the police service did not meet expectations and responsibilities. "But it's vital for us to see what went wrong," Hart said. Interim police chief James Ramer echoed those comments, saying there have been mistakes and missteps in the way Toronto police handled missing persons cases, especially within the city's LGBTQ community. Ramer said he has not yet read all of the roughly 900-page report, but has gone through a lot of it. "The shortcomings [Epstein] identified are inexcusable," he said. The report also takes issue with comments made by former police chief Mark Saunders. At a news conference back in 2017, Saunders said "the evidence today tells us there is not a serial killer involved." Tess Richey, 22, went missing on Nov. 25, 2017, after a night out with a high school friend. Her mother found her body four days later. The investigation into her death was examined in the report.(Tess Richey/Facebook) But on that date, Epstein wrote, there was circumstantial evidence that McArthur may have been or was likely involved in the disappearances of five men connected to the city's Gay Village. She said the available evidence simply did not match Saunders's conclusion. At Tuesday's news conference, review counsel Mark Sandler called Saunders's comments "deeply unfortunate and deeply hurtful." "It contributed to the attitude that they had not been given the straight goods over what had transpired," he said. Ramer also apologized for those statements. "These statements were incorrect," he said. Ramer also said police are going to implement Epstein's recommendations "as quickly as possible." He said the service is doing things like doubling the number of people working in its missing persons unit from four to eight, and exploring how to integrate civilian support into missing persons investigations. Richey's mother, who found her daughter's body after police failed to, welcomed the report. "A shift in police attitude and understanding would go a long way in better serving and protecting all members of our community," Christine Hermeston said. Ramer asked the communities affected in the report to work with police. "Give us an opportunity to make it right," he said. WATCH | Police officials respond to report: 'Series of lost opportunities' Epstein has said in her report that one can never know for sure whether McArthur would have been found earlier had these deficiencies not existed. But Sandler said there was "a series of lost opportunities" to apprehend and identify McArthur. The report, which includes 151 recommendations, recommends "triaging" cases so that appropriate agencies — including social agencies — are involved, meaning that in some cases police might not be involved at all. That could mean greater reliance on social workers, civilian services and multi-agency focus tables. At Tuesday's news conference, Epstein said conducting such a wide-ranging review helped her recognize that though she viewed herself as a "people person," she realized just how small a segment of society she really knew and how little diversity she'd seen. "After 25 years as a judge, I thought I knew a lot about people," Epstein said. "[This review] changed me. It has changed who I am, what I understand about people."

  • Regina sisters create shirts to combat rise of Asian hate

    Anti-Asian hate is something that Alison Singharath knows all too well. From anti-Asian hate over COVID-19 to the shooting in Atlanta that left six people of Asian descent dead, it seems like there has been a surge of anti-Asian hate over the past year. However, 30-year-old Laos descendant Singharath says that anti-Asian hate is something she's always experienced. "These issues within the Asian community have been around for a long time," she said. "I would get made fun of because of my eyes. There were many times growing up I didn't want to be different with the shape of my eyes or the colour of my skin. That took away from me wanting to be me and embracing my culture and tradition." As an adult, she said she no longer experiences name-calling, but the lack of education and stereotypes about the Asian community often leaves her "speechless." "People will often assume that we are from China or assume that we eat certain foods," she said. Singharath and her sisters, Melissa Phillips and Rita Hurrell, have decided to reclaim their power by doing something about this new wave of Asian hate. They are producing and selling t-shirts that carry powerful messages such as "Hate is a virus," "Asian Proud" and "Stop Asian Hate." The profits from the shirt goes to support local Asian businesses and communities in Canada. "We've just been seeing too much violence and attack and we kind of hit a breaking point," she said. "We couldn't just sit by and not try to help in some way, so within less than a week we thought the best way we could help take a stand was these t-shirts." The three shirts made by Alison Singharath and her sisters.(Submitted by Alison Singharath) According to Singharath, the response to the shirt has exceeded her expectations. For her and her sisters, this shows them that "there are people out there that want to support and are helping us raise awareness which makes us grateful that we are taking one step forward and making a change," she said. Local Asian businesses in Regina like the Great Asian Market, Hoa An Market and Ngoy Hoa Asian Foods will be beneficiaries of profits from the shirts. Alison and her sisters, Melissa Phillips and Rita Hurriell, have decided to reclaim their power by doing something about this new wave of Asian hate.(Submitted by Alison Singharath) The sisters will also be donating the foods purchased from the businesses to the community fridges in Regina. Money for the shirts will also be going toward the Chinese Canadian National Council, a non-profit organization. Production of the shirts stopped last Friday but they may start again soon.

  • After issuing $14K in fines, RCMP remind passengers of risks around illegal ride-hailing

    RCMP in Burnaby, B.C., are again warning the public about the risk of using illegal ride-hailing apps after busting a number of drivers in the city on Friday. Seven drivers were caught offering rides through illegal ride-hailing apps in one night, according to RCMP. Officers handed out 24 violation tickets totalling nearly $14,000 in fines. Seven tickets were handed out for operating without a proper licence or permit under the Passenger Transportation Board Act. Six were for failing to have a proper commercial vehicle inspection and five were for having the wrong class of driver's licence. Four more tickets were for operating without a business licence from the city. Ride-hailing is only legal in Metro Vancouver if drivers abide by regulations and have the proper permits, including one from the province, in order to run their business. Providers and drivers need to have the right driver's licence, vehicle inspections, insurance coverage and record checks, among other requirements. RCMP said passengers shouldn't trust drivers who haven't been properly approved. "You need to be mindful that, whenever you do get into the back of any car [through an illegal app], you don't know who this person is ... if they're even able to drive in the province ... that is giving a lot of power and control to the driver that you're trusting," said Burnaby RCMP Const. Kevin Connolly. "Choosing an illegal app, you don't have those checks and balances that are meant to protect [passengers]." "More often than not, these drivers will openly ignore direction from police, they will attempt to flee from police when they're being stopped ... that's an example of the type of people that members of the public are trusting with their safety and, to me, that's quite the dangerous situation," the officer continued. "If they're acting that way with police, I could only imagine how it could be with some innocent individual." Connolly added that illegal ride-hailing apps won't have insurance coverage, so passengers won't be covered if they're injured in a crash.