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  • 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.

  • 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

  • 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.

  • 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."

  • 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

  • In Romania, 'modern slaves' burn noxious trash for a living

    VIDRA, Romania — In the trash-strewn slums of Sintesti, less than 10 miles from Romania’s capital, Mihai Bratu scrapes a dangerous living for his Roma family amid the foul reek of burning plastic that cloys the air day and night. Like many in this community, for him illegally setting fire to whatever he can find that contains metal — from computers to tires to electrical cables — seems like his only means of survival. “We’re selling it to people who buy metal, we are poor people … we have to work hard for a week or two to get one kilogram of metal,” 34-year-old Bratu, perched on an old wooden cart, told The Associated Press. “We are struggling to feed our kids ... The rich people have the villas, look at the rich people’s palaces.” You don't have to look far. The main road that runs through Sintesti, a largely Roma village in the Vidra commune, is lined with ornate, semi-constructed villas and dotted with shiny SUVs. Behind lurk the parts where Bratu and his young children live, a social black hole with no sanitation or running water. The two worlds are strongly connected. For Octavian Berceanu, the new head of Romania’s National Environmental Guard, the government environmental protection agency, the pollution from the fires that burn here almost ceaselessly, in breach of environmental laws, was so bad that he started regular raids in the community — where he says “mafia structures” lord it over “modern slaves.” “This is a kind of slavery, because the people living here have no opportunity for school, to get a job in the city, which is very close, they don’t have infrastructure like an official power grid, water, roads — and that is destroying their perspective on life,” Berceanu told The Associated Press during a police-escorted tour in April. The slums of Sintesti, like Roma communities elsewhere, have long been ignored by authorities. They're made up of makeshift homes, where unofficially rigged electricity cables hug the ground and run over a sea of trash. “For too many years, they were allowed in some way to do this dirty job," Berceanu said. "Nobody came here in the past ... to see what's happening.” But on top of the considerable social ills, according to the environment chief, the fires can significantly hike pollution in Bucharest, potentially by as much as 20-30%, at times pushing air quality to dangerous levels. “The smoke particulates are taken by the wind 10 miles, it’s like rain over Bucharest and it’s destroying the quality of the air in the capital. It’s one hundred times more dangerous than wood-fire particles — there are a lot of toxic components,” Berceanu said. “If the local authorities are not applying the law, of course people — whatever their ethnic origin — are encouraged to continue doing what they are doing,” said Gelu Duminica, a sociologist and executive director of the Impreuna Agency, a Roma-focused non-governmental organization. Focusing on pollution from the Roma community, Duminica says, instead of on big industry or the more than 1 million cars in the densely populated capital of 2 million, is “scapegoating” and part of a political “branding campaign.” “Everywhere in the world, the poorest are exploiting the marginal resources in order to survive. We have a chain of causes: low education, low infrastructure, low development … a lot of things are low,” Duminica said “The rich Roma are controlling the poor Roma, but the rich Roma are controlled by others. If you look at who is leading and who is controlling things, it’s more than likely you'll have huge surprises. Let’s not treat it as an ethnic issue," he said. The Council of Europe estimates that 1.85 million Roma live in the country of more than 19 million, and face many challenges. A 2016 human rights report published by the European Commission, said that “systematic societal discrimination against Roma" affected their access to adequate education, housing, health care, and employment. In January this year, Romanian President Klaus Iohannis promulgated a law making anti-Roma hate crimes — verbal or physical — punishable by up to 10 years in prison. In the future, Berceanu the environment chief hopes surveillance drones with pollution sensors and infrared cameras can help paint a clearer picture of how the networks operate. “We’re working against organized crime and it’s very hard,” he said. “If we solve this problem here, very close to Bucharest, we can solve any kind of problem similar to this all around the country.” For local resident Floria, who refused to give a surname but said she was 40-something, a lack of official documents, education, and options leave her and her community with no alternatives. “We don’t want to do this. Why don’t they give us jobs like (communist dictator Nicolae) Ceausescu used to, they would come with buses, with cars, and take us to town to work,” she told The Associated Press. “Gypsies are seen as the worst people no matter where we go or what we do.” Mihai Bratu blames local authorities for the plight of his community, for the lack of roads, the lack of action. “The mayor doesn’t help us!” he exclaims, as a small boy shifts building materials from Bratu's horse cart to the muddy yard next door. “What do we have? What can we have? Some little house? — whatever God granted us.” Stephen McGrath, The Associated Press

  • 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)

  • 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

  • California public schools see 'sharp decline' in enrolment

    SAN FRANCISCO — California public schools have experienced a sharp decline in enrolment this year as the pandemic forced millions into online school, according to data made public Thursday. The drop came as the state's school districts dawdled in bringing children back to the classroom, making California one of the slowest in the country to reopen schools. The California Department of Education data shows that the number of students at K-12 schools dropped by more than 160,000 this academic year, most of them at the K-6 level, to a total of 6 million. The drop is by far the biggest decline in years and represents the clearest picture yet of the pandemic’s devastating toll on California public schools. “The annual snapshot of fall enrolment shows a sharp one-year decline as the state and nation grappled with a deadly pandemic that disrupted all aspects of public education,” the education department said in a statement. The exodus was led by white students who account for just 22% of California’s public school population but represent about half of the departing students for the 2020-21 school year, which could increase disparities in California’s public education system. California has the most students of all states in the U.S. and the overall student body has hovered at about 6.2 million in recent years. In previous years, the number of students fell by about 20,000 to 30,000 annually, led by declining birth rates, and that rate was expected to continue. When the pandemic hit and Gov. Gavin Newsom ordered public schools to close in March 2020, no one expected the closures would last as long as they did. Most of California’s public schools started this academic year with distance learning and many continued that method into the spring. In-person classes started resuming this month in the state’s largest urban school districts. Among the concerned parents who switched to private school was Aurora Guel, a San Diego County mother who said distance learning sent her high school senior into a downward spiral. “She became really depressed with all the isolation that started when school closed,” said Guel. Her 18-year-old daughter’s grades had dropped to the point she was failing three classes; she lost motivation to apply for college and wouldn’t leave her room, even for dinner with the family. “We needed to do something to get her out of this deep hole she had fallen into," Guel said. After transferring to a private Catholic school in October, the teen's spirits and her grades are up. She has a college acceptance and is looking forward to her prom, a milestone that many public schools have scrapped. “She's doing so much better now," her mother said. Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond called the numbers concerning but said officials are optimistic that enrolment will rebound as more schools reopen to in-person learning. He said officials are working with schools and families to understand why so many families left and how to bring them back. The public school exodus happened nationwide. There is no national data available on the 2020-2021 enrolment decline but an analysis from 33 states by the Chalkbeat non-profit news organization covering education and The Associated Press published in December showed that public K-12 enrolment in the fall had dropped by about 500,000 students compared to the previous school year. California’s 2020-2021 enrolment declined 2.6% from the previous school year, driven by a combination of factors. Fewer California parents enrolled their children in kindergarten, which accounts for a decline of 61,000 students and the largest drop in enrolment. That could indicate that parents either held off sending their children to kindergarten or enrolled them in private schools, which saw an overall enrolment increase of 20,000, or 4%, from the previous year. The data also indicate that homeschooling surged in the fall, the CDE said. Some of California's biggest urban districts had the largest declines. Los Angeles Unified School District, the largest in the state, experienced an enrolment decline of almost 22,000, or 4%, to 575,000, the CDE said. The data released Thursday was collected from all of the state's school districts in October, and education officials say it is too soon to know if the trend has continued since then. Year-end figures won’t be known for months but the data help illustrate how the pandemic upended public schools and has prompted concerns about funding for California’s 1,000 school districts, which is tied to headcounts. Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom's budget proposal calls for schools not to be penalized for enrolment declines, but education advocates are seeking extra money for low-income students, English learners and foster kids. “Any changes in enrolment will have impacts on funding and equity,” said Christopher Nellum, interim executive director for The Education Trust-West, an education equity advocacy group. “It’s just going to exacerbate the problems that already existed.” Nellum said schools will need to think strategically about how to engage Black and brown students, who were more likely to spend the year in distance learning than their white peers who moved to private schools or other learning options. Those families, who were disproportionately hit by the virus, have also been more hesitant to return their children to classrooms as they reopen. Schools will also need to find ways to convince private school defectors to return, he said. For parents like Jonathan Alloy of San Francisco, that will be a lost cause. Alloy kept his 8- and 10-year-old children in a distance learning “pod” as classrooms stayed closed but recently decided to abandon the school district and the city. Alloy said he lost faith in the city's school district, which has been embroiled in scandals, infighting and lawsuits, including one launched by the city attorney for the district's failure to reopen schools more quickly. San Francisco still no timetable for returning middle and high school students to classrooms. Because of that combined with San Francisco’s high cost of living and more expensive private school tuition, Alloy is moving to Connecticut, closer to his wife's family. “To leave is just crushing,” he said. Jocelyn Gecker, The Associated Press

  • B.C. city prevents owners from moving into new homes after realizing area's sewage system is at capacity

    Several new homeowners in Campbell River, B.C., got a shock earlier this week when the city put a freeze on issuing new occupancy permits, after staff discovered the municipal sewage system in the Maryland neighborhood was already at capacity. The city said this affects 20 properties in various states of construction in the area — including one belonging to Aleda and Chris Staffanson, who said they were planning to move into their new home this coming weekend. Instead, they were told on Tuesday that they would not be given an occupancy permit, leaving the couple with nowhere to stay but the camper van in their backyard. Chris Staffanson said they bought a lot in the neighbourhood last year and had spent upwards of three-quarters of a million dollars on the property, including building their dream home. "It's utter incompetence," he said. "Surely to god the engineers could figure out how much sewage comes out of one house and how many houses are here and would have known this before they gave a building permit out. An eight-year-old kid could do that math." Unable to move into their home, the Staffansons will be living in a camper in their backyard.(Aleda Staffanson) City officials said it's not clear how the oversight happened. Deputy city manager Ron Neufeld said the municipality regularly upgrades their infrastructure, but there is only so much work they can do every year. "This area, which is at the southern extreme of our community, services one neighbourhood and so it was placed as a lower priority," he said. 'A ton of lost opportunity' The uncertainty over when homeowners can move in is also causing problems for those working on the properties, even though the city has given the green light for construction to continue as it tries to address the sewer issue. "If we have a lot that isn't already sold, who is going to buy it if we can't promise them occupancy?" said Bruce Calendar, who runs Big Island Construction and is working on several projects in the area. They include a planned 19-lot development whose future is now unclear, Calendar said. "There is a ton of lost opportunity up here. There is a 19-lot strata that has stopped development now," he said. The city is now working with an engineering firm to come up with possible solutions. But Neufeld said they won't know until next week what their options are, or a potential timeline for people like the Staffansons to move into their homes.

  • 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

  • Iran cuts number of centrifuges enriching uranium to 60% purity, IAEA report says

    Iran has reduced the number of centrifuges enriching uranium to up to 60% purity at an above-ground plant at Natanz to one cluster from two, a report by the U.N. nuclear watchdog seen by Reuters indicated on Thursday. Iran announced the shift to 60%, a big step towards weapons-grade from the 20% it had previously achieved, in response to an explosion and power cut at Natanz last week that Tehran has blamed on Israel. Iran's move complicated the current indirect talks with the United States on rescuing its nuclear deal with major powers.

  • 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.

  • Family of woman found dead in Lakeshore General Hospital ER asks premier to intervene in investigation

    The family of a Montreal woman who was found dead on the floor of a room in the ER at Lakeshore General Hospital on Montreal's West Island two months ago is asking Premier François Legault to personally intervene in the case to help them get answers. At a virtual news conference Thursday, family members said they've heard next to nothing from both the hospital and the coroner's office since the death of their mother, Candida Macarine. "We've been waiting for a phone call, a letter, or an email that never came," Macarine's daughter, Gilda, said. "This silence is very disturbing. My mother cannot rest in peace until we get the answers," she added. Candida Macarine died Feb. 27, a few hours after being admitted to the hospital. She was found dead on the floor of a negative pressure room. Nurses had warned managers several times that it was next-to-impossible to see a patient in the room. Macarine's family was never told that she was found dead and alone on the floor. Staff at the hospital only told them their mother died of cardiac arrest. It wasn't until they noticed a CBC News story two weeks later about a woman found "dead and ice cold" on the floor beside her bed that they realized that woman was their mother. It wasn't until March 23, a month after Macarine died, that the hospital finally admitted its communications with the family were "incomplete" and apologized. Family begs premier for help At that time, the hospital asked the coroner's office to investigate, and said it had already launched an internal investigation into what happened. The family says, since then, they've had no contact from either the hospital or the coroner's office. "We're calling on Premier Legault to help our family get the answers. We believe that he has compassion and he understands ordinary families," Gilda Macarine told the news conference. Gilda Macarine was often in tears during Thursday's news conference, as she talked about the frustration of not having answers about the circumstances of her mother's death.(CBC News) "I'm begging you Mr. Legault," she added, tears streaming down her cheeks. Coroner's office, health agency say they're open to talking Jake Lamotta-Granato, a spokesperson for the Quebec Coroner's office, emailed CBC a statement. "An investigation has been well underway into the death of Mrs. Candida Macarine since the notification of the death to the Coroner's Office at the end of March," Lamotta-Granato said. He said generally coroners keep families up to date on major developments in investigations, and he urged the Macarine family to get in touch if they had questions. The Macarine family said they sent a letter to Quebec's chief coroner last week and haven't heard back. Annie Charbonneau, a spokesperson for the CIUSSS de l'Ouest-de-l'Île-de-Montréal, the health agency that governs Lakeshore General Hospital, also emailed a statement to CBC. "We reiterate our wish to first meet the family to build bridges with them. The coroner's inquest is underway. We are actively participating in it," Charbonneau said. The head of the CIUSSS, Lynne McVey, offered to meet with the Macarine family last month. They refused, saying they no longer trusted the CIUSSS. Gilda Macarine said Thursday that the family was offered a 30-minute meeting with McVey. "What can you do for that 30-minute meeting? Just to say hi, hello, how are you and sit down? For me, it's not enough," she said. Family haunted Glida Macarine and her brother Emmanuel both say they're haunted by their mother's death. Emmanuel is currently staying at the condo where his mother lived. "I can't sleep. I stay up until 3:00 in the morning just thinking about it. Everywhere I look, it's my mom. I see my mom," he said. Gilda Macarine is herself a nurse. She said when she cares for elderly patients, she can't help but think of her mother. "It's so heavy in my heart every time I go to work," she said. "These people we are taking care of them, feeding them, cleaning them, and then I always look back to my mother," she said. "My mom died because nobody took care of her in their hospital," she said. Timeline Feb. 26: Candida Macarine is admitted to Lakeshore General Hospital suffering from breathing problems. Feb. 27: Macarine is found "dead and ice cold" on the floor of a negative pressure room in the ER. Hospital staff only tell the Macarine family she died of cardiac arrest, and don't mention the other circumstances surrounding her death. March 9: The day of Candida Macarine's funeral, Health Minister Christian Dubé offers condolences and says the ministry will monitor the situation; the family goes to the hospital after the funeral to try to get answers. April 22: Family holds news conference asking premier Francois Legault to intervene, saying they've heard nothing from coroner's office or CIUSSS for a month

  • ‘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.”

  • 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.

  • Ontario authorizes workers from other provinces, outside hospitals amid ICU strain

    TORONTO — Health-care workers from other provinces and non-hospital settings could be deployed to Ontario's overburdened intensive care units as early as next week, the health minister said Thursday as the government issued emergency orders to pave the way for those transfers. Christine Elliott said the moves are meant to get the most out of available resources as the province fights a devastating third wave of COVID-19 infections that have been pushing Ontario hospitals to their limits. "It's one thing to create a bed space, but if you don't have the staff there, it's not really helpful, so this will allow us to continue to expand our capacity to be able to care for both COVID and non-COVID patients who require placement in intensive care," Elliott said in an interview Thursday. Hospitals have been transferring patients between regions and ramping down non-urgent procedures in recent weeks in an effort to deal with an onslaught of COVID-19. There were 2,350 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 on Thursday, with 806 in intensive care, according to provincial data. The government detailed its new emergency orders in a memo to hospitals, civil servants and unions on Thursday, saying they will help with the capacity crunch but should only be used when necessary. "Our health care system continues to face unprecedented staffing and capacity pressures as positive cases, hospitalizations and admission to intensive care units due to COVID-19, escalates," Deputy Health Minister Helen Angus wrote in the document. "There is a critical need for public hospitals to maximize their capacity in order to provide care to their communities.” One order allows workers to provide patient care outside their regular scope of practice, consistent with duties assigned by a hospital. The other allows out-of-province health care workers to practice in an Ontario hospital without registering with regulatory colleges in the province. Elliott said workers won’t be asked to perform tasks they aren't qualified for. Talks have begun to redeploy specialists including plastic surgeons and cataract surgeons to work in intensive care units, assisting with emergency, life-saving surgeries, Elliott said. She said 45 health-care workers have already volunteered to work in intensive care and the province is working with another 55 individuals about potentially making the move. The province is also preparing to bring in intensive care teams from Newfoundland and Labrador, Elliott said. Those would include intensive care physicians, nurses and respiratory therapists who could be in the province by the weekend or early next week, likely deployed to COVID-19 hot spots. Ontario is also in talks with Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia about potentially sending workers. Elliott said Ontario has also reached out to other countries to gauge their ability to send workers to help. Some discussions have begun with the United States, the Philippines and other countries, she said, but those conversations are still ongoing as governments contend with their own needs. "I know that there are many that want to help but they need to look at their own situation," Elliott said. "The countries that we have gone to and the groups that we've gone to are determining right now what the level of help is that they might be able to provide." There have also been considerations about sending Ontarians who need "significant surgeries" to areas of the U.S. where Ontario has established relationships, but Elliott said the province isn't at that point. Elliott added that the new orders also allow for changes in staff to patient ratios if needed. For example, she said, the province might expand the ratio of patients individual nurses are asked to work with, assigning more than one patient to each nurse. Health-care workers have raised concerns about burnout and their ever-growing workload during the third wave. The CEO of the Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario said she's concerned that expanding the ratio of patients nurses are required to work will overburden those on the front line. "The end result of it will be we will lose more people," Doris Grinspun said. "They already require very complex care and are in dire need. It will also result in an even higher (staff) exodus." Grinspun also expressed skepticism about the province’s efforts to recruit workers from other jurisdictions, saying they simply won’t have enough to spare. The president of the Ontario Hospital Association said the latest emergency orders are necessary as hospitals try their best to cope. "The human health costs of the people of Ontario from COVID-19, and those who survive after hospitalization and the hundreds of thousands of people who had access to their surgery disrupted ... the consequences are going to last for a generation." This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 22, 2021. Holly McKenzie-Sutter and Shawn Jeffords, 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."

  • North Vancouver building redesigned to preserve 200-year-old cedar tree

    Plans for a multi-building development in North Vancouver have been altered to accommodate an ancient cedar tree, after an online petition garnered thousands of signatures to save it. Estimated to be more than 200 years old, the tree at the corner of 21st Street and Eastern Avenue in Central Lonsdale was slated to be cut down for a development on what is known as the Harry Jerome Neighbourhood Lands. The Darwin Properties development includes two towers — one 30 storeys tall and the other 26 storeys — as well as four mid-rise buildings that will be five to six storeys tall. In a statement, Darwin Properties said a six-storey rental building will be redesigned to accommodate the tree. Ted Satake, 13, is pictured in the branches of the 200-year-old tree on March 16. (Ben Nelms/CBC) The company said its team worked with an arborist who determined the tree was healthy, with a wide and shallow root system. "As a result, our entire team of architects, engineers and consultants spent the last four weeks redesigning the building, carving into the original design," the statement read. The redesign will delay the construction of the rental building, but CEO Oliver Webbe said he is glad there is a solution. "We know the tree means a lot to many people, and we are proud to have found a solution that allows the tree to remain in the community." Symbolic win "We as a community are just elated that that the tree will be preserved and staying in its community," said Gabriel Hendry, who started an online petition to save the tree. The petition garnered over 23,000 signatures. Residents of the City of North Vancouver rallied around the cedar tree in March. Over 23,000 people signed a petition to save the tree.(Ben Nelms/CBC) Hendry thanked Darwin for listening to the community and working with them. However, he said the incident is a lesson that more work needs to be done, pointing out the City of North Vancouver is one of the few municipalities in British Columbia with no form of tree protection on private land. "We are working with the city in that in getting some dialogue going and regarding tree protection on private land. But time is of the essence. Every day that goes by another tree, just like this one, can be cut down," he said. Hendry has hope. "This tree represents all of the old trees in our city here in North Vancouver. And the fact that we were able to save this one, I think means that we can save many more."