Coronavirus surges in India to highest numbers in three months

The CBC's Salimah Shivji reports on the big spike in India's COVID-19 cases and the difficulties of trying to encourage public health policies to curb the virus.

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  • 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.

  • Woman at heart of sexual misconduct allegations against Vance doesn't expect justice

    OTTAWA — The woman at the heart of sexual misconduct allegations against Canada's former top military commander says retired Gen. Jonathan Vance believes he owns the military police that are investigating him. Maj. Kellie Brennan told a House of Commons committee Thursday that the former chief of the defence staff believes he is "untouchable." During bombshell testimony to the status of women committee, Brennan revealed that Vance fathered two children with her but has taken no responsibility for them. She also said she has provided physical evidence of Vance's inappropriate relationship with her to the Canadian Forces National Investigation Service (CFNIS). That includes, she said, audio recordings of Vance allegedly instructing her to lie about their relationship and threatening consequences if she didn't. Despite that, she said she doesn't expect justice to be done in her case. "I asked bluntly the CFNIS if they had the mandate to investigate and did they have the powers to lay charges and they would not answer me," Brennan testified. "The answer was no because, as (Vance) told me, he was untouchable, he owned the CFNIS." Brennan added: "I definitely feel that there will not be justice for me and, in all honesty, that's OK because if my speaking out can change everything for other women to come forward and change our policies, that's OK with me." Brennan said she was questioned by the military police service for two days, six hours at a time, in February about her relationship with Vance. She has told Global News that she had a sexual relationship with Vance starting in 2001 that continued after he became her superior officer, including after he was named defence chief in 2015. Vance has not responded to repeated requests for comment from The Canadian Press. He has acknowledged to Global News that he dated Brennan some 20 years ago but has denied any intimate relationship with her while she was under his command. He is also being investigated for allegedly sending a lewd email to a junior officer before becoming chief of the defence staff. Military police are also investigating Admiral Art McDonald, who temporarily stepped aside in February about a month after taking over from Vance as chief of the defence staff. The specifics of that allegation have not been revealed, and McDonald has not commented publicly. Brennan told the committee Thursday that Vance directed her "what to say, what not to say, how to say it, what to exclude, to purge (sic) myself, to lie" to the CFNIS investigators. Asked if he'd threatened her, she said: "A threat, meaning bodily harm? No ... Definitely he gave me very many consequences if I was not following his orders." As an example, she said he told her she would be questioned by his wife, a lawyer, "that somehow she was going to come and see me and question me." "The consequences were always the same, that I had to stay silent." Brennan said she "didn't have the ability to say no. They were orders." It was not clear why she would have taken orders from Vance after he was no longer the top military commander. He officially retired from the military in April. Brennan said Vance has good reason to believe he's above the law. "In my experience, in many different areas, the law does not apply to him," she said. "On a personal note, he fathered two children with me. He's not responsible to pay or to have those children under his responsibility. It's all up to me ... So, I think that it's just become a habit with him." "Oh my goodness," Conservative MP Leona Alleslev responded. "That must be very tough on you." Brennan also suggested that Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan is under Vance's control. She alleged that Sajjan was a special projects officer at Canadian Forces Base Downsview in Toronto, under Vance's command, while she was there between January 2006 and the spring of 2008. "Gen. Vance told me he always had him under control," Brennan said of Sajjan. However, Sajjan has testified that he was never posted in Toronto — a fact repeated by a spokesman after Brennan's testimony. "As the Minister stated in committee, he did not serve in Toronto," said Todd Lane. Liberal MP Anita Vandenbeld, Sajjan's parliamentary secretary, pointed out the discrepancy between Brennan's testimony and Sajjan's but did not ask her to explain it. Sajjan has been under fire for not having done more after then-military ombudsman Gary Walbourne first told him of an allegation of sexual misconduct involving Vance in March 2018. Sajjan has said he referred the matter to the Privy Council Office, which was stymied in launching an investigation because Walbourne would not reveal the identity of the complainant. This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 22, 2021. Joan Bryden, The Canadian Press

  • 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

  • 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

  • Woman broke tooth when stranger pushed her to the ground, West Vancouver police say

    Police in West Vancouver are searching for a suspect after a stranger allegedly pushed a woman to the ground as she was walking alone at night last weekend. The 29-year-old woman was walking near the intersection of Nelson Avenue and Bay Street in Horseshoe Bay at about 8 p.m. on Sunday when an unknown man grabbed her from behind and pushed her down, according to a police press release. She broke a tooth and suffered cuts and scrapes in the fall. "This appears to have been a random assault, which we understand will be concerning to our community," Const. Kevin Goodmurphy said in the release. "Our investigators have been working diligently to identify the suspect in this incident, and to gather all available evidence." The suspect is described as about six feet tall and wearing a dark hoodie. Investigators believe that a man captured by surveillance cameras near the scene of the attack may have witnessed what happened, and they've released photos in an effort to reach him. Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact the West Vancouver Police Department at 604-925-7300 or leave an anonymous tip with Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477. Police have released surveillance images of a man they say might have witnessed an assault on a woman Sunday night in Horseshoe Bay, West Vancouver.(West Vancouver Police Department)

  • Pfizer doubles amount of vaccine to P.E.I. for May and June

    Pfizer-BioNTech will send double the amount of vaccine to P.E.I. in May and June than was previously announced, Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Heather Morrison said in a public briefing Thursday. Morrison said she was pleased to announce some "good news:" Pfizer-BioNTech will send an additional 47,430 doses, which will allow for more appointments sooner and Islanders receiving second doses sooner. "Certain groups have been prioritized to receive their second dose of vaccine as close as possible to one month after their first dose, based on their risk or likelihood of experiencing severe outcomes from the disease," Morrison said. Those include: Residents of long-term care and community care facilities. Rotational workers and truck drivers who travel outside Atlantic Canada. Seniors 80 and older living in the community. People having cancer treatment. Morrison said given the new supply forecast, the previous plan to deliver a second dose to everyone within 16 weeks has now changed to within 12 weeks. Pfizer-BioNTech's vaccine could also be approved in Canada for use in 12- to 15-year-olds and would be offered on P.E.I. this spring, Morrison said. Next week, Islanders 40 to 49 can begin booking vaccine appointments. P.E.I.'s Chief Nurse Marion Dowling suggested booking online is fastest and most efficient, although Islanders may also book by phone. More vaccinations per week Dowling said P.E.I.'s vaccination effort has been going "smoothly." There will be COVID-19 vaccinations for all Islanders who want them, health officials say. (Stephane Mahe/Reuters) More than 6,000 people are scheduled to be vaccinated this week alone, and that will rise to about 10,000 a week in May, with the extra vaccine. As of Tuesday this week: 46,278 doses of vaccine have been given on P.E.I. as well as 9,768 second doses. 27.4 per cent of adults over age 16 have received at least one dose. 7.3 per cent of Island residents have received two doses. P.E.I. pharmacies still have supplies of AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine available to those 55 and older. Some other provinces have begun offering that vaccine to younger Canadians, although P.E.I. has not. Morrison said that could change later this week as she receives new recommendations from the National Advisory Committee on Immunization. P.E.I. is aiming for herd immunity, which officials say will require 80 per cent of the population to be vaccinated. Dowling also reminded Islanders that P.E.I. health facilities such as hospitals are safe, and urged them to keep non-COVID-19-related health appointments. More from CBC P.E.I.

  • 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

  • Ex-teacher who filmed students with spy pen, Ontario school board named in $200K civil suit

    A former London, Ont., high school student has filed a $200,000 civil suit against her ex-teacher and the Thames Valley District School Board (TVDSB), alleging he caused her psychological and emotional harm after he secretly filmed her chest at school without her knowledge or consent. Madison Woodburn was one of 27 teenagers who were filmed by Ryan Jarvis while he taught English at H.B. Beal Secondary School between 2010 and 2011. She was 14 and in Grade 9 when he used a camera hidden inside a pen to film parts of her body. "The videos focused on the plaintiff's upper body, including but not limited to her breasts," says the statement of claim filed Tuesday in a London court. "The plaintiff had no knowledge she was being videotaped, nor did she consent to the recordings being taken." The lawsuit has yet to be tested in court. 'Unusual interest' in female students The civil suit is the latest chapter in a precedent-setting Canadian legal case that saw Jarvis, whose teaching certification was revoked, become the first person in Canada to serve jail time on a voyeurism conviction. He was sentenced in August 2019 to six months in jail. Ryan Jarvis, shown in the 2011 H.B. Beal Secondary School yearbook during his time as a teacher, was sentenced to six months of jail time in 2019 for voyeurism.(Submitted) It took Woodburn eight years of legal battles that went all the way to the Supreme Court of Canada to get justice, and now she hopes to take Jarvis to court again, along with his former employer, to hold them both to account for what she claims was a moral injury. "I think there's a lot of unfinished business," she told CBC News in a telephone interview Wednesday. "I think everyone turned a blind eye to the school board. I'm fighting for others who have been in similar situations." In doing what he did, the lawsuit claims, Jarvis abused his power and betrayed Woodburn's trust as an authority figure and the board, the lawsuit alleges, failed to protect her. It claims teachers, staff, parents, students and others all had concerns about Jarvis's behaviour when it came to young female students. Jarvis had an "unusual interest" in them, stood too close to them and spent too much time alone with them, the court filings said. He also had "difficulties with his sexuality" and faced "allegations of improper conduct in his previous posting." It's why the lawsuit claims the board knew Jarvis "had the propensity to engage in such deviant behaviours and that he was in fact engaging in such deviant behaviours." He also had little supervision, says Woodburn. She rarely did homework or tests in Jarvis's English class and he often showed films — obscure adaptations of Shakespeare that Woodburn said contained what she felt was an uncomfortable amount of nudity. "The whole class was weirded out by them," she said. Lawsuit alleges board failed in its response When school officials found out Jarvis had secretly taped his students for a sexual purpose, the lawsuit claims, they failed to offer any emotional support or professional counselling to his victims. Woodburn, shown at age 15. Soon after, she learned her English teacher had been secretly filming her.(Submitted by Madison Woodburn) Woodburn said that, after Jarvis was suspended, she came back to a school community that acted as if what the former teacher had done never happened. "It was almost like an unspoken rule. "There was no counselling. There was no assembly held. There was absolutely no talk of it." "There was nothing done for the students." she said. "I know I wasn't the only person struggling with that." "I started hating school. I could not trust a male teacher. It was so much to handle at the age of 14. "For two years after this, if a teacher clicked a pen, I would start to have an anxiety attack in class," said Woodburn. She also fought back feelings of guilt, shame, anxiety, depression, rage — all symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder that lasted years, caused by what she saw as a betrayal by her former teacher and a school board who put him in a position of trust and responsibility while simultaneously failing to recognize his pattern of aberrant behaviour. 'Post-awareness conduct' taken into account "The board should be held responsible for that," said Woodburn. "Whether it be public school or secondary school, these kids are minors and they deal with a traumatic event, it shows the school, the people they work with and trust every day, isn't there for them." The civil suit alleges the school board failed to protect Woodburn from her ex-teacher's 'deviant behaviours' and didn't give her the appropriate counselling. (Paula Duhatschek/CBC) The case hinges on a concept of institutional accountability lawyers call "loco parentis," the idea that Jarvis and the school board had a duty of care for the then 14-year-old Woodburn akin to her own parents. Because of a ruling last year against the Trillium and Lakelands District School Board, courts no longer just look at what school boards knew before an incident; they must also look at how school officials reacted thereafter. "The law was so focused on what did you know before the acts took place," said Rob Talach, the lawyer representing Woodburn. "The courts in Ontario have now gone further and said 'we are also going to judge what you did after you found out.' "I think that's the focus of the failings here is the post-awareness conduct." CBC News reached out to Jarvis through a family member who lived at the address listed in the court filings, but he did not return the request for comment. The TVDSB was also contacted. A spokesperson said the school board doesn't comment on legal matters before the courts.

  • 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.

  • Remains of Billie Wynell Johnson found 4 months after disappearance

    The remains of an Edmonton woman who has been missing since Christmas Eve have been recovered, Edmonton police confirmed late Thursday. According to a news release, the remains of Billie Wynell Johnson were discovered on Wednesday. In February, Kenneth Courtorielle was arrested and charged with second-degree murder in connection to Johnson's disappearance. On Thursday, police said there is now an additional charge of indignity to a body pending against Courtorielle. Police have previously said Courtorielle and Johnson knew each other. The release states that police were assisted by search and rescue volunteers from across the province in locating Johnson's remains, adding that the investigation is ongoing and that further details about the location her remains were discovered will not be released. "Homicide detectives worked tirelessly on the file and are very relieved to bring some form of comfort to Billie's family in the recovery of their loved one's remains," homicide section Staff Sgt. Colin Leathem said in the news release. Johnson had two children, aged four and 11. In a previous interview, Johnson's mother Marless Johnson described her daughter as beautiful and vibrant, with a cutting dry wit. "She had the most amazing personality and sense of humour. She could light up a room," she said.

  • Pabineau chief in talks with Higgs on possible new tax-sharing deal

    A First Nations chief in northern New Brunswick says he has started one-on-one negotiations with the Higgs government for an agreement that could include a modified tax-sharing formula. Pabineau First Nation Chief Terry Richardson says he met with Premier Blaine Higgs and Aboriginal Affairs Minister Arlene Dunn in Moncton on Wednesday "to see if we can make some movement on the taxation agreements." That meeting came just more than a week after Higgs announced he was cancelling the tax-sharing deals with 13 First Nations and appeared to rule out any form of tax sharing in the future. Richardson says a modified formula is possible now that negotiations are underway. "I believe it would be a revamped type of position, an agreement that would include, possibly, some form of a taxation agreement," he said. "That is on the table." He said a revised deal could make it "more of a palatable situation" for Higgs, who said April 13 that the revenues being diverted to bands was projected to grow to $75 million a decade from now. Richardson agreed with the premier that's not sustainable so he's willing to strike a deal "that could actually make it so that it's more acceptable to government and more acceptable to First Nations." That might include a tax-sharing element that would be phased out over time as a band's economy develops, the chief said. Any tax-sharing would be a shift in position for Higgs, who said when he announced the cancellation that diverting of tax revenue to bands would not be on the table in future talks and that on-reserve retailers would now collect and remit provincial tax like any other business. Higgs did not respond directly to a question about the possibility of tax sharing being part of a deal with Pabineau. "We're looking at a sustainable path forward and right now we don't have one," he said. "There are a lot of factors that can contribute to a sustainable path forward." Higgs said there was "tremendous alignment" during his meeting with Richardson. Pabineau is a member of Mi'gmawe'l Tplu'taqnn Incorporated, which on April 13 called Higgs's cancellation of the agreements "a new low in the relationship with Indigenous people." The agreements allow bands to get 95 per cent of all the provincial tax revenue from on-reserve retail operations up to $8 million, and 70 per cent of the revenue above that amount. Community approach Mi'gmawe'l Tplu'taqnn said the revenue helps fund on-reserve education and social services that don't receive enough money from the federal government and called the cancellation "completely disrespectful." Richardson said his decision to negotiate one-on-one with the province isn't a blow to a united front but a recognition that reserves have different circumstances. "This agreement is going to affect each First Nation differently, so what we've decided to do is take a community approach to go and see what's in the best interest of Pabineau First Nation, if we can come up with an agreement," he said. "We're all at different places in our development, in our economic growth." He also said his reserve is "under a gun" to start negotiating. While seven bands have tax agreements that aren't cancellable until next year, Pabineau is one of six whose deals can be cancelled with 90 days notice, which Higgs gave them earlier this month. Figures provided by the province show Pabineau brought in $2.2 million from the tax-sharing agreements in 2020-21, the sixth-highest amount among the 13 bands with agreements. The band has a restaurant, gas station and store and is planning a larger gas station, strip mall and a combined gaming centre, bingo hall and farmer's market on new reserve land. Appeal to MLAs News of the chief's meeting came a day after six Wolastoqey chiefs wrote to Progressive Conservative MLAs, appealing to them to persuade Higgs to change his mind on the cancelled deals. In a letter, the six chiefs specially called out PC MLAs whose ridings are on traditional Wolastoqey territory along the Saint John River. "Your constituents living in First Nation communities up and down the beautiful Wolastoq, need your voice," the letter says. "We deserve no less. We ask that you encourage your government to stop and reconsider the cancellation of our agreements." 'Really hurtful' Kingsclear First Nation Chief Gabriel Atwin says revenue from his band's gas station and convenience store outside Fredericton, on the way to Mactaquac Provincial Park, funds recreation, mental health and education programs. "It's such a vital part of our economy," he said. "It's really hurtful when I think about it, what we're going to have to do if we can't reach some sort of new agreement." "This store is a community store. It's not owned by an individual. There's no individual that's benefiting. We're benefiting as a community." Kingsclear First Nation Chief Gabriel Atwin said he's also 'keen' to meet with the premier.(Jacques Poitras/CBC) The letter said the cancellation of the agreements will lead to "conflict, legal battles, and loss of revenue for Indigenous and non-Indigenous governments alike." It also argues the band already compromised four years ago when the deals were renewed and they agreed to the smaller 70 per cent share of revenue above $8 million and to not undercut off-reserve competitors on gas and tobacco prices. Atwin said chiefs are looking at asserting their self-governance rights, which could see them refuse to recognize the province's taxation power on reserves. That in turn would allow them to sell gas and other products tax-free at much more competitive prices. But he also said he's willing to negotiate. "I'm very keen on meeting with the premier and discussing next steps," he said. "Cancelling the agreement is nonsense. It shouldn't have happened this way, but it did, and we're going to move forward and hopefully have some dialogue soon with the premier." York PC MLA Richard Ames, whose riding includes Woodstock First Nation, said in an email statement that because the letter mentions the possibility of legal battles, he would not comment on the plea for backbenchers to lobby Higgs. "I would encourage all chiefs that signed the letter that was sent to me to please reach out to the minister responsible for Aboriginal affairs directly as the provincial government has invited all First Nation chiefs to co-create a modern and sustainable economic partnership," Ames said. No other PC backbench MLAs responded to an interview request. Dunn did not immediately respond to a request for a comment on the letter and her Wednesday meeting with Richardson. A spokesperson for the six Wolastoqey chiefs said none of them would be seeking individual agreements with the province.

  • 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.

  • Massive development space on Tsuut'ina Nation acquiring tenants

    The ambitious Taza development project on Tsuut'ina Nation is announcing the confirmation of new tenants. Located on 1,200 acres of the nation, Taza retail, office and tourism development is on the the outskirts of southwest Calgary. Currently, the land sits empty but for its neighbouring anchor tenant Costco, which occupies 151,000 square feet of land nearby. The vice president of Taza Development Corporation, who are leading the project, says several tenants including a Bank of Montreal, Tim Hortons and a Dollarama, have already signed on to become tenants of the Shops at Buffalo Run. "The tenants who are working with us have enough confidence in the way that we're doing things to invest millions of dollars of time, of effort, of resources into our community," Bryce Starlight, told The Homestretch. An experience centre is also being set up in the nearby Seven Chiefs Sportsplex. The intent is for community members to connect and learn more about the 40-year development project and take part in employment sessions. Tsuut'ina member, Jacob Crane says the centre is important for the nation's future and will help create scholarship, internship and employment opportunities. "For our young people so that they're equipped to go out into the world, to succeed," said Crane. Due to COVID-19. the new experience centre is taking visitors by online appointment only. The company held a "Taza Talks" discussion Thursda at the centre. It was the first of a panel series meant to cover a range of topic including developing in a sustainable way that partners with the community. "[We're] looking for different opportunities that may not exist or just connecting the dots between tenants, between our our service providers and the nation's community and and individuals there," said Starlight . He says more tenants, construction updates and other programs will likely be confirmed in the coming months.

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

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

  • The latest numbers on COVID-19 in Canada for Friday, April 23, 2021

    The latest numbers of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Canada as of 4 a.m. ET on Friday, April 23, 2021. There are 1,155,834 confirmed cases in Canada. _ Canada: 1,155,834 confirmed cases (86,768 active, 1,045,244 resolved, 23,822 deaths).*The total case count includes 13 confirmed cases among repatriated travellers. There were 8,373 new cases Thursday. The rate of active cases is 228.31 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 59,110 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 8,444. There were 55 new reported deaths Thursday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 322 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is 46. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.12 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 62.68 per 100,000 people. There have been 30,411,387 tests completed. _ Newfoundland and Labrador: 1,052 confirmed cases (30 active, 1,016 resolved, six deaths). There were three new cases Thursday. The rate of active cases is 5.75 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 16 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is two. There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is 1.15 per 100,000 people. There have been 236,817 tests completed. _ Prince Edward Island: 175 confirmed cases (12 active, 163 resolved, zero deaths). There was one new case Thursday. The rate of active cases is 7.52 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been eight new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is one. There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is zero per 100,000 people. There have been 136,923 tests completed. _ Nova Scotia: 1,894 confirmed cases (111 active, 1,716 resolved, 67 deaths). There were 38 new cases Thursday. The rate of active cases is 11.33 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 108 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 15. There were zero new reported deaths Thursday. Over the past seven days there has been one new reported death. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is zero. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.01 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 6.84 per 100,000 people. There have been 475,550 tests completed. _ New Brunswick: 1,823 confirmed cases (147 active, 1,642 resolved, 34 deaths). There were 19 new cases Thursday. The rate of active cases is 18.81 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 65 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is nine. There were zero new reported deaths Thursday. Over the past seven days there has been one new reported death. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is zero. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.02 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 4.35 per 100,000 people. There have been 287,907 tests completed. _ Quebec: 341,645 confirmed cases (12,124 active, 318,676 resolved, 10,845 deaths). There were 1,248 new cases Thursday. The rate of active cases is 141.39 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 9,101 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 1,300. There were seven new reported deaths Thursday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 67 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is 10. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.11 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 126.48 per 100,000 people. There have been 7,953,823 tests completed. _ Ontario: 432,805 confirmed cases (41,962 active, 383,014 resolved, 7,829 deaths). There were 3,682 new cases Thursday. The rate of active cases is 284.8 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 29,234 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 4,176. There were 40 new reported deaths Thursday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 190 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is 27. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.18 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 53.14 per 100,000 people. There have been 13,517,369 tests completed. _ Manitoba: 36,890 confirmed cases (1,682 active, 34,246 resolved, 962 deaths). There were 261 new cases Thursday. The rate of active cases is 121.95 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 1,202 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 172. There was one new reported death Thursday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of seven new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is one. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.07 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 69.75 per 100,000 people. There have been 640,842 tests completed. _ Saskatchewan: 39,137 confirmed cases (2,505 active, 36,162 resolved, 470 deaths). There were 254 new cases Thursday. The rate of active cases is 212.53 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 1,743 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 249. There was one new reported death Thursday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 10 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is one. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.12 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 39.88 per 100,000 people. There have been 736,381 tests completed. _ Alberta: 177,087 confirmed cases (19,182 active, 155,851 resolved, 2,054 deaths). There were 1,857 new cases Thursday. The rate of active cases is 433.8 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 10,910 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 1,559. There were two new reported deaths Thursday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 20 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is three. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.06 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 46.45 per 100,000 people. There have been 3,989,065 tests completed. _ British Columbia: 122,757 confirmed cases (8,972 active, 112,235 resolved, 1,550 deaths). There were 1,006 new cases Thursday. The rate of active cases is 174.29 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 6,682 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 955. There were four new reported deaths Thursday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 26 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is four. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.07 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 30.11 per 100,000 people. There have been 2,399,912 tests completed. _ Yukon: 78 confirmed cases (two active, 75 resolved, one death). There were zero new cases Thursday. The rate of active cases is 4.76 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of two new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is zero. There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is 2.38 per 100,000 people. There have been 8,831 tests completed. _ Northwest Territories: 46 confirmed cases (three active, 43 resolved, zero deaths). There was one new case Thursday. The rate of active cases is 6.64 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been three new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is zero. There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is zero per 100,000 people. There have been 17,207 tests completed. _ Nunavut: 432 confirmed cases (36 active, 392 resolved, four deaths). There were three new cases Thursday. The rate of active cases is 91.48 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 36 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is five. There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is 10.16 per 100,000 people. There have been 10,684 tests completed. This report was automatically generated by The Canadian Press Digital Data Desk and was first published April 23, 2021. The Canadian Press

  • Petitcodiac Riverkeeper group proposes name for new bridge between Moncton and Riverview

    The Petitcodiac Riverkeeper group has come up with a proposed name for the new bridge being built to replace the causeway between Moncton and Riverview, and it's hoping the public will support the choice. Pont Petigotiag Bridge is meant to represent the Mi'kmaw, Acadian and Anglophone cultures. Krysta Cowling, the executive director of the Riverkeeper group, says the name reflects the communities along the shores of the river. "It was really a natural progression to have this name for the bridge as Pont Petigotiag Bridge, so it's really something that represents these communities coming together and working together and it really reflects this history and culture of the river." she said. Michelle Knockwood is an Indigenous land conservation officer for the Fort Folly First Nation. "Francophone, Anglophone and First Nations people have always worked together since contact, so I mean us working together now is important because it's going to take more than one person, one group to make the effort and the push to get this done." she said. Construction on the new bridge that will replace the Petitcodiac River causeway shown in December 2020. (Shane Fowler/CBC) Knockwood explained the name's meaning. "Bends like a bow. The name Petigotiag means bend like a bow, so it's pronounced the same, the t's are pronounced as d's in Mi'kmaw language and the g's are pronounced as k's," she said. Riverkeeper's president Ronald Babin said the name was carefully thought out. "We're hoping that, you know, people in the community at large will recognize this and see the value of naming this bridge," he said. A new steel girder bridge is currently being built to replace the causeway, constructed in 1968. The causeway gates were opened back in 2010, to let the river flow more freely. Work to replace the structure started in 2017. Babin says it's been a long struggle to restore the river's ecosystem. The group has been sent the proposed name along to the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure for consideration. The Petitcodiac Riverkeeper organization has created several graphics featuring the proposed name.(Kate Letterick/CBC News) Jennifer Boudreau, a communications officer of the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure, said the department has received many requests regarding possible names for the bridge. "No decision will be made until the construction is finalized." Boudreau wrote in an email statement. Krysta Cowling hopes people will embrace the proposed name. "Today is really about a call to action to the public so we're putting forward this name and our goal is to have members of the public reach out to government representatives to help show that there's public support for this so that this name will be chosen," she said.

  • Why do Canadian country performers sing in a southern twang?

    Lethbridge-based country singer Shaela Miller strummed her guitar and struggled with a strange request: to sing the lyrics from one of her songs in her own Canadian accent, and without a southern U.S. twang. "I woke up/In my bed/With a loud, loud ringin' in my head…" Miller sang the lines unaccompanied by the lilt in her voice that usually drawls words like bed and head until she stopped, laughing. "I can't do it, it just — I couldn't even sing it. I would have to sit down and really think of this song in a different style of music." Miller said that twang is because of influences that include singers like Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn and Dolly Parton. Her own songs just wouldn't sound right without it. Lethbridge-based country singer Shaela Miller says her southern twang is because of musical influences that include singers like Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn and Dolly Parton.(Submitted by Shaela Miller) But according to Marianna Di Paolo, an associate professor emeritus in the departments of linguistics and anthropology at the University of Utah, a country singer's adoption of an accent at the mic is not always something they are aware of. Di Paolo told the Calgary Eyeopener's Paul Karchut on Thursday that the way we talk and sing is often below our conscious awareness — and it can change because our identities will shift depending on why we are engaging with someone. "At any given time, we might be projecting one part of our personality rather than another," Di Paolo said. "We may feel compelled to perform an identity, to project a similar kind of identity, and this happens all the time … and the same thing happens with singing." Mirroring and accommodation Part of Di Paolo's work focuses on sociolinguistics in western American English. It includes studying the differences in the way we speak that are dependent on our social context — and the variation in language between communities, as well as within individuals. She said that the unconscious impulse to mirror the speech patterns of others is called "accommodation." It happens because human beings are generally empathetic and social, and seek to connect with people who are similar to them. "Part of the reason that we change the way we speak depending on what we're trying to do — essentially, the 'act of identity' — is in order to position ourselves so that we get the most benefit out of all of our interactions," Di Paolo said. "The same would apply for singing … [and] if you are going to be an authentic country western singer, well, you better sound like one." And the tendency to adopt accents isn't limited to country singers who subconsciously seek to connect with their audience, and benefit from the affectation. A prominent example of this is actually the Beatles, Di Paolo said. "Their Liverpool accents are right there, but … when they sing, sound like they are Buddy Holly or Elvis Presley, to artistically present their music within the tradition of [American] rock 'n' roll." Putting it on a little thick Alberta-based country singer Drew Gregory said he hadn't even noticed he was assuming a Nashville accent when he sang until he was asked about it. And similarly to what Di Paolo had to say about mirroring and accommodation, according to Gregory, he was unintentionally modelling his performances after others. "[I was] just kind of copying people off the radio and learning to sing off them. So I think when I started getting in the studio and stuff, it just kind of came out a little subconsciously," Gregory said. "I've even listened back to shows where you kind of get a chuckle at yourself — where you hear a word or two and think, 'Maybe I put it on a little thick there.'" While singing with an accent has attracted some criticism, to Aaron Pritchett, the accent is simply an extension of being a performer.(Justin Tang/The Canadian Press) As Gregory grows with his craft, and continues to forge his artistic identity, he said his accent is starting to wane. But for Canadian country star Aaron Pritchett, the southern drawl is no accident. Instead, it's an affected and deliberate choice, he said, acquired to integrate his own music into the genre. "It's something that I created early on, and if I had gotten away from it … people probably wouldn't have bought me as an artist," Pritchett said. 'But I don't overdo it' While it has attracted some criticism — as a musician living in Vancouver, Prichett said he has sometimes been accused of being a poser — to him, the accent is simply an extension of being a performer. "It is an act. That's what we're here for; we're a form of entertainment," Pritchett said. "But I don't overdo it. I just pick up little words here and there." LISTEN to the segment on the Calgary Eyeopener below And according to Di Paolo, as susceptible as we are to slipping into unconscious speech patterns, we are also capable of intentionally putting on a vocal "performance" that is more conscious. It can allow professors to sound more authoritative, for example, or parents to sound more nurturing. "In essence, we take on more agency," she said. "It is possible for us to … take more control of how we talk." However, Di Paolo said it takes a lot of work and practice to make the decision to speak differently stick. For Pritchett, at least, that work and practice suits him just fine. "[My accent] won't be stopping … until I do a jazz album one day," Pritchett said. With files from Paul Karchut and the Calgary Eyeopener.

  • ‘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.”

  • Sask. to reopen care homes to visitors, under certain conditions, starting April 29

    The Saskatchewan government says it will reopen care homes to visitors, but only under certain conditions, starting a week from now. Beginning on April 29, residents will be able to receive two family members at a time indoors, provided at least 90 per cent of residents at that home are fully vaccinated. Three weeks must have also elapsed since second doses were administered at the home. Up to four visitors per resident will be allowed to visit outdoors. The province said nothing about thresholds for visitation being tied to vaccine uptake among care home workers or about requirements for visitors to be fully vaccinated, though visitors will have to follow all public health rules, including mandatory masks. As of Wednesday, 79 per cent of Saskatchewan health-care workers, including but not limited to staff at care homes, had received their first dose, while 47 per cent had received two doses. As of April 16 — the last time the province released such data — the vast majority of care home residents had been vaccinated. (Government of Saskatchewan) Health officials say they would now include health-care workers in their reporting of vaccination uptake among the general population. Dr. Saqib Shahab, Saskatchewan's chief medical health officer, has said some outbreaks have happened in care homes where not all workers got vaccinated. Dozens of homes already qualify The province announced the visitation changes — eagerly anticipated by families ever since homes were locked down in mid-November amid the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic — on Thursday afternoon, shortly before a news conference hosted by Everett Hindley, the province's minister in charge of issues affecting seniors. "This is by far the number one question and the number one phone call and letter and email that I have heard and had come into my office," Hindley said. "No, we can't fill up Mosaic Stadium just yet. But some of us can go see mom on Mother's Day." Hindley says 43 of Saskatchewan's long-term care homes already qualify for visitation. "Many more will qualify in the coming days," he said. Long-term care homes are regulated and inspected by the Saskatchewan Health Authority, and so the SHA will decide when such homes are eligible to ease visitor restrictions, according to a release. Privately operated personal care homes, which are regulated by the Ministry of Health, "are responsible for aligning themselves with the same operational policies as the SHA and must be able to verify that they meet the requirements," according to the release. Ryan Meili, the leader of the Saskatchewan NDP, echoed Hindley in saying it's been hard for families to be separated for so long. Visitation was severely restricted beginning on Nov. 19. But Meili says some key things need to happen. "I would want to make sure that all of the staff working there and anyone who's on a list to go and visit is fully vaccinated, because the last thing we want, especially as we see growth in new variants, is to get back to what we saw this winter," he said, referring to the second wave and its deadly impact on Saskatchewan care homes. Deaths in care homes continued to rise in early 2021 Hindley's appearance came the day after the Saskatchewan NDP grilled him in the legislative assembly about the deadly COVID-19 outbreak at the privately operated but publicly supported Parkside Extendicare home in Regina. Matt Love, Opposition critic for issues affecting seniors, also cited new figures on COVID-19 deaths in care homes that Hindley recently provided in an after-hours committee. The new figures showed a continued rise in deaths among long-term care and personal-care home residents from late January and to mid-April, a period in which such residents were prioritized for early vaccination against COVID-19. In total, the number of deaths increased to 146 from 90. As of Jan. 27, the breakdown of deaths stood as follows: Affiliate Special Care Homes (Private Non-Profit): 27. Contract Special Care Homes (Private For-Profit): 39. Personal Care Homes (Private): 7. Saskatchewan Health Authority Care Homes (Public): 17. As Hindley reported, and as Love underscored Wednesday, as of April 12 the cumulative death figures had increased as follows: Affiliate Special Care Homes (Private Non-Profit): 48. Contract Special Care Homes (Private For-Profit): 44. Personal Care Homes (Private): 23. Saskatchewan Health Authority Care Homes (Public): 31. Love says many deaths took place at Parkside Extendicare, pointed to the facility's outdated use of four-person bedrooms, and called on the Saskatchewan government to end its "deadly relationship" with the company. The Saskatchewan Health Authority contracts Extendicare to operate Parkside and four other care homes in the province. WATCH | Love grills seniors minister on care home deaths Extendicare has already confirmed it will no longer house people four to a room. "We share in the sadness of our community over the devastating toll COVID-19 has taken on Extendicare Parkside and other long-term care homes across the country," company spokesperson Laura Gallant said. "Extendicare continues to believe seniors' care, and the support it receives, must be modernized to meet to needs of residents. This includes increased staffing levels and buildings that are built to modern standards to keep residents safe." The company also called for a "sustainable funding model" with the Saskatchewan government. 'An old style of doing things' Hindley said the number of deaths at Parkside is of "grave concern," but added he does not want to step on the toes of Saskatchewan's ombudsman, who is conducting an investigation into the Parkside outbreak. "She hasn't reached out to me personally as the minister," Hindley said of the ombudsman. "I don't believe she's reached out to my office." Hindley says no new care homes built in the province since 2007 have featured four-person bedrooms. "That's an old style of doing things," he said. Saskatchewan's oldest seniors have been the hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. According to updated statistics released Thursday, just under half of all COVID-19 deaths in the province, 234, have been among people aged 80 and over. (Government of Saskatchewan)

  • 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."