Recap:

Black Lives Matter: Reaction to Derek Chauvin verdict in George Floyd murder

Biden: 'It was a murder in the full light of day, and ripped the blinders off for the whole world to see’

Crazy spring winter storm pummels Saskatchewan residents

Yesterday it was 16 degrees Celsius in Saskatchewan, today it's a nasty blizzard. Only in Canada! Full credit to: @desifella3 on Twitter

Latest Stories

  • Female service members blast military police over sexual misconduct investigations

    OTTAWA — Female service members and veterans came out swinging at Canada's military police on Tuesday as they related their own individual experiences after having come forward to report a sexual crime or misconduct. The women, who were testifying before a House of Commons committee, also suggested victims of such acts often end up paying the price for coming forward while perpetrators are largely let off the hook. "Most times the victims pay a greater price than the perpetrator when they come forward," said navy Lt. Heather Macdonald. "That is why most victims are reluctant to come forward. We need to fix this, we need to make this a better, safer place for females to work." The hearings at the committee on the status of women come as the federal government and Canadian Armed Forces are grappling with allegations of misconduct involving several senior officers, including chief of the defence staff Admiral Art McDonald. The specific allegations against McDonald, who temporarily stepped aside in February after the Canadian Forces National Investigation Service launched an investigation, have not been publicly disclosed. But Global News has reported that the allegation relates to sexual misconduct and relates to an incident involving Macdonald, the navy lieutenant who appeared at committee. The outlet reported she was frustrated that someone had leaked details of her case to the media without her consent and she declined to detail the allegations. CBC has reported that the alleged incident occurred during an exercise in the Far North in 2010 when the admiral was captain of HMCS Montreal. The admiral has not responded to repeated requests from The Canadian Press for comment. Macdonald did not speak about the case, nor did committee members ask her about it. She instead spoke about the challenges women in uniform face when trying to report inappropriate or criminal behaviour both at sea and in general, including the approach taken by military police investigators. "It is like you're being interrogated, and like you're a criminal," Macdonald told the committee. Air force technician Emily Tulloch related a similar experience after she came forward to report having been sexually assaulted, describing her meetings with military police as "dreadful." "During these interviews, I felt investigators were not treating me like a human being, but just another case file to them," Tulloch told the committee. "There was no empathy or humanity. ... I felt like I wasn't being heard, and that I was being treated like a criminal. And no one should be treated like a criminal when they're that vulnerable and in need of help." Military police commanders have previously spoken about the steps they have taken to better deal with sexual misconduct since retired Supreme Court justice Marie Deschamps released a scathing report on the Armed Forces' handling of such incidents in 2015. Those measures have included specialized training and even dedicated units tasked with investigating such cases. Tulloch told the committee she has "experienced a lifetime of sexual assault and misconduct" since joining the military in July 2018. "I'm here today to tell you that I was raped only one month into my basic training at (Royal Military College) Saint-Jean. I was also sexually assaulted during my training in Borden and I have been groped and kissed unwillingly at group parties and mess events. And these degrading behaviors are more common than you think," she said. Military police need to improve their training for how to conduct interviews of sexual assault victims, she told the committee. "There needs to be a specific course made to teach them that victims need understanding and empathy. And if there already is a course, then they need to tear it apart and rebuild it from the ground up." Tuesday's frank and at times raw testimony came one day after the government said it was adding $77 million in new funding and redirecting $158 million from other areas to increase victim support services and develop new prevention training. It has also said that it plans to add independent oversight to the military's handling of sexual misconduct complaints, though it has yet to provide further details. Several of those testifying underscored the importance of such external accountability, with Macdonald suggesting one option would be the creation of an independent inspector-general like what some of Canada’s allies have in place. Numerous experts and survivors have echoed that suggestion in recent months, arguing that the military has repeatedly shown its inability to bring about real change on its own. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Apr. 20, 2021. Lee Berthiaume, The Canadian Press

  • 'This system is broken': Nunavut RCMP release few details on man shot dead by police

    IQALUIT, Nunavut — The Nunavut RCMP has released new, but limited details into the death of a 31-year-old man who was shot by an officer in the hamlet of Clyde River last spring. Mounties said two officers responded to a domestic disturbance at the home of Abraham Natanine the night of May 5. They said the situation escalated and Natanine retrieved a weapon, but the RCMP has not released what the weapon was. Police said the interaction evolved and resulted in an officer discharging his firearm at Natanine, who was rushed to the health centre and pronounced dead. The Ottawa Police Service earlier this month issued a statement on its independent investigation into the shooting, which found the officers involved not criminally responsible for Natanine's death. The Ottawa police have a memorandum of understanding with Nunavut RCMP to investigate serious actions involving police to determine whether charges should be laid. The reports are not made public. Qajaq Robinson, a lawyer working with Natanine's family, said she found out about the investigation's conclusion through the media. She noted there was little information in the news release issued by the Ottawa Police Service about the review of Natanine's death. "This isn't serving people and it's also not serving justice," she said. "There's such a challenge in terms of getting information, that this does nothing to enhance confidence in the RCMP, in policing or in institutions of oversight." Natanine's spouse, the mother of his two children, also learned about the investigation's findings through the news. "People, victims, family, relatives, close people to those shot and killed are finding out through the news, even when they have legal counsel supporting them and known to these institutions," Robinson said. "This system is broken and it is not serving Nunavummiut." In a statement, Ottawa police Supt. Chris Renwick said the practice in death investigations is to identify a single family liaison who can pass information from investigators to family members. In Natanine's case, a liaison was established who communicated directly with the lead investigator and was told about the conclusion one day before the news release went out, Renwick said. "The Ottawa Police Service has since learned that, regrettably, not all members of the immediate family of Mr. Abraham Natanine were made aware of the conclusion and findings prior to our release issuance and related media reporting," Renwick said. Since Jan. 1, 2020, there have been six serious encounters involving police in Nunavut, including the shooting deaths of Natanine and Attachie Ashoona in the hamlet of Kinngait. Earlier this year, the Ottawa police also cleared the officer who shot and killed Ashoona as well as the officer who knocked down a Kinngait man with a truck door during an arrest. Nunavut RCMP said they won't comment further on the Natinine shooting because they anticipate there may be other reviews. In December, Nunavut's justice minister introduced a bill that would open the door for civilian oversight of RCMP in Nunavut. The bill, as it stands, still leaves the option open for police forces to conduct third-party investigations. The bill has passed second reading and is being reviewed by Nunavut's standing committee on legislation. This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 20, 2021. ___ This story was produced with the financial assistance of the Facebook and Canadian Press News Fellowship Emma Tranter, The Canadian Press

  • Russia defends foreign navy limits amid buildup near Ukraine

    MOSCOW — Russia insisted Tuesday that it has the right to restrict foreign naval ships' movement off Crimea, rejecting international criticism amid Western worries about a Russian troops buildup near Ukraine. Ukraine last week protested the Russian move to close broad areas of the Black Sea near Crimea to foreign navy ships and state vessels until November. The U.S. also aired its concern Monday, with State Department spokesman Ned Price saying “this represents yet another unprovoked escalation in Moscow’s ongoing campaign to undermine and destabilize Ukraine.” Price noted that the move "is particularly troubling amid credible reports of Russian troop buildup in occupied Crimea and around Ukraine’s borders." The European Union also voiced concern about the troop buildup and the navigation restrictions. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov charged that the restrictions on foreign naval ships were in line with international agreements, arguing that it’s common practice to limit areas where military drills are held. He emphasized in remarks carried by Russian news agencies that the restrictions wouldn’t interfere with commercial shipping. In a separate move, Russia on Tuesday also announced restrictions on flights near Crimea for five days starting Tuesday. The Russian military is holding massive Black Sea manoeuvrs this week, involving more than 20 warships and dozens of aircraft. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov argued that such airspace closures are common international practice. Russia annexed Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula in March 2014 after the country's former Russia-friendly president was driven from power by protests. Moscow then threw its weight behind separatists in eastern Ukraine, and the conflict there has killed more than 14,000 people in seven years. Tensions have risen in recent weeks with increasing violations of a cease-fire in eastern Ukraine and a massive Russian troop buildup along the Ukrainian border. Moscow has rejected Ukraine and Western concerns, arguing that it's free to deploy its forces and charging that they don't threaten anyone. But at the same time, Moscow sternly warned Ukrainian authorities against trying to use force to retake control of the rebel east, noting recent statements by Ukrainian military officers who held the door open for an offensive. The Kremlin said that Russia could be forced to intervene to protect civilians in the region. Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu on Tuesday accused Ukraine of trying to destabilize the situation in eastern Ukraine and lashed out at the U.S. and NATO for what he described as “provocative actions” in the Black Sea area. The U.S. and its NATO allies have regularly sent navy ships to the Black Sea and the U.S. flew strategic bombers over Ukraine, vexing Moscow. However, the U.S. reversed a planned deployment of two destroyers in the Black Sea earlier this month amid the heightening tensions. The Russian military has conducted a series of drills in southwestern Russia, in Crimea and other areas. On Tuesday, a pair of Tu-160 nuclear-capable strategic bombers flew over the Baltic Sea for eight hours, and the Northern Fleet conducted massive manoeuvrs in the Arctic, the Defence Ministry said. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who had previously said that Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin was refusing to take his calls, on Tuesday offered the Russian leader to meet in eastern Ukraine to defuse tensions. "Ukraine would never start a war, but would always stand until the end," he said in a video address. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba insisted Tuesday that Kyiv wasn't planning any offensive in the east. “No, Ukraine is not planning any offensive, military escalation or provocations," he said at a news conference, adding that "we are making every effort for a diplomatic and peaceful resolution of the conflict.” Kuleba charged that the Russian buildup across the border is continuing and is “expected to reach a combined force of over 120,000 troops” in about a week and urged the West to beef up sanctions against Moscow by targeting entire sectors of the Russian economy. On Monday, the EU's foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, told reporters that there are "more than 150,000 Russian troops massing on the Ukrainian borders and in Crimea,” and doubled down on the figure later before his services had to correct it in the transcript, saying the real figure was over 100,000. Recent satellite images showed hundreds of Russian military vehicles stationed at multiple bases, firing ranges and field camps along the border with Ukraine and dozens of warplanes parked at air bases in southwestern Russia and Crimea. ___ Associated Press writer Yuras Karmanau in Kyiv, Ukraine, contributed to this report. Vladimir Isachenkov, The Associated Press

  • Police say 20-year-old targeted in deadly shooting in Coquitlam, B.C.

    COQUITLAM, B.C. — Homicide detectives say a 20-year-old man was shot to death Monday evening in Coquitlam, B.C. Sgt. Frank Jang of the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team says Bailey McKinney was targeted as he visited the busy Town Centre skate park at about 6:30 p.m. Investigators want to speak to the roughly 50 people who were in the park at the time of the homicide in an effort to determine what McKinney was doing there. Jang says there is no indication the homicide is linked to a fatal shooting in Vancouver on Saturday or to Metro Vancouver's ongoing gang conflict. Jang says police had previous interactions with McKinney related to drug offences, but that it's too early to tell if the killing is drug-related. No arrests have been made and Jang is urging anyone with information to share details with the homicide team. Information was still being checked, but McKinney might have had an ongoing disagreement that led to his death, Jang said. "We believe he had conflict with certain individuals and we believe that these certain individuals may be responsible for his murder," Jang said Tuesday in Coquitlam. "It leads us to believe this was targeted. It certainly wasn't random." A team of officers was canvassing the Town Centre area looking for witnesses and dash cam or surveillance video that could help identify a suspect, Jang said. This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 20, 2021. The Canadian Press

  • Trudeau says Canada considering stronger border measures

    Canada is extending the use of quarantine hotels for international air travellers another month, and considering whether it needs to do more to stop COVID-19 cases from getting into the country from abroad. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says that could include barring incoming flights from specific countries, such as India, even as he defended his government's actions on the border as effective.

  • Contract to complete Muskrat Falls transmission system surpasses $500M

    A combination of missed deadlines, change orders, protests and settlements has pushed the cost of a contract to ready the Labrador-Island Link for operation beyond the half-billion-dollar mark, CBC News has learned. And documents show there is still risk associated with the contract as the Muskrat Falls project inches closer to completion. An access-to-information request by CBC News has revealed that the original contract to construct converter stations, transition compounds and a specialized computer software for the 1,100-kilometre high-voltage, direct-current transmission line from central Labrador to Newfoundland's Avalon Peninsula has grown by 30 per cent, to $519 million. It's another example of how the price tag of Muskrat Falls has grown from $7.4 billion at sanction in 2012, to just over $13 billion, and why it was labelled "misguided" by Justice Richard LeBlanc, who led a commission of inquiry into the project. This is a February 2020 photo of the synchronous condensers at the Soldiers Pond converter station, which is where electricity from Muskrat Falls is converted from DC to AC so it can be integrated into the island's power grid. The condensers are used to generate or absorb power as needed in order to maintain optimal energy flow during the conversion from DC to AC, but have been plagued by vibration problems.(Submitted by Nalcor Energy) According to a breakdown of the cost escalation provided by Nalcor Energy, the provincial energy corporation that overseas the project, a decision to make contractor GE Grid Solutions responsible for the civil work added $60 million to the contract value. Nalcor explained that it resulted in a streamlined management structure under one contract instead of two, and the additional cost was already included in the overall project budget. A decision by Nalcor to change course and allow electricity to flow early over one conductor line, which first occurred in 2018, and energize the second line later, cost more than $32 million, while Nalcor has paid out more than $17 million in settlement claims to GE. Protests against the project in October 2016 added $12 million to the cost of delivering transformers to Muskrat Falls and Cartwright, according to Nalcor. Glitchy software Nalcor inked a deal with a French company called Alstom in March 2014 at a value of just under $370 million, with a target to finish the work by the summer of 2017. The contract called for the construction of a station at Muskrat Falls to convert electricity from AC to DC, two shore-based transition compounds for the undersea cable that crosses the Strait of Belle Isle, and a second station at Soldiers Pond to convert the electricity back to AC for integration into the provincial power grid. Another critical part of the contract is the development of the computer software needed to operate the line, which has a capacity of 900 megawatts. This is a breakdown of the extra charges that has resulted in a substantial escalation in the contract to make the Labrador-Island Link transmission line ready for operation. The contract is being carried out by a company called GE Grid Solutions, and its value has grown by nearly 30 per cent.(Nalcor Energy) But like just about every other aspect of the project, the cost and schedule for the contract has been upended in a big way, beginning with Alstom's acquisition by General Electric in 2015, with subsidiary GE Grid tasked with completing the contract. For years, the computer software has been plagued by glitches, and three synchronous condensers at the Soldiers Pond continue to undergo modifications to repair vibration problems. The condensers generate or absorb power as needed to maintain optimal energy flow during the conversion from DC to AC. The latest update from Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro to the province's utility regulator earlier this month set a date of July 29 for the delivery of the final software, which is a further five-week delay from an earlier update. Further delays "remains a risk," according to Hydro, but trial operations using both power lines on the link — known as "bipole" — have been ongoing throughout the winter and spring. As for the condensers, all three are not scheduled to be fully operational until September, just two months before the entire project is scheduled to achieve full commercial operations. The Labrador-Island Link comprises roughly 3,200 steel transmission towers like the one pictured here. It crosses some 400 kilometres of terrain in Labrador, includes a 30-kilometre link beneath the Strait of Belle Isle, and another 700 kilometres in Newfoundland. Up to last fall, some $3.6 billion had been spent building the energy corridor.(Terry Roberts/CBC) The Labrador-Island Link is the energy corridor that will bring Labrador electricity to Newfoundland, and to Nova Scotia and beyond via the Maritime Link. The link comprises some 3,200 towers, 2,300 kilometres of conductor wire, and the 30-kilometre subsea cable across the Strait of Belle Isle. According to a recent quarterly report from Nalcor, some $3.6 billion has so far been spent building the Labrador-Island Link. CBC News requested an interview Monday with Nalcor CEO Stan Marshall, and is awaiting a response. Read more from CBC Newfoundland and Labrador

  • Ontario premier in isolation and a mission on Mars: In The News for April 21

    In The News is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to kickstart your day. Here is what's on the radar of our editors for the morning of April 21 ...What we are watching in Canada ...TORONTO — Ontario Premier Doug Ford is isolating in Toronto after a member of his staff who was in close contact with him tested positive for COVID-19.A statement from Ford's office late Tuesday says the premier has tested negative.It says Ford will follow all public health advice for close contacts.The statement says members of the premier's office staff who were close contacts of the individual who tested positive will also isolate. Ford's office says it is seeking additional guidance from Toronto Public Health on all precautions that the premier and isolating staff must follow.The statement says Ford will continue leading his government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic while in isolation, including briefings with officials and communicating with the public.COVID-19 case counts remained high in Ontario on Tuesday — with 3,469 new cases and 22 more deaths reported. Also, the province's two biggest COVID-19 hot spots are moving to temporarily close businesses with recent outbreaks of the virus in an effort to rein in surging case counts they said were fuelled by workplace spread.Toronto and Peel Region announced within hours of each other Tuesday that they would issue updated orders requiring businesses that have seen five or more linked cases in the past 14 days to shut down for 10 days.---Also this ...OTTAWA — The Bank of Canada will say today how it sees the economy faring over the coming months and the path for inflation amid the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.Along with the outlook, the bank will announce what is happening to its key interest rate target that has been set at 0.25 per cent during the pandemic in a bid to lower interest rates on consumers and companies and boost the economy.Governor Tiff Macklem has said the rate won't move until the economy is ready for higher interest rates and inflation is back at the bank's two per cent target.The central bank has already said that it expects the economy will grow over the first three months of this year, after its January forecast predicted a slump to start 2021.That better-than-expected start to the year may see the central bank raise its outlook for the full year just as the federal government did in its budget Monday.The federal budget, based on an average estimate from private sector economists, predicted real gross domestic product to rise by 5.8 per cent this year after a 5.4 per cent contraction in 2020.---What we are watching in the U.S. ...Reaction poured in Tuesday following the conviction of a white former Minneapolis, Minn., police officer in the death of George Floyd last year.Derek Chauvin, 45, was handcuffed and taken away to prison, where he could stay for decades when he is sentenced in about two months.The case triggered worldwide protests, violence and a furious re-examination of racism and policing in the United States. The verdict set off jubilation mixed with sorrow across the city and around the nation. Hundreds of people poured into the streets of Minneapolis, some running through traffic with banners. Drivers blared their horns in celebration.U.S. President Joe Biden welcomed the verdict, saying Floyd’s death was "a murder in full light of day, and it ripped the blinders off for the whole world" to see systemic racism. But he warned: “It’s not enough. We can’t stop here. We’re going to deliver real change and reform. We can and we must do more to reduce the likelihood that tragedies like this will ever happen again.”Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also welcomed the guilty verdict.“What we saw over the course of last year with the sudden awareness by everyone of what racialized Canadians and racialized people around the world had known for far too long that systemic discrimination continues," Trudeau told Edmonton-based online talk show host Ryan Jespersen in an interview."The micro-aggressions, the overt racism, the challenges within our institutions and within our daily lives that exist need to be addressed."---What we are watching in the rest of the world ...MOSCOW — Two close associates of Alexei Navalny were detained today ahead of protests planned to support the imprisoned Russian opposition leader, who has been on a hunger strike since March 31. Navalny's team called Sunday for nationwide protests after reports about the politician's health deteriorating in prison. Russian authorities have stressed that the demonstrations were not authorized and warned against participating in them. Vladimir Voronin, a lawyer for top Navalny ally Lyubov Sobol, said on Twitter that people “in uniform” removed Sobol from a taxi near a Moscow metro station this morning and took her to a police station. Police also detained Navalny spokeswoman Kira Yarmysh, who is currently under house arrest on charges related to January protests in support of the politician. Yarmysh was detained near the entrance of her apartment building when she went out during the one hour she is allowed to leave, her lawyer, Veronika Polyakova, said on Twitter. Navalny was arrested in January upon his return from Germany, where he had spent five months recovering from a nerve agent poisoning he blames on the Kremlin. Russian officials have rejected the accusation. His arrest for an alleged violation of a suspended sentence from a 2014 embezzlement conviction triggered protests that represented the biggest show of defiance in Russia in recent years. Soon after, a court ordered Navalny to serve 2 1/2 years in prison for the embezzlement conviction, which the European Court of Human Rights deemed to be "arbitrary and manifestly unreasonable." ---On this day in 1948 ...William Lyon Mackenzie King set a record of service as a Commonwealth prime minister — 20 years, 10 months and 10 days. He retired the following November.---In entertainment ...With COVID-19 tests, a vaccination, tuxedo and customized mask under his belt, Canadian Oscar nominee Ben Proudfoot is set to attend Sunday's pandemic-tailored Academy Awards.The Halifax-raised producer and filmmaker is nominated alongside composer and co-director Kris Bowers for the documentary short "A Concerto Is a Conversation."He says the nominees are following a "very strict protocol" to attend the ceremony at the Union Station railway hub in Los Angeles.The show will be held primarily at that venue but some elements will unfold at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood. International winners who can't attend will appear by satellite link from their location.Proudfoot, who is 30, already lives in Los Angeles and, therefore, doesn't have to quarantine to attend the show, which airs on ABC and CTV."It's a sign of hope," he said of the Oscars deciding on a physical bash instead of an all-virtual one."I think three, four months ago it may not have been possible — even six weeks ago. In Los Angeles now, there's open enrollment for most people for vaccines. So I think it's the first inkling of things getting back to normal. Hopefully it's a great and safe evening. I'm sure it will be."---ICYMI ...A Canadian on the team that just landed a probe on Mars and directed the first flight on the Red Planet says she's having the time of her life. Farah Alibay, who grew up in Quebec, is one of the scientists working NASA's Perseverance Mars probe, which last weekend launched Ingenuity, a remote-controlled helicopter.Nobody knew if the flight would work in Mar's thin atmosphere, which is one per cent of Earth's.But Ingenuity stayed aloft for 30 seconds and achieved an altitude of three metres.Alibay, who was in the control room when the successful flight was confirmed, says the moment was truly exciting and a lot of fun.She says scientists around the world are now going to be asking themselves how they can use flying drones to learn even more about Earth's closest neighbour.Alibay, who's 33, admits she's wondering how anything will be able to top the thrill of working on Perseverance. ---This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 21, 2021. The Canadian Press

  • Alberta reports 1,345 new COVID-19 cases, five more deaths

    Alberta reported 1,345 new cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday and five more deaths from the illness. Screening detected 816 new cases linked to variants of concern, with the B117 variant first detected in the United Kingdom now the dominant strain of the coronavirus in Alberta. Hospitals across the province were treating 476 patients with the illness, including 105 in ICU beds. About 1.2 million doses of the three available vaccines have been administered in the province so far, Premier Jason Kenney said Tuesday at a news conference. That includes, Kenney said: 82 per cent of those aged 75 and older. 73 per cent of those aged 65 to 74. 50 per cent of those aged 60 to 64. The premier said Alberta has the capacity to administer more than 300,000 doses a week and still plans to offer first shots to all adults in the province by June 30 if vaccine supply keeps up. The premier started off by thanking the thousands of people who have signed up for the AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine and said he booked his own appointment to get a shot on Thursday. Watch | Kenney tells eligible Albertans to get immunized By mid-afternoon on Tuesday, he said, 67,900 appointments had been booked for the next 10 days. The province has about 160,000 doses of the vaccine left. "Despite delays and disappointments, our rollout keeps gaining steam," Kenney said. "We promised to offer every adult a first dose by June 30 as long as supply keeps coming in, and we will keep promise if that supply shows up." 2nd dose 'confusion' Kenney was joined at the news conference by Dr. Deena Hinshaw, Alberta's chief medical officer of health, who took the opportunity to clear up what she called some "confusion" about the vaccine rollout. "Due to limited supply, as you know, we extended the interval between the first and second doses for all vaccines to a maximum of 16 weeks," Hinshaw said. "However, once we finish offering first doses to all Albertans 16 and over, we will start second doses as soon as our supply allows. This will likely be in later June, based on our current supply estimates. "So if you have had a first dose, please do not yet call your pharmacy or AHS to book your second dose. It will take a few more months to get enough supply for both first doses for everyone and to begin second doses. "As more doses arrive in the coming months, we will look to shorten this interval whenever possible, but this will likely not be until later in the year." 12-week interval for AstraZeneca There has also been some confusion about the interval for AstraZeneca vaccine, Hinshaw said, for which the province is using a 12-week interval between first and second doses, depending on the supply. "The reason for this is that clinical trials for AstraZeneca showed better overall protection when the interval was longer than when it was shorter," she said. "So even if we had enough supply to give second doses sooner, the shortest interval we would use for this vaccine would be 12 weeks. "The extension of timing for all second doses is based on current limited supply and evidence showing that this first dose offers significant protection. "We are also closely monitoring the emerging evidence around timing of second doses for cancer patients and others who are severely immune-compromised. We are consulting with provincial and national partners and will update Albertans if any change is made for these groups." Alberta expanded its immunization campaign on Tuesday, lowering the age of eligibility for the AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine to those born in 1981 or earlier.

  • Reigning Mrs World resigns weeks after pageant controversy

    The reigning Mrs World, Caroline Jurie, has resigned her title, the organisation running the pageant said late on Tuesday, weeks after she was involved in a controversy at the Mrs Sri Lanka event. Jurie was arrested and released on bail this month after a fracas at the Mrs Sri Lanka pageant in Colombo, where Jurie forcibly removed the winner's crown, claiming the other woman was a divorcee and not qualified to win the title. "Her voluntary resignation decision was made solely by Caroline herself," Mrs World Inc said late on Tuesday, in a news release on social media.

  • Man pointed gun at driver in 'road rage' incident: Windsor police

    Windsor police say an arrest has been made after a man allegedly pointed a gun at another driver in Walkerville on Sunday. According to police, two vehicles "became involved in a road-rage incident" around 6 p.m. on Sunday in the area of Moy Avenue and Wyandotte Street East. The vehicles entered an alley in the area of Gladstone Avenue and Wyandotte, where the man driving a black Lincoln left the vehicle and allegedly pointed a gun at the other driver, police said in a media release on Monday. Officers located the vehicle at around 7:45 p.m. at a home in Windsor. When police arrived, the suspect was outside and wearing a ballistic-style vest. No firearm has been recovered. A 34-year-old man was arrested and charged with: Pointing a firearm Threatening to use a weapon Possession of a handgun for a purpose dangerous to public peace Having face masked with intent to commit an offence Failure to comply with a release order

  • A look at COVID-19 vaccinations in Canada on Tuesday, April 20, 2021

    The latest numbers on COVID-19 vaccinations in Canada as of 10:30 p.m. ET on Tuesday, April 20, 2021. In Canada, the provinces are reporting 240,000 new vaccinations administered for a total of 10,483,418 doses given. Nationwide, 944,342 people or 2.5 per cent of the population has been fully vaccinated. The provinces have administered doses at a rate of 27,661.261 per 100,000. There were 1,198 new vaccines delivered to the provinces and territories for a total of 13,304,460 doses delivered so far. The provinces and territories have used 78.8 per cent of their available vaccine supply. Please note that Newfoundland and Labrador, P.E.I., Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and the territories typically do not report on a daily basis. Newfoundland and Labrador is reporting 26,085 new vaccinations administered over the past seven days for a total of 138,422 doses given. The province has administered doses at a rate of 264.35 per 1,000. In the province, 1.85 per cent (9,674) of the population has been fully vaccinated. There were zero new vaccines delivered to Newfoundland and Labrador for a total of 173,840 doses delivered so far. The province has received enough of the vaccine to give 33 per cent of its population a single dose. The province has used 79.63 per cent of its available vaccine supply. P.E.I. is reporting 7,925 new vaccinations administered over the past seven days for a total of 43,018 doses given. The province has administered doses at a rate of 271.186 per 1,000. In the province, 6.04 per cent (9,579) of the population has been fully vaccinated. There were zero new vaccines delivered to P.E.I. for a total of 53,545 doses delivered so far. The province has received enough of the vaccine to give 34 per cent of its population a single dose. The province has used 80.34 per cent of its available vaccine supply. Nova Scotia is reporting 60,428 new vaccinations administered over the past seven days for a total of 218,018 doses given. The province has administered doses at a rate of 223.402 per 1,000. In the province, 3.31 per cent (32,255) of the population has been fully vaccinated. There were zero new vaccines delivered to Nova Scotia for a total of 320,200 doses delivered so far. The province has received enough of the vaccine to give 33 per cent of its population a single dose. The province has used 68.09 per cent of its available vaccine supply. New Brunswick is reporting 42,913 new vaccinations administered over the past seven days for a total of 204,576 doses given. The province has administered doses at a rate of 262.263 per 1,000. In the province, 2.44 per cent (19,028) of the population has been fully vaccinated. There were zero new vaccines delivered to New Brunswick for a total of 255,205 doses delivered so far. The province has received enough of the vaccine to give 33 per cent of its population a single dose. The province has used 80.16 per cent of its available vaccine supply. Quebec is reporting 48,475 new vaccinations administered for a total of 2,448,409 doses given. The province has administered doses at a rate of 286.141 per 1,000. There were 1,198 new vaccines delivered to Quebec for a total of 3,042,405 doses delivered so far. The province has received enough of the vaccine to give 36 per cent of its population a single dose. The province has used 80.48 per cent of its available vaccine supply. Ontario is reporting 90,409 new vaccinations administered for a total of 3,995,187 doses given. The province has administered doses at a rate of 271.984 per 1,000. In the province, 2.37 per cent (347,597) of the population has been fully vaccinated. There were zero new vaccines delivered to Ontario for a total of 5,242,495 doses delivered so far. The province has received enough of the vaccine to give 36 per cent of its population a single dose. The province has used 76.21 per cent of its available vaccine supply. Manitoba is reporting 9,051 new vaccinations administered for a total of 350,977 doses given. The province has administered doses at a rate of 254.885 per 1,000. In the province, 5.08 per cent (69,997) of the population has been fully vaccinated. There were zero new vaccines delivered to Manitoba for a total of 479,010 doses delivered so far. The province has received enough of the vaccine to give 35 per cent of its population a single dose. The province has used 73.27 per cent of its available vaccine supply. Saskatchewan is reporting 5,278 new vaccinations administered for a total of 357,447 doses given. The province has administered doses at a rate of 303.139 per 1,000. In the province, 3.64 per cent (42,950) of the population has been fully vaccinated. There were zero new vaccines delivered to Saskatchewan for a total of 397,575 doses delivered so far. The province has received enough of the vaccine to give 34 per cent of its population a single dose. The province has used 89.91 per cent of its available vaccine supply. Alberta is reporting 31,205 new vaccinations administered for a total of 1,196,428 doses given. The province has administered doses at a rate of 271.789 per 1,000. In the province, 5.44 per cent (239,277) of the population has been fully vaccinated. There were zero new vaccines delivered to Alberta for a total of 1,456,295 doses delivered so far. The province has received enough of the vaccine to give 33 per cent of its population a single dose. The province has used 82.16 per cent of its available vaccine supply. British Columbia is reporting 34,484 new vaccinations administered for a total of 1,414,644 doses given. The province has administered doses at a rate of 275.674 per 1,000. In the province, 1.72 per cent (88,263) of the population has been fully vaccinated. There were zero new vaccines delivered to British Columbia for a total of 1,731,470 doses delivered so far. The province has received enough of the vaccine to give 34 per cent of its population a single dose. The province has used 81.7 per cent of its available vaccine supply. Yukon is reporting 580 new vaccinations administered for a total of 45,971 doses given. The territory has administered doses at a rate of 1,101.603 per 1,000. In the territory, 49.74 per cent (20,755) of the population has been fully vaccinated. There were zero new vaccines delivered to Yukon for a total of 54,320 doses delivered so far. The territory has received enough of the vaccine to give 130 per cent of its population a single dose. The territory has used 84.63 per cent of its available vaccine supply. The Northwest Territories are reporting zero new vaccinations administered for a total of 44,646 doses given. The territory has administered doses at a rate of 989.517 per 1,000. In the territory, 42.71 per cent (19,271) of the population has been fully vaccinated. There were zero new vaccines delivered to the Northwest Territories for a total of 56,300 doses delivered so far. The territory has received enough of the vaccine to give 120 per cent of its population a single dose. The territory has used 79.3 per cent of its available vaccine supply. Nunavut is reporting 487 new vaccinations administered for a total of 25,675 doses given. The territory has administered doses at a rate of 662.991 per 1,000. In the territory, 29.13 per cent (11,282) of the population has been fully vaccinated. There were zero new vaccines delivered to Nunavut for a total of 41,800 doses delivered so far. The territory has received enough of the vaccine to give 110 per cent of its population a single dose. The territory has used 61.42 per cent of its available vaccine supply. *Notes on data: The figures are compiled by the COVID-19 Open Data Working Group based on the latest publicly available data and are subject to change. Note that some provinces report weekly, while others report same-day or figures from the previous day. Vaccine doses administered is not equivalent to the number of people inoculated as the approved vaccines require two doses per person. The vaccines are currently not being administered to children under 18 and those with certain health conditions. In some cases the number of doses administered may appear to exceed the number of doses distributed as some provinces have been drawing extra doses per vial. This report was automatically generated by The Canadian Press Digital Data Desk and was first published April 20, 2021. The Canadian Press

  • Ontario reports 3,469 new COVID-19 cases, 22 more deaths linked to illness

    Ontario reported 3,469 more cases of COVID-19 and 22 more deaths from the illness on Tuesday, as the province announced that some pharmacies in the Greater Toronto Area would begin offering 24/7 appointments for the AstraZeneca vaccine. In a news release, the provincial government said 20 Shoppers Drug Mart locations would open round-the-clock appointments starting as early as Wednesday. Sixteen of the 20 locations are in Toronto and Peel and York Regions, according to the release. Additionally, pharmacies will now be allowed to offer walk-in vaccine appointments, the province said. Eligible adults are urged to call their local pharmacy beforehand to see if it is offering walk-in services. More than 1,400 pharmacies and some primary care providers in Ontario began offering the AstraZeneca to adults aged 40 and over this morning. WATCH | Co-chair of Ontario's science table on latest restrictions: 'It wasn't what we recommended' Meanwhile, today's case count is the fewest in the province since April 8. The new infections come as labs completed 40,596 tests for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, and logged a positivity rate of 10 per cent. Another 158 people with COVID-19-related illnesses were admitted to hospital, according to the Ministry of Health, bringing the total to 2,360. Of those, 773 are being treated in intensive care, while 537 require a ventilator to breathe. All three figures are new pandemic highs for Ontario. Critical Care Services Ontario, a government agency that compiles a daily internal report for hospitals and health organizations, said that 68 additional patients were admitted to ICUs Monday alone. Public health units collectively administered 90,409 doses of vaccines Monday, a third straight day below the province's target of at least 100,000 daily. A spokesperson for the Ministry of Health, however, said that an all-day Rogers outage forced some clinics to do paper-based reporting, meaning today's total is an underestimate of how many shots were actually administered. Clinics are expected to upload revised data to Ontario's central tracking system through the day. Some 347,597 people have gotten both shots of a COVID-19 vaccine. As of last night, Ontario had used about 76 per cent of the 5,242,495 doses it has received to date. Ontario Auditor General Bonnie Lysyk said this morning that as part of the 2021 audit cycle, her office will review data the province used to develop its vaccine distribution strategy. Earlier this month, NDP Leader Andrea Horwath called on the auditor general to look into how the government built its list of 114 hot spot postal codes, and if any political considerations were introduced in the process. The Ministry of Health said previously that the decisions were based on data from Public Health Ontario. Meanwhile, today's new cases include: 1,074 in Toronto 775 in Peel Region 406 in York Region 256 in Durham Region 197 in Ottawa 130 in Halton Region 106 in Niagara Region The seven-day average of daily cases fell to 4,319. A nearly month-long period of exponential growth in the seven-day average appears to have slowed in recent days. The 22 additional deaths reported today push the official toll to 7,757. The seven-day average of daily deaths rose to 25, a new high for the third wave of the pandemic. Paid sick leave dominates question period The question of paid sick leave for workers who fall ill with COVID-19 was front and centre again during question period at the legislature, where Premier Doug Ford was conspicuously absent for a second straight day. The issue resurfaced after new COVID-19 restrictions announced by Ford last week did not include emergency sick leave despite repeated calls from the government's science table, outside public health experts and physicians for Ontario to supplement the federal program currently available. Horwath attempted to garner unanimous consent for a provincial paid sick day program, which existed in Ontario until the Ford government nixed it in 2018. Government MPPs voted down the motion. Labour Minister Monte McNaughton then went on to say he was disappointed the federal government didn't boost or improve its own paid sick leave program, the Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit (CRSB), in Monday's budget. McNaughton's comments echoed comments made on the budget by Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy, who acknowledged that sick pay is key to curbing the pandemic but stopped short of committing any provincial help, even though paid sick leave is provincial jurisdiction. Speaking to reporters afterward, Health Minister Christine Elliott suggested the province might be rethinking that position. "It was apparent yesterday with the federal budget that they weren't making any amendments to their sick benefits program and so those gaps still remain and that is what we are going to be addressing." For his part, Ford has said the province doesn't want to duplicate the CRSB. Public health experts and labour advocates have criticized the program as needlessly complicated and financially insufficient. Inconsistent policies are 'ineffective', experts say Meanwhile, Ontario's Science Advisory Table released a document outlining what it believes should be the province's next steps, in which it reiterated the importance of paid sick leave. The document urges the province to offer an emergency benefit to workers that's immediately paid out and more money than the federal program currently provides. "Policies that harm or neglect racialized, marginalized and other vulnerable populations will not be effective against a disease that already affects these groups disproportionately," the advisory table said. "As noted in repeated studies from around the world, inconsistent policies with no clear link to scientific evidence are ineffective in fighting COVID-19." The province needs to allocate more vaccines to hotspot neighbourhoods with vulnerable populations and essential workers, the group said. It also called for the province to deem more workplaces non-essential and order their closure, as well as restrict travel between regions. The advisory table also urged the province to allow small groups of people from different households to meet outdoors if they're wearing masks and physically distancing. "Policies that discourage safe outdoor activity will not control COVID-19 and will disproportionately harm children and those who do not have access to their own greenspace, especially those living in crowded conditions," said the advisory table. People should not be gathering indoors with people from other households with the exception of safe essential workplaces, it said. That advice goes against the province's current rule that allows up to 10 people to attend wedding ceremonies, funerals and other religious gatherings indoors.

  • How 'orphaned voters' may end up deciding the next Alberta election

    (CBC) There's a subgenre on TikTok of conservative Albertans whose video posts on the social media platform involve strongly worded political rants spoken directly into the camera. These videos are often visceral, profanity-laced and directed at Justin Trudeau. But lately, they've taken aim at a different target. "Jason Kenney, you're spineless," one man says in a post from early April, shortly after the Alberta premier announced a re-introduction of public-health restrictions aimed at curbing the spread of COVID-19. "It's a sad day that we voted you in as a conservative leader for this province because we thought you were going to do something good for us. You never did nothin'." Another man, who describes himself as a "separatist Albertan" who has "had enough of dictatorship," echoed the sentiment. "Jason Kenney, your big, tough growl seems to have become a puppy's whimper," he says, his lips curling into a snarl at the end of each sentence. "Your bulls--t lockdowns are splitting this province and your caucus." "And by the way," he adds, lifting a middle finger to the camera. "Lock this down. Because I can't wait to vote your ass out." These guys are presumably among the 27 per cent of Albertans who, according to a recent CBC News poll, would vote for neither the UCP nor the NDP if an election were held immediately. Analysts say these voters could play a significant role in determining the outcome of the next election, depending on how they ultimately decide to cast their ballots. Exactly what role, however, is a complicated question, because these voters are a diverse group. The angry guys posting videos on TikTok highlight just one segment of that group, who fall more at the right end of the political spectrum. There's also a sizable chunk of more centrist voters, and a smaller contingent who lean to the left. But the largest group of these non-NDP, non-UCP voters didn't specify a particular party they would support; they just knew they didn't like either of the top two choices. In political-science terms, these folks are sometimes referred to as "orphaned voters." The poll gives us some insight into who these people are. Respondents were asked about much more than just their vote choice, and a pattern emerges when you examine the orphaned voters' answers to other questions. For the most part, they look like disaffected conservatives. That highlights a serious — but not necessarily fatal — threat for the re-election hopes of Kenney and his United Conservative Party which, for now at least, looks more divided than ever. What 'orphaned voters' look like You can see how this all breaks down in the following chart. Each dot represents a respondent in the poll. They are grouped by their vote choice and organized, left to right, by where they self-identify on the political spectrum. (Chart: John Santos & Robson Fletcher) The red dots at top represent voters who said they support either the Alberta Liberal Party, the Green Party of Alberta or another, smaller political party. Add them all up, and this group represented about six per cent of voters. For the most part, they clustered around the centre with a lean to the political left. Another five per cent of voters said they support the Alberta Party. These people also tend to be centrists, but lean a little more to the right. They are represented by the turquoise dots in the second row. The third row of green dots shows supporters of the Wildrose Independence Party and the Independence Party of Alberta. These folks made up about five per cent of voters as well, and tended to veer further right. The fourth row of grey dots — accounting for about 11 per cent of the electorate — indicates those who said they wouldn't vote NDP or UCP, but did not specify a particular party that they would support. These are the "orphaned voters" and they could be one of the biggest wildcards in the upcoming election, according to data scientist John Santos, who helped design the poll. When Santos looks at those grey dots, he sees a lot of similarity with the row of blue dots right below them, which indicate UCP supporters. This, he says, suggests that many of the orphaned voters "have been disenchanted with the UCP but can't bring themselves to vote for the NDP, and either don't know about or aren't sold on one of the independence parties." "They're still sitting on their hands," Santos said. Where do 'orphaned voters' go? Santos says it's obviously bad news for Kenney and his party to have lost the support of these Albertans, many of whom likely voted for the UCP in the 2019 election. But, with the next election set for 2023, there's still plenty of time to staunch the bleeding and heal the wounds. "They might all or mostly go back to the UCP en masse," Santos said. "Or they might go to one of the right-leaning independence parties. But I think there's few of these folks who would go to the NDP, and that's a big problem for Rachel Notley." For now, the NDP leader must be pleased with the poll numbers, which put her party at 40-per-cent support. That's enough to likely win a majority government, but it's far from a shoo-in victory. And plenty can change between now and the next election. Melanee Thomas, a professor of political science at the University of Calgary, believes the UCP has reason for hope, despite its poor polling numbers. "I actually don't think it's all that grim for their future prospects," she said. The threat of the UCP losing significant support on its right flank to an upstart party, she believes, is not as dire as some within the party might worry. Historically, she said, it may have been a "political pastime" in Alberta to build new parties from the ground up when voters tire of the ones they have. But going from a nascent political movement to a viable alternative is easier dreamed than done. Far more upstart parties have fizzled than have succeeded, and the key for those rare successes has typically been a strong leader. "That leadership factor matters," Thomas said. "It's one thing to have a party. It's quite another thing to have a party that has a leader who is able to get fundraising done in such a way that they can actually then get onto the stage to compete meaningfully." Jason Kenney celebrates his 2017 victory as the first official leader of the Alberta United Conservative Party with his opponent, Brian Jean, at right.(Jeff McIntosh/Canadian Press ) She said the absence of a competitive third party may leave some voters who find themselves angry with the UCP considering scant alternatives: supporting the NDP, which may not be ideologically aligned with their general beliefs, or exiting the political process altogether. That scenario could present a different kind of threat to the UCP, one in which the party simply can't regain the trust of the voters who are currently disaffected and make up enough ground on the NDP. If that degree of anger against the governing party persists until the next election, Thomas believes Kenney will only have himself to blame. "In 2018 and 2019, I think Kenney's particular strategy of being willing to stoke anger was effective in the short term, but really dangerous in the long term, because once people get angry, they stay angry," she said. "The anger doesn't go away, but the target can move." The 3rd (and 4th and 5th) party voters That anger is palpable in the anti-Trudeau TikTok users who have recently turned on Kenney. But many of these folks also express support for independence parties to the UCP's right. If their words match their actions, they're not coming back to a party with Kenney at the helm anytime soon. The bigger question will be which way the genuinely "orphaned voters" who supported the UCP in the last election decide to break when (or if) they vote again in 2023. How many are angry enough to throw their support behind an upstart party further to the right than they are normally inclined to vote, especially if that party espouses full on Western separation? Conversely, how many are disillusioned enough to back the provincial New Democrats, a party that tries to position itself closer to the political centre but remains tied at the hip to the federal NDP and its staunchly left-wing politics? Further complicating the political calculus are the small but potentially meaningful group of voters who currently support one of the minor parties. Will Alberta Party supporters stick to their guns or resign themselves to a new, two-party reality and pick one side over the other? Do the Alberta Liberals continue to try to build their brand in the province, after winning zero seats and less than one per cent of the popular vote in the last election? Alberta Liberal Party leader David Khan, 2nd from left, and Alberta Party leader Stephen Mandel, at right, greet their opponents at the 2019 Alberta Leaders Debate in Edmonton. Both Khan and Mandel stepped down from their parties' helms after failing to win any seats in the ensuing election. (Codie McLachlan/Canadian Press) After decades of one-party rule, Alberta has morphed into more of a two-party political system. But Thomas believes the current lack of enthusiasm for the UCP throws the doors open for all sorts of political manoeuvres and outcomes over the next two years. "When people don't identify really forcefully with a party, it makes more space for other issues to have more of an effect," she said. Santos believes there is the possibility of the harder-right vote coalescing around a third-party alternative, but that would likely require that side of the spectrum, which is currently splintered, to see a merger of its own. Many conservatives fear a reborn Wildrose or strong separtist party on the right could split the conservative vote and allow NDP candidates to come up the middle, but Santos says that fear could also be a blessing in disguise for the UCP if push comes to shove. "If the Wildrose Party and the Independence Party merge and suddenly become a more potent electoral force, people's preferences will change," he said. "That could bleed away more supporters from the UCP on their right flank … but that could have a second-order effect of making centrists who weren't so sold on the UCP now suddenly think, well, I need to go back to the UCP to block the NDP from becoming government again." Play this game of hypothetical politics long enough, and you can come up with all sorts of different permutations of how things might unfold. It's enough to make your head spin. The bottom line is that — one way or another — the voters who currently look at the UCP and the NDP and say "none of the above" could very well be the ones who ultimately end up deciding which party wins power in two years' time.

  • China-linked hackers used VPN flaw to target U.S. defense industry -researchers

    WASHINGTON (Reuters) -At least two groups of China-linked hackers have spent months using a previously undisclosed vulnerability in American virtual private networking devices to spy on the U.S. defense industry, researchers and the devices' manufacturer said Tuesday. Utah-based IT company Ivanti said https://blog.pulsesecure.net/pulse-connect-secure-security-update in a statement the hackers took advantage of the flaw in its Pulse Connect Secure suite to break into the systems of "a very limited number of customers." Ivanti said https://kb.pulsesecure.net/pkb_mobile#article/l:en_US/SA44784/s that while mitigations were in place, a fix for the issue would be unavailable until early May.

  • Ontario Premier Doug Ford isolating after staff member tests positive for COVID-19

    Ontario Premier Doug Ford is isolating in Toronto after he was in close contact with a staff member who has since tested positive for COVID-19, his office said late Tuesday night. The staff member was in contact with Ford on Monday, and was tested on Tuesday after learning they had been at risk of exposure, according to Ivana Yelich, spokesperson for the premier. That staff member received a positive test result on Tuesday evening. Ford left the Ontario legislature to be tested as soon as he learned the staffer was at risk of exposure, Yelich said in a statement. The premier has received a negative test result. "While his test results have returned negative, the premier will follow all public health advice for close contacts of positive cases, including isolating," she said. Members of Ford's office staff, who were close contacts of the staff member who tested positive, will also go into isolation. "We are seeking additional guidance from Toronto Public Health on all precautions that the premier and isolating staff must follow," Yelich added. "The premier will continue leading this government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic while in isolation, including briefings with officials and communicating with the public." On April 9, Ford received the AstraZeneca-Oxford COVID-19 vaccine at a Toronto drug store. Ontario Premier Doug Ford receives the AstraZeneca vaccine against COVID-19 from pharmacist Anmol Soor at a Toronto drug store on Friday, April 9.(Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press) Ontario reported 3,469 more cases of COVID-19 and 22 more deaths from the illness on Tuesday. The case count was the lowest in the province since April 8. Another 158 people with COVID-19-related illnesses were admitted to hospital, according to the provincial health ministry, bringing the total to 2,360. Of those, 773 are being treated in intensive care, while 537 require ventilators to breathe. All three figures are new pandemic highs for Ontario. The new infections come as labs completed 40,596 tests for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, and logged a positivity rate of 10 per cent.

  • Long time coming, but budget has early childhood educators finally doing 'happy dance'

    Early childhood educators on P.E.I. are doing a "happy dance" after seeing their wish of a national child-care plan included in Monday's federal budget. If the federal Liberals carry through on the plan, the cost of child care could fall by 50 per cent by the end of 2022, with the goal of getting the price down to $10 a day by 2026. Daycares might also see better wages to help recruit and retain workers, said Jennifer Nangreaves, the executive director of the Early Childhood Development Association of P.E.I. "There were many people before me advocating for this for many, many years — going back 50 years. So it's been wished for, hoped for, so there's many people doing a happy dance." While she's excited for what the federal plan means for early childhood educators, she's also happy about what it means for parents. Currently about $680 a month The monthly cost for child care on P.E.I. is now about $680 a month, or $34 a day. "When you're thinking about how child care can sometimes be like university tuition or mortgage payments — you know, you're saving for child care — it shouldn't be that way," Nangreaves said. She said she doesn't believe Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland's budget pledge is a hollow election promise, and looks forward to seeing more details and legislative changes to make the plan a reality. "Canada's economy needs Canada's families, needs this national child-care system. It's been talked about for many years," she said. "So I think, election or not, it's happening." More from CBC P.E.I.

  • Albertans lining up, signing up as eligibility for AstraZeneca COVID vaccine expands

    EDMONTON — Albertans were voting with their feet and arms Tuesday as they lined up and signed up to get the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine. The government's decision to lower the age eligibility for the vaccine to 40 resulted in thousands of bookings and big lineups on the first day. “Uptake for the AstraZeneca vaccine has been significantly higher this morning,” Alberta Health Services spokesman Kerry Williamson said in a statement. “More than 27,000 Albertans have booked an appointment. “This includes approximately 6,500 booked appointments in Edmonton zone and 15,000 booked appointments in Calgary zone.” Williamson said the uptake in one morning exceeded all of last week. In Edmonton, up to a 100 people stood in line at lunchtime outside the Expo Centre mass vaccination clinic. Thirty cars were waiting to enter the grounds. Jody Dewaal, 52, found out Monday she was finally eligible to get vaccinated and decided to head to the Expo Centre the next day. “It’s about time,” Dewaal said. “We’ve been waiting. I have senior parents and I have a child who has asthma, so we just like to have some kind of protection.” Alberta has joined Ontario, Manitoba and British Columbia in offering the AstraZeneca vaccine to anyone 40 and older. Saskatchewan announced Tuesday it was doing the same. Quebec said it was lowering the age to 45. The shot had been limited to those over 55. But Alberta said it lowered the age based on new health data and because thousands of doses were being left unused. Vaccine hesitancy has been an issue among the older age group following reports globally of rare blood clots developing in some who received the AstraZeneca product. One Albertan has been affected, has been treated and is recovering at home. Both Dr. Deena Hinshaw, Alberta's chief medical officer of health, and Health Minister Tyler Shandro have stressed the blood clots are extremely rare and have urged Albertans to take AstraZeneca. Both posted pictures of themselves on social media Tuesday getting the vaccine. AstraZeneca is one of multiple vaccines available but the only one open to the 40-plus cohort. Alberta Health said about 170,000 doses were available as of Sunday and appointments would last as long as the supply does. Lowering the age eligibility means 575,000 more Albertans have a chance to be vaccinated — for a total of 2.3 million. Premier Jason Kenney has said the situation has become a race between the spread of COVID-19 variants and getting a critical mass of Albertans vaccinated. The variants, now the dominant strain in Alberta, are far more contagious and have sent case rates and hospitalizations spiking in recent weeks. Alberta has more than 18,000 active cases, with well over a thousand new cases every day for the last two weeks. Also Tuesday, Opposition NDP Leader Rachel Notley urged Kenney and his United Conservative government to work with her to fast- track legislation to allow people to get three hours off with pay if necessary to get vaccinated. Kenney was receptive and said he would get back to Notley on Wednesday after consulting with officials. “With or without legislation we would implore employers to do the right thing (and) ensure that their employees have every opportunity to get vaccinated,” he said. This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 20, 2021 — With files from Fakiha Baig in Edmonton Dean Bennett, The Canadian Press

  • Feds pressed to define 'free, prior and informed consent' in UNDRIP bill

    OTTAWA — Federal officials are facing calls for greater clarity on how a bill to harmonize Canada's laws with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples could affect future development projects and government decisions. Opposition MPs studying Bill C-15 have been pressing the Liberals on why they have not included a definition of a key article from the UN declaration that would compel Ottawa to obtain "free, prior and informed consent" from Indigenous Peoples on any decisions that affect their lands or rights. Conservatives have raised concerns this provision would give First Nations a "veto" over development projects. But Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Carolyn Bennett says there is "complete consensus" from legal and Indigenous experts that this is not the case. "For good projects to go forward, Indigenous people should be at the table at the original design of the project," Bennett said Tuesday at a Commons committee hearing. "We're in a transition now where there are a number of projects that may have been seen as controversial, but this is what will provide the clarity going forward as to how this works." The UNDRIP bill would mandate the government to adopt a more inclusive approach, providing a framework for departments to give First Nations a shared role in decision-making in actions that affect their lives, lands, families and cultures. Adopting and implementing the declaration was one of the 94 recommendations from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission — a sweeping probe of the legacy of residential schools in Canada. It was also one of the 231 calls for justice in the 2019 final report of the National Inquiry on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. On Tuesday, Conservative, Bloc and NDP MPs bristled over a last-minute cancellation of Justice Minister David Lametti's appearance at committee to answer questions on Bill C-15. The cancellation was due to a scheduling conflict, according to his office. Conservative Crown-Indigenous relations critic Jamie Schmale said he wants more clarity on whether provincial and federal governments would retain final authority to make decisions on major projects if some, but not all, Indigenous rights holders disagree, as was the case with the recent Trans Mountain oil pipeline expansion. Delivering a statement on Lametti's behalf, Bennett explained C-15 is a "manifestation" of the right to self-determination for Indigenous Peoples and that "achieving consent should be the goal of any good faith consultation or collaboration process." "To be clear, the declaration does not confer a veto or require unanimity in these kinds of decisions. If consent cannot be secured, the facts and law applicable to the specific circumstances will determine the path forward." Adopting legislation recognizing the principles of UNDRIP would not change the duty to consult Indigenous groups, including measures adopted in the 2019 Impact Assessment Act, Bennett added. "What (C-15) would do is encourage ongoing work to build on these types of arrangements and approaches." Pressed on whether she would personally support a more definitive interpretation of "free, prior and informed consent" in the bill, Bennett said she would "worry" about such a move. A consensus would be needed among Indigenous partners co-developing the bill with the government on how to define this consent provision — something that has not been reached to date. Calls from national Indigenous organizations, including the Assembly of First Nations, looking for changes to strengthen the bill and speed up an accompanying action plan to implement it are being taken "very seriously" Bennett added. As for concerns raised by some Indigenous leaders and chiefs about whether the new law could erode or freeze existing Aboriginal land and treaty rights, they are unfounded, she said, reading from Lametti's prepared remarks. "To be clear, this provision does not seek to reinterpret or amend the rights in the declaration itself, it only confirms that this legislation cannot be used to derogate from the constitutional protections of section 35 rights, including treaty rights," Lametti's statement said. This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 20, 2021. Teresa Wright, The Canadian Press

  • Halifax council approves changes to digital parking system

    Halifax regional council has approved changes to the municipality's new parking system, including lifting the four-hour time limit per zone. Parking meters in peninsular Halifax and downtown Dartmouth were replaced last October with digital pay stations and zones. "This is the second set of major changes," said Coun. Shawn Cleary. "We're being nimble, we're trying stuff, we're adapting to feedback." There will be variable rates for certain times to discourage commuters from using on-street spots for all-day parking. "You would hope that it would be cheaper to go to the off-street parking rather than use the on-street parking," said Coun. Lindell Smith. "We know that downtown there is ample availability." An additional commuter zone, not shown on this 2020 map, has been established in Dartmouth's Woodside neighbourhood.(Halifax Regional Municipality) A commuter zone for people who use public transit has also been established in Dartmouth's Woodside neighbourhood. The zone is close to the Dartmouth General Hospital, where most of the on-street parking has been free and unrestricted. Victoria Horne, who is responsible for HRM's parking program, told councillors the free parking has led to a number of accidents and complaints. She outlined the changes for the area. "The majority of parking available will be by permit, reserved for commuter parking," said Horne. "Closest to the hospital there will be some limited parking for one or two hours, but we are not recommending putting in pay stations in this area." Horne said the changes will be evaluated over the next six months to ensure they don't have an impact on residential side streets. The local councillor said changes are needed. "It is just a big free-for-all now," said Coun. Sam Austin. "It does need a more organized approach." Coun. Waye Mason also asked staff to look into other changes that could support downtown businesses, including providing free parking on Thursday or Friday for a three- to six-month trial period. "There's clearly a lot more we can do as more and more people are vaccinated to incentivize them to come downtown, but we need to be strategic about it," said Mason. Mason hopes the report can be completed in time for the upcoming summer season. MORE TOP STORIES

  • The latest numbers on COVID-19 in Canada for Tuesday, April 20, 2021

    The latest numbers of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Canada as of 7:30 p.m. ET on Tuesday, April 20, 2021. There are 1,139,043 confirmed cases in Canada. _ Canada: 1,139,043 confirmed cases (87,872 active, 1,027,458 resolved, 23,713 deaths).*The total case count includes 13 confirmed cases among repatriated travellers. There were 7,276 new cases Tuesday. The rate of active cases is 231.21 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 60,487 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 8,641. There were 46 new reported deaths Tuesday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 321 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 62.39 per 100,000 people. There have been 30,168,562 tests completed. _ Newfoundland and Labrador: 1,048 confirmed cases (31 active, 1,011 resolved, six deaths). There were two new cases Tuesday. The rate of active cases is 5.94 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 17 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 235,541 tests completed. _ Prince Edward Island: 174 confirmed cases (13 active, 161 resolved, zero deaths). There was one new case Tuesday. The rate of active cases is 8.14 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been nine new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is one. There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is zero per 100,000 people. There have been 135,297 tests completed. _ Nova Scotia: 1,831 confirmed cases (68 active, 1,696 resolved, 67 deaths). There were nine new cases Tuesday. The rate of active cases is 6.94 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 50 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is seven. There were zero new reported deaths Tuesday. Over the past seven days there has been one new reported death. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is zero. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.01 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 6.84 per 100,000 people. There have been 468,265 tests completed. _ New Brunswick: 1,797 confirmed cases (140 active, 1,624 resolved, 33 deaths). There were zero new cases Tuesday. The rate of active cases is 17.91 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 61 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is nine. There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is 4.22 per 100,000 people. There have been 285,774 tests completed. _ Quebec: 339,180 confirmed cases (12,363 active, 315,984 resolved, 10,833 deaths). There were 1,136 new cases Tuesday. The rate of active cases is 144.18 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 9,708 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 1,387. There were 17 new reported deaths Tuesday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 77 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is 11. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.13 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 126.34 per 100,000 people. There have been 7,878,652 tests completed. _ Ontario: 424,911 confirmed cases (42,941 active, 374,213 resolved, 7,757 deaths). There were 3,469 new cases Tuesday. The rate of active cases is 291.44 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 30,232 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 4,319. There were 22 new reported deaths Tuesday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 175 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is 25. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.17 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 52.65 per 100,000 people. There have been 13,424,896 tests completed. _ Manitoba: 36,470 confirmed cases (1,783 active, 33,727 resolved, 960 deaths). There were 211 new cases Tuesday. The rate of active cases is 129.27 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 1,017 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 145. There was one new reported death Tuesday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of nine new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is one. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.09 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 69.6 per 100,000 people. There have been 635,043 tests completed. _ Saskatchewan: 38,651 confirmed cases (2,640 active, 35,546 resolved, 465 deaths). There were 249 new cases Tuesday. The rate of active cases is 223.98 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 1,759 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 251. There were zero new reported deaths Tuesday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of eight new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is one. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.1 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 39.45 per 100,000 people. There have been 729,935 tests completed. _ Alberta: 173,531 confirmed cases (18,481 active, 153,002 resolved, 2,048 deaths). There were 1,345 new cases Tuesday. The rate of active cases is 417.94 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 10,412 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 1,487. There were five new reported deaths Tuesday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 27 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is four. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.09 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 46.32 per 100,000 people. There have been 3,957,488 tests completed. _ British Columbia: 120,889 confirmed cases (9,377 active, 109,973 resolved, 1,539 deaths). There were 849 new cases Tuesday. The rate of active cases is 182.16 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 7,187 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 1,027. There was one new reported death Tuesday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 24 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is three. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.07 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 29.9 per 100,000 people. There have been 2,381,346 tests completed. _ Yukon: 77 confirmed cases (two active, 74 resolved, one death). There were zero new cases Tuesday. 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 8,822 tests completed. _ Northwest Territories: 43 confirmed cases (zero active, 43 resolved, zero deaths). There were zero new cases Tuesday. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of zero new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is zero. There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is zero per 100,000 people. There have been 17,005 tests completed. _ Nunavut: 428 confirmed cases (33 active, 391 resolved, four deaths). There were five new cases Tuesday. The rate of active cases is 83.86 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 33 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 10,422 tests completed. This report was automatically generated by The Canadian Press Digital Data Desk and was first published April 20, 2021. The Canadian Press