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  • US police weigh officer discipline after rally, Capitol riot

    For two Virginia police officers who posed for a photo during the deadly U.S. Capitol insurrection, the reckoning has been swift and public: They were identified, charged with crimes and arrested. But for five Seattle officers the outcome is less clear. Their identities still secret, two are on leave and three continue to work while a police watchdog investigates whether their actions in the nation's capital on Jan. 6 crossed the line from protected political speech to lawbreaking. The contrasting cases highlight the dilemma faced by police departments nationwide as they review the behaviour of dozens of officers who were in Washington the day of the riot by supporters of President Donald Trump. Officials and experts agree that officers who were involved in the melee should be fired and charged for their role. But what about those officers who attended only the Trump rally before the riot? How does a department balance an officer's free speech rights with the blow to public trust that comes from the attendance of law enforcement at an event with far-right militants and white nationalists who went on to assault the seat of American democracy? An Associated Press survey of law enforcement agencies nationwide found that at least 31 officers in 12 states are being scrutinized by their supervisors for their behaviour in the District of Columbia or face criminal charges for participating in the riot. Officials are looking into whether the officers violated any laws or policies or participated in the violence while in Washington. A Capitol Police officer died after he was hit in the head with a fire extinguisher as rioters descended on the building and many other officers were injured. A woman was shot to death by Capitol Police and three other people died after medical emergencies during the chaos. Most of the officers have not been publicly identified; only a few have been charged. Some were identified by online sleuths. Others were reported by their colleagues or turned themselves in. They come from some of the country’s largest cities — three Los Angeles officers and a sheriff’s deputy, for instance — as well as state agencies and a Pennsylvania police department with nine officers. Among them are an Oklahoma sheriff and New Hampshire police chief who have acknowledged being at the rally, but denied entering the Capitol or breaking the law. “If they were off-duty, it’s totally free speech,” said Will Aitchison, a lawyer in Portland, Oregon, who represents law enforcement officers. “People have the right to express their political views regardless of who’s standing next to them. You just don’t get guilt by association.” But Ayesha Bell Hardaway, a professor at Case Western Reserve University law school, said an officer’s presence at the rally creates a credibility issue as law enforcement agencies work to repair community trust, especially after last summer's of protests against police brutality sparked by the police killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor. Communities will question the integrity of officers who attended the rally along with “individuals who proudly profess racist and divisive viewpoints,” she said. “It calls into question whether those officers are interested in engaging in policing in a way that builds trust and legitimacy in all communities, including communities of colour.” In Rocky Mount, a Virginia town of about 1,000, Sgt. Thomas Robertson and Officer Jacob Fracker were suspended without pay and face criminal charges after posting a photo of themselves inside the Capitol during the riot. According to court records, Robertson wrote on social media that the “Left are just mad because we actually attacked the government who is the problem … The right IN ONE DAY took the f(asterisk)(asterisk)(asterisk)(asterisk) U.S. Capitol. Keep poking us.” Attempts to contact the pair were unsuccessful and court records do not list lawyers. Leaders in Rocky Mount declined to be interviewed. In a statement, they said the events at the Capitol were tragic. “We stand with and add our support to those who have denounced the violence and illegal activity that took place that day,” said Police Chief Ken Criner, Capt. Mark Lovern and Town Manager James Ervin. “Our town and our police department absolutely does not condone illegal or unethical behaviour by anyone, including our officers and staff.” On the other side of the county, five Seattle officers are under investigation by the city’s Office of Police Accountability. Two officers posted photos of themselves on social media while in the district and officials are investigating to determine where they were and what they were doing. Three others told supervisors that they went to Washington for the events and are being investigated for what they did while there. Seattle Police Chief Adrian Diaz said his department supports officers’ freedom of speech and that those who were in the nation's capital will be fired if they “were directly involved in the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.” But police leaders need to evaluate more than just clear criminal behaviour, according to Chuck Wexler, executive director of the Police Executive Research Forum, a policing research and policy group. They must also consider how their actions affect the department credibility, he said. Officers' First Amendment rights “don’t extend to expressing words that may be violent or maybe express some prejudice,” Wexler said, “because that’s going to reflect on what they do when they’re working, when they’re testifying in court.” Through the summer and fall, Seattle police — along with officers elsewhere — came under criticism for their handling of mass protests against police brutality following the death of George Floyd. The city received more than 19,000 complaints against officers, most for excessive use of force and improper use of pepper spray. Andrew Myerberg, director of the Seattle Office of Police Accountability, said none of the officers now under investigation were involved in those cases. But Sakara Remmu, cofounder of Black Lives Matter Seattle/King County, said the officers should be fired regardless. Their public declarations of solidarity with Trump fosters not just community distrust, but terror of the entire department, she said. “It absolutely does matter when the decorum of racial peace cracks and racial hatred comes through, because we already have a documented history and legacy of what that means in this country,” Remmu said. In Houston, the police chief decried an officer who resigned and was later charged in the riot. A lawyer for Officer Tam Pham said the 18-year veteran of the force "very much regrets” being at the rally and was “deeply remorseful.” But many chiefs have said their officers committed no crimes. “The Arkansas State Police respects the rights and freedom of an employee to use their leave time as the employee may choose,” department spokesman Bill Sadler said of two officers who attended the Trump rally. Malik Aziz, the former chair and executive director of the National Black Police Association, compared condemning all officers who were in Washington to tarring all the protesters who took to streets after the killing of George Floyd with the violent and destructive acts of some. A major with the Dallas Police Department, Aziz said police acting privately have the same rights as other Americans, but that knowingly going to a bigoted event should be disqualifying for an officer. “There’s no place in law enforcement for that individual,” Aziz said. Martha Bellisle And Jake Bleiberg, The Associated Press

  • Sask. premier holds out hope on Keystone XL, 'wouldn't say this project is over by any stretch'

    Saskatchewan's premier says the fight over the Keystone XL pipeline isn't over yet. In a recent interview with CBC's Rosemary Barton, Premier Scott Moe says conversations around the TC Energy project are ongoing, despite U.S. President Joe Biden's recent cancellation of the pipeline's permit by executive order. "I wouldn't say this project is over by any stretch. There is a lot of conversation to have on KXL," Moe said in an interview on Rosemary Barton Live. The 1,897-kilometre pipeline would have carried 830,000 barrels of crude oil daily from oilsands in Hardisty, Alta., to Nebraska, connecting to the original Keystone pipeline running to the U.S. Gulf Coast refineries. A portion of the project would have crossed into southern Saskatchewan. Moe, along with Alberta Premier Jason Kenney and Ontario Premier Doug Ford, has pushed Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the federal government to take action against the pipeline's halt. That could include economic sanctions, Moe suggested — a possibility also raised by Kenney. "I haven't said that we should go to sanctions and sanctions should be utilized first," Moe said in his interview with Barton. "But sanctions are always on the table in any conversation or any challenge that we may have with our trading relationship with our largest partner." The project, originally blocked by U.S. President Barack Obama, was then approved by President Donald Trump, who wanted to negotiate the terms of the project, before ultimately being blocked again by Biden in the first days of his presidency. Federal Opposition leader Erin O'Toole has also expressed frustration over the cancellation of the project, saying in a statement it "will devastate thousands of Canadian families who have already been badly hurt by the economic crisis." Trudeau's government has repeatedly said that it supports the project and has made that clear to the new U.S. administration, but both the prime minister and Canada's ambassador to the U.S. have said it is time to respect the decision and move on. Speaking on Friday morning, Trudeau reiterated his disappointment with the cancellation and said he would raise the issue during his phone call with Biden scheduled for later in the day. "Obviously the decision on Keystone XL is a very difficult one for workers in Alberta and Saskatchewan who've had many difficult hits," he said. "Over the past years we have been there for them and we will continue to be there for them and I will express my concern for jobs and livelihoods in Canada, particularly in the West, directly in my conversation with President Biden." Trudeau stressed he and the new president are on the same wavelength on fighting climate change and middle-class job creation, as well as the "values of Canadians." Moe called the cancellation a "devastating blow to North American energy security," and said in the interview with Barton he'll continue to advocate for the pipeline, which he says has both economic and environmental benefits for Canada.

  • 'We're still in it': Wet'suwet'en push forward on rights recognition

    Tensions had reached a boiling point over a natural gas pipeline in northern British Columbia when a Wet'suwet'en hereditary chief said he made a phone call that changed everything. Na'moks, who also goes by John Ridsdale, was among a group of hereditary chiefs whose opposition to the project on Wet'suwet'en traditional territory last year sparked demonstrations and rail blockades across Canada, and provoked debates about Indigenous rights and reconciliation. He was on his way to Victoria to stand with Indigenous youth occupying the B.C. legislature steps when he called home as the new coronavirus spread across Canada. "I thought we were making great strides," Na'moks said in an interview. "We made a few calls home and they said, no, you're coming home." Na'moks said he has been at home near Smithers ever since. Very little seemed like it could draw attention away from the movement but a global pandemic met the threshold. Nearly one year later, talks between the hereditary chiefs and the provincial and federal governments over a rights and title agreement are behind schedule but ongoing. With the pipeline excluded from the agreement, however, tensions remain poised to rise again as work continues and the consequences for both resource development and reconciliation hang in the balance. "We're still in it," Na'moks said. "It makes it difficult. Who expected a pandemic? But that doesn't mean we've stopped." ——— National attention turned to a remote forest service road in northern British Columbia after the B.C. Supreme Court granted Coastal GasLink a new injunction against opponents who blocked the route to a work site. It was the second time in two years that the company turned to the court and ultimately the RCMP to clear the path for its workers after it said attempts at dialogue were unsuccessful. The 670-kilometre Coastal GasLink pipeline was approved by both the province and all 20 elected First Nations councils along its path to transport natural gas from northeastern B.C. to a processing and export facility on the coast in Kitimat. However, Wet'suwet'en hereditary chiefs claimed the project had no authority without consent through their traditional system of governance, inspiring supporters across the country to act in solidarity. The hostilities diffused in March when the chiefs announced alongside B.C. and federal officials that they'd reached a tentative agreement setting terms to discuss rights and title. They announced they would sign the agreement in April, opening negotiations over its implementation. The chiefs were in their second or third round of consultations with community members over the agreement when Na'moks said the pandemic made it impossible to meet. Talks with government officials have resumed virtually, but they're delayed by about a year, he said. Although the pipeline is not part of the agreement, the Wet'suwet'en hereditary chiefs have a number of other areas of concern. They include full recognition of their jurisdiction over child wellness, water and 22,000 square kilometres of territory. Na'moks said they want to be clear that the relationship is a nation-to-nation one. "This in no way resembles any form of treaty, we're not here for a treaty," Na'moks said. ——— Some elected Wet'suwet'en council members who argued last year that they should be at the negotiating table remain disappointed that they're not. Karen Ogen-Toews, a councillor with the Wet'suwet'en First Nation, said the pipeline conflict exacerbated rifts within the community that still need healing. She believes the rail blockades meant provincial and federal officials signed under duress. "Our people have been divided," she said. "That needs to be dealt with before we can move forward as a Wet'suwet'en nation." The elected councils may be colonial constructs, she said, but it doesn't change the fact that they've played an important leadership role for decades and want the best for their people, too. For Ogen-Toews, who is also CEO of the First Nations LNG Alliance, signing an agreement with Coastal GasLink was an opportunity to continue that work. Jobs on the project represent an opportunity to close the socio-economic gap between non-Indigenous and Indigenous people, who face greater rates of poverty, unemployment, poor housing and poor health. It doesn't mean she isn't critical of the company either. "I think the procurement opportunities can be increased, can be better," she said. "We don’t want just the bare minimum. We would like more opportunities." Coastal GasLink did not respond directly to a question about procurement opportunities. But in a statement, the company said it is delivering significant benefits to Indigenous and local communities. To date, nearly $1 billion in contracts have been awarded, $875-million of which has been won by Indigenous groups or businesses, the statement said. Until the governance question is sorted out, Ogen-Toews said she believes the rights and title issue should come to halt. "At the end of the day it's our people, it's our clan members, our band members who are the same people who will be impacted." ——— Work continues on the Coastal GasLink project and opponents are still resisting, even if gatherings are prohibited under public health orders. Molly Wickham, who also goes by Sleydo, is the spokeswoman for the Gidimt'en checkpoint, one of the camps along the forest road where Mounties arrested pipeline opponents in 2019 and 2020. She said she never expected the Wet'suwet'en resistance to dominate the front pages of newspapers forever and has spent a lot of the past year thinking about more lasting change. "We all know, who are in this movement, that there's a lot of work and a lot of strategizing and a lot of thinking about, how do we make this a sustainable movement for Indigenous sovereignty for the long term?" The answer she's landed on is "quite complex," she said. Occupying the territory is a major step. It's not only important for Indigenous people to reconnect with ancestral lands, but also adds weight to any arguments they make in Canadian courts, she said. Wet'suwet'en members began reoccupying the territory before Coastal GasLink was proposed, she said. She moved her own family into a cabin on the territory in 2014. Reclaiming systems of government is another step forward, even if some knowledge has been interrupted by colonialism, Wickham said. There's also strength in numbers. There's no way government would have agreed to negotiate had it not been for others, like Mohawk supporters who led rail blockades in Ontario, she said. "I see it as a collective struggle," she said. "Absolutely every situation is unique but we're all in this together." Wickham said she doesn't believe the rights and title negotiations affect what happens on the ground with Coastal GasLink. As long as the work is ongoing, she's prepared to resist. "It doesn't matter whether they talk for another year or another 10 years. The Wet'suwet'en remain opposed to this project and will take action in accordance with our government," she said. Occupations on the scale seen in 2019 and 2020 aren't likely while COVID-19 remains a real threat. In the past, the opposition relied heavily on allies who flocked to the territory to occupy the camps, so elders wouldn't be put at risk, she said. But local members have begun occupying new parts of the territory nonetheless, including a hunting blind in a ravine near Wedzin'kwa, also known as the Morice River, which has been a focal point of the movement to protect the land. The river is critical habitat for salmon and is central to Wet’suwet’en identity and survival, she said. A Coastal GasLink work schedule suggests the company plans to divert part of the river to lay pipe and locals are prepared to fight if that happens, she said. Coastal GasLink did not respond directly to a question about whether the new occupations were affecting progress or whether diverting or drilling under the river was planned in spring. ——— Beyond the pandemic, the provincial election also saw a new Indigenous relations minister take charge of the Wet'suwet'en file. Murray Rankin served as British Columbia's lead negotiator in talks with the Wet'suwet'en hereditary chiefs in 2019 before replacing cabinet minister Scott Fraser, who did not seek re-election last year. Rankin, who has a background in Indigenous law, sees his role as offering assistance as the Wet'suwet'en mend internal conflicts and confirm a governance structure. "It's obviously for them as a nation to decide amongst themselves how they wish to go forward. I want to do whatever I can in assisting in moving forward in a positive way," Rankin said. The unresolved issues could be seen as dating back to 1846, when Britain asserted sovereignty. Or it could date to the 1997 Delgamuukw case, which won the Wet'suwet'en hereditary chiefs and their Gitxsan neighbours recognition of their Aboriginal title as an ancestral right in the Supreme Court of Canada. The court did not specify where it applied. "The chief justice said we're all here to stay and encouraged the governments of Canada and British Columbia to negotiate a lasting resolution. Well, here we are a generation later and we're doing that work," Rankin said. "I wish we had done it earlier, but there's no time like the present to make progress." During his time as negotiator, Rankin said it was made clear that the agreement over rights and title would not affect Coastal GasLink, which was a permitted and approved. "They were coincident in time, but our work did not involve CGL, nor does the current negotiation involve that particular project," he said. The tentative agreement is only a starting point to engage the province, federal government and Wet'suwet'en nation in a process for determining what their relationship looks like in the future, he said. In addition to the ongoing negotiations, the province is also working with non-Indigenous communities and others with a stake in the outcome. "We want to make sure that when we do come up with an agreement that it attracts the support of the communities affected," he said. Of course, the pandemic isn't helping. "You can imagine how difficult it is to negotiate by Zoom, negotiating by Zoom is never easy. The pandemic has required us to honour the health protocol," he said, but "that is to the detriment, I think, of the honest conversations that occur when you're sitting around a table." Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Carolyn Bennett declined an interview request, but in a statement she said the Supreme Court encouraged parties in the Delgamuukw case to pursue good faith negotiations and that's what Canada is focused on. "We firmly believe strong and self-reliant Indigenous nations that are able to fulfil their right to self-determination will lead to healthy and sustainable Indigenous communities with improved well-being and economic prosperity. Supporting Indigenous communities as they choose their path to rebuild their nations is critical to reconciliation and renewing our relationship," the statement said. "Our commitment to continue our negotiations to implement Wet’suwet’en rights and title is strong." ——— When Coastal GasLink announced in 2018 that it had signed agreements with all 20 First Nation along its proposed path, then-president Rick Gateman declared it an important milestone. "When we first began this project over six years ago, our goal was to build more than just relationships with First Nations communities in B.C.; it was to build trusted partnerships, and that has made all the difference," he said in a statement at the time. Gary Naziel, an elected councillor of the Witset First Nation on Wet'suwet'en territory, called it a testament to what can be achieved when industry and First Nations work together. In addition to opposition from the hereditary leadership, the project has faced the added challenge of COVID-19. In an update Friday, the company said one quarter of construction is complete but long-term impacts on the project schedule were still being assessed. The company declined to make anyone available for an interview but provided a statement on what happened a year ago. "When we reflect on the events of early 2020 and the blockades across Canada, we are reminded of the importance of constructive dialogue based on mutual respect, working together to resolve the issues that affect all of us and perhaps more importantly, the vital importance of reconciliation with Indigenous peoples," it said. "These are discussions that transcend a single project." The company continues to communicate with Indigenous communities across the route, including hereditary and elected Wet'suwet'en representatives, it said. "While we understand there are those who will never support the project, we appreciate the opportunities to remain engaged in open dialogue." This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 24, 2020. Amy Smart, The Canadian Press

  • Indonesia to deport Russian social media star who held party

    DENPASAR, Indonesia — A Russian social media celebrity was being deported from Indonesia on Sunday after he held a party at a luxury hotel on the resort island of Bali attended by more than 50 people despite coronavirus restrictions. The party held on Jan. 11 violated health protocols put in place to fight the spread of the virus, said Jamaruli Manihuruk, chief of the Bali regional office for the Ministry of Law and Human Rights. Sergei Kosenko, who has more than 4.9 million followers on his Instagram account, arrived in Indonesia in October on a tourist visa. Immigration officials in Bali decided to examine Kosenko’s activities after he posted to social media a video of him driving a motorcycle with a female passenger on the back off a pier into the sea in December. The stunt was condemned by many Indonesians as reckless and a potentially hazardous to the environment. Manihuruk said the immigration investigation found Kosenko took part in activities that violated his tourist visa, such as promoting companies and products. After the announcement of his deportation, Kosenko told reporters at the immigration office in Bali that he was sorry. “I love Bali. I am sorry and I apologize,” Kosenko said. The deportation comes just days after Indonesia deported an American woman who had been living on Bali over her viral tweets that celebrated the island as a low-cost, “queer-friendly” place for foreigners to live. Her posts were considered to have “disseminated information disturbing to the public,” which was the basis for her deportation. Indonesia has temporarily restricted foreigners from coming to the country since Jan. 1 to control the spread of COVID-19, and public activities have been restricted on Java and Bali islands. Bali regional office for the Ministry of Law and Human Rights recorded 162 foreigners have been deported from Bali in 2020 and 2021. Most of them are being deported for violating the visit visa. Firdia Lisnawati, The Associated Press

  • Germany urges Taiwan to help ease auto chip shortage

    Germany has asked Taiwan to persuade Taiwanese manufacturers to help ease a shortage of semiconductor chips in the auto sector which is hampering its fledgling economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. Automakers around the world are shutting assembly lines due to problems in the delivery of semiconductors, which in some cases have been exacerbated by the former Trump administration's actions against key Chinese chip factories. The shortage has affected Volkswagen VOWG_p.DE, Ford Motor Co F.N, Subaru Corp 7270.T, Toyota Motor Corp 7203.T, Nissan Motor Co Ltd 7201.T, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and other car makers.

  • Should governments name workplaces that have COVID-19 outbreaks? The pros and cons according to experts

    Canada has a patchwork of different policies in place regarding the public disclosure of COVID-19 outbreaks in workplaces, and expert opinion seems as divided as the regulations on whether making outbreaks public helps or hinders the spread of the virus. Earlier this month, the city of Toronto moved to publish the names of companies seeing multiple COVID-19 infections, even though the province of Ontario doesn't disclose outbreaks. "Across Canada, workplace reporting is not being done nearly enough," said Joe Cressy, the chair of Toronto's Board of Health and a councillor in Ontario's capital. In Quebec and Ontario, workplace outbreaks surpassed those in long-term care facilities for a time before the new year arrived. Recent Ontario outbreaks at a 9-1-1 dispatch centre and a Canada Post distribution facility, plus outbreaks at industrial settings in Alberta and B.C., and others at food processing plants and warehouses late last year have renewed concerns about workplace spread. CBC News looked at how provincial and territorial governments disclose COVID-19 workplace outbreaks across the country — and the pros and cons of making them public. Who names companies and who doesn't In Newfoundland and the rest of Atlantic Canada, workplaces are only named publicly if health officials cannot identify and contact people who may be at risk of infection and should isolate and monitor themselves for symptoms or get tested. This means workplaces that are not open to the public are rarely named, while grocery stores and transportation services, such as ferries and flights, for instance are common on Nova Scotia's published list of exposure risks. Newfoundland does publish a list of workplace outbreaks at industrial sites in Alberta and B.C., because so many of its residents travel for work to those provinces. In Canada's North, territorial governments will publish the locations where there was a risk of public exposure, which can include workplace names. Manitoba's policy mirrors the practice in Atlantic Canada, with businesses named only if health officials are not able to complete contact tracing. Saskatchewan, Alberta and B.C. all publish the names of workplaces with outbreaks. Canada's largest provinces Quebec and Ontario, however, do not publish the names of specific workplaces experiencing outbreaks. WATCH | Why Toronto has decided it needs to disclose workplace outbreaks: In a statement, Ontario's Ministry of Health said disclosing the names of companies or workplaces "is within the purview of local public health units." Though Toronto just began publishing workplace outbreak names, Hamilton has been doing so since last spring. Meanwhile, some disclosures come from companies themselves, or from workers or union officials publicizing the issue. Naming brings accountability While standard public health practice is to only name outbreak locations for communicable diseases when there's a risk of exposure for the public, Cressy believes the best way to make government and companies accountable for protecting workers is to name every workplace outbreak, everywhere. "COVID-19 is disproportionately affecting low income frontline workers," he said. "In a pandemic, information is power. And information can also provoke change." Dr. Nitin Mohan, an epidemiologist and assistant professor at Western University in London, Ont., thinks naming workplaces could lead to changes that would protect essential workers. "Understanding how government is responding to a once-in-a-generation pandemic requires us to have the available data. So if we're seeing workplace outbreaks, and we know that a government is not supportive of providing paid sick leave, essentially, folks are armed with more information for the next election cycle." For Mohan, naming workplaces would also "provide us with a lot of data about community spread." However, he said the privacy of individual workers must be protected, which would mean some small companies couldn't be identified. Naming could backfire Cynthia Carr, an epidemiologist with Epi Research Inc. of Winnipeg, says naming businesses could backfire. She says it could actually scare employees into not reporting feeling sick if they fear being blamed for bad publicity from an outbreak. At the same time, she worries it could create a stigma around businesses that might have good safety practices, but still had an outbreak. "My concern is always that we don't make that mistake of equating shaming with accountability. It's not the same thing." Carr supports public health transparency when it helps give people the power to make choices or take action. Publicizing outbreaks at long-term care facilities and hospitals, she said, "has an associated action people need to understand," like: "I can't visit my loved one." She thinks workplaces should be named when COVID-19 could be spread in the community, but naming every single workplace with an outbreak doesn't give the public useful information about whether they need to self-monitor or go for testing. Keeping workers safe In Alberta, where workplace outbreaks are published, a union spokesperson says the naming policy is mostly a public relations issue for employers. "On the ground, on the shop floor, in the workplaces ... it hasn't meant a whole lot," said Micheal Hughes of the United Food & Commercial Workers Union Local 401. "Certainly not enough to stop outbreaks from happening." Before Alberta started naming workplaces, it was workers and UFCW that exposed what became the largest COVID-19 workplace outbreak in Canada at the Cargill meat packing plant in High River, Alberta. WATCH | Family of Cargill worker who died of COVID-19 pushed for police investigation: At least 950 workers, almost half the plant's staff, tested positive for COVID-19 by early May 2020. Recently, the RCMP launched an investigation into possible criminal negligence by the company in the death of Benito Quesada, a 51-year-old Cargill worker who died from COVID-19. Hughes believes the best way to keep workers safe is to have "a worker-centred, robust kind of regulatory system" including clear and mandatory guidelines for workplaces and more inspections by labour officials. In the fall, Ottawa began giving cash to food processors across the country to help them deal with COVID-19. The $77.5-million emergency fund is meant to help the sector implement measures to fight the coronavirus, including acquiring more protective equipment for workers. Epidemiologists say meat plants present ideal conditions for the COVID-19 virus to spread, because workers are in close contact, windows can't be opened for fresh air and the temperature is cool. Hughes said while naming businesses as workplace outbreaks continue may help "motivate a company to do things," the focus of the UFCW is to continue the push for safety measures and benefits like paid sick leave.

  • Eleven workers rescued from China mine after being trapped for two weeks

    Eleven workers trapped for two weeks by an explosion inside a Chinese gold mine were brought safely to the surface on Sunday.View on euronews

  • Trump administration had no coronavirus vaccine distribution plan: White House

    There was no distribution plan for the coronavirus vaccine set up by the Trump administration as the virus raged in its last months in office, new President Joe Biden's chief of staff, Ron Klain, said on Sunday. "The process to distribute the vaccine, particularly outside of nursing homes and hospitals out into the community as a whole, did not really exist when we came into the White House," Klain said on NBC's "Meet the Press." Biden, a Democrat who took over from Republican President Donald Trump on Wednesday, has promised a fierce fight against the pandemic that killed 400,000 people in the United States under Trump’s watch.

  • Police force turns to public for help forging mental health strategy

    Ottawa's police force has outlined how it will approach consultations with professionals and the public on its new mental health strategy. The details are found in a report, submitted by Ottawa Police Service (OPS) Chief Peter Sloly, that's slated to be presented to the city's police board Monday. It "recognizes that the OPS must improve the way its members respond to calls for service where mental health and addictions are an issue," according to a press release. "The community-led strategy will be co-developed with mental health care and addictions professionals, community-based organizations, academics and those with lived experience," the release said. No one from the force was available to speak to CBC ahead of publication, but the strategy follows public criticism over the death of Abdirahman Abdi, a Black man who'd struggled with mental health and died after a violent arrest by two OPS officers in 2016. The Justice for Abdirahman Coalition has since called for greater transparency and accountability from law enforcement agencies and for better police handling of mental health-related calls. Partnering with community groups and experts The report suggests getting community feedback through an online questionnaire on people's experiences with police, with data being shared on the OPS website and through social media. The plan also involves interviewing "community members, academics, subject matter experts, mental health professionals, addiction specialists, and other groups." Interviews have already begun, the report said. While the force usually relies on ride-alongs to connect with and educate the public, the COVID-19 pandemic has OPS looking for alternatives, the report said. It said OPS should be in regular contact with community partners and will use paid advertisements, social media and posters to showcase the work it's doing. OPS said it plans to begin public consultations this spring, while spending the year training members so that there are "an increasing number of officers with specialized mental health training embedded in every front-facing unit." Gaps in data The report also shows the number of mental health-related calls went up in 2020. Last year, police responded to 2,354 calls where mental health was a concern. That's compared to 2,181 calls in 2019, with similar totals for the two previous years. OPS said these numbers represent just a "fraction" of calls, however, where mental health could be a contributing factor. Part of the challenge, the force said, is that there gaps in the data around mental health and addictions. There is no national standard governing the collection and reporting of calls through the dispatch system, which means each police force individually defines the type of call it receives, its priority level and how to respond. Right now, 911 calls are directed to police, paramedics or fire services. OPS said it wants 911 dispatchers to have the option of redirecting mental health-related calls about people who are not in immediate danger to a specialized community mental health team.

  • A primer on the Coastal GasLink pipeline

    Here is a look at the Coastal GasLink pipeline project and its history: The project: B.C. Premier John Horgan announced provincial support for the project on Oct. 2, 2018. He said LNG Canada's decision to build a $40-billion liquefied natural gas plant in Kitimat was similar to the moon landing for the province. To get natural gas to the export plant, Coastal GasLink Ltd. is building a 670-kilometre pipeline from the Dawson Creek area in northern B.C. at an estimated cost of $6.6 billion. At the peak point of construction, the plant and the pipeline will employ about 10,000 people. About 900 workers will be needed at the plant during the first phase of its operations. The route: Planning for the route included the establishment of a "conceptual corridor'' through B.C. in 2012 that the company said included consultations with First Nations, local governments and landowners. The final route approved by the BC Oil and Gas Commission runs southwest from outside Dawson Creek before heading west near Vanderhoof then to Kitimat. First Nations: The dispute has highlighted a debate over whether hereditary chiefs should have more power under Canadian law. The Indian Act established band councils, made up of elected chiefs and councillors, who have authority over reserve lands. Hereditary chiefs are part of a traditional form of Indigenous governance that legal experts say the courts have grappled with how to recognize. Indigenous Support: The pipeline has support from 20 elected band councils along the route. All of them have signed benefit agreements with Coastal GasLink. Indigenous Opposition: Several Wet'suwet'en hereditary chiefs say the pipeline cannot proceed without their consent. The chiefs say they have authority over the broader 22,000 square kilometres of traditional territory that the pipeline would partially cross, while the elected band councils only administer smaller reserves. COVID-19: The COVID-19 pandemic limits work on the project. In a project update Friday, the company says one-quarter of construction is complete and long-term impacts to the overall schedule continue to be assessed. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 24, 2021. The Canadian Press

  • Ontario's French university receives only 19 applications from province's students

    After much pushback and protest kept Universite de l'Ontario Francais alive, the new French language school has only received 19 applications from Ontario students as of Jan. 17. Vice-rector Denis Berthiaume confirmed that the University has also received around 20 additional admission requests from abroad or from adults who are considering a return to school. That brings the total number of requests received so far to 39. Rector André Roy had previously said the school's goal was to have 200 students for its first semester, which is scheduled to begin this September. Admission applications can still be submitted, but Jan. 17 was the first deadline in the university calendar across the province. The applications also don't mean that students will necessarily choose the university, which is located in downtown Toronto, if they are admitted, as students can apply for admission to multiple programs. Berthiaume told Radio-Canada that the start of the school year will go ahead as planned in September, no matter the number of confirmed students. 'Everything will be ready' He also said that courses will meet any student needs, whether in person or virtually, if circumstances require. "Faculty teams are being recruited, the building is being finished, so everything will be ready," he said. Other universities, like Guelph, Brock and some Western University campuses, have also experienced a decrease in the number of admissions received this year compared to 2020. The Université de Hearst, another Franco-Ontarian institution that is affiliated with Laurentian University, received 17 applications, which is half the number of last year. It's been a rocky road for Universite de l'Ontario Francais. The project was first announced under Kathleen Wynne's Liberal government, but after Doug Ford's Progressive Conservative government was elected, it was nixed. The province reversed that decision following protests from Franco-Ontarians and extended talks with the federal government. An agreement reached between the federal and provincial governments in 2019 provides funding of $126 million over eight years for the university. In an emailed statement, Francophone Affairs Minister Caroline Mulroney reiterated the Ontario government's commitment to the university, but did not comment on the low number of admission requests. "Our government is proud to have concluded a historic agreement with the federal government for the creation of the University of French Ontario, under which each level of government will invest, in equal parts, $63 million over a period of eight years," she wrote.

  • UK detects 77 cases of South African COVID variant, nine of Brazilian

    Britain has detected 77 cases of the South African variant of COVID-19, the health minister said on Sunday, also urging people to strictly follow lockdown rules as the best precaution against Britain's own potentially more deadly variant. Matt Hancock said all 77 cases were connected to travel from South Africa and were under close observation, as were nine identified cases of a Brazilian variant.

  • Trump asked Justice Department to go to Supreme Court to overturn election: Journal

    Former President Donald Trump considered replacing the acting attorney general with an official willing to pursue unsubstantiated claims of election fraud, and he pushed the Justice Department to ask the Supreme Court to invalidate President Joe Biden’s victory, the Wall Street Journal reported on Saturday. Citing people familiar with the matter, the Journal said the efforts in the last weeks of Trump's presidency failed because of resistance from his Justice appointees who refused to file what they viewed as a legally baseless lawsuit in the Supreme Court. Other senior department officials later threatened to resign if Trump fired then-acting Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen, several people familiar with the discussions told the Journal.

  • Anishnaabe flute player sets his sights on becoming professional orchestra musician

    Flute player Tyler Evans-Knott, a member of Curve Lake First Nation near Peterborough, Ont., dreams of becoming a professional orchestra musician. The 20-year-old flautist has been playing the flute for 11 years. As a child, the sound of the flute caught his young ears while watching an orchestra performance on TV. "I liked that it sort of carried over the rest of the orchestra," Evans-Knott said. "It was the most prominent thing I could pick out." He was self-taught for a couple of years before joining a band program at his school in Grade 7. He said he struggled to get a sound out of the instrument for the first three or four days but once he did, the rest came naturally. His high school music teacher encouraged him to audition for the Kawartha Youth Orchestra (KYO). Founded in 2002, the KYO gives young musicians of the Kawartha region of Ontario the opportunity to learn symphonic music and perform in an orchestral ensemble. He was accepted into the advanced program and was a member of the KYO for five years. During his last year with the KYO, Evans-Knott won the senior Concerto Challenge, an opportunity to perform as a soloist during a larger orchestral work. "He is a remarkable young man with a fabulous, fabulous talent," said Maggie Goldsmith, president of the KYO. "I think Tyler has been a really big part of our recruitment team, he's been such an inspiring member of our organization." She said he's been a mentor to other students over the years and also jumps in to cover parts for other wind instruments when needed. Now that Evans-Knott's time with the KYO has come to a close he's begun planning his path to becoming a professional orchestra musician. There are a few music schools in Toronto, such as the Royal Conservatory of Music, and universities that offer four-year music degree programs that he said he's thinking about. "It basically sets you up for a professional career and other things like teaching," said Evans-Knott. He hasn't yet applied to any of the programs yet but is hoping to next year. Evans-Knott auditioned for and won principal flute in the Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra for the 2020-21 season. "Tyler is a man of few words," said his mother Janet Evans. "As a parent, I want him to be happy and I want him to be fulfilled." She said sometimes she will come home from work and he'll tell her he's practised for five hours. "It's really neat to watch Tyler bloom," she said.

  • N.S. dissolves gambling awareness organization, reallocates funds from VLTs

    The Nova Scotia government has quietly dissolved a non-profit arm's-length government organization dedicated to funding gambling prevention and research groups, moving the money to a more general mental health pool. The decision to end Gambling Awareness Nova Scotia (GANS) is being criticized by a community group that received grants through the organization, and which says there's now looming uncertainty about whether its work will be supported. "In the middle of COVID ... isn't there more of a need to do this prevention work and community awareness work?" said Bruce Dienes, chair of Gambling Risk Informed Nova Scotia, a non-profit that aims to reduce the community harms associated with gambling. "This is the time when people are most vulnerable." Part of the funding for GANS, according to the government's website, was "generated from a percentage of VLT revenues, matched by the Nova Scotia Gaming Corporation." The province said in a statement that VLT retailers provide about $250,000 annually to support mental health and addictions services. The province did not say when the organization was dissolved, but Dienes said he learned of it in the fall and GANS's regulations were changed in October. He said he was told by the Department of Health and Wellness that because of "new information" it had come to realize there are comorbidities with gambling also associated with depression and anxiety, which justified sharing the funds more widely. "The idea that this is new information is ridiculous, we've known this for decades," he said. Dienes believes the province made the move as a way to deal with the "profound lack of funding for mental health in Nova Scotia." No one from the Department of Health and Wellness was available to speak to CBC for this story. In a statement, spokesperson Marla MacInnis confirmed that GANS will become part of the overall mental health and addictions budget — which is roughly $300 million annually — citing changes in the last two decades around gambling and how best to support it. "Problem gambling often occurs with other mental health and addictions issues, and due to the stigma, people often initially seek help for other issues. It's best if people can access support that addresses these issues together," MacInnis said. One of the consequences of the pandemic has been the restrictions placed on gambling in Nova Scotia related to public health protocols. There were no sports games to bet on, and many casinos and bars were ordered to closed. In the height of the spring COVID-19 lockdown, counselling therapist Elizabeth Stephen said some of her clients simply stopped gambling. "It was like a gift to some people that have problems that never really get that break," said Stephen, who is based in Halifax. "Of course, that didn't last long." After a second shutdown late in 2020, the province reopened the Halifax and Sydney casinos, video lottery terminals and First Nations gaming establishments on Jan. 8. Igor Yakovenko, an assistant professor at Dalhousie University, said international data found that gambling decreased in all forms as things were closed globally. When restrictions loosened in Nova Scotia, Stephen said some of her clients returned to gambling, but it varied case by case. In some instances, she said people who hadn't gambled in a long time returned to VLTs because of the "wearing-you-down kind of stress of COVID." Yakovenko, who is a clinical psychologist, said there are many barriers for people to get help, including not knowing where to go in Nova Scotia. He said research suggests that harm reduction and prevention are the most effective ways to help people. "We need services and public health resources that minimize problems from developing in the first place or, if you're already gambling, they prevent you from escalating that gambling," he said. Earlier this month, CBC News reported that the Atlantic Lottery Corporation is preparing to expand its online casinos to Nova Scotia and P.E.I., which would allow for bigger bets than what is currently allowed on in-person VLTs. The pandemic is believed to have made a significant dent in Atlantic Lottery's revenues. Dienes said having VLTs available online goes against the province's VLT moratorium, which removes the gaming devices if a bar shuts down instead of reallocating them. "They call them the crack cocaine of gambling," he said. "To backtrack on that acknowledgement of the danger of VLTs and to be slowly getting rid of them, and to move to amplifying that on the internet with essentially unlimited access is appalling. It's totally irresponsible." According to the Nova Scotia Gaming Corporation's website, there are 2,012 VLTs in the province and 651 VLTs in Mi'Kmaw communities. Both the Nova Scotia Department of Finance and Atlantic Lottery say the implementation of online casino-style games in Nova Scotia is still being evaluated. Neither provided a timeframe for when a decision will be made. Greg Weston, a spokesperson with Atlantic Lottery, said they regularly consult with responsible gambling experts when developing new products. He also said he believes it's important to offer a regulated alternative to the 3,000 offshore gambling websites available to Atlantic Canadians. "One benefit would be to repatriate players now playing with illegal offshore providers, and by doing so repatriating money being spent on offshore sites to help fund public services to benefit Atlantic Canadians," he said in a statement. Both Yakovenko and Stephen hope the province consults with experts in the area and uses current research in deciding whether Atlantic Lottery should be allowed to move to an online casino model. "From my perspective, the risks far outweigh the profits," Stephen said. "Someone has to lose in order for us to make money." MORE TOP STORIES

  • Soccer teams and rum-runners — the ties that bind Burin and St-Pierre-Miquelon

    The Burin Peninsula has always had very close relations with the nearby French islands of St-Pierre-Miquelon. These ties have even grown stronger in recent years as many of the French residents now vacation and shop in Newfoundland and Labrador, and an increasing number of them are purchasing summer homes in this area. During the summer, hundreds of tourists find their way to the French archipelago via a ferry service from Fortune. However, for more than 100 years, St-Pierre-Miquelon — especially from October to December, encompassing Thanksgiving and Christmas celebrations — has meant something much more than a tourist attraction to many Newfoundlanders. Until just a couple of decades ago, much of the liquor consumed in southern Newfoundland came illegally from the French islands, and many a tin of alcohol and 60-ounce bottles of over-proof rum found their way into St. John's via the Burin Peninsula highway. Even as far back as the mid-1800s, Newfoundland customs officials estimated that the then independent country was being robbed every year of about $50,000 in taxes as a result of smuggling from the French islands. Many a tale can be told of Burin Peninsula rum-runners in their little fishing dories and skiffs eluding RCMP patrol boats while returning from St. Pierre with a load of booze. There were times, however, when they would be forced to dump their liquor overboard as a police cutter speedily approached; their cargo was safe in bags packed with heavy salt that would dissolve, allowing it to float back up to the surface, where it could be picked up later. Over the years, especially in the 1980s and 1990s, the amount of liquor and cigarettes coming illegally from St-Pierre-Miquelon increased at an alarming rate, with more Newfoundlanders getting involved in the very profitable but risky activity. It finally became such a big commercial operation that laws were enacted for it to be treated as a major crime, with the courts increasing fines and confiscation of property and often jail time for many of those caught and convicted. A 1994 RCMP raid at Terrenceville, code-named "Operation Bacon," resulted in contraband and assets being seized with a total value of over $300,000. An increased permanent police presence on the Burin Peninsula, coupled with faster boats and those tougher laws, meant Burin Peninsula smugglers had to face the possibility of losing everything they owned, and the movement of illegal liquor and tobacco from the French islands today is only a shadow of what it once was. Throw in strict COVID-19 travel restrictions, and 2020, as one gentleman told me, "was a very dry Christmas as far as cheap liquor is concerned." Seven decades of soccer history Not all of the kicks shared between the islands have been illegal. From 1906 to 1978, Burin Peninsula and St. Pierre soccer teams made many reciprocal visits that helped strengthen the ties between our two countries. In 1906 Grand Bank played its first game of international football, against the ASSP club from St. Pierre. On July 14 of that year the tug St. Pierre left the French islands for Grand Bank with the team and several dozen supporters aboard. According to a newspaper clipping of the day, datelined St. Pierre, "the welcome was beyond anything we ever expected." The game was played the next day. "After a rather rough and hard fought contest the French team scored one goal, a few minutes before the finish, to win 1-0. The French boys were then taken to the Masonic Hall to enjoy a very nice lunch." Later that summer, on Aug. 29, the Grand Bank team visited St. Pierre for a return match. A newspaper clipping from the next day, datelined Grand Bank, explained that the St. Pierre carried 36 passengers, including the football team, out to the French islands. "We were welcomed very cordially by our French friends, and were soon supplied with comfortable boarding houses. On awaking on the morning of the 29th, it was felt by all that an eventful day had arrived, and we were not mistaken. We can truly say that the day was 'Unprecedented in its Enjoyment' in the history of Grand Bank. "'What made it so?' some ask. We answer, 'The royal and welcome way in which we were received by the ladies and gentlemen of St. Pierre.' No praise of our reception can be too complimentary. In the morning we were taken out for a drive by the members of the French football team, in wagons which were decorated with flags to suit the occasion. At 2 o'clock the football match was played. The British Consul at St. Pierre acted as referee. "The St. Pierre brass band marched with us to the football grounds treating us with some lively music on the way. The match was very exciting from beginning to end, but it proved to be a one-sided game, the score being three to nil in favour of the French. However, we expect to do better next summer." Over the years the visits between the French islands and Grand Bank were much more than soccer games. Usually two or three dozen fans would accompany the players. It was one of the highlights of the year for both communities. Lavish banquets, dances and renewing old friendships were the order of the day. Photos of both teams had to be taken and it became a tradition that at least one photo had to be taken of the players from both teams posing together, often with their arms interlocking each other. Life on the nearby island The tidal wave that struck the 'the boot' of the Burin Peninsula on Nov. 18, 1929, killed 28 people and left hundreds more destitute. People in Burin, St. Lawrence, Taylor's Bay, Point au Gaul and Lamaline could only watch helplessly as their fishing boats and gear, stages and flakes were destroyed or washed out to sea by the giant tsunami that crashed ashore there. Their means of earning a livelihood was gone and in many cases families had no choice but to leave. Meanwhile the economy in nearby St-Pierre-Miquelon was doing quite well, thanks to Prohibition in the U.S. At least 15 men from St. Lawrence decided to move to the French Islands to sign on as crew members on rum-running vessels, ferrying contraband liquor to a rendezvous point just off the American coast. Most of the men and their families eventually did return to St. Lawrence but several, including John and Nora Cusick, put down their roots at St. Pierre and remained there. The Cusicks had six children, who were all born and grew up in St. Pierre. One of the children, Therese, moved to St. Lawrence when she married Herb Slaney in 1952. Adjusting to a different lifestyle and traditions in St. Lawrence "was a culture shock," said Slaney, now 87. Doing her best to communicate in her broken English in the early years and also missing her family were huge challenges for her, she explained. Even though St. Pierre was nearby, having eight children to raise meant that trips there were limited. However, her husband's deep involvement in soccer meant that some of her family and friends would visit when the French team came each year to play in St. Lawrence. The French dance music known as musette — mostly a rapid waltz or other kind of two-person dance played with the accordion — has always been very popular at St. Pierre. Therese's late husband Herb was noted for his love of music and his ability to tickle the ivories. Often when they visited the French islands he would be called upon to play. "Growing up we were very close to our grand-mère," Therese's daughter, Lisa, told me. "She always came to visit in September, and when we girls got older we went ourselves to spend a month in the summer with her. We had a lot of French cousins, aunts and uncles, who we are still in touch with." Grand Bank native Holly Penwell moved to St. Pierre in 1995, and two years later married her French boyfriend, Jean Marc Briand. Doing her best to adjust to an entirely different culture while trying to learn a new language proved to be quite a challenge. To talk to each other, the couple at first used an English/French dictionary; for Penwell to communicate at all with others, like when she would answer the phone, she would memorize some common French sentences. Coping with isolation on the small island was also difficult, especially during the winters in the early years when there was no regular ferry service. However, well qualified with her previous teaching experience as well as her bachelor of education and a master's in education administration from Memorial University, she earned a diploma in teaching a second language and started teaching at MUN's campus on the French island in 1997. Four years later Penwell went to work for the St-Pierre-Miquelon government in a music and arts school where she remained for 16 years, until she and her son, Luc Briand, moved to France proper in 2017. Penwell recently passed France's national exam — placing 43rd out of the 350 people who wrote it at the same time — qualifying her to teach in that country. She is teaching in France and her son, Luc, is attending university there; both of them now hold dual Canadian/French citizenship. Many people from St. Lawrence to Point May on the Burin Peninsula can trace some of their ancestry to St. Pierre, no doubt because of their closer proximity to the French islands than towns like Grand Bank, Fortune and Garnish. Lisa Loder, Therese Slaney's daughter, is among them, with a strong attachment to the French islands. "We all loved St. Pierre — the chocolate, pastries and bread, and the friendliness of the people on the island," she told me. "It was a special unique little place with a different culture that holds many wonderful memories as a child, and when I visit any time as an adult I still get that excitement." Read more from CBC Newfoundland and Labrador

  • Hospitality insurance has skyrocketed, putting pressure on already struggling hotels

    COVID-19's disastrous effects on Canada's hotel industry are well-documented, but as owners struggle to survive the pandemic, they are also battling a second crisis: skyrocketing insurance rates. It seems counterintuitive, since hotels are serving fewer guests and many of their restaurants and lounges are closed, but hospitality insurance rates across the country have increased dramatically in the past year, putting more pressure on an already pinched industry. Michael Mazepa, who is part of an ownership group for the St. Albert Inn and Suites, the Continental Inn and Suites in west Edmonton, and a Best Western in B.C. said rates doubled at two of the hotels, with insurance for each now costing more than $135,000 annually. "It's a lot of money and you don't have the money rolling in," Mazepa said. Dave Kaiser, president and CEO of the Alberta Hotel and Lodging Association, said in the past year, members have reported insurance increases of 100 to 300 per cent. Most of the association's members were part of a large group of businesses from British Columbia to Ontario that pooled their resources to help stabilize rates. The system worked well for years, Kaiser said, but this year, the group failed to find an insurance company that would insure this kind of model. The group turned to traditional insurance, but premiums went up, and in some cases, hotels failed to stay in the group or find insurance at all. Jay Deol, who owns the Westgate Motor Inn in west Edmonton, said his annual insurance rate quadrupled this year, rising from about $8,600 to $34,000. He can't afford the hike and said he was baffled because he has never made a claim. Deol said he tried shopping around for another option, but could not find a company that would even give him a quote. Why did rates rise? Industry experts say hospitality insurance has become more expensive for several reasons. The first is there have been more claims and losses in recent years. A recent report by Deloitte, relying on statistics from the Insurance Bureau of Canada, found that over the past 15 years, insurance loss ratios have climbed faster than premiums have. On the property insurance side, water damage and catastrophic weather events like hail in Calgary and flooding in Fort McMurray have been costly for insurers. On the liability side, slips and falls have led to expensive lawsuits. Recognizing this, some companies have stopped offering hospitality insurance, with the result being fewer players in the market and higher rates for hotels and restaurants. The pandemic is exacerbating the problem. "The lower the interest rates, the higher the insurance premiums because insurance companies can't make money on the investment behind the scenes," explained Brett Kanuka, marketing director for CMB Insurance Brokers in Edmonton. Pandemic-related closures and suspensions in the hospitality sector have also meant fewer hotels and restaurants are paying into the pool of money that covers losses. Experts say the issue is global and goes beyond hospitality insurance — condominiums, shopping malls, recycling plants and school districts are also struggling to pay for higher rates. "We're not immune to some of the events that are happening around the world," said Rob de Pruis, a director of consumer and industry relations for the Insurance Bureau of Canada. Some hotels ditch property insurance Some hotel owners who can't afford the increases are choosing to accept the risks that come with reducing coverage. Kaiser said he is aware of hotels foregoing property insurance and only paying for liability. "To me, that's very scary," said Nona McCreedy, owner of Aurora Underwriting Services in Edmonton. "It must make it difficult for them to sleep at night because they're suddenly taking on that risk themselves." Though hotel owners cannot do much to prevent catastrophic weather events, they can ramp up their risk management systems in an effort to avoid making claims. At Mazepa's hotels, staff are checking rooms for damage weekly, even if they are not occupied, and Kaiser said risk management education and training will be a key focus for the hotel association going forward. Helping businesses find insurance In the meantime, there are efforts underway to help companies that have been unable to find insurance. The Insurance Bureau of Canada launched a business insurance action team in December to help connect hospitality businesses in Ontario with insurance companies. The pilot project may expand, if demand persists, to other parts of the country. For companies like Echelon Insurance, the problem presents an opportunity. In the fall the company expanded its commercial insurance offerings for small and medium-sized hospitality businesses in Ontario and as of Jan. 1, it has made those available to companies across Canada. "We are definitely hearing the noise from some businesses and brokers, which tells us that there's a need for this particular coverage because there's a gap in the industry," said Echelon Insurance president Robin Joshua. Experts say that with rates likely remaining high for at least another year, business owners should scrutinize their policies, go over them in detail with brokers and look for opportunities to reduce coverage or increase deductibles. "Most of us are really trying to do the best we can for the insured and get them the fairest price possible," McCreedy said.

  • China-Taiwan tensions rise days into Biden presidency

    Chinese air force planes including 12 fighter jets entered Taiwan's air defence identification zone for a second day on Sunday, Taiwan said, as tensions rise near the island just days into U.S. President Joe Biden's new administration. China views democratically ruled Taiwan as its own territory, and has in the past few months increased military activity near the island. But China's activities over the weekend mark a ratcheting up with fighters and bombers being dispatched rather than reconnaissance aircraft as had generally been the case in recent weeks.

  • The latest numbers on COVID-19 in Canada for Sunday, Jan. 24, 2021

    The latest numbers of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Canada as of 4:00 a.m. ET on Sunday Jan. 24, 2021. There are 737,407 confirmed cases in Canada. _ Canada: 737,407 confirmed cases (65,750 active, 652,829 resolved, 18,828 deaths).*The total case count includes 13 confirmed cases among repatriated travellers. There were 5,957 new cases Saturday from 101,130 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 5.9 per cent. The rate of active cases is 174.92 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 41,703 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 5,958. There were 206 new reported deaths Saturday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 1,100 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is 157. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.42 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 50.09 per 100,000 people. There have been 16,996,450 tests completed. _ Newfoundland and Labrador: 398 confirmed cases (10 active, 384 resolved, four deaths). There was one new case Saturday from 146 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 0.68 per cent. The rate of active cases is 1.92 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there has been three new case. 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 0.77 per 100,000 people. There have been 77,472 tests completed. _ Prince Edward Island: 110 confirmed cases (seven active, 103 resolved, zero deaths). There were zero new cases Saturday from 418 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 0.0 per cent. The rate of active cases is 4.46 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of six 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 88,407 tests completed. _ Nova Scotia: 1,570 confirmed cases (22 active, 1,483 resolved, 65 deaths). There were five new cases Saturday from 721 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 0.69 per cent. The rate of active cases is 2.26 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 20 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is three. There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is 6.69 per 100,000 people. There have been 200,424 tests completed. _ New Brunswick: 1,087 confirmed cases (332 active, 742 resolved, 13 deaths). There were 30 new cases Saturday from 1,031 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 2.9 per cent. The rate of active cases is 42.74 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 203 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 29. There were zero new reported deaths Saturday. 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 1.67 per 100,000 people. There have been 133,199 tests completed. _ Quebec: 250,491 confirmed cases (17,763 active, 223,367 resolved, 9,361 deaths). There were 1,631 new cases Saturday from 8,857 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 18 per cent. The rate of active cases is 209.35 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 11,746 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 1,678. There were 88 new reported deaths Saturday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 423 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is 60. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.71 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 110.32 per 100,000 people. There have been 2,695,925 tests completed. _ Ontario: 250,226 confirmed cases (25,263 active, 219,262 resolved, 5,701 deaths). There were 2,662 new cases Saturday from 69,403 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 3.8 per cent. The rate of active cases is 173.43 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 18,918 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 2,703. There were 87 new reported deaths Saturday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 412 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is 59. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.4 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 39.14 per 100,000 people. There have been 8,895,862 tests completed. _ Manitoba: 28,260 confirmed cases (3,261 active, 24,204 resolved, 795 deaths). There were 171 new cases Saturday from 1,998 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 8.6 per cent. The rate of active cases is 238.12 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 1,118 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 160. There were two new reported deaths Saturday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 36 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is five. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.38 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 58.05 per 100,000 people. There have been 448,638 tests completed. _ Saskatchewan: 21,643 confirmed cases (3,196 active, 18,200 resolved, 247 deaths). There were 305 new cases Saturday from 1,326 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 23 per cent. The rate of active cases is 272.12 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 1,928 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 275. There were eight new reported deaths Saturday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 37 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is five. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.45 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 21.03 per 100,000 people. There have been 327,151 tests completed. _ Alberta: 119,757 confirmed cases (9,987 active, 108,258 resolved, 1,512 deaths). There were 643 new cases Saturday from 12,969 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 5.0 per cent. The rate of active cases is 228.47 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 4,387 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 627. There were 12 new reported deaths Saturday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 110 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is 16. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.36 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 34.59 per 100,000 people. There have been 3,061,844 tests completed. _ British Columbia: 63,484 confirmed cases (5,901 active, 56,455 resolved, 1,128 deaths). There were 508 new cases Saturday from 4,088 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 12 per cent. The rate of active cases is 116.36 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 3,367 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 481. There were nine new reported deaths Saturday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 81 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is 12. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.23 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 22.24 per 100,000 people. There have been 1,044,931 tests completed. _ Yukon: 70 confirmed cases (zero active, 69 resolved, one deaths). There were zero new cases Saturday from six completed tests, for a positivity rate of 0.0 per cent. 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 2.45 per 100,000 people. There have been 6,216 tests completed. _ Northwest Territories: 31 confirmed cases (seven active, 24 resolved, zero deaths). There were zero new cases Saturday from 105 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 0.0 per cent. The rate of active cases is 15.62 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of six 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 9,064 tests completed. _ Nunavut: 267 confirmed cases (one active, 265 resolved, one deaths). There was one new case Saturday from 62 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 1.6 per cent. The rate of active cases is 2.58 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there has been one new case. 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 2.58 per 100,000 people. There have been 7,241 tests completed. This report was automatically generated by The Canadian Press Digital Data Desk and was first published Jan. 24, 2021. The Canadian Press

  • Provincial funding cut for Central Alberta camp for adults with developmental disabilities

    A central Alberta camp for adults with developmental disabilities is trying to keep its doors open as it faces an uncertain future. Camp L.G. Barnes in Gull Lake, Alta., has been closed since last March because of COVID-19. It provides a summer camp for adults with developmental disabilities, along with other activities throughout the year. The camp is now seeking new sources of funding after provincial government cuts The camp is for any adult served by the Persons With Developmental Disabilities (PDD) provincial agency, and it's operated by the Society of Parents and Friends of Michener Centre. While the camp was originally established to provide recreation for Michener Centre residents in Red Deer, 70 per cent of the people who use it now are Alberta PDD clients from across the province. The camp was informed in October that the government will no longer provide staff or operating funds. "There were always hints that they wanted to maybe not be as involved when we opened up to the community PDD clients about eight, 10 years ago," society president Deb Simmons said. "Whether they come from Michener or they come from outside Michener, they're still community and social services PDD-funded campers, and the money should be coming from somewhere." Funding from the province will end in March. Simmons said they thought the loss of government funding would be a slow transition, and said she was surprised by how abruptly the change was made. Jerry Bellikka, a spokesperson for Alberta's Ministry of Community and Social Services, said the ministry is working to transition the camp's operations over to the society. The province had been providing roughly $628,000 in total funding through the provincially run Michener Centre, and will now use that same funding and staff in other roles to better support residents of that centre, Bellikka said. The camp is located 30 minutes northwest of Red Deer along Gull Lake. In 2019, its last full year open, it had more than 4,000 visits. The Society of Parents and Friends of Michener Centre owns the land and buildings and pays for the upkeep. Community and social services, through the Michener Centre, has covered other costs like staffing. Janice Graham, a former camp director at L.G. Barnes for 14 years, said she wasn't surprised to hear provincial funding was lost but that it's extremely important for the camp to remain open. "I understand that there is a need for camps with children with disabilities, but there are some out there. There aren't very many for adults with disabilities," Graham said. "We have worked so hard to build this camp up to what it was." Graham praised the camp for how it tries to accommodate everyone regardless of their ability. She said the camp uses adaptive equipment like a type of sleigh for people in wheelchairs to be pulled out onto the ice by a snowmobile, and a houseboat and ice-fishing shack that are also wheelchair accessible. One of the camp's visitors is Michael Wright, a 29-year-old with Down syndrome and autism. His parents, Lawrence and Shawna, said Michael had been visiting the camp for around five years before it closed last March. "It has been hard. Even for him here, with still the freedom that he has, it has still been difficult to find things for him to do that's not the same scenery so to speak," Lawrence Wright said. Lawrence added the camp has been valuable to them because of how affordable it is, and he said he was surprised by the funding cut. "It was a shock for everyone. A lot of sleepless nights trying to get stuff organized, trying to find money to find staff," Lawrence Wright said. Looking ahead, Simmons said they hope to apply for other funding from the federal government to cover summer students working at the camp, and from Alberta's Civil Society Fund so they can hire people who will help them explore other financial models like private and corporate sponsors. But despite the funding issues, Simmons said she can't imagine the camp closing. "One way or another, we're going to make it work," Simmons said. "To not have that takes a choice away from a population that doesn't really have a whole lot of people screaming bloody murder for them."