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  • ‘I’ve never been more ashamed’: Ontario’s new COVID-19 restrictions ripped apart by medical experts, residents

    Ontario's new COVID-19 rules and restrictions - from cutting outdoor gatherings to extending police powers - have drawn out mass criticism and condemnation by medical experts, residents.

  • N.B. COVID-19 roundup: 9 new cases, 2 false positives identified

    New Brunswick recorded nine new cases of COVID-19 on Friday, six of them in the Edmundston region, Zone 4. The Moncton region, Zone 1, has two new cases, while the Saint John region, Zone 2, has one. The total number of active cases is 141. Twenty people are in hospital, 12 of whom are in intensive care. Public Health has revised the total number of confirmed cases. Two previously reported cases in Zone 4 have been removed from the list because of false positive results, according to a news release. "The lab is working to determine the cause," it said. The nine new cases break down in this way: Moncton region, Zone 1: two An individual 20 to 29. This case is a contact of a previously reported case. An individual 30 to 39. This case is travel-related. Saint John region, Zone 2: one An individual 80 to 89. This case is travel-related. Edmundston region, Zone 4: six Three people 19 or under. An individual 30 to 39. Two people 50 to 59. Most of the new cases are in the Edmundston region, Zone 4, part of which remains under lockdown for at least another week.(CBC) Four are these cases are contacts of a previously confirmed case and two are under investigation. New Brunswick has had 1,767 confirmed cases of COVID-19 since the pandemic began in March 2020. There have been 33 COVID-related deaths and 1,592 recoveries. A total of 273,193 tests have been conducted to date, including 1,382 on Thursday. The following chart shows the active case rates and total case rates for each of the province's seven zones, based on population numbers provided by the Department of Health and on current case counts. Region Population Active cases Active case rate* Cases to date Rate of cases to date* Moncton 222,694 15 6.7 378 170 Saint John 176,280 11 6.2 244 138 Fredericton 183,421 8 4.4 255 139 Edmundston 48,254 106 219.7 652 1,351 Campbellton 25,199 0 0 182 722 Bathurst 78,858 1 1.3 30 38 Miramichi 42,121 0 0 26 62 *per 100,000 population Positive case at daycare A positive case of COVID-19 has been confirmed at a daycare in Edmundston, Public Health announced on Friday. Garderie Mélubulles is closed and contact tracing is underway, according to a news release. All staff, children and their families have been advised to self-isolate until Sunday at midnight. "If you do not hear directly from Public Health, you have not been identified as a close contact," the release said. QMJHL announces updated playoff format The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League announced Friday the regular season in the Maritimes division will end Sunday, citing the reopening of the Atlantic bubble being delayed until May 3 The Halifax Mooseheads and Cape Breton Eagles won't take part in the 2021 President Cup playoffs, according to a news release. Meanwhile, the three New Brunswick-based teams will play in a nine-game round-robin tournament,with the winner facing off against the Charlottetown Islanders in the Maritimes division final. The league will determine the format of the round-robin tournament and the schedule in the upcoming days, the release said. The President Cup semifinals will group three teams from Quebec and one team from the Maritimes in a single "protected environment event." Teams will be seeded based on the 2020-2021 overall standings. The schedule and location of the event will be determined at a later date, the league said. The Moncton Wildcats are reminding fans to hold onto their unused season tickets. These will continue to be used in sequential order for all Wildcats home playoff games, it said in an email. Edmundston hospital continues to cope The Edmundston Regional Hospital continues to cope with the majority of the province's hospitalized COVID-19 patients, according to an update issued by the Vitalité Health Network on Friday. It has 12 COVID patients, six of whom are in intensive care, including five on respirators. The hospital has only nine intensive care beds. Five COVID-19 patients are on respirators at the Edmundston Regional Hospital.(Radio-Canada) No COVID patients have had to be transferred to another hospital since April 7, however. One patient was transferred to Fredericton that day and two the day before. The emergency department remains open for people who require emergency care and want to see a doctor. "However, we ask that people whose health condition does not require urgent care make an appointment with their family doctor or nurse practitioner, consult with their community pharmacist, visit a walk-in clinic or call Tele-Care (811)," Vitalié said. Some ambulatory care services and elective surgeries are reduced temporarily. For now, Vitalité is asking people to plan to attend their appointments, as scheduled, and said it will contact them if they need to reschedule. Orange level begins in Grand Falls region The communities of Saint-Léonard, Grand Falls, Drummond, New Denmark and Four Falls in the Edmundston region, Zone 4, are now in the less restrictive orange COVID-19 alert level. They were moved from the red level Thursday at midnight after the COVID-19 situation improved, the chief medical officer of health said. Under the orange level, people may expand their household bubble to include a Steady 10 list of contacts, with whom they may dine out, Health Minister Dorothy Shephard said during Thursday's COVID-19 briefing. Masks are mandatory in indoor public spaces, as well as in outdoor public spaces when physical distancing cannot be maintained. Masks are also required when accessing food through the drive thru window. In addition to restaurant dining rooms, salons, spas, gyms and entertainment centres can reopen. In-person services at faith venues are limited to a maximum of 50 participants, depending on the size of the facility, and recreational and sports organizations can resume operations but are limited to holding practices. Health Minister Dorothy Shephard outlined some of the less restrictive Public Health measures at the orange COVID-19 alert level during Thursday's briefing.(Government of New Brunswick ) A section of Zone 4, including Edmundston and the Upper Madawaska region, remains under lockdown for at least another week. No travel is permitted in and out of the lockdown area or within the lockdown area except "when necessary," such as for vaccinations, medical appointments, work or to purchase essential goods, Shephard advised. Travel is not recommended in or out of areas at the orange level, but is allowed among areas at the less restrictive yellow level. The Saint-Quentin and Kedgwick regions in Zone 4, along with the rest of the province, remain at the yellow level. New possible exposures Moncton region, Zone 1: April 14 between 10:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m., Urban Planet, Walmart and H&M – CF Champlain (477 Paul St., Dieppe) Edmundston region, Zone 4: April 9, between 11 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., Subway at the Edmundston Regional Hospital, 275 Hébert Blvd. Previous exposure notices Public Health has identified a positive case in a traveller who may have been infectious on the following flights on April 2: Air Canada Flight 396 from Calgary to Montreal, departed at 1:10 a.m. Air Canada Flight 8898 from Montreal to Moncton, departed at 8:35 a.m. Moncton region, Zone 1: April 8 between 4:45 and 5:30 p.m. – COSTCO Wholesale customer service (140 Granite Dr., Moncton) April 6 between 5 and 8 p.m. – YMCA Vaughan Harvey, (30 War Veterans Ave., Moncton) April 4 between 10 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. – Moncton Wesleyan Church (945 St. George Blvd., Moncton) April 3 between 8:00 and 9:30 p.m. – Kelseys Original Roadhouse (141 Trinity Dr., Moncton) April 1 between 12 and 1 p.m., April 3 between 1 and 1:30 p.m., April 6 between 12:30 and 1:30 p.m., April 8 between 2 and 4 p.m. – CF Champlain (477 Paul St., Dieppe) Saint John region, Zone 2: March 29 and April 1, Guardian Drugs-Herring Cove Pharmacy (924 Rte. 774, Unit 2, Welshpool, Campobello Island) March 31, Service New Brunswick (73 Milltown Blvd., St. Stephen) March 31, Giant Tiger (210 King St., St. Stephen) March 31, Kent Building Supplies (188 King St., St. Stephen) March 31, Carman's Diner (164 King St., St. Stephen) April 9 between 2:10 and 2:40 p.m., GAP Factory East Point, (15 Fashion Dr., Saint John) April 9 between 5 and 6 p.m. – McAllister Place, 519 Westmorland Rd., Saint John April 8 between 12 and 1 p.m., – McAllister Place, 519 Westmorland Rd., Saint John April 8 between 1:15 and 2 p.m. – Service New Brunswick, 15 King Square North, Saint John April 1 between 6 and 7:30 p.m. – YMCA of Greater Saint John (191 Churchill Blvd., Saint John) Fredericton region, Zone 3: March 31 – Murray's Irving Big Stop (198 Beardsley Rd., Beardsley) Edmundston region, Zone 4: April 10, between 11 a.m. and noon, Staples, 11 Centre Madawaska Blvd. April 10, between noon and 1 p.m., Walmart, 805 Victoria St. April 7, 8 and 9, Canada Post (4 Grondin St., Edmundston) April 8 and 9 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., Fenêtre Unique (130 Rivière à la Truite Rd., Edmundston) April 8 and 9, National Bank, (111 de l'Église St., Edmundston) April 9 between 12:00 and 1:30 p.m. – Shoppers Drug Mart (160 Hébert Blvd., Edmundston) April 8 between 6:30 and 7:00 a.m., April 7 between 6:30 and 7:00 a.m., and April 6 between 6:30 and 7:00 a.m. – Tim Hortons (262 Isidore-Boucher Blvd., St-Jacques) April 7 after 6:00 p.m., April 6 after 6:00 p.m. – Epicerie Chez ti-Marc (256 Isidore-Boucher Blvd., St-Jacques) April 7 between 10:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m., and April 6 between 10:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. – Dollarama (787 Victoria St., Edmundston) April 7 between 10:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m., and April 6 between 10:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. – NB Liquor, (575 Victoria St., Edmundston) April 7 between 10:30 and 11:00 a.m. – Jean Coutu (177 Victoria St., Edmundston) April 7 between 6:30 and 7:30 p.m. – Subway (180 Hébert Blvd., Edmundston) April 7 between 6:00 and 7:00 p.m. – Atlantic Superstore (577 Victoria St., Edmundston) April 6 between 6:30 and 7:00 a.m. – Scotiabank (75 Canada Rd., Edmundston) March 26 to April 8 – Napa Auto Parts - (260 Canada St., Edmundston) March 20 to April 9, Atlantic Superstore (577 Victoria St., Edmundston) April 5 at 11 a.m. – Shoppers Drug Mart (160 Hébert Blvd., Edmundston) April 1 – Royal Bank (48 Saint-François St., Edmundston) March 31 between 12 and 4:30 p.m. – Scotiabank (75 Canada Rd., Edmundston) March 30 between 12 and 4:30 p.m. – Scotiabank (75 Canada Rd., Edmundston) March 29 between 8:45 a.m. and 4 p.m. – Scotiabank (75 Canada Rd., Edmundston) What to do if you have a symptom People concerned they might have COVID-19 symptoms can take a self-assessment test online. Public Health says symptoms shown by people with COVID-19 have included: Fever above 38 C. New cough or worsening chronic cough. Sore throat. Runny nose. Headache. New onset of fatigue, muscle pain, diarrhea, loss of sense of taste or smell. Difficulty breathing. In children, symptoms have also included purple markings on the fingers and toes. People with one of those symptoms should: Stay at home. Call Tele-Care 811 or their doctor. Describe symptoms and travel history. Follow instructions.

  • FBI says it interviewed FedEx mass shooter last year

    INDIANAPOLIS — The former employee who shot and killed eight people at a FedEx facility in Indianapolis was interviewed by FBI agents last year, after his mother called police to say that her son might commit “suicide by cop,” the bureau said Friday. Coroners released the names of the victims late Friday, a little less than 24 hours after the latest mass shooting to rock the U.S. Four of them were members of Indianapolis' Sikh community. The attack was another blow to the Asian American community a month after six people of Asian descent were killed in a mass shooting in the Atlanta area and amid ongoing attacks against Asian Americans during the coronavirus pandemic. The Marion County Coroner's office identified the dead as Matthew R. Alexander, 32; Samaria Blackwell, 19; Amarjeet Johal, 66; Jaswinder Kaur, 64; Jaswinder Singh, 68; Amarjit Sekhon, 48; Karli Smith, 19; and John Weisert, 74. The shooter was identified as Brandon Scott Hole, 19, of Indianapolis, Deputy Police Chief Craig McCartt told a news conference. Investigators searched a home in Indianapolis associated with Hole and seized evidence, including desktop computers and other electronic media, McCartt said. Hole began firing randomly at people in the parking lot of the FedEx facility late Thursday, killing four, before entering the building, fatally shooting four more people and then turning the gun on himself, McCartt said. He said he did not know if Hole owned the gun legally. “There was no confrontation with anyone that was there,” he said. “There was no disturbance, there was no argument. He just appeared to randomly start shooting.” McCartt said the slayings took place in a matter of minutes, and that there were at least 100 people in the facility at the time. Many were changing shifts or were on their dinner break, he said. Several people were wounded, including five who were taken to the hospital. “You deserved so much better than this,” a man who identified himself as the grandson of Johal tweeted Friday evening. Johal had planned to work a double shift Thursday so she could take Friday off, according to the grandson, who would not give his full name but identifies himself as “Komal” on his Twitter page. Johal later decided to grab her check and go home, and still had the check in her hand when police found her, Komal said. “(What) a harsh and cruel world we live in,” he added. Smith, the youngest of the victims, was last in contact with her family shortly before 11 p.m. Thursday, family members said in social media posts late Friday. Dominique Troutman, Smith’s sister, waited hours at the Holiday Inn for an update on her sister. “Words can’t even explain how I feel. ... I’m so hurt,” Troutman said in a Facebook post Friday night. Weisert had been working as a bag handler at FedEx for four years, his wife, Carol, told WISH-TV. The couple was married nearly 50 years. President Joe Biden said he had been briefed on the shooting and called gun violence “an epidemic” in the U.S. “Too many Americans are dying every single day from gun violence. It stains our character and pierces the very soul of our nation,” he said in a statement. Later, he tweeted, “We can, and must, do more to reduce gun violence and save lives.” A FedEx employee said he was working inside the building Thursday night when he heard several gunshots in rapid succession. “I see a man come out with a rifle in his hand and he starts firing and he starts yelling stuff that I could not understand,” Levi Miller told WTHR-TV. “What I ended up doing was ducking down to make sure he did not see me because I thought he would see me and he would shoot me.” Paul Keenan, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Indianapolis field office, said Friday that agents questioned Hole last year after his mother called police to say that her son might commit “suicide by cop.” He said the FBI was called after items were found in Hole’s bedroom but he did not elaborate on what they were. He said agents found no evidence of a crime and that they did not identify Hole as espousing a racially motivated ideology. A police report obtained by The Associated Press shows that officers seized a pump-action shotgun from Hole’s home after responding to the mother's call. Keenan said the gun was never returned. McCartt said Hole was a former employee of FedEx and last worked for the company in 2020. The deputy police chief said he did not know why Hole left the job or if he had ties to the workers in the facility. He said police have not yet uncovered a motive for the shooting. Police Chief Randal Taylor noted that a “significant” number of employees at the FedEx facility are members of the Sikh community, and the Sikh Coalition later issued a statement saying it was “sad to confirm” that at least four of those killed were community members. The coalition, which identifies itself as the largest Sikh civil rights organization in the U.S., said in the statement that it expected authorities to “conduct a full investigation — including the possibility of bias as a factor.” Varun Nikore, executive director of the AAPI Victory Alliance, a national advocacy group for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, said in a statement that the shootings marked “yet another senseless massacre that has become a daily occurrence in this country.” Nikore remarked that gun violence in the U.S. "is reflective of all of the spineless politicians who are beholden to the gun lobby.” FedEx Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Frederick Smith called the shooting a “senseless act of violence.” “This is a devastating day, and words are hard to describe the emotions we all feel,” he wrote in an email to employees. The killings marked the latest in a string of recent mass shootings across the country and the third mass shooting this year in Indianapolis. Five people, including a pregnant woman, were shot and killed in the city in January, and a man was accused of killing three adults and a child before abducting his daughter during at argument at a home in March. In other states last month, eight people were fatally shot at massage businesses in the Atlanta area, and 10 died in gunfire at a supermarket in Boulder, Colorado. Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett said the community must guard against resignation and “the assumption that this is simply how it must be and we might as well get used to it.” ___ This story has been edited to correct the spelling of several names. ___ Associated Press reporters Michael Balsamo and Eric Tucker in Washington contributed to this report. Casey Smith is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a non-profit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. Casey Smith And Rick Callahan, The Associated Press

  • Panel recommends 'bold, transformative' overhaul of Yukon mining industry

    Yukon's mining regime needs a major overhaul, according to the final report from an independent panel appointed by the territorial government. The Yukon Mineral Development Strategy report was released on Thursday, and it includes 95 wide-ranging recommendations for how to modernize the mining industry and ensure it's socially and environmentally sustainable, and beneficial to local communities. Recommendations include updating mining legislation — namely the Quartz Mining Act and the Placer Mining Act — streamlining land use planning and revamping the royalty system to make it more equitable. Math'ieya Alatini, one of the three panel members appointed to draft the report, said the overall goal is to "move the industry forward," in co-operation with the Yukon government and First Nations. "Not just the industry, but the entire relationship, [moving] forward in a holistic manner — so really that was our approach," she said. "[It's] a very pragmatic approach to how we can do better, by working together." A central tenet of the strategy is ensuring First Nations rights are respected and that the mining sector's competitive edge isn't dulled. "The whole of Yukon government must embrace the principles of reconciliation and work to build the trust and respect of Yukon First Nation governments, and the entities and agencies borne of the modern treaties and agreements," the strategy states. The timing of the release — just days after the territorial election and before the next government is sworn in — was strategic, Alatini said. '[It's] a very pragmatic approach to how we can do better, by working together,' said Math'ieya Alatini, one of the three independent panelists who drafted the Mineral Development Strategy. (Philippe Morin/CBC) It's meant to show that the panel and its work are independent of government, she said — but it also puts it on the front-burner for the next territorial government, as well as First Nations. "In the report, there are priorities and, to us, there are some clear first steps. But it will really be up to the governments to have that discussion and to come up with the top priorities and how those top priorities are going to be implemented," she said. The report is the culmination of about 16 months of work by the three-person panel. That panel was appointed after the Yukon government and First Nations governments signed a memorandum of understanding on mining in 2017. A draft strategy was released late last year for public review and Thursday's document is the final product. 'Social sustainability' The strategy "fulfills the desire of many engagement participants for a bold, transformative approach to Yukon mineral development now and into the future," it reads. One of the goals is to move the industry toward "social sustainability," the report says. That would mean moving the territory farther away from how mining was approached in the past, when the North was plundered for resources to send south, and benefit other regions. "Recognition that the adverse effects of resource development are borne locally, while many of the benefits are exported outside the Yukon, is crucial to social sustainability." Recommendations in the report include: overhaul or replace Yukon's century-old Quartz Mining Act and Placer Mining Act with new legislation ensure that First Nations can capitalize on resource development projects change royalty and tax structures to ensure more money comes to Yukon implement a profit-based placer gold royalty introduce a payroll tax on out-of-territory workers in Yukon implement a First Nation Resource Charge, to help First Nations cover the costs of reviewing and monitoring mining and exploration projects introduce a new tax for all industrial water users accelerate the land use planning process across Yukon Lewis Rifkind of the Yukon Conservation Society welcomed the report and recommendations, saying it's time to fix Yukon's "ecological horror show." "Now, we don't agree with all of [the recommendations], but by and large what the panel is proposing will be a great improvement on what we currently have," Rifkind said. 'It's not going to be a perfect improvement, and there's a lot of room for changes and a lot of room for devil-in-the-details,' said Lewis Rifkind of the Yukon Conservation Society.(CBC) Rifkind said an overhaul of Yukon's mining legislation is overdue, but the panel's recommendation to complete that work by 2025 might be unrealistic. "That's ambitious," Rifkind said. "Rewriting one of the three major pieces of legislation of the Yukon government may take longer than that … but it does need to be redone." Rifkind also questioned whether a profit-based placer mining royalty would have any real benefit for Yukon, since mining companies typically reinvest any profits into further developing their operations. Still, he said, the report's recommendations need to be considered seriously. "It's not going to be a perfect improvement, and there's a lot of room for changes and a lot of room for devil-in-the-details." CBC News also requested an interview with Ed Peart, president of the Yukon Chamber of Mines, about the newly-released strategy, but was told Peart wanted time to review the document before commenting. CBC also sought comment from Chief Roberta Joseph, of Dawson City-based Tr'ondek Hwëch'in First Nation, but she was not available.

  • Game changer: Chile hails Sinovac's 67% effectiveness in study

    SANTIAGO (Reuters) -China's Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine was 67% effective in preventing symptomatic infection, data from a huge real-world study in Chile has shown, a potential boost for the jab which has come under scrutiny over its level of protection against the virus. The CoronaVac vaccine was 85% effective in preventing hospitalizations and 80% effective in preventing deaths, the Chilean government said in a report, adding that the data should prove a "game changer" from the vaccine more widely. Rodrigo Yanez, Chile's vice trade minister who forged a deal with Sinovac to host the drug's clinical trial and buy 60 million doses of the drug over three years, said the results showed Chile had made "the right bet".

  • Iraq attacks deepen security woes as global, local rivals clash

    A series of attacks in Iraq this week illustrates the increasingly dangerous tangle of local and regional rivalries confronting the country's security in an election year, Iraqi security and government officials say. The violence appears linked to militias seeking to help ally Iran oppose Western and Gulf Arab adversaries in a tussle for influence playing out across the Middle East, as well as to growing domestic strains head of elections in October, they say. Drone and rocket attacks in northern Iraq by pro-Iran groups indicated that militias are expanding the arsenal they are prepared to deploy against U.S. forces stationed in the country.

  • Puppy is super jealous after being introduced to toy dog

    This family bought their puppy a mini Golden Retriever sensor-activated toy that moves and barks. Check out the reaction!

  • Alberta premier shouldn't say things he doesn't know: town mayor

    ATHABASCA, Alta. — The mayor of a town in northern Alberta says Premier Jason Kenney shouldn't have commented about an outbreak of COVID-19 among school students and staff if he didn't know the circumstances. Kenney said during two news conferences this week that the outbreak in Athabasca, Alta., was one of the worst in the entire province and had stemmed from a birthday party. "Apparently the virus had a 100 per cent attack rate at that birthday party. All of the kids who came to that birthday party got sick,'' he said. An official with Alberta Health subsequently said there was no data to suggest there had been an outbreak from a children's party in the community. A spokeswoman for Kenney said he misspoke about the location of the party and was using it as an example of how easily COVID-19 can spread. Mayor Colleen Powell says the publicity the town of 13,000 people has received since the premier's comments is not the kind it wants. "Why are you saying these things when you don't know?" Powell asked in a phone interview. "I had a couple of people get in touch with me (asking) who held the party. News spreads like wildfire." Just over 100 people, including students and a dozen staff, from three different schools in Athabasca tested positive for COVID-19 and its variants. But students and teachers are feeling confident about returning to classrooms on Monday after a week of spring break and two weeks of self-isolating, said the superintendent for Aspen View Public Schools. "We feel like we've mitigated the risk, and we feel like it's time to go back and give it a shot," said Neil O'Shea. "Some of the cases within the town and the county have gone down. We've deep-cleaned all of our schools. We've adjusted a little bit of our protocols around masking. Our phys-ed classes are going to be held outside." The area had 155 active cases on Friday. O'Shea said he first heard about an outbreak near the end of March at Edwin Parr Composite School, where about 700 students in Grades 7 to 12 are enrolled. Students from two more schools started showing symptoms and the school board shut them all down, he said. "We went all the way from kindergarten to Grade 12 online for the three weeks, just because of the interconnectedness of our communities and families and transportation and workplaces." Powell said that earlier in the pandemic, she kind of agreed with some who said rural towns shouldn't face the same public health restrictions because they are smaller. But with the rapid rise in cases, she doesn't feel that way anymore. "It's been a lesson." Anne Karczmarczyk is a school board trustee and the mother of two girls who tested positive in the Edwin Parr Composite outbreak. She said she has heard nothing about a birthday party and the premier's comments came as a surprise to her. "My own daughters contracted the variant and they got it from school. I know for a fact that all of the cases were at our school and not all from a birthday party," Karczmarczyk said. "It sets an uneasy feeling when you hear that, especially as a parent who had children with COVID ... I just know my kids did not receive it from a birthday party." Karczmarczyk said the two other schools that were shut down were a primary school and a middle school. "There were probably contacts from busing, or contacts from siblings or family members ... that sort of thing. That would basically (be) how it travels everywhere else." She said the community has been working hard to bring down cases. "It's an eye-opener, hopefully, for people to be more vigilant," Karczmarczyk said. This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 16, 2021. — By Fakiha Baig in Edmonton ___ This story was produced with the financial assistance of the Facebook and Canadian Press News Fellowship. The Canadian Press

  • Peel officer suspended after hugging protesters outside Mississauga gym, not wearing proper PPE

    A Peel police officer has been suspended and an internal investigation has been launched after a Global News reporter recorded him hugging unmasked people who were protesting against the closure of a Mississauga gym. Peel Police Chief Nishan Duraiappah said he became aware of the incident, which took place outside the gym, Friday afternoon after he saw various social media posts. "Upon learning of the incident, I immediately directed that the sergeant be suspended and commenced an Internal Affairs investigation," he wrote in a statement. "Peel Regional Police are committed to ensuring the safety of our members and the public. Our officers will enforce municipal and provincial regulations as required." According to reporting by Global News, one of its reporters was at Huf Gym near Cawthra Road and Dundas Street East on Friday to report on continuing protests against the Ford government's COVID-19 restrictions, which have temporarily shuttered gyms. There, the reporter, identified as Sean O'Shea, recorded himself as an unmasked protester aggressively approached him wearing a sweater with the words, "hugs over masks." O'Shea, still recording, approached a Peel police officer at the scene and asked if he condoned that behaviour. The officer in the video can be heard telling the journalist that he was agitating the crowd. The same officer, not wearing a mask or any COVID-19 protective gear, can later be seen hugging some of the protesters and posing for pictures. None of the demonstrators can be seen physically distancing or wearing any protective equipment. Duraiappah's statement says members of the force continue to follow advice issued by local public health officials "while using the appropriate safety precautions, including all available Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)." Under current COVID-19 restrictions, all gatherings and protests must follow provincial laws. Tickets may be issued to individuals or organizers who do not comply with this order, the statement reads.

  • COVID-19 'hot spot' list left off 30 per cent of recommendations: advisory table

    Members of Ontario's COVID-19 science advisory table say the provincial government only included about 70 per cent of neighbourhoods it recommended be designated hot spots. Director Dr. Peter Juni told CBC's Ontario Today that the table was asked by the province to provide a list of postal codes it felt was at greatest risk. The list it created included about 20 per cent of Ontario's population, mostly in the Greater Toronto Area. But Juni said when the government revealed the final designations, there were some neighbourhoods that the science table couldn't "replicate how they came on there." In a statement, Rob Steiner, another member of the table, said they did not "determine the actual [postal codes] that the government would ultimately prioritize in its vaccine strategy." K2V with second-lowest hot spot population Earlier this month, the province released a list of 114 postal code zones designated as hot spots and announced the start of targeted vaccinations in those areas for people aged 50 and up. It later announced that all adults in those hot spots would be eligible to get vaccinated immediately. Included in that list are the K1T, K1V and the K2V postal codes in Ottawa. In a memo from Ottawa Public Health, the first two postal codes contain what it's identified as high-priority neighbourhoods, but K2V has none. The postal code, which includes Stittsville and Kanata, has the second lowest population of all the province's designated hot spots with just 2,435 people, according to the most recent Statistics Canada census in 2016. The only other postal code with a lower population is L9E, the Milton-Halton region, with 723 people. The populations of K1V and K1T are between 35,000 and 54,000. Province defends decision Both the NDP and Liberals questioned the province's list of hot spots earlier this week. For it's part, the province said in a statement that hot spots were "identified based on Public Health Ontario data and criteria including hospitalizations, outbreak data, low testing rates and deaths during the second wave of the pandemic." It said regions in the highest 20 per cent were identified as hot spot communities, and regions in the top 30 per cent that had significant low-income populations or faced other challenges were also included. The undertaking also applied "an anti-racism lens to ensure Ontario protects vulnerable communities," the province said. The province defended including the K2V postal code, saying it had "44 per cent more COVID ICU cases per 10,000 than the provincial average." But given that the population of the K2V area is so low, CBC asked how much weight the province's calculations bears on its decision to label it as a "hot spot." As of Friday evening, the province had not sent a response.

  • Vancouver couple buys Saint Andrews bed & breakfast — without so much as a visit

    A Vancouver couple is calling Saint Andrews home without ever experiencing the town first-hand. Zainub and Ben Faulkner-Malik have been self-isolating at home in Charlotte County, since arriving two weeks ago. "It's a bizarre feeling because we feel like we've been here already," said Faulkner-Malik, from her new home in Saint Andrews. People have been dropping things off and sending messages — and they haven't even met their neighbours yet. Now that we're here, we made the best decision - Zainub Faulkner-Malik "The way the community has made us feel has got us really excited about when we can step outside our property lines and meet people and walk around the town itself." They're the new owners of the Montague Rose Bed and Breakfast. It's a historic building from the 1850s and can be found in the heart of downtown. "It's just magnificent," said the interior designer. "It's just way grander than I ever could have imagined." Deer problem a new experience And everyday, they're learning something new about the property or the area — such as the town's growing deer population. Last year, deputy mayor Brad Henderson told CBC News, a typical community of its size would have between three and five deer per square kilometre. In Saint Andrews, there are more than 20 deer per square kilometre. "People have hit multiple deer coming in and out of town," he previously said. "There's been situations where motorcyclists have hit them … there's been deer that have actually run into people." But Faulkner-Malik is looking forward to the wildlife. "I'll take the deer over the car and busy streets any day," she said. A home away from home They are hoping to make the business a place where residents and visitors can come and feel at home this summer. The couple will be taking bookings come May and by June, they're also hoping to add a tearoom, that will feature High Tea and traditional English treats. They're also want to bring a fresher look to the historic home for visitors, including new furnishings, modern technology "and also give them a really friendly visit as well." The couple started to think about moving when the first lockdown happened about a year ago. They felt like they were stuck inside their 500-square foot apartment. "We were really going stir-crazy," she said. Zainub Faulkner-Malik is hopeful guests will be able to visit in June.(The Montague Rose B&B Instagram) That's when they decided to look at real-estate across the country. "Fast forward a year and we just kind of pulled the plug," she said. Then they discovered Saint Andrews after seeing it was voted by USA Today in 2017 as the top destination in Canada for travellers. "We found a property. We put an offer in. And now we're here." Despite their fears, the couple said the move made sense. Faulkner-Malik had previously run a bed and breakfast in Australia. She had always dreamt of starting another one. Then along came COVID. "It was really risky and it was pretty scary," she said. "There were moments we were very unsure when we were putting our offer in." The couple plan to document their new Maritime adventure on YouTube and social media, to inspire others looking to move. "Now that we're here, we made the best decision."

  • Liberals try to block former Trudeau adviser's summons in military misconduct probe

    Liberal MPs launched a late Friday filibuster of the House of Commons defence committee to prevent a former prime ministerial adviser from being summoned to testify on what he knew about sexual misconduct in the Canadian military. The parliamentary dust-up started when the Opposition Conservatives tried to convince the committee to hold at least one more public hearing into the social and leadership crisis that has gripped the Armed Forces. Elder Marques, who served in Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's office for two years, had agreed at the end of March to testify before the four-party committee. Opposition MPs want to hear from the PM's former adviser about claims of inappropriate behaviour by Gen. Jonathan Vance.(Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press) The Conservatives tabled a motion to hear Marques talk about what he knew regarding allegations of inappropriate behaviour involving Gen. Jonathan Vance, the country's former chief of the defence staff, which were brought to his attention in the spring of 2018. The Conservatives insisted on a "summons" because while Marques did not decline the committee's invitation, he and the committee couldn't agree over a six week period on a time for him to appear. Committee chaos The meeting was thrown into chaos when the chair, Liberal MP Karen McCrimmon, initially refused outright to consider the Conservative motion — and then lost a vote to uphold her decision. All of the Opposition members — Conservatives, NDP and Bloc Quebecois — declined to back her, and McCrimmon abruptly and temporarily suspended the meeting. After the committee reconvened, Liberal MPs began filibustering over the wording of the motion, objecting specifically to the notion of using a summons on Marques. The meeting was adjourned Friday evening by McCrimmon, who cited unspecified "health and safety concerns." The committee voted earlier this week to begin shutting down public hearings on sexual misconduct in the military — which have heard 25 hours of testimony already — and to move on to the report-writing stage of its investigation into what members of the Liberal government knew about concerns about Vance's personal life, and when they knew it. 'We need to get on to other work' Responding to Conservative MP James Bezan's call for an additional hearing involving Marques, McCrimmon, a former lieutenant-colonel in the military, ruled the motion out of order. "I believe the committee has already decided," said McCrimmon. "They have already voted to deliver a report on this study and that the idea was to wrap up this study, and we have completed our work on this study and we need to get on to other work." Bezan said the motion passed by the committee earlier in the week set a deadline for presenting the final report to Parliament and it did not preclude further testimony — especially from a witness who had already agreed to testify. "I think it is imperative we hear from Mr. Marques," said Bezan. James Bezan and other Conservative MPs on the Commons defence committee are insisting on hearing from former prime ministerial adviser Elder Marques.(Adrian Wyld/Canadian Press) Marques' testimony could be important, because he was the official in the Prime Minister's Office who was consulted after former military ombudsman Gary Walbourne brought forward an informal misconduct allegation against Vance. He was also the official who helped set in motion an unsuccessful review of the claim by the Privy Council Office. Vance is under military police investigation following allegations of inappropriate behaviour involving two women of junior in rank which were raised in the media. His successor as defence chief, Admiral Art McDonald, is the subject of a separate misconduct claim and has stepped aside temporarily. The Conservatives were adamant on Friday about hearing from Marques. 'Critical testimony' "We would not want to complete this study without hearing his critical testimony," said Conservative MP Leona Alleslev. Liberal MP Anita Vandenbeld, the Liberal parliamentary secretary for defence, accused opposition MPs of seeking to prolong hearings to dig up political dirt. She pointed out that Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan has testified twice before the committee. "Everything for the last number of weeks in this committee has been this kind of, you know, pointing fingers to say it's this person's fault, it's that person's fault," said Vandenbeld. "What we have here is just digging further and further down to see if we can just keep on calling [witnesses]." She said the opposition was interested only in claiming a cover-up. "There is no cover-up here. We don't need to hear from more people," said Vandenbeld. That drew a sharp response from NDP defence critic Randall Garrison, who said the accusation of "petty politics" was unhelpful. "I think my Liberal colleagues miss the point," said Garrison. "We've had the minister here. We've has tons of other witnesses and what we know is that the minister came to us and said, 'It wasn't my job. I wasn't responsible. I referred it to others.' "Therefore the committee has to actually speak to those others to find out exactly what happened."

  • New blast at St. Vincent volcano; cruise ship helps evacuees

    KINGSTOWN, St. Vincent — La Soufriere volcano shot out another explosive burst of gas and ash on Friday as a cruise ship arrived to evacuate some of the foreigners who had been stuck on a St. Vincent island coated in ash from a week of violent eruptions. The explosions that began on April 9 forced some 20,000 to flee the northern end of the eastern Caribbean island for shelters and contaminated water supplies across the island. Friday morning's blast “wasn’t a big explosion compared to the ones that we last weekend, but it was big enough to punch a hole through the clouds," said Richard Robertson, lead scientist at the University of the West Indies Seismic Research Center, in an interview with local NBC radio. “Probably got up to 8,000 metres (26,000 feet)." During a comparable eruption cycle in 1902, explosive eruptions continued to shake the island for months after an initial burst killed some 1,700 people, though the new eruptions so far have caused no reported deaths among a population that had received official warning a day earlier that danger was imminent. Meanwhile, British, U.S. and Canadian nationals were being evacuated aboard Royal Caribbean Cruises' Celebrity Reflection from the harbour in the Kingstown, capital of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. The ship was due to arrive Saturday in Dutch Sint Maarten. Dozens of foreigners toting luggage descended from tour buses and cars at the port terminal in Kingstown and patiently waited in a line that began in the parking lot and reached deep into the terminal. They included students from the Trinity School of Medicine along with stranded tourists, including families with young children in arms. “As of right now, we are being evacuated for our safety and to keep the island as safe as possible," said LLeah Ransai, a Canadian student at Trinity. "Between the school, the government and the embassies of the US and Canada, we’re being evacuated now.” The U.S. Embassy said those aboard would have to make their own travel arrangements home. It also noted in an official statement that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had recommended against travel on cruise ships because the chance of getting COVID-19 and said people who had been in close contact with suspected COVID-19 cases were barred from the trip. All aboard were supposed to have a negative rapid antigen test taken within 24 hours of boarding. Meanwhile, thousands of locals were stuck n emergency shelters with no idea when they might be able to return home. Levi Lewis, 58, a retired public servant from the town of Fancy, said the eruption had left him trying to get by with practically nothing. “I just reusing clothing cause i didn't walk with much," he said. "Plus water is an issue, so I’m trying to conserve it still.” “I want to go back home, or to whatever is left of it," he added. A few people, however, never left, defying evacuation orders. Raydon May, a bus conductor in his late 20s who stayed in Sandy Bay throughout the eruptions, said he had always planned to stay if the volcano erupted and was trying to protect properties in the community while making occasional trips outside the evacuation zone to pick up water and supplies. He said so much ash had fallen that the roofs of houses were collapsing under the weight. “One roof might get on like three truckloads of sand," he said. “We trying to help ... but we can’t help everybody.” Kristin Deane, The Associated Press

  • Gay Liberal MP calls on O'Toole to disavow Tory MP's remark suggesting he's 'unclean'

    OTTAWA — A gay Liberal MP is calling on Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole to disavow a remark by one of his caucus members that appeared to suggest he and other LGBTQ people are "unclean."Toronto MP Rob Oliphant was indignant Friday after Conservative MP Tamara Jansen responded to a highly personal speech he'd given on a bill to ban the discredited practice of conversion therapy.Oliphant, a United Church minister, argued that objections to the bill are rooted in the belief that "God made a mistake" when he created people like him and that they should change who they are. He quoted from the Bible to urge MPs to "do justice and to love kindness."Jansen responded with a Bible quote of her own: "Woe to you, teachers of law and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean."Oliphant retorted that people like him are not "unclean.""It is deeply offensive to to play Bible baseball like that ... It is offensive even to use that word in the context of this debate."In an interview later, Oliphant called on O'Toole to disavow Jansen's comments.Jansen later said she used the quote "in reference to hypocrisy.""I plan to reach out to Mr. Oliphant and apologize for the misunderstanding," she said in a statement.The furor erupted during final debate on Bill C-6, which would criminalize the practice of forcing children or adults to undergo therapy aimed at altering their sexual orientation or gender identity.Liberal, Bloc Quebecois, New Democrat and Green MPs all support the bill.But some Conservatives have expressed fears that the wording of the bill would outlaw conversations between parents and their children or prohibit young people struggling with their sexual identity from seeking religious or other counsel. O'Toole himself has suggested it needs to be amended and has given his caucus a free vote on the bill.Oliphant, who kicked off final debate on the bill for the government, said those fears are "tired and worn out" excuses for objecting to the ban on conversion therapy."The political rhetoric is they're trying to not sound like they are still living in the Stone Age, saying they are not against (banning) conversion therapy but just this bill," he told the Commons."It is time to talk truth in this place. If someone is against this bill, they are against me and against people like me. They are saying ultimately that we are less than they are, that somehow God made a mistake when God created us and that we should change who we are or at least consider changing who we are."Jansen countered with the story of "Charlotte," a young woman she's heard from whose parents had helped her find a counsellor when she decided she no longer wanted "to continue with her lesbian activity" and who now fears the bill would outlaw that kind of support.Edmonton Conservative MP Michael Cooper prefaced his speech by stressing that conversion therapy is "absurd, it is wrong and it is harmful" and should be banned.But he went on to argue that the bill's failure to precisely define conversion therapy means the ban could apply to voluntary counselling and "good faith" conversations between persons struggling with their sexual identity with medical professionals, parents and other family members, religious leaders and others.This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 16, 2021. Joan Bryden, The Canadian Press

  • Ontario police may be able to ‘interrogate anyone, anytime, anywhere’ with ‘excessive’ new COVID-19 powers, lawyer says

    New Ontario COVID-19 restrictions are giving police the power to stop and question people who are outside of their homes and ask for their address. The option to increase police powers is a bit alarming and dishevelling to Chris Rudnicki, a partner and legal counsel at Rusonik, O'Connor, Robbins, Ross, Gorham and Angelini, who admitted he's concerned there could be some overstepping by police and are constitutionally concerning.

  • Doctors make 'desperate' plea for Calgarians to follow COVID-19 rules as Calgary hospitals fill up

    Calgary's hospitals are filling up with COVID-19 patients once again as an unrelenting third wave — driven primarily by the B117 variant first identified in the U.K. — rages through Alberta. The number of COVID-19 patients in Calgary has jumped by 51 per cent in just over two weeks, from 112 on April 1 to 169 on Friday. At the start of the month, 28 people were in ICU, compared with 42 on Friday. COVID-19 wards are fully operational across the city. As of Thursday afternoon, roughly 128 of the 188 designated beds on these units were full. An additional 25 intensive care unit beds have been added to deal with the influx — bringing the total in Calgary's four adult hospitals to 91. With those surge beds, the city's ICUs were running at 80 per cent capacity as of Thursday. And health-care workers have — yet again — been redeployed to care for patients in those ICU surge beds and on the COVID wards. "I'd be lying if I said I wasn't tremendously frustrated," said Dr. Peter Jamieson, an associate medical director with Alberta Health Services, Calgary zone. "We all just desperately want this to be over.… And I think within the walls of the hospital, we all have those same kinds of feelings and frustrations." Many staff already reassigned to vaccination clinics Jamieson has been watching as the number of COVID-19 patients swells all over again. He says Calgary's hospitals have the capacity to expand further, and he's confident patients can be cared for. But, he warns, this will come at a cost. "In order to do that, we're at … significant risk of having to slow down other services to free up the staff in order to look after the COVID patients," he said. Surgeries and outpatient services may have to be put on hold yet again. And the third wave brings with it a new complication, according to Jamieson. Many of the workers who will be needed have already been redeployed to provide vaccinations. "So a big surge in COVID patients means that we may need to cut back on our usual services and it may lead to stresses in being able to deliver the other important COVID services like vaccinations." Dr. Daniel Niven is an intensive care physician at Peter Lougheed Centre and assistant professor in the Cumming School of Medicine at the University of Calgary.(Erin Brooke Burns) Patients younger, sicker A Calgary intensive care specialist, Dr. Daniel Niven, says there has been a steady increase in patients coming to the intensive care unit at the Peter Lougheed Centre over the past few weeks. "There's no doubt that there's been a rise and we're seeing more of these patients everyday," he said. "While we're still seeing patients that are 60 or 70 years of age with a few well controlled medical problems, we're seeing a number of younger patients who come in with no medical problems and then have severe COVID-19 and need to be placed on a ventilator for life-support." Patients also appear to be deteriorating more rapidly. "There seems to be a higher rate of younger people getting severely ill and getting severely ill very quickly," said Jamieson. He says young people can progress from having initial symptoms to critical illness — potentially requiring a ventilator — in just days. All this leaves Jamieson with a plea for Albertans. "For our health system to continue to deliver all the services that we want it to, we desperately need the public health measures to be effective, and we really, really need the people of Calgary and Alberta to hang in there and stick the landing on, hopefully, this last wave of public health measures."

  • More sun ahead after record-breaking April heat in B.C.

    British Columbians relishing the sunshine and warm weather over the past week can expect another few days of delight, according to Environment Canada, with more blue skies in the forecast. The weather agency said the "very high ridge" of pressure over the province is expected to stay in place over the next five to seven days. Inland temperatures in the Lower Mainland could reach up to 23 C over the weekend — well above seasonal averages of 14 C — with equally toasty temperatures elsewhere in B.C. Temperatures in B.C. Interior cities such as Kamloops, Merritt and Kelowna could reach up to 26 C over the weekend. "This ridge is pretty well covering the whole province right now. It's essentially blocking any of the moisture air coming in from the Pacific," said meteorologist Gregg Walters. "Everywhere is above normal for this time of year, as far as temperature is concerned." People enjoy the waterfront in downtown Kelowna Thursday. Temperatures in the city could hit 24 C this weekend.(Winston Szeto/CBC) Temperature records set A number of temperature records were shattered across B.C. on Thursday, including one that hadn't been broken in 95 years. Pemberton hit 26.4 C, breaking the record of 25 C set in 1926. The Powell River area reached 21.2 C, edging past the old record of 20 C from 1947. Squamish was a hot spot at 27 C. Sunscreen would be a good idea over the next few days, Walters said. "The UV index is getting up," he said. "The sun angle is about the same as it is at the end of August, so it's like summertime intensity for sunlight." A cyclist is pictured along the seawall in Vancouver on Monday.(Ben Nelms/CBC) Public health restrictions remain in place, even for those heading outside. Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said Thursday that outdoor gatherings with people outside of one's own household are discouraged — though outdoor gatherings with up to 10 people are currently allowed under B.C.'s health restrictions. "Even if we can see people outside of our household, we shouldn't. Outside is lower risk, it's not zero, but it's lower risk," she said. "If you're going to be in close contact, wear a mask, even if it is outside." Fire risk Fire dangers will also be higher, since April has been unusually dry. A brush fire broke out Thursday off Highway 1 in Chilliwack and quickly burned through bone-dry grass. A brush fire in Chilliwack, B.C., on Thursday burned quickly through dry grass after weeks of sunny weather across the province.(Shane Mackichan) The B.C. Wildfire Service told CBC fire fuel in Cariboo, Kamloops, Prince George and coastal areas have been incredibly dry and outflow winds could fan the flames. "Under conditions of low humidity and little precipitation, it will not take long for the grass to dry out and become flammable, especially in windy conditions," read a tweet from the service.

  • Vancouver police renew call for witnesses on 2nd anniversary of fatal Kitsilano shooting

    Vancouver police are again appealing for witnesses to come forward with any information they may have about a fatal shooting in Kitsilano that claimed the life of a man investigators said had no clear ties to crime or gangs. "As today marks two years to the date of the death of Mr. Kumar, investigators are hoping to acquire more leads to help solve the murder and bring closure to Mr. Kumar's family," Const. Tania Visintin wrote in a statement Friday. On Apr. 16, 2019, Vancouver resident Manoj Kumar was found shot near the corner of Burrard Street and 4th Avenue just after 8:30 p.m., PT. A statement released shortly after the shooting death said the 30-year-old died at the scene, and any suspects were gone by the time police arrived. On Friday, investigators released another photo and video of the suspects, hoping someone can help move the investigation forward. "Investigators believe there are people in the community who know who is responsible for this homicide. We encourage those with knowledge of the suspects to come forward," said Visintin. Anyone with information is asked to call police at 604-717-2500, or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477.

  • Alberta's Kenney sowing distrust with misleading COVID-19 anecdotes, statements: NDP

    EDMONTON — Alberta’s Opposition says Premier Jason Kenney is sowing distrust by recounting misleading anecdotes to illustrate COVID-19 policy decisions. “I think this is about trust. I think this is about telling the truth,” NDP critic Sarah Hoffman said Friday. “I think we’ve seen many examples where the premier tries to bolster his own narrative. “This is a trend of being dishonest, and I think it really does call into question what trust and confidence we can have in the things the premier says and does.” Hoffman’s comments came a day after Kenney’s office confirmed the United Conservative premier “misspoke” when he used an anecdote about a super-spreader birthday party in Athabasca as a key driver of recent soaring COVID-19 rates in the town north of Edmonton. Kenney used the party as an example of how super-spreaders are not necessarily driven by in-school transmission but by social gatherings. "Apparently the virus had a 100 per cent attack rate at that birthday party. All of the kids who came to that birthday party got sick,'' Kenney said Monday. He repeated the same information at a news conference again Tuesday. An official with Alberta Health later said there was no data to suggest there had been an outbreak from a children's party in the community. Athabasca Mayor Colleen Powell said the publicity the community of 13,000 people has received since the premier's comments is not the kind it wants. "Why are you saying these things when you don't know?" Powell asked in an interview. "I had a couple of people get in touch with me (asking) who held the party. News spreads like wildfire." Just over 100 people, including students and a dozen staff, from three different schools in Athabasca tested positive for COVID-19 and its variants. Kenney’s spokesperson, Jerrica Goodwin, responded Friday in a short statement. “The premier was using the very real example to illustrate a point of the serious nature of COVID-19 and ease of transmission. As we've acknowledged, he misspoke on the specific location,” said Goodwin. “All the NDP's ridiculous criticism shows is that they can only attack and criticize.” Kenney has used anecdotes before to illustrate the rationale for COVID-19 policy decisions taken by his government. In late November, he cited an impromptu encounter with a food court kiosk owner — a refugee from Venezuela — as an example of the devastating impacts that COVID-19 health restrictions can have on businesses. “She came up to me, and she broke down in tears in front of me saying, 'Sir, I put my entire life savings as a refugee into this business. We're struggling to pay the bills. If you shut me down, I'm going to lose it all, everything, and I'll be in abject poverty,’” Kenney recounted at the time. When reached later by a reporter, the owner, Carolina De La Torre, said Kenney accurately recounted her core concerns of balancing health and the economy. But she dismissed the colourful drama, saying she did not cry and did not approach him, rather it was Kenney who approached her. Earlier this week, the premier came under criticism for challenging a radio host for saying Kenney once downplayed COVID-19 as the flu, telling the host he had never done so. Hansard, the official record of house debate, recorded Kenney calling the virus “influenza” multiple times during debate on May 27, 2020. In late February, just before Kenney’s government released its first COVID-era budget, he announced that due to oil and gas revenues the revised forecast deficit for the 2020 fiscal year would be about $14 billion — a third lower than expected. Treasury officials refused reporter requests to confirm the accuracy of that figure and, two days later, the budget revealed the 2020 deficit forecast was $20 billion. This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 16, 2021. — With files from Fakiha Baig in Edmonton Dean Bennett, The Canadian Press

  • Ontario enters harder lockdown, police get more powers as COVID cases soar

    TORONTO/OTTAWA (Reuters) -The Canadian province of Ontario expanded and extended a stay at home order on Friday and said police will be given new powers to stop and question people who leave home as expert advisors warned that new cases of COVID-19 will continue to soar, overwhelming hospitals. Ontario also announced restrictions on non-essential travel from neighbouring provinces starting Monday and said non-essential construction, including building projects at malls, hotels and office towers will shut down as of Saturday to deal with a raging third wave. "The reality is there are few options left," said Premier Doug Ford.