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  • Seniors now able to book COVID-19 shots in two provinces, with more on the way

    Tens of thousands of seniors in the Prairies secured appointments to receive COVID-19 vaccines Wednesday as officials in the two provinces hardest hit by the pandemic laid out their own plans for inoculating older residents. The launch of vaccine reservations in Alberta saw some 20,000 slots filled as of early Wednesday afternoon, just hours after the province opened up bookings to those born in 1946 or earlier, public health officials said. But the process was not without hiccups as many hoping to book shots for elderly relatives reported difficulties accessing the government's website and phone line. Kim Fandrick, who sought to make appointments for her parents, said she logged on to the government portal at 8 a.m. only to have it crash. Later attempts saw her kicked off the site before she could submit the forms. Fandrick, who lives with her parents in a rural area south of Edmonton, also tried the 811 health line and got a busy signal. In the end, she managed to reserve shots for both of them, but at different times, requiring four separate trips to the city so her parents can each get two doses. "It's just disappointing that I couldn't book both of them at the same time," she said. The provincial health agency said more staff were brought in to manage the surge in calls to 811, but Alberta's top public health doctor has advised people to be patient, noting there are 230,000 people in the eligible age group. Appointments were also made available Wednesday to Manitobans over the age of 95, or over 75 for First Nations individuals, as the province began to roll out vaccines to the general population. So far, only those in designated groups such as health-care workers had access to the shots. In Quebec, one of the two provinces most affected by COVID-19, officials said residents born in 1936 or earlier would be able to reserve vaccinations starting Thursday. The Montreal region is a priority, they said. The move comes as the province, which has so far focused its vaccine campaign on seniors' homes, seeks to inoculate as many residents 70 or older in an effort to protect them against dangerous new variants of the virus. "This vaccination of the most vulnerable population is going to help us protect them from the most severe form of the disease," said Dr. Mylene Drouin, who heads Montreal's public health department. Ontario also laid out its timeline for vaccinating older residents on Wednesday, announcing that a booking system similar to Alberta's would be made available March 15 for those 80 and older, and opened up to younger seniors in the weeks and months after. Health officials stressed, however, that the timeline largely depends on the province's supply of vaccines. The head of the province's vaccination task force, retired Gen. Rick Hiller, said those 75 and older should start getting immunized mid-April, and those 70 and older at the start of May. Ontarians 65 and over will be next in June, and those 60 and older will start getting shots the following month. Moderna, one of two drugmakers with a COVID-19 vaccine currently approved for use in Canada, confirmed Wednesday it will ship 1.3 million doses to Canada next month. The shipments will fulfil the company's contract to ship two million doses by the end of March. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also said 1.5 million doses of the vaccine made by Pfizer-BioNTech would delivered in the first two weeks of April. Pfizer is shipping 2.2 million doses in March. Meanwhile, the National Association of Friendship Centres called on Ottawa to co-ordinate a vaccine rollout for Indigenous people living in urban communities, as it is doing in collaboration with First Nations and Inuit governments for those on reserves. The organization's executive director, Jocelyn Formsma, called on the federal government to consider doling out doses to clinics serving Indigenous people in urban areas, rather than waiting for the provinces to do it. She said more than 50 clinics run by her organization could administer the shots. But Indigenous Services Minister Marc Miller said the distribution of vaccines to Indigenous people outside of reserves will be faster and more efficient if done through the provinces. At the same time, active cases of the virus in First Nations communities are going down across Canada, the minister said. He reported 1,443 active cases on reserves as of Tuesday, adding vaccinations have begun in 440 Indigenous communities. Surging cases prompted officials in the Nunavut community of Arviat to declare a state of emergency Wednesday, and impose a curfew from 10 p.m. to 6 p.m. effective immediately. There are currently 27 active cases in the community of about 2,800 people, which was previously the centre of Nunavut's largest COVID-19 outbreak. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 24, 2021. Paola Loriggio, The Canadian Press

  • COVID-19 quarantine screening officer charged with extortion, sexual assault

    TORONTO — A quarantine screening officer who allegedly demanded cash from a woman before sexually assaulting her at her home faces related charges, police said on Wednesday.The accused had been trained by the Public Health Agency of Canada as a designated screening officer under the Quarantine Act, Halton regional police said. According to a police statement, the accused was doing a quarantine compliance check at a home in Oakville, Ont., on Feb. 18."The accused informed the victim that they were in violation of the quarantine order and demanded that a fine be paid in cash," police alleged. "When the victim declined to pay, she was sexually assaulted by the accused."Police said they arrested a man they identified only as Hemant, 27, of Hamilton, on Tuesday. He has been charged with sexual assault and extortion. The Public Health Agency of Canada said it was "very disturbed" by the alleged events and was co-operating with investigators.Police refused to disclose the name of the security company that employs the man, but said he had been suspended.The Public Health Agency said it had awarded contracts last month to four companies to conduct in-person compliance visits. Agency spokesman Eric Morrissette said trained and designated screening officers working under these contracts began in-person compliance visits on Jan. 29 in Montreal and Toronto. The national rollout began on Feb. 15 he said. "Close to 30,000 compliance verification visits have been done so far," Morrissette said.Everyone entering Canada must isolate for 14 days. Designated screening officers visit quarantine locations to confirm people are where they said they would be on arrival in the country. Failure to comply can result in fines.However, screening officers are not police officers and have no authority to issue a ticket or arrest anyone. As a result, they should never be demanding payment during a quarantine-compliance check.To be designated, officers must be licensed security guards and have had a valid police background check. Training comprises online self-study courses related to the Quarantine Act and their duties and responsibilities. They must also pass an exam.The Public Health Agency listed the four companies under contract as the Canadian Corps of Commissionaires, G4S Secure Solutions (Canada) Ltd., Garda Canada Security Corporation (GardaWorld), and Paladin Risk Solutions.The investigation announced Wednesday was prompted by a complaint from the alleged victim, said Const. Steve Elms, a police spokesman, who had no other details. Elms said the accused is on bail pending a court appearance March 23 and apparently goes only by one name.Police said other people might have been victimized and urged anyone who might have had a similar experience to contact their local police.Issues have previously arisen with quarantine guards. Last year, private security contractors at a quarantine hotel in Melbourne, Australia, were accused of sleeping with guests, the Herald Sun reported.This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 24, 2021. Colin Perkel, The Canadian Press

  • Canada heralds first COVAX vaccine in Africa; NDP criticizes Canada for using program

    OTTAWA — International Development Minister Karina Gould says the first injection of a COVID-19 vaccine in Ghana is a significant milestone for a new global vaccine-sharing program created to bring doses to low-income countries. "This is the first time in history that such a mechanism has been created. And we've been huge supporters and champions of it," Gould said Wednesday in an interview. But the NDP wants the House of Commons to censure the Canadian government for being the only G7 country to accept doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine through the program, known as COVAX, later this year. Some 600,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine arrived in the West African country of Ghana on Wednesday, months after the rollout of vaccines in Canada and the rest of the developed world, which has underscored the inequity COVAX was seeking to avoid. COVAX was founded last year with the backing of the World Health Organization to bring vaccines to countries that can't afford them, and rich countries that have invested heavily in the program, such as Canada, are entitled to doses for their own domestic use. NDP development critic Heather McPherson said Canada's decision to exercise its legal right to the COVAX doses highlights the fact the Liberal government has failed to guarantee enough of a domestic supply of vaccines. McPherson said she will be pushing the Commons committee on foreign affairs and international development to allow her party's motion to be debated and voted on in the full Parliament. "When rich countries who have already ordered 10 times more vaccines than they need start taking that supply, we know what the result is going to be,” said McPherson. "We're going to be vaccinating healthy Canadians, well before the most vulnerable around the world." Canada has pledged $220 million to COVAX and another $940 million to the ACT Accelerator, which tries to ensure low- and middle-income countries have equitable access to medical treatments during the pandemic. But the government has also faced shortfalls in deliveries from the two major foreign biotech firms that it has secured orders with — Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech. The AstraZeneca vaccine is still awaiting approval from Health Canada. That has opened the government to criticism from opposition parties and others who argue Canada's lack of a domestic vaccine industry should have pushed the Liberals to do more. The NDP motion states that "due to failures by the government to ensure adequate supply of vaccines for Canadians through national manufacturing and international procurement, Canada is the only G7 country accessing vaccines through COVAX, an initiative intended to provide vaccines to high risk individuals in low and middle income countries." The motion goes on to say that the government's failure to secure an adequate vaccine supply for domestic use "makes Canadians more vulnerable to dangerous variants and extends the detrimental global economic impacts of COVID-19 by delaying vaccinations to high-risk people in poor countries." Gould said that while she respects McPherson, who had a long career in international development before becoming an MP in 2019, she rejects the criticism inherent in the motion. "She's very well versed in development issues and has a great background in this, but she is misframing," said Gould. "COVAX was intentionally designed to have the buy-in from wealthier countries, both to try to ensure that there's equitable access, but also to increase the purchasing power of COVAX." McPherson said none of that changes the fact that Canada has "dropped the ball" on domestic vaccine production while pre-purchasing enough doses to vaccinate the domestic population many times over. "But none of them are coming as fast as we'd like," she said. "It's really not even my NDP hat. It's my international development hat. This is my pre-life that's compelling me." This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 24, 2021. Mike Blanchfield, The Canadian Press

  • Carlow Mayo Public Library spurs interest in its new books

    The Carlow Mayo Public Library has a great new initiative on its Facebook page. Lori Cooper Padgett, who is a library technician at the library, has been posting synopses of some of the library’s new book offerings, so their patrons can get a better idea of what the library has in stock while it is still only doing curbside pickup due to COVID-19. This allows patrons to discover the library’s new books and perhaps even find a new favourite author. Carrie McKenzie is the CEO and head librarian of the Carlow Mayo Public Library, and says that Cooper Padgett came up with the idea to choose works from the library to write synopses about. “We are struggling to get patrons to use the library since we are only allowed to open curbside because we are in the school [Hermon Public School]. It’s really hard to pick a book of interest if you can’t browse the shelves anymore,” she says. McKenzie says that Cooper Padgett thought of a way to offer a chance to learn about the materials they have waiting to be explored by doing the synopses. She says that some of the materials chosen even get patron replies, along the lines of they enjoyed the book or they can’t wait to try it. “We are doing everything we can in these times to offer the best we can for our patrons,” she says. Cooper Padgett says it’s difficult for their patrons to choose materials that might be new to them, especially since they are only offering curbside pickup at this time. “Many that are still using the library during our curbside situation tend to rely on taking out books by authors they’re familiar with. So, I decided to randomly take a book off the shelf and provide a synopsis of it, along with a link to the author’s website, to hopefully provide more options to our patrons and maybe get them interested in an author or genre they haven’t previously explored,” she says. So far, Cooper Padgett has posted synopses on books like Jim Carrey’s Memoirs and Misinformation, Ethan Lou’s Field Notes from a Pandemic, Sebastian Faulks’ Where My Heart Used to Beat and Denise Mina’s The Red Road. She is planning on posting them on an ongoing basis and will aim to do two books a week. She says she is currently selecting the books she writes about, but once McKenzie gets back from her maternity leave in March, she may also select some of the books and help write some of the synopses. So far, her synopses have been seen by over 100 people on Facebook, and have gotten several likes and comments. “Either way, we’ll be sure to keep sharing our great books. I’ve just started recently so the books I’ve reviewed haven’t been checked out yet, but people are definitely seeing our Facebook posts,” she says. “I know not every post will appeal to our Facebook audience but even if one or two do, then we’ve succeeded.” Michael Riley, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Bancroft Times

  • Government to reconsider child-care situation for essential workers if 'circuit breaker' extends

    (Sofia Rodriguez/CBC - image credit) The Department of Education and Early Childhood Development says it will consider other solutions to a conundrum facing many essential workers if the province's COVID-19 outbreak isn't tamed soon. The St. John's metro region moved into "circuit breaker" restrictions on Feb. 10 amid an outbreak, which was followed two days later by the entire province moving back into an Alert Level 5 lockdown. That meant schools switched to online learning and essential workers were left scrambling to find a place for their kids to stay during the day. The solution proposed last week was to allow those children to attend child-care centres — but there is no obligation on the part of those centres to help the kids with their online schooling. "These child-care services can choose to do so if they believe they can accommodate it," reads a statement from the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development. "In some cases this may not be practical, as services may have children from various grades and from different schools." This left some essential workers with tough choices. One nurse who spoke to CBC News said she pulled her son out of daycare and switched to night shifts so she could help him with schoolwork during the day. She was worried about finding time to sleep. Child-care centres operators also recognize the situation is not ideal, and have expressed concern in letters to Education Minister Tom Osborne. Some suggested children would be better off if they could go to school and attend classes in person. "We all understand the essential workers' cries they have to work because we are ourselves are essential workers," reads one letter obtained by CBC News. "If they can safely come to child-care centres, why can't they safely go to school?" That potential solution poses its own set of problems. Teachers have been working from home since the province went to Alert Level 5, and are teaching classes using tools like Google Classroom. The Department of Education and Early Childhood Development amended its policies to allow school-age children to attend child-care centres for the entire day. The Newfoundland and Labrador Teachers' Association declined comment for this story, but raised concerns two weeks ago about having teachers in classrooms and not working from home. The Association for Early Childhood Educators of Newfoundland and Labrador, meanwhile, says there are many logistical problems when it comes to running virtual classrooms at childcare centres. The biggest problem is that a centre could have as many as 15 school-age children at one time, and have one staff member left to handle their school schedules and troubleshoot technical problems. Other concerns include privacy issues, not having wireless internet access for guests, and not having quiet spaces for kids to do schoolwork. Dr. Janice Fitzgerald, the province's chief medical officer of health, is expected to provide an update on the circuit breaker on Friday. Read more from CBC Newfoundland and Labrador

  • Protest over Magnetawan First Nation election delay planned for Thursday

    A protest march is set to be held on Magnetawan First Nation north of Parry Sound Thursday morning by residents who are upset that the election for chief and council has been delayed for six months due to COVID-19. In a letter, protest spokesperson Lloyd Noganosh stated that the protest is being staged against the chief and council for passing a Band Council Resolution that postpones the territory’s regular leadership elections on April 26, 2021 to at least Oct. 23, 2021. “The chief and council are using a blanket provision provided by Indigenous Services Canada which should only be utilized ‘if the extension is necessary to prevent, mitigate or control the spread of diseases on the reserve,’ which in this case they are referring to COVID-19,” Noganosh said in his letter. “However, the members of Magnetawan First Nation adamantly state that it is not necessary to postpone our elections as there are no active cases of COVID-19 nor is there a pandemic existing on our First Nation.” Magnetawan First Nation was voluntarily locked down last December after nine residents on the territory contracted the coronavirus — a stunning number for a community of only about 110 residents. Those nine people all self-isolated and have since recovered. In an interview last week, Chief William Diabo said he and the two councillors were in agreement that the safest course of action was to delay the election. He insisted it was not a power grab and that he was doing it with the health, safety and best interests of his members in mind. The chief said the high rate of infection on the territory less than two months ago and concerns over future COVID spread were the motivating factors in pushing the election. But Noganosh made it clear in his letter, he’s simply not buying that explanation. “The members know that this leadership is only utilizing this provision to further extend their tenure in office for at least another six months and possibly longer,” he stated. “All of our staff that work out of our administration and health centre are back working using safety protocols, our Tim Hortons and Esso Station is open to the public … therefore, it is not necessary to postpone our leadership elections and voting process.” Another Magnetawan First Nation resident and Lloyd's brother, Willard Noganosh, said that there are two other issues at play in this dispute. “One is that the chief claims he has approval to delay the election from Indigenous Services Canada. We’d like to see a letter from Indigenous Services Minister Marc Miller confirming that,” Noganosh said. The other problem, according to Noganosh, is that the chief and one of the two band councillors do not live on the territory full time. He said the chief maintains a residence in Toronto while Coun. Rose Cardinal lives at least part time in Barrie. “We would be better served if our chief and our councillors lived on our territory regularly,” he said. The protest march is scheduled for this Thursday morning, Feb. 25, beginning at 10:30 a.m. at the end of the First Nation’s main road and will end at the administration building where the chief and council work. Demonstrators are expected to wear masks and stay at least two metres away from other protesters. John McFadden is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter covering Indigenous issues for MuskokaRegion.com, ParrySound.com and Simcoe.com. His reporting is funded by the Canadian government through its Local Journalism Initiative. John McFadden, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Orillia Today

  • Nouvelles initiatives psychoéducatives pour aider les proches aidants

    Depuis le début de la pandémie, de nombreux travailleurs de la santé ont été délestés de leur branche habituelle pour être assignés à de nouvelles tâches. Les psychoéducateurs du Centre intégré de santé et de services sociaux (CISSS) de Laval y font exception et ont continué d’œuvrer dans l’ombre. Le travail de ceux-ci est d’évaluer le comportement des usagers qui présentent un trouble neurocognitif majeur, tel que la maladie de l’Alzheimer, et tenter de leur créer un «filet de sécurité» pour leur bien-être. Ils aident également les proches aidants de ces personnes qui peuvent trouver la situation encore plus difficile dans le contexte actuel de pandémie de la COVID-19. «Du jour au lendemain, les usagers n’ont plus accès à certains services de répit, mentionne Natacha Aubé, psychoéducatrice au Programme régional ambulatoire de gériatrie du CISSS de Laval. Ils se retrouvent à la maison 24 heures sur 24 avec leur conjoint. Ça ne parait pas gros, mais ce moment leur permettait de se vider la tête et de penser à autre chose.» L’équipe de psychoéducateurs du CISSS de Laval a ainsi mis en place différentes initiatives pour permettre aux usagers et proches aidants de s’en sortir malgré les nouvelles réalités de la pandémie. «On a beaucoup travailler sur l’enseignement par rapport à la maladie et l’évolution de celle-ci en compagnie des proches aidants, poursuit Mme Aubé. On avait déjà commencé à travailler sur une collection de dépliants qui présentait différents comportements.» Celle-ci permet de mieux comprendre les causes possibles d’un comportement, tout en suggérant des pistes d’intervention et stratégies de base à essayer avec l’usager. Ces dépliants sont disponibles, que ce soit en version électronique ou papier. Les psychoéducateurs lavallois ont aussi travaillé sur la création d’une banque d’activités occupationnelles pour les usagers. «Les routines peuvent être sécurisantes dans une période où tout est insécure en raison de la COVID-19, précise Natacha Aubé. On a envoyé la banque aux familles pour qu’elles puissent les divertir et les stimuler. Par exemple, si quelqu’un aime les activités physiques, une liste d’exercices en capsules sur YouTube est proposée.» En plus de ses nouvelles initiatives, l’équipe de psychoéducateurs du CISSS de Laval continue de faire des suivis réguliers auprès des familles pour s’assurer d’être informée des derniers développements. Un programme de formation pour les proches-aidants a aussi été mis en place pour les usagers qui reçoivent un diagnostic de trouble neurocognitif. À l’inverse des groupes de soutiens déjà existants, celui-ci porte davantage sur ce qu’est la maladie et les outils à la disposition des proches-aidants. «Certains vont recevoir un diagnostic sans nécessairement vivre déjà les comportements, donc les famille préfèrent attendre avant de suivre la formation offerte par le CISSS de Laval, note la psychoéducatrice. Nous proposons donc plutôt quatre rencontres de deux heures dans lesquelles on repasse les dépliants offerts et on les oriente vers différentes ressources.» Celles-ci se déroulent désormais via une plateforme virtuelle en raison de la pandémie. Par ailleurs, elle profite des Journées de la psychoéducation, qui se déroulent les 24 et 25 février, pour rappeler de ne pas hésiter à demander de l’aide aux ressources appropriées. «Il y a souvent une petite résistance à demander de l’aide à cause de la peur d’être relocalisé, mais nous travaillons plutôt pour assurer le maintien à domicile le plus longtemps possible, conclut Mme Aubé. Certains sont tellement résistants qu’ils atteignent un point de fatigue par la suite. Avant d’être rendu là, il faut accepter de l’aide.» Nicholas Pereira, Initiative de journalisme local, Courrier Laval

  • Des parents se questionnent-Présence des jeunes à mi-temps au secondaire à la PDN

    Plusieurs parents d’élèves de troisième, quatrième et cinquième années du secondaire de la polyvalente La Porte-du-Nord (PDN) à Chibougamau se disent inquiets au sujet de l’enseignement à mi-temps au secondaire. Ils se questionnent aussi sur le moment du retour en classe en temps complet puisque, selon les autorités, la situation dans la région est stable. Comme dans toutes les écoles du Québec, les étudiants du dernier cycle du secondaire de la PDN ne vont à l’école qu’un jour sur deux. Sans vouloir minimiser toutes les difficultés et les problèmes qui sont engendrés par la pandémie, une mère inquiète a fait parvenir une lettre à la direction de la PDN. Julie Laberge s’explique mal pourquoi, avec la situation que connait notre région et les diverses communications de la santé publique mentionnant que la situation est stable, les étudiants ne peuvent retourner en classe de façon permanente. Après bientôt un an de pandémie qui a grandement bouleversé la vie des étudiants, cette mère de famille pense qu’il est temps de prendre action. Elle constate aussi que l’enseignement à distance a certaines limites. Elle voit également que l’intérêt et la motivation des jeunes sont en baisse, sans compter qu’il y a des enjeux de réussite scolaire pour certains d’entre eux. Selon elle, malgré les diverses interventions mises en place en classe, elle ne croit pas que la situation va s’améliorer en poursuivant comme c’est le cas présentement. Ces parents sont convaincus que, dans l’intérêt des jeunes et pour leur santé, il faut agir rapidement pour qu’ils puissent reprendre leurs études en présentiel à temps complet dans les délais les plus brefs. Il faut noter que, malgré les changements de palier de rouge à orange pour la région Nord-du-Québec et certains allègements qui ont été accordés, aucune modification n’a été faite au niveau de l’enseignement dans notre région. René Martel, Initiative de journalisme local, La Sentinelle

  • More flight cuts mean greater uncertainty for tourism industry, says airport CEO

    (CBC - image credit) The CEO of the St. John's International Airport says the loss of WestJet's St. John's-to-Halifax route is "depressing" and won't help Newfoundland and Labrador's tourism industry rebound this year. The route cut, which comes into effect March 21, will suspend the three weekly flights between the cities until at least June 24 — and with them, says Peter Avery, will go a sizable chunk of a provincial industry that has been battered since last March. "A lot of airline staff have been let go, airport authority staff have also been laid off," said Avery. "So for those that are still hanging on it's pretty grim." Since early 2020 and the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, air travel has been one of the hardest-hit sectors of the provincial economy, and Avery said the downward trend is set to continue. "Our numbers in January were down 83 per cent over January of 2019," said Avery. "We're only about 20 per cent of the traffic levels where we normally are at." Though the airport authority has cut its operating costs by over 20 per cent, he said, there are some expenses and services them remain necessary, forcing the airport to be creative in saving where they can. "You still have to snow-clear runways and keep the lights on and keep functioning for basic essential services for the province, like medevac and essential cargo," said Avery. "We've closed areas of the terminal building, we changed our snow-clearing regimen, and closed non-essential areas for snow clearing, and even closed runways to try to cut down on our costs." Hotels already feeling the pinch Greg Ivany, general manager of the Holiday Inn Express & Suites near the St. John's airport, expects to see a drop-off in hotel stays with the suspension of the WestJet flights. "It's hard to say right now exactly what impact it will have on us as an individual business, but with the tourism industry and travel industry as a whole, for the province it's a huge blow to have a supplier completely pull out for air access." It's another blow for hotel operations, said Ivany, adding the cancellation could have wide-reaching effects across the province by limiting the options for essential travel. "We're mostly seeing essential [travellers], so essential people coming in for medical appointments or, essential corporate for offshore or within Newfoundland itself," said Ivany. "But we have a lot of clients coming from Labrador for medical appointments." Tourism industry set for another difficult year While the airport authority has been able to buoy itself through operational cuts, Avery said they need to begin looking for alternative measures to bolster both the air travel and tourism industries. They'd like to see public health officials lower barriers but increase precautions. "For countries and regions like ours that rely so much on the tourist season, you're seeing a big move towards point-of-entry testing." Avery said that extra layer of precaution could salvage the coming tourism season, but the tentative date of June 24 for the return of the WestJet routes is later than he'd like. Avery says the airport would like to see lowered barriers but increased precautions to bolster the industry. "A lot of our tourism industry won't survive with a year like last year," said Avery. "What's going to make things turn around and make airlines change their decisions … is going to be the relaxation of our quarantine on our travel restriction measures." As things are going now, said Avery, 2021 will not be a good year for the airport authority, or tourism in general. "In December when we did our operating budget, we had projected that 2021 would be even worse than 2020. Our revenues were down 60 per cent in 2020, our traffic was down 75 per cent. We predicted our revenues would be down 65 per cent in 2021, and traffic would be down 80 per cent." And, Avery noted, those predictions assumed a still-functioning Atlantic bubble, which hasn't been in effect for months. While he acknowledged the province's comparatively rigid containment measures has successfully kept outbreaks at bay, Avery sees the arrival of a new COVID variant as evidence that the status quo may no longer be enough. "What we really need now is to see measures change through point of entry testing, and even point-of-departure testing, to complement quarantine and hopefully reduce it over time, because that will stimulate demand." I fear that you will see some of the smaller businesses end up having to close down, because there's a lack of vision for how long this is going to last. - Greg Ivany Between the lack of business and the heightened regulations needed to maintain the industry through the pandemic, Ivany said, many business owners are wondering how much longer they can sustain the added pressure. "That's the question of the hour," he said. "Right now we're struggling as an industry, and as an individual business, we're struggling." While subsidies from the federal government have helped businesses like the Holiday Inn stay afloat through the worst of the pandemic, Ivany worries that there's no long-term plan. "Should this go on much longer, I fear that you will see some of the smaller businesses end up having to close down, because there's a lack of vision for how long this is going to last," Ivany said. "And right now there are no long-term relief efforts." Read more from CBC Newfoundland and Labrador

  • Newfoundland and Labrador reports fifth COVID-19-related death, eight new cases

    ST. JOHN'S, N.L. — A man over the age of 70 is the fifth person to die in Newfoundland and Labrador because of COVID-19, health officials said Wednesday. Chief medical officer of health Dr. Janice Fitzgerald announced his death during an emotional public health briefing. While reminding residents that someday the pandemic will be over, Fitzgerald teared up and had to take a moment before she could continue. "One day we will be able to gather together and hug our friends and family," she said, her voice breaking. "Hold fast, Newfoundland and Labrador." Fitzgerald reported eight new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday, all in the eastern health region of the province, which includes the capital, St. John's — where an outbreak began several weeks ago. Officials have said the outbreak was caused by the B.1.1.7 variant, which was first detected in the United Kingdom. Despite low case numbers over the past few days, Newfoundland and Labrador remains under lockdown and Fitzgerald said residents must stay on guard. There are 345 active reported infections in the province and six people are in hospital with the disease, she said. Health Minister John Haggie confirmed that two patients of a St. John's hospital have been diagnosed with COVID-19, adding that it's not clear how they contracted the virus. "There is no outbreak," he said about the hospital. Haggie said health officials expect regular shipments from Pfizer to resume, including weekly shipments of 6,000 doses. He said the second and third phase of the province's vaccination plan will be released Friday, adding that officials are ready to ramp up vaccinations as soon as they have enough of the vaccine to do it. Pfizer, he said, has also promised an extra 80,000 doses in March and another 249,000 doses by the end of May. "Those last two quantities, we have not seen hide nor hair of as yet," Haggie told reporters. "But given the comments on the national scale, we're hopeful and optimistic that we may see some or all of that, in which case we have a plan to ramp up vaccination." This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 24, 2021. The Canadian Press

  • Presidential envoy John Kerry, Canada's Wilkinson discuss shared climate priorities

    WASHINGTON — The spirit of cross-border co-operation is lingering as Canada's environment minister talks climate change priorities with presidential envoy John Kerry. Jonathan Wilkinson says he expects Canada and the United States to push each other to reach more ambitious climate targets as they work together over the next few months. Today's conversation follows a virtual meeting Tuesday between Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and President Joe Biden. The two leaders vowed to move "in lockstep" in a shared North American effort to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions. Biden says their overall shared goal is to reach net-zero emissions by 2050. Wilkinson says Canada hopes to set a new target for emissions cuts by 2030 — somewhere between 31 and 40 per cent of 2005 levels — before Biden's April 22 climate summit. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 24, 2021. The Canadian Press

  • Online reservations for thousands of B.C. campsites set to open on March 8

    VICTORIA — Camping enthusiasts in British Columbia will be able to book summer campsites in parks across the province starting March 8. The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy says in a statement Discover Camping, the online reservation system, will allow campers to book sites up to two months in advance. Thousands of sites are available, including access to a new, fully serviced 90-site campground that opens this spring in Manning Park, east of Vancouver. B.C.'s roughly 1,000 provincial parks receive more than 23 million visits every year and the ministry statement says this year's camping season is expected to be busy. Those seeking a site are urged to have a backup location planned if their first choice is taken and campers must also ensure they meet all provincial public health regulations regarding size limits for gatherings. When the pandemic hit last spring, camping reservations were delayed until May and the booking system crashed within minutes of launch as more than 50,000 people attempted to log on. The government says B.C. residents will have priority access to campsites until July 8, when residents from other provinces can sign into www.discovercamping.ca. George Heyman, Minister of Environment and Climate Change Strategy, says access to provincial parks has never been as important as it is now. "We are all looking forward to another summer of camping and outdoor recreation in B.C., and while public health concerns and advice remain, we are asking people to pick a campground as close to home as possible to avoid long road trips and non-essential travel," he says in the statement. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 24, 2021. The Canadian Press

  • 3rd man charged with 2nd-degree murder in Regina homicide

    (Bryan Eneas/CBC - image credit) A third Regina man has now been charged with second-degree murder in the city's third homicide of 2021. Jordan Ivan Cyr, 32, is now charged along with Charles Wayne Taypotat and Richard Crane in the killing of 32-year-old Justin Robert Delorme, Regina police said Wednesday. The three men are accused of killing Delorme in an incident over the weekend. Around 6:30 a.m Sunday, police found Delorme injured in a house on the 1000 block of Garnet Street. He was taken to hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Police also found a second man, who had been shot, at the same house. Both Crane and Cyr have also been charged with attempted murder using a gun in connection with that shooting. All three men accused have now made their first court appearances on the charges.

  • Saskatchewan records 56 new COVID-19 cases, lowest in months

    REGINA — Saskatchewan is reporting 56 new cases of COVID-19 — one of its lowest daily counts in months. Data collected by the Ministry of Health shows the last time the province dipped below 60 new daily infections was in November. Health officials say the seven-day average for new daily cases is 146. The province has also reported that another three residents who were 60 and older have died from the virus. There are 165 people in hospital, with 17 patients receiving intensive care. To date, the province says it has given about 63,000 vaccinations. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 24, 2021 The Canadian Press

  • Holyrood joins the Grand Concourse

    Holyrood council has voted to become a member of the Grand Concourse Authority. Council hopes that membership will help trail development in the community. “The purpose of the Grand Concourse is to foster, promote, and enable the design, development , and operation by or for the members of an integrated network of walkways, amenities, and land owned or occupied by the members,” said councillor Kim Ghaney during the February 9 meeting. The benefits include access to trailway standards and maintenance planning, which Ghaney said will lead to credibility in trail planning and increase the likelihood of success in getting grants “And, as Deputy Mayor (Curtis) Buckle likes to say, it’s always better to get funding for these infrastructure pieces of work. It reduces the burden on the community, so we’re always looking for funding for that purpose,” said Ghaney. “We recognise that trail development has been a gap in our outdoor recreation offered in the town, and we look forward to the creation of new trails in our area, and by doing it in the right way, by adhering to the best practices and good standards outlined by the Grand Concourse Association.” Councillor Roger Myette assured residents the membership will not mean that ATV users will be booted from the T’railway. “This is by no means taking the T’railway and turning it into a walking path,” said Myette. “Because when people hear Grand Concourse, they think right away of CBS, when they came in and removed all motorized vehicles from that trail. This is not that intent of what we have. This is to help us with the other trails we have around the community, and to increase this trail as well. But, so far as we know, as of right now, it will still be motorized, there is no intent of taking motorized vehicles off the T’railway.” Ghaney agreed that it was a “great point,” and noted that any such changes would not happen without public consultation. Council voted unanimously to approve the membership. The Grand Concourse Authority is a non-profit, member-based charitable organization. It’s board of directors includes representatives from CBS, Paradise, Mount Pearl, and St. John’s. Mark Squibb, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Shoreline News

  • How the pandemic has affected supply lines

    Nikola Dimitrov of AIS Technologies Group in Windsor, Ont., discusses how the pandemic has affected supply lines.

  • PBO's latest estimate says warships will cost $77B as estimated price jumps $17B

    OTTAWA — Parliament’s budget watchdog is predicting another multibillion-dollar increase in the cost of a new fleet of warships for the Royal Canadian Navy, pegging the price for what was already the largest military procurement in Canada’s history at more than $77 billion.Parliamentary budget officer Yves Giroux’s latest estimate is $17 billion more than the government’s stated price for the 15 warships, which are to be built in Halifax over the next two decades and form the navy’s backbone for most of the century.Giroux’s estimate is in a highly anticipated report released Wednesday that is likely to set the stage for some tough discussions — and heavy industry lobbying — on whether Canada should push ahead on the project or change tack.To that end, the budget officer’s report includes a number of potential scenarios designed to provide a clearer picture of what options are available to the government should it decide to go in a different direction — and how much each would cost.That includes scrapping the existing plan to base the 15 warships on the British-designed model called the Type-26, which Canadian defence officials have repeatedly described as the right ship for Canada, and choosing a different design for the fleet.Giroux and his team also looked at the idea of a hybrid fleet, in which Canada builds three Type-26 ships and supplements them with 12 other vessels. That would mimic how the navy was previously built, with three Iroquois-class destroyers and 12 Halifax-class frigates.The Type-26 frigate is also being built by the United Kingdom and Australia, but Canadian officials have been making numerous changes to the design to meet Canada’s unique military and industrial requirements.Those changes have been made more complicated by the government’s attempts to pack all the capabilities from the navy’s now-retired destroyers and existing frigates into one type of ship.The destroyers provided air defence while the frigates specialize in hunting submarines.The PBO found that the government could save $40 billion if it built only three Type-26 frigates and supplemented them with 12 smaller, less capable Type-31s, which is similar to what Britain has decided to do.Canada could also save $50 billion if it scrapped plans to build any Type-26s and went with an entire fleet of Type-31s, according to the report, though the PBO notes that the Type-31 was “designed to operate alongside the ‘higher-end’ Type-26.” Restarting the entire project could result in a four-year delay to the start of construction.Giroux acknowledged during a media briefing that building a “hybrid fleet” would incur added costs over the long term due to the need for more training and spare parts for different types of ships, among other things, which were not figured into his calculations.“It also means that you don't put all your eggs in the same basket,” he added. “So if you find a major defect in one class of ship, you have a fallback option. You're not bound by 15 ships.”The PBO also looked at the potential cost to switch to a type of warship called the FREMM that is currently being built for the United States and which Giroux described as on par with the Type-26 in its capabilities.The budget officer found a revised project would cost around $71 billion whether the government decided to build an entire fleet of FREMMs or three Type-26s and 12 FREMMs.The Defence Department stood by its $60-billion cost estimate on Wednesday, arguing Giroux put too much emphasis on the ship's weight in his calculations, and noting his figure included tax. It also called the Type-26 "the right ship" for the navy, suggesting the other designs would not meet Canada' needs.While it said selecting a new design "is not an option we will be pursuing," the department did not specifically address the idea of a hybrid fleet.“As a taxpayer, I really hope they're right on the $60 billion — and even lower if they can,” Giroux said. “But we're confident that our cost estimate is the most likely scenario: $77 billion. I'm confident we have an accurate cost estimate.”The warship project was launched in earnest nearly a decade ago when Irving Shipbuilding in Halifax was selected in October 2011 to build the fleet, with the total cost estimated at around $26 billion and the first ship to be delivered in the mid-2020s.That vague schedule remained largely unchanged, at least on paper, even as the estimated price tag ballooned to $60 billion and Ottawa ordered several smaller ships so Irving would have work until the surface combatants were ready for construction.But defence officials revealed to The Canadian Press earlier this month while that construction on the first Type-26 is set to begin in 2023-24, the ship won't be delivered until 2030-31. Officials nonetheless insisted that the $60 billion budget would be sufficient despite the new delays.Giroux said his team’s analysis found a one-year delay in the project would add $2.3 billion to the overall cost, while a two-year delay would result in the fleet costing $4.8 billion more.Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan and chief of the defence staff Admiral Art McDonald also appeared in a promotional video this month for a new design facility for the Type-26 that was organized by BAE Systems, which designed the warship, suggesting the government is doubling down on the warship.Wednesday’s report is the result of a request from a parliamentary committee for the PBO to look into the warship project, and had been highly anticipated given the amount of money involved and the relative lack of information about the project from the government.It also comes as the federal auditor general prepares to release her own report Thursday on the federal government’s entire shipbuilding strategy, which includes not only the 15 new warships but dozens of other vessels for the Navy and Canadian Coast Guard.The Naval Association of Canada, which represents current and retired naval officers, sent a commentary to members of Parliament last month warning them to exercise caution when it came to Wednesday’s PBO report.Giroux acknowledged that naval officials are in a better position to determine what the navy needs in its new fleet, and that each of the different designs provide pros and cons. However, he said MPs asked his office to look at the costs, “and that’s what we did.”“Ultimately, it's up to decision-makers to make these trade-offs as to what the navy needs and what Canada can afford,” he said. “And by providing them with these cost estimates, we're allowing them to have better information to make these important decisions.”This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 24, 2021. Lee Berthiaume, The Canadian Press

  • Jill Biden says things get better, including after divorce

    WASHINGTON — Jill Biden offers comforting advice to Kelly Clarkson, telling the singer and talk-show host as she goes through a divorce that things happen for the best and that life will eventually “look better.” The first lady — a divorcee herself — also reveals one thing she looks forward to when COVID-19 clears up and explains why women should take some time for themselves every day as she does. She spoke during an interview with Clarkson that is set to air nationally on Thursday. Clarkson recently brought her show to the White House for a socially distant conversation with Jill Biden in the East Room. NBC released interview excerpts Wednesday, including a clip of Jill Biden offering comforting words about carrying on after a relationship breakup. Citing her late mother's advice, she tells Clarkson things happen for a reason. She also says her divorce freed her to meet Joe Biden and have a family with him. “My mother always said to me things are going to look better, tomorrow,” Jill Biden said, encouraging Clarkson to “take one day at a time, and things will get better.” 'I look back on it now, and I think, you know, if I hadn’t gotten divorced, I never would have met Joe," she continued. “I wouldn’t have the beautiful family I have now. So I really think things happen for the best and I think, Kelly, over time, I don’t know how long it’s been for you, but I think, over time, you heal, and you’re going to be surprised and I can’t wait until that day comes for you.” Clarkson has spoken in other interviews about the pain of her public breakup. She filed for divorce last year from Brandon Blackstock after nearly seven years of marriage. They have two children. After marrying Joe Biden, Jill Biden helped raise his sons Beau and Hunter after their mother and baby sister died in a car crash in 1972. The couple later had a daughter, Ashley. Beau Biden died of brain cancer in 2015 at age 46. The Bidens also have six grandchildren. During her first solo television interview, Jill Biden also discussed her interest in education, military families, cancer research and healing the country. She also answered questions from members of the show's live, virtual audience. “Maybe go have a martini and some french fries,” she replied to one audience participant who asked about the one thing she would do when COVID-19 clears up. She also explained why she makes sure to exercise and take time out for herself. “I love to exercise. I run, I bike. It clears my head, so that’s really important to me and I think all women should have something, it doesn’t have to be exercise, although hopefully it would be," she said. “Just to take a moment for yourself.” “So I get up early, and that’s my time that I have for myself," Biden said. Darlene Superville, The Associated Press

  • School board in Thunder Bay, Ont., wants classes moved online after COVID outbreaks

    THUNDER BAY, Ont. — A school board in Thunder Bay, Ont., is calling for all classes to go online after several COVID-19 outbreaks. The board wants public health authorities to mandate online learning for at least two weeks starting March 1. Board chairwoman Ellen Chambers says schools have had to dismiss classes repeatedly because of one COVID-19 case. She says that is affecting students' learning. Chambers says 576 students and 55 staff are currently self-isolating, creating a teacher shortage. The Lakehead District School Board has 26 elementary schools and four secondary schools. Four schools are currently in virtual learning because of COVID-19 cases. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 24, 2021. This story was produced with the financial assistance of the Facebook and Canadian Press News Fellowship. The Canadian Press

  • Photos: Jasper the Bear goes outdoor skating

    The town’s iconic figure, Jasper the Bear, had great fun on Feb. 18 on the outdoor rink at Robson Park. His loop-de-loops and slides were entertaining to many who passed by. That includes nine-month-old Jenssen Andrene with her dad Jessie Andrene (pictured) and mom Janet De Suyo, close by. Joanne McQuarrie, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Jasper Fitzhugh