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CBC
Alberta reports 1,980 new COVID-19 cases as vaccine rollout picks up speed
Alberta's COVID-19 vaccine rollout is picking up speed with nearly 60,000 doses administered on Thursday, the same day the province opened bookings to anyone over 30. Alberta Health confirmed 57,716 doses were distributed, the highest total recorded in a single day. With adjustments to previous days, there have now been 1,792,312 COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in Alberta in total. It comes as Alberta contends with the highest provincial case rate in the country, up to 561 per 100,000 people, more than double Ontario's rate. The province reported 1,980 new COVID-19 cases and four additional deaths on Friday. Hospitalizations increased to 659, including 150 people in intensive care beds. The province's test positivity rate was just over 10.4 per cent. Alberta rolled back testing for coronavirus variants this week, citing a rapid increase in positivity rates and test volumes. Variant testing is now limited to hospital patients, health-care workers, recent travellers and people involved in outbreaks. Here are the province's 24,850 active cases broken down by health zone: Calgary zone: 10,859 Edmonton zone: 5,969 North zone: 3,772 Central zone: 2,901 South zone: 1,335 Unknown: 24 The next slate of COVID-19 restrictions will come into force Monday, including the closure of patios and personal services, such as hair salons and tattoo shops. As of Monday, Albertans 12 and older will be eligible to book a vaccine appointment.
a day ago
The Canadian Press
Aubrey Plaza marries longtime boyfriend director Jeff Baena
LOS ANGELES — Aubrey Plaza has married her longtime boyfriend, director and screenwriter Jeff Baena. The “Parks and Recreation” actor called Baena “my husband” for the first time publicly Friday in an Instagram post. Her publicist confirmed the two had married but gave no details. Plaza, 36, and Baena, 43, have been a couple for about a decade. She has appeared in two of his films, 2014's “Life After Beth” and 2017's “The Little Hours,” and is slated to appear in his forthcoming “Spin Me Round,” which was the subject of her Instagram post. “So proud of my darling husband @jeffbaena for dreaming up another film that takes us to italia to cause some more trouble,” Plaza said alongside a photo of the couple. She also appears in the new Showtime anthology series “Cinema Toast,” which he created. Plaza is best known for playing April Ludgate from 2009 to 2015 on the NBC comedy series “Parks and Recreation.” In addition to his films with Plaza, Baena directed the 2020 Netflix drama “Horse Girl” with Alison Brie, who also co-wrote “Spin Me Round” with Baena and will co-star with Plaza. The Associated Press
22 hours ago
The Canadian Press
'Why we survive': B.C. boundary towns struggle without Albertans during pandemic
Jennifer Coffman didn't expect to get hit with a double whammy at her restaurant in the tiny community of Field just west of the Alberta-British Columbia boundary this year. Coffman has been running the Truffle Pigs Bistro and Lodge for the last 12 years. Field, with a population of just under 200, sits along the Trans-Canada Highway, about 10 kilometres from the Alberta boundary, and relies pretty much on tourism. COVID-19 seriously cut into international visits last year, so Coffman shut down for a couple of months. She expected things would improve this year. But things are tough again with closure of a nearby section of the Trans-Canada for construction this spring and fall, and Albertans being urged by the B.C. government not to travel to the province as the pandemic continues. "I just keep going back to the Monty Python (movie scene) 'Not dead yet' and the guy's got his arms and his legs all cut off," Coffman said. "I don't know how many legs and arms that I can have cut off before I just close down, take a deep breath, and gear up when it's time." Coffman said Albertans accounted for about 80 per cent of business last year and about 50 per cent before the pandemic. "We rely on Calgarians so heavily, right? Especially through this. Albertans are a huge, huge part of why we survive," Coffman said. "Last summer was OK. I thought, 'I've got to count my lucky stars. I can stay open.' But ... this second one is hard." A B.C. RCMP spokeswoman said technically the boundary isn't closed and there won't be any checkstops. "There are no restrictions that preclude people from coming from Alberta," said Staff Sgt. Janelle Shoihet. "If people are coming from Alberta and travelling to a health region, then they're required to stay within that health region and can go no farther." Shoihet said any travel within B.C. has to be deemed essential. "Please do not come to our province. Stay in your own province unless it's for essential travel. "Stay home. We love you, but stay home." The picturesque resort town of Fernie in southeastern B.C., less than an hour from the boundary, is hoping Albertans will continue coming this summer. Brad Parsell, executive director of the Fernie Chamber of Commerce, says the community is reliant on Alberta visitors. "Fernie might as well be in Alberta for all intents and purposes. We're that reliant on Albertans, obviously in the tourism industry, but in our economy at large," he said. "It's been incredibly challenging for the tourism industry to not have the welcome mat out to those folks at the moment." Parsell said visits from Alberta probably account for 70 to 80 per cent of total business. "It's a huge chunk ... for sure," Parsell said. "This isn't just about arbitrary numbers. These are people's livelihoods and their lives." Business remains slow at the Fernie Hotel and Pub, but manager Alicia Dennis said part of that can be blamed on poor weather and restrictions on indoor dining. She said visitors from Alberta and Saskatchewan were a saving grace last summer. "We definitely noticed a huge spike in people from Saskatchewan and Alberta coming here for vacations. It was definitely one of our busiest summers I've seen so far." In Montana, the border closure between Canada and the United States is hurting the economy in Browning, a town on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation. "A lot of our revenue for the local casino comes from folks in Lethbridge (Alta.), ... because we are a border town right next to the Canadian border," said spokesman James McNeely. "I think the state of Montana has seen some impact from the lack of Canadian visitors. We don't see those plates anymore." This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 8, 2021. — Follow @BillGraveland on Twitter Bill Graveland, The Canadian Press
8 hours ago
The Canadian Press
Tam warns that full vaccination does not equal full protection from COVID-19
Canada's chief public health officer reminded Canadians on Saturday that even those who are fully vaccinated remain susceptible to COVID-19. Speaking at a virtual townhall for Yukoners, Dr. Theresa Tam said the risk of asymptomatic infection and transmission is far lower for anyone who receives two shots of the Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, or Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines. "But it's not absolute. There's reduction in your risk of transmission, but it doesn't necessarily eliminate your risk of transmission," Tam said, adding that the danger dials down especially after the second dose. "Some studies have shown that it reduces the amount of virus in the back of your nose. If you sample people, there's less virus, which means less risk of transmission." Young people, who often work in frontline or essential services and sit at the bottom of vaccination priority queues, now have some of the highest case rates and can transmit the virus despite showing no symptoms, Tam added. "The groups that transmit the virus the most are actually younger adults, many of whom have to work. They can't stay at home," she said. "It's important that we protect them, as well as the fact that if they're protected, we reduce transmission of the virus in the community." Alberta and other parts of Canada remain mired in the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, even as hospitalization rates have started to tick downward in provinces such as Ontario and Quebec. Many parts of the country face tight restrictions, with schools closed across Ontario and Alberta and patios shut down in Montreal, Toronto and — as of this Monday — Calgary. Some Albertans continue to chafe at the tougher measures, which Premier Jason Kenney announced Tuesday. Protesters went ahead with an anti-lockdown demonstration outside a highway diner in central Alberta on Saturday, despite pouring rain and a pre-emptive court injunction. Dozens of demonstrators gathered outside the Whistle Stop Café in the hamlet of Mirror, Alta., for the "Save Alberta Campout Protest." The largely mask-free gathering follows a rodeo billed as an anti-lockdown event held last weekend in Bowden, about 100 kilometres southwest of Mirror. Alberta Health Services has said the provincial government will take legal action to stop any planned protests of COVID-19 public health orders, including the one outside the café. Mass vaccination efforts continue to broaden across swaths of the country. In Ontario, nearly 150 pharmacies started offering COVID-19 vaccines to all adults in some virus hot spots this weekend, a shift made to align with provincial efforts to protect the most vulnerable amid a third wave of infections. The province quietly announced the expanded eligibility — for anyone aged 18 and older — on a provincial pharmacy vaccine booking webpage on Friday afternoon, with slightly more than half of the locations in Toronto and Peel Region. On Thursday, Quebec said it vaccinated 102,762 people, the highest single-day number since the start of its vaccine rollout. The province set another record that day, when vaccinations opened to everyone 35 and over, with 272,000 people booking vaccinations, Health Minister Christian Dubé said Friday. Quebec's health situation remains relatively stable, with the number of new COVID-19 cases falling short of 1,000 for the sixth day in a row on Saturday and hospitalizations also on the decline. Dispiriting numbers kicked off the weekend in Nova Scotia, however. The province continues to log high case counts of COVID-19, reporting 163 new infections Saturday, mostly in the Halifax region. On the other side of the country, communities along the Alberta-British Columbia boundary said they're worried continuing COVID-19 restrictions could hit their economies hard this summer. The B.C. government is discouraging Alberta tourists from visiting. In Fernie, in southeastern B.C., the executive director of the Chamber of Commerce said about 80 per cent of tourism business comes from Alberta and Saskatchewan — and he's encouraging travellers to keep coming. A spokeswoman for the RCMP in B.C. clarified that Albertans are not prohibited from visiting British Columbia, but, once there, they aren't allowed to travel to other areas within the province unless it's deemed essential. This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 8, 2021. — With files from Hina Alam in Vancouver, Fakiha Baig in Edmonton and Holly McKenzie-Sutter in Toronto Christopher Reynolds, The Canadian Press
33 minutes ago
CBC
Catholic church unveils new system for reporting sexual abuse committed or covered up by bishops
Victims and advocates say a new system for reporting sexual abuse and cover-ups by Catholic bishops appears to be a case of "optics over substance" and may not go far enough to protect those at risk of being abused. This week, the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) announced the unveiling of a national and bilingual service for reporting situations of sexual abuse either committed or covered up by a bishop. "This service furthers their commitment to responsibility, accountability and transparency in matters of clergy sexual abuse and their commitment to facilitate healing and justice for victims-survivors," the national assembly said in a statement. The system was created in response to a letter from the Pope calling for one easily accessible system for allegations solely against Bishops. Allegations against priests are still handled at the local diocese level. With the CCCB's system, a bishop would be investigated by an outside diocese. If the report is then deemed credible, it would be taken all the way up to the Vatican. For Patrick McMahon, a Windsor man who was sexually abused by a Catholic priest as a child, there's some good to this move. He said it means more accountability and better documentation of these types of crimes. But he's concerned about criminal activity possibly being alerted to the wrong authority. This reporting system was created in response to a letter from the Pope calling for one easily accessible system for allegations solely against Bishops. Allegations against priests are still handled at the local diocese level.(AP) "Child abuse is a crime. Call the police. That's number one, don't call the church," said McMahon, adding he wishes that something the Catholic church would advise. "I don't know why they they aren't a little more forthright in saying, 'Please contact us for religious healing and to help us root out these criminals in our midst — but we also strongly encourage you to go to the police.'" His other concern, McMahon added, is that the system only applies to bishops. "Bishops have to be accountable, too. But there are a lot more priests and laypeople involved in the church than there are bishops." In a statement, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests insisted that anyone with complaints or information will report it to local police, trusted friends and therapists — before reporting incidents internally to the church. "By creating yet another apparatus that keeps allegations internal, Church officials are not disabusing the notion that what they care about most is the management of their reputations and finances," the non-profit support group said. London-based lawyer Rob Talach says the church should be directing potential victims of abuse to first alert police, not the church itself.(Katerina Georgieva/CBC) "It makes more sense that all allegations are first routed to trained investigators in law enforcement and then sent to the Church, not the other way around." A London-based lawyer and victims' advocate agrees, calling this reporting system "optics over substance." "This is an institution that thrives on control and cover-up — and the fact that they still want you to go to them rather than the secular authorities demonstrates to me they still don't get it," said Rob Talach. "Other organizations just simply point you to the police as is appropriate. These are crimes, crimes against children in most cases ... so why are we clicking on a link or calling our hotline to the church itself when often times they're about as wrapped up in the problem as the perpetrator?" Talach added there is no timeline to report a sexual crime, meaning victims can report it to police at any stage of their life, even if they're older and something happened to them as a child. The church's response The Diocese of London stresses that all allegations of abuse are taken very seriously — and when it comes to the matter of police, they say police are involved on a case-by-case basis. But Mike Clarke, director of communications for the diocese, said police are always involved if the allegation involves a minor. "The promise is that this is a transparent and accountable system," he said. "I don't know of an allegation that has not been taken seriously. They will all be fully investigated whether it's through this process — if it's specific to a living or retired bishop — or if it's to the local diocese for a past malfeasance by a priest or lay minister." Matthew Clarke, director of communications for the Diocese of London, police are always involved in the investigation of an alleged sexual incident if the allegation involves a minor.(Katerina Georgieva/CBC) Clarke adds, throughout this process, if someone files a report, they'll be given a case number which can be used to track its progress. If, for some reason, no action is taken, the person who filed the case will be notified with an explanation as to why.
22 hours ago
CBC
RCMP still missing deadlines for responding to watchdog complaints
More than a year ago, RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lucki signed a deal promising to respond to public complaints lodged with an independent oversight agency within six months. So far, she hasn't responded to a single recommendation within that time frame, according to figures obtained by CBC News. The Civilian Review and Complaints Commission for the RCMP (CRCC) is the independent agency tasked with reviewing public complaints against the RCMP — complaints about everything from unnecessary strip searches to excessive force. Whenever CRCC investigators are unsatisfied with the RCMP's handling of a complaint, or disagree with the force's initial take on it, they send what they call an "interim report" to the RCMP commissioner for review. Only after the commissioner responds can the watchdog's final recommendations be made and the findings released. That process has been plagued by delays. After a decade of complaints about the time the commissioner's office takes to respond, Lucki and the chair of the CRCC signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) in December 2019 which committed her to responding to the CRCC's interim reports within six months of receiving them. CRCC spokesperson Kate McDerby said that since Lucki signed the agreement, the watchdog has sent 69 interim reports to her office. Of those 69 reports, Lucki has responded to just two, said McDerby — one was sent back to the CRCC after 10 months and the other after 11 months. 'Don't expect any justice' Tom Engel, a criminal defence lawyer in Edmonton, said he's been filing public complaints against the RCMP virtually once a month. Once he received a report from the CRCC more than three years after filing his complaint. "Sometimes the delay is so long, frankly, I've even forgotten that a complaint was made," he said. Engel has been lobbying the government for years to give the CRCC the power to set timelines for receiving RCMP responses and to make its recommendations binding. "It's so bad that I tell my clients at the beginning of a complaint against the RCMP, 'Don't expect any justice from this, you won't get justice from the system. You won't get it from the RCMP. And because the CRCC doesn't have any teeth, you're unlikely to get it from them,'" he said. "But the one thing I do know — if you don't complain, you can be 100 per cent sure nothing will happen. " Lawyer Tom Engel in his office in Edmonton.(Lost Time Media) A spokesperson for the RCMP said it has been working through a backlog of reports. The CRCC said that as of May 6, it had received 113 responses from the RCMP commissioner's office dated before the MOU was signed. "When the RCMP and the CRCC signed the MOU in December 2019, it was with the awareness that it would take time for the RCMP to clear the backlog and be able to meet the agreed-upon six-month time limit for completing responses to interim reports," said RCMP spokesperson Robin Percival. The CRCC said that, as of Thursday, 42 interim reports sent to the commissioner's office before the MOU was signed still have not received responses. One of them has been in the queue now for four years and three months. Percival said the RCMP recently hired full-time staffers to speed up the work and said that reports received after April 1, 2021 will be completed within the six-month service standard. "The RCMP believes civilian review is essential for ensuring public trust and confidence," said Percival. "Given the numerous factors to consider, the high volume of relevant material to be reviewed and the complexities of the recommendations and findings, the time required to prepare a thorough and well-founded response can be difficult to predict." Federal oversight bill coming A spokesperson for Public Safety Minister Bill Blair said the department is looking at setting binding timelines, either through regulation or legislation. "These delays are unacceptable. Canadians deserve police services that are accountable to them," said Mary-Liz Power. "These delays are damaging to both the individual who lodged the complaint and the police service who is its subject. Timely, impartial and fair resolution of complaints is what Canadians deserve, and we expect the RCMP to uphold the commitment they have made to Canadians."
14 hours ago
The Canadian Press
Suspected overdose death of 12-year-old pushes government to 'do better': minister
VICTORIA — British Columbia's minister of mental health and addictions said a suspected overdose death of a 12-year-old girl from Vancouver Island is driving the government "to do more and do better." But Sheila Malcolmson said she needs to learn more details about the case of Allayah Thomas, who went by Ally and died April 14, before commenting specifically on what the government can do. Malcolmson made the comment during a news conference to announce the new Foundry BC app, a free portal for people ages 12 to 24 to access counselling, primary care and peer support. "This is a terrible story that just re-strengthens our commitment as a government to build the kind of addictions and mental health-care system that anybody can access," Malcolmson said. Ally's mother, Adriana Londono, said her daughter had overdosed three times before her fourth fatal "cry for help." The family tried to get her support but was only given a list of counsellors, an avenue Ally wasn't willing to take, Londono said. She said the family was told by government staff that Ally was too young to qualify for rehab because she was under 14. "It was extremely frustrating, there was nothing we could do," Londono said in an interview on Friday from Saanich, B.C. "Ally was frustrated, too. She was crying for help but she didn't get the help she needed." The Children's Ministry said in a statement that it cannot comment publicly or confirm ministry involvement with any individual or family for legal reasons. However, it said there are a number of treatment options available, including 25 youth treatment beds on Vancouver Island, walk-in treatment at hospitals or urgent primary care centres and community-based services. The ministry said age requirements for support can be waived, a message echoed by Malcolmson. "If anybody needs access to life-saving support, age is not a barrier," Malcolmson said. Londono said that wasn't offered to the family. Ally is believed to be the youngest victim of British Columbia's overdose crisis since it was declared a public health emergency in 2016. More than 7,000 people have died from toxic drugs since then. The death rate had begun to ebb in 2019 until officials said the isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic and disruption of illicit drug supply chains made 2020 the deadliest year on record. Youth overdose deaths have tended to rise and fall in line with overall deaths. Since 2016, those under 19 have comprised a steady one or two per cent of total illicit overdose deaths in B.C. The BC Coroners Service said it's still investigating the cause of Ally's death. The youngest confirmed fatality in the crisis was a 13-year-old who died in 2017. Londono said she was told that preliminary evidence suggested a fentanyl overdose but that a full report would take months. Londono said she wants to encourage people not to be scared or embarrassed to talk openly about addiction. "It's a disease and it's not something we choose to do, it's not something we should be ashamed to talk about as children or as parents," she said. Trevor Halford, B.C. Liberal critic for mental health and addictions, called on the province's NDP government to ensure youth have rapid access to comprehensive addictions services, including treatment. The government proposed amendments to the Mental Health Act last summer that could have forced youth under 19 into treatment for up to one week after an overdose. The bill was defeated after Indigenous and civil liberties groups raised alarms about a lack of consultation. Halford said the NDP used the failed bill as an example to justify an election call last fall, but the government has yet to reintroduce the bill or anything similar. "There is just no more time to wait," Halford said in a statement. Malcolmson said the government is working "as hard as we can" to build a system of care that offers a variety of different supports. She said she sees a role for involuntary admission in treatment, but the government also heard "quite strongly" from advocates for a broader system of voluntary treatment that would ensure a recovery system is available to youth after they stabilize from an overdose. Those "complex conversations" will continue as the government expands mental health supports for youth, she said. Other efforts include doubling the number of youth treatment beds in the province, which she said will be open to all ages, and expanding the ways youth can access support. "There's much for us to do, but we are continuing to build that system and will continue to be informed by the families and peers and young people for whom that system should be built," Malcolmson said. — By Amy Smart in Vancouver. This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 7, 2021. The Canadian Press
22 hours ago
Reuters
Chinese rocket debris set for re-entry by early Sunday - tracking centres
SHANGHAI (Reuters) -Remnants of China's largest rocket launched last week are expected to plunge back through the atmosphere late Saturday or early Sunday, European and U.S. tracking centres said on Saturday. China's foreign ministry said on Friday that most debris from the rocket will burn on re-entry and is highly unlikely to cause any harm, after the U.S. military said that what it called an uncontrolled re-entry was being tracked by U.S. Space Command. EU Space Surveillance and Tracking (EU SST) said its latest prediction for the timing of the re-entry of the Long March 5B rocket body was 139 minutes either side of 0232 GMT on Sunday.
18 hours ago
CBC
Edmonton driver pleads guilty in high-speed crash that killed 3
A 26-year-old driver admitted on Friday to killing three passengers and fleeing the scene after he crashed his car into a Starbucks going up to triple the speed limit last July. Oscar Benjumea pleaded guilty to three counts of dangerous driving causing the death of Emma MacArthur, Georgia Donovan and Faisal Yousef. He also admitted to fleeing the scene, failing to help any of the passengers. Just after 2 a.m. on July 3, 2020, Benjumea was in his Audi RS5 with the three passengers speeding down Calgary Trail Road, according to an agreed statement of facts. He was driving as fast as 186 km/h in a 60km/h zone. Benjumea lost control of the car, slid across the road and hit a curb. The car went airborne and smashed into a Starbucks. All three passengers were killed instantly by the force of the crash. About four minutes later, Benjumea was pulled from the car, although the agreed statement of facts does not say by whom. He fled the scene on foot walking southbound. Police arrested him at his home in southwest Edmonton — about 13 kilometres from the crash site —10 hours later. He was taken to hospital with serious, non-life threatening injuries. Benjumea will face a sentencing hearing at a later date in the Court of Queen's Bench in Edmonton.
3 hours ago
CBC
2 more people charged in connection with North Battleford homicide
A man from the North Battleford area has been charged in connection with a death of Damian Moosomin about a year ago. Denver Roy, 36, is charged with indecent interference with a dead body and accessory after the fact to homicide. Roy is from Sweetgrass First Nation, about 30 kilometres west of North Battleford. Moosomin, 20, was found dead in the backyard of a North Battleford home on May 16, 2020, five days after he was reported missing. A second person who was recently charged was under 18 at the time of the offence and cannot be named in accordance with the Youth Criminal Justice Act. As of May 7, 2021, six people in total have been charged in connection to Moosomin's death. The other four people, charged in April after the Saskatchewan RCMP's 11-month investigation, were: Tye Partridge, 23, from Moosomin First Nation is charged with first-degree murder. Jannay Blackbird, 32, from Saulteaux First Nation is charged with second-degree murder. Stormy Wapass-Semaganis, 23, from Edmonton, Alberta is charged with accessory after the fact to murder. Melissa Semaganis, 41, from Poundmaker Cree Nation is charged with accessory after the fact to murder. The RCMP didn't say when the two most recently charged people are scheduled to appear in court.
23 hours ago
CBC
Residents of Hay River, N.W.T., told to evacuate
Water levels at record highs force the community of Hay River, N.W.T., to issue evacuation orders as the town braces for flooding.
19 hours ago
CBC
At least 5 people with COVID-19 rode buses to Montreal's anti-health-measure protest, officials say
After droves of maskless demonstrators marched through Montreal's east end to protest Quebec's public health restrictions on May 1, medical officials say those who bused to the event should get tested for COVID-19. The health agency for the Chaudière-Appalaches region, just south of Quebec City, says there were five infected passengers among the 48 who rode two chartered buses to the Olympic Stadium. In a statement released Friday, the agency "invites those concerned to go for screening and to isolate themselves if necessary in the event of symptoms." The buses were reserved by organizers from the Beauce region, with a starting point in the Saint-Nicolas sector of Lévis, Que., the agency says. Geneviève Dion, a spokesperson for the Chaudière-Appalaches health agency, said epidemiological investigators have had trouble obtaining information about people's movements and contacts to alert those who may have been exposed to the virus. Several buses full of protesters arrived in Montreal on May 1 as people gathered to protest Quebec's public health measures.(Radio-Canada) Unable to get a clear picture of how many people may have been impacted, she said the health agency decided to make a public appeal — warning all who took the buses to get tested. "We are not going to send them to prison," she said. "What we want is to obtain information to complete epidemiological investigations and protect the health of other people." Protest forces temporary closure of vaccination site At its peak in Montreal, the parade of protesters stretched for nearly two kilometres as demonstrators called for a return to normal life, with the economy fully open and gatherings allowed. The protest forced Quebec public health to close the Olympic Stadium vaccination site and move afternoon appointments to another clinic. The march followed a loop around Maisonneuve Park and the Botanical Garden. Demonstrations are still permitted in Quebec, but wearing a face covering is mandatory at all times. In Montreal, most protestors on Saturday ignored to rule.(Andrej Ivanov/AFP via Getty Images) Samuel Grenier, one of the protest's organizers with the group Québec debout (Quebec stands up), said some people at the event were against vaccinations and others were in favour of them. Collectively, he said, demonstrators were opposed to the idea of "immunity passports," which would allow people to show they've been vaccinated to make it simpler to access services or travel. While people came to the demonstration from across southern Quebec, the situation in Chaudière-Appalaches is particularly acute, with 5.79 per cent of tests coming back positive. On Friday, there were 137 new cases of COVID-19 in the region, adding to the nearly 1,000 active cases there. Across the river, the situation is improving in the Quebec City region with only 56 new cases on Friday and no new deaths. Quebec City and the Chaudière-Appalaches are among Quebec regions that have been under a more severe lockdown than the rest of the province due to a boom in cases and hospitalizations.
a day ago
Reuters
China urges U.N. states not to attend Xinjiang event next week
China has urged United Nations member states not to attend an event planned next week by Germany, the United States and Britain on the repression of Uyghur Muslims and other minorities in Xinjiang, according to a note seen by Reuters on Friday. "It is a politically-motivated event," China's U.N. mission wrote in the note, dated Thursday. China charged that the organizers of the event, which also include several other European states along with Australia and Canada, use "human rights issues as a political tool to interfere in China's internal affairs like Xinjiang, to create division and turbulence and disrupt China's development."
23 hours ago
The Canadian Press
Manitoba, Nova Scotia cracking down amid surge in COVID-19 cases
Manitoba braced for tougher COVID-19 public health measures and Nova Scotia announced it would restrict entry amid a surge in infections, as Ottawa introduced new ways for small and medium businesses to access rapid tests to thwart workplace outbreaks. Manitoba was set to tighten restrictions later Friday amid an "alarming" rise in cases, said Dr. Jazz Atwal, the province's deputy chief public health officer. The province has already banned most social visits in homes and outdoor public gatherings are capped at 10.Churches, stores and gyms must operate at reduced capacity and restaurants can only allow members of the same household to sit together at indoor tables.New infections are up 25 per cent over the last week. Friday's daily case count of 502 was the highest the province has seen since the middle of the pandemic's second wave last winter and intensive care beds are in higher demand.Also in Manitoba, fines for COVID-19 rule-breakers that currently range from just under $300 to $5,000 are being doubled for subsequent offences. In Atlantic Canada, Nova Scotia reported a new daily high of 227 new cases and Premier Iain Rankin said overwhelmed staff had yet to enter another 200 positive cases into the province's database. Starting Monday at 8 a.m., the province's boundaries will be closed to all non-essential travel. That includes anyone intending to move to the province or parents from outside Nova Scotia hoping to pick up or drop off students. "There's no coming in or out unless it's absolutely essential," Rankin said. "If you want to spend your summer here or go to your summer home, you can't do that right now."Under the new rules, rotational workers returning home from so-called outbreak zones — such as the oilsands hub of Fort McMurray, Alta. — must self-isolate for 14 days. As of Saturday, all Nova Scotia households must also designate one shopper. In Ottawa, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced rapid tests, which screen for the virus in as little as 15 minutes, can be ordered from 40 Shoppers Drug Mart locations in Ontario hot spots. The Canadian Chamber of Commerce's network is helping distribute kits to enterprises across the country.Tests can also be ordered directly through a new federal online portal. "More screening and testing means safer workplaces and less community transmission," Trudeau said Friday. "That will help us reopen our economy faster."The federal government has received nearly 42 million rapid tests. Of those, 26.7 million have been sent directly to provinces and territories, but have in many cases been slow to roll out from there. So far, another one million have been given directly to organizations and workplaces. Perrin Beatty, CEO of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, welcomed the move. "Rapid testing will play an important role in keeping workers safe and helping many businesses reopen and stay open," he said in a news release. "That’s the only path to real, sustainable economic recovery." The federal Conservatives accused Trudeau's Liberals of dragging their feet on rapid tests and said Friday's announcement came only after months of Opposition pressure. Back in the west, some 2,000 Alberta truck drivers who transport goods across the border will, as of Monday, be able to receive the Johnson & Johnson vaccine at a rest stop in Montana at no cost and without appointments. Saskatchewan and Manitoba have similar deals with North Dakota.Alberta Premier Jason Kenney urged Ottawa to push the United States to relax its ban on shipping doses over the border. Alberta leads Canada in COVID-19 cases and has a seven-day new infection rate twice that as the next highest province, Ontario. It tightened restrictions this week on retail, dining, personal services and gatherings so as to avoid pushing its health-care system beyond capacity. It reported 1,980 new infections and 659 COVID-19 patients in Alberta hospitals, including 150 in intensive care.Elsewhere on the Prairies, Saskatchewan reported 295 new cases and one more death. The province said all residents 12 and older will be eligible for their first vaccine shot by May 20. To the east, Quebec reported 919 new infections and five more deaths, but six fewer hospitalizations and five fewer intensive care patients. Ontario recorded 3,166 new cases of COVID-19, but cautioned that number may be under-reported due to a technical issue. It had 23 more deaths linked to the virus and said hospitalizations there have dropped by 40.This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 7, 2021 Lauren Krugel, The Canadian Press
a day ago
Reuters
Turkey's Erdogan calls Israel "terror state" over Palestinian clashes at Al-Aqsa
ANKARA (Reuters) -Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan called Israel a "terror state" on Saturday after Israeli police fired rubber bullets and stun grenades towards rock-hurling Palestinian youth at Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa mosque on Friday. He added that Ankara had launched initiatives to mobilise international institutions. The clashes at Islam's third-holiest site and around East Jerusalem, which injured at least 205 Palestinians and 17 police officers, came amid mounting anger over the potential eviction of Palestinians from homes on land claimed by Jewish settlers.
12 hours ago
Reuters
Scottish nationalists vow independence vote after election win
GLASGOW, Scotland (Reuters) -Pro-independence parties won a majority in Scotland's parliament on Saturday, paving the way to a high-stakes political, legal and constitutional battle with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson over the future of the United Kingdom. Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said the result meant she would push ahead with plans for a second independence referendum once the COVID-19 pandemic was over, adding that it would be absurd and outrageous if Johnson were to try to ignore the democratic will of the people. "There is simply no democratic justification whatsoever for Boris Johnson, or indeed for anyone else, seeking to block the right of the people of Scotland to choose our own future," Sturgeon said.
14 hours ago
CBC
Moderna shipment falls short, pharmacists say
Ottawa pharmacists say the limited number of Moderna doses being added to the vaccines they can administer won't be nearly enough to meet the growing demand as their supply of the AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine dries up. While pharmacies in the province were originally offering only doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine, both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are now being administered at some locations. In Ottawa, five pharmacies in designated hot spots will be able to give out the Moderna vaccine. "We're limited as to how [many] people we can book, and that's the sad part," said pharmacist Lubna Fawaz, who owns ProMed Pharmacy on Alta Vista Drive. According to the Ontario Pharmacists Association (OPA), those five Ottawa pharmacies will receive about 150 doses each per week for the next three weeks, or 2,250 doses total. The OPA said the supply of the AstraZeneca vaccine in the province's pharmacies has been almost entirely depleted. Doses won't lasting long Fawaz said when she received the Moderna doses Friday morning, they were quickly claimed by customers on her waiting list. Thousands more have signed up for an appointment, but will have to wait. At her adjacent medical clinic, Fawaz said she could administer 1,000 doses per week — if only she had the supply. "I just feel down when somebody approaches me to be able to give them the vaccine and I have to turn them down because I don't have enough doses," she said. Justin Bates is CEO of the Ontario Pharmacists Association.(Tahmina Aziz/CBC) Several of the pharmacies that have received the Moderna doses told CBC they won't last long. Canada is set to receive one million more Moderna doses next week. "The plan is over the course of May ... to continually add more pharmacies, both in hot spots and then broaden it out provincially," said Justin Bates, the OPA's CEO. Bates said more AstraZeneca vaccine should be available for a second dose, depending on supply. The OPA is also watching research on mixing vaccines as a possible option for second doses.
14 hours ago
The Canadian Press
Manitoba tightens health orders, shuts gyms, restaurants, museums and more
WINNIPEG — The Manitoba government announced further restrictions as COVID-19 numbers continued to surge to near-record levels Friday, Starting Sunday morning, the cap on outdoor gatherings will drop to five people from 10. Restaurants, bars and patios will close to in-person dining but can still provide takeout and delivery services. Gyms, museums, art galleries and libraries will have to close and indoor religious services will be prohibited. Organized team sports will not be permitted. Dance, theatre and music schools will close. The maximum capacity at retail stores will drop to 10 per cent from 25. The changes came as the province announced 502 new COVID-19 cases — the highest one-day number since the middle of the second wave of the pandemic last winter — and one death. The number of people testing positive for the virus had risen to 9.6 per cent provincially and 11.3 per cent in Winnipeg. Intensive care beds, which normally number 71, were expanded to 129 at the peak of the second wave and were approaching that number again Friday. "The numbers that we're seeing come in, admitted to (intensive care), especially this last week, have been high," said Lanette Siragusa, chief nursing officer with Manitoba Shared Health. "If we sustain those high admission numbers over the next days, not even weeks, we could reach that number." The expansion would mean diverting more staff from other areas of health care and more delays in elective surgeries, she added. The government also promised Friday to increase penalties for people who repeatedly break the rules. Fines for individuals that currently range from $298 to $1,296 will be doubled for a second or subsequent offence, Premier Brian Pallister said. "There is a small selfish minority of people that aren't doing their part. And in doing so, they are putting the health of themselves and others at risk," Pallister said. Those who refuse to pay can have their wages garnisheed and be blocked from renewing their driver's licence. The province has been expanding its vaccination program as more international supplies arrive. Health officials reduced the minimum age for doses among the general population at government-run super sites and pop-up clinics to 40 from 45. Vaccines are also available to Indigenous people, certain front-line workers and people living in high-transmission areas starting at age 18. Pallister said he was dropping a plan to have teachers and other school workers drive to North Dakota, where vaccines are plentiful, to get a shot. The teachers union was against the idea, Pallister said, so North Dakota will instead ask the United States government for special permission to export its vaccines to Manitoba. Pallister said that will take longer than his original idea. Pallister also announced funding for a new sick-leave program for workers affected by COVID-19. Employers can apply for up to $600 per worker for days off due to getting a vaccine, self-isolation or illness. The money is aimed at covering up to five days of leave. The Manitoba Federation of Labour said the program was flawed because it depends on employers to apply. "The program is voluntarily, not legislated like Ontario's paid sick days program. So it will only apply to workplaces that decide to provide paid sick days," federation president Kevin Rebeck said in a statement. This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 7, 2021. Steve Lambert, The Canadian Press
23 hours ago
CBC
Calgary police arrest street preacher, brother for violating public health orders
Calgary police have arrested two organizers of a church service who have been defying public health restrictions for months and charged them with organizing an illegal in-person gathering. Artur and Dawid Pawlowski were also charged with inciting or inviting others to attend an illegal public gathering, as well as promoting and attending the illegal public gathering. Earlier this week, Alberta Health Services obtained a Court of Queen's Bench Order that applied to gatherings such as protests, demonstrations and rallies. AHS officials already took action using the order against the Whistle Stop Café in Mirror, Alta., physically closing the restaurant on Wednesday. But on Saturday, that protest went ahead, as RCMP officers stood on the sidelines. Calgary police said they proactively served the church organizers with the order to ensure citizens attending service on Saturday were abiding by public health orders. In a release, police said service organizers "acknowledged the injunction, but chose to ignore requirements for social distancing, mask wearing and reduced capacity limits for attendees" and continued the event. Throughout the pandemic, the brothers have held large, maskless gatherings and have denied health officials entry to their church, which is located in the southeast neighbourhood of Dover. The Pawlowskis and other members of their church have been frequent participants at anti-mask rallies in Calgary. In this photo, from an anti-health restrictions protest on May 2, one of the church attendees can be seen wearing a fake nurses costume covered in dolls representing dead babies. (Submitted) AHS has said previously that attempts by health inspectors to enter the church have been met with abusive language and racial slurs. On Saturday, video from the scene showed one of the church's leaders scream at police, comparing the officers to Nazis. Artur Pawlowski has also been a speaker at several anti-mask rallies in Calgary. On Saturday afternoon, police attended the site of a planned anti-mask rally in northeast Calgary — advertised as a "massive exposure rally" — but said no attendees were present. Alberta currently has more than 24,000 active COVID-19 cases, and the highest rate of active cases in the country.
2 hours ago
CBC
Sask. NDP calls on provincial government to waive family's $300K COVID-19 hospital bill
Saskatchewan's Opposition is calling on the province to waive a family's $300,000 COVID-19 hospital bill. Narcisa Carranza is visiting on a tourist visa. Carranza had come to Canada to see her grandchildren with plans to return home to the Philippines in January 2020. Then the pandemic hit. Carranza and her husband had booked a flight home for April 22 of this year. Then in March, Carranza started coughing and vomiting, and had a fever. She had contracted COVID-19 and was taken to the ICU in Saskatoon. After two weeks on a respirator, she was sedated into a coma. "She was stuck in Saskatchewan, where this premier did nowhere near enough to protect people from COVID-19 ... And she found herself in one of our overwhelmed ICUs," NDP Leader Ryan Meili said during a legislative session on Friday. "These are extraordinary times. Times when we've been asked to be all in this together. A global fight against a global pandemic. Will the premier commit today to help Mrs. Carranza and waive those fees?" Official Opposition Leader Ryan Meili called on the Saskatchewan government to waive a family's COVID-19 hospital bill during a legislative session Friday. (Michael Bell/The Canadian Press) Today Carranza is in recovery. The family is asking strangers for help financially after the family was hit by the bill. The stay in the hospital is $300,000, but the travel insurance Carranza had is only able to cover $50,000. The family is hoping for community or government help. As of Friday afternoon, Carranza's family has only been able to raise slightly more than $12,000 of their $50,000 goal on GoFundMe. Health Minister Paul Merriman said he could not comment specifically on Carranza's case. "These individuals that [the Opposition are] just throwing around in this House and using as political footballs is just un-classy," Merriman said in response to Meili's call. "We provided health care to any individual that comes into our province no matter where they're from, their country of origin ... and we will continue to do that ... We will continue to work with any families that have that have received an invoice from the Saskatchewan Health Authority. We'll continue to work with them to make sure that they are able to provide payment." Narcisa Carranza had to be put into a coma while struggling with COVID-19. (GoFundMe)
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