CBC News gains access to a unique inoculation site in the U.K., where vulnerable groups are being prioritized.
Hyundai Motor Co will replace battery systems in some 82,000 electric vehicles globally due to fire risks - a costly $900 million recall that lays bare the thorny issue of how car and battery makers split the bill when problems arise. The recall is one of the first mass battery pack replacements conducted by a major automaker. The recall mostly concerns the Kona EV, Hyundai's biggest-selling electric car which was first recalled late last year for a software upgrade after a spate of fires.
Things could look different in the annual meeting season starting next month, when companies are set to face the most investor resolutions tied to climate change in years. Those votes are likely to win more support than in previous years from large asset managers seeking clarity on how executives plan to adapt and prosper in a low-carbon world, according to Reuters interviews with more than a dozen activist investors and fund managers. In the United States, shareholders have filed 79 climate-related resolutions so far, compared with 72 for all of last year and 67 in 2019, according to data compiled by the Sustainable Investments Institute and shared with Reuters.
BANGKOK — Regional diplomatic efforts to resolve Myanmar's political crisis gathered pace Wednesday, while protests continued in Yangon and other cities calling for the country's coupmakers to stand down and Aung San Suu Kyi's elected government to be returned to power. Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi visited the Thai capital, Bangkok, as part of her efforts to co-ordinate a regional response to the crisis triggered by Myanmar's Feb. 1 military coup. Also making the trip to neighbouring Thailand was the foreign minister appointed by Myanmar's new military government, retired army colonel Wunna Maung Lwin, said a Thai government official, who spoke on condition of anonymity as he was not authorized to release the information. Another Thai official said Wunna Maung Lwin met with Thai Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai as well as Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, himself a former army chief who first took power in a military coup. That official also spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not authorized to release the information. There was no immediate word whether Marsudi also met the Myanmar diplomat. Indonesia and fellow members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations are seeking to promote some concessions by Myanmar's military that could ease tensions before there is more violence. The regional grouping, to which Thailand and Myanmar also belong, believes dialogue with the generals is a more effective method of achieving concessions than more confrontational methods, such as sanctions, often advocated by Western nations. Opposition to the coup within Myanmar continued Wednesday, with a tense standoff taking place in the country's second-biggest city, Mandalay, where police holding riot shields and cradling rifles blocked the path of about 3,000 teachers and students. After about two hours, during which demonstrators played protest songs and listened to speeches condemning the coup, the crowd moved away. On Saturday, police and soldiers shot dead two people in Mandalay as they broke up a strike by dock workers. Earlier the same week they had violently dispersed a rally in front of a state bank branch, with batons and slingshots. Also Wednesday, about 150 people from a Christian group gathered in Yangon, Myanmar's largest city, to call for restoration of democracy and the release of Suu Kyi and other civilian leaders held since the coup. International pressure against the takeover also continues, with more than 130 civil society groups issuing an open letter to United Nations Security Council calling for a global arms embargo on Myanmar. The letter released Wednesday cited concerns about Myanmar’s citizens being deprived of a democratically elected government and ongoing violations of human rights by a military with a history of major abuses. “Any sale or transfer of military-related equipment to Myanmar could provide the means to further repress the people of Myanmar in violation of international humanitarian and human rights law,” the letter said. In addition to a sweeping arms embargo, the letter said any Security Council measures should make sure there is “robust monitoring and enforcement mechanisms.” There have been past arms embargoes on Myanmar during periods of military rule but not on a global basis. China and Russia, both members of the security council, are among the top arms suppliers to Myanmar, and would almost certainly veto any effort by the U.N. at a co-ordinated arms embargo. How effective the regional efforts at resolving Myanmar's crisis could be remains unclear. If Indonesia's Marsudi met in Thailand with her Myanmar counterpart it would have allowed them to talk face-to-face while sidestepping possible controversy stemming from a visit to Myanmar by Marsudi. Critics of the coup, especially in Myanmar, charge that such a visit would be tantamount to recognizing the military regime as legitimate and its takeover as legal. There had been news reports that such a visit was imminent. Indonesian Foreign Ministry spokesman Teuku Faizasyah said Wednesday that Marsudi left open an option to visit the Myanmar capital Naypyitaw, but had put off any plan for the time being. A statement from his office said that taking in account current developments and following consultations with other ASEAN countries, “this is not the ideal time to conduct a visit to Myanmar.” Demonstrations were held outside Indonesian embassies in Yangon and Bangkok on Tuesday in response to a news report that Jakarta was proposing to fellow ASEAN members that they offer qualified support for the junta’s plan for a new election next year. Faizasyah denied the report. Tassanee Vejpongsa, The Associated Press
Taiwan chipmakers are buying water by the truckload for some of their foundries as the island widens restrictions on water supply amid a drought that could exacerbate a chip supply crunch for the global auto industry. Some auto makers have already been forced to trim production, and Taiwan had received requests for help to bridge the shortage of auto chips from countries including the United States and Germany. Taiwan, a key hub in the global technology supply chain for giants such as Apple Inc, will begin on Thursday to further reduce water supply for factories in central and southern cities where major science parks are located.
Which would you prefer? In Serbia, people can select any of four jabs: the one developed by Pfizer-BioNTech, China’s Sinopharm, Russia’s Sputnik V and Oxford-Astrazeneca's.View on euronews
Strong exports and solid construction activity helped the German economy to grow by a better-than-expected 0.3% in the final quarter of last year, but stricter lockdown measures at home and abroad are clouding the outlook for Europe's largest economy. The data, published by the Federal Statistics Office on Wednesday, marked an upward revision to its earlier estimate for a 0.1% expansion over the previous quarter. Adjusted for calendar effects, the German economy shrank by 5.3% last year, a much smaller contraction than in many other European countries, helped by a strong fiscal response to the damage caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
VANCOUVER — Dominik Kahun scored twice Tuesday as the Edmonton Oilers clawed out a 4-3 come-from-behind win over the Vancouver Canucks. Vancouver (8-13-2) had a 3-0 lead late in the first period, thanks to goals from Bo Horvat, Tyler Myers and Elias Pettersson. Kahun sparked the comeback for Edmonton (13-8-0) with goals late in the first and early in the third. Connor McDavid buried a power-play tally to tie the game, and Tyler Ennis scored to seal the win. Leon Draisaitl registered three assists. Edmonton’s Mike Smith had 30 saves, while Thatcher Demko stopped 25-of-29 shots for Vancouver (8-13-2). The victory extends Edmonton's win streak to four games. It was another disappointing result for the Canucks, who have just two wins in their last 12 games. Ennis broke a 3-3 deadlock 13:25 into the third period. Stationed at the side of the net, he took a puck that had bounced off his shin and tipped it in behind Demko. McDavid knotted the score with a power-play tally 4:23 into the third. Vancouver defenceman Alex Edler had been sent to the box for tripping just nine seconds earlier. When Demko dove to make a stop, McDavid was quick to capitalize, popping a shot in over the sprawled-out netminder from the side of the net. Edmonton had already cut Vancouver's lead to a single goal less than a minute into the third when Kahun's shot from the face-off dot sailed in over Demko's glove. It was the Czech forward's second goal of the night and fourth of the season. After a slow start to the game, the Oilers came close to whittling away the Canucks lead in the second frame. Draisaitl unleashed a blast that tested Demko mightily four minutes in. The goalie hugged his post tightly to ensure an errant puck didn't sneak through, not letting up until the whistle sounded. Near the end of the frame, McDavid fired a shot off the cross bar. Play continued for a few moments before officials decided to check the play to see whether the puck had, in fact, gone into the Vancouver net before bouncing back out. A video review confirmed there was no goal. Vancouver started the scoring race just 1:06 into Tuesday's game. Horvat sprinted down the boards and fired a sharp-angle shot from near the goal line. The puck slid under Smith's pads and into the net to the goaltender's apparent disbelief. Myers extended Vancouver's lead seven minutes later with a blast from the top of the face-off circle. His shot ticked off the stick of Edmonton's Tyler Ennis and sailed in over Smith's shoulder to put the Canucks up 2-0. A scramble in front of the Oilers net ended with another Vancouver goal midway through the first. Canucks defenceman Jordie Benn sent the puck to the front of the net and, through a crowd of sticks, Miller was able to deflect it back to Pettersson at the top of the crease. Falling to the ice, the Swedish centre batted a backhanded shot past Smith. It was Vancouver's third goal, coming on its ninth shot of the night. Edmonton responded just before the first intermission. Kahun got a shot off from low in the face-off circle and Demko appeared to make the stop. But the Canucks netminder couldn't hold on to the puck, which dribbled out from under his arm and into the net. The Oilers and Canucks will face each other again in Vancouver on Thursday. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 23, 2021. Gemma Karstens-Smith, The Canadian Press
ROME — Italy on Wednesday pressed the United Nations for answers about the attack on a U.N. food aid convoy in Congo that left a young ambassador and his paramilitary police bodyguard dead. Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio told lawmakers in Rome that Italy has asked both the U.N. and the U.N. World Food Program to open an investigation into the security arrangements for convoy, which was attacked two days earlier. The minister said Italy also will spare no effort to determine the truth behind the killing of Ambassador Luca Attanasio and Carabiniere paramilitary officer Vittorio Iacovacci. A WFP Congolese driver, Moustapha Milambo, was also killed in the attack. “We have formally asked the WFP and the U.N. to open an inquest that clarifies what happened, the motivations for the security arrangements employed and who was responsible for these decisions,” Di Maio said. The trip was undertaken at the U.N.’s invitation, according to Di Maio. The two Italians had “entrusted themselves to the protocol of the United Nations,” which flew them on a U.N. plane from Kinshasha to Goma, 2,500 kilometres (1,500 miles) away, Di Maio said. The Italian embassy in Kinshasha, Di Maio noted, has two armoured vehicles at the ambassador's disposal for moving around the city and the country. But for Monday's mission, to visit a WFP school food project in Rutshuri in eastern Congo, Attanasio was travelling in U.N. vehicles. Only hours earlier, Di Maio, flanked by Premier Mario Draghi, met the arrival of the bodies of the two Italians at a Rome military airport. Autopsies are scheduled for Wednesday and a state funeral for both men was set for Thursday in Rome. A special team of Carabinieri investigators, dispatched by Rome prosecutors, arrived Tuesday in Congo on what Di Maio said would likely be multiple missions to determine what happened. Attanasio, 43, who leaves a widow involved in volunteer projects in Congo and three young children, "was in love with his profession, with Africa and his family,'' Di Maio said. He noted that the Carabiniere was nearing the end of his security detail in Congo and was soon due back in Rome. The World Food Program, which won the Nobel Peace Prize last year for its efforts to feed refugees and other malnourished people worldwide, is headquartered in Rome. "For this reason, I immediately asked WFP in Rome and the United Nations, involving directing the Secretary General (Antonio) Guterres, to supply a detailed report on the attack on the convoy,'' Di Maio said. WFP has said the road had been previously cleared for travel without security escorts. U.N. security officials based in Congo usually determine road safety. On Tuesday, U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said in New York that the U.N. had launched an internal review concerning the “security around the incident.” Di Maio said the attackers numbered six, had light arms and apparently spread obstacles on the road and fired shots in the air to stop the convoy. “The noise of the shooting alerted soldiers of the Congolese Armed Forces and the rangers of Virunga park, less than a kilometre (half-mile) away, headed to the place of the incident.” Di Maio quoted the local governor as saying that to force the victims to go into the bush, they killed the WFP driver. When the ranger patrol arrived, Di Maio said, citing the Congolese interior minister’s account, the attackers “fired upon the Carabiniere, killing him, and at the ambassador, gravely wounding him.? Attanasio died of his wounds shortly afterward. Italy will reinforce its commitments to aid Africa, Di Maio said, calling that the “best way to honour the memory? of the two slain Italians. "A policy that puts Africa at the centre of Italian diplomatic, European and international attention, this is the commitment Luca believed in and in which we believe in,'' the foreign minister said. Frances D'Emilio, The Associated Press
U.S. President Joe Biden said on Tuesday that he and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau agreed to work toward achieving net zero emissions by 2050. "We're launching a high-level, climate-ambition ministerial and to align our policies and our goals to achieve net zero emissions by 2050," Biden said in a speech following a bilateral meeting with the Canadian leader. U.S. Special Climate Change Envoy John Kerry and his Canadian counterpart, Environment Minister Jonathan Wilkinson, will host the ministerial.
(Dale Molnar/CBC - image credit) The union representing workers at four local plants have voted overwhelmingly in favour of a strike mandate should they deem it necessary. Unifor Local 444 says 99 per cent of members at Avancez, Dakkota, HBPO, ZF/TRW have backed a strike mandate vote amid bargaining negotiations that started earlier this month with one of the plants. "Will strike if provoked," the union tweeted on Tuesday night. The "feeder four" plants supply parts for auto manufacturing. The union is "pattern bargaining" with the manufacturers and ZF/TRW was designated the target employer, Unifor 444 President Dave Cassidy said in a video earlier this month. More from CBC Windsor:
Barry Martin had hoped to spend his golden years messing around with some wood. When the 65-year-old, originally from Lewisporte, and his wife moved back to Newfoundland in 2020, he had his sights set on using retirement as a way to progress his woodworking hobby. To that end, Martin purchased a home just off the Bay d’Espoir Highway — about 15 kilometres from the Trans-Canada Highway — that would help him accomplish those goals. The home needed some work and to help with that, he bought a portable Frontier sawmill to help. That mill was going to help with some smaller wood-working projects as well. “I purchased a home that was not quite finished, there were lots of trees on my property so I decided to purchase a small portable sawmill to finish my home and to be able to afford to pursue my recreation of woodworking,” Martin wrote in an email to SaltWire Network. That was fine until he ran into a problem. He applied for a licence to operate the mill at the back of his property, but it was denied. Martin thought this was peculiar because one of his neighbours has a similar mill on their property, as do many others in his area. The mill he bought is 12 feet long and four feet wide. “(The department) rejected my application here because they said I was living on a recreational property, so I couldn’t have one,” he told SaltWire during a follow-up interview. “Who is to determine what my recreation is?” Martin asked if it’d be possible to have a licence for as long as it took for him to finish his home. That was also denied. Martin said he was advised by a representative with the forestry department that he could purchase a piece of Crown Land at the back of his property and he would be granted a licence. However, that application was turned down as well. He was told that he could not have his mill within 300 metres, almost 1,000 feet, of any property in his region. “It seems like they can make rules whenever they want and however, they want,” said Martin. “My neighbour can have one, he is only 100 feet from me, but I can’t have one.” One of his neighbours recently had their licence renewed. He was also told the dust and noise created by his mill would be too much in the area. Martin lives adjacent to the Newfoundland Trailway and doesn’t believe his sawmill creates as much dust and noise as the recreational vehicles that use the railbed. “When I set up the sawmill, I just tried it out and my neighbour said he couldn’t hear it,” said Martin. “It is silliness what (the provincial government) is saying because of the noise and dust.” Martin has reached out to Elvis Loveless, the minister of fisheries, forestry and agriculture, the Office of the Premier and others in government hoping to find a resolution to his problem. The provincial government declined to comment on a specific application but did detail information regarding the application process. “Sawmill licences are issued under Section 79 of the Forestry Act. Any applicant wishing to operate a sawmill on Crown Land must first secure the appropriate title,” a spokesperson for the Department of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture wrote in an email. “The operation of a sawmill within a Cottage Development Area is considered to be in conflict with the intent of a recreation cottage area. “In such a circumstance, the Crown Lands Division would consider an application for an alternate location outside the cottage area.” Moving the mill and setting it up on another parcel of land away from his property doesn’t appeal to Martin. He fears having it vandalized or stolen. Not being able to finish his home is causing problems for his family. Condensation builds up in his home and there is water dropping down from a light fixture. “I was denied the opportunity to do that when other people can do that,” said Martin. “Why am I being treated so differently?” Nicholas Mercer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Central Voice
Tuesday's Games NHL Buffalo 4 New Jersey 1 Pittsburgh 3 Washington 2 (OT) Chicago 6 Columbus 5 (SO) Ottawa 5 Montreal 4 (SO) Nashville 2 Detroit 0 Edmonton 4 Vancouver 3 --- AHL Rockford 3 Cleveland 2 Toronto 5 Stockton 1 --- NBA Detroit 105 Orlando 93 Cleveland 112 Atlanta 111 Brooklyn 127 Sacramento 118 Golden State 114 New York 106 Philadelphia 109 Toronto 102 Dallas 110 Boston 107 Milwaukee 139 Minnesota 112 L.A. Clippers 135 Washington 116 Denver 111 Portland 106 --- This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 23, 2021. The Canadian Press
(Ben Nelms/CBC - image credit) THE LATEST: Health officials announced 456 new cases and 2 more deaths on Wednesday. There are 4,668 active cases of novel coronavirus in B.C. 237 people are in hospital, including 64 in intensive care. To date, 1,338 people have died of COVID-19 in B.C. out of 78,278 confirmed cases. 230,875 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered, including 62,608 second doses. Another 456 cases of COVID-19 have been added to B.C.'s pandemic numbers, along with two more deaths, health officials announced Wednesday. The latest figures mean that there are now 4,668 active cases of the novel coronavirus in B.C. Of those, 237 people are in hospital, including 64 in intensive care. To date, 1,338 people have died of the disease out of 78,278 confirmed cases. There have been no new outbreaks, and the outbreak at Creekside Landing in Vernon has been declared over after two people there died of COVID-19. Meanwhile, B.C. is preparing to ramp up its COVID-19 immunization program, bringing more health professionals into the workforce, as it sets the stage for mass vaccination clinics. As of Wednesday, 230,875 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered, including 62,608 second doses. Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry announced Tuesday that she has issued a new public health order that allows health-care professionals including dentists, midwives, pharmacy technicians and retired nurses to participate in vaccination. Health officials say they will reveal more details next week about plans to vaccinate everyone over the age of 80. At the same time as the vaccination program is expanding, however, case counts and test positivity rates are starting to climb again, causing concern for health officials. "We're in a period of vaccine hope and pandemic reality," Henry said Tuesday. As of Wednesday, just under seven per cent of tests for the novel coronavirus are now coming back positive across the province, according to the B.C. Centre for Disease Control's COVID-19 dashboard. In the Northern Health region, more than 13 per cent of tests are now positive. READ MORE: What's happening elsewhere in Canada As of 6 p.m. PT Tuesday, Canada had reported 852,269 cases of COVID-19, with 30,677 cases considered active. A total of 21,762 people have died. What are the symptoms of COVID-19? Common symptoms include: Fever. Cough. Tiredness. Shortness of breath. Loss of taste or smell. Headache. But more serious symptoms can develop, including difficulty breathing and pneumonia. What should I do if I feel sick? Use the B.C. Centre for Disease Control's COVID-19 self-assessment tool. Testing is recommended for anyone with symptoms of cold or flu, even if they're mild. People with severe difficulty breathing, severe chest pain, difficulty waking up or other extreme symptoms should call 911. What can I do to protect myself? Wash your hands frequently and thoroughly. Keep them clean. Keep at least two metres away from people outside your bubble. Keep your distance from people who are sick. Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth. Wear a mask in indoor public spaces. More detailed information on the outbreak is available on the federal government's website.
New laws are on the horizon for Canada’s aquaculture industry, but environmentalists are wary the proposed legislation might not be enough to protect the country’s oceans. Canada’s $1.2-billion aquaculture industry is now regulated under a patchwork of federal and provincial laws and regulations. Confusion over that regulatory maze has fuelled a years-long effort by Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) to develop aquaculture-specific legislation. The new laws would update rules on everything from licensing to the industry’s environmental impact. “We have concerns around the act that (with) the direction it is going, it may actually exempt or replace or undermine some of the other legislative protections around wild fish biodiversity,” said Stan Proboszcz, science and campaign adviser for the Watershed Watch Salmon Society. Currently, the Fisheries Act contains strong provisions aimed at protecting wild fish and wild fish habitat. Largely developed in the Trudeau government’s early years — an effort to restore protections gutted by former prime minister Stephen Harper — the rules established rigorous habitat protections, Proboszcz said. But he’s worried the proposed aquaculture laws could exempt fish farms from some of these protections. Of greatest concern to Proboszcz and other advocates are open-pen salmon farms, the largest industry in Canada’s aquaculture sector. In use on both coasts, open-pen nets pose a risk to wild Pacific and Atlantic salmon largely because the farms risk exposing wild populations to pests and disease. For instance, a 2012 report by Justice Bruce Cohen found that fish farms along salmon migration routes on the B.C. coast were contributing to the rapid decline of Fraser River salmon. Almost a decade later, in 2020 — and months after the river saw historically low returns — DFO decided to remove open-pen fish farms from the species' key migration route. Environmentalists in both the Atlantic provinces and B.C. have also been concerned for years about the farms’ impact on surrounding ecosystems because excrement, excess feed, and other waste leach beyond the floating pens — despite environmental protections under the Fisheries Act. “The open-pen salmon farming industry is in part governed by the protections of the Fisheries Act,” said Proboszcz. “We think that’s the way it should stay — we spent … years revising the Fisheries Act to protect habitats, to protect wild fish, and we don’t want to see an aquaculture act come in that amends those protections.” In a statement, DFO said the proposed act “would be derived from relevant sections of the Fisheries Act” and “would clearly and appropriately prohibit specific harmful activities … by maintaining the environmental prohibition currently found under the Fisheries Act.” But in a January letter, Watershed Watch and a coalition of other environmental organizations noted that less-stringent provincial aquaculture laws could leave open a loophole to these protections. The Atlantic provinces have some jurisdiction over aquaculture in their waters thanks to agreements between the federal and provincial governments. “The super obvious (concern) is that there doesn’t appear to be any requirement for a national standard of regulation,” said Simon Ryder-Burbidge, marine conservation officer with the Halifax-based Ecology Action Centre. “In the course of developing a federal act, you would want to mandate some kind of national standards for the protections of ecosystems at the federal level,” but the proposed act would keep the current system — where jurisdiction over fish farms is split between the federal and provincial governments — intact. “The proposed (aquaculture) act will not impede on existing areas of provincial jurisdiction,” DFO confirmed in a statement. Those aren’t Ryder-Burbidge and Proboszcz's only worries, however. Both noted that DFO’s dual responsibility to regulate and promote Canada’s aquaculture industry is a significant conflict of interest that shouldn’t be enshrined in the planned law. “We do not want to see any sort of legislation or regulation that facilitates the government’s promotion of aquaculture as an industry,” said Proboszcz. Similar concerns have been raised for years: Justice Cohen noted it in the 2012 Cohen report on Fraser River sockeye. More recently, Chief Don Tom, vice-president of the Union of BC Indian Chiefs, noted the issue was central to controversy around fish farms in B.C.’s Discovery Islands. In response, the ministry said it is “committed to the conservation of wild salmon stocks” and aims to create an act that “provides greater clarity for the sector’s management and helps further enhance environmental protections.” Still, Ryder-Burbidge remains concerned. “At the end of the day, the protection of marine species falls at the foot of the federal government. We want to see them step up and take action to protect wild … salmon and other species,” he said. Marc Fawcett-Atkinson/Local Journalism Initiative/Canada's National Observer Marc Fawcett-Atkinson, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, National Observer
Shares on Wall Street ended higher on Wednesday, as a selloff in technology-related stocks eased and a rotation into cyclical shares continued after Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell's comments calmed inflation worries. The Nasdaq index, which traded as much as 1.3% lower earlier in the session, regained its footing by early afternoon and closed up. The Dow hit a record high earlier in the session.
(Courtesy Terry Jenkins - image credit) Thanks to all the recent snowfall, those sleigh bells are ringing at a horse farm just outside of Chatham. TJ Stables began offering sleigh rides to paying customers last weekend, and it's been very popular. One of the owners, Terry Jenkins, said it's been a much-needed financial boon after being locked down for much of the past year. Jenkins said she's hoping the snow will stick around. "Oh, this is the first time in my life I've wished it would stay cold," she said with a laugh. She bought the sleigh almost three years ago "to make memories" for her grandchildren but the weather hasn't co-operated. After considering selling it last summer, enough snow fell this season for Jenkins to use the sleigh, and help make memories for other families as well, she said. The endeavour is supporting keeping the horses fed after almost six months of lockdowns. "They don't know it's COVID. They just want their supper," she said. The sleigh can hold four adults or a family of six with children — all in the same bubble. More from CBC Windsor:
L’absence d’un système de transport en commun constitué irrite la MRC de La Haute-Côte-Nord qui souhaite financer une étude sur la faisabilité d’un organisme dédié aux transports collectifs et adaptés pour le territoire. À l’assemblée du 16 février, le conseil des maires a autorisé le directeur général Paul Langlois à formuler une demande d’aide financière auprès du ministère des Transports du Québec (MTQ) via le Fonds Vert. « Un montant de 60 000 $ a été budgété afin de réaliser cette étude et nous pensons qu’il est possible de rentrer dans ce budget », a précisé la préfète Micheline Anctil. Toutefois, les élus des huit municipalités du territoire attendront la réponse du programme de soutien financier avant de lancer un appel d’offres en ce sens. « Si nous obtenons le financement, nous irons de l’avant en mandatant une firme pour conseiller et accompagner la MRC dans sa démarche de recherche visant à établir un service de transport en commun sur son territoire », de relater Mme Anctil. Une résolution a d’ailleurs été adoptée par le conseil des maires lors de la même séance afin d’autoriser le directeur général de la MRC à lancer un appel d’offres dans le cadre de ce projet d’étude. La mise en place d’un système de transport en commun territorial dépendra des recommandations soumises à la fin de l’étude commandée. « Les services pourront s’adresser aux travailleurs, aux familles, aux aînés, pour assister aux différents événements ayant lieu dans la MRC, etc. Nous ferons part de toutes nos préoccupations à l’entreprise qui sera mandatée, si tel est le cas, pour obtenir le meilleur modèle de transport en commun, le modèle le plus rentable », a assuré la préfète. Rappelons que certains services sont actuellement en place à la MRC en ce qui concerne le transport. Effectivement, le service de transport de la MRC de La Haute-Côte-Nord se divise en deux volets, soit le transport adapté et le transport bénévole et accompagnement. Pour en bénéficier, les citoyens doivent téléphoner trois jours à l’avance au Service de transport de la MRC pour que celui-ci coordonne le déplacement avec un conducteur bénévole, à des frais minimes. La grille tarifaire et le fonctionnement du service sont disponibles sur le site web de la MRC. Règlement d’un différend (JG) – Le conseil des maires a finalement réglé un différend qui perdure depuis 2019 concernant la taxation du centre de tri opéré par la MRC de La Haute-Côte-Nord sur le territoire de la municipalité des Bergeronnes. Les directions générales des deux parties en sont venues à une entente, soit le versement d’une somme de 4 240,20 $ par la MRC à la Municipalité des Bergeronnes, consistant en le règlement final du dossier. 50 000 $ pour le PDZA (JG) – La réalisation d’un plan de développement de la zone agricole (PDZA) par la MRC de La Haute-Côte-Nord chemine. La demande de soutien financier au ministère de l’Agriculture, des Pêcheries et de l’Alimentation (MAPAQ) a été acceptée, faisant en sorte que le conseil des maires a autorisé la signature d’un protocole d’entente. Un montant de 50 000 $ sera distribué à la MRC afin de mettre en place le PDZA, soit 25 000 $ dès la signature du protocole, 12 500 $ à la moitié du projet et 12 500 $ à la fin de la réalisation. De plus, le directeur général Paul Langlois a été mandaté pour assurer la coordination de la mise en place du PDZA. Révision du Plan de gestion des matières résiduelles (JG) – La MRC de La Haute-Côte-Nord devait faire la révision de son Plan de gestion des matières résiduelles cette année afin de lui permettre de respecter la Loi sur la qualité de l’environnement en matière de consigne et de collecte sélective. Le conseil des maires a autorisé le directeur général Paul Langlois à demander un délai supplémentaire de deux ans afin de permettre la réalisation de la révision. Réparation à l’écocentre de Portneuf-sur-Mer (JG) – La MRC de La Haute-Côte-Nord a procédé à un appel d’offres sur invitation pour la réparation de plateformes en asphalte à l’écocentre de Portneuf-sur-Mer. Sur neuf entreprises invitées à déposer une soumission, seulement une seule a répondu à l’appel d’offres. Il s’agit de Construction SRV des Bergeronnes qui a soumissionné pour un montant de 52 050 $. « Comme la soumission est considérée conforme, c’est la seule entreprise soumissionnaire qui obtient le contrat », d’informer Kevin Bédard, directeur général adjoint. Appels d’offres sans succès (JG) – Du côté de la construction d’une plateforme et d’un bâtiment d’accueil à l’écocentre des Bergeronnes, les appels d’offres se sont avérés infructueux même si plusieurs entreprises ont été invitées à soumissionner. La MRC de La Haute-Côte-Nord retourne donc en appel d’offres pour une deuxième tentative pour la construction de la plateforme et il a été suggéré au conseil des maires de procéder par gré à gré pour ce qui est de la construction du bâtiment d’accueil. Embauche à la MRC (JG) – À la suite du départ de la directrice du Service technique et de l’environnement, la MRC de La Haute-Côte-Nord a lancé le processus pour combler le poste. Elle a ainsi retenu les services de la Fédération québécoise des municipalités (FQM) pour l’accompagner dans cette démarche. Le conseil des maires a finalement entériné l’embauche de Marie-Michèle Couture sur la recommandation de la FQM et du comité de sélection. Celle-ci entrera en poste en mars prochain. Johannie Gaudreault, Initiative de journalisme local, Journal Haute-Côte-Nord
VANCOUVER — Two more units have been added to a COVID-19 outbreak declared at Vancouver General Hospital. A statement from Vancouver Coastal Health says outbreaks are underway on inpatient units T-14-G and T-11-G in the highrise tower of the hospital's Jim Pattison Pavilion. The health authority says the outbreaks are in addition to one declared Sunday in unit T-10-C in the same tower. The statement says, in total, 16 patients and 13 staff members have tested positive for COVID-19. Visits to all three units have been suspended, except for end-of-life compassionate visits, and the hospital says infection prevention and control protocols are underway to prevent further transmission. Coastal Health says the rest of the hospital, including the emergency room, remain open and operating as usual. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 24, 2021. The Canadian Press
BANGKOK — Three Cabinet ministers in Thailand were forced to leave their posts Wednesday after a court found them guilty of sedition for taking part in sometimes-violent protests in 2013-2014 against the government then in power. The Criminal Court in Bangkok found Digital Economy Minister Buddhipongse Punnakanta, Education Minister Nataphol Teepsuwan and Deputy Transport Minister Thaworn Senneam guilty along with about two dozen other defendants in a case that was launched in 2018. The verdicts can be appealed to a higher court but under the law the Cabinet ministers must relinquish their jobs immediately. Another prominent person convicted Wednesday was Suthep Thaugsuban, a former deputy prime minister who helped found the People’s Democratic Reform Committee, which led the demonstrations against the elected government of then-Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra. Instability caused by the street protests led to the Thai army staging a coup in 2014 and keeping power until 2019. Suthep and the Cabinet ministers each received prison sentences ranging from five to about seven years. “We are prepared. Whatever happens, will happen,” Suthep said outside the court. "But I have to assure you that the protest leaders and those who share our same belief, that we are fighting for our country and our land. We firmly believe in responsibility in our actions and not violating the law.” The protests marked the tail end of almost a decade of intense political contention in Thailand that began in 2006 after then-Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra was ousted by a coup after being accused of corruption and abuse of power. Thaksin is Yingluck's brother, and they are both currently in exile. Thaksin’s ouster set off years of sometimes violent conflict between his supporters and opponents, both of which engaged in aggressive street protests against governments led by the other’s faction. The People’s Democratic Reform Committee was in the anti-Thaksin camp, which in an earlier incarnation as the People’s Alliance for Democracy occupied the prime minister’s offices and Bangkok’s international airport for about a week in 2008. Thaksin’s supporters were known as the Red Shirts, and in 2010 wreaked havoc by occupying part of central Bangkok. Their protest was suppressed by the army with armed force in violence over several weeks that took almost 100 lives. The Associated Press
(Mackenzie Scott/CBC - image credit) Although Pink Shirt Day is this coming Friday, that didn't stop some students who are out of school this week in Ulukhaktok, N.W.T., to celebrate the day a little early. Last Friday, students at Helen Kalvak Elihakvik School posted reminders to be kind throughout the community in honour of the day that is celebrated nationally with people wearing pink shirts to show they are against bullying. "The kids have come up with some great ideas and some great positive words and blurbs and quotes to be put out there. Together we've all created some pink ice bricks, put some posts in them, so these positivity signs spread kindness throughout all of Ulukhaktok," said Sandra Summers, a teacher at Helen Kalvak Elihakvik School who, along with her fellow teachers, is on professional development this week. Two students from Helen Kalvak Elihakvik School in Ulukhaktok, N.W.T. show the signs they made to celebrate Pink Shirt Day. Each sign the students made were in English and Inuinnaqtun and included phrases of kindness. Summers and Kathy Blouin both teach kids in composite classes of grades two to four. Pink Shirt Day started in Nova Scotia in 2007 with one small act of kindness. For the teachers, it was important that the kids be educated about the day and celebrated it even though they aren't in school. "It fits in really well with our health unit right now with mental health and emotional well being ... our goal is to bring kindness to these kids and then for these kids to then go on and spread kindness throughout the community." 'Our words are powerful' The pink signs were written in both English and Inuinnaqtun and included phrases like "throw kindness around like confetti" and "kindness is among us." Students worked on it throughout the week, and posted them throughout the community on Friday with help of the RCMP. "So ideally, when somebody when someone walks into the Co-op or the Northern [store], they are going to see one of the signs and it will make their day," said Summers. Eight-year-old Sarah Joss said she had fun making the sign but was really looking forward to "bringing kindness around the town." "Our words are powerful, they can make people sad or happy." With bright smiles, the kids delivered the messages with their classmates and teachers. "The biggest thing we want them to take from this is we want to inspire them to inspire others," said Summers. "We want to let them know if they are in a tough situation that they can always choose kindness."
