Ottawa museum workers laid off

Employees who worked at the Canada Science and Technology Museum, plus two other museums, were laid off Thursday.
Employees who worked at the Canada Science and Technology Museum, plus two other museums, were laid off Thursday.

The organization that runs three Ottawa museums has laid off 17 people due to budget constraints, CBC News has learned.

The vice-president of public affairs for the Canada Science and Technology Museums Corporation confirmed the layoffs Friday. The corporation is in charge of the Canada Agriculture Museum, the Canada Science and Technology Museum and the Canada Aviation and Space Museum.

Yves St-Onge said three of the cuts were public affairs clerks. There was also a handful of exhibit designers and the rest worked in library and cataloguing services. They were all handed their layoff notices Thursday.

"It was very difficult for the organization to come to that conclusion because these were employees, some with long service with us, but we had an overall commitement of maintaining a balanced budget," St-Onge said.

"It's the only way we could actually come out to a sustainable budget management to reduce our salary budgets."

St-Onge added they did not want to take away from the visitor's experience by cutting jobs on the museum floors.

The union for public sector workers argued the employees' collective bargaining agreement was ignored in this layoff process. They also had to leave by the end of Thursday, the same day they received their notices.

St-Onge said museum revenue can't match rising inflation over the past several years. He added the museum did not receive the $3.5 million in annual appropriation funding from the federal government.

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    Nahɂą Dehé Dene Band in Nahanni Butte, N.W.T., has elected Steve Vital as its new chief. The election, held on Thursday, saw Vital defeat previous chief Darrell Betsaka by 58 votes to 20.  Returning officer Marlene Matou confirmed the results on Thursday night. Vital says he’s looking forward to hearing from the community about changes they’d like to see. “I’m hoping to do my best for our community,” he said. “I’m happy the people elected me and they want change, so I’m here.” Vital previously worked at the N.W.T. Power Corporation in the community. He says he would like to see more infrastructure developed for Nahanni Butte. He hopes to improve communication between the community and its leadership and is planning a meeting with residents to learn more about their wishes.Sarah Sibley, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Cabin Radio

  • MPs urge support for small-scale Vancouver Island distilleries after feds give sanitizer contracts to big firms

    Vancouver Island MPs and mayors have come out in support of local distilleries on the Island that pivoted to producing hand sanitizer during the pandemic.  Three NDP MPs have called on the federal government to acknowledge the invaluable contribution made by small-business distilleries with more financial support, after reports of the federal government awarding paid-contracts to large, out-of-province companies emerged.  In a statement, North Island-Powell River MP Rachel Blaney, Courtenay-Alberni MP Gord Johns and Cowichan-Malahat-Langford MP Alistair MacGregor listed out distilleries in their ridings that produced “tens of thousands of litres of hand sanitizer during the first wave of the pandemic despite having to close their doors to the public and losing their source of income.”  They pointed to the works of Shelter Point Distillery in Oyster River, Wayward Distillery in Courtenay and Ampersand Distilling and Stillhead Distillery in the Cowichan Valley.  After the pandemic blew up in March, many alcohol distillers in B.C. began producing and supplying hand sanitizer to address supply shortage.  Some, like Shelter Point Distillery suspended distilling operations to switch production capacity to manufacture medical grade sanitizer after medical clinics on the Island informed them of the trouble they faced in procuring the product.  READ MORE: Shelter Point Distillery switches production to sanitizers  According to a report by CBC, the federal government spent close to $570 million dollars on purchasing hand sanitizer from outside the country when distillers in the country were producing it for free.  Eventually when the government signed agreements with Canadian manufacturers, it was the big companies like Fluid Energy Group in Calgary, Hawktree Solutions in Ottawa and Irving Oil in New Brunswick that got the deal.  This move did not sit well with the New Democrats who felt that it was not fair to the smaller producers/businesses.  “After small businesses did this at a financial loss, it’s really a slap in the face that this government then paid huge companies to do the work they’d been doing for free, said MP Johns.  “It’s incredibly disappointing to see that the government doesn’t have small businesses’ backs the way that they should,” said MP Blaney.  Criticizing the government’s move, MP MacGregor said that for many local business owners this is just another example of how the Liberals have let them down during the pandemic.  “These businesses stepped up when people in our communities needed help. Instead of making deals with big business, the government should be there to support them now,” said MacGregor.  Some local leaders have also stepped up to support and commend the work of these distilleries and encouraged citizens to continue to support these local entrepreneurs. In a tweet, Port McNeill Mayor Gaby Wickstrom said “Our federal government may have shut out the smaller players but we can still make a difference for them.”  “I know our municipality & RD purchased from Shelter Point as have I. Be sure to support the local, innovative entrepreneur to thank them for helping us during COVID,” read Wickstrom’s tweet. Binny Paul, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Campbell River Mirror

  • Preliminary hearing set in Saskatoon court for man charged with murder of Preston Thomas

    A preliminary hearing has been set for a man accused of killing Preston Thomas earlier this year in Saskatoon. The hearing – to determine if there’s enough evidence for Joel Yuzicapi, 28, to stand trial - is set for March 19, 2021, in Saskatoon Provincial Court.  Saskatoon Police found Thomas’ body in a hotel on Airport Drive in Saskatoon on Aug. 1. Police say the victim and accused were known to each other.  Yuzicapi was arrested Aug. 4 in the 200 block of Avenue S North. Police charged him with second-degree murder. Saskatoon Police Major Crimes continues to investigate. If anyone has information they are asked to contact the Saskatoon Police at 306-975-8300 and to ask to speak with an investigator in Major Crimes or call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477. Thomas’ mother made a rose to honour her son and said she plans to take the rose with her to every court appearance of the man charged with his murder. “This rose is a symbol of the justice I want for my son,” Lillian Thomas posted on social media. Lisa Joy, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Battlefords Regional News-Optimist

  • Exploitation sexuelle des mineurs : la commission dépose son rapport

    CRIMINALITÉ. C’est un rapport unanime que la Commission spéciale a déposé à l’Assemblée nationale. Contenant 58 recommandations, les membres en provenance de tous les partis politiques appellent à la fois aux autorités et à la population à s'engager activement dans la lutte contre l'exploitation sexuelle des mineurs. Un rapport salué par le premier ministre François Legault. «Nous sommes fiers de présenter le résultat de 18 mois de travaux, durant lesquels nous avons entendu de nombreux témoignages qui nous ont bouleversés tant à Québec et à Montréal qu'à Val-d'Or. Un consensus émerge de ce rapport : il faut, avant toute chose, casser la demande pour les services sexuels de mineurs», déclare la présidente de la Commission spéciale, Lucie Lecours.  Entre autres, la Commission spéciale recommande que le gouvernement du Québec :  ·  intègre un contenu adapté, spécifique à la prévention et aux risques de l’exploitation sexuelle des personnes mineures au cours d’éducation à la sexualité au primaire et au secondaire. Des cours donnés par du personnel enseignant formé à cet effet et appuyé par des sexologues ou autres professionnels qualifiés; ·  initie dans les plus brefs délais une formule de financement à la mission pour les organismes communautaires luttant contre l’exploitation sexuelle des mineurs plutôt que par projet. Que ce financement soit bonifié; ·  désigne dans chaque région administrative une table de concertation composée des différents acteurs impliqués dans la lutte contre l’exploitation sexuelle des mineurs;  ·  uniformise un protocole approprié de partage des renseignements personnels et d’information entre les intervenants des services sociaux et des services policiers dans l’optique de prévenir et d’intervenir pour protéger les mineurs de situations d’exploitation sexuelle;  ·  bonifie la formation initiale et la formation continue des intervenants susceptibles d’être impliqués dans les dossiers d’exploitation sexuelle des mineurs;  ·  demande formellement au gouvernement fédéral de prendre le décret permettant l’entrée en vigueur de la disposition autorisant l’imposition de peines consécutives pour les trafiquants de la traite de personnes âgées de moins de dix-huit ans et une modification au Code criminel afin d’ajouter l’ensemble des crimes liés au proxénétisme aux activités visées par la confiscation des produits de la criminalité et de retirer l’étape de l’enquête préliminaire lors d’accusations d’exploitation sexuelle des mineurs et de traite de personnes;  ·  s’assure que les clients-abuseurs reconnus coupables sont inscrits au Registre national des délinquants sexuels; ·  rappelle aux établissements hôteliers, aux propriétaires de lieux d’hébergement touristique, aux salons de massage érotique et aux saunas leur obligation de signaler toute situation à risque d’exploitation sexuelle de mineurs;  ·  s’assure une plus grande collaboration entre les provinces dans la lutte contre l’exploitation sexuelle des mineurs, dans l’arrimage des différentes lois en matière de protection de la jeunesse et dans les interventions interprovinciales;  ·  augmente les ressources humaines et financières de l’Équipe intégrée de lutte contre le proxénétisme et ajoute des équipes régionales (satellites) ayant comme mandat prioritaire d’effectuer des opérations ciblant les clients-abuseurs;  ·  désigne des procureurs attitrés aux dossiers sur l’exploitation sexuelle, dans les régions, afin d’assurer une expertise et une uniformité dans le traitement des dossiers au sein du système judiciaire;  ·  bonifie les ressources humaines et financières afin de renforcer les équipes spécialisées dans l’analyse des nouvelles technologies et des médias sociaux et que ces ressources appuient l’Équipe intégrée de lutte contre le proxénétisme dans ses enquêtes; ·  augmente les patrouilles mixtes, associant policiers et intervenants psychosociaux, ou misent sur une approche de type « police communautaire » centrée sur les victimes afin de favoriser l’efficacité des opérations, d’assurer la sécurité des victimes et de renforcer la confiance des personnes marginalisées envers les autorités;  ·  instaure un programme spécial de sortie de la prostitution ayant pour objet le versement de prestations d’aide financière à toutes les victimes en processus de reconstruction leur assurant notamment un revenu, un accès aux services de santé physique et psychologique et un logement, tout en tenant compte des spécificités régionales. Que ce programme soit simple en matière de critères d’admissibilité;  ·  modifie à la Loi sur l’indemnisation des victimes d’actes criminels afin d’ajouter le proxénétisme et la traite des personnes à la liste des crimes indemnisés, de reconnaître les victimes d’exploitation sexuelle des mineurs, d’abolir le délai de prescription, et ce, même si le crime a été commis ailleurs au Canada.  ·  interdise la mixité des clientèles dans les centres jeunesse afin d’optimiser le rétablissement des victimes d’exploitation sexuelle;  ·  crée sur l’ensemble de son territoire, des lieux d’hébergement spécifiques et hautement sécuritaires dotés de services psychosociaux et éducatifs afin de protéger, de soigner et de contribuer à la réinsertion sociale des victimes d’exploitation sexuelle;  ·  offre des programmes de réhabilitation qui s’adressent spécifiquement aux clients-abuseurs et aux proxénètes afin d’éviter la récidive.  Rappelons que pour mener à terme ses travaux, la Commission a reçu 63 mémoires et entendu 67 témoins, issus du milieu communautaire, de la santé et des services sociaux, du milieu de la recherche, du domaine médiatique, des communautés autochtones, des services de police et des milieux juridiques.     Stéphane Lévesque, Initiative de journalisme local, L'Hebdo Journal

  • Canada's new climate plan will look like an 'industrial policy,' Wilkinson says

    The federal government’s “updated climate plan” will look like an “industrial policy” that aims to develop a supply chain for low-carbon manufactured products, Environment Minister Jonathan Wilkinson said Thursday. The minister made the remarks during an event with Climate Action Network Canada as world leaders prepare to gather virtually on Dec. 12 for the Climate Ambition Summit marking the fifth anniversary of the Paris Agreement.  Late Thursday evening, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau gave notice that he would be making an announcement with Wilkinson, Infrastructure Minister and former environment minister Catherine McKenna and Heritage Minister Steven Guilbeault, the co-founder of environmental NGO Équiterre, on Friday around noon. The summit, hosted by the United Nations, the United Kingdom and France, in partnership with Chile and Italy, bills itself as an event where countries will step up to make “new commitments to tackle climate change.” Canada is listed as a confirmed speaker. It is taking place as the costs of climate change are soaring in Canada, and as the global scientific community urges the planet to cut back severely on the production of fossil fuels like coal, oil and natural gas that heat up the atmosphere in order to avoid the more extreme consequences of the climate crisis. The U.K. is already signalling it will ratchet up its climate target, moving to cut its carbon pollution 68 per cent from 1990 levels by 2030, and net-zero emissions by 2050. Meanwhile, Canada is facing some international criticism for a lack of ambition. Writing in the Hill Times on Dec. 9, former UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon urged Canada to “demonstrate greater leadership in the collective effort to tackle climate change.” “The world is crying out for bold and responsible leadership to tackle both the pandemic and broader existential threats such as the climate crisis,” Ban wrote. “Canada can, and should, increase its support to meet its fair share of the US$100-billion in climate finance, and reaffirm its intention to deliver a much more ambitious 2030 emissions reduction target ahead of the COP26 summit next year in Glasgow.” On Thursday, in conversation with the minister, Climate Action Network Canada executive director Catherine Abreu pointed out that while the low-carbon economy has grown in Canada in recent years, federal and provincial governments continue to invest heavily in fossil fuels. “To what extent can we anticipate that part of your planning to exceed (the 2030 target) will be an industrial strategy that helps us grow the clean economy that we know we need for prosperity and jobs in the future as we move away from those fossil fuel investments?” asked Abreu. “I think it absolutely has to be,” Wilkinson replied. He said Canada was “blessed with many things” that “put us in a very advantageous position.” Canada has an abundance of minerals that can be used to produce batteries for electric vehicles, he said, as well as the manufacturing capacity to assemble the cars and the technology to establish recharging infrastructure. No country, he added, was better placed to “actually be developing a supply chain with respect to low-carbon, energy-efficient building products.” “I think what you will see when we release the updated climate plan is a document that is focused very much on industrial policy, that is really about building a low-carbon economy, at the same time that we are very focused on reducing greenhouse gas emissions,” said Wilkinson. “Canada’s not alone — Europe has been thinking about this, China’s clearly been thinking about this, and our neighbours to the south are thinking about this very actively now with (U.S.) president-elect (Joe) Biden.” The climate summit on Dec. 12 will feature speeches from Apple chief executive officer Tim Cook, UN Secretary-General António Guterres and others, with countries turning towards planning for COP26 in Glasgow in 2021. Abreu said the global community is calling on Ottawa to deliver a “much more ambitious package of climate action at home and increased support abroad,” as Ban made clear in his op-ed. “To make the cut for Saturday’s summit, the Canadian government is going to have to offer a transformative vision for a climate-safe recovery from COVID-19, the scale of which has not yet been seen in this country, but is being modelled by other countries that are serious about tackling the climate crisis,” said Abreu. In his remarks, Wilkinson mentioned the importance of addressing international climate finance, “helping developing countries to adapt” and cut their carbon pollution, but also “adapting to some of the effects of climate change that, by and large, the industrial world has caused.” Wilkinson also said Canada’s “enhanced climate plan” would have to “target all major sources of emissions in this country,” putting in place net-zero building codes, encouraging zero-emission vehicles and public transit and cutting pollution from waste and industrial activity. Canada must “look at industrial emissions and how we can actually help our Canadian companies to be competitive in a low-carbon world,” he said. “They need to make investments about how they’re actually going to use low-carbon processes to produce products that people would want.” Carl Meyer / Local Journalism Initiative / Canada’s National ObserverCarl Meyer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, National Observer

  • Windsor Regional Hospital cancelling non-urgent surgeries

    Windsor Regional Hospital has made what it called a "difficult but necessary" decision to cancel some surgeries as its facilities grapple with the strain of the COVID-19 pandemic.The hospital said Friday that non-urgent procedures that require a bed will be postponed as of Monday due to an increase in COVID-19 patients in hospital and a "potentially critical" shortage of acute-care beds.Day surgeries are going ahead, and OBGYN procedures and cancer surgeries have been prioritized along with emergency or urgent surgeries. Anyone affected will be contacted, the hospital said.The hospital's chief of staff Dr. Wassim Saad told CBC News Friday they hope the cancellation of elective, non-urgent surgeries will free up hospital capacity and resources. Saad said they reached ICU capacity in the last few days and even had to dip into a provincial stockpile of ventilators for patients. "The fact that we had to dip into the provincial stockpile for ventilators was a sign that we were stressing the limits of our resources and we needed to do something to control the numbers and obviously we can't control who comes in through our emergency room ... but we can control people who we are bringing in electively." These types of non-urgent surgeries include hip and knee replacements, Saad said. The move to cancel these surgeries, he said, should free up about 30 beds and they will continue to reassess the situation as warranted."If the shutdown is effective on Monday, after a week or two you will start to see a drop hopefully in the number of infections which means a drop in the number of hospitalizations and ICU admissions," he said. "It's not an ideal situation but we're doing our best to continue with surgeries where we won't occupy a hospital bed.""As with anything in this pandemic, things can change on a dime and although this is what we are talking about today ... we may have to be more restrictive." Saad said currently they have a backlog of about 1,500 elective surgeries, dating back to the spring. Hospital CEO David Musyj said at a board meeting Thursday that six COVID-19 patients at the hospital have died within three days.Musyj also said there is a record 28 patients in hospital with COVID-19, nine of which are in the ICU. Windsor-Essex reported 104 new cases of COVID-19 on Friday and the active case total rose to 620.

  • High-priority Islanders to be vaccinated for COVID-19 starting Wednesday

    The first 1,950 doses of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine will arrive next week and will begin to go into Islanders' arms on Wednesday.Immunization will start with priority groups, says P.E.I. Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Heather Morrison."I didn't think we would be able to start administering vaccine in this province in December," Morrison said at a news briefing Thursday.Health Canada approved the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine earlier this week."This is a big decision — and a turning point, I believe, in our journey with COVID-19," Morrison said.The first shipment of the vaccine will be used to immunize front-line health-care workers and long-term care staff who work directly with patients, Morrison said."Everyone on P.E.I. will have a chance to be vaccinated, but it will take some time," she said."Every province, not just P.E.I., will be getting vaccines in small amounts."Ready for shipmentsP.E.I. plans to roll out the vaccine across the province based on recommendations by the National Advisory Committee on Immunization — which will highlight the groups that take priority, Morrison said."Our system is fully prepared to receive, administer, record and report on vaccine as soon as it arrives in the province," Morrison said."We have received support from representatives from the Canadian Armed Forces who have expertise in logistics and planning."Immunizing priority populations first and doing so early will benefit everyone in the province, Morrison said."I would like to see over time P.E.I. achieve 75 to 80 per cent uptake of the vaccine. And if we can, this will protect all of us, and those that may not be able to be immunized," Morrison said."This will allow all of us to maybe live a little differently at some point in 2021."Two doses neededThe Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is taken in two doses, "meaning a booster dose is required 21 days after the first immunization," Morrison said, adding that it takes at least seven days after the second shot for someone to be protected.The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine has to be stored under –60 C, special freezers are required and it can't easily be moved around.More of that type of vaccine will arrive by the end of December, and shipments are expected to come regularly each week for the foreseeable future, Morrison said.The Moderna vaccine — which is still not approved by Health Canada — will come in about a month, Morrison said."This is a vaccine that can be shipped much more easily out to different locations and the intention would be to move quickly to long-term care residents."Reminder about symptomsThe symptoms of COVID-19 can include: * Fever. * Cough or worsening of a previous cough. * Possible loss of taste and/or smell. * Sore throat. * New or worsening fatigue. * Headache. * Shortness of breath. * Runny nose.More from CBC P.E.I.

  • Barrie police chief receives highest honour from fellow chiefs

    Barrie Police Chief Kimberley Greenwood has been awarded the highest honour that can be bestowed up a member of the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police (OACP).  Greenwood has received the President’s Award of Merit, which recognizes an OACP member who has demonstrated outstanding dedication and support to the association. “Chief Greenwood is recognized as a progressive police leader not only in the City of Barrie and the Province of Ontario, but across Canada,” said Chief Paul Pedersen, the OACP’s past-president. “Since her appointment as Chief of Police of the Barrie Police Service in 2013, she has been a passionate advocate for policing excellence.” Throughout her 38-year career in policing, Greenwood has been a prominent advocate on community safety issues at both the community, provincial and national levels, an OCAP media release said.  Her work has advanced how police support victims of intimate partner violence.  The OCAP pointed to Greenwood’s leadership in the development of the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police’s National Framework for Collaborative Police Action on Intimate Partner Violence in 2016 and, more recently, the Canadian Framework for Collaborative Police Response on Sexual Violence.   Rick Vanderlinde, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Barrie Advance

  • Rocky Mountain Dealerships bumps up go-private offer price after investor meetings

    CALGARY — Rocky Mountain Dealerships Inc. says the cash price being offered for its shares under a go-private transaction led by its chairman and CEO is being enriched by about six per cent.The Calgary-based company, which says it is the largest farm equipment dealer in Canada with 36 locations in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, says the offer was increased to $7.41 from $7 per share after discussions with shareholders including Derek Stimson, a director for 13 years.On Tuesday, the company issued a brief news release saying that Stimson had resigned effective the previous day and adding a warning to shareholders that it had become aware of "certain proxy solicitation activities" that were contrary to securities laws.In its Friday release, it says Stimson has now agreed to vote his 9.6 per cent equity stake in favour of the transaction at a special meeting to be held next Thursday, adding that Polar Asset Management Partners Inc. has also pledged to vote its 8.9 stake in favour. That takes committed support to about 32 per cent..The enhanced deal values the company at $144 million (or $195 million including debt net of cash and lease obligations, and excluding floor plan payables).In trading on the Toronto Stock Exchange on Friday, Rocky Mountain quickly rose by about seven per cent to match the new offering price, which the company says represents a 34.2 per cent premium to the closing share price on Oct. 30, the last trading day before the deal was announced."We are delighted to receive Derek Stimson's support for the proposed transaction," said chairman Matthew Campbell, who controls the numbered company making the offer with CEO Garrett Ganden."Mr. Stimson has been a key contributor to RME's accomplishments since its formation and we continue to value our relationship with him."This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 11, 2020.Companies in this story: (TSX:RME)The Canadian Press

  • Worst place, worst time: Trump faces virus spike in Midwest

    OSHKOSH, Wis. — Gabe Loiacono is the kind of voter President Donald Trump needs. He lives in a pivotal county of a swing state that is among a handful that will decide the presidency. A college history professor who last cast a ballot for a Democratic candidate for president more than 20 years ago, Loiacono, who voted for American Solidarity Party presidential candidate Michael Maturen in 2016 is voting for Democrat Joe Biden because he thinks Trump has utterly failed in his handling of the coronavirus pandemic. “President Trump still does not seem to be taking the pandemic seriously enough. I wish he would,” said Loiacono. He said he never thought of Trump as “all bad" but added, “There is still too much wishful thinking and not enough clear guidance.” And now the virus is getting worse in states that the Republican president needs the most, at the least opportune time. New infections are raging in Wisconsin and elsewhere in the upper Midwest. In Iowa, polls suggest Trump is in a toss-up race with Biden after carrying the state by 9.4 percentage points four years ago. Trump's pandemic response threatens his hold on Wisconsin, where he won by fewer than 23,000 votes in 2016, said Marquette University Law School poll director Charles Franklin. “Approval of his handling of COVID is the next-strongest predictor of vote choice," behind voters' party affiliation and their overall approval of Trump's performance as president, Franklin said. “And it's not just a fluke of a single survey.” The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Sunday that among U.S. states, Wisconsin had the third highest rate of new cases for the previous seven days. Iowa was 10th. Trump won Wisconsin's heavily blue-collar Winnebago County, which includes Oshkosh, in 2016, after Democratic nominee Barack Obama had carried it in 2012. Today, Winnebago is among the top 10 counties where new Wisconsin COVID cases are being reported, according to data collected by Johns Hopkins University and compiled by The Associated Press. The trend is similar in Iowa. Blue-collar Dubuque County was among the state's 10 counties with the fastest-growing number of cases per capita over the past two weeks. Trump won the county narrowly after Democrats had carried it since the 1950s. In Wisconsin, where polling has shown Biden with a slight but consistent advantage, approval of Trump's handling the pandemic dropped from 51% in March to 41% in October, according to a Marquette University Law School poll. That’s a noteworthy decline considering Trump’s overall approval has fluctuated little and remained in the mid-40s. Iowans’ view of Trump’s handling of the pandemic is also more negative than positive, according to The Des Moines Register’s Iowa Poll and Monmouth University polls. The race in Iowa remains very close, though Monmouth poll director Patrick Murray said Trump's poor rating in Iowa on handling the pandemic “suggests in the decision-making process, the coronavirus is top of mind and decisive.” As Trump enters a frenzied final week of campaigning, he continues to hold mass rallies that often defy local public health rules. The campaign says supporters are merely exercising their First Amendment rights. The president also continues to insist the country is “rounding the turn” on the virus, an assertion that has drawn rebukes from public health experts, including Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's leading infectious disease specialist. He also blames news media coverage of the outbreak. “ALL THE FAKE NEWS MEDIA WANTS TO TALK ABOUT IS COVID, COVID, COVID,” Trump tweeted Tuesday. “ON NOVEMBER 4th, YOU WON’T BE HEARING SO MUCH ABOUT IT ANYMORE. WE ARE ROUNDING THE TURN!!!” During his debate with Biden last week, Trump insisted of the virus, despite the spike in cases: “It will go away. It's going away.” The comments betrayed the seriousness Trump conveyed during recorded conversations with journalist Bob Woodward in February, when Trump said he “wanted to always play it down” to avoid creating a panic. On Sunday, White House chief of staff Mark Meadows said on CNN: " We're not going to control the pandemic. We are going to control the fact that we get vaccines, therapeutics and other mitigations.” On Saturday night, the White House confirmed that Vice-President Mike Pence’s chief of staff, Marc Short, had tested positive for COVID-19, after the news of Short's diagnosis dribbled out. The vice-president has showed no signs of curbing his torrid campaign schedule. Republican pollster Ed Goeas likened Meadows' comments to “waving the white flag.” “That’s how I read it,” Goeas said. “The only hope it seems is therapeutics will make it less of a killer and eventually the vaccine will be available to everyone. It looked to me like they were just trying to make their position sound like that was always their intent.” COVID-19 cases also have risen over the past two weeks in Midwestern battlegrounds Michigan, Minnesota and Ohio, though not as sharply as in Wisconsin and Iowa, according to the Johns Hopkins data. The pandemic is resonating because it touches all Americans personally and most of them economically, said Terry Madonna, director the Franklin and Marshall College Poll and veteran scholar of Pennsylvania politics. “It's ubiquitous,” Madonna said. “Maybe it's not in your own family. But you know someone who had it. You can't get away from it in the news and in your own life.” And voters like Loiacono say they are holding the president to account. “The job of government is to lead in times of crises,” said Loiacono, 44, masked and standing on his front porch in Oshkosh a few blocks from Lake Winnebago. “The president has admitted he talked much more positively about it because he saw his role as being a cheerleader. And I sort of understand that, but I think it was the wrong move.” ___ AP’s Advance Voting guide brings you the facts about voting early, by mail or absentee from each state: https://interactives.ap.org/advance-voting-2020/. ___ This story was originally published on Oct. 27 and is being republished to correct that Loiacono has voted for Democrats for lower-ticket offices over the past two decades, rather than voting for no Democrats. It removes the incorrect implication that he voted for Trump in 2016 and adds that he voted for Michael Maturen that year. Thomas Beaumont, The Associated Press

  • Rapid testing underway in Harbour Breton as N.L. reports 1 new case in Western Health

    Newfoundland and Labrador reported one new case of COVID-19 on Friday, as rapid testing in the community of Harbour Breton gets underway.The new case is a woman in the Western Health region between 20 and 39 years old, a staff member of a school, and the source of the infection is being investigated. There's one new recovery as well, keeping the province's active caseload at 20.The Department of Health says it will advise parents if students need to be tested as result of Friday's case. If parents haven't been contacted by public health their child hasn't been identified as a close contact."As the potential exposure was more than 14 days ago, parents are advised that their children do not have to quarantine for the full 14 days. They will be required to self-isolate until the test results are back," reads a Department of Health media release.The individual is self-isolating and contact tracing is underway, says the department.During Friday's coronavirus update, Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Janice Fitzgerald said public health officials are still investigating the source of the infection in Harbour Breton, which has three active cases. She said extensive testing in the community is ongoing, and on Thursday published a video urging everyone in the community to get tested for the virus regardless of whether they have symptoms."While the investigation will continue, the fact is that we may never uncover the origins of this cluster. So a significant part of our focus as well is to identify and contain any cases of COVID in the community," Fitzgerald said."We have started rapid testing on site for those who have had symptoms for less than seven days, which we hope will increase the speed which we can detect symptomatic cases." The third case in Harbour Breton, announced Thursday, is also tied to the community's hospital, where the two other cases had been reported. Fitzgerald said she couldn't provide more information due to privacy issues.Health Minister John Haggie said the acute-care and long-term-care facilities remain separated, with separate staff to avoid overlap and potential contamination. When asked why health officials aren't using the term "community spread" for the cases in Harbour Breton, whose source is unknown, Fitzgerald said public health is still chasing leads and more people are still being tested. "Once we have feel like we have exhausted all those leads and all those possibilities then we will have to make a decision on that," she said. Watch the full Dec. 11 update:As of Friday, 66,084 people have been tested in the province, an increase of 291 since Thursday.Fitzgerald said N.L. is not planning to reinstate sweeping province-wide shutdowns as seen in the spring, calling them a "last resort." She said stepping back a level in the province's alert system is an action to be taken only if there is wider spread of the virus. "Our goal is regional or community restrictions to contain any isolated clusters that arise," said Fitzgerald. "We want to ensure that communities and regional health authorities are supported in the decision-making. Our public health team is refining guidance for communities that align with epidemiology and best available evidence so that they have assurance that they're taking appropriate action."  Haggie said the provincial government's COVID-19 website will break the province down into zones to make COVID-19 results more "geographically relevant" while preserving privacy.No evidence of transmission in schools: Fitzgerald The Harbour Breton Lions Club has been transformed into a COVID-19 testing centre, and 1,000 rapid tests have been dispatched to the community. The mayor of Harbour Breton, Georgina Ollerhead, said anxiety is swirling in the community."It doesn't matter whether you're in New Brunswick or you're in Grande Prairie — COVID as a virus is global. So I don't think anybody is fully protected," she said. "It's just that you have to follow all of the public restrictions put in place and pray to God that it doesn't reach your community," she told CBC News on Thursday. She added that the majority of the town's population of 1,600 are seniors, so people are concerned.But Fitzgerald said there's no evidence of transmission within schools, and there are criteria for when the province would close one."Closing a school itself, even if there was a person who tested positive within that school, is not necessarily something that we would do," she said. "Obviously there has to be some judgment there on the part of the regional public health staff and the medical officer of health to determine there may be other issues at play that may weigh in on that decision."Fitzgerald said the school affected in the Western Health region will also not close as it's been more than 14 days since any potential exposure."We're outside of that infectious period, outside of that quarantine period. We're looking at things a little more closely," she said. 'If we allow it to divide us it will defeat us'In her video on Thursday, Fitzgerald spoke directly to the residents of Harbour Breton. "When I hear that people are reluctant to come forward for COVID-19 testing because they might be blamed or shamed, I'm profoundly saddened. COVID-19 knows no boundaries, no community. If we allow it to divide us it will defeat us," she said."Please, do what needs to be done to protect your community. Stand beside each other and support each other as I know you've done so many times in the past," she said. But she also had a message for all Newfoundlanders and Labradorians. "Keep your words positive and supportive.… Think about how you would be feeling if this was happening in your community," she said. "Vilifying a community or the people who live there is not helpful, necessary or kind."Read more from CBC Newfoundland and Labrador