Tens of thousands of B.C. parents are pushing back against the province's plan to resume teaching in classrooms on Monday.
La Grande Alliance est une collaboration de la nation crie et du gouvernement québécois. Un de ses projets est de construire une voie ferrée reliant Matagami à Whapmagoostui (via Radisson), où se trouveraient aussi des infrastructures maritimes. « La réalisation principale de la Grande Alliance n’est pas de construire un chemin de fer »,nuance le président directeur général de la Société Plan Nord, Patrick Beauchesne. « L’ambition est de construire un axe de transport de niveau stratégique avec une sortie en milieu maritime. » Des fonctions à définir Cette voie ferrée servirait pour le transport des minéraux critiques,mais aussi pour les passagers,les matières ligneuses, l’approvisionnement des collectivités, etc. Ses fonctions seront déterminées par une étude de faisabilité qui est présentement en cours, qui touche les aspects socioéconomiques, environnementaux et autres du projet. Cette étude sera suivie d’études d’impacts environnementaux et de consultations. Si le projet se concrétise tel qu’anticipé, les travaux d’infrastructures à Whapmagoostui commenceraient en 2035, estime un porte-parole du gouvernement de la nation crie, qui souligne au passage qu’il est très prématuré de tenter de définir quoi que ce soit sur ce projet. Whapmagoostui et Kuujjuarapik Whapmagoostui et sa jumelle inuite,Kuujjuarapik,partagent territoires et services, même si la Convention de la Baie-James et du Nord québécois définit ce que ce sont leur aire respective, alors que lieu s’appelait Poste-de-la-Baleine Le maire de Kuujjuarapik, Anthony Ittoshat, se désole d’apprendre l’existence du projet de voie ferrée par La Sentinelle et les médias sociaux. « Nous n’avons jamais été approchés ou informés […], alors que nous devrions être les premières personnes informées parce que nous traçons la ligne entre les territoires cri et inuit. […] C’est bizarre. […] Ils devraient montrer un peu de respect. » Aucuns pourparlers M.Ittoshat est néanmoins convaincu que les promoteurs du projet vont prendre conscience de leur oubli et consulter la population inuite. « Ils vont se dire « Attends un peu, il y a des Inuits là! Nous avons oublié ça, nous devons parler aux Inuits avant que nous fassions notre chemin de fer. Est-ce que les Inuits veulent un chemin de fer Qu’est-ce qu’ils pensent? Qu’est-ce qui arrivera à leurs terrainsde chasse? » L’Administration régionale Kativik, qui s’occupe notamment des infrastructures municipales et maritimes et de la marina de Kuujjuarapik, n’a pas été non plus approchée par les partenaires de la Grande Alliance. « Personne ne s’y oppose ou n’approuve. Il n’y a pas de pourparlers », dit un porte-parole de l’Administration, ajoutant qu’un tel projet aurait des « effets fondamentaux pour la communauté ». Porte ouverte Un porte-parole de la nation crie affirme que son grand chef, Abel Bosum, a directement ouvert la porte aux Inuits, aux Innus et aux Naskapis lorsque la Grande Alliance a été annoncée, en février 2020. Le pdg de la Société du Plan Nord confirme,qu’à l’initiative du gouvernement cri, plusieurs représentants inuits ont été informés du projet de la Grande Alliance, dont la Société Makivik. Cette dernière, responsable du développement économique du Nunavik, n’était pas disponible au moment d’aller sous presse. Pour M. Beauchesne, il est beaucoup trop tôt dans le processus pour faire la distinction entre les parties crie et inuite du territoire. « Les obligations de la Convention [de la Baie-James et du Nord québécois] vont s’appliquer, affirme-t-il. C’est à travers le cadre existant d’évaluation de projets de cette nature que ces distinctions vont se faire. Mais nous sommes très loin de l’étape de réalisation de l’étude environnementale. » Signée en 1975, la Convention prévoyait qu’une route relierait Matagami à Poste–de-la-Baleine.Denis Lord, Initiative de journalisme local, La Sentinelle
OTTAWA — A new report says Toronto's rental apartment vacancy rate hit a record high in the fourth quarter of last year.Urbanation says its survey of newer purpose-built rental apartment projects that have been completed in Toronto since 2005 reported a vacancy rate of 5.7 per cent in the fourth quarter of last year, up from 1.1 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2019. It says the rate is a 50-year high when looking at CMHC survey data for Toronto back to 1971.Urbanation says vacancy rates in the 905 region of the Greater Toronto Area rose to 2.0 per cent for the quarter compared with 0.8 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2019.The overall vacancy rate for the Greater Toronto Area was 4.6 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2020, up from 1.0 per cent a year earlier.Average rents for purpose-built units that became available for rent in Toronto during the quarter fell 10.0 per cent on a year-over-year basis. The annual decline in average rents in the 905 region was 2.2 per cent.This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 18, 2021. The Canadian Press
NORTH PERTH – Residents are being encouraged by Amy Gangl, interim manager of recreation, to have their say in the development of a community park which will replace Listowel Memorial Arena after its demolition this year. Municipal staff are working with consultants, SHIFT Landscape Architecture, to explore design options to help shape the future park space, and they are looking for input on two preliminary design options presented on Your Say North Perth. On the Memorial Arena Park design options project page at YoursayNorthPerth.ca, residents can review the designs and provide feedback through a survey until Jan. 18. “We’ve received some great input and quite a bit of engagement from the community which is fantastic news,” said Gangl. “That is one of the items council was hoping for and our consultants are already quite pleased with the… input regarding the concept of the designs.” Colin Burrowes, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Listowel Banner
Le tiers des déplacements des Lavallois (34 %) dans une journée les amène ailleurs qu’à Laval, ce qui en fait les résidents les plus mobiles du Grand Montréal. Voilà ce qui ressort de la dernière enquête Origine-Destination, l’une des plus importantes études de transport au Québec. Les Longueillois arrivent deuxième à ce chapitre alors que 29 % de leurs déplacements quotidiens les conduisent au-delà des limites de la 5e plus grande ville du Québec, suivis des résidents des couronnes sud (27 %) et nord (20 %). Sans surprise, les Montréalais ferment la marche, eux dont 89 % des déplacements se limitent à leur île. Menée à l’automne 2018, cette enquête quinquennale ventile les motifs des déplacements des résidents sortants sur une période donnée de 24 heures. C’est ainsi qu’on apprend que 6 Lavallois sur 10 (59,4 %) sortent de l’île Jésus pour aller travailler. Pour un peu moins de 2 personnes sur 10 (15,4 %), ce sont les études qui en sont la cause. Enfin, 10,5 % de ce groupe dit sortir de Laval aux fins de loisirs et 4,1 % pour magasiner. L’île de Montréal exerce de loin le plus grand pouvoir d’attraction auprès de ces Lavallois qui s’y rendent dans une proportion de 66 %. La Couronne nord que constituent les régions des Laurentides et Lanaudière accueille 30 % de cette clientèle alors que moins de 4 % privilégie la Couronne sud. Cette vaste étude effectuée auprès de quelque 6000 ménages lavallois établit également la part modale des déplacements motorisés des résidents sortants de Laval, et ce, sur une période de 24 heures. Près de 3 personnes sur quatre (72,5 %) disent se déplacer exclusivement en automobile ou au guidon d’une moto contre 18,3 % des gens interrogés qui utilisent seulement les transports en commun, à savoir l’autobus, le métro, le train et/ou le taxi collectif. Le bimode est la réalité de 7,7 % des répondants, eux qui prennent l’automobile ou la moto pour accéder au transport en commun. Quant aux autres modes collectifs que représentent les transports adapté et scolaire, le taxi et l’autobus longue distance, ils comptent pour 1 % de la part modale des déplacements motorisés des Lavallois. En comparaison à 2013, le recours exclusif à l’automobile est en baisse d’un point de pourcentage à Laval. À l’inverse, l’usage exclusif du transport en commun a crû de 1,5 point en 2018 pendant que le bimode perdait la moitié d’un point de pourcentage. Cela dit, en pareille matière, les Lavallois ont encore beaucoup à faire s’ils veulent un jour rejoindre les Longueillois, qui utilisent nettement plus fréquemment les transports collectifs. Selon l’enquête Origine-Destination 2018, les résidents de cette municipalité de quelque 250 000 âmes, également desservie par le métro, recourent exclusivement aux modes de transport en commun dans 29,1 % de leurs déplacements motorisés. C’est tout près de 11 points de pourcentage de plus qu’à Laval. En d’autres termes, cette façon de se déplacer est 60 % plus élevée à Longueuil qu’à Laval. «La part modale est directement liée à la densité d’activités (domicile, emplois, études, commerces) des lieux d’origine et destination», explique le porte-parole de l’Autorité régionale de transport métropolitain (ARTM), Simon Charbonneau, tout en soulignant que cette densité d’activités est «légèrement supérieure à Longueuil». En matière d’emplois, par exemple, Longueuil compte 900 emplois au kilomètre carré contre 800 à Laval. «Le nombre de déplacements de Longueuil vers le centre-ville (secteur à très haute densité d’activités) est également plus élevé, ce qui favorise aussi une part modale plus élevée actuellement», analyse-t-il. Source d’information fiable et complète sur les déplacements des personnes à pied, à vélo, en bus, en métro, en train ou en auto dans la région métropolitaine de Montréal, l’enquête Origine-Destination a permis d’établir à quelque 800 000 le nombre de déplacements par les résidents de Laval pour un jour moyen de semaine. En matière de modes de transport actif, cette mesure prise à l’automne 2018 ne tient compte que des déplacements vers une destination précise, mentionne Daniel Bergeron, directeur exécutif Planification des transports et mobilité à l’Autorité régionale du transport métropolitain (ARTM). Incidemment, cette enquête contribue activement à une meilleure planification des réseaux de transport collectif et routier et à l’amélioration des plans de développement urbain du Grand Montréal (voir autre texte). À lire également: On veut hausser l’offre de service de 60 % en 10 ans Stéphane St-Amour, Initiative de journalisme local, Courrier Laval
GREY-BRUCE – The Saugeen Field Naturalists conducted their 44th annual Hanover-Walkerton Christmas Bird Count on Dec. 19, 2020. According to the group’s newsletter, this activity has become one of the largest citizen science projects in the world. The 2020 count was a bit different from past years, due to the pandemic. It didn’t end with a dinner the day after the field outing, but instead with one via Zoom. Care was taken to ensure distancing for everyone’s safety. Gerard McNaughton said the Walkerton-Hanover area count identified 44 species this year including one new species, an osprey. “The actual number of field participants was down as several long-time counters bowed out of this year’s count but once things return to normal I’m sure they will be back,” said McNaughton. He said the weather was a bit blustery, starting out with cloudy skies in the morning and little wind, and shifting to snow showers and limited visibility at times by mid-day, making finding birds harder as the day went on. Most groups said the birds were hunkered down and that most feeders were empty for the first time in years, making for a difficult day. McNaughton said, “As always, several quality birds were observed including a first-ever osprey found by Joy Albright just outside Walkerton. Presumably, the same bird was seen just before count week started but not since, so that was a great find for count day. Several winter finches also put in appearances to help bolster overall numbers.” The overall summary is as follows: Mute swan - 7 Canada goose – 1,339 Mallard - 383 Common goldeneye - 19 Common merganser - 50 Sharp-shinned hawk - 3 Cooper’s hawk - 2 Red tailed hawk - 12 Rough legged hawk - 9 Bald eagle - 11 Osprey - 1 Ruffed grouse - 2 Wild turkey - 132 Ring-billed gull - 428 Herring gull - 121 Great black-backed gull - 2 Rock dove - 439 Mourning dove - 105 Eastern screech owl - 7 Belted kingfisher - 2 Red-bellied woodpecker - 6 Downy woodpecker - 34 Hairy woodpecker - 13 Pileated woodpecker - 3 Northern shrike - 4 Blue jay - 100 American crow – 1,083 Common raven - 3 Black-capped chickadee - 344 Red-breasted nuthatch - 27 White-breasted nuthatch - 32 Brown creeper - 10 European starling – 1,117 American tree sparrow - 51 Dark-eyed junco - 348 Snow bunting - 300 Northern cardinal - 39 Purple finch - 2 House finch - 108 Common redpoll - 164 Pine siskin - 71 American goldfinch - 334 Evening grosbeak - 1 House sparrow - 136 Total was 44 species, 7,405 individuals. Accipiter Sp. - 1 Hawk Sp. - 1 Gull Sp. - 83 Woodpecker Sp. - 1 Two additional species were recorded during the count week period. The hooded merganser and pine grosbeak were both seen in the three days leading up to the count; nothing was reported in the three days after count day. “The next count will take place on Saturday, Dec. 18, 2021 so mark your calendars now,” said McNaughton. “Let’s hope that everything is back to normal by then and that we’re able to get together to swap stories from the field. Until then, the best of health and happiness to everyone and good birding.” The Christmas Bird Count began over a century ago. Winter hike All indoor activities of the Saugeen Field Naturalists have been cancelled because of COVID-19, but outdoor activities continue. The next one is Jan. 16 – the Winter Nature Hike. The location will be the Murray Tract, the less-well-know part of the Kinghurst Nature Reserve, at 1:30 p.m. Participants must register (email angus.inksetter@gmail.com). Pauline Kerr, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Walkerton Herald Times
The McKellar council says it supports the upgrade of unassumed roads within the township. Here are five quotes that capture the discussion from the Jan. 12 council meeting: 1. “This is simply formalizing the process that we did last year, and of course, the word unassumed roads means municipally owned unassumed roads — these are not private roads,” said Coun. Don Carmichael. “We’ve already done Bailey’s (subdivision) and Craigmoore is scheduled for the spring.” 2. “Somebody argued, ‘Why should the municipality put any money on these roads?’ Well, it is the betterment of the township overall in the long run,” said Coun. Morely Haskim. “Somebody argued, ‘It doesn’t affect the vast majority,’ but it does, if you have a subdivision like that and all of a sudden they’re selling as a township-owned, maintained year-round road those properties are going to sell for more than a road that is not maintained by the municipality.” 3. “The resolution seemed a little bit too open-ended, I just thought that maybe it should be more specific regarding which roads that this focusing is going to be on … some type of report from the public works superintendent in regard to what this entails,” said Coun. Mike Kekkonen. 4. “As they get approval by the owners, we have a staff agreement/contract ready, then they can start to be moved forward. There’s not that many but it’s going to take time to get them all,” said McKellar’s Mayor Peter Hopkins. “So there’s a timeline, an open-ended one, to get the agreements in place.” 5. “This is supplementary to the roads policy we approved … it’s a policy that talks about the fact that we have legal liability on municipally owned roads even if we don’t assume it — that’s been clearly demonstrated in the courts so that’s part of the reason why we’re actually interested in doing this,” said Carmichael. According to a report submitted to council, featured in the Dec. 8, 2020 agenda package, the 2020 approved capital budget for the Bailey’s subdivision project was $83,360. The report given by Greg Gostick, road superintendent, states that the total cost for the project, excluding municipal staff time, was $76,867.31 and the cost of staff time to complete the project $14,824.91, bringing the total cost to $91,692.22. Sarah Cooke’s reporting is funded by the Canadian government through its Local Journalism Initiative. Sarah Cooke, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Parry Sound North Star
On peut dire que la jeune artiste Janik Marceau a une vie assez occupée. Celle qui est intervenante au Centre d’action bénévole de Jonquière, assistante de cours en travail social et étudiante à la maîtrise dans ce domaine trouve tout de même du temps libre pour faire la réalisation de toiles, d’objets décoratifs et de dessins qu’elle affiche sur sa page Facebook. L’artiste de 27 ans originaire de Chicoutimi se souvient qu’elle a toujours été attirée par les arts. « Depuis très jeune, j’adore dessiner, j’adore créer. J’ai toujours eu ce côté artistique, depuis que je suis toute petite », se remémore-t-elle, lors d’un entretien par visioconférence avec Le Quotidien. Depuis quelques années, elle considère cette passion un peu plus sérieusement. Elle a mis sur pied une page Facebook, afin de montrer au public ses plus récentes créations. Près de 900 personnes suivent cette page. Divers médiums Janik Marceau a bien des talents. Au début, l’artiste se concentrait sur des toiles en acrylique, surtout d’animaux, mais crée maintenant au gré de ses inspirations. « Je suis une fille passionnée et quand j’entreprends quelque chose, je suis mes inspirations, même si elles sont nombreuses et souvent toutes en même temps. C’est ce qui fait que mon art est aussi diversifié », explique l’étudiante à la maîtrise en travail social. C’est d’ailleurs son inspiration du moment qui l’a mené vers l’époxy et la résine, des matériaux qui lui ont amplement servi dans les derniers mois. Elle a créé de nombreuses barrettes à cheveux, plateaux de service pour la cuisine, sous-verre, en plus de toiles abstraites des plus originales. Elle n’a pas de préférences en termes de médium. « Ça dépend toujours du moment. Des fois, j’ai vraiment envie de travailler avec l’époxy, et d’autres, je préfère l’acrylique. J’aime toucher à tout donc ça dépend vraiment du moment, de comment je me sens et de comment je suis inspirée », raconte Janik. Lorsqu’elle pense à son parcours, plusieurs créations la rendent très fière, mais elle se souvient d’avoir été touchée lorsque l’ancien Premier ministre Philippe Couillard a affiché l’une de ses toiles, à son bureau. Il voulait davantage faire connaître les artistes de la région en présentant leurs œuvres à son lieu de travail. Objectifs Janik souhaite qu’un jour, ses œuvres soient exposées dans des galeries d’art. Elle aimerait aussi, quand elle le pourra, participer à davantage d’événements artistiques sociaux. Elle a récemment participé à la boutique éphémère de la Place du Royaume et il y a quelques années, au Salon de la femme. « À long terme, j’aimerais être reconnu autant professionnellement qu’artistiquement. J’aimerais devenir travailleuse sociale, mais mon rêve est d’être psychothérapeute. J’aimerais peut-être même combiner l’art avec la relation d’aide. Je trouve que ça ferait un beau mélange qui combinerait mes deux passions », avoue la jeune femme. Pour avoir plus de détails et suivre les nouvelles créations de Janik, elle invite les intéressés à suivre sa page Facebook. Un onglet « Acheter » permet aux abonnés de voir les pièces disponibles et de poser leurs questions. L’artiste fait aussi des pièces sur mesure.Myriam Arsenault, Initiative de journalisme local, Le Quotidien
A major Saint John employer is set to shut down this month, when Saputo Inc. wraps up milk processing at its north end plant, affecting 60 jobs. The former Baxter's Dairy plant opened in 1931 and was purchased by Saputo in 2001. Saputo offers products under a multitude of brands, including Baxter, Cracker Barrel and Scotsburn. Almost a year ago, the company announced its intention to close. John MacKenzie, a Saint John city councillor whose ward includes the plant, says the imminent closure will be difficult for the neighbourhood. "It's been around for 90 years," said MacKenzie. "A lot of people have gained employment through that facility. A lot of history … it's really heartbreaking, devastating, for families when a business closes its doors." Dairy farmers hurt too The closure will not only affect the employees at the plant but also local dairy farmers, who had milk processed at the plants. Paul Gaunce, chair of Dairy Farmers of New Brunswick, said the producers will now have to send milk to Nova Scotia or Quebec for processing at their own expense. Gaunce said there won't be any changes to the price of milk because of the changes, but he's still not happy to see the plant shuttered. "I'm very, you know, disappointed because you need processing to keep your industry supported," said Gaunce. "When we lose processing, it just hurts everybody." Saputo earnings fell When the closure was announced last year Saputo said the move was made in an effort to "right size" operations after net earnings for the company dropped by 42 per cent. The company said employees not offered relocation would be given severance packages. MacKenzie said he's confident laid-off workers will find work in the city. "I was looking online this week and I noticed that there were over 290 jobs available," said MacKenzie. "There's opportunities there." MacKenzie said he hasn't heard about any plans for the soon-to-be unoccupied plant, the property is prime for development. "If they sold the property it would make a great spot for some affordable housing with the school right next door and a park behind them and grocery stores within a block," said MacKenzie.
En entrevue au journal Haute-Côte-Nord, le médecin spécialiste en santé publique et médecine préventive au CISSS de la Côte-Nord, Richard Fachehoun, a confirmé que la situation était inquiétante en Haute-Côte-Nord en raison de l'augmentation du nombre de cas de COVID-19, dont ceux dans les écoles primaires. « Les cas sont beaucoup plus élevés qu'on s'attendait dans la MRC de la Haute-Côte-Nord », indique Dr Fachehoun. Selon ce dernier, la hausse du nombre des infections à la COVID-19 dans une petite communauté augmente les risques que les personnes vulnérables soient malades et que des complications surviennent. « Les personnes vulnérables sont celles qui vivent le plus de complications quand elles sont atteintes de la COVID-19. Si elles sont infectées, elles risquent de se retrouver hospitalisées, ce que nous ne souhaitons pas », déclare-t-il. En ce qui concerne les deux cas enregistrés dans deux écoles de la Haute-Côte-Nord au cours des derniers jours, le médecin spécialiste en santé publique affirme que la collaboration se déroule très bien. « Les classes touchées ont été placées en isolement préventif, les parents ont été informés par une lettre et la santé publique a également communiqué avec eux pour les aviser des consignes à suivre », soutient Dr Fachehoun précisant que la santé publique fera un suivi de la situation durant les deux prochaines semaines. Même si la situation peut paraître inquiétante, le médecin-conseil assure aux parents que les milieux scolaires sont sécuritaires. Il insiste toutefois pour que les enfants qui présentent des symptômes, « aussi légers soient-ils », se fassent dépister rapidement. « Il ne faut pas attendre, surtout qu'il n'y a pas de cas de grippe présentement. » Milieux de travail Quant aux 5 cas enregistrés en Haute-Côte-Nord le 14 janvier, un seul concerne le milieu scolaire. « Les quatre autres sont reliés entre eux et concernent une éclosion dans un milieu de travail », assure Dr Richard Fachehoun. D'ailleurs, le médecin spécialiste demande aux gestionnaires de la MRC de privilégier le télétravail lorsque possible. « Il faut renforcer les mesures mises en place comme la surveillance des symptômes, le lavage des mains, le port du couvre-visage et le respect du 2 mètres de distanciation entre les employés », rappelle-t-il. Le nombre de tests de dépistage effectué demeure stable depuis les deux dernières semaines. Toutefois, Dr Fachehoun croit qu'il sera en augmentation en raison des éclosions qui sont survenues au cours des derniers jours. « La collaboration de la population est importante pour protéger la région et notre système de santé », de conclure le médecin spécialiste en santé publique.Johannie Gaudreault, Initiative de journalisme local, Journal Haute-Côte-Nord
The provincial government released its list of communities receiving charitable gaming grants for the last half of 2020. More than $1.3 million will be given to local communities from Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming for the fundraising done from July to September 2020 in communities across the province. Groups raising money through “licensed charitable gaming” like bingo, raffles, Monte Carlo events, etc. receive 25 per cent of their net proceeds back in the form of the charitable gaming grant, explained David Morris, a spokesperson with Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming. Numbers released in the Jan. 14 press release quantified the grants by areas of the province with the North Battleford and the surrounding area receiving $141,175; Humboldt and the surrounding area receiving $57,629, and Yorkton and the surrounding area receiving $56,187. While these numbers are only for the third quarter of 2020, Morris said numbers have been impacted by COVID-19 as local events and bingo halls have been shut down. “Many raffles take place in conjunction with sporting events and many sporting events have been cancelled. That’s impacted the number of raffles. If you go to a hockey game, often the team has a raffle and there are no games so there are no raffles.” Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority are proud to support local organizations that fundraise using the charitable gaming program, said Jim Reiter, the minister responsible, in the press release. “The charitable gaming grant program provides extra dollars that help these groups deliver their services in a variety of important sectors including public service, emergency services, health care and recreation.” Local organizations are eligible for the grant program following the filing of their charitable gaming reports. Becky Zimmer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Battlefords Regional News-Optimist
A P.E.I. woman brought her new-found love of bread making over Christmas to the aid of an organization that helped her when she was a little girl. Rhyanne Beatty is relatively new to the art of making bread, having taken it up a little over a year ago. She told Island Morning host Mitch Cormier she was immediately caught up by the simplicity of it. "With four ingredients it's so simple, and yet creates something so wonderful," said Beatty. She made bread for Christmas presents in 2019, and the positive reactions she got prompted her to expand on the idea this year. She set up an Instagram account offering up her bread in exchange for donations to Anderson House, a Charlottetown shelter for women facing domestic violence, and Blooming House, a shelter for homeless women. "It really took off and everyone was so supportive. Everyone found me. It was a really great experience," said Beatty. Through the month of December Beatty made 75 loaves of bread for the project, and was able to leverage that into more than $2,000 for the two shelters. Half of that came from Jay's Plumbing and Heating, which answered the call when she asked for matching donations from local businesses. 'They've never left my thoughts' Beatty's choice of the shelters for the fundraiser reflects a personal connection. "I actually stayed at the Anderson House when I was a little girl and my family was going through a difficult experience," she said. "They've never left my thoughts. I think about them all the time." Danya O'Malley, executive director of P.E.I. Family Violence Prevention Services, said it was wonderful to receive the donation. Fundraising takes a lot of staff time, and outside initiatives not only ease that strain but introduce new supporters to the organization. O'Malley said it was a bonus to hear about Beatty's personal connection. "You often never find out how things turn out down the road," she said. "Getting this after-the-fact information about somebody who that made a positive impact for them, and now they remember that fondly and it was a helpful service, that's just terrific." Some of the staff who were at Anderson House when Beatty lived there would still be there now, O'Malley said. Islanders have rallied around Anderson House during the pandemic, O'Malley said. It has raised $92,000 in its current fundraising campaign, topping last year's $62,000, which was previously the best ever year for fundraising. More from CBC P.E.I.
Abandoned houses and properties are found everywhere in Newfoundland and Labrador. They are houses with chipped paint, boats laid on the shore for the last time and old barns that have been beaten down by the elements. Sometimes, families just left these places and never came back. Other properties fall into disrepair because owners aren’t quite sure what to do with them. Regardless of how they were left, these objects are living history and lend themselves to the story of the people who lived there. Photographer Cory Babstock has documented many of the abandoned structures and objects in his home of Clarenville and the surrounding area. He even produced a small book made up of images of houses left behind, called "Unsettled." “It is important to me. … I’m all about preserving what I can for my kids so that they know we didn’t always live in these bungalows, clumped together in orderly fashion,” he said. That idea of preserving history is part of the reason Babstock takes such pride in photographing the buildings and objects that are left behind. The photos he takes are a historical record of the people and the places where they lived. Last fall, what was left of the Mary Ruth, a sailing vessel built in 1918, had disappeared from its usual spot in Southport. An old home in Open Hall-Red Cliffe that Babstock had photographed frequently has blown down in recent years. Someday, others will be lost to time and there won’t be any record they were ever there. “There is a whole other story, and somebody has to document them," said Babstock. “Sometimes families aren’t able to.” Joe Woods started the Abandoned and Historic Newfoundland and Labrador Facebook group in 2016. He did so to showcase the many such structures across the province to a wide audience. It allowed photographers and those interested in those buildings to interact while sharing their experiences and their work. The group has about 20,000 members and there are several posts daily. “I love finding new places to explore, and Newfoundland and Labrador is endless with them,” Woods said in a social media conversation. In the group, there are pictures of ancient graveyards, abandoned barns, empty storefronts and the skeletons of wooden boats. Often, the interactions inspire others to seek out the images they find in the group, while adding their own. When a new picture is posted, the comment section will sometimes spiral into a cross-section of a person’s connection to the object in the photo, people marvelling at the photo and others who seek to add that object to their photo bucket list. After a quick scroll through the comments, it becomes swiftly evident that these callbacks to an earlier time strike a nerve with people. “One day photographs will be all we have to remember they even stood one time,” said Woods. “It's second chances to admire the beauty and architecture.” The abandoned places Babstock walks don’t always feel like they’re supposed to. Those homes hit your senses differently as you try to picture how families lived a life that was so different from your own, he says, and stepping through their doors pulls you somewhere else. “Every one of these places has a different feel to them,” said Babstock. “Some places resonate with sadness.” He recalled an abandoned home he entered — Babstock always gets permission first — where he found a bed that was left behind. It still had some dressing and a pillow laid on top of it. The floor of another home had long collapsed when he found it. Babstock found a table in the home with dishes still set on it. The dishes appeared to have been left behind in a hurry, he said. “There is a different weight to (the place),” said Babstock. Life has kept west coast photographer Jaimie Maloney from chasing life through a camera lens recently, but that hasn’t diminished her love for photographing and exploring old buildings. When her schedule did allow her to explore the west coast, she found herself drawn to the older structures she found there. “I find it draws me in because it wants to tell me a story,” said Maloney. “I go looking at them and feel the energy and think of various people living there and what they may have done. “It's like the building is talking to you and wants you to share it and pass the information along. It’s almost like being a detective.” Nicholas Mercer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Central Voice
Premier Doug Ford says a new hospital set to open in Vaughan, Ont., will be used to relieve a capacity crunch because of rising COVID-19 rates. Ford says some patients from overcrowded Greater Toronto Area hospitals will be transferred to Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital when it opens on Feb. 7.
Boeing's 737 Max has been approved to fly again in Canada starting Wednesday, ending a 22-month grounding that followed a pair of overseas crashes that took 346 lives and did serious damage to the company's reputation. Transport Canada announced today it has completed its nearly two-year review of the aircraft and has issued an "airworthiness directive" detailing a series of changes that must be made before the Max can return to Canadian airspace. The department said it will complete the final step of the process to clear the plane on Wednesday by lifting a notice to airmen (NOTAM) banning commercial flights of the Max in Canada. On Thursday, WestJet is expected to become the first Canadian airline to fly the Max again, with a flight between Calgary and Toronto. WestJet plans to operate three weekly round-trip flights on that route for the next month while it considers adding more routes. WATCH | How WestJet and Air Canada are preparing for the Boeing 737 Max 8's return Air Canada, which has more pilots and aircraft to prepare, is planning to return its Max fleet to service on Feb. 1. The airline says it will begin operating the Max on select flights between Toronto and five Canadian destinations: Halifax, Montreal, Ottawa, Edmonton and Winnipeg. Sunwing has not announced when it plans to return the Max to commercial service. Countries worldwide grounded the Max in March 2019 after two crashes just months apart, in Indonesia and Ethiopia, that killed 346 people — including 18 Canadian citizens and permanent residents. The two crashes exposed serious flaws with the plane's flight-control system and the jet's certification process. Some families of Canadians who died in the crash of an Ethiopian Airlines 737 Max in March 2019 say they still don't trust the aircraft. For the past year, victims' families have been calling on the federal government to launch an independent inquiry to determine why Canada didn't ground the 737 Max after the first crash — and what it knew after the second disaster. But the Liberals and Conservatives blocked the NDP's motion for an inquiry during a transport committee hearing in November on the plane's recertification process in Canada. "The Federal Aviation Administration and Boeing, they keep telling us, 'Trust us,'" said Clariss Moore, who lost her daughter Danielle in the crash. "The public trusted this plane, and they failed us repeatedly. How could you trust when all the promises they've given have been repeatedly broken? "I don't trust this plane and I will never will." WATCH | Parents of Ethiopia crash victim still wary of the 737 Max After the Ethiopian Airlines crash and an earlier one in October 2018 that killed 189 people, Canada was accused of relying too heavily on aviation authorities in the U.S. when certifying aircraft. In response, the government said it spent 15,000 hours independently reviewing the proposed changes to the Max and conducting its own test flights. On top of the design and maintenance requirements, Transport Canada said it's requiring additional training for Canadian airlines' flight crew. "Over the last 20 months, Transport Canada's civil aviation safety experts, by their rigour and thoroughness, have ensured the safety concerns the department had identified have been addressed," said Transport Minister Omar Alghabra in a press release today. "Canadians and the airline industry can rest assured that Transport Canada has diligently addressed all safety issues prior to permitting this aircraft to return to service in Canadian airspace." WestJet survey suggests travellers hesitant to fly on Max A year ago, restoring confidence after two fatal crashes would have been a big challenge on its own. Now, Air Canada and WestJet are trying to do that during a pandemic when, according to WestJet's internal research, travellers are more apprehensive about flying in general — and even more uncomfortable with the idea of flying on a Max. The majority surveyed — 64 per cent — said they would avoid flying on the Max altogether, according to the latest data WestJet shared with CBC News from the fall. Earlier this month, Boeing agreed to pay $2.5 billion US in fines and compensation after admitting to defrauding and obstructing the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in connection with evaluating the MCAS flight-control system. MCAS was found to have pushed the plane's nose down in the two crashes. Prosecutors said two Boeing employees concealed important information about the MCAS software from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, then covered up their actions. "The misleading statements, half-truths and omissions communicated by Boeing employees to the FAA impeded the government's ability to ensure the safety of the flying public," said U.S. Attorney Erin Nealy Cox. The U.S. Justice Department said on Jan 7. that Boeing agreed to the settlement, which includes money for the crash victims' families. Families called deal a 'slap in the face' Paul Njoroge's three children, wife and mother-in-law also died in the 2019 crash in Ethiopia. He said that Washington's decision not to pursue criminal charges against Boeing robbed the victims' families of the justice they deserve. "It haunts me that decision that was made," said Njoroge. "I'm upset. The [U.S.] Department of Justice should have bought the company executives and key employees at Boeing and try them and charged them criminally … [they] knew and they still allowed the planes to fly." Clariss Moore and her husband Chris also called that decision "disgraceful." "We expected people to go to jail for this," he said. "A crime has been committed. We think Boeing and the FAA should go through the proper channels of this criminal action." Clariss Moore said she feels those responsible at Boeing are hiding behind the company. "It's just like a slap in the face," she said. "There's no amount of money that could bring back the lives of Danielle and all 246 people. It doesn't sit well for me and my family. They should go to jail." In a statement, Boeing told CBC News it will "never forget the lives of those lost in the two tragic accidents." "These events and the lessons we have learned as a result have reshaped our company and further focused our attention on our core values of safety, quality and integrity. We continue to work with Transport Canada, other global regulators and our customers to safely return the 737-8 and 737-9 to service worldwide," the U.S. jet builder said in a statement to CBC News.
Le consultant en préparation mentale Marc-Antoine Roussel lance un tout nouveau projet intitulé Laisse ta Marc, un balado axé sur la psychologie sportive. Les deux épisodes par semaine du podcast permettront d’informer les auditeurs sur l’importance de la préparation mentale, en plus de faire rayonner les parcours d’athlètes, de parents et d’entraîneurs des régions éloignées. L’objectif de Marc-Antoine Roussel est clair: aider les gens dans leur préparation mentale. Selon lui, trop peu de personnes s’intéressent à cet aspect pourtant primordial de la performance sportive. Il considère aussi que trop souvent, quand on parle de santé mentale, le sujet est stigmatisé. Celui qui est originaire de Baie-Comeau a travaillé comme consultant en préparation mentale au sein de plusieurs équipes sportives, dont le Drakkar de Baie-Comeau, les Saguenéens de Chicoutimi et les Mustangs de l’école Odyssée/Dominique-Racine, au hockey, en plus d’accompagner une centaine d’athlètes de niveau élite et plusieurs militaires de Bagotville. Marc-Antoine Roussel a vu, dans le balado, une façon de rejoindre un plus grand public. Une idée dans ses cordes, alors qu’il a toujours aimé discuter avec des sportifs de différents horizons, en plus de vulgariser de l’information. Le kinésiologue donne une quarantaine de conférences par année sur la psychologie du sport et a participé, en 2019, au plus grand congrès des sciences éducatives du monde, à Hawaii, aux États-Unis. Avec Laisse ta Marc, il souhaite démystifier l’importance de la préparation mentale, et ce, dans tous les domaines. «En temps de pandémie, tout le monde est plus stressé, anxieux, et peut ressentir des difficultés à se concentrer. C’est aussi un moment difficile pour plusieurs au niveau de la confiance en soi, de la gestion des émotions et de la communication. Ce sont tous des facteurs de préparation mentale et je me suis dit que j’allais trouver une façon d’éduquer les gens sur ce sujet», explique celui qui a complété un baccalauréat et une maîtrise en kinésiologie à l’Université du Québec à Chicoutimi (UQAC). Deux émissions complémentaires Chaque semaine, une émission sera consacrée à un aspect précis de la psychologie du sport, pour éduquer et démontrer qu’elle touche tout le monde, et non seulement les athlètes de haut niveau. Le deuxième épisode de la semaine touchera davantage des sportifs des régions qui performent ou qui ont marqué le sport à leur façon. « Je trouve qu’en région, nous avons des diamants bruts, que ce soit des parents, des entraîneurs ou des athlètes, et que peu de personnes en parlent. Je veux faire rayonner ces gens, qu’ils soient de la Côte-Nord, du Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean, de l’Abitibi ou d’ailleurs », affirme l’homme originaire de Baie-Comeau. M. Roussel aimerait aussi permettre aux petites entreprises régionales d’avoir accès à une plateforme pour de la publicité à faible coût. Il sait que certains vivent des moments plus difficiles et souhaitent les aider à sa façon. Il encourage d’ailleurs toutes les personnes intéressées par le projet à lui écrire et à lui envoyer des suggestions. « Mon but, c’est vraiment de donner une visibilité aux personnes des régions et de faire connaître la préparation mentale. Je ne le fais pas pour moi. Je veux que la préparation mentale soit plus connue, tout en faisant rayonner des personnes qui ont marqué leur domaine », martèle-t-il. Simplement en se tournant vers ses connaissances du milieu, le consultant a une bonne liste de noms d’invités éventuels de l’émission. Il a déjà en tête assez d’idées pour combler la prochaine année, assure-t-il. Avec la technologie, Marc-Antoine Roussel peut facilement réaliser des entrevues à distance, ce qui lui permet de créer le balado en plein confinement. Cette nouvelle tribune lui permettra aussi de discuter avec des personnes de partout dans la province, et ce, très facilement. Bien sûr, lorsque le confinement sera terminé, il aimerait bien organiser des discussions en face à face quand l’occasion se présentera. Un large spectre En tant que consultant en préparation mentale, Marc-Antoine Roussel peut donner des conférences ou des conseils sur une foule de sujets : l’anxiété de performance, l’attitude gagnante, la gestion des émotions, la fixation d’objectifs, la confiance en soi, le rôle des parents, la préparation aux compétitions, et bien plus. Il peut aussi faire l’évaluation des besoins et de l’accompagnement. Il offre également des services en entreprise. Il est convaincu que la préparation mentale peut aider tout le monde. « Ce qui est fou, c’est que la préparation mentale, elle sert à l’école, au travail, dans les sports. En tant que consultant, j’optimise les performances des personnes avec de l’enseignement et des exercices. La personne qui vient me voir, elle n’a pas des problèmes mentaux. Je vais plutôt lui donner des outils qui pourront lui servir dans tous les aspects de sa vie », continue-t-il. S’il n’a qu’un conseil à donner aux sportifs, qui sont nombreux à ne pas pratiquer leur sport ces temps-ci, c’est que cette pause obligatoire est le moment parfait pour se concentrer sur les aspects de la préparation mentale, afin d’être à leur meilleur lorsque le sport recommencera. Une foule de ressources peuvent les aider. On peut suivre le consultant sur sa page Facebook, Marc-Antoine Roussel, kinésiologue et consultant en préparation mentale. Le balado est quant à lui disponible sur les différentes plateformes numériques, dont Apple Podcasts et Spotify.Myriam Arsenault, Initiative de journalisme local, Le Quotidien
OTTAWA — Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. says the annual pace of housing starts in December fell compared with November. CMHC says the monthly seasonally adjusted annual rate of housing starts for all areas in Canada, excluding Kelowna, B.C., fell 12.2 per cent in December from November. The December survey was not conducted in Kelowna due to the pandemic. The annual pace of urban starts fell 12.8 per cent in December as urban starts of apartments, condos and other types of multiple-unit housing projects dropped 15.1 per cent. Single-detached urban starts fell 5.5 per cent. Rural starts were estimated at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 22,373 units. Despite the drop in December, CMHC says the six-month moving average of the monthly seasonally adjusted annual rates of housing starts climbed to 239,052 units for the final month of 2020, up from 236,334 in November. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 18, 2021. The Canadian Press
Facebook Inc said on Monday it had started the process of appointing a legal entity as a local representative in Turkey in compliance with a new social media law which critics have said will muzzle dissent. The company said its decision did not change its community standards, which outline what is and what is not allowed on Facebook, nor its process for reviewing government requests. "We will withdraw the representative if we face pressure on either," the company said in a statement, adding that it remains committed to maintaining free expression and other human rights in Turkey.
The provincial government is opening a new hospital in Vaughan to help relieve pressure on other facilities in the Greater Toronto Area. The Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital was originally scheduled to open in early February as the first brand new hospital — not a replacement of an older facility or a merger with an existing facility — in Ontario in almost three decades. Premier Doug Ford made the announcement at a Monday afternoon news conference, saying it would open in "a few short weeks." "It's like reinforcements coming over the hill," Ford said, adding that the province is also adding 500 additional surge capacity hospital beds in Toronto, Durham, Kingston and Ottawa. Health Minister Christine Elliott also said Monday that once the situation with COVID-19 has stabilized in the province, the hospital will open as originally planned. "The idea is this hospital is going to be used ... in order to take the load off of some other hospitals that are experiencing capacity challenges." Elliott said. The hospital will accept both COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 patients "based on the system needs during this surge," a spokesperson for Mackenzie Health said in a statement to CBC Toronto. The news comes as Ontario reported 2,578 additional cases of COVID-19 on Monday, as the number of patients with the illness who required a ventilator to breathe climbed above 300 for the first time since the pandemic began. The new cases in today's update are the fewest logged on a single day in about two and a half weeks. They include 815 in Toronto, 507 in Peel Region, 151 in both York and Niagara regions, and 121 in Hamilton. New COVID-19 variant cases expected, Yaffe says "Our health-care system continues to be strained with elevated numbers of people in hospital," Dr. Barbara Yaffe, Ontario's associate chief medical officer of health, said on Monday. Thirty-one new outbreaks were reported as of Monday, Yaffe said, which was slightly lower than Monday of the previous week. Yaffe said Ontario is reporting 15 new cases of the COVID-19 variant first identified in the United Kingdom, with the most recent case detected in London, Ont. in a patient with no known travel history. "We do expect more cases to be identified in the weeks to follow as there is evidence of community transmission," Yaffe added. She said the data indicated that the new strain is 56 per cent more easily transmissible in comparison to other variants. Other public health units that saw double-digit increases were: Windsor-Essex: 97 Ottawa: 92 Waterloo region: 85 Halton Region: 79 Durham Region: 76 Middlesex-London: 67 Simcoe Muskoka: 65 Lambton: 52 Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph: 51 Eastern Ontario: 36 Southwestern: 31 Chatham-Kent: 29 Huron Perth: 15 Haldimand-Norfolk: 13 Brant County: 12 (Note: All of the figures used in this story are found on the Ministry of Health's COVID-19 dashboard or in its Daily Epidemiologic Summary. The number of cases for any region may differ from what is reported by the local public health unit, because local units report figures at different times.) The additional infections come as the province's labs processed just 40,301 test samples for the novel coronavirus — tens of thousands fewer than there is capacity for in the system — and reported a test positivity rate of 6.6 per cent. The seven-day average of new daily cases fell to 3,035. It reached a high of 3,555 on January 11. Yaffe said Monday's figures may have been low due to the number of tests processed Sunday, which was the lowest since Jan. 5. Ontario's Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. David Williams said the current test positivity rate shows improvement from previous weeks when it would spike following weekends. "The numbers are dropping, I take that as a sign that Ontarians are doing what we're supposed to be doing," Williams said on Monday. But Williams said the province must cut its daily COVID-19 case counts to below 1,000 before lockdown measures can be lifted. He called the goal "achievable" and said the last time the province saw similar daily case counts was late October. Williams said he would also like to see the number of COVID-19 patients in intensive care units drop to 150 before lifting any restrictions. Another 2,826 cases were marked resolved in today's report. There are now 28,621 confirmed, active infections provincewide. The number of resolved cases have outpaced new cases on six of the last seven days in Ontario. There were 1,571 total patients with COVID-19 in Ontario's hospitals. Of those, 394 were being treated in intensive care units and 303 were on ventilators. Revised projections released last week by the province suggested that hospitals, especially those throughout southern Ontario, risk being overwhelmed by COVID-19 patients in the coming weeks. The influx could result in doctors having to triage emergency patients, running the risk that some will not get a hospital bed when needed. This morning, the Ontario NDP released a document they say is the province's triage protocol. However, a spokesperson for the Minister of Health later said in an email to CBC News Monday that it is not a triage protocol but rather "guidance that originated from experts in the sector, for use by the sector." Dated Jan. 13, the 32-page document outlines the details and critical elements of the triage process should there be a major surge in COVID-19 patients requiring hospital care. The documents say this should be considered only "as an option of last resort," prioritizes care for those "with the greatest likelihood of survival." It emphasizes the need for protection of individual human rights, non-discriminatory decision making and accountability. The spokesperson said as of Monday, nothing has been issued or approved by the Ministry of Health. "The expectation of the Ministry of Health is for the Bioethics Table to continue its engagement in consultations and discussions with various stakeholder groups," the statement from the ministry reads. In a news release, the NDP said the document "shows that the crisis in hospitals is out of control" while accusing Premier Doug Ford and his government of trying to keep it out of public view. "Had physicians not reached out to the Official Opposition and others, the directive that was written in secret, without consultation, would remain a secret," the NDP said. Public health units also reported another 24 deaths of people with the illness, pushing the official toll to 5,433. Vaccine clinic opens at Metro Toronto Convention Centre A clinic dedicated to administering COVID-19 vaccines opened in a Toronto convention centre on Monday. The same day, city officials announced the clinic will have to be paused as of Friday, due to a lack of access to vaccines. The clinic at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, which is in the downtown core, aims to vaccinate 250 people per day, but the city noted that is entirely dependent upon vaccine supply. City officials said the "proof-of-concept" clinic will help Ontario's Ministry of Health test and adjust the setup of immunization clinics in non-hospital settings. The Ministry of Health said this morning that another 9,691 doses of COVID-19 vaccines were administered in Ontario yesterday. A total of 209,788 shots of vaccine have been given out so far, while 21,752 people have received both doses and are considered fully immunized to the illness. Pfizer-BioNTech, which manufactures one of the two Health Canada-approved vaccines, announced last week that it's temporarily delaying international shipments of the shots while it upgrades production facilities in Europe. The Ontario government has said that will affect the province's vaccine distribution plan, and some people will see their booster shots delayed by several weeks. Officials in Hamilton, meanwhile, said the province has directed it to temporarily cease administering the first dose of both the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines to everyone except residents, staff and essential caregivers at long-term care homes and retirement facilities. A spokeswoman for Health Minister Christine Elliott did not say how many regions of the province had received that directive.
BRUSSELS — The European Union’s executive arm on Monday defended a decision to send a team of senior officials to Lisbon for a meeting with Portuguese government ministers, after two ministers tested positive for COVID-19 and a number of top officials went into isolation. Eight members of the European Commission paid a one-day visit to Lisbon Friday — as Portugal started a month-long lockdown — for meetings early in the country's six-month term as EU president nation, which began on Jan. 1. Portugal’s finance and labour ministers later tested positive for the virus, while three other ministers have gone into isolation after coming into contact with people who tested positive. Two EU commission vice-presidents and a commissioner are in quarantine. Asked why it was so important for the visit to go ahead, commission spokesman Eric Mamer said the decision to meet face to face rather than via videoconference — like most EU meetings over the past year — was “not taken lightly.” “It is the launch of an extremely important presidency. There are many, many files which need to be carried forward by the Portuguese presidency, and it was felt important to be able to hold in-person discussions on these different political files,” Mamer said. Portuguese Prime Minister António Costa said Wednesday that the pandemic is “at its most dangerous point” in the country and that the new lockdown would last at least a month. Staying at home is mandatory, including for work, and fines for not complying with rules such as to wear masks oiutdoors have doubled. Schools remain open, along with companies providing essential services. Mamer said the commission officials in quarantine would respect Belgium’s coronavirus rules and take a test on the seventh day after their return from Lisbon. In August, the EU’s chief trade negotiator, Commissioner Phil Hogan, had to resign after he admitted flaunting some measures during a summer stay in his native Ireland. ___ Follow AP coverage of the coronavirus pandemic at: https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-vaccine https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak The Associated Press
Timo Werner was the headline signing in Chelsea’s $300 million off-season spending spree, a player whose pace and composure in front of goal would supposedly help transform the team into a Premier League title contender. So how has it got to the point where, four months into his time in London, the Germany international has endured his longest scoring drought in nearly five years, is no closer to finding his best role in the team, and was the third and final striker called upon by manager Frank Lampard in a desperate bid to break the deadlock in Chelsea’s most recent game? Werner’s brief appearance as a substitute in the 1-0 win over Fulham on Saturday was a snapshot into the problems of a player who looks bereft of confidence midway through his first season in English soccer. With Chelsea toiling at 0-0 against opponents down to 10 men at Craven Cottage, Werner was finally sent on as a substitute in the 75th minute. By then, Lampard, who started Olivier Giroud as the sole striker, had already brought on another striker in Tammy Abraham. Werner played like someone with one goal to his name in the last two months for club and country, particularly when he was played through on goal deep in injury time and handed the perfect chance to add a second goal for Chelsea. With only the goalkeeper to beat, Werner opened up his body and sent his finish wide. His body language, after that miss and moments later after the final whistle, spoke of an unhappy player, and he was consoled by Lampard as the teams left the field. “Being hard on himself isn't a problem. I hope he feels my support,” Lampard said. “The only way through a patch where things aren't quite going for you is to train and train, keep your attitude right, stay positive.” That must be hard for Werner. Since Nov. 14, the only goal he has scored in all competitions for Chelsea was a tap-in against fourth-division club Morecambe in a third-round match in the FA Cup. That came on Jan. 10 and ended his longest scoring drought — 13 games — since the end of the 2015-16 season, his final weeks at Stuttgart before he joined Leipzig. In four seasons at Leipzig, he never went more than five games without scoring and netted 35 times for club and country in the 2019-20 campaign, his last at the club. While Werner chiefly operated as a sole striker at Leipzig with the license to drift out wide or to drop into the No. 10 position, he has mostly been used on the left wing since his move to Chelsea for $68 million as Lampard dealt with injury issues to his wide midfielders. He has looked lost out wide in some matches, unable to use his pace against opponents often set up in a deep block against Chelsea. It’s no surprise that Werner’s best display of the season was at home against Southampton, when Werner played as a central striker and made the most of the high line to score two well-taken individual goals and set up another for Kai Havertz, another German who has struggled since his off-season switch to Chelsea. It was presumed Chelsea’s ideal front three this season would be Werner up front, flanked by wingers Hakim Ziyech — another of the new signings — and Christian Pulisic, but Lampard has rarely had that luxury. Even when he did, like in the 3-1 loss to Manchester City this month, it didn’t work out well. Lampard suggested recently that Werner, who has only four goals in the Premier League so far, may not have had as many games as he’d like as the sole striker because he didn’t press enough from the front. “It’s normal for Timo and others who came in the forward areas for us to take some time to get used to what my idea is, what their teammates’ idea is, because we haven’t had working time on the pitch,” Lampard said. Yet Werner said in his introductory media conference in September that he’d had a lot of conversations with Lampard — and been sent videos from the coach — about Chelsea’s style of play, and that he joined with the feeling that “the system he wants to play will fit me very well.” That doesn’t appear to be the case. And, when Chelsea heads to Leicester for a Premier League game on Tuesday, it's not obvious whether Werner will be starting on the left, up front, or if he'll be back on the bench. “When you're a top player, as Timo has shown he is, all eyes are on and it becomes magnified," Lampard said. "But the basics are the same and my job is to tell him that." ___ More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/Soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports ___ Steve Douglas is at https://twitter.com/sdouglas80 Steve Douglas, The Associated Press
