Come back every weekday for a new cartoon from one of our Canadian artists.
Check out even more editorial cartoons here.
Is Gerald Cotten, the late CEO of Canada’s largest cryptocurrency exchange QuadrigaCX really dead? That's just one of the questions explored in the documentary Dead Man's Switch a crypto mystery (part of the 2021 Hot Docs festival), which takes you on a deep, but explanatory, dive into the mysterious death that left $215 million dollars in cash and cryptocurrency missing.
Andrew Turner and his wife, Karen MacRae, are surrounded by cardboard boxes as they pack up their home in Huntsville, Ont. But they're not sure whether they'll be allowed to move into their new home in Nova Scotia as planned at the end of the month because of new lockdown measures announced on Friday. They are moving to a small town outside of Halifax, to be closer to Turner's parents. The sale on their new place closed March 1, and the moving trucks are booked to bring their possessions to their new home at the end of May. But on Friday, the province announced that as of Monday morning, the Nova Scotia border will be closed to anyone moving to the province, even if they were previously approved like the Turners. "If you bought a house and are moving here, you'll have to wait," Premier Iain Rankin said during the provincial update Friday. Dr. Robert Strang, the chief medical officer of health, said a new Safe Check-in Form for people looking to enter the province is expected to be ready by next Friday. These check-in forms are in place for anyone coming in from outside the province to outline their quarantine plan. Strang added that anyone hoping to come into Nova Scotia after Monday would have to wait until that new check-in form is in place. It's unclear what the new forms will look like, and whether any exemptions for people moving to Nova Scotia will be included. Andrew Turner, (left, and wife Karen MacRae are moving from their Huntsville, Ont., home on May 31, but are unsure about how their situation applies to the latest Nova Scotia restrictions on people moving into the province.(Andrew Turner) "Could you imagine showing up with your family and, like, your little car and then them going, 'Well, no, you can't get in.' You're like, 'Well, then what do we do?' Like, we literally don't have a home to go to," Turner said Saturday. Strang said the tight border restrictions will be in place until at least the end of May. He also said he's aware people have been forging emails to get across the border that appear to come from Strang's office. After Friday's announcement, Turner was sent an email from the province saying his original paperwork was cancelled and he'd need to fill out a new Nova Scotia Safe Check-in Form. But when filling out the new paperwork Saturday morning, Turner found they fell within a provincial exemption, and would be allowed to move in, since they bought their house March 1. Faced with contradictory information, Turner isn't clear what to do. "I'm a Nova Scotian guy that just wants to move home, and I'm happy to sit in quarantine outside the province, at the border, or in our house which is what we made plans to do," Turner said. "We need clarity, and I think that's what everybody's looking for — a very clear, definitive path to go from A to B." The new restrictions come at a time when Nova Scotia is dealing with the highest daily cases of COVID-19 of the pandemic, mostly driven by aggressive variants of the virus, and more and more people being admitted to intensive care. On Friday, a provincial high of 227 new cases was announced, as well as more than 200 other cases that have been identified but have not been fully processed by Public Health. The province reported 163 new cases on Saturday, as well as the death of a man in his 70s in the central zone. There are now 1,538 active cases in the province. Turner and others moving to Nova Scotia say they take the virus extremely seriously, are willing to follow the rules but need to know what to do. Sarah Cowans is also worried about her family's upcoming move from Oakville, Ont., to the Halifax area. Sarah Cowans, right, and her husband are worried about what to do when they're out of their home in Ontario on June 1, and are facing expensive options like renting in Ontario or isolating at a Nova Scotia hotel.(Sarah Cowans) She and her family have to be out of their current home on June 1, and were then planning to pack up their two young children, two dogs and the family's possessions and drive to Nova Scotia. Cowans is also originally from Nova Scotia and has lots of family in the Halifax area. There is an empty family home available in Lawrencetown until they close on their new house for July 15. But with Friday's announcement, Cowans said they're put into a "really awful position" with nowhere to go as of June 1. "I'm pretty upset. I was pretty frustrated yesterday ... to find out that we may be turned away, or forced to kind of quarantine in a hotel was pretty much a punch to the gut," she said. It's unclear right now whether the restrictions will still be in place by June. If they risk driving anyway, Cowans said they could have to isolate in an approved quarantine spot like a hotel at their own expense, which is not ideal with animals, young kids and a truck full of furniture. Or they might have to rent in Ontario until things become clearer. "Financially … it would be an impact on us. But also just … mentally and physically, we're already kind of in this limbo position," Cowans said. The new restriction has also caught the eye of Ontario lawyer James Coulter. In a letter to Rankin dated Saturday, Coulter said he's concerned about the province blocking out people who have the proper paperwork to show they own property in Nova Scotia. "A 'blanket' restriction on travel for newcomers induced to change residency to Nova Scotia is patently unfair," Coulter wrote. He also said the travel restrictions are non-compliant with every Canadian citizen's rights to mobility under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. CBC has reached out to the province for clarification on moving restrictions, and will update this story with any information. MORE TOP STORIES
The Lower Mainland's homicide investigation team says a man is dead following a shooting in Burnaby. B.C. Emergency Health Services said paramedics responded to the incident at 6th Street between 12th and 13th Avenue around 7 p.m. PT and transported one patient to hospital. The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) later said in a tweet that the victim died of his injuries. Burnaby RCMP originally responded to the shooting, but has not yet shared any details about what happened. There have been multiple shootings across the Lower Mainland in the last few weeks, many in public places such as mall parking lots or public parks. Police say many of the shootings are connected to drugs and gangs. Burnaby violence Six days ago, a 43-year-old man was arrested after an early morning shooting in Burnaby that sent a 25-year-old woman to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. In mid-March police discovered a female burned body in a Burnaby park with other suspicious injuries. IHIT later took over the case. One man died after a shooting in a residential neighbourhood of Burnaby in February, which followed another fatal shooting nine days earlier in the city.
Alberta topped 2,000 new COVID-19 cases Saturday, as the number of active cases in the province surpassed 25,000 for the first time during the pandemic. There were 18,809 tests completed on Friday for a positivity rate of around 11 per cent. Alberta identified 406 new variant cases, making up 47.6 per cent of the province's new high of 25,155 active cases. Alberta rolled back testing for coronavirus variants this week, citing a rapid increase in positivity rates and test volumes. Variant testing is now limited to hospital patients, health-care workers, recent travellers and people involved in outbreaks. Currently there are 661 people being treated for COVID-19 in hospital including 148 in intensive care unit beds, compared to 659 people in hospital the previous day, including 150 in intensive care beds. Two deaths were reported Saturday, including a man in his 60s in the North zone and a woman in her 80s in the Central zone. Anti-restrictions protesters gathered outside a cafe in the hamlet of Mirror, Alta., for a Save Alberta Campout Protest, as the next slate of tougher COVID-19 restrictions are to come into force Monday, including the closure of patios and personal services, such as hair salons and tattoo shops. Alberta Health Services has said the provincial government will take legal action to stop any planned protests of COVID-19 public health orders, including the one outside the cafe. In Calgary, police arrested two organizers of a church service Saturday who have been defying public health restrictions for months and charged them with organizing an illegal in-person gathering. Here are the province's 25,155 active cases broken down by health zone: Calgary zone: 11,178 Edmonton zone: 5,900 North zone: 3,780 Central zone: 2,917 South zone: 1,355 Unknown: 25 Alberta reported 1,846,554 doses of COVID-19 vaccine were administered as of Saturday, an increase of 54,242 doses over the last 24 hours. The province administered a single day record of 57,716 doses on Thursday. As of Monday, Albertans 12 and older will be eligible to book a vaccine appointment.
Police in southeastern B.C. are looking for help to determine what happened to a 35-year-old woman found dead Thursday who had been travelling from Didsbury, Alta., to Kootenay National Park near Radium, B.C. RCMP say the victim, Brenda Ware, was found 54 kilometres northeast of Radium, along Highway 93 in Kootenay National Park. Police are calling her death suspicious but have not released any details about what happened to her. Her vehicle, a red 2019 Jeep Cherokee with Alberta licence plate YPC 553, was also discovered Thursday. Police say Ware had been driving a red 2019 Jeep Cherokee with Alberta licence plate YPC 553.(B.C. RCMP) Police are asking anyone who saw Ware or her vehicle from May 4 to May 6 to contact them. Ware is described as being five feet one inch, or 155 cm, and weighing 108 pounds, or 49 kilograms. She had blue eyes and brown hair. Social media accounts associated with her name and image say she lived in Cremona, Alta., and worked as a hairstylist. Hitchhikers B.C. RCMP spokesperson Dawn Roberts said in a release that investigators want to speak with anybody who may have encountered hitchhikers in the area or who has dash-camera video of driving through Kootenay National Park between May 5 and 6. Anyone with information on this case can call police at 1-877-987-8477. B.C.'s Southeast District Major Crime Unit is investigating the death.
In an interview with CBC's chief political correspondent, Rosemary Barton, Jim Diodati, the mayor of Niagara Falls, Ont., says it's time for the federal government to have a discussion on where the benchmarks are for reopening the U.S.-Canada border and how they can be reached.
If water levels rise another 10 centimetres in Fort Simpson, Northwest Territories, officials say a siren will sound and they'll be going door to door to make sure island residents are evacuated. The new measures will kick in if water levels along the Mackenzie River hit 15 metres. According to updates on the community's website, water levels were still at 14.9 metres as of 9:30 a.m. Sunday. When the water reached that point, at around 8:55 a.m., officials said all residents on the island were advised to evacuate and that people should turn off their power and propane before leaving. Fort Simpson started flying some residents out of the community Saturday night, after issuing an evacuation order because of rising flood waters.(Submitted by Lisa Kraus) On Saturday night, officials said they were evacuating residents who had registered at the Recreation Centre to Fort Smith by plane. Fort Simpson is dealing with rising water levels because of the seasonal breakup of ice along the Mackenzie River. Other communities, including Hay River and Jean Marie River are also navigating flood situations.
VANCOUVER — Demand for jade has sparked both a reality TV series set in the remote northwestern corner of British Columbia and opposition from an Indigenous nation over its lack of consent to jade mining in its territory. The Tahltan Nation has strong ties to the mining and mineral exploration sector, but the extraction of nephrite jade is "a very problematic industry for us," said Chad Norman Day, president of the Tahltan Central Government. B.C.'s consultation with the nation over jade mining permit applications has been "minimal," Day said in an interview, and in recent years the nation has expressed opposition to new permits and the industry overall. Abandoned machinery, shipping containers and jade boulders, cut open and discarded because they're too low in quality, are scattered across areas where caribou roam and Tahltan people hunt and go snowmobiling, he said. Day said he's also concerned that unlike major mines, smaller-scale jade extraction doesn't always require archeological assessment before work starts. Any discoveries are important evidence of Tahltan rights and title to the nation's territory that comprises 11 per cent of the province, he said. B.C.'s Mines Act requires operators to prepare a plan to protect cultural heritage resources and to stop work in the event of a potential finding. Jade is mined from mountainsides or through placer mining, a smaller-scale excavation ranging from old-style gold panning to digging in and around riverbeds for deposits of minerals washed away over time. The Mines Ministry said it has been working with the industry and Indigenous nations to develop recommendations for higher operational and reclamation standards for the sector. The B.C. government paused decisions on new placer jade permits in Tahltan territory for two years as it works to "establish a long-term economic, reconciliation, wildlife and land-use partnership" with the nation, Mines Minister Bruce Ralston said in a recent statement. Ten jade mining permits remain active in Tahltan territory, the ministry said, while 34 are inactive after operating between 2015 and 2019. Another seven permits are not being used because the operators' certificates are suspended, it said. The ministry said it takes issues of non-compliance seriously and uses enforcement tools, such as monetary penalties, as a deterrent. There is no index for the price of jade, which refers to two different stones: nephrite and jadeite. The finest jadeite can be valued at a higher price than the same weight in gold, while the jade mined in B.C. is mainly nephrite. Its value is determined by different factors including its colour and clarity. While the Tahltan have signed engagement agreements with many mineral exploration companies, along with impact benefit agreements for three major mines, there are no such agreements with jade operators, said Day. "Is there any revenue sharing? Are there jobs? Are there contracts? Is there equity ownership? Where are the benefits?" he asked. "There's nothing." Day and other Tahltan leaders visited jade and placer mining operations by helicopter in 2019 to deliver letters expressing their lack of consent. Among those who received a letter were the Bunces, a mining family featured on the reality TV show "Jade Fever." The seventh season is set to launch Monday on Discovery Canada, which is owned by Bell Media. Concerns over the jade industry have "been on the radar of more and more Tahltan people because of Jade Fever," Day said. The show follows the Bunces' mining operation as they search for "million-dollar boulders of jade," according to promotional materials posted online. It's a small-scale, family-run operation with an exploration permit to work on one claim, which is not a placer claim, Claudia Bunce said in an email. The permit limits their land disturbance to 2.5 hectares over five years and it required a financial surety to ensure remediation of the land, she said. Every permit under the Mines Act includes a bond that's held until reclamation is finished, or the money may be seized, the Mines Ministry said. The B.C. government has improved environmental regulations for jade mining in recent years, said Bunce, adding she fully supports those measures and any additional recommendations the Tahltan have. Their target is to extract about 50 tonnes of jade each year, said Bunce, enough to fashion jewelry and other products sold at the family's store in Jade City, a tiny community between Dease Lake and the Yukon boundary. Revenue from the store funds their next mining season, she said. Bunce said she's had to fight for a voice in a male-dominated industry and she respects others' right to do the same, including the Tahltan. After receiving the letter from Tahltan leaders, Bunce said she immediately called the Mines Ministry to confirm their jade operation was lawful. "I was told by (the ministry) that my permit goes through a consultation process before being approved, with three Indigenous groups in the area, the Tahltan, the Tse'Khene, and Kaska Nation," she said. Tahltan consent is not required, but that's set to change as the B.C. government implements the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, which it adopted through legislation in late 2019. The declaration requires governments to obtain free, prior and informed consent before taking actions that affect Indigenous Peoples and territories. Bunce said it's up to the B.C. government, not individual mining operations, to implement the UN declaration and she hopes the Tahltan can reach an agreement with the province that addresses their concerns. "I will abide by whatever agreement they make," she added. Jade Fever's producers at Vancouver-based Omnifilm Entertainment were aware of the Tahltan letter delivered to the Bunces, they said in a statement. At the time, they contacted the province and confirmed the Bunces have a work permit that provided for Indigenous consultation, they said. "As a documentary series, we are on site to follow the real-life story of a family run jade operation. We do not participate in the mining or intervene in the business side of their operation as that is handled by the family." A statement from a Bell Media spokesperson said the company had not been aware of the concerns over jade mining raised by the Tahltan Nation. "We take this matter seriously and are investigating further," it said. This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 9, 2021. This story was produced with the financial assistance of the Facebook and Canadian Press News Fellowship. Brenna Owen, The Canadian Press
The latest numbers on COVID-19 vaccinations in Canada as of 4:00 a.m. ET on Sunday May 9, 2021. In Canada, the provinces are reporting 326,863 new vaccinations administered for a total of 15,652,046 doses given. Nationwide, 1,240,997 people or 3.3 per cent of the population has been fully vaccinated. The provinces have administered doses at a rate of 41,299.062 per 100,000. There were 8,580 new vaccines delivered to the provinces and territories for a total of 18,042,094 doses delivered so far. The provinces and territories have used 86.75 per cent of their available vaccine supply. Please note that Newfoundland and Labrador, P.E.I., Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and the territories typically do not report on a daily basis. Newfoundland and Labrador is reporting 23,201 new vaccinations administered over the past seven days for a total of 200,591 doses given. The province has administered doses at a rate of 383.077 per 1,000. In the province, 1.85 per cent (9,676) of the population has been fully vaccinated. There were zero new vaccines delivered to Newfoundland and Labrador for a total of 244,930 doses delivered so far. The province has received enough of the vaccine to give 47 per cent of its population a single dose. The province has used 81.9 per cent of its available vaccine supply. P.E.I. is reporting 6,556 new vaccinations administered over the past seven days for a total of 59,758 doses given. The province has administered doses at a rate of 376.715 per 1,000. In the province, 6.78 per cent (10,750) of the population has been fully vaccinated. There were zero new vaccines delivered to P.E.I. for a total of 76,725 doses delivered so far. The province has received enough of the vaccine to give 48 per cent of its population a single dose. The province has used 77.89 per cent of its available vaccine supply. Nova Scotia is reporting 44,485 new vaccinations administered over the past seven days for a total of 356,978 doses given. The province has administered doses at a rate of 365.794 per 1,000. In the province, 3.86 per cent (37,630) of the population has been fully vaccinated. There were zero new vaccines delivered to Nova Scotia for a total of 450,600 doses delivered so far. The province has received enough of the vaccine to give 46 per cent of its population a single dose. The province has used 79.22 per cent of its available vaccine supply. New Brunswick is reporting 34,600 new vaccinations administered over the past seven days for a total of 302,262 doses given. The province has administered doses at a rate of 387.496 per 1,000. In the province, 3.81 per cent (29,688) of the population has been fully vaccinated. There were zero new vaccines delivered to New Brunswick for a total of 373,815 doses delivered so far. The province has received enough of the vaccine to give 48 per cent of its population a single dose. The province has used 80.86 per cent of its available vaccine supply. Quebec is reporting 91,009 new vaccinations administered for a total of 3,641,908 doses given. The province has administered doses at a rate of 425.623 per 1,000. There were 8,580 new vaccines delivered to Quebec for a total of 4,119,439 doses delivered so far. The province has received enough of the vaccine to give 48 per cent of its population a single dose. The province has used 88.41 per cent of its available vaccine supply. Ontario is reporting 138,125 new vaccinations administered for a total of 6,023,610 doses given. The province has administered doses at a rate of 410.074 per 1,000. In the province, 2.66 per cent (390,990) of the population has been fully vaccinated. There were zero new vaccines delivered to Ontario for a total of 7,056,415 doses delivered so far. The province has received enough of the vaccine to give 48 per cent of its population a single dose. The province has used 85.36 per cent of its available vaccine supply. Manitoba is reporting 12,272 new vaccinations administered for a total of 546,919 doses given. The province has administered doses at a rate of 397.18 per 1,000. In the province, 5.50 per cent (75,755) of the population has been fully vaccinated. There were zero new vaccines delivered to Manitoba for a total of 686,160 doses delivered so far. The province has received enough of the vaccine to give 50 per cent of its population a single dose. The province has used 79.71 per cent of its available vaccine supply. Saskatchewan is reporting 13,042 new vaccinations administered for a total of 504,482 doses given. The province has administered doses at a rate of 427.834 per 1,000. In the province, 3.90 per cent (46,022) of the population has been fully vaccinated. There were zero new vaccines delivered to Saskatchewan for a total of 542,935 doses delivered so far. The province has received enough of the vaccine to give 46 per cent of its population a single dose. The province has used 92.92 per cent of its available vaccine supply. Alberta is reporting 54,242 new vaccinations administered for a total of 1,846,554 doses given. The province has administered doses at a rate of 419.476 per 1,000. In the province, 7.14 per cent (314,504) of the population has been fully vaccinated. There were zero new vaccines delivered to Alberta for a total of 2,002,215 doses delivered so far. The province has received enough of the vaccine to give 45 per cent of its population a single dose. The province has used 92.23 per cent of its available vaccine supply. British Columbia is reporting zero new vaccinations administered for a total of 2,042,442 doses given. The province has administered doses at a rate of 398.015 per 1,000. In the province, 1.94 per cent (99,461) of the population has been fully vaccinated. There were zero new vaccines delivered to British Columbia for a total of 2,330,040 doses delivered so far. The province has received enough of the vaccine to give 45 per cent of its population a single dose. The province has used 87.66 per cent of its available vaccine supply. Yukon is reporting zero new vaccinations administered for a total of 49,439 doses given. The territory has administered doses at a rate of 1,184.707 per 1,000. In the territory, 55.23 per cent (23,048) of the population has been fully vaccinated. There were zero new vaccines delivered to Yukon for a total of 55,920 doses delivered so far. The territory has received enough of the vaccine to give 130 per cent of its population a single dose. The territory has used 88.41 per cent of its available vaccine supply. The Northwest Territories are reporting zero new vaccinations administered for a total of 48,007 doses given. The territory has administered doses at a rate of 1,064.009 per 1,000. In the territory, 48.04 per cent (21,674) of the population has been fully vaccinated. There were zero new vaccines delivered to the Northwest Territories for a total of 58,800 doses delivered so far. The territory has received enough of the vaccine to give 130 per cent of its population a single dose. The territory has used 81.64 per cent of its available vaccine supply. Nunavut is reporting zero new vaccinations administered for a total of 29,096 doses given. The territory has administered doses at a rate of 751.33 per 1,000. In the territory, 32.97 per cent (12,768) of the population has been fully vaccinated. There were zero new vaccines delivered to Nunavut for a total of 44,100 doses delivered so far. The territory has received enough of the vaccine to give 110 per cent of its population a single dose. The territory has used 65.98 per cent of its available vaccine supply. *Notes on data: The figures are compiled by the COVID-19 Open Data Working Group based on the latest publicly available data and are subject to change. Note that some provinces report weekly, while others report same-day or figures from the previous day. Vaccine doses administered is not equivalent to the number of people inoculated as the approved vaccines require two doses per person. The vaccines are currently not being administered to children under 18 and those with certain health conditions. In some cases the number of doses administered may appear to exceed the number of doses distributed as some provinces have been drawing extra doses per vial. This report was automatically generated by The Canadian Press Digital Data Desk and was first published May 9, 2021. The Canadian Press
MIRROR, Alta. — RCMP ticketed protesters leaving an anti-lockdown rally outside a central Alberta café Saturday, after the establishment was closed by health officials earlier in the week. Despite pouring rain and a pre-emptive court injunction, hundreds gathered outside the Whistle Stop Café in the hamlet of Mirror, Alta., for the "Save Alberta Campout Protest." Demonstrators were there to support café owner Chris Scott and challenge Public Health Orders meant to curb the spread of COVID-19. A spokesman for the RCMP said officers took the first three hours of the protest to educate demonstrators on COVID-19 regulations and notify them that they were contravening the injunction. "There was a decision at one point to start mounting enforcement," said Cpl. Troy Savinkoff. "That was around 4 p.m." Savinkoff said police would provide a more thorough update on how many people were ticketed later Saturday. On Wednesday, AHS said it closed the café after the agency received more than 400 complaints about the business since January. Health authorities said the café is to remain closed until Scott can demonstrate the ability to comply with health restrictions. Alberta Health Services said after hearing about plans for the protest that the provincial government would take legal action that would allow RCMP officers to use reasonable force in arresting and removing any person at the rally who contravenes public health orders. But that didn't stop people without masks from standing together to cheer and clap when Scott stood on a stage and encouraged them to fight for their freedom. "I've been accused of a lot of things over this. They think it's about money. They think it's about popularity. I could care less about that," Scott told the crowd. "I'm not fine with anyone telling me what to do with my body or how to earn an income." Scott then asked the crowd to follow COVID-19 regulations at the rally due to the injunction. Three hours later, RCMP officers with body cameras began handing out tickets under the Public Health Act to those leaving the area for participating in the illegal gathering. Last weekend, hundreds of people gathered near Bowden, also in central Alberta for a pre-advertised maskless "No More Lockdowns'" protest rodeo. Days later, the premier announced stronger restrictions and doubled fines for scofflaws. This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 6, 2021. --- This story was produced with the financial assistance of the Facebook and Canadian Press News Fellowship. Fakiha Baig, The Canadian Press
A group of Hong Konger Canadians has launched a nationwide campaign in the hopes of making their mark on the 2021 census and encouraging the federal government to recognize "Hong Konger" as an official identity. The #IAmHongKonger campaign calls on members of the diaspora to select Hong Kong as their ethnic origin in the long-form census and to list Cantonese as one of their spoken languages at home in the short-form version. Campaign organizers say they want their unique identity as Cantonese-speaking Hong Kongers recognized in Canada. "We need to really uphold our identity, because we are not the same as Chinese," said Henry Lam, who moved to Vancouver with his husband six years ago. Every five years, Canadians are invited to participate in the census to provide information on socioeconomic and demographic trends that can influence future policy decisions. WATCH | #IAmHongKonger organizers want to make statement on 2021 census: Hong Konger wasn't provided as an option in the 2016 census, and officials say anyone who noted it on the form would have been grouped as Chinese. Lam said that can affect government services for Cantonese-speaking Hong Kongers. "When they send out a survey to me, they only give me simplified Chinese, a.k.a. Mandarin, so it is not our reading language at all." Census now includes Hong Konger as ethnicity The director general of this year's census says Hong Konger is now included as an ethnicity on the form. "Never has [there] been more desire for disaggregated data — data that doesn't lump people together," Geoff Bowlby said. Bowlby said he believes there will likely be enough of a response to provide information specific to the Hong Kong diaspora. Lam's husband said that in addition to the practical aim of better government services, China's actions in Hong Kong have given Hong Kongers in Canada a political motivation for the campaign. "We don't want to be erased," Guy Ho said. "That is what the Chinese or the [People's Republic of China] is trying to do, and they want to keep the city but remove the people." Protests against governments in Hong Kong and China swelled in 2019, and Beijing clamped down on expressions of anti-government sentiment in the city with a new national security law. Nearly two million people flooded Hong Kong's streets during mass demonstrations in June 2019. The protesters were voicing their concern over China's expanding influence and the erosion of democratic rights. (Sasa Petricic/CBC) Leo Shin, an associate professor in the Asian studies department at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, said China and its supporters could take note of an official distinction in census data. "Given the sort of hyperconnected world that we live in? No doubt it will be noticed," he said. "I think there will be some reactions — maybe not necessarily from the government, but from the netizens to make this a political issue." For Lam, it's about more than politics. "We don't want our identity to be faded in our generation, because I am not sure for the future of Hong Kong." He said the census campaign is a way to support friends protesting back home.
The federal government responded this weekend to three letters written by the Ontario government that call for stricter measures on international travellers crossing at land borders and on interprovincial travellers flying into the province. In a letter dated May 7, 2021, Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Dominic LeBlanc tells Ontario Health Minister Christine Elliott and Solicitor General Sylvia Jones that the federal government is willing to work with the province to curb the spread of COVID-19 but is waiting for it to produce a list of international travellers it would like Ottawa to ban from entering Ontario. "We welcome your specific requests for further refinements to the mutually agreed list of acceptable International travellers," LeBlanc writes in the four-page letter. "The federal government stands ready, however to date we have not received such a request." The letter outlines the financial support that the federal government has provided to Ontario to fight the virus and provides a list of measures that the federal government has implemented to limit international air travel. The letter notes that the government has prohibited all non-essential travel into Canada since March 2020 with a "very limited" number of exceptions. This measure includes closing the border with the U.S. except for essential supply lines and essential workers who deliver food and medicine and for some humanitarian purposes. The letter does not respond specifically to a request made by the Ontario government for a three-day hotel quarantine for international travellers crossing at land borders. On the subject of interprovincial travel, the letter notes: "... several provinces and territories have put in place additional measures to limit interprovincial travel, including implementing quarantine. I note that your government has taken some measures at interprovincial land borders to limit entry for non-essential travel. Premier (Doug) Ford noted a desire to manage or limit interprovincial air travel. "As with other provinces and territories that have taken those measures, we are prepared to work with you to help facilitate additional provincial measures requiring interprovincial travel." Ontario praised for vaccine hot spot focus, paid sick leave The letter concludes by commending the Ontario government for prioritizing COVID-19 vaccines for vulnerable people and residents of hot spots and for instituting sick pay for workers under provincial jurisdiction. "A science based data driven strategy is essential to ensure that when the time is right, we can resume a normal life," the letter says. Cars from Canada line up to cross into the U.S. in Blaine, Wash. In a letter dated April 29, 2020, Health Minister Christine Elliott and Solicitor General Sylvia Jones had asked Public Safety Minister Bill Blair and federal Health Minister Patty Hadju to implement a three-day hotel quarantine at land crossings.(Elaine Thompson/AP Photo) Alexandra Adamo, spokesperson for Premier Doug Ford, said in an email on Sunday in response to the federal letter: "The Premier has said he will use every tool at his disposal to protect Ontarians. This is an extremely urgent situation and we need the federal government to act now. We cannot sit back and watch the fourth wave of COVID-19 walk across our border." In a letter dated April 29, 2020, Elliott and Jones had asked Public Safety Minister Bill Blair and federal Health Minister Patty Hadju to implement a three-day hotel quarantine at land crossings. "Specifically, we are requesting the implementation of a three-day hotel quarantine in federally designated hotels at the highest traffic crossings, including those in Niagara, Windsor, Sarnia and Brockville. Some of these crossings, including the Rainbow Bridge in Niagara Falls, are located in close proximity to other crossings. It is important that all air travellers in these regions are met with the same quarantine requirement, to ensure all points of entry are protected." In a letter dated April 26, 2021, Elliott and Jones had asked Blair and Hadju to restrict interprovincial air travel through PCR testing (also known as polymerase chain reaction testing), which is lab testing to detect viruses. Elliott and Jones had written: "We are asking that you implement mandatory pre-departure PCR testing for all domestic air travellers entering Ontario. This measure will be an extension to the current 72-hour PCR required for international passengers seeking entry into Canada." And on April 22, 2021, Ford had asked Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to reduce more incoming international flights and roll out more "protective actions" at the Canada-U.S. border.
Ottawa is reporting 143 new COVID-19 cases Sunday, with 1,448 cases considered active. The Outaouais has confirmed another 36 cases. Today's Ottawa update Ottawa Public Health (OPH) is reporting 143 new COVID-19 cases and two more deaths on Sunday. A total of 1,448 known cases are considered active. Another 151 cases are considered resolved. Many key indicators that rose to record levels during this third wave of the pandemic are now in decline, though still much higher than what health officials are comfortable with. Numbers to watch 6.6%: The rate of COVID-19 tests coming back positive has dropped slightly. 0.85: The number of people infected by a single COVID-19 case, or R(t). The spread of the coronavirus is considered under control if that figure is kept below one. 81.3: The weekly incidence rate, a rolling seven-day total of new COVID-19 cases expressed per 100,000 residents. 20: The estimated incidence rate deemed safe to lift Ontario's stay-at-home order, according to one expert. 21: The number of COVID-19 patients from Ottawa in an Ottawa ICU, according to OPH. 32: The number of COVID-19 patients from other regions in an Ottawa ICU as of Friday. Across the region Public health officials in the Outaouais are reporting 36 new COVID-19 cases Sunday. The region is under Quebec's strictest measures, which start to loosen on Monday. Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox & Addington Public Health has reported 23 new cases of the virus since Friday, as well as the region's third death related to COVID-19. Seven new cases were reported by Hastings Prince Edward Public Health on Sunday. Ontario is under a provincewide stay-at-home order until at least May 20.
The latest numbers of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Canada as of 4:00 a.m. ET on Sunday May 9, 2021. There are 1,279,971 confirmed cases in Canada. Canada: 1,279,971 confirmed cases (81,052 active, 1,174,351 resolved, 24,568 deaths).*The total case count includes 13 confirmed cases among repatriated travellers. There were 6,805 new cases Saturday. The rate of active cases is 213.27 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 52,103 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 7,443. There were 39 new reported deaths Saturday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 307 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is 44. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.12 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 64.64 per 100,000 people. There have been 32,549,753 tests completed. Newfoundland and Labrador: 1,133 confirmed cases (71 active, 1,056 resolved, six deaths). There were six new cases Saturday. The rate of active cases is 13.6 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 52 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is seven. There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is 1.15 per 100,000 people. There have been 248,761 tests completed. Prince Edward Island: 186 confirmed cases (10 active, 176 resolved, zero deaths). There were zero new cases Saturday. The rate of active cases is 6.26 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of five new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is one. There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is zero per 100,000 people. There have been 148,332 tests completed. Nova Scotia: 3,754 confirmed cases (1,538 active, 2,145 resolved, 71 deaths). There were 163 new cases Saturday. The rate of active cases is 157.04 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 1,179 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 168. There was one new reported death Saturday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of four new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is one. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.06 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 7.25 per 100,000 people. There have been 661,716 tests completed. New Brunswick: 1,996 confirmed cases (142 active, 1,813 resolved, 41 deaths). There were eight new cases Saturday. The rate of active cases is 18.17 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 63 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is nine. There was one new reported death Saturday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of five new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is one. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.09 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 5.25 per 100,000 people. There have been 312,348 tests completed. Quebec: 357,174 confirmed cases (8,655 active, 337,538 resolved, 10,981 deaths). There were 958 new cases Saturday. The rate of active cases is 100.94 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 6,300 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 900. There were seven new reported deaths Saturday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 48 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is seven. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.08 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 128.06 per 100,000 people. There have been 8,540,951 tests completed. Ontario: 489,087 confirmed cases (32,888 active, 447,938 resolved, 8,261 deaths). There were 2,864 new cases Saturday. The rate of active cases is 223.21 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 22,354 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 3,193. There were 25 new reported deaths Saturday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 182 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is 26. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.18 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 56.07 per 100,000 people. There have been 14,264,950 tests completed. Manitoba: 41,425 confirmed cases (3,237 active, 37,198 resolved, 990 deaths). There were 488 new cases Saturday. The rate of active cases is 234.69 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 2,432 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 347. There were three new reported deaths Saturday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 14 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is two. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.15 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 71.78 per 100,000 people. There have been 709,668 tests completed. Saskatchewan: 42,964 confirmed cases (2,293 active, 40,169 resolved, 502 deaths). There were 269 new cases Saturday. The rate of active cases is 194.54 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 1,604 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 229. There were zero new reported deaths Saturday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of eight new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is one. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.1 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 42.59 per 100,000 people. There have been 792,177 tests completed. Alberta: 207,157 confirmed cases (25,155 active, 179,894 resolved, 2,108 deaths). There were 2,042 new cases Saturday. The rate of active cases is 568.88 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 13,990 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 1,999. There were two new reported deaths Saturday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 25 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is four. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.08 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 47.67 per 100,000 people. There have been 4,272,048 tests completed. British Columbia: 134,341 confirmed cases (6,940 active, 125,799 resolved, 1,602 deaths). There were zero new cases Saturday. The rate of active cases is 134.82 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 4,024 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 575. There were zero new reported deaths Saturday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 21 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is three. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.06 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 31.12 per 100,000 people. There have been 2,556,533 tests completed. Yukon: 82 confirmed cases (one active, 79 resolved, two deaths). There were zero new cases Saturday. The rate of active cases is 2.38 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of one new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is zero. There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is 4.76 per 100,000 people. There have been 9,129 tests completed. Northwest Territories: 99 confirmed cases (48 active, 51 resolved, zero deaths). There were zero new cases Saturday. The rate of active cases is 106.29 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 48 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is seven. There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is zero per 100,000 people. There have been 20,024 tests completed. Nunavut: 560 confirmed cases (74 active, 482 resolved, four deaths). There were seven new cases Saturday. The rate of active cases is 188.04 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 51 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is seven. There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is 10.16 per 100,000 people. There have been 13,040 tests completed. This report was automatically generated by The Canadian Press Digital Data Desk and was first published May 9, 2021. The Canadian Press
Abdulgadir Nur, a 65-year-old man from Moncton who was reported missing last month, has been found dead. In a release Sunday, RCMP confirmed the discovery of the body of a 65-year-old Moncton man. The body was discovered Sunday on Route 132 in Meadow Brook by a person walking near train tracks. "It's astonishing to see the distance that he covered," Ken Biddington, a friend of the Nur family who was part of a search group of 30 people, told Radio-Canada. Biddington said the group thinks he walked the Humphrey Brook trail and then followed the train tracks from there. "I would have never thought he went that far." Friends and family were concerned for the man's well-being following his disappearance on April 15 because he didn't speak English and had previously gotten lost in the city in September 2020. Nur spoke Tigrinya, a language common to Eritrea and parts Ethiopia, and some Arabic. Biddington said hundreds of people helped in the search for Nur over the last weeks. "A big thank you for all the efforts contributed to try and find him," he said.
JERUSALEM (Reuters) -Israel's attorney-general secured a deferment on Sunday of a court hearing on planned evictions of Palestinians in Jerusalem, a session that had threatened to stoke more violence in the holy city and heighten international concern. The government could now have some breathing room to try to defuse a tinderbox situation in Jerusalem, where the court case and friction during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan have led to clashes between Palestinians and Israeli police. The Israeli Supreme Court had been due on Monday to hear appeals against the planned evictions of several Palestinian families from the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood in East Jerusalem, an area captured by Israel in a 1967 war.
Canada's chief public health officer reminded Canadians on Saturday that even those who are fully vaccinated remain susceptible to COVID-19. Speaking at a virtual townhall for Yukoners, Dr. Theresa Tam said the risk of asymptomatic infection and transmission is far lower for anyone who receives two shots of the Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, or Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines. "But it's not absolute. There's reduction in your risk of transmission, but it doesn't necessarily eliminate your risk of transmission," Tam said, adding that the danger dials down especially after the second dose. "Some studies have shown that it reduces the amount of virus in the back of your nose. If you sample people, there's less virus, which means less risk of transmission." Young people, who often work in frontline or essential services and sit at the bottom of vaccination priority queues, now have some of the highest case rates and can transmit the virus despite showing no symptoms, Tam added. "The groups that transmit the virus the most are actually younger adults, many of whom have to work. They can't stay at home," she said. "It's important that we protect them, as well as the fact that if they're protected, we reduce transmission of the virus in the community." Alberta and other parts of Canada remain mired in the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, even as hospitalization rates have started to tick downward in provinces such as Ontario and Quebec. Many parts of the country face tight restrictions, with schools closed across Ontario and Alberta and patios shut down in Montreal, Toronto and — as of this Monday — Calgary. Some Albertans continue to chafe at the tougher measures, which Premier Jason Kenney announced Tuesday. Protesters went ahead with an anti-lockdown demonstration outside a highway diner in central Alberta on Saturday, despite pouring rain and a pre-emptive court injunction. Dozens of demonstrators gathered outside the Whistle Stop Café in the hamlet of Mirror, Alta., for the "Save Alberta Campout Protest." The largely mask-free gathering follows a rodeo billed as an anti-lockdown event held last weekend in Bowden, about 100 kilometres southwest of Mirror. Alberta Health Services has said the provincial government will take legal action to stop any planned protests of COVID-19 public health orders, including the one outside the café. Mass vaccination efforts continue to broaden across swaths of the country. In Ontario, nearly 150 pharmacies started offering COVID-19 vaccines to all adults in some virus hot spots this weekend, a shift made to align with provincial efforts to protect the most vulnerable amid a third wave of infections. The province quietly announced the expanded eligibility — for anyone aged 18 and older — on a provincial pharmacy vaccine booking webpage on Friday afternoon, with slightly more than half of the locations in Toronto and Peel Region. On Thursday, Quebec said it vaccinated 102,762 people, the highest single-day number since the start of its vaccine rollout. The province set another record that day, when vaccinations opened to everyone 35 and over, with 272,000 people booking vaccinations, Health Minister Christian Dubé said Friday. Quebec's health situation remains relatively stable, with the number of new COVID-19 cases falling short of 1,000 for the sixth day in a row on Saturday and hospitalizations also on the decline. Dispiriting numbers kicked off the weekend in Nova Scotia, however. The province continues to log high case counts of COVID-19, reporting 163 new infections Saturday, mostly in the Halifax region. On the other side of the country, communities along the Alberta-British Columbia boundary said they're worried continuing COVID-19 restrictions could hit their economies hard this summer. The B.C. government is discouraging Alberta tourists from visiting. In Fernie, in southeastern B.C., the executive director of the local Chamber of Commerce said visitors from Alberta have traditionally accounted for the majority of the town's total business. "Fernie might as well be in Alberta for all intents and purposes. We're that reliant on Albertans, obviously in the tourism industry, but in our economy at large," Brad Parsell said. "It's been incredibly challenging for the tourism industry to not have the welcome mat out to those folks at the moment." A spokeswoman for the RCMP in B.C. said Albertans are not prohibited from visiting British Columbia, but, once there, they aren't allowed to travel to other areas within the province unless it's deemed essential. This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 8, 2021. — With files from Hina Alam in Vancouver, Fakiha Baig in Edmonton and Holly McKenzie-Sutter in Toronto Christopher Reynolds, The Canadian Press Note to readers: This is a corrected story. A previous version said the Executive Director of the Fernie, B.C., Chamber of Commerce was encouraging residents from Alberta and Saskatchewan to visit the town. In fact, he said Fernie has traditionally been reliant on tourists from Alberta in the past but did not encourage present-day visitors
Dozens of crosses lined the front lawn of the Saskatchewan legislature building on Saturday morning — part of a harm reduction advocate's effort to call on the government to address the rising number of overdose deaths in Saskatchewan. "I hear from neighbours and friends, and you see on Facebook, that one day this crisis will walk in through your doorstep," Ret Brailsford said. "My actions today are kind of about getting this [addressed] before it walks in my doorstep." Brailsford said he's studied harm reduction and engaged in discussions with his professors and with people who suffer from addiction, but he stepped forward as a spokesperson for the Regina Harm Reduction Coalition on Saturday. He says he hasn't lost anyone close to him to addiction yet, but Brailsford wants to do what he can to encourage the provincial government to take action, even if that means shaming them by putting the crosses on the legislature lawn. Regina alone saw more than 1,000 overdoses and 111 overdose deaths in 2020, and according to a recent report from the Board of Police Commissioners, those numbers are still increasing in 2021. Brailsford said the simplest solution to Saskatchewan's overdose crisis is funding harm reduction sites, like Prairie Harm Reduction in Saskatoon, or the Regina site that's operating through the Nēwo Yōtina Friendship Centre. He said they need to be operating 24/7, year-round, and need to be funded adequately to do so. Brailsford also called for the decriminalization of drugs across Saskatchewan. "That's proven to save lives and it's socially, economically good policy," he said. He says it's better policy for the government to spend money on supporting existing harm reduction programs to help prevent emergencies, rather than spending money on emergency response measures. Brailsford said he doesn't see the overdose crisis as a political issue as it's something that affects all communities in Saskatchewan. Ret Brailsford says he wants to see more provincial government action around overdoses and more support for harm reduction facilities that exist in Saskatchewan. (Bryan Eneas/CBC) He encouraged people to talk to their family, friends and co-workers about addiction, overdoses and harm reduction as ways to break the stigmas that exist about the topics. Brailsford also encouraged people to contact their municipal and provincial politicians to generate as much support as possible for harm reduction measures in Saskatchewan. The provincial budget, tabled last month, did not include annual funding for Saskatoon's Prairie Harm Reduction. The local community responded and since fundraised over $180,000 to keep the site open. Meanwhile, Regina's overdose prevention site launched in March, but executive director of the Nēwo Yōtina Friendship Centre told CBC News it is only meant to be a temporary measure to address the city's climbing overdoses. The Ministry of Health saw one per cent of its total budget dedicated to tackling addictions in the 2021-22 budget. Sites not the only option: minister In an April interview with The Canadian Press, Addictions Minister Everett Hindely said supervised consumption sites are one way to tackle addictions and overdoses, but said other options are available. Overdoses occur in Regina and Saskatoon, but the issue stretches to rural areas as well, Hindely said. "How do you best deploy those resources across Saskatchewan to try and get prevention and treatment supports to as many people as you can, no matter where you live?" Saskatchewan's government, he said, does fund harm reduction programs — and was looking to expand the free naloxone kit program, which puts the live-saving drug Narcan in people's hands. The province is working to change the conversations and stigmas around drug use, he said. "This is a provincewide discussion. It's why we're looking at provincewide solutions."
Following a week of contradictory advice over whether Canadians should wait for "preferred" mRNA COVID-19 vaccines, Health Minister Patty Hajdu maintains the first vaccine offered remains the best, but added Health Canada continues to adapt its analysis of different types and would stop use if necessary. "Health Canada continues to evolve their analysis based on the data that's accumulating in Canada, based on the data that's accumulating internationally," Hajdu said in an interview that aired Sunday on Rosemary Barton Live. "We wouldn't hesitate to cease or pause the use of a product if it was shown to not have value, safety or effectiveness." The "first is best" approach has been a constant refrain from Canada's political leadership this year, but the mantra was shaken this week after the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) indicated there may be "preferred" vaccines. WATCH | Health Minister Patty Hajdu says 4th wave 'is in all of our hands': The advisory group indicated Canadians not at high risk of contracting COVID-19 could wait until they had access to an mRNA vaccine — those developed by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna — instead of a viral vector dose, such as those developed by AstraZeneca-Oxford or Johnson & Johnson. That advice prompted confusion and controversy over the potential for increasing vaccine hesitancy and "buyer's remorse" from those who had already received an AstraZeneca-Oxford shot. But Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Hajdu have maintained the first vaccine offered to Canadians is the one they should take. The mixed messages come at a key time in the pandemic, when new cases are declining across the country from their peak, but per-capita rates in some provinces are near or reaching record highs. Help for any province that asks Alberta this week had the highest per-capita rate in both Canada and the United States, and Manitoba has Canada's second-highest caseload when accounting for population. Hajdu told CBC chief political correspondent Rosemary Barton that she plans to speak with her counterpart in Manitoba next week about potential federal support. "I'll be offering that minister as much support as we have to Ontario," she said. Everything from sending in the Red Cross to help with vaccination clinics is on the table, added Hajdu. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, shown on May 4, says it is still best to get the first shot offered so that as many Canadians can get vaccinated as quickly as possible.(Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press) The health minister said vaccination is a major tool in fighting the pandemic and avoiding another spike in cases. "I think the fourth wave, so to speak, is in all of our hands," she said. "We can't take this virus likely. We cannot assume that we're out of the woods." Several provinces have experienced major protests against ongoing or renewed public health measures, including one in Alberta on Saturday, when hundreds gathered, leading to one arrest and dozens of tickets. "Heartbreaking is the word" Hajdu said. She urged community leaders to pull together and help guide people toward the "finish" line, adding the Canada could see a "better summer." Hajdu also responded to a question on border controls by saying the topic had been discussed by G7 health ministers, and "every G7 country is struggling with this question." She said she was primarily looking at the situation in Canada, but was keeping an eye on other countries as well. "The world is struggling with it, not just Canada." You can watch full episodes of Rosemary Barton Live on CBC Gem, the CBC's streaming service.
While on a 911 call for help, Alicia Lewandowski was heard pleading for her attacker to stop, minutes before she was found shot and lying face down in the parking lot of her mother’s Mississauga townhouse complex, a Peel police officer testified Friday. Lewandowski was "in distress, out of breath and crying, " Const. Todd Chapman told a Brampton court of the information he was provided by the dispatcher as he raced to the address at Rathburn Road and Dixie Road. "The female was saying, ‘what are you doing, stop it, ’" Chapman said. "She even stated that she had been shot in the head. "She said she didn’t know if she was dead or alive, " Chapman recalls of the information he was given before arriving at the scene where Lewandowski was left to die. "She said she’s bleeding from the head and she said that her boyfriend was Joseph Chang and that the police are looking for him." Before the call ended, Lewandowski told the dispatcher that "he’s trying to hide his gun, " Chapman recalls. Chapman’s account of the emergency call that came in at about 5:02 a.m. on March 5, 2018, came Friday, day five of the first-degree murder trial of Joseph Chang, who’s accused of the shooting death of his then girlfriend, Lewandowski, 25. Chapman, who was sitting in his cruiser at the time, called for backup and made his way to the scene, arriving about six minutes after the call came in. Const. Adam Callan was among the first Peel officers to arrive at the housing complex, to find Lewandowski’s motionless body next to shards of broken glass and a cellphone in the parking lot adjacent to the Rathburn Road East house where she lived with her mother, Mira Lewandowski. "We rolled her over, to check on further medical status and her condition, " Chapman said. "We determined that she wasn’t breathing." The officers quickly started CPR to revive Lewandowski, whose hair and head was bloodied. Moments later, the victim’s frantic mother rushed to the scene, asking officers if her daughter was shot, but police refused to let her near. Chapman later told Mira that her daughter had died. The trial, conducted via Zoom video-conference before Ontario Superior Court Justice Jennifer Woollcombe, also heard how on March 3, just days before the shooting, firefighters had gone to Chang’s 23rd-floor midtown Toronto condo to respond to calls of flooding in the unit. Once inside the Balliol Street apartment, fire crews found a chaotic scene, with drugs and drug paraphernalia "all over the place, " as well as dozens of hypodermic needles floating in the pool of water gushing from a broken sprinkler head, Toronto firefighter Martin Suchma said. Even more bizarre to Suchma was that Chang, who was inside the chaotic unit, was scarcely responding to the crews commands to leave. "He sort of just carried about his business, " Suchma said. "Effectively, saw that we were there, but kind of ignored us." A seemingly confused and scarcely responsive Chang, who noted that he needed his keys, shuffled around the apartment before eventually following orders to leave. In his cross-examination of Suchma, Chang’s defence lawyer Randall Barrs honed in on his client’s seemingly bizarre state at the time. The trial has already heard testimony from neighbours at Lewandowski’s complex, who recall hearing four loud bangs the morning she was shot, followed by a woman screaming out and a dark vehicle leaving the scene. Lewandowski, a Humber College student, who was studying esthetics and spa management, was shot at least three times, including once to the chest and once to the head, when she called police. Video captured a dark-coloured vehicle entering the complex at 4:58 a.m., before exiting four minutes later. Lewandowski was pronounced dead at the scene. Police found three live rounds on the pavement of the parking lot. Her boyfriend, Chang, then 39, was arrested in Toronto about 14 hours later and charged with first-degree murder. He has pleaded not guilty. Alicia’s mother has told the court that Chang and her daughter had a "volatile" relationship and she tried unsuccessfully to keep her daughter away from the accused, and that, by 2017, she had become increasingly concerned after it became clear that the couple were drug addicts. Court has seen photographs of a black 2010 Infiniti G37S car, a handgun and two magazines seized by police. Investigators found several items in the car, including a purse and a wallet containing several items, including a health card belonging to the victim, and bail documents belonging to the accused. Jason Miller, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Toronto Star
