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  • Bank of Canada offers fresh hints that interest rates will rise next year as economy surges

    A reassurance from the Bank of Canada that "interest rates will be low for a long time," as the bank's governor, Tiff Macklem, told us last year, appears to have been revised. New signs of a strong recovery — including the bank's prediction of a stunning global growth rate of nearly seven per cent this year — plus indications that the underlying foundation of the Canadian economy has not suffered serious damage from the COVID-19 pandemic, mean the central bank is scaling back on monetary stimulus. Not only did Macklem reveal that he is slowing the rate of bond purchases, but rock-bottom interest rates — what the bank calls "the effective lower bound" — are forecast to come to an end sooner than expected. "We remain committed to holding the policy interest rate at the effective lower bound until economic slack is absorbed so that the two per cent inflation target is sustainably achieved," the Bank of Canada said in its Wednesday statement. "Based on the bank's latest projection, this is now expected to happen some time in the second half of 2022. Ending low-rate commitment Scaling back bond purchases — this time from $4 billion to $3 billion a week — tends to affect longer-term rates, while a hike in the Bank of Canada's overnight rate affects variable mortgages and things like lines of credit. While the bank did not officially announce an increase in so many words, ending a commitment to hold rates down was seen by economists and financial reporters as exactly that. "Can someone please ask Governor Macklem if he means to expressly state they expect a 2022 rate hike with this statement?" tweeted Frances Donald, global chief economist at Manulife Investment Management, "because that's a reasonable interpretation, but I can't believe it's the intention." Asked by reporters more than once at Wednesday's news conference to clarify the statement, Macklem did not withdraw it, although he underlined the uncertainty and said the bank would be guided by a broad analysis of economic conditions, not by any predetermined date. While economists and borrowers may have been surprised by the possibility of a Bank of Canada rate hike as soon as 2022, clearly Macklem saw the prospect of reduced stimulus as a reason for celebration, not anxiety, because it was just one more indicator that the economy was on the mend. Bank of Canada governor Tiff Macklem is optimistic about the economy, projecting 6.75 per cent growth globally this year and 6.5 per cent in Canada. 'We're looking for a complete recovery,' he said at Wednesday's remote meeting with reporters.(Blair Gable/Reuters) "There are brighter days ahead," Macklem told reporters at Wednesday's news conference, projecting 6.75 per cent growth globally this year and 6.5 per cent in Canada. "Canadians and Canadian businesses have been impressively resilient to the pandemic." An economic growth rate of nearly seven per cent is seen as unusually high for an advanced economy and will reflect roaring consumer demand as restrictions lift this autumn, plus a new wave of fiscal stimulus from Ottawa, the provinces and from south of the border. Macklem said there remained many uncertainties as he and the bank's Governing Council, which advises him, struggle to understand a recession unlike any other they have seen. They have been fooled before. Last year, the central bank warned of a deep recession that would lead to "scarring" — in other words, long-term damage to the underlying economy. Growth despite lockdown But that's not the way things turned out, Macklem said. Instead, an expansion into the digital space — the growing use of computers and software in new areas of the economy — means economic growth continued, even as many traditional face-to-face businesses were in lockdown due to the pandemic. Following the 2008 recession, many government handouts and much stimulus went directly to business, but this time fiscal spending on things such as child care and further digital expansion will actually boost productivity, working its way up through the wider economy. Repeatedly asked about Canada's overheated real estate market, Macklem warned once again that buyers should not count on the idea that prices will continue to go up at current extraordinary rates. The central banker suggested that new higher stress tests imposed two weeks ago, as well as a new federal tax on vacant properties, will slow the market. Others have suggested that rising interest rates would have an even stronger impact on many Canadians who have taken on mortgages and other loans that are very high compared with their incomes. Jobs for low-wage workers are still well below pre-pandemic levels, while the job market for everyone else has recovered, and more.(Monetary Policy Report Apr 2021/Bank of Canada) One of the indicators Macklem said the central bank would use to finally decide whether to cut back on monetary stimulus was whether people at the lowest end of the income ladder had been able to find work in a divided, K-shaped, recovery. "There's a chart in the Monetary Policy Report that shows low-wage workers ... are about 20 per cent below their pre-pandemic levels," he said. The chart shows that higher-wage workers have already exceeded pre-pandemic employment. WATCH | Bank of Canada governor Tiff Macklem's forecast for Canada's economy: As with any forecast, there are many unknowns. Will the economy triumph over the third wave of the pandemic as well as it did over the second? Will vaccine take-up allow us to reach herd immunity? "We're looking for a complete recovery," Macklem said. "We're not going to count our chickens before they hatch." Follow Don Pittis on Twitter @don_pittis

  • Cannabis production bylaws in Niagara – by municipality

    On Oct. 17, 2018, the province of Ontario legalized the regulated sale of recreational use cannabis by private, licensed retailers. Since then, however, different regions and municipalities have been working through their own legalities to regulate the cultivation and production of cannabis. When it comes to recreational use, municipalities follow the legal guidelines as outlined by the federal government: You must be 19 or older to purchase cannabis or related products; you can legally possess up to 150 grams of cannabis products in varying forms; and all Canadians are limited to four cannabis plants per household. Also, distributing cannabis products to anyone under the age of 18 or driving while under the influence are both strictly prohibited. Different municipalities have different breakdowns for cultivation, production and processing practices that can vary per city or town. Here’s the latest breakdown for the Niagara region. NIAGARA FALLS In June 2019, the City of Niagara Falls passed an interim control bylaw (ICB) that prohibited the production, processing or cultivation of cannabis and was set to expire on June 22, 2020, but in June it was extended to September 2020, then later it was extended for another year. As a result, final regulations have yet to be passed later this year. WEST LINCOLN In 2019, the Township of West Lincoln passed a bylaw that permitted the production of cannabis under specific regulations. This bylaw from West Lincoln comes as an amendment to a 2017 bylaw that initially only had regulations exclusively for medical marijuana growing facilities. LINCOLN Lincoln passed an interim control bylaw that was lifted in 2020 when a zoning bylaw was passed, along with an official plan, however a licensing system is still in the works. In April 2021 the town passed a nuisance bylaw after concern from residents about already existing cannabis facilities. NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE Much like with the other municipalities, Niagara on-the-Lake initially passed an ICB in 2019 to allow time for a review and the time was extended into 2020. On July 15, 2020 council passed a zoning bylaw, allowing cannabis production facilities to operate under specific circumstances. PELHAM The Town of Pelham had enacted an ICB two days before the federal legalization of cannabis. This ICB was extended into 2019, then again into 2020. In July 2020, the town passed an official zoning plan, indicating the proper regulation required for cannabis production. PORT COLBORNE Like other municipalities, Port Colborne also enacted an ICB that saw the freeze of marijuana production to figure out regulation of production and processing. After a 2019 extension on the initial ICB, in January of 2020, the city implemented new bylaws that included an allowance for outdoor growing. WELLAND Welland council waited over a year after legalization before enacting an ICB. Originally enacted in December of 2019 for one year, the city voted in favour of another year-long freeze in December 2020. WAINFLEET Wainfleet adopted its bylaw in March of 2019. Like the other municipalities, it called for a freeze for a year of all cannabis facilities. In 2020, the town forwarded that freeze until November. In November, the freeze was pushed to March 2021. The township has not yet responded to Niagara This Week’s inquiries about more recent updates. ST. CATHARINES St. Catharines waited until February 2020 before implementing an ICB, which, much like the other municipalities, put cannabis production on hold for a year. In January of 2021, the ICB was extended to February 2022. THOROLD Initially, Thorold’s official plan was amended in 2019 to only permit licensed marijuana production facilities in the designated rural industrial zone. However the city’s new zoning bylaw, put into effect March 16, includes provisions around indoor licensed marijuana production facilities that are not limited to medical use. As of right now, these production facilities are only permitted in the rural industrial zone in Thorold. FORT ERIE In February 2020, Fort Erie voted down an ICB and temporarily reverted to operating under its 2014 medical marijuana bylaw. After some discussion between council and residents in early 2021, the town is expected to finalize a decision later in the year. Moosa Imran, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Grimsby Lincoln News

  • Israel intensifying air war in Syria against Iranian encroachment

    Israel has dramatically expanded air strikes on suspected Iranian missile and weapons production centres in Syria to repel what it sees as a stealthy military encroachment by its regional arch-enemy, Western and regional intelligence sources say. Capitalising on a longtime alliance with Syria, Iran is moving parts of its advanced missile and arms industry into pre-existing underground compounds to develop a sophisticated arsenal within range of Israeli population centres, according to Israeli and Western intelligence sources and Syrian defectors. Israel tolerated the entry of thousands of Iranian militia fighters from Lebanon, Iraq and Afghanistan into Syria to fight alongside President Bashar al-Assad against insurgents seeking to topple his authoritarian family rule.

  • New 'statement to police' card for Indigenous people released in Alberta

    An Edmonton non-profit has created a new wallet-sized card to help Indigenous people know their rights if stopped by police in Alberta. The statement to police card created by the Native Counselling Services of Alberta (NCSA) provides a list of people's rights and a paragraph that can be read to police. It also lists the organization's contact information. Staff say the card is to help Indigenous people invoke their rights. "This is basically to help, especially in interactions with the police where it's potentially a crisis, or you get flustered or caught off guard, to just have what you need to say there, so police also know that there are responsibilities on both sides," said Daena Crosby, director of legal education, media and research with NCSA. "We tried to make it as easy as possible." The NCSA offered a slightly different version of the card previously, and the new iteration of the free card was started shortly after the provincial government banned the practice of carding by police last November and imposed new rules on street checks. "This is an NCSA-specific project so it is focused on Indigenous communities themselves but with Black Lives Matter and the conviction yesterday for George Floyd's murder, this information is paramount to all people, all Canadians. Everyone has the right to know what their legal rights are," said Crosby. "It's just getting access to that information that's a challenge and having the tools the people need to be able to keep themselves alert to what their rights are and also safe in those interactions as well." Daena Crosby, director of legal education, media and research with Native Counselling Services of Alberta, holds up the printed card with the statement to police that can be read.(CBC News) Carding is "disproportionately targeting Indigenous and Black communities in Alberta," NCSA said in a news release. "NCSA recognizes that the solutions to systemic racism go well beyond this card. However, this is one small step in the right direction." Carding refers to arbitrary stops by police and asking members of the public for their personal information, even if there is no suspicion of wrongdoing. Ajay Juneja, a criminal defence lawyer in Edmonton, said the card will help people know their rights. "This is particularly important for [Indigenous people] and the majority of clients serviced by Native Counselling Services because they're disproportionately targeted by the police, subject to street checks and carding," he said. "I think this card will go a long way assisting people in knowing when they have the right to not identify themselves and to walk away." In the first six months of 2020, Edmonton police conducted 3,591 street checks. (CBC) A 2017 CBC News investigation found that in 2016, Indigenous women were nearly 10 times as likely to be street checked as white women. The same year, Indigenous people were six times more likely than white people to be stopped by Edmonton police. Black people were almost five times as likely as white people to be stopped, data showed. Carding was banned by the provincial government last year but street checks, when police say there is a specific reason to stop and question a member of the public, continue. Edmonton Police Service staff worked with NCSA to develop the card, according to the NCSA press release. "We see the value in this card as an opportunity to provide that knowledge and mutual understanding between individuals and officers regarding their rights and responsibilities … we hope it removes any feelings of fear or uncertainty while also allowing room to build on relationships with the communities our members serve," EPS Deputy Chief Alan Murphy said in a statement. Crosby said the goal now is to circulate the free cards, which can be downloaded online, to as many Indigenous communities in Alberta as possible. "The more people who know, the better."

  • Mother relieved in-person school to resume in small town Sask. after challenges with remote learning

    A Saskatchewan mother is relieved after hearing her children will be back to in-person learning on Monday. Brooklyn Karnes-Herbst is working full-time in Regina, her husband is working full-time as a subcontractor and four of their five children are doing remote learning in their community of Pangman, Sask. Pangman is about 90 kilometres south of Regina. It's a busy time for the blended family. Most of the children — who are aged three, eight, eight, 10 and 10 — are forced to learn on tablets because the family doesn't have the means to buy laptops for each of them. "It's tough because you want to be as positive as you can for them. But when you're also not really feeling the positivity and when the teachers are showing their frustrations, it's really hard," Karnes-Herbst said. Karnes-Herbst said it's important they take precautions and stay safe, but they need to balance that with the mental health and quality of learning for students. She said she's relieved the South East Cornerstone School Division is letting some classrooms return to in-person learning with precautions on April 26. Learning on tablets, iPhone, with slow Internet Karnes-Herbst currently works from home two days a week and her grandmother watches the children on the other days. Internet access and connectivity is tough in the small town. "Now, when you get everyone from that area, phone calls are dropping. People can't connect," she said. "The links for their Teams conversations don't come through." It's honestly making sure that they don't feel at fault because none of this is their fault. - Brooklyn Karnes-Herbst Karnes-Herbst said it's been incredibly tough on the teachers as well, because they're trying to organize tests or assignments yet children's internet connections cut out. She said she's working to help her children understand it's OK if technology fails. "It is what it is," she said. "It's honestly making sure that they don't feel at fault because none of this is their fault." No masks at home but less learning: Children "It's kind of just even more stressful than at school," Carter Karnes, aged 10, said of learning at home. When the school closed, Carter and his brother Nixon, also 10, were told to take their textbooks home but not much else. Karnes-Herbst said the boys weren't told there was a positive case within the school. "I was like, what? Why are we doing remote learning? Because everybody was here at school today. The kindergarten's, every single person in their classes were there," Nixon said. Nixon Karnes has to currently learn on a tablet in Brooklyn Karnes-Herbst bedroom so that he doesn't have many distractions around. (Google Meet) Nixon works on a laptop and Carter on a tablet, both in Brooklyn's bedroom. Blake, eight, is at the kitchen counter with an iPhone 6 and Parker, also eight, at the breakfast nook on a tablet. The two couldn't be close together due to feedback from being in the same meeting. "It's a little bit of both, easy and hard," Parker said. Meanwhile, Blake said he likes that he doesn't need to wear a mask when at home, but both he and Parker agreed they learn more in school. Carter, Parker and Blake all mentioned they miss their friends. Blake Herbst had to learn for some time on an iPhone because the family didn't have the means to buy a new laptop. (Google Meet) Karnes-Herbst said her older boys are feeling overwhelmed also because of the amount of homework that comes with remote learning. Karnes-Herbst said the average person doesn't know how tough this is. "We've never received anything from the school board asking us if we would be willing to have our children still attend," she said. "We understand that we're taking that risk simply because their mental status and their learning abilities are so much more in-person than on the Internet." Karnes-Herbst 's children school has about 60 students in Kindergarten to Grade 12. It has its first positive case in early April during the entire pandemic. "So to clump us in with Weyburn and Estevan is really unfortunate because as a small community, we've had very little cases within even the community," Karnes-Herbst said. "So now you've taken everything away from my kids, including school." Karnes-Herbst said the importance of schools shows how teachers need to be vaccinated sooner. On Tuesday, the provincial government announced teachers could start booking appointments to be vaccinated late next week. "Their education is huge and it's on the line right now and that's not fair to these kids."

  • Activists wait for RCMP to clear old-growth logging blockades on Vancouver Island

    A group of activists say they have no intention of ending their anti-logging blockades on Vancouver Island, despite a court injunction and opposition from the political leadership of the Pacheedaht First Nation. Since August, dozens of people have blocked access to roads in Fairy Creek to prevent Teal Cedar, a division of the Teal-Jones Group, from logging the old-growth forest within its 595-square-kilometre tenure. But a B.C. Supreme Court judge granted the company an injunction against the protesters earlier this spring, writing that police would be necessary to ensure the order is respected. When CBC News visited the area this week, activists, who call themselves forest defenders, said they and hundreds of supporters are ready to be arrested by the RCMP. "I think they thought we were just going to go away," protester Duncan Morrison said. "We are here for the long haul until Fairy Creek is protected." A series of camps have been set up in strategic locations to prevent logging trucks from moving in, with kitchens, outhouses and shelters for sleeping. A legal defence fund has also been established. Shawna Knight says she's ready to be arrested if the RCMP move in to clear the Fairy Creek blockades. (Dillon Hodgin/CBC) Protester Shawna Knight says she's prepared to be arrested in order to protect trees that have been growing there for hundreds of years. "The biodiversity they provide and the habitat they provide, there's nowhere else like it in the world … That's why they're so special," she said. The term "old growth" in B.C. refers to trees that are generally 250 years or older on the coast and 140 years or older in the Interior. Sierra Club B.C. estimates that more than 140,000 hectares of old-growth forest is logged each year in the province. Industry representatives say old-growth logging is vital to B.C.'s $12 billion-a-year forestry sector. "Old growth in certain areas is critical for the annual harvest," said Bob Brash, executive director of the Truck Loggers Association. "The less that everybody harvests, the less that they can support the sawmills, the less that they can support the value-added plants, the less revenue that comes to the province." Teal Cedar estimates the trees in its Fairy Creek tenure are worth about $10 million. The protest camps at Fairy Creek include kitchens, outhouses and shelters for sleeping.(Dillon Hodgin/CBC) The Fairy Creek operation sits on the traditional territory of the Pacheedaht First Nation, which has signed agreements with the company, and a revenue-sharing agreement with the province for all timber cut on their land. In a written statement earlier this month, Pacheedaht Hereditary Chief Frank Queesto Jones and Chief Coun. Jeff Jones asked outside protesters to stand down. "All parties need to respect that it is up to Pacheedaht people to determine how our forestry resources will be used," the statement said. But other community members have joined the protest. "Our political elite have been duped," Pacheedaht Elder Bill Jones said. "You don't cut down the forest. You leave it up and you go there and pray and meditate." His niece Kati George-Jim, also known as xʷ is xʷ čaa, is also waiting for police to arrive. "It is really difficult as an Indigenous person and a person who has relationships to these territories to witness, because it pulls on family divides and pulls on how colonialism has impacted our people," she said. The RCMP have yet to say when they will act on the injunction and clear the roads for logging trucks. Pacheedaht Elder Bill Jones says his First Nation's political leaders have been 'duped' by commercial interests. (Dillon Hodgin/CBC)

  • Border guards in Windsor seeing 'a lot more hostility' from Canadians

    The union representing border guards in Windsor says they've seen a "disturbing" rise in aggression from Canadian travellers. "It's making the job much harder during an already stressful situation," Ken Turner, the president of Customs and Immigration Union Local 18, said on Windsor Morning on Thursday. Turner said a certain level of conflict comes with the territory of being a Canada Border Services Agency officer, but in the past, this has been largely in dealing with criminal activity or travellers denied entry to the country. Amid quarantine requirements and ever-changing rules, guards are seeing a lot more belligerence from Canadians, he said. "We're getting a lot more hostility from Canadian residents," he said. CIU Local 18 President Ken Turner, shown with MP Brian Masse.(Dale Molnar/CBC) Crossings between Canada and the U.S. have been limited to essential travellers for more than a year as the COVID-19 pandemic batters both sides of the border. The shutdown was recently extended to May 21. The federal government has implemented COVID-19 testing for incoming travellers, and is requiring them to present a recent negative test, as well as a plan for how they will complete a 14-day quarantine. Those who don't take a test or have a suitable plan may be directed to a quarantine facility. The stress that border officers are facing isn't unique to Windsor. It's happening at crossings across the country, Turner said. One officer in Niagara told CBC Toronto that they're seeing more and more people who are upset, refusing to quarantine and take COVID-19 tests. "We're taking a lot of abuse at the border right now," said the officer, whom CBC News agreed not to identify. Local border guards to get vaccinated The union represents 540 staff in Windsor, 300 who are on the front lines. Up until this point, they've been doing their jobs without COVID-19 vaccinations, aside from a few who may have qualified for other reasons, Turner said. But that changed on Wednesday, when vaccine registration was opened for local border workers. Throughout the pandemic, COVID-19 cases among border officers have been "in the double digits," though Turner said it's only been a few cases at a time. "If we had a massive outbreak, it would have had serious repercussions for the local economy [and] supply chain," he said.

  • US outlines possible sanctions relief for Iran in nuke talks

    WASHINGTON — A senior U.S. official said Wednesday that the Biden administration has laid out examples of the kinds of sanctions on Iran it’s willing to lift in exchange for Iran’s return to compliance with the 2015 nuclear deal. The official said the U.S. through intermediaries has presented Iran with three baskets of sanctions: those it’s prepared to lift, those it’s not prepared to lift and those that will require further study to determine if they are in fact appropriate for relief under the nuclear deal. The official briefed reporters on condition of anonymity because of the confidential nature of the discussions. The official declined to specify which sanctions fall into which baskets but said the third group is the most problematic. That’s because it includes measures that current officials believe may have been imposed by the previous administration simply to complicate any potential return to the deal that former President Donald Trump withdrew from in 2018. Any sanctions relief offered by the administration will be strongly opposed by Republicans in Congress, who on Wednesday unveiled draft legislation to codify the Trump-era sanctions in law. Relief will also likely be opposed by Israel, which regards Iran as an existential threat, as well as Gulf Arab states wary of Iran's increasing aggressiveness in the region. The 2015 deal gave Iran billions of dollars in sanctions relief in exchange for curbs on its nuclear program. But that relief largely evaporated after Trump pulled out of the deal and began a self-styled “maximum pressure” campaign against Tehran by re-imposing the earlier sanctions and adding new ones. While the agreement allowed countries to continue to impose sanctions on Iran for non-nuclear reasons, such as support for terrorism and human rights abuses, some of the additional U.S. sanctions would have to be removed if Washington is to return to the deal, according to the official. The official said the Trump administration had designated some nuclear sanctions as terrorism sanctions. That makes it more difficult for a future president to return to the deal. Many of the sanctions that Trump imposed on Iran were clearly related to the nuclear program, including those that targeted companies and officials working on atomic matters, and would have to be removed if the U.S. returned to the deal. But others, ostensibly imposed on terrorism and human rights grounds, are less clear cut, including those on Iran’s financial, shipping, manufacturing and energy sectors. The official said the Biden administration is still determining which of those were legitimately related to terrorism and human rights. The official said there is not yet any sanctions relief agreement between Iran, the U.S. or other parties in the indirect negotiations taking place in Vienna on reviving the nuclear deal. Those talks are in recess but are expected to resume next week. The official would not give a timeframe on when the talks might conclude. Iran is demanding the removal of all sanctions that the Trump administration imposed on it following its withdrawal from the agreement known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA. The Biden administration has said it will only lift sanctions if Iran returns to compliance with the restrictions the agreement placed on its nuclear activities. The official said no decision had been made on the sequencing of either side's moves but stressed that a situation in which the U.S. removes its sanctions before Iran takes any action to resume its compliance would be “unacceptable.” State Department spokesman Ned Price said earlier Wednesday that the talks had produced “some signs of progress.” But, he cautioned that “we probably have a longer road ahead of us than we do in the rearview mirror at this point. And that is because of the inherent challenges in this process. And many of those challenges, at least, are not going away.” The talks in Vienna broke on Tuesday with delegates from Russia and Iran reporting limited progress. Russia’s representative Mikhail Ulyanov said after a meeting of the deal’s so-called Joint Commission of senior officials from France, Germany, Britain, China and Iran that they had noted “with satisfaction the progress in negotiations to restore the nuclear deal.” Meanwhile, Iran’s delegate, Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, also sounded a positive note, telling Iran’s official IRNA news agency that the talks were “moving forward despite difficulties and challenges.” Matthew Lee, The Associated Press

  • Nova Scotia COVID-19 cases climb as pace of vaccinations also increases

    HALIFAX — Nova Scotia's COVID-19 case count continued to climb Wednesday as the province announced 25 new infections one day after banning non-essential travel from most of the rest of Canada. The province has identified 64 cases since last Friday and now has a total of 79 active infections. The steady rise prompted Premier Iain Rankin to step in and cancel next month's women's world hockey championship slated for Halifax and Truro. It is the second year in a row the pandemic has scuttled the tournament. The move came a day after chief medical officer of health Dr. Robert Strang defended the event as not posing a significant health risk to Nova Scotians. "I sincerely regret the short notice, but the rapidly changing environment dictates this decision in the interest of the safety of Nova Scotians and participants," Rankin said in a statement. Nineteen of Wednesday's cases were identified in the Halifax area, with four related to travel outside of Atlantic Canada, nine close contacts of previously reported cases, and six under investigation. One of the cases under investigation is a staff member at the Ocean View Continuing Care Centre in Eastern Passage, where all residents are being isolated and cared for in their rooms as a precaution and the facility is closed to visitors and designated caregivers. An investigation was also being conducted into a case connected to Joseph Giles Elementary school in Dartmouth. Officials said the school would remain closed to students who would learn from home until Tuesday while cleaning takes place. Officials said three of the other cases were in the northern zone with one related to international travel and two under investigation. The remaining three were in the eastern zone, all linked to domestic travel outside Atlantic Canada. "We are seeing a concerning rise in cases," chief medical officer of health Dr. Robert Strang said in a news release. Strang reiterated that health officials are seeing early signs of community spread in and around Halifax. "We're asking residents of these areas to closely follow public health measures and go get tested for COVID-19," he said. The heightened concern comes as new figures indicate Nova Scotia's COVID-19 vaccination program has picked up its pace after an admitted slow start. Tracey Barbrick, the associate deputy minister for Nova Scotia's vaccine strategy, said in an interview Wednesday the province administered 14,742 doses on Tuesday — the highest one-day total since the start of the campaign. Barbrick said 23.6 per cent of people who are eligible for a shot had received at least one dose, just below the national average of about 25 per cent. "As of yesterday us and New Brunswick were tied with vaccinating at the fastest rate in the country," she said. But Nova Scotia is still roughly one week behind other provinces because it held back about 25,000 doses for booster shots before changing its strategy to a four-month interval between first and second doses. Barbrick said the province also took time to develop a centralized booking system which meant it was "a little later out of the gate." She said a recent increase in supply of vaccine allowed the province to move from administering 11,000 doses the week of March 14 to an expected 65,000 doses this week. And despite an interruption in the supply of the Moderna vaccine, Rankin has said the province remains on track to reach its goal of giving all Nova Scotians who want vaccine at least one shot by the end of June. Barbrick said the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine had been the only supply with any relative certainty, and it's expected continued shipments of that vaccine would help the province reach its end-of-June target. "Right now with Pfizer alone we are darn close," said Barbrick. "If we get a little bit more of something else it might mean we can move even quicker." As of Wednesday, the province had also administered about half of its Oxford-AstraZeneca allotment of 60,000 vaccine doses for people aged 55-64. This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 21, 2021. Keith Doucette, The Canadian Press

  • Alberta teachers and education minister swap accusations of politicizing curriculum

    EDMONTON — Education Minister Adriana LaGrange says the group representing Alberta teachers is playing politics with a proposed new kindergarten to Grade 6 curriculum and isn’t sincere about real bridge-building. The Alberta Teachers' Association has publicly stated the proposed learning plan is “fatally flawed, and teachers, academics and curriculum experts should work on a revised version." “I have the utmost respect for teachers, and the work that they do, and the professionalism that they have,” LaGrange said when asked about the association Wednesday. “I want them to weigh in on the curriculum," she said. "The union for teachers appears to want to make it more political. I really don’t want to go down that path. I prefer to work collaboratively. “The fact they have not reached out to me or my department since the curriculum has come out to set up a meeting, to have a discussion, speaks volumes to me.” LaGrange’s spokeswoman, Nicole Sparrow, in a subsequent statement, said the minister’s door remains open. “Alberta’s government will continue to work with the education system, including the teachers' union, to gather all feedback to make this the best curriculum possible,” said Sparrow. “It is clear that the union is more interested in political theatre than actually providing feedback.” Teachers president Jason Schilling lobbed the accusation right back. “We need to have the whole curriculum redesign process depoliticized. In fact, I would like to see politicians get out of the way and let’s go back to the way we used to do curriculum redesign,” Schilling said in an interview. Schilling said LaGrange cancelled a memorandum of understanding in late 2019 that had put teachers and other experts at the centre of the curriculum review. Teachers have fought for a place at the table ever since, he said. “The association has essentially been shut out,” said Schilling. “The minister is very well aware of the fact I have concerns about the curriculum, that I want to make sure that teachers are involved, (so) that we can get this right.” The result has been a high-profile back-and-forth word fight. The teachers association says it was shut out of the curriculum consultation. LaGrange counters that 100 teachers were involved. Schilling has said it was 100 teachers for two days who had to sign non-disclosure agreements. The ATA has said 91 per cent of teachers in an in-house survey are against the curriculum. LaGrange has dismissed the survey sample she says was less than seven per cent as minuscule. Sarah Hoffman, the NDP Opposition's education critic, said LaGrange and the United Conservative government need to meaningfully work with teachers who have the expertise and front-line experience on what works and what doesn’t. “The minister is picking massive fights and trying to discredit teaching professionals who work to make sure students learn quality information to set them up for success,” said Hoffman. The draft is to be piloted in select schools this fall and fully implemented in September 2022. To date, almost 30 of Alberta’s 63 school boards, including the public school boards in Edmonton and Calgary as well as francophone school boards, say they won’t teach it. It’s been the subject of fierce debate since being outlined by LaGrange in late March. Advocates defend it as a common-sense approach that includes basic concepts, such as multiplication tables, along with real-life skills for the information age, including how to budget and computer code. The ATA and other critics say the plan is not developmentally appropriate for young kids, is jammed with random facts, and too loosely structured with concepts well over students' heads. They say it pushes Eurocentric history while giving short shrift to francophone and Indigenous cultures and perspectives. This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 21, 2021. Dean Bennett, The Canadian Press

  • Nevada inmate fighting execution seeks firing-squad option

    LAS VEGAS — A convicted killer who is fighting a possible June execution date that would make him the first person put to death in Nevada in 15 years is calling for the state to consider the firing squad as an option, a rare method in the United States. Attorneys for Zane Michael Floyd say he does not want to die and are challenging the state plan to use a proposed three-drug lethal injection, which led to court challenges that twice delayed the execution of another convicted killer who later took his own life in prison. “This is not a delaying tactic,” Brad Levenson, a federal public defender representing Floyd, said Monday. But a challenge of the state execution protocol requires the defence to provide an alternative method, and Levenson said gunshots to the brain stem would be “the most humane way.” “Execution by firing squad ... causes a faster and less painful death than lethal injection,” the attorneys said in a court filing Friday. Nevada once allowed firing squads, but state law now requires the use of lethal injection in sentences of capital punishment. Three U.S. states — Mississippi, Oklahoma and Utah — and the U.S. military allow capital punishment by gunfire. The last time that method was used in the United States was in Utah in 2010. Floyd's attorneys are asking a federal judge in Las Vegas to stop Floyd from being put to death until prison officials “devise a new procedure or procedures to carry out a lawful execution.” Levenson said he and attorney David Anthony are fighting multiple issues in state and federal courts, with the possibility that Floyd’s death could be set for the week of June 7. Prosecutors will seek an execution warrant at a state court hearing next month. The 45-year-old was convicted in 2000 of killing four people with a shotgun in a Las Vegas supermarket in 1999 and badly wounding a fifth person. Floyd appeared to exhaust his federal appeals last November, and the U.S. Supreme Court has declined to hear his case. Floyd wants a chance to seek clemency at a June 22 meeting of the Nevada State Pardons Board, Levenson said. Floyd's attorneys argue that a three-drug injection combination the state wants to use — the sedative diazepam, the powerful synthetic painkiller fentanyl and a paralytic, cisatracurium — would amount to cruel and unusual punishment in violation of his constitutional rights. Anthony made similar arguments on behalf of Scott Raymond Dozier before Nevada's last scheduled execution was called off in 2017 and 2018. Dozier killed himself in prison in January 2019. A judge blocked the first date after deciding that use of the paralytic might cause painful suffocation while Dozier was aware but unable to move. Pharmaceutical companies that made the three drugs stopped the second date with arguments against using their products in an execution, an issue several states are facing. Floyd would be the first person executed in Nevada since 2006, when Daryl Mack asked to be put to death for his conviction in a 1988 rape and murder in Reno. Nevada has 65 inmates awaiting execution, a state Department of Corrections spokeswoman said. ___ This story was first published on April 19, 2021. It was updated on April 21, 2021, to correct the number of Nevada inmates awaiting execution based on information from the Department of Corrections. There are 65 inmates, not 72. Ken Ritter, The Associated Press

  • 'Completely offensive' COVID-response protest at Regina hospital sparks outrage from Opposition, premier

    A small group of protesters that has frequently been stationed outside the legislature in Regina, as well as the immunization centre in the city, are now at Regina General Hospital. The presence of the group — who are protesting a range of COVID-19 pandemic responses — at the hospital has created outrage, amidst record-high COVID-19 cases in ICUs. On Wednesday, 34 COVID-19 patients were in intensive care in Regina. All four of Wednesday's reported deaths from the illness were from the Regina zone. Protesters carried signs and blared loud music outside the hospital on Wednesday. One of the protesters' messages greeting those entering and exiting the Regina General Hospital. (Nichole Huck/CBC) Premier Scott Moe and Opposition NDP Leader Ryan Meili did not mince words when addressing the group. Meili revealed that his father is in the ICU at the Regina hospital with a non-COVID related illness. "What does it feel like if you're leaving the hospital, visiting a loved one in the ICU, and then you go out and see these idiots with signs saying COVID isn't real?" Meili said. "It's completely offensive, ridiculous. It shouldn't happen. And these people need to get a life." WATCH | A look at some of the signs posted outside Regina General Hospital Moe said the group should take their concerns to the legislature, not where health-care workers and families are supporting those in need. Hospital staff are working as hard as they can to save lives, with high numbers in the hospital's ICU, the premier said. Both Saskatchewan NDP Leader Ryan Meili and Premier Scott Moe condemned protesters outside Regina General Hospital Wednesday. (CBC) He called the protesters "highly inappropriate." "We have people working in our ICU and in that hospital environment that are working as hard as they've ever worked in their careers," Moe said. "And they're doing it … [for] those same families that are crossing through those same front doors," he said. "They're doing it because of their loved ones that are in there. And I know that they can relate to their own loved ones and their own family members."

  • The legal war between the Saudis and their former spymaster

    The family of a former top Saudi intelligence official who is living in exile and locked in an international feud with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman say they have become pawns in the kingdom’s efforts to bring the spy chief home. Now, an attempt by the family to appeal the convictions has failed, according to Saudi authorities. The Jabri family alleges that Saudi authorities interfered in the legal process, including circumventing appeals proceedings, which Riyadh denies.

  • Nova Scotia's new border restrictions met with mixed feelings

    Nova Scotia's tightening of border restrictions on Thursday to allow only essential trips and returning permanent residents of the province to enter is being met with mixed reactions. The new restrictions apply to everyone crossing into Nova Scotia from all other places except Newfoundland and Prince Edward Island. People attempting to cross the border — including air travel — will be required to fill in a digital check-in form and receive approval. The measures are designed to help slow the spread of COVID-19. Twenty-five new cases were reported in Nova Scotia on Wednesday. "We need to stop the flow of people coming into the province for non-essential reasons, including moving here," Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Robert Strang said Tuesday. "Now is not the time." Amherst, N.S., Mayor Dave Kogon works as a doctor at the Moncton Hospital and lives in Nova Scotia. "I just want the provincial government to know people here are reaching their breaking point and they're not going to be able to cope with with the limitations and restrictions for a whole lot longer," he warned. David Kogon, the mayor of Amherst, N.S., says people are struggling with their mental health right now because of COVID-19 restrictions.(Patrick Callaghan/CBC) Kogon said many people who have a residence in one province and a summer cottage in the other will be looking to return to their vacation homes as the weather improves. "People complain they pay taxes in both provinces but can't access their own properties," Kogon said. New restrictions for entering Nova Scotia from outside of the province take effect on Thursday.(Patrick Callaghan/CBC) CBC News visited the New Brunswick-Nova Scotia border on Wednesday and found that while some people were resigned to the changes, others wanted an immediate reopening of the Atlantic bubble. Shannon Reid from Bedford, N.S., is a training instructor for Air Canada and has to drive across the border to conduct training exercises. Since her work only covers the Atlantic provinces, she doesn't expect too many problems. "I expect that I'll have to prove my identity and where I'm going and just declare my time and travel for each province," she said. "And that's been pretty routine since COVID started." Shannon Reid said she doesn't expect too experience too many problems with the border restriction changes.(Patrick Callaghan/CBC) John Magalong was driving into Nova Scotia to take an engineering exam. He was concerned the new restrictions would affect his ability to take his exam, so he emailed the province for clarification. He was told he had a valid reason to cross the border. "They let me in and they said I just need to follow the protocols that they've given me and I'm all good," Magalong said. Natalie and Scott Dixon are from Amherst, but have a farm in New Brunswick. They said they want the Atlantic bubble to return because the Atlantic provinces "need each other to thrive." Scott Dixon said the current restrictions make them feel like they are doing something illegal by simply crossing the border. John Magalong said the Nova Scotia government told him an engineering exam was a valid reason to cross the border.(Patrick Callaghan/CBC) "You just feel like you're a criminal when you're driving out of province," he said. "If I'm over here with the New Brunswick plate, I feel as if I'm going to get caught." He said he believes the tightened restrictions are going to lead people to smuggle family members across the border. Lloyd Shipley works for a car dealer and delivers cars to New Brunswick. He said he follows the rules and doesn't stop anywhere during his trips. He said he's in favour of restrictions because "we got to get rid of [COVID-19]." MORE TOP STORIES

  • Muslim teachers in Quebec disappointed as landmark religious symbols ruling faces appeal

    Amar Al-Shakfa dropped off her CV at a Montreal school on Wednesday, a day after learning English school boards would be exempt from the province's ban on religious symbols under a new court ruling. Al-Shakfa, a 25-year-old Montrealer who wears a hijab, believed the decision meant she could get a job in an English public school when she graduates later this year. "I was very excited. I was jumping all around. It was unexpected for me," Al-Shakfa said in an interview. Her hopes, however, were dashed hours later, when it became clear that the ban will remain in effect pending an appeal. "It's just so frustrating. It's so crazy that they are doing all this for a piece of fabric," she said. The Quebec Superior Court ruling declared Tuesday that Bill 21, the provincial law banning teachers from wearing religious symbols at work, interfered with minority language education rights protected by the Constitution. Appeal blunts exemption ruling A spokesperson for the English Montreal School Board said the board started hearing from applicants like Al-Shakfa soon after the decision landed. "We were quite excited and started receiving calls from people who we were going to proceed and interview," said Mike Cohen. Quebec Justice Minister Simon Jolin-Barrette said the province would appeal the decision shortly after it was announced. (Jacques Boissinot/The Canadian Press) He noted the board, like most educational institutions in the province, is coping with a shortage of teachers. But the Quebec government has signalled it will appeal the decision, effectively freezing it from having any effect until the case is heard again at a higher court, which could take at least a year. Al-Shakfa, is still hoping to get a job in Quebec. She studied environmental science at Montreal's Concordia University, and is nearly finished her master's in education at McGill University. But for now she has set her sights on trying to find a position teaching science in a private school, where the religious symbols ban doesn't apply. "I was born in Canada," she said. "Teaching was always my passion so it's not going to stop me." Ruling highlights diversity in English system Other than the exemption for English schools, the Superior Court decision largely left Bill 21 intact. But that exemption sparked outrage in nationalist circles, prompting concerns the judge was allowing the anglophone community to disobey laws passed by Quebec's National Assembly. On Wednesday, the legislature unanimously passed a motion saying its laws "apply everywhere in Quebec." In carving out the exception for Anglo schools, Justice Marc-André Blanchard highlighted the importance these schools place on "celebrating religious and ethnic diversity." This diversity, he said, represented an asset to both students and other teachers, and was an integral part of the anglophone community's culture. WATCH | How Quebec's religious symbols law has changed the lives of three teachers: Elsewhere in the decision, Blanchard noted the effects of the religious symbols ban would be felt in particular by Muslim women who wear the hijab. Bill 21 violated both their religious freedoms and freedom of expression, Blanchard said. But, he added, because the government invoked the notwithstanding clause, those violations can't be used as grounds for invalidating the law. Minority language education rights, on the other hand, are not subjected to the override clause. Limited options, progress stunted With no prospect of relief from the ban in the near future, many Muslim teachers are now being forced to confront, yet again, feeling excluded from Quebec social life. Maha Kassef, who wears a hijab and teaches at a French elementary school on Montreal's West Island, was able to keep her job after the law passed in 2019 because of a grandfather clause. But she can't be promoted or work anywhere else in the province without being forced to remove her headscarf. Students and staff at Westmount High School show their support for the court ruling against parts of Bill 21. The high school is part of the English Montreal School Board, one of the plaintiffs in the case. (Ryan Remiorz/The Canadian Press) Kassef had aspirations of becoming a principal. Instead, she works part-time as a homeroom teacher for grades 2 and 4. "It's weird, but I've done everything that any Quebecer does in their life," she said. "To be presented with something like this, it just made me feel like I'm less of a person, less of a human being." Nadia Zaidi resigned from her job as an elementary school teacher last year, even though the grandfather clause allowed her to keep working. "I would never have the courage to one day explain to my students that I was able to keep my hijab [only] because I was hired a couple of years ago," she said. Zaidi said she is considering leaving Quebec with her family because of the law. "You realize that in the province you grew up in, you no longer feel at the same level as everybody else just because of my faith and because I choose to wear a hijab," Zaidi said.

  • Expert says Saskatchewan should consider more targeted vaccine plan as variants surge

    SASKATOON — Nazeem Muhajarine says he feels a sense of relief after receiving his first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine last week at a centre in Saskatoon. "It was just so well-organized and run. I felt completely safe," Muhajarine said in an interview. The professor of community health and epidemiology at the University of Saskatchewan said the province is making great strides quickly getting shots into arms, but he's concerned some people are being left behind. Premier Scott Moe touted during question period Wednesday that Saskatchewan is leading the country when it comes to administering first vaccinations. "Our way through this pandemic, everyone's plan to get through this pandemic, is to get everyone vaccinated as quickly as possible," Moe said. More than 365,000 doses of vaccine have been given in Saskatchewan. Health officials say 52 per cent of residents over the age of 40 have received their first shot. It puts Saskatchewan — with a population of just under 1.18 million — ahead of other provinces when it comes to doses delivered per capita. Data from a COVID-19 vaccination tracker, run by University of Saskatchewan students using federal and provincial data, suggests the province in outpacing Ontario and Quebec. Moe credits his Saskatchewan Party’s "robust vaccination plan," which he says will be augmented in the coming days. Eligibility for all vaccines is being lowered to 44 on Thursday, except for in the north where it will go down to 40. It’s expected to drop to 40 for the general population by Wednesday. Muhajarine said there's much to applaud about the vaccine rollout. The choice, initially, to use age-based eligibility meant it was easy to understand and targeted those who were more likely to experience severe outcomes if infected, he said. Drive-thru COVID-19 vaccination clinics have also been successful, said Muhajarine. One providing mass immunizations in Regina as the capital has became a hot spot for variants has expecially worked well. Muhajarine said his own experience shows that organization at larger mass vaccination sites is also commendable. However, the professor said now that vulnerable senior populations are immunized and there are highly contagious new strains, the province may be missing the mark. Getting the most vaccinations out fastest is just part of a good public health response, he said, but surging infections and hospitalizations mean the response should now be targeted to those most affected. "Workplace spreads and outbreaks have been quite prevalent," Muhajarine said. "That's been a huge contributor in Regina and has been a contributor in Saskatoon as well." There were 231 new cases in Saskatchewan on Wednesday and four more deaths, including a person in their 30s another in their 40s. The others were over 70. There were 185 people in hospital and 49 in intensive care. Provincial public health orders were tightened recently as officials warned the more transmissible variant strains were becoming dominant. Muhajarine said the recent deaths of influential Cree teacher Victor Thunderchild, 55, in Prince Albert and well-known chef Warren Montgomery, 42, in Regina are examples of people in high-risk work environments who weren’t able to get vaccinations under the age-eligibility plan. He said Saskatchewan should consider following Ontario and Manitoba, which are pivoting vaccination plans to target neighbourhoods where people have a higher risk of contracting the virus. It should also consider socio-economic factors, including how many residents are in a household and the type of jobs people have, he added. One example would be neighbourhoods with multi-generational households and where many people work service jobs facing the public. Congregate living facilities such as shelters and correctional centres would be another, he said. Muhajarine said teachers and other essential workers should also get priority. Every region in the country is seeing benefits to targeting areas and occupations where the pandemic's third wave has taken hold, he suggested "That is not something to be trivialized in this kind of complex and mass undertaking." This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 21, 2021. — By Kelly Geraldine Malone in Winnipeg The Canadian Press

  • Trudeau on why flights continue to arrive every day in Canada amid concerns about COVID-19 outbreak

    Global News reporter Richard Zussman asks Prime Minister Justin Trudeau why his government is not stopping international flights from India from arriving in Vancouver, as the country deals with concerning mutations of COVID-19. Zussman asks Trudeau why flights from the U.K. were suspended last December and not flights from other countries of concern.

  • Recommended staking moratorium in Yukon land use planning areas misses the mark, critics say

    Trʼondëk Hwëchʼin First Nation's chief disagrees with a recommendation included in the Yukon Mineral Development Strategy that suggests staking moratoriums in land use planning areas should be capped at 20 per cent. Roberta Joseph said the recommendation doesn't go far enough, adding that too much staking in a given area runs the risk of prioritizing mining before land use plans are completed. "This recommendation is not really a balanced approach," she said. "There's no fairness in a plan that's already being dictated by all of the permits and licences that are being issued," she said, referring to the regional land use plan that's underway in the Dawson area. The mineral development strategy includes 95 recommendations that seek to balance environmental stewardship, First Nations rights and industrial development. In the coming years, the Yukon government is tasked with implementing recommendations that include streamlining land use planning, improving the royalty system and modernizing mining legislation. The strategy states that identifying staking prohibition areas at the start of land use planning will "reduce a major source of uncertainty for the industry and a significant concern for First Nations, non-governmental organizations and Yukoners in general." "A proactive approach will also provide economic stimulus by allowing exploration and development to proceed in areas that are deemed to have low sensitivity while regional land use planning is underway," it says. Panel member Math'ieya Alatini said the recommended 20 per cent staking moratorium seeks to target specific environmental, social and cultural attributes rather than institute a blanket ban. "It's that balancing piece again," she said. "It's really allowing the conversation to happen around what are no-go zones and what are sensitive areas that you really want to identify upfront, so that there's not this ambiguity." A day before the territorial election was called, the Yukon government announced that staking would be off-limits in about 12 per cent of land included in the Dawson planning area. Tombstone Territorial Park brings total staking withdrawals in the region up to 17 per cent, according to a Yukon government news release. Environmental groups question recommendation Randi Newton, the conservation manager with the Yukon chapter of the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society, said the staking moratorium is too small to ensure mineral development doesn't predetermine the outcome of land use planning. "It makes much more sense to put a full withdrawal in place at the beginning of planning, so you're making sure you're protecting these areas that are ecologically and culturally valuable but that we just haven't mapped out yet," she said. Don Reid, a conservation zoologist with Wildlife Conservation Society Canada, said region-wide staking moratoriums would give land use planning commissions a fair shake of completing their work. Staking needs to be reined in to prevent complicating land use planning down the line, he added. "It prejudices the future use of that staked land in favour of mining and results in the need to compensate the staker should a different choice be made for that land," Reid said. Opportunity to get things right: Chief Among the many recommendations the strategy outlines, one stands out for Joseph, in particular — revamping the quartz and placer acts. She says modernizing mining legislation presents an opportunity to address longstanding concerns. "I think that we need to be able to sit down and identify the most immediate issues at this time and move forward in working with the government," she said. Joseph said she's going to continue to review the strategy to ensure it aligns with Trʼondëk Hwëchʼin's final agreement.

  • Demand 'through the roof' for AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine after age limit drops, pharmacist says

    A Toronto pharmacist says demand for the AstraZeneca-Oxford COVID-19 vaccine is "through the roof" after the Ontario government lowered the minimum age limit for the shot from 55 to 40. Kyro Maseh, owner and manager of Lawlor Pharmasave, said demand has been extremely high since the change took effect on Tuesday. On that day, public health units in Ontario administered a new single-day high of 136,695 doses of vaccines, according to the provincial health ministry. "In addition to the age being lowered, I feel that people are a bit more educated on the risks involved and they understand that it's really minute and insignificant. Yes, very, very high demand," Maseh said on Wednesday. Other provinces, namely B.C., Alberta and Manitoba, have also lowered their age limits to 40- plus after the federal government said Sunday eligibility for the AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine could be expanded to any adult over the age of 18. Maseh was worried that his doses were going to expire on the weekend because the 55-plus age group was not making appointments, but everything changed after the age was lowered. On Tuesday, he allowed front-line workers to get their first dose without an appointment, vaccinating about 84 essential workers who walked in that day. He said his vaccine supply will be depleted by the end of Wednesday after he will have vaccinated about 60 people. He doesn't know when he will get more supply. "The majority have been under 55," Maseh said. Lawlor Pharmasave has made a video to mark its 1,000th dose. Maseh said the pharmacy felt it was a cause for celebration that 1,000 people will not end up in intensive care units due to COVID-19. Pharmacist Kyro Maseh prepares a dose of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine at his pharmacy in Toronto on Tuesday. Toronto pharmacies began administering the vaccine to people born in 1981 and up on Tuesday.(Evan Mitsui/CBC) "We've been getting a lot of phone calls. We've been getting a lot of emails, Twitter messages, carrier pigeons, you name it. But we're using our booking systems," he added. "And some people are angry at the fact that we only have 50 or 60 doses in stock today. But just be patient, be patient, we will get to you as soon as we can." 'No hesitancy here, that's for sure' The uptick in the number of vaccinations is being marked across social media, under the hashtag #GenXZeneca, as 40 to 55 year olds embrace the opportunity to get their first dose. According to Twitter posts, lots of people in this age group seem to be heeding the call to get vaccinated, despite concerns about the possibility of rare blood clots. WATCH | CBC's Angelina King reports on why Generation X is embracing AstraZeneca: Betsy Hilton, 42, a consultant in Toronto, said her friends immediately texted each other when they learned they were eligible. She said she thinks people in her generation were willing to wait their turn if they weren't essential workers or in any high-risk categories. "And then suddenly it just was our turn. And that was really exciting," she said. "No hesitancy here, that's for sure." Hilton said there has been "this incredible mobilization of people in our generation so excited to get vaccinated and to do their part. And I think we're all here for it and we're all coming together." She said it's been a busy and stressful year for 40-somethings and the vaccine is a way to get back to life before the pandemic. "We're at a really interesting stage of life and a challenging stage of life. Many of us have kids, many of us have aging parents. And it's been a really worrying time for us," she said. "The opportunity to get vaccinated, the opportunity to get back to being together again and get back to some semblance of normal life and mostly to get back to a place where we're not worried all the time, I think has been a huge sort of rallying point for this generation." 'We know what risk is and this is not it' Hilton said getting the AstraZeneca vaccine is an acceptable risk. "This is safe. Science is good," she said. "We know what risk looks like and this is not it." She said being comfortable around technology has helped 40-somethings book their spots. "If you've ever tried to register for swimming lessons in through the city, we know how to get online and try to get those spots. Everyone jumped on board." Stephanie Bolton, 44, posted this photo of herself on Twitter after she got the first dose of AstraZeneca on April 20. She said in a tweet: 'Got my AZ vaccine yesterday. So glad to be part of a cohort that is fearless and doing the right thing for the country. I took AZ so someone who's hesitant can pick a vaccine. We got your backs, Boomers!'(Submitted by Stephanie Bolton) Stephanie Bolton, 44, a teacher in York Region, agreed, saying it's a matter of weighing the risk versus reward. People aged 40 to 55 are enthusiastic about getting vaccinated and have embraced AstraZeneca, she said. "It's been kind of held up in the 55 plus age category, where they were more nervous. They were kind of hoping for Moderna or Pfizer. But we were just like: 'Give us a vaccine!'" Association says vaccine hesitancy declining steadily Jack Jedwab, president of the Association for Canadian Studies, a non-profit organization that has been tracking the pandemic's social and economic impacts, said the percentage of people who are vaccine hesitant in Canada has been steadily declining across all age groups. There was a higher rate of hesitation a few months ago, he said. Part of the decline is due to a rise in the number of COVID-19 cases, which has increased collective anxiety, he added. That in turn has increased a sense of urgency to get vaccinated. Ontario, B.C., Alberta and Manitoba have lowered their age limits for the AstraZeneca-Oxford COVID-19 vaccine to 40 plus after the federal government said on Sunday that the provinces and territories were free to expand eligibility for it to any adult over the age of 18.(Christof Stache/AFP/Getty Images) A survey done by the association last week shows that about 80 per cent of Canadians, a record number, are willing to get vaccinated. People in the upper age groups, 55 and older, are the least hesitant, while people in the lower age groups, 35 and younger, are the most hesitant. About 12 per cent say no to the vaccine, while about eight per cent say they don't know if they will get vaccinated. As for people in the 40 to 55 age group, he said: "As we get closer to bringing that age group into the proverbial mix with respect to their eligibility for vaccination, the hesitation seems to decline even further, because there's been a bit of a snowball effect. "As more and more people have gotten vaccinated, more and more people have been put at ease about their concerns with respect to either side effects or long-term effects of vaccination."

  • Father of 21-year-old student who fell into sea at Flatrock recounts harrowing tragedy

    Don Jayasinghe stands near a search and rescue operation on Thursday afternoon in Flatrock, a day after his son Supul slipped on rocks near the water and fell in.(Terry Roberts/CBC) Supul Jayasinghe had just closed the books on his final exam at Memorial University. To celebrate, the 21-year-old biology student and his family strolled along the Flatrock coast Wednesday evening, soaking up the sun. "We simply looked around [at] the sea," Don Jayasinghe, Supul's father, told CBC News Thursday at the very place where a family outing took a tragic turn in just a matter of seconds. Don Jayasinghe said his son, running after the family dog Neo, slipped on the rocks and ended up in the water as his parents looked on. "No, don't go son, don't go there," Jayasinghe recalled shouting. His father said Supul, surprised by ending up in the water, initially took the fall lightly. "But when he was trying to come out ... whatever he touched, slipped," Jayasinghe said. His son tumbled in the waves as the current carried him further out from shore. This photo of Supul Jayasinghe, sent to CBC by his family, was taken minutes before the young man slipped and fell into the water.(Submitted by Don Jayasinghe) "I was following him, talking to him. And suddenly he understood it is difficult. He asked my help, 'Dad, help me,'" Jayasinghe said. His father tried to throw the dog's leash to Supul, and nearly fell into the water himself. His son seemed to float, treading water, as darkness fell. Ten minutes later, he vanished. 'He's gone' Supul's family expressed stoic acceptance of their loss Wednesday, speaking openly to CBC about the ordeal. "I am a Buddhist. So everything happens with a reason. So therefore I have the courage still to stand and talk to you," Jayasinghe said. "What has happened has happened … He's gone." Jayasinghe described his son as a "very beautiful soul," a well-rounded young man who excelled in sports and at school. He volunteered and had aspirations in medicine, and as a teenager even earned a private pilot's licence and a spot in the local Alberta paper, according to his tearful mother, Chandima. The search continues for a 21-year-old man who went into the ocean in Flatrock Wednesday night. (Ted Dillon/CBC) Supul dreamed one day about joining Doctors Without Borders, travelling the world to help the sick, his father said, even saying he'd give up his salary to locals who needed it more. "That's how he was ... all the time he was thinking [of] other people, not himself." The Jayasinghe family moved to Canada from Sri Lanka to encourage that dream. They spent years in Ontario, then Alberta, before settling in Newfoundland and Labrador in 2017. "So far," Jayasinghe said, "we don't have any idea what's next." The father, standing near the shore that took his son, implored others to stay vigilant near the icy water. "Young people, please listen to your parents ... don't ignore their advice," he said firmly. "Because if our son heard our words — 'come back, come back, don't go there, don't go there' — he would have been still alive today." As of Thursday afternoon, rescuers haven't yet deemed the operation a recovery mission. If that happens, and if a body is eventually found, the family says it won't change how they feel. "It doesn't return our son," Jayasinghe said. "Our son is gone forever." Search continues in air and at sea The sea and air search continues Thursday, as the young man's parents and friends remain at the scene. A spokesperson from the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary was expected to speak with reporters early Thursday afternoon. A helicopter from 103 Search and Rescue Squadron in Gander, a Canadian Coast Guard ship from St. John's as well as Royal Newfoundland Constabulary officers spent Wednesday night searching the area, after police were alerted to the missing person. Officers arrived in the Flatrock area around 8:15 p.m., according to an RNC report, with the Cormorant helicopter arriving shortly afterward. They scoured the coastline and waters, at times using flares to illuminate the area. A Canadian Coast Guard Zodiac was on scene Thursday morning as search parties organized to resume their efforts.(Jonny Hodder/CBC) Just after 2 a.m., police announced on Twitter they had scaled back their search efforts, focused on the water and shoreline, until daylight. By daybreak, both a Canadian Coast guard vessel and Zodiac were present at the scene, with a command centre from the Rovers Search and Rescue from Paradise also set up. Read more articles from CBC Newfoundland and Labrador