Timelapse of a storm rolling towards camera on a hilltop in Bethany, Ontario.
ST. JOHN'S, N.L. — Newfoundland and Labrador's house of assembly opened on shaky foundations Thursday, with Lt.-Gov. Judy Foote delivering a throne speech less than three weeks after an election that faces several court challenges. Though the speech was meant to inspire, there was no escaping the grim financial outlook facing Liberal Premier Andrew Furey and the unease around the election that returned him to power. "The road before us starts with fully coming to terms with the extensive economic crisis facing this province," said the speech read by Foote. A few lines later, the government pledged a complete review of the province's Elections Act. The legislature's opening came after a protracted 10-week election that was upended in mid-February by a COVID-19 outbreak in the St. John's area. With the province in lockdown, chief electoral officer Bruce Chaulk cancelled in-person voting and instead held the election by mail. Furey's Liberals were re-elected March 27 with a slim majority, winning 22 of the province's 40 seats. The Progressive Conservatives won 13 seats, down from 15, and the NDP was reduced to two seats from three. Three Independents were also elected. Voter turnout was 48 per cent, marking a historic low for the province. One of those Independents, Paul Lane, announced he'd be putting forward a motion on Monday to request an independent investigation into the election. "There are so many very serious allegations," Lane told reporters. "We need to confirm what is fact, what is fiction. Were there breaches of the Elections Act?" When asked whether he felt the troubled election left Furey with a legitimate mandate, Lane said that was a decision best left for the courts. NDP Leader Alison Coffin said she'd happily support Lane's motion. She and her party launched a constitutional challenge of the election on Monday, asking that the results be thrown out and a new vote be held. Her suit claims Chaulk failed to run a fair, impartial vote and that the election violated charter rights. Her application lists 28 specific irregularities, including an allegation that Chaulk encouraged his staff to include people on the voters list without verifying their identity. Coffin has also requested a judicial recount in her St. John's East-Quidi Vidi district, where she lost her seat to Liberal John Hogan by 53 votes. Two unsuccessful Progressive Conservative candidates are also challenging the results in their ridings. Sheila Fitzgerald lost the race in St. Barbe-L'Anse aux Meadows to Liberal Krista Lynn Howell by 216 votes. According to court documents viewed by The Canadian Press, Fitzgerald signed an application Monday to have the results in her district tossed out. The application alleges that Chaulk misled Furey when he told the premier it was safe to hold an election and that he failed to let Furey know changes to the Elections Act were needed. Fitzgerald did not respond to a request for comment. Jim Lester said he also filed his legal paperwork on Monday claiming that some voters in his riding never received ballots and others were added to voting lists without proper verification. He had held the Mount Pearl North seat but lost to Liberal Lucy Stoyles by 109 votes. The Progressive Conservatives have said they will not be challenging the election in court as a party. When asked Thursday if he felt Furey had a legitimate mandate, interim party leader David Brazil said that "will be determined by the courts." Furey and the Liberals have shied away from commenting on the election, pledging instead to revisit the Elections Act. As for the financial sinkhole ahead of him, Furey said his first goal is to find a solution for the cash-sucking Muskrat Falls hydroelectric project. The massive dam and generating station in Labrador has run over schedule and over budget, essentially doubling in cost to $13.1 billion. Without outside assistance — ideally from Ottawa — power rates across the province could also double in order to pay for it. "And that effects the economy," Furey told reporters. "Muskrat Falls is an incredible anchor around our souls and our finances." Furey said the province's next budget, which should be tabled in June, will be another "COVID-19-style budget," aimed at maintaining stability as the province navigates the global pandemic. "This is not time for austerity," he said. This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 15, 2021. The Canadian Press
Daimler AG on Thursday unveiled the electric "sibling" of its flagship Mercedes-Benz S-Class luxury sedan, taking the fight to market-leader Tesla Inc in the battle for market share as electric car sales take off. The EQS is the first in a family of Mercedes-Benz cars built on a dedicated electric vehicle platform built from the ground up. Sales of electric and plug-in hybrid cars in the European Union almost trebled to over 1 million vehicles last year, accounting for more than 10% of overall sales.
Toronto FC's Patrick Mullins and Justin Morrow acknowledged their goals against Club Leon on Wednesday night came with an outpouring of emotion. For Mullins, the reason was simple. His grandmother passed away recently. His teammates knew and captain Michael Bradley was quick to get to Mullins after he opened the scoring in Toronto's 2-1 win over the Mexican side in the second leg of their Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League round-of-16 tie at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. The result gave TFC a 3-2 victory on aggregate, moving the MLS side into the quarterfinals of CONCACAF's flagship club competition against Mexican league leader Cruz Azul. Starting in place of the injured Jozy Altidore, the 29-year-old Mullins got the job done with some help from his friends. Bradley helped trigger the Mullins goal, driving into the Leon half and finding Jacob Shaffelburg open to the left. The pacey winger sent a perfect cross through the legs of one Leon defender and out of the reach of another, to find Mullins who was in the right place and the right time for a simple tap-in in the 55th minute. "Things happened very quickly in that goal … And once the ball was in the net, a lot of things hit me," Mullins recalled after the game. "But then I heard Michael come over and say, 'That's for the Mullins family.' "Then things really came down to earth to me. I had lost my grandmother this past week, so I had very much had a heavy heart in this game, and I think the team supported me so much through that loss of my family." Morrow made it 2-0 in the 71st minute, five minutes after entering the game. "It felt really good. It felt like a little emotional release, to be honest," said Morrow, who did not dress for last week's first leg in Mexico. "It's been a couple of months since I've been on the field. (I've been), dealing with some little injuries. I was out most of pre-season. So to make my way back — I was in contention to maybe be subbed into the game in a couple of different positions. At the end of the day I was happy just to get on the field and make a difference for the team." Taking a pass from teenage midfielder Ralph Priso, Morrow somehow bundled the ball in as he collided with goalkeeper Rodolpho Cota. TFC's high press made the goal with a Leon defender, under pressure, giving the ball way to Priso. "Not the most pretty goal but I'll take it. Any goal is a goal for me," said the 33-year-old fullback. "So it was really emotional to get that." Toronto kicks off the MLS regular season Saturday against CF Montreal in Fort Lauderdale. Both Canadian teams have taken up residence in Florida while the Vancouver Whitecaps have shifted their base of operations to Sandy, Utah, because of pandemic-related travel restrictions. The Whitecaps host the Portland Timbers at Rio Tinto Stadium on Sunday. --- Follow @NeilMDavidson on Twitter This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 15, 2021 Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press
While the age of consent was previously 15, prosecutors in France used to be required to prove sex was non-consensual to obtain a rape conviction. "This is an historic law for our children and our society," Justice Minister Eric Dupond-Moretti told the National Assembly. As a consequence, a "Romeo and Juliet" clause that allows for sexual relations between a minor and an individual up to five years older.
The former CEO of a Saskatoon lab that develops vaccines, including one for COVID-19, says Saskatchewan's chief medical health officer has no game plan for dealing with the novel coronavirus. Andrew Potter, who worked at VIDO-InterVac for 22 years, first made the comment on Twitter following Tuesday's provincial update on COVID-19. "I must admit that I think Dr Shahab is way over his head with COVID based on what he has said so far at the press conference," the University of Saskatchewan professor tweeted Tuesday. "He dwells on the past and present but no game plan for the future (which is what counts right now)." In an interview with CBC News on Wednesday, Potter said he hadn't "seen any evidence yet that they're taking this seriousIy. "I recognize that there are medical decisions and recommendations and then there are political ones. And he doesn't control the political ones obviously." The Ministry of Health did not respond to a request for comment before publication. Potter said the government needs to communicate better with the public. He said the province has to stop comparing current cases with past waves — especially since the third wave involves coronavirus variants which are more transmissible. "Nobody's looking into the future as to where do we want to be and how we're going to get there," Potter said. "Right now, we're essentially repeating history that we know didn't work." Andrew Potter, former CEO of VIDO-InterVac, is now a professor at the University of Saskatchewan. (Andrew Potter) Variant cases erupting across province On Tuesday, Saskatchewan implemented a province-wide ban on private indoor gatherings while limiting crowds at places of worship to 30 people. Nazeem Muhajarine, a Saskatoon-based epidemiologist, said "it's a bit too little, too late." "We are going back to what should have been done on March 9 when public health measures were relaxed on that day," Muhajarine said on CBC's Saskatoon Morning. When the province allowed residents to expand their bubbles to a maximum of ten individuals in a home at any one time, Saskatchewan had 35 coronavirus variant cases. "And in the intervening five weeks, numbers increased a hundredfold." As of Thursday, Saskatchewan reported 4,183 coronavirus variant cases. "Expanding the bubbles has really backfired here in Saskatchewan, and especially knowing that the variant was spreading quite aggressively in the province," intensive care specialist Dr. Hassan Masri said. With variants erupting across the province, Muhajarine said the government is still doing "too little." "It's almost like, you know, trying to put off a raging house fire with a home fire extinguisher," Muhajarine said. Call to close bars and restaurants Masri, who works in intensive care units in Saskatoon, said "the variant is making people really sick." "We would not be in the situation that Regina is in, but certainly with the rising numbers ... we won't be surprised if that's our fate in the next week or so," Masri said. Intensive care specialist Dr. Hassan Masri says bars and restaurants in Saskatchewan should be closed.(Paul Chiasson/The Canadian Press) He said further restrictions, like closing bars and restaurants across the province and further reducing gathering sizes at religious institutions, could prevent further strain on the health-care system. Muhajarine agreed. "The question can be asked whether these cases, hospitalizations and even deaths could have been averted had timely action been taken," he said.
Newfoundland and Labrador has two new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, both related to travel. One is in the Western Health region, a man between 20 and 39 years old who travelled within Canada. The second case is in the Eastern Health region, a man in his 60s who travelled internationally. The Department of Health said contact tracing by public health officials is underway. Anyone considered a close contact has been advised to quarantine. Public health is asking passengers who travelled on Air Canada Flight 8008, leaving Toronto on Saturday and arriving in Deer Lake on Sunday, to arrange COVID-19 testing. The province reported one more recovery Thursday, in the Western Health region. There are now 15 active cases in Newfoundland and Labrador, and one person is in hospital due to the virus. A case in Western Health reported on April 9 has been determined to be related to travel within Canada. A case reported on April 8 in the Eastern Health region is still under investigation. The Health Department is also advising rotational workers about a COVID-19 outbreak at the Royal Camp Services in Grande Prairie, Alta. The department said it was notified about the outbreak by the Public Health Agency of Canada as people from Newfoundland and Labrador work at the site. Workers with this project who have returned to Newfoundland and Labrador in the last two weeks must isolate themselves from any household members, call 811 to arrange testing and complete the full 14-day self-isolation period, regardless of test result. To date, 128,432 people have been tested, including 597 since Wednesday's update. Meanwhile, Eastern Health has opened all of its COVID-19 vaccination clinics to people 65 years old and older for their first shots of either the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccine. Pre-registration is no longer necessary and eligible residents can book an appointment online with an email address. Anyone 70 years old and up who has already registered can also book an appointment. Read more from CBC Newfoundland and Labrador
WINDSOR, England (Reuters) -When Prince Philip's coffin is conveyed to church for his funeral service, it will be taken in a specially-commissioned Land Rover that the British royal himself helped design. Philip, the husband of Queen Elizabeth, died last week aged 99 and his funeral will be held entirely at Windsor Castle on Saturday, with no public allowed. Although the event has been scaled down because of COVID-19 restrictions, many traditional elements will remain, with a military procession inside the castle and pall bearers from units with close links to Philip.
Deputy leader of the Opposition Candice Bergen criticized Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland during question period on Thursday for comments last week that COVID-19 had created a "window of political opportunity and maybe an epiphany" on child care, saying the comments were a "ridiculous thing" to say and questioned the purpose of the comment given the impact the pandemic has had.
Three people have been arrested following reports of a person with a weapon in Saint John on Thursday afternoon, police say. The Saint John Police Force responded to Charlotte Street in the south end just after 2:30 p.m. in response to reports of a person with a weapon and "a short time later, a suspect was located in a nearby building," said Jim Hennessy, spokesperson for the force, in a news release. Three people were taken into custody just after 3:30 p.m., he said. Members of the Patrol Unit and Emergency Tactical Services were called and cleared the scene just before 5 p.m. without incident, Hennessy said. In an email, Hennessy said he couldn't share information on the persons arrested as police are investigating the incident.
Singer and actress Jennifer Lopez and former New York Yankees baseball star Alex Rodriguez called off their engagement because "we are better as friends," announcing the breakup on Thursday just months after denying their four-year relationship was on the rocks. “We have realized we are better as friends and look forward to remaining so," Lopez, 51, also known by her nickname J.Lo, and Rodriguez, 45, known as A-Rod, said in a joint statement. "We will continue to work together and support each other on our shared businesses and projects,” Lopez and Rodriguez said.
VICTORIA — The B.C. government is investing $2 billion in a low-interest loan program for builders of affordable housing. Housing Minister David Eby said Thursday the financing will be offered to private developers and community groups through the province's HousingHub program, a division of BC Housing. The funding will target projects for renters and buyers with average household incomes of $75,000. Eby said the loans will be provided at below-market rates and in return, developers will commit to passing the construction savings on to residents through more affordable rents and housing prices. The loans will be repaid once construction is complete, allowing HousingHub to reinvest in more units, he added. Finance Minister Selina Robinson said the funding is part of Budget 2021, which will be unveiled in full next week. "For far too long, housing in British Columbia was viewed as a commodity and a tool for building wealth, rather than a basic necessity of a home," said Robinson, who was the housing minister before taking on the finance portfolio. "The simple truth is, affordable housing is life changing." In order to ensure the savings are passed on to the residents, each developer must make a 10-year commitment around affordability. The agreements signed are unique to each project, Eby said. Financing rates will depend on factors like a developer's credit rating and relationship with banks, he said. BC Housing has already received about 90 applications from builders interested in accessing a loan, he said. "There's lots of demand and competition for the funding," Eby said. Applications will be prioritized based on maximizing affordability, such as the number of units and the price per unit offered to tenants or buyers, he said. Developments will also be assessed through a geographic lens to ensure the benefit of the program is felt across the province. "There's really not a community in our province that isn't facing some aspect of the housing crisis, although it looks different in different communities," Eby said. Paul Kershaw, an associate professor at the University of British Columbia's school of population and public health, said the HousingHub is a positive and important program. The program has seen private developers partner with non-profits to deliver the housing, which is an effective way to ensure the supply is affordable for middle-income households, said Kershaw. But increasing supply should be complemented with other policy measures if the government truly wants to dampen the escalating housing market, he said. "Anything being built and offered anew in a setting where ... home prices continue to rise on average is going to erode the affordability that the provincial government is aiming to bring in by offering these low-interest loans," he said. Complementary measures could include similar low-interest loans aimed at strengthening other parts of the economy, such as small businesses, he said. British Columbia is in an unhealthy situation when 18 per cent of B.C.'s economy is real estate rental and leasing, but only two per cent of the population is employed in that sector, Kershaw said. "It is a massive gap and as a result, that's why there's big growth in that industry but it's not generating earnings that are spread out to a whole bunch of people," he said. The Opposition Liberals said skyrocketing housing prices during the pandemic show the NDP government's housing plan is failing. The party referenced a report from the B.C. Real Estate Association that found the average home price in the province increased by 20.4 per cent last month compared with the same time last year. At the same time, active residential listings dropped by 24.4 per cent as the housing supply sunk to the lowest level seen in decades, it said. "It’s clear that the NDP’s supposed solutions for affordability have had no meaningful effect on the housing market," housing critic Ben Stewart said. "Young British Columbians are still watching their dreams of home ownership fade away, while this government takes an undeserved victory lap.” — By Amy Smart in Vancouver. This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 15, 2021. The Canadian Press
From its leather bar stools and checkered walls to the bright neon cowboy galloping over the front door, Surrey's Round Up Cafe has long connected B.C.'s fastest-growing community to its humble roots. The post-war family-run diner, known for its home-style breakfasts and Ukrainian fare, has lasted more than six decades on Surrey's King George Boulevard. "It was a gathering spot," said co-owner Dennis Springenatic, whose parents bought the restaurant in 1959. It quickly became a cornerstone in the emerging Whalley neighbourhood. "There was a lot of history here in the '60s and '70s. A lot of families grew up here," said Springenatic. Bacon, eggs and perogies are among the specialty dishes at Surrey's Round Up Cafe.(Round Up Cafe/Facebook) But like many restaurants during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Round Up Cafe has fallen on hard times. It shut down for eight months in 2020, reopening in December. But Springenatic says it won't be able to recover from the latest round of "circuit breaker" restrictions, which have prohibited indoor dining throughout B.C. Public health is expected to extend the health measures into May, according to the B.C. Restaurant and Foodservices Association. The measures were originally set to expire on April 19. Springenatic says the family plans to close the Round Up Cafe for good, as its limited patio seating can't generate enough business to keep the doors open. "It wasn't on our terms to go out," he said. "It took a pandemic to shut us down, and it's disappointing." Local landmark The bright neon sign on the front of the building has been there longer than the Springenatic family has owned the business. Husband and wife restaurateurs Orest and Goldie Springenatic, Dennis's parents, purchased the property from its previous owners, who operated the restaurant under the same name. After the first five years, the family got involved with Whalley Little League and helped build it up. The restaurant became a go-to spot for families after baseball and hockey tournaments. A picture of Goldie and Orest Springenatic hangs on the wall inside the Round Up Cafe.(Round Up Cafe/Facebook) At night, more boisterous crowds would roll in. For the first two decades, it was open 24-7, and was steps away from local party hot spots like the since-demolished Flamingo Hotel. "Back in the '70s when the nightclubs were rocking, a lot of people would come here after the bar shut down, and have fries and gravy," said Dennis Springenatic. "It was a very family and community oriented place over the years." Owner Goldie Springenatic bought the restaurant with her husband in 1959. The pair previously ran a restaurant in Boston Bar.(Round Up Cafe/Facebook) Last stand The cafe is one of the few landmarks of its era still standing as new developments and highrises replace aging buildings. Despite the family owning the building, the pandemic has made it difficult for them to keep up with operating costs. The recent indoor dining restrictions and their expected extension is enough to make them call it a day. The restaurant's makeshift patio can sit about a dozen customers while the empty indoor dining area can seat more than 40. "It's made it tough to even break even, and try to get ahead," said Springenatic. "It's discouraging for all the restaurants." Springenatic says he doesn't know what's next for the decades-old site, but he says the family will likely try to rent out the building. As for the neon sign above, he hopes it can be maintained and displayed inside a local museum or heritage centre. "The legacy is just ... really good memories."
The RCMP say a body found near Saint Andrews last weekend was that of a 68-year-old woman who disappeared in the area last December. Police don't believe foul play was a factor in her death. Wilhelmina (Wilma) Catherine Montgomery was reported missing on Dec. 8, 2020, after not being seen since around noon in Saint Andrews the day before. Her disappearance triggered a response from the Charlotte County Ground Search and Rescue team, which mobilized 20 searchers to look for her in the days after she was last seen. On Saturday, RCMP said the body of a woman was found by a kayaker on Navy Island, near Saint Andrews. "Even though this is not the outcome we were hoping for, we are glad to be able to bring closure to the family," said RCMP Sgt. Christopher Henderson.
EDMONTON — The Alberta Teachers’ Association wants the province to immediately scrap its draft education curriculum for young students and to start over. Association president Jason Schilling says most of his members feel teaching what's being proposed for kids in kindergarten to Grade 6 could damage their development. “This curriculum is fatally flawed,” Schilling said Thursday. “Many of the teachers believe that putting it before children will cause harm. We cannot allow that to happen.” Schilling said the plan is not developmentally appropriate for young kids, is jammed with random facts, and too loosely structured with concepts well over students’ heads. He said it pushes Eurocentric history while giving short shrift to francophone and Indigenous cultures and perspectives. He noted that since the curriculum was introduced by Education Minister Adriana LaGrange two weeks ago, more than 20 school boards have said they will not pilot it in classrooms this fall. They include the public school boards in Edmonton and Calgary. Schilling pointed to a survey of teachers released last week that revealed an overwhelming call for the draft to be overhauled. The proposal has also faced accusations that parts of it have been cribbed or lifted verbatim without citation from Wikipedia and other sources. Advocates, including LaGrange, say it takes 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. LaGrange spokeswoman Nicole Sparrow said in a statement that the Alberta government "has been very clear that we want feedback from Albertans on the draft curriculum. "Teachers have been very involved and will continue to be involved in the curriculum development process. Alberta’s government brought together more than 100 Alberta teachers, many who are members of the teachers’ union, to review the draft K-6 curriculum and provide feedback." Schilling said the participation was short and secret. “We had 100 teachers who met for two days that had to sign a non-disclosure agreement," he said. "We have no idea what they said, what they saw, and if the feedback they provided to government was actually taken into account and is reflected in the draft.” He acknowledged teachers can face disciplinary measures if they do not follow lawful direction, such as implementing a curriculum, but added there is a higher principle at stake. “Teachers who believe this curriculum is flawed and potentially damaging to student learning have the professional responsibility and moral right to refuse to participate in any voluntary piloting.” Schilling said he hopes school boards will respect such refusals, but declined to say specifically what the teachers association will do, legal or otherwise, should co-operation turn into confrontation down the road. “We’ll have to cross that bridge when we get to that point, but my hope is that we don’t.” The K-6 curriculum is part of a broader overhaul. A new learning plan for Grades 7 to 10 is to be in place in the fall of 2023, and one for Grades 11 and 12 in September 2024. This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 15, 2021 Dean Bennett, The Canadian Press
DÜSSELDORF, Germany — Erling Haaland walked off the field looking physically and emotionally drained, clutching a shirt he’d been given by an opponent after Borussia Dortmund lost to Manchester City in the Champions League quarterfinals. Haaland may have his own City shirt next season. Dortmund is in danger of failing to qualify for next season’s Champions League for the first time since 2010-11, and that could fracture the squad. The club is in fifth place in the Bundesliga with six games left to make up a seven-point gap for the final Champions League place. With each loss, the chance of seeing Haaland in the yellow and black of Dortmund next season seems to drop further. Players like Haaland, Jude Bellingham, Jadon Sancho and Gio Reyna didn’t choose Dortmund so they could play in the Europa League. Haaland’s agent has already made it clear he is looking at other clubs for his client, and there’s no lack of interest. City manager Pep Guardiola raved about the 20-year-old Haaland’s talent, and Bellingham’s, too, after the win Wednesday in Dortmund. That all raises the question of what Dortmund is trying to achieve. At its best, the team is exhilarating to watch, the young stars combining with more experienced players such as Marco Reus to produce exciting soccer and challenge for trophies — but never quite win them. At its worst, it’s an underperforming team trapped in an endless rebuild as bigger clubs pick off its best players. The rise of Leipzig means there’s now another German club following a Dortmund-style model of focusing on young talent, but with more league success. Dortmund is making a show of stability. Sporting director Michael Zorc insisted last week that the club plans to keep Haaland in its squad next season. Club officials point to Dortmund’s healthy financial position amid the coronavirus pandemic, a relic of past big sales like Ousmane Dembele’s move to Barcelona in 2017. Addressing “the rich clubs in the world,” CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke told the BBC on Wednesday that Dortmund could not be browbeaten into selling players at a discount. “They must know this is the price. It is not another price,” he said, pointing to last year’s prolonged and ultimately fruitless talks with Manchester United over Sancho. Dortmund has also made some missteps when it comes to coaches. Before he was fired in December, Lucien Favre’s two-year tenure produced spectacular high-scoring games, but also farcical defensive collapses. Dortmund named Edin Terzic as interim coach and went about seeking a successor, settling on Marco Rose for next season. Since that move was announced in February, though, Rose has won only two of 10 games with Borussia Mönchengladbach while Terzic has won praise for his Dortmund team’s combative performance against City. Dortmund’s game against Werder Bremen on Sunday could offer the ideal breather after the Champions League exit. Bremen has lost its last four league games and Dortmund could cut the gap to the top four if third-place Wolfsburg drops points against leader Bayern Munich. If Dortmund can’t beat Bremen, though, a season in the Europa League looks all but certain while Haaland could be back in the Champions League with a City shirt on his back. ___ More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports James Ellingworth, The Associated Press
Moderna is facing a persistent "quality assurance" backlog at its production facilities — a roadblock that has resulted in days-long delivery delays for doses destined for Canada, the military commander leading vaccine logistics said today. There aren't any production issues with the shots themselves but the process of double-checking each batch — and then getting them out the door — has been slower than expected, said Maj.-Gen. Dany Fortin. The manufacturer is also shifting from delivering doses on a three-week basis to a more frequent biweekly schedule, which has resulted in some unplanned logistical challenges. Unlike the arrangements for the Pfizer product, the federal government itself is responsible for picking up the doses from Moderna plants in Europe and distributing them to the provinces and territories. The 855,000 doses of the Moderna product that were supposed to arrive the week of April 5 have started to show up only over the last several days, Fortin said — a disruption that upended planned immunization clinics in some provinces. This week, for example, some 10,000 appointments in Ontario were cancelled. "It might have been challenging for provinces as they had to rejig their schedule," Fortin said. The 1.2 million doses that were slated to arrive in Canada next week are now not expected until later this month, possibly as late as the first week of May, Fortin said. He said the government is hoping the shots can be picked up "early to mid-week" next week, but that's not confirmed yet. Provinces caught unprepared by delivery delays Fortin said that, moving forward, the government is working on "narrowing down" the delivery windows to give provinces more certainty. "We're fully aware that the provinces are making adjustments and we're trying to narrow this down as much as possible, so they don't find themselves in situations where they have to constantly react to perceived delays," Fortin said. "We're issuing as clear as possible a window for provinces and territories to plan their immunization campaign." WATCH: Head of Canada's COVID-19 vaccine distribution effort addresses Moderna delays A spokesperson for Ontario Premier Doug Ford said that "while we know the federal government is working very hard to get us supply," the recurring Moderna delays have had a "significant impact on our ability to fulfil vaccine appointments." "That's why we continue to see sites pausing operations and rescheduling vaccinations. The more consistent supply we have, the faster we will be able to accelerate our rollout and get needles into the arms of Ontarians," the spokesperson said. Fortin said provinces can avoid disappointing would-be vaccine recipients by announcing appointment dates only after the Moderna doses have arrived, when there's a reasonable degree of certainty that the shots are ready for deployment. Nova Scotia, for example, has taken a more cautious approach by only booking appointments once the Moderna supply is on hand. "That is one way to do it," Fortin said. While delays are expected this month, Fortin said there will be a steady supply of the highly effective vaccine arriving in May. Another 2.8 million Moderna doses will arrive in that month in two shipments, with millions more expected in June. Meanwhile, a little more than one million Pfizer doses will continue to arrive each week until the end of May. Shipments are then expected to ramp up to two million shots a week starting in June. AstraZeneca shots — produced by the company itself, the Covax vaccine-sharing facility and the Serum Institute of India — will arrive more sporadically, with at least one million of those shots arriving sometime in June. The one-shot vaccine from Johnson & Johnson will start arriving at the end of April, but delivery timelines have not yet been finalized with the manufacturer, a spokesperson for Public Services and Procurement Canada said.
Canada's red-hot housing market continues to defy expectations, with sales in March up 70 per cent compared to a year ago and average prices up by more than 30 per cent. The Canadian Real Estate Association said Thursday that more than 70,000 homes were sold last month, obliterating the previous record for the month by 22,000 transactions. The figure was 76 per cent higher than the same month a year ago, which saw sales slow because it was the first month of restrictions related to COVID-19. Those restrictions put a temporary chill on the market, but things started heating up in May 2020 and haven't cooled down since. On the price side, the average selling price for a home sold on CREA's MLS system was $716,828. That's up by 31.6 per cent in a year, and the biggest annual pace of gain on record. While sellers and owners are doubtless ecstatic with record selling prices, the torrid pace is causing anxiety among economists and policy-makers who worry that first-time buyers are being locked out of the market unless they take on massive mortgages that they may not be able to afford if interest rates rise. Last week, Canada's top banking regulator proposed to raise the stress test level on mortgages to make sure that borrowers can afford higher rates. That move would reduce the purchasing power of buyers by about five per cent. CREA chair Cliff Stevenson said the biggest factor pushing prices higher has been an imbalance between supply and demand, and he said the market is showing signs of finding an equilibirum. "The shortages in supply we have across so much of Canada, a lot of that demand has been pressuring prices. So the big rebound in new supply to start the spring market is the relief valve we need the most to get that demand playing out more on the sales side of things and less on the price side," he said. "That said, it will take a lot more than one month of record new listings, but it looks like we may finally be rounding the corner on these extremely unbalanced housing market conditions." The Realtors at CREA argue that prices going up is a natural reaction to what they call an "imbalance between supply and demand" — in other words, there are more people who want to buy houses than there are houses for sale, which drives up the price of those that are. But economist Doug Porter at BMO says March's numbers show there's a lot more going on. Seasonally adjusted, the number of new listings hit their highest level on record in March, he notes. "Please keep that simple fact in mind when you hear the inevitable onslaught of rhetoric about how the housing market's imbalance is all about weak supply," Porter said. "The only possible world in which supply can be considered anything remotely in shortage is when stacked up against the extraterrestrial level of demand. " Economist Rishi Sondhi with TD Bank says the numbers for April and May should be interesting to watch because the move to raise the stress test doesn't come into effect until June, which means it could have the unintended consequence of making the market even hotter in the short term as people rush to borrow and buy before the new rules are in place. "It's déjà vu all over again [and] with markets remaining historically tight, more near-term gains are in the cards," he said. "This frothy price backdrop could prompt a response from policy-makers in coming months."
Peel police are investigating after a man was found dead in a park in Mississauga Thursday morning. The body was discovered in Elmcreek Park at 8 a.m., near Morning Star Drive and Goreway Drive, police say. According to Peel Regional Police spokesperson Const. Danny Martini, there were no obvious signs of trauma. She said the body has been taken for an autopsy and police are waiting for the results from the coroner. Meanwhile, Ontario's police watchdog invoked its mandate following an altercation between police and a man a short distance from the park near Morning Star Drive and Goreway Drive earlier Thursday morning. Police were called to the intersection around 5 a.m., Martini says, following reports that a man was threatening to shoot people. When officers arrived, they became involved in an altercation with the man, Martini says. He was taken to hospital as a precaution and the Special Investigations Unit (SIU) was called in. The man has been charged with uttering threats. Peel police say this incident is separate from that of the man found dead in the park.
After decades of lobbying by local Indigenous leaders, a former residential school in the remote British Columbia community of Lower Post is to be demolished and replaced with a new community centre. The federal and B.C. governments say construction on the new $13.5-million project is set to start in June and expected to be complete by next year. Deputy Chief Harlan Schilling of the Daylu Dena Council at Lower Post, said the building — which was a Roman Catholic-operated residential school from 1951 to 1975 — has long been a painful reminder of a dark past. "This torch has been the one thing that's been passed off from leader to leader: to finally remove this horrible building in the centre of the community and centre of our lives," said Schilling. B.C. Premier John Horgan, federal Indigenous Services Minister Marc Miller and Indigenous leaders from the area took part in the emotional news conference, which was held virtually. An artist's rendering of the Lower Post community centre, which will replace the former residential school building.(B.C. Government) Horgan says he was moved to work with the federal government to replace the residential school building after local elders told him during a visit that some people feared stepping inside the place where they suffered physical and sexual abuse. "Elders have been fearful of this building in the middle of the territory for decades and decades," he said. After the residential school closed, the building served as the Daylu Dena Council's band office, a post office and employment centre for the estimated 175 residents of the community, located near the B.C.-Yukon border. Schilling says it's been devastating knowing the hurt many elders have been holding inside over the years, but the building's demolition will finally bring some relief. "This is a success for our First Nation and Canada as a whole," he said. Murray Rankin, B.C.'s minister of Indigenous relations and reconciliation, said the demolition of the old school and construction of the new community centre was an important step forward in reconciliation. Lower Post is located on Highway 97, the Alaska Highway, approximately 23 kilometres southeast of Watson Lake, Yukon, near the confluence of the Dease and Liard Rivers.
School divisions in the Regina area joining forces in calling for school staff to be vaccinated before returning to in-person schooling. Regina Public Schools, Regina Catholic School Division and the Prairie Valley School Division are sending letters to the Saskatchewan Health Authority asking for school staff to be vaccinated before in-person classes are set to resume on April 26. "We know as educators that students learn better in the classroom. But not only that, we know that there are hardships created for thousands of families in our city when we do e-learning," said Adam Hicks, board chair for Regina Public Schools. "If all of our staff can get vaccinated sooner, we might be able to get children back into the classroom sooner than if we don't get them vaccinated." Each school board voted in favour of sending the letters during their respective meetings this week, citing Regina as a hot spot for coronavirus variants of concern. Hicks said getting school staff vaccinated would not only help keep students safe, but also the broader community. The school divisions said in March that their students would move to online learning for two weeks, amid concerns over rising numbers of cases involving variants of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19. They extended the remote learning period later that month. 'We're hoping that the province is listening' Hicks said RPS alone has about 2,400 workers and 24,000 students, along with 58 buildings, which means the division impacts 12 per cent of the city's population when schools are operational. However, he said that number could be around 30 to 40 per cent if one factors in parents and caregivers with kids in RPS. "We're hoping that the province is listening," he said. "We're not saying that our teachers, or support staff, or our division staff are any more important than others, but we believe that the impact is great for our city." Hicks said each division could handle the logistics of getting its workers vaccinated as well, including contact tracing on nights, weekends and statutory holidays. "We have a better chance to make this easier for everybody, including the economy, including parents that are struggling at home right now," he said. Hicks said he hopes students and staff will be able to return to class on the scheduled date, but extending remote learning again isn't off the table.
