How Toronto Public Library branches are becoming food banks during COVID-19

A Toronto Public Library distribution centre is packing hampers, and branches are turning into food banks, as the need skyrockets during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Latest Stories

  • Freeland's 1st budget could be one of the most significant in decades. Here's how to watch and listen

    Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland will deliver her first federal budget on Monday — Canada's first in two years. The budget will map out Canada's path toward economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and account for record levels of emergency spending intended to offset the impact of the crisis. Freeland will lay out more than $2 billion for a national child-care program while keeping the federal deficit for the past year under $400 billion, CBC News reported Sunday. The budget will also acknowledge that pandemic financial supports must continue to flow as parts of the country enter a third wave of the public health emergency. The finance minister is also expected to unveil details of Ottawa's three-year stimulus plan, valued between $70 billion and $100 billion, which will launch when life begins to return to normal. Here's how you can keep up with the day's events. Television CBC News special coverage starts Monday afternoon on CBC News Network and livestreamed on cbcnews.ca, CBC Gem, YouTube, Facebook and Twitter. From 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. ET, tune into the Power & Politics pre-budget show hosted by Vassy Kapelos. Stay on for CBC's budget special, hosted by chief political correspondent Rosemary Barton, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. ET. Follow the rest of CBC's budget coverage with Power & Politics from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. ET. Online There will be full coverage and analysis of the budget on cbcnews.ca. Watch coverage on cbcnews.ca, the CBC News app and CBC Gem beginning at 3 p.m. ET. There will be a live stream on the main cbcnews.ca page, and continued analysis and reaction throughout the day. Radio and podcasts CBC Radio will provide full budget coverage from Susan Bonner, the host of The World at Six, and Chris Hall, CBC's national affairs editor and host of The House. Coverage begins at 4 p.m. and ends at 5 p.m. ET. Tune in for wide-ranging analysis from economist Armine Yalnizyan and Goldy Hyder, president of the Business Council of Canada. Federal opposition parties will offer their reaction, along with politicians across the country, including Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Andrew Furey and Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi. Hear from interest groups such as Child Care Now, the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, the International Institute for Sustainable Development and the Canadian Mental Health Association. On Tuesday morning, listen to CBC's daily news podcast Front Burner for a deep dive into the most relevant parts of this year's budget with host Jayme Poisson, who will also be joined by Power & Politics host Vassy Kapelos. The episode will be available at 6 a.m. ET wherever you get your podcasts.

  • Texas police to demand Tesla crash data as Musk denies Autopilot use

    WASHINGTON/BERKELEY (Reuters) -Texas police will serve search warrants on Tesla Inc on Tuesday to secure data from a fatal vehicle crash, a senior officer told Reuters on Monday, after CEO Elon Musk said company checks showed the car's Autopilot driver assistance system was not engaged. Mark Herman, Harris County Constable Precinct 4, said evidence including witness statements clearly indicated there was nobody in the driver's seat of the Model S when it crashed into a tree, killing two people, on Saturday night. Herman said a tweet by Musk on Monday afternoon, saying that data logs retrieved by the company so far ruled out the use of the Autopilot system, was the first officials had heard from the company.

  • Ontario sees 4,447 new COVID-19 cases as admissions to ICUs top 750

    Ontario reported another 4,447 cases of COVID-19 and 19 more deaths of people with the illness on Monday, while the number of hospitalizations topped 2,200. It's the sixth straight day of more than 4,000 new infections in the province. They come as labs completed 42,873 tests for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, and logged a positivity rate of 10.5 per cent — the highest recorded since in Ontario since the beginning of the pandemic. There are 2,202 people with COVID-19 in hospitals, according to the Ministry of Health. Of those, 755 are being treated for COVID-related critical illnesses in intensive care units. A total of 516 patients require a ventilator to breathe. All three figures are new pandemic highs for Ontario. Health officials warned last week that admissions to hospitals and ICUs are expected to continue to rise for the next several weeks, as they are lagging indicators to the explosive growth in cases this month. Meanwhile, up to 60 patients from the Toronto area are expected to be transferred to Windsor this week to help with the crush of patients from the third COVID-19 wave, according to an internal memo from London Middlesex Primary Care. Another 40 are heading to the London area. WATCH | Ontario doctors prepare to use triage protocol:. Public health units collectively administered just 66,897 doses of vaccines Sunday, the fewest in two weeks. As of last evening, some 346,005 people in the province had received both doses. Ontario has given out 3,904,778, or about 80 per cent, of the 4,852,885 total doses of vaccines it has received thus far. Provincial health officials said early last week that public health units have combined capacity to administer up to 150,000 shots per day. Then during a news conference Friday, Ontario's Chief Medical of Health Dr. David Williams repeatedly said the province could be doing up to 500,000 shots daily, though it is unclear how he arrived at that figure, as no government official had cited it publicly before. CBC Toronto has reached out to the government for clarification on the discrepancy between the numbers. Meanwhile, Williams confirmed Monday morning that starting Tuesday, Ontario will begin offering the AstraZeneca vaccine to adults aged 40 and older. The vaccine had previously been limited to those 55 and up. Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Quebec have also said they would lower age requirements for the vaccine. About 1,400 pharmacies throughout the province are offering the AstraZeneca vaccine, as well as some primary care physicians in six public health units. In some provincially-designated hot spots, those under 40 have been able to get their first doses of vaccine. York Region announced Monday those 35 and older in five high-priority communities (L4L, L6A, L4K, L4J and L3S postal code areas) are now eligible. The new cases reported Monday include: 1,229 in Toronto 926 in Peel Region 577 in York Region 233 in Ottawa 227 in Hamilton 205 in Durham Region 203 in Niagara Region 169 in Halton Region 114 in Simcoe Muskoka The seven-day average of daily cases rose slightly to 4,348 — a 59 per cent increase from two weeks ago, Associate Medical Officer of Health Dr. Barbara Yaffe said Monday. Seventy-one people have died with the virus since Friday alone. The 19 additional deaths in today's update pushed the official toll to 7,735. The seven-day average of deaths stands at 24. New COVID-19 measures face backlash Students across Ontario returned to the virtual classroom Monday morning as school buildings remain shuttered following the spring break. The provincial government announced the move to remote learning early last week as it dealt with a surge in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations. It also announced a suite of new measures meant to curb the spread of COVID-19, including limiting interprovincial travel. Checkpoints are set up at interprovincial border crossings and only those coming into Ontario for work, medical care, transportation of goods and exercising Indigenous treaty rights are allowed through. The province held firm to that measure over the weekend, despite walking back other public health rules that were announced at the same time Friday. Premier Doug Ford on Saturday reversed his decision to shutter playgrounds, following a swift backlash from parents and public health experts alike. They said the move was unlikely to curb the spread of COVID-19, as evidence suggests most transmission happens indoors. WATCH | Director of Ontario's COVID-19 science table disappointed with new measures: The government did, however, keep in place a number of controversial limitations on outdoor activities. In an interview with CBC News Network today, the director of Ontario's COVID-19 science advisory table said the restrictions were the "opposite" of what the group of experts recommended to cabinet. Dr. Peter Jüni, who is also a professor of medicine and epidemiology at the University of Toronto, said the new round of measures failed to address the root causes driving the growth in cases in Ontario. "Right now we have a pandemic that is focused on essential workers and their families," he said. "We need to pay people in an uncomplicated and efficient manner to stay home." The science table and other health experts have repeatedly called for Ford and his cabinet to institute a provincially-run paid sick leave program. The federal counterpart, the Canadian Recovery Sickness Benefit (CRSB), is "too complicated, not enough and the help comes too late," Jüni said. Ford government votes against essential workers motion Ford and Ontario Minister of Labour Monte McNaughton have urged Ontarians to rely on the federal program, saying the province wants to avoid duplication. And during question period at the legislature today, House Leader Paul Calandra said the province expects the federal government to improve the CRSB in today's budget, including paid time off for vaccinations. The Ontario government voted against a series of Opposition motions aimed at supporting essential workers Monday, including one that sought to create a provincial paid sick-leave program. NDP Leader Andrea Horwath presented the motions — which required unanimous consent of the legislature to pass — during a session Monday morning. A frustrated Jüni said that "political considerations" are behind the government's refusal to take the science table's advice. "I don't think we can be any clearer: this is not a problem at the sending end, it's a problem at the receiving end. We need to stop having political considerations guide this pandemic [response]," he told host Heather Hiscox. "This does not work. It hasn't worked in the past, it won't work now. It hasn't worked in other jurisdictions and it wont work in Ontario." Advisory table 'deeply concerned' about new measures On Monday, the Ontario COVID-19 Bioethics Table issued a statement saying it was "deeply concerned" about the enhanced enforcement measures outlined in the province's stay-at-home order, saying they will "disproportionately harm" racialized and marginalized people. "The enforcement measures fail to adequately address the root causes of transmission of COVID-19 in Ontario," the statement said. The table said it commends the extension of the stay-at-home order, but urged Ontario to "implement evidence-informed public health measures grounded in public health ethics." "Provision of provincially mandated paid sick leave is one such measure that is urgently needed," it said. On Saturday the province also quickly rescinded new powers given to police officers, saying officers will no longer be able to stop any pedestrian or driver during the stay-at-home order to request their home address and their reason for being out of the house. Instead, police must have "reason to suspect" that a person is out to participate in an organized public event or social gathering before stopping them. Speaking to reporters today, Solicitor General Sylvia Jones said that despite the public outcry and condemnation from legal experts that the powers generated, the details were "very clearly laid out." Jones said the government initially decided to enact the new powers because the science table recommended limiting mobility. "We've all seen those photographs of people who continue to basically ignore the advice of the science table and the stay-at-home. And the intention was always to ensure those large public gatherings were stopped and didn't continue because it puts everyone else at risk," she said. Speaking in Parliament on Monday, Bill Blair, minister of public safety and emergency preparedness, said the move was a violation of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. "Mr. Speaker, we had just this weekend in Ontario an extraordinary example where the police were offered the authorities to violate the charter," Blair said. "And unanimously, they stood up to that and said no. And so I want to acknowledge that leadership and assure the member we remain committed to upholding all of the rights and freedoms that are available to all Canadians throughout the country.

  • Emotions show as call to prayer broadcast during second Ramadan in lockdown

    EDMONTON — Moona Khan says every time she hears the call for prayer playing from the speakers at her mosque, her heart sings and she's happy the tradition is finally being accepted in Canada. The woman from Edmonton says the call, known as the "Athaan" or "Azaan," is usually recited in Muslim countries five times a day and invites congregants to not only pray, but to join their community in goodness. "To be able to hear it live like that ... it goes deep within my soul. You really (feel) like you belong, like you know your traditions are now being accepted and being celebrated here," Khan says. The Azaan is usually prohibited under city noise bylaws. But about 40 mosques in Edmonton, some in Calgary and at least one in Mississauga, Ont., have brought the tradition to Canada for the month of Ramadan. They have been allowed by their municipalities to play the call at sunset, the time when Muslims across the world take their first food and water after fasting from dawn to dusk. Muslims also mark Ramadan with almsgiving and spiritual reflection on compassion. Large gatherings are a feature of the holy month. Family and friends come together to cook, eat and stand shoulder to shoulder to pray. That can't happen this year because of COVID-19, but playing the Azaan can help boost morale, says Khan, who is also a board member with the Muslim Association of Canada's Islamic School in Edmonton. Yasin Cetin, a community outreach and engagement adviser for the association, agrees broadcasting the Azaan is exactly what Canadian-Muslims need to celebrate a second Ramadan in lockdown. "The challenge is that we miss the communal connection," Cetin said while sitting outside the centre's Rahma Mosque, west of Edmonton, an hour before sunset. He says he even misses what used to annoy him about Ramadan: finding a parking spot on a busy night of prayers or waiting in line to fill up a plate with food only to learn that someone took all the chicken from the biryani. "Who would've thought?" he says with a laugh. This is the second year mosques in Edmonton are broadcasting the call for prayer, but Cetin says it's not the last. The city has given permission to continue in future years, which he says has made this Ramadan more peaceful for Muslims. "The second time around, knowing that this is a part of an inclusive policy, there's an extra level of comfort in being an Edmontonian." The Muslim association checked with the city to see if there were any noise or general complaints. There weren't. At Rahma Mosque, community members gather every night with masks to observe as a volunteer rolls a portable speaker and mic to the front entrance of the building and sings serenely. The incantation echoes across the community for about two minutes. "It's hard to explain the significance of this," Cetin says. "But looking at last year, we had a number of elders who've never heard the Athaan broadcasting like this since leaving their home countries. They were here listening to that ... for the first time in decades and it was an emotional moment for a lot of them." Many were moved to tears while sharing with their Canadian children and grandchildren what they never thought they would experience again. Then they came inside the mosque and prayed standing two metres apart. Bilal Moumad, 14, was the first person to recite the Azaan at Rahma Mosque. "I just want to make sure there are kids out there that are inspired to recite," Moumad said. "Some kids are shy and I want to bring that power to them. It's peaceful." Khan said she pulled up in her car with her family just as Moumad was reciting on the first day of Ramadan last week. "It was surreal for myself and my mom and my husband, because it's something we had never heard in Canada. "To be able to share that with my children was really special." This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 19, 2021 ___ This story was produced with the financial assistance of the Facebook and Canadian Press News Fellowship. Fakiha Baig, The Canadian Press

  • Federal government expecting 1M vaccine doses this week after Moderna delays delivery

    OTTAWA — Canada will have to wait a little longer for a promised influx of COVID-19 vaccines. The federal government says it expects about 1 million shots of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine to arrive this week, as the two pharmaceutical firms continue delivering doses on a regular schedule. Ottawa had planned to take delivery of about 1.2 million doses from Moderna as well, but that was before government officials revealed last week that the shipment would be both delayed and scaled back. The government has blamed a backlog in quality-assurance testing for the reduction, which will cut the number of doses Canada can expect this month in half and postpone their delivery by at least a week. Ottawa is not expecting any deliveries of the Oxford-AstraZeneca or Johnson and Johnson vaccines over the next seven days. The federal government says it nonetheless remains confident that all adults will be fully vaccinated by the end of September, with several companies promising to speed up their deliveries in the coming months and Pfizer promising additional doses to help compensate for the Moderna shortfall. This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 19, 2021. The Canadian Press

  • Sale of Chinese painting shows art value rising in pandemic

    HONG KONG — A Chinese painting from 1924 is expected to fetch at least $45 million in an auction in Hong Kong, as collectors' appetite for art continues to rise even amid economic uncertainty brought about by the coronavirus pandemic. The painting by influential Chinese modern artist Xu Beihong depicts a slave hiding in a cave and a lion. It is based thematically from ancient Roman mythology and Aesop’s Fables, according to Christie’s auction house, which unveiled the painting Monday. Xu frequently uses the lion in his work to exemplify his faith in the rise of the Chinese nation. The lion in the painting is wounded, but remains dignified, righteous and proud – a symbol of the Chinese spirit, the auction house said. The “Slave and Lion” painting is considered a groundbreaking work that inspired Xu’s later paintings and one of the most important oil paintings in Chinese art history. “Xu Beihong himself is one of the most important modern artist in China who has influenced generations of painters and artists,” said Francis Belin, President of Christie’s in Asia Pacific. “That kind of work and that kind of size, and that kind of prestige, does not come to the market very often.” The painting is estimated to fetch between $45 million to $58 million in a single-lot auction on May 24. Belin said there is a diverse appetite for modern and contemporary masterpieces and the market is expected to remain strong. Last year, a 700-year-old Chinese painted scroll titled “Five Drunken Princes Returning on Horseback” from the Yuan Dynasty fetched $41.8 million at a Sotheby’s auction in Hong Kong. Katie Tam, The Associated Press

  • Singapore says makes biggest cannabis seizure in 25 years

    Singapore's anti-narcotics agency said on Monday it made its biggest seizure of cannabis in 25 years in a bust last week in the city-state, which has some of the world's toughest narcotics laws including capital punishment. The Central Narcotics Bureau seized about 23.7 kg (52.25 lb)of cannabis and 16.5 kg of heroin, as well as crystal methamphetamine and ecstasy tablets, it said in a statement. The cannabis haul was the largest since 1996 and the heroin seizure the biggest since 2001.

  • B.C. to implement roadside checks to limit non-essential travel

    B.C. Premier John Horgan said Monday that measures will be introduced Friday under the Emergency Program Act to limit people from travelling outside of their health authority for non-essential reasons.

  • World can bring pandemic under control within months - WHO chief

    The world can bring the global COVID-19 pandemic under control in the coming months provided it distributes the necessary resources fairly, the head of the World Health Organization (WHO) told a news briefing on Monday. Global climate change activist Greta Thunberg, joining the briefing as a virtual guest from Sweden, took a swipe at "vaccine nationalism" and said it was unethical that rich countries were prioritising their younger citizens for vaccination ahead of vulnerable groups in developing countries. "We have the tools to bring this pandemic under control in a matter of months, if we apply them consistently and equitably," said the head of WHO, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

  • The latest numbers on COVID-19 in Canada for Monday, Apr. 19, 2021

    The latest numbers of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Canada as of 4:00 a.m. ET on Monday April 19, 2021. There are 1,121,498 confirmed cases in Canada. Canada: 1,121,498 confirmed cases (87,925 active, 1,009,950 resolved, 23,623 deaths).*The total case count includes 13 confirmed cases among repatriated travellers. There were 7,593 new cases Sunday. The rate of active cases is 231.35 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 59,023 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 8,432. There were 32 new reported deaths Sunday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 294 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is 42. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.11 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 62.16 per 100,000 people. There have been 29,907,670 tests completed. Newfoundland and Labrador: 1,043 confirmed cases (26 active, 1,011 resolved, six deaths). There was one new case Sunday. The rate of active cases is 4.98 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there has been 14 new case. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is two. There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is 1.15 per 100,000 people. There have been 234,141 tests completed. Prince Edward Island: 170 confirmed cases (10 active, 160 resolved, zero deaths). There were three new cases Sunday. The rate of active cases is 6.26 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of eight new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is one. There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is zero per 100,000 people. There have been 134,704 tests completed. Nova Scotia: 1,807 confirmed cases (49 active, 1,691 resolved, 67 deaths). There were seven new cases Sunday. The rate of active cases is five per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 39 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is six. There were zero new reported deaths Sunday. Over the past seven days there has been one new reported death. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is zero. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.01 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 6.84 per 100,000 people. There have been 464,263 tests completed. New Brunswick: 1,788 confirmed cases (154 active, 1,601 resolved, 33 deaths). There were 10 new cases Sunday. The rate of active cases is 19.71 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 66 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is nine. There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is 4.22 per 100,000 people. There have been 283,622 tests completed. Quebec: 336,952 confirmed cases (13,449 active, 312,701 resolved, 10,802 deaths). There were 1,344 new cases Sunday. The rate of active cases is 156.85 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 10,569 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 1,510. There were nine new reported deaths Sunday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 60 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is nine. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.1 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 125.98 per 100,000 people. There have been 7,813,292 tests completed. Ontario: 416,995 confirmed cases (41,588 active, 367,691 resolved, 7,716 deaths). There were 4,250 new cases Sunday. The rate of active cases is 282.26 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 30,387 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 4,341. There were 18 new reported deaths Sunday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 164 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is 23. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.16 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 52.37 per 100,000 people. There have been 13,328,247 tests completed. Manitoba: 36,159 confirmed cases (1,688 active, 33,512 resolved, 959 deaths). There were 170 new cases Sunday. The rate of active cases is 122.38 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 946 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 135. There was one new reported death Sunday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 10 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is one. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.1 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 69.53 per 100,000 people. There have been 626,901 tests completed. Saskatchewan: 38,160 confirmed cases (2,742 active, 34,953 resolved, 465 deaths). There were 289 new cases Sunday. The rate of active cases is 232.63 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 1,856 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 265. There was one new reported death Sunday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 11 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is two. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.13 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 39.45 per 100,000 people. There have been 723,594 tests completed. Alberta: 170,795 confirmed cases (17,935 active, 150,820 resolved, 2,040 deaths). There were 1,516 new cases Sunday. The rate of active cases is 405.6 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 9,893 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 1,413. There were three new reported deaths Sunday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 27 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is four. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.09 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 46.13 per 100,000 people. There have been 3,913,177 tests completed. British Columbia: 117,080 confirmed cases (10,259 active, 105,291 resolved, 1,530 deaths). There were zero new cases Sunday. The rate of active cases is 199.29 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 5,221 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 746. There were zero new reported deaths Sunday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 21 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is three. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.06 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 29.72 per 100,000 people. There have been 2,349,763 tests completed. Yukon: 76 confirmed cases (two active, 73 resolved, one deaths). There were zero new cases Sunday. The rate of active cases is 4.76 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of two new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is zero. There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is 2.38 per 100,000 people. There have been 8,740 tests completed. Northwest Territories: 43 confirmed cases (one active, 42 resolved, zero deaths). There were zero new cases Sunday. The rate of active cases is 2.21 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of zero new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is zero. There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is zero per 100,000 people. There have been 16,904 tests completed. Nunavut: 417 confirmed cases (22 active, 391 resolved, four deaths). There were three new cases Sunday. The rate of active cases is 55.9 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 22 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is three. There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is 10.16 per 100,000 people. There have been 10,246 tests completed. This report was automatically generated by The Canadian Press Digital Data Desk and was first published April 19, 2021. The Canadian Press

  • Russian military build-up near Ukraine numbers more than 150,000 troops, EU says

    BRUSSELS (Reuters) -Russia has concentrated more than 150,000 troops on Ukraine's border and in annexed Crimea, the EU's top diplomat Josep Borrell said on Monday after EU foreign ministers were briefed by Ukraine's foreign minister. He said no new economic sanctions or expulsions of Russian diplomats were planned for the time being, despite saying that the military build-up on Ukraine's borders was the largest ever.

  • Hospitals dispute primary care memo that says Windsor-area LHIN to get 60 patients from Toronto

    A London alliance of primary care doctors says up to 60 patients from the Toronto area are expected to be transferred to the Windsor and Chatham area this week to help with the crush of patients from the third COVID-19 wave in the GTA But both Windsor area hospitals, Windsor Regional Hospital and Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare, have told CBC News the memo from the London Middlesex Primary Care Alliance is inaccurate, saying they have asked the authors to correct it. The internal memo by the Alliance says that the Windsor/Chatham/Sarnia region (known as the Erie St. Clair Local Health Integration Network) can expect 60 of 100 patients being transferred from Trillium Health Care in Toronto. The other 40 are heading to the London area.There are currently five patients in WRH transferred from the Greater Toronto Area with three in the ICU. There are four hospitals in the Erie-St.Clair LHIN. In a statement to CBC, Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare says at the moment,the four hospitals are collectively being asked to take 14 war/medical patients a week, and to independently take ICU patients "as demand increases." Windsor regional tweeted out a similar statement that also said the number mentioned in the memo was inaccurate. The Erie St. Clair Local Health Integration Network declined to comment. The memo says the condition of patients coming to Windsor area will vary from having COVID-19 to not having the virus and also differ in severity of care. The memo says many will have to be accommodated in hospitals in the region. Impact of redeployment The possible redeployment of London's primary care physicians is brought up in the memo and while there is not a present request to redeploy family physicians, the memo notes "we are in a day-to-day situation and the landscape could change rapidly. Thus we are asking for 'all hands on deck to be on deck.'" Dr. Jessica Summerfield is the president of the Essex County Medical Society and says there has not been mention of redeploying primary care physicians to other locations. "We haven't yet been asked about redeployment other locations but we are certainly accepting patients, mostly from the GTA area to try and help out with the resources that we have locally." Asked about difficulties of bringing primary care physicians into the ICU, Summerfield says it depends on experience and background of the physician. "I mean that's total opposite ends of the spectrum in the field of medicine, but someone like myself, I work as a primary care physician, but I also work as a hospitalist, and we work in patient medicine as well. That's much more transferable." Summerfield said there are 959 physicians in Windsor-Essex comprised of family practice and specialty-based doctors.

  • Woman with dementia locked into 10-year home-heating contract — with a $15K lien on her property

    When Matt Fuchs needed money to hire a home-care worker for his 82-year-old mother, who has dementia, he figured getting a line of credit based on the equity in her house would be easy. After all, the home was mostly paid off. Instead, the application was denied over a $12,500 lien on the property for home heating and cooling equipment. Fuchs says he and his mother knew nothing about it. The lien was later increased to more than $15,000. Fuchs says the lien was put there after a company called Nationwide Home Comfort showed up at Mercedes Chacin de Fuchs's door in 2017 and convinced her to sign a 10-year rental contract for a furnace and air conditioner. "They came in and convinced somebody that has cognitive issues that they needed something they didn't need," Fuchs told Go Public. He says his mom, who also has Parkinson's disease, told him the salesperson said the company was part of a provincial environmental program that saves homeowners money. "She was duped. No doubt," Fuchs told Go Public. "Later, when I found out that this was a widespread problem across Canada, I got even more disgusted." Tens of thousands of Canadians are locked into similar "unconscionable" deals, says paralegal John Robinson, who fights such contracts in court, including that of Fuchs and his mom. How it works, according to Robinson, is an HVAC company sells the contracts, mostly to seniors, people with disabilities or those with English as a second language. Then a different company buys that contract and starts collecting the monthly payments — providing "financing." That way, Robinson says, the financing company can say it had nothing to do with how the contracts were signed. Those companies then slap liens on the property for the equipment, usually right away, that often aren't discovered by the homeowners until they go to sell or refinance, he says. In tiny print and written in legalese, Chacin de Fuchs's contract says the company has "the right to register a security interest" on the property and that the owner waives the right to get a copy of the registration. (Wendy Martinez/CBC) Robinson says land title departments in some cities allow companies to register security interests, or liens, without informing homeowners. The HVAC companies "don't [inform owners] because if they did, no one would agree to these agreements. No one would sign them," Robinson said. It's a convoluted web of companies, he says, that often make a lot of money off the backs of the most vulnerable. Less than a month after Chacin de Fuchs signed, her contract was taken over by a financing company called Home Trust, which slapped a $12,500 lien on the property. A year later, in November 2018, the contract was sold to Crown Crest Capital, which replaced the first lien with its own security interest for more than $15,000. Few answers Getting answers from some of the companies is tough. Go Public found a lot of their websites are shut down, the phone numbers are out of service, and the emails bounce back. Home Trust didn't reply to Go Public's repeated requests for comment. Nationwide Home Comfort is no longer operating, according to its former director Roman Berson, who now heads up two other HVAC companies. WATCH | Woman with dementia locked into 10-year home-heating contract: He says any claim of misrepresentation by the salesperson is "completely false" — Berson says Chacin de Fuchs invited the representative into her home by booking an appointment and that their vehicle was clearly marked with the Nationwide logo. He says all Nationwide's contracts now belong to Crown Crest Capital and another company. Crown Crest Capital, owned by Simply Group — a major player in the HVAC industry — said in an email to Go Public it has "worked so hard to counter bad practices" in the industry and has supported consumer protection reforms. "Sometimes, customers facing financial challenges try to renege on their commitments after years of complaint-free leasing by claiming to have been misled at the time they signed up," wrote vice president of customer experience Tasleemah Ladak. The Fuchs family is suing the companies involved. Matt Fuchs says he discovered the $15,000 lien on his mom's home years after she signed the contract. (Tina MacKenzie/CBC) In its statement of defence, Crown Crest Capital denies all allegations, saying it is only the financial institution that took on the contract after it was signed. In her email, Ladak also says less than 0.01 per cent of its accounts end up in litigation. The company would not say how many customers it has. Ladak also said Crown Crest Capital does not have any liens on properties but instead registers "interest in the leased equipment" so future homeowners know the equipment won't automatically become theirs. Robinson calls that last point "semantics" saying, "it makes no difference what you call it, everyone knows what a lien is … it's the same thing." Crown Crest Capital also says it regrets the Fuchs sued before reaching out to the company directly. Another family, Joddy Prevost and his wife Cherie Prevost of Tillsonburg, Ont., found liens of almost $17,000 on his dad's property after Norm Prevost passed away in November 2019. He'd signed the contract two years earlier, when he was 73. Joddy Prevost, right, and his wife, Cherie, say they had no choice but to pay out thousands of dollars on a contract his dad signed but didn't understand.(Mark Bochsler/CBC) "It was Ontario Energy Savings that was on all the papers, but when we called … they said, 'No, we just installed, you need to call whoever you purchased it from,'" Cherie said. They were finally told the contract was owned by Utilebill, another major player in the industry. Utilebill wanted $21,000 to buy the contract out, so Joddy hired a lawyer to negotiate with the company, ultimately paying $15,600. The couple says they felt they had no choice but to pay. Neither Ontario Energy Savings nor Utilebill responded to Go Public's questions. Fix is failing Robinson, the paralegal, says such liens hold consumers hostage because people who sell or refinance their homes have no choice but to pay out the contract if they want to remove the lien. Consumer protection agencies across the country have received over 2,000 complaints about HVAC contracts in the last five years. Paralegal John Robinson says governments need to do a lot more to protect consumers against certain home heating and cooling companies.(Stephane Richer/CBC) Ontario has laid the most charges, 1,235, against HVAC companies under its Consumer Protection Act, but its convictions are low, just five since 2017. The province has a "consumer beware list" where the public can search for details on all charges laid against businesses and owners. Cases involving these contracts have been flooding the courts, with consumers suing the companies over the contracts and vice versa, says Robinson. He says the business — mostly led by just a few multimillion-dollar companies — is so lucrative it's worth it for the companies to fight in court or pay consumer protection fines. In 2017 and 2018, Alberta and Ontario banned these kinds of door-to-door sales and required more transparency with the contracts. Manitoba is set to follow, but Robinson says bans are just a small "Band-Aid" for a big problem. Matt Fuchs is suing all the companies involved in the HVAC contract and the resulting liens on his mother's home.(Tina MacKenzie/CBC) He says the changes did nothing for the tens of thousands of Canadians still stuck with contracts and says some companies have learned to work around the rules — by soliciting new customers over the phone and under false pretenses, to get to the doorstep and say they were invited by the homeowner. The rules also fail to address liens. "Stop that and you'll solve the problem, because then they have no incentive … There's no monetary incentive," Robinson said. The Fuchses' case is now winding its way slowly, because of the pandemic, through the courts. Robinson was able to negotiate a temporary removal of the lien with Home Trust — before Crown Crest Capital took over the contract — so the family could secure the line of credit and get the home care his mother needs. The lien was then put back on. Submit your story ideas Go Public is an investigative news segment on CBC-TV, radio and the web. We tell your stories, shed light on wrongdoing and hold the powers that be accountable. If you have a story in the public interest, or if you're an insider with information, contact GoPublic@cbc.ca with your name, contact information and a brief summary. All emails are confidential until you decide to Go Public. Read more stories by Go Public.

  • 'We need to buy more time': P.E.I. tightens border for at least next 4 weeks

    Seasonal residents from outside Atlantic Canada will not be allowed to travel to P.E.I. until at least May 17, even if they had already been granted approval to enter the province, Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Heather Morrison said in a previously unscheduled news conference Monday. Morrison made the announcement as she detailed stricter new border measures to limit the importation and spread of COVID-19, and confirmed three new cases of the illness on Prince Edward Island. "We need to buy more time," she said. For the next four weeks, she said, the province is pausing non-resident travel to the province from outside Atlantic Canada. Morrison also advised Island residents to avoid non-essential travel off P.E.I., and said the timeline for the reopening of the Atlantic bubble, scheduled for May 3, would be re-examined in the coming days. More than 7,000 approved to date in 2021 Applications for permanent relocation to P.E.I. for work or school will continue to be processed, Morrison told reporters. However, people in that situation will need a negative pre-departure test within 72 hours of arrival, and will be tested three times during their two weeks of isolation. People intending to move to P.E.I. without a job or post-secondary admission in place will have to wait for things to open up again. Applications for travel to P.E.I. for compassionate reasons will continue to be processed and approved with the same restrictions in place, Morrison said. To give context, Morrison's office later told CBC News that 7,153 people had been approved for travel to P.E.I. so far in 2021. Of those, 115 will be notified by the end of this week that they must now defer their arrival until at least May 17. Rotational workers and commercial truckers who are residents of P.E.I. but travel outside Atlantic Canada will now need to isolate until their first negative test even if they have been vaccinated. Workers from other places who are coming to P.E.I. will need to show a negative COVID-19 result from no more than 72 hours before their arrival on the Island The news comes after P.E.I. reported three new cases of COVID-19 on Sunday, and eight in the last week. At least four of the recent travel-related cases are the highly transmissible B117 variant, Morrison said. Details on off-Island help to come Premier Dennis King was also at the briefing, and addressed the request from Ontario to help with human resources. He said the province will do whatever it can to help, being mindful that P.E.I. does not have an abundance of resources to offer. The premier said would be very easy "to revert to a protectionist instinct… or an us-versus-them mentality," but instead urged citizens of the province to "revert to the instincts of kindness and generosity." Two patients with COVID-19 are now being cared for at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Charlottetown.(Rick Gibbs/CBC) He added: "I know Canadians from other provinces would help if it was Prince Edward Island asking." He promised more details later in the day on health care help that could be available, noting that some P.E.I. health care workers have expressed interest in travelling to Ontario to assist. P.E.I. has now had 173 cases of COVID-19 since the pandemic began. Thirteen remain active. There have been no deaths. The first hospitalization due to the illness was confirmed on Friday, in a person aged between 40 and 49 with a recent history of travel outside Atlantic Canada. On Sunday, a news release announced three more cases, including a young child who needed hospital treatment. As well, the release said the person hospitalized earlier was now in intensive care. Morrison cited privacy rules as she declined to give an update on the two patients' condition on Monday. More from CBC P.E.I.

  • Alberta legislature turns down Opposition request to debate bill to protect Rockies

    EDMONTON — The Alberta legislature has turned down a request for a special debate on an Opposition bill intended to protect the province's Rocky Mountains from coal mining. The refusal from United Conservative MLAs to grant unanimous consent for the debate probably means the bill won't get any further and is likely to die on the order paper. "People from all walks of life, all kinds of backgrounds and all kinds of political views — they want to see this bill debated," NDP Leader Rachel Notley said in a release. "Today's action by the Kenney government is a betrayal of these Albertans." Notley had asked the legislature to push the proposed legislation up the agenda to be debated on Monday night. She said the debate was needed because drilling and road-building are going ahead on the eastern slopes of the mountains — even as the United Conservative government says it's gathering public feedback on coal mines. "The fact is, this is urgent," Notley told the legislature. "We want to provide a forum for that discussion to be heard in this house." The bill calls for cancellation of leases that were issued after the government scrapped a policy last May that protected a vast swath of summits and foothills along the western spine of the province. It would also stop the province's energy regulator from issuing development permits. Open-pit mines would be permanently prohibited in the most sensitive areas and mines elsewhere could not be approved until a land-use plan was developed. On the weekend, a letter signed by 35 scientists from the University of Alberta's biology department urged the government to allow the debate. "There is no reliable method to stop leaching of hazardous waste produced by surface coal mining into groundwater where, inevitably, it will pollute precious watersheds we all depend on that are already under severe stress," said the letter. The law is needed to at least slow development down, said Shelagh Campbell, the biologist who started the letter that went to all UCP caucus members. "The bill at least has a chance of getting these issues more out in the open," she said. "A lot of Albertans feel right now pretty desperate in terms of the tools we have at our disposal to slow down the mass destruction that's being visited on us." The provincial government originally gathered no public input before removing the measures that protected the landscape, but it later opened an online survey and appointed a panel to hear from people. The survey closed Monday. "The Coal Policy Committee is currently reviewing and analyzing the survey results and will provide an update in the near future," said Alberta Energy spokeswoman Jennifer Henshaw. "The results will also serve as a road map for the next steps in the coal policy engagement process." The panel has been widely criticized after its terms of reference made it clear its five members won't be allowed to hear concerns about water or land use — the two issues most Albertans are concerned about. Energy Minister Sonya Savage said that the university professors should consider making their points to the panel. "We would strongly encourage them to participate in the coal policy consultations which are currently ongoing," she said in an email. Campbell said she's received no substantive responses yet to the letter. She said the stakes involved in coal mining are too high to gamble with. "When they tell us that we can keep this or that out (of the water) and make it safe, it's not true. They don't know that." This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 19, 2021. — Follow Bob Weber on Twitter at @row1960 Bob Weber, The Canadian Press

  • Coyotes pounce on man who crashed electric scooter into one of them on Stanley Park seawall

    It's dark on the north side of the Stanley Park seawall at night. Thus, a man riding his electric scooter in the area just before midnight on Sunday likely didn't see it coming before he crashed into a coyote in his path. The impact — according to police, who highlighted the bizarre encounter on Monday — knocked the man off his scooter. Officers said he fell to the pavement and injured his collarbone. Then it got worse. "While he was on the ground, a couple of coyotes began to nip at him — biting at his jacket and his clothing," said Const. Steve Addison. Addison said the man fended off the animals and flagged down a passerby, who called 911. B.C. Emergency Health Services confirmed paramedics were called to respond to a "multiple animal situation" on the seawall between Lumbermen's Arch and the Lions Gate Bridge. The man was hospitalized in stable condition, according to an email. The run-in is at least the 17th incident since December in which a coyote has bitten a human in Stanley Park. All the biting incidents since Christmas have involved adults walking or running in the park, most often between dusk and dawn. People in the park should not feed coyotes or leave food out for animals, say wildlife officials. Anyone who has an encounter with an aggressive coyote is asked to call the provincial RAPP line at 1-877-952-7277.

  • N.B. COVID-19 roundup: 9 new cases in 4 zones

    New Brunswick is reporting nine new cases of COVID-19 on Monday, six of which are in the embattled Edmundston region, Zone 4. The other three cases include one each in the Moncton region, Zone 1, Fredericton region, Zone 3, and Bathurst region, Zone 6. "We are seeing more travel-related cases and transmission to household members when self-isolation measures are not strictly adhered to, so it is imperative that everyone who is self-isolating continue to do so for the full 14 days," Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Jennifer Russell said in a statement. "Failure to do so could be putting your loved ones at risk." There are now 158 active cases in the province. Twenty-one people are hospitalized with the virus, eight of whom are in intensive care. Of the 158 active cases in the province, 119 are in the Edmundston region, Zone 4, part of which remains under lockdown.(CBC) The new cases break down as follows: In the Moncton region (Zone 1): A person aged 20 to 29. This case is travel-related. In the Fredericton region (Zone 3): A person aged 40 to 49. This case is travel-related. In the Edmundston region (Zone 4): Three people aged 19 and under. Two people aged 40 to 49. A person aged 60 to 69. Four of these cases are contacts of previously confirmed cases and the other two are under investigation. In the Bathurst region (Zone 6): A person aged 40 to 49. This case is travel-related. New Brunswick has confirmed 1,797 cases since the start of the pandemic, including 1,605 recoveries. There have been 33 COVID-related deaths. Public Health conducted 1,026 tests on Sunday, for a total of 276,501. Reassuring data about vaccines and variants Epidemiologists say some reassuring data is emerging about COVID-19 vaccines. It looks like the current vaccines still provide fairly good protection against serious illness caused by the increasingly common COVID-19 variants, said Ashleigh Tuite of the University of Toronto's Dalla Lana School of Public Health. Meanwhile, the Moderna shot has been updated to cover the variant first identified in South Africa, said Tuite. The new version is undergoing a short clinical trial and may be available in a couple of months she said. Other emerging data suggests the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna shots, which both use messenger RNA, or mRNA, to carry instructions into the body for making proteins that prime it to attack a specific virus, may prevent a person from getting sick or being able to infect others, Tuite said. Infectious disease epidemiologist Ashleigh Tuite said experts are trying to determine which vaccine is best to give as the second dose to people under 55 who received AstraZeneca-Oxford as their first shot.(Nick Iwanyshyn/University of Toronto) But it's good to have more than one type of vaccine in the "arsenal," said Susan Kirkland of Dalhousie University's Department of Community Health and Epidemiology. "They act in different ways," said Kirkland, and "they have different effects on antibodies or T cells." That increases the odds one or more of them will be effective against new variants, she said. Some people who received a first dose of the AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine are wondering what they'll get for their second dose since it's now not recommended for people under 55. Getting a different shot may not be a bad thing, said Kirkland. "It may, in fact, give you a stronger response, not a weaker response," she said. Studies are happening now to see what the best options are. It's too soon to say whether "mixing and matching is a thing," said Tuite. She expects more information will be available within a month or two. Either way, she doesn't think anyone will have to restart their vaccine series. Vaccination update New Brunswick has administered more than 200,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine, with 27.5 per cent of the eligible population aged 16 and over having received at least one dose, the Department of Health said Monday. Clinics are underway to provide second doses at long-term care homes, including 4,900 second doses at 339 facilities this week. Masks more important with variants Masks should cover the nose and chin and not gape at the sides. (Submitted by Joanne Seiff) An infectious disease specialist and immunologist at Dalhousie Medical School says new COVID-19 variants make it more important than ever to wear a proper face mask. Variants seem to be easier to spread and are now responsible for the majority of new cases, including major outbreaks in some provinces. Dr. Lisa Barrett recommends wearing a mask that has three layers, made of tightly woven cotton with a filter in it. "Not bandanas, not clear plastic shields — those don't work," said Barrett. It's also key that the mask fits snugly over the nose and below the chin and doesn't gape at the sides, she said. Wearing two masks isn't a bad idea, said Barrett, if you're comfortable doing so. New possible exposure Public Health has identified potential public exposure to the virus in Edmundston: Familiprix, 131 de l'Église St., on April 8, between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Corrected recent possible exposures The dates and times for some recent possible public exposures in Saint John have changed on the government's website. "Through follow-up tracing work [Monday], it turns the individuals provided the wrong dates by mistake," Department of Health spokesperson Bruce Macfarlane said in an email. The new information information includes: Service New Brunswick, 15 King Square North, on April 15 between 3 p.m. and 3:45 p.m. Rocky's Sports Bar, 7 Market Square, on April 15 between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. "We quickly updated the website to reflect the individual's mistakes," Macfarlane said. He did not respond to questions about why no public correction was issued or what impact the delayed notification might have on individuals who should isolate. Other recent possible exposures Public Health has identified possible public exposures to COVID-19 in Edmundston: Jean Coutu, 77 Victoria St., Edmundston on April 16, between 1: 30 p.m. and 2 p.m.; on April 14, between noon and 12:45 p.m.; and on April 12, between 3 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. Public Health also identified a traveller who may have been infected while on the following flights on April 15: Air Canada Flight 318 – from Calgary to Montreal, departed at 11:53 a.m. Air Canada Flight 8906 – from Montreal to Moncton, departed at 7:08 p.m. People who were at these areas are eligible to be tested for COVID-19, even if they are not experiencing symptoms. What to do if you have a symptom People concerned they might have COVID-19 symptoms can take a self-assessment test online. Public Health says symptoms shown by people with COVID-19 have included: Fever above 38 C. New cough or worsening chronic cough. Sore throat. Runny nose. Headache. New onset of fatigue, muscle pain, diarrhea, loss of sense of taste or smell. Difficulty breathing. In children, symptoms have also included purple markings on the fingers and toes. People with one of those symptoms should: Stay at home. Call Tele-Care 811 or their doctor. Describe symptoms and travel history. Follow instructions.

  • Huawei CFO's team asks judge for adjournment in final extradition hearings

    VANCOUVER — Lawyers for Meng Wanzhou are asking a B.C. Supreme Court judge today to delay the final leg of hearings in the Huawei executive's extradition case. They say in court documents they need time to review new evidence obtained through a court order in Hong Kong that may support their argument that the United States misled Canadian officials in describing the allegations against Meng. Meng's legal team also says Canada's attorney general should launch an investigation into whether Meng was arrested based on inaccurate information and they are seeking an adjournment until such a probe is completed and the risk of COVID-19 subsides. Lawyers for Canada's attorney general say in their response that none of those factors justify a months-long adjournment and accuse Meng's team of trying to turn the extradition case into a trial. Three weeks of arguments in Meng's case are set to begin April 26. Meng was arrested at Vancouver's airport in 2018 at the request of the United States to face fraud charges related to America's sanctions against Iran, which both she and Huawei deny. In its response, the Crown says after 2 1/2 years of legal proceedings, "and mere days from reaching the finish line, the applicant asks this court to take a several month pause. Her request should be denied." This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 19, 2021. The Canadian Press

  • Doctors say clot treatment advice key to U.S. resuming J&J COVID vaccines

    Resuming the use of Johnson & Johnson's COVID-19 vaccine in the United States will require clear guidelines for the medical community on how to best treat patients that develop a rare type of blood clot, as well as alerting vaccine recipients to be aware of the telltale symptoms, according to heart doctors and other medical experts. U.S. health regulators recommended last week that use of the J&J vaccine be paused after six cases of rare brain blood clots, accompanied by low platelet levels, were reported in women following vaccination, out of some 7 million people who have received the shot in the United States.

  • UN chief alarmed over 'frightening' climate report

    UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is raising the alarm over "a frightening report" on climate that shows 2020 was one of the three hottest years on record, marked by wildfires, droughts, floods, melting glaciers and rising sea levels. (April 19)