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Local Journalism Initiative
Conklin residents accuse leaders of being absent, offering little support during COVID-19
For three minutes, Sherry Tremblay stopped breathing as COVID-19 waged its latest attack on her immune system. Tremblay, who lives in Conklin, had tested positive for the virus in Lac La Biche on New Year’s Eve and stayed at a local motel. When things worsened, she went to Lac La Biche’s health centre. She is convinced staying in Lac La Biche saved her life. She had a nurse visit or text her daily as she fought the virus. “If I was in Conklin when I was sick with COVID-19, I would never have survived because there is no one here to help me,” said Tremblay. “I would have passed away.” Conklin, with a population of 229 as of 2018, has had at least 25 COVID-19 cases since March. Tremblay and many other Conklin residents tell the Today they are unhappy with how community leaders have handled the crisis. Many complaints involve an inability to get information from Conklin Métis Local 193 and the Conklin Resource Development Advisory Committee (CRDAC). Some people say meetings and feedback sessions are rarely held, while others say available community supports are ineffective. Leaders with Conklin Métis refused to comment for this story, while CRDAC leaders did not return multiple requests for an interview. “When people get sick with COVID, they need help,” said Tremblay. “I wouldn’t want anyone in our community to get it because they will not get help from the representatives in the community.” A common complaint has been about the quality of monthly supplies sent to residents from the Conklin Community Association (CCA) and the Métis Local. These hampers include laundry detergent, bleach, flour, food and personal protective equipment. Resident Keith Tremblay said the meat he gets has no labels or expiration dates. It is also grey. Fruits and vegetables are broken, bruised or damaged from the cold. “A lot of the food was not edible,” said Keith. “I don’t know if it froze or where they got it from.” His biggest problem is he gets items he does not need. For instance, the hamper regularly includes menstrual products even though he has asked for their inclusion to stop. After every hamper delivery, Keith bundles the supplies he doesn’t need and gives them to people who do need them. “It’s just kind of a waste,” said Keith. “They are just assuming what they need but in reality, they don’t even know what we need.” Conklin’s Métis elders also feel there is a disconnect from community leadership. Lena McCallum said she often doesn’t know who to call if she has problems or concerns. Before the pandemic, McCallum said a shuttle regularly took people to medical appointments in Fort McMurray and Lac La Biche. This shuttle has not been to the community since March. She has not been told when it will return. “We’re living in the dark,” said McCallum. “We don’t have anyone to talk to when we need it.” The pandemic has been a lonely time for McCallum. Usually her house is full of playing and singing grandchildren. This year has been quiet since her grandchildren cannot visit from Fort McKay. “They’re crying to me on the phone and that’s really heartbreaking,” said McCallum. McCallum wants stronger programs aimed to support elders in the future. The physical and mental health of the community is deteriorating, she said. Marcel Shephard, a previous leader with the Métis Local, said regular communication would solve many concerns people have in the community. COVID-19 has made it difficult to hold public meetings, but Shepard still wants leadership to find ways to keep residents informed. “As long as everyone has internet, we could have meetings online,” said Shephard. “Even a newsletter would be better than what we have now.” [email protected] Sarah Williscraft, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Fort McMurray Today
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The Canadian Press
Men charged after Vancouver senior dies of injuries suffered in violent home invasion
VANCOUVER — Two men have been charged following the death of a 78-year-old woman who was fatally injured in a violent home invasion in Vancouver. Police say 41-year-old Pascal Bouthilette has been charged with second-degree murder and 47-year-old Sandy Parisian is accused of manslaughter. Investigators believe Usha Singh was attacked early Sunday by two men who entered her home posing as police officers. She died in hospital on Tuesday, the same day police announced the arrests of the two men, saying Parisian was wanted on a Canada-wide warrant for unrelated offences when he was picked up in Vancouver. Police say he suffered a serious bite wound from a police service dog during the arrest and was treated and released from hospital. The Independent Investigations Office, which examines police-involved injuries, was notified. Bouthilette was taken into custody a few hours later near the city’s Downtown Eastside. Police said they continue to gather evidence and have served numerous search warrants, including at least one in Strathcona Park, where a large tent encampment is located. Sgt. Steve Addison says the home invasion that led to Singh’s death “struck fear and anxiety in the community.” “We hope these arrests begin to restore a sense of calm and safety,” Addison says in a statement. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 3, 2021. The Canadian Press
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The Canadian Press
Ontario to reopen most schools on Monday, Toronto, Peel, York on Feb. 16
TORONTO — Students in Ontario regions hit hard by COVID-19 will begin returning to physical classrooms next week as the province said new infections were gradually declining and additional measures had been put in place to ensure schools would be safe. Education Minister Stephen Lecce said Wednesday that students in 13 public health units, including Hamilton and Windsor, Ont., will resume in-person learning on Monday. Students in Toronto, Peel Region and York Region will return to shuttered schools a week later, on Feb. 16. Ontario had previously said all students learning online could return to physical classrooms by Feb. 10, but the detection of virus variants and concern cases could spike had cast doubt on that date. Lecce said the province made its reopening decisions based on advice from local medical officers of health and Ontario’s top doctor. “We have seen a consistent decline in key transmission rates and with the full support of the chief medical officer of health … Ontario is ready to reopen our schools because it’s safe,” he said. Lecce said the province will continue to monitor COVID-19 trends and take further action if health experts recommend it. “If they give us an indication that there is a risk to schools, to communities, to your child, and to our staff, … I will not hesitate to act,” he said. The province also said individual public health units have the authority to close schools to in-person learning based on local circumstances. All students in Ontario began January with online learning as part of a provincial lockdown. The province then took a staggered approach to reopening schools, allowing those in northern Ontario and rural areas to resume in-person learning first. Lecce said the province has added a number of safety measures, including asymptomatic testing and enhanced screening for secondary students and staff. The government has also allocated $341 million in federal funding to school boards that will go towards measures that include hiring more cleaning staff, buying personal protective equipment, and enhancing air filtration. Ontario’s largest teachers’ union said Wednesday that adequate safety measures must be in place to prevent future school closures. The president of the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario said the government must take “urgent action” to fund additional measures and provide time for school boards to implement them. “The Ford government has not invested any new provincial money since August,” Sam Hammond said. “They must stop taking credit for federal funding and invest now to avoid contributing to a third wave.” NDP education critic Marit Stiles said while the Opposition want to sees schools reopen, the government has not demonstrated how it will make them safe. The province needs to cap class sizes at 15 students, create a comprehensive in-school testing regime, and improve ventilation, she said. “Don’t just open schools — make them safe to open,” Stiles said. Romana Siddiqui, a mother of three living in Mississauga, Ont., said it’s some comfort for her that Peel Region is resuming classes a week later than others, allowing more time for cases to decline further. She said, however, that she’d still like to see more safety measures, such as smaller class sizes. “We know for our kids, being in a brick-and-mortar school in person, that’s the best in terms of the quality of their education,” Siddiqui said, adding that it’s a difficult call to weigh the benefits of in-person learning with the risks of virus transmission in schools. “There’s always a push-and-pull. There’s no easy answers.” Shameela Shakeel, who has three school-aged children, said she wants assurance that the government’s “enhanced safety measures” will be in place by the time classes resume in York Region in two weeks. “They have to really start to seriously mean it when they say that safety comes first for our kids and educators,” the Newmarket, Ont., parent said. The decision on schools came as Ontario reported 1,172 new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday, although officials noted that updates to the provincial case-management system were causing data fluctuations. Meanwhile, schools are also set to reopen full-time in two of Nunavut’s three regions on Thursday, after months of operating only part-time. Students in the territory’s Qikiqtani region and Kitikmeot region will be allowed back to class full-time, but schools in the Kivalliq region in central Nunavut will stick to a part-time schedule due to an ongoing outbreak in Arviat. In Quebec on Wednesday, officials said they won’t set up police checkpoints to restrict travel between regions when health measures are loosened next week. The province said it will rely on the honour system to prevent those in more regulated areas from going to the six regions with fewer rules. The province recorded 1,053 new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday, for a second day in a row. It also logged another 37 deaths related to the virus. In Saskatchewan, officials reported 194 new infections and eight more deaths, while Manitoba saw 126 new cases and three more deaths. Out east, some provinces saw numbers in the single digits, while Prince Edward Island recorded no new cases. New Brunswick reported 14 new infections. – with files from Paola Loriggio. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 3, 2021. Shawn Jeffords and Holly McKenzie-Sutter, The Canadian Press
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CBC
Stratford hockey player up for coveted Hobey Baker Award
Ryan Steele of Stratford, P.E.I., has been nominated for the Hobey Baker Memorial Award, considered the most prestigious award in NCAA Division 1 hockey. Steele, who plays for the Sacred Heart Pioneers in Fairfield, Conn., is one of more than 50 nominees selected by their school’s athletic department. The winner is chosen by fan voting. Islanders can vote for Steele here. According to the Hobey Baker website, “winners are chosen not for raw skill or stats or character alone, though those are important. They are selected for everything they do.” Candidates must: Exhibit strength and character, both on and off the ice. Contribute to the integrity of the team. Display outstanding skills in all phases of the game. Show scholastic achievement and sportsmanship. Several players who won the Hobey Baker Award have gone on to play in the NHL, including Cale Makar, Jack Eichel, Ryan Miller, George MacPhee, Johnny Gaudreau and Paul Kariya. Steele, a high-scoring forward, played minor hockey with teams from Pownal and Cornwall. His sister, Sarah Steele, plays professional hockey with the Toronto Six of the National Women’s Hockey League. More from CBC P.E.I.
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The Canadian Press
A look at COVID-19 vaccinations in Canada on Wednesday, Feb. 3, 2021
The latest numbers on COVID-19 vaccinations in Canada as of 10: 30 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Feb. 3, 2021. In Canada, the provinces are reporting 13,768 new vaccinations administered for a total of 1,000,862 doses given. The provinces have administered doses at a rate of 2,640.847 per 100,000. There were 2,340 new vaccines delivered to the provinces and territories for a total of 1,157,381 doses delivered so far. The provinces and territories have used 86.48 per cent of their available vaccine supply. Please note that Newfoundland, P.E.I., Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and the territories typically do not report on a daily basis. Newfoundland is reporting 2,516 new vaccinations administered over the past seven days for a total of 12,596 doses given. The province has administered doses at a rate of 24.055 per 1,000. There were zero new vaccines delivered to Newfoundland for a total of 16,500 doses delivered so far. The province has received enough of the vaccine to give 3.2 per cent of its population a single dose. The province has used 76.34 per cent of its available vaccine supply. P.E.I. is reporting 739 new vaccinations administered over the past seven days for a total of 7,856 doses given. The province has administered doses at a rate of 49.524 per 1,000. There were zero new vaccines delivered to P.E.I. for a total of 9,225 doses delivered so far. The province has received enough of the vaccine to give 5.8 per cent of its population a single dose. The province has used 85.16 per cent of its available vaccine supply. Nova Scotia is reporting 3,551 new vaccinations administered over the past seven days for a total of 15,837 doses given. The province has administered doses at a rate of 16.228 per 1,000. There were zero new vaccines delivered to Nova Scotia for a total of 28,850 doses delivered so far. The province has received enough of the vaccine to give 3.0 per cent of its population a single dose. The province has used 54.89 per cent of its available vaccine supply. New Brunswick is reporting 3,020 new vaccinations administered over the past seven days for a total of 17,277 doses given. The province has administered doses at a rate of 22.149 per 1,000. There were zero new vaccines delivered to New Brunswick for a total of 21,675 doses delivered so far. The province has received enough of the vaccine to give 2.8 per cent of its population a single dose. The province has used 79.71 per cent of its available vaccine supply. Quebec is reporting 716 new vaccinations administered for a total of 241,546 doses given. The province has administered doses at a rate of 28.229 per 1,000. There were zero new vaccines delivered to Quebec for a total of 256,625 doses delivered so far. The province has received enough of the vaccine to give 3.0 per cent of its population a single dose. The province has used 94.12 per cent of its available vaccine supply. Ontario is reporting 3,716 new vaccinations administered for a total of 348,331 doses given. The province has administered doses at a rate of 23.714 per 1,000. There were zero new vaccines delivered to Ontario for a total of 411,650 doses delivered so far. The province has received enough of the vaccine to give 2.8 per cent of its population a single dose. The province has used 84.62 per cent of its available vaccine supply. Manitoba is reporting 644 new vaccinations administered for a total of 43,318 doses given. The province has administered doses at a rate of 31.458 per 1,000. There were 2,340 new vaccines delivered to Manitoba for a total of 57,990 doses delivered so far. The province has received enough of the vaccine to give 4.2 per cent of its population a single dose. The province has used 74.7 per cent of its available vaccine supply. Saskatchewan is reporting 188 new vaccinations administered for a total of 35,763 doses given. The province has administered doses at a rate of 30.329 per 1,000. There were zero new vaccines delivered to Saskatchewan for a total of 35,091 doses delivered so far. The province has received enough of the vaccine to give 3.0 per cent of its population a single dose. The province has used 101.9 per cent of its available vaccine supply. Alberta is reporting 1,903 new vaccinations administered for a total of 109,341 doses given. The province has administered doses at a rate of 24.839 per 1,000. There were zero new vaccines delivered to Alberta for a total of 122,725 doses delivered so far. The province has received enough of the vaccine to give 2.8 per cent of its population a single dose. The province has used 89.09 per cent of its available vaccine supply. British Columbia is reporting 1,694 new vaccinations administered for a total of 142,146 doses given. The province has administered doses at a rate of 27.70 per 1,000. There were zero new vaccines delivered to British Columbia for a total of 156,250 doses delivered so far. The province has received enough of the vaccine to give 3.0 per cent of its population a single dose. The province has used 90.97 per cent of its available vaccine supply. Yukon is reporting 1,706 new vaccinations administered for a total of 9,091 doses given. The territory has administered doses at a rate of 217.848 per 1,000. There were zero new vaccines delivered to Yukon for a total of 14,400 doses delivered so far. The territory has received enough of the vaccine to give 35 per cent of its population a single dose. The territory has used 63.13 per cent of its available vaccine supply. The Northwest Territories are reporting zero new vaccinations administered for a total of 12,241 doses given. The territory has administered doses at a rate of 271.305 per 1,000. There were zero new vaccines delivered to the Northwest Territories for a total of 14,400 doses delivered so far. The territory has received enough of the vaccine to give 32 per cent of its population a single dose. The territory has used 85.01 per cent of its available vaccine supply. Nunavut is reporting 13 new vaccinations administered for a total of 5,519 doses given. The territory has administered doses at a rate of 142.514 per 1,000. There were zero new vaccines delivered to Nunavut for a total of 12,000 doses delivered so far. The territory has received enough of the vaccine to give 31 per cent of its population a single dose. The territory has used 45.99 per cent of its available vaccine supply. *Notes on data: The figures are compiled by the COVID-19 Open Data Working Group based on the latest publicly available data and are subject to change. Note that some provinces report weekly, while others report same-day or figures from the previous day. Vaccine doses administered is not equivalent to the number of people inoculated as the approved vaccines require two doses per person. The vaccines are currently not being administered to children under 18 and those with certain health conditions. This report was automatically generated by The Canadian Press Digital Data Desk and was first published Feb. 3, 2021. The Canadian Press
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Local Journalism Initiative
Public works projects under budget for White City in 2020
White City’s public works department reported its capital projects completed in 2020 came in under budget on the whole. A new parking area at the Fernwood Park pickleball and tennis court facility was added for $8,000, half of the budgeted $16,000. Another significant saving came with the installation of LED pathway light upgrades, where the project came in $4,100 under budget at $22,400. Upgrades to two sewage pumping stations and the addition of a generator combined were also under budget. The combined cost of $106,171 was $829 under budget. Sewer line cleaning and inspections were also carried out throughout the town, and came in $1,200 under budget, with $33,800 spent. Capital road repairs were $1,000 over budget, with $123,100 being spent. Public works manager Gary Schmidt said there were 1,432 square metres of road repairs done on Meadow Road, Fernwood Bay and Aspen Place. A new solar crosswalk structure at White City Drive was installed using a $15,000 provincial grant. The remaining cost of $28.67 was covered by the town and was reported as technically over budget. Keith Borkowsky, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Quad Town Forum
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CBC
More snow is on the way, but Calgary’s residential streets will need to wait
Calgary drivers had to navigate slippery roads throughout Calgary this morning — and according to Environment Canada, that could be in the cards for much of this week with more snow expected. City crews are working to keep main roads in driving condition, but removing snow from residential streets isn’t in the cards, a spokesperson said. “What we don’t do is remove snow from residential side streets,” said Chris McGeachy, spokesperson for the city’s roads department. “It’s a fiscal responsibility thing. It would cost somewhere in the area of $13 [million] to $15 million to remove snow from all of our residential side streets.” Under the city’s seven-day snow plan, roads see priorities based on their traffic volume. Those with the highest volume, such as Crowchild Trail and Glenmore Trail, are cleared first before crews then turn their attention to lower priority routes. “Our crews have been working through the night and we’ll continue working today,” McGeachy said. “Right now, our focus is on high-volume roads. We’re plowing and applying material to those high-volume roads.” McGeachy said the city expected to see somewhere around 15 centimetres of snow accumulation by the end of Wednesday. David Zaleschuk with Stampede Messenger and Express said significant snowfall poses big challenges to the business. “I mean, we drive in it all day long and every day of the year and other people not so much. It can be more nerve-racking [than] for a regular person,” Zaleschuk said. Fifty-eight crashes took place between 8 p.m. on Tuesday and 10 a.m. Wednesday, seven of which included injuries, police said. Environment Canada is calling for up to another 15 centimetres of snow starting Friday through Sunday.
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The Canadian Press
Britain to test mixing and matching of COVID-19 vaccines
British scientists are starting a study Thursday to find out if it’s OK to mix and match COVID-19 vaccines. The vaccines being rolled out now require two doses, and people are supposed to get two shots of the same kind, weeks apart. Guidelines in Britain and the U.S. say the vaccines aren’t interchangeable, but can be mixed if the same kind isn’t available for the second dose or if it’s not known what was given for the first shot. Participants in the government-funded study will get one shot of the AstraZeneca vaccine followed by a dose from Pfizer, or vice versa. “This study will give us greater insight into how we can use vaccines to stay on top of this nasty disease,” said Jonathan Van Tam, the U.K.’s deputy chief medical officer. He said that given the challenges of immunizing millions of people amid a global vaccine shortage, there would be advantages to having data that could support more “flexible” immunization campaigns. COVID-19 vaccines all train the body to recognize the coronavirus, mostly the spike protein that coats it. The ones from AstraZeneca and Pfizer use different technologies. AstraZeneca’s uses a common cold virus to carry the spike gene into the body. Pfizer’s is made by putting a piece of genetic code called mRNA — the instructions for that spike protein — inside a little ball of fat. The British research is scheduled to run 13 months and will also test different intervals between doses, four weeks and 12 weeks apart. A study published this week on the Russian-made Sputnik V vaccine showed it was about 91% effective in preventing COVID-19. Some immunologists credit the fact that the vaccine uses two slightly different shots, made with similar technology to AstraZeneca’s. But the AstraZeneca and Pfizer vaccines are “so different that it’s really hard to know if that would work,” said Alexander Edwards, an associate professor in biomedical technology at Britain’s University of Reading. Matthew Snape, the new study’s leader at Oxford University, which helped develop the AstraZeneca vaccine, called for British volunteers over age 50 to sign up; scientists are hoping to enrol more than 800 people. If the vaccines can be used interchangeably, “this will greatly increase the flexibility of vaccine delivery,” he said in a statement. “(It) could provide clues as to how to increase the breadth of protection against new virus strains.” In recent weeks, Britain, the European Union and numerous other countries have been hit with vaccine supply issues: AstraZeneca said it would dramatically reduce the expected number of doses it could deliver due to manufacturing delays and Pfizer also slowed deliveries while it upgraded its Belgian factory. ___ The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Maria Cheng, The Associated Press
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CBC
100 cheeseburgers, mood lights and exotic dancers: Search warrant details alleged pandemic penthouse party
In the early hours of Saturday morning, as Vancouver police officers stood outside what they suspected was a makeshift nightclub housed in the penthouse of a downtown apartment building, a delivery driver allegedly showed up with a McDonald’s bag. Police claim there were 100 cheeseburgers inside — a detail that would become part of the rationale for investigators to return to the suite with a search warrant 24 hours later. “I believe this shows that the number of people inside [the penthouse] was so large that they required an unusually large order of 100 cheeseburgers,” wrote Const. Regie Gnanaseelan, the officer who swore the information to obtain the warrant, which was obtained by CBC News. A lack of police resources Cheeseburgers, exotic dancers, mood lighting and guests wearing socked feet to avoid making too much noise: those are all part of the details alleged by police last Sunday in order to gain entry to what they claimed was a nightclub. The owner of the suite, Mohammad Movassaghi, has been charged with two counts of violating the emergency health orders of B.C. Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry. None of the allegations in the warrant have been proven in court. In obtaining the warrant to enter Movassaghi’s home, police said they were seeking liquor bottles, cash, credit card machines and documentation that would help them to do contact tracing for COVID-19. The court documents claim that police first received a complaint about the suite nearly a month earlier, on Jan. 2, when they received a 911 call from someone who “reported loud music and party sounds, stating that it has been going on for days.” But according to the warrant, no police officers were able to attend at that time, “due to the volume of calls in the city.” Heard a single voice say ‘shhhh’ The following weekend, police received another 911 call from someone claiming there were approximately 100 people inside the suite. But police didn’t attend then either because of a “lack of resources.” Police did go to the suite the weekend after, and they allegedly heard a loud party on arrival. But when they knocked on the door “all noises ceased and the occupants refused to come to the door.” Gnanaseelan claims police got a call the next weekend — on Jan. 23 — from a woman who said she had been invited to the penthouse by a friend, but left “appalled” by what she allegedly saw. “Upon entering the suite they were directed to remove their shoes to prevent noise. She observed a stripper pole from the second floor of the suite down to the first floor and there were exotic dancers dancing on the pole,” Gnanaseelan wrote. “There was a corner of the room that had bartenders making and serving drinks. There was a DJ booth in the second floor of the suite. The suite had spot lights and mood lighting as if it were a nightclub. There were approximately 50-100 people in the penthouse suite.” At that time Gnanaseelan claims he attended. “I knocked on the door three times and heard a single voice say ‘shhhh’ and then overheard it being repeated several times as if it were being passed along,” the officer wrote. Police allegedly arrested a man who emerged from the suite holding a device to count patrons, which showed the number 41. They talked through the door with Movassaghi, who allegedly said “I refuse any charge you have against me” and refused to open the door. ‘Appeared to read a prepared script’ At 12: 30 a.m. last Saturday, the building concierge called police to report a large party of 23 people. “The concierge was concerned about COVID non-compliance and informed the call taker that people had been getting buzzed into the unit all night long,” the information to obtain the search warrant reads. After observing the alleged cheeseburger delivery, officers knocked on the door, but Movassaghi refused to open. He allegedly “appeared to read a prepared script written by a lawyer, directing police to serve paperwork and to direct any questions to his lawyer,” police claim. Gnanaseelan claims that police stationed outside the building saw multiple small groups of people show up while they were on site, buzzing on the intercom and saying “Hey Mo” before being let in. The officer obtained a search warrant at 1: 55 a.m. Sunday on the belief that the penthouse was being operated as an “after-hours nightclub.” Movassaghi was arrested and taken into custody. He was released on Sunday morning on five bail conditions, that include agreeing not to host any events, to comply with the public health orders and to have only one other person, a woman, in the suite. He is only the second person in B.C. to be charged under Section 99 of the Public Health Act in relation to alleged violations of pandemic-related restrictions. Police said they issued more than $17,000 in fines to the 77 people they say were found in the 1,827-square-foot penthouse. They also said no one inside was wearing a mask. $25,000 and/or up to six months in jail Movassaghi’s next court appearance is Feb. 22. He has not yet entered a plea to the charges, which carry penalties of up to $25,000 and/or six months in jail. His lawyer has not responded to emailed requests for comment from the CBC. A former financial planner who was fired from his job in September 2016 for allegedly forging a client’s signature, Movassaghi bought the penthouse for $2.95 million in November 2020. Last April, he lost a wrongful dismissal suit brought against his former employer and was ordered to pay almost $15,000 in a counterclaim. B.C.’s COVID-19 restrictions ban gathering with anyone outside your household. B.C. health officials announced 414 new cases of COVID-19 and 16 more deaths on Wednesday. A total of 1,234 people in B.C. have lost their lives due to COVID-19 since the pandemic began out of 68,780 confirmed cases. More than 61,643 people who tested positive have recovered.
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The Canadian Press
Jill Biden promotes 2 passions: military and cancer research
WASHINGTON — Jill Biden promoted two of her passions on Wednesday: military families and cancer research. She spoke to the spouses of senior defence officials about her appreciation for military families and her plan to revive a program she and then-first lady Michelle Obama started in 2011 to promote wellness, education and employment for service members, their spouses and children. The first lady said getting to know military families during her many years as the spouse of an elected official had “enriched my life in ways I never could have expected.” She said she looked forward to using her new position and platform to help return the favour. Her and President Joe Biden’s son Beau was a Delaware Army National Guard member who spent a year in Iraq from 2008 to 2009. He died of brain cancer in 2015 at age 46. The first lady also paid a virtual visit to the National Cancer Institute, which is part of the National Institutes of Health under the Department of Health and Human Services. Her interest in cancer research dates to the 1990s, when four of her friends were diagnosed with breast cancer in the same year. Her parents also died of cancer. Norman Sharpless, the institute’s director, said too many Americans continue to die of cancer and that too little progress has been made against certain types of cancers. He said the coronavirus pandemic had also caused delays in cancer screenings, diagnoses and treatments, and could lead to possibly worse outcomes over the next decade. Jill Biden said cancer is a “human issue” that affects everyone regardless of political affiliation. She pledged the administration’s continued support for the institute’s research, including the Cancer Moonshot initiative that Joe Biden led as vice-president. “This is the fight of your lives and we will never stop working to fight this disease,” the first lady told Sharpless and several doctors who briefed her on their work. “Thank you for the hope that you are giving millions of Americans.” Darlene Superville, The Associated Press
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Reuters
Amazon plans AI-powered cameras in delivery vans to improve driver safety
The company’s plans were earlier disclosed in an instructional video about the cameras, reported earlier in the day by technology publication the Information. Amazon said in the video that the cameras, developed by transportation technology company Netradyne, use artificial intelligence (AI) to provide warnings about speeding and distracted driving among other things. They have been shown to reduce collisions and improve driver behavior, Amazon’s Karolina Haraldsdottir, a senior manager for last-mile safety, said in the video.
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Reuters
Global equities markets rise on better outlook, dollar gains
Global equities rallied for a fourth day of gains on Thursday as signs of a stable U.S. labor market, a revitalized dollar and rising bond yields turned attention to economies on the mend rather than the recent trading feud sparked by retail investors. Longer-term U.S. Treasury yields rose in anticipation of a large pandemic relief bill from Washington, while the dollar climbed toward a fifth straight daily gain on a possibly stronger-than-expected U.S. jobs report on Friday. The Nasdaq and S&P 500 surged before the bell to set record closing highs, and the dollar increased gains late in the session.
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The Canadian Press
Raimondo bids farewell in final State of the State speech
PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo bid farewell to her state Wednesday, using her final State of the State address to praise its citizens’ resilience and sacrifice during the pandemic as she awaits confirmation as U.S. Secretary of Commerce. Speaking from a largely empty legislative chamber, Raimondo also highlighted her successes since winning the governor’s office in 2014 and vowed a seamless transition to her successor, Lt. Gov. Dan McKee, when it comes to fighting the virus. “Many years from now, we will look back at this year and everything we overcame together,” said the Democrat, whose speech was broadcast on television and online. “I hope what we remember is the strength, determination and fortitude that carried us from some of the darkest days into a brighter, more prosperous, more equitable future.” New cases of COVID-19 are down in recent weeks, as are deaths and hospitalizations, Raimondo noted, even as the number of vaccinated Rhode Islanders is climbing. She expressed sympathy for the nearly 2,200 families that have lost someone to the virus, and said the dome of the Statehouse had been lit Wednesday in their memory. “I want you to know that there will be no disruption to our state’s COVID-19 response, and Lt. Governor McKee has committed to maintaining the entire statewide response team,” she said. Much of the speech highlighted Raimondo’s successes since she first took over the reins to a state still reeling from the Great Recession. Her list included lower unemployment, a state record for total jobs, more than $1 billion in new investment; road construction and repairs; expanded early childhood education and workforce training; and free community college for high school graduates. Each of those will help the state “build back better” following the pandemic, she said, even if she may be observing from Washington D.C. The precise timing of the state’s change in power remains unknown. McKee is set to serve out the remaining two years of Raimondo’s term once she steps down, a move expected to quickly follow her confirmation vote in the U.S. Senate. The U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation voted Wednesday to send Raimondo’s nomination to the full Senate, but that vote may have to wait on former President Donald Trump’s impeachment trial beginning next week. It will be up to McKee, a Democrat, to nominate the next lieutenant governor, who must be approved by the state Senate. Before she was elected as the state’s first female governor, Raimondo, 49, made national news as the state’s treasurer when she took on the state’s growing pension liability. A Rhode Scholar and graduate of Yale Law School, Raimondo led a venture capital firm before entering politics. She ended her final State of the State address with a message to the state’s young women and girls. “This world needs you. We need your voice. We need your ideas,” she said. “You are strong and smart and capable. And I’m looking forward to the day when one of you is our governor.” David Klepper, The Associated Press
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Local Journalism Initiative
New long-term education plan in works for PVSD
The Prairie Valley School Division will be working on a new 10-year education plan in 2021, along with the provincial education department, director of Luc Lerminiaux told a meeting of trustees Jan. 13. The new Provincial Education Plan was to be in place earlier in 2021, but the COVID-19 pandemic and the challenges that presented the education system delayed progress on the plan’s development. “As a result, what was decided by the ministry and governance structure (education directors in other school divisions) was to develop an interim plan for 2021-22, and through the course of this year, possibly into September, develop a new (strategic plan),” Lerminiaux said, adding this one-year bridge plan would enable the full development of the 10-year plan as originally intended. Developing an interim strategic plan was chosen over extending the existing plan for one year, as it can take into account specific challenges school systems face in light of COVID-19. Three specific areas include reading supports for students in Grades 1-3, learning apps to assist remote or online learning, and anxiety, mental health and wellness. Lerminiaux said efforts to obtain additional personal protective equipment for education staff have also been made. “The combination of the wearing of surgical-grade masks and face shields, along with training of proper donning and doffing of this equipment wouldn’t automatically lead to staff having to quarantine after a potential COVID-19 exposure,” Lerminiaux said, adding those provisions would be subject to Saskatchewan Health Authority directives and guidelines. Leadership development and succession planning has also been on mind of the Prairie Valley School Division, Lerminiaux said. Where past programs have worked with teachers aspiring for leadership, this year’s efforts are targeted to anyone who aspires to leadership. “It’s great to see staff from division services take part as the concept of leadership transcends the classroom,” Lerminiaux said. Lerminiaux also noted that students needing more intense individualized learning plans to achieve have increased in the division. “Remember in some cases, some kids have multiple plans as they may have a variety of diagnoses,” Lerminiaux said. As Grade 12 students look to complete their course work and have the requirements to graduate, the division needs to look at alternative course delivery. Lerminiaux said calculus and pre-calculus have been offered at Vibank through distance learning. As COVID-19 pushed more learning online, Lerminiaux said other courses may become available to other smaller high school through distance education as well. “What we currently do is deliver the best we can, and sometimes we farm out to other distance education providers,” Lerminiaux said. “This isn’t to replace in-person learning and we aren’t looking at solely virtual schooling. We are just trying to top up the options available to students in senior maths and sciences, and also social sciences, social justice and mental health and wellness courses. We will see how that plays out and whether there is sufficient interest.” Keith Borkowsky, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Quad Town Forum
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The Canadian Press
Burnaby Hospital reports new COVID-19 flare-up two days after declaring outbreak over
BURNABY, B.C. — Just a few days after a COVID-19 outbreak was declared over at the hospital in Burnaby, B.C., another flare-up has been reported at the health centre. The Fraser Health authority says nine patients in the medicine unit at Burnaby Hospital have tested positive and it has been temporarily closed to admissions. The emergency department remains open at the hospital and enhanced cleaning and contact tracing has begun. COVID-19 hot spots also remain in British Columbia’s Interior Health authority, where dozens of new cases have been reported in Williams Lake, Fernie and Big White ski resort. Bulletins from the authority say there are 37 new cases in Williams Lake, seven more in Fernie and five added to the case count at Big White. Since Dec. 15, those three communities have been responsible for the spread of over 700 cases. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 3, 2021. The Canadian Press
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The Canadian Press
Review: In ‘Malcolm & Marie,’ an ego trip not worth taking
“Malcolm & Marie,” at least, looks the part. Shot in slinky black-and-white, with John David Washington and Zendaya playing a sharply dressed couple just back to their stunning, modernist Los Angeles home, “Malcolm & Marie” has the stylized appearance of “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf,” as well as the cocktails and shouting matches. But if Edward Albee’s scathing play and Mike Nichols’ scalding screen adaptation used the anger and pain of a boozing couple to burrow brutally into marriage, the domestic fury of writer-director Sam Levinson’s millennial melodrama is glossier and sexier but of far less substance. In self-indulgent dialogue reverberating around ego, art and filmmaking, “Malcolm & Marie” more reflects a Twitter argument brought to life, with film-theory sparring between Malcolm (Washington), a director, and Marie (Zendaya), the young woman who inspired his just-premiered film. For such a well-heeled film, it’s strikingly, frustratingly hollow. Conceived and shot stealthily during the pandemic, “Malcolm & Marie” (debuting Friday on Netflix) has the benefit of feeling fresh at a time when little else does. At first, Levinson’s camera glides back and forth outside the house, peering through the windows, as Malcolm and Marie return home. It’s 1 a.m. in Malibu and Malcolm is amped from the triumphant premiere of his film. “Did you see the audience? I said did you see in the audience?” he exclaims in between fixing a drink and turning the music up. But Marie is less enthused. In Malcolm’s long list of thank yous, he omitted her name, even though the film — she claims, he disagrees — is about her life as a recovering drug addict. (Levinson created the HBO series “Euphoria,” starring Zendaya as a teenager out of rehab.) Credit is only one of the points of contention, as the two exchange body blows in between bouts of romance, bath tubs and mac ‘n cheese. She calls him a fraud. He needles her stalled career as an actor. But the dominant thread is Malcolm’s ongoing criticism and debate about how his work is received “through a political lens.” As a Black man, he resents critics comparing him to Barry Jenkins when he considers William Wyler a more fitting comparison. “Not everything I do is political just because I’m Black,” he says. Malcolm, in full-throated monologues, attacks how identity politics and “authenticity” are the prevailing metrics of film criticism, rather than what’s on screen. It’s a, let’s say, interesting argument to voice through a Black character written by a white man. Is Malcolm a mouthpiece for Levinson? Should it matter? Either way, “Malcolm & Marie,” as much as its two performers have dedicated themselves to the material (Washington, in particular, is fabulously limber and electric compared to his necessarily more dour performance in Christopher Nolan’s “Tenet”), never convinces that it’s an ego trip worth sticking around to listen to. This is especially true once Malcolm seizes on a critic he calls “the white lady from the Los Angeles Times” who, to him, epitomizes what’s wrong in film criticism. Marie is dubious of this judgment and calls herself a “spiritual sister” to the (we hope) fictional critic. Is this all a two-headed personification of an inner-monologue of Levinson’s? One that plays out both sides of a director’s (rather tedious) complaint? Maybe all of this is meant to be part of the meta playfulness of “Malcolm & Marie,” which attempts to preempt certain responses as it goes along. Either way, it’s not an especially rewarding game. It comes out self-absorbed, regardless. As cinematography, “Malcolm & Marie” (shot by Marcell Rév) is great. As cinema, not so much. “Malcolm & Marie,” a Netflix release, is rated R by the Motion Picture Association of America for pervasive language, and sexual content. Running time: 106 minutes. Two stars out of four. ___ Follow AP Film Writer Jake Coyle on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/jakecoyleAP Jake Coyle, The Associated Press
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CBC
UWindsor international students say it’s ‘mentally tough’ coming to Canada amid pandemic
While classes remain online at the University of Windsor, some international students still made the trip to study in Canada this year, including Dilusha Kankanamge who left his friends and family behind in Sri Lanka to do his master’s in civil engineering. While this isn’t his first time studying abroad, he said being an international student during the pandemic is strange. And said he had to go through an extensive process just to come to Windsor, which included getting tested for COVID-19 three times within two months and quarantining completely alone for two weeks. Kankanamge said this was especially difficult for him since he doesn’t know anyone in the city and had no means to communicate with loved ones back home for at least a week. “I wasn’t able to go for a run even like, nothing. I had to just stay inside my room. So that was hard. That was mentally very hard,” he said. “I didn’t have time to get a mobile plan. So I couldn’t reach anybody, like I didn’t have a Canadian number.” He said that he had no other option but to come to the country in order to secure his full-ride scholarship. While he did consider deferring his study, he said he couldn’t predict when the pandemic would be over. “You can’t really push your life behind until everything is done. So I just took my chances, but this was not what I was expecting,” he said. Kankanamge said he feels like he’s missing out on the true student-life experience. He wants to socialize and make friends in the city, but the lockdown makes that difficult. But another international student, Ahsan Mujeeb, considers himself lucky as he has some family in the country and secured a job as an associate at Home Depot. He’s not yet living in Windsor as he’s decided to stay with family in Pickering, Ont. “So, I do go out. I meet people. I meet people in my workplace, interact with them. I’m getting to know about the culture, the values and rituals, things like that, he said, adding that his time in Canada has still been restricted. “Seeing that everything is in lockdown, I cannot go out. No sight seeing yet. All I’m doing is staying at home,” he said. “It’s kind of depressing, but I feel fortunate that I do have a job and I’m going out at least.” Originally from Pakistan, Mujeeb is also enrolled in the master’s of engineering program at the University of Windsor. He had already deferred his enrolment last year and did not want to wait any longer to begin. Missing out on student-life experience Though Mujeeb has yet to set foot in Windsor, he said he hopes to live in the city once he can attend classes in-person. Even with online classes, both students say it’s beneficial to be close to the university as it allows them to study in the same time zone and find employment after school. Kankanamge and Mujeeb also say the university has helped them adjust during these difficult times. “People don’t quite appreciate the challenges that they’re facing,” said Chris Busch, the associate vice-president of enrolment management at the University of Windsor. “A lot of our pedagogy has been primarily delivered. It has changed. It is now online delivery and different modes of assessment and learning. And I think we have to be really appreciative of the the large amount of effort that students are putting into their learning these days, but also [what] faculty and staff are also doing to try to stand up and support effective teaching,” he said. COVID-19 test centre at UWindsor The university set up a COVID test centre in December inside the campus for incoming international students. It tested 408 students so far, Kankanamge being one of them. In an email statement, the university said it has seen a slight decrease in enrolment of international students this year —221 less students this semester compared to the winter semester in 2020. It attributed the decrease to “challenges associated with travelling to Canada, obtaining a study permit and other factors related to COVID-19.” Even though it’s been difficult, neither of the students regret their decision to come to Canada, but hope in-person classes return soon. In the meantime, the university says it offers counselling services for those who need it, including an app that provides help in other languages and can be accessed 24/7 by international students.
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CBC
Some Cree feel left out of COVID-19 vaccination campaign
Some Cree living outside the jurisdictional Cree health board boundaries in northern Quebec say they feel worse than second-class citizens when it comes to getting access to a COVID-19 vaccine. “Where are our rights as Cree people?,” said Kenneth Weistche, who lives with his wife Annie Trapper Weistche in the non-Cree town of La Corne, just south of Amos in northern Quebec. “We are very, very angry.” The Cree Board of Health and Social Services of James Bay began its regional vaccination campaign in mid-January in the nine Cree communities that make up Region 18, an administrative region under the Ministry of Health and Social Services of Quebec. As of Monday, more than 9,000 Cree had been inoculated, according to officials. They are among the first Indigenous people in the province to receive the vaccine. But for those like Weistche, Trapper Weistche and more than 400 other Cree whose families’ traditional territories are scattered throughout the Amos area — and therefore outside of Region 18 — they have been left out so far, he said. Where are our rights as Cree people? – Kenneth Weistche, Cree living near Amos Many in the group are band members of the 10th and newest Cree community of Washaw-Sibi, while others are registered band members in other Cree communities such as Waskaganish and Waswanipi, Weistche said. “We are registered beneficiaries [of the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement] and registered band members.” Worried about elders Weistche and Trapper Weistche say they are most concerned with Cree elders in the group and those with underlying health conditions. “[My mother] is about to turn 81,” said Trapper Weistche. “I’m worried about her [and others] because a lot of people … a lot of elders out there are dying. This virus is very, very serious.” CBC requested an interview or a statement from the Cree health board on the situation but did not hear back before publication. At a council board meeting held regularly between Cree Nation government leadership, community chiefs and leaders of Cree entities such as the health board and school board, the chief of Washaw-Sibi, Annie Mapachee Salt, shared the concerns of her community last week. “We do have a lot of members trying to get that vaccine,” she said. They are [part] of the Cree communities. We are concerned for our members.” There are many other Cree people, post-secondary students for example, who are also outside Region 18 and are still waiting to receive a vaccination. “The Cree health board is working very hard with Cree leadership to have vaccination centres in the South,” said lawyer Paul John Murdoch, secretary for the Cree Nation government, who also spoke at the council board meeting on Jan. 26 and 27. “It’s complicated because the health board is trying to get authorization to deliver a medical service in someone else’s backyard.” Weistche said he has underlying health conditions. He said tried to get access to the vaccine through the Cree community of Waskaganish, where he is a band member, but was denied. “They did not grant us access into the communities to receive the vaccine,” said Weistche. Weistche and his wife said they will continue to push for Washaw-Sibi people and those residing outside region 18 to get access to the COVID-19 vaccine, like other Cree people. “We in the Cree nation have always looked at each other as equal[s],” he said.
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Local Journalism Initiative
Province gives Hamilton green light to reopen schools Monday
This semester, Liam Tardif is taking science, personal fitness, carpentry and English — subjects he’s looking forward to doing in-person starting on Monday. “It’s definitely nice to go back and not sit looking at a screen all day,” said Tardif, 16, a Grade 10 student at Sir Winston Churchill Secondary School, adding that what he’s most looking forward to is “being able to ask questions.” The province has given Hamilton school boards the green light to reopen classrooms on Monday. The majority of Ontario school boards currently closed to in-person learning will be able to reopen starting Feb. 8 — three days earlier than the previous date provided by the province. Boards in Toronto, Peel and York will remain closed until Feb. 16. “We know how critical getting kids back to school is for the mental health and development of our children,” Education Minister Stephen Lecce said at news conference Monday afternoon. “With the full support of the chief medical officer of health, and with the unanimous support of all local medical officers of health, Ontario is ready to reopen our schools because it is safe.” The majority of Hamilton students have been learning remotely since school began after winter break. Some students with special needs — and the teachers and educational assistants, among other staff, to support them — are currently attending physical classrooms. The province announced on Jan. 12 that schools in the five hot spots would remain closed to in-person learning for the majority of students until at least Feb. 10 — about a month after they were initially set to reopen — under a 28-day stay-at-home order issued by the province in an effort to curb the spread of the virus. This was the second time this year the planned start date for Hamilton schools had been pushed back. Since then, Hamilton school boards have been waiting to hear from the province whether students would return to classrooms on Feb. 11. “This return date is earlier than expected, and we know families and staff have questions,” the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board said in a letter to families on Wednesday. The board says it will provide more information to families and staff in the coming days. “Our staff have been preparing for any possibility since we heard this announcement was coming,” said Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board chair Dawn Danko, adding that the board will be hard at work getting ready for Monday. “I believe many families will welcome the news.” Students in the public board who are transitioning from in-person to remote will be contacted by a staff member on Monday, “so they won’t have an official class on Monday,” she said. Students transitioning from remote to in-person will continue in their virtual classrooms on Monday until they are assigned to a physical classroom. Catholic board students switching learning models on the Feb. 22 transition date are required to fill out a survey, which will be sent to families on Friday, the Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic District School Board said in a letter to families. “We’re pleased for our students, staff and our students’ families,” said board chair Pat Daly. “This has been very difficult, challenging for everyone, and we believe strongly that students are best off in school.” In a statement Wednesday evening, Hamilton’s medical officer of health said she is “supportive” of the decision to reopen schools in the city. “With case numbers coming down, Hamilton Public Health Services’ capacity to support case and contact management improving, and our testing capacity functioning effectively, we agree with the sentiment that schools should be the first thing to reopen for the health of our children,” Dr. Elizabeth Richardson said. Schools in Halton, Brantford, Haldimand and Norfolk, among others, will also reopen for in-person learning on Monday. Some students have thrived in online classrooms, citing the absence of school bullies, classroom distractions and academic anxiety, among other factors. But many more have struggled with remote learning, which has put added pressure on families in Hamilton. “Personally, I’m very excited,” said Terrie Wilson, parent to five children — the youngest in JK and the oldest in Grade 11 — who works full-time in a dental office. “I think my kids need to go back, not just for the social aspect, but at least now I know that they’ll be attending class when they’re supposed to be.” She said after weeks of virtual learning, some of her kids have become accustomed to the luxuries afforded to at-home iPad learners. “A couple of them are excited, a couple of them are enjoying the laying around taking classes in bed,” she said. “It’s mixed emotions here.” Kate McCullough, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Hamilton Spectator
I know that geoFence is easy to use, easy to maintain and that’s no joke.
