Did you know that geoFence helps stop foreign state actors (FSA’s) from accessing your information?
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Reuters
Republican donations surge despite corporate boycott after Capitol riots
Right after the deadly insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, dozens of U.S. companies announced they would halt political donations to the 147 Republican lawmakers who voted to overturn Donald Trump’s presidential election loss. Two months later, there is little sign that the corporate revolt has done any real damage to Republican fundraising. If anything, the biggest backers of Trump’s false election-fraud narrative – such as Missouri Senator Josh Hawley and Georgia Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene – have been rewarded with a flood of grassroots donations, more than offsetting the loss of corporate money.
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Initiative de journalisme local
Loi sur le divorce : l’avancée contre la violence familiale ne profite qu’aux couples mariés
Les modifications en vigueur depuis le 1er mars protègent les victimes des violences conjugales, l’intérêt de l’enfant et l’efficacité du système judiciaire mais elles ne concernent pas les nombreux conjoints de fait du Québec selon plusieurs organismes. La nouvelle loi a imposé une définition exhaustive de la violence familiale, y compris la violence exercée sur les enfants. Elle exclut les comportements de légitime défense ou de préalable d’infraction criminelle dans la description des faits répréhensibles. Concrètement, une femme dont le conjoint est violent pourra faire valoir la présence de violence conjugale au moment du divorce pour protéger ses enfants selon le regroupements des maisons pour femmes victimes de violence conjugale (RMFVVC) qui salue les changements adoptés. Le regroupement s’est également réjoui de la décision d’écarter désormais la médiation familiale des situations de violence conjugale car elle imposerait à la victime l’option inconfortable de communiquer avec son bourreau. Les modifications dont l’entrée en vigueur a été retardée de 6 mois à cause de la pandémie, constituent « les premiers grands changements apportés aux lois fédérales en matière familiale depuis plus de 20 ans » selon le ministre de la Justice, David Lametti. Entre 2007 et 2011, une femme était six fois plus à risque d’être tuée par son ex-conjoint que le partenaire actuel selon Statistique Canada. Les conjoints non mariés laissés en rade Au chapitre de « ce qu’il reste à faire », le RMFVVC espère que « la réforme québécoise du Droit de la famille attendue au printemps 2021 (sera) harmonisée avec cette nouvelle loi fédérale, afin que les changements s’appliquent également aux couples non-mariés. » Statistique Canada a établi en 2016 qu’environ 40 % des couples québécois vivent en union libre. La Fédération des associations de familles monoparentales et recomposées du Québec partage cette préoccupation et craint que l’avancée consentie au fédéral reste sans véritable impact sur les familles québécoises. Elle considère l’entrée en vigueur de la Loi fédérale comme un élément de pression supplémentaire sur Québec. Pour tirer le meilleur parti des modifications de la Loi sur le divorce, les acteurs du droit de la famille, y compris les juges et les avocats, doivent davantage être formés et sensibilisés selon l’analyse publiée par le RMFVVC sur son site web. La formation en matière de violence conjugale et familiale est nécessaire « pour la comprendre, la dépister, l’évaluer et ainsi défendre le meilleur intérêt de l’enfant. » Le Regroupement souhaite notamment que le juge tienne compte de la volonté de chaque parent de favoriser ou de maintenir la relation entre l’enfant et l’autre parent, toute chose difficile à établir dans un contexte de violence conjugale car la dynamique de pouvoir ne permet pas de « coopérer ». Godlove Kamwa, Initiative de journalisme local, Le Canada Français
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Local Journalism Initiative
Thompson citizens share stories of inspirational girls, women for International Women’s Day
Citizens in the City of Thompson were able to share stories of inspirational girls and women through the Thompson YWCA’s She’s With Me campaign. The annual campaign allows the community to celebrate International Women’s Day by delivering surprise messages to female recipients on Monday. This year, the female recipients received a gift as well as a card with personalized messages written on it to show that they were appreciated by someone in the city. “For us at the YWCA, we love to celebrate and honour women and girls. We wanted to give the community a chance to tell us all the amazing things that the females in their lives have done or continue to do,” said Nina Cordell, Thompson YWCA women’s programs coordinator on Monday. Last year, YWCA hosted a “Laugh-ternoon” show featuring two female comedians to go along with the campaign. Due to COVID-19, the YWCA was not able hold a community gathering and therefore chose to provide a gift that would go along with the messages instead. Upon delivery, receivers were given a choice to pick one of the three gifts that were prepared by the YWCA. The three gifts recipients could choose from were a relaxation kit, a dream catcher kit or a painting kit. The relaxation kit consists of a journal, pen, facial mask, tea, a bath bomb and a manicure set. In the dream catcher kit, recipients will be given tools and materials such as beads, feathers, strings, a ring and glue to use. Recipients can expect a canvas, paint and paintbrushes in their painting kit. “The highlight of the whole campaign is that somebody will show up to your home or workplace and present you with this card saying that someone has thought about you and that you have inspired them,” said Cordell. For three weeks leading up to Monday, residents from Thompson had contacted the YWCA through phone, email and on Facebook to share their nominees on who they thought inspired them the most. Among the participants who nominated a female inspiration was a husband who used this opportunity to let his wife know she was appreciated. “He said that he has a hard time expressing how much he appreciated her on his own, so he thought that this campaign was perfect for him,” said Cordell. The Thompson YWCA has also launched two new education bursaries called the Footsteps Forward bursaries that will provide financial support to women and girls. Initially known as the Joan Johnston Award, the new bursaries will be inclusive of all women and girls living or studying in Northern Manitoba. Bursaries offered to Northern Manitoba females are the shorter-term training or programs bursary that does not require the applicant to be enrolled in a post-secondary institute and the post-secondary enrollment bursary which supports either full-or-part time students. The amount of bursaries provided to female students will be on a case-to-case basis depending on their household income. Currently, there is no limit as to how much a potential candidate can receive from the grant. To apply for either of the bursaries, interest students can now call 204-778-1209 or email w[email protected] to set up an arrangement to receive an application. Nicole Wong is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter who works out of the Winnipeg Sun. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada. Nicole Wong, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Winnipeg Sun
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CBC
Vancouver party hosts arrested following multiple public complaints
Vancouver police arrested two downtown Vancouver party hosts early Saturday morning following nearly a dozen complaints from neighbours alleging the pair were violating a public health order which bans large social gatherings. “After repeated complaints from the public and unsuccessful efforts to convince these hosts to stop having parties, our officers obtained a search warrant and forced entry into the condo Saturday to arrest two men,” wrote Sgt. Steve Addison in a statement Monday. “The alleged hosts were taken to jail, and six guests were issued $230 tickets for being at the gathering,” he wrote. Police say the pair were arrested after officers received 10 complaints about the noise and parties in the highrise condo near Burrard and Alberni streets. “Our officers will continue to make every effort to speak with violators, to remind them of the rules and to convince them to obey the health order,” said Addison. “But when someone flagrantly ignores the law and puts others at risk of contracting COVID, we will use our legal powers to hold them accountable.” Manjinder Sagoo, 37, is facing three counts of failing to comply with an order of the health officer, contrary to Section 99 on the B.C. Public Health Act, according to the statement. Sanad Rayes, 35, is charged with two counts of failing to comply with an order of the health officer, contrary to Section 99 of the same act, which bans social gatherings of any size inside residences.
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Global News
3 mass vaccination sites opening in Toronto next week
The City of Toronto will be opening up three of its mass immunization clinics on March 17 due to an increase in COVID-19 vaccine supply. As Erica Vella reports, it’s happening two weeks earlier than anticipated.
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CBC
P.E.I. tourism industry hoping wage subsidy extends beyond June
The Tourism Industry Association of P.E.I. welcomes the recent announcement that the Canada emergency wage subsidy and the Canada emergency rent subsidy will be extended until June 5, but it would like to see the wage subsidy extended into the fall. Corryn Clemence, CEO of TIAPEI, said the tourism industry has been hit hard by COVID-19, and it’s critical that the federal government announce a further extension of the wage subsidy in order for operators to plan. She said there are many uncertainties right now in the industry, and an early announcement of any extension would help operators make some important decisions. “We’re really pushing to get that notice in advance because operators need to have time to plan and again to staff and train and get people back up and running for a season,” she said. “Those that did OK last year did OK because of that wage subsidy…. And without that wage subsidy, I think it will be a very bleak season.” Federal officials said the government continues to actively assess its support measures to ensure workers and businesses on P.E.I. and across Canada have the support they need. They said Ottawa will continue to be there for Islanders and businesses, including through the recovery. More from CBC P.E.I.
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Local Journalism Initiative
Haldimand-Norfolk’s top doctor leaving post
Haldimand-Norfolk will soon need a new chief medical officer of health. The health unit announced Friday that Dr. Shanker Nesathurai will leave his post May 21. Health unit spokesperson Matt Terry confirmed Nesathurai was leaving of his own accord but did not provide any reason for his departure. Nesathurai was appointed acting medical officer of health in Haldimand-Norfolk in October 2018. At the time, he headed the physical medicine and rehabilitation department at Hamilton Health Sciences and St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton, was medical director of an outpatient rehabilitation clinic at HHS, and was on the faculty at McMaster and Harvard Medical School. As the public face of Haldimand-Norfolk’s pandemic response, Nesathurai was active in managing outbreaks at long-term-care homes and area farms. During the large outbreak at Scotlynn Group’s Vittoria farm — which saw some 200 workers infected and led to the death of Juan López Chaparro of Mexico — Nesathurai personally visited each bunkhouse to examine workers and answer their questions. He enacted several controversial measures to control the virus, which included limiting bunkhouse occupancy for quarantining migrant workers and barring cottagers who live outside Haldimand-Norfolk from visiting their vacation properties. “I want to thank Dr. Nesathurai for his hard work and leadership through this incredibly difficult time,” said Norfolk County Mayor Kristal Chopp, who chairs the board of health. “His insight and guidance have been extremely valuable to the leadership of both Haldimand and Norfolk counties, and we wish him all the best.” Nesathurai leaves his post $160,000 richer thanks to a “top up” in overtime pay approved by the board of health after a closed session meeting on Feb. 25. The province recently gave health units funding to compensate medical officers of health and other senior managers for extra time spent managing the pandemic. In Haldimand-Norfolk, 10 managers split an additional $102,000 in provincial money. Terry said the health unit “has had discussions with the ministry of health, as well as adjacent health units, regarding support and next steps, and will update the community when details are available.” In a media release, Nesathurai credited his colleagues for their dedication. “I want to thank the public health staff who have worked tirelessly to keep the community safe,” he said. “The community is lucky to be served by a group of people so committed to advancing the cause of public health.” This is the third major departure from the health unit announced in recent weeks. General manager Marlene Miranda left her post last month to join the County of Brant, while Terry, who is director of communications for Norfolk County and the health unit, will soon head to Brock University to lead their communications team. Nesathurai’s announcement comes in the midst of Haldimand-Norfolk’s vaccine rollout and on the heels of news that the region will enter the orange-restrict category of the province’s COVID-19 response framework on Monday. Haldimand-Norfolk had been in the less stringent yellow category, but recent COVID-19 data prompted the ministry of health to put tighter controls in place. There were 37 active cases in the region on Friday. J.P. Antonacci, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Hamilton Spectator
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The Canadian Press
Child tax credit expansion sets up showdown with GOP
WASHINGTON — The massive coronavirus relief plan making its way to President Joe Biden’s desk includes a plan to temporarily raise the child tax credit that could end up permanently changing the way the country deals with child poverty. It also sets up a potential political showdown with Republicans over an issue that Democrats believe could drive significant wins for the party in the 2022 midterm elections and beyond. The American Rescue Plan, expected to receive final approval this week, temporarily raises the child tax credit, now at a maximum of $2,000, to as much as $3,600 per child annually. The plan also expands the credit so it’s fully available to the poorest families, instead of restricting it based on the parents’ tax liability. And it will be paid out in monthly installments, to offer families struggling during the pandemic a more consistent lifeline. In the short term, said Democratic strategist Josh Schwerin, the expansion of the tax credit and other immediate aid included in the $1.9 trillion bill provide real evidence of Democratic action to help middle-class families. “One of the good things politically about this bill is the direct and obvious impact it’s going to have on American families in a way they can see and feel in an immediate way,” he said. The legislation gives families up to $3,600 annually for each child under age 6 and as much as $3,000 for those up to 17. The credit starts to phase out for individual parents earning more than $75,000 and couples making $150,000. The legislation also expands the credit to millions of families currently making too little to qualify for the full benefits. The benefit is aimed at providing support to millions of families affected by the coronavirus pandemic, with parents forced to cut down on work or give up their jobs entirely to take care of children after losing access to childcare. Democrats have embraced an analysis that found the proposal would cut child poverty among Black families by more than 50%, and by 45% overall. Republicans charge the move amounts to an expansion of the welfare state that will disincentivize parents from seeking work. But Democrats hold out the proposal as a fundamental rethinking of the way the country approaches child poverty and an opportunity to address the income inequality that’s been exacerbated by the pandemic. Connecticut Rep. Rosa DeLauro, a Democrat who has been advocating for an expansion of the credit since 2003, said in a statement that “this legislation forever changes the way that our nation supports both middle class families and children in poverty.” DeLauro and other Democrats on Capitol Hill see the current legislation as laying the groundwork for a permanent expansion of the credit. Indeed, Biden himself told House Democrats during a private call last week that he supports legislation that would permanently increase the child tax credit to $3,000 per child. While Republicans broadly support the idea of expanding benefits for children, some have opposed the Biden plan for its price tag, and others have criticized it for divorcing the benefit from any work requirement. Scott Winship, director of poverty studies at the conservative American Enterprise Institute, said his concern is that a permanent child allowance might make parents less likely to work and reduce the number of two-parent households, since there would be a stream of income from the government. He wants to reduce child poverty but is concerned that doing so this way might worsen factors such as unemployment and single-parenthood that contribute to policy. “The feeling is we win the battle against child poverty but we lose the war in the long run because we’ve created incentives that make it tougher to reduce poverty,” Winship said. That’s the case made by some Republican lawmakers in offering an alternative to the Biden proposal. Sens. Mike Lee of Utah and Marco Rubio of Florida have released their own expansion of the credit that ties the benefit to work. Rubio, in a recent National Review op-ed, called the Biden proposal “corrosive.” “If pulling families out of poverty were as simple as handing moms and dads a check, we would have solved poverty a long time ago,” he wrote. But the expanded benefits included in the coronavirus relief plan set up a precedent that could put Republicans on defence on the issue. Because the benefit currently expires after a year, the Biden plan essentially creates a potential fiscal cliff for child poverty. This could set up a political showdown during an election year on whether voters believe it’s acceptable for millions of children to lose the added aid and become impoverished once again. “When it’s up for renewal, Republicans will be in the awkward position of opposing payments to families delivered through a credit that they pioneered, and championed as recently as 2017,” said Samuel Hammond, director of poverty and welfare policy at the Niskanen Center. “The alternative is to rally behind some Plan B.” “No Republican wants to run on taking money away from families of any income,” Hammond said. Hammond helped to develop one such “Plan B” for Utah Sen. Mitt Romney, whose plan is different from Biden’s because it eliminates some other popular tax breaks to make the proposal deficit-neutral, which means it’s unlikely to gain much support from Democrats. Indeed, Schwerin suggested that, looking toward the midterm elections, the attack ads aimed at Republicans would simply highlight the party’s votes for tax cuts during the Trump administration in contrast with their votes against the Biden plan. “It’s as simple as, when it was a vote on tax cuts for billionaires, Republicans voted yes, and when it was a check for you, they voted no,” he said. Alexandra Jaffe And Josh Boak, The Associated Press
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Local Journalism Initiative
Bellerose Composite High confirms COVID-19 variant case
A case of a COVID-19 variant has been found at Bellerose High School, and families who were impacted were notified this week. On Friday, St. Albert Public Schools superintendent Krimsen Sumners confirmed one variant case has been found at Bellerose Composite High School and one class is isolating as a result. “There is a second case of COVID at Bellerose, but there has been no confirmation that it is a variant,” Sumners said. Around 30 students are now isolating at home as well as three staff members. Everyone who has been impacted has been notified at this point. “If there’s anything further, we’ll be sure to share that information with the Bellerose community. And so our practice is that we’ve been trying to be as transparent with families as we can, without giving away anybody’s personal medical information,” Sumners said. All the students and teachers who were sent home are now conducting online learning. “It really is hats off to the teachers that are on the ground. They’re the ones who are making the big adjustments and ensuring that kids are getting what they need,” the superintendent said. St. Albert Public Schools manager of communication services Paula Power said the event is a reminder to stay vigilant with COVID-19. “Everybody’s getting tired of COVID-19, and so we just really need to remind people that all those measures that people have been taking the last year, we still need to be very vigilant about them,” Power said. Bellerose is not the first school in Alberta to discover a variant case, with the first cases being found in schools in February, but it is the first variant case in the St. Albert Public district. The province reported its first case of in-school transmission of a variant on Feb. 11. For the second day in a row, St. Albert is sitting at 18 active COVID-19 cases. Sturgeon County is holding steady at two cases for the second day in a row. Morinville has increased in active cases, up from nine on Thursday to 10 on Friday. Across Alberta, another 411 cases were diagnosed after 10,559 tests were run for a positivity rate of 3.89 per cent. Over the last week, the average for the provincial positivity rate sits at 4.33 per cent. There are currently 4,639 active cases in the province. There are 243 Albertans in the hospital with 44 in intensive care. Another two deaths have been reported to Alberta Health in the past 24 hours. So far, 275,719 doses of vaccine had been given out by the end of the day on March 4. Jennifer Henderson, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, St. Albert Gazette
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Reuters
NASA-SpaceX launch of next International Space Station crew pushed to April 22
The next launch window for a NASA crew to the International Space Station aboard a SpaceX rocket has been pushed back by at least another two days, to no earlier than April 22, the space agency said. SpaceX, the private rocket company of billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk, had been scheduled to carry its second “operational” space station team into orbit for NASA in late March from Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
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Initiative de journalisme local
COVID-19 : bilan du 8 mars
COVID-19. Les plus récentes données sur l’évolution de la COVID-19, au Québec, font état de 579 nouveaux cas pour la journée d’hier, pour un nombre total de 293 210 personnes infectées. Parmi celles-ci, 275 796 sont rétablies. Elles font également état de 9 nouveaux décès, le nombre total de décès s’élève à 10 481. Le nombre total d’hospitalisations a diminué de 2 par rapport à la veille, avec un cumul de 590. Parmi celles-ci, le nombre de personnes se trouvant aux soins intensifs a augmenté de 1, pour un total actuel de 108. Les prélèvements réalisés le 6 mars s’élèvent à 17 734. Finalement, 15 249 doses de vaccin ont été administrées dans la journée d’hier, pour un total de 564 302. Jusqu’à maintenant, 638 445 doses ont été reçues. Stéphane Lévesque, Initiative de journalisme local, L’Hebdo Journal
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The Canadian Press
Quebec to go against advice from national vaccine panel and give AstraZeneca to 65+
MONTREAL — Quebec said Monday it will administer the newly approved Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine to seniors, despite Canada’s national vaccine expert panel recommending against its use for people over the age of 65. The province’s vaccine expert committee is recommending that all approved vaccines be used immediately to prevent deaths and hospitalizations, the Health Department said in a news release, adding that the AstraZeneca vaccine “provides more flexibility in immunization efforts, especially for priority groups aged 70 to 79.” The newly approved vaccine has numerous advantages, the Health Department said, including the fact it doesn’t need to be kept frozen and can be used up to 48 hours after a vial is opened. “Its use will also be favoured for (patients) where mobile vaccination is an optimal strategy to reach them — at home, for example.” Canada’s National Advisory Committee on Immunization has said the AstraZeneca vaccine is not recommended for people aged 65 years and over because of insufficient data on its efficacy in older people, despite its approval by Health Canada for adults of all ages. There are no concerns that the vaccine is unsafe for use, but the NACI panel said the vaccines from Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna are preferred for people 65 years old and above “due to suggested superior efficacy.” Quebec’s immunization committee, however, recommended that in a scenario of limited vaccine availability, the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines should be given to the highest priority groups, while it said AstraZeneca could be offered to those that come slightly lower on the list. The AstraZeneca vaccine “should not be routinely offered to people who present a very high risk of disease, complications and/or who would not respond well to any vaccine, including residents in (long-term care) and (private seniors homes), people with immunosuppression and the most exposed health workers,” according to the committee’s report released Monday. The report said the overall efficacy rate of the AstraZeneca vaccine was 62.5 per cent. Its efficacy was estimated at 43 per cent for those aged 65 years and over, “but very imprecise given the low number of participants in this group.” The efficacy seemed “very high,” however, when it came to preventing severe illness, hospitalizations and deaths, the report said. Meanwhile, Quebec on Monday eased COVID-19 restrictions in five regions, including the capital, permitting residents to return to the gym and restaurant dining rooms for the first time in months. The government also pushed back the nighttime curfew from 8 p.m. to 9: 30 p.m. in Quebec City, Chaudiere-Appalaches, Estrie, Mauricie and Centre-du-Quebec, which were downgraded from “red” to “orange” under the province’s pandemic-alert system. Premier Francois Legault has opted to maintain restrictions in Montreal and the surrounding regions because public health authorities fear a novel coronavirus variant will soon cause regional case numbers and hospitalizations to rise again. Francois Meunier, vice-president of public affairs for Quebec’s restaurant industry group, Association Restauration Quebec, said the reopening of restaurants in orange zones has given people hope of “being able to start living again a little.” He said demand appeared strong, with lines forming outside breakfast restaurants in Quebec City Monday morning. Meunier said many of his group’s members have been scrambling to hire staff, adding that some won’t open for a few more days. He said capacity limits and the curfew will make it very difficult for restaurants to turn a profit, but he said most want to open anyway. “Right now, the goal isn’t so much profitability,” he said in an interview Monday. “The goal is improving the mental health of restaurant owners,” he said, adding that full closure is something that is “no longer possible, no longer livable.” Meunier says restaurants have a strict set of rules to follow, including mandatory reservations, collecting clients’ contact information, checking addresses to ensure customers aren’t from red zones, and limiting tables to a maximum of two adults and their minor children. He noted that about half the province’s restaurants remain closed because they are located in red zones, such as Montreal. On Monday, the province reported 579 new COVID-19 cases and nine deaths attributed to the novel coronavirus, none of which occurred in the past 24 hours. Hospitalizations remained relatively stable — down by two, to 590 — while the number of intensive care patients rose by one, to 108. Health Minister Christian Dube has said the province will step up the pace of vaccinations this week as more regions join Montreal in opening mass immunization clinics to the general public. Dube said Monday on Twitter Quebec would receive over 213,000 vaccine doses this week, including 113,000 of Oxford-AstraZeneca. This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 8, 2021. Morgan Lowrie, The Canadian Press
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The Canadian Press
Iowa governor signs GOP-forced voting changes bill into law
DES MOINES, Iowa — Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds on Monday signed into law a Republican-backed bill that makes it harder to vote early, potentially eroding a key aspect of Democratic campaigns. Republicans in the House and Senate quickly approved the changes over the opposition of all Democratic legislators. Republicans said the rules are needed to guard against voting fraud, though they noted Iowa has no history of election irregularities and that November’s election saw record turnout with no hint of problems in the state. Reynolds said election integrity must be protected, claiming the law provides election officials with consistent parameters for Election Day, absentee voting and database maintenance “All of these additional steps promote more transparency and accountability, giving Iowans even greater confidence to cast their ballot,” she said in a statement after signing the bill. Democrats said they’re examining their reliance on early voting. In the last election, more than 70% of Democrats voted early. “We don’t have to wait to get people registered to vote. We don’t have to wait to have Democrats talking with their neighbours in rural and metropolitan areas in the state about how these harmful pieces of legislation are being forced through,” said Iowa Democratic Party Chairman Ross Wilburn. The law shortens the early voting period to 20 days from the current 29, just three years after Republicans reduced the period from 40 days. It also requires most mail ballots to be received by Election Day, rather than counting votes postmarked by Election Day that arrive by noon on the Monday following the election. Voting sites will close at 8 p.m. rather than 9 p.m., and county election officials are banned from sending out absentee ballot request forms unless requested. Satellite voting sites also can only be set up if enough voters petition for one, and voters will be removed from active voting lists if they miss a single general election and don’t report a change in address or register as a voter again. Wilburn said he is talking with the Democratic National Committee about strategies, noting that Republicans across the country are pushing for similar restrictions after former President Donald Trump blamed early voting for his election loss to Democrat Joe Biden. Although there is no evidence of systematic fraud, lawmakers in 43 states are debating about 200 bills that would limit ballot access, according to the Brennan Center for Justice, a public policy group. “What is unique about this year is the volume of bills we are seeing to restrict voting access and the brazenness of the efforts to go after methods of voting that are historically uncontroversial and popular with voters and clearly make it harder for people to cast ballots,” said Eliza Sweren-Becker, a lawyer in the Brennan Center’s Democracy Program. Political strategist Brenda Kole said Democrats may need to rely more on an old-school approach of volunteers giving people rides to the polls. Kole, who has worked on presidential and gubernatorial campaigns in Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin, said the party must educate voters about the new restrictions. “I think that they’ll just adjust their plans and work with what they have to work with,” Kole said. Democrats may put more emphasis on getting people to vote early in person rather than rely as heavily on mail ballots, said Emily Parcell, who managed Barack Obama’s 2008 presidential victory in Indiana and is now a partner at Wildfire Contact, a Des Moines-based political consultancy. The tighter deadlines for mail ballots will be a problem if Postal Service issues aren’t worked out, said Parcell, who focuses on direct mail for campaigns nationwide. A requirement that only close relatives, household member or caregivers can drop off ballots means an end to a common practice of church members, friends or neighbours helping early voters, she said. But Parcell’s biggest concern was the move to close polls an hour early. “It creates a challenge for anybody in the state that has a full-time job and doesn’t work in the city where they live,” she said. Despite Democrats’ concerns, House Speaker Pat Grassley said he and his Republican colleagues are responding to concerns by their constituents and think potential problems have been overblown. “I actually look at it from the standpoint that I have faith in Iowans and believe that they are completely capable of getting their ballot requested, getting their ballot turned in or going on the day to vote in which our timelines are not outside the norms and the averages across the country,” Grassley said. Although opposed to the Iowa measure, Greg Speed, president of the Democratic-leaning America Votes, also expressed optimism the party would adjust. “Democrats and progressives are very, very good at voter engagement, and voter education,” Speed said. “And we will be back, post-pandemic, knocking on doors, talking directly to our voters about how they will be able to safely, securely cast their vote, even as we fight back against all these suppression efforts.” Parts of the Iowa law would be blunted by an election bill approved by the U.S. House last week that would require states to automatically register eligible voters and limit states’ ability to purge registered voters from their rolls. However, that bill’s prospects in the Senate appear dim. ___ Associated Press writer Thomas Beaumont contributed to this story. David Pitt, The Associated Press
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The Canadian Press
Hosts of Vancouver parties are arrested and charged, say police
VANCOUVER — Two hosts of what police say were repeated parties in a condominium in Vancouver’s West End have been arrested on allegations of violating public health orders. Vancouver police say officers used a search warrant when they went to the highrise and forced their way in on Saturday to arrest two men. The arrests came after 10 previous complaints to police about noise and parties. Sgt. Steve Addison says the hosts were taken to jail, while six guests were each issued $230 tickets for being at the gathering. The men now face charges of failing to comply with an order of the provincial health officer under the B.C. Public Health Act. The Emergency Program Act bans social gatherings of any size inside homes, but allows people who live alone to host two people with whom they regularly socialize. This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 8, 2021. The Canadian Press
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The Canadian Press
Toronto pandemic restrictions ease, vaccinations for general public set to ramp up
TORONTO — Shoppers lined up outside Toronto stores on Monday as pandemic restrictions eased in the city following nearly two months of a stay-at-home order. The economic reopening came as a group of Toronto hospitals launched a COVID-19 vaccine booking portal and the city announced plans to open mass immunization sites next week. The city moved Monday into the strictest “grey lockdown” zone of the province’s pandemic restrictions system, a transition Toronto’s top doctor had called for. The move allowed non-essential retailers to open with restrictions, although gyms, personal care services, and indoor restaurant dining remained closed. In downtown Toronto, shoppers lined up at the north and south entrances of the Eaton Centre, waiting for the mall to open. Similar queues formed in front of larger stores like the Hudson Bay Company, HomeSense, and Best Buy. Bianca Charles said she was so excited to go shopping in person that she didn’t sleep the night before. She said she wasn’t looking to buy anything in particular, but was eager to have the outing with her sister and a friend. “It’s just nice to have back your freedom, stretch your legs a little bit, to just do something,” said Charles, who was first in line to go into a HomeSense store when it opened. Staff manned the entrances of the stores and mall, running through a screening checklist for symptoms of the novel coronavirus. Inside the Eaton Centre, signs discouraged shoppers from taking off their masks or eating inside the building and markers on the floor directed foot traffic. More than a dozen stores remained closed in the mall, with several saying they would reopen within the week. Some restaurant owners said, however, that they won’t be able to survive much longer unless they’re allowed to reopen for on-site dining, even at limited capacity. “Move us to the red zone (of the pandemic system) so we have a fighting chance,” Regan Irvine, owner of the Irv Gastropub in Toronto, said in an open letter to officials issued last week. “Over the last year, my mother and I have depleted our life savings to try and keep the restaurant afloat.” Meanwhile, a group of hospitals and health centres said Monday that they had set up a call centre and website to help eligible Torontonians pre-register or book vaccinations while a provincial site was still under development. Dr. David Kaplan, part of the Toronto Health Sector Vaccine Leadership Table, said the centralized booking system will make it easier for family doctors and nurse practitioners to line up appointments for their patients. “We want to make it as easy and convenient as possible for all adults in Toronto to get vaccinated, starting with those at greatest risk of contracting and falling ill from COVID-19,” said Kaplan. People aged 80 or older, some health-care workers and Indigenous adults are currently allowed to make reservations on the site. The provincial portal is set to launch March 15. The city also announced that three mass vaccinations sites would open to the general public on March 17. Toronto Mayor John Tory said the city was preparing to soon vaccinate its residents on a large scale. “This truly is a Team Toronto effort and we are all determined to get people vaccinated as fast as we can and as the supply of vaccine allows,” he said. The Metro Toronto Convention Centre, the Scarborough Town Centre and the Toronto Congress Centre will be the first of nine city-operated sites to open. All three are scheduled to operate seven days a week from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 8, 2021. John Chidley-Hill, The Canadian Press
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The Canadian Press
CBC sitcom ‘Kim’s Convenience’ to end with fifth-season finale in April
TORONTO — Stars of “Kim’s Convenience” say they’re “heartbroken” after news the hit Canadian sitcom is set to close up shop after its fifth season. The show’s producers say the CBC series, which has earned a global following on Netflix, will come to an end on April 13 with the final episode of the current season. It’s a full season shorter than what was planned in early 2020 when the comedy was renewed for two additional seasons at the CBC. The producers said the decision comes after the show’s two co-creators, Ins Choi and Kevin White, confirmed at the end of production on season 5 that they were moving on to pursue other projects. “Given their departure from the series, we have come to the difficult conclusion that we cannot deliver another season of the same heart and quality that has made the show so special,” the producers said in a statement Monday. “Kim’s Convenience” stars Paul Sun-Hyung Lee, Jean Yoon, Simu Liu and Andrea Bang as a Korean-Canadian family who run a corner store in Toronto. Lee stars as patriarch Appa, alongside Yoon as matriarch Umma. Liu plays their son, Jung, and Bang plays their daughter, Janet. “I’m heartbroken. I feel like my journey with Jung was cut short,” Liu, star of Marvel’s upcoming film “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings,” tweeted Monday. “I feel like you, the fans, deserved better. But I’m proud of all that we accomplished together in five seasons. Thanks for all your love and support. This isn’t goodbye, only #OKSeeYou.” Lee, whose character was known for saying “OK, see you” as a farewell to customers, tweeted: “Heartbroken. More on this later.” A representative for the show, responding to an interview request, said they “have nothing more to add beyond the statement at this time.” “Kim’s Convenience” premiered on CBC in the fall of 2016 and is based on the award-winning Canadian play by Choi. It’s won several Canadian Screen Awards, including best comedy. The series is produced by Ivan Fecan and co-created by Choi and White on behalf of Thunderbird Entertainment, in association with the Soulpepper Theatre Company. Executive producers are Fecan, Choi, White and Alexandra Raffe; Sandra Cunningham is supervising producer. The show was heralded for its storytelling, diversity and representation. Yoon called the five seasons they had “incredible.” “Thanks and gratitude to all the incredible artists, crew, writers, producers and fans who have come together to tell this story and celebrate this family,” she wrote on Twitter. Sally Catto, general manager of CBC’s entertainment, factual and sports divisions, said the show has connected with audiences around the world. “While we are sad to say goodbye to this beloved and groundbreaking show, we are incredibly proud to have been part of its journey and understand the producers’ creative decision to wrap up the show at this time,” Catto said in the statement. Season 5 was filmed last fall under COVID-19 protocols in Toronto. Liu was in Australia shooting his role as Marvel’s first big-screen Asian-American superhero in “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” when the pandemic hit and couldn’t get back to Toronto to shoot “Kim’s Convenience” until near the end of production. “Without ‘Kim’s Convenience,’ there’s no way that I’m here today,” Liu said in an interview when he first landed the Marvel role. “They’ve given me an incredible opportunity to hone my comic skills and comedic timing over the four seasons that I’ve been here. And it’s never felt like a day of work.” The final season dives deeper into the family dynamics, including the parents, who grapple with a health issue faced by Yoon’s character. “It does make for some really compelling storylines and some heart,” Lee said in a recent interview. “That’s one of the big things that separates ‘Kim’s,’ I think, from a lot of other sitcoms, is there is a tremendous amount of love and heart in it.” – With files from Adina Bresge This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 8, 2021. Victoria Ahearn, The Canadian Press
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The Canadian Press
U.S. issues advice to those fully vaccinated, but no shift in Canada yet
New U.S. guidelines say people fully inoculated against COVID-19 can drop some precautions when gathering with others, but at least two provincial health ministers say existing public health advice holds for now. The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said Monday that Americans who have waited two weeks since their second required shot can spend time with other immunized people indoors without masks or social distancing. The same applies to gatherings by those at low-risk of severe disease, such as fully vaccinated grandparents visiting healthy grandchildren. The U.S. guidelines recommend that fully vaccinated people continue to wear masks, avoid large gatherings and physically distance when in public. British Columbia Health Minister Adrian Dix said Monday that physical distancing and other public health guidelines will be around for some time. He said about 15 per cent of B.C.’s eligible residents are expected to be immunized by the end of the month, which is “nothing like herd immunity.” “The future is bright, but we can’t live the future right now. We’ve got to live the now right now.” Dix does expect visiting restrictions to be loosened in B.C.’s long-term care homes this month as about 90 per cent of residents and staff have been vaccinated. University of Alberta infectious diseases specialist Dr. Lynora Saxinger said evidence on which the U.S. health agency based its advice is “very much in evolution” and such recommendations might not work everywhere. Virus variants with the potential to break through vaccine protection are also a “wild card,” she said. But Saxinger said the principles underlying the U.S. guidance make sense, especially since the initial vaccine rollout has targeted older individuals, many of whom have been kept away from their grandchildren for almost a year. “They’re basically taking a balance-of-probabilities approach to say that if you’ve received vaccine, you should be highly protected against severe disease. Therefore this should be hopefully OK.” Ontario Health Minister Christine Elliott said her province is still recommending people take precautions with gatherings and will take its cues from the National Advisory Committee on Immunization. Ontario reported 1,631 new cases in its latest update, but said the higher-than-expected count was due to a system “data catch-up.” The seven-day average for new cases was at 1,155. There were also 10 more deaths linked to the novel coronavirus. Ontario lifted stay-at-home orders in Toronto, Peel Region and North Bay on Monday — the last three regions subject to the government’s strictest measures introduced two months ago. Alberta also loosened some rules for banquet halls, community halls, conference centres, hotels, retail shops, performances and post-secondary sports, as hospitalizations stayed well below the provincial target of 450. Health Minister Tyler Shandro said he believes it is safe enough to immediately ease more restrictions The province reported 278 new cases of COVID-19 and six additional deaths. Six cases of the more contagious variant were also detected, bringing that total to 659. There were 254 people in hospital. And residents in five regions of Quebec, including the capital, were again able to eat in restaurants and work out in gyms. Restrictions remain in place in the Montreal area due to fear that variant cases will cause a spike in infections and hospitalizations. Quebec reported 579 new cases in its update. New daily infections had been above 700 for the five previous days. The province also recorded nine more deaths. All of New Brunswick shifted to a lower pandemic response level Monday. That means a circle of 15 regular contacts can socialize, up from 10. The Atlantic province had five new cases and 36 active ones. Saxinger said a “judicious and slow” reopening is the safest approach. She noted that many countries have seen their case counts come down, but the proportion of more contagious variants is higher, planting the seeds for a spike. “We know that it’s possible that the variants can be responsible for another surge, that a variant surge is harder to contain and you need longer and more stringent restrictions to contain them.” Also Monday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that Thursday will be a “national day of observance” to commemorate the 22,000 people in Canada who have died from COVID-19 and to acknowledge all the ways the virus has changed our lives in the last year. This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 8, 2021 — With files from The Associated Press Lauren Krugel, The Canadian Press
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Reuters
U.S. House will take up Senate’s $1.9 trillion coronavirus bill by Wednesday: Pelosi
The U.S. House of Representatives will take up by Wednesday the Senate version of the sweeping $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package backed by President Joe Biden, Speaker Nancy Pelosi said on Monday. The Senate passed its version of the bill after a marathon overnight vote on Saturday. The Senate version eliminated or pared back some provisions included in the House bill, which had increased the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour and extended expanded jobless assistance through Aug. 29.
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The Canadian Press
Top 4-chasing West Ham beats Leeds 2-0 in EPL
LONDON — Goals from Jesse Lingard and Craig Dawson kept West Ham in the hunt for a top-four English Premier League finish by beating Leeds 2-0 on Monday. The east London club is fifth — two points behind Chelsea with a game in hand — after Lingard converted the rebound from his own missed penalty in the 21st minute, and fellow January signing Dawson netted from a fine header seven minutes later. A year ago, West Ham was only out of the relegation zone on goal difference. Since then, across the two seasons, West Ham has collected 60 points from 34 games and transformed from being a side battling the drop to one mounting a genuine challenge for European qualification. West Ham had to survive a frantic opening period as Leeds began at its usual breakneck pace, almost opening the scoring when Helder Costa’s angled drive whistled over the crossbar. The visitors then had the ball in the net twice in the space of two minutes, only for both to be chalked off. But West Ham took the lead in the 20th minute with virtually its first attack. Lingard played a neat one-two with Said Benrahma and skipped into the area, where Luke Ayling clumsily brought him down. Lingard had wanted to take the spot kick he won against Sheffield United last month, only for captain Declan Rice to pull rank. This time Lingard was allowed to take it, but Rice might well be back on penalties next time as Leeds goalkeeper Ilan Meslier saved the Manchester United loanee’s weak effort. Fortunately for a relieved Lingard, the ball bounced straight back to his feet and he gratefully tucked in the rebound. West Ham doubled its lead when Dawson arrived at the far post to head in Aaron Cresswell’s corner. ___ More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports The Associated Press
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Canadian Press Videos
Volunteers fuel Seattle COVID vaccination clinic
It took a small army of volunteers to run a mass vaccination clinic for COVID-19 in Seattle. More than 300 volunteers helped with everything from parking to administering the vaccine. As a perk, they became eligible for the vaccine too. (March 9)
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