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CBC
Premier Jason Kenney set to announce plan for easing COVID-19 restrictions in Alberta
With COVID-19 cases numbers now steadily declining, Albertans who have hung on through three waves of a life-changing pandemic may get some good news Wednesday when the government unveils its strategy for easing public health restrictions. Premier Jason Kenney will be joined by Health Minister Tyler Shandro and Doug Schweitzer, minister of jobs, economy and innovation, at an 11: 30 a.m. news conference to discuss the plan. Dr. Deena Hinshaw, the province's chief medical officer of health, alluded to the impending announcement Tuesday during her pandemic update, where she reported 387 new cases of COVID-19, the lowest single-day count seen since March 15. "They say that the last few miles in a race are the hardest and that is what we are facing right now," Hinshaw said. "With cases declining and more vaccines being administered every day, we are rapidly approaching a point when we can safely begin to ease measures. It's close and getting closer every day." 'Efforts are making a difference' On his official Twitter account, Kenney wrote on Monday that he would have "exciting news" to share this week about "the great Alberta summer that lies ahead." Hinshaw noted that the recent decline in new and active cases is the result of people following health guidelines. "It has now been three weeks since our latest health measures were announced, and I know that they have impacted all of us," she said. "Yet the numbers show that our collective efforts are making a difference." Alberta's reproductive rate, or the R-value, was 0.67 over the last week, she said. "We are now seeing promising declines in hospitalization numbers, and although it has rebounded a little bit in the last few days, we have started seeing our positivity rate decline as well." There are currently a total of 12,078 active cases across the province, a drop of 52 per cent from the peak earlier this month, Hinshaw said. Vaccine rollout As shipments of vaccine continue to arrive, she said, the province is looking at ways to reach key groups that may be having trouble accessing them. The province is also looking at the current 16-week wait for second doses to see if that window can be shortened, she added. Over the May long weekend, more than 16,000 people got tested in Alberta while more than 86,000 were vaccinated, Hinshaw said. Hospitals were treating 565 patients with the illness on Tuesday, including 158 in ICU beds. There were nine new deaths reported in the last 24 hours, with the ages of those individuals ranging from 42 to 84. More than 2.55 million doses of vaccine have been administered in the province. Most Alberta students, except those in the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo where cases remain elevated, returned to in-person learning on Tuesday. All kindergarten to Grade 12 students had been attending classes online since May 7 when the province ordered that classrooms be shuttered for two weeks as surging case rates threatened to overwhelm hospitals. At that time, Alberta had 23,623 active cases, the highest total since the pandemic began, and hospitals were treating 671 patients including 150 in intensive-care beds.
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Reuters
Peru's president says 'no impunity' for those behind jungle massacre
LIMA (Reuters) -Peru's interim president said on Tuesday there will be "no impunity" for those who massacred 16 Peruvians in a jungle region known for narco-trafficking, an attack authorities attribute to a group tied to Shining Path rebels. President Francisco Sagasti also warned against allowing this "national tragedy" to influence the June 6 presidential election. Pamphlets encouraging Peruvians to abstain from voting were found at the site of the massacre.
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CBC
'Things have certainly changed': Nenshi, South Asian Albertans react to Sohi's mayoral run
Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi joined a chorus of South Asian Albertans celebrating Amarjeet Sohi's run for mayor of Edmonton as a sign of growing multiracial representation in a political arena long commanded by white candidates. "[There is] the need for us to understand the lived experience of everyone in our community," Nenshi said. "One of the easiest ways to understand that is to have people in those communities… at the table." Nenshi was the first Muslim mayor of Calgary when he was elected in 2010. He said it is important to continue to see multiracial representation in politics. "There have been only seven non-white members of council in the long history of Calgary," Nenshi said in an interview on Friday. "Four of us serve now. So things have certainly changed." Edmonton has never elected a non-white mayor, dating back to the first local elections in 1892. It would be almost another century before Jan Reimer was the first woman elected to the office in 1989. Sohi, former Ward 12 city councillor, kicked off his campaign with a virtual speech Monday morning that highlighted his experience as an immigrant who came from India to Canada at the age of 18. It was a message that resonated with Shridhar Patel, a recent University of Alberta graduate. "As a fellow immigrant, it really shows other people that you can succeed and you can become involved in the governmental sphere," Patel said. "It's not only just for white individuals or people who were born here, but anyone can really become involved." Harleen Padda, an Edmonton articling student, said Sohi's realization of the "immigrant dream" was inspiring. But she says his ability to connect with the South Asian community is the most exciting part of his candidacy. "I think it's awesome to have… someone that you can bring your issues up to, that's approachable and can speak your language," said Padda, who volunteered for Sohi during his federal campaign and plans to do the same for his mayoral run. "I think that especially for people in my parents' generation, it really does give them that access to politics and justice in general that they did not have before." 'Great deal more outward racism in politics': Nenshi Nisha Nath, assistant professor of equity studies at Athabasca University, said she wasn't surprised to see some South Asians excited for Sohi's candidacy, but cautioned against assuming all South Asians would respond similarly. "It is just challenging and frankly problematic to speak of the South Asian community en masse," she said. "The fact that Mr. Sohi is a South Asian person, a racialized person, isn't actually the only thing about his story. There is a lineage to Mr. Sohi that people know about… a long lineage of anti-racist work." Sharan Sandhu, a longtime resident of Mill Woods, said Sohi's racial identity was not the reason why he was happy to see the former federal cabinet minister seek the mayor's chair. "I don't think it will matter whether he's a Punjabi… or he's from Mill Woods or anything," Sandhu said. "I think every community will love him more [because]… he understands the issues that people feel which are important or the communities feel which are important." While he felt the response to Sohi's announcement had been positive, Nenshi reflected on the changing political context. "There is a great deal more outward racism in politics than there has been in the past and, you know, every candidate has to deal with that," he said. "It's very unfortunate, and I wish it wasn't true, but it is happening. That said, that piece of the electorate, the angry, racist, divisive discourse is a very small part of the electorate." Nath agreed. Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi at a campaign party celebrating his 2013 re-election. First elected in 2010, Nenshi made history as the city's first Muslim mayor. (Jeff McIntosh/Canadian Press) "There is a distinctive bravado, very particularly noxious mix of whiteness and misogyny in the Alberta context," she said. "As a racialized person, to be seen or heard or feel like you are seen or heard in that context isn't incidental. So I think that's quite significant that people are expressing that. Seeing a rise in racism concerned Patel as well, but the Edmonton student sees hope in Sohi's candidacy. "Having people like Mr Sohi and Mr. Nenshi… it's just so important and cool to see just because it shows really what a multicultural city you've become."
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CBC
Mom still waiting for answers about daughter's death by suicide in hospital psychiatric unit
When Patty Borthwick walked into a meeting with health officials earlier this month, she thought she was finally going to find out how her daughter was able to die by suicide in a secure hospital psychiatric wing. Instead, she's more frustrated than ever. "I have more questions now than I ever did," said the Lake Utopia woman. Borthwick's 27-year-old daughter, Hillary Hooper, had a history of depression and had already made two pretty dramatic attempts at suicide that resulted in brief stays in the psychiatric ward of the Saint John Regional Hospital last year. The St. George woman tried again on Nov. 13, walking into the emergency room with a note that said to let her die and donate her organs. She was stabilized and then moved to the psychiatric unit for the third time in as many months, said her mother. Patty Borthwick with her daughter, Hillary Hooper, on the Borthwick's pontoon boat. (Submitted by Patty Borthwick) Nineteen days later, she hanged herself in the bathroom of her room. She was revived and put on life support. One week after that, she was removed from life support and died within minutes, said Borthwick, who measures the time since Dec. 2 by "Wednesday's without Hillary. It's been 23 Wednesdays. Borthwick wants to know how it could have happened. How could a person with a history of attempting suicide manage to succeed while in a psychiatric unit? It took 11 Wednesday's and the death of another young person before she was strong enough to search for answers. The day after 16-year-old Lexi Daken died by suicide, her mother posted to Facebook, describing how her daughter had waited eight hours at the Dr. Everett Chalmers Hospital for mental health help before leaving without receiving any. She died a week later and her death has been the catalyst for major reforms announced by the Department of Health earlier this month. Borthwick has been fighting for answers ever since reading that Facebook post by Lexi's mom. That very day, she wrote a letter to Health Minister Dorothy Shephard. "From day one, this was all about getting some answers and making sure it doesn't happen to anyone again," said Borthwick. Patty Borthwick said she placed this picture of her daughter on the table during her meeting with hospital officials "so that they'd know who we were talking about." (Submitted by Patty Borthwick) She thought those answers would come on May 7 in a meeting with Horizon Health's patient advocate, the clinical department head of psychiatry for the Saint John area, and the manager of addictions and mental health for the Saint John area. Borthwick said some of the details they provided during the meeting conflicted with what a nurse told them the night Hooper was found unresponsive. While they weren't able to answer many of her questions during that meeting, Borthwick left feeling "semi–optimistic" because they promised to get her answers right away. They also promised to give her a copy of the post-mortem and the internal review of Hooper's death. Three days after the meeting, the patient advocate called to follow up. One of the things Borthwick had questioned was why officials keep denying that Hooper's bed was moved to block the door. Borthwick said the woman who identified herself as the "charge nurse" was very clear when Borthwick arrived at about 1 a.m. on Dec. 3 — Hooper had moved her bed to block the door. After initially maintaining there was nothing about the bed in the hospital records, Borthwick said the advocate eventually found mention of it in a two-page email from the head of psychiatry. Borthwick said she was told that Hooper's necklace had been cut off. But when she showed them the intact necklace that she's worn ever since, she says they amended their answer to say it was gently removed. She said she now questions the veracity of the information they're giving her and believes they're more concerned about appearances than answers. After years of depression, Hillary Hooper died by suicide in December in the Saint John Hospital's psychiatric unit. (Submitted by Patty Borthwick) Borthwick was so worried about the discrepancies that she went to the Saint John Police Force on Monday to find out what the police report says. By Thursday, the investigating officer got back to her and confirmed many of the details that the head nurse told Borthwick on Dec. 3. An emailed request to the spokesperson for the Saint John Police Force on Thursday still hasn't been acknowledged — not even after a follow-up email was sent on Friday. A Horizon Health spokesperson did acknowledge receipt of a similar email on Thursday and said a response was likely on Friday. But after a follow-up request was sent Friday afternoon, a spokesperson said a response would not be available. As for the reports they've promised, Borthwick said she still hasn't seen her daughter's post-mortem, hospital charts, or the internal review into her death — something she says officials promised her within 48 hours of that May 7 meeting. She said she doesn't even have enough information to get the bank to close her daughter's bank accounts — 23 Wednesdays later. She said she was very clear when she spoke to the patient advocate — she will not give up. "I said that is not a threat, that is a promise, because I am never going away 'til I die to get my answers. You will not get rid of me until I have my answers." Hillary's history of depression Borthwick said her daughter's mental health trouble first surfaced as an eating disorder when she was a teenager. She said her daughter continued to experience overwhelming sadness that would sometimes keep her in bed for days. Hooper tried to get professional help, but nothing seemed to work. She saw psychiatrists, she tried medication, but she couldn't shake the depression. Borthwick said her daughter seemed to be doing well in 4D North at the Regional after she was admitted last November. She spoke to her daughter on the phone until 9: 03 p.m. on Dec. 2 and texted her after that. Things seemed positive — right up to the last text she sent at 10: 34. From the reports that she received from the nurses, Borthwick believes Hooper must have put her phone down and set to work on ending her life. She was discovered during a routine check at 11 p.m. Borthwick was called just before midnight. After a few days on life support, Borthwick said it became clear that her daughter would not recover. The decision was made to disconnect the machines. She died 10 minutes later. How? The question Borthwick keeps asking is 'How?' How was she able to die in a psychiatric wing? A place she was sent to for her own safety after yet another attempt. In her May 7 meeting with Horizon Health officials, Borthwick was told two recommendations were going to be sent to the health minister as a result of the internal review of Hooper's death. One is to create a safe place in the hospital — either in the emergency department or in 4D North — for those in a mental health crisis. The second is to remove the upper part of the door frames, presumably in an attempt to prevent hanging, said Borthwick. Where they can't be removed, they will be equipped with sensors that trigger an alarm when force is applied, she was told.
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Reuters
Kremlin dismisses notion of alleged Russian involvement in Belarus plane incident
The Kremlin said on Tuesday that any suggestion Russia was somehow involved in the forced landing of a commercial flight in Belarus to detain a dissident journalist was not worth responding to and fuelled by anti-Russian sentiment. Belarus on Sunday scrambled a warplane to escort a Ryanair passenger jet carrying Protasevich, a journalist critical of Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko, in an act denounced by Western powers as "state piracy". British foreign minister Dominic Raab said on Monday that while the situation was unclear, it was difficult to believe that Russia was not involved, at least by acquiescence, in the jet incident.
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The Canadian Press
Baby Girl Sussex is coming, so what's big bro Archie to do?
NEW YORK (AP) — Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, the 2-year-old son of Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan, will soon have a sister in the California hamlet the decamped royals call home. Hopefully, the introduction of Baby Girl Sussex in Montecito will go smoothly for the toddler, but seasoned parents and pediatric experts warn that for any family, the transition takes preparation and diligence. Throw in the upheaval of a pandemic for extra challenges that can include toilet regression, sleep strikes and aggressive behavior. Fear not. There are myriad ways to help make the introduction of siblings as smooth as possible. For starters, mom-of-two Morgan Ball advised: Try to take it all in stride. “Hope for the best and plan for the worst,” said the 34-year-old Ball in suburban Columbus, Ohio. “Don't freak out about it. Kids have big feelings. They do weird things. They might bite their baby brother and that does not mean they're going to be a serial killer.” Ball's oldest was 3 when his brother was born in April 2020 as pandemic panic took hold. To make matters worse, her husband's father had died suddenly not long before, further rocking young Charlie's world. “I'm sure there's a lot of people who could tell a similar story because they lost someone during COVID," she said. “It's been tough in terms of his behavior. It took a lot of understanding." Ball and her husband knew about the usual suggestions to prepare Charlie, including reading him books about babies and new siblings, letting him pick out a gift for his new brother and giving him a baby doll. “I wish I would have done more of that,” she said. During the early weeks, while Ball was recovering from the birth, she and her husband did something else. “We would trade off. We would ask, who's more reasonable right now? OK, you go get that,” Ball said. Helen Egger, a child psychiatrist and chief medical officer for Little Otter, which provides online therapy, parenting support and other mental health services for kids and their families, agreed the stress and isolation of the pandemic can make introducing a sibling more difficult. “Many young children have not attended preschool or daycare or been with a babysitter. They have missed out on playing with other children in these settings or at the park or during playdates,” she said. “Your little one may never have met a baby!” For siblings Archie's age, Egger suggests that parents avoid using too many words and long explanations. She's a fan of the baby doll or stuffed animal approach for acting out scenarios, such as bathing, rocking and holding a baby. “You can pretend to change diapers or how to peek into the crib or bassinet quietly to see if the baby is sleeping, or how to be gentle with the baby,” Egger said. “When you play, also let your little one take the lead. You will learn things about their feelings.” Because of COVID, hospitals and doctor's offices often don't allow children at mommy's check-ups or visits after birth. “So the first thing to think about is to prepare your child for mom being at the hospital. Just as you pack a mom's birth bag, you might consider packing one for your toddler at home with some special toys and a special card from mom that says, ‘I love you,’" Egger said. Caitrin O'Sullivan in Red Bank, New Jersey, has been through it a time or three. She recently gave birth to her fourth child. Her oldest is 5. This time, there were fewer opportunities to bring her older kids into the process due to pandemic restrictions. “But one of the pros is we've been home with the kids, and there's been a lot more time to talk to them about mommy's belly and this and that,” she said. She used a phone app that includes videos of fetal growth, and she bought a handheld device for the kids to listen to the baby's heartbeat at home. “And once the baby is home, I'd say the biggest thing to do is carve out that one-on-one time for the older kids, especially if they're Archie's age, because they don't fully grasp and understand and rationalize what's going on. They just know they're not getting the special attention they used to get,” O'Sullivan said. O'Sullivan takes her 5-year-old daughter out to get her nails done, followed by lunch. She treats her 4-year-old son to a trip to a nearby video arcade. One thing to avoid, she said, is talking about the pregnancy and the new baby non-stop. “Especially with this fourth one we didn't. I mean, I work full time. My husband works full time. Nobody was talking about this baby 24/7,” O'Sullivan said. Other parents warned against overdoing the notion that the new baby is a big sibling's responsibility. A father said he and his wife took their 2-year-old daughter to big sibling class at their hospital and she stressed out thinking she'd be in charge of her sister all the time. If a newborn is taking over an older sibling's crib or nursery, make that transition well in advance of the birth, another parent suggested. Still another recalled relatives who sent their toddler to grandma's house for the birth. When she arrived home, she found a new baby in her bed. She was far from pleased. Once a new baby is settled, parents need to balance each child's moment-to-moment needs. “It depends on your own kids,” O'Sullivan said. “My 5-year-old daughter is so into the baby. My 4-year-son is like, he's cool but he's not my responsibility.” O'Sullivan had another important thought for all parents: “There's no one way to be a perfect parent but there's a million ways to be a really good one.” ___ Follow Leanne Italie on Twitter at http://twitter.com/litalie Leanne Italie, The Associated Press
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CBC
What you need to know about COVID-19 in Ottawa on Tuesday, May 25
Recent developments: What's the latest? Ottawa Public Health (OPH) has confirmed another 48 cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday and two more deaths. Peter Simard of Gatineau, Que., contracted COVID-19 and was put in a medically induced coma and on a ventilator, but his family never gave up hope for a miracle. After nearly nine months of hospitals and rehab, he's finally back home. Ontario's hospitals can once again perform non-urgent surgeries, but there's a massive backlog to clear and thousands of patients in eastern Ontario are facing uncertain waits for their procedures. Western Quebec residents as young as 12 can now book a COVID-19 vaccine appointment. How many cases are there? The region is coming down from a record-breaking peak of the pandemic's third wave, one that has included more dangerous coronavirus variants. The rate of spread is still high. As of Tuesday, 26,691 Ottawa residents have tested positive for COVID-19. There are 855 known active cases, 25,278 resolved cases and 558 deaths. Public health officials have reported more than 48,500 COVID-19 cases across eastern Ontario and western Quebec, including more than 46,100 resolved cases. Elsewhere in eastern Ontario, 185 people have died. In western Quebec, the death toll is 211. Akwesasne has had more than 690 residents test positive and 10 deaths between its northern and southern sections. Kitigan Zibi has had 34 cases. Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory has had 11, with one death. Pikwakanagan hasn't had any. The transfer of COVID-19 patients from other regions to Ottawa hospitals continues. As of Tuesday, there were 16 COVID-19 patients from other communities in Ottawa ICUs. CBC Ottawa is profiling those who've died of COVID-19. If you'd like to share your loved one's story, please get in touch. What can I do? Eastern Ontario: Ontario is under a stay-at-home order until at least June 2. Its reopening plan leans on rates of spread and vaccination; the province plans to take the next step in mid-June. Many closed recreation venues can now reopen, and Ontario's outdoor gathering limit has now risen to five people, including people from different households. A sign in Ottawa's Confederation Park urges people to observe the rules around COVID-19 on May 24, 2021.(Trevor Pritchard/CBC) Ontario has moved to online learning. Daycares remain open, and summer camps should eventually open as well. Most non-essential businesses can only offer curbside pickup. Access to malls is restricted and big-box stores can only sell essential items. Gyms and personal care services are closed, while restaurants are only available for takeout and delivery. Police checkpoints between Ontario and Quebec are not running 24/7. Officers in Ontario have the power to stop and question people if they believe they've gathered illegally. Local health units and communities can also set their own rules, as Ottawa is doing around playgrounds and the Belleville area is doing for the agriculture industry. Western Quebec Western Quebec is under red zone rules. It's also planning to gradually reopen, starting with the curfew lifting and outdoor gatherings and dining returning on Friday, then a move to the orange zone on Monday. High schools, gyms, theatres, personal care services and non-essential businesses can now open with restrictions. The curfew is currently in place from 9: 30 p.m. until 5 a.m. Private gatherings remain banned, except for a person who lives alone seeing one other household. Small religious services are allowed and people can go to theatres. Older secondary school students will be going to classrooms every second day. Distanced outdoor exercise is allowed in groups up to eight people. People can't travel to yellow or green zones or risk a fine. Distancing and isolating The novel coronavirus primarily spreads through droplets that can hang in the air. People can be contagious without symptoms, even after getting a vaccine. Coronavirus variants of concern are more contagious and are now established. This means it is important to take precautions now and in the future like staying home while sick — and getting help with costs if needed — keeping hands and surfaces clean and maintaining distance from anyone you don't live with, even with a mask on. Masks, preferably ones that fit snugly and have three layers, are mandatory in indoor public settings in Ontario and Quebec. OPH says residents should wear masks outside their homes whenever possible. A cyclist in a mask pauses outside a new coffee shop on Sparks Street in Ottawa on May 24, 2021.(Trevor Pritchard/CBC) People have to show proof of a recent negative COVID-19 test to enter Canada by land without a fine and have to pay for their stay in a quarantine hotel if entering by air. Anyone with COVID-19 symptoms should self-isolate, as should those who've been ordered to do so by their public health unit. The length varies in Quebec and Ontario. Health Canada recommends older adults and people with underlying medical conditions get help with errands. Vaccines Four COVID-19 vaccines have been deemed safe and approved in Canada. Canada's task force said first doses offer such strong protection that people can wait up to four months to get a second. More than 1,150,000 doses have been given out in the Ottawa-Gatineau region since mid-December, including more than 530,000 doses to Ottawa residents and about 240,000 in western Quebec. Eastern Ontario Ontario is now vaccinating anyone age 12 or older. People can look for provincial appointments opening up online or over the phone at 1-833-943-3900. Pharmacies continue to offer vaccines through their own booking systems as supply allows. The first people who got an AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine March 10 to 19 can now book a second dose. The province's goal is a second AstraZeneca dose 12 weeks after the first, with more details to come on other recipients. Local health units have flexibility in the larger framework, including around booking, so check their websites for details. Some offer standby lists for first doses. Western Quebec Quebec is now vaccinating anyone 12 and older. People who qualify can make an appointment online or over the phone. There are walk-in clinics in Hull and Buckingham. The province expects to have given a first dose to 75 per cent of adults by June 15 and is looking at 75 per cent of people age 12 and up getting their second dose by the end of August. Symptoms and testing COVID-19 can range from a cold-like illness to a severe lung infection, with common symptoms including fever, a cough, vomiting and loss of taste or smell. Children tend to have an upset stomach and/or a rash. If you have severe symptoms, call 911. WATCH | Allergy symptoms vs. COVID-19 symptoms: Mental health can also be affected by the pandemic, and resources are available to help. In eastern Ontario: Anyone seeking a test should make an appointment. Check with your health unit for clinic locations and hours. Ontario recommends only getting tested if you fit certain criteria, such as having symptoms, exposure or a certain job. People without symptoms but who are part of the province's targeted testing strategy can make an appointment at select pharmacies. Shoppers Drug Mart stores can now offer rapid tests. Travellers who need a test have very few local options to pay for one. In western Quebec: Tests are strongly recommended for people with symptoms and their contacts. People can make an appointment and check wait times online. Call 1-877-644-4545 with questions, including if walk-in testing is available nearby. WATCH | The uncomfortable aspects of returning to pre-pandemic life: First Nations, Inuit and Métis: First Nations, Inuit and Métis people, or someone travelling to work in a remote Indigenous community, are eligible for a test in Ontario. Akwesasne has a COVID-19 test site by appointment only and a curfew of 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. Anyone returning to the community on the Canadian side of the international border who's been farther than 160 kilometres away — or visited Montreal — for non-essential reasons is asked to self-isolate for 14 days. People in Pikwakanagan can book a COVID-19 test by calling 613-625-1175. Anyone in Tyendinaga who's interested in a test can call 613-967-3603 and in Kitigan Zibi, 819-449-5593. Tyendinaga's council is asking people not to travel there to camp or fish. Inuit in Ottawa can call the Akausivik Inuit Family Health Team at 613-740-0999 for service, including testing and vaccines, in Inuktitut or English on weekdays. For more information
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Reuters
UK spies violated human rights with bulk intercepts, European court rules
LONDON (Reuters) -Britain's GCHQ eavesdropping agency breached fundamental human rights by intercepting and harvesting vast amounts of communications, the European Court of Human Rights ruled on Tuesday. Revelations by former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden showed that GCHQ and the U.S. National Security Agency were sucking up vast amounts of communications from across the world, including on their own citizens.
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CBC
What to do if you encounter an aggressive goose
With the warmer temperatures comes the return of geese to wetland areas of the province. But they aren't always welcomed by humans, especially those who like to walk or bike along Moncton's Riverside Trail. Already this year, there have been several reports of confrontations between pedestrians on the trail and geese. Al Hanson, head of aquatic assessment with the Canadian Wildlife Service, said it's relatively rare for geese to attack humans and most will let people pass by without incident. But every once in a while, geese will get aggressive, something Hanson can attest to. "Last week I was cycling by one goose, and it decided after I was by it that it was going to fly after me, and it startled me," he said. Trying to intimidate Hanson said there are several reasons why geese are testier in the spring. One is that they are breeding, so are likely trying to keep other geese and predators away from their nesting spots. And once the young are born, geese will take steps to defend their brood from any potential danger. Geese that do attack or hiss are most likely protecting their nesting areas from other geese or predators. (Lisa Pattison/Facebook) The young and adult geese go through a period where they cannot fly in the spring, and since they're really not that great at fighting, Hanson said, they will try to appear more intimidating than they actually are. "Geese don't have any real natural defence mechanisms like claws or teeth, so they rely mostly on aggression and trying to bluff their way," said Hanson. "Most times you walk by a goose on the Riverfront Trail and they'll just, you know, hiss at you maybe, if that, and then walk to the side." What to do Hanson said the best course of action if confronted by an agitated goose, you can tell by their hiss, is to give them plenty of space, but also make yourself look like a formidable adversary. "Don't crouch down or anything, make yourself look big," said Hanson. "Try to convey to the goose that you're not intending to hurt it, but you are bigger than it is. And in most cases, it will back down." Finally, keep in mind that most geese offer no trouble to humans and simply want to be left alone this time of year. "I was at Centennial Park on Monday of this week … and there's nesting geese there that have hatched their babies," said Hanson. "You could watch them and they weren't displaying any aggressive behaviour whatsoever."
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Canadian Press Videos
B.C. outlines plan to end COVID-19 restrictions
British Columbia is planning for a return to normal life after Labour Day as part of its four-step COVID-19 reopening plan. Premier John Horgan says the province's strong immunization rate allows the province to slowly bring people back together.
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CBC
Ottawa failed to properly implement sexual misconduct report, top Defence civil servant says
Canada's deputy minister of National Defence says the military's operation to end sexual misconduct in its ranks "lost its way" because the government failed to properly implement recommendations from a landmark report into the issue six years ago. Jody Thomas said she wasn't working for the Department of National Defence in 2015, when a scathing report into sexual misconduct by former Supreme Court justice Marie Deschamps was released. But Thomas said her "observation" is that the Deschamps report was treated like a checklist. She said the government did not "truly" implement it — something the military has been loath to say. "It was not given the oversight it needed by the civilian part of the department, so my side of the department in terms of monitoring," Thomas said in an interview on CBC's The Current with Matt Galloway. "I think that as little was done as possible to make it look like the report had been responded to without any real change. No structural change, no legislative change, no outside the department, outside the Canadian Armed Forces reporting — those kinds of things that Madame Deschamps emphasized." A break with military's message Thomas's comment is in stark contrast to what the military told Parliament last month. Brig.-Gen. Andrew Atherton, director general of professional military conduct, told MPs probing sexual misconduct in the Armed Forces that all of the recommendations in the Deschamps report were fulfilled. "From our perspective, we believe we have achieved all of those 10 recommendations," Atherton said on April 15. "However, that is our opinion." Thomas told Galloway it's time to be frank. "My observation would be that it was treated almost as a checklist, and I think it's time that we were just honest about that," Thomas said. The statement is a clear admission of failure when it comes to the Defence Department's handling of sexual misconduct. That said, Thomas did say she wouldn't characterize Operation Honour — the military's now-defunct campaign to stamp out sexual misconduct — "completely as a failure," citing the creation of the Sexual Misconduct Response Centre and increased reporting. Second former top court justice to lead review Thomas gave the lengthy interview to The Current, which airs Tuesday at 8: 30 a.m. local, with Canada's acting chief of the Defence staff, Lt.-Gen Wayne Eyre. It's one of their first in-depth interviews with a media outlet since the unravelling of the sexual misconduct crisis this year. Eyre replaced Admiral Art McDonald, who stepped aside from the top job in February during an investigation into a sexual misconduct claim. McDonald had replaced Gen. Jonathan Vance, who is also under a military police probe over claims of inappropriate behaviour — allegations that he told Global News he denies. Several other senior leaders have also been swept up into the reckoning. Former head of military personnel command Vice-Admiral Haydn Edmundson, left, is under investigation for an alleged rape in the 1990s that he denies. Former chief of the defence staff Gen. Jonathan Vance, centre, is also under investigation for inappropriate behaviour, which he denies. Lt.-Gen. Wayne Eyre, right, is now acting chief of the defence staff.(Justin Tang/The Canadian Press) Eyre repeated his message that the military has "failed as an institution to properly address" sexual misconduct over the decades. He called it an "existential issue" that threatens to make the military "irrelevant" in society and not able to defend the country if it's not fixed. The federal government has tasked another former Supreme Court justice, Louise Arbour, with leading an external review to build on the Deschamps report and implement a reporting mechanism outside of the military's chain of command. "We need to own this and view this as an opportunity to truly change our organization," Eyre said, adding that the military should not be defensive about adopting recommendations. Eyre acknowledged that he is still questioning why, in his almost 37-year career, he has never seen any inappropriate behaviour or worse in the military. "I've been racking my brain," he said. "I question what I didn't see, what didn't register...I wish I'd been armed with the questions, with some of the sense and understanding that I have now." 'It is an assault on one's professional identity' The sexual misconduct crisis, Eyre said, has been challenging for him personally to process. "It's been difficult because it is an assault on one's professional identity to think the organization that one thought they were part of, there are aspects to it you didn't completely understand," he said. WATCH | Defence chief says sexual misconduct crisis is 'existential issue' for Canadian military Eyre said it would be quite easy to retreat into retirement. But he said he wants to make a difference "understanding that I've got a diminished sense of moral legitimacy, given that I'm part of the generation and the generation before us that didn't make necessary change." When asked why the military's sexualized culture still persists despite all of the revelations over the years and attempts to change it, Eyre said he didn't have a complete answer. "Is it a question of power dynamics that we need a much better understanding of the use and the abuse of power?" he said. "Is it the exclusionary aspects of parts of our culture that I've talked about before? I don't know." Power and abuse of authority Thomas said she believes it is "about power" and "about the abuse of authority." "It is disproportionately weighted to senior officers right now in the media, and I understand why people would question their senior leadership," Thomas said. "They've just been around the longest. Everything that's been around in the press has been historical. That doesn't excuse it. I'm not excusing it at all." Lt.-Gen Wayne Eyre, shown in Ottawa in August 2019, is Canada's acting chief of the defence staff. He replaced Admiral Art McDonald, who stepped aside from the top job in February during an investigation into a sexual misconduct claim.(Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press) Thomas said there is a "large cadre" of ethical officers, leaders and non-commissioned officers who are trying to do their best to evolve as society does. Since joining the navy 35 years ago at a time when nude photos of women were posted publicly onboard ships, she said she's seen the culture evolve for women. But the military needs to stop "hiding behind words, including harmful and inappropriate behaviour," and say it like it is, Thomas said. "It's inappropriate behaviour, period," she said. "Or it's criminal activity and it's rape. We have to start calling things what they are because that changes the culture. It's too easy to hide behind something like harmful behaviour." Thomas said Arbour's review is needed because if the military just takes the system that exists now and moves it outside the department, it won't fix some of the concerns. "It won't fix concerns of reprisal," Thomas said. "It won't fix some concerns with the chain of command still being involved."
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Reuters
Millions of COVID vaccine doses on way to Taiwan, alert level extended
TAIPEI (Reuters) -Millions of COVID-19 vaccine doses are on their way to Taiwan, the health minister said on Tuesday, as he extended virus-related restrictions until the middle of June even though the trend in new infections is falling. Having spent months keeping the virus at bay with life relatively normal compared with many other places, Taiwan is dealing with a spike in domestic infections, exacerbated by a low vaccination rate of only about 1% of its population. Health Minister Chen Shih-chung said two million vaccine doses would arrive by the end of June and 10 million by the end of August, though he did not give details, only saying that the numbers included domestically developed vaccines.
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CBC
Pressure on school board grows after Perth teacher convicted
The head of a shelter for women and children is calling for more accountability and transparency from the Catholic District School Board of Eastern Ontario (CDSBEO) following the criminal conviction of a former high school teacher that rocked the town of Perth, Ont. "I would hope … that the school put in place protocols to further protect kids, that there was education put in place to educate kids around sexual assault, around predatory behaviour, around grooming," said Charlene Catchpole, executive director of Leeds and Grenville Interval House. "But to my knowledge, that didn't happen." Catchpole's own children attend St. John Catholic High School, where Jeff Peters taught for nearly 20 years until his suspension and arrest in November 2019. In late April, Peters was convicted of sexual assault and sexual exploitation of two former students that occurred between 2013 and 2016. More former students have since come forward to say they were groomed by Peters as far back as 2005. For the third Tuesday in a row, students at St. John plan to skip online classes in protest this week. Catchpole said her own children have been part of the demonstration, which calls for "positive change." "I would hope at this point in time, even though we're not physically in school, there could be support meetings for students," she said. "There could be a panel put together ... with the board, teachers and with the administration to answer questions, to take some accountability, to start that path of healing." Charlene Catchpole, a parent of students at St. John and executive director of Leeds and Grenville Interval House, says the school board needs to answer questions, take responsibility and 'start that path of healing.' (Submitted/Catchpole) Board statements not enough CBC has made several requests to the board for interviews and information, but in response has only received a brief statement noting: "Parents and guardians should be assured that CDSBEO has strict rules and procedures in place to protect students, including the duty to report any suspicious incidents, a joint Child Protection Protocol for all schools, training for staff and administrators, engagement of Crisis Consultants and a close working relationship with the Children's Aid Society." But Catchpole said that provides no comfort for her. In fact, she notes the board's statement lists other agencies including the local shelter, but doesn't offer any services at the school level. "As a parent and professionally, they've left these young girls with nothing," said Catchpole. Teachers told not to talk Some current staff members at St. John say they, too, have felt unsupported by the board. "We're sick about this situation," said one staff member who asked not to be named because the board has asked teachers not to talk to anyone about the situation. "We're not getting much support from the board except to say, 'Don't talk about it.' But we need to talk." Multiple school board employees told CBC they've been upset by Peters's conviction and subsequent fallout, which included unfounded rumours that several teachers held a party for Peters before his sentencing. The teachers say they need new training on defining boundaries between students and staff. "I don't remember receiving any guidelines or information about inappropriate behaviour. We should be discussing and dealing with this and be told these are the lines that can't be passed," one teacher told CBC. "We need a snitch line or something." Peters taught history and religion, and coached sports teams for several years at St. John.(Julie Ireton/CBC) College connection In its statement to CBC, the board noted it has referred the matter to the Ontario College of Teachers (OCT) for review. The current CEO of the college, Derek Haime, has his own connection to the board and St. John Catholic High School, as CBC learned from people in Perth. Haime raised his four kids in Perth before moving on to work in other school boards across the province, eventually becoming head of the OCT in January. He's a former high school principal with the CDSBEO, and his four children attended St. John Catholic High School, and one was on a sports team coached by Peters. Haime declined CBC's request for an interview. In a statement to CBC, the college said: "Dr. Haime's role as Registrar & CEO makes it inappropriate for him to comment on this matter or any individual complaint that may be before the College."
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CBC
Alberta doctors urge caution as COVID-19 stats improve, warn against reopening too fast
Dr. Shazma Mithani remembers being asked if she felt optimistic back in January. Multiple COVID-19 vaccines had been approved for use in Canada, health-care workers were starting to get immunized, and the pandemic's second wave had peaked. "I remember using the words that 'there's this light at the end of tunnel, that we're almost there, that there's hope.' And then unfortunately we had the third wave," the Edmonton emergency room physician said in an interview Monday, during a break between working busy long-weekend night shifts. Declining COVID-19 numbers across the province are encouraging, but Mithani and other Alberta doctors are cautioning against easing public health restrictions too soon. On Monday, Premier Jason Kenney hinted that an announcement about reopening could be coming this week. "With Covid numbers coming down, kids will be back to school tomorrow, and we'll have exciting news this week about the great Alberta summer that lies ahead!" the premier tweeted. Mithani said she sees reason for hope and optimism as immunization expands and case numbers drop, but she worries aggressive steps to reopening could derail recent progress. "We're not out of the water, there's still potential for another wave of covid if we don't do this right." On Monday, 452 new cases were reported, bringing the total active cases to 13,608. The testing positivity rate was 8.8 percent. Between May 10 and May 16, the R value for Alberta was less than one, which means the rate of transmission declined during that period. Vaccine coverage has also greatly increased since the end of the second wave: on Feb. 1, Alberta had administered 106,254 doses; as of Monday, the province has administered 2,506,919. Dr. Lynora Saxinger, an infectious disease expert at the University of Alberta, said declining case numbers show the public-health restrictions currently in effect are working. But that relief hasn't yet hit the province's intensive care units. "The ICU capacity is still running very, very high and above its usual capacity by quite a bit with a lot of covid cases," she said. "I think that the health-care system definitely is showing some signs of strain still, but at least we can look at these numbers and see that it is going to be getting better over the next couple of weeks." While declining case numbers, positivity rate, and R value do provide reason to be optimistic, Saxinger said it's not time to lift public health restrictions. "We know that if we can keep the lid on for longer and bring the case numbers down lower before starting to release everything, our odds of success of not having another wave ... all the evidence would say our odds are much, much better if we just hold on a while longer," she said. Saxinger said keeping the pace of immunization rolling at its current rate will help cut down case numbers even more quickly, and keep the virus from rebounding into a fourth wave when it is time to lift restrictions. 'Overconfident' Dr. Chuck Wurster, an emergency room physician in Sherwood Park, said the drop in active reported cases has corresponded with what he and his colleagues are seeing, fewer people show in the ER with new symptoms of COVID-19. Wurster is also concerned about getting overconfident about current numbers. He said immunization rates may plateau or easing current public-health restrictions too early over the next few weeks could send Alberta into another wave. "I think we've been a little bit overconfident in how successful we've been," he said. Wurster said he's especially concerned that schools will be returning to in-person instruction this week. "I think we're just going to end up in the same cycle we've been in — we're just making progress, we're just turning the corner, and then we do a 180-degree turn and then it gets worse again," he said.
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The Canadian Press
Federal rebate set to make electric cars more affordable see $100M go to Tesla buyers
OTTAWA — Transport Canada is looking at ways to include used vehicles in a federal rebate for electric cars — something observers say is needed to make the program more relevant to low or middle-income consumers, rather than only those able to buy brand new. Their recommendation comes while a new analysis also shows more than $100 million of the almost $300 million in subsidies issued so far have gone to Tesla drivers. The program offers buyers an upfront discount of up to either $5,000 or $2,500 and sellers then have to claim the incentives to be reimbursed. The Liberal government introduced the subsidy in 2019 for those buying or leasing new zero-emission vehicles, including businesses and local governments, as a way to reduce transportation pollution. From then until early 2021, government agreements show Tesla was reimbursed around $102 million of the roughly $296 million sent to individual dealerships selling electric vehicles from 15 different automakers. Next to Tesla — which sells directly to customers — Hyundai dealerships saw the second highest reimbursement amount of $50 million, followed by Chevrolet dealerships at nearly $40 million. Unlike the latter two, which have a selection of electric vehicles that qualify for rebates, Tesla currently only has one, its Model 3. With a manufacturer's suggested retail price for a standard range at $44,999, the Tesla Model 3 squeezes in just below the program's cutoff for a low-end model of $45,000. The pricing strategy used by automakers, including Tesla, is why a parliamentary committee that studied the use of electric vehicles, recommended last month that the program's overall price cap be reviewed. "To date, consumers who have purchased the Tesla Model 3 represent approximately 25 per cent of the total (program) claims," reads a statement from Transport Canada, provided by spokesperson Cybelle Morin. "The Tesla Model 3 is the best-selling electric vehicle in the world." The department said providing consumers with vehicle options is important "to increasing the adoption of zero-emission vehicles in Canada." For Germain Belzile, a senior associate researcher on energy issues at the Montreal Economic Institute, the overarching policy goal should be to reduce carbon-related emissions, not to get more electric vehicles on the road. He said such subsidies may be a political "winner," but are an expensive, inefficient way to reduce emissions of heat-trapping greenhouse gases in transportation compared to charging a higher carbon price on fuel. Belzile co-authored a study in 2017 that looked at the provincial subsidies in Quebec and Ontario, which found together, those could cost more than $17 billion by 2030 and only slash emissions by less than four per cent annually. “It’s like cellphones," he said. "Cellphones have existed for a long time, but very few people used cellphones 35 years ago, for example, and that’s because they were very expensive and we didn’t need subsidies to eventually increase the usage of cellphones.” But Ottawa and others, including U.S. President Joe Biden, increasingly look to electric cars as a way to transition the auto sector into a world less reliant on fossil fuels and cut transportation pollution. Canada has a sales target to have 10 per cent of all light-duty cars be electric by 2025. “It’s going to become a real affordability issue in terms of whether the government wants to spend that much money on helping people get to those targets by 2025," said David Adams, president of the Global Automakers of Canada. He said incentives should remain available for at least the next few years until the price gap closes between electric vehicles and ones powered by traditional internal-combustion engines. In its own analysis, Ottawa has acknowledged the early adopters of electric vehicles tend to be well-educated, higher-income men living in cities. Joanna Kyriazis, a senior policy adviser at Clean Energy Canada, says when it comes to Tesla, the giant "has made and built electric cars that people actually want to buy" and other companies have caught on. She pointed to Ford's recent unveiling of its electric F-150 truck. “If you looked at what Ford was really selling there, it was power, speed, intelligence, American ideals of freedom and independence," said Kyriazis. “It wasn't, 'Drive this to be an environmentally responsible citizen.'" Both she and Adams would like to see at least one key change to the federal rebate program — expanding it to include used vehicles, also called for in the report from Parliament. "You find the highest interest in (electric vehicles) amongst the younger demographic that, let's just face it, in most instances are the ones that are least able to afford to purchase the vehicle," Adams said. Kyriazis said around 60 per cent of car sales happen in the used market. Paying the upfront cost for an electric vehicle off the lot is a barrier for Canadians with modest incomes, who would benefit the most from its lower fuel and maintenance costs, she added. Kyriazis sees another possible way to ensure benefits aren't going to those who could afford to buy an electric vehicle without the financial support: introduce an income cap, or provide more money for low-income earners. Transport Canada is exploring options for expanding incentives to include used zero-emission vehicles, which would broaden access to such vehicles for more Canadians, the department said in a statement. Last fall, Ottawa announced it was pumping another $287 million into the $300 million program because its popularity meant the cash was drying up sooner than the end date of 2022. This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 25, 2021. Stephanie Taylor, The Canadian Press
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Reuters
As Assad tightens grip on Syria, many refugees lose hope
AMMAN (Reuters) -When Syrian refugee Lara Shahin fled Damascus at the start of Syria's conflict she thought her family would be back within months to help rebuild the country. Nine years later, an election dismissed as a sham by refugees across the region is set to grant President Bashar al-Assad another seven years in power - further shredding her hopes of ever going home. Like millions of refugees in Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey she has watched as Assad clung to power in the face of an uprising and devastating civil war which has left Syria economically ruined and too dangerous for them to return.
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The Canadian Press
Iran approves 7 for presidential vote, bars Rouhani allies
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran named the hard-line cleric running its judiciary and six others Tuesday as approved candidates in its June 18 presidential election, barring prominent candidates allied with its current president amid tensions with the West over its tattered nuclear deal. The announcement carried by state television puts judiciary chief Ebrahim Raisi, who is linked to mass executions in 1988, in the dominant position for the upcoming vote. He’s the most-known candidate of the seven hopefuls, with opinion polling previously showing his anti-corruption campaign drew Iranian support. He's also believed to be a favorite of Iran's 82-year-old Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. But perhaps most notable was who Iran's Guardian Council barred from running. Chief among them was former parliament speaker Ali Larijani, a conservative who allied with Rouhani in recent years. Larijani had been positioning himself as a pragmatic candidate who would back Rouhani’s signature 2015 nuclear deal with world powers. Diplomats in Vienna are now trying to negotiate a return of both Iran and the U.S. to the agreement. Larijani seemingly signaled he wouldn't fight the decision. “I have done my duty before God and the dear nation, and I am satisfied,” Larijani wrote on Twitter. “Thank you to all those who expressed their gratitude and I hope you will participate in the elections for the promotion of an Islamic Iran.” Ali Motahari, Larijani's brother-in-law and a former lawmaker, separately wrote on Twitter that the Guardian Council rejected him because his daughter lives in the U.S. Within Iran, candidates exist on a political spectrum that broadly includes hard-liners who want to expand Iran’s nuclear program and confront the world, moderates who hold onto the status quo and reformists who want to change the theocracy from within. Those calling for radical change find themselves blocked from even running for office by the Guardian Council, which also refuses to allow women to run, citing Iran's constitution. Also barred Tuesday was former hard-line President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Ahmadinejad ignored a warning from Khamenei in 2017 and registered, only to be rejected then as well by the Guardian Council, a 12-member panel under Khamenei. Ahmadinejad maintains a following in Iran due to his populist policies and has threatened to boycott the election if he wasn't allowed to run. During an earlier session of parliament Tuesday, lawmaker Ahmad Alirezabeigi described Ahmadinejad's home as being “under siege” by security forces since the day before. He also warned that the decision would suppress turnout. Iran's theocracy since its 1979 Islamic Revolution has based its legitimacy in part on turnout in elections. Rouhani’s senior Vice President Eshaq Jahangiri, the most prominent reformist to run, similarly found himself disqualified. “I consider the disqualification by the elites is a serious threat to widespread participation and fair competition by all political parties, especially reformists,” Jahangiri wrote on Instagram. State TV earlier quoted Abbas Ali Kadkhodaei, the spokesman of the Guardian Council, as saying “only seven” had been approved out of some 590 who registered by the panel of clerics and jurists overseen by Khamenei. In 2017, 1,630 hopefuls registered to run. Raisi wrote on Twitter — a service technically banned by Iran since the 2009 unrest that surrounded Ahmadinejad's disputed re-election — that he wanted authorities to reconsider the decision to bar some of the candidates. “I have made contacts and I am holding consultations to make the election scene more competitive and participatory,” he said, though the disqualifications Tuesday only boosted the likelihood of him taking the presidency. As the head of the judiciary, Raisi oversees a justice system in Iran that remains one of the world’s top executioners. United Nations experts and others have criticized Iran for detaining dual nationals and those with ties abroad to be used as bargaining chips in negotiations with the West. Then there’s the 1988 mass executions that came at the end of Iran’s long war with Iraq. After Iran’s then-Supreme Leader Ruhollah Khomeini accepted a U.N.-brokered cease-fire, members of the Iranian opposition group Mujahedeen-e-Khalq, heavily armed by Saddam Hussein, stormed across the Iranian border in a surprise attack. Iran ultimately blunted their assault, but the attack set the stage for the sham retrials of political prisoners, militants and others that would become known as “death commissions.” Some who appeared were asked to identify themselves. Those who responded “mujahedeen” were sent to their deaths, while others were questioned about their willingness to “clear minefields for the army of the Islamic Republic,” according to a 1990 Amnesty International report. International rights groups estimate that as many as 5,000 people were executed, while the Mujahedeen-e-Khalq puts the number at 30,000. Iran has never fully acknowledged the executions, apparently carried out on Khomeini’s orders, though some argue that other top officials were effectively in charge in the months before his 1989 death. Raisi, then a deputy prosecutor in Tehran, took part in some of the panels at Evin and Gohardasht prisons. A tape of a meeting of Raisi and his boss meeting prominent Grand Ayatollah Hossein Ali Montazeri leaked out in 2016, with Montazeri describing the executions as “the biggest crime in the history of the Islamic Republic.” Raisi never publicly acknowledged his role in the executions while campaigning for president in 2017. After his loss, Khamenei appointed him as head of the judiciary in 2019. Others named as candidates Tuesday include Saeed Jalili, a former nuclear negotiator; Mohsen Rezaei, a former Revolutionary Guard commander; Ali Reza Zakani, a former lawmaker; Amir Hossein Ghazizadeh, a current lawmaker; Mohsen Mehralizadeh, a former provincial governor; and Abdolnasser Hemmati, the current head of Iran’s Central Bank. Jon Gambrell, The Associated Press
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CBC
Student alleges racial profiling after she says police accused her of stealing her own car
Taylina Rhoden says she "never in a million years" thought she'd be grabbed by a police officer or accused of doing something illegal. And she definitely wasn't expecting it the afternoon of Feb. 17, 2021, when she was brushing snow off her car and getting ready to pick up a few groceries with her roommate. "An officer put down his window and he said 'What are you doing over there by that car?' And I said 'It's my car, I'm brushing snow off of it,'" Rhoden recalls. The Ryerson University film student said the Toronto police officer got out of his car and asked her to talk. Rhoden says she was caught off guard and backed away, asked what he wanted to talk about and told him she didn't have to speak with him. "As I was walking away from him, he grabbed me by my arm and that's when I started to get really scared because you've been seeing all these things on the news and I've never been physically apprehended by anybody, let alone a police officer," she said. Rhoden says the officer threatened to charge her with auto theft. "I said 'This is my car. This is my registration. Just let go of me and I can show you the paperwork.' He wouldn't let go. I tried to loosen my grip and he grabbed me back harder and started shaking me and pulling me," she said. At this point, she said she was crying and screaming for help. She says the officer was also not wearing a mask. The Toronto Police Service says it is committed to being transparent and to building trust in the community through such measures as implementing anti-Black racism training and initiatives to address systemic racism. But one year after George Floyd's murder and several protests in Toronto calling for change in policing, advocates say incidents such as this one demonstrate that there is still a lot of work to be done. Black Lives Matter Canada continues to call for a portion of the police budget to be reallocated to community initiatives. Rhoden says it wasn't until her landlord came out of the building, and identified her as his tenant, that the officer moved on. "If my white landlord wasn't there to identify who I was, what would have happened?" Rhoden says she called police after the incident to report the officer and says she didn't get a proper follow up until 12 hours later. She has also filed a complaint with The Office of the Independent Police Review Director (OIPRD) and secured legal representation. She feels she was stopped because of her race. "You don't have to be doing anything. You can just be outside existing and you get targeted." 'This has to be addressed,' lawyer says Knia Singh, principal lawyer at Ma'at Legal Services who is representing Rhoden, says incidents like this have been brought to his attention more frequently over the last few years as people use cameras on their cell phones to film police activity. "Somebody brushing snow off their car shouldn't be accused of auto theft," he said. Singh added it could have been a simple question and answer interaction, and Rhoden should have been given a chance to show the officer her licence and registration when she offered it. Instead, he says, her rights were violated. Knia Singh is the principal lawyer at Ma'at Legal Services and is representing Rhoden. He's also the co chair of the 'Know Your Rights Committee;' an initiative to educate the public about their rights during interactions with police.(Talia Ricci/CBC News) "What is important is these matters are dealt with right. And there may be many of these across the city, and unfortunately, most citizens don't have the resources to find counsel to help them. They may brush it off, or they may not have a witness," he said. Singh wants to see more discipline for police officers who abuse their power and says that discipline should go beyond a warning or a docking of pay. "This has to be addressed. We know the tensions across North America," he said. "I see change, but I think there's still a lot of work to be done." Black Lives Matter Canada calls for cut to police budget Syrus Marcus Ware, co-founder of Black Lives Matter Canada, says people are talking about policing more than they ever have and he's seeing more stories such as this one come to light. "We're hearing about the every day ways the police cross the line," he said. "It doesn't always end in a fatality. Sometimes it ends in an assault, or other kinds of violence." A summer of protests in 2020 called on the city to reallocate funds from the police budget into the community — housing, community centres and youth programs. Ware says those demands aren't being met. "We're still waiting for a 50 per cent reduction of the police budget to reinvest into the communities. That's something we're holding firm on." Ware says what happened to Rhoden was "outrageous." "We should be able to go out into the street, drive in our cars. We should be able to live in public space without fear of terrorizing from the police," he said. "Our goals are rooted in the idea that we can do better than we are doing now." Toronto police says it's taking steps to deliver fair policing Toronto police said it would be inappropriate for the service to comment on the incident because a complaint has been filed with the OIPRD. In a separate statement requested by CBC News on efforts over the last year to respond to calls for change, the service said: "As part of our commitment to deliver fair and non-discriminatory policing in Toronto, Our Equity, Inclusion and Human Rights Unit is implementing our Race-Based Data Collection Strategy, our Police and Community Engagement Review Committee helped us implement the Know Your Rights video campaign to educate the public about their rights during interactions with police, we have implemented anti-Black racism training, and we have introduced body worn cameras as part of our ongoing commitment to build transparency and public trust." The statement says Toronto Police Chief James Ramer has committed to accelerating the service's response to the 81 recommendations on police reform identified by its board, which includes "a commitment to learning and continuing to address the harmful impacts of systemic racism." Rhoden says incident was humiliating Rhoden and her lawyer say an officer working on her complaint came to her home unannounced on May 15, despite knowing she has legal representation. She said the visit came as a deadline imposed by the OIPRD was approaching to wrap up the case. But Rhoden refused to admit anything was resolved. While three months have passed since the initial incident, the 20-year-old says the experience remains with her. She says she's now afraid of police officers and didn't leave her house a few days after it happened. She says the service has tried setting up a meeting with her and the officer, but she isn't comfortable seeing him in person. "When I was screaming, he even looked at me and was like 'I don't care how much you scream, you can scream all you want.' It just felt like he didn't care what happened to me," she said. "Sometimes I still see his face in nightmares." Rhoden says she shared her story with friends and family and on social media, and received many supportive responses including from Black Torontonians sharing experiences of their own. Reflecting on that day in February, she describes it as terrifying, isolating and humiliating. "It didn't feel like he was following protocol," she said. "It felt personal." For more stories about the experiences of Black Canadians — from anti-Black racism to success stories within the Black community — check out Being Black in Canada, a CBC project Black Canadians can be proud of. You can read more stories here. (CBC)
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CBC
Increase in illegal clam digging in B.C. could raise risk of deadly poisonings, fisheries officials warn
Flora Qu admits digging for clams is hard on her back but says it seemed like a good way to get out of the house given the pandemic restrictions. "First time [I've] come here," she said recently as she and a friend spent a couple of hours digging at Centennial Beach in Delta, B.C., just south of Vancouver. "Just want to exercise and have fun." Qu said she didn't know harvesting shellfish like clams and mussels — called bivalve shellfish — is illegal in B.C.'s Lower Mainland. Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) has banned bivalve shellfish harvesting across the bays and inlets of Metro Vancouver and up the Fraser River because of pollution and naturally occurring toxins for about 50 years. Bivalve shellfish are filter feeders, which means any contaminants in the water can build up inside them and make them potentially deadly to humans who eat them, experts say. Fisheries officials told CBC News there has been a dramatic increase in people digging for clams during the pandemic, a trend that has raised concerns about the toxic potential of harvested shellfish from the region. Bivalve shellfish like clams, mussels, oysters and scallops are filter feeders, which can accumulate contaminates from the water in their digestive system and tissues.(Susana da Silva/CBC) "It's about three times the number of encounters," said Art Demsky, a DFO detachment commander. "The worst fear is that someone gets sick and possibly dies." He said people can become sick even after handling the shellfish. "Especially kids," he said. "They like to play with things, maybe collect shellfish and then, of course, their fingers go in their mouths. So, it's a worry." If consumed, naturally occurring toxins produced by phytoplankton in the water can lead to diarrhetic, amnesic and paralytic forms of shellfish poisoning. Paralytic shellfish poisoning is potentially fatal. Demsky said stopping illegal harvesting is a priority, but DFO's efforts are limited by the vast area of the region. Art Demsky, a detachment commander with Fisheries and Oceans Canada, with a recent seizure of more than 800 illegally harvested shellfish in Port Moody, B.C. He says education is a priority for fisheries officers when encountering those illegally harvesting shellfish, but fines are another option.(Art Demsky/Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada ) 'They just ignore us' Richard Wong regularly comes to Centennial Beach to go crabbing — which is legal when in season and with a licence — and has seen an uptick in the number of people digging for clams. "I try to tell them … 'You shouldn't be picking up those things,'" Wong said. "But then when we walk away and turn around, they start picking again." Crabs can be harvested with a licence when they are in season and following size and quantity limits. Some of those who regularly come crabbing at Boundary Bay, such as Richard Wong, say they have seen a significant increase in the number of people illegally harvesting shellfish.(Tristan Le Rudulier/CBC) Tira Chow started crabbing last year and said she has been surprised by how many people she sees gathering buckets of clams. "I mentioned it to a couple of people, but they just ignore you," she said. "So, I just think there should be more signs posted." Chow and Wong both feel the English-only signs posted are not enough and need to be in multiple languages. But Demsky said that's difficult given the diversity of ethnic backgrounds of the people harvesting shellfish. He said DFO has pamphlets in various languages and has put information out on social media and in newspapers in different languages. Signs are posted warning of the dangers of harvesting shellfish at entry points to beaches, but some say more signs and signs in more languages are needed. Officials say they have created pamphlets and social media posts in a variety of languages.(Susana da Silva/CBC) New closures map released The B.C. Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC), which tracks cases of illnesses, is also trying to make it easier for people to familiarize themselves with the rules. It is launching an updated website this week showing all the locations of closures and a guide telling people exactly what the different shellfish look like. "A lot of times, the poisonings we get, people said, 'Oh, I harvested some clams.' And when we ask them, 'What type of clams did you harvest?' they don't know," said Lorraine McIntyre, a BCCDC food safety specialist. She said three people reported becoming ill from shellfish in April compared to one in 2020 and one the year before, but she said many people don't report illnesses and some cases can only be confirmed by testing the contaminated shellfish — not the person. Toxins are resistant to cooking As for the idea you can cook your way to a safe clam, that is simply not the case, McIntyre said. "While cooking will prevent you from getting bacterial illnesses, it's not going to do anything with the toxins," she said. "They are resistant to cooking. And, in fact, sometimes the toxins get more potent after cooking." A couple of hours of work can yield a basket full of clams. Fisheries officers worry people are underestimating the risks of harvesting contaminated shellfish.(Susana da Silva/CBC) McIntyre said it is crucial for anyone who feels unwell after eating shellfish to contact their doctor or poison control immediately. And while illness should be a deterrent, Demsky said, so, too, should fines. People caught illegally harvesting shellfish risk tickets starting at $250, with additional fines for each shellfish up to $100,000.
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