nationalobserver--2020-04-17--Long-term care is now the front line of Ontario’s COVID-19 battle

In some ways , long-term care was a COVID-19 storm waiting to happen .
The virus is most deadly to elderly people and those with pre-existing health conditions — the main demographics for long-term-care facilities , which across the country have been ravaged by COVID-19 .
But government decisions have made it worse .
Combine the pre-existing risk with the chronic understaffing and underfunding that have plagued long-term care in Ontario and across the country , and you have the makings of an accelerating disaster .
“ It is impossible to imagine the anguish that families and indeed our elders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Thursday .
“ We need to do a better job of being there for them.
” In a few horrifying cases , medical staff have abandoned their long-term-care jobs , leaving the sick to die and the living to suffer .
And even with the best care possible , residents have died alone , their family members not allowed inside to say goodbye .
• Trudeau , G7 leaders confront Trump over cuts to WHO funding • Time to bail out Alberta workers , not billionaire oil @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been especially bad in Ontario , while some provinces have been weeks ahead in making key moves to address the crisis .
Ontario Long-Term-Care Minister Merrilee Fullerton , shown in 2018 , says the province is doing everything it can to stop the spread of COVID-19 in long-term care .
File photo by Alex Tétreault ‘ No one gives us back time ’ The problem struck British Columbia first , as a cascade of cases and deaths at North Vancouver ’ s Lynn Valley Care Centre caught national attention in March .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ then .
B.C .
barred long-term-care staffers from working at more than one facility on March 27 .
Many have part-time hours at multiple workplaces , and must work at several to make ends meet .
But the practice , flagged as a problem after the deadly SARS outbreak in 2003 , has also allowed for COVID-19 to spread rapidly between care homes .
The Ontario government says it has acted quickly and often to stop the spread of the virus in long-term care .
But B.C .
acted weeks earlier , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ addressed a month ago .
# onpoli Days later , B.C.issued a six-month order requiring care homes to top up those workers ’ wages .
( Quebec , which has also massively struggled with long-term-care outbreaks , topped up long-term-care staff wages earlier this month as well ) .
Ontario didn ’ t issue an order barring long-term-care staff from working at multiple facilities until Wednesday .
It doesn ’ t take effect until April 22 , lasts two weeks and leaves a loophole for temp staffers .
“ Restrictions much tighter than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weeks ago , ” Ontario NDP Leader Andrea Horwath said Wednesday .
And though Premier Doug Ford originally said he ’ d top up Ontario ’ s notoriously low wages for such workers , the province has since deferred that to the federal government and encouraged long-term-care homes to give staff full-time hours .
The issue of wage increases for long-term-care staff topped the agenda for a phone call between Trudeau and provincial and territorial leaders Thursday night .
They “ agreed on the urgent need to ensure long-term-care facilities have the resources @ @ @ @ @ @ @ well-being of their residents and workers , ” a summary of the call released by the Prime Minister ’ s Office said .
( In general , long-term care is a provincial responsibility . )
Ford has repeatedly said Ontario placed an “ iron ring ” around the elderly , acting early and often in stopping the spread in long-term care .
The government has given the system infusions of extra funding , and updated provincial guidelines .
And the province rolled out an action plan this week that involves enhanced testing — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ long-term-care residents and staff , as Quebec has — and redeploying “ COVID-19 SWAT teams ” of experts from local hospitals .
“ We were active and decisive for months , putting in every measure under the guidance of the chief medical officer of health and public health , ” Long-Term-Care Minister Merrilee Fullerton said Friday .
“ Clearly , COVID-19 is spreading in a different way and more tools are needed.
” This week , Dr. David Williams , Ontario 's chief medical officer of health , said he doesn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ saved lives had it taken action sooner .
The non-profit Ontario Health Coalition said in a statement Friday that the province 's actions fall short of what 's needed .
“ We are increasingly frustrated with the disconnect between the statements of the premier and what is actually being put into the regulations , directives and guidance issued by his own government , ” executive director Natalie Mehra said in the press release .
“ We are inundated with calls and emails from families with loved ones in long-term care and staff in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ furious about the lack of testing , even in homes with outbreaks.
” Doris Grinspun , CEO of the Registered Nurses ' Association of Ontario , said the province should have acted a month ago , when her organization first raised concerns .
She also said there is much more that remains to be done .
“ No one gives us back time , ” Grinspun said in an interview Thursday .
“ We can only do the best we do with the time we have left , until there is a vaccine.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Ontario ?
While the spread of the novel coronavirus appears to be slowing in Ontario as a whole , with officials predicting it may now be peaking , COVID-19 is picking up steam in long-term care .
Those infections are now driving the province ’ s totals .
Of the 564 new cases reported in the province Friday , an estimated 334 were long-term-care patients , associate medical officer of health Dr. Barbara Yaffe said .
The problem hit the spotlight in 2019 , after an inquiry prompted by the case of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nurse who confessed to the murders of eight elderly patients .
The probe identified “ systemic vulnerabilities , ” with Justice Eileen Gillese calling Ontario ’ s long-term care “ strained ” and asking the government to up funding and staffing .
The Progressive Conservative government had been working to address the recommendations when the pandemic hit , Fullerton told reporters this week .
In a report this week , CBC News also revealed the Ford government largely stopped doing unannounced annual inspections of long-term-care homes .
The province continued conducting investigations done @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the facility knows an inspector is coming .
Annual inspections have uncovered issues with neglect , sanitation and abuse inside homes , CBC reported .
More recently , the government has allowed long-term-care homes to require staff who test positive for COVID-19 to work in the facilities under adapted self-isolation guidelines .
“ Staff are contacting us because they are being required to work , even when they test positive , and they are afraid of infecting others , ” Mehra said in the Ontario Health Coalition statement .
“ Workers are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many family councils we work with share their anger.
” 3/8 Deaths have disproportionately impacted our # OlderAdults , with over 90 % of reported deaths occurring among those aged > 60 years and almost 50 % of deaths linked to long term care home outbreaks .
# COVID19 # ProtecttheVulnerable — Dr. Theresa Tam ( @ CPHO_Canada ) April 16 , 2020 What happens next ?
On Wednesday , Ford said he thinks the province must open an inquiry into long-term care once the pandemic has passed .
He also left open @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his government ’ s response to the pandemic .
In the meantime , Grinspun said , Ontario must do more and do it quickly .
It needs to push out more personal protective equipment to allow everyone working inside long-term-care homes to wear masks .
“ We have been asking for that since March 12 .
That ’ s a long time , almost a month.
” Grinspun also called for more tracing of the close contacts of people infected with COVID-19 , something she said the province has done “ inconsistently.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ measures as well : increased isolation space , universal wearing of masks inside homes , allowing workers who have tested positive to stay home and more support for long-term-care staff .
“ They are taking risks to provide care , but feel they are being blamed for the outbreaks , have been required to give up part-time jobs , but still nothing has been done to address their long-standing grievances about poor pay , heavy ( caseloads ) and conditions of work , ” Mehra said in the statement .
Grinspun said the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wrong with long-term care and apply it to prisons and homeless shelters , which carry many of the same risks , before the outbreak gets out of control in those facilities .
“ We need to ramp that up more , ” she said .
“ If something happens there , it will be devastating .
”

In a few horrifying cases, medical staff have abandoned their long-term-care jobs, leaving the sick to die and the living to suffer. And even with the best care possible, residents have died alone, their family members not allowed inside to say goodbye.
“It is impossible to imagine the anguish that families and indeed our elders are going through in this situation,” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Thursday. “We need to do a better job of being there for them.”
But government decisions have made it worse. Combine the pre-existing risk with the chronic understaffing and underfunding that have plagued long-term care in Ontario and across the country, and you have the makings of an accelerating disaster.
The virus is most deadly to elderly people and those with pre-existing health conditions — the main demographics for long-term-care facilities, which across the country have been ravaged by COVID-19.
But the long-term-care outbreaks have been especially bad in Ontario, while some provinces have been weeks ahead in making key moves to address the crisis.
Ontario didn’t issue an order barring long-term-care staff from working at multiple facilities until Wednesday. It doesn’t take effect until April 22, lasts two weeks and leaves a loophole for temp staffers.
Days later, B.C.issued a six-month order requiring care homes to top up those workers’ wages. (Quebec, which has also massively struggled with long-term-care outbreaks, topped up long-term-care staff wages earlier this month as well).
B.C. barred long-term-care staffers from working at more than one facility on March 27. Many have part-time hours at multiple workplaces, and must work at several to make ends meet. But the practice, flagged as a problem after the deadly SARS outbreak in 2003, has also allowed for COVID-19 to spread rapidly between care homes.
The problem struck British Columbia first, as a cascade of cases and deaths at North Vancouver’s Lynn Valley Care Centre caught national attention in March. The province has made several critical moves since then.
The issue of wage increases for long-term-care staff topped the agenda for a phone call between Trudeau and provincial and territorial leaders Thursday night. They “agreed on the urgent need to ensure long-term-care facilities have the resources they need to protect the health and well-being of their residents and workers,” a summary of the call released by the Prime Minister’s Office said. (In general, long-term care is a provincial responsibility.)
And though Premier Doug Ford originally said he’d top up Ontario’s notoriously low wages for such workers, the province has since deferred that to the federal government and encouraged long-term-care homes to give staff full-time hours.
“Restrictions much tighter than these should have been put in place weeks ago,” Ontario NDP Leader Andrea Horwath said Wednesday.
Ford has repeatedly said Ontario placed an “iron ring” around the elderly, acting early and often in stopping the spread in long-term care. The government has given the system infusions of extra funding, and updated provincial guidelines. And the province rolled out an action plan this week that involves enhanced testing — though it still is not testing all long-term-care residents and staff, as Quebec has — and redeploying “COVID-19 SWAT teams” of experts from local hospitals.
“We were active and decisive for months, putting in every measure under the guidance of the chief medical officer of health and public health,” Long-Term-Care Minister Merrilee Fullerton said Friday. “Clearly, COVID-19 is spreading in a different way and more tools are needed.”
This week, Dr. David Williams, Ontario's chief medical officer of health, said he doesn’t have evidence the province could’ve saved lives had it taken action sooner.
The non-profit Ontario Health Coalition said in a statement Friday that the province's actions fall short of what's needed.
“We are increasingly frustrated with the disconnect between the statements of the premier and what is actually being put into the regulations, directives and guidance issued by his own government,” executive director Natalie Mehra said in the press release.
“We are inundated with calls and emails from families with loved ones in long-term care and staff in the homes, crying, afraid, furious about the lack of testing, even in homes with outbreaks.”
Doris Grinspun, CEO of the Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario, said the province should have acted a month ago, when her organization first raised concerns. She also said there is much more that remains to be done.
“No one gives us back time,” Grinspun said in an interview Thursday. “We can only do the best we do with the time we have left, until there is a vaccine.”
How did it get so bad in Ontario?
While the spread of the novel coronavirus appears to be slowing in Ontario as a whole, with officials predicting it may now be peaking, COVID-19 is picking up steam in long-term care. Those infections are now driving the province’s totals.
Of the 564 new cases reported in the province Friday, an estimated 334 were long-term-care patients, associate medical officer of health Dr. Barbara Yaffe said.
The problem hit the spotlight in 2019, after an inquiry prompted by the case of serial killer Elizabeth Wettlaufer, a long-term-care nurse who confessed to the murders of eight elderly patients. The probe identified “systemic vulnerabilities,” with Justice Eileen Gillese calling Ontario’s long-term care “strained” and asking the government to up funding and staffing.
The Progressive Conservative government had been working to address the recommendations when the pandemic hit, Fullerton told reporters this week.
In a report this week, CBC News also revealed the Ford government largely stopped doing unannounced annual inspections of long-term-care homes. The province continued conducting investigations done after complaints, but in those cases, the facility knows an inspector is coming. Annual inspections have uncovered issues with neglect, sanitation and abuse inside homes, CBC reported.
More recently, the government has allowed long-term-care homes to require staff who test positive for COVID-19 to work in the facilities under adapted self-isolation guidelines.
“Staff are contacting us because they are being required to work, even when they test positive, and they are afraid of infecting others,” Mehra said in the Ontario Health Coalition statement. “Workers are angry and they are frightened and the many family councils we work with share their anger.”
3/8 Deaths have disproportionately impacted our #OlderAdults, with over 90% of reported deaths occurring among those aged > 60 years and almost 50% of deaths linked to long term care home outbreaks. #COVID19#ProtecttheVulnerable — Canada's CPHO (@CPHO_Canada) April 16, 2020
What happens next?
On Wednesday, Ford said he thinks the province must open an inquiry into long-term care once the pandemic has passed. He also left open the possibility the inquiry could delve into his government’s response to the pandemic.
In the meantime, Grinspun said, Ontario must do more and do it quickly. It needs to push out more personal protective equipment to allow everyone working inside long-term-care homes to wear masks. “We have been asking for that since March 12. That’s a long time, almost a month.”
Grinspun also called for more tracing of the close contacts of people infected with COVID-19, something she said the province has done “inconsistently.”
The Ontario Health Coalition called for more measures as well: increased isolation space, universal wearing of masks inside homes, allowing workers who have tested positive to stay home and more support for long-term-care staff.
“They are taking risks to provide care, but feel they are being blamed for the outbreaks, have been required to give up part-time jobs, but still nothing has been done to address their long-standing grievances about poor pay, heavy (caseloads) and conditions of work,” Mehra said in the statement.
Grinspun said the province must also learn from what went wrong with long-term care and apply it to prisons and homeless shelters, which carry many of the same risks, before the outbreak gets out of control in those facilities.
“We need to ramp that up more,” she said. “If something happens there, it will be devastating.”


nationalobserver--2020-04-17--Club Quarantine: Queer love from Toronto to the world

“ My plants are talking to me , ” Club Quarantine co-founder and comedian Brad Allen joked at the start of the online dance party ’ s one-month-anniversary live stream on Wednesday .
“ A little bit of cabin fever over here , but you all are keeping us alive.
” The feeling was mutual for hundreds of people in Toronto and across the world who stayed in and partied that night , getting their queer groove on in the only communal way they can in the time of COVID-19 .
“ For me , Club Q represents a release @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the quarantine , ” said Clare Din , a yoga teacher in Philadelphia who ’ s joined Club Q almost nightly for the past two weeks .
“ I also get my 20,000 steps in every time I ’ m on , so there ’ s a health benefit , too.
” The nightly interactive club provides a welcome respite and outlet for pent-up creative energy for thousands of cooped-up partiers , and is an increasingly popular venue for acts and promoters no longer able to put on live shows .
They include @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who played to a capacity 1,000-person crowd last month .
“ We get a lot of messages from people saying that ... Club Q is the one thing to look forward to in their day and it 's like this light at the end of the tunnel , ” said Mingus New , a digital creative and another of Club Q ’ s co-founders .
• Trudeau , G7 leaders confront Trump over cuts to WHO funding • Time to bail out Alberta workers , not billionaire oil company CEOs The line between @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's online Zoom parties Rebecca Black showed up for the anniversary night and danced along to “ Friday , ” her viral track that broke the internet in 2011 , before the chat-channel crowd exploded in admiration for her new single , “ Closer.
” “ I thought it was a cultural moment within a cultural moment , ” Black said of singing the song that made her famous within the altered reality of 2020 's online partying .
New said it was inevitable the queer community would navigate quickly away from social @ @ @ @ @ @ @ online space .
“ For me , Club Q represents a release from the drudgeries of everyday life during the quarantine , ” says one regular @ reachclubq reveller .
@ 5thEstate joined the online queer party this week for its one-month anniversary featuring @ MsRebeccaBlack .
“ Partying is obviously so important to queer culture ... always has been , always will be , ” he added .
“ It 's kind of like a church ... queers need to be able to be around other queer people and express themselves and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” The code to get in is dropped every night at 9 p.m. Eastern on Club Quarantine ’ s Instagram page , which had almost 50,000 followers as of this writing .
But the parties go down on Zoom , the video-conferencing app that allows for anyone to share their video and for moderators to pick screens to highlight for everyone .
This has encouraged partiers to create elaborate installation pieces ( one pole dancer attaches their phone to their ceiling for a bird's-eye view of their performance , for example ) and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ creative makeup , waiting to be picked out for a spotlight .
“ It 's a great opportunity to go online and be seen and be loved and affirmed and who you are , ” New said .
While the online version will never fully replicate the packed dance floor experience , it has also opened up the scene to those who might otherwise not get to participate , including people with disabilities and social anxiety , the underaged , and those who are in the closet .
It ’ s the type @ @ @ @ @ @ @ especially for the artists and musicians who would otherwise be earning a living creating for in-person audiences .
Video of Kendall Gender on Club Q and performing online during a pandemic Drag performer Kendall Gender speaks about working at online parties , including Club Quarantine , in an interview with National Observer on April 16 .
“ We all needed this , ” well-known Toronto drag performer Allysin Chaynes said later in the evening , before launching into a performance of “ Intergalactic ” by the Beastie Boys .
“ When ( social @ @ @ @ @ @ @ really , really , really down , ” said Kendall Gender , a Vancouver-based drag queen .
The self-described extrovert only shook off the funk with her first online show , and featured at Club Q last Friday .
“ It was so engaging , ” Gender said of the experience .
“ You really feel enveloped within this community ... it felt a lot more engrossed in something bigger.
” The four friends behind Club Q — the others are recording artist Andrés Sierra and producer/DJ/party thrower Casey MQ — started it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and clubs were told to close ( March 16 ) , and promised early on to keep it going every night until the quarantine was lifted .
With no end in sight , the team is now settling in for the long haul .
They ’ re collaborating each Wednesday with Paper Magazine , for example , who helped bring in Black for an evening that also featured Chilean DJ Javiera Mena , European techno musician Himera , New York glam duo Sateen and Chaynes .
They ’ ve also hired someone to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on more moderators to keep the space safe , all of which should allow the core four to occasionally take a night off .
“ Not that you can do much with your night off , but I can just plan to watch a Netflix movie or , like , eat dinner that night , ” New said .
They 've also just discovered they can live-stream the events to YouTube , meaning people can still watch future headline events even if Zoom 's capacity is exceeded .
“ So yeah , put @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said with a laugh .
“ Every day of the quarantine , whether that 's 2023 , 2024 , as long as Zoom 's going , our Wi-Fi is going , we 'll be here.
” Video of Rebecca Black dances to her new song & amp ; amp ; amp ; # 039 ; Closer & amp ; amp ; amp ; # 039 ; at Club Quarantine Rebecca Black dances to her new song , “ Closer , ” at Club Quarantine on April 15 .

“My plants are talking to me,” Club Quarantine co-founder and comedian Brad Allen joked at the start of the online dance party’s one-month-anniversary live stream on Wednesday. “A little bit of cabin fever over here, but you all are keeping us alive.” The feeling was mutual for hundreds of people in Toronto and across the world who stayed in and partied that night, getting their queer groove on in the only communal way they can in the time of COVID-19. “For me, Club Q represents a release from the drudgeries of everyday life during the quarantine,” said Clare Din, a yoga teacher in Philadelphia who’s joined Club Q almost nightly for the past two weeks. “I also get my 20,000 steps in every time I’m on, so there’s a health benefit, too.” The nightly interactive club provides a welcome respite and outlet for pent-up creative energy for thousands of cooped-up partiers, and is an increasingly popular venue for acts and promoters no longer able to put on live shows. They include such big names as Charli XCX, who played to a capacity 1,000-person crowd last month. “We get a lot of messages from people saying that ... Club Q is the one thing to look forward to in their day and it's like this light at the end of the tunnel,” said Mingus New, a digital creative and another of Club Q’s co-founders.
The line between performer and audience blurs at Club Quarantine's online Zoom parties Rebecca Black showed up for the anniversary night and danced along to “Friday,” her viral track that broke the internet in 2011, before the chat-channel crowd exploded in admiration for her new single, “Closer.” Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions “I thought it was a cultural moment within a cultural moment,” Black said of singing the song that made her famous within the altered reality of 2020's online partying.
Video of Rebecca Black plays &amp;#039;Friday&amp;#039; at Club Quarantine “For me, Club Q represents a release from the drudgeries of everyday life during the quarantine,” says one regular @reachclubq reveller. @5thEstate joined the online queer party this week for its one-month anniversary featuring @MsRebeccaBlack. New said it was inevitable the queer community would navigate quickly away from social isolation and into a safe, shared online space. “Partying is obviously so important to queer culture ... always has been, always will be,” he added. “It's kind of like a church ... queers need to be able to be around other queer people and express themselves and put on a stupid look and dance.” The code to get in is dropped every night at 9 p.m. Eastern on Club Quarantine’s Instagram page, which had almost 50,000 followers as of this writing. But the parties go down on Zoom, the video-conferencing app that allows for anyone to share their video and for moderators to pick screens to highlight for everyone.
This has encouraged partiers to create elaborate installation pieces (one pole dancer attaches their phone to their ceiling for a bird's-eye view of their performance, for example) and dress in their most over-the-top outfits and creative makeup, waiting to be picked out for a spotlight. “It's a great opportunity to go online and be seen and be loved and affirmed and who you are,” New said. While the online version will never fully replicate the packed dance floor experience, it has also opened up the scene to those who might otherwise not get to participate, including people with disabilities and social anxiety, the underaged, and those who are in the closet.


nationalobserver--2020-04-17--Trudeau pumps $1.7 billion into cleaning orphan and inactive wells

Canada is putting a combined $ 2.5 billion toward cleaning up thousands of risky , contaminated oil and gas wells and cutting a potent form of carbon pollution , Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Friday .
The two measures consist of $ 1.72 billion for cleaning up orphan or inactive wells in British Columbia , Alberta and Saskatchewan , the prime minister said , as well as $ 750 million to create an “ Emissions Reduction Fund ” to help firms meet federal methane-reduction standards .
A tenth of that fund , designed to offer loans , is meant for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s offshore oil industry .
Trudeau said he wanted to support workers and their families and help oil and gas companies avoid bankruptcy , while supporting his government ’ s environmental goals , after the coronavirus pandemic and an oil-price crash have created new obstacles for the industry .
Many energy firms are experiencing cash-flow issues and “ don ’ t have the funds to invest in technologies to reduce emissions or fix methane leaks , ” the prime minister said from Rideau Cottage in Ottawa , adding that the new fund would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work to be done .
Methane is a greenhouse gas 86 times as powerful as carbon dioxide at trapping heat over a 20-year period .
The fossil fuel industry , a primary contributor to atmospheric methane , burns it off or vents it as an unneeded byproduct of drilling , and it also leaks accidentally from equipment .
• Trudeau , G7 leaders confront Trump over cuts to WHO funding • Time to bail out Alberta workers , not billionaire oil company CEOs Scientists say methane is jeopardizing efforts to halt the global @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Canada has committed to cutting methane from the oil and gas sector by 40 to 45 per cent from 2012 levels by 2025 .
Meanwhile , orphan wells are a major problem in Western Canada .
National Observer has reported Alberta ’ s industry-funded non-profit , the Orphan Well Association , has an inventory of 2,789 wells that need to be abandoned and a further 3,331 sites where land must be reclaimed .
The Supreme Court of Canada has ruled companies can not use federal bankruptcy laws to avoid regulations requiring them to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But it could take more than 2,800 years to clean up some of them , a senior official from the Alberta Energy Regulator has told industry .
A presentation by that regulator estimated it could cost as much as $ 260 billion , in a “ worst-case ” scenario , to clean up all environmental liabilities , including problematic wells , pipelines and tailings ponds .
“ We ’ ve listened to the concerns of landowners , municipalities and Indigenous communities who want to make sure that the ‘ polluter pays ’ principle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ heard , ” Trudeau said about orphan wells .
Overall , the two commitments are expected to maintain “ roughly 10,000 jobs ” countrywide , the prime minister said , with more than half of those based in Alberta .
Canada is putting a combined $ 2.5 billion toward cleaning up thousands of risky , contaminated oil and gas wells and cutting a potent form of carbon pollution , Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Friday .
“ Just because we ’ re in a health crisis , doesn ’ t mean we can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
Canada 's domestic and export credit agencies , Export Development Canada and the Business Development Bank of Canada , will also offer fresh support to “ medium-sized ” energy firms in trouble , Trudeau added , so they can keep employees on the payroll .
The government is expanding eligibility for the Business Credit Availability Program it first announced March 18 .
Environmental advocates who spoke with National Observer on Friday said they were relieved Trudeau — at least for now — has avoided a much larger bailout of the oil @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , for example , had suggested a $ 15-billion package was in the works .
It also avoids some demands , like freezing the carbon tax or delaying climate regulations , that the oil lobby has been pushing for .
Still , they also raised questions about whether the funding would come with sufficient oversight , be steered by appropriate voices such as Indigenous communities and municipalities and not the federal cabinet and be able to stick to the stated goal of cleaning up emissions and contaminated sites , without money being funnelled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ corporations .
Julia Levin , climate and energy program manager at Environmental Defence , said she was glad to see the government stick to federal methane regulations , given Ottawa has been negotiating equivalency agreements with provinces that she said could weaken pollution standards .
“ But the taxpayers shouldn ’ t be on the hook for compliance , ” she added .
“ These companies have known they have to work on their methane reductions for years , and now , all of a sudden , we have to pay so they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lee , a senior economist with the B.C .
office of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives , said he liked that the methane fund was designed as repayable loans rather than a direct subsidy to industry .
“ The government definitely needs to make an attempt to try to align its support in Alberta with its broader climate and environmental measures , ” he said about the fund .
“ There is a lot that you could criticize around that , but in this particular moment , with the pandemic , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ result.
” Lee said given the broader scope of potential environmental liabilities in the hundreds of billions of dollars for Alberta , the $ 1.7 billion announced by Trudeau on Friday seemed small .
“ The overall amount isn ’ t particularly large in the context of the size of the industry , and the size of the cleanup that needs to happen , ” he said .
But he noted that , “ in the current context , where unemployment is a concern , and there needs to be another level of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s not the worst thing in the world.
” Part of the government ’ s commitment includes a $ 200-million loan to the Orphan Well Association .
Late last month , Alberta moved to expand the organization ’ s powers , for example allowing it to take ownership of orphan pipelines and wells that can still produce petroleum .
Levin said it was key that inactive wells don ’ t become orphans .
She has called for legislated timelines for wells to be cleaned up , and for security deposits to be made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , she said , there is uncertainty over whether the funds could be used to “ let companies off the hook.
” She also wants to see funds administered by First Nations representatives , municipal governments and landowners so the decision of which well to clean up and when does not become politicized .
“ If it ’ s a fund that ’ s being administered by cabinet , that leaves a lot of political discretion — cleaning up wells for certain companies over other ones , or cleaning up wells from municipalities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Following Trudeau 's announcement , Alberta Premier Jason Kenney said he was “ grateful ” and thanked Trudeau for an “ important first step.
” He said the funding to address inactive wells “ will immediately save or create thousands of jobs.
” Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers president Tim McMillan also said in a statement he appreciated the initiatives announced by Trudeau and called the orphan-wells announcement “ welcome news.
” “ Reducing environmental liabilities is a priority for the oil and natural gas industry and this initiative will allow important @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of jobs , ” McMillan wrote .

Canada is putting a combined $2.5 billion toward cleaning up thousands of risky, contaminated oil and gas wells and cutting a potent form of carbon pollution, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Friday. The two measures consist of $1.72 billion for cleaning up orphan or inactive wells in British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan, the prime minister said, as well as $750 million to create an “Emissions Reduction Fund” to help firms meet federal methane-reduction standards. A tenth of that fund, designed to offer loans, is meant for cutting pollution in Newfoundland and Labrador’s offshore oil industry. Trudeau said he wanted to support workers and their families and help oil and gas companies avoid bankruptcy, while supporting his government’s environmental goals, after the coronavirus pandemic and an oil-price crash have created new obstacles for the industry. Many energy firms are experiencing cash-flow issues and “don’t have the funds to invest in technologies to reduce emissions or fix methane leaks,” the prime minister said from Rideau Cottage in Ottawa, adding that the new fund would create jobs to allow this kind of work to be done. Methane is a greenhouse gas 86 times as powerful as carbon dioxide at trapping heat over a 20-year period. The fossil fuel industry, a primary contributor to atmospheric methane, burns it off or vents it as an unneeded byproduct of drilling, and it also leaks accidentally from equipment.
Scientists say methane is jeopardizing efforts to halt the global temperature rise and slow climate change. Canada has committed to cutting methane from the oil and gas sector by 40 to 45 per cent from 2012 levels by 2025. Meanwhile, orphan wells are a major problem in Western Canada. National Observer has reported Alberta’s industry-funded non-profit, the Orphan Well Association, has an inventory of 2,789 wells that need to be abandoned and a further 3,331 sites where land must be reclaimed. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions The Supreme Court of Canada has ruled companies cannot use federal bankruptcy laws to avoid regulations requiring them to pay for cleaning up abandoned wells. But it could take more than 2,800 years to clean up some of them, a senior official from the Alberta Energy Regulator has told industry.
A private presentation in 2018 by a high-ranking official from the regulator estimated it could cost $260 billion to clean up all environmental liabilities, including problematic wells, pipelines and tailings ponds. The presentation describes that figure as “likely less than the actual cost" and warned liabilities from conventional wells were getting larger, although the regulator would later characterize it as a “worst-case” scenario and an "error in judgement" following media reports. Canada is putting a combined $2.5 billion toward cleaning up thousands of risky, contaminated oil and gas wells and cutting a potent form of carbon pollution, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Friday. “We’ve listened to the concerns of landowners, municipalities and Indigenous communities who want to make sure that the ‘polluter pays’ principle is strengthened and that their voices are heard,” Trudeau said about orphan wells. Overall, the two commitments are expected to maintain “roughly 10,000 jobs” countrywide, the prime minister said, with more than half of those based in Alberta. “Just because we’re in a health crisis, doesn’t mean we can neglect the environmental crisis,” he said. Canada's domestic and export credit agencies, Export Development Canada and the Business Development Bank of Canada, will also offer fresh support to “medium-sized” energy firms in trouble, Trudeau added, so they can keep employees on the payroll. The government is expanding eligibility for the Business Credit Availability Program it first announced March 18.
Environmental advocates who spoke with National Observer on Friday said they were relieved Trudeau — at least for now — has avoided a much larger bailout of the oil and gas industry. One media report, for example, had suggested a $15-billion package was in the works. It also avoids some demands, like freezing the carbon tax or delaying climate regulations, that the oil lobby has been pushing for. Still, they also raised questions about whether the funding would come with sufficient oversight, be steered by appropriate voices such as Indigenous communities and municipalities and not the federal cabinet and be able to stick to the stated goal of cleaning up emissions and contaminated sites, without money being funnelled into the hands of large, still-profitable corporations. Julia Levin, climate and energy program manager at Environmental Defence, said she was glad to see the government stick to federal methane regulations, given Ottawa has been negotiating equivalency agreements with provinces that she said could weaken pollution standards.


nationalobserver--2020-04-17--10 lessons from COVID-19 that could help us save the planet

Before this virus took over our lives , people were largely still behaving as if there was no climate or biodiversity crisis .
While 2019 finally ignited more widespread awareness that something had to give — thanks largely to millions of youth on the streets — policy-makers were slow to apply the reforms needed .
Those with wealth or influence — indeed , most of us — went about our busy lives flying , driving , consuming , investing , and staking our future on an economy that was killing the planet .
Like many of us these days , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hope .
In the depths of the COVID-19 crisis , words like “ unprecedented ” do not adequately reflect the magnitude of this massive disruption .
In the charitable sector , we are also straddling both reactive and proactive strategies .
We prioritize the immediate needs of vulnerable communities while planning a better future .
In particular , I ’ ve been asking : What parts of this collective experience could have a lasting impact on the ways we relate to nature and climate change ?
3 .
Connect more , travel less @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( and endeavour to decrease the digital divide ) , our new ways of working could drastically minimize the need for greenhouse gas/waste-producing conferences and business travel .
Heck , with grandma now on Zoom , we can be more connected to family than ever while staying off those cruise ships .
2 .
Believe disruption is the new normal .
Banning international travel seemed like a radical idea when the coronavirus started spreading .
Now it seems minor .
Each day , new realities and challenges hit and we adapt .
Could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ transformations to live within the boundaries of our planet ’ s limits ?
Could we become more resilient ( or better , antifragile ) in the face of climate catastrophe ?
1 .
Trust in science and experts .
Around the world , we turn first to public health officials for the latest news , advice and guidance .
They have become our new celebrities .
Fake news is challenged like never before in an effort to save lives .
Could these new trusted ambassadors help us shift to limit global warming to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I am not here to peddle a post-pandemic utopia , but rather share ideas that could help us build regenerative cultures once our economy starts up again , and we physically reconnect .
I offer these 10 seeds of hope as habits and behaviours to cultivate : Now , remarkably , people are taking drastic measures to flatten the curve .
Is it possible that COVID-19 ’ s influence could shift our culture in a way that benefits climate action and nature ?
For starters , the billions of dollars that will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a huge opportunity for policy-makers to enable a transition to a just and green economy .
But what about the rest of us ?
Do we want to go back to how things were ?
4 .
Build essential local solutions .
As health-care and front-line workers navigate insufficient stocks of ventilators or masks , this crisis has exposed the vulnerability of our global supply chains .
Governments that don ’ t want to be caught off guard again are saying that life-saving supplies need to be locally sourced .
Climate activists have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for reducing the carbon costs of shipment .
Could the future be more local ?
5 .
Cook , bake , share , grow .
Across Canada , there are record-highs of bread-baking .
Gardens are being planned and food waste is down .
We have new appreciation for those who stock our grocery shelves ( and the income they deserve ) and what it means to get food onto our plates .
Our food consumption patterns , built around an industrial agricultural system , have been huge contributors to the loss of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Is it possible we will build new habits around food that champion a more regenerative system ?
6 .
Caremongering .
I ’ ve been inspired by the growing movement of “ caremongering ” in Canada that has received international attention as people look out for their neighbours and strangers .
The experiences of marginalized people most affected by the virus have been brought forward , including homeless people , new immigrants , women in violent domestic situations , remote Indigenous communities and seniors in long-term care .
Privilege is being surfaced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ savings , internet access and jobs that can be done remotely .
We ’ ve seen volunteerism grow , foundations step up their giving , and communities respond .
We ’ ve seen love and decency shine , and greed put into the shadows .
What could this mean for how we apply our privilege to advance social equity and caremongering for Mother Nature ?
7 .
Honour the role of our elders .
We are at risk of losing our elders to the virus .
We are upending our societies to protect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for all they have given us throughout their lifetimes .
Across the many Indigenous communities with whom we work , we are reminded that the elders are the ones who have held onto the language , the cultures , and the teachings , despite the impacts of colonization .
For Indigenous communities , the loss of their elders would mean the next generation would lose opportunity for cultural resurgence .
Indigenous ways of knowing convey what we all must learn from nature and our responsibility in treatment of other species .
Could COVID @ @ @ @ @ @ @ connection to the teachings of these elders ?
8 .
Get outdoors .
Nature is healing .
Suddenly a walk through a green space has become an essential destresser in these anxiety-inducing times .
That ’ s because trees and nature impact body chemistry .
Instead of movie theatres and shopping malls , could this appreciation for the natural spaces in our communities lead to protection of nature and our health ?
9 .
Tell people how they can help .
People just need to be asked .
They want consistent information from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ advice .
We all want to do our part .
As someone who has been advocating my whole career for human rights , the environment and climate action , I ’ m often asked , “ What can I do ?
” For nature and the climate , there is much we can all do : Avoid single-use plastic , take fewer flights , eat a plant-based diet , or donate to environmental organizations .
Massive individual behaviour change will lead to system change .
We are watching it right now .
10 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most importantly , this is a moment of reckoning for humans on this planet .
COVID-19 most likely started in a bat that infected other species , to humans , and then travelled around the world .
Imagine , just one bat toppled entire economic systems .
And the way to stop the virus is for every one of us to do our part within the system .
Never before has there been such a painful lesson that I hope we remember for a long time to come : We are all part @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its future .
My greatest hope is that we are able to transform from this crisis with new compassion and connections .
From our losses , there will be scars .
But from our experience , there may be new cultures that define a healthier future .

Like many of us these days, I find myself wavering between despair and hope. In the depths of the COVID-19 crisis, words like “unprecedented” do not adequately reflect the magnitude of this massive disruption. In the charitable sector, we are also straddling both reactive and proactive strategies. We prioritize the immediate needs of vulnerable communities while planning a better future. In particular, I’ve been asking: What parts of this collective experience could have a lasting impact on the ways we relate to nature and climate change? Before this virus took over our lives, people were largely still behaving as if there was no climate or biodiversity crisis. While 2019 finally ignited more widespread awareness that something had to give — thanks largely to millions of youth on the streets — policy-makers were slow to apply the reforms needed. Those with wealth or influence — indeed, most of us — went about our busy lives flying, driving, consuming, investing, and staking our future on an economy that was killing the planet. And then COVID-19 hit. Now, remarkably, people are taking drastic measures to flatten the curve. Is it possible that COVID-19’s influence could shift our culture in a way that benefits climate action and nature? For starters, the billions of dollars that will be spent to ensure an economic recovery is a huge opportunity for policy-makers to enable a transition to a just and green economy. But what about the rest of us? Do we want to go back to how things were? I am not here to peddle a post-pandemic utopia, but rather share ideas that could help us build regenerative cultures once our economy starts up again, and we physically reconnect. I offer these 10 seeds of hope as habits and behaviours to cultivate:
1. Trust in science and experts. Around the world, we turn first to public health officials for the latest news, advice and guidance. They have become our new celebrities. Fake news is challenged like never before in an effort to save lives. Could these new trusted ambassadors help us shift to limit global warming to 1.5 C and maintain planetary health? 2. Believe disruption is the new normal. Banning international travel seemed like a radical idea when the coronavirus started spreading. Now it seems minor. Each day, new realities and challenges hit and we adapt. Could this mean that we accept major lifestyle transformations to live within the boundaries of our planet’s limits? Could we become more resilient (or better, antifragile) in the face of climate catastrophe? Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions 3. Connect more, travel less. As we move our work online (and endeavour to decrease the digital divide), our new ways of working could drastically minimize the need for greenhouse gas/waste-producing conferences and business travel. Heck, with grandma now on Zoom, we can be more connected to family than ever while staying off those cruise ships.
4. Build essential local solutions. As health-care and front-line workers navigate insufficient stocks of ventilators or masks, this crisis has exposed the vulnerability of our global supply chains. Governments that don’t want to be caught off guard again are saying that life-saving supplies need to be locally sourced. Climate activists have long been advocating for more local procurement for reducing the carbon costs of shipment. Could the future be more local? "Before this virus took over our lives, people were largely still behaving as if there was no climate or biodiversity crisis." 5. Cook, bake, share, grow. Across Canada, there are record-highs of bread-baking. Gardens are being planned and food waste is down. We have new appreciation for those who stock our grocery shelves (and the income they deserve) and what it means to get food onto our plates. Our food consumption patterns, built around an industrial agricultural system, have been huge contributors to the loss of biodiversity and the cutting of carbon-rich forests. Is it possible we will build new habits around food that champion a more regenerative system? 6. Caremongering. I’ve been inspired by the growing movement of “caremongering” in Canada that has received international attention as people look out for their neighbours and strangers. The experiences of marginalized people most affected by the virus have been brought forward, including homeless people, new immigrants, women in violent domestic situations, remote Indigenous communities and seniors in long-term care. Privilege is being surfaced to those of us with space, savings, internet access and jobs that can be done remotely. We’ve seen volunteerism grow, foundations step up their giving, and communities respond. We’ve seen love and decency shine, and greed put into the shadows. What could this mean for how we apply our privilege to advance social equity and caremongering for Mother Nature? 7. Honour the role of our elders. We are at risk of losing our elders to the virus. We are upending our societies to protect these most vulnerable community members in exchange for all they have given us throughout their lifetimes. Across the many Indigenous communities with whom we work, we are reminded that the elders are the ones who have held onto the language, the cultures, and the teachings, despite the impacts of colonization. For Indigenous communities, the loss of their elders would mean the next generation would lose opportunity for cultural resurgence. Indigenous ways of knowing convey what we all must learn from nature and our responsibility in treatment of other species. Could COVID give us pause to listen with deeper connection to the teachings of these elders? 8. Get outdoors. Nature is healing. Suddenly a walk through a green space has become an essential destresser in these anxiety-inducing times. That’s because trees and nature impact body chemistry. Instead of movie theatres and shopping malls, could this appreciation for the natural spaces in our communities lead to protection of nature and our health?


nationalobserver--2020-04-17--Migrant and undocumented workers plead for help during COVID-19

Laura Lopez is a construction worker from Mexico living in Vancouver who is scared she won ’ t have enough money to feed her two kids or pay the rent .
Her husband lost his construction job after the COVID-19 outbreak , she said , compounding the financial situation faced by the family after they had been misled by someone offering to arrange a student visa .
With no ability to access income supports , they turned to their landlord in desperation about foregoing May rent , but were told they still had to pay .
“ It ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like the worst nightmare as a parent , to have no resources to provide for your kids , ” Lopez said Thursday , during a press conference arranged by the Migrant Rights Network .
“ We can not imagine ourselves on the street with our kids , having no way to provide them any food .
It ’ s not safe in this situation , ” she said , about the danger of becoming infected with the novel coronavirus .
“ It ’ s just insane .
We really want to ask the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Laura Lopez , a construction worker from Mexico living in Vancouver , on a Zoom call April 16 , 2020 .
Migrant Rights Network screenshot Lopez said she has no social insurance number , or SIN , which means she can ’ t access the Canada Emergency Response Benefit ( CERB ) , the federal government ’ s $ 2,000-per-month relief cheques sent to Canadians who have stopped working due to COVID-19 .
But like the other 1.8 million migrant and undocumented workers in Canada , she still helps the country thrive , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ produce in orchards or fields , taking care of children or seniors , or working on construction sites or in warehouses , often in exchange for low wages or no benefits .
Many migrant and undocumented workers can not access income supports , despite continuing to help Canada during the coronavirus pandemic .
@ MWACCanada is calling on the government to help them .
Lopez and others like Gustavo Antonio — a migrant worker in Mexico who said he has been travelling to British Columbia for 17 years under Canada ’ s Temporary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ facing increased financial hardship because of the virus .
“ Given that our income is solely from the work I do in Canada , I ’ m experiencing tough financial times , ” said Antonio , who said he has been unable to travel to Canada despite having a work permit because of COVID-19 restrictions .
“ I can ’ t pay for the bills to support my family , for example for my daughter who goes to school , which is expensive , ” he said .
Undated photo of Gustavo Antonio @ @ @ @ @ @ @ travels to B.C .
as a temporary foreign worker .
Courtesy Migrant Workers Alliance for Change ' I think it is fair , and that I have the right ' to help Lopez , Antonio and other migrants who spoke during the press conference say it ’ s only fair that Canada would support them as it is supporting other people in the country .
“ I think it is fair , and that I have the right , to receive help from the Canadian government , ” said Antonio .
For temporary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the situation is similarly problematic , according to Syed Hussan , executive director of Migrant Workers Alliance for Change .
Temporary workers are given SINs that expire when their permits do , and renewing such permits takes months , he said .
With the pandemic , this process has been further delayed , said Hussan , so these temporary SINs are expiring , shutting out more people from the CERB .
“ Never before have I seen the incredible depths of despair , suffering and looming calamity that I ’ m seeing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Hussan .
On April 14 , the Migrant Rights Network wrote to the federal government asking for the CERB to be extended to people without valid SINs , through another system called the Individual Tax Number ( ITN ) .
ITNs are nine-digit numbers given to non-residents who want to file income tax returns .
Hussan argued that thousands of undocumented workers already use ITNs so the mechanism would not be unusual .
The Trudeau government said this week it would extend its relief programs to seasonal workers without jobs and people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ still have income .
The offices of Immigration Minister Marco Mendicino and Revenue Minister Diane Lebouthillier directed questions about whether the government would consider extending the CERB to people without a valid SIN to Employment Minister Carla Qualtrough .
Her office acknowledged the receipt of questions , but could not immediately provide a response before publication .
Hussan said he has heard from over 2,000 workers in the last month who have an invalid SIN and can not access income supports .
“ In a public health crisis , unless we protect everyone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this isn ’ t simply a question of morality or fairness .
Providing income support to everyone is a public health imperative , ” he said .
That includes people like Alina Przybyl , an international student in Toronto who said her study permit expired in January and because of immigration processing delays , has not received an extension , leading to her SIN expiring and freezing her out of the CERB .
She said she has lost her job working as a waitress when her work was closed mid-March and everyone was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how long the pandemic will last , Przybyl said she has no idea how she will pay for food and rent .
“ I think it ’ s really hard for me to believe migrants like myself , and all migrants can not get support because of a formality like an expired SIN , ” she said .
“ It ’ s really difficult to process that , because we ’ re in a global crisis , and we ’ ve been hearing over and over that we ’ re in this together @ @ @ @ @ @ @ facing barriers.
” Those barriers are also hurting Cesar Paredes , a construction worker in Toronto without a valid SIN , and a wife who is pregnant and due late May .
He said it has become an “ unbearable situation.
” “ We are asked to stay home .
The reality is I can not stay home , ” said Paredes .
“ I don ’ t have any kind of support .
I need to hustle basically every day to get some work done for me and my wife.
” Like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ refusing to let him forego May rent , and he feels desperate , “ forgotten by society.
” Still going to odd jobs in construction , Paredes said he is scared he could be exposing himself to COVID-19 or exposing his wife every time he comes back home .
“ This is the reality that many of us are facing , ” said Paredes .
“ If the COVID doesn ’ t kill us , hunger or homelessness will .
”

Laura Lopez is a construction worker from Mexico living in Vancouver who is scared she won’t have enough money to feed her two kids or pay the rent. Her husband lost his construction job after the COVID-19 outbreak, she said, compounding the financial situation faced by the family after they had been misled by someone offering to arrange a student visa. With no ability to access income supports, they turned to their landlord in desperation about foregoing May rent, but were told they still had to pay. “It’s too much stress for us, feeling like the worst nightmare as a parent, to have no resources to provide for your kids,” Lopez said Thursday, during a press conference arranged by the Migrant Rights Network. “We cannot imagine ourselves on the street with our kids, having no way to provide them any food. It’s not safe in this situation,” she said, about the danger of becoming infected with the novel coronavirus.
“It’s just insane. We really want to ask the government to help us with this.” Laura Lopez, a construction worker from Mexico living in Vancouver, on a Zoom call April 16, 2020. Migrant Rights Network screenshot
No valid social insurance number, no relief Lopez said she has no social insurance number, or SIN, which means she can’t access the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB), the federal government’s $2,000-per-month relief cheques sent to Canadians who have stopped working due to COVID-19. Many migrant and undocumented workers cannot access income supports, despite continuing to help Canada during the coronavirus pandemic. @MWACCanada is calling on the government to help them. But like the other 1.8 million migrant and undocumented workers in Canada, she still helps the country thrive, cleaning hospitals, delivering food, picking produce in orchards or fields, taking care of children or seniors, or working on construction sites or in warehouses, often in exchange for low wages or no benefits. Lopez and others like Gustavo Antonio — a migrant worker in Mexico who said he has been travelling to British Columbia for 17 years under Canada’s Temporary Foreign Worker Program — say they are facing increased financial hardship because of the virus. “Given that our income is solely from the work I do in Canada, I’m experiencing tough financial times,” said Antonio, who said he has been unable to travel to Canada despite having a work permit because of COVID-19 restrictions.
“I can’t pay for the bills to support my family, for example for my daughter who goes to school, which is expensive,” he said. Undated photo of Gustavo Antonio, a migrant worker in Mexico who travels to B.C. as a temporary foreign worker. Courtesy Migrant Workers Alliance for Change


nationalobserver--2020-04-17--PM under pressure to top up pay for long-term care workers

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will be under pressure today to flesh out his promise to do more to protect seniors in long-term care homes , which have been hardest hit by the deadly COVID-19 pandemic .
Trudeau promised earlier this week that the federal government would provide funding to top up the wages earned by essential workers in nursing homes who earn less than $ 2,500 a month .
That promise was discussed during a conference call among first ministers late Thursday .
No details of the call were immediately forthcoming , other than a brief summary of the discussion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which said first ministers `` agreed on the urgent need to ensure long-term care facilities have the resources they need to protect the health and well-being of their residents and workers . ''
Since the salaries paid to workers in long-term care homes fall under provincial jurisdiction , Trudeau has been clear that whatever the federal government does must be in collaboration with the provinces .
• Trudeau , G7 leaders confront Trump over cuts to WHO funding • Time to bail out Alberta workers , not billionaire oil company CEOs Seniors Minister @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the federal government will boost transfer payments to the provinces and territories to allow them to top up wages .
She did not say how much money Ottawa is prepared to ante up .
Personal support workers in nursing homes often work poorly paid part-time jobs in multiple facilities , which has contributed to the spread of COVID-19 .
Topping up their wages is intended to compensate them for orders in some provinces that ban them from working in more than one facility .
It 's also intended to encourage them to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ increasingly risky as COVID-19 sweeps like wildfire through long-term care homes across Canada .
About half of Canada 's more than 1,000 deaths from COVID-19 have involved residents of long-term care facilities .
Quebec has already announced it will top up the wages of essential workers in nursing homes ; Ontario Premier Doug Ford indicated Thursday that his province will follow suit but first he wanted to see what financial assistance Ottawa would offer .
Trudeau 's government will also be under pressure today from the Conservatives to have in-person sittings of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ PM under pressure to flesh out promise to top up pay for long-term care workers Parliament has been adjourned since mid-March , except for two single-day sittings to pass emergency aid legislation .
It is to resume business as usual on Monday , unless all four recognized parties in the Commons agree to a further suspension of business .
Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer is insisting that a small group of MPs must sit up to four days each week in the Commons in order to hold the government to account for what he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health crisis .
Until the logistics for a virtual Parliament can be worked out , Trudeau 's Liberals have offered to sit one day a week , with two or three hours devoted to what 's called committee of the whole , which would allow for longer questions and more thorough answers than are allowed during the normal 45-minute daily question period .
In a letter late Thursday to Commons Speaker Anthony Rota , Conservative whip Mark Strahl argued that regular sittings could be done safely without putting at risk the health of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when all Canadians are being advised to keep two-metres physical distance from one another and stay home as much as possible .
Strahl said only essential staff necessary for the operation of the Commons should be required to work , they should be issued with masks and gloves where necessary and hand sanitizing stations should be set up at entrances and exits of the Commons and other strategic locations throughout the parliamentary precinct .
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 17 , 2020 .

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will be under pressure today to flesh out his promise to do more to protect seniors in long-term care homes, which have been hardest hit by the deadly COVID-19 pandemic. Trudeau promised earlier this week that the federal government would provide funding to top up the wages earned by essential workers in nursing homes who earn less than $2,500 a month. That promise was discussed during a conference call among first ministers late Thursday. No details of the call were immediately forthcoming, other than a brief summary of the discussion issued by the Prime Minister's Office which said first ministers "agreed on the urgent need to ensure long-term care facilities have the resources they need to protect the health and well-being of their residents and workers." Since the salaries paid to workers in long-term care homes fall under provincial jurisdiction, Trudeau has been clear that whatever the federal government does must be in collaboration with the provinces.
Seniors Minister Deb Schulte told CBC News late Thursday that the federal government will boost transfer payments to the provinces and territories to allow them to top up wages. She did not say how much money Ottawa is prepared to ante up. Personal support workers in nursing homes often work poorly paid part-time jobs in multiple facilities, which has contributed to the spread of COVID-19. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions Topping up their wages is intended to compensate them for orders in some provinces that ban them from working in more than one facility. It's also intended to encourage them to stay on a job that has become increasingly risky as COVID-19 sweeps like wildfire through long-term care homes across Canada.
About half of Canada's more than 1,000 deaths from COVID-19 have involved residents of long-term care facilities. PM under pressure to flesh out promise to top up pay for long-term care workers Quebec has already announced it will top up the wages of essential workers in nursing homes; Ontario Premier Doug Ford indicated Thursday that his province will follow suit but first he wanted to see what financial assistance Ottawa would offer. Trudeau's government will also be under pressure today from the Conservatives to have in-person sittings of the House of Commons throughout the crisis. Parliament has been adjourned since mid-March, except for two single-day sittings to pass emergency aid legislation. It is to resume business as usual on Monday, unless all four recognized parties in the Commons agree to a further suspension of business. Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer is insisting that a small group of MPs must sit up to four days each week in the Commons in order to hold the government to account for what he contends is a sloppy response to the health crisis.
Until the logistics for a virtual Parliament can be worked out, Trudeau's Liberals have offered to sit one day a week, with two or three hours devoted to what's called committee of the whole, which would allow for longer questions and more thorough answers than are allowed during the normal 45-minute daily question period. In a letter late Thursday to Commons Speaker Anthony Rota, Conservative whip Mark Strahl argued that regular sittings could be done safely without putting at risk the health of MPs or Commons staff at a time when all Canadians are being advised to keep two-metres physical distance from one another and stay home as much as possible. Strahl said only essential staff necessary for the operation of the Commons should be required to work, they should be issued with masks and gloves where necessary and hand sanitizing stations should be set up at entrances and exits of the Commons and other strategic locations throughout the parliamentary precinct.


nationalobserver--2020-04-17--Indigenous groups press judge to halt US-Canada pipeline work

Indigenous and environmental groups in the U.S. are pressuring a federal judge to shut down work on the disputed Keystone XL pipeline from Canada to Nebraska less than two weeks after it started , because of fears over workers spreading the coronavirus and worries about a future spill .
Pipeline sponsor TC Energy is rushing ahead amid the pandemic as it tries to complete significant work on the pipeline to make it harder to stop , attorneys for several tribes and groups said in court documents ahead of a Thursday teleconference hearing to decide if the construction should be halted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ construction camps housing up to 1,000 workers each “ pose serious , immediate and irreparable health risks to the tribes during the COVID-19 pandemic . ''
“ The healthcare systems in tribal and rural communities are already strained to provide basic healthcare services , much less the critical emergency services necessary to responded to an outbreak of COVID-19 , '' said lawyers for the Rosebud Sioux Tribe of South Dakota and the Assiniboine and Gros Ventre tribes of the Fort Belknap reservation in Montana .
President Donald Trump is a champion of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a presidential authorization in a bid to circumvent a 2018 court ruling that had blocked it .
• Trudeau , G7 leaders confront Trump over cuts to WHO funding • Time to bail out Alberta workers , not billionaire oil company CEOs The same judge who made that ruling will preside over the hearing to decide if construction should be stopped while the court considers if Trump 's authorization was legal .
Late Wednesday , Morris handed another setback to TC Energy with a ruling that invalidated a key U.S. Army Corps of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nationwide permit applied to a broad range of projects including Keystone XL , and is needed to so the pipeline can cross rivers , streams and other waterways .
Keystone XL would have hundreds of those crossings along its 1,200-mile ( 1,930 kilometre ) route from Hardisty , Alberta to Steele City , Nebraska .
It would carry up to 830,000 barrels ( 35 million gallons ) of crude daily and opponents say a spill is inevitable .
Workers on Monday installed the first section of pipe across the U.S.-Canada border in northern @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the Calgary-based company .
The border crossing does n't require the Army Corps permit that was thrown out because there are no nearby waterways .
But it 's an obstacle to much further work , and a company spokesman warned the judge 's ruling has broad implications for projects across the U.S. “ The ruling directly impacts various utilities constructing and maintaining infrastructure projects , including natural gas , liquids , television cable , electrical transmission , telephone , internet , among others , '' pipeline spokesman Terry Cunha said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or maintain infrastructure projects in wetlands and water bodies across the U.S. '' The Army Corps referred questions to U.S. Justice Department spokesman Wyn Hornbuckle , who said government attorneys were evaluating options but provided no further details .
TC Energy plans to drill tunnels for the pipeline deep beneath major river crossings and says it will be operated safely .
The company has a history of spills from other oil pipelines it operates , including a 2017 accident near Amherst , South Dakota that spilled almost 10,000 barrels ( 407,000 gallons ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ surprise March 31 announcement that it planned to start construction on Keystone XL amid a global economic crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic came after the provincial government in Alberta invested $ 1.1 billion to jump-start the work .
Tribal leaders and some residents of rural communities along the pipeline ’ s route worry thousands of workers needed for the project could spread the virus in small communities that are unprepared .
TC Energy wants to “ use this construction as justification for allowing the project to proceed whether or not it is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
As many as 11 construction camps , some housing up to 1,000 people , were initially planned for the project .
TC Energy says those are under review amid the pandemic and won ’ t be needed until later in the summer .
For most people , the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms , such as fever and cough , that clear up in two to three weeks .
For some , especially older adults and people with existing health problems , it can cause more severe illness , including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ along the pipeline 's route so far have seen far fewer infections than other parts of the U.S .
But they lack adequate health care services to deal with a large outbreak .
Construction on two worker camps could start as soon as this month in Montana and South Dakota , according to court documents filed by the company .

Indigenous and environmental groups in the U.S. are pressuring a federal judge to shut down work on the disputed Keystone XL pipeline from Canada to Nebraska less than two weeks after it started, because of fears over workers spreading the coronavirus and worries about a future spill. Pipeline sponsor TC Energy is rushing ahead amid the pandemic as it tries to complete significant work on the pipeline to make it harder to stop, attorneys for several tribes and groups said in court documents ahead of a Thursday teleconference hearing to decide if the construction should be halted. They warned that plans to build construction camps housing up to 1,000 workers each “pose serious, immediate and irreparable health risks to the tribes during the COVID-19 pandemic." “The healthcare systems in tribal and rural communities are already strained to provide basic healthcare services, much less the critical emergency services necessary to responded to an outbreak of COVID-19," said lawyers for the Rosebud Sioux Tribe of South Dakota and the Assiniboine and Gros Ventre tribes of the Fort Belknap reservation in Montana. President Donald Trump is a champion of the $8 billion project and gave it a presidential authorization in a bid to circumvent a 2018 court ruling that had blocked it.
The same judge who made that ruling will preside over the hearing to decide if construction should be stopped while the court considers if Trump's authorization was legal. Late Wednesday, Morris handed another setback to TC Energy with a ruling that invalidated a key U.S. Army Corps of Engineers clean water permit. The so-called nationwide permit applied to a broad range of projects including Keystone XL, and is needed to so the pipeline can cross rivers, streams and other waterways. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions Keystone XL would have hundreds of those crossings along its 1,200-mile (1,930 kilometre) route from Hardisty, Alberta to Steele City, Nebraska. It would carry up to 830,000 barrels (35 million gallons) of crude daily and opponents say a spill is inevitable.
Workers on Monday installed the first section of pipe across the U.S.-Canada border in northern Montana, according to court documents filed by the Calgary-based company. Tribes press judge to halt US-Canada pipeline as work starts The border crossing doesn't require the Army Corps permit that was thrown out because there are no nearby waterways. But it's an obstacle to much further work, and a company spokesman warned the judge's ruling has broad implications for projects across the U.S. “The ruling directly impacts various utilities constructing and maintaining infrastructure projects, including natural gas, liquids, television cable, electrical transmission, telephone, internet, among others," pipeline spokesman Terry Cunha said. “This decision hampers their ability to build or maintain infrastructure projects in wetlands and water bodies across the U.S." The Army Corps referred questions to U.S. Justice Department spokesman Wyn Hornbuckle, who said government attorneys were evaluating options but provided no further details. TC Energy plans to drill tunnels for the pipeline deep beneath major river crossings and says it will be operated safely. The company has a history of spills from other oil pipelines it operates, including a 2017 accident near Amherst, South Dakota that spilled almost 10,000 barrels (407,000 gallons) of oil.
TC Energy’s surprise March 31 announcement that it planned to start construction on Keystone XL amid a global economic crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic came after the provincial government in Alberta invested $1.1 billion to jump-start the work. Tribal leaders and some residents of rural communities along the pipeline’s route worry thousands of workers needed for the project could spread the virus in small communities that are unprepared. TC Energy wants to “use this construction as justification for allowing the project to proceed whether or not it is legal,” the tribes' attorney said.


nationalobserver--2020-04-17--Oil lobby calls for carbon tax freeze and delaying new climate regs

Canada 's oil and gas producers have asked the federal government to freeze the carbon tax and delay new climate change regulations while the industry weathers the storm of COVID-19 .
In a letter to Natural Resources Minister Seamus O'Regan sent March 27 , Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers CEO Tim McMillan said Canada 's energy sector is facing an unprecedented fiscal assault from a global collapse in oil prices .
The combination of plummeting demand and a production war between Saudi Arabia and Russia pushed prices down all over the world .
In Western Canada , heavy crude prices @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this week , less than a tenth of what it traded for a year ago .
The crisis has led to an all-hands-on-deck lobbying effort , with CAPP recording at least 29 meetings with federal officials and cabinet ministers between March 12 and March 29 .
Environment critics , however , see the list of demands as the industry 's attempt to use the COVID-19 crisis as cover to curb health and safety policies , and put off regulations that will help the environment .
• Trudeau , G7 leaders confront Trump over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bail out Alberta workers , not billionaire oil company CEOs `` It 's a crass attempt to take advantage of a global health crisis , '' said Dale Marshall , national climate program manager with Environmental Defence .
He said many of the requests are about things CAPP has repeatedly lobbied against without success up to now , including the carbon price , clean-fuel standards , and restrictions on methane emissions from oil production .
In an interview with The Canadian Press , McMillan said the root of the requests come from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ essential operations as it follows health guidelines .
That includes limiting employees on worksites and maintaining physical distancing for those who need to be there .
The industry also wants to ensure no new laws or regulations are implemented until proper consultations can be completed , and that the industry is given time to recover from this price shock .
McMillan told O'Regan the fossil fuel sector wants to both survive the crisis and be part of Canada 's economic recovery when it has been resolved .
`` We encourage them to have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ resolution of the crisis , '' he said Thursday .
Among CAPP 's requests are delays to reporting requirements for greenhouse gas emissions , deferring the 2020 requirements for a number of reports on compliance with environmental and safety recommendations , and extending deadlines for on things like air and water pollution .
The industry also wants promised changes to the Canadian Environmental Protection Act to be put off because the needed consultations ca n't happen while public gatherings and travel are not allowed .
The law , which governs toxic substances , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the House of Commons environment committee recommended more than 80 changes to it in 2017 .
The Liberal government held off on implementing any of them until after the 2019 election .
Finally , CAPP wants the Liberal government to delay some major policies and regulations allow the industry to recover from the economic shock .
That includes freezing the carbon price at $ 30 a tonne for the foreseeable future , putting off plans to implement a clean-fuel standard from 2022 to 2025 , and doing nothing more to cut greenhouse gas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ legislation to set five-year , legally binding targets on its way to net-zero emissions by 2050 .
Marshall said the industry is saying it is n't safe to send in people to do the required monitoring and testing to meet environmental standards , but is continuing to have hundreds of people on oilsands worksites .
There was a COVID-19 outbreak at one of those sites this week .
Marshall said the industry says this is about health and safety but much of what it wants delayed or suspended puts human health at risk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 17 , 2020 .

Canada's oil and gas producers have asked the federal government to freeze the carbon tax and delay new climate change regulations while the industry weathers the storm of COVID-19. In a letter to Natural Resources Minister Seamus O'Regan sent March 27, Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers CEO Tim McMillan said Canada's energy sector is facing an unprecedented fiscal assault from a global collapse in oil prices. The combination of plummeting demand and a production war between Saudi Arabia and Russia pushed prices down all over the world. In Western Canada, heavy crude prices fell below $5 a barrel again this week, less than a tenth of what it traded for a year ago. The crisis has led to an all-hands-on-deck lobbying effort, with CAPP recording at least 29 meetings with federal officials and cabinet ministers between March 12 and March 29. Environment critics, however, see the list of demands as the industry's attempt to use the COVID-19 crisis as cover to curb health and safety policies, and put off regulations that will help the environment.
"It's a crass attempt to take advantage of a global health crisis," said Dale Marshall, national climate program manager with Environmental Defence. He said many of the requests are about things CAPP has repeatedly lobbied against without success up to now, including the carbon price, clean-fuel standards, and restrictions on methane emissions from oil production. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions In an interview with The Canadian Press, McMillan said the root of the requests come from the industry's need to maintain safe and essential operations as it follows health guidelines. That includes limiting employees on worksites and maintaining physical distancing for those who need to be there.
The industry also wants to ensure no new laws or regulations are implemented until proper consultations can be completed, and that the industry is given time to recover from this price shock. McMillan told O'Regan the fossil fuel sector wants to both survive the crisis and be part of Canada's economic recovery when it has been resolved. Freeze carbon tax, delay new climate regs during virus crisis, oil lobby asks "We encourage them to have a tools-down approach until we have a resolution of the crisis," he said Thursday. Among CAPP's requests are delays to reporting requirements for greenhouse gas emissions, deferring the 2020 requirements for a number of reports on compliance with environmental and safety recommendations, and extending deadlines for on things like air and water pollution. The industry also wants promised changes to the Canadian Environmental Protection Act to be put off because the needed consultations can't happen while public gatherings and travel are not allowed. The law, which governs toxic substances, has been under review since 2016 and the House of Commons environment committee recommended more than 80 changes to it in 2017. The Liberal government held off on implementing any of them until after the 2019 election. Finally, CAPP wants the Liberal government to delay some major policies and regulations allow the industry to recover from the economic shock. That includes freezing the carbon price at $30 a tonne for the foreseeable future, putting off plans to implement a clean-fuel standard from 2022 to 2025, and doing nothing more to cut greenhouse gas emissions, including bringing in its promised legislation to set five-year, legally binding targets on its way to net-zero emissions by 2050.


nationalobserver--2020-04-17--Oil and gas giant Shell targets 'net zero' emissions by 2050

Energy company Royal Dutch Shell told investors Thursday that it aims to stop adding greenhouse gases to the atmosphere by 2050 , a move that was welcomed by some climate campaigners even as others called it “ corporate greenwash.
” The British-Dutch oil and gas giant said in a statement that it wants to achieve “ net zero ” emissions from production by mid-century “ at the latest.
” Shell also said that it will set a stricter 30 % target for reducing the net carbon footprint of its energy products by 2030 , from 20 % currently , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by 2050 , from 50 % at present .
Emissions of carbon dioxide and methane from the extraction , refining and burning of fossil fuels are one of the main drivers of man-made global warming .
A group of institutional investors known as Climate Action 100+ welcomed the announcement , which follows a similar move by rival BP in February .
The group , which includes over 450 investors managing more than $ 40 trillion in assets , said Shell ’ s commitment “ is of significance for the broader energy sector.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over cuts to WHO funding • Time to bail out Alberta workers , not billionaire oil company CEOs But some environmentalists dismissed Shell 's announcement as a public relations stunt , noting that the notion of “ net zero ” would allow the company to keep pumping out greenhouse gases by claiming to offset them with measures to capture emissions .
“ They hope to keep their social license by trying to suck carbon from the air through vast tree plantations and storing emissions underground , ” said Teresa Anderson , climate policy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fact that the technology they are relying on does not yet work at scale , and that massive land grabs would be needed to fulfil their tree planting ambitions , should raise huge red flags . ''
“ We mustn ’ t let corporate greenwash or the COVID-19 pandemic distract us from the real and urgent transformation needed to avoid runaway climate change , '' she added .
Experts agree that in order to keep average global temperatures from rising by more than 1.5 degrees Celsius ( 2.7 Fahrenheit ) by the end @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the world needs to largely end man-made greenhouse gas emissions no later than 2050 .

Energy company Royal Dutch Shell told investors Thursday that it aims to stop adding greenhouse gases to the atmosphere by 2050, a move that was welcomed by some climate campaigners even as others called it “corporate greenwash.”
The British-Dutch oil and gas giant said in a statement that it wants to achieve “net zero” emissions from production by mid-century “at the latest.”
Shell also said that it will set a stricter 30% target for reducing the net carbon footprint of its energy products by 2030, from 20% currently, and aim for a cut of 65% by 2050, from 50% at present.
Emissions of carbon dioxide and methane from the extraction, refining and burning of fossil fuels are one of the main drivers of man-made global warming.
A group of institutional investors known as Climate Action 100+ welcomed the announcement, which follows a similar move by rival BP in February. The group, which includes over 450 investors managing more than $40 trillion in assets, said Shell’s commitment “is of significance for the broader energy sector.”


nationalobserver--2020-04-17--SCC refuses to hear appeal of La Loche shooter

Canada 's top court has refused to hear an appeal from a young man sentenced as an adult for a mass shooting in northern Saskatchewan when he was still a teenager .
The decision has brought some relief to his victims and gives residents of the remote community of La Loche a chance to move forward .
Randan Dakota Fontaine was two weeks shy of turning 18 when he first killed two of his cousins at a home in the Dene village in January 2016 .
He then went to the high school and opened fire , killing a teacher @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seven other staff and students .
Fontaine pleaded guilty and was sentenced as an adult to life in prison with no chance of parole for 10 years .
• Trudeau , G7 leaders confront Trump over cuts to WHO funding • Time to bail out Alberta workers , not billionaire oil company CEOs Last fall , the Saskatchewan Court of Appeal denied his bid to be sentenced as a youth .
On Thursday , the Supreme Court of Canada refused to hear his arguments .
Fontaine , now 22 , has no avenues @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on publishing his identity is no longer in effect .
The Parole Board of Canada says Fontaine 's legislated review for full parole is expected to take place in December 2025 .
`` I did n't sleep very well last night knowing that this could go 50-50 , but I can be sure I 'm going to sleep like a baby tonight , '' said Phyllis Longobardi , who was an assistant principal at the school and was injured in the shooting .
`` It 's the beginning of an end . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ has n't returned to working in schools .
'Beginning of an end : ' Court case of La Loche shooter over after four years She said she still imagines Fontaine coming through the school doors with a gun and she has lost trust in people .
`` Kids walk by my house and they stop ... and they reach in their pocket and you think , 'Oh , is that a gun ? '
'' Charlene Klyne was working as a substitute teacher when she was shot and left with permanent optic-nerve damage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know Fontaine as the shooter .
`` If you do such a horrendous crime , why should you not be able to know his name ? ''
The Crown had argued the shooting displayed sophisticated planning , while the defence said the sentencing judge did not fully consider Fontaine 's low IQ or his fetal alcohol spectrum disorder .
During sentencing , Fontaine told court he could n't undo what he 'd done , but he would if he could .
Court also heard that Fontaine asks himself every day why he did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clear .
Defence lawyer Aaron Fox said Thursday that teachers did the best they could for Fontaine , but his client never got the supports and services he needed .
`` He was a kid who fell through the cracks . ''
La Loche Mayor Robert St. Pierre said the case has strained the community , home to families of many of the victims and also the shooter .
`` La Loche does n't want to be defined by this one tragic incident , '' he said .
`` La Loche wants to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ able to move forward . ''
Court heard Fontaine , whose nickname was `` Ears , '' was a quiet teen who had friends , but did n't like school work and was attempting Grade 10 for a third time .
He was being raised by an aunt , had no complaints about his upbringing and denied being bullied .
Court heard Fontaine researched guns and did an online search the night before the shooting that asked , `` What does it feel like to kill someone ? ''
He had also been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dayne Fontaine , 17 , and Drayden Fontaine , 13 — his two cousins who lived across the street .
The morning of the shooting , he looked up websites about the Columbine High School shooting in the United States .
After going home for lunch , he went to his cousins ' house .
He got a .22-calibre rifle and called Dayne into the basement .
That 's when Fontaine opened fire .
Dayne ran upstairs .
Fontaine kept firing , hitting Dayne in the back of the head , and Dayne @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dayne tried to cover his head and told his killer he did n't want to die .
He was shot again — a total of 11 times .
The younger brother , Drayden , was outside looking for a ride back to school .
He followed Fontaine back into the house and was shot in the head .
Fontaine next returned to school , armed with a shotgun and ammunition in his pocket .
He fired at students in the main entrance foyer .
He walked into the office and shot 36-year-old teacher @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
As staff and students ran screaming and hid in classrooms and under desks , Fontaine shot and killed Marie Janvier , a 21-year-old teacher 's aide , who was born and raised in the community .
Soon after , RCMP found Fontaine hiding in a school washroom .
He came out and told officers , `` I 'm the shooter . ''
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 16 , 2020

Canada's top court has refused to hear an appeal from a young man sentenced as an adult for a mass shooting in northern Saskatchewan when he was still a teenager. The decision has brought some relief to his victims and gives residents of the remote community of La Loche a chance to move forward. Randan Dakota Fontaine was two weeks shy of turning 18 when he first killed two of his cousins at a home in the Dene village in January 2016. He then went to the high school and opened fire, killing a teacher and a teacher's aide and wounding seven other staff and students. Fontaine pleaded guilty and was sentenced as an adult to life in prison with no chance of parole for 10 years.
Last fall, the Saskatchewan Court of Appeal denied his bid to be sentenced as a youth. On Thursday, the Supreme Court of Canada refused to hear his arguments. Fontaine, now 22, has no avenues left for appeal, so a ban on publishing his identity is no longer in effect. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions The Parole Board of Canada says Fontaine's legislated review for full parole is expected to take place in December 2025.
"I didn't sleep very well last night knowing that this could go 50-50, but I can be sure I'm going to sleep like a baby tonight," said Phyllis Longobardi, who was an assistant principal at the school and was injured in the shooting. 'Beginning of an end:' Court case of La Loche shooter over after four years "It's the beginning of an end." Longobardi now lives in Nova Scotia and hasn't returned to working in schools. She said she still imagines Fontaine coming through the school doors with a gun and she has lost trust in people. "Kids walk by my house and they stop ... and they reach in their pocket and you think, 'Oh, is that a gun?'"
Charlene Klyne was working as a substitute teacher when she was shot and left with permanent optic-nerve damage. She's glad people will finally know Fontaine as the shooter. "If you do such a horrendous crime, why should you not be able to know his name?"