nationalobserver--2020-12-07--COVID-19 has Canada in unchartered waters, but fiscal anchors aren't the only way to weather the sto

COVID-19 has Canada in unchartered waters, but fiscal anchors aren't the only way to weather the storm

As a response to the fiscal update provided by Minister Chrystia Freeland , many , including my current and former colleagues , have railed that without fiscal anchors , the federal ship is drifting .
Indeed , the government further delayed outlining a long-term fiscal anchor until the economy stabilizes .
This is a stark refusal to anchor the economic response to , and recovery from , COVID-19 in the traditional relationship between debt and GDP , although it did propose guardrails for its recovery stimulus in an effort to weather the storm and sail to a safer , greener @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conservatives worry about the $ 100-billion recovery stimulus announcement aimed to specifically set the coming recovery in a greener and fairer direction .
According to former senator André Pratte , “ ( It ) is important to understand that this spending does not have as its only target the protection of Canadians from the immediate effects of the pandemic , ” and he questions whether we can “ even afford these new expenditures before the path has been drawn towards a balanced budget.
” Such myopic reactions show a fundamental misunderstanding of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ resilience .
Indeed , the arrival of this deadly virus is a symptom of environmental degradation and climatic upheavals rather than an unrelated event .
The pandemic has also exposed the flaws in a system where we exploit the planet 's finite natural resources with an illogical expectation of endless growth and where governments too often subsidize environmental destruction by supporting polluting industries and businesses .
The unbridled growth of the economy is the main cause of the destabilization of ecosystems , which spreads zoonotic diseases like COVID-19 and the flatlining of living @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s inhabitants .
A blind return to this kind of growth would only make our problems worse .
• How scientists saved rare seeds from Syria 's war — and are now helping to feed the world • Denmark 's 'oil and gas valves will be turned off for good' • This Nova Scotia woman is ridding the ocean of 'ghost gear ' Considering the colossal costs incurred from climate change , this crisis is without a doubt the worst debt we can leave to future generations , and it still does @ @ @ @ @ @ @ budgetary tools .
How , in this context , can we dare to speak of balancing budgets without showing willful blindness ?
Far from being merely “ expenditures , ” the fiscal update presents investments in the recovery as a “ down payment ” for a greener and more inclusive future Canada .
It shows a strong understanding of underlying causes of multiple crises we face and a vision to transform the economy , even if the much-needed details on how it must walk the talk are still lacking .
Thankfully , ideas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , put forward by Corporate Knights estimates that public investments of $ 109 billion would lead to nearly $ 700 billion in private investments and will ultimately contribute more than $ 1.5 trillion to GDP .
In other words , an investment of $ 20 in public funds today could contribute up to $ 307.85 to GDP by 2030 , in addition to the many co-benefits associated with better human and ecosystem health .
Moreover , rather than bringing the spectre of austerity out of the closet , why not aim for progressive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
As detailed in my white paper on the subject , a range of measures targeting huge fortunes , undue corporate profits and tax avoidance alone could — in three years — cover all the direct federal support provided to address the COVID-19 crisis to date .
The future economic well-being of the country can no longer rest on truncated concepts of debt that are divorced from our ecological reality or on oversimplified and outdated indicators , such as the debt-GDP ratio , which ignore several well-being factors like quality jobs , health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ satisfaction with living standards , security and participation in democracy .
In the meantime , the lack of “ fiscal anchors ” may not be a sign of a drifting ship , but perhaps a refreshing recognition that in the face of a tsunami , the ship safety lies in deep waters , and not anchored in a harbour where they would only ultimately contribute to the devastation .
`` The fiscal update ... shows a strong understanding of underlying causes of multiple crises we face and a vision to transform the economy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it must walk the talk are still lacking , '' says @ SenRosaGalvez .
# cdnpoli No doubt we will face hell and high water .
The future economic well-being of the country can no longer rest on truncated concepts of debt that are divorced from our ecological reality .
Neither can we rely on oversimplified and outdated indicators , such as the debt-GDP ratio , which ignore several well-being factors like quality jobs , health , housing , education , environment , satisfaction with living standards , security and participation in democracy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was initially a response to André Pratte 's text , “ A ship adrift — Clear 'fiscal anchors ' are a must in Ottawa 's next budget update , ” published on Nov. 27 .

As a response to the fiscal update provided by Minister Chrystia Freeland, many, including my current and former colleagues, have railed that without fiscal anchors, the federal ship is drifting. Indeed, the government further delayed outlining a long-term fiscal anchor until the economy stabilizes. This is a stark refusal to anchor the economic response to, and recovery from, COVID-19 in the traditional relationship between debt and GDP, although it did propose guardrails for its recovery stimulus in an effort to weather the storm and sail to a safer, greener, more inclusive future. Many fiscal conservatives worry about the $100-billion recovery stimulus announcement aimed to specifically set the coming recovery in a greener and fairer direction. According to former senator André Pratte, “(It) is important to understand that this spending does not have as its only target the protection of Canadians from the immediate effects of the pandemic,” and he questions whether we can “even afford these new expenditures before the path has been drawn towards a balanced budget.” Such myopic reactions show a fundamental misunderstanding of the dynamics of the biosphere and long-term economic resilience. Indeed, the arrival of this deadly virus is a symptom of environmental degradation and climatic upheavals rather than an unrelated event. The pandemic has also exposed the flaws in a system where we exploit the planet's finite natural resources with an illogical expectation of endless growth and where governments too often subsidize environmental destruction by supporting polluting industries and businesses. The unbridled growth of the economy is the main cause of the destabilization of ecosystems, which spreads zoonotic diseases like COVID-19 and the flatlining of living conditions for a good part of Earth’s inhabitants. A blind return to this kind of growth would only make our problems worse.
Considering the colossal costs incurred from climate change, this crisis is without a doubt the worst debt we can leave to future generations, and it still does not appear in any of our current budgetary tools. How, in this context, can we dare to speak of balancing budgets without showing willful blindness? Far from being merely “expenditures,” the fiscal update presents investments in the recovery as a “down payment” for a greener and more inclusive future Canada. It shows a strong understanding of underlying causes of multiple crises we face and a vision to transform the economy, even if the much-needed details on how it must walk the talk are still lacking. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions Thankfully, ideas abound. One example, among others, put forward by Corporate Knights estimates that public investments of $109 billion would lead to nearly $700 billion in private investments and will ultimately contribute more than $1.5 trillion to GDP. In other words, an investment of $20 in public funds today could contribute up to $307.85 to GDP by 2030, in addition to the many co-benefits associated with better human and ecosystem health.
Moreover, rather than bringing the spectre of austerity out of the closet, why not aim for progressive tax measures as the update hints at? As detailed in my white paper on the subject, a range of measures targeting huge fortunes, undue corporate profits and tax avoidance alone could — in three years — cover all the direct federal support provided to address the COVID-19 crisis to date. "The fiscal update ... shows a strong understanding of underlying causes of multiple crises we face and a vision to transform the economy even if the much-needed details on how it must walk the talk are still lacking," says @SenRosaGalvez. #cdnpoli The future economic well-being of the country can no longer rest on truncated concepts of debt that are divorced from our ecological reality or on oversimplified and outdated indicators, such as the debt-GDP ratio, which ignore several well-being factors like quality jobs, health, housing, education, environment, satisfaction with living standards, security and participation in democracy. In the meantime, the lack of “fiscal anchors” may not be a sign of a drifting ship, but perhaps a refreshing recognition that in the face of a tsunami, the ship safety lies in deep waters, and not anchored in a harbour where they would only ultimately contribute to the devastation. No doubt we will face hell and high water. The future economic well-being of the country can no longer rest on truncated concepts of debt that are divorced from our ecological reality. Neither can we rely on oversimplified and outdated indicators, such as the debt-GDP ratio, which ignore several well-being factors like quality jobs, health, housing, education, environment, satisfaction with living standards, security and participation in democracy.


nationalobserver--2020-12-07--Denmark's 'oil and gas valves will be turned off for good'

The largest oil producer in the European Union has committed to ending fossil fuel extraction while ensuring continued employment for affected workers .
The Danish parliament reached a deal Dec. 3 that would see the country cancel its current and future licensing rounds for oil and gas in the North Sea , and phase out all fossil fuel production by 2050 .
“ When the calendar reads 2050 , the oil and gas valves will be turned off for good , ” said Danish Climate , Energy and Utilities Minister Dan Jørgensen .
The deal makes Denmark the largest oil @ @ @ @ @ @ @ establish an end date for its oil production .
The nation produces more than 100,000 barrels of crude oil and oil equivalents each day .
The political agreement acknowledges how the exploitation of oil in the Danish part of the North Sea , which began in 1972 , `` has been important in financing the Danish welfare state '' through government revenues , jobs and infrastructure .
• How scientists saved rare seeds from Syria 's war — and are now helping to feed the world • Take two hikes and call me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ woman is ridding the ocean of 'ghost gear ' The last 50 years were an `` important and productive period in Danish business and energy history , '' it states .
`` But it has come with a price . ''
Esbjerg in Denmark , showing the oil and gas fields in the Danish part of the North Sea that the port services .
Port of Esbjerg graphic A just transition for Danish oil and gas hub Esbjerg The parliamentary agreement also commits to a “ just transition ” initiative in and around @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , where there is a `` high concentration of companies in the energy industry and specialized knowledge within the energy sector . ''
The agreement sets aside about $ 18 million to support the development of `` large-scale offshore wind '' in the region .
Denmark is already a leader in wind power , sourcing about half its electricity from wind last year and its turbine manufacturer Vestas can put its name to the most turbines now installed in Canada .
Denmark , the largest oil producer in the European Union has committed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ continued employment for affected workers .
It also proposes a `` growth team '' for the area that will `` make recommendations as to how best to invest in local business and thus strengthen growth and employment . ''
“ We intend to show what an ambitious yet balanced phase-out of fossil fuel production might look like , taking into account both the urgency of climate change and the very real concerns of workers employed in the fossil sector , ” said Jørgensen .
The agreement states that the oil and gas sector @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in both economic growth and employment around Esbjerg .
There are about 4,000 workers directly or indirectly employed in Denmark ’ s extraction industry , according to the government .
Esbjerg began as a fishing town and developed into oil and gas production , according to the agreement .
That `` adaptability '' can become an example in Denmark and around the world for a green transition , it states .
Labour leaders in Canada have warned that any attempt to set emissions reduction targets in Canada should be coupled with a strategy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ensure they have proper financial , jobs and training programs — or it will put people ’ s livelihoods at risk .
Keith Stewart , senior energy strategist at Greenpeace Canada , said Denmark 's decision will send a message to other oil-producing countries like Canada .
“ To recover from this pandemic and to future-proof our economy , we must transform Canada into a renewables-only economy that creates good jobs for workers , treats workers in the fossil fuel sector fairly through the transition and helps power the world with clean , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Denmark , like Canada , has also committed to reaching net-zero carbon pollution .
But while Canada has committed to phasing out coal-fired power plants nationwide by 2030 and launched a task force that examined how to fairly provide for coal workers , it has not committed to an end date for its oil and gas production .

The largest oil producer in the European Union has committed to ending fossil fuel extraction while ensuring continued employment for affected workers. The Danish parliament reached a deal Dec. 3 that would see the country cancel its current and future licensing rounds for oil and gas in the North Sea, and phase out all fossil fuel production by 2050. “When the calendar reads 2050, the oil and gas valves will be turned off for good,” said Danish Climate, Energy and Utilities Minister Dan Jørgensen. The deal makes Denmark the largest oil producer in the world so far to establish an end date for its oil production. The nation produces more than 100,000 barrels of crude oil and oil equivalents each day. The political agreement acknowledges how the exploitation of oil in the Danish part of the North Sea, which began in 1972, “has been important in financing the Danish welfare state” through government revenues, jobs and infrastructure.
The last 50 years were an “important and productive period in Danish business and energy history,” it states. “But it has come with a price.” Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions Esbjerg in Denmark, showing the oil and gas fields in the Danish part of the North Sea that the port services. Port of Esbjerg graphic
A just transition for Danish oil and gas hub Esbjerg The parliamentary agreement also commits to a “just transition” initiative in and around the Danish west coast seaport of Esbjerg, where there is a “high concentration of companies in the energy industry and specialized knowledge within the energy sector.” Denmark, the largest oil producer in the European Union, has committed to ending fossil fuel extraction while ensuring continued employment for affected workers. The agreement sets aside about $18 million to support the development of “large-scale offshore wind” in the region. Denmark is already a leader in wind power, sourcing about half its electricity from wind last year and its turbine manufacturer Vestas can put its name to the most turbines now installed in Canada. It also proposes a “growth team” for the area that will “make recommendations as to how best to invest in local business and thus strengthen growth and employment.” “We intend to show what an ambitious yet balanced phase-out of fossil fuel production might look like, taking into account both the urgency of climate change and the very real concerns of workers employed in the fossil sector,” said Jørgensen.


nationalobserver--2020-12-07--Take two hikes and call me in the morning

Dr. Melissa Lem is a family physician in Vancouver who has embraced the mounting evidence linking time spent in nature to health .
She has been informally advising natural outings to her patients for more than a decade .
Now , at long last , she is able to prescribe the measure formally , which has been shown to improve the odds patients will take the order seriously .
Doctors won ’ t yet be paid for dispensing these prescriptions , so for now , their power is in their accessibility and persuasiveness .
Lem ’ s first prescription for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was to a young man struggling with ADHD at the University of Toronto .
Now she prescribes it for a growing suite of conditions .
“ We ’ ve broadened the kinds of patients we can , in an evidence-based way , prescribe nature to , ” she said , listing mental , heart , lung and immune health in particular .
Side-effects may include greater longevity , increased energy , improved pain management and the bettering of mood , among many other benefits .
Lem has been developing this nature prescription program @ @ @ @ @ @ @ role with the BC Parks Foundation , the charitable arm of B.C.
’ s provincial park network .
As temperatures drop , COVID-19 lockdowns persist and Canadians prepare themselves for the loneliest winter in a century , she decided it was time to launch the initiative to address the mental health of British Columbians .
“ Over the summer , ” she recalls , “ when the wildfire smoke from the United States drifted up here , I really saw the number of phone calls and patient appointments — for anxiety , for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It was incredible , actually .
When that nature outlet was taken away from people ( by the smoke ) , that ’ s when stress really rose.
” Prescriptions for nature became available through this program at the end of last month , and their availability will improve as more health-care practitioners sign up for the prescription packages , which include fact sheets , relevant literature and a unique provider code .
This can be done on the program ’ s website .
In the coming months , Lem intends to expand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , forging partnerships between health-care and parks organizations and sharing the resources she has spent years collecting .
Until then , she said health-care providers outside B.C .
can sign up in advance and will get their prescription packages when the program reaches them .
Each province will have to structure theirs differently , she said .
Residents of B.C .
have exceptional access to natural spaces compared to those living in other parts of Canada because its provincial park network has no entry fees .
Nature prescriptions elsewhere will likely incorporate free @ @ @ @ @ @ @ parks , and perhaps some form of public transit assistance , potentially from participating municipalities , removing as many barriers to the fulfilment of these prescriptions as possible .
“ Outside is one of the safest places to be right now , ” said Lem , referencing the exceptional ventilation atop Stawamus Chief Mountain , for example , as well as its social-distancing potential .
Partnering organizations in her program ’ s launch include BC Family Doctors , Nurse Practitioners of BC , the Canadian Association of Nurses for the Environment and , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It only takes two hours a week , said Lem , for at least 30 minutes per outing , to make a measurable difference in someone ’ s mental health .
“ I see nature as an essential health service for all Canadians and I think bringing together parks organizations and health-care organizations to create initiatives like this is incredibly important , ” she said .
Dr. Lem is far from the only health-care practitioner to prescribe nature for patients .
Small pilot programs have been gaining ground across the country , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Wasaga Beach , Ont .
; managing post-traumatic stress disorder ( PTSD ) among veterans of the Canadian Armed Forces on P.E.I .
; and bolstering the general health of Newfoundlanders with a partnership between Western Health , a provincial public health authority , and nearby Gros Morne National Park .
The health benefits of time spent in nature have been the subject of intense study in recent years , and have proven to be broad .
The largest meta-analysis of its kind , including data from 143 studies internationally and published @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , concluded that increased green space exposure was associated with decreased cortisol ( stress ) levels , heart rate , diastolic blood pressure , HDL cholesterol , risk of pre-term birth , Type 2 diabetes and all-cause and cardiovascular mortality , and increased incidence of good self-reported health .
And new studies continue to reinforce past results .
Lem references a study published in the journal Science Advances in October in which the playgrounds of 36 Finnish daycare children were transformed from being primarily gravel-based to primarily nature-based ( forest floor , sod @ @ @ @ @ @ @ blocks for climbing and digging ) .
After 28 days in this wilder setting , the children 's skin and gut microbiota became more robust and diverse , while markers of immune health and anti-inflammatory function surged .
Getting results like this for health-care practitioners in B.C.
, said Lem , is a major goal of her program .
“ To get the benefits of nature , you don ’ t need to be in old-growth forest far away from other people or on the side of a mountain .
There is research @ @ @ @ @ @ @ feel you ’ ve had a meaningful experience with nature , ” said Lem , suggesting everything from backyard gardens to urban green space .
“ I think there ’ s a lot of power in your health-care professional recommending nature to you , ” she said .
“ Nature and health are having a major moment right now .
I think nature prescriptions are what Canadian health care needs to heal and emerge from COVID-19 with resilience.
” Zack Metcalfe is a freelance journalist , columnist and author based in the Maritimes @

Dr. Melissa Lem is a family physician in Vancouver who has embraced the mounting evidence linking time spent in nature to health. She has been informally advising natural outings to her patients for more than a decade.
Now, at long last, she is able to prescribe the measure formally, which has been shown to improve the odds patients will take the order seriously. Doctors won’t yet be paid for dispensing these prescriptions, so for now, their power is in their accessibility and persuasiveness.
Lem’s first prescription for nature, some 10 years ago, was to a young man struggling with ADHD at the University of Toronto. Now she prescribes it for a growing suite of conditions.
“We’ve broadened the kinds of patients we can, in an evidence-based way, prescribe nature to,” she said, listing mental, heart, lung and immune health in particular. Side-effects may include greater longevity, increased energy, improved pain management and the bettering of mood, among many other benefits.
Dr. Melissa Lem indulging in some of her own medicine outdoors at Mt. Baker. Photo submitted by Patricia Lem
Lem has been developing this nature prescription program for two years now in her volunteer role with the BC Parks Foundation, the charitable arm of B.C.’s provincial park network. As temperatures drop, COVID-19 lockdowns persist and Canadians prepare themselves for the loneliest winter in a century, she decided it was time to launch the initiative to address the mental health of British Columbians.
“Over the summer,” she recalls, “when the wildfire smoke from the United States drifted up here, I really saw the number of phone calls and patient appointments — for anxiety, for stress, for depression — skyrocket. It was incredible, actually. When that nature outlet was taken away from people (by the smoke), that’s when stress really rose.”
Prescriptions for nature became available through this program at the end of last month, and their availability will improve as more health-care practitioners sign up for the prescription packages, which include fact sheets, relevant literature and a unique provider code. This can be done on the program’s website.
In the coming months, Lem intends to expand the program to other provinces and territories, forging partnerships between health-care and parks organizations and sharing the resources she has spent years collecting. Until then, she said health-care providers outside B.C. can sign up in advance and will get their prescription packages when the program reaches them.
Each province will have to structure theirs differently, she said. Residents of B.C. have exceptional access to natural spaces compared to those living in other parts of Canada because its provincial park network has no entry fees. Nature prescriptions elsewhere will likely incorporate free park access, in theory from partnering parks, and perhaps some form of public transit assistance, potentially from participating municipalities, removing as many barriers to the fulfilment of these prescriptions as possible.
“Outside is one of the safest places to be right now,” said Lem, referencing the exceptional ventilation atop Stawamus Chief Mountain, for example, as well as its social-distancing potential.
There are breathtaking views and plenty of fresh air on top of Stawamus Chief's second peak near Squamish, B.C. Photo submitted by Melissa Lem
Partnering organizations in her program’s launch include BC Family Doctors, Nurse Practitioners of BC, the Canadian Association of Nurses for the Environment and, of course, the BC Parks Foundation. It only takes two hours a week, said Lem, for at least 30 minutes per outing, to make a measurable difference in someone’s mental health.
“I see nature as an essential health service for all Canadians and I think bringing together parks organizations and health-care organizations to create initiatives like this is incredibly important,” she said.
I see nature as an essential health service for all Canadians.
Dr. Lem is far from the only health-care practitioner to prescribe nature for patients. Small pilot programs have been gaining ground across the country, like those promoting well-being among low-income residents of Wasaga Beach, Ont.; managing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among veterans of the Canadian Armed Forces on P.E.I.; and bolstering the general health of Newfoundlanders with a partnership between Western Health, a provincial public health authority, and nearby Gros Morne National Park.
The health benefits of time spent in nature have been the subject of intense study in recent years, and have proven to be broad. The largest meta-analysis of its kind, including data from 143 studies internationally and published in the journal Environmental Research in 2018, concluded that increased green space exposure was associated with decreased cortisol (stress) levels, heart rate, diastolic blood pressure, HDL cholesterol, risk of pre-term birth, Type 2 diabetes and all-cause and cardiovascular mortality, and increased incidence of good self-reported health.
To get the benefits of nature, you don't need to be in old-growth forest.
And new studies continue to reinforce past results. Lem references a study published in the journal Science Advances in October in which the playgrounds of 36 Finnish daycare children were transformed from being primarily gravel-based to primarily nature-based (forest floor, sod, planters for growing annuals and peat blocks for climbing and digging).
After 28 days in this wilder setting, the children's skin and gut microbiota became more robust and diverse, while markers of immune health and anti-inflammatory function surged. Getting results like this for health-care practitioners in B.C., said Lem, is a major goal of her program.
“To get the benefits of nature, you don’t need to be in old-growth forest far away from other people or on the side of a mountain. There is research showing that what matters is that you feel you’ve had a meaningful experience with nature,” said Lem, suggesting everything from backyard gardens to urban green space.
“I think there’s a lot of power in your health-care professional recommending nature to you,” she said. “Nature and health are having a major moment right now. I think nature prescriptions are what Canadian health care needs to heal and emerge from COVID-19 with resilience.”
Dr. Melissa Lem out on a hike practising what she often prescribes for her patients — time outdoors. Photo submitted by Melissa Lem
Zack Metcalfe is a freelance journalist, columnist and author based in the Maritimes.


nationalobserver--2020-12-07--This Nova Scotia woman is ridding the ocean of 'ghost gear'

As part of a series highlighting the work of young people in addressing the climate crisis , writer Patricia Lane interviews Alexa Goodman , a Nova Scotia-based clean ocean activist .
The 1990s were personally tough for me .
I spent the decade immersed in action based on climate catastrophe science , trying , and by all accounts failing , to stem the tide .
Hardest of all , death and dementia came to my family .
As my awareness deepened about the growing divide between young and old and rich and poor , grief had become a pretty constant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ further into the abyss of fear and loss or choose the only thing stronger : love .
To choose love is to hope .
But I had forgotten how .
So I made a resolution — one that could last a year or even a decade if need be .
I chose to study hope .
Part of my journey is to seek out promising young people who are contending in evidence-based and impactful ways with the climate crisis and engage them in conversations about hope .
I am grateful for Canada ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ solutions journalism , which provides these determined , joyful and , yes , hopeful young people a voice .
Alexa Goodman co-ordinates the remediation of abandoned , lost and discarded fishing gear — otherwise known as “ ghost gear ” — for the Nova Scotia-based non-profit Coastal Action .
At 25 , Alexa co-chairs the 30 organizations that work together in the Fishing Gear Coalition of Atlantic Canada , is the founder and director of the non-profit Stop Trashing It network and is a youth leader with the Sustainable Ocean Alliance .
• @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's war — and are now helping to feed the world • Denmark 's 'oil and gas valves will be turned off for good' • Fiscal update shows times of crisis need to be met with resilience , ambition Alexa Goodman at work cleaning up lost fishing gear from the shoreline at Hawk Beach , N.S .
Photo submitted by Coastal Action Lobster fishers use a lot of gear , and for a variety of reasons , not all of it comes back to shore .
For example , they use three times @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in which they fish , and it regularly gets lost .
As ocean storms worsen with a warming climate , more gear , including rope and traps , is left in the ocean each year , creating threats to marine life and fishery sustainability .
This fall , Coastal Action ’ s project retrieved nine tonnes of debris from the ocean off southwest Nova Scotia .
Considering that looking for lost fishing gear in the ocean is a lot like searching for a needle in a haystack , this is an enormous accomplishment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work ?
I grew up in Montreal and spent my summers in Vermont at our cottage on Lake Champlain .
My parents would have to drag me out of the water every weekend .
I started scuba diving at the age of 10 and have always felt most at peace underwater .
Alexa Goodman , 25 , helps to pull abandoned , lost and discarded fishing gear — otherwise known as “ ghost gear ” — from the ocean off southwest Nova Scotia .
When I did my master ’ s degree , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but I noticed people lacked the resources to take concrete and meaningful action to change their waste habits .
So I formed Stop Trashing It and challenged my classmates to eliminate one single-use plastic item for a year hoping to shift awareness into action .
Within the first month , 100 people had signed up .
Now , our network has grown to over 1,500 followers , and we have 16 youth ambassadors who meet monthly and support each other to lead low-waste lifestyles .
My master ’ s research combined my passion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about plastics pollution and fisheries management .
I spent a summer working as a fisheries observer on Georges Bank , 12 miles off the coast of Nova Scotia , and learned about the local extent of ghost gear .
The fishers talked about the expense of losing gear , and I discovered how much remains at sea in my postgraduate work as a researcher and private consultant .
Ghost gear retrieval is only possible with fishers ’ expertise , community knowledge and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans .
Coastal Action ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ collaborative , bringing together people and organizations for a common cause .
Alexa Goodman releases a lobster from `` ghost gear '' — abandoned fishing equipment that breaks free from fishing boats .
Photo submitted by Coastal Action Tell us about your dad ’ s influence in your life .
He has shown me how to respect and appreciate the ocean and marine life .
He ’ s a great dive partner , and in 2019 , we went on an unforgettable scuba diving trip to the Bahamas .
On one dive , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of fishing line that was caught on the reef .
As we finished , six usually shy reef sharks came to check us out .
One of the sharks hung around and seemed to be studying me .
We were eye to eye .
It was such a gift .
My dad taught me that if we treat the environment with respect , it will provide for us .
What does it mean to be a youth leader with the Sustainable Ocean Alliance ?
Sustainable Ocean Alliance provides resources and support to create @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
I first got involved at the Ocean Youth Leadership Summit in 2017 in Bali .
I connected with 200 other young leaders also contending with our ocean ’ s crises .
It motivated me to found Stop Trashing it and gave me a network that helps keep me motivated .
What would you like to say to people older than you ?
We need you to carry some of this weight .
We do n't want you to be inspired by us and rest .
We want you to be inspired to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the change you are asking us to be .
Do you have any advice for people your age or younger to help them find their feet ?
When I was in fourth grade , I led a playground cleanup .
I learned I could make a difference at a young age .
While the amount of fishing gear I co-ordinate removing from the ocean is a small percentage of what ’ s out there , it makes a big difference to the creatures who are not impacted by it .
The small things @ @ @ @ @ @ @ encouraging others , we build awareness about what ’ s possible when we work together .

As part of a series highlighting the work of young people in addressing the climate crisis, writer Patricia Lane interviews Alexa Goodman, a Nova Scotia-based clean ocean activist. The 1990s were personally tough for me. I spent the decade immersed in action based on climate catastrophe science, trying, and by all accounts failing, to stem the tide. Hardest of all, death and dementia came to my family. As my awareness deepened about the growing divide between young and old and rich and poor, grief had become a pretty constant companion. I could choose to go further into the abyss of fear and loss or choose the only thing stronger: love. To choose love is to hope. But I had forgotten how. So I made a resolution — one that could last a year or even a decade if need be. I chose to study hope. Part of my journey is to seek out promising young people who are contending in evidence-based and impactful ways with the climate crisis and engage them in conversations about hope. I am grateful for Canada’s National Observer’s commitment to solutions journalism, which provides these determined, joyful and, yes, hopeful young people a voice. Alexa Goodman co-ordinates the remediation of abandoned, lost and discarded fishing gear — otherwise known as “ghost gear” — for the Nova Scotia-based non-profit Coastal Action. At 25, Alexa co-chairs the 30 organizations that work together in the Fishing Gear Coalition of Atlantic Canada, is the founder and director of the non-profit Stop Trashing It network and is a youth leader with the Sustainable Ocean Alliance.
Alexa Goodman at work cleaning up lost fishing gear from the shoreline at Hawk Beach, N.S. Photo submitted by Coastal Action Tell us about your work. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions Lobster fishers use a lot of gear, and for a variety of reasons, not all of it comes back to shore. For example, they use three times the length of rope as the depth in which they fish, and it regularly gets lost. As ocean storms worsen with a warming climate, more gear, including rope and traps, is left in the ocean each year, creating threats to marine life and fishery sustainability.
This fall, Coastal Action’s project retrieved nine tonnes of debris from the ocean off southwest Nova Scotia. Considering that looking for lost fishing gear in the ocean is a lot like searching for a needle in a haystack, this is an enormous accomplishment. Alexa Goodman, 25, helps to pull abandoned, lost and discarded fishing gear — otherwise known as “ghost gear” — from the ocean off southwest Nova Scotia. How did you get into this work? I grew up in Montreal and spent my summers in Vermont at our cottage on Lake Champlain. My parents would have to drag me out of the water every weekend. I started scuba diving at the age of 10 and have always felt most at peace underwater. When I did my master’s degree, plastic pollution was already well understood, but I noticed people lacked the resources to take concrete and meaningful action to change their waste habits. So I formed Stop Trashing It and challenged my classmates to eliminate one single-use plastic item for a year hoping to shift awareness into action. Within the first month, 100 people had signed up. Now, our network has grown to over 1,500 followers, and we have 16 youth ambassadors who meet monthly and support each other to lead low-waste lifestyles.
My master’s research combined my passion for protecting the oceans with my concern about plastics pollution and fisheries management. I spent a summer working as a fisheries observer on Georges Bank, 12 hours off the coast of Nova Scotia, and learned about the local extent of ghost gear. The fishers talked about the expense of losing gear, and I discovered how much remains at sea in my postgraduate work as a researcher and private consultant. Ghost gear retrieval is only possible with fishers’ expertise, community knowledge and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans. Coastal Action’s project is unique because it’s collaborative, bringing together people and organizations for a common cause. Alexa Goodman releases a lobster from "ghost gear" — abandoned fishing equipment that breaks free from fishing boats. Photo submitted by Coastal Action


nationalobserver--2020-12-07--After mass resignations, Ford government doubles down on contentious conservation authority changes

In the wake of the resignation of seven Greenbelt Council members on the weekend , Ontario Municipal Affairs Minister Steve Clark announced that the province would invest $ 30 million over five years to create and restore wetlands .
In its first year , Ontario would spend $ 6 million to partner with conservation group Ducks Unlimited Canada on projects around the Great Lakes , Clark said Monday .
In response to a question about whether he would have announced the funding Monday if the mass exodus from the Greenbelt Council hadn ’ t happened over the weekend , Clark @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the works for “ several weeks.
” “ Our government has been clear that we are committed to preserving the Greenbelt and protecting our watersheds , ” he said .
The announcement came following scathing remarks from the departing council members — including chair David Crombie , a former Progressive Conservative MP and Toronto mayor — who said in a flood of resignation letters that they were quitting in objection to proposed legislation that would gut the powers of conservation authorities .
If passed , the changes would gut conservation authorities ’ ability @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some of which run through the Greenbelt , the members said .
• How scientists saved rare seeds from Syria 's war — and are now helping to feed the world • Take two hikes and call me in the morning • This Nova Scotia woman is ridding the ocean of 'ghost gear ' Tim Gray , the executive director of the green non-profit Environmental Defence , said the $ 30-million investment does not make up for the damage that would be caused if the government passes the changes to conservation authorities .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of damaged wetlands is laudable , ” he said in a statement .
“ However , the best way to have more wetlands is to remove ( the legislation ) , which , if passed , will allow for the destruction of the most valuable wetlands Ontario has left.
” On Monday , Clark also said the departing Greenbelt Council members had “ failed ” to deliver on a request to come up with a plan to add new lands to the Greenbelt , a swath of protected lands surrounding the Greater Toronto @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you that I have been frustrated over the last several months , ” Clark said , adding that he wished the outgoing members well .
“ I ’ m going to turn the page and work with the existing members who remain , and some new members.
” Ontario Municipal Affairs Minister Steve Clark said the government would forge ahead with changes to conservation authorities , which have sparked backlash from fellow Conservatives and mass resignations from the province 's Greenbelt Council .
# onpoli Ontario NDP climate critic Peter Tabuns said it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to allege that the Greenbelt Council members — government-appointed experts tasked with advising the government on how best to preserve the area — weren ’ t interested in making it better .
( The Progressive Conservatives signalled plans to expand the Greenbelt last month in its 2020 budget , but didn ’ t include specifics . )
“ These are people who are committed to the Greenbelt , ” Tabuns said , calling the assertion “ not credible.
” In a joint statement Monday , Ontario Liberal environment critic Lucille Collard and energy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comments amounted to “ desperate excuses.
” “ It is unbelievably concerning to see how irresponsible the ( Progressive Conservatives ) are when it comes to protecting our environment , ” the MPPs said .
A Saturday evening # onpoli shocker : the chair of Doug Ford ’ s Greenbelt Council , former PC MP David Crombie , has resigned over changes to conservation authorities .
Calls them “ disastrous , and “ high-level bombing ” that “ needs to be resisted.
” pic.twitter.com/qG1ZqhyuUW — Emma McIntosh ( @ EmmaMci ) December 5 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to approve developments In Ontario , 36 conservation authorities oversee watershed systems .
Using a system designed in the wake of fatal flooding from hurricane Hazel in 1954 , the agencies manage flood control and water quality , granting and denying permits for construction in areas near waterways .
The changes to the rules governing conservation authorities were included in omnibus Bill 229 , which is meant to enact measures from the government ’ s budget .
The proposed legislation is being debated this week at Queen ’ s Park , and is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hold a majority .
The government has said the rewritten rules would streamline the development process .
But critics say they would undermine conservation authorities ’ ability to make sure development in floodplains is done safely .
The changes could also take away the authorities ’ ability to intervene in controversial cases , like that of a development in Pickering , Ont.
, that would destroy a protected wetland .
The Tories have faced backlash on the changes from a growing list of municipalities , environmental groups and the conservation authorities themselves .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ But the Tories doubled down on Friday , adding a new set of amendments that would force conservation authorities to approve developments and allow developers to pay a fee in exchange for destroying endangered species habitat .
Crombie previously told Canada ’ s National Observer that Friday ’ s rewrite was the last straw .
“ They backed up a big truck and dumped a whole bunch of amendments that made it worse … I felt that I had to resign , ” he said .
Ontario Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s “ far cheaper ” to protect existing wetlands than pay $ 30 million to restore damaged ones .
He also pointed to growing opposition to Bill 229 — including from the head of the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority chair Jennifer Innis , a longtime Conservative who said in an open letter Sunday that the government ’ s direction “ no longer aligns ” with her values .
Letter from Conservative Chair of TRCA ’ s Board of Directors Jennifer Innis .
`` If you are not worried , you are not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ everyone reading this letter to contact the Premier and your local MPP immediately to ask them to remove Schedule 6 from Bill 229.
” pic.twitter.com/Lsa4mo5u92 — Shaun Collier # StrongerTogether ( @ mayor_collier ) December 7 , 2020 “ Ford ’ s attack on the rules and regulations that protect the people and places we love in Ontario must stop , ” Schreiner said .
“ The price of his actions are too high .
”

In the wake of the resignation of seven Greenbelt Council members on the weekend, Ontario Municipal Affairs Minister Steve Clark announced that the province would invest $30 million over five years to create and restore wetlands. In its first year, Ontario would spend $6 million to partner with conservation group Ducks Unlimited Canada on projects around the Great Lakes, Clark said Monday. In response to a question about whether he would have announced the funding Monday if the mass exodus from the Greenbelt Council hadn’t happened over the weekend, Clark told reporters the investment had been in the works for “several weeks.” “Our government has been clear that we are committed to preserving the Greenbelt and protecting our watersheds,” he said. The announcement came following scathing remarks from the departing council members — including chair David Crombie, a former Progressive Conservative MP and Toronto mayor — who said in a flood of resignation letters that they were quitting in objection to proposed legislation that would gut the powers of conservation authorities. If passed, the changes would gut conservation authorities’ ability to protect crucial waterways and wetlands, some of which run through the Greenbelt, the members said.
Tim Gray, the executive director of the green non-profit Environmental Defence, said the $30-million investment does not make up for the damage that would be caused if the government passes the changes to conservation authorities. “Wetlands are important, and restoration of damaged wetlands is laudable,” he said in a statement. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions “However, the best way to have more wetlands is to remove (the legislation), which, if passed, will allow for the destruction of the most valuable wetlands Ontario has left.”
On Monday, Clark also said the departing Greenbelt Council members had “failed” to deliver on a request to come up with a plan to add new lands to the Greenbelt, a swath of protected lands surrounding the Greater Toronto Area. Ontario Municipal Affairs Minister Steve Clark said the government would forge ahead with changes to conservation authorities, which have sparked backlash from fellow Conservatives and mass resignations from the province's Greenbelt Council. #onpoli “I have to tell you that I have been frustrated over the last several months,” Clark said, adding that he wished the outgoing members well. “I’m going to turn the page and work with the existing members who remain, and some new members.” Ontario NDP climate critic Peter Tabuns said it didn’t make sense for Clark to allege that the Greenbelt Council members — government-appointed experts tasked with advising the province on how best to preserve the area — weren’t interested in making it better. (The Progressive Conservatives signalled plans to expand the Greenbelt last month in its 2020 budget, but didn’t include specifics.) “These are people who are committed to the Greenbelt,” Tabuns said, calling the assertion “not credible.”
In a joint statement Monday, Ontario Liberal environment critic Lucille Collard and energy critic Mitzie Hunter said Clark’s comments amounted to “desperate excuses.” “It is unbelievably concerning to see how irresponsible the (Progressive Conservatives) are when it comes to protecting our environment,” the MPPs said. A Saturday evening #onpoli shocker: the chair of Doug Ford’s Greenbelt Council, former PC MP David Crombie, has resigned over changes to conservation authorities. Calls them “disastrous, and “high-level bombing” that “needs to be resisted.” pic.twitter.com/qG1ZqhyuUW — Emma McIntosh (vacation mode) (@EmmaMci) December 5, 2020


nationalobserver--2020-12-07--First doses of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, still pending approval, to land in Canada next week

OTTAWA — A small number of the most vulnerable Canadians could be immunized against COVID-19 before the holidays as the first doses of Pfizer ’ s vaccine are set to arrive next week and up to 249,000 doses delivered by the end of the year .
`` It has been a difficult year , and we are not out of this crisis yet , '' Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Monday at a news conference in Ottawa .
`` But now , vaccines are coming . ''
Everything hinges on Health Canada approving the vaccine from American-based pharmaceutical company Pfizer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decision is expected before the end of this week .
Maj.-Gen. Dany Fortin , named vice-president of logistics at the Public Health Agency of Canada to oversee the vaccine rollout plan , said it will only be a day or two between when the vaccines arrive and the first people get inoculated .
• How scientists saved rare seeds from Syria 's war — and are now helping to feed the world • Take two hikes and call me in the morning • This Nova Scotia woman is ridding the ocean of 'ghost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ directly to 14 sites in the 10 provinces , and provincial governments will then distribute them internally .
There are two delivery sites in Ontario , Quebec , British Columbia and Alberta , and one in each of the other six provinces .
None of the early shipments are headed for the territories .
There is still limited information available on where the first shipments will go and who will be first to get vaccinated .
The National Advisory Committee on Immunizations last week recommended priority be given to residents and workers in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , people over the age of 80 and people living in Indigenous communities .
However the Pfizer vaccine has to be kept frozen below -70 C , which means the logistics of sending them to remote communities make doing so nearly impossible .
Trudeau said northern leaders have asked for vaccines that are easier to handle .
Moderna ’ s vaccine candidate , which is expected to be second in line for approval , only needs to be stored in regular freezers that can keep temperatures below at least -20 C. Canada is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Pfizer vaccine by March and 20 million in 2021 .
Canada has an option in the contract to buy up to 56 million more .
Everything hinges on Health Canada approving the vaccine from American-based pharmaceutical company Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech .
A decision is expected before the end of this week .
# COVID19 But Trudeau said Monday everything is now happening faster .
`` Canada has secured an agreement with Pfizer to begin early delivery of doses of their vaccine candidate , '' Trudeau said .
The Pfizer/BioNtech @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doses would be enough to vaccinate nearly 125,000 people .
Health Canada is also reviewing three other vaccine candidates , including the one from Moderna , which is set to deliver two million doses to Canada in the first quarter of 2021 .
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 7 , 2020 .

OTTAWA — A small number of the most vulnerable Canadians could be immunized against COVID-19 before the holidays as the first doses of Pfizer’s vaccine are set to arrive next week and up to 249,000 doses delivered by the end of the year. "It has been a difficult year, and we are not out of this crisis yet," Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Monday at a news conference in Ottawa. "But now, vaccines are coming." Everything hinges on Health Canada approving the vaccine from American-based pharmaceutical company Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech. A decision is expected before the end of this week. Maj.-Gen. Dany Fortin, named vice-president of logistics at the Public Health Agency of Canada to oversee the vaccine rollout plan, said it will only be a day or two between when the vaccines arrive and the first people get inoculated.
The vaccines will be shipped directly to 14 sites in the 10 provinces, and provincial governments will then distribute them internally. There are two delivery sites in Ontario, Quebec, British Columbia and Alberta, and one in each of the other six provinces. None of the early shipments are headed for the territories. There is still limited information available on where the first shipments will go and who will be first to get vaccinated. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions The National Advisory Committee on Immunizations last week recommended priority be given to residents and workers in long-term care homes, front-line health workers, people over the age of 80 and people living in Indigenous communities.
However the Pfizer vaccine has to be kept frozen below -70 C, which means the logistics of sending them to remote communities make doing so nearly impossible. Trudeau said northern leaders have asked for vaccines that are easier to handle. Everything hinges on Health Canada approving the vaccine from American-based pharmaceutical company Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech. A decision is expected before the end of this week. #COVID19 Moderna’s vaccine candidate, which is expected to be second in line for approval, only needs to be stored in regular freezers that can keep temperatures below at least -20 C. Canada is set to receive four million doses of the Pfizer vaccine by March and 20 million in 2021. Canada has an option in the contract to buy up to 56 million more. But Trudeau said Monday everything is now happening faster. "Canada has secured an agreement with Pfizer to begin early delivery of doses of their vaccine candidate," Trudeau said.


nationalobserver--2020-12-07--National Chief Perry Bellegarde won't seek re-election as leader of Assembly of First Nations

OTTAWA — National Chief Perry Bellegarde of the Assembly of First Nations said he won ’ t seek re-election as the head of the organization next summer .
Bellegarde , who has served in the role since 2014 , said in a series of tweets Monday that he has successfully advocated for laws protecting Indigenous children and languages as well as a new bill to implement the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples .
His advocacy has also helped to secure more than $ 27 billion in new funding , he said .
`` Issues and concerns that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ourselves , around the kitchen table , are now out there in the media every day , at the centre of public debate , '' he said .
He said these achievements should inspire Indigenous leaders to continue pressing for better lives for Indigenous people .
• How scientists saved rare seeds from Syria 's war — and are now helping to feed the world • Take two hikes and call me in the morning • This Nova Scotia woman is ridding the ocean of 'ghost gear ' `` We must reach out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ understand that there can be no reconciliation without transformation , '' he said .
`` We need to mobilize our allies in government — no matter what party they belong to — who have the courage ( and ) conviction to support change . ''
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told a news conference in Ottawa Monday that Bellegarde has been a tireless leader and advocate for First Nations .
`` I am joined by people across the country in recognizing and celebrating his years of devoted service to First Nations communities , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to work with the national chief to advance the priorities identified by First Nations , including keeping First Nations communities safe from this pandemic , '' he said .
Bellegarde said he will address the chiefs at their general assembly , which is being held virtually this week after it was put off last summer due to the COVID-19 pandemic .
`` I will be both excited and anxious , but most of all , proud of the work we did together , '' he said .
`` We still have lots of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s fight together for First Nations ’ priorities right to the end . ''
`` I will be both excited and anxious , but most of all , proud of the work we did together , '' said Perry Bellegarde , who has served as national chief of the Assembly of First Nations since 2014 .
Before becoming national chief , Bellegarde , 58 , served as the AFN ’ s regional chief for Saskatchewan and the chief of the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations .
He was also a councillor and a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nation in Saskatchewan .
The national chief is elected every three years to lead the AFN , a political advocacy organization that represents more than 600 First Nations in Canada .
At its general assembly , which begins Tuesday , the AFN is set to urge the government to address inequities faced by First Nations during the pandemic and to support safe and high-quality education , health-care resources and infrastructure , among other issues .
The organization is also expected to create the First Nations veterans ’ council to promote the recognition of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ veterans in Canada through education and to develop and maintain a database of First Nations veterans .
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 7 , 2020 .
This story was produced with the financial assistance of the Facebook and Canadian Press News Fellowship .

OTTAWA — National Chief Perry Bellegarde of the Assembly of First Nations said he won’t seek re-election as the head of the organization next summer. Bellegarde, who has served in the role since 2014, said in a series of tweets Monday that he has successfully advocated for laws protecting Indigenous children and languages as well as a new bill to implement the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. His advocacy has also helped to secure more than $27 billion in new funding, he said. "Issues and concerns that we used to talk about only among ourselves, around the kitchen table, are now out there in the media every day, at the centre of public debate," he said. He said these achievements should inspire Indigenous leaders to continue pressing for better lives for Indigenous people.
"We must reach out to our non-Indigenous brothers and sisters who understand that there can be no reconciliation without transformation," he said. "We need to mobilize our allies in government — no matter what party they belong to — who have the courage (and) conviction to support change." Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told a news conference in Ottawa Monday that Bellegarde has been a tireless leader and advocate for First Nations. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions "I am joined by people across the country in recognizing and celebrating his years of devoted service to First Nations communities," Trudeau said.
"We will continue to work with the national chief to advance the priorities identified by First Nations, including keeping First Nations communities safe from this pandemic," he said. "I will be both excited and anxious, but most of all, proud of the work we did together," said Perry Bellegarde, who has served as national chief of the Assembly of First Nations since 2014. Bellegarde said he will address the chiefs at their general assembly, which is being held virtually this week after it was put off last summer due to the COVID-19 pandemic. "I will be both excited and anxious, but most of all, proud of the work we did together," he said. "We still have lots of work to do, so let’s fight together for First Nations’ priorities right to the end." Before becoming national chief, Bellegarde, 58, served as the AFN’s regional chief for Saskatchewan and the chief of the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations. He was also a councillor and a chief of the Little Black Bear First Nation in Saskatchewan. The national chief is elected every three years to lead the AFN, a political advocacy organization that represents more than 600 First Nations in Canada.
At its general assembly, which begins Tuesday, the AFN is set to urge the government to address inequities faced by First Nations during the pandemic and to support safe and high-quality education, health-care resources and infrastructure, among other issues. The organization is also expected to create the First Nations veterans’ council to promote the recognition of contributions of First Nations military and RCMP veterans in Canada through education and to develop and maintain a database of First Nations veterans. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 7, 2020.


nationalobserver--2020-12-07--Report says U.S. diplomats likely targeted in 'directed radio energy' attack, unsure about Canadians

A new report commissioned by the U.S. government says the mysterious brain injuries suffered by American diplomats posted in Cuba in 2016 were most likely caused by an attack using “ directed ” radio energy .
Yet the report by the National Academy of Sciences in Washington stops short of saying the same about Canadian diplomats and their families in Havana , and instead leaves open the possibility of other causes .
The report was commissioned by the U.S. State Department and represents the latest attempt to explain the mysterious illness known as Havana syndrome that started causing headaches , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Canadian diplomats in Cuba .
Five Canadian diplomats and their families are now suing Ottawa for more than $ 28 million , saying the federal government failed to protect them , hid crucial information and downplayed the illness .
Global Affairs Canada has previously acknowledged that nine adults and five children from diplomatic families developed unusual illnesses in Havana , with symptoms including nausea , dizziness , headaches and trouble concentrating .
• How scientists saved rare seeds from Syria 's war — and are now helping to feed the world • Take @ @ @ @ @ @ @ morning • This Nova Scotia woman is ridding the ocean of 'ghost gear ' While the government has said it is trying to pinpoint the cause , speculation has largely focused on some kind of acoustic or microwave assault , an unknown contaminant such as a pesticide , and even chirping crickets .
The National Academy of Sciences report says the symptoms and features of what U.S. diplomats were experiencing was unlike any known disorder , “ including those with known infectious , inflammatory , or toxic mechanism.
” Rather , the report @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sudden pain , intense pressure in the face , a loud piercing sound in one ear and sudden dizziness and nausea were “ more consistent with a directed radio frequency energy attack.
” “ Studies published in the open literature more than a half century ago and over the subsequent decades by Western and Soviet sources provide circumstantial support for this possible mechanism , ” it later adds .
Yet the report makes no such assertions on what happened to the Canadians .
It instead leaves open the possibility that their illnesses were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a toxic chemical or some other factor .
Paul Miller , the lawyer representing the Canadian diplomats suing the government , says that is because there are several errors in the report .
That includes an assertion the Canadians did not experience the same sudden pain and loud noise as their U.S. counterparts .
Report says U.S. diplomats in Cuba likely targeted in `` directed radio energy attack : -- unsure about Canadians .
# HavanaSyndrome # Cuba # diplomacy # Canada “ To suggest in any way that our clients did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or a sensation of intense pressure or vibration is just incorrect , ” Miller told The Canadian Press on Sunday .
“ They all heard things to different degrees .
One family heard it quite loudly and suffered pretty immediate injuries .
Others heard it and felt unwell within a day or two .
...
If that information is corrected , you might see a different conclusion by the U.S. folks.
” Miller noted that the U.S. researchers did not interview the Canadian diplomats .
The report instead says it relied on a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Canadians ’ symptoms and complaints .
The Dalhousie study pointed to neurotoxins , such as pesticides used to kill mosquitos during Zika epidemic , as the most likely reason .
Miller ’ s clients have disputed that finding , saying more people would have suffered the same symptoms if it was true .
The U.S. report comes as the lawsuit between the Canadian diplomats and federal government remains unresolved , with Miller hoping for a motion brought by the government to have the diplomats excluded heard by the court next year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to requests for comment on Sunday .

A new report commissioned by the U.S. government says the mysterious brain injuries suffered by American diplomats posted in Cuba in 2016 were most likely caused by an attack using “directed” radio energy. Yet the report by the National Academy of Sciences in Washington stops short of saying the same about Canadian diplomats and their families in Havana, and instead leaves open the possibility of other causes. The report was commissioned by the U.S. State Department and represents the latest attempt to explain the mysterious illness known as Havana syndrome that started causing headaches, dizziness and cognitive problems in U.S. and Canadian diplomats in Cuba. Five Canadian diplomats and their families are now suing Ottawa for more than $28 million, saying the federal government failed to protect them, hid crucial information and downplayed the illness. Global Affairs Canada has previously acknowledged that nine adults and five children from diplomatic families developed unusual illnesses in Havana, with symptoms including nausea, dizziness, headaches and trouble concentrating.
While the government has said it is trying to pinpoint the cause, speculation has largely focused on some kind of acoustic or microwave assault, an unknown contaminant such as a pesticide, and even chirping crickets. The National Academy of Sciences report says the symptoms and features of what U.S. diplomats were experiencing was unlike any known disorder, “including those with known infectious, inflammatory, or toxic mechanism.” Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions Rather, the report says the diplomats’ complaints of experiencing sudden pain, intense pressure in the face, a loud piercing sound in one ear and sudden dizziness and nausea were “more consistent with a directed radio frequency energy attack.”
“Studies published in the open literature more than a half century ago and over the subsequent decades by Western and Soviet sources provide circumstantial support for this possible mechanism,” it later adds. Report says U.S. diplomats in Cuba likely targeted in "directed radio energy attack: -- unsure about Canadians. #HavanaSyndrome #Cuba #diplomacy #Canada Yet the report makes no such assertions on what happened to the Canadians. It instead leaves open the possibility that their illnesses were caused by a viral infection, exposure to a toxic chemical or some other factor. Paul Miller, the lawyer representing the Canadian diplomats suing the government, says that is because there are several errors in the report. That includes an assertion the Canadians did not experience the same sudden pain and loud noise as their U.S. counterparts. “To suggest in any way that our clients did not have the perception of loud sounds or a sensation of intense pressure or vibration is just incorrect,” Miller told The Canadian Press on Sunday. “They all heard things to different degrees. One family heard it quite loudly and suffered pretty immediate injuries. Others heard it and felt unwell within a day or two. ... If that information is corrected, you might see a different conclusion by the U.S. folks.”
Miller noted that the U.S. researchers did not interview the Canadian diplomats. The report instead says it relied on a study by Dalhousie University and available descriptions of the Canadians’ symptoms and complaints. The Dalhousie study pointed to neurotoxins, such as pesticides used to kill mosquitos during Zika epidemic, as the most likely reason. Miller’s clients have disputed that finding, saying more people would have suffered the same symptoms if it was true. The U.S. report comes as the lawsuit between the Canadian diplomats and federal government remains unresolved, with Miller hoping for a motion brought by the government to have the diplomats excluded heard by the court next year.


nationalobserver--2020-12-07--From tents to 4-star hotel, pandemic prompts big changes for Montreal's homeless people

Alexandre was sorting cans one recent morning outside a tent pitched next to a busy Montreal road by the Port of Montreal .
Until the COVID-19 pandemic hit , he had been sleeping at a homeless shelter , but when health measures forced the shelter to cut its capacity , he was forced onto the street .
For the past three months , Alexandre , who refused to give his last name , has called this informal encampment east of downtown Montreal home .
In late November , his was one of more than 40 tents on the thin stretch @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hasn ’ t been too cold , ” he told a reporter .
He likes that people are free to come and go , unlike the shelter , which he says was “ like a prison.
” He figures he 'll tough it out through the winter .
While tent cities like this are new to Montreal , shelter workers and experts say it ’ s not necessarily a sign that significantly more people in Montreal are homeless .
But they all agree that the pandemic has made homelessness more visible and disrupted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ informal services .
“ There have been people who have lost their homes and the places where they were staying as a function of COVID , ” said Samuel Watts , the CEO of Welcome Hall Mission , which provides a variety of services to Montrealers in precarious situations .
“ How many ?
That ’ s not clear.
” • How scientists saved rare seeds from Syria 's war — and are now helping to feed the world • Take two hikes and call me in the morning • This Nova Scotia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gear ' In a statement on Sunday , the acting director of the city 's fire safety service , Richard Liebmann , said he ordered the encampment be dismantled after a fire broke out at the site a day earlier .
Mayor Valerie Plante said the fire `` is not only worrying , but it could have been tragic and led to deaths . ''
`` As a municipal administration , we have a responsibility to guarantee the safety of our fellow citizens .
We will therefore do what is necessary to accommodate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now , '' she said in the statement .
Serge Lareault , Montreal ’ s commissioner for people experiencing homelessness , said the pandemic has made the homeless more visible .
Before , he said , people experiencing homelessness would spend time in restaurants or day centres , but due to COVID-19 restrictions , they have been pushed outside .
In Montreal , restaurants , coffee shops and libraries have been closed since Oct. 1 .
“ We do have the impression that there is an increase in homelessness , or at least @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Lareault said .
However , there ’ s no shortage of shelter space , he said .
The City of Montreal has doubled the number of beds available in the city ’ s shelter system — including a 380-bed shelter in a converted four-star hotel downtown that ’ s now being operated by the Welcome Hall Mission .
From tents to converted 4-star hotel , # pandemic prompts big changes for # Montreal # homeless .
# COVID19 Sylvain Di Lallo said last week he ’ s been staying at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Before that he spent nearly three months at the tent city .
He said he decided to go to the hotel shelter when the weather turned colder .
Di Lallo , 51 , said he works as a window washer on highrise buildings , but there hasn ’ t been much work since the pandemic began .
His employer ’ s largest client , a university in downtown Montreal , cancelled its contract , and window washers can ’ t go up when it 's raining or snowing .
He hopes the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Di Lallo said he had been living in an apartment and was about to move when his rent money was stolen .
It ’ s tough enough to find an affordable apartment in Montreal , he said , and his bad credit makes it even more difficult .
Staying at Hotel Place Dupuis “ is not too bad , ” he said .
There ’ s a shower in the room and while there ’ s no TV , there is Wi-Fi , and he can stay with his girlfriend — something that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shelter .
“ The only thing that ’ s a little bit annoying is the waiting , ” he said .
He has to show up around an hour before the doors open to ensure he and his girlfriend can get a room together .
Welcome Hall 's Watts said the goal isn ’ t to just give people a warm , comfortable place to stay for the night .
“ It 's also so that we can help them meet with people who are going to help them get back into permanent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ needs knowing about people ’ s needs , he said .
A woman with two children who has left an abusive situation has very different needs than a 55-year-old man who has been living on the street for two years .
While the number of people experiencing homelessness in Montreal may not have risen significantly , Welcome Hall 's other services are in higher demand .
“ What we 're seeing is a lot more people who are housed , but who are struggling to make ends meet , ” Watts said , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ started using their free food services since the beginning of the pandemic .
Other organizations providing similar services also report rising demand .
The Open Door , a day centre in Montreal ’ s Plateau-Mont-Royal borough , last week started opening 24 hours a day , said John Tessier , the centre ’ s intervention coordinator .
“ We have seen an increase in people , and a lot of different people than we used to serve , ” he said .
He said the biggest impact of the pandemic on the population @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mental health .
Many doctors are now only seeing patients on Zoom calls , he said , which means homeless people who don ’ t have access to laptops or computers have trouble getting treatment .
“ Many of the people who ( were ) getting support for their mental health issues are unable to get support now , ” he said .
There was a time when homeless shelters “ saw their services as the end , that it was good enough to provide a meal , a bed and a shower @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president and CEO of the Old Brewery Mission , a homeless shelter in Montreal .
`` None of us do that anymore .
We all know our job is housing.
” He said 93 per cent of the hundreds of people his organization helps find housing every year stay housed , but there is n't enough housing available — particularly for people who are chronically homeless and need adapted services .
“ The problem of homelessness in Montreal has become the problem of subsidized supportive housing , ” he said .
The current @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in eastern Montreal know that only too well .
Alexandre said there needs to be more subsidized housing , where people pay 25 per cent of their income in rent .
In a commercial apartment , his welfare cheque won ’ t cover much more than rent .
Di Lallo said he ’ s started meeting with a social worker after arriving at the hotel and hopes to get into a program that will help him manage his money as well as provide him with housing .
`` If I get an apartment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pay , '' he said .
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 6 , 2020 .
This story was produced with the financial assistance of the Facebook and Canadian Press News Fellowship .

Alexandre was sorting cans one recent morning outside a tent pitched next to a busy Montreal road by the Port of Montreal. Until the COVID-19 pandemic hit, he had been sleeping at a homeless shelter, but when health measures forced the shelter to cut its capacity, he was forced onto the street. For the past three months, Alexandre, who refused to give his last name, has called this informal encampment east of downtown Montreal home. In late November, his was one of more than 40 tents on the thin stretch of grass. “So far it hasn’t been too cold,” he told a reporter. He likes that people are free to come and go, unlike the shelter, which he says was “like a prison.” He figures he'll tough it out through the winter. While tent cities like this are new to Montreal, shelter workers and experts say it’s not necessarily a sign that significantly more people in Montreal are homeless. But they all agree that the pandemic has made homelessness more visible and disrupted the way people access both formal and informal services. “There have been people who have lost their homes and the places where they were staying as a function of COVID,” said Samuel Watts, the CEO of Welcome Hall Mission, which provides a variety of services to Montrealers in precarious situations. “How many? That’s not clear.”
In a statement on Sunday, the acting director of the city's fire safety service, Richard Liebmann, said he ordered the encampment be dismantled after a fire broke out at the site a day earlier. Mayor Valerie Plante said the fire "is not only worrying, but it could have been tragic and led to deaths." Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions "As a municipal administration, we have a responsibility to guarantee the safety of our fellow citizens. We will therefore do what is necessary to accommodate the campers in a safe place right now," she said in the statement.
Serge Lareault, Montreal’s commissioner for people experiencing homelessness, said the pandemic has made the homeless more visible. Before, he said, people experiencing homelessness would spend time in restaurants or day centres, but due to COVID-19 restrictions, they have been pushed outside. In Montreal, restaurants, coffee shops and libraries have been closed since Oct. 1. From tents to converted 4-star hotel, #pandemic prompts big changes for #Montreal #homeless. #COVID19 “We do have the impression that there is an increase in homelessness, or at least an increased demand for emergency shelter services,” Lareault said. However, there’s no shortage of shelter space, he said. The City of Montreal has doubled the number of beds available in the city’s shelter system — including a 380-bed shelter in a converted four-star hotel downtown that’s now being operated by the Welcome Hall Mission. Sylvain Di Lallo said last week he’s been staying at the hotel for several days with his girlfriend. Before that he spent nearly three months at the tent city. He said he decided to go to the hotel shelter when the weather turned colder. Di Lallo, 51, said he works as a window washer on highrise buildings, but there hasn’t been much work since the pandemic began. His employer’s largest client, a university in downtown Montreal, cancelled its contract, and window washers can’t go up when it's raining or snowing. He hopes the work will return in the spring.
Di Lallo said he had been living in an apartment and was about to move when his rent money was stolen. It’s tough enough to find an affordable apartment in Montreal, he said, and his bad credit makes it even more difficult. Staying at Hotel Place Dupuis “is not too bad,” he said. There’s a shower in the room and while there’s no TV, there is Wi-Fi, and he can stay with his girlfriend — something that isn’t possible in a traditional shelter. “The only thing that’s a little bit annoying is the waiting,” he said. He has to show up around an hour before the doors open to ensure he and his girlfriend can get a room together. Welcome Hall's Watts said the goal isn’t to just give people a warm, comfortable place to stay for the night. “It's also so that we can help them meet with people who are going to help them get back into permanent housing,” he said.


nationalobserver--2020-12-07--National Student Loan Service Centre backlogged as requests for help soar

Throngs of former students have been unable to reach Canada 's loans centre , which is working through a backlog of more than 30,000 applications for repayment assistance .
The phone lines for the National Student Loans Service Centre have been clogged since a pandemic-induced moratorium on student loan collections lifted at the end of September , the agency said , pointing to a message on its website warning about long wait times and dropped calls .
`` We 're currently experiencing unprecedented call volumes and are receiving a higher than usual volume of ( repayment assistance plan ) applications @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The agency said it saw 169,000 RAP applications between Oct. 1 -- when loan payments resumed -- and late November .
Of those , 30,600 had yet to be processed .
The plan protects borrowers from having to repay their Canada Student Loan until they are earning at least $ 25,000 per year , and caps payments for those over the threshold .
• Take two hikes and call me in the morning • How scientists saved rare seeds from Syria 's war — and are now helping to feed the world • @ @ @ @ @ @ @ valves will be turned off for good ’ But current and former students said their issues with the service centre go beyond long wait times .
Jaylen Bastos , a master 's student at the University of British Columbia , has been trying in vain to reach someone at the centre after receiving an email in mid-October about payments resuming .
Bastos , who uses the gender-neutral pronouns they and them , said they called every week , but could never get through .
And throughout November , they said , calls resulted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ overloaded .
But even so , on Dec. 1 , the service automatically withdrew $ 400 from their account .
`` They just took money out of my account on the same day that I had to pay rent , and I was not expecting it to happen .
So I was like , 'Oh , okay , now I just have to come up with $ 400 extra during this pandemic , which is questionable for income for everyone , '' they said .
National Student Loan Service Centre backlogged as requests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID19 # StudentLoan Bastos tried calling their bank to see if it could do anything about it , but no luck , they said .
`` It 's super frustrating , because there 's no options , right ?
There 's only one number to call , they do n't accept email , there 's no other way to access this service or get in contact with anyone , '' they said .
For the foreseeable future , Bastos said , they 'll keep calling the centre in an effort to get through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attempt to show they did their due diligence .
The service centre said it 's still experiencing a high volume of calls , but that call centre capacity has increased , so students are able to get through again -- though that has n't been Bastos ' experience .
The agency spokeswoman also said calls are higher in part because autumn is when new graduates are expected to start repaying their loans .
There are also more calls because of enhanced security protocols introduced after a `` cyber incident '' that affected a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

Throngs of former students have been unable to reach Canada's loans centre, which is working through a backlog of more than 30,000 applications for repayment assistance. The phone lines for the National Student Loans Service Centre have been clogged since a pandemic-induced moratorium on student loan collections lifted at the end of September, the agency said, pointing to a message on its website warning about long wait times and dropped calls. "We're currently experiencing unprecedented call volumes and are receiving a higher than usual volume of (repayment assistance plan) applications," said spokeswoman Isabelle Maheu. The agency said it saw 169,000 RAP applications between Oct. 1 -- when loan payments resumed -- and late November. Of those, 30,600 had yet to be processed. The plan protects borrowers from having to repay their Canada Student Loan until they are earning at least $25,000 per year, and caps payments for those over the threshold.
But current and former students said their issues with the service centre go beyond long wait times. Jaylen Bastos, a master's student at the University of British Columbia, has been trying in vain to reach someone at the centre after receiving an email in mid-October about payments resuming. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions Bastos, who uses the gender-neutral pronouns they and them, said they called every week, but could never get through.
And throughout November, they said, calls resulted in a message saying the phones were overloaded. National Student Loan Service Centre backlogged as requests for help soar. #NSLSC #COVID19 #StudentLoan But even so, on Dec. 1, the service automatically withdrew $400 from their account. "They just took money out of my account on the same day that I had to pay rent, and I was not expecting it to happen. So I was like, 'Oh, okay, now I just have to come up with $400 extra during this pandemic, which is questionable for income for everyone," they said. Bastos tried calling their bank to see if it could do anything about it, but no luck, they said. "It's super frustrating, because there's no options, right? There's only one number to call, they don't accept email, there's no other way to access this service or get in contact with anyone," they said.
For the foreseeable future, Bastos said, they'll keep calling the centre in an effort to get through -- and take screenshots after each failed attempt to show they did their due diligence. The service centre said it's still experiencing a high volume of calls, but that call centre capacity has increased, so students are able to get through again -- though that hasn't been Bastos' experience. The agency spokeswoman also said calls are higher in part because autumn is when new graduates are expected to start repaying their loans.


nationalobserver--2020-12-07--Grassy Narrows First Nations chief applauds funding for mercury treatment centre

New money for a treatment centre for those living with the effects of chronic mercury poisoning comes as a ray of hope for a northern Ontario First Nation that has spent the past six decades in the shadow of a decades-old water contamination scandal .
`` Our community members have suffered for so long , '' Grassy Narrows First Nation Chief Randy Fobister said in a recent interview .
`` It 's great news for a whole community … We 're finally seeing light at the end of the tunnel . ''
Residents of Grassy Narrows First Nation , about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , have grappled with long-standing mental and physical health issues due to toxic mercury levels in the nearby English-Wabigoon River .
So have many in Wabaseemoong Independent Nations , also known as Whitedog First Nation , about 130 kilometres away .
After years of advocacy by the communities , Ottawa reached agreements with both Grassy Narrows and Wabaseemoong earlier this year .
The federal government committed up to $ 19.5 million to each community for the construction of facilities to meet the needs of residents living with methylmercury poisoning .
• How scientists @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — and are now helping to feed the world • Take two hikes and call me in the morning • This Nova Scotia woman is ridding the ocean of 'ghost gear ' Now , Ottawa has greatly increased the size of the commitment .
The fall economic statement released last week saw the Liberal government earmark $ 200 million up to fiscal 2024-25 , plus $ 300,000 ongoing , to support the building and operation of mercury treatment centres in both communities .
The fiscal update said the funding , set to start @ @ @ @ @ @ @ community members from both Wabaseemong and Grassy Narrows , also known as Asubpeeschoseewagong , to stay close to home while receiving treatment .
Hundreds of residents have suffered chronic health problems related to mercury exposure since the 1960s , when a chemical plant at the Reed Paper mill in Dryden , Ont.
, dumped 9,000 kilograms of mercury into the river community members rely on for fishing .
`` From birth , even today , you get stuff that affects the nerves , '' Fobister said .
`` It affects the youth ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what you get from mercury poisoning like rashes . ''
Last week , Indigenous Services Minister Marc Miller described the lack of action on the local mercury contamination as `` an aberration in our history . ''
Miller said previous plans for treatment facilities were delayed as Indigenous communities pushed for more comprehensive federal funding .
`` What we found out quite quickly was that there was no trust between Grassy Narrows and the government of Canada , and in some senses , rightly so , '' he said .
`` Part of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a trust ( fund ) to be used for the community to treat their people , so that they can live in dignity . ''
The new plan in the fiscal update would see the feds devote $ 28 million to the projects in 2021-22 , $ 32 million the following year , and $ 70 million in each of the next two years .
Opposition critics said they will wait to see it take concrete shape before offering praise .
`` The promises are great , but we need to see @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , we need to see these problems actually solved , '' Conservative MP Gary Vidal , his party 's critic for Indigenous Services , said in an interview .
`` We 've seen the announcements , but we have n't seen the outcomes , '' he said .
Miller said the mercury treatment facilities have potential to fill a unique place in the Canadian health-care system .
`` I hope it 'll become a state-of-the-art place where we can study the effects of mercury poisoning , '' he told a news conference last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about 1,200 residents continues to struggle with tainted water long after the initial mercury contamination took place .
Grassy Narrows declared a state of emergency over its unsafe drinking water in 2015 , after a boil-water advisory had already been in place for nearly two years , as it tried to get more information from the federal government about the safety of its water .
Fobister said a water test showed chemical compounds known trihalomethanes ( THMs ) that form when the chlorine used to disinfect water reacts with natural organic matter such @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also found two other disinfectant byproducts considered possible carcinogens .
The water was deemed fit for human consumption again just this October , which Fobister said came after years of work on water treatment facilities and local pipes .
But he said community members are still leery of using tap water , relying instead on shipments of bottled water delivered to the community each week .
Two weeks ago , a test found lead in the tap water at the community 's school , Fobister said .
The government promised to fund the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the community next to the mercury treatment centre .
Fobister said ground testing is already taking place in the area where the two facilities should be built .
He said his community will allow construction workers to enter the community despite the fear of COVID-19 .
He said he hopes to see both projects begin in the spring .
Miller pegged the timeline to finish the buildings at between 18 and 36 months .
Meanwhile , Fobister said he fears his community will bear the consequences of the mercury contamination until the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a process could prolong the ordeal for several more generations of Grassy Narrows residents .
`` When the fish are healthy , the land is healthy , and maybe , maybe then the youth , 50 years from now , they 'll have good health . ''
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 6 , 2020 .
This story was produced with the financial assistance of the Facebook and Canadian Press News Fellowship .

New money for a treatment centre for those living with the effects of chronic mercury poisoning comes as a ray of hope for a northern Ontario First Nation that has spent the past six decades in the shadow of a decades-old water contamination scandal. "Our community members have suffered for so long," Grassy Narrows First Nation Chief Randy Fobister said in a recent interview. "It's great news for a whole community … We're finally seeing light at the end of the tunnel." Residents of Grassy Narrows First Nation, about 100 kilometres northeast of Kenora, Ont., have grappled with long-standing mental and physical health issues due to toxic mercury levels in the nearby English-Wabigoon River. So have many in Wabaseemoong Independent Nations, also known as Whitedog First Nation, about 130 kilometres away. After years of advocacy by the communities, Ottawa reached agreements with both Grassy Narrows and Wabaseemoong earlier this year. The federal government committed up to $19.5 million to each community for the construction of facilities to meet the needs of residents living with methylmercury poisoning.
Now, Ottawa has greatly increased the size of the commitment. The fall economic statement released last week saw the Liberal government earmark $200 million up to fiscal 2024-25, plus $300,000 ongoing, to support the building and operation of mercury treatment centres in both communities. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions The fiscal update said the funding, set to start flowing in fiscal 2021-22, would allow community members from both Wabaseemong and Grassy Narrows, also known as Asubpeeschoseewagong, to stay close to home while receiving treatment.
Hundreds of residents have suffered chronic health problems related to mercury exposure since the 1960s, when a chemical plant at the Reed Paper mill in Dryden, Ont., dumped 9,000 kilograms of mercury into the river community members rely on for fishing. Grassy Narrows First Nations chief applauds funding for mercury treatment centre. #cdnpoli #GrassyNarrows "From birth, even today, you get stuff that affects the nerves," Fobister said. "It affects the youth (with) common signs of symptoms like what you get from mercury poisoning like rashes." Last week, Indigenous Services Minister Marc Miller described the lack of action on the local mercury contamination as "an aberration in our history." Miller said previous plans for treatment facilities were delayed as Indigenous communities pushed for more comprehensive federal funding. "What we found out quite quickly was that there was no trust between Grassy Narrows and the government of Canada, and in some senses, rightly so," he said.
"Part of that trust is putting the money away in a trust (fund) to be used for the community to treat their people, so that they can live in dignity." The new plan in the fiscal update would see the feds devote $28 million to the projects in 2021-22, $32 million the following year, and $70 million in each of the next two years. Opposition critics said they will wait to see it take concrete shape before offering praise.